"Leaves from the vine
Falling so slow
Like fragile, tiny shells
Drifting in the foam
Little soldier boy
Come marching home
Brave soldier boy
Comes marching home."
-Uncle Iroh

🔥🔥🔥

When I saw the battle, my thoughts went to the Agni Kai Zuko and I had. He'd been so angry, but his 'Agni Kai' was not serious. He just wanted to take his anger out on me at that time.

The Agni Kai between him and Azula, on the other hand, was terrifying.

"Mei? What are you doing here?" Katara asked, hiding me.

"I flew in. Aang came back. He took over," I said.

"He's back? Oh, thank goodness. What happened to you?" Katara's eyes widened. "Your arm . . . " she said, pulling water out of her knapsack, healing it. The pain withered away, and all that was left was a nasty mark of burnt flesh and bubbly skin. I yanked my arm back. "This is not important."

"Aang came back?"

"He told me to leave," I explained. "I don't know what happening, but I was pretty sure you would've beat Azula by know. What's taking so long? And why aren't you up there next to Zuko?"

"It's an Agni Kai. And don't ask me what's taking so long; look at her. She's insane. Zuko said she's hanging on thr the last thread."

"She's slipping," I whispered. "She's on the borderline of insanity."

"And they're equally matched. I'm afraid for Zuko. And, Ayame," Katara pushed me out of sight again, "Azula has something big against you. Do not show yourself to her." I nodded. "How's Sokka?" she asked.

"He broke his leg, but besides that, they made it." Katara breathed a sigh of relief.

"I'm so worried about Aang."

"I believe in him," I said. "He can do it."

I watched Azula and Zuko fight. Back home, when I saw brothers and sisters fight, it annoyed me. You were so lucky to have a sibling and then you two argued over the smallest of things, like who's doll was better or which knife was sharper. But when I met Sokka and Katara I realized that siblings only fought because of their close bond and love. They cared, that's why they fought.

Azula and Zuko? I didn't understand why they fought. There was something between them, like an elastic band that had two people on each end, pulling and pulling and pulling until the band couldn't stretch anymore, and this was the conclusion of them letting go.

Azula was powerful, but her sanity was slipping, giving Zuko an advantage. He cut through her attacks easily and then threw her to the ground with a move that I'd seen dancers on streets do; sitting on their hands and swinging their legs around. A fire storm started, and I backed away.

"Sorry," I said as I stepped on Katara's toes. "Heat doesn't do the burn much good."

Zuko didn't play defense like I usually did. He was all for it, fighting, fighting until Azula was left breathless and frustrated. She skated around, flying on her blue flames like a princess of destruction. Zuko cut through her attack, sending massive fireballs her way. She jumped, panic on her face as they almost burned her to ashes. She rolled on the floor, hitting the ground so hard she bounced, landing on her back. Her hair was a mess. Her makeup was smudged, black around her eyes and her red lips a mess.

"Come on, Azula," Zuko taunted. "No lightning today? Afraid I'll redirect it?" 

"Lightning?" Azula cackled. "I'll show you lightning."

I stepped out of the shadows and looked at Azula, hoping I could read her. Her eyes flickered to mine and they widened. Then they returned to Zuko's. He took a deep breath, preparing himself and then . . .

And then Azula wasn't focused on him, but on Katara. So I did what I did. I pushed Katara to the ground and stepped in front of her.

As the lightning flashed around her face, I knew something was going to happen. Something bad. I stood there, a blue hue tinting the entire world for the next few seconds. I tried to keep my breathing steady. 

I had heard that, right before you died, you saw your entire life flash in front of your eyes. I didn't. I only had a flashback. I guess, maybe, I didn't have enough time for my entire life to flash in front of my eyes because I did so much in my life that just wouldn't fit in that few second span. My mind quickly decided to jump back to a memory tucked away.

"I don't like hullabaloo," I groaned, leaning back on the edge of the bench. There was a gentle breeze, and turtleducks swimming in the pond in front of us. Azula sat next to me, rolling her head back and closing her eyes. "There is so much hullabaloo at the palace."

"What on earth is that?" she asked.

"Hullabaloo is like . . . Like a hubbub," I poked a stick into the ground. I could tell she was trying not to smile. 

"Hubbub? Are you sure these are real words?"

"I'm pretty sure I saw it in the dictionary," I said, crossing my ankles. "That's all I can do here. Read dictionaries."

"But what does it mean?" she pestered. "Tell me." Her eyes opened.

"Have you ever heard of the term, brouhaha?" I said in all seriousness, all traces of humor disappearing from my face. "It's a real word. I swear."

"Brou. . . are you messing with me?" she scowled. "What is that?"

"Repeat after me," I said, turning my body to face her. "Hulla-baloo."

"I'm not saying it." she crossed her arms over her chest. I giggled.

"At least say hubbub."

"Do they all mean the same thing?" She asked, her lips in a pout.

"I'll tell you if you say the last one," I prodded. She sighed.

"Fine," she scruched up her nose in annoyance, making a hideous face. "Hulla-baloo." I stared at her with a straight face, unable to respond. I pinched my nose to keep from laughing, but then I snorted.

Azula poked me and I burst out laughing."No, stop," I said hysterically, "Don't make that face again. And don't say that word again. And just never do . . . " I gestured towards her, "That again."

Azula tried not to laugh, her lips pulled tightly. "Why was it so funny?"

"Because," I gripped my sides, trying to breathe, "You're . . . well . . . no offense . . . Azula. And I am sorry I made you say that. No offense."

"None taken," she frowned. "But . . . what does it mean?"

I shot her a secretive smile. "Maybe you should read more."

Maybe the flashback was a way of my brain telling me, "Nothing lasts forever." Or maybe my mind was saying, "live while it lasts." Or maybe, it just wanted to tell me, "die remembering the good moments in life."

Whatever, brain. It wasn't a very helpful flashback, anyway. It didn't mean anything to me.

And then the lightning struck.

I didn't like this whole three-way thing. Because I didn't end up dying a heroic death; the stupid idiot of a boy did. I saw him take the hit and fall to his knees. The first thing I thought was, "how is life going to be without me torturing Zuko all the time?" Because I was never going to be able to tease him again. Ever.

I don't think I processed what happened right away, because I faced Azula, not saying a word.

She didn't even care. Her oddly cut hair whipped around her face and she cackled. "Goodbye, Zuzu."

And then it hit me as I looked back. Zuko took the lightning. My knees went weak. I couldn't move at all. I couldn't even say Zuko's name. I didn't believe it actually, that he could be dead, until Katara screamed my name and told me to hold Azula off while she tried to heal him. How was I going to hold her off? She was crazy. She killed her own brother.

So I started running away from her to get her to follow me and leave Katara to heal Zuko. Too bad she didn't follow, focusing on Katara. Azula created more lightning, twisting it in the air as she kind of just stood there with this joker-smile, her lips stretched into a horrific grin that would give a child nightmares.

"Wait." I looked around for the one who uttered the word. "Wait." It was me. I repeated the word. My voice came out weaker than I wanted. "Azula, please. Wait."

Azula heard me. Her wide, cruel eyes focused on me. "What do you want?"

"Listen to me," I said to her, reaching my arms out. "Azula, you don't have to do this." 

"And who's going to stop me?" she said, and she kicked a strong blast of fire at Katara who was thrown off her feet, delaying Zuko's healing process further.

"Please, Azula," I begged, "End this now. I know you can. I know you have it in your heart somewhere to just end this."

She grinned wickedly. "And what makes you think I will?"

"Because . . . " I felt my voice waver, "Because you are my friend, Zula," I gave her a for old time's sake smile. Her grin faltered. The lightning disappeared. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Katara move slowly towards Zuko.

"I really rather our family physician to look after Zuzu if you don't mind!" Lightning crackled at her fingertips as she aimed at Katara.

"Azula, please."

"I know what you're trying to do," she snarled. "Oh, I know. You want me to listen to you just so you can get what you want and come back to do it again. Well it's not happening this time."

"Azula, don't." I raised my hands in defeat. "Let them go. We can start over again as a family." I could take her down easily right now, but I didn't want to.

Because she was going to do it. She slowly put her hands down, her eyes watering. And then she saw something, someone, behind me. I saw it in her eyes. And she charged her lightning right at it.

Too bad I was standing in the way.

I remembered my lesson a year ago, one that Zuko gave me on how to redirect lightning as if you were waterbending. I raised my fingers and absorbed it.

The feeling was exhilarating. Deadly. I felt every single part of me light up. I had to let the energy out or I would explode.

So I aimed it at the wall. An explosion rattled our bones, the wall falling to pieces. I turned back to Azula, breathing heavily. "I forgive you."

She screamed, fire flying everywhere. Blue flames licked my clothing, and I decided to end this once and for all. I know I promised myself never to use it again, but I had to. For Zuko. "Stop saying that!" she screamed. "Don't pity me!" 

Katara's eyes met mine, and then she pointed at the metal grate on the floor. 

"You don't look very well, Zuzu," she screeched, getting to her feet and running towards me. I had to do it. "Don't touch him!" she screeched.

I stretched out my hands and took control of the water in her body, pushing her towards the metal grating on the floor. She was fighting, screaming . . . every cry of fury igniting the fuel inside me. I dragged her, locking her arms to her sides. I bloodbended.

"Katara!" I yelled. "Keep her down!" Katara ran towards Azula, yanking the chains off a door as I brought Azula's head onto the ground. Katara stood over the grate and then in a swift motion, brought the water up, freezing herself and Azula inside. Everything froze. And then Katara formed a bubble around herself, moving around. Katara chained her arms to the metal grate, then her feet, in a way that it wouldn't be possible to get out. My hands dropped, and Katara ran to Zuko.

Azula screamed and cried, fire shooting out of her lungs. She threw herself against the ground. I turned my back on her, running towards Zuko where Katara was already sitting.

"Can you save him?" My voice trembled. "Katara?"

"I'm trying!" she said. "I . . . " a bubble of water hovered over his chest. She moved it around slowly, then pushed the water inside his chest gently. The front of his shirt was torn, a nasty mark on his bare skin, similar to the one Aang had on his back. It wasn't working. I pressed my ear to his chest.

"There's no heartbeat, Katara. Why is there no heartbeat? Katara!" I shook her shoulder.

Katara covered her face in her hands. " I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"No," I shook my head, backing away. "No. This isn't happening." I pressed my fingers to his neck. There was no heartbeat.