Best Friends Forever?[SPORATIC UPDATES]

8: Why

  Mai, Ty Lee, and I stand behind Azula as she gives her debrief speech. She is dressed in Earth Kingdom attire while we still have to wear The Kyoshi Warrior drab. Why are we still wearing this again? Is it just so Azula can look more like a leader? Is it so they don't find out who we are? Is it so it can look like Azula took control of the Kyoshi Warriors?

  I am so inside my own head, Ty has to pinch my side quickly from her place on my right. My amber eyes widen slightly as I'm pulled out of my daze. I really need to pay more attention. I missed like half Azula's monolog.

  "The Earth King and each of his generals must be taken out simultaneously. Long Fang placed you under my comand while we over throw the government. If I sense any disloyalty, any hesitation, any weakness at all, I will snuff. It. Out.", Azula walks along the front row as she gives her speel. Sinking fear into a couple particular people. "That is all.", she adds when she's finished. The Dai Lee march away without a word.

  Ty pours a cup of tea as Azula walks back up the steps she descended during her talk. "Nice speech Azula. Pretty and poetic, but also scary in a good way."

  "Yeah, I thought you were gonna make that one guy pee his pants.",Mai comments.

  "It gets the point straight across. Anyone one of them would have to be a complete imbecile to revolt after that display." I think aloud. Azula holds so much power in her voice.

  "There are still a few loose ends. The Avatar. And my brother and uncle.", Azula brings to attention. Right. Her brother. Zuko.

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  Azula mentioning that Zuko is in Ba Sing Se was a bit of a shock to me. I forgot about him. I try not to think about him at all actually. Not since I left my parents.

  I knew we were gonna run into Zuko at some point- considering he IS one of the people we set out to look for to begin with- I just didn't think it would be so soon.

  Or that he would have gotten inside the 'impenetrable city' before we had.

  Thinking about Zuko and being around these girls reminds me of that time by the water fountain.

《FLASHBACK》

Ty Lee got me invited to the palace one day to hang out with Princess Azula and Mai. I was so excited to be aloud in the palace. It was such an exclusive place that I never thought I would be allowed to be in. Let alone invited.

Azula wanted to do cartwheels. I had no idea why. She was really bad at them.

Ty Lee, being Ty Lee, performed a perfect running cartwheel and added somersaults at the end. Azula pushed Ty Lee over when she was done and laughed. I was not that good at cartwheels, so instead of embarrassing myself in front of the princess, I did a round off and back handspring. Azula just gave me an ugly look.

I noticed Mai smiling and blushing to herself from her spot under a nearby tree. Interested in what got the ever unimpressed Mai to show emotion, I look around. I spotted Prince Zuko walking by with his mother. I smile and wave at him when I catch his eye. He was not very friendly- as he quickly looked away before he even saw my smile.

Azula runs up to her brother and mom. They seem to argue about something before Azula returns with not to interested Zuko.

Azula explains a new game she wants to play. It was something like target practice since one person would have to try and knock the apple off the other person's head. Princess Azula chose me to be her partner and placed an apple on my head. I was terrified at first, but considering she is a protege, I figured she'd be great at this game. Especially since she didn't seem too happy about being the worst at cartwheels earlier.

Then she did something I had not expected. She lit the apple on fire.

My eyes widened and I froze. I wasn't sure if this was part of the game. I didn't want to move and ruin it. I might not ever get invited back to the palace.

Zuko rushed at me. We both plunged into the fountain. Which I didn't mind. As long as my head wasn't on fire.

Zuko landed on top of me. When I pushed my hair out of my eyes, I saw Ty Lee, Princess Azula, and even Mai looking at us.

"Look at how cute they look together." Ty Lee comments.

I blush a little and try to get up. I fall back into the fountain when Zuko rushed to stand... and used me as support. He stomped away in rage.

"Girls are crazy!" he shouts when he passes his mom.

I finally stepped out of the fountain when he's gone and tried wringing out the water from my clothes. Azula and Ty Lee were laughing and Mai went back to her spot in the shade. Looking down at myself, I couldn't help laughing along with them. It was kind of funny when I thought about it. It made me a little happy to know that Azula knocked me down like she did to Ty Lee when we were doing cartwheels. Even if she didn't do it herself, it made me think that maybe she thought of me as a friend.

《FLASHBACK OVER》

  I smile at the memory. That was back  when I was still living with my parents. Before I joined the circus. I never did find out why Azula did what she had. Or even why I just let her. I know she's the princess... but, now that I think about it, why am I traveling with her NOW.

  I'm no longer that little girl waiting for the next invitation to the palace. And she did almost take my best friend from me...AGAIN. She hasn't done anything good for me, except give me the opportunity to not be bored.

  Why am I really here?