AN: Thank you so much to sinking like stones, BabydollEyelashes, ThisUnitHasNoSoul, FanfictionVillainess, cranapplesurprise, KawaiiEyeliner, smokeandshadowfeels, Koka Kola Veins, turtleducksymphony, Oh You in that Dress, holmesfreak1412, Madness-and-Corona, illegalsweaters, hotlips29, korrasarmyy, Fake Nails Real Heart, MissHarloweGold, jonissbouquet, xxlunareclipseoftheheartxx, haylE15, Streetlight Eyes, the-yellow-rose-girl and SuperlustrousRainstorm for reviewing.

And super thank you so much to my beta electric gurrl!

A note: I reversed the POV order in this chapter due to chronology.


Chapter Nine
Daddy


Azula


After my flight from prison, I was taken to an estate of some sort. The gravel driveway crackled beneath my feet as I followed my old accomplice inside.

Mai was not who I imagined would help me. She was absolutely integral to locking me up, and I fantasized about clawing her throat open. But, luckily or unluckily, I knew she was a resource I could not waste over petty revenge.

As soon as we stepped inside of the musky manor, my first question was, "Do you have Izumi?"

"No," said Mai with a sigh. "But you're not the first person who's asked me that this week."

I smirked. Oh, I knew at once that it was my list of suspects that led to her discomfort.

"You did date my brother," I purred. "Maybe you were jealous of Katara."

"I'm not even replying to that, and, before you ask, I don't know who has her, and neither does anyone else here," Mai said, shutting the door behind us.

The click made me flinch and I did not notice my surroundings for it. "Anyone else here?"

"Azula Pyralis, meet your fan-club… or something."

I glanced around and saw only admiring eyes.

Perhaps I really was born lucky, like dear daddy told me.

xxx

It was spring break of my freshman year and it had been raining for days. My skin was sticky with sweat from the unseasonal humidity. I was in the airport with my brother, whom believed he was in charge. He was not, and he would never be. I was the good child, I was the sole benefactor, I was the clever one.

I knew better than to try to hug my father when I saw him.

Zuko went to stay with his friend in Arizona. It was sunny there and I loathed him for it, but my father took me to one of our three vacation homes. We were alone there and I did not know if I liked it.

I was... concerned about many things.

At dinner, right after we finished unpacking, he said, "I know."

We sat at a shiny, barely-used dining room table. It could not be more ominous, and now I was certain I was going to be locked up for the rest of my life or worse. My heart began to pound, but I slowed it. It was my father; the consequences would be mild, right?

"Know what?" I lightly asked. It could be nothing. I hoped it was nothing.

"I'm not angry. I want to help you," he said.

"I dislike therapists," I whispered.

He smiled at me, and I could not understand why.

"That's not what I meant by help," he cryptically replied.

Despite the momentary confusion, on that evening my life began to make sense for the first time.

xxx

On the windowsill of my new bedroom, red dahlias grew from a stylish vase. They all were the color of blood, save for one that had not blossomed yet—that one was orange—and I thought they were a hilarious touch. I liked the bedroom, but I would like any bedroom after spending several years in the supermax wing of a federal prison.

I opened the drawers and found them stocked with clothes. They all suited me; these followers might not be as stupid as I previously assumed. The books on the shelf were all ones I had read, but they were a thoughtful touch.

The moment I grabbed a familiar novel, someone knocked on my door.

I was not in a bad mood, fortunately for them. Interruptions were always unwelcome.

When I opened the door, I quickly knew I would not have killed my guest. Save for the entire betrayal that made me consider hunting her down and burning her to death limb by limb, I liked Mai. I also accepted her breaking me out of the prison she sent me into as a humble apology.

"What is it you want?" I demanded. Mai shrugged and shut the door behind her.

"Do you mean in general or right now at this moment?" Mai dryly inquired.

"Both," was my decision.

"I'm going to flip this on you. What is it that you want?" Mai sat down with her legs crossed, amber eyes digging into me.

She was such a good follower, but something resembling a friend too. I loved it. Perhaps I would wait to make her pay for her betrayal.

"I want at this moment for someone to send my brother flowers," I mused, tapping my fingers on the arm of the sofa. "I want in general for someone to find my niece and whoever took her."

"Why?" asked Mai, cocking an eyebrow. It was quite the facial expression for her.

"The flowers to rattle—perhaps terrify—dear ZuZu. As for my niece, I intend to murder that cute little copycat killer. I think my biggest fan would appreciate that end to their existence." I sighed and sat down.

"It's ironic, I'll give you that," she said, almost laughing.

"Not just ironic. They have crossed the line on a number of levels and I want to get to them before they are given a trial and a prison sentence."

Mai was silent and I was silent.

She finally did speak up and offer the rhetorical question, "What kind of flowers?"


Zuko


It literally seemed like something out of a nightmare. I had a number of bad dreams about my dad or sister breaking out of prison, but nothing I felt after waking from one of them could hold a candle to what I was experiencing right now.

I was sitting on my living room couch, exactly where I got the news on Izumi, and I was surrounded by police officers, yet again. These ones were supposed to protect me at all hours now that my psycho little sister was on the loose.

When Ty Lee entered the room, I expected her to be sobbing, but for once since Izumi was kidnapped, she wasn't. She was. . . smiling.

"Why are you not terrified?" I demanded, shoving my phone down on the couch cushion. "She's gonna kill me! She broke out of jail and she's gonna kill me!"

"She isn't gonna kill you because she isn't an idiot. That would be the fastest way for her to get caught," Ty Lee said, her smile not fading. I couldn't believe it. "You should probably still be worried about her followers, though."

"Don't get me wrong, I'm happy you're happy, but why are you happy?" I asked.

"I'm not happy. I guess I'm not, at least. But you don't have to worry about her," Ty Lee said before walking across the room to sit beside me. I took her hand in mine, but she did not react to it.

"My dad is criminally insane and my sister is criminally insane; am I criminally insane?" I blurted out.

Ty Lee pretended to think about it.

"I don't know yet. Is Izumi?" Ty Lee asked innocently. It didn't feel very innocent, however.

"What kind of question is that?" I exclaimed, startling the officer nearest to me.

"Just a thought." Ty Lee tore her hand away from mine. "Your family is kind of fucked up."

"I hadn't noticed," I said, sighing. "This is only going to take resources away. We need everyone focused on bringing Izumi home."

Ty Lee took a deep breath. I found it strange. I found her strange today.

"She's been… gone a while. We don't even know if she's still alive," Ty Lee whispered, squeezing my hand. I yanked it away.

That shocked me to the core. That angered me to the core.

"Why would you say that?" I shouted, glaring at her. She shook her head at me.

"I don't know." Ty Lee hastily left and I sighed.

I thought I was at slight peace before I heard sarcastic applause behind me.

"You are husband of the year," Chief Beifong said, laughing.

"Why are you laughing? Why is everyone laughing but me? This is not a—" I froze.

"Not a…?" asked Chief Beifong.

Under my breath, I replied, "Notalaughingmatter."

"Somebody sent you flowers. Don't worry; we checked them out for poison or prints already." She set down a pricey arrangement on my coffee table.

Dark red dahlias. They were the color of blood, save for a solitary orange blossom. I picked up the odd one out and saw it had yet to bloom.

"You can trace this, can't you?" I asked.

Chief Beifong did not say a word.

And so I said, "I need to talk to my father."

xxx

On the drive to the prison, I keep reminding myself why I should not be doing this. Then I think of Izumi and her big gold eyes and her small hands and her need to live. She didn't have a life yet. She couldn't die, and I would literally chop off my right arm for her to survive.

Ozai Pyralis is the worst man who ever lived, in my humble opinion. Azula is bad, but he made her that way. Or at least she got it from him. The psychopath gene that I really hope missed me. My mom is a good person; I tried to keep that in mind.

Father would spend a lot of time with Azula. I was never allotted any. He would take her places. I was never allowed to tag along.

Their hunting trips, I later learned, were not the kind of activity I would enjoy.

I don't personally think he had much to do with Azula's actual reign of terror. He encouraged her tendencies since she was little, but the Blue Dahlia was the Blue Dahlia. He was pegged with obstruction of justice and something about her final murder.

The one I tried not to think about.

This would be... interesting.