Chapter 4: I am Azula
In the city of Yu-dao, Azula sighed contently as she cheerfully fed some bread pieces to the Turtle Ducks that lived in the pond behind the house. This kind of child-like and almost normal demeanor would have most certainly taken anyone who knew the girl personally aback.
Because ask any of her family or former friends and they'll tell you: The Azula they knew was never this normal—or nice. Hell, they aren't even sure the word was in her vocabulary.
"There you are." Touya said as he walked up to her. The ex-princess smiled as he sat down next to her, allowing her to scoot next to him and lean into him as he draped his arm around her shoulder.
As he held her, a Turtle Duck Drake soon joined the mother Turtle Duck and her ducklings, the green headed waterfowl-reptile hybrid swimming up to the mother and giving her an affectionate nuzzle with his bill, which she returned. Soon it didn't take long for the ducklings to join in on the "group hug".
Azula couldn't help but feel a sense of yearning as she watched the little family, and envisioned it as her own. It made her heart ache in desire.
"I wish that were my family…" The girl sighed.
"Hey, don't worry, you have me, remember?" Touya told her as he kissed her on her forehead.
"Thanks." She sighed as she leaned on him.
The two watched as the family of Turtle Ducks nuzzled each other a bit longer before they swam in the lake and headed elsewhere. The two Firebenders then returned home.
However, when they entered the main square on their way to the Katsuya family house, they soon took notice of a small group of Fire Nation soldiers standing in the square with some very familiar faces among them.
'Oh crap… they must've figured out I'm/Azula's here.' Azula and Touya thought in that order as they looked at Team Avatar.
Luckily though, they hadn't been noticed by the group, so they quickly slipped into a nearby crowd that was headed towards the house and slipped away undetected.
Meanwhile with Aang and the others, Zuko was busy talking to the mayor of Yu-dao, Morishita. "Where is Enji Katsuya, he's supposed to be the police chief here isn't he? Why hasn't he reported seeing my sister here?" The Fire Lord questioned.
"I'm unsure. Perhaps Azula gave him the slip." The mayor replied.
"Where is he now?" Aang questioned.
"He's at his home, today is his day off." Morishita explained. Aang nodded before he faced the others.
"Zuko, if it's okay I'd like to go and talk to Chief Katsuya personally to see what he knows." The Air Nomad said. "Think you'll be alright looking around the city for Azula while I do that?" He asked.
"If you think you can handle it, go ahead. I can handle searching the rest of the colony." Zuko nodded. "But take Sokka just in case." He added.
"Me?! Why me?" The warrior boy questioned. "What If Azula is there? You remember what happened the last time I fought your sister? She kicked my ass without her bending! I'll get flattened!" He added.
"We're just checking to see if he knows anything, Sokka. There's no fighting involved." Aang deadpanned.
"That doesn't make me feel any better…" Sokka stated as they started walking.
(Elsewhere)
Meanwhile at the Katsuya house, Azula was having tea and lunch with the family and telling them what they had just seen. The younger kids were a bit worried about getting in trouble with the Fire Lord and the Avatar, but Enji and Temari to their credit were actually rather calm about it.
"They'd need to recognize you first to even be able to catch you, dear, and with this new look that will be very difficult." Temari states.
"Right." Enji nodded as he sipped his tea. "So, Azula, now that your mind is fully healed, what do you plan on doing now?" He asked.
"I'm making my life my own this time. I'm not going to do what others want me to do, I'm not going to want what people tell me to want, let alone make me think I want it." She replied. "For once in my life I'm going to pursue my own desires and my own happiness." She continued before hugging Touya tightly. "No power struggles or arbitrary concepts of perfection allowed." She added.
Enji nodded in approval before looking at his son. "You did a good job taking care of her, Touya, you better hold onto her." He stated.
"I plan on it." The redhead nodded as he held Azula close. As the two continued to have their time together, there soon came a knock on the front door of the house.
"Uh oh, who could that be?" Touya questioned as Enji got up.
"I'll get it." He said as he walked to the door. But Touya stopped him.
"No, I'll get it." The boy said as he walked over to the door and grabbed a large sword that looked like the sword of Komomura from Bleach. When he opened it, Sokka and Aang were standing there.
"Hi, I'm looking for Azula." The water tribe boy said, before the blue flame user pointed his large sword in Sokka's face. "And a clean pair of shorts." He added, clearly scared but his face never wavering.
"Calm down. We're just here to talk to Chief Katsuya." Aang said placatingly.
"Why're you even asking anyway? We haven't seen anything." The boy stated.
"We just need to see if his men reported anything related to her. That's it." The air nomad stated. Taking his sword back, the boy glared at the two and stepped aside.
"Go ahead." He told them. As the two walked into the house, Sokka looked at Aang nervously.
"That was close." He whispered.
"Too close. Let's be quick and careful." Aang whispered back, getting a nod in return. As they walked into the room they soon found the rest of the family and Azula in the living room, and true to what was predicted, they didn't recognize her. Yeah
"I heard you say you were looking for information on Azula. What exactly do you want to know?" Enji questioned.
"Have you seen her anywhere around here at all?" The Avatar asked.
"Well, the doctor did find a woman in a Fire Nation guard outfit in an alley with her helmet caved in from a hammer." Temari states.
"Is that it?" Sokka asked.
"Pretty much. According to reports, she's made a full recovery." Touya nodded. "We don't know where she is right now though, the doctor did have her taken somewhere to get treated for her… Amnesia." He added.
"Oh man. That's never fun…" Aang sighed with a groan.
"I agree, but I digress. We don't have much on Azula at the moment." Temari said. As this conversation was going on Sokka kept squinting at Azula.
"What?" The girl questioned, unnerved by the boy's look.
"You seem familiar. Have I met you somewhere?" He asked.
"No. You're probably thinking of someone else with a similar face." Azula replied, hoping he'd buy it. Luckily though, she was still a pretty good liar.
He bought it.
"Yeah, you're probably right." The boomerang user shrugged. Aang then decided to get up with Sokka following.
"Well, come on Sokka, we should probably get moving." He told his friend.
"Yeah, we got a crazy woman to find." The water tribe boy nodded as he too got up and left with the Avatar… Allowing the Katsuya family to let out a collective sigh of relief.
"That was close." Enji breathed.
"Good thing that Earthbending friend they have wasn't here, or we would have been screwed." Touya nodded, having heard a lot about Toph's abilities.
"Actually, I've fooled her a few times before." Azula noted.
"No shit." The boy laughed.
(Elsewhere)
"Anything?" Zuko asked as the two returned.
"No sign of Azula." Aang told them.
"But the family did say that a girl in a guard uniform did get her head smashed by a mugger and ended up with amnesia." Sokka added. "But she isn't here anymore." He added.
"Well, it was worth a shot." Katara sighed.
"Hang on, did you just say a girl in a guard uniform?" Mai questioned.
"Uh, yeah?" The boy replied.
"Azula was last seen in a guard uniform when she escaped!" Zuko pointed out.
"Oh crap, we forgot about that!" Sokka exclaimed with wide eyes.
"Which most likely means that she's somewhere in the earth kingdom suffering from amnesia." Suki states.
"Yikes." Toph nodded.
"We need to find her, fast." Zuko declared, getting nods from everyone else.
(Elsewhere)
Back at the house, Touya and Azula were sitting on the couch together. Everyone else was at work or doing their own thing, so it was just them. As they enjoyed one another's company, the renewed princess spoke up.
"Touya?" She began, getting her boyfriend's attention.
"Hm?" He hummed in reply.
"There's something I need your help with, and it's… really important." She said hesitantly, getting his attention.
"What's up?" The redhead asked.
"I need help mending and burning a few bridges." Azula said, and Touya was a little surprised by her request. He hadn't expected her to say that after what had happened today.
"Um… with who?" He asked, wondering just who was on his girlfriend's list.
"Namely my brother, my Uncle Iroh, friends Tai Lee and Mai, and then the Avatar and his friends." She listed on one hand. "And the only bridge I'll be burning is with my father." She burn is the one with Ozai." She added bitterly.
"That's… quite a few bridges." Touya noted with a blink before he frowned. "Should we save Ozai for last, or head to his cell after we visit Zuko and Iroh?" He asked.
"I'd like to leave him for last." The girl said before taking a sip of her tea. "For now though, I'd like to visit my uncle." She continued. "He has a tea shop in Ba Sing Sei called the Jasmine Dragon. If we want to see him, we'll have to go there." She added.
"Alright. I'll talk to dad when I get the chance about our trip." The boy nodded.
"Thank you, darling." The princess smiled as she kissed him on the cheek.
Dragon Emperor0: I personally think that Iroh is the perfect place to start. He's the most understanding, forgiving, and she was kinda responsible for throwing him in jail so… yeah. Good choice.
ThermalsniperN7: I agree. Plus, Iroh is the best uncle. Do not refute.
Dragon Emperor0: Next chapter will be pretty emotional so… Fair warning. Anyway guys, see you next time.