Azula's Room, 3 Days Later

Azula numbly sat on her bed, seemingly lost in thought as she put her head down, her arms lying limply at her side. To all who saw her, it would seem as though she was completely defeated, and, in a sense, they were right. So much had gone wrong so quickly that it would leave most anyone lost.

Her ears perked slightly at the slight scuffle from outside her room, or more accurately her prison. Considering the fact that there were guards stationed outside to keep her in, the description was very accurate. She sat silent and unmoving as the guard dutifully checked in on her. It lasted no more than a couple of seconds before he turned around and closed the door, his job finished for now. The princess waited until she felt him moving back to his station outside her room before she lifted her head.

She knew that she looked like a mess. Her hair was uncharacteristically messy, not even held in the customary top knot she always wore. The dark rings under her eyes and her pale skin gave away how little sleep she had gotten the past three nights since she had been locked in. She had been avoiding looking at any mirrors out of a desire to not see her current state, but she knew the truth all the same. It was to be expected after all.

There was only so much she could do without the use of her arms.

The prodigy glared at her currently useless chi-blocked arms, gritting her teeth as she silently willed them to move. As she had expected, there was not so much as a twitch. It made sense after all. It wouldn't make a very good method of restraining prisoners if willpower was enough to undo their restraints.

Unless the process had been done wrong, which was very unlikely, she would not be able to move them until the effects went away. It had only been an hour since she had last been chi-blocked, and she knew that the effect would likely hold for another two hours. By the time that happened, she would already be receiving the treatment once more.

It was unbelievably frustrating.

Azula was no stranger to chi-blocking. Ty Lee had long ago taken up the art in an effort to differentiate herself further from her sisters. Years ago when their friendship was still very tentative, even more so than the 'Pre Sora' days, the excitable girl had babbled about how 'awesome' the techniques were and, as the naturally curious girl she was, Azula had offered herself as a testing dummy. The experience had been unpleasant, but it had been how she realized that there was plenty more to the world than just bending.

Though she had never attempted to learn the art herself, focussed as she was on mastering her bending (and sure her father would not approve) she had studied it almost as intensely as Ty Lee herself. Part of that studying had been getting her friend to use it on her several times over the years to gauge both how it felt and how long the effects could last. The relevant answer to the latter question was that it depended.

Chi-blocking was an art that blocked a person's chi (obviously), the energy that flowed through everyone and everything. It targeted pathways in the body where chi flowed, cutting them off to inhibit both movement and bending. While it would normally not last long, the effects increased dramatically the more someone's pathways were blocked. Since the natural flow of chi reopened the closed pathways, it followed that the more pathways that were blocked, the weaker the river would be and thus the longer for the effects to end. While several factors, such as the strength of someone's chi flow, made exact measurement practically impossible, that rule was consistent.

That was the situation she found herself in, her freedom even more restricted than it would have been in a cell.

Uncomfortable as it all was, she much preferred the times it was Ty Lee who used it on her. The safety and trust she felt in the presence of her friend, knowing the girl would never take advantage of her prone form, was much preferable to the current arrangement she found herself in. Getting chi-blocked by some stranger, being allowed to feel the strength slowly return to her body, just for the feeling to be taken away once more was almost maddening.

"Thank you so much Zeisan," The girl murmured irritably, cursing her great grand-aunt for what felt like the thousandth time that day. She just had to support a movement that was creative enough to spread a martial art style centered around debilitation to the Fire Nation. Inspirational as she thought her aunt's story was, she would have rathered it didn't come with the side effects of giving people a way to restrain powerful benders. Or at the very least not giving people a way to restrain her.

Yes, it would be very easy to say that Azula was defeated. Trapped in a room, surrounded by guards, unable to use her greatest tool, and isolated from her other half. The situation looked hopeless, and more than once everything seemed too overwhelming to try to fight back. It would be all too easy for her to give up, but…

That simply wasn't an option.

Raising her head, Azula's golden eyes seem to glow with determination. Though her appearance was in disarray, and a large bruise had formed on her cheek, she had never been as resolute as she was now. Even if her arms were useless to her, she would have to do something, anything to save herself and, even more importantly, Sora. They could take her arms from her, but they couldn't take her mind.

So, she started to do what she did best. In between comforting Sora and the routine guard checks, she plotted.

The first step was to lay out everything she knew. When she had first been caught, she had been too overwhelmed by everything happening to properly process everything. Now that she had time to think, she realized that there were some advantages she still had. Her father had been incredibly forthcoming, likely believing that he knew everything and too furious to care, but that just showed what he did not know.

He had been livid at her for keeping Sora a secret, for caring for a dragon (a creature that he could not stand), and attempting to fight him for her. His fury had been real, there was no denying that, but the look on his face when she had attempted to attack the guards to escape… He knew that she had lied to him, but he did not anticipate her outright treacherous actions. While it had seemed insignificant to her at the time, now it revealed what could be her salvation.

Ozai did not know about the secret hiding place she had. Along with the saddle that was hidden, there also lay her bags that were packed with pouches for coin and clothing. If that wasn't easy enough to guess her plans, then the scrolls that she had written would be clear enough for a blind man to see the truth. Masterful liar he may be, she doubted he could keep such information to himself. He would likely gloat about finding her out, before doing something far worse than locking her in her room.

No, he still believed her loyal to him when he had called her to that meeting. Even now, after she reacted as volatilely as she did, he would believe her loyal to him. Her father wouldn't accept that the person, the tool, that he had spent so much effort on could betray him so thoroughly. His pride would blind him to the worst possibilities because even if she was not loyal out of admiration, she would be out of fear.

'After all, why would I choose a silly lizard over his benevolence? That would be silly wouldn't Sora?' She felt the dragon huff in slight amusement, but the dreary feeling coming from their bond revealed the dragon's persisting feelings. It was clear that what had happened had taken its toll on her companion, even greater than it did on her.

While Azula was confined to her room and restrained with her chi-blocking, Sora was much worse off. Heavy chains and shackles weighed her down, ensuring that she would remain grounded for the foreseeable future. The muzzle on her face that deprived her of her greatest weapon, along with the multitude of guards around her only solidified that fact.

In truth, the terrible treatment her dragon was receiving was what hurt the most. The pain she felt from being hit by her father paled in comparison to the agony she felt burning within as her dragon was taken down. She had been powerless to help, and the knowledge that it was all her fault only made it worse.

Still, there was no time to dwell on such things. While she may have failed before, that didn't have to be repeated. She would do better, be better if it meant that Sora could be safe and happy once more. She basked in the sudden bloom of happiness that she felt from the bond, perfectly being able to hear the gentle croon she received even from this far away.

She reluctantly pulled away from the comforting feeling, her mind once more trying to lay out some type of plan. 'So, if they didn't find my hiding place, then that has to be the end goal.' She thought to herself, trying to find out how they could reach that. 'Sora was taken away from the clearing not long after her capture. It's likely that most, if not all, searches in that area are done. If we could just get there, I doubt we would face resistance.'

Of course, getting there as they were now was practically impossible, and would only give away her hand when the attempt failed. They needed an opportunity, some type of chance. As it was now things were all but hopeless without it, but…

Her father never was the type to leave well enough alone.

Azula felt him long before he opened the door. Since she had found out that she had been caught due to her carelessness, she had been pushing her resonance to its max. It was made easier by her being largely unable to move, but more than that she was determined to eliminate its weaknesses.

Her burgeoning skill in passive resonance aside, the technique required focus to maintain, something that was all too easy to relax or drop completely. By keeping it up at all times she hoped to minimize that need to focus and to stretch it out further than. Even now, after only a couple of days of constant training, the ease at which she could use the skill was getting easier, even if it was still far from becoming secondary like eyesight and hearing. Small steps paved the way to victory after all.

At least according to her kooky uncle. Whether he was right was something she had yet to figure out.

With her resonance, she was easily able to track her father through the palace, his uniquely powerful inner flame serving as a beacon she would home in on. It was how she felt him making his way to her room, her eyes opening just as her door opened, revealing the intimidating sight of the Firelord.

"Pleasure seeing you here Father," Azula greeted almost cheerfully, ignoring the growling she felt from the back of her mind. Her father's presence was intimidating, but she could not let that show now. Her father would smell out her weakness faster than a seal shark if given the chance. "Come to check on my wellbeing? I admit I could be doing a little better." She gave a pointed nod to her limp arms at that.

Her father visibly bristled at her attitude, his hand seeming to twitch for a moment before he took a calming breath. "Don't speak so arrogantly Azula. Your future in this nation is uncertain enough as is." His glare met seemingly indifferent golden eyes. He took a moment to look into them, noting the slight differences between their eyes. The gold in her eyes was slightly deeper, almost seeming to glow. He had always thought them the same as his own, but the contrast was clear.

She was not the same as him, a fact he was learning quite abruptly.

Azula inwardly frowned at the close call, easily recognizing the telltale sign that he would swing at her. He was more on edge than she thought he would be. "Oh?" She would need to walk and balance during this interaction. Provoke him enough to reveal more information about his plans, but not enough to react explosively. "Please, tell me what my future is looking like then."

"Don't play games," He snapped, beginning to pace around her sizeable room. "Hiding a filthy dragon, attacking your guards, lying to me." He snarled at that, his words only making his fury grow. "Now you sit here acting like an imbecile who hasn't just jeopardized everything you have worked for."

He stopped pacing beside her bed, his eyes focused on the nightstand adjacent to him. Or rather, his eyes were focused on the golden, flame-shaped headpiece that signified her position as the crown princess. He picked it up carefully, almost as if it were something Agni gave.

"I was never meant to be Firelord. I worked for years to achieve what I have," Ozai began quietly, his gaze still transfixed on the gleaming headpiece. "I trained, made deals, lied, cheated, and even killed to become what I am today. I thought that you were the same."

Azula felt the urge to respond, but the sheer disappointment from his words brought her short. Even now as much as she despised the man before her, after he had put her in this hopeless situation she currently found herself in, she felt her chest tighten at the tone. She had lived so much of her life with the singular goal to do as her father wanted, to be perfect for him. She could not deny that his opinion still mattered to her, even if only in the slightest way.

"My father never gave me an opportunity, Azula. I was simply a spare to Iroh, despite being a better bender and leader than him." He moved to stand in front of her, holding up the headpiece in such a way that it reflected the sun's light, creating a breathtaking rainbow of colors. "I would have never been given the chance despite being more than worthy of it, so I took it."

Azula had known that her grandfather's death was no tragedy, despite what the fire sages had declared it. She had heard the conversation between her father and him after all, she knew what was at stake that night. It was not hard to see the connection between his death and her mother's disappearance, even if the exact details illuded her. Still, this was the first time she had heard her father speak of the event, practically confirming his role in Azulon's death.

It was almost comical for him to be furious at her 'treachery' when he had so proudly killed his own father. The depressing fact that she was more surprised that he brought it up than the deed itself killed any amusement she would have felt at the hypocrisy. 'Why does my family have to be so messed up Sora?'

The incredulous snort she received in return, almost as though Sora was saying, "How should I know?" caused her lips to twitch, something her father evidently didn't miss as he snarled once more, tossing the headpiece onto her lap.

"I wanted things to be different for you Azula. You were perfect! A prodigy bender, a genius, and not weak like the rest of them. We were so alike, but you could have been even better." He began pacing once more, his voice rising the longer he spoke. "I gave you every opportunity that I had wanted, the ones I never would have received from my father! I knew that you could grow to be my equal, someone who could rule at my side and lead this nation to the greatness it was always meant to have."

Azula clamped her mouth shut to keep the refusal from escaping her, to keep from saying that she did not want any of that. Where once the dream of ruling over the Fire Nation had ensnared her almost every thought, that time was long passed. What good was ruling over a nation compared to what she had found with Sora? How could she give up the greatest thing to have ever happened to her for something so minor?

It was the dream of the man before her, one he had impressed upon her by feeding her lies and carefully thought-out half-truths. Any desire she had left for the title and the power it offered withered away as she looked on at the 'Great' Firelord.

"Instead you choose this," He sneered as he gestured to her slumped form and disheveled appearance. "To waste away playing with animals instead of being the guiding light that you were meant to be. You try to run from your destiny when the world could be at your very fingertips!" He stopped his pacing to face her head-on, his arms clasped behind his back as he rose to his full height. She found her eyes locked on his stone-like expression, taken aback by the sudden change.

It seemed that the time for convincing was over.

"It is time to make your choice, Azula." He said quietly, the words seeming to echo around the room. "Accept your role and quit this childish tantrum, or suffer the consequences that come with failure."

This was it. The moment that she came to the crossroads of fate that would change her life forever. It felt like the night that she had first met Sora, then again the night that they had bonded together, and once more when she had entered the Dragonbone Catacombs. Somehow this felt even greater than all of those other times, like the world was resting on her shoulders. Despite the sureness she felt previously in her choices, the sheer magnitude felt overwhelming.

She froze.

It wasn't that she was hesitant to choose Sora, she would always do so without hesitation. It was vocalizing her choice, knowing full well the consequences that were awaiting the end of such decisions, the ones she had feared since the day she had met Sora. If she chose now, then that was it. Any chance of escaping would be null, one way or another. Everything that she had feared over the past years since this game of lies had begun was on the horizon and it felt impossible for words to escape her now.

Luckily she didn't have to.

Ozai's face hardened at her hesitation, his eyes narrowing when the expected acceptance never came. A low growl seemed to build up at the lack of loyalty, and he quickly turned his back to march towards the door. It looked as though he had come to some kind of decision, like he finally figured out what to do to solve a puzzle. "If the decision is truly so difficult then please take your time daughter."

He opened the door, turning his head to meet her still form once more. "You have but three days daughter. Make your choice wisely." With that he slammed the door shut, leaving Azula alone once more to her thoughts.

For a second, the world seemed to be completely still as silence enveloped her once more. The princess waited for a moment, idly feeling her father walking away through her resonance before she sighed. "Well… that could have gone better." She said to herself after a moment, allowing herself to slump further than before.

She was standing on the precipice now. There were two paths laid out before her and either one would cause everything to change. It was an odd thing to feel. It was terrifying, not having any idea where her life was headed. Terrifying, but also… exciting. Her whole life had been practically laid out before her since her birth, since her father had taken such an interest in her development. That plan was now completely derailed, had been since she had first met Sora. Now she needed a new plan, one that she was free to make all on her own.

'Well, maybe not completely alone.' She softly smiled to herself, feeling the agreement from her companion. "And it looks like we'll get the chance we need to do it."

Her soft smile turned into a devious smirk as she thought over his last words. Three days. That's how long her father gave her to make a 'decision', to decide that she was loyal to him. It might have seemed benevolent, but this was her father and she knew him well. He never did things without ulterior motives, and this would be no different.

When he had walked into her room he hadn't known what to expect. A loyal daughter or a traitor, a crown princess, or a girl willing to throw the title away. Even with her defiance, he still didn't believe that she would be willing to forfeit that position, that anyone would do that to the position he so coveted. No, when he had walked in he did not know what he would do with her.

Now, that was no longer the case.

That look on his face as he walked, the determined expression that he would allow her to 'choose' her path… he was almost too obvious. He was insulted by her actions, similar to what he felt for Zuko but this was different. Unlike Zuzu he wanted her to stay by his side and there was one thing preventing that. Or rather someone.

He needed Sora gone to ensure her loyalty, but he had no intention of killing her dragon. From the start he had wanted the dragon detained, to be immobilized but unharmed. It was the reason behind her surrender, knowing that her father did not intend to have Sora just be killed.

Whatever he was planning, it revolved around Sora being in stable condition, and that meant… 'We still have a chance Sora. We just need to sit tight for three days, then we'll have our chance.'

Her smirk grew larger as her father left the range of her resonance, heading in the direction she felt her other half at. She closed her eyes to delve into their bond and push it to its limit.

Somehow she felt her dragon would be getting a guest soon.

Later That Day, Outside Capital City

Ozai had to work to keep his expression neutral as he exited the Royal Palanquin, though he felt it was a losing battle. He could see the help lightly shying away from him once they caught sight of his expression. Even his guards, loyal as they were, were not exempt from these actions even if they did better at hiding it. He felt his lip sneer at that word.

Loyalty.

Most of the subjects beneath him, from servants to generals, to the dwindling family he possessed, he expected very little true loyalty. He had played the game of politics too long in this nation to believe anyone truly loyal beyond their interest, whether that be the safety of their family or the deepening of their pockets. Even his inner circle of war generals and advisors was not exempt from this fact.

In truth, he preferred it this way. It was easy to buy a man's loyalty when you knew what made them tick. A legislation here, a deal struck there, and a sum of coin were all valid currency in this Nation, something his foolish brother could never understand. Iroh had always believed in loyalty through love and kindness, even before he became the abject failure that he was now.

No, he knew that loyalty was a fickle thing, a mere tool that could be wielded by those who were smart enough to do so. He had never expected loyalty from his father, his brother, his wife, not even his foolish son, but…

She was different.

His daughter had been special from the moment he had first laid eyes on her. Unlike Zuko, who had come into the world quietly with closed eyes and no spark, her birth was truly special. Born on the summer solstice at the height of the sun, she had come into the world screaming, as if announcing her presence to the world. Even as tiny as she was, he knew that she was it. The result of years of work and prophecy coming to fruition.

His daughter, a true child of Agni born between the union of the strongest firebender line and the granddaughter of the last avatar. Just as the Fire Sages had foretold, a great power was born.

He remembered when he had first held her, the first person to do so after the nurse had delivered her. Her eyes, so similar to his own, had been a bright gold, deeper than any he had seen before and in her first cries, she had created her first flame. It was a fluke, one that kept occurring until she was able to start harnessing that power, but it was a sign.

He gave her his attention for years, for there was no project more important. He had given her the best tutors, stomped out the weakness her mother would only have cultivated, and taught her her first bending forms. When she was in tears because her mother was unable to see her greatness he had been the one to stand her back up and tell her to keep her head high.

She was a monster just as he was. It was what made them different from others, what made them better. He had thought that she embraced the title, that she would give up on any of those silly notions of love especially when her mother 'disappeared.'

Unfortunately, it seems that she only turned that childish craving to another source.

A filthy creature that should have long since been killed. It figured. Why had he thought the dragons were truly gone just because his brother had killed the 'last one'? 'He's never done anything right,' He thought to himself derisively, barely keeping his face neutral and mask his true thoughts. 'Why would he ever be useful? Iroh, failure to the very end.'

When he had been told by that guard, Chin or what have you, he hadn't believed him. Not even now that they had captured the beast and detained Azula. Truthfully, he still struggled to believe all that had happened.

'Well,' he thought as he followed the man, likely some captain, in front of him, 'Seeing is believing.' He gracefully walked down the uneven terrain, sneering as he saw the loose dirt. As disgusting as it was, those people were incredibly useful for situations like this.

"How much further is it?" He asked imperiously, not bothering to mask the impatience he was feeling. This day was already trying enough as is without this trip outside the city. Though he knew it was necessary, if for no other reason than to make everything feel real.

"It is just a little farther, my lord. Just around this bend is where the… workers are." The distaste in the captain's words was clear, but Ozai ignored them. The disgust mirrored his own just like it did for all true citizens in their nation. Idly he wondered if his daughter felt the same before he shook the thought off with a barely restrained snarl.

The action caused the procession around him to tense, and the captain minutely quickened his pace. Within a minute they came upon a flare area with several tents set up around a large temporary camp. The need for such an arrangement was made clear by the echoing roar that came from outside the camp, followed by several screams.

"We are here, My Lord."

Ozai didn't acknowledge the man's words with so much as a nod as he stalked forward, several guards and soldiers moving to flank him in a protective gesture. Should the need arise they were prepared to give their lives. Though he wouldn't admit it even to himself, the gesture did relieve him if only slightly.

Most people would not advise getting close to an angry dragon after all.

He made his way to the far end of the camp where a large structure stood in the shape of a dome. The size was massive, easily being able to encompass the ballroom inside the Royal Palace which was considerable. Though its size was impressive, the dull, ugly stone exterior gave it a rather distasteful contrast. Ozai felt himself sneer as he watched men, bound in chains to prevent escape, stomped on the ground to continue adding to the structure.

"I see the dirt-bending savages are hard at work," Ozai commented as he watched one of the men trip over the chain on his leg. The resulting whip strike he received to his back caused the Firelord to smirk. "They are quite efficient when they have the thinking done for them." The quip earned him snickers from the posse around him, even if some seemed rather forced.

Taking earthbenders as slaves had been a practice since the very beginning years of the war, 'Spoils' as Sozin had called them. While their 'bending' was primitive, the gains that could be received from it were considerable. Farming, mining, and construction were made far easier and cheaper through such practices.

It had once been the same with waterbenders that were captured through the Southern Raids until it had ended abruptly after a mysterious prison breakout by one of the savages. The rest had quickly been put down in fear that the mysterious incident may be replicated. 'Such a waste of resources.'

"Very true Firelord Ozai," The familiar feminine voice caused Ozai to turn his head. His eyes met those of a pretty woman of average stature, her dark hair and amber eyes giving away her Fire Nation heritage. She stood straight and proud as a soldier should, but the lines around her face indicated that she often smiled.

"General Bong," Ozai said amicably, responding to her respectful bow with a nod of his own. She was one of his most 'trusted', a member of his inner cabinet. Unlike most of her peers, she was motivated by family instead of land, riches, or power. Having such a basic source of motivation, such an obvious weakness, made her intentions easy to read.

She was an intelligent woman who knew exactly what the cost of failure would mean to her precious family.

"I assume that everything is going according to plan correct?" His eyes shifted from the dome to her, the sudden attention causing her to stand up straighter in nervousness. "I would hate to lose such an opportunity due to any… carelessness. You understand right?"

The woman nodded quickly as she gestured to the large structure and the group of earthbenders' continuous construction. "Production is ahead of schedule and the… dragon… is safely being held." She winced as she heard a scream from within the dome, followed by a loud roar. "Relatively safely."

Ozai gave a slow nod as he watched a duo of soldiers rush out from the dome, one of them cradling his bleeding right arm to his chest as he screamed in pain. There was a flurry of movement around the camp as soldiers intercepted their wounded comrades or moved toward the dome.

His face grew even more unimpressed as more shouts and bright orange light came from the dome. "This…" He gestured to the chaos around him, his eyes moving towards the now visibly sweaty and pale woman before him, "Is safe?"

"I-it is feeding time L-Lord Ozai," Bong started feebly, her eyes guiltily looking towards what appeared to be a medical tent where the injured soldier had been rushed into, "We have to take the muzzle off and the dragon is…difficult to deal with. I-it's-"

"Forget it," Ozai said, barely withholding the urge to roll his eyes at the stupidity of everyone around him. He would likely need to visit the royal spa earlier than normal to deal with the grey hairs he would surely be getting soon. "I'm not here to question your methods, General Bong. As long as the dragon is restrained any losses are fine."

The woman flinched at his words, which caused his lips to curl slightly. Even one of his top generals was so… weak. It felt like a slap in the face that everyone around him, even his daughter, was so lacking.

"Then what are you here for Lord Ozai?" She asked with a well-hidden waver in her voice. "My reports all detailed that things were progressing smoothly so why…?"

Bong cut herself off as he turned his glare to her, a warning to not reach above her station. Still, there was no harm in answering the unfinished question. "I came to see the dragon with my own eyes. I want to see the creature that gave my brother his illustrious title."

With that he began his way to the dome once more, the guards around him stumbling to keep up with his long strides. The general made her way up to his side, though she made sure to stay a step behind him. 'At least some people still know their place.'

"M-My Lord do you intend to… to kill it yourself?" She was looking at him with wide eyes and, to his delight, admiration. Even if she was off the mark, it always brought him joy to see his followers look at him like that. Like he was worthy of the title that had always been denied to him, like he was greater than them, like he was… more than a Firelord.

Like he was a king.

He stood taller as the thought stroked his ego, finally entering the earthen prison. His gaze immediately moved to the center of the dome where a congregation of soldiers stood in a circular formation. Each one held part of a chain or stood ready to fire bend, all of their attention on the large, writhing creature before them.

A dragon.

It was large, its head probably half as tall as he stood, and its body almost as long as three full-grown Komodo rhinos. The number of chains holding it in place almost felt inadequate compared to its size. The scales on it were black, so dark that it almost seemed to consume what little light there was in the dome, rendering it nearly invisible if not for the familiar blue fur it possessed.

He knew that color. He remembered being so pleased when he had first seen it over a year ago when his daughter had so eagerly presented them to him. The thought caused his eyes to move almost involuntarily to the last defining feature of the beast. Its slitted eyes were a deep gold that almost seemed to glow in the dark that surrounded it.

Whether by fate or for some other sick joke of a reason, the eyes of the beast were a perfect replica of his daughters.

He absently noticed as he started moving toward the thing, nor the fact that the dragon had stopped wriggling altogether. His eyes met much longer ones, the slits seeming to narrow as they measured him up, a predator sizing up another predator. He drew himself up further up as he recognized that, refusing to look weak in front of the creature that was swiftly ruining his plans.

"My Lord, please stay back so we can muzz-"

Ozai did not look at the soldier who spoke to him, merely tossing fire in the general direction of the sound. The muzzle, which was only half covering the dragon's face, fell off as the soldier moved back with a startled yelp. "There is no need. I would have the dragon in its full glory."

He continued walking until he was within a meter of the dragon, the staredown continuing even as he stopped just outside of its reach. A smile broke out on his face, smugness seeming to radiate from it. "You know, I will admit I did not know what to make of you at first."

He started making his way around the dragon, his smile not leaving even as it shifted its head to follow him. "When my brother came back with such a grand tale of slaying a 'great' dragon, I wondered how he could have killed a creature so mighty. A creature that is so rooted in Firenation history that they named my throne after you."

He looked turned away from the dragon to face his people who were staring at him in awe at his lack of fear despite being so close to the source of such danger. He allowed their amazement to wash over him as proof that even standing in the same room as a creature of legend, he was still the center of attention.

"But now I can see that you are nothing special," He chuckled at the growl he received in response, not caring in the slightest that the dragon appeared to understand his words. "You are nothing more than the last trace of creatures that were inferior to the new Nation that my family has built. A nation that you will have no place in."

He lowered his voice as he met the dragon head-on once more, making sure that only his target could hear. "And neither will you have a place with my daughter any longer. I will make sure that this little rebel phase of her ends… with you."

He smirked as he began walking away, his plans coming together and solidifying. So lost in thought he was that he barely noticed the shouting of his guards and the sudden rush of heat coming from behind him. He turned swiftly and failed to suppress the panicked shout at the massive gout of fire coming towards him.

Blue fire.

He stood still as his prepared guards moved to intercept the flame, struggling to redirect the fire even with so many powerful benders. It took several seconds and the work of ten soldiers to suppress the sudden threat. Through it all, Ozai could only stare at the ethereal flames that lit up the dome.

When he had first seen that fire, he had felt… satisfied. Over a decade of work, a failed marriage, an embarrassment of a son, too many headaches to count… and it had all felt right in that moment. Like every sacrifice had been worth it when he laid eyes on those flames that practically radiated beauty and power. A symbol for the future of his nation.

All of that felt perverted as he saw that fire come from the dragon, the light they produced causing its blue fur to glimmer. 'Could her… no. Surely even that could not have come from this…'

He was shaken out of his thoughts as a hand rested on his shoulder, dragging him back to the present. He jerked away, slapping the hand of General Bong away from him. "Do not touch me." he snarled, causing the woman to backpeddle quickly in a bid to distance herself from his ire.

"I-I apologize, Your Highness! I merely wished to see if you were alright." Her eyes shone with concern, which caused disgust to bloom in his chest. Did she think he was scared? That he was so weak that he needed her pity!?

"It is of no concern, General." He said shortly, beginning to make his way from the prison. He tried to ignore the feeling that he was surrendering to that foul beast. A feeling made worse by the audible snort that came from the dragon. He turned to face it once more, but this time the dragon did not meet his gaze, merely resting its now muzzled face on the ground.

It had completely disregarded him as a threat, and that thought infuriated him more than he thought possible.

He exited the dome, welcoming the sunlight that had been absent. He took a moment to let it calm him until he felt he was in control once more. Upon feeling the presence of someone behind him, he spoke before she could. "You asked if I intended to slay the dragon yes?"

The general seemed thrown off by the question, but he paid it no mind as he continued walking towards his Palanquin.

"You were almost right, but it won't be me who will fight, General." He climbed into the Royal Transport but withheld from giving the order to return to the castle. "I have made a change in plans. You have three days to change this prison into an arena. Should you need more slaves to make that happen I will fund it but make sure it gets done."

He gave the General a humorless smirk as he snapped his fingers, causing the servants holding the Palanquin to rise. "I will leave it to my illustrious daughter to give the nobility a show."

With that final message, he closed the curtain, leaving the General to fulfill his order.

Next Day, Mai's House

Mai silently crept through her house in an attempt to find anything even remotely interesting. She sighed as she looked around her family's living room, finding nothing unusual in the immaculately clean room.

'Why did I think it would be any different today?' She asked herself as she decided to take a seat in the kitchen, leaning down so her head could rest on the table with a soft thump. It was 'unladylike' and she would no doubt be scolded by her mom if she were found out, but at least that would be something.

Being bored was nothing new for the girl. It had been a persistent problem in her life for… well since forever if she had to guess. When your parents were more focused on stupid, old traditions and finding ways to climb higher in the social hierarchy then it was bound to happen.

Being bored the 'wrong' gender certainly did not help in gaining their attention.

Normally she would have gone out, probably to find Ty Lee or possibly arrange a sleepover at the palace, but the current downpour made that unlikely. Getting soaking wet while hanging out with friends may have been fun, but she would rather not draw that kind of ire from her mother. A scolding was one thing, but she was not in the mood to be punished, which would leave her with even less to do.

'Maybe I could get Azula to come over here? Mother dearest would be too busy sucking up to her to even think about getting me in trouble.' The thought brought a smile to her lips, hidden as she rested her face on her crossed arms. 'Plus she could use a break as well.'

It was becoming more normal to be concerned for her best friend.

Mai was always a closed-off person, or 'gloomy' as a lot of the kids at school described her. She never really minded because it was true, and it made some things easier. Why show emotions that would either be ignored or used against you when you could keep them to yourself? That was her general rule, but she made an effort to not do that with her friends.

Especially with Azula. She knew her friend and, more importantly, she knew how the princess thought.

It had taken her a while to understand Azula like she did now. The whole incident with the burn and what Mai now knew to be Sora's arrival having given her the pieces to understand that beneath all the layers that Azula put up to present herself as strong, the princess was vulnerable. Not fragile and never weak, but there were cracks in her armor.

Her friend was strong, confident, and very willful, but she could also be… a little dense in regard to reading others' emotions. It was funny considering how she could read strangers like a book yet struggled to see the obvious with people who cared about her. Truthfully, Mai thought it was a familial trait and a bothersome one at that, but it was part of what made Azula… Azula.

Her friend had made a noticeable effort with her and Ty Lee, so despite it being against her nature Mai had resolved herself to do the same. The result had been all three of them growing closer, but it felt different between her and the princess. More exciting, and tender, and-

"Don't rest your head on the table dear," The absentminded voice was accompanied by a tap to her head, causing the girl to groan. "And don't groan either Mai. It's a bad habit to cultivate."

'And apparently enough to make me miss them entering,' Mai thought to herself as she raised her head, her eyes boring into the couple that had just entered. Her mother stood next to her, gently resting a hand on her shoulder while her father sat on the opposite side of the table. 'Joy' Despite her internal sarcasm, she leaned into her mom's touch. Even with all her flaws, Mai knew that her mother cared for her, even if it was subtle.

She was a little more doubtful towards her father.

Her father, Ukano, didn't bother greeting her as he continued conversing with his wife. "I'm just saying, it would be for the best if we attended Michi. An invite from the Firelord shouldn't be ignored, regardless of what it actually is."

Michi, her mother, nodded in agreement even if she still looked hesitant about whatever the subject was. "I know dear, but it's on the same day as that," She gave several quick nods to the smaller girl next to her. Mai restrained the smirk at seeing the unsubtle motion, easily guessing what day they were talking about.

The soon-to-be twelve-year-old only had one special day coming up after all.

"It's going to be outside the city and in the evening Ukano!" The man opened his mouth to refute his wife, but she cut him off with a stern look. "The scroll didn't even say what it was! We can't miss Mai's-" She cut herself off as she turned to her daughter with wide eyes, probably having forgotten the silent girl was there.

'If I had a coin for every time that happened,' Mai thought morosely, finally getting an idea of what the conversation, or argument at this point, was about. 'But even they wouldn't my birthday…'

Ukano followed his wife's eyes and sighed. He met Mai's eyes regretfully, but his voice was firm as he spoke. "Mai, please go to your room while me and your mother talk." The tone bran brokered no room for argument, though it wasn't in Mai's nature to argue anyway.

With slow steps she exited the living room, carefully maintaining an air of disinterest even as the pain in her chest grew. There was no point in trying to voice her discomfort with the situation. The first lesson Mai remembered learning, even before she could talk, was that arguing or crying would only make things worse. Still, she had no intention of going to her room.

She made her way down the hall to her room with audible steps. Upon reaching her door she opened it, counted to three in her mind, then shut the door loud enough to be heard through the silent house. She waited by the door patiently, listening carefully until she heard the sound of conversation resume. Without wasting a moment she moved with far quieter steps than before until she was just around the corner, easily able to hear her clueless parents.

'At least being "gloomy" is good for something,' Mai thought slightly deprecatingly as her mom started speaking once more. 'Though sneaking around with Azula probably helped.'

Now in her proper position, she tuned back into the conversation, the masculine voice indicating it was Ukano speaking. "...I don't like it either Michi, but what would you have us do? If our lord requests our presence then we should go! Doing otherwise would just be spitting on his graciousness. Mai's a tough girl, she will understand"

Michi sighed, her voice defiant with guilt, "I know dear, but this is her birthday! She should be able to enjoy the few she has left before she has to fulfill her obligations." Mai felt slightly sick at her mother's words. It was easy to guess that said 'obligations' would be a marriage to some nobleman probably twice her age.

As far as she was concerned, that future could stay a long way off.

"I know how you feel about it, but that won't change. Mai will have to get used to hardships in her life, and she needs to understand that some duties require sacrifice. We have to go to this event Michi. I know that you know that, and she'll know that too." Ukano's tone was sympathetic, but the firmness made it clear that his mind was set.

Mai could perfectly imagine the resigned look on her mother's pretty face as she voiced her reluctant agreement. "I know, I just… I don't like having to miss such an important moment in her life for something we know nothing about."

She heard her father move and begin speaking once more, but Mai decided that she had heard enough. If they knew nothing about this mysterious 'event' then there was no need to listen to her father's platitudes. She had received her fair share of them, and they would be just as useless now.

With silent steps she made her way to her room and entered, shutting the door much more quietly than she had previously. She waited by the door for a couple of moments before she decided that there was no risk of being caught eavesdropping. Even if she was, she doubted that they would do much. They'd be too busy trying to console her about their decision to really be angry.

It didn't matter anyway. She didn't care enough to need to be consoled in the first place.

While it stung that her parents had chosen to attend whatever it was they were invited to by the Firelord over her birthday, she couldn't say that she was surprised. Climbing the social ladder was always goal number one, even if her mother would say otherwise.

"Clearly family isn't always important huh mom?" She muttered cynically before calming herself with a sigh. This was fine. It's not like her parents really made the day special, to begin with. If she could have a birthday without being introduced to whatever potential husbands were invited then she could count that as a win.

'Plus that means that I could visit Azula and Sora…'

It had been a while since she had seen the dragon, and while she did not care for her like Azula did (obviously), she was fond of the big softie. And, while there was a high chance the princess would be preoccupied with whatever it was her father was doing, the fact that there was a chance she could see the princess was more than enough reason for her to make the trip.

With that new plan set in her mind, Mai went to grab a scroll from the bookcase in her room, deciding that that would be a satisfactory way to spend the rest of the day.

'...And with the mighty spirit slain the warrior kneeled as he pressed his lips onto the princess's delicate hand…'

Azula's Room, 2 Days Later

Azula took a deep breath from the edge of her bed as the door to her room opened, admitting her resident chi-blocker and two handmaids.

'I guess it's showtime.'