The cliffs were far-reaching and enormous, dropping to the great depths below where the ocean met the land. The sky seemed to go on without end, a great expanse of blue without a single cloud. The sun was just peaking over the ocean when Azula and Aang sat cross-legged on the damp grass. The air was annoyingly sweet, as early spring usually smells.
The Avatar had decided to take advantage of the stillness of the world and get started on their "spirit-saving adventure." His words, not Azula's.
Azula's fingers twitched, itching for something it could not get its hands on. Azula took a tempering breath as she sat waiting for the prattling boy to finish his spiel.
"Monk Gyatso used to say that the greatest worries stem from a misalignment of the chakras, or the body and the spirit. All we have to do is make you happy with yourself again," he chirped. The Avatar extended his open palms to her. If she had her powers, he would have been burned to a crisp by now.
"You want me to do what?" Azula laughed, crossing her arms and glaring at the miniscule Avatar. "Sorry, kid, that's not exactly my vibe." She flicked her hair out of her eyes with a flick of her wrist.
The kid, to his credit, did not look put out in the least. "Spirituality can be for anyone." He smiled again. "You don't have to be a monk or an Avatar to tap into the spirit world and experience it." Aang held out his hands for Azula to grasp again. "Here, just follow my lead."
Azula outright growled at him. "Back off, kid." She laughed haughtily and folded her legs into the lotus position and closed her eyes. "I know how to meditate; I'm not a baby."
Aang looked like he had swallowed a lemon and he pursed his lips, putting his hands on his hips. "If you knew how to do it, then we wouldn't be here," he retorted, his little shoulders rattling.
Azula opened one eye, a smirk on her lips. "Oh I'm sorry, am I making you angry?"
The arrows on Aang's fists and those on top of his head glowed, sparks of flames flew from the ends of his fingers. Oh this will be entertaining. He looked about to combust, just like little Zuzu.
Aang closed his eyes and took a deep breath, the fire put out before it began to catch. He settled on the ground in front of Azula, and when he opened his eyes, his glare was not any less piercing. However, he still forcefully smiled at her. "I believe everyone needs some help sometime in their life. Even I did! I still do. No one is perfect. Zuko has asked me to see if I can help you, and even if I have to sit on your head and drag you to the spirit world, I will." Aang huffed, rearranging his face again when his smile became more pointed. "That's what friends do."
Azula remained quiet. She observed Aang quietly. What was his aim? What was he trying to get out of her? Maybe if she played along for a little while longer, he would relent. There was no fixing the mess of voices in her mind. Azula may be crazy, but she knew she was too far gone for help.
Aang took a big, deep breath of relief. "Okay, let's get started. It's handy you know how to meditate, but I want to start you out with keeping your eyes open. I want you to think about whatever you want, whatever comes to mind."
"Soooo don't focus on my breathing? Isn't that the point?" Azula drawled.
"There are different ways to meditate, and I'm teaching you one that will open your mind…, hopefully," Aang explained, his cheery voice back. "Just think about anything, like what you want for lunch, or what color the sky is. Anything works."
Another forced breath. This was ridiculous. Azula's eyes bore into the Avatar's like she was watching her prey. She watched his every movement, but that soon became boring. Time seemed to pass one blink at a time. Soon anything and everything became boring. Azula took to taking in her surroundings, thinking of an escape plan. Then that too became boring. That's when the voices started to echo.
You are so weak. No fire? What's left of use? said one voice
Your hair has grown out so beautifully, said another.
She's broken. Can't you see it? Just leave her for dead. That's what she deserves.
Azula was building up sweat on her forehead, beads slipped down the side of her face. Azula kept her face neutral. One breath in, one breath out.
"Hey are you okay?" came a voice.
Azula snapped up, nearly jumping out of her skin. That never used to happen…
She must have dozed off. It was much later in the morning, and the rest of the camp was stirring, voices coming from the fire pit.
She wet her lips, rolling her shoulders back, pushing off Aang's hand that had found its way to her shoulder. "Get off of me. Why wouldn't I be fine."
Aang held a fist to his chin. For a moment, Azula thought she saw Zuko, but he was gone as soon as she blinked.
"This is worse than I thought," mumbled the Avatar. He addressed her. "Let's have another session after breakfast. I want to test something."
Azula merely nodded, not having strength enough, suddenly, to decline the offer.
"Aang! You're just in time for breakfast." The waterbender embraced the Avatar, ducking away from a kiss on the cheek. "Come, I made some without meat for you, over here."
The waterbender appraised Azula with a cold, analyzing look. "…Azula…" The waterbender seemed to be struggling with her words, more so because of some hidden anger rather than fear. Interesting. "There's some here for you too," she said with disdain.
"Well, if you so graciously offer it," Azula said with a smirk, plopping herself down right beside the girl.
They were the same age, or so the Avatar had mentioned. Zuzu had mentioned it as well. He had mentioned that he hoped they could get along someday. Ha, fat chance.
You're scared of her, said one of the voices. She took your power. You're weak…nothing but weak. Azula shook her head, clearing her head of the voices. She gobbled down her food, hoping no one noticed her momentary weakness.
The rest of the gaang (awful name, if you asked her) sat around her in various levels of awake-ness. The Avatar and the waterbender seemed the most cheerful of the bunch, with the boomerang boy being slightly more awake, but he was also nursing a hunk of meat like it was a baby. The earthbender didn't even look awake, her eyes half closed and her hair every which way. How this ragtag group had defeated the Fire Nation and put an end to the war was anyone's best guess. How very weak she must seem to be fraternizing with this group of kids. Sure, they were all around her age, but she was superior to them in intelligence that was for sure. As soon as she could find a way to run away and be away from this whole mess, the better.
"When is Ty Lee getting here?" Toph asked, mumbling into her rock pillow. "She said she was coming soon."
"Oh she's coming with Suki later today!" Sokka said, excitedly, deterred from his meat baby. This Suki and Sokka must be dating, Azula determined with a sigh. How utterly boring.
"Are you sure you want us to leave?" Katara said, peeking over at the Avatar with an unsure look. Oooh, trouble in paradise, Azula perceived.
The Avatar seemed downtrodden to Azula's accurate eyes. "Not really, but I want you to check up with the Earth King and make sure he understands what's going on in the colonies. Since I can't make it myself, you guys should do the trick. We'll be fine without you," he said miserably, trying to appear cheerful.
Azula focused on her gruel. Half of the gaang leaving? This was the perfect time to get away before mr. mumbo jumbo spirit teacher started to get too serious. But Ty Lee was coming, that put a spin on Azula's half-made plan. Azula shrugged to herself. Ty Lee shouldn't be a reason to stay longer, but for some reason it made Azula hesitate. It couldn't hurt to stay a little longer to see what the Avatar was planning. He clearly wasn't keeping any secrets from her. He trusted her. Mistake number one.
The waterbender's shoulders lifted as if a weight had been thrown off of them. "If you're sure." She grinned over at her brother. "When do you want to leave?"
"As soon as Suki is here and ready," he said excitedly, shoveling his food down his gullet. Azula turned her nose up. That human was disgusting.
Aang glanced over at Azula, making her school her features. "Oh, I forgot to tell you; I asked Ty Lee to come over and help me. I thought she would be a great person to maybe help you."
Azula rolled her eyes. "Whatever." One day in, and she was already tired of this.
With breakfast done, the Avatar dragged her over to the cliffs again to meditate. It went a little better, but Azula focused her thoughts, refusing to let her mind drift.
"Can I try something?" the Avatar asked after a long period of silence. His question was innocent, but Azula was reluctant to let him do anything.
She rolled her eyes. "Fine, throw it at me."
The Avatar summoned water to him, wrapping it around his hands. He reached for her head with his watery hands and Azula moved deftly out of the way, staring at him in disgust. "Eww, what are you doing? Get that freaky glowing water away from me."
"It's so I can see what's going on."
"What does that mean," Azula glowered.
Aang huffed, looking peeved. "Just trust me."
"I have no reason to," she countered.
"I'm trying to help you."
Azula paused. Water is harmless right? She gave him a warning look. "Fine, you can try it, but when I say stop, you stop."
"Whatever you feel comfortable with," Aang agreed. He leaned forward again, cradling her head in his hands as the cool, glowing water encircled her head.
Azula took deep breaths in and out, resolved to not freak out. She could handle this. This was nothing but magical blue, glowing water.
"Now let your mind wander," Aang instructed.
For once, Azula listened to him, letting her thoughts jump around. She kept her eyes open, breathing in and out. Then a sharp pain breached the walls of her mind, making her wince. All she could see was her mother grinning over at her. That grin turned into a snarl and soon Azula saw her father growling down at her.
Someone was calling her name. Azula blinked and the hallucinations fell away, leaving just the Avatar. She shook her head. "I'm fine," she said before Aang could get a word out of his mouth.
Aang looked at her with a pitying look. She didn't want his pity.
Azula stood up abruptly and stormed off to her tent without another word. Aang protested behind her, but she tuned him out. She didn't need the Avatar's help or any help from his little gaang. She needed to come up with a plan to run away now.
There was a swooping sound outside and a shriek of surprise. "Hawky!" cried the meat-eating guy.
Azula sat against the front of her tent, leaning closer to hear their voices, only slightly interested. Through their muffled voices she heard only a few words. "Avatar," "prophecy," and "Mai" being a few of them.
Azula rolled her eyes and folded herself onto her sleeping mat, perfectly positioning herself for a rest. She hated it here, but then again she hated everywhere. The hair on her neck prickled unhappily at the sound of Mai and Ty Lee's names. "Traitors," Azula spat, rolling over. She pressed her eyes closed, hoping for relief from her thoughts.
Hello Readers! Here is a look into what's been happening with Azula lately. I wasn't sure how to handle Azula, but I saw a fanart one day of her meditating with Aang, and I got an idea to maybe show her on her mental health journey. I'll be back again for another chapter next Sunday. Please leave a comment, favorite, or follow if you wish. Thank you so much for reading, and until I write again, TTFN!