Mindbenders
Zuko stood on the edge of the ballroom as the happy couples twirled in endless circles, their vibrant silk and satin costumes spinning around them. It looked oddly like a spider's web, but that was most likely Azula's doing. She had special tiles put into the ballroom floor for just this occasion, insisting it was for a dancing contest. Whichever couple managed to follow the macabre pattern just right would be the winner. She'd managed to taunt him on such a grand scale. He scowled and walked away from the spinning pawns.
He turned down the side hall towards a smaller room were some guests were holding a salon. As he entered he saw Ty Lee in the middle of the room doing handless somersaults with ease.
Two hundred years and she's still desperate for attention, Zuko thought, you'd think she'd get over it and move on.
His eyes turned towards the back of the room: Mai stood there leaning against the wall, her lustful eyes on Ty Lee's graceful movements. It had been over a century since she had looked at Zuko like that, and he had no complaints. All the Firebenders in the world couldn't melt Mai. He had finally given up on trying. Let Ty Lee deal with her now.
He walked out of the room and down towards his bedroom, it wasn't even near sunrise but the evening had already exhausted him. He slammed the door behind him and unbuttoned his red cavalier coat. He would never understand these new fashions, they were so odd, especially the round buttons. Some new designers in the western Air Temple had started creating them about thirty years ago, and now everyone wore them. What he wouldn't give to have his red silk robes back, what he wouldn't give to have everything back. Zuko threw his coat aside in disgust. Why had this happened to him? Why hadn't he died when she did, by her side?
"Zuzu" a voice called from behind his bed curtains "That's the latest fashion; I had it flown in by Airbenders just for you."
Zuko stiffened; Azula slithered off of the bed, her long hair pulled back into a flawless braid and bun, two loops in the front. A sheer, blue robe did nothing to hide her naked body. He tried to look away in time but it was too late, her eyes had him. Even though he was the same as her, she was more powerful, she was always more powerful. He tried to fight her, but she had him. A simple gesture of her arm was all that was needed, he went to her side. She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him onto the bed.
He quickly traveled into his memories, back to when she had been alive. He would rather look into the past than acknowledge what was happening in the present.
"Why isn't it working?!" Zuko desperately shouted, as he held his cut wrist over Katara's mouth
"It doesn't always work Zuzu" Azula had answered calmly "You should've just let her go, at least then you wouldn't have had to live with the knowledge that her death was your doing."
Zuko pulled Katara's limp body into his arms and sobbed into her hair. She was gone, and he would live forever without her.
All of a sudden, Zuko's thoughts became white static; he groaned and collapsed on top of Azula. She panted underneath him, a smile on her face.
"There Zuzu, that wasn't so bad."