The Golden Wolf Warrior
By: Agent-Ayu
Chapter 2: The Avatar is a Fool
Notes: Just wondering from you guys. In the future chapters, should I have Zhao and the Yu Yen archers kidnap Aang like they did in the series and Azula has to go rescue him in disguise? I'm curious to what you think.
Disclaimer: Disclaimer from Prologue still applies.
"Azula, I'm… so-sorry." Was all Lu Ten could say before closing his eyes to never wake up again.
Azula began to cry mixing her cousin's blood with her tears. Mizuki grabbed Azula and ran up the gangplank as other firebenders from the ship came down and helped Jeong Jeong. Leaving them and the Fire Nation.
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The firebender woke with a start. Once a year Azula had been haunted by the nightmare of her cousin's death, usually on the anniversary of her arrival into the Southern Water Tribe.
Nine years have passed since that tragic day. Every year Azula remembers more about what happened. She could smell the fire, smoke, and blood as if it was yesterday.
She began to remember what her cousin looked like. She remembered his bangs covering a little of his upper eyelids, but not long enough to be put up in his topknot. She also remembered how Lu Ten was a good six inches taller than her uncle.
If she were asked about who overthrew the Fire Lord or who was the Fire Lord that was overthrown, she wouldn't be able to respond. She couldn't remember the important details of that night.
Azula took a deep breath. She felt her inner fire rise and warm her body up. Being a firebender she naturally rose with the sun. Quietly she got out of her sleeping bag and started gathering materials for her morning training session.
Once she had her anorak on and her swords with her she slowly crept out of the igloo not awaking anyone else. As she exited the igloo she saw that the sun was starting to rise above the horizon.
"One thing I hate about winter is that the days are shorter." Azula mumbled to herself as she walked across the village to the eastern wall.
Even though Azula trained with the other men on the basic warrior's training, and with Hakoda on their own free time with her broadswords. Azula had been getting up every morning to practice her firebending on her own since she was six. Not wanting to accidentally melt the village Hakoda had set up a makeshift firebending training area just outside the village.
She looked over her training area, it looked like she only had a few more training days before she would have to take the time to rebuild her training area since some of the snow and ice had melted. Azula stared at the rising sun and took a big breath trying to feel the sun in her inner fire.
The firebender was able to remember her early firebending training she had back in the Fire Nation. Her uncle, who's face she couldn't remember, always told her that proper breathing makes the most powerful fire not the muscle.
Azula dropped into a horse stance and began punching slowly but with a lot of power. At a steady pace her punches gradually sped up to where there wasn't a second that went by did a fireball fly out of the firebender's hands.
"495. 496. 497. 498. 499. 500!" Azula shouted as her last punch flew over the water hitting a nearby glacier.
The blood and adrenaline was beginning to rush through her veins. Azula could hear her heart beat through her eardrums as she tried to control her heart rate by taking longer and deeper breathes than she normally does.
Finally she was able to bring her heart rate down. She began to stretch out more of her muscles now that she was warmed up. Next she was going to do a series of kicks. Knowing how warm she was going to get, Azula took off her anorak.
"Okay kicks." Azula dropped back slightly and started her series of kicks with a front kick.
"Front. Front. Side. Side. Round. Round." Azula slightly mumbled to herself with each kick. Doing only two of each kick perfectly transitioning from each kick to the other without pausing.
Each kick had either a fireball or fire arc bending through the open air hitting glaciers. When she finished her series of kicks she smoothly drew her swords out from their sheath and began attack invisible enemies that surrounded her. The firebender was so busy with her training she didn't sense Kya walking up to the training area.
Kya stayed a good distance away from Azula. Her mouth hanged in awe of the firebender's movements. She could remember when Azula was just beginning to figure how to firebend again so many years ago. Kya was also amazed on how Azula taught herself firebending.
"A prodigy." Kya whispered.
When Azula came to a stop, Kya clapped. Azula smiled when she heard Kya clapping. It wasn't unusual for Kya to come looking for Azula when she was firebending.
"Morning Azula."
Azula sheathed her swords before turning to face her guardian. "Morning Kya. You're actually up earlier than usual."
"Something told me today would be special day. Your firebender is coming along. I see you incorporated what you learned from Hakoda and the other men into your firebending." Kya observed.
"It's mostly for defense. Firebending is very offensive and I need to be able to defend myself if I can't attack whoever I fight." Azula explained. "Is Sokka and Katara still going on that fishing trip?"
Both Azula and Kya began walking back into the village. "Yes, Katara just woke up and is getting ready for it."
"And Sokka is still asleep?" Azula guessed.
Kya laughed. "Of course."
When Kya and Azula entered the village there were a few women starting their morning chores and a couple of kids already trying to find something to do. The village had become very quiet and lonely since the men left two years ago, but it was also calming for Azula for some reason.
"C'mon Sokka get up!" Katara shouted from inside the igloo.
Azula walked in seeing Katara having a ball of water hovering over Sokka. She couldn't help but chuckle. "Sokka, I'd listen to Katara."
Both girls heard the teenage boy grumble as he rolled over in his sleep. "I'm warning you Sokka. You have till the count of three." Katara threatened.
"Three." Azula said calmly not bothering to count from one.
Katara smiled and let the water drop over her brother. "Agah! Why you-" Sokka began to mutter in gibberish with his annoyance over the two benders.
"Not bad Katara you were actually able to hold the ball of water for a while. You're improving." Azula commented while setting her swords off in her side of the teens' small makeshift room.
"But I'm not as advanced as you are. You taught yourself firebending." Katara defended as she dug through her chest.
"I had a firebending teacher when I was back in the Fire Nation. It's rather annoying how I remember some of the not as important details of my past." Azula watched Katara dig through the chest. From where she was standing she had a nice angle of the waterbender's rear.
Azula blushed realizing what she had just thought. 'Katara would kill me if she knew I looked at her rear.' It was after their kiss when they were eight did Azula figure out was the first time she started having feelings for the waterbender. She originally brushed it off thinking it was her curiosity for her opposite, but as years went by her feelings grew stronger and stronger.
"Ah hah, found it!" Katara exclaimed while sitting up.
"What did you find? Was it food?" Sokka asked now fully awake.
Katara gave her brother a look of disbelief. "Why would I have food in my clothes chest?"
"Simple your secret stash of food. That's where I put mine."
"Great, I'll be sure to take it while you and Katara are out fishing today and hide it elsewhere." Azula commented sarcastically.
"You wouldn't dare." Sokka challenged.
Azula sighed. "If you say so."
"Argh, Sokka just get ready. You said we'd be leaving after breakfast. Azula come with me." Katara grabbed hold of the firebender's wrist and dragged her out of the igloo.
As Katara dragged Azula to some part of the village, the firebender couldn't help but chuckle to herself. 'Nine years and I'm still being dragged everywhere by her.'
"Good, now that we're away from my brother. Do you remember what day it is today?" Katara asked.
"Yes, it's the day Sokka got his but kicked by me." Azula replied jokingly. Katara gave Azula the it's-not-funny look. "Okay, I'm sorry. It's the anniversary of when I came to the Southern Water Tribe."
Katara smiled. "Here, happy anniversary. I know coming here wasn't a happy moment for you, but it was for me. I got a new friend." Katara explained while handing a small box to her friend.
Azula uncrossed her folded arms and took the box into her hands. She slowly opened the box and saw a necklace much like Sokka's but with the Water Tribe insignia in the middle.
"Mom helped me make it for you while you and Sokka were training. I knew how much wearing the insignia meant to you nine years ago. So, I thought it be appropriate to make you a necklace with it."
The next thing Katara knew she was drawn up into a tight hug. "Thank you. It's amazing. Please help me put it on." Azula turned around as Katara reached out to tie the necklace together.
Once the necklace once around her neck, Azula reached up to feel the Water Tribe pendent around her neck. "You do realize I'm never taking this off right?"
"That's what I was hoping for." Katara said proudly. "Well, better finish getting ready before Sokka leaves without me."
Azula smiled as she watched Katara walked off. The firebender couldn't help but reach up to her neck to feel the necklace again. It will be a while before she got used to wearing it.
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Nightfall had arrived as Azula stood on top of one of the walls surrounding the village. The whole village was worried. Sokka and Katara hadn't returned from their fishing trip, and there was the case of the mysterious beam of light that occurred a few hours before.
A light breeze passed Azula from the coast. "Brrr… it's cold out here Azula." Kya said as she walked up to the firebender. "I'm worried about them, they never took this long before."
"I'm sure Sokka knows what he's doing and will take care of Katara. I'm more worried about that beam of light we saw earlier. I just hope the Fire Nation doesn't show up. We're practically defenseless." Azula explained as she still looked out to the horizon for Sokka and Katara.
"That light didn't seem like something that involved the Fire Nation, but you're right. That light might give them an excuse to come looking for us. I hope not."
Kya and Azula waited outside for a little while longer. "I see you like Katara's gift." Kya observed.
Azula smiled. "Very much." She touched the Water Tribe pendent for the umpteenth time that day. "What is that?"
Coming from the horizon Azula and Kya both saw a fluffy white creature coming towards them.
"Mom! Azula!" Katara shouted while waving her hand.
"It's Katara!" Azula exclaimed as she jumped off the wall to meet up with Katara. "What are you doing on that?"
"His name is Appa. He's a sky bison!" Azula reached up to help the waterbender down. Katara climbed out of the saddle and grabbed hold of Azula's shoulders as she was lifted down back onto the ice.
"He's a snot monster who can supposedly fly swam all the way here thanks to that airbending kid." Sokka said while jumping off of Appa.
Azula and Kya couldn't help but laugh seeing Sokka still partially covered in some of Appa's mucus. "Wait, you said an airbender was riding this thing?"
"Yeah he's up on the head." Responded Sokka while he walked back into the village looking forward to a warm bath.
"He fell asleep on the way here. Azula help me bring him down please." Katara asked while climbing back up Appa.
The firebender followed Katara up the sky bison. She was slowly registering everything that was happening: mysterious light beams, a sky bison, an airbender, airbending tattoos, and what looked like a quickly packed traveling saddle. Azula took everything into account and came down to one conclusion.
"Avatar." Azula whispered to herself.
"What was that Azula?" Katara asked as both of them lowered Aang down towards Kya.
"What's his name?"
"Aang."
"Do you think he's the Avatar?" Azula asked carefully.
"I asked him on the way over he said, 'I didn't know him... I mean, I knew people that knew him, but I didn't.'"
"How did he sound when he said that?"
"He sounded a bit nervous and unsure."
"Sounds like he's hiding something." Azula speculated as she jumped off of Appa's head.
"I think he was just nervous talking to me. We can only imagine what it would be like to talk to someone you just met after being trapped in a giant ice sphere." Katara replied.
"A giant ice sphere? Katara, what are you talking about?"
"That's what he was in when Sokka and I found him."
"Katara, did that light beam come from where you found Aang?" Azula questioned.
"Yes. It came from the ice sphere he was in after I broke it. Don't tell me you also think he was trying to signal the Fire Nation!"
"That was not my initial thought but it is one of the things that ran through my mind."
"Argh! I can't believe you and Sokka always thinking the worst in people!" Katara exclaimed as she walked away from Azula to help her mother carry Aang into the village.
Azula stayed behind as she began deducting the many possibilities. "If he can hold a flame tomorrow, there's no doubt that he is the Avatar."
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Even though the sun wasn't over the horizon yet, Azula's biological clock knew what time it was. She quietly got up from her sleeping bag. Just as she was walking past Aang she stared at his sleeping form.
"He has to be him. It just has to be."
"It has to be what, Azula?"
Azula looked over at the fire to see Kya starting to cook breakfast. "I'm surprised you overslept today. Normally you would already be out training."
"It's getting closer to the Winter Solstice. The sun is going to take longer to rise."
"Yes, but that never stopped you before. Something's bothering you. And don't argue with me. I've raised you for over half your life. You're like a second daughter to me and I know when you're lying, no matter how good of a liar you can be sometimes."
Kya smiled softly at the firebender. Azula sighed and sat in front of the small fire. "It's still kind of cold in here."
"You can use your firebending to heat up the place a little more if you want." Kya replied as she dumped some Tiger Seal meat into the pot. "Besides I need a hotter fire for the stew."
Azula focused onto the fire, concentrating on making the fire grow. Once the fire was where she wanted it she brought her attention back to Kya. "I had the nightmare again yesterday." Azula quietly whispered.
The sound of the fire flickering helped calm Azula down a little with all the emotions she was holding in. Kya stopped what she was doing to give Azula her full attention.
Over the years after Azula had the annual nightmare, the two of them would sit by the fire as Azula would talk about what she saw and Kya sat and listened.
"Did you remember anything new this year?"
"I kind of remember what my mother looked like. Or maybe it's my imagination of what I thought she looked like. I remember how she woke me up in the middle of the night telling me that we had to hurry and get out of our home.
"Smoke was already spreading throughout our home. My mom, Lu Ten, and I were with two other people, my uncle and a boy about my age or a little older, I think he was my brother. There was a pillar that fell down as we were running to the nearest exit. Our home was huge, there were a lot of pillars with dragons wrapping around them. That's all I remember this time."
"That's improvement Azula. I glad to hear you're remembering what your mother looked like."
"The problem is Kya, she looks very similar to you. I can't help but think I'm putting you in her place only with pale skin, black hair, and gold eyes. The last time I saw my mom was nine years ago and we were trying to escape from the general who was attacking us. The same general who killed Lu Ten and proclaimed himself Fire Lord." Azula gritted.
The fire began to grow unintentionally as Azula's hate for the current Fire Lord grew. "He killed my cousin, my father, and my grandfather. He probably killed the rest of my family too. I'll never forgive him, one day I will go with Chief Hakoda and the other men and invade the Fire Nation with them.
"When that day comes, I will find the Fire Lord and kill him." Azula clutched her fists as embers began to fly out of the fire.
Kya slowly embraced the firebender trying to calm her down. "No, you won't. I know Hakoda will not let you do that. You're hurt and upset, do not let you anger cloud your judgment. You're a better firebender than that. The Azula I know and raised will find a way to bring the Fire Lord to justice without taking his life."
Both of them watched as the fire's intensity began fading into a more controlled state. "I think Lu Ten also wouldn't have liked me to avenge him that way either." Azula said after a while. "I remember how gentle hearted he was and how much he loved tea."
"I was wondering why it got so hot in here. Now I see that it was Azula almost losing her temper again. Is everything alright?" Kanna asked as she too sat in front of the fire.
"Just the annual talk we have about Azula remembering her past." Kya said as she began working on the breakfast again.
Kanna looked over at the firebending child. She remembered how much hate she had for the child just because she was born in the Fire Nation. As the years had gone by she began to believe her son that Azula would grow into a child of the Southern Water Tribe.
"Azula." Kanna said softly.
"Yes, Gran Gran." Azula internally smiled still not used to calling Kanna that.
"Come with me child. If it's anything like has happened in the past I think I know something that will help bring calm to you mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually." Azula followed Kanna.
The firebender was led to her firebending training area. "Azula, what I'm going to show you is something I learned from my friend Hama nearly sixty years ago. She was a waterbender, but what I'm about to show has helped me and other non-benders relax and calm us. Now make a small ball of fire."
Azula did what she was told. "Good, now while doing the moves I want you to bend your fire with the motions. It may be difficult for you since it is waterbending motions we will be doing."
Kanna slowly began moving in a very calm and peaceful waterbending form. Azula stared in awe while trying to visually pick up on the movements. "As you know water is your natural opposite, it is more calming and peaceful than fire. This waterbending form can be just as aggressive as fire if done properly keep that in mind. Come on don't just stand there, bend your fire and concentrate one what you feel."
Snapping out of her trance Azula moved even slower than Kanna trying to control her fire as she moved. After doing the form several times Azula began to concentrate on the movements rather than her fire, she knew she had her fire controlled.
"You're still stiff. Relax think of water and how it flows. Let your emotions flow whether they are sad, happy, anger, whatever emotion it is let it show through your bending. Stay here as long as you need to. I hope calm will be brought to you through this." Kanna began walking back to the village.
"Spirits, if she was an airbender, I would say Azula was the Avatar with how she understands the bending arts." One of the elder women said as they say Azula moving through the waterbending form bending fire.
"You never know Kiku. Azula could be a descendent of an Avatar." Kanna joked. "She needs this. I know I didn't appreciate her being here when she was younger, but no one should have to keep all those feelings she had locked up. That feeling she's letting out now is something that can only be brought out through bending."
The women continued the stare at the firebending prodigy. Almost as if they were trying to feel what the firebender was feeling.
"Morning Gran Gran. Whoa." Katara said as she saw Azula. "All that energy, it's so sad and deeply hurt."
"Everything she had felt up to this point is being released. Speaking of airbenders. I want to see that boy. I want to see if he really is an airbender." Kanna replied.
"Uh, sure. I'll go get him." Katara paused. "How long is she going to be like that?"
"Until she is ready to stop. Now go my little waterbender." Kanna continued to stare at the firebender until Aang was brought forth to her.
She felt rage as she remembered what the self-proclaimed Fire Lord did to her family. She felt sadness in not remembering her past. She felt loneliness when Mizuki and the Fire Nation crew left her at the Southern Water Tribe.
Every time she repeated the waterbending form, Azula felt a different emotion and different memories kept flowing in and out of her mind. Finally her thoughts came to her mother. Was she really remembering her? Or was she placing Kya in her mother's place with Fire Nation features?
Azula finished the form one last time taking a deep breath and slowly releasing it as the fire she had been bending gently dispersed into the air. Tears rolled out of her eyes with all the mix emotions she was feeling. She didn't know what to feel. Azula wiped the tears away.
When she looked back to the village she saw that the airbender, Aang, was gliding in the air. For whatever reason he had a big smile on his face, that was until he crashed into Sokka's watchtower.
"We've got a long way to go if he's going to be our Avatar."
"My watchtower!" Sokka gasped.
"That was amazing." Katara exclaimed as she helped Aang back on his feet.
Sokka started to examine the damage of his watchtower by the time Azula finally joined the rest of the village. Suddenly a huge bank of snow fell and buried Sokka.
"Great. You're an airbender, Katara's a waterbender, and Azula's a firebender. Together you can just waste time all day long."
"Firebender? What's a firebender doing here in the South Pole?" Aang asked not aware that Azula had walked up behind him.
"I live here."
Aang jumped up into the air. When he finally landed he sheepishly bowed an apology to Azula. "Sorry."
"All right. No more playing. Come on, Katara, you have chores. Azula, you too." Gran Gran announced while guiding Katara away from Aang.
Azula stayed behind staring at Aang. "Um, is something the matter?" Aang asked.
"As a matter of fact." Azula grabbed hold of Aang and dragged him out to her training area. "Last night Katara asked you if you knew the Avatar. I want you to tell me exactly what you said."
She could already tell from the way Aang physically reacted to the question that he was trying to lie to her. "I didn't know him... I mean, I knew people that knew him, but I didn't." Aang replied nervously. He was not appreciating the pressure Azula was starting to put on him.
"You're a terrible liar. Hold out your hands."
Aang did what he was told. Azula held her hand above his and carefully firebended a small ball of fire into Aang's hands. She removed her hand waiting to see what would happen.
Just as she predicted the fireball did not go out like it should have. "Aww, it's like a little heart beat." Aang unconsciously began playing with the ball of fire.
"How old are you?"
"I'm twelve." Aang began creating tricks with the fireball.
"You're a little young to be the Avatar. I thought they were supposed to tell you on your sixteenth birthday." Azula said casually.
"They said I needed to be told earlier to prevent a Fire Na- ack!" Aang dropped his hands losing the ball of fire realizing that he admitted to being the Avatar.
Azula narrowed her eyes and forcefully grabbed hold of Aang's shirt. "Where have you been the last hundred years? You were supposed to prevent the Fire Nation attack on the Air Nomads. If you had stopped the attack my family might still be alive! Do you have any idea how many lives have been affected by this war?"
"What are you talking about? I was only gone for a few days." Aang responded as he airbended his way out of Azula's grasp.
"You have until tonight to work up the courage to tell the entire village you're the Avatar or I will. You better have a good excuse for why you've been gone this long." Azula threatened as she shoved Aang into the snow before walking back to the village.
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By the time Azula had finished helping Kya make lunch and dinner she walked out of the igloo looking for Katara. She saw the waterbender walking over to Sokka and the other boys.
The smile she had on her face quickly faded when she saw Aang crawled out of the igloo bathroom stall.
"Wow! Everything freezes in there!" she heard Aang exclaimed. She couldn't understand how he can be so carefree and not taking the war seriously.
"Ugh! Katara, get him out of here. This lesson is for warriors only." Sokka shouted.
"Oh, so that means I can help you train them. Because it looks like you're failing to even control them, Sokka." Azula commented as she walked up to the Water Tribe siblings.
"No, you can't. This is a lesson for male warriors only!"
"Why you!" Azula grabbed hold of Sokka's anorak.
Sokka naturally grabbed hold of the firebender's anorak as a defense. The two warriors struggled to try and punch the other while preventing the one person from throwing a punch.
"Wheeee!" The two warriors overheard. Azula and Sokka stopped what they were doing to see kids sliding down Appa's back with the help of Aang.
"Argh!" Sokka shoved Azula away from him. "Stop! Stop it right now! What is wrong with you? We don't have time for fun and games with a war going on."
"What war?" Aang asked as he hopped down from Appa. "This is the second time I've heard this. First Azula, and now you."
"You're kidding right?" Sokka asked.
Just as Aang was about to respond something behind Sokka caught his eye. "PENGUIN!" Aang shouted as he used his airbending and sprinted after the penguin. Leaving the three Water Tribe teenagers with the young boys.
"He's kidding right?" Sokka asked again.
"No, he's not." Azula looked over at the boys seeing them still sliding down Appa's back. "Are you sure you don't need the only female warrior's help training those runts?
Sokka glared at his training partner. "Fine. You can help, but you're just assisting."
Azula smirked. She knew a few minutes into it she would be taking over for him.
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"None of you are leaving until you finish doing ten squats, twenty sit ups, fifteen push ups, and thirty jumping jacks. You have to do all of those in that order!" Azula instructed to the young boys.
Every boy groaned. "Groan again and I'll make you repeat it. You're never going to be warriors if you don't have the strength. This is nothing compared to what Sokka and I went through at your age."
"Wow, you are tougher on them than I am." Sokka observed.
"That's the point. They weren't respecting you very well with all their excuses to use the restroom. I don't care how much they hate me, they'll thank me in the future." Azula looked up at the sky.
"You know we hadn't sparred each other in a while. How about after dinner we spar?"
"Heh, are you sure you want to be beaten by a girl again?"
"I've been letting you win!" Sokka defended.
"If you say so." Azula teased back.
Suddenly they heard a loud boom. Both Azula and Sokka look up towards the sky. They say a flare shooting up to its zenith and exploding to a small shower of sparks.
"What's going on out here?" Kya asked as she and Kanna exited the igloo.
They saw where Azula and Sokka were starring at and looked to the sky as well. "That flare had to have come from the abandoned ship." Kanna concluded.
"It's the airbender! He's signaling the Fire Nation. I knew he was bad news."
Azula's eyes narrowed. "That idiot. Wait, Sokka where's Katara?"
"She went to go find the traitor." Sokka growled.
"Katara, you better watch you back and get here quickly." Azula whispered to herself worried about the waterbender. "He had to have set that trap off. The Avatar is a fool."