Zuko

I wake up the next morning and lay in bed for a while as Sunny continues to sleep. I'm happy that things have worked out between us despite everything we had to go through. And I can't wait until we are married so I can wake up next to her everyday. She looks so pretty sleeping peacefully next to me that I think for a moment that we are on a camping trip together with the gAang here in the beautiful cliffs of Kayseri. She would really like that.

Too bad reality is a starkly different story.

I feel like I'm in some sort of twisted dream or nightmare (I'm not sure which one) with the love of my life here next to me but my sister on her way to kill me.

Gently, I wrap my arms around Sunny as I indulge in the dream part of my reality. She smiles at me, her eyes just a slit open, and then presses up against me as she kisses me. As usual, I feel my worries melt away in her kiss. I smile back at her as I touch the ring she put on her necklace (probably to keep it safe while she was undercover). Carefully, I take the ring off of the necklace and put it on her finger, where it belongs. I kiss her on the forehead and then get up and get ready for the day. She stays in bed a bit longer before she gets up and follows me outside to the fire-pit where the gAang is having breakfast.

"Kind of a familiar scene, huh?" I say as I observe the campsite. It is eerily similar to the scene from the campsite outside of Ba Sing Se, the day Aang defeated my 'father.'

"Morning Zuko, Sunny," Katara greets us from the other side of a giant pot of juk. She waterbends the juk to stir it and then scoops some into two bowls and passes them our way (Author's Note: Juk - the Chinese and Korean word for porridge). I wonder why she doesn't waterbend the juk into the bowls? Though, I guess that's the least of my worries right now.

"Thanks Katara," Sunny says as she takes the bowls and hands one to me. "It's nice to see you all again."

"Seriously, it's been forever!" Suki says as runs up to us and hugs Sunny. "How was playing with the enemy?"

"It's hard for me to imagine Azula as the enemy, so it was really weird," Sunny replies. "But, I tried my best to pretend I really hate Zuko."

"Couldn't have been that hard," Sokka jokes. "We've all certainly been there before."

"Very funny Sokka." Sunny would never hate me (well except for that time when she did... but then she realized that she didn't).

We eat our breakfast and then help to fortify the campsite for Azula's arrival.

"They're here," Toph says a little before the sun is at its highest point for the day. She wiggles her toes a bit as if feeling for something and then continues, "And there are a lot of them."

"Take your positions," Uncle calls out to the camp.

We take our positions and watch as Azula and her army approach the cliff-side where our camp is located. Her Dai Li Agents easily bend them down into the open area where we are standing. Toph and Bumi hold our fortifications steady, in case the Dai Li attempt to damage the campsite (not that they seem to be trying to or anything at the moment, but just in case).

I watch as Azula commands them to stop and then steps out before them.

"I'll take care of my brother myself," I hear her say to the Earth Kingdom General who seems to be in charge of the infantry.

I step out to meet her. Perhaps she will take me up on an Agni Kai so that no one else has to get hurt.

"Azula," I say as we approach one another. "Let's not get all these people into this. We can settle this, you and me. Then, whoever wins can be the Fire Lord. It's not like I particularly want to be Fire Lord anyways."

"Zu-Zu," she starts but then pauses for a moment. She looks like she is thinking about something but doesn't quite want to talk about it yet. I wait for her to continue but she doesn't.

"I don't understand why you are doing this after you turned down the position, which I willingly offered to you," I say after some time.

"Well, I thought it'll be more fun this way," she says with a mischievous smile, all signs of whatever she was thinking about before gone.

"Okay. But do you honestly think that you could defeat Uncle and the Avatar?" I ask in an attempt to convince her to stand down.

"No," she replies lightly. "I actually don't expect that I'd have to."

"What do you mean? Do you think that Aang is just going to let you overthrow me? I mean, Aang wants me to be Fire Lord more than I want to be Fire Lord so what makes you think he's not going to go all Avatar-y on you?"

"Whatever. Why don't we just get this over with - Agni Kai," she says as she takes her stance, blue flames in hand.

Years ago I would never have been able to win in an Agni Kai against Azula. But now, after everything Ran and Shaw have taught me, I feel confident in my ability to take her.

But I really don't want to.

"We don't have to do this Azula," I say as a final attempt to plead with her.

"You're right, we don't. But don't you think a little show for our friends here would be nice?" she replies. "They didn't come all this way for nothing."

I have no idea what she's talking about but I certainly understand the blue flames coming at me.

Blue and red fire fill the air as we duel. The two sides - my friends and family and Azula's Loyalists - watch in silence as they hold their positions, waiting for our signal to attack. I push her blue flames back with all the energy within me as I feel hers begin to wane. She relents for a moment and my flames push her to the ground. I watch as they singe the bottom of her boots. Quickly, I pull them back so she does not get hurt.

"Not bad, Zu-Zu," she says as she jumps back to her feet. "Now that was fun wasn't it?"

"Azula, please. I don't want to hurt you."

"Oh Zu-Zu, that's so sweet," she says with a playfully light smile. "But it's pretty obvious that you and your little friends here are grossly outnumbered," she adds, pointing to her group of Loyalists behind her.

"Numbers don't trump skill."

"You're right," she replies. "Dai Li," she screams as she holds up her hand and makes a fist. I guess that's some sort of signal for them to attack.

Toph and Bumi ready our defenses and I take my stance as we prepare for the Dai Li to attack. But, to my surprise, the Dai Li turn on the people Azula had brought with her and cuff them all at once. Woah, these guys are powerful. I look over at Azula, waiting for her to freak out when she realizes the Dai Li have turned on her but she doesn't. She just watches, with a satisfied look on her face, as they build a wall around the handcuffed Loyalists.

"Pretty impressive, huh?" she says when they are done.

"Azula?" I start but am not sure what to say next. I'm confused. Azula is not one to take misinterpreting an order lightly.

"Zuko," she says and then bows to me. Okay, now this is really weird. Is this all part of another one of her twisted schemes? "Behind me, trapped and bound, are those who not only want to overthrow you but who would go as far as to want to kill you."

"I don't understand." I want to believe her but I've been fooled by her so many times that it's hard for me to trust her. "How do I know this isn't just another one of your twisted schemes?!"

She's silent. I guess that's expected. It's not like Azula to try and convince you one way or the other about her. She is what she is and you either take it or you leave it. Maybe she's not lying? But, in a situation like this, where my friends and family's lives are at stake, I can't be too careful.

"It's not," Uncle says as he walks up behind me.

"What?" I turn around to make sure it's really Uncle's voice that I'm hearing behind me. It is. "Uncle, what are you talking about?"

"Well, technically, I suppose it is all part of one of Azula's crafty plans," Uncle continues. "Azula and General Hyeong came up with it together. It was their idea to help gather up these Loyalists that have been causing you and the Earth Kingdom so much trouble these past few years," Uncle explains.

"Why would Azula do that?" I ask. "It's not like this plan benefits her in any way."

"Because she cares about you and because she cares about General Hyeong," Uncle replies.

I look over at Azula to see if this is true but she just seems annoyed.

"Zuko, the point is, General Hyeong and I were not conspiring against you, we were conspiring for you," Azula interrupts before Uncle can continue talking about how much she cares about this and that.

"Right," Uncle says, clearly getting the hint that Azula would prefer him not to talk about her feelings and stuff. "Anyways, Azula is actually a member of the Order of the White Lotus."

"Uncle, you know that doesn't make any sense. The Order of the White Lotus is made up of a bunch of old guys. And Azula is clearly not old nor a guy," I reply. "No offense, of course," I add towards the old guys standing behind Uncle.

"Well, that's been true up until a few months ago," Uncle explains. "Azula is the newest and youngest member of the group."

"Okay. And you guys were all in on this plan to pretend to overthrow me?" I ask, confirming what I think is going on here.

"That's right. Azula and Hyeong approached us with this idea about a month ago and we all agreed that it would be the best way to deal with the Loyalists."

"I guess that makes sense," I reply. "Azula, who everyone knows as my 'evil' sister, is the perfect person to attempt to overthrow me. And, with her reputation of being extremely cunning and a brilliant firebender, I could see how many people would support her reign. But how come no one told me?!" I ask out of frustration.

"Well, we couldn't tell you. Otherwise, it wouldn't be believable," Azula replies as if it is the most obvious thing in the world. "Plus, I was counting on Sunny helping out with it all. Good thing she actually loves you or our plan wouldn't have worked out so well."

"Sunny was in on this too?" I ask in disbelief.

"Of course not Zu-Zu. I needed her to respond naturally or else you'd read right through her. You and I both know she's a horrible liar."

"Only to people she's close to," I note.

"Is that so?" she says with a somewhat warm smile (I didn't realize that it was possible for Azula to be 'warm,' but apparently it is).

"Well, thanks Azula," I say as we pack up the campsite and head back to Capital City.

"No need to thank me, brother. Rallying up the Loyalists, overthrowing you, and chasing you down was really quite fun," she says in her typical playful but sinister manner.

Brother, I think to myself. This must be the first time Azula actually called me 'brother.' It feels nice to have an actual sister for once, no matter how weird she is.

"I'm glad my misery was entertaining for you," I reply, half joking.

She smiles, content with her success I suppose.

"I guess we're even now," she says after a while.

"Even?"

"Yeah," she replies as if I should know what she's talking about. "Considering everything I put you through growing up, I think this sort of evens it out, no?"

"Oh..." I suppose this is Azula's way of saying 'I'm sorry?' "Sure, sister. Not that I was holding a grudge or anything."

"I'm sure you weren't," she says sarcastically.

"No really. I just wanted, more than anything, for you to find your destiny and to be able to find peace within yourself."

She doesn't respond though I can tell by her expression that she's thinking about it. We're silent for a while.

"Thanks Zuko," she says as we enter the palace. "I know it's hard to believe but I have found peace within myself and I've actually been able to let go of that anger that was inside of me for so long. Once I finally realized that Mother really did love me as much as she loved you, I was able to recognize that my anger was unreasonable. But, without it, I didn't know who I was. All my life I was fueled by that anger and once it was gone, so was I."

"But you've found yourself?" I can't believe Azula is actually opening up to me.

"Yes. It wasn't easy but I'm pretty good at most things so it's not like it was incredibly difficult either. When you offered me the position after our trip to find Mother, I realized that there's no way I could ever be the Fire Lord. You weren't there then, but last time I was going to be Fire Lord, I almost lost my mind. There's something about the position that just makes me crazy. I guess I just don't know how to deal with that kind of power. But you, you're good at it. I think mostly because you don't think you are."

I think about it for a while. I'm not sure why she's saying she wouldn't make a good Fire Lord.

"I think you'd make a good Fire Lord," I say. "I mean, you are smart and cunning. Plus, you're a brilliant firebender."

"That's not what it's about, Zuko," she replies. "Anyways, that's besides the point. Being Fire Lord is your destiny, not mine."

"Then what's yours?"

"I'm not sure. But, ironically, I think I need to be in the Earth Kingdom. I mean, I didn't become the leader of the Dai Li for nothing."

"Right, I guess that makes sense. Destiny-"

"Is a funny thing," she completes my sentence with a smile.

I laugh. Never in my life would I have thought Azula out of all people would ever quote Uncle.

"It sure is. But General Hyeong's the leader of the Dai Li now," I start but then suddenly realize, "Hey, are you two dating?"

"That's none of your business," she replies firmly. She looks angry but, from the flush of color in her face, I can tell that's a 'yes.'

"Nice." I can't believe Azula is dating an earthbender! Destiny is hilarious.

"Whatever. That's not the point. Whether I'm with him or not, I think my destiny is-"

"In Ba Sing Se," I think out-loud, cutting her off by accident.

"Yes," she replies.

"That sounds exactly like something someone really special told me once," I say, referring to Sunny leaving me for Ba Sing Se so many years ago. I smile at the thought of how well things turned out for us. "You know, there's a position opening up really soon and I think you'd be perfect for the job. Plus, it would take you to the Earth Kingdom, to Ba Sing Se."

"What is it?" She looks somewhat interested but I know Azula isn't one to jump into things without knowing what she's getting herself into.

"Well, I'm sort of looking for a new Ambassador to the Earth Kingdom."

"Um, are you planning to fire Sunny or something?"

"Yup. Don't tell her I said this but she's horrible at going undercover and I obviously need somebody who could do a better job," I joke.

"Very funny," she replies and then rolls her eyes. "You two are back together, huh?"

I smile.

"That's good. She's much more fun when she's not crying," she says, pretending to not really care.

"Thanks for taking care of her, Azula," I reply. "You know, you make a pretty good sister when you want to be."

"Well she's the first person in my life that was actually genuinely nice to me," she admits. "So, I wouldn't want her to starve to death or something."

"Of course not." I smile. I can tell she really cares about Sunny but is incredibly uncomfortable talking about it (probably because she's not used to caring about people). "So, you going to take the job?" I ask, changing the subject.

"Sure, whatever," she says as if she doesn't really care, though I can tell by the flare in her eyes that she's really excited about it.

"Perfect!" I think about hugging her but then refrain. I'm sure she'd freak out or something and I sort of want to hang out with her a bit longer.

We walk over to the palace pond and sit down under the tree where we've sat so many times before. But this time, everything is different. This time, Azula isn't throwing mud at my face, burning bushes, or trying to drown the turtle ducks. This time, we sit and talk about our lives. We reminisce about our childhood - our mother, our friends, our school, everything.

It's weird how now, after all this time, I am able to look back on memories that were once so painful and laugh.

And it seems that, under that cold shell of hers, Azula was just as broken and lonely as I was. And, I suddenly realize that even though she was actually father's real daughter, he didn't treat her all that different than he treated me. His rejection and disdain for her must have hurt her even more than it hurt me, especially since she's known all this time that I am not his real son. Either way, I'm thankful that we are both free from the hatred and anger that he had placed in our hearts; free to live lives of peace and love; free to know and accept ourselves as who we are; and free to love each other as brother and sister.

Okay, that last part may be going a bit far. But, hey, maybe someday it'll be true.

At least she obviously doesn't hate me anymore.

That's a start, right?