Just the Opposite || ATLA, Zutara

seven || the prisoner

AZULA'S POV:

"I demand to speak to the Firelord!" I scream at one of the prison guards. I was at the Boiling Rock, the prison that you can't ever escape.

Except now, the place is a lot more advanced, and there is no way of escape, They made many changes to it after my brother and those peasants escaped a month ago. Now, it's impossible, and filled with evil monsters. Including me and my father.

The prison guard shook his head. "I'm ordered to keep you in your cell by Firelord Zuko," he said without emotion. The person who was in the cell next to me was Long Feng, the man who used to control Ba Sing Se with the Dai Li. Now, the Dai Li are agents for the Firelord, and they no longer obey me. And it really sucks.

I scream with rage. "Just let me speak to him!"

The guard shakes his head, and shuts the slot in the door that I was speaking through.

One of these guards will obey me... I just have to find the right one.

KATARA'S POV:

I couldn't stop thinking about Zuko, or my brother, or Toph. Has she forgiven me? I can't tell.

We're currently standing on a rock that Toph is bending down the unactive volcano. She was silent, and wouldn't even turn towards me. I wanted to think that she was just concentrating on bending, but I knew that wasn't the case. She was ignoring me.

Once we reached the bottom, I stopped Toph from hopping off the rock.

"Wait," I say, and she obeys. "I'm really sorry Toph. I really am."

She just shrugged. "Whatever."

"No, not whatever. I realized what I said really hurt your feelings, and I should've kept my mouth shut. I didn't even know that you liked my brother, and I will keep it a secret. I promise."

"That's not the thing, Katara. I don't that you said that. It only made me realize the truth," she pointed out, and I froze in confusion.

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"I mean that you were right. Sokka doesn't like me. He loves Suki, and I need to understand that. I need to understand that no boy will ever like a dirty earth-bending blind girl," she said, and I saw tears falling down her cheeks. Toph sniffed, and quickly wiped the tears away.

She began walking away from me again, but I stopped her. "You're not a dirty earth-bender. You're the most amazing earth bender in the world, Toph. You're really pretty, too. But you were right, in a way."

She growled at me and frowned. "So you're agreeing that I have no chance with Sokka? Thanks a lot!"

"No, Toph! I wasn't talking about that."

"Then what were you talking about?" she demanded, and I sighed, and stared at me feet.

"You were right about Zuko. I do like him. I like him a lot," I admit quietly, and a grin approaches on her face. She jumped up and down, and punches me in the shoulder.

"I knew it! Katara likes Zuko!" Toph cheered as small rocks went flying in the air from her sudden joy. I shushed her.

"Just don't mention it around anyone. I caused Sokka to go nuts, and then I basically re-broke his leg. Zuko ran off without me, and he obviously doesn't like me. And Mai obviously knows what's going on, so that's why she threw that knife at me," I explain to her, and she stops cheering, and gulped.

"Mai... purposely threw that at you?" Toph asked. I sighed.

"Yeah, she did. It almost stabbed me, if it wasn't for you," I say with a small smile.

"I didn't know. I thought she actually was joking around. Maybe Mai is just as good of a liar as Azula. I'm sorry, Katara."

I pull Toph in for a quick hug, and then she pulls away, just like usual. I smiled as she walked away to the house, Toph forgave me. We're finally friends again.

ZUKO'S POV:

"Firelord Zuko, you have a visitor," a guard announced, and I nodded.

"Let them in."

"Are you sure, Firelord? It's someone who--"

"Just let them in," I tell him, interrupting.

The guard nodded and bowed, and left the room. A few minutes later, the last person I wanted to talk to in the world walked in with four guards around her. She smiled, and I've never seen her with an actual smile before. Her eyes... were different. They weren't that fierce gold that they normally were. They were... kind.

"Hello, Zuzu," Azula greeted, and attempted to bow with the chains on her wrists and ankles. I drop the inkbrush that I was currently using to write a letter, and it splashed on the floor. I frowned.

"What are you doing here, Azula?" I spit. She just rolls her eyes.

"I'm not here to attack you or take your place, if that's what you're thinking," she said. "I'm also forbidden to ever firebend again, and if I do, the Avatar has the permission to take my bending away. Just like he did to father."

"He has a name, you know," I tell her, relaxing my body.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I meant Ozai!" she growled, and the guards each took a step closer. The nice thing about these guards were that they were earth benders, not only fire benders. So if Azula did break free, the earth bending guards could trap her in a earth trap.

I just shook my head at my crazy sister. "No. The Avatar. His name is Aang."

"Whatever you wish. Say, didn't you mention that he was here? In the Palace?" she smirked, raising a brow.

"Guards, take her back to the prison. I don't want her here," I demand, and they nod, dragging her away. Azula kicks her feet and tries as hard as possible to stay, but she was weak. My own powerful sister, who almost killed me with lightning, was weak.

"You'll regret this, Dumb-Dumb. You will need to speak to me again eventually. It's about Mom," she says fiercely, and gives up on fighting the guards. My breathing hitched.

What did she know about my mother?

__________

Sorry for short update, but what does Azula know about Ursa? And what's happening with Sokka????

Find out in the next chapter, probably... :)

-melea