"Friendship"
By Pata Hikari
The Academy.
Where the Fire Nation's best and brightest were sent. Or, at least, the richest.
Here she would learn how to be a proper citizen. How to fight, how to make art, how to care for the people of their nation.
Perhaps, here, she could make a name for herself, to stand out from the rest of her family...
"Hello." A voice said, calm and mature. More like an adult then one her age.
She turned around, it was a girl, dressed in the finest clothing she had ever seen. She was smiling at her. "I am Azula, and you are?"
"Umm..." She struggled to remember her name, it was so rarely spoken in her house, it was always "You" or "Child" or even "Brat" but it came to her. "I'm Ty Lee!" She beamed at the girl who had noticed her, of all people!
"Hello Ty Lee." Azula bowed slightly, "It's an honor to make your acquaintance."
The cell was silent, the entire prison was silent. She sat there, on her bed, a plate of uneaten cold rice and pickled fish sitting by her side.
The door slowly opened, and a guard walked in, he looked nervous. Of course, he had a right to be, every single one that had been assigned to watch over her had ended up paralyzed, unable to move, usually losing all forms of bowel an bladder control in the process.
She looked directly at him, and he noticeably winced. "Umm... well.. I'm just wondering.. why am I being singled out?" She said innocently.
"Well.. um..." The guard mumbled, he was good looking, if she wasn't a prisoner she would have flirted with him. "You see, you're her by direct order of the Princess-"
"I know that part." She stood up, smiling faintly as he jumped back. "But there has to be something else."
"Well... um, you see, despite the Princess's orders, we have to keep a close watch on you... because, legally, you're not supposed to be here, exactly. You're supposed to be, well, held at a less... extreme location."
"Really?" She took another step foreword, watching a man twice her age and height openly cower.
"Yes... you haven't... exactly, been given a trial... you're being held here until the trial can be held... unfortunately with the Fire Lord haven't declared a State of Emergency..."
"Can you get to the point?" She asked, and the man nearly jumped out of his clothing.
"Yes, well, the courts aren't having trials at the moment, so you're resting here until you..."
"OK!" She smiled widely, "I get it now. Thank you so much for telling me this."
"You're... you're welcome." He finally relaxed.
That is when she struck him in the chest, and his throat closed.
"!!" He clutched his neck, his eyes widening.
"Don't you worry Mister." She smiled sweetly, "I didn't hit that pressure point very hard, you'll be able to breathe again in about five minutes... of course you'll have passed out by then, oh well. Before you do I have a favor to ask." She picked up the bowl of rice, "Can you Firebend a little to heat this up?"
The teacher stared at the papers.
All three, perfect assignments, there was not a flaw within them. Yet, they were totally distinct, there was no way that cheating could have occurred.
She stared at the three best students in the school, three girls, the Princess and her friends. What was strange was that, before Azula had befriended the two neither Ty Lee nor Mai had been particularly stand out students. Sure, Ty Lee was bright, and Mai was... well... she had turned in the assignments on time.
"I must admit I'm impressed, all three of you are being put on the Honor Roll."
"It's an honor Ma'am." Azula bowed deeply, respectfully, and a moment later her friends followed.
The door opened again.
It was the Warden.
"Um.. hello." He said, quietly.
"Hi." She smiled, she remembered when he had played games with them, with his niece's friends.
"You have a guest." He said.
"Who?" She put her hands on her hips, "My parents?" She hadn't spoken a word to her parents since she'd ran away for the first time.
" Um, no." He backed away from the door, and she entered. That beautiful, terrible woman. She was wearing simple robes, her hair still loosely tied up, yet it was the most casual she had seen her in years.
"Hello Ty Lee." She said.
"Hello Azula." She said quietly.
"Hey, Azula, look at this!" Ty Lee shouted, she was standing on her hands.
"Hmm?" She looked up from the book she was reading, "So what, you're a Gorillasnake now? Walking on nothing but hands?" She smirked.
She laughed, "That's funny!" She fell back down. "Still, you've never seen anyone do that before, have you?"
"Can't say I have." Azula closed the book. "Still, watch this." She held up her hand, a small flame formed within it, "Pretty impressive too, wouldn't you say?" The flame circled around her, bounced around the air, and finally stopped an inch from Ty Lee's face.
"Wow! That's awesome!" She clapped her hands as the flame vanished, "You're so cool!"
Azula just smiled.
"I thought you said you never wanted to see our faces again."
They were alone, the door shut, the guards had left.
"I changed my mind." Azula looked around at the small cell.
"But, you never change your mind Azula." Ty Lee said honestly, for a moment slipping back into that familiar cadence of conversation they had.
"There's always a first for everything." She leaned against the wall. "In all honesty, I'm surprised myself." She gave her that look, her head tilted down slightly, her eyes looking straight at Ty Lee, it made her feel like Azula was staring into her mind.
"Soo... why did you change your mind?"
"Because I want to know!" Azula suddenly slammed her fist against the wall, "I want to know, Ty Lee, why you betrayed me, your oldest friend."
It was a family gathering, of sorts. The nobility had all gathered to this great party. Each and every one eager to impress the Fire Lord in some fashion.
To say that Ty Lee's parents were ecstatic was an understatement. After all, one of their children was called friend by the Princess! It was enough to make them truly focus on her for the first time in her life.
Every single detail of their meeting with Ozai was planned, they were going to make a good impression on him, no matter what.
"Ty Lee?" Azula walked up to them. "You're here!" She smiled widely, "Good to see you."
"It's an honor Princess." Her father said.
"I'm glad I invited you." Azula's smile became even wider, her teeth shining, "Since I invited you, I'll be your hostess and guide."
"Umm... Princess... what about your-"
"My father?" Azula interrupted her mother, "I'm afraid he's busy playing host to the people heinvited. I'm sorry, but I don't think you'll be able to see him today."
Both parents paled.
"Mai's easy to figure out. She fell in love with my idiot brother. I can understand that, love makes people do stupid things." Azula clenched her fist, flames leaking out between her fingers. "But you!" She pointed at her face, a small burst of flame nearly burning her face. "There was no reason for you to go against me. None!"
"...Mai is our friend." She finally said.
"What?" Azula's eyes narrowed, "Friend or not, she let Enemy soldiers, and a traitor escape!"
"She was trying to save the man she loved!" Ty Lee shouted, faint tears forming, "You can't blame her-"
"Shut up!" Azula struck, striking Ty Lee in the face, knocking the girl to the ground.
"..." She whimpered, staring blankly at the wall.
"Get up." She ordered.
Ty Lee remained silent.
"Get up!" Azula threw down a burst of flame, instantly Ty Lee got up, sniffling as she did. "Good." She smiled sweetly, "Isn't that better, remember, we're friends..." Azula wrapped her arms around the sniffling girl, hugging her.
Her parents had not been happy. Once they had learned that Ty Lee provided no real connection to the Ozai, they had continued to pay attention to her, but not in the way she wanted.
Whenever something bad happened, it was her fault, whenever she did something it was never given a positive light.
All in all she was throughly miserable, her aura falling into a dingy brown.
"What's wrong?" Azula was there, she had always been there... always there to take charge, to comfort her.
"...I think my parents hate me." Ty Lee sighted.
"Eh, you get used to it." Azula shrugged.
"I don't get it, I've done everything for them! Why don't they pay attention to-" Her rant was interrupted by Azula suddenly hugging her.
"Don't worry about them Ty Lee." She whispered into her ear, "You'll always have me, your best friend" Her breath was strangely hot, Ty Lee felt her face flush for some reason...
Azula's hands ran slowly through her hair, pulling out the tangles and dirt that had built up. "My Ty Lee..." She whispered, "We're friends, remember? I came to you, I chose you. Tell me, Ty Lee... why did I choose you?"
She shuddered, the memories, both new and old, came rushing back, her hot breath, the burning (both literally and figuratively) touches. Ty Lee tried to pull away from her grip but found that she couldn't.
"It's because you're mine." Azula hissed, "Mai was someone you brought to me. But I found you and took you."
"Azula, please..." She could feel it, Azula's aura was becoming that blood red... She tried to move, to push the pressure points that would cause the body to fall, to go slack, but the will that had possessed her to stand up for Mai was gone..
"Please what?" Azula ran a finger along her collarbone. Ty Lee couldn't answer, only gasp for breath. "Now, listen." Her voice took on a commanding tone, "I'm willing to forgive you for your... transgression... but if and only if," Her face split into a wide and wicked smile, "You beg for forgiveness."
She didn't know why she stopped at the palace.
The royal guards were so used to her presence that she could practically enter and leave at will, so there wasn't a fear of getting caught, so she was easily able to find Azula's room.
Leave leave now! A small voice in the back of her mind commanded her. She didn't have to tell her, she didn't have to know...
Yet if she didn't know, then she would find her, hunt her down.
After all, Azula did not lose what was hers.
She sighed in resignation, and knocked on her bedroom door.
"Come in." Her voice seeped through the door. Of course she was awake.
She entered. "Ty Lee?" Azula smiled, "Well, this is a wonderfully pleasant surprise." She was sitting up in bed now, leaning over slightly, that same wonderful, damnable smile upon her face. It was the smile Azula made when she was in a real good mood, because things were going her way. She pulled the blankets up, "Come for an impromptu sleepover?"
"Umm... no." Ty Lee mumbled, "Azula... you've been a great friend." She said quietly. Is it true? It's so tempting to give it all up, lie down next to her, and let Azula take her away again... so tempting... does this make her a friend? "But... but... I feel that I need to expand my horizons." She took a deep breath, letting it out. "So I'm running away. I'm sorry, but it's what's best for me. Now don't get me wrong I'm not saying I hate you or that I don't like your company but you see it's my Aura I can't help it if it's telling me to-"
"OK." Azula said, "I understand."
"...you do?" Her eyes widened.
"Of course! I wouldn't be your best friend if I didn't understand your desires." She nodded, "Just be sure to send me mail every now and then, OK?"
"Of course!" She beamed, she would send a letter every day if need be, anything to appease Azula.
"Though..." Her face darkened, gaining a mask of longing. "I... I wish we could spend one more night together, before you go."
The condition, she wanted one more night. One more night of fire and heat... one more night of no sleep. It had been a two years since Azula had started stretching what friends did (at the very least, no other groups of friends did to each other what Azula did with her.) and a year ago it had gone further...
Ty Lee couldn't help it... she had become addicted to the touch, and could never resist... she nodded, and walked slowly towards Azula's bed.
There was silence.
Ty Lee sat on the bed, softly rubbing the red mark on her face. Azula leaned against the wall, waiting for the inevitable.
To beg, to grovel before Azula. Well, she had done worse in her life. And in exchange she would be free, and she could be with her Princess and friend again and feel the joys it brought her. The joyous pain it filled her with.
But wait.
"What about Mai?" She suddenly asked.
"Mai?" Azula scoffed, "She's in far deeper then you. She actively assisted the escape of a criminal wanted for Treason. It'll take a lot more then simple begging for her to earn my forgiveness, if she even wants it." She yawned, "Personally, I think she's relishing in being the martyr, giving her life and honor up for her beloved Zuko."
That answered her question. By begging, she would be abandoning Mai. A friend who did not use her or destroy her toys or grasp at her at night forcing her to do things of unimaginable pleasure and pain. A friend who had acted out of pure love, rather then ambition random whims or primal urges. To refuse to beg would leave her here, in this cramped cell.
"What's...out there for me."
Azula started laughing.
"..." There were few things that made Azula laugh genuinely. One was defeating a foe, crushing their spirit into nothing. Another was her getting ready to put on a display of her vast knowledge.
"My dear Ty Lee, everything is out there for you!" She straightened up, "Do you not see? By my side, in your circus, running a family, anything you desire I can give to you. You have served me well since we met, and I reward those who serve me." She gently patted Ty Lee on the shoulder, "None but you have seen me as you have" (Ty Lee shuddered) "And if you overcome this weakness that has taken you, then you can come back, and grow even stronger under my guidance." She spread her arms out, blue flames spiraling around her, "I chose you, and you chose Mai. I took you both in, I taught you, I made both of you strong. If it were not for me both of you would be nothing! me that you are worthy of forgiveness! Show me that you're still that brilliant, strong willed girl I saw hidden within you when we first met!" The flames died down, for just a moment. Suddenly they flared out again. "Answer me damn it!"
To go out... to be forgiven by Azula.
...was to become her slave again. Her "friend." Here, sealed in a tiny cell, she was freer then she had been in ten years.
"...no. Azula." She stood tall, "No. I will not beg, I did nothing wrong. I only helped a friend. A real friend not a... not a sick freak like you!"
Silence.
Azula stared at her, stared through her. The air seemed to cackle with energy.
"...you... you... you!" Azula screamed, throwing her fist foreword, a plume of fire striking Ty Lee in the chest, scorching away much of the outer layer of her prison outfit. "You!" She clenched her hands together, pulling them apart, a massive sphere of fire formed between them. "Everything I did for you! Everything!" The sphere stuck her again, burning away the last of the prison clothing, and covering Ty Lee with burns.
Yet she merely stood there.
"...fight back!" Azula screeched, "Fight back like the warrior you are!"
And for the last time in her life, Ty Lee obeyed Azula. Striking her in the arms, instantly both fell limp, then, she moved foreword, knocking down both her legs too, the proud Fire Nation Princess fell to the ground.
The door opened, and some guards barged into the room, stopping the gape at the sight. A naked and burnt prisoner was standing over the Princess. It would have been a comical sight...
Two of the guards picked Azula up, and she glared at her. At the girl she once called friend.
"Put her in the Cooler." She ordered.
The end.