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"So, that's why we want to join your... uh, team?" the firebender finished awkwardly, as the three girls behind him stared at him in disbelief.
"Well, I told you my idea was better," Azula interrupted, breaking the uncomfortable silence. She smiled confidently, convinced that if she had been in charge, this operation wouldn’t have failed, and they wouldn’t be facing the incredulous looks from the other group. However, her comment earned scathing glares from her own team. "What? That was stupid, and you know it," Azula said, folding her arms and bracing for the retorts with annoyance.
"Threatening them is not a polite way to interact! How many times do I have to tell you?" Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to avoid a confrontation in front the Avatar’s group.
Azula rolled her eyes and stepped back slightly, wanting to distance herself from the other group. To her, everything still seemed ridiculous. "We're royalty. Just order it and be done with it, brother..." she grumbled through clenched teeth, loud enough to make Zuko wish he could strangle himself. However, the others seemed to ignore her.
"Wait a second! Are you telling us you want to do... uh, what exactly?" Aang asked, his visible dark circles hinting at his mental exhaustion. Azula sighed at what she considered a ludicrous question.
"If it’s possible to join you!" Ty Lee clarified succinctly, leaving no room for doubt.
"WHAT!" The shout echoed through the forest, leaving everyone bewildered by the acrobat's bold statement.
"Yes, what she said," Mai added, sighing, somewhat exasperated by the noise level that had escalated in just a few seconds.
"You tried to kill us... many times," Sokka accused, frowning as he gripped his boomerang, ready to act if the situation escalated.
"But we didn't..." Zuko interjected, feeling a hint of embarrassment and regret as he noticed the almost indignant expressions on the faces of the other group—except for the earthbender, who seemed to relish the exchange. "Yeah, sorry about that... we should probably apologize," he added, scratching the back of his neck and gritting his teeth.
"What? You have to apologize for that and much more! You participated in the war by undermining peace! You terrorized thousands and ruined countless lives!... you almost killed Aang," Katara shouted, stepping forward, visibly upset by the mere presence of everyone there, especially Zuko and Azula.
"W-Wait, Katara, just listen to what they have to say," Aang said, placing a hand on her shoulder, concern etched on his face. The other group watched, surprised by the raw emotions on display, and refrained from interrupting.
"Likewise, I don't agree with them joining us! It's risky!" Katara insisted, convinced it was best to keep their group intact. They couldn’t know if this was just an infiltration plan. "We have no reason to trust them."
Aang considered her words for a moment before nodding in agreement. Sokka remained skeptical, ready to spring into action at any moment, but he chose to watch for any unusual movements instead. Toph, for her part, stood still, adopting a neutral stance.
"Katara is right... what assurance do we have that this isn’t a hoax?" Aang asked, looking around for answers, sensing his own reservations about Zuko. Their previous encounters had been fraught with danger; after all, he was the son of evil incarnate.
With Azula, it was a different story. He felt a deep-seated fear of her. She was calculating, controlling, and cold—the complete opposite of a typical firebender. Her golden gaze alone sent shivers down his spine. Acknowledging that thought would likely please the princess, but he would never let her know, not even in his darkest dreams.
Azula sighed from the background, clearly tired of the ongoing exchange. "Well, you were asleep 30 minutes ago, weren't you?" she reasoned, using a diplomatic tone she reserved for her father’s meetings and the generals she had once led. The group nodded, albeit with reservations. "Right now, you appear to be alive. Isn’t that proof enough?"
Zuko turned pale at the kind of assurance his sister was offering. Both Ty Lee and Mai nodded, though Mai seemed more amused than invested in the discussion. The others, however, didn’t seem to catch on to the princess’s implication.
"What do you mean?" Toph asked, her curiosity piqued.
"That we could have killed you, but we didn’t, obviously," Azula replied, arching an eyebrow and offering the group a confident smile. The others looked puzzled; perhaps frightened would better describe their reactions.
"Azula!" Zuko exclaimed, scolding his sister for her reckless statement.
"They wanted assurance, and that’s their assurance," Azula said with amusement, as if it were all a game.
"Thanks for not killing us, really," Sokka commented sarcastically, crossing his arms while exchanging suspicious glances with Katara toward Aang.
"And you still think so? It’s obviously a trap," Katara stated firmly.
Aang scratched the back of his neck, struggling to find the right response.
"Well, Azula has a point... what’s the point of an elaborate plan if they could have simply killed us in our sleep?" Toph interjected, surprising everyone. However, She also noticed Katara’s abrupt change in demeanor and sensed she was about to intervene. "And no, I couldn’t have predicted it because I was asleep on Appa this time," she clarified, feeling somewhat irritated at having admitted it out loud.
"Toph is right..." Aang concluded, believing the princess's words.
"Besides, think about it: you could gain three powerful allies plus Zuko, which would help balance the scales in the war you desperately want to stop. Not to mention, rumor has it the Avatar hasn’t mastered fire at all, and here’s a prodigy and a skilled master you can take advantage of," she explained, gesturing as she spoke.
Both Ty Lee and Mai recognized Azula's tactic; after all, she had a way with words.
"What do you mean, three powerful allies plus Zuko?" Zuko interjected, but his sister ignored him, in favor of continuing to persuade the other group.
"Azula always lies... isn’t that what Zuko said while we were locked up together?" Katara remarked, narrowing her eyes and focusing her attention on Azula.
"I'm sorry for... everything that happened that day," Zuko apologized, wishing he could disappear on the spot, but he was taken aback when Aang offered him an apologetic look as well.
"That’s not true!" Ty Lee exclaimed, ready to defend Azula’s honor. Mai gave her a sidelong glance, unconvinced.
"Relax, Ty. necklace is just nervous that her role on her team might be reduced to ashes in our presence," Azula said, her tone unnervingly soft. Katara, however, was the only one who notices the implied threat.
"And you’re a monster!" she shot back, causing Azula's smile to vanish, replaced by a warning glare, though the rest of her expression remained unchanged.
"Wow, that really wasn’t nice, Katara... I think you crossed the line there," Toph interjected, stepping boldly toward the group. She showed her courage by tapping Zuko on the shoulder and planting herself next to Azula fearlessly.
"I'm sorry..." Katara muttered, her tone resentful and almost forced.
"I think the lightning princess has a point, and if Toph is so convinced, we could give it a try," Sokka said, finally putting away his weapon. He seemed more encouraged to cross the line, although he pays a lot of attention to the two royal brothers.
"However, I want it to be for real this time, not just another false redemption... I’d at least like to know everyone's personal reasons," Aang added, nodding and setting a single condition for accepting them fully before going back to sleep.
Only two pairs of watchful eyes caught the tension in the princess at his words.
"My uncle... he wanted me to take the good path, the path of true honor, the one that would genuinely bring peace to the world, not just glorify an empire. I want to make things right," Zuko spoke first, his voice tinged with conflict. It grew rougher, and everyone swore they could see a flicker of intensity in his eyes.
No one spoke; the only response was a solemn nod from the Avatar.
Azula, Ty Lee, and Mai exchanged glances, but Mai rolled her eyes at how insistent the other two were.
"Ugh, whatever... this silly war has left me tied to these two, running around and chasing a bunch of kids. I'm tired of it, but I honestly don’t care much," Mai explained, earning another nod from Aang, who took her words seriously.
Now it was Ty Lee who stepped forward. "I guess it was fun to switch sides for once... and since Azula is here too, I don’t see the harm," she said. However, Azula shot her a glare, almost offended by the public statement. Ty Lee didn’t seem to mind, content just to be with her. Yet that did little to wipe the smile off her face.
"Oookay..." Aang thought there was nothing wrong with her argument and accepted it as a valid stance.
Only Azula remained silent. She was the most intriguing to Aang's personal taste, but unlike the others, she wore an impassive expression and a sharp gaze.
"Don't expect something complicated; I just did it," she said dismissively, her eyes flicking to her sharp nails.
"What?" Aang asked, genuinely confused.
"Yes, that's it."
"That can't be true," Katara snorted, earning a couple of looks from the others.
"Were you expecting a heartbreaking story like yours? Don’t make me laugh," Azula replied, clearly enjoying the chance to tease Katara.
"See? That story was as bad as Ty Lee's," Sokka scoffed.
What he didn’t expect was that, in almost record time, Azula grabbed him by the shirt and lifted him off the ground, leaving his feet dangling. Everyone instantly adopted defensive postures, except for Zuko, Mai, and Ty Lee, who watched the exchange with total calmness. Ty Lee even regarded Azula with admiration.
"Listen to me, boomerang. If you ever insult or insinuate anything about Ty Lee again, I’ll give you a reason why you won’t let us on your pathetic team," she whispered, lacing her words with all the coldness and venom she could muster.
Sokka nodded nervously before Azula tossed him to the ground. Aang could hardly believe what had transpired in a matter of seconds. It confirmed his theory: if Azula had wanted them dead, she would have done it by now.
"O-Okay, got it," Sokka muttered as Azula returned to her place at the back of the group, her expression unchanged even when Ty Lee briefly wrapped her arms around her.
"That was very nice, Zula," Ty Lee murmured just for her.
"Well, they’re in then... Now that that matter is settled, can we go to sleep?" Toph hurriedly suggested, turning away to let the incident fade into the background. They all needed their rest.
Katara felt annoyed, glancing between the two brothers, whom she had little hope for, just waiting for them to make a move that would confirm her suspicions.
"I'll keep an eye on you," she declared, shooing the two away, receiving looks that combined surprise and amusement.
Immediately, Katara distanced herself, finding a spot from where she could watch them for the rest of the night, as long as her exhaustion didn’t force her to sleep.
Aang approached with a tired expression. "She’ll take a while to accept you... but for what it’s worth, welcome," he said with a sleepy smile—so sincere that it left everyone in the other group wondering. It was strange for anyone to offer them such warmth given the circumstances they had grown up in.
"Thank you," Zuko replied, bowing with a clenched fist against his open palm, the traditional Fire Nation greeting. Aang mirrored the gesture, keeping his smile intact.
"Please! It'll just be a little while..." Ty Lee begged, placing a hand on Azula's shoulder and looking at her with big puppy-dog eyes. However, the disdainful look Azula shot back made it clear she wasn’t amused.
"I told you no. You can go alone, or if you really feel unable, you can tell Mai," Azula snapped, her harsh words doing little to dissuade Ty Lee, who sighed and rolled her eyes in frustration.
"But Azula!" she cried, only to receive a scathing look in return.
"Ty Lee, do I have to repeat myself?" Azula said in a dangerously low tone. Ty Lee shot her one last glance before turning away, letting Azula continue going through some scrolls she had brought with her. Yet, Ty Lee let out a small sigh, her last hope lingering. "I’m just not in the mood right now. Go with Mai; you'll have more fun... please," Azula clarified, trying to convey that she didn’t want to hurt her feelings.
Ty Lee nodded with a small, sad smile before leaving the store with Mai.
As soon as they stepped outside, they were greeted by Katara, who had lit a small fire to prepare that night’s meal. Ty Lee gazed at the flames, missing the blue fire she was used to in favor of the common yellow.
They walked in silence and settled around the fire, exchanging glances from time to time. Katara still wasn’t accustomed to Ty Lee’s presence, so she didn’t initiate conversation, though she couldn’t stop Ty Lee from speaking.
"Zuko and Aang aren’t back yet?" Ty Lee asked, watching as Katara blinked in confusion.
"No, I think they'll be a while longer..."
"What about the others?"
"Sokka is gathering some food, and Toph... I really don’t know where she is; she just went for a walk," Katara explained, arranging a couple of branches on the fire without getting burned.
"And who was the genius who thought it was a good idea to leave you and Azula unsupervised?" Mai scoffed, earning a small chuckle from Ty Lee and an uncomfortable look from Katara, who wasn’t used to the goth girl’s quiet sarcasm.
"I think you two are supervision," Katara countered, trying to avoid a confrontation at the mention of Azula. After a week of living together, she realized how quickly Ty Lee's mood could shift when Azula was involved.
"We? We’re not Azula's babysitters... we’re her friends," Mai clarified, choking slightly on the last part as she tried not to look at Ty Lee, who beamed at her.
"Speaking of her... where is she?" Katara scanned the surroundings, only to find the princess nowhere in sight.
"In her tent..." Ty Lee said, shrugging and hugging her arms around her knees.
"She does that quite a bit. I didn’t think she liked to get away from everyone so much," Katara commented, glancing toward Azula's tent, which was set apart from the others, save for the one occupied by her two teammates.
"She doesn’t. She used to be in charge of a lot of things back then," Ty Lee explained, wary of saying the wrong thing. Mai was there to mitigate any damage.
"She don’t like us, then?" the waterbender asked carefully.
They exchanged a silent look, trying to figure out how to proceed. "It’s more complicated than that... but she definitely doesn’t like you," Mai replied, withholding further details. Ty Lee rocked nervously in place.
"She’s had a rough week... but she’ll be fine," Ty Lee added, feeling a pang of regret as she noticed Katara’s expression becoming more hostile.
"We all had a complicated week. I don’t think Azula is any different," Katara replied. Ty Lee frowned, which was unusual for her, but at that moment...
"You wouldn’t understand. She has her reasons," Ty Lee insisted, aware that Azula would be angry if she found out she was defending her behavior. But she felt it was her duty.
Katara sighed, not wanting a confrontation at that moment. "Ty Lee, I can’t understand why you defend her so much. I want to believe you realize how harmful Azula can be toward everyone, including you and her own brother..." she said, a complicated look on her face. Ty Lee shook her head. Mai, for her part, could only watch, wishing Azula would stay in her tent a little longer.
"You wouldn’t understand..." Ty Lee said, standing up and turning away. Mai followed her.
"She treats you with coldness and indifference," Katara added, her patience wearing thin.
"You don’t know her," Ty Lee insisted, not bothering to turn back to continue the discussion. In truth, she had stepped outside to breathe for a bit before going to gather some things with Mai. Originally, she had wanted to coax Azula out of her tent, but that plan had failed, and then she found herself outside with Katara.
"Hey, how does it feel to shoot lightning?" Toph suddenly asked, looking very interested in Azula over dinner that night.
"It feels like releasing a torrent of energy—a surge that, if it stays in your body, could suddenly kill you," Azula explained, barely touching her food. Toph smiled as she listened.
"Great! I really wish I could redirect a beam or throw one," she said, causing Sokka to choke on his food.
"I'm open to throwing a lightning bolt if that's what you want," Azula commented dismissively, causing Toph to burst out laughing. Ty Lee swore she caught a small smile on the princess's lips.
"Azula, you're not going to throw lightning at anyone," Zuko scolded, earning an offended look from his sister, though it lacked her usual malice.
"And here I wanted to play with my big brother, throwing and redirecting lightning," she scoffed, watching as Zuko returned to his food in silence, clearly unwilling to engage.
"Sounds dangerous," Aang added, showing interest in the topic.
"But it's exhilarating, I must say," Azula clarified, setting her plate down. Ty Lee looked at her intently, catching her attention.
"Azula..." she called uneasily, glancing between her food and the princess. Azula rolled her eyes and dismissed her.
"Not now," she said, prompting Katara to arch an eyebrow at the subtle exchange.
"Aren't you going to finish eating?" Azula asked, her expression shifting to a mischievous grin.
"I'm sorry, but my palate doesn't want to touch water peasant food," Azula retorted, making Katara grit her teeth in frustration.
"A-Azula," Zuko interjected, embarrassed by his sister's hostility toward Katara.
"Ugh, whatever... you can starve to death if that's how you feel," Katara replied disdainfully.
"Katara..." Aang admonished her, recalling the discussions they’d already had on the subject.
"Well, can you guys let the rest of us finish eating?" Toph interjected, bravely jumping into the fray.
"I guess I'll retire to my tent," Azula said smoothly, attempting to escape Ty Lee's concerned gaze. However, the acrobat caught her hand before she could fully walk away.
"Please... could you stay and eat some more?" Ty Lee asked, her voice earnest. Azula froze, feeling all eyes on them.
"I want to be alone right now," she replied, pulling her hand away from Ty Lee's grasp, leaving her with a defeated expression.
The others resumed their light conversation after that.
"Your sister makes my hair stand on end," Katara declared as she picked up the leftover dinner bowls. Zuko, standing beside her, just smiled in a light, carefree manner.
"Well, she... has her own problems," Zuko explained awkwardly, not pausing in his task. Katara sighed.
"Ty Lee says so, Mai says so... but all I see is a girl with serious issues living with us," she commented, eliciting a chuckle from Zuko.
"Hey!"
"I'm sorry, but what you call cohabitation problems," Zuko replied, making quotation marks with his fingers, "is actually a breakthrough. You don't know her like Mai or I do, so it may seem wrong, but she's trying really hard."
Katara looked at him in surprise. "She even treats Ty Lee badly...?"
"Treats her badly?" Zuko was now confused. Katara glared at him as if it were obvious.
"Yes! She pushes her away and looks at her in such hostile ways... It seems like she even hates her!" she expressed, clearly annoyed.
"And you're bothered by that because...?" Zuko asked, trying to delve deeper into her reasoning.
"Because Ty Lee does nothing but follow her around! She fawns over her, watches her, and takes care of her. It’s not fair," Katara said angrily, frustrated by what she saw as a petty relationship.
Zuko knew better. "Azula would never lay a finger on Ty Lee... In fact, she takes great care of her," he defended, causing Katara to snort.
"Yeah, right, and Toph is the Avatar," Katara replied skeptically. Zuko tried to remain calm and gently patted her shoulder.
"At dinner, if the person who had held her hand as she left hadn't been Ty Lee... someone probably would have gotten hurt." He hesitated, wondering if he should have shared that, but he hoped it would help her understand the situation better.
"And that’s supposed to make it better?" she replied, her expression showing boredom, but Zuko understood.
"Maybe not, but in their relationship, Ty Lee has the upper hand against all of us," he said, smiling as if the subject were completely normal to him.
"Even against you?" Katara managed to calm herself, but now she felt more inclined to worry about Zuko.
"It's complicated. Sometimes it's hard to admit that your girlfriend and her best friend know your own sister better than you do," Zuko said, taking a seat next to Katara and pausing his activities to chat. He felt he could be honest at that moment.
"I thought maybe..." Katara looked up at the night sky, searching for the words that never came.
"Were we like you and Sokka?"
"Something like that," she murmured, hugging herself. Zuko nodded slowly, understanding.
"Not all brothers are like that. With Azula... we could never be more than we are. She was always favored by my father, while I had my mother." His voice dropped to a deeper tone at the mention of such a sensitive subject, and Katara nodded in understanding. "We grew up in the same environment, but we were always distant, almost like rivals," Zuko said, hugging himself as well, wearing a wistful expression.
"We always thought you were the Fire Lord's right-hand man and all that implies." Katara felt a twinge of regret for letting that slip, but it seemed necessary.
"Not quite. While I was the crown prince, my father always favored Azula... almost as if he were training her to take his place instead of me." Zuko let out a sad smile as he recalled those times.
"She looked so determined every time we faced each other... But then? To give up power and war simply for the pleasure of it?" Katara looked to Zuko for answers, but he pursed his lips, mired in confusion.
"It's more..." Zuko struggled to maintain his calm demeanor. "Complicated?"
"Everything with her seems complicated, complex, and confusing." Katara snorted in amusement, noticing Zuko's reluctance to discuss that particular situation further.
"Just imagine all the life you've built for as long as you can remember... then it all just disappears, and you have to adapt." Katara took his words to heart, hoping to understand Azula better someday—not just for personal amusement, but to tolerate her presence.
"So, she made a mistake or something?" Katara's words were soft and tentative; she didn’t want to be too invasive, but Zuko seemed willing to talk. Eventually, they reached a mutual understanding.
"Yes, and that's why she's here." Zuko frowned, gazing up at the sky. "I don’t want to believe she feels remorse for it; that action alone proved she’s not just the weapon Dad wanted her to be." He spoke with calm conviction.
Katara couldn’t say anything more.
"So... what are you doing here alone at night?" Toph announced her presence, appearing behind Azula, who was sitting and contemplating the night—alone and empty. "You’re not planning your next coup or anything, are you?" she added jokingly.
Azula turned to look at her, a hint of mockery in her eyes. "If I were, you'd be dead by now." Unlike the rest of the group, Toph understood that the princess had a sadistic sense of humor, and they quickly fell into a rhythm of dark yet amusing banter.
In fact, Azula found something comforting in the company of the earthbender. It was exactly what she needed at that moment. She didn’t want someone who knew her well or understood what she was going through. She didn’t want anyone who would judge her.
"It’s a good thing you let me live, so thank you," Toph joked, taking a seat next to her and falling into a comfortable silence.
The vastness of the dark sky loomed over them, and Azula felt a sense of insignificance wash over her. It was a new feeling, one that had developed since the incident at the palace. She felt empty and purposeless, experiencing a personal humiliation as something as simple as the night view triggered so many intrusive thoughts.
"What does the night sky look like?" asked Toph, breaking through the storm of thoughts that engulfed her.
"It's big and dark... not worth contemplating too much," Azula replied, glancing down at her hands and uniform. Peripherally, she noticed Toph keeping her gaze straight ahead.
"Aang told me it was full of stars and stuff," Toph added, her tone curious. Perhaps she hoped Azula would share more.
"Living on a chain of smoking volcanoes, nights in the Fire Nation are usually cloudy. There’s not much to contemplate." As Azula spoke, she realized that despite the vastness above, the sky was clear and filled with stars. "Right now, though, the sky is different here is full of stars and does not seem completely boring." Toph smiled subtly, sensing that the princess sounded a bit less reserved than before.
Through the vibrations and the tone of her voice, Toph could tell that Azula hadn’t been herself for some time; it felt different from their first encounter.
"I'd like to see it sometime, but I guess I'll have to settle for your description, princess," Toph said, reaching into her pocket and searching for something. A familiar noise caught Azula's attention, and she turned to her, not sensing any threat. "Here, though," she added, pulling out a small pouch and extending it toward her.
Azula, a bit perplexed, reached for the package and inspected it carefully. It wasn’t very heavy, and she could feel loose pieces shifting inside; it was not compact. A familiar smell flooded her senses. It was almost like—
"Fire gummies... I found a stall that sold them, so I thought I'd bring some for you and Zuko. But I ended up eating Zuko's packet to try them," Toph laughed, unashamed of her actions. She noticed how still Azula became when she saw the package and its contents.
That food was meant for small children, but it was from a nation she no longer belonged to... The gesture felt disconcerting to her.
"I don't need you to take care of me," Azula replied. There was no venom or hidden bite in her words, just complete confusion.
"I'm not allowed to give something to a friend?" Toph smiled, amused by Azula's evident bewilderment. It seemed to have completely disarmed her.
Azula said nothing at the mention of friend, but the word didn’t feel unpleasant, so there was no need to deny it—even in her head. She decided to indulge in a mouthful of the treats she had been denied growing up.
"You can do whatever you want," she said belatedly, causing Toph to giggle. Embarrassment settled in the pit of her stomach; the new sensations were overwhelming.
"And that I will," Toph assured her, picking up a rock from the ground and using it as a pillow as she lay down. "Besides, if you don’t eat properly, I think your girlfriend might have a heart attack or something..."
Azula immediately stopped eating, panic surging through her. Vulnerability and discomfort flooded her senses.
"There's nothing going on between me and Ty Lee," she insisted, feeling her emotions begin to darken. This conversation was too much for her to handle, and she was enraged at herself for not being able to cope.
"The way she looks at you and how you let her do almost anything around you... I thought there might be something else," Toph simplified, as if discussing the weather.
"It is forbidden in the Fire Nation," Azula replied, more forcefully than she intended. Her heart began to pound, and the tightness in her chest made her feel nauseous. She even considered leaving.
But then she felt a hand on her shoulder—a smaller, slightly heavy hand. That gesture connected her back to reality.
"You are no longer in the Fire Nation... you can do whatever you want, be with whomever you want, eat whatever you want..." Azula realized her body had started to tremble at some point, and now, hearing those words, she felt the tension slowly dissolve.
"I threw my whole life off a cliff... and now I'm forced to do this," she reflected on her situation. "I've thought about it a thousand times, and every option would have ended the same... there’s no room for improvement," she expressed her frustration.
"If you see it that way, doesn’t that mean you did the right thing?" Azula focused her eyes on Toph, searching for an explanation. Toph sensed the shift in her mood and softened his smile. "Look... I guess it has to do with the fact that your face appeared on the posters in the last village I visited with Sokka."
Azula nodded, but then remembered Toph's condition and felt a little awkward. "I guess so," she replied, not wanting to delve deeper.
"And Ty Lee is related?" Toph had hit the mark. It was clear why her new companion was on this journey. Azula was there not by choice, but because she had betrayed the Fire Nation, leaving her with no other option. The one question she couldn’t fit in was the why of it all.
Azula gritted her teeth in fury, her eyes darkening. "I protected her..." she blurted out, feeling the weight of that admission. "Father began to suspect I had feelings for her, and my word wasn’t proof enough." Her arms tightened around the bag of food as memories of past events flooded her mind.
She wasn't going to say another word, lost in grief and guilt. However, Toph caught her attention by lightly squeezing her shoulder. "Do you regret saving her?"
Azula immediately frowned at the mere implication. "No."
"Was your father right about it?" Toph ventured, her tone less firm than expected. Azula shook her head vigorously.
"He was right," she muttered, as if the admission physically pained her. Toph could feel her muscles tense, so he decided to let go and give her some space. Yet, she could finally begin to understand.
"Then there's nothing wrong with that... you just chose happiness over the impositions of a nation, and that’s cool as hell," Toph said, barely hearing Azula's short breaths. "Look, you don’t have to feel bad; you didn’t do anything wrong..." she repeated, trying to lift her spirits.
"I’ll throw away my crown and my future!" Azula clutched her head in her hands, feeling despair morph into anger. But as furious as she felt, she couldn't bring herself to regret her choice.
"You just changed it! Right now, you’re with the Avatar, and you both have valuable information about the next eclipse. That gives us a high chance of winning. Then... you can take back the throne!" Toph smiled, brimming with energy. Azula shot her a sideways glance, unconvinced. "So, stop blaming yourself and living in regret. Don’t do it because I’m telling you to—do it because it will make things easier for you."
Toph didn’t know what had come over her; she only knew that, at one point, she was trying to help the princess. It reminded him of how Zuko’s uncle had helped him refocus on her own path, and she felt compelled to do the same for someone else.
Azula remained silent, letting out a sigh as she continued to eat from the bag. What could have been interpreted as indifference was, for Toph, a sign that she was starting to be okay.
"You're the most tolerable thing on Team Avatar... thank you," Azula mumbled, making Toph smile.
"Anytime, I guess..." Toph felt it was the right moment to smooth things over. She didn’t want to leave Azula grappling with an internal philosophical conflict. Besides, she had learned where her boundaries lay. "So... you and Ty Lee?"
Azula felt her throat go dry. "What?" Her voice came out sharper than intended, but it wasn’t anxiety; it was just how she spoke. She knew from her earthbender friend that there was nothing wrong with that kind of relationship, yet she didn’t want to broadcast it. Her mind settled on an agreement: no harm in acknowledging it, but no need to discuss it either.
"You look somewhat different to each other," Toph commented. Azula snorted, feeling oddly caught up in discussing this for the first time.
"I'm not going to tell you why I like her..." she blurted out, lying down next to Toph and gazing up at the sky, now dotted with a few shining stars. "It just is, and that’s it," she defended herself.
"As far as I’m concerned, the feeling is mutual." Azula already knew this, but they had never directly talked about it, even after everything that had happened. "But judging by how calm you are now, it’s something you already knew."
"I think we both know," Azula muttered, a hint of embarrassment creeping in.
"And does she know that you...?" Toph left the question hanging.
"That I burned the throne room and gave up my right to rule and my nation for her? How could she not know!" Azula complained, feeling her face flush at the admission.
"Damn, you really like her!" Toph smiled, excited about this new development.
"I'll burn you if you say one word about it," Azula threatened, her tone mock-serious, which amused Toph.
"That's very loyal of you... just that!" Toph nodded, unfazed by the threats.
They fell into a new silence, but Azula wasn't quiet; doubts began to creep in. "Should we talk about it deeper?" she asked, sounding surprisingly vulnerable. Toph frowned.
"You and me? ... Eh, I'm afraid I don’t see us being that—"
"No! Ugh, I meant me and Ty Lee... should we talk?" Azula tapped Toph’s shoulder, her gaze sharp.
"I suppose so..." Toph replied, slightly confused by how uncomfortable the princess seemed in emotional situations. Ultimately, she felt at a loss.
"I felt a little better after your support... I need you to help me keep improving," Azula said, managing a confident smile. Toph sighed, knowing what she was getting herself into. "You'll help me get through all of this."
When they returned to camp, Toph and Azula were surprised to find most of the members scattered, glancing in their direction. Azula arched an eyebrow as she observed Mai and Zuko, who seemed to be silently asking what was going on. It was then that she noticed their surprised expressions upon seeing her with Toph. Those looks might have amused her at another time, when she would understand why they were acting so strangely.
"There she is, just like I told you, she’s fine and—"
"Azula!" Ty Lee burst in, leaping toward her and wrapping her in a hug that was almost smothering. Azula scowled at the others, thinking someone must have done something wrong.
"What happened?" Azula barely managed to utter, still in shock from the unexpected hug. She felt Toph’s smile grow beside her, and she almost succumbed to the instinct screaming at her to incinerate the younger girl.
"You weren't in your tent... and I got worried and—" Ty Lee's voice began to crack, prompting Azula to wrap her arms around her in a rare moment of reassurance. However, she wasn't accustomed to showing that kind of affection in public; in fact, she wasn't used to it at all.
"I just went for a little walk..." she clarified, unsure of how to handle the situation.
"Just that?" Ty Lee's eyes flashed with concern, and Azula felt a lump form in her throat.
"Just that, I promise..." Azula assured, thinking it might be better to continue that conversation in her tent, away from prying eyes. The idea of more people witnessing Ty Lee’s vulnerability made her uncomfortable.
"Okay," Ty Lee agreed easily, but Azula could sense that she, too, wanted a more private setting. Being alone would be better.
Soon, everyone dispersed, each member of the team going about their own business.
With her heart racing, Azula knew what she had to do. She sat in her tent in a lotus position, trying to find comfort for what lay ahead. Just as she anticipated, Ty Lee called out to her from outside, her voice softer than usual, causing Azula to flinch.
She opened the flap of the tent to let Ty Lee in.
The first thing Azula noticed was the redness under the acrobat’s eyes; it was clear she had been crying. The next was the look on Ty Lee’s face—uneasy and frightened—which made Azula feel a swell of guilt.
This wasn’t just about her brief disappearance, was it?
"Ty..." Azula whispered, watching as the other girl entered and closed the flap of the tent in a hurry, almost as if begging for a little alone time.
"Zula," Ty Lee whispered back, sitting down across from her and staring insistently at her hands. Azula allowed her to take one, and Ty Lee visibly relaxed at the warmth surrounding them.
"What happened?" Azula stumbled over her words, trying to focus on the conversation rather than the pleasurable sensation of holding Ty Lee's hand.
The acrobat looked away, dragging her gaze to the floor of the tent, too nervous to speak. Azula understood why she was being so evasive. After the dramatic scene in the Fire Nation and their subsequent escape, Azula was practically falling apart. In silence, she conveyed her remorse; her actions spoke volumes.
Sympathetic to the situation, Ty Lee chose not to press the issue. "It was just a nightmare..." Ty Lee finally said, struggling to contain her emotions and failing; her glazed eyes revealed her distress.
Azula reflected on her earlier conversation with Toph. Was it time? She took the initiative to move closer, wrapping her arms around Ty Lee. She wouldn’t forget the slight gasp she heard or how the other girl’s muscles tensed for a moment before melting against her with a comfortable sigh.
"I hope it wasn't about me," Azula joked, awkwardly trying to lighten the mood. But Ty Lee seized the opportunity to wrap her arms around her in return.
"Never," she assured, making Azula's heart pound with conviction. "It was just from... that day. Sometimes I still see it in my dreams." Nightmares, Azula thought. She was well aware of the difficult dreams that had begun to plague them since their escape. Ty Lee, despite being the most optimistic of the group, was not spared from the toll of their shared trauma.
"And what happened after that?" Azula felt Ty Lee squeeze her shirt tightly, and she thought she heard a sob.
"I got up and wanted to see you... I wanted to see you too much, so I went to your tent, and you weren't there." Ty Lee’s voice cracked as she spoke, her grip tightening. "And I thought... I thought you—"
Her sentence hung in the air, leaving room for doubt to seep in. She didn’t want to voice her fears, but they filled her mind nonetheless.
"I was just clearing my head..." Azula offered, but she knew Ty Lee needed more than that vague explanation. "I could never leave you..." she finally admitted, releasing what had been pent up inside her.
"Never? Not even being the one responsible for everything?" Ty Lee's question hung heavily between them. Azula sighed, bracing herself for what was next, but she refused to let that thought linger in either of their minds.
"I burn everything to the ground and I’ll do it all over again... I don’t regret that," she said, her voice firm and resolute. Ty Lee pulled back slightly to meet her gaze.
"I don't regret saving you," Azula stated, her conviction clear.
Tears filled Ty Lee's eyes, spilling over as she looked at Azula with a mix of adoration and vulnerability. "Zula..." she whispered, managing a smile even in her emotional state. Azula sighed, allowing herself to feel everything for once.
With hesitant but eager fingers, Azula brushed her childhood friend’s cheek and smiled back. "I would burn this whole world for you if I had to." The moment those words left her lips, a whirlwind of emotions surged within her. Ty Lee’s warm smile made her heart race; the feeling was a warmth that came from something other than fire, almost addictive.
"I love you too, Zula," Ty Lee replied, leaning in to embrace her again, a mix of comfort and nervousness surrounding them.
Azula realized this was a good start toward overcoming everything that had happened and doing what was truly in her best interest—not just her nation's. Deep down, she knew she would burn down the Fire Nation if it meant keeping Ty Lee safe.