Azula is twelve now and a middle schooler. It's time for her growth arc. As a sign of maturity she didn't bother the turtle ducks anymore. She was even nice to Zuko and asked him if he wanted to walk her to school. He was suspicious but she's twelve now. Azula has better things to do than torment him. Just to make him a little nervous she even picks up Mai in their palanquin. Zuko is squished in the middle. Azula leans behind him and gives Mai a thumbs up. Mai rolls her eyes but Azula knows she's privately pleased.
Zuko gawks at the academy when they arrive and to Azula's surprise there are girls she hates staring back at him. They ignore Mai's murderous glare. Azula analyzes her situation. Maybe she should use Zuko to improve her relationship with her school mates. Nah. She doesn't want to use a single moment of her time to do that. Initiating peace was for weak willed people.
The rest of the day could've been better if Ty Lee had been awake for any of it. She slept during class and on Mai's shoulder during lunch. They tried waking her up, succeeded, only for her to doze of later. It's only on their last class that Ty Lee revives herself and that's because the teacher got sick and they have a substitute. Ty Lee is sitting on Azula's desk and talking animatedly about being on the welcoming parade for prince Lu Ten. This was Lu Ten's moment.
Azula, her brother, and mother wouldn't be in the parade. They'd be in the palace eating cake or something. Her mother's been busy doing marriage interviews. Sometimes Azula likes to help her mother by pranking the wife candidates. When one of them left in tears Azula defended herself to her mother by stating that the bride has to be able to deal with stress. Her defense was solid, her mother admitted, but she asked Azula to take it down on a notch.
"Let me braid your hair," Ty Lee begs Mai.
"No," Mai grumbles into her arms where she's hiding her face.
"Pretty please."
"No," Mai slaps Ty Lee's persistent fingers.
"Come on. I saw a soldier hide a knife in his braid once and I want to try it."
Mai looks up. Ty Lee grins and Azula glances between the two.
"...how big was the knife?"
Mai allows Ty Lee to make her a braid. They use a pencil at first and Ty Lee successfully hides it inside the braid without it sticking out. They upgrade to a plastic knife and it takes Ty Lee longer. Azula pulls out an actual knife out of nowhere and hands it to Ty Lee but the bell rings before she can try. Mai sighs, she was getting second thoughts.
"We can continue at my place," Azula shrugs and slides the knife back into her bag and Ty Lee freezes. Azula watches her suspiciously. "Is there a problem?" she asks in a low volume.
Ty Lee begins to shake her head but then freezes. "No. No problem princess...but uhm I think I'll have to catch up with you later," Ty Lee slowly gets up from Azula's desk and gets her stuff.
"Woah, where do you think you're going?" Azula rests her hand on Ty Lee's shoulder.
"The gym to practice."
"You don't have practice today," Azula knew her schedule.
"Yeah but I need to practice for tomorrow."
"You've been acting weird lately," Mai and Azula corner her. Ty Lee pulls her hands up and laughs awkwardly. "Not eating, not sleeping, practicing all day. Suspicious."
"I'm sorry for not spending time with you. I've been busy," Ty Lee insists.
Azula narrows her eyes. "You're lying. Your eyes keep darting, your posture is off, and there's a blush on your neck."
"Is it a boyfriend?" Mai shrugs and Ty Lee furiously shakes her head.
Azula feels a flare of anger and jealousy inside her. "Let's go home."
"I really want to practice," Ty Lee stands her ground.
"We'll wait," Azula crosses her arms and Ty Lee gulps.
Grey eyes lock onto amber ones for help. Azula looks between the two and becomes increasingly more annoyed. Forget maturity. She wants to shake Ty Lee and ask whats up with her. Mai nods and Ty Lee visibly relaxes. They even share a smile.
"Great. Clearly Azula misses you being all clingy."
"What?" Azula shakes her head at the accusation.
"So I'll go ahead to the palace to wait there while you both sort this out," Mai says and fast walks out of the classroom.
"Mai! No! Don't leave me!" Ty Lee stretches her hand.
Mai left them.
"...uhm?" Ty Lee smiles bashfully at Azula.
"After you," Azula returns the smile with her own but it only seems to make Ty Lee more nervous.
The academy had many generous donors. No need for bake sales. Their gym had everything and the storage room could contain anything. There were a few trampolines and some of the other girls in Ty Lee's squad were practicing too. The few that were their were excellent acrobats but Azula believes Ty Lee is the best of them. They wave at Ty Lee and bow their heads respectfully at Azula. Patriotism has been high ever since the news of her family's success had reached their shores.
Azula waits impatiently as Ty Lee stretches. She sits on a bench and rests her head on her chin. The other girls get nervous at Azula's judgmental glare and make mistakes in their routine. They stumble and glance at her before awkwardly trying again.
"Azula!" Ty Lee says a little too loud and chipper. Her smile seems forced. "Want to join me?"
"No," Azula states as she watches Ty Lee go up and down.
Ty Lee whines and begs. Azula doesn't change her mind. She's only there to keep an eye on her anyways. She finally relents when Ty Lee jumps to her side and takes her hand. The other girls are looking and Azula doesn't want it to look like she's being dragged. She jumps with as little enthusiasm as possible. Ty Lee smirks and Azula crouches when she jumps over her head. She gives Azula a cheeky smile as she flies above.
"Come on," Ty Lee hops and Azula crosses her arms.
"No."
"Please. It'll be fun. Nobody is watching."
Everyone is watching. They stop watching when Azula gives them a scathing glare. Now she has an audience and Ty Lee's eyes on her. Azula starts putting in effort. Soon both girls are spinning, flipping, and doing cartwheels, basically trying to outdo each other. They're both breathing heavily and grinning.
"Are you as strong as you look, Azula?" Ty Lee taunts.
"Stronger," Azula lifts her chin.
"Remember when we were at the local fair and saw an older girl stand on this guys hand. Let's try it!" Ty Lee runs to her and Azula eyes widen when Ty Lee doesn't slow down.
"Ty Lee! Wa-oomph!"
They collide and go down. It's a good thing Ty Lee barely weighs anything and that Azula is used to being hit and thrown.
"Ow. Azula. Are you okay?" Ty lee rubs her chest and gives Azula a hand.
Azula takes a minute. Her body feels fuzzy and she's lightheaded.
"That's enough practice. You need to rest or end up straining something." Azula blushes and jumps to the floor. "We're leaving," she says in a tone that leaves no room to argue. Ty Lee runs to her side and waves goodbye at her teammates.
Azula doesn't see but they're smirking and giving Ty Lee a look. Ty Lee pretends not to understand their looks but she knows she's going to be grilled tomorrow. There are no guards waiting for them. The only times guards accompany her to school is when her mother is riding with her. Azula loves her new freedom and it's not like anyone would be stupid enough to fight her.
Ty Lee buys herself an ice-cream sandwich at a shop while Azula hangs back. The perks of being royalty is that she always gets things for free. Ty Lee feels conflicted about that and will usually pay for things and whatever she can't afford Azula will put on the palace's tab.
Azula admittedly whispers how excited she is that Lu Ten is coming back. Mostly because that means she won't be the baby of the family anymore and because he gets her cool souvenirs.
"He's really cute too," Ty Lee says as Azula takes a bite of her sandwich that they ended up sharing. Azula bites her tongue.
"Stop! I know my family is royalty but stop! First Mai and know you!" Azula shakes her head in horror. Why does everyone keep going for male relatives.
Ty Lee dares to laugh at her expression. "I'm just stating the obvious."
At the heat of the moment, Azula hopes her cousin comes back with a hideous scar or terrible haircut. Not dead or emotionally scared.
"Hmph," Azula rolls her eyes and Ty Lee giggles.
"Are you pouting?"
"I'm not," Azula lies and blushes. Maybe she should've left Ty Lee at the gym.
"Are you jealous?" Ty Lee takes her hand and Azula takes her hand back to clutch against her chest.
She does not like being teased! She does not like being used as practice for when they have future boyfriends.
"Aw, don't be mad. You know I think you're the prettiest one in your family."
"Of course I am. There aren't any more girls in my family!" Azula shakes her head as the compliment bounces off her. "My mom doesn't count."
Ty Lee snorts as they make it to the front entrance of the palace. Azula asks some servants where Mai is and she's not surprised to hear she's at the gardens. It's where Zuko spends most of his time. It's where he goes when their tutors make him write a poem. Zuko is many things but eloquent is not one of them. Azula and Ty Lee sneak through the halls and to the garden where Mai is sitting next to Zuko under a tree.
Azula is twelve and more mature now but she can't resist a good prank. She grins at Ty Lee and moves to humiliate Zuko when Ty Lee sighs dreamily.
"What?" Azula shakes her head at Ty Lee.
"It's cute. I bet Mai wishes Zuko would write her love poems and letters."
Azula blinks and then points at Zuko who is chewing on his pencil.
"Zuko is as romantic as my father...okay. Maybe not that bad but he's on his way," Azula laughs. "He plays with action figures. What does Mai see in him. He's not even the crown prince."
Ty Lee smiles at Azula, open and honest. "Love for love's sake?"
"That's stupid and grandpa would never allow that to happen if there wasn't a major advantage to it. It's a good thing Mai is from a noble family or she wouldn't have any chance with him."
"Oh," Ty Lee sits behind the bush where they're secretly watching them. "Isn't your mother a commoner?"
Azula shakes her head. "She is. Supposedly," Azula sighs and rubs the center between her eyebrows. "Grandpa is far too connivingI don't care what the adults say. There's more to that match than the cinderella story. I haven't been able to wheedle it out of dad or grandpa yet," Azula bites her bottom lip. No matter how much she digs and snoops she can't find out what the big secret is. Neither her uncle Iroh, Lu Ten, or the dumbest palace servant has been useful. It was starting to vex her. "Next I see him I'm going to get my uncle stumbling and stuttering drunk. I will find out."
Ty Lee takes Azula's hand again. "I'm sure you will. You're the smartest person I know."
For a moment Azula is tongue-tied but then she finds her footing again.
Instead she scoffs and looks back over to Zuko and Mai. "Stop hanging out with jocks. Okay. Here's the plan. I'm g-"
"You're going to what?" Azula is pulled back by her collar and tilts her head to see her mother.
"...hi mommy."
"Azula what have I told you?" her mother leads with that and Ty Lee fidgets next to her. Her mother glances at her. "Ty Lee, can you give us a moment?"
Ty Lee hesitates but nods and runs to tackle Mai in a hug.
"Not much on a daily basis," Azula shrugs with a hint of bitterness. Her mother's expression pinches. "I haven't done anything."
"I know when you're up to mischief Azula. I swear you're like a cat. What did I ask you not to do?"
Azula sighs. "Not to bother my brother on a daily basis but those are my friends. He gets all the attention. I don't want to share my friends."
"Azula, if he tells me you've been mean our of spite and jealousy I won't let your friends come over anymore," her mother warns her and Azula grits her teeth.
She wanted to lash out and screw maturity and dive into teenage rebellion but that wouldn't look good.
"Okay," Azula nods and gazes up at her mom imploringly. "Can I go play now?"
Her mother nods and Azula turns around. Both daughter and mother are surprised and amused. Zuko is standing and trying to remain standing while Mai sits on his shoulders and Ty Lee sits on her shoulders. They're a swaying tower and very close to the duck pond.
"Please. Everything is set up. One push," Azula whispers.
"Yield," her mom tugs her ear.