The Half of Me | Zuko

Chapter Twenty Seven: Return to Omashu [P4]

As soon as the words leave her lips, Azula smirks wider at Ryoko's confusion, basking in it while Ryoko tries to comprehend what she said. It never occurred to Ryoko that Azula would see her brother at all during his banishment. She had nearly forgotten the past events that ended in separating and leaving any loyalty to the fire nation behind. But Zuko hadn't left it behind, he never did.

"You're lying," Ryoko replies to her confession, glaring at Azula. "Why would you go to see Zuko?" She pauses for a second, trying to come up with any explanation. After three years she finally came to them. There was no reason for Azula to go to Zuko on her own accords. It couldn't be that the fire lord wanted him back, if he regretted Zuko's banishment wouldn't he have asked him back already and not after so much time? The man wasn't a loving father who had the ability to feel remorse.

"Well perhaps my father finally saw what a failure he was." 

Ryoko's eyes glance to her right, seeing the chain that held Bumi continue to rise. If she could just keep her occupied, get her mind off of Aang. 

"He was never a failure, Azula." Her words sounded like an innocence chastising. 

"Always naive. It's no wonder you left him, I knew you would finally realize, though it's shocking you came to be with the Avatar."

Ryoko clenches her jaw. She remembered why she was really there. To keep Azula away from Aang. "I won't let you take him, Azula." 

Azula laughs, almost as if laughing in a comfortable space, but it made Ryoko uneasy. The way she smiled deviously ran through Ryoko giving her chills. She was colder than ever, unlike the raging fire within her.

"You act as if you have a choice." Her hands slice through the air, the fire releasing towards Ryoko. Ryoko covers herself from the flames. "I didn't think you would betray everyone you know, Ryoko.  It's too bad your father isn't here to see you now." Ryoko's fists grow hotter, she could feel her throat close up in the fuming anger that bubbled. She didn't need to hear this from Azula, she just had to protect Aang. If she could just keep Azula here for a little longer. Ryoko gets closer, every second feeling more anger soar through her until she runs up and punches towards Azula, the fire emerging from her fist barely missing the side of her head. Azula could feel the heat of the fire go past her eye, scarcely hitting her hair. 

Azula swings her leg up, swiftly aiming towards Ryoko with the large flames as she then rolls away from Azula's attack.

"I'd continue on this little reunion but I have more important things to do." Azula breaks off into a run and without looking back at Ryoko, jumps through the last landing above. 

"Azula!" Ryoko yells out, following in suit. Ryoko leaps up, finding Azula already fleeing from her and chasing the Avatar down, with the coffin detached from the chain it was held on. Aang stood on top of the metal coffin, sliding down the chutes that made up the city. Ryoko groans to herself, a fight couldn't be simple, could it, she thought to herself. 

She sees a glimpse of Azula's armor, the obvious dark red and golds throwing off any normalcy in the Earth city. Just as Azula leaps onto the empty rock like box, Ryoko latches onto the rock, pushing Azula in. The stone tips, sliding down at increasing speed, the roaring of the earth clashing against each other is all Ryoko can hear. 

While Aang and Bumi slide down, Aang laughing and reminiscing over the past, above on the other chute, Ryoko was avoiding any hits Azula tried to throw at her. "Stop, Azula!" Ryoko tries to say grabbing the girl's wrists, shoving them down. 

"And why would I do that?" 

"I don't want to fight you!" 

Azula breaks from Ryoko's grasp, swiping her sharp hand at Ryoko. Ryoko leans back, ignoring the quickening speed on the chute and shoots up, ducking once more and tackling Azula into the bottom of the stone, forcing her hands down, feeling the pulsing heat from Azula's palms.