Hey everybody.
I am here with another update.
As always, I want to thank everyone out there who favorited and followed since the last update.
And as usual, if you find the story worthy. Please continue to do so.
And without further ado, enjoy the conclusion to Elle's memories mini arc.
Home – Chapter Eighty-Two
A roaring alarm rang off in the prison complex while the sounds of panicked guards shouted in the air.
Elle sat in her cold cell with her frightened amber eyes gazing up in confusion as she listened to the chaos outside of her cell.
"W-what's happening?" Elle asked in a quiet voice only to swallow down her fear when it all went silent beyond the door.
And then her heart began to race rapidly as she listened to the sound of soft footsteps that stopped outside of her door.
And then just like that she sunk back against the wall when she found herself watching the door slide open with a mechanical hiss.
Just as the footsteps drew even closer while Elle gazed on in suspense as she gazed up at the approaching figure.
Only for her amber eyes to widen in shock to find herself gazing up at an eerily familiar crimson red-haired teenager clothed in hospital robes.
The prodigy strode into the cell with her crimson red hair flowing freely behind her while her emotionless brown eyes now gazed back at the stunned girl.
Just before she came to a stop standing over the shocked girl while Elle trembled in realization as they gazed back into each other's eyes.
Only for Elle to let out a comical yelp when the girl wordlessly slashed the manacles off her wrists with one swing of her wrist.
The broken shackles clanged upon the steel flooring as the younger girl happily rubbed at her freed wrists while the older girl gestured her head towards the door.
"Come." Subject Three commanded in a cold voice with a broken pipe in hand while the girl still peered up at her in amazement.
"It... you! I…didn't think that I would ever see you again!" Elle exclaimed in a surprised voice as she stood up while the girl stared at her in confusion.
"What do you mean it's me? This is the first time that we've met." Subject Three stated in a dismissive voice with her hard eyes staring back at the younger girl's bewildered face.
"Y-you don't remember me?" Elle asked in a concerned voice as she watched the girl's brown eyes studied her with a flicker of long buried frustration.
Only to grasp at her face with her right hand while her crimson red bangs fell in her widened eyes as she gazed back at Elle's gentle face.
She couldn't quite put her finger on it.
But there was something familiar about this girl.
But what?
"No...no I do not." Subject Three muttered in something akin to a haunted voice with her fist clutching the side of her face while gentle amber eyes peered back at her in unconcealed emotion.
"O-oh well you and I met many years ago." Elle mumbled in a soft voice as she stared at the other girl still tearing into her scalp.
Just as they heard the sound of more guards rushing down the hall which immediately prompted the prodigy to spin around to face the open door with her brown eyes narrowing ever so slightly.
As emotional amber eyes looked to her for guidance when the younger girl began to tremble in terror behind her.
Just before she turned to glance over her shoulder into Elle's fretful eyes.
"Let's go." Subject Three ordered in an emotionless voice while Elle hurriedly nodded her head in understanding.
Just as she walked out of the open door with the shorter girl fearfully following after her heels.
Only for Elle to stop as she shook in fear when they found themselves staring down a host of armored guards.
Her amber eyes widened as she took in the countless slain corpses that littered the hallway.
She swallowed the lump that was in her throat while she turned to the other girl for reassurance.
Only for a shiver to spread down her spine when she saw the machinelike look that had formed in the older girl's cold eyes.
As the lights in the prison flickered from the recent power outrage which only served to illuminate the eyes of the fearful guards.
The prodigy's merciless brown eyes stared back into their increasingly intimidated eyes.
Only for a voice to shout out from over the garbled intercom.
"Number Three! I order you to stand down!" The voice called out as the power flickered once more while the girl stared ahead with murderous brown eyes.
Just as she took a single step forward while the guards aimed their rifles at her with the petite blonde trembling in terror behind her as the guards shouted out in alarm.
"Fire!" A guard roared in a frenzy just as gunfire resounded throughout the hallway.
Only for the girl to break out into a blinding run towards them with her split pipe in hand.
Elle covered her face in a helpless fright only to hear the sound of guttural screams tearing into the air once more.
With horrifying speed, the prodigy tore into a guard's throat while his dying shouts echoed down the long hallway.
And then one by one the others soon fell in rapid succession.
As guards dropped lifeless to the floor while Elle gazed out from beneath her hands in astonishment.
Only for the ruthless girl to turn to stare back at her terrified face with hardened brown eyes that pierced her soul.
Just as the prodigy clutched the side of her face once more while her eyes began to flicker in recognition.
'There is something about this girl that is familiar. But what is it?' Subject Three thought with her face buried beneath her fist.
Just before she let her palm fall back to her hip as she turned away once more while Elle rushed up to catch up with her.
"Try not to fall behind." Subject Three remarked in a machinelike voice just as she broke out into a sprint with the panicked girl running after her.
"P-please don't leave me!" Elle cried out as she ran as fast as her legs could carry her while she watched the other girl rush down the hall in awe.
All the while holding her chest as she tried her hardest to ignore the protests of her lungs.
Only to gape on in wonderment as she watched the girl leap into the air with inhuman agility.
Just as she gulped as a guard rounded the corner while her fearful amber eyes closed shut as she aimlessly ran behind the other girl.
Before the sound of the guard's dying screams sent a shiver down her spine while she shakily ran past his collapsing body.
The prodigy ran ahead with her fearless brown eyes never once gazing back at the many slain bodies that she was leaving in her wake.
And then soon enough a steel door was thrown off its hinges while the vengeful girl slashed through guard after guard like butter.
Right as several other prisoners managed to escape from their cells in the ensuing chaos while the rampaging redhead continued to cut down all that stood in her way.
And just then….
The sound of an explosion pierced the air as another prisoner broke free from her cell.
Dust filled the hallway while the two girls ran towards the next doorway while the other escaped prisoners began to chase after them.
Just as a brown-haired teenager emerged from the dust with her hair hanging messily behind her.
Her vibrant golden eyes contorted into an expression of insanity as she gazed down at her burning palm in fascination.
"Light! I created light!" Subject Twenty-One yelled out in a mad voice while she just as she took off soaring down the hallway.
She leaped off the walls with numerous explosions of fire following in her wake that continued to shake the foundations of the prison.
Just as a truly thunderous explosion rocketed throughout the halls while the prodigy dashed through the smoke with the other survivors frantically running after her.
"Our freedom is just beyond this pass!" Subject Three called out as she bounded in the air with her hair swaying in her eyes.
Her fellow escaped prisoners gazed after her in amazement as they watched her cut down another guard.
Elle gasped with her mouth agape in awe as she observed the girl leap over the fallen guard towards the rapidly approaching door.
Just as an explosion went off behind her as she turned to gaze over her shoulder.
Only for her amber eyes to widen in shock when she found herself gazing at yet another familiar face from her childhood.
A shout of pure rage and madness split through the air as the girl classified as Subject Twenty-One barreled into terrified prison guards.
The girl's roars were heard by all as her hands lit up with great power while another round of explosions shook the prison complex.
Her brown hair blew wildly about as she sprinted from the smoke with her fists alight.
Just as she let out another piercing roar while she leaped over the massacred guards.
"S-she's the other girl that I met on that day…s-she's here too?" Elle stammered in a stunned voice while she panted as she ran as fast as she was able.
Only to cry out in fright when she realized that she was falling behind.
No matter how hard she tried she just couldn't keep up.
She couldn't do the superhuman things that the others could do!
Her only talent was a paint brush.
But just when she was about to trip and fall down.
She yelped in surprise when she felt someone catch her around the waist only peer up in astonishment to see that she was now being carried by a large man.
He was a tall, bald man with a muscular build with hazel eyes.
He was wearing prison robes as he ran with her under his arm towards the exit while she beamed up at him in gratitude.
"No worries blonde. I've got you." Kane assured as he ran down the hall with Elle hoisted under his arm while she smiled brightly up at him.
"Arigatou gozaimasu!" Elle chirped in a relieved voice as the prisoner carried her along while he offered her a small smile.
Just before they burst through more smoke while the two girls slew all that stood in their path.
Kane gazed after the prodigy's jumping back in growing respect while he watched the girl effortlessly leap high into the air.
As the prison officials made a mad break to escape the burning complex.
Just as the crimson girl blew the next door off its hinges while it flew into the air with a metallic shriek.
Her brown eyes grew wide with a bloodthirsty gleam as she caught sight of the fleeing prison officials.
And not even a second later the sound of more gurgling death wails rang into the air when the supersoldier tore through their flesh with inhuman speed that awed her fellow inmates.
Thump!
Countless men and women dropped lifeless to the ground while the vengeful redhead panted with her hair sticking to her cheeks.
Elle gulped as she averted her eyes while Kane still ran with her under his arm.
As the brown-haired supersoldier dashed down the hall with no regard for the fallen guards.
Just as multiple other escapees rushed after them with their eyes also agape in amazement over the two supersoldiers powers.
"Come, let's go slaughter every last one of them." Subject Three spoke in a machinelike voice just before she sprinted down the corridor as a blinding red blur.
"Hey! Wait for us!" Subject Twenty-One cried out as she ran after her fellow supersoldier with blood staining her robes.
"It's here. This is our way out!" Subject Three declared as she slammed her body into the steel gate while her fellow escapees rushed up behind her.
And then the girl called Subject Twenty-One rammed her body into the gate alongside her.
Kane set Elle down before he threw his weight into the steel gateway.
As Elle bit her lip as she balled up her fists while she watched the other escapees ram the gate.
Just before she let out a battle cry as she sprinted forward to join them.
Before she crashed her small body into the gate beside her childhood friend while the crimson girl turned to regard her in approval.
Only for the supersoldier to throw shoulder into the gate with her determined shouts inspiring her fellows to push harder.
All of the remaining escapees threw themselves into the gate.
"Push harder!" Subject Three commanded as she rammed her side into the steel door while Elle pounded into it alongside her.
"W-we should put all of our weight in the center! That is probably the weakest point!" Elle exclaimed in a fretful voice as a great inferno rapidly approached from over her shoulder.
Just as all of the prisoners threw themselves into the center in unison with the crimson supersoldier at the forefront while their war cries split into the air.
Slam!
And then finally…
An ear-splitting explosion rocketed throughout the bowels of the prison complex as the group finally forced the gateway open.
And then just like that…
They found themselves plummeting together through the prison gateway and into the darkness of the night.
And soon enough they were all skidding down the side of an icy mountain as they just barely managed to slow their fall.
Only for their eyes to widen as they gazed out into the distance to find themselves overlooking an isolated moonlit mountain range.
Massive snow-covered mountains now loomed high in the distance for as far as they eye could see.
Just as Elle rolled to a stop panting in exhaustion beside her long-lost childhood friend while the two girls turned to look each other in the eyes.
That was when Elle saw it.
A sliver of recognition in her old friend's eyes while the crimson supersoldier surveyed her with her in acknowledgment.
And with that they were finally free at long last.
Two weeks later.
The escapees had splintered and some went their own way.
A large percentage of the group had elected to remain behind because they saw a powerful leader in the young rogue known to the government globally as Supersoldier Number Three.
Or as she now called herself, Naoki.
Kane was one such person.
The brown-haired girl who no longer remembered her name had also created a new name for herself.
Katsu.
It was nighttime.
And now Elle stood on a hilltop smiling back at Naoki and Katsu as the three conversed.
Or more like Naoki and Elle talked while Katsu struggled to keep up.
"You and I have met before?" Katsu questioned with her green eyes blinking in confusion while Elle nodded her head.
"Yeah. We met a long time ago during the attack on Rosa." Elle informed in a helpful voice while Katsu listened in bewilderment.
"I…don't remember that…and I also don't remember my birth name. I…don't remember anything." Katsu admitted with frustration in her voice only for Naoki to sigh beside her.
"Try not to think too hard Katsu. You might break your brain." Naoki stated with her arms folded over her chest as her tee shirt blew in the wind.
Elle stared on humorously beside Naoki when the jab flew right over Katsu's head.
"I can break my brain by thinking too hard?" Katsu inquired in a clueless voice while Naoki just shook her head in response.
"Naoki…. Katsu…" Elle trailed off as she chewed on her lip while the two girls turned to gaze at her.
"What?" Naoki asked as she faced the petite girl while Elle took on a contemplative countenance.
"What is it…that you are searching for?" Elle pondered in a reflective voice while the two supersoldiers gazed back at her in surprise.
Just before Naoki and Katsu exchanged a momentary glance before they turned back to Elle.
"There is only one thing that matters to me now. I am searching for something that I lost. They took it from me. And now I am going to take it back." Naoki spoke with her hand grasping at her ruby pendant while Elle listened inquisitively.
"What something is that Naoki?" Elle queried as Naoki turned to gaze up into the darkened night sky.
Just as Naoki turned to gaze back at her with her signature smile.
"My identity." Naoki replied in a resolute voice while Elle's amber eyes become emotional once more.
"Yeah! We're going to light them up!" Katsu yelled out with a grin on her lips while Elle smiled sadly as she gazed up at the cloudy sky.
"I too am searching for something lost to me." Elle confessed in a soft voice as she shifted on her feet while the two girls turned back to her.
"What is it that you are searching for Elle?" Naoki inquired in a tone that was just a sliver less cold than usual while Elle looked thoughtful.
Just before Elle bounced on her feet as she turned to smile brightly back at their curious faces.
"Home." Elle stated in a sensitive voice with her amber eyes taking on a wet gleam while her two friends gazed at her in surprise.
And yet even so.
The two supersoldiers seemed to accept the answer.
While the three girls now smiled as they gazed back at one another.
"Together we'll find what has been lost to us…and together we'll make our way to a better world." Naoki announced in a voice of great reflection as she smiled back at her comrades while her two friends smiled alongside her.
They turned to gaze up into the distant sky together with their gazes conveying a newfound sense of hope.
No more words were spoken between the trio.
And for the briefest of moments, they even managed to find a semblance of comfort in one another.
Several days afterward.
Elle peered up in astonishment as she watched the statuesque woman come to a stop towering over her.
Her trembled in acknowledgement when she recognized the woman's face from so long ago.
Which was to say nothing of the many times that she has seen her face dominate the news!
It was…the emperor of the New World!
"Y-you you're!" Elle stammered in a meek voice while she craned her neck to peer up at the looming monarch's amused face.
Just as Reiko's beautiful lips curved into a seemingly cordial grin.
"Yes, child. It is me, Reiko. Ruler of the United World Empire." Reiko announced in a beyond hubristic voice before she extended the girl's backpack out in offering.
Elle's amber eyes grew wide in relief as she grasped her backpack with a shaky hand.
Just as she swiftly bent over in a hasty bow while Reiko stared down at her with entertained blue eyes.
"S-sumimasen Your Imperial Majesty! I-I meant no disrespect!" Elle cried out with her arms tucked in at her waist while her eyes lingered on the woman's large boots.
Only to find herself peering upward once more when Reiko's belly shook as the older woman let out an amused chuckle over her.
"Calm yourself. There is no need for formalities. I saw you walking alone down the road. So, I thought to check and see if you needed any help." Reiko stated with a wave of her hand while Elle relaxed as she straightened from her bow.
"Oh! It is kind of you to think of little old me! But now that I have my bag back, I am fine." Elle chirped with an at ease smile forming on her lips while the monarch smiled charmingly down at her.
"I am pleased to hear that dear. Would you mind walking with me for a while?" Reiko conversed in a smooth voice while Elle beamed up at her.
"I don't mind! I would very much enjoy having someone to talk to!" Elle answered in a sweet voice while Reiko cracked a smile as she began to walk beside her.
She peered up at the much taller woman with her innocent eyes never failing to note the aura of unfathomable power that radiated from the woman's body.
Yet even so…
She didn't feel threatened by Reiko in the least.
"I don't believe I got your name." Reiko stated with a finger under her chin while Elle happily carried her pack over her shoulders.
"My name is Elle! Elle Turner!" Elle informed in a cheery voice with her joy seeming to cause the older woman to tilt her head fondly.
"Well then. It is a pleasure to meet you Elle-chan." Reiko replied as she strode forward with a grin on her lips while the young girl blushed over the affectionate title.
"Y-you as well Emperor. Thank you…for returning my bag." Elle spoke in a shy voice as she padded along beside the statuesque ruler.
"Hm. Think nothing of it. How would you like it if I bought you something to eat?" Reiko questioned in a charming voice with her authoritative eyes peering down at Elle's timid face.
"That's not necessary. I'm not hungry…well not too hungry." Elle mumbled adorably as she flushed in embarrassment when her belly let out a loud growl.
The emperor stared down at her in unconcealed amusement before she let out another soft chuckle.
Just before poor Elle straightened in a panic when Reiko clapped her hands together with a smile still adorning her lips.
"Then it is decided then. Elle-chan. Come." Reiko ordered in a lordly voice with her hands clasped together as if she was ordering a puppy to follow her.
Just as she grinned confidently when the teenage girl rushed after her footfalls with a lovably obedient expression about her.
"Y-yes Your Imperial Majesty!" Elle chimed in a lovable voice as she padded alongside Reiko while the older woman smiled down at her in approval.
And with that the powerful woman and the lost girl ventured into a small diner where they began to converse with one another.
The older woman lounged in her booth seat with a glass of cola in hand while she amusedly listened to what the cheery blonde had to say.
Almost akin to the way a mother would patiently listen to her child.
"I've heard so many amazing stories about you!" Elle spoke in an innocent voice as she sipped on her cola while the monarch chuckled from the other side of the table.
"Have you now? All good I hope." Reiko stated with a finger on the tabletop while she gazed on fondly at Elle's hurriedly nodding face.
"Mhm! You're super famous and you've done a lot of important things! You brought back video games to the region!" Elle exclaimed in excitement with cheer dripping from her voice while Reiko stared on humorously in her seat.
"Yes…I suppose I did…among many other things." Reiko commented in an amused voice as she shook her head while taking a drink of her beverage.
"Yeah! Like bringing back sour patch kids!" Elle responded in a carefree voice while the monarch nearly choked on her drink.
"Sour patch kids?" Reiko pondered in a deadpan voice with her icy blue eyes staring back at the young girl in amusement.
"That's so. It's my favorite candy! And if not for you it would have gone the way of the dinosaur." Elle remarked in an innocently grateful voice while Reiko sighed fondly across from her.
"Well…I am pleased that I was able to provide something for you to enjoy. I strive…to make my people happy." Reiko declared with a charming grin on her lips just as two plates were set down upon the tabletop.
Elle reached for her onion rings with an excited expression that the monarch decided was adorable.
"Tell me though…where did you get those injuries." Reiko spoke in an ever-observant voice with her brilliant gaze watching Elle's smile briefly waver.
"O-oh well that's a long story…." Elle murmured as she peered back at the older woman's smiling face.
"Go on. I have all the time in the world." Reiko assured in a pleasant voice with her words flowing into Elle's relaxing ears.
Though spoken like a request,
It was in truth a command.
But Elle found that didn't mind.
No. Somewhere deep down inside she was just relieved that she had a chance to open up to an authority figure about the horrors that she has been through.
Both past and present.
And so, she opened up to Reiko over the better part of the next six hours.
Before they finally parted ways.
The following day…
Elle sat alone in a train booth with her backpack in her lap while she gazed longingly out the window.
She watched the trees pass by with an emotional gaze while the train rode across the tracks to her destination.
Sometime after that she got off at the farthest stop.
And then she slung her backpack over her shoulders as she began to trek down a pathway into a seemingly endless forest.
She walked down the pathway for many days.
All the while smiling in wonder as she gazed up at the massive trees and distant mountains in admiration.
She strode past the rivers and many waterfalls with a peaceful smile forming on her lips as she laughed to herself.
She made camp multiple times.
And she continued to walk no matter how tired she became.
Until at some point she blacked out from exhaustion.
Try as she might she can't remember between that and waking up in the Fire Nation forest.
But from the moment she woke up she knew that something was different.
Elle stirred when the bright sun shone in her waking eyes.
She sleepily gazed up into the sky with her bag laying on the ground beside her.
Only to blink in puzzlement when she noticed that the air almost felt…tropical.
Which was a stark contrast to the chilly mountain climate that she just been hiking in.
Only for her amber eyes to widen when she gazed up into the tree line to see that there were no mountains.
"The mountains…where did they go?" Elle mumbled in a confused voice as she lay there in the grass.
She continued to gaze up into the sky in wonder just as her belly began to growl once more.
As she sheepishly scratched her cheek with a light blush adorning her features before she reached into her bag.
Only to let out a pitiful whine all she could dig up was empty candy wrappers.
Team Azula still watched the memories unfold in a spellbound silence.
Azula rolled her eyes over her serving girl's naivety to not think to bring anything but candy!
Only for Elle's nonchalant words to take the four of them by surprise.
"Oh well! I guess this is as far as I flow." Elle spoke in a carefree voice as she dropped back into the grass with a relaxed smile on her lips.
The princess stared down at her prone form in disbelief with her callous amber golden eyes almost furious over the girl's words.
Only for Azula to find herself watching incredulously as time continued to pass by while Elle continued to lay there smiling.
Eventually even the forest creatures started to behave as if the girl was just a natural woodland fixture.
And soon enough the animals even began to crawl over Elle as if she was a tree trump!
As the princess with stunned amber golden eyes as she watched the girl lay there with her stomach growling in protest.
Only to laugh innocently when the animals scampered over her chest.
The three noblewomen all gazed on in mutual disbelief beside their angered leader.
"Hello!" Elle exclaimed to a forest animal that ran over her face as she let out a girlish giggle.
Azula snorted out fire from her nostrils as she scowled in disapproval over the girl's suicidal tendencies.
It was something that she made a mental note to amend later on.
And just when it seemed like Elle wasn't going to move.
Elle's amber eyes were drawn to the skies above when she heard a bird of prey letting out a squawk as it soared through the skies.
Only to find her innocent eyes gazing up in awe when she watched a large bird fly over that looked to be a cross between a raven and an eagle.
Her mouth dropped ajar in an almost childlike admiration as she observed it fly overhead just like when she used to bird watch with her mother so long ago.
As she recalled the words that she told her mother when she was little.
I want to flow free like a bird soaring high in the air.
Her amber eyes grew wide in a sentimental emotion while she lay there in a transfixed state.
While her mother's parting words once again flowed through her mind.
Stay alive Elle. And live with goodness.
A single teardrop dripped down her cheek as she watched the raven eagle fly high in the sky until it slowly disappeared over the vast horizon.
And just like that. Something snapped deep within her.
At long last Elle sat up with leaves falling from her hair while she still gazed up with spellbound amber eyes.
Until she finally took hold of her backpack with an exhausted hand while her belly continued to let out painful growls.
Just as she forced herself onto her tired feet while her bag hung from her hand.
Before she threw it over her shoulders once more while she still gazed in the direction that the raven eagle had flown off too.
Until finally, with her mind made up she smiled once more.
"I'll flow that way!" Elle announced to herself in a joyful voice just as she began to trek after the raven eagle.
And so, it went.
Until about a day later…
She until she came to a stop at the top of the mountain only to gasp at what she saw over the cliff below.
In front of her she was gazing down into a gigantic caldera!
She gasped when she saw that an extensive beautifully majestic city was waiting down in the crater below.
"I've never seen a city quite like this before…" Elle trailed off in a puzzled voice as she gazed down at it with awe-filled amber eyes.
And then she turned to gaze over her shoulder in the other direction outside the caldera.
At the height that she was standing.
Her captivated eyes were able to make out the sight of another even vastly bigger city.
Yet much less prestigious city down the mossy caldera that stretched on through the hills all the way before an expansive harbor below.
And then she glanced back and forth between the grand city in the caldera and the larger city outside the caldera below.
Only to chew on her lower lip when she determined that it was too dangerous to try to make her way down the caldera to the vast city below.
Venturing down such a towering caldera would almost certainly only result in her injury or even worse a fall to her death.
It was much safer to follow the moss-covered pathway back down towards the city beside the harbor.
And with her mind made up.
She began to make her way down the caldera to the harbor city below.
And soon enough, she unknowingly found her way into the Harbor City of the grand Fire Nation Capital.
"Where…am I?" Elle murmured as she strode through the busy district streets with her naïve eyes agape in awe.
As she wandered aimlessly through the large district with her amber eyes gazing around her in wonder.
And so, she explored the foreign city for quite some time.
Until she eventually realized that she was attracting a lot of unwanted attention.
And so, she took to sitting in a quiet street in hopes of avoiding any negative confrontation with the local populace.
All the while as the four highborn women stared on in complete astonishment.
"I…don't believe it. How did she get from her land to Capital?" Zoi asked with her golden eyes gazing on in bewilderment while Azula's amber golden eyes also flickered in great interest.
It was a good question.
One that they have yet to understand.
The princess could only scowl with her regal lips pursed into a thin line as she exhaled flames through her nostrils.
The tiger monkey coming into the Capital was one matter.
But she will have to make certain that no one else can do the same.
She cannot allow an unknown enemy from this foreign land to attack them unawares!
Yet for the time being she decided to push such thoughts to the wayside.
For reasons that she cannot explain…she found herself more concerned with her little serving girl's emotional state.
And thus, Azula watched Elle sit on the street with her possessive amber golden eyes never leaving the girl's lovely face.
And soon she found herself gazing on as time began to pass them by once more.
The princess watched as faces came and went.
Including random people in the city.
The two brats that she punished for assaulting her servant.
And finally, a man with a rather unpleasant looking face.
From the very moment that she saw him standing over her loyal servant gazing down at Elle as if the girl was someone that he could whore out for a copper she was filled with rage.
She watched in great fury as the man reached to pull Elle's depressed form forward.
Only for the man to freeze in his tracks when a royal palanquin passed by the street.
Azula's callous amber golden eyes widened beside her stunned friends as she watched her palanquin ride by just as her handmaid said it did.
And just like that the man hurriedly walked away while Elle sat up to gaze out at the palanquin inquisitively.
She stared out at the passing palanquin with an awestruck look in her amber eyes when saw who was sitting inside.
Her mouth fell open into the shape of an o as she gazed at the ebony-haired woman's scowling face as she slowly rode by.
She…she was the most beautiful person that she has ever seen!
So beautiful that her heart felt like it was about to burst out of her chest.
The way her hair hung down the sides of her face was just nothing short of magnificent.
And the way her amber golden eyes glared out of the palanquin was like gazing directly into the eyes of a wrathful goddess.
So divine…and so captivating that she simply could not look away.
Much less pick her jaw up off the floor.
Elle sat with her amazed amber eyes glued to Azula's scowling visage only to jump in surprise when the Crown Princess's booming voice barked out an order at her terrified servants.
She shakily rose as if the princess was speaking to her only for her shoulders to slump when she realized that she hadn't noticed her.
"Faster servants! Faster! If I have to get out and sully my boots in this filthy street then I will have each and every one of you flogged!" Azula bellowed in a tyrannical voice with her cruel eyes glaring heartlessly down at her frightened procession while they struggled to carry her along.
Mai failed to suppress a snort as she gazed at Azula's remorseless face while the princess just let out a haughty scoff.
"There's nothing quite like love at first sight." Zoi stated with a chuckle while her princess glared at her through the corner of her frigid eye.
"F-forgive us Princess!" One of the royal servants shouted in fear as they hurriedly carried the princess while she plopped back down onto her cushion with a huff.
"Useless servants! Why is it so hard to come by good palanquin bearers these days!" Azula scoffed in a pompous voice with her full lips still entrenched in a scowl while her bored amber golden eyes gazed out of her palanquin.
In that very moment she could have sworn that someone was watching her.
She glared out into the dirty street when she saw a figure scurrying out of sight.
Only to dismiss it not even a moment later as she sunk back upon her cushion with her callous eyes now glaring ahead.
It was just another street rat.
And as far as she was concerned beneath her notice.
If someone had told Azula in that moment that the street rat that she had just passed by was her future love she would have had them put to the sword.
And yet as the palanquin rode away the princess could only stare on with a rare flicker of emotion while her beautiful lips began to open and close as she gazed down at her handmaid's lovably awestruck face.
She couldn't deny that somewhere deep within her frozen heart that she truly loved her little peasant.
"A p-princess. A b-beautiful princess charming saved me." Elle stuttered with her hands grasping the wall of a building while she gazed after the princess's departing palanquin.
She held a hand to her blushing cheek while she watched Azula's palanquin ride away.
"S-she's the most beautiful g-girl that I have ever laid eyes on." Elle swooned in a love-struck voice with an adorable shade of pink spreading across her cheeks.
Just as she crept out of the street to follow the palanquin in the distance.
The princess gazed on with her cruel lips curling into something akin to a small smile while she watched her pet race after her palanquin.
Her crimson lips continued to grow into a larger smile as she coiled a long fingertip in her ebony hair.
"Azula…" Ty Lee spoke in a soft voice with a tear in her eye while she smiled at her friend's unusually softened face.
And even Mai managed to crack smile as she gazed after Elle's adorably rushing form.
The kid really was a sweetheart. There was no doubt about that.
And she didn't deserve all of the torment that she had been put through.
Azula continued to twirl her fingernail in her hair while she found herself unable to fight the affectionate smile that refused to leave her lips.
And soon enough she gazed on as the final memories began to flash by her fascinated amber golden eyes.
And once again she watched as faces came and went.
Including the blind earthbender who was with her wretched peasant friends performing a recon of their defenses in preparation for the Day of the Black Sun.
And the man whose face she has long since memorized.
And soon she found herself watching her servant receive a fist to the jaw.
Her callous amber golden eyes grew wide in murderous rage as she watched Elle crumple to the ground in the street with a whimper.
Her teeth clenched together and fire spewed forth from her lips.
And she released a wrathful snort as blue flames exuded from her furious nostrils.
And lightning began to crackle at her enraged fingertips.
And her rage was only quelled when the memory world transformed once again.
And she found herself gazing at a memory of herself alone walking across a bridge outside the commoner district.
Azula strode with her stony amber golden eyes staring ahead while her elegant boots stepped upon the walkway.
She held her regal hands behind her back as she walked with her emotionless amber golden eyes gazing into the distance.
Only for her boots to pause in her tracks as she turned to glare over her shoulder when she once more felt like someone was watching her.
Just as Elle gulped as she ducked behind a wall with a fire lily in hand while her heart raced a mile a minute.
The princess glared on with icy amber golden eyes while her two fingertips were already generating lightning.
Only for her fist to relent a moment later as she turned away with a bored scoff.
"It's probably just another street rat." Azula snorted in a beyond arrogant voice as she resumed her stride with her footfalls quietly resounding into the air.
Elle shyly peeked out from behind the ledge with her love-struck eyes gazing after the older girl in adorable worship.
As the princess once again found that her lips were curving into a graceful smile as she coiled a lock of hair around her fingernail.
The three speechless noblewomen observing beside her.
Just as they all watched the memory realm take shape in a final memory.
The following day.
Elle quietly ran along as she snuck through the tree line with another fire lily carefully in hand.
Just as she slid to a stop with her amber eyes peering out at the princess seated with her robed back turned to her.
Her cold hardened eyes gazed out across the water.
Just before she angrily tossed a small rock out across the lake.
As Elle stared out at her back with an artbook in hand.
She quietly ran her paint brush across the page as she bit her lip as she tried her hardest to refrain from making any sound.
"How dare that boy think that he is too good for Princess Azula." Azula snarled as she threw a burning pebble over the lake.
Only for her ruthless amber golden eyes to grow wide when she heard a twig snap in the bushes behind her.
Just as she spun around when she heard someone stand up in a panic.
"Whose there!?" Azula roared in a powerful voice while Elle hid behind a tree gulping in intimidation.
Her fists lit aflame while she turned towards the bushes with her murderous eyes narrowing dangerously.
"If you think that you can spy on me then…think again!" Azula bellowed in a beyond imposing voice as she sprang to her feet.
Just before she lunged for the tree line while Elle stood frozen in a love-struck trance with an adorable flush on her cheeks.
Azula still stood with her full lips forming a content smile while she gazed down at her lovable servant trembling behind the tree.
'That's…my servant. She serves me and me alone. She is loyal to her mistress.' Azula thought with her regal lips curling into a pleased smile while she watched her pet let out an adorable yelp when she tore into the bushes.
She stared on with an approving gleam in her domineering eyes when her servant fell down in a lovable panic.
While Elle gasped with her amber eyes widened in a cute display of worship with the fire lily clasped in hand.
Just as Azula landed towering over her with azure fire burning from her fingertips while she now glared callously down at Elle's quivering face.
All the while the princess still stood gazing on with her beautiful lips entrenched into a dominantly affectionate smile.
'Elle is mine…my peasant…and my girl.' The princess thought with a fond smirk gracing her gorgeous lips while she gazed approvingly down at Elle's adorably stammering face.
While the Elle and the Azula of the recent past still gazed into each other's eyes.
Just as the memory realm began to disintegrate before the eyes of the moved Team Azula.
The princess and the three noblewomen snapped their eyes awake to find themselves in the ancient tree once more.
In the very moment as Elle's still unconscious form fell back into Azula's waiting arms.
And not a moment later Azula caught Elle within her arms while Elle's sleeping face came to rest upon her armored breast.
The princess's toned arms wrapped around the much smaller girl as held the quietly crying girl's face against her breasts.
Azula still adorned a regal smirk on her crimson lips as she reached down to gently brush her hand through her handmaid's hair while she held the snoring girl into her plated chest.
She stared ahead with glacial amber golden eyes that now took on a violently protective countenance while she cradled her young girlfriend against her royal armor.
Yes indeed.
This one was her girl.
AN:
Before I got to my afterword, I would like to happily announce that it has officially been one year since I published the story on both FFN and AO3. And throughout all that time I have somehow managed to stay consistent with weekly updates for an entire year. I don't know how I did it but I am very happy about it.
With that out of the way, I would like to get to my brief afterword.
That was our first glimpse of the shadow government complex. We'll see it in greater detail when we see things from Naoki's point of view.
And as we saw with Naoki and Katsu, being there for many years changes you.
Basically with Katsu, she used to be a sweet but normal girl of average intelligence. But after being experimented on for years by government officials Clare lost her mind in the process. And she took on a new persona, that of a maniac named Katsu.
And Naoki was a victim all her life, and she lost everything, even her identity. And now she is the one doing the hurting instead of being hurt.
These two will come into play more later, especially Naoki.
We also got to see a little bit more of Rieko.
And unlike Azula, who always keeps a superior demeanor with commoners (unless she is disguise like when she infiltrated Ba Sing Se.)
Rieko however, is very adept at making regular people that she talks to feel at ease by behaving almost sociably with them. At least until they anger her that is.
And finally, the most important part of the chapter. Elle meeting Azula. I hope everyone found their meeting as cute as I did.
I wanted to show Elle meeting Toph. But I decided to skip that for the time being because that chapter was focused primarily on Elle meeting Azula. And I felt that it would ruin the mood if I transitioned from Elle gazing on Azula for the first time. Then show Elle meeting Toph.
And then go back to Elle meeting Azula at the lakeside.
In a later Team Avatar chapter, I will probably very briefly cover Elle's first meeting with Toph from Toph's point of view. That way it won't feel so out of place because the focus won't be on Azula/Elle's bond.
It can very much be stated that Azula saved Elle's life in more ways than one. It wasn't until Elle met Azula that she truly felt happy. Even with Naoki and Katsu, who had for the most part accepted Elle. It wasn't the same as it ended up being with Azula. Because Naoki and Katsu are heading towards memories that Elle wants to escape, not return to.
As for several of the other people that Elle met in the complex that aren't Naoki/Katsu, they may or may not have large or small roles in the future. I mostly just wanted to show a few more heads making the escape. Whether or not they will end up playing a prominent role in Elle or Naoki's lives remains to be seen.
Anyhow, next chapter will be Naoki's first of two solo chapters.
And we're going to get a glimpse of her traumas and what she went through to become the dangerous person that she is today.
And after that, we'll get back to the story in the present.
Well, that will be all for now.
Stay tuned for next time.
For chapter eighty-three! The Emperor and the Orphan!