The Azure Dragon.

Titles at face value were simply words put together. It is the story and meaning placed on them that give them weight and power over many. Her traitor uncle was once a glorious firebender who killed the last dragon, which earned him the title of "Dragon of the West". Senzin Zhou, riding some distance behind her own procession, was now called the "Komodo General" for his conquests atop his Komodo Rhino. Now, Azula herself enter the hall of titles for her conquest of Ba Sing Se. Even her father doesn't have a prestigious title to his name for any achievement.

But more than the title, Azula enjoyed the grand acknowledgement of her achievements through a Triumph. From her studies when she was younger, she remembered that the Triumphs were held in high esteem during the warlord era of the Islands as they commemorated great victories. The last Triumph recorded was of the First Firelord, Firelord Yayoi, for his unification of the Fire Nation under his banner and was regarded to be the grandest of the Triumphs as well. A Triumph was planned for her own uncle in anticipation for his victory, but it was scrapped when he returned defeated. Now, she enjoys the honor that once was supposed to be her uncle's.

And while more specific details of Firelord Yayoi's grand Triumph were sparse, Azula imagined that her own Triumph surpassed even that both in achievement and grandiosity. The unification of the Islands was great, but the conquest of Ba Sing Se with her high walls was surely greater. The size of the procession as well, with hundreds of soldiers, prisoners, and spoils of war, marching through the capital behind her as possibly thousands of citizens gathered to watch and cheer surely indicated it was the grandest of all Triumphs.

Though, even if she wanted to take all the credit for the successes celebrated by the Triumph, she knew she couldn't have done it alone. Riding beside her were her friends, Ty Lee and Mai. They have been quite useful in her campaign and played a not-so-insignificant role in her success. What was a little surprising for Azula was that even with them beside her in her victory, she felt no irritation against them.

Azula looked to her right and saw Ty Lee enthusiastically waving and smiling towards her side of cheering crowds. Azula remembered the times when she felt compelled to humiliate the bubbly girl when she succeeded over her, especially regarding Ty Lee's acrobatics. It was simply natural. A Royal Princess needed to be perfect and at the rare times she wasn't, she needed to assert herself as the dominant one instead. But now, seeing the girl she forced to join her on dangerous missions still beside her after fighting for and with her, Azula acknowledged Ty Lee.

Azula looked then to her left and saw Mai with her signature apathetic face simply looking forward, but also subtly sneaking glances behind her towards what Azula assumed to be Zuko. This was a person that Azula enjoyed teasing and humiliating because of her crush on Zuko. Mai, the prim and perfect noble child, reduced to a blushing mess whenever Azula's brother was added in. And yet, even with the humiliation and demands, Mai trusted Azula back in Omashu and joined her in her campaign against Zuko, the Avatar and even the entire Earth Kingdom. Azula appreciated such loyalty and sincerely hoped Mai wouldn't grow too attached to her brother Zuko, given her suspicions and scheme against her brother.

The two of them feared her, Azula knew. She knowingly cultivates that fear of her, after all. But looking at them now, with that fear lacking in their eyes but still doing the things they did, Azula could feel a new sort of trust develop within her, wholly different from the trust she places on people's instincts and fear. For the first time, Azula saw her friends in a new light.

And speaking of friends, Azula couldn't help but think back to Senzin Zhou.

Originally, the man was only supposed to be a source of entertainment for her against Mai. He was a competent general, sure, but that only increased the satisfaction of humiliating a person of authority as well.

Then, she saw his eyes and saw an ambition burn like an inferno in them. She had just mentioned her uncle and that's when she saw them. Azula understood that that ambition of his was one of revenge against the man she assumed he felt betrayed him. And if he felt such passion for revenge against her uncle, it probably extended to her father as well, for the execution of his own father. Still, Azula was intrigued by how Senzin would go about it and how the entire thing would crash and burn.

Sadly, it only seemed that Mai was the awkward one between the two as Senzin remained professional for the entirety of the chase. Even when faced with the possibility of finally capturing her uncle, Azula never saw the same inferno burn within Senzin's eyes. He simply continued to drive the tank train dutifully, silently observing her from a distance.

Suddenly, she was tasked with the conquest of Ba Sing Se, and Senzin changed immediately. In their journey to meet with the war minister, Senzin spoke to her about the intricacies of warfare and details on Ba Sing Se. He advised her similarly to how she saw the generals advised her father back in the Capital: with dignity and respect. It was a nice change from the permissive attitude some commanders took with her or even the fearful deference most gave her. He advised, opined, listened, and discussed with her, allowing for some intellectual thought to be exercised.

More than that, however, was that Senzin trusted her. He showed that when he accepted her plan to conquer Ba Sing Se, even preparing his own plans with hers in mind. He didn't follow out of fear; She could tell he didn't operate on fear given how unflinching he was. He didn't follow out of ambition either; Not once did he request for anything or do things for any excess gain, even to ask about her uncle. Senzin was a dutiful general that placed his complete trust in her.

It was new and novel to Azula, but it exposed her to something other than fear. And looking back, it seems like recognizing that overt trust in her made her realize the underlying trust her own friends placed in her as well.

Make no mistake, Azula still desired power and recognition with her entire being. She would always be the pinnacle of strength and glory, as befitting of a Royal Princess of the Fire Nation. The Triumph was most definitely hers.

But maybe, it wouldn't be so bad to have her friends stand beside her in the limelight. To celebrate with. To simply trust. To simply… have.