Ty Lee hadn't meant to question how astute Azula is, but the damage was done.
"I just meant you're great at this game Zula, but I bet you couldn't tell me apart from my sisters," Ty Lee giggles and then stops when Azula looks up from her spot the difference book to glare at her. It's never a good sign. "Seriously. Not even my parents can."
Azula sticks her chin up. The seven-year-old is intimidated and forced to look elsewhere. "Don't group me in with everyone else. I can tell you apart."
"Yes," Ty Lee nods.
Mai unhelpfully butts in. "How can you be sure when she's never even met your sister?" Mai asks from the floor. They were lounging in Azula's room.
Azula pushes her chair back and leaves the room. Ty Lee gulps and looks over to Mai.
"I want to say it was nice knowing you but..." Mai shrugs. Ty lee gets up and drags Mai to find Azula.
Azula walks with purpose to the palace gardens where her mom and Zuko are feeding the turtle ducks. She stands between them and the ducks knowing it would annoy Zuko.
"Mother, I'm going to Ty Lee's house. Please arrange a carriage for us," somehow the please doesn't sound like a please.
"You're going to your friend's house?" her mother says in a confused tone and glances over to the scurrying girls.
"We're going my house?" Ty Lee asks with a confused smile.
"Yes," Azula informs them and Ty Lee takes it in stride. She looks back at her mother with an impatient expression.
"That... that sounds like a great idea," her mother says and a genuine smile leaps into her face. It makes Azula hesitate. It's been a while since her mother has looked at her with approval that Azula didn't have to work for.
"Mom," Zuko says successfully breaking Azula's good feelings. He tugs on her sleeve. "I want to go to my friend's house too."
"You have friends?" Azula sniggers but reels it in when her mother gives her a warning glance. "It was an honest question," Azula mumbles sulkily.
"I have friends Azula!" he growls but there's no hiding the blush on his face.
Their mother ignores them and looks over to Azula's friends. "I'll send messengers to tell your parents we're going to visit, and darling, you know your father and grandfather don't want you leaving the safety of the palace," she says with a sad smile.
Azula only hears how expendable she is.
Ursa notices the subtle twitch of anger in Azula's face and decides she should tag along in case Azula causes arson.
Mai whispers into Ty Lee's ear. "Do your parents have house insurance?"
"I don't even know what that is," Ty Lee whispers back and thinking about how much trouble she's going to be in.
It's surprisingly not too hard to arrange for a carriage. She didn't even have to beg Ozai but he sends them off with a squadron. In the carriage Azula is staring at Ty Lee with such intensity that the little girl is uncomfortably squirming. Ty Lee loves attention but Azula's attention was a double-edged sword. She felt like Azula was trying to get her to combust. She glances at Mai for help but she's looking out the window with a glum expression. Azula's mom picks up on her unfortunate state and gets Azula's attention.
She covers Azula's ear with her hand and speaks softly. "Look, sweetheart," she says and pulls the carriage's curtain. "It's a beautiful sunset."
"I guess," Azula says confused at the pet name. Sometimes she can't understand her mother. Azula studies the peasants and buildings. "I've never been here," she notes.
"I think you take another route to school. It's good to get out of the palace once in a while."
Azula hums her agreement and Ty Lee starts a chat about their group project. Ursa pretends not to be paying intense attention. Azula's schooling falls into her husband's hands and all she ever gets is Azula's report cards. They have to build a board about volcanos like how they erupt and whatnot. Ursa has no doubt her daughter is going to take the lead in this project. She's correct. Azula finishes assigning everyone their parts when they reach Ty Lee's small manor.
The acrobat's parents and sisters are waiting outside with the servants. Ursa motions for them to stand and Ty Lee rushes into her group of sisters. Azula is still confident. Mai thinks things might become potentially amusing.
"We are honored to welcome you into our home, duchess," Ty Lee's father welcomes them into their home.
"It's nice to see you again," Ursa says and motions for them to stop bowing. "The open house feels forever ago."
"It's the first time my best friends have been to my house," Ty Lee takes their hands and drags them in. Her sister's wince at Azula's stare. Ty Lee leaves them in the leisure room and rushes upstairs to talk to her sisters.
Mai lies down on the sofa. "They do look identical. Will you be able to tell them apart?"
"Of course, I will. Don't doubt my skills in perception," Azula says haughtily and Mai is looking forward for her to get a strike in humility.
Ty Lee is fixing her braid, putting on her school uniform, and trying to look reassuring. Her smile comes off as panicky.
"Ty Lee what have you dragged us into this time," one of her sister's groan as they change into her clothes.
"Nothing. This is gonna be fun. It's like dress up. Remember when we messed with our nanny?" Ty Lee says.
"Fun! That's Azula. How is this going to be fun? Doesn't she hurt cute animals?"
"No. They're whatever for her," Ty Lee shrugs. "Come on, please. Don't you want to play with a member of the royal family?"
They shake their head no. Kids are honest like that.
"Maybe if it were prince Lu Ten or Zuko," one of them giggles sheepishly.
"Please, please, please," she begs and they groan.
"Fine, but only because dad would make us do this anyways. Let's get this over with."
They quickly change and make sure they're all matching from scrunchie to shoes. Ty Lee nods and gives them an encouraging smile; their response is mellow. They tell her if they die, they'll come back to haunt her. Fair enough. The scuffle downstairs where Azula and Mai are waiting.
Azula purses her lips in concentration and the siblings sport the same nervous face.
"What a nightmare. I'm glad I'm an only child," Mai states bleakly and Azula imagines what her life would be like if there were six Zuko's. More people to compete with for her mother's attention.
The adults are smiling from the doorway. Azula isn't. She looks at them one by one. Golden eyes trying to pinpoint any difference.
"Do a handstand," Azula commands and Ursa laughs.
"I believe that's cheating, Azula. We never know our friends as much as we think we do."
Azula frowns and stands. There was the drive to prove her mother wrong. To show how smart she is. She thinks about creating a small fire on the palm of her hand to see who flinches and tries to talk her down, but her mother wouldn't appreciate that tactic. Instead she slowly walks down the line and then back again. She smiles cockily at the first one and the girl's grey eyes widen in surprise.
"You got me," she says in awe.
"I got you," Azula echoes with a satisfied smile. "Now that I've proven everyone wrong, take me to your room."
"Sure!" Ty Lee nods and drags an unhappy Mai up.
Her sisters bow their head to Azula as they pass them. Even Ty Lee's parents look surprised. Ty Lee sisters give a sigh of relief.
"How'd you know?" Ty Lee asks.
"Well, where their eyes were fearful, yours were uncertain," Azula answers. "Your experience with me told you I can do anything but your upbringings with the failures of others made you think otherwise."
"Oh," maybe they are best friends. Ty Lee grins. "I'm sorry I doubted you."
"Know you know better," Azula smiles back.
Mai gags at all the pink in Ty Lee's room. They have a good time, Azula and Mai find plenty of material to tease Ty Lee with. Ursa is glad to be out of the palace. They spend a good few hours there.
Then they have to rush home before Ursa misses tea time. A terribly non-relaxing family gathering where the adults drink tea and discuss. It might've been fun when the fire lady had been alive but there's no way Ursa can fill her place. Iroh and Ursa had stiff talk.
"This has a strong flavor," she comments.
"Mhmm," he takes another sip.
"I'm glad you like it aunty," Lu Ten says with a smile on his face. "It was imported from the further colonies."
"It's delicious," she chuckles and thinks this is the best time to attack. "Iroh, do you remember when your son was a boy?"
"Oh yes! Feels like it was only yesterday that I was taking him to preschool," Iroh sighs sadly. "He wouldn't stop clinging to my leg. My, my, how time passes."
Lu Ten blushes.
"I feel the same way about Azula," Ursa says and ignores her husband's narrowed eyes. "She's growing up so quickly, and she's going to face challenges I didn't face growing up. Zuko has his father and all of you to rely on but Azula only has me. I'm afraid she's not going to experience the same joys I did in my youth."
Iroh's eyes light up and he nods. She feels better having a dragon on her side and goes to face the enemy.
"Being a girl doesn't matter. Azula is royalty and a prodigy firebender. She needs to focus on school and training, not acting or whatever it is you did," Ozai says sternly.
Iroh grunts to announce his disagreement. "Isolating her isn't wise. We all must do our part to improve our nation. We are always trying to extend further and spread our nations greatness, but we must also have someone that understands our own people. Azula is astute. She will be a useful member of our family if there's ever civil unrest."
Ozai quirks an eyebrow at his older brother. "Connect with the peasant? Should I send her to public school?" he asks sarcastically.
"I wouldn't go that far," Ursa says hastily. Public school don't receive that much money and Azula is always practicing to make her flames hotter.
Lu Ten laughs at her panic. "Uncle, you're a riot. I can't wait to see how you'll react when Azula brings home her first boyfriend," he says joyfully and Ozai chokes on his tea.
Ursa shudders at that scenario. She doesn't like the idea of her baby bringing home a boy either. "That's far from now. What I meant is her going over to her friend's house for sleepovers, going on school trips, shopping trips, go to see plays... have her do chores. We might be the royal family and can do whatever we want but at the same time we don't have flexibility the way other nobles do."
"That is absurd wife. Azula isn't interested in doing any of that. She's nine," Ozai protests.
"Does she ever play with the dolls I send her?" Iroh asks.
"...she liked the puzzle games," she lets him down gently.
"My daughter in law is correct," Azulon's voice cuts in and everyone looks at him in shock.
There's a silent, she is, ringing in their heads.
"It was a political move to marry a commoner. Everyone loves a good love story. Its improved relations between us and remote villages. Ursa, you have better understanding of regular mortals. You will be in charge of making Azula look normal, it could improve our image," he instructs.
"Ye-yes, firelord but what about Zuko?" she glances at her husband. He has an even stronger chokehold on Zuko than Azula.
"What about him?" Azulon sips his tea. "The boy is fine in the position he is now. The fact that he will soon be a teenager means he needs more discipline. Unruly dragons are dangerous. If Azula had been born first...but she wasn't even if she is a better candidate. The boy will continue his prince training in case anything happens to Lu Ten," he gives the final word in the matter.
"Cheery," Lu Ten whispers to his father and raises his tea. "To everyone's health and to the fall of Ba Sing Se!"