Chapt. 4

A week had passed since Azula came across Zuli—a nickname she'd given to her counterpart. Why did she feel like she knew her somehow? Azula couldn't make heads or tails of it, but, for some reason, she knew who that girl was, she just couldn't remember where she had met her. Although, wouldn't she remember encountering someone that looked exactly like her?

Ty Lee, the newest of the Kyoshi Warriors, was shopping at the market. She had taken a small vacation from Kyoshi Island to visit her friend Mai. After acquiring the needed groceries, the spunky girl made her way back to the small apartment in the upper ring of Ba Sing Se—the one that used to be owned by Zuko and Iroh, but Zuko had given Mai permission to house there, that is, before they broke up. Yes, the sweetheart couple had split, but the reason, Ty Lee didn't know and she thought it best not to question it. If they split, then they split.

As Ty Lee continued on, she felt a sudden coldness overcome her. Was someone following her? She turned around. Nothing. She shrugged and moved on.

"Mai, do you ever feel like someone is watching you?" she asked, setting the groceries down on the counter.

"No, why?" replied the gloomy girl.

"No reason, it's just that today I felt like something was watching me. Do you think that there are ghosts in Ba Sing Se?" Ty Lee wondered, feeling a little panicky and jittery.

Mai sighed. "No, it's all in your head."

"Are you sure? I wouldn't imagine something like this."

"Yes, I'm sure. Just put the groceries away."

Ty Lee's eyes shifted, warily, still feeling that eerie coldness. "O-okay…"

Later in the evening, as Ty Lee readied herself for bed, two eyes watched her. The eyes were red and small. They watched her every move. Silently, the shadow moved. Ty Lee looked around, her eyes big; full of fear. "M-Mai?" she squeaked. "I-is that…is that you?" Then suddenly, she felt a devastating shock, like knives had just pierced through her body. She found that she didn't have any control over her limbs. Her thoughts were completely fading. They weren't her own. Her eyes dilated and her irises darkened. She fell to the ground. Then, after a moment, her head lifted and a grim smirk was painted across her face.

It was closing time for the Jasmine Dragon. Azula was wiping the tables off when she saw a figure in the distance. They were heading toward the establishment. She squinted, trying to make the blurry, fuzzy thing clearer. It was Ty Lee! Azula smiled. She hadn't seen her in years! But then she was overcome with sadness and guilt. She had put her and Mai in prison…how would Ty Lee react when she saw her again?

Ty Lee opened the door, causing the bell to 'ding'. Azula welcomed her.

"Hey Ty Lee," she said, cheerily.

"Heeeello, 'Zula," said Ty Lee in a voice that wasn't at all like hers.

Azula took notice of this right away and her brow quirked in suspicion.

'Ty Lee' giggled. The very sound of it making Azula's stomach churn. "Azula, is something wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost." 'Ty Lee' smiled…menacingly.

"I-I…"

"You think I'm CRAZY, don't you?!" The Ty Lee imposter shrieked, her irises turning red. She roared, and sent Azula back against the wall, in fact, the imposter pinned Azula hard to the wall. "That's what they all say. The thing is…they're right," she cackled, putting more pressure on Azula's shoulder.

"Ty Lee….what're you doing?! Let me go!" Azula strained to say, the force against her shoulder made it hard to speak because Ty Lee's arm was clamped across her chest, pushing up against her neck.

Ty Lee let out another menacing laugh. Her eyes narrowed in an evil gaze and her smirk morphed into a distorted grin. "Ty Lee isn't here anymore," she hissed. "She doesn't exist."

Azula's eyes widened in anger. "Who are you?! What have you done with Ty Lee?!"

"She's somewhere far away. But don't worry, she asked me to 'PERSONALLY' take care of the one person she hates: You."

"That's not true! Where is she?!"

"Oh really, you're not making this fun for me," Ty Lee's form sighed.

"You let her go, now!"

'Ty Lee' chuckled. "Not a chance…at least, not without a trade."

"You're in no position to bargain!"

"Am I not?"

"Not in the slightest. I swear, if you don't unhand me, I will kill you."

"Oh, I wouldn't do that if I were you. You see, I've taken over this body; if you kill it, you'll kill your best friend, thus, ending her life…forever. You wouldn't want to do that now, would you?"

Azula lowered her head.

"Awww, I hope I haven't made you sad," she smirked.

Azula raised her head, shooting Ty Lee a piercing glare. Then, she kicked up her foot and nailed her in the gut, sending her flying.

Light on her feet, the Ty Lee girl cart-wheeled across the tables, landing with a graceful finish. "Nice try, but no," she laughed, widening her stance.

Azula growled and sent a stiletto gliding straight at her. Ty Lee flipped in the air, catching the blade in her mouth; landing atop another table with a demented smile.

"That was fun. Do it again, I dare you," taunted Ty Lee in a twisted voice.

Azula furrowed her brow and sent three more stilettos at the crazy girl who, again, caught them in her mouth. Ty Lee straightened up, making herself taller, and took out the blades; readying them in her hands. "It's over," she hissed, when suddenly she was pinned to the wall by flying daggers. Azula looked and saw Mai somersaulting through the window.

Ty Lee growled. "I thought I took care of you."

Mai looked at Ty Lee, expressionless. "Well, you miscalculated. Release Ty Lee, now!" She sent more stilettos hurling toward the evil girl.

Azula jumped up alongside her old friend, sending out a powerful stream of blue fire at the cartwheeling lunatic.

Ty Lee looked around at the two, glaring angrily at them. What could she do now? She couldn't take them both. Then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw Iroh, and she smiled wickedly, holding out her hand as an eerie bluish black glow overcame it.

Iroh staggered and was lifted into the air. Ty Lee's hand twisted into a fist and Iroh began to cough deeply, his breathing weakening dangerously fast. Ty Lee giggled and extended her other hand, gripping Mai, practically squeezing the life out of her.

"Careful, Azu," jeered Ty Lee. "Don't let me hurt your friends and Uncle. Their time is short, so make your choice carefully. Save Ty Lee and Mai or your Uncle."

"That's not fair!"

"Oh, isn't it?"

"No, it isn't! How dare you make me choose between my friends and Uncle!"

"I wouldn't waste time arguing about it. Hurry, Azu, time is short. Make your choice!"

Azula couldn't think. She knew that whatever choice she'd make, it would mean that she'd lose someone she loved. How could she choose? Unless…hmm…it was worth a shot. Azula closed her eyes and touched Ty Lee's hand, sending them both into a dream.

The setting Azula chose was the courtyard of the palace where the Agni Kai took place. Zuli was in the middle of the ring, her wrists and ankles were bound in chains. Azula stepped forward, cautiously confident. She knelt down before the crazed girl. "Why are you doing this?"

Zuli hissed. "Isn't it obvious? I'm showing you the part of you that you've forgotten about."

"Forgotten about?"

"Yes, you keep pushing the memory of the Agni Kai away. You're denying that person you became."

"I pushed it away because I didn't want to be that person anymore."

"You can't deny that part of your life. I AM a part of you. If you forget about it then I'll cease to exist…and so will you."

"No, I made the decision to forget about that person. I don't want to hurt anyone ever again."

"By doing that, you're only hurting yourself."

"I don't see it that way. That person is no more. I don't want to have anything to do with her anymore."

Zuli screamed, thrashing about, breathing fire in a fit of rage. Her form was fading, threatening to disappear. "Save me…save me. I don't want to go away forever…please…you need me…if I go, then you'll go too. Please…s-save me!"

Azula's eyes softened. She bit her lip, trying to decide what to do. Her head began to hurt. Due to her new softened heart, she showed sympathy and grabbed the girl's hand. "I've got you…I…I won't abandon you…"

Zuli let out a hysterical cackle as she dug her nails into Azu's wrist. "Foolish girl, your weakness has made you vulnerable. I have control now."

Azu squeaked, clenching her eyes, the pain too much for her.

"I'm a part of you. If one of us becomes too weak, the other can assume full control. Your pathetic mind and pathetic heart were much too easy to manipulate. I'm going to have fun being you. I wish I could say the same about your friends and Uncle Fatso, but you're much too weak to stop me. Ta-ta."

Everything faded to black.