A/N: Wow! I'm late- my bad, here have a chapter!

Chapter 23: Spoof Pt.1

Azula was feeling much better. After Katara had returned from her bending practice that night, she had gently awoken the still sleeping firebender and gave her the rest of the vial's contents. After a few hours her fever was broken completely and she was able to rest soundly for the night.

Katara had slept in her own borrowed room that night-making sure the canvas on the wall was still in place and covering the peephole- and woke up the next morning, ready to start the daily grind.

"Morning." Azula said as Katara entered the dining area. The Princess was reading over some scroll she had found in her shelves-an old report of her training and academic achivments from the Fire Nation Academy for Girls- whilst resting against the low-sitting table where they usually ate.

"Hey. Looks like you're doing better today." Katara commented off-handedly as she started opening up drawers and cabinets in search of the utensils she would need for making breakfast.

"I have a strong immune system, apparently." Azula muttered as she continued reading through the scroll.

"No sickness shall stop the great Princess of the Mighty Fire Nation!" Toph claimed, appearing in the doorway. Feeling the position said Princess was sitting in, and practically smelling the focus rolling off her, she asked, "Whatcha reading, Zappy?"

Azula groaned and dropped the scroll. "Some old schooling reports from my early years." She explained, pushing her fingers into her forehead in exasperation. Toph plopped down next to her.

"That bad?"

Azula rolled her eyes, "I'm just now finding that my teachers had no idea as to why my fire is blue. The Fire Lord told me it was because of my skill set, it was a gift or something like that. But it would appear he only told me that to do what he does best, lie about something to make either himself or his lineage look more impressive." Azula scowled. How had she never caught that? Of course no one would know where this blue fire came from- it was unheard of. And of course Ozai would only take it as an opportunity to show how unique and talented his offspring was. Flattering, but she thought he knew where it had come from. Now it was just a mystery.

"Blue fire?"

"Huh? Oh… my fire is at a higher level of intensity then Zuko's, so it looks different. At least that's what I've been told this entire time."

"Why is this coming up just now?" Katara asked from the kitchen, not pausing in her work as she spoke.

"This old scroll is from when I first began exhibiting the ability to bend blue flames. It must have confused my instructors- according to the report, nothing like this has ever been seen before."

"Well, why is that such a bad thing? You're unique, it makes you who you are!" Toph encouraged, knowing all too well what it felt like to be different.

"It's nothing bad I suppose, I just don't like finding that I've been lied to. Especially when it has to do with me directly. Now I'm prepared to find out why my fire is blue." Azula declared, cupping her chin in thought.

"Maybe I could help with that!" Aang said cheerily as he literally flew into the dinning area. "Morning!" He said after coming to a stop across from Toph.

"And how do you suppose that would work?" Azula asked as she picked up the scroll once more.

"Easy. I'm the Avatar. I can just ask one of the…past…" Aang grew quiet and his cheery smile fell when he remembered why that would be impossible.

After a moment of silence, he perked up again, "Well, there's always more then one way! Besides, we already saw that Fire can be pretty much any color. That's what the dragons showed us, rememeber?"

Azula gave a sad half smile at her student, "Yes, I remember. I just want to know what else I've been lied to about."

Aang shrugged as Zuko entered. "Morning," He said rather sleepily, his bed-head almost rivaling Toph's.

The group chorused back their greetinings as he moved into the kitchen to help Katara.

The last one to arrive was Sokka.

He instantly perked up at seeing Azula. He all but charged over to where she was sitting and plopped down next to her.

"Glad to see you're feeling better!"

Azula glanced at him, then back down at the scroll, desperately fighting to keep an unwarranted smile off her face. "Yes, much better."

He, too, looked at the parchment in her hands and leaned over her shoulder to get a better look. "What's that? Fire Lord-y stuff? Ohh does it have to do with throwing over your father by any chance? You know I've been thinking-maybe we could just send Toph after him. Oh! Aren't you still in control of the Dia Lee? Maybe they could help!"

Azula-not at all fazed by the proximity of his lean body- huffed and dropped the scroll. Turning to face him she asked, "Do you have an off button?"

"No, he doesn't. Trust me, I've tried to find it." Katara said, walking up to where they were sitting. "I need you two to go into the market to get some things? If you're up for it."

Sokka sat straight up, "Shopping? Of course I'm up for that!"

Azula rolled her eyes, but nodded along anyway. She wouldn't mind spending some alone time with Sokka, In fact-

Wait a second.

She looked to Katara, who was smiling at her brother, and got the distinct impression that this girl was up to something.

Then it hit her once their conversation from two nights ago resurfaced in her memory.

Was Katara really trying to set her and Sokka up? That sneaky little… Well. Two could play at this game.

"You know, Tara," She began, drawing out the name, "I was actually hoping to stay here and help Aang with bending today. Lightning generation and all. Why don't you and Zuzu go instead?"

Katara blanched, then narrowed her eyes at Azula. Oh, so she had discovered her thinly vailed plans for her brother and the Princess. Now she was trying to turn the tables. It was on.

"I need to stay to help him with waterbending."

"Well, I think he needs to focus on Fire more at the moment."

"Great! Then Zuko can help him."

"I meant lightning."

At this, Zuko stepped up, "Sokka and I could-"

He was abruptly cut off as both girls shushed him.

"No, no. I think Azula and Sokka should go. After all, Sokka always knows what to shop for in the food department. I'm more of an economic shopper." That was a lie, but Azula didn't need to know that.

"Well, I would be of no help. My food has always been shopped for and prepared for me. I wouldn't know the first thing about shopping for a family dinner."

"Well, this will be a great learning experience then. Besides, you and Zuko have the money."

"That can easily be re-arranged." As if to prove her point, Azula reached under a fold of her shirt, pulling out a sizable pouch. She set it on the table next to Sokka. She smirked at Katara.

The waterbender didn't back down. She was going to win this. "I need to prepare food for the day. What's the harm of taking a little break Azula? You should take things easy- you did just get over being sick. Maybe a walk around town is what you need. Fresh air, and all and- no, don't! Do not look at your brother- Like I said, Sokka already knows what to shop for."

Azula stared Katara down. She knew she had lost, but a little intimidation went a long way. Even when it was all a bluff- like she would ever willingly hurt Katara again.

Katara stared right back. She used to fight Sokka for the last piece of seal jerky when they were kids. This was child's play.

Toph, Aang and Zuko all stood still, wondering who would come out on top. Both of these girls were forces to be reckoned with. Prodigies with special abilities going head to head. And over something so seemingly trivial, too.

After about a minute of blank silence, Azula growled and looked away. Katara smirked in triumph as the Princess re-clasped her pouch under her shirt. "Fine. I'll go."

"Thank you. Oh, and don't be gone too long. Aang still needs to practice with lightning today." Katara giggled as she turned away, leaving a mortified Azula and a confused Sokka in her wake.

"Why did I agree to this again?" Azula asked for the fifth time in the hour as she and Sokka made their way from booth to booth, looking at all there was to look at.

"Come on 'Zula. Loosen up a little!" He said as he threw his arm over her shoulders, "We've all been going and going non-stop for the past month. This is the least we should be able to do." he claimed as he released her to admire a necklace made of some purple stone, hanging from a golden strip of ribbon.

Hmm.

"Winding down when we are so close to Sozin's comet is the one thing that we should not be doing. We should be training Aang-and ourselves- to face Ozai when the time comes."

"We have plenty of time. Besides, I't not like you won't be stronger during the comet either. You could probably take Ozai down all on your own. You and Zuko both. That's what the comet does, right? Makes firebenders like 100 times stronger?"

Azula smiled a little at the compliment in there somewhere and gave a hum of agreement as she moved on to the next booth. Sokka followed a minute or so later. Something, however, caught his attention along the way.

He stopped and back tracked a bit, coming to a stop in front of a poster hanging on a wodden beam.

"Hey, check this out!" He called back to Azula, watching as she turned and made her way back to him.

"What is it? I thought we were getting food."

"Look." Sokka said simply and pointed at the poster.

"The Ember Island Players. Ugh. They are the worst scrap-group, lousy excuse for entertainment I've ever seen. Even Zuko would agree. They made a fool of themselves year after year with…what was it again? 'Love Amongst the Dragons'. Mother used to force us into going."

"Yeah, well, this time it's about us! Maybe it will be worth it." Sokka exclaimed as he took the poster down and rolled it up.

Azula was beginning to question her choice in men.

After returning from the market, Sokka and Azula entered the courtyard where the others were training.

"Look what we found!" Sokka yelled, rushing further into the courtyard.

"What he found. I was opposed to it." Azula muttered as she followed closely behind him.

Sokka unrolled the poster and held it out for the group to see. "It's a play about us!"

He proceeded to read the description and who was credited for the production. When Zuko heard who was presenting the play, he groaned.

"My mother used to take us to see them every year. They butchered 'Love Amongst the Dragons'."

"That's what I said. But he insists we go." Azula added, sitting next to her brother on the fountain.

At this, Katara pipped up, "Sokka, are you sure it's a good idea to attened a play about ourselves?"

"C'mon! This is the kind of wacky, time-wasting nonsense I've been missing!"

"We don't have time to waste." Azula said, glaring at Sokka half-heartedly.

"Well," Aang said stepping up, "We did just get done with some pretty intense training… maybe a break would be good. What time is it?"

Sokka looked over the poster again. "Two hours after sun-down."

Azula pursed her lips, looking over the hopeful faces of her family. Eventually, she conceded. "Fine. But you will be training non-stop until we get ready to leave." She declared, pointing at the Avatar.

He smiled and rubbed his arm. This was going to be a long day.

A/N: Anyway, sorry for the late post- life is time-consuming! Hope you all liked it, please let me know! Your comments really make me happy! I'll try to get the next chapter up as soon as possible.

Writer out!

~0-0~ *Water Tribe*