Chapter One: Subjugation
Katara had been unchained at last.
Being able to move freely with her hands as well as her legs was a relief. One that she had all too little time to appreciate. With her business in Ba Sing Se now finished, Princess Azula was heading south. Katara was being taken with her and resided within the belly of the steel vehicles the Fire Nation had. Out of one of the vehicles, Katara had seen all kinds of things.
Villages being provided with food aid that had been wanting for years. Prisoners released after long captivity to meet their families. The war was over, and instead of a reign of terror, Azula was trying to enslave the world through other means.
Those means had led Katara here, standing next to Jin on the floor of a rectangular room. The wild-haired girl had changed haircuts. Before it had been a natural wild look, but since coming into the service of Azula it was a sort of imitation. It had the same shape it had before, but with beauty products.
"Why so glum, Katara?" asked Jin.
"You know why." Said Katara.
"Oh come on," said Jin, "ever since I met Lee, I mean, Zuko, everything has gotten better. We don't have to worry about walking in the streets at night. And we can talk about whatever you want."
"Yeah, as long as we bow and scrape to the Fire Nation." Said Katara flatly.
Jin paused. "Well, to be honest, we've always had to bow and scrape to somebody. At least this way we're not in a war anymore."
The war.
The war had gone on so long that it had been a part of everyday life. Now it was over and everything was getting better. With the revelations of the Dai Li's atrocities, people were all too willing to accept the official story. Even now scribes were writing down histories of how Azula and Zuko came to Ba Sing Se. How they helped the Earth King overthrow the evil Long Feng who had made them a puppet.
In reality, the Earth King had been liberated from one puppet government. Then replaced with another. Aang and the others were in hiding and Katara was a slave.
"So why do you think Azula is so insistent on having us learn to dance?" asked Jin.
"You know why." Said Katara in deadpan. She remembered all too well being chained to a collar while Azula lorded her victory over her. But why Katara? Why was Azula so obsessed with demeaning and possessing her? "Jin."
"Yes." Said Jin.
"Why did Azula take you on as part of her entourage?" asked Katara. "I mean, she'd fought me before. And I was one of A- the Avatar's companions, but why you?"
"Well I was friends with Lee, I mean Zuko. I mean Prince Zuko." Said Jin. "But I hadn't met her before now. I did overhear Azula talking about yesterday a lot though. But when she talks about it, it's like it was a thousand years ago.
"I think she really changed by her time in Ba Sing Se."
"I know." Said Katara.
Azula had changed. The old Azula would have renamed Ba Sing Se New Sozin or something. She'd never have gone to all this effort to help the common people of Ba Sing Se. Her occupation here was nothing like her occupation of Omashu.
Then the door opened and a beautiful, thirty-something-year-old woman walked into the room. She was clad in like dress to Katara and Jin. Only where Katara wore a red and gold split skirt and brassiere, the woman wore blue. Jin's was the simplest between them, with brown and green.
"So you are the two slaves that Princess Azula wanted to be trained are you?" asked the woman. "I am Syoko and I will be teaching you the movements of Fire Nation dancing."
"Um, actually I'm an employee." Said Jin.
"Right, of course." Said Syoko. "And the other?"
Katara looked down in shame. "She's sort of spoils of war."
"I am not spoils of war!" snapped Katara in sudden pride. The Syoko sighed. "Usually Azula breaks them out of their defiance by now. At any rate, I suppose we'd better begin with your instruction. The Princess has asked me to ensure you know how to dance. So here we are.
"First of all, stop scowling. If you focus entirely on negativity it will bleed into your movements. A dancer must channel her emotions properly.
"Now, have either of you ever had any experience with dancing before?"
Katara paused. "In the South Pole, we had some during the summer months. Actually, they're based off of the movements I make while water bending."
"And you?" asked Syoko.
"No, no I haven't," said Jin. "I worked in a tea shop.'
"Well, I suppose a total lack of experience is better than counter-productive ones." Said Syoko.
"I just said we had dances in the South Pole." Said Katara.
"Of course you did." Said Syoko. "That's what I meant by counterproductive. Now let's start with the basics."
It was a blisteringly hot day in the Earth Kingdom.
They had gone past the Serpent's Pass and into more barren regions. Zuko knew the area well from his travels and his experience helped them choose good roads. Azula had to admit that his personal experience was far greater than hers.
Still, as she road atop her mount, Ty Lee seemed distant. The cheery girl had a turban over her head to block out the sun. Even so, her smile was a bit dim. "Um, Azula, can I ask something?"
"Of course Ty Lee." Said Azula.
"Well, we got orders to return to the Fire Nation for a triumph, right?" asked Ty Lee.
"Yes, we did." Said Azula patiently. Trust Ty Lee not to notice the intrigue.
"So um, why are we going by land?" asked Ty Lee. "Couldn't we take a boat?"
"I believe Zuzu has something to say on that." Said Azula. "It was his idea."
"Well, Zuko, any kind of answer?" asked Mai, who was scowling deeper. Her makeup was melting in the sun. Azula almost envied Katara in the cooled machines behind them.
"If we head straight back to the Fire Nation the governors in the Fire Nation will be set up. They might reverse everything we accomplish." Said Zuko, glancing back with his scarred face. "If we head south, though, we can make our way through Fire Nation territory. Then spread the reforms Azula initiated in Ba Sing Se.
"That will go a long way to making the people accept us."
"It's a nice idea, though personally, I don't expect we could run the place any worse." Scoffed Azula. She had been unimpressed with what she saw of the Earth Kingdom when she began conquering it. That had turned to outright contempt when she began living the same day for months. The Earth Kingdom had completely mismanaged both itself and its people.
"You didn't see the Earth Kingdom like I did, Azula." Said Zuko with a frown. "The people in this place live in terror of the Fire Nation. Even if we're better rulers, for a hundred years we've been a faceless enemy.
"So we have to go the extra mile to make up for what we've done."
"I know, I know. I was just looking forward to being back home." Said Azula. "Though I'm not sure what I'll do for fun now that I'm not allowed to torment servants any more."
"Since when are you not allowed to do anything?" asked Mai.
"It's sort of a self-imposed limitation, Mai." Said Azula. "I've come to realize that just because I can do something doesn't mean I should. It's an inconvenience born of wisdom."
"Wisdom?" asked Zuko. "Everyone except you already knew that."
"I admit I've been overspecialized so far." Said Azula. During her endless day, she'd realized her limitations. Even though she aced every lesson, Zuko had understood them. He'd taken to heart the lessons of history as she forgot them and went on to practice Firebending. "Still, what of the North Pole?"
It had taken a while, but Azula had come to realize that there were problems that could not be solved with fire.
"What of it?" asked Zuko.
"Well, we'll have to conquer that backwater sooner or later if we're going to bring a new golden age." Said Azula.
"Uncle used to say that making grand plans for the future isn't any good if you aren't focused on the moment." Said Zuko. "If you are doing bad things for a good cause, the bad things will come about right now. While the good ones might be just a dream."
Azula felt a bit bitter. Uncle had been essential in getting her to turn away from what she had been. She could have languished for months without his guidance. And now he was her enemy. "Well, he would know, I suppose." She paused. "Didn't the North Pole have a Princess or something? We could set up some kind of political alliance where they keep some of their customs and autonomy."
"She's dead." Said Zuko.
"Hmm." Said Azula. "What happened?"
"She became the Moon after Zhao killed the Moon spirit." Said Zuko.
Azula blinked. "Well, there goes that plan."
Then out of the hills came vast stones that slammed against the machine. The metal was dented as pillars of earth rose up to throw them off. "Death to the Fire Nation! Long live the Earth King!"
Down from the hills came Earthbenders clad in the garb of Ba Sing Se. The resistance had come. Azula smiled.
Mai's knives shot out of nowhere and caught three of them in the throat. A bolt of lightning burned one to death from Azula. Zuko cleaved two down with his swords then sent waves of fire to burn more. Ty Lee disabled many with her acrobatics, even as Azula sent wave after wave of blue fire.
The screams of her enemies in agony, the flames rising high to meet Agni. It was all so wonderful.
And then the doors to the machine burst open and Katara surged out after her. Azula turned and dosed the water she was sending at her. In a flurry of water and fire they danced and Azula enjoyed the sight of Katara moving in that outfit.
But the best part was her glare.
And then the soldiers were all around them. The Earth Kingdom resistance fighters were all dead. Katara still stood defiant. "Oh, Katara, nice to see you with that spirit again. But I don't think you stand much of a chance against all of us."
"Shut up, Azula!" snapped Katara. "I'm not your pet or your slave!"
Azula was about to order her seized. Then she noticed the wildlands and came up with an idea. One that would make her hold complete. "Oh very well. Go ahead and leave."
"What?" said Katara.
"You heard me, I said go ahead and leave." Said Azula. "Go off on your own and do whatever you want?"
Katara shifted. "What kind of trick is this?"
"No, no tricks, you can walk out of here with my blessing." Said Azula.
Azula motioned to her guards and they parted. Katara scowled, then stood up. "Fine then."
And she walked off, toward a forest of scraggly bushes.
"Why did you let her go?" asked Ty Lee.
"Well if I let things go she'd betray me at some point." Said Azula. "If you love something you have to set it free so that when it comes bowing and scraping back in shame, it'll know its place."
"That isn't the saying, Azula." Said Ty Lee.
"Azula, she isn't going to come back just because you dressed her In a skimpy outfit." Said Mai.
"Who says anything about skimpy outfits?" asked Azula. "We're in the middle of the wilderness and she's only got a dancing girl's outfit. There is nothing out here but wild beasts. And now she can't rely on free handouts from locals because she's the Avatar's friend.
"Zuko, would you mind tracking her until she has no choice. We'll meet you at our destination."
"Fine then." Said Zuko.
"Just don't confront her, we both know she'll attack you if you don't wait until her spirit is completely broken." said Azula.
Zuko got together a pack with water and soon set out. As he did, Mai looked around. "So who were these guys?"
"Earth Kingdom soldiers, wearing the symbol of Ba Sing Se." said Azula. "A large resistance formed when my idiot parents let the citizens out of Omashu. They probably met up with that." She paused. "Speaking of which, Mai, how would you feel if I fired your parents?"
"I'd feel nothing." Said Mai. "Just like they always wanted."
"Good to know." Said Azula.
Drawing out a waterskin, Azula drank deeply and breathed the free air. There had been one or two issues but altogether a lovely day.
Author's Note:
So there were several problems I faced when formulating this fic. I had a very good idea of where I wanted it to end up. But the issue was getting there. I considered using the original formula of the Third Season. But I realized the situation had changed too much.
Eventually, I took a step back and considered what aspects of the world of Avatar were not touched on by the show. Then I worked from there.