"Calm down you guys! This much negative energy is bad for your skin. You'll totally break out," Ty Lee blurted out.
"Bad skin? Normal teenagers worry about bad skin! I don't have that luxury. My father decided to teach me a permanent lesson on my face!" Zuko yelled pointing at his scar.
My eye's locked onto him as he got angrier and angrier infront of us. I tried so hard to make myself keep listening, my headache was increasingly getting worse. But I wanted to hear what he had to say.
"Sorry Zuko I-"
"For so long I thought if my dad accepted me I'd be happy! I'm back home now, my dad talks to me! He even thinks I'm a hero! Everything should be perfect, right? I should be happy now! But I'm not! I'm angrier than ever and I don't know why!"
A hero, I told him that same thing on the boat after leaving Ba Sing Se. That made me realize he really was regretting what he did.
"There's a simple question you need to answer then," Azula said,"Who are you angry at?"
"No one!" He replied, "I'm just angry,"
"Who are you angry at, Zuko?" Kaito asked.
"Everyone!" He yelled,"I don't know!"
"Is it dad?" Azula asked.
"No no!" Zuko replied.
"Your uncle?" Ty Lee asked
"Me?" Azula asked.
"Partially," I said to myself, Kaito nudged me to shut up. I rolled my eyes.
"Then who? Who are you angry at?" Mai continued.
Zuko didn't understand where his anger stemmed from. As if it wasn't clear, he's been beating himself up on the inside since Ba Sing Se. It's exactly what I needed, for him to realize he messed up. I need to continue to trust myself, maybe just maybe I can find hope within the ashes.
"Your angry at yourself Zuko," I said.
"Yes!" He yelled as the fire got bigger bringing an uncomfortable warmth on my skin.
"Why is that?" I asked him wanting a confession.
"Because I'm confused, because I'm not sure I know the difference between right and wrong anymore,"
"You pathetic," Azula chuckled.
"Are you sure you don't?" I interrogated, standing up. My ice cold gaze on Zuko made it seem like I was criticizing him. Not making it seem like I cared for him anymore.
"Kya, I'm so sorry. I love you," Zuko responded. He was clenching his fists so hard they were shaking. The breeze slowed down as we watched each other. Mai then look down from the corner of my eye.
I sighed.
"Stop saying crap like that and show it," I said annoyed once more.
"Fine," Zuko grabbed me by the waist and softly kissed me.
My heart hurt, it really felt like the Zuko I fell in love with. It felt like the past, but it wasn't, and he still hasn't fixed his mistakes. I bit his lip causing him to wince, he tried to hold the our kiss but broke it soon after. Zuko looked at me with pain laced in his golden eyes as I turned my head and sat back down. He wiped the bit of blood that trickled his lip as Azula slowly clapped.
"Those were wonderful performances everyone," She said,
"I guess you wouldn't understand would you, Azula?" Zuko asked "Because you're just so perfect,"
"Oh yes, I guess you're right, I don't have sob stories like all of you. I could sit here and complain about how our mom liked Zuko more than me but I don't really care," She was lying, I could just tell. I felt bad deep down, not a lot but I empathized with her,"My own mother thought I was a monster. She was right of course but it still hurts,"
Kaito looked down, no one asked her anything. As if no one wanted to know, or no one cared enough to listen to her. It seemed like she didn't care, but it seemed like she had a lot to say. She just slowly dug her hands into the sand listening to everyone else.
Why are you even here?
"What Lo and Li said came true," Ty Lee said with a smile,"The beach did help us learn about ourselves. I feel all smoothed, I'll always remember this,"
"You know what would make this trip really memorable?" Azula said with a smirk.
Azula led as everyone went back to crash the party completely destroying everything. I watched in slight amusement at the craziness, all the kids ran out screaming.
Zuko gave me a look and I shook my head causing him to smile as he broke the table in half. The look on Chans face when the house went up in flames was definitely hard to forget. So I guess you can say it was a memorable trip to Ember Island.
>>>
Kaito, Ty Lee and I talked the entire walk back to the beach house. Well, mostly Ty Lee, she was really a ball of sunshine. Both of them seemed to just want freedom. Freedom to be themselves. A freedom they couldn't get with Azula. My plan just might be seeing some better light.
Azula placed her hand on my shoulder,"I've already spoken to father before we came here. He approved of you, as long as you do as I say you'll be strong enough to aid in a swift victory in the war," She said with a menacing smile.
"Dad heard about what happened in Ba Sing Se. He believes the Maiden of the Sea is a threat that can't be taken lightly," Zuko said worryingly,"He'll end up killing her,"
Maiden of the sea? So that's what they're calling me now.
"He won't, you worry too much Zuzu. Father believes the Maiden of the Sea is a useful ally. I've convinced him to see dear Kya as a valuable asset. You should thank me, Kya is still here because I gave her an offer she couldn't refuse,"
An offer I couldn't refuse. I sighed to myself.
I avoided Zuko for the rest of the night, even until we boarded the ship I stuck around Azula and Kaito to avoid him asking questions about the other night. I didn't want to talk to him about the things I said around the fire, especially with Azula around.
"Now that you've made your resolve," Azula said in a slightly happy tone,"Let us see just how much potential you really have,"
I looked back as Zuko and Mai walked in the opposite direction on the ship. My chest clenched as I turned back to follow Azula and Kaito. Azula told me I would be strictly sparring with Kaito without bending for the time being. It was Kaito and her fire bending and me without water. I agreed to the terms she placed for me. It meant I could practice more. Or get burned trying to. Either way, Kaito was a capable fighter, not cutting me any slack whatsoever. Following Azula's orders as always. But it meant I could get her to my side without anyone being suspicious of me.
Trust yourself.
Once we were close to the harbor Azula handed me a more formal dress along with a golden flower hair piece with a long ribbon. She left without needing to tell me another word. I knew exactly what it meant. I was now considered the royal palace's property. And I have to deal with that too. I went to change and Kaito kindly helped me place their hair piece properly. My hair hasn't grown that much past my shoulders since I arrived, but it was long enough to be placed in a half up and half down style.
To everyone around you, you are no longer your own person.
——
(A/N: reference images as always.)