I'm the Firebender for the Ember Island Eel Hounds and these are my TV Tropes: Opening Monologue - character starts the story briefly explaining the events leading up to the first scene (like a cutaway), The Casanova - one character is the well-known stud/prize of the town; has many partners and Munchausen Syndrome - a character feigns illness for attention, sometimes purposely harming themselves to appear to have symptoms. Word Count: 951

So out of an interesting lecture for their literature class about an incredibly rich man that fancied himself a king of the hearts of the people he knew, who feigned a terrible, infectious illness to see who would come of his so called friends only to find out that in his time of need his friends had deserted him for the exception of a rather humble man that worked in the stables and that he befriended out of their mutual passion for horses; Azula, an actual Queen-to-be (Because let's admit it: Zuko is not going to be King being the wimp he is, not when Azula can easily outperform him everything, especially politics) decided to tell her servants to spread the word in her school that she had taken ill to finally be able to distinguish smooth talkers from actual friends given that curiously she could distinguish one from amongst her father0s cabinet like if he had neon lights on his clothing but could not do so from amongst the gaggle of people that swarmed her in school.

-0-

"And I'm not surprised" Azula said to herself as she sat in the desk of her bedroom, deciding no one was coming, for even if they were they had had more than sufficient time to come to her side in her state of 'illness' and she wasn't going to summon them or anything. She could already imagine the excuses and the apologies and the suck-up gifts of repentance when she went back to school.

The more she thought of it, the more Azula realized that governing wasn't going to be the hard part of being Queen; having the mob on her side so her edicts and other politics could be accepted into society would be the hard part.

She had tried her best in charisma and social skills and this was the result: No one.

Not that she was hurt for it or anything, but Azula thought that at least Ta-Min would've showed up after those times in the locker room or Yu-Ling for those very fun moments in the chemistry lab after school was over.

'And to think I sent her chocolates that one time' Azula couldn't believe how people could be this ungrateful to her but that was bound happen with the brainless idiots that went to her school.

"Your Highness, there's someone here to see you" One of the servants told her from the other side of the door of Azula's bedroom and Azula actually jolted in surprise at hearing that.

"A moment, please" Azula faked a rough voice and a hard cough when answering as she rapidly dashed to her bed and crumpled tissue papers while rubbing her nose once again to make it seem irritated.

"Come in" Azula said after making sure nothing had been neglected that could give away the fakeness of this whole ordeal.

To her surprise two people came in and stayed a respectful distance from her. One was Mei-Zhao who was wearing her apologetic face that seemed to be her natural expression and at least that hadn't changed for the occasion. She would've known Mei had been sent here by her father, a minister in the Royal Court, had she been doing that attempt of a smile she had.

The other was rather an interesting appearance: Ty Lee-Kao, top cheerleader and not a bad sight to look at, but that was immediately brought down whenever she opened her mouth to talk about auras and the color pink which Azula absolutely loathed.

"Hey" Mei saluted half-heartedly with a wave of her hand that seemed dismissing had it not been accompanied by Mei's actual smile: A small inward twitch of her lips that seemed like she had been insulted but was just how the gloomy-looking girl smiled.

"Good evening, Your Highness" Ty Lee saluted and had actually kept protocol for once, wearing a Royal Red blouse and blue jeans that if Azula was 100% honest with herself were distracting her as they hugged the girl's legs like a second skin.

"Hello" Azula said, her voice a rough croak that she had rehearsed when planning this "Thank you for coming"

"I had brought you some food but the servants didn't let me-" Ty Lee started to say, her usually energy-oozing voice dim and quiet as if Azula had died, but Mei interrupted her with a "Because she's the Princess and has more food than you can think of"

These two were had an unlikely friendship based on how much they both loathed their fathers and their vision of their daughters as bargain chips to improve the family status in society through marriage to some bozo with a title.

"I appreciate it. I really do" Azula half-smiled and Mei had to remark it as per her usual tradition to call 'bull' out loud.

"Now, come on. Cut the bullshit, Azula"

"Mei, that's not-" Ty Lee seemed to have panicked at hearing that curse word directed at someone of such status as Azula.

"Doesn't matter" Azula said dismissively "I've heard worse from Admiral Zhao"

"Yeah. My uncle keeps forgetting he's not been on a ship since your dad was anointed" Mei talked to Azula as an equal, a brutal disregard of etiquette but right now that didn't mattered.

"Well, I just wanted to see how you were doing. I really am sorry I can't bring anything to discussion that can be of interest to you, Your Grace." Ty Lee politely said with more articulation that what Azula thought her capable of.

"Doesn't matter" Azula said, knowing where she stood with them from just this small conversation and the mere fact they had come "What matters is you came"