Notes To Note: -Does a Dance- Alright, I've been dead for a good, long while, do to writer's block and my flightiness. Surprisingly, school has no effect on this. -Doesn't get a lot of homework- Owo. Anyway, I don't have much to babble about, but I would like to give a brief introduction to this story.

I have a really good feeling about this story. I remember how my "Changing Point" had a bit of a kick in it. I wanted that kick to come back, but I tried to make it a little stronger. I hope I succeeded. I wrote a story for a Writing Prompt, but as I went over it, it was more like a rough draft, in a sense. It allowed me to exercise Azula's personality a little so I could do better when I came around. I really hope this has that spicy kick, so all of you fans and readers can enjoy!

It surrounds the finale. During the second part, I had in mind that I didn't want to follow any patterns that could have been done, so I hope I have a sense of uniquity. I haven't yet come across a fanfiction where I've seen this, so I'm praying I made it at least decently original. The first part just goes to see what happened before the coronation, and other halucinations that have been visiting Azula. Owo Am I giving away too much? Yes? No? Maybe? Lobster? -shot- Well, there's only one way to find out how good it is. Read on, and I hope you enjoy!

I've been seeing visions,
The demons that always last,
Where the windows creep with memories,
And where the mirrors tell of the past.

"I guess you just don't know people as well as you think you do."

"No, I know people just fine. It's you who doesn't know people." She spat back at the window without realizing it. Even though the pane was really only showing her image, she could see Mai stare her down with a crystal clear vision. And it was just that vision that would not stand with Azula.

How dare she show her face in here! After what she did, she has the nerve to come into the royal palace and spit out those same lines? Who does she think she's addressing?

"You miscalculated."

"I never 'miscalculate'." She jabbed her finger at the surface with a seething anger. "It is you who has miscalculated. Look at you, all tied up in prison where you can rot miserably and think about all the mistakes you made. Don't you regret betraying me when you did?"

Finishing off her pathetic former ally with a rhetorical question, the soon-to-be Fire Lord turned and headed to go retire in her chamber in order to prepare for her coronation, but the vision wasn't going to take that answer for a satisfying end to their conversation.

"No."

In a flash of anger, the princess turned and scowled at her so-called former 'friend'. "What?"

"You heard me."

"No, I don't believe I did." She got closer to the window. "Why don't you repeat yourself so I don't…miscalculate?"

"I don't regret what I -"

Before the image could finish, the princess had smashed in the window with whatever object she could grapple in that moment, watching the glass turn to fragile shards with great satisfaction.

"You should have feared me more." She wickedly smirked at all the pieces before heading off in victory.

"But I don't." Came the undaunted reply.

Oh, how dare she. She thinks she can get away with that and not expect to be severely punished? Well, Azula would surely show her what pain was all about…

"Princess!" Once of her high-ranking servants came running up, trying to take the vase out of her grasp. She turned to glare him down with all the ferocity she had at that instant. He was lucky she had not banished him, for he was the only loyal servant she could decently rely on, but even he was running on thin ice. Not even he could ever even gain a sentiment of her trust. Nobody, she concluded, could be trusted.

"What do you think you're doing?" She questioned. "Unhand me this instant! Do you plan on treating your new Fire Lord with this brute physical force?"

"N-no, your highness." He quickly let go, afraid of being banished. "I just wanted to stop you from breaking any more objects. This is the second window today…"

With no hesitation, the princess set down the vase with great force, making it crack roughly amongst its brittle body.

"What did you just say?" It was not a question. It was not an inquiry, and it was not a gentle wondering. It was a demand.

"I…I just don't want -"

"Don't want me to what? I am nobility. You are just a filthy peasant who serves me out of fear. I will break as many windows as I see fit."

"But, your highness…" He tried to muster up all the courage he could find. "There's no reason for you to break the windows. They -"

"They, are trying talk to me again!" She busted out, a bitter sense of humor teetering on her tone. "Can you believe that? Trying to ask me for forgiveness? Like I would…" Her eyes moved back to glance at the broken shards, glaring at them. The image of Mai was no longer existent, giving her a smirk of satisfaction.

"Who? I don't see anybody…"

"Oh well." Still pleased at her own victory, Azula looked up at the ceiling, placing her hands on her hips, smirk still present. "It doesn't matter. You need not concern yourself with them. They're only filthy traitors, after all."

"But, they were your friends…" He recalled, noting that he had seen the three of them hang around sometimes.

"Friends?" She repeated with deep green poison rolling off her tongue. "Are you trying to make me laugh?"

"No, princess, I -"

"What a shame." She shook her head, features turning from pleased to dissatisfied. "I thought I could give you just a small worth of my trust in you, but clearly, you are in alliance with those filthy traitors."

"No, please, your highness, I beg of you to have mercy." The servant shook his head in disbelief. He started to back up before falling down, trembling in fear. This was the only way he could support himself, and he couldn't risk losing it. He wanted to do anything but hear those dreaded words escape the cruel mistress' lips.

"Well, with my coronation so close, I have been in a generous mood. Alright, I suppose I can be nice one more time." She paced quietly, hands behind her back. She let the moment sink into his head before turning to face him.

"You're banished. Don't bother with your stuff, they will be incinerated."

"No, princess, don't -"

"Did you not understand what I said? You are banished. Leave. Or I will have you rot in prison as well. Surely that is better, no?"

He got up and bowed before heading off in utter defeat. After he faded from view, the princess started to head off to her room. Now it was just her left to do her hair. She could go fetch Li, the only one she would allow to stay, but what did those old women know about hair, anyway? She had seen her servants pull it up into a bun plenty of times. Surely such a task could not be too incredulous for her.

She was, after all, perfect.

---

With her coronation so close at hand, Azula could not deny that she wasn't excited. Now she would get to lead her nation into more prosperity. She would rival her father where no other could. She would be better than all of the Fire Lords combined. The first Fire Lord future generations would recognize would be Fire Lord Azula. Not Sozin, not Azulon, and most certainly not Ozai.

While thinking of what her first task would be, the princess continued to fix her tresses. They would always stubbornly hang out in all of the wrong places, but she knew her eagerness may have been proving as an obstacle of doing it right. Clearing her thoughts, she carefully wound her hair back up into the neatest bun she could muster.

With eyes closed, she bet she had done it just right. Why, it was probably done better than any servant could have ever managed, she bet. She opened her eyes, smiling in hope for her grand image before seeing that not only had her hair been in a mess, but her finger was caught up in its wild fray as well.

She shot her hair [and her finger] a nasty look before yanking the digit out of the tie and huffing. So, was her hair going to play this way too? Well, it seemed that her hair had no idea of what she was capable of. She didn't even need it. She was just fine on her own.

The princess quickly snatched the golden scissors from the furnature and held them toward her bangs, threatening them to obey one last time. When they seemed to disagree, she prepared to shut the sharp edges upon them. "You defy me too?"

"Alright, hair, prepare to meet your doom!"

With one swift motion, Azula brought shut the scissors, eliminating her competition. Her tresses fell to the ground at a loss, sitting somberly at her feet.

That would surely show her hair who to mess with.

She grinned merrily at her mirror, pleased with the result. Nothing could stop her now. Absolutely nothing. And as always, she was perfect.

Perfectly wrong.

"What a shame. You always had such beautiful hair."

The voice that came from behind was anything but unfamiliar. As she saw her mother come to view, the grin fell.

"What are you doing here?"

"I didn't want to miss my own daughter's coronation." The princess snorted.

"Don't pretend to act proud. I know what you really think of me." She looked down, trying to muster up what she wanted to say.

"You think I'm a monster."

"That's not true!" A second voice arose from the conversation without warning. Her golden-copper eyes shifted to see one of her filthy traitor allies.

"Ty Lee? What do you want?"

"I wanted to watch your coronation, too!"

"What for!?" The princess suddenly shirked, turning around with a force that could have made on-lookers dizzy. "You don't care. You should be rotting. Miserably."

"Maybe she just wanted to come." A third voice had butted in with a monotone voice. It was undeniably Mai.

"How dare you. You all think you can all just drop in and tell me you want to watch my coronation? You're all liars! All of you!" She shouted, trying to force them out.

"But, Azula…" Ty Lee's expression became hurt. "We're all here because we care."

"Care?" Her hand instantly hunted for some sort of object she could use as a weapon. The first thing her digits hit was her brush. She settled her hand down, prepared to snuff them out if she had to.

"I think you're confused." Her mother countered. "You've been using fear against your friends because you were too afraid yourself to trust them."

"No, trust is for fools!" The grasp on her brush tensed. "Fear is the only reliable way. They fear me, even now!…" She paused, hoping what came out next was true.

"Even you fear me."

But the princess knew better. She felt that preparedness of what was about to come out next. She wanted to stop it before it could be said. She was praying for her words to be nothing of a prevarication but really wanted it to be false. She just wanted to hear those words so she could be certain it was a lie.

Just a lie…

"No, Azula." Her hand clenched harder on the brush.

"I love you."

A perfect lie. She knew it was. Tears came somberly down her face as she squeezed the brush into her palm with all of her might. She shot her eyes back open from their shut position and turned to hurl her weapon at the mirror with everything she had, bitterly satisfied to hear the shattering of the glass, and that the images of her traitor friends and mother broke away as they hit the floor.

She hit the floor, on her knees, continuing to pitifully sob.

Please don't be a lie…

Ending Notes To Note: Good? Yes? No? Maybe? Lo- -shot- Dx. Well, I'm not so sure how you like it unless you exercise that poor little green button. Positive reviews and uplifting, helpful advice never lose their awesomeness. I hoped it was worth your time, peace out, and enjoy your day!