This was a chapter involving and tackling Azula's emotions and feelings towards her family in a different way for once that I've been wanting to show for a long time. It serves a direct follow up of the previous chapter. You all have no idea how long I've wanted to show this chapter.

I also managed to include a short Aang and Shin scene in there.

Big thanks to HammerTide for beta reading this chapter and providing important feedback and critic !

With that said, let's get it started !


Azula was honestly unsure why she agreed to this.

Since two days ago, after Azula spilled her heart out about her nightmares and feelings...Kazumi suggested that they start having 'therapy sessions' every other day to help Azula get her emotions, thoughts and feelings a bit more out into the open. While Azula had agreed...she wasn't so sure about talking about her feelings and emotions now that she was here now.

Sure she had done that a couple of times since she had started staying with Kazumi and getting to know her better...but talking about her emotions and feelings on a near daily basis ? She isn't sure if she could handle that.

Then again, this was surely to be more effective than the 'treatment' she received at the asylum. Which was mainly just the doctors keeping her locked up like a wild animal and sedating to keep her tame most of the time.

She would be lying if she said she didn't wish she could go back and make them all suffer for treating her like that-

Azula stopped herself before she could continue that line of thought.

Yes, perhaps talking about her feelings and emotions would be best.

At the moment, she was currently seated on the coach in Kazumi's living room while Kazumi herself sat close by on the comfy chair.

" So...how do we do this ? " Azula asked. She was honestly unclear for how this 'therapy' thing was supposed to work.

" Well you can just talk about...whatever is on your mind at the moment, anything that you wish to get off your chest...you can just say it " Kazumi suggested kindly.

Azula took a deep breath as she thought about her words carefully.

" Like I said before Kazumi I feel...afraid sometimes, afraid that nothing's changed and I'm still the same person I was before..." Azula said slowly " And my nightmare a while back...it wasn't just the asylum that got to me...I saw her again..."

Her Shadow Self. Who she used to be. The proud princess of the Fire Nation.

Azula kept that last part to herself.

" Who Azula ? Your mother ? "

" No...not my mother...myself " Azula clarified " My Shadow self...who I used to be... I tried fighting her but I couldn't...and you wanna know the worse part ?"

Kazumi nodded simply as Azula continued.

" That some part of me still wanted to be like her...how I used to be... powerful, in control and not a total emotional wreck that has frequent night terrors and has to be lulled to sleep all the time and who's life hasn't gone to shit " Azula admitted bluntly.

Azula could not deny that deep down, some part of her liked the power that she wielded, the respect that she once commanded and the prestige and adoration of an entire nation calling her a hero for her efforts in the war.

Now she was but a pathetic girl with issues longer than her arm and whose own family abandoned her. It filled her with both grief...and anger.

Kazumi was silent for a moment before speaking " Well, why do you think she has appeared ? "

Azula was quiet, as if trying to think of an answer...but she already knew the answer deep down.

"...I felt grief and sorrow like none other when everybody in my life abandoned me and I was reduced to nothing but a whimpering mess who could only lash out at the ghosts of my past..." Azula said as she tried to keep her voice steady "...But there is also anger and hate..."

" Hatred for who Azula ? " Kazumi asked.

" Hatred toward my mother for abandoning me and never giving her 'little monster' a second thought...hate towards my idiotic brother who left me to rot in an asylum for over a year...hate for everybody who had ever left me...and it hurts even more knowing that they chose to leave..." Azula said as she wiped a few stray tears away.

How could she feel anything but hatred for her family ?

Zuko who had stolen her throne from her and couldn't even grant her a warrior's death because he was too much of a coward to finish the job.. Stole the throne that SHE had worked her entire life for and groomed for since his disgrace and only won because she was having a mental breakdown. Zuko who had never cared for her and left her to rot in an asylum and only came knocking when he needed her help tracking mommy down.

And mother...who had abandoned and hated her since she was born, called her a monster and left her to the whims of her father. Mother who had never once praised her for her skill, talents or greatness, always too busy trying to comfort poor tragic Zuko when he whined on how he didn't put enough effort into doing what she could do. Mother who had hurt her in a way only she could do.

Mother's was awfully cruel in that way.

" And that part of me Kazumi...that shadow part of me...it calls to me Kazumi...its telling me to run all the way back home and make all of them pay for what they did to me..." Azula said barely above a whisper.

She had thought about it before. Back at the asylum and here.

How her rage would grow and she would sometimes dream of the revenge she would wish to take on her family...on that watertribe whore...the Avatar himself...make them all pay for what they did to her. It was at times the only thing that comforted her.

" The only reason I don't do it...is because doing so would just prove them all right...that I am a monster..." Azula let out a humorless chuckle" Can you believe that ? The only thing keeping me back from murdering my family is pettiness of not wanting to prove them right...I may not be a monster Kazumi...but I really am a horrible person "

Azula knew long ago that she wasn't a good person...and while Kazumi can tell her all she wants that she isn't a monster, she is a horrible person.

" If that makes you a horrible person, then I am too Azula..."

Azula was surprised at the words that were suddenly said by Kazumi as she looked at the woman in shock.

" You may think I am perfect Azula, but I have my own share of problems...and try as we all might, humans are not saints. We all have that side of us that we aren't particularly proud of...or in some cases aspire to be " Kazumi said " And I don't blame you for having such thoughts...its only natural to be so angry after all that happened but what matters is that you don't let this anger and hatred rule your life "

"...And what do I do if they never go away ? Like their always going to be that shadow in the back of my head telling me to go murder someone who had crossed me ? That this anger never subsides..." Azula asked.

Kazumi thought for a moment before speaking, and this time she moved to sit next to Azula on the couch "...I can't tell you that these feelings will ever go away...but the important part is how we learn to manage it "

Azula lets out a huff " Its never easy is it ? "

" Never has been..." Kazumi said.

The two sat there in comfortable silence, at some point Azula actually leaned her head on Kazumi's shoulder in comfort and the older woman silently holding her close with one arm on her shoulder.

" So...do you feel better now ? " Kazumi asked.

" A little...it felt...good to get it out in the open. If just a bit " Azula admitted.

" That's good " Kazumi smiled as she stood up from the coach " Say how about some firebending practice ? I could show you some techniques that the Spirit Navigators use "

" I thought you'd never ask " Azula smirked as she followed Kazumi outside to begin their training.


Contrary to popular belief, getting information wasn't nearly as hard or shady as one might think. It didn't always involve those back alley deals where information swaps hands, most of the time it just meant getting information from the right places and right people.

Hence why Shin was currently seated at the bar in Hira'a, trying to collect information from the barkeep.

And also get a drink because he needed it, but mainly the information.

Shin knew he had to change strategies and try to find out as much information as he could about this 'Spirit Lady', during him and his team's time here in Hira'a, they hadn't converse much with the locals since their mission was meant to be kept on a need to know basis. But Shin had decided that the best place he was going to get information about this 'Spirit Lady' was probably from the locals.

And where better to hear some stories about spirits than in a bar ?

Shin narrowed his eyes at the barkeep who was cleaning a mug with a rag.

" So what brings you to Hira'a stranger ? " The barkeep asked him.

" How do you know I'm not from here ? " Shin asked playing dumb.

" Come on, you and your boys have been here for months, coming in and out buying supplies and staying at the inn. You think that doesn't get people talking ? " The barkeep asked, tossing a rag over his shoulder.

" Fair enough. I'm looking for somebody..."

" Who ? "

" Somebody who seems to have gotten lost in the Forgetful Forest " Shin answered vaguely.

The barkeep whistled " Damn, you have my sympathies and good wishes, trying to find somebody in a forest of nightmares like that "

" You're telling me..." Shin let out a sigh " But enough about that, I actually came because I was wondering if you could help me with something "

" Oh ? "

" I was wondering if you or the townsfolk had any knowledge about...spirits roaming in that forest " Shin asked slowly and to his surprise the barkeep actually let out a hearty laugh.

" Like a man asking to find a specific needle in a stack of needles " The barkeep came down from his laughter to answer him " Everybody who lives in Hira'a has heard the ghost stories. About the spirits that roam the forest that are less than kind to strangers who intrude on their territory. About the people who are said to go insane after staying in that forest for too long and take their lives. Its the kind of stories that parents tell their kids at night to scare them...and scare themselves too "

" Do you think they are real ? " Shin asked.

" People come from all across the Fire Nation to walk into that forest to either lose or kill themselves, what do you think ? " The barkeep said bluntly " That place is bad news, it reeks of bad energy and anybody who has any sense knows to stay away from it "

Unfortunately that is the last thing I am able to do.

" Well... have you heard any stories about a Spirit Lady ? " Shin asked.

" Spirit Lady ? "

" I don't know how to describe it...a Lady that looked so beautiful but had an aura of a vicious monster " Shin recalled from his memory.

" Well I haven't heard any stories about that...but I do remember one story in particular regarding a woman a long time ago " The barkeep said gravely.

" What is it ? "

"...The story goes that a long time ago, a demon had attacked a mother in the Forgetful Forest...killed her baby instead of her...and the mother was so driven by grief that she killed herself..." The barkeep told the story " It is said now that her spirit roams the forest...seeking revenge and still looking for her baby "

Shin swallowed as he felt himself get scared at the story, could this Spirit have been the same one he met ? Is this the one who took Princess Azula ?

All questions and no answers.

Shin took a big gulp of his drunk in an attempt to drown his sorrows.

" My advice, stay away from that forest " The barkeep warned.

Shin looked at the bottom of his drink and thought about Mei and his duty...

" Wish I could...but I have a job to do " Shin said as he downed the rest of his drink " And I intend to deliver "


Aang smiled as he saw Toph's metalbending school came into view as he rode on Appa. After spending the night with Bumi and leaving him with some instructions and run throughs of the lessons that his students should be learning, he had departed to pick up Toph. Though Bumi had been kind enough to send a messenger hawk ahead the night before to let her know he was coming.

Appa gently landed in front of the school and Toph stepped outside with a big grin on her face.

" Twinkletoes ! Its been a while, too busy with your airbending school to visit ? " Toph teased as she approached.

" Its good to see you too Toph, yeah I've been busy " Aang rubbed the back of his head " Did you get Bumi's message ? "

" Yeah, got your message though one of my students had to read it to me because well..." Toph waved her hand in front of her face at yet another reminder that she's blind "...Yeah, so Fire Lord hot pants needs our help ? "

" Yes, apparently the trackers that Zuko sent after Azula have encountered some kind of spirit and he needs our help " Aang explained.

" Spirits huh ? " Toph put her fists together " Well, if it means I get to hit something again, I'm in !"

" Are you sure its okay to leave your students though ? Maybe we can-"

" Don't sweat it !" Toph cut him off " I think they could use the vacation, it just means I get to work them harder when I get back "

Aang sweatdropped, feeling bad for Toph's students.

" So we picking up your girlfriend and snoozles ? " Toph asked.

" Yeah, I was planning on picking them up after you " Aang nodded.

" Great ! We can go after I settle things with my students and we resupply for the trip down south " Toph said as she walked inside the school " Come on in, I'm sure my students will love to meet the Avatar "

Aang awkwardly laughed as he followed Toph in.

At least, things were going to schedule. Katara would be proud.


I hope you all enjoyed this chapter since it was the first chapter that really addressed Azula's anger instead of her grief and sadness for once. Since that is something that Azula will have to handle and figure out how to deal with.

Because oh boy does Azula have a lot of resentment towards Ursa and Zuko. Ursa wished that she aborted her and never praised her. Zuko, never being the big brother that Azula wanted to look up to, always was just there to either ask for help or just take things from her, and sending her to the asylum for over a year was the straw that broke the camels back.

Like HammerTide pointed out in their beta reading of the chapter Azula never had the chance to actually go through all stages of grief, denial-anger-bargaining-depression-acceptance.

Azula had been denial all through on the asylum, she had been depressed in the asylum and with Kazumi. She had been bargaining and hoping that one day someone will love her, but she never had truly expressed her anger, how much rage she had inside towards Zuko and Ursa. For Azula , depression and denial dominated her. Once she moved past her grief and sadness , anger is next on the list.

She expressed sadness that her mother didn't love her and wished that she was never born, not anger. She had expressed sadness that Zuko never came to her to be the big brother, but just to take the crown from her, but not anger.

Well, now she has plenty of things to be angry about, how she chooses to handle them will be a subject for later.

With that said, I'll see you all in the next one.

Angel Out.