"Well you must be the unfortunate friend that no one cares about. Am I right? That's how they accidentally left you behind." The Princess looked at me as I was tied down in a chair. The bindings hurt they were so tight. That expressionless girl had tied them, without a single word. The Princess was alone with me in that room, questioning me. Although she wasn't really asking for answers to much of anything important.
"They'll come for me if that's what you want to know. Two of them care about me."
"Let me guess. The Avatar, since you're an air nomad, and the little blind girl? That's how you came to join their team? You're friends with her." She looked me up and down and then smiled. I just looked her dead in the eye and ignored her comment.
"Won't talk I see? How about I take off those bindings and then we talk?" Her eyes didn't portray betrayal, but what did I know these days? I nodded slowly and she approached. She cut the ropes all the way down the middle and backed away.
"There more comfortable dear?"
"What do you want from me?" She laughed a bit.
"I don't really want anything. It's not like I really think you'll have any information that would really be useful. You just joined their group and clearly they don't have much use for you if you could be left behind so easily." I looked at the ground sadly.
"You're right. I can't teach Aang anything he doesn't already know."
"You know I'm really intrigued by you. You're that girl who saw me in the woods right?"
"Yes I saw you and that girl. The acrobat."
"Why didn't you run the other way like a good little girl?"
"Maybe I was intrigued." Her eyebrow raised.
"What's your name girl?"
"It's polite, even in the Fire Nation, to introduce oneself before asking the name of another. That cannot have changed in the hundred years I was gone."
"Azula. Princess Azula. Now give me your name."
"Elyon."
"Now, Elyon, why were you intrigued exactly?"
"I've never liked boys. Not even when I was younger. I thought that I was alone, that I was some kind of freak. My initial reaction when I saw you two was to back away. But then I saw you two and I had to look. I had to know I'm not alone."
"Well Ty Lee likes boys. She just likes me more. But you're right I suppose you're not alone. I've never liked a boy. Not since I was little."
"That's a relief." I sighed feeling happy.
"So you like the blind girl don't you?" My head jolted up and she laughed, "I knew it. You should work on how transparent your emotions are."
"Is it that obvious?"
"Probably not to her I mean she is blind."
"I can't tell her. She's only twelve."
"I've liked Ty Lee since we were children. And I mean SMALL children. But I still haven't told her. As a matter of fact, I'm not going to tell her. Not ever. I don't even know why I'm telling you."
"But you have to tell her you love her."
"No I don't. I keep her with me by fear alone. She could never love me back. She's just satisfied with making out with me in the woods every now and then. I can't make her stay without fear. And telling her I love her would make me appear soft. And I can't do that."
"Well I think you should try it. I'm sure there are ways to erase her memories if it doesn't go as you planned. I know she would probably love to see your emotional side."
"Ty Lee has hundreds of boys at her every beck and call because she's beautiful. She doesn't need another doting puppy."
"Loving someone doesn't change who you are. You would still be your angry Princess self. And it wouldn't be like the others because there's only one you Azula." The door slowly creaked open.
"I thought I said NO interruptions!" Azula ground out. The acrobat shyly poked her head in. Azula's face lightened slightly, though not much.
"I'm so sorry Azula but the captain says that there is a problem that needs your attention immediately. I told him you wouldn't like it you know but-"
"Ty Lee that is quite enough dear. I'll deal with him. Don't let her out of your sight." Azula stormed out of the room and slammed the door behind her. The girl looked me up and down and then sat on the floor.
"However do you get your braids like that?" I smiled, looking at her wonder filled eyes.
"Toph does them. I was never really talented at braiding my hair, no matter how many times I did it. Toph is blind yet she is so much better than I. Her own hair always looks spotless."
"That's how Azula is. Not a hair out of place. She used to do my hair when we were little. But Azula doesn't have the time anymore to do my hair but she has time to-"
"Kiss you in the woods?" Her face turned bright red.
"You're that girl who saw us?" Her voice was full of wonder.
"Don't worry I haven't told anyone but Toph. And I didn't know either of your names until now so you shouldn't fret."
"Well it made me a bit happy that someone saw us like that. We can't tell anyone. Mostly because 'Zula won't let me. I would love to hold her hand in public. But if I tried she'd probably send a lightening bolt at me." I smiled, imagining this poor girl running for her life.
"Well I'm glad that I at least made you happy. That eases my guilt a bit. I got the feeling that Azula was very angry with me."
"That's just her voice silly! She acts like she's angry at everyone. I think she's just normally annoyed! If she was actually angry you would know. She actually found it really amusing. That's the only reason she mentioned it to me at all."
"I have no idea how you can tell with her sour disposition." Ty Lee smiled, as though she were totally oblivious to all of her "friends" shortcomings. She did not seem at all bothered by anyone saying things about her partner either. She seemed to just accept her and like her for who she was.
"May I ask you a question Ms. Ty Lee?" She flipped up to do a handstand.
"Of course you may!" She put all of her weight onto one hand carefully.
"Are you afraid of Azula?"
"Of course not! Deep inside she's just... a big sugar cake! And a sweet one at that!"
"So then you love her?" She became startled and fell, "Oh my are you alright?" She sat up and rubbed her head for a moment.
"Of course I love her. But if I ever told she'd laugh at me. We've been told all our lives that true love is between a man and a woman. And no one drills that into their children more than Fire Lord Ozai. Azula was so afraid of being caught that she would only kiss me in secret at the academy or at my house in the broom closet." She smiled delightfully at her memories, "But you seeing us both relieved us." The door slid open. Ty Lee's attention went to the door immediately.
"Ty Lee, out. We're going to get the Avatar." The girl hopped up and tried to get past Azula in the doorway. Their bodies touched and Ty Lee's face lit with red. Azula smiled, her gaze following her out of the room.
"You'll stay here. If you escape, that is up to you. I have informed the guards not to bother stopping you. I don't need more leverage against the Avatar. I will have him in my grasp soon. I have no doubts about that. So get back to your little blind girl." The Princess strutted out of the room and I smiled. I ran towards the top of the ship. I was free, skidding down to the ground, flying as fast as the wind would take me. I didn't know where I was going so I followed the quiet girl, the slowest of the three.
"I thought when Ty Lee and I finally caught you guys, it would be more exciting. Oh well, victory is boring." I looked around for Toph, but it was just the two Water Tribe siblings. Aang was nowhere to be found, and I didn't know whether I should bother helping them or not. Sadly I found that I liked Azula and Ty Lee a lot more than those two. Not that I thought Azula wouldn't be rude to Toph as well, but she didn't really have the opportunity. I didn't have to act, because Appa sent a gust of wind at them, sending them back. I went towards the smoke as quickly as I could with my glider, hoping Toph was with Aang. When I got there I saw Azula and Aang, but no Toph. Was she alright? Had Katara driven her away?
"Alright you've caught up with me. Now, who are you and what do you want?"
"You mean you haven't guessed yet? Can't you see the family resemblance? Here's a hint," she covered one half of her face and continued in a deeper voice, "I must find the Avatar to restore my honor! It's okay, you can laugh. It's funny."
"So what now?"
"Now? Now, it's over. You're tired and you have no place to go. You can run but I'll catch you." She seemed so smug and secure. It was easy to see why people followed her, why Ty Lee almost worshipped her.
"I'm not running." I stood back as far as I could. I didn't want to be a part of this. I knew Aang always prefered one on one, instead of two on one. That would be unfair. And I had no desire to fight this girl. I had no desire to fight anyone. This wasn't what I wanted. I wanted to be with Toph. I wanted to hear her laugh as I put her hair up and we ran around, free as could be but without duties, without worries. That's what I wanted. She probably wasn't even looking for me she was so angry. Not that I knew. I knew they didn't capture her too, but I didn't know where she went.
"Do you really want to fight me?"
"Yes, I really do." Zuko appeared out of the alleyway and I couldn't believe that they looked so similar. She was more beautiful than he was, but I was partial to girls so I couldn't really be all that fair.
"I was wondering when you'd show up Zuzu."
"Zuzu?" Aang muffled his laughter.
"Back off, Azula. He's mine!"
"I'm not going anywhere." This was getting ridiculous. How many Fire Nation assholes could possibly want to get rid of Aang? How many friends, like Ty Lee and that other girl, or their Uncle, would get involved? This war was too much for me to handle. Sometimes, I wished I could have died that day, so long ago now. Finally, the scene unfolded in front of me, with Katara and Sokka appearing, along with the Fire Nation sibling's uncle, and then finally Toph. She didn't notice me as they all surrounded Azula. Was she really that powerful that she needed to be surrounded by this many benders?
"Well look at this, enemies and traitors, all working together. I'm done. I know when I'm beaten. You got me. A princess surrenders with honor." That didn't seem like her style. I was nervous just watching her. Azula smiled, and sent lightening right towards her uncle. It pierced his chest, and I heard the scream. Everyone tried to surround him to help, but Zuko wouldn't allow it.
"Get away from us!"
"Zuko I can help!" Silly Katara. The enemy doesn't want your help. If they make it clear they don't want it then don't give it to them.
"Leave!" He screamed, blasting an arc of fire. We all got away, leaving slowly. When we were a good distance away, almost back to Appa, Toph finally seemed to be more awake. Her face became excited, and she grasped onto me.
"Ellie! I was so worried about you! But I was so mad at everyone that I forgot that they took you and I'm so sorry-"
"It's fine Toph. I'm just glad you remembered." I was very happy that she hadn't completely forgot about me. When we got back, everyone made a makeshift camp and we all went to sleep. Toph curled up to me, her soft hair on my arm. And I was very content. I was starting to fall into slumber, when Toph whispered, "I'm so glad you're okay. I don't know what my life would be like without you." I smiled, and nuzzled into her hair.
"I don't know what I'd do without you Toph," I mumbled. I fell asleep smiling more than I had in awhile, mostly because now I knew I wasn't alone. That if I had feelings for Toph, it wouldn't be weird. Because there were two girls, not so different from us, who were in love but afraid to show it. But someday, if Toph returned my feelings, I wouldn't hide it. I would never hide it, not as long as I lived.
