This is by far the longest chapter in this story so far. It's about 800 words over the minimum that I usually shoot for when writing a chapter for Inferno. I hope you enjoy those extra words! XD
Of course, the Fire Academy and the classes offered there are of my own design, since the series never goes into a great amount of detail regarding the school.
Once again, any A/N regarding replies to anonymous reviews will be posted at the bottom of the chapter. Thanks so much for your support, reviews, fanart (you know who you are! XD Much love for fanart XD), suggestions, and everything else. I hope you enjoy this chapter.
A room to call my own, studies and firebending lessons, interactions with girls my own age -- perhaps some a year or two younger or older -- either way, I was right in my assumptions regarding the Royal Fire Academy for Girls. It was no different than the palace, really. At both places I was treated like the royalty that I was, and at both places no one questioned my authority or opinion, as much as one might disagree with what I said. But I was the princess, and to challenge the princess was to play with fire -- in more ways than one.
My arrival at the Academy was treated as if one might treat the coming of snow on a cold winter night; expected and anticipated, causing an excitement to rise within one's chest. Of course I had never seen snow, living in the warm and humid area that the Fire Nation claimed as theirs, but I knew it was a substance that completely covered the North and South Poles. Frozen water is what it was, though it was different from ice. Either way it was not a form of precipitation that I took a liking to. I preferred my days hot and blistery, my nights warm and humid.
The building itself was only half what I expected it to be. Perhaps deemed impressive by anyone else, it was not so to me as I had grown up accustomed to the lavish lifestyle of the palace. It would do for schooling purposes, however.
The headmistress at the Academy was out to greet me when I arrived. Girls of various ages crowded around her, anxiously peeking out from behind, eager to get a glimpse of the Princess; and rightfully so. They would learn my appearance and come to respect me. They would learn to associate my name with fear and power. Princess Azula; blue fire.
Stepping out of my covered platform, the soldiers carefully placed it on the ground and positioned themselves. When both my feet were planted firmly on the ground, they bowed as two others came forth to carry my bags. I walked straight up to the headmistress.
She bowed humbly. "Welcome to the Royal Fire Academy for Girls, Princess. I am Headmistress Lixue. We are honored to have you." I smiled satisfactorily when I saw the other girls around her bow as well. My eyes rested upon Mai and Ty Lee, also in mid-bow, but with knowing smiles on their faces.
"Rightfully so," I said, answering her greeting. My eyes shifted from my two childhood friends to the headmistress. "I believe it was said that I would have some accommodations prepared for me upon my arrival," I said, examining my fingernails.
"Yes, Princess," the headmistress said. "You will have a private room in our finest hall. Come. I'll show you the way."
I held up a hand and motioned for the guards holding my bags to follow us. With the headmistress leading the way, I followed closely behind, the guards and trail of girls processing behind all of us. Observing the finely crafted walls and smooth stone floors of the Academy, I smiled slightly, glad that this building was so aesthetically pleasing. This place would soon be mine. It may be owned by one of the most prestigious Fire Nation families, but it would be me that would truly run it. Royalty before nobility, after all.
My eyes took in the wondrous staircases, nobly twisting up to meet the same destination; a grand hallway that continued beyond what the eye could see. Upstairs was where the girls lived, no doubt, and the level we were currently on was most likely where the studying took place. I glanced out a nearby window, taking note of a sparring arena and another large court. I nodded approvingly. That was merely one of the advantages of being born into the upper echelon of the Fire Nation; girls were trained for fighting, unlike some of the other nations in the world that thought women's first and foremost purposes were purely domesticate.
The headmistress led me up the large staircase, and I smiled slightly as my hand slid along the banister. She quickly turned around to admonish the girls that trailed behind us.
"Ladies!" she said in a hoarse tone. "Back to your classes! The presence of your esteemed classmate does not mean you may skip on your studies."
I watched as the girls scrambled about, tripping over their friends' feet as they attempted to get back to their classes. Several wooden doors were opened and half of them slammed shut; the other half closed gently. Amidst the clamor, I turned to the headmistress and said, "If you do not mind," for, I had to make the impression that I was an innocent and obedient girl, "I would like to ask for the presence of two of my friends that attend here."
"Of course Princess," Lixue said, nodding. "What are their names?"
"Mai and Ty Lee," I said loudly, knowing they would adhere to my authority over the headmistress'. The two stopped in their tracks, previously headed to their respective classrooms, and turned around to come back to my side on the stairs.
"So good to see you again, ladies," I said with the authority-filled tone my father often used. I leaned in to hug first Mai, then a perky Ty Lee.
"It's so good to see you, too, Azula!" Ty Lee said. "It's going to be so fun to have you in our classes!"
"And so much more interesting," Mai added, folding her hands into her large sleeves.
"It's been too long," I said, trying to remember the last time I saw them. Not extremely long, if I recalled correctly; probably close to a month or two. Each of them had enrolled in the Academy around that time. "I imagine we'll have an experience to remember here at the Academy."
"I'm sure you will, Princess," Lixue added to our conversation. "The Academy is ranked among the finest schools for girls in the Fire Nation."
"I should hope so," I responded. "My father would not send me here if that was not the case."
"Of course… Fire Lord Ozai," the headmistress said, half to herself. A worried look crossed her face. "He made an excellent decision in sending you here."
"That's good to know," I said somewhat sarcastically.
Headmistress Lixue swallowed nervously. "Yes, of course. If you'll please follow me," she said, turning back around to continue climbing the stairs. "I'll show you to your room."
I shrugged and made a mocking face once Lixue turned around. Ty Lee held back a giggle and Mai merely smiled. They glanced at each other, sharing a look that clearly meant they knew life was about to get interesting with my presence at the Fire Academy.
"Here is your chamber," Lixue said, turning around and motioning elegantly at a beautifully carved door. "It is reserved for our most deserving students."
"I'll be sure to keep that in mind," I said dully as I stood to the side of the door. "Guards, bring my belongings in." The two guards looked grateful to put the packs down, rushing into the room after the headmistress opened the door. They carefully sat the packs down on the enormous bed that graced the center of the room. It's head was pushed up against the wall, and a flowing canopy covered the top. A soft, woolen carpet was thrown across the center of the room, leaving a border of the wooden floor showing around the edges. A fireplace, complete with crackling fire, warmed the room on the right side, and pieces of various furniture were arranged to complete the ambiance.
"It's acceptable," I said as I judged the room. "Thank you, you're dismissed," I said with a wave of my hand. The guards, accustomed to such orders, obeyed immediately. Lixue stood for a second or two with a perplexing expression on her face. Sighing, she finally took her leave of the room, no doubt questioning her acceptance of the Princess into the Fire Academy.
The room was silent for a second or two after the adults left. Mai stood frozen to her spot, her hands still folded within her sleeves. Ty Lee took to glancing around at the room, obviously having never been in it before. She was apparently impressed with the beautiful decorations and exquisite furbishing. I turned to face them, silently observing them for a second before addressing them.
"Girls," I said, holding out my arms. "I'm here. Do you realize what this means?"
They looked at me questioningly. I continued with an evil grin. "The headmistress does not have the gall to stand up to me. She would rather die than disobey my orders. I am, after all, the Princess." They took a few steps closer as I turned and opened up one of my bulging sacks.
"This means that all the girls, the teachers even, this entire building…" I made a sweeping motion with my arms, referring to the large room and the Academy it was in. "…is mine for the commanding. And you two are my friends," I said, though in my mind I called them cohorts; servants even. "Just like old times, ladies, those halcyon days of pretend, hm? Except this time, it's real life. And this time, we'll have real people to carry out our real orders."
Ty Lee skipped over and immediately started helping me unpack. "But Azula, we're here to learn. We have to submit to our elders here at this place."
"I see they've already gotten to Ty Lee," I said, disappointed as I turned to Mai. "Tell me they haven't gotten through to your mind as well, Mai."
She shrugged. "You know I've never had a thing for authority."
A pleased smile spread across my lips. "Good," was what simply came out of my mouth, and I turned to face Ty Lee, ready to whisper into her ear whatever she needed to hear in order to set her straight.
"I know, we are here to learn," I said soothingly. "But I just want us to have the best time we can while we're here. Besides, it's the law that the citizens obey the Royal Family. If they don't," I said, mocking regret, "I'd have to have them executed for disobeying the law. You … wouldn't want me to do that, would you?" I asked, pouting a little.
She hesitated. "I… I guess you're right, Azula," her face brightened. "But then again, you're always right!"
"That's what I wanted to hear," I said quietly, laying a firm hand on her shoulder. She stared back at me with a vacant expression. Turning to Mai, I continued speaking. "Come now, girls, help me unpack. We have a lot of preparing to do if this is going to end up like one of our more successful games of pretend."
"What did you have in mind, Azula?" Mai asked casually as she took a garment of mine out of the bag and walked over to place it in the beautiful dresser.
"I'm sure I'll think of something," I said lightly as I sat on the bed, intending to let them do all the unpacking. "I always do."
I watched as my friends unpacked for me, placing my clothes in the large dresser, and other necessary items in their proper places. Occasionally I would call out to them and tell them to place a certain item on a different table, or put that item of clothing in a different drawer, and they readily consented. I leaned back into the soft pillow, feeling the cool, smooth texture of the sheets against my skin, basking in the authority that I held over this place. The midday sun shone brightly on my skin through the large window. Glancing in the direction from whence it came, I noted the thick drapes that were pulled back to let the sunlight in.
Closing my eyes for a second, I envisioned what life here at the Academy would be like for me. Hundreds of girls, several teachers, some firebending instructors as well, were all waiting for me to tell them what to do. It was a comforting thought, really, to know that even if things didn't go as planned at first, I already had two loyal subjects that would enforce my rule and follow my every command. Mai was especially loyal, and though I questioned her motives (thinking her obedience to be born out of boredom rather than loyalty), I came to the realization that loyalty was loyalty, whatever the underlying reasons might be.
Ty Lee on the other hand occasionally questioned my authority, though I always won out in the end. I began to realize that she had a heart, and she had a conscience and a mind of her own as well, but she chose to obey me out of fear, for she did not want to become a victim of consequence. No matter; the wrinkles in her loyalty and obedience could be smoothed out with time and proper handling. Just like all the other girls here at the Academy. If they showed the same signs as Ty Lee; that is, a mind molded to obey authority, then I would have no trouble keeping them underneath my thumb. I was superior to them, after all, and I would be quick to remind them if they conveniently forgot.
I spread out my legs on the layers of blankets that covered the bed, and watched as Ty Lee and Mai took the final items out of the last pack and placed them in an area of the room they deemed necessary. Upon finishing, they approached my bedside, and carefully awaited the next orders. When I was silent for a second, Ty Lee immediately spoke up.
"Azula," she began. "I noticed that you didn't bring Zuko's knife with you. I thought you planned on taking it from his room once he was banished."
I scowled, and shot daggers at Ty Lee with my eyes. Her expression faltered, though only slightly.
"Apparently the oaf took it with him," I responded. "I searched his room after his banishment, and failed to find it. It will be mine one day, though," I said, sure of myself. "I doubt that I've seen the last of my brother forever."
At the mention of Zuko, I noticed a slight blush creep onto Mai's face. I frowned slightly. She wasn't still taken by him, was she? Oh well, I thought, that can be fixed. Relentless teasing and degrading of her feelings would work it out of her eventually. And I knew it would be so much more effective if I didn't do it on my own. Perhaps a little rumor spreading was called for. After all, in a school full of girls, rumors spread like wildfire. There was no way I was going to let her live this down.
"Well, ladies," I said, sitting up and straightening my back. "Perhaps you would like to show me around the school? Or tell me about the teachers and classes? My own classes do not start up until tomorrow."
"Oh, can we?" Ty Lee said, jumping on the bed. I reluctantly scooted back to make a little more room. Next time she was not going to get away with it, though. Mai followed Ty Lee's example and climbed onto the bed, though with more poise than Ty Lee had.
"I'm taking an acrobatics class," Ty Lee said, counting on her fingers. "As well as a pressure-point educational class, and another one that specializes in the flow of chi." She paused before continuing. "Oh, and some psychology too. Reading people is fun!"
"Interesting," I said, adding up the classes in my head and calculating how they might be successfully joined in one person to better her fighting abilities. Added up all together, I concluded that her knowledge of chi and pressure points would make Ty Lee a formidable opponent. Not to mention the psychology class would aid her in predicting what moves an enemy might make, and the acrobatics would help keep her in top physical condition. Excellent.
"What about you, Mai? What subjects are you studying?"
"Besides the basics?" she asked, referring to arithmetic, calligraphy, and other various educational classes that were required.
"Yes," I responded. "What classes that improve your physical skills?"
"Shuriken-jutsu," she said. "Which is throwing knives, daggers, spikes… any type of weapon like that. We practice with loaded holsters on dummies. That's pretty interesting. I even found a way to conceal the weapons in my sleeves, as long as I wear loose clothing."
I nodded approvingly, waiting for her to continue. Normally using as few words as possible to get her point across, I found that Mai talked with more ease when speaking of the fighting style in which she specialized.
"What else is there…?" she said to herself with a sigh. "Archery. I'm taking that as well. It improves my aim. And anatomy. It's helpful to know where all the vital veins and arteries are in the body."
"Wonderful," I said, beginning to believe that Mai was an assassin in the making.
"Oh…" she said. "And a botany class."
"A botany class?" I asked incredulously, not sure how that contributed to her skills.
Mai raised an eyebrow, as if to say she was surprised I hadn't realized how helpful it was. Apparently she understood that I was questioning them for the purpose of seeing how deadly they were.
"What other thirteen-year-old girl do you know that can mix together plants found in the wild to produce a deadly concoction?" she asked. I smiled evilly. So that was the purpose of that class. Now Mai was not only a stealthy assassin, but she knew which plants were poisonous and how to create a fatal mix.
"All wonderful classes," I said, putting one hand on Mai's shoulder, and one on Ty Lee's. "Our parents would be proud, ladies. We are becoming exactly what the Fire Nation needs during a war like this."
"But Azula," Ty Lee interjected as she shook her head. "Women don't fight in the Fire Nation Army."
"No, Ty Lee, I suppose they don't," I responded. "But what would be the point of learning these skills if we are to never use them?"
Ty Lee merely shrugged, not sure what to say.
"Exactly," I said, pulling them in closer, as if I had a secret. "And we all know that one day I'm going to be the Fire Lady and rule over all the Fire Nation. I need to get used to ruling a nation first. Why else do you think my father sent me here? So that I could practice ordering around a bunch of inferiors!"
Both girls made an expression, as if the thought had never occurred to them before and it was just now dawning on them. I believed myself, saying that there was no way Father sent me here merely to make sure those "problems" never rose from the dead, as he claimed. Surely it had to be for the reason I just stated.
"And that's exactly what I'm going to do. Aside from practicing firebending and advancing educationally, I will have the experience under my belt of ruling a large body of people. That is something Zuko never had, nor will he ever gain."
The two of them nodded slowly, and I leaned back with satisfaction. I had found, once again, something that I had that Zuko didn't. That made the score, what… Zuko: zero. Azula…
One hundred? One thousand? One million?
What difference does it make? I thought as pride twisted my lips into a smile. I was better than him. I am better than him.
And I always will be.
TrueThinker: Oh, so you're a rat? Haha, that's funny. I don't really live by those zodiac things. I just think they're interesting, and I like to see how much of the horse actually applies to me, you know? It's funny to see how accurate they are sometimes, though it's not like I swear by the info. As for cookies, well, what type do you want? -glances at full cookie box- I have plenty of them, all sorts of varieties. Take your pick XD And thank you so much for the special prize, lol. I will treasure it greatly. Also thanks for encouraging JET COME BACK to read the fic. It's really flattering to know that people like this fic enough to recommend it to others.
Name:: Thanks for your review, too. Though the long ones are fun to read, I treasure the short ones just as much :D