A/N: Ok! This is long overdue! So very sorry that I left you hanging for a week- life got in the way! But I love this chapter and how it ended up turning out, and I hope you will too! I will start up with the next chapter soon, but it might take me a while to get it written because I have a lot going on right about now, but I will be posting for sure!
DISCLAIMER: I OWN NONE OF THIS MASTERPIECE! (If I did, all my fave ships would be canon!)
Chapter 20: Knowing Who You Are
Azula was losing her mind.
Plain and simple.
She had immediently taken over training Aang when Zuko had left with Katara. The young boy was improving, even by her standards. And her standards were extreamly hard to reach. She had gotten him to herself the entirety of the day before because Toph was for some reason holed up in her little earth tent all day. This gave them more time to perfect his bending.
But this was not why she was losing her mind. Training a young boy in how to become a prestigious firebender was nothing, she could do it for hours on end-even if he wanted to give up one hour into it at times.
No. No, no. She was losing her mind because currently, the two most relatable people in camp were missing.
Her brother-she had never related to him on all levels, but now that they were trying to reconcile things between the two of them, they were getting there- and Katara-They were the same age, both masters, both girls, both totally and painfully infatuated with the other's sibling, though they would never admit it, and heck they were even the same hight!- they were both gone!
That left only three others-four if you included the lemur- one of which was a young, bald, 12 year old monk with the weight of the world on his shoulders. Another was a boyish little green girl with eyes in her feet. And yet another was a young, ridiculous worrior who had somehow-in the last 48 hours-managed to reduce Azula to a scrambled mess of nerves and near stuttering every time he was around her!
Each and every time she attempted to speak with him, it came out,
"Sokka, we need to-" *cue loud crash from across camp, taking his attention off her*
"Hello, Sokka. I need to tell–" *cue Aang bursting from his tent on an air-scooter, bugging her to start training*
"Sokka, I-" *cue Toph creating some massive rock to jut out of the ground beneath Sokka, sending him flying, for a prank*
None of it was working, and she couldn't vent to anyone!
What she wouldn't give to talk to a girl her age right now.
Azula was just glad that she and Toph had been busy the last two days training Aang, and that Katara had left a fool-proof meal plan that the four-five, again, lemur- could follow in her absence.
It was nearing mid-day and she was growing worried. Shouldn't they have been back by now?
She could tell Sokka was also growing anxious. It showed in the way he tensely carried out menial tasks, how he would pace back and forth for hours just for something to do.
Azula had excused herself to practice alone for a while about an hour ago. She was training on the outskirts of their little camp when the young Water Tribesman approached her.
"Hey, 'Zula. Any sign of them yet?" He asked as he looked to the sky, and too the horizon beyond.
She didn't know when it had started, but Sokka had taken to calling her by the nickname Zuko used to use on her when they were children. When he first said it, she had almost been stunned. But now she found it…endearing-which was an odd feeling for her, but she was sure that is what she was feeling.
She sighed as she streached, hoping to show off some muscle some-what casually, and said, "No. Not yet. I'm sure they're fine. This was a big mission." Azula mentaly praised herself for not sounding totally stupid around him this time. Seriously. She was a Princess for Fire's sake! She used to have men trembling and on their kness in front of her! Why was it becoming so hard to speak to this one?
Ty-Lee would have known. She did try to help her at that party on Ember Island.
Ugh. Ember Island. She would live content if she never had to set foot on that soil again.
But in the meantime…perhaps Katara would be of some use in this department. She obviously knew how to woo guys. The Avatar was obviously into her, she could tell that Haru kid had at least admired her, and she could tell that now even Zuko was falling for her.
What was her secret?
"Yeah.. I'm just worried about Katara. She was pretty upset when she left. I don't want her doing something she would regret later." Sokka said as he looked from the sky to Azula.
"Your sister is strong. She won't do anything she isn't capable of handling." Azula answered off-handedly, still trying to figure out Katara's seemingly special way with boys.
Sokka, however, found her comment interesting. "You and Katara are really getting along now, aren't you?"
"Hm? Oh. Yes, I suppose so. She's proved a good friend." She was still speaking distractedly, only this time because she could have sworn she saw something in the distance. A black speck against the still-blue sky.
"Huh. You know I never pictured you and Zuko teaming up with us. And even after you did- I never imagined you and my sister becoming best friends." Sokka stated casually, causing Azula to whip around and face him.
"Best friends?" Azula asked, dropping out of a stretch she had learned from Ty-Lee, a little shocked if she were being honest.
She wouldn't say they were best friends. Not yet anyway. She definatly considered Katara a friend, and best friend…well she would like to work up to that. She had never really had a real friend before. Mai and Ty-Lee, sure they were close when they were kids, but then drifted apart as they went their separate ways. Ty-Lee to the circus, Mai to her noble life as the Governer of Omashu's daughter. And Azula to her duties as a Princess and goals of taking over the world.
But now everything was different. She had people who were beginning to care for her. People she was beginning to care about…
In every sense of the word.
She was about to say something, she wasn't sure what. She just opened up her mouth, ready for an onslaught of words to present themselves-when Sokka jumped up in surprise.
"Is that…Appa! They're back!"
He unthinkingly grabbed Azula's shoulder, shaking her roughly-not that she minded, really- before running back into camp.
Azula turned to see the Bison getting bigger and bigger.
Silently, she touched her shoulder.
/\
Landing gently, Zuko hopped off Appa and made his way over to Azula, who was standing there with a dumb, not-quiet-there look on her face.
"Azula?"
She seemed to snap out of her stupor at the sound of her name and looked up.
"Zuko? Oh!"
She shook her head lightly before flinging herself to him. He was caught off guard and stumbled back a bit before wrapping his arms around her.
"Hey."
"What took so long? We were getting worried." She admitted into her big brother's chest. He smiled softly, that same almost-smile that only she and Katara seemed to be able to pull out of him.
"We ran into a few dificulties." He explained, releasing his sister.
She nodded and looked over his shoulder, then back to him. She raised an eyebrow.
She had been excited and anxious to see Katara, the only other girl her age in their group. She had needed to speak with her. When she finaly realized her brother was standing in front of her, she had been glad to know the girl she was almost starting to view as a sister was going to follw. Only for her to…not, follow.
Dissapointment swarmed through her, right up until it was replaced with an extreme feeling of worry that she didn't know she was capable of feeling-she had only ever felt it a handful of times, all after joining this group, too.
"Where's she at?"Azula asked, sounding like a little girl who had been expecting a play date with her best friend, only for that friend to cancle because they were sick.
Zuko sighed, "I should explain on the way."
Thirty minutes later, camp was all packed up and the group was heading towards an unknown-to them at least, Zuko knew exactly where they were going- destination.
Aang was on Appa's head, asking no questions as Zuko just told him to tell Appa to fly back to where he had just come from.
Once a course was set and everyone was settled in the large saddle, Zuko began.
"Katara needed some time to herself, so I dropped her off at our next location."
"Which would be where, Sparky?" Toph asked from her place on-surprisingly- Aang's arm.
Zuko hesitated, nervously glancing at Azula. "Ember Island."
Azula was silent.
Then,
"Wait, what?"
"I know, you aren't going to like it, neither do I, but it's our best shot at staying hidden. Besides, you know there's a place for us to stay there."
"Zuko. We haven't been there since-" She cut herself off as she glanced around at her friends. What was she going to say? We haven't been there since or mother left us? Since our father actualy treated us somewhat decently? Since we were happy kids? Since we crashed a party and burned down the host's house for fun?
"Um..what's on Ember Island?" Aang asked cautiously.
Azula sighed and sank in her seat, "Our family owns a house there. It's where we used to go every summer as kids." She explained while rubbing at her temples.
Sokka eyed her curiously, then turned to Zuko, "Do you really think it's a good idea to be staying in the Fire Nation? In the Fire Lord's house?"
Zuko nodded. "We haven't been there…in a while. It's the last place he would think to look for us."
"Ha. 'In a while' don't be so lax ZuZu. We haven't been there since our mother was around and we were one big happy family!" Azula snapped, not at all pleased that she would have to go back to the one place she ever really felt her age. The one place she learned to trust her brother, mother and uncle. The one place she felt she could be happy without her father breathing down her neck.
"At least we'll be safe. We need somewhere constant to train Aang until the comet. Then we can leave and never have to step foot in that place again." Zuko assured, just as unhappy about the situation as his sister.
"So. With that out of the way- how did it go with Sugar Queen?" Toph inquired, keeping her foggy eyes trained on the saddle. She felt Aang tense under her grip slightly, and squeezed his arm in an uncharacteristicly supportive manner.
The young Avatar had been taking all his anxiety over the situation with Katara and her revenge mission out in his training. When Toph made a comment about how he had seemed more like an earthbender this time around, he had explained his concerns.
Zuko shook his head, parplexed and amazed as he recalled all that Katara had done in the past 48 hours.
"I-I, it was insane. We started by finding a communtication tower-that didn't take long, we got the information we needed and got out."
"That much is evident, seeing as you are back now, I'm assuming you found the killer?" Azula asked, trying to get her mind off where they were headed.
Zuko tilted his head to the side slightly, "Not at first. We found where they were patrolling and broke onto the main ship."
"Please tell me there was epic water-fire duo butt-kicking!" Sokka pleaded, striking his fists into the air as if boxing someone.
"Katara did most of the bending. She got us on and got the guards off. Once we got into the control room, we thought we had him."
"'Thought'? What, did you get the wrong guy or something?" Toph asked, wanting to know just as much as the others if Sugar Queen really did have a dark side she could tap into.
"Yes. But we didn't know that at first. We found the captian and he started attacking. I was fending him off until something outside of my control stopped him."
"Stop being so vegue, brother. What does that even mean?" Azula questioned, straightening up as she turned to Zuko.
Zuko turned to Sokka. "Out of no where, Katara just started controlling him, using her own bending. Like she was…" He trailed, trying to remember the name of the horrid technique.
"Bloodbending." Sokka said quietly. It wasn't a question.
Aang went wide-eyed as Azula squiented. "Bloodbending, what is that?" She asked the same time Aang said, "She swore she would never do it again."
Zuko looked between his two family members-that's what they were to him now- and answered Azula first.
"It's a technique Katara learned while she and the others were hiding out in the Fire Nation-"
"Wait," She turned to Sokka, "You were in the Fire Nation?"
Sokka shook his head, a distant look that Azula didn't like on his face, "Long story, go on."
Zuko shook his head, turing back to his sister. "It's where you bend the blood of someone using waterbending. Like bending the water inside someone."
Azula raised an eyebrow. "As in, making them do what you want, by…"
"Puppetering them? Yeah, that's exactly what it is, Zappy." Toph finished for her.
Azula shuddered herself, finding the mental images terrifying yet intreuging, how would that work? And couldn't it be used for good things?
Aang had been quiet but now looked to Zuko.
"She felt awful after she learned how to do it. Why would she do it again?" He asked, looking soelem.
"She was going through a hard time Aang. You have to respect that. Sometimes our emotions get the better of us. She didn't hurt anyone-we just got the information that we needed and got out of there." Zuko further explained. He hopped Aang understood the importance of backing off when it came to this. Katara was strong. She knew what she had to do, what she needed and how to get it done. Aang couldn't take that away from her.
"Ok…What happened after the…" Azula made a gesture resembling that of a puppeteer, a strange look on her face as she imagined little Fire Nation men dangling from strings attached to her fingers.
"We found out the name of your mother's killer," Zuko said, looking to Sokka, "Yon Ra. He had retired, so we tracked him down to an Island not to far from Ember Island. That's where we found him."
"…And? What happened Sparky!?" Toph asked, getting rather tired of the dramatic pause he kept inserting.
"She faced him. It took him a minute to remember who she was, but once he did he started begging her for mercy." Zuko tried not to smile too proudly at that-this did not go unnoticed by Azula, who watched with satisfaction as he failed to keep the little half smile off his face.
"Was he on his knees?" Sokka asked, darker then he had meant to sound. Now that he had the name of the man that took his mother from him, he had no remorse for him if he did die at his sisters hand.
Zuko chuckled-much to Aang's discomfort- and said, "On his knees, his back, in the mud. It had started raining."
"Ooh. What waterbending moves did she use on him?" Azula asked with piqued interest. She had no personal vendetta aginst this man, other then that he had hurt her new family. Vengence seemed fitting in this case.
Zuko's eyes went wide, "She stopped the rain. Directly above our heads, it created a dome. The she gathered it all up, freezing it into spikes and flung it at-"
"STOP!" Aang shouted abruptly, getting up to his knees and making Toph topple over in the process. Azula caught her.
Meanwhile, everyone looked at Aang in shock, wondering what had caused the outburst.
Toph understood. She had felt the boy's heart rate picking up as Zuko explained in detail what had happened, he didn't want to hear if Katara had killed someone. And if so, how.
"Aang, she didn't hurt anyone." Zuko assured softly-well soft for Zuko anyway. The Avatar swallowed and nodded stiffly, sitting back down slowly. Toph resumed her position on his arm and pinched him. Hard.
"OW! Oh… sorry Toph." He muttered, bowing his head.
"You were saying, Sparky?" Toph asked, turning in Zuko's general direction.
Zuko just shook his head. "She stopped these giant spears made of ice just cintemeters away from his chest. Some of the bigger ones got stuck in the mud around him. When she was done, she just kind of deflated. She told him off for what a horrible person he is and left it at that." He decided to leave out the part where she told him she wanted to end the man's life, thinking it was better if they hear that from her herself.
"So she didn't do it. Good. She let her anger go." Aang concluded, ignoring-or rather, not noticing- the 'are you serious' glares cast his way from the Fire Nation siblings.
"That may be the case," Zuko stated quietly, not trusting his voice to not rise of it's own accord if he didn't keep his temper in check, "But I don't know if she forgave him. And that's up to her to decide."
He stated the last part punctually. He did not want Aang influencing her decision at all. This wasn't about him. He was a good kid, but he couldn't get in the way of others feeling fulfilled.
"Well, that's great, no one died. Did she forgive you?" Azula asked, straight to the point.
Zuko was taken aback for a minute, that same stupid voice in his head- the one that had been reminding him of all he had done to Katara, the one that told him to remember all he had done along with the Captian he was intterogating on the Southern Raiders ship- popped up again.
Did she forgive him? Was that why she was being civil towards him on the way back? Or was that just her emotional drainage from the last two days keeping her from hating him for a while? He had no clue.
He closed his eyes as he said, "It doesn't matter. All that does is that she's safe and satisfyied with what she's done."
Azula and Toph smiled to themselves. So Azula had been right, her brother did have feelings for her friend. This was coming along nicely.
Toph felt Aang tense up again, probably from taking note of whatever Almost-love-struck-but-won't-show-it expression Zuko was wearing.
Sokka was indifferent, apparently not noticing the atmospherical change that occurred within the group.
The rest of the ride was spent in contemplaitive silence.
Toph-in a surprisingly soft gesture, and because she was still feeling the effects of the cold she had just gotten over a day ago(She hadn't told anyone, she was tough, she could take it)- leaned her head drowsily on Aang's shoulder.
Zuko leaned back against the saddle side, watching as Ember Island came into view.
Azula went from looking at everyone on the saddle-lingering on Sokka probably more so then she should have- to looking at the approaching island as well. At least she would get to Katara faster. They needed to talk about their brothers.
Sokka sharpened his boomerang as he waited for Appa to land.
When he did, A thought struck the young heir to the Water Tribe, and he hopped off Appa and ran up to Zuko before he could get to far.
"So…what did you think of all this?"
"Which part?"
"All that Katara did?"
Zuko's eyes went wide again as he shook his head slowly. "This past year, every time we faced off, I never knew she was holding back that much. Or maybe she just wasn't as angry with me directly, but these last two days? Sokka, I realize now, every time I ever went up against 'Tara- I. Could. Have. Died."
Sokka started laughing, glancing over the nickname Zuko shamelessly gave his baby sister, and focused on the hilarious realization Zuko had come to. Katara was a force to be reckoned with.
"I'm pretty sure that was the first time in 3 years I actually feared for my life. And that's saying something, because someone tried to blow me up once." Zuko marvled, shaking his head in wonder yet again. Never again would he underestimate the feisty and yet somehow soft waterbender ever again.
In his life.
His musings were broken when sokka sobered up, about to comment on the fact that Zuko had survived being assinated, when Aang jumped from the saddle and took off, running down the beach and up onto a dock.
Following his line of running, Zuko spotted the airbender's target.
The shilloutte of Katara sitting on the dock with her feet in the water graced the scenery.
Oh no he doesn't. The prince thought, not realizing he was running in the same direction until his feet hit the wood.
He slowed down and caught up with Aang as he came to a stop a few feet behing the waterbender.
"Katara! Zuko told us what you did…or rather, what you didn't do. How are you doing?"
At least he asked how she was feeling.
"I'm doinig fine." She answered softly, eyes still trained ahead of her.
A few more words passed between them-Zuko wasn't really paying attention- he did catch that she told Aang of her desire to end the man, but other then that, he was focused on how she looked.
There was no doubt that she knew he was there, and yet she just looked calm, at peace almost. Pretty. When she stood and turned around, he saw she still looked angry and tuned into to what she was saying.
"I didn't forgive him. I'll never forgive him…" She turned and locked her eyes onto Zuko's.
He met her gaze head on, staring into her endless blue eyes. They were gorgeous, just like she was, and she was saying something.
"But I am ready to forgive you."
And- shocking the life out of him yet again- she walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. He was stunned for a split second, thinking she was going to hit him or something, but ended up wrapping his arms around her mid-section.
We actually fit together… he thought as he subtly squeezed her closer to him. She was soft, and smelled nice. Not like she had just gotten back from a two-day journey of trying to find her mother's killer.
She pulled back, not breaking their eye contact as she smiled and and walked off, letting her hand trail off his shoulder as she left.
He watched her go, wanting to smile and follow after her. She had actually forgiven him! Finaly!
But he remembered who was standing behind him, and turned to address the young Avatar, hopping he didn't notice his teacher's momentary bliss.
Azula helped Toph down off Appa. She then looked down to see Sokka holding out a hand to her.
Hesitently, she took it, ignoring how perfectly their hands seemed to fit together. Once she was off, she just nodded to him and walked off, in serch of a much needed confidant just then.
Then she spotted her.
"Katara." Azula greeted, walking up and surprised the master waterbender by giving her a hug.
Katara reciprocated after a momnet.
"Hey Azula. I trust you kept Toph and Sokka from murdering one another?"
Azula just smiled as she pulled away. "There may be a few brusies. Speaking of," She started, linking her arm with Katara's as they began to follow the others up the beach, "The subject of our brothers needs to be discussed. Amongst us. Tonight."
Katara stopped walking, "Our brothers? Why?"
Azula smirked as she tugged Katara into walking again, "I think you know. We- ah.. ah-"
And out of no where. Azula sneezed.
It would have been funnier, if not for the fact that when she did so, flames shot out of her nose and mouth with such force that it knocked the two benders backward, leaving them to land ungracefully in a tngled heap on the sand.
"What happened?" Zuko asked as he ran up, helping both girls off the ground.
Seeming to harbor absolutely no ill-will towards the prince any longer, Katara started laughing as she pointed to Azula, "Your sister just beat Aang in the worst-sneeze department. I didn't know firebenders sneezed flames!" She started laughing more, watching as Azula rubbed her nose, looking bewildered. Katara didn't realize she was leaning on Zuko for support.
"I didn't know firebenders could sneeze." Azula admitted, sniffing once.
In the Fire Nation, there was a flu that would go around once in a while called the 'summer's flare'. Being from a wealthy and secluded background, Azula had never gotten sick in her life.
There was an incident where Ty-Lee had gotten a nasty case of it one summer. Azula had quarantined herself from the tiny acrobat for a month.
She had never experienced a sneeze before, and found it unpleseant.
"Do people in the Fire Nation not get sick?" Katara asked, standing up and removing her hand from Zuko's shoulder. He had stiffened under her touch at first, but relaxed as she continued to laugh against him. When she stood up he let the arm he had held her up with drop back to his side as she let go of him. No need to push boundries.
"There are some illnesses that make ther way around…but nothing like-that." Zuko said, gesturing oddly to the again sniffiling Azula.
"I'm sure it's just allergies. It is getting to be the 'dry season'." Katara said. She had never experienced said 'dry season' before. In the South Pole, it was always the wet season. But she had heard Toph talking about it every so often. Apparently the small earthbender had allergies that flared up around the same time.
"Allergies…right." Azula said as she re-linked her arm with Katara's and then snatched Zuko's with her other one, leading them both up the path that went from their old private beach to their house.
Once everyone was together again, Zuko released himself from his sister's hold and made his way up the few steps to the door.
He went in easily, the door having been broken by him earlier that month. Apparently, no one had been stupid enough to try and rob the Fire Lord's beach house.
Azula entered after Zuko, eyeing the broken door with little interest until her attention was caught by something else. The entry-way sitting area. She remembered long nights of staying up as a little girl, laughing and playing with Lu Ten and Zuko. She smiled sadly.
Katara entered next, also noticing the door, but saying nothing of it. She glanced around, watching as her new friends slowly walked around-almost as if they were afraid the house would come to life and swallow them.
Toph and Sokka entered, Toph just stood to the side, quietly feeling with her feet the lay-out of the house. Which was a lot bigger then what she would call a 'summer-house' not even her family's was this grand. Then again, they weren't exactly royalty.
"This is nice." Sokka said as he noted all the vast portraits on the walls, some of the Royal family, others of indivisuals that history had forgotten. He noted the sad and dreary atmosphere as soon as he walked in.
"Uh…Who broke your door?" Aang asked from his place in the door-way, rubbing his fingers gently over the splintered wood.
"I did. I didn't have a key." Zuko answered, peering aroung the corner into the large kitchen.
"So, you have been in here since you were a kid." Katara asked.
Zuko shrugged, "Just once, recently. I needed to find stuff to burn."
"Pyromaniac~!" Sokka sing-songed, getting a whack over the head from both Katara and Azula.
"Ow! Hey, Are the rooms this way?" Sooka asked, turning down a corrider opposite of Zuko.
Aang, Toph and Azula followed him, leaving Katara and Zuko standing in the entry. Zuko looked deep in thought as Katara looked around.
She took note of his furrowed eyebrows, the way he seemed to be hunching in on himself-like he wanted nothing more then to just bolt away from this place and never turn back- it was so different from how he usually was. How he usually carried himself. Just so not…him.
She walked up to him slowly, not wanting to startle him-he looked troubled and her instincts, motherly or otherwise were kicking in. She gently rested a hand on his shoulder.
His head snapped in her direction, seeing her gentle face put him somewhat at ease, but he still felt the memories of this place putting pressure on his skull.
"Zuko? Are you ok?" Katara asked, Once more capturing his complete attention just by saying his name.
"I'm fine. Just… no one in my family enjoys coming here anymore…" He sighed and walked off to follow the others, leaving Katara staring at him.
"…including you."
/\
Zuko made his way to the front of the group, stepping up next to Azula as they silently showed their friends around.
After they turned down a corridor, went up some stairs and made their way through another sitting hall, Zuko broke the silence. "This is the wing with all the rooms, We can decide who gets which."
"Well, I'll be taking my old room." Azula stated, making her way down to the third door on the left.
Halfway to it, she stopped and looked over her shoulder, debating something.
Sokka, Katara? Sokka, Katara?...
After a moment of watching the group interact in the hallway, she called out, "Katara. You'll be staying in this room." The young firebender said, pointing to the door she was standing in front of. Second door to the left. It was Lu Ten's old room, and right inbetween her own and Zuko's. All three rooms connected from the inside through side doors, just like the rooms on the other side of the hall.
Azula knew for certain that Zuko would also choose his old room. That was his safe haven whenever they were here as children. Placing Katara between the two of them was perfect. She needed to speak to her almost-sister, and she hoped the rooms of her brother and the waterbender being connected would lead to them growing closer somehow.
She single-handedly planned and carried out the infiltration and take over of an entire nation in less then a week. How much harder could getting two enimes now turned friends into a relationship be?
"Oh..um ok?" Katara said unsurly as she walked up to Azula. The firebending prodigy grabbed her friend's hand and pulled her into the room.
"This used to be my cousin's room." Azula explained, walking deeper into it.
Katara nodded, "Lu Ten."
Azula turned to her, raising an eyebrow, "You've heard of him?"
Katara stopped, then looked sheepish, "Oh… no, Zuko told me about him. He…explained, what happened to your mother." Katara said quietly, unsure of how Azula felt about the matter.
Azula crossed her arms, nodding herself. She was mostly focused on the fact that Zuko and Katara had actually spoken about something. The fact that they both shared about their mothers was fantastic! The two were already closer then she had hoped! But she acknowledged instead the second part of what Katara said.
"Ah. He told you the story of dear mother."
"Were you two close? You and your mother?" Katara asked as she sat herself on the bed.
Azula shrugged and joined her. "Zuko was her favorite. I used to be upset that she found me a little monster. But looking back, she was right- I was certainly a handful."
Katara gasped-what mother thinks their child a monster?- then laughed. "You still are a handful, Azula."
The raven haired girl just sighed loudly and dramatically flopped back onto the mattress. "I know, I know! I'm too much for anyone to handle!"
Katara giggled at the Princess' antics. Looks like she really had opened up.
"Well, our whole group is made up of too-much-to-handle people. So I think you fit right in."
"It's quite the change. I've never really had a true friend. Exept maybe Ty-Lee. At least she hasn't gone insane yet." She said, a little down-trodden. She had accepted the fact that she wasn't popular for who she was, but mabe that would change…
As if reading her thoughts, Katara said, "Well, now you do. You have true friend's now, Azula. And from what you were saying earlier, maybe someone who's more then a friend?" Katara said, grinning suggestively.
Azula's eyes went wide as a blush-she was getting used to blushing- came to her face. "I don't know what you're talking about." She said, turning her head away as katara laughed.
"Come on! You said we need to talk about my brother-"
"Our brothers. This involves you and-"
"Settled in yet?" A new voice said from the doorway. The girls looked over to see Zuko leaning against the frame.
"Girl talk, go away." Azula said, chucking a pillow in the young man's direction and turning back to Katara.
Zuko rolled his eyes. He picked up the discarded pillow and tossed it back. "We're going to the market, do you guys want to come?" He felt weird for asking. It was such a common, simple thing to ask. Given how insane all their lives had been, this almost didn't feel real.
Katara and Azula glanced at one another, shrugged and rolled off the bed.
"So, who got what room?" Katara asked Zuko, walking next to him out into the hallway.
He pointed to the room next to hers, "That one's mine. The three of them are connected." He didn't know if he wanted to strangle or hug his baby sister for putting them in this situation-but nonetheless he strived to keep a nutral face.
Katara nodded, ignoring her suspicion of the set up, and listend as he listed off the rest.
"The one across from Azula's was Ozai's old room. Aang took that one." Katara chuckled, noting the irony of that situation.
"The one next to his was our mother's, Toph took that one. And then the one next to it was my grandfather's, Sokka chose that one."
"What about those two?" Katara asked, pointing at the last two rooms on the right side of the hall.
Zuko shrugged, "My uncle's and a guest room."
Azula approached them and crossed her arms, waitng with them for the others.
Sokka had apparently grabbed Katara's stuff off the saddle, because he placed her sleeping roll in her room before joining the trio.
"Hurry up slowepokes! I'm starving and ready for some real food!" Sokka yelled down the hall to the two youngest members of the group.
"Why don't we eat out tonight? It's getting late, and tomorrow we can buy food for the house." Azula suggested, not really feeling up for helping with cooking.
"Yeah? With what money 'Zula?" Sokka asked, earning a strange look from Zuko and Katara at the use of the nickname.
Azula rolled her eyes, "In case you forgot," she slung an arm over Zuko's shoulders, gesturing to him and herself, "You are travling with royalty. We may be traitors, but we still have our father's money."
"Isn't that strange? Using both the Fire Lord's house and money after he just kicked you out of his nation?" Sokka refuted, watching as Zuko shrugged, causing Azula's arm to fall away.
"We're still his kids. If he has resources, I'm all to glad to use them to our advantage. Not like he needs them anyway."
Katara nodded. "It might help us to blend in too. Just a bunch of tourists, eating out after a day on the island?"
Azula touched her chin in thought as Toph and Aang walked up to them, "Hmm. It will be hard to mistake the Prince and Princess of the Fire Nation for tourists…"
Zuko raised an eyebrow, "No it won't. Remember what happened last time we were here? No one knew who we were."
Azula looked at him, "Don't you remember what happened the last time? We burned a Nobleman's house to the ground after his son kicked us out. I'm sure people will still be talking about that."
"Wait, you burned a house down?" Toph asked, more amused then anything.
"We-we all made bad choices- Azula and I just need desgiuses." Zuko said, embarrassed.
Katara and Aang giggled.
"Better get dressed then Hotmen!"
"Stop with the hundred year old slang!" Zuko begged as he and Azula wondered back to their rooms.
Sokka and Katara watched the pair go, not noticing a smirking Toph.
"Why are your heart's beating so fast, you two?" She asked as innocently as she could, causing the pair to blanch and turn to face her.
"W-what?" Katara stammered out as Sokka just shook his head.
"Yeah, I feel it too. Is everything ok?" Aang asked, stepping up to touch Katara's arm.
The waterbender jerked back and shook her head quickly. "I'm fine! We're fine, right Sokka? I feel fine!"
Sokka nodded his head slowly, wondering what the two had meant. He hadn't felt anything different. He had just been focused on Azula walking away, the way she was moving-her hips swaying as sh-
Oh.
Oh no.
It couldn't be. Could it? He wasn't even over Suki yet!
Or are you? A tiny little voice in the back of his head asked. He tried to ignore it, but recalled to mind how he felt after losing Yue. He had bounced back quick then as well.
Just test the waters for a while. He thought to himself.
"Ready to go?" Sokka turned around, coming face-to-face with a hooded Azula. Wow. She looked pretty in that.
Or not, just jump right in- who cares if you drown?
"Yep!" Katara said quickly as she spotted Zuko-also in a hood- emerging from his room.
"Let's go then!" Aang said as he-unthinkingly- grabbed Toph's hand and started dragging her towards the door.
"Twinkle-toes! I can walk on my own!" She protested as she was hualed over the thresh-hold and down the steps.
"Let's go." Azula said, brushing past Sokka.
Katara rushed up to her side, discreetly leaning towards her, "Hey, what you said- about our brothers-"
She was cut off as Aang-who had apparently spotted the town from atop the hill he was on- shouted out to them, "Hey! Are you guys coming, or what!?"
Katara sighed, "Later." She whispered as she hastened to catch up with the youngest of their little family.
/\
The group made their way into town, weaving through the streets of the market they had wandered into.
Sokka was drawn to every booth that was food related, having to be pulled away by either Katara or Azula every few minutes.
"We're trying to find something we all like." Katara reminded him.
Azula looked around from under her hood, spoting a reletivly empty food hall that looked like it was still open.
"This way." She called, not waiting for the others as she dashed off.
"Azul-uh… Ta-Ming!" Katara yelled after her, having hoped to keep everyone together. She almost called out the girl's real name before remembering she and her brother were wanted fugetives in these parts. She just gave her the first name that popped into her head.
"Ta-Ming? She's going to kill you for that one." Zuko said as he walked up beside her.
Katara sighed, walking after her with Zuko, "She shouldn't just bolt off like that…" She seemed to think for a moment, "Oh, and your undercover name is so much better?" She asked, playfully scowling up at the prince.
He was still getting used to her relaxed side, but took it in stride as he said, "She does what she wants. And Lee is what I go by when I'm not me."
Katara nodded. "Look's like we'll have to be her impulse control. And there are millions of Lee's."
Zuko smirked as he entered the small food place with Katara, "That's why it works." They joined Azula, who was seated at the counter, she was looking over one of the menu's resting on top of it.
Without looking up, she said, "Ta-Ming? That's the best you could come up with?"
Katara chuckled, "Sorry- I kind of panicked. You need to take it easy."
"I'm hungry, this place has food. Simple."
Katara raised an eyebrow, "Logical thinking again?"
Azula put down the menu and smirked in her direction, "Of course. What will you be having?"
Katara picked up the menu, sharing it with Zuko.
"What do they have?"
Sokka, Aang and Toph-the later two still linked by the hand- walked in.
Sokka rushed up to Azula's other side, leaning across her to get a better look at what Katara had
"Ooh, let me see!" He reached for it, but Katara pulled it away, pressing into Zuko's side.
"Sokka! Get your own!" She said, pushing further into Zuko.
Azula leaned forward and rested her elbows on Sokka's back, and her chin in her hands, making it hard for him to get up off the counter.
Aang and Toph walked up to them, taking in the scene- Katara and Zuko were pressed together, the former having put her arm over the back of Zuko's shoulders, a menu in her outdtreached hand, apparently trying to get it as far from Sokka as possible. Zuko had his arm around Katara's waist, helping her to stay balanced.
Sokka was laying, sprawled across the counter, as he pouted in defeat, his eyes trained on the menu behind Zuko's head. Azula was leaning on him, her elbows diggining into his spine as she rested her weight on him.
They all-even Sokka at one point- were grinning and laughing. Aang sat down next to Sokka, and Toph sat next to him.
"Can someone read me the menu?" Toph asked no one in particular, waiting to be heard.
Azula glanced at her and snatched another menu from further down the table-one Sokka had been too lazy to grab for- and handed it to Aang.
He skimmed over the options, reading aloud to Toph some of the things he thought she would like.
Katara pulled her arm from around Zuko's shoulders, choosing to instead lean on one of them. He kept his arm across her back, his hand gripping the back edge of her stool. Katara put the menu between them on the counter, allowing them both to read.
"Do they have anything here that isn't spicy?" Katara asked, looking over her options.
"Let me guess, salty sea salt is what your pallete is accustomed to?" Zuko asked teasingly, earning a light shove from the girl leaning on him. They settled back in and continued reading.
"Ugh. Azula? Can I come up now?" Sokka asked, his torso still pressed to the counter, and the firebender's elbows still digging into his spine.
"Hm. I don't know Water pesant, what would I gain from it?"
"Hey-where I come from, I'm actually royalty." The young heir protested, groaning as Azula simply ignored him and read over the menu.
"Wait, really?" Zuko asked from over Katara's head. Sokka lifted up his own-best he could anyhow- and looked at Zuko.
"Yeah. Our dad is the chief, remember? The Fire Lord equivillant. That makes Me a Prince, and Katara a Princess."
Zuko pulled away from the "princess" to look at her.
"You never said you were royalty." He said, more shocked then accusing.
She just shrugged, eyes not leaving the menu. "Must've slipped my mind."
"Wow. Look at us, the five most influencial people in the world, all eating at a Fire Nation resort resturaunt." Toph said nonchalantly, having decided what she was going to order.
Aang thought for a moment, then said, "Five? There are six of us here."
"Oh, right-sorry, I didn't count you. Avatar does not equal money."
Aang just shrugged, "The monks never really used money. We used trading methods."
"I wonder if the Air cities were still around, if they would still be using trading." Azula wondered aloud.
At that moment, a tall male waiter came up to them.
"Ah, what can I get for all these lovely young couples this eveining?"
All six of the teens blanceh, hurridly shoving away from one another;
"We're not a couple!" Katara and Zuko practically shouted simotenously as they sprang apart, Katara locking her arms to her side and Zuko leaning on the counter in the opposite direction.
"I think you're mistaken." Azula replied smoothly as she lifted hersef from Sokka's back, pushing him off the counter.
She had meant to get him back into his seat, but ended up using more force then necessary- in turn causing the young man to yelp as he tumbled to the ground.
"Oops." Azula said, staring down at him while Toph and Aang laughed-to busy doing so to correct their waiter.
Said waiter just stood there with a shocked yet amused expression painted to his features, "My mistake then. What will you all-seperately- be having?"
With that, the teens ordered.
/\
They finished eating quickly and set on their way back to the summer house, all lounging in the main hall once they arrived, despite having their own rooms to go to.
Time for some fun.
Azula decided to bring up the matter that had caused her to choose a place to eat so quickly earlier that evening. Something Katara had said struck a chord with her, "We are trying to find something we all like." Azula knew she was growing close to these people. But at the same time, they knew next to nothing about one another.
"I think we should play a game." She stated from her perch on the arm of the chair Katara was occupying.
Sokka and Zuko were seated on the floor-sitting on some cushions, with Zuko having his back against Katara's legs and Sokka acrost from him in front of Toph- Toph and Aang shared a love seat.
"A game? Like what?" Sokka asked the same time Aang exclaimed something about liking games.
"Well, I've noticed we are all obviously growing closer," let them take that as they will, "Yet we know nothing about one another. Mai, Ty-Lee and I liked to play this game when we were younger and still getting to know one another. Never have I ever."
Zuko, upon hearing the name, blanched. Yes, he had played that game with them one too many times. And didn't it involve drinking? He remembered his sister being able to hold her Fire Whiskey quite well when she was just a young teen-he didn't want to know how she aquiered that skill- he, however, got extremely wasted at one point and was sure he would never live down the embarrassment of that particular evening.
"What kind of game is it?" Toph asked with a laugh in her voice, "Sparky's heart just picked up like a Kimmodo-Rihno in a stampede." She continued to laugh.
Azula smirked, "Oh, he knows the game quiet well, don't you, Sparky?"
Zuko turned around-ignoring Katara's knees digging into his spine-and glared at his sister. "That night was your fault entirely."
"I'm sure it was actually Mai who suggested the speed-challenge round." Azula recalled, tapping her chin.
"Woah, woah, woah. Back up. How do you play?" Sokka asked, leaning forward.
"The rules are simple," Azula began, "you sit in a circle. Usually the person who initiated the game starts. They make a statement beginning with 'never have I ever' and then they say something they have never done before. If someone in the circle has done it, they take a shot of the offered alcoholic beverage. For example, I would say… 'never have I ever been to the South Pole.' And, those of you in the room that have been would take a shot. The more embarrassing the question, the better. And the person who drank the most after the beverage is gone is the winner. If they know how to hold their alcohol, that is."
"Wait, this a…drinking game?" Aang asked, as if saying the words out loud would get him drunk off his air-scooter.
Toph would have rolled her eyed if she knew how. "Oh come on Twinkletoes. Don't tell me you've never had a drink?"
Zuko raised an eyebrow, "You have?"
Toph shrugged, "I was an only child who wasn't allowed to leave the house-even when my parents went on trips. Who wouldn't take advantage of the endless liquor supply my rich folks had stashed away."
"Toph!" Katara admonished, "That is so irresponsible!...But, I would definitely do the same thing."
"This is insane!" Aang protested, "we have a war to focus on winning, and all you're thinking of is getting drunk?!"
"Not necessarily, it all depends on how well you can hold your drink." Azula added on.
Aang just groaned as Sokka boasted, "I'm about to beat all of you! We have this drink in the South Pole-Moon Water?- That's some of the strongest stuff in the world. And I've had some."
"Some of my crew used to drink that- they would be knocked out for hours- how could you have held it better then them, Sokka?" Zuko asked doubtfully.
Sokka shrugged, "Must be the worrior in me."
"As if!" Katara said, laughing, "Bato gave you one medium flask, you took three gulps, passed out, woke up 20 minutes later and ended up puking on Gran-Gran!" She exclaimed, Azula joined in her laughter at the mental images.
Sokk spluttered, "I-I Was young back then! Ok?! I can hold it much better now, thank you very much!"
"Right." Toph said, the same doubt Zuko had lacing her voice as well.
"Well…You guys go ahead. I don't wanna play." Aang said as he stood.
Protests were heard around the room as he walked off, waving, "No, no. It's alright-I-I'm actually pretty tired." He said, faking a yawn.
The rest just shrugged it off.
"Well then, let's get started- I wanna see who of you sissy's has the most embarrassing backstories to drag up! What kind of alcohol do they got here?" Toph started, enthused.
"I believe our dear parents may have left some Fire Whiskey in the cellar. Zuko, would you please?" Azula asked, Zuko rolled his eyes but stood anyway.
"Ooh! I'll come with!" Sokka volunteered, jumping up as well.
As the boys got the drinks and glasses, the girls made small talk, not wanting to reveal much before the game got started.
Soon, Zuko and Sokka returned, Whiskey and glasses in hand. Sokka took Aang's previous seat as Zuko laid out the game's poision.
"Alright," Azula said once everything wa laid out, "Let's get started."
A/N: Wow that was a lot longer then I thought it was, but maybe you all liked it? Let me know! They will be getting into the game next chapter! Stay tuned!
Writer out! ~0-0~