Chap. 23

The Question of Azula

No one spoke or moved. All eyes whether Fire Nation or Army, were trained on the Fire Nation Princess, the young girl known as the Fire Lord's right hand, his strongest and most dangerous weapon, and his most loyal subject. They stared as she knelt before her father's sworn enemies, and as she asked to join them.

But amazement quickly gave way to distrust and suspicion. Everyone assumed that this was simply another deception on the part of the Princess, and so no weapons were lowered, no stances changed. Both sides continued to look each other down, as Oscuridad moved over to where Azula knelt. She remained still and quiet, waiting for some response. The bat looked down at her, his face hard and impassive, and then gave it, as Azula suddenly felt cold steel pressed against her neck.

"You have chased the Avatar for months." The bat said. "You tormented everyone you could to find him. You hunted us like animals, never giving a moment's rest. You've been the greatest thorn in your brother's side for as long as he can remember. You are a spoiled, selfish, uncaring, psychopathic daddy's girl who wants nothing more then power and will do anything to get it. And you come to us, and expect us to welcome you into our ranks? Give me one reason I shouldn't run you through right now."

"Because you'd be losing a good warrior." Azula answered. "I could be a great asset to you and not just on the battlefield. I know more about my father's defenses then anyone here."

"Good, but not enough." Aang said. "You're too good of a actress for us to believe you, Azula."

"Then take another look." She replied, looking at Osc. "I know what you can do. I know that you can look inside my heart and see all the secrets I keep. Look there now. Tell me what you see."

Oscuridad was silent, then looked over to Toph. "Before. Was she lying?" the bat asked.

"No." Toph answered. "As far I could tell, she was telling the truth."

"Luz?" the bat asked, shifting his gaze again.

"I sense hope from her." The fox answered. "Hope for acceptance and redemption. They're so great they're overpowering everything else."

Osc nodded again, then looked back at the girl. "I looked inside your heart the second you starting making your little speech." He said. "I don't sense any secrets. But you are a difficult one Azula. Your heart is the most sheltered one I have ever seen. It is hidden deep inside you, buried deep within your soul and guarded just as fiercely. Only that which dwells on the surface is readable, and that is not enough for me. So tell me again Princess, why should we allow you in?"

"Because…." Azula began, as a tremor ran through her voice and halted her speech. Gathering herself, she began again. "Because I don't know what else to do anymore."

"What do you mean?"

"Things have changed. I-I am not my father's right arm anymore. He has grown dissatisfied with me. He…. He is so violent now. I was afraid he would….. he would kill me. All I could do was wait, and make a plan for when I had a chance to escape. Then, he sent me here to deal with the farmers. I-I selected Zuko's old crew because I thought they would be a good peace offering. I was going to leave after this journey and try to find you. I thought……."

"You thought wrong." Zuko said, making his way over to where the bat stood. Looking down at his sister, he said, "Father always said you were born lucky, Azula. And now, I'm glad he did. Because luck always runs out. It got you through fifteen years, but it ran out. What happened Azula? Did you forget to kill someone in an Earth Kingdom raid? Did you cripple an enemy fleet instead of destroying them? And when you finally saw what our father really is, what do you do? You ran away with your tail between your legs, and begged for someone else to take you in. Pathetic. Even after what he did to me, I at least tried to regain my honor. You couldn't even do that. If the monster I once called Father won't have you, then find someone else who will."

With that, Zuko spun on his heels, and began to move back into the folds of the Army. But he stopped a moment later, when he heard his sister's voice say, "I always knew, Zuko."

Zuko stopped then, and turned as Azula continued. "I always knew what he was Zuko. I knew even before you did. That's why I always tried so hard to do whatever he asked of me. He was a monster, but he was my father. I didn't know what to do, even after everything that he did to me."

"Funny. He told me just what to do." Zuko snapped, pointing to his scar.

Azula looked up at her brother's face, then turned her back to him and the others, as her hands moved up to the clasp of her armor. There was a click as she undid it, and as she slowly began to remove it, Oscuridad said, "Azula, if you're doing what I think you're doing,…."

"You left the Fire Nation when Father gave you a gift, Zuko." Azula stated, as she removed her chestplate, revealing a thin undershirt underneath.

"He gave me a gift too, a long time ago." Azula continued, as she grasped the undershirt, and began to pull it over her head. "He just made it so I could hide it."

"Azula, stop this…" Oscuridad began, but he was silenced a second later as Azula pulled off the shirt, revealing a simple bra and the gift her father had given her. Aang and Zuko stumbled back in shock at the sight of it. As Azula got up and slowly turned so that all could see, Katara's hands flew to her mouth, as did Luz's. Sokka's clubs dropped from his hands. Iroh's jaw dropped. Even Ty Lee and Mai were shocked.

From the neck down, Azula's back was a mass of scar tissue. Discolored black skin crisscrossed up and down with pink, creating a mosaic of horrible colors. In other areas, the skin was dark brown, as if the flames had just touched it. The whole of Azula's lower back was black, with marks of differing colors peeking through. But the worst was seeing all the lines where the skin had cracked and reformed as Azula had grown. There were so many that the burns had to have happened when she was a child.

As Azula stood there, Oscuridad slowly came forth. Looking at the burns, he said only one word: "When?"

"I was six." Azula replied, her voice almost a whisper. "He did it to punish me for…… a mistake. He took me into his room, and spent fifteen minutes……. When it was over, he told me I could never fail him again, or I would receive another of his gifts. Then he called for the surgeons." Azula said bitterly.

The bat gave no response, except to raise his hand and gently trace his finger around Azula's back, as if to make sure the burns were real.

"There." He said suddenly. "I can see the marks of his hand."

Azula nodded, but a second later, she let out a cry as Oscuridad, quickly raked his nail across her back, leaving a cut less then an inch long. Azula whirled around, as those around them yelled out in protest, but Oscuridad just looked at his finger, which was now red with blood. Raising the finger to his mouth, Osc sucked away the blood and then looked back at Azula.

"Makeup can be quite effective." He said simply. "I had to be sure."

"And now that you have your proof?" Azula growled.

"Oh it doesn't make difference what I think." The bat replied. "It's what we think. All decisions are made by the Council, and I see now reason that this should be any different. Council, if you please?"

The members of the Council all stepped forth then, and moved to stand behind Oscuridad. Azula looked at them with trepidation, as the bat began to speak.

"Council, we meet today to discuss the recruitment of Princess Azula and her group into this Army. Since the Princess is in charge of this group, she will be their defendant. Is that acceptable to the Council?"

There were concessionary nods, and Osc continued. "Azula, you have demonstrated you are a worthy tactician and Firebending Master. You have fought with us against the Chaos Demon, and were responsible for saving Sokka's life. But you have also demonstrated cruelty, malice, and a thirst for power that frightens even me. All here have great hatred towards you, even those who have fought by you and call you kin."

"But, it is also obvious that you have suffered. There was truth in what you told us, and though I still do not trust you, I do feel some pity for you now. I believe the feeling is mutual for all of us. Do you have anything further to say in your defense?"

"I know you have no reason to trust me." Azula said. "But I am willing to do whatever it takes to bring down my father. Believe at least that much."

The bat nodded, and then looked towards the soldiers behind Azula. "Do you all feel the same way?" he asked them.

The Captain was first to respond. "I have done many things for the Fire Lord, and each time, I felt a little more of my honor slip away. I would like the chance to get it back."

"I want to see my wife again." Jee answered. "I want my son to grow up without having to worry about him being drafted into the army. I would stand with you."

The other troops added their support, some with reluctance, some with gusto. When it came to Ty Lee and Mai, the acrobat was happy to fight with her 'new friends' and Mai merely said it sounded interesting.

"Then we have come to the impasse." Osc said. "All in favor, raise your hand."

For a moment, there was no movement. Then Agua slowly raised his hand. He stood alone for a moment, then Sokka joined him. Luz followed, as did Trueno and Bosque. After another moment, Katara added her hand, and Iroh followed, albeit with some stares from Zuko.

"All opposed?" Osc asked, as he raised his own hand. Tierra, Toph, Fuego, Hierro, Zuko, and Desierto quickly followed.

"Seven for, seven against." The bat said. "But one of us has yet to speak. Aang, what do you say?"

All eyes turned to the Avatar then, as he stood there in silence. The young Airbender looked around uneasily, seeing the differing stares from his friends. Then finally, he looked over at Azula. She looked back at him, waiting for a response, waiting to know if she was going to be sent away, alone and bereft. She waited another minute, then Aang finally spoke.

"Let her stay."

"The Council has spoken." Osc said, a hint of disappointment in his voice, as Azula let out a long sigh. "Azula and her troops will be welcomed into the Army of the Avatar. But, I would like to ask for the right to assign some regulations?"

"Within reason." Luz said sternly.

"Of course." Oscuridad replied, as he marched his way over to Azula. Speaking clearly, and looking straight at her, the bat issued his rules.

"First, Azula, as of this moment, you are no longer in command of these men. In fact, you are no longer in command of anything. You and all those formerly under your command will now be under the authority of General Iroh. You will be given no privileges. You will be bunked in with the regular troops of the other Nations. You will eat with them. You will sleep with them. You will train with them. These men and women are going to be dependant upon you for their lives, and you will be dependant on them for yours."

"Second, until you have proven yourself to us completely, you will not be left alone. You will be assigned an escort, who will observe your whereabouts at all times, as will your friends. Zuko?

"Yes?" the prince answered.

"She's your sister. It seems fitting that you should watch her. Do you have any objections to it?"

"No. Not at all." Zuko replied.

"Good. I'll assign some other guards to take care of Ty Lee and Mai. Now then, there is just one more thing I have to say."

Leaning in close to Azula, the bat found her ear and said in a voice that was almost a whisper, "If I find out this is a trick, if you are planning something against us, if you are trying to hurt me or my friends…….."

Azula waited for the next word, but in the second that passed, Oscuridad ducked down, kicked out her legs and knocked her to the ground, and with a yell, slammed his sword down into the ground, so that it was only inches away from Azula's neck.

"I won't hold back." The bat finished, as he pulled his sword out of the ground and sheathed it. Azula just laid on the ground and stared at Oscuridad, as he spun on his heel and said, "Show them to their bunks. And give her and the troops new armor. We can't have them looking like the people we'll be shooting at."

As he passed by the Council, he whispered to Agua, "We meet tonight. We have a lot to plan and do."