Chapter Three: The Return

It was Katara's last day on the ship before the parade.

Now she was getting dressed into her dancer's outfit, a new one. It was even more revealing than the last, and it had gold trim. There were also a lot of bells on it.
This was her life now. She was a dancing girl for Princess Azula, among other things.

"This is so humiliating," said Katara as she stared in the mirror.

"Oh come on, Katara," said Jinn, helping her with the sash. "We've danced for Azula and Zuko plenty of times. And more than that." The way she said it was like it was a huge honor.

I mean, yes, it had been fun but...

"I know! But this is..." said Katara. "We're going to be led along by leashes through the streets of the Fire Nation capital. And worse still, we're supposed to pretend to like it. To dance and move and...

"I hate this!"

"Oh come on, it's entertainment, Katara," said Ty Lee, standing by. "It's like in a circus, everyone thinks the person is in danger, but there wasn't ever any for real."

"That might be a decent argument IF I WEREN'T ACTUALLY AZULA'S SEX SLAVE!" shouted Katara. Why had Aang had to be so damn stupid and start a fight? If he'd just not attacked Azula there, they could have come and rescued them.

"Oh, right," said Ty Lee, blushing. "Well, um, you may technically be a slave, but Azula really doesn't treat you any different from us. Except for the collars and leashes and dancing lessons, but she's been using all of us. Sometimes all at once, and um..."

"Not helping your case any, Ty Lee," said Mai. "Look, just put up with it. This is nothing compared to growing up in my household."

"Oh yeah, I'm sure being in the lap of luxury your entire life was super rough," snapped Katara.

"Try never being allowed to speak out of turn, show emotion, or misbehave in any way," said Mai.

Katara sighed.

Over the past few months, things had been... mixed.

On the one hand, Katara had been a slave. She hadn't made any attempts to escape after the last disaster. She'd kept hoping Aang or the others would show up, but they never did. Instead, she'd kept her eyes open and watched. Azula had usually kept her on hand as a trophy, and Katara had learned a lot.

For one thing, Zuko and Azula were both very good leaders.

The two of them worked well, Azula quickly removing corrupt officials. She had meticulous notes that he been compiled by members of the Earth Kingdom. Wherever she went, changes in leadership happened. Many of them happened to Fire Nation people. She also ordered engineering crews to work on machines for farming.

Had this change happened so quickly?

Or had Azula always been this way? And as Katara watched, she began to wonder if she would really be such a bad ruler. Then Katara kicked herself and went back to being defiant.

"Fine, whatever," said Katara, annoyed at how nice they were. "Just give me the sash."

"Hey Katara, at least you'll look really nice doing it," said Jin.

The parade began.

Katara walked behind the triumphant heroes riding ahead, dancing as she did. Moving with a skill she'd picked up, she drew water from her skin and spun it around. Jin, meanwhile, danced in a fashion utilizing aspects of Earthbenders. As they moved forward, two of Azula's heralds spoke ahold.

"Behold, Princess Katara of the Water Tribe! Once proud and defiant, now she knows her Master's voice well!"

Katara resisted the urge to slash at them with a water whip. Instead, she continued her dance. She really had no choice here, and if she stayed near Azula, she could pay attention. On it went as victorious Fire Nation soldiers marched behind them.

Eventually, they entered through a portcullis, and Katara was given a chance to rest. By this time, Katara was covered in sweat, and so was Jin. Though Jin was, strangely, smiling. Apparently, she enjoyed a much higher standard of living here. And she enjoyed the attention and time spent with Zuko.

"This is so embarrassing," said Katara.

"It's all a show, of course," said Azula. "Very few things appeal like beautiful slavegirls led by a leash. Especially dancers."

"Well, when is this show going to end?" asked Katara.

"After the formal announcement, of course," said Azula, cupping her cheek. "Stop with the submissive look; we want you defiant, but caged."

"I'm not going to be caged forever!" snapped Katara.

Azula nodded. "Perfect work."

And she walked off.

The next part of the ceremony was not in public.

Katara saw Azula's heralds, two old women, standing upon a balcony. Flames were rising behind them, and Azula and Zuko stood by. Katara and Jin, meanwhile, were backstage with Mai and Ty Lee. Which Katara took to mean Azula meant to keep her around.

"Your Princess Azula, clever and beautiful, disguised herself as the enemy and entered the Earth Kingdom capital!" said the heralds. "In Ba Sing Se, she found her brother Zuko, and together they faced the Avatar! And the Avatar fell, and the Earth Kingdom fell!

"Azula's agents quickly overtook the entire city! They went to Ba Sing Se's great walls and brought them down!"

Katara remembered that.

The Earth King's officials had made a big speech about how the war was over, and the evil advisors had been removed. The wall, thus, was no longer necessary. There had been a huge celebration of bread and circuses, paid for by the Fire Nation. Combined with a lot of corrupt officials being removed, it had garnered enthusiasm.

There had even been Earth Kingdom soldiers among the army.

"The armies of the Fire Nation entered the city and restored order to Ba Sing Se! The rightful ruler was restored to his throne! And they hailed the Fire Nation as rulers of the world!"

Azula moved forward through the flames to cheering crowds.

It was depressing how easily Azula had flipped everything one it's head. The whole war had been justified by the Fire Nation being evil. That had become complicated by running into Long Feng. Katara realized some people in the other nations were just as bad. Now the Fire Nation was removing the bad people from the Earth Kingdom. And they were portraying themselves as liberators.

It would have been easy to dismiss as a mask, but Katara had seen Azula and Zuko at work. They had fixed a lot of problems quickly. Azula somehow had managed to have a complete understanding the Earth Kingdom administration. And Zuko could fill her in on the plight of everyday people.

"Now the heroes have returned home!" finished the heralds. "Your Princess, Azula! And after three, long, years, your Prince has returned!"

An even bigger cheer came as Zuko came forward. This surprised Katara; she guessed he'd been somewhat popular. Azula put a hand on Zuko's shoulder, and it wasn't just showmanship. "Come on, Zuzu, smile."

Apparently, he did, but it was forced.

There were other speeches, proclamations of eternal, benevolent rule by the Fire Nation. Katara watched and realized these people believed that they were the good guys. That the Earth, Water, and Air Nations had been barbarians, who'd needed to be enlightened or put down. This was where Azula and Zuko had grown up.

Up was down in the Fire Nation.

"Will they even be able to see me?" asked Zuko later as they walked through the halls.

Iroh had freed Aang and the others. For that, Katara was grateful, but Zuko had taken it as a personal betrayal.

"Probably not, but when you wear a mask, you've got to wear it all the time," said Azula. "How do you think I became such a good liar? A lie creates an alternate reality you want the other person to believe in. But if that reality starts contradicting itself, it falls apart. Then they can't believe in it anymore."

"You mean like Father wanting to kill me?" asked Zuko.

Wait; what?

"Um, yes, well, naturally," said Azula, shifting in the way you did when you were lying. She'd actually been taken off guard. "Honestly, I said it because I thought you'd train harder if you were afraid. Obviously, I had only your interests at heart."

Zuko said nothing.

"And, obviously, I enjoy causing fear," finished Azula. "You know, Father will want to congratulate us personally when this is over."

"That's what I'm afraid of," said Zuko.

"Oh come on, Zuzu, this is what you wanted, isn't it?" asked Azula.

"Yes, I just..." Zuko paused. "I've wanted this moment for years. But, I thought Uncle would be here with me."

Azula sighed. "Uncle made his choice, Zuko. He chose to side with an antiquated and tyrannical system—one designed to keep mankind enslaved to the spirits.

"What if Uncle had gotten what he wanted and the Avatar won?

"He'd have forced us out of territory we'd have held for a century. Then he'd have handed them over to a corrupt, inefficient, brutal, and backward regime. They'd have probably started forcing women to stop bending if they didn't purge us."

"You don't know that," said Katara.

"Are you saying you wouldn't have cheered if we lost all our colonies?" asked Azula.

"Well, you did seize them," noted Katara. "They aren't yours by right."

"And I suppose that all the Fire Nation families would have to pack up and return to the mainland?" asked Katara. "And the Earth Kingdom would send in the Dai Li to root out all dissent.

"Do you think the Fire Nation would have tolerated that?"

"No, they wouldn't," said Zuko before Katara could answer. "There'd be another war in a few years."

"Exactly," said Azula. "Really, this is all for the best. I'm sure Father will be very pleased." She seemed to be telling herself that as much as them.

"What about you, Azula?" asked Zuko. "How do you think he'll react to you now?"

"What are you talking about, Zuzu, I'm far stronger than I was before," said Azula, annoyed.

"So am I," noted Zuko.

"Well then, we've got nothing to worry about," said Azula.

Zuko went in to meet with Firelord Ozai first. Katara was escorted to the servant quarters and wouldn't hear anything more about it for the rest of the day.

Azula was nervous.

She wasn't really sure why. Why would she be nervous at going to speak with Father? She hadn't failed, far from it, she'd succeeded. The Fire Nation was well on its way to gaining dominance over the world. And better still, the world would cheer them as liberators.

So why did Azula feel like she'd messed up? She'd always been Father's favorite.

But that was the thing, wasn't it? Azula had always known what Father expected of her and had become that. Except, in Ba Sing Se, she'd realized that wasn't enough. There had been all kinds of flaws in what Father wanted. Only by abandoning who Azula had been before had she been able to fully triumph.

No, no, that was nonsense.

Azula hadn't abandoned Father's teachings, merely refined them.

Eventually, Zuzu returned, and he looked conflicted. Quickly, Azula went up to him. "So, how did it go?"

Zuko shifted. "...He said he was proud of me, congratulated me on choosing the path of honor. However..."

"Yes?" asked Azula.

Zuko sighed. "It's nothing."

Azula sighed. "Well, I suppose that makes it my turn."

Azula walked through the door and into the Firelord's chamber. Father was sitting upon his throne, writhed in flame. The only light were the torches by his throne, and as she moved forward, she reflected what a good effect it was. It inspired fear and respect at once.

Still, Father wasn't approachable.

Someone who was afraid that you might lie to you to save their skin, and that could cause problems. If they respected or loved you, they wouldn't do that.

"Azula, you've returned at last," said Firelord Ozai. "Zuko is far more powerful in body than last time, but remains weak in spirit."

Azula paused. How different a few months repeating the same day changed things. Zuko wasn't weak; he'd been invaluable to her reforms. She felt almost resentful and angry but checked herself. "...Weak?"

"Yes, he still holds the same submissive deference that defined him before," said Ozai.

"With respect, Father, Zuko is more than he appears," said Azula. She felt like she ought to change Father's mind. She'd never questioned him like this before. "He evaded us for the entire stretch of the Earth Kingdom. And he gathered critical information that allowed my... our takeover of Ba Sing Se to prove all the easier."

Ozai paused. "I'm surprised at you. You've never been one to speak on your brother's behalf."

"Zuko wouldn't have survived as long as he did if he wasn't doing something, right, Father," said Azula. "Learning from our enemies is the best way to destroy them." Stupid, Zuko wasn't an enemy any more than Father was.

Ozai shifted. "...I suppose Iroh did have some moderate accomplishments.

"Now, tell me of the Earth Kingdom and your plans to rule it? You mentioned having new ideas for changing the Fire Nation in your letter."
Ah, right all her reforms. "Actually, that is a fairly long story," said Azula.

Azula started talking about her plans.

They were very, very, extensive and meticulously well-planned.

Oddly enough, Father didn't seem to like them very much.