sweet like honey
. helium lost .

Author's Notes: I'd originally wanted this from Ty's point of view… but then I realized that she was afraid of Azula; she doesn't admire or like her in any way :P So then I decided to change it to this, since we never do find out what happens after the animals are released. Naturally, this wouldn't be the realistic course of events in the show, but hey, I'm trying to convey an impression of Azula, not a rewrite of the series :P

Warnings: A slight touch of f/f thought on Azula's behalf. Jeez, I just keep portraying her as a little bundle of sexual energy, don't I…

Disclaimer: Avatar: The Last Airbender © Nickelodeon and the others involved in the making and distribution of it. I'm just a teeny little fan. :)

Tonight, Ty was performing.

She was balancing, high up, on a haphazard assortment of items. She was graceful—more graceful than she'd ever been, of course, and she hated her for it. It wasn't fair, really, that someone could be better at her at something—not fair at all. After all, she was the princess, destined to rule the entire Fire Nation—the entire world, too, once this war was over. And anyone who threatened her had to be punished.

"Tell me," she said slowly, "will she fall?"

"Of course not!" replied the ringmaster, as if such a thought were preposterous. She smirked.

"Then remove the net."

The ringmaster looked up at her, shocked. "W-well," he began, stuttering, "th-the thing is, our performers—"

"Oh, that's right," said Azula coyly, and the ringmaster nodded, relieved.

"Then set the net on fire."

The ringmaster opened and closed his mouth wordlessly, then bowed and said, "As you wish." He stepped over to the net and released a ball of flame from his hands. The net glimmered and flickered, the flames licking and eating away the net. High up, Ty's arms shook as beads of sweat began to form over her forehead. Because of the heat or because of fear, Azula didn't know—though she'd like to believe that it was from the fear.

"Oh, and," continued Azula, "do you have any wild, untamed animals?"

"Why yes," said the ringmaster softly, shaken, "our circus boasts the widest assortment of rare and exotic animals."

"Then release them!" Azula said happily. The ringmaster could do nothing but comply. Slowly, fingers shaking, he unlocked each and every door; the animals trampled out, bellowing and screeching, stomping so that the seats shook. They were beautiful animals—they tossed their heads back, the elephant tossing back its trunk so that it almost touched the white fur on its back; the saber-toothed moose rearing back and looking around hungrily. So wild; so untamed; so ferocious.

Azula smirked and looked up at the small figure that was Ty. How she longed to feel that precious, graceful body, know its every curve and inch, wrap her arms around it, then crush it with a single, sharp movement. She wanted to have her defenseless on the ground, unable to move, unable to dominate her in any way; she wanted to have her hands wrapped around that white, delicate throat, squeeze tighter and tighter, feel her thrash, see her trying desperately to breathe—then, at the last moment, right before she would faint, she would release her, leave her heaving on the ground, helpless.

But not today.

The rhinoceros butted its three horns against one of the wooden poles supporting Ty, and it shook and rattled menacingly. Ty wobbled on the assortment of items, her hands trembling uncontrollably. The rhinoceros butted the pole again as the elephant thrashed around wildly, trying to escape the fire; its huge body collided with the second pole, jolting the thin line holding up Ty. With a shriek, she lost her balance and fell straight into the blazing net. The audience screamed; the ringmaster lept up, but Azula shot out her arm, blocking him.

"You said she wouldn't fall," she hissed menacingly, slowly turning to stare at him. He bit his lip.

"I—well—"

"Excuses, excuses. Let me deal with this, would you." She got up and stepped down from the stage. Every pace she took toward the net was menacing, deadly. Raising her arms, she created a wall of fire on either side of her, blocking out the animals. She stepped up to the net, where Ty lay, screaming and writhing in the fire, her skin blistering and scarring as the burning ropes blazed lines and scars into her skin.

"Not so great now, are you?" murmured Azula.

Ty sobbed, her tears evaporating immediately from the intense heat.

"I could just leave you here to die, you know," said Azula. "Or, I could decide to let you live and pull you out of the fire. Which do you prefer, hmm?"

Ty screamed in response as the flames bit at her, devouring her body. Azula smiled. Before this was over, she would break that body into a million pieces… but only after she was done.

"I suppose I'll save you, then," she said, and, placing her hands over the flames, she parted them as easily as though they were two wooden doors. She pulled Ty out, and tossed her onto the dirt floor; the dirt clung to her burns. Ty lay on her side, sobbing, her braid coming undone as the smell of burning hair pervaded the air.

"Always remember," Azula said, jerking Ty up again by the collar and hissing in her ear, "that as quickly as I give you the chance to live, I can take it away." She dropped Ty again, leaving her to crumple into a heap. "I'll be waiting for you in your tent. Tell me your decision, tonight."

With that, she turned her back on Ty and walked out of the tent, letting the flame walls drop behind her. An emu-horse trampled over Ty's legs, and she screamed again. Azula smirked.

Tanin no fukou wa mitsu no aji.

Author's Notes: The last line (他人の不幸は蜜の味) is a Japanese saying that translates literally into "others' misfortune tastes of honey". I thought it fit Azula perfectly ;)

All feedback is greatly appreciated. Please keep reviews diplomatic and civil; I would especially like to know how you reacted to the fic, like if it made you dislike Azula more, and whatnot. Thanks!