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Note: This was written for the Fanonbenders' Fanontastic Fanon Contest, Round 19. The theme was "something party themed". Though the focus of this one-shot is not related to a party, the setting is during a celebration, so I think it is close enough to the prompt.
The sailors wanted payment.
"We took you all the way to Capital Island," said the man on the left, weaving his black, grimy beard around his fingers, "so you gonna pay us what's due."
"And if you don't," the other sailor continued, his small, black, beady eyes staring straight into my skull. He cracked his knuckles, "then we might ‘ave to take fings into our...own hands."
"Oh really?" I cooed, amused by their idiocy. "And how are you going to do that?"
They both stepped forward, puffing their chests out, "we have our mefods."
I smiled, "well, I won't be paying you, so I strongly suggest you get back on your little ship, sail back to your little town, go back to your sad, little lives, and forget this ever happened."
The bearded one threw his head back and roared, though I could tell he was losing patience. "Now why," he asked, a hint of anger in his voice, "would we want to do that?"
Tendrils of blue flame snaked out of my hand. "Because if you don't, the consequences will be dire." I thrust my hand into his side, and he yelled out in pain. The other man looked at me, wide eyed, as if he was in shock. But then he turned to his companion, who now had a livid red burn on his flesh, visible through burned away fabric, and realised that they should leave. He hoisted his friend back onto the boat and hastily set sail. I turned away and began walking, amused by their naivety, but also slightly annoyed.
‘Those people should be bowing to me!' I thought. Thinking about the days when I struck fear into the hearts of all in the Fire Nation, I reminded myself that it wouldn't be long until that would be the case again. That was what I missed most about being Princess: the power and supremacy.
As I walked through the Great Gates, the spices and vivid colours hit me like a tidal wave. People were dancing in the street, oohing and aahing at people performing tricks with fire. Stalls were set up everywhere, with people selling everything from Fire Gummies to soft toys. Again I clenched my fists. I had been hesitant to come back here, and this was exactly why. These common, disposable vermin shouldn't have ignoring me, they should have been staring at me, trembling. If it was wet, they should have lain down in front of me so I could walk over them. But no, they didn't even know, or care, that I was there.
A small child went hurrying past, giggling with glee. She was being chased by a man who was smiling, with pleasant features. His jovial face sickened me. His happiness, his ignorance, it was disgusting, and it made me retch. As he went past, he knocked me aside.
"Hey!" I called after him, "watch where you're going, idiot!"
But he was already lost in the crowd. Angry that I had been ignored, I tried to chase after him. "Who do you think you are?" I shouted, "Why would you think you could do that and not be punished? You should be whimpering, on your knees, begging for mercy! Do you not know who I am? I am your superior! I am-" I paused and looked around. People were staring. Well, no. Everyone was staring. I caught a glimpse of three boys snickering, their scrawny faces trying desperately to keep in their laughter.
I cursed myself for being so careless. What I was about to do would require precision and accuracy, and getting sidetracked was not an option. I hurried away from the crowds, heading into a back alley. Needing to regain focus, I ran over the plan in my mind. Get into the Royal Palace, get past the guards, go into the Queen's chamber. And, well, from there, I'd know what to do.
Suddenly, a deep, monotonous sound came booming over the houses. ‘At least some of our culture hasn't been destroyed,' I thought. That black, ancient horn brought back memories of when I played god. Many years ago, that horn was blown for me whenever I returned from afar. Looking back towards the crowds, I saw that the mob was moving excitedly, hurrying towards the Palace. Taking a deep breath, I went back into the crowds.
Twenty two years ago, my brother was coronated here, standing in front of people from all over the world. Now, he wanted to show his daughter to the same, yet very different world. As I watched from the shadows, I became aware that I was now invisible. No one noticed me, no one recognised me. To them, I was just another face, one they would not remember in one minute, one day or a year. Lurking in the shadows for so many years had worked. I had truly been forgotten.
But not for long.
Up above me, on the Royal Balcony, a second horn was blown. This was higher pitched, quieter, and yet somehow even more commanding than the last. The people beside me, and all around the square, who moments ago had been dancing, celebrating, and chatting were now silent. No one made a sound. The only noise was that quiet horn, playing a complex melody made up of a single note. I watched as my brother, who I hadn't seen for 20 years, walked out onto the balcony. Soon after, he was followed by his wife, the one who had betrayed me all those years ago. Seeing her filled me with loathing, even after so long. She betrayed me, her Princess, for a traitor and weakling! And who was living off scraps? Me! The one who wanted to bring greatness to their nation. But soon, I would have my revenge.
The Queen held a child in her arms. Seeing the infant, the citizens started whooping and cheering. My brother, the failure of a Fire Lord, began to speak.
"Hello, loving citizens. Today is a great day. Today is the day that you first meet your future Fire Lord!" The crowd, somehow, managed to get even louder. "A few days ago, a most beautiful child was born. This child is now in your Queen's arms. I would like you to meet my beloved child, Princess Izumi!"
I didn't hear the rest. Using the announcement as a distraction, I snuck up to one of the doors leading to the Palace. Standing beside it were two guards. Inconspicuously creating some blue flame, concealed in my clenched fist, I snuck up to the first guard, clasping my hand around his neck. He quickly went limp. Seeing this, the second guard tried to hit me with a blast of fire. I fired first. The man fell to the floor, severely burned and not moving. Casually, I opened the door and stepped inside.
The Palace was just as grand as I remembered. The cold stone and marble, the magnificent engravings, none of the interior had changed. As I made my way towards the Royal Chambers, I once again checked my plan for any holes. There were none, as I knew there wouldn't be. People are predictable, and I used that to my advantage. I knew every possibility of how the next few hours would play out, and what I had to do to get my revenge.
Carefully, I made my way into the Royal Gallery. As a child, I had taught myself every single shortcut and hiding place in the entire Palace, and I knew one that would get me right into the Queen's chamber. Making my way towards the portrait of my grandfather, I caught sight of a portrait of my brother. The sight sickened me. He had ruined my life, he had taken away everything. And now I would take everything from him. But first, I thought, I should start a fire.
I carelessly took my grandfather's portrait off the wall and threw it to the floor. Then, I opened the small door behind it. When my grandfather became Fire Lord, he had this passage made so he could go to the Royal Gallery and see the Fire Lords before him. He thought that they could guide him. He was completely deluded, of course, and if I was Fire Lord then instead of him then the war would easily have been won by the superior race. My race. The Fire Nation.
When his portrait was hung here, the passage was forgotten by all except me. So, as I opened the door and saw it covered in cobwebs, it didn't surprise me. I brought up a small flame in my hand to use a light, and prepared to go into the blackness.
‘Wait,' I thought, ‘I almost forgot.' Walking over to my brother's painting the flame in my hand became bigger and brighter. I brushed my hand over the painting and it caught fire.
"Oops." I muttered. Moving back across to the now open doorway, I hoisted myself up through. Looking around one last time, I smiled. Zuzu was getting what he deserved.
And I was just getting started.
Sitting in a cobweb covered, stinking hole for multiple hours was not fun. Having my ear pressed to a grimy door wasn't either. It was bearable, though, because I knew I would soon get revenge. What made the experience worse was that on the other side of that wall I could hear raucous laughter and partying. Earlier in the day, I had witnessed how common people celebrated, now I saw how the rich did.
The fact that they were celebrating was not the problem. The problem was the people from all over the world were there too. People from the Earth Kingdom, even those little sheets of ice where no one wants to live had natives who were here. That was what made me angry. All I could hear was the happiness, and it made me want to end every single person who was in that room.
What I couldn't quite understand was why the party was still going on. I had set fire to the Palace, surely someone would have noticed by now? Though my plan did not seem to be going perfectly, I never doubted myself. I had prepared myself for every outcome, and this was an obvious one.
As I anticipated, the partying soon stopped, and I could just about make out the muffled voice of my brother. Though I couldn't here all of what he said, I knew what he was saying.
"Friends and allies, I have some bad news. There was an attempted arson on the Royal Palace earlier today." I could here gasps from the members of the gathering. "Sadly," he continued, "we have reason to believe that it was one of you." I couldn't hear the rest of what he said, but I was pleased nonetheless. Though it seemed that my brother had lost some of his incompetence over time, he was still predictable. Sadly though, this meant I would have to wait.
Many more hours passed, and the room had long since gone silent. After an eternity, I finally heard voices.
"We interviewed everyone here and they all claimed innocence. We even had Toph check to see if people were lying, but they were all telling the truth," I heard my traitor of a sibling say, "we're going to search the Palace for this arsonist."
Then I heard a second voice. A familiar one, one that I hated. "Take our child with you," it said, "I fear she is not safe."
"Very well." Zuko replied. And as I heard footsteps, I knew that the woman was finally alone. I opened the door I had my ear pressed to, knowing full well that no one expected a painting to double as a door.
I dropped out of my hole and into the Queen's chamber.
"Hello Mai" I uttered.
She turned sharply from the window she was looking out of. "You?" She gasped. "No, it can't be. You...you died! I...I saw it."
"Ah, yes. That little charade." I responded. "A very simple, yet apparently very successful trick, faking one's own death."
"You shouldn't be here," she muttered, "you can't get out. Even if you kill me, which I assume you've come here to do, you'll never get away."
"No," I confessed, "I actually came here to kill your daughter. Izumo, Izuma, is it? Something like that." I shrugged. "I liked the idea of you two having to live with the knowledge that you could have prevented your daughter's death, but, as you gave that little pig to Zuzu, I guess you'll have to do."
"Well," Mai stated, pulling out three stilettos from her clothes, "then you'll have to fight me first."
She flung the stilettos at me, but I dodged them with ease.
"Oh Mai," I mocked, "I think you're out of practice."
I brought up a huge ball of flame and pummelled it into her.
Zuzu,
By the time you read this message I will be long gone. So will your wife, but you'll know about that by now. This is just a note to tell you who is responsible. Maybe it will give you some clarity, but the answered questions will be replaced by many more unanswered ones.
Someday I may come back and ruin your life once again, but I might not. You may never hear from me again! But I doubt it. One thing is for sure though, you and your family will never be safe. Your unloving sister,
Azula
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