A/N: So... I changed the name of this story from "To Remember" to "The Depths Of Blue". It just hit me that this may be more fitting. Or I just did it to feel better. Doesn't matter. What's done is done and I hope people will accept this new title.
Not much can be said after Azula's question was asked. They answered, she understood and she was sitting there with feelings she never knew could even exist. It was that easy and it was that confusing. It shook her to the core of her being, she felt it deep within her spirit, this particular situation, these particular circumstances that occurred so every single one of them could meet like this, together. Such different people, yet so alike brought together by the fates, by the Avatar spirit. Azula always respected Avatar as a powerful protector of the realm, not so much as a person. It could be said about Avatar Kyoshi. She respected her strength, her dedication that came with being an Avatar, that came with being That person. But it was Kyoshi boldness and her harshness that made Azula distant and it was also something that taught her that being something doesn't mean being someone. It taught her that and she was grateful for that lesson, without it she would be just as lost as her father had been. He lost himself in his power so that he became this power. He then acted as harsh and as sharp as his fire had been and that was his undoing. Even though Azula knew that, she still lost herself once to what she was, rather than who she was. She was a person with great perception, with great ambition and with great restraint but even these qualities couldn't stop her from becoming her power. Unrelentless, wild, insane power she knows she has, she knew she was. But that was a long time ago, it was a long time ago that she felt those things as she knew should not be felt. It ended there yet it is still here. Such strangeness she brings with her wherever she walks. Now it's starting to resurface, with those emotions towards Katara she started to recognize the insanity in herself once more, the pure destruction that she is.
"So where are we going anyway?" asked Toph. Her question brought Azula back into reality. It brought her back from the confines of her mind. When Katara spoke to answer the question Azula's attention was immediately brought to her. Her voice did something to the poor firebender, every time she spoke her voice resonated right inside her. It fueled her fire.
"Well, Aang wanted to visit the Earth Kingdom, he thinks he might find his friend there." Was Katara's short reply.
"Katara's right but before we do that we need to get food and clothes for the road. We were unable to do that, 'cause you know, the fight." He winced when he said it.
Azula just sighed and agreed. She was reasonable after all. Even though her pride told her that it was wrong to be ordered around by a kid. It didn't matter he was the Avatar. She was always too proud. In the end, it resulted in her downfall after all. Pride comes before the fall. She knew that, but she realised it far too late to act on it. Damm, even her father knew, but he never acted on it. She understood it very well. Her father did not. That's why they were so different yet so similar. Just that thought made Azula shudder with mild disgust. Even though she loved her father, father who gave her strength, told her how to fight, how to be tough that feeling, that... disgust wouldn't go away. But it was only that. Just that.
He didn't teach her what her mother could've. And she will probably never learn. It would take much stronger determination than she had for protecting her Nation to teach her that. And she doubted there was anyone out there cable of such dedication.
She felt eyes on her then, while once again she was lost in her chaotic thoughts. Even before she raised her own two eyes to see the source of that feeling she knew. She was scared that she knew. Because why would she know? She just met that woman. That Katara, water tribe woman. Why a person she met a few hours ago affect her that much? The feelings Katara invoked in her were strong, powerful, magical even. They were still quite potent, maybe not as much as when she first laid her eyes on that marvellous woman, but she was able to think more clearly. She was glad that she found that sharpness she knows she posses. So she raised her eyes, prepared for a strong, vibrant rush of emotions.
The first thing she saw was the blue of her eyes, the next one was the scowl her face possessed. Then Azula in the glory of her own stupidity said:
"Katara... That's your name?" She asked, now startled, water tribe woman. Immediately after she asked that idiotic question Azula wanted to punch herself, but she decided to continue with it. She started it after all. She gave one more look at Katara's reaction and saw confusion, well it's better than disgust Azula thought.
"Fitting name for a waterbender." She said to Katara. She hoped that woman would understand what she meant by that because her name was in fact very fitting. It meant "push" and "pull". Two main principles in waterbending. She looked at Katara once more and was relieved to find that the scowl slightly disappeared.
"It's a beautiful name. One befitting a warrior. Strong." She added after a while. Once again hope burned bright inside Azula, hope to connect to Katara. Even if for a second.
"Thank you." Katara said slowly as if cautious that saying anything nice to a person from the Fire Nation would somehow start a fight. Azula wasn't surprised that was all she got from the woman who enchanted her but she couldn't help but hope for more. But she understood, she really did. She heard what Fire Nation did to the Water Tribes. She really should be happy that Katara hadn't spit in her face yet. Though, maybe she should be more surprised that her brother didn't. Azula thought that maybe she should give that boy a little bit more credit. She only just met them, she truly didn't know them except their names.
The rest of the flight all of them spent in total silence. The was tension in the air, heavy tension. One party was prepared for the other to attack. Few hours have passed in this tense atmosphere and it was already getting dark. The Avatar then spoke and broke that safety bubble everyone was sitting in. Toph and Sokka even slightly jumped in their sits. Katara just turned her attention from looking at her hands to Aang. Azula did the same but with slight jealousy in her heart. She couldn't help it, she thought that maybe every time Katara looks at someone besides Sokka and herself she'd feel jealous. But she could work through this another time.
"We will stop here I guess, it's the middle of the forest so I think It'd be safe. Any objections? Anyone? Alright then. Appa, down!" Aang said and after we all just waited to touch the ground. After Appa landed in some sort of clearing in the middle of the forest, Toph immediately jumped off Appa. When Azula hit the ground she couldn't help laughter to escape her when she saw Toph digging a hole in the ground with her every appendage, including her head. Azula heard Toph sigh with relief. She felt some relief herself. It felt like an eternity and it couldn't be more than few hours since their sudden departure.
She then saw Sokka, Aang and Katara who were preparing their camp. Sokka was gathering wood, probably to start the fire. Katara was unpacking their things while Aang was putting Appa somewhere else so there would be a place to sleep. Azula didn't want to feel useless so she decided to hunt them so food. She ignored Toph, for now, that girl clearly needed some time to get accustomed to being on the ground first. Azula closed her eyes and felt a fire in the every living creature in her radius. She sensed Aang, Sokka, Toph but Katara had the strongest fire. Maybe even stronger than Azula's herself. She had a little trouble ignoring Katara's presence, her strong warmness was putting Azula out of focus and well... Azula wasn't even a tad bit surprised.
She was finally able to sense a rabbit hiding in its hole not far from here. She pulled a knife that was hidden in her sleeve, another useful trick for her long gone friend. She was able to hide a knife almost anywhere. She heard a gasp as she pulled the knife from her sleeve. She looked at Katara who clearly was shocked at what Azula did. She could see the fear in Katara's eyes. There was no hesitation in what Azula did next. She dropped the knife. As quickly as she possibly could. She did it in time because Katara was already preparing for an attack. She noticed that everyone's attention changed to Katara and Azula. Azula didn't move an inch, she knew that Katara wouldn't hesitate to kill her if she tried something. She locked eyes with Katara. She tried to show her, through her eyes, that she didn't mean any harm, that she would never harm her or anyone she cared for. She really tried to convey it like that. Words stop existing, they couldn't say anything she meant in that particular moment so she just stood there. Locked in place by those two powerful blue orbs that were burning a hole in her spirit in the shape of Katara. She stood there and it felt like an eternity until Katara spoke.
"What were you doing with that knife?" She asked, her voice strained with anger. She wanted to kill Azula but she didn't. She could easily do it and explain to the rest that I was armed. She could have done this and many more things but she gave Azula a fair chance to explain. An honourable woman. Azula felt her heart clench at that realization. She couldn't help smiling a little. She shouldn't but she did it just for a second because she couldn't stop herself. Because that sparked hope inside her. Hope for Katara to realize that Azula was not a threat.
"I was about to hunt a rabbit. To eat." She answered. Short and simple. She thought it'd be enough but then she felt a breeze at her feet. Aang blew away the knife under her feet, where she dropped it.
"It's alright. Sokka will take care of it. Just sit and do nothing. Please?' Aang said with a little tremor in his still childlike voice. She nodded her head. Being submissive will be a much easier and less chaotic way to avoid conflict. She then sat at the ground and did nothing as the Avatar said. She noticed Sokka reach for the knife and when she looked into his eyes she saw burning hate there. She ignored it. For now. She looked at Katara one more time. Her stance was much more relaxed but still cautious. Azula approved, Katara knew to not trust people so easily, Azula would've done the same if the situations were reversed. She understood.
Azula looked into Katara's eyes and heard her ask:
"Do you have more of these knives?" Well, she did have more of these knives, most crafted from stone since she had no money to buy the real thing and she had to kill time while living in Toph's cave. She decided to be honest. She was just about to reach for her knives but then she hesitated. She decided to give a warning first.
"I do have more. I'm about to reach for them and then give them to you. Is this alright?" She awaited Katara's approval of this but was surprised at what came next.
"No. I will search for them." These were the words Katara said. It took few seconds for Azula to understand them but after she did her first thought was that it was reasonable and the second was that she was not prepared. She was not prepared to be touched by this woman. She was scared and a little bit excited. After Katara was standing in front of the sitting Azula, fire bender realised that she might not survive this.
"Stand up." Said Katara in the commanding tone. Azula felt warm creeping up her neck and cheeks. That was the first and not the last time that Katara made Azula blush.