Zuko stood up, leitura himself to get blasted with a raio, ray of fogo for chasing after his sister. A hand found its way on to her shoulder.
“Don’t worry. She’ll be back.” Cheng assured him.
Zuko opened his mouth to protest.
“Trust me; she does the every time she gets mad. She either comes back within the hora or within a dia or two. Just leave her be.”
“I don’t think you understand, I…I was going to banish her. And she said…I don’t think she’s coming back.”
“I know her. I know Sooyoung.”
“You know Sooyoung, you don’t know…” Zuko held his tongue. “I’ll just let her tell you when she comes back.” If she comes back. He added to himself.
“She will come back. As much as Soo would like to run off, she knows she can’t. Not when we’re about to have another kid.” Cheng pointed out.
He had a valid point. But Zuko wouldn’t put it past his sister to be crazy enough to try. “I really messed up this time.” He frowned. “I just wanted her to tell you the truth. She wasn’t ready to, I got mad and then…”
“You said something you shouldn’t have. I get it, don’t worry about it.” Cheng shrugged. “If it makes you feel better I’ll go talk to her.”
“You know where she is?”
“I knew a few places she likes to go.” Cheng replied. “Like I said, she always did that before P’Li was born…this is actually her first time doing it since. But I can imagine she’d still go to the same place. Just do me a favor and tuck P’Li in for me.”
“I’m probably going to have to give that task to Katara; she’s better with kids then I am.”
Cheng laughed. “Just make sure she gets to bed, she gets cranky when she doesn’t get enough sleep.” And with that he was out the door.
Zuko carried P’Li up the stairs. The minuto he reached floor two Sokka was giving him an earful. “What did you do to Soo!? How could you yell at Soo? Why would you even yell at Soo!!??”
Katara swatted him on the head. “What he means is, what was all that yelling about?”
“I’ll explain everything when P’Li is tucked in.” Zuko answred.
Katara led him to the child’s room where they lie the girl down and pulled the covers up to her shoulder. After which, they sang the girl to sleep.
“Alright Zuko. So what’s going on?” Aang asked.
“I found out that Sooyoung is my sister.”
“What? Oh no. No, no, no.” Sokka frowned. “How are you going to tell Azula that she has another sister!?”
“Sokka…” Katara said through clenched teeth. “Sooyoung is Azula.”
“Oh. Oh! Are…are you telling me that I was…”
“Obsessing over Azula? Yes, Sokka, that’s exactly what Zuko was saying.”
“This is terrible, we have to save the children!” Sokka yelled.
“Sokka keep it down. The child you just mentioned is trying to sleep.” Katara hushed him.
“Terrible? I think it’s sweet.” Aang smiled. “I knew she wasn’t going to come after us again.”
“Yeah, I hope I didn’t ruin that.” Zuko muttered.
“What would make her want to leave this lovely family to come after us again?” Aang asked.
“The fact that I almost ruined the ‘lovely’ family.” Zuko frowned.
“Yes, but how?” Katara asked.
“Well for starts, she was right, just being here could have ruined it for her. And then when I went to ask her to cadastrar-se us she said no because she didn’t want to leave her Cheng and P’Li. I just got mad, I didn’t even consider that she said no because she didn’t want to leave her family. We got into a fight...”
“Big surprise.” Sokka cut in.
“And I. I told Cheng that Azula was lying to him. I told him that she wasn’t really Sooyoung.”
“But you didn’t tell him that Azula was…Azula? Did you?” Aang asked.
“No.” He paused. “I told Azula to tell him. And then she just left.”
“There’s mais to it than that isn’t there?” Katara asked.
Zuko thought about the whole banishing thing. “Well, yes…”
***
Azula lie on her back gazing at the stars. Her mind was rather numb. She couldn’t bring herself to think of anything at all. So she just lie there, staring.
The night was quiet, the breeze still soft and steady. She listened to the waves lapping up on shore. The sand tickling her back.
Azula yawned. Suddenly exhausted she decided that she’d just sleep there on the beach. She didn’t feel like walking to a hotel and the weather seemed nice enough. She folded the artigos of clothing she’d bought along with her and put them under her head.
She’d just barely shut her eyes when she heard footsteps approaching. Her hand instinctively reaching for the sword. She wasn’t threatened enough to blow her cover por bending.
“Trust me, you’re not going to need that.” Cheng wrapped his hand around her wrist. At his touch she let the weapon fall back to the sand. “The fogo Lord was…distraught por your sudden departure.”
“The fogo Lord is distraught por everything I do…” Azula rolled her eyes.
“What history do you have with the fogo Lord?”
Azula remained silent. She shifted her weight from one arm to the other.
“Soo, what was that fight about? What ‘lies’ was he talking about?”
“You mean he didn’t run his mouth off yet?”
“No. He said he wanted you to tell me whatever it is that you’re…hiding.” Cheng paused. “I guess I’m in no hurry to find out. You can tell me whatever it is whenever you’re ready. I just want to know why you’re hiding something from me at all.”
Because you wouldn’t amor me. That was the first thing that came to mind. Azula chose to vocalize the segundo biggest reason. “Because it’s safer for all of us that way.”
“And…” Cheng prompted.
“And what? That’s it.” Azula shrugged.
They were silent for a while after that. What else was there to say. Cheng wasn’t one to pry. Instead the man slung his arm over Azula’s shoulder and just stared out at the water.
Azula’s expression was rather stern as she mulled her options over. Despite it all she was feeling rather contempt and at ease that night. No better time than when you’re feeling calm to try to talk touchy subjects over. But why ruin a fine night?
Azula drew in a deep breath and moved out of Cheng’s embrace.
His eyes fell upon her. “What are you…”
Azula opened her palm and let a tiny blue flame dance across it. She kept her eyes on the fire, averted from Cheng’s gaze.
“Blue fire…” It was a spoken in a near whisper.
Azula let the flame die out leaving behind a thin trail of smoke.
“You’re name really isn’t Sooyoung is it?”
“What gave you the first clue? The blue fogo or my brother flailing his arms screaming ‘her name isn’t even Sooyoung!’” Azula took a handful of sand and let it slide out of her palm. Watching as it eased its way back to its place of origin.
“Why else didn’t you tell me?” Cheng asked.
“Because it was easier.” Azula admitted. “Easier to start over when no one knows who you are but you. Easier than trying to convince everyone that you’ve changed…easier to forget…” She kept her eyes fixed on the waves. “And it was so easy to do too. Everyone thought I’d died or something so they had no reason to suspect anything.” A sudden wave of anger hit Azula. “He wasn’t supposed to come looking for me! He wasn’t supposed to care!”
“Well he did. And—if I’m interpreting this all correctly—he’s your brother. Of course he cares.” Cheng stated.
“No. He just wanted to use me. And when I didn’t go with him…” Her voice cracked. “He had to open his mouth and ruin everything.” Her nails dug into the sand.
“He didn’t ruin anything. I’m still here, and I still want you to come home. I still amor you.”
“You amor Soo. Not Azula.” Another tear managed to escape.
“Same person.” Cheng helped Azula to her feet. He handed Azula her belongings.
“Your wife is a lunatic. Your father in law is in prison.” Azula blurted out. “And your brother in law is a pain in the ass.” She rubbed at her eye. “A crown stealing pain in the ass.”
Cheng laughed. “At least you have someone you can complain to now. Though I’m pretty sure I’m supposed to complain about the in laws…”
“Well good thing we have a long walk início because I have a lot to complain about. And all of it happened like five years ago.”
“Don’t worry. She’ll be back.” Cheng assured him.
Zuko opened his mouth to protest.
“Trust me; she does the every time she gets mad. She either comes back within the hora or within a dia or two. Just leave her be.”
“I don’t think you understand, I…I was going to banish her. And she said…I don’t think she’s coming back.”
“I know her. I know Sooyoung.”
“You know Sooyoung, you don’t know…” Zuko held his tongue. “I’ll just let her tell you when she comes back.” If she comes back. He added to himself.
“She will come back. As much as Soo would like to run off, she knows she can’t. Not when we’re about to have another kid.” Cheng pointed out.
He had a valid point. But Zuko wouldn’t put it past his sister to be crazy enough to try. “I really messed up this time.” He frowned. “I just wanted her to tell you the truth. She wasn’t ready to, I got mad and then…”
“You said something you shouldn’t have. I get it, don’t worry about it.” Cheng shrugged. “If it makes you feel better I’ll go talk to her.”
“You know where she is?”
“I knew a few places she likes to go.” Cheng replied. “Like I said, she always did that before P’Li was born…this is actually her first time doing it since. But I can imagine she’d still go to the same place. Just do me a favor and tuck P’Li in for me.”
“I’m probably going to have to give that task to Katara; she’s better with kids then I am.”
Cheng laughed. “Just make sure she gets to bed, she gets cranky when she doesn’t get enough sleep.” And with that he was out the door.
Zuko carried P’Li up the stairs. The minuto he reached floor two Sokka was giving him an earful. “What did you do to Soo!? How could you yell at Soo? Why would you even yell at Soo!!??”
Katara swatted him on the head. “What he means is, what was all that yelling about?”
“I’ll explain everything when P’Li is tucked in.” Zuko answred.
Katara led him to the child’s room where they lie the girl down and pulled the covers up to her shoulder. After which, they sang the girl to sleep.
“Alright Zuko. So what’s going on?” Aang asked.
“I found out that Sooyoung is my sister.”
“What? Oh no. No, no, no.” Sokka frowned. “How are you going to tell Azula that she has another sister!?”
“Sokka…” Katara said through clenched teeth. “Sooyoung is Azula.”
“Oh. Oh! Are…are you telling me that I was…”
“Obsessing over Azula? Yes, Sokka, that’s exactly what Zuko was saying.”
“This is terrible, we have to save the children!” Sokka yelled.
“Sokka keep it down. The child you just mentioned is trying to sleep.” Katara hushed him.
“Terrible? I think it’s sweet.” Aang smiled. “I knew she wasn’t going to come after us again.”
“Yeah, I hope I didn’t ruin that.” Zuko muttered.
“What would make her want to leave this lovely family to come after us again?” Aang asked.
“The fact that I almost ruined the ‘lovely’ family.” Zuko frowned.
“Yes, but how?” Katara asked.
“Well for starts, she was right, just being here could have ruined it for her. And then when I went to ask her to cadastrar-se us she said no because she didn’t want to leave her Cheng and P’Li. I just got mad, I didn’t even consider that she said no because she didn’t want to leave her family. We got into a fight...”
“Big surprise.” Sokka cut in.
“And I. I told Cheng that Azula was lying to him. I told him that she wasn’t really Sooyoung.”
“But you didn’t tell him that Azula was…Azula? Did you?” Aang asked.
“No.” He paused. “I told Azula to tell him. And then she just left.”
“There’s mais to it than that isn’t there?” Katara asked.
Zuko thought about the whole banishing thing. “Well, yes…”
***
Azula lie on her back gazing at the stars. Her mind was rather numb. She couldn’t bring herself to think of anything at all. So she just lie there, staring.
The night was quiet, the breeze still soft and steady. She listened to the waves lapping up on shore. The sand tickling her back.
Azula yawned. Suddenly exhausted she decided that she’d just sleep there on the beach. She didn’t feel like walking to a hotel and the weather seemed nice enough. She folded the artigos of clothing she’d bought along with her and put them under her head.
She’d just barely shut her eyes when she heard footsteps approaching. Her hand instinctively reaching for the sword. She wasn’t threatened enough to blow her cover por bending.
“Trust me, you’re not going to need that.” Cheng wrapped his hand around her wrist. At his touch she let the weapon fall back to the sand. “The fogo Lord was…distraught por your sudden departure.”
“The fogo Lord is distraught por everything I do…” Azula rolled her eyes.
“What history do you have with the fogo Lord?”
Azula remained silent. She shifted her weight from one arm to the other.
“Soo, what was that fight about? What ‘lies’ was he talking about?”
“You mean he didn’t run his mouth off yet?”
“No. He said he wanted you to tell me whatever it is that you’re…hiding.” Cheng paused. “I guess I’m in no hurry to find out. You can tell me whatever it is whenever you’re ready. I just want to know why you’re hiding something from me at all.”
Because you wouldn’t amor me. That was the first thing that came to mind. Azula chose to vocalize the segundo biggest reason. “Because it’s safer for all of us that way.”
“And…” Cheng prompted.
“And what? That’s it.” Azula shrugged.
They were silent for a while after that. What else was there to say. Cheng wasn’t one to pry. Instead the man slung his arm over Azula’s shoulder and just stared out at the water.
Azula’s expression was rather stern as she mulled her options over. Despite it all she was feeling rather contempt and at ease that night. No better time than when you’re feeling calm to try to talk touchy subjects over. But why ruin a fine night?
Azula drew in a deep breath and moved out of Cheng’s embrace.
His eyes fell upon her. “What are you…”
Azula opened her palm and let a tiny blue flame dance across it. She kept her eyes on the fire, averted from Cheng’s gaze.
“Blue fire…” It was a spoken in a near whisper.
Azula let the flame die out leaving behind a thin trail of smoke.
“You’re name really isn’t Sooyoung is it?”
“What gave you the first clue? The blue fogo or my brother flailing his arms screaming ‘her name isn’t even Sooyoung!’” Azula took a handful of sand and let it slide out of her palm. Watching as it eased its way back to its place of origin.
“Why else didn’t you tell me?” Cheng asked.
“Because it was easier.” Azula admitted. “Easier to start over when no one knows who you are but you. Easier than trying to convince everyone that you’ve changed…easier to forget…” She kept her eyes fixed on the waves. “And it was so easy to do too. Everyone thought I’d died or something so they had no reason to suspect anything.” A sudden wave of anger hit Azula. “He wasn’t supposed to come looking for me! He wasn’t supposed to care!”
“Well he did. And—if I’m interpreting this all correctly—he’s your brother. Of course he cares.” Cheng stated.
“No. He just wanted to use me. And when I didn’t go with him…” Her voice cracked. “He had to open his mouth and ruin everything.” Her nails dug into the sand.
“He didn’t ruin anything. I’m still here, and I still want you to come home. I still amor you.”
“You amor Soo. Not Azula.” Another tear managed to escape.
“Same person.” Cheng helped Azula to her feet. He handed Azula her belongings.
“Your wife is a lunatic. Your father in law is in prison.” Azula blurted out. “And your brother in law is a pain in the ass.” She rubbed at her eye. “A crown stealing pain in the ass.”
Cheng laughed. “At least you have someone you can complain to now. Though I’m pretty sure I’m supposed to complain about the in laws…”
“Well good thing we have a long walk início because I have a lot to complain about. And all of it happened like five years ago.”