Azula rode hard and fast through the city, her heart pounding as she bucked up and down on the saddle. The night air was cool, the full moon guiding her way as she went down main streets, passed by intersections, and at least once she had been forced to pull to a halt as she hit the recreational district of Ajio. Here the streets were lit up from bars and taverns that dotted the four blocks. People out for a night on the town wandering about, many of them in drunken stupors. Laughs and cheers were in no short supply. Azula cared little for them and their merrymaking. What she was worried about however were the patrols of Warriors that were set up on street corners and moving through the crowds.
Azula was fairly certain that word couldn't have reached this far yet that she had stolen a Yang War Mount. But any second that luck could change. By now the Castle was aware of what had happened, someone had seen her leave after all. Azula was almost certain that Naomi had sent out riders to look for her. To at least bring her back and ask her why she had run off all of a sudden. Azula couldn't allow that to happen, Naomi could never know what evil was lurking on this Island paradise.
She hadn't wanted to tell Nikkō, but it was either that or leave the poor child thinking Azula was running away for selfish reasons, Azula had done a lot of selfish things in her life that she was no longer proud of, but this here and now...her decision to go with Kowareta was one act that she was proud to be taking part in, even if she was afraid. She had never wanted to see her father again after all the trauma she had worked through, and now she was going back to him with open arms. Well maybe not open but she was voluntarily going.
She hoped, no she prayed that the Temple Of Amaterasu could help her. For what she was going to need her mind clear, free of the desire for power she thought she had forgotten so long ago. That itch that she just couldn't scratch as Kowareta had put it. It itched more now than it had done in years, spreading across her mind and body like a rash. She tried to ignore it, she thought of the relationship she had formed with her mother and Kiyi. She thought of the friendship she had with Naomi, she thought of the joy she felt around Nikkō. But most of all she thought of the love she had for Sung, that at least seemed to keep her desires manageable but...she knew if she went to Kurn now even with all the joy she had found in her life to give her strength...she would lose. She would give in and return to her old ways, the days that she had been a monster that cared for no one but herself. She didn't want to be that version of herself ever again.
Her journey to the Temple was a difficult one, not just because she was constantly looking over her shoulder, but because she had only been to the Temple once and she was trying to find it off of memory alone. It had been her and Sung's last day on Sun Dao. Kayo, Sung's mother had told Azula that Sung had gone to the Temple to pray before leaving for the Capital. A carriage had taken to the grounds. But she hadn't paid as much attention to the route as she should have.
She left the recreational center and passed into what looked like a general market area, here foot traffic wasn't as thick as all the shops and stalls were closed for the night, though security was still on patrol, every time she saw that Golden Phoenix she thought it would be a Warrior who had been informed of her theft. But many of the guards around the city didn't give her even a second a glance, as far as they were concerned it was a civilian on a midnight ride, but at any moment that could change.
From there she reached an area of the city that looked like it held homes. She was actually starting to get worried she was lost, until she finally saw it, surrounded by tall red stone walls was the Temple. But for Agnis sake the gates were closed. She could scale the wall, a short burst of flame and she would be up and over. But that wouldn't make the best of first impressions, and with Azula's luck she would run into someone on the other side of the wall that would rather raise the alarm then give her a chance to explain herself. No, she needed to at least try and get in the proper way.
Silently she rode up to the gates and stepped off the Ostrich Horse and knocked. Her fist against the wood echoing. She heard voices in the distance and her head immediately turned the way she had come. Straining her ears to hear. The voices were far off and she couldn't make out what was being said. She tried to keep her composure it could just people going home after a night of drinking and they weren't being quiet about it. But still she turned back to the gate and knocked again, harder this time.
Silence greeted her, was everyone inside asleep? She hoped not. But the longer she waited the more that fire stepping was looking like the best option, especially as the voices grew closer, and she could hear the rumble of Ostrich Horse feet. It was still far off but it wouldn't be forever. Her heart began to race and just as she was about to knock on the door as hard as she could, a slit in the door opened and a pair of young golden eyes were looking back at her. "Can I help you Sister?" A female voice said in a softly, friendly tone."
"I-I need to see Mother Honoka." Azula said as rapidly as possible. She didn't understand the Shrine Sister rank structure but she had seemed to be their leader, the title seemed to denote her seniority.
The woman on the other side of the slit had a disappointed look on her face. Or at least Azula assumed it was a disappointed one, she couldn't make out much of her face with her eyes only visible. "I'm sorry Sister, but Mother Honoka isn't taking visitors tonight, the gates will be opened in the morning. You can see her then."
"Take that street!" She heard a Female Voice echo from down the street. "You five with me!" Azula turned her head back down the road and off of some of the buildings she could see dancing fire From Lanterns, and the shadows of people. Along with the rumbling of Ostrich Horse feet.
Azula looked back at the woman, fear growing inside her, they were coming for her. "Please." Azula said. "I need her help, I don't know where else to go..."
The woman looked past Azula down the street. Then she looked back to Azula...then she closed the slit. Azula couldn't believe it. She began to bang on the door hard now. "Mother Honoka." She called out, hoping the woman would hear her. "Mother Honoka please!"
She heard a lock unlatch, then the creaking of a door as it was pulled away from her. In the door frame was a young woman, the same golden eyes. Her brown hair pulled back with a red ribbon tied around it at it's halfway point on her lower back. She was dressed in a white Kimono with red trim. "Get inside quickly." The woman said as she stared down the street. The Ostrich Horse riders were close now. No more than a block or two away at most.
"T-thank you." Azula said with a calming exhale as she gripped her Mounts reins and pulled the Ostrich Horse inside the Temple grounds. The woman immediately closed the door back and latched it. It wasn't a moment too soon, seconds later they both heard at least a dozen riders gallop by, soon fading off into the distance.
From across the Temple ground she could see someone approaching. The closer the got the more she recognized them. Dressed in her yellow Kimono, her grey hair pulled back like the younger woman's, was Mother Honoka...and she looked none too pleased. "By Amaterasu's Grace Sister Chō what is all that racket at this hour?"
The woman beside Azula bowed her head. "Apologies Mother Honoka, she said she needed to see you...the Defense Force was after her, I offered her Sanctuary."
Mother Honoka stopped and eyed Azula with suspicion. "Is that so... Princess, what hornets nest have you stirred up?"
Azula bowed as well. "Mother Honoka, I have a very good explanation for what is happening."
"I should hope so." Mother Honoka said skeptically. "You can start with why you have a Yang war mount."
Oh that was definitely a great way to start off this conversation, with an admittance of theft. "I...stole it." Azula said keeping her eyes glued to the ground. "But I had a good reason."
"One does not steal from House Yang and claim they had a good reason, theft is theft regardless of the reason." Mother Honoka said with a scoff. "Sister Chō, alert the Defense Force we have their thief."
Azula dropped to her knees now, bowing deep. "Mother Honoka please, I need your help, there are events happening on Sun Dao that will bring death and destruction, I can stop it but I need your help. Please Mother Honoka, please I'm begging you." In Fire Nation culture a deep bow such as this was one that couldn't be taken lightly, it showed a extra sign of humility and submissiveness, at least it would give Mother Honoka pause before sending her to the metaphorical wolves.
"What are you talking about child?" Mother Honoka asked, her anger gave way to confusion.
Azula shook her head as she looked up at Mother Honoka. "I-I can say any more than I already have, it puts you all in danger."
"If you want my help you will tell me quite clearly and frankly what is it that processed you to come here in the Middle of the night, with a Yang war mount, and the Sun Dao Defense hunting for you."
Azula couldn't, the more people who knew then the more risk there was that the information would get back to Naomi and then...she didn't want to think of the consequences. But as she looked up at the Elderly woman Azula had a feeling she wouldn't take "trust me" as a good reason. Mother Honoka had no reason to trust Azula, the two had only met once and briefly at that. Azula bit her cheek again, relenting...Azula told her everything.
*
Mother Honoka took the information in stride, like Azula was telling her a recipe for jerked chicken and not a conspiracy to commit an act of terror the likes of which Sun Dao hadn't seen since Chin had sent a war fleet to her shores. By the time Azula had ended her story Mother Honoka just stared at her in silence. Seemingly processing the information. She then let out a calm sigh "Kowareta never did have his fathers restraint, I knew that boy would be trouble someday...didn't foresee this happening however....if you can't tell Lady Naomi what has transpired, then what makes you think I can help?" She asked.
"I saw what you did for Sung." Azula said. "How you made him better."
"Child...I didn't do anything except guide him, what he became after, he did on his own. The cleansing ritual only works if the person participating wants it to."
Azula did want it to work, she wanted it to work more than anything. "Regardless...I want to do it. I am going into a place I do not wish to go, but my mind wants me to. If I go as I am now, I know I won't be able to fight the urge to let it take control, Mother Honoka I don't want to be the person I was ever again. I want to be able to trust myself to make the right choice when the time comes."
"The book of Amaterasu tells us that greatest of journeys are plagued with the strongest of temptations." Mother Honoka said softly. "Those who travel must give solace in the fact that the Goddess is with them, that she will guide them in their struggles." Mother Honoka then sigh and looked to the woman beside Azula, who had been watching the interaction. Chō looked horrified by the events transpiring but to her credit the only telling sign was how she seemed to nervously move her fingers about. "Prepare the tent."
Chō bowed. "Yes Mother Honoka." She said before taking off running across the grounds passing by a boxed shaped shrine of sorts, and down the path that was surrounded by cherry blossom trees.
"Thank you Mother Honoka." Azula said, dipping her head again.
"Don't thank me yet Child. The Cleansing ritual is a difficult undertaking. There is a reason it is only used in dire circumstances. You will be placed in such a deep state of meditation that you are neither alive nor dead. You cross the bridge between this world and the next one and how you choose to return is no one's responsibility but your own. You are a non believer to boot so your natural skepticism is not in your favor for this undertaking."
Azula stood up. "I...don't know if I'd describe myself as a "non believer." Per say." She said. "I don't know what I would call it. I know that it's common knowledge that Spirits are in this world, I don't see why the possibility of an even higher power existing can't be true as well...I know I've seen many instances where Sung...should have died but he didn't, it's almost like his Goddess isn't ready for him yet." The strongest instance of course what happened at the Boiling Rock, how his heart stopped after he was struck with lightning. By all rights Sung should have never woken back up, she had once thought that Daichi had been the one to save him, but what if Dachi had help? What if it had been Amaterasu who brought Sung back?
Mother Honoka smiled and turned and started to walk off, Azula following behind. "The Goddess does seem to favor the Yang family more than she favors others. I suppose it is their choice to give into the cry of war. Dedicate their entire lives to the Bushido code. Lady Naomi should have died when she was born, she was premature..I have never seen a smaller infant then how that woman looked when came into the world. The doctors said she wouldn't survive the night. Lady Kayo and Lord Pai were distraught, the night she was born the Goddess gave me a vision that Naomi would live a long healthy life. The vision rang true, Naomi survived her fist night, then her next, and the next. The Goddess saw Naomi had her families Warrior Spirit. It seemed that even as a baby Naomi refused to quietly pass into the next world."
Azula had never heard this story from Naomi before, Naomi had talked of her childhood to some extent but had never spoken of how she almost never got to experience life at all. Perhaps her parents hadn't told her about it before they passed on? Or maybe there were some parts of herself that Naomi wished to keep to herself? There was nothing wrong with that, Azula had parts of herself she didn't like talking about either.
They moved across the grounds in silence now as they walked through the Cherry Blossom trees that dotted both sides of a walk way. Sung had explained to her that these trees had special meaning other than being pretty to look at. They were called Soul Trees. On Sun Dao when Warrior died and their body was cremated, the ashes that remained were buried atop a cherry blossom sapling to be used as fertilizer, the dead giving life to something new. In a way each tree held a warriors soul, in some small way they lived on in the physical world as well as the spiritual one.
"I had a vision you would come here as well." Mother Honoka said, looking over her shoulder for a moment at Azula. "And why it would be."
This caught Azula by surprise. "If you knew, why did you put me through that? I was on my knees begging you." She'd be lying to herself if she didn't feel the tinge of annoyance growing inside her.
Mother Honoka laughed. "The path to redemption isn't truly a path if it was without hardship, Azula." Mother Honoka said "the trials you will face will pale in comparison to what I put you through, you must give yourself fully to the process. You must know what you want. What you wish to be and what you once were are both fighting to take control, you must not let what you once were win if you hope to be successful in your quest."
as they exited the cherry blossom trees and entered an area of the Temple she hadn't seen. Here a tall staircase could be seen, the stairs leading up to what looked like a small white castle with a bright yellow roof, thought this one wasn't as extensive as Castle Yang was. Azula assumed this was the Temple proper that building at the front being a shrine. Green grass covered the ground here and lanterns hung from black metal poles illuminating the area in orange light. At a half way point between the Temple structure and the stone pathway surrounded by ten young women in white Kimonos a tent had been erected, the same one Sung had entered one man, and came out a different one.
Mother Honoka stopped at the entrance of the tent and looked to Azula. "Before we enter...are you sure you wish to do this? Facing the mirror and fighting yourself is a difficult task. You may learn more about who you are then you ever wished to know."
Did she really want to do this? Of course she did, what kind of question was that to ask herself. When she was Princess Azula she had everything she wanted, she had power, she had respect, she was feared....but as just plain Azula she had everything she needed, she had friends, she had family, she had people who loved her just as much as she loved them. Azula reached into her pocket, gently rubbing Sung's letter between her thumb and forefinger. "I know the risks...I'm ready."
Mother Honoka nodded, pulling back the tent flap and Azula was struck by a wave of heat from a burning fire in the center of the tent. Azula held up a arm to shield her eyes from the heat that assaulted her. "Exhaustion helps the meditation process." Mother Honoka explained as she stepped inside. "Sit by the fire." Azula stepped inside and did as instructed sitting cross legged, beside the fire were a series of jars with various colored liquids and a tea cup. Mother Honoka walked over to the jars and began mixing them into the cup. Afterwards she held the cup up and with her free hand she conjured a small flame. After a few minutes Steam began to rise off of the cup. Mother Honoka then silenced her flame and offered Azula the cup. "Whenever you're ready." She said softly, folding her hands in her lap.
Azula took the cup sniffing it. It had a bitter smell to it that she couldn't quite place, the liquid itself looking as black as ink, definitely not the most refreshing beverage she had ever seen. She began to bring the cup up to her lips when she paused remembering something. When Sung had taken part in this ritual he had his sword with him, Mother Honoka having said he would need it. That told Azula that her firebending would be useless wherever it was she would be going. "Don't I...need a weapon?" She asked, unsure.
Mother Honoka shook her head. "Your quest will be a different battle than Lord Sung's was. Each person experiences these rituals differently."
Azula didn't understand what Mother Honoka meant by that. But when it came to rituals like this you couldn't put your faith in logic, the only course of action was to put faith in a higher power. Azula exhaled sharply and threw back the cup contents quickly. Letting out a raspy cough and dry heaves as the liquid left a bitter taste in her mouth. Almost immediately as the brew hit her stomach she began to feel strange, her body felt tingly, her head swimming as she had trouble focusing. Azula began to feel like her chest hurt and her breathing increased, she wanted this feeling to stop. Azula knew if she just got up and left the tent, just got some fresh air everything would be okay. "Calm yourself." Mother Honoka said, sounding far away but close at the same time. "Everything is alright."
Everything certainly didn't feel right. She could hear a torrent of wind all around her, a sound she had heard before. She had been three years old, a hurricane was off the coast of the capital, from her bedroom she watched in horror as lightning had flashed across the sky and thunder boomed so loud that it made her ears ring. She had been so afraid, crying out for her mother. Azula knew if anyone could make the storm go away it would have been her.
The Tent was quite literally pulled away and Azula felt like she was now in the center of a tornado, she could feel herself being pulled off the ground and thrown into the air. She couldn't stop any of this from happening. She went higher and higher, she went above Sun Dao, above the Fire Nation itself, above the world itself. Earth growing further and further away by the second...darkness followed.
*
She didn't know how or why but she was back on the Palace grounds now. The sky was crimson red, Sozins comet shooting across the sky. She was back here, back at the worst point in her life up until now. The day she had everything she had ever wanted taken from her in a literal flash of fire. "No..." Azula whispered as she stared at the Palace. "Not here...please."
She heard foot steps behind her and she quickly turned. To see a young man, black hair pulled into a top knot and Ember eyes. He was dressed in old armor that looked like it belonged in a museum or some display case. It was red in color, a yellow waist sash around him that he used to hold two katanas with the facing scabbard up. He also wore throwing knifes and other pieces of weaponry. She could almost swear she was looking back at the man she loved...but why had his eyes changed color? "Sung?" She asked.
"Sorry to disappoint." The man said. His voice was deeper than Sung's, he had a sense of calm to his voice. "I would have hoped my biggest fan would recognize me."
Biggest fan? What did that mean? She had never seen this person in her life, at least not this version of this person. Then...a thought came to her mind. More of a guess. "Tadashi?" She asked.
"Hello Azula." Tadashi said with a friendly smile. "Honored to meet such a interesting young lady such as yourself. You've come a long way in a short amount of time."
"W-what's going on?" Azula asked. "Why am I here?"
Tadashi's held up a gloved hand. "Everything is okay." He said. "I'm here to...guide you in a sense, these cleansing rituals can be difficult to comprehend. It helps to have a friendly face in your corner."
Azula felt herself shake. "I don't want to be here Tadashi...this day, was the worst day of my life...I lost everything!" She screamed at him, immediately holding her hands over her mouth in surprise.
Tadashi didn't seemed phased in the slightest, lowering his hand. "You are right where you need to be Azula. This moment here and now changed you, it can change you again if you let it. You need to face the woman you were to be the woman you want to become."
"I-I don't know if I can!" Azula said, crossing her arms to hug herself. "I'm...I don't know what to do."
Tadashi sighed as he stepped towards her. "You can Azula." He said with words of encouragement. "The person you are in there." He pointed at the Palace. "Is not the same person I see here. You know what you want. You know what you have to do, the only way to succeed is to face yourself. Put that part of you in the ground. It is the only way to save the Fire Nation."
"I-I'm afraid Tadashi." Azula admitted, sounding like the child she once had been during that hurricane. "I...I'm so scared."
Tadashi let out a soft sigh as he stepped towards her, putting his hands on her shoulders in a comforting embrace. "I know you are child....bravery is not the absence of fear, but it is feeling that fear and still doing what needs to be done. I have been watching you since you came to Sun Dao, I have no doubt in my mind that you will make the right choice, you know what you need to do."
Feeling that fear and still doing what needs to be done? "Is that how you felt when you...fought the invaders...about fighting through the fear I mean?" She asked, looking him in his eyes.
Tadashi' smiled. "It was, I was more scared in those days then I had ever been in my life. But if I had run away Chin's Army could have spread across the Fire Nation." He sighed. "I wish I had better words for you Azula....but I was never a man who had words of wisdom to provide."
Azula took what he said in stride. Letting out a calming sigh as she looked up at the blood red sky. Then she looked back to the Palace, looking at her past. She did know what she had to do, even though she was afraid, she had to face what was beyond those doors. She stepped away From Tadashi. "I wouldn't say you never had words of wisdom...I wouldn't be here if I hadn't read your memoir."
Tadashi laughed. "I'm glad someone got some use from that waste of time." He then took on a stern face. "Do you want me to walk with you for a moment?" He asked. "I can't go inside with you but...I can at least keep you company for awhile."
Azula shook her head. "No...some roads are meant to be walked alone...I feel like this is one of them."
Tadashi bowed. "You won't be alone Azula, I will be with you in spirit." He then smiled. "May Amaterasu protect you."
Azula let out a calming sigh and walked up the steps of the Palace, gripping the door. One final time she looked back to See Tadashi smiling at her. "By the way...I'm not your biggest fan, that Honor falls to Nikkō."
Tadashi let out a half laugh. "That girl is a fire cracker. She reminds me of my beloved Kii." Tadashi then gave a small wave. "Good luck." Somehow Azula knew luck had nothing to do with this.
*
The halls of the Palace were dimly lit,the click of her boot heels being the only sound she could hear. If she could describe the atmosphere it would be "depressing." The air felt thick, no joy at all could be sensed in these walls as she walked. Somehow she knew where she needed to go, of course she knew. It had been the place she had wanted to be since she was a little girl.
Azula reached the red cloth that separated the throne room from the rest of the palace, her havd hovering over it as she stood stiff as a board. She could feel her hand subtly shaking. Everything in her being told her to run, run far away. But she knew she couldn't do that. This wasn't about what she wanted anymore, this was about what the Fire Nation needed. If she walked away now the Fire Nation would suffer... she needed to do this...no she had to do this.
She mustered her courage and pulled back the curtain forcefully and stepped inside. On the throne surrounded by Blue fire...was her. She wore a red robe with yellow trim, her hair a mess the strands covering her face...this must have been before she had attacked her own head with the scissors. What caught her attention the most was the blue fire however, how was it this version of herself could firebend in this...vision? That just wasn't fair! Then again this was "Azula" that Azula was facing, she didn't like the word "cant" all that much.
"Well look who finally decided to pay me a visit!" Her younger self said with a deranged smile. "My you certainly look....homely." She said eyeing Azula's outfit. "Look how far you have fallen."
Azula stood firm, head held high. "Look what I have risen above." Azula said.
Her younger self let out a deranged laugh. A cackling sound not unlike what Zarin used. Goddess had she really been that bad? Wait had Azula just referenced Amaterasu just now? That didn't matter, she needed to only focus on one thing at a time. "You're hilarious, you know that? I haven't laughed that hard in a very long time." Her younger self stood up and stretched. "You know, sitting on this throne puts a lot into perspective, you should try it sometime." She then stepped to the side as if beckoning her to come closer.
Azula stood firm. "That throne was never ours to have." She said.
The smile was gone on her younger self now, replaced by frustration. "Never yours to have maybe, but IT IS MY BIRTH RIGHT!" Her younger self shouted, the blue fire rising with the anger to the point Azula could only see the outline of her younger self. "I did everything father asked of me, I carried out his will, and he rewarded me for my efforts."
Azula glanced around her surroundings, besides the two of them the room was empty. "A lot of good that has gotten you Azula." She said, it felt weird calling herself by name in such a way. "Sitting in this big palace all by yourself with no one around to share all this "joy" with. It must be awful lonely sitting at the top looking down."
The flames died down to their former height now. Her younger self going wide eyed for a short moment before her expression stiffed. "I don't need anyone, the more people who get close the more chances I have to get killed in my sleep. I'm a powerful person now!"
Azula put her hands behind her back, partly to seem in control of the narrative, and partly to hide her nervous fingers that threatened to betray her calm that she was fighting to keep control of. "Tell me...do you feel powerful?" She asked her younger self. "Because as I look around this room all I see is a scared girl who feels so alone, you are afraid...you hate what you are becoming, you hate what you are doing to the one person in this world who cared about you."
Her younger self understood the implications of her statement. "What, are you talking about Sung?" She asked with a head tilting laugh. "I didn't want to tell you this sister but we could have done so much better than him." She let out a sigh as she ran a finger over her eye to wipe away a tear. "He certainly was a useful tool, but in the long run he's just a Pai Sho piece to be played and discarded."
"Not to me." Azula said, taking a step forward. "Sung is everything to me, if you were truly me then you would know that."
"Please spare me the pain of hearing a love sonnet." Her younger self said waving a hand in the air as if swatting away flies. "The only thing he would have been useful for is producing an Heir for us. After that we would have cast him aside. He would have served his purpose." How dare she say that. Did Azula really think like that back then? When she was crowned had she really planned to use Sung to give her an Heir and then throw him away? Toss him to the side like she had done Mai and Ty Lee? No of course Azula had never planned to do that, Azula was an excellent liar, but the person she lied the easiest to...was herself.
"You can't honestly believe that." Azula said with a laugh. "Sung did so much for us, he loved us when no one else did. We didn't make things easy for him in our final days together but he stayed beside us until he couldn't any longer. YOU." She pointed at her younger self. "Drove him away, he made the right choice when he surrendered, he would have just gotten himself killed, and we would have still went to that accursed Asylum. But only then we would of had his death on our conscience, tell me...do you think you could of handled his ghost haunting you as well as our mothers? I know I couldn't have."
"Because you are weak." Her younger self said with another cackling laugh. Though Azula noticed something, the flame around the throne was shrinking. Slowly dying out.
"No...I'm stronger than you ever were." Azula retorted. "I have people who love me, actually love me. Father never loved you, you were just his puppet."
The flame shrunk even more now and her younger self looked distraught. "He did love me!" She shouted. "I was....I am his perfect daughter! Once I am finished with you and I retake control of the weak body I will return to him, and he will welcome me with open arms." She jumped down from the throne and began to walk towards Azula, her fists clenched.
"He loved what you could do for him." Azula said, standing her ground. "You meant nothing to him. If you go to him now the cycle will just continue, and I won't be there to say that I was right, but I promise you wherever I go I'll be laughing." Behind her Azula could see the flames were little more than candle light now, a laughingstock to the proud inferno they once were.
"YOU TAKE THAT BACK!" Her younger self shouted, slowly closing the gap between them. "I DID EVERYTHING FOR HIM!" The rage filled her eyes as she held her fists even tighter.
If her younger self wanted to fight then Azula would gladly give her what she wanted. Or so she thought, Mother Honoka said she had to fight herself...but there was more then one way to win a fight, in war sometimes the best way to win was to walk away. Some fights just weren't worth dying over. Azula knew that she could never get her younger self to see reason, this version was still loyal to a man who had did nothing other than give her life. Everything she was now she had done on her own. She had learned to care for people, she had learned to care for herself... the Azula she was now, had found something worth fighting for. She found a future that was worth fighting for! "Goodbye Azula." She said to her younger self and she turned to walk away.
"DON'T YOU DARE WALK AWAY FROM ME!" Her younger self shouted. The room going black as the fire went out, almost symbolizing how Azula how blew out the flame on her list for power. "YOU HEAR ME, I SAID COME BACK! COME BACK RIGHT NOW...." Azula pulled back the curtain and walked into the hall, the last thing she heard was a somber one. "Please...don't leave me alone..." Azula ignored it.
As Azula walked it was as if the Palace itself was being torn apart around her, pieces flying up into the sky, this part of her life was over, it was now time to build a new one, a happier one...one in which she and Sung could have children in a safe world, one in which their children and their children's children didn't have to make the same sacrifices they had done, fought in the wars they had fought. But before that Justice had to be served...Kurn and his psychotic son would pay for what they had done...Ozai most of all would pay.
As she stepped outside the Palace only it's empty foundation remained, the sky was a deep blue, the air warm and peaceful. From the steps Tadashi stood up to greet her. "My, when you do something you certainly add theatrics to it." He said as he looked at the ruins of what had once been a place of power and greed. "I'm glad you came out the other side alright."
Azula had a new found confidence inside her now, actually confidence not just that mask she wore. "I wouldn't say alright...but I know what I have to do now...I just wish I could tell people...so they didn't think I was running away."
Tadashi sighed. "Sometimes actions speak louder than words, they will hate you for a time...but when it really matters and they see what you have done, how you have stepped up to fight the madness, they will understand."
Azula smiled. "For someone who doesn't claim to be wise you certainly have a lot of wisdom."
Tadashi laughed. "Comes with old age I suppose. Cant be around as long as I have without picking up at least a few nuggets of knowledge here and there." He then looked up at the sky. "I think it's time that you and I parted ways Azula, you have much to do and very little time."
"Thank you for your help Tadashi." Azula said bowing to the man. Bowing to him like he was a Shifu. In a way he had been just that, through his words she had Learned a great deal, not just into the man's life, but in the life she wanted to live in the future. "I don't know how far I would have gotten without your book."
Tadashi laughed. "All I did was do some scribbling and give you some words of encouragement. What you did you did on your own. But seeing as you think so highly of me let me leave you with the parting words." Azula's vision began to fade. "Keep your head up and keep your eyes focused on your goal. You are going to be walking into a pit of vipers, never turn you back to them, never trust a word they say, and if you have to...bite them before they bite you." With those final words Azula's vision went dark.
*
She let out a series of gasps ad she fell on her side, she was hot, she was thirsty, and she was exhausted. Her eyes darted around at her surroundings, she was back in the tent now, a part of her thought everything she had just experienced had been just some wild dream. Some drunken hallucinations she had. But she knew it wasn't a dream, everything that had happened and everything she had done had been real.
In the fog of her mind Azula felt a hand on her and she turned to see Mother Honoka looking down at her. "Welcome back Azula." She said softly. "How...do you feel?" She asked.
"I feel... whole again." Azula said flashing a tired smile. "Thank you Mother Honoka." Mother Mother Honoka opened her mouth to speak but Azula spoke first. "I know you just guided the process, but thank you regardless."
Mother Honoka smiled and nodded. Taking Azula by her arm and helping her to her feet. She then lead Azula outside the tent, the breeze feeling like pure heaven on her skin. That's when she noticed something it wasn't dark anymore...in fact it was late afternoon. "H-how long was I in there?" She asked her eyes going to the sky and her heat dropping as she saw three women in Yang armor looking back at her.
"Everything is okay Azula."Mother Honoka said softly. "They aren't here to arrest you...they are members of the Daughters Of Amaterasu, the Warrior branch of our Order...I called them as a precaution...in case you came out wrong." Mother Honoka said sheepishly. Azula only assumed that by "wrong" Mother Honoka meant that she had figured Azula may have given into her urge and let her hunger for power take over again. Azula couldn't fault her for that. "As for how long you were gone...it's been a full day."
A full day? It felt like she had been gone for only a few hours at most, time seemed to move differently in these cleansing rituals. Of course she should have known, Sung had taken part in his for hours. But that meant she was way behind schedule now...she needed to make up for lost time. "I...I need to get moving." Azula said as she pushed off of Mother Honoka and took a stumbling few steps. "Where is the Ostrich Horse?"
One of the warrior women reached out and grabbed Azula just before she fell on her face. "The entrance to the city is under lock down." The woman said. "Lady Naomi has set up a checkpoint."
All hope drained out of her in that moment. "But...I need to get to the falls!" She said, trying to walk, but the woman held her tighter.
"Fear not Princess." Mother Honoka said in a chipper tone of voice. "I have already devised a way to have you walk right past the checkpoint." Azula turned to see Mother Honoka, and one of the Shrine Sisters. The younger of the two held folded white robes top of which a white mask with red lips laid. "The Temple does a lot of charity work for the Farming Villages on the Island, you will walk out with the party I am leading and once we are a safe distance from the city then you can continue on your quest."
Azula wasn't too pleased with that idea, but it was either that or give up, and Azula didn't have the luxury of giving up, not after everything she had gone through in this moment. The checkpoint was only a minor hiccup, she had been through tougher scrapes than this, she had toppled the Earth Kingdom Government and tore down the walls of Ba Sing Se after all. Now however she would use her tactical and cunning mind for a higher purpose, perhaps Azula would dare say...to carry out Amaterasu's will.