The Dragon Princess and the Wolf Warrior

Chapter 101 [~|~] Finding Inner Peace

A.N. I wrote this whole thing to the "Short Hair" track from Mulan. Just FYI. As promised, more insight into Azara's new role is down below.

Let's just say I took a lot of creative liberties with what was implied by 'inner fire' from ATLA canon. Also, just to clarify, any references to her stomach are about her inner fire or her firebending abilities since the stomach is the location of the fire chakra. Not a teenage pregnancy which I don't write and will never write. 

Her explanation of her interaction with Uzume had gone over about as well as Azara had expected. Toph had shrugged it off and asked if it meant she was now supercharged. Katara was concerned, but more interested in how Azara was somehow supposed to heal anything as a firebender. Aang was ecstatic about her spiritual connection. Teo, Haru, Kesuk, and The Duke were confused, but supportive. And Zuko and Sokka were not happy. It had taken quite some time for Azara, with a little help from Katara and Aang, to calm Zuko and Sokka down off their respective stress balls.

"So, these spirits can just possess you whenever they feel like it!?" Sokka huffed, pacing around as Azara sighed, resting her head on her hand.

"No, they said only in times of great threats to balance. Like when Aang got shot full of lightning while he was in the Avatar State."

"Well, that's reassuring. Glad to know it's only during a cataclysmic event," Zuko muttered, causing Azara to shoot him a look.

"You two need to calm down, okay? Besides, Uzume said I have to figure out myself first before I do anything more."

"Figure out yourself?"

"Apparently I'm full of conflict," Azara huffed, leaning back on her hands.

"About what?" Zuko asked, raising an eyebrow.

"What do you think?" Azara sighed, laying down. "Apparently our fucked-up childhood won't leave me alone."

"Well, how are you supposed to fix that?" Zuko asked as Azara sat up straighter. Sighing, she rubbed her face tiredly.

"I have no idea."

Night had fallen, the moon hovering high in the sky, but still Azara could not find any sense of restful peace or sleep. Sokka snored lightly beside her, his face buried into the tangles of her hair. They weren't officially sharing a room even though they technically had since she returned from the Sun Warrior ruins. As far as everyone else knew—and by everyone else, she emphasized Zuko— they were sleeping separately.

But what Zuko didn't know wouldn't kill him.

Staring up at the moon, Azara sighed, closing her eyes for a moment. "How am I supposed to find inner peace?" she whispered out, frowning in frustration.

She carefully slipped out of Sokka's embrace, not wanting to wake him up, and walked over to the window. Staring up at the moon for a moment, Azara rested her head on her hands. How in Agni's name was she supposed to heal herself?

Sighing, Azara glanced back at Sokka who was still quite asleep, before turning back to the moon. She thought about her experiences at the Northern Water Tribe with Yagoda and the other healers. She remembered them using the water to heal by redirecting energy paths around the body. Energy. They healed by redirecting an individual's energy around their body.

Forming an idea in her mind as she thought back to Uzume's words about her inner flame, Azara straightened up suddenly. Silently grabbing her bag, Azara padded out of the room, closing the door carefully behind her.