Azula was confused. More so that she had been surrounded by remnants of her shattered past. Everywhere she looked she saw someone vaguely familiar. Ex Dai Li agents, Imperial Firebenders who had served as her father's guards, and a strange little cook who served with Zuko during his exile, all of whom refused to indulge her in conversation, or meet her eyes for more than a second.
They all still fear me.

Night had fallen on the ship, and the crew had made themselves scarcest, as the halls lay hollowed and empty. She retired to her quarters and lay back down on her soft bed. She had been bathed, clothed, and before she retired, she had out eaten the entire crew. She still felt weak. A year and a half in chains had seen her athletic body borderline on the verge of anorexia.
She had not seen the boy known as Azazzle since she had learned his name on the accommodation deck that morning, but she knew exactly where to find him. She got up again, and began her steady march to the bridge. She arrived, to see Azzazle and another man plotting a course on the chart table, and the helmsmen holding the wheel steady.
"We need to avoid Fire Nation ships until we are back in Earth Kingdom waters… Then we can – Azula!" he said, obviously caught off guard by her sudden appearance.
She slowly walked over.
"What's the situation?" she inquired. The second man spoke out immediately.
"We are heading into –" Azzazle jabbed the man in the stomach with his elbow followed by a nasty look, silencing the man immediately.
"Don't worry about it Azula, me and the captain here will handle any issues regarding security and safety."
Azula crossed her arms angrily.
"You should consider telling me anything you're hiding right now. You won't want me finding out later when I have my firebending back."
The captain chuckled. He was a tall man with a mustache that he had grown long on both sides and then had platted them into one. He was older, as most sea captains are, and he had retained a soul patch beard. His green eye's focused on her.
"With all due respect, "Princess," you are not in command of this ship, and considering Azzazle here just lifted you from a mental Asylum, you should be a little more thankful."
Azzazle didn't stop the captain this time, but instead looked to Azula, waiting for her rebuttal.
"I have nothing to be thankful for," she added. "I may have just been moved from one prison to another."
Azzazle sniggered.
"That's why we've given you the royal treatment; fine dining, baths, your own cabin. We're obviously running the finest prison ship in the Fire Nation fleet!" he said waving his arms above his head. The captain and Azzazle tittered again before turning back to their charts, as Azula's anger grew ever more.
"Don't ignore me!" she complained. "I demand to know where I am being taken!"
Azzazle turned raising his eyebrow.
"She's true royalty, isn't she captain?"
The captain chuckled again, every time making Azula increasingly more furious.
Azzazle walked over, raising his hands, as if to rest them on her shoulders. She immediately palmed both of them away.
Don't get too comfortable. I'll figure you out yet.
He sighed.
"Get some sleep Azula, I'll explain in the morning, you have my word."
She eyed him suspiciously, and she had conveyed her rising tension.
Azzazle chuckled, and shrugged looking around.
"Where would I run to? We're gunna be at sea for a while, settle in! I'll still be here tomorrow morning."
Azula shifted uncomfortably, she knew he was up to something, and hopes that her father had sent this rescue party was beginning to fade.
She turned, and without another word, descended down the bridge stairs.
She returned to her room, and sat at her chair, staring into the duchess mirror. Her eye's sparkled. She had decided to wear her hair with her typical bangs; she didn't need it hanging down over her face if she ran into trouble. The clothes she was wearing were obviously Earth Kingdom made, not too different from the attire she wore in Ba Sing Se.
"Those clothes look tacky, put on something a little more patriotic."
Azula turned around to see herself standing there, in full Royal Fire Nation Battle amour.
Azula blinked, but her double remained focused and un-wavering.
"Are you just going to stare at me? Or are you going to say something?" her double teased.
Azula chuckled slightly.
"Oh, I get it, I'm my own worst enemy," she said, rolling her eyes at the cliché.
Azula's double shook her head, a wicked grin appearing on her face.
"No, I'm the only one you can trust,"
Azula tightened up at the words. This was a philosophy she had adhered to for a long time, but hearing her double say it, shot chills up her spine.
At that moment, a note slid under the door.
They both turned, staring at it for a moment.
"Well?" her double began. "Things just got a lot more interesting."

{Zuko}

Well, at least it can't get any worst.
Zuko walked out of his assembly hall after a long day of Fire Nation delegations. His efforts to restore balance to the world were being met by a usually positive outcome, but the pressure of ruling was beginning to weigh heavily on him. The tension was still thick in the Fire Nation Colonies, as Earth King Kuei demanded that Fire Nation Colonials return to the motherland and relinquish their lands back under Earth Kingdom dominion.
Aang and the others had since gone their separate ways. Aang had left to re-explore the Air Temples for hidden knowledge, and anything he could use to help restore his people, and to give to the next generation of airbenders with Appa and Momo. Sokka and Katara temporarily headed back to the South Pole, to catch up with their family and help rebuild the struggling tribe, and last he heard, Toph was on a vacation with her mother in the Fire Nation. Suki left with the other Kyoshi Warriors and headed into the Earth Kingdom to help the rebuilding effort there, and he had not seen her since his coronation. Mai had stayed with him, reassuring him when things got tough, in her own way. His Uncle Iroh would occasionally visit, and send hawks regularly from his tea shop, The Jasmine Dragon, in Ba Sing Se, often with counseling and advice Zuko so craved.

Zuko was daydreaming when he felt the nudge.
"Excuse me Firelord. A report from the Southern Earth Kingdom," The man said, holding out a scroll in his hand.
Zuko unraveled the long scroll and began to read.
"It appears the Southerners aren't too happy about having Fire Nation troops help in the rebuilding effort," said the man with a worried voice.
Zuko was frustrated by the comment, more so than he should have been.
"Oh course they're not happy to see them! Last time Fire Nation troops were there they burned down their homes!"
The man recoiled, surprised by the young Firelord's tone. Zuko immediately realized he had snapped at the man, and felt guilt stab at his stomach.
He sighed.
"Excuse me. That was… Out of line… It's been a long day."
The man didn't break his stride, but chose to keep walking away with a bow.
"No, no. Excuse me Firelord. It wasn't my place," he said, retreating down the hall with continued bows.
Zuko buried his face in his hands, rubbing them up and down.
It can't get any worst.
A messenger suddenly skidded around the corner.
"Firelord Zuko! News from the Asylum, you're sister has escaped!"
Zuko's stomach dropped through the floor, as his eyes widened with realization at what the man just said. He stood there for a moment, a thousand thoughts rushing into his mind. If Azula had escaped, he had a pretty clear idea where she would be going.
"Firelord?" the messenger questioned.
Zuko suddenly snapped back to his senses.
"Inform the Western fleet to spread a search area from here to the Asylum! My sister can't be allowed to reach Fire Nation soil! Double the guard at the royal prison, and ready my ship to go to the Asylum, I need to pick up Azula's trail!"
"Yes sir, anything else?" asked the messenger.
Zuko closed his eyes, thinking for a moment. Before opening them after a critical decision.
"Yes, send a hawk to the Four Air Temples. Track down the Avatar; we're going to need his help."

{Azula}

She walked over to the door, squatting to pick up the note. She unraveled it to find only a single sentence.

"The answers you seek, are in Azzazle's room."

Azula quickly got up, throwing open the door to check for the mysterious stranger, but the halls were empty.
"My my. Seems like you've got a friend on board," her double said playfully.
Azula thought for a second, before speaking out loud.
"His cabin will most likely be on the top deck, next to the captain's or maybe the commander's cabin."
Her double spoke again.
"Shall we go pay him a visit?" She teased.
Azula ignored her, and left the room without another word.

Azula moved quickly and quietly through the halls and up the stairs, until finally, she arrived undetected at the top of the accommodation deck. She instinctively moved towards the commander's cabin. She slowly gripped the door handle, and opened it as quietly as she could. She slipped in, in swiftly closed the door behind her. The room was smaller than she expected for the commander's cabin, her room being at least three meters longer and wider. A window had been installed on the far side of the room, letting the moonlight and the cool sea breeze flood the cabin. Under it, a bed, and in it, Azzazle lay sleeping. A lantern hung extinguished from the ceiling, on her left, a desk, and her right, a cupboard and dresser. She quietly crept around, opening everything as she went. The cupboard was filled with attire from all over the world, and many different disguises, everything from minstrel's gowns to Earth Kingdom battle amour. The draws to his dresser were all strangely empty, and his desk was equally as disappointing. Azula bit her lip. Besides his extensive wardrobe, nothing in the room was noteworthy, and nothing hinted at a possible destination for the vessel. Then, she saw a glint catch the light of the moon on a stool next to Azzazle's bed. Azula focused her eye's moving closer to it, finally realizing what it was.
"A knife," said her double, suddenly reappearing and making her jump. "Oh Azula, it's just too perfect."
Azula was standing right over Azzazle now, and the knife was only a half a meter away, close enough for one swift movement.
"You can't trust him," her double sang in a playful tone. "Kill him and take command. He will only turn on you later."
Azula stood there for a moment, her double's voice was so dominant in her mind.
"Just grab the knife, and sink it in his heart. Come on, or he will do it to you."
Azula slowly reached over to pick up the knife, only to realize her hand was shaking.
Why is this so difficult?
She slowly grabbed it, hands still shaking and raised it above her head. Her chest was rising and falling rapidly, she could feel the sweet forming on her temple, as hot and cold flushes shot throughout her body.
"Do it!" her double demanded.
Azula's mind suddenly drifted back to that afternoon. His smile, catching her off guard, the way he didn't back down in the face of danger, the way he was kind to her, and not fearing her in the slightest. Something about him stuck to Azula's mind.
She took a deep breath, lowering the knife down from over her head.
No, not yet. There is still something his not telling me. Not yet.
She slowly put the knife back on the stool, and sighed, before turning and walking to the door.
"Good work Azula, you just passed the first test."
The voice made her jump, and she turned to see Azzazle sitting upright in his bed.
He shot a flicker of flame up to the lantern, igniting it, blessing the room with light.
Azula stood there for a moment, embarrassed and strapped for words.
"Wha- Yo- Test?" she shrieked.
A smile crept on to Azzazle's face at the surprise he had caused her.
"Yes," he said. "Come sit down Azula," he said patting the end of the bed. "I think it's time I told you why I brought you here."
Azula remained standing, and folded her arms in frustration.
He sent the note, he set me up.
"Or... You can stand up. Whatever makes you comfortable," he scoffed.
"Enough games!" she snapped at him. "Get to the point before I realize I've made a mistake."
Azzazle smiled again, closing his eyes with a nod.
"Very well, this particular story starts two months after Sozin's Comet," he began, looking off into the distance as he recalled the memory.
"At the time, I was making my way to Whale Tale Island on my catamaran, when I was awoken at night by a man in a white and blue cloaked hood, I had no idea how he reached me."
"You were wearing a white and blue cloaked hood today at the Asylum," Azula interrupted.
"Very perceptive. He gave one too me, telling me that I was "Selected to be watched," The man told me he was a master of the arts and philosophy, and a true seeker of knowledge in amongst the sea of lies. He traveled with me after that, musta been about seven months, and he taught me things… About the world, about people, and the true effects of the 100 year war. He told me about you, Princess Azula,"
"Me? He just told you about me? Be more specific!"
Azzazle ignored her and continued speaking.
"He said that if I wished to save you, I had to save your mind so your heart could be free. He told me that if I retraced your steps, I could find those willing to help me… And willing to help you. He said the only way to cure your insanity was to rectify your rage with that of opposite emotions."
Azula scoffed, so Azzazle could hear her.
"That's ridiculous," she stated with confidence.
"Not true, you just passed your first test against rage… You showed restraint."
Azula suddenly zeroed in on him.
"What if I hadn't? What was your back up plan then?" she accused.
Azzazle shrugged off the question with a smile.
"I didn't have one," he said casually.
Azula's stomach flipped.
"You fool! You could have been killed! Were you so sure you were right?"
Azazzle blinked at her for a second.
"I had full faith that you would pass, and if you didn't, I wouldn't be alive to admit I was wrong. It was a win-win," he said with a snicker.
Azula's left eye twitched in agitation.
The fool was willing to bet his life on it.
Azula took the opportunity to launch the question that had been nagging her.
"Why you? Why me? What do you get out of all this? You said this afternoon that it was "good to see me again," but I've never met you before."
Azzazle's eye's drifted off again.
"Well, that's not entirely true. But another story for another time. Suffice to say, it's in my interest to protect you," his usual joking face suddenly turned serious, and he focused on her, making her feel slightly breathless as his eye's met hers.
"Too the very end, if I must."
Azula stood stupefied for a moment, before re-gaining her poise.
"I don't need pro-"
BANG!
The ship lurched violently, but Azula planted her foot and managed to keep on her feet.
Azzazle rolled out of bed before springing to his feet.
"What the spirits was that?" he shouted.
He sprinted to the door, grabbing Azula's hand on the way.
"Come on!" he said, tugging her along.
Beats being carried.
She shook her arm free of his grasp and together they made their way to the bridge.
The helmsmen was looking dazed, and the captain was looking out the windows, trying to identify what had happened.
"Captain Zhang! What's going on?" said Azzazle, demanding the answer in a powerful tone.
Azula looked around but couldn't see any other ships out any windows.
"Is it the Fire Nation? Have they intercepted us already?" questioned Azzazle.
"No! It's not the Fire Nation! But we've lost forward propulsion! We're no longer underway!"
At that moment, a wave washed up on the bow of the ship, and on it, a single man.
Azula saw Azzazle tense up immediately.
"No," she heard him say to himself. "Not now, not here. How? How did you track me all this way?"
The man stared up at the bridge, and Azzazle stared down at the man, and Azula sensed the bitter history in the intense exchange of the almost unbearable leer.
Azzazle spoke again, so quietly Azula almost didn't hear.

"Kortaka."

dignity