Avatar Chapter 13
I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender
Azula was positive, this was going to be a crowning achievement of her rule. This machine, this marvel of engineering, this hunk of metal, steam, coal and fire was the thing that would prove to the world that she was an absolute genius.
Granted she only knew the basics of how it worked at the moment but by the end of this trip she promised herself she would know everything there was to know about Fire Nation technology from the this wondrous creation to their biggest warship.
Gaz had proven good on his word, the railway had been set up in the northern part of the Fire Nation's largest island. It now connected a few port towns with interior settlements and was proving to be more incredible than Gaz had so eagerly proclaimed.
Locals were astonished that trips that used to take days or even weeks could now be completed in hours. The merchants and industry were even happier that almost any cargo could be transported inland without the need for animal drawn wagons.
There were issues of course, some complained that the noise and smoke were irritating, or that pristine Fire Nation country would be destroyed to name a couple, but that would be taken of in time.
Azula reasoned that the benefits greatly outweighed the cons and she had already informed Gaz to keep the Fire Nation environment in mint condition, there were a number of waddling nobles who would pay an overly inflated price for a luxury car and a gorgeous view on a trip through the countryside.
"Speaking of luxury and views." Azula turned around and admired her accommodations, they were truly fit for royalty. Since she would be traveling from one end of the track to the other this car was meant to be lived in, complete with a large bed, sitting area and dining area and the other things needed for a comfortable trip. All of which was dressed up in all the finest trimming, golden dragons, think red carpets, handcrafted furniture and he like.
The outside was equally ornamental, it was obviously designed to insure that anyone who saw it knew who was on-board. There was only problem, the large yet single bed. All of Azula's servants and guards had their own shared car but Azula did not feel that sending Ty Lee to sleep there would be what a good girlfriend would do
It was awkward for her to refer to herself in such a way, in fact everything about this relationship was awkward, for her at least. She originally thought there would be a formula or manual for this kind of thing, such an important part of society surly must have a set of instructions. Alas Azula realized that beyond children's books and romance stories she was out of luck, a rare thing indeed, being a girlfriend was very much a think on your feet endeavour.
She had been trying to act more "romantic" as she refused to let this of all things be the skill she failed at perfecting but it was not an easy task, she felt like a fool most of the time for saying such buttery things and humiliated when she thought on how stupid they were after the fact.
Ty Lee took all of it in stride however, always accepting her compliments and giving her a hug or kiss in thanks. The acrobat had certainly become more affectionate, Azula once looked up from scroll to see Ty lee face mere inches from hers, in a hand stand on the chairs armrests. Another time Azula walked into her room only for a pink clad blur cartwheel in front of her and plant kiss on her nose.
It was not unpleasant but it still through Azula off balance whenever it happened, it was just so foreign to her, which made the bed situation worse. There being only one bed was an obviously decision on Gaz's part but it meant that if Ty Lee were to stay in the royal car she needed a place to sleep.
Azula knew that Ty Lee could sleep anywhere, she once had a nap while upside down in the training room, an occurrence made more bizarre by the fact that she held the handstand all the while.
"But we are a couple now, couples sleep in the same bed, I'm positive, but is that weird. Oh Agni what if I Ty Lee gets pregnant! That's how it happens, they go to bed and then the female is with child the next morning…WAIT! What if I gets pregnant, or both of us, I am far too young to be a mother!" Azula pinched herself to calm down she was being ridiculous, Fire Nation babies came from the dragon-stork and you left a cooked egg on your windowsill when you wanted one, everyone knew that.
Still, this was to be their first night on a moving train after so long on the road and they were both exhausted from the unnecessary tour/speech/excessive rambling Gaz had led them through.
Azula could have done without the half-hour explanation on the mathematical formula he came up with, after he was chased over a cliff by an angry heard of bear-bison after attempting to see if their horns could conduct certain vibrations, they could not.
"Hey Azula this train has a car with an entire kitchen in it, look what I got!" An excited voice came from the door. Azula turned and saw Ty Lee holding a large silver tray laden with food, she rolled her eyes. "Ty there was no reason for you to go get dinner, it's their job to bring it to us remember."
"Oh its no big deal Zula, we haven't eaten for most of the day and everyone else is tired from the long road trip, besides I got your favorites." Ty Lee spoke the last part in a sing song voice.
Azula admitted that she was hungry and she supposed that a relaxing night without guards and servants would be nice, but that would also mean being alone, with Ty Lee, all night.
"Get a hold of yourself! You are the Princess, you are not to be intimidated by some pink clad gymnast no matter how cute and clingy she is." Azula took a deep breath and walked over to the ornate dining table where Ty Lee had set the food down.
The silver plate was huge but Ty Lee had effortlessly placed it upon the table and was eyeing all the food, probably deciding what to eat first. Azula placed herself in the plush chair and decided to start with a cup of herbal tea, it would relax her.
Ty Lee placed a large assortment of different things on her plate and began to eat but with more finesse then she usually did Azula noted, she was apparently rubbing off on Ty Lee.
"So Zula what's the first stop again?" Ty Lee asked without anything in her mouth, which was a blessing.
"I told you Ty, every portion of this route must meet my expectations so we will be visiting the towns first, hopefully the mayors will have something intelligent to tell me." Azula was genuinely hopeful for some useful insight, if this monumental task was to succeed across the Fire Nation she needed to know what people living with it thought.
"Ok then we get to go see the building sights right. Mmmm, I bet there will be a lot of shirtless hunky muscle men." Azula nearly chocked on her drink.
"Wh-where did that come from?" Azula was confused, they were a couple now so Ty Lee should not be looking at anyone else in that way, especially at men if Ty Lee found her attractive, she was attractive right?
"Oh Zula I'm just teasing, besides." Ty Lee leaned on her hands and batted her eyes "I would much rather look at you shirtless" Azula was blushing like mad and was completely speechless, this was, what did the girls in the spa call it, flirting, but Ty Lee was being very direct about it, more than ever.
But perhaps two could play at this game, Azula begrudgingly admitted that Ty Lee was better at it then she was but she was never one to back down. "Well Ty, perhaps if you impress me somehow you will get your wish." Azula smirked as Ty Lee got a fierce blush and suddenly averted her eyes.
"Hah, take that Ty I can be flirty to…oh Agni did I just say that? What a ridiculous thing to say" Azula got a bad feeling when Ty lee looked at her with a determined look and got on the table.
"Oh crap" Azula watched transfixed at Ty Lee put a plumb grape in her mouth and actually crawled across the table, without touching a morsel.
Azula just had time to gasp as Ty Lee's head shot forward and she found the girl's mouth over her own. She felt Ty Lee's tongue transfer the grape into her mouth before the girl pulled away.
She actually swallowed the grape whole as Ty Lee stayed on the table with a big smile and triumphant look in her eye. "Did I impress you Zuuuula?" Ty Lee spoke.
Azula was stunned, that was unlike anything she had read about and she knew that had bitten off more than she could chew this time.
A sudden knock on door to the other cars caused to Ty Lee leap off the table with a squeak and allowed Azula a reprieve, gathering herself she spoke "Enter"
The door opened and Iza stepped through in a formal uniform, of Iza's own design interestingly, for high ranking rail workers, everything had a formal uniform in the Fire Nation. "Greeting's Princess, first I would like to apologize for my interruption and Gaz's tour today, he's an idiot"
Azula was amused by the woman bluntness, "It's alright; I can endure his eccentricity as long as he continues this pace on the railway."
"You have nothing to worry about Princess, Gaz is determined to complete this initial trial ahead of schedule, though I must warn you that when it is done he will certainly want to implement it in the rest of country, among other things."
Azula raised an eyebrow "Other things?"
Iza bowed "It is nothing you have to worry yourself about Princess, Gaz simply has a habit of inventing things in his sleep and I will make sure only those that are worth your time will be presented, if you so desire."
Azula nodded and decided that she would give the man's sleep addled contraptions a chance. "Also I have come to inform you that the train is ready and with your blessing we can leave immediately"
She was both pleased and nervous, Ty lee was standing at attention like a perfect attendant but she was still the one who had stuck a grape and tongue down her throat.
"You have my permission, I am looking forward to seeing how this train feels on the move." Azula commanded.
"Thank you Princess, if there is anything you need please use the commination tubes on the wall, they are connected to all the different cars… also Gaz will mostly wish to speak to you about installing them on Fire Nation ships when he gets the chance.
The Princess nodded and Iza once again bowed and exited, leaving them alone.
Azula looked at Ty Lee, who was now nervously looking at the floor most likely havening time to think about her previous action. Azula was still deciding how she felt about it but she was impressed, she did not always stay true to her word but this was probably a time to do so.
"Ty, sit on the couch" Azula's command broke Ty lee from her worrying, she had a feeling she had gone too far with her behavior it was far above their age and relationship status.
None the less she walked over and sat on the couch, and watched as Azula stood right in front of her. To her shock Ty Lee saw Azula's aura was bright red, the same shade as the blush on her cheeks. Her girlfriend reached up the collar of her formal wear but Ty lee quickly jumped up and grasped her hands. "Azula you don't need to do this I was only playing around and I really don't want you do something you're not comfortable with."
"Nonsense Ty I gave you my word and as a Princess I plan to keep it, you're not nervous are you." She was teasing her but Ty Lee that Azula was equally if not more nervous than she was.
"Besides we have bathed together on multiple occasions so this will be fine now sit, it takes a while to get this thing off." Ty Lee down with a thud and watched as her Princess undid her collar and removed the circle of fabric that covered her shoulders.
It was true they had seen each other indecent on multiple occasions but this felt… different and out of place. As Azula reached for the bottom of her shirt Ty Lee grabbed her hands in a vice like grip and refused to let go, Azula was looking at with a confused look.
Ty Lee stood up and bowed her head "Azula, I-I'm sorry, please don't do this I should not have said or done what I did and this is not how I want this to be, please please forgive me."
Azula looked completely lost "What is the matter with you, this is what couples do right? They see each other without clothes on, unless I misread that book" Ty Lee mentally smacked herself, she was a moron. Azula was a sheltered Princess with no idea on how social interactions worked and if Ty Lee played her cards right she could probably convince her that babies came from the dragon-stork.
"It's not that, couples do see each other without clothes on" Ty Lee only had second hand knowledge but it was leaps and bounds above what her partner had "But we are too young and we have only been a couple a few weeks, I don't want us to do anything that will make it weird between us."
Azula still looked confused but sighed and took her hands of her shirt "Well fine then, but you did impress me and I have already decided to give you something in return so what can couples do in this situation"
Ty Lee realized Azula would not let this go and it was endearing to see Azula try so hard so she gave it some thought and came up with one "Um, ok why don't you try and kiss me"
Azula raised an eyebrow "Kiss you, that's it" Ty Lee smiled and nodded.
"Fine, but after this no more comments about muscle men or shirtless girls, Agni when I'm Fire Lord I am going to commission a codex for this kind of thing how do people even get to the point of cooking the egg?"
Ty Lee had to think for a moment before she realized what Azula was talking about "Oh Zula, you're just…wow"
Ty Lee saw Azula close her eyes and lean in with puckered lips, this was probably the first she had ever given.
Ty Lee smiled and was prepared to accept the kiss that would little more than an innocent peck when the train suddenly jerked into motion. Neither of them expected it as Azula fell forwards and her suddenly open mouth met Ty Lee's.
The force then caused both of them to fall onto the couch and Ty Lee felt a sudden jolt of pain as Azula's forehead smacked into her own.
As the train started to pick up speed Azula removed her mouth and began to message her bruised forehead. Ty Lee was ignoring the pain as she found the Princess on her lap, Azula noticed as well and moved quickly moved to sit next to her.
They were both a bit shocked, by the kiss, the painful collision and the feeling of being on a moving train, the sound of the wheels on the track and the distant sound of the steam engine at the front of train.
Azula broke the silence "Well there we are, I suspect that counts as a kiss" The Princess was blushing despite her calm voice.
Ty Lee smiled and nodded despite the slight pain in head, she looked out the window "Oh wow." The view was already incredible, the setting sun was made a beautiful reflection on the ocean. How odd it was that many of her happiest moments occurred when the powerful orb in the sky was disappearing.
"It is marvelous, and soon every plump noble with gold in his pocket will be paying through the nose to see it." Azula got up and retrieved the shoulder cloth from where it lay on the floor, she then dipped it in some water and pressed it to her forehead.
"Now let us finish our meal before we retire, it will a couple of days before we reach our destination and I plan to do some reading on the way so I require I good night's rest"
The plan sounded good to Ty Lee until she thought about it and remembered there was a single bed, "Maybe Azula really should have that codex commissioned; this is much harder than then a Prince saving the Princess from the dragon"
She looked at her friend turned much more than friend and smiled, she would gladly be saved or even held hostage by Azula as in her eyes she fit both heroic prince and powerful dragon in equal measure.