A/N: This is a Tyzula story set in season 3, it's a canon divergent tale starting from The Boiling Rock and goes on to the comics.

Chapter 1: Ty Lee's Choice

(Scene: Boiling Rock Cable Car Station)

Azula looked at Mai with cold fury, rage building in her heart. She looked at the guards who were surrounding them. "Leave us alone." she ordered. The guards bowed and left. The princess's piercing eyes never left the assassins. "I never expected this from you. The thing I don't understand is why? Why would you do this?" She asked.

All the while, a certain pink wearing girl was watching the whole thing on edge, her eyes darting between Azula and Mai.

"I guess you don't know people as well as you think you do, you miscalculated. I love Zuko more than I fear you." Mai said.

Azula's rage went from zero to over nine thousand upon hearing this. "No, YOU miscalculated! You should feared me more!" She yelled, getting into a bending stance. Mai pulled a knife, ready to strike.

Ty Lee couldn't take it anymore, she attacked Mai just as she was about to throw the knife. The assassin fell to the ground, paralyzed. Azula was stunned.

"Ty Lee...you saved me." She said, when she regained her voice. Mai looked up at the acrobat and princess. Her eyes were full of hurt and betrayal.

"Ty...how could you? I thought we were friends..." She said, quietly.

"I'm sorry Mai. But I love Azula too much to betray her." Ty Lee replied, her voice quivering. She looked back at Azula, who placed a hand on her shoulder. "You made the right choice, Ty." she said.

The Princess stared coldly down at Mai.

"You're a fool, Mai. To think I ever trusted you." Azula said, coolly. The guards returned quickly, and grabbed the assassin by her arms.

"What should we do with her, Princess?" One of them asked. Azula stared long and hard at the assassin. She made a perfectly calculated decision.

"Put her somewhere I'll never have to see her face again, AND LET HER ROT!" Azula thundered. The guards took Mai away with no hesitation. Ty Lee had turned away at this point. But when she turned back, she thought she saw a single tear fall from Mai's eye. Ty Lee pretended she hadn't seen. Deep down, seeing the assassin cry destroyed her. But it was too late, she had made her choice.

Azula saw Ty Lee standing in the same spot she was when the guards took Mai away. "Hey, Ty. Are you coming?" She asked. "Yes, 'Zula." Ty Lee replied.

The acrobat turned and followed the princess to their airship. Or rather, where it would have been. As a certain scarred prince and water tribesman had taken it. "'Zula..isn't this where our ship would be?" She asked. Azula looked all over the island, but it was gone. "ZUUUUUUUKOOOOOOOOO!" She raged, her scream echoing for miles.

(Somewhere in the skies between The Boiling Rock and The Western Air Temple)

Sokka and Zuko heard Azula scream aboard the airship. "Hey Zuko, did you hear something?" Sokka asked.

"No." Zuko replied.

"Me either. " The water tribesman said, and with that, they went back to their business.

(Back at The Boiling Rock)

Azula was fuming. She had never been this angry in all her life. Ty Lee hesitantly asked her, "'Zula?" in a small voice, as if she was afraid to make Azula even more angry.

"WHAT?!" Azula snapped, making the acrobat jump in fear.

"How are we going to get out of here?" Ty Lee asked, timidly. Azula's anger deflated, that was a very good question.

"How indeed?" Azula wondered to herself. The princess looked all around, she paced back and forth. Ty Lee watched her in silence.

"I've got it!" She said at last. "We'll use the lake, it's risky but we must get out of here."

They made their way down to the lake, and there was the cooler that Sokka had attempted to use earlier. The princess and the acrobat got in and floated away from the prison island. Once they were in cooler waters, they found a dock in Ember Island no less.

"It feels like we were just here 'Zula!" Ty Lee joked. Azula did not smile, she was more concerned with getting the next available ship to the Capital City. Much to her chagrin, it wasn't going to be until the next morning. So, they decided to use Lo and Li's beach house to stay the night.

That night, they were just getting ready for bed. when Azula looked at the acrobat and said, "I want to thank you again for saving my life."

Ty Lee smiled at her. "What are friends for, 'Zula?" she chuckled, but secretly she wanted to kiss the princess. She looked at Azula and said, "I have a confession to make."

A/N: How will Azula react? Find out in the next chapter!