"Well, I'm back! What do you think, Azula?"
Flinching slightly, the girl stiffened and focused her bright gold eyes on her parent. Her voice was perfectly neutral.
"You bleached your hair, Dad? Again?"
Having entered the living room of the sumptuous two-storey mansion, the big man shrugged and accepted the drink handed to him by one of the maids. A minute gesture had the servants flocking to collect his purchases in order to open boxes and arrange the contents for his pleasure. The man ran a large hand through his newly bleached bangs, causing muscles to flex and ripple.
"Well, Azula! I enjoy looking my best. Besides, once you've passed forty, there really is no tomorrow. You just ride the road of no return. Better look good doing it."
He sipped his drink, obviously enjoying the taste of something that had fermented 40 years just for his personal enjoyment. Sinking down into the lush leather embrace of a huge high backed armchair, he regarded his only daughter with a quarter of a frown.
"What's that? What did you just say?"
Ignoring the slightly aggressive tone, the girl turned away with a minute headshake and loaded a laptop into her largish designer bag.
"Nothing. You do you, Dad. Blond hair is totally your style. Completely. No one does it better."
She was busying herself with tying the shoelaces of her red metallic sneakers. Tilting his head slightly, her father leaned back to finger his square chin as if fondling a non-existent beard. A second drink had appeared in his hand as if by magic.
"You know Azula, I think you're getting a little thick in the waist area. Have you been overindulging in fire flake noodles again? Why, I explicitly told you to stay away from carbs. As my daughter, you really need to stay in perfect shape. You don't want to shame the family brand name, do you?"
Well, you already did that, didn't you? You…
Securing her long black hair into a topknot, the girl hastily inspected her long, lean legs. As far as she could tell, the rigorous training regimen just kept making her stronger, faster, better. The tight sleeveless training outfit fit her perfectly. As her eyes travelled down automatically to inspect her stomach, she checked herself and turned the neutral gold gaze on her father.
"Well, I finished all my classes for today. Your session starts in less than an hour, doesn't it? Let's go." She rose decidedly, pulling on her red metallic leather jacket.
Her father's eyes narrowed. "No. Today's been very busy. I'm not going. I deserve a break."
Azula's golden eyes widened. "But-"
Her father stopped her with a tiny gesture. Inspecting his phone, he smiled and hit the send button with a wicked smirk. He took his time sipping his drink.
Losing her cool, Azula rose to glare at him. She was fighting visibly to stifle a violent reaction.
"Dad! What the h… What in Agni's name is up? We need to leave, this very minute! We're going to be late!"
Pushing his newly bleached hair out of his face, her father shook his head.
"No, Azula. You need to leave, in fact about five minutes ago. It won't do to be late for your first session as head trainer. Now, off you go."