Stupor
By Nikkel
(c) to Nickelodeon, Michael Dante DiMartino, and Bryan Konietzko
"Oh, don't worry about it, you baby," Azula sneered, holding the little wooden cup of sake. Ty Lee stared into her own cup, uncertain if she should drink it or not. "It's not going to hurt you. It's fun."
"I don't know, Azula... This just seems really wrong to me..." Ty Lee replied, her eyes shifting to the clear bottle sitting between them. "Don't you think your dad will notice it's missing?"
"Nah. He's probably already sitting in his chair drunk outta his mind. Now c'mon, drink it."
"Well... Okay. Bottom's up." Ty Lee tilted the wooden cup to her lips and instantly her insides were on fire. Tears welted in her eyes and she felt like her chest was going to explode. She keeled over and coughed, clutching her stomach in pain. "Oh Agni! It burns! Help me, Azula!"
But Azula didn't. Instead, she cracked up, laughing as hard as Ty Lee was coughing. "This is too funny! You should see how red your face is, hahaha!"
CRASH! THWOOM! BOOM!
Azula instantly stopped laughing and clapped a hand over Ty Lee's mouth. Down the corridor, it sounded like a most terrible monster was ravaging the palace, shouting and demanding and setting things on fire. Azula froze, listening for several seconds at the rampage going on just outside her door. Ty Lee sat up and wiped her lip.
"What's going on?" she asked. Azula's eyes were wide with such fear that Ty Lee had never seen before. Azula was even slightly shaking.
Azula didn't meet Ty Lee's eyes. She dumped the sake in her wooden cup back into the bottle, popped in the cork, and hid the two cups beneath her bed. She picked up the bottle, tiptoed out the door, and left.
Suddenly, Ty Lee understood, and Azula didn't have to say anything at all.