Naruto and Azula walked toward the village from a long day of shopping. It had been days since Azula's first session with Inoichi, and she had gotten a little bit of her fire back. She was showing more emotions, but she still needed Naruto's constant care.
The pair walked side by side as they entered the busy village market. Azula looked around and saw many open shops, and cart vendors trying to sell their wares. She turned and saw a mother with her daughter, buying some fruit at one of the carts. The little girl had a large smile on her face as she played with her doll. Her mother was talking to the fruit vendor, but always seemed to be able to know when her daughter was about to leave the cart, even without looking at her.
Azula looked away, in despair, and turned to look at Naruto. He didn't seem to be his usual happy self. He seemed to be looking around the market with a sense of longing in his eyes.
Naruto noticed that Azula was looking at him and gave her a small smile. He didn't want to show her that anything was wrong. He sometimes hated visiting the market. He watched the families interact and it made him green with envy. He watched a father buy his son some candy, and the smile the son gave his father when he got the treat.
"Is something wrong?" he asked Azula, trying to hide his longing.
She stared into his eyes. "You look sad," she stated, simply.
"I'm fine," Naruto stated with his masked smile. "There's nothing wrong."
Azula frowned. "You're lying," she replied, a hint of anger in her voice. "I don't like liars."
Naruto looked at Azula, quite surprised that she saw right through him. He pulled her toward an alley. "Was I that obvious?" he asked her, as he let his loneliness show on his face.
Azula shook her head. "It's not obvious," she stated, softly. "I have the same eyes as well."
Naruto looked down at Azula, her eyes full of sadness and longing. He sat down on the ground and motioned for Azula to sit next to him. Azula looked at him for a few moments, then joined him on the ground. He pulled her close and stared out into the bustling market.
"I grew up an orphan," Naruto started, looking toward Azula. The sadness of the memories spread across his face. "I was hated by the village for something I had no control over. On the day I was born, the village was attacked by a giant fox, known as the Kyuubi no Yoko. The Fourth Hokage, my father, went to fight the beast and try to stop it from destroying the village. The only way to stop the beast was to seal the beast away in a new born. I was that new born. Both my parents died during the sealing, and I was left alone." Naruto stopped for a moment as he remembered his childhood, the glares, the beatings, and always being alone. "I spent most of my childhood, alone. The market was especially bad. I watched families, happy together, while I sat alone. Even though a lot has changed since then, coming to the market and seeing the families still hurts."
Azula looked at Naruto as he finished speaking. The years of loneliness were painfully evident on his face. Even for one so young, she could see the outlines of tears shed against his skin. She looked at the man before her, and couldn't think of what to do. She had never seen someone show their weakness openly. It was unsettling for her to say the least. Never in her life did she have to be the comforter, rather than the comforted.
Before she could think anymore, Naruto had already stood up, and gave her a sincere smile. "Let's go," he said, his voice seemingly lighter. "We have some shopping to do." He offered Azula his hand, and after a moment of hesitation, she took his hand. Naruto slowly helped her to her feet. Azula was not ready for the sudden pull and tripped over her feet, causing her to fall into Naruto's chest. The pair looked into each other eyes, faces inches away.
Naruto blushed slightly at having Azula so close. He could feel her body pressed against his and it made him feel hot. He looked into Azula's bright amber eyes and couldn't help but feel drawn to her.
Azula looked up at Naruto and was equally drawn into him. He was so different from any man she had met. While her father was cold, calculating, and unloving, Naruto was kind, caring, and full of compassion. She didn't understand what she felt when she was near him. He made her feel safe, as well as making her heart beat faster and make her body feel hot.
The pair just stood there, Naruto holding Azula in his arms. Naruto was lost in Azula's eyes and Azula, in Naruto's arms. Their faces were inching toward each other. Suddenly a loud crash interrupted the pair.
They quickly broke apart, each trying to hide their reddened faces. Azula hid hers better than Naruto. Naruto gave Azula a small smile. "Let's go," he said again and held out his hand. Azula took it and the pair joined the market crowd.
As soon as they left the alley, they made their way through the crowd to a large shop at the edge of the market. Azula stood next to Naruto as they made their way through the crowd. The great numbers of people frightened her, and she moved closer to Naruto.
Suddenly Azula was knocked away from Naruto, her hand slipping from her protector. She looked around and couldn't find him in the crowd. She slowly turned, hopelessly lost in the crowd.
"Naruto," she called out but to no avail. Everyone just walked past her, minding their own business. She called out his name again but no answer came. As she continued to call out, she noticed that many people stared at her with annoyance in their eyes.
"See, they hate you." Ozai's voice said to Azula as she continued her search.
"Be quiet," Azula said to Ozai as she looked around.
"He left you," Ozai stated with a laugh. "He is never coming back."
"You're wrong," Azula shouted. "You're wrong."
Ozai laughed. "He left you here amongst your enemies, "Ozai shouted.
Azula looked around scared, when suddenly someone touched her shoulder causing her to turn around. She saw a man with pineapple shaped hair.
"Hey, you ok," he asked Azula, a bored expression on his face.
Azula looked at him for a moment before bolting. She looked around and saw people pointing at her.
"See, everyone hates you," Ozai stated as a panicked Azula looked around. "That man was there to kill you."
It seemed that everyone was watching her run, Ozai's voice ringing through her mind.
-With Naruto-
Naruto felt Azula's hand leave his and he quickly turned. He tried to find Azula but she was lost in the crowd.
"Damn!" Naruto said to himself as he looked around for Azula. He quickly jumped to the roofs. Unfortunately he could not find her. He quickly searched the crowd by creating twenty Shadow clones. Unfortunately they were unable to find her either.
"Where can she be?" Naruto said to himself as he hopped from rooftop to rooftop. His eyes quickly scanned the crowd for the lost girl but to no avail, suddenly he saw Shikimaru heading toward him, an annoyed look on his face.
Naruto waved over to Shikimaru. "Hey!" he shouted, waving his arms frantically.
Shikimaru looked at Naruto with his patented bothersome look. "Troublemaking blonde," Shikimaru grumbled. "What do you need Naruto?"
"I need your help finding someone," Naruto stated, the urgency evident in his voice.
Shikimaru sighed. "Who are you looking for?" he asked.
"Her name is Azula," Naruto stated. "She's new to the village and we got separated at the market. She a little smaller than I, black hair, and amber eyes. Have you seen her?"
Shikimaru nodded. "Yeah, I ran into her a few minutes ago," he stated. "She was freaking out and I tried to help. Unfortunately, she ran off."
Naruto nodded, a frown spread across her face. "Do you know which direction she headed in?"
Shikimaru nodded. "Yeah, she headed toward the Memorial Stone," he replied. Naruto took off running in that direction. Shikimaru watched the dust trail Naruto left, "troublemaking blonde."
-With Azula-
Azula stopped running, and found herself in an open field with a few trees. Little children ran past her, while their parents watched from afar.
She looked around desperate to find a place to hide, to hide from the hatred.
"They will find you," Ozai voice stated with satisfaction. "There is no place to hide for a monster, like yourself."
Azula ignored her father's voice and quickly moved through the park. She turned a corner and saw more people. She stopped in her tracks and quickly went another way.
"Run, run as fast as you can," Ursa's voice echoed in her mind. "If you don't, they'll catch you."
Azula tried to ignore the voices, but they filled her mind. Ursa was calling her a monster and Ozai was telling her that everyone hated her.
She ran into the trees and found a shaded area away from everyone. It was a small clearing with five trees surrounding it. She sat there alone, her knees pulled up against her chest.
"They will find you," Ursa sang in her mind. "They will find you, and end you."
Suddenly, Inoichi voice entered her mind.
"When you're in trouble and can't fight, go to your safe place," Inoichi reminded her.
Azula closed her eyes and pictured the Hall of Fire Lords, with its towering columns and the stern faces of her ancestors. Her parents's voices faded as she felt protected by her grandfather.
She slowly opened her eyes and looked around her small area of trees. She had stopped the voices on her own. She alone had made them stop. She felt a sense of pride as she felt a bit of control return to her.
Suddenly Azula heard her name being called. She listened as the sound of Naruto's voice filled the void. He was looking for her. Azula slowly got up and headed toward the treeline. She looked out and saw Naruto standing near a strange looking black stone. He frantically looked around for her, panic evident on his face. She saw the fear in his eyes. She didn't understand what was wrong.
She slowly walked out. "I'm over here," she called and Naruto turned toward the sound. He looked her in the eyes and the fear in his eyes slowly drained away. He rushed over to her and pulled her into tight hug.
He held her tight, much to Azula's delight. He loosened the hug a bit and looked into her eyes. "I'm so glad you're ok."
Azula just nodded. "I am fine," she replied but Naruto knew she was lying.
"You were not ok," he said with sadness. "I lost you and you were alone. I am supposed to always be here for you."
Azula slowly nodded. "It's true. I was frightened, at first," she said as she leaned her head into Naruto's chest. "I didn't know where you were and I didn't know where to go. The voices tried to break me and I ran. I ran aimlessly 'til I found a place to hide." She pulled herself closer to Naruto. "Even though I was alone, for the first time, I was able to make the voices stop, all on my own."
Naruto looked down at Azula and saw the fire in her eyes grow. He saw that she was becoming herself again. He didn't say anything, contented to holding her close.
-A few days later-
It had been three days since Naruto and Azula were separated at the market, and the pair headed out to the village once again. Naruto had Azula learn a few places in the village so if they ever get separated again Azula would have a meeting place to wait for Naruto. They were currently headed to the Yamanaka residence for Azula's session with Inoichi. After the session they headed to the hospital, to get a check-up Azula. The pair walked side by side through the village as the morning sun splashed across their path.
Soon, Yamanaka's flower shop came into view with Inoichi standing outside, waiting for the pair. He waved them over and they headed inside. Naruto stopped in the living room while Inoichi and Azula headed into Inoichi's office. Naruto sat down on the couch and sighed. He closed his eyes and went to talk to Kyuubi.
-With Azula-
Azula and Inoichi sat in the office, an unsettling silence settled in between them. Azula was still worried that something would go wrong and she would never be rid of the voices. Even though she was worried, she felt that she could successfully make them go away.
Inoichi looked over Azula noting every little behavior. She had changed a bit from their last visit. She was not as fidgety as she once was. Her body language showed that she was a bit more confident in herself, but the fear was still evident. The biggest change he noticed was her eyes. They seemed to have a small fire burning in them.
Inoichi smiled. "How have you been Azula?" he asked her.
Azula looked up at him. "I am doing better," she replied, a slight confidence in her voice.
Inoichi nodded, writing a few things down. "That is good," he replied. "What brought this about?"
Azula was silent for a moment." I was able to stop the voices on my own," Azula stated. "I did as you said, and went to my safe place. Once there, the voices were gone."
Inoichi nodded. "That is great," he stated. "Now, are you ready to continue what we worked on last session?'
Azula nodded. "Lie down for me," he said as he started the jutsu.
-In Azula's mind-
Azula and Inoichi found themselves standing in the Hall of Fire Lords. The pictures of every Fire Lord were watching over them. Azula seemed to be at peace in the hall. Inoichi walked around the hall and headed toward the entrance. Azula watch him for a moment not wanting to leave the safety of hall, but soon followed after.
They headed out of the hall and saw the broken landscape, but Inoichi was surprised to see some of the floating pieces had gone back into place. The area around the hall was slowly coming together. He was able to make out a garden area as well as some half rebuilt buildings. The pair walked around and soon found a small pond that was half missing.
Azula looked over the pond. "This was where I played with Mai and Ty Lee," Azula said as she looked over the pond. "We would come here after school and play near the pond."
Inoichi nodded. "Who are Mai and Ty Lee?" he asked as he sat down against a tree.
"They were my friends," Azula stated with sadness. "I met them when I went to the Royal Fire Academy for Girls. We became fast friends. Mai was very quiet and didn't show much emotion, while Ty Lee was a bubbly girl who wore her heart on her sleeve." Inoichi watched as the scenery changed and the pair were suddenly standing on top of a building that resembled a prison. Inoichi and Azula watched as Mai stopped the tram systems, letting the people on board the gondola, get away. He watched as Mai told Azula that she loved Azula's brother more then she feared Azula. As the pair was about to fight, the brown hair girl stopped Azula by doing some weird martial art. "They betrayed me. Mai chose my brother over me. I was going to put an end to Mai for her betrayal, but Ty Lee stopped me."
The pair soon found themselves back at back at the half pond. Azula sat at the edge looking out onto it. Inoichi walked over and sat down next to her.
"That must have really hurt." He said as he sat next to Azula. "One's friends are very important and betrayal is hard, especially when it's from such good friends."
Azula was momentarily silent. "Why did they betray me?" tears slowly falling down her face.
Inoichi pulled into a hug. "It could have been many things," he said in a fatherly voice.
Azula continued to cry so Inoichi held her close. He couldn't help but want to protect her. As a father, he hated seeing a girl so broken. He stroked her hair and held her like he would hold Ino, when she was sad.
"Let it out," he said as he rocked Azula back and forth. The pair sat by the lake, the cries of Azula filling the air. After a few minutes Azula ran out of tears. She looked up at Inoichi and he gave her a smile. She couldn't understand the warmth he gave out. It was a different version then Naruto's but it was still a warmth she desired.
Inoichi helped Azula to her feet, giving her a fatherly smile. "Let's go," he stated. "Can you tell me what made you happy?"
Azula looked up and Inoichi and nodded. "I was happy firebending."
"Firebending?"Inoichi asked, curiosly.
Azula let a small smile show on her face. "Yes, firebending," she said as another memory came into play. It showed Azula when she was about seven years old, practicing a strange kata. While she was doing the kata she shot fire from her fist. She moved gracefully around the training field, the fire dancing around her.
"I love firebending," Azula cheered. "I always loved practicing my bending. It was the only time I felt that I could let loose."
Inoichi nodded. "You can still do it. There is no one stopping you."
Azula frowned, "I can't firebend anymore," she replied. "It stopped when I lost to my brother and the water bending girl."
"Lost your bending?" Inoichi stated with a look of confusion. "How is that possible?"
"Firebending is fueled by our emotions," Azula stated. "I can't seem to create the fire anymore."
Inoichi looked at Azula and saw the sadness on her face. He could see the love of firebending in Azula's eyes. Suddenly a shadow flew over the pair. Inoichi quickly hid Azula behind him with fatherly protection. The pair looked up and saw two large dragons flying over head.
"Holy crap!" Inoichi cried as he stood in front of Azula.
The dragons slowly landed in front of the pair. There was a red dragon and a blue dragon.
The Red Dragon leaned down and pushed its snout against Inoichi. "Move foreign one," the dragon rumbled. "We have to talk with the Fire girl."
Inoichi didn't move. "I won't let you hurt her," he stated while the Blue dragon started laughing.
The Blue Dragon leaned down its head. "You are a funny foreign one," it said with a large smile, Its sharp teeth gleaming. "We do not want to hurt the Fire Girl, we wish to talk with her."
Azula slowly walked out from behind Inoichi. "What do you want with me?" she asked trying not to look scared.
The Red Dragon spun around Azula, blocking her from Inoichi. Inoichi quickly tried to restrain Azula but the dragon was too big.
"Now young Fire Girl. Do you wish to be free?" the Red Dragon asked, its eyes burning down onto Azula.
"Free?" Azula asked with confused.
"Yes Fire Girl, free," the Blue Dragon stated as it poked its head down toward Azula. "Free to live happy from your past."
Azula gave a puzzled look at the Dragon. "Free?" She stated the word seeming foreign in her mouth. "How?"
The Red Dragon lowered its head. "When you are ready, you will find us at the end" it stated. Before Azula could ask another question the Dragon quickly unwrapped itself from Azula and flew off, the Blue Dragon followed close behind.
Inoichi ran toward Azula and looked her over. "Are you ok?" he asked.
Azula looked at Inoichi and nodded. The Dragons's words echoed in her mind.
-In the Avatar world-
Aang and everyone had gathered everything they needed to head to the new world. They headed toward the North Pool to meet Yue and start their journey to get Azula back. Aang stood on the bow of a Fire Navy ship and looked out into the night air. He was determined to bring Azula back here where she couldn't harm anyone. Everyone else was asleep as he looked out into the night sky.
Suddenly, the stars began to move and his former selves Avatar Roku and Avatar Kioshi appear in front of him.
"Roku, Kioshi, it's so good to see you," he said with a large smile, but the seriousness on the other Avatar's faces quickly made him frown. "What's wrong?"
Avatar Roku looked at Aang with sadness in his eyes. "Aang, the journey you are about to undertake is one that should not be taken," he said, much to Aang's surprise.
"Why is that, Azula is a monster. She has hurt too many people and needs to be locked up."
Koishi looked at Aang, sadness adorning her face. "For a monk, you are quite closed minded," she stated. "Azula is a lost soul who was sent somewhere to become whole."
"How do you know this?" Aang asked, surprised by this revelation.
"We agreed it was a good idea to send her there," Roku explained as Aang looked on, his eyes wide as the moon.
"WHAT!" he shouted, "how did this happen?"
"Kami made it so," Roku replied simply.
"Who is Kami?" Aang asked.
"You would know her as the Great Spirit," Kioshi stated.
"Wait, wait, wait, the Great Spirit is a girl!" Aang shouted and Kioshi shook her head.
"Men," she sighed and disappeared into the air.
Roku looked over at Aang. "Aang, all I ask of you is to look at Azula as you would a lost soul," Roku stated. "She has had a hard life."
Aang looked at his previous self. "I will try," he stated with a slight frown.
Roku nodded. "That is all I ask," he said and disappeared into the night.
That my friends is chapter 6. Again sorry for the delay but it got done. I very happy with this chapter and how it turned out. Love the way it going and I think I am going to make Inoichi a father figure to Azula. He is always helping her and he has a daughter. I sorry for those who are looking for fights, those won't happen till later. I hope to make those fight epic and would like some help with the battle scene. I not the best at them but I will try my best. If you good at battles let me know. Please tell me what you think of this chapter and what I can do to make this story the best it can be. I will be trying to update faster on all my stories but we will see. None of my stories are abandon they will all have their day. Please read and review!