Tomorrow is the one-year anniversary of the end of the 100-year war. It is day that should to be filled rejoicing as everyone celebrates a new era of peace. And for the first time since being at Uncle Iroh's tea shop in Ba Sing Se the whole gang is in one room. But the large semi formal dinning room they find themselves in is early quiet, only the clanking of chop sticks against porcelain and the somber chewing breaks the bleak silence.
Aang wants to be happy, to find joy in the occasion and being with all his friends again, but he can't. He has been asked to perform an unpleasant ceremony. No, told and forced into agreeing because it is "the avatars duty to the world and peace".
The avatars duty is to preserve peace and balance, so he has to take the bending from three people who have been deemed threats to the new world order.
Long Feng, an earthbender who used his tongue and position to craft a mighty wall of lies and manipulations to control King Kuei into giving him control over Ba Sing Se.
Hama, a waterbender who lived in a fire nation jail for decades cut off from her element and unable to control the simplest of actions in her own life. Until she discovered a dark art, and took back control of her life by ripping the control away from others by reaching into them and bending their very own blood forcing them to obey her command.
Finally, the fifteen-year-old abuse victim who cried herself to sleep on the day of Sozin's Comet, and probably still does, Princess …
"So crazy blue is getting her comeuppance," Sokka stated with ear shattering amount of jubilance, mercifully bring Aang back out of his head, "you ready Aang?"
"Yea Sokka, I'm ready" Aang repeated in a dry tone before taking a bite out of richly flavored salad that tasted of nothing but wax.
Before delving back into the abyss of his mind a gentle touch from his beautiful girlfriend landed on his shoulder like a ton of bricks. "Hey, you okay sweetie, I know you can do this, it won't be like last time?"
"But I almost lost to Ozai, I might lose this time, and then what happens?" Aang blurted out with his typical reason when questioned about his hesitancy. He dared not discuss his true worries, not after they proved unable to understand it after he tried explaining it. So, no he will debate the lie they might understand, but not the truth that's beyond their comprehension.
"Hey Aang, don't worry about that, you faced Ozai during the comet when he was his most powerful." Sokka said in comforting words that grated Aang's ears, "plus they will be drugged with stuff that weakens their magic whooshing stuff, they will be defenseless to your energy bending." Then Sokka leaned over in and said in conspiratorial whisper, "Plus I heard crazy blues mind is…"
"Sokka stop calling her that!" Zuko bellowed from the head of the table, where he was slouched moments ago lost in his own thoughts.
"Why do you care what he calls her!?" Came Suki's angry retort before her boyfriend could respond. "She's pure evil! She shot you with lightning." She flicks up a finger to emphases the point "Killed Aang," another finger "sent me to prison" another finger as her voice started to fade into the back ground.
Unwilling to hear another word justifying this terrible business Aang stood up and headed to his room, the hands that reached out to him and calming voices failed to make it past the rush of blood pounding in his ears.
The pounding doesn't stop until he plumets into the soft mattress and silk sheets of the bed that stabs him in his back and rubs his exposed skin like sand paper. The discomfort only fuels the memories about taking Ozai's bending.
That night under the comet he gave Ozai the chance to surrender peacefully with his firebending intact, all he had to do was submit and except his fate. But he chose to lose his bending when he tried to attack Aang from behind. So, through the exhaustion of battle Aang touched Ozai's bare chest and forehead as he forced his will to overpower Ozai's defenses.
The battle between wills was just as exhausting as fight between him and Ozai whose legendary tale is only told by the scars on the land. Because nobody witnessed their fight or Aang's energybending assault, and neither Aang nor Ozai will ever speak a word of what happened, and for the same reason. Shame. Ozai's shame for losing to a child, and Aang for feeling pleasure.
When he finally stripped Ozai of his bending, yes, he felt tired, but he also felt powerful. Their Ozai was, moments before he was the most powerful firebender in the world fueled by the comets mighty flame; but, after words Ozai laid at his feet, subject to Aang's mercy and fearsome power. He could do anything to Ozai, and Ozai could only comply. It was an intoxication, more powerful than Sokka's ill fortuned trip with cactus juice, that left him wanting to do it again. To bring others low by his hand so he could show the world why he was the avatar.
And this more than anything else haunted him. How he could he get such satisfaction from violating the sacred harmony of a person's soul by ripping out a part that could never be repaired or replaced. He was the avatar, a force of good, but desired to desecrate the sacred spiritual aspects of a person.
Would the monks approve of taking one's bending as a form of punishment? Gyatso taught him that all life was sacred, even a life that was warped and evil as Ozai's. But what about their soul, would they approve of its desecration?
He tried to commune with the other Air Nomads Avatars about the merits of such actions. But none he spoke to knew of such power until he inflicted his will on Ozai. And now he was in uncharted territory and asked, no told, to exercise this power like it was ordinary. Like it was like taking away Sokka's boomerang when he missed and hit Katara. Not like it was crushing someone's hands, or as Toph put it, ripping out someone's eyes.
No, Aang guessed that the monks would never approve of such actions, especially on those who are already contained and submissive. But the others were right, it was his responsibility as the avatar to preserve the delicate balance of peace by doing this unpleasant business.
But the thoughts of shame persisted until they reached their boiling point. With an uncomfortable knotting in his stomach Aang flung himself out of bed and towards the chamber pot. The contents of his dinner that tasted of nothing but wax now seared his throat as they made their way back up.
The stark white walls are fading in and out of focus, with large black spots appearing throughout her vision. The gas lamps shielded from her reach by metal grates burn too bright, and their gentle warmth feels almost painful as mock her for her soon to be lost connection with them.
Tomorrow she will lose her bending, the thin grasp she retains to her element will be completely removed. Leaving her weak, pathetic, and soulless. No longer the pride of her father's shriveled heart, but just some hunk of lifeless flesh destined to rot in a dark hole, alone.
No one will visit her, not her brother who only ever looks at her with disdain. Or Uncle fatso who's only interest in her has been to take her down and strip her of everything she is.
Faintly she is aware of the change in air pressure when the door opens and two blurs enter. They must be talking to each other, or to Azula, as she can hear the rumbling of, but the fog in her mind makes the word incomprehensible.
Yet one of the figures now crouched at eye level with Azula, and placed a callused hand that felt feather soft onto Azula's shoulder as the figure continued talking. Breaking out of her mind Azula started focusing on the figure and its voice. Slowly the fine features of her mother began to sharpen and the words began to gain definition in Azula's head.
"… and we can go to the theater every day," the words came to Azula soft and grounding her in the moment.
"Mom, what are you doing?" Azula's voice croaked out hoarse and painful against her throat.
A gentle smile spread across her mother's face before speaking, "I'm telling you about all of the things you can do while at Ember Island dear, while Ty Lee is setting up dinner."
Sure enough, the acrobat was in the center of the room with a large blanket set on the hard stone floor with a basket full of different steaming foods that she spread over the blanket. Once the final content of the basket (Cherry Mochi) was placed on the blanket, the acrobat said in an excited chirp "dinners ready, let's eat!"
Slowly mother gently grabbed one of Azula's hands and placed her other hand on Azula's back as she guided Azula to a spot on the blanket. Still dazed and light headed Azula sat silently until her mother handed her a plate with heaping piles of spiced noodles, vegetables and spicy chicken-pig.
She slowly ate from the plate while half-heartedly paying attention to the conversation about all that they will do on Ember Island. Only providing an occasional "Huh" and "sounds like fun" while her head kept wondering back to the anticipated emptiness left where her bending once was.
Once her empty plate sat in her lap for a couple of minutes it was replaced with the box of mochi. Before eating any mochi Azula realized the box was full, braking out of her internal dilemma she looked to the other to see that they were watching her with worried expressions.
"Don't you want some mochi, Ty Lee, Mother," Azula says while raising the open box toward her companions. Both silently refused with an open palm.
After a short and awkward silence Ursa finally spoke up, "We are fine dear, enjoy the mochi. But, how are you feeling?"
"Oh, just great Mother, tomorrow I will have the only thing left of me stripped away while hundreds watch in awe to see the oh so terrifying princess brought low." Azula states in a sarcastic voice that fails to hide the pain in her voice from the other women.
With a look of great sadness and eyes shimmering with unspilled tears mother speaks up again, "I know it frightening, but the punishment will be away from prying eyes, only the world leaders and a few guards will be there."
"We will be there too, Azula." Ty Lee chimed in a melancholic voice sounding unnatural when it came from the usually perky acrobat. "We will be there for you Azula, to give you the support and whatever else you need."
"Can you make them stop and just let me be?!" Azula responded with a sharp snap in her voice.
"I've tried dear, I got both Zuko and the Avatar to give you a pardon after the sentence is carried out," then looking down at the ground mother continued on. "And I tried to convince them this wasn't necessary, you have been doing so well recently, but…" Mother takes a large gulp before continuing, "The avatar and Zuko won't listen, that fool of an earth king and the white lotus, well let's be honest you are their scape sheep-goat. The results of their own incompactness and inaction are being placed on your shoulders, your punishment is meant to placate the people so they don't look at them so hard. So, you free and unpunished is seen a direct threat to the world they want to see."
Those words hit the room hard, and caused a heavy silence to fall on the occupants. But Azula could not deny the truth spoken in them, she knew from Ty Lee that her mother would have passionate arguments with the avatar and Zuko, along with anyone else who counseled them. Hell, Azula heard that mother got in a shouting match so intense with Iroh that he wet his pants, that might be Ty Lee's exaggerating, but well, Azula wants to believe it happened.
Once mother started visiting, her conditions and treatment steadily improved. If it was the transfer from the absolute hell of the first institution to the newer one in the caldera (conveniently closer to the palace, allowing mother to visit multiple times a week with food) or gaining her more recreation and exercise time making her feel more like her old self, she cannot deny that mother has become her champion.
And the declaration that her life and soul will be ruined to appease a group of Uncles Fatso tea loving friends along with a king who challenges Azula's belief in the divine right to rule, makes sense to her strategic mind. If they can blame their inadequacies and the atrocities committed by others on her, allowing them to mold the world to their liking, then why worry about her wellbeing. It not like she has ever been considered a person before, why start now.
She now knows that she was only ever a tool or a weapon to her father, be it entertain a party of noble when she was young or to capture traitors. Uncle Fatso only ever saw her as a monster and threat to her brother's seat on the throne. So, it is no surprise that the White Lotus see her as a convenient object to place blame on. A distraction from the many deep-seated issues in the Fire Nation governance allowing her brother to take his time in addressing them (with the White Lotuses input, thanks to Iroh) while appearing to listen to international concerns.
And then the earth king can say that the thing that caused the fall of Ba Sing Se has been dealt with. Even though the fall had more to do with internal corruption and a man who played at king in the same manner children play make believe. All so he can avoid taking responsibility and hold off the massive revolution brewing in his city, and keep the towns and provinces outside his walls in control instead of seceding from a nation that hadn't truly existed for several decades if ever.
The fact that the women before her not only looks like her, but can see these plain truths that evade most people, reassures Azula that the women before her is her mother.
"Thanks Mom, for everything," Azula say in a low but sincere voice. Then, Azula interjected hope and happiness into her voice before addressing Ty Lee, hoping her mood will follow and said, "So you're coming to Ember Island too? What are you going to want to do?"