Chapter Seven

"Princess?... Azula? Can you hear me?" The ghost asked again. She ignored it. Her head was itchy. She wished her arms weren't bound to her sides so she could scratch it. Apparently they shaved her head yesterday after she began tearing her hair out. She didn't remember that. They must be lying.

The ghost reached out and touched her face. It was soft. Warm. Are ghosts warm? It didn't matter.

"I wish you would talk to me Azula... Or anyone really. It's been almost three months and you haven't said a word. Mai acts like she doesn't care but I know she's scared too."

Mai? What's that? Who is that? It didn't matter. "I'll come back tomorrow. And the day after. I'll keep coming back until you talk to me 'Zula." The ghost said, floating away from her.

"I...I love you Azula. Even after everything you did. Everything you did to me. I'm not giving up on you, I promise." The pink apparition disappeared then, sure to return.

What had she ever done to a ghost?

It didn't matter.

...

"Azula? Princ- I mean, Lady Azula? You still with me?" Kuvira asked, glancing up from the Pai Sho board in front of them.

"Hmm? What's that dear?" The former princess asked finally, her glazed eyes becoming sharp and alert once more.

"I said it's your turn. Are you alright?"

"Oh it's nothing child, just lost in thought." Azula replied, absentmindedly pushing a tile forward, securing Kuvira's last piece and beating her soundly for the eight time in a row.

"You know, my uncle Iroh sat with me two or three times a week, every week for years while I was in prison. Of course that was only after I stopped trying to bite everyone who entered my cell. Well, everyone except... Ah, nevermind." She said chuckling slightly.

"Anyways, we would sit and play for hours, drinking tea. I never gained the undying love of the drink he'd hoped for, but I did become a Pai Sho master after some time. So, maybe you'll actually be able to beat me one of these days." Her eyes twinkled as she smiled at the metal bender before her. Just then a knock sounded at the door, and without awaiting invitation it opened, Korra stepping in a moment later.

"Oh! Azula, I'm sorry, I didn't know you were here." Korra said, embarrassed by her lack of manners.

"No need to apologize Avatar, I was about to leave anyways. Besides, had Kuvira and I played another round I would have surely destroyed her for all time." The elderly regent said, her laughter split between lighthearted and something... Dark.

"See you in a few days Great Uniter. Korra." She said, nodding to each before taking her leave. As soon as the door closed, Kuvira rose to her feet and pulled Korra into a hug. The Avatar returned it immediately but something was off. Her arms were stiff and heavy, and she pulled away much sooner than she usually would Kuvira noted.

"Odd woman isn't she?" Kuvira asked, nodding at the door. "But I can't deny she's growing on me... Korra? Everything alright?"

"Y-yeah. Yes. I just- we need to talk about a few things and... I uh. Well-"

"Korra." Kuvira said pointedly, folding her arms. "Spit it out."

"...I slept with Asami last night."

...

Little tease of an Azula prequel story I plan to write at some point. Please review