In the Spirit of Friendship

.o.O. A/N .O.o.

Well, I'm back, but I haven't really been keeping up much with the Avatar fandom since I discovered Touhou. Still, I might as well post this for anyone who had put this story on their Alerts and such. (Was there anyone? It's been so long...)

.o.O. Strategies .O.o.

"So, you're this new princess everyone's been talking about." The old woman glowered down from her towering desk. "Well? Aren't you going to say something?"

Azula mentally sighed. Here we go again…"First of all, I've been the princess for three years and second, you need to give me the keys to the stairway."

"You don't have to be so pushy," grumbled the woman. "I'm Ms. Li Shi, by the way." She held out her hand, but Azula ignored it.

"Keys, remember? I'm already running late to my first class."

Ms. Li Shi muttered something, then rooted around behind her desk. "Here." She threw a heavy key ring at the princess. "The door's right next to the section on the Sun Warriors," she added gruffly.

Azula took a last look at the cramped office, cluttered with dusty books and scrolls, then disappeared through the back door into the main library. Lo and Li waved down from a balcony set high into the wall. Now, which was the right key?

Luckily she got it on her fifth try. Ms. Li Shi seemed to have some sort of system, but it was pointless if no one else understood it. And Azula was confident that if she couldn't figure it out in a minute, the system must be faulty. She took the stairs two at a time, making the balcony just as the bell rang.

"We will be your instructors for this hour," said one of the twins.

"Welcome to your first less on in strategy," said the other.

Azula sat in the unoccupied chair at a small table. "I take it the locked door was my first test."

"Err…" started the woman on her left.

"Actually, we forgot you didn't have a key."

"Usually there's no students allowed on this story," they said together. One of them put on a pair of glasses and grabbed a book from the pile in the center of the table.

Lo doesn't need reading glasses, so that's Li. Azula picked up a book herself, leafing to a bookmark. "Encyclopedias?"

Li squinted at the title of Azula's book. "That, yes. This one, however," She held up her tome. "is the account of a world traveler."

"We thought it would be best if you learned a little about the cultures of enemy nations before we teach you how to fight them."

Azula traced her finger over the strange symbol in the center of the encyclopedia's page. Waves? "Why the Water Tribes? I thought they weren't even a threat any more."

Lo looked over the young girl's shoulder. "Well, you're right about the Southern Tribe. However, that's a picture of the Northern Tribe's stronghold. It's practically unassailable."

"Yeah, they said that about the Air Temples before the war."

Li heaved a sigh. "Yes, and that's all we really know about the Air Temples, unfortunately."

Lo turned to her sister. "Besides Sozin's account, of course."

"That's nonsense for the commoners!" Li shot back.

"Would you distrust the word of the greatest Fire Lord in history?"

"Would you actually believe it?"

They glared at each other for a minute, the turned back to Azula. "It doesn't matter anyway," ventured Lo.

"You'll never have to fight one," continued Li.

"Back to the Water Tribes," they chorused. Azula hurriedly flipped from the entry on dragons back to the bookmark.

"First, let's dispel some common myths," said Lo. She scanned down the page of her book. "You've heard the stories about Bloodbending and miraculous healings, right?"

"No," Azula replied, curious.

"When we were your age," said Li, "children used to tell horror stories about waterbenders who controlled people like puppets."

"It was like the legend of the Academy's guardian spirit," said Lo.

"Get to classes on time or the spirit will eat you!"

"Don't walk on the beach at night or the Bloodbenders will catch you!"

"Neither of them exist," they finished together.

.o.O*O.o.

The bell rang after Etiquette and students poured out of the classrooms into the courtyard. Ty Lee zipped off to find Mai like the day before, leaving Azula to wander the perimeter of the crowd. A few more students recognized her and bowed as she walked by, but the majority was still ignorant.

The tree near Azula shook violently, then a pink blur dropped out. "Hiya! What're we doing today?" Ty Lee reached back up and helped a dark-haired girl off a branch. "Can we play pretend?"

"We're a little old for that," Mai said, checking to make sure she hadn't got any leaves in her hair.

Ty Lee laughed and removed a twig from Mai's bun. "We'll never be too old to play games! Right, Azula?"

"I suppose. The princess watched them critically. "I had something else in mind, though."

The acrobat didn't miss a beat. "Okay, is it hide and explode?"

"No, actually-"

"You're it!" A voice squealed from behind the trio. "Come on, let's play!"

Mai was the first to turn around. "Ugh. Anzi, go away. We're not falling for your dumb tricks."

"The teachers say you have to play with me." The girl put on what she probably thought was an endearing expression. "No being ex-clu-sive."

"Kid, in case you hadn't noticed, this is the school where we learn to be exclusive." Mai grabbed Ty Lee's hand. "Let's go. She can't follow us everywhere."

"Wait." Azula smiled at the would-be princess. "Sure, Anzi, I'll play hide and explode with you. Mai and Ty Lee will too."

Her friends exchanged glances. "Um, if you say so Azula…" Ty Lee said hesitantly.

Mai sat down by the tree. "Count me out."

Anzi giggled shrilly. "Aww, Mai, don't be such a spoilsport!"

"Yeah Mai, I want you to play. It'll be fun," Azula promised.

The pale brunette's eyes flicked from one face to the other. "Fine." She broke eye contact, muttering at her knees. "But I'm not running all over the school this time."

"You won't have to." The princess covered her eyes and faced the tree. "I'm going to count to fifty, then I'll come after you."

"One." Anzi dashed off right away, and Azula heard her footsteps disappear into a hallway. When she was sure the girl was gone, she immediately opened her eyes and looked up.

"You found me!" Ty Lee dropped down again.

Mai hadn't even moved. "Great, Anzi's gone. What are we really doing?"

Azula smirked. "I changed my mind. We're playing hide and explode now." She lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "Ty Lee, you start searching for Anzi on the rooftops. Mai, you take the ground. Make her think you're looking for places to hide."

Ty Lee furrowed her brow. "But that's not fair-"

Azula kept smiling. "Trust me. This way is better. Report back when you find our target."

"Okay!" The acrobat bounded off up and over the roof and Mai trudged toward the nearby hallway.

The small princess leaned back to wait. This shouldn't take too long. Hopefully Anzi would learn her lesson this time. Besides, Azula didn't mind dealing with people who pestered her friends. She liked practicing, but Mai and Ty Lee made her apologize when she hurt them sometimes.

And Azula hated apologizing.

Anyway, getting Anzi out of their hair would be easy. If Azula was right (and when am I wrong?), the girl was setting herself up for trouble.

Ty Lee was back in less than five minutes. "Umm, Azula, we have a problem." The acrobat brushed her uniform down nervously. "Anzi's in the tree by the Headmistress's window."

"So?"

"Well, when she climbed the tree, Swatter wasn't in, but now she's at her desk." Ty Lee's eyes went wide. "We'll get caught if we try to get her down!"

Perfect. "Don't worry." Azula smirked. "She'll be the one in trouble."

Ty Lee's anxiousness vanished instantly. "You want me to show you the tree?"

"Yes, Ty Lee."

"'M'kay." The energetic girl darted off again, braid streaming behind her. Azula ran after her.

After a twisting series of covered walkways, Ty Lee stopped suddenly and held Azula back. "She's in that tree over there." The acrobat pointed across a small open area, then moved her finger upwards. "That's the headmistress's office."

"Anzi hasn't budged, and recess is almost over." Ty Lee jumped as Mai materialized behind them. "The Headmistress will leave then, so we could just wait."

"We could, but I said this would be fun." The princess traced her eyes up gnarled old cherry, then crossed the open space toward it. "You two can stay here, though."

"You're not going to hurt her, are you?" Ty Lee called softly after her. Azula didn't reply, estimating the distance between the ground and a shaking cluster of leaves. No, Anzi won't break anything. Oh well.

The princess took a deep breath, then shot an arc of flame up to Anzi's position and the base of the branch below it. The girl shrieked and toppled out of her hiding place onto the weakened bough.

"You burned me!" Anzi screamed, clutching her right shoulder while hugging the tree with her knees. "No fair!"

"Can't you to defend yourself?" Azula yelled back tauntingly. "I thought we were playing hide and explode!"

"Nobody plays with real fire!" Anzi angrily spat back. "But I can hit you anyway, so there!" She let go of the tree and kicked one leg forward. As flames sparked around her foot, the branch creaked ominously, then ripped off the trunk.

Anzi plummeted downwards, screeching as she broke through another layer of branches. She hit the floor with a satisfying thud, yet got right back up, only bruised.

Headmistress Saraswati leaned out the window. "What is going on out there?"

"Azula was firebending at me again!" Anzi shouted up. "Give her a detention!"

Azula just waited. Anzi wouldn't make a good case for herself if she was upset.

"Look here! See this pink spot!" Anzi gestured at a mild discoloration that could have been sunburn. "She burned me!"

Their headmistress leaned further out the window, but instead of looking at Anzi, her line of sight was turned to the tree. Her mouth moved silently, then her face began to turn red. "Which one of you was climbing in my prize cherry?" she snarled.

Anzi quickly pointed at the princess. "She was! Not me!"

Headmistress Saraswati's looked from one girl to the other, then her head withdrew. Azula heard heavy footsteps and then a door slam.

"Really, Anzi? Now you're just desperate" she said conversationally. "You should leave now if you don't want to get punished."

"I'm staying right here! The Headmistress always believes me!"

"Whatever you say, Anzi," the princess said doubtfully.

The girl's braids bounced as she stomped her foot. "You'll see! Here she comes!"

The Headmistress bustled around the corner, robes flapping as she ran. When she saw the litter of branches on the ground, her eyes narrowed. "I want the truth. Now!"

"It wasn't me!" both girls chorused. Anzi scowled at the confident princess.

"Azula was hiding in the tree, and when I told her to get down, she firebended at me for no reason!" The little ingrate clasped her hands together and stared at the headmistress beseechingly. "Please believe me!"

The old woman gave her a cool look. "Azula? What do you have to say for yourself?"

"Well, we were playing hide and explode, and I accidently burned her." Azula inspected her nails thoughtfully. "I said I was sorry, but she ran off saying she'd get revenge. My friends said she was here, so I followed her and saw her climb out of your window and hide in the tree. When I approached her, she tried to attack me and ended up falling."

"That's a serious accusation." The headmistress gazed from one earnest face to another. "Anzi? Were you really in my office?"

"No! Azula's lying, I swear!" Anzi said fervently. "She's a no good liar and a bully and-"

Azula looked affronted. "I'm just trying to do what my father taught me. Tell the truth, uphold justice-"

Anzi grew more and more agitated. "Believe me, she's lying! What would I do in your office anyway?"

"I don't know, you tell me." Headmistress Saraswati frowned. "I thought my papers were out of order…"

"No!" Anzi shrieked hysterically. "It was Azula! She was in your office!"

"Actually," the princess cut in smoothly, "It was probably a servant or the breeze. Anzi wasn't in there long enough to go through your papers."

The headmistress looked relieved. "Maybe you're right. At any rate" She caught hold of Anzi. "You're getting double detention for being in my office and then damaging my tree."

"You have to believe me!" Tears flooded down Anzi's cheeks as if her eyes were faucets. "I was never in your office!" She grabbed the woman's arm pleadingly.

The headmistress shook her off. "Be thankful that Azula convinced me you weren't doing anything serious. But if I catch you again-"

"My sister will hear about this!" Anzi interrupted, whirling toward Azula. "She'll make you sorry!"

With that, she stormed off into the maze of hallways and the bell rang for the next class.

.o.O*O.o.

"What I can't believe is that you got away with it." Mai and Ty Lee joined up with Azula as their grade level filed into a large courtyard.

"Just don't do that to us, okay?" Ty Lee wasn't skipping like she usually did. "I don't want extra detentions!"

"Yeah sure. Besides, why would I get you two in trouble? I wouldn't have anyone to talk to if you're in deten-."

"Shh! We're here!" Ty Lee put a finger to her lips and the three girls slunk into the surprisingly hushed crowd.

"Why are we being quiet?" The only adults Azula could see were busy hauling weapons racks to the four corners of the area. "The teacher isn't even here yet."

"Captain Huoba's really strict," Mai murmured. "She's the firebending instructor, but she's also head of all the other teachers here."

"Yeah, good luck surviving today. She likes to single out kids to make examples. If you're quiet, maybe she won't notice you."

Suddenly a stream of flames exploded above the center of the courtyard. The milling students swiftly crowded away from it, making room for a small woman in immaculate army uniform.

"I'm Captain Huoba!" she shouted into the silence. "For those of you who haven't heard of me, I served ten years in Domestic Forces before coming here. If any of you thinks you're a better fighter than I am, raise your hand!"

Azula considered taking the challenge, then decided against it. One confrontation was enough for today, and she had no idea how well this captain could firebend. Judging by her arrogance, though, she looked more used to giving orders than actually fighting.

"You will be divided into groups according to your preferred weapon," the woman continued. "Firebenders and new students, stay here. Everyone else, go to the same place as last year."

Mai left wordlessly in the direction of a set of targets on the far side of the courtyard. Ty Lee started to rush off again, then bounced a step back. "See you after class!" she whispered, squeezing Azula's hand. "Don't make Huoba mad, 'kay? It's not worth it."

A fireball sizzled by Ty Lee's braid, abruptly ending the conversation. "Bye!" the acrobat squeaked, scurrying away under the captain's angry gaze.

"Well, then, who do we have here?" Captain Huoba pushed her way toward Azula. "Princess Azula, am I correct?"

No, actually I'm a Water Tribe spy. "Yes, Sifu." Are there really that many girls who look like me?

"Good." The former soldier didn't even bother to bow. "I hope you don't mind getting your royal hands dirty, 'cause you're going to sweat in this class." She raised her voice, addressing the gathered girls. "That goes for the rest of you as well! I don't care if you're nobles and I'm not, but you will be working just as hard as a commoner from now on! Is that clear?"

A smattering of "Maybe's" and "No's" pervaded the otherwise resounding "Yes!" Captain Huoba glared around, looking for the dissenters. "I said, is that clear?"

"Yes, ma'am!"

"You will not complain, no matter what I tell you to do!"

"Yes, ma'am!" Still, this class'll be a piece of cake compared to Dad's lessons.

"Alright! New students, how many of you are firebenders?" A few hands inched up, Azula's among them. "Non-benders, pick one of the other stations for today. You'll get assigned to a permanent one later this week. Firebenders, pair up."

Azula sized up the other girls, none of which met her eyes. She didn't mind - at least they were learning faster than Anzi. She finally approached a tall girl with a sullen expression who wasn't backing away.

"Not you." Azula turned around to see the teacher beckoning, standing in a square marked out on the pavement. "I want to see what bad habits you've got from the soft living at the palace."

"I assure you, I am more than proficient at firebending. There is no need for you to retrain me."

"My, my, a true prodigy," the woman scoffed. "Care to give us a demonstration, Princess?"

The captain must have been living under a rock to doubt her ability, but maybe that made sense if she was deployed to the Earth Kingdom. "If you insist." Azula sighed. "What form?"

"Oh, I don't know," Captain Huoba replied mockingly. "How about I challenge you to an informal Agni Kai, right now?"

Is she serious? "I'd rather not." So much for avoiding another fight.

"Yeah, I didn't expect you to- Hey!" Huoba stumbled back from Azula's quick slash, but recovered gracefully enough.

Well, time to make a lasting impression. The princess followed up with another whip of fire aimed at the teacher's feet. Captain Huoba easily stepped away, retaliating with several punches to Azula's right. The princess dodged to the side, returning the blows, and Huoba barely blocked in time.

"You're not too bad," she said, startled. "But I can't be losing in front of my class, can I?" She lashed out, kicking flames that left deep scorch marks on the tiles. Azula skipped back, and her teacher snapped out an array of fireballs, these ones forming a slight heat haze with their intensity. She's not going to be holding back, Azula realized. On the one hand, the captain would tire faster, but Azula knew she would start to lag long before it would make a difference. She had decent endurance for her age – not that of a trained soldier. I'll have to finish this quickly, then.

The two combatants circled each other, waiting for an opportunity. Azula struck with a weak wave of fire, hoping to get Captain Huoba off balance again. Instead, the woman leaped over the ripple, raining punches as she descended. Azula then dove and rolled to the side, expecting another attack as she came up. Strangely, as she twisted around, only a small tongue of flame met her hand. Azula flicked it away effortlessly.

The respite was short-lived, however, and as soon as the princess moved right, her opponent was back on the offensive, sending a fireball roaring past Azula's ear. The small girl blocked the next blast with her arms, the flames scarcely parting as another attack snarled her way. She braced herself, knowing that she'd be giving ground with each blow.

How to escape this… Azula dodged right a second time to get out of the deadlock, trying to force the captain away with her own barrage of fire. As she completed another circle, the princess glanced over her opponent's shoulder. The rest of the class had moved to the edge of the square for a better, if more dangerous view.

The captain had noticed this as well, and as Azula sent blast after blast at her, her teacher also dissipated the ones that would have harmed their audience. She must have weakened her fire when I was in front of them. Azula ducked Huoba's counterattacks and shifted another quarter around, making the two parallel to the students. Finally, an advantage. The fight was nearing the end of Azula's stamina, and this would give her a welcome opportunity.

Azula let the woman begin a flurry of punches, weaving and blocking until her back was toward the other students. Just as she'd anticipated, the shower of embers lessened and Captain Huoba hesitated. It was all the opening Azula needed. She closed the distance between them, smiling as the captain's fireballs went wide to avoid hitting the half circle of girls. Her teacher kicked out in defense, generating a low wave. You showed me how to avoid that, remember? Azula mirrored her teacher's tactics, leaping high and then landing a heavy blow on the former soldier's chest armor. Captain Huoba staggered slightly, and the princess snapped her foot out, tripping the woman with an arc of flames.

Though Azula was panting heavily and her teacher was barely affected, the girl had won. Her opponent lay helpless on the ground.

"Do you know how an Agni Kai ends, Captain?"

.o.O*O.o.

Everyone was much more courteous to Azula when she walked to her final class. In fact, they seemed to be outright avoiding her.

Except for Mai and Ty Lee, of course. Azula idly wondered what made them so loyal. Whatever the bond was, it was still holding strong.

"That was so awesome!" The acrobat gushed as she pranced by Azula's side. "It was like fireworks, but with more whoosh and less BANG!" She jumped up and spread her arms wide, knocking her head on the low ceiling inside the corridor. "Ow!"

"No explosives indoors," Mai deadpanned. "You're both going to History, so settle down."

"Yeah, Azula, you got off with another warning this time, but really, you're starting to scare people."

"Can you imagine what would have happened if she had actually scarred the captain?"

Ty Lee shivered, hugging her shoulders. "Aw, you'd never actually do that, would you, Azula?" She belatedly realized the firebender wasn't listening. "Hello? Azula?"

"Hm?" What would Dad have wanted me to do? Maybe I should have burned that idiot's face off. "What did you say, Ty Lee?" The princess frowned. He said to behave, but what does that mean?

The bubbly girl was giving Azula a strange look. "Are you okay? You're sort of out of it…"

"No, I'm perfectly fine." She shook her head, and a smirk fell back in place. "History? I think I've met the teacher already."

"Great! Ms. Li Shi's super nice when you get to know her."

"Just whatever you do, don't damage her precious books." Mai slowed down, checking each new passage they came to.

"Why? Will she challenge me like the firebending instructor? I think I can handle that."

Ty Lee giggled. "No! Worse! She'll make you sit through a lecture about what you should never do to books." The girl struck a comical poses as she walked. "You must never write in the margins, for this book holds the sacred words of your ancestors, and to mark them is to profane their spirits. You must never tear the pages, for a page lost is knowledge lost forever. You must never- "

"It goes on like that for about two hours," Mai cut in. She gradually halted, peering down a red carpeted corridor. "Wish me luck with Ms. Jing Ju, by the way."

"I'm sure you'll like her." Ty Lee gave her friend a parting embrace. "She's not boring at all!"

"I'm thrilled to hear that." The pale girl extricated herself and her form rapidly receded into the dark hallway.

Just before she had completely gone from view, the acrobat slapped her forehead. "Oh, wait! Mai!"

Unfortunately, the knife-thrower didn't hear, and Ty Lee turned back to Azula. "I've been forgetting to ask you two something all day."

"Oh?"

"Can we go to the market after school? You promised to help me pick a stuffed animal."

I never agreed to –

Ty Lee didn't wait for an answer, suddenly hugging the princess just as she had Mai. "Thanks Azula! I knew you'd say yes!"

.o.O*O.o.