Azula, Flames Of Change

Chapter 21: Friendly visits

Azula strode through the dimly lit corridors of the high-security prison, her footsteps echoing sharply against the stone walls. The flickering lanterns cast long shadows, and the guards, recognizing their ruler, straightened in silent respect. She had not been here since the early days of her reign, but something had drawn her back—something she couldn't quite name.

Her destination was clear: the cells that housed Mai and Ty Lee. Both had been her closest allies, and yet, in the moment of her greatest instability, they had betrayed her. Now, with her mind sharpened and her purpose clear, she needed to confront them—not out of any lingering bitterness, but to reaffirm her detachment, to prove to herself that those old bonds no longer held sway over her.

She reached Mai's cell first. The girl stood tall, her expression as emotionless as ever, even after all these months of imprisonment. She didn't even flinch when the door creaked open and Azula entered.

"Azula," Mai said coolly, her voice flat. "I was wondering when you'd show up."

Azula stood before her, silent for a moment, her grey eyes scanning Mai as if appraising her from a distance. "I thought it was time for a visit."

Mai raised an eyebrow. "Is that what this is? A social call from the Fire Lord?"

Azula's lips twitched in something that might have been a smile—or a grimace. "In a way. I've come to... clarify things."

Mai leaned back against the wall, her gaze steady. "And what would that be?"

Azula stepped closer, her presence commanding. "The past. Your betrayal, the things that held me back—attachments, friendships. I came here to prove to myself that I've transcended all of it. I no longer hold grudges or emotions tied to you, Ty Lee, or anyone else for that matter."

Mai's eyes narrowed slightly, but she remained composed. "So this is about proving something to yourself. And what if you haven't 'transcended' anything, Azula? What if all that power and control is just you running from something deeper?"

Azula's gaze hardened. "I've found clarity, Mai. Something you wouldn't understand. I no longer need validation from others. I am the Fire Lord, and I'm reshaping this nation for the better."

Mai stared at her for a long moment, then shook her head slightly. "I don't envy you, Azula. Not anymore."

Azula's eyes flickered, the grey flames in her soul briefly stirred by the hint of old emotions—anger, maybe. But she held firm, refusing to let it surface. "I didn't come here for your approval."

"Clearly," Mai said with a dry tone. "But if you're trying to prove you're not attached to us, you must still care enough to come here. Otherwise, why bother?"

Azula's expression tightened. She turned on her heel, leaving Mai in her cell without another word.

Next, she made her way to Ty Lee's cell. The bubbly acrobat was sitting cross-legged on the floor, meditating when Azula approached. Ty Lee's eyes fluttered open, and she smiled brightly, as if they were old friends meeting under better circumstances.

"Azula!" Ty Lee chirped, seemingly unbothered by her imprisonment. "It's been forever! You look... different."

Azula didn't respond to the greeting immediately, her gaze impassive. "Do you regret what you did, Ty Lee?"

Ty Lee's face fell slightly. "I had to stop you, Azula. You were... out of control. But no, I don't regret it. I did what I thought was right."

Azula crossed her arms, towering over her old friend. "Right and wrong. Such simplistic notions."