ATLA: Azlua

Confrontation

Azula sits on the earth kings throne crossing her legs while playing with the earth kings "crown."

"Is this really you're crown?" Azula says playing with a cloth hat a fire sage would probably wear. She begins kicking the earth King whose being used as a foot rest to provoke an answer.

"Y..Yes!" Kuei (Earth King) yelps.

"You're so pathetic, I can't believe we struggled for so long against you're armies." Azula says with a look of distain as she ignites his "crown".

"Fire Lord Azula, lady Mai and Ty Lee have completed their mission. Ba Sing Se is yours once again." A Di Lee agent says kneeling.

"Good. Proceed as planned, according to last known reports he should be here by now."

A Di Lee agent bows then leaves, it's then that Azula's intuition that's never failed her starts to itch.

"He's here." Azula says with a smirk.

The golden doors are blasted open by wind. The avatar enters being guided by a Di Lee Agent followed by Suki and Toph.

"You're bit late aren't you?" Azula mocks.

"Where are my friends." Aang says in no mood for games.

"Oh? They couldn't make it. Actually I'm wondering, did you not like them?" Azula says genuinely curious.

"What?" Aang says taken off gaurd by her question. As toph and suki flank his side.

"I mean you sent two of you're friends to heart of the nation alone. The day of Sozijs comet. The day fire benders are the strongest." Azula says waiting for his response.

"Where are they!" Aang shouts across the room.

"Ugh it seems I need to speak more plainly to common folk like yourself. I'm asking if you sent them their to die. I mean did you really think they'd win? That the home land wasn't defended?" Azula says genuinely looking for an answer.

Azula waits for answer but gets his response not in words but in action as his tattoos light up.

"Attack!" Azula shouts.

At her command Di Lee Agents drop down from ceiling sending earthen hands towards them. Fire benders quickly fill the room and begin their assault. But before any of it can make contact an intense maelstrom of wind blocks any and all attacks. As Aang enters the avatar state each element circling him.

Azula clicks her tongue and uses fire propulsion to dash by him towards the exit. Aang tries to grab her with a water whip but is blocked by imperial fire bender blasting the whip. Aang begins his pursuit, not even looking he launches a piece of earth towards the fire bender who dodges it last minute.

Azula flies out of the palace followed by Aang who destroy's the palace entrance as he exits. Aang looks up to see the miniature blue sun streaking down towards him. Aang  slices upward causing the wind to split the ball of fire in half.

"What a monter." Azula says accidentally letting her inner voice slip out as she descends.

Azula drops to street level but notices a shadow looms over her. Her eyes widen in shock and immediately dodges to the side using her propulsion. The earth cracks and shatters under the weight of Aangs sphere of elements. Aang clenches his fists and slams them together, moments later two house flanking Azula are dragged and smashed together.

"He doesn't care about the damage to city!?" Azula shouts to herself, clearly taken back.

Azula tries to escape but realizes she won't make it, with lighting fast judgement she leaps through window by blasting with fire.
Time seems to slow as she racks her brain to find a solution. The wall behind her cracks and splinters as the two houses collide together. She feels her leg muscles flex and buldge as sprints towards the door. Azula rolls out of the building landing a few feet away from Aang. She makes a gamble and tries to quickly generate lighting without charging it first.

She feels the lighting crackle and surge through her empowered by sozins comet. It was the first time she tried to this and luckily it worked. Lighting spring out from her finger tips like fangs. Azula grinned as she felt the most power she had ever felt course through her. Yet even with that power she barely was able to breach the outer protective shell.

"Damn." Azula says audibly.

Within seconds after her attack, she feels her chest explode with pain as a pillar of earth smashes into her and launch her into the air. Azula's eyes contorts in pain, her eyes tear up in pain, blood bursting from her mouth. A water whip grips her leg and throws her to wall of Ba Sing Se.

If anyone else was in her position she was sure they would be shaking in fear, or perhaps frustrated by their own inability, some may be even feeling a sense of helplessness. But Azula wasn't like anybody else, she felt jealous of all things maybe even awe at this force of nature called the avatar.

But what pricked at her mind was something she couldn't figure out. Something was wrong, this wasn't like him. Even though this was the first time she had fought him in the avatar state. He was acting differently, each attack was clearly aimed with intent to kill. From the reports she received from all his adventures he never killed or seriously maimed.

Why? Why was trying to kill her? What changed? Think! Azula think! Wait when he entered the palace his expression was different. His normal child-like expression was gone, his eyes were tired, he was shaking. I thought it was fear but no, it was anger. He was holding himself back? But why was he angry at me? I don't get it- Oh..I get it. I killed his friend Sokka, then he see's me here without Zuko and Katara. Ah he thinks I killed them because of my provocation...I messed up.

Azula uses her propulsion to soften her crash as she crashes into the wall. Azula's body convulsles for a moment as she coughs up blood, her chest plate and arm arr broken. Blood streaming down her face. Aang lands in front of her as he bends the elements upward into a spiral then down towards her.

Azula feels her head stinging with pain, her vision fading in and out. Her breathing ragged as she barley is able to lift her head.

He's actually going to kill me. What a hypocrite.

"Their still alive." Azula says weakly.

The spear of elements stop inches away from her chest.

"There still alive but kill me and they die." Azula says

"Liar." He says

"Can you take that chance?" Azula says

Aangs eyes blink in and out with light until he comes out of the avatar state. Azula for the first takes a moment to check his expression, she notices tears streaming down his face, his hands shaking with a mixture of regret and anger.

"Give them back." Aang says glaring at her.

"Naturally but I have terms." Azula says mustering her strength to smirk.