As everyone leaves for the intermission break Katara stays behind for a moment trying to look for Aang. As she looked off for a moment then she accidently bumps into someone.
"I'm sorry I didn't mean-" looking up at the person
"Well hello" Azula said looking at her with a smile "Tell me what's a beautiful thing like you doing in a place like this?" she asked her lover
Katara blushed and smiled "Just watching the show with some friends"
"Ah I see, so wanna hook up after the play and go to my place?" the young firebender asked wigging her brow
"You work pretty fast huh?" the young woman asked grinning
Azula smiled wrapping her arms around her lover "yea pretty much but you love it though"
"Yea pretty much" the waterbender said giving her lover a quick kiss on her lips "enjoying the play?"
"Not really, this sucks. I'm just here doing a little research on you." She said grinning
Raising a brow she looks at her lover "Research huh? What have you learned so far?"
"I'll tell you later. Go to your friends now before they start looking for you ok" slipping her arms off her lover
"Ok. I'll see you back at the house then" she said smiling
The fire princess nodded her head "Yup I'll see you there"
They gave each other a quick kiss on the lips then went their separate ways; one to find her friends and the other to find something to drink. As Katara steps out on her side she hears Suki talk about them.
"It seems like every time there's a big battle you guys barely make it out alive. I mean, you guys lose a lot." Suki said smiling at Sokka
"You're one to talk, Suki. Didn't Azula take you captive that's right, she did." He said looking closely at her
She frowns looking at him seriously "Are you trying to get on my bad side ?"
Sokka backs off putting his hands up in surrender "I'm just saying."
"Does anyone know where Aang is?" Katara asked
"He left to get me fire gummies like, ten minutes ago. And I'm still waiting." Her brother said impatiently
"I'm going to check outside." She said a bit worried and walks off.
Azula walks down to the first floor looking around to find something to drink; she then notices a small stand with streams of steam coming from there. It only meant one thing, tea servers. She walked over to them and stood there for a moment thinking of what to drink, a young man smiles at her.
"What can I get you miss?" he asked
She thought for a moment and spoke "Jasmine tea with a bit of honey in it"
"You got it" he said and started to prepare the tea.
She watched carefully for moment thinking about her past when she was a child. One of the days when her uncle told her about this tea when she barely four years old.
Baby Azula saw her uncle sitting at the Pai Sho table drinking a cup of something. He was looking out the window apparently thinking about something.
Azula carefully crawled over to her uncle and sat next to him looking at the cup he was holding. She was curious of what was in that cup. Her mission was to discover this mystical drink.
General Iroh heard a small noise and turned his head. He smiled seeing his little niece.
"Hello my niece I didn't expect to see you here by yourself. Where's your older brother?" he asked gently picking her up
She looked at him and lightly smiled "Don't know. With mommy?" she said
He smiles and nods his head "Would you like to keep me company my niece?"
She nods with a light smile then she looks at him carefully watching him drink more of whatever it was that was in there.
Iroh felt something strange like he was being watched then he looked at his little niece seeing two big bright amber eyes full of curiosity.
He chuckles with a smile "I see that you are curious. Do you want to know what I'm drinking?"
She nods her head ready to see what it was.
"It's called Jasmine tea and it's one of my favorite teas. It comes from the family of green or white tea. The flowers that make the tea look so beautiful and smell so sweet." He looked at his niece who was mostly looking at the cup but he knew she was listening
"The way they make the tea is very interesting. First it starts off with simple plain tea then they add the flowers inside the tea. But they are not bloomed yet; it blooms inside the tea and that's what gives it its smell and taste."
"Taste?" Azula asked looking at her Uncle
He smiles and nods "Would you like some Azula?"
She nods her head enthusiastically. He chuckles and carefully lets her have a sip of the warm Jasmine tea. Her eyes widen after tasting the tea, then looks at her uncle with the same expression like she had just tasted the greatest thing on earth.
"I see that you like the tea as well" he said watching her lightly smile and nod "Good, maybe one day when you get bigger we will sit here drinking Jasmine tea and playing Pai Sho together."
She smiles and nods. As time went on that day never came. Her Uncle went to war and she had learned her firebending.
"Miss? Miss your tea." He said handing her the cup of tea
"Oh, thanks" she handed him come money and walked off
She made her way to the second floor; she looked to her right seeing a door leading outside. The show hadn't started yet so she decided to take a breather outside. She walked out onto the empty balcony staring at the moon. She took a sip of her tea then looked at the sky again; her eyes narrowed spotting something coming towards her.
"Xorshiid?" he lands on the railing in front of her "you bought a message I see" he turned his back to her showing the container.
She opens it and pulls out the letter and starts to read. Her eyes sadden and continues reading the letter "No" she lightly whispers.
Meanwhile back on another balcony two people stand in the moon light staying quiet wondering what to ask or say.
Aang looked at the waterbender and spoke "Katara, did you really mean what you said in there ?"
"In where? What are you talking about" she asked looking back at him
He spoke a bit irritated "On stage when you said I was just like a brother to you and you didn't have feelings for me."
"I didn't say that. An actor said that." She said bothered by the conversation
"But it's true, isn't it ? We kissed at the invasion and I thought we were going to be together but we're not." Aang said feeling depressed
"Aang, I don't know." She said looking out to the ocean again wishing Azula was with her now
"Why don't you know ?" he asked pushing the issue more
"Because we're in the middle of a war and we have other things to worry about. This isn't the right time." She said feeling a bit irritated
"Well, when is the right time" he asked impatiently
"Aang, I'm sorry but right now, I'm just a little confused." She said closing her eyes messing with her hair "How do I tell him? He wouldn't understand he's just a kid."
Aang looks at her for a moment the looks off somewhere else thinking of what to do. Then he looks back at her and leans forward kissing her lips. Katara opens her eyes and steps back shocked at what he did then quickly gets upset by this.
"I just said that I was confused. I'm going inside." And with that she ran inside leaving Aang behind.
As she walked quickly inside she bumps into someone again. Azula turns around and lightly smiles at her.
"You know we really gotta stop meeting like this" she said looking at her lover she notices something wrong "Hey you ok?" she asked gently caressing her cheek
Katara lightly blushes "Yea now that you're here" she said looking up at her lover.
Then leans in kissing her lovers lips deeply trying to forget what happened between her and Aang. Azula was surprised by the kiss but kissed back wrapping her arm around her lover's waist. Lightly touching her firebenders lips with the tip of her tongue she felt Azula open up to her. Their tongues caressed against one another then they slowly pulled back needing air.
The firebender lightly blushed looking at her lover then sadden "Listen we need to talk" she paused looking at her lover "I recently got a letter from my father"
"And?" she asked quietly
"I'll tell you the rest later when we are alone ok." Azula said placing her hand on her lovers cheek
"Ok" the young woman said looking off to the said feeling a bit guilty for Aang kissing her
"You sure you're ok Katara? You seem a bit distracted by something" the young warrior asked
Katara looked into those amber eyes and softly kissed her lip "I'll tell you when we get home ok. I promise."
The fire princess nodded her head understanding that they both want privacy to talk about something to each other.
"As you wish princess" she said smiling
The waterbender smiled back "We better get to our seats before someone spots up"
"Yea don't want one of your friends attacking me" she said jokingly
They smiled at one another then leaned in giving one last kiss to each other before walking back to their own seats. Once at their own seats the watched the rest of the show thinking about how they were going to talk about certain subject to one another.
Sokka notices Aang walking in and sitting next to him. He leans in and whispers "Here's what you missed. We went to the Fire Nation and you got better and Katara was the Painted Lady and I got a sword and I think Combustion Man died. Ooo look, The Invasion's about to start. Shh."
The scenery changed and now two actresses stand on top of a prop sub floating in the ocean.
Actress Katara spoke "I just want to let you know Aang, that I'll always love you. Like a brother."
"I wouldn't want it any other way." The fake Avatar said giving the actress a quick hand shake then flies away.
Aang puts his head down covering his face feeling embarrassed while Katara on the other hand looks away from that scene wishing not to see her little mistake. Moments later two more actors appear on the fake sub which are Sokka and Toph
"Hey Toph, would you say you and Aang have a rocky relationship" actor Sokka said making the audience laugh
The real Sokka gets over excited and lifts Aang's hat up "I told him to say that." Then puts it back down looking at the play
"I hope everyone's ready for The Invasion. Slop-A-Pow!" Fake Sokka said doing a pose making the audience laugh again and the real Sokka laughing twice as hard
Then the scenery changes again except this time it's into the fire nation palace. There they see the female Aang land inside along with the rest of the actors.
"We finally made it to the royal palace but no one's home." She said then sees actor Zuko appear.
"Actually, I'm home and I want to join you." He said with a different hair style
Actor Sokka lowers his boomerang "I guess we have no choice. Come on." And all five of them run off stage
"I guess that's it. The play's caught up to the present now." Sokka said standing up and stretching
Suki looks up at him "Wait. The play's not over." She said pulling him back down
"But it is over. Unless…This is the future." He said making a serious face.
Then the actor playing Fire Lord Ozai appears out of the darkness. When Azula sees this she feels a small shiver up her spine remembering the strange dream she had in the woods.
"With the energy harnessed from that comet, no one will be able to stop the Fire Nation!" Actor Ozai said with his hands in the air
Fake Azula appears kneeling down to him "Father, Zuko and the Avatar are at the palace. They're trying to stop you." She said pointing at him with both hands
The real Azula watched quietly feeling a bit bothered by this "Do I really kneel to him like that? And she makes me sound like a control puppet." She stays quiet and continues to watch
"You take care of Zuko. I shall face the Avatar myself." Fake Ozai said and disappeared into the smoke.
Once he disappears, actors Zuko and Aang come out facing actress Azula.
"Aang, you fight the Fire Lord, I'll hold her off." Fake Zuko said and watched the female Avatar fly away
"You are no longer my brother. You are an enemy." She said clenching her fist
"No, I am the rightful heir to the throne!" Actor Zuko claimed
The actress smirked "We'll see." Then she attacked him with a blue cloth streamer
He dodges the attack and jumps over her. In midair he tries to attack her but she dodges it as well. Then he attacks against except he's using two red streamers instead of one. She dodges it by jumping over the fake flames. She quickly turns around and does her final move sending large flames his way. He doesn't dodge it in time and he is covered by the fake flames.
"Honor!" he yells then disappears in stage.
The actress Azula turns to the audience and bows at them. They cheer on happily for her. The real Zuko looks shocked by what he saw. All his friends are shocked by this too and look at him.
The real Azula sat there a bit shocked by this as well "Did-Did I just kill my own brother? Can my father really make me do that?" she asked herself and continued watching.
The scenery changes once again, except this time there are flames appearing on stage giving it that final scene kind of look. The actress playing Aang appears and is walking around looking for the fire lord.
A spot light shines on the actor Ozai "So, you have mastered all 4 elements"
"Yeah and now, you're going down." The female Aang said
"No, it is you who are going down. You see, you are too late. The comet is already here and I'm unstoppable." He explained with his arms in the air. The real Aang looks on feeling scared.
Then actor Ozai attacks with two red clothes, he tries to hit the actress but she jumps out of the way. She turns around and uses her fake glider with two baby blue flags sticking out on the edges of the staff representing wind.
They both head straight towards each other, the fire lord actor tries to attack again but the actress flies right over him. She turns again facing him; they both attack and dodge one another. Then when fake Aang back away the fire lord he sent endless streams of red cloth her way.
She jumps over him dodging each one in the air, once she lands the fake fire lord sends his signature move. He thrust both hands forward brings a very large fire ball towards the Avatar.
She tries to dodge it by flying away but it doesn't work, she's caught in the fake flames "Nooo…" she lays on the ground defeated
Actress Azula appears "It is over, Father. We've done it." She said victoriously
"Yes, we have done it! The dreams of my Father and my Father's Father have now been realized." He said now standing on a tall platform with large flames in the background "The World is mine." He said holding his arms up in victory.
Everyone in the audience stands up and cheers for victory. The gang sits there in shock seeing what just happened and what may become of the future. Azula didn't stay long she left right after the fake fire lord explained about the comet arriving. She was fighting with herself whether or not if she was doing good for her country or if she was fighting for the wrong side the whole time.
She quickly walked over to the summer home entering through the front door and slamming it behind her. She went straight to her room closing it behind her then walked over to her closet opening to its full extent. She stood there looking at her royal fire nation armor. She didn't know how long she was standing there looking at her armor she didn't even hear her lover walk in.
Katara slowly walked in closing the door behind her and locking it. She looked up noticing Azula standing in front of her armor with the closet doors wide open. The waterbender took carful steps then gently wrapped her arms around her lover from behind. She felt her stiffen for a bit then relaxed into the hold.
"What am I doing?" the firebender asked "Why am I doing this? Who in spirits name am I?" she continued to ask
Katara stayed quiet for a moment knowing her lover was having a hard time picking a path to walk on.
"Is that what I am? A tool so he could use to get rid of others easily without getting his hands covered in blood like me?" she lowers her head "I'm fighting for my country with all I have, but is it right?" she asked quietly.
"I'm sorry Azula I can't really answer all those questions. But to me you're not a tool you're a human being with feelings and you want what everyone else wants. To be loved and I'm the one who loves you. Your Azula the fire nation princess, a warrior, and my lover" Katara said feeling Azula turn around looking into her eyes
She looked into those deep blue eyes and sighed sadly putting her head down "The letter I got from my father. It says that he wishes to seek an audience with me at once by tomorrow morning." She said quietly
"That means your leaving tonight?" Katara asked in a sad voice
The young warrior nodded and looked back up into her lovers eyes "I'll try to come back to you as soon as possible. Promise Katara"
The waterbender stayed quiet for a moment then looked away "Azula remember you asked if I was ok back in the theater." Her lover nodded "Well I wasn't….Aang kissed me again"
Azula stiffened looking at her "Again?"
"Yes, he kissed me back before the invasion then again while at the theater." She said still looking away.
"Care to explain this to me?" her lover asked a bit upset with the Avatar
Katara lightly sighed and began to explain "The kiss back at the invasion was a surprise kiss, I want to pull back but he hand his hand on my shoulder to keep me in place. I think he knew I want to move back." She held her hands together "I didn't tell him anything because he took off right after the kiss. And after the invasion I completely forgot about it."
The young warrior stayed quiet watching her lover. She could tell Katara was telling the truth and she could also tell her lover was feeling guilty by this.
"Then with the whole scene about me and Zuko back at the Earth Kingdom prison, he got upset and left. Then he started pushing the subject about being in a relationship with him."
"What did you tell him?" she asked
Katara looked up at her lover "I told him that it wasn't the right time and told him I was a bit confused"
"Confused about what?" the firebender quickly asked feeling a bit hurt
"About nothing, it's just I don't know how to tell him that I'm in love with someone else. That I'm in love you with." The young woman said looking at her
Azula closed her eyes and turned her head to the side "Is it bad to be in love with me?" she asked
Katara's eyes widen by that question "What?" she quickly cupped her lovers face making Azula look at her "No its not, it's just how do you explain something like that to a kid who barely understands girl signals."
She raises a fine brow "Girl signals?" she asked
"That's the only way I can think of it unless you got something better." Katara said looking at her lover
The young warrior stood up straight gently taking Katara's hands into her own "Yea I do it's called not interested hints" she said grinning
"Ok you win that one." The young woman said leaning into her lover "But Azula what am I going to do with him? He won't drop this subject till I tell him my real reason."
The prodigy thought for a moment and spoke "Well there are two options. One you tell him about us after he defeats my father and we can live happily ever after. Or two if he doesn't win against my father, I will over throw my father and make you my Fire Lady and tell him I'll stop attacking if he leaves you alone"
"That sound like it'll take a lot of work" the young woman said giving her lover a skeptical look
"At least I'm thinking of a way." She shot back
"Right ok, we'll just see how that goes" they lightly laughed at the thought then Katara lightly blushed "Do you really want me to be your Fire Lady if that really happened?"
"Yes, you are the perfect woman to be my Fire Lady" the prodigy said
"How will you propose to me?" she asked
"Can't tell you, it'll ruin the moment" turning away
"Oh come on you can tell me; pleasssseeee." She stood in front of her lover "I said please so you have to tell me"
The warrior shook her head closing her eyes "Not going to happen"
"I'll cry if you dont" her lover threatened
The firebender grinned and quickly grabbed her lover holding her close "Don't cry baby, Azula will give you the most amazing proposal you have ever seen." She said replaying the Jet scene
"Oh Azula. Just shut up" The young woman said lightly slapping her lover on the arm
They laughed for a moment then started to calm down. The young firebender held her lover close and kissed her lips softly.
"I have to get going ok. If I don't show in time I don't know what he'll do to me." She said looking at her lover
The young waterbender looked at her with sad eyes "I understand"
She nods and slowly let's go of her lover and starts to gather her things. Katara sits on the bed watching her pack her things. Then she sees her lover changing out of her clothes and getting ready to put her armor on.
"No let me do that" she said quickly standing up walking over to her warrior.
Azula didn't say anything or fight back this time. She just carefully watched her lover making sure everything was on right and checking to see if everything was secure. Once Katara was done she stepped back looking over at her work.
The warrior smiled and cupped her lovers chin "Thank you" she softly said then leaned in kissing her beloved deeply.
Their kiss was very passionate and very needy at the same time. Once the kiss was over Azula stepped back and grabbed her bag. She looked at Katara and gave her a tight hug; she could hear the young woman about to cry.
"Please, Please come back to me safely. I don't want you around him anymore" Katara said trying to hold back her tears
Azula pulled back and wiped her tears away "I'll be back I promise and I'll try to stay away from him." She said.
Katara nodded and watched her lover grab her belongings and jump out the window leaving her behind crying quietly to herself.