Lost in Time

Azula Week 2019 Day 4 (Time Travel AU)

Stranded

Azula should have known, that it would be a bad idea to return to the Earthkongdom. It didn't matter, that her Coup d'Etat had been bloodless, she was the symbol for shame and defeat of this proud kingdom, but she had to follow the tracks, she had found, as she had crushed the New Ozai Society. The group have had some mysterious and well founded supporter, but these mysterious persons had managed to stay well hidden before her efforts, which had lead Azula to only one conclusion.

External interference.

And Azula had a suggestion, who and why. She would bet her bending, that the Earthkingdom was behind this mysterious support, that's why she had disguised herself and had taken a regular traffic steamer to get to the Earthkingdom. She had to check some hints. It would fit, that the Earthkingdom and especially the Dai Li, which had managed to receive forgiveness, would try to weaken Zuko's position and so the still strong influence of the Fire Nation. Poor Zuzu was always so naive, when it came to politics. The Earthkingdom was still weakened, because of the war and even if Zuko and the stupid Avatar believed in this new peace, Azula didn't. Peace and harmony were such noble words, but when it came to power and politics, those words became often empty shells, lifeless and without any meaning. A weak Fire Nation meant more power and influence for the Earthkingdom. It was a simple calculation for Azula and she wanted to check the sum, to find out, whether she might have calculated correctly.

But right now, she cursed herself for taking this trip. She wasn't captured, but she was trapped. Trapped in this rolling and stomping ship, which struggled its way through a heavy storm. She was laying on her bed, bathed in cold sweat and holding her cramping stomach. Normally Azula didn't become seasick, but this storm managed to get the best of her and the fact, that almost every passenger and even large parts of the crew were seasick, too, didn't help her own health. She could hear vomiting people even in her cabin. The fact, that she had puked her guts out, more than once, didn't stop the sickness coming to her over and over again. The sour and sickening smell within the ship and in her cabin didn't help ether. She barely managed to swallow down another coughing and turned to a mirror. She was so pale and she would have laughed at herself, when she wouldn't feel so miserable, because she noticed a really green hue around her nose.

"Damn it."

She had to get some fresh air, storm or not. She needed all her focus to get on her feet. For a moment, she feared, that she would simply fell back on her bed, because her own dizziness let her cabin turn in one direction, while the storm pushed the ship to another, but finally she managed to leave her cabin. The corridors were dark and the sick and sour smell of vomit laid even heavier within the guts of the ship, but Azula tried her best to ignore it. The chance to get at least some fresh air helped her to do so.

She knew, that it was forbidden to get on deck during a storm. She knew it was also forbidden to open the doors, which separated the waterproof sections of the ship, but she didn't care. Azula needed some air and she would burn anyone to a crisp, who would try to stop her, but she didn't found anyone of the crew, who would try to stop her. Most of them seemed to be busy with their own sickness and so she reached a door, which lead to the upper deck.

She barely managed to push it open, because the wind laid heavy on the iron door. It did cost her a lot of strength to open a slit big enough to press herself through, but finally she was on deck and instantly soaked to the skin. The rain was stinging cold and unpleasant, but Azula also noticed, that her sickness got better. She clawed herself at the handle of the door and breathed against the wall of the ship, because it was much easier, than to breath against the storm.

It was the reason, why she couldn't see the giant wave coming.

Suddenly, she couldn't breath at all, because she was under water. The wave had ripped her off the deck. She started to swim in instinct, fighting for her life to get her head out of the water, but she had no clue, whether she was was about to get up or dive deeper with her movements. Eventually her head came over the surface and she could see the ship rolling in the sea in the distance. Terror clawed her, but she had no time to loose more thoughts about it, because the waves pulled her under, again. She struggled and kicked, desperately, but she felt her strength fading.

And suddenly her sight went black.

Azula got up with a violent coughing, which forced out some of the salty water. It took her a moment, to recognize the supporting hand on her back.

"That's it, my girl."

Azula turned to the source of the voice and the vision of an mid age woman with gray hair became clearer before her eyes. The unknown woman smiled warm at her.

"Just relax a moment."

Azula felt the woman, who was dressed in the traditional blue of the water tribe, bending the rests of water out of her lungs, which forced her to another coughing attack.

"I know, but the water has to be removed."

Azula managed a snort and tried to stand up, but her legs gave away, instantly.

"Easy, my girl, you almost drown, let us help you, okay."

"I can walk, thank you."

Her voice was much weaker, than she had expected and she tried again to get up, but she only fell over to her right side, kissing the wet sand with her cheek. It elicited the woman an amused chuckle.

"Fine, I'm over there, in case you may change your mind."

The woman stood up and walked some steps into the waves and stared a waterbending kata. Azula managed to sit up after some moments and took a look around. She was at a beach and behind her on a plateau was a tower, much like one, she had seen at air temples raising in the sky. She had no clue, where for Agni's sake she was. She turned back to her unknown savior and observed her bending for a while. Azula felt completely exhausted and it dawned her, that she wouldn't find the strength to get on her feet so soon.

"Who are you?"

Azula's question, let the woman turn to her with a smile.

"Kya. And who are you, my dear?"

Azula's mind went blanc for a second. She reminded herself, that she had to be careful, otherwise she would be in chains, instantly.

"Zirin."

Kya observed her for a moment, before she finally bowed a little.

"Nice to meet you, Zirin."

Azula cursed herself in her mind, for a moment. Zirin was also a wanted person, not as famous as she was, but nevertheless she might have done a mistake, but she was weak and dizzy. This storm had nearly killed her and the struggle was still taking its toll.

"Kya, I'm back with some help!"

The voice of a young woman echoed over the beach. Azula turned around and saw a teenager running up the beach, followed by two other women. It made Azula frown, heavily.

"She's awake, why haven't you helped her to get to the temple, Kya?"

The question came from a gray-haired woman, who was wearing some kind of an uniform with metal parts. Kya chuckled and continued her kata.

"Because she is as stubborn as you could be, Lin. She said, she can walk without my help, yet I'm still waiting for her first own steps.

The woman, who Kya had address as Lin was rolling with her eyes, but the teenager and the young woman at her side burst out in laughter. The brown-haired woman came to Azula and offered her a hand.

"I don't know, if this is a compliment for you, or not, but you should take a helping hand or two. Due to Jinora, you have been almost dead, as she and Kya have found you here at the beach."

She nodded at the teenager beside her. Azula's eyes widened in surprise. The teenager was obviously wearing the robes of an airbender and tattoos were on her arms and on her forehead. An uncomfortable tickle started to crawl up Azula's spine. Something was wrong and obviously she had failed to cover her concerns, because the face of the young woman in front of her got worried.

"Don't be afraid..."

Azula recognized the unspoken question within the woman's pause, but Kya stepped in for her.

"Zirin."

The smile came back to the lips of the blue eyed women.

"Don't be afraid, Zirin. You'll be save here. My name is Korra and I'm the Avatar. I can guarantee you, that we'll take care of you, here."

It was the moment, when Azula's panic took over. She slapped herself, to assure, that she wasn't dreaming. Korra wanted to sooth her, but Azula punched forward and barely missed the Avatar and Jinora with her blue fireball. Her look got only more panicked, as she recognized, that Jinora was using airbending to sidestep her attack.

"This can't be true! Stay away from me!"

The group was also staring at her in disbelieve. Azula started to crawl away from them, but Korra came closer to her again.

"Easy Zirin. I know you must have been went through hell, but no one will do any harm to you."

She blocked another fireball from Azula and kept coming closer, carefully. The former Princess noticed, that the face of the woman stayed gentle. She turned around and started to crawl faster, but stopped after a few meters. She was simply to weak. She turned back and faced Korra's worried look. The others had stayed behind.

"You cannot be the Avatar. I have seen the Avatar, an airbender named Aang, a boy..."

She noticed, that the eyes of the woman in front of her had widened in shock and surprise. Korra seemed to notice her honest confusion, because she showed Azula her open palm and started to bend an little marble-sized ball of air, a little amount of earth a tiny flame and a dip of water on it at the same time. It made Azula's jaw drop in shock… and then she passed out, again.

Korra lifted her up and stared to carry her towards the temple, while the others caught up with her.

"Something is wrong with her."

Korra nodded at Lin's quote.

"She believes, that Aang is the actual Avatar."

Jinora and Lin took a surprised gasp at Korra's quote. Both stared at the teenager in Korra's arms.

"Something strange must has happened to her."

She looked worried at the girl and sighed.

"I hope we can help her."

Lin placed a hand on Korra's shoulder.

"I have no doubt about that."

Korra gave her friend a thankful smile, as she noticed, that Kya had start to walk faster, passing the group. The waterbender had noticed the questioning look and gave Korra an innocent smile.

"I'll go ahead and prepare a bed for her, she'll need a lot of rest within the next days."

Kya rushed away, leaving the rest of the group behind. She prepared a bed, as she had announced for Azula and stayed at the side of the girl, while the others left the room one after another. Azula started to get a little fever, as she had expected, because an infection wasn't unusual with all the water, she had removed out of the lungs. She heard a person entering the room.

"So we have a new guest."

Tenzin came at his sisters side and looked worried at the unconscious girl. Kya nodded.

"Yes, but don't worry, I'll take care of her."

Her brother placed a hand on her shoulder, which brought a little smile on her lips. He was about to leave the room, again, when Kya's voice made him stop.

"Tenzin? Can you send a discrete message to a very special person?"

Her brother turned back to her and frowned confused, while he started to stroke his beard.

"Why me and why discrete."

Kya turned back to Azula and put a strain of her dark hair out of the firebender's face.

"I want to check a possibility, but I want to keep mother out of this."

She felt Tenzin's look resting on her back.

"Her fire is blue, Tenzin."

The monk's eyes shot wide, for a second, before his look became very serious. He simply nodded at his sister, as Kya turned back to him.

"I understand. Leave this to me, Kya. I can send Zuko a message."

He took a last look at Azula.

"Do you really think, she could be Azula?"

Kya gave him a serious look.

"She thinks, that our father is still the Avatar, she can bend blue fire and take a closer look at her. She looks like father and mother have always described her. She has the same eyes like Zuko, Tenzin."

She stroke over the Azula's head.

"I cannot exclude it, Tenzin, so we need someone, who could identify Azula, if he or she would see her, and I would prefer to leave our mother out of this, for some obvious reasons."

Tenzin nodded.

"I'll make sure, that Zuko will be here within the next days, Kya."

He took a deep breath.

"You should prepare Korra, too. Maybe we'll need her help. If this girl really should be Azula, then she could be extremely dangerous."

Kya gave her brother a thankful smile.

"You're right, Tenzin. Please send her here to me."

The monk nodded at his sister and left the room. Kya looked at Azula and sighed.

"My poor child, it seems, that fate really loves to mess up your life."