Rubik's Cube

A/N: Sorry for the –again– late update. I don't really have an excuse. And I know I've been pretty much quoting The Search for a couple chapters. That is going to stop. I will have ideas from it, yes. But I will twist them to be a little bit different. Don't forget that I am writing this from Azula's perspective.

Chapter Fourteen: Aren't We Supposed to Hate Each Other?

It had turned out the man that they ran into had heard of the wretched woman they were looking for. Knowing this, her brother was elated from that moment on. The man whose name was Noren had invited them into his home. It had been a long night. A longer one than she would have wanted.

They were currently walking back to their camp with smiles on their faces, while Azula's held a firm scowl. "I was tempted to burn that place down more than once tonight. But I restrained myself for your sake, Zuzu. You should appreciate it."

Katara turned to look at her with a look of anger on her face "How could you even think to do that to such lovely people!"

Azula shrugged the waterbender off, annoyed "Are you an idiot? No one is that happy."

The older girl's chest puffed out enraged at the other girl's statement "Aang and I are that happy!"

The scowl that Azula dawned had deepened as she looked at Katara with pure hate "Because you two are fools." She pushed to the front of the group, quickly going back to camp.

She started a fire as she waited for the others to arrive, just watching the flames at they danced; lost in her thoughts. She thought if the Avatar were to take her bending. She'd rather die than be without her fire. It was her mind, her soul. If it goes out so does she. The truth is cruel and inevitable.

She was torn from her thoughts by a rustle in the bushes. She looked to the greenery to see her brother and her friends emerge. Zuko glanced at his sister then immediately looked away; heading off to bed along with the others. Azula turned her attention back to the fire, concentrating on the dancing flame.

Her thoughts wavered as she felt someone's eyes on her. Azula sighed "What do you want, waterbender," she spat.

"Well," Katara started; her motherly instincts kicking in "you looked upset when you stormed off." A small smile graced the waterbender's lips as she sat down next to the young prodigy.

"I'm fine." stated Azula firmly.

"If it helps," Katara pressed on "I lost my mother too."

"I don't have sob stories like you. I'm," Azula's voice wavered slightly "I'm Azula. Master Firebender and prodigy. Conqueror of The Impenetrable City and the Avatar's killer. I'm a monster."

Katara's eyes softened at the broken girl beside her; a product of her father's lies and manipulation. She believed everything that horrible man told her and killing the Avatar was in no doubt a mission of hers. "You're not a monster, Azula." She set a hand on the girls shoulder and felt her stiffen "You're just a little girl."

Azula pulled her shoulder away, not even attempting to look at Katara "I haven't been a little girl since I was six years old."

"What happened then?" Katara asked "Wasn't your mother there to help? Zuko said-"

"Zuko said what he experienced. He had our mother's love; something that I never had the luxury to experience. Our mother is the bane of my existence." She kept watching the fire that began to grow and fade with her breaths.

Katara could only muster a small "Oh," at the younger girl's word. She had no idea that both children had gone through neglect. The Royal family is really screwed up, from burning children to causing them to go insane; there really is no limit.

"Why, Katara?" asked Azula.

Katara was confused "Why, what?"

"Why did you spare me?"

"I-"Katara couldn't find an answer. At the time of the comet Katara thought nothing more of Azula than what she had done to everyone she cared about; how much she hated her. But seeing this new side of the princess – this vulnerable state she was in; made her question the true victims of the war.

"Well," Azula was getting agitated "spit it out."

"I though putting you in prison may be better than death."

Azula barked with laughter. Was this girl serious? Did she think being put in an institution was better than dying in the heat of battle? Well, apparently she did. Azula's mental lapse had been hard enough to deal with; her mother was another story. Azula's hallucinations ruined her completely. And when she thought back, she couldn't remember a time when she was sane. Her fate must have been set the night her mother left to save Zuko.

"I'd rather be dead than in the state I am in now."

"What do you mean?" Honestly, was this girl that oblivious?

"I've been stripped of my title, drugged constantly for over a year, the world hates me and –even my own nation– sees me as a criminal of war and all of my honor and pride fell along with me and my mind." Azula laughed bitterly "And my father always said I was the lucky one."

"Azula, I-" Katara started to say, eyes clouded with sympathy.

"Save it; I don't want you pity." Azula said, rising to her feet. "Besides, aren't we supposed to hate each other?"

Katara stayed silent, not knowing how to reply as she watched the graceful ex-princess "I'm going off to bed. I suggest you do the same. This whole town seems too happy for their own good. Who knows what can happen during the night."

Azula walked over to a soft patch of grass and lay down. She heard the other girl put out the fire with a soft hiss. The rustle of the waterbender's feet through the grass was anything but subtle. Azula chuckled at a volume she was sure no one else could hear. She heard Katara lay down as well.

"Yes, we are." Katara said, barely above a whisper. Azula's sharp hearing has caught the phrase and knew those words were a response to her statement and smirked slightly. Maybe there was more to this waterbender than she thought. Things were bound to get interesting now.

Azula closed her eyes, preparing for the talons of her nightmares to hook on and drag her under. Just she started to drift off, it began. Her mother's soft voice echoed in the back of her head; along with her father's and her own. She awaited Iroh's voice and –soon to come– Zuko's.

But tonight, a new voice joined them. It was Katara's. Why is the peasant in her mind? The older girl kept offering her help; her love. The hell inside her head was growing again. The voice that she knew was her own kept shouting at Katara about how much she hated her, that she didn't need the girl's pity.

They were supposed to hate each other, but Azula was finding herself not being able to be filled with her normal rage. Azula's mind was pulled into the blackness of her soul, her slumber beginning; along with mind-breaking assumptions. This night would be long and miserable. But embracing the nightmares always helped. She hated them so much she began to hope for their arrival, just like she does with Katara. She does hate the waterbender, but in an odd way that doesn't truly feel like hate.

What is happening to her?

A/N: I know; you guys waiting a long time for a not-so-awesome chapter. But OH WELL. But hey, I really want your reviews so I can have your opinion on something. Zutara or Azutara? Personally, I think Azutara would fit in the story better. Just gimmie your opinions and we'll be all cool.