Zutara Week 2020
Day 7 Rebirth
Destiny
"Side with me Zuzu, we can take them all! We can return home victorious!"
Zuko's eyes flicked back and forth on the scene in front of him. Azula and the Dai Li versus the Avatar and the water bender. His uncle encouraged him to follow the path of his destiny.
What was his destiny?
He wasn't sure anymore.
But... he'd seen what the Fire Nation has done to the other people in the world. He knew it was wrong. And now, he had a semblance of being content, living in the Earth Kingdom with Uncle, giving up his chase of the Avatar and leading a simple life free from expectations and guilt. He... didn't want to return to the Fire Nation. That wasn't his home anymore. He would never gain any love or happiness there.
His eyes ran over the walls full of silent soldiers. The Dai Li didn't seem especially loyal to her. Like they'd leave if she were outnumbered. She didn't have her friends as backup either. If he sided with the Avatar... they would win. The outcome was up to him.
The waterbender's blue eyes were on him. Could eyes pierce into his soul like that? He needed to direct his thoughts away from her, away from the conversation they just had. But he had changed, and he would prove it to her.
It was a split second decision. He aimed his fire at his sister.
She dodged the flame, glaring venomously at him. "What do you think you're doing?!"
"Azula, I know you're lying. Nobody there wants me back, and I don't particularly want to go back. Not with how it is now."
"You're going to regret this!" She hissed.
Hah, he thought, I regret just about everything I do. What's one more thing?
But he didn't think he'd be regretting this decision. It felt right.
As he continued to throw his flames at her, he saw the Dai Li jump into action. He noticed his Uncle holding his own against them, the Avatar watching Iroh's back and fighting alongside him. That was odd, but... comforting?
His eyes widened as he heard the cackling, familiar sound of energy being drawn from the air. He gasped as Azula met his eyes and smirked at him right as she pointed her fingers directly at his heart.
Before the lightning could even part from her, a tidal wave crashed into her.
Zuko gapped as his sister was swept away with the wave, crashing into the wall. He whipped his head around to the waterbender. She was still gracefully twisting her arms around, and that's when Zuko noticed that the water was creeping over Azula and slowly freezing her to the wall as she was disoriented. In his peripheral, he could see the Dai Li hesitating, pausing as if about to retreat. Would they abandon her?
But soon enough that disorientation was shaken off, and Azula didn't appreciate being frozen to a wall. She melted it easily enough and narrowed her eyes. "I am sick of you, water peasant."
Zuko internally cringed as he recalled saying similar things to the girl that probably just saved his life two minutes ago.
Before Azula could lift a finger towards the girl, Zuko was on the offense again. He would make Azula focus on him, not her.
"Why don't you escape while you still can?" He sneered at her. He probably shouldn't goad her, it only led to bad things. But habits were habits.
She growled at him, her arms waving to drag energy from the air again. He would be prepared to catch it though, as Uncle had taught him.
