Sometimes it's incredible just how fast time can fly by. It had been months but Azula had barely even noticed.

Each and every day she had been busy with all sorts of things! Practicing lines and fighting choreography. Teaching her friends these basic stands and movements.

Building props. Making the stage ready. Fitting costumes. Write down ideas for new different plays. Eat dinners and sweets with the girls.

Such thing as royalty, palaces, brothers, avatars and anything else couldn't be further from Azulas mind. She hadn't even been thinking of Zuko ever since that evening where she had finally told Ursa about how Zuko had turned out and Ursa had hugged her.

That was quite a while ago now.

Ursa was happy too. At first she had been nervous standing on stage again but soon enough she embraced it. And as Azula watched Ursa practice it was so obvious that Ursa enjoyed it.

Norens eyes were shining as well as he watched her wife seemingly regaining some of her former confidence and cast away all the things which had burdened her so much in the past.

Azula had always known her mother was a beauty above the average of people. But she had to admit as Ursa took the stage and spread out her arms pleading to the audience. She was the embodiment of the dragon empress herself.

Graceful, elegant, strong.

And then finally the big day had arrived. The big main performance opened first in the evening.

The show took place while the sun was slowly going down and torches were turned on around the stage as people settled.

Azula naturally met up with her own friends in tow and took a seat in front. Barely had Azula sat down though before a five year old came running. "Can I sit with you?!" Kiyi asked.

Azula hesitated slightly.

"Of course." Makoto cut in before Azula got to answer and moved aside leaving an open seat between her and Azula allowing Kiyi to climb up and then she sat there grinning while dangling her feet.

Azula narrowed her eyes.

"This must be so exciting for you." Makoto smiled. "Your mom on the big stage! And tomorrow your sister."

"Do you think I can be on stage too?!" Kiyi asked. "Everyone seems to have so much fun!"

"When you are a little older. I don't see why not." Makoto chuckled.

"I want to be the dragon emperor like Azula!" Kiyi exclaimed. "That role seems more fun!"

Azula smirked. "So you have some sense Kiyi."

"I want to be the one to cut down that dark water spirit! Hiyah!" Kiyi cut down her hand and Azula snorted.

"You'll need a bit more force little one." Azula commented as she ruffled up Kiyis hair. "But with training who knows. I started my training when I was your age."

Kiyi gaped. "You can teach me how to fight?!" she asked.

Azula smirked. "Perhaps. We are half siblings so you ought to have some potential."

"TEACH ME!" Kiyi asked as she reached up her arms.

"We'll see." Azula said as she crossed her legs. "I will be busy the next two months you know."

And Kiyi grinned all over her face as if Azula had already agreed and then finally they had to quiet as the sungi horn player started to play signaling the beginning of the play and the dragon emperor entered the stage.

It was a roaring success. People were on their feet clapping and Ursa was smiling all over her face as she stood on the stage bowing.

"Your mom is so good." Mai-Lin swallowed. "I almost forgot she wasn't the real dragon empress."

"She had a lot of practice." Azula smirked. "When I was a kid she would read out loud and act out Love among dragons for me and my brother. All the time."

And Mai-Lin swallowed.

As the actors finally got to leave the stage Ursa finally came running down and then just hugged both Azula and Kiyi close as she ones again cried her eyes out.

"Mom." Azula sighed deeply.

"I'm just… So happy." Ursa sniffed as she was crushing Azula in her hug. "Thank you Azula. For talking me into it."

"I didn't do anything mom." Azula rolled her eyes but smiled lightly as she shook her head.

The next day at noon it was time for Azulas group to put up their own play, a different version. The seats had started to be filled in. Azula was putting on her costume… But then she realized… Mai-Lin was missing.

Mai-Lin and Raiku was going to alternate playing the dragon empress that was the plan. And Mai-Lin was going to do it for this first performance. Last time Azula had seen her she had looked pale while trying to put on her dress and now she was gone.

Azula frowned as she turned to Makoto. "Have you seen Mai-Lin?" she asked.

Makoto halted. "I think maybe she just went to the bathroom… I mean what else could she be doing. We are starting in twenty minutes."

"It's a bit long for a bathroom break." Azula commented as she looked around. Then frowned as she walked outside looking around. "Mai-Lin?" she asked. "Have anyone seen Mai-Lin?" she asked as she walked around.

Azula walked around the stage and that was finally when she heard sobs and Azula halted. She stepped back and then had to bow down to look below the stage where she saw a young girl wearing the dragon empress dress all curled up and sniffing.

"Mai-Lin?" Azula asked. "What are you doing? We are going on in like fifteen minutes."

"I… I… I…" Mai-Lin gulped. "I'm sorry! I can't do this!" she burst out in tears.

"What do you mean you can't do it?" Azula asked. "We've been practicing for months. You know all your lines."

"But people will be watching now." Mai-Lin pointed out, looking horrified and slightly green. "And Mrs Noriko yesterday… She was so beautiful. How can I ever compare to that?!" she asked. "I'm not nearly as graceful as her! And now people will see it and they will know. And I will forget my lines and I will ruin everything! I'm so sorry!" she cried hysterically. "You worked so hard and now I'm the one ruining it! I just can't. I can't!"

Azula halted. Then she sat down with crossed legs as she looked at her crying friend trying to figure this out. She swallowed and then finally spoke. "You do know you wont be alone on stage right? You are going to share your scenes with me and… If you mess up I'll help you."

"You wont like it though." Mai-Lin hiccuped. "You want things to be perfect. And I can't do that."

Azula chewed her lip. "My mom keeps telling me I need to stop focusing on everything needing to be perfect." she then said and she swallowed. "It's erhm… It's what my father always demanded. The role of a Princess is to be perfect." she said. "And… For a while I was perfect. At least I think I was… But then I wasn't and I didn't know what to do anymore." she looked down. "And… I even hit you. But you forgave me, and have given me the best summer of my life. Even though I hurt you." she swallowed. "Please come out." she asked.

Slowly Mai-Lin looked up at Azula then she sniffed.

Then Azula offered Mai-Lin a hand and Mai-Lin gulped. But then finally reached out and accepted Azulas hand allowing Azula to pull her out and the two slowly stood up.

"You can do this Mai-Lin!" Azula stated grabbing her shoulders. "You really wanted this part! It's yours now. So you just need to own it."

Mai-Lin gulped as she nodded. "I'm really scared…" she whispered.

"We are all going to be there with you!" Azula pointed out. "It's going to be okay!"

Just then Raiku came running. "There you are! We are almost supposed to start." then she halted by the sight of them. "Are you okay?" she concerned asked as Mai-Lin clearly had red rimmed eyes.

"Ye-Yes." Mai-Lin sniffed as she wiped her tears away. "I just… I'm a bundle of nerves heh. I can't believe we are actually here doing this now."

Raiku smiled apologetically. "Yeah I know what you mean. I'm pretty nervous too."

"Really?" Mai-Lin asked and Raiku nodded. "And you Zara?" she asked Azula.

"Oh I'm not." Azula began then she halted. "Well maybe a little bit." she finally said. "I mean I did do the re-writes here."

And then suddenly Mai-Lin stepped forward to hug Azula in a tight hug making Azulas eyes widen until Mai-Lin let go. "Thank you." she whispered.

"Come on lets go!" Raiku shouted and the girls all nodded as they rushed back to the backstage.

Standing ovation… They also got a standing ovation and Azula was lost for breath as she stood on stage. Then the other three girls were there standing in a line all holding hands. They lifted their hands and then they bowed together.

Finally Mai-Lin screamed and they all jumped together for a big group hug just as Noren arrived with flowers for them just like he had done with the play the last evening.

Ones again as Azula had left the stage she was subjected to her kind of overbearing and oversensitive mother who never seemed to be running out of tears.

"I liked your version best!" Kiyi proclaimed to all four girls.

"Really?" Mai-Lin asked.

"Yeah! Yours had more fighting and action it was cool!" Kiyi said. "And I love that the dragon empress got to fight with a sword too! And deliver the killing blow! That was awesome!"

And Mai-Lin grinned all over her face.

"See what I told you?" Azula asked in a smirk. "Just listen to me! I'm always right."

And Mai-Lin laughed into her hand.

"I slipped up." Makoto sighed. "It wasn't perfect."

"A first performance rarely is." Noren informed. "Now we'll review your performance and talk about what you need to focus on the next time. That's how it works." he said. "And I must say for a first performance that was spectacular. Well done girls. You had people in awe let me assure you."

Azula nodded. "Almost perfect I have to say is pretty good."

And Ursa smiled. "It's amazing sweetheart." she said. "I'm so proud of you."

And Azula smiled lightly then allowed her mother to give her a hug again. There were worse things than having an overprotective mother who wants you to know that she loves you. Azula had to admit.