BOOK TWO: WATER

EPISODE FIVE: PART 2 of last chapter

"Lying bitch!" Tylee screached as tears poured down her face. She faced the waterbender, ready to show that bitch what death really felt like. Tylee knew she shouldn't blame the healer. She knew the girl had done everything she could for her friend. But, Tylee wasn't thinking. She was distraught with the news of her friend, and she needed someone to take this strange feeling on. It was a feeling Tylee had only felt once before. The night when she had found out what happened to Azula. Pure anger.

Tylee ran, jumping around Dia Lee agents that tried to keep her down. They had been here to investigate the claims of seeing Zhao in the city, but that had been put on hold. A man came rushing at Tylee and she instantly reacted. She twirled to the side, dodging his attack. Then, with precision, she hit each of the man's pressure points. She proceeded to do this with the other Dia Lee agents that were caught coming her way. Once she had disposed of all of them, she set her firm eyes on her target.

She closed the distance between her and the waterbender in a heartbeat, and tackled the girl to the ground. The waterbender didn't react, and simply took it as Tylee began clawing her face. Tylees nails reached into her skin, leaving streaks of red in their wake. But, the blue eyed girl simply stared up at her attacker. She looked into the eyes of the girl, and saw the pain and loss she was feeling. She felt it, she understood. More police arrived, but katara waved for them to stop. The girl needed to feel this. The attack continued, until finally it was Mai who had enough.

"Tylee stop!" she said, her voice so uncharacteristically emotional. Her pain and lossed seeped out through her words, and she did nothing to hide it. Mai reached her friend, pulling her clawing from the bloodied waterbender. Tylee kicked and screamed uncontrollably, but Mais arms remained. They wrapped tightly around the acrobat, comforting her.

"She's gone Tylee," Mai cried as the words left her lips. Tylee stopped thrashing, the truth settling on her with all the weight it carried. And, that weight was too much. Tylee broke, her eyes now flowing freely with her tears. "Azulas gone and she's not coming back,"

"Just because I was gone doesn't mean I'm coming back," a voice scoffed. The voice was haughty, conceited and overall snobby. But, it was the only voice that could have molded Mai's stoic face into a…. Smile.

As if on cue, all heads snapped in the direction of the sound. And, there she stood. The girl that was proclaimed dead. But, she wasn't. Infact, she wasn't even injured. Her raven hair flowed freely down her back, weighed down by the water dripping from it. Her medical gown was red and soaked through with bloody water. Her skin had a faint green hue and she looked tired. But, besides that, she looked fine.

Katara's eyes widened upon seeing her patient she presumed was dead by now. That was impossible. Katara was a master waterbender, and even she hadn't been able to heal her enough to keep her alive. But, she was more than alive. She was completely healed. No mark left on her body after the water washed the blood away. It briefly crossed her mind that the girl could be an illusion, but, she noticed that everyone else was staring as well.

Mai felt her heart stop, and her face drop in utter shock. She had seen her friends body, bruised and mangled. But, this person that stood before her, she wasn't harmed in any way. However, she didn't stay surprised for long. It quickly turned into curiosity. What other avatar powers did Azula keep hidden?

Tylee didn't even allow herself time to be confused. Her face instantly transformed into a smile. It may very well have been her biggest one yet, which was saying something. But, this moment was the happiest of her life. Azula had come back, she hasnt left her. She was stubborn enough to stay around. The girl hopped over to her friend and embraced her in the biggest hug she had ever given.

Azula allowed her friend to hug her, and embraced Ty Lee back. She allowed herself to enjoy it, savoring the way Ty Lee made her feel safe. Everything she had witnessed in her state of unconsciousness was a distant memory. All the fear she had felt was gone, replaced by the security of her friends arms wrapped tightly around her. Every breath Azula took, she inhaled the aroma of the acrobat. She smelled of nectar and pear. Never had Azula thought she would relish such a smell.

Azula was made aware of the sticky substance covering her body, and realized that she was drenched in bloody water. With a flick of her wrist, she absorbed the water from her and Ty Lee's clothes, freezing it on the ground in red crystals.

Katara's eyes widened as she saw the display. So, the girl was a waterbender. The half explained how she had healed herself. But, that level of healing was supposed to be impossible. Not only had she healed herself, but she brought herself back from the edge of death itself, not even Katara, a master waterbender, would be able to accomplish such a feat. But, this girl, this black haired child with gold eyes had. She didn't even look like a water tribe. Katara became intrigued, perhaps she could learn something from this strange foreigner.

"Aren't you supposed to be dead," Mai asked, her nonchalant voice interrupting the silence that had followed.

Azula scoffed. "A few broken ribs and a destroyed spine, it takes more than that to kill me." Mai rolled her eyes at her friend. Azula was a damn cockroach. But, Mai couldn't complain.

Azula's eyes scanned the room. They went from Tylee to each Di Lee that lay on the ground. Azula knew it had been the power of her friends' chi blocking that had emobilated them. She was impressed, however she didn't understand exactly what had happened. That was, until her eyes landed on Mai.

She was helping a dark skinned girl off the ground. As the girl turned around, Azula instantly knew she was of watertribe descent. Her hair fell in chocolate brown waves down her shoulder. Her skin was kissed by the sun, and seemed to have a glow to it. Her face had soft curves, like those of her body. She was truly a stunning sight. But, nothing could prepare her for the girls eyes. They were blue, the color of a tropical ocean. The surface seemed so calm, but Azula could see a storm raging in her eyes. This girl had suffered, there was little doubt about that. She was truly as lovely as Zhao had described. Azula could honestly say she had never seen someone so exotic. And, it enticed her.

However, one thing about her didn't match the others. The dark caramel skin of her face was covered in claw marks. Her lip seemed torn open and her cheek slightly swollen. Blood dripped from a particularly deep gash on her cheek. Azula grimaced as she noticed the blood underneath Tylee's nails. She didn't need to ask what happened.

Instead of scolding her friend, she simply started walking over the Di Lees bodies to the waterbender. The girl's eyes seemed to widen and she took in Azula's body. Azula took it as the girl was surprised to see her alive, but that wasn't all. Katara was confused. Confused because she recognized the eyes of the girl. They were the same eyes she saw whenever she closed hers. And, her face seemed similar to his as well. Save the scar on his left side. She shook her head. This girl was a waterbender.

When Azula was standing eye to eye with the girl, she raised her hand to the waterbenders face. The girl seemed shocked at first, however she didn't argue. Azula ran her hand over the cuts, noticing the girl wince as she did so. This should be easy enough, she thought as she placed her hand on the water benders cheak. She stroked her thumb over the cuts, feeling the sticky blood under her flesh. Concentrating, she focused on it. She focused on the power it contained and tried to form a connection. It was much harder than healing herself. The girl's body naturally rejected her. But, what was Azula if not manipulative. Slowly, she managed to manipulate the girl's chi, to bend it to her will. She merged the cuts together slowly, feeling the seams disappear. Once she was done she bent that blood off the girl's face.

"All better," she said, smiling at the waterbender. Azula ran her hand over the smooth skin of the girl's cheek, feeling it heat up under her touch. She chuckled as she felt the girl blush, and smiled to herself. There was something so lovely about innocence.

Katara stood at the other waterbender, stunned. How-how had she just done that. She had healed Kataras cuts, leaving not so much as a trace. And, she had done it without water. That was impossible. And, then she had bent the blood off her face. Was that even possible. I mean sure blood was mostly water but…

Azula saw the waterbenders' beautiful eyebrows knit together in concentration. She laughed at the utterly confused look on the girls face. It was absolutely adorable. "I picked it up on my way here. You would be surprised by the things others can teach you if you only listen."

"Careful Azula, you're starting to sound like your uncle." the emotionless girl of Mai spoke from behind her.

"Don't be daft, I don't sound like that old idiot." She said, scoffing. "The only thing he knows how to do is brew tea. And," she paused slightly. "Well and of course control Zuzu's temper."

"That alone is a feat," Mai said, fixing Azula with her gaze.

"Well I like your uncle, I think hes funny." Tylee said, coming up to hug Azula from behind. It was a strange gesture, but Azula wasn't complaining. "Anyway we gotta go Safire," she used the name Mai had given to the healer. Azula was surprised that Tylee was able to remember not to use her reel name. Honestly, she wouldn't be surprised if the girl completely forgot they were undercover. "Zhao burnt down the place we planned to stay so now we need to look for another," Tylee said frustratedly. And there it was, the mistake Azula was sure Tylee would make. She saw the waterbenders eyes widen at the mention of the name.

"You know commander Zhao?" the girl questioned, her fierce blue eyes staring into Azula's gold ones. The waterbenders eyes narrowed suspiciously as she stared into the girls eyes.

"If by know you mean have been running from him since he destroyed what remains of my people. Than, yeah I know him."

"Oh, I'm so sorry." Katara said as she stared into the inexpressive eyes of the girl. But behind those eyes, Katara though she saw a glimps of something. Sadness. She didn't want to ask, but she knew she had to. "Why is he here?"

Azula but her lip. To Katara it simply looked like she may have been offended by the question. But, it reality she was trying to come up with an answer. Ok a lie. "Me and my sisters are the last of our people, he has been chasing us for years. Since I was eight. We thought hiding in the cutie would save us from him." She began to sob.

Katara instantly felt bad for asking the question. But, at least she knew the fire nation wasn't infiltrating the city right? If only she knew how wrong she was.

"Hey, since you guys don't have a place to stay, why don't you come to my house. It has a few extra rooms since my brother and his friend left." She offered.

Azula smiled inwardly. Perfect. A chance to meet The other avatar. A chance to tell him of the information she had. A chance to finally destroy her father.

"That would be great."

An: sorry lol I couldn't figure out a way to transfer to the next part so I just made a new chapter. And that's on laziness. Anyway, hope you enjoyed this really small bit from me. A much longer one 8k will be up this weekend. As always, please review. I love hearing from you. 3