I Don't Own Miraculous or Avatar.

Chapter Fifty-Five: The Beach.

"Hey beach bums!" Azula pointed to the volleyball net with a wide, menacing smirk, "We're playing next. Ty Lee, get over here now!" Earlier that week, her father,Ozai, announced that he and his advisors would be holding a meeting and he wanted the entire Palace vacant except his most trusted advisors. As a result, even Zuko and Azula were sent away for the week. She, Mai, Zuko, and Ty Lee found themselves on Ember Island. Once they got there, they found they would be staying at Li and Lo's home instead of the old, and probably really dusty, summer home.

After a few rather mortifying encounters with the elderly twins and a weird conversation about how Ember Island apparently 'smoothed' and 'changed' people, they all decided to go to the beach. After scaring a few Fire Nation boys, in all good fun of course, and 'helping' them tear down their sand castle. She was bored. Zuko was off doing a terrible job at trying to flirt with Mai, which was its own level of laughably awkward and outright stupid. Ty Lee was being her shallow self and letting all of the boys flirt with her and serve her on hand and foot like she was the princess and not Azula. Even so, they all got up at Azula's suggestion.

Azula was actually rather enjoying the beach. Being able to take those king of trips whenever she pleased was a lovely perk to her status as the princess. It also meant she got to dictate whatever her friends did. Even Zuko had a healthy enough fear of her to obey when needed, even if he complained, accused, and tried to rebel against the way Azula wanted things. Even if he did get the throne, though she was certain she could convince her father to choose otherwise, he would always fear her, and she loved it.

Mai, Ty Lee, and Zuko joined Azula at the volleyball net, where Azula had them gather around for her brilliant strategy.

"See that girl with silly pigtails?" Azula asked, jabbing her finger in the girl's direction, when she runs towards the ball, there is just the slightest hesitation of her left foot. I'm willing to bet a childhood injury has weakened her. Keep serving to her left and we will destroy her and the rest of her team." Azula instructed.

"That seems kinda-" Ty Lee started.

"Just do as I say!" Azula snapped before striding over to take her place on the sand volleyball court. The game, as she completely predicted, went all according to her plans. Her victory was assure from the moment she saw that stupid pigtail girl. Ty Lee was very much a show off during the game, even going as far as to land on the net a few times when spiking the ball. Out of the corner of Azula's eye, Azula was pleased to see she and her team had attracted the audience of two handsome Fire Nation boys around her age. She decided to show off to them a little more and used her brother to laugh herself in the air and kick the ball to the other side, putting in a little of her firebending for flare, effectively destroying the net and most of the other side of the court. It did, however, had its desired effect, terrifying her oppement, crushing them utterly in defeat, and impressing the Fire Nation boy's that were watching the whole match.

"Yes!" She cheered at her victory, "We defeated you for all time! You will never rise from the ashes of your shame and humiliation!" Zuko gave her an odd look for the victory cry, but said nothing. She turned to her friends, hands on her hips.

"Well that was fun." She said gladly, wondering to herself what else they would do. And of course, by they, she meant her and what she planned on forcing her friends and big brother to do next. The two boys who had been watching strode over to the foursome, their eyes on Ty Lee. Azula scowled. And of course they had noticed Ty Lee. The girl had been using the net for a tightrope for goodness sake! Her victory seemed less, know they probably had not marveled in awe and terror at how she'd defeated her foes in the match.

"I'm having a party tonight." The bigger of the boys said to Ty Lee, trying to sound smooth, "You should come by."

"Sure, I love parties!" Ty Lee said cheerfully. The other boy nodded towards Mai.

"Your friend can come too." Ty Lee grinned at the suggestion. Azula huffed. Clearly they had forgotten a little detail.

"What about me and my brother?" Azula asked, Aren't you going to invite us? You don't who we are, do you?"

"Don't you know who we are? We're Chan and Ruon Jian." Chan repiled.

Well, Chan and Ruon Jian I don't know who you are but I have the power to destroy you into smithereens should you not invite Zuzu and I. Or do you not see I am your princess and can do whatever I please. Azula thought darkly, but she didn't say that. She just stopped her brother from trying to pummel the boys for insulting her and her brother.

"But fine, you're invited. Just so you know though, some of the most important teenagers in the Fire Nation are going to be there, so try and act normal." Chan shrugged.

Oh, like you? She sneered in her head, Please, you are nothing compared to my poise and power. I am adored by all and not even my brother, the heir to the throne of the Fire Nation, is as beloved and deserving of respect and gratitude as I am. Of course, she didn't say that aloud etheir. She just nodded with a evil grin.

"We'll do our best." She grabbed his brother and dragged him away from the two boys before he let his rage out on two random boys like an uncivilised fool. Honestly, Zuzu had been with those dirty Earth Kingdom commoners for far too long and it showed. They got to the house and Zuzu was enraged with her for stopping him. She just let him yell for a while before he got to the point.

"Why didn't you tell those guys who we were?" She paused, unsure as to why herself before coming up with the answer in seconds.

"I guess I was intrigued, I'm so used to people worshipping us-"

"They should." Ty Lee interrupted helpfully.

"Yes, and I love it, but for once, I just wanted to see how people would treat us if they didn't know who we were." Azula explained. Zuko glared at her. She wondered why Zuko was so upset about the whole thing before recalling he had lived that way for several months in the Earth Kingdom. A stupid reason to be angry though, considering this was nothing like that. It was merely a simple experiment she wanted to try. Then the twins had to go put in their two sense.

"Like waves washing away footprints on the sand, Ember Island gives everyone a clean slate. Ember Island reveals the true you." They chimed in unison before clapping, "To the party!" Azula nodded, going off to change in the proper party attire. Then, when everyone was dressed up and ready to go, they found out where Chan lived and when his party was supposed to be. At the first sign of dusk, they were all at Chan's house, ready to party. Chan, apparently didn't expect them to literally show up at dusk, so, for awhile there, they were they only ones at the party. One by one some of the 'important teenagers' began to file into the house. She attempted to flirt with Chan a few times, because honestly, as a princess she was free to flirt with whomever she pleased, even if Chan didn't know who she was. For whatever reason, everytime she attempted to flirt with the boy, he worked harder and harder to stay away. She wasn't sure why, considering Ty Lee seemed to be doing just fine with the boys. Knowing Ty Lee was successful at making a boy like her when Azula wasn't only drove her to try hard at wooing Chan. Sadly, every single time, Chan would give her a cold shoulder or a queer look.

So, that's how she found herself glaring at Ty Lee from the pillar she leaned against. She was surrounded by boys, each attempting to gain her profession of love first. Ty Lee quickly became overwhelmed and chi blocked all of them, then she cartwheeled over to Azula with a grin on her face.

"Oh, I'm so glad you are here. Those boys won't leave me alone. I guess they all just like me too much." She said happily. Azula growled. Ty Lee was so foolish.

"Come on Ty Lee, you can't be this ignorant." Azula grumbled. Ty Lee looked baffled.

"Those boys only like you because you make it so easy for them. You're not a challenge, you are a tease. It's not like they actually care about who you are." Azula scoffed, certain that was the only explanation for Ty Lee's success. They girl in question burst into tears at Azula's remark and Azula internally sighed, knowing she'd been to harsh. Ty Lee, like Zuko, was far easier to upset than Mai. It didn't take much to push them over.

"Ok, ok, calm down." Azula comforted, "I didn't mean what I said. Look, maybe I just said it because… I was… a little… jealous." Instantly Ty Lee's tears vanished, which honestly made Azula glad.

What, you were jealous of me? But you are the most beautiful, smartest, perfect girl in the world."

"Well, you are right about that." Azula admitted as she looked over at Chan, "But for some reason when I meet boys they act as if I'm going to do something horrible to them." Much to Azula's dismay, Ty Lee laughed.

"But you probably would do something horrible to them." Azula's heart sank, was she really doomed to never get a boy to like her? Ty Lee saw the look in Azula's eyes and shook her head.

"I'm sure they're just intimidated by you. Look, if you want a boy to like you, just look at him and smile a lot and laugh at everything he says, even if it's not funny." Ty Lee suggested.

"Well, that sounds shallow, and stupid." She looked up with a grin, "Let's try it!" Ty Lee leaned against the pillar, posing like a boy.

"Ok, Hey there sweet sugar cake, how ya liking this party?" Ty Lee said in a fake boy voice. Azula laughed as loud and as hard as she could, startling everyone around them.

"...well, maybe not that loud. Tone the laugh down ever so slightly, and then you've got it." Ty Lee said, giving her a thumbs up. Azula returned the gesture uncomfortable before looking for Chan. She found him quickly and walked straight up to him.

"I'm ready for a tour of the house." She said. He groaned, realising he probably wasn't losing Azula anytime soon and gave in, putting up his glass and gesturing for her to follow. He lead her to the balcony where it had a great view… not that she cared. The view from her window in the city was far greater.

"Is this your first time on Ember Island?" Chan asked.

"No, I used to come here years ago." She said, recalling when her cousin and aunt were still alive and Iroh, his family and her family would all come to the beach to relax.

"Well, it's a great place… if you like sand." Chan joked. Azula forced herself to laugh as Ty Lee had taught her. Chan's face lit up. He stood taller.

"Yeah, it's like, 'welcome to sandy land!'" He continued. Azula tilted her head. That had actually worked? She decided to try a little hard. She moved closer to him.

"Your arms look so strong." She said carefully. Chan grinned, flexing.

"Yeah, I know." He said, then, to her surprise, he leaned in to kiss her. She went with is and kissed him back, pleased Azula's advice had worked so well and feeling warm inside. He pulled back, studying her face.

"You are so pretty." He complemented. She grinned. She felt victorious. She felt adored. She just had to celebrate it with him. Her first kiss.

"Together, you and I will…" He leaned in, eger to her what she had to say, "...be the strongest couple in the world. We will dominate the Earth!" She raised her hands to the air, not even noticing they'd burst into blue flames. Chan gawked at her.

"Uh… I gotta go…" He said suddenly. He left, Azula stood there in confusion. What was so important he need to leave at that moment, especially after her first kiss? She sighed, waiting for a second, wondering if he was coming back, because he really didn't make it clear. She then grew impatient and went to investigate. She found Chan standing over a broken vase.

"What happened?" She asked him, he whirled around to face her.

"You're brother happened!" He growled.

"Ah, yes, he's always had a temper. I shouldn't have left him alone so long. Lately he's been more aggressive than normal. I'm not sure why though. Usually I can put him back in his place."

"Yeah, well, you'd better find him, because he is out of control, and please, feel free not to come back." Chan snapped at her. She reeled back, genuinely hurt. He had been selected out of all the men in the Fire Nation to share the first kiss of the princess with her, and now he was throwing her and her brother out over some silly vase? Rude. He would pay… later… at the moment she needed to find her brother before he burned the island down. She wouldn't mind the idea, but she knew they needed a place to stay and the town's charm always pleased her. Mai and Ty Lee left with her, not feeling like they could continue the party. Mai was cross with Zuko's temper and Ty Lee claimed the party wouldn't be as fun without the prince and princess. She left the two to wait on the beach before searching the first place she believed Zuko would go when upset.

She found him in their old summer home, holding up a little disk that mother had put his handprint into when Zuko was still small. His stare was far off, his posture was one of defeat.

"I thought I'd find you here." She voiced. He flinched.

"Those summers we spent here seem so long ago." He whispered, addressing her presence, "So much has changed." His shoulders fell, sorrow and confusion was written all over his face. It was simply sad to see her brother, a man whom was to one day rule the Fire Nation, be reduced to such a state because of one bad party. He needed to be stronger, because if he continued to refuse his strength, she wouldn't and she would rule. The idea delighted her, but she felt it wasn't the time to win their silent feud when he was clearly distraught and at an unfair disadvantage.

"Come down to the beach with me." She began to walk down the stairs, he did not come, but stared warily at her, "Come on, this place is depressing." Zuko lowered his gaze and placed the disk onto the porch and followed her silently. When they got there, Zuko took a glance at Mai and looked quickly away.

"Hey…" She said.

"Where's your new boyfriend?" He growled. She looked away angry as he sat down next to her, his expression softened. "Are you cold?" He tried to comfort her, Mai wouldn't let him.

"I'm freezing." Ty Lee expressed. Zuko managed a weak, broken smile.

"I'll make a fire." He said kindly before looking back up at the mansion, "There's plenty of stuff to burn in there." He got up and left for fuel. She didn't get her brother. He had the whole world again, and yet he was always so depressed or angry. Zuko had always been the weak one. Full of emotions and the seeds of doubt her mother and uncle had planted in his head. He was not fit to be Fire Lord. It was so obvious he wasn't fit to rule as she was. But if Ozai had managed to take Iroh's birthright when Azulon loved Iroh, then she would get her throne if she made her plea to Ozai. So the moody teen wasn't barely a threat to her anymore.

Zuko returned with an armful of wooden things from their summer house… including the dreadful portrait of their family that seemed to pretend it was a nice one where a mother loved her daughter and a father loved his son. A family were a little boy struggled to firebend and a little girl was exceptional and had to behave accordingly. A family where a father raised his daughter and the mother the son, and it was split in two by who was weak and who was not. The picture was pretty and it seemed like the perfect painting, but both she and Zuko knew it was a lie and flawed. Zuko started the fire, tossing in the painting first.

"What are you doing?" Ty Lee asked.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" He grunted, motioning to the fire.

"...But it is a painting of your family." She said. Yes, a lie. A facade.

"Do you think I care?" Zuko asked. TY Lee leaned forward.

"I think you do." She said gentilly. Zuko flinched before turning to face her.

"You don't know me! So why don't you just mind your own business?!" He snapped. She looked down.

"I know you." Zuko stood, waving his arms angrily.

"No, you don't! You're stuck in your little Ty Lee world where everything is great all the time, but it isn't really like that." He yelled.

"Zuko, leave her alone!" Mai scoffed. Zuko rolled his eyes, actually standing on his hands to mimic her.

"I'm so pretty! Look at me! I can walk on my hands! Whoo!" He let himself fall into the sand, "Circus freak!" Azula laughed, because the impression of TY Lee seemed pretty dead on. Zuko was pretty good at impersonations for a guy who seemed to hate the world. Ty Lee whipped her head towards Azula's laughter.

"I'm a circus freak, go ahead and laugh all you want. You know why I joined the circus?" Ty Lee asked. Azula huffed.

"Here we go."

"Do you have any idea what my home life feels like? Growing up with six sisters who look exactly like me? It was like I didn't even have my own name." She was crying now, "I joined the circus because I was scared of spending my life as part of a matched set. At least I'm different now! Circus freak is a compliment!"

"Guess that explains why you need ten boyfriends too." Mai deadpanned. Ty Lee jerked her head towards Mai.

"I'm sorry what?" She cried.

"Attention issues. You couldn't get enough attetion as a kid, so you're trying to make up for it now." Ty Lee laughed bitterly.

"Well, what's your excuse, Mai? You were an only child for fifteen years, but even with all that attention, your aura is this dingy, pasty, gray-"

"I don't believe in auras." Mai stated. Zuko got up from his place in the sand, dusting the sand off.

"Yeah," He said, "You don't believe in anything."

"Oh, well, I'm sorry I can't be as high-strung and crazy as the rest of you." Zuko drew closer to Mai.

"I'm sorry too, I wish you would be high-strung and crazy for once instead of keeping all your feelings bottled up inside. She just called your aura dingy. Are you going to take that?" Mai leaned back, uncaring.

"What do you want from me? You want a teary confession about how hard my childhood was? Well, it wasn't. I was a rich only child who got anything she wanted as long as I behaved… and sat still… and didn't speak unless spoken to. My mother said I had to keep out of trouble, we had my dad's career to think about." Azula leaned forwards.

"Well, that's it then." She voiced, "You had a controlling mother who had certain expectations and if you strayed from them you were shut down. That's why you are afraid to care about anything, and why you can't express yourself." Mai stood, an angry glint in her eyes.

"You want me to express myself? Leave me alone!" She yelled. Zuko tried to comfort her.

"I like it when you express yourself." He said.

"Don't touch me! I'm still mad at you!" She yelled at him.

"Well, my life hasn't exactly been easy either, Mai." He huffed, waving his arms dramatically to empathise his point.

"Whatever, that doesn't excuse the way you've been acting." She pointed out.

"Calm down you guys." Ty Lee warned, "This much negative energy is bad for your skin, you'll totally break out." Zuko turned on her, completely angry now.

"Bad skin! Normal teenagers worry about bad skin. I don't have that luxury. My father decided to teach me a permanent lesson," He pointed at his scar aggressively, "On my face!"

"Zuko, I…" Ty Lee started, at lost for words.

"For so long, I thought that if my dad accepted me, I'd be happy. I'm back home now, my dad talks to me. Ha! He even thinks I'm a hero. Everything should be perfect right? I should be happy now, but I'm not, I'm angrier than ever and I don't know why!" He growled. Azula pressed her lips together in thought.

"There's one simple question you need to answer then, who are you angry at?" Zuko turned to face her, completely confused.

"No one, I'm just angry." He said.

"Yeah," Mai chimed, "Who are you angry at Zuko?" He covered his ears as if in pain.

"Everyone… I… don't know."

"Is it dad?" Azula asked.

"No! No!"

"Your uncle or the Miraculous?" Ty Lee suggested.

"No!"

"Me?" Azula asked, knowing he had been upset with her before. He let go of his ears, his golden eyes wide with confusion and pain as he shook his head over and over.

"No! No! No!"

"Then who are you angry at?" Mai demanded.

"Answer the question Zuko."

"Talk to us." He turned away towards the sea.

"I'm angry at myself!" He brought his arms down harshly and the campfire reacted but bursting into a fiery column so bright and full of rage that even she shielded her eyes. Then suddenly it was dark as only embers remained, dancing around Zuko. Azula was surprised. Her brother seemed so broken. He was truly different to the weak little kid he'd been as a youth.

"Why?"

"Because I'm confused. Because I'm not sure I know the difference between right or wrong anymore." He said quietly as he gazed at the ocean. The confession was so silly and made no sense. It was almost like something Iroh would get him to say.

"Your pathetic." She got up, finally comforting her boyfriend, whose head was hung in shame.

"I know one thing I care about," Mai said before kissing Zuko, "I care about you." Azula huffed. Was this drama ever going to end? She's had enough of it. She clapped slowly to empathise the point.

"Well, those were wonderful performances everyone." She said sarcastically.

"I guess you wouldn't understand, because your so perfect." Zuko spat. She shrugged, unable to object.

"Well, yes, I guess you are right. I don't have sob stories like all of you. I could sit here and complain about how our mom liked Zuko more than me, but I don't really care." She said, but she knew it wasn't true. After all, mother had been weak like Zuko, so Azula had to act like they didn't matter, "My own mother thought I was a monster. She was right of course, but it still hurt." Ty Lee smiled, rubbing a rock from the sand.

"What Li and Lo said came true. The beach did help us learn about ourselves. I feel all smoothed. I'll always remember this night."

"You know what would make this trip really memorable?" Azula said, with a wide grin, "Crashing and burning the lame party of a want to be." The others surprisingly smiled at the thought.

"Let's do it." Zuko said.

And yes. It truly was a memorable night...