Avatar Zuko

Chapter 42

Azula had never felt happier. No, 'happy' wasn't the right word- she felt absolutely beside herself with joy... Only she didn't know what over.

Really, she should have been completely wrecked; her teammates (useless as she called them) had betrayed her right after they'd all found out that Zuko, who Azula was credited with killing, was actually still alive. All logic pointed to her grieving over the loss of her glory for ending the avatar cycle, yet she felt strangely full now she knew that wasn't the case. She pondered over it, as she walked to the prison cells.

Her brother's death had been widely celebrated, though most were unaware of the fact that he even was her brother, so why hadn't she felt pleased by all of that attention to her accomplishment? The Princess supposed that it had just been too easy of a victory- one shot to the back simply wasn't enough to sate her desire to tear Zuko down, to show the world she was better than him. Now she had the chance to do just that; to obliterate him with everything she had and to be able to properly revel as people bowed down to the rubble in her wake.

Yes. That thought made her smile.

Azula stopped in front of the iron door she was much too familiar with by this point, studying the scorch marks she herself had made during earlier visits, ones in which she'd been in lesser spirits. Opening the door, she stepped inside with confidence and flourish that she hadn't had for the last several weeks.

"Good evening, Iroh." She practically sung, sitting down on the plush chair she had had brought in once it became clear she couldn't sleep without first speaking with her uncle.

"Azula." He frowned, slumped against the wall with dirtied hair straggling down his face. "You seem to be glowing today." He complimented without meaning.

"Yes," She agreed, because these late-night-chats with her uncle had taught her that the man wasn't worth lying to; he could always tell. "I was right." The Princess knew she must have sounded like a smug child, but she smirked all the same and crossed her arms over her velvet nightie.

"Hmm, what about?" Iroh raised his eyebrow, keeping his tone even. He often did that, Azula noticed, not yelling unless Zuko was involved.

"I didn't kill the avatar!" She voiced her clear failure with a grin, something high and undoubtedly happy rising in her chest as she spoke. Perhaps it was knowing she'd been right all this time that had her feeling so over the moon.

"Hh-" He let out a stuttered breath, shaking his head blinking. "Yes you did, Azula, you must accept it.".

Now her jubilance was quickly being overtaken by rage and so she scowled. How dare he think she'd lie? Well, yes, she would, but not about this. News of Zuko's life felt like something she had to genuinely tell her uncle about, for whatever reason, and it irked her that he'd brush her off.

"Oh?! I need to accept it, do I?! I saw him, in the flesh. If he wasn't real, then why would Mai and Ty Lee practically orgasm on the spot and join his side, hmmm?!" She stood up, pushing her chair aside as per usual, and stomping up to the bars. Iroh didn't even flinch, just looking thoughtfully at the opposite wall as if she weren't even there. "Listen to me, old man!" She grabbed the bars, letting heat travel through her palms just a little. The man blinked.

"I'm sorry your friends left you, Azula, betrayal can be painful." He said, not a hint of emotion threading into his tone. She stomped her foot like some juvenile.

"I do- I don- I don't care about them, they're filthy traitors, just like you!" She pulled back her hands only to slam them into the bars again, the pain clearing her mind a little from the rage Iroh was evoking. She smiled cooly at him, after regaining a little composure. "It doesn't matter, anyway, I have them back now.".