Alright-New chapter.

To answer someone's review: I'm attempting to make this story Toph x Azula but it's gonna be hard cuz they're so different, and there's no subtext between them in the show so I'm building a relationship off of nothing :3

And I apologize beforehand for any mistakes. I'm incredibly sick right now so I might have missed somethings :/

Navaro shifted uneasily from foot to foot, impatience riddling his body with tension. "Bane we don't have all day. C'mon." He urged his companion, wishing they had brought something to carry Azula on. They had been so intent on getting into the palace and getting the timing just right with Aang's distraction that they had neglected to find a safe way to carry the former princess out of her prison. It didn't help that Azula and Bane shared a history. They hadn't seen each other in a long time, and the emotion in the room was suffocating, but they didn't have time for a reunion.

Not now.

With more caution than he had ever seen her use, Navaro stared as Bane precariously lifted Azula to her feet, slinging the woman's good arm over her shoulder. He had never seen the bubbly woman so gentle with anyone, and he had known her for a long time. What prompted her to treat this broken woman like she was invaluable-like she was treasured?

He studied Azula, drinking in her haggard expression, and disheveled appearance. Dried blood crusted against her face, staining her pale skin red. Her hair was matted and stiff with grime and dirt-the long auburn strands tangled together like an intricate web. Her clothes hung limply off her narrow frame making everyone keenly aware of how small she was.

She looked terrible, and her agonized expression didn't tell him anything except they had lingered here too long.

"C'mon 'Zula." Bane murmured.

The former princess sucked in a pained breath. "I can't walk." She rasped, her tone low and gravelly from disuse. If Navaro had to guess-admitting that she couldn't do something was pure undiluted torture. It was a miracle that Azula could even stand though. She was far beyond her physical limit.

"I'll carry you." Bane said decisively, hefting the princess onto her back. She didn't look like she weighed anything so Navaro didn't offer to help. He did wonder why she didn't protest though. According to the rumors Azula was generally a difficult person to handle. Perhaps she was too immersed in staying conscious to worry about her undignified position.

"Let's go." He turned towards the door, striding quickly down the row of cages. They needed to leave now. As they slipped into the hallway, keeping to the shadows he took the lead-being sure to stretch his senses out so no one could take them by surprise. Behind him he heard Bane's footsteps accompanied by Azula's labored breathing. Every movement most likely sent indescribable pain rippling through the princess' body, and they had to move swiftly. After a few minutes of walking purposefully through the darkness Azula's icy voice filtered towards him.

"You're both fools."

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Aang withheld a huff of pain as he was bodily slammed into the wall. Zuko's enraged face filled his vision as he held him up by his collar. "What the hell was that Aang?" In light of new events-after Aang's unglamorous announcement—Zuko, Katara, and Sokka decided to retreat to the Palace courtyard to try and glean information from him. He had been expecting that, but the violence underlying Zuko's actions was a surprise. He supposed his anger stemmed from the fact that it took half of Zuko's royal guard to knock him out of the Avatar State. That had been the icing on the cake.

Squirming uncomfortably, he forced himself to remain inert in the FireLord's grasp, burying his instinct to fight back. "That was me withdrawing myself from the Four Nation's treaty." He said matter-a-factly.

Zuko scowled. "I know. I was there Aang. We were all there. Why would you do that? We've worked so hard for peace and you're going to ruin it all."

Katara stepped forward, and Aang's gaze swept past Zuko to focus on her. She placed a calming hand on the infuriated monarch and he relaxed imperceptibly at the light touch. "Zuko try and relax down, let's approach this calmly." She murmured in a tone that was anything but suggestive. Her words were a demand, and by the looks of it Zuko wasn't inclined to indulge her tonight.

"I will not calm down." He all but snarled, his grip tightening on Aang's flesh. There was going to be a bruise there, he thought idly, shifting a bit as he dangled in the air. "You have no idea the lengths we've gone to ensure our homes remain safe. Do you have any idea what the repercussions of your actions are? The Avatar publically denounced us." His fingers twitched against Aang's cold, and clammy skin as if he wanted to choke him right there.

"I'm fully aware of the consequences of my actions-are you aware of the consequences of yours?" Aang asked-finally addressing his friends. He boldly met Zuko's gaze with his own steely glare, goading the Firelord with his obstinacy

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Sokka's deep timber surprised them all. The tribesmen separated himself from the shadows, and tentatively walked over to them. They hadn't heard him speak yet, because he needed some time to sober himself. He had stumbled after them into the courtyard drunk, but now that Aang was throwing wild accusations around he seemed oddly coherent.

Aang sighed at their expectant stares.

"It means I don't regret what I've done tonight, but you all should regret your actions. You should have some hint of remorse for the hell you've managed to create in the last five years."

"Excuse me?" Sokka's tone was incredulous, and Aang could feel the others mirroring his reaction. He was not surprised that they deluded themselves like this: They believed they were doing the right thing. They were so blinded by their denial they couldn't even see the lives they had destroyed.

"You heard me." He replied, the first inkling of frustration trickling into his voice. "You said you worked for peace? When did you do that? I must have missed it." He marveled at how snarky his voice sounded. He didn't perform well under pressure, and with everyone staring death at him he wasn't exactly feeling obligated to be kind. The monks taught him to fight violence with stillness. Combat a fist with passive obstinacy. That's what he'd been doing, and as a result thousands had paid in blood and tears.

No more.

Locked in his thoughts, he didn't see the fist coming towards his face. His head whipped back, and he slammed into the ground, his back colliding painfully against the palace concrete. Aang was going to sport a nasty bruise in the morning. He curled his fingers into the palace stone, ignoring the taste of blood in his mouth, and turned to look at his attacker. Firelord Zuko stood over him-panting, his face a mask of unrestrained fury.

"Zuko that was a bit much." Sokka rebuked the monarch, shaking his head.

Dark onyx eyes turned to glare at him, and the tribesmen stared coolly back. "Have you been listening to him? We've changed? We've got something to be sorry for?" His fist was still raw from colliding with Aang's jaw. He rubbed the red knuckles balefully turning his attention back to Aang who kept his face purposefully neutral. "You've changed Avatar. You used to care about peace, and we've worked so hard for it…"

"And I still do." Aang replied earnestly, "I don't care for your methods in installing peace though." He precariously sat up, leaning heavily against a stone pillar behind him. He drew in a shaky breath trying to gather his thoughts. "You keep saying you've worked for peace-When truthfully you've done nothing but butcher in the name of peace. You have spilled blood in every nation. Thousands have died, and you're still not satisfied…Tell me, can you rape someone in the name of love?"

Looks of disgust and horror bled into his friends' expressions. Zuko actually blanched, and his hands clenched into trembling fists. "Of course you can't." He answered Aang's question, unable to keep his voice steady. The Firelord sounded strained all of a sudden.

"What kind of question is that Aang?" Katara asked, shock ruling her expression.

Aang rubbed his abused jaw tiredly. "If you can't rape for love what makes you think you can kill for peace?"

A heavy silence ensued after he spoke.

No one answered him.

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Azula's breath came in quick shallow pants as they exited the Palace grounds slipping into the Capital's empty streets. Her mind was a source of constant turmoil at this most recent change in events. Ty Lee had freed her from her shackles and whisked her away from her prison. Why? How? To what end? She did not possess the answers to any of these questions. Something huge was going on.

Her most pressing question was: Where were they going, and what price would she have to pay when she got there?

She had nothing offer. She was a poor ally, not only had she been kept out of the loop for years-she was barely able to function on her own. Standing up was an excursion for her. She was not unlike baby: Pathetic, helpless, in need of others to care for her. She could count the number of people that could stomach the task on one hand. She had an exceedingly long list of people who would love to see her dead, and no real reason to be kept alive.

Everything was complicated…

But before she could process a way to coerce her new captors into keeping her alive—

Another more pressing concern was, as far as she could tell, there was no safe place for her to go. The Four Nation's council had a long reach, and there was nowhere to hide. Agni knows where Ty Lee was carting her off to, or as the earthbending boy called her, Bane.

Which led her thoughts tumbling down another avenue: how did Ty Lee come to acquire such a dark nickname? Ever since she had awakened she'd noticed things, mostly about the people she used to know. All of them had changed. Zuko for example had changed from an immature lackluster boy, to an overbearing temperamental man. Ty Lee herself, seemed to have lost some of her naïveté and now bore scars one could only earn from years of hardship and trauma.

Azula wasn't sure what to think of her former friend.

She didn't trust her though.

Or her companion.

"Alright...The General said she'd be waiting at the edge of town. We just have to get there unnoticed." Azula hung limply across the acrobat's shoulders as Ty Lee whispered to her companion.

The boy-Navaro, nodded his gaze slanting over to them. "Hopefully she's in position already."

"She does have a terrible habit of being late to things." Ty Lee chuckled, the motion sending a tremor through her, and Azula bit her lip to hold back a cry. Movement of any sent sharp rivulets of pain coursing through her body. They were already surging swiftly through the darkness, any extra movement only made things worse.

"It won't matter-it's not like we've been noticed yet anyways." Navaro smirked, easily keeping pace with them.

"YOU THERE-HALT-IN THE NAME OF THE FIRELORD."

Azula stiffened at the new voice, and she felt Ty Lee grow rigid beneath her. However, despite the command her former friend neither stopped nor slowed down. She did turn to look at the sheepish earthbender beside her though. "You had to say something didn't you?" She asked flatly, her voice dry and amused.

Unlike the Ty Lee she was familiar with, Bane had a dark sense of humor she could appreciate.

Who knew…

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"It's not the same Aang."

Aang quirked an eyebrow at Sokka, silently daring him to continue-he was going to come up with some insightful logic to make their actions plausible. He had always been intellectually gifted. The tribesman stroked his scrubby beard in thought, most likely trying to formulate a counterargument in his head. "You can't compare rape, and martial law…We made the regulators, and decided to go along with the Purging to protect everyone. It was the safest course of action and we saved so many people. It was an extreme decision but you have to admit we made the world safer. You can't complain about that. Especially when you agreed to it in the first place."

Aang shook his head disbelievingly. He let his cranium fall to rest on the pillar behind him, and stared blankly up at the sky. That was a blatant lie. He was arguably the person with the most verbal dissent against the Purging. He never agreed to it. "No Sokka, I played the Devil's advocate. I said the Purging was a bad idea." He snorted unhappily. "I was overruled by the other 99% of the council."

"Aang-"

"FIRELORD."

At that exact moment a sea of guards rushed into the courtyard, filling the narrow space with a plethora of crimson colors. The three friends blinked, utterly confused at the intrusion. What was going on? Aang glanced away, already guessing what was happening. He had a vague idea of what they were going to say.

"What's wrong?" Zuko's scarred face creased in worry. Very little could prompt this kind of crowd to assemble. It couldn't be anything good.

One of the guards separated himself from the throes of shifting limbs and sparking flames. "Firelord." Anxiousness was written into every line of his face. "A guard went to relieve Maron of his shift, and found him unconscious and the prison gate open. Azula is gone. We've sent out several units to go search for her Milord but so far we haven't gotten any confirmation of her being located." He reported in a rush, and by the time he was finished Zuko was gaping at him.

"What? Azula is missing?" Zuko exclaimed, his fist slamming against a nearby pillar in conjunction with his fury. A portion of the stone shattered beneath his hand, and he stood there his nostril's flaring the picture of regal

Everyone winced at the violent reaction. The guard who had spoken gulped, visibly shaken. "Yes Firelord."

Zuko's onyx eyes blazed. "Find her. I want every able bodied man out and searching for her. She does not leave the Capital." He said, his voice low and threatening.

The guard inclined his head, giving the Fire Nation salute. "It will be done." He said dutifully before turning on his heel and exiting the courtyard. The sea of red parted for him, before slowly trickling out after to him to do as they were commanded. That left Aang alone with two confused friends and one very angry monarch.

Zuko cradled his head, overwhelmed by the emotions assaulting him. "How did this happen?" He murmured.

Aang refused to respond, watching the Firelord's visceral reaction with wary eyes. He would not admit to his part in emancipating Azula. That would condemn him and so many others. Katara had no such reservations though. She stepped closer to Zuko, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Hey it's gonna be okay. Your guards will find her, and the trial will proceed. There's nowhere for her to go."

On the contrary Aang knew of once place she could go, he thought ruefully to himself.

"I don't understand-how could she escape in her condition without being noticed." Zuko shook his head, still struggling to comprehend what had occurred over the last several minutes. He turned to Katara, his gaze conflicted and she shook her head. She had no idea how Azula had managed such a feat either. Her words of comfort were doing little to assuage the Fire ruler.

Sokka hummed thoughtfully, his tone curious instead of accusatory. "It is funny how she seemed to escape just as Aang is withdrawing himself from the treaty."

That didn't stop the affect his words had.

Three pairs of eyes shifted to Aang, and he almost flinched.

Sokka was digging his grave.

"I..." He started unsure of how to defend himself against the probing stares. Did they believe him capable of such treachery? Even though he was guilty of undermining Zuko's law, and helping free Azula, if his friends believe him capable of betrayal he was going to undergo interrogation of the worst kind, and deal with unimaginable consequences.

Mercy was a dying practice nowadays…

"The timing was convenient wasn't it?" Zuko drawled, advancing on Aang. Clearly the Firelord had drawn his own conclusions about what Aang had done. None of them were good.

Aang forced himself to remain still.

Running would only make him guilty.

Before Zuko could reach him, Katara stepped between them, blocking the Firelord from his vision. "I'm sure it's just a coincidence. This is Aang we're talking about. He would never help Azula." She snorted, crossing her arms across her chest.

Her words were meant to be reassuring but judging from the silence drifting between them all, Zuko and Sokka remained skeptical. A moment later though, a strangled laugh left Zuko's lips, and a weak smile stretched across the firebender's face. "You're right Katara. I can't imagine Aang helping Azula. I don't know who was stupid enough to free her, but they'll realize their error soon enough. Azula's only skill is in creating enemies."

Aang almost sagged in relief when the spot light was taken off him, but frowned at Zuko's words.

He sincerely hoped Azula practiced other skills.

Lady Grey was a formidable enemy.

She wouldn't tolerate anyone endangering Safe Haven.

He shook his head, forcing himself to focus on the situation at hand. Zuko was frowning again, which usually meant something bad was about to be decided. "We're going to find her, and whoever's helping her, and I will see them all punished accordingly. I won't have anyone ruining what we've worked so hard to create."

Aang shuddered.

Yes, because who would want to destroy this utopia?

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Azula blinked as the shadows following them increased in number. Very soon they were going to be flanked, surrounded, and cornered. As much as it irked her to admit it, she might be dragged back to that disgusting six by six to rot until her brother executed her. The idea had absolutely no appeal to her.

Now that she had a taste of freedom she wanted to relish it.

Over the last few weeks she had come to terms with her inevitable death, but now there was a chance she could live, and she wanted that option. Zuko had no right to take that from her, no matter her crime, no matter whose life she was guilty of destroying. If he wanted the title of kinslayer he was welcome to kill Ozai, but she would not sit demurely by while he schemed to end her.

Never again would she be under someone's thumb like that.

She was tired of other people playing god to her.

She bowed to no one.

She owed her life to no one.

She owed her death to no one either.

"Hold on Azula." Ty Lee murmured tightening her grasp on Azula's legs so she wouldn't fall. The acrobat agilely leapt up onto a roof skidding across the wooden tile before lunging back into a sprint, her gaze fixed ahead towards the edge of the city.

They were still a good distance from the gate. She had no idea how they planned to make it out of the city. It was going to be a longshot. Next to them Navaro ran, his steps even with Ty Lee's. Every couple of seconds his gaze slid behind them towards the rapidly approaching guards.

"Bane, Look out!"

Navaro's startling cry roused Ty Lee into action. From the side a long stream of fire jetted towards them threatening to engulf them. The acrobat ducked beneath the roaring flames and lunged off the roof, flipping in the air while keeping a firm grasp on Azula. The former princess winced at the heat, even as the flames licked the air around them. Ty Lee landed deftly on both feet her eyes wide.

They had landed in a narrow sidestreet.

It was perpendicular to another street which meant there were three different directions to walk in: Straightforward, to the right, and to the left, a wall blocked off the other ways. Carefully Ty Lee deposited Azula on the ground, propping her up against the wall behind her. "Don't move."

Silently Navaro dropped into the space next to her, his eyes flicking around. "We're surrounded."

Her amber eyes searching the darkness, Azula could see the truth in his words. On the wall above her, Fire nation soldiers perched on the roof glaring at the miscreants below, and trickling in from all three directions were more people donned in armor to come capture them.

This was bad…

Standing protectively in front of her Ty Lee and Navaro slid into stances. It was surreal to see them bereft of fear ready to take on trained soldiers just too escort her safely out of this city.

They were touched in the head.

"I'll take the ones on the left?" Navaro offered, treating this situation like it was game.

"Go for it." Ty Lee smirked, amused by the challenge.

Then all hell broke loose.

Azula watched as a tidal wave of fire enveloped them from all directions. The soldiers attacked as a unit-using typical scorch tactics. Navaro's earthbound stance never faltered though, and his fist abruptly slid up and Azula blinked as a dome of earth erupted from the ground, shielding them from the flames. The fire fanned out against the wall of dirt, trying to penetrate it but unable to break through.

"You ready?" Navaro said breathlessly, quirking a brow at Ty Lee.

She nodded, and without any further comments he whirled, flying into a spin kick. A section of the wall broke away, and was sent careening towards a group of soldiers to the left. Ty Lee chuckled as the firebender's were seemingly flattened, and began to go to work herself. Harnessing her speed and flexibility she flew out of the jagged opening Navaro left for her.

Azula from her position on the ground could hear the quiet thud of bodies hitting the ground as Ty Lee temporarily crippled them.

She couldn't see past the earth dome though.

Navaro had leapt out of the opening after Ty Lee, and with his earthbending he slowly began wiping away the wave of firebenders threatening to overwhelm him. With each progressing minute, Azula watched as sections of the dome were sent rocketing towards unsuspecting soldiers, systematically crushing them.

The boy clearly had no reservations about fighting.

A loud, sickening crack echoed in the narrow space as Navaro blocked a stream of fire that would have burned his face beyond recognition, and with careful precise movements slammed a pillar of earth into the soldier's unguarded midsection. The crimson armored body hovered in the air for a second before a large boulder, torn from the earth below the paved stone floor buried him into a large man shaped crater.

Azula stared blankly as he screamed in pain.

That looked painful…

"Azula LOOK OUT!"

Ty Lee's panicked scream made her look up.

Poised directly in front of her a Fire Nation soldier was already in motion fire erupting from his fingertips to burn her alive. Azula urged her abused limbs to move, even as the fire surged forward licking her face. Too battered to move, and too exhausted to summon her own blue flame to guard her, she closed her eyes accepting the heat pounding against her mangled flesh. Apparently, she wasn't meant to taste freedom again.

Ah well…

She waited for the inevitable.

Life's crimson liquid splattered against her face, painting over the dried blood already crusted there.

Azula slowly peeled open her eyes wondering why she was still alive and why her face was wet?

"….Ty Lee." She murmured, her eyes widening imperceptibly.

A resigned grin dominating her scarred face, Ty Lee fell to her knees in front of Azula, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth. The former princess couldn't see the damage the flames had done, but smoke circled from her friend's back swirling into the waning darkness, and wafting in the sky. She swallowed heavily, disbelief robbing her of words. Her world spun nauseatingly.

What had Ty Lee done?

The former acrobat shuddered, and heavy coughs racked her frame. Azula watched in awe, and horror as droplets of blood escaped her lips at each cough, staining the ground red. Were her lungs or organs damaged? She couldn't tell.

"Sorry 'Zula." Ty Lee whispered, her eyes unnaturally bright. "I was supposed to protect you better."

Azula's jaw clenched, but she couldn't bring herself to say anything. Everything coming to mind was snide or sarcastic, and for the life of her she didn't understand why she couldn't be rude right now. Under normal circumstances being cold didn't bother her. She derived pleasure from making people miserable, but she right now she just…couldn't…The cruelty she thrived on refused to manifest.

Ty Lee almost as if she could read her thoughts, smiled, and reached out with one trembling hand to caress her face.

Azula started at the unwelcome touch but didn't pull away her eyes fixed on Ty Lee, even as she watched the last vestiges of life drain from her. The former acrobat convulsed once another terrible coughing fit making her shoulder's shake.

In the background Azula was dimly aware of Navaro renewing his struggles with vigor, his every move fueled by rage. The soldier that struck Ty Lee down was promptly enveloped in a cocoon of Earth, and dragged beneath the earth's surface. Navaro had made him his own dirt coffin. Azula saw this out of her peripherals but her sole focus was on Ty Lee. Her former friend's scarred face tightened in pain, and she shifted feeling distinctly uncomfortable.

What was she supposed to do in this situation?

Ty Lee made the decision for her. The bubbly girl that always had a smile on her face leaned in, and her lips gently brushed against Azulas. The kiss was chaste, no longer than a second or so, but as soon as their lips connected-Ty Lee collapsed. Azula's eyes widened in shock as the acrobat crumpled against the ground, blood pooling beneath her.

"Ty…"

Emotions of all kinds assaulted her. She was angry that Ty Lee was so presumptuous, and dared to take such liberties with her person. She was even more enraged that Ty Lee had taken a hit that was meant to kill her.

But what truly infuriated her-what set her teeth on edge, and made her teeter on the edge of verbal obscurity was that Ty Lee was dying for her and she didn't know why. She couldn't articulate the feelings of dread and irrational anger pricking at her consciousness.

Was the acrobat so pretentious she thought her death mattered?

It didn't.

Azula didn't care.

Ty Lee was just one person in a long series of people that ended up leaving or dying. It was a vicious cycle that Azula had learned to accept with practiced apathy, but somewhere in the darkest recesses of her mind: The betrayal she felt at being abandoned was staggering.

Her former friend took one last strangled breath, her hazel eyes meeting Azula's stunned amber ones. "You were my princess 'Zula…no one can take what's yours by birth."

Ty Lee smiled.

Then she lay still.

"BANE." Navaro's outraged cry echoed in the narrow side street. He sounded like a wounded animal. Grief colored his tone, and with a loud tormented sound a tidal wave of stone blew the surrounding soldiers back several yards. The young earthbender didn't wait for them to recover- he bolted towards Azula, his feet eating up the distance between them. He slid to a stop in front of Ty Lee, who had collapsed an armslength from her and bit his lip sorrow draining any other emotion from his face. "Bane…"

She's gone.

Tears pricked the boy's eyes.

She's never coming back.

He bit his bottom lip stubbornly.

Tears are for weak children.

Azula had none left to shed.

She watched as the teen gathered himself, wiping away the tears burning at the edge of his vision. He stared at Ty Lee a moment longer, and Azula could practically see a resolve forming beneath his mournful actions. His grief-stricken gaze locked with hers, and he quietly walked over to her, wrapping her arm around his shoulders and dragging her to her feet.

"We need to get you to the General." He said, his voice rough with emotion.

The remaining soldiers barely gave the time to breath. They closed in on them and the boy shook his head. "Not this time." He murmured. With a casual flick of his hand the ground beneath them shifted, writhing like a snake before giving away completely. A mound of earth collapsed, drawing them underground. Azula jolted in his arms as the Earth swallowed up the waning moonlight replacing it with only darkness, and the narrow opening Navaro had plunged into closed over them, hiding them from the protesting soldiers.

They were deep underground now.

Precariously, in the same cautious manner Ty Lee had Navaro placed her gently on the ground, letting her recline against the dirt wall. Her eyes were having trouble adjusting in the darkness blanketing the hallowed cavern. She couldn't even see the boy who had dragged her here.

Is this what being blind felt like? If so, it was a terrible feeling. She stretched out her senses annoyance creeping across her face. She couldn't tell if Navaro was still here.

For all she knew he had left her here to rot.

She disregarded the thought after a moment, because she hadn't heard him leave.

Unable to rely on her sight she focused on listening. In the quiet she heard tapping. First it was soft, but then it rose and fell in tenor, each tap a different pitch in a series of cacophonic noises.

"What are you doing?" She demanded, her voice harsh as it shattered the symphony.

Navaro paused, and she imagined him tilting his head, incredulity ruling his expression. "This is called Shindoku. It's method of communication the General developed. We tap on the Earth, and each resounding noise is a different word. If she or anyone else that has mastered the language hears it, they'll come." He explained quietly.

"Right." She muttered shifting to accommodate the pain in her limbs. Normally she would marvel at the ingenious idea but today it didn't matter. Shindoku's worth paled in comparison to everything else she had learned and seen in the last 24 hours. She closed her eyes tiredly.

"Do you care?" Navaro's voice tentatively broke the quiet again and the tapping stopped completely.

"I don't know what you're referring to, but the answer is most likely no." Azula said icily, not even bothering to open her eyes.

"Your friend just died...Do you care?" He clarified himself.

Azula still remained on the ground, lounging like a jungle cat at rest. She didn't acknowledge his question, and he didn't dare ask her again. An uneasy silence developed between them while Azula ruminated about Ty Lee. The overly cheerful woman had been a constant in her life. The acrobat was always elated, always obscenely happy no matter what was happening.

Azula remembered meeting her as a child.

She recalled punching her in the face after a particularly painful session with Ozai, in which Azula endured her father's implacable stare for over an hour, and than stifled tears of pain as a hailstorm of blows rained over her tiny eight year old frame. He gave her her first assortment of scars that day to instill her with one lesson:

"Life is suffering Azula. Remember that."

Her father's words ghosted over her mind-stilling her tumultuous thoughts. The lesson was engraved on her body, reigning over her rage. Suffering was absolute. Ty Lee had accepted the bitter anger directed at her that day with a calm inviting smile. She then declared she wanted to be Azula's friend, and had insisted they remain in each others company.

The memory melted away, but not before Azula's subconscious taunted her with Ty Lee's vibrant face, the smallest traces of a smile quirking the acrobat's lips. Seeing the woman, brown hair haloing her face, eyes hooded in undisguised mirth almost unhinged her. The disillusioned image was more than she could bear at the moment and brokered a dark almost bestial snarl to erupt from her mouth. The sound was only audible to her ears though, as Navaro was completely engrossed in something else. After an indiscernible amount of time had passed she finally deigned to break the quiet between them.

"No I don't." She answered coldly no inflection in her tone.

He had asked if she cared about Ty Lee's death? The answer was simple:

Azula didn't care about anything.

Or anyone.

It was a familiar mantra that had governed her entire lifestyle. It had carried her up until the war-it would guard her through this new Era too.

At her callous response he sucked in a surprise gasp of air, but didn't say anything further. No other words were exchanged between them and Azula felt herself nodding off in the dark condensed space. A numbness embraced her seeping into every recess and hidden crevice of her being-like the wind whispering over the trees, caressing the leaves with it's gentle power but never denying it's capacity for destruction. Azula welcomed the feeling.

She was exhausted.

Perhaps her dreams could act as a balm to her fractured mind, but before she could lose herself to sleep, heavy footsteps echoed in the narrow cavern, and her eyelids fluttered open as she roused to full alertness. Someone was approaching. Next to her Navaro shifted, his clothes rustling as he rose to his feet-presumably he knew the arrival because there was no hostility in the air.. "General." He greeted, his voice echoing in the dirt passage.

Azula tried to peer into the darkness to see who he was addressing but no light pierced through the dark vortex encompassing the cavern. She was still blind.

"Navaro." A husky feminine voice greeted the boy.

For some reason the voice sounded familiar, but she couldn't place where she'd heard it before.

"I have Azula…we lost Bane though." Navaro reported in the same way grunt soldiers report to their commander, or to their superior. Was the General truly just that-a general? Or was she someone of a higher status? Azula felt frustration welling up in her chest. She was sick of not understanding things. Before her coma she had understood her place in the world, and where everyone else stood too.

Now everything was lost in lies, intrigue and subterfuge.

It was utterly ridiculous.

A string of obscenities streamed from the General's mouth, some more colorful than others. "Damn them…"

Azula seconded that notion.

She was nursing a newfound hatred for her brother, and his friends. She had no doubt he had issued a-bring her back Dead or Alive order that had resulted in Ty Lee's death. She reasoned she wasn't terribly bothered by the acrobat's untimely despise-she was incensed that Zuko had eliminated a potential ally. Ty Lee was reliable and would have been useful.

"Alright, well, we can't sit here and stew over spilled oka beans. Let's go home and tell the Lady about this." The General murmured rationally. Her voice was a tad deeper, dipping in anger at the news.

Azula blinked as hard callous hands lifted her up again. They moved her with the same gentleness that Ty Lee and Navaro exhibited time and time again, but this time they belonged to someone else.

She couldn't understand where such unnecessary kindness was coming from.

What was wrong with these people?

Their sincerity left a bitter taste in her mouth.

"You were my princess 'Zula…no one can take what's yours by birth."

And that's the end of the chapter. What do you all think? Thoughts? Comments? And yes there was some Tyzula I'm a sucker for unrequited love. Sadly, Azula never returned those feelings and Ty Lee is now dead :o

Sorry this one took longer. I celebrated my birthday and then got sick immediately after. Then when I actually finished the chapter my internet decided to die on me, sooooooo it was a tad delayed. The next one will probably be up when I'm not feeling horrible anymore….or it will happen if I get bored enough and can't sleep. Thinks get…more shifty from here on out and I'm thinking I might have to bump the rating up. This chapter alone might have crossed the T line x.x

Next chappie goes into Ty Lee's death and pokes at the people still alive and causing trouble xD