Azula yawned as she woke up and found that it was well past the normal time of her wake-up call and looked outside to see it was raining without any ray of sunshine in sight. "Dammit," she muttered. She sat up and found her temporary team was out and about. "I should burn them for letting me sleep in." She got up and changed into a basic outfit, a dark red t-shirt with a pair of dark jeans. She wished she could free carry her new weapons, but those were locked away in her locker in the training rooms. Weapons were evidently not allowed outside of class demonstrations, training, or mock missions. She did her hair up using the gold hairpin instead of the blue and left.

She exited her dorm and locked it behind her before turning back around and spotting Nora Valkyrie right in front of her. Three inches from her face. "Hello," sang the hyperactive girl.

"You have exactly three seconds to back away."

"Oh, don't be like that, Azula!"

"What do you want?"

"I want to spar with you." Azula considered her for a moment.

"Why?"

"Because Pyrrha and Jaune are nowhere to be found and Ren won't train with me without someone to 'act as a buffer' anymore." Azula sighed.

"Fine. But allow me to eat first. I need to gain some energy since I woke up to rain instead of the sun."

"Fine by me!" Azula quirked an eyebrow as Nora gasped with glee before exclaiming. "It's pancake day!"

"And what, pray tell, are pancakes?" Nora gave her a looked that screamed 'blasphemy' before grabbing her sleeve and pulling her to the cafeteria. Upon sitting down, Nora placed a plate stacked high with flat pastries and what looked like sap dripping down it. "What are these?"

"Only the best food in the world!" Azula glanced in front of her and spotted three plates of pancakes.

"Surely you're not that hungry."

"It's pancakes, Azula!"

"The way you act I'd think it was more like opium." Azula watched as Nora wolfed down a single pancake and shook her head before grabbing a knife and fork. Azula cut into the top pancake and took a bite. She blinked in surprise as she found it rather pleasant in taste, if a bit sweet from the sap."

"What do you think?!" Azula cast a glance at her before cutting another piece.

"It's not the worst thing I've tasted." Nora pouted as she took another bite. "Why did you really ask me to spar with you?"

"Like I said, no one else to turn to!"

"Your nose twitches lightly when you lie, you know." Nora covered her nose on instinct and Azula smirked. Nora sighed.

"I just want to get to know you."

"Why? I've made it clear to even my own team I don't intend on being friends with anyone. There's no reason for us to get to know each other."

"You know making friends is part of life, right?"

"It's a pointless part. Friends are worthless."

"Those girls must've really hurt you for you to think that." Azula frowned and set down her knife and fork, images of Ty Lee and Mai flashing in her mind as a sharp pain spiked her chest.

"I've suddenly lost my appetite." Azula pushed her plate away and stood up. "Find someone else to spar with you. I'm not in the mood."

"But Azula…"

"Have fun, Nora." Azula walked away and found Radiance leaning against the wall next to the exit when she stepped through the doors. "What?"

"You know you're going to have to tell them eventually," said the feral girl. "Otherwise you're a hypocrite for holding Blake's secret against her."

"I will do as I wish." She turned to her. "Why are you suddenly interested in me keeping my secret?"

"You're cyber friend L. If they know who you are and where you are from because of a hidden camera in Ozpin's office, they could easily leak it to anyone and then your secret is out there, and you'll be hunted. I'm not about to let you get taken by people with an alien fetish before we have a proper rematch. You tell them, they help you find L because they're more knowledgeable of this world than you certainly are, and once L is done away with, your secret is safe. Well, Rose and Valkyrie might start yappin as soon as they get started." Azula sighed as she realized the logic behind Radiance's words.

"And how do you suggest we find L?"

"One of the Malachite's is a hacker. She can track L and we go from there. But L's bound to expect company if they're calling you out, so we need help. We best get it over with as soon as possible. Otherwise this is going to mean a life of hiding for you, Miss Guardian."

"You know I'm not going to live up to the Spirits' wishes, so do not call me that."

"Will you tell them or not?" Azula thought it over before nodding.

"Your argument is sound. But I'll only tell Team RWBY and Zane Ro'Meave."

"Why him?"

"He'll be our teammate. Better he knows now what he's getting himself into if he's to trust us."

"The bampot is a 'noble' knight. He has no choice but to trust you then. Knights used to protect lords, ladies and royalty." Azula smirked.

"Then I suppose being a princess of the Fire Nation will finally have some benefits in this world."

"'Former' Fire Princess."

"Thank you, Radiance, for reminding me of that fact."

"Just keepin' ya grounded." Radiance pulled out her scroll and hit a button. "Call the milk-drinking plookie."

"I'm assuming those are insults."

"Aye."

"Who is this," asked Zane.

"Jessie. Head to Ozpin's office. Azula's orders."

"My name is…"

"Shut it! We both work for her now. Do as she says!"

"Why are we going to Ozpin's office," asked Azula.

"To keep people like Winchester from learnin' yer secret."

"Why do you insist on making sense now?"

"Because you are preoccupied with your mental state and repressed emotions and how your Bending is affected by them." Azula's lips twitched in slight annoyance. Radiance flinched slightly. "Oi! Stop with the imagery!"

"Mention my mental health again and you'll get much worse." Azula sighed before looking at her future teammate. "Why mention it, anyway?"

"Far be it from me to worry about my own wellbeing. You're scary enough as it is. You when your fuckin' batshite? No fuckin' thank you." The Firebender frowned before starting to walk away as she sent a message to Ruby to bring the team and that there was something she needed to tell them. "Come on, we should head to Ozpin's office first to make sure we can find that damn camera."

"Alright. Let's find your stalker's equipment."

Ozpin looked up in surprise as well as Glynda and a man Azula had never seen before. He had a long grey coat and dark hair with a five o' clock shadow. Azula noted a sword on his back in the same position Ruby kept Crescent Rose in and a single sniff alerted her to the smell of alcohol coming from his direction. "Miss Agni," said Ozpin. "To what do I owe this unexpected visit?"

Qrow, for his part, kept his surprise to a minimum. Ozpin had told him about the mysterious girl from another world. What he really was surprised by was her eyes. They were the exact same shade as the woman who attacked Amber, the Fall Maiden, who was currently down in the Vault beneath the school. Not just in color, but in the cold way she addressed him. Calculating. Observant. Dangerous. If it weren't for the fact that the very feeling of this Azula was different than that woman, Qrow would've attacked her on sight. "This must be the little alien girl," he said. Azula turned to Ozpin, unsurprised.

"Anyone else in your inner circle you have told about me," she asked as Ozpin gave Qrow a look of annoyance.

"Just Qrow and Glynda are aware of your actual origins. There's only one other person in my inner circle aware of your presence but he was given the same story you gave your friends," said Ozpin.

"Teammates. I do not have any friends."

"Too bad," said Qrow. "It's good to have people you can trust in your corner. And you can't trust anyone more than your friends."

"That's where your wrong. I find 'friends' are only good for letting you down and betraying you. You can't trust them. They will always pick someone else over you." Radiance turned her head to Qrow and stared for a second before shaking her head. Azula and Ozpin took notice and Azula stepped forward. "To answer your question, Ozpin, it's a twofold answer. The first is your office has been compromised. I know this because a hacker stole my money and made it clear they knew who I was and where I was from. They even showed me footage of me in this office telling you my story." Azula pointed to the general area where the footage was shot from and Qrow looked around before pulling out his sword and firing a shot. A crash could be heard by everyone but Azula who growled as she covered her ears as the gunshot echoed in the room. "Bastard!"

"What's wrong with you," asked Qrow.

"Her hearing is not as accustomed to the sound of firearms as ours are, Qrow," said Ozpin. "In fact, firearms had not been invented by her world, yet. Explosives, yes. But not firearms that use compressed explosives to push forward projectiles. Their Bending meant it wasn't needed." Azula glared at Qrow before turning to Ozpin.

"The second reason," she said. "Is I am going after the hacker, L. But Radiance reminded me I still have a lot to learn about this world. I need help. And I need people who trust me enough to help. For that reason, I'm telling Team RWBY as well as Zane Ro'Meave, who I've decided to allow onto my team, my true origins."

"Is that wise?"

"It can't be helped. With this L knowing of my secret and potentially releasing it to the world, they may find out eventually. Besides, far be it from me to be hypocritical about secrets, given I've been lording over Blake about hers."

"You're a piece of work, you know that," said Qrow.

"If you mean a work of art, then yes." Qrow shook his head and turned to Ozpin.

"I should get out of here and get back to work before the girls arrive. See ya, Oz." Azula watched him hop out of a window and hummed to herself as a black bird flew past the window a moment later. Not long after, the elevator dinged and Azula turned around to see her team, Team JNPR and Zane in the elevator.

"Why are they here?" Azula met Ruby's eyes and stared her down, pressing for answers.

"Nora told us something was troubling you. We're your friends too," said Jaune. "Whatever you have to tell them you can tell us as well." Azula scoffed.

"Friends? Let me be clear, since the last hundred times were not sufficient. I am no one's friend. Least of all any of you." She looked each of them in the eye. She ignored the image of her mother appear among the group behind Ruby and moved to stand beside Ozpin. "Team JNPR, leave."

"No," said Jaune.

"Excuse me?"

"You're not our leader," said Pyrrha. "Jaune is. And he wants us to be there for you like Team RWBY is." Azula growled softly.

"You are all annoying to no end."

"Azula," said Ruby. "Let them stay. They can listen to this as well." Silver eyes met gold and Azula glared at her co-captain before growling some more.

"Why must all of you be so insufferable?!"

"Because we care." Azula chuckled darkly.

"You 'care'? Don't force feed me bullshit, Ruby."

"Hey," started Yang.

"No one cares about anyone but themselves. You care about me? You're a damn liar then. If I have learned anything from being alive, it's that no one cares for anyone! We're all just out for ourselves!"

"That is not true," said Zane. "That may have been the case where you're from, but it's not here, Agni. Here, there is peace, understanding, and acceptance."

"Don't delude yourself!" Azula glared at all of the teens in front of her. "Peace? If there is peace, why are the Grimm still a threat? Understanding and acceptance? Tell me, Ro'Meave, do people understand or accept the Faunus?" Blake's eyes shot open slightly at this. "I've done some reading. The Faunus are treated like crap by many people, unsurprisingly, by those among the Atlas high class. They are not accepted there. They're servants, at the worst, slaves. And the White Fang are no better. If given the chance, those Faunus will just flip the tables and put humans in the collar. Because in the end, it's as I said. People are only looking after themselves."

"You're wrong," exclaimed Ruby. "That's why we're all here, at Beacon! To help people!"

"I'm here because Azula gave me no choice," said Radiance.

"I don't think now is the time for that," said Glynda.

"And in doing so you make yourself feel better," said Azula. "Face it. You trying to become a Huntress is just for yourself!"

"You're wrong," said Ruby and the image of Ursa. Azula gripped her head.

"Shut up," she muttered under her breath. Yang stood in between Ruby and Azula, recognizing the behavior from the previous day.

"Azula," said Yang. "What's going on?"

"She has schizophrenia," said Zane. "She sees images that aren't there."

"Shut up," exclaimed Azula as she aimed a flame at him. Zane placed his hand on the ground, and it rose up to form a shield, blocking the orange flames. Once more, Azula noted her stance was improper and she started growling. "Not right. It's not right," she muttered to herself.

"Azula," asked Ruby. Radiance shook her head.

"Her mind is breaking again, Professor," she said, turning to Ozpin.

"Glynda, get a sedative for Azula, please," said the headmaster, calmly. Azula lost all sight of everything as an image of Ozai appeared in front of her and Ursa's image stood aside.

"Fix your stance," 'he' demanded.

"Azula," 'Ursa' said. "You don't have to listen to him, anymore.

"Silence! She knows her place! She will do as I say!"

"Azula, you don't have to follow him anymore!"

"Go through the Northern Dragon form and do not stop until I say so, Azula!"

"Get down," shouted Zane as Azula started going through a kata, trying to correct her form. Flames shot over the head of everyone as Glynda opened a drawer to get a sedative.

"Azula," shouted 'Ursa'.

"Silence," shouted 'Ozai'. "Again, Azula!" The Firebender hesitated. Ruby watched as Azula visibly flinched before going through the kata again. 'Ursa' moved to Azula's back.

"Listen, to me, please. He has no hold over us. Not anymore. Nothing we ever did mattered to him."

Ruby rushed over to Glynda and took the syringe before to Azula and hugging her from behind. "Azula," she muttered. "Come on, listen to me."

"You're not alone anymore, Azula," said Ursa as her own arms moved around Azula, pinning her arms to her sides as Azula struggled, Ozai, her mind's manifestation of the life she was forced to live by her father; a life of forced perfection, emptiness, loneliness, and the fear he instilled in her to act how he wanted glared down at her.

"We're here for you, Azula." Ruby kept the syringe ready incase Azula needed to be fully sedated in the event of another outburst. "Please, just calm down."

"Ozai is a world away." Azula shook her head as she tried to fix her form. "He's not here." Azula vaguely noticed 'Ursa's' voice shift to her own. "We don't have to behave how he wanted. We don't have to hold back. We don't have to keep up a mask of indifference. There's no one to fear here. There's no reason to keep people at a distance anymore. Look around us. There are people who are genuinely scared for us, not of us. This isn't the Fire Nation. There aren't any generals to keep in place. We don't need to set an example!"

"Know your place," shouted Ozai.

"Look at the difference between us then and now. There was no passion in anything we did, only precision and unfeeling attacks. Since we've arrived here, there has been a clear difference in how we act and fight. We're not just going through practiced motions. We're doing as we please without needing to be perfect. Since our fight with Zuzu, we've finally opened the floodgates. Let our emotions out and not let our fear and anger control us. You need to stop. He has no power here."

"Azula, you're form must be perfect! You will obey me!" Azula noticed another shift in voices. She opened her eyes and saw 'Ozai' had become the version of her she hated. Broken, disheveled, crazy. A Monster. Her on the day of her coronation "Listen to me!"

"Azula," asked Ruby as the Firebender's body went still and she stared off into space.

"That is what he made us," muttered Azula to herself. "An uncaring, crazed beast."

"We can change that," said 'Ursa' Azula. "They can change that." Azula looked around and met the eyes of each person in the room. "Just let them in. We've been happier here with them in the last few months than we ever were under his thumb, and you know it."

'Ozai' Azula growled and attacked them. Azula cried out as her head experienced a searing pain and slumped over in Ruby's arms. "Azula," exclaimed the silver-eyed girl.

"What happened," asked Weiss.

"Azula has a bit of a fractured mind," said Radiance. "It stemmed from her father's control over her and how it dominated every aspect of her life up to the point where she fought her brother. Her conscience trying to get her to stop her more threatening actions keeps taking the form of her mother. Then Ruby started sounding like her, started bringing out more memories of her past. What that past is you'll need to ask her when she wakes up."

"What triggered this break," asked Zane.

"I just said it was the runt, ya bampot. But she's been struggling with the change in lifestyle for months now since she wound up here."

"We should move her to the infirmary," said Ozpin as he stood up. "Make sure she gets some proper rest and some medicine. It looks like she's starting to get a fever." Ruby looked at Azula and saw her face was starting to turn red and sweat was accumulating on her forehead. She hurried her to the elevator and rapidly pressed the button to head down. Zane opted to take the stairs down making the excuse that the elevator would be packed and pulled out his scroll as he made his descent down.

"Sensei," he said into it. "I think she's starting to change. She just had a mental breakdown after arguing with her friends, even if she doesn't want to admit what they are. Now she has a fever."

"Keep an eye on her for me, Zane," said the voice on the other side of the call. "She'll need as much help as possible to get through this."

"Yes, sir. When should I bring her to you?"

"Only when she's facing a worse inner crisis than this one. She must face herself before she must face her destiny. Keep me informed, Zane."

"Of course, Sensei Iroh." Zane hung up before rubbing his eyes. "This is going to be a pain, I just know it."