8 months ago – Azula Pov
"You have visitors Princess Azula." I felt a pang of annoyance, but I closed my book anyway, one I had already read a dozen times, it was annoying, there was only one person coming to see me after all these years and it was a complete waste of time.
I put my book aside and stood still, I could hear the heavy locks on the door open and two Kyoshi warriors cautiously entered, I smirked at them which made their hair stand on end, they were so easy and fun to tease.
They really should have stayed on their little island where their island founder, the hunter Kyoshi, left them. Becoming the fire lord's bodyguards, what nonsense.
But that was all I did, I had learned that while I could easily handle two of them, my little cell would be overrun with more of them in the blink of an eye, so I let the aforementioned women put me in the straitjacket and chain me up as usual whenever I was required to be taken out of the room.
Once I was fully strapped in, the nurses came in with a wheelchair and pushed me into it before dragging me through the facility, hallways I had already walked the same way dozens of times over the past 3 years.
After several turns they took me to a private room where there was a person waiting for me, Zuko.
"Azula, sister." I ignored my brother's greeting, I could see him pause momentarily before sighing when he saw that I wasn't going to respond in any way. " Hello Azula, how have you been? " Zuko asked calmly, I rolled my eyes, his poker face was still terrible, I could fool anyone else, but I could read Zuko like the back of my hand.
"You know how it is, Zuzu," I smirked at her, "reading the same books I've read a dozen times, bland food, and here I am-" I shrugged as I looked down at my straitjacket, "-suffer[ing] while completely tied up for a change, you know, the usual." Zuko grimaced and suppressed the urge to roll his eyes, limp, pathetic, "Then, Zuzu, why don't we spare ourselves this completely stupid rant and you tell me why you're in this picturesque place, I doubt it's for the view." Zuko shuddered slightly, bingo. He cleared his throat.
"Well, there's... there's been a problem." Zuko confessed and I rolled my eyes.
"So? Which side did you let China fuck you on this time?" Sideways? Behind? "Or up front? I don't judge." I asked with a smirk, I heard the coughs and snorts of our guards and saw Zuko blush slightly.
"Y-do you have to be so... vulgar?" he replied with annoyance, I smiled widely at him.
"But of course I do, Zuzu, if it bothers you, it is my humble duty to perform such a task, as simple as that." I said mockingly, Zuko sighed.
"We're releasing you." I froze in place.
"Heh." I snorted amusedly "HAHAHAHAHA." I burst out laughing as I shook in my wheelchair as much as I could with my restraints "oh Agni, I never knew you could make such funny jokes Zuzu, for one second there and I believed you! HAHAHAHA."
"I'm not joking Azula." Was my brother's response and I stopped once again with my head dropped to the side and looked at him as if he were stupid.
"Well done, Zuzu, you got me, good prank, now take me back to my room." I said dryly as I straightened up, Zuko sighed.
"It's not a joke, no trap, we're getting you out of the mental asylum, although… there are some conditions." My eye twitched.
"Free me? FREE ME?! Don't lie to me Zuko! You're above all that bullshit, they would never free me!! They think I'm crazy!! " Zuko barely flinched at my angry tirade, but I could see the Kyoshi warriors tense.
"Well… you had schizophrenia during your first year," Zuko said dryly, I snorted in amusement.
"What's a little mental breakdown?" I asked mockingly with a smile as I shrugged my shoulders.
"You escaped and are attempting a coup," he replied again, snorting loudly.
"What's a little coup d'état?" I asked again with a cocky smirk before staring at Zuko "After all, it runs in the family, doesn't it, Zuzu?" I asked mockingly, Zuko visibly flinching as he grimaced.
"First, it wasn't one small coup, and second, there were two." Zuko replied and I rolled my eyes. "And second, back to the topic, the… councilmen and the ministers… aren't happy." I snorted in amusement.
"Of course not, you idiot." I said mockingly, after all it was obvious "you're destroying our nation, giving away money, resources and people under the name of 'war reparations', China is fucking you so hard I'm surprised you can even sit properly." I added with a smile, Zuko rolled his eyes.
"If I didn't, there would be no Fire Nation, Azula, and you know it." Zuko bit out as he glared at me, I rolled my eyes.
"If that lets you sleep at night Zuzu, think however you want." I shrugged, Zuko looked at me for a few seconds before sighing.
"They want me to resign and they want you in office." Zuko casually dropped the bomb and I stood completely still.
"...what?" Really, it was rare for my eloquence to fail me, words were something I had learned to use since I was young, they were a weapon as much as any other part of my body, but I couldn't be blamed, what Zuko had just said was ridiculous at best. I looked at Zuko who looked defeated and straightened up, "speak, what the hell does that mean?" I hissed in his direction.
"As I said, they… they're unhappy, there are rumors, rumors of a faction that seeks to free you and place you in the position of Fire Lady, they want… they want the 100-year war to start again, with you in charge." It took me a few seconds to register her words and my smile grew unnaturally wide.
and what do you think of all that Zuzu? Your subjects love me , a certified lunatic, more than you? "What does that say about your government? " I asked mockingly, Zuko bit his lip as he looked down before raising his head up.
"I do what I have to do to keep the Fire Nation standing," Zuko said firmly.
"Impressive Zuzu, you almost sounded like a respectable Fire Lord, I would applaud you, but I can't" I said mockingly "but that brings us to the next reason, your subjects want to crown me as Fire Lord, so tell me oh wonderful Fire Lord Zuko, how is freeing me such a great idea? You're doing half the work for them." I asked amused, Zuko stayed silent as he looked at me.
"We will send you to another country."
…
…
No, no, no, no, no, NO, NO, NO, NO!!!
NO!!!!!!
"YOU'RE EXILING ME??!?!?!" I roared loudly, Zuko barely flinched, as if he knew my reaction, the Kyoshi warriors went on alert but I didn't care. I moved my hands and legs, twisting around just as I had planned for years and breaking free from my restraints before burning through the straitjacket, I spun my legs as the heat rose in my feet and melted the chains there as well, once freed I stood up. " YOU MUST BE CRAZIER THAN ME, IF YOU THINK YOU'D EXILE ME, ZUKO!!!! " I roared in his direction, blue fire licking my lips and tongue leaking from my screams.
"Stay down Azula!" My gaze moved to the Kyoshi warrior who stepped in front of Zuko, my eyes widened slightly and my sadistic smile grew.
"Ah, Ty Lee, I didn't recognize you, you look just like the other Kyoshi, all the same, all indistinguishable, just another face." I said sadistically, I could see her shudder, I always knew how to push Ty Lee's buttons, it was easy, and it was much easier to ignore the pang of guilt I felt for it, she was nothing to me, not anymore, not now, not ever.
"Enough Azula, return to your chair while we put your restraints back on or you will leave us no choice but to attack and block your chi." Ah, Suki, of course your two best Kyoshi warriors would come against me.
"Ah, yes, chi blocking, you taught the only distinguishable and unique thing you had Ty Lee to your merry little group, now, you're nothing special." I said to Ty Lee, whose face fell deeply and I signaled for her to come. Suki frowned as she prepared herself.
"I'm sorry Azula." Ty Lee recovering from the recent verbal blow, was the first to rush forward, my smile disappeared, I saw Ty lee move, I knew her, I knew how she moved, how she would move, I knew her, completely, even if we hadn't interacted for three years, she was still Ty Lee, so it was easy to dodge her and it was even easier to counterattack and hit her chi points, blocking them. Ty lee fell limp at my feet, I looked at her dispassionately.
"W-what? H- how ? " Ty Lee asked stupidly on the ground, a look of fear in his eyes, my sadistic smile appeared again.
"That's it." I quickly looked at Suki who was already in front of me, I dodged her with ease and blocked her chi with the same speed as Ty Lee, I caught her before she fell and threw her to the side.
"And that was your defense?" I asked mockingly to Zuko who had a solemn look.
"When… when did you learn to Chi-blocking?" Zuko asked, I hummed as I crouched down and began to caress Tylee's cheek with my fingers softly, she began to tremble as best as she could with her body still.
"Ah Ty Lee, my dear traitor, I owe everything to her," I said mockingly.
" And -me!? I didn't do anything! " Ty Lee shrieked in fear, she could practically smell her fear.
"But you did Ty Lee, I watched you since we were little girls, I saw you practice your chi blocking, use it against other people, but most importantly-" I grabbed Ty Lee's jaw tightly and forced her to look me in the eyes, my smile was unnaturally wide, Ty Lee shuddered as she paled even further "-you used it against me, do you think I couldn't learn it? I just had to let you hit me and memorize the places you hit me these past years, I had to remember what you had practiced years ago, and absorb it all, and so I did." I explained amused.
"Y-you, you used me, you manipulated me, again, y-your rages over the past few years… it was all fake." Ty Lee looked horrified and devastated in equal levels, my smile widened, I ignored the pang of guilt.
"Of course you are Ty Lee, and now I have you here, in my hand, tell me, are you still afraid of me?" I asked almost softly, Ty Lee's face fell, it was practically a grimace of fear.
"Let her go, monster!!" I ignored Suki's scream.
"Tell me... Ty Lee, would you be different if I burned your face? Would you be satisfied standing out like that? Let me give you a hand." I warmed my hand, the face of terror, panic and dread all at the same time was delicious.
"Enough Azula!!" Zuko's shout snapped me out of Ty Lee and I wanted to click my tongue, it was no time for distraction.
"You're right Zuzu, we still need to talk." With that I grabbed Ty Lee and Suki by their clothes and walked over to the door and pulled them both out, ignoring the pained moans and whimpers that started from Ty Lee as I slammed the door shut. When I turned to Zuko I was surprised to see him still sitting there, solemnly, but with an impassive face, as if he knew I wouldn't hurt him, or Ty Lee or Suki.
"Now we have privacy Zuzu, now tell me what this nonsense is about you wanting to exile me." I hissed hatefully as I sat down in my wheelchair, I wasn't an invalid, but this chair was my throne, it was mine.
"we decided that-"
"WE, WE, WE, that word again, tell me Zuzu, who are WE?" I asked abruptly, Zuko grimaced.
"Mother and I." Zuko said honestly and I growled loudly.
"Of course it was that bitch," I hissed, finally seeing Zuko bristle like a cat.
"Don't talk about her like that, Azula, she's our mother," Zuko scolded.
"She's nothing to me! A simple uterus donor as far as I'm concerned! " I exclaimed with virulent hatred, I hated Ursa, I hated that woman, I hated what she did to me and how easy it was to break me because of her.
"She loves you Azul-"
"No." I interrupted Zuko and glared at him. "What would you say if I told you that our father loves you, Zuko?" I asked seriously, Zuko wrinkled his nose.
"He doesn't love me, he-"
"Yes he does, but you are not ready for that conversation. Just like our father never told you, just like he never showed you, just like you never understood. It's the same with Ursa and me, I care less about the shit that comes out of Iroh's ass than how she silently feels about me . She never told me she loved me to my face, none of her actions show that she loved me in any way, and definitely not this action of exiling me, because we both know it's to protect you, Zuzu. Too little, too late, too nothing, so save your love speeches, for I don't want them, Ursa is not my mother and you will respect that or I'm out of here." I hissed hatefully, Zuko remained deadpan and his face fell several degrees as he nodded.
"You're right, I apologize." Zuko said honestly as he looked down and I nodded.
"Where exactly are you exiling me?" I asked dryly, Zuko raised his head so quickly that I heard a crack in his neck and he stared at me with wide eyes.
"You're accepting exile?!" Zuko asked incredulously, huffing angrily.
"Maybe yes, maybe not, who knows." I shrugged, "Anywhere is better than here certainly and I don't plan on being a plaything for the old rabbit women and the ministers," I snorted as if it was obvious while rolling my eyes, "If I ever get back, it will be on my terms and by my means." I said simply, Zuko grimaced.
"Can't we just put the coup attempt aside?" Zuko asked tiredly, I shook my head amused.
"You can't get mad because they do the same thing to you as you did Zuzu, that would be childish." I replied amused, Zuko sighed tiredly.
"I can't help but think that this is a trap of yours," Zuko said innocently, I groaned exasperatedly.
"Still suspicious, brother? You have nothing to worry about if I'm in another country." I said mockingly, Zuko made a face.
"That's exactly what I would be worried about," he said dryly, and I laughed out loud.
"Well, you should," I said mockingly, Zuko sighed and fell silent.
"…I'm going to regret this, I just know it." Zuko groaned before running his hand through his hair. "Japan, we're sending you to Japan." I wrinkled my nose.
"UA?" I asked curiously, Zuko nodded and hummed slightly impressed.
"You have a deal, I'll leave the Fire Nation." Zuko almost sighed in relief, "but I have conditions." I smiled as I watched him freeze, never negotiate from an inferior position, always be in a superior position to your opponent, and now I was the one taking the reins in this discussion, so I would take whatever I could get.
"Of course, Azula." Zuko sighed tiredly.
After a short but intense chat about the conditions, I stood up.
"Well, that was horrible, let's never do that again, I'm going to go to my room, come find me when you have all the papers for my release." I said simply as I turned around and started to walk out.
"It'll only be a few hours," Zuko assured me, and I just raised my hand in his direction. Once outside I still saw Ty Lee and Suki lying on the floor in the position they fell in when I threw them. Ty Lee flinched as she watched me walk out of the room from the position I had fallen in, her eyes red and tears dried on her cheeks. I ignored her and started walking.
" Ohff ! Damn bitch! " I smiled at Suki's scream as I stepped over her, ah, life's little pleasures.