Chapter Text
Aang came closer to the temple and he felt more than nervous. He had left Zuko and the others with the airship behind before dawn, to meet Azula for some vital questions. Two weeks had passed, since her escape from the palace and obviously with Appa's help. His friend had reacted angry with Sokka, as he had cursed Azula. The bison had released some threatening growls at him, which had caused big eyes at his friends.
Aang's jaw dropped, as he recognized two giant blooming cherry trees at an old plateau of the temple. The soft pink was mixing itself in a fresh green and the plateau looked so different, since his last visit a year ago. It has been dead, but now the dead skeletons were gone and a new life has returned to this place. He knew these trees and it wasn't the time of the year for them to bloom, but here they were and the wind carried the lovely pedals through the air. His eyes widened, as he recognized a figure on the ground. Azula was busy with her morning kata. His heart nearly skipped a beat, but he stayed focused and landed on the plateau. Azula ignored him and continued her kata with closed eyes, totally focused on her breathing. Aang wanted to say something, but the wind whispered in his ear and so he stayed quite, until she had reached her final stand. She ended her kata with a deep breath out.
"Hello Avatar, I'm glad you're okay."
She turned her face to the young monk and Aang took a surprised gasp, as he recognized the tattoos on her hands and on her head. It made Azula smirk.
"I had the same look on my face, as I recognized them, first."
Momo came out of one tree and took place on Azula's shoulder. The Princess leaned her head against the lemur and closed her eyes in pleasure, as the creature started to snuggle himself against her cheek. It made Aang's jaw just drop.
"My family has brought shame on my Nation by starting this war and they have brought pain and misery to this world."
Her voice was darker now and Aang recognized in disbelief, that her face was full of grief.
"I have failed once to stand against this shame, I have helped to increase this shame, but not anymore, Avatar. We should take a little walk."
She passed the staring teenager and fondled Appa's fur, as she reached the bison. The animal growled in pleasure and nudged her, carefully, which brought a smile to Azula's lips. A snickering chuckle escaped her throat, as she recognized the helpless confusion of the Avatar.
"I have been busy the last two weeks, Avatar and I bet you want to see, what I have done."
She walked off the plateau and Aang followed her, after he had shaken his head a few times. He was just speechless. He had expected almost everything, but this left his mind blanc.
Azula stayed quite on their way through the ruins. They reached the place, where Gyatso had died. Aang's eyes watered as he recognized the graves around this place. He saw the grief returning to Azula's face. She had placed one little rock on each grave and Aang's confusion was growing, because there were names burned on the rocks. Names of monks and nuns, names of some soldiers and at least hints, whether it was a Nomad or an firebender, who was buried here. Azula stopped before one grave and her tears were rolling down her cheek. Aang felt his stomach cramping, as he read Gyatso's name.
"Azula, I don't understand. What happened to you? Why did you do this? And Appa and Momo? This is… This is..."
"Confusing?"
Aang nodded with open mouth, but his tears were also falling free, as he looked down on Gyatso's grave.
"It's still confusing for me, but I have accepted the truth, Avatar. I left the old Azula behind in this cell."
Aang's confusing was absolute and perfect. A teary laughter escaped Azula's lips, as she watched at the helpless face of the young monk.
"I got a second chance. I got taught some lessons about my past and about myself and that's a fist step to fix the damage my Nation has done to the world. It's a closure for me and for my Nation, I hope."
A soft breeze tugged at both and Aang's eyes widened in surprise as he recognized a sparkle in Azula's eyes.
"Take some time to say goodbye, Avatar. I'll wait for you at the library, then you may get some answers."
oOo
One hour had passed, before Aang came to the library. He had cried and was still confused and pale, when he took seat at a working place. The Princess was busy with a scroll.
"I'll need more scrolls and more ink and brushes. It's hard to reconstruct the lost texts, but I'll do my best."
She pointed at one scroll on the desk.
"Oh and this time, there will be a scroll about pit spitting in the library."
Aang was frozen on spot. He hesitated a moment, before he grabbed the scroll with shaking hands. Tears came back to his eyes, when he checked the fine paintings and detailed explanations of the 'High Art of Cherry Pit Spitting'. He stared at her with open mouth and tears came to his eyes.
"Azula…? Arashi has called herself Azula, as she..."
Azula felt her bottom lip quivering.
"Arashi has never called herself Azula. Azula has called herself Azula and sometimes Arashi."
Aang had to take a grip on the desk to prevent himself from sliding off the chair. Azula was breathing hard, while she observed the monk in front of her. His look had left the ruins and was in another time. She had to lay down the brush, because her hands were shaking. Aang closed his eyes. He was pale and sweating.
"How, Azula? How is this possible? Zuko found you unconscious in your cell. No one, not even Katara was able to wake you up. You have been out for five days, when I came to the palace in greatest haste. What happened?"
Azula took a deep breath. She felt Arashi within her mind and the encouraging presence around her.
"It was Arashi's decision. Her last chance to help us all. To save me and the world. She has brought me to her body and I have lived her life for a while. I got the chance to fight the shame, my family has brought to this world."
A painful shock rushed over Aang's face.
"You got killed, Azula? You have fought as Arashi against your Nation? You have trained me to survive?"
Azula nodded weak.
"It was my decision, in the end. Do you remember the day, when you left the temple. I wanted to tell you the truth, this evening. I was at your heels, as you flew away with Appa and then I have seen the ships, so I returned. It has been the right decision. The best chance to redeem myself and my Nation. It has saved you, Aang. It has saved your life. I wanted to stop this, but at least I could save you."
She failed to hold back her tears.
"At least I could save one friend of this time."
Aang stared at her with his own tears running down his cheeks.
And then he jumped forward.
Azula felt his arms wrapped around her, while the monk was crying heavily. She tightened her grip around his shoulders and pulled him into a close embrace.
"I am your friend, Azula! I have been your friend in this time and I am your friend here and now! And I'm so sorry, that I couldn't help you more. I'm sorry for running away, I'm..."
Azula shook her head almost frantic.
"You don't need to be sorry. I am sorry, for what I have done, for what my Nation has done. I have nearly killed you. I..."
Aang pressed his forehead against Azula's.
"You also don't have to be sorry, Azula. These things have happened, before you dared to open your eyes. I have told you, you're my friend, so better get used to it."
A thankful smile came to her.
"You're not mad with me for hiding the truth?"
Aang shook his head, instantly.
"You have protected me from another burden, Azula. I'm so proud and happy, that you dared to share this secret with me right now."
He smiled warm at her and Azula recognized this warming fire, she had felt in these halls before.
"You hasn't left you behind in this cell, Azula, you woke up. This wonderful person you are, finally woke up."
He hugged her another time.
"Don't worry about the others or your future, Azula. They'll understand it and I won't let you down."
They stayed hugged for a long time, until Azula released him out of her arms. The young monk watched her from head to toe with a proud smile.
"You seem to have a plan, Azula, what you want to do with your second chance."
She smiled back at him and nodded.
"Healing old wounds and rebuilding a place, I can also call home. I think things will be easier, when I stay away from Palace for a while, until my brother has established his reign. But I'll need some helping hands and supplies. I'll do something worthy for having received these tattoos."
Aang's look became serious.
"How did you get these ones, Azula?"
She smirked at him and pulled his forehead against hers and closed her eyes. She focused on his breathing and matched her breath with Aang's. Suddenly his tattoos started to glow and Azula felt his Chi floating. She took a step back from him and both were glowing in a blue light within a dark space. They seemed to have left the library. Azula smiled at his little confusion and nodded in his direction.
"Don't ask me, Aang. Ask Arashi."
His jaw dropped and he turned around. Arashi closed the distance and hugged the shocked, but happy monk.
"Hello Aang, it has been a while, so where should I start?"
Aang pressed his forehead against Arashi's and he had tears in his eyes, again. The three took seat in the dark and empty space in the lotus seat. His smile was still teary, but Azula saw the joy and happiness in his eyes as he answered.
"From the beginning."
It was a strange image for Zuko, Katara and the others, when they found Aang and Azula siting on the ground in the lotus seat within a blue glow in the library.
oOo
Aang's tattoos stopped glowing and the Avatar blinked with his eyes a few times, as he returned to the presence. Azula was still in deep meditation before him, but he recognized the looks of his friends around him. The had all taken seat around them, but in a safe distance. Worries, pensive attention and confusion surrounded him, as he shared an uplifting smile with his friends.
"Aang, what happened to her? Is Azula okay?"
Zuko's voice was stressed out. The coronation and his worries about his sister had him kept busy throughout the last two weeks. Aang stood up and shared a smile with all of them.
"It's strange and complicated, but she's fine, Zuko. She just needs some more moments with her new friend."
The confusion came back to the group and Aang chuckled a bit.
"We'll tell you the whole story, when she's finish with her meditation."
"Her aura is just wonderful, so shiny and peaceful."
TyLee took seat beside the meditating princess and released a little gasp, as she recognized the tattoos on Azula's hands and on her forehead. It brought a little smile to Aang's lips.
"Yes, they're real. A gift from her new friend."
TyLee smiled warm at Azula and it was obvious, that she had to control herself, not to take one of the hands of the firebender. Sokka shook his head in disbelief.
"You're talking, like everything is fine. This is Azula. She's a pyromaniac fr… OUTCH"
He received a hard hit on his shoulder from Toph to shut his mouth.
"Be careful with your choice of words, Sokka. Appa has nearly taken you on his horns, the last time."
She turned to Aang with a serious face.
"She has changed, hasn't she?"
Aang nodded with a serious face.
"Yes, Toph. More than any of you can imagine. She's not the old Azula anymore, we all know. She has opened her eyes."
"I don't trust her Aang. Maybe this is only another scheme to trick us all."
Katara had crossed her arms before her chest and observed the meditating princess with a suspicious look, when the Avatar shook his head. He was about to answer, when Mai interrupted him.
"It's not a scheme, Katara."
She had entered the library with Suki, who looked surprised and astonished. Mai's face was slightly annoyed, because Momo was sitting on her shoulder, but the lemur flew off and landed on Azula's lap to snuggle himself against her middle.
"She has buried the dead, Katara and she has started to prepare one of the old Zen-gardens. Azula and gardening! The Azula I knew, would never ever have considered such things, but she has done it."
Suki nodded at her.
"We have seen her room, Katara. She has made plans to rebuild this temple and she's elaborating ways to search for old scrolls and artifacts of the Air Nomad culture."
Zuko's eyes were widened in surprise, as he turned to the Avatar.
"Aang, what happened to her?"
"I have seen the shame, our Nation has brought to this world and I died, while I tried to stop it."
All turned to Azula, who had opened her eyes. Her lip was quivering, as she faced her brother with her golden orbs. She squeezed TyLee's hand for a moment, which brought a teary smile to the lips of the acrobat.
"I've been so blind, all the time."
She stood up and Momo took place on Aang's shoulder, while Azula closed the distance between herself and her brother.
"And I'm so sorry, for all the pain and all the misery I have caused, as long as I have believed in this lie."
She stopped before Zuko and tears came to her eyes, as she faced his shocked look.
"And I'll accept every punishment, the Fire Lord will choose for these shameful crimes of mine."
Azula was about to prostate before Zuko, when she felt his grip at her arm. She looked up to his face and saw the teary smile of her brother. The next thing, she realized, was his arms around her and her head pressed against his chest.
"I'm so glad, that you're okay, Azula. You've scared me to death."
She clawed herself in the robe of her brother and finally her tears were falling free, which elicited surprised gasps form his friends.
"I've missed you, Zuzu."
He placed a soothing kiss on her hair.
"I've missed you, too, Azula."
oOo
There was still a little confusion and astonishment in the faces of the friends, as they observed Aang, Katara, Azula and TyLee washing and brushing Appa. She had told them her story, but her changing was still like a miracle. Mai was leaning against Zuko and the corners of her mouth were slightly curved up.
"Azula brushing bison and cleaning stables. This fact alone has to be noticed, when it comes to consider a rightful judgment of her actions, Zuko."
Zuko chuckled and placed a soft kiss on Mai's lips. Both turned aside to face an impish smiling Suki. The Kyoshi Warrior was pointing at Sokka beside her, who stared with open mouth at the scenery in front of him, completely ignoring the surrounding.
"She'll need a lot of help with these old ruins."
Toph approached them, wiping off some dust from her clothes.
"I have checked some of the buildings. The structure is still good, but it'll need a lot of hard work, to bring this place back to life."
A little smile came to Zuko's lips, because an idea was crawling up his mind.
oOo
Three months later
Azula was sitting under one of the cherry trees with Momo sleeping on her lap. It was evening and she was deep within her meditation. Her temporary banishment to the Southern Air Temple had satisfied the demands for an adequate punishment, because it was also linked with the obligation, to help recovering lost culture and artifacts of the Air Nomads. It had been Azula's plan to outline the genuine efforts of the Fire Nation to heal old wounds, by starting at the roots of this shame. Aang and the others visited her regularly and Toph was a permanent guest at the temple, to help her forming a way down from the temple mountain and to repair and rebuild the old structures. Both had become good friends within a short time and she also joined her at meditation, sometimes, to talk directly with Arashi.
"This is less crazy, than your way of telling me, 'Arashi said this' or 'Arashi thinks, that'."
But Azula was alone this evening. Toph was down in the valley to help settlers from the Earthkingdom to rebuild some old ruins. It warmed Azula's heart to see life coming back to this place. It gave her hope for the future.
Suddenly, she felt a changing in the wind. It was a strange thing, she had noticed during the last weeks, that she sometimes had the feeling, that she could sense the air around her. Azula opened her eyes and took a surprised gasp. A woman, about forty was standing in front of her. She had long hair and a proud and warm smile on her face and she bowed before Azula.
"It seems your tactics have payed off, Azula."
Her voice sounded familiar, but Azula couldn't put a finger on it. She placed the sleeping lemur carefully at her side to stand up and bowed as well. She felt the air floating around the woman in a strange way and both facts made her frown a little. It gave her a strange feeling. She lighted up a flame in her palm ad her mind went blanc.
"Satora…?"
A warm chuckle escaped the mouth of the woman in front of her.
"No, my name is Nazari, but nun Satora was my grandmother."
Azula's jaw just dropped. The woman in front of her looked like an older twin of Satora. She recognized the glider in Nazari's hand and the woman pushed it over to Azula with her airbending. Her heart skipped two beats, but her face fell serious.
"You shouldn't be here. I have given your grandmother the strict order to stay away from me."
She was bursting for excitement and joy, that Satora's plan obviously had worked to hide some of the Nomads, but she was also angry about the carelessness. This was too dangerous, in her opinion, but the woman in front of her laughed warm and closed the distance between them.
"Oh she has, but she has also taught my father, uncles and aunts to watch out for a sign of hope. And they have given this lesson to the next generation and so did I and guess what, three full moons ago a fisherman has spotted a blue shining fire on the top of the temple mountain. Just a few days after the great victory of the Avatar."
She pressed her forehead against Azula's
"It has taken a while, until this information reached me, but here I am to bring you this message from my grandmother. 'When a Blue Fire shines as a sign of hope, old ruins may become a new home'."
She hugged a trembling Azula and Nazari's voice got teary.
"She was always so proud of you and she has cried many times, when she told us about your brave decisions. It was her dream, that we could return home, some day and her greatest wish to say thank you, again, Azula."
Nazari released her out of her arms and took out a whistle. She blew it, but Azula heard no sound, beside of Momo, who jumped up with a shocked shriek. It took some moments, before a giant old bison came down from the sky. Nazari used her bending to jump behind the neck of the flying creature.
"We'll come home, Azula. Maybe some stick to your warning, but Satora's family will come. We'll help you healing old wounds."
Azula had tears of joy in her eyes as the bison passed her near the ground. She was about to throw the glider to her, but the woman shook her head.
"This has been Satora's glider, I have one for my own, so keep it, I thing she would love this idea. And be careful, it's a bit instable in the air, but you won't find an more agile glider anywhere."
Azula shared a baffled look with the glider and the raising bison.
"But I'm no airbender, Nazari!"
Her voice was much louder, than she had expected and she could her the chuckle of the woman and also a mischievous snicker from Arashi in her head.
"There is an airbender in you, Azula. Remember, less thinking, more acting."
The bison was swallowed by the night and Azula was standing alone on the plateau. Momo flew to her and took place on her shoulder. She shared a questioning look with the lemur and closed her eyes to focus on the air around her and suddenly she felt the little tugging and curling of the wind. She could sense the track of the bison and she heard Arashi's chuckle in her head.
"You knew, that this union would include your bending, Arashi."
Azula sounded angry and a bit sulky, which let Arashi's chuckles grow.
"I have hoped so, Azula, but I wasn't sure until last week, when I really noticed your sense to read the air. I had left my bending behind for you in my body, but it seems, that it has returned to me. Or to you, I'm not sure about it."
Azula focused on her breath and did a punch. It was a weak blow and some blue flames were also leaking out of her fist, but she felt the air obeying her will. A beaming smile came to Azula's lips and she recognized joyful scream within her ears.
"One day we'll fly, again, Azula."
She felt a warm shiver running down her spine. It would need some time, but she could feel it and Arashi felt it too. Azula nodded.
"Yes, we will fly. Together."