I always have a lot of fun sneaking those little callbacks to the canon. They are so much fun. :P
And thanks again. Attire is usually tricky for me because I'm not big into fashion and don't know what each article of clothing is called if that makes sense. So I try to focus on the patterns and colors instead. Lol, gotta sprinkle in some of those little comedy moments, makes it more fun.
Yeah, Yoona's making a lot of progress herself. And I can't wait to type the Ember Island bits. Ursa and Azula have come a long way now that they've kind of realized that they have more in common than they expected. I feel like they would make a great mother-daughter duo in canon and I really hope that it happens. And of course Azula has to express that she loves Sokka lmao. He's always fawning over her so she needs to do the same a little.
I wasn't sure what I was gonna do with Xanu and this seemed like a good place to put hi back in. His motivations are going to be uncovered a bit later. He saw her drunk a lot so I assumed that it would make sense that he knew that weakness and would exploit it. Once again, thanks so much. I really had fun bringing up the old more cunning Azula. That side of her is a bit tougher for me to write as I am more of a Zuko in fighting style; kind of impulsive and just no planning a head lol. But somehow this plan with her just kind of came naturally. Oh yeah, Azula may be redeemed, but she's still got her spark and power.
Honestly I missed writing sassy drunk Azula...and putting Sokka in awkward situations. That's always fun.
Azula hadn't felt such aches in such a long time. The pounding in her head was dull and mild, almost ignorable. She felt lethargic in a very vague sense. For her troubles she hoped that her mother would at least come back with Wire in tow. Azula squinted against the rays of sun that broke through the parts in the curtains. Each minor beat in her head brought with it a generous jab of guilt until she was overcome with a sense of failure and sorrow. She racked her fingers through her hair, so much for staying sober. The sickly feeling twisting her stomach had little to do with her brief indulgence. She covered her eyes with her hands and gripped at her hairline.
"You alright?" Sokka asked, she wished he had woken sooner.
"I don't know." She replied dejectedly, probably giving him the impression that she wasn't at all okay. She pulled herself into a sitting position, rubbing the weariness out of her eyes.
Massaging her shoulders he inquired, "how do you always manage to get yourself into trouble like this?"
"Because I still have a drinking problem." Azula spat bitterly. "I've been fine for months but I…" She couldn't quite bring herself to admit out loud that she had messed it up. That she had ruined her perfectly clean streak.
"I think you're past that now, wouldn't ya say?" Sokka laughed. She narrowed her eyes and offered his arm a hefty punch. He wasn't taking this seriously and she wasn't in the mood for it. "I'm serious." He grumbled as he rubbed the now tender spot on his bicep. "You're fine. You can have a drink every now and again, just don't overdo it is all." He gave a reassuring smile.
"I already did." Momentarily forgetting about the throbbing behind her eyes, she let herself drop back onto the mattress, amplifying the sensation. "I have a problem."
"Do you want another?" Sokka asked.
"What?"
"Do you want another drink?" He repeated.
"No." Azula replied but a part of her did, very much. She had gotten a taste of what she'd lost and by all means a part of her did want it back. "Not particularly."
"Well then…" he trailed off. He didn't understand. It wasn't that simple by any means.
"I almost had another glass, you know." She replied.
"But you didn't."
She supposed that, that counted for something. She liked to think that it did. Even still she was left with a vague impression that she had done something wrong. The taste of alcohol that still lingered in her mouth was mixed with the sour taste awful events usually left.
.oOo.
Sokka wandered the palace listening to whispers and seeking news. Xanu's arrest had sparked much of that. Among the whispers he was displeased to hear theories that the Fire Lord was slipping again and that she had arrested the man in a bought of unfounded paranoia or in an embarrassingly intoxicated stupor. He hoped to see that gossip out and hoped just as furiously that it wouldn't bother the woman they spoke of.
He knew he ought to get packing; hours before Azula had announced that Ursa had been very persuasive with Wire's mother and they'd be leaving for Ember Island shortly. But he had to know what Xanu's goal was. He was astonished that Azula herself wasn't in the man's cell prying for answers. But then she was rather sluggish that morning and, if he dared say so, moody. Which wasn't an optimal state for an interrogation. But wanting to go to Ember Island at a time like that? He wondered if she was underestimating the situation or if she was eager to put some distance between she and the danger.
He joined the rest of the gang for lunch. He thought briefly—more out of habit than anything else—that he shouldn't be leaving Azula alone. But he had to trust her, if she needed him she would make her way to him.
"Are any of you coming to Ember Island with us?" Sokka asked.
"Hell yeah!" Toph shouted. "I've been meaning to practice my sandbending."
Katara cocked her head, "since when?" And to Sokka, "A trip to Ember Island sounds nice."
"Good, I was hoping you would come." Sokka smiled.
"It'll be nice after everything that's happened." She agreed. "I think it'll be a good place to talk things over some more."
Sokka nodded.
"I just got back." Zuko said his piece. "I think I have to pass this time. At least one Fire Lord has to be watching the palace."
"I was also going to stay behind and keep Zuko entertained." Aang noted.
"What about Ursa and Iroh, will they be joining us?" Sokka asked.
"No, uncle's heading back to Ba Sing Se to check on his tea shop." Zuko took a bite of a croissant. "Mother is occupied at the moment." The way he said it, made Sokka shiver.
"She's with Xanu isn't she?" Sokka asked.
Reluctantly Zuko replied, "she thinks that he went after Azula to get back at her for something, not because he had anything against Azula in particular." He paused. "I hope that's all it is, if not then he might be in league with Ozai."
"He might also be mad that Azula kicked him in the nuts. Apparently, it's a long story." Sokka suggested. But before anyone could laugh he squinted and asked, "why would Ozai go after Azula?"
"Because she's the Fire Lord and she hasn't used the power to free him yet. That's my guess anyways, I don't know what goes on in his head. I don't want to either."
"If you find out anything…"
"You'll be the first to know Sokka." Zuko finished. "Second actually, Azula will be the first to know."
.oOo.
Ember Island was a miasma of elegant and exotic scents and sounds. Banana and mango weaved in and out of coconut. Various birds cawed away intermingling with the chitter and chirps of hog-monkies. The surrounding jungle was a myriad of enchantingly foreign sounds and sights. Azula savored it. It had been so long since she'd ventured to the beach. With a balmy breeze fluttering her locks and carrying the sweet scents to her, she felt at ease. It was a lovely break from the frantic business and political circus of the palace—no wonder Zuko had fled here—and this time she hadn't the burden of pure escapism on her mind. No, she was there in good company and seeking more of it, a thought that soothed even further. She was almost able to put it out of her mind that she had let herself slip some. Even if Sokka disagreed, she still felt a tinge of guilt for having taken the first drink in the first place. She trekked over the sand where it met the water. It felt dazzlingly strange to be back near the vacation home she never thought she'd use again.
Upon re-entering there was an air of warmth that had been absent for so long. She tossed her towel over the balcony railings where it flapped in the wind. She was glad that she decided to take a day there instead of heading right over to Chan's.
"Here, have a rock." Toph offered.
"Why do I need a rock?" Azula asked.
Toph plucked the rock onto the towel with such a snarky wrist flick, Azula was nearly impressed. "So your towel doesn't make like Sokka and transport itself across the ocean."
"I hate you." Sokka muttered.
"He loves me." Toph whispered to Azula.
They all needed this, the Fire Lord decided to herself. And if all went as planned she would be tackling two problems at once; she'd bring Wire, Yoona, and Khoza back to the rest of their friends and make good with Chan while getting Sokka reacquainted with the ocean. She truly hoped that for once things would go as seamlessly as they used to.
A gust of wind rattled shell-made windchimes. Such a soft and lulling melody. Azula propped her arms on the railing and peered out at the tropical-scape before her.
