gemsofformenos: Azula grew up very fast in this fic. Even if she did the best that she could for an awful situation, it was still very hard on her and her psyche. And she chose to bottle that up. "Both siblings had to grown up so fast and still they are childs." And that is the sad thing. They are still just kids but they experienced a huge loss. "To protect her from more pain, anger and maybe accusations because of her decision." Yes, part of her was afraid that she'd be questioned for her decision to save Zuko. But she would have felt the same if she chose her mother too. "I love this change to the canon story here, the fact that he apologizes AND that beside all his faults and mistakes his tries and efforts counts for something." Yeah, I decided to cut them a break after such a heavy scene. He hoped that it would count and it did. "You're taking some wight and pain from both at the end of this chapter. You're bringing back a little hope again that healing is possible." :D That was the goal. :P "The scars won't disappear but they may fade further and might finally ache less and won't get ripped open again." Exactly. Moving on is hard but it is possible and they are trying their best. I'm really happy that you found it moving! And thanks, you have an awesome week!
The waves lick gently at the side of their boat. It isn't an awful vessel and it will serve its purpose. Azula never had any love for that ex-pirate bartender, but he has done them well with this ship. Its paint job is somewhat aged, off color in most places and it has a few dents from the recent storm. But the engine is not only intact and in perfect condition but it is also powerful. For both aesthetic and function should, the motor give out, it is adorned with a set of well maintained sails and-Azula rolls her eyes-a jolly roger flag.
She runs through a checklist in her head as she checks her suitcase for a third time. She has several changes of clothes and for a range of weather conditions, sweltering heat, a light rain, a heavy storm, and (though she has yet to feel a cold day) she has a shirt and pair of pants for that. She has a hairbrush, toothbrush, toothpaste, and other hygiene essentials. She has a knife, matches, her guide books, compasses and other navigation tools should the GPS fail, a cellphone, and a survival kit just in case. If Sokka could go missing, so could they.
For leisure she has packed a healthy helping of books, notebooks and pencils. They are neatly tucked away with a scrapbook Ursa had made for her, the stuffed starfish that Sokka had messily handmade for her, and the clownfish that she had made for him. It was in much better condition when she'd handed it to him. It is now tattered in places and the colors have faded. It still smells like him, she doesn't sleep very close to it because she doesn't want her own scent to drive out Sokka's. She will give it to him when she finds him.
She goes through the boat's fridge and drawers, making sure that there is enough to last them at least a month. She makes sure that there is an emergency supply of canned goods and bottled waters.
The life jackets are intact and there are more than enough of them.
She checks to make sure certain things aren't there. Holes, broken parts, and Ozai's alcohol stash. She is grateful that he hasn't tried to sneak even a bottle on. It will be easier for him to stay sober on a boat with no way to acquire a bottle.
Azula isn't particularly worried about the journey, now that it is no longer an impulse journey. Mostly, the loose ends have all been tied. Some of them had tied themselves. Namely the resuming of classes-the school had taken on a considerable amount of damage during the hurricane, rendering it unsafe to open until later in the autumn. That would give her at least an extra month or two of time on the open ocean.
She and Zuko spent the rest of July helping Katara, Kya, and Hakoda to clear and repair what remained of the storm damage. That was the deal, Katara would have to put extra time into helping ready the restaurant for opening if she wanted to embark on their at sea adventure. Mostly this consisted of finding a good waitress to hire for while she was away.
And as she and Zuko began securing new shingles to the roof and wooden panels for the walls, construction workers put a tireless effort into rebuilding the rest of the boardwalk. By the end of July the boardwalk was finished and so was La-bsters. Not only does it have a new, bright red roof, but they'd taken the opportunity to give it a well overdue new paint job, white for the outside walls and dark blue for the doors and window shutters. The interior was painted to look like an ocean, mostly teal blue with a border of dark blue to represent waves. They fixed more white wood panels upon the walls to give it an extra decorative flare. From the ceiling they draped fishing nets and discarded buoy strands. On the walls they positioned ship wheels, oars, and old sailor's logs.
It isn't the same as it was, but it is lovely in its own regard. It is lovely in that they all shaped it together. If they find Sokka, he will be in for a surprise. If they don't, she supposes that it is just one more change that she will have to get used to on her own.
Azula managed to stop by Mai's jewelry shop too. Though it is more of a stall at the moment. Behind the stall, a new shop is in its early development stages; it is roped off with caution tape and is still just a framework outline of what it will become.
Katara had asked Mai to check on her parents for her every now and again. Mai had nodded and offered them parting gifts; shark tooth necklaces for she and Zuko and a wooden hibiscus for Katara. TyLee had given them particularly long and tight hugs and offered a few pointers on how to repair boat breakdowns as well as one of her family's manuels.
The last time that Azula got to see the both of them before her departure was at the surf competition. She hadn't managed to pull off a snap but she had gotten the opportunity for another tube ride. The only one of the day.
She likes to think that the luck of catching the perfect wave during the competition would carry over. She likes to think that her trophy is a sign of a greater victory to come. She had positioned the trophy on her dresser next to the pictures of she and her surf team and a cluster of decorative pearls and glass bubbles.
Azula comes back from her thoughts as emerges from the boat, it is nearly noon and the sun is inching towards its highest point. She shields her eyes with her hand and scans the beach for the others. "Hi, Azula." Katara greets. She stands hand in hand with Zuko. Ozai lingers behind them.
"Is everything ready?" Ozai asks.
She nods, "though it can't hurt to double check everything." Granted, his inspection would make it a quadruple check.
"I trust you." He gives her shoulder two firm pats before making his way to the ship deck.
"Are we ready to go?" Zuko asks.
"Just about." Azula replies, there is still one thing left.
It takes him a few minutes but she finally sees a figure crossing the sand. She hops down from the boat and and greets Jet. "I'm glad that you are able to make it."
He rubs the back of his head. "Eh, this summer was kind of boring anyways. I think that a high seas adventure will be funner than another one of Chan's generic house parties...not that those are boring or anything…" He trails off.
"Yes, well this will be…" she isn't sure what it will be, at least for him. For her she it will be closure and, perhaps, liberation.
Jet slides an arm around her and cups her cheek in the other hand. "It'll be good to spend some quality time with you."
Azula rolls her eyes. "You do realize that my father will be in the cabin over, right?"
"Right." He confirms.
"We should depart before the mid-day tourist traffic arrives." Ozai, not so patiently, calls. She takes Jet's hand and leads him onto the boat. Ozai and Zuko raise the anchor as she and Katara help Jet settle in.
"Father says that you will be rooming with he and Zuzu so that he can 'keep an eye on you'. But Katara and I are…" she opens a door to the adjoining room, "right over here."
He gives her a quick thumbs up. "I think that I can deal with that." She hears his suitcases thud on the floor.
"I am going to make myself comfortable." Azula gestures to her own sleeping quarters.
.oOo.
She hasn't had dinner on the deck of a ship in ages. It is rather pleasant, she had almost forgotten how much she enjoys it. It is that time of the evening when the temperature cools to the point of comfort. That time of evening when small gusts flutter the table cloth. It is no five star dinner, a plate of slightly overcooked shrimp and a side of mashed potatoes. But her father had made it and it has been so long since he has cooked for she and Zuko so she can ignore the burned spots.
It is rather easy to ignore them while peering over the railing and watching a family of dolphins leap from the water. She counts three of them, one adult and two babies.
"They're so cute!" Katara exclaims. "I already have names for them."
"Of course you do." Zuko rolls his eyes.
"What are they?" Jet asks.
"That one is Zuko." She points at the smallest one. "That one is Ozai." Perhaps Azula has misgauged the direction of her finger, because she seems to be pointing at the other baby. "And the big one is Azula's Ego."
There is a gurgle and a cough as Zuko nearly chokes on his soda laughing. "Geez, at least wait until I'm done drinking."
Azula fixes her with a dull expression. "You know that, that was funny." Jet remarks. It kind of was but she won't be admitting it.
The dolphins keep pace with their boat for a while before slipping back beneath the waves. She catches the faintest shimmer of black before they make it completely out of sight. She pops another bite of shrimp into her mouth and takes in the feeling of the ocean breeze on her cheeks. She fixes her sunglasses, not that she will be needing them much longer and rests her hand atop Jet's.
"No romance at the dinner table." Ozai grumbles. "That means the two of you." He nods at Katara and Zuko.
She almost makes a joke about all of the times when she and Zuzu had to witness him peck mother on the cheek over plates of lobster. Decidedly, he isn't ready for that sort of banter. She isn't sure that he ever will be. Instead she whispers something to Jet.
Jet picks up his two remaining pieces of shrimp. He doesn't do it quite as well as Sokka would have, but just like that they were hearing an enthralling tale of forbidden love between two shrimp. The story ended with the both of them getting eaten by a shark. Jet is the shark.
A sand shark.
Her sand shark?
Ozai looks towards the setting sun.
Azula and Jet steal a quick kiss.
Her father says, "I saw that, that was a test."
They all have a good chuckle.
She thinks that it is the most normal. The most happy that she has felt in a very long time.