Azula was always in control. Always. So, when she was stuck watching herself in a dream, unable to wake up, she wasn't very happy.
It had started like any regular dream does. She was trying to kill her best friend. Not actually, it was just another sparring match between the two of them. Percy's smirk was easily visible as he danced just out of the range of her fireballs before it quickly disappeared as he dropped to the ground, lightning shooting over his head.
"Hey, I thought this was supposed to be a light, fun spar," Percy complained.
"Winning is fun, my dear barbarian," she smiled as she charged another lightning bolt.
Percy smiled at her as he tensed himself in preparation. Then the dream quickly became a nightmare. The sparring arena transformed into the Agni Kai courtyard, the sky was blood-red above her. Azula watched as her father entered the picture.
He strode in with all the confidence of a king. Garbed in opulent golden armor, he walked behind her dream-self and leaned down to whisper in her ear. Azula watched as a wicked smile lit up her face as her father smirked before walking over to sit down on a throne, 10 yards away from the courtyard.
Her attention was quickly drawn to Percy as he called her name desperately. The Percy from before was gone. Now he looked like a shell of his former self. The tall imposing figure looked curled in on himself. His armor was gone, burn scars visible on his bare skin. His face was impassive but his sea-green eyes betrayed him. They were filled with fear. Percy was scared.
Azula shook her head. This was all wrong. Her bodyguard was many things, but scared wasn't one of them. She suspected that even death would laugh in amusement at Percy's trademark troublemaker grin as he tried to spin some ridiculous story about dying in a bathtub or whatnot.
Azula watched as her dream-self showed no hint of emotion at Percy's calls. Her mask was set firmly in place, cold and emotionless. A true princess. A gong rang and Azula wasted no time in attacking him.
Percy scrambled out of the way as he reached out for the water held in the grates. A look of pure terror crossed his face. Percy had no water to fight back with. That's when Azula realized what was happening. This wasn't an Agni Kai. It was an execution.
Her dream-self laughed aloud at Percy's look of terror. "You stupid savage. Did you honestly think this would be a fight? You will die like the rest of your pathetic family. Alone and desperate. Nobody will save you. You. Are. Alone," she growled, taking pleasure in each flinch as her words struck home.
Azula wanted to blast herself. Nobody talked to Percy that way. Nobody. He wasn't alone, he had her. She wouldn't allow this nightmare to continue. She stepped in between ready to slap some sense into herself, only for her dream-self to walk right through her as fake-Azula advanced on Percy.
Percy charged barehanded, as she knew he would. He would never go down without a fight, even with the deck stacked against him. Azula watched helplessly as the biggest flame she'd ever seen in her life erupted from her hand, washing over Percy in an instant. His screams of pain seemed to echo throughout her head as she rushed over to his curled-up form. He looked barely recognizable, his skin disfigured, a pained groan was the only sign he was alive. By all accounts, he should be dead already.
Something inside her broke from seeing Percy like that. It was as if her insides had been ripped out, struck by lightning, and then shoved back in.
Azula looked over her shoulder at her. The monster that was causing the best thing in her life all this suffering. Dream-Azula's smile was malicious as she looked back at their father sitting on his throne. His smile was clear to see and his voice rang out even clearer. "Kill him, Azula."
