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(Revised 5.27.21)

Zuko

I can't keep avoiding them.

Zuko walked slowly to the main training area on the ship. He had decided to go and see the girl practice, as Azula had suggested. She said it may help him to get over feeling bad for capturing her if he saw her prospering as a firebender. He thought of seeing Uncle as well but…

He felt uneasy with the idea, though he would never admit that. Zuko did think that seeing Clara again would be easier. She wouldn't be in a state of distress this time.

Distraction hadn't been so hard to find at first on their journey home. He and Mai had been catching up and it was nice to have someone around who was so calm. She was a good listener until she decided she no longer cared, which only happens when Zuko went on too long on one subject. Truth be told it didn't happen often because he didn't like talking for too long.

As Zuko got closer to the training room, he could hear that something was going on. At first, he assumed it was Clara practicing but when he heard his sister yelling, he ran, bursting into the room.

Ever since that night, Clara had been having daily anxiety attacks. Some weren't as bad as others. Some were merely her heart racing, chest hurting, and body trembling. While most others had her struggling to breathe and crying.

The worst of it though was the nightmares. Every night she'd have nightmares that varied from being unable to move, Azula striking her with lightning or burning her, and Mal Ten's chasing her before corning her.

Clara partially blamed herself for how bad her attacks were. She had been suppressing her anxiety and fear, pretending she could handle things. Now, she didn't seem to be able to control her emotions at all.

Her situation and how she was processing it now still had not helped her mental state. Even with a real bed courtesy of Zuko, she couldn't seem to pull herself together. It was affecting her training as well. Clara could tell because Lo and Li were never happy by the time they concluded each day. Today Azula had been there the entire time, even watching while Clara ate before going back to training.

Her firebending progress seemed to be nonexistent now, all of the flames she produced were weak and barely there.

"Enough!" Lo/Li snapped, frustration is clear as day on their faces. Clara felt like she wasn't even present as she walked over to her instructors. Glaring, one of the two women stood before her. Clara didn't even flinch when the elderly woman raised her hand and smacked her across the face. She stumbled a bit but remained on her feet.

"What is wrong with you child!?" Lo/Li harshly spat before they both began to circle around her, inspecting her. Clara just closed her eyes, wishing she could disappear from this place.

People were talking, she registered Azula's voice in the mix but not what they were saying.

Three guards came up behind Clara and put her down on her knees, holding her by her arms and shoulders.

I'm being defiant… she thought to herself. I'm not trying and everyone can tell... I just… I can't keep doing this! I'm sick of everything!

Raising her head up, she saw Azula coming close to her. Her expression was ice but not infuriated as Clara had expected. It was a moment later that two guards burst through the main door. They were carrying someone by their shoulders whose face was shrouded from view by a hood. Following them was a young girl who Clara recognized from the show.

Ty Lee's youthful and eager face made her easy to identify. She seemed as easygoing and carefree as she did on the show, skipping down the steps with a smile on her face. Clara tracked the group's movements as they brought the mystery person close to her, putting them on their knees too. Her eyes popped open when she saw that it was Iroh! They were purposely keeping his face covered to not alert everyone there that it was him, in case someone were to tell Zuko, at least that's what Clara assumed.

"It appears that I'll have to remind you of what I said on your first day on this ship."

She didn't have time to blink before Ty Lee's quick hands struck Iroh. He exhaled through his teeth, the pain from his chi being blocked evident to Clara.

Ty Lee flipped over to Clara before she did the same thing to her.

"Ugh!" She felt like she couldn't move anything! Her hands that she had unconsciously turned into fists went slack. It wasn't as bad as before though. She could blink and she seemed to have kept her voice. One of the guards was holding her head up by her hair so she could watch Iroh.

With a signal from Azula, one of the soldiers that came in with the group brought out a long blade. He angled it so it was placed along the side of Iroh's neck and shoulder.

No!

Clara had to strain but managed to telekinetically reach out to the soldier's hand, stopping it from moving.

"Cut," Azula's command rang out clear to everyone. The soldier tried but Clara's 'grip' held him in place. Looking back and forth, noticing that something was wrong, Ty Lee quickly threw more jabs over Clara. It hurt like hell, but all of her focus was on the knife.

"Is there a problem?" Azula furrowed her brows as she stepped towards the soldier.

"I can't move my hand Princess...!" the man was confused and his voice sounded disturbed. His eyes snapped to Clara. A sigh left the Princess's lips before signaling to Ty Lee. A gleam of light flickered across Clara's vision before she felt something against her own neck.

"I know it won't cut you, but from what has been observed, it'll still hurt." She felt as Ty Lee pressed the dagger down in a slow zigzag motion over her neck from one side to the next. Tears pricked her eyes and spilled down her cheeks but she focused on protecting Iroh.

"I-" her voice broke but gritting her teeth she forced her lips to move, "I won't let you… hurt him!"

Azula's eyes narrowed before signaling to other soldiers. Five men came forward drawing short swords. Sweat began beading on Clara's forehead as she tried to expand her telekinesis to stop the men. Dread filled her stomach as she felt herself struggling. The energy was moving but not fast enough!

I'm too slow! I can't get to all of them!

Clara's breathing was speeding up as she felt all her anger coming forth. Her eyes felt hot but not from the tears. Everywhere seemed hot, her body, even the air around her.

"Stop it!" Clara's cry was ignored. Two of the five men reached Iroh. Swords raised up, Clara screamed.

"I...said...STOP IT!"

There was an explosion of light that blinded everyone. Clara rapidly blinked, trying to see where Iroh was. To her astonishment, she found herself floating above her body! Immediately, she looked at her hands and they were translucent!

Looking down, she saw that Iroh was still in front of her body and he was looking at her, her, not her body. He didn't appear afraid but seemed to know what was going to happen next because he then moved to get to the side of the training area.

Clara watched in stunned amazement as her body moved to stand. Her body was no longer being held down by soldiers. The men had been thrown back several feet from her. Her hair began to slowly move on its own. As she straightened up, flames appeared from her hands and slowly began to consume the rest of her. It spread up her arms and split off in the direction of her neck and chest. Once her feet and hair had been covered in white yellow flames, Clara watched as her body's eyes snapped open. Her eyes blazing brighter, they were terrified as they narrowed. Her whole body was beautifully engulfed in flames now.

"You finally revealed yourself Spirit," Azula's confident voice rang out throughout the training room. "Clara's" head snapped towards the Princess.

A second later her body moved at inhuman speed, fire streams aimed at the soldiers.

The men, obviously scared, dodged to avoid her flames.

"Stop her!" Azula yelled, collecting herself first before springing into action with Ty Lee following suit. Every soldier in the room moved forward, their loyalty helping to overcome their fear.

It was unreal for Clara, watching her body move in ways she had never seen outside of martial arts videos and advanced fire benders on the show. The fire hit her from the other benders but it didn't cause her body to pause for even a moment. Flipping and attacking all over the open area, Clara's body countered every attack thrown her way, following it up with fire blasts and fire streams. The nonbending soldiers came at her with swords and linked chains. The swords swung and hit only to melt when they came into contact with Clara's body. The chains swirled around her arms, legs, and neck. For a minute it looked like they held steady but Clara could see they too were being melted.

"KEEP HER THERE!" Azula ordered moving her body to form lightning.

Clara, still floating up in the air, watched as her body went stiff, and her head turned towards the Princess. A hiss came from Clara's body before an eruption of blue fire spread out from her and turned into a tornado of flames. The chains grew red hot, burning the soldiers' hands. When they let go of the chains, her body began running towards Azula. The Princess wasn't fast enough and was taken by surprise as Clara's body grabbed Azula by the neck, lifting her up with one hand. A barrier of fire that blazed with intensity was erected around Clara and her body with Azula. No soldier was able to even get close to the fire, thus were unable to intervene with Clara's body and their princess.

"Unhand me Spirit!" Azula wheezed as her hands tried to free herself, clawing at Clara's dimly lit hand. Clara, curiously watched as her body began to speak, her voice deep and had an echoing effect.

"This girl you have kept as a prisoner will no longer stand for all the cruelty and terrible deeds being done to her. Allow for her chakras to become balanced once more and you will SEE the power you desire manifest from her. She will not try to escape or run once you reach your home, but not for the reasons you have given her."

Clara's body lowered her hand, bringing Azula's face close to hers. Azula looked shaken, afraid, something Clara had not seen since she had been here.

"I ask that you treat her better," eyes narrowing, the hand that held Azula's throat tightened threateningly, "Do not take this threat lightly HUMAN. You will regret it DEARLY if I am brought forth again."

Clara's body dropped Azula as the fire barrier fell. The fire around her body died out, leaving her naked, just as Clara began to see the soldiers surrounding her body and the princess. Clara felt something similar to whiplash as her consciousness returned to her body. Blackness colored her vision as she heard a faint thud before oblivion took her.