Chapter 10: Viral
"And now, I have the privilege of sharing one of the most heartwarming acts of kindness I've ever heard, introducing none other than my dear friend, Azula."
Azula took a deep breath, steadying herself. "Well… here goes nothing."
Ty Lee pivoted her phone, and with that, her entire livestream audience. "You've got this," she mouthed, smiling and nodding encouragingly.
If life had taught her anything, it was how to put on a brave face. Azula fixed her gaze directly on the ring-lit camera and spoke clearly and confidently.
"Hello, everyone. I'm Azula, and if I'm at all familiar, it's because, yes, I'm that Azula. I'm Governor Ozai's daughter. I'm not going to sugarcoat it. My father committed unspeakable crimes. His thirst for power blinded him, and in the pursuit of dominance, he caused immense suffering. I cannot deny his actions, nor will I try to. I'd like to acknowledge the pain he caused and to apologize to all those who suffered because of him. But that is not why I'm speaking to you today. I'm here to tell you a story about a genuinely selfless individual."
The idea to help Sokka's family through Ty Lee's YipYap platform hit her on her flight back home.
"Imagine this: I'm in a city I've never been to, got robbed, and left stranded without my phone or money. Total nightmare, right?"
It wasn't her usual language, but Ty Lee had coached her on how to connect with her followers.
"But here's where the magic unfolds. Enter Sokka, a brilliant student and Airlyft driver who was nothing short of a guardian spirit that day. Not only did he drive me around at no cost, but he also offered a listening ear and a shoulder to lean on. He drove me to the phone store, and when I inevitably was turned away for not having any money, he was right there waiting for me. He took me to the police station, where he stood up against a misogynistic cop on my behalf. He treated me to coffee and let me use his phone so I could call my brother, who was able to trace my phone to an AirShare. And with the help of a different officer – shout out to Officer Toph – we successfully recovered my belongings from the thief. Sokka went above and beyond to help me. But get this…"
She looked down for a moment and then back into the camera.
"Sokka is going through a tough time. His mom is battling cancer, and the medical bills are piling up. I'd like to pay him back, no… I need to pay him back. I don't know what I would have done if Sokka hadn't been my driver that day. So, please, join me in supporting him and his mom. I've set up a BendAid – the link is below. Let's come together as a community and show some love. Every dollar makes a difference. Thank you so much for listening, and even if you can't or choose not to donate, I hope you'll at least take away this message: You never know what someone is going through, so please, be kind. After all, if I've learned anything from my adventure with Sokka, it's that strangers aren't really strangers. We're all connected."
Bouncing with excitement, Ty Lee concluded her livestream and tackle-hugged Azula. "You did awesome!"
"Thank you," she exhaled. "I was so nervous."
"It didn't show at all. You're a natural."
She smiled. "So… what do we do now?"
"Breathe," Ty Lee said, squeezing Azula's shoulders. "Now we play the waiting game."