Azula fanfic
A messenger burst into the room, panting. He kneeled to the floor before pulling out a scroll and reading it.
"My lord! A message - pant - from the earth - pant - kingdom."
"Breathe," laughed Firlord Zuko. "Take your time, I'm in no hurry."
Normally he would have been in a hurry, but his uncle and mother helped his impatience. The messenger took a breath and slowed down.
"Azula is in a hospital in Ba Sing Sae. She is in critical condition and is in a coma."
If the Firelord was surprised, he didn't show it. Instead, he put his finger on his chin, pondering the messenger's words.
"Your name, messenger?" He asked.
"Mushu, sir." He replied.
"Well, Mushu, tell the Earth King I will consult my advisors and decide what to do. I will make my decision in two days. You are dismissed."
Mushu nodded and left the throne room.
"If Azula is sick, it could be another one of her ploys." He mused to himself. "But Mother and Uncle will know what to do."
The eighteen year old stood up from the dais on which he sat. He beckoned for the two Kyoshi Warriors standing guard to come over. They hadn't overheard the conversation between him and Mushu.
"Could you alert Suki for me please. Tell her to meet me here."
One of them nodded and quickly left to find Suki. To the other he said,
"Please tell my mother and uncle to come. Uncle should be in the gardens and mother in her room."
The Kyoshi Warrior nodded and left as well.
Suki, Iroh and Ursa entered the Throne Room. Suki stood with her hand on her hips, looked a little perturbed at being called into the Fire Lord's presence. Zuko took a breath before speaking.
"Azula is in a hospital in Ba Sing Sae and she is sick. What do you suggest?"
Ursa and Iroh shared a glance. Suki's brow crumbled into thought. Then Ursa spoke.
"Azula is sick because of herself. Her mind is cracked to bits and she can't tell what's good and what's bad."
Iroh looked into his nephew's eyes. He found worry and thoughtfulness.
"Azula may be crazy, but she's also very… broken. I think her mother's presence might be helpful."
Zuko offered. Ursa shook her head before countering.
"Last time we tried that, she almost killed me."
"But she listened to you." Zuko quietly said.
"That may be, but she needs someone to respect." Suki cut in.
"Who do you suggest?" Iroh replied.
"Sokka."
Zuko sat back, pondering this before speaking.
"But why Sokka?" Iroh replied.
"She went for him first on the day of black sun. Toph told me that."
"Because she thought he was weak."
"No, because he was the strongest. She saw he was the leader and she pinpointed his weakness."
"Well, Sokka is strong, and if Azula fears him, maybe he's the one we take along. What about the Avatar?"
"Aang does not have to come, but I think Ty Lee should come and Mai as well." Zuko proposed.
"I agree," announced Mai as she entered the room. Ty Lee was right behind.
"What are you doing here?" Zuko asked, confused.
"Well, I thought you might like to have entertainment, but unfortunately, I think you're booked with Azula and all. That would be entertaining to see."
Ty Lee grinned brightly, hoping to be noticed.
"Ty Lee, I thought you were patrolling the outer wall?" Suki asked.
"I was, but Li Hua came along and told me to come here where I ran into Mai!"
Suki smiled at the happy girl. Mai rolled her eyes in good nature.
"Mai, Ty Lee, Sokka, me and Ursa will go to Ba Sing Sae. Would some Kyoshi Warriors come along to provide protection?"
"We would be honored." Suki grinned.
"Very funny Suki. Let's get going before Azula catches on." Zuko answered.
Azula's POV
I gritted my teeth, fitting through the roaring pain in my head. Fiery pain rippled through my body as I fought the fever. I must be strong, for Father. He's trusting me to sew chaos throughout the Fire Nation. But I can't. I just can't. Something in me is fighting this way of thinking I have thought for so long. Another tear rolls down my cheek. I'm burning up. It hurts to hold on to my hate. Everyone who was close to me is gone. Except for Father. All of them were traitors! Every single one of them! Mai, letting them get away! Ty Lee, protecting Mai! Mother, leaving me when I needed her to protect me, from father.
The door creaked open. It was the nurse who came to check on me. I could barely see her through my tears. She dabbed my forehead and dried me up. She fed me more broth (awful stuff) and opened a window. I could hear the sounds of the city below, and I slowly dozed off. I dreamed again. I was running through an open field with Zuko by my side. Mai was next to Zuko and they both looked happy. Then it changed, and I was sitting in the mental hospital I had been in only a year ago. Everyone looked at me, and my father was there. He looked straight into my eyes, and I knew what that meant.
"Azula! You have disappointed me and wasted 100 years of work from your grandfather. How dare you stand in front of me like that! I am the Phoenix King!" He shouted and it echoed. I couldn't run away from it. I was trapped. It was as if no one else could hear it. Then Uncle appeared.
"Azula."
He whispered my name as though it were some horrible curse about to descend upon the land. Maybe it was. I was named for my grandfather after all. Then Ursa came into my dream as though stepping from a cloud.
"Azula."
Her voice was soft, like a gentle rain. Zuko and Mai stood side by side, Mai resting her head on Zuko. Zuko looked older, closer to manhood. The Firelord headpiece glinted in the light.
"Azula."
He said, in his raspy voice.
"Azula."
Mai, with her raspy voice as well.
"Azula."
Ty Lee came up behind me. I had never seen her so sad. A tear dripped down my cheek.
"Azula."
It was Katara, the waterbender.
"Azula."
Aang, the Avatar.
"Azula."
Toph, the earthbender.
"Azula."
Sokka, the boomerang guy.
"Azula."
One of the Kyoshi Warriors I had defeated. I didn't know her name.
"Stop!" I screamed. "Just stop."
"This isn't who you are." Ursa answered.
"You are not Ozai's puppet." Aang asserted.
"You are Azula." Mai announced.
"You are a princess." Katara declared.
"You can have honor." Zuko stated.
"You can care about others." Ty Lee responded.
"Ah! Stop! I can't change!" I screamed.
I woke up, sweating. I was still too weak to move so I studied the ceiling. I was in a metal room. I knew it too well. A Fire Nation Battleship. I heard the door creak open and sunlight filled the room. I could tell who it was immediately. A graceful step and hushed voice. Ursa, my mother.
"Hello Azula."
Zuko stood on the deck of his ship while his mother went to check on Azula. They had found her in a deep sleep, unable to wake her. At least she didn't fight. He sighed. This sister of his was causing him to lose sleep. He just wished that she would change, and forget everything their father had taught her. He heard the sound of footsteps on the metal deck and turned.
"Zuko, you know, I've missed you."
"It's not like Mai to voice her feelings, is it?"
"Maybe not. But you can't be cold and hard."
"It's for the best."
"Maybe, but you can't lock yourself into a cage just because of your sister."
"It's not like you to understand."
"It's in the realm of possibility."
"Sure. Azula's not afraid of me. She hates me."
"Azula told me once that she was afraid."
"Afraid of what?"
"Her father. Not because he loved her, but because he treated her like a soldier. She was afraid to fail any mission."
"That sounds typical."
"She's been hurt deeply by her father. Don't hold out on her. She needs her older brother."
"Thank you Mai."
Mai turned, leaving the Firelord staring out into the expansive ocean. Sokka passed Mai entering her room.
"You talk to Zuko?"
"Yeah, but he needs some company."
"I'll give it a try."
"Good luck. He's not in a great mood."
Sokka snorted, and continued to walk down the metal hall. He popped out into the sunlight, the silhouette of the Firelord casting ominous shadows.
"Hey Sokka. What do you want?"
"I just wanted to talk with you. About your sister."
"What about her?"
"She's very dangerous, so we need to figure out a way to keep her secure."
"She's narcissistic. She will protect herself at any cost. That is how we will keep her secure."
"Are you sure that's a good idea? She might hurt herself."
"Yes."
Sokka shrugged, and walked away. If Zuko wanted to treat his sister like a dirty sock, that was fine. Night came on quickly as they continued to cross the sea. Zuko stood on watch despite his mother's pleadings. He had a keen ear, waiting for when Azula would try to escape. He heard the door creak open. Light flooded the metallic deck where he stood. Azula stood in the doorway, her eyes flashing left and right.
"Hello Azula. Need some fresh air?" Zuko asked, without a shade of anger or fear. Azula raised an eyebrow, but stayed in the doorway. He turned and faced her. She made no movement, but watched him like a hawk watches prey. They stared each other down, unwilling to bend. Azula dashed for the side of the ship, eager to escape to the cool waters below. Zuko put out his arm and caught her around the waist. A whoosh of air escaped her lungs and she couldn't breathe. Zuko whistled and Ty Lee appeared. She blocked Azula's chi quickly and Azula was helpless. Zuko carried her back to her bed and strapped her down. Uncle was right, she was crazy.
Azula's POV
I lay in bed, unable to move. Ty Lee blocked my chi, again. I hated this, all of it. Being locked up like some stolen relic, unable to see the sun. I worked against my restraints, desperately trying to get my hands free. But nothing worked. I was trapped in this dark metal room, alone. Tears formed in my eyes, and I let them fall. Let them see how weak the princess is. How fake everything was, that everything, even my manipulative nature, was fake.
My mother stepped into the room, almost gliding over to me. She wiped the tears from my eyes. I looked at her and it was like glancing in a mirror. I hated how much I resembled her.
"Shhh, Azula."
"How can you love a monster?"
"Because I see me in you."
More tears fell from my eyes, and I lost it. I openly wept, I couldn't hold back. Years of verbal and emotional abuse were taking its toll.
"Azula, you are not alone. Your brother has gone through the same thing."
"Don't-hic-compare-hic-me-hic-to-hic-Zuko."
"I'm not comparing you. You are siblings, not tools for Ozai to utilize."
I continued to hiccup as tears kept falling. She tucked my long dark hair around my ear and placed her cool hand on my tear stained cheek.
"You will get better Azula. I know it."
She smiled beautifully and I smiled back. She kissed my forehead and left. I fell asleep happy, and dreamt of nothing.