A/N: so Azula waswondering the desert for like months. So by this time team avatar had found toph and yeah

BOOK ONE: FIRE

CHAPTER SIX: AZULA ALONE

The sun beat down on her pale skin. As a firebender, Azula was accustomed to heat. But the unrelenting heat of the desert was something else entirely. Why had she chose to listen to those god awful past lives of her. Go to the desert they said, find the library they said, it will be easy they send. They lied.

Azula hated being lied to. She hated that her once flawless porcelain skin was burning. She hated that they parts that didn't burn were becoming darker. She wanted nothing to look like those watertribe peasants. She wanted to wear her nation proudly, through her eyes and skin. She wanted to get out of this god awful desert already.

Though she could not deny that the desert was the most unpleasant experience of her life, good had come from it. Being in a biome where there was little water in the air, she had come to sense where it was. She had become able to reach for it and pull it to her. This was the only thing keeping her alive, her water bending.

She had been wandering in the desert for around two months, she lost track of the days. She learned to rap a thin sheep of water around her, to cool her burns and protect her from the unrelenting sun. during these months water had become her second skin. She could heat it and cool it as she pleased. This saved her from the cold nights and the scorching days.

She had tried to use her airbending to get around, however it blue to much sand, clouding her vision. She had than resorted to trying to bend the sand (it was earth after all). But, no matter how had she tried it would budge. So, she was lost. She was stranded. She had nothing to talk to but the wind. She had begun to miss those voices.

She stared out into the endless ocean of sand, watching the sun set over the horizon. She had come to love moments like this, the small beauty she found in them. And so, Azula was doing something she never would have thought to do, she was enjoying the sunset. And, that's when it caught her eye. It was a strange silhouette, unlike those of the hills. It was taller, and seemed to be some sort of tower.

Without a thought of how tired she was she ran for the structure. Could this be the library they had told her about. It certainly didn't look like a library. But, no matter. Whatever it was, it wasn't sand. And so she ran. Faster than she had before. She was sure to collect the water she could as she ran, allowing it to gather around her hands.

As she drew closer to the building she realized it was a tower. Knowing she would have to climb it she beant her second skin to her hands. Collecting the water she froze it, trying her best to form it into spikes. When she finally reached the tower she tried to use them to climb it. She had thought it would work. But, when she plunged her right spike into the wall, it had shattered.

She quickly collected the water before it could escape into the sand.

She had then tried again, but to no avail. She couldn't keep it solid long enough. She was to weak, she thought bitterly. Though everything she had learned about waterbending she had learned by herself, she still felt inadequate. It was in this moment of weakness she vowed to find a master. But right now Azula needed to find a way up the tower.

There wasn't enough water to creat a ladder of sorts, so that was out of the question. She walked around the tower, trying to find a better way in. a way that wasn't 30 feet above her. However, she came up empty handed.

Azula screamed. She screamed into the desert, her voice being swallowed by the surrounding nothingness.

"Why?" she screamed at no one in particular. "Why me?" She asked. However, the answer was quick to come. It was punishment, for all the horrible things she had done. It was a punishment she realized she deserved. That thought broke her. Tears welled under her eyes and flowed down her cheeks. That water she had been holding fell, no longer under her grasp. She sank into the sand, back to the tower.

I'm sorry, she thought. But, she wasn't apologizing to herself. She wasn't apologizing for what she had reaped from her actions. But, she was apologizing to Zuko. She was apologizing to her brother. The brother she always teased, always poked fun at. The brother that stood by her side despite of it. The brother that was now a fugitive and it was her fault. She apologized to the girl, her passed life. She apologized for what had happened to her. She apologized for what her nation had done to her, and the world. She had known what war entailed, but had never realized how truly horrible her people were. She apologized to the past avatars. To Sheru, the earth girl. To Ming, the water savage. To Aang, the forgotten nomad. To Rokku, for not having fixed his errer. To Kyoshi, for failing to uphold her legacy. To -

"We forgive you," Kyoshis voice said. However, she knew it was not only her speaking. It was all the past avatars.

Azula slowly looked up, not hiding her tear stained eyes. She knew she was weak, she always had been. "I don't," she said to the towering women. "I can forgive me."

Kyoshi bent down, her gloved hand brushing the sad childs cheak. Azula had never experienced such a getsure of kindness. This caused her to cry further, hudlling into the embrace of the powerful women. She felt safe in her arms, guarded.

It was this that allowed her to sob. That and the fact that they were miles away from anyone else. Her tears racked her body, causing her she shake. And, they stayed in this position. It was almost an hour before Kyoshi had to break the embrace.

"Azula, it is okay to make mistakes," she said while rubbing the girls shoulder. "Raava knows I have." She laughed a little. "I created the Di Li, the most corrupt law the earthkingdom has ever seen." She paused, allowing her words to sink in.

"But, that is not my legacy. Just as war will not be yours. Yours will be a legacy of peace. You are not alone. Not only do you have your past lives, you have the airbender." Azula thought on this. She did. She wanst the only one with this crushing responsibility. The though made her smile slightly. "We will guid him to you. All you need to do is weight. Your destinies are aligned." She spoke surely. "All you need to do is wait."

Azula nodded, that must have been why the guided her to the library, to find knowledge to help. But, to help what? Destroy her nation? She gulped, trying not to think about it. Azula nodded.

Image flashed through her mind. Knowledge that didn't belong to her, that is, until now. With renewed vigure she reached for the water around her. She collected it, though not alot. And, after she was a far enough distance from the spire, she began to run. As she ran, she bent water under her nimble feet. With each step she rose highed into the air, unti she was at level with the window. She jumped, entering the library.

She knew what is was as soon as she did, from her position all she could see where books. Using the technique she had learned, and the more humid air, she made her way down until she was standing on a pathway. A bridge more like. She took another glance around and could still only see books. Endless books. She sighed, wondering how she was to find what she was looking for.

She was startled as she heard the flapping of wings. It sounded asif some giant bird was flying around in here.

"What do you want?" A voice behind her spoke. Azula turned around instantly, only to find herself facing a a giant owl. He was at least five million times her hight, she mused. So, she was right about the bird. Remembering her manners Azula bowed, greeting what she could only assume to be a spirit.

"I seak knowledge," she said plainly. She would not lie to a spirit of such power, but she didn't need to tell the full truth either.

"Ahh you have come for knowledge, as most mortals do. But, what do you have to offer me, Wan She Ton, he who knows ten thousand things." The owl addressed himself in such a dignified manner it sent chills up Azulas spine. Truthfully, she had nothing to offer. And, this is what she spoke.

"Nothing," was all she said.

This seemed to interest the owl. Perhaps it was her bluntness, or the fact that she came all this way with nothing to give. "Who are you?" he asked the girl.

"I don't know," Azula answered. It was true, she didn't. 3 months ago it would have been obvious. She was Azula, crown princess of the firenation, but now. Who am I? She asked herself. She wasn't the princess, but she wasn't the avatar either. She was unsure, and the thought unsettled her.

"I used to know," she confided to the creature. "I was 'Azula, daughter of Firelord Ozia, heir to the throne.'" She mused. The way she said her previous title sounded almost sarcastic, as if she was mocking herself. The Owl raised his head at the title, obviously having heard of her. Duhh, she thought. He knows 10,000 things. This is why she felt she was able to tell him this. Maybe, somehow this wise old spirit could help her. Her uncle did always tell her stories of his great library. So, she continued.

"Everyone else knows who I am, or atleast who they believe me to be," she said. "The crown princess," she paused. "The Avatar," she recognized the shock on the owls face but didn't care. "The girl born lucky," she paused, this time for longer. "The monster," she was no longer talking to the owl, but more to herself. She realized this and looked up at him, annoyed she had revealed so much.

"What does it matter anyways, am I allowed in or not," she said in her signature voice. The creature was staring at her, trying to read her like one of his books.

"You fascinate me," it said plainly. "However not for the reasons you may think." she rolled her eyes, what reasons. Oh, that she was the Firenation Princess, or maybe she was the avatar. "It is not because you are the avatar, and certainly not because you are fire nation royalty," he said with disgust. "No, it's because you are something else, something different." The owl seemed contemplative. "So yes, you may stay as long as you need." He said. Azula let out a sigh of relief. "Allow my knowledge seekers to attend to you, and if you need me, I will find you." he said, before disappearing.

And so, Azula stayed at the library. She was glad to have the company of the foxes, though the owl hardly made another appearance. However, somehow she knew he was watching. The first thing she did was go to the section on the fire nation, however it was burned down by someone who must have come before.

Then she decided to explore the air nomad sections. It was amazing. She became amused in this whole new culture. She spent three days alone sifting through the scrolls, setting aside those that may be useful. She also found some relics, and decided to stash them away. She decided that it was one way to apologize to the airbender for being part of the nation that destroyed his culture.

She then went to the section on the water tribes. She explored, finding many bending and healing scrolls. She practice the forms, but mostly worked on healing. This helped her heal the burned flesh from too much time in the sun. it did not however take away the darkness of her skin. She supposed only time away from the sun could do this. However, she supposed she didn't mind. It had a certain appeal.

It was during her fifth day there that Want She Ton made his second appearance. She was sifting through scrolls, determining which ones to take and which to leave. That's when he appeared. Instinctively she took a bending pose, before realizing it was only him.

"I'm sorry master," she bowed with respect to the spirit.

"That is quite okay," he bellowed. "I have observed you studying the art of waterbending. While you are truly a prodigy, scrolls can only get you so far." Azula understood what he was saying. She had practiced all the forms, but wasn't improving at the rate she had towards the beginning. So, naturally, what he said next intrigued her.

"There is a village located in the fire nation. My knowledge seekers tell me there is a very powerful waterbender there. She may be able to track you." Azula jumped at the opportunity. Trying to contain her joy. "She is a local innkeeper called Hama."

So i'm thinking Azula just missed them lol, so like she left and the gang arrived. So stay tuned ig and review.