Post by Sheogorath on May 11, 2009 3:56:51 GMT -5
I think I was inspired to write a new fanfic. Since my hit Azuki fic back in 2007, I haven't liked anything I've written for Avatar, but I'm going to give it another shot. This one, as most of my other Avatar fics do, stars Azula, and it may be a little intense for some, while others may find it a bit tame. Rating, as usual, is subject to the interpretations of the material on the part of the reader. Maybe PG. Maybe PG-13. As usual.
Fear of Water
by Gharnef, a.k.a. Nerull, a.k.a. Joshua R. Workman
"I don't like this place," Azula muttered to herself as she shifted in her straitjacket again. She didn't remember how long she was in the asylum, but for as much as she didn't like it in there, she preferred it to the outside. Ever since that filthy peasant almost drowned her... She didn't know the concept of "fear" until then, but what that peasant did, she knew. She knew right away what fear was when that happened. "I don't like it here, but what choice do I have? In here, I'm safe, and I can handle the water when they bring it to me."
The Man in Black was at her cell door again. "Lunch time, Azula."
Was it almost noon already? Or was that again? She'd lost all concept of time. Had it been days she'd been in the room with the padded walls and floors? Or was it years?
She didn't like the Man in Black. For some reason, he gave her he creeps, not quite fear, but another emotion-like sensation that was very new to her. What was it about this man? She didn't know. All she knew was that she did not like him and she wanted him gone whenever he visited her.
"Princess Azula," she hissed as the door opened, and the room became lighter from the outside in, the light from the hall spilling into the poorly lit room. The Man in Black strode in, carrying a tray containing disgusting-looking slop that could not possibly be food and a cup of water.
Water. She knew if she didn't drink it, she'd die of dehydration, but of all the things in the world they could have given her to drink, why did it have to be Gods damned water?!
The Man in Black set the tray down in front of her, then unfastened the buckles of her straitjacket so her arms would be free and she'd be able to feed herself. He was supposed to feed her, but he had no love of doing so. She could see it in his eyes. "Go on," the Man in Black said, a hint of annoyance in his voice, when he noticed her hesitation to take the cup. "We go through this every day. I bring you your food, and you act like you're afraid of the water. What can it do to you? It's just water. Listen up, 'Princess,' I'm wise to you. Don't think you can keep up this 'afraid of water' bullock forever. The sooner you clam up and just drink the thrice damned water, the sooner they'll let you have better things to eat and drink."
If looks could kill, the look Azula gave him just then would have put him under. She hated it when he talked to her like that, and if the medicine the People in White gave her didn't make her so blasted sick whenever she tried to Firebend, she would have burnt him to ashes long ago. But she knew he was right. She'd be allowed to eat something else, and maybe drink something with actual taste, if she just drank the water, and did so every day.
Trembling hands attempted to grasp the cup, but as with the day before and the day before that, she dropped the cup and it's contents spilled out over the tray and the slop, some even splashing off the tray and dampening the floor, as it usually did.
This set the Man in Black off. "Son of a- That is it!" He lunged for her, a big hand squeezing her throat. "You will start drinking the water I bring you, and you will drink it every day or I will give you a reason to be afraid of me. You think water is scary?! You haven't seen anything yet!" He'd gotten carried away, as he usually did when dealing with Azula. Her face was already turning red, even though he had only had her throat for a few short seconds. He released her and she choked for air as she fell onto her backside.
"You have no right to treat me like this," Azula protested, her neck already starting to bruise. "I am still the Princess of the Fire Nation!"
The Man in Black, still irritated, said forcefully, "Eat. Now. As usual, you lose your right to a drink today. And for the record, 'Princess', since your brother became Fire Lord, that makes you as good as nothing."
She glared at him. Gods how she hated him. She defiantly folded her arms over her chest and turned her head slightly up and to the left, closing her eyes.
It was a game they played. Once a day, every day. Azula would prove that she is truly terrified of water, and the Man in Black would become irate. Eventually, he would force-feed her the slop, usually pinning her down onto her back, a knee in her stomach. Today was no different, only he pinned her to the wall this time, not the floor. She turned her heard this way and that, trying to avoid the spoon, but an effort futile, as the Man in Black would slap her, then squeeze her cheeks until she opened her mouth, then he would force a spoonful of slop into her mouth, and rub her throat so she would swallow it.
As usual, it was a messy affair, and as usual, he didn't have the courtesy to clean her up before refastening her straitjacket, forcing her to squirm about on the ground to get the slop off her face.
"You're pitiful, you know that?" the Man in Black spat as he left the room, tray in hand. "The once great Princess of the Fire Nation. Reduced to a sniveling coward at the sight of a mere cup of water." The door creaked and slammed shut, and the sound of heavy boots echoed down the empty corridor, each cell in this block empty except for Azula's.
Tears flowing from her eyes and cheeks bleeding from deep finger nail wounds, Azula worked herself back into a sitting position, her back against the wall. As usual, he was right. She was pitiful. She knew it. She didn't need to be reminded every day. "Someday, maybe, I'll drink the water," she sobbed, "Someday."
Azula didn't like it in this place, but she knew she didn't have a choice. It was either here, or a prison surrounded by boiling hot water.
If only that filthy peasant hadn't almost drowned her.
Fear of Water
by Gharnef, a.k.a. Nerull, a.k.a. Joshua R. Workman
"I don't like this place," Azula muttered to herself as she shifted in her straitjacket again. She didn't remember how long she was in the asylum, but for as much as she didn't like it in there, she preferred it to the outside. Ever since that filthy peasant almost drowned her... She didn't know the concept of "fear" until then, but what that peasant did, she knew. She knew right away what fear was when that happened. "I don't like it here, but what choice do I have? In here, I'm safe, and I can handle the water when they bring it to me."
The Man in Black was at her cell door again. "Lunch time, Azula."
Was it almost noon already? Or was that again? She'd lost all concept of time. Had it been days she'd been in the room with the padded walls and floors? Or was it years?
She didn't like the Man in Black. For some reason, he gave her he creeps, not quite fear, but another emotion-like sensation that was very new to her. What was it about this man? She didn't know. All she knew was that she did not like him and she wanted him gone whenever he visited her.
"Princess Azula," she hissed as the door opened, and the room became lighter from the outside in, the light from the hall spilling into the poorly lit room. The Man in Black strode in, carrying a tray containing disgusting-looking slop that could not possibly be food and a cup of water.
Water. She knew if she didn't drink it, she'd die of dehydration, but of all the things in the world they could have given her to drink, why did it have to be Gods damned water?!
The Man in Black set the tray down in front of her, then unfastened the buckles of her straitjacket so her arms would be free and she'd be able to feed herself. He was supposed to feed her, but he had no love of doing so. She could see it in his eyes. "Go on," the Man in Black said, a hint of annoyance in his voice, when he noticed her hesitation to take the cup. "We go through this every day. I bring you your food, and you act like you're afraid of the water. What can it do to you? It's just water. Listen up, 'Princess,' I'm wise to you. Don't think you can keep up this 'afraid of water' bullock forever. The sooner you clam up and just drink the thrice damned water, the sooner they'll let you have better things to eat and drink."
If looks could kill, the look Azula gave him just then would have put him under. She hated it when he talked to her like that, and if the medicine the People in White gave her didn't make her so blasted sick whenever she tried to Firebend, she would have burnt him to ashes long ago. But she knew he was right. She'd be allowed to eat something else, and maybe drink something with actual taste, if she just drank the water, and did so every day.
Trembling hands attempted to grasp the cup, but as with the day before and the day before that, she dropped the cup and it's contents spilled out over the tray and the slop, some even splashing off the tray and dampening the floor, as it usually did.
This set the Man in Black off. "Son of a- That is it!" He lunged for her, a big hand squeezing her throat. "You will start drinking the water I bring you, and you will drink it every day or I will give you a reason to be afraid of me. You think water is scary?! You haven't seen anything yet!" He'd gotten carried away, as he usually did when dealing with Azula. Her face was already turning red, even though he had only had her throat for a few short seconds. He released her and she choked for air as she fell onto her backside.
"You have no right to treat me like this," Azula protested, her neck already starting to bruise. "I am still the Princess of the Fire Nation!"
The Man in Black, still irritated, said forcefully, "Eat. Now. As usual, you lose your right to a drink today. And for the record, 'Princess', since your brother became Fire Lord, that makes you as good as nothing."
She glared at him. Gods how she hated him. She defiantly folded her arms over her chest and turned her head slightly up and to the left, closing her eyes.
It was a game they played. Once a day, every day. Azula would prove that she is truly terrified of water, and the Man in Black would become irate. Eventually, he would force-feed her the slop, usually pinning her down onto her back, a knee in her stomach. Today was no different, only he pinned her to the wall this time, not the floor. She turned her heard this way and that, trying to avoid the spoon, but an effort futile, as the Man in Black would slap her, then squeeze her cheeks until she opened her mouth, then he would force a spoonful of slop into her mouth, and rub her throat so she would swallow it.
As usual, it was a messy affair, and as usual, he didn't have the courtesy to clean her up before refastening her straitjacket, forcing her to squirm about on the ground to get the slop off her face.
"You're pitiful, you know that?" the Man in Black spat as he left the room, tray in hand. "The once great Princess of the Fire Nation. Reduced to a sniveling coward at the sight of a mere cup of water." The door creaked and slammed shut, and the sound of heavy boots echoed down the empty corridor, each cell in this block empty except for Azula's.
Tears flowing from her eyes and cheeks bleeding from deep finger nail wounds, Azula worked herself back into a sitting position, her back against the wall. As usual, he was right. She was pitiful. She knew it. She didn't need to be reminded every day. "Someday, maybe, I'll drink the water," she sobbed, "Someday."
Azula didn't like it in this place, but she knew she didn't have a choice. It was either here, or a prison surrounded by boiling hot water.
If only that filthy peasant hadn't almost drowned her.