He can see it in her face. The confusion, sheer incomprehension, as this move doesn't work, why is nothing hitting him, do something right, damnit.

She's crazy, he realises, watching her face light up blue and red and stark raving mad. Actually crazy. He knew it before (how could he not?), but she wears it flagrantly now, pulling it out and parading it around and for the first time since before he cares to remember, he is not afraid of her.

Some unidentifiable emotion pokes at him as she cackles, crowing victory, and this – this is his baby sister.

He doesn't hate her. He no longer fears her. He can't love her. The emotional connection, the hold she had over him once is gone now with her mind, and he won't kill her.

He could. She's so far gone now that she probably won't even realise he's done it. But the unidentifiable emotion has been identified, and it's not one he's ever thought he'd feel, particularly not for his sister, of all people.

Pity.

Fire plays across her features, and she's lost in it. There's nothing left there. Briefly, Zuko wonders if there ever was.