Here is another chapter up. Let me know what you all think of this so far. I encourage all my readers to share their opinions and suggestions. I hope you liked this chapter.

Summit

Three days after Azula was sent away the annual world summit began. Representatives from the nations arrived the day after Azula left. The Gaang minus Sokka and Suki were all in attendance. The day before the summit started Zuko decided to tell the Gaang about Azula and her transfer to Kyoshi Island. Zuko meet the group in his study in the evening.

"Zuko what is so important that you had to drag us into your study when we could be sleeping. Toph huffed.

"I think you all had better sit down for this." Zuko said nervously.

The others all looked at each other in confusion and worry. Before Katara spoke up. "Zuko you're worrying us a little what do you have to tell us."

"Azula is no longer in the Fire Nation."

Katara was put on edge as soon as the last syllable of her name was spoken and when he finished she shot up from her chair and began to shout. "When did this happen? how did this happen? How come you didn't tell us sooner?" she finished near hysterical.

Aang put a hand on her shoulder and said. "Katara, you need to calm down"

"Calm down! Calm down! One of the most dangerous war criminals is on the loose and you're telling me to calm down!" Katara shouted angrily.

"Enough!" Zuko shouted as he stood up displaying the full authority, everybody stopped and stared at Zuko, except Toph because she knew Snoozles plan to take Azula to Kyoshi Island would happen sooner or later.

"She didn't escape and she is no longer dangerous." Zuko spoke in a much calmer tone.

"Zuko, why didn't you talk about this with us before you made a decision like that." Aang said with concern and confusion in his voice.

Zuko took a deep breath before speaking again. "Even though we have open relationships with the other nations and you and I work closely in most matters Aang, this is still my nation and she is still my little sister and as her older brother it is my job to look out for her the same way Sokka looks out for you Katara."

Aang fully understood and accepted Zuko's words and Toph as well but Katara couldn't. Katara and Sokka's relationship had become strained since the war ended and her guilt about their last conversation ran through her mind.

flashback

The initial peace talks were into their second straight week and everybody had returned to the guest house from the palace for the evening. Sokka was a little more than put off the last few days and he and Katara were bickering more than normal.

"I can't believe you Sokka, you are so infuriating sometimes." Katara exasperated.

"I'm the one who's infuriating do you listen to yourself sometimes. You flip out over what I say before you even let me finish." Sokka matched her tone.

"That's because you always say something stupid." she shouted.

"How would you know if I say stupid stuff if you don't even hear what I say."

"I don't need to hear what you have to say, you either come up with some wacky idea that won't work or you talk about needing food. You never take anything serious. I don't even know why you are allowed to come to these peace talks anymore." She shouted throwing her hands up in the air.

Sokka was deeply hurt by her words. He knew she had a bad temper and she would say things she didn't mean when she was mad, but the things she said he knew she meant.

"You're right Katara I don't know why I go to those meetings anymore. It's clear that my inputs are not appreciated. It seems everybody's emotion reactions is the clear way to peaceful resolutions." Sokka said softly, hurt written all over his face. Before Katara could respond he was out the door.

Katara's last argument with Sokka was the last time she had seen her brother.

"Please Zuko, Sokka has never looked out for me, he can barely look after himself. I was the one looking after him." Katara scoffed.

Toph enough of everybody looking down on Sokka and thinking him an idiot. He was by far the smartest one of the group and if it weren't for him the war would never have been won.

"Can it Sugar Queen! I'm sick of you thinking you're so special. Miss look at me I'm a perfect little goodie-two-shoes." "You all" she said pointing around the room. "have forgotten who the mastermind of our little group was. Snoozles may act goofy and say weird things sometimes but he is smarter than all of us combined."

Katara opened her mouth and closed it several times. She tried to say something but nothing came out. She had no words to retort.

After several minutes of tense silence Zuko finished telling about Azula.

"I banished her from the Fire Nation and turned her over to the custody of Sokka and the Kyoshi warriors. She is to be held on Kyoshi Island where she will begin her rehabilition."

"I can't believe you let her out of cell. She deserves to rot in prison for the rest of her life for what she's done." Katara spat bitterly.

Toph rolled her milky eyes and muttered under her breath something that nobody heard.

"Katara, please listen, the monks used to always say the best way to turn someone's heart is by showing them forgiveness." Aang said with wisdom far beyond his years.

"I can't believe you're taking her side Aang. She killed you once." Katara exasperated.

"Katara she lost everything, she lost her throne, her father, her bending, and her sanity, she has paid enough for what she did. Let it go."

"What she has done is unforgivable." She shouted and stalked out of the room.

"Well that went well." Toph said sarcastically

"Tell me about it." Zuko said sadly.

"Aang, Azula isn't the same person she used to be. She's just a shell of her former self. She's no longer hungry for power. She knows her mind is fractured, she admitted to me that she no longer has the mental capacity to run the Fire Nation. She's weak Aang, she's weak and fragile. When I saw her she was deathly thin. I can't believe I let her rot in that cell for over a year without checking in on her. She was barely fed in there and I didn't even know about it. She was in my basement and I didn't know anything about her condition. I'm the worst brother ever." Zuko said dejectedly.

"Zuko, don't be so hard on yourself. You have so much on your shoulders and you've done so much good in the world. It's understandable to have moved on from Azula in your life."

"No, it isn't. I've gone to see my father and he was a hundred times worse than Azula."

"Twinkle-toes, I'm gonna have to agree with Sparky on this one. The opportunities were there for him. Sokka, Suki, and I would try to talk to him about Azula and try to get him to see her but he would just get angry and blow us off." Toph said and Zuko just hung his head even lower.

"What's done is done Zuko, all you can do now is forgive yourself and allow yourself to forgive her and make emends ."

"You're right Aang. That's why I let her leave. Sokka and Suki are going to help her build a new life away...It's late we have a big day tomorrow you guys should get some sleep."

"Yeah, I should probably go check on Katara anyways."

o0o0o0o0o0o0

Two weeks into the trip to Kyoshi Island Azula had improved dramatically. She was given double rations to help put some weight back on. She couldn't eat her entire meals at first because her stomach had shrunk after so long with barely any food. Now it seemed she could rival Sokka in eating. Azula took to walking around the deck every morning at first light. By the end of the first week she was able to make it up the stairs leading to the deck without any help.

Sokka came into the brig to get her for her morning walk around the ship. When he entered he saw her doing push ups.

"Wow, Azula you're taking this very seriously aren't you?"

Azula finished her push ups and brought herself to her knees. "When have you ever seen me not take anything seriously."

"Good point. Are you ready for your walk?"

"Yes. Wait where's Suki?"

"She'll meet us up there. I came a little early to talk a little."

"Sokka we've seen each other every day since we left the Fire Nation."

"I know, I just wanted to see how you're coping. I know you're in a cell but we really haven't talked about what you're going to do once we get to Kyoshi Island. I don't know if you'd want to join the Kyoshi Warriors or not."

"I know Suki and I are friends but I don't think the other Kyoshi Warriors would want me to be in their little group. I did have them all thrown in jail you know."

"I know but they let Ty Lee become a Kyoshi Warrior after all."

"Indeed that is true, but I don't think being a Kyoshi Warrior would really be my style. I don't really play well with others."

"That might be the truest things you've said." Sokka chuckled out.

"Truthfully, I don't know what I plan on doing. I don't really have any skills outside of warfare."

"Well, you could be my apprentice. I was planning on becoming a sword maker and general blacksmith. Plus I am a sword master and I would like to teach the way of the sword like Master Piandao did for me."

"Very enticing. I need to learn a way to defend myself better now that I am no longer a bender." she said matter-of-factly.

Sokka was shocked that she was able to mention her lost bending like it was nothing. It took her months to get out of her loathing when he began visiting her. This was the first time he'd seen her not react in some way at the mention of her lost bending.

"Wipe that stupid look off your face it's unbefitting of you."

"It's just...you've never been so calm about your lost bending before." Sokka said in mild shock.

"There really is no point to continue wallowing in self-pity anymore now is there? I've done far too much of it as it is." she stated nonchalantly

"You do have a point there. Alright that settles it. You'll be my smithing apprentice and my first student." He said proudly.

"If you expect me to call you master you are sadly mistaken."

Sokka thought to come back with a sharp remark but thought better of it and settled with a shrug instead.

"As much as I'd like to drone on in idle chatter, I do believe it is time for my morning walk." Azula said with false sweetness to her words.

Sokka chuckled to himself as he opened her cell door and ushered her out. They made their way towards the deck of the ship.

Sokka and Azula had made it to the deck of the ship and met Suki just outside the door. Sokka was lost in thought and mindlessly greeted Suki with a kiss on the cheek. Sokka's thoughts were on the former princess' recovery physically. In just a short time she was able to build up her legs good enough that she had no problems with their walks. She was exercising on her own and now that she was eating like himself, she had gained a noticeable amount of weight. She no longer looked deathly thin, though she did have a long way to go before she was at a healthy weight.

"Earth to Sokka, Hello!" Suki said loudly as she waver her hand in front of his face.

"Huh, what?" Sokka said snapping back to reality.

"We've been talking to you for the last two minutes."

"Oh sorry a kind of spaced out there."

"Yeah, I noticed you almost ran into a crate just now."

"Oh, sorry."

"What's on your mind that you stopped paying attention to your surroundings?" Suki asked.

"I was just thinking how shocking it is to see how fast is Azula recover from being stuck in a tiny cell and malnourished for so long."

"Well you got her wolfing down food like you do."

"As much work as I'm putting in trying to get my body back healthy I have to eat enough to put weight back on and overcome what I burn in training." Azula said factually.

"That makes sense, but that doesn't make sense for Sokka."

"Hey I work out a lot." Sokka said defensively. Both girls just rolled their eyes and chuckled.

"Speaking of training, I wish there were better non-bending soldiers on this rust bucket, none of them are even remotely challenging." Sokka said disappointedly

"Well you could always spar with me." Suki suggested.

"Why would he want to spar with you, he would just be humiliated by losing to a girl." Azula piped in.

"I have no shame in losing to a girl, It's happened to me enough times I kind of got used to it." Sokka admitted.

Azula raised her eyebrow as she glanced at Sokka, she was hoping to get him defensive again for her own humor, oh how she loved getting him all flustered. But his reaction just ruined all her fun.

"Don't give me that look Azula. When you have a master water bender as a sister and a highly trained warrior as a girlfriend, my odds of coming out on top hasn't happened much to me sparing with them. Of course let's not forget about all the times Mai and Ty Lee got the better of me when you were chasing us around the Earth Kingdom."

"You really do ruin all the fun don't you Sokka, I was just trying to get a rise out of you but your lack of dignity got in the way." Azula huffed.

"Hey I have plenty of dignity, I am just being humble." He said to which Suki snickered.

"You humble, oh now that's funny." Suki said still laughing.

Azula smiled widely. She got her laugh a little differently than expected, but she got what she wanted in the ended. She loved getting a laugh out of Sokka's antics when he gets flustered.

The three teens followed the same routine day after day as they neared Kyoshi Island. Their walks together were really doing Azula a lot of good. Her nightmares began to reduce and her body was coming back to health rather nicely.