Hello fanfic readers two more chapter to go. I'm going to be starting the second half of the story Book 4: Air: Out of the Ashes and this time it's all about Zuko. I couldn't wait to publish this fic I don't know why, but I'm crossing my fingers hoping people like it.
Now to answer my reviewers-
Passionworks
Glad you liked Master Piandao as the father and I'm thinking about making a prequel to him and my OC character Yakone. Azula's daughter, Xiourong in my update actually has pallid moon eyes. For some odd reason I forgot to put it in the fic. I know too well about eye color of babies I have seven nieces and nephews. Glad you picked up on it; sometimes when I'm editing I forget to check twice. As for the dates mix up, I've decided to post an update in the previous chapters showing the year, so my readers won't get confused. Yes, I always pictured Azula as a mother it would be her destiny. I was going to give Azula's daughter a different name that meant fire, but none of those resonated with me.
Can I just say I love Raiden he's so adorable.
SerenaPotterSailorMoon
I always have my characters on the brink of death, but never kill them even if they are evil. Hold on because this chapter is even more intense. The sequel is looking like a possibility. Can you Imagine Azula's daughter as the first Female Firelord?
RyoMoonFang
Congratulation you gave me my 50th review, thank you so much; that was my goal. I'm happy that you like the story. Yay for favorites!
We now proceed to what everyone has been waiting for; the present.
Round 1 Azula vs. Mai
*update with grammar fixes*
Book 4: Air: Exodus
Chapter 9
106 ASC
Present Day…
Azula was sprinting; to say she was angry was an understatement. Mai was on a stupid power trip; she was going to pay for stealing her daughter. She wanted revenge in the worse way; there was truly only one way to do it; Azula would take the risk and deal with the consequences later.
Mai was sitting in the garden sipping tea with Ty Lee, when a stream of blue fire boiled the tea within the cup. She calmly put the teacup down and wiped her mouth with a napkin. Ty Lee looked at Mai and Azula realizing straightaway; this was going to get ugly. Mai got out of her chair and faced Azula boldly. "Trying to kill your Firelady is an act punishable by death!"
"I am the true royalty: I didn't have to bed a man for my title."
"No, you just had to bed your guardian and get pregnant to return home."
"I came home for a mission and you purloined my daughter; I want my child this instant!"
"You haven't changed a bit; you're still the same monster I met when we were children."
"Calling me a monster, please, Mai, don't you have anything clever to say anymore? You're a traitor and a hypocrite. I rescued you from your miserable existence; so long as I was attacking everyone else things were golden; I could do anything, even end the Avatar cycle, but the moment I attacked Zuko, you showed your true colors. "
"You put us in jail at Boiling Rock, because like a whiny baby, you couldn't have your way."
"That's your motive for holding my daughter hostage; some foolish revenge to beat the ruthless Azula."
"You don't even deserve to have that child; she needs to be raised by someone with honor and values."
"Why don't you just have a child of your own and leave mine; oh I remember, you can't have one."
"That was harsh Azula!" Ty Lee interjected.
"Silence, this doesn't concern you!" said Azula with a dismissive hand.
"It's okay Ty Lee, this is just what Azula does, attack the jugular and rips out spines. Have we all forgotten, who was in the mental facility, dirty, unkempt, smelling of fire and feces, shaking her cage like a lowly animal"
"That's enough Mai!" Ty Lee defended.
"You seem to be more outspoken now that you are royalty, but I can imagine sitting on that throne has made you out of shape. Let's settle this once and for all, you and me in the arena and just to make things even; I won't use any firebending."
"Guys—"Ty Lee pleaded.
"You've got a deal: meet you in one hour."
Ty Lee was torn, who to root for, whom to stop; this was too much anxiety; the acrobatic warrior cared for them both. She watched each woman prepare themselves for battle.
Mai stared down at Azula across the room; she was too calm; she had something up her sleeve. Azula would never readily give up her firebending; she's set to humiliate me, Mai thought. "This is ridiculous Mai! Why don't you just give her daughter back?" Ty Lee reasoned.
"This is about more than that baby, Ty Lee; this fight has been a long time coming."
"I know…but holding her daughter is just making things worse; you don't have to personally hand the baby over, but you could at least have a servant do it on your behalf."
"Azula doesn't have any rights as far as I'm concerned. How can you defend her? Have you forgotten everything that she's done to us?" questioned Mai.
"No…I haven't, but two wrongs don't make a right."
"She gave the baby away when she came here; obviously she doesn't see herself as a fit mother. Why on this very earth would the gods take my child and let her have one."
Ty Lee laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Mai, I know losing Mako was difficult, but the events are completely unrelated, you can try again for another baby."
"The doctor says I don't have any more chances; Mako was our only hope and now Azula's baby will be the heir to the throne.
"Are you both through talking?" Azula asked irritated.
"I have to do this Ty Lee, I'm sorry."
Ty Lee watched both women shocked by what she was about to witness. Mai walked facing Azula, who was dripping with arrogance. Ty Lee ran out of the room angrily. "Where are you going coward?"
"Leave her alone Azula, it's just us; no one to witness how badly I'm going to mangle you!"
"You should put your stilettos where your mouth is!"
Mai released a series of daggers from her sleeve and with quick reflexes she threw them at Azula, who stood in place yawning. What she up to?
Azula surprised Mai, when Azula blocked her blades with a metal fan. "Did I mention that being in exile has taught me various new tricks?"
Azula reveled in the shocked look on her face, but Mai returned her own confident look. Both women were focused. They ran toward each other at full force; Mai went with a dagger and Azula went with her fan. Both women waited and stopped on opposite sides; they received a scar on their cheeks. They have become formidable opponents.
Mai released darts and so did Azula, but she leaped and blocked. The darts released smoke. Mai coughed and Azula elbowed her in the face. Mai stumbled back; Azula hit her in the stomach. Mai nearly fell down, but she steadied herself. Mai wiped the blood from her mouth and readied herself: she was pissed. "Getting tired Mai?"
"Never felt better."
Mai cracked her neck and stretched her arms; she taunted Azula with a come hither palm. Azula, aggravated, ran toward Mai and leaped in the air releasing her hairpin from her topknot, throwing it toward Mai's sleeve, which caught her jacket at the bottom. Mai, not caring about vanity, moved forward letting the jacket rip. Azula responded by throwing two darts, pinning Mai's left sleeve to the ground. Azula, overconfident, walked dangerously close to her and looked her straight into the eye. "Tell me how does it feel to be defeated?"
"I should ask you that question."
Mai released a stiletto and pinned Azula to the ground, catching her jacket and sleeve in the same manner, leading both into kneeling positions. "How does it feel to do obeisance before your Firelady?"
Azula and Mai shared a glare and they both grabbed each other's throats, squeezing hard. Suddenly, red darts hit their backs. Both of them collapsed on the floor, paralyzed from the neck, down. All they could do was gawk directly at the other, as if it were a staring contests; neither one of them blinked. They saw pink slippers in their line of sight; it was Ty Lee. "I can't believe you two would actually kill each other! What is wrong with the both of you?"
"She started it," they shouted in unison.
"Zip it or I'll block both of your chis permanently!" Both women grumbled and looked away.
Ty Lee sat on the ground, legs crossed between both women. "Azula I forgive you for imprisoning me in Boiling Rock. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be a Kyoshi warrior experiencing all sorts of adventures. So…thanks."
Azula blew her bangs out of the way and turned her eyes in the other direction. "So that's it your on her side," said Mai.
"Yes"
"Well, it finally comes out where her loyalties lie; I won't hold it against you for betraying me."
"I'm still friends with Mai."
"You can't be friends with the both of us you have to choose," spoke Mai.
"In case you haven't noticed; I have a mind of my own and I choose both of you as my friends."
"That is the most absurd thing I've ever heard!"
"I hate to admit this: I really hate to admit this; Azula is right, "said Mai gagging, "In fact I could vomit on Azula's hair," said Mai blatantly.
"Keep your bodily functions to yourself!"
"Ugh, I give up!" shouted Ty Lee leaving the room.
"Where are you going?" called out Mai.
"You can't just leave us here!"
"Both of you need to be taught a lesson. That paralytic doesn't wear off for another 5 hours, so I guess you'll be having a slumber party," Ty Lee giggled, "Good night," she said in a sing song voice, departing.
"Ty Lee you get back here this instant!"
"Give it up Azula, she's gone."
"Wonderful, now I have to look at your horrible face all night!"
"You're no prize either," Mai mumbled.
"If you're going to insult me, you might as well speak up."
"I wouldn't waste my last breath on you."
"Fine!"
"Fine!" shouted back Mai.
All night, the two women were silent and cold toward the other; both too prideful to fall asleep, afraid that the other might get up and the fight; starting all over again. The heavy bags were underneath their eyes. Exhaustion began to set in and revenge at this point was becoming an unwelcoming idea. Azula's muscles began to loosen and so did Mai's. They had enough of each other, breathing in their air, smelling morning breath. Slowly, they rose up and brushed themselves off. They sneered at the other, when Ty Lee entered the room holding Xiourong. Azula tried to contain her excitement; she missed her daughter a great deal. Mai grumbled under her breath and left the room abruptly. Ty Lee looked sadly at her friend, but focused on Azula.
"You have cute little tootsies; yes you do!" said Ty Lee in a baby voice.
Xiourong giggled in response. Ty Lee handed the baby to Azula with a big smile on her face. "Enjoy your time with your daughter. I'm sorry about Mai. I know we can't be friends, but I hope you have a good life."
As Ty Lee began to walk out, little Xiourong looked at her mother and began to whimper. "Don't you dare!" Azula warned.
Xiourong's eyes began to water as her chubby cheeks redden. "Those aren't even real tears."
Her daughter pounded her tiny fists at her mother; struggling to look at Ty Lee. Azula groaned, she knew what she had to do and it was completely humiliating. "Ty Lee you are selfish!"
Ty Lee turned around with a quizzical eyebrow. "Excuse me?"
"My daughter has taking a liking to you and it would be detrimental if you leave her, she's very temperamental."
"I don't understand what you mean."
Try not to insult her: try not to insult her. "My daughter needs a guardian to look after her and since she favors you I thought it would b…be…benefit Xiourong, if you would look after her."
"You mean I could babysit?"
"Don't ask idiotic questions!" Azula snapped.
Ty Lee winced at her brash speech. "Thank you Azula, that means a lot, especially from you."
Azula nodded and held her baby close.
"I'll leave you two alone," Ty Lee tickled little Xiourong's feet and she laughed. "Bye, bye baby."
Azula sat in the arena, rocking daughter back and forth as she became restful. Xiourong yawned and stretched her petite arms. She snuggled her daughter close and kissed her small forehead. Xiourong grabbed a strand of Azula's hair and tugged lightly. As Xiourong relaxed from her adventurous day, Azula stared out at the arena. Xiourong, unsatisfied with her mother's lack of attention, began to fuss: Azula lifted her up by her small armpits and looked her straight in the eyes. "Listen here young lady, enough is enough; your tantrums have reached their limit!"
Her daughter gurgled and laughed at Azula's serious demeanor, which quickly melted away. "I see, when mommy is mean, you play. You are quite the handful already."
The trek through the restored forest, fighting with her past, struggling to survive, it was all worth it when she looked to her daughter. Azula embraced her in her arms, wrapping her in the blanket. She held her daughter to her cheeks and watched her; sighing, knowing that this little girl was her everything.