Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.
The trip back through the palace from the hidden dungeons was quiet. Zuko hadn't spoken since he'd said goodbye to Umi, and Katara was feeling decidedly uncomfortable. By the time they were halfway through the palace, they could readily see that insurgents from the forces who'd assaulted the airships had already made it to the palace. Any remaining guards had been defeated, surrendered or otherwise subdued.
She was so preoccupied she almost missed one of the most important people in her life; her own brother. "Sokka!" she cried as she saw him, running to embrace him. He'd survived, and that meant he won. It also meant Aang had won. She felt such relief it was hard to contain.
He hugged her back good-naturedly. "Wow sis, did you miss me that much?" he grinned.
She pulled away and not-so-gently punched him in the shoulder.
"Hey!" he yelped "what was that for?"
"For being an idiot!" she huffed, not really upset, but enjoying pretending to be, and stuck her nose in the air; marching off down the last hallway that would bring her outside the palace. She wanted to see Aang.
"Sisters!" Sokka rolled his eyes and threw his hands in the air "am I right?" He added, directing his comment towards Zuko, who had watched the entire interaction in silence.
As usual, Sokka had the uncanny ability of not being able to read the room, or refrain from putting his foot in his mouth.
Instead of replying Zuko simply turned and walked away, following slowly in Katara's wake. He had no desire to attempt the lighthearted banter he was sure Sokka was trying to engage him in. Albeit badly. All he could think about was his recent encounter and eventual argument with his own sister, and how poorly they had ended their reunion.
Suddenly he stopped dead in his tracks and stared forward in shock, the thought that had arrested him filling his mind instantly. How could he have forgotten?! The guards. The guards at the door of his sister's cell, THEY were the ones who had allowed the man who had tormented Azula inside her room. They and they alone were responsible for what she had been put through. They were supposed to guard her, protect her, the royal princess; instead they had allowed a truly evil human being into the one place in the palace he should never have been allowed to reach.
Horrified, frozen in place by his own thoughts, Prince Zuko was unable to decide how to proceed. He wanted to rush back down to the secret dungeons, but there were too many people around now, and people would notice and could easily follow him. How could he have the guards arrested, assuming they were still unconscious and hadn't awoken and run, without sending someone and without going down there himself?
Seeing Sokka's questioning gaze at his unnatural stillness and silence he was brought back out of his thoughts and blinked, shaking his head slightly.
"Did you forget to use the toilet or something?" The carefree water tribe boy teased.
Water! There was water in the palace! Zuko suddenly turned his head toward Sokka and nodded "I sure did, thanks" and took off toward the day spa as fast as he could safely go without looking too terribly desperate. Umi must still be able to speak through water, and even if they weren't directly connected, he figured she should still be able to hear him; she had to. She just had to.
Thankfully no one was anywhere near the luxurious room and Zuko rushed over to the water flowing out of the dragons' mouth and shoved his hands in its stream, not even caring at the water splashing around him and wetting his clothing.
He knew he didn't have to be touching the water, but he didn't want to take any chances.
"Umi." He muttered quietly. "Umi I need you."
Almost instantly he felt a change in the water, and it seemed to slow its rushing, instead some small streams branched off and wove around his hands gently, touching his skin.
"Zuko! Are you alright?" her voice was worried and he could feel her checking him through the connection the water created.
"I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm sorry for scaring you; I just remembered about the guards outside Azula's cell, we didn't tie them up, and they are the guards that…the ones that allowed that…that monster into my sister's room" he stammered in his fury.
He could feel her gasp of surprise. "Oh no, I never thought of that! Of course, they are still unconscious from the beating they received from a certain overzealous waterbender" the humor in her voice he could almost imagine to be a smile "I will ensure that they do not awaken. There is a cell a ways down the hall, I will allow them the pleasure of occupying it." She finished with an almost gleeful relish. He wondered if she would actually enjoy locking them up; and hearing her giggle he shook his head; he forgot that she could hear his thoughts in the manner in which they were connected.
"I will take care of everything here, Zuko, you have my word."
He knew she would. "Thank you Umi." He was truly grateful. Removing his hands from the water and stepping back, he allowed himself a moment to superheat his body, causing steam to rise off his person and his clothes to dry very quickly.
Wasting no more time on grooming, he actually did make a short detour to his rooms to use the aforementioned toilet, if for no other reason than to satisfy Sokka's curiosity. Once done, he headed quickly back and left the palace, fully confident that this one thing, at least, was taken care of.
It was good to see Aang whole and relatively unscathed from the battle Zuko was sure that he had endured against the Phoenix King. Despite this, Zuko's mind was filled with so many questions without answers, and worries without solutions that most of the joy was lost on him.
Despite the comfort of knowing that she was being taken good care of, he couldn't get Azula out of his mind, and he still had no idea what to do with or about her long term. He obviously couldn't leave her where she was, but where could he put her where she would be safe? "And" his mind supplied, "keep others safe from her". That wasn't necessary anymore, was it? He wondered as he stood alone in the midst of the constant activity around him. No one had approached him, and for that he was grateful. His emotions were on such a roller coaster he really couldn't handle people well right then. He figured the ability to look unapproachable was actually a very valuable trait.
It didn't last long though. But this interruption from his inner musings was welcome indeed.
"Prince Zuko! Son, it is good to see you looking so healthy!" His uncle-turned-father strode up to him with a genuine smile on his lined and bewhiskered face; only the concern in his eyes betraying his words. Zuko saw it. It took everything the young firebender had to keep it together at that moment.
Even so, he was so grateful Iroh was so wise. He was sure his adopted father knew that if he had walked up to him and asked him if he was alright, the soon-to-be Firelord would have lost his carefully constructed composure in front of everyone, including the people who needed desperately to see a strong Firelord.
Gathering himself he nodded to Iroh and answered in somber tones. "I am well, thank you." He avoided the older man's eyes, and cast his gaze instead around the temporary headquarters that had been set up for use until he was crowned Firelord. The Fire Sages had been found, and were fully in agreement with his claim on, and rise to the throne; they well knew Azula's fate and not a one even attempted to mention the second sibling.
The throne of the Firelord. It would be soon, too soon if you asked the one who was preparing to ascend to it. It had barely been an hour since he had left Azula in Umi's care. He hadn't even said a word directly to the beautiful immortal former water spirit he had fallen in love with other than to ensure his sister's safety, yet he knew that she was, even now, taking care of Azula.
He signed inwardly. Once again, he had come full circle. What was he going to do about her? How he wished he could speak with his adopted father in private. There was nowhere here where that was possible.
His frustration only mounted. His jaw tightened as his blank gaze continued to flick across the room, seeming to see all, but in fact, seeing nothing. "Yes" he mused "I am already becoming the Firelord."
It wasn't a compliment.
0o0o0o0o0o0
Azula was laying on the restraining bed with her head turned away from the door, eyes closed, tears still falling from the tear ducts of her newly created eyes. She didn't move when Umi walked in and shut the door. She didn't even twitch.
"Azula…" Umi began hesitantly, somewhat unsure as to what to say to the girl. She had chosen not to overwrite the girl's will, and so did not take it upon herself to simply heal the former fire princess and leave her be. It wasn't, after all, up to her.
The younger girl on the bed finally turned her head and stared into Umi's caring eyes with the hint of a practiced blank stare. There was no true will behind it though, and all she saw was pain. Her heart caught in sympathy for the one she had taken upon herself to rehabilitate. This was not going to be easy.
"Am I a monster, Umi?" Azula asked, point blank, without preamble. It seemed to Umi that the young woman before her was teetering between anguish and the deadness that seeped into one who hurt too much to deal with the pain, and had become numb.
Her stomach twisted and her heart reached out in compassion towards the hurting she saw in those eyes.
"No, Azula, you are most definitely NOT a monster." Umi crossed the room to stand at her bedside. "Who told you such a thing? Surely…" she hesitated "surely not Zuko."
"No!" was the instant response. "No…I…it was..I think…" she seemed unable to string together a coherent sentence and Umi was immediately worried.
Azula was frowning as much as she could in her current state and her frustration was palpable.
"Not Zuko. Never…never Zuko. He…he loves me, he said that, did you know? He said I'm his sister, and we're family and family love each other." Her mind seemed to be catching up and her words began to come faster, nearly tripping over each other in their eagerness to escape her lips.
"I don't know what that means Umi!" her frustration becoming evident once again in that statement. "I don't feel it, I don't understand it, I don't know I don't know I don't know!" She repeated almost angrily.
"I don't even know who I am!" The girl continued in her tirade, finally allowing all the pent up feelings and emotions, frustrations and thoughts out of her mind and heart. "I can think now, mostly, and I remember…me. I know what…what I'm done. I can see it, inside my head. I see that girl, the one that looks like me, doing terrible things, horrible things in the name of the Fire Nation, progress and.." she hesitated once more "and my father." This part was quieter.
"He didn't deserve my loyalty! He didn't deserve my…" her voice trailed off.
"Your love?" the former water spirit supplied the last part of the dropped sentence gently. She could sense the lighthouse of revelation shining its beacon through the fog of Azula's rocky heart.
"My…my…love?" the girl stared directly at Umi but seemed to look right through her. "I love…loved my..father…" she hesitantly murmured, as if she were discovering these truths for the first time.
"I would have done anything for him; been anything for him" she muttered to herself, forgetting for a moment the other occupant in the room. "I know I would have done anything to make him proud of me, to gain his attention, his favor, his approval his…" her voice trailed off, but not before she finished her sentence. "his love."
Azula allowed her eyes to drift closed for a brief moment. "He couldn't love me back, could he?" she asked quietly, already knowing the answer.
"No, Azula. He is incapable of loving anyone but himself and his ideals. Perhaps in time…" she allowed the sentence to hang in the air, unfinished. Very few were irredeemable. Best to give the girl hope.
"But Zuko is the opposite. He's always been that way." She grimaced. "I chased him away you know, made him leave. It's what I do, I destroy things."
"What?" Umi was confused. "What do you mean?"
"I told him to leave earlier. Made him go. I couldn't think; there was…too much." She replied quietly; self-loathing evident as she continued. "I always do that, I always hurt, push away, destroy…" her voice trailed off.
"But do you want to?" Umi pressed.
"No!" Azula practically shouted. "No" she repeated again, quieter this time "I don't want to be that girl anymore."
"Then don't."
Once again, silence reigned in the small cell.
It was interrupted by a voice only she could hear; the voice of someone she knew and loved. Part of her attention was drawn into conversation as she continued to speak with the fire princess.
Azula blinked almost quizzically at Umi. "It's not that simple…" she began.
"It is." Umi replied with a small smile. "You have the choice of how you're going to react to situations, treat others, and conduct yourself. The power, Azula, is in your hands; it always has been. The question is…what will you do with it?"
Both were silent for several minutes as the fire princess worked through what Umi had presented to her, and Umi allowed the process to happen as she conversed with Zuko through her water and the water in the palace.
Her conversation ended and as Umi watched she could see the moment the girl had decided. Resolution shone in her eyes, and even her entire manner had changed without saying a word.
"I want to be like Zuko" she stated emphatically. "He's so forgiving and accepting and kind and…and loving." She finished thoughtfully.
"Don't ever tell him that, or his head will swell up bigger than a melon!" Umi joked, smiling, deciding a bit of levity couldn't hurt, and also to gauge the girl's reaction.
It took a few seconds for Azula to realize Umi was teasing and let out a small laugh that was almost like a cough, but it was still a laugh and the former water spirit glanced at Azula and smiled even wider.
The abandoned fire princess smiled shyly back, cautiously attempting to match the gesture.
"You're going to be ok, Azula" Umi finally replied to the former's statement. "If you want to emulate your big brother, you will join a very long line of younger sisters who have always wanted to be like their big brothers. You're in good company."
"I never let him be a big brother to me" Azula blurted out quickly.
"Then change that, if that is what you desire; remember, you have the power to choose." Umi repeated.
Azula nodded as far as she was able. "I understand now" she agreed "I'm going to be making my own choices from now on based on…" she hesitated for a moment, then continued "love…based on love. I think I'm starting to understand it a little."
Umi nodded, using a hand motion as if urging her to continue.
The girl in the bed slowly continued. "Love is actions…like..how…how Zuko always hated to fight me. How he would try to talk to me or give me the chance to stop attacking…how he protected uncle…Right?" She was beginning to understand, even if just a little.
"Absolutely. You're exactly right." Umi praised. "There is so much more to it than that, but that is excellent insight."
The young woman before her seemed to almost glow for a moment, and Umi caught a glimpse of what parenthood might have been like had she been blessed to be born a human, marry and have children. A sudden sadness filled her heart but she did her best to squelch it for fear of ruining the incredible revelation and growth that was happening in Azula.
Much to her chagrin, the fire princess was incredibly astute, and highly observant.
"You're..sad now, why?"
Umi sighed inwardly. Now was absolutely not the time to address such things.
"Azula, you are very perceptive and you're showing that you are able to ascertain emotions from observing minimal expressions, and that is impressive." She began.
"But you're not going to tell me why" was the quick reply.
The immortal woman shook her head. "You're right, I'm not. At least, not now; perhaps someday, Azula. Right now, however, the important thing is you, and your progress. Where do you want to go from here?" She asked, turning the conversation back to the true issue at hand. "What do you want?"
Azula blinked and said nothing, her gaze sliding upwards to stare at the ceiling. …what did she want?
0o0o0o0o0o0
Tomorrow.
Tomorrow he was going to be crowned Firelord, ruler of the fire nation.
Lying on his bed in his old chambers from his childhood in the palace (they refused to allow him to use the royal main suite until his coronation) brought back so many memories, very few of them good. He sighed.
It had now been five days since he had found Azula's cell. Try as he might, he hadn't been able to find even one moment where he wasn't either watched or busy in that time. The staff had been restored and at least some function had been recovered in the inner workings of the palace so it was impossible to even communicate with Umi from the spa. It was so difficult to know she was there, just below, still holed up in a cell, helpless and unable to move or even take care of herself. The only thing that kept him from sending literally every living being out of the palace and rushing down there to check on her was the fact that Umi was with her. He knew she was, he had staked his sister's life on it, as he would have staked his own.
Zuko sighed. He was exhausted. There were so many things that needed done, so many fires to put out, literal and figurative. There were those, he was sure, that were still even in the palace who did not agree with the most recent events, and most likely he would have to deal with them at some point. There were still others who were making themselves known; dissidents, rebels who simply wanted the world to burn regardless of the cost, heedless of the desires of the silent majority, respecting nothing but violence. Those too, would have to be dealt with if they were ever to attain the coveted goal of peace.
Was it possible? This lofty goal? He shook his head. He didn't know. How could he? Was he even ready for such responsibility? Would he ever be?
0o0o0o0o0o0
Over the past several days Umi and Azula had talked. They had talked so much they found silence almost welcome at times. Azula slept a lot, and Umi was continuously keeping her body supported using her substantial power so that the girl needed neither sustenance nor to use certain bodily functions.
Umi had continued to keep her relationship, or lack of, with Zuko to herself, but she did, in their many chats, explain to the lonely girl how she and the prince had met, and become friends. Inadvertently, she had, at one point, mentioned the loss of his foot, to which Azula had had a rather severe adverse reaction to the memory of how she had taunted him and needled him about his handicap at that time.
It had taken Umi nearly an hour, possibly more, to calm the distraught girl down; eventually employing her own water to soothe and transfer calming emotions to her so that she could even reach a point of reasoning with her.
The former water spirit knew these things would need to be dealt with, but certainly hadn't meant to bring one up so quickly. She decided right then to be more careful in how she interacted with the fire princess.
During the course of their time, Azula had asked her to heal more of her body. She had asked for freer movement in her upper body and arms, shoulders and neck so she could communicate more easily.
Not once had the young woman asked her to heal her skin, remove her scars, or even regrow her hair. Azula was astute, she would have known after the first couple of times that whenever she asked, she would receive healing; Umi was very sure of this. That's why she was all the more curious as to the reason the girl did not ask her for any more than she did.
Nevertheless she simply did as she was asked, and enjoyed the process of getting to know the sister of the man she loved.
0o0o0o0o0o0
It was the day of the coronation at last, and Zuko couldn't have been any more nervous if he'd tried. He hadn't slept that well and all he could think of was how much he didn't want to be Firelord. In fact, all he really wanted was Umi. He knew, oh he knew all too well that neither the Fire Sages, nobles or the majority of the fire nation would accept or respect a waterbender as a Fire Lady. It would tear the nation apart even worse than it already was.
Prince Zuko sighed, and abruptly turned, forgetting for a moment the royal servants assisting his dressing in the royal coronation robes. Nearly bowling a smaller man over, he regained his affected balance and attempted not to allow the blood to suffuse his face because of his blunder.
The servant apologized profusely, frantically asserting that it was his lamentably pathetic fault that his esteemed royal highness had been inconvenienced in such a fashion, and if his highness wished, the man at that very moment would happily run himself through with a rusty sword, or any sword, really, whatever would placate his lord at that moment. He believed his life forfeit, and wished to direct the royal's ire towards himself, and no other, mayhap saving his fellow servants.
Zuko shook his head, the slight red in his cheeks abruptly disappearing with the realization that his servant was serious. If he nodded, the man was as good as dead. He almost shuddered. Ozai truly was a monster.
"No, no. I would prefer to continue with the dressing for the coronation, I'd rather not be late." He stated matter-of-factly. "However, before we proceed, there is one thing I would like to address before we go any further."
The servants were all frozen in place, awaiting judgment. Despite his previous declaration that the man would not be punished, every servant in the palace knew that anything could change, at any time. The royals, specifically the Firelord, could be notoriously mercurial, and no one was ever safe. Ever.
The fear in their eyes was almost gut-wrenching. He couldn't extend this moment any longer or he wouldn't be able to face them.
"I am not Firelord Ozai." He stated emphatically. "I do not kill people on a whim and I am not a hard man to serve unless you hurt someone I love. I will be just and do my best to bring peace to the Four Kingdoms. Please don't insult me by assuming that I am the same as those you've served in the past. I. Am. Not."
No one moved, and he was afraid he might have overdone it. He knew he had to be a leader, he couldn't treat them simply as friends, they wouldn't accept it and it would undermine his authority; still, he refused to have worms as servants. Hm…that was an idea.
He allowed a tiny upward tick of the side of his lip and softened his expression slightly. "My servants will be people, not worms. People." He repeated pointedly.
It was the man he had stumbled into who moved first, as if in a daze, slowly going back to his task as if he couldn't quite believe the fact that he was still breathing. It wasn't long before the entire team was back to the task at hand and moving as if nothing had happened. Zuko wondered if they would test him to see how far his leniency and mercy stretched. Well, that was another day's problem; today he had to become ruler of a kingdom.
0o0o0o0o0
The massive throngs outside the balcony down in the courtyard of the palace in the capitol city of the fire nation were quite intimidating even from high above. Zuko peered around the curtain one more time and stepped back again, overwhelmed. What had he been thinking? It should be his adopted father here, not him. He should have insisted…
Iroh clapped a hand on his back as if he had been summoned by mere thought. "Are you ready, Prince Zuko?" the older man asked quietly.
"No. No I'm not." The young man answered shaking his head.
"Good, that means you'll do well." Iroh replied sagely.
"What?" If his father said something about tea he was going to hog-tie him and throw him into the man's own closet to suffocate on the stench of his own sandals. Zuko couldn't imagine a worse smell than those pieces of footwear the older man wore.
"I merely meant that if you believe you are not ready, then you are fully aware of the great responsibility you are about to shoulder, and will be cautious and sure to bear it with care. A man who believes himself truly ready for an unknown task of this magnitude is at first too prideful to be trusted to lead a nation, and too selfish to be trusted with its people's heart." Iroh replied. "You, my son, are neither. I'm so very proud of you."
It was all he could do to keep his emotions in check. No, he was no longer a boy, but how he longed to hear those words from…from Ozai. Now, they came from one who he knew loved him more than he loved himself. That was love, and suddenly, he knew, that was how to rule a nation.
His smile wobbled a little, but held. "Thank you, father. You're right. And thank you for showing me by example how to lead a nation."
It was Iroh's turn to blink in surprise at his son's words. The boy…no, the man, truly was ready. He couldn't be more proud. He began beaming until it felt like his face would split. Didn't matter. He was that happy.
0o0o0o0o0o0
With Azula asleep, Umi had plenty of time to contemplate many things, and as usual, her 'many things' ended up being one thing in particular; Zuko. Hayashi had given her hope, but on this his coronation day into the role of Firelord, she was quickly spiraling into despair.
How could she decide, all on her own, a complete outsider and not even a mortal, the fate of a whole nation; removing and appointing leaders at her whim and by her manipulation and purely, purely for her benefit?
She couldn't. She wouldn't. Tears began to well up in her eyes and she allowed herself that much. She wept for the future she had foolishly allowed her heart to desire. She wept for the romance, the love that could never be. She wept for the years with him, learning about him, knowing him intimately, sharing his life, and his heart, that she would never have.
At last, her tears spent for the time being, she began to realize that it was nearly time for the man she wept over to ascend to the throne. Perhaps she couldn't have her heart's desire, but at least she could facilitate one of Zuko's; fostering a true family bond with his sister, Azula. She needed to be there at his coronation and Umi knew just how to do that.
"Azula" Umi called softly "Azula, wake up".
The fire princess opened her eyes and rubbed them blearily. "What's wrong Umi?" she muttered, still half asleep.
"I…I thought you might…well I thought you might want to watch the coronation. I can share it with you, if you'd like. Or, if not that's fine." Suddenly she was unsure; perhaps she had made a massive error in judgment.
"How could I possibly view the coronation from all the way down here?!" Azula's eyes were round as saucers as she stared at Umi incredulously.
"I am connected to all water, and if I'm not, I easily can be, quickly, at any time. Even the water of the air, the moisture, it carries sights and sounds to me." The former water spirit replied matter-of-factly.
After her initial shock, Azula was quick to agree. She longed to see the outside world, even vicariously for a moment. She had been in darkness, underground, for so very long. Besides, even though she couldn't attend, at least she could watch her big brother take his rightful place as Firelord. Just to think those words still surprised her; without malice or jealousy, but with pride and happiness. She truly had changed. So much so, she hardly recognized herself recently; considering who she had been in her past that was a good thing.
"So, how do we do this?"
Umi pulled a small tendril of water out of the air and allowed it to gently rest against Azula's hand; then she connected her water to the moisture of the air in, and around, the palace. Finally, she took and connected her water to the tendril in the fire princess' hand, but didn't complete the connection; first she wanted to prepare the young woman for what she would experience.
"Azula, you will most likely experience some strange sensations; don't be alarmed, what I'm doing is merely connecting your consciousness to mine to enable me to show you what I am able to see." She reassured her.
She nodded. "I'm ready."
"One last thing; this connection does allow a certain amount of…exposure of private thoughts, feelings and even memories, if those images are called to mind during the connection." Umi continued somberly "I am very well shielded having had this power my entire existence, you, on the other hand, will not have that luxury and your thoughts and feelings will be broadcast to me." She paused to allow here words to sink in.
"I will never take advantage of your mind or memories unless you show them to me purposely." Do you still want to do this?"
Far more nervous than ever before in her life, Azula nodded. "I want to see it; besides, we have been connected before..I just wasn't as lucid."
"Fair enough." She connected the streams of water.
0o0o0o0o0o0
Before he knew it, Aang was by his side, and they were out of the palace and on the steps overlooking the courtyard. He stared out at the crowds of people and all he could think of was how he wished Umi were there to share it with him, and yes, support him, even if simply as a friend. Inwardly he sighed. The Avatar had surely grown and matured, but he was still a child in many ways, and while friends, the two were not really close.
Suddenly he noticed something, sensed something, it felt like…like..Umi? And was that...Azula?! The air around him seemed to almost shimmer momentarily and he swore he could feel the faintest caress of moisture on his cheek. He dare not speak aloud, so he chanced attempting to think towards her.
"Umi, is that you? I mean, of course it's you, who else could possibly do this?!" He was nearly babbling in his surprise, and attempting to somehow keep his thoughts and emotions in check.
"Not just Umi…" came the slightly hesitant reply, as if she weren't quite sure he'd be pleased with her appearance there.
"Azula?! It is you!" He almost screeched rather un-Firelord like. Thank Agni this was all in his head!
Azula snickered typical sibling style and Umi projected an image of her rolling her eyes at the both of them.
"Ok you two, focus. The coronation is about to start. Zuko, Azula wanted to see your coronation so I offered my help. If you'd rather we left you alo…"
"No!" he practically shouted inside his own head. "Please…don't go. Please." Despite his best intentions, the desperate loneliness and feelings of inadequacy resurfaced. Added to those were happiness that they had come, sadness that they weren't there in person, and nervousness about what he was about to go through. He couldn't hide any of it, and it scared him; but he wouldn't change a thing.
Azula was in awe. Umi was like listening to someone through a thick wall, not much got through. Listening to Zuko was like stepping into his mind and his heart unfettered and unfiltered. Her eyes filled with tears as she finally saw, once and for all, who her big brother was. All of a sudden it hit her. He was her hero. He truly was everything she ever wanted to be, well, except for the dorky part.
At that moment, before Zuko realized what was happening, Umi adjusted the connection to protect Azula's innermost thoughts from Zuko. Now was not the time, not in front of huge crowds of not entirely supportive subjects right before his coronation to allow that bombshell to drop out of nowhere on him. She knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt it would render him unable to function until he processed it. She couldn't allow that to happen. Not right now. Thankfully, before he could question what had happened, Aang distracted him.
"What's going on Zuko?" The Avatar questioned the soon-to-be Firelord. "You're kinda out of it, and I swear I feel another bender around but I can't quite put my finger on it."
"Don't worry about it Aang" Zuko murmured as the Fire Sages began to file out. "Just a friend of mine."
The Avatar's eyebrows rose all the way up to where his hairline might have been had he not been bald; instead his arrow just moved. "We'll talk later." He mouthed and turned his attention to the coming ceremony.
Despite all the pomp and circumstance, the ceremony itself was rather brief. Almost before he knew it, the head Fire Sage standing behind him had placed the crown over his new topknot (which pulled his scalp like crazy since he hadn't worn one for so long) and pronounced him Firelord with far more words than were strictly necessary.
Once that was over, he was pretty sure he had stood up and addressed the people, but he couldn't really be sure, he felt like he was in a daze. At some point he felt Umi sending feelings of calm and peace to him, for which he was eternally grateful, it did help him focus enough to actually sound coherent.
At last it was over though, the formalities satisfied and the rituals completed, and he was back inside the palace proper, this time however, he found himself in the throne room. As he reluctantly forced his feet one in front of the other as he neared the throne of the Firelord itself, he suddenly sensed the two girls again.
"Zuko…" it was his sister. "You're going to make an amazing Firelord."
She couldn't have said anything else that would have shocked him more. Probably.
"Th…thank you Azula" he stammered.
"Yeah, don't mention it. Like…ever"
If he hadn't been able to feel the dry wit and humor in her statement, he honestly would never have known she was joking. Azula. His sister. Joking. Teasing, but kindly. It was the end of the world, it had to be. There was no other logical explanation.
"So dramatic Zuzu" she scoffed teasingly, then quickly caught herself "Zuko, I mean Zuko. I'm sorry!"
The hated childhood nickname just didn't sound the same when she said it now; somehow it felt…a little endearing.
"You know 'Zula, I don't mind so much anymore" he replied, unintentionally using his own childhood nickname for her, and he realized it was precisely true. He no longer minded. In fact, at least in private, he found he really didn't mind at all. "Just keep it between us; I think people aren't ready for their new Firelord's nickname" although…he thought, to be fair…"at least you use part of my name, Toph just calls me Sparky." Inwardly he rolled his eyes and enjoyed the amusement through the link they were sharing, while at the same thing marveling at the completely normal interaction they were having. Did this mean Azula was no longer angry with him? The memory of her ordering him to leave days before rose unbidden into the forefront of his mind; replaying the pain and confusion he felt.
Experiencing the memory from his viewpoint subdued her, and before Azula could stop it, the memory of the event from her viewpoint rose almost in answer to his own memory. In one instant, both brother and sister had a perfect picture of how the other was feeling at that exact moment in time.
"I'm sorry" they both said in unison, and chuckled a bit wryly at each other. There was no time for anything else as people began to file into the room and Zuko could no longer focus on the conversation.
0o0o0o0o0o0
"Thank you, Umi." Azula said the moment the former water spirit had allowed the tendril of water connecting them to dissipate. Thank you didn't begin to cover how she felt right then. She was so grateful she didn't know how to express it. The words were inadequate, so very, very woefully inadequate.
"Umi I…I want…can I…" the fire princess stammered, unable, or unwilling to actually speak her thoughts. "Can you please…the water…again? I can't…" it was happening again, just when she began to feel overwhelmed and when she was figuring out something important she just seemed to lose the ability to speak properly, it was so incredibly frustrating. It felt like she was overflowing with what to say, but unable to say it.
Immediately understanding the stilted and broken speech, Umi quickly recreated the tendril and connected her water to it, allowing it to fall gently onto Azula's hand once again.
She was nearly overwhelmed by the intense emotion that was being blasted at her from the young woman before her. She could feel frustration, happiness, and a hint of sadness, but mostly what she felt was sheer gratitude. It was tremendous. Umi wasn't sure if she had ever experienced that level of emotion from a human being before. It wasn't just washing over her, it was a tidal wave; a veritable tsunami of gratitude that was directed at her with no other reason than the owner of it was incredibly thankful.
It was only fair that she should respond in kind. She relaxed her shield, just enough to allow her desire to help Azula to slip through, her happiness that she was able to help, and how much she was enjoying her company.
The wave of gratitude finally began to ebb as Azula began to realize what she was experiencing and became distracted. She finally looked directly into Umi's eyes and stared at her, mouth open in surprise.
"Are…are we…friends?" she asked, almost seeming not to even believe that she could be asking such a question.
"I should like to think so Azula. I am your friend, and will be as long as you'll allow it."
"Oh, good thing you're immortal because I'll never allow anything but" Azula replied grinning inwardly and outwardly.
Umi did the same and released the connection, knowing it was, at least for now, no longer necessary. The fire princess was still having some issues expressing herself, but in time she would work through those, for now, however, her own ability to communicate through her water was very helpful indeed.
For some time they sat in companionable silence before Azula looked over at her and asked a question, out of the blue.
"What is to become of me Umi?" she looked away "I have nothing to offer anyone."
She had wondered when this subject would arise. She would need to tread carefully if she were to assist the young woman in finding her place in the world.
"What would you offer, if you could?" Umi presented quietly, patiently awaiting the answer.