Chapter 30 - Rehabilitation

---Several Days Later---

"Good Morning.", I said bringing Azula her breakfast.

"...good morning...", she replied still acting meek around me.

"The doctors say you can be released today, how about we do some reading together?", I asked, "It's better than being cooped up in your room alone."

"Okay...", she agreed.

After she finished her meal, I helped her walk to the library. Refusing to let me carry her, she leaned on me to steady herself. Taking a seat in the library, I got her comfortable and pulled out some old scrolls I had located previously on the shelves. Bringing them to her, I sat next to her and opened the first one. Realizing that they were Firebending Techniques, Azula looked at me with confusion.

"Are you going to train me?", she inquired, "Why...I...I am useless..."

"Yes, I think it's a good way for us to spend time together. You aren't the type of girl that likes wearing dresses and acting like a normal girl your age.", I teased her, "I don't mind that, I actually like that about you. While your methods can sometimes be cruel, I admire your determination to do something once you set your mind too it."

"Thank...thank you.", she said turning red with embarrassment.

"Now then, the most important part of Firebending is control and breathing. By nature fire wants to spread rapidly and uncontrollably, it is on the bender to control that and keep it in check. Once you can master that, you can do things like this.", I stated.

Creating a flame in my hand, I put the scroll in my hand but it didn't burn. Opening her eyes wide with disbelief, she asked how I was doing that. Telling her that there were many aspects to fire that one could control, including heat. Having her put her hand in the fire, she was amazed to feel that there was only a mild heat coming from the flames.

"How!! That shouldn't be possible!", she argued.

"It is possible, Fire Lord Sozin was able to siphon heat away from objects. Don't you remember reading about that in history class?", I asked with a chuckle.

Admitting that she didn't pay attention in that course, I let out a sigh and patted her on the head.

"Fire Lord Sozin and Avatar Roku stopped a volcanic eruption together, Sozin siphoned off the heat to help plug the volcano.", I told her.

"I...I had no idea, so you are siphoning the heat away?", she questioned.

"I am applying that concept, yes.", I chuckled, "It's not exactly the same, but it's similar. While the technique is difficult to master, I am sure you can learn in it."

Smiling at me, Azula was eager to learn it and anything else I was willing to teach her. Telling her that we would need to start with the basics, I promised her I would help her every step along the way. From that day forward, Azula and I trained for several hours a day to hone her skills and control. Within a few months her flames had turned blue which pleased her and Azulon immensely.

During those months I made several secret trips to the South Pole to meet Katara and her family. Bringing supplies and scrolls to them, Katara and I also practice Waterbending together. Since she had no one to teach her, I took it upon myself to help give her a strong foundation to grow on. Watching their daughter grow stronger day by day, Hakoda and Kya supported her endeavors to become a powerful Waterbender.

---Eight Months Later---

Throughout my days of training with Azula and Katara, I struggled to find a solid method of bringing Iroh home. I was about to take extreme measures when news came from the front that my brother had been severely injured on the frontlines in an ambush. It wasn't like he would die from his injuries, but it would take months of recovery for him to completely heal. Leaving his post to another General, Iroh came home with his son to see to his care. As his only biological son, Iroh wanted to be by his side during this period in case anything came up. Having been unable to do anything to save his wife...I didn't blame him for being over protective.

"Uncle!! Cousin Lu Ten!!", Zuko shouted running towards Iroh and Lu Ten, "You are both back!!"

"Zuko, you have grown so big!!", Iroh laughed giving his nephew a hug, "Mael you have...my word you look just like your father!! Haha, you are a big boy!!"

"Haha.", I chuckled in response, "I am happy you both came alive."

Walking forward on crutches, Lu Ten hugged me tightly as he started to cry. Thanking me repeatedly for the armor I sent him, he told me that it had saved him from being impaled by the enemy. They had been ambushed when searching a village, and they had aimed for him first shouting that they would make General Iroh suffer.

"Mael, I owe you more than words can express!", Iroh said hugging me, "Thank you for protecting your brother!!"

"We are family, it is to be expect that we would have each others back.", I assured him, "I am happy that my armor protected Lu Ten, I am sorry it couldn't absorb the blows better."

"I will take this pain over being dead.", Lu Ten laughed with a smile, "Besides, father and I could use some time to unwind. The Ba Sing Se Wall lives up to it's unbreakable legacy."

"Father, I don't know if you heard...Azula and I are engaged now.", I stated.

"I have heard...", he said looking at his niece, "Azula, I-"

Bowing her head respectfully to Iroh, he was taken aback by the display. The Azula he knew wouldn't have bowed her head to him in a million years, he knew something major must have happened for her to be humbled to this degree. Her smug, pompous, cruel personality had mellowed out to a much more refined, determined, and focus personality that he could appreciate.

"Uncle Iroh, welcome home. I would like to formally apologize for my prior actions against you, I hope you can forgive me.", Azula apologized.

Looking at me, Iroh was at a loss for words. Telling him I would get him up to speed, I said we should get Lu Ten to a bed to rest. Agreeing with me, I helped Lu Ten back to his room and told them what happened.

---Lu Ten's Room---

"Ozai did what!?", Iroh seethed, "That man!! Just what does he think he is doing!! If it were any other noble...Azula would have been burned beyond recognition. I am honestly surprised you didn't harm her given the way she used to treat you."

"He forced Azula to fight me, and when she couldn't live up to his expectations...disowned her in front of the nobles.", I informed him with a sad expression, "Since he left, the palace has been much more peaceful and Azula has been able to recover from his influence. She isn't one hundred percent yet, but that cold personality has mellowed out dramatically. That said...she has no qualms about killing when needed with brutal efficiency."

"That explains a lot.", Lu Ten admitted, "They didn't tell us anything about that on the frontlines. It seems grandfather didn't want word to get out."

"I know who is responsible for hiding that...", Iroh sighed with annoyance, "So Ozai is on his way back?"

"Yes, they sank the fleet that attacked the Southern Raiders and I. They are scheduled to arrive tomorrow morning.", I told him, 'I can't actually believe they found a fleet down there...I feel kind of bad for the Earthbenders.'

"He will have a lot to answer for.", Iroh stated.

Deciding now was the time to spring this plan, I told Iroh about what Ozai had been doing behind his back. Telling him about the backroom deals Ozai had been making to take the throne, I told him Ozai had sent men after my life several times. Providing forged documents to prove it, I could see the anger on Iroh's face. He had known for awhile that his brother wanted the throne, he just never expected he'd go so far to get it.

"This is a disgrace!!", Iroh spat.

"I didn't want to start a family feud, but I am afraid what will happen to Zuko and Azula when Ozai returns.", I said with a concerned expression, "Ursa and her children will be at the mercy of his wrath. I would like your permission to move Zuko and Azula into my room for the time being. While I can't shelter Ursa, I can shelter them."

"You have it!", Iroh permitted, "I will have words with Ozai when he comes home tomorrow."

"Father, if Ozai comes for them I will not show him any mercy.", I told Iroh with a deadpan look, "I know he is my uncle, but I have to protect our family."

"I understand, but you won't have to worry about that. He will answer to me first.", Iroh replied looking out the window with determination.

Leaving the two of them to rest, I gave the news to Zuko and Azula. Both of them were more than willing to move into my room for the time being. Getting them settled, the three of us played with Ty Lee and Mai for the rest of the day.

---Next Day---

"Alright men!!", I barked, "Today Prince Ozai returns from his expedition, all of you know what he is capable of. I want all of you to keep the populace away from him, reports indicate that he has a short fuse at the moment and may snap at the smallest thing. Your mission, ensure that the populace remains unharmed!!"

"Sir!!", my crew said saluting me, "We will live up to your expectations, and ensure not a hair on a civilian's head is harmed!"

"Move out!", I ordered.

Having put the men through Spartan like training, all of my crew were battle hardened warriors now. Not only that, all of them could generate lightning and wielded blue flames like it was second nature. The remnants of the Southern Raiders could officially call themselves Special Forces, and they lived up to that title by meeting and exceeding every mission the Fire Lord gave us. Today I had them keeping the populace safe as Ozai would like snap at the first sight of me.

Slipping into an alley where no one was watching, I teleported to the palace for the final push to spark this fight. Using magic to move undetected, I slipped into Azulon's room as he slept peacefully in bed. Changing into my Demonic Form, I cast a spell to prevent any sound coming out of the room. Using Soul Invitation to remove his soul, I devoured it as he screamed out in pain. Watching him thrash around for a few moments he quickly stopped moving as his body died. Making it so it looked like he died in his sleep, I changed back and dispelled my magic. Leaving the room and returning to my own, I took a seat on the bed as I processed what I had learned.

That sick bastard had done countless, unforgivable crimes throughout his life. Thousands bystanders had been burned alive for the hell of it in his youth, and he had ruthlessly torched the families of captured soldiers in front of them before killing them as well. All around Azulon was nothing short of a monster in a human body.

'This royal family is all sorts of fucked up. It all has to end, I refuse to let more animals like Azulon run around unchecked!!', I thought as I kept my anger under control, 'If Iroh won't put Ozai down, I will!'

Less than two hours later, word came down that Azulon had died in his sleep. The doctors confirmed that he had a heart attacked, and died in his sleep without suffering. Arriving as the news came out, Ozai rushed to the palace to confirm if it was true. Running into Iroh at the front gate, the two of them stared each other down.

"What do you think is going to happen?", Zuko asked.

"Nothing good, all of you get ready to run if they fight.", I stated.

Staring at each other for a few moments, Ozai was the first to speak.

"Brother...", Ozai said.

"Hello...", Iroh replied, "I have heard you have given my son Mael a lot of trouble."

"More like the brat has been giving me the trouble.", Ozai remarked.

Running out from the palace, the Head Priest pleaded with the two men to stop their fight. With the Fire Lord dead, they needed to have a proper funeral and mourn his death. Unfortunately for the old man, neither of them heard a word he said. Iroh was far to angry to back down, he knew it was his fault that Ozai had become a monster and he wanted to fix that now. As for Ozai, he was willing to take the throne by force...even if it meant killing his family to get it.

Watching the two men start to move, I quickly closed the space between us and grabbed the old man. Getting him out of the way, Iroh and Ozai clashed at the Front Gate causing a massive Firestorm that burned everything around them.