Chapter 28 - Cracks
"I still don't think this is a good idea, Ty Lee," Azula argued, as the two of them were busy climbing an overgrown path leading up to the royal family's retreat on Ember Island. This particular path lead to the estate from the back and was hardly ever used, having fallen into disrepair across the many years of neglect, and it allowed the two of them to approach the estate unseen.
"Well... it's the only idea we really have, Azula," Ty Lee sighed. "We both agree that we won't know peace until your father remains on the throne, right?"
"True," Azula nodded. "Oh, what I wouldn't do to wipe that annoying cruel smirk from his face," she sighed wistfully.
"Exactly, but we are also in agreement that we need help against the Fire Lord, and... well, the only ones we know who also oppose your father are Zuko and his friends," Ty Lee finished her argument.
"I guess so," Azula shrugged. "It doesn't mean that they'll want to join forces, though. And good luck convincing Katara. She'll try to kill me on the spot as soon as I show my face, that crazy bitch with her crazy bloodbending," the fallen princess muttered angrily, casting a slightly fearful glance at the estate ahead of them.
"I'll just chi-block her, don't worry!" Ty Lee smiled encouragingly.
"Uh, didn't I tell you that she can bloodbend more than one target at once?" Azula rolled her eyes.
"Oh, right... I forgot," Ty Lee frowned. "Well... what if I sneak up to the estate just by myself? I could try to catch Zuko for a talk one on one... and maybe he could then convince his other friends?"
"It's worth a shot, I guess," Azula shrugged. "I suppose I'll just... stand here and wait."
"I'll try to be fast, I promise," Ty Le reassured her, then giving Azula a playful wink. "Wish me luck?"
"Right... good luck," Azula sighed, still looking unhappy and nervous about the whole venture.
"Thanks!" Ty Lee giggled, leaning in and surprising Azula with a kiss on the cheek. "See you in a bit!" she exclaimed before dashing off, leaving a slightly perplexed and blushing Azula standing on the overgrown path, nervously tugging on the sleeves of her robe.
With extreme care, Ty Lee carefully crept towards the estate. The young acrobat knew that the little earthbender girl, Toph, could somehow sense other people by detecting their footsteps or heartbeats at a considerable distance, so she kept her steps as light as a feather, controlling her breathing to relax and slow her heart rate down as much as she could. Working in her advantage was the fact that it was an early morning hour, so Ty Lee reasoned that there was a good chance of most of Zuko's friends still being asleep.
Peeking in through the windows and listening attentively at the doors, Ty Lee could not detect any movement or sound coming from inside the estate. The only course of action left to the young acrobat now was to try and find Zuko's bedroom and wake him up with a discreet knock on the window. Much to her frustration, the first floor bedrooms were occupied by Toph and Katara, so Ty Lee was forced to scale the estate wall to take a peek into one of the upper floor rooms. She was relieved to get it right on the first try, spotting Zuko lounging on his bed and facing the ceiling, unable to tell whether he was awake or not. Ty Lee carefully perched on the windowsill and then gave the glass the slightest of knocks.
The reaction was immediate, suggesting that Zuko had been awake the whole time. He bolted up from the bed, tense and ready to firebend as he turned towards the window, then blinking when he realized who the intruder was. Zuko quickly ran up to the window and opened it. "Ty Lee?" Zuko exclaimed in surprise. "What are you doing on Ember Island?"
"Same as you, I expect... hiding from the Fire Lord," she replied.
"Right, well... so, how did it go?" Zuko asked nervously. "With Azula, I mean."
"That's kinda what I wanted to talk about. Why I came here, really," Ty Lee said, looking around worriedly. "Can we find a place where we don't have to worry about getting interrupted?" she asked.
"Give me a moment, I'll join you outside," Zuko nodded. Ty Lee nimbly jumped down from the windowsill, not having to wait long until Zuko climbed down from the window, looking slightly less disheveled than before. "Well... start from the beginning, Ty Lee," he insisted firmly as they moved behind some of the thick bushes at the back of the estate. "What happened with Azula?"
"I just barely made it to the palace in time as the air balloon delivered her back to your father," Ty Lee began to explain. "He was... so terrifying, cruel and dismissive. He wouldn't even fight her. He just shot her with lightning there before my eyes."
"Is... is she... is my sister dead?" Zuko went deathly pale.
"She nearly died, Zuko. But I managed to drag her away from the courtyard, and we hid in the gardens until she recovered a little and we were able to escape," Ty Lee explained. "She's terribly scarred from all that has happened, and not just physically, Zuko. Katara's bloodbending nearly killing her has really screwed with Azula's head."
"I was afraid of that," Zuko let out a mournful sigh. "So, how is she? And more importantly, where is she now? She's on the island, isn't she?"
"Yes, but... please don't try to look for her, Zuko," Ty Lee begged. "She's still terrified that Katara might try to kill her."
"With good reason..." Zuko shook his head. "Thanks for letting me know, Ty Lee. I think it's best that you and Azula continue to hide for now. Take good care of her, please. Although, I imagine that she's in a... difficult mood, after everything that has happened to her."
"Actually..." Ty Lee blushed slightly. "It's been amazing to hang out with Azula. She's really hurt, yes, but she has also changed a great deal. Almost the same way how you've changed, Zuko. She knows I'm her only friend and ally that she can still trust. She's being very nice to me. It's... it's just great, really," Ty Lee beamed happily.
"I'm... glad to hear it, Ty Lee," Zuko smiled at the affectionate girl. "You deserve to be treated well."
"Aww, thanks," Ty Lee smiled at him. "Still, I came here not just to tell you what happened with Azula, but also with a proposal."
"A proposal," Zuko's eyebrows rose. "Well, consider me curious."
"Azula and I both know that while your father lives, we'll have no peace," Ty Lee explained. "I know that you're planning to take him on at some point. Wouldn't it make a lot of sense to team up for it?"
Zuko blinked, not having expected such a proposal. "I... suppose it would, at that?" he finally admitted. "But, damn... you know how Katara and the others feel about Azula. I doubt I'd be able to convince them."
"Maybe you could still try?" Ty Lee pleaded. "It's going to be so dangerous for you to even reach the Fire Lord, right? Having two more with you would give your group a much better chance, wouldn't you agree?"
"I agree, absolutely," Zuko nodded. "But they others will never be able to trust Azula enough to work with her. And I can't say that I blame them."
"Well... me neither, but..." Ty Lee frowned. "Do you really think you won't be able to change their minds?"
"I'm going to try, I promise you that," Zuko told her. "Where can I find you to deliver the answer?"
"Oh, I'll just stop by in a couple of days," Ty Lee shook her head. "Azula's still a bit jumpy about me telling you about our hideout."
"I understand," Zuko smiled. "I'd like to see my sister too, if possible."
"I'll tell her that, and perhaps she'll agree to meet you," Ty Lee smiled back at him. "Anyway, I better scoot. Azula doesn't like to be kept waiting. Good luck with convincing the others!"
"Good luck, she says," Zuko muttered under his breath as he turned around to return to the estate. "Something tells me that I'll need a lot more than just luck."
As Zuko had predicted, the idea of allying with Azula and Ty Lee went over like a lead balloon with his three friends. "I'm not saying that we should accept them on our team or anything like that," he was finally able to get in a word edgewise after a few minutes of ranting and speaking all over each other by the three incensed looking girls. "But wouldn't it be good to have some extra firepower when we finally go up against my father?" he appealed one more time.
"Yeah! If we could trust them, especially Azula," Toph stated angrily. "Which we can't!"
"Exactly what Toph says," Suki nodded in agreement. "I know she's your sister, Zuko, but surely you know what she's like? She lies, she manipulates and she betrays. She'd sell us out in an instant if it would put her back in the good graces of her father."
"I don't think there's anything she can do at this point that would stop my father from trying to kill her, this time for good," Zuko sighed. "Listen, I really believe Ty Lee when she says that my sister has changed because all of what has happened to her."
"Next thing you'll tell us is that she's a poor, innocent victim and we all have to feel sorry for her," Suki replied, looking particularly combative with hands on her hips.
"I'm not saying that," Zuko threw his arms up in the air, starting to feel frustrated. "Did I say that?" he looked around, faced with glares from Katara and Suki, and a deep frown from Toph. "Also... if you don't believe me, and if you don't trust Ty Lee, maybe we can arrange for Toph to read Azula. She can confirm whether Azula is being deceitful or not."
"The thing is, Sparky, I've tried it in the past, and it doesn't really work with Azula, she's too good at lying for me to pin her down," Toph shrugged.
"I think you're just being stubborn, all of you," Zuko sighed again. "We really need some additional support against my father, we all know that."
"Actually, we don't," Katara shook her head adamantly. "I know we can take out the Fire Lord all by ourselves. We just need to find a way to get me close enough so that I can bloodbend him. That's all it would take."
"Easier said than done," Zuko muttered.
"Zuko, do you remember the promise I made?" Katara gave him a stern and piercing glare. "I swore that I would not stop until I have destroyed Fire Lord Ozai and Princess Azula for what they have done. I'm not going to break my promise to Aang. He deserves to be avenged."
"Princess Azula has already been destroyed," Zuko said bitterly. "By our father. You'd be taking your hatred and anger out on a lonely, defeated girl."
"It doesn't change what she did in Ba Sing Se!" Katara shouted. She then took a deep breath, calming herself. "Do you see now what I meant, Suki?" Katara said, turning to face the other girl with a sad, resigned look on her face. "This is what Zuko will leave us for."
"What are you talking about, Katara?" Zuko frowned at her. "I'm not going to leave you now or ever, unless you chase me away." Katara's lips were knit tightly and she refused to answer. "Katara, I demand an explanation," he insisted.
"Fine," she finally spat with a fiery look in her eyes. "Come with me, then. The rest of you don't need to hear this," Katara stated, walking off towards her room, Zuko shrugging helplessly and moving to follow her.
"What was that all about?" Zuko demanded as soon as he had closed the doors to her room. "Are you afraid that I'm going to leave you and go join Azula and Ty Lee, or something equally ridiculous? Where are these thoughts coming from?"
"They're coming from you. And they're not ridiculous at all," Katara shot back. "After everything that Azula has done, you are still standing up for her at every turn, Zuko! What am I to think? You say that you're with us all the way, but are you really? Being with us means to do everything in your power to bring down both your father and your sister."
"Katara, she is my sister!" Zuko argued back. "You can't expect me not to feel conflicted when you're talking about taking her life! Especially now, when I have learned that it might be possible to redeem her, to kill her would be..."
"Would be what?" Katara glowered angrily. "Unjust? How can you say that after she murdered Aang in cold blood?"
"Is that really the only way to satisfy you?" Zuko asked, starting to feel drained. "To answer murder with murder?"
"I thought you understood, Zuko," Katara replied tiredly. "But maybe if you don't... maybe if we're destined to come to blows over this... maybe you should just leave before that happens. I don't want that to happen to us, Zuko."
"I would never let that happen, Katara, please, believe me," he implored. "And please, never ask me to leave. I couldn't."
"Why not?" she asked softly.
"Because... because I feel like our fates are forever linked by what happened in the Crystal Catacombs beneath Ba Sing Se," Zuko replied earnestly. "I feel like my honor demands that I stay, but... there is more," he said, blushing lightly. "It's no secret that I like you, Katara. I mean that in the... 'I have feelings for you' kind of way."
"And I have feelings for you, Zuko," Katara admitted with a tinge of pink coloring her cheeks. "But... despite everything, you will not stand with me all the way, and... I just don't know if I can cope with that."
"There has to be another way, Katara," Zuko pleaded with her.
"There isn't," she shook her head adamantly. "Eventually, in not too long, I will be facing your sister in battle. I need to know what you will do when that happens."
"I..." Zuko hesitated, his mind racing. Even imagining such a scenario made him sick to his stomach. Albeit very differently, he loved them both. "I don't think I could raise my hand to attack Azula unless she attacked us first."
"And what if having defeated Azula, I had her in my blood grip, about to twist her neck?" Katara pressed on with her questions, inquiries that left Zuko feeling horrified. "What would you do then, Zuko? Would you try to stop me? Would you attack me?"
"Never... I would never try to harm you, Katara," Zuko exclaimed. "As for what I would do... I would make a passionate plea for you to spare my sister's life, of course." He took a deep breath to steady himself. "Depending on the circumstances... I might even ask you to trade my life for hers."
Katara's eyes widened in shocked surprise. "I already almost took her down for good during our fight in the Fire Lord's bunker," she said, shaking her head at Zuko. "Need I remind you that she came close to killing you? She definitely tried to. That was not too long ago, Zuko. How could things change so fast for you?"
"Now that Ozai has turned on her, I see a path to reconciliation with my sister," Zuko replied simply. "She's still so young, Katara. I know that she can change, just as I have changed. According to Ty Lee, she already has changed. I can't bear the thought that it's all going to be for naught."
"Then you'll have to make the choice to side with her," Katara said, a resigned look on her face. "Side against me."
"I told you before, I couldn't do that!" Zuko exclaimed in frustration. "Why do you want to force this terrible choice onto me?"
"Because you'll have to make it eventually," Katara shrugged. "I wish you would just be honest with yourself and make that choice early before you end up betraying me. Betraying us all," she all but whispered, sitting down on her bed and looking miserable.
"I guess nothing else but a promise that I'll aid in the murder of my sister will reassure you, and I don't know if I can give you that," Zuko sighed deeply. "And I'm getting really exhausted from all this back and forth arguing."
"I think we've said all there is to say, anyway," Katara managed, facing the wall instead of looking up at him. "It's pretty clear where we both stand, and that is no longer on the same side."
"Damn it, Katara!" he exclaimed, feeling a powerful urge to reach out and try to shake some sense into her, but it passed quickly, leaving him feeling even more mentally exhausted. "Forget it… if you're done talking, then so am I," he said, turning around and leaving the room.
Even though it was clear that back in the living room, Toph and Suki still wanted a piece of him, Zuko had no more energy to argue with. All he could do was to head upstairs to his room and wait for the storm to blow over, now that he had made his feelings on the matter clear.