Title: Shame

Word Count: 2,058

Summary: Zuko has Aang take away Azula's bending, and faces unintended consequences.

Canon: Up to Sozin's Comet

Disclaimer: Characters belong to Bryke, etc.

TW: Self-harm, a little gore

Shame. Failure. Defeat. Weak. Pathetic. Failure. Shame. Defeat...

Her father's voice repeated the words over and over. How could she lose to a peasant on the day of Sozin's comet, the day when her firebending was at its strongest? She was Azula, daughter of Ozai, conquerer of Ba Sing Se, and firebending prodigy, but now? She couldn't even defend her own throne from the likes of Zuzu and a pathetic waterbender...

Shame. Failure. Defeat. Weak. Pathetic. Failure. Shame. Defeat...

Zuko and Katara looked on uncomfortably at the slumped form of Azula. The princess had long since fallen silent, face buried in a puddle of sewer water that was seeping into her armor and hair. Zuko knew he would have a significant problem in the very near future: where to lock Azula up.

Based on how she had taken control of the Dai Li, her turning guards to her side would likely be an issue. Add in her cunning, firebending, and the fact that some soldiers were probably still loyal to her, and it was unlikely that even the Boiling Rock would be enough to hold her.

Even as thoughts of imprisoning his sister ran through his head, Zuko couldn't help but feel pity when seeing his sister in such a vulnerable state. He couldn't remember seeing Azula as vulnerable in so long, and it made her seem less like a cold-hearted machine and more like... a real person. He knew such thoughts to be dangerous.

Azula had started to shiver when the pair heard the grumbling of a sky bison overhead. Zuko watched as Aang, Sokka, Toph, and Suki dismounted, dragging along an... alive Ozai. While Zuko pondered how Ozai wasn't breaking out of his bonds this exact moment, Katara rang to Aang, enveloping him in a crushing hug and expressing her utter relief. Then the deposed Fire Lord noted his defeated daughter.

First, the same voice.

"Unbelievable! At least I lost to the Avatar! You lost to your runt brother and a peasant!"

Then, other voices.

"Aang!"

"Katara!"

"I'm so glad you are safe! How did you defeat Ozai?"

"I took his bending."

"Could you... do it to Azula?"

And then Azula finally awoke.

As soon as Aang revealed that removing somebody's firebending was possible, Zuko knew he had a solution for what to do with his sister. Without her bending, she wouldn't be able to break herself out of prison, and soldiers would give him loyalty just because they wouldn't accept a nonbender as Fire Lord, if nothing else. It was perfect!

"Could you... do it to Azula?"

Aang replied in the affirmative. Sokka and Zuko grabbed Azula by the shoulders, propping her up by the knees in front of Aang. The airbender took a deep breath, and placed his fingers in Azula's forehead.

Then, in the smaller whimper, came Azula's voice. "Please... mercy."

Zuko shook his head, motioning to Aang that he should continue. But the airbender hesitated, dropping his fingers.

"Argue your case. Tell me why you deserve to keep your bending after all the suffering you have caused."

"Because I am no longer a threat to you, Avatar," replied the firebender in an even and humble tone. "I recognize the authority of the new Fire Lord, and I serve the Fire Lord."

Zuko shook his head fervently. "No, no, no. Aang, Azula always lies. If she keeps her bending, I guarantee to you that she will go after all of us as soon as she finds a way. Trust me, the safest thing to do is to take away her bending."

As if convinced by Zuko's words, Aang raised his fingers again. Azula shook loose from Sokka's grip, and turned to Zuko, kneeling and clasping his boots in submission.

"Zuko, please, I promise, I promise, I promise. I am your loyal servant. I won't cause trouble. Please, please, please..."

It wasn't often that Azula showed fear. Even when falling to her seeming death from an airship, Azula had kept the same steely gaze, buoyed by absolute confidence in her ability to survive. Even when confronted by the Avatar and his friends without the ability to bend, Azula had remained in full control, every minute of stalling planned out months in advance.

It wasn't often that Azula cried, either. Not when her grandfather died, certainly not when her mother left, and most definitely not when he was banished.

So when Zuko saw utter terror in his sister's tear-striken eyes, he almost believed her. Almost.

"Azula always lies," Zuko told himself. Kicking Azula's hands loose from his feet, Zuko turned to Aang. "Do it!"

At that moment, there was shrieking, there was begging, and struggling, and crying and shouting and swearing and thrashing and and then there was a blinding blue light and there was tiny red light and the Avatar's tattoos glowed and then...

Quiet.

It was cold. Freezing, actually.

That was the first sign that something was wrong.

It felt worse than when Ty Lee had chi-blocked her. Worse than the Day of the Black Sun.

The Avatar wasn't lying when he said he could take someone's bending.

She wouldn't panic. There was no use really. No crown, no bending, she was completely useless.

Shame. Failure. Defeat. Weak. Pathetic. Failure. Shame. Defeat...

"This one should work," Zuko said. Sokka and Suki dragged Azula into the dingy cell, dumping her unceremoniously against the far wall and locking the door behind them as they exited.

"I can't believe it," Sokka said in relief. "After all this time, it's all finally over. We can all-"

Sokka jumped in surprise when Azula's clear, commanding voice rang out through the cell, earning him a few chuckles. But Azula's words silenced everyone. "I want to speak to my brother. Alone."

The gang looked towards Zuko, who shrugged. "I'll be fine, guys. She can't hurt me now."

The Avatar and his friends filed out of the dungeon one by one, Sokka stopping to whisper to Zuko, "Be careful. Even her words are more dangerous than all the Fire Nation army," before handing Zuko the key to Azula's cell and shutting the door of the dungeon behind him.

Now alone, Zuko turned to his sister. "So... what did you want to talk about?"

"I'm cold," came Azula's terse response. "Can you pass me that torch over there?" She pointed to the one of the few torches that provided lighting to the dungeon. "What?" Azula asked, sensing Zuko's hestitation. "It's not like I can do anything with that fire anymore."

Zuko contemplated for a few seconds before acquiescing, grabbing the torch off the wall and slipping it through the grates of the cell. "Was that all?"

"No," came Azula's reply. She picked up the torch and huddled around it, staring into the flames and falling into silence once more. After a long pause, Azula finally spoke. "I've shamed our family, haven't I?"

"I think we all have shamed our family a little, Azula," said Zuko. "It was our family who started this war and continued it long after it should have stopped. But I'm going to fix it."

"That's not what I meant, Zuzu," Azula snapped at her brother. "You and I both have dishonored our family by causing the Fire Nation to lose. We are meant to rule, not to make nice with slaves, barbarians, and peasants."

"We are meant to live in balance, Azula!" Zuko yelled. "That the Avatar spirit even exists should show you that all four nations are meant to coexist together!"

"You idiot," sneered Azula. "That the Avatar spirit even exists tells you that each of the four nations is meant to have its turn at the top, rising when it has the loyalty of the Avatar on its side. And that we overcame the power of the Avatar spirit for so long just confirms that the Fire Nation was always meant to win in the end. The Fire Nation was doing the world a favor by destroying the Avatar spirit."

Zuko shook his head in disbelief. How his sister could believe such a thing... "I'm sorry, Azula. I really am. I once thought just as you did, but I have seen the truth. The world is supposed to be in harmony, and anything else is just Fire Nation propaganda."

Azula didn't bother replying, so the siblings just sat in uneasy silence for a few moments.

"I suppose I should congratulate you," Azula finally offered.

"Uh... thanks I guess?" Zuko wasn't sure where such a statement was coming from.

"I mean it, Zuzu. You showed real strength today."

"I'm glad to hear that, Azula. You and I are now equals in firebending," Zuko replied, feeling a little relief at the direction the conversation was going. A relief that quickly vanished.

"No. Not that strength!" Seemingly pleased by Zuko's confusion, Azula continued. "A Fire Lord must show complete conviction and show no mercy to your conquests. And turning Mai and Ty Lee to your side... beautifully executed. I think I finally see why everyone said you looked like your father when we were growing up. "

"No!" Zuko shouted in rage. "I am not my father. My father would burn the earth kingdom to the ground to win! He was a power-hungry, cruel, and thoughtless man with whom I wish so much that I did not share blood."

"The feeling's probably mutual, Zuzu," Azula countered. "In fact, he probably wishes I weren't his daughter right now, either. It's funny, isn't it? First you disappoint father, and now it's my turn. I guess, in that sense, I'm just like you." She said this last sentence with a little chuckle.

"Azula, if you believe you are like me, then you can change too," Zuko offered, trying to salvage the conversation. "Uncle Iroh helped me find inner peace, I think he could help you too if you were open to it."

But Zuko realized that Azula was completely ignoring Zuko's words, instead manically muttering to herself. "But if I'm like Zuzu, then father must punish me. But how will father punish me? He can't bend fire and I don't think brother will let me see him anymore."

"Uh, I don't think that will be necessary," Zuko said weakly, trying to get Azula's attention.

"But if he can't do it, then..." Azula's eyes widened as a solution came to her. "I'll have to do it myself. But I can't bend..."

Azula made eye contact with Zuko, then dropped her gaze to the torch in her hands. Zuko realized what was about to happen too late.

Zuko's nostrils filled with the stench of burning flesh and his ears filled with the sound of sizzling flesh and he froze in horror as Azula pressed the torch against her left eye.

It hurt.

It really hurt.

But Azula was no stranger to pain. She was no stranger to not showing weakness. So she didn't.

Zuko couldn't take his eyes off her, and Azula just grinned back sadistically. He knew he should snuff the fire out, or unlock the cell and slap the torch away, but his body refused to move. And there was screaming, and it must have been him, because Azula was laughing not screaming and why wasn't she screaming, and and there must have been screaming because the gang burst into the dungeon asking what the hell was going on and everyone immediately covered their noses except Aang who bent the torch out of Azula's hands and the flesh underneath was entirely cooked and Azula was still cackling and how was she still conscious because when he had gotten burned he had passed out immediately but Azula was still staring straight at him with her good eye and bad eye and then she finally collapsed and said,

"You're just like him, Zuzu. And I'm just like you."

Azula always lies. Azula always lies. Azula always lies.

He was not his father. He knew he was not his father. He was not his father...

Honor. Victory. Strength. Power. Honor. Victory. Strength...

Her father's voice repeated the words over and over. And her father's voice said, "I'm proud of you, my daughter."

And Azula smiled.