Phoenix Fire (Avatar: The Last Airbender) #Wattys2016

||Chapter 34 - Sisters||

3rd Person's POV (A hour after the after party was declared over)

Phoenix Princess Lea yawned tiredly, standing up before stretching, feeling her bones pop in satisfaction. Lea walked over to where Zuko and Aang were at who were currently bidding the guests goodbye and thanking them for coming. Lea joined them in their farewells, knowing full well that the many faces she saw would be able to see again soon. The last guests to bid farewell were the Fire Sages, who smiled at the three kindly before leaving the courtyard where the coronation was held. Zuko sighed in relief, rubbing his face

"Thank Agni that's all over, my throat feels so sore." Zuko stated, Aang nodding in agreement

"Same."

"Hey, at least everything went better than we expected it to. In all honesty I thought a couple of fights were going to break out." Lea informed the two with a light laugh

"Say for yourself, you mostly spent the night talking to your boyfriend." Zuko teased the red head whose cheeks flared up in both anger and embarrassment

"We are just friends Zuko!"

"I heard from Uncle that you actually kissed him during the Comet-" Zuko teased further causing Lea to groan out in frustration, hitting his chest repeatedly with her fists

"So mean!"

"What, I'm just stating the facts-"

"Did you really kiss Shinya, Lea?" Aang asked, amused by her embarrassment

"Uhh yes and no- GAH, NO I UHH, JUST GOT CAUGHT UP WITH THINGSAND-" Aang and Zuko laughed at the Phoenix's red face and blundered words that kept changing, disagreeing and agreeing that she kissed Shinya during the Comet

"Enough you two, it's time to get to bed and rest up for tomorrow." Iroh interjected, laughing lightly at his niece's demise

"Thank you Uncle!" Lea quickly thanked him before running off to the doors that led into the palace. Zuko chuckled at his little sister, shaking his head in amusement

"It's nice to see you two getting along so well after so long, hard to believe it's been almost 3 years since she has been gone." Zuko nodded in agreement, remembering when he got out of the clinic from getting scarred by his father, he heard the news of Lea's disappearance, when he left to search for the Avatar, he postponed that search and began searching for his sister until the crew members grew tired and threatened to leave the ship if he didn't start looking for the Avatar. He searched for her for 4 whole months but never managed to find her, now he knew why because he never dared to step foot into Ba Sing Se during that time.

"Hey Uncle, Lea asked me something earlier and I'm wondering if I made the right decision." Zuko suddenly asked Iroh. Aang leaving the two be to go and speak with Katara with his own personal matters *wink* *wink* if you know what I mean

"What did she ask you?"

"If she could go see Azula, alone. Without me or you accompanying her."

"What did you tell her?" Iroh asked, curious but happy that Lea still loved her sister even after all she has done

"That she may go, but keep her guard up. Then again, I know she really isn't ever alone when she has the spirit of a Phoenix inside of her." Uncle nodded in understanding before looking off into the direction Lea went off to

"You made the right decision, Lea knows that Azula is currently unstable and worried about her. So this may happen often, plus at least she asked you for permission to go and see her."

"True. I'm just worried that she may get hurt or Azula breaks out-" Iroh chuckled, shaking his head at his nephew

"No need to worry. Now, let's head to bed shall we?"

Lea enters the tower once again that day, only she went down the lowest level instead of up where Ozai was being held. The lowest floor held the prisoners with any type of mental illness, Azula being one of them. Lea passed by cells that held screaming, mumbling, scratching walls, shaking, reaching out, prisoners, all of them physically and mentally unstable. A guard led Lea to Azula's cell, going through a series of fire proof metal doors. Lea saw her deranged sister huddle up in the corner of her cell, hugging her knees tightly to her chest, her long black hair dangling in front of her face, along with her side sloped chopped bangs that she made on the day of the Comet

"Are you going to be alright alone, Phoenix Princess?" Lea nodded at the guard, smiling at him

"I will be alright, give me some time with her alone please. I would rather us speak privately without anyone else in the room." The guard nodded in understanding before bowing and leaving Lea alone in the room with Azula, only metal bars separating them. Lea opened the cell door using the key the guard provided her before shoving it into her pocket and walking towards Azula who stayed unmoving and distant, lost in her own world of make believe. Lea crouched down to Azula height, her blue eyes studying her older sister's position, noting that she looked really thin and weak, a tray of untouched food laying on her mattress

"Hi Azula, how have you been?" Lea asked Azula before groaning to herself, already knowing the answer to that question

"Umm, are you feeling any better-? Wait no that's a bad question too.... Uhh, why haven't you been eating anything. You need food to stay healthy, food helps keep us strong." Lea stammered, trying to find the right conversation to speak with Azula in her current state. Lea bit down on her bottom lip, trying to think of something before an idea came up, realizing the time

"It's almost midnight, maybe I can sing you to sleep, how about that?" Lea asked Azula who was still unresponsive. The 12 year old huffed in annoyance before grabbing Azula's tray of food and setting it down in front of her. Lea scooted over next to Azula, combing Azula's hair with her fingers, humming to herself in harmony

"No matter what, you are still my older sister, my role model even after all of the mistakes you have made, so please eat-"

"Leave." Lea looked questioning at Azula, the first word Azula has spoken to her sounded raspy and weak, as if she desperately needed water

"What do you mean by 'Leave'?" Lea asked her, confused

"I SAID LEAVE!" Azula suddenly flipped over the tray filled with food, looked over at Lea, her eyes filled with distraught and anger. Her jaw clenched and fists balled up tightly. Lea cringed before taking a feel breath, calming her nerves. Lea stared at Azula, showing that Lea wasn't budging from her spot on the ground next to her

"No, I'm not leaving you Azula. Because last time I left, you made all of the wrong decisions in life. Never again am I going to leave my sister alone in the world."

"Just leave me alone, why can't you understand that I want to be left alone?!" Azula asked Lea, holding onto her head and tightly closing her eyes

"Because when you're alone, bad thoughts erupt into your mind. Everyone needs somebody to help them through things. I know that Mai and Ty Lee-"

"Don't you dare speak of them."

"Okay, I won't. But I will one of these days. Anyways, you can't scare people to become friends with you, because once you do, they aren't your true friends, they are just afraid of not being friends with you. If that makes any sense." Lea laughed nervously, "I'm not very good at consoling people, especially others I'm close to. Now, how about I fix your bangs?" Lea asked Azula who stared at her in confusion

"My bangs are fine-"

"No they aren't, this is the first step to overcoming your demons Azula. Now please let me help you, it's the least I can do." Azula stared at her younger sister, bewildered that she even would want to help her after all she has done, even trying to physically hurt her last time they saw each other. Lea smiled at Azula before standing up and walking out of the cell to get clippers before coming back.

"Sit up straight and scooch out of the corner, time to give you the best haircut that I can."

To Be continued