Idea from the prologue in Wicked. Written with haste during Journalism.
There were two rather large guards sitting in front of her cell, and in her own opinion, they were extremely dim-witted and thick-headed. They were supposed to protect people, for Agni's sake! But, instead, they were gossiping like little girls and picking at their nails.
Azula looked at her own fingernails and grimaced at the sight. They weren't clean and manicured as they always were back at the palace. No, now they were stubby and there was dirt underneath, which was extremely unhygienic. Though, it was nearly impossible to stay clean in the grungy place that was supposedly helping her. Ha. She was perfectly fine. She didn't need help.
"So, did you here about that circus freak? The one that used to be friends with…you-know-who?" the guard that had spoken, who was even larger than the other, whispered and pointed towards the cell rather than say Azula's name. She rolled her eyes, as she could understand perfectly what they were saying.
"No, what did she do?" the guard that was smaller than the first one that spoke had more of an accent in his voice. Either that, or he just never received the proper education to speak like any normal and civil person.
Before the fatter one could open his mouth, another guard approached them. Azula had recognized his footsteps, as he was the smallest of the three, and he had a deeper voice. She also knew that he was cleaner, and more muscular for she had peeked out of her cell before.
"What are you two talking about today?" he asked, leaning casually against the wall.
"Well, I was just asking Len here (So that's his name, Azula thought as she listened), if he knew anything about what happened to the circus freak that used to be friends with…you-know-who,"
Len nodded his head eagerly.
"Oh, I think I may have heard about her. She the pretty one?"
Both Len and the other guard nodded, with even more eagerness.
Chuckling, the cleaner-set guard spoke. "Yeah, I heard about her relationship with the former princess, if you know what I mean."
Azula perked her head up, and leaned closer to the bars of her cell.
"No, I don't know what you mean," the larger guard replied.
"I'm not exactly sure about the circus girl, but the former princess is a woman who enjoys the company of other women."
The two other guards gasped, but then Len regained his composure. "It's obvious, isn't it? She was always trying to out-do her brother, and she wanted to be exactly like her father. She just wanted to be a man!"
Azula was surprised. She had thought that the guard was just an idiot, when he really did just have an accent. After her shock had worn off, she scowled. She most definitely did not want to be a man, however she would not deny preferring women over men. A smirk graced her lips.
"So, was she really together with that circus girl?"
"Oh, you just want to fantasize about two women together!" the third guard said to the first, smacking him on the head.
"It's not like you weren't thinking the same thing," he grumbled. "That circus freak is hot."
Finally opening her mouth, Azula spoke: "Her name is Ty Lee,"
And though they couldn't quite see the former princess from where they were near her cell, all three guards froze, their jaws wide open and falling to the dirty ground.