Tears of the Soul

by Vahnati

A year post SC, Azula finds herself free from prison, but with a new threat to not only herself, but her Nation as well. With the love of an old friend, can she rise above the affronts of new and old enemies alike, or will the Fire Nation finally fall?

6. Homeward Bound

Ty Lee piloted the airship forward through the night, fighting to stay ahead of the storm that lurked to the east. The dark, shapeless void of clouds was moving swiftly towards them, overshadowing the stars with a black emptiness that couldn't be penetrated. The little acrobat didn't like the idea of getting caught in the storm, but she didn't have a choice at this point. She would just have to keep going and try to reach land before they got swallowed up by the darkness. In the fading twilight Ty Lee could just make out the mainland on the horizon. If they could only reach it before that storm was upon them, then she wouldn't have to worry so much about it. As if to answer her, a deep, booming thunder rolled out from the the east.

The hours passed quicker than Ty Lee may have realized, as night was giving way to the dawn while she fought off the urge to sleep, her head consistently falling limp for an instant before shooting straight back up in a never ending struggle to stay awake. Eye lids feeling as if they had small weights hanging on them. She had anxiously awaited the morning sun, but found only disappointment as the oppressive storm clouds enveloped all of the incoming light, trapping it before so much as a single ray could grace the earth's face. It was a black dawn. Ty Lee wasn't sure how much longer she could stay awake like this.

A sudden and violent jolting of the airship woke Azula instantly as she bounced off of the basket's floor. It took her just a moment to gather her attention and realize what was going on. Ty Lee was desperately trying to keep control of the ship as a violent wind tossed them about. She clearly needed some help. A bolt of lightning seared across the sky just above them as the princess got up and grabbed the rope that was slowly fighting it's way out of Ty Lee's grip. It was only now that the acrobat turned to see her friend was awake. She gave Azula an exasperated smile, the strain of the night's tasks clearly showing on her face.

"Morning." She yelled, making an effort to remain audible over the fierce wind. Despite the exhaustion from dealing with the storm, the girl could still manage to remain cheery for Azula.

"How long have we been in this storm?" The princess shouted in response.

"The wind started an hour ago, but it just got worse in the last few minutes." Ty Lee tried to say more but stopped as a thundering boom rolled across the sky. The girls both stared up at the sky, waiting for the ominous sound to die out before looking at each other again.

"How far is land?" Azula asked attentively, suddenly very concerned with getting out of this storm before things got really bad.

"Shouldn't be much further, but I can't see a thing so I'm not sure." Ty Lee admitted, somewhat disappointed in her own navigational skills. Azula, however, wasn't satisfied with such a vague response. She jumped to the head of the ship and, with a horizontal swing of her arm, she sent out an arc of brilliant blue fire into the sky, illuminating the landscape around them. Sure enough, there it was not 50 feet ahead of them, the cluttered forest shoreline of the mainland. Finding a spot to land wouldn't be easy, but at least they were across the water, so even if they crashed now it would only be onto dry land that they fell.

"We're almost there Ty Lee, just a little further-" Her voice was drowned out by the deafening noise of the rain as it started pouring down relentlessly. It was now an all out fight to just reach land. Ty Lee clung onto the steering line while Azula sent out bursts of fire behind them, hoping to gain a little extra burst of acceleration. They battled the storm for what seemed like hours before the princess decided it was time to check on their progress. She sent out another arc of fire ahead of them just in time to see the large tree that was standing firmly in front of them. So close was it in fact that the princess' fire collided into it and sent up flames that began feeding wildly on the tree's bark. Ty Lee's eyes widened in fear as she saw the great flaming behemoth blocking their path. She turned back to Azula for direction, a pleading look in her eyes.

"We're going to have to jump!" The princess yelled to her friend, who was almost certain she had heard wrong.

"WHAT!" Ty Lee screamed in disbelief, unable to think seriously about jumping out of the doomed airship. Azula gave her a stern look to let her know that there was no joke in this. Ty Lee peered down into the perilously dark forest below, only now realizing that she couldn't even make out the ground through the thick blackness.

"Ty Lee we have to jump, we'll never avoid that tree. Now take my hand and get ready." Azula shouted confidently, reassuring her friend that they would be alright. Ty Lee abandoned the steering rope and latched onto Azula's hand. The princess took a quick, deep breath, reassuring herself over and over again that they would be fine and she could do this. "Ready?" Ty Lee nodded in response, trusting whatever Azula was about to do.

Together they leaped over the side of the basket, only moments before the airship smashed into the fiery side of the tree. It went up in flames instantly and burned with a roaring fire that lit up half of the forest. In the light Azula could see the trees below them quickly coming closer and closer while Ty Lee clung tighter and tighter to her side. It hadn't taken long for the acrobat to go from holding her hand to wrapping herself around the princess' side. Azula's concentration couldn't be broken though, not even as the lightning blazed across the sky and the thunder cracked around them. With a fierce determination the flames shot out from her feet and she eventually stabilized them as they descended into the forest.

Once beneath the forest canopy, the difference was immediate. The wind was cut drastically, the rain didn't fall quite as hard on them, and even the thunder seemed slightly less intimidating. The two landed and Ty Lee reluctantly detached herself from Azula's side. They looked up to see the smoldering skeleton of their airship as it was blown apart and the ashes scattered into oblivion.

"Thanks Azula, you really saved us there." Ty Lee thanked her graciously, but the princess didn't seem to notice. She was still preoccupied with getting out of the storm. They may have been out of the air but by no means were they safe if things took an ugly turn.

"We need to find some shelter Ty Lee, there isn't much time. I don't want to be out here if this storm decides to get nasty." Azula said poignantly, making quite clear how important shelter was to her right now. So with a flame from the princess' hand to light the way, the pair began searching for anything that could qualify as a refuge from the torrential storm. They didn't expect to find any sort of actual house or dwelling, just something that could shield them from the fierce winds and belligerent rain. It didn't take long for them to realize how difficult their task was going to be. Between the wind and the rain Azula couldn't keep a steady flame going for more than a minute at a time, and even with the light of her fire the pair could barely see anything outside of a 10 foot radius. The occasional burst of lightning would light up the forest around them for an instant, but it was hardly ever enough time to make anything out in the darkness.

"Hey what's that over there?" Ty Lee pointed ahead of them to what must have been one of the largest trees in the entire forest. It's massive trunk stood in their path like a wall of bark that stretched up far beyond where the fire's light could reach. At the base of the tree there was an opening that lead into a hollowed out trunk. From the outside Azula could tell there was enough room for the both of them, but she had misgivings about taking shelter inside of a tree. A sudden violent gust of wind nearly pushed her into the tree, and that was all the convincing she needed.

"It will have to do. I'll go first so we have some light." With that the princess squeezed herself through the narrow opening and into the surprisingly cozy tree trunk. She raised her hand high to let the light spread and to get an idea of how large the hollow was. What she discovered was astonishing, as it must have been at least 20 feet in diameter and the ceiling was high above her. Azula could safely light a fire without fear of burning the tree down from the inside, which had been her biggest issue with using the thing as shelter in the first place. Once satisfied that there was plenty of space for both a fire and the two of them, Azula beckoned to Ty Lee, who swiftly joined her friend inside the great tree. The small entrance crevice was hardly an obstacle worthy of her abilities.

"See, it's perfect!" Ty Lee stated jovially, taking pride in finding the place. She marveled at the spacious interior, wide eyes alight in the warm glow of Azula's fire.

"Actually, it is surprisingly comfortable for a tree. Good work Ty Lee." The princess' praise gave the little acrobat a swell of confidence as a beaming smile spread across her face.

"Thanks Azula, I always have had good night vision you know." Ty Lee gloated with a wink. Azula couldn't help but give her a friendly smile in return. The acrobat suddenly and without warning gave a series of high pitched, quick little sneezes. She sniffled afterwards, looking slightly disoriented by the violent outburst. Azula only just realized they were both soaking wet from the rain, and if they didn't do something quick they would both be in danger of catching a severe illnesses.

"We need to dry off. If we huddle together I can at least keep us warm. I'll do my best to dry us off in the process, but I can't do it very quick without burning us alive." The princess assumed her usual authoritative tone, a familiar sign to Ty Lee that there was a plan in process. Even when it was something as simple as drying off from a storm, Azula still sounded as if she were planning an attack. That was something that probably wouldn't ever change, but Ty Lee was used to it so it hardly made any difference.

The sat down together against the inside of the tree, and Ty Lee wrapped her arms around Azula's middle. She rested her head on her friend's shoulder while enjoying the warmth emanating from the princess. Azula put her own arm around the acrobat, gently soothing away the dampness with a fiery touch. It didn't take long for the combination of Azula's warm caress and the weariness of the previous night to send Ty Lee into a deep, blissful sleep. As light snoring reverberated about the hollow tree, Azula looked down at her exhausted friend, and as she did so the hint of a smile crossed her face. Sitting there in that tree, cold, wet and tired, she realized Ty Lee was just as fragile as herself. They both needed each other and that was all there really was to it. The princess brushed a strand of wet hair out of her friend's face, then laid her head on Ty Lee's and listened to the wind howling outside.

Day broke slowly across the eastern sky. The storm had passed for the most part, the rain had subsided and the winds were no more than an annoyance at worst. Thick clouds still covered most of the visible sky, but they were growing noticeably lighter as the sun came further and further up, as if the great ball of fire was chasing the storm out of the sky. Azula hadn't really slept during the storm, more or less she just sat and unconsciously listened as it passed. Her mind was far, far away, while at the same time it was right beside her. She'd given up fighting it, her mind was always going to go back to the same thing, it was just easier if she accepted it.

A low rumbling rolled across the sky, somewhere way off in the distance, as the first rays of light pierced through the clouds and kissed the earth. Azula wanted to let Ty Lee sleep a little longer, or maybe she just wanted to hold her a little a longer, but she knew better. Without the airship, it was going to be quite a walk to the imperial city. They were lucky to have made it to the mainland, but luck wouldn't carry them the rest of the journey. They had to get started if they ever wanted to get there, and so with a disgruntled sigh she gave the acrobat a light shaking.

"Time to wake up Ty Lee. We have a long walk ahead of us." The princess said softly, still not truly wanting to let go. Ty Lee mumbled something inaudible and just barely opened an eyelid. She could see it was light out, but otherwise sleep disorientation hadn't worn off yet and she hadn't any real idea of where she was. With a great big yawn she began waking up, and tilting her head she looked up at Azula, still sitting there holding her. She was completely dry at this point, but the warmth was still very much welcome to her.

"Morning Azula." Ty Lee half said, half yawned as the last bits of sleep crept out of her body. "Nothing like sleeping in a tree... To make you appreciate a nice soft bed." They both laughed giddily at her bad joke.

"Well I hope you were at least warm. I tried my best you know." Azula told her with a faintly discernible pride in her voice.

"I sure was. I'm even all dry now too, thanks Azula!" Ty Lee's cheery demeanor was in full swing, a sure sign that it was time to start going.

"Don't mention it. We have to start moving if we want to get home anytime soon, and I'd like to travel by daylight." Ty Lee nodded, and one by one they exited the tree. The storm had left quite a scene outside. All around them trees were knocked over and leaning up against one another. The older ones stood firm, but the smaller trees had little chance in the furious winds of last night's storm. Rain had covered everything in sight with a thick layer of liquid, most notably the ground. Everywhere the girls stepped there was a squish, as if they were plodding through a marsh more than a forest. They made their way through the forest, carefully stepping to avoid the really nasty spots, until after perhaps an hour or two they came to the edge of the forest and into a clearing that lay beyond.

"Hey, uhh, Azula?" Ty Lee's pondering voice broke the silence between them. The princess turned her head to give her friend a quizzically raised eyebrow in response. "Do you have any idea where we are?" The question caused both of them to stop in their tracks. It was only now that Azula realized she in fact did not have any clue as to their whereabouts. She turned to and fro, trying to judge where exactly on the mainland they had landed. Her lip twisted and curled in frustration as she soon found she couldn't figure it out. No matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't discern their location. After a few minutes of futile denial, Azula finally let out a defeated huff and confessed.

"I can't tell." The princess mumbled angrily, clearly unhappy that she didn't quite have all of her old skills.

"What?" Ty Lee asked, being unable to clearly hear her friend's mumbling words.

"I can't fucking tell, alright!" Azula snapped, more angry with herself than she was at Ty Lee. The acrobat was taken slightly aback by the sudden burst of fury, and seeing this Azula quickly recognized her blunder and got a handle on her anger. "I'm sorry, it's not your fault and I shouldn't have blown up at you like that. I guess I still need to learn how to deal with my frustration." She admitted despairingly, not at all wanting to hurt Ty Lee's feelings, especially over something so trivial. They would fine their way eventually, that's just the way it was. Together, they could always pull through.

"It's okay Azula, we'll make it back, just you wait and see. We've pulled through worse haven't we?" Ty Lee told her friend reassuringly. She had a point, just off the top of her head Azula could think of half a dozen situations that were much worse than being temporarily lost, and they had always managed to make it just fine.

"I suppose you're right, aren't you? We've been in some real dangerous situations together, but we've always gotten by because we work together. Being slightly lost certainly isn't going to hold us back." Azula stated, trying to sound calm but the uncertainty in her voice was abundantly clear to Ty Lee. It sounded more as if she were trying to convince rather than remind herself. Ty Lee watched as her friend began gnawing nervously on her lower lip, and rolling her eyes the acrobat grabbed her friend's hand and began leading her on.

"We'll be fine Azula. Let's go already, you're the one who wanted to travel during daylight after all." Ty Lee reminded her with an impatient tone. It didn't matter to her where they were headed, at this point she just wanted to go. Azula gave in and obediently followed her friend's aimless march, not having much of a choice what with the iron grip Ty Lee had on her hand. Her grip loosened after a while as it became apparent that Azula was willing to follow her without the use of force. It wasn't much later that the princess was freed altogether from her friend's grasp. Azula looked down at her hand and noticed the red marks Ty Lee had left, and she couldn't help but feel somewhat impressed. She had never known the acrobat to have such a such grip, but then again, she had also never really seen Ty Lee angry. Who knew what she was ultimately capable of.

The pair continued west, heading further inland in the hopes that they would find a road. If they could do that, they would easily be able to make their way home. After a few more hours of endless walking, the sun had risen to high noon and was beating down mercilessly on them. Unfortunately there wasn't anything they could do about it, not out on the open hills they had found themselves hiking across. All the girls could do was keep moving forward, step by exhausting step. Up one side of a hill, down the other, onto the next and repeat. Maybe it was the fifth, maybe it was the tenth hill, which it was they couldn't be sure, but as they crested the summit they saw before them the most beautiful thing they could have hoped for. A wide, dark, dirt road cut a swath through the hilly countryside, but what really made it wonderful wasn't the road itself, it was what was on it.

"Hey! Hey wait up!" They yelled in unison at the large cart rolling steadily along the rocky road, drawn forward by a pair of large dragon mooses.

"Whooaaa up there, whooaaa." The old man steering the cart called out to his animals and they obediently stopped, in all likelihood thankful for the break. That cart looked awfully heavy for just the two of them to be pulling. Clearly he was a traveling merchant of some sort, as his cart was laden with all sorts of trinkets and treasures from all over the world. "Well I'll be, you girls look beat. Where ya headed?" He had a friendly, albeit a bit raspy and creaky, voice that was comforting to their ears for some reason. His face was like a road map of the Earth Kingdom, but they were lines of kindness and good will. He may not have had hair on his head, but his large, bushy white beard told stories all it's own.

"We're on our way to the Imperial City." Azula replied in a dignified manner, donning her usual old formal self in an attempt to sound official and as a means of gaining favor with the old man. When manipulation runs through your veins, it can be impossible sometimes to even tell that you're doing it.

"Well, it's your lucky day ladies, I'm headed up that way myself. You're welcome to hop in if you want. Dya, ya, I mean," He cut himself off to clear his throat loudly before continuing, "Ya'll aint no sorts o' trouble makers, are ya?" The old man gave them a suspicious look under his bushy white eyebrows, studying them carefully as if watching for any signs of a lie. Azula only looked at him with an unwavering calmness, something she was still quite good at apparently.

"No, we're just travelers on our way home. Last night's storm destroyed our airship and now we are continuing on foot, as you can see." She explained, surprising not only Ty Lee but even herself with her honesty. While she didn't necessarily lie about who she was, she didn't exactly reveal her identity either. She decided that was probably the smartest thing to do, having no way of knowing exactly what the public opinion of her was anymore. The old man nodded and his expression changed to one of understanding as well as relief.

"Good enough for me, climb on up." He told them cheerfully, his smile missing more than a few teeth. He seemed happy to have company on his journey, which must have been a long and lonely one for the man up until this point. It probably didn't hurt that it was young, attractive female company either. A certain glint in his eye seemed to suggest that very thought, but he was a frail elderly man. Let him have his thoughts, Azula told herself, knowing that if he actually tried anything the two of them would pummel him into the ground.

Both girls thanked him as they climbed up, equally grateful not to be walking any more. The cart was about as full as one might expect for a traveling merchant, and so finding room to sit was no simple task. They eventually made some space, and with a few clicks of the old man's tongue, the beasts grunted and began pulling the cart forward once more, first at a crawling pace, but gradually building speed as they went. Once they were moving at a comfortable pace, Ty Lee decided to break the awkward silence that had settled in their midst.

"So, you're a traveling merchant it looks like. Do you have a name?" She asked with a hint of sarcasm, as obviously the man did in fact have a name. It was just a roundabout way of asking what it was without sounding too nosy.

"Sure am and sure do, but my name's not important. Ya'll can call me Old Man V. Been around these parts doin' my trade for, err, well let's see now..." Old Man V trailed off, mumbling what in all likelihood was gibberish under his breath while he tried to recall the many years of his long life that he had spent in this particular trade. "Well, it's been a long time in any case, I can assure you." He finished after a short while, giving up trying to remember something so trivial. It was quite likely that he was in the early stages of senility. "How about you girls, ya'll got names or are yuh just 'travelers'?" He asked in return, placing a certain teasing sarcasm of his own on the word travelers.

"Oh, well, my name's Ty Lee, nice to meet you old man."

"V. Old Man V." He shot gruffly, apparently fully expecting them to address him with the name he had given them.

"Oh, sorry... Nice to meet you Old Man V." Ty Lee felt her face reddening as she corrected herself, feeling embarrassed as well as uneasy from the sudden change in his demeanor. She didn't think it had been that big of a deal, but it was obvious to her now that indeed it was. She nudged Azula, showing a clear desire for some help in this conversation. She wanted the heat taken off of her a bit. The princess sighed and decided to oblige her friend.

"And I am... Urszula, also a pleasure." Azula gave an obviously fake name, but she wasn't too worried about the old man realizing it. She was pretty sure he was on the brink of senility, if not already there.

"Likewise, ladies!" His mood changed immediately and almost imperceptibly back to one of cheer and good will, so fast in fact that it was more than a little bit unsettling to the two girls. "You can call me just plain ol' old man if ya fancy." At this befuddling remark the two girls exchanged wide eyed looks of confusion as well as amusement. Yep, he was senile. Neither of them needed to say it for both of them to know it was true. As if to make it official, he even started to laugh to himself, snorting every so often as he did. Azula couldn't contain her own laughter at that point, and soon the three of them were all laughing hysterically for no real reason at all. Anybody passing by would have thought all three of them were crazy, and the sad reality was that they wouldn't be too far off in the assumption. It was going to be both an interesting as well as entertaining trip.

The cart continued down the long, seemingly endless road as the sun climbed further west across the sky. Last night's brutal storm was a memory that faded quickly underneath the tranquil, dark blue sky. Ty Lee watched the world slowly creep past them while Azula watched a solitary cloud drift it's way across the sky. A sudden bump in the road brought the both of them back from their thoughts, and as if realizing it, or even planning it, the old man turned his head to question them yet again.

"So what's bringing you gals to the Imperial City today?" His query met initially with silence, as Ty Lee didn't want to answer and Azula wasn't sure how to answer without giving away too much. After an uncomfortable minute, she decided on an acceptable answer.

"We're going home." She said distantly, the very idea of it suddenly striking her with it's weight. Home. The princess hadn't thought about it at all since leaving the prison. Ty Lee was one thing, but what about all the other people who had been involved? What would her brother Zuko, who now happened to be Fire Lord, have to say to her? Her old friend Mai, whom she had nearly tried to kill? There were a lot of people she had hurt, and now, with every passing mile, she was that much closer to having to face them. Home certainly wasn't going to be quite as wonderful as Azula had initially thought.

"Spoken like a true traveler of the world. How long ya'll been away?" Old Man V's questions didn't seem to have any foreseeable end to them, but then neither did the road they were traveling, so Azula decided it was for the best that she continue to answer. There wasn't anything else to pass the time with after all.

"It's... Been a while." Azula admitted sullenly, as if the epiphany had finally struck her as to just how much of her life she had lost. The old man seemed to hear the truth somewhere in her words.

"I see. You haven't been off traveling, have you?" His tone changed drastically from the positive couldn't care less I'm senile sound it had before to one that was much more serious and just a bit somber. Ty Lee gave her friend a very concerned look, as she was suddenly very aware of the direction the conversation was taking and started to worry for her friend. Azula took notice, and despite the fact that perhaps for the first time in their entire friendship Ty Lee actually wanted her to lie, she had resigned herself not to fall back into her old ways.

"I would be lying if I said yes." Azula confessed, biting her lip even as she did in an attempt to fight the urge to lie. She was finding it much harder than she had anticipated. Lies had always been her first response, they were easier than the truth. With the truth, you had to face the consequences of your actions and decisions, but with lies, you could always find another crack in the floor to slip through, and thus avoid condemnation for another day.

"That's the kind of answer that makes me not want to hear the truth. In any case, it isn't any business of mine. Just bear this in mind, 'cause I've a feelin' it might concern you." He turned his head to make sure they were both listening, and once satisfied that they were he continued with a foreboding tone. "Things have changed since the end of the war, and there are those of us who would go so far as to say not for the better." The old man paused to gather himself. It seemed whatever he was trying to say was really bothering him. "There's been killings, only killings aint the word... More like assassinations." It was that last word that triggered a response. Azula's eyes widened briefly in disbelief before narrowing on the old man steering the cart. He wasn't looking back though, instead he intently watched the road, or at least that was the impression he was giving off.

"How exactly does this concern us?" Azula asked impatiently after it became obvious he wasn't going to return her attention. The faint traces of uneasiness were beginning to swell in her gut, and the princess wasn't entirely certain she liked where this was going.

"Hmph, here I figured assassinations in the Imperial City would concern anybody and everybody who lived there. I suppose if you reckon yourself above such nuisances then the details are unimportant." Old Man V replied with a bothered tone. He wasn't one to be spoken to in such a disrespectful manner, he had been around long enough to earn the right to take as much time as he wished when speaking. Azula immediately recognized her blunder and humbly discarded her pride.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have spoken to you like that. What I meant to ask was why do you think this concerns us specifically? Do you really think we're likely targets by assassin's?" She struggled to keep her tone respectful and courteous, something she was definitely not accustomed to. The old man grumbled something under his breath before deciding that the apology was acceptable.

"Well you see, the interesting part here isn't that people are being killed, but rather who the people being killed are. The Fire Lord has tried to keep things hush hush naturally, but we merchants got our ways of hearing things. Word is all of the people who have been killed either are or were high ranking officers in the army during the war. Some of them resigned after the treaty was announced, but it doesn't seem to have saved them. If you ask me, I'd say someone's not ready to forgive and forget so easily."

"That's quite an interesting assessment, but I still don't see how the two of us would be in danger. Do we look like commanders of the army?" Azula couldn't prevent that old snide tone from resurfacing as she asked that last question. Surely even someone as crazy and insane as this old man couldn't possibly mistake either of them for people of official position. While the man's senility had at first amused the princess, she was now finding it more annoying than anything else. She couldn't even be sure if he knew what he was talking about, but seeing as it was either his cart or her feet, Azula decided it would be best to stay on his good side.

"What you look like is the ex-princess to the throne, and if that were the case I'd be a lot more afraid of whoever's doing this if I were you. Military officers are one thing, but the previous Fire Lord and his daughter? Those would be high priority targets if you ask me. Especially what with their being put in prison before anybody could get to them." Old Man V didn't even so much as glance behind him to gauge Azula's response, instead he just kept on going at the same steady pace as if he were talking about the weather or some other trivial subject. "Yep, if'n ya ask me, I'd say whoever's behind all them killin's would be itchin' somethin' mighty fierce to get his'r her hands on one of those two."

"Well nobody is asking you old man so just shut it!" Both the old man and Azula were equally startled when Ty Lee suddenly and angrily burst into the conversation. The princess looked at her friend and felt a lump forming in her throat as she saw what could only be a tear swelling in the acrobat's eye. The idea of somebody, anybody, trying to hurt Azula clearly didn't sit well with Ty Lee. Or maybe something else was bothering her.

"Eh? I'm just speculating up here, no need to go'n get all flustery bustered miss. Just givin' a friendly word of warnin' is all." He stated reassuringly, a hint of humor creeping into his words. He turned his head just slightly so Azula could see the mischievous, thin smile creeping across his face. "Besides, I'm sure if the princess is even half as good as she used to be then you'll have nothing to worry about." Ty Lee gasped as her eyes became unbelievably huge, worry flooding the pale grey pools. She looked to her friend who was equally as astonished, only much better at hiding it. Azula was aware of her friend's gaze upon her, but she maintained steady eye contact with the old merchant, who was exceedingly more crafty than she had at first given him credit for.

"Well well, for a senile old man you're a good deal more perceptive than I had originally thought. I guess I will just have to be more observant and careful in the future." Azula stated in that ever confident tone of hers, not at all letting on to how insecure and nervous she was actually feeling just then. The old man's smile only grew larger, making the leap from mischievous to flat out creepy, and complete with missing teeth and rotting gums. "Tell me, have you known all along, or did something give it away?"

"Oh, come now. What kind of citizen would I be if I couldn't identify on sight our once exalted princess? It's only been a year after all, and when you've been around as long as I have you realize how short a single year really is, and how little changes in it." He replied lethargically, almost as if he didn't consider it any sort of big deal that she was out and free. She could have escaped for all he knew, unless his craftiness ran far, far deeper than Azula could have even fathomed.

"While I'm flattered by the recognition, I'm still curious to know why you seem so calm about this situation. Surely you're aware of the events that took place at the end of the war? The events involving me specifically." Azula inquired, becoming more and more confused as well as frustrated by this increasingly odd old man. After thinking about it for a second, Old Man V decided a humble nod was the only response necessary. Taking note of this, the princess continued her line of questioning. "But you're not scared? Not afraid that I may have escaped, that I may still be just as violent and unstable?" In all of these questions, Azula hadn't even noticed Ty Lee, who was now on the verge of an emotional breakdown.

Ty Lee hadn't actually been there the day Azula broke down, being already imprisoned by her best friend after a brief dispute at the prison facility known as the Boiling Rock. Although she hadn't been there to witness the princess' breakdown, she had heard all about it, and in greater detail than she would have liked. Now, even just the thought that that Azula might still be there, that even a shimmer of her old self might shine through, was enough to bring Ty Lee practically to tears. She hadn't been there in Azula's darkest hour, and she was certain she didn't want to be. If that old Azula really was still there, Ty Lee was terrified that she would be unable to stay by her friend's side should that malevolence ever resurface.

"Ehh, when you're as close to death as I am, you stop worrying about whether or not people will do you any favors. There's a reason we old folk's go senile ya know. I spent so many long years of my life worrying about people hurting me or doin' me wrong, now I just worry about whether the people I'm talkin' to are really there. Which reminds me..." The old man reached behind him and pulled a stick out from somewhere underneath the pile of stuff. At this time, Azula had finally decided to give her attention to Ty Lee, who was struggling to remain in control of her emotions. The princess put her hand on the girl's shoulder and gave her a reassuring smile. She knew what was bothering her friend, and Azula had to convince her that she wasn't going to fall back into her old ways.

Neither of the girls seemed to notice what the old man was doing when all of the sudden Azula felt something poke her in the side of the face. She nearly shot out of the cart when she felt it. When she turned her head to see the stick that the old man was prodding her with she nearly lost it.

"What the HELL are you doing!" She demanded as actual smoke began wafting out of her ears.

"You can never be too sure." Old Man V chuckled in response, not at all giving in to the intimidating sight of the fuming princess. He decided she at least deserved an explanation, and so went on to inform her, "I once had a two hour conversation with someone I thought was there, sitting right where you are now, only to find out it was just a life size doll of a small child. A very small child, mind you. Eh, come to think of it, I don't think it was life size at all.. No, just a small doll that looked like a child. Yeah, that's it!"

Azula tried to remain angry at the old man, but it was futile. Instead, she bowed her head and refocused her energy on preventing the laughter from escaping. It was a losing battle. Within moments the three were all howling with laughter once again as the sun reached noon in the sky. The next couple hours passed by rather quickly, with the three exchanging stories and sharing laughs, mostly brought on by Old Man V's senility and his overzealous acceptance of it. He truly was a man who had enjoyed his life and was now enjoying the final closing chapter of it, complete with all of it's delusions of grandeur.

As they came over the crest of a large hill, they could all three see the large outer wall of the volcano looming ahead of them. Their ancestors had used their abilities to deactivate the massive volcano and use it as the location for their capital. It was an excellent place, as the high outer walls of the volcano itself provided protection from attackers, and the years of molten lava flowing underneath had created a labyrinth network of caves below the city that could be used in emergencies for the people to take shelter in. Throughout the entire last 100 years of war, no army had ever captured the Imperial City, and only once was it even breached. It was during the time of a solar eclipse that it had happened as well, rendering the firebenders helpless against their attackers. It was then, like many countless times in the nation's history, that the cave system's usefulness was tested, and it proved an excellent hideaway for the Royal Family, along with the greater populace, as they awaited the return of their powers.

Though none of them could see any buildings, they were all equally aware that their Imperial City was just ahead of them, concealed from the world behind those great rocky walls. The anticipation rose in both Ty Lee and Azula, however Azula's came with a bitter hint of fear and trepidation. Being home and free was one thing, but regaining the trust, and perhaps even love, of her old friends and family, was a task that would not be easily completed. She contemplated this and other similar thoughts as they made their way down the dirt road they had been on for so long now. Ty Lee on the other hand was just ecstatic about seeing Mai again, as well as the city in general. While she may not have been in prison, she had still been away from home for just as long as the princess. There were some long overdue hugs that she was absolutely bound and determined to give out.

"Well, here we are at long last ladies." Old Man V stated as they reached the foot of the volcano. "Now we just have to get around this old hill." He clicked his tongue a few times and the beasts pulling the cart turned to start rounding the volcano. There was only one way into the city after all, and it was on the east side of the volcano, where it met the sea in the great bay. They had come in from the North, perhaps 40 or so miles Azula figured, based on the speed at which they had traveled and the time it had taken them. Then she thought about the trip in the airship, and after all the numbers were crunched she realized that despite how remote the prison island had appeared, it wasn't all that far from the Imperial City itself. A one day trip perhaps by Battleship, if it were one of the faster ones anyways. It amazed her how alone and isolated she had felt, and yet at the same time she was still well within the borders of her nation. Prison could play many awful tricks on the mind, especially when it's one with no sunlight.

"Azula?" Ty Lee's concerned voice broke through the princess' thoughts, bringing her back from the dark places her mind was taking her. "You look troubled, is everything alright?" Azula's worried look told the acrobat everything she needed to know without even having to wait for a response.

"It's just... I don't know." Azula admitted bleakly, becoming less and less confident the closer they got. "Do you really think anyone will want to see me? They'd probably be happier if I just never came back at all." Ty Lee choked a little inside. She couldn't help but feel insulted by how rarely Azula ever considered her feelings.

"And how do you think I would feel if that happened? Damn it Azula! Why don't you ever stop to consider that maybe there are people who still care about you, who have always cared about you. Those people don't want to see you in prison anymore, and they don't want to see you beating yourself up over this either." Ty Lee argued, trying desperately to get through to her friend.

"What people? That's only you, Ty Lee!" Azula blurted out before even thinking about what she was saying, and instantly she regretted the words that came out of her mouth. Lip trembling, Ty Lee sat there, frozen in astonishment, trying to figure out if she had heard her friend correctly.

"Only me?" She repeated weakly, forcing the words out before the tears.

"Ty Lee I'm sorry I didn't mean it like-"

"No, you're right Azula, after all it is only me. Sorry if I'm not good enough for you, hopefully your other friends are! Oh wait, that's right you DON'T HAVE ANY! And with an attitude like that it doesn't surprise me. After all, why would anybody want to be friends with a stuck up spoiled little arrogant psycho BITCH!" Ty Lee's screams bounced off of the rocky wall next to them and echoed in Azula's ears over and over. The princess couldn't muster a word in response, all she could do was acknowledge everything her friend said as true. The saddest part of all was that it was true. All of it. She didn't have any other friends, and it was for all the reasons, as well as many, many more equally as unflattering ones, that Ty Lee had stated.

"That hurt Ty Lee..." That meek response was all Azula could manage, but Ty Lee clearly wasn't finished.

"Well the truth usually does, Azula! But you want to know what hurts even worse? It's being the ONE person in the entire world who's stayed by you, despite EVERYTHING you've done, all the people you've murdered and all the terrible ways you've treated me, and still not being good enough." Ty Lee's words stabbed right into the princess' heart, piercing right to her very core and infecting her soul with pure pain and agony. When Azula failed to make any attempt at a response Ty Lee just shook her head in disappointment. "Fuck you Azula."

"Ty Lee I'm-!"

"FUCK YOU!" She screamed through the tears that were streaming down her face loud enough to probably be heard by people on the other side of the volcano's wall, and without even thinking she threw a hard right jab straight at Azula's cheek. Not a slap, not a warning shot, not even a hit intended to paralyze or cause other nerve damage, just a full force fist that landed squarely on the princess' jaw with a smacking thud. The force of the impact spun the princess' entire upper body around and partially dislocated her jaw. Ty Lee didn't even stick around to see the damage she had done. As soon as she had driven her point home she hopped nimbly out of the still moving cart and ran off towards the way they had come from. She didn't even know where she was headed, she just made her way through a fog of tears and blinding rage as a dull pain began throbbing in her knuckles. Ty Lee looked at her hand to see a mixture of tears of blood dripping off of her fingers, neither of which were hers.

"Hooo Wee! That was quite a shot you took princess! Not as spry as ya used to be, eh? Well, no worries I know the feeling meself. Oh wait, but I'm also ninety six, what's your excuse? Keeyah!" Old Man V didn't miss his golden opportunity to crack a funny and proceed to laugh maniacally at his own joke. There was nothing funny about it to Azula though. She didn't even hear the old man as a matter of fact. A loud ringing in her head distracted her senses from everything else that was going on. She couldn't even see that Ty Lee had taken off. When she tried to open her mouth and speak there was a terrible pain in her jaw as she felt it pop back into place. There was still a throbbing pain, only this one was on the outside of her mouth. She reached up to gingerly touch the quickly bruising side of her face where she had just been hit.

She drew blood.. Azula thought to herself as the warm, sticky liquid spread across her fingertips. She didn't need to see it to know what it was, which was good because her sight hadn't completely recovered just yet. There was no denying, that was quite a punch the seemingly harmless little acrobat packed. Azula couldn't help but let slip a small smile, only to find that smiling right now was a mistake that pain would teach her not to make again. Agni that was a good hit. After a few moments, when her senses had more or less returned to being functional, she finally realized Ty Lee had taken off and after a quick look behind the cart, Azula knew in which direction her friend had gone. Right as she was about to jump out of the cart herself, she felt an arm stopping her. She turned her head to see Old Man V looking right at her, as if the road didn't even exist.

"You protect her." His voice had completely changed, from the raspy, creaky old man's voice to a silky, strong, youthful one. It was as if a completely different person were speaking to her just then. "She'll need your protection, almost as much as your love. Just as you'll need hers." Even his eyes had seemed to change, and despite the aging face they were set in, they had a fire in them that screamed of vibrant life. "Protect her Azula."

"What are you-?" The princess tried to ask, but before she could even finish the question he let go of her arm. Before Azula even knew what was going on she found herself falling face first out of the cart. Had she been as finely tuned as she used to be she may have been able to avoid a nasty spill, but there was no chance in her rusty state. She hit the dirt road hard, her face taking most of the initial impact, followed by her sternum. The wind was completely knocked out of her, and as luck would have it she landed on the same side of her face that had just been hit. The stinging agony of tiny, sharp rocks stabbing their way into her already cut open face was unbearable, and as she hit the ground she screamed in pain. A flock of birds scattered from the nearby trees, and somewhere ahead of her in the distance was a now slightly cooled off Ty Lee, who upon hearing the sound of Azula in such pain (that she wasn't the source of), turned around and started making her way towards the heaving heap of mangled hair and tattered green fabric that was her best friend.

As Ty Lee approached, she could hear the muffled curses and garbled sobs of both pain and sadness as Azula tried to gather herself together. The distraught princess failed to notice that her friend was now standing over her, looking down on her with an exhausted annoyance. With a huff and a rolling of her eyes, Ty Lee decided she may as well help her friend up, otherwise she was just going to be standing there even longer.

"Give me your arm, I'll help you up." Ty Lee told her, fed up with wasting time. She was far and away from the normal, happy everyday Ty Lee that Azula was so used to. She was legitimately pissed off and it suddenly hit the princess who she reminded her of. It was herself. Ty Lee was being bitter, angry, impatient and violent. Azula decided whatever else her friend wanted to do to her she probably deserved. The princess reached a hand out towards the acrobat, who grabbed a firm hold of it and with a not so gentle heave Ty Lee pulled her friend up out of the dirt and onto her feet. Azula was still a bit dazed from the fall but she quickly found her balance and was at least able to stand on her own.

"Thank you." Azula said weakly, unable to even look her friend in the face. She didn't feel she deserved to. She hadn't even gone more than a day without breaking her new oath to be everything Ty Lee deserved, the promise she had made to herself to be a better friend. Standing there, covered in a mix of dirt, blood and tears, Azula looked just about the way she felt.

"Let's just go already." Ty Lee replied flatly, showing an unbelievable lack of interest in Azula. It was such an odd feeling, something the princess had truly never known. Without Ty Lee's undying affection for her, Azula just felt... blank. Empty. Her very existence was rendered bleak and pointless without her friend's support and adoration. She couldn't stand it, she wouldn't be able to make it, not like this, there was no way. She had taken for granted exactly how important to her Ty Lee's feelings were. Azula had never respected or thought about them, and now they were gone, denied to her in a time when they were needed most.

"Ty Lee I'm sorry, I should have thought about your feelings-"

"You should have thought about a lot of things Azula! But you didn't, you couldn't, because once again you were too wrapped up with thinking about what everybody else would think of you, little miss perfect, that you failed to think about the only person who's opinion should matter to you!" Ty Lee's anger was reboiling as she went on with her rant. "You never remember me, yet I'm the only person who remembered you. You think my love is yours by right well it's not! I love you because I want to, not because I have to, and one day you'll finally wake up and realize it, but by then it will be too late and you won't have it anymore. You won't have anything anymore! You already lost your crown, you're not even the princess anymore! And now you're going to lose me, and then what will you have? Huh! You won't have shit Azula!"

Ty Lee's fury was so terrible that Azula almost didn't catch it. Almost. "Did you just say.. That you love me?" She nearly choked on the question, not entirely sure if she should even ask it or if her mind was playing cruel tricks on her again. Ty Lee's eyes widened when she realized what she had said, but the rage was too intense and she didn't want to risk losing the momentum. She would just have to go with it.

"Yeah, I did, and do you know why, huh? Because I do Azula, I love you! Not like a friend, or a sister, but as the person who's always been there with you, the person who's always wanted to be with you. Azula I'm the only person who knows the real you, the only one who can love you for who you really are. You've just always been too stubborn, too distracted trying to take over the world to realize it. But I don't want the world Azula, I just want you! There isn't anything I wouldn't do, nothing I wouldn't sacrifice, if it meant I could just hold you for a single moment." By this point in her tirade Ty Lee was openly crying, and despite stuttering and fighting for air she went on, "I don't know why, or how, but I do know. I know that no matter what happens, no matter how angry I might be at you, there will never be a single moment where I don't feel this way about you. It's never going to change, even if you killed me tomorrow, with your hands around my neck my last words would be I, Love, YOU!" Tears streamed down Ty Lee's face as she poured her heart out. Azula stood petrified, so completely taken off guard she couldn't even think of how to respond.

Ty Lee wasn't sure what to do or say next herself. She had gone from a blind rage to a dramatic fit of tears in the blink of an eye. What's more, she had finally confessed her true feelings for her lifelong friend. Whatever happened next would change Ty Lee's world forever. Azula would either deny her affections, effectively crushing the poor girl for the rest of her life, or she would return Ty Lee's love, and the two of them could live the rest of their lives together in a romantic bliss. The acrobat stood there, visibly trembling from head to toe, with every fiber of her being hanging in anticipation, desperately awaiting Azula's response as if it were the very sentencing of Ty Lee's fate. In more than a few ways, it was.

"I..." Azula choked on her own words, not at all certain of which ones she should use. "Ty Lee," Spit it out already! She screamed at herself in her head, but her mouth could only fumble and stutter as her lungs struggled to push the air over lips. Closing her eyes and bowing her head, Azula's trademark smirk crossed her lips. Dammit girl, what's wrong with you? This is what you've been waiting for. Go and get her. "I love you too Ty Lee."

"REALLY!" Ty Lee shrieked in excitement, her eyes growing at least five times larger and shimmering with a seemingly unending supply of cascading tears. Her heart beat faster than it ever had in her entire life, as if just hearing those words injected her with a super adrenaline that gave the acrobat a feeling of pure invincibility. There wasn't a thing in the world that could bring her down. She leaped towards Azula in a single swift, uninhibited bounding motion, grabbing her newfound love in her arms as the momentum carried them both to the ground. It all happened so fast, Azula didn't even realize what was going on. One moment, she had witnessed Ty Lee swelling with joy and excitement, and the next she found herself lying on the grass with her friend on top of her, practically wrapped around her like a bug clinging for dear life to a twig in a windstorm.

"Of course I do, Ty Lee. Why would you even ask something so foolish?" Azula asked playfully, wondering how her friend could even for a second doubt the feelings the princess held for her. Ty Lee's expression suddenly changed to one of cautious suspicion. It was too easy, felt almost too good to be true to her. Azula wasn't exactly known for her integrity, and to be so openly honest about something like this... It didn't sit right with Ty Lee, and she had to be sure it was the truth.

"How do I know you aren't just trying to avoid getting punched again?.." Ty Lee pondered cautiously. She wanted it to be true. More than anything in the world did she want it to be true. But she had to be absolutely certain. Ty Lee knew better than anybody else how good of a liar Azula could be. There was only one way she could think of to make her prove it. "Kiss me." She demanded. "Kiss me like you mean it. If you're lying to me Azula so help me Agni I will make sure you never bend again and-" She never had the chance to finish her empty threats. The princess was more than eager to meet her friend's demand.

Azula's lips were as intense as the flames she bended, demanding as she herself and as exhilarating as a near death experience. Ty Lee's were as sweet and delicate as a freshly blooming fire lily, luscious and succulent like the first bite into an over-ripened sweet fruit, and as soft and plush as a cloud made of silk. When they met, it was a colliding euphoria that drove each of them to the very brink, and left them hanging by an imperceptibly small thread. Azula's back arched as the blood flowed and gave her feeling in places she didn't know existed. Ty Lee's eye's rolled halfway back into her skull, teasing and leaving her just conscious enough to still taste the fervent fire of Azula's covetous kiss. Their tender osculation could easily have made the spirit's of love and ecstasy themselves jealous.

After what could just as easily have been a lifetime as it was 5 minutes, the pair finished their first trial as lovers. The shared look in both of their gleaming eyes said that they passed with flying colors. As if to stamp it as official, a glistening strand of saliva stretched between their lips for a few seconds before it too broke and separated, stamping each of them with a small bit of the other's essence.

"Still think I'm lying?" Azula asked with a coy smile, as if to say 'I told you so.' Slowly she licked the sweet juice from her lips, savoring the remnants of Ty Lee's kiss.

"I'm not sure what to think anymore Azula." Ty Lee replied hazily, her head still swimming as she lay entranced, all the while Azula remained pinned underneath her.

"Don't think," Azula wrapped her hand around the back of her friend's neck, their warmth sending a shiver of comfort racing down the acrobat's spine as she added, "Just feel." With those two little words she pulled Ty Lee in again, overcome with the desire to taste those lips once more. She wanted it, needed it, and there was nothing that could stop her from achieving her goal. Ty Lee knew better than anyone that when Azula wanted something badly enough, she was going to get it, and usually by force. But the acrobat had no intentions of resisting, instead she moved in willingly, longingly even. There was nothing that Azula wanted that she herself didn't want equally as badly.

A hot, juicy tongue that searched fervently for it's partner. A delicate nibbling of a luscious lower lip that was fueled on by an insatiably ravenous appetite. An audible moan of desire and lust that reverberated against the very fabric of the other's soul. Who did which and which was who was impossible to tell anymore, as they were no longer two separate entities. They had unified with each other, in both spirit and flesh, until all remaining lines of discernible separation were obliterated by the fiery tempest of their passion.

Ty Lee broke away with a gasp, panting for breath and slowly becoming aware of where they were. "Azula..?" She asked worriedly, causing the princess to cringe before reluctantly opening her own eyes. The princess noticed almost immediately the nervous look in her lover's eyes as they darted to and fro. She gave an exasperated sigh before responding.

"What is it now, Ty Lee?" Azula asked impatiently, the unmistakeable sound of longing and desire still clearly present in her voice. She only wanted one thing right then, and it wasn't to talk.

"We're on a road." Ty Lee pointed out, suddenly feeling very exposed and self conscious.

"An empty road." Azula retorted matter of factly. She had a point, but the angered glance her friend shot quickly back at her told the princess it didn't make any difference.

"A main road. Azula, the Imperial City is just on the other side of this wall." Ty Lee reminded her as she pointed towards the volcano not more than 20 yards away from them. "There's no telling who could be watching us right now." Ty Lee's tone told Azula one thing for certain: This romantic episode wasn't going anywhere until they did.

"Fine, but just remember that this was your idea in the first place." Azula said teasingly, once again finding amusement in her friend's insecurities. Ty Lee unwrapped herself from around the princess' body and steadily got to her feet, brushing the dirt off of her pants and fixing the few rogue strands of hair that had managed to achieve freedom from that ridiculously long braid of hers. Azula followed her friend's lead, getting up and dusting herself off. Her hair, however, was for the first time that she could remember not restrained with any sort of intricate braid or styling. Instead, it was simply flowing freely about in the warm summer breeze. It felt good to her, a nice change of pace from the constantly oppressive pull of her usually strictly kempt hairdo. Once satisfied that they were semi-normal looking, they looked up and down the deserted road, trying to decide where to go from here.

"You know," Azula started, breaking the silence before it could settle fully in, "If we came in from the north, then we should be close to the old trails." She gave Ty Lee a playful smirk as the thought crossed her mind. The acrobat's face lit up as the memories began flooding in.

"Ooh, we haven't used those in ages!" Ty Lee exclaimed jovially, like a child who had found an old, long lost toy.

"Since we were children if I remember correctly. They should lead right to the Imperial Plaza, it's practically a back door into the palace. What do you say Ty Lee?" Azula asked, although why she didn't know, the answer was already pretty obvious.

"Let's go!" Ty Lee practically jumped for joy. It would be like reliving their days as kids together, sneaking in and out of the city via the old abandoned footpath that was in all likelihood completely forgotten by everyone else in the Fire Nation. No, She thought to herself, This would be better than those days. This time, we aren't just friends. It was a wonderful, almost enchanting feeling. Not only to be in love, but to be liberated from the secrecy, to finally be free from the oppressive chains of worry that Azula might not share her feelings. To at long last be able to openly show her love, and to receive it back in equal magnitude, there was nothing that could express the feeling. And yet, it could so easily be symbolized by the simple interlacing of their fingers as they held each other's hand and made their way towards the volcano's outer wall.

It didn't take long for them to find the old footpath, and together they began making the steady hike up the intimidating volcano wall. They climbed over sharp rocks, through thick shrubs and prickly underbrush, mostly in silence, with all of their words being translated into gentle smiles, warm, soft giggles, and flickering lights in their eyes. Whether they realized it or not, they made the entire hike without ever letting go of each other's hand. They crested the top of the rocky wall right as the sun met the distant horizon, and together they looked out in awe upon the Imperial City. It were as if someone was filtering the entire world through a strawberry mesh, the setting sun giving off a pinkish hue that burned into every last building and tree. Even the clouds themselves were splashed with color, the few that there were anyways.

A small flock of birds flew up towards the sky as a large bell rang out, signaling the changing of the hour. It must have been around 9 P.M. Azula figured, as it was too dark to be any earlier and too light to be any later. From their vantage point the two girls could see everything, from the grand buildings in the Imperial Plaza to the mighty ships docked at the harbor, over a mile to their east. No doubt in days since passed this very spot must have served as a watch post by scouts, who easily could have seen any army, whether by land or sea, well before they could be of an immediate threat. Now however, it was a private viewpoint for the two new lovers to enjoy the beauty of their city and their home, one which the both of them only now realized just how much they had truly missed this past year.

"Are you ready?" Ty Lee asked her old friend. Azula took a deep breath, held it for a moment before exhaling and then looked at her Ty Lee.

"You'll be with me?" Azula asked, looking to the girl beside her for confirmation. It was finally time to face society once again.

"Every step." Ty Lee replied reassuringly, giving her friend the much needed confidence she would require. Being alone with someone who loves you for you was one thing, but walking through crowds of people who probably still regarded you the same way they did a plague, well that just wasn't an easy thing to do, it didn't matter who you were. So, with a sigh, Azula waved away the last lingering trepidatious thoughts and, still clutching Ty Lee's hand, they started to make their way slowly down towards the city below.

The smell of fresh fire flakes rose up to be the first thing from the city to greet them. It didn't matter how long they had been away, the girls both instantly remembered how incredible the fire flakes from the city were. While there may have been over a dozen vendors for the particular item in the city, the best ones were of course set up in the Imperial Plaza, along with all of the other highest quality merchants and services. Despite how late in the day it was, the plaza wasn't expected to shut down for at least a couple more hours. This late in the summer, the citizens of the Fire Nation had a habit of staying out late and enjoying the warm, tranquil nights, and it didn't help that all the best local entertainers didn't even start until after sundown, when the fire could really have it's full effect.

Azula and Ty Lee had both been born and spent their entire lives in the Imperial City, more specifically in the Imperial Plaza, the social grounds for those of wealth and nobility. All of the sights, sounds and smells were engrained in their minds, to the point where even a year's absence couldn't erase them. As they neared the edge of the city and the end of their secret trail, the smells were now all rushing towards them, like a blast from the past greeting them with the open arms of an old, dear friend. The fresh fire flakes, sizzling in their little baskets, the dough frying in oil, and the oddly aromatic stench of burning hair, a telltale sign that the performers were preparing for their nightly duties. While ordinarily a horrific stench that would burn the nostrils, burning hair had a way of combining with all of the other aromas in the air and adding an extra something of it's own. Whether it truly did smell good, or if the smell was just familiar due to being imprinted in their minds, they weren't sure, but the one thing they were sure of was that they enjoyed it.

Now the sounds were beginning to become audible, the shouts of merchants attempting to overcome the roar of the crowd and show off their wares, the jumbled mix of both buyers and sellers negotiating fair prices, and of course the growls and grunts of the myriad creatures that were never more than a stone's throw away. Some were being auctioned off as exotic pets, others were already filling the role for some rich fools, and then there were those still that served as extra police forces, patrolling the streets alongside the guards and ready to pounce on criminals at a moment's notice. Above it all, was the dull, never ending rumble of people moving about and talking amongst themselves.

When the pair reached the edge of the city, the sun had already sank more than halfway into the horizon, and the street candles were already being lit by the patrolling guards. A few mischievous delinquents thought they would be clever and help out, but they were hardly what anyone would call capable when it came to firebending. The one who did manage to produce a flame that lasted more than half a second only succeeded in burning half a candle away before panicking and running off down an alley with his buddies at his heels. Had Azula not been right there at the time, it could have been disastrous for the nearby buildings, but she calmly walked by and as she passed the flame was no more, instead there was merely a hair thin plume of smoke that wafted harmlessly up and dissipated into the night sky. Less than a minute in the city, and already a good deed, Azula thought to herself, a faint smile hinting across her lips.

The two girls walked quietly along the outskirts of the plaza, avoiding the hustle and bustle as best they could. While it very well could have been a wonderful way to spend their first night back in the city, revisiting their favorite performances and munching on their favorite snacks, all either of them really wanted was to pass by unnoticed and retreat into the quiet sanctuary of the palace. They weren't going to be quite so lucky though. A large, strong hand grabbed Azula's shoulder and spun her on her heels without so much as a warning. She nearly spun around swinging, but she (Or perhaps it was Ty Lee) stopped herself before any flames could be ignited. Best not to make a scene this soon.

"Heya miss," It was a good thing she hadn't tried any bending, because the man who approached her just happened to be a guard, and a rather high ranking one according to the decorations on his armor, "That was you who snuffed the fire back there, wasn't it? That was good thinking, but you really ought to leave those kinds of things to us." His deep voice was too gruff for Azula to tell if he was being rude or polite, but she just gave him a courteous smile and decided it didn't matter, her response would have to be the same either way. "You didn't happen to see where the kid ran off to who started it, did you?"

"He ran off down that alley over there." She replied coolly without missing a beat. "If he continued at the rate he took off at, then he would have made it at least three blocks away by now, but that particular alleyway is a dead end after five. If you go quickly you should be able to corner him without incident." The guard blinked, surprised by how informative she was. Your typical citizen usually either 'doesn't know' or 'can't remember', but she not only gave him an accurate description of the culprit, she also had details and a plan for catching him. Not your typical citizen at all. He signaled for his men to go, and they ran off at once. He clearly had something more he wanted to say however.

"Well, you sure do know a lot about the layout of our city, especially for a Kyoshee warrior. Do you visit often?" He asked casually, the tone in his voice dropping from one of official position to a more friendly manner. Azula didn't realize it because, well, it had never really happened before, but Ty Lee recognized that tone immediately. He's hitting on her! She tried to prevent the look of jealous anger on her face from spreading too much, but there was no stopping her hand from practically crushing Azula's. The acrobat was absolutely fuming, and if she herself had been a firebender then there probably would have been some smoke billowing out of her ears.

"Come agAin?" Azula asked, her voice jumping as she felt her hand being crushed like it was in an iron vice.

"You're, uh, uniform?" The large, very confused guard cleared his throat nervously, a look of complete bewilderment spreading across his face.

"Oh, yes, I forgot I was still wearing it. I just thought I was recognized out of uniform but I guess not." Azula didn't miss a beat, as always, and even managed to throw a small chuckle on the last few words, which didn't exactly help the other situation she was dealing with any. That damn outfit! She had completely forgotten she was even wearing it. It was torn in a number of places and covered in dried mud from the swamp forest that morning. She was starting to think the crushed hand was more important than the conversation with the awkward guard.

"Yeah, I could see why you would want to change." He laughed a little bit himself as he responded. And everything would have been fine, if he just hadn't added, "I got a place you can change out of those clothes, if you want."

The very instant Azula heard that the vice grip was gone. Where it had gone she couldn't even track with her eyes, but the next thing her mind registered was a small fist shooting out and a gasping, nearly seven foot tall armor clad figure dropping to it's knees. Even if that had been sufficient punishment, it hadn't been nearly enough for Ty Lee, who spun clockwise around and delivered a sharp heel directly to the side of the man's helmet, tossing his head aside like a pumpkin on a stick, the momentum pulling his entire body down, causing him to come crashing into the hard pavement underfoot. Azula could have tried moving as fast as possible, if she had wanted, and maybe accomplished moving her arm before Ty Lee had done all of this.

Unbelievable. Even before, when the princess had been at her best, Ty Lee had never been that quick nor efficient. It had often seemed to her as if the acrobat would rather play and dance with the enemy than actually defeat them. Now in her decayed state, she was hopelessly outclassed by her old friend. Those warriors did something for her, She told herself, and realized she would have to try twice as hard to be better than she was last time. Azula thought back to when she had first lit that airship, back on the prison island. She had the fuel to do it, now if she could just control it, or rather, control herself.

"Fire Flakes, Ty Lee! What was that for?" Azula yelled, somewhat in pain from her hand but mostly out of shock from laying that guard out like that. He hadn't twitched yet. Even with that helmet, that looked like a mean kick, and coming from such a small heel it was sure to be painful.

"Didn't you hear a thing he said to you!" She yelled in response, as if nobody else were even around. If they were trying not to be noticed, then they weren't doing a very good job at it. Before Azula could even say something in response, a passerby noticed the what appeared to be dead guard lying beside them. His cries for help alarmed just about everyone in the area, including the just now returning group of guards who had ran off down the alleyway. They didn't think twice about the street riffraff they had been escorting out, not when potential guard murderers were right there. The kid's didn't think twice about running back home either.

"Alright you two, surrender peacefully and we won't have to hurt you!" One of the guards yelled, and they wasted no time encircling the girls. Ty Lee's eyes begged for forgiveness as she realized this was her fault, but Azula didn't view this as a time to be mad at each other. They were going to have to think quick if they didn't want to get in some serious trouble. Either that, or fight really hard.

"I can explain, please-"

"You can explain all you like from jail, missy." Azula tried to reason with them but it was hopeless. She should have known it too. Guards in the capital don't take shit, especially not when one of their own was at risk. If she had been Princess Azula things would be different, but then again if she were Princess Azula she would also be at severe risk of being mass despised and regarded as a rabid dog.

"I seen the whole thing!" Someone yelled from the crowd. "The girl in the pink kicked that guard in the head!" Suddenly the guards all had a single target. Azula knew if she didn't do something, Ty Lee was going to prison. Prison wasn't fun, and she couldn't let that happen, not now.

"Leave her alone." Azula stated flatly, all of the amusement in her voice now disappearing.

"Get out of the way-"

"I said stand down!" It was Azula's turn to interrupt, and the feeling of yelling at guards had a comforting familiarity to it.

"On who's authority?" The guard demanded, clearly unwilling to listen to anyone not wearing a Fire Nation uniform.

"You mean you don't recognize me?" Azula scoffed, falling right back into the groove as if she had never left. "I am your princess, peasant, and I will be treated with the proper respect!" The guards shifted, but never put their guard down. A few of them even scoffed, while the rest just exchanged uncertain looks.

"Miss, if you're going to lie to the Imperial Plaza Guard, you should at least put some effort into it. Now you've earned yourself a place in jail, right next to your friend." The guard motioned for the others to join him, and they started to close in. Azula scowled deeply, and looked ready to tear someone's head off. Ty Lee had seen it before, but not in a long time. She thought she might have to restrain her friend, and she prepared herself to do so.

"Now you listen to me knave!" Azula shouted as large, sapphire flames exploded into her palms. She allowed the flames to burn like great blue torches, undeniable proof of her claim. The guards, and even the crowd themselves, all adopted similar expressions of terror and astonishment. The guards all bowed immediately, grasping desperately at the ground and praying silently to survive the encounter. Going against the princess even before her break down had always been viewed as a mistake, but now the guards didn't even want to know what she was capable of. If she still had the blue fire, then she was still terrifying enough to command them without question.

"Princess Azula! I'm so sorry, w-we did not know!" The guard who had been so high and mighty not five minutes ago was now begging for her forgiveness. It made a warm, fuzzy feeling rise up in her chest. It's good to be home, She thought to herself, allowing a faint smile to cross while nobody was looking, before resuming a vicious scowl.

"Since I'm in such a good mood today, I will overlook this blunder." Azula stated, feigning a generous tone. She leaned in to speak to the guard who had argued with her directly, and then added rather threateningly, "Do not allow it to be repeated." Her eyes narrowed to let him know how serious she was, and the pathetic, helpless look on his face told her that he understood perfectly. A strained grumbling suddenly drew everybody's attention to the heap of a man on the pavement. He wasn't dead, and as luck would have it, he chose an excellent time to wake up.

"Eh, what the..?" He muttered groggily, still trying to regain complete consciousness. He looked up to see his buddies bowing on the ground, a smug and triumphant looking Kyoshee warrior, and a still very, very pissed off girl in pink. "Hey, what the hell was that for!" He demanded, completely oblivious to anything else except the throbbing pain in the side of his head and the person who had caused it.

"Shhh! Bow down you fool!" His comrade commanded, not wishing to stoke the princess' temper any further. The brute looked from his fellow guard, to the Kyoshee warrior, to the mean girl, and that's when he noticed something familiar looking. Even without the hair style, the makeup, or the uniform, he still recognized that smirk. That proud, overconfident, self obsessed smirk, and those fierce, burning gold eyes. "P-P-Princess A-Azula! Forgive me, I-I had no idea!" He groveled on the ground at her feet. She looked down on him like he was some sort of misbehaving pet.
"You are lucky, to have gotten back up. Speak to me like that again and you won't be so lucky." She paused to allow her words to sink in, and then looked to her friend and added, "Come Ty Lee, we are done wasting time here." Azula beckoned for the acrobat to follow her, and she did just that without hesitation or question. She wasn't entirely certain what had happened, but if it was a choice between going to prison or going with Azula, it was a pretty easy decision, and she wasn't going to argue with it.

"Wow Azula, I guess you've still got it." Ty Lee said after they were clear of the crowd, but the princess wasn't thinking about that.

"What was that all about Ty Lee? You nearly got us thrown in prison, and one of us just got out!" Azula demanded, not at all pleased with having to deal with guards in the first five minutes of being in the city.

"It wasn't my fault! He was being a pig, hitting on you like that. After that last part I couldn't stop myself." Ty Lee answered defensively, feeling somewhat embarrassed to have let her feelings take control of her like that. Azula, however, wasn't concerned with the fact that Ty Lee had reacted, instead she was more interested in the way she had reacted.

"What are you talking about?" The princess asked, as if completely oblivious to what had happened. Ty Lee sighed in defeat, remembering how very awkward and naive Azula was when it came to dealings with the opposite sex.

"Never mind. Look, I'm sorry I reacted like that, it just drove me a little.. crazy, hearing him talk to you like that." Ty Lee admitted, her face reddening from the slight embarrassment.

"Don't worry, it's alright. I suppose I wouldn't appreciate anybody speaking to you that way either." Azula told her reassuringly. "When did you learn to fight like that?" She couldn't help but ask.

"Oh, well, I guess learned on Kyoshee Island. Yeah, the girls really taught me how to let it all go." Ty Lee explained, the normal happiness slowly returning to her voice.

"Looks like I should avoid getting on your bad side." Azula said jokingly, trying to get a rise out of Ty Lee.

"No, I'm sure with a few months of training you'll be better than me again. After all, you're perfect, remember." Ty Lee replied, not being completely sarcastic either. Azula smiled, flattered at the never ending confidence her friend always seemed to have in her. They walked along the dim, moonlit street in silence the rest of the time, making their way silently towards the palace.

The massive, intricate building towered above the rest of the city, nestled in almost the exact center of the crater, it's sleek, black marble towers reaching up high, practically past the brim of the volcano around it, and allowing any who stood upon them an unrivaled view of the Imperial Plaza. The last time Azula had seen it, the war was still was in full swing, and the palace had been overly adorned in grand tapestries depicting the Fire Nation flame insignia in red and gold. Now, with the peace treaty in effect, the need for such national symbols to be seen everywhere was lessened, and there was instead only a lone pair of tapestries hanging on either side of the massive entrance way. The girls made their way up the huge stone steps, and standing underneath the massive archway once more gave Azula a feeling of nostalgia. There was a pair of guards standing watch at the main entrance, and as the girls approached they crossed their halberds, barring the way and denying the two access.

"What business have you with the Fire Lord?" One of them demanded unflinchingly.

"I am Princess Azula and you will not deny me entrance to my family's home. Stand aside at once." Azula demanded, but the guards did not budge. They didn't seem to care who she was. Anger started building inside the princess, and Ty Lee saw a disaster coming fast. Before she could step in though, a completely unexpected savior appeared.

"Let them pass." A bored, annoyed female voice came from behind them. The guards turned and, recognizing who it was immediately, both moved aside and bowed slightly.

"Lady Mai! As you wish." They had no interest in arguing with the Fire Lord's wife, but their lack of respect towards Azula was something that caused jealousy to replace the anger in the princess.

"Mai!" Ty Lee squealed happily, practically skipping past the guards to give her old friend a hug. She didn't seem to notice, as her eyes were locked with Azula's in a staring contest. They were both reliving that moment when they were ready to go for each other's throats. Each one wondered if the other was going to try and finish what they had started. After a few minutes, Mai decided someone needed to say something.

"Hello Azula. Been a while, hasn't it." She stated, sounding completely neutral and unconcerned one way or the other.

"Likewise, Mai. Yes I suppose it has." Azula replied, keeping her own voice calm and controlled.

"Zuko's expecting you." Mai told her. Azula's eyebrow twitched, but otherwise she remained completely in control of her facial movements.

"I'll just bet he is." Azula replied semi-sarcastically. She stepped past the guards and made her way into the palace. Home sweet home.