Wonderland
…
Azula opened her eyes with a groan and noticed something. The pain in her head was gone. She sat up, rubbing her head, but then stopped. She looked at her hands and realized that her restraints were gone and her prison gown was replaced with a red tunic and pants and shoes.
"I'm free," she exclaimed. She examined her cell. "When I get out of here, I will avenge my father's defeat."
"I'm late!" a new voice suddenly said. A voice she had never in her life. She looked around the room, and saw nobody.
"Who's there?" she called out.
"I'm late!" the voice said again. She looked down, and gasped. Standing in front of her, was the avatar's...pet. That flying lemur thing. It was looking at her with big eyes. "You're late, too!" it added, and ran under her feet.
She turned around and, to her surprise, saw a hole in the ground.
"Hurry up!" the lemur said, and then jumped into the hole.
Azula smiled. That hole was big enough for her to fit in, and might be a way to escape her prison. On the other hand, it was highly suspicious that it had just appeared without her noticing. It could have been planted there just so that she would go into it and fall to her death. Still, it was worth checking out.
She slowly walked up to the hole and bent down, looking into it. It was so dark she couldn't see the bottom.
"Maybe if I drop something in it..." Before she could finish that statement, though, she lost her balance and fell into the hole. She looked around. She found herself falling down and there was no sign of the bottom.
"It feels nice." She chuckled. "Normally falling is scary. Falling out of bed once when I was little girl was scary. Falling from a boat after being knocked off by my treacherous uncle was worse. And of course, my fall from power and honor was the worst fall ever."
She smiled. This was strange. She actually liked...no. She loved this sensation of falling. How the harsh wind ripped though her body, how she felt herself falling faster with every second, and how adrenaline raced throughout her body. Yes, it was crazy, but the feeling was amazing, like nothing she had ever experienced.
"But if I fall, won't I get hurt?" she asked. "Falling from a high place is dangerous?" Suddenly she felt herself stop with a jolt. "What happened?"
She looked around and saw that she seemed to be falling slowly. She looked around and then noticed a light above her. Her eyes widen as she realized it was a lamp falling down the pit at a relatively fast pace. It fell past her. She watched as it flew by her and went further into the pit until she couldn't see it anymore. "What is a lamp doing in a hole?
"I seemed to have been falling an entire day or maybe even something as long as an hour." She frowned. "Hours were longer then days, right? No, it was the other way around."
She decided not to think on it any more. She was starting to confuse herself, which was unnecessary. She then noticed another lamp falling past her. She scowled.
"Maybe my mind is playing tricks on me again? The traitor."
The theory certainly made sense. It would explain why she was falling for so long. She might have hit the ground a week ago, but her mind was just making her think she was still fine.
"No, my mind can be cruel, but not that cruel."
At least, it wouldn't be that cruel to her. Had somebody else been in this situation, it would do all kinds of horrible things, but not to her. She would know. It was her mind.
Maybe this whole thing was all one giant dream. Maybe she had hit her head on something?
She laughed at the thought. "That's impossible. What a ridiculous theory. There was no way something like the ground would harm me! I was Princess Azula of the Fire Nation."
"Wait," she whispered. "That isn't right. That's who I was? Princess Azula of the Fire Nation."
Yes, it did have a ring to it, but it just didn't feel right.
"Azuli maybe? Or was it Azoulei? Or, maybe something strange such as Alessandra or Amelia? Amanda, maybe? Alice?"
No. None of those sounded correct. But if none of those were her name, then who was she? Why was she falling? And why did she feel so alone?
Before she could give it further thought she saw a light come into view. A small, dim light. Before she could react, she landed on the floor with her feet, gracefully hitting the ground.
"Strange," she whispered. "I fell for a long time. Shouldn't the fall have hurt me? The longer something falls, the harder it would hit. Or was that another lie I was told?"
She looked around and found herself in some kind of room. The floor had black and white patterns, like a Pai Sho board. There were a few pictures on the wall, mostly portraits of people she never met, and pictures of food. But she did notice one thing about the room that scared her.
"There's no door," How was she supposed to get out? She scanned again, but found there were no windows either, the only light coming from a small lamp that hung on the wall.
She looked up at the opening in the ceiling. Was the way she fell the only way to get out? Would she really have to climb all the way back up there?
She didn't want to go out that way. She was fine with climbing, but she couldn't help but think that she came from somewhere that she didn't want to return to.
She had to find another way out.
"I'm late!" a familiar voice shouted. Azula looked and saw the Lemur run past her. He ran down a corridor... that wasn't there before.
Azula watched the Lemur vanish down the corridor. Then she ran after it. She turned a corner and found herself in large room. The Lemur was nowhere in sight.
"Maybe my eyes are lying to me and he is here." Azula looked around. The walls were bare. And there was a door- a very small door.
"What fool would make such a small door?" Azula demanded. She looked and saw a glass table with a bottle on it. "That wasn't there before. Was it?"
She went over to the table and picked up the bottle. It had a label with letters on it. "Drink me," she read. "It wants me to drink?
"They want to poison me," she snarled. Then she frowned. "Who wants to poison me? I can't be poisoned." She looked at the label again.
"OK," she said as picked up the bottle and drank it. It was delicious. She then felt strange. The table and her surroundings started to grow.
She looked around and realized that she might have shrunk. She was ten inches tall. She then noticed the door again and saw that she could fit through.
She ran to the door and tried to open it. It was locked. "Traitorous door!"
Azula looked around, hoping to find another way out. She then saw a key on top of the glass table. She was too small to reach it.
"Ashes!"
She then saw a jeweled box on the floor. She opened it and found a cake with strange writing on it.
"Eat me," Azula read. "What do I have to lose?"
She took a bite. It tasted good. She started to grow. She was soon eye-level with the table and got taller and taller until she hit the ceiling. She was a giant, standing twelve feet tall.
"I'm a big girl." She giggled. "My size is on my side." She picked up the key from the table and looked at the door and realized it was too small.
"No," she whispered, a horror filling her spirit. She sat down; her eyes grew moist and she began to sob. Tears drip down her face and landed on the floor, forming puddles that merged to fill the room, becoming three feet deep.
Azula finally stopped crying and saw that she was standing up to her ankles in water. She sniffed. Suddenly, the flying lemur flew in the room.
"Oh dear, oh dear," he exclaimed as he flew past the table, snatching the key and then landing in the water by the door. He opened the door and the water suddenly rushed through the doorway, pulling the Lemur along with it.
Azula looked at the door, and noticed that her surroundings were getting bigger again. She realized that she was shrinking.
Suddenly she was surrounded by water which engulfed her head. She kicked and swam to the surface, gasping. She looked around as she kept her head above water. She was small and swimming in a pool of her own tears.
The current pulled her through the door and into bright light. Azula found herself floating in some lake or ocean. She attempted to move towards the shore on the horizon.
She then heard a rushing sound nearby. She turned and saw a girl riding a wave. She wore blue clothing and had tan skin, blue eyes and dark brown hair tied in a braid that blew behind her.
"She's a Waterbender," Azula murmured as she tried to stay afloat.
The girl stopped before Azula and stood suspended above the water as if it was ground.
"Who are you?" the girl asked.
"I'm lost," Azula said, keeping her head above water.
"Let me help you," the girl said with a wave of her hand.
Azula suddenly found herself rising out of the water. The girl gestured and they both moved towards the shore.
Azula washed up on the beach, soaked and bewildered. She glanced at the water-girl. She bore a resemblance to the waterbending peasant who had defeated her. But it couldn't be.
"Are you the Waterbender who defeated me?" Azula asked.
"My name is Katara." The girl eyed Azula thoughtfully. "Who are you?"
Azula scowled. "I thought I was Princess Azula of the Fire Nation. But I can't be. She was perfect."
Katara looked skeptical. "You have to find yourself. But beware of the Dark Queen. "
Azula frowned in confusion. "Who's the Dark Queen?"
Instead of answering, Katara turned back to the water and waterbended herself away.
Azula sulked and glanced at the grassy planes. The sun was high in the sky. It was a lovely view. She could just look at it forever, forgetting about dishonor and loss.
She then felt cold. She looked sideways and felt fear. Before her was a figure. It was most probably a woman. She was slim but wiry. She was dressed completely in black: trousers, tunic, and gloves. Atop her head was a black hat and veil that concealed her face and hair.
"Who are you?" Azula demanded.
The black figure swung her fist, shooting a fire ball that almost hit Azula.
Azula turned and tried to run. She took twelve steps before something struck her, knocking her down. She looked up and saw the masked figure standing over her.
"Are you the Dark Queen?"
Her attacker pointed and Azula felt weak. She tried to struggle but couldn't stand. She felt despair take her.
Suddenly a gust of wind came out of nowhere, knocking the masked figure down.
Azula felt her strength return and she sat up, bewildered. She saw a familiar gilder above, piloted by a familiar boy.
"The Avatar?" she whispered.
The Avatar landed on his feet, holding the glider in his left hand, and looked at Azula.
"Take my hand," he held, out his right hand.
Azula hesitated. Then, on impulse, she took the boy's hand.
He generated a wind that lifted himself and Azula off the ground.
The masked figure threw fire balls at them, but the boy flew in a zigzag fashion, rising higher and higher. The masked figure stopped firebending and watched them glide away.
...
The boy held on to his glider with his left hand while his right held onto Azula. She looked at their surrounding, perplexed by recent events. She was attacked by a masked Firebender and rescued by a boy who could fly.
"So where are we going?" Azula asked.
"Over there."
Azula looked and her eyes widened. Up ahead was a temple. It wasn't there before. They landed at the front door.
"Come on in," the boy said.
Azula looked around. The temple was very simple but nice. "Why did you save me, Avatar?"
The boy looked at Azula. "My name is Aang. I saved you from the Dark Queen. She almost had you."
"Who is she?" Azula asked.
"She will try to capture you. You must stay free."
Azula scowled and looked around. She saw a table with some kind of cake on it. Pouting, she went over, picked up the cake and took a bite out of it. It tasted good.
Suddenly, the table was getting smaller. Azula looked around and saw the whole place getting smaller.
"Not again!" she exclaimed as her head hit the ceiling. She was forced into a sitting position while she continued to grow.
"Whoa!" Aang exclaimed as he jumped out of the way Azula's growing foot. The Airbender flew out of the temple and looked back inside.
"You alright?" he shouted.
"GET ME OUT OF HERE!" Azula screamed as she reached through the doorway with her giant hand.
Aang considered it. He then picked up a rock. "Eat this!" He threw it through the opening.
Azula was so cramped she could barely move. She then saw a rock land in her lap. "What does he think...?" She trailed off.
The rock had turned into a cake. This was strange. Frowning, she picked up the cake and ate it. She began to shrink. Azula felt relief, but it was quickly replaced with shock. She was shrinking very fast. Then it stopped. She looked around. Everything was huge. The table towered over her.
"Stupid cake!" She growled. "You ruined everything."
"Azula!" Aang called as he entered the temple.
Azula gasped and hid behind a fallen chair.
"Azula, where are you?" Aang said, looking around. He then ran towards the next area.
Azula frowned. "You won't find me!" she declared. She looked around and saw a crack in a wall. She ran towards it. She squeezed through and found herself in a tunnel. She ran down it. She then found herself in an open landscape.
She glanced at the strange plants surrounding her. Flowers towered over her.
"Flowers?" Azula whispered. "Well, I'm small."
Azula began marching through the tall grass and flowers, contemplating her size. She was small. But she had also been a giant and her normal size today. It was so confusing.
She then noticed something up ahead. It was a mushroom. On top of the mushroom was a centipede. Its body moved like a legged snake. It reared up and looked in Azula's direction.
Azula's eyes widened. Instead of an ugly insect face, the centipede had a human face. The face was white as snow with blood red lips, and eyes that were a steely gray.
"Hello, girl," the creature said, its lips becoming a smirk. "Come closer."
Azula gulped and slowly approached the creature. She stood before the mushroom and looked up. The Centipede towered over her, looking at her with interest.
"I am Koh." The creature's face morphed into that of a lion-boar. "Who are you?"
Azula hesitated. "I don't know anymore."
The Lion Boar's eyes narrowed, his teeth bared. "Nonsense. Everyone knows who they are."
Azula became distressed. "I know who I was, but I'm not her, anymore."
Koh's face morphed into a woman with blond hair and gave a smirk. "Are you sure?"
Azula became angry. "Stop that!"
Koh's face turned into a black demon face with a fanged mouth, pointed ears, and red eyes. "And who are you to tell me what to do?"
Azula became scared. "I am nobody," she said, sounding distressed.
Koh got off his mushroom and began to circle Azula; his face became an older man, an ape, a lovely woman, a snake. "Life is full of contradictions and disharmony, girl."
Azula stood firm, uneasily eyeing the circling Koh.
"Confusion is the result of contradiction," Koh said, his face becoming that of a boy. "You must look past the lies to find the truth."
"What is truth?" Azula asked.
Koh stopped circling and looked at Azula with the face of a bearded man. "You must find the truth."
Azula sighed.
Koh's face became that of a bird as he turned and began to leave. "Eat the mushroom and you'll grow taller."
"What do you mean?" Azula asked.
"Eat the Mushroom and you will grow taller," Koh repeated as he crawled past some grass. Soon, he was out of sight.
Azula looked at the mushroom, perplexed. "It can't be real." She broke off a piece of the mushroom and hesitated. She then took a bite of it. It tasted bad.
She began to grow and grow. She looked around. She seemed to be her right size now, though she wasn't sure what her original size was. She then walked off.
...
Azula walked through a forest. Ahead, she saw a pole covered in directing signs. She stopped and eyed them.
"Up, back, yonder, forward." She frowned. "That's helpful."
Suddenly she heard a groan. She looked around nervously. She looked up and saw something incredible.
There on a tree branch was a furry creature the size of a large cat-dog. He had white fur with six legs, a broad tail, and horns. It was a strangely-sized Flying Bison!
"Who are you?" Azula exclaimed.
"I'm called Appa," the Bison said, baring his teeth in a smile.
Azula was perplexed. "Bison don't smile."
"Are you sure?" Appa said, his grin getting bigger.
Azula looked down. "No," she whispered.
A silence followed. The abnormally small bison just grinned, staring at Azula with his large brown eyes.
"Where should I go?" Azula asked.
"That depends on where you wish to go."
Azula hesitated. "It doesn't matter."
Appa stopped grinning. "Then it doesn't matter which way you go."
Azula was feeling agitated. "As long as I get somewhere."
Appa didn't seem amused. "You're sure to get somewhere if you walk long enough."
Azula was getting frustrated. She wanted to go somewhere, but didn't know where. "Where does that path go?" She pointed at a path.
Appa smiled. "In that direction lives King Bumi. He is probably having a dinner party. He's mad."
"But I don't want to meet mad people," Azula argued.
Appa chuckled. "Oh, we are all mad. I'm mad, you're mad. He's mad."
Azula looked behind her, but saw no one. Scowling, she said, "How do you know I'm mad?"
Appa grinned. "Because you are here. You would only be here if you're mad."
Azula became indignant. "So if I'm not here, I won't be mad?"
"It's not as simple as that," Appa said. "You must first defeat the Dark Queen."
Azula felt dread wash over her, recalling the masked woman who attacked her.
"You should really see King Bumi," Appa said. "You may find what you're looking for." Suddenly the tip of Appa's tail vanished; followed by the rest of his body until only his grinning teeth remained. The smile hung there for a moment before finally disappearing with the rest.
Azula stared at the branch, perplexed. Unsure what to think, she turned and took the path.
...
Azula came to the end of the path. Up ahead was a strange building. It was clearly Earth Kingdom architecture. She heard something coming from behind it. She followed the sound and saw a table with some settings.
At the table were various foods on fine dishes. At one end of the table were two people and a creature. One was a very old man in a green robe and hat. He was munching on lettuce. The other was a little girl in green and yellow pants and tunic. She was eating rice. The creature was a ram-ape, eating out of a big bowl.
Azula frowned. She thought she had seen them before in her past, though nothing was clear.
The girl looked up. "Hey, we got a party crasher."
The man and the creature looked up at Azula.
"Oh goody, we have a guest." The man grinned maniacally. "Come sit- sit."
"Oh goody," the girl grumbled, sulking.
Azula hesitated and then sat in a chair a short distant away.
"Now who are you my dear?" the old man asked.
Azula hesitated once again. "I'm Azula, or at least I was. I'm not sure."
The ram-ape looked intensely at Azula. "Poor girl."
Azula looked at the creature. "You can talk?"
The creature grinned. "Yes, I can."
The old man slapped his forehead "Oh, where are our manners? We should introduce ourselves. I'm King Bumi, the girl is Toph, and my pet is Flopsy."
Azula hesitated, eying the strange trio. She then noticed that Toph was glowering with dull white eyes.
"You're blind?" she exclaimed.
Toph scoffed. "And you're an idiot."
"Now, now, Toph, this is a party," Bumi interjected cheerfully. "Let's have some fun."
Flopsy looked at his empty bowl. "I want a new bowl."
"OK, let's move down," Bumi said as he, Toph, and Flopsy moved into new seats, coming closer to Azula.
"What was that all about?" Azula asked.
"Well when you get your dishes dirty, you have to wash them after a meal, right?" Bumi asked.
"Yes," Azula said, not sure what he was getting at.
"Well, instead of having our dishes washed, we just move down and get a new dish," Flopsy rumbled. "Isn't it clever?"
Azula frowned. "But what happens when you use up all your dishes?"
"Alright, this is getting boring!" Toph declared. "Let's talk about something else."
Azula frowned. "Have we met?"
Toph glowered at Azula with her sightless eyes. "Seriously? Why would you ask such a stupid question?"
"Now Toph, let's be good hosts," Bumi said disapprovingly. "What makes you think we've met, girl?"
Azula became sad. "I don't know what is real anymore. I'm sure I met you before, but you don't seem to know me."
Toph scoffed. "What makes you so special?"
Azula was silent. She certainly wasn't special.
Flopsy got up from his seat and approached Azula. "You're lost and don't know where to go?"
Azula nodded.
Flopsy put a massive paw on Azula's back. "To find the truth, you must first free yourself from lies."
Azula sighed. "How am I supposed to do that?"
Toph sighed as well and seemed to drop her snarky attitude. "Well, let's start at the beginning. How did you get here in the first place?"
Azula needed a moment to find the words. "A grinning bison in a tree sent me here."
"No, no, way before that!" Toph waved her hand. "When did it all go wrong for you?"
Azula's breathing hastened as she searched for an answer. She recalled her best friends betraying her, followed by fear and anger. Father leaving her, her mother lying to her, her fall from power.
She screamed until she had to gasp for breath. Flopsy patted Azula's back. "Are you alright?"
Azula just kept taking deep breaths.
"Truth hurts, doesn't it?" Toph commented.
Bumi looked kindly at the Fire girl. "You must face the truth, Azula."
Azula glowered at the old man. "I don't need to face anything!" she snarled.
Toph scoffed. "Then you won't be going anywhere, crazy pants."
Azula got up from her seat and took off.
"Azula, you have to listen!" Bumi called after her.
Azula left the courtyard and ran to to a clump of trees. She then stopped and took several staggering breaths. "That was the worst dinner party I ever been to in all my life."
She ran about a bit and then noticed that she was lost. She turned left, right, left again, and a panic grew in her. She then froze in shock. Standing before her were two teenage girls.
They looked like her old friends, Mai and Ty Lee, with a few differences. They both wore light red pants, tunic, and black boots. They both had their hair in the same fashion: at their shoulders and held back by red headbands.
"Hi, Azula," Ty Lee beamed.
"Haven't found your way, yet?" Mai asked in a dry voice.
Azula continued to stare. "What are you two doing here?"
"We're here to help you," Ty Lee said, looking earnest.
Azula became angry. "You don't want to help me, you betrayed me."
Mai sighed. "You're still going to think we betrayed you?"
"What do you mean think?" Azula demanded. "You both betrayed me."
"It's not that simple, Azula." Ty Lee frowned. "There is more to it than that."
"What do you mean?" Azula demanded.
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Mai retorted. "You are trapped in a lie. Unless you try to break free, you will never know the truth."
Azula scoffed. "I don't need the truth."
"No, you don't," a cold voice said.
Azula turned and froze. The Dark Queen stood a short distant away.
Ty Lee and Mai tensed.
The Dark Queen conjured up fire balls in her hands and in a blur of motion threw them at Azula.
Azula was too scared to move. Mai and Ty Lee jumped in front of her, Kyoshi fans in their hands. They used the weapons to block the fire balls.
Mai and Ty Lee ran at the Dark Queen, who summoned more fire but was overpowered by the quick attacks and knocked to the ground.
Mai and Ty Lee turned and grabbed Azula's wrists. "We got to run." Ty Lee said.
Azula found herself pulled by her former friends. Why were they helping her? It made no sense.
They ran past some trees and reached a large rock with a hole in it.
"You have to escape, Azula," Ty Lee said, gesturing to the hole.
Azula looked at the hole in disbelief. "I can't fit in it."
Mai sighed. "Then eat this." She shoved something in Azula's mouth.
Azula swallowed the food before she could figure out what it was. She gasped as she shrunk smaller and then was less than a foot tall. Azula glowered up at the girls, trying to hide her fear with anger.
Suddenly the Dark Queen sprang into Azula's sight. She was gigantic.
"Azula, run!" Ty Lee said, getting her fans ready.
"Better Listen, Azula," Mai said, snapping her own fans open.
Azula turned and ran into the hole, hearing battle behind her. She made a few turns and then came into a room. It was a large room with tall walls. It was that original room, where she had first become big and small and nearly drowned in her own tears. The table was gone and there was the door. She went over and grabbed the knob. It turned.
The door opened and she saw a beautiful garden. She walked through the door into the garden. The grass was green; there were tall trees with purple leaves and yellow flowers in their branches.
She walked amidst the beauty and then stopped. Before her was a troupe of girls. They wore green tunics that came to their knees, black shoes, and some kind of yellow caps.
One of the girls stepped forward. "You are the one called Azula?" she asked.
"Yes," Azula replied, unsure what to think.
"I am Suki," the girl said. "We are all Kyoshi girls."
Azula eyed them and noticed that the attire the girls were wearing seemed to have been woven from various kinds of plant matter. The tunics and shoes seemed to be made of leaves and the yellow capes were formed from giant flower petals.
"Why are your clothes made of leaves?"
Suki and the other Kyoshi girls frowned. "You must ask the right question."
Azula sighed. "Why am I here?"
"You were trying to escape the Dark Queen," Suki said. "But you have to face her."
"I can't defeat her," Azula exclaimed. "She is too powerful."
"Yes, she is," Suki agreed. "But you can defeat her if you can find the truth."
"How should I find it?" Azula asked.
"What do you know about us?" Suki said.
Azula frowned, recalling how she, Mai, and Ty Lee defeated these girls and used their identities to take over Ba Sing Se.
"I defeated you long ago. At least I'm sure it was long ago."
Suki frowned. "Correct. You and your friends defeated me and used our identities for a dishonorable infiltration."
Azula became defensive. "You're wrong."
"You think it honored the Fire Nation to bring suffering and death to the world?" Suki asked.
Azula became agitated. She couldn't be wrong. The war was justified. "Stop it!"
Suki and the girls just stared at her. "Very well," Suki said as she and the others turned and ran off.
Azula felt relieved. But then the relief was replaced with loneliness. She began to walk around. The garden was beautiful. But it was lonely. She became afraid. What if the Dark Queen was nearby?
Azula screamed and looked around. Her fear was growing bigger and bigger. She froze. There near a tree was the Dark Queen.
Azula's breathing became raspy. The Dark Queen swung her arm and threw a ball of fire. Azula dodged left and turned and ran for it. She ran and ran, panicking. Her surroundings were a blur as if she was running as fast as the wind.
She hoped she was outrunning her mysterious foe. She glanced behind her and to her horror, the Dark Queen was right behind her, firebending propelling her like a fireworks rocket.
Azula tripped and fell. She was on her hands and knees and looked up in terror. The Dark Queen was standing before Azula, her face concealed by the dark veil.
"Don't hurt me!" Azula pleaded.
"You belong to me," the Dark Queen said coldly. "You will never be free from me."
Azula became dizzy. She couldn't stand. Suddenly two fire balls struck the Dark Queen, knocking her down.
Azula blinked, the dizziness vanishing. She watched the Dark Queen deflecting a flurry of fire balls being thrown at her. She then jumped left and right and then ran for it, soon out of sight.
Azula sat up, confused. She found two figures running towards her. One was a wide man with gray hair and bread. The other was teenager with a nasty scar on his face.
"Are you OK, Azula?" the older man asked.
"Uncle Iroh?" Azula asked, puzzled.
"Why, yes," he smiled.
The scarred boy glowered at Azula. "You shouldn't be alone, Azula. The Dark Queen almost got you."
Azula became indignant. "Shut up, Zuzu."
Zuko scowled. "At least you remember the stupid nickname you gave me."
Iroh reached out his hand. Scowling, Azula took it, allowing him to help her to her feet.
"You shouldn't take off, Azula," Zuko said. "You won't survive."
Azula let out a yell and turned and stomped off.
"Azula, please, come back," Iroh called out.
Azula froze her emotions in turmoil. With a sigh, she swallowed her anger and turned to face her brother and uncle. "Why are you here?"
Zuko scowled. "We saved you from the Dark Queen and you're wondering why we're here."
Azula scowled back. "Considering that you took everything from me, I doubt you did it for my sake."
Zuko became livid. "You-"
Iroh touched Zuko's shoulder, silencing him. "Allow me, Zuko." Iroh turned to face Azula. "You have suffered much, Azula. But others have suffered, too."
Azula crossed her arms. "I don't care about others."
Iroh stared sadly at Azula while Zuko glowered.
Azula sighed. "OK, so what? How does that concern me?"
"You're in a prison of your own making," Iroh said. "The only way to free your self is to accept the truth."
Azula frowned. "What is truth?"
Zuko threw out his arms. "How about the truth is that you were wrong?"
Azula grew livid. "I am not wrong!"
"How do you know that?" Iroh asked.
Azula was about to argue, but paused. How did she know that she was not wrong? Grief overcame her. She sank to her knees, sobbing. Iroh and Zuko stood silently.
Azula finally stopped crying. Rubbing her eyes, she looked up at Iroh and Zuko.
"We can help you, Azula," Iroh said kindly. "But we can't make you do anything you don't want to do. You have to choose."
Zuko's expression became sympathetic. "I had to suffer much before I could learn the truth too, Azula. You can learn it as well."
With a sigh, Azula got to her feet. "What do I have to do?"
"Come with us," Iroh said.
Azula took a deep breath and followed them.
They walked a distance Azula couldn't measure when she found herself unexpectedly on a beach. There was a body of water on her left, waves lapping at the shore. The sand was bright yellow. There were trees and flowers on the outskirts. There were familiar individuals.
There was the Water Tribe girl and next to her was a Water Tribe boy who she was sure she knew. There was King Bumi, Flopsy, Toph, Suki and those Kyoshi girls.
"Hello, crazy pants," Toph said.
Azula felt awkward. "What are you doing here?"
"We're here to help you," Katara said.
"Because you need it," the Water Boy said.
"Sokka, be nice," Suki interjected.
Azula hesitated.
"You don't look so well," Flopsy commented.
"How about we fix that," King Bumi said. "Azula, do you think you can face earthbending?"
Azula swallowed. "Yes, I can."
He raised his hands and the ground under Azula rose up. The girl gasped, unsure what was going to happen. Bumi jumped on the towering earth. "Take my hand."
Azula complied. Bumi gestured and the earth zoomed down the beach like the wind. Azula felt ecstatic. This earthbending ride was exhilarating. Suddenly, it stopped. Azula blinked. She was back where she and Bumi had started. She didn't remember turning around.
Toph smirked. "Earthbending is pretty good, isn't it?"
Zuko scowled. "Sure."
Azula looked around at everyone. "What happens now?"
"How about a Caucus Race?" Sokka offered.
"Sounds good," Suki said with a smile.
Calls of agreement came from the others.
"What is a Caucus Race?" Azula asked.
"It's a race," Katara said. "But it would be better if we show you."
King Bumi suddenly yelled like a crazy man and moved towards an area. "Alright, who wants to race?"
Flopsy, Katara, Sokka, Toph, Suki and the Kyoshi girls moved nearby.
Iroh looked at his Nephew. "Join them, Zuko."
Zuko scowled. "Maybe you should."
"Now Zuko, stop being stubborn."
"Come on, Zuko, don't be such a Zuzu," Katara called out.
Azula chuckled at the nickname Katara used.
Scowling, Zuko stomped over and joined the racers.
"Now watch us, Azula," Sokka said. "After you get the idea how it works, join the fun."
Azula nodded.
Toph crouched into a runner's starting stance and spat into the sand. "Alright guys, let's see if you can you prove you're not wimps."
Bumi smirked. "Get ready, get set, and GO!"
The racers ran across the beach. They seemed to keep to one direction, but eventually swerved to the left, Katara in the front with Sokka right behind her. Flopsy trailed them with Bumi to his left.
Toph was behind them, but ran with great determination and passed the king and his pet. Suki and her group were next behind Bumi and Flopsy. Zuko was behind the rest of the group, scowling.
Toph came up on Katara and Sokka. Her face tightened and then the ground shook, knocking Sokka and Katara off their feet. Toph ran past them, followed by King Bumi and Flopsy. Katara got to her feet and resumed running. Sokka wasn't as fast, and by the time he got to his feet, all the other racers had passed him. With a grunt he resumed running.
Azula continued to watch the race in wonder. "Where is the finish line?"
"There isn't one," Iroh said.
Azula looked at Iroh in disbelief. "What do you mean there isn't one?"
"A Caucus Race doesn't have a finish line," Iroh said.
"But how do you know who wins?"
Iroh smiled. "You don't. That's how you race a Caucus Race."
Azula frowned. "That's ridiculous."
"Yes it is," Iroh chuckled. "You should join in."
Azula hesitated. "I'd rather not."
Toph suddenly turned and skated off the unseen racetrack towards Azula. "Don't be a stick in the swamp, crazy pants. Join the fun."
"No!"
Toph smirked. "Scared?"
Azula scowled. "No."
"Then come and run, crazy pants," Toph taunted.
Azula hesitated, but then launched herself into the race with a scowl. She was somewhere in the middle of the pack, only Sokka and Zuko behind her. She tried to run faster but could not. Behind her, Sokka said, "If you want to get in front, you should stop for a minute, Azula."
"That's ridiculous," Azula scoffed, but then stopped to catch her breath. Sokka and Zuko ran past her. As she panted, she watched the racers and tracked their meandering course until they came up right behind her.
She then ran. Behind her, Toph was glowering. "I'm going to get past you, crazy pants."
Azula actually smirked. She was in the front- though it didn't make sense. She then noticed something flying in the sky towards the beach. It was Aang, riding a glider. He landed in front of Azula.
"Hi, Azula."
Despite her shock, she didn't stop running and passed Aang. He went into a running pace, with Toph right behind him.
"Hey, Twinkle Toes, you got a thing for crazy pants?" she teased.
Aang stopped running in shock while Toph and the others ran past him. Far in the lead, Azula didn't stop running, but was blushing at Toph's suggestion. Just as had happened to her before, she found Aang coming up in front of her.
"Run, boy, this is a race!"
Aang came out of his shock and ran, with Azula not far behind him.
At the back of the line of racers, Sokka said. "Let's make things wet. Katara, do some bending!"
In the middle, Katara gestured and suddenly a massive wave rose in the ocean and surged right towards them. Aang and Azula both stopped, startled by the approaching wave. Toph, Bumi, Flopsy ran past them just as the water crashed on the shore. Aang himself airbended into the sky, avoiding the wave.
The water knocked Azula off her feet and she gasped in shock. She landed on her hands and knees as the waters receded. Toph was lapping her once again when suddenly a pair of large arms scooped Azula up. Azula gasped again as Flopsy carried her.
"This is fun, isn't it?" he asked.
"Fun?" Azula asked, perplexed.
Nearby, Bumi chuckled. "Forward, backwards, inward, outward, that is the case. Nothing is more fun than a jolly Caucus race. Backward, forward, bottom to the top. There can never be a beginning so there can never be a stop."
Sokka then reached the middle of the group and glanced at Azula. "Yeah, Azula it makes you feel gay. Will it will start tomorrow or will it end yesterday."
"What?" Azula asked, not sure she heard that right.
Aang flew through the air, right beside Azula and Flopsy. "A Caucus race is fun, Azula. You should try it more often."
Suddenly the ground quaked, forming a crater in the path. Flopsy put Azula on his back and ran on all fours and jumped over the crater. Bumi earthbended himself over it. Sokka hesitated before the crater while Zuko used his firebending to repel himself over it. Sokka finally jumped along with Suki and the other Kyoshi girls.
Azula clung to Flopsy as he ran past Katara and reached Toph. "Nice trick," he grunted as he ran.
Toph smirked. "Think you're tough, don't you?"
Another wave struck them all. Azula held onto Flopsy as water washed over them.
The ram-ape ran past Toph, who had fallen. The others soon passed the Earthbender girl too.
Azula's mind became a haze. All she could do was hold on to Flopsy, filled with bliss. The race continued as everyone ran; sometimes the ground would quake or a wave of water would strike, but Azula lost all sense of time.
The race eventually broke up. Everyone just stopped and panted. Azula slid down Flopsy's back. She was soaked, but happy.
Iroh approached the racers. "Excellent everyone. Now to congratulate our winner."
Azula frowned. "Who won?"
"We all did," Bumi said with a laugh.
Sokka grinned. "Everyone winning ensures there are no losers."
Toph shrugged. "Whatever."
Suki casually crossed her arms. "Now someone needs to hand out prizes."
"I nominate Azula," Katara responded.
Azula froze. "What prizes?"
Flopsy cocked his head. "How about the ones in the bag you have?"
Azula looked to her side, puzzled. There was a bag on the sandy beach that wasn't there before. She picked it up and took out...a cake. She gasped in shock.
"Well, give out the prizes." Toph said.
Azula held back for a moment, but began handing the cakes to the various racers, wondering if something would happen to them. Everyone just munched their cakes.
Azula noticed that no one became bigger or smaller. Aang then held out a cake to her. "Here is your prize."
Azula hesitated. "I don't think I should."
"Come on, Azula, be a winner."
With a sigh, Azula took the cake and took a bite out of it, expecting to shrink or grow. Nothing happened.
"You don't like it?" Aang asked.
"No, it's good," Azula assured him.
Aang smiled and then sat down, enjoying his cake.
Azula glanced at the others. Toph sat by herself. Sokka sat with Suki and the Kyoshi girls.
Zuko was with Iroh, sharing his cake. Katara sat on the beach, along with Bumi and Flopsy.
"Hello, Azula," a familiar voice said.
Azula turned her head. It was a cat-dog sized flying Bison, floating in midair. He was grinning.
Unfazed, Azula took a step forward. "Nice to meet you again, Appa."
"How are you getting along, Azula?" Appa asked.
Azula hesitated. "Fine, I guess."
"How do you like your friends?" Appa asked.
Azula frowned. "They are not my friends."
"You are correct," Appa said as he disappeared into thin air.
Azula's eyes widened in shock. She then saw Appa appear in another area. "They were the reason you were defeated and got lost. But do you know why they destroyed your life?"
Azula hesitated. "I- I don't know."
"I can only tell you if you're ready," Appa said. "Are you ready?"
Azula nodded, feeling uneasy.
"You were raised to believe the Fire Nation was supreme and it was justified to attack the other nations," Appa said. "Can you accept that maybe you were lied to?"
Azula felt emotions surge through her: anger, fear, confusion, unbelief. "No," she said, her voice trembling.
Appa stopped grinning. "If you can't accept the truth, Azula, you won't be free."
"Free from what?" Azula demanded.
Appa didn't answer.
Aang came over to Azula. "Azula, we just want to help you."
Azula couldn't take it anymore. "Get away from me!" She turned and ran for it. She ran and ran, until she found herself in a dark forest. Her anger vanished. She became lonely, afraid. She wished the others were with her.
Then the Dark Queen appeared.
"Stay away from me!" Azula screamed.
"You will never be free of me," the Dark Queen said. With a flick of a hand, a whip appeared in her grip. She swung it.
The whip wrapped around Azula's legs. A tug made Azula fall to the ground. She was frozen with fear as the masked figure approached her. Holding the whip handle in one hand, the Dark Queen conjured up a fire ball in the other.
Then two figures came sprang up in Azula's vision out of nowhere. The Dark Queen dropped her whip and started firebending at them.
Azula blinked her eyes in stunned disbelief. Ty Lee and Mai charged at the Dark Queen, who turned and fled.
The two girls turned to face Azula. Ty Lee looked worried while Mai had her trademark scowl.
"Are you alright, Azula?" Ty Lee asked.
Azula glowered at them as she got to her feet. "Why did you help me?"
Mai's scowl didn't change. "You wouldn't believe us if we told you. You simply can't accept the truth."
Azula groaned. "What is truth?"
Mai's eyes narrowed. "The truth is painful, Azula. But if you won't accept it, the Dark Queen will always come after you."
"Who is she?" Azula screamed. "Why is she after me?"
"You wouldn't believe us if we told you," Ty Lee said sadly.
Azula became tearful. "Stop it, please!"
"Stop what?" Mai demanded. "You brought this upon yourself. If we didn't show up, the Dark Queen would have gotten you. Is that what you want?"
Azula began sobbing. Ty Lee went over and wrapped her arms around her.
"I'm sorry all of this is happening to you, Azula," she whispered. "But you must be brave and face the truth. Only then can you defeat the Dark Queen."
Azula continued to sob, but found comfort in Ty Lee's embrace. When they withdrew from each other, Azula wiped her eyes.
"I don't know what to do."
Ty Lee looked sympathetic. "The truth can hurt, Azula. Are you ready to hear it?"
Azula hesitated. "Yes."
"You believed that Fire was the superior element and the war was justified?" Ty Lee asked.
Azula swallowed and nodded.
Ty Lee frowned grimly. "It is a lie- a lie we all fell for."
Azula's hands were shaking, but she tried to stay calm.
Mai took a few steps closer. "The truth is, Azula, that you're afraid of the truth."
"Why?" Azula asked in a trembling voice.
Mai stared intensely at Azula. "Because the truth says that everything you stood for is wrong. And there are other things you can't bear to accept."
"What?" Azula demanded.
Ty Lee and Mai glanced at each other before turning back to Azula.
"Can you bear to listen?" Ty Lee asked.
Azula hesitated.
"We can't make you believe, Azula," Mai said. "We can only show you the way."
Azula was in turmoil "What else am I wrong about?"
"You were controlled and abused by your father," Mai said. "You were cruel and dishonorable towards Zuko and many others."
Azula flinched. "I always knew I was a monster."
"That is a half-truth, Azula," Mai said sternly. "You are a monster. But you're also lost and need help. You can get better."
"How?"
"You're doing it now, Azula," Ty Lee said kindly. "You're listening. But accepting everything will take time."
Azula's breathing was ragged, her emotions confused.
"Ah, you seem to be doing well."
Azula turned and saw Koh towering over her like a giant snake ready to strike. He had the face of a woman with white hair.
Azula stayed firm while Ty Lee and Mai stood nearby. Koh began to circle Azula, his face becoming that of a bird. "The truth is like fire. It can burn you. But it can also refine you, like ore being purified." His face became a man with a long black beard and a blind eye. "But you must be willing to be refined."
Azula swallowed. "What must I do?"
Koh's face shifted, but before Azula could make it out, it became obscured by a familiar black veil and hat. "When the time is right, you must face the Dark Queen and defeat her."
Azula stared in shock. "I can't defeat her."
Koh's face remained hidden by the veil as he spoke in a cold voice, "You couldn't before. But you're stronger now than you were. When the time comes, you must be brave." Koh's face became a badger-mole as he skittered backwards, his centipede body fading into the shadows.
Azula's breath went raspy. The Dark Queen was powerful and couldn't be defeated.
Ty Lee approached Azula, her face etched in sympathy. "She is powerful Azula. But you can defeat her."
Azula felt fear swell within her. Suddenly, Aang dropped out of the air, his glider snapping closed as he landed on his feet. "It's OK, Azula," he said. "You don't have to face her now."
Azula became angry. "Why is she after me? What did I do to her?"
Aang looked grim. "She wants you to live a lie."
"But why?" Azula demanded.
"Why does anyone do anything?" Mai asked coldly.
Azula scowled at Mai.
"You must face her first, Azula," Ty Lee said grimly. "Only then will you know why."
Azula groaned. "OK, what do I have to do?"
"Come with us," Aang said. "You must learn to accept the truth before you can face her."
Azula sighed. "Fine."
Azula followed Aang, with Mai and Ty Lee behind her. Before long, the forest got thinner. Azula found that they were entering a valley barren and lifeless. But then she saw Katara, Aang, Sokka and the others waiting ahead. Everyone she had met, except the Lemur and Koh.
"What is going on?"
Sokka took a step forward. "This is where you will face the Dark Queen."
Azula became afraid. Ty Lee touched her shoulder. "You're be fine, Azula. Defeat her and you will find the truth."
Azula sighed. "I don't even have my bending."
"You can do it, Azula," Suki said.
Toph took a step forward. "Look, crazy pants, you're weak. But you are also stubborn. Use that stubbornness to overcome your weakness. Then kick the Dark Queen's butt."
Azula took a few uneasy breaths before composing herself. "What do I have to do?"
Aang pointed. "Go there and wait for her."
Azula took a regal pose and walked into the open area. She was afraid. Behind her, Mai, Ty Lee, Appa, Aang, and the others waited.
The Dark Queen emerged from the left. Azula's fear grew.
"You are weak, Azula," she said coldly. "You depend on others who can't save you."
Azula struggled against her fear and tried to stay firm. "What do you want from me?"
The Dark Queen's face was concealed, but Azula got the impression she was smiling.
"I want to free you, Azula," the other woman said in a silky voice. "Surrender to me and you will be free."
"You're lying!" Azula shouted.
Dark Queen sneered. "How would you know? You don't even know what is true. You don't even know that you can defeat me."
Azula's breathing intensified.
"Don't listen to her, Azula," Aang called out. "You can defeat her."
"You can find the truth, Azula!" Katara called out.
"Yeah, kick her fanny," Sokka shouted.
The others cheered her.
Azula suddenly felt confident. She prepared for battle.
The Dark Queen conjured fire balls in her hands. Azula waited. The Dark Queen threw the fire balls forward.
Azula leaped sideways, and got to her feet. She didn't have her bending, but her strength and agility were unhampered.
The Dark Queen threw more fire balls, Azula moved left and right, but was tiring. A fire ball hit her shoulder, and she fell.
Azula got on her hands and knees, looking to find that her shoulder wasn't burnt, but it was still sore.
"Keep it up, Azula," the Dark Queen mocked. "To hate me is to give me fire. To be prideful is to give me strength. Now taste eternal loss." She raised her hands and they glowed with electricity.
"Azula, get up!" Zuko shouted.
"Azula, don't give up!" Ty Lee called. "You can do it!"
Azula got to her feet; and suddenly her memories became vivid. Life, Father, Mother, friends, betrayal, enemies, and her acts of cruelty and dishonesty. She became unsettled.
"You can't win," the Dark Queen sneered as she pointed, shooting a lightning bolt which Azula barely dodged. "I'm everything you want."
Azula stood her ground, breathing heavy, face twisted with tension. "No. It's true I don't want to admit I was wrong. But I also want to know the truth."
The Dark Queen pointed, generating another lightning bolt. Azula stood her ground against the blow. Her nerves burned with the electricity, but she stood firm.
The Dark Queen seemed shocked. She proceeded to throw fire balls. Azula raised her hands, blocking the fire balls from striking her.
The Dark Queen let out a stream of fire. Azula angled her hands and the fire blast split to either side of her. She found that she could bend again. She smiled as she generated her own flame.
She charged at the Dark Queen, throwing fire. The Dark Queen tried to deflect the blows, but then Azula's fist struck her and knocked her clean off her feet.
Azula held the Dark Queen down with one hand and with the other, grabbed the Dark Queen's veil and ripped it off. Her gaze finally fell on the face of her tormenter, and she found herself struck motionless.
The Dark Queen had Azula's face. Her face. The Dark Queen was scowling. But then she flashed a predatory grin.
"Fool," she mocked. "I am you. I am everything you are. You can't defeat yourself."
She struck Azula in the face, knocking her down. The Dark Queen got to her feet, glowering down at Azula. "You and I are the same. That is why you won't be free of me."
Azula looked into the Dark Queen's face- her face- in horror. She felt sick and helpless.
"Don't listen, Azula," Ty Lee shouted.
"You can beat her," Aang shouted. "You have to choose to not be who you were."
Azula glanced at those she had considered enemies, and then back at her other self. She realized that the Dark Queen was all that was evil in her and the others were trying to free her. Now it was up to her to be free. She got to her feet and stared at her double.
Her doppelganger's face was full of hatred. She charged, and Azula deflected her strikes. She then struck her twin in the stomach. The dark apparition fell to the ground, dazed and exhausted. Then, without warning, she vanished in a puff of smoke.
Azula was panting, feeling very tired.
Mai, Ty Lee and the others approached her.
"You were great, Azula," Ty Lee said.
"Yeah, you beat yourself good," Toph added with a grin.
"Oh yeah, you were fantastic." Sokka concurred.
Suddenly a flying Lemur dropped from the sky. "Oh dear, I'm sorry for being late."
Bumi laughed. "Well at least you dropped in."
Appa grinned. "Good one."
Momo looked at Azula. "It's time."
"Time for what?" Azula asked.
"Do you know where you are?" The Lemur asked.
Azula shook her head.
Aang took a step closer. "You are in an asylum, in a catatonic state. Everything you have experienced is a fabrication of your broken mind, representing the struggle inside you. The Dark Queen was a manifestation of everything evil in you. We represent the parts of you that either seek or know the truth. Now that you won the battle you will soon awaken."
Azula suddenly felt sick. "What then?"
"Your journey has only begun, Azula," Mai said in a quiet voice. "It will be long and full of hardships. But I know you can do it."
Azula became dizzy, and everything around her blurred.
Tye Lee grabbed Azula's hand. "Please don't hate me and Mai when you awaken, Azula. I know it won't be easy, but please try to be our friends again."
Azula found herself surrounded by darkness and everyone vanished. Suddenly, there was bright light. Azula closed her hurt eyes and groaned. "Where am I?" she whispered.
She carefully opened her eyes. She was lying on something soft. She then sat up, her body felt weak and achy.
"You're awake," said a voice
Azula gasp, turning her head towards the voice. On her left was a uniformed woman with straight black hair.
"Who are you? Where am I?"
"I'm Daxura, I'm your nurse," The woman looked intensely at Azula. "How do you feel?"
Azula frowned. "I feel hungry."
"I'll see that you get some food." The Nurse turned to leave.
Azula looked around. She was in a bed in a largely empty room. She examined herself. She wore a white gown that hung loosely on her frame; her arms were thin and bony. She sat up and got out of bed. But her body was so weak that standing wore her down and she had to sit again. She sighed.
After a few moments she laid back on the bed. She was awake, and assumed she could probably trust she wasn't living a fabrication. But what now? What would she do?
Seconds later, the Nurse returned with a tray that had a cup of water and bowl of porridge.
"Eat this."
Azula took the tray. She eyed the porridge questionably, but then went ahead and ate. Within seconds, she was done.
"Do you need anything else?"
Azula glowered at the Nurse. "I need answers. Where am I? How did I get here?"
Nurse frowned. "What is the last thing you remember?"
Azula scoffed. "My last clear memory is of being defeated by that waterbending peasant. After that, nothing made sense. I was in all kinds of places and met people who wanted to hurt me or help me. Then I found myself here and I think it's real."
The Nurse moved closer. "After your defeat at Agni Kai, your mind shattered. You were put in a prison cell and your mental illness got worse. About a week ago, you became catatonic. You were moved here for treatment. We tried to keep you alive, but you wouldn't eat much in your condition. We were afraid you wouldn't survive."
Azula considered that. "So everything I saw wasn't real?"
"It seems likely." The Nurse examined her. "Do you need anything else?"
Azula considered how hungry she still felt. "I would like more to eat."
"Wait here." The Nurse took the tray and turned to leave.
Azula laid back in her bed and sighed. She was awake and she assumed could probably trust she was sane. But what now? What would she do?
…
The End
…
Author note.
When designing the fic, I naturally wanted characters to have roles that somewhat fit them while retaining the characteristics and personas of Last Airbender.
Azula is of course Alice.
Momo is the White Rabbit.
Koh is the Caterpiller.
Appa is the Cheshire Cat.
Bumi, Flopsy and Toph are basically the Hatter, Hare and Dormouse party- though Toph isn't really like a mouse.
Ty Lee and Mia's roles and style were loosely based on Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum- which come from "Alice through the Looking Glass".
I can't say the others spoof anyone from Wonderland, though I did think of particulars when doing their roles.
I thought of the Dodo when I chose Katara's role- though you can't compare them.
I thought of the Griffin and the Mock Turtle with Zuko and Iroph's roles- again you can't compare them.
Suki and the Kyoshi girls' role were loosely based on the cards painting the roses red.
The Dark Queen is loosely based on the Queen of Hearts.
I needed a conclusion for Azula's adventure. The idea of her adventure being a dream that represented her inner struggle was based on a gruesome Alice in Wonderland Video game with a similar plot.
Hope you enjoyed this. Coming up next is an epilog, showing a brief aftermath of Azula's adventures.