"Zuzu."

After everything that happened to her in those fifteen years, it all comes down to this moment.

There he stands. Behind him, there's the waterbending girl. The Avatar didn't die. He attacked the capital during an eclipse. They couldn't bend. Only a dishonorable enemy would do that, but the Fire Nation repelled their attack.

Why! Why does Zuzu fight with the Avatar? He betrayed her! She wanted him to come home, but he sided with the Fire Nation's greatest enemy. Why? She knows why. MOTHER. It's her fault! It's not Azula's fault. Mother was the one who poisoned his mind ever since his birth. After she had to leave, Uncle continued. They turned Zuzu away. He even became the Avatar's firebending teacher! WHY!

Then, Mai betrayed her. She did it so Zuzu could've escaped. He was in her clutches! Azula was going to subdue her, then Ty Lee attacked her. WHY! It doesn't make sense. It doesn't compute. The world… the world doesn't work this way. She's Azula. She doesn't fail.

Then, Father left her behind to kill a bunch of Earth Kingdom civilians. He didn't see her as useful anymore. Why would? Everyone betrays her, so he discarded her like a used concubine. Why must everyone betray her!

She knows why. Mother was right. This entire time, she was right. I'm a monster. It simply took Zuzu longer to realize it.

"Sorry, but you're not gonna become Fire Lord today." He lights his hands on fire. "I am. I challenge you to an Agni Kai. You tried to kill me too many times already. Let's settle everything right here, right now."

"I accept."

For the first time in her life, she tries to truly injure her brother. She tried to hurt him countless times, but never did she want to cause so much damage. He fights backs using forms she never saw before, but the girl hardly recognizes anything. She focuses on trying to burn him, hurt him.

Why can't it all be better, when we were young? It was nice then. He didn't think I was a monster.

She did so much for him. He said she was his sister. LIER! He knows she's a monster. Monsters don't have brothers. Monsters don't have joy. They don't have friends or happy ending. Monsters have pain, and they give pain. That's it.

Why is everything on fire? Oh, I forgot. Today is Sozin's Comet! That's why Daddy's killing people and babies. Last time this came, my great-grandfather killed every airbender except the Avatar. Daddy's just gonna use this to kill more people! Why'd I forget that?

Some part of her mind tells her something inside is wrong. She's breaking, slipping. She ignores that voice.

Their flames are more like tornadoes. The palace, the courtyard, everything. There's fire everywhere. It's so hot. She uses her flames to propel her. Maneuverability is… good? Tactical. It's tactical for fights. Daddy says so.

Then, Zuzu throws a really big fireball at her. She keeps it from burning her, but she falls on the ground. That hurt. Zuzu hurt me!

"No lightning today? What's the matter?" He sounds angry. Why is Zuzu angry with me?

Two little voices in the back of her head tell her not to fire. One says he's her big brother, and she shouldn't hurt her big brother. Mommy wouldn't want that. The other one, one that has been getting quieter and quieter, tells he's planning something. He wouldn't taunt her into using her lightning unless he had a good reason.

She ignores both. She tries to clear all feelings, but she can't. The lightning comes anyway, not because she's amazing or perfect. She isn't amazing; she isn't perfect. The comet merely provides her with enough power. The lightning seems to be burning through her body, her mind, and her soul. Pain. So much pain.

Then, she sees the waterbender. She's close enough to be in the courtyard. Agni Kai's are for two fighters, but that girl stepped into the courtyard. It's a technicality but a victory. Azula won by default because Zuzu had an ally step into the dueling grounds.

I still want to hurt Zuzu.

She fires at her brother. He outstretches his hand as the lightning sink into his palm. He should be dead, an instantaneous death. Instead, the lightning seems to move through him for a moment. He raises his other hand and the lightning comes back out. Uncle taught him how to redirect lightning.

A great heat bites at her feet. An explosion rips through her ears before silence deafens her. For a moment, she feels wind blowing past her. No, she blows past the wind. The lightning hits the ground, and it launched her across the battlefield. She hits the stone ground with a crash. Her chest tightens. She doesn't get up. She can't get up. Instead, the girl spasms on the ground.

"Azula!"

Her vision darkens, but she sees her brother run towards her.

"Zuko, what are you doing?" It's that waterbender. She looks unhappy, unlike Zuzu. He looks scared.

"She isn't getting up!" He kneels beside her, but she doesn't stop him. She can't. I don't have a heartbeat, do I? He presses his hand on her chest for a moment. "No heartbeat! Azula will die!"

Wasn't that the point of this fight, dum-dum?

He cries and holds her hand. What a baby. "Katara! Can you save her?"

"No, I can't restart a heart. Maybe shock her again?" But Zuzu can't do lightning. He'd need perfect emotional control. Ha! As if. "What's the point though? This's Azula." Azula the monster.

He shakes his head and stands. "I'm saving her because she's Azula."

As her vision fades, she sees him waive his arms in circular motions. My big brother is trying to bend lightning as he's crying? If she wasn't dying, she'd be laughing at his stupidity. The dum-dum can't generate lightning when he's crying. Right now, he's anything but emotionally stable.

Azula's body convulses again from the shock. The tension from her chest goes away and her vision returns. The first thing she sees is Zuzu with the last traces of electricity fading away from his fingertips. He bent lightning for me?

He picks her up in his arms. "Katara, she needs healing. I know where there's water." Oh, she's a waterbender and a waterhealer. He runs and takes deep breathes.

Her body lies limp in his arms. Everything tingles and aches. Using all her fleeting strength, she asks a single question. "Why?"

"You're my sister."

No, I'm an evil, scary monster. Even as a child, I was unlovable. Not even Mother could love me.

"It's gonna be alright, Azula. I promise."

You everything Will Be Alright

Azula takes a deep breath before entering the highest floor of the prison. It was specially refurbished for the sole occupant. That person should've been me. The Fire Lord decided to place over six dozen guards on this floor alone. They are on constant alert for him trying to break out or anyone trying to break in. I do wonder if the latter would break in to kill him or to free him.

The guards eye her with suspicion. With one exception, everyone does. And everyone should. I'm a m… I'm me after all. You're such a dum-dum, Zuzu. Her footsteps click across the floor in the otherwise silent floor. No one dares to speak. Everyone seems on edge. Zuzu really wanted to come with her, but she refused. This is something I must do myself.

Azula stops in front of the cell. She doesn't smirk. She doesn't spit on him. She doesn't laugh at him. He doesn't deserve that. Instead, she keeps her face as a stone-cold gaze. Nothing more, nothing less.

"Father." Her tone holds the slightest touch of disgust.

"Azula." He doesn't bother looking up.

She stares at him in silence. He continues to sit on his bed with his eyes transfixed on the floor.

"You disappoint me, daughter." He looks up. She sees his eyes filled with hate, but they are also the eyes of a broken man. "After all you were, here you are. A broken little girl serving as an imbecile's lackey. Have you come to see me fallen as well? That way, you can feel better about your utter submission to another man."

I won't show anger. I won't give him that. Plus, Zuzu told me not to kill him, so I can't do that either.

Azula smirks. "Father." She pauses to spit on the ground. "You were the leader of the world's only superpower. You have fleets or war zeppelins and the unlimited power of a comet for a day. What did you do? You lost a battle to the Avatar, a twelve-year-old BOY." She pauses for dramatic affect. "Then, that kid took away your bending. Now, your son, the one who you banished and said was worthless, reigns as Fire Lord. By Agni, he's doing a good job with it all too."
"Yet here you still are, coming back to Daddy."

Azula shakes her head. How did this man bind me to his will for so many years? "Yes, here I am. I am free, a royal under my brother's rule. There was even a non-sentimental reason for it all. Rebels wanted to revolt against Zuzu. As the last real symbol of your empire, it stuck a deep blow against them to know I wholeheartedly pledged myself to the throne and not to you." She clenches her fists. "Not anymore. I'm free. Zuzu and the Avatar didn't just free the nations and the land from your shadow, Father. They freed the people, myself included." She turns around and strides away without saying farewell.

"Azula!" Father calls out. "Azula, come back here!" His rage fills the room. "You cowardly, idiotic monster! Come back to me!"

The princess doesn't look back. She shuts the door before curling up in the fetal position. He isn't watching anymore.

"Would you be proud of me, Mother?" She whispers it to herself. Her mother lives out there, somewhere. One day, they'll find her, so Azula can finally receive the answer to that question.

She stands up and straightens her armor. Then, she leaves the jail.

Azula smiles as she basks in the warmth of the sun.