The next day Azula was dressed by some servant girls. Her face was calm but serious. For a moment, she thought that she should have gone to prison with her twin brother: "Maybe Ty Lee wouldn't betray her if Goku was there". But then the small idea that Goku might have also betrayed her came to her mind, and she went angered. The servant girls did not know what was happening, they did not know if they may have done something wrong, so they called for her. Azula woke up from her thoughts and saw the face of the servants that looked worried. She looked at the mirror to see her dress, it was a light red dress, which was refined and looked perfect for elegant parties, but comfortable enough to fight with it. She drew a small smile and then thanked the servants.
The servants were already accustomed to the harsh attitude of the princess, but they still wanted to follow her. She has accomplished so many things at a young age, she had to go against many betrayals of her most dear people for her, and she is still doing the best for her country. Even when she was harsh, their families are living a good life thanks to her and her family, for that they will always follow her but, with this new attitude, they just reaffirm their loyalty.
Azula asked them to put her in the armor she always uses. To do that, 6 girls needed to lift the armor, as it was too heavy for them to lift alone, the armor only covered her shoulders, pectoral, and part of the abdomen. It was in a "V" form. It won't be that different from the normal armor, but this was modified with the specification that Azula asked so it will weigh 200 lbs. (90 kilos). It was incredible that Azula wore that armor almost every day and could walk and train with it like nothing. After that Azula thanked them again and left the room. The servants were sad that they couldn't be in the coronation process.
On her way out, Li and Lo appeared before her. "Good day, fire Lord Azula," said both of them at the same time. Azula answered and greet them, then she continued walking. After that, the old women said:
- We hear you asked the Imperial soldiers to leave
- Why did you take that decision?
Azula surprisingly turned to them, but she was not angry and just answered in a calm way.
- The Avatar and his followers are out there with Zuko. So, they already know about father's plan and will think that the Fire Nation will be unprotected. That is why I send them to different points, in case they show up. But if they are fools enough to fly here, Goku and I will take care of them.
After that Azula left the place as she continued her walking.
The crown ceremony was taking place at the Palace's main square. Only the sages and Goku were there, and from inside the Palace, some servants were watching. Azula was on her knees as the sages were making the royal process. Even when it was absurd that the coronation process is carried out with only one person other than the Sages and who will be crowned. Due to the current situation, it could not be helped. But for the people involved, it did not matter. The servants that were watching from the windows of the palace, were moved to tears when the sage finally put the crown in Azula's head (well hair, it is more like a hair ornament). Then suddenly from the skies, a roar was heard. The flying bison was landing, and over it was Zuko and the water tribe girl from Omashu.
Goku, for a moment, was happy as he tough that his brother was back and would join them again. But he was mistaken.
- Today, you won't become the Fire Lord. I am.
- You know, you arrived a little late for the ceremony.
- You are going down.
- Zuko! Just what are you doing?
Azula stopped Goku with her hand and then turned where Zuko was.
- You want to be Fire Lord? Fine. Let's settle this. Just you and me, Zuzu. Agni Kai!
Goku go closer to Azula.
- You know that that's what he wants.
- And you know that he is no match for me. But don't worry, I am making this so he can open his eye.
Then suddenly, a fireball was sent where Goku and Azula were. Azula moved away quickly, but Goku stopped with his hands as if it had passed, the sages may have been injured, that is why Goku asked them to enter the Palace.
Azula ran to the garden, and she was followed by Zuko. The waterbender girl was going behind, but Goku blasted his "fire bending" in front of her so she could stop. He did not want to injure her, just to halt her. Goku said to her: "Agni Kai is an honorable fight between two warriors, do not interfere". The girl got angry and attacked him with water that looked like an octopus. Goku just dodged all the attacks by moving to his sides. Then when she was standing over the water ducts, she produced a great amount of water and turned it into piercing ice, and were sent against him. Goku destroyed each one of them with his own fist. He got closer to her pretty fast and just grabbed her arm and threw her against a wall. She lost her breath and could not stand up immediately.
Meanwhile, Azula was fighting Zuko, but this time Azula was calmer, she did not rush herself against Zuko, and stead used the same tactic she used against Goku, and went with close combat. That made Zuko confused as his sister was known to always overpower people with firebending, but now with the comet Sozin, when she may have more power, she chose to have a close combat fight. And to make things worse for him, even when Zuko's fire bending is even more potent than ever before, it's unable to hurt Azula. Zuko was getting more desperate, and when he saw that his companion was sent against a wall, it made him go more aggressively. He went very close to where Azula was and blasted his fire, but Azula moved away and the fire was going directly to the pond where the turtle-ducks were. Before Zuko's blast could reach the pond, a blue fire blast went against his bast and saved the animals and the pond. It was the blast of Azula that she sent while in the air. Then she said: "I won't let you destroy it". Azula was in the attack, And Zuko tough: "not even Ty Lee was that agile, Toph was not that strong, the Avatar was not that fast either". Zuko was overwhelmed by the big difference, and the worst is that she was doing it without the help of the comet as she did not use any fire bending technique. Azula punched Zuko in the stomach, and he got lifted from the ground due to the strength, and then she spin-kick him and sent him to fly against the same wall where the water bender girl was. Azula started to walk towards Zuko, while he was still panting after the crash with the wall.
The fight was over, Goku was just standing as he did not want this to happen. Suddenly Azula stopped. The waterbender girl looked at the face of Azula and Goku. Both of them looked scared, but they were looking at the sky. They turned to look at each other, and Azula started to cry.
- No. This can't be true. Father cannot...
Azula took the crown from her head and then stood in front of Zuko.
- You wanted power so badly? You wanted to be the Fire Lord, so bad that you were willing to sacrifice the lives of our men? Betraying not only your Nation but also your family. You wanted our father to die. FOR WHAT? FOR THIS?
Azula threw the crown at Zuko, which gave him a small scratch close to the cheek.
- You can have it.
Then Goku and Azula started to fly away. Zuko and the waterbender girl were in shock and confused when they saw both of them flying away. Without knowing what may happen next, the Waterbender girl started to heal Zuko's injures with her water technique. Zuko just said: "Thanks, Katara".
Goku was able to fly faster than Azula, and she was having difficulties already. They could pass most of the ocean already, as they were flying with all their might. Goku, knowing that this can be dangerous to Azula, said:
- Go and find a place where we can take father. I'll bring him there.
- No, I am going with you.
- I AM NOT ASKING YOU! GO AND FIND A PLACE WHERE WE CAN TAKE FATHER!
That was the first time Goku imposed himself over his sister. Azula understood that she was getting weaker from the amount of energy she was expending while flying, so she obeyed. She cursed herself for not training the flying technique as Goku did. She has been comfortable using it only for short distances, especially for battle tactics, but not for traveling long distances.
The Sozin comet already left. The sky was black as the night was able to conquer the time. Ozai was on the floor, defeated but alive. The Avatar was in front of him. Three of Avatar's friends were there: The girl that escaped from the Boiling Rock prison, a water tribe guy with a broken leg, and the last one was Toph, the blind girl that was rescued by Goku back in Ba Sin Se. Behind them was a war balloon from the fire nation that was stolen from one of them. It seemed that they were waiting for someone, but they were too relaxed. Then their expressions everyone, except for the blind earthbender, changed. They saw a guy in a crimson fight suit, that look like gee. He was floating in the sky. His hair was a mess, but his face was very serious and looked like he wanted to fight, but he didn't. The Avatar and his friends changed to a fighting position, and the blind girl was confused as she did not know what was happening. Then the mysterious guy talk:
- I came for my father not to fight you Avatar. But if you want to do it, search for me. I'll be ready for you.
The guy landed and took Ozai in his arms and then flew again and left the place. The Avatar and the others were frozen and did not know what to do. The Avatar was too tired to fight again, and the others were even worst. Toph was confused. She thought she recognized the voice, but she only felt its touch on the ground for a brief moment, and then it was gone, making it difficult for her to realize who that was. Although she thought who it could have been, she didn't want to believe it.
- What was that?
- I don't know, but we have to stop him!
- How? He is too fast for me, and Appa is not with us.
- We can use the war balloon!
- By the time we start the balloon, he will be too far away.
Although the Avatar won, it felt like there was a bitter flavor, due to the appearance of that guy.
Meanwhile, Goku was flying with his father in his shoulder. He felt Azula's energy and went to her. She was next to a cave that was an abandoned air nomad temple which was at the north of Ba Sin Se. Goku went there and put his father in an old bed that was inside.
The next day, Ozai woke up and started to walk outside the cave. Azula went to help him and took him outside. They could see Goku coming back with his hunt, and as soon Goku saw his father he made a big smile. Even though it was happy for them that he woke up, nobody made any conversation, as they did not know what to say at the moment. Later that day while eating dinner, Azula said.
- Once you recover your energy father, we will strike again. Nobody will be able to defeat any of us. Not even the Avatar.
- Is over Azula.
Ozai looked serious but calm.
- But.
- This will be my fight, my own war. There is no need for you two to be involved in it anymore.
Goku and Azula were confused about this.
- Azula. You are the daughter anyone would ask, a true leader, untamed, strong, and fearless, just like Fire, unlike your brother Zuko who is bland and voluble. Goku, you are strong, and your determination only can be compared to the lava of a volcano. I only wish you were my true son.
Azula and Goku were in shock by the last part. Why would he say that he wishes that he was his true son? Azula tough for a moment about the letter from her mom that she found a year ago. "But it was about Zuko. Right?" thought Azula.
- I found you alone in the wilds and took you into my family. You become a real son, a better son than the one who really has my blood. Please take care of Azula.
After that, Ozai went inside the cave and went to sleep again. Goku and Azula stayed outside confused about what they just hear.
The next day Azula woke up and Goku was just standing outside looking at the sky, then she started to run to his father's room, but there was nobody. She went back to Goku, and he simply shook his head. Azula knew what was happening as she also knew how to feel energy like Goku. Their father's energy was no more.