Chapter Eleven: Invitation to Serve Tea
As Azula got dressed, she began to think. When she'd first gotten into this loop, she'd repeated the same day trying to win. To completely win. And when that hadn't worked, she'd tried making others suffer. It had been fun while it lasted. But there was only so many times you could kick a puppykitten before its mewling ceased to amuse.
So what now?
Well, she had enjoyed the feeling she'd gotten from making Ty Lee and Mai happier. It didn't benefit her, but it wasn't like she was losing anything. Maybe she should try being nice to people and making their lives better.
Yes, that was it. She would no longer just repeat the same cruelties over and over again. Nor would she focus only on improving herself. She would work to help others.
Maybe.
Well, other people, she knew.
Actually, she should hone in on people she knew and liked. Although Azula didn't like people so much as find amusement in them. So people she liked, who amused her, and who had a use.
Although since she could change nothing, no one had a use.
People she knew and who amused her then. So how was she supposed to be nice to them?
As she finished dressing, Azula walked out of the room.
"Azula-" began Ty Lee.
"Not now, Ty Lee." said Azula. "I need advice on how to be nice to people."
"You want to be nice to people?" asked Mai skeptically.
"No." said Azula. "It's theoretical. I figure if I can get people to like me, they'll be more easily manipulated. At some point in the future.
"Look I want to do something nice for someone. But I don't know what to do."
"Well..." Ty Lee paused. "What do they like?"
Azula paused. She wasn't sure who she was talking about. On a whim, her mind turned to Zuko and Uncle. "...Tea?"
"Well then, you should do something to do with that." said Ty Lee. "Um, you could throw them a party or something."
"Shouldn't we focus on the coup?" asked Mai.
"Good point." said Azula. "I entrust taking care of the coup to you, Mai. I had an idea."
When she had first corrupted Zuko, she had gotten him into the palace through subterfuge. She had offered him and Uncle the chance to serve tea. If she recalled, Zuko and Uncle had been very enthusiastic about it. Or Uncle was. Zuko was humoring him.
Azula couldn't imagine anyone except Uncle being enthusiastic about tea. What was so special about it?
Even so, she walked back into her room and began to write.
Azula kneeled before the throne of the Earth King. She'd been here many times, and she'd made this decision many times. But this was a new combination. Usually, after her coup took place, she gave the order to the Dai Li.
Now she had to spin it to the Earth King. Already she had found a new experience. "Excuse me, your majesty, I've got the details of a coup on the part of the Dai Li. I have a list of the ringleaders. If you send the listed agents to the listed locations, they should be able to capture them easily." She offered the letter.
The Earth King came forward and took it, looking over it. "This is invaluable. But how did you learn of this?"
"I pretended to be a foolish Princess Azula in disguise. Then I manipulated them into giving me control of their operations. My agents are running their coup." said Azula. "Don't worry, I've already arranged for the coup to be rounded up, that's just a formality. Though they may have spread the rumor around a bit."
The Earth King blinked. "...Thank you."
"Yes." said Azula. "Tell me, your majesty, how do you feel about tea?"
"Well I love it." said the Earth King. "Why do you ask?"
"There is a teamaker in the city named Mushi." said Azula. "He and his nephew, Lee are said to be naturals at it. They've been here less than a month, and they are also known as the finest teamakers in Ba Sing Se."
"Really? That's remarkable." said the Earth King. "But I'm not sure I should be doing this, what with the plans for the invasion."
Well, that was unexpected. The Earth King had never struck her as dutiful. She'd have to do something more with this. "Actually there is another reason I was suggesting this. I've noticed that there aren't any people from the lower districts of Ba Sing Se in the palace."
"Well no." said the Earth King. "People who work their way into the palace might have descendants who live in the lower districts. But Long Feng believed it would be a security risk to let them in."
"Meaning that nobody in the palace actually understands the poorer districts." guessed Azula.
"Well, no. I have experts." said the Earth King.
"Where do these experts get their data?" asked Azula. "Do they go out into the districts?"
"No, they get reports from my agents in the city." said the Earth King.
"Meaning that they are operating off of second-hand information." said Azula. "Which means all the information you get is third hand."
"I suppose so." admitted the Earth King. "But I don't think any of them would lie to you."
"Maybe. Maybe not." said Azula. "But if they give you a bad report they could lose their jobs, couldn't they?"
"Well if things were mismanaged I'd have to assign someone else." said the Earth King.
"Exactly." said Azula, standing up. "So if something goes wrong, a few minor things, they might decide to downplay them. Just to make the record look better, not meaning any harm." Edge in little by little.
"I suppose." said the Earth King.
"Right. So you imagine you have a series of riots in one of the lower districts." said Azula, walking forward. "The people who report to your experts say that there was a 'minor disturbance, now in hand.' They might not even think its a lie.
"Then the experts get the data, and they make a report that says 'no trouble in the lower districts.' And it's true, even from their perspective. No sense in troubling you."
"But the riots could grow." said the Earth King.
"Exactly." said Azula. "You don't know there is a problem because no one things you ought to be troubled about it. The more hands information passes through, the more it gets distorted. In Kyoshi, all problems are reported directly to the leader.
"That won't work for you; the Earth Kingdom has too many problems. But you need to have someone who understands things briefing you."
"How do the teamakers fit into this?" asked the Earth King.
"Mushi and Li came here as refugees." said Azula. "They've seen the best and the worst of the Earth Kingdom. They can give you a firsthand account of what things are like out there. They've also worked in the lower districts.
"There was a recent case where a boy named Jet accused them of being firebenders and assaulted them. They've seen the absolute worst side of the Earth Kingdom. And that's the side you need to worry about."
"So you think they can help me understand the problems of the Earth Nation people?" said the Earth King.
"Exactly." said Azula. She paused. "There is another thing. I suspect that they had to flee the Fire Nation colonies owing to a feud with a very powerful man. Lee has a serious burn on this eye. So they can also help you understand your enemy."
"Wouldn't that be unsafe?" asked the Earth King.
And then Azula had a wonderful idea. It would take some doing, but she could pull it off. She smiled. She'd do it on the first try. "You can have the Avatar's friend, Katara, standing by when it happens, of course. But, there is something you should know. This boy who attacked Li and Mushi, he's called Jet. He was a notorious bandit who attempted to destroy an entire town of Earth Kingdom citizens. He would have created a flood to wash over the entire town, killing men, women, and children.
"It was actually the Fire Nation who evacuated them in time." No sense in letting him think the Fire Nation were all monsters. She'd heard the story from Katara during one of their sessions. Good times. The memory of her writhing was a good one.
"Well that does sound unpleasant." said the Earth King. "But this Jet is imprisoned, isn't he."
"Dead, actually. He was killed by Long Feng." said Azula. "But there is one problem. Jet isn't a water bender. Neither were any of the people who worked for him.
"He actually tricked the Avatar and Katara into starting the flood."
The Earth King's eyes went wide. "But the Avatar would never do anything like that!"
"Not of his own will." said Azula. "But somehow Jet confused their minds and senses. They believed that what they were doing would not hurt anyone. He mist have been a powerful sorcerer."
"...If this is true, then what of it?" asked the Earth King. "Surely he is dead now?"
Azula looked around, feigning fear. As though she was expecting shadowy figures to emerge from the walls. "I'm concerned that some part of his spell may linger on the Avatar's companion, Katara. The Avatar has shaken off the effects, but it may still be on her. I don't know why Jet decided to murder Lee and Mushi, but his death was a result of Lee fighting him off.
"It may be that when Katara sees him, some last curse of Jet's could take effect. Filling her mind with beliefs that are not her own. If so, you should have the guard standing by to restrain her.
"We'll be able to keep her secure until we can find a way to break the spell."
The Earth King looked deeply troubled. The naive moron was buying this. This was too rich. "Well, if you believe it is that serious, there is no harm in testing the matter."
Then Azula remembered that Uncle had not brought Jin with her the last time. Or any of the other times. For some reason she wanted her to be there. "Oh, and um, I think it best if you request Mushi bring his whole staff today."
The Earth King blinked. "Why?"
When in doubt, appeal to the ego. "Well, it is only appropriate, given that you are the Earth King. It wouldn't be right if they didn't make every effort."
The Earth King nodded. "Of course. I'll write the invitation myself."
"And I'll take it personally, of course." said Azula.
The Earth King wrote his invitation and sealed it. Azula took the invitation and walked out.
Sucker.
Once again Azula came to the Jasmine Dragon. It was during the early hours. In fact, she'd gotten here before it was opened. The door was opened, and Azula was the first in. She found Zuzu smiling as always. "Hello, welcome to the Jasmine-" He stopped. "Azula?"
Was it just her, or did his smile disappear a bit slower this time? Had she done something to change how he felt about her? But that was impossible. "Hello, you're Lee aren't you? I've got a message for your Uncle Mushi? Can I impose on you to keep the store closed a few moments longer?"
Zuko remained silent for a moment. "I'll talk to him."
Uncle cooperated, and five minutes later he and Zuko were eyeing Azula suspiciously. Azula did her best to appear innocent before them.
"So, you're acting as a messenger for the Earth King's palace now, Azula?" asked Uncle. "You certainly know how to appear in unexpected places."
"You flatter me, Uncle." said Azula, offering the letter. "The message is there."
Uncle unrolled it and looked over it. His eyes widened, and he looked pleased, then suspicious. He passed it to Zuko. "Nephew, look at this."
Zuko looked up warily. "The last time we listened to an invitation from you, you tried to throw us in prison."
Azula spread her arms out. "Oh come on, Zuzu. Don't tell me that shooting Uncle with a lightning bolt has put a rift between us? All I did was hound you day and night across a continent." His annoyed expression was adorable.
"May I inquire as to what the reason is for this?" asked Uncle.
"Oh, I'm just a humble servant of the Earth King, Uncle." said Azula, bowing sarcastically. "I heard that the 'Greatest Tea Maker in All of Ba Sing Se.' I thought I might invite them.
"How was I to know who you were?"
"What do you want, Azula?" asked Zuko.
"I want you to come to serve tea to the Earth King." said Azula. "I thought we might make it a family get together. And if you don't come, I'll tell everyone who you are, and get you thrown in prison."
They looked at each other carefully. Then back to her. "You certainly do make a persuasive argument." said Uncle.
"I know." said Azula.
The door opened and in walked Jin in a rush. Her hair was more unkept than usual, and she looked to have dressed quickly. "Mushi, Lee, sorry I'm late. I got delayed at the gate." She paused as she saw Azula and Zuko. "Um, why did the door say 'closed?'"
"Jin wonderful news." said Uncle. "We've been asked to serve tea to the Earth King. He's asked for all of us to attend."
Azula decided that was her cue to leave. "I'll let you three get ready. I've got some errands to run before I get back to the palace. I'll meet you there."
And she walked out.
Trying to be nice to people was all well and good. But if she could mix it with destroying her enemies, so much the better.
Author's Note:
So when I write, I try to get a sense for the character in my head. I think about what matters to them, what defines them, and how they express it. Once you get the hang of that, it becomes easy.
The trick is this:
If you have a character say something, ask yourself: Could I see this character acting this way in the show? If not, what could drive them to do so? Getting from point A to point B is the trick.
Many people skipped the in between and go straight to point B in their fix fics. This makes the dialogue seem unnatural and drags the narrative down.
I often adjust my plans because a given character acts in a manner contrary to what I want. Sometimes entire story arcs change because the characters act contrary to my expectations.
Well, I do that when writing Azula. And Azula really does come across as a depraved bisexual to me, for some reason. Whenever I write her with anyone, I feel like there is a sexual dynamic with every character she meets. The Earth King, Zuko, Jin, Ty Lee, Mai, you name it. There are a few exceptions, mostly in the older cast.
And I'm not alone. A vast majority of fics feature her are of the opinion that she's a dominatrix. And that's the tamer ones.