AUTHOR'S NOTES—this chapter… I dunno what made me do it, but there's something about it that irks me. Oh well. Here is the chapter in the which, of course, we learn where our Avatar-hunters are, we learn a little more about Azula the Airbender's character, and we see smexy Zhao, and some sort of reference to a parody. If I'm supposed to have an excuse for what I'm doing… well, I don't.

Also, a brief note on Zhao: Waterbender!Zhao has more self-control than firebender!Zhao, if nothing else, because of the difference in the two elements. However, he is still arrogant, cunning, and ambitious. I could never destroy the Zhao that we all know and love.

AVATAR: THE LAST FIREBENDER

BOOK 1: WATER

CHAPTER 7-3: THE MIND OF AZULA

Wilderness in the near vicinity of Senlin village; earlier

When Sokka had convinced Azula to let him and the Avatar's gang pass, she simply returned to the wilderness. To her surprise, however, she ran into Zhao, in all situations, out by himself in the middle of nowhere. Well, it was not entirely nowhere; there were hot springs in the area. Zhao was relaxing in one of them, using waterbending to create his own steam as well.

"Zhao," she exclaimed, somewhat surprised with the way she had walked in on him, as it appeared that at the very least, he was shirtless. However, seeing that his other clothes were next to where he had left his shirt, the implications of what he was and was not wearing were very clear.

"Azula," he raised his arms, laughing, "I'm surprised to see you out here."

"Ugh, Zhao," Azula cringed, turning away as Zhao stood up, "sit back down. It's not like you haven't seen me before or anything."

"Kick back, relax then." Zhao offered, sinking back into the water, "you seem different."

"Will you leave me alone about it?" Azula snapped,

"Not if there's a juicy tale to tell, girl," Zhao chuckled. Azula shook her head, but soon jumped into the hot spring next to Zhao's, though she remained fully clothed.

"So tell me about what happened at the rig." Zhao offered, "I need a good story before I get out."

"I'm afraid that the exact events that transpired are not your business, chief," Azula countered, "however, it sufficeth me to say that the Avatar and his friends escaped."

"Or were they let go?" Zhao countered.

Azula sighed for a moment. "Chief Zhao," she stated, "do you know why I am out and about on an Avatar-hunt?"

"As a matter of fact, I do not." Zhao replied. "You know that I am here for the prize, correct?"

"Aye; on the other hand, I am out here because of my own choices. I was not banished from the Air Temples, nor was I on bad terms with Monk Azulon, Sister Ilah, or Sister Ursa. I left because they showed no concern for me. They only seemed interested in my skills. Ursa thought I was a monster."

Zhao chuckled at this last remark of Azula's.

"Granted, they were right to a degree, but it still hurt. Nevertheless, I went out into the world to let them know that nothing stands between me and what I want."

"So how badly did you want the Avatar?"

"I wanted to find him badly enough that I have done the things I did, but not badly enough that let him escape when the situation is anti-climactic."

"You have some weird motives, Azula."

"You say that like it's a bad thing."

"If you do not know what you are trying to do with your life, then you will go nowhere, no matter how prodigious you become or how much you think you accomplish."

"I understand that, Zhao; and this is not meant to be my sob story. However, with Sage Ozai's disappearance from your tribe, combined with the duel my mother and brother had, helped throw everything into a mess. Our relations with the Water Tribes have always been really screwed up if you ask me."

"It was the Water Tribes that nudged the Air Warriors into attacking the world," Zhao explained, "however, after that, they assumed that we were on their side for this, which we weren't. Some of the tribes joined the Air Warrior Confederacy just to be on the winning side, and I was among them. Water is the element of change and adaptability, Azula. It was because of me that the Northern Water Tribe abandoned many of its old traditions, including allowing women to fight, increased trade, and better technologies. It was these things that brought the Water Tribes forward, and we are the most powerful nation in the world."

"You don't think that that is why the Air Warriors have taken so much interest in your nation?"

"Of course it is. However, what we wanted was neutrality. Since your clans were not exactly keen on giving it to us, we turned to our old secrets for our tactics, which is why it seems we are working against your people."

"Zhao, enough chit-chat. get to the point and tell me where the Water Tribes stand in this war."

"We are neutral. That is why we are not trying to defend the Earth Kingdom or the Air nomads in this situation. I am doing what is in the best interest for my tribe."

"And what about my uncle?"

"You should know him better than me, Azula."

"I wish I could say that, but he is from the Water Tribes as well. Certainly there is some sort of alliance between the two of you that I want in on."

"Perhaps there is, airbender. Whatever the case is, however, leave me be for now. I need a nap."

Azula shook her head.

"fine." She climbed out and shook some water out of her, "just don't get yourself caught by those random earthbenders—I wouldn't want to have to save your hide again."

Zhao chuckled and bid Azula a farewell. He then relaxed and took a nice nap.

However, he was rudely awakened by a small unit of earthbenders who recognized him. They bent rocks out of the surrounding area to trap Zhao where he was resting.

"I take it there's some sort of reason for you disturbing my slumber. You do realize that there are parts of the Earth Kingdom still petitioning to my tribe for aid, do you not?"

"Perhaps it is your indifference to these pleas as well as your double-crossing tactics that drew our attention in the first place, waterbender."

"This no ordinary waterbender, the Earth General explained, "this is the once great Commander Zhao."

"Once great? That's not what your wife said last night."

"He burned you there, general." One of the soldiers noted.

"Shut up, private."

"This is the same Chief Zhao that brought a failed Water Tribe invasion all the way to the walls of Ba Sing Se. Why don't you tell us what you were thinking?"

"I was thinking the same thing any red-blooded bender was thinking—I wanted to take the damn place down. Know that I am not above doing that again, either. The Air Warriors are consistently weakening your forces. They keep that up and it will give me ample opportunity to take them down."

"You are doing little to help your own position."

"Come now, do you really think that you would lighten your punishment just for me saying 'sorry'? Do what you will with me—you know I'll just escape again using dirty tactics."

"That's enough," the Earth General stated, and they were able to capture Zhao with no resistance. They also had the courtesy of letting him get his clothes back, though they confiscated his water skins and emptied them. The rest of his trip was quiet, as he started brainstorming escape plans.

Zhao's hot springs; later in the evening

Azula and a few of her Air warriors returned to the place where Zhao had last been, and were somewhat surprised at what they saw—at least, Azula's henchmen and women were.

"Get back to the ships," Azula ordered, "I'll meet you there later."

The airbenders did as they were told, and Azula took off in swift pursuit of Zhao's captors.

It was only about an hour before her swift speed had her catch up with them. She noticed them by flying over them, but she did not make herself known to them, and she kept flying.

Zhao had noticed her, however, and he grinned. He bent his legs forward and so he fell backwards off the ostrich-horse they had set him on, and landed on his back. He brought his feet close enough to his face for him to blow onto the chains—in order to freeze them. He slammed his feet back against the ground, but it had not been enough. He had acted quickly; he just had not had enough time.

The earthbenders apprehended him, and then decided that he was too dangerous to be kept alive and well. he would at least need to be disabled permanently. Waterbenders used their hands to fight, mostly, and so they figured that disabling them would do the trick. However, Azula was perched right above them, waiting for this opportune moment.

Right as they lifted the rock to smash Zhao, she dove off the side of the cliff and jump-kicked the rock out of the way. She then spun around and jabbed her finger in Zhao's direction—or rather, at the chains around his hands, to be exact.

This was a move that surprised them all. The Airbending combustion tactic was not something that could be easily executed like that, let alone from one's fingertips at such a speed. Once Zhao's hands were free, he stood up and Azula fired another shot to break the chains keeping his legs together. They stood back to back, surrounded by the earthbenders.

"You're not going to win this one," she warned, her fingers pointing at them, "surrender now, and you won't get yourself blasted to bits the way these chains have been."

Azula demonstrated her point by firing several short blasts of compressed air near the earthbenders, which exploded upon impact with the ground. Azula had turned the infamous Air Warrior technique into a projectile weapon.

Earthbenders were proud, stubborn people though, and so they put up a fight, launching huge rocks at Zhao and Azula. Zhao used his own physical strength to avoid the attacks, as he was devoid of any water. Azula blasted the rocks into fragments using her bending skills. This was somewhat of a repetitive process up until Zhao and Azula resorted to dirty fighting tactics to overwhelm their opponents. They did not stop this operation until the earthbenders were all either killed or unconscious. Once this happened, Azula simply started walking away.

"You owe me one, Chief." She smirked.