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Chapter Text

“And also for Azula…a gift from Lu Ten.”

The little girl’s ears perked up at her mother’s voice, dropping the doll her uncle had gotten her on the table. Lu Ten? What did he get me? , she wondered with excitement. She could always count on him to watch her back and get her a proper present. And if anyone could win a prize from the battlefield, it would’ve been the favored child of the Fire Lord. Not some fatso who sat back and got the closest thing to him.

Seriously? A doll? That was the best he could do?

Her mother kept reading the letter. “He said he found this in a monastery in one of the outer rings of the city. The warrior monks there fought tooth and nail defending this gift. It appears to be some kind of artifact that he thought would interest her.”

With that, Ursa handed Azula the paper wrapped box, eliciting a rather jealous look from Zuko. “Okay! Why does she get two presents and I only get one?!”

“Zuko, the letter says here that Lu Ten figured it was a better gift for Azula. Uncle Iroh already got you that knife, remember?” Ursa gently chided, before giving a stern look to Azula who was sticking her tongue out at him.

Yeah right. More like HE knows who’s the better child , she mused to herself. Seriously. If her brother actually paid attention in class or bothered to properly practice his firebending skills, maybe he’d get two presents. Besides, what did he know? A doll wasn’t exactly a present. Like what is she supposed to do with it? Play dress up and pretend to get her ready to get married? Blech.

No, this had some weight to it. Azula lifted the gift up and down, feeling it was a bit heavier than your standard package. Her excitement only grew as she undid the wrapping, seeing a glimmer of gold beneath. Eagerly, she tore the rest off and beheld a golden box about the size of one of her mother’s makeup kits.

It only reached a fever pitch when she saw a blue dragon engraved on the front of it. Okay! Now THIS was a gift. Whatever inside had to have been important! After all, people died for it! Why else would it have been in a monastery?!

Azula lifted the lid, a big smile on her face to see-

-a spinning top. 

…”What?”

Yeah it was a…spinning top. Well, that and what looked like a propeller with a string running through it.

…

Okay, maybe both Uncle AND Lu Ten had poor tastes in presents.

Azula looked between her…”gift”, and Zuko, who was fiddling around with that knife that Uncle got him. That engraved dagger which was taken off of a fallen soldier. Picking up the spinning top (which she was surprised was a little heavier than she thought), it was…at least it looked a bit fancier than the ones you might see a peasant playing with in the streets. It was ringed with jagged edges that upon closer inspection looked like dragon heads.

At the center was the blue dragon from the box, coiled around and stretching out its claws like it was about to attack. It…definitely didn’t resemble any dragon she was familiar with. Where were its wings and whiskers? Why were those claws so big? She figured this dragon was what Lu Ten figured would make a suitable present for her (she did love dragons after all), but this wasn’t exactly a proper Fire Nation dragon. Probably a cheap knock off some Earth Kingdom peddler engraved based on what he heard from stories told by Fire Nation soldiers.

Then he probably suckered some poor monastary into thinking that a spinning top was some ancient relic. People died for this? Seriously?

Hastily, Azula put back the spinner in the golden box and slammed it shut, feeling a wave of embarrassment paint her face red.

She got excited over a spinner top. This…this was a day.

Azula burst into her room, slamming the door shut and collapsing on her bed, trying desperately not to cry.

Well, Mother admitted it. She had called Azula a monster right to her face. And for what? Scorching Zuko’s hair a little bit in a prank? It was an accident! She told Mother herself! Wasn’t her fault if her stupid brother couldn’t handle a little fire!

But noooooo . Between Zuko’s bawling, she couldn’t get a word in before Ursa just confirmed what she always knew. Even still, Azula almost had vertigo, just barely keeping the tears in while clutching her blanket. It wasn’t fair! Father would have praised her! Why was her mother acting like she had done something unforgivable?!

The little girl sniffled, finally letting a few tears leak from her eyes. Oh she hoped Father wouldn’t see her like this. It was bad enough she got scolded for no reason. She didn’t want to seem weak in front of him. Not like Zuko. She wasn’t weak like Zuko. She couldn’t be! She’s the prodigy! So why did mom always coddle him when he failed and ignored her when she succeeded?! And why couldn’t these tears stop falling down?!?

Azula buried her head into her covers, trying to stop the tears. She sniffled some more, unable to comprehend what was going on. It was like she was torn between both parents. The one who loved her and the one who she wanted to be loved by. How do you go about pleasing both when one is repelled by everything the other praised you for?

A few sobs left her mouth, just barely muffled by the fabric of the bed. Oh great! Now she’s bawling just like-

A glimmer of gold caught her eye on the nightstand.

Lu Ten’s gift.

She had left it there, not touching it since she first received it. Didn’t know why she did. There was just a stupid spinner top inside. Maybe it was because the blue dragon on the front was…well, it was a dragon at least. Even if it was some cheap parody of one. Probably would be the closest she ever got to one considering that Uncle Fatso killed the last one.

And at least whoever engraved it made it at least look somewhat intimidating. They got that right at least. They certainly put a lot of effort into what was clearly a vague image of one of the extinct beasts from another land in their heads instead of the real thing.

The blue dragon…

Azula got up from her bed, rubbing her arm in front of her reddened eyes. Picking up the box, she gingerly opened it and grasped the spinner top in her hands. Holding it under the candle light, she could see that it was more ornate than her first impressions had told her. Tiny bits of what looked like sapphire and ruby trailed behind each of the dragon heads forming the jagged spines, with a bit of shiny emerald embedded in what looked like the eyes of the heads. The spinner itself looked like white opal.

This must’ve been important to whoever made it. Maybe it wasn’t just some cheapskate trying to sell something. But then why put so much effort into a toy to begin with? Only a child would’ve had anything to do with it.

And the image of the dragon in the middle was just staring at her, almost like it was waiting for her to do something.

…

…

Azula looked up at the door, waiting for a minute to confirm that she was alone. Gingerly, she took the propeller with the string and examined it. There looked like what seemed to be a place where she could lock the spinner top in. She guessed you had to pull the string to make it go.

Curiously, she pushed the spinner into the slot, wound up the propeller, and grasped the string.

Well…at least this would be better than crying.

Rapidly, Azula pulled on the string all the way through the propeller, causing the spinner to drop to the floor and…well, spin rapidly.

It spun for a few seconds before Azula felt like an idiot. Who would put this much effort into a-?

As soon as she said that, a gust of wind suddenly appeared around the top, pushing Azula back and causing her to yelp in surprise. Before she could cry out proper, the winds just increased in velocity, forcing her to cover her eyes. It just felt like they were getting stronger with each passing moment.

She tried to back away, but the gust that was soon becoming a gale consumed her. Despite her best efforts, the girl crouched in fright. What was happening?! Where did all this wind come from?!?

Just as soon as it started, the winds began to die down, allowing Azula to lower her arms…

…only to see a massive blue dragon right in front of her.

Her heart nearly stopped as she nearly fell from the shock.

A dragon!

In fact, it seemed to be the very strange dragon she saw on the spinning top. No wings sprouted from its shoulders, the horns were very different, where there should’ve been a mammalian muzzle was replaced by a reptilian, almost bird-like snout, and its forearms were disproportionately large compared to the rest of its body.

And those claws. They seemed to be sharp and long as swords. Maybe even a bit longer! And it almost looked like they were made of steel…

Before Azula could even cry out for help, the beast reared its massive head and roared. She felt herself floored from the force of the bellow, as if being pushed back by some strong wind. And the roar certainly sounded like the howl of a storm.

Then the dragon’s slitted eyes looked down at her.

Fear gripped her heart, moving her arms as she desperately tried to crawl away, never taking her eyes off the serpent-esque face lowered to her level, eyeing her. The small child saw the gleaming fangs from its maw, and she knew that all it took was a quick snap of the jaw, and Princess Azula would go down in history to be the first royal to be eaten by a supposedly extinct monster.

She expected the gnashing of jaws. The tearing of flesh. Her terrified screams for her father being the last thing she would’ve heard before whatever was left of her slide down into the beast’s gullet.

…what she didn’t expect was the dragon bowing to her.

“Greetings Princess Azula.”

Her head whipped around, trying to find the source of that mysterious voice, only for her eyes to fall on the reptile.

“Did…did you just talk?” she nervously asked.

What sounded like a warm chuckle rumbled from the dragon’s throat. “Of course. Who else is here?”

Azula quickly looked around her room, seeing that only she and the dragon were the only ones there. Her mind was racing to piece things together. She played with a spinning top, then suddenly a DRAGON appeared out of a burst of wind. What…what was-?

“Forgive me. I must imagine this is all a bit much for one as young as yourself. You may call me Dragoon, Guardian Beast of Air.”

…

“I imagine you have a lot of questions.”

“Uh…yeah,” the little girl managed to squeak out.

“You get three for now. I’d rather not lay so much on one as young as yourself in so short a time.”

Right. Guess that makes sense, Azula reasoned. But then again, how did any of this make sense? You don’t just summon a talking dragon from a spinning top after all. Still, the beast was willing to explain at least a little bit. Now it was a question of what to ask so she can get the most information out of this. Father always taught her not to waste an opportunity.

“Who…are you? Exactly?”

The dragon- Dragoon, need to remember that -lifted his head a little, evidently trying to find the best way to answer that. “I am a spirit beast. One of a number of my kind as a matter of fact.”

“Wait? You’re a spirit?” Azula’s blood froze. She heard the old stories of spirits, of how they used to snatch children from their beds and plague villages with illnesses and death before Fire Lord Sozin banished them all with the rest of the archaic old world.

“Relax. I’m not going to hurt you if that’s what you’re thinking,” Dragoon gently consoled, though she wasn’t sure how much she could trust his word on the matter. “Most of us aren’t like that. In fact, we spirit beasts have chosen to live amongst humanity rather than apart. Well…at least try to in these trying times.

“Besides, I cannot hold a little girl accountable for what others have done. That just isn’t right.”

He looked away for a moment, evidently holding something back. Azula honestly wasn’t sure of what to believe. Spirits were supposed to be devious after all. And if he truly was from the Earth Kingdom, that just gave her more reason to be on guard. Maybe he was trying to make himself look good so she wouldn’t get wise.

She needed more information.

“Okay, you’re a spirit…but you hide yourself in a spinner toy?”

“Beyblade.”

“...I’m sorry. What?”

“Beyblade. It’s what my power is contained in,” Dragoon explained. “It’s the easiest way we can get close to humans without causing a panic. It’s small, inconspicuous, and simple to handle. All in all, the perfect channeling item.”

“Yeah, but why not a sword or a knife?” Azula was confused. Why would a spirit choose a toy as some way to interact and communicate with humans?

“Because a sword kills. We’re spirits , not weapons. It is our decision on whether or not we choose to manifest ourselves and exert our power when called upon. A blade doesn’t have that choice.

“You have one question remaining by the way.”

Well…shoot . She hadn’t realized she had burned through her first two questions so quickly. And there were still a lot of unknowns, so many uncertainties. While on the one hand this…Dragoon didn’t seem hostile and was willing to answer her questions. On the other, there is only so much you can learn about somebody from only two questions. The third she would need to make count.

Still, what should she ask? What would give her the clearest picture of what this being’s intentions are?

“Alright. What were you doing in the Earth Kingdom monastery?”

Dragoon sighed, heightening Azula’s interests. Her eyes and ears were primed. Somehow she knew she was about to get at the heart of the matter.

“I am a Guardian Beast, one of four among our kind who have dedicated themselves to overseeing the world along with the Avatar. My domain was in the east. Your…cousin discovered my resting place when he and his men tore their way through the streets. Seeing how fervently my caretakers fought to protect me, I’m guessing he saw me as a war trophy.”

As soon as he let the words out into the air, he turned and uttered something under his breath. Most people probably wouldn’t have made it out, but Ozai did not raise her daughter to be like anyone else. So she caught the word “Butchers…” leave his maw.

If being associated with the Avatar, the old remnant of an archaic and savage world set the powder, her cousin being regarded as a butcher lit the spark.

“MY COUSIN’S NOT A BUTCHER!!!” Azula exploded. “He is the heir to the throne, and you WILL show him respect while you are here in the Fire Nation! Do you understand?”

In hindsight, yelling at a huge dragon was NOT one of her brightest ideas. Especially when said dragon snorted with agitation. “What he DID was murder a whole conclave of monks just to pursue your uncle’s delusions of grandeur!”

“You mean serve his country and Fire Lord dutifully like any soldier should. Right?” Just because she wasn’t exactly in a position to argue with a spirit dragon didn’t mean she was one to back down from a challenge.

Both Azula and Dragoon glared at each other, almost daring the other to give an inch. To back down and admit defeat. It didn’t take long though for the beast to close his eyes and sigh.

“Forgive me. My beef is with your cousin, uncle, and the Fire Lord. Not you. You’re…too young to understand.”

Understand what? Iroh was a lazy glory hound while grandfather was a withered old fossil who hadn’t seen the sun in years, but they were still Fire Nation. And was it not the Fire Nation who was destined to bring about the dawn of a new age to all mankind?

This…she had enough. Whatever this creature was, they had just admitted to being in league with the enemies of her country. And like any dutiful servant of the Fire Nation, it was her duty to-

“If I may, can I ask YOU a question?”

Azula crossed her arms and looked imperiously (or at least tried to given her age) at the dragon. Fine. She’ll humor him. “Go ahead.”

“Why were you crying earlier?”

…

“What?”

Dragoon looked at her with some…strange soft look in his eye. “You were crying. Mumbling about how you weren’t a monster. Did something happen?”

Oh…he heard.

Suddenly all the bravado she had mustered was blown away, leaving her looking rather mortified. All the energy that had been infused in her body was drained, leaving her with that feeling of being swallowed up all over again.

“It’s…nothing. I just…it was just a firebending accident. Those happen all the time around here.” She turned away, unable to look the spirit in the eye. It wasn’t that she was ashamed, after all it was Dumb Dumb who made it sound worse than it actually was. It was more that crying in front of a being such as this Dragoon would’ve been shameful. Would’ve made her look weak. And at the back of her mind, she was worried that any moment of weakness was an invitation for the beast to lash out.

If Dragoon saw through her, quite frankly, pitiful attempt to save face, he gave no indication. “Firebending…is this important to you?”

“Important? Firebending is… everything! ” she answered with a start. “It’s who I am! It’s what I was born to do! It’s what I’m best at! I have to be the best at it! Mother doesn’t understand that! Otherwise… who am I?!”

Azula clammed up as the words left her mouth. It was too much that she just told the dragon. He didn’t need to know what’s going on between her and Mother. How she never gave her the time of day while always coddling her brother despite failing over and over. How she called her a-

No! I…I can’t go there. Not now.

“Would practicing firebending help you feel better?”

She blinked as she registered Dragoon’s question. “I mean…yeah.”

With that, the beast almost seemed to nod. “Very well. I am willing to help you practice if that is what you desire. Been awhile since I’ve had any action anyways.”

Again, the princess blinked. “Wait. You’re a spirit. How can you possibly help me train? Why are you helping me train?!”

“To answer the first, all you need to do is let forth my Beyblade once more and I’ll be able to exert a fraction of my power. It’s not a living opponent, but it should suffice. And for the second…”

Dragoon leaned forward with that look again, how his eyes softened from gazing into hers. “I was awoken by the sound of a child crying. I am many things, but I won’t let a little girl cry alone if I can’t help it.”

Before she could ask why a spirit would help a Princess of the Fire Nation, the winds picked up again, obscuring the blue dragon from view and forcing Azula to shield her eyes once more. By the time they died down, everything had seemingly returned to normal. Azula looked around the room. Nothing was strewn about from the winds. No guards opened her door to figure out where the roaring was coming from. It made her wonder for a moment if what she saw was a vision.

It took the soft sound of metal hitting the floor to tell her otherwise. Looking down, she saw that the spinn-Beyblade had stopped, the image of the dragon positioned to look at her almost expectedly.

For a moment, Azula considered rushing out of the room to tell her father what had transpired. About how Lu Ten’s gift had inadvertently smuggled in a spirit dragon into their home. That’s what a good daughter does after all.

And yet…looking down at the Beyblade at her feet…she wasn’t sure. If Dragoon wanted her dead, he would’ve done it without even waiting to introduce himself. And he hadn’t given any reason to her about possibly being a threat. Granted he didn’t reassure her of anything, but then why even reveal himself to her when he could’ve waited to go after her father or the Fire Lord when the opportunity presented itself?

…

…

She wasn’t sure why, but Azula knelt down and cradled the Beyblade in the palm of her hand.

Well…maybe ONE training session wouldn’t be out of the question.

Azula made sure that nobody was in the training room or anyone was anywhere near the training room. Peeking her head out the door and quickly looking at both ends of the empty hallway one last time, she gently slid the entrance shut, locking it behind her.

Didn’t exactly want anybody eavesdropping on her sparring with a potentially deadly spirit. Even she wasn’t sure about what she was doing. But getting a proper partner meant roaming the halls looking for a trainer, and that would run the risk of running into Mother who probably had more than a few words to say from earlier.

Or worse, Father. Who’d want to know exactly why she insisted on doing some extra training and put two and two together. He had a funny way of doing that. And the last thing Azula wanted was for him to be mad at her too for crying…

On the other hand, she could practice by herself. She often did that and it wasn’t like it would cause anybody to look at her funny and start asking questions. But even that didn’t exactly seem too appealing at the moment.

So, gazing at the innocuous looking Beyblade in her hand, Azula sighed. If anyone catches me playing with you, I’m gonna roast you , she mentally told the painted Dragoon on the Bey’s surface.

The emerald eyes just stared back at her. If the spirit within was some kind of mindreader, it gave no indication.

Nodding to herself that she was in fact about to do this, Azula closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Her body then went through the motions, warming her body up. Feeding and feeling the flame burning within, how it flickered and swayed with each stretch and stance. Everything almost seemed to stop all at once. No sadness. No thoughts of Mother or Zuzu or anyone else.

Just her and her inner fire.

And when she felt the embers as she exhaled from every breath, she snapped the Beyblade into its launcher and rapidly pulled the cord, sending it flying.

Azula got into a firebending stance, watching the Bey spin rapidly across the floor, picking up gusts of wind as it did before. Her breathing was even, waiting for the spirit within to make the first move.

Course there was only so much one could expect when you’re dueling a spinning top. What she didn’t expect was for the Beyblade to change directions in a sharp curve and rocket towards her, a gust of wind being left in its wake. Luckily her training kicked in regardless of what she was dueling with, nimbly dodging to the side as the Bey rocketed past, feeling the wind breeze through her clothes.

In one fluid motion, she quickly rolled up from the dodge and thrust out her fist, sending out a burst of flame. The Beyblade quickly halted its trajectory and spun in place for a second, generating a swift breeze that batted the fireball away. Azula’s eyes widened, recognizing the claw swipe of a dragon. She almost didn’t notice the Bey zipping forward before it turned, the jagged edges scraping the floor behind it which slowed its velocity.

But it also let forth a gale of wind as its tip dug into the floor. Azula’s stance loosened up as she did a small jump and let forth a slice of fire in the air, cutting apart the gale before thrusting her fist forward to let forth another fire burst. The Bey-or rather Dragoon at this point-switched directions again and raced towards her, the winds that were pulled in front of it batting away the fire as it rushed towards her.

Azula on the other hand mischievously smirked. As unconventional as this opponent was, she did notice a critical weakness in their defense. An old trick she learned when sparring with her instructors.

Before Dragoon could reach her, Azula dropped and swiped her leg across the floor, sending a low blade of fire against the Bey. It was too low for the winds to be able to catch directly, causing the flames to sweep right into Dragoon’s center, the tip.

Break your opponent’s footing, and victory will be swift , is what her father taught her.

She almost pat herself on the back as she watched the Bey fly into the air…before Dragoon spun rapidly in mid-flight, generating a burst of air behind them and flying over her head. Bringing the high winds behind with them. Azula could do little except brace herself and grunt as she was sent skittering to the floor.

At that point, the Beyblade slowed down a bit, a voice warmly chuckling from the air around it. “Well fought Azula. You did fairly well for somebody who fought against a Beyblade for the first time.”

“You’re…not so bad yourself,” Azula genuinely said as she got up. Granted she figured that Dragoon wouldn’t be an easy opponent, but he certainly showed a lot of technique and skill despite being inside of a toy.

“Fancy another round then?” Dragoon asked when the Bey came to a stop. The little girl smiled for the first time in a good while as she strode across.

“You’re not getting the better of me so easily!” she dared as she wound up and sent Dragoon flying for the next round.

And so they went at it for quite a bit, fire against wind, girl against spirit dragon. It was quite an unconventional match for certain. The so-called “spinning top” did a decent job of exerting the beast’s power, an equal to Azula’s finesse and skill. He’d win some rounds. She’d win others. So it proceeded until the little girl’s breath finally caught up to her.

After how many rounds, Azula sat down with a smile on her face, clearly spent. Dragoon’s Beyblade lay on the ground next to her, almost waiting for something. Not needing to be told twice, the little girl closed her eyes, feeling the adrenaline course through her veins as her breath slowed. Her inner flame was blazing, but it had died down a little since the sessions.

She almost saw the dragon in her mind smiling back at her. “Feeling a little better?” he asked.

“Yeah. Thanks, I…needed that,” Azula admitted. It honestly did feel nice to get lost in her bending for a while.

And…it did feel nice to have a friend when she most needed one. Even if said friend was a spirit inside of a toy. Her eyes opened, gently picking up the Beyblade and staring at the image of Dragoon.

Yeah…it felt good to have somebody looking after her.

Chapter Text

The first thing that Azula noticed when walking through the stone tunnel was the roar of the waterfall.

The next thing she took note of walking out through the overgrown vines at the end was the massive statue of a serpent coiled at the edge of the water pooling at the foot of the torrent.

She and the Avatar came out in the middle of a steamy, jungle dominated valley, the mist of the waterfall cascading over the stony grounds before them. Thick brush and leaves took root at the edges of the stone, the architecture of the Air Nomads giving way to the impenetrable foliage climbing up the walls of the valley they found themselves in. Coming closer to the statue, Azula saw the river responsible for carving out the valley rushing past them, runoff from the waterfall in front of them.

For a moment, Azula thought the statue looked familiar. The great size and horn on its head almost seemed like a dragon. But a closer look showed that there was no wings, no legs or claws, not even the trademark whiskers and mane of a regular dragon. Granted it did have what appeared to be a row of spines running down its back ending in a splayed tail.

But the crested great horn on the edge of its snout, the hood ringing its neck like a cobra, and what appeared to be some kind of golden brace at the base of its neck coiling around its emerald scales were not the traits of a dragon.

“What did you say this thing was?” she hesitantly asked.

“It’s a Naga,” the Avatar asked cheerfully. “They’re some of the most revered spirits by the Air Nomads. Some of the older temples in the Fire Nation paid tribute to them, honoring them as they would dragons. Guess they saw a resemblance.”

Very fleeting resemblance , Azula inwardly thought. Looking closer, she noticed that the Naga appeared to have engraved flames coming out of its maw. Kind of a contrast with all the water it seemed to be surrounded by. The only hint of its affiliation with fire outside of the flames was a brazier in front of it, likely for firebenders to commune with the spirit in their own way. Then again, a beast like this being honored by those backward sages is to be expected. After all, dragons were honored for being the pure embodiments of fire, not some mixture with the other elements.

Well…at least before we hunted them all down.

 “I don’t know about this Avatar-”

“Aang.”

“...Aang. Why would a spirit help somebody like me?” Those fangs after all looked pretty savage, even for a snake. If she managed to actually get its attention, who’s to say it wouldn’t take umbrage with the one who nearly killed the Avatar. And the descendent of the man who slaughtered its worshippers.

The Avatar-Aang (old habits) though placed a reassuring hand on her armored shoulder. “Relax. I know spirits can be temperamental. Especially Nagas. But the thing I learned was that they’re a lot like us. You can have nice spirits as well as nasty ones. And Mucalinda here is one of the nicest Nagas out there. Plus I already meditated with him and he said willing to help you out.

“...I hope,” he admitted a bit nervously. “It’s been a while since anyone from the Fire Nation has meditated with him.”

And I’m probably the LAST person he’d want to talk to on a good day , Azula bitterly noted. She made a quick look at herself, decked out in royal armor. It was mainly to keep herself calm as opposed to any real protection.

Still, looking up at the statue of the draconic serpent, the princess figured she didn’t have much else to lose. She had tried everything, but she still had nightmares and panic attacks. It wasn’t like anybody back at the Palace would be any help. And the only people who’d be willing to help her were her former enemies. Something that she wasn’t entirely comfortable with, lest they drive a knife in between her ribs. Not the Avatar, no. But certainly not the Water Tribe peasants.

Granted, conversing with a spirit wasn’t exactly an ideal solution either…but she wasn’t getting any younger just standing here.

“Alright. Let’s do it.”

Sitting down on the damp stone before the brazier, setting it alight with a small burst of flame from her fingertips. The blue fire was a comfort amidst all of this mysticism. Something she recognized and could feel with every breath she took. And indeed, she closed her eyes and fell back into the old pattern. Breathe in…breathe out…feeling the fire wax and wane with each exhalation.

The Avatar sat a distance behind her, close enough to bring her out if things got bad, but far enough so he couldn’t try anything about her bending. Granted he had reassured her over and over again that he had absolutely had no intentions of energybending her, but it didn’t quite extinguish the instinct in her gut. You had to be on edge when in enemy territory after all.

That was the thought in her mind as her mind slipped into a trance, the noise of the waterfall faded, and all she felt was the dancing flame in front of her.

When Azula’s eyes fluttered open, there was no statue.

There was a brazier with blue fire in front of where the statue was supposed to have been, the cascading waterfall and the flowing river that the spirit was supposed to be overlooking. But no statue.

She got up with a start, quickly examining the area around her, yet she found herself alone in the ruins. The Avatar had vanished, furthering her wariness. Without thinking she got into a firebending stance, scanning the area for any signs of an ambush. Her ears were primed for the rustling of the underbrush, a gale of wind, anything to figure out where the boy had gone. Just because he was a child didn’t make him any less dangerous.

Well, she certainly felt something. Yet it wasn’t the wind. It was something more…familiar.

The crackling and feel of another fire that was not her own.

From above…

Looking up, Azula saw a huge bird hovering in the sky, its feathers completely consumed in flame. It’s eyes glowing with a fiery ember. And its sharp talons flexed with anticipation.

On instinct, Azula got in a firebending stance. There was nowhere to run, and she felt like the Avatar wasn’t coming any time soon to save her. Knowing her luck, he’d probably led her into this trap.

“You pathetic fool…”

Her eyes widened and the fire was drained from her arms. That voice…was that-?

“I gave you a simple task, and you let your worthless brother steal the throne! After everything thing I did for you, everything I trained you to be, this is how you repay me?!?!”

Fear froze her solid as that familiar voice assaulted her ears. Suddenly she felt…very small. Tears began to well up in her eyes as she tried to explain. “Father…I-”

“I don’t want excuses!!” the bird roared, causing her to flinch. “You failed when I needed you the most! You failed your people and let a weakling on the throne! You had EVERYTHING! And you still lost it all!”

“Please…I…I-”

“No. I’ve had enough. There’s no reasoning for a failure of this magnitude. You failed . And now…I shall give you your just reward.”

Azula nearly had vertigo. He…he didn’t mean-

Indeed, the flaming bird let out a fiery shriek as it swooped down, claws outreached and fire spewing from its beak.

And the Princess…the pathetic girl who threw away everything could just stand in fear and watch as her judge dove down to rip her to shreds.

Too afraid to close her eyes and wait for the end.

Her ears though…they heard something else.

Something bursting out of the water behind her.

Before she could even think, a huge serpentine body leapt out of the water and landed right in front of her. Right as the phoenix screeched and roared forth a burst of fire from its beak, the newcomer turned around to face the stunned princess and leaned over her, expanding its hood to shield her from the flames.

Embers and steam fell from the snake’s hood, the water that covered the back of its head acting as a sort of shield to absorb the worst of the fire. And for a moment, Azula and the Naga locked eyes. Golden eyes meeting red reptilian orbs.

It was a fleeting second before the Naga whipped around and lashed out its tail, bringing with it a stream of water that reminded Azula all too much of a certain waterbender’s lashes. The watery tail hit the fiery bird, slamming it into the rock and causing its feathers to steam and hiss, the fires beginning to die a little.

Rearing up to its full height, displaying the great horn on its brow and extending its hood, the Naga roared with fury, warning the bird to stand down.

Azula knew the infernal being though. Knew the hate filled look it gave both her and the interloper. And knew that it wasn’t going down without a fight.

The bird shrieked, flapping its wings and hurling itself at the serpent with talons outstretched. All they found was empty air, their prey having rapidly dodged to the side. Fangs were then exposed by the Naga’s extended jaws before they sank into the flesh of the raptor’s exposed back. A cry of pain and rage erupted from the phoenix’s beak, trails of flame and cinders following its wings as it rapidly twisted around, dragging the latched-on snake with it.

With a twist so rapid, the river spirit didn’t have any time to react before its emerald scales were pierced with swordlike claws. A flap of crimson wings and a small ascension were also the only warning it received before being slammed into the ground by the fire elemental, the talons only sinking deeper.

To its credit though, the Naga only let out a grimaced hiss of pain before turning its head to glare at the phoenix. Not that it would accomplish much as fire gathered in the bird’s beak…

A blue fireball proceeded to slam itself in the bird’s face. Hissing with fury, it wheeled around to glare at the one to deny it its prey.

Azula’s eyes met the raging fury of the phoenix, and her firebending stance faltered.

“YOU INSOLENT-!!!” the phoenix’s words in that familiar voice devolved into shrieking as it flapped its wings, propelling it forward. The talons, beak, and flames now all aimed at the rebellious youth.

In its rage though, it forgot about its true foe. Now released from the bird’s grasp, the Naga roared as it leapt forward and sunk its fangs into the feathered neck. The rest of its body twisted and curled around, wrapping itself around the burning body. A cry of fury pierced the air, but it was too late. Rapidly the snake brought the raptor to the ground, and pushed both itself and its opponent into the raging torrent of the river. 

Azula rushed to the water’s edge, seeing the glow of the flame disappear beneath the water. The river steamed and raged as the two beings wrestled out of sight. Her heart nearly seized up with anticipation and dread.

A glow of red though caused her to rapidly backpedal before the phoenix burst from the water. She had to throw up her arms to protect her face from scalding water, her armor proving its worth as it endured hot water being sprayed onto her. Looking through her arms though, she saw that once more the bird’s flames had died down, the feathers going from a brilliant orange to a deeper maroon.

Not that it made the fire spirit any less dangerous. Its eyes and head rapidly darted back and forth, before zeroing in on a disturbance in the waterfall. Both it and Azula could see that the Naga was actually swimming up the fall, gliding through it as easily as if it were regular standing water.

Naturally the bird could see its opening, its body heating up with flames once more as it prepared another attack.

And once again, Azula’s body moved before her mind. All at once it seemed as things were a bit clearer, her movements fluid and splitting apart the atoms in the air. Before long, lightning was called to her fingertips, aimed directly at the raptor, and crackling with anticipation.

Course, the phoenix wheeled around from the noise and saw the girl preparing to shoot at it with lightning. Azula’s breath was nearly caught, almost causing her prepared lightning to falter. It didn’t help that the phoenix cried out with fury before it prepared itself to go on the attack once more.

A burst of water from behind the bird was what finally convinced Azula to fire her payload, the air thundering and crackling as the lightning bolt snaked through the air.

At the same time, the Naga had burst from the waterfall, bringing with it a torrent of water it practically launched itself from, sailing right over the phoenix.

Lightning and water came at the bird from two directions. It only had maybe a second to shriek in surprise before the elements collided, the water smothering its flames and conducting the electricity. It thrashed for a moment or two before the flames died out completely, having turned to ash.

When the water fell from the sky and the electricity had run its course, all that the river carried away was a blackened pile of soot.

The Naga landed on the stonework, wheeling back around to make sure their interloper had been dealt with. Seeing that the attacker was in fact gone, it let out a sigh. For the danger had passed.

Not for Azula though. She had stood shell shocked from what had transpired. How…clearly she remembered the voice. It took everything she had to keep herself from crumpling into a ball, hoping that this was just a bad dream.

“Greetings Princess Azula. I have been expecting you.”

The…rather polite and sagely voice told her otherwise that this wasn’t a dream. She looked with surprise as the Naga politely bowed to her with its hood receding. “I wish we could’ve met on more peaceful terms, but you fought admirably.”

She stood there cluelessly for a few seconds before her mind brought her back up to speed, prompting her to bow in return. “Greetings…Mucalinda.” Azula hoped she said the name right. Didn’t want the giant snake to have any reason to rip her to pieces on the spot.

What sounded like a chuckle erupted from the Naga’s maw. “Relax Princess. You are perfectly safe here in my sanctuary. No harm shall come to you when you are my guest.”

Azula didn’t believe it. Warm the greeting was, her eyes were peeled for any betrayal of the spirit’s true intentions. Everyone knew that all spirits were dangerous, how their only interests in mankind were if they benefited their own. What lies did this Mucalinda tell the Avatar to get her to this vulnerable position? To avenge past wrongs and snuff out a monster where no one else would.

“Then what was that thing that attacked me earlier?” the Princess demanded.

Mucalinda’s tongue flicked out from his reptilian snout, likely tasting the air for any scent of fear. She remained as stoic as a rock, remembering not to show any weakness in front of any enemy.

“The Spirit World is very sensitive to human emotions and wills. What attacked us was a manifestation born from the baggage that you carried with you.”

“Baggage? I…don’t have any baggage!” Azula snapped a bit too quickly.

“Relax. I’m not upset. Most humans don’t know how the Spirit World works, so you’re not to blame for letting your fear create that being,” Mucalinda tried to reassure, but Azula wouldn’t have any of his honeyed words. She knew it. It was a trap! It was all a trap set by the Avatar and this thing to kill her! She should’ve known. She should’ve-

SMASH!!!

Azula’s eyes shot opened when she heard the sound of a mirror shattering.

And at the end of the room, she saw herself hunched over the table, being barely able to keep her tears inside. With all the dark corners of the room closing in on her.

She backed up until she hit the wall behind her, slowly sliding against it before landing on the floor.

The day of her coronation.

Sozin’s Comet.

“You were so…alone…”

Azula could barely restrain herself from snarling as the great serpent slide past her, the emerald scales pushing him towards the forsaken child. “I…I had to…”

“You had to what?” Mucalinda asked, looking back at her.

“Mai…Ty Lee…Zuko…Mother…Father…I was so scared of everyone leaving…but I pushed them all away in the end…”

She suddenly hugged her legs tightly, trying fruitlessly to keep her eyes clear of tears. This was a dark day for her. One she remembered so vividly in her dreams.

What she became that day…

“A child raised in fear will only ever know fear.”

“...what?”

The serpent let out a sigh. “You hurt others because you were hurt yourself. Yet you didn’t know how to hang on to the ones without hurting them. Fear poisoned your relationship with Mai and Ty Lee, for that is what you were raised in. You were taught to be ruthless and pragmatic. That obedience superseded all. For the lesson for disobedience was beyond horrific.”

Cries of a tortured boy and the smell of scorched flesh overwhelmed Azula’s senses, with her skin on her face practically standing on edge. That was a lesson she still remembered every time she saw her brother’s face…

“What’s the point though?” she bitterly spat out. “I…burned my bridges with all of them. Even staying in the palace feels like some kind of insult. Like I’m just tolerated more than anything else. Doesn’t matter what happened before, what’s done…is done,” she told herself. Another lesson. You had to live with the consequences of what you did. Never let them get to you or drag you down.

Looking at the distraught girl in front of the mirror though…she failed miserably in that lesson.

“Perhaps…yet there were never any happy memories you shared together at all? Was it all just a lie?”

Azula felt herself deflate, her mind wandering to the past, almost by itself. And with it, the surroundings shifted. Now they were standing out in one of the palace gardens. Birds were singing in the air. A small breeze had picked up and carried the scent of the flowers.

And at the other side of the garden, a small child was performing her firebending for her friends. A sullen girl, a cheerful girl with a ponytail, and her older brother. All had a smile on their faces, marveling at her almost prodigious talent with the flame.

Behind them, her parents sat. Her mother’s expression was unreadable, but her father…he too had a smile on his face. One of pride. In another lifetime, Azula would’ve craved that smile above all others. Nowadays, she…just wasn’t sure anymore.

“It does feel like a lie looking back. But…at least it felt good when it happened.”

“Maybe that’s because it was for a time, I think. Living out a dream. Unfortunate that the war tore everything apart,” the Naga mused.

The more Azula watched her younger self firebend, the more she couldn’t help but agree with the snake. She wasn’t sure what he was getting at, but she did remember a time when her firebending was something she was proud of. It was an extension of her soul. Something she excelled at and wasn’t afraid of letting everyone know about it. A thing she could always believe in.

Then the sky turned red, a comet appeared in the sky, and they were suddenly in the courtyard of the Fire Nation Palace.

Azula’s face drained as she saw what happened that day. Her sloppy firebending. Her getting trounced by her failure of a brother. Humiliated by a waterbending peasant.

Being chained to the grate and bawling her eyes out like an animal.

Her breath quickened, seeing herself breathe blue fire and screaming hysterically. Everything she had aspired to had come to this.

A humiliating failure.

She almost felt vertigo, seeing the nightmare being played out before her again. But a scaly body gently held her up before she could fall. “I…no child should have ever had to have gone through this.”

At first, Azula thought it was some kind of insult. Some barb meant to get under her skin. Looking up though…she didn’t see any kind of malice. Mucalinda looked at the scene with…pity? For her?

“I lost. I…have no excuse. That day, I forfeited any right to call myself a member of the Royal Family.” The words fell from her mouth. Those were the ones she used to justify everything that happened afterwards. The asylum. The constant humiliations. Having her entire world crumble around her. It was a just punishment. Father would’ve approved.

The Naga obviously sensed her weakness, lowering his head down to look her in the eye. “Yet you still wear the armor of the Royal Family. You still have your title. And from what I’ve heard, you’ve made quite the name for yourself. How can you possibly base your entirety over your worst moment?”

“Cause that’s what I have to live with every day,” Azula snapped back, the pressure finally released. “Every day I still have those nightmares! Every day I get reminded by some noble that I lost to the so-called ‘failure’! And I have to get reminded of how much of a ‘mercy’ it is that I was let out of the asylum or wasn’t executed!”

“So you would let others define you who you are?”

“...I…I…”

Azula couldn’t come up with a response. “What…choice do I have? If people see me as a monster then…what else could I be?”

“A Princess of the Fire Nation for starters. Hero who drove off the roving warbands of Fire Nation war criminals. Helped find a place for many in a new era of peace.”

Yes…yes, the images flooded back. So many memories ran through her head. Defending villages from marauding bandits who didn’t take the hint the war was over. Bonding with other soldiers and youth whose lives were destroyed by the war. Getting a celebration in her name by her friends for coming so far.

Her…friends…

The surroundings lingered on that particular moment. It wasn’t anything particularly special or overblown. Just a get together at Ember Island that Zuzu and Mai set up. The Avatar (Aang) and his friends were there messing around on the beach. Ty Lee was practicing her acrobatics to show off. Her brother and Mai were sitting in the shade enjoying some time together.

And Azula…she was sunbathing, just taking a moment in to enjoy a brief respite of peace from all the strenuous work back in the Earth Kingdom, hunting down the remnants of the Rough Rhinos. Nobody minded her being there. Not her friends. Not Zuzu. Not Aang or his friends. To be perfectly honest, it almost felt as though her absence wouldn’t complete the picture.

“I don’t know about you, but that doesn’t seem like a monster among innocents, don’t you think?” Mucalinda mused.

Azula couldn’t help but nod at his statement. “I…I guess…”

It was odd. For a long time she thought she had driven everyone away. Yet it seemed like…some of them wanted to come back…

…no…

No this…couldn’t be true.

“They just like me now because I’m useful. Because I can put down rebellions and keep the peace. That’s all I am to them. As soon as they don’t have any more use for me, then I’m…I’m going back to…”

“No you’re not,” the Naga said firmly, but Azula didn’t believe a single word of it. And for a moment she was starting to listen to the lies the spirit was spouting. Lies. All of it! She knew that better than anyone. That the moment she stepped out of line, she was going back to that damned asylum. All she could do was keep pleasing them or find some way out of this snare to-

Again, though, her thoughts betrayed her as her boot pressed down on gravel. Her heart nearly seized up when she saw the surroundings.

The asylum…or rather the burnt down ruins of it.

A sobbing sound brought her attention to the sobbing figure in the midst of it. Her again. She remembered now. It was a few months ago when Azula decided enough was enough. The oh-so benevolent Fire Lord had no idea what horrors were behind those doors. So she took matters into her own hands. She freed the inmates and fought off the guards and doctors, razing the whole place to the ground in the process. One thing she didn’t think on was the feeling of coming back flooding her senses, turning her mind into a panic.

Another breakdown. And this time it caught the Avatar’s attention.

Looking up though, she…saw sympathy. The inmates she freed, the girls she had met during her time there were beside her offering comfort and a shoulder to lean on. They had initially gotten between the Avatar and the Fire Lord, telling them that they had to get through them first.

Aang and Zuko on the other hand…there were no threats. Just horror at what those doctors had done.

They gently embraced her shaken form and offered apologies, assurances that the people responsible would pay. And how she wasn’t in any danger.

Seeing herself being hugged by her former enemies while her friends refused to leave her side…it was…

“They didn’t think I was crazy…”

“I doubt anyone would,” the serpent commented, looking at the scene. “Sometimes, we need to be proven wrong in order to fully understand the truth. About how some monsters only ever exist in our own minds.”

…

…no… NO!!!!!

In an instant, Azula flung a fireball in Mucalinda’s face, her eyes just barely holding back a river of tears.

“You don’t get it!!! My destiny to lead my country to greatness!!! So I HAD to be a monster to bring about the glory of the Fire Nation to all!!! I didn’t think you’d understand. NOBODY except Father and I-”

“The same father who abandoned you? Who would’ve done THIS to the world?”

By the time Azula’s vision came to from the snake’s stern voice, the scene had changed into a fiery landscape of ruined forests and villages for as far as the eye can see. The ruined flags of armies dotting the endless battlefield, all marking where the dead made their final stands.

Her eyes widened with horror, tears beginning to streak down her face.

She had been in the Earth Kingdom when they had conquered Ba Sing Se. Heard the stories, steeling herself for the inevitable, seeing a battlefield every now and then…but here was the weight a century of war had born upon the world all in a single sight.

“This is the legacy of your fathers and the Fire Nation,” Mucalinda bluntly stated. “A never ending bloodbath who’s scars will be felt far into the future. Entire generations denied the promise of peace.”

Azula fell to her knees, unable to bear the sight.

This is what Father wanted.

…this is what she would’ve wanted once before.

“...why…why are you showing me this?” she nervously asked, afraid of the response.

What she got though was the Naga gently coiling his body around her. “I am…truly sorry, Princess Azula. But I needed you to see the truth. All of it.”

“That…I’m a monster?”

“...not quite. Look again.”

When Azula opened her eyes, the scenery had…changed. The fires had ended. New plant life and forest had reclaimed their territory, nestling in the wreckages of war machines and tattered flags. In the distance, she thought she could hear the sounds of children playing from some far off village.

“This is your legacy that you helped build. A world where no one would have to go through the same horrors you had to go through. And it’s still healing and growing.”

The young girl couldn’t believe it. All that pain and misery was…gone. Everything had changed. Sure there were signs of the war, but even those were being embraced by nature. It was…beautiful.

“Azula, what did you see when you first looked upon me?”

She looked up at the spirit gently embracing her, the emerald scales, the red eyes, the large horn, and the spiked end of his tail. “I…thought you were some kind of monster,” she admitted.

Mucalinda nodded in understanding. “Indeed. And do you still think me a monster?”

“...no. Not at all.” Azula couldn’t help but feel a little bit of guilt in the pit of her stomach. She had been so wary, that she couldn’t see that the serpent was genuinely trying to help her. Imagine that. A spirit helping the Princess of the Fire Nation. It was unbelievable.

The Naga just chuckled, almost as though he read her mind. “I am intimidating, yes. And I will admit, there are many of my kind that would love nothing to tear the Fire Nation apart for what they did. Or even subjugating humanity for what has happened.” She glanced up, seeing a rather…forlong look on his face. Seemed that much older.

For a moment, she wondered what had happened between him and the other Nagas, or other spirits for that matter.

It was only for a moment though, Mucalinda looking back at her warmly. “But I am NOT one of them. I seek to help those who need me, not seek out vengeance. And that is the key here. We can choose who we are, not what others define us as. Destinies aren’t chosen for us. We make them.”

Sniffling, Azula wiped away a tear. That…did make sense, she supposed. “So…you really think I can change?” she asked.

“Of course. You’re still young, and there’s no telling what you’ll accomplish. The way you are now, I’m certain you’re going to make things just a bit brighter for this world. And one day, all the pain you’ve been through will be naught but a bad memory.”

She didn’t know why, but Azula hugged the serpent, feeling like a great weight had been lifted off her shoulders. “Thank you…I…really appreciate it.”

Affectionately, the serpent gently squeezed one of his coils around her back. “You’re welcome. And you’ve been quite the student. I’ll be happy to guide you in the future if you need me.”

With that, Azula beamed a bit back at Mucalinda, feeling warmer than ever. Even as the vision began to fade, and her consciousness was drawn elsewhere…

When she came back to, Azula was back at the shrine, sitting cross legged in front of the fire and the statue of the Naga.

“So…how did it go?” Aang asked curiously, scooching a bit closer. Honestly it amazed her that the Avatar could go from wise and introspective to childish and back again so quickly.

Still, she only had one thing to say through a tear stained face.

“He’s…a good teacher. A really good teacher.”

Chapter Text

Princess Azula shifted her cloak as she snaked her way through the crowded streets of the marketplace. Granted it wasn’t the perfect disguise, there was only so much you can do to hide your armor, but the cloak and cape at least made her a little less distinguishable amidst the bustling sea of life going about the business of bartering or trading various goods.

Besides, the din of business owners shouting how their ware was the cheapest in the Capital was a lot more preferable to getting chewed out by her brother for telling him maybe the best way to work towards the peace he wants so badly is to NOT give Father’s cronies any political room to maneuver. She swears the only thing that gets through his thick skull is Mother’s praising of his blundering for “trying his best”.

Right. Like somehow she was the bad guy for actually paying attention in class while he was too busy snoozing the day away. It honestly amazed her how he managed to get this far without causing a full blown civil war. Guess that’s what happens when you can just hide behind the Avatar to do all the work for you.

She sighed, deciding that mentally ripping her brother a new one (and herself for even believing that he would listen to her for a hot second) was not worth the stress. She decided to busy herself by browsing through some weapons vendor, taking a look at all the knives on display. Maybe she’d buy one of those sharp looking knives for Mai. At least she’s on somewhat good terms with her.

She was determining which one of the knives would be best for throwing when she heard somebody shout along the lines of “What?! You think you’re better than me?!?”

…sigh…

Azula lazily turned towards the source of the yelling, figuring that apparently the universe did in fact decide she was fated to be in the middle of some kind of conflict no matter where she went. Whatever existential thoughts were in her head suddenly took a back seat as she saw a pair of teenage boys yelling at a girl that looked not much older than they were. She estimated they were a few years younger than she was, possibly nobles given their clothing and the rather indignant expressions from the two boys.

“Maybe if you bothered to pay attention to your instructors instead of spending your dad’s money, maybe you’d actually be good at firebending for once,” the girl spat, standing her ground. Though Azula’s eyes narrowed when she spotted the shaking legs and fearful glint in the teen’s eyes. Kudos for at least trying to put on a brave face.

“Well unlike you Yujin, I actually need to impress my father if I’m to inherit my estate,” the first boy said, the taller and older looking of the duo. “And I can’t exactly do that when you keep upstaging me at every turn!” The other boy just nodded firmly, letting the hothead do the talking. Though if Azula were to bet, he had basically the exact same sentiments the first did. Wouldn’t be the only Fire Nation boys to think they were Agni’s gift to the world.

The girl (Yujin Azula thought her name was) just gave a nonchalant shrug. Or at least tried to given how nervous she was looking. “Hey, don’t blame me when you keep doing that yourself Choja. You do that, then maybe you can hit the training dummy a bit more often during practice.”

Now Azula had to whistle in admiration of that remark. Scared as she was, this Yujin certainly knew a barb or two.

Though it…may have worked a bit too well as Yujin was smacked right in the face with a flying hand from the first boy (Choja), sending her to the earth. In the blink of an eye, a blazing fire engulfed Choja’s fist as he stood menacingly over the now terrified girl, the mask having been knocked off. 

“WELL MAYBE I CAN HIT YOUR FACE IF YOU’RE RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME!!!” he roared in a mad rage. The sudden burst of energy caused the crowd to gasp. Even his friend seemed a little nervous about how heated things had suddenly gotten.

Just before he could raise his fist to start flinging fire though, a swift hand grabbed his wrist and wrenched it upward. Choja whipped around to see who was stupid enough to get in the middle of this-

-only for his face to go pale as he looked into the eyes of Princess Azula herself, her golden eyes blazing even brighter than his flame.

She didn’t need to say anything. The idiot put out his fiery fist and stumbled back in a rather clumsy manner. Nobody in the crowd moved to help him out, not wanting to get into a matter that now concerned the dreaded Avatar Slayer herself.

“P…Princess Azula?” Yujin stammered out, seeing the notorious Princess getting between her and the boys. Azula let herself get some euphoria from the reaction. Glad to see that she still had that aura from the old days.

Now then. Where was she? Oh yes. “How about you pick on someone who’s willing to fight back for once?” she snarled, hoping the edge would get through the idiots standing before her. And like clockwork, both Choja and his goon backed off, giving a respectful bow.

“I’m sorry your Highness,” Choja stammered out. “That was unbecoming of me. I lost my temper. Didn’t know what I was doing! Won’t happen again!” On a good day, Azula would’ve been pleased by the terrified response. Probably would’ve left it there a while back.

But the boy learned to be afraid of her, not exactly learned what exactly landed him in this position in the first place. So she gave one of her trademark glares, pinning both of them with her gaze. “You nearly burned a girl for having the gall for being better than you at firebending.”

“Yes! I know it was unbecoming of me-”

“What you SHOULD be doing is focusing on your own firebending instead of taking your frustrations out on others,” Azula interrupted, causing Choja to promptly shut up. Good. “You want something from life? You actually put the work in to earn it. The right way. Know what you ARE good at, and don’t lash out at those who excel where you fail. Got it?”

Choja and his goon nodded rather dumbly, and probably would’ve just stood there gobsmacked if Azula didn’t stomp forward, letting out a few blue flames from her boot. That was enough to get them running to the high hills, the crowd rapidly moving out of their way to avoid getting into an undignified heap of dumb teenagers.

The Princess let a smirk creep up on her face. Sure some people might be freaked out by her, but intimidation did get results when you applied it right. Let them try being the Princess of the Fire Nation and come back asking if they could’ve done better.

Well, with all that settled, Azula turned to check up on who the idiots were harassing. Yujin had hurriedly gotten herself back up, dusting her tunic before giving a polite bow. “Thank you so much Princess Azula! If you hadn’t shown up sooner then…”

“You shouldn’t be afraid to defend yourself, you know.”

“I…what?!”

Azula’s gaze didn’t waver at Yujin’s outburst. “Those two were morons. The way they handled fire was downright pitiful. Honestly if you were as good as they said, chances are you’ll be able to take them.”

“Right. Forgive me Princess,” the girl responded. “And…thank you for believing in me. It’s just, firebending is one of the things I’m really good at. Yet I…never really felt comfortable trying to show off in front of boys.”

“No wonder if you’ve had to deal with guys like those.” What is it with every boy being an idiot? , Azula asked herself. I mean there’s Zuko, and that dolt Chan. When they’re not trying to outdo each other in stupidity, they’re trying to kill themselves just to prove a point.

“But seriously though.” Azula placed a hand on Yujin’s shoulder, causing the younger girl’s eyes to widen in shock. “Don’t let those two trample all over you. Sometimes, you really do need to stand up for yourself. Even if it won’t change their mind, at least you know you won’t have to stand for their crap anymore. Got it?”

“I…got it. Thank you so much! And thanks again for showing those two who’s boss!” Yujin cheerfully said in an almost Ty Lee manner. The Princess was…a bit taken aback. Fear and intimidation were one thing. But this girl almost seemed to be in…was it “awe” of her? That wasn’t exactly something she was used to.

She was so taken off guard that she almost didn’t respond. “Uh…you’re welcome. Now…run along now.” Great. Now she was in a position where she had to be nice . Zuzu would be laughing at her if he saw this.

Yujin gave one last bow before walking excitedly off, no doubt about to tell her friends that the infamous Savior of the Eclipse just saved her and gave her some encouragement. Azula did notice a little bit of restored confidence in her stride. Good for her at least.

Even if she did think it was still an act. She noticed the legs were still a bit shaky. Eh. Give her time and she might be able to walk with true confidence instead of putting on a show.

Nothing for Azula to bother herself with as she readjusted her cloak over her armor. If nothing else, at least it would prove to Zuzu that she could be nice.

Then again…

Azula looked back for a moment, seeing that Yujin had disappeared into the crowd which was doing its best to pretend the confrontation never happened. She wasn’t sure why, but something was prickling at the back of her mind about the girl.

Intuition told her they were going to cross paths again.

Night had fallen, and Azula was racing through the streets on the back of her Mongoose Dragon, causing pedestrians to quickly step aside lest they get trampled. Seeing her decked out in full battle armor, people began to murmur if there was something going down in the heart of the Capital.

They would’ve been right, and Azula knew that time was of the essence before things could get worse.

Following her encounter with Yujin, the Princess had asked one of her friends that she had broken out of that forsaken asylum to shadow her. Nothing too invasive, just to make sure she was okay. And things seemed to be initially okay for the first few days.

Then came tonight. Apparently Yujin was invited at another noble’s place for a party.

The estate of Choja’s father to be more precise.

Needless to say, Azula could see what was coming about a mile away. So much so that when she got the news, she immediately decked herself out in her armor, made some excuse to Zuzu about how she had some business to attend to, left before he could ask questions, and hightailed it to the scene on her Mongoose Dragon, Firelash. Hopefully she’d have a bit of time before Zuko’s guards came after her and made things worse.

Arriving at the residential district, she pulled the reigns on Firelash, causing the reptile to come to a stop in front of the rather opulent looking house. With any luck she could get in there and break up-

A burst of flame smashed through one of the windows, sending glass into the air.

Too late.

Not a moment later, the front door was smashed open as a familiar teenage boy was blown off his feet and sent crashing to the ground. Choja scrambled away from the opening as a figure with fire coming from her fists stalked through the opening.

Azula had to blink twice just to register that the frightened Yujin she had met a few days ago was now the visibly enraged girl standing before her.

“You wanna try that stunt again you bastard?” she growled, slowly striding forward as the flames in her hands increased in intensity.

“I’m sorry! I shouldn’t have done that! Just don’t-GAAAAH!!!!” Choja’s pleadings were silenced when a fireball came dangerously close to his face, causing him to curl up in a panic.

Yujin just sneered at the pitiful display before her. “You set me up with a duel to humiliate me in your own home, try to maim me when I won, and now you’re begging me for mercy when things went south?”

“I was…just trying to impress-I won’t do it again! I swear!”

“And now you’re apologizing to me when you’re afraid for your own life? Not for all the times you put me down?”

Azula saw the fires getting even more intense. If nobody stopped Yujin soon then…

The Princess got off Firelash’s saddle and raced forward, getting herself between Yujin and Choja in an instant. “Yujin! STOP! You don’t want to do this!!!”

“P…Princess Azula?” the younger girl said with surprise. Good , Azula thought. As long as the focus was on her, then Yujin would be less likely to do something incredibly stupid.

“...so you’re defending him.” The surprise left Yujin’s voice, her fire beginning to flicker to life again.

For an elite firebender like herself, Azula didn’t have any worry about her wellbeing. She could handle a novice in a fight. But looking around, she saw a lot of civilians that could easily get hurt if things went south. If she didn’t calm the other girl down, Yujin would do something that was gonna haunt her.

As if the image before Azula didn’t haunt her already. The disheveled hair and the look of rage was something all too familiar…

“Listen to me Yujin. I’m not defending him. I just want you to think about what you’re doing!”

“I know what I’m doing,” Yujin snarled. “This piece of trash has looked down on me from day one. He’ll ALWAYS find some way to put me down just to make himself feel better. I’m just repaying the favor.”

“Look, I know where you’ve been. And what you’re feeling…it’s not gonna help you at all,” Azula said calmly, keeping her own anxiety down from seeing a splitting image of herself.

“THEN WHAT WILL?!?” She flinched a bit from the other girl’s outburst. “All my life I’ve been told to keep it in, be a good girl, don’t lash out! But when this piece of crap tries to kill me, it’s suddenly MY FAULT FOR HAVING A PROBLEM WITH IT?!?!?!”

Instinct brought Azula’s arms up into a firebending stance, years of honed training signaling to her that things were about to get real bad.

…something she regretted when she saw the rage from Yujin’s face be replaced with shock. “I…I thought out of everyone…you would’ve understood…” the younger girl stammered.

Azula’s eyes widened, her voice coming out in a horrified voice to prevent the inevitable. “Yujin…I’m…so sorry-”

She was abruptly cut off by a fireball coming right at her face. Azula kicked it aside with a swirl of her blue flame, before thrusting her fingers forward and shooting another fireball out from the air with a sapphire projectile of her own.

Getting back into a defensive pose, Azula took a deep breath, steeling herself as Yujin leapt into the air and lashed out a plume of flame that came charging right at her. At the last moment, the Princess summoned a wave of blue fire from her arms and swept the orange fire away. With both assaults being thwarted, she slipped back into her defensive stance, her calm poise speaking to years of experience.

Her opponent was good, but Yujiin didn’t train under one of the most ruthless teachers in the FIre Nation.

A scrambling noise from behind her let Azula know that Choja’s senses finally caught up to him and were now leading him to relative safety. Unfortunately for him, his scramble for cover caught the attention of Yujin, who proceeded to sprint forward with fire daggers in her hands. The Princess’s reactions were faster though, getting between the enraged girl and her prey. She gracefully bobbed and weaved between each slice from the daggers, parrying with a quick strike or two from her fists here and there where she could. Azula was no Ty Lee, but she did know the general areas where she could wear her opponent down.

Yujin snarled, trying to at least hit something . But each blow from Azula’s fists were gradually beginning to slow her down. It was clear that the gap between the two’s training was beginning to show, the younger girl’s strikes becoming sloppier and sloppier.

Fury overtook Yujin’s senses as she readied a massive fireblast with her fist, but also leaving herself wide open in the process. Azula nimbly lashed out with a leg sweep and swept Yujin out from under her feet and onto her back. The princess followed up, quickly stepping on one of the girl’s arms and lightly placing her knee on the chest just enough to restrain the younger firebender.

Before she could get a word out, Yujin shot out her arm with a hand full of fire, only for Azula to deftly catch the appendage with her own hand. “Yujin, listen to me!” the Princess said, trying to get through the younger girl’s frenzied state. “I know where you’ve been, but hurting him isn’t going to make things any easier! Do you want somebody’s blood on your hands?!?”

The other girl’s eyes narrowed. “He’ll NEVER stop looking down on me,” she growled. “NONE of them will.”

“But it doesn’t mean you have to stoop to their level,” Azula calmly reassured. “You’re scared because they tried to hurt you. I understand. Trust me, I know what it’s like. But killing him won’t make things better for you. Just…let me talk with you. Okay?”

Yujin looked at her warily, but the fire in the hand was beginning to die down a little. It was a good sign, maybe now she could say a few words to get her to stand down entirely-

“Well what are you waiting for? ARREST HER!!!!”

Azula’s head jerked up when she saw a noble barking orders at a pair of familiar looking guards (no doubt Zuko’s). Choja was right there next to him, though from what little she could hear from the noble’s shouting the teenager was trying to calm him down. There was quite the resemblance between the boy and the older man, indicating that the noble was in fact his father.

“Dad! I invited her over to this duel! I’m the one who attacked her after I lost! Don’t-”

“She almost KILLED you my son! I can’t exactly just let that go!” the father interrupted. Beneath her, Azula could feel Yujin’s muscles tense and her struggling starting to resume. Crap. The longer that idiot talked, the chances were this whole mess was about to start over again.

“I’ll take care of her!”

Her voice caught the noble’s attention, finally bringing him out of his ranting. “I’ll take care of her,” Azula reiterated, staring him right in the eye. “And if anyone decides to come after us, I’ll make you wish you never let your son pull any of this garbage to begin with. Understand?”

Choja’s father stood speechless at her tone of voice, his muscles paralyzed from the threat. His son and the guards just looked at each other, knowing that Azula could make good on it if pushed too far. Which was the idea. Honestly she didn’t care if she never saw any of them again.

But what mattered now was Yujin, who was now looking stunned and half-aware of what had just transpired while Azula genderly pulled her up onto her feet and guided her away from the onlookers and towards Firelash, helping her up onto the mount.

If any of them had any inkling of wanting to make a move, they didn’t want to show it as the two girls rode off on the Mongoose Dragon into the night.

They arrived at one of the shrines that Zuko had restored following the end of the way. Said it was a way to get back to their spiritual roots. Azula wasn’t so sure about that aspect, but she did admit it was lovely if nothing else. The small stream running under the bridge was serene, with a few trees growing upon the banks of the tiny island the shrine resided.

For a while, both of them just leaned on the bridge railing and stared into the water, not quite knowing where to begin. Firelash was at the city end of the walkway, lightly dozing to get a few winks. Probably was the most rational out of the trio right now.

Azula gazed at her reflection. It had been so fast, but the memory kept replaying itself in slow motion. Couldn’t fathom just how…familiar it was. Sometimes she swore it seemed to mix with a much darker memory, about how her fire was infused by the power of the comet, and how she lost everything. Looking at Yujin beside her, seeing the disheveled hair from her duel with Choja, it did feel as if she was looking into the past.

“...I…just wanted to be like you.”

“...what?” She almost thought the younger girl just grew a second head.

Yujin however did not look like she was kidding. “I…looked up to you growing up. You were smart. Confident. One of the best firebenders in the entire world. And you helped win the war and save the Nation when we needed you most. I know most people think of you as a monster but…I just can’t. You know?”

…oh. That . Azula wasn’t a stranger to how people viewed her before Sozin’s Comet. It just seemed incredible that somebody still believed in her despite what she did. Yet…she also knew it was an image. She was the poster girl carefully groomed by her father. A stellar example of what the Fire Nation could aspire to and everything they stood for. Even if looking back, what she stood for was how bad things had gotten.

It’s part of the reason she was afraid to associate herself with villages outside of the Capital. Cause she was so afraid that she was gonna come across some maimed veteran, a family mourning the loss of their son or daughter, and not think that it was that image of her, the Avatar Slayer, Princess of the Fire Nation, that led them to their deaths.

Like so much of her life, her face was inspired to encourage obedience and faith in the Crown. Even when the Crown nearly burned down everything they had sacrificed for.

So, she had to tell her the truth.

“Yujin…I’m not a hero,” Azula gently consoled. “What I did during the war…what I became…that’s not what heroes do. I treated my friends like garbage. I lost myself during the Comet. Trust me, whatever image you have of me in your head…I can’t live up to that.”

And honestly it tore her up. She knew people wanted her to get better. But honestly, she didn’t know if she could get better. To live up to that image. Cause…well, she’s Azula. It’s just not something anyone could possibly reach.

“...I mean…yeah. But Zuko and Iroh did a lot of bad stuff too, but everyone loves to forget that,” Yujin admitted. She didn’t look up into Azula’s eyes, who was listening patiently to every word upon hearing her family members being brought into the mix. “Yet when people think of you, they only think of the bad stuff. As if that’s all there is.”

“Well, can’t argue with that.” It was one of her pet peeves to be honest. She knew that Zuko and Iroh weren’t exactly popular internationally. You kind of develop that reputation for raiding the Southern Water Tribes or undergoing bloody sieges respectively. Sometimes though, it seemed like people gave her more grief for being the most loyal to Father. As if that wasn’t something dear Zuzu wasn’t fighting for the first minute he came across the Avatar.

“I figured, if I could just be more like you, Choja and the others would leave me alone. Stop tearing me down for being a girl and a good firebender. And that I could stand up for myself...”

“But you never realized what you needed deep down,” Azula finished for her. “I…I know your pain. It took me a long time to figure out what I needed as well. But…it nearly killed me in the process.

“Yujin…”

The Princess looked her younger companion right in the eye, holding her full attention.

“I’m not somebody you should be admiring. I had a cruel streak and I scared others away. I know you think differently, but that’s just the reality of it.”

She almost called herself a monster, but something was holding her back. Maybe it was the glimmer in Yujin’s eye, one last spark of hope that she didn’t want to snuff out.

“Well…you did help me out with Choja a few days ago.”

…true. Azula did help her out with that.

“And you stopped me before I could hurt anyone. And saved me from being arrested.”

Again, also true. There wasn’t any ulterior motive behind any of those. Just something…personal that caused her to act. Something deep down that she didn’t quite understand just yet. Agni knows though that she’s been trying.

“So if you saved me before…are you really as awful as you say you are?”

…

…

“I…I don’t know anymore,” Azula admitted. It was a question she’d been trying to answer for so long. Just when it seemed like she had an answer, a way to justify just how inherently awful she was, there was always that something that contradicted it. A kind gesture here and there. An apology for how she acted. A genuine love for her family despite how estranged they were. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t just write herself off as a monster.

Azula…didn’t know who she was anymore. How can she be the cruel Princess yet be so torn up about it? You couldn’t have one or the other after all.

…

“Well for what it’s worth, I think you’re a good person. I don’t see how what you did during the war disproves that.”

For once, Azula finally did give a thankful smile towards her admirer. She may not understand what Yujin saw in her, and maybe it would take a long time to figure out what she truly was deep down. But at least she had somebody out there that was rooting for her.

And that was something the Princess felt she truly needed right now.

Chapter Text

Fire Dancing. A historical term referring to an ancient ritual celebrating the sanctity and purity of the flame. The purest expression of the Fire Nation’s inherent gift, performed by the greatest firebender of their people.

It was also outlawed by Sozin during the first round of “reforms” under the definition of “spiritual heresy”. A corruption of what firebending was truly about, meant to support an archaic system which chained them from reaching their full potential. An old relic no longer fit for the changing world.

Then her brother, Fire Lord Zuko, brought it back along with many of the old customs. For the first time in a century, the Festival of Flame was held on Crescent Island, with the Fire Temple silhouetted against the setting sun providing quite the scene in the village down below. The dancing arena was restored, the streets and buildings all decorated with traditional symbols and figures not seen since the War started.

Azula felt she didn’t have a place there…then Zuko asked her to perform the sacred Fire Dance herself, claiming she was the only one who could do it.

Honestly she thought he was the one gone mad. She didn’t have any right to do this. After all, her lineage was from those that put an end to the Fire Dance to begin with. Then of course, he said how he was part of that same lineage too, did the same things as she did, then brought up her ancestry with Roku to prove a point.

Honestly, it felt like the only time he brought the previous Avatar up was to get her to “better” herself. Azula herself was annoyed he kept bringing their bloodline up to begin with. It’s not like she was Roku’s reincarnation or was saddled with his burdens on virtue of relation.

But the alternative was staying at the Palace which…honestly after these few years, she didn’t really feel too comfortable with.

And so she strode onto the arena, the eyes of the Nation and her brother on her. She was dressed in a mixture of the traditional dancer robes and some pieces of her armor. Said she didn’t exactly feel comfortable with dressing up as something she simply wasn’t.

She felt everyone watch her expectedly. A part of her was afraid. Afraid to fail, and for everyone to turn their backs on her. And she remembered the last time such expectations were placed on her shoulders.

But that was then. And this was now.

Taking a deep breath, falling into the familiar rhythm of exhale and inhale, she closed her eyes and fell into the first stance.

The beginning movements were easy. She’d practiced them a hundred times when Zuko first introduced them to her in a series of scrolls. First impressions were important after all, and she excelled at that. Each thrust of the fist, each careful step, each sway and carrying the fire with her, controlling it, that was a synch. Azula had been doing that all her life.

It was the next phases of the dance she had problems with. Azula loosened up, her fingers becoming more relaxed. Seemed simple enough on paper. In practice though? She struggled to keep herself from flinching as the blue fire she bent around her became less controlled, less restrained. In her eyes, the bending was starting to get sloppy, so a part of her kept that last bit of restraint in. Which was against the whole point of the ritual. About learning to let go once the fire has been nurtured.

The hair on the back of her neck stood up, almost feeling a harsh voice lambasting her for this performance in front of the whole nation. Asking what the whole point of this ritual was? That fire wasn’t meant to be controlled? It was insane! You let fire rage unchecked, and it would burn down the whole forest. A lesson she learned a long time ago.

Especially with remembering the last time she lost control…

Yet…

As she danced, she observed her fire. Bright blue, the only one of its kind in the whole world. It was a joyous day when she first achieved it. It was her pride and joy.

Azula wondered…when was the last time she saw her fire like this?

Not some tool or weapon for a greater aim. Just…an extension of herself. No. The very essence of her soul made manifest. It was the thing she remembered most fondly as a child. Something to excel at despite the odds. The thing she loved the most.

… it was then that the new lesson was learned.

And Azula let go.

Any tension in her body was removed with the final phase, the great azure sapphire flames now having taken a life of their own. Twisting, turning, and flying through the air. It wasn’t a matter of controlling them anymore. It was to dance along with them. Seeing where each turn or spark would take it next, letting it go wild. The more she danced with the fire, the more she felt alive. Dancing through the air, twirling along with the flame. There was no bender and element. It was her and the fire. Partners. Two halves of the same whole.

And as the dance reached its pitch, the blue fire soared to the heavens above upon great wings before disappearing into the rays of the fading sun. Returning to the source that gave it life.

With that, Azula gave a bow to a roaring applause, the whole of the Nation on their feet. Somewhere, she knew her mother and brother were looking upon her with pride.

Her on the other hand? Azula just smiled seeing the blue fire parting from her lips, her very breath and life finally allowed to be free.

Chapter Text

Azula didn’t know how long she was running for. All she knew was to keep moving lest they kill her.

She knew it. She always knew, but Zuko nearly shooting her with lightning confirmed that for all his talk about being a better brother, he wanted her dead. Why wouldn’t he? He has his perfect replacement of a family, including a sister. And he found his oh-so-dear mother (forgetting the fact that she forgot them both ), so what worth was she to him then? He could even finally have Father all to himself. Just one last loose end to take care of so he can have his perfect fantasy.

And she felt his little parting gift sap at her strength. The wound where he shot her was burning like a lit pair of tongs. She didn’t want to look down at it, lest she get a reminder of what it was like to cross Father. Honestly the only thing keeping her conscious was pure adrenaline and the need to just get away.

So she kept running, and running. Didn’t take notice of her surroundings as she descended into the Valley full of spirits. Better she keep moving lest she stay still and die. Her mind raced along with her body, all effort was to keep her body awake and moving.

So much so that she almost didn’t notice when she felt…something wash over her. As if she just pushed through some unseen border within the wood.

Not that it mattered. All she knew was that it was better to keep moving than stay a single moment lest they catch up with her. So she kept running. Not noticing or caring as the woods of the Valley gave way to more familiar foliage, and the lights of some village blinking in the distance.

Her legs carried her until they just couldn’t anymore. She wasn’t sure how long she had been running, if either fatigue or the wound finally brought her down, but the last thing Azula knew before losing consciousness was falling flat on her face into the earth, knowing that soon either she’d be dead, or she’d be caught.

And she wasn’t sure which one was preferable.

“I’ve stabilized her condition but…she’s gonna need a professional healer.”

“Will she live?”

“She’s lucky it glanced off her shoulder. A few inches lower and she would’ve been shot in the heart. It’s gonna leave a scar but she’ll live.”

“...whu…a scar…?”

Azula’s eyes fluttered open, before her muscles moved before her mind caught up, trying to get herself back up from what she felt was some kind of bed before the pain in her shoulder and a pair of firm hands held her down.

“Easy there. You’re safe, but moving around isn’t gonna help that wound any favors.”

Her ears were on high alert, yet…the feminine voice didn’t sound familiar. Maybe a bit gruff, but it wasn’t hostile like the waterbending peasant. Her vision focused in on a young woman, the ivory skin and black hair telling the princess that they were Fire Nation. She also looked decked out in battle armor.

That little tidbit freaked her out even more. This stranger must’ve been some soldier from the Capital sent to apprehend her. She tried to spring up, to get away, but her strength failed to get herself even into a sitting position. Not that it mattered since the soldier just kept her down.

“Hey relax! I’m not gonna hurt you! Trust me, you’re safe.”

The woman tried to give her a reassuring smile, but Azula still could feel the sweat streaming down her face. “Who…who sent you?!?” she managed to get out.

To her dismay, the soldier and the peasant who sat by her bedrest gave her confused looks. “Uh…nobody. I came with the Avatar to investigate some spiritual activity in the Valley. We just found you stumbling out of the woods all beaten up and half dead. You were out cold for a day.”

Azula didn’t hear anything else after the word ‘Avatar’. She struggled once again in a half delirious state, her eyes gone wild with visions of the airbender reaching into her soul and stripping her of her bending. Or Zuko barging through the door to finish the job he started. “NO! I can’t let Father or Mother find me! I CAN’T-”

“HEY!!”

Her struggles were interrupted when the soldier took a stern voice. “I don’t know who you’re running from, but your struggling? It's just gonna make your wound worse. I get that you don’t trust me, but…just try to relax. We’ll get a healer to patch you up before you know it. Just try to have a little faith in us until then. Okay?”

She wasn’t sure what it was that made her stop. Maybe she was just exhausted, which probably was the case. Or maybe the woman’s stern yet gentle tone snapped her out of her hysteria. Could be some combination of the two. Either way, the fight just…drained out of her. Fatigue overtook her once more, her consciousness started to give way.

Her watcher noticed this, asking a question. “Hey, what’s your name kid?”

“...A…Azula…” The Princess knew this was a horrible mistake to give her name, but in her delirium, she just…couldn’t think up of a lie. And a part of her became terrified that the other was going to either handcuff her or slit her throat.

Instead…the woman just smiled warmly.

“Call me Rangi. And you’re gonna be okay.”

The healing process was slow and agonizing, being bedridden for who knows how long. It was probably only a few days till the healer arrived, but for Azula, it felt like an eternity. Just staring at the ceiling, eating whatever passed for food in these parts. Feeling the wound festering under her bandages.

What little she saw…didn’t look good. And it made her sick to her stomach. Brilliant. Now she was branded because she let her grief and rage overtake her mind. She should’ve known Zuko would just redirect her lightning, but seeing that strange face plastered on what must’ve been her mother’s…

At least this Rangi person didn’t seem to be bothered by her, or any of the peasants that visited her to tend her wounds and bandages for that matter. Granted, a part of her was still on edge (especially since nobody seemed to recognize the infamous Mad Princess), but at least they weren’t heckling or trying to kill her at every turn. Guess Mother’s influence didn’t reach every last end of the Fire Nation at least.

Azula, you know that’s not true.

“Sh…shut up…”

“Is…everything all right?”

Her eyes snapped open, her skin going cold as she saw that Rangi was looking right at her. That anxious part almost overtook her senses, knowing that showing a weakness like this would be an invitation to ridicule. Something Zuko and his cronies took full advantage of.

But…the soft look on Rangi’s face calmed her down. There was no distrust or hate behind those eyes. Just…concern? For her?

“I’m…I’m fine…” she lied. It wasn’t one of her best ones, but this woman was checking in periodically on her condition. Asked a few questions. Answered a few of Azula’s. And the last thing she wanted was for the only person she could at least have a decent conversation with to think she was mad.

Which, to be fair, it was starting to look like it regardless. What Azula learned from Rangi didn’t make any sense. For one, Zuko wasn’t the Fire Lord. In fact, Rangi never even heard of a Zuko. The Fire Lord according to her was Zoryu, which didn’t make any sense. Fire Lord Zoryu was the sovereign ruler of their nation hundreds of years before Sozin. And apparently the current Avatar was Kyoshi, the very same Avatar who’s servants she disguised herself with-

No…can’t go there now , her mind thought. And honestly she wasn’t sure how much she could take. At this point, her mind must’ve completely snapped, thinking that she was somehow in the past.

Yet…Rangi’s armor didn’t look like any modern piece. And this certainly didn’t feel like another of her hallucinations…

Was…was she in…

She was almost about to keel over before Rangi gently sat down on her bed and wrapped her arm around her shoulders. “Hey. Take it easy. When you’re in the presence of Spirits like those in the Forbidden Valley for who knows how long, there’s no telling how you walk away from that. Trust me. I…I know…”

A…distressingly familiar look crossed over the woman’s face, catching Azula’s attention. It sounded like she had some kind of experience with this sort of thing. But she knew that look well, and knew it probably was for the best she didn’t press on it.

Even still, she still kept rolling over the same conclusion over and over in her mind.

“Did…did I travel to the past?”

Rangi gazed at her with obvious confusion written on her face. “I’m…not sure. The Spirit World’s messed up, but what’s been happening around here seems beyond even what most Spirits are capable of. It’s part of the reason Kyoshi’s looking into it.”

Now there was a meeting she wasn’t looking forward to. The infamous Earth Avatar that struck fear into the hearts of her enemies. Admittedly, Azula felt…a little intimidated talking about her. Though whether it was from the aura of dread surrounding an Avatar that almost didn’t sound human…or that aura felt a bit too familiar for her liking.

If nothing else, Azula was at least mildly curious as to how an Avatar got away with being feared and respected while when she did the same she…well she wouldn’t be here right now if she didn’t screw up.

Something she seemed to be doing a lot of lately.

“How come…you didn’t turn me in?” It was an honest question from the Princess. Azula had given Rangi (who was an officer in the Fire Army as it turned out) some hints about what it was like where she was from. Told her about how she was part of a war and wasn’t exactly on the same side as the Avatar. Didn’t want to get into the more…grizzly details to be honest.

Her companion quizzically looked at her for a moment. “Look…I don’t know where you came from, but what I do know was that I saw a scared lost girl when I first met you. Not a soldier. Or even an enemy of the Avatar. Just…just a kid. And there’s no way I could ever judge you for that.”

Azula shivered, being hit with yet one more unfamiliar sensation. She just didn’t get it. Why was Rangi not judging her for fighting the Guardian of Balance? Why wasn’t she writing her off as some lost cause like so many did? Or even labeling her as an insane psycho? Where was this kindness even coming from?

“Hey. Don’t strain yourself with overthinking this. How about you get some rest before the healer shows up, alright?

…yeah. Yeah that sounds good.

Azula lay on her side, hoping to at least get some rest. The last thing she heard before drifting off to sleep was Rangi gently patting her arm.

It…did feel good to have someone who will listen.

That afternoon, the healer appeared, changing her bandages and tending to her wound with herbs and ointments. Azula didn’t quite understand the whole of the process or the methods behind it, but she did begin to feel better within a few days, being strong enough to get herself out of bed for once.

The scar was still there though. An ugly, red blemish on her skin. A permanent reminder of her failures. Odd. Her brother wanted so badly to be like her father, yet did the exact same thing in a fit of rage. A part of her hoped that he’d be horrified if he found out what he did. It at least would be a comfort for her that Zuko would be squirming over how badly he burned his bridges ever since he abandoned her. Petty? Maybe. But at least it was something over how many things were taken from her.

One day, she felt strong enough to stagger out of the house, hearing the sounds of practicing firebending. Out there from the doorframe, she saw Rangi practicing within the backyard beneath the sun’s rays. Almost effortlessly bending fire to her will. Her technique was…impressive. Whoever taught her must’ve been quite the master, with each stance effortlessly flowing from one to the next.

It…almost reminded her of herself in her prime…and for some reason that thought made her sag a little.

She held out her hand, conjuring to life a small blue flame in the palm of her hand. At least she still had that.

The blue fire didn’t go unnoticed as Rangi glanced over, her face the picture of shock. “How…how did you manage that?” she asked while walking over. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard of anyone being able to bend blue fire.”

Azula shrugged. “It’s something I put a lot of work into from years of practice. Firebending is…it’s everything to me.”

“I hear you there,” the armored woman commented as she leaned against the house. “Did…did you want to practice a little? You seem strong enough like you could handle a few techniques now.”

The princess looked at her in surprise. Someone wanted to see her bending? How long has it been since anyone has ever asked that of her? She was so taken aback, she didn’t know how to respond outside of a “...sure. I could do that.”

Rangi gestured to the backyard, watching as Azula took her place amidst the grassy field. And for a moment, she felt herself again. The sun’s rays bathing her in their glory, filling her soul with life, and igniting the fire that had long simmered.

Breathe in…breathe out…and release.

Azula fell into her basic stances, working through them like she had done a thousand times before. Blue fire emerged from her fingertips, still obeying her will as they did all throughout her life. Her muscles ached from the inactivity, but it felt good to finally be again in her element. No straitjackets. No boomerangs. Just her, and her flame.

When she felt confident enough, she moved into the more advanced sets, beginning to feel more and more like her old self. Yes! She never lost it! Something she could-

-her arm ached, causing her to lose focus for a moment before stumbling to the earth. And there she stayed for a moment, the harsh reality settling in. Her hands gripped the strands of grass in her finger tips, doing everything they could to keep the tears from falling.

What they couldn’t do was stop Rangi from coming over and kneeling down to her level? “You okay? That was a pretty nasty fall back there.”

…with that…the limit had been broken.

Azula let out some choked sobs, trying desperately to save face. “I…I can’t even firebend right…why? …why can’t I do anything right anymore?”

Rangi reached out with a hand, before Azula angrily slapped it away. “Don’t. Why should you be worried? You’re…you’re better than I am.”

“...what?”

“I SAID YOU’RE BETTER THAN ME, DON’T YOU GET IT?!?!” Azula exploded, causing Rangi to recoil. “I trained to be the best firebender, but now I can’t even do my techniques without stumbling over myself. You have everything I did. Friends. Firebending. Respect. I’ve lost EVERYTHING. So spare me the sympathy, alright?” Honestly she just didn’t care anymore. The whole universe seemed so intent on stripping everything away from her. To keep kicking her in the teeth. To keep putting her down. To break her further and further until there was nothing left, and then STILL keep at it because clearly some deity has it out for her.

There was no coincidence she ended up here with a mirror of everything she could’ve been. It was fate for her to suffer. That’s all there was to it. She let out a maddened laugh. Figures it took her this long to realize it.

And now the only friend she had was about to leave her like everyone else, not-

-hug her in her arms.

…Azula blinked the tears out of her eyes to register that Rangi was in fact hugging her. Once again, she couldn’t respond, her arms just limply hanging there while the women in armor embraced her.

For a moment, the two just sat there until Rangi pulled away slightly, looking her right in the eye.

“Azula…I’m not better than you.”

“...but-”

“I’m not ,” she reiterated, the edge in her voice snapping Azula back to reality. “That firebending you just did? It was flawless. Nobody I know has been able to conjure blue fire or sustain any differently colored fire for an extended period of time, but you did it effortlessly. And your form was excellent. It just…you were rusty is all. I know I get rusty whenever I’m out of practice for a while.”

Azula just stared at the other in abject silence, not believing what she was hearing. Was…was Rangi praising her? Her of all people?

“Look…you’re just in a rough patch is all. That doesn’t mean you won’t be able to pick yourself back up eventually. We…all have them from time to time.”

“...why? …why are you helping me?”

Rangi just held a bit of a gaze, spellbinding Azula’s focus. “...cause you remind me of someone I lost not too long ago. And I don’t want what happened to them to happen to you. Just know that whatever happens, you’re special for being you. Not what others think of you or how you compare yourself to others. Just… be you . Can you do that?”

“I’ll…I’ll…” She couldn’t believe it. Someone had faith in her. That she could somehow pull herself from this nightmare and be a little stronger for it. Someone who didn’t judge her for her past.

Somebody…somebody who had her back.

“I’ll try… I’ll try .”

With that, both girls hugged each other, not willing to let the other go. One, starved for any purpose in a cruel world out for her suffering. The other, haunted by something that happened in her past.

Maybe it was fate that both should cross paths. And maybe this meeting was meant to break Azula. Didn’t mean that she couldn’t tell fate to screw itself.

And that thought…made her smile.

Chapter Text

Fall

Azula watched the leaves turn red and orange, the color of fire.

Her heart was full of trepidation. It would be her first time out of the Fire Nation ever since the war ended, and she wasn’t sure how she’d fare in lands where her father was hated. Honestly a part of her wanted to stay home, save herself the trouble.

But her soul knew she couldn’t do that either. There were too many memories. Too many nightmares. And sometimes, she felt as though her grasp on reality slip once more. She had to leave, lest she risk her sanity once more.

Huh. Caught between two dead ends. Madness and fear in one, guilt and hatred in the other. At least the second one would be something she chose, not foisted upon her. It was a small comfort, but at least it was a degree of control she simply didn’t have these days.

She went over her bag once more. She was traveling mostly light, with a few changes of clothes, her armor (it at least made her feel safe), and her crown. Basically what made her…well, her . A way to remember home. Or the good memories if nothing else.

Memories might be all she would have left of the Fire Nation for a year. A fact she wasn’t too comfortable with seeing the days grow shorter, and the sun’s warmth fading with each.

Still…there was no turning back.

One year. That’s all she had to survive.

Winter

In the South Pole, Azula heard the snow crunch under her boots for the first time.

It was cold. Very cold. She had to resort to wearing the local garb just to feel warm outside instead of huddling around the campfire. Fur wasn’t exactly something she was accustomed to, just figured it was the garb of a barbarian. What civilized person would have to resort to smelly animal hides to keep themselves from freezing to death?

Course she never admitted to anyone how soft and warm the fur felt. It was…nice…

And to be perfectly honest with herself, the people she stayed with were…surprisingly accommodating all things considered. She had convinced herself that they’d sooner lynch her than ever consider allow her to be among them for any stretch of time. But apparently the Chief (who was captured during the Day of the Black Sun) credited his survival and good condition to Azula herself, which put her in surprisingly good standing with the Southern Water Tribe. At the time, the Princess just figured it was not letting a potential bargaining chip go to waste.

Not that she didn’t get nasty looks here and there, but overall they were at least willing to welcome her. Even the siblings who were on the opposite side of the war, while not the most cordial, weren’t above giving her a chance. The waterbending peasant in particular, Katara if Azula’s memory served correctly, made sure that she was comfortable throughout the winter.

She never understood how someone who tried to kill her was willing to give her a chance. Perhaps that was just something with the Southern Water Tribe.

All in all, they were…welcoming. Warm even, letting her sit by the fire and even perform some firebending for the children. It felt strange to be accepted by them so wholeheartedly. So much so, she didn’t dare mention how she thought them to be savages like so many in the Fire Nation did.

They deserve better , Azula thought to herself. Hopefully the Northern Water Tribe can send some help now that the war is over.

And looking out at the dark winter sky, seeing the sky almost dance with fire and her breath come out in a steamy exhale…Azula felt at peace if you can believe it. So far from the sun and yet…so peaceful.

Spring

She spent the spring in the Earth Kingdom, along the borders between the former colonies and the Earth King’s territories.

It felt strange to be back not as a conqueror. This was a people she helped subjugate, believing that only the industrial might of the Fire Nation would bring them out of the dirt. Yet everywhere she looked, she saw a people who had managed to endure a whole century of war. Strong and hardy, not the weak willed subjects of an incompetent government who would sooner sacrifice their souls for the sake of control.

Something she was all too familiar with unfortunately…

Indeed, the scars of the war were still present. Villages burned to the ground. Sacred places smashed to pieces. Old army veterans with scars or lost limbs. It would take many years and a few generations before they could fully heal from the war’s true horrors.

Everything though came into focus when one day she came across a scorched stretch of earth incinerated by Father’s airship fleet. Blackened trees dotted the landscape for as far as the eye could see, with the faint remnants of blackened settlements crumbling down amidst the ashes.

Azula paused for a moment. For most of her life, she remained safely within the walls of the Palace, the stories of the war becoming distant so far away from the front. She’d only been a part of the war effort at the very end during the final days of Ba Sing Se’s stubborn resistance, and only from within its walls where the Dai Li made sure that the casualties of the conflict never reached the Earth King’s ears.

Here and elsewhere though…she finally saw what the Fire Nation wrought.

What she helped wrought.

And yet…life still preserved.

Civilians continued their daily lives, the old veterans having returned to their families and homes. At the edges of the burned areas, foliage and fauna began to return.

It would take time, but eventually things would heal.

That gave Azula hope.

Summer

It was near the end of her year abroad, and there was one place she needed to visit for the summer.

The Avatar gave his permission, allowing her to visit the ruins of the Western Air Temple. After seeing what was done in the Earth Kingdom, she was nervous about what she would find here. But the Ava…Aang assured her that he’d be by her side in case she needed him.

And she almost did, seeing the vast emptiness of the temple. The Earth Kingdom still had life and people there despite the carnage.

Here though?

…nothing.

An entire people and culture wiped out in a day, their ruins all that remain.

Frantically, she looked around for that army, the sign of aggression to justify her great-grandfather’s actions to necessitate a slaughter. Yet…there was nothing. Not even a blade. Aang even told her that the Nomads didn’t even have a standing army to begin with.

It was a sobering thought.

And within the sanctum, surrounded by the truth of what had been done…Azula collapsed.

All her life, she was told that the war was just. To bring order and stability to a cruel and savage world. Yet the only savagery she saw in that year was all that was wrought by her Nation. A Nation she was meant to inherit from her Father on the day of the Comet. And its bloody legacy that soaked the crown.

Her whole world crumbled down, and she…couldn’t take it anymore. For a moment, she wondered if what this was this whole year was about. Finding yet one more reason to hate herself. Knowing the full extent of what her beliefs and pride would’ve wrecked on the world.

Then…Aang stepped forward and gently embraced her. He told her that there was a difference between a person and a nation. A nation was responsible for the collective actions and crimes of its people. A person could be made to follow the nation and fight for reasons they might not otherwise believe in. And he never blamed her for doing what every person in her nation would’ve done.

What’s more, now she knew the extent of the Fire Nation’s crimes. So when she returned, she could take that knowledge back and teach her people what she had learned, ensuring that it never happened again.

With that, the rays of the summer sun shone down on Azula from an opening in the ceiling. And she knew it was a year well spent.

Chapter Text

It started off small, as all things did. Just an idea that occurred to Azula when she thought about her past. More specifically…she wondered if there were others like her out there. That knew what it was like to give everything for your nation, only to be betrayed by it once their use was through.

Turns out, there were quite a number of them.

The group started out small, meeting over some tea every week. The stories were different from person to person. Kazumi told the group about how she lost her arm to an Earth Kingdom soldier, forcing her to be sent back home to her family. Supposedly she was discharged with full honors for serving her country, but was treated like a pariah by her family and community for not being strong enough to come back without some kind of trophy from war.

Shakam recalled how he was raised to practically worship the Fire Lord, to always obey his will. He lost his fill for the crown the moment the Phoenix King Ozai took the torch to the territory his family had spilled their own blood for over a century. Now so many wondered why he wasn’t a fan of the new Fire Lord, even though he argued that Zuko decided to take on the burden of that legacy the moment he was crowned.

Ramah couldn’t reconcile what the Fire Nation had done with what he believed all his life. That they were destined to bring about peace and prosperity to the entire world. He tried to find some reason, some answer to justify what they did. Any way to cope with the horrors he had done. But he just couldn’t. And now everyone saw him as a monster trying to cover up both his crimes and those inflicted by the Nation as a whole.

Ikanu was a noblewoman who lost her husband in the war. She couldn’t stand the idea of her beloved being a war criminal, so she tried to deny it. To say that the Fire Nation had done some good. It took her seeing the damages done to the Earth Kingdom and the desecration to know she was trying to make herself feel better. Yet she didn’t know how to move on.

They all lost something in the way. Pride. Honor. Purpose. And now they had to live with what they had done, try to find some way in a world that did not want them. You simply can’t just move on from having everything turning out to be nothing more than a lie.

Lies. One thing Azula was well acquainted with. How many lies were they told , she wondered. They all seemed like decent people. Perhaps she could even call them friends. Yet how many lies were told in order to fight for something she had learned was wrong? Especially if they had all been nothing but pawns in the grand scheme of things. Probably just enough to get them to believe in the right things.

After all…that’s how Father did it with her.

Looking into her tea cup as the others chatted, talking about what struggles they’ve gone through the previous week, she wondered if she could fully move on from the war. Or if her soul would be scarred for life.

At least it felt good to have people she could talk to.

Over the next few weeks, the group expanded. Their attendance was so high that they rented out entire teahouses for their get-togethers. Guess there were a lot more people who got screwed over by the Fire Nation than Azula thought.

And it wasn’t just nobles or soldiers either. There were a few lower class citizens who caught wind of her “sessions” and decided they wanted to contribute. Naturally she and her new found friends helped pay their expenses so they could get together to air their grievances.

She was also one of the few who got involved in their individual chats, feeling that this was an opportunity she couldn’t afford to miss. A chance to see what the commoners thought of the war. And they had a few stories to tell. That boy over there lost his father during the war and he was to be drafted just so his family had some steady income. That girl had to take her father’s place in a factory when his health failed him. And that woman staring into her tea cup reminisced about how a squad of soldiers practically ransacked her village’s rice pantry when the crops weren’t as good that year.

The result was a famine that Azula never heard of. Each story opened her eyes more and more. There were differences of course between person to person, but they all believed that no matter their suffering, if it was to further the goal of the Fire Nation, it would be acceptable. That was the lie they kept telling themselves over and over again. Believing that someday in a future that would never come, things would get better.

They never did.

And that truth made Azula realize who would ultimately benefit the most if they had won the war in the end. It certainly wasn’t these people, that’s for certain.

It was…humbling. Azula always wanted to know how the lower classes saw her family, but this was something beyond what she could have imagined. She made a promise to them she’d pass her stories along to her brother so he could make reparations to the damage they caused. They were grateful to her for certain, but many of them simply gave up believing in the Fire Lord himself. Another eye opener for the Princess, this time the steep hill Zuko would have to climb to undo the damage their forefathers have done.

Deep down though, it did feel good that she was giving all these people a place to say their peace. Here they felt like a community despite their differences and pasts. They came from everywhere, but were all here for the same reason.

Yet two people she was surprised to see though were Mai and Ty Lee. It was…an awkward reunion to say the least. Azula still felt incredible guilt for how she treated them. As far as they were concerned though, they did appreciate what she was doing for all these people. They couldn’t exactly take that away from her.

Besides…they had a few things to say themselves. They both told their stories to the others. About the girl taught to be a doll, or how the runaway acrobat wanted to escape being a face in the crowd.

Maybe one day they could build the bridge again if these meetings kept up. If not…well, that was a question for another time. Azula did know she was giving them a chance to get things off their chest. It was enough for her.

She got the message from Ikanu about the incoming riot. Just enough for Azula to arrive at the scene before things got bad.

They gathered before the Royal Palace, with a squadron of elite firebenders standing between them and the entrance. The reasons were obvious. Zuko’s reforms and stripping families of their status due to war crimes committed by relatives during the war, as well as continued pressure to demilitarize and empty their vaults in reparations.

Azula knew a lot of them were disgruntled nobles who wanted nothing more than to take a shot at the throne, viewing her brother’s shaky position as an opportunity. But if she knew anything about her sessions, she knew there were more than a few people in there who were genuinely afraid and confused. About how things that were fine back then were now seen as downright monstrous now.

And with all the shouting the protestors were doing, and how the well trained instincts of the firebenders were getting them more and more ready to start throwing fireballs…Azula knew she had to do something.

So she placed herself before the crowd, catching them all with her gaze. Almost at once they fell silent. They wouldn’t listen to the so-called Traitor Prince, but they would listen to her.

So she told them the truth.

“I know for a fact that there’s more than a few nobles here today that want a shot at my brother for turning his back on the nation. And…I would’ve done the same not too long ago. What he strives to do goes against the face of everything we were told to believe in. Everything we had sacrificed and shed blood for. That at the end of the day, all our struggles were for nothing while he sat on the throne.

“The thing is…we’ve been lied to all our lives.

“The war we waged was all to benefit the Fire Lords. And I know it sounds hypocritical coming from me, but…I do know what it’s like to be tossed aside when my purpose was done. That’s what’s been happening during the whole course of a century. We’ve been nothing but meat for the grinder just to uplift the few. Just lives to be sacrificed and die while others got the honor to themselves. They never cared about us. And they were willing to butcher us for the sake of personal glory just as much as they were willing to butcher our enemies.

“I know there’s some of those same nobles in the crowd right now…but I also have to believe that there are those who were left behind like I was. And what’s been happening for a century is gonna happen again if you let them. So I’m giving you a choice. Are you going to sacrifice your lives just so others can have a shot at their personal ambitions? Or are you going to walk away and live out your lives? Not theirs. Yours .”

All was still, the crowd not sure what they were gonna do. A few nobles began yelling, shouting for them to go into a frenzy once more.

This time though…one person left. Then another person left. And then another.

What once started out as a trickle became a deluge as the crowd dwindled, leaving behind the aghast nobles who just lost the fuel for their rise to power. Seeing that they were alone against a bunch of elite firebenders, it didn’t take long for them to disperse as well.

Not a single flame was thrown that day. Nor was a single martyr made.

Behind her, she could hear Zuko, Mai, and her mother push through the crowd, both worried and amazed at how she was able to get an entire mob to stand down.

Azula just shrugged, saying she found more people like her to fight for.