In the morning Zuko sends a servant to tell the family he's not feeling well enough to have breakfast with them. Ozai peers at the servant with disbelieving golden eyes. He looks over to Azula and she puts down her cereal bowl with hesitation. She goes to retrieve her brother.
She pushes his chamber doors enough for it to bang on the wall. She internally cringes at the sound but doesn't show it.
"Hey," she smiles and waves.
Zuko glares at her from his bed.
"Sorry about the possible dent on your wall," Azula shrugs.
He rolls his eyes. Azula frowns.
"Are you actually sick?" she gets closer and he nods. Azula rolls her eyes. He's a terrible liar. She flicks fire at him and he yelps. It dies before it can hit his face.
"Azula! Do-" he clamps his lips and Azula freezes.
"Your voice...oh dum-dum," she begins to giggle. "Your voice! It sounds cute. Puberty is finally here, huh," she sniggers and pokes his side.
He slaps her hand away. "Kill me," he groans.
"Gladly," Azula chirps. "You're turning into a teenager. I'm sure father will rejoice, Zuzu," she ruffles his hair.
"Oh, shut up. Tell dad I'm not feeling good. He'll believe you," Zuko begs.
"I don't know. What's in it for me?" Azula grins.
"Azula," there mother comes inside and Azula drops her hand. "Don't tease your brother."
"Hi," he squeaks.
Their mother sucks in her lips. Years of learning to keep a neutral face crumbles before their eyes. She sucks in a deep breath but snorts. Azula grins at the look of betrayal on Zuko's face.
"Moooooooom!" Zuko whines.
"Sorry. Sorry," she breathes. "I'm going to get your father."
"What! Why?"
She waves her hand at him. "There are things...he needs to talk to you about."
Azula can't stop laughing at Zuko's horrified expression. Their mother squeezes his shoulder. "Or I can do it. Zuko, puberty isn't fun for anyone," she starts and Azula takes a seat. She wants a front row seat to Zuko's misery. She's not laughing when her mom looks at her with amusement. "Your's won't be fun or gracious either. It'll be a confusing, melodramatic time. In fact, once you're my age you'll cringe at your early teenage years and all your dumb action will keep you up at night," she snorts.
"That's encouraging," Azula shakes her head. "Maybe this talk can wait till later. We have an important ceremony later. What're we going to do about his voice?" she pokes his neck and his shoulder go up making him look like a seal.
"Nothing. There's nothing wrong wi-" he huffs in frustration.
Azula inhales and sharply turns away. Don't laugh.
"You sound like the boys by my school!" she laughs.
"Boys talk to you!" Zuko growls and clears his throat.
"Unfortunately," Azula sighs. "Lu Ten already told me it was going to happen. People are attracted to power. You're homeschooled so the only people you talk to are mom and the servants," Azula jumps on his bed. She stops jumping at her mothers expression. "Sorry."
"Mai and Ty Lee are around you because their parents want power!" Zuko snaps and Azula kicks him. "OW!" He gets up and pulls her collar.
"Zuko! Azula! Enough!" their mother pulls them apart before they can start fighting. "Both of you. Sit down," she might not be born royalty but she can convey the voice. She rubs her face as they take a seat on the edge of the bed. She kneels in front of them and takes their hands. Azula doesn't like where this is going; vulnerable feelings territory. "Okay. Puberty talk later. Grown up talk now. You're old enough to need to hear this."
Zuko and Azula glance at each other. On one hand that tone doesn't sound good. On the other, it's about time they were treated like adults.
"My hearts, both of you will never have the luxury of having friends."
Azula blinks and shakes her head. Of all the things she expected, brutal honesty wasn't one of them.
"You get money and power. To compensate that the world gives Love and friendship to everyone else. Balance. You'll have allies and the world and have to make the best of it."
Azula frowns. She'd like all four.
"But-" Zuko's voice cracks.
"I love you both so much. I wish I could protect you and give you what you deserve but... Lu Ten is right."
Azula pulls her hand away. "We get it. We're pawns."
"Children shouldn't be pawns," their mother says with pity and sorrow. Azula raises her chin, feeling defensive. "Children shouldn't be pawns but it is what it is. Your grandfather is making you participate in this dang-" she sighs. "Mai and Ty Lee, there feelings are genuine. They've grown on you and you've grown to like them. Not everything is forced. Not everything was done because they were trying to please their parents. Take that into account," she tells Azula and then looks at Zuko. "You'll get your chance to make friends. Real friends. I promise you that."
Azula gets up. "I don't mind serving my family. Being played by another family does."
"Azula."
"I'm going to go tell dad about your voice," Azula says hotly to Zuko and leaves.
Always one to keep her word, she does tell their father. He goes to see Zuko, hears him give a sheepish greeting, and orders him not to say anything in public.
It was a two hour ride on ship to reach the fire temple. It went by slow and fast at the same time. Time is elusive when their father is throwing fire at their face and smacking them at any reaction. It's hard for Azula not to laugh at Zuko's flinch response. The thirty minutes they had left were used to get them family. Azula was dumped in a ice cold tub and she let out a string of vulgar words she's only heard from her grandfather. Azula shivered as the servants quickly patted her body and then started helping her with the ceremonial robes. She's given icecream and her guts shrivel. The robes were big and heavy and there was a worrying chance she would trip on them.
She might be unhappy but by the looks of it Zuko has reached a new plain of misery. The matching robes was humiliating but their mother smiled and called them cute. Zuko sneezes into his sleeve and Ozai glares at them both. The don't embarrass me or you'll both regret it glare. He's not shivering like them and Azula wonders what secret firebending art was keeping him warm. Azula breathed out fire before her lips could become blue. They had to wait for the signal that all the noble houses have arrived.
"This sucks," Zuko grumbles underneath his breath as he gets in their palanquin. Their grandfather gets his own and their parents go together. "You think the sages will do it all in the same time or by order of birth?"
"Order of birth. We get to suffer one at a time," Azula says with a fake smile. "If I'm lucky you'll get crispy burned," Azula chuckles and shoves him to make some room.
"Firelord, everyone is here. We're ready to commence," a servant cries out.
"Finally," Zuko shifts uneasily.
It took a minute for the party to climb up to the temple where the sages waited to greet them. By the time they reached the entrance nobody was cold anymore. The sages knelt and the family climbed out of their rides.
"Firelord. Everyone is waiting in the pit. When you and your family is ready we'll start the ritual that will transfer your strength and bravery to your heir, Iroh and his son Lu Ten," the eldest sage says.
Azula wonders if their irritable moods will be passed to them too.
"Firelord. There's a few more things we need to discuss," he says and the firelord nods.
Another sage opens a secret door and motions for the family to go in. Azula glances back to the corridor the sages are taking her grandfather in. She glances at her parents, see's that they're distracted, and tries to quietly go see what her grandfather is up to. She likes snooping. She peaks by the corner and sees one of the sages breath fire into a light on the wall. The door opens. They go in. Maybe she should follow? Azula smirks but the smile drops when her mother lifts her, tucks her between her waist and arm.
"Okay. I'm sorry. This is humiliating," Azula squirms. "I'm too old to be carried."
Her father gives her a disapproving look that burns her insides and she stops squirming.
Azula and her family head to the secret stairwell that leads to the pit. Azula looks pass the adults talking and catches sight of Mai and Ty Lee. For once Ty Lee isn't smiling. The nobles bow and Ozai makes a rise motion. Azula runs to her friends and peers at Ty Lee's expression.
"You're looking crestfallen," Azula taps Ty Lee's chin.
"I'm not a fire bender. Heat does bother me," Ty Lee flaps her long robes.
"We've been waiting here since forever," Mai grumbles.
"At least you weren't dumped in ice cold water," Azula shudders and then grins at Mai. "My brother's voice cracked today. He's officially graduated from boy to teenager."
"Congratulations," Ty Lee says as Mai squirms. "I bet you'll both go from cute to hot."
This time Azula squirms and blushes. Ty Lee and her compliments.
The doors open again and the firelord glares at them from above. "Let's not waste any more time. The walls of Ba Sing Se will come down," he takes off his cape and Azula has to smirk.
Her grandfather must be the burliest old man in the world.
"Wish me luck. If I die, make sure my mother doesn't donate my things," she tells Mai and to her credit she nods.
The musicians hit their drums and we got in position.
Lava spewed and lurched to the sound of the drums. Azula glances at the sages surrounding her grandfather. The sages redirected the lava and it swirled around the Firelord. Azula wasn't sure with who she was more impressed with. Her old grandpa that looked mildly inconvenienced by the lava circling him or the sages who would be executed if they mess up.
Zuko gulps when his turn comes up after their father. Ozai gives his wife a warning glare and Azula grits her teeth as her mothers hand digs into her shoulder. Mai doesn't look like she's breathing. Zuko raises his chin and the firelord nods at the sages. Azula thinks this is it. I'm finally about to become an only child. He manages not to bring shame into their family. Not a single flinch. Zuko sighs outloud when the lava goes away and the hand digging into Azula's shoulder slackens. Ozai nudges Azula to go forward.
Who decided long ceremonial robes were adequate for a fire ritual? Test of courage nothing. It was a safety hazard. Azula would sell Zuko for ice-cream or a cup of ice to chew on.
Azula succeeds and everybody managed not to disgrace themselves.
They go upstairs for drinks. Azula and Zuko are given less restraining clothes. The nobles are pushing amongst themselves, trying to talk to the firelord and see who gets to rule in Ba Sing Se. Azula drags Mai and Ty Lee to the overhead arches to watch. Azula catches sight of Zuko next to their mother.
"Excuse me, Mai," Azula says but she's already grabbing her hair clip. When Mai realizes where she's aiming she grabs a hold of Azula's wrist. Azula blinks at her. "What?"
"You might actually knick him. Allow me," Mai takes her hair clip back.
"Party pooper," Azula grumbles.
Her mood and opinion of Mai goes gradually up when Mai demonstrates precision and the clip almost brushes the tip of Zuko's nose. It hits the ground and skids.
Ty Lee whistles. "Wow, Mai. That was cool."
"I've been practicing. Trying to scare the teachers and club members," Mai shrugs and waves at the startled Zuko.
"The quickest way to a boy's heart is to strike fear in it," Azula chuckles as she motions for Zuko to get up here.
He shakes his head with a glare. She rolls her eyes and motions again for him to come up where they're at. Zuko sighs, mumbles something into their mothers ear and tries to find a way to go up. Nobody gives him any pointer. Zuko eventually manages to get up and shuffle to them. He sits beside Ty Lee.
"Well? No hello?" Azula smirks unkindly.
Zuko waves with a frown on his face.
"What's up Zuko? You look grumpier than usual," Ty Lee asks.
He blushes and Azula narrows her eyes at him. For a moment she has to shoving him off but her father would not want them to make a scene now.
"Puberty got him," Azula says. "He sounds like a parrot."
He grunt, "Ugh."
Ty Lee squeezes his shoulder. "Why don't we go exploring?"
Azula gives her a proud smile. "I did say we were going to do that. Dad and grandpa are busy. Mai and Ty Lee's parents are trying to talk to grandpa. Mom can be a problem but she's talking now. That gives us like ten minutes. Maybe more if the gossip is good. Unless Zuko wants to stay?" she asks and quirks an eyebrow at Zuko. Daring him to be a good boy.
He's goaded into coming along. They crawl out the door and follow Azula.
"Where exactly are we going?" Mai asks.
Instead of answering, to Zuko's great displeasure, Azula clammer up his shoulders. Then she takes inhales and breathes out fire up at the lantern. The secret door opens. She needed the extra height.
"We're going in there!" Azula says with a mischievous smile.
"Uhm. That looks dark and creepy," Ty Lee moves behind Mai.
To their credit neither Zuko or Mai look intimidated.
Azula takes Ty Lee's hand and with her free hand conjures up a ball of fire to illuminate the way. "Don't worry. I'm here and anything else would run away at the sound of Zuko's squeamish voice and Mai's unimpressed face."
"Hey!" Zuko snaps crankily.