WELCOMING FEAST
ARRIVAL DAY
Just imagine, a world where the 100 years war had never happened.
The four nations live in full harmony, supporting and encouraging the collaboration between each other. And even with the disappearance of the Avatar almost 100 years ago, the four-nations keep developing in harmony.
For the first time in history, today in the Capital City of the Fire Nation, world leaders, nobles and important businessmen are gathering together to celebrate international agreements, which will benefit the growth and prosperity of all four nations. In an event named the Unification Movement.
7 years ago, the Avatar Aang was found by some fishermen, frozen near the Southern Water Tribe. Back then, he was only 12 years old, and only mastered the Air bending, now, he had already mastered water bending, and was learning earth bending, soon, he will also need to learn fire bending, and that was also another excuse for Fire Lord Ozai to have the first meeting of the Unification Movement in the Fire Nation.
For the next month starting tonight, the Fire Nation Capital will hold every day a different festivity, involving all the nations, with the intent of getting to know and experience traditions from all the world.
"I seriously don't know why I agreed with this." Princess Azula of the Fire Nation complained, in the middle of the city market, for the fifth time while massaging her temples. How could have she agreed to come?
"Because I asked pretty please?" Ty Lee said while looking at some fabrics.
Right...Because her friend annoyed her to death. "Yeah... sure," she said sarcastically, rolling her eyes. "I hate shopping," she muttered.
"Then why did you agree?" her friend Mai, who has been looking at her nails all the time, asked her.
"Why did YOU agree?" Azula backfired her question, "No one hates shopping more than I do than you do."
Mai sighed, "Well, it was this or looking at the wall for the rest of the evening."
"Girls! Look! Isn't it the prettiest one you had seen?" Ty Lee asked while holding a pink cheongsam.
"Oh look! They have it in different colors!" exclaimed excitedly like a little girl.
"Which now, I'm starting to think could have been more interesting than this," Mai muttered.
"Oh, come on, girls!" Ty Lee looked at her friends, "Shopping can be fun…"
"Ty Lee, shopping is NOT fun... ," Azula declared.
Ty Lee rolled her eyes, "Girls, just give it a chance…" she insisted.
The Princess narrowed her eyes, "Admit it. You only wanted me to come because you know that when I came, people tend to give you free stuff." Azula crossed her arms, frowning.
Ty Lee blushed in embarrassment and scratched the back of her neck as she chuckled. "Just give it a chance, who knows?... Both of you might end up liking it."
"I DON´T like it ...Why do you think we have servants? For them, to do the things we don't want to do… Including this." Azula said, but her friend ignored her, and when back to what she was doing. She sighed, "Can I join you next time?" Azula asked Mai, "I'm sure looking at the walls will be more fun than this."
Mai nodded in agreement, "Just… don't tell her," she whispered the last part only for her to hear, and Azula smirked. "So, what's your excuse then?"
The Princess took a deep breath, "The palace is too crowded for my liking, the servants are running all around the place getting everything for tonight feast. I couldn't even practice fire bending today. The gisaengs are rehearsing at the plaza.…" she said annoyed, "Seriously, for all the ideas my father had ever had, this one must be the worst... How could he acceded to have people snooping around the palace?"
"It's for `international collaboration´, you more than anyone should be happy… as a Princess, it will simplify your job, a lot." Mai said.
Azula sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose. Her friend was right. "I know…"
She also added, "And… It's also the first time the Avatar Aang comes to the Fire Nation after his defrosting, and...He is looking for a fire bending master, so what a better chance than these kinds of events."
"I know," The Princess snarled, "It's …"
Ty Lee cut her off, "Then, why are you so truly annoyed?... I mean, you are frowning more than usual." she asked while looking closely at two dresses that looked the exact the same for her and Mai.
"Because I'm DOING THIS!" Ty Lee turned to look at her with a serious look, something weird for her. "Fine…" Azula rolled her eyes, "Since I'm turning 21 this year, my father is getting a little too anxious about… finding me a husband." she said with a grin of disgust to the last word.
"Well, he has been trying to match you up with the son of a noble every year since you turned 14, so why is that surprising?" Mai said now looking a little more interested in the conversation.
"Because, I think he hopes that with these kinds of events, I will find someone who matches my expectations, and find worthy of my hand since I have been rejecting every candidate of the Fire Nation nobility," said Azula disgruntled.
"Rejecting? Seriously?" Ty Lee said, still looking at the two dresses. "Oh, no… I don't know which one to choose," she turned to her friends, "Which one should I buy the pink one or the light red one?".
Azula sighed, irritated, rubbing her temple. "Choose the pink one, Ty Lee, you always go for the pink one," she grunted. She was going to murder her friend.
"You are right! ...Thanks, Azula," she turned to pay it, "But seriously… Azula, you haven't been JUST rejecting guys. I mean, you have destroyed their self-esteem. Didn't she, Mai?"
Mai nodded in agreement, "You have been more than cruel to every single one of them… Especially the first one, the son of the Admiral…. What was his name again?" she placed a hand under her chin to try to remember his name.
"Chan?" Ty Lee remembers her while walking again through the market. "Your husband friend?"
"More like an acquaintance. But, yeah, him."
"Well, he was annoying, and it wasn't that bad." Azula defended herself.
"Yeah… You are right. He only cried his eyes out, for nothing." Mai said sarcastically while shrugging, "I have never seen a teenager cry like that."
"Are you sure, you aren't just defending just because you married his best friend?" The Princess asked, but Mai only sighed and rolled her eyes. "After dating Zuzu, I was hoping you will get an upgrade not a downgrade in your boyfriends." she mocked again.
"You are saying that for all the dating experience you have?" Mai commented with sarcasm.
"Touche…" Azula responded.
"Just tell us already why you are so grumpy… and stop frowning… You will get early wrinkles...and you two need to do something about your auras...They are all messy." Ty Lee said, looking at her friends.
"Fine…" Azula said, rolling her eyes and crossing her arms. "The thing is, this `event´ it's just a smokescreen for my father to find me a… a husband…. the other day I accidentally heard my parents talking about grandchildren." she snorted.
Both girls raised her eyebrows.
"What is it with parents and grandchildren lately?" Ty Lee asked, "My parents gathered me and my sisters a few weeks ago, and they started to talk about marriage and grandchildren too."
"Lucky you, 3 of your 6 sisters are already married or engaged, so there is no pressure in you…. Me? The other day, I trapped my mother into trying to make me drink a "miraculous tea" for getting pregnant. She said something about `being married for a year and not being able to conceive´ and blah, blah, blah…. Honestly, lately I have been blocking my hearing whenever she talks to me…." Mai complained, "What is wrong with them? Ruo Jian and I haven't even talked about it."
"Must be something in the water," Azula muttered while walking close to one of the city fountains. "Are you still hoping to ever meet again that earth boy of yours?" Azula asked towards Ty Lee.
For a few years during their teenage years, Ty Lee joined a circus which used to tour around the four nations. And during one of the tours in the Earth Kingdom, she met a boy named Haru, which she instantly fell in love with. The next time the circus went back to his city, he was gone. He left to work in some project involving the mines and earth bending. They never meet again, but her friend was still holding on to the hope that they will eventually meet again.
"Of course,… He is the other end of my red string after all," said Ty Lee softly smiling.
"Are you sure you're not saying that just because he took your virginity?" Azula teased her.
"What?!... NO... Good Azula," Ty Lee blushed, "Either way, he was charming, a total gentleman, and he was sooo funny." she said with a smile.
The Princess smirked, "Ty Lee, I don't know if you are aware of this but, when a guy is funny, you laugh, you don't sleep with him." she mocked.
Ty Lee rolled her eyes. "Shut up."
"Just saying," she said shrugging while chuckling as well as Mai.
The three of them walked for a while for the market at the Capitol.
"What do we do now?" Ty Lee asked after a while of silence. "I already have everything for tonight."
Tonight, was the welcoming feast for all the important guests arriving, it will be held in the main plaza, with tons of food, music, and shows.
"I should be heading back to the palace now, I need to get ready, and also being in the Royal Spa will give me a reason to not see anyone till tonight."
"By the way, shouldn't Zuko be also at the feast?" Mai asked.
Azula shrugged, "He should… He must have arrived at the Capital a week ago, but he sends a hawk with a letter, about taking a detour or something like that."
"It will be nice to see him after his `life-changing trip´" Ty Lee said.
Zuko left the Capital more than three years ago, after an accident while training with their father, where he accidentally with his fire burned half of his face. And by his choice and after mother many complaints, he left saying he was going to find the true meaning of fire bending. During these past three years, Zuko toured the world in his ship, and according to one of his latest letters, he even visited the ruins of the Sun Warriors.
Azula was jealous of him, he was Crowned Prince and he was the heir to the throne of the Fire Nation, yet; he was traveling all around the world, while she was stuck in the Capital, her birthplace, and yet her golden cage. She also wanted to see the world, but for her parents apparently, it was more important to get married.
Their parents were overprotective with both of them, but especially her, even though since she was very young, she showed every sign of being a prodigy. Her fire was unique, there was no other fire bender with blue fire to the date, too had ever existed. Many said she was even more talented than her cousin Lu Ten, who was also praised to be a fire bending prodigy.
Her cousin Lu Ten is her uncle Iroh's only child, and uncle Iroh was supposed to be the heir to the throne, technically he was supposed to be Fire Lord, not her father.
Uncle Iroh and her cousin Lu ten were military men, and during one of their travels while Fire Lord Azulon ruled, while they were helping to establish one of the first mixed cities of the Earth Kingdom with the Fire Nation near Ba Sing Se, Lu Ten meets a girl, and he fell in love.
Lu Ten fell in love with an Earth Kingdom noble girl, and he was so in love, he even decided to abdicate his birthright of the throne, just to be available to live a happy nice calm life in the Earth Kingdom with the girl he loves. To this day, they are still happily married, and with two little brats.
As for Uncle Iroh, the love for his only child, and his many travels taught him, -at least that's what he says-, that he was a man-made for a simple life, a non-political royalty related one. So, just as his son did, he also abdicates the throne and moved to Ba Sing Se, where now he owns his Tea Shop, which according to the rumors is a total success.
They both used to come to the Capital quite frequently, but their last visit had been over 3 years ago.
After Uncle Iroh also abdicated the throne, Grandfather Azulon named his second child Ozai, his successor.
Her father as Fire Lord had archive enormous things for the Fire Nation, he had made it the most industrialized Nation of the four of and prosperity is what her father rule brought to the Nation. And that was one of the reasons his father wanted the negotiations to be successful, due to all the benefits that it will bring to the four nations.
"Yeah…" Azula said, "I think I should head back to the… " she was cut off by a rampage that got the attention of the three girls. "What is happening?"
People were running from something, or more like getting away of… and then she saw them… a bunch of boys was having an ostrich horse race, and they were causing a total mess.
Citizens were pushing others all over the street, trying to avoid being razed over.
"What the…."
Azula jumped out of the way just in time when one was about to run her over, and when she was about to fire blast them, to try to stop them of causing such a mess, on such an important day, she took a peek of one of the troublemakers, they didn't seem Fire Nation citizen, but before she could do anything else, another one came by, and this one made Ty Lee jump, and accidentally push her in the fountain.
"Yezz… Watch it!" Ty Lee screamed at them. "Azula?"
"Princess!" The two local guards located closely rushed towards them.
Ty Lee and Mai's eyes widened, as well as their mouths at the shock.
Azula was soaked with the water of the fountain and was not only annoyed but furiously pissed. She was panting, her expression was somber, her knuckles were white and Ty Lee could swear she could hear her teeth gritting.
When the two guards tried to reach for her, she stopped them with a hand. "Why don't you two try to do something useful. Like go and get those MOBSTERS?!, Eh?...GO!" She commanded them, in such a glacial tone, that would have made shiver anyone.
"Yes, Princess!" Both said before bowing and chasing after them.
"Azula… I'm so, so…" Ty Lee said reaching to help her friend, but just as she did with her guards Azula did the same trying to stop her from talking.
"Don't…" Azula stood up while using her fire, bending to dry herself. Mai and Ty Lee could see steam all around the Princess.
Ty Lee tried to apologize. "Azula, I'm…."
"Hush…"
"But I'm…."
Azula looked at her friend furiously. "Zip it, Ty Lee, seriously…." she warned her friend as she took a few deep breaths trying to calm herself, and not to lose her perfect posture. And without a word, she started to walk towards the palace.
"We will see you tonight at the feast!" Ty Lee screamed. "Right?" she turned to look to Mai who only shrugged.
By the time the Princess walked through the palace gate, she was fully dry, but still a little steamy and still clenching her teeth.
This day was only meant to get worse and worst.
But nothing will ever prepare her for tonight, and the endless line on suitors her father was going to introduce her. How many rejections and traumatized boys will take for her father to understand she didn't want a suitor or an arranged marriage? Azula wasn't even sure she wanted to get wed or have children of her own -which was the major reason her parents were so eager to marry her-.
Even though the servants were running everywhere getting everything ready for the feast, they could still sense her grim mood.
"P-Princess?" A shaky voice behind her called her.
She turned. "WHAT?!" Azula snarled between teeth.
The servant while bowing said, "The Southern Water Tribe guests and some air nomads have arrived. Fire Lord Ozai and Fire Lady Ursa, require your presence to welcome them."
"Perfect," she grunted, chagrined.
"Sorry, Princess?"
"Nothing. Thinking aloud," she took a deep breath, she certainly didn't need it this right now. "Tell them I will see them tonight, that I don't feel very well right now."
"Lying again?" A voice said, "That is SO inappropriate for a Princess, but so much like you." he mocked appearing around the corner. "You haven't changed a thing."
Azula crossed her arms. "I changed," she stated. "I grew taller," she said, smirking.
"Not much." her sibling retorted.
The Princess sneered and made a sign to the servant to leave them alone. "You were supposed to arrive later in the evening, Zuzu," she responded with a smirk while taking a good look at him.
He was taller and builder, and also his hair was long. If it wasn't for the lack of facial hair and the scar in his left eye, he would be the same copy of their father.
The Prince was wearing crimson and gold robes, and his headpiece.
"What are you doing?" he asked her when he realized she was inspecting him.
"Analyzing your new you look…" she placed her hand on her chin and raised an eyebrow. "I like your new style."
His eyes widened, "That's… nice coming from you."
"Really...It keeps the attention away from your ugliness," she said quizzically.
"And… you are back," he shook his head with a smirk. "That is how you are going to receive your older brother?" he said crossing his arms.
"I hope you are not expecting a hug.," she said with a grin.
"Not." He said a little rim, but before she could react, he throws his arms around her and crushed her into a hug.
Azula's eyes widened. She certainly wasn't expecting that. They were never huggers, except for her mother's command. "Ohh... Okay… Enough… Zuko that's enough… Let go," he kept crushing her more and more, he was enjoying annoying her. "LET GO!" she screamed while pushing him away. He only laughed at her reaction. "Agrr… really?" she fixed her clothes. "You haven't changed at all, still annoying as always." she snarled.
"Well... I have to say, I'm touching you didn't burn me a moment ago for hugging you." Zuko said a little warily.
"Don't be... I'm still thinking about it," she crossed her arms. "Anyways,… Don't you have something better to do than annoy me?" she asked.
"Mmm… I do. But I saw you and I thought, why not?" The Prince mocked.
"Haha, hilarious... Shouldn't you be… I don't know, greeting our parents or something?" she pointed out.
"I have to, but I ran into you first. And as I did, I'm dragging you with me." Zuko said trying to surround her by the shoulders, but she was faster and avoided it.
"Thanks... But I pass. I don't want to be near our parents right now." Azula admitted.
"Why is that?" he inquired, grimacing.
"Oh, come on… You know what this is really about!" Zuko raised his eyebrow in confusion. "Zuko… I heard them talk about grandchildren." she made a disgusting grin.
Zuko's mouth hanged wide open. "So... t-they... are... are they... whoa… they are evil... I can't believe it."
"If I were you, I will be running back towards your ship as fast as I could... Mother even wants to learn to knot," she said bitterly.
"Oh god… I just got goosebumps," he said with a grin and rubbing his arms. "So… That means you're still traumatizing all of your possible suitors?" she nodded. "In that case, I guess I will have to suggest them to send you on a little trip all around the world as I did… It worked for me."
"Wait... W-What?… So… So, are you saying you found a girlfriend?" Azula said, dumbstruck.
"Yes, indeed," Zuko said proudly. "I have a girlfriend," he smiled softly. "I meet her when I was traveling thru the Kyoshi Island. She is the daughter of the chief of the Island, and she is also a fantastic warrior. She is coming with her father to the Capital. You will meet her tonight at the feast…." he stopped talking when he realized his sister's attention was somewhere else. "Azula?"
Azula who ignored the last part blinked. "Sorry… I got lost in the... I have a girlfriend part." she said, gulping.
"Haha… Why? You don't believe me?" he asked her, raising an eyebrow.
Of course, she wasn't going to believe him." Oh, come on!. It's... It's YOU!" she made a grin.
He raised his eyebrow, "Do I have to remind you I even used to date Mai? YOUR friend?" he pointed out.
"Yeah… I know that… It's just, I mean, Mai? I get it, it was a childhood crush. In all honesty, I never thought it would happen, but ...Another one?" She made a grin.
He crossed his arms and widened his eyes. "You will be surprised by…"
"Wait, wait, wait…." she interrupted him. "Zuko… Are you one hundred percent sure she is real?" Azula narrowed her eyes., "I mean... Have other people seen her too? Are you sure that you are not just... hallucinating her? You know-how in our family health records runs every kind of mental disease and…"
"Azula!" he cut her off, affronted. "Suki is real. And you will meet her tonight."
"Jeez…! You don't need to be so touchy about it," she crossed her arms and made a grin. "Anyways,…" Azula said after a moment of silence, wanting to end the conversation at last. "I'm going to the Royal Spa, need to get ready for tonight... Later loser…" she said walking towards her destination, in the opposite direction.
It took her the rest of the evening to get ready. She got a full-body pampering from head to toe. Got her nails done, a massage, a facial, and her hair done.
It was around eight o'clock when she was fully ready, looking at her reflection in her mirror.
Her red satin hanfu with black details around her neck and sleeves was a handmaid masterpiece.
Her mom herself, worked for weeks with the Royals tailors to have the royal family costumes ready for that special occasion. It fitted her perfectly, and it was a pretty hanfu with uniques designs representatives of the Fire Nation. Her black hair was half loose, perfectly combed, decorated with her headpiece, and with her usual bangs at each side of her face.
She meets her parents and Zuko at the door of the Coronation Plaza when she could no longer delay the inevitable.
Her parents were using matching red hanfus with gold details. Fire Lord's was a little more luxurious than the Fire Lady's one. And she also notices that Zuko's hanfu matching with hers with red and black colors.
Her mother was the first one to notice her arrival. "Azula… Ohhh... You look lovely, darling." Ursa said, interrupting her talk with her son.
"Thanks," Azula muttered, "You too... Well, you all." she said with a grin.
"Even me?..." Zuko teased, smirking.
She rolled her eyes, "Yes… Even you, Zuzu."
"Darling," Fire Lord said, "Where have you been all day? I send the servants to look for you…" he said, prying.
She looked away, "Getting ready of course." The Princess said, playing with her hair sneakily.
Ozai placed a hand on her shoulder. "Anyways…" he waved with the other hand. "I wanted to introduce you to our visitors… The Southern Water Tribe chief has a son, and he looks like a remarkable young man, and also… He is single..."
"Oh god," she said, throwing her head back and taking a deep breath to calm herself.
"Wait…." her brother intervened quizzically, "You mean Sokka, dad?" Zuko asked with a smirk.
"Nosy," said Azula, poking him in the ribs with her elbow. He winced slightly.
"Yeah, do you know him?" their father asked, prying.
Zuko grimaced, "I do. When I visited their tribe, Hakoda the chief, hosted a few dinners for me and my men." he informed his father.
Ozai gazed toward his son. "In that case, I suppose I will have to thank him properly. But… " The Fire Lord surrounded his son by the shoulders. "Do you think this boy will be Azula's type?" he whispered him and his daughter raised both arms in the air, getting madden by every passing second.
Zuko chuckled, "Oh… He is Azula's type." he said with sarcasm, which their father didn't seem to notice. Azula facepalmed herself.
"Good… I will arrange a meeting between them," said Ozai before took his place right next to his wife, in front of their children.
Zuko looked at his sister with a grin of mockery and trying not to laugh. He had forgotten how fun it was to piss his sister.
"You plonker…" she said sulking, before kicking him in the leg which only makes him laugh more.
"Wench," Zuko said back, rubbing his leg.
The Fire Lord took a deep breath. "I missed this…" he said looking at his children and then at her wife.
"What?" Ursa raised an eyebrow and proceed to fix the collar of his husband.
"The four of us. Together again." The Fire Lord sighed.
Both of his children gazed at him.
The Prince was the first one to talk. "You missed our constant arguments and the non-stop harassment, mostly from Azula towards me?" he asked raising both eyebrows inquisitively.
Azula looked at him dumbfounded, "Oh, now you are the victim?" she pouted at him while crossing her arms.
"Yes! You have always been the instigator!" said Zuko with a pointing finger.
She slaps his finger fumed. "And you have always being a bother!" she sticks out her tongue towards him, "Dad, can we return Zuko, overseas? I miss being an only child."
"We can arrange that!" the Prince grunted.
Azula placed her hands on her hips quizzically. "What? Are you going to challenge me to an Agni Kai," she smirked.
"I might," Zuko said recklessly.
"Fine!" Both siblings had flames in their palms, when...
"If I see one little flame or even a smoke stain in those clothes, I will ground you both!" said Ursa menacing while she kept fixing her husband's collar.
"Yes, mother." Both said at the same time and all the flames went off.
Ursa looked away, but she could still see them for the corner of her eyes.
The younger ones returned to poke each other guts out as soon as neither parent was watching them.
The Fire Lord shook his head, "Yeap, definitely I missed that," he muttered to himself, "I love my children, I love my children, I love my children…." he kept repeating between teeth while glancing at his wife, who smiled softly before...
"You two, enough!" Ursa scolded them, just when Azula was about to hit her sibling in the head and Zuko was dodging to avoid it.
A second later, the door to the Coronation Plaza opened.
The Plaza was decorated with the traditional colors of the four nations, flags all over the place. But yet the color red was the predominant as the host nation.
There were at least a hundred people in there, wearing their nation colors, all in fancy clothes.
All the guests turned to watch the Royal Family.
At the top of the stairs, in front of the Coronation temple, there was a large table, and four seats, for the Royal Family of the Fire Nation. There was also, in the middle of the Plaza, a stage for entertainment. There were also a few tables around the stage for the visitors, and at both sides of the plaza, there were tables with more food in case people will get hungry during the night.
"Welcome!" her father said, once everyone was in their respective place.
The Fire Lord Ozai speech about the Unification movement was touching as he welcomed all the guests, thanking them for their presence and of course, he did the same with the Avatar Aang, after that, he spoke about international cooperation, and the benefits of this movement to the rest of the world and how they all were making history. After he was done, dinner got served.
Her father was a total perfectionist for these kinds of events. He made sure to get traditional dishes for everyone to enjoy.
"Look, Azula," Zuko whispered next to her, "The first table, at your right."
"What with it?" she asked while taking a bite of her food, avoiding to look where her brother instructed her to.
"The one in the middle, it's..." he went silent when his sister nailed her chopsticks to the table, between his fingers without blinking. Zuko's eyes were wide in shock, and his mouth when dry.
She looked at him menacing, "Zuzu if you are so interested in him… Then why don't you marry him? Huh?" she said irked removing her chopsticks and proceeding to continue eating.
Zuko shrugged, "H-He is not my type."
"On the contrary brother, I'm sure that three years abroad and the lack of feminine touch made you and the rest of your crew really…" she smirked, "... close to each other in more than one sense. Also, who am I to judge." said Azula shrugging quizzical.
The Prince was dumbstruck. "What…?"
Azula pointed at him with her chopsticks. "But, say another word, and next time I will not miss," she warned him, fumed.
Zuko raised his hands in a defeated gesture, but remained silent, which the Princess thanked.
Once the dinner was done, his father welcomed the gisaengs, which made a lovely performance involving fire bending, music, dance, and fireworks. Everyone was delighted by the performance. And when the dance was done Fire Lord Ozai, encourage everyone to socialize, and enjoy the rest of the feast.
"Daughter." he for her attention, touching her shoulder before she could go anywhere.
"Yes, father?" said the Princess, standing up and raising an eyebrow.
"Don't move! I'm going to get Hakoda, so we can introduce you and Sokka formally," he said.
"Sure." she gave him the fakest smile she could.
Of course, she was going to flee at the first chance, and she did. Azula sneaked into the guests, away from her father, and started to look for her friends with her eyes, but instead, she found something more appealing.
"Thanks," she said to one servant, while taking a glass of wine which might make her night more enjoyable, but before she could take a sip, Zuko came and took it away from her, and returned to the servant.
"Thanks. But she is trying to quit it, and also… She is a terrible drinker." he whispered to the servant with a smile.
"Who is trying to quit?" she asked raising an eyebrow and placing her hand on her hips.
"You!" He said.
Azula huffed, "Do you seriously want me to kill you? Do you know how long I have been wanting to be an only child?" she said snarked crossing her arms, "Shouldn't you be with your girlfriend? I mean... If she exists," she mocked.
"Yeah… Right, I was looking for her to introduce her to you," said Zuko.
"Then?" she raised her eyebrows. "Go…" she said, waving a hand to send him away.
"Try to socialize…." she said, walking away.
"Yes, father…" she rolled her eyes annoyed, while he started to look for his said girlfriend, and he disappeared between the people.
Azula returned to her search for Mai and Ty Lee, but before finding them, she got a look of her father, walking with a man while surrounding his shoulders, the man was water tribe by his looks and clothes, and then her mind clicked, and without losing a second she sneaked between the guests and away from her father.
After a moment of trying to avoid her father, she found herself by one of the food tables on the other side of the plaza.
"Are you going to avoid father all night?"
Azula jolted up at hearing her brother's voice. "Jeez... You scared me! I see that in your journey you got better at the sneaking arts," she said, "Did you find your, "girlfriend" already?"
"Yeah… She went to refresh herself," he said, "Are you going to stay all night by the food table?" Zuko inquired after a moment of silence.
She rolled her eyes, "Zuzu, did you miss me so much these three years that now you are so obsessed with me?" she teased with a hand on her hip.
He let out a sarcastic huff. "I'm just trying to make you company and maybe help you meet people."
She made a grin and turned her attention to the food table. "Thanks, but no thanks…" Then something got her eye. "And as long as the is mochi in this table, I'm not going anywhere," she said looking at him.
"Splendid thing is the last one." He pointed out.
Azula looked over to find out he wasn't lying.
She reached to take the last one at the same time another hand did. Azula wanted the last mochi, and she was going to get it, and no man, girl, or creature would avoid it. She slapped it, but he slapped her hand back, and she did it again.
"What are you doing?" she grunted at him.
"Me?... I'm trying to get the last mochi. What are YOU doing?" he said with such a still voice that startled her in a bad way.
She opened her mouth, dumbfounded. "D-Did you just talk informally to me?... This guy... Tsk!" she let out a sarcastic huff. "Hey! You little bad-mannered…! Don't you show a little respect?" she questioned him irked. Azula inspected him. "Wait... I know you…" The Princess snapped her fingers when she remembered where she recognized him. "You're one of those petty bastards that were ostrich horse racing this morning!" she pointed a finger at him. "Yeah…" her eyes scanned him completely. Tan skin, blue eyes, and a ridiculous hairstyle.
"What?" he raised an eyebrow.
"Tch!." she let out a huff. "Hey! For your fault, I felt to the fountain, and got all wet! He ignored her and took an onigiri, "What? Aren't you going to say anything?" she asked, crossing her arms, "You should at least apologize for all the mess you and your gang caused this morning at the streets!"
He snorted, rolled his eyes, and looked at Zuko "Agrr... Is she always like this?" he said, annoyed, taking a bite at his food.
"She is only starting," Zuko said with a side smirk.
Azula was more than pissed now. "Hey!... Whoaaaa... Don't you know who you are talking to?" she was dumbstruck and placed both hands on her hips.
"Well, boohoo," he mocked, "I'm sorry if your feelings are hurt, Princess. But why should?!" he crossed his arms and looked at her with defying eyes. She did the same.
But in a flash of movement, he reached for the last mochi and took a bite, clearly just to piss her off even more for the grin he made.
She was going to slap him so hard the mark of her palm will be in his face for days.
Zuko realized Azula was getting that red hue so characteristic of the sadistic Azula, the same one he used to see when they were children, whenever he would accidentally ate the last mochi. He even started to see brief dancing sparks of electricity in his sister's hands. But he was going to do something to avoid it? Nah…
"Agrr... Is this guy real?" she muttered, snorting, "Hey I'm…"
"Sokka!"
"Azula!"
The three heads turned.
Her father appeared with the same man as before, and she relaxed her shoulders a little bit, but not her frown. "Here you are," Both men said at the unison "Let me introduce you …"
"The Princess of the Fire Nation, Azula..." her father companion said.
"Sokka, of the Southern Water Tribe…" said Fire Lord Ozai.
"And your future wife…!"
"And your future husband...!"
"WHAT?!" Both of them screamed with wide-open eyes.
Even Zuko widened his mouth and eyes.
Azula even choked on her saliva at her father's statement, and Sokka dropped the rest of his uneaten onigiri, as the mochi was all gone now.
Both looked at each other with hate, their eyebrows twitching, before shouting at the other at the same time.
"Spirits bless the poor naive girl that ends up with you," Azula screeched to Sokka, bitterly.
"Spirits bless the poor bastard that ends up with you," he replied in the same tone, frowning and pouting.
"I bet you would like to be." she snarled quizzically.
"In your dreams," Sokka grunted with disdain.
Their teeth grinding. And their eyes throwing sparks at each other.
A second later both parents looked at each other and burst out in laughter, claiming it was a joke, with the only purpose of seeing their reactions.
Both Azula and Sokka glanced at each other for a second, with equally annoyed looks at the fathers.
"Ha ha. Hilarious, dad." Sokka said.
The Princess blinked a few times as she pouted towards her father. "I'm going to tell mom," she said after looking at her father with disbelieve.
He stopped laughing, hold her by the arm. "Oi, Azula…" he called for her
"Huh?" Azula made a grin, being a little annoyed at her father right now.
"Daughter, look, I promise I will stop introducing you nobles for the rest of the month…" said Ozai whispering.
She raised her eyebrows in surprise before frowning. "You do?... Why?" she inquired.
"What do you mean by why? You are my daughter, of course! I will do everything for you and your brother..." Azula crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow, while making a grin, not buying his words. "Fine." her father sighed, "Please, at least try to get to know him… He seems like a good boy. Come on, do it for me?" he said, practically pleading.
The Princess scowled, and after thinking it for a few moments, she finally said. "Fine…" She agreed to roll her eyes. "But if he pisses me off, I will use him as a lighting target," said Azula warning her father about it.
Ozai smiled softly. "W-We can negotiate that…"
She interrupted him to add. "Also, I want you to stop introducing me nobles…" she demanded firmly.
If her father was agreeing with whatever terms she was putting out there at the moment, she was going to make sure to make the most of it.
Her father took a deep breath and pinched the bridge of his nose, before agreeing. "Deal! For the rest of the month…"
"The rest of the year…." she declared.
Ozai's mouth was hanging up. His child, his daughter, was using the negotiation skills he taught her against him. He didn't know either to feel proud or not. "T-That's…. Fine…" he sighed, defeated. "I trained you well into the negotiation arts…"
"Indeed." she smirked cockily, "Can I go now? I haven't seen my friends…" she asked her father, in case he needed her for something else when she got sight of Mai and Ty Lee not too far.
"Yeah…" Azula gave him a brief nod, "Wait, one last thing. You are… you will not tattle tale on me with your mother right?" her father scratched the back of his head nervously.
His daughter narrowed her eyes. Incredible, the Fire Lord afraid of his wife, she thought. "I haven't decided yet."
"You wicked child!" The Fire Lord muttered, while his daughter walked away with a brief smile on her face.
"Hey." said the Princess to her friends.
"Hey…" Both greeted her, with a glass of wine in their hands, which made the Princess felt jealous of her lack of one.
Both looked pretty, Ty Lee with the pink dress she had bought that morning in the Capital market, and Mai with a black one.
"Where were you?" Mai asked her, "We have been looking for you since the dinner ended."
"You just disappeared from the main table," said Ty Lee.
The Princess snorted, "My father wanted me to introduce to… that." she pointed toward the direction she had just come with a grin in her face, now the water boy was stuffing his mouth again with whatever he found on the table. Didn't he have dinner just a few moments ago? She thought.
"Oh..." Ty Lee raised her eyebrows, "Hello there… He is freaking sexy." she said a little groggy.
Azula looked at her with a grin of disgust, dumbstruck. "He is freaking nothing. Eww… From all the words, you had to choose that one?" she said, disgusted and annoyed.
"Huh?" her friend looked at the Princess with curious eyes.
"You have stupid, moron, idiot, plonker, wazzock, wanker…," said Azula shrugging. "Just to say a few."
Now Ty Lee rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on. Now you are going to say he doesn't have excellent looks?" she said while placing her hands on her hips.
The Princess looked at her friend, like if she had said something terrible or something. "He...Good looks or not, that is not what matters, okay?"
"Then?" Mai asked.
"It's…" she shook her head before sighing. "Him, it's now my father's first choice of a son-in-law. And now thanks to my idiotic brother, he is trying to… m-match us." Azula snorted, glancing in his direction again. "Gods, I can even say it," she uttered before Sokka noticed her glance on him.
Sokka quirked an eyebrow at the Princess direction, before she made a grin of disgust to him, and turned her attention in a trait of wine passes next to her, and now with Zuko out of sight, she takes two cups one in each hand.
Both her friends look at her, raising both eyebrows, while she takes a sip first from one cup and then from the other one. "What? Oh, did you want another one?"
"No. I'm okay," said Mai, taking a sip of her glass.
"Yeah, me too…" Ty Lee said side, smiling, "By the way, I got a glimpse of Zuko back there when you were…" she pointed at their sits at the table. "He quite changed a lot, didn't he?"
"Physically?" she nodded, "Indeed. It's scary how much he looks like my father…" Azula made a grin.
"He must have thought the same of you… You look a lot like your mother," said Mai. "Just a little shorter."
Azula rolled her eyes, "Yeah, I know, every nobleman I meet says the same..." she took a sip of one of her glasses. She had heard those words, at least once a day since she could remember.
"But, you know, even though he looks changed, he remains the same old Zuko, in terms of personality."
"Still gloomy and grumpy? Like Mai?" Ty Lee mocked.
"I was going to say annoying and stupid but yes, that also too…" Azula took another big sip of one of her glasses.
"Ha ha," Mai said blankly.
"You two guys were just so similar, that's why you two didn't work out… Do you imagine them having sex? Lamest sex ever." Ty Lee teased while rolling her eyes.
Azula choked on her drink, almost spilling it, before laughing.
"I'm sorry, for not being all wild and adventurous like you…" she said bitterly towards Ty Lee, and then turned to the Princess. "And you keep laughing. I'm sure you will end up with someone like him." she pointed towards Sokka who was still talking with his father and with the Fire Lord.
The Princess raised her hands in defense. "Oi! She attacked you!" she pointed at Ty Lee. "Not me."
"Oh, come on! Like if you didn't think about it." Ty Lee said, rolling her eyes.
"You! Stop trying to get me in trouble!" Azula complained, "Don't drag me into it."
Ty Lee stuck out her tongue. "If I'm going down, I'm dragging everyone with me!"
Azula snorted, "Aren't you selfish? Dragging your poor innocent friend to the bottom with you," she said, pretending to sound affronted. "Shame on you, Ty Lee, shame on you." she shook her head in disapproval.
"Poor and innocent?" Ty Lee raised both eyebrows.
"You are not either poor or innocent!" Mai said.
"Yeah…"
"Hey! When did I become the target of this fighting? Are you two crazy?" Azula asked, annoyed, before pouting.
"Did you just hear that? She called us crazy!" Ty Lee said to Mai pointing accusingly.
"Yeah, I did! What about it? Huh?" Azula raised both eyebrows, crossing her arms over her chest cockily.
"You know, all this frustration you are feeling right now, don't take it out on us!" said Mai mischievously.
"I will take it out on whoever I pleased!" said Azula.
"Sheesh, what a friend." Ty Lee snorted, before snickering.
The Princess chuckled to herself. At least having her friends there tonight helped her to have a pleasant night.
"Oh…" The Princess snapped her fingers when she remembered something. "I forgot to tell you. According to Zuzu -I haven't met her or anything-, he got a girlfriend."
"He did?" Both girls widened her eyes.
Azula shrugged, before taking a sip of her second glass of wine. "As I said, I haven't met her yet, so I can't say if she is real."
"Don't be mean, Zuko is cute a catch. I mean..." Ty Lee said.
"Yeah, yeah, I know. The whole heir to the throne, Prince of the Nation, ya-da, ya-da, ya-da" said Azula waving a hand in a careless manner while rolling her eyes. "By the way, you both are coming tomorrow, right? To the festival?"
"Yeah, Ruo Jian is also coming," informed Mai.
"I'm excited to experience an entire month of Festivals." Ty Lee said with a cheerful smile.
"I just want this month to be over already," Azula complained.
The Princess couldn't seem to share her friend's excitement for the festival, but at least could expect them to not go as horribly as her worst-case scenario.
After a while chatting with them and watching the fireworks, she excused herself again but this time she headed to her room to avoid any more jokes of her father of the same kind, and to get some rest, to prepare herself mentally and physically.