Zuko doesn't volunteer to take the lead into the creepy hall leading down so Azula gives him a gentle shove. He stumbles before catching his balance.
"Hey!" Zuko growls.
"You take the lead. Mai and Ty Lee go in the middle. I'll take the rear," Azula tells him like its the most obvious thing in the world.
"Oh! Just like elementary. Follow the leader!" Ty Lee calms down a bit.
"Exactly like follow the leader," Azula nods.
"But," Zuko glances into the darkness. "This was your idea."
"I'm the idea person and you're the leader," Azula explains but her true reasons for making him go first is because if there are any traps he'd get hit first. "But, I'm more than capable of being both."
Zuko isn't a gullible idiot but he does have pride. He's already lost his voice, he can't lose face too. A red flame appears in his cupped hands and he solemnly nods for them to follow him. Ty Lee leans into Mai's ear and whispers something. Azula gives them a look but Ty Lee winks at her as Mai blushes and shakes her head. Ty Lee pushes her into Zuko. He grabs and helps her stand straight.
"Ah. Sorry," Mai winces. "I-uh-tripped."
Zuko nods and Ty Lee smiles excitedly. Azula snorts and tells Ty Lee to hurry up before someone sees them. A few steps in and the door closes behind them. Ty Lee squeaks and presses herself to Azula.
"It's fine," Azula says and makes her orange flame burn brighter. It turns blue. She can see their faces. Ty Lee's uncertain one, Zuko's serious expression, and Mai's deadpan face. What a group of capable fighter. "No turning back now. Carry on Zuko and be careful with the wall. Someone that it was edgy to make it pointy."
He grunts and they slowly descend the stairs. There's an atmosphere that forbids talking.
"Uhhhh," so of course Ty Lee had to try and break through the silence. "Does anyone get the feeling we're in a horror novel?"
"It's fine," Mai snorts. "Nobody here is technically a teenager, or a couple. There's no jock, funny guy, nerd, or token minority. As long as we don't get separated the monster won't get us."
Azula shakes her head. "I'm almost certain you insulted us. Don't I count as a jock? I'm a fire bender."
"No. Technically Ty Lee is the jock."
Ty Lee puffs up her chest and tries to make her voice sound tough. "I'll protect you all. Zuko is the only guy here does that mean he's the to-"
Zuko stumbles. Mai grabs him. There's a strange shink sound. Azula throws an arch of fire and they see the giant glistening ax charging at them. Mai pulls Zuko to the left as Ty Lee and Azula move to the right. Azula's flame flickers and for a brief moment they're in total darkness. Azula corrects herself and lights their surroundings again. The axe had already passed them and was going to swing back.
"Thank you Zuko. My turn to be leader!" Azula brushes pass them. They're forced to keep pace or be left behind in the darkness. She has to take the lead. If it was up to Zuko he'd say it was too dangerous and say they should go back or something. Azula wasn't raised to half-ass anything. The booby traps after that lost its jump scare factor and once Azula caught it, she'd undo the trap or jump over the triggers. No harm done.
They reach the last step and as Azula makes illuminates the room by throwing fire at some torches. She is starstruck. It was a crypt. Her ancestors crypt. Monstrous dragons skulls greeted her like family. Her family didn't bother with hello's.
"Oh. Isn't this lovely. The family crypt. Look! It's great-grandpa's and great-grandma's vase in the mouth of his dragon!" Azula runs to it. The vase their ashes were in looked dusted and Azula is happy to see the temple cleaners were doing there job. It was incredibly cool and romantic that their ashes were placed together inside a dragon skull. She places her hand on the dragons jaw and feels it smoothness. She feels a rush of pride that leaves her giddy. She feels a connection to the dragon that matched her blue flame.
Further down the crypt there were more dragon skull and vases.
"This is...sad," Zuko shudders and Azula remembers she's not alone.
"Yeah, where's my dragon," Azula's heart drops by the weight of disappointment. "Uncle could've brought the skulls of the ones he killed as souvenirs. One for himself when he died and the other for Lu Ten. Sucks that we'll never get to have a dragon though."
"Not what i meant. They're all gone. Extinct," Zuko shakes his head. It would've held more gravity if it weren't for the squeak of his voice. He looks at the vase that contained their grandmothers ashes and the vase beside it where their uncle Iroh's wife rested.
"I for one, much more prefer firelizard than fire breathing dragons!" Ty Lee says as she holds on to Mai's hand.
"Eh, I have to agree with Azula on this one. Dragons are metal," Mai knocks on a skull.
"Wish I had a dragon to be buried with me," Azula mutters.
"If I'm lucky you'll kick the can before me," Zuko grumbles.
"If you're lucky! I will kick the can before you," Azula shakes her head at him. "No doubt. If mom could, she'd glue you to her side. Keep you safe in the palace. I'm going to be a general and die gloriously."
Ty Lee puts her hand on Azula's shoulder. "Let's stop talking about this. We've taken a long time. We should head back," Ty Lee pleads and Azula blows a bang out of her face.
How come Mai is the only one who understand how cool this is?
"Yeah. We should go," Zuko says.
"Not yet," Azula shakes her great grandparents vase. "There's something in here," she leans closer and shakes again.
Zuko blanches. "Azula! Don't do that! Those are our relatives!"
"They're dead. It's not like they'll mind or notice," Azula rolls her eyes. "Seriously. I hear something. Paper?" Azula guesses.
"Azula, please. Let's leave. It's probably their diary or something," Ty Lee tugs on the back of Azula's robes. Azula internally groans at the tears pooling in Ty Lee's eyes.
"Fine!" Azula plops the vase down and sighs dramatically. "This is the last time I try to take any of you on an adventure...except Mai. She's been surprisingly a good sport."
Mai gives her a sarcastic thumbs up.
"We've reached the end...literally," she smiles at Zuko but he doesn't appreciate the jock that this is where they'll rest in the end of their lives. "Nowhere else to go but up."
"Indeed," says a voice behind Zuko and he screams.
In his defense, he wasn't the only one that screamed.
Azula and Zuko shoot flames at the person but they bat it away and step into the light. A sage. Just a sage. He bows. "Young masters. Your time to rest isn't here yet. Let me guide you back to the living."
Azula clears her throat and tries to get Ty Lee's arms off her shoulders. It's embarrassing and Azula can feel her cheeks heat up at being caught like this. The sage looks up and stares at Mai who is holding a previous firelord and his wife's ashes over her head, ready to throw it at him. Mai puts it down where it was.
"Thank you for your help. We were lost and couldn't find our way back to our parents," Azula says as she gives up on having Ty Lee let go. Whatever. Ty Lee's terrified face will help sell the lie.
"How'd you get lost?" the sage asks them.
"Oh, we got lost on our way to the bathroom," Azula tells him without hesitation.
"Together?" he doesn't look convinced.
"We're middle schoolers. Yes together," Azula dares him to contradict her.
He doesn't know enough about kids to argue back. Kids are weird. He shakes his head and motions for them to follow.
Azula looks back where the vase is. The dragon skull feels like its beckoning her with its empty eye sockets.
"That was scary," Ty Lee whispers into her ear and Azula feels goosebumps rise all over her.
She can't suppress her shudder. She shouldn't have to. It's not like Ty Lee is going to accuse her of being scared.
"The dead or the old man that will soon be dead?" Azula whispers back.
"Why're you cuddling and whispering?" Mai looks back at them. "We're in a horror novel remember?" Mai whisper ominously and Ty Lee yelps before letting go and rushing to get to Mai's side.
Azula rubs the back of her neck. That was strange and exciting. She doesn't think she was afraid. Fear doesn't make her feel strange and excited. Fear is dreadful. Fear is disappointing her father, mother, and nation. Ty Lee's warm breath had probably produced a bodily reaction like the first bite of chocolate, or wrapping herself in fresh and warm blankets. Nice and positive reactions. Azula just didn't know she could get a nice reaction from a friend though.
Her good feeling came to an end when she saw her parents waiting for her. She'd been too distracted analyzing her feelings to plan what would she do if her parents realized they had vanished. She doubted her parents would believe her got lost finding the bathroom story.
"I found your children as they were leaving the bathroom," the sage talks instead and Azula almost sighs in relief.
There was no way she was letting the liar stay working in the temple once Lu Ten became firelord but at that moment she appreciated him. How bold he was to lie in her fathers face.
"Together?" her dad shakes his head.
"It's a teenager thing," the sage bows his head and leaves.
She'll send him a card on elders day. He deserved it.
Azula and Zuko don't get away with it. Their father isn't an idiot. He doesn't know what they did but he knows they did something. As punishment they couldn't relax on the way back home. No. They were forced to mop the ship and help the cleaning crew. It was successfully humiliating and exhausting work. Their backs hurt but their pride is critically hit. Any time a soldier comes across them, Azula would send them a scathing glare, daring them to undo their hard work. Then they have to polish the weapon stash. Azula shoots Zuko an annoyed look when he starts goofing off with the swords.
"Don't be a coward. Juggle four swords or you're weak," Azula challenges him.
He takes the dullest looking swords and tries juggling them. He manages to clumsily juggle three. Azula tries to give him him a hand and throw in another. Zuko ducks and all the swords clang the floor. Azula turns away and Zuko grumbles as he puts them back in place.
Azula was still dying to know what was in her grandparents vase. Next opportunity she got she'd definitely break in and see. It probably won't be long to take another trip. Her grandfather is very old.
They make it to the palace and Azula doesn't have the chance to nap. No. Her punishment and her brothers isn't over yet. Their father takes them to the roof the palace and tells them to jump.
"Uhh," Zuko looks down and scrambles back. "What?"
"Jump. Use your firebending to slow your descent," their father says matter of factly.
Azula whispers into Zuko's ear. "We either jump or he'll launch us into the stratosphere."
"Ugh. Okay," Zuko purses his lips.
Azula decides to go first. To make her father proud and because it'll be better for her to get this over with as smoothly as she can. If she fails and hits her head she can spend the rest of the day recovering. She shoots fire out of her hands and tries to balance herself but its not easy. She stumbles and rolls as she lands. It's important to bend her knees and roll or her bones will be supremely upset with her.
She looks up at her father. He doesn't look pleased or anything. More like she could've done better but she's only ever seen other people use fire to fly. She hates not doing anything perfectly at the first try but now that she's done it she can only improve.
Zuko jumps. Azula laughs as he torches their mothers bushes. He lands on his butt and Azula is still laughing as she helps him up.
"Zuko. Look. Dad's smiling. Don't be obvious," Azula whisper laughs.
Zuko glances up quickly and looks astonished.
"Get back up here. We'll keep doing this until you both stop looking like newborn birds," their father commands and they rush to obey.
They kept at it for hours. They kept at it until it was dark, there clothes were stained with sweat, and the night was cold. That's when their mother came out to tell Ozai to end training since tomorrow was another big day. Azula could've hugged her mother but she bluntly covers her nose and they get the point. They stink. They're forced to take a bath before knocking out.