Welcome to the school of sorcery!
The last few days were a huge chaos for Azula's mind. Not only because of the farfetched situation she found herself in but also because of the magnitude of the events she seemed not to assimilate fully.
First, she underestimated the capabilities of that earthly realm. Society, culture, geography, and technology were something she could never have imagined, even in her deepest dreams. Instead of three nations (he was not going to consider a pile of severed corpses a nation), hundreds of countries, poor and rich, powerful and weak, accumulated in that world, divided into vast continents and seas so broad that they made any comparison with her world ridiculous.
Technological devices that ran on a constant flow of independent energy that made them work, like those 'televisions' or 'cell phones.' And do not forget what they call the 'internet,' a disproportionate information resource to fulfill almost unlimited functions, from communication, learning or leisure. To say she was surprised was an understatement; she could barely keep her eyes focused as she encountered countless wonders that this realm offered.
Or should she have said world? That was another aspect: the assimilation of concepts. The vast advances compared to her world provided this one with unique perspectives. She admitted to herself that she did not yet fully grasp its theory, but she began to take in the game; a foreign, disconnected dimension is nothing more than a parallel lifeline with its own universal rules, physical and moral. She almost dismissed any comparison with home. In a way, it was entering a mysterious and strange area.
Azula was never an adventurer; she had no problem getting a little dirty if it came to fulfilling her goals, but she preferred the comforts of the capital and high-command strategy. However, that world gave her more reasons to explore. A strange feeling regurgitated in her stomach: Desire? Greed? At least that was close enough to understand its nature.
However, she remembered her reason for being here and the questions that were still unresolved. Even if it was one of the most enlightening weekends she ever had, the most elemental and indispensable element was still a mystery to her: sorcery.
Azula did not trust Satoru Gojo, and the last few days showed he was a poor source of information. She guessed he kept many secrets until she entered the sorcery academy, but she also felt it was a bad joke. She only said that, along with her, three other students would be meeting to form the new first year of the Tokyo Metropolitan Curse Technical College. That did not change a fundamental point:
She hated not having information about anything.
That made her journey through the long ascending hallway to the academy gates an uncomfortable experience. Never in her life had she imagined she would return to a high school, not after learning everything she needed to at the Royal Academy. In her view, and that of her father, the concepts covered were, to say the least condescendingly, mediocre. Azula preferred a private education with competent teachers in the knowledge of manners, history, tactics, and culture so extensive that high nobles would envy her for her wisdom. She had no trouble coming back, more if that needed only to put up with a bunch of idiots to attain a mysterious power.
Azula was not superstitious, nor someone who worked without foundation. However, neither could she ignore all the surroundings and the reality that loomed over her. She saw things, unexplainable beings that, without materializing completely, she felt their presence, like shadows hidden through the forest. For a moment, she believed that the illusions became real, that a horrible nightmare would soon accompany her, but then she felt the physical effects. Some bruises and cuts on her waking arm were enough to know that this world was not ordinary and that the answers would be around sorcery and that dark miasma that coursed through the air.
Although it was her obligation to attend, those incidents made enough of an impact to make her submission voluntary, at least for the most part; she found no point in wearing a baggy white jacket of lousy taste or a black skirt that did not go above her knees. The collar made her a little uncomfortable, and it was higher than expected.
The trip was quiet, too. Azula awakened in an ancient local temple to climb into the facilities of what was once the institution was peaceful. She did not think about it in depth, but quite a few buildings were reminiscent of the architecture of the Fire Nation. The long-wooded corridor and the multiple buildings were a nostalgic reminder of the streets on the capital's outskirts or that home where Master Piandao stayed. Azula took a breath. It was not usual for her to fill her head in raving nonsense... at least, it wasn't something she consciously did. She had to keep her focus: answers, sorcery, and paths.
Guided by the directions given by the monk at the temple she stayed at, Azula advanced down the wooden corridors through some of the side doors. With clear priorities and her mind in complete order, she assimilated the importance of this moment. First impressions were indispensable for the functioning of the dynamic in the future. Although in that place, she could not abuse her title as a princess, she still had the resources to impose her will and make her stay at the school more than a passing event.
"Oh, someone arrived."
Azula had to process a few seconds as she saw the source of the voice. In front of her, a sizeable monochromatic animal sitting at a desk addressed her as soon as she opened the door. A wry smile began to creep across her features.
"This must be a joke."
The animal cocked its head to one side, not understanding its new companion's reaction, though a clear idea came into its head.
"Oh, right, we've never met, you must be a little confused. I'm Panda, and I'm a panda."
Snapping out of her stupor, Azula remembered where she found herself. Although it would have been nice to be informed that some animals in that world developed human consciousness, she estimated it as another of the oddities the globe offered and another piece of information that Gojo omitted at his pleasure.
Azula watched the clock in the room, ensuring her time was correct. She arrived 10 minutes earlier than anticipated. She was not impressed; people usually left their obligations to the last minute only to regret it later because of lack of time. At least one of her new associates had a medium notion of responsibility, and even if his appearance was that of an animal similar to the earth king's strange pet, it was something he could work with.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Panda. My name is Azula. I should estimate that we will be classmates."
"We are. I must admit, I didn't expect to meet someone so soon."
"It doesn't make any sense. The directions were to arrive at the classroom at 8:30 with a recommendation to arrive 10 minutes early."
"Oh, diligent person, I like it" Panda nodded with some enthusiasm while denoting a curious countenance for the person in front of him. "Although I have never met you in the preparatory missions."
"It's logical, I arrived in Tokyo recently."
"Oh, I understand. Are you from Kyoto? I wonder if you are from Kanto. Otherwise, we would have met."
"That's not relevant" Azula dismissed his curiosity.
Even if she researched the geography of the region, she found herself in, Japan, she still needed to delve deeper. She still couldn't make a proper interpretation of the attitudes, customs, or traditions of the place, and giving unsubstantiated information that could be used against her too quickly was not a smart move on her part. Besides, telling the truth would only bring more complications and issues he did not wish to resolve.
"Since this opportunity has arisen, I would like to know better the partners with whom I will have the pleasure of sharing my time. Perhaps, I could learn more about you, such as your 'Sorcery.'"
"Hmm... well, my cursed technique…" Panda pondered for a second before denying. "I control my cursed energy well; it helps me to reinforce the strength of my blows, but it's not like I have a cursed technique. But if you want to deal with other people's techniques, Inumaki can solve that doubt."
"Inumaki?"
"Another one of our classmates. Oh, I think he must be coming."
Azula turned her gaze to the entrance. A silhouette walked down to the classroom and began to approach five minutes early. As she slid it in, a white-haired, short, somewhat scrawny boy opened the door, wearing a long black turtle jacket that reached up to cover his entire mouth. With a bored look and a glib greeting, he walked over to stand next to Panda.
"I must assume you are Inumaki, or am I mistaken?"
"Salmon."
"Excuse me?" Azula asked, somewhat confused by the answer.
"Hmm..." Panda observed the interaction, coming to quick conclusions. "Inumaki, I think she needs an explanation."
"Tuna" Inumaki unzipped his vest.
The boy pointed to a circular patterned tattoo connected by webbing around his mouth that reached up to the circle formed inside his tongue. Azula's head schemed the possibilities of the meaning of that tattoo.
"Inumaki's cursed technique is cursed speech. You don't think his speech is out of mockery. He must do that to avoid catastrophe."
"Why would speaking cause damage to his environment?" Azula asked, genuinely curious.
"Well, every time Inumaki articulates a word, they are reinforced by cursed energy, which forces someone to act or be affected by those words. If he says you explode, you explode. If he says don't move, you won't move."
Azula's eyes widened at the implication of the ability. Sorcery seemed something more complex than the bending of elements. The idea that a man possessed the ability to subdue his enemies with simple words was unthinkable, a miracle that became a story worthy of gods who subdued and conquered entire cities with their magnificent powers.
Not only that, Panda mentioned that, although he did not have a cursed technique as such, his power helped to strengthen the power of his blows, so it was not a linear ability like just bending fire or water but further extended his abilities. Azula, starting to see hints of what sorcery was all about, caused her curiosity.
"Of course, it has its limits. Inumaki's throat is quickly exhausted, and he can't overuse his technique, or he will start to tear his vocal cords and bleed."
"Salmon."
A slight disappointment flashed in Azula's eyes. Of course, she made the mistake of inflating without comparison the sorcery due to her lack of knowledge. It was evident that, like bending elements, there remained limitations and rules that people had to abide by; otherwise, she imagined that saying 'die' or 'explode' was enough to wipe out all her opponents. That was stupid of her.
"So, you speak in food terms so as not to call out the functionality of your spell. You can't control it to talk usually fully."
"Salmon, salmon."
Azula's lips tightened. Though she recognized its power, the technique seemed to have more disadvantages than benefits. Still, she could not dismiss a force to reckoned with that because of a few drawbacks. In the right situations, the technique should offer an invaluable tactical advantage and he continued to have very free conditions in its use, so creativity must have been fundamental. It was not his style, but it is a technique he still recognized as powerful.
"Mustard leaf?"
Azula did not respond. Although she understood the reason for his curious vocabulary, it was no less annoying to comprehend and answer.
"He asks if you're okay; you've been staring at him for a while now."
"Of course, I just thought of the possibilities a technique like that can offer on the battlefield. They must be comprehensive."
"Yes, they are. Inumaki is excellent at controlling the masses. I've seen him do it several times" Panda thought for a second before smiling. "I'm kind of curious, though. How come you don't know the cursed speech? It is one of the most known techniques of the Inumaki clan."
Azula clicked her tongue internally. Of course, that world-maintained hierarchies of power reflected in noble clans.
"Where I come from, we only have a little information on the families of... sorcerers.
"Then it must be far from jujutsu civilization. The Aomori region, what do you think?"
"Nice flakes."
"So where do you think it is?"
Inumaki shook his head without much idea of what to answer.
"It doesn't matter where she's from" a new voice found itself inside the room. The last of those belonging to the first year of that promotion appeared two minutes after the agreed time. "As long as she is a good training partner, that will be enough."
"Oh, Maki, I didn't see you arrive."
Azula registered those to whom the voice belonged. Without noticing it, her jaw dropped as she observed the smug girl with glasses standing as if she were the queen of the world. Something about her unnerved her senses, whether her glib and indifferent appearance or her presumptuous character: whatever it was, something began to circulate through Azula's system, something she knew all too well and tried with all her might to suppress.
"It's good of you to join us."
Maki frowned, immediately her composure alert, with the holster of whatever it was on her back ready to be used. The girl didn't say a word; she just watched and seemed to wait for something. Azula's frown, though barely perceptible, narrowed at the sullen attitude.
"I guess I should be the one to initiate the presentations" Azula took a slow breath, not allowing her face to show her inner emotions, and instead taking the mature part of the situation and raising her hand. "I am..."
"Spare me that."
Without caution, Maki withdrew Azula's hand like a fly. Ignorant of the great strength possessed by the bespectacled girl, Azula focused on the reaction. How dare she! Not only refuse her hand but treat her as if she were nothing more than a pestilent peasant! She knew her intuition was calling her for nothing. She should return to trusting her instincts in judging others, and the arrogant lady was a clear sign of someone who didn't know her place.
"Maki, you shouldn't be rude to your new classmate."
"What are you talking about? She is being rude to me."
"What do you mean? I've been trying to establish a cordial conversation."
Maki scoffed, a small, not-so-involuntary laugh escaping between her lips.
"Don't think me so naive. I know that look; don't think I don't notice the irritation just by looking at me."
"Mustard?"
Azula opened her eyes slightly. People did not read her so easily. Was she that good with body language, or was she the one who failed to hide her thoughts completely? That was not good for relieving the growing discomfort under the princess's chest.
"I suppose you might be wrong. I guess there's a... unpleasant misunderstanding here" Azula sharpened her gaze to meet 'Maki's' scornful eyes. "You just remind me of someone despicable."
"Funny, I was just about to mention that about you."
With her pits more pronounced than she liked, Azula took a brief breath. While it was evident that trying an aggressive posture in her circumstances was more than a little unsuccessful, that didn't mean she would let such brazenness pass as a cowardly Airbender.
"That's an unfortunate surprise. However, I hope you show some maturity in dealing with people you find unpalatable. As a good partner, I advise you to reserve your thoughts indoors.
"What kind of advice is that?! Answer me something, just out of curiosity. You're not one of those spoiled little girls who give alms to the poor as a 'charity offering'? Because I can't think of anything else but a walking headache."
"I see you have a slight problem with authority. It's a shame, but it makes sense. Uneducated people can come to mistake those 'charity offerings' as a duty."
"Wow, and when I thought you wouldn't be any worse, you sounded like a politician. Did you inherit the worst from Dad? Here's a warning: this school is not about privilege. If you're here on a whim, believe me, the only thing you'll find is disappointment, or worse, depending on your luck."
"I'm betting on my chances."
"Azula, Maki, calm down."
Neither Inumaki nor Panda understood how such a gratuitous conflict arose, but neither girl seemed to give in to their shock. Although neither initiated a confrontation, the other two stepped into the middle of both girls. Thunder and blades seemed to cut through the thin fabric that separated Panda's large palms from their next move.
"What a joy that you all knew each other already!"
However, any hint of confrontation was cut off by the appearance of their master. Leaning on the desk, Satoru enthusiastically greeted the members of his new class. Everyone watched in mild shock before retiring to their seats, some more relieved than others. The one exception was Azula. First of all, she didn't expect a teacher to be able to command respect by just smiling, but she gathered that Gojo at least had enough power to make it clear to his students that it would be useless to go against him. What he didn't know was when it came. No, more than that, Azula was shocked by how he arrived. She didn't notice any sign of intrusion into the room until he exclaimed like a buffoon. Did Satoru's 'cursed technique' about teleportation from one side to another? Or was there something else?
For a second, she watched Maki. Instead of getting a mocking look or a scowl of hatred, she only got an icy law. Her eyes didn't even manage to connect because of Maki's focus, which preferred the window over her. What the hell was wrong with that stuck-up girl to ignore her? With a slight denial, Azula took the seat next to the window next to Inumaki as a wall so she wouldn't have to interact with the idiot she got as a companion.
"As I've said, welcome to the first year at Tokyo sorcery school! I hope the expectations are high that the clubs will be set up soon, and I won't be the one to motivate you to break a rule or two."
Azula had to take part of her temples to calm a growing headache. She knew the moment she saw Gojo correctly that he had no teacher material. She thought he would at least be an excellent introduction to the world she found herself in, but all she saw was an overbearing clown who didn't have a switch to shut up his annoying voice.
The worst part was that she couldn't do anything. She didn't fully know her outlook, but if those sorcerers were amassing to try to execute her in the event of rebellion, she had too much against her. She only hoped that an unfortunate and torturous event would fall upon him or gather enough information to at least know his 'cursed technique' or the equivalent of element bending. For now, she decided to remain untainted by his attitude and treat him like a nobody, like most incompetent instructors who thought they were a big deal until they put their own knowledge to the test.
Fortunately, his peers seemed to reciprocate his annoyance. They seemed more fed up with him than she was, so that the signs could have been better should that tone continue.
"I suppose introductions are superfluous, but I want to be fair to you. You have already met on preliminary missions and joint evaluations, but we are still waiting to meet our dear visitor from another galaxy."
Azula's eyes widened at how suddenly Gojo brought up the subject. She had never expected such information to be released so freely. In her defense, she could do little or nothing from her position, but it didn't mean she should have been aware of this sequence of events and, above all, gain advantage from such a revelation. Instead, she underestimated the pettiness of her new master. With a little pinch on her thigh, she had no choice but to follow that sequence of events.
"From another galaxy?" Panda asked.
"That's right, your dear friend Azula happens to be an interdimensional princess from a fiefdom world, so treat her quite carefully. She doesn't know much about sorcery or cursed energy."
"Gojo" Azula hissed. She didn't even know how he acquired so much information; she was careful not to reveal anything beyond slight aspects of her world, just enough to satiate curiosity without compromising it, and he had no scruples about uncovering everything for her mindless amusement.
Everyone, including Maki, opened their eyes in quite a bit of surprise. Of course, disbelief came first for obvious reasons. Even in a world full of madness and magic, something inconceivable was only credited to strange looks and possible excuses.
"Are you serious?" Panda asked.
"Why would I lie?" Gojo nodded as he approached Azula. A sharp look was enough to desist him from trying to touch her, although it was more out of reflex action rather than feigned. "Tell them, Azula, your grandiose story of how you fell into this fantastic world of death and destruction."
The focus turned to Azula, who had no intention of following through with her new master's purposes.
"I don't need to answer that."
"Wow…" Gojo's smile disappeared in a disappointed gesture, something that to some extent pleased Azula, but she soon regained it with a slight lift of her shoulders. "Too bad, and you are the person I most want to hear your tragedy."
"I'm sorry I don't have to offer you any stories that will fill you with tears."
"Are you sure?"
Azula blinked a little more forcefully than expected. In less than three days, Gojo had escalated like froth as one of the most annoying beings she ever had the misfortune to meet.
"Well, that may explain why she seems to be disconnected from her entire environment" Panda rationed, beginning to take Satoru's words somewhat more truthful.
"Tuna?"
Although Inumaki seemed not entirely convinced, he didn't seem to deny Gojo's words either. Even if his words were falsehoods, nothing could be wholly dismissed, despite the insanity of considering even part of the madness he had just mentioned as truthful.
"So, a princess, huh? I can see why I don't like you."
Maki, on the other hand, took back part of what Gojo explained. Azula's eyes caught the sarcastic smile between her lips. She had to credit her new teacher; he wasn't as insufferable as her new one.
"At least I have a justifiable reason to deliberate my actions. You don't have the tools for it. A girl who climbs to rebel against what the world expected of her and now stands tall and powerful to hide her insecurities."
"Better watch out for the following words you'll say."
"I can see it's a somewhat sensitive nerve."
Loud applause echoed in the room. The focus returned to Gojo, who remained with his unperturbed smile, contemplating the interaction without concern.
"Although I am inspired by their competitive devotion to testing each other, this will only be an introductory class. If you wish to kill each other, you can do it on the way out of the schedule...or when I don't see you, whichever comes first."
"And why don't we make it official?" Maki spoke up, which caught the attention of the others. "Everyone here knows each other's techniques, but no one knows anything about her. Is it an excellent opportunity to see what you're made of, no, Satoru?"
"What do you propose?"
"If you have so much trouble with me, little princess, let's do it in a fight. Don't think I'll hide just because you have blue blood or whatever you say."
"I see that people like you can only understand through violence, how unfortunate" Azula denied with disappointment, but a small, thin smile began to make up her features, a small lively flame that seemed to correspond to the wishes of that insolent girl. "But, for the first time since I met you, coherent words seem to come out of your mouth."
"Huh?" Gojo's jaw dropped open, shocked and saddened as he showed an almost empty calendar with only two activities noted on it. "But there's still the introduction and that."
"I think they want to solve... I am still determining precisely what they have."
"Salmon."
Gojo scratched his head momentarily, seeming to ponder Maki's proposal for a second. It didn't take long before he returned to his relaxed attitude and dismissed the matter with a resounding sigh.
"Anyway, what can be done?" With that, the duel seemed guaranteed. Although Azula disapproved of the ease with which that girl could get away with it so quickly, it was only one of a long list of disappointments from her new master. "The best friendships will always have their frictions."
"We've barely talked for 15 minutes" Maki replied, clicking her tongue as she walked to the exit accompanied by Panda and Inumaki, curious about the closure of the affair. "Follow me. I know how to get to the training camp."
"Lead the way."
Determined, both girls moved forward, neither wanting to be outdone by the other. Challenges were common for Azula, and if she could subdue the most abrasive personality among her peers, the others would fall like pieces in a game of Pai Sho. Although... now that she thought about it, in all the time Azula was in that dimension, she never used firebending nor needed to use it.
That somehow sent a slight shiver down her spine.
XXX
"Maki, do you really see the need for this?"
"Do you have a problem, Panda? She seems just as excited as I am."
"Don't get me wrong, I'm just a little excited to put to ashes any hope of thinking you can take me on."
"Whatever you say" Maki replied dryly, not missing the hint of mockery behind her words. "Princesses prefer to keep their dignity until the end."
Both girls positioned themselves along a plane of polished grass surrounded by a running track. While it wasn't the setting Azula envisioned, she couldn't complain either. In simplicity, there was no trace of cheating or advantage favorable to one or the other, a wasteland in its practicality.
Even with all the annoyance of one to the other, both knew it was no more than a 'friendly' encounter. Therefore, they took the time to prepare in the best way possible. Azula performed a few lights stretches, graceful movements she learned from... instructors. She felt her body in optimal condition, and despite a relatively long time without a direct confrontation, nothing in her faculties seemed to wane.
Maki, in turn, withdrew the weapon from the long sheath she carried on her back. A red spear of considerable sharpness emerged from within. Immediately, Maki pulled out some bandages to wrap the weapon's edge. Azula ignored it. It is not as if this confrontation was to the death. She did not have the spirit to murder anyone, and less if it carried more disadvantages in the future than benefits.
Azula, seeing the time it took Maki to finish her preparation, decided to take her time to call her fire. She wanted to wait to show her flames, at least not until combat began, and connecting with her fire was ideal. It didn't take long for her to notice a strange anomaly, like a counter-current that turned her calm breathing into something volatile. She didn't feel anything in particular, at least not on the outside, nor did she feel worried about anything, but a small call warned that something was different.
With the weapon bandaged and the warm-up routine done, the two had nothing more to wait for but to begin the encounter.
"Go ahead. You can use your cursed technique or whatever you have. I have no problem with that."
"I wouldn't speak so confidently if you knew how dangerous it is to propose that to me."
"So, you'll use your power" said Satoru, his hand resting on his chin. "In that case, you won't mind if I take a deeper look, will you?"
Out of the corner of her eye, Azula watched Gojo's intentions. She didn't know the reason for the blindfold, something to do with her power, or did she also resort to other methods to see how the Avatar's friendly earthbender, whatever the reason, she couldn't help but be interested in the first time in her 'master's' action.
What he did not expect were two stars that enclosed the vastness of the sky above them. To say they were the most beautiful eyes Azula had ever seen was an understatement. Their appearance alone denoted their power and beauty. Instinctively, she stepped back, not fully comprehending what her eyes saw.
"What... are those eyes?"
"You know, I'm beginning to think you're not of this world if you don't know the power of the idiot and his six eyes" Maki spoke, leaning on her weapon, and despite her relaxed posture, she didn't fail to look somewhat expectantly at her master.
"Six eyes?"
"Don't worry about me! I'll solve your questions later" Gojo shouted, snapping Azula out of her stupor that she should dig deeper when dealing with her insignificant mouth. "Hey, don't look at me like that. I promise I will explain your doubts."
Azula just rolled her eyes. Even with the most beautiful sights in the world, their bearer was nothing but a hopeless cretin. With a few claps of his hands, Gojo moved a little closer to check the condition of both fighters. Satisfied, he nodded a couple of times before speaking.
"Prepare..."
The words did not finish coming out of Gojo's mouth before Azula rushed at Maki. The armored girl reacted superbly, dodging the red flames quite easily. Despite trying to continue her offensive, Azula noticed something that took her out of the fight for several seconds.
Red. Azula, not wanting her guard up, had to watch her hands for a second. Years ago, she developed the natural ability to concentrate her fire into smaller, hotter portions to form her iconic blue flames. She considered it a personal hallmark, something no master ever managed to achieve, not even her obese uncle or her father. Now, the fire was uncontrolled and lively, like a novice firebender.
Still, Azula had no time to reflect on that. Maki's spear struck a blow to the place where her face once was. The surprise took its toll. Her lowered guard was weakened, and for an opponent like Maki to have a weak guard is to have no guard.
A powerful punch connected to Azula's stomach added to the small impulse caused by the fire in a futile attempt to dodge the blow, threw the princess a few meters from her initial position.
"So, your cursed technique is to produce flames" Maki swung her weapon, unimpressed by her opponent's performance. "Okay, I can work on that."
Azula, on the other hand, had to take a moment to compose herself from the blow. She had never, in her entire life, watched someone connect with a punch as powerful as that one. Ty Lee disabled people with precise strikes; the Avatar reinforced his blows with the ground. It was as if a cement ball had cracked her ribs. Fortunately, it was only the powerful sensation and not the reality.
Still, it also gave her a clear picture of her style. She must have directed the pace of the fight and, above all, the distance. Her fire may be and feel different, and it was no small thing, but her focus had to fall back on something more substantial. Besides, she still kept it in her control, and as long as that remained immutable, her victory would be a guarantee.
There were no distractions. Pain is only an excuse for weaklings, and weakness was never an option in her life. With a calming breath, Azula pulled herself together and focused her fierce gaze against a relaxed Maki who merely swung her weapon confidently.
"What's the matter? Don't tell me that one hit is enough to defeat you."
"I recognize that you have considerable strength, but don't get so big just for giving me one hit that won't come close to defeating me" Azula's corners turned up with absolute confidence.
"How about if I give you three hits? Will that come close to defeating you?" Maki smiled, but Azula's smile remained in place.
"I got tired of talking."
With a boost in her fire, both to gain distance and limit the sorceress's movement, Azula gained a comfortable range to control things. Maki, at impressive speed, attempted to close in to go to her ground. However, abundant fire erupted from Azula's hands, creating a wall that prevented the advance. Although she could resist some of the flames, the power of the fire made it impossible for Maki to advance beyond a certain point.
Instead, she preferred to take surrounding movements, reducing ground with her weapon as a means of avoiding the flames while reducing distance with steady and sure spiral movement. Azula was not naive; she understood Maki's line of thinking. Contrary to expectations, it was Azula who approached Maki in close-range combat.
Aiming for the dominant hand, Azula came in with a small burst that redirected Maki's position to a low place, perfect for the calcination of her flames in the palm of her hand. Instead of seeing Maki's face covered in fire, she allowed herself to perform a leg spread just in time to elude him. Not only that, from the ground, she completed a spinning kick straight to the princess's solar plexus.
By her own reaction, Azula avoided the kick with her forearm that, released most of the energy, and despite receiving the impact well and falling with a somersault without much resistance, it did not mean that the blow was not less painful. The flame was in her head; it was barely milliseconds that it took Maki to react to that, and she still managed it. While she didn't underestimate her foe, Azula may have assessed Maki's strength wrong: she was far more potent than her appearance gave her credit for.
"I can see you'd like to see me with a face full of scars."
"I'm using little power. It would have been just a few small burns."
"Small, of course" Maki shook her head, almost exasperated by the answer.
Maki didn't hesitate and swung her weapon again. Left and right, the speed increased with every second. Azula reacted to dodge each wave of blows, with no option but to resist with her body many of those impacts. Fortunately, her agility and reflexes adapted well to Maki's combat rhythm.
Azula's awkward position did not prevent her from understanding the style of her opponent. She decided that she should have gained distance to project her flames again and lure her to. Maki, with the advantage of the situation, remained in control of Azula's movements with small feints.
Even with the dominance, Maki couldn't help but feel how calmly Azula dodged her movements. Yes, Maki saw that she seemed to have trouble catching up, but her whole body reacted in perfect sync and harmony, even when being pushed like that.
Maki decided to continue her offensive, seeing that there was little or nothing the princess could do other than attempt to gain distance. However, that didn't last long before Maki hit her with her staff.
Azula received the impact of the weapon on her entire shoulder. The concentrated force sent her straight to the ground without much resistance. Without hesitation, Maki swung the pole against Azula's back to finish her off.
However, Maki felt an almost unbearable burning in her leg that slowed her movement, giving Azula a chance to dodge the oncoming blow and begin to compose herself narrowly.
"Don't you know that wind is excellent fuel for fire?"
Maki understood. Azula let herself be intercepted by the blow, at the same time concentrating her flames not on her but on the residual wind she had to realize by drawing the weapon to herself and not being hurt by it.
Not only that, but the wound on her leg was also significant; a part of her skin burned. That was nothing Shoko couldn't fix, but it went straight to important tendons, which reduced sensation and ability to move. She used her movement pattern and inability to change course to deliver an accurate blow and even calculate it despite the extent of her flames.
"Apparently, the princess has a few tricks up her sleeve" Maki complimented, without any sign of rancor for the action.
Even with that mishap, Maki's body quickly adapted to the circumstances. The flare was noticeable, but her physical condition was still superior to Azula's, even if she wasn't bruised from some of the powerful setbacks she suffered throughout the duel. Immediately, Maki closed the gap, but Azula had enough of the close game.
With a fiery impulse, Azula launched a mighty fireball that was released from her feet, which forced Maki to step aside. She didn't wait for Azula to recompose herself, following her lunge right next to the fireball.
What she didn't wait for was for another ball to be released from Azula's flying palms. Thanks to her staff, Maki could block much of the incoming fire, though tiny ashes superficially burned her skin. Nor did she have time to let herself be carried away by the pain as she saw new blasts launched against her.
For brief seconds, Azula's fire swung over Maki's weapon. Without making the same mistake, Maki cleared the flames outward with a widening of her swing range at the cost of some speed, which Azula took advantage of to send out increasingly accurate waves of fire as she came into heat.
Nevertheless, Azula began to feel some uneasiness about her. The battle was gradually becoming a duel of attrition. That was the reason Maki allowed the confrontation to continue at that pace. It didn't take her long to understand that Maki's ability fell not only on her strength but on any human knowledge taken to an edge that almost bordered on inhumanity. If she kept this up, she would wear down to a point where she could no longer keep up with the bespectacled girl.
With some effort, she generated the flame on her feet. Although she had neither the control nor the ability to sustain herself through the air, the fire produced was enough to make her gain a height of a couple of meters to supply slashes into the air that turned into streams of fire.
Maki stepped back a bit, dodging the flames, or so Azula thought before the girl took a leap that matched the momentary height the princess reached. Fortunately, her time of seconds of flight ended, and she had control of her fall, enough to miss an incoming blow from the spear and even gain some distance with a small fireball as she fell.
Dodging the spear barely, Azula decided to boost her fire. Long bursts of flame rushed at Maki, who ducked with a pirouette from the ground and continued her walk. Azula released a second blast, but Maki did not dodge this time. Instead, she used her back, and a brief staff swing to redirect much of the heat to the side and strike Azula in the abdomen. The impact, cushioned thanks to the stiffening of her waist and deflecting part of the impact with her right elbow, knocked Azula back and prevented her from performing her fire for a few seconds. She merely dodged Maki.
Azula refused to accept defeat. How dare she belittle her and give her that mockery of an encounter? She would not allow her pride to be sullied by a simpleton girl who didn't know who she was messing with. Though she continued to be attentive and tried different means to end it once and for all, none had any effect.
Her anger and emotion gurgled throughout her system. Her senses sharpened as she greedily thought of new options. In fact, she did not fully consider one option that could ensure her victory, her trump card.
True, a lightning bolt was excessive, but it mattered little to her. That didn't mean she would throw a direct lightning bolt at him. She wasn't a firebender to withstand a charge like that. The impact on the ground should have generated enough charge to hurt her and take advantage of that opening to leave her between a fire dagger and the floor. She had a mastery of lightning; it wouldn't take long to effect it, and if there was one thing she began to understand about those 'cursed techniques' and 'cursed energy,' it was that the capabilities translated into something superhuman so she didn't have to worry about finishing off her opponent.
Instead of aiming the fire at Maki, Azula used it around him. Out of proximity, Maki moved far enough away so that the column of fire did not envelop her. Soon, the fire turned into a small flame that surrounded Azula. The boom of flames lasted for a few seconds. Maki waited long enough to put out the remaining fire with her staff and end the encounter.
What she saw were small flashes. Instead of evoking new flames, Azula seemed to produce tiny electric currents in the air. Maki's eyes widened as she partially understood what happened. Maki assumed that Azula's technique consisted of flames. Why can she produce lightning? Be that as it may, that energy and her concentration were not something she could not ignore, which caused her momentum to increase to its maximum speed before she finished her technique.
However, something began to go off its course of events. The energy seemed overflowing, wild. Azula did not understand what happened, but the two polarities of positive and negative energy did not work. Maki backed away as she felt a sense of danger. Her guess was correct; the lightning Azula was about to generate exploded in her face. Azula barely registered what happened for a few seconds before she understood what happened.
"How?"
The realization that she had just failed to produce lightning shocked Azula. Even worse than her blue flames, failing to make a lightning bolt was a reality that hit her harder than expected. She was perfect at handling her fire control and her lightning control. Where did all her training go, all her effort, all her talent, all those sleepless nights spent perfecting every last detail of her kata, all the mornings she pushed her body to bleed on itself by pushing it to the limit?
All for nothing. A fight she should have controlled, wrapped in martyrdom from the beginning by eventuality after eventuality that left only the outcome Azula did not wish to accept: her bruises on the ground and him standing with questioning eyes judging her for her failure.
"Hey, what did you try to do?"
"I know what's going on" Gojo moved closer, though his words didn't register with Azula, who only rejoined just enough to sit on the ground. "However, I must say it was more closed off than I expected, considering your circumstances."
"Her circumstances?" Maki scoffed. "She doesn't control her cursed technique well."
"I don't think that's her fault. It's hard to speak a second language for any novice."
Maki narrowed her eyes at her teacher. She felt contrasted by the ingenious ideas he had of her technique and the bizarre imprecision with which he executed everything. It was clear to her that Azula had experience with her flames, quite a bit if she had to judge, but she did not seem to compenetrate her body with her mind.
"Inumaki, Panda, Maki, you can take the rest of the day off. I'll stay with dear Aurora for more extensive tutoring."
Panda and Inumaki, who accompanied their teacher at his back, looked curiously at the meaning of his words. With all the information gathered, Panda threw out a guess he hoped was invalid.
"Wait a minute, you mean you haven't explained the workings of the cursed energy to him yet?"
The prolonged silence was enough of an answer Panda needed to know he was right.
"Dried bonito" Inumaki snorted, which was reciprocated by the others, who were not impressed by Gojo's indifference.
Maki's eyes widened slightly. The girl next to her fought the whole time without understanding anything of her own cursed energy, and yet she connected good blows. Hell, Maki felt her leg stinging from the burns. It was paradoxical. She had great control over her flames and lousy control over her cursed energy. To some degree, it made her wonder how far she could go if she figured out how to use her abilities to perfection. Maybe the perfect little princess would become a princess of terror.
Even with her renewed respect, which didn't obviate the reality: she didn't like her new companion in the least, and Maki took it for granted that she would be a constant headache in the future. For now, she decided she should call it a day and not add fuel to the fire.
"We will leave this unfinished for today. I also don't want to take advantage of someone who is not in her best state."
Azula clenched her jaw, unwilling to show any more of herself. Her frustration reached a point she never expected to know about herself... as well as a slight, tiny, insignificant tinge of sadness that she tried to dismiss on an empty carpet she called a heart. In the end, she did not even understand everything inside her other than the enormous confusion that began to surround her senses again.
He needed to sleep. Azula must have anticipated it; her instinct must have called her to warn her that she sinned in naivety. Perhaps she became overconfident or idealized the opportunity offered and allowed herself to be blinded by the prospect of finally putting an end to her idiot brother or the wonders the world provided. In any case, sleep was a better alternative than just ruminating in her thoughts. In the morning, determined, she would plan a way to resolve this situation. She would not allow things to stay the same.
"Easy, dragoness" Gojo, in another idea to her own, decided to stop Azula's step by getting in her way. "Your day is not over."
"What do you mean it's not over?"
"I think you've seen and experienced enough to be able to explain to you what it's all about finally" Azula decided to ignore him, not having the enthusiasm to deal with him any longer. "Tell me, don't you want to know why the technique you were going to use failed so catastrophically?"
Azula stopped as soon as the words reached her ears. She inspected the man again, who didn't seem to take anything seriously. He could not even stand still as he circled her like a peacock. How could he know? Was it something to do with sorcery? His eyes? Or was it just another trick to annoy her?
"Does sorcery have anything to do with why I couldn't produce lightning?"
"Pretty sure" Gojo nodded, his big toe pointed upwards in complete certainty. "I told you; I don't fail at such things. But if you want to figure it out on your own..."
"Don't play that game with me" Azula spoke, allowing some of her rancor to show through. "You have kept information from me, haven't you? Invaluable information about what's going on, about who they were, about absolutely everything, and now you reveal, what do you want?"
Gojo seemed to consider her words if turning his head was a sign that he did. Azula was frustrated at how hard it was to read that guy, even slightly.
"You know, you and I may not differ that much. I just thought: hey, how do I get my point across to a narcissist? My answer is to let her figure it out herself! That way, she wouldn't think it was a hoax or blame me if she didn't understand."
"You are responsible for this whole fiasco."
"It wasn't me who agreed to the confrontation with Maki. Although I give you credit, I thought you would last much less. You are more skilled than I remembered."
Azula watched Gojo for a long time. It wasn't even fury she felt. A cold sensation ran through her senses and embraced her in an iceberg she hugged. No one in her entire life teased her like that, and the worst part was that the position she was in, she could hardly do anything about it, let alone if her firebending was as uncontrolled as she saw it.
"Anyway, none of us wished to waste any more time, so."
Without warning and before Azula could utter a word, the grassy field turned into a small, enclosed room. It was not even a blink of an eye; one second to the next, the atmosphere changed completely. Azula staggered, her mind barely adapted to the change, and a headache appeared as soon as Satoru's hand separated from her back.
"Take this."
With remarkable calmness, Gojo reached over to hand her a can of flavored drink. Azula, still dazed, just took the drink and drank it. It wasn't the best of flavors, but any action that soothed her head a little was better than nothing. Luckily, her whole person seemed to adapt to her surroundings again. With her mind clear, he had no further enthusiasm to continue her drink before tossing it.
"This will be our training space. For now, it should work."
Azula judged her surroundings. The room presented nothing, just a couch that pointed to the device that was known as a 'television.' She tried to see something hidden, a passageway, but neither in space nor in elements of the environment gave her any idea what it might all be about. In a sense, she only felt even more fury evoking from her chest.
"You've got to be kidding me."
"Relax, it's not that bad. Besides, we're both anxious to get started, aren't we?"
Gojo gave no reason to trust his words. Even in his dangerous aura and position as master of what he assumed was an elite academy for sorcerers, he saw him more as an incompetent who rose in the power hierarchy by influence, either his own by being someone strong or by a close relative. Azula hated that kind. They only lowered the efficiency and functioning of a hierarchy structure, generated significant losses of resources, and, above all, their poor work only translated into more inconvenience for her.
Still, beyond her frustration with Gojo, seeing Maki's figure superimpose her own almost made her sting in pain. She would never accept a look of condescension and pity. She would never again be lowered to a discard or anything less than a duck-turtle. Despite that, it didn't stop her only bet to solve the awkward situation she found herself in was in front of her, in a limp-haired, blindfolded buffoon. With no other choice, Azula had to submit to this master's demands, at least until she understood the sorcery used by these people to her advantage.
"I hope this is not another ridiculous joke."
"Not at all. This is where the real training will begin."
With a small sigh, Azula crosses her arms, waiting for Gojo to act. For the last time, she would give some value to the subject's words.
"I hope you can make up for this whole mess."
"Of course, there's nothing I can't do."
Azula frowned a little, remembering who she talked to and why she dealt with him. Power, and if he offered it, she would take it. It almost seemed like a mantra she repeated repeatedly to hold off, throwing a blast of fire at him.
"One more thing" Gojo grabbed Azula's shoulder, which forced the princess to look at him despite her lousy mood. "Welcome to the Tokyo Metropolitan Curse Technical College because that would be your daily bread."
XXX
I can call this the first formal chapter.
Before I begin, I want to ask a fundamental question: what did you think of Azula's characterization? I ask because, while I did take my time to understand different sides of the character, she is still by far the most complex and complicated to write in all of Avatar. No kidding, this character has layers of so many things wrapped up that taking them all into account is tricky.
In other news, has anyone read the new Azula comic in the Spirit Temple yet? In my opinion, it is okay. I liked it, and if you want to give more introspection of the character, it is a perfect comic to expose the different thoughts and situations in the princess's life. As a minor criticism, it was short for a unique comic. Much of what was exposed were elements that have already involved the character for a long time; it did not reveal new information, and it seemed like the beginning of a different path for Azula rather than a one-shot comic.
And before I finish, I also want to thank the reception the fic is receiving. The truth is that I thought it would receive fewer follows or favorites in a week, but I was thrilled to see it grow over the days, as well as the reviews and your thoughts about the prologue. Thank you so much for the support in that aspect. It really motivates me to draft these stories.
PS: The chapters are supposed to come out on Saturdays, and I was supposed to upload them yesterday, but I had to get involved in university matters and needed more time to finish the episode, so it came out a little later than expected. The length also affected me. I planned to make the chapters shorter because I would need more time to finish them weekly, but I got carried away by several issues, and it ended up in more than 9,000 words. I will moderate it to be between 6 to 7 thousand words, but that will depend on the nature of the episode.
Anyway, leave me your impressions, and remember to favorite and follow. See you next time.
