Destiny Altered (READ DISCLAIMER)

18 - Obscured

When I finally caught up with Azula, she was upstairs in our room stripping down to her underwrappings, as if her clothes were somehow contaminating her spirit. Something was definitely wrong.

"I need you to waterbend on me." It was more of a plea than a command. "Now."

"Okay, just lie down and relax. I'll take care of you," I said softly, leading her over to the bed and laying her prone.

Her body was incredibly tense, much more so than I had ever seen it before. Something I had felt in her—something energetic—during previous waterbending sessions was now running very close to the surface, whereas it was much deeper before. The scars that Ozai had left on Azula's spirit had been making themselves known to her on a more conscious level over the last few months, but there were still some things she was unable to face emotionally.

I started at Azula's feet and followed the energetic pathways up her legs. She barely relaxed. Continuing upward, I felt three major energetic blocks on each side of her hips. Gently, I pushed my water over these points, trying to encourage them to open. They did—barely—and I pushed deeper, and the emotions soon followed. She began to cry, but I didn't let up. These were very subtle, yet strong blockages, and until they opened up completely, she could never begin the final stages of her healing.

I poured as much love as I could into my bending to comfort her spirit as wave after wave of emotion crashed down on Azula. I couldn't open these blocks in just one session. At some point, it would become too painful and counterproductive.

When I felt I had reached her edge, I gently pulled back, gradually decreasing the pressure of my bending before continuing up her back and balancing her energy out. Her tears subsided and her breathing became deeper. There was definitely some kind of a much-needed release that had happened.

She rolled over onto her back and looked up at me. The pain and uncertainty from earlier was gone.

"Are you okay?" I asked, cupping her face with my hand and rubbing my thumb along her cheek.

"I am now," she said quietly, taking hold of my free hand.

"What happened out there that made you run back here?"

"A really bad memory surfaced, one that I had pushed down so deep I didn't even realize it was there. I don't know exactly why it decided to surface then."

"Hmm…" I racked my brain for what might have triggered it. "What were you doing to heal Sokka?"

"The technique I inadvertently used to heal your brother was something my father taught me to stay centered energetically. I found that it helped me to overcome physical pain, and I also noticed that I would heal faster. Because it helped me shut out physical pain, I often used it while he punished me, and of course, right after.

"It's been awhile since I've used it. It takes a lot of focus, and after the Day of Black Sun, I found it harder to focus. But I was able to do it today without a problem. I think by using that technique again, it brought up some feelings up in my mind, but they weren't clear until Sokka mentioned my father. Loser Lord Ozai…" She sat up, shaking her head.

"Love and hate were synonymous when it came to how I felt about my father. I both feared and admired his power. Now I don't know how I feel about him. I don't know how I'm supposed to feel about him," she finished with a sigh.

I wrapped my arms around her and leaned back against the headboard so that she was resting against me. I didn't know what to say, so I just held her instead.

"Growing up, I never knew how it was that a father was supposed to treat his daughter. Mai's father always wanted her to stay quiet and out of the way, and Ty Lee's father barely noticed she was around. My father didn't pay me any mind until he saw my potential as a firebender.