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The asylum and its routine exacerbated her apathy. Azula did wonder sometimes if that place really helped people to feel better or not. Everything seemed a mock imitation of life. In her first weeks in that accursed place she didn't notice. The food, the people and even the activities were bland. She did throw a few tantrums just to break the monotony, but it failed.

The doctors and nurses accepted it. Her scathing words and remarks didn't hurt them like she expected to. It was a real agony, because nothing happened. Many of the other patients barely noticed her. The princess of the Fire Nation was caged inside an asylum and the fact seemed absolutely normal, and Azula hated it.

She did fall really low. Never before she had failed so miserably. It took just one miss-step and everything crumbled. Her entire life sunk, slowly, as if she was trapped by quick-sands.

Azula did have some set-backs in the past, but this time it was different. Her defeat and asylum's monotony wasted her brain. Azula always took pride in her lucidity and quick-thinking, but her mind was failing her. She was unable to think clearly and with time she didn't want to. Why should she bother to come up with a plan? Her idea would probably fail and the defeat would only humiliate her even more.

No, it was useless to think about the future and remembering the past was too painful.

So, Azula decided to settle in security of the present; in the reassuring allure of the apathetic days in the asylum.

It took a great effort to settle. The most difficult was to quell her rage. Her fury was not easy to control. She did feel a deep abyss inside of her stomach, and sometimes a hot bubbling venom filled that immense void to the brim.

That sensation made her feel just like a volcano. A massive force of nature, just ready to destroy everything in her path.

She did want to leave only ashes and destruction behind her, and she wanted to admire that devastation for the rest of her life.

Alone and drained until the end of her days.

The ground around her was dead, covered in grey. Ash and cinders were falling. Those abnormal clouds covered the sky. Azula could hear those soft flakes touching the ground.

No wind, no animals; there was nothing. Everything was dead.

"Azula,"

She was alone, but it didn't matter. Not this time.

"Azula,"

Because this time...

"AZULA!" a voice called.

Azula snapped, "WHAT?"

It was doctor Sei; of course it was her. She was really irritating.

"What were you thinking? I did call you a few times,"

"None of your business," Azula hissed, "And staring at nothing is always better then talking with you,"

Doctor Sei sighed, "I just wanted to greet you and ask how you're doing,"

Azula didn't bother to look at her, "Our weekly meeting is the day after tomorrow," she said, "We'll talk then,"

Sei sighed again, it seemed pained, "Our meeting aren't the only occasions to have a conversation, Azula," the doctor said, "You are free to come to me whenever you want..."

Azula nodded, "Exactly, and if I don't come you can guess why is that," Azula stated, "If I wanted to speak with you I would have already come to you,"

Azula finally turned to Doctor Sei, "If you want to have more chats with me you can increase our meetings,"

Doctor Sei nodded, "You're right, I could do it; and I know you wouldn't protest. Still, I will not do it."

Azula scoffed, "Then it's settled,"

Doctor Sei huffed, resigned, "You can trust me, Azula. Everyone is here for your own good..."

Azula yawned, "Change your litany, it's getting repetitive"

Doctor Sei smiled, "I have no great imagination, I'm sorry,"

Azula scoffed, "I noticed... is it everything?"

Doctor Sei nodded and Azula returned her gaze on the horizon.

"Excellent... now, leave me alone,"

Doctor Sei did as she requested. As doctor's Sei moved away, Azula returned to her fantasy. The silence embraced her again; she was alone and Doctor Sei was just a pale memory.

The asylum and the people in it were pathetic, herself included. The building was dull, the food was bland and the patients were lethargic or hyper-active. There was no in between for those persons. Even the doctors and nurses seemed parodies of real people. The asylum was a universe disconnected from reality.

Azula hated it. She had been trapped in a bubble with no exit. That place poisoned everyone's minds, doctors included. Even them seemed unable to run away. Azula was sure they couldn't possibly have a normal life, in the outside world. The majority of the staff lived with them. That accursed place had trapped everyone.

Azula wanted to run away, but she couldn't. The security was tight, but not enough to contain her. Still, she refrained to escape. Her hesitation made her feel even weaker, and she despised herself.

In the long run she would fail, she was sure of it. In a few hours she would have the entire Fire Nation and the Avatar on her tail.

She was alone, with no allies. Her defeat would be inevitable. So, she didn't bother.

Azula was alone. Of course she was. Azula realized she had been alone for her entire life. In the asylum, she was surrounded by lone people, just like her. Even so, she couldn't interact with them. Everyone was in his own world or thoughts. Real connections weren't possible for them. Azula did see people interact with each other, but there wasn't warmth in their conversations and interactions.

Azula didn't try. She still had some dignity and she would never fall that low.

The sun was setting, and Azula decided to retire. After a bland dinner in the dining room, she went to her room. The bedroom was nothing fancy and the poor furniture always made her feel bad. She always had the best; but inside that accursed place she had been forced to live like a commoner. No, she was living even worse than a peasant. Even the poorest people had something they owned. Their clothes or something personal. Azula had nothing. Her clothes, her books and scrolls, her jewellery was at the Palace. Her head-piece and her armour had been probably discarded by Zuzu.

A searing hatred bubbled in her stomach and she felt a lump in her throat. She hated him. She hated everything and the entire world.

Azula had to compose herself, she would not fall in a fit of rage. A couple of months had passed since the last one. It was hard but necessary, she didn't want to feel even more helpless. She had no control over her life any more, but she could at least

control her emotions as much as she could.

Azula sat down and started to meditate. She breathed to calm down. She had to control herself.

The bubbling calmed down. The intense heat inside her cooled with every minute. The raging inferno became a feeble warmth. The urge to incinerate everything waned.

She was tired and she needed some rest. Azula reached her bed and she didn't even bother to pull the covers over herself.

She was so tired.

Azula was running. She was in a great hall. She continued to run, increasing her pace.

None was chasing her. There was no danger. Then why was she running so fast? Her muscles were not tired, she was in perfect form.

Azula entered in a long hallway. A very long corridor; too long to be normal. Something was off, she knew it. There were a myriad of doors. Which one to choose?

Those choices amused her. With so many options, she knew the possibility to pick the wrong one would be low. She even pondered if there was a wrong one.

She picked the fifth door on her right and opened it.

A great surprise greeted her. A lone figure was sitting on the floor, reading a very ancient scroll. He was engrossed by his reading but he still noticed the intrusion in his room. He raised his gaze and looked at her. Azula wanted to divert her eyes but she was unable to.

"Azula" said Lu Ten, "Do you need anything?"

Lu Ten, her dead cousin, was in front of her. She tried to speak but her tongue was paralysed.

"Azula?" Lu Ten called.

Azula managed to break from her stupor.

"Nothing, Lu Ten. Just wanted to check on you," she said, and she felt stupid for uttering those words.

Lu Ten seemed surprised and smiled, "This act of kindness is a bit out of character, Azula," he said, "Do you want to raid the kitchens again; or maybe you need an accomplice for your mischief?"

Azula didn't know how to answer. So much time since she last saw him. She could barely remember how they interacted. Their age gap was too wide and they didn't spend too much time together.

"Azula!"

She snapped, hearing his voice. Now he was crouched in front of her. She didn't notice his approach.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Lu Ten asked.

Azula tried to compose herself. She sniffed arrogantly and held her head high.

"Of course I am!"

Lu Ten didn't seem convinced but he still smiled at her.

"If you say so" he said.

He turned and sat down to read again his ancient scroll.

"If you need anything, feel free to ask," Lu Ten said, "Maybe you want to talk about something?" he raised his head and stared at her.

Azula gulped and shook her head. She had nothing to say to him.

"I'll leave you to your reading,"

Lu Ten nodded, "Alright,"

Azula grabbed the door's handle.

"If you need anything you know where to find me."

"Of course... bye Lu Ten."

She opened the door in a rush and stepped outside. She wasn't in the hallway. That was beyond strange.

She was in garden. An enormous one, surrounded by great and tall walls. It reminded her the palace's garden, but that one was too big. Moreover, there were no plants or flowers, only grass. However, the walls were just like the ones in the palace. The design was exactly the same.

A rustle and a hiss made her turn. A strange and long snake was approaching her. Not a viper-rat or a cobra-skorpion. Just a snake, a very strange one.

Azula never saw a beast like that in her entire life, nor in any books she ever read.

It was too big to be normal and those purple scales were not natural.

The snake coiled on itself. Azula and the beast were staring at each other.

If that reptile was trying to scare her it was useless. She was fearless.

Azula smirked, "What do you want, beast?"

"I'd like to exchange a few words with you, Princess Azula,"

Azula scoffed and turned, "I have no time for this,"

Azula just realized there was no exit. There was no opening in those high walls.

She made a couple of steps, before a great pressure coiled her left leg. The snake was blocking her.

Azula hissed in disdain. How could such a disgusting beast dare to stop her?

She shook her leg to no avail. Azula snarled and ignited her right hand.

An enormous blue flame danced on her open palm.

Azula squeezed the snake and after a deep breath, she increased the heat.

The scorching flame burnt the reptile but Azula didn't stop. She paid no mind to the disgusting smell that assaulted her nostrils.

The snake fell, burnt and dead. Azula raised triumphantly the half of the beast she had in her hand.

Azula smiled viciously. It was a pathetic foe, but it was great to feel the triumph of victory.

The snake's body recoiled violently and Azula dropped it, utterly disgusted.

In an instant,the two halves reunited, becoming one. The snake was living again.

"Interesting," the snake hissed.

Azula took a stance, ready to fight, but the reptile didn't attack.

"You'll never be able to kill me," the snake said, "We're in a dream, after all,"

"My dream, my rules," Azula stated, throwing a fireball.

The snake evaded it, "True, but it's still a dream. Here, no matter how we try, we can't harm each other,"

"I've a proposal for you, Princess Azula," the snake continued, "An idea to change your bleak future, and to recover everything you've lost,"

Azula scoffed, "Again, you're wasting my time. You're just a useless sliver of my imagination in a stupid dream,"

Azula charged her lightening and fired it. It hit the target. Azula approached the dead body, ready to strike again.

Her foe didn't move.

"Pathetic," Azula said, kicking the corpse.

A strong grasp was chocking her. The snake was strangling her. How could it move so rapidly? It took even less than the blink of an eye.

Azula tried to free herself to no avail. She used all her remaining breath to burn the beast.

Her blue flames became red. The intense colour faded into a bland orange. The intense pain was fading.

Her vision blurred. Big tears flooded her eyes.

"...'ahm," Azula managed.

Azula gasped and jumped. She was in her room. She was wrapped by the bed's covers.

A nightmare. It was just a stupid nightmare.

Azula breathed and gulped down as much air as she could. She needed it.

A shiver slithered on her right arm. Azula turned, and whimpered.

The gigantic snake was coiled in the air, observing her. It was levitating.

"As you can see, I'm real, Princess Azula," the snake whispered.

The reptile unfolded and surrounded her. Azula shivered.

"Let me explain my proposition,"

Azula didn't know why she did it, but she nodded and swallowed her fear.

"Speak..."

AN: Hello. I hope you liked this first chapter. English isn't my first language so be patient with me. Reviews and comments are always appreciated. Chapter two'll be posted soon. See you soon.