On the royal barge some time the next day, Zirrinni stood at the edge, looking out at the water.
"Fancy some company?" Azula asked.
"I'd welcome the company." Zirrinni said then looked at Azula when they stood side by side.
"Why don't we get to know each other a bit more?"
Zirrinni smiled softly and nodded. "Sure. What would you like to know?"
Azula thought for a minute before she had a question. "What other bending skills do you have?"
"My mother actually was a healer when she and I lived in the South Pole. She helped me master it."
"That'll come in handy, I'm sure. What else?"
Zirrinni hesitated before taking a deep breath. "...One night still haunts me to this day."
Azula looked at Zirrinni as she waited for her guest to explain.
"It was during a full moon and this kid about our age was bullying a younger kid. I tried getting the bully to back off, but he wouldn't. Out of anger, I used my waterbending to try and stop the kid, but...something happened. Because of the power boost I got from the full moon...I found that I was actually...using my waterbending to somehow control the bully's body movements. Once the kid was gone, I let the bully go then ran home. I was so scared of what I'd done that I promised myself to never use that technique again."
Azula, a girl who had done some messed up things herself, looked at Zirrinni with a look of shock. The Princess then decided to change the topic.
"...What about firebending skills?"
"My dad taught me to generate lightning."
"A skill few Firebenders have, myself, my father, and my uncle among them."
Zirrinni nodded then noticed her braid was coming undone, so she let her hair out of the braid, shook her head to loosen her hair, then got her hair braided again.
"When'd you have the bun added?" Azula asked.
"After learning about my papa's heritage." Zirrinni replied as she finished fixing her braid.
"Any siblings?"
"I have an adopted younger sister named Hiatari. Her biological family was murdered by a firebender when she was 4. Almost a year later, my dad took her in. She's a firebender too. We blend well together, Tari and I."
"May I see what she looks like?"
Zirrinni nodded then showed Azula small painting of herself and a girl two inches taller than her with pale skin, sleek black hair that was just shy of shoulder length, and amber eyes. Half of the other girl's hair was in a traditional Fire Nation bun.
"Pretty."
"Thanks."
A few feet from the ship, Echo burst out of the water, roaring happily.
"...Is Echo a water dragon?" The Princess inquired.
The hybrid bender nodded. "I first used my firebending to try and hatch her egg, but nothing happened, so I tried my waterbending and that helped her egg hatch."
"Does she spray water?"
Zirrinni giggled and shook her head. "Watch those rocks near her."
Azula did as requested.
"Echo!" Zirrinni called and the dragon looked at her mother. "The rocks!"
The dragon responded by divebombing the rocks below her and letting out a sonic roar that shattered the rocks. The sight of this caused Azula to jump a little. "Wow." She said in surprise and amazement.
Zirrinni nodded. "But that's not why I named her Echo."
"Oh?"
"Yeah. When she hatched, I asked her what I should name her, and she sounded like she'd repeated my question."
Azula nodded then decided to change the topic again. "Did you have any close friends in the South Pole?"
"There was one girl I thought of as my sister. Her name's Katara. Her father, Hakoda, is the Chieftain of the Southern Water Tribe."
"I'm curious. Is this Katara as skilled as you?"
"She's a Waterbender, but she struggled with her bending. Of course, it's been a few years since I last saw her, so maybe that's starting to change."
"Does she have any siblings?"
"Yeah. An older brother named Sokka. He's not a bender like her."
Azula nodded.
"What about you, Azula? Any close friends?"
"Two, actually. Mai and Ty Lee. Ty Lee is a nobleman's daughter and Mai's father is now the governor of Omashu. I met them at the Royal Fire Academy for Girls when we were little."
"I've been to Omashu before. I had a good time." Zirrinni then got curious. "What happened to Ty Lee?"
"Last I heard, she's an acrobat and performer in a Firebending traveling circus."
"Quite an interesting career choice for a daughter of nobility. Any skills they have?"
"Mai actually developed remarkable precision with throwing blades. Knives, a Sai, and even arrow like stilettos. Ty Lee is skilled in a fighting style that paralyzes people or even blocks a bender's chi."
"Wow. Maybe I could learn a thing or two from them. I'm always looking for new skills to learn."
"I'm sure Ty Lee would happily teach you chi blocking."
"What about Mai?"
"I'm sure if it'd give her something to do, she'd teach you a few things too."
"Sounds like she gets bored easily."
"That's how she became as good as she is." Azula laughed lightly.
Zirrinni laughed lightly as well. "Any siblings?"
"My older brother, Zuko."
"I heard stories about him. He spoke out of turn to a general, didn't he?"
"Yes, but also disrespected our father. He burned and banished Zuzu as a result of him refusing to fight Father in an Agni Kai. Never to return home until he finds the Avatar to restore his honor."
"'Zuzu'?"
"I've called him that for years."
Zirrinni nodded. "You know...Echo's the closest thing I have to either a sister or even a daughter."
"I can imagine so. She truly is a magnificent dragon."
Zirrinni smiled. "Thank you."
They soon were approached by the ship's captain.
"If this is about the tides Captain, don't forget what I said." The princess said.
"If the tides are a problem, I can deal with it, Azula." The dual bender said.
Azula considered the offered then nodded. Zirrinni nodded back then walked to the bow of the royal barge and used her waterbending to lessen the tides enough for the ship to sail through them.
Azula watched with a smirk. "Be ready, brother. You as well, Uncle." She said quietly.
That's chapter two
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