Under the shroud of night, Azula tiptoed from Ikem's bedroom, clutching a small bag of gold to her chest as she gently shut the door behind her, to avoid awakening the slumbering fifty-year-old. Tucking the bag into her breast band, the princess adjusted her sister's borrowed, short bed-robe and placed an ear against Kiyi's bedroom door. Her younger sibling was definitely asleep at this hour and Azula contemplated just leaving at that very moment and leaving her sweet son with his aunt for his safety. The nagging in her heart would not allow her to part with the creation she created with the avatar, again, however. With a deep breath, Azula slowly twisted the door knob and crept stealthily into the teen's room.
Azula halted, nearly screaming at the sight of a strange woman, at least five years her senior, giving her half-sister, undoubtedly, the best time of her life from where the females were hanging off Kiyi's crimson bed with the sheets covering the floor and part of their heavily, perspiring bodies. Azula purposely shut the door with a low thud, loud enough for the couple to come back to reality and jerk their heads in her direction. The dark-haired, Earth Kingdom woman wiped her lips, looking Azula over as if she were prey while Kiyi's face lost all color immediately.
"Enjoy yourself?" Azula directed at her doe-eyed, little sister, a hint of a smile showing with her arms folded.
Oh, Mother would LOVE this! She thought, vindictively.
Her replacement was more like her than she was sure Ursa had guessed. She briefly thought of Ty Lee as her half-sister attempted to speak.
"I-I should…ask YOU the same," hissed Kiyi. "Thanks for occupying my dad. I'm sure he paid you well for your services as he does all his weekly whores".
Azula blinked twice, her smile fading instantly. She knew! Immediate shame of her last-ditch effort to coax money from her stingy step-father rose in her unstable stomach. "I did not touch your father," she said quickly.
Well it was the half-truth, at least. The man attempted more than once to take what belonged to the avatar, yet Azula had only allowed his lips access to her body. He was her mother's husband, afterall… She just could not force herself to turn away from that fact, though what happened between them was enough to awaken the dead woman if it were possible.
Ikem's weakness for Ursa was similar to Ozai's in that he was too enthralled by Azula's semblance to her mother to resist indulging himself. She had simply used the man's weakness for her benefit, of course, as she knew the look the moment she met him when her mother was the false Noriko. He had craved his wife's daughter then as he did when she stepped into his little cottage only hours ago. If she were not in a hurry to leave Hira'a for Republic City as fast as her little legs could carry her, she was sure that she could easily drain the poor widower for every cent that he was worth with simply her presence.
Yet, Azula needed to find her fiancé for reason that she would never have fathomed when they were enemies. The air felt different without him somehow. She needed him along with her son.
Azula looked to where Zaheer quietly slept in his crib. He had grown twice his size since she last saw him in the Fire Nation, meaning he would need more food, proper garments and a more stable schedule along with a proper education, all things that she could not afford right now, especially since she would be bedridden in a few months.
"So, this is awkward," remarked the woman with a tattoo on her upper arm and a fashion sense that rivaled Mai's for its bleakness.
Azula met her green eyes and she had to admit that she could understand the attraction Kiyi must have seen in the woman's stout lips, flawless skin and mixed heritage beauty.
"You do know she's thirteen, right?" Azula announced, pleasantly.
The woman immediately pushed away from the under-aged girl she had indulged, adjusting the skull pendant on her topknot, rapidly. "Shit, wow! Ok, I'm out of here," was her answer.
Kiyi stood to her feet. "No! Wait, Jun! I'm not! I'm 16, really!" She screamed after the woman as she tumbled out of the window and made a break for her beast just outside of the home. With a crack of her whip, the woman left a cloud of dust in her wake as she sped away.
Livid, Kiyi turned to face her sister, hands on her bare, newly forming hips. "Azula!" She sneered.
Waving the girl's display away, Azula reached into the crib for her child. "She was too old for you, anyway," said the elder sister. "Now, come on, we have to leave tonight".
Kiyi was about to lavish a wave of curses when she caught the last statement. "What? We?"
"Yes, we," said Azula with a roll of her eyes.
She hated having to repeat herself. "Soon, I will be regurgitating every meal and Zaheer needs a caretaker. I'm going to need your services in Republic City".
Though she felt as though she had just endured her first interview for a job, Kiyi beamed happily.
"Wow! This is great, but wait, my father?"
Azula placed a pacifier into Zaheer's mouth when his eyes slid open to greet her. Cradling him to her neck, she sighed impatiently. "He's going to be out for a while. I'm leaving on Appa tonight".
She stepped over the bedsheets to leave the room.
Appa? Kiyi shook her head, dismissing the little lie Azula had spoken easily earlier and hurriedly stuffed a duffle bag with her provisions, hurrying out of her room, nearly slamming into the pregnant princess's back when she came to a halt suddenly at the door.
"What is it?" Whispered Kiyi from behind her.
"Hush," commanded Azula, crouching down with Zaheer held close. Kiyi followed suit. "Did you hear that?" Asked the princess.
The younger girl held her breath to listen. It was several moments later when she heard her nephew's loud flatulence followed by silence. Azula looked to the child, holding him away from her chest as if he were an alien. Kiyi could not contain her giggle as she took the baby.
"Weirdo, it's just Mr. Stink-Pot here. He's been gassy lately. Mom once said it's because he's getting bigger".
Holding the baby up, she sniffed his cloth diaper. "Whew! Somebody needs changing badly. It's a wonder he's not screaming the town awake right now".
Noting her sister's silence, Kiyi raised an eyebrow. "Well, aren't you going to change him?"
Azula looked as if she had seen Ursa's ghost, quickly shaking her head and biting her bottom lip, trying her best to show face in her nervousness.
"Um, I can get his bottles. You do the honor".
Kiyi gave her a pout as Azula hurriedly scampered away to the ice chest to retrieve the remaining bottles of milk. The young mother was human after all and her little sister realized it at that very moment. Ursa's last words to her played in her head.
"She was my daughter, Kiyi, like you".
The teenager suddenly understood why their worlds continued to collide unintentionally. She doubted the prudent princess would ever admit it, but Azula needed Kiyi more than she realized. Being a so-called peasant had forced Kiyi and her mother's close relationship. Unlike Azula, she had learned how to take care of herself. She was very sure that the princess had probably never wiped her own rear, let alone touch a child's when there were nurses and servants all around the Fire Lord Zuko's palace to do it for her.
She waited until Azula was done packing the food for their travels before beginning.
"What are you waiting for? He stinks!" Snapped Azula when she returned from the kitchen.
"He's yours and there are no servants here or where we're going so you gotta learn. Plus, you will have another in a few months, so what then?"
Azula sighed dramatically, taking a seat on a pillow around the dining table with her arms folded, though she kept her gaze on her sister and Zaheer.
"I know the basics," said the princess, stubbornly. "It has just been awhile since I've had the…opportunity".
Kiyi sat on her heels next to the princess. A part of her wanted to ask why she had left Zaheer with Katara and Aang. She, of course, had learned some of the mystery behind her nephew's birth from the waterbender, whom she had grown to have a love/hate relationship with. The woman was so stuck in her water tribe ways sometimes and could be just as stubborn as her big sister, but there was a maternal way about her that drew the younger firebender. They would talk about the ways of the water tribe and how different it was from the fire nation along with her adventures saving the world with Zaheer's father.
"Were you afraid to be a mom?" Kiyi suddenly asked, removing the child's soiled diaper. Of course, the princess did not answer, so she continued her work. "Ok, well, it's a cloth diaper so it can be reused, but we'll just toss this one because we have plenty for now, here," with that she tossed the diaper at her sister without looking and added. "Take care of that for me. So, next you wipe him off. Hey, think you can heat up some water…."
Kiyi paused, looking up to find that she was talking to herself. Zaheer's hand discovered his member as he whined loudly. Seconds after she removed the child's hand, and used a towel to wipe it, she heard violent retching just outside of the slightly ajar door, followed by Azula returning, one hand over her mouth.
"Are you done being dramatic?" Teased Kiyi, secretly crying with laughter at the sad excuse for a new mother.
Azula shook her head, running back outside. Kiyi sighed loudly. At this rate, they may as well pack her father's things as well.
"Stop that!" She hissed at Zaheer, removing his curious hand again. "You should have learned from your mother to leave that alone".
The baby moved his mouth as if attempting to speak back. Kiyi gave him a smile and kisses on his chubby cheeks. "Oh, you're such a cute, wittle, avatar, baby," she cooed, blowing into his belly, softly. "Even if your mom sucks".
"Kiyi," The baritone voice made her shoulders shake.
Turning to see her father's disapproving face, the door opened in time for Azula to emerge pausing in the doorway. The three of them looked between the other in an awkward moment of silence.
"Y-You promised to leave," announced Ikem, shakily, suddenly unable to hold his stare with either of the women in his home.
Azula glanced at her little sister. "Finish with that, Kiyi," she ordered passively. "Your father and I need to discuss our new arrangements". She said without a hint to her inner thoughts as she closed the gap between herself and her stepfather, grasping his shoulder with one hand, caressing his arm before turning him around wordlessly.
The two disappeared down the hallway. Kiyi hurriedly heated a pot of water and cleaned Zaheer, ignoring the muffled moans and soft knocks along the wall echoing from down the hall. Picking up her nephew, she exited to the porch and sat down on the steps of her childhood home. The moon was full overhead, stars shining brilliantly, illuminating the quiet, boring village that she had known all her life.
She wondered what adventures awaited her, Azula and Zaheer in Republic City as well as what happened between the princess and the avatar. Azula was such a mystery to her half-sister. She had heard stories of her being a prodigal firebender, she had seen her thrust lightning and intense blue fire with the cold precision of her presence. It was not until after her sister had kidnapped her that she had her first conversation with the woman.
All of the children were asleep in the Kemurikage's secret, cramped hide out. All except the fire lord's youngest sister. Kiyi kept her eyes open for any opportunity to escape. She had tried numerous times to replicate her brother's fire forms to no avail. Yet, she was determined to find a way out. No way was she going to let these mean women keep her locked away when her big brother was the amazing fire lord.
The sound of the door opening made Kiyi pull the covers from over her head. She looked to where a single woman, dressed in the black gowns stood, a blue flame in hand, making her face seem very, very scary. Kiyi tried not to shake as the woman neared her bottom bunk, absent of her mask. She recognized her from Hira'a.
"You-You're that…" she began when the blue light flickered away and she was seized with a soft, hot hand against her mouth and an arm around her small body.
Squirming, Kiyi tried to scream someone, anyone awake, but was lifted out of the room and taken to another room before being shoved onto a wooden stool with a table. Kiyi lifted her tiny fists as the woman hovered over her. Surprisingly a little doll was thrust into her lap.
"Huh?" She asked, suddenly recognizing her most prized possession stolen from her when she was kidnapped. "How? How did you get this?" She asked, squeezing the doll to gather her courage as she looked the woman directly in the eye.
"Do you like it?" Asked the woman. "You like it, don't you? Along with fairy tales and stories of being a princess, yes?"
Kiyi bit her lip, unsure of what to say. "Y-Yes".
"Do you know who I am?"
The girl nodded. "You're that lady. The fire lord's sister…my sister, Princess Azula?"
A snarl crossed Azula's lips as she looked the child before her over. Taking a seat on the edge of the table within arm's reach, Azula finally spoke after the uncomfortable stare-down.
"She loves you, you know?"
"Who?" Asked Kiyi.
"That woman who tucks you in bed at night, kisses your forehead, gave you that doll. You were the little girl she always wanted".
Kiyi's bottom lip trembled. The woman who did that did not look like her mom anymore, instead, she looked like this woman. "She's not my mother," Kiyi said bitterly. "Her face".
"A mask, Darling. We girls wear them all the time whether it be paint, a smile or a physical one," said the princess, pointing to the gray mask she had donned, now lying on the wooden table in front of her. "The mask she wore for you that grins and lies. Without the mask, you would have seen who she really was and why on earth would she show you that when you would react like this? You were made to replace me after all".
Kiyi felt confused. Her mother's face change had scarred her, she was afraid of that woman now, she was not her warm, sweet mom anymore. She jumped at shadows on the walls, cried constantly and hovered over her like at flying hog-monkey. She did not know how to react to this new woman.
"Well, if it was just a mask, does that mean she was never my mom?" Asked the child innocently.
Azula looked as if she were confused by the question. Opening her mouth and closing it, she tapped her chin in thought. "She will always be your mother. No matter what mask she wears…" Pausing, she stood. "Listen, I need to know if you can bend?"
"Huh?"
"Can you firebend, Child? It's not a difficult question even for a peasant".
Kiyi shook her head. "The fire lord tried to teach me," she admitted.
"Hmph, Zuzu teaching anyone to firebend would make me lose my dinner. Ok, show me what you have learned from Zuzu".
Kiyi placed the doll on the table and stood on shaky knees as her half-sister watched, arms crossed, smirking at her stance. "Well?" She urged her on.
Taking a deep breath, Kiyi punched, hurling her fist towards Azula's face, surprisingly a tiny flame caught the woman's shoulder, at which she snubbed with a flicker of her middle finger as if it were dust and rolled her eyes.
"Hmph," commented Azula, rising to her feet. "Too bad, that could've been your way out. Unfortunately, you had a weak teacher".
"Can you show me!" Piped Kiyi quickly. "Please? How did you do that at my home? Your fire was BLUE!"
"That was nothing". Her smirk widening, Azula made a formation, suddenly charring the steel door with lightning. "I can do way more than that, Darling".
"Whoa!" Gasped Kiyi, not sure whether to be deathly afraid or excited. "I want to!"
Azula shrugged. "You'll never be able to. You're afraid to throw a punch, let alone, create the heavens in your hands".
The remark set the little girl off. With a stamp of her foot, she hissed, "I'm NOT scared!"
"Face our mother, first, conquer your fears, then we'll talk".
"I don't carry luggage, Darling," came the smooth voice of her older sister from behind. Kiyi watched her walk past, stepping down from the porch, stretching as if she were preparing for a midnight stroll. "The bison is hidden amongst the trees on the outskirts of the town. Give me him," she directed, reaching for Zaheer.
"Did you wash your hands, at least?" Hissed Kiyi, vindictively.
Azula's eyes flashed a wave of emotions before returning a cold, piercing gaze making the girl modify her meaning. "Ya' know, after you threw out Zaheer's diaper? It's ok if you threw it out, remember? We have enough to last until we get to Republic City".
The princess did not answer, yet did not reach for her son again. Instead she picked up Kiyi's duffle bag and Zaheer's bag of extra provisions and turned to lead the way to Appa.
#
Ty Lee felt like a sore pinky toe as she watched Katara run back and forth, throwing hers and Aang's children's clothing into two bags. Ty Lee watched as the woman huffed in frustration before sitting on the fire lord's massive bed next to the acrobat, mumbling curses under her breath with tears forming in her eyes.
"So?" Katara suddenly asked, eyes red and livid, flashing at the acrobat.
The girl had been caught wondering how a pretty woman like Zuko's "almost" new wife could live with so…few...provisions, no make-up, hair products.
"So…I guess, we're leaving tonight?" Asked Ty Lee, sweetly.
"Ugh!" Groaned Katara. "You're really an idiot, you know that? I mean, I swear if I didn't have to deal with the only dumb…" Her voice trailed as Ty Lee's signature smile faltered.
Katara rubbed her shoulder, instinctively, remembering the girl's skilled fingers in that moment. Taking a deep breath, she started over, taking a seat on the floor in the middle of hers and her children's clothing strewn about the red carpet.
"I'm sorry," she began, closing her eyes. "It's just that Zuko knows what I went through with his sister and Aang. I mean, I was there when she had Zaheer. I was their midwife, Ty Lee! Do you know how that felt? To watch the person you love give the same looks you thought belonged only to you to someone else?"
The news shocked the acrobat. She knew very little of Azula and Aang's past together. It was just like…poof suddenly the woman she had loved for years was in love with someone else. Ty lee had felt angry, used and abandoned, but no one seemed to understand before. She began to see the water tribe woman with unclouded eyes. It had to be difficult for the mother of three.
Ty Lee had felt horrible for being the one to cause Katara more pain. Mai had cleverly made sure to make enough noise to prevent entry into her guestroom and it had not been difficult to discern the fire lord's low moans of passion mixed in with Izumi's mother's dramatically, fake screams. Leaving her perch atop the bed, Ty Lee hurried to wrap her arms around the sobbing woman's shaking shoulders.
One heartbreak was enough to last a lifetime, but this poor woman had suffered two in one lifetime. The acrobat could not fathom her pain.
"I wish," said Katara, clutching Ty Lee's arm for support. "I wish…"
"Shh..." comforted Ty Lee, squeezing her tighter.
She knew the feeling of emptiness too well. Having to face the world alone after your life had been consumed by another person. Azula had selfishly taken her away from her calling, selfishly made her fall madly in love during their travels only to leave her dying to rekindle a lost love of over a thousand breaths before tossing her away for another.
"What do I do, Ty Lee?" Whispered Katara. "I have three children with Aang and he just left me. Mai had one and Zuko runs to her like a father should, I can't blame him. What would you do?"
Ty Lee's eyes widened from behind Katara's back. "Y-You are crying for Aang?" She asked to be sure.
"I miss him so much. Zuko treated me wonderful, but I only chose him after…"
The news sparked ideas in Ty Lee's mind. Waves of thoughts swam like turtleducks when she finally asked, "If…If I knew where Aang was," she paused, letting the woman go. She looked her directly in the eyes to access her aura and learn if she could be trusted before continuing. "If I took you to Aang, would you take him back? Even if Azula is there? Would you fight for what is yours?"
Katara wiped her face with her arm and sniffled. "Spirits, I would," she answered, breathlessly. "I'm not afraid of Azula. I've dealt with her before. Her arrogance is her downfall. She's a walking time-bomb and I don't want her to hurt Aang".
Ty Lee appreciated her honesty and hid a smile, standing she searched the room for loose papers and a writing utensil. Katara slowly started packing again while the acrobat wrote words on a scroll from Zuko's desk. Hastily, she called for a guard outside of the fire lord's bedroom.
"Make sure this gets to Republic City, immediately. Don't tell anyone," she ordered.
The Kyoshi Warrior nodded and hurried away. Ty Lee shut the door behind her, donning a pleasant smile that confused the waterbender, she spoke brightly. "Come, let's get you packed. We need to leave tonight. It's going to be at least a day's ride by airship".
Katara cocked an eyebrow.
"Smile," offered Ty Lee. "You will walk through life easier with a smile on your face, My Friend. Now go get what's yours".
#
The thin air in his nostrils was the only evidence Aang could use to judge the time of day. Barely two days had passed since he was taken from his princess and held prisoner by the unlikely team of Kei Lo and Long Feng. His patience was rapidly dwindling as they continued moving towards wherever they were going. Few stops had been made along the route and when asked about the captured man by border patrols, either Kei Lo or Long Feng would simply answer, "A bounty for King Kuei," allowing them to pass without further questioning.
Now, however, the avatar felt his opportunity approaching. The movement beneath his feet was ceasing and the door opening. When his mask was removed, he found that he had guessed correctly that it was well into the night, recognizing his surroundings almost immediately under the full, bright moon. He and the fire lord along with earth king Kuei had worked tirelessly to build the city around him. It was to be the symbol of hope, the city on a hill.
"Republic City," he gasped.
He had not returned to see the new infrastructure, but from the looks of things, the city was slowly thriving with its cobblestoned streets and new, towering buildings. It made Fire Lord Zuko's Caldera seem antiquated with its modernism.
Perhaps when this is over, Azula and I could stay here for a while. He thought, trying to keep his optimism.
He thought on the princess and her whereabouts. At the very least she had Appa, but he worried for her and his son constantly. People would recognize her immediately as the conqueror of Ba Sing Se or the killer of the avatar etc. Yes, the courts had forgiven her thanks to the avatar's support, but the world was obviously not ready to do so.
"Let's go, Avatar," Kei Lo's voice called, low and dangerous, pulling on his platinum handcuffs. "No funny bending business while we're laying over here. Believe me you're safer with us," he warned.
Avatar Aang understood his meaning. Along with the innocent that sought the opportunity to rebuild in this city of hope and dreams, there was an uglier, darker and fast growing side to the this place that was slowly establishing itself in the bowels of the city. Criminal masterminds sought to gain as well, a fact that had been brought to the highly-esteemed council of nations numerous times. Due to his budding romance with the princess, Aang had ignored the calls for assistance for some time leaving the criminals to further expand their extorting, illegal empires.
Kei Lo guided the avatar to a lavish nightclub in the upper echelons of the city where patrons were enjoying a festive night of enumerated dancing and gambling. The men did not enter through the packed front of the club, however. Long Feng carefully directed them to a side door that led to a series of steps.
At the bottom of the staircase, Aang glanced around at several men gathered around a round table playing Pai Sho. There were men dressed in dark, elaborate suits, with hats or fancy hair styles along with long, fancy cigars and cups of various spirits, standing in front of a glass mirror that overlooked a rustic arena where two earthbenders looking to destroy one another below.
The brawl inciting the underground crowd, reminded him of his first encounter with the Blind Bandit, Toph Beifong, bringing a warm sensation in his chest at the memory. Toph had been made police chief in the city, perhaps he could…
"Any wagers, Avatar?"
Aang turned to see a Northern Water Tribesman, seated at the head of the Pai Sho table with a water tribe woman on his knee and fire nation woman holding a drink for him. The stranger smiled deviously.
"It is good to finally meet you. The name's Yakone. Welcome to my world, Savior".