Chapter IV - Perfection

Azula's mind was flooded with nightmares as it was every time she slept since she had arrived in Tai-Shan village. Dark visions that told her that she would never sit upon the throne of the Fire Nation, and how she had been too weak to accomplish her goals. She saw visions of her loss on the day she would have become Fire Lord, and moments flashed like pictures of her time in the asylum. Her nightmares finally took her back to the day she failed to keep her air balloon fueled before she crashed into the ocean. She struggled to figure out if they were really nightmares, or were they doubts within herself asking was she strong enough to accomplish what she seeked? It seemed that every time what she desired seemed within her grasp, something intervened to take it away. Did the Order of the Phoenix think her dead because she had not been seen or spoke of in the Fire Nation? Was it even meant to be for her, or was she destined to never see the throne?

Azula began to hear a voice that shattered the dark world her nightmares had taken her into, and she awakened to the sound of Shu's voice telling her it was time to get up. Azula sat up in the bed and tried to wipe the sleep from her eyes, as Shu's face came into focus.

"Come on sleepyhead get up," Shu said before she turned around and opened the shutters.

Light didn't spill into the room as Azula had expected, instead she looked out the window into a dawning sky in shades of orange and yellow framed in black.

"It's so early," Azula said as she sat her feet on the floor.

"I thought that since you were starting to feel a little better, you could help with the morning duties," Shu said with a smile.

"Duties," Azula thought to herself.

How could this commoner have the audacity to ask her, the Princess of the Fire Nation to do common chores? Azula thought that such things were beneath her, and Shu should continue to attend to her every need as she had been.

"You expect me to do chores, I am…" Azula started to say she was a Princess and she did not do chores, but she caught herself before she revealed such facts.

"You're what?" Shu asked as a confused look formed on her face.

"I am still injured," Azula said.

"It won't be anything strenuous, but I figured since your injuries were starting to heal you could help do your part," Shu suggested.

"My part," Azula asked, as it was then her who was confused.

"There is only one thing you need to remember about Tai-shan," Shu said as her demeanor grew more serious. "One village, one family," she added proudly.

"What does that mean?"

"Here in Tai-Shan, everyone contributes to the community, and therefore our village is one big family," Shu explained as she pointed out the window to the shadows of villagers who were already working. "We trust that if we do our part to help the village, the village will be there to help us if we're ever in need."

There was that word again, trust. It had not worked out in the past and Azula had no faith that it would work for an entire village.

"All trust does is leave you open for disappointment," Azula said as she shook her head and looked away. "People will let you down."

"Trust is all that has kept this village together," Shu disagreed, as the familiar smile left her face. "After the invasion, there were few adults in the village to lead us, and we did not know if we would survive," Shu said before she turned and looked out the window.

"Your village seems stable now," Azula said.

"That's because the brother of our former village leader who had left to fight in the war returned after the attack on Tai-Shan. It was him that brought the one village, one family philosophy to us," Shu recalled, as she continued to stare out the window. "Those who had lost their family found hope in becoming part of a bigger one."

Azula still was not ready to buy into the philosophy. She had been taught her entire life that the strong survive and the weak perish. It was not the duty of the strong to carry the weak, everyone should stand on their own.

"It may work in this small village, but that is not the way the world works," Azula said as she shook her head.

"That is good enough to keep Tai-Shan going," Shu said as she turned from the window and the smile returned to her face. "Many have helped with my duties while I tended to you, so it is time for you to return their kindness."

Azula wanted to say no, but the last thing she wanted to do was draw attention to herself, or be banished from the village injured and unable to firebend. She also thought that if the villagers had followed her philosophy, that she may have never been pulled from the ocean. She may not have agreed with their philosophy but she realized that she did owe them something, if not just to Shu for taking care of her.

Azula followed Shu outside into the village where the sun had risen a little farther in the sky. It felt good to be up and moving around because she had grown tired of spending her days in bed. Azula was surprised as she looked around and saw that the city was alive at such an early hour. She followed Shu down towards a river just outside the village, where there were several mills which sat on both sides.

"That mill there is where we make flour, and that one there is where we cut our cloth," Shu explained as she pointed at each mill in turn until she had told Azula each one's purpose.

Azula had not seen mills in the Fire Nation capital, but they still lacked the interest to make her care about their purpose. She watched as villagers carried grain to the nearest mill, while others took flour back to the village.

"What are you daily duties?" Azula asked.

"Well the past couple of weeks, they have been tending to you," Shu answered before she turned back to the water. "But normally I take buckets of water from the watermill to the fields."

They made their way down to the watermill, where another man had just arrived. He turned and looked at Shu, before a relieved look fell across his face.

"Good morning Shu it is good to have you back," the man welcomed her. "And you must be the newest member of our family, it is good to see you up and around," the man said before he bowed his head.

"Azumi, this is Chao, and he is in charge of the water mill," Shu introduced him. "And Chao this is Azumi."

Chao bowed his head again, and Azula did the same before he turned and disappeared into the mill. There were a few moments of silence before the mill came alive and the large wheel began to turn. Azula could hear the sound of water flowing, and she lifted her head as it flowed down a long bin which was closed at the end.

"Come over here," Shu beckoned Azula before she walked over to the end of the water bin, and picked up one of the buckets. "You pull this lever and it opens the end of the bin, then you close it once the bucket is full," she demonstrated.

"Seems boring," Azula said unenthused.

"Well usually we fill our own buckets and carry them to the fields," Shu explained as she filled a second bucket. "But since you aren't well enough to make the trip back and forth you can just fill buckets as we come."

"Wait, you're going to leave me here by myself?"

"Don't worry, once everyone gets here you'll be filling buckets so fast you won't have time to feel lonely," Shu said with a smile before she hung the buckets on either side of the pole and placed it over her shoulders. "Have fun."

Azula found Shu's words to be true, because once the villagers started coming to the river to get water the minutes began to fly by quickly. She had expected cold stares and rejection from the villagers, but she was surprised that every villager greeted her with smiles and well wishes for her recovery. Azula observed that whatever she thought about their philosophy, they all seemed to believe in it.

Azula had spent an hour or so by the mill the best she could tell, and every time Shu came for water, she had a smile for Azula and asked how she was doing. Azula began to feel the effects of her injuries and from then on every time she saw Shu she hoped she was coming for the last time to tell her she was done for the day. She finally she got her wish when Shu set her empty buckets on the ground and leaned her staff against the mill.

"That's enough for your first day Azumi," Shu said as she smiled.

"It's about time," Azula said as she tried to stretch and loosen up her side.

"Are you OK?" Shu asked concerned. "I'm sorry if that was too much."

Azula wanted to say it was too much so that she would not have to do it as long the next time, but her pride kept her from admitting weakness.

"I'm fine," she assured Shu.

"That's good," Shu said relieved. "Come on, let's go get some food."

Azula and Shu made their way back up the hill from the river, and Azula could not wait to go sit back down, or have her injured side massaged. She walked quickly and with purpose until she looked to her right and saw Ting practicing at the edge of the forest.

"I thought you said that your sister did not earthbend," Azula said as she continued to watch Ting practice. She reminded Azula a lot of herself when she was Ting's age because of the combination of skill and precision at such a young age.

"She doesn't, that's not an earthbending form, it is a hand to hand form," Shu explained.

Azula walked over towards Ting and stood just away from her, but Ting kept total focus and continued to practice. Ting had constantly pestered Azula to play with her inside the house while her siblings were doing their daily duties, but Azula could not relate to her because she was not used to being around kids. But when it came to combat, Azula felt that she could interact with her. Azula waited until she finished the form before she stepped closer.

"Do you want to learn a form from the Fire Nation?" Azula asked and Ting's face lit up.

"Yes," Ting answered excitedly.

Azula began to do the form and Ting watched her intently. She fought through the pain because Ting seemed to look up to her and she did not want to appear weak and imperfect in front of her.

"That was great Zumi," Ting said before she came and stood by Azula. "Are you sure you don't want to watch it one more time?" Azula asked, but Ting shook her head.

Azula started the form again and Ting mirrored her every move perfectly. Azula was impressed, and she started to see more of herself in Ting.

"What's going on here," a voice interrupted them, and they turned to see Chen-Li standing with some of his friends.

"Chen-Li, don't be so rude," Shu scolded him.

"Shu, you would let this Fire Nation girl teach something to our sister," Chen-Li fumed as he glared at Azula.

"Ting wants to do it Chen-Li, it is not hurting anyone," Shu insisted.

"There is nothing this girl can teach Ting," Chen-Li disagreed.

Azula was tired of holding her tongue in front of Chen-Li because she sought not to cause trouble for herself until she was healed. But Chen-Li was clearly in the wrong and Azula felt that Shu would take her side and defend her.

"I've heard the meaning of your sisters' names but I have yet to hear the meaning of yours Chen-Li," Azula said, which caused a smug look to fall over Chen-Li's face.

"It means great strength," he said arrogantly before he turned and nodded his head to his friends.

"Well I guess all the names couldn't fit," Azula quipped.

Azula grinned as the smug look left Chen-Li's face, and was replaced by one of anger. He stomped towards her and got right in her face.

"What did you say?" Chen-Li asked angrily.

"I said that I guess all the names couldn't fit," Azula repeated without backing down one inch.

"Take that back or you'll regret it," Chen-Li threatened Azula.

"Leave her alone Chen-Li, she's still injured," Shu ordered.

"Then she should have kept her mouth shut," Chen-Li barked.

"It's OK Shu," Azula said as she held out her hand for Shu to stay back. "Don't think because I can't firebend that I am helpless."

"Then do something," Chen-Li said as he reached out to push her.

But in one moment Azula grabbed his hand, twisted it and slammed her other hand against his elbow. Azula grimaced slightly, but Chen-Li's face twisted in pain before he fell to one knee. Chen-Li's friends sought to come to his aid, but a wall of earth rose in front of them and pushed them back.

"This is between Azumi and my brother," Shu said as she held out her hand. "I'm sure my brother doesn't need help to beat one Fire Nation girl he thinks is so weak."

"There is plenty I can teach your sister," Azula said as she pressed down on his elbow. "Or you for that matter."

"That's enough Azumi, you've proved your point," Shu said as she walked over and put her hand on Azula's shoulder. "Let's go."

Azula looked over at Ting who was smiling, before she nodded her hand and pushed Chen-Li away. She reached down and grabbed her side as she backed away with Shu, and kept her eye on Chen-Li.

"I'm disappointed in you Chen-Li, you know the rules of our village," Shu said as she shook her head in disappointment. "Azumi is as much a part of it as any of us,"

"She will never be part of this village," Chen-Li seethed. "And this isn't over," he roared.

He jumped to his feet and glared at Azula before he stomped the ground and pushed a large chunk of rock towards her. Azula braced herself to jump away, but before she could Shu slid in front of her and shattered the rock.

"Let it go Chen-Li," Shu urged him as she stood in front of Azula. "You know you can't beat me," she said as she fell into an earthbending stance.

"Why are you helping her, I am your brother?" Chen-Li asked bitterly.

"Because this is not the way of our village," Shu answered. "You know that Lu-Han would not want this," she continued.

Chen-Li continued to glare at Azula for a few moments before he grunted, turned away and walked off with his friends. Azula laughed on the inside at the sight of him as he retreated with his tail between his legs.

"So you are the most skilled bender in your family?" Azula asked.

"Yes, but it would be Ting if she would decide to earthbend," Shu said as she looked at her little sister, who had started practicing the form that Azula had shown her.

Shu watched her sister proudly for a few moments before she turned and started to walk away.

"Wow, I can't believe that you stood up to my brother," Shu said with a wide smile on her face, as they walked away. "He had it coming though, he was completely out of line interrupting you and Ting."

They started back towards the village, which was more alive with movement then when they left in the sun's first rays. Azula looked to the center of town, where there was a group of kids practicing what looked to be an earthbending form.

"With most of the adult earthbenders lost to the war, almost all the earthbenders left in our village are children, or those that were children when the attack happened," Shu said sadly as she stared at the children.

"Like you, your brother and your sister?" Azula asked and Shu nodded her head.

"My parents left me to look after them," Shu said before she clinched her fist. "But my brother is filled with rage and my sister refuses to use her gift," she continued as she shook her head. "I failed them."

"You are not responsible for the actions of others," Azula said as she turned and stood in front of Shu. "Worrying over others only opens you up for disappointment."

"And never caring for others assures a life of solitude," Shu countered. "And I would rather be disappointed with my family, with myself than be alone."

"Fine whatever," Azula said as she turned and looked back at the children practicing in the center of the village. "Who is the teacher?"

"That is Lu-Han, the brother of the former leader I told you about," Shu answered before she grabbed Azula by the wrist. "Come, I want you to meet him."

Shu walked quickly towards the practice area and Lu-Han smiled as he saw her approach. He turned his eyes to Azula and a strange look fell over his face. But he removed it quickly and smiled as they stepped into his presence.

"Ah Shu, how are you this fine morning?" Lu-Han asked.

"I am fine," Shu said as she bowed her head.

"That is good," Lu-Han said before he turned to Azula. "And this must be our visitor from the Fire Nation, have you recovered from you injuries?"

"Enough to finally stop spending every moment of the day lying in bed," Azula answered.

"Lu-Han, this is Azumi," Shu introduced them.

"It is a pleasure to meet you Azumi," Lu-Han said as he bowed his head. "Azumi, that is a powerful name, is it a family name?"

"I am named after my grandfather," Azula answered.

"Shu has taken you with her on her morning duties?" Lu-Han asked, and Azula nodded her head. "I trust that everyone was respectful and helpful towards you?" Lu-Han asked.

"Yes, just like one big happy family," Azula said unenthusiastically.

"You do not agree with the philosophy of the village?" Lu-Han asked, and Azula shook her head. "You feel it is flawed?"

"It's just that, I am a citizen of your former enemy, I could still be an enemy, I have no ties to your village," Azula explained but the expression on Lu-Han face did not change. "You have completely accepted me trusting that I will not harm your village, but you do not know me."

"No we don't," Lu-Han agreed. "But if you did harm our village, would that be a flaw in our philosophy, or would it be a flaw in you?"

There was a moment of awkward silence before Shu stepped from behind Azula and flashed the calming smile that rarely left her face.

"This is all a waste of time, I know Azumi would never do anything like that," Shu said as she turned and looked at Azula. "After being in the Fire Nation so long, it will just take some time to get used to our customs."

"Do not worry Shu, Azumi is free to give her opinion," Lu-Han said calmly. "Even in the closest families, everyone does not always agree."

Shu nodded her head in agreement before she looked over at the students.

"How are the children doing?"Shu asked.

"They are learning," Lu-Han answered as he turned and looked at the students. "Though I wish that your sister would join our class."

"She is not ready," Shu said sadly. "I don't know if she ever will be."

"Have faith Shu, things will work out," Lu-Han assured her before he turned and looked at Azula. "So I hear that you are a firebender."

"Yes, but for some reason I am unable to at the moment," Azula responded.

"I heard that when you arrived your injuries were severe, and the cold temperatures of the ocean had lowered your body temperature," Lu-Han said as he stroked his grey beard. "But we should see if there may be something else preventing you from bending."

"Like what," Azula questioned him.

"I will not know until I watch you try and bend," Lu-Han said as he backed away and stood next to Shu. "Go ahead, try to firebend," Lu-Han instructed.

Azula took a deep breath and slid her left foot forward, before she extended her left hand and fell into her stance. She leapt forward and delivered a punch and a kick, but to her dismay there was nothing. She clinched her teeth as she fought back the pain and thrust her hand forward one last time. She let out a loud scream before she fell to her knee and dropped her head.

"AZUMI," Shu yelled as she ran to Azula's side.

Azula had not screamed from the pain, but instead from a feeling of being helpless and powerless. Her mind took her back to day she lost her claim to be Fire Lord, and she felt as helpless and powerless as she did when she was chained to the grate by the waterbender Katara.

"Are you all right?" Shu asked with great concern.

"I am fine Shu," Azula assured her.

"HA!" Chen-Li yelled as he walked towards them, a large grin on his face. "She calls herself a novice, but I don't think that she can firebend at all," he added as he laughed and turned to his friends who egged him on.

"That is enough Chen-Li," Lu-Han turned and scolded him. "But no, she is definitely no novice," he continued before he turned and looked back at Azula.

"So I'm not alone, you don't think she is a firebender either," Chen-Li gloated.

"I said enough," Lu-Han said more sternly. "Do not forget that I was your teacher as well Chen-Li. Has your hatred for the Fire Nation caused you to lose your respect?"

Chen-Li shook his head, and the grin disappeared from his face before he placed his fist in his hand and bowed his head.

"I am sorry Sifu," Chen-Li apologized.

"You are forgiven," Lu-Han said as he bowed as well. "But you must learn to support all who are part of this village."

Shu helped Azula to her feet as Lu-Han turned and looked at them. He stared at Azula for a few moments before he began to stroke his beard with his hand again.

"As for you," he said as he approached Azula and Shu. "You are no mere novice, your strikes and your form are too perfect," he said as he shook his head. "I think that you are an exceptional firebender."

"Then why can't I firebend?" Azula asked angrily.

"Shu, can I ask you a favor?" Lu-Han asked.

"Anything," Shu said as she bowed her head.

"Can you take the students through their exercises, I wish to speak with Azumi," Lu-Han requested.

"Of course Sifu," Shu said before she bowed again.

"Come with me," Lu-Han beckoned before he put his hands behind his back and began to walk away.

Azula didn't know what was going on. She wondered if he now thought her a threat to the village after he discovered she was a skilled firebender.

"Come, I do not bite," Lu-Han turned and said to her.

"Go Azumi, it will be OK, he only wants to help you," Shu urged.

Azula still did not know what to expect. But if it was a way to help her be able to firebend again she was willing to see what he had to say. She walked quickly until she caught up with Lu-Han, and he started down a path that led them into the forest.

"Do you know why I cannot bend?" Azula asked.

"It is a strange thing that your form and strikes are so perfect but yet you cannot firebend anymore," he said as they descended a slope down through the trees.

"I do not understand it, I have done things as I always have, but I cannot firebend," Azula said.

She began to hear the sound of a stream as they continued to make their way through the trees until the came to a small stream that flowed into a large forest lake.

"Perhaps you are too perfect," Lu-Han suggested as he walked to the edge of the lake. "Or perhaps you seek to be too perfect," he added.

"What other way is there to be?" Azula asked as she stood back from the water. "If there is not perfection, there is mediocrity," she continued, which caused Lu-Han to sigh loudly. "And mediocrity makes you weak."

"There is a difference between seeking perfection, and being unwilling to accept anything other than perfection," Lu-Han said as he turned and looked at her. "One allows you to use your desire as strength, and the other makes you a slave to it."

"Are you going to speak to me in riddles?" Azula asked as she shook her head. "I once had an uncle who did that, and it was very annoying."

"No riddles young one," Lu-Han said before he turned and looked back onto the water. "I only seek to tell you that if you think yourself perfect, what room is there to grow?"

"I was perfect, I was a firebending master," Azula insisted.

"No young one, you were not," Lu-Han disagreed. "There is no such thing, it is an illusion."

Azula refused to accept any truth in his words, because if she accepted them as truth, she would have to accept things about her abilities she did not want to.

"It is not an illusion, I was perfect," Azula countered as she pointed to herself. "And do you know why, because I refused to accept anything else."

"And that is why you cannot bend," Lu-Han said sternly as her turned and looked at her.

"What are you talking about?" Azula asked confused.

"Every part of your being is unwilling to accept anything less than perfection," he began to explain. "Deep inside yourself, something has forced you to lose confidence as you face the danger of being imperfect."

She would not say out loud but she could no longer ignore his words. As much as she thought that it would be admitting weakness to admit he was correct, she was too smart to not accept that which could possibly make her stronger.

"If I may ask, what is perfection young one?" Lu-Han asked.

"It's being the best," she said with conviction. "It's winning."

She began to think back once again to the day she was defeated by her brother and the waterbender Katara. She thought how if she had just been able to win the Agni Kai, she would be upon the throne of the Fire Nation and not in an Earth Kingdom village while she recovered from injuries sustained during an escape from a mental asylum. She thought about how she had not been strong enough to keep her friends in line, or too weak to keep her air balloon fueled during a storm.

"I am only here because I was not the best, because I could not win, because I was too weak."

"Is that true, or are those only the excuses you give yourself to rationalize your failures?" He asked as he put his hand on her shoulder. "Bandages may restrict your breath, but deep inside your fear and doubt spawned from past failures have created turmoil within you," he explained calmly. "They have overtaken your desire and you are no longer one with your element."

He turned and walked back to the edge of the lake before he turned and beckoned her.

"Come there is something that I must show you in the water."

"What can I possibly learn from water?" Azula asked without taking a step.

"There are things that you can learn from every element," Lu-Han countered before he waved for her to come again. "Water may be a firebenders weakness, but the truly skilled can turn their weaknesses into their strengths."

Once again Azula decided to put aside her doubt to explore something that could make her more powerful in the future.

"What do you see?"

"Our reflections, what am I supposed to see?" She asked impatiently.

"We must learn to be like water," he said before he paused for a moment. "Because when our minds and emotions are calm, all is clear, just like our reflections are now" he explained.

He paused for another moment before he held out his hand and raised the earth which created ripples through their reflections.

"But when our minds and emotions are in chaos the picture is unclear, and therefore we ourselves are in chaos," he said before he lowered the earth and their reflections became clear again. "You wonder if you will ever attain what you seek, or even if you were meant to."

"It seems that whenever I have it in my hands…"

"Something intervenes to take it away," Lu-Han cut her off, and she nodded her head. "Now at rock bottom, you wonder if it is even meant to be anymore," he continued and Azula nodded her head again. "You have never allowed fear and doubt to enter your being before have you?" He asked.

"No, I always knew that I would achieve what I sought," Azula answered as she shook her head. "And up until now, I always have."

"So now you must not let fear and doubt become things that keep you from what it is you seek, but instead see them as obstacles that will make you stronger once you overcome them," he explained. "If your desire has waned because what you seek seems out of reach, use your desire to overcome your fear and doubt as your fuel."

"I think I understand," Azula said.

Lu-Han nodded his head and walked away from the edge of the lake, before he turned around and sat down in the lotus position.

"Accept your fear and doubt as weaknesses," he instructed forcefully. "Because only by accepting your weaknesses can you make them your strengths, and then let them go from your mind along with everything else."

Azula took a deep breath and settled into her stance before she slid her left foot forward and delivered a forceful kick. She sighed when there still was nothing but still air. She tried again as she struck the air with two solid punches.

"FOCUS!" Lu-Han yelled.

"I am focusing," Azula yelled back in frustration. "Every time I'm about to try I focus on what I must do in order to bend."

"Do not think about what you must do, or the things that may be keeping you from bending. Do not let thoughts of failure present or past cloud your mind," he lectured her. "Do not think, accept, then let go of everything and just bend."

"But…"

"BEND!" Lu-Han yelled emphatically.

In an instance Azula forgot about getting into a perfect stance, she forgot about bracing herself for the pain. She forgot about getting stronger, or even why she sought to become stronger. There was no fear of failure or being less than perfect. Instead she let everything go and in one motion she turned back towards the lake and extended her fist. Blue flames leapt from her fist and flew out over the water, before she delivered a kick and more flames exploded from her foot. She delivered a few more strikes before she turned to the sound of Lu-Han clapping his hands.

"Yes, now you have let go of everything and become one with your element again," he praised her as he continued to applaud. "There are few firebenders who can create blue flames. You are most skilled indeed, just as I believed."

"How do you know so much about firebending?" Azula inquired.

"We were once at war, and any good leader would study their enemy to discover their strengths and weaknesses," Lu-Han answered before he stood to his feet.

"But after all the Fire Nation did to this village, why are you helping me?" Azula asked.

"The war is in the past," he answered. "And like you were told, part of village, part of family."

Azula looked at him strangely because something told her that he was either lying to her, or that there was something he was not telling her. But she couldn't figure out why he would lie to her to help her. So she decided that her ordeal may have clouded her reasoning, and that there was probably nothing there at all.

"I know you have longed to be able to firebend again, so I will leave you to practice," he said before he bowed his head. "If you wish, meet me here tomorrow after your morning duties and I will show you something more," he added before he started back towards the path.

"Wait," Azula blurted.

She wanted to thank him for his help, but how could she? He was of the Earth Kingdom, and a potential future enemy. Would he accept her gratitude if he knew who she was? She could not form the words to thank him, so she only stared at him.

"You are welcome young one," he said with smile.

Azula could not form the words, but she could place her fist in her hand and show respect with a bow of the head.

Azula watched as he bowed his and then disappeared up the slope into the trees. She turned back to the pond and looked at her reflection in the water before she began to execute her favorite firebending form. She still found it hard to accept that her own doubts and fears after her ordeal may have broken her oneness with her element. But she was one with it again, and that's all that mattered.

"But if I do not have my perfection, what do I have?" She asked herself.

She no longer had her family, her friends, or the throne of the Fire Nation. If she did not have her superiority and others fear of her, what did she have left? They were questions that she did not seek to answer that day, instead she chose to enjoy the one thing that she always had. She continued on to another firebending form until she realized that she was not alone.

"You can come out, I know you are there," Azula said before she turned from the lake.

"The blue is pretty," Ting said as she stepped out of the shadows of the trees.

"You should be practicing with the other children," Azula said.

Ting dropped her head and her mood became somber. Azula usually would not care about the travails of others. But for some reason when she looked at Ting she saw some of herself when she was a child. She thought about what her life would be like if she had stopped firebending when she was a child.

"Do you want to know something?" Azula asked, and Ting raised her head. "I was a child prodigy just like you, and you owe it to yourself to become great, a master earthbender."

"Why?" Ting asked as she looked up at Azula. "It will not bring my parents back."

"No, but you are not complete unless you use all your power," Azula lectured her. "You could be the greatest earthbender in this village."

"Did you feel different when you could not firebend?"

"Yes, I felt powerless, I felt weak, I felt incomplete," Azula answered.

"Why, you were still yourself?"

Azula did not know how to explain it on a level that a Ting would understand. Azula herself wanted to see just how good Ting was, but she realized that the heavy handed approach would not work. Azula finally came up with the idea of appealing to something else.

"The ability to bend is a gift that not everyone receives," Azula said as genuinely as she could as she looked down on the girl. "You blame earthbending for taking your parents, but without earthbending those who survived would not have been given the time to flee your village."

Azula stared at Ting who remained silent with her eyes to the ground.

"Your brother, your sister, you," Azula said as she readied herself to drive home the final point. "Your parents would want you to use your gift to protect others as they did."

"We don't know what my parents would want, because they're dead," Ting said before she turned away. "If they hadn't been earthbenders they would have escaped with us," she said before she walked away towards the path.

"That was stupid Azula," she thought to herself.

Azula thought that using the memory of Ting's parents would help her see the light, but it seemed the wound was still too deep. One thing she was not skilled at was trying to help others, and she knew that she may had just made things worse.

Author's Notes: The conversation about being like water comes from a writing called "Mind Like Water."

Some asked about the ages.

Shu is 17 about to be 18, Chen-Li is 16, and Ting is 9.