The Downfall of Sozin Unity High School (Modern ATLA AU)

Chapter Five

Sokka's history class was dreadfully boring. Somehow, despite it being the first day of classes, they had a substitute. Apparently, their actual teacher would be back in a few weeks, but in the meantime they had Ms Park, who had written her name in bright pink marker on the whiteboard. She seemed sweet. She'd never last.

Sokka was paying little attention to the substitute's introduction to the class and what they'd be going over during the semester, instead doodling mindlessly in the margins of his notebook. He was halfway through a stick figure wielding an incredibly cool boomerang when a commotion in the classroom drew his attention.

At some point the substitute had moved from the front of the class, because she was now standing squarely in front of a student's desk. Namely, in front of Azula's desk, or in other words, the exact reason the poor women wouldn't last.

Sokka must have missed something because Ms Park's expression looked awkward and a little on the side of confused. Azula meanwhile seemed to have perfected the look of utter disinterest.

Ms Park put on a bit of a strained smile, "Miss Azula, I asked if you could please put away your phone."

Azula set her lips in an unimpressed line. "So then I heard you correctly, in that case, I'll put it away whenever you've finished speaking and the bell rings for next period."

The class was dead silent for a moment. Eventually some awkward laughs came from a few places throughout the classroom, but it did little to help the palpable tension in the air. The substitute looked nothing short of shocked.

"I beg your pardon?"

"A respectable woman doesn't repeat herself," Azula said haughtily. Ms Park flushed at the obvious jab.

"Now Miss Azula–" she began before the student cut her off sharply.

"I prefer to be addressed as Miss Sozin, actually."

All the color drained from Ms Park's face at the sudden realization.

Sokka had no doubt the substitute had been warned about this particular student. Azula, daughter of Principal Sozin. She was known by everyone to be particularly spiteful as well as having the power to back it up. One complaint made to her father and students and teachers alike were packed up within the week, and rarely, if ever, heard from again. She was by no means popular, but she was feared, and that might as well be the same thing.

So as Ms Park awkwardly smiled at the girl and returned to the front of the classroom, much more timid than before, Sokka couldn't help but feel a bit bad for her.

Sozin Unity was an unforgiving place. Sokka knew that better than anyone.