"Fourty chapters, congratulations." Thanks lol. It's my second longest fic. "If someone manages to keep an open mind and is able to switch in new points of view on things, this person will always have the chance to find something new and wonderful every day." That's the mentality I like to keep. NGL I had almost no interest in the premise of Voltron but I am strongly of the opinion that you shouldn't knock something before you try it; there have been so many things I ended up liking that I didn't think I would. "To be honest, for me it's something, which isn't my main practice goal, but it's a nice benefit and it comes with the whole package." I feel like with writing, you often discover more pros as you go along. "And yes, slangs or dialects are definitely a heavy task for me. It's something, I cannot recreate, because I'm not deep enough in the English language" That comes in time. I've been speaking English my whole life and there are still some accents that are hard for me to write. Just the whole concept of using a different tone than your own is tricky-you really have to get out of your own head and into the character's. "I'm a bit sad to know, that I miss some of these aspects, because of my language gap." I wouldn't get discouraged, the fact that you can speak so fluently as it is, is something to be proud of. "These stepstones are interesting and frustrating at the same time." I can imagine lol. "The chance to get in contact with an author was an aspect, I have never dreamed of it would become so important for me. Now I won't miss this exchange (an aspect you have shown me, by the way)." Writing definitely brings you to unexpected places! Aw thank you. 3

"The main aspect for me is, that Azula starts to rethink the way, her father had influenced her. And not only Azula herself, all the rest of her family too." Yes, this was a very important step. Until then Azula hadn't taken that into account. "She couldn't deny, that the new school, the school team, the therapy and even her mother are doing her good." She tries to deny it because she has trouble swallowing her pride, but in the long run it will do her better to accept it. "She's still Azula, of cause with her high pride, but it's a bit like toothpaste, which is squeezed out of the tube. Once it's out, you'll never get all of it back in." Exactly though. People have glimpsed at the real Azula, and that alone kind of helped her to come out of her shell a little more.

"School had hold up a good start for her. Kataras father is one of her new teacher and Azula had feared, that her bad karma would stuck on her." Oh yeah lol, she had so many concerns when she found out about that. "It was a comforting surprise for her, that Katara has invited her and that her father didn't hold a grudge against her." It's the little gestures that are going to keep her going. "They may hold up the change to do volleyball out of fun and not only to please her father. I think she had played it once before, because she loved this sport, but it seems to me, that Ozai has managed to change this love in an unhealthy addiction." Yes, he tainted it for her. He took something she loved and molded it into something to hurt her with. Re-connecting with her hobby is something that can be very beneficial. Especially since there is less pressure. "and the fact, that no one seems to mind her "bad shape" was another comforting surprise." With Azula a lot of it is self-imposed so to speak. She's really not as bad off as she thinks. Granted, the purging has taken a lot out of her so she does need to take it easy in the beginning.

"And she had found the right way to handle her. Hard facts about her former way and about the possible solutions to get things in line again but combined with the sound facts." Azula needed a bit of tough love and less coddling. Yue decided to deliver on that."But if Azula refuses to work with her, it would only hurt herself. When work is over, Yue goes home and left her work behind. She has to, otherwise this work would break everyone sooner or later. Of cause she couldn't completly do so." That was somewhat of a bluff. I kind of picture Yue as someone who would be much more sensitive about her patients. She does have to keep some distance and not grow attached because, in the case of a tougher patient, it could be heartbreaking. I feel as though Yue would struggle a bit to not get attached. "The fact is, Yue leaves her the right to choose and Azula appreciate this fact." Choice is extremely important to Azula. Azula strikes me as the type to do or not do something just because someone told her not to or to do something.

"And she has noticed some interesting aspects. She thought, that Ursa hasn't cared for her, but the school, she has chosen for her seems to be much better, than Wan High." There are little things that Ursa is doing to reach out to Azula. Even if they don't connect right away. They still have to get use to each other. "It wasn't mentioned within this chapter, but it's a logical explanaition and I think Azula may come to the same conclusion as I did." That will be confirmed or refuted in a later chapter.

"Such a strong and great chapter and a refreshing change to see, that things gets better for Azula. And don't let the crashed file pull you down, you're doing an amazing job!" Thanks! I enjoyed typing this chapter a lot. After so many dark chapters this one was more refreshing. Yeah, there are a few hiccups I'm running into, but I feel like it's mostly going to be alright.

Jet's trial was approaching faster than Katara could have guessed. She supposed that, that was a good thing. It meant that the interrogations had gone smoothly. That they had enough evidence for a compelling case. If Katara were being honest, she wasn't worried for her own trial, between she and TyLee, they had a solid case.

It was Sokka she feared for. No matter the situation, he wasn't going to get out without a blemish to his record and she still couldn't help but continue to feel guilty for not being able to protect herself and even more so for being foolish enough to go to a party she knew would end disastrously.

"Are you sure you want to throw Sokka a welcome home party?" Suki asked. "To be honest, I don't think I want to attend another one of those ever again."

"It isn't going to be a party." Katara replied. "It's just gonna be a few of us hanging out on Sokka's dorm with pizza and some confetti, maybe a few balloons."

"Who'd you invite?"

"The usual, Aang and Toph. But I also invited TyLee and" She motioned to the boy seated at the table's end. "Teo. I also told Aang that he could bring Haru along."

"I heard that he and Haru are an item now."

"We're going to talk about that at the party." Katara replied, thinking over whether or not it would be a good idea to disclose the rest of her guest list. "I invited Azula too."

"Why!?" Suki exclaimed, drawing a few looks from the other lunch tables. "After everything…"

Katara hoped that she was making the right call this time. She had trusted Jet and it had ended so dreadfully. "I don't know, she's having a rough time and I thought an invitation to something might help. It doesn't sound like she wants to come anyways, I probably should have told her it would be more like a get together…"

"I just hope that this party isn't premature."

Katara sighed, "yeah…" Truth be told she just wanted a distraction from the upcoming trial and a booze and Jet free party sounded like a good enough. After so many rounds of questioning, a nice time was well overdue. "Would you want to come with me to pick up a few things? I'd like to be ready for this weekend."

"Sure, I can do that." Suki replied.

.oOo.

Sokka texted her that night, as he did every night. This time his choice topic was complaining about how he still hasn't caught up with all of his missed school work. Katara had to roll her eyes, he was confined to his dorm, it wasn't like he had anything else to do save for binging his favorite shows. She replied to him in accordance with her thoughts.

She looked at the clock. TyLee would be at her house soon and she still had to get out of her school uniform. She ruffled through her closet and pulled out her favorite sweater; fuzzy, blue and made of wool with threads of silver tinsel woven in. Perhaps it was a little early for sweaters that heavy, but she didn't have time to dwell on her fashion choice too much. She pulled on a pair of rhinestone speckled jeans. Her phone buzz and she hustled to it, thinking that TyLee was letting her know that she was almost there.

Katara had forgotten that she had asked Azula how her first two days at her new school had went until the girl's name was on her phone's screen. 'They weren't dreadful…' and then came a second message. 'I joined Xi River's volleyball team. I think Ursa and Teo are happier about that than I am.' It brought an involuntary smile to Katara's lips. Maybe Azula didn't see it yet, but it seemed like things were going better for her. She peered at the message again before replying. She remembered hearing the name Ursa before, but forgot who exactly it belonged to. 'Who is Ursa? Do you like your teammates?'

Katara moved away from her phone and to her vanity set. The one with the swimming ladies painted on the border in baby blues and pinks. The same one she has had since she was a child. She clipped a few barrettes into her hair. Her phone buzzed again. She stuck the final hairpiece in and returned to it.

'My mother.'

For a while that was all that Azula responded with. After a few moments she finally added. 'I'm not sure yet. Zirin talks a lot. Ikue and Ryoko keep trying to get me to dye my hair bright red…"

Katara had to laugh at the image of Azula getting pestered by her friends, it was such a light and mundane topic. She tried to picture Azula with bright red hair and from there, herself with a bright blue dye job. "Hmmm…" She mused aloud. Perhaps she and TyLee could go to the salon if she could get a little cash from her father. Maybe she wouldn't get bright blue, but some caramel highlights might be nice.

Perhaps a haircut too if she was feeling ambitious.

.oOo.

"Nice dye job, loser." Usha

These days, her commentary had no meaning. In the grander scheme of things, she had better things to fret over. Namely that her trial was two weekends away. She sighed what a way to begin the Christmas season. Katara grabed her textboks for first hour.

"Hello-o." Usha greeted without a hint of kindness. "I just implied that you made a terrible choice in color."

"That's fine, Usha. You don't have to like it." Katara shrugged. If there was one thing Azula's former harassment had taught her, it was that she shouldn't give up the things she loved for someone who wouldn't respect her if she evolved into an entirely different person. TyLee thought that it was an adorable choice, and Aang seemed to like it. That held much more weight than Usha's opinion.

Usha crinkled her nose.

Her disappointment was satisfying to see.

She found her seat in front of Chan. She made a point of never looking in his direction. His unscathed presence, still brought a boiling to the pit of her stomach. These days he didn't seem to have much to say anyhow. She did, however, look to the seat next to hers. It was strange not having Azula occupying it. She never thought that its emptiness would leave as somber tickle in her belly. Things could have been so different if she would have reached out to Azula. They could have been trading notes or discussing her new dye job.

At least that desk wasn't empty in the same way Ruon's was.

She copied June's notes until her attention wavered. When it did, she began writing for Kyoshi's assignment, she enjoyed it much more than math class. She almost found found comfort in it. It was an outlet of sorts that helped her gather her thoughts.

.oOo.

The music was too loud, it was her favorite song but it came in a muffled, uncanny key. It hurt her ears. The room was too bright and it shifted with eye searing colors from all over the spectrum. She couldn't get a sense for where she was. But she was bombarded with sensations. Forceful, unkind sensations. Out of the kaleidoscope of neon colors came spectral hands that felt her up and down. Her favorite song blared louder and she screamed louder than even that.

The hands shifted and snaked up her legs, opalescent phanstasmas that she couldn't see well enough to combat. But she could feel them, slimy and smooth, like jelly. Writhing and twisting into two hands.

The moved up the inside of her shirt, pushing it disconcertingly up. She can make out the impression of the hand beneath the fabric of a sequined cocktail dress. She hollered out again and the hands emerged from under the dress at her collar. They slinked and slid to her ears, one cupping the right and the other the left.

A tongue grazed over her left ear and a mumbled drawl filled the right. "It didn't have to happen this way, Kat."

She bolted up breathing heavily with tears prickling in her eyes. She could keep her waking thoughts in check, but the nightmares persisted no matter how much effort she threw into dreaming of pleasant things.

Katara pulled the topmost blanket from her mattress, wrapped it around herself, and made her way into her parents' room. They were sound asleep so she curled herself up at the foot of her bed, something she hadn't done since she was a child.

She wondered what she had to do to get those horrid dreams to relent.

She knew that she ought to go back to sleep, but the thought of it sent ripples of dread through her mind. It was going to be another one of those sleepless nights. The kind where she feared that Jet was going to somehow escape and come back for her, making those nightmares as real as he could manage.

If she let her mind wander far enough she could imagine a guy like Chu-Leng filling in for Jet. Or, more likely, one of Jet's own friends. Evidently she still didn't know what they made of their old friend's actions.

She shuddered to herself and pulled the blankets tighter.

Suddenly she wished that the trial could just be done and over with.