Remembered Pain

Azula was sleeping soundly after a long and enjoyable day at the institute. As her body slept her two personas shared a dream. They didn't need to, but they found that their body was better rested if they did.

In their dream they manifested themselves as the dragons that faced each other above the head of their bed. The persona known as the Gamer dug her powerful claws into the floor of the as yet featureless dream-scape. Her wings creating hurricane force wings. Power was clearly displayed in every muscle that flexed beneath her dark red scales.

Where the Gamer displayed power, her artist counterpart displayed grace as she coiled her serpentine body and folded her arms under her jaw. Her own scales were a lighter shade of red. "I wonder what tonight's dream will be?" she asked in a soft, almost childlike voice that seemed strange coming from a dragon's mouth.

"I don't know Azula," the Gamer replied in a harder version of the same voice. They watched as the dream-scape formed into a room that once terrified the young Fire Princess.

"Father's study," the Artist said as she coiled tighter in fear.

"Yes," the Gamer replied calmly. "Complete with Father." And indeed Ozai was there working at his desk as if the two dragons weren't in the room. The dragons should have dwarfed both desk and man, indeed the spacious study should have felt cramped to them. But the room and everything in it except the dragons was taken from Azula's childhood memories, and to her, everything about this room seemed huge.

There was the sound of running feet and the two dragons turned to see a young Azula run in excitedly with a piece of parchment clutched in paint splattered hands.

"Father, do you wanna see the picture I made?"

Fire Prince Ozai didn't even look up from his work as he used his fire bending to destroy the picture. Almost burning her hand in the process. "I am a very busy man Azula. I don't have time to waste giving false praise to your useless scribbles," he said as if it didn't matter.

The young Azula just stared at the ashes that had been her picture. "But, I worked hard on that picture," she finally stammered in disbelief.

"You shouldn't waste your time on such peasant endeavors."

"But, Father..."

"Don't talk back to me Azula!" Ozai looked up and glared at Azula. The dragon Azulas knew by now that they were watching a memory and that they couldn't actually be hurt, but the Artist still cringed at the force of Ozai's glare. "Though you have not manifested your fire bending you are still a princess of the Fire Nation and as such represent the power and prestige of our glorious home. You should be feared. For only through fear can you truly command power and respect from . Do you honestly think that anyone would fear someone who wastes her time drawing?"

"No Father," Azula sniffed.

"That's my girl. I know this hurts now, but for a weapon to be strong it's weaknesses must be cleansed from it through fire. Now leave me, and do not disturb me again until you can fire bend like your brother." He returned to his work. Expecting her to leave as she had been told. Only the dragons watched her go.

"Father was wrong," the Artist finally said. "My drawings were not a waste of time. They made me feel good "

"There was no place for your art in his game," the Gamer countered. "Anything he could not use, he had to crush lest it be used against him. It was a sound strategy in his mind."

"That doesn't make it right," the artist stated. "Besides, I still drew my pictures."

"Yes, in secret. Not even our friends, Mai and Ty Lee knew about your artwork for fear that they would reveal you as a weakness to Father. So you see. In that respect, he won," the statement was clearly sour in her mouth. She turned to the giant Ozai. "You may have beaten us Father, but in the end, it was the Avatar who won the game." She spat a stream of fire at him which fell harmlessly through him.

"Come on Azula," the Artist said as she uncoiled and walked to the door. "I don't like this place. It hurts."

"I agree," the Gamer said as she followed her counterpart out the door. "This round is over. Let's remember how the rest of the game went."