My last chapter for this year. Hope everyone had a very merry Christmas and wish you a happy new year! Thanks to anyone still reading!
"So, let me get this straight. That's the Avatar, and you're his servant?"
Frisk slapped her hand against her head, again.
"Hey buds. Whatcha doing?"
Like you care, she thought turning to the elder brother.
"I'm just trying to get the hang of this sign language! It's really stimulating! I can't wait to try it with Undyne! And everyone else! I'll be the most popular guy in the Underground!"
He's something, Frisk said with her fingers. Sans just smiled. Well more so.
"Thought getting the Avatar back was gonna do that. Now you want to impress them with hand waving?"
"Hey, I still intend to show them the Avatar! This is just the cherry on top! Speaking of which… I bet I can make a killer cherry cake! Would you like to see servant of the Avatar?"
"Hey speaking of…. Wonder where that kid went." Sans got up and left Frisk (much to her annoyance) with his brother.
"Hey Aa- Hmm, probably shouldn't call him that. Tattoo head! No, that doesn't work either. Aw where is he?"
The clothes they had "borrowed" turned out to be fairly common on the ship. So, all he could do was grab their shoulders and check them out one at a time.
"Hey buddy! Fire flakes?"
"Eww! Get off me!"
"Buddy!"
"I'm a girl!"
"Buddy?"
"Pervert! Daddy!"
"Looking for me?"
"Yeah! There you are buddy! Bout time! I've been looking all over for you! For once, you don't stand out! How does that feel?"
"Uh…." He pursed his lips for a moment thinking. "I guess it's kind of nice actually."
"See, that's the spirit! Find some happiness wherever you can! It's how we've made it this far!"
Aang smiled, then raised his ear to make out some of the conversation.
"Hey did you hear? Sounds like the Avatar is back!"
"Oh, please. No way it's the Avatar! He'd have to be over a century old by now! No way he's still fighting."
"I don't know. Rumor has it he was using air."
"Probably just some earthbender trying to scare us. Don't worry about it."
"Yeah, even if the Avatar still was alive, no way he'd show up now. He's a coward!"
"I know! He's had a whole century to show his ugly face! What took him so long!"
"Yeah little pussy! He pretty much won the war for us! If he really cared, he never would have let the was start in the first place!"
"Wow. Can you believe these people? They must have ash in their heads! Right, kid? Kid?"
Sans looked about to see the back of the Avatar, pushing his way through the crowd. His speed did not suggest happiness.
…
"Hey Ty, where's our noble princess?"
"Oh she's…" Ty lee trailed off, looking nervously. "practicing."
"Usual spot? Great. See you."
"Wait, Mai! I don't think that's a good idea! She's not happy."
"Upset? Azula upset? That's not a common thing. Not for her to show anyway."
"You know her. If she's angry, it usually means she feels she's failed in some way."
"Oh. Her visit with daddy didn't go well I take it?"
"She didn't talk about it, but….. you know what Ozai's like."
"Well normally I'd just let her tear the palace apart. But this really can't wait. Oh, come on. Don't give me that look. I'll be fine."
"Please be right." The acrobat watched her friend leave with worry.
As she said, the princess was throwing fireballs out in the yard at moving targets. Normally throwing wouldn't be an appropriate term for Azula's style of flames. She didn't throw. She aimed the flames with almost perfect precision from her fingertips. Every other Firebender Mai knew shot them from clenched fists. Azula was clearly an unprecedented type of Firebender altogether. Unlike any other in the world. Different
"Damn it! Stay still!"
Well, maybe not that different. Certainly not right now. The flames were being launched with clenched fists like everyone else. And the erratic way she attacked suggested that she was not in her usual calm state.
"Aarrgghh! All those years for what? This?"
Well, no chance of her getting any better. May as well say it now.
"Ahem. Princess."
No response. Mai then decided to try something really dumb. She threw a dart at one of the moving targets.
That got her attention. Nothing like hitting something she can't to make her notice.
"What do you want?"
"Uh, well uh." Suddenly this seemed like a really dumb idea.
"Out with it! I'm very busy!"
"Right… So, you know how my parents are like living in the Earth kingdom and whatnot?"
Azula rolled her eyes. "Wonderfully articulated Mai. I see that your teachings have really paid off."
I could say the same for you, she thought back.
"Anyway, I got a hawk letter. They want me back with them. Apparently mom finally gave birth to a kid-"
A flame hit the ground next to her causing her to jump. The owner of said flame stared at her, her lip twitching.
"Uh…. I take it you're not-"
"You want to leave? Is that it? You're done with me?"
"Hey, hold on. I never said-"
"You didn't have to. Of course not. Of course, you don't want anything to do with me. Nobody does. Not you. Not father. Not even…"
"Azula, I think you're overexaggerating."
Another blast of fire hit the ground beside her. Clearly the princess was not in a talking mood.
"Just leave me. Like everyone else."
"Ok…. I'll do that."
She walked backwards with her hands raised, watching for any further sign of crazy.
…
Have you seen Aang? Frisk moved her fingers.
"Nah can't say I have squirt. Saw him a couple hours ago. Had a few good laughs then he ran off for some reason." Sans shrugged his shoulders. Typical airbender I guess."
She gave him a look saying really?
"Hey, don't look at me that way! It's not my job to babysit! What are you kids? Wait. That came out wrong."
Babysitting could work good for Papyrus, she said.
"Yeah? Why, where's he?"
She shrugged. Come on, she said with her fingers. Let's go find the Avatar.
"Eh, you go ahead kid. I need some me time. Been pushing myself hard."
No, you haven't! You've barely moved anywhere!
"Hey, I've moved everywhere kid! All over the world! Now go find your pal while I get some well-earned rest."
Well-earned my ass. But she relented and walked off to find the world's last hope.
Easier said than done. For a half hour walking about the ship, she found a lot of different people. Most of them desperate. Others pervy.
"What's wrong? Don't talk much? That's perfectly fine. I like docile girls."
Keep it together. Can't bend air here.
Eventually though, she did find him in the least likely spot. Down in the boiler room in a dark corner. Out of sight from all engineers and anyone else.
"Yaah! Don't sneak up on me like that! What do you want?"
You've been missing for hours. What gives?
"Uh…. You said something about Sans and….. Fruit pies?"
She sighed. He still had a long way to go before he mastered sign language.
"Look I'm sorry I ran off. I'm sure Sans told you but well you know him by now."
So, he recounted what he had overheard from the fellow passengers. Frisk frowned.
That's ridiculous her fingers said. You're a lot of different things, but a coward? They were totally messed up!
"…..Actually, they weren't. I'm a lot of things. Including a coward."
She looked at him with raised eyebrows.
"Perhaps I should explain. You got time? Anywhere you got to go?"
She spread her hands out, gesturing to the surrounding boat.
"Oh, right." He smiled humorlessly.
"I'll never forget the day I learned I was the Avatar. It was after my twelfth birthday. It was the best year I'd ever had. I was finally fitting in. Finally, being welcomed. Finally, able to play with the others….."
"Now hold your hands together like that. Yes, that's it. Now hold your feet together, like-"
"Augh! Man, that's tough! I don't know how Gyatso did it!"
"Loads of practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. That's how he got the tattoo you know? By making the air scooter."
"Really? I thought that was your move? What about you? What technique did you make?"
Aang looked away for a moment. He didn't know how to respond.
"I… uh…"
"Aang? May I speak with you?"
"Gyatso? What's wrong? You look concerned."
"We need to talk. The elders are waiting."
"What!?" Aang jumped off his scooter with alarm. "What did I do this time? I assure you it's not true!"
"No, no! Don't worry! It's nothing you've done. It's just…. Well it's time."
"Time? Time for what?"
Gyatso paused.
"To grow up."
Aang didn't like the look of that and he was less assured when he saw the elder's faces.
"Aang, I can see by your expression that you are concerned. I assure you. You are not in trouble this time. In fact, your behavior has improved to the point that I can safely say you are one of our most outstanding pupils."
Aang smiled a bit at that.
"I appreciate that master Pasang. But then why am I here?"
"These toys. Do you remember them?"
He did. The toys immediately stood out to him. As did Gyatso's reaction.
"Aang…. Why did you choose those toys?"
"I just….. feel like I know them."
"You picked these toys because they were familiar. Because you recognized them. They were the toys of your past lives. The past lives of the Avatar."
"Wha wha wha?"
"You can't say you're too surprised are you? Not since you lost control."
Aang's face went pale.
"Have you ever wondered how you could display such power? Has it never crossed your mind?"
"Pasang!" Gyatso shouted out.
The monk quickly flushed red and nodded towards the boy on trial.
"My apologies Avatar. That was too far."
"Avatar? I'm the Avatar?"
"You are, Aang. You have been the Avatar since birth. When your predecessor Avatar Roku passed away, the spirit of the Avatar gave birth to you."
Everyone paused a moment, trying to make sense of that last bit.
"Err, what I mean is that the Avatar was reincarnated as you. Hence you are born with the ability to manipulate all four elements and access the all-powerful Avatar state."
Avatar State? Is that what had caused him to….. go berserk?
"Normally by tradition we would wait until your 16th birthday before revealing such crucial information. But these are not normal times. War is on the horizon and we need you."
"Need me? But how? What the heck can I do?"
"Everything. You must do everything you can. And you can do a lot Aang. You've been through a great deal. I'm sure you can do this."
The boy looked at Gyatso who looked back with a sympathetic smile.
"You mustn't let us down no matter what."
"I would say that's when everything changed. But honestly it's really when things became normal again for me. When I felt fear again."
Frisk remained silent. Not sure what to say.
…
"Tell me it isn't true!"
"Huh? Ty lee let go! I'm not in the mood for hugs!"
"Tell me Azula's lying again! Tell me you're not really leaving!"
"Yes, I'm leaving! And I wish I could say I'm sad and that it's only because my parents gave me orders. But the truth is I want to leave!"
"Don't say that, please!"
"I'm serious! I'm tired of this damn palace! I'm tired of this fear and anger! And most of all, I'm tired of her!"
"Mai, please!" The acrobat looked around worriedly. "You might make her mad again!"
"What does it matter? Let her stew! I owe her nothing! She deserves it!"
"Mai," Ty lee's tone dropped, and she released her arms from around Mai. "It's not her fault. Not all of it."
"Why do you always take her side? Aren't you tired of her threatening and hurting you?"
"Because I know her. Just like you know her. Why do you think she keeps us close?"
Mai paused.
"Yeah. I know her. Damn it all, do I know her."
"Azula! Leave the poor man alone!"
"Why should I? He got it all wrong! I wanted red! Not pink!"
"It doesn't matter! You need to show respect! These people are members of this palace! Even if they're not royalty! I'm disappointed in you! I thought better!"
"Oh, I'm sorry I can't be perfect like your precious Zuzu!" She began walking away.
"I never said- Azula, wait!" Her mother shook her head. "What do I do with this child?"
What indeed mother? What can you do with a monster?
Of course, mother wouldn't know. So, the little monster went to someone who would know.
"Azula, what troubles you?" Her father showed genuine concern in his eyes.
"Mother."
"Ah of course. She understands nothing about power and perfection." He smiled and rubbed her head. Fortunately, you have me. Don't you?"
She giggled.
"And I have you." He leaned in closer. "You who can do anything. My perfect little angel." His smile faded and became more serious.
"You mustn't let me down no matter what."
Azula nodded eagerly. Though deep down, she found herself wondering what would happen if she didn't.
…
"When I first arrived at the temple, I didn't fit in. I was aggressive. Angry. My life up until then had been…. Complicated and I wasn't sure how to get along with others. It took me time, but I eventually learned how. After they learned who I was though…."
"Hey guys! What are you doing?"
"Oh, Aang! I didn't… Didn't expect to see you here." The boys began walking off.
"Hey hang on! Come on guys! I might be the Avatar but that doesn't mean I can't play!"
"Actually, we've been talking. Being the Avatar gives you an unfair advantage. Whichever team has you on their side would be unstoppable."
"But I can't even use any other elements yet! How would it be unfair?"
"Sorry Aang. I don't envy you. Come on guys, let's go."
The Avatar stood there, watching history repeat itself.
"Aang! Aang, where did you go?"
Gyatso wandered about, looking for his pupil. His reaction to revelations of his destiny had been less than stellar and it made his master worried about his pupil's mental state.
"Aang, there you are! What's wrong?"
When his pupil didn't respond, he merely placed his arm around his shoulder and led him away to his quarters. They played a game of Pai Sho which seemed to be improving his pupil's mood until Monk Pasang ruined the moment.
"Playing games when he should be practicing? The world needs him Gyatso! You should know better than this!"
"Whatever the world needs, he is still a boy. He needs time to be a boy. That is not something he has ever had a chance to truly be."
"Augh! You cannot protect him from his destiny forever!" He walked off in a huff.
"Gyatso… What's going to happen to me?"
"Don't you worry Aang. I assure you I won't let any harm come to you."
"Even then, I knew he was wrong. I could see it in his eyes."
…
"Look, I'm not saying she's had it easy. But that doesn't excuse her actions."
"I'm not saying it does Mai. But who did she have? Who was her mentor?"
"Ozai." Mai said his name in disgust.
"Princess. Your father has requested your presence."
"Father? He wants me now?"
She was currently cartwheeling with her friend Ty lee. Her other friend Mai sat under a nearby tree and seemed more focused on her brother for some reason.
"Yes princess. And between you and me he did not sound patient. I would suggest you make haste as soon as possible."
She knew not to disobey and followed. Her father looked up at her as she entered the training quarters.
"Playing with your friends I take it?"
"Yes father. Is that so wrong? You said the importance of having allies."
"Allies. Not friends. There is an important distinction. The word friend indicates someone you can trust. Someone you can rely upon. Put your faith in." His expression turned sour. Like he was having a bad memory.
"I learned that word is false. There are no true friends in this world. Trust is for fools. Fear is the only reliable way. You are bound for a great destiny. You cannot let anything stop you from achieving that. Understand?"
"Yes daddy."
Mai and Ty lee, who were listening in, looked at each other worried.
"I never forgot that day." Mai looked at her friend with seriousness. "Tell me the truth. Do you think she ever really saw us as friends?"
"Yes! Yes, absolutely! She must. She…. Must."
Mai couldn't tell who she was trying to convince.
…
"Gyatso told me everything would be ok. That he would make sure I got treated well. That I still got to be a kid."
Well you are a kid, Frisk pointed out.
"Not how the elders saw it. They confronted Gyatso. Told him he was compromising my training. Said they would send me away to another Air Temple. Somewhere to be trained." He clenched his fists.
"Those bastards wanted to take me away from the only home I ever knew! They said they would be there for me. But when I needed them, they weren't there for me."
Frisk patted his hand. So, they sent you away?
"Well, not quite."
He stood above the hole he had looked down into so long ago. Before he had been filled with awe. Now he only felt despair.
"It doesn't matter where I go. Who I meet. I'll always be someone's puppet. Their tool. You were right dad. Damn it all you were right!"
With that realization, he let himself fall through the hole. After years of pain, of isolation, he would finally be free of it all.
"Pathetic. Just as weak and pathetic as ever. You're no Avatar. You're a disgrace."
He heard the voice again in his mind. It hadn't bothered him for some time. It seems it wanted to taunt him one last time.
He suddenly found himself hitting fur. He looked up in shock.
"Appa! Why? Why would you save me? I'm not worth it!"
The bison merely growled in response. He grabbed the reigns to steady himself.
"Appa! I already told you goodbye! I need to do this!"
The bison did not respond.
"Why? Do you… Do you really think I'm worth it? Do you really think I deserve to be saved?"
The bison growled again as if in agreement. Aang sat and wondered for a moment.
"Well, if I died, I guess you wouldn't have a friend either, would you? And neither would Gyatso."
He cried then at his own selfishness. "How could I do that? Leave him alone? I'm sorry Gyatso…. I promise I won't-"
That's when the storm hit.
"I was pulled under. In the heat of the moment, I guess I sort of… I don't know what I did exactly. I just went to sleep. And when I woke up, I saw you."
Frisk didn't respond. She didn't know how to.
"I'm here because I lost faith. Lost hope. Abandoned my people. My family. Those passengers. They were right. I am a coward."
"Wow. That's rough buddy. Guess that explains your reluctance."
The two turned in surprise to see Sans leaning against one of the engines.
"How… how long have you been there?"
"Pretty much the whole time. The part that mattered anyway. Let me tell you. We've all got regrets. We've all done things we wish we didn't."
"But what I did… it cost us our people's future."
"Maybe it did. Maybe it didn't. If you you'd stayed, reckon you wouldn't be around to regret anything. This way at least you get a chance."
"Maybe. Or maybe they would all be alive."
"I wonder that a lot you know. How things might have turned out if I'd done something different. I lie up most nights wondering about that. And you know how much it helps? Not one bit."
Him worry, thought Frisk? He doesn't look like he gives a darn about anything!
"I'm not saying to forget what you did. But you gotta find a way to move on. The world needs you. And your major screw up gave you the chance to fix it. So, suck it up! Endure!"
Not very helpful, motioned Frisk. Sans smiled apologetically.
"Sorry. I'm not great with this. Usually, it's someone else giving me this kind of talk. Telling me to get my lazy bum up. I can't say I've done them proud. But hey, you're the Avatar. Maybe you can do better right?" He threw his hands up in a shrug.
Aang looked between the two. Two of the last of their kind. Of the Airbenders. He had to admit. This was not the kind of army he would have wanted in such a deadly time.
Thunder sounded in from outside, causing everyone to look up in surprise.
"Sans! Hey Sans! Where'd you go bro!?"
"Papyrus! Wow, hey there! Let go mate!"
"But the storm! It's heavy out there! Can't you feel it? We all might die!"
Frisk smirked. What happened to the brave warrior boasting about his cooking skills?
"Everyone stay close!" Papyrus shouted as another clap of thunder rang out. He wrapped his arms around Frisk and the Avatar's shoulders much to their annoyance.
"Augh! Let go!"
"No! We're Airbenders! We gotta stick together right! No matter what, yeah?"
"Quite you idiot! Don't tell what we are!"
"Why not? We should be proud of it shouldn't we? It's who we are! It's who's going to bring down the Fire Nation!"
Aang thought for a moment, being scrunched in like that. It might not be the family he wanted. But at the moment, it was all he had.
He guessed he could live with that. For now.
…
"Azula! Azula please don't!"
"Why? Why shouldn't I! What do I have to lose? My mother is gone. Grandfather is gone. My stupid brother is gone. What fun is there in life?"
"Us! You have us Azula! Don't throw that away! We're your friends!"
The girl laughed. "Friends! What are friends? Tools to throw away. Things that betray you. Just like family. Just like everyone."
Ty lee grasped her friend's hand hard. She squeezed it, making the princess turn her way.
"I know you feel terrible. Feel like it's all too much. But you're not alone Azula! You have us! We made a promise remember? To never abandon each other!"
"Hmmph. I've heard that promise before. Why should I trust you?"
"Because…" Why actually? Because she was scared of her? Too terrified to stand against her? Because she was the princess? For the glory of the Fire Nation?
"Because I have nothing to gain from it!"
Azula's head snapped in her direction. That might have been the wrong thing to say.
"Azula I have no interest in stupid politics or power. I just wanted someone to treat me like an individual. And you do that! That's more than my own family ever did! Without you, I don't have anyone like that in my life! No one as perfect as you!"
That made the princess just stare, one hand still clutching the rope around her neck. She maintained a steady balance despite her split attention.
With that diversion, a knife sliced through the part of the rope connecting it to the ceiling. Azula in her surprise fell off the chair and on top of Ty lee.
"Mai, nice shot!"
"Eh, might have overdone it with that speech, Ty lee. I would've just told her suicide would mean her brother won."
"Azula?"
The princess turned and stared at her stoic friend. Mai took a deep breath and stared back.
"I would… seek your forgiveness. I realize… oh hell. This is hard."
"Stop. Stop with the fawning. It doesn't suit you. Why are you here?"
Mai paused for a moment. When she finally decided to open her mouth again, the thunder overhead interrupted her.
As if by magic, the training ground suddenly became dark. Overcast by black clouds overhead.
"Guys!" Ty lee came running out. "Get out of here, it's dangerous! Whoa!"
A bolt of lightning came straight towards Ty lee and would have hit her had Mai not grabbed and pulled her out of the way.
"Jesus Ty lee! Watch yourself!"
"Mai, move!"
Another bolt came for them. This time, they couldn't move fast enough to dodge.
Azula jumped in front with a finger pulsing lightning. Her blast hit the incoming voltage and dissipated it.
"Move, idiots! Let's go!"
The three ran under the cover of the balcony, painting for breath and shaken by their recent drama.
"Azula…. I… Thanks."
"Don't. Please Mai. That doesn't suit you either."
"Well, that's what friends do right? They help each other and try to leave on good terms right?"
Azula stared for a moment then sighed, seeming tired.
"If anyone else talked to me the way you do, I'd have them executed, you understand?"
Mai simple nodded, fully believing it.
"But you well…. You've never really had a say in anything, have you? It's just what your parents order isn't it? Whatever they want, you have to do it."
"Yeah. Sit down. Shut up. Do what you're told."
"That's me right now. Father told me that. And I…. I failed him." Her face took on an expression, her friends were not used to seeing from her.
"And when I fail… In our family…. Well you saw Zuko. What's to stop that from happening to me?"
Mai sighed and walked forward.
"You haven't failed. You're the toughest person I know. The things you can do…. No one else can do them. Except your dad I guess."
"Yes, I can do many things. I am Azula. Heir to the throne. The sole producer of blue flames. I've trained for birth to lead this world to glory…. And I couldn't take down a kid with a staff!"
She launched a blast in anger at the rain outside. Ty lee quickly moved forward to calm her down.
"Not yet! You haven't taken him down yet! And only because he got the jump on you! You'll get him next time! You deserve him more than anyone."
Mai bit her lips. Truthfully, Zuko deserved the Avatar more than anyone. He'd been searching for a year, and probably had no idea the airbender was alive. Whereas Azula came across him without even trying.
But best to stay on her good side, right?
"Look, Azula…."
"Spare it Mai. You don't have to apologize or suck up or whatever. That's what I like about you. You go do what you have to… And while you're at it, teach those Earthbending savages a lesson in proper etiquette!"
Mai smirked a little, even as the princess placed har hand on her shoulder. Stay calm. Stay calm.
"That's the spirit! Hugs all around!"
"No Ty- Mmgghh!"
The acrobat ignored her friends and pulled them both in close.
