Chapter 2: A Violent Awakening

Azula was a little jittery, after all it was going to be the first time in a long while since she entered the throne room for a, now called, strategy meeting. She finished dressing in her light red and pink outfit, for ease of movements, such as once-upon-a-time chasing the Avatar in the middle of the night. Or for chasing terrorists, the reason for the meeting and her first act of rebellion against her father as she likes to see it. Her custodian overseeing her reparations tasks came in to fetch her.

"Azula, glad you can join us!" her brother greeted.

"Thank you for having me, Fire Lord, Avatar and company," she used the formal salute and bowed.

As she got settled across the table, Aang's nose got flooded with the most exquisite scent he ever encountered. An unlikely mixture of fire and flowers, burning rose incense maybe, it was hard to pinpoint. He unknowingly followed her every step from there on, her every gesture, awed at her beauty that matches her fragrance. It was just her old look as when they first met, but somehow better. How can a simple smell change someone's overall appearance? And why is he suddenly deciding if Azula is pretty or not in a strategy meeting?

"There's been many isolated incidents against the Fire Nation, the latest one specifically targeted against Zuko himself—" Sokka began explaining, "luckily the Avatar now lives in Hari Bulkan. And with that attack, they revealed their manifesto: end the era of peace and bring back Ozai."

Azula scoffed at that. "That doesn't make sense, he can't even firebend now."

"I believe they see Ozai as a symbol of war, a supreme alpha if you will; I don't think they actually expect him in the battlefield or the like." Zuko explained.

"Yeah, like the chicken he is, the only time he ever cared to lift his ass off the throne to fight was on the day of Sozin's comet." Toph retorted, probably the only other member of Team Avatar that doesn't mind addressing Azula. The princess snickered at that and Toph decided she liked this one. Suki and Katara barely acknowledged Azula's presence in the room, and it is their right.

"Aaanyway!" Sokka raised his voice in an un-omega-like fashion. Aang, an alpha, flinched and remembered to pay attention, he embarrassingly realized he's been staring. "With their latest stint, restoring Ozai's statue at Fire Fountain City, we speculate that in there is where they organize themselves as a group. They call themselves the New Ozai Society, led by Ukano, former governor of Omashu when it was under the Fire Nation's control." Sokka continued matter-of-factly.

"Mai's father..." said Azula mostly to herself. Aang couldn't help but to notice the conflict in her expression.

"They are planning a coup, find where they meet and arrest them." Zuko instructed.

"Toph and Katara could stay by your side in case anything happens at the capital. The rest of us can go after them." Sokka suggested to his alpha.

"I'd rather go out in the field to help." Katara complained, glaring directly at Azula.

"I don't think you're ready yet to give my sister the benefit of the doubt and she has to be on the mission because of her sentence." Zuko responded, noticing the waterbender's demeanor. "Maybe in the future you two eventually fight alongside, but for the sake of the plan going smoothly, you're sitting this one out." Zuko commanded with his alpha voice. "Everyone's dismissed."

X-O-X

They arrived at Fire Fountain City on Appa the same day. At the inn they're staying at, they spot an old wanted poster for 'The Runaway.' Aang and Sokka proceed to tell the others all about Toph's and Katara 'ultimate scam' back in the day. They all have a laugh on the way out to town. Suki immediately decides to go with Sokka, being stuck with your ex is better than being stuck with your capturer. So Aang and Azula go together to investigate around.

"So erm... how are you coping with the sentence and your... eh... illness? Aang awkwardly asked trying to check-in on the newly released felon.

She gave him a look as if noticing his apprehension, "well, sentence wise, I've been waiting for this part, the reparations, not just to get out and kick ass, but to actively do everything my father wouldn't want me to do. I didn't imagine that the first mission was going to be quite on the nose."

"Are you not upset about—well... about the defeat of your father?"

"No need to dance around the topic of my father, ask openly. I feel very proud of the progress I've had so far in therapy. I see things differently now, I'm only ashamed that I was so preoccupied being my father's perfect little daughter that I didn't realize sooner what I was becoming."

"You were just a child that didn't know the world outside your messed up family."

"Yes, the judge said that, but I still feel like that I could think for my own at that point, I mean, Zuko figured it out."

"But he had your uncle Iroh by his side, and you didn't get banished like he did, he got to see the Fire Nation from the other side before you could."

"Zuko got a scar... I got my mind broken..." she reflected out loud. Aang looked at her with sympathy, but that made her self-conscious and he sensed it.

"You know, I never noticed how nice you actually smell." Aang tried to awkwardly change the subject.

"Pardon me?" Azula looked at him shocked.

"Your smell... or perfume? What is it-is it smoky roses?" Now that he had to repeat himself, the airbender thought about how weird this topic of small talk is.

"That is very rude of you, Avatar! I don't know how the monks raised you, but no one in the Fire Nation ever comments on someone's smell regardless of their secondary sex." Azula pointed out.

"Not even if is not pheromones?" He was just being genuinely curious.

"No, and I'm not wearing perfume, so your nose must be off," she was annoyed. "Why would I wear perfume for such assignment?" She continued murmuring mostly to herself and even subtly smelled herself.

"Sorry," he apologized, but subconsciously he gives it one last whiff to 'imprint' the scent in his nostrils.

Aang and Azula proceed to get more involved sight-seeing than in gathering intel. It wasn't like any rebel was going to see the Avatar and just tell him everything anyway. And for Azula, it was the first time outside of 4 walls in three years, she was more interested in eating all the street foods she missed. Aang watched amazed just how much food she could stuff in that mouth. He tried to best her and Azula made it a challenge of who could eat the most. But both of them were determined on not backing down, soon it became who can tolerate the spiciest food. It didn't take too long for the Avatar to end up breathing fire, but not by firebending. Azula mocked him relentlessly for his defeat. And he got to see her cheery laugh. Not for long before she had to find the closest latrine.

A little past dusk, they all meet again at the inn. They reviewed what each other could find out about this New Ozai Society; Sokka got a lead on a meeting the next day. They all stay up a little bit longer chatting and listening to Sokka's jokes before each gradually retiring to their own rooms. Azula goes to hers feeling like she has butterflies in her stomach; she brushes it off thinking is the anticipation of being back in action. Aang had noticed her being a little off, maybe a little nerves about tomorrow? But now he's not too sure what is ok to comment on or not, so he ignores his alpha senses to please. To please? To help others are his Avatar duties, not of his alpha nature; what is happening to his brain?

X-O-X-O-X

In the morning they improvise some disguises to infiltrate the meeting. Aang revives his Kuzon persona, Sokka has to come up with something else since Wang Fire died serving proudly the Fire Nation Army. Suki just picks up some red clothing, while Azula makes up an elaborate backstory for her undercover character. Nobody expected that from Azula, she just explains that she was really good at impersonating the Dragon Emperor from 'Love Amongst Dragons' when she was a kid. Who knew? Azula likes something else besides violence.

As they're going into the rendezvous cave, the butterflies return to Azula's stomach, or rather, something is pooling this time. She feels heavy moving and an unusual warmth rising, and she's just walking. Not a great time to get sick, she decides to push through, she can drink a remedy later. Sokka brings the group to a halt, and she couldn't be more grateful inside.

"Something's wrong," for a moment, Azula thought that the omega was referring to her. "Where's everybody?" the strategist questioned going through a hundred scenarios per hour.

Too late, they walked right into the terrorist's trap: at least 10 men surrounded them. The Avatar quickly wards them off with an air spin. The Team each immediately takes on 2 to 1 rebels at a time, while Aang takes the brunt of the fight 4 to 1.

Azula should be able to take them down like a piece of cake, but that's not the case. She can't concentrate, she's making basic mistakes, she's failing HARD. She doesn't understand why her body is sweating profusely in a battle that shouldn't make her break a sweat. Without her noticing, she tugs on the collar of her clothing trying to let some skin breathe. And then, she felt something wet between her legs, she froze. One of her opponents easily tripped her down to the floor and a whine escaped from her. And another, and another, until she was moaning for something her body was asking for, but her brain couldn't believe she could beg for.

"Oh, this little slut thinks she can defeat us by seducing us!" Her other opponent exclaimed, grabbing her by the back of her neck.

"Alpha..." she closed her eyes tightly, what does his secondary sex have to do with anything? Because of course, they both had to be alphas.

"Yes, my omega?" Said the enemy while licking his lips and fangs.

The previous one took advantage of the lock his associate had her in and went to grope her breasts from behind. "These feel perked up and ready, what about down there?" He snaked his hand down through her stomach.

"N-no!" Thick tears of fear began falling down Azula's cheeks. Her worst nightmare just came true, she's having another mental breakdown. Mental? More like a body breakdown...

Aang got a strong whiff from her scent from where he is at, wildfire ravaging a roses field. He went into the Avatar state, knocked out all his enemies and rushed to her aid. Before the handsy one could reach his destination, the Avatar punched him with his bare hands, no bending, just pure raw alpha instinct. The other alpha got sent flying to the wall behind and he lost his grip on Azula. The Avatar snapped his enlarged fangs at the other alpha's face.

"Aang!" Sokka, having defeated his enemies, went to stop the overpowered alpha before he does something he might regret. Aang came out of the Avatar state and went to tend to Azula.

"Wait, wait! Do you realize she's an omega now?" As an omega, Sokka put two and two together the moment he saw the scene. Aang made a surprised face, but everything made sense now.

"Wh-what?!" Azula asked weakly.

"Azula, you just presented as an omega," Sokka announced softly, concern in his expression.

"It-it can't... be... I'm-I'm a beta..." The nightmare just turned weirder for Azula.

"What is going on?!" Suki asked after defeating the grunts on her end. The beta was also having a hard time understanding the situation. Suki is only a year older than Azula, she was taken aback that the other was presenting this late.

"Aang, call Appa here! We have to rush her back to the palace's doctors." Sokka took control of the situation, the aforementioned blew his bison whistle. "Suki, get some guards from the city to arrest these people."

"On it!" She left the cave, that luckily wasn't too far out from town.

"Here," he offered the new omega one of his suppressant bars. Sokka recognizes the symptoms, but they're too much for what a normal heat is like, even the first one. He wonders if his dose is going to have any effect on her.

Appa landed right outside the cave with his signature hoarse growl. Sokka tried to grab Azula from Aang, but she wouldn't let go of the alpha. Aang assured Sokka that he was fine, but he actually wasn't, he was just holding on to dear sanity. He airbended a jump and landed on Appa's saddle with Azula. Sokka was left to climb on the bison, guess he's driving—wait

"We need to wait for Suki, there's no way I'm leaving you there with Azula!"

"Is just a short ride, I'll be fine," he was not fine.

"She already almost got—" the omega couldn't even finish that sentence. Plus, he was talking to his friend, he knew there was no way, but in Sokka's head the stakes were high, he couldn't allow for anything to go wrong.

"Sokka, he's literally the Avatar," said Suki having come back with a small army. "Do you really think he's capable?"

"That doesn't mean—"

"Let's go! I'm loosing my mind!" Azula interrupted Sokka, whines in her sentence, dry tears on her cheeks; and a tight grip on the alpha's clothing that were somehow grounding her in reality, if this was really happening.

"Go already! I can take care of the mess here. I'll catch a ferry later to the palace." Suki provided.

Sokka just said the most reluctant 'yip yip' ever.

Back in the saddle, Aang gulped hard, this was going to be the longest short ride ever. The hardest part was the smell, how could such a pleasant aroma be able to carry so much angst? His alpha instincts were hurting seeing such a great firebender practically decommissioned because of her heat. Worry was stronger than any desire and that was what was keeping his alpha in-check. That, and also the fact that he wasn't an animal like the ones he knocked out earlier, he was the Avatar, keeping balance to the world and from within himself.

Azula can't help it but to watch this alpha closely. She can see through his façade, he is very affected and yet, he has so much control over his basic instincts. And that's all she needs to feel safe.

X-O-X

As soon as they made it to the palace, Aang air scootered Azula to the infirmary wing. Sokka went straight to the throne room, he shrieked as soon as he opened the doors:

"Zuko, Azula just presented as an omeg—what the hell happened here?!" The throne room was trashed, and some medics were removing a few knocked-out guards.

"We got ambushed by the very royal guard—what did you say happened to my sister?!"

"She presented as an omega!"

"WHAT?!"

"Can y'all stop yelling?!" yelled Toph.

"Clearly a lot happened in both ends, so let's just take a deep breath, sit down, and catch up;" said Katara calmly.

The trio that stayed at the palace explained that they heard a horn and the next thing they knew, the royal guards were attacking them. Turns out, The New Ozai Society were waiting for the Avatar to step out of the vicinity of the Fire Lord, so they setup a bait. Some of the attackers were imposters, but others were actually enlisted to the Fire Nation's military, that's how they played them like they did. Not to mention that the group at Fire Fountain City didn't bother to not make it so obvious that they were in town at first. The rebels hoped to surround the Avatar in that cave and hopefully capture him or worse. Mai happened to be at the palace at that moment and joined the fight against the fake guards; she had no idea this was all orchestrated by her father. Ukano remains at large.

X-O-X

As soon as that was done, Zuko went to the infirmary to check up on his sister. Aang was still there in the waiting area, Azula was being attended already. Zuko growled at him but quickly apologized, the other alpha understood the innate reaction of protecting one's pack. The doctor comes out with a more settled down Azula. Surprisingly her therapist is there as well, they explain that the hardest part was explaining to Azula that she wasn't having a mental break. Zuko looked at Azula with concern remembering their last Agni Kai. Azula is more than relieved at the good news that she didn't relapsed and she was just presenting. The bad news is that she's out of the normal age range; they'll need to run more tests.

"About what to do right now since it is evident that she doesn't have a mate, she could get a heat partner, an alpha would be the most ideal. Maybe the Avatar here could—

The more the doctor talked the more Zuko saw red. "Are you suggesting for my sister to get knotted BY THE AVATAR?!" Some fire came out as his words got louder.

Aang got in front of Zuko who was about to charge at the doctor. "Or-or there's some medicine or something that could help, right? Right?!"

"Well, uh—there's nothing out there that would instantly get rid of a heat—otherwise, I guess, it'd be popular among omegas. Plus, she already had a suppressant before coming here— it'll be hard to determine what would help without the tests..." the doctor stammered.

"Perhaps she can be sedated for this heat." Her therapist suggested.

"Please, give me that!" Azula preferred to ride it out while drugged out of her body.

After a few days, the tests revealed that what caused the delayed presentation was the heavy anti-psychotic medication she regularly has to take. And it also triggered CNED, Cyclic Neuroendocrine Disorder, it causes harsher than normal heat cycles. Which she now has to balance with prescribed hormonal suppressants because the regular suppressants that they have in any apothecary are not enough.

Azula was a little annoyed that now she had to take yet another pill on top of the anti-phychotic one. At the same time, she lamented discovering another layer where her upbringing further broke her. She was not about to mention her father, or her mother's abandonment; she now looked at it as her upbringing. If she was raised normally, her mind wouldn't have developed such a severe condition. If she didn't have to manage such severe condition, she would have presented earlier. And if she presented earlier, her hormones wouldn't have gone haywire.

It is going to be a little bit of an adjustment to navigate life now as an omega, but she's up for the challenge. Because no matter what life keeps throwing at her she just have to keep going, no matter who she wishes to blame for all of it. It was for her to deal with now, and Azula wouldn't be Azula if she didn't at least try to succeed on everything; didn't have to be perfect at anything anymore.

A/N: For Azula's disorder, I'm drawing from my real life one, PMDD, Pre-Menstrual Dysphoric Disorder. Basically PMS but in steroids.