AN: I hadn't even started Part Two yet when I finished Part One, and didn't have an outline, so it took me a little bit for this chapter. Thank you all so much for your patience.

~Part Two~
The Quest for Zuko and the Avatar

Reunion

28. Breathless

Azula cannot believe the news, even as it is in front of her. She hears about the loss at the north Pole, because how could she not? It was an event that would never be able to be kept quiet, no matter how many people Fire Lord Ozai bribed or made disappear.

The princess is met by the impossibility of getting her father alone, even in evenings when they used to spend time together. Somewhat. But he needs someone to place blame onto, and he needs to punish that person as publicly as possible.

Not to mention needing a story other than what Azula has heard and struggles to believe. That the Avatar destroyed an entire fleet.

Although, Azula has to admit she is glad that Commander ─ Admiral ─ Zhao is dead. He always made her skin crawl just a bit.

At last, her father calls her. She is breathless for some reason she is uncertain about. She can barely breathe when he gives her the task.

So the scapegoat will be Zuko. Intriguing...

.

29. Are You Sure?

"Is there a reason you are talking to me?" Azula snaps fiercely, still wrapped in several towels over her dry change of clothes.

She could have drowned. Now that old man must die if it is the last thing Azula does.

"Well, umm..." The just an hour ago promoted leader of her soldiers swallows. "Are you sure about this?"

He gestures to the pamphlet for the circus and nearly spills his cup of tea on it before she grabs his wrist and stops him from destroying it. It made her heart skip a beat, and she is not quite sure why. It has been a very long time, and Azula is far from certain of what Ty Lee will even be like.

Mai, Azula doubts has changed much.

"I am more than sure. The royal procession is holding me back. And seeing as none of you are remotely competent, I am forced to use more valuable resources at my disposal," Azula says.

"You have any resource at your disposal." He scratches his head. "I'm sure you father would give you whatever you asked. Yuyan Archers, Commandos ─"

"And you have clearly never seen either of these girls in action. Mai is more competent than all of the Yuyan Archers put together. And Ty Lee was placed into commando training before her age was in the double digits. You are dismissed."

.

30. Goodbye to the Circus

Ty Lee is aware that Azula is the kind of girl who will punch you in the face and then bring you flowers. That was one of the reasons that her young, swooning, romance scroll fed self was in love with her. Or maybe Ty Lee was just in love with the idea of love. She is unsure.

She did not know, however, that Azula is literally the kind of girl who will try to kill you and then bring you flowers.

"These smell nice," Ty Lee remarks hazily as she presses them against her nose.

Azula just keeps staring at her like she is one of the strange and exotic beasts at the circus. Ty Lee tries to ignore the squirming backflips that her stomach is doing as she walk away, after declaring that she had quit.

They are walking, beneath the night sky, together, as Azula stares, and Ty Lee fails to strike up any conversation.

"I knew we'd be back together," Ty Lee suggests again. "It's so nice to see you."

"Mmhm."

"It's been a really beautiful night, and really fun... sort of." Ty Lee is still sweaty and she hopes that Azula does not notice. Most of it is probably from open flames and the adrenaline that has not died down yet.

"Of course," Azula says softly. Her heart is beating out of her chest, however, and Azula has no idea why. She should not be like this; her plans worked perfectly, and she certainly proved to Ty Lee that she was not some lonely, pathetic girl who spent two years locked in a tower while Ty Lee was clearly living it up from dusk until dawn.

But now she feels uneasy.

Ty Lee glances once over her shoulder before boarding Azula's ship.

.

31. Questions

"So, how have you been?" Ty Lee asks with a smile.

"Perfect, of course. I am honestly much more curious about you. I have been so out of the loop with you," Azula says, running the tip of her nail around the rim of her cup. Ty Lee's eyes are completely fixated on that motion.

"Well, I've been great. And I'm super excited for this," Ty Lee says warmly, glancing around. "So, that was really like a game of the Floor is Literally Lava! That's how we became friends, remember?"

"Yes, because you said you would die a fiery death simply to entertain me. I remembered." Azula's fingernail ceases its circumnavigation of a chipped military-issue teacup and then Ty Lee watches her stand up.

"I hope you enjoyed the show."

"It was fine. Go to sleep as early as you can; I need you present for our training tomorrow."

And then she is gone. Ty Lee furrows her brow and wishes this was not so awkward.

Maybe this is how it always feels when you see lost friends again. And Ty Lee regrets how rarely she thought about Azula, and she thinks that perhaps Azula can see that on her face, or in her actions.

All Ty Lee really has is questions.

.

32. Locked Out

Ty Lee walks to Azula's door in the dead of the night. She cannot sleep, and she expects to be allowed inside.

The door is locked.

Of course it is.