Chapter ten:

I said I'd fight fairly!

Zuko shot Azula into a nearby column of red marble. The impact stripped Azula of any spare breath she had, rendering dizzy and half conscious. Zuko was ruthless now that she was a "threat to the throne". Hell, Azula didn't have firebending at her dispense anymore. Katara and Aang were told to stay out of this fight as it was Azula's alone. Azula lay in a heap; gasping and struggling and Katara couldn't tell if she was even alive still.

This was like before; Zuko had blasted her with a powerful bomb of fire that knocked her off balance, sending her flying. Azula struggled to get up, a deep cut on her forehead, it wouldn't scar thankfully, released a crimson river of warm stickiness. "Tired, 'Zula?" Zuko asked mockingly from across the court. "In your dreams!" Azula managed to shout back, although it sent a shooting pain through her ribcage.

Katara and Aang looked on at the struggling princess, unable to be of any help. They both heard Zuko call out to his younger sister, taunting her almost. "Hey, 'Zula! Guess you can't do anything now!" "Shut up Zuko, or else you'll be wishing you hadn't said that!" Azula spat back, fully standing now, the wind blowing her onyx strands in a neat flow. "Of course, Azula, keep wishing that." And with those final words, Zuko shot a raging bomb of fire straight towards the younger girl. Dodging it, Azula leapt behind one of the columns, narrowly avoiding the burst of flame.

"Dang it, Azula's not doing too hot." Aang shook is head 'no'. "She's not going to make it against him." "Nope." "Aang, we've got to do something!" "Katara, unless you want to be burned to a stake by Zuko for interfering, then I suggest you try and not end up like fried chicken, okay?" Katara just nodded, her fingers tightly gripping the cool metal bar, her knuckles a pure white now.

Just as Katara was entering a thought, a wide, scorching wall of fierce white fire blasted past her, barely missing the tip of her nose. "Zuko, be careful!" But little did Katara know that it wasn't Zuko, but Azula instead. Katara looked out at her lover, a shocked yet happy look spread over her Katara's face. Determination and revenge was visible in Azula's now vibrant amber eyes; she had her firebending back! Except, this fire wasn't her trademark sinister blue, it was white. Pure white fire, the most powerful of fire.

"Hey, ZuZu, I told you I'd fight fairly!" Azula half laughed, half yelled in glee as she sent another line of energy towards the now dumbstruck Zuko. "Hey, I thought you said you'd fight fairly!" Zuko whined, his total "I'm the superior Fire Lord" attitude disappearing instantly as he jumped to dodge the blast. "I am fighting fairly. Two benders in an Agni Kai, that's pretty fair, don't you think?" Azula said, emphasizing "Agni" to her brother, the now whining doofus.

Zuko, too busy trying to figure our how in Agni's name Azula regained the will to firebend was instantly blown over by a sudden wave of heat as Azula walked towards him. "So, ZuZu," Azula said as her feet came near Zuko's head. "Care to say anything else? I'm being generous, so I'd say that you should get up and declare this match officially over." Azula said, giving Zuko one of her trademark "I win" smiles.

Zuko scowled as Azula began laughing, her old personality fading into the new Azula. Equally stunned when Azula showed white fire, Zuko's eyes widened as Azula's hand took Zuko's own and hoisted him up off of the dirt ground. "Need some help?" was all she said before walking over to Katara, talking to her and showing the waterbender her wounds that would need extensive healing.

Zuko shook his head and rubbed a forming bump on his head when Mai and Ursa came running out to the tournament ring. "What happened here?" Ursa exclaimed, rushing over to Azula, Katara, and the Avatar. Azula looked up from the ground to see her mother rushing towards her, arms extended. As Azula was pulled into a warm embrace, Zuko was busy talking to Mai.

"So, what happened?"

"Azula and I fought."

"No kidding, really? That much I can see, Zuko. But why?"

"It's…complicated."

"I'm a smart lady, Zuko. Just tell me."

"I don't know. Azula said she'd fight fairly even without firebending and during the middle of the Agni Kai she suddenly gained firebending out of nowhere…it was…weird." Zuko said, looking over at his younger sister. Mai looked over too.