Archive of Our Own ^beta

From the moment they set foot in Ba Sing Se, Katara had a bad feeling. Nothing that had happened indicated that what she felt was unfounded, and the fact that she was now being held by two Dai Li agents, unable to move, was a huge sign that she was absolutely right.

Katara kicked and did everything she could to break free, but it was all in vain.

“Where do we take her?” one guard asked in a deep voice.

“There’s another brat in the cell over there. We’ll probably need space after the coup, throw her in there.” The other Dai Li agent looked at her, laughing. “What’s a waterbender gonna do without water?”

Katara was about to scream, but she didn’t have time. Within seconds, they threw her into the cell and slammed the door shut. Surprisingly, the fall hurt less; something had cushioned her—something that was now pushing her, this time, to the ground.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know—” the words caught in the waterbender’s throat as she met the yellow, defiant eyes of the Fire Nation princess. “You.”

Azula looked at her with disgust. “I… what, the savages didn’t teach you manners?” Instead of answering, Katara tried to punch her in the stomach. Azula dodged effortlessly. “I see they didn’t.”

“Shut up, ashmaker.”

Azula caught Katara’s next punch with one hand. “You’re not very bright, are you?”

Katara’s face started turning red with rage. “Who the hell do you think you are—” but when she tried to pull her fist back, she couldn’t because of Azula’s strong grip.

“The princess of the Fire Nation.” Azula used her grip to pull Katara closer. “And right now, your best shot at getting out of here if you stop acting like an idiot. ”

At that moment, Katara’s expression completely changed as she realized the situation. If Azula was in the cell, that meant Azula was in the cell like her.

“Oh.”

Seeing Katara’s anger being replaced by something more rational, the firebender released her hand and rolled her eyes. “At least you’ve got one functional brain cell…Let’s make a deal: you help me, and I’ll help you get out of this dump.”

Katara took a deep breath. “Fine, deal. What do you propose?”

Azula stood up and clasped her hands behind her back in a military fashion. Katara wanted to mock her until she realized the princess was a high-ranking military officer, and maybe she really was her best chance to get out of there.

“My first idea was to melt the door, but that would take a few minutes. The guards would already be here and would notify Long Feng.”

“Wait,” Katara looked at her, surprised. “You can do that in minutes?”

Azula raised two fingers, generating a blue flame. “It’s not just a pretty color.”

Katara rolled her eyes at the firebender’s ego. “Sure.”

Azula took a deep breath to avoid getting into a fight and continued explaining her plan. “I’m aware of some types of sub-bendings that exist. I’ve mastered all the known ones for my element. Have you mastered yours?”

In a puzzled voice, the waterbender asked, “Do you need me to heal someone?”

Azula stared at her intently and slowly said, “The other one.”

Katara’s eyes widened—how in the world did she know…

“A military platoon was defeated by a simple waterbender. The locals said she played with them like puppets, though you can’t always trust the subjective accounts of the common folk.” Azula moved closer to Katara, her eyes analyzing every small reaction the waterbender might have.

“Something about that caught my attention.” Katara swallowed hard, not breaking eye contact with Azula. “So I assume that’s another type of sub-bending.”

Katara’s face and demeanor changed, becoming angry and hurt. “It’s something terrible that shouldn’t be used.”

Azula looked at the waterbender, confused by her fervent refusal. “It’s a tool.”

“It only serves to cause harm.”

“We’re in a war. Don’t be absurd.”

“No.”

“No?”

“No. I’m not going to use it.” Katara wasn’t going to use it under any circumstances, and she definitely didn’t want to tell her that it could only be used during a full moon. It was bad enough that she knew of its existence.

Azula analyzed her for a few more seconds before saying, “Fine, it’s stupid on your part, but we need to get out of here, so we’ll have to go with plan B.”

“And what’s that?”

“Look out the cell window.”

“I’m not turning my back on you.”

“Agni, I’m telling you I need you to get out of here. If I wanted to kill you, you’d already be dead.”

Something in Katara told her that was true, so she approached the small grate on the door. “What am I supposed to be looking at?”

“For a waterbender, you’re not very attuned to your element,” Azula said as she moved closer. Katara was about to protest when Azula turned her head to where she needed to look. “There’s a small puddle. When they bring us food, use it to make the guard slip once he’s opened the door.”

“And that’s it?”

“The door is a block of rock; his hands will be occupied, and I don’t think they’d leave the best earthbenders down here.”

“That’s brilliant,” Katara said, turning to the firebender who still had her face in her grasp. Realizing this, Azula quickly let go, blushing.

“It is my plan, after all.”

Azula sat down on the only bed in the cell, leaving Katara no choice but to sit beside her. “What happens if I’m not there?”

“I have more plans, but they’d attract more attention.” Azula snorted. “You’re not indispensable, you’re… useful, I suppose.”

“What’s going to happen if we get out? Are you going to attack me?”

“No.”

“Really? No?”

“You’re useful.”

“But by then, we’ll be out of here.”

A small smile appeared on Azula’s face. “I’m not telling you my plans, waterbender.”

Katara narrowed her eyes. “Katara.”

“What?”

“My name is Katara,” Katara said, leaning against the wall. “Since we’re going to ‘collaborate,’ at least stop calling me waterbender.”

“I see.” Azula leaned against the wall and began thinking of different plans for different scenarios when the waterbender’s voice interrupted her.

“Aren’t you going to introduce yourself?”

“You already know who I am.”

“Even so. Out of courtesy.”

“It’s not like you’ve been very courteous since we’ve been here.”

Katara sighed. “Suit yourself, princess.”

Azula went back to planning, but once again, the waterbender interrupted her. “And how did you end up here?”

Azula sighed before hissing “Don’t you ever shut up?”

Katara rolled her eyes “Sorry for wondering why a princess who can melt doors and shoot lightning got captured and ended up in this cell.”

Katara knew she had hit a nerve with that sentence.

Azula narrowed her eyes at her for a short moment, but then sighed and said “I miscalculated Long Feng’s intentions.”

“Oh, can’t trust the bad guy?” Katara said mockingly.

Azula decided not to talk about it anymore so she changed the subject “Why are you here?”

“Because everyone wants to kill a twelve-year-old boy, and I travel with him.”

To Katara’s surprise, she heard a laugh escape Azula’s lips—a sound so unexpected that it caught her off guard. Katara looked at her with a teasing smile. “Well, well, the princess knows how to laugh.”

Azula’s laughter vanished as quickly as it had come. She brushed off the moment, forcing the conversation forward “And why do you travel with him if you know it won’t end well?”

Katara met her gaze without hesitation “I believe in Aang, and I believe he’ll stop the Fire Nation.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, he’s a twelve-year-old boy.”

“He’s the Avatar.”

Azula’s eyes narrowed, her voice dropping to a cold tone.“That doesn’t mean he can’t be killed.”

Katara felt a surge of frustration "Why? Why do you act like your nothing but a war machine"

Azula’s reply was immediate, almost mechanical. “We’re at war.”

Katara’s anger flared “A war that your people started.”

For a moment, Azula was silent, her face unreadable, but Katara wasn’t done, “Do you really think wiping out an entire nation and terrorizing the others is a good thing? Really?”

The firebender’s expression hardened further. “We’re better, we’re a superior nation.”

“Do you really believe that? Do you really think you have the right to erase the air nation from the map?” Katara’s voice quivered with fury as she stepped closer to Azula, her finger jabbing into the firebender’s chest. “Do you really think the Fire Nation is a good place?”

“I’m going to be Fire Lord.”

“That’s not an answer to my question, princess.”

Azula could feel the heat radiating from Katara’s anger. The waterbender was too close, too close, and it made Azula’s skin crawl so she snapped, “Get off me!”

With a quick, sharp shove, Azula tried to push Katara away, but the waterbender was unyielding. Instead of retreating, Katara seized Azula by the arm, pulling her down with her, the two of them crashing to the floor. She wasn’t done talking. “Give me one good reason why the scum from your nation murdered my mother.”

Azula struggled beneath her, but Katara’s strength, fueled by her fury, held her down. The firebender twisted and fought, but Katara rolled on top of her, her hands pressing down on Azula’s shoulders, forcing her into submission. "Answer me!" demanded Katara in a cracked voice.

Azula’s first instinct was to burn her, to summon flames that would consume the girl above her. But as she met Katara’s gaze, ready to incinerate her, something in the waterbender’s eyes stopped her. The pain there, raw and unshielded, was unlike anything Azula had ever seen directed at her. She hesitated, the fire that was about to erupt from her fingertips extinguished by the tears that began to fall from Katara’s eyes.

“I suppose… she was a waterbender,” Azula said, the uncertainty in her voice betraying her usual confidence.

“She wasn’t!” Azula’s eyes widened in shock as Katara’s tears dripped onto her face, “I was! They didn’t even check; they just killed her—they burned her right in front of me without any hesitation.”

Katara’s grip tightened, her fingers digging into Azula’s arms with a force that made the firebender wince. “Tell me what reason justifies that!”

Azula opened her mouth, but no words came. She was at a loss, her usual sharp tongue rendered useless. “We’re… at war,” she finally whispered, the words feeling hollow and meaningless even to her.

“For Tui’s sake, Azula, can’t you see how messed up that is?” Katara’s voice broke with emotion, her body trembling with the effort to hold back the flood of tears. “Can’t you see the power you have to change it?”

“I can’t go against my Fire Lord, I can’t—” Azula began, but the words faltered as she saw the disgust in Katara’s eyes.

“Then you’re a coward,” Katara spat.

The word hit Azula harder than any physical blow. She recoiled, her anger surging, ready to lash out, but before she could, Katara abruptly released her. The waterbender stood, wiping her tears away with the back of her hand. She walked to the bed and sat down. “I suppose they’ll bring dinner soon,” she said quietly, her voice flat and devoid of the fire it had moments before.

Azula slowly sat up, her body tense, ready to strike. She knew she could attack Katara now, catch her off guard, and end her in an instant. But as she watched the waterbender sitting there, shoulders slumped in defeat, something held her back. The knot in her stomach tightened.

Instead of reaching for her bending, Azula moved to the bed, sitting down beside Katara in silence, her mind churning with thoughts she couldn’t quite grasp. The two girls sat in that cell bed, neither speaking, both waiting for the guard to bring their meal, each lost in their own troubled thoughts.

Hours had passed since then, and it seemed they might not get dinner tonight, which meant they’d have to wait until tomorrow. That meant spending hours and hours in that cell in silence.

“I don’t think they’re coming today,” Azula remarked, looking at the door. She glanced at Katara, who sat next to her, her knees drawn up to her chest, staring blankly at the wall. Katara didn’t respond, didn’t even acknowledge Azula’s words with a look. “But I’m not sure it’s safe for us to fall asleep.”

If Katara was going to respond, she didn’t get the chance, the ground beneath her shifted violently. In an instant, earthen cuffs shot up from the floor, binding her wrists and ankles to the cold stone wall. The sudden attack caught Katara off guard, a gasp escaping her lips as she struggled against the restraints.

Azula reacted on instinct, barely dodging the earthbender’s strike aimed at her. Before the Dai Li agents could attack again, a woman’s voice sounded behind them, “There’s no need to fight, girls. We just want to talk to you. Such exceptional benders would be a great addition to our ranks.”

The Dai Li agents didn’t pause, launching another attack at Azula, who retaliated with a powerful kick that sent a wall of flames surging forward, forcing them to retreat.

“Drop down and move your face away from the shackles!” Azula barked.

Katara hesitated for only a moment before following Azula’s instructions, ducking her head down and turning her face away. In one swift motion, Azula sent two precise fireballs at the shackles binding Katara, the flames destroying the earthen cuffs with astonishing precision. Katara fell forward, her hands and feet now free, and she stared at Azula in disbelief, her mind reeling. The firebender had just freed her.

But the danger was far from over. Azula was pushed back, forced to defend herself in the tight space as the Dai Li agents pressed their attack, their earthbending constricting the area around her, limiting her movements.

Katara remembered the puddle. With a deep breath, Katara bended the water with a sweeping motion of her arms, pulling it from the puddle and gathering it into a swirling, controlled mass. She lashed out with the water, striking the woman and the two Dai Li agents with enough force to throw them back several meters, clearing the space around Azula.

“Drench them!” Azula commanded with an authoritative voice.

Katara didn’t hesitate. She released the water in a powerful wave, soaking the enemies to their skin. As soon as the water made contact, the air in the cell seemed to crackle with energy. The smell of ozone filled the room, and a blinding flash of light erupted as Azula, with a swift, calculated motion, released a bolt of lightning from her fingertips. The electricity arced through the air, striking the three individuals and knocking them out cold.

Katara stared at the fallen agents in shock. But before she could process what had just happened, she felt a strong hand grip her arm, pulling her with surprising force.

“The lightning wasn’t strong enough to kill them,” Azula said, her voice low but urgent, her golden eyes locking onto Katara’s with an intensity that brooked no argument. “But we can’t waste a second. I’m sure more agents are on their way.”

Azula pulled her once more, just enough for Katara to nod and follow her, there was no time to think, no time to question or argue.

Azula moved quickly—very quickly. Her movements were a blur of precision and power, each step calculated, each strike executed with ruthless efficiency. Katara found herself struggling to keep up, trailing closely behind Azula as they navigated the labyrinth of corridors in the Dai Li’s stronghold. Without her waterskin, Katara had little to do but watch Azula in action, her eyes darting around the dimly lit halls, trying to anticipate the next threat.

Each movement Azula made was like a deadly dance, a choreography of fire and fury that left their enemies no chance to counterattack. Katara had always known Azula was a formidable bender, but now, watching her up close, she couldn’t help but be struck by the sheer artistry of it. When Azula wasn’t trying to kill you, it was impossible not to appreciate just how skilled she was.

As they moved through the halls, Katara’s attention drifted to Azula herself. She hadn’t noticed until now, but Azula wasn’t wearing her usual armor. The heavy, imposing outfit had been replaced by some earth kingdom clothes. Without the armor, Azula looked smaller, more slender, but at the same time…

Katara’s thoughts stumbled as she caught herself unconsciously admiring the firebender’s form. The realization sent a sudden flush of heat to her cheeks, and she quickly averted her eyes, trying to focus on the task at hand. But the blush only deepened when, as if sensing her thoughts, Azula suddenly turned and locked eyes with her.

Katara’s breath caught in her throat, her mind scrambling for something to say. But before she could speak, Azula’s sharp gaze shifted past her, her expression hardening in an instant. With a swift, fluid motion, Azula launched a fireball over Katara’s shoulder, the blue flames collided with a boulder that had been hurtling straight towards them. The rock shattered, pieces of debris clattering to the ground harmlessly behind them.

“If you want to get out of here alive, focus!” Azula snapped, her tone leaving no room for argument.

Katara blinked, momentarily stunned, her heart racing from the near miss. She opened her mouth to respond, but Azula had already turned away, her attention back on their escape route. Katara’s mind was still reeling from the close call when Azula threw one last glance over her shoulder, her eyes narrowing slightly. “And keep your distance; it seems like the fire is getting to you.”

Which only made Katara blush even more.

Azula’s words sent another wave of heat rushing to Katara’s face.

With a combination of skill and sheer luck, the girls managed to shake off the Dai Li agents and emerged from the underground tunnels into the Lower Ring of Ba Sing Se. They ducked into a narrow alleyway, pressing their backs against the cool stone walls, trying to catch their breath and ensure they were no longer being pursued.

Azula scanned their surroundings with sharp, calculating eyes before turning her attention to Katara. “We urgently need a change of clothes… and by ‘we,’ I mean you,” she remarked, her gaze sweeping over Katara with a critical eye.

Katara bristled slightly at the implication but bit back her retort. “I think we have more important things to do first, don’t we?” she replied, crossing her arms defiantly.

Azula raised an eyebrow. “More important than blending in so we don’t get captured again?”

Katara opened her mouth to argue but quickly realized that Azula was right. As much as she hated to admit it, their current attire made them stand out far too much in the Lower Ring. With a resigned sigh, she asked, “And where are we going to get clothes? Because I don’t know about you, but I don’t have a single coin.”

Azula rolled her eyes. "Can you really not think of anything?"

Katara was about to snap back, but before she could, Azula moved. With a swift, almost casual motion, she undid her topknot, allowing her long, dark hair to cascade over her shoulders.

“Hide here,” Azula instructed, her voice low and commanding as she glanced around the alleyway. Without waiting for a response, she stepped out onto the street, her demeanor instantly shifting as she approached an elderly woman who was seated nearby.

“What are you doing?” Katara hissed under her breath.

“Excuse me,” Azula called out softly, her voice now sweet and polite, completely unlike her usual tone. “Do you know where I can find a nearby clothing shop, but one that’s very cheap?” She hugged herself as if to ward off the cold, her expression one of feigned vulnerability. “I just arrived from Omashu, and someone stole my coat. I’m freezing.”

The elderly woman looked at Azula with pity, her maternal instincts clearly stirred by the sight of a young girl in apparent distress. Katara, still hidden in the shadows, noticed the woman had a thick, worn cloak draped over her lap. Without hesitation, the woman offered it to Azula, her voice gentle. “Take this; I’m used to this weather.”

Azula hesitated for a moment, putting on a perfect act of reluctance. “But I can’t accept it… I…” Her voice wavered just enough to sound genuinely touched. If Katara didn’t know any better, she might have believed Azula’s performance herself.

“Please, take it,” the woman insisted, “These are hard times, and we need to help each other.”

Azula looked at her with fake tears in her eyes. “I appreciate it so much.” She slipped on the cloak and gave the woman a deep, respectful bow before turning back towards the alley.

The woman smiled at her, and Azula returned to the alley. Once she was out of sight, she took off the cloak with a hint of disgust and tossed it to Katara. “Put this on and get rid of those hair loops and that necklace.”

Katara caught the cloak, frowning at the sudden change in Azula’s attitude. “What was that?” she asked, still processing the scene she’d just witnessed.

“Survival,” Azula replied, rolling her eyes as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “Now, will you hurry up?”

Katara was tempted to argue but knew it would be pointless. She pulled the cloak over her shoulders and let down her hair, removing the hair loopies. But when it came to her necklace, she made no move to remove it.

“I’m not taking off the necklace,” Katara stated firmly.

“Of course not,” Azula muttered to herself, rubbing her forehead. She sighed, exasperated. “We don’t have time for this.”

Katara adjusted the hood of the cloak, tucking her hair inside and hiding the loopies in a small pouch. The necklace, however, remained in place, resting against her collarbone.

Azula glanced over her, assessing her disguise. “I suppose that’ll do,” she said finally, gesturing for Katara to follow.

Katara didn’t move. “We’re already out—why do you want me to go with you?”

Azula looked at her as if she were crazy. “Are you planning to face the Dai Li and Long Feng by yourself?”

Katara understood what Azula meant but still didn’t fully grasp it. “Are you planning to face them? You’re already free, you don’t have to.”

“And so are you.”

“They have my friends.” Azula rolled her eyes, and Katara understood the situation. “Oh.”

“Can we move now?” Azula pressed, her impatience growing. “We’ve likely mobilized a large part of the Dai Li, which means we’re in danger, and it’s a great time to strike.”

This time, Katara didn’t hesitate. She fell into step beside Azula, matching her pace—not too slow, not too fast, just enough to avoid drawing attention. The two girls moved through the streets of the Lower Ring like shadows, their presence unnoticed by the weary citizens around them.

“So, you want to protect your friends too?” Katara asked, her voice tinged with surprise. She hadn’t expected Azula to care about anyone but herself.

Azula’s eyes flicked around their surroundings, avoiding Katara’s gaze. “They’re formidable warriors. That’s why they’re on my team,” she replied, her tone dismissive, as if the question didn’t deserve an answer.

Katara snorted softly, a half-laugh escaping her lips. “The depressed girl and the circus freak?”

Azula stopped scanning their surroundings and focused her gaze on Katara. “Watch your mouth.”

Katara was about to snap back, but then a thought struck her. “I suppose that idiot Zuko is with them too?”

Azula’s expression shifted, a small smile playing on her lips at the insult toward her brother. “I don’t think so,”

This puzzled Katara. “Do you think they tried to brainwash him too?” she asked, genuinely curious. Azula blinked several times, clearly trying to determine if Katara was serious or joking.

“What?” asked the waterbender, still confused.

Azula couldn’t hold back her laughter. “Why on earth would they bother using Zuzu?”

Katara frowned, not understanding. “He’s part of your royal family,” she pointed out, as if it were obvious.

“He’s a useless exile,” Azula retorted coldly, her voice devoid of any warmth. “Cast out by our father with an impossible mission that now, for some reason, he has a chance of completing.” She paused, her eyes narrowing slightly. “The best thing he could do is renounce the throne.”

Katara was confused. “What difference does it make if he renounces it or not?”

Azula looked at her, confused. “Don’t you know how the royal family works?”

“You’re the eldest, right?” Katara asked, equally confused.

“Unfortunately, no.” Azula replied, her voice tinged with bitterness.

Katara stopped in her tracks. “Wait, what?”

Azula rolled her eyes, clearly annoyed by the interruption. “What part of that sentence is hard for you to process?”

“But how old are you?” Katara asked, trying to make sense of it all. “Because Zuko seems as old as my brother.”

Azula’s posture grew defensive, her eyes narrowing. “And why does that matter right now?”

Katara, however, was lost in thought, piecing together the implications.“If you’re younger than Zuko, then you must be younger than Sokka, which means… you might be my age… No.” Azula raised an eyebrow at her. Katara shook her head, as if trying to reject the idea. “You can’t be my age.”

“And why not?” asked Azula slightly offended.

“But… have you seen yourself?!” Katara gestured up and down at Azula. Azula was about to retort with a scathing comment, but Katara’s next words caught her off guard, “How is it possible that you’re like… this at our age? Is it because of the Fire Nation, or…”

“I’m a princess.”

“Yeah, but being a princess doesn’t mean you have to be drop-dead gorgeous,” Katara blurted out, the words slipping out before she could stop them.

Both girls fell silent, the weight of Katara’s statement hanging in the air between them. As the reality of what she’d just said sank in, Katara felt a deep blush creeping up her cheeks, and to her surprise, she noticed a faint flush on Azula’s face as well.

Trying to regain her composure, Katara cleared her throat awkwardly. “So, what’s your plan?”

The night air in Ba Sing Se was thick with the smell of damp earth and the distant hum of the city's never-ending bustle. Despite the late hour, the Lower Ring was alive with activity, its narrow streets teeming with the undercurrents of a city constantly on edge. Azula and Katara moved through the shadowed alleys like two ghosts, silent and unseen, their steps light but purposeful.

Azula's sharp eyes scanned their surroundings, calculating their next move. They were in desperate need of a map to navigate the city and, more importantly, a safe place to rest.

Ahead, Azula spotted a small inn. The building was old and unassuming, a perfect place to disappear for a few hours. But as they approached, Azula halted, her instincts flaring. She grabbed Katara's arm and pulled her into the shadows of a nearby alley.

Katara was about to protest when Azula leaned in close, her breath warm against Katara's ear. "To the right," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the distant clamor of the city. "There’s a man who’s been eyeing you for a while. He seems a bit drunk, and his coin pouch is in an accessible spot."

Katara stiffened, her eyes darting to where Azula had indicated. Sure enough, there was a man leaning against the wall near the inn’s entrance. His eyes were bloodshot, his movements sluggish—clearly, he had been drinking. But what made Katara's skin crawl was the way he was staring at her.

"You want us to steal?" Katara hissed.

"Do you want to see your friends again?" she shot back, her tone cold and matter-of-fact. There was no malice in her voice, just a simple statement of fact. And Katara hated that she was right.

For a moment, they stood there, locked in a silent battle of wills. Katara’s heart pounded in her chest, her mind racing as she weighed her options. But the truth was, she had no options.

"I hate you." Katara muttered

"Like that’s anything new." Azula replied with a faint smirk

Katara took a deep breath, steeling herself for what she was about to do. Squaring her shoulders, she stepped out of the shadows and approached the man, her heart pounding in her ears.

As she got closer, the man’s leer widened into a grin, his eyes raking over her with a greedy glint. "Looking for something, miss?" he slurred, his voice thick with alcohol.

Katara forced a shy smile, trying to mask the revulsion she felt. She glanced sideways at Azula, who was lurking just out of sight, "Um… I’m new here," Katara said with a hesitant voice.

The man leaned in close to Katara. "And you want a little tour?"

The man leaned in closer, the stench of alcohol heavy on his breath. "And you want a little tour?"

Katara swallowed hard, trying to keep her composure. "Well… I… um…"

It was all the distraction Azula needed. While the man was completely focused on Katara, Azula moved in like a shadow, her movements swift and precise. In a single, fluid motion, she reached out and snatched the coin pouch from his belt, her fingers barely brushing the fabric. The man didn’t even notice, his lecherous grin still fixed on Katara.

"Don’t worry," the man continued, oblivious to the theft, "I can handle it. I’m sure we can find a way for you to return the favor later—"

Katara’s stomach churned with disgust, but before she could think of a response, the man suddenly collapsed forward, his balance giving out. She barely had time to step aside as he crumpled to the ground, his face hitting the dirt with a dull thud.

It was only then that she noticed Azula standing behind him, wiping her hands on her robe with a look of distaste. "You’re welcome,"

Katara blinked, still trying to process what had just happened. "I… uh, thanks?"

Azula rolled her eyes, slipping the coin pouch into her sleeve. "Let’s get something to eat and find a place to sleep," she said, already turning away from the unconscious man.

Katara hesitated for a moment, glancing down at the man sprawled in the dirt. She felt a pang of guilt, but she quickly pushed it aside. There was no room for guilt—not when her friends were still in danger. With a sigh, she followed Azula.

As they made their way back to the inn, Katara couldn’t help but steal a glance at Azula. The firebender moved with an effortless grace, her expression calm and composed, as if what they had just done was the most natural thing in the world. Katara knew she should be angry, but instead, she felt a strange mix of admiration and frustration. Azula was everything she wasn’t—ruthless, calculating, unflinching. And yet, in this strange alliance born out of necessity, Katara couldn’t deny that they made an effective team.

After securing a room and a map from the innkeeper—who, after seeing the gold coin Azula flashed, was more than willing to provide recommendations—they made their way to a nearby restaurant. The establishment was bustling, filled with the sound of clinking glasses and lively chatter. The air was thick with the scent of roasted meat and spiced tea, a welcome change from the damp, musty streets outside.

Azula led them to a small table near the back, where they could keep an eye on the entrance. The firebender’s demeanor was calm and composed as she handed a coin to a passing server, ordering them a modest meal.

Katara wasted no time digging into her meal, her hunger overriding any sense of decorum. The food was simple but hearty, and she ate with a voracity that surprised even her. Across the table, Azula ate slowly, her eyes constantly scanning the room, never fully letting her guard down.

Katara was halfway through her meal when she noticed Azula’s gaze shift slightly, her posture tensing. Following her line of sight, Katara’s heart skipped a beat as she spotted two Dai Li agents entering the restaurant. They moved with the cold, detached efficiency of seasoned predators, their eyes sweeping over the patrons as if searching for something—or someone.

Azula continued eating, trying to appear normal, while Katara watched nervously as the agents passed nearby. Before they reached the area where the girls were sitting, the waterbender saw them look away, distracted by a couple kissing passionately in a corner.

"They’re getting closer, and I don’t know if we’re hidden enough," Katara whispered.

“There’s nowhere for us to escape,” Azula muttered, her mind racing as she assessed their options. The restaurant was too crowded, the exits too far away. If they tried to make a run for it, they’d be caught for sure.

Katara looked around, desperation starting to build in her chest. Then, as she looked around the room, an idea struck her—something she’d seen earlier, something that had distracted the Dai Li. Suddenly, she turned to Azula “I’m going to kiss you,”

“What?” Azula’s voice was sharp with surprise, her eyes widening.

“Trust me,” Katara insisted.

“But…” Azula began to protest, her cheeks flushing at the mere thought.

“Kyoshi’s tits, it’s just a kiss,” Katara snapped, rolling her eyes in exasperation.

Swallowing her pride, she nodded slowly, her breath catching as Katara leaned in.

At first, their lips barely brushed. Azula felt a shiver run down her spine, and unable to resist, she closed her eyes, giving in to the moment. Katara’s lips were soft, and the kiss deepened with a palpable urgency.

Katara held her firmly, one hand on the back of Azula’s neck, the other on her waist, pulling her closer. Azula felt a whirlwind of emotions, so strong that it momentarily made her forget the reason behind it all.

The Dai Li agents, who had been looking in their direction, quickly averted their eyes, uncomfortable with the scene. They turned their attention elsewhere.

When Katara finally pulled back, their breaths were ragged, their faces flushed. Azula could feel the warmth lingering on her lips, her heart racing in a way that had nothing to do with fear. She was blushing, her cheeks a bright shade of pink that she knew had nothing to do with the danger they had just avoided.

Katara cleared her throat awkwardly, her eyes darting away as she tried to compose herself. “Let’s go back to the inn,”

Azula nodded, still feeling the warmth in her cheeks, but knowing it had been the best decision at the moment. However, she couldn’t quite understand why this strategy had stirred a strange feeling in her stomach. She didn’t believe it was because that had been her first kiss—no, that was ridiculous.

Azula leaned over a map spread out on the table, her eyes meticulously scanning every detail while trying to ignore what had just happened a little while ago. However, Katara, seated across from her, silently watching, wasn’t exactly helping.

“Why us?” Katara asked suddenly, breaking the silence. Her voice was calm, but there was a note of genuine confusion in it. “Why did they choose us to brainwash, I mean?”

“We are good in our element.” Azula looked up, her eyes cold and calculating. “And they’re not stupid. They can’t control the Avatar State. Toph isn’t seen as a threat, and your brother definitely isn’t.”

Katara raised an eyebrow. “And your friends?”

Azula’s lips curved into a small, confident smile. “They think two non-benders can’t do much,” she added, “Though those two could take down your whole team.”

“Wow, are you all that close?” Katara smiled with a mix of irony and curiosity.

Azula didn’t respond, her eyes flicking back to the map.

“I’d like to think so,” Katara said softly, breaking the silence that had settled between them.

“What?” Azula frowned, her attention snapping back to Katara.

“I’d like to think that, despite everything, you’re also just people fighting in a war that isn’t really yours,” Katara said softly. “Like us.”

Azula’s expression hardened. “I’m the princess of the Fire Nation,” she retorted, her voice cold as ice.

“The war has been going on for almost a hundred years,” Katara countered, her gaze steady. “None of us were born into it. But we’re all caught up in it, fighting battles that started long before we existed.”

“I’m still the princess,” Azula insisted, her jaw tightening.

“And you’re still a teenager,” Katara added. “That’s something Aang taught me, not to forget that I’m not just a soldier, no matter how much I fight.”

Azula pressed her lips together, her eyes narrowing. “This war will end when the Fire Nation kills him.”

“And then what?” Katara asked, her voice calm.

“What will we have won.”

“You’ll be ruling over a world of ashes,” Katara replied angrily.

Azula didn’t know how to respond, and the silence between them grew heavy.

“I’m not going to let that happen,” Katara finally said.

“You’re not going to defeat the Fire Lord,” Azula replied, her words laced with defiance but also tinged with a hint of fear.

“Maybe…but at least we’ll have tried,” Katara replied with determination.

“You’re suicidal,” Azula said with disdain.

“And you’re a pawn.” Katara responded with equal coldness.

“Excuse me?” Azula straightened, her eyes blazing with contained anger.

“I’m here because I believe in Aang. You’re here because your father, who clearly doesn’t care about you, sent you on some mission,” Katara said.

“You know nothing about my family,” Azula snapped.

“I know enough to know it stinks,” Katara retorted bluntly, her eyes locked onto Azula’s.

“How dare you?” Azula took a step toward her, her fists clenched at her sides, her body radiating heat.

“Isn’t it true? Your father has put you on the front lines, sent you to fight while he stays safe,” Katara pressed, her voice rising.

“You know nothing about my family!” Azula shouted, her eyes sparking.

“No… but I do know when something smells rotten,” Katara said. “And your family reeks.”

Azula’s fists tightened, her nails digging into her palms. “I should kill you right here.”

“Are you really a killer?” Katara asked, taking a step closer, her eyes searching Azula’s with an intensity that made the firebender flinch.

“What?” Azula seemed confused.

“Do you really want to kill me?” Katara pressed.

“We’re in a war,” Azula responded, regaining some of her composure. “And you’re an insolent fool.”

“That wasn’t my question,” Katara moved even closer, their faces inches apart, her breath warm against Azula’s skin.

“I’m capable of doing it,” Azula said, her voice wavering just enough to betray her uncertainty.

“That wasn’t my question either,” Katara whispered, her gaze boring into Azula’s.

Azula swallowed hard, her gaze flickering away, searching for an escape. “Why are you doing this?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

“I don’t think you’re like your father,” Katara said softly.

“You don’t know that,” Azula retorted.

“Are you telling me the Fire Lord wouldn’t have left by now? Wouldn’t have abandoned his friends?” Katara pressed, her voice steady, her eyes never leaving Azula’s.

“They’re a valuable resource,” Azula said, but her voice lacked its usual confidence.

“Not that valuable,” Katara countered. “And you know it.” Azula frowned. “There are plenty of well-trained, even better-trained fighters,” the waterbender added.

“Not like them,”

“We both know that’s not true,” Katara stated. The silence between them stretched.

“You want to save your friends,” Katara said confidently, her voice softening slightly.

“Shut up,” Azula whispered, her voice breaking.

“That already makes you different from your father,” Katara said firmly.

“Shut up! You don’t know anything,” Azula shouted, stepping closer to Katara.

Katara met her gaze defiantly but found something she hadn’t expected: fear. So the waterbender stepped back and went to her bed, ignoring the firebender’s threatening looks.

“I could attack you while you sleep,” Azula said, trying to regain her cold demeanor.

Katara took a deep breath and turned her head to look at her. “I suppose you could, but I know you need me. You’re not going to do this all on your own. Besides, we have a deal…” Katara paused, her voice gentle. “Goodnight.”

Azula stayed silent, staring at Katara with a mix of confusion and something she didn’t want to admit. Finally, she turned her attention back to the map, but her mind was no longer on the strategy.

Azula pulled the covers over herself, trying to quiet the unease churning in her stomach. She lay stiffly on the narrow bed, her eyes tracing the patterns of cracks in the dark ceiling above her. Each jagged line became a distraction, something to focus on besides the thoughts gnawing at the edges of her mind. She could hear Katara’s breathing, just across the room, quicker than usual—a sign that she, too, was awake and wrestling with her own thoughts. The sound of it only added to Azula’s restlessness.

It didn’t take long before Katara broke the silence. Her voice, soft and almost inaudible in the darkness, slipped through the shadows of the night. “You haven’t talked about your mother, what she thinks of all this.”

Azula’s breath hitched, and she immediately shut her eyes as if that could block out the words Katara had spoken. “Why would I?” she responded coldly, though both of them knew it wasn’t a genuine answer. Discussing her mother was like ripping open an old wound, one that had never truly healed. It was a subject she had buried deep, where it couldn’t hurt her—where it couldn’t reveal the vulnerable parts of herself she despised.

“She’s your mother,” Katara insisted, without the judgment Azula had expected. It was a simple statement of fact, delivered with an understanding that made Azula uncomfortable.

Azula pressed her lips together, biting back the instinct to lash out with a biting remark. She could sense that Katara was probing, looking for something more than just a casual conversation. But why? Why did Katara care? The thought twisted in her gut, an unfamiliar discomfort. Finally, she exhaled sharply, though her voice remained sharp and controlled. “She thinks I’m a monster.”

The statement hung in the air, heavy and dense. Katara shifted slightly in her bed, as if Azula’s words had affected her more than she’d like to admit. “Are you?” she finally asked, with a genuine curiosity that Azula found disconcerting.

“Yes.” Azula’s response was firm, almost automatic. It was the truth she had repeated to herself so many times it had become a part of her, an identity she had accepted, even if she didn’t like it.

Katara didn’t respond immediately, the silence between them growing thick and tense. When she finally spoke, her voice was soft but unwavering. “Do you really believe that?”

Azula’s eyes narrowed, her brow furrowing as she turned her head slightly, though she still stared up at the ceiling, feeling that Katara had asked the wrong question. “Do you think I’m not?” she shot back, intending to end this line of thought, as if daring Katara to contradict her.

The pause that followed was long enough for Azula to feel the tension in the air shift. She could almost sense Katara weighing her words carefully, choosing how to respond in a way that didn’t feel like an attack. “I don’t know,” Katara finally said, her voice carrying an honesty that was more disarming than any argument could have been.

That simple “I don’t know” fell between them like a stone dropped into a still pond. For the first time in a long while, Azula didn’t have a ready retort. Katara’s uncertainty was so different from what she had expected, so disarming in its simplicity. It wasn’t a rejection, nor was it an acceptance—it was something in between, something Azula didn’t know how to handle.

Azula turned onto her side, pulling the covers tighter around herself, giving her back to Katara. She stared at the wall, trying to regain the control that had slipped from her grasp during the conversation. “Goodnight,” she muttered, the words thick with a finality she didn’t fully feel. She wanted to close the conversation, to shut down the thoughts swirling in her mind, but she knew Katara’s words would continue to echo long after both of them had closed their eyes. They would linger in the dark corners of her mind, challenging the truths she had clung to for so long, and for the first time, she wasn’t sure how to silence them.

Azula woke up before the sun, as she always did, her mind already spinning with the details of the plan they needed to execute that day. She didn’t need to glance over to know that Katara was also awake; the waterbender’s breathing was too steady, too deliberate for someone lost in sleep. She made no comment about it, choosing instead to focus on what they had to do that day.

When Katara finally stirred and began to get ready, Azula couldn’t wait any longer. She approached Katara, unfurling a scroll across the table between them with a practiced, efficient motion. “We have a couple of hours,” Azula said, her voice crisp and firm as she leaned in, close enough that their shoulders nearly touched. “Let’s go over the plan.”

Katara nodded, her focus shifting to the map and Azula’s explanations, though she couldn’t ignore the warmth radiating from the firebender’s proximity. Azula’s gaze was intense, fixed on the intricate details of their strategy, but something about their closeness made it hard for Katara to concentrate fully on what Azula was saying.

As Azula paused to let her words sink in, Katara couldn’t help but blurt out, “You’re really a great strategist.”

Azula glanced at her from the corner of her eye, a half-smile on her lips that seemed more like a smirk of self-satisfaction. “I’m a prodigy,” she replied without hesitation, as if it were an indisputable fact.

Katara rolled her eyes but found herself smiling despite her best efforts to stay serious. “And very humble, of course,”

“Why would I be?” Azula responded, her confidence unshaken. “I’m good at what I do, and I work hard to be.”

Katara crossed her arms and leaned in slightly, “As if the rest of us don’t.”

Azula met her gaze seriously, her golden eyes gleaming in the dim light. “You should be just as confident. You’re good, Katara.” There was no sarcasm in her voice, just a straightforward acknowledgment that caught Katara off guard.

The compliment—unexpected and sincere—sent a flush of warmth to Katara’s cheeks. She blushed, quickly averting her gaze, but Azula’s eyes didn’t waver. The firebender’s intense scrutiny was both unsettling and oddly fascinating, and for the first time, Katara found herself truly noticing how beautiful Azula was, her face perfectly symmetrical, her eyes sharp, and the determination etched into every line of her expression.

Azula tilted her head slightly, as if analyzing Katara’s reaction. “So, is everything clear?” she asked, her voice slipping back into the authoritative tone

Katara forced herself to focus, but her mind was still anchored to that gaze. “Uh… yeah… yes… clear,” she stammered, though the words felt clumsy on her tongue, betraying her lack of attention.

Azula frowned. “Why haven’t you been paying attention?”

“I have,” Katara insisted quickly, but the lie was as transparent as water.

Azula raised an eyebrow, her lips curving into a knowing smile. “You should learn to lie better. You’re terrible at it.”

The accusation sparked a flare of defiance in Katara, and without thinking, she stepped closer, jabbing a finger into Azula’s chest. “And you should learn not to be so insufferable,” she retorted, her voice low and tense. Without realizing it, she had gotten so close that their bodies were almost touching.

Azula didn’t flinch or back away. If anything, she leaned in, her lips curling into a disdainful smile. “Sorry, but that’s just not true,”

Something inside Katara snapped. The tension between them reached a boiling point. Without a second thought, she grabbed the front of Azula’s tunic, pulling her close with a force that surprised even herself. “You’re impossible,” she hissed, her voice trembling with a mix of frustration and something she couldn’t quite name.

Azula barely blinked, though the sudden, unexpected proximity made her breath catch slightly. “And you’re a headache,”

Katara felt the tension between them, a tension that wasn’t just hostility. Her eyes flickered to Azula’s lips, and before she could stop herself, the attraction was too strong. She pulled Azula toward her, closing the distance between their bodies, and kissed her with a passion that left her breathless.

For a moment, Azula stood frozen, caught off guard by the suddenness of it all. But then she responded, matching Katara’s intensity with her own. There was nothing soft or gentle about it; it was fierce, a battle of wills where neither wanted to yield. Their lips moved urgently, as if they were both searching for something they couldn’t express with words. Azula slid a hand behind Katara’s neck, deepening the kiss, her fingers tangling in the waterbender’s brown hair. Her other hand gripped Katara’s waist, pulling her even closer, if that were possible.

When they finally broke apart, both were left breathing heavily, their eyes locked in a dazed confusion. Katara’s heart was racing, her mind spinning as she tried to process what had just happened. “Okay, that was…”

“A mistake,” Azula interrupted, her voice firm but her breathing still unsteady. “We have a mission to complete.”

The words hung in the air, the weight of what they had done pressing down on both of them. Katara looked down, struggling to control her emotions. “We still have some time before the mission starts…” she suggested, her voice barely a whisper.

“We shouldn’t,” Azula said, though her tone lacked the conviction it had held moments before.

“No,” Katara murmured, her mind still spinning. “We hate each other.”

“We hate each other,” Azula repeated, as if saying it out loud would make it true.

Another silence, and this time their gazes remained locked, connected by an invisible force. Finally, Katara leaned in a little closer to Azula, her eyes fixed on the princess’s. “I’m going to kiss you again,” she declared, with unexpected resolve.

Azula didn’t look away, her lips curling into a slight, almost daring smile, so Katara kissed her again.

Azula had studied the possibilities of where the Dai Li base could be located. She had explained it to Katara in detail, pointing out the likely spots and dismissing the impossible ones, along with her reasoning. And while Katara had been paying attention, standing in front of a tea house still felt strange to her.

“Don’t say anything, just follow me,” Azula said without looking at her. Without waiting for confirmation from Katara, she started to move forward. But after only a few steps, she felt a slight tug at her tunic.

“Are you sure you know what you’re doing?” Katara whispered, stepping closer to her, the proximity allowing her to keep her voice low.

Azula turned to meet Katara’s gaze. A superior smile played on her lips, and she responded with unwavering confidence, “Just follow me.”

The smug assurance in Azula’s voice drew a small, reluctant smile from Katara. “Show off,”

The tea house was bustling with people, but they were all ordinary citizens; there wasn’t a single person who seemed to be part of the organization or who appeared particularly threatening. To the untrained eye, it was just another busy establishment in the Lower Ring of Ba Sing Se, but Azula knew better than to be fooled by appearances.

Without a word, Azula reached out and grabbed Katara’s hand, her grip firm as she guided them through the crowd. The unexpected contact made Katara’s heart skip a beat. Without thinking, she intertwined her fingers with Azula’s, an instinctive gesture that surprised them both. Azula’s expression remained composed, but a faint blush crept up her cheeks, barely noticeable unless one was looking closely. Still, she didn’t pull away or comment on it, her focus unwavering as she continued to lead them.

Azula navigated the tea house with ease, weaving through the throng of people until they reached a narrow hallway that led to an open door at the back of the building. Stepping inside, they found themselves in a small, dimly lit storage room, the shelves lined with typical tea house supplies—teapots, cups, various herbs, and sacks of tea leaves.

“I don’t think this could be the place,” Katara whispered.

Azula, however, was undeterred. She squeezed Katara’s hand, signaling her to stay quiet, and pulled them both behind a large shelf that offered some cover. “Look at that wall,” Azula whispered back, nodding toward the far side of the room. “Why would they leave that wall completely empty in a storage room without putting anything on it?”

Katara frowned, her eyes narrowing as she examined the wall Azula had pointed out. It was bare, completely unadorned and strangely out of place amidst the cluttered surroundings. Before she could question it further, the wall began to move, a faint rumbling sound accompanying its slow, deliberate shift. It was unmistakable—earthbending.

The wall revealed a hidden passageway, and two Dai Li agents emerged from the shadows, their footsteps heavy on the stone floor. The first agent, a young man with a weary expression, sighed deeply as he stepped through the door, muttering to the man behind him. “I just never understand what she wants; I always do everything wrong,” he grumbled, his voice tinged with frustration. “I love her, but it’s so exhausting trying to keep her happy.”

The second agent, who looked just as tired, clapped a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “Women are like that, man,”

Katara and Azula exchanged eye rolls, but instead of continuing to listen to the complaints, Azula quickly grabbed one of the stolen coins. With a swift, precise flick of her wrist, she tossed the coin toward the doorway, the metallic clink echoing in the small room. The distraction worked perfectly. Both Dai Li agents turned their heads toward the sound.

Taking advantage of the fact that she hadn’t let go of the waterbender’s hand, she pulled Katara with her, allowing them both to slip into the secret cave.

One of the Dai Li agents picked up the coin and, without giving it much thought, asked the other, “Let’s grab a drink with this.”

“You always know what I need, man,” he said with a smile, closing the cave door behind them without a second glance. “I wish my girlfriend were more like you.”

The girls moved cautiously through the underground tunnel, the walls narrowing as they progressed deeper into the Earth Kingdom’s hidden underbelly. The passageway was lined with ancient inscriptions, the script faded but still legible, telling stories of a time long forgotten. Torches, placed sporadically along the walls, cast flickering, erratic light that danced across the cold stone, creating an eerie, almost otherworldly atmosphere.

“They’re watching us,” Azula murmured, her eyes scanning the surroundings with calculated precision.

Katara, walking just a step behind her. She leaned in slightly, her voice a hushed whisper, “Why aren’t they attacking?”

Azula didn’t turn to face her; instead, she kept her gaze forward, as if she could sense the invisible eyes that tracked their progress. “They want to see what we’ll do,” she replied, “They’re curious about the two people who managed to slip past their defenses and make it this far. They want to know if we’re a threat, or something more.”

Katara smiled slightly, pleased that everything was going according to plan. She nodded, adjusting her stance, her fingers brushing the leather of her water skin, ready to spring into action at any moment. “Are you ready?”

Azula smiled back, a grin full of confidence and danger. “I was born ready.”

In the vast, shadowy underground hall, the shadows danced on the walls, dimly lit by torches. Azula, with her commanding presence and gaze as cold as steel, stood before the members of the Dai Li, the secret elite of the Earth Kingdom. Beside her, Katara, with a determined yet restrained expression, stood in support.

The silence in the hall was palpable, broken only by the soft crackling of the torches. The Dai Li agents, dressed in their dark uniforms and with unreadable expressions, watched the two girls with a mix of curiosity and distrust.

Azula took a step forward. The silence in the hall was thick, broken only by the soft crackling of the torches. She allowed the silence to stretch, relishing the tension that built with each passing second. Finally, she spoke, her voice clear and authoritative, slicing through the quiet like a blade.

“We’ve evaded you,” she began, her tone dripping with confidence. “And more importantly, we’ve outwitted your so-called mastermind. But despite that, I must say, I admire your work. Your preparation, your skill—it’s impressive.”

The Dai Li agents remained still, their gazes locked on Azula, their attention captured by her every word.

“I have a proposal,” Azula continued, her voice commanding the room. “Fight alongside me. Long Feng believes he holds power, but he never will. True power, the divine right to rule, is something you’re born with.”

A slight murmur rippled through the room, but before it could spread, the doors burst open. Long Feng entered with two Dai Li agents at his side, his expression severe and calculated.

“Seize her!” he ordered, his voice laced with authority.

The Dai Li agents hesitated, glancing at each other, unsure. But they didn’t move an inch from their positions.

Long Feng’s expression twisted in horror as he realized what was happening. His grip on control was slipping, and he could feel the balance of power shifting before his very eyes. Azula let out a cold, mirthless laugh, the sound echoing through the hall, amplifying the growing unease in the room. She stepped forward, placing herself directly in front of Long Feng, her piercing gaze locked on him, unwavering.

“You’ve lost,” Azula declared, “Kneel.”

Slowly, with a mix of fury and helplessness, Long Feng began to kneel. His movements were stiff, reluctant, as if each inch closer to the ground was a blow to his pride. His knees finally touched the cold stone floor before her, “You’ve beaten me at my own game,”

Azula’s lips curled into a small, superior smile as she watched him kneel. Two Dai Li agents moved forward, grabbing Long Feng by the arms, their grip firm as they prepared to escort him away. But before they could drag him off, Azula leaned in slightly, “Don’t flatter yourself,” she sneered. “You were never even a player.”

As Long Feng was led away, the room seemed to breathe again. Katara, who had been standing silently by, her eyes never leaving Azula, finally allowed herself to exhale. Azula turned to look at her, her gaze filled with absolute pride for what she had just achieved, for what Katara had helped her accomplish: Azula had seized complete control of the Dai Li without a fight.

The first thing they did was free Mai and Ty Lee from their cells, the Dai Li agents opened the doors creaking open as the dim light of the underground prison bathed the two girls in a cold, muted glow. The room was silent except for the soft shuffle of footsteps and the echoing drip of water from the damp ceiling. Ty Lee was the first to react, her eyes lighting up as she recognized the figure standing before her.

Ty Lee ran towards Azula, eager to hug her. “Zulaaa, you came!” Azula, smiling, returned the embrace, feeling more at ease now that her friends were safe.

As they pulled apart, Ty Lee’s gaze shifted, finally noticing the waterbender standing a few steps behind Azula. Her expression morphed from joy to confusion, and then to something closer to disdain. “Wait, you brought a peasant,” Ty Lee remarked, pointing at Katara with an incredulous look.

Azula responded with a mocking smile. “I needed some extra hands,” she explained, “And they were going to brainwash her too.”

This elicited a scoff from the waterbender, which Azula ignored.

Ty Lee frowned, her brows knitting together as she tried to reconcile the presence of Katara with her expectations. But she quickly brushed it off, refocusing her attention on Azula. “So, what do we do now?”

Katara, who had been quietly observing the exchange, took a step forward, her gaze fixed on Azula with a determined intensity. “Your part of the deal.”

Azula sighed, recognizing the insistence in Katara’s voice. “I suppose that’s true.”

Mai, who had been standing quietly, with her usual disdain, crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. “Ugh.”

Ty Lee glanced between the two girls, uneasy. “What deal?”

Katara stepped forward, not breaking eye contact with Azula. “I helped her take control of the Dai Li, freed you two, and now she has to help me free my friends.”

Azula nodded, her expression unreadable.

Mai raised an eyebrow, skeptical. “Are we really going to help them?” she asked, looking at Katara.

Azula exchanged looks with Mai and Ty Lee, looks that Katara couldn’t quite decipher, but still, Azula nodded and said, “Yes, let’s go.”

Without further discussion, the group began to move.

Azula and Katara walked side by side, followed by the curious gazes of Ty Lee and Mai. Hidden in the walls were Dai Li agents, agents now loyal to Azula.

Katara kept glancing at the firebender, noticing that Azula seemed deep in thought.

After a while, Ty Lee broke the silence, whispering to Mai, "Hey, don’t you think there’s something going on between them?"

Mai, as usual, responded with indifference, rolling her eyes in a bored expression. "I doubt it."

But Ty Lee wasn’t so easily convinced. She narrowed her eyes, her brow furrowing in concentration. “No, no, their auras say something else,” she insisted.

Mai sighed, her shoulders slumping slightly as she resigned herself to yet another of Ty Lee’s musings. “Ty Lee, just a few days ago, they would have been trying to kill each other,” she pointed out, her voice tinged with exasperation. “They’re only working together because it’s practical.”

But Ty Lee frowned. “Then I don’t really understand Zula’s plans right now.”

Mai’s response was almost automatic, a shrug accompanied by a dry, indifferent tone. “It’s simple: capture the Avatar.”

Ty Lee, however, wasn’t ready to let it go. “But wouldn’t that be harder with Katara still around?” she asked, her voice laced with genuine concern. The observation gave Mai pause, the truth of Ty Lee’s words sinking in.

Mai sighed again, this time more heavily, “Let’s trust Azula. She’s usually right,”

“I still think there’s something there,” Ty Lee muttered, her eyes narrowing as she watched the two girls in front of them. There was a connection between them, something she couldn’t quite put her finger on, but it was there.

Mai rolled her eyes again, but she couldn’t help the flicker of curiosity that crossed her face. She glanced at Azula and Katara, watching the subtle shifts in their body language, the way Katara kept glancing at Azula, the way Azula seemed more... Could Ty Lee be right?

Unable to resist her curiosity, Ty Lee decided to intervene. With a quick burst of energy, she darted forward, positioning herself between Azula and Katara. Glancing up at the Fire Princess, she wrapped herself around Azula’s arm, a bright smile on her face. “I knew you’d get us out of this, Zula. You’re the smartest girl I know,”

Azula was used to Ty Lee being touchy; both she and Mai weren’t particularly fond of physical affection, but unlike Mai, Azula didn’t mind it—in fact, she appreciated it to some extent. "That’s true."

Ty Lee’s eyes flicked to Katara, and she noticed the waterbender’s fists clenched tightly at her sides. There was something amusing about the way Katara’s jaw tightened, a small, almost imperceptible sign of annoyance. Smiling mischievously, Ty Lee added, “The most beautiful, perfect princess.”

Azula raised an eyebrow at the over-the-top flattery, knowing full well that Ty Lee had a habit of laying it on thick. But before she could respond, Katara’s voice cut through the moment, sharp and frustrated. “Can you stop whatever that is until we find my friends?”

Ty Lee, far from being intimidated, simply smiled wider, a playful glint in her eyes as she squeezed Azula’s arm tighter. “Why? Does it bother you?”

Katara’s fists remained clenched, her face growing redder by the second. A vein began to throb on her forehead as she muttered through gritted teeth, “No.”

Ty Lee giggled, releasing Azula’s arm and turning to drape herself over Katara’s shoulder. "Cheer up, pretty girl, we’re just friends. All yours," she whispered in her ear, enjoying the flush of red rising to the waterbender’s cheeks.

Katara stammered, completely caught off guard. “I… what?” she managed to sputter

Ty Lee gave her a playful pat on the shoulder, her smile bright and cheerful. “Aw, you’re really cute,” she said, her voice dripping with sincerity. Then, lowering her voice so only Katara could hear, she added, “You should take the lead; Azula’s terrible at anything involving feelings.”

Before Katara could react, Ty Lee was back at Mai’s side, ignoring the princess’s bewildered look at what had just happened.

Mai, watching the whole scene with her usual apathy, asked Ty Lee dryly, "Was that necessary?"

Ty Lee, completely satisfied with herself, simply smiled. “They are cute, aren’t they?”

"This isn’t going to end well," murmured Mai, but her eyes, like Ty Lee’s, couldn’t help but follow Katara, who was now walking a little closer to Azula, while the Fire Princess seemed... Was she blushing?

Ty Lee, ever the optimist, linked her arm through Mai’s, her smile never faltering. “I wouldn’t be so sure, dear friend,” she sang out, her tone almost musical. “Now, we just need to find Zuko, and I’ll have fulfilled my mission as Cupid.”

Mai shot her a sidelong glance, her expression one of utter disbelief. “Let me go back to the cell,”

Following one of the Dai Li agents, Azula led the group down the dark, winding corridors of the palace’s underbelly. The sound of their footsteps echoed ominously against the cold, stone walls, a stark reminder of the perilous situation they were in. Finally, they arrived at a row of cells, where the Avatar and his friends were being held captive.

With a calculated flick of her wrist, Azula signaled for the cell doors to be unlocked. The cell doors creaked open, and Katara wasted no time in rushing inside, she threw her arms around her friends, pulling them into a tight embrace.

Katara felt a wave of relief and gratitude, but she quickly realized something was wrong when the doors slammed shut behind them, trapping them once again.

Katara spun around, her eyes blazing with fury. “What are you doing?! We had a deal!” she shouted, her voice laced with frustration and betrayal. She glared at Azula, demanding answers.

Azula, with a cold smile, replied, “I kept my word. I freed you, and now you’re trapped again.”

Katara approached the bars and stared at her, challenging her. “Are you going to kill us? Take us to the Fire Nation bound and gagged?”

Azula remained silent.

Seeing the firebender’s hesitation, Katara pressed on, her voice softening but no less intense. “Are you going to be what your father wants you to be? His lapdog?”

Before Azula could respond, Ty Lee stepped forward “Who do you think you are to talk to the princess like that?”

Katara wasn’t intimidated. “Someone who’s been locked up with her for days, someone who’s seen beneath that façade.”

Azula’s eyes flickered with something undefinable, but she stayed silent, her gaze locked with Katara’s.

Katara seized the moment. “Are you really going to do this?”

Azula hesitated, her expression showing an internal struggle. “What options do I have?”

“End it,” Katara said firmly. “Join us.”

From the cell, Sokka’s voice rang out in disbelief, “Katara, are you insane?”

Katara ignored her brother, keeping her focus on Azula. “You’re not a monster. You’re just… You’re better than this. You can overthrow him, you can make the Fire Nation better… I know you can,”

Azula looked at her, confused, knowing deep down that while it was the most logical choice, it wasn’t the one she wanted to make. “I…”

“Azula, please,” Katara whispered, her voice filled with an earnestness that reached out and touched something in Azula’s heart. Her eyes, brimming with unshed tears, held a warmth that Azula couldn’t quite understand, but it was enough to make her reconsider everything.

Azula looked into her eyes, eyes that were beginning to fill with tears, eyes that conveyed a warmth she couldn’t explain. And for once, for once Azula decided to be selfish, decided that she wanted to argue with her again, to make her angry, and above all, to kiss her again. Maybe it was suicide, or maybe she was just tired of fighting. Maybe ruling over ashes wasn’t worth it. Azula hesitated, her mind racing with possibilities, but in the end, she made her choice. “Release them.”

The Dai Li hesitated, but a sharp glance from Azula sent them into action. The metal cell doors creaked open once more, and the group slowly stepped out, free at last.

As they were being freed, Azula approached Katara and whispered, “If you fail me, I won’t hesitate to end you.”

Katara nodded seriously. “Understood.”

Sokka and Aang exchanged astonished looks. “Did it work?!” Sokka asked, incredulous.

Toph, laughing, exclaimed, “Sugar Queen, how did you bewitch her?”

Katara smiled slightly, knowing that the road ahead would be difficult, but at least, for now, they had a chance to change the course of the war—and above all, a small chance to fight for what she felt, for what Azula made her feel. With a spark of defiance in her eyes, Katara gave Azula a light tap on the chest. "If you listen to me now, the Dai Li will follow me instead of the future Fire Lord."

Azula rolled her eyes. "Shut up, Zuzu is the one in line for the throne, not me."

Katara smiled. "Well, that’s better."

Azula raised an eyebrow. "Better?"

“That way, you’ll have more free time after the war is over,” Katara replied.

Azula was silent for a moment, her mind turning over Katara’s words. “After…” she murmured, as if the concept of an “after” was foreign to her.

Katara looked at her intently. "When this is over, I’m going to find you."

Azula let out a soft laugh, though her eyes showed an emotion she rarely allowed to surface. "Shouldn’t you ask me to find you?"

Katara shook her head, a soft smile playing on her lips. “No.”

The silence deepened as the two stared at each other. Katara took a step forward, slowly moving closer. Azula’s breath quickened almost imperceptibly, and her eyes softened. Katara raised a hand and gently placed it on Azula’s cheek, her thumb tracing a delicate arc over her skin.

Azula, feeling the warmth of the touch, closed her eyes for a moment, allowing the weight of her responsibilities and struggles to fade away. Katara leaned in slowly, giving Azula time to pull back if she wanted, but Azula remained still, her heart pounding.

Finally, their lips met in a slow and deep kiss. Katara could feel the softness and firmness in Azula’s lips, and for a moment, everything else disappeared. Time froze, and in that brief instant, it was just the two of them.

When they pulled apart, both were breathing heavily, but their eyes shone with new determination.

The group erupted in shock, but with very different reactions. Toph, with a mischievous grin, commented, “Look who’s got a new girlfriend.”

Sokka yelled loudly, “Katara, she’s the enemy! That’s not how you fight the enemy!”

Aang was in total shock, while Mai rolled her eyes, and Ty Lee cheered, knowing she had been right and that she had probably helped make it happen.

Azula, completely blushing, cleared her throat and addressed the Avatar. "I hope you’re prepared to face the Fire Lord, it’s not an easy task."

Katara looked at her proudly, discreetly holding her hand.

Aang nodded with determination. "We have to stop this."

Sokka, still trying to process everything that was happening, asked, "Are we really going to stop the Fire Lord? Are you really going to help us?"

Azula sighed, looked at her hand intertwined with Katara’s, and then raised her gaze to the group. "Someone has to, right? Besides, you all seem a bit too inept to do it on your own."

Aang smiled, ignoring the last part, and Sokka rolled his eyes. But instead of being offended, Katara gave Azula a kiss on the cheek.

At that moment, the ground shifted, and a kind of chair formed under each of them. Everyone looked at Toph in surprise, and she said, “Alright, Princess Fussy Pants, let’s hear your plan.”

Azula, instead of being offended, crossed one leg over the other. “First, we need to find my idiot brother, and then we can plan from there.”

Mai and Ty Lee exchanged knowing glances, as if they had expected this outcome all along. Sokka, on the other hand, let out a long, dramatic groan, expressing his displeasure with the first step of the plan.

This made the rest of the group laugh. They were going to overthrow the Fire Lord; it wasn’t going to be easy, but as Azula looked at Katara laughing, she knew that not doing it would be even harder.