Azula's Recovery - Avatar: TLA

8.4 - Azula

Azula had enjoyed partying with Zuko's friends. They'd been funny and annoying and so ridiculous at times and her face ached from smiling. 

She knew that Mai and Ty Lee were still on edge around her, but Azula had complimented Ty Lee on her clothes, and her old friend had smiled. It wasn't much, but Azula had certainly taken it as a win – maybe there was a chance after all. 

The last she'd seen of everyone, Mai and Zuko were at a metal-work stall, and the rest of them were heading over to a dance floor. Unfortunately, she had been caught up in the tide of people, and had found herself more than a little lost. She didn't really mind though, it was nice having a moment to herself, to think, and take it all in.

"Avatar state yip, yip!" a high-pitched voice called out, and Azula turned to see a large crowd forming around a small stage. On it, a small actor bounded around in Aang's airbender outfit, while another actor threw blue ribbons everywhere. Wait...is that supposed to be me? Is that supposed to be fire-bending? Oh my goodness, is this...

It was their battle in the earth kingdom, where Azula had convinced Zuko to join her. Her stomach turned to lead, as she realised what would happen next. This was where she had tried to kill the Avatar.

No! No I...no, this can't be happening. I can't let them all see what I did...no! They'll never forgive me!

She began pushing forward through the crowd as the Avatar floated up, just like he'd done in the caves. Then, the stage went dark and the crowd gasped. A flash of light revealed Azula pointing her fingers up to where the Avatar had just been, but he was gone. Azula's actress left the stage and the scene changed to reveal Aang, Katara, Sokka and an enormous man who Azula realised was supposed to be Toph. What even is this?

"Thank goodness you got away Aang! Azula would have taken you right back to the Fire Lord!" 'Katara' shrieked dramatically, "We never would have been able to save you. All hope would have been lost!"

Azula stopped short, utterly baffled.

A small hand grabbed her arm and Azula spun, still on edge. Her anxiousness dissipated when she saw that it was Kiyi. 

"Ugh, Kiyi don't scare me like that," Azula said as she took a deep breath. 

"Sorry, I just didn't want to call attention to you. You know, with the performance. But how cool is that! You're in the show!"

"As the villain," Azula reminded her.

"Yeah yeah whatever. You're not one now though. You're a hero just like the rest of them!" Kiyi waved dismissively and started moving back towards the markets and away from the crowded stage. "Can you come play some games with me? Mom and Dad don't want me to get lost, but I'm with you so it's fine."

Azula looked around to try and see Noren and Ursa, but she couldn't spot them. When she couldn't she asked, "Kiyi, did you tell them that you would be with me?"

"Nah, I think they're getting food. It'll be fine, come on!"

Azula groaned, we're going to be in so much trouble... Azula was not looking forward to that conversation.

They wandered around, trying out the different games. Azula noticed that most of them were rigged, the cups too small for the balls that were to go in them, the bottle necks too thick for the rings. Kiyi didn't mind losing though, she was just excited to try them out, and hang with Azula it seemed.

Finally, they turned a corner to see Mai and her younger brother Tom-Tom playing a game where you used a little dart to hit a tiny target to win a prize. Naturally, Mai nailed it in all three of her turns and the vendors didn't look too happy about offering her three large stuffed animals, a sky bison, a dragon and a badgermole. Tom-Tom took the sky bison happily, and Mai offered the other two toys to two small kids who had stopped to watch. Their eyes grew wide as saucers, and they ran off, happily stumbling over their toys to show their parents and friends their new plushies.