"Wooow." Mai-Lin grinned as she twirled around herself. A dress with several layers of blue silk swirled all around her, gently caught in the wind. "How do I look?" she asked in a big grin.
"Really pretty." Makoto grinned as Mai-Lin had now been allowed to put on the dress of the dragon empress for the first time and was now grinning and giggling being allowed to wear this pretty dress in silk with real silver trimmings.
"Thank you!" Mai-Lin beamed. "You look really cool too." she informed as Makoto was standing, wearing a suite in dark blue silky materials.
"I am the dark water spirit!" Makoto proclaimed as she put the assigned mask over her face. "Check it out!" she twirled around herself and then squatted down.
"I can't wait till I get to try the dress on myself." Raiku beamed happily.
"You're going to love it. I just feel like an empress." Mai-Lin gasped.
"And you look it too." The fourth and final member of their group stated as Azula stepped out. Wearing a red silk suite. Long smooth boots going up to her knee. Golden linings. And the dragon emperor mask in her hand.
"Wooooow!" All three girls exclaimed.
Azula couldn't help but smirk at their admonishment and made a little twirl around for them to showcase the costume.
"Oh no it's going to be so hard to do our scenes now!" Mai-Lin exclaimed. "I was already kind of crushing on you! Too bad you're a girl." she chuckled.
Azula lifted an eyebrow.
"Wow Mrs Noriko did such a good job sewing that in." Makoto commented as she looked Azula over. "You can't even tell that costume was originally made for a man."
"You know it's funny. I never even knew mom knew how to sew." Azula said. "Then again neither did I know she used to be an actress! Or anything about her life before the palace really. I guess that's on me."
"Still super weird that Mrs. Noriko was actually Princess Ursa this whole time." Raiku commented. "I mean… She was always just so nice and… Normal!"
"I know." Makoto commented. "Then again… Imagine when we go on our tour and we'll try to tell anyone that by the way. Zara is actually Princess Azula. They'll never believe us."
Azula smirked slightly only to get the attention of the girls.
"Are you sure you don't want your real name on the poster?" Raiku asked. "They haven't been send to print yet. I think we can still change it."
"Oh absolutely!" Azula exclaimed. "If the name Princess Azula is on the poster, then everyone will feel obligated to come and praise the show to the skies no matter how crappy it is! This way we'll actually get peoples honest opinion and our achievements will be our own." she said. "Beside if my name is suddenly on a theater poster I just bet someone is going to tell Zuko. And I am not ready to see my brothers pitiful face right now."
"Right." Raiku nodded. "That makes sense…" she hesitated.
"I'm also trying to learn how to be a normal person you know." Azula said. "What is it normal people do? How can all of these peasants always look so happy. I'm trying to figure that out. So that's why I am Zara now. And you all address me as such."
The three girls side glanced at each other.
"We'll she's trying." Makoto said. "And I personally respect that!"
"I'm so glad we met." Mai-Lin beamed as she hugged Azula. "If not for you we wouldn't be putting on this play together! This is the most fun I ever had!" she said. "You totally had a point! Noren weren't going to cast any of us. But why let that stop us?! Just put on our own!" she beamed happily.
"Though it does help that Mrs Noriko is helping us out with costumes and Mr Noren is giving us some directorial advice." Raiku had to point out. "But yeah. Without Zara, it just wouldn't have happened."
Azula smiled lightly then looked down.
"What is it?" Makoto.
"My father…" Azula hesitated. "If he knew I was doing this… He would despise it." she admitted. "He would call it a waste of my time and talents and…" she looked away.
There was quiet.
"Well. You don't have to worry about him." Makoto said. "He's in prison right?"
Azula nodded. "I…. Been writing this new play lately." she then said. "Brand new. Original."
"Wow really?" Raiku asked wide-eyed. "That's so cool."
"It's funny. Writing it made me realize a few things." Azula admitted as she frowned. "It's kind of weird isn't it? Craving someones approval with every fiber of your being but also being scared to death of that person huh? Like the shadows daughter…"
Makoto blinked and then Azula picked up her backpack and then pulled up a scroll. "It's not perfect yet." she said. "Noren said that it's normal for plays to be re-written a couple of times and things can change while you put it up for the first time. Mom said it's okay it's not perfect." Azula frowned. "She also said she loved it and it didn't need to be changed… My mom is kind of weird." she rolled her eyes.
Makoto smiled as she accepted the scroll, seemingly recognizing it for what it was. "I'll read it as soon as I changed out of the costume." she said. "Let's meet up in the evening and talk about it."
Azula turned her head away. "It's probably trash." she hissed. "Why did I let mom talk me into this?" she asked in a groan.
"I want it after you're done Makoto!" Mai-Lin exclaimed. "Then I'll get it to Raiku!"
"Make it quick so I can read it before evening." Raiku asked in a sigh.
"We'll meet at my place!" Makoto stated. "I'll make us all Miso soup for dinner! How does that sound?"
"Awesome!" Raiku grinned.
Azula chewed her lip as her fists tightened… okay seriously. Why had she let Ursa talk her into this?!
In the evening Azula was groaning. How could she have let this happen? Make an absolute fool out of herself! Look weird and weak.. Urgh.
Still there was no fighting it as Azula headed or Makotos place just wanting to get this over with. As soon as she reached the small house the smell of miso was wafting through the air and it did sound indeed smell delicious. Finally Azula opened the door and walked in. "It's me! I'm here." she announced as she looked into the living room where three girls were already sitting at the dining table looking up.
Azula halted. Everyone was looking at her with wide eyes and Azula frowned. "What?"
"We…" Makoto halted. "We read your play."
Then suddenly Mai-Lin sniffed. "I cried the worst ugly tears." she said. And her voice broke.
Azula frowned. "Okay…" she hesitated.
"It was good." Raiku said. "Like… Really good!" she said.
"Oh." Azula blinked.
"Just need a moment to take it in." Makoto smiled a little apologetically. "But we have to put it up next season. I mean." she halted. "That is… If you're okay with that."
"Why wouldn't I be?" Azula asked. "If you say it's good. Unless you're lying to me." she narrowed her eyes.
"It really is good." Makoto assured. "It's just if you think it's too personal for people to see." she said. "This is about you and your dad isn't it?" she asked.
Azula halted. Then she looked down.
"Zara…" Mai-Lin slowly stood up, then walked towards Azula and grabbed her hand. "Thank you so much for telling us." she said. "I bet it wasn't easy."
Azula swallowed, then her eyes became misty. "It's just a play dumdum." she said turning her head away.
"It's not just a play is it?" Makoto asked as she stood up too. "Look. We'll make our version of love among dragons and if you still want to put it up after that. Then for sure!" she said. "We'll have people gasp in terror and cry ugly tears in their seats. It's that good." she said. "But I guess…. It's that good exactly because it's… You know. That personal."
Azula quieted and then she swallowed. "My father..." she whispered. "I didn't even realize anything was wrong." Azula suddenly blurted and her voice broke. "Of course I had to be perfect! I'm a princess! It seemed obvious. You know." she cried. "I was the one who failed. I screwed up." and she cried. "He burned Zuko because Zuko failed him! So I just had to make sure not to. Right?" she asked.
"That's so messed up." Makoto said. "No father should ever be like that with his kids."
"Fear brings discipline." Azula hiccuped. "He made sure that people feared him so they would do right! The fire nation and especially its princess needed to have discipline! Weakness had to be burned out of Zuko… So I had to make sure I wasn't weak. Just look at me… all weak and broken." she said almost hysterically.
The girls though just formed around Azula and embraced her.
"Why are you all like this?" Azula asked in a whisper. "My mother is my mother… You don't have to. I'm pathetic."
"Seriously?" Makoto asked. "You're anything but pathetic." she said. "You hungry?" she asked and Azula slowly nodded. "Good! I made plenty of food." she said as they all lead Azula to the table and as Azula sat down she looked down at the scroll laying open in front of her.
She read the lines she had written herself.
"Father. For a thousand years I have fulfilled every task. Surely one mistake can be forgiven."
"No. One mistake leads to the next. It is unforgivable. If I do not teach you your lesson now. It will be to late… So kneel before me. Let me teach you humility as suffering shall be your teacher!"
Azula blinked away her tears as she moved down to the last scene and the last dialogue between the Shadow spirits daughter and Agni.
"Far I have traveled and been taught a cruel lesson. The lesson that the shadow spirit have no love in his heart. Not for the humans who lives in this world and less for his daughter. There is no escape in the world of man. Please great spirit Agni. Take me in your embrace. Take me away."
"You do realize in my realm there is only light and no shadow. Where I go no shadow can exist."
"That is what I am counting on great Agni. Take me there, to the only place where the great shadow spirit, my father. Can never reach me."
"You are a shadow."
"I am aware. Sun spirit Agni."
"Then come. Let me embrace you and let us leave this world."
Azula had to admit… She had cried herself while she had written that. And now it hit her again. Maybe Makoto was right, she shouldn't put her own feelings on display like that… Or at least. Not yet.
It was fine though. They were doing their version of Love among dragons first and it was going to be great! Then… Who knew?