Ty Lee sniffed as she was now sitting in front of a little fire place. A cup of tea in her hands and a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. Both of which were supposed to help her calm down.
Around the fire were the entire team looking deeply concerned as Ty Lee swallowed.
"Okay. Slowly now." Zuko tried. "What happened?" he asked. "How did you get here?"
"I… I…" Ty Lee hiccuped. "I don't even know where to begin."
"It's usually best to just start from the beginning." Aang said. "It tends to make things a lot easier."
Ty Lee glanced up at Aang. Clearly she still looked confused about what to do, now she was sitting right next to the Avatar.
"Take your time." Katara said.
Ty Lee inhaled a deep breath then exhaled. "I suppose… It kind of begun at Ba Sing Se." she said. "Azula… Won that battle. And yet… She didn't." she said. "Azula had been send to the earth kingdom with just one mission. To capture Prince Zuko and Prince Iroh. The fire Lord doesn't tolerate failures… And while Azula did manage to take Iroh and Ba Sing Se as a bonus. That is still considered a failure and the fire lord wasn't happy." she chewed her lip. "I followed Azula back to the earth kingdom after that… She wasn't acting like herself at all. She's… I don't know… Sick." she said. "She started to lash out at anything that just looked at her wrong. Yelled at soldiers when we couldn't find you guys.. Burned down everything and she… I heard her talking in her tent." Ty Lee whispered. "Azula she is… Talking to people who aren't there. Sometimes yelling at them. Even screaming." she said. "I heard her yell at her mother and then when I checked the tent after she left… there was no one there! She isn't well. But I don't know what to do." Ty Lee sniffed.
"It's okay. You're doing good." Zuko said. "Drink some tea."
And Ty Lee lifted her cup to her lips and just gulped down tea before lowering it.
"I kind of thought if we just gave it time… It would become better." Ty Lee whispered. "But it only got worse and I was… I was really scared. She would lash out at Mai and I… hit Mai. Somehow though Mai didn't seem bothered by it." she said. "And then… We get a message from the fire nation that you had been spotted here. Which meant… Azula had been lead on a wild goose chase for weeks. She could not reveal her blunder to the fire lord. I think she's really afraid of his punishment." Ty lee admitted in a shiver. "So we came here and finally found clues. We tracked you and… Now we found you and then… And then." The poor girl sniffed her eyes filling with water. "Azula accused Mai of being against her. She took Mais poison needle and used it against Mai! And then Azula ordered me to go find you guys and tell Zuko he needs to come meet Azula alone. And if he doesn't come alone. She'll kill Mai! She'll slit her throat!" and she burst out crying again.
"It's okay." Katara put an arm around Ty Lee. "Thank you for telling us everything. You helped us a lot."
And Ty Lee cried into Kataras chest.
"Oh Agni." Zuko rubbed his forehead. "This is bad."
"You can't go meet Azula alone Zuko. Clearly it's a trap!" Sokka stated.
"I know!" Zuko said. "Azula lies. Azula always lies. But I can't leave Mai! Mai risked her life to save me!"
"You're saying Azula has been talking to her mother right?" Katara asked Ty Lee. "Zuko you lost your mother when you were ten. Isn't that right?" she asked.
"Yeah." Zuko said. "Azula was just eight…"
"It's not just her mother she has been speaking to." Ty Lee whispered. "It's also the fire lord. She has been shouting that she isn't like Zuko… That she wont do mistakes like Zuko."
"Sounds like she really is afraid of him." Aang whispered.
Zuko closed his eyes. "Azula knows what Ozai will do when someone fails him. She watched him burn me… She was there when I got banished. As far as she knows. If she makes any mistake like I did. He'll treat her the same way he treated me… And I don't think that's a far fetched assumption at all."
"Then why is she acting like that?!" Sokka asked. "She must know Ozai is bad right? So why does she follow his orders?"
"Because he's her father and she wants him to love her." Zuko swallowed. "Like I wanted him to love me…. It's first now I realized for sure. That Ozai never loved anyone and he never will. Azula she… She uses fear to control people. But what else would you expect her to do? It's the only thing Ozai taught her." he said.
"That totally doesn't excuse her actions though." Toph snorted.
"I know! I know." Zuko huffed. "I'm trying to figure this out okay? I know it's messed up but she's still my sister!" he hissed as he grabbed his hair. "My little sister of all things! And clearly she's sick. And maybe she always was… and I just don't know! And Mai might be in pain. She might even be dying! What do we do?!" he asked.
"I did read some scrolls." Katara whispered. "About people hearing voices of people whom just aren't there… It was speculated that it was spirits talking to them. But I sincerely doubt this is it."
"Mai called it paranoid." Ty Lee whispered. "Azula is acting completely paranoid. And on the same time she doesn't want anybody to think she's weak so… She burns everything."
Zuko closed his eyes as his head lowered. "We have to stop my sister and it has to be now." he said. "She's burning everything in her path and hurting who ever just happens to stand in her way." then he looked up. "Will you help me?" he asked.
"Of course we will." Aang said without hesitating.
"You didn't even need to ask." Katara smirked.
"Let's kick some butt." Toph slammed a fist into her hand.
"I would really like some pay back." Sokka grinned.
Wide-eyed Ty Lee looked among all of them and then swallowed. "I'll help too." she said and they turned to her. "Please." she asked. "Mai is… Mai was there for me! She was my only real friend. And Azula just tried to kill her. Like that." she sniffed. "Please let me help!" she asked. "I promise I wont double cross you! I just want to help Mai!"
Everyone looked at her and then. Aang smiled.
"It would be great having your help. You're super skilled." Aang said.
"Re-Really?" Ty Lee asked.
Zuko sighed deeply. "Yeah. These guys are idiots." he said. "They are all about being friends with everybody they meet."
"Hey that's not true. Not every body." Sokka said.
"It's just called giving people the benefit of doubt." Katara lectured. "Which you should be pretty thankful for Zuko."
Zuko smirked.
"Also I am a human lie detector. I know Ty Lee wasn't lying." Toph stated.
"I honestly never thought you were a bad person." Aang told Ty Lee sincerely. "Though I didn't really know why you would be with Azula."
"Because I…." Ty Lee halted and she glanced down. "Because she would burn down the circus I worked for if I refused."
There was deep silence as they all looked at Ty Lee.
"Oh." Was all Sokka could say.
"I didn't want it." Ty Lee said. "I was friends with Azula when we were kids and then… I couldn't take it any more. So I ran away with the circus. To the earth Kingdom. I was with them for nearly three years when Azula came and she…" she sighed deeply.
"You left the fire nation?" Zuko asked. "I… I didn't know."
"I couldn't take it any more." Ty lee admitted. "Azula tricked Mai and I to… To watch that awfull Agni kai where you." she looked up at Zuko. "I'm sorry." she glanced away.
"It's okay." Zuko assured. "In a really odd way. I ended up being pretty glad it happened. I wouldn't be who I am today if it weren't for that Agni Kai and I… I finally like who I am so." Zuko hesitated. "Turns out it's easier to not care about what the fire lords thinks about you when you actually like yourself." he commented in a helpful smile. "Seriously you got nothing to apologize for Ty Lee."
Stunned Ty Lee looked at Zuko. "How can you… Are you really Zuko?" she asked. "You're not… At all like Azula or Ozai."
"You thought I would be more of the same huh?" Zuko asked.
"Well I… Kind of." Ty Lee admitted as she blushed deeply.
"Maybe I would have been." Zuko said sincerely. "But I learned better."
"So you think… That maybe Azula can.." Ty Lee swallowed. "You know… learn too?"
"I… Don't know." Zuko said in a quiet tone. "I don't know if she can become better. Sadly all I do know is that she needs to be stopped."
"I know." Ty Lee sniffed. "I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault." Zuko assured.
"Heh, I get it now. Why all those people would be standing up for you." Ty Lee sniffed.
"Oh… That's good. I mean." Zuko hesitated. "Honestly I don't really know why. So maybe you could tell me. I don't really get it myself."
Ty Lee couldn't help but chuckle into her hand.
"Oh here! Me me! Let me tell you!" Sokka reached up a hand.
"Do I even want to?" Zuko asked in a groan.
"Stupidly honest. Can't lie to safe your own life." Sokka started to count fingers. "Have that entire awkward thing going on. It suckers people right in. Actually give a crap about others and their feelings. And I guess you can be kind of badass sometimes. Standing up for your principles and stuff like that."
"Were those… Compliments?" Zuko asked.
"Certified Sokka compliments." Sokka grinned. "Though ones I have actually managed to practise with swords for eight years I will be better than you."
"Sure. Ring me up by then and prove it." Zuko commented dryly only for Sokka to slap his hand on his knee.
"Deal!"
"Hihi." Ty Lee giggled. "You're funny."
"No he's not. He's really not." Zuko stated.
"I'm hilarious and you know it." Sokka proclaimed. "Also something else I am a master off. Plans!" he clasped his hands together. "Sounds to me that what we need is a plan!"
"And we need to act quick as possible. The sooner we rescue Mai the better." Zuko said.
Sokka nodded now looking more serious. "Of course." he said. "Don't worry Ty Lee! You're with us now. We'll figure this out."
"Thank you." Ty Lee smiled then glanced up as she looked at Sokka. "And maybe afterwards… We could learn to know each other a little better. You know?"
Sokka looked at Ty Lee. "Just to be clear. I have a girl friend."
"Oh okay! Let's be friends then." Ty Lee said. "Honestly I think I could use some of those more right now anyway."
"You're at the right place then." Aang smiled. "I love making new friends!"
And Ty Lee smiled, finally looking honestly happy and somewhat at ease.