u/Dismal_Accident9528

Noakes tells us outright that he's trapped in the Facility, including claiming that he hasn't heard any news about the outside world after 1956. Nurse Barlow also complains about how long she's gone without windows or sunlight. We also know that Dr. Easterman himself was basically coerced into working for Murkoff and is monitored, manipulated, and abused by his higher-ups, particularly Avellanos.

So I'm wondering, who at Murkoff actually has power or freedom? Are all the scientists and security guards that we see at Sinyala also trapped there? Is there anyone at Murkoff with enough freedom to be able to leave at their leisure (such as Easterman's bosses), or is it just slaves with increasingly long leashes all the way up?

The sun fell quickly beneath the edge of the crater, and the loss of light was Korra’s signal to head back inside. She barged through the door, her water bottle in her hand and towel slung over her shoulder, and sauntered into the sitting room, where Lord Zuko was hunched over a scroll.

He looked up when she entered and stood up straight. “Welcome back, Avatar Korra. How are your Firebending exercises going?”

“Great!” she declared with a satisfied grin. “I think I’m ready to try lightning.”

Zuko smiled softly. “Your enthusiasm is encouraging, but lightning is a very precise technique, and can very easily come back at you if you’re not careful.”

Korra was about to protest when another set of doors burst open and a woman walked in. She looked to be around Lord Zuko’s age, though she was a bit shorter than him. She wore her silver hair in a top knot bun, held together by a red clip in the shape of the Fire Nation emblem. “Brother, have you seen my slippers? I swore I left them in–” she stopped when her eyes landed on Korra. “Oh. Hello.”

“Azula,” Zuko grumbled. “How nice of you to join us.”

“I didn’t realize we had company,” she remarked.

Zuko sighed. “This is Avatar Korra,” he said stiffly, then leaned in closer to the woman. “I told you she was coming,” he added more quietly.

“Did you? I guess I wasn’t listening,” she smirked, then turned towards Korra and smiled more warmly. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Avatar Korra. I am Lady Azula, Zuko’s far superior sister,” she held out her hand. Zuko rolled his eyes.

Korra giggled and took Azula’s hand. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”

Lady Azula hummed. “Good things, I hope. And what about you? You look like you’ve just come from a workout.”

“Yeah, I was working on some Firebending techniques,” Korra shrugged. “I was just telling Lord Zuko that I’m ready to try lightning.”

Azula raised her eyebrows and looked back at her brother. “Is that so?”  
“She’s not ready,” Zuko said to his sister. “Her Firebending is great, but she needs more precision.”

Korra sighed. “Come on, I’ve mastered all the techniques you’ve shown me, and I got them really fast. I can take on something more advanced!”

“Not yet,” Zuko responded firmly. “Lightning is dangerous in ways that fire is not. It’s much easier to hurt yourself with it. You need to be patient.”

Korra groaned and looked at Azula, who smiled gently. “For once, my brother has a point. You should keep honing the techniques you have, and when you’re ready, I’ll show you how to bend lightning.” She leaned in and whispered, “I mastered it before my brother, you know.”

“I can hear you. Are you quite finished?” Zuko interjected.

Azula made a show of rolling her eyes to Korra, who suppressed a laugh. “Oh yes, I’m all done, Zuzu.”

Korra snickered. “Zuzu?”

“Ugh,” the retired Fire Lord turned away, scowling.

Azula gently squeezed Korra’s shoulder. “If you give me a little Firebending demonstration tomorrow, I can give you a lightning demonstration,” she smiled mischievously and turned away, then stopped, and looked back at Korra. “Oh! And you must join me for a spa day. I can tell you all of my brother’s most embarrassing stories.”

“Thank you, Azula, and goodnight,” Zuko commanded, staring into the middle distance.

“Yes, you’re welcome. Goodnight, Avatar Korra. Goodnight, Zuzu,” she walked off. Korra giggled loudly. Lord Zuko pouted.

Hey there! Not sure if this is allowed, but I'd like to share my fic that I recently started.

I learned about Azula's tragedy years ago, before I ever even watched ATLA, and even then, it really impacted me. I had been meaning to watch the show for so long, but kept putting it off. Last week, I finally got around to it, and wound up watching it to completion. Having finished it, I started working on a fanfiction centered around Azula after the events of the series, which I had intended to do from the beginning. It's only got three chapters so far, but I'm actively working on it!

https://archiveofourown.org/works/86855196/chapters/229925751