Avatar Chapter 6

I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender

Azula was uneasy and it was entirely Ty Lee's fault, that airheaded bouncy ball of energy was so painful simple minded and yet she managed to throw the Crown Princess of the Fire Nation into turmoil without even trying. "A royal must control themselves Azula, your heritage demands that of you."

Azula shut her eyes, once again is was her father's voice in her head and she was getting sick of it. "Is everything all right Zula, you don't seem well" There was the source of her turmoil, who now was calling her 'Zula' for some reason, which oddly caused her to feel even more uneasy, why she had no idea.

"I'm fine Ty, and stop calling me Zula, it is not my name" Azula was not in the mood for Ty Lee's cheerful presence at the moment. Unfortunately Ty Lee seemed undeterred "Oh don't be like that, it's only one character off but it makes your name sound so different, Aaaazula, Zzzzzula"

"Oh great fire spirits, she's sounding my name out now, if anyone hears this I'll never be able to show my face again" Azula turned to face Ty Lee and scold her, or light her on fire she was not sure yet, but her attendant was now seated beside her on the large couch that dominated the study of her royal chambers.

"I'm sorry" Ty Lee was suddenly very glum as she apologized, though Azula was not sure what for. Ty Lee contained "I should not have spoken when we were with Li and Lo today, I know I say things without thinking most of the time and I should have known not to tell them what you were feeling, it was not right to reveal things you were not willing to share, please forgive me my Princess"

With that, Ty Lee got off the couch and bowed with her head touching the floor, waiting for Azula's response. The Princess was surprised and stumped, Ty Lee was obviously sorry and yet once again Azula could not help but feel that it was her fault, and she hated that.

"Oh get up Ty Lee, I forgive you" Azula decided she would not punish her friend for her own internal misgivings, she was not that petty. Ty Lee looked up and peaked one eye open as if to make sure she was allowed. Azula had enough, she pointed at Ty Lee and then to the spot right next to her on the couch "Sit, now"

Startled, Ty Lee rose up and plopped down next to her, she then hugged her. "Thanks Zula, I promise I won't tell anyone about this" Azula rolled her eyes and accepted her friends physical affection, it was actually nice, at least a little bit.

They sat there for a while, and Azula though back to the conversation with Li about Ty's unique ability. She had never taken it seriously in the past, most of the spiritual mumbo jumbo about auras, foresight and the like never interested her, only the things that could actually be of measurable use warranted any of her consideration.

Of course Ty Lee's correct deduction of her mood was good proof, she had been right, Azula was jealous that Ty Lee was getting all the attention from HER teachers and she was frightened, at least subconsciously, at the mention of the Fire Lord.

At the time she had dismissed it as yet another fluke but Li had explained that Ty Lee's little trick was apparently very real, and could be her most important asset in the future. Li told her that aura reading was a rare ability and if used properly could be used to her advantage. After the lesson ended Azula had made her way back to her quarters, with her attendant it dutiful tow behind her; though the image was somewhat compromised by the girl skipping like a five year old.

As Azula ignored Ty Lee's lack of protocol, she started to think back on her childhood dealings with the girl, all her memories of their time at the academy and playdates. She almost ran into her door as she came to a startling conclusion, from the moment she had met Ty Lee she had never successfully lied to her. She had told lies of course, but were as everyone else was either deceived, (often) or called her out (rarely) Ty Lee simply gave a smile and agreed to whatever she said, even when Azula knew her friend had seen through her deceit.

And that was the problem, Ty Lee always knew when she was being lied to and yet went along with it anyway. This created a twofold problem for the princess, on the one hand her friend had apparently always been to see through any lie she told her. In her youth she had naively though that she had tricked Ty most of the time, after all the Ty Lee never questioned anything her Princess told her.

But thinking back to those times, with her current knowledge of reading people she realized she had been wrong; whenever she lied to her the girl would always smile, flash those big grey eyes and go along with it. The more she thought about it the more uneasy she became, she had always been good at lying, deceiving and bending people to her will, it was a sort of hobby.

Over the years she learned how to manipulate her peers, teachers, her… mother and naive little Zuzu. But Ty Lee, the girl whose most complicated thought was what shade of pink was the cutest was the one person who could see though her. That was not completely true, Azula had not yet tried to deceive her father but he was the one who taught her about manipulation and intrigue, Ty Lee's highest goal in life was the infernal circus.

It had to be because of her "aura reading" she was somehow able to see… something that could tell her if somebody was lying but this lead to so many questions, could she tell if anyone was lying or just people she knew well, what else could shell tell about people, could auras be manipulated?

There were too many question and Azula was not in the mood to start combing through the Palace library to find the answers. Instead she decided to think about her other problem, the fact that Ty Lee followed her commands even when she knew of any deceit Azula portrayed.

This was a question that Azula knew she would have to ask her bubbly companion to find the answer, and that was out of the question. Azula despised admitting it but of all the things she excelled at, talking about feelings and emotions was not one of them. She had no idea why Ty Lee followed her with blind obedience, she certainly feared her though not nearly as much as she should.

She was loyal, it was not in her nature to be deceitful or misleading in fact Azula took some comfort in that even if Ty Lee could tell if she was deceiving her, the girl was incapable of telling anything more than a little white lie. Azula could see though even those little distractions, and after the training room incident she was positive Ty Lee would be nothing but honest with her. But why was she loyal, what was going on in the simple girls head.

"Why is this so complicated, why can I not figure this out… what is that sound?" Azula broke from her inner thoughts and focused on a very peculiar noise. A noise that was coming from Ty Lee, who was still on her, and was snoring.

Azula felt her eye twitch as she found her friend SLEEPING on her, using her arm as a pillow and… "IS THAT DROOL!?" Azula was about to do… something, she was not sure what when Ty Lee shifted and placed both arms around the Princess and squeezed, tightly.

Azula was amazed at just how strong Ty Lee was, those acrobatics certainly paid off seeing as she was halving trouble getting her arms free. "Mmmm you're so warm Sir Fluffles"

"Oh perfect she's talking in her sle… SIR FLUFFLES, no, no, no I refuse to be connected to that stuffed abomination she cradles at night, Ty Lee you, you, you…" Azula mentally raved and squirmed for a good minute before she gave up and decided she could not escape without doing something violent.

"I am the Princess of the Fire Nation, NOT a stuffed animal this will not go unpunished you shall regret this day Ty, doom and misfortune will befall you till the end of yours days, your body and soul will forever burn in the inferno of my wrath!" Ty Lee produced a large yawn, oblivious to all.

At that Azula deflated and slouched in the parasites embrace, resigning herself to simply wait out Ty Lee's impromptu nap. "I suppose it's not that bad, so I have a clingy yet unquestionably loyal friend; who can apparently read the emotional state of anyone she sees, Li was right that does have potential"

She looked down at the lump who had moved her head to Azula's lap, she looked incredibly peaceful and relaxed. "Maybe a short rest would be good, my review is coming up and father will expect results, it is obvious I'm not getting anything else done today " Azula tried to get comfortable with her arms pinned to her side.

"Why do I put up with you" Azula whispered aloud, she did not expect and answer from either the sleeping girl or herself for that matter. She looked outside and was not surprised to see the sun's rays getting fainter and the shadows getting longer, she was getting tired like any true Fire Bender would. She remembered that it was like this when Ty Lee appeared on her balcony in that sad excuse of a traveling outfit, she also remembered what she told herself that night, Azula smiled.

"It doesn't matter why you're the loyal little acrobat I put up with, does it Ty" Azula found she could get her right arm free of its prison and placed two fingers on the side of the girls neck, right above the blood vessel.

Azula could feel Ty Lee's heartbeat, it was slow and steady, much to calm considering who she was sleeping on. "You belong to me and to me alone, the why does not matter" Azula placed two long, sharp, nails against Ty Lee's throat, "You don't have any choice but to be loyal to me, and I will make sure it stays that way"

Azula applied the tiniest bit of pressure to the girl's neck, Ty Lee shifted around and actually exposed more of her neck to the Princess; she was pleased. "Ty Lee can have any reason she wants to justify, she was mine since the day she spilled that drink on me in the academy and unless you learn to fly Ty you're staying right beside me."

Her mind settled Azula removed her nails from the girl's neck and settled on the couch. She would chew Ty Lee out when she awoke but for now she was content letting the girl use her as a pillow, they both had a much to do in the next few weeks. Azula relaxed but kept an eye on the pink clad lump, it was customary for a monster to keep watch over its spoils.