Chapter 2: I'll wait anyway

The path to this little town was honestly beautiful. Zuko had said that the place was right smack in the middle of an island close to the south of the mainland, and it allowed for some stunning views.

The Fire Nation was truly incredible when it wasn't busy waging war on the world.

If only he could say the same about his company.

"Okay kids, I'm only going to ask once. Which one of you did she approach first?!" Azula was glaring at them so fiercely he swears he could physically feel it digging into his head. And her voice was strained, almost maniacal.

"How did she even get to you before you even met me?! How did she convinced you to ruin my life?!"

"What are you even saying, Azula! You're not making any sense!" Suki looked disturbed at her voice more than anything.

And so was he, to a degree. But he didn't think it as scary or menacing. He wasn't sure why, but Azula looked broken more than anything. Like her heart was struggling to barely hold itself together. He heard from Katara what happened the day of the comet but… what exactly could've caused her to lose herself like that.

He wanted to at least hear what she had to say.

But Zuko had other ideas.

"That's enough, Azula!" He held a sizzling hand to her.

Azula relented and settled back down with a scoff. "Relax Zuzu, it was just small talk."

"How exactly is scaring the hell out of us small talk?" Suki's hand was still hovering over her sword as she asked, but Azula just ignored her.

Things were getting tenser by the minute.

He'll try to talk to her once things calm down.

"I think we're closing in on Hira'a." Zuko called out from his spot at the front of the saddle. "But I don't know if we'll make it before sundown. It might be best to camp out for the night."

"What do you mean? Wouldn't it be better to get there as quickly as possible?" Suki asked, slightly confused.

"Well, I don't want to land in the middle of the night like a bunch of bandits. I think it'd be better to wait until tomorrow?"

"Oh Zuzu, always so considerate. So unlike a Fire Lord… But it's not like you actually wanted to be one…" Azula's voice was low and indifferent, clearly trying to mock him. "Isn't that right?"

"Azula, what are you trying to say?" Zuko gritted his teeth, trying to reel in his temper.

"Oh, you know, jus-" But she stopped, as she sensed someone glaring at her. It was the Avatar.

"What? Are you finally ready to take your shot against me?!" She returned the glare with one of her own.

"What? No!" Aang quickly turned around. "My face is just sensing some kind of… something. I can't help it! It feels like… a powerful spirit! Yeah that's it!"

He then peeked his head off the saddle. "See! Right there! There's a spirit!" He pointed to a running figure in the ground. Its body was blue and white and had the appearance of a wolf.

Definitely spirity looking.

Suki and Zuko peeked their heads as well. "I don't see anything, Aang. Are you sure it's not some Avatar thingy?" Suki just looked at him confused.

"No, I definitely saw it!" But when he looked again, it was gone.

What? Where did it go?

"Maybe you're just tired. It might be best if we camped for the nigh-" But Zuko's eyes widened suddenly. "Azula! Get down from there!"

He turned to look, and he saw exactly what he was screaming about. Azula was on the edge of Appa's saddle, arms spread wide as if about to jump.

This couldn't be good.

"Azula, it's dangerous! You can't jump from this height!" He tried to reach out but was ignored.

"Oh, don't worry about me! Now that Hira'a is just a hop, skip and jump away, it's time to say goodbye to our little group!" She said while smiling, but her eyes seemed strained. Something was going on. Just like when she scared them a few hours ago.

"It was a pleasure, Avatar!" Was the final thing she said before jumping off.

"No! Dammit, Azula!" He sprung to action so fast, Zuko and Suki could just gape at his now flying form.

Aang strained himself trying to reach her, but he eventually caught her in his arm. "Gotcha!"

He tried to catch his breath. The drop was too high for even a powerful Firebender to survive. What was she thinking?! If he hadn't reacted quickly, she would've… Wait, there's no way she actually-

"Oh, how nice of you, Avatar!" She was laughing brightly. It was unnerving to say the least. "Say, is your glider fireproof?"

"Wha-" He tried to ask, but Azula then shot a ball of fire to one of his wings, making them both start falling quickly to the ground.

"No! This was a gift!"

Shit, he needed to do something.

But as he was figuring out what exactly he could do, Azula started preparing a shot of lightning.

Sparkles started flying through the air, as the telltale blue glow of energy started flashing images of Ba Sing Se.

Something then happened to him.

Everything slowed down. The fall, the wind in his face, the burning of his glider, and… And Azula's hands.

Millions of thoughts dashed through his brain. Memories from when he emerged from an iceberg, to seeing his people dead in the Southern temple, losing Appa to the sandbenders, dying at the hands of the one he was holding… Until it settled in a specific one.

…If you let the energy of your body flow, the lightning will follow it. You turn your opponent's energy against then…

He didn't think twice, as he grabbed Azula's two extended fingers that were making their way towards him. He's done this before. He knows what to expect. But the power that is now flowing through his body is still overwhelming.

But that didn't matter. He was the Avatar after all.

Time seemed to return to its normal speed, as he released the lightning from his other hand. He had to let go of the glider for it but… It didn't matter. It was ruined now anyway.

The force from the redirection sent both Aang and Azula flying to the ground. It seemed his reflexes were still on edge as he managed to bend a cushion of air a split second before impact. But it wasn't perfect, as they tumbled through the ground violently.

Azula skillfully managed to get back on her feet before she started running away from him.

"Azula! Where are you going!" He followed after her, still reeling from the pain of the fall.

"Don't follow me!" She screamed as she turned around to launch a blast of blue fire.

He easily blocked it with his own fire but was slowed down just enough for Azula to widen the gap between them.

This wasn't good. The wolf was definitely still out there, and Azula will just end up hurting herself at this rate. He needed to catch up, no matter what.

How did he react to her lightning so quickly?!

It was like a blur, as if he somehow read her mind and knew exactly what she would do, and exactly when she would do it.

But that didn't matter, she only needed to keep running to lose that merry band of idiots. She would soon get to Hira'a and then her mother will finally answer for her treachery.

And once that's over she can finally fulfill her destiny and become Fire Lor-

"You're only hurting yourself, my daughter."

What? Where?!

She looked around. Her mother liked hiding in mirrors, which meant… the river!

She spun on her feet, anger clear on her face. "Don't even pretend that you care about me! You thought you could break me by having Zuko lock me up in an institution, but you failed! I only got stronger!" Her voice was so loud it was hurting her throat, but she wouldn't stop now. "I figured out your scheme! You've wanted to bring me down from the day I was born! Even as an infant you saw something in me that you hadn't. Power!" She clenched her fists so tight that her nails started digging into her skin.

"That's why you think I'm a monster!"

"No, you're confused, Azula."

"Confused?! No! I still don't know how you got to Zuko, Ty Lee or Mai to go against me even after you disappeared. Nor do I know how you showed that water peasant how to defeat me!"

"But I finally have a way to set everything right!" She pulled out a letter that was hidden in her right boot. "With this I can finally take the throne from Zuko! But before that, I'm going to kill you so you can never conspire against me ever again!"

"Azula, I love you! I do!"

But those words always managed to drive a searing blade on her skull. Every time.

So, she screamed. So loud that she didn't even notice the figure that was making his way towards her.

"How dare you turn my own mind against me! I won't stand for this any longer! I'll kill you!" She said as she charged her fingers with lightning and shot it all in one motion, causing the water to burst into the air wildly.

"Azula! What are you doing?!"

Great, the avatar caught up to her. And it's all because of her mother. Once again, she has messed with her plans. She set her up to fail. She had to kill her. Kill her as soon as physically possible.

She has to! She has to or else-!

"Azula!" Two strong arms grabbed her shoulders and jerked her back to reality.

"Are you okay?"

She stared at the taller boy for what felt like an eternity and a split second simultaneously.

Okay? Of course she was.

She was okay. She was.

She had to be.

Right?

"What do you care, Avatar?"

"Are you okay?" He asked, seeing the way her hands were bleeding and her breath was ragged.

"What do you care, Avatar?"

"Azula, you almost died back there! What were you thinking?!"

Dammit, he needed to calm down. He can't help Azula if he's gets agitated.

"If I hadn't been there to catch you then-"

"But you did, didn't you?" She interrupted him after jerking herself off his arms. "You caught me. And I'm alive, so what's the problem?"

He was right then.

"You can't just risk your life because you knew I was going to save you!"

"But you will, won't you? Every single time."

He gritted his teeth. Her eyes had their usual confidence back.

And the worst part was that she was right.

"I won't always be close to save you in time, and you know that!"

But she just laughed her unnerving bright laugh. "Then I guess you'll just have to keep up with me then!"

He shook his head. "Please, Azula, I just want to help you."

"No, you don't!" She scoffed. "You know what you're doing. You've been conspiring with her all this time after all!"

"Azula, who are you talking about?" He had an inkling, but he needed to hear her say it.

"Don't play dumb!" She lashed out by holding her hand towards him, sparks flying from her fingers.

But Aang was quicker, as he grabbed her hand tightly and dragged her towards him. "No! You're going to tell me who you are talking about!"

"Release me!" She struggled from his grip, but he endured.

He was glad for his recent growth spurt. He was sure he would've faltered a year ago.

"Azula… Please tell me who you're talking about." He said calmly after softening his grip on her hand.

She gritted her teeth, as her eyes glinted with something he couldn't read.

She jerked her face to face the ground, as she clenched her other hand.

He almost thought she was going to struggle again, or even attack him, but he was wrong.

"…My mother!" Her voice came out as a hiss, as tears started showing in her eyes.

He sighed. This was it.

He couldn't mess this up.

"I don't know exactly what happened between you two but… But at least let me try and help you." He released her hand and fixed her with a warm smile. "Please."

She remained quiet for a long time.

The sun was setting in the horizon, as the sky was morphing into a purple glow. They were in a rocky expanse bordering the lush forest that apparently surrounded Hira'a, meaning the rocks themselves reflected the shine of the sky in a radiant pink and orange. Meanwhile the forest was quickly disappearing in the enveloping darkness of the approaching night.

It was such an incredible view, that he thought he could watch it for the rest of his life.

He then looked at the person who led him here. Her hair was shining as well, and her skin reflected those same radiant tones, highlighting the intricate details of her face. She still had bags in her eyes, and her hands were still bleeding, but even then, it didn't mar her beauty at all.

It was strange.

He would never admit it but, at this moment, he couldn't help but think that he couldn't let someone this beautiful suffer on her own.

He had to help her, no matter what it took.

"You know…" He broke their silence. "I really don't know all the details but… whatever you're feeling towards your mother, don't think that it doesn't matter. Because it does."

Her face suddenly jerked to look at him. She was taken by so much surprise that her face lost every shield she had learn to put on throughout her life.

"The fact that she left you when you were so young… no matter the circumstances… Well, I think it makes sense that you'd feel upset."

"U-Upset…" Azula's voice was barely audible.

"wha..do..yo..kno…"

Huh.

"What did you say?" He leaned towards her.

He would quickly find out that doing that was mistake.

"What do you know?!" She screamed so loud he almost fell on his back.

But he couldn't falter. He had to listen to her.

"What do you know about what I feel?!"

He didn't know anything.

"What do you know about what I've gone through?!"

Very little.

"Do you even know how much I've had to struggle to achieve what I've achieved?!"

He didn't.

"How much pain I had to endure?!"

He could only guess.

"Who do you think you are?!"

He was… a lot of things.

"Well?!"

He took a deep breath. He needed to steel his resolve, else he risks losing her forever.

"You're right. I don't know." His voice was steady, and his eyes remained unflinching. "I don't know about what you've gone through, or what you've had to endure, or what you're feeling…"

He met her golden eyes. "At the very least not yet. So, when you're ready, I'll listen to you. I'll listen to everything you have to say."

"Ready?! I'll never tell you anything, Avatar!"

"That's fine. I'll wait anyway."

Her gaze faltered, and her posture wavered.

"I-I don't need your help!"

"Maybe not… But I still want to help."

"What is your problem?!"

He shrugged. "I'm awfully stubborn. So, you'll just have to keep up with me." He smiled playfully.

"W-What…" She stammered. "What does that even…"

But before she could finish, something behind him made her gasp in worry.

And he knew exactly what it was now that his face was once again contorting into a menacing glare.

And in such an important moment too.

He turned around, and just like he expected, the wolf spirit was staring them down.

Just his luck.

"Aang!" Zuko shouted as he saw him talking with Azula…

Wait, something was off. Azula looked shaky, and Aang was saying something. And he looked calm, almost eerily so.

What happened between them for this to happen?

But before he could even get closer, a flashing blur of light managed to blind him.

"Zuko, look!" He heard Suki say as he tried to refocus his vision.

"What is it?"

"It's the wolf Aang mentioned! It's going to attack them!"

Shit, she was right. The wolf was massive, and it had a weird pattern on its belly.

It almost looked like a face…

But that didn't matter. They needed to help them, quickly.

"Suki, let's go!"

"I'm right behind you!"

He stirred his inner fire before leaping into the air and sending a flaming wall towards the spirit. But to his shock, the spirit simply absorbed his fire. And then it burped it out.

Huh.

Meanwhile Suki wasn't fairing any better with her sword bouncing from the spirit as if it were nothing.

"I can't get through!" She shouted.

Dammit, he had to think of something!

"Wait, wolf spirit!" He heard Aang's voice through his panic. "I'm the bridge guy, you know! The Avatar? Don't you wanna at least talk about it-"

The wolf didn't let him finish as he jumped to attack.

Thankfully, Appa had made it in time and blasted the wolf with his tail, sending it flying into a large rock.

This was their chance!

"Aang! Take Azula and run to the forest! We have to get away as fast as we can!"

"No! We need to settle things with the spirit. Else who knows what that could mean for this entire area!"

"But how?! It doesn't seem to be listening!" Suki said as she rushed to his side. "I don't know if we can solve this other than running!"

"There has to be a way! There always is!" Aang responded.

But right as he said that, the spirit wolf got back on its feet and started shooting… bugs out of his mouth?

"Great! What's going on?! Why is it spitting weird bugs now?!"

He was getting fed up with everything. They didn't have time to deal with this.

That's when he noticed Azula stir out of whatever trance she was. She then leaned into Aang and said something to him.

Wait… what?

Why did she do that?

"Zuko! Azula says she has a plan!" He heard Aang shout.

A plan? What could it possibly be?

"Are you sure about this?!"

Aang then smiled, before giving him a thumbs up. "Don't worry! It'll be fine!"

He then turned to Azula and gave her a nod.

Okay, this was way too strange. He needed to find out exactly what happened with them.

But he was brought out of his head when Azula leapt into the air and charged what he could only describe as a massive ball of electricity.

It was as terrifying as it was amazing.

She then launched it in the direction of the forest, prompting the spirits to follow after it.

How did she do that…

"She did it! She really did it, Zuko!" Suki was shaking his arm beside him, but he didn't answer.

He was too busy looking at Aang and his sister.

"You're welcome. Avatar." Is the only thing he heard as Azula made her way to the forest, with Aang quickly in tow. And he looked… happy?

What the hell was going on?