Following her shameful defeat at the Fire Nation’s capital city, Azula was to be sent to a prison. Her brother, Firelord Zuko in his power had decreed that his sister instead of rotting away in a prison, be sent to an Earth kingdom rehabilitation center.
Azula’s defeat had broke her. She wasn’t ruthless and manipulative anymore. She lashed out and showed random fits of anger and passion very unlike her old self. But there was hope she would get better and one day be reintegrated into the world.
The counselors at the center were highly trained in both bending and mental rehabilitation. Making sure that Azula’s first three hundred and eighty-seven escape attempts were thwarted. After two years Azula’s plans and great attempts grew thin and she constantly wore a tired look of defeat.
Two years gave her time to grow familiar with the center. There were group sessions every day and twice after every week patients received two days worth of one on one examination of their mental state.
Azula was usually quiet during these group meetings. At first she would downright refuse relating to anyone in the group with parental issues.
One day during group discussion an Earth Kingdom girl went on about how the expectations of her parents had weighed on her ability to have fun. To the point where she felt so crushed by expectations she wasn’t having fun.
The counselor had then asked for Azula’s thoughts.
“My thoughts? Well, that’s awful for you but my father simply wanted what is best for me. My fun was being the best. Not that she’d understand.” Azula had retorted, causing the entire group to stare at her, then the girl who had originally shared bursted into tears.
This had gotten Azula into some pretty hot water but after disciplinary action and two extra one-on-ones a week Azula had been straightened out.
But during the one-on-one sessions Azula had to talk about her relationship with her father. In actuality. During one of the sessions the counselor asked:
“Now if this doesn’t bother you too much to answer but what would your father do if you hadn’t acted perfectly.”
Azula thought for a second, staring at the floor. What would her father do? Well she knew the answer to that:
“I wouldn’t know for myself but there was always the implication that if I did not meet my fathers high expectations. Well-“
Azula paused. Trying to choke out her explanation. Finally after some time, gaining the words to say it:
“I would meet the same fate as my brother. Scared and disgraced, casted away. My grandfather’s name would be forever ruined.”
This had earned a concerned look from the counselor.
“And this was normal to you? You saw nothing wrong with it?”
Azula’s face warped in disgust. She pursed her lips and spoke slowly.
“Why wouldn’t it be normal? Honor is extremely important to the people of the Fire Nation. It’s nothing that you Earth Kingdom boulder brains could comprehend.”
The counselor looked at her for a second, his face displaying no emotion. After the second he cleared his throat and spoke.
“I’m Fire Nation.”
“Oh-“
“Yeah.”
Azula’s face went red with embarrassment, her gaze sinking back down to the floor in complete shame.
“I’m sorry. I just thought everyone here was Earth Kingdom. I mean every time I’ve tried to escape I’ve always been constrained by earth benders.”
The counselor sighed at the mention of her escape attempts, there were plenty and he was sure there would be more.
“Take a good look at me? Do I have earth bender eyes?”
Azula did what she was commanded of. Changing her glance from the floor to the man sitting in front of her. Studying him for the first time since he entered the room. He had short black hair, a young face, and most importantly the fiery orange-brown eyes that were a staple of her people.
“My name is Kama, not Lee for crying out loud.” He smiled, Azula didn’t laugh.
Over the course of these sessions Kama would get to know Azula better, and for the first time in her life Azula tried to open up, even if it was just a little.
One day Kama asked the faithful question:
“Do you have any friends”
Azula didn’t know how to respond, staring at the floor. This staring went on for a long time before Azula let out a shaky response:
“I had friends, two of them. They were my best friends. But- I was cruel to them. I thought.. I thought they were like my fire, something I could bend to my wim. Something I could weaponize. When the time was right.. they left me.”
“Do you still feel that way about them?”
“No. No not at all. I love them. They’re probably happy right now. They’re probably so happy...”
Kama was shocked when suddenly the former princess began to slowly sob. Her cries were shaky and her tears flowed like a river.
“There there Azula. Why don’t we talk about ways we can better maintain friends in the future.”
After this experience Azula was usually quiet but she piped up when questions were asked of her. She learned to sympathize with the rest of the group.
The girl’s name was Jin and Azula had to apologize to her. But after the fact the two became friendly. Jin would sit at the same table as Azula during cafeteria lunch, usually Azula would sit alone.
Now two years later the fire nation girl sat in her room, peacefully mediating. Meditation was a skill that she had learned in her first year. Azula would let the bad thoughts swarm and collect, then as fast as they had grouped together, she let them out. This strategy allowed Azula to clear her head, but as she was beginning to let her breath out she heard a sharp knock on her door.
“Patient Azula do you have a moment?”
Patient Azula, patient had the same starting letter as her former title but it didn’t feel the same. She didn’t feel the normal glory of the title of princess, instead she felt the shame of the title of patient.
She was former princess, now patient.
The man asking to see her was not Kama, he didn’t have the same kind and understanding face, instead he wore a disgruntled expression.
She knew when he talked in. The man then cleared his throat to speak.
“Someone is here to see you Azula”