Azula's Greed fanfiction.
Episode 1: Adoption.
Thirty minutes later, the couple has gone back to their home. Their home was a medium-sized house with one floor inside of the neighbourhood of Kerest, a community just north to the port of Concarneau.
Their red cheap car arrived in front of the house, they quickly exited their car and goes inside of the house while the baby was still crying. Under the eyes of a curious neighbour.
They take out perceptibly their shoes before going inside of the living room, the typic room filled with a sofa, furniture, TV, a table and chairs. With the kitchen on the right when the living room is entered from the entry door while a corridor leads to the rooms and a restroom with snail stairs leading to the next floor.
Julia takes out the sheet around the baby, revealing a black and red finely made mini-hanfu dressing her.
"I'll call the police to assert the situation. Better make them aware of what's happening." Martin said.
"Of course, honey. But they won't believe us with the ghost woman." Julia responded.
"This is the only proof we have." Martin responded.
The baby continued to cry.
"Chhht… It's okay." Julia said.
"This is not good, is she hungry? Because we have no milk powder." Martin said.
"Hm… I don't think this is that." Julia said.
"Why?" Martin said.
The baby looked a moment to Julia, staring at her before going back to crying while turning her head away.
"She sees that I am not her mom. What should I do?" Julia said.
"Try to calm her down anyway. Rock her, sing her a lullaby, do something. You managed to calm down Thomas and Martha in the past." Martin responded while taking the phone.
"I'll… I'll try…" Julia turned back to the little Azula while Martin began to call the police and goes to the other side of the living room.
The baby continued to cry while Julia continued to rock her.
"It's okay… shhhhht… I am here… nothing bad will happen to you." Julia said to the little baby.
The little Azula cries continue until enough rocking calm her down. She stops crying and looked at Julia.
"Here, that's good." Julia said.
She approaches her face to the baby and rubs her cheek to Azula's cheek before making facing her.
"Right? You are good in my hands. Don't you think, my little Azula?" Julia asked the baby.
The baby only stared at the woman.
"Hm… I take that as a yes." Julia said.
She lied the baby down on her arms once again and rock her while sitting on the sofa. Martin just posed the phone and sited beside his wife.
"Everything is, okay?" Martin asked.
"Yeah…" Julia responded.
Martin observed the baby for a moment.
"I think I have already a clue of this little baby comes from…" Martin said.
"What do you mean?" Julia lifted her eyebrow.
"Look, these clothes and the sheet that the baby was inside is finely made. So, this little girl comes from a very rich family." Martin explained.
"Ah?" Julia asked.
She turns back to the baby and began to tug the clothes to feel their quality, it was very soft and malleable.
"Hm… that's true…" Martin responded.
"What about her age?" Julia asked.
"Hm… She is not moving, she is still a bit red. I think she is born only a month ago." Martin responded.
"She is so young?" Julia exclaimed.
"I think so…" Martin said.
He stands up and goes to the kitchen.
"What are you doing?" Julia asked.
"I will warm some milk. This is not powder but this is better than nothing." Martin said.
"Okay… I hope that little Azula wants too." Julia responded.
A few minutes passed. The father takes out from the drawer an old feeding bottle that he cleaned all the dust, passing on the water and then takes out a towel to remove all the water. Then he filled the bottle with the milk before closing it with the lid.
He comes back with the bottle and presented it to the little baby girl.
"Here, you want it?" Martin asked baby Azula.
Azula observed the bottle and seeing the milk inside, she widened before babbling toward it.
"I think she wants it…" Julia said with a smile.
She takes the bottle and presented it in front of Azula's mouth, the latter opened her mouth and began to suck, drinking the milk with recognizable gulping sound.
DRINNNG!
The doorbell is heard.
"I think this is the policeman." Martin said.
"Okay…" Julia nodded.
The man stands up and goes toward the entry and opens the door. The door revealed two policemen.
"Hello." The first policeman said.
"You are Martin Martius?" The second policeman said.
"Yes." Martin responded.
"Okay. Can we see the witness?" The first policeman said.
"Come inside…" Martin said.
The policemen go inside of the house, leaded by the dad. Until they arrived in front of the mom who was feeding the little baby girl.
"Oh!" Julia breath out when she sees the two policemen.
"Julia, here they are." Martin said.
One of the policemen adjusted the camera installed on his vest.
"This is the baby you mentioned?" The first policeman said.
"Yeah, we found her in the beach of the 4 sardines since… 50 minutes ago or something." Julia explained.
"The beach of the 4 sardines?" The second policeman asked.
"Why did you bring the abandoned baby here?" The first policeman asked.
"Because she needs shelter mister Policeman, because you don't leave kids alone." Julia responded.
"I see…" The first policeman said.
"How did you discovered the baby; have you saw anyone who abandoned the baby?" The second policeman.
The couple turned to each other for a moment, hesitating for a moment.
"We have recorded something but you have to believe it. We have what we have recorded on the phone. You can even verify the timeline and all of that, we don't lie." Martin said.
He gives his phone with the video in question and the two policemen began to look at it. They passed from curiosity, to astonishment to absolute shock. Before looking back to the couple who waited with worry.
The two policemen verified the timeline of the video and some other settings to see if this is not edited, they are even more shocked when they realised that this is not edited at all.
"Everything is, okay?" Martin asked.
"Hm… I think I'll believe you." The policeman said.
"Me too." The second policeman said too.
The couple is relieved.
"We will take your deposition." The first policeman said.
"We'll figure this out in the city hall." The second policeman said.
"Keep the proofs under your care for now." The first policeman said.
"Of course…" Martin assured.
"Count on us." Julia said.
The two policemen go out of the house, leaving the couple alone.
"At least, we can keep her for the night..." Martin said with a bit of nervosity.
"Okay… what about Thomas and Diana?" Julia asked.
"We don't tell them until we properly adopt her. After all, they are only 10 days until they come back." Martin explained.
"Huhu… That's a good guess." Julia said.
"Now, let's prepare her bed." Martin said.
"Okay…" Julia responded.
After a dinner, they are made a small bed made with cushions next to their bed. Then, they go to their bed for night. Julia deposed Azula on the cushions.
"Now, I'll leave you here. We don't have a bed for you for now. I am just here. Okay?" Julia said in a trial to reassure the baby.
The baby makes a sad face.
"Oh… You want me to keep you in my arms?" Julia asked.
She takes Azula on her arms and lies on the bed, while Martin is on the side.
"Hmph… What will happen next? We have to adjust now…" Martin said.
"Don't know, but we have already had our twins. So, we have kind of experience." Julia said.
"Hm… I am asking myself Julia." Martin sited on the bed.
"What do you mean?" Julia asked.
"By encountering this spirit who has given us Azula. I think that we are at least at the beginning of bigger surprises." Martin explained.
"What kind of surprises?" Julia responded.
"Don't know. But I can be certain that these the kind of surprises will make us view the world very differently." Martin said.
"Oh…" Julia said.
"Let's not think about it for now. Good night." Martin said before lying down.
"You're right. Good night." Julia responded.
They extinguished their lights, Julia turns to the side and embraced Azula.
"Good night, Azula." Julia said.
The next morning, in the living room.
Martin was dressed up in a costume. While Julia is dressed in a green robe, white shoes and a straw hat.
"I will go to count the fishes who has been hooked." Martin said.
"Okay, come back as fast as possible anyway." Julia said.
"Of course. You have the 250 euros that I given to you?" Martin asked.
"Yeah. Sufficient to make the shopping spree for the baby." Julia responded.
"I'll go now…" Martin said.
He kissed Julia on the mouth before exiting the house. Julia takes Azula in her right arm and a small wallet that she puts on her left shoulder.
She exits the house, closed behind her, she could see that the red car with Martin inside who just leaving the garage and going to the street.
Julia on her side is taking the streets leading to the center of the town but she has to exit the small neighbourhood of Kerest before going in the center.
She knows that some of her neighbours will give her looks because she has a baby in her hands.
Despite that knowledge, she will go inside the city to buy the things that Azula needs. Good thing that she is not the crying type of baby, just looking around what is happening.
After longs minutes of walk, Julia finally arrived inside of the center of the town. She found a small shop for young children.
"Here it is! You will have some new clothes, Azula." Julia said to the baby.
She entered inside of the shop and crosses paths with the owner. A quite overweight woman with black hair in her 40s.
"Hello! How can I help you?" The woman said.
"Can I have some baby clothes?" Julia asked.
"Oooh… it's for this little one? Of course I have! Follow me!" The woman exited her desk.
She brings the mom to the side of the shop with the baby clothes.
"What's his age?" The woman asked.
"It's a girl miss, aside from that. She is aged only one month." Julia said.
"Oh, she is a newborn. Let's see…" The owner said.
She takes out clothes for Azula and showed them off to Julia.
"What about this pink outfit, or you prefer the blue?" The owner asked.
"Hmm… I don't know." Julia said.
As she turns her head back to Azula, but she seems to mesmerized by red baby clothes.
"Hm… I think she prefers the colour red." Julia pointed to the red baby clothes.
"I see." The owner said.
"I would like three of these complete sets, please." Julia said.
"Of course…" The owner said has she takes three complete sets of baby clothes before leading Julia to her desk.
"How much?" asked Julia.
"60 euros." The owner said.
"Okay then…" Julia responds. She hands over the 60 euros before taking the clothes in a plastic bag she has taken on the side.
"Thank you! Come again!" The owner said.
Julia goes out of the store.
"That's good! Now we'll take some food for you, little Azula! And some diapers too." Julia said.
And so, Julia takes the powder milk in a groceries store and diapers then she goes on her way back home.
As she arrived to her house, she posed the things down.
"That's good. We have everything at least for this week." Julia said.
But as she says that, she smells something, something that she reminds too.
"Oh no… You made poopoo Azula? Fortunately, that I have these diapers. Let's remove these clothes now, it has been more than a day now. I should clean you now also." Julia said.
And so, Julia put Azula in new clothes with new diapers after cleaning her in the bath inside of the bathrooms.
After that, Julia nourished Azula with a bottle of milk.
But there is another problem, Azula doesn't seem to want to sleep.
"Maybe a lullaby…" Julia said.
Julia tries all sorts of lullabies but Azula doesn't want to sleep. She began to whine and cry a little since she is tired.
"I know Azula… I know… I'll try to search something for you." Julia said gently.
She takes her phone and tries to write, but a missclick leads her to a video of a music named Die Eisenfaust am Lanzenshaft. A traditional german song about the Teutonians Knights.
"Drat, I will try to…" Julia said.
But right she is about to stop the video, she sees that Azula has stopped crying and her eyes began to drop.
"Oh… She likes this kind of music?" Julia asked herself.
She puts the music in a loop and so, Azula falls asleep deeply in the arms of Julia.
"If I knew that these kinds of music could please a baby…" Julia said quietly.
And so, the rest of the day passed without too much incident.
As Martin came back from his work on the port. He could see Julia reading a book while Azula was sleeping beside her.
"Good evening, Julia." Martin asked her.
"Good evening, honey." Julia responded.
"I see that the little rascal is sleeping right?" Martin said while leaning to Azula.
"Yeah, some traditional music can calm her down." Julia said.
"A traditional music?" Martin asked.
"Yep, the music you listen often 'Die Eisenfaust am Lanzenshaft'. The one about the Teutonians Knights. She felt asleep with that." Julia explained.
"Oh…" Martin said.
He turned to the little Azula who was still sleeping, he slowly approached her to have a better look at her.
"She seems to have acclimated rapidly in our house, right?" Martin asked.
"I think so…" Julia said.
"Also, still have news of the police?" Martin asked.
"No…" Julia said.
"Damn, the city hall is slow to move with a decision!" Martin commented.
"I know…" Julia said.
Martin rubbed the cheek of the baby.
"I don't know why but I can feel that Azula will be a very promising girl." Martin said.
"What's make you say that?" Julia said.
"My guts." Martin said.
"Hm…" Julia hummed.
A few days later, inside of the police station of Concarneau.
The two parents are present in a formal outfit, facing a police officer in front of them. Azula was in the arms of Julia. On the desk, there are the letter, the clothes, the sheet but also the phone of Martin.
"So, you have found this little girl named Azula on the beach of the Four Sardines?" The police officer asked.
"Yes… even if the word "found" is a bit wrong." Julia responded.
"What do you mean?" The police officer asked.
"This story could be absolutely crazy for you and unbelievable but you have to believe us." Martin said.
"Hm… I am disposed to believe you, after all, we have made crazy investigations in the profession." The police officer responded.
"But this is not the kind of thing you imagine, mister police officer." Julia said.
Martin takes his phone and arrived to the registered video.
"This is the only proof we have gattered. Also, we showed it to both of your colleagues. There is not editing. It has been left like it was. You can verify it." Martin explained.
The policeman looks at the video. He was astonished by seeing the content of it before looking the couple with scepticism.
"One moment…" The policeman said.
He takes the phone and plugs it to his computer. He began to verify the videos and the photos. He became shocked when he sees that he found no traces of editing.
He turned to the couple before looking at the little girl. Before recomposing himself.
"So, can I see the letter?" The policeman asked.
"You can." Martin responded.
The policeman reads the content of the letter.
"Hm… This woman has given you this baby for this reason?" The policeman asked.
"I think so… By looking at her expression, she really wants that no harm could happen to Azula." Julia explained.
"Hm… listen to me. For this rather… peculiar situation. I will make a move for you. I will explain that the baby has been abandoned in this forest with this letter in question. And so, you will be able to contact a judge to officially adopt her." The policeman explained.
"Really?" Julia said.
"Yes, after all the laws of our country could easily remove the kid from your custody until you officially adopt her." Julia said.
"Hm… I don't want to see her in an orphanage or worse…" Martin said.
"Me too…" Julia replied.
"But why you want to lie for us?" Martin said.
"Because some of my colleagues are a lot more sceptical than me and will accuse you of lying to better take away the baby. Also, this affair is completely crazy, the craziest that I faced in my carrier." The policeman explained.
"Oh… I understand more…" Martin said.
"Don't worry. I will make the move now." The policeman said.
He takes his photographer and began to takes pictures of the clothes, the sheet and the letter before the couple takes them with them. Then, the couple stand up and walked to the door of the office.
"Thanks for your help." Julia said.
"Yes, thanks." Martin said.
"You welcome…" The policeman responded.
The couple goes out of the office and take the alleyway toward the exit.
"I think we are in a good way." Martin said.
"I hope so…" Julia responded.
Five days later, the couple faced the judge in question in his office. Azula is in the arms of the couple.
"I read the deposition. So, you want to adopt the baby, is that true?" the judge said.
"Yes… We have all we need." Julia responded.
She puts on the table the folder containing the demarches.
First a document explaining the wish of adoption, an integral copy of the birth act of the adopting, the civil state folder of the family, a medical certificate dating from less three months and finally a document of the financial resources.
"Hm… after the investigations lead. The baby you have in your arms hasn't been identified with the database of detected newborns." The judge explained.
Julia has an astonished expression.
"Really?" Julia said.
"Absolutely, this baby doesn't exist in the national database. So, with the conclusion of the investigation. They say that maybe a mom wanted to save her kid from a cult, a cult who has secluded her baby from the rest of the world. Even that, it's only speculation." The judge explained.
"What are you implying?" Martin asked.
"It means that the child protection service could remove the child from your custody since you are not her legal tutors yet. They could also speculate you are part of the cult since there so little proof about it." The judge continued.
"What?! This is messed up!" Julia exclaimed.
"I know, you know. The child protection services can make any excuses to remove the child from custody, they don't have the time or even care to verify the details." The judge said.
"What should we do?" Martin asked.
"Leave it to me. You made the effort to save Azula and I think you can take care of her." The judge.
"Please do it. Her mom asked us to do so in her letter." Julia asked.
A few minutes later, the couple are out of the office.
"Are you alright Julia?" Martin asked.
"Do you realise too?" Julia asked.
"Hum… what do you mean?" Martin responded, confused.
"This child, she is not in the database. It means that the events we have encountered… this is real. This ghost… all of that is real. What the hell is happening?" Julia asked.
"Oh… I see what you meant…" Martin said.
"Yeah… and I really think that this madness won't end for us... It terrifies me." Julia said.
"Don't worry… we'll face it together." Martin reassured her.
The couple goes to the parking.
Two days later, the couple are back in the house. Julia was feeding Azula with the milk bottle.
"We finally have our custody letter!" Martin exclaimed.
He comes back from entry door with a paper that he shows to Julia.
"From now on! Our little Azula is now named Azula Martius!" Martin exclaimed.
Julia giggles before turning back to the baby.
"Welcome to our family, Azula Martius." Julia said to Azula.
"Now we can say that to the twins!" Martin said.
He takes a picture and sends it in the SMS toward Thomas' SMS.
The SMS responded.
"Wow. A baby. Why are you sending a picture of a baby, dad?" Thomas said in the SMS.
"It's because we have adopted her." Martin responded.
A silence goes for a moment.
"Wat?" Thomas responded.
"Yes, you heard it. We adopted a new sister. Say hi to Azula Martius." Martin writes.
After a few seconds.
"What the hell?! Why you adopted a baby? What happened while we are in a school trip?!" Thomas responded.
"It's a long story but it's because we found this abandoned baby girl in the beach of the Four Sardines and we didn't find her parents. So, we adopted her." Martin said.
A pause later.
"Oh… I see… I guess I have to tell Martha. She will be blown away." Thomas said.
"Of course, see you in a few days." Martin responded.
"Later." Thomas responded.
Martin posed the phone and turned to Azula.
"You are in good hands now Azula." Martin said.
"Yeah…" Julia responded.
To be continued… First moments.
The family began to adjust to their new daughter. Azula began to grow inside of this environment.