Chapter 1: Where is My Mind?

Finally, now that I've got time off for the holidays, I have some spare time to get this typed up. It's been finished for awhile, but I've been so busy doing other things, I haven't had a chance to type it up. So better late then never. So, this story is mostly about Azula, as you know I left you hanging a bit at the end of Violets are Red, and if you haven't read that, you'll probably want to because not much will make sense otherwise. So fool, go read it! And if you've already read Violets, please enjoy the very first chapter of Roses are Blue.

Azula stood at the bow of her ship. Half the royal fleet followed closely behind her. The wind played fiercely with her loose hair. It was an odd sight. She never wore her hair down. It reminded her too much of her mother. She gulped in a breath of the misty morning air. A voice echoed through her head. Her mother's. Your father doesn't love anything but power! Azula shook her head roughly. It's time to stop this foolishness. Her own voice echoed. You're betraying the Fire Nation. I am loyal. Father loves me! Her mother's. Your father doesn't love anything but power.

"Princess?"

Azula jerked around. "What?" she snapped.

"You're needed in the war council, Princess. The commanders are waiting."

"They can wait a little longer. Tell them that I will be there shortly. You are dismissed." Azula turned away to stare that the white foam that crashed against the side of the boat. Her mother's voice echoed again. When you clear your head, come find me. Azula closed her fierce eyes as she tied up her windblown hair. "I'll come find you, mother, but my head isn't clear like you wanted."

Azula turned and headed into the depths of her ship.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

"Again." Flames burst from the hands of three firebenders: Zuko, Aang, and Ursa. "Again." More flames. "Good." The firebenders relaxed. "You're getting better, Aang. Zuko, do you know what's wrong with his form?" Ursa waited for her son to answer.

"He's too loosed in some places and too stiff in others. Fire is a fluid motion, but also a strong one. He bends like he is mixing Earth and Air."

"Good," Ursa said. "Do you understand, Aang?"

"Yes." Aang bowed respectfully to his teacher.

"Now try again. Go"

Aang bent more fire, trying to bend fluidly.

"Better," Ursa nodded. "Again."

Aang let out more flames.

"Good. Take a break."

Aang wiped some sweat off his brow and retreated to the shade of a nearby tree.

Ursa turned to her son. "Are you ready for some lightning?"

Zuko nodded.

"Ok. Start with your breath." Zuko evened his breath. "Assume your stance." Zuko widened his stance and held his arms in front of him. He could already feel sparks tingling on his fingertips. "Focus your energy, then let it go."

Zuko swept his arms into a fluid motion, dragging a trail of sparks along with his pointed fingers and then releasing the bolt of energy harmlessly into the ground.

Ursa smiled. "Good. Aang! You're ready for the next set!"

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

"What do you mean you're engaged?" Sokka shouted. At last, after a month of hiding it, Sokka had been told of the engagement necklace.

"Sokka, I'm not going to fight with you about this."

"Katara," Sokka called after her as she turned to leave.

"I'm not going to argue with you. I love him. And someday I will marry him."

"But why him?" Sokka protested.

"You can't change who you love. What if I told you to stop loving Crin?"

"That's different," Sokka said quickly.

"Is it really? I know you're trying to make her a necklace. You're bad at carving by the way."

Sokka's face turned red.

"Whatever. It doesn't matter. I told you about this to be honest. You can't change my mind." Katara left.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Azula looked each man on the war council in the eye. Each one knew she was in charge. She brushed a piece of hair from her face. Her eyes narrowed and her face took on its usual haughty expression.

"Well, why did you call me here?"

Commander Fulazon on her left spoke up. "We're running out of fuel. The only port in the area is Konashi."

"You mean your failure, Commander?" Azula said.

Fulazon looked down. "I deeply regret my failure, but I will take my vengeance."

"You mean you just want to make up for your failure."

The Commander did not respond.

Azula laughed. "You're lucky, Commander. I am feeling generous today. I will allow you to lead an invasion on Konashi."

"Thank you, Princess," he answered guardedly. Something was strange.

"If you fail, I cannot begin to describe what will happen to you." Or maybe not. Azula rose. "I do not wish to be disturbed for the rest of the day."

Azula left and headed up to the deck. She gazed at the breaking wave caps.

Your father doesn't love anything but power!

"Stop it," Azula whispered. "I am loyal." She sent out a flame in frustration. "What's happening to me?"

There you have it. The first chapter. I'd like to say I can get the next chapter out tomorrow, but we'll see. I'm not sure what I'll get dragged into tomorrow. But that's the plan. I hope you like the first chapter, and if you do, feel free you show me the love. Haha. Anyway, just as a warning, before people start shrieking, I know that Azula is going to end up at times, very out of character. I'm going to address these concerns now and probably at many times. One, in the show we only see the nasty side of her, but as we all know, people have complex personalities, so there. Two, in this story, I have set her up on an emotional roller coaster of doubt and confusion, no one acts like themselves when they don't even know what's going on. Three, this is my story, what I say goes; you don't like it, tough luck. Four, Azula is supposed to be the perfect child. That puts a lot of pressure on a person. She's bound to crack sometime. So people out there who will be shouting at me and calling me nasty names for making her occasionally out of character, get a life, because I have no time to deal with your anger, unless I can find some sick and twisted enjoyment from it. And knowing me, I probably will. So, a heads up, OOCness happens, I've explained why, if you don't like it, read someone else's story and don't slam mine.