Author's Note: Hello, my colleagues! I have been very busy this past year, I apologise, but things are looking up! And in the meantime, I cranked out this chapter!

Summary: As a trigger warning, this chapter will depict Zuko's Agni Kai with Ozai. Details are kept sparse, but be warned.

Just as she is about to turn twelve, Princess Azula witnesses her dear brother's fateful Agni Kai against her own father, Fire Lord Ozai. Soon after, her brother is exiled, her beloved Uncle with him, and Azula is all that remains. She is alone.

Well, not quite alone. It is her birthday, after all, and a certain bald monk will do his very best to cheer her up. That is, if she still remembers him.

Chapter 3: Twelve

She could not look away.

The heat of her Father's fire burned, even though Azula was only watching from afar.

She watched as the Fire Lord concentrated the red-hot bolt of flame in his hand into a singular point that glowed white. All while her brother, Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation, son of Fire Lord Ozai, prostrated himself and begged for forgiveness. As much as she hoped for it, wished for it, even prayed for it, Azula knew that there would be no mercy to be found for her dear Zuzu on this day.

"You will learn respect, and suffering will be your teacher!"

Her Father's voice boomed throughout the hall, with not a single breath in the audience daring to interrupt the word of the Fire Lord. Her dear brother looked up in tears, only to find the Fire Lord's face cloaked in anger, shadow, and flame. She knew what was to come.

To her right, Uncle Iroh winced, turning away. But Azula dared not to.

Time slowed almost to a halt as she saw the bolt of fire in her Father's hand rise, drawing an arc directly to her brother's face. Honour, not mercy, was the way of the Fire Nation.

Fire and flesh met in a blinding flash. The scream that followed tore through the silence in the hall, a raw and primal sound that carved itself deep into the recesses of Azula's memory. She knew the fury of her Father's flames, the depths of his malice, and now she witnessed the harrowing result.

Her brother's pure and unadulterated agony was heard across the hall, but none dared to oppose it. Azula could sense Uncle Iroh trembling beside her, his pain palpable. She knew he had looked away because he could not bear to watch his nephew's punishment, but there was no way for him to escape the sounds.

Her gaze remained locked on Zuko. His tears had evaporated in the heat, replaced by an expression of sheer agony. The sight of her brother writhing in pain, the echo of his screams, and the oppressive weight of her own helplessness were all-consuming.

As Zuko finally crumpled from the pain, the Fire Lord turned away, disgust etched on his face. The audience bore silent witness to the fallen Crown Prince, still twitching in residual torment. As the figures slowly approached to carry Zuko away, her vision blurred. She remained in her seat, encased in silence, the lingering sound of crackling flames the only testament to the horror she had witnessed.

Her days became a blur of monotonous routine, punctuated only by her visits to Zuko's chambers, where he lay unconscious, his face marred by the horrible burns. His agonising, wordless moans were all that she could hear, but Azula could say nothing, could do nothing. The bustling healers, Uncle Iroh's sorrowful gaze, Zuko's still form - all were stark reminders of her impotence.

The palace, once filled with the laughter and games of two siblings, had fallen silent. The announcement of Zuko's banishment and Iroh's departure echoed hollowly in the empty halls. Nameless figures scurried around her, but all she could feel was an encompassing loneliness. She was alone.

Tears threatened, but she held them back. The turmoil inside her manifested as an oppressive silence. As she succumbed to sleep, she was oblivious to the date. Tomorrow was her birthday .

···

Azula stirred awake, the cool touch of raindrops splattering her face. Thunder roared overhead, tearing the sky open with bolts of lightning, but the terror it instilled was faint, distant. Her mind was clouded, shrouded in a fog that held her tight, blurring her surroundings and her thoughts.

She found herself in an expansive field, hemmed in by dense, shadowed forest. The rain persisted, pooling in the indents of her boots, soaking her clothes. She was in a world utterly unfamiliar yet faintly recognisable. Her mind spun, trying to grasp at fleeting tendrils of familiarity.

Zuko's face, marred by the cruel scar of their father's fire, echoed through her thoughts, a haunting spectre that refused to fade. His screams of agony still reverberated in her ears. The sterile way the news of his banishment was delivered struck her heart like a dagger. She felt as though she was suffocating, the weight of her guilt and sorrow pressing heavily upon her.

Just when the silence threatened to consume her, a soft glow appeared on the edge of her vision. It was warm, inviting, a stark contrast to the icy dread that had gripped her. In that glow stood a figure, its orange and red attire stark against the deep blues and greens of her surroundings. As the figure drew closer, Azula's foggy mind began to clear.

The boy's familiar bald head, the arrow tattoo on his forehead, and the infectious smile on his face triggered a cascade of memories. As his voice rang out, calling her name, the fog lifted completely.

"Aang." The name slipped from her lips. His arms enveloped her, and for the first time since witnessing her brother's fate, she felt a sense of safety. She clung to Aang, her only lifeline in this strange world.

As the memories of their past adventures flooded back, so did the trauma from the Agni Kai. She sobbed, the pain and grief overtaking her, but Aang held her tight, whispering reassurances into her ear. His words were like a balm, soothing the raw wounds that marred her soul.

As her sobs subsided, she pulled away from Aang, looking into his grey eyes that shone with friendship and empathy. For the first time since the Agni Kai, a small smile tugged at her lips.

Aang asked her softly, "What happened, Azula?"

She swallowed, her throat tight. "My brother...he's gone."

His brows furrowed, sadness seeping into his eyes. "Gone?"

"Exiled," she clarified. She explained the events leading up to the Agni Kai, her words faltering at times. The news hit Aang hard, his eyes wide with shock and horror. But he held her tighter, their shared grief hanging heavy between them.

"Why, Azula?"

She let out a shaky breath, reciting her Father's words, "So that he could learn respect, with suffering as his teacher."

The silence that followed was thick, the weight of the revelation settling around them. But this time, Azula wasn't alone. She had Aang. And for now, that was enough. She held on to his ever-soft robes, clinging to her one solitary light in this darkness.

"Azula," It was Aang who broke the silence between them, his voice gentle as the wind. "It's alright to feel scared. It's alright to not know what to do. It's alright to be in pain."

His words were soothing, a balm to the raw and ragged edges of her heart. Azula felt a lump in her throat, a rush of long-delayed emotions finally rushing to the surface, threatening to break open and shatter her carefully-composed façade. The tears, she blinked away, refusing to let even a drop fall.

"Azula, you are not alone." Aang seemed to sense her struggle. He reached out gently to take her hand, his grasp light and his hands soft. "I am here. I will always be here. And I'll help you through this."

Azula knew not what to say. Her pain overtook her, and she allowed herself to sob into Aang's shoulder.

"Azula," Aang began again. "I can't imagine how much pain you are in. But remember, pain is a part of all our lives. Your feelings, it's alright to feel them, to have them, to hold them close to you. It's alright to feel scared, to feel lost. And it's alright to grieve for Zuko."

His words sank in, each syllable reaching her very core. She looked up to find his grey eyes cloaked in sorrow where there normally would be joy and mischief. Yet beneath it all, Azula saw a glimmer of hope. She found herself drawn to it, her raft in an ocean of emotions.

Despite her pain, there was a sense of comfort. Aang's words washed over her wounds like gentle waves, healing with every touch. Here, she didn't have to pretend. There was no mask that she needed to put on. In the Spirit World, with her Aang, she could simply be Azula. And so, for the first time in a very long time, she felt a suffocating weight begin to lift from her.

"You must remember that pain doesn't define us," Aang continued. "It is how we respond to it, how we grow from it that matters. You are stronger and braver than you think, Azula."

Aang's words hung in the air, a beacon of hope in the abyss of her despair. The reality of his words set in, and a spark ignited deep within her core. It was faint, almost imperceptible, but it was a spark of resilience, of determination, of hope.

Princess Azula of the Fire Nation would begin her journey of healing here in the Spirit World. The path ahead would be long and fraught with challenges, but she knew she was not alone.

"I… Thank you, Aang." Her words felt weak, uncertain, but she felt herself infused with a new sense of calm and strength. "I still… I still don't know what I can do now. Zuko's gone, my Uncle is gone, and… I am all that's left."

"But you are not. You will never be alone. Not while I'm here."

His words were so simple and yet they struck her deep in the core. In the receding fog of her mind, Azula felt the breath of the Spirit World append Aang's words with an affirmation. Aang didn't just speak his intentions, he declared it, and the universe would answer.

As they stood there and as Azula took comfort in Aang's embrace, the rain continued to pour down on the two of them. When her tears finally ceased and she felt herself regain enough composure, she pulled away from him with great reluctance. Her eyes met his, and she peered into his kind grey eyes with immense gratitude.

"Th—thank you, Aang," She said softly. "For listening. For being here."

He offered her a bittersweet smile. "That's what friends are for."

She smiled in return, the first time she had done so in what felt like centuries. Princess Azula of the Fire Nation had just regained her spark.

"But what will you do now?" Concern flickered across Aang's face as his smile melted away.

Azula tensed, the question piercing her heart. What could she do? What right did she have to defy her Father's command? What resources did she have if she wanted to follow her banished kin?

No. Her path seemed set in stone, as clear as her flames and as strong as her Father's conviction—obey, serve, conquer. Compassion was weakness, and mercy was cowardice.

Wasn't it?

Doubts began creeping in, unfamiliar and troubling thoughts. Had her father been cruel? Even unjustly so?

The rains continued to pour in a steadt rhythm, encircling Azula and Aang in a blanket of solitude. Azula knew Aang was watching her patiently, and she knew he wanted to help her. And so, she took a deep breath and admitted her weakness.

"I… I don't know," The simple words were heavier than any etiquette or diplomatic speech she could ever conjure. "Father demands complete obedience from me. Defiance is not just impossible, it is… unthinkable."

"Nonsense, Azula." That Aang had the nerve to say such things about the Fire Lord himself unnerved her, but his words were a stark contrast to the fog in her head. They cut through every worry and set themselves in stone. "There are always choices. No one can ever force you down an unwanted path. Your future is yours alone to create."

"You… you don't understand," Frustration simmered within her, the conflict between Aang's freedom and her Father's obedience reacting and growing. "My destiny is inescapable. I cannot abandon it."

Could she?

"But destiny can also surprise us, Azula," Aang's musings again cut through her thoughts. "When my responsibilities became too much, I… I ran away. I fled, for better or worse."

Azula stared at Aang in complete shock. What responsibilities could possibly have been piled on a boy like Aang for him to respond in that way?

"It's… not my finest moment, no, but it means…" Aang's sheepish little grin as he rubbed his bald head was adorable, and Azula would smile if not for the gravity of their conversation. "It means we all have the ability to change our fates if we put our minds to it, Azula. We have a choice. Accept things the way they are, or change them. Even running away counts as change."

His words resonated deeply within her. Could… Could she really do as he did and choose her own path? Contrary to all she knew, contrary to all that her Father had willed for her, contrary to all that she was born and raised and bred and trained and groomed to do? Such defiance remained unthinkable, and yet… doubts were seeping in.

But would anything even change if she did? Father would remain resolute. Zuko and Iroh would still suffer in exile. She would just be one girl, powerless against the inexorable ebb and flow of destiny.

Wasn't she?

As if he sensed her conflict, Azula felt Aang squeeze her shoulder.

"You don't have to decide now, Azula. Reaching within yourself and searching for the answer will take time. But those answers will come. They will always come. Give yourself time, and they will come."

"More monk lessons again?" She managed a trembling smile, immensely grateful for Aang's wisdom beyond his years. Even lost and uncertain, he was her flame of hope against the cold darkness of despair.

"You should know that I'm a library of monk lessons by now." The airbender beamed a shining smile back at her, one that seemed to uplift every part of her heavy soul, if ever so slightly. "And what use is a library if not to be shared?"

Azula smiled more deeply with Aang's words. Her spirits lifted and her resolve beginning to form, she straightened herself and met his eyes with newfound strength.

"First, let's find us some shelter." She needed somewhere to escape from the rain that continued to fall and pour. "I can't think in this rain."

As if on cue, the downpour began to intensify. Azula immediately grabbed Aang's hand as the two of them dashed towards the nearest tree, hoping that the forest canopy might offer them some cover against the rain.

Her hopes were correct, the forest canopy did provide them some cover, but certainly not enough. The leaves of the trees around them scattered the pouring rain into smaller and smaller particles, enveloping the forest in a cold mist that still managed to soak them. Without a word, Azula gestured to Aang to keep moving, as she knew that the only way they could stay warm would be to keep moving, and to find shelter, fast.

Aang led the way, his orange robes a beacon in the muted blues and greens of this deep forest. Azula felt the cold beginning to seep into her, so she let herself breathe deep and reached for her inner fire, hoping to capture some of its warmth. She was successful, and the warmth of her inner fire held the cold at bay, if for just a few moments. And so, she steeled herself and focused on putting one foot in front of the other as they trudged on. Anything to distract from the storm in her mind.

The forest seemed never-ending, ancient trees and vines from the dawn of time tangling together as if to bar their path. Between distant thunderclaps, Azula heard strange calls echo through the forest, unfamiliar spirits that likely only dwelled in this world. So it was that she and Aang kept going.

She wasn't sure how long they walked, that much was certain. It could have been minutes, seconds, or even hours. Walking through a dense yet featureless forest meant they had lost all track of time in a world where time had little meaning. But gradually, the terrain began sloping upwards. The canopy grew sparser, allowing the faintest of glimpses of hazy skies between the leaves. Ferns and mosses replaced ancient gnarled roots.

Then the forest opened up entirely, and Azula had to blink in surprise at the sight before her. A tranquil mountain lake, ringed by fields of swaying grass and wildflowers. Steep cliffs rose on one side, water cascading down to feed the pristine pool below. It was like something from a painting.

For a moment, Azula could only stare wordlessly into this landscape, its beauty unmarred by the mist of constant rain pouring down upon them. This valley seemed untouched by human or spirit, she thought.

"This is perfect!" Beside her, Aang broke into a wide grin and pointed through the mist. "We can get out of the rain here!"

Azula followed his gaze to a rocky overhang jutting out from the base of the cliffs. It would provide much-needed shelter, and it overlooked the lake and valley below. Perfect.

With a nod, she agreed, and the two of them began making their way through the rain towards their shelter. Even with the constant patter of rain, their footsteps felt oddly loud and intrusive when they crossed the expanse of grass, like cracks on the untouched serenity of this area.

At last they reached the protective cover of the overhang, a shallow cave carved into the cliffside by forces beyond their understanding. Azula sank down against the smooth rock wall of the cave with a grateful sigh as the cold and damp of her clothes had already begun to evaporate in this shelter. Beside her, Aang flopped down on the smooth floor of this cave with his characteristic lack of etiquette. And yet, somehow his carefree energy suited this place entirely.

Azula felt her lips curl into a small, involuntary smile. No matter the circumstance, not even the traumas of today could overpower just how much joy Aang was able to bring her, how much he could lift her spirits. Today, he was the first warm rays of the Sun after a long, dark night, and she was content to just sit beside him in silence, watching the rainfall dimple the surface of the lake below. The frantic whirlpool of energy and stress and traumas and doubts that had consumed her since the Agni Kai began to settle, and a sense of peace slowly bloomed inside her soul. Azula realised suddenly how much she had needed this stillness, and so she reveled in it and let herself be enveloped in stillness.

She drew her knees to her chest, letting the tranquility drain her mind of troubling thoughts. Here she could simply exist without pretences or expectations or demands or… anything placed upon her. No critical gazes nor looming duties lurking in the near future. Only the gentle whisper of rain, the mineral scent of wet stone, the occasional rumble of distant thunder, and an Airbender beside her.

Azula wasn't sure how much time passed as she rested her mind and soul in this sanctuary. But gradually, the rains slowed to a drizzle, and sunlight began peering through the clouds once again. The tranquil landscape in front of her glistened under the rays of what felt like a new Sun.

Beside her, Aang stirred and stretched, breaking the silence. She looked to him and received a faint smile in return.

"Feeling any better, Azula?"

"Yes… thank you," She nodded slowly, still taking in the now-transformed landscape. "I needed this. It's just… quiet."

"I'm glad." Aang's voice was hushed. They both dared not to disturb this sanctuary's tranquility for too long. "You deserve a chance to just… be."

Azula exhaled upon hearing his words. Aang was right—she was so used to rigid structures and lofty expectations. Existence without pretence was foreign to her, and yet it was exhilarating. Her gaze drifted back outside, taking in the contours of this valley—memories of flames and fear seemed so far away now. But deep down, she knew that this was only a temporary respite. Reality awaited her back in the real world, and all the expectations and stakes that came with it.

"Aang?" His name emerged from her lips after another stretch of peaceful silence. "What… what should I do once we return?"

She kept her voice soft, not wanting to shatter the solace that surrounded them. Aang looked thoughtful for a very long moment, his grey eyes clouded in contemplation. Azula knew that her question was not an easy one to answer, and she sorely wished that she didn't need to unload her traumas onto him like this.

"I can't tell you exactly what to do," the airbender finally admitted. "But I believe that the power to shape your destiny lies within you."

"Think carefully, Azula," He offered her a faint, but encouraging smile. "And trust your heart, too. It won't lead you astray."

Azula absorbed his counsel in silence. Follow her heart? All her life, every teaching and every motto and every guidance she had ever received had said the opposite—that emotion was ephemeral and only meticulous and ruthless calculation mattered. She must honour her nation and her family above all else, no matter the cost.

And yet… there was no denying the spark in her heart that recoiled at her Father's cruelty. That had to mean something important.

"Change is never easy or comfortable. But staying just because it's what has been laid out for us or because it's familiar isn't always right either. Sometimes we must find the courage to forge our own paths, something that Monk Gyatso always told me."

Azula nodded slowly, again reflecting on Aang's wisdom and his library of monk lessons. Forging her own path, contrary to her family and her nation would take profound courage, that she knew, but for the first time, this idea felt… possible. A small and fragile spark of hope inside her declared that this was possible, and she desperately wanted that spark to be true.

"You have a difficult road ahead, Azula, but difficult roads are still paths that move us forward. And you won't be alone either."

The spark of hope inside her glowed, and she met his eyes with sudden determination. In turn, he gave her a beaming smile that could evaporate every morsel of doubt and fear in her. Damn that boy for being such a spiritual uplift. Even so, she couldn't help but smile. For this moment, at least, she felt as if she had the power to truly change the course of her future.

With this hopeful feeling kindled inside her once again, Azula sat there in silence, this time reaching deep inside herself to hear the stillness of the Spirit World seeping into her soul. In said stillness, she began to hear that familiar breath again.

Ever since she had learned it exactly one year ago, Azula found herself meditating more and more and more as her anxieties came across her. In the real world, rarely could she hear this innate flow of the world around her above the clatter and chatter of real things much closer to her, but here… here she could hear the harmonies in true peace.

The breath of the world, as she liked to think of it, was always changing yet always constant. Oftentimes she could feel a shrillness to it, especially when those around her were stressed or scared. But today, the breath of the Spirit World was a deep, resonant rumble, and Azula imagined this was what a dragon would sound like, asleep, if there were any dragons left, that is.

For an uncountable time, Azula sat there in the little cave, oblivious to what was around her as she let herself be enveloped in the feeling of stillness and the reassuring constance of her meditations. The deep rumble of the Spirit World seemed to lap at her troubles, gently but firmly, and it almost felt like an unknowable voice of consolation trying to reach her.

And so it came to pass that Azula felt her worries and fears slowly erode with each deep breath. The traumas still remained, no doubt, but at least for this moment, there was peace in her mind again. And for that, she was infinitely grateful.

Soon enough, however, she began to slowly rise from the infinite flow of energies and felt herself returning to consciousness and returning to her senses again. It was then that she noticed beside her that there was a distinct lack of a certain figure who ought to be clad in reds and oranges. She had not even opened her eyes yet, but she felt it. She felt a distinct lack of warmth beside her.

Opening her eyes, the first thing she realised was that it had now become nighttime. How long did she meditate for? And yet, curiously, the lake in the distance was still visible, gleaming under some sort of light, and the little cave wasn't pitch dark. Aang, however, was nowhere to be found.

Part of her now became genuinely worried. Had he gone on to find a spirit portal without her? Was she so lost in her meditations that something happened to him? Where was he?

"A-Aang?" Her voice crackled at first after so many hours of dormancy. "Aang! Where are you?"

"Over here!" Within a short moment, her cries were answered by his distant voice. Her anxieties dissipated quickly as she moved to follow that sound. "Azula, I'm over here!"

Following Aang's voice, Azula made her way out of the cave. She then made the grave mistake of looking up as she exited, the cover provided by the cave's overhang disappearing behind her to reveal the skies above.

Instead of a few meagre stars that barely flickered the pitch-dark heavens above, what she found above her was an infinite tapestry of many-coloured hues streaking across a velvet-black sky. A profusion of stars scattered the blackness, as if a giant hand had flung diamonds onto the celestial dome. All Azula could do was marvel at a sight that she had certifiably never seen before.

In the midst of this starry expanse, there lay a great river of light, a great road paved with the light of the stars. Cutting across the firmament, this tapestry of light was woven with twinkling threads whose materials she knew not, and whose size she dared not imagine. Here, she almost felt as if she could lose herself in this ocean of stars and never look back, and all she could do was stare uninterrupted at this vast expanse.

The seeming infinitude of it all made Azula feel all the smaller. Her fears, her worries, her traumas, her anxieties, all of it now felt rather small in the face of something so… grand. And yet, in a way, there was something comforting in knowing that her problems were indeed small in the face of the universe itself. Though she did not feel it completely at the time, the weight that hung upon her shoulders began lifting at this moment, and as she took in a deep breath and continued to take in every minute detail of the stars above.

"First time?" Only then did she notice a very familiar presence of warmth and joy beside her. "I never get tired of seeing this sky like this. It's… well, I don't want my words to spoil your experience of it."

"It's… it's beautiful, Aang." She barely managed to muster up the words, her mind still gazing upon the heavens. "I-I've never… never seen this before."

"This kind of sky only ever happens when there are no other lights that block out the stars." Azula could feel a certain reverence in Aang's tone as he spoke of the skies above them. "Monk Gyatso, he… he never felt happy if we were travelling near a town for that reason, the skies were too empty. So every now and then, he'd find somewhere dark like this for us to stargaze and see these skies again."

Azula smiled as she heard Aang's story, the joy and happiness so thoroughly infused in his words was infectious, and she could not help but respond in kind.

"Where I am from," She hesitantly began, still not sure which words to use. "I only see so few stars… I never knew there were so many."

"Then let's make the most of your first time stargazing, Azula." Her mind instantly found such an idea rather agreeable. "And lie down, the grass here is so comfy!"

Without a word, Azula joined Aang on the grassy fields. He was indeed correct, as she discovered when she reclined on a grass that felt softer than the choicest of down beds. Her eyes unflinchingly glued to the skies, she let herself relax and took in a deep breath while the colours above melded into hues and shades unlike any she had ever seen before.

"There are just… so many, Aang. Does it always look like this?"

Azula dared not try to count the stars above her, for each sparkling and twinkling speck seemed to hide another right behind it.

"Not always, no. When the moon is out, the stars hide away, but they're not gone. The monks taught me that the light of the Moon was too bright, and it outshines all the stars around it, like how towns and cities have too many lights that drown out the stars. Doesn't mean the stars are gone, they're still there."

Hearing Aang's words made her appreciate the sight before her even more. This vast expanse of stars was always there, and yet it took her so many years to even experience it. Thus, she allowed herself a moment to breathe in and bask in the sight of endless infinity.

"I guess this is why you left that cave while I was still meditating, Aang?" There was a twinge of hurt in her heart at being partially abandoned in such a way, but Azula thought little of it.

"Oh, I… sorry about that." Her eyes were still focused on counting the million stars wheeling overhead, but Azula could swear that Aang's sheepish grin was audible. "I… I saw you were meditating, and I didn't want to disturb you, so when the rain stopped I went out on the grass and just watched the scenery, that's all. I wasn't far away, no, but I'm still sorry for leaving you."

"Don't be," At his words, Azula felt she needed to straighten this damned boy out. "Only apologise when something's absolutely your fault. Otherwise, you're saying sorry for nothing, and that's a waste of time."

"Oh. Sorry."

"What did I just say, Aang?"

"Not to say sorry?"

"And what did you just say?"

"Sorry?"

"Yeah, don't. Reserve that for actual mistakes."

"Yes, ma'am!"

Azula giggled at the monk's tone. Here, under an expanse of infinite skies and innumerable stars, she was happy. Here, she was far away from the stresses of her home, the pressures of her life, and the anxieties of her future. Here, she was herself. She thanked whatever spirits were responsible for bringing her here every year, and gave herself a moment to appreciate everything about her presence.

"I… I just want to stay here forever and watch these stars, Aang." She doubted her eyes could ever tire of seeing the heavens in this manner, and so she continued to marvel at the untold depths above her. "I wish I can stay here forever… with you."

Her own admission that she wanted to be here with Aang surprised her, as she almost put her hands to her lips to stop whatever surprises came next. She hoped that, like hers, Aang's eyes were focused entirely on the stars above and not the blush that was forming on her cheeks. Even so, it did not feel wrong for her to say such words. Aang was her friend, perhaps even her best friend, and there was no other place in the human or spirit worlds that she would want to be besides… here.

"I'm glad as well, Azula." Aang's admission that he enjoyed their time together did little to help the blush that was frustratingly present on her cheeks, or the warm feeling in her heart that was burning ever brighter and brighter. "I… I didn't have many friends at the Air Temples, so… so I am very glad that I have you."

Aang's apparent hesitance at mentioning his friends at the Air Nomad temples almost made Azula raise an eyebrow. What reason did this boy, certainly an affable and friendly boy, what reason did he have to not have friends? Her mind then remembered the fact that Aang was much like her in one very particular respect. The life of a prodigy would always be a lonely one.

"They… they didn't like that you were a prodigy, did they?" She asked as she sat up, hoping this intrusion would be received as an olive branch and not an invasion of privacy. "I… I know that feeling, Aang."

"You are right, they… they didn't." There was a wistful sigh in Aang's voice as the words came out of him when he too joined her in sitting up. "I mastered all the forms, well, the thirty-five existing ones plus the airscooter, and that was just at the age of 12. And then, then there was…"

"Then the friends around you all floated away. They either envied you, feared you, or respected you too much to see you as a friend."

There was a moment of silence as both of them seemed to bond on the one unavoidable parallel that they shared.

"No, they did not. My friends didn't play airball with me anymore because I was now a master, while they were barely going through the intermediate forms. It… it was lonely, sometimes. All I had were the other masters and… well…"

Now, it was Azula's turn to do something she had never dared to do before. She reached out to the boy sitting beside her, and she enveloped him in a hug. All her training had taught her that such compassion was weakness, and yet… she could not let her friend become stuck in such sadness. Not when he had helped her escape from her own despair so expertly and so selflessly.

"Well, now… now you have me, Aang." She knew not how to formulate her own words in the effortless way that Aang spoke, she knew not how to comfort someone with a mere phrase, but the Princess of the Fire Nation would at least try. "You're not the only prodigy here, so don't you dare go lording that fact over me. We are equals, you know that?'

There was a gentle giggle from Aang as he carefully escaped from her hug. Damn this boy, she thought, for how quickly his mood could improve and how radiant his joy could be. Azula strongly suspected the presence of some magical power concentrated in Aang's soul that allowed him to deliver such disarming happiness.

"We are equals, Azula." The monk now beamed his brightest smile to her, and amidst the field of infinite stars wheeling above, all she could see was the joy and warmth in his eyes. "And thank you, for being here."

"Don't thank me, thank the Spirit World. We're just being dragged along by it every year."

"Yeah that is very odd, isn't it?" Aang's eyebrows became furrowed with curiosity as they both began to ponder again the reasons why they were here.

"Beats me, Aang. I don't know why we are here, or on my birthday, no less."

"The baboon spirit we met last year said something about us having big things to do, didn't he? Maybe there's something that we're meant to do? Together?"

"I… I don't know. What… what do we share that would bring us together?"

"Maybe the Spirit World knows we need training with another prodigy?"

"I think if the Spirit World wanted us to train it would bring us somewhere we can actually bend, Aang."

To prove a point, Azula moved to a classic bending stance and tried her best to generate any fire at all. As expected, there was not even a spark, not even a wisp of heat from her palms.

"Point taken."

The curiosity began to overtake her, this impossible question taking root. There had to be some other thread that they knew not, something that connected them. The frustration of not knowing gnawed at Azula's mind, the gears inside her brain creaking as they reached a resistance she rarely faced.

"I… I remember the baboon spirit said there was much that we will do. Much that we will have to do. Maybe he knows something more about us?"

"That's rather obvious, don't you think?" She gave the monk a deadpan look for his crystal-clear insights. "The spirits know something, this world knows something, and we're the only ones who don't know."

"That is how things can be sometimes, funny enough." There was a giggle in Aang's voice, which almost bewildered Azula. Such mysteries were, to her, frustrating obstacles, and yet here he was laughing at this grand mystery. "The universe doesn't like conforming to us, or letting us know what's going on. All we can do is observe how weird it is and do what we can."

"I'm going to need a library of Airbender scrolls by the end of this to store all your monk lessons, aren't I?"

"Yes, yes you are."

Azula was once again on the receiving end of an ultra-bright Aang Grin, one which she almost found infinitely annoying, but seeing as this was Aang, she found it endearing.

"Whatever the reason is, Azula, I am glad that we are here."

There was a moment's silence as Azula took in the sheer honesty in Aang's voice.

"I am too, Aang." Now it was her own honesty that would surprise her. "I don't… I never want this time to end."

"Thinking of the end already, Azula?" There was a mischievous grin on Aang's face, one which almost infuriated her if not for the fact that it was rather adorable. And funny. "You'll have to fight harder to get rid of me, you know that."

For the first time in a long time, the Princess of the Fire Nation giggled. Awfully uncharacteristic of her, but still she giggled nonetheless. It was good to be here indeed, where all her walls could be dismantled and where she was allowed to be herself. No judgment, no prying eyes, no expectations, no worries, just her and Aang. Azula let herself bask in this freedom for a moment as her eyes once again looked to the stars wheeling above them.

"I have no intentions of getting rid of you, Aang. You're far too valuable as a friend to be disposed of."

"You say that like friends are things we can just swap out, Azula."

"Where I come from, you would be right. At least… my Father thinks so. So does everyone else around him."

"That's… that's awful! Friends aren't just accessories, they're people!"

"Well, not in the Fire Nation."

"Then I must have visited a very different Fire Nation then, Azula."

There was a spark of curiosity in her head at Aang's words. She knew her great-grandfather had transformed much of the Fire Nation in his advances, but perhaps there was more that had been done?

"If we ever meet in the real world, Aang, I'll give you a tour and you can see for yourself."

"Offer accepted!" Azula really appreciated the glee in Aang's eyes as he spoke. Rarely did anyone speak to her with such sincerity and wonder. "Do you think we'll remember each other if we meet in the real world?"

Now that was something that stumped her completely. Azula had not thought of such things, at least not yet.

"I… I don't know, Aang." A straightforward admission of ignorance was not the way of the Fire Nation, but those rules were well and far away now. "Everything we did, everything we said, it gets locked away every time I leave. Did you… did you feel the same?"

Now it was Aang's turn to be perplexed, as Azula could see very clearly the gears shifting and turning in the airbender's mind behind his grey eyes.

"I… no, not really. When I step into the portals, everything just fades away… and then I wake up here again. And then I find you."

Azula filed his words into the puzzle that is their situation, the new information only adding to her confusion. She knew not how this happened, and it frustrated her to no end.

"I… I don't understand it at all, Aang."

"Neither do I, but that's not something we can control, is it?" Aang smiled back to her in reassurance, which did rather lift her spirits and quash her confusion. "Monk Gyatso always made sure I appreciated how weird and complex and strange things can be in life. And that's with the human world, the Spirit World is so much more!"

Azula had no words with which she could respond. Nothing in her mind was satisfactory for a quandary as complex as this.

"…I guess so, Aang."

Her own fantastic lack of eloquence in the words that did manage to sputter out almost made her want to shrivel up into a ball and hide away. Aang didn't seem to notice, but she certainly did. So it was that her eyes wandered once again to the infinite tapestry of stars above, hoping for a distraction. Her hopes would soon be answered.

As her eyes looked up once again, the infinite river of stars above was pierced by a streak of light, barrelling across the oceans above. A shooting star, its trail dividing the night sky in two. And then there was another streak that paralleled the first, drawing another path across the skies. And then another, and another, and another, as the entire expanse above became filled with trails of shooting stars. Azula allowed herself to make a wish, a simple, little wish she kept deep inside her own soul. And then she smiled.

To her side, she looked at Aang and saw that he too was entranced by the shooting stars above, and she wondered what sort of wish he was making, if the Air Nomads even had such customs. Whatever he did, she was glad to have him there, and she wasn't ashamed to admit it to herself.

As Azula watched the stars, streaks of light began piercing the infinite tapestry above, like flaming arrows arcing across the velvet sky. One by one, dazzling trails emerged, crossing the heavens as if celestial painters were gleefully dragging their brushes through the cosmic canvas.

Each meteor brought with it a tail of sparkling gemstone dust, swirling and dancing behind it like the train of a cosmic robe. They cascaded through the skies, an endless procession of celestial wanderers. Azula was transfixed, the light of their passage reflected in her shining eyes.

Beside her, Aang's face was upturned in wordless wonder, his grin growing with each new shooting star above. Azula felt as though the stars themselves were putting on a performance just for the two of them. Time itself paused as the meteors painted their masterpiece across the heavens.

She tore her eyes away for just a moment to glimpse Aang's profound joy. In that instant, a peaceful warmth blossomed within her, a contentment she treasured. No matter what awaited back home, she knew she would forever hold this meteor shower in her heart, another secret memory just for her and Aang.

The stars continued their dazzling dance, the night sky alive with their radiance. Azula and Aang watched, spirits soaring, as the heavens swirled in majestic harmony around them.

For the Princess of the Fire Nation, Aang's presence beside her was a steady comfort, a reminder that even in the midst of her inner turmoil, she was not alone. The thought brought a warmth to her chest, a feeling of gratitude that threatened to overwhelm her.

"Hey, Aang?" Her voice was barely more than a whisper, almost lost in the vast expanse of the star-filled sky.

At his questioning hum, Azula swallowed past the sudden lump in her throat. "I... thank you. For being here, for listening, for... everything. It means more than I can say."

His hand found hers then, his fingers intertwining with her own in a gesture of silent understanding. Azula clung to that connection like a lifeline, drawing strength from the simple contact. Thus the friends stayed, and she could only hope that she might represent the same to Aang.

As the last of the meteors burned out across the inky canvas of the night, Azula felt a bone-deep weariness settle over her. The events of the day, the raw emotions she had laid bare, the sheer catharsis of being truly seen and understood - it all caught up to her in a rush of exhaustion.

She let her eyes drift closed, the soft caress of the grass and the soothing warmth of Aang's hand in hers lulling her towards the brink of sleep. In the hazy space between wakefulness and dreams, Azula's thoughts turned to the wish she had made on the falling stars.

A wish for strength in the face of adversity, for the courage to forge her own path. A wish for wisdom to light the way forward, even when the road ahead seemed shrouded in darkness. But most of all, a wish for moments like these - moments of genuine connection and understanding, of friendship that could weather any storm.

As sleep finally claimed her, Azula held that wish close to her heart, a talisman against the uncertainties of the future. She knew that come morning, she would have to leave this sanctuary behind, that the memories of this night would fade like mist beneath the sun.

But the essence of it, the profound sense of peace and belonging she had found here, in this place, with this friend - that would remain. A guiding light to carry her through whatever trials lay ahead.

With that knowledge nestled deep within her soul, Azula surrendered to the embrace of sleep, the ghost of a smile on her lips. For the first time in longer than she could remember, she felt truly at peace.

And as the Spirit World cradled her in its gentle hold, the meteors continued their dance overhead, a silent celebration of the unbreakable bond between two kindred spirits. Tomorrow would bring its own challenges, but tonight, all was well.

···

Azula awoke to the soft, rhythmic rustling of the grass.

The Spirit World was quiet. Even the ever-present hum that usually filled the air seemed to have softened, as if this place, too, was resting. A gentle breeze brushed against her cheek, and she blinked, still caught between sleep and waking.

The sky above was painted in soft pastels, the kind of colours that never showed over the Fire Nation. The air felt different this time—not thick with expectation, but open, light. She let out a slow breath, feeling the familiar tension in her chest loosen, just a little.

Across from her, Aang was already awake, sitting cross-legged, his back to her. He didn't turn when she stirred, but she knew he'd noticed.

"You awake?" His voice was soft, breaking the stillness but not disturbing it.

Azula stretched, her limbs stiff from lying on the ground. "I've been awake for a while," she lied, her voice still rough with sleep.

Aang glanced over his shoulder, a small smile on his lips that said he didn't believe her. He didn't press it, though. He never did.

She sat up, brushing strands of grass from her hair, and let her gaze drift to the same horizon Aang was staring at. The Spirit World was always in motion, always shifting, but today, it was as if the world itself had decided to rest with them. The peace here, the stillness—it was becoming familiar. Not unwelcome, but surprising. She'd never experienced anything like it back home.

For a while, they sat in companionable silence. Azula didn't feel the need to fill the space with words, and she knew Aang wouldn't push her to speak. This kind of quiet was rare in her life, but here, in the Spirit World, it had become something she could almost expect.

It surprised her how much she'd come to appreciate it.

Back home, the idea of sitting still, doing nothing, would have felt like a waste of time. It would have been weakness. But here… here it didn't feel like weakness at all. Here, she could sit and breathe, and feel the weight of expectation lift, if only for a moment.

She let out a soft breath, her eyes following the slow drift of the clouds above.

"It's strange," she murmured, more to herself than to Aang.

Aang looked over. "What is?"

Azula didn't answer right away, her gaze still fixed on the sky. "Sitting still. Being quiet." She frowned slightly, as if the concept itself was foreign to her. "It doesn't feel… like I'm wasting time."

Aang smiled softly, his eyes warm. "It's not. Sometimes, you need stillness to understand what's happening inside you."

Azula didn't respond. She knew that already. She'd felt it in the meditations she had learned, felt the way her thoughts, usually so sharp and restless, could settle into something clearer. But saying it out loud felt too much like an admission of weakness. And even here, with Aang, she wasn't ready to give that much away.

Instead, she stood up, brushing off the dirt from her clothes. "Let's walk."

Aang blinked up at her, then smiled and got to his feet. "Sure."

They walked side by side, the grass swaying gently around them, the world still soft in the early light. Aang didn't say much, and neither did she. It wasn't uncomfortable, though. The silence that stretched between them wasn't the kind that needed filling.

Azula glanced at him now and then, watching the way he moved—so easily, like he belonged here. She couldn't imagine herself ever feeling that way. Not in the real world, and certainly not here. But with Aang, she didn't feel the need to force herself into anything. She didn't have to be more than she was.

That was new.

···

They had been walking for a while now, the landscape quiet, almost reverent. The Spirit World was always in motion, always shifting, but today it felt like everything was holding its breath, waiting.

Azula wasn't sure where they were going, and Aang hadn't bothered to ask her. Here, in this place, the world seemed to guide them without needing directions. It was a strange feeling—being led without knowing where or why, but trusting it all the same.

Then, without warning, something shifted.

It was subtle at first, like a gentle pulse beneath her feet, a soft hum in the air. Azula stopped mid-step, her brow furrowing as she focused on the sensation. It wasn't overwhelming, but it was there—a quiet flow of energy, like a stream running just beneath the surface of the world.

Aang slowed beside her, his head tilting slightly as though he, too, had felt it. He didn't say anything, but his eyes scanned the horizon, as if searching for something hidden just out of sight.

Azula's pulse quickened. She recognised this feeling. It was the same as before, every time they found themselves nearing the Spirit Portal—the world itself seemed to shift, guiding them. The energy around them was flowing, pulling them forward, gently but insistently.

"A portal," she said quietly, more to herself than to Aang.

Aang nodded, his expression calm. "Yeah. It's close."

Azula's chest tightened. There it was again—that feeling. The pull of a spirit portal, the knowledge that their time here was ending. She'd felt the same thing before, but this time it felt heavier. More final. She wanted to keep walking, to keep moving forward and ignore the pull. But the energy around them wouldn't let her.

Aang took a step forward, his hand brushing against a low-hanging branch as he glanced up at the sky. "I know it's hard," he said softly.

Azula clenched her fists at her sides, her gaze fixed on the path ahead. "You don't know what it's like," she muttered, her voice darker than she meant it to be. "You don't have to go back to… him."

Him. The word felt like a lead weight on her tongue, bitter and angry. She hated how vulnerable she sounded. She hated that she was admitting this to him at all.

Aang turned to her, his expression gentle but serious. "No… I don't know what that's like." He paused, his eyes softening. "But I know it's not easy for you."

Azula's jaw tightened. "Easy? It's not about easy. It's about not having a choice."

Aang's gaze didn't waver. "You always have a choice, Azula."

She wanted to argue, to snap at him for saying something so naïve. But the words didn't come. Instead, she felt the weight of his gaze on her, and something inside her—the part of her that only seemed to exist in this place, with him—softened, just a little. She hated how much his words affected her. Hated how much she wanted to believe him.

But in the Fire Nation, choices came with consequences. And she knew what her father's wrath looked like.

"Come on," Aang said after a moment, his voice light again. "We can't stay here forever."

He took a step forward, but Azula didn't move. She felt rooted in place, the pull of the world stronger now, like it was urging her toward the portal, toward the inevitable. Her chest tightened again, her heart pounding in her ears.

Aang seemed to sense her hesitation. He stopped, turning back to her with that same quiet smile. "Hey."

She looked up, her gaze wary.

"We'll see each other again," Aang said, his voice filled with an optimism that made her chest ache. "I know we will."

Azula's mouth opened, but no words came out. She wanted to believe him. She wanted to believe that this wasn't the end, that she wouldn't walk through that portal and forget everything again. But she couldn't shake the fear that once she left this place, she'd lose him. Lose the only person who had ever made her feel like she wasn't just a weapon.

Aang took a step closer, his expression softening. "You're not alone, Azula. You never will be. Not as long as I'm around."

Her throat tightened, and for a moment, she felt something dangerously close to panic. She didn't want to leave. She didn't want to go back to the Fire Nation, to her father, to the life that had been laid out for her since birth. Here, in the Spirit World, with Aang, she had found something she didn't even know she needed.

Peace.

But peace was fleeting. And she knew it.

She swallowed hard, forcing the panic down. She wouldn't let herself fall apart. Not now. Not in front of him.

Aang held out his hand, and for a moment, she just stared at it, her heart pounding in her chest. Then, slowly, she reached out, her hand trembling just slightly as her fingers brushed against his.

"Together?" Aang asked, his voice soft but steady.

Azula exhaled, her grip tightening around his hand. "Together."

And with that, they stepped forward into the light.

···

Azula woke to the sound of rustling curtains.

Morning light streamed through the open window of her chambers, casting long, warm beams across the ornate tapestries and silk-covered furniture. For a brief moment, she didn't move—she just lay there, the weight of the blankets pressing gently against her body, her eyes half-closed as the world slowly came into focus.

It was different this time. She could feel it.

The last time she had woken like this, she had been drowning—overwhelmed by the suffocating weight of her brother's banishment, the hollow loss of her uncle, and the gnawing fear of her father's scrutiny. But today… it was easier to breathe.

She inhaled slowly, a steady, calming breath that filled her lungs and spread through her limbs like a quiet warmth. Her mind, which had once been an endless storm of thoughts and fears, was still. No longer a chaotic whirlwind, but something calm, controlled.

There was no memory of what had changed, no clear explanation for the sense of peace that had taken root inside her. All she knew was that it was there, buried deep within her—something quiet and strong, something that had been absent before.

But with that peace, came the weight of expectation.

Azula sighed softly and sat up, her fingers brushing through her long black hair as her golden eyes scanned the familiar room. She could feel the pressure of her responsibilities settling back over her shoulders, the cold grip of duty wrapping itself around her chest. The fire that burned inside her had not gone out, but it was no longer wild—it was contained, controlled.

Good.

She turned her gaze to the window, her thoughts drifting. The Fire Nation was always moving, always burning. Soon, she would have to move with it. There was no room for hesitation. Her father had made that clear. She had seen what happened to those who failed to meet his expectations.

Zuko…

The thought of him sent the smallest ripple of pain through her chest. But she quickly pushed it away, letting the feeling pass through her like a wave, just as she had learned. Just as she had been taught.

There was a knock at the door.

"Princess Azula," came the voice of a servant. "His Majesty requests your presence."

She didn't flinch. Of course her father would call for her. He had been waiting for this moment—waiting for her to solidify her place in the palace, to take the title that had once belonged to her brother. The title that was now hers by right.

Happy birthday to me, she thought dryly.

Azula stood, her movements fluid and graceful, every step measured as she crossed the room. She didn't need to prepare. She was always prepared. Her father expected nothing less.

The throne room was vast, cold, and empty, save for the solitary figure seated on the raised dais at the far end of the hall. Fire Lord Ozai sat upon the throne, his piercing gaze fixed on her as she approached, her footsteps echoing in the silence.

Azula kept her face perfectly still, her expression serene as she made her way toward him. Inside, however, her thoughts churned. She knew what this was. She knew what he would say.

But that didn't make it any easier to hear.

When she reached the base of the dais, she knelt, bowing her head low. Her heart was steady, her breathing calm. The mask was already in place.

"Azula."

Her father's voice cut through the air like a blade—sharp, cold, and commanding. She lifted her head, her golden eyes meeting his.

"You are the only remaining heir to the throne," Ozai said, his tone devoid of warmth. "Zuko is no longer my son. He is no longer anything."

The words struck her, harder than she had expected. She felt them settle in her chest like a weight, the mention of Zuko's name sending a ripple of something sharp and painful through her.

But she didn't flinch.

She let the feeling pass, let it wash over her and then fade, just as she had learned. Just as she had been taught. The mask held.

Ozai's gaze was steady as he watched her, his eyes cold and calculating. She could feel it—the expectation, the pressure, the invisible chains he had always wrapped around her. But this time, there was something else. Something more.

"You will take his place," Ozai continued, his voice as cold as ever. "From this day forward, you are Azula, Crown Princess of the Fire Nation."

Azula straightened her back, her expression perfectly composed as she lifted her chin. "Yes, Father."

The title should have felt like a victory. It should have filled her with pride, with satisfaction. But all she felt was the cold emptiness that came with it. The hollow space where something else—something warmer, something softer—should have been.

Her father's lips turned upward, the faintest shadow of a smile crossing his face. It wasn't a smile of warmth or pride. It was something colder, something darker.

"Consider this your birthday gift," he said, his voice low and deliberate, each word laced with an edge that made her chest tighten.

Azula's heart skipped a beat, the weight of his words settling over her like a heavy shroud. A gift. That's what he called it. But she knew better. She knew what it really was.

A shackle.

A reminder that her life, her power, her very existence was bound to him. That everything she had, everything she was, was only hers because he allowed it. And that it could all be taken away if she disappointed him.

The mask held.

"Thank you, Father," she said, her voice smooth, controlled. The perfect response. The perfect daughter.

Ozai's gaze lingered on her for a moment longer, as if searching for something. But when he found nothing, he dismissed her with a wave of his hand.

"You may go."

Azula bowed once more, rising to her feet with the same grace she always carried. Inside, her thoughts were distant, carefully hidden behind the mask she had perfected. She knew better than to let them show. She knew better than to let her father see what she truly felt.

As she turned to leave, her heart ached briefly at the mention of Zuko, at the disdain in her father's voice. But she pushed it away, letting the mask slip into place once more, hiding everything she had learned to bury deep inside.

But beneath it all—beneath the perfect façade of the Crown Princess—her mind was still. Clear. Controlled.

The lessons she had learned, the calm she had found… it was still with her, even if she didn't know where it had come from. Even if the face of the boy who had taught her was nothing more than a distant, half-forgotten dream.