#97: Vanishing Act
As Prompted By: DearLemonLima

"Why would you steal a fish?" Azula demands, gazing at Ty Lee filling an inn's vase with water. "You have to wait for it to warm up. You cannot drop a fish into cold water."

"Then heat it up," Ty Lee complains, offering the vase to her new wife.

Azula looks at Ty Lee's sparkling, wide eyes and feels that tugging in her gut that she loathes. "Only because I killed its owners," Azula purrs. It takes a few simple seconds of bending before the water is adequate for the colorful fish. "Does he have a name?"

"Swimmy," Ty Lee sings.

Azula blinks. "You don't think that's, perhaps, a little absurd?"

Ty Lee now sees an opportunity and barely restrains herself from jumping up and down and screaming how she's the manipulative one now. "I'll change his name if you tell me why you're stealing weirdly specific things other than money now."

"You promise?" Azula inquires with a tiny pout.

"I'm not the liar in this relationship." Ty Lee grins.

Azula smirks. "Alright. I am building a fortress. Well, taking one, but then tailoring it to my standards."

"You can't retake the palace," Ty Lee vehemently insists, reaching out and grabbing both of Azula's hands.

"I…" Azula's eyelashes flutter. "How stupid do you think I am? I would never successfully be able to take it, much less hold it. I have been made aware of an isolated place that I can claim."

"You're not starting a war; you're settling down!" Pause. "Is that why you need a wife?"

"Not necessarily, but I figured it was worth it and I needed someone to aid me with the robberies and eventual resistance I will probably face. I can't run forever, and I never wanted to leave a home, I wanted to leave my brother and the way I was treated, the way I never was able to forget my alleged home was a prison. I had my fun, now I am having one last act of madness before I give in to my exhaustion."

Ty Lee glances at their latest acquisitions that lie on the bed. "Do you think an army will try to take you from your – our – new home?"

"No, but I am very wanted. More so, now that I'm leaving a bloody trail in my wake as I build a home and cute little future."

"I love cute little futures. I also love Swimmy."

"What is his new name?"

"Swimmy." Ty Lee laughs. "I did lie!"

She turns to face her new pet and screams. That will draw attention to them in this tiny inn, Azula laments. "He vanished! Azula, Swimmy vanished! He vanished, save him!"

"He's a fish," Azula snarls. "Where did he go? You lost a fish and you want children?"

"Oh, he just swam behind the plant I gave him. That terrified me. I'm rattled." Ty Lee kisses Azula and settles Swimmy on the woodsy bedside table.

"Not rattled by murder, theft and treason…" Azula cocks an eyebrow. "Rattled by losing track of her fish for a few seconds."

"That's why you love me!"

Azula refuses to admit that that is true.

[to be continued]