A/N: Now I've walked through hell for you. What's an adventurer to do? Love and be loved. Read… and review!

Begin Again

[Late Fall/Early Winter 116 AG]

Ty Lee has always been comfortable with darkness. The darkness around her, within her, and within others. For a few years, when she worked in the circus, she believed that there was nothing darker than the pedestal just before the stage lights came on. For a long time she raged against the darkness within; grappled and tussled with it. She denied that it was in her; all while chasing the darkness in Azula. In the end, she embraced it all. She pushed Ruki off the cliff. She accepted Azula, in spite of her darkness. She stood now, in darkness, waiting.

Out in a secluded courtyard of the Royal Palace, Ty Lee anxiously waits in the black of night. In the distance, fifty or so yards away, are torches on cinderblock walls. She unconsciously stretches as a way to keep her body from being idle for too long. Through the darkness she hears the echo of footsteps approaching. Suddenly, from out of the shadows, a tall man in regal robes steps forward. With a scar on his eye and a smile on his face, he greets her, "Good evening, Ty Lee. Or should I say good morning?"

"You've brought a change of clothes, right?" Ty Lee still hears the echo of footsteps.

"We have," he calmly replies. "Real rustic things. Nothing noticable."

Walking up behind him is a woman in similar robes, with sharp features, dark hair, and a neutral expression. "Never imagined the day would come that Azula denies her royal bloodline. Remember when-"

"Asuna." Ty Lee corrects her.

"Ah, yeah. But do you remember in Ba Sing Se, her 'divine right to rule' speech?"

"I do," Ty Lee nods. "I think her foray in the mental asylum and nearly starving to death really disillusioned her to those notions."

There's a terse silence as Zuko reckons with this comment. Not wanting to waste time or lose anymore darkness, Ty Lee asks, "So, how does this work again?"

"Oh, right, no problem." Zuko replies.

He produces an oddly shaped wooden object. Pressing his lips to it, he blows for a couple of seconds. He then withdraws his lips and casually puts the object back away. "That's my Drink Whistle. Aang made them for me and him so that no matter where they are, Erik and Bakunawa will come when you blow their respective whistle."

"Seems made up." Ty Lee replies without hesitation.

"He used one for Appa and after a lot of trial and error we were able to duplicate it for the dragons."

Arms crossed, Ty Lee asks, "How long does it- AHHH!"

Appearing out of thin air is the thunderous crash of a massive reptile. It lands right behind Zuko and Mai, flapping it's house-sized wings, sending gust and dirt swirling all about them. He opens and shuts his maw, snake-like tongue slipping out. Zuko turns and calms him. He pets the long snout and rubs his neck with the other hand. Ty Lee stands in awe. As the beast remains calm, her smile widens.

"Shall we?" Zuko asks.

One by one they each climb aboard. Zuko goes first, then Mai, and finally Ty Lee. She wraps her arms tightly around Mai's waist.

"Don't white knuckle me, Ty. Druk won't hurt you."

"It's not the dragon I'm afraid of."

Druk launches skyward and Ty Lee burrows her head into the bushel of Mai's hair. "Oh?" She asks. "Weren't you the circus star?"

Screaming into the wind, Ty Lee replies, "I had a net then, Mai!"

She looks over the edge as the lights of the palace and all of Caldera shrink away.

Ty Lee tells her, "This would just be a fall into darkness."

The fisherman waits in the black of night, a single lamp lighting against the dock of this abandoned port. He arrived shortly before sunset and set up shop. He can't see anything but he suddenly hears a swooping noise. The next moment, a gust of wind blows through and nearly knocks him off of his feet. The water rocks the dock beneath him, making him unsteady.

If that wasn't enough evidence, he hears a groaning somewhere nearby. It would be difficult to discern ordinarily, but at this hour it sticks out. He waits for a few more minutes until he sees three figures approaching from the shadows. He lifts up the lamp, takes a step towards them and holds it up.

"Who calls for you?"

"Asuna of Lanxi."

With a smile he holds the lamp up to illuminate their faces. He has seen them in paintings and heard of them in legends. Now they stand before him. He greets them.

"Welcome aboard, Fire Lord and Fire Lady."

The woman is demure and flatly replies, "You're our ferry? Azula doesn't have anyone else she can send?"

Not to be discouraged, Lin smiles. "I assure you, Fire Lady, you'll be safe with me."

Nodding, Ty Lee adds, "We're safe with Lin. Both at sea and in secret."

"Aye," Lin motions them onto the boat. "You should change below deck. It'll be about a half a day's voyage before we arrive. Sun will rise and nearly fall, and we wouldn't want anyone swearing they saw the Fire Lord out in the middle of Earth Kingdom waters."

Sneering, Zuko replies, "We're on 'vacation' so we can go where we please."

Unfurling the line that kept his boat docked, Lin replies quickly, "With all due respect, Fire Lord Zuko, it's not your secret we're trying to keep."

The port is within sight. It's a scary sight. The growing seaside space at the bottom of a seemingly endless gorge. A sloping, winding wooden staircase taking all who venture this far out up to the village. Zuko stands starboard and stares off at their destination. His wife sits beside him, staring in the same direction. Ty Lee approaches.

"What are you thinking about, Fire Lord?"

He sighs. "I have so many questions for her. What happened, how she got here, why she never came to me for help, what she's been doing all of this time."

"I see."

He turns to look at her, "I know you've said a million times already that it's 'not your story to tell,' but why Lanxi? Why not go after the people who drove her out?"

"I can't say," Ty Lee shakes her head. "She wouldn't want me to."

Chirping in from the steering wheel, Lin adds, "Think I had something to do with that."

Ty Lee turns quickly to him, "Lin, she wouldn't-"

"Yes, yes, I know. But I've often disappointed her. Besides, I have my own part that I play in her story."

Mai is amused. "A fisherman from Baochou? Playing a part in Azula's story? Now I've heard it all."

He grins. "If only you knew, Fire Lady."

Zuko, also becoming amused, turns to him and asks, "Yeah?"

Ty Lee replies in a very serious manner, "You could make the case that she'd have died or been imprisoned multiple times without Lin here."

Both stop smiling and look back at Ty Lee. Mai asks, "Is that true?"

He smiles wide now and gestures broadly with his free hand, "Like I said, I have my own part in her story. In fact, we are all playing a part in the legend of Azula."

This quote reverberates across the boat. Zuko crosses his arms, he asks the captain of the ship his question. "So then tell me, Lin of Baochou: Why here?"

Lin stares off into the late afternoon coast. The dock for Lanxi is fast approaching. He answers the question.

"She didn't want to dig three graves."

"Ty Lin! Is that you?" Siyoh exclaims from her seat. "Asuna didn't say you'd be returning again so soon!"

"Thank you, Siyoh. Good to see you too. I can't chat, I have-"

"And are these your friends? I don't recognize them. Are they also special friends of Asuna's?"

Ty Lin places an arm around the black haired woman and directs her behind her. The man peers out from under a green hood, his face disfigured. Ty Lin forces a laugh and adds, "Ah yes, 'special friends' indeed. They're just passing through, won't be long."

Siyoh doesn't really hear Ty Lin. She stares at the man as they go to pass. She thinks about how he looks so familiar yet not at all. Like she's seen him in another life or a painting, or as an old friend or perhaps a lover of hers. She simply nods as they get quickly beyond earshot. She determines that she'll need to tell Tava about this.

The landscape is painted golden and amber, washed in the warmth of fading sunlight. It's a welcoming sight if there ever was one. A bed of moonflowers sit just outside the door, some springing to life in the shadows while others wilt in the light. The door is wide open, greeting all visitors. The name 'Asuna' is painted on a sign outside the door. Under that a message reads, 'Welcome to where you're going.'

Mai whispers to the other two, "Oh yeah, this is definitely her place."

"Come on." Ty Lin motions with her hand for them to follow.

Zuko panic-whispers, "The door is wide open? Is that normal? Could she be in any kind of trouble?"

Ty Lin dismisses this with another wave of her hand. "You're not in Caldera anymore. Lanxi is a safe place, open doors are the culture here."

Ty Lin steps through the door into darkness. On her left, by Asuna's writing desk, is a single candle. Otherwise she doesn't see anything in the space. Mai and Zuko follow. Ty Lin asks into the dark, "Asuna?"

Without warning the door they had entered through slams shut. Like a gust of wind blowing through the room, the candle is extinguished. Ty Lee has lived in darkness, her eyes adjust quickly, but she sees nothing around the room. Before she can turn around a voice speaks to them.

"Hello brother."

From Zuko's ears he hears the room fill with the thud of hands attacking. Almost simultaneously the two women beside him let out cries for help.

"Mai! Ty L-"

Zuko pulls out an orange flame to illuminate the room just in time to see those golden eyes closing in on him. He doesn't have time to react. They narrow at him and then the next moment he feels a pair of hands grapple him. He looks into the golden orbs, feeling himself lifted off his feet. He is spun around and then tossed. He goes flying over a table, crashing into it and collapsing into the ground.

Before he can get his bearings, he's lifted back up off his feet again. He is pinned flush against a wall. In the darkness she whispers, "Last time we saw each other was in a graveyard. How fitting since now I'm going to put you in the ground."

A bright, blue, flaming fist illuminates the black. In the shadows he can see a grin on her face. The flaming fist is cocked back, ready to strike. He does not react. He is calm. Her smile falters.

"Well?" She asks.

"What are you waiting for?" He asks her.

Scowling she hisses at him, "Fight back."

"I won't fight you," he replies. He is calm in the face of rage. A life in politics and being around his unflappable wife have taught him this skill. "Not anymore."

"Why the fuck not?"

He shrugs. "It's what he would've wanted."

"Fight. Back." She demands.

"No."

"FIGHT BACK!"

"NO!" He shouts.

"Fine! Then you'll die just the same." She cocks the fist back with renewed vigor. She swings the fist at his head.

"Zuko!" Mai yells.

"Asuna!" Ty Lin begs.

The wall cracks where Azula's fist crashes into it. Zuko didn't flinch.

"Fight me."

She cocks her fist back.

"No."

She crashes it into the wall again, expanding the dent.

"Fight-"

She rears back.

"No."

She punches the wall, her knuckles bloodying.

"-Me!"

The blood splatters around as she pulls her flame fist back again.

"No."

She punches the space next to his head again. The wall cracks and her skin rips, smearing blood. It hurts her hand immensely but something within hurts far more. In the darkness, her vision of Zuko becomes blurry. She hiccups, much to her surprise. This is swiftly followed by a fresh wave of tears cascading down. Suddenly all of the light in the room returns. All of the candles illuminate. Ty Lee and Mai are chi blocked on the ground and can finally see the sight.

Asuna breaks down, her head dipping. She leans it into his chest and begins shaking from the tears and sobs. Her fist stays pinned into the wall. Zuko, unsure of what to do with this, feels his own eyes water. He lifts his arms up and envelopes her in a tight embrace. He begins crying and buries his face into her shoulder. Her bloody fist comes down off of the wall. The fist opens up as she grabs him, her blood spilling out onto his robes.

"Let's start from the beginning," they say while wrapping their hands around a cup of tea. "What happened in Republic City?"

She leans back and stares into the ceiling. The room is fully attentive. She wonders what they know and what they think they know about what happened. Rumors only grow. Her eyes fall back down upon them.

Calmly she says, "The Dragon Empress died."

They gather around Azula's kitchen table. There's a pot of moonflowers in the middle. The four of them haven't been together like this since they were teenagers at Ember Island. Although technically they were all physically in the Garden of the Tranquil Souls together shortly before Azula's empire building began, this is the first time since that beach day where they are all cordially present.

"Agni, I have so many questions." Zuko starts.

"That's unfortunate because I'm not in the answering kind of mood." She quickly replies. Her right knuckle is wrapped in some old cloth, waiting for the blood to pool and the pain to subside.

"I can't believe you're alive." Mai tacks on.

"That's debatable," Azula quips. She remembers what Ty Lee had told her about the eulogy delivered about her. "And besides, Zuzu, I thought your whole thing was believing in me?"

Zuko marvels, "You're really here. Still living and breathing. Still standing."

"That's right, I'm here," she ramps up. "And now so are you because Ty Lee requested I grant you an audience. Now you've had it so you can leave."

Zuko leans forward, "Sister, please come home."

"Home?" She asks with a tilt of her head. "Where's that?"

"The Fire Nation. Caldera. The palace."

"That's not my home. Lanxi is my home."

"Don't be overdramatic, Azula." Mai comments.

Without hesitation she replies, "Who's this 'Azula' you're referring to?"

This earns an eye roll from the Fire Lady. The smallest girl in the room sits at her full height. She commands their attention as she decrees, "You stand in the presence of Asuna of Lanxi."

"Azula, please-"

"Please what? You don't get it, do you?"

"No, I don't!" Zuko pleads. "So help me understand!"

"You've been living in that Palace our entire lives."

"You know that's not true."

"Your little banishment is nothing compared to what I've been through."

He opens his mouth to retort but can't. He leans back in his chair and doesn't reply.

Asuna leans forward, hands gesturing all about. "I've spent more than half of my life outside of the Fire Nation. I'm more Earth Kingdom than Fire Nation at this point."

There is silence and she takes a moment. She cools down. More calmly now she tells them, "I'm Asuna of Lanxi. It's who I am. In a way it's more me than I ever was as 'Azula.'"

Mai interjects, "But you can't just leave yourself behind. You're still you. You're the 'Seed of Sozin,' even if you want to deny it."

Zuko nods and adds, "And you're so much more than that. You're my sister. And Izumi's aunt. And Kiyi's sister."

She scoffs in reply. "I'm more of a mother to Yasuko than I am any of those things."

Both Zuko and Mai freeze. Ty Lee sees this.

"She's not actually a mother, by the way. Just to be clear."

Recovering, Zuko asks, "You won't come home?"

"What if I did?" Asuna asks him. "I'd spend the rest of my days in a cell. Or worse, another one of your psych wards."

"No, Azula, you don't-"

"Asuna." Ty Lin and Asuna both correct him.

"-have to. If you can tell us what happened in Republic City, to Mai and to you. If you can tell us who put you here, about the Kemurikage, who they report to now, your old associates, your business, where your base of operations used to be, if you can tell us about your empire then we could make a deal."

Asuna doesn't rebuttal. Mai looks to her husband with a smile. He rides the wave of momentum, "We could do something for you. You can live with us in the palace again. Kiyi and our daughter. Uncle Iroh and our mother. You, me, Mai, and Ty Lee. Isn't that what you want?"

Ty Lee daydreams about it for a moment. She thinks about leaving her Kyoshi Warrior days behind. She imagines living out her days with Azula. Waking up in Caldera together and all the benefits high society could afford them. Things they simply can not have at this point. She nearly smiles before Asuna is shouting.

"Stop! STOP! That's worse. Can't you see how that's worse?"

Mai protests, "How is that worse? In what world is that worse than prison or a straightjacket?"

The answer comes instantaneously from Azula's mouth.

"Because I don't deserve it."

The room almost comes to a stop. Everyone pauses and turns their attention to the exasperated woman.

"I don't deserve to live out my days in a lush palace with servants, and silk, and beds with far too many pillows."

Zuko gapes and Ty Lee stares. Mai doesn't know how to respond.

"I've done the worst things imaginable. You can't just erase the horrible things I've done by waving your hand."

"Azula-" Zuko starts.

"No. What I deserve," she says looking around, "is to be here."

Asuna stands and walks to a window. She looks out into the night at the village. "Lanxi is what I deserve. It's what I've earned."

After a second, Mai asks, "Why Lanxi?"

"I came here with nothing. Not a coin to my name. No allies. No power. No criminal empire. I was nothing," she says as she travels backwards in her mind. She reflects on the last few years. "They gave me a roof over my head, this roof, and let me earn my keep."

"You used to be…" Mai pauses.

Asuna offers, "Different?"

"Elitist." Mai tells her.

Asuna shrugs and says, "Sure."

"How are you the same person who used to sit on an iron throne and make people bow to her?"

"I'm not," Asuna says, coming back to sit with them. "I told you: The Dragon Empress died."

This creates a natural break in the conversation. No one says anything for a moment and the group looks around, waiting for the next talking point. Finally, Zuko breaks the silence, turning to Asuna.

"Can I just tell you something?"

"If it's about reclaiming my honor I'm going to actually hit you this time."

He continues, unphased by her snark, "I have this dream."

Everyone in the room turns to look at him. He looks right at Asuna.

"You would come home."

Asuna raises her eyebrows at him at this, knowing it's been a point of contention. A playful ruse to poke at him.

"And we would sit at the bench beneath the tree, by the pond."

Asuna's smirk falters for a moment. She can see a sunset image in her head of this exact spot. Although it's been decades, she remembers it all the same.

"We would feed the turtle ducks, together."

She breathes out a laugh, remembering all childhood memories of those turtle ducks.

"Start over. Become a real family."

She gulps with difficulty.

"Begin again."

Ty Lee had once raved about 'hope' to Azula and now she feels it again. Entranced by it. Mesmerized. Trapped. She can see the image Zuko has described as clear as the sun. It's right in front of her, as if it is happening at this exact moment.

Mai's voice cuts through the fog of hope. "Is there nothing we could say to convince you to come back with us?"

Coming out of her daze of dream, Azula shakes her head and closes her eyes. She assures them, "Nothing."

The voice of her great love rises through the silence. "What would it take for you to be willing to go back?"

Asuna looks to Ty Lin. The grey-eyed woman has not asked this question. The hope had left her long ago. Yet here, in the presence of their oldest friends and family, it rises again like a phoenix. Asuna thinks for a moment before answering.

"I don't know, but I know it's not time to come back yet."

Without warning, Zuko suddenly stands up. He throws on a scarf over his neck and shrouds his scar eye behind his robe. He makes for the door.

Ty Lin asks, "Where are you going?"

"She said 'yet' that time. So there's hope. I'm walking out before she can take it back or change her mind."

His wife chides him, "And where exactly are you going?"

"To get food!" He says without breaking stride.

Scoffing, Asuna shouts, "You don't even know any of the good places to eat here."

"Oh I know," he says before coming to a stop at the door. "I'm also sure you won't let me eat at any of them."

Without another word he goes out the door and closes it behind him. This leaves the three women alone together for the first time since the Boiling Rock. Asuna shrugs and says, "Yes, I definitely would let him just eat some shit food."

The women laugh together for the first time in a lifetime.

Mai suggests, "He trusts you too much."

Exasperated, Asuna replies, "I tried to actually fight him as soon as he walked in and he thinks I'll just guide him to good food?"

Ty Lee throws her winter robe on, while remaining seated and points out, "Okay, but we can't just leave him alone with towns folks. They'll ask too many questions."

"Ugh, you're right, Ty." Asuna replies.

Mai muses, "And why should we suffer for his idiocy by also eating shit food?'

"You're absolutely right, Fire Lady." Asuna says.

Making a face, Mai replies, "Weird to hear you say that."

"Felt weird to say it."

"Feels like we're duty bound to point him in the right direction." Ty Lee sighs.

Asuna stands and throws on her own robe. She moves towards the door. The others stand to follow. "C'mon, girls, let's go point my brother in the right direction, like we're teenagers chasing the Avatar again."

Zuko enjoyed the night perhaps too much. A regal figure hidden amongst the common folk, able to just be himself without fear or judgement or scrutiny. It reminded him of those days in his youth, discovering his identity and destiny with Iroh. He learned then so many lessons that he carried with him in his life, but he'd forgotten their origin. Walking home now, stumbling half-drunk through the vacant streets of this Earth Kingdom town, he can't help but smile. Azula was living her own experience, learning her own lessons. His mind traces this but the cactus juice impacts him in such a way that he doesn't realize this is an internal thought process, rather than a conversation he's having with another person.

He looks with a lopsided smile at his sister. "Asuna! You're doing what I did! I get it now!"

Much to his surprise, the black haired, golden eyed woman wraps an arm around him and pulls him closer. She laughs loudly and brings their heads together as they walk through the streets. She proclaims, "Come now, brother, you've had too much to drink."

Pulling him closer she quietly whispers, "There are wandering ears everywhere, Zuzu."

"Sorry, sorry. So why this name?"

"Have you ever heard of Avatar Asuna?"

"Avatar Asuna? You named yourself-"

"Shhh!"

"Ah. Sorry. No, no I haven't."

Asuna flashes back to the Kyoshi Library. "I was told once that she was a female fire avatar from the Fire Nation."

"A female fire avatar? Are you sure?"

"I didn't believe it either, but I found her listed in a book here in Lanxi," she whispers to him as they round a corner. Ty Lin and Mai are a few steps back.

"That's unbelievable!"

"I know. She must've been a bad ass."

"I wonder why we don't know much about her?"

"That's a good question. I wish I could read more about her but there's nothing else here."

They reach Asuna's home, moonflowers bright and tall in the winter night. As she goes to put the key in the door, her brother opens his mouth. He quickly closes it as an idea begins blossoming in his mind.

"I'm telling you, Asuna. She'll give you a run for your money!" Zuko laughs.

"You'll need to send me a painting so I can get a visual." Asuna replies while lazily making her move in Pai Sho.

The group of four is huddled around Asuna's kitchen table, laughing and sharing like they haven't in years. Of course, as teenagers they didn't have access to cactus juice like they do now, so it's a little easier to be at ease. During dinner, when they were a few drinks in, Mai had challenged Asuna to pai sho and now the grown women were drunkenly trying to play a game that famously requires clear cut focus and concentration.

"So, tell us about this Yasuko?" Mai slurs her question.

"You're just trying to distract me."

"I don't need to do that to beat you, bitch." Mai hiccups.

"Ya know," Azula picks her piece up and waves it flamboyantly at the Fire Lady. "I didn't order that hit on you in the city, but now I wish I had!"

The group shares a loud laugh in response to this. When it dies down, Zuko fixes himself in his seat and asks his sister, "But really, tell us about her! You said something about being her mother?"

"Lots of people have called her 'Mother' over the years." Mai says with a sly smile, which slips into a giggle to herself.

Ty Lee leans in. "Yeah, but only I get to call her 'Mommy.'"

Mai and Zuko's eyes go wide. Ty Lee raises her eyebrows. The royal couple look at each other for a brief moment, then to Azula. The ever-composed former Empress is bright red, with a small 'o' shaped open mouth. She looks right at her girlfriend and whispers, "Ty!"

The laughter explodes from three of them, while Azula tries to hide her face in a rare moment of chaste embarrassment. Zuko falls out of his chair. Mai gets tears of laughter in her eyes. Azula shakes her head. Ty Lee gets up and goes to her lover's seat. She squeezes in behind her, wrapping her arms around her princess and nuzzling her face into the short, black hair. When the laughter dies down, Azula finally speaks her piece.

"She's a little thing with these beautiful green eyes that she gets from her father, Lonou. He's a good friend of mine and for a while he was the leader of Lanxi. Her hair is jet black, which she got from her mother."

Azula abruptly stops. She holds her pai sho piece in the air for a moment. She wouldn't say that she's daydreaming as much as reliving a waking nightmare. Even in their drunken haze, Mai and Zuko notice Azula mentally checking out. Their eyes dart between each other. Ty Lee frowns.

"Asuna was there when Yasuko's mother, Alane, died. There were, uh," Ty Lin pauses to think of the word. "Complications during childbirth."

The married couple nod in somber acknowledgement. They try to put themselves in the shoes of others; of Alane, and Lonou, and of Asuna. Mai thinks of a question.

"Tell us about her."

"About Yasuko?" Ty Lee tries to smile.

Mai shakes her head. "About Alane."

"Oh!" Ty Lee replies in surprise. She smiles widely, "Oh well, she was the sweetest thing, and yet so fierce! She was Fire Nation, through and through. The sort of vibe of, 'I can take care of myself, but I want you to take care of me anyway.' She really kept Lonou in check with that. And even though she had that mean steak from time to time, she was still warm and kind. She was always a shoulder to cry on for me, personally."

"She would've been the most amazing mother." Asuna tells them.

"I agree." Mai says, and all pretense of playing pai sho have stopped.

Taking a gulp, nervous, Zuko says, "Our own mother misses you, Azula. She still thinks you're dead."

Attention turns to the Fire Lord. He can't remember being this nervous since the day Izumi was born. "She," he starts but struggles with his words. "She prays for your soul every-"

"Do not pray for me."

His golden eyes dart up and meet with hers. He is surprised, but Ty Lin is not. She already knows. Deep down, Mai does too.

"I don't need your prayers."

She is resolute. She is filled with conviction.

"Save your prayers for those in need."

Zuko awakens, head pounding, just before the sun rises. When he sits up from his resting place he sees his sister already awake, at the window.

She turns to him.

"You always did sleep late." She says with a smirk.

He stands and walks to be beside her. "No, you just always woke up earlier."

"Same difference."

They don't say anything as the early morning twilight ascends in the horizon.

"Do you have any more tea?"

"No, but I know where to get some."

"Can we?"

She nods and walks towards the door. "Tava isn't Fire Nation but she might as well be with how early she wakes up. She'll be awake by the time we get to her place. Come on."

They head out the door.

"Have you closed those horrid places yet?"

"Horrid places?"

"The prison you sent me to."

"Oh," he replies, a little stunned, as they walk through the village. He knows he shouldn't repeat it out loud given their location. "No. No, they still serve a good purpose."

"What's that? A breeding ground for growing dissent against you?"

"Ha, I, well-"

"Maybe you should take a visit sometime?" She offers.

He doesn't reply as they turn a corner.

"I found that when you're in charge, people will tell you whatever they need to, if they think you won't ever look into it."

"Yeah?"

"It's why the D.E. was always so involved in things. She didn't trust people to be true to their word."

"And you think that's happening with those, ehm, places?"

"Oh, Brother," she sighs as they arrive at their destination. "I don't need to think anything. I lived it."

The sun has begun to rise and the fire siblings walk through the streets of Lanxi together. They keep their voices low to not wake others, but they rise as they begin to argue.

"She only won because I was drunk!"

"You're not giving her the proper credit. She's smart and strategic-"

"And I was blasted."

"So was she!"

"She's not all she's cracked up to be, I'll just say that." Asuna jokes.

"Hey now!" Zuko replies. "That's my wife you're talking about. The mother of my child!"

"That must be nice."

"To have a child?"

"To be married."

"To Mai?"

"To someone you love, you idiot."

"Wait, you want to marry Ty L… in?"

They turn a corner, heading back to Asuna's home. "Of course I do. We do. And we can here in the Earth Kingdom, but it will never be recognized in the Fire Nation."

"That's so unfortunate."

"Yeah, it's too bad we don't know someone who could do something about it."

"Yeah," he replies with a smile. "It's too bad."

There's a pause and they exchange eye contact for a fraction of a second,as they walk side by side. They both face forward and after another second Zuko sniffs and says, "I might know someone who could do something "

"Do you now?"

"But I need something from you first."

"I won't come home."

"It's easier than that. Or maybe it's harder."

They are approaching her home.

"I'll be the judge of that."

"I need to know where he is, Asuna."

Asuna knows exactly who her brother is referring to and her gut reaction is to vehemently oppose him. It's a secret she was sure she would take to her grave. Yet as they come to a stop at her front door, she sees the bed of flowers. Fire lily's and moon flowers. A memory from many moons ago flashes. Grey eyes staring into her soul.

'Do the work.'

She turns and looks at her brother. She nods in agreement.

Zuko unfurls the parchment across the kitchen table. Ty Lee sits beside Azula, Mai and Zuko across from them. What lies in front of them, etched into the paper, is a map of the Fire Nation.

"Thirteen years ago, we sent a crew of benderless soldiers on a covert op to deliver Ozai to the Boiling Rock. They never made it. Ozai was never found and neither were the bodies of the soldiers," Zuko pauses to gather himself. "Their families had nothing to bury."

Three of the people at the table flashback to the Republic City Cemetery. An empty casket on hallowed ground speaking words that were once inspired but now feel hollow. The fourth person is the one those words were spoken about.

"We want to bring them home. All of them."

Azula's pulse pounds as she remembers Zirin's birthday.

"Can you help us?"

Her memory flashes through memories of the brunette with black eyes. The freckled cheeks. The hurt in her eyes when Azula threw a flameless palm at her face. The words she had whispered into the dark. The woman who hoped that Azula would burn. The one who toppled an empire.

Great Betrayer.

Queen Killer.

The Dragon Slayer.

"Azula?"

She looks up at him.

"What happened that day?"

Azula freezes.

If she is honest with herself for a moment, if she were to reflect privately, and allow herself a glimpse into the shadowy place she calls her soul, then it would be obvious. The Dragon Empress never died. Azula had locked her away and was just waiting for the rise of the Dragon Empress. The day the beast within would awaken. She has not earned forgiveness. She is not worthy of it.

A warm sensation fills her hand. She looks up at the grey eyes waiting for her. Ty Lee had slid her hand into Azula's. The brunette gives a reaffirming nod. A quote echoes in her mind about balancing out the evil she has done by putting more good out into the world. She looks back to Zuko.

Without saying anything, Azula pulls the map closer and closely examines it. Her eyes analyze it. She blots the quill in ink and then draws two circles, far apart. She puts the quill down and slides the map back across to Zuko.

"What are these?" He asks as he pulls the map closer to examine it.

"The one by the coast is where you'll find his body."

Solemn quiet.

"The one by Caldera is where we buried the soldiers."

He gulps. "Why separate? Wasn't that riskier?"

"If you'd found one you wouldn't have found both and could've left some doubt about if it was us or not," his sister coldly explains. "Dead soldiers, but no Ozai? Maybe he got away. Dead Ozai, but no soldiers? Maybe they went rogue. It was a core tenet of our philosophy, of my philosophy. Sow discord. Establish doubt. Let the fear of the unknown do the work for you."

Mai ventures to ask, "Why bury them so close to Caldera?"

She shrugs, "We knew you wouldn't look too close to the city."

From beside her, Ty Lee observes, "You assumed our search would be a certain distance into their route, that they got so far, so it has to be there or further away."

Azula takes no pleasure in answering, "Exactly."

Zuko pulls out a new parchment. He blots the quill again and begins writing.

"What are you doing?" Azula asks him, voice rising. "You can't tell them I told you."

"I'm not," he replies curtly. "I'm writing an anonymous tip to Suki and to search around these areas. When she brings it to me after I return from this trip, I'll tell her to pursue it."

"You can't. This can't be public. They'll come for me. If they know the bodies were found, they'll know that I-"

"No they won't. It's been a decade. We'll just finally get 'lucky.' No one is looking for you, Azula."

"Bull shit. You were looking for me. Suki was looking for me!"

Mai tries to interject, "Azula-"

"That's not my name."

Zuko tries to reason with her, "Suki was following a conspiracy theory."

"She was following Ty Lin. That's how she found me. She followed that conspiracy theory straight to us."

Ty Lee is uncomfortable and uncertain of what to say.

Zuko sighs. "Listen-"

"No, you listen!" Asuna shouts.

She commands the attention of the room.

"They can never know. No one can ever know. You want me to come home and begin again, but you don't know the cost of beginning again. I've paid that cost. For the last 3 years, every day, I've paid to begin again."

"We can protect you. If you tell us who, if you give us the ammo we need to go after them-"

"You don't get it. You weren't there. Not even Ty Lin was there. These people are all powerful. They'll stop you dead in your tracks. They're dangerous."

Mai cuts in sharply, "You were dangerous too."

Ty Lin finally speaks up. "I think our fear is that they haven't come for either of us in 3 years. We've been watching over our shoulders, waiting, and they haven't come. Now Suki has shown that Asuna can be found if someone tries hard enough. If she had wanted to kill Asuna instead of just find her, she could've tracked her here."

She takes a second to compose herself. She tries to explain, "I think I speak for both of us when I say that we just don't want to poke a sleeping dragon."

"I understand," Zuko says, but assuredly does not. "But I'm still bringing those soldiers home. And our Father."

The sibling rivals stare one another down as if they were about to engage in an Agni Kai to the death.

"We'll protect you," he promises. "And I'll make good on my end."

There is a long, tense silence. Asuna weighs the pros and cons. She could burn the map right now. She could run from Lanxi. She could tell them everything and return to a palace or a padded cell. But the simplest answer is probably the correct one in this case: trading skeletons for freedoms. Possibly exposing herself to Zirin and Yakone so that gender betrayers can marry again in the Fire Nation.

Asuna knows this is for the best. A better world for her, and other gender betrayers. Families can finally put their loved ones to rest. She knows all of this.

Nonetheless, when Zuko, Mai, and Ty Lin all leave a few hours later, she can't help but to feel uneasy. As if she had just awoken some dark spirits. Ones born of fear, and anger, and revenge.

Spirits that would hear the news and stop at nothing to find their mother.

A/N: This Chapter's OST is "Bottom of the River" by Delta Rae.

Love always. Tyzula forever.

Notorious