ASC 105

On Air ship en route to the Fire Nation

On the way home Azula had been thinking over the course of five years. It seemed self evident that her choices had brought her here to this moment in time. For good or ill, Azula's Current state of being was direct result of everything that she had done. This line of thought caused the princess to ask her subconscious mind why anyone even bothered. The answer came in the form of a question.

What would have happened if no one cared?

Azula didn't answer thought because of her mother's voice. Ursa was asking the same question that she had asked her daughter since her release from the mental health facility two years ago.

"How are you feeling?"

Azula fidgeted in her seat for moment before sighing out her answer.

"I don't know." The princess spoke earnestly "What should I say?"

Ursa moved from the chair she was originally seated and took a seat by her daughter.

"You don't have to go through with this."

"No," Azula replied, "I have to do this. I have to see for myself."

Azula squatted over the ashen soil and took a handful ash and allowed it to fall through her fingers. The princess knew that her mother would have tried to comfort her by saying it wasn't her fault. That she wasn't to blame for the scene in front of her. Azula shook her head; she knew better. This was her plan and that made her as much of a culprit as her father. The princess had no excuses; she may not have committed the deed but she was the one created the plan that made it possible. Azula felt the fingers of her mother's hand curl around her shoulder.

"You're not responsible for this."

"No," Azula disagreed "I thought out the plan that made this possible."

The princess took a breath through her nose and continued speaking.

"If I don't hold myself responsible, who will?"

"We all make mistakes." Ursa spoke "Being responsible may mean admitting your guilt; but that does not mean you should dwell on the past. It also doesn't mean that you should beat yourself up over past mistakes."

Azula closed her eyes and nodded, she knew her mother was right. Living in the past wouldn't serve any purpose. You could learn from the past but you could not allow yourself to dwell there.

"The future is all I have left."

"Are you sure about that, Azula?" Ursa asked. "I know a lot may not have turned out the way you planed but please understand that you have more then just tomorrow. And besides the future can be bright if allow it to be."

Azula stood and turned to give her mother her full attention.

"What do mean? Where are going with this?"

"Having a future is wonderful. Each new day brings hope that things will change for the better. The change isn't always immediate but that is the way of things. Everything happens over time."

"I'm ready to go." Azula spoke "And you're…right. I can't afford to have past events drag me down."

(* * * * * * *)

Fire Nation Imperial city/ within the grounds of the Imperial Palace.

The trip home was made through a combination of boat and air ship. When Ursa and Azula had gotten within the palace grounds they saw Zuko with hands behind his back waiting for them. Something about her elder brother struck Azula as odd. Rigid wasn't the right word for it, the apparent attitude of the Fire Lord was more along the lines of Stoicism. A welcome improvement perhaps but it didn't feel right. The Zuko she knew, her brother always wore his heart on his sleeve. He was always able to express himself in the ways she couldn't.

Azula had come to think of her brother as the one who balanced her out. He was her opposite in almost every way. Zuko was a bit simple minded but it didn't mean he was foolish or stupid; Zuko was just simply direct in his line of thinking. From what the princess noticed that her brother was as Fire Lord expected people to be upfront with him. And to honest it wasn't a bad trait to have as Fire Lord. Azula rolled her eyes she was making wild assumptions again. Before she knew it, she'd start getting paranoid again.

Zuko took a moment to look over his mother and sister. It seemed that his sister really hadn't changed all that much. Although, She did look older, then again Azula was now 19 so by all technicalities she was an adult. Azula grumbled under breath as she was forced into a three-way hug. She failed to see the point of such touchy feely nonsense.

"It's good to see both of you again."

"Yes Zuko, I'm back." Azula answered, "Now perhaps you can let go, and show some respect for my personal space."

"I see some things never change." Zuko said dryly.

Azula just glared at her brother before deciding that it was best not to say anything at this time. Ursa however found the scene to be somewhat somewhat amusing. In fact she was barely able to control the urge to laugh at what she was seeing. Her children we're certainly an odd way of relating to one another.

"We should probably stop standing around and get inside. We can catch up afterward." Ursa suggested.

The trio spent most of the day sitting inside one of the palace's sitting rooms; conversing about what had happened over the last two years. Azula spoke about most of what happened to her but she withheld certain details out of the telling of her experiences. One the things the princess withheld for her brother and mother was her with Kagura. If anything Mother definitely did not need to about that.

The princess didn't speak of it out loud, but it was good to be home. And if anything she wouldn't have to face her current state of emotional distress. Eventually Zuko took his leave.

"I'm sorry to cut this short." Zuko sighed "But, I have Business tomorrow and I will need to be well rested."

When Zuko left the living room Azula looked at the floor as she took her right hand a rubbed her forehead.

"I was a fool." The princess spoke "Like everyone else I was a tool. My saving grace being that I was slightly more useful than the other's. In a way I was jealous. Zuko had moral support; he had…freedom. Of the two of us, my brother was the one who was able to think for himself, and make his own decisions. I was simply a slave. And I was too blind to see otherwise."

"I don't Think Your father saw you like that."

"Please mother, don't defend him. Father used us all, and I was too foolish to catch on. I wasn't his daughter. I was simply someone to further his ends."

"Azula, you may lost faith in everyone else. But, please don't lose faith in your self."

"I'm okay," The princess answered, "I've been hurt, but I'm not broken, and not going to just lay done and die. Besides you haven't introduced to my sister and nephew yet."

Ursa Laughed in appreciation humor that her daughter had just interjected.

(* * * * * * *)

Naomi raced through the halls. She had overslept and her tutor; Cheng wouldn't not be pleased and to be honest she didn't like the old man. He seemed crabby and the man never seemed to stop lecturing. And his lectures seemed so long that Naomi often found herself yawning as a result. Right now Naomi was busy rushing to the washroom to take a shower with a folded red towel tucked in her arm.

Azula was standing in the hall arguing with her sister in law. Azula had made it point to repair bridges where she could but trying to this with seemed to be failed effort from the start. People may talk about her holding grudges but Mai seemed to be worse at letting go of grudges than she was. Ty lee was making a brave effort at playing peacekeeper but considering the other two who were present; acrobat wasn't going to be that successful.

"Can't you stop arguing?" Ty Lee pleaded. "You're setting a bad example for Taro and Naomi!"

Taro was Mai and Zuko's son who just so happened to be 2 years old. Azula hadn't had the opportunity to meet her nephew and right now she was dealing with an In-law who refused to see reason.

"Trust me, Ty lee." The princess spoke, " I am trying to be civil. However Mai intends to be difficult."

"Well can't the two of at least get along."

Mai huffed and shook her head.

"You should know Azula well enough by now. The only person that she cares about is herself. I'm not that convinced that anything she says is genuine. Besides she is probably putting up an act for everyone including Ursa." Mai accused.

Within moments Azula had her hands on the collar of her ex- friends dress and had her pinned against the wall. Upon which Azula looked at Mai with a Murderous look in her eyes and slowly the make sure that the woman she was speaking to heard every word that she said.

"LEAVE ZUKO AND MY MOTHER…OUT…OF…THIS!"

"Go ahead my friend." Mai spoke with poisonous sarcasm "Prove me right. Show everyone just what kind of a delinquent you really are."

"That's enough!" Ty lee shouted, "What is with you two?"

Azula slowly let go of the wrinkled fabric and Turned speak with the acrobat.

"Thank you Ty lee. I appreciate your assistance in this matter."

After expressing her gratitude Azula walked of towards the garden courtyard.

"I knew this wouldn't have ended well." Mai said under her breathe.

"That's because the two of you are being so stupid!" Ty lee shouted as her voice echoed down the hall. "I can't believe how immature the both are being."

It was surprising in Azula's opinion that Ty lee had become so…assertive. It was also likely that irony wasn't lost on Mai either. It was like the perky girl had become someone else. Azula shook her head. No, Ty lee was still the person she always was. Like every one else though she had changed over time. To be honest Azula had tried to be civil she had tried to mend fences. They could never really be friends again but at the very least they could get along. Azula was on her way the garden when she saw what looked to be an eleven-year-old girl rushing through the hallway with towel tucked beneath her arm. The princess made an educated that the girl was rushing to wash room. This made Azula curious enough to follow the girl and find what had her in such a rush.

Naomi rushed through the hall and into the washroom. She was late, very late. And tutor would not like it. Naomi wasn't a hateful person but she was really starting to dislike Cheng. The man was so rigid and snooty.

Azula leaned against the wall by the door as she gave her nails a cursory inspection. The princess then crossed her arms and waited. The girl would come out in time and curiosity would be satisfied.

Eventually Naomi came out and the princess decided to open dialogue with her.

"So, why the rush?"

"Look," Naomi spoke tersely "I don't need help with everything. And I certainly don't need someone hovering over me all the time."

Azula's curled upward into a musing smile, she liked this girl already.

"Self reliance, I can respect that."

"Okay is there a point to all this? Because Cheng probably just waiting lecture me about being punctual…again."

The princess suppressed a chuckle.

"Oh yes," Azula smiled whimsically "I believe he once said that I was the bane of his existence."

Naomi was about to ask the young woman about herself but decided that she had wasted enough time already. Naomi was too distracted with her own thought's to know that Azula was following her. Azula stalked her stepsister through the palace. The princess was skilled enough in sneaking about the palace to keep Naomi from noticing her. Eventually Azula tracked the girl down to the library. The princess crept closer to the door, from there she over the voice of her former tutor.

"You're late."

Cheng's voice had an edge to it. It had the same annoying quality as hearing someone's fingernails being dragged across a chalkboard. Naomi began wringing her fingers and staring at her feet.

"I'm sorry."

Cheng crossed arms and continued speaking.

"Naomi we've been over this before…"

It was at that moment that Azula decided to fashionably barge in to interrupt Cheng save her sister the torture of having to hear another one of Cheng's bouts of drawn out oratory.

"Still the same old task master I see."

"If the mind is not exercised. It withers just as the body does. Although I must ask what brings my old pupil here?"

"Maybe I just missed you." Azula quipped in response.

Cheng raised a suspicious eyebrow.

"Princess Azula, if you held me in that high of regard you would've spent more paying more attention my lessons and less time trying make my job difficult."

"Oh come now, I wasn't that bad. You were just little…boring."

"Each day I pray to Agni, that my lessons stick and each day he tasks me anew."

The old tutor threw his hands up.

"I just walk into a corner and mutter to my self."

Azula tilted her head and smiled.

"Oh my, Mr. Cheng I didn't think you would be so frustrated so easily."

It took a moment for certain pieces of information to come to light in Naomi's mind.

"You're Azula?"

"And you must be Naomi." Azula answered

"Ursa talks a lot about you."

The princess shrugged at this statement.

"Lot's of people talk about me. And since our esteemed Mister Cheng is preoccupied with talking to himself. We might as well do something interesting."

"Like what?"

"Trust me I'll Think of something."

(* * * * * * *)

Ursa was once again in the garden. A member of the serving staff had retired because of old age. Which meant that she had spent much of the day holding interviews for the position. Maintaining the household was something Ursa did in order to feel useful. So far most of the people she had interviewed were sadly inadequate. Ursa wasn't being pick or anything she just felt that some of the people she was interviewing were not right for the job. Ursa had just about given upon the endeavor until the final interview. A girl around Azula's age had introduced herself as Yugure.

The noblewoman had noticed that she had a mischievous twinkle in her eye. Ursa also the impression that the girl was free spirit; and while Yugure was friendly and had an easy smile, the noblewoman couldn't help but that the girl had applied for this job out of circumstance rather then choice. Perhaps it was her woman's intuition, but Ursa had good feeling about the girl.

Shortly after afterward Ursa saw Azula and Naomi wandering into the garden. From what she heard Azula had apparently vexed her former tutor Cheng once more. The noblewoman had deduced from the fact that it seemed that Naomi had come from her lessons early. Azula sighted her mother and walked towards her. The princess had decided that her mother was at least trustworthy enough to hear out her frustrations.

Ursa perked up as her daughter took a seat across from her at the stone table beneath the cherry tree. Her argument with Mai wasn't something she wanted Zuko to be dragged into. He didn't need to be caught in the middle of his sister's problems.

"Mother, I've tried talking to Mai I know that's unlikely that we'll be friends again but I was hopping to find a compromise but it seems that Mai had other ideas. I guess I shouldn't be surprised considering the past. Hell, I'm surprised that Ty lee still wants to be anywhere near me. She always was too nice for her own good."

Ursa was quiet for a moment as she took time to think before speaking.

"Ty lee had talked to me about this incident. She seemed rather concerned about the both of you."

Azula sighed out loud.

"I'm, at my wits end mother. Maybe you can make sense of all this."

Ursa placed her thumbs beneath her chin for a moment as she watched Naomi sit by the turtle duck pond.

"My grandson and stepdaughter shouldn't be exposed to this. I know you won't like what about say we have to solve this problem now. I will not have my family ripped apart for a second time."

"Get the to the point mother." Azula said rudely.

"I'm going to speak with your brother as soon as possible. Later tonight you and Mai will join us in the library."

"Are you sure about this?" The princess asked.

"Yes Azula I am."

Azula tapped her fingers on the table for a few moments before deciding to go along with what her mother had in mind. Instinctively Azula knew that was no delicate way to deal with this problem.

"All right," Azula surrendered "I'm probably going to start getting drunk after this though."

"Really Azula? Must you say that near you younger sister." Ursa exclaimed

"Relax mother, I wasn't serious. And besides it's not like Naomi was in earshot of this conversation any way."

(* * * * * * *)

Author's notes: yeah it seems like my epilogue is going to a little longer than I expected. Oh well this story been something of a joy to write. Any way please review.