After Ursa told the story of what happened in the North Pole, she suggested that the younger members seated should go settle into the palace. Azula rose and gestured for the others to follow her.
"I have one of the few rooms that has access to the outside." Azula said as she led them to a hallway. Masked guards stood waiting for her, but she ignored them. "I bet some people don't see the sun for days when they live in one of the internal rooms."
Zuko and the others stayed quiet as they walked, cautious of the guards that now escorted them. Azula chattered on about the palace - how quiet it got, the secret grotto a few levels down, and the odd creatures that could burrow through stone - all the while oblivious.
When they got to her room, Azula shut the door before the guards could enter. Just as Zuko turned, she launched herself at him, hugging him tightly.
"Oh Zuko, I've been so scared!" She whispered sharply. Zuko held onto her upper arms, prying her off gently.
"Azula, are you crying?" He asked, bewildered.
Azula sniffled and rubbed her eyes, taking a step back.
"I'm sorry. I know you think I need to be stronger." She said.
"I don't think there's any way you could live in a place like this and not cry." Sokka said.
Azula quieted and nodded, looking down at her feet.
"Azula, have they been treating you well?" Zuko asked.
"Of course. Ukano and Michi are wonderful, and Tom-Tom is such a wonderful baby." Azula answered, looking up at him in earnest.
"And Mai?" Zuko questioned. Azula's face flickered with an expression he couldn't catch.
"Mai is… discontent." Azula said carefully. Looking back at the door, Azula grabbed Zuko's sleeve and dragged him further into the room. Sokka and Katara followed hesitantly.
"You must tell mother I've been doing what she asked." Azula said urgently, her fingers twisting into Zuko's sleeve.
"Azula, we need to talk." Zuko said gently, once again prising his sister's grip off of him.
Azula's face paled.
"I haven't done anything wrong." She whispered.
"Azula, it's not." Zuko stopped and sighed. "It's about the voice in your head. It's about… my face."
His sister examined him, taking a step back.
"You mean my nightmares?" She asked.
"Is there somewhere we can talk freely?" Zuko asked. Azula looked over at Sokka and Katara, but Zuko touched her arm.
"I mean the palace." He clarified.
"Ukano is harmless, as you know. And I think Mai is more interested in mother at the moment. We should be fine here." Azula said. She gestured to the low table and the cushions surrounding it. They all sat down and Azula looked at Zuko expectantly.
"Remember in the Spirit World, how my face was burned?" Zuko asked.
Azula, kneeling, straightened and folded her hands in her lap. She nodded, but stayed quiet.
"I'm not your brother." He said.
In a flash, Zuko was hit by Azula's cushion. As he tossed it aside, Azula grabbed his wrist, moving behind him. He bit back his yelp as Azula wrenched his arm back, inhaling sharply as a blade of blue fire went to his throat.
"What did you do with my brother?" Azula hissed. Sokka and Katara stood but Zuko held up his free hand.
"Speak Spirit!" Azula demanded, pining Zuko's arm higher on his back.
"Azula, I'm not a spirit." He wheezed.
"Then why are you wearing my brother's face?" She questioned.
"I am Zuko, just not your Zuko." He answered.
"Please, princess," Sokka said softly. "Let him explain."
Azula hesitated but released her hold on Zuko, dispelling her fire. She walked over to where Zuko tossed her sitting cushion, kicking it up with her foot and grabbing it neatly in midair.
"Where is my brother?" Azula asked.
"I don't know." Zuko said. "But what worries me most is that my sister is in your head."
Frowning, Azula touched her temple lightly.
"But she's…" She started.
"Deranged?" Zuko offered dryly. Azula's frown deepened.
"How did this happen?" She questioned.
"Azula, would you please sit?" Zuko asked.
"Here, princess." Sokka said as he stood. Clutching her cushion to her chest, Azula regarded him with newfound suspicion.
"How are you involved in this?" She asked.
"I belong in this world, if that's what you're asking." Sokka replied with a grin. "You can sit across from him, and I'll take this."
As he grabbed the sides of the cushion, Azula lowered her eyes and let go. Confused, Zuko watched in silence as Sokka took his place at Zuko's left.
"From what I've gathered, the Fire Lord performed some sort of rite in an attempt to find the Avatar. He used mother's blood, since she's related to Roku. Whatever happened, it didn't pull the Avatar, it pulled my sister and I." Zuko began.
"Pulled from where?" Azula asked.
"Another world? Another timeline? Things are happening differently here, and it's a year in my past." Zuko answered.
"So you swapped with my brother?"
"I think so. But I'm not sure."
"He's not sticking around in your head though."
"Sometimes I wish he was. Then I'd know what's going on."
Azula went quiet, mulling things over.
"You want proof." Katara said.
Startled, Azula looked at her.
This was the closest Zuko had seen the two together and it immediately set his nerves on edge. But Azula looked confused and she nodded.
"I certainly needed it." Katara said, looking over at Sokka.
"But it's difficult with things not quite the same." Sokka added.
Azula looked down at the table, taping her fingers against it lightly.
"The Azula in my head, she's had a lot to say. It makes sense if you're being honest." She said. After a moment, she looked up. "Why does she hate you so much?"
Zuko winced despite himself.
"It's a long story." He said.
"Well I love my brother. Zuko is the only person in the world I can trust, and we were always together. If you're saying he's gone…" Tears welled up in Azula's eyes and Zuko felt himself panic.
Sokka was the one to reach out and touch her hand. Surprised, Azula blinked as she looked at his hand.
"He's trying to find a way back. Zuko thinks the Avatar can help." Sokka said.
"And hopefully get that other Azula out of your head." Katara remarked. "Zuko's told us some horror stories."
Azula whimpered and Sokka shot Katara a dirty look.
"You and I had very different childhoods, but I'm still Zuko. I'm someone you can trust." Zuko said.
"How can I know that?" Azula asked.
Zuko lowered his head, thinking. There was plenty in this world that overlapped with his own experiences. But his home life seemed to be the part with the biggest divergence. What could possibly exist in both timelines when they turned out so fundamentally different?
Except there was one thing in common with these Azulas.
"You started calling me Zuzu when you were five." Zuko said slowly, then met Azula's eye. "It's what we share of our names; Zuko and Azula. That's why Zuzu is your nickname too."
Tears fell from Azula's eyes and Zuko laughed lightly.
"How did you end up being such a crybaby?" He asked gently. Azula chuckled and wiped her eyes, sniffling a little.
"Mother says the same thing." She said.
"Princess, I think you're going to be our biggest help." Sokka said.
Azula faced him, smiling.
"You can call me Azula." She said, looking down at where his hand still held hers. "All things considered, I think it'd be okay."
"Okay then, Azula." Sokka said and smiled back at her.
"What is happening here?" Katara asked. Azula jumped back, pulling her hands into her lap and her cheeks turning red.
"I'm just trying to be nice, Katara." Sokka shot back.
"Oh right. A princess locked up in a palace and here comes Wolf Warrior Sokka. It's right out of one of those spirit tales Gran-Gran would tell us." Katara retorted.
"That's not…" Sokka sputtered and his own face darkened.
"Whatever happened to them being the enemy?" Katara mocked.
Sokka, exasperated, chucked his cushion at Katara's face.
As the two shouted at each other, Azula looked at Zuko from across the table. They smiled at each other, appreciating the moment of normalcy.
Zuko wondered what she was remembering and he felt a little sad he didn't have anything happy to attach to his own memories of Azula.