Review. Faster updates for this and other stories if this and other stories get more reviews. Would love to see art work of this or any of my other work. Faster reviews for my other less popular stories means that more updates at a faster pace. Or just more stories like this one.
Also any requests in reviews will probably be ignored.
Also just to be clear. I do not do pedophilia, all characters are aged up in this stuff or aged down depending on the character, no loli, no yaoi, no shota, I don't do watersports (Shit/Piss/fart fetish shit)I don't do stuff like vore or entire bodies getting shoved into places (Shrink play) I don't do blood play or torture (Ball/cock crushing etc) or certain old people, (Yes I am a fucking hypocrite) . Also if you ask for something in reviews that normally means I won't do it. So anyone who asks for that will be disappointed. If you have questions/requests/suggestions PM me instead.
Also have an ao3 account under the same name. and same titles.
The ice chips clinked in her juice glass. Katara took another sip. A sweet tangy blend of something called Star berry. There was a bit of a spicy aftertaste that lingered. The Fire Nation definitely liked its spicy foods. She had tasted a few of the hearty plants from the Earth Kingdoms. They had a different kind of spice. Less heat, more varied. She was seated at a respectful distance from the other girls. Azula was back for her vacation from school. The young princess had not come alone.
Katara didn't know how she felt about the intrusion. Or even if she should feel anything towards it. After all she was just a pet, just a toy, just a servant. Was she permitted to feel indignant? Was she allowed to feel put out? She had missed Azula. She hadn't thought she would miss her this badly. But she had. Azula was still and probably would always be a demanding spoiled little brat. But Katara found that some parts of her personality was tolerable. Her ambition, her prank pulling, her brief periods of good grace, the inspiring way that she trained constantly. There were admirable parts of her personality.
Azula had arrived just the other day. She had been gone for over three months. Which had felt much longer then just that. Ty Lee and Mai had arrived in secondary carriages immediately afterwards. No one had warned Katara in advance, although it appeared that everyone else in the palace had known.
Ty Lee had come alone. Mai's parents had accompanied her. Although none of the children had seen much of the older adults since they arrived. It was almost as if they were avoiding the children. Back in the South Pole children tended to be within eyesight of any adult at all times. It was for their own safety. After all they lived on a giant glacier, it could crack and swallow them up at any moment. This amount of independence was a little daunting at times.
Zuko was seated nearby. He was also alone. He was tearing off chunks of bread and sprinkling them in the water for the turtle ducks. His eyes were lazy and unfocused. Katara had been ordered to wait on Azula hand and foot while she was home for the break.
"Hey you! Get up! We need a fourth for the game." Ty Lee had snuck up on Katara. Katara's eyes widened as she shot to her feet. Trying to look as presentable as possible. She didn't want the other girls to think that she had been lazy. Ty Lee skipped playfully beside Katara as the two got back to the stoic Mai and the smirking Azula. Azula tapped her chin when Katara arrivied.
"So we have two teams of two. The rules are simple. No bending. No knife throwing. No gymnastics." Azula spoke with a smirk. She glanced between the three other girls. Katara stood beside Ty Lee. Trying not to look at Mai. The frowning girl gave Katara the willies. Mai seemed to be carved from solid ice, a force of nature that did not want to be invested with this drab human drama.
"The first one around the perimeter is allowed the shovel. You cannot carry the other. First two around six times is the winner." Azula walked over to a nearby garden bed and took out a tall shovel. She slammed it into the ground and then rubbed her foot across the grass. The green grass burnt and crackled, turning into a black line.
"I will get Ty Lee. Mai you get Katara." Katara glanced at the taller girl nervously. Mai looked down disdainfully then shrugged.
"Fine."
The four girls stood in two clumps. Arms thrown around their partners shoulders. A ribbon was wrapped tightly around their ankles, connecting the two teams together. Katara tried not to think about how close she was to Mai. Or how short she was compared to her. Mai's arm rested around Katara's head. Katara's was wrapped awkwardly around Mai's waist.
"Ready. Set. GO!" Azula and Ty Lee set off like a twin pair of fireworks. Their feet moving in smooth motion. Katara stumbled forward and nearly face planted. Mai's nails clicked in front of her eyes in irritation.
"Would you hurry up?" Mai snapped. "We won't win. But I'm not going to let you slow me down."
The duo sped up. Their legs moving at an awkwardly rolling gait. Ty Lee and Azula scampered ahead. Putting more and more distance between them. Katara ground her teeth, her mind was a scramble. On the one hand she hated losing. On the other hand she didn't know if she was permitted to beat Azula. She gripped her collar with her free hand and tugged at it nervously. The heavy gold felt warm and encouraging under her grasp. The padded leather interior was soft and supple and arched with her neck.
Azula and Ty Lee got to the shovel and scooped it up. Ty Lee held it above their heads and began spinning it around. The surprisingly athletic girl never even broke her stride. She just kept on running and swinging. Katara suddenly saw the danger that such a well placed item could be. Sure it was crude. But the threat of being brained by a shovel was oddly convincing.
"Would you hurry your fat butt up?" Mai deadpanned at Katara. Katara's legs pumped harder. She had to take two steps for each of Mai's one. The girl had an alarmingly long body. They briefly got within shovel whacking distance of the others and had to fall back. The game was over when Azula and Ty Lee passed the burn mark again.
Ty Lee shoved the shovel back into the dirt with a chuckle. She fell back with a satisfied whoop. Azula was still standing. Arms crossed over her chest. Eyes glittering in delight.
"Nice try! But it seems that my masterful maneuvering won the day! And Ty Lee helped too."
"Victory!" Ty Lee chuckled and shot up a v sign.
"It's her fault. Next time I get to be on Ty Lee's team. You can have turtle seal girl here." Mai plopped to the ground and untied her ankle from Kataras. Only using the tips of her fingers. As if she was afraid to touch the water tribe girl.
"I'm not fat." Katara protested. Mai rolled her eyes.
"Your mom's butt is pretty big though." Ty Lee stated with an airheaded smile. Katara was about to protest that too but then just shrugged helplessly. It was true.
"Maybe it runs in the family. You might just inherit it. Like how Lu Ten will get the throne." Ty Lee got into a full lotus pose and pushed herself up on her fingertips. The strength rippling through the small girl was rather distressing. She could contort herself into all sorts of shapes.
"Hmmm. My next game can work with four….Zuzu!" Azula shouted over her shoulder. The young man glanced over in surprise. "Get over here! We need you to make this fair!"
Zuko narrowed his eyes suspiciously. Azula was never interested in 'fair'.
Katara stood with her back to the tree. The apple delicately balanced on her head. She glanced up at it nervously. She tapped her knuckles against her leg. The bark bit into her arms and she felt light headed and nervous.
"So the point of the game is pretty simple. You just need to knock the apple off of her head. That's it." Azula said in a sing song voice. Zuko glowered at his sister. This was pretty mean, even for her. Were her teachers encouraging her to be more terrible then usual? He wouldn't put it past Li and Lo. Those two strange old women gave him the willies.
"This seems really dangerous Azula." Zuko said staring at the still nervous Katara.
"It will be fine. I'm sure that she can stand completely still. We will be on two teams. Me and Ty Lee. You and Mai."
"You got Ty Lee last time." Mai complained. If there was one general agreement among them all, it was that they all loved Ty Lee. The bubbly girl was a popular member of any team.
"And it's my house. So I get her again." Azula said warningly. Zuko sighed and glanced nervously at Mai. He blushed and rubbed the back of his neck. Mai scowled at the ground. Her own cheeks turning to a very pretty shade of pink. Her face didn't see a lot of sunlight, so any bit of color tended to make it stand out just a little bit more.
"Mai will use her knife for this. You have your knife on you right?" Azula asked. Mai's hand shot out and a knife quivered in the wood next to Katara's ear. She yelped and flinched. The apple rolling off of her head. Her heart beat out of her chest. She crouched down, hugging her knees in fear. It had been so close!
"Well that counts as your turn. It's Ty Lee next." Azula said with a clap of her hands. Ty Lee skipped over towards Katara with a big grin on her face. She picked up the apple and tossed it from one hand to the other.
"come on! Stand up! We can't balance it on your head if you aren't standing!" Ty Lee said with a wide goofy smile. Katara stared up at her nervously. She had to be brave. She had to suppress this fear. She shakily began to stand. Ty Lee stood on tip toe and overdramatically placed the apple onto Katara's head. Right on the crown.
"I'll be aiming for your right ear. Don't flinch. I won't cut it. Promise." Ty Lee whispered into Katara's ear. With a flourish and a yank the knife was out of the tree and Ty Lee was skipping back towards the others. Katara stared after the little girl. She felt her mind reel in surprise.
Was Ty Lee helping her? Trying to give her a little bit of a out? Trying to warn her? Or was it just a trick. So that when the knife hit the apple, or her eye, or some other fleshy part of her, she wouldn't be suspecting it?
Ty Lee hefted the knife with a smug grin. She aimed carefully, standing up on one leg, her stance completely wrong, her center of balance all over the place. And then she let the knife fly, it spun rapidly through the air, a swirling silver circle of cutting precession. A sharp crack echoed through the garden.
Katara collapsed with blood dripping down her forehead. She was too stunned to cry out. Then the pain caught up with her mind and she howled. She clutched her head and screamed. The handle had hit her right in the forehead. Hard.
She huffed and bit her lip. She felt a huge wave of pain billow out from her brain all the way to every toe and fingertip. Her nose started to run and tears began to spurt out wildly from her eyes.
"Ty Lee!" Azula snapped angrily. She marched over to Katara and kneeled down beside her.
"It was an accident! I was aiming for the apple I swear!" Ty Lee said holding up her hands. Azula frowned and tutted. Katara ground her teeth and arched her back in pain.
"She'll be fine right? I mean she's from the Water Tribe. That means she heals fast right?" Ty Lee asked nervously. Azula rubbed her forehead in irritation.
"You really should have been more careful Ty Lee. You can't keep on hiding behind that pretty face and dull brain forever." Azula said in irritation. Ty Lee chuckled and bounced her palm against her temple.
"Yep! Sorry for being such a ditz Azula! I'll be more careful next time." Azula frowned and grabbed Ty Lee's shoulders. She walked her back to the tree and adjusted her a little. Azula picked up the apple and placed it on top of Ty Lee's head.
"Alright. Well since you and Mai already went, and you did so poorly, it is Zuzu's and my turn now."
"Do we really have to keep on doing this Azula? Katara just got really hurt." Zuko said in irritation. Azula frowned and grabbed Mai, moving her to stand beside Ty Lee. Azula put another apple on Mai's head.
"Just for that we can fling the fire at the same time. Never question me Zuko. I am just trying to keep things interesting."
Mai arched an eyebrow and glanced at Zuko.
"It's no big deal Zuko. It's not like you're going to hit anything." Zuko frowned at Mai. Even with the threat of fire being flung at her head she didn't seem concerned at all. This was just a weird inconvenience for her. A passing entertainment. Nothing more, nothing less.
"What do you mean by that?" Zuko asked in irritation.
"Well, Azula is much better at fire bending then you." Mai stood and stared at him, eyes half lidded, indifferent. Aloof. Completely at ease. Like a coiled snake lizard basking in the sun.
Azula stood and aimed carefully. Her eyes narrowed. She glanced at Zuko and nodded towards the girls.
"Come on! Same time!"
"What has gotten into you at school? You were sort of normal when you were at home this summer. Are you trying to impress these two?"
"I don't need to impress anyone. According to Lo and Li I am exceeding everyone's expectations."
"So you're showing off." Zuko shook his head, that was just like her.
"I don't need to show off either." Azula said threateningly.
"Would the two of you hurry it up and just toss the fire at us already?" Ty Lee said. She was starting to sweat. The anticipation was making her nervous. Clearly the anticipation was just boring Mai.
Zuko and Azula turned to the others. They glared at each other. The sibling animosity was starting to turn the air to a thunderstorm between them. Zuko planted his foot, rolled up through his core and launched his fire. The orange and red flame burst from his knuckles.
Simultaneously Azula's fingertips heated then blasted out a blue crackling flame. The two fire balls burst through the air. For a moment they were neck and neck.
Zuko and Azula's matching golden eyes widened in shock. Their flames burst against each other, combined briefly, then separated. Ty Lee screwed her eyes tight and let out an anxious whine. Azula's flame slapped against Ty Lee's apple, bursting the sweet fruit into a thousand cooked pieces. Warm apple sauce dripped down her face. She winced a second later.
Mai's eyes widened in shock.
"Oh." She let out a small noise as Zuko's flame burst towards her. Then she began screaming.
"Idiotic! Irresponsible! Stupid! Just…Stupid!" Ozai's stinging hand whistled through the air again and again as he cracked Zuko across the face and neck. First forehand, then backhand. The little boy was flung to his knees again. He gasped, blood dripping past his teeth. Tears were streaking down his cheeks.
"Father I didn't mean-"
"Shut up!" Ozai kicked his son in the chest. Sending the little boy flying. Zuko landed hard on his shoulder. He coughed and groaned. He was still wet from the pond. He might have flung the fire ball, but he was also the one who had shoved Mai into the pond. He had even shoved her face under the water as she was screaming. Shrieking was a more apt description.
Shrieking, like a tea kettle. Shrieking, like a flayed lemur bat. Shrieking until her little lungs gave out. That shriek had brought everyone in the entire palace sprinting. After that it had been complete pandemonium. With Mai's parents yelling at him, at Ozai, at Mai, at the guards who had to carry her to the private hospital in the Fire Nation royal palace.
Ursa had tried to pull him away, tried to shield him from Mai's face. From her tears and wide open mouth. But he had seen it all. He had seen what he had done to her.
When Zuko closed his eyes he could still see the blisters. The thick hot red and white blisters that bloomed across Mai's face. He pushed himself up onto his elbows. He turned up to look up at Ozai. His father didn't hit him, that wasn't the way Ozai expressed his disapproval. For all of his many faults, Ozai did not lay his hands on his children. For good or for bad. So Zuko knew what had happened was very bad.
Zuko shivered as he stared up at his father. He had never realized just how awe inspiringly tall Ozai was. And how powerful his shoulders and chin jutted out. His father was intimidating, and now Zuko was on the other end of all that burning rage.
"Is…Is Mai alright?" Zuko mumbled in fear. His tongue felt so big, and his lips were so sore and tight. He swallowed some more blood. Ozai snorted down at him.
"She will carry those burns forever because of you. You've taken her face boy. You've destroyed over a decades worth of diplomacy. I've had to put up with her idiot father for years. She was a suitable match for you. And now…Now because of you he is pulling her out of the engagement." Ozai grabbed Zuko by the top knot and yanked the little boys head backwards. Zuko let out a little trembling gasp.
Ozai snarled down at the little boy.
"Everything that comes after this is your fault. She was more then suitable. She was better then what you deserved." Zuko's chin trembled. His breath was hitching. His teeth felt loose in his mouth.
"Can I…Can I see her? Can I please tell her I'm sorry?" Ozai's frown deepened all the more. He shook the boy's head and then dropped him again. Zuko's knuckles cracked against the marble floor.
"You are never going to see that girl again. You and your sister have been over coddled by that mother of yours. Things are going to change moving forward. I am going to personally oversee more of your fire bending training. If you can't even knock an apple off of someone's head…You should feel ashamed of yourself." Ozai turned to his desk and picked up a formal looking scroll.
"Now thanks to you I'll have to give that idiot Ukano a decent position somewhere. To apologize for my idiot's son's idiot actions. Hopefully I can shuffle him and his family off so that this 'insult' doesn't dissuade him from turning other governors against us." Ozai snorted at his son one last time in disgust. As if this was truly the greatest insult. That he had to play political PR for a pathetic mistake. One that he wasn't even responsible for.
Ozai turned and stalked out of the office. He paused in the doorway and glared over his shoulder one more time.
"To think you sprung from my loins. And you can't even fling fire properly." His voice was filled with shame. His voice was filled with disappointment. He left the room, his boots clicking along the hall.
The fire's in the great torches on the four corners crackled and popped. Zuko pressed his hot face to the marble. And the heart broken little boy wept.
The large white bandage in the center of her forehead made her look like an idiot. Katara pressed her fingers to it. She still felt gross and tired. But the healing from Hama, along with her own, had drastically reduced the amount of swelling. She probably wasn't concussed, but she was seriously rattled.
Now instead of feeling sick, she just felt woozy. She gripped the rolling pin and went back to work on the rice flour. She rolled the thick bun flat, then scraped it back into a ball. Rolled it flat. Scraped it back into a ball. Rolled it flat. She closed her eyes and covered her mouth.
Her fingers tasted salty and powdery. She felt her breath hitching. Her eyes closed. She tried to keep the tears down. But she had seen her. She had seen that poor girls face. Hama snapped her fingers at Katara's ear. Katara glanced up. Her eyes filled with tears.
"I-I-I…I could have helped her. If I had been there…I could have….I should have—"
"Your safety is more important then her face. Do you understand me? They played a stupid game. They got what was coming to them. Perhaps this will teach them not to fling fire at friends in the future." Hama was not impressed or sympathetic. She continued to glare at Katara. Who hiccupped and nodded.
"But…I could have done something." Katara said softly. She pressed her fingers into the dough. What was the use of being able to heal people if she never even got the chance? She might not have liked Mai…But she didn't deserve that.
"Don't forget. They are only the fire nation." Hama said warningly. Katara glanced at the old woman from the corner of her eye. She knew that she had a solid point. A royal getting hurt certainly wasn't the end of the world. But still. Katara couldn't wish that upon anyone. Or…she couldn't in her heart wish it upon a little girl.
"Goodbye Azula." Mai was seated in her carriage. Straight backed, hands folded neatly on her lap. The bandage around her face was thick. It stretched from her chin to above her ear. It covered her eye, part of her nose, her entire cheek. Only a small sliver of her face was visible. What little of her face that was visible was blank, sad, empty. Half an eye, the side of her pale nose, a little rose shaped ear.
The midmorning sunlight was dripping down on top of her carriage. She leaned back in the carriage. To think she had only been there for three days. Barely any time at all. And in just a few seconds it was all different. Her entire world was different.
Michi and Ukano were standing beside their own royal carriage. Neither were saying a word, just standing there and watching the two girls. Azula frowned at the two of them. They pitied her, or they hated her, she couldn't tell which it was. Either way, how dare they. She turned back to her former friend.
"You don't need to leave, it was just a little accident. You don't need to be such a baby about it."
Mai's stoic face continued to stare at her. There were little hints of sorrow there, at the corner of her mouth, in the set of her breathing, the stiff way she held herself. Mai felt pity. Not just for herself and her now ruined face. A face not even a mother could love. A face that no man would look on with desire. Mai was looking at Azula with pity.
"Do me a favor. Don't talk to me at the academy again. Don't come up to me. Don't think about me. I never want to talk to you again. If I'm lucky, I don't want to see you ever again." Mai reached out and slammed the door closed to the carriage. The ostrich horse gave a squawk and then with a flick of the drivers whip started clicking out of the courtyard.
Azula turned and watched the carriage as it went through the royal gates. The next carriage that rattled past held Ukano and Michi. He was glaring out the window at her. His nostrils flared and his beard bristling with barely concealed contempt for the child. No matter what reward he had received, what apology had been delivered. It obviously did not seem enough for the sacrifice his daughter had taken.
Azula turned towards Ty Lee. The little pink clad girl was standing beside her own open carriage. She stared at Azula sadly. Then she looked away. Azula was struck by the honesty in Ty Lee's face. The little girl had always been relatively open, her face easy to read. A harsh and striking comparison to Mai. At least Azula thought that Ty Lee was easy to read. But now, she wasn't so sure. Ty Lee's face was crumbling. The façade breaking.
"What?" Azula snapped. Ty Lee wiped at her eyes sharply.
"I thought you had gotten better. I thought you were happier…Your aura was so much brighter." Ty Lee looked at Azula with an unmasked face. The little gymnast took a menacing step forward. Her hair was blowing in the breeze. A thick well spring of tears were shivering in the pink clad girl's eyes.
"Why did you do that! You didn't have to do that! You don't need to be mean to everyone all the time! But you can't help yourself! You're just terrible!" Ty Lee's chest was heaving up and down. All of the strain finally pouring out of her. Her face tightened, eyebrows knitting together.
"I never want to see you again. I never want to speak to you again. Don't talk to me at the academy. Don't invite me over anymore. We are no longer friends." Ty Lee's fear eased out of her. She climbed the stairs to her carriage. Only stopping to stare over her shoulder once.
"Tell Zuko I say goodbye."
The door slammed shut. Ty Lee curled up on her seat. Her knees pressed beneath her chin. Her arms wrapped tightly around herself. She focused on her breathing, trying to calm down. Azula had always terrified her. Invigorated, fascinated, delighted and ultimately terrified her. And now she was free. Free of the angry little princess.
And still Ty Lee felt a little pain of regret. A pain of sorrow. There had been love towards Azula before. At the beginning she had befriended her. Not because Azula was the princess. Or because Azula was demanding. Or even because Azula had shown an interest in her.
Ty Lee had befriended Azula because Azula needed one. Just like how she had befriended Mai. Because Mai needed a friend. Their aura's were always so muddled, so troubled, filled with dark rolling masses of sorrow. Ty Lee had hoped that she could bring them a bit of joy.
But Azula had crossed a line. She had broken a boundary. No matter what, you don't hurt your friends. Ty Lee turned around and watched as her carriage rumbled from the palace courtyard.
Azula was still standing there. Her eyes wide. Her face drawn. Neither girl looked away as the great iron doors slowly slid shut.
Review. Faster updates for this and other stories if this and other stories get more reviews. Would love to see art work of this or any of my other work. Faster reviews for my other less popular stories means that more updates at a faster pace. Or just more stories like this one.
Also any requests in reviews will probably be ignored.
Also just to be clear. I do not do pedophilia, all characters are aged up in this stuff or aged down depending on the character, no loli, no yaoi, no shota, I don't do watersports (Shit/Piss/fart fetish shit)I don't do stuff like vore or entire bodies getting shoved into places (Shrink play) I don't do blood play or torture (Ball/cock crushing etc) or certain old people, (Yes I am a fucking hypocrite) . Also if you ask for something in reviews that normally means I won't do it. So anyone who asks for that will be disappointed. If you have questions/requests/suggestions PM me instead.
Also have an ao3 account under the same name. and same titles.