ATLA: Azlua

Aftermath Part One

The journey back home had been quiet for the most part. The rhythmic hum of the blimp's engines filled the air, a constant reminder of how far they were from the battlefield. Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee were finally together after a month apart, sharing the same room for the first time since they each set off on their respective missions. Azula sat back in her chair, waving away the guards stationed at the door, leaving only the three of them alone.

She regarded Ty Lee first, leaning back casually. "Ty Lee, I must say you've done well. The timing of getting the Avatar here was nothing short of incredible."

Ty Lee's face lit up at the praise, her eyes sparkling. "Really? Oh, thank you, Azula! Though, funnily enough, getting the Avatar's help was the easy part. Katara, on the other hand..." She scratched her head sheepishly. "She made things much more difficult."

Mai tilted her head slightly, her curiosity piqued. "That's the Waterbender, right?"

Ty Lee nodded quickly, her expression shifting to a mix of amusement and frustration. Azula gestured for her to continue, her eyes narrowing as if analyzing every word.

"Yeah, Katara's still really mad about the... you know, brother-killing thing," Ty Lee said, her voice a little quieter. "It made things awkward. But I just thought, 'What would Azula do?' and I lied. I told her a story she could relate to. It worked, but..." she trailed off, her voice losing some of its usual energy, "it didn't feel good, to be honest."

Azula clapped her hands together, a cold smile tugging at her lips. "Well done, Ty Lee. And you should get used to it. You're a diplomat now—you'll be lying, tricking, faking many things from now on. Your honesty is cute, and I adore it, but it's also your greatest weakness. If you can learn to balance both sides, you'll be incredible."

Ty Lee's smile was a little less bright than before, but she nodded nonetheless. "I'll try, Azula."

Azula shifted her gaze to Mai, her expression calculating. "Now, Mai. I've read the reports, but I want to hear it from you. You've changed, I can see it." Her lips curled slightly, almost into a smirk. "I like it. I like it a lot. But there's something in your gaze... malice, perhaps. Why?"

Mai, who had kept her usual calm demeanor up to this point, took a moment to steady herself. Her heart hammered in her chest, emotions she had suppressed during the mission bubbling to the surface. She kept her voice level. "Leftover emotions from the battle, perhaps. My mission was difficult and taxing, but you gave me what I needed to complete it."

Azula's eyes narrowed, clearly unsatisfied. Her gaze seemed to pierce right through Mai, searching for something deeper.

Ty Lee, sensing the tension rising, quickly interjected. "Come on, Mai, we're all friends—"

Mai turned her head sharply, her eyes flashing. "Are we?"

Ty Lee looked confused, her eyes widening slightly. "Of course we are," she said, her voice a little unsure now.

Mai let out a bitter laugh, her eyes locking with Azula's. "No, you and I are friends, Ty Lee. We can talk to each other easily. But Azula? That's where things get... questionable."

Ty Lee visibly tensed, her eyes darting between Mai and Azula. She opened her mouth, as if to silently beg Mai to stop, but Mai continued, her voice growing louder.

"This is what I mean, Ty Lee! Friends don't tiptoe around each other, afraid of what the other might do. When I was with the rebels, I had real friends."

Azula's eyes glinted, her lips twisting into a mocking smile. "Fake friends built on a guise of sympathy for their cause."

Mai stood, her hands clenched into fists. "No! Yes, it started like that, but then... we became friends. Real friends. And I got to experience what that was like. It was different from what we have."