InsaneJournal

How powerful is your fire, Azula?
Who: Azula and Zuko
What: frustration and despondency over Mai, a bombshell, and then a plan.
When: Monday Evening
Where: Azula's apartment
Status: Complete
Rating: PG-13 for fire and parental negligence



"My contact is proving useless beyond general cautions and insults. I'm sure he or she will be sending the information along but I don't think we have the time to wait." Zuko didn't really wait to be invited in. He forced his way in past Azula. He sounded frustrated, "They won't be in Hong Kong until next week but it feels like it'll take a month for the authorities to do something. How powerful is your fire, Azula?"

She stared at him. She looked weary, but maintained her voice. She wasn't so tired that she couldn't be herself, "We're not heroes, Zu Zu. Quite the opposite."

"Are you going to be a spoiled princess or are you going to help your friend?"

"I'm stating a fact. Neither of us are heroes. We're terrible, rotten people. The sooner we accept that the better off we'll be." She waved a hand as though this were simply the norm and they would have to accept it. That it was, in fact preferred.

Azula sounded like her old self, even if she didn't quite meet his eyes. But there was a strain in her voice and thus Zuko pressed, "Don't you want to change that? "

"Why bother? It will all turn out the same, in the end."

"Only if you do nothing. Only if you don't let yourself change. Where did this come from, Azula?" Zuko's tone softened.

"I've just heard from Ozai." The chill in her voice sent a shiver down Zuko's spine.

"And?"

Azula spat out the words, "Mai is considered an 'acceptable' loss."

"What?" The words made no sense to Zuko. Mai was practically part of the family. What about the potential political gain?

For the first time the smell of burning electronics reaches his nostrils. He walked into the bedroom Azula used as a remote meeting room. Inside, everything was scorched, melted or burned. There was nothing but ash.

"He wants the entire thing buried, in the ocean. Sunk. He's given Mai's father another twenty-four hours to work out a deal." Azula said, standing behind Zuko, suddenly, "It's a test, brother."

"A test on what?" Zuko felt like ripping his own hair out, "That I think enough of her to go after her? What if that's what he wants so he can flush out the leak? I don't think he cares what happens to her."

"He doesn't," She replied. "A year ago I wouldn't have either. Oh, I would have been sad. Hurt even. Maybe shed a tear. But I would have buried it deep down where it wouldn't hurt anymore."

"And now?"

Azula smirked at him, as though she'd been testing him, too, "How strong is your fire, Zu Zu?"