Throne of Ashes (Avatar: The Last Airbender Fanfic)

The Unhinged One

For a brief moment, Zuko found himself holding up his arms, thinking and reliving the experience of his father sending his flames at him as Zuko held up his arms and blocked Azula's flames.

Yet—

In the back of his head, a voice went off. "This won't protect you, and you'll just end up injured like before, though her flames can't compare to Prince Ozai's, let alone Fire Lord Azulon."

Taking a deep breath, Zuko moved, sliding to the side, easily dodging Azula's wild attack, and instead, she hit the ground, throwing up dirt. He turned, dodging a few more attacks, her fists and flames, letting his body move while she looked at him with such anger and hatred.

"Why? Why do Azula and their father hate me like they do? I know I'm not good enough, never will be, but still." He spun quickly, bringing forward a few quick kicks at Azula, catching her off guard, yet she managed to cartwheel out of the way.

"What was that?" Azula asked, landing on her feet. Her training with Ty Lee and Ty Lee's acrobatic skills were paying off.

"I'm not sure what you're talking about."

"I'm the stronger bender, Zuzu!"

Zuko sighed, hearing her call out the childhood nickname he always hated, that she always used to mock him. He dodged more punches for his face, then bent over as she sent a kick at his middle, knowing he'd need to move to the side, yet—

Quickly, he twisted around, aiming his feet for Azula's midsection, actually making contact and causing her to tumble off to the side, landing on one hand as she glared at him and held the other to her side where he'd hit her.

And then, he held up his hands, stammering as he stood up straight. "Oh! Sorry Azula! I didn't mean..."

"You didn't mean!" Azula flew towards him again, trying to kick his head off so he could easily move to the side and avoid her attacks. She then grabbed the front of his robes, caught off as she was, and pulled him forward, slamming him towards the ground only for him to place his hands on the ground to allow his momentum to carry him, allowing him to land in a crouch before dodging another blow from her."

"What was that I saw, Zuko? I don't understand it! How can your flames be like that?"

"What?" Zuko dodged another blow, then spun quickly behind her and elbowed her from behind, his flames dancing around them as he did so, but the blow made her stagger. "I don't know what you're talking about!"

"Your flames aren't as strong as mine!"

"I know that!" Zuko dodged, moving backward. "Why are you..."

He heard the roof move and groan and saw Minato push the wreckage off of him, looking quite irritated, but Azula attempted to use this as a chance to attack him when Minato said rather loudly. "Your flames are a match for hers, Prince Zuko, if not better!"

Zuko's eyes blinked, and then he swung around Azula again, going for the ground sweep, taking advantage of her wreckless movements and knocking her off her feet. "Yeah, I'm not so sure..."

"That's enough!" The headmaster showed, grabbing Azula's hand as she attempted to attack her brother again.

"Let go!"

"Fire Lord Azulon thought you might show your face here, Princess Azula."

"What of it?" She looked at Zuko. "How? How did you become stronger, Zuzu?"

"Um, I haven't?" Zuko said.

Minato sighed. "You are something else, Prince Zuko."

"Am I?" Zuko felt confused. "Hey? Azula, where's the guard? Is the other one following me? You didn't hurt him, did you?"

"Don't care!" Azula said, attempting to escape from the headmaster, only to find herself highly unsuccessful.

"Here. And I've taken care of the ones who brought her here," the guard called out from another part of the roof. "Apologies for taking so long, but you should stand down, Princess Azula."

Zuko sighed. "Hey? Can you let her go?"

"She tried harming you, Prince Zuko."

"She's still my sister."

"This will not end well," the headmaster said.

The man let go of Azula and—

Zuko's eyes widened, watching as she attempted to attack him again, while the students who gathered to watch the sparring match gasped, but he stumbled back at the sight of electricity.

He glanced over at Minato. "Please be..." His eyes blinked, watching Minato stand, his eyes on pots of water used to put out the fire. "Minato. Don't your secret..."

Then Minato moved, not hesitating to use his bending to reveal himself as a waterbender, sending the water straight at Princess Azula before taking a deep breath. "You, Prince Zuko, are too soft."

"She's my sister!"

"She's also, in case you haven't noticed, your enemy!"

"Is he crazy, attacking the princess like that?"

"You!" Azula said.

"It's not as if I've done anything to harm her, though, because I know she's your sister, and you're soft-hearted," Minato said. "She's simply detained until..."

"That is a good job."

Zuko turned his head. "Uncle. What is going on?"

"Well, it's actually quite complicated, but we've been having, as you see, issues with your sister because she, not you, is the one who takes after Prince Ozai And your other guard set up an alarm that something occurred, so I can right away." Then Iroh laughed, his big booming laugh. "But Zuko? Do you really think her bending is stronger than hers?"

"Isn't it?" Zuko said.

Iroh motioned for the room. "Well, they don't think so."

"Where did you get a bloody waterbender from, you fat..."

"So it isn't Prince Zuko who's unhinged."

"Only Princess Azula?"

And then, Minato collapsed to one knee. Zuko gasped. "Minato! What?" He hurried over."

"Sorry. I didn't see her above me. She moved too fast and..."

"You're hurt."

"Yeah, but you aren't, and that's what matters," Minato said. He looked at Azula. "And I get it now. Why did you want a waterbender to guard Princess Azula."

"Oh?"

"Firebender hands are tied because they are still under orders not to harm Princess Azula, but my bending," Minato took a deep breath. "It's able to incapacitate her and prevent her from continuing her attacks."

"Well, that is quite the correct observation." Iroh helped Minato up, then motioned for Zuko. "And I think, Zuko, the two of you have had enough excitement for the day, so if the headmaster doesn't mind."

"Go. And please take Princess Azula away. Her madness has upset the girl's academy enough as it is."

"I'm not mad! I'm not!"

Zuko looked back. "Azula. Doing this—it just makes you look mad to everyone."

"I know, I know," Iroh said, ruffling his hair. "But this should mean nobody sees you that way anymore, that their concerns of you being Ozai's child shall be quelled."

"Huh?" Zuko's eyes blinked. "I'm confused.

"Don't worry about it," Minato said. "Let's go home, Prince Zuko."

"Yes. Lets." He glanced back as guards came and retrieved Azula.

"Don't look. I don't like seeing family like that either, but that's how things are," Iroh said, covering his eyes and making him look away. "And I'm so sorry I can't protect you from that."

"It's alright, Uncle Iroh. I know you love me, and that's what matters."