ATLA women >>

Based on a recent trip I went on with my two best friends that made me realize how happy I am in my life. I love you guys

I also have been thinking a lot recently about all of the parallels between Suki and Azula, and how fitting it is that post-war, Suki sort of fills the role that Azula left empty. She seems to end up with everything that Azula would have wanted.

Laughter rang through the hallway.  The sound was loud, unapologetic, and real.  The two girls that had entered the space linked arms, supporting each other’s weight as they crumpled over each other, shaking with it.

            “Stop it- my sides hurt!” Suki exclaimed, pulling herself upright in between her gasps.

            “I think I’m going to pee!” Ty Lee squeaked as she attempted to pull herself together, which only made them both laugh harder.  They stopped to take several breaths laced with giggles before they could continue their walk. Mai followed behind them, a smile tracing her lips so faintly that only those with a trained eye would notice it.

“Would you two move it? You’re being obnoxiously loud,” she said dryly, causing another fit of laughter from the two girls ahead of her.  Ty Lee’s laughter was downright infectious, for one thing, and for another, Suki sometimes needed to laugh at her situation- at the absurdity of it.  She was walking the halls of the royal Fire Nation palace, with two Fire Nation natives, and being chastised by the Fire Lady herself.  She pondered often what her younger self would think if she could glimpse at the scene before her.

Ty Lee finished her latest fit of laughter and slung her arms around Suki, pulling her into a very tight hug.

“We will not, actually.  Suki is now my comfort friend, since somebody else doesn’t like hugs. It’s either you put up with this, or I’ll come do this to you instead.” Suki wrapped her arms around her friend, grinning back at Mai cheekily. Mai rolled her eyes.  Though she would never verbalize it, seeing her childhood friend so happy filled her with joy.  She would watch the girls together any day. 

The trio had come from a walk around the marketplace in the Capital City.  It was generally regarded as improper for royalty to be walking among the streets; she should have been carried by palanquin, or at the very least been riding one of the ostrich-horses from the royal stables. But Ty Lee had wanted to walk together, and Mai had never been personally attached to tradition, so after taking some time to convince the guards and servants, the trio had walked themselves to the market.  Ty Lee and Mai had gotten lost in a one-sided conversation, with Ty Lee chatting happily and Mai listening patiently.  Suki, who had yet to adjust to the busy streets and unfamiliar merchants, had wandered ahead.  The trio walked like this for the duration of their visit, until Suki had started to walk back toward the palace.  She hadn’t really meant to lead the group, but the two other girls fell easily in line with her.  Occasionally, one of them had to remind Suki to wait up, and she would turn with a smile, firing back that the others were too slow and should learn to keep up.  Ty Lee eventually roped her into the conversation, mostly for the sake of keeping the peace, and they had all begun to laugh within seconds.

As they entered the throne room now, Ty Lee hugged both of her friends, despite her earlier qualms.  “This was so nice… I love you guys.  Sleep tight!” She gave a final squeeze and set off, bouncing from one thing to the next.  Such was the way of Ty Lee, Suki supposed.  She waited until Mai took her seat to offer a bow and a soft smile.

“Thank you for coming with us, you really made her happy,” she said as she straightened back up. “She adores spending time with you.”

“No,” Mai said, waving off the bow as unnecessary. “You make her happy. I’m glad you found each other.”

Ruby, I hope I see you, I've waited all this week For you to walk my way, your soul will capture meYour mama painted your room a shade of pink, she said But with your great arrival, that shade has turned to red

Ruby, take my hand, please lead me to the Promised LandTell me, where am I from? Your eyes say, sha-da-dee-da-dumRuby, you're royalty, in your homeland, they all call you queenTell me, where are you from? Your eyes say, sha-da-dee-da-dum

You're an angel fallen down Won't you tell us of the clouds? You have fallen from the sky How high, how high? You're an angel fallen down Won't you tell us of the clouds? You have fallen from the sky How high, how high?(How high, how high?)

You're true and pure You hold the cure We're all diseased You hold the key

“Ruby” by Twenty One Pilots

Azula nestled in the older girl’s arm, her cheek pressed against a set of broad shoulders.  Ika was one of the few who would ever be allowed to see the princess so still and vulnerable.  She wrapped the blanket around the child tighter, kissing her forehead and humming softly.  Ika had often been left alone with the children, as their parents were off doing whatever it was a prince and a lady of the fire nation did during the day.

Ika had been warded off to Lady Ursa upon her arrival, as her husband-to-be had not yet returned home from the war.  She was to be married to the prince of the fire nation, she had since learned.  A show of victory after claiming her home.  His name was Lu Ten, son of the great General Iroh, and both would return after conquering Ba Sing Se. Until then, Ika was to learn under Lady Ursa, preparing herself to be a proper wife.  While she wasn’t enduring lessons of her own, or when there was business “unfit for a foreigner” to be taken care of, she waited with the children.  Zuko had stormed off after his afternoon lesson, presumably to keep practicing, but Azula had come straight to Ika to tell her about the day.  Ika found herself looking forward to the children coming back- it gave her something to do, and the children adored the attention. 

“I’m going to be the best fire bender in the world; did you know that?” Azula’s amber eyes met hers.

“I bet you will be- you’re so strong, and brave, and kind,” Ika brushed a wisp of hair off the little girl’s face. “You can do whatever you want to when you grow up.”

Azula grinned, nuzzling farther.  Only when the two of them were alone did she become so affectionate.  Ika had been quietly observing the family for months now, and now understood the dynamics the palace walls encapsulated.  Prince Ozai, the children’s father, viewed too much affection as weakness, preferring blunt honesty and only praise that had been truly earned.  Azula took to his lessons quicker than Zuko and began pushing her mother away as a result.  Lady Ursa began to favor her son, who still welcomed her loving touches and playful touches.  Azula pretended not to care, but Ika could see the hurt that was burrowing deep inside of her.  She began slipping in small moments of affection, working slowly at Azula’s walls until she gained her trust.

“Father says I’m better than Zuko already, even though he’s older,” She was fishing for reassurance, Ika recognized.  Another of Ozai’s lessons- lifting herself up by putting others down. Ika did her best to show her that compliments did exist outside of her relation to others.

“You are a beautiful girl, Azula, and you learn very quickly, you must be a great student,” Azula seemed satisfied with that, closing her eyes.

The moment didn’t last long.  Footsteps were coming down the hall, and Azula pushed herself off Ika’s lap, making it almost across the room before her mother entered.  She busied herself with a hairbrush in front of a mirror.

“Ika,” Ursa said, her voice permanently softened and tired. “Come.”  Ika stood, bowing to her elder as she had been taught.  Before she left, she squeezed Azula’s shoulder gently, but the girl shrugged it off, scowling.  Ursa shook her head as Ika followed her.

“Azula has taken a liking to you, it seems.”

            What an odd thing to say, thought Ika.  The only thing Ursa had seen was a failed attempt at affection.

            “Yes, ma’am, I suppose she has… she’s a cute kid, you have beautiful children.” Ursa’s smile in response was thin.

            “Thank you.  Azula is… she can be… difficult. At times. I’d just like you to keep that in mind, since you seem to be spending so much time with her.  Don’t let her get away with it, she needs to learn proper behavior.”

            “She’s never given me any trouble, ma’am, but thank you… I will keep that in mind.” Ika allowed herself to frown only after Ursa had given a noncommittal mmm in response and walked ahead of her.  There must have been something she had missed, if her own mother thought about a child in such a way.

That night

            Azula was tucked neatly into her bed as Ika entered, sitting next to her.  She came after Ursa put the children to bed, so Azula wasn’t worried about being seen.

            “Sweet dreams, my little ruby,” Ika stroked her hair gently, a gesture that she had only recently been permitted by Azula to try.  Touching one’s hair like this was reserved for family, for intimate affection, here in the fire nation.  Her hair was Azula’s prized feature, reflecting her honor and pride.

            “Ika?” The voice was small and sleepy.

            “Yes?”

            “Will you sing my song?”

            Ika smiled to herself, shifting her position slightly, lying her head next to Azula’s, so nobody would hear the song but the two of them.  She sang quietly, a song from her homeland, until she was interrupted after a few moments.

            “Ika?”

            “Yes?”

            “My father says you’re dirty.”

            The statement hit Ika like a boulder.  She sucked in a sharp breath, trying to suppress her reaction.  She knew what Ozai thought of her- he had made it perfectly clear.  She was there as a show, a prize, and nothing more. She wasn’t even fit to bear children of the prince; he would one day have another wife for that.  They couldn’t risk her earth kingdom heritage tainting the bloodline of the royal family.  She knew one day, the children would understand that she was different, not one of them.  Still, it hurt more than she expected, hearing such a young child repeat something like that.  Azula looked up at her, completely oblivious to the pain she had just inflicted.

            “Well… do you believe him?” She tried to keep her voice steady. Azula’s brow scrunched as she considered the question.

            “You don’t look dirty,”

            “Well, then maybe your father is wrong.” Azula took another moment to consider.

            “Maybe he saw you once when you were dirty- did you forget to wash?” Ika breathed a sigh of relief.  Azula didn’t understand what she was saying.  She didn’t know what her father’s harsh words meant.  She was simply repeating them, as a child repeats anything they’ve overheard.  Ika was comforted, knowing this.  Comforted enough to laugh softly at the question.

This one is shorter bc its 2 am :)

The bed next to General Iroh was empty.  On it sat a helmet, a stiffly folded uniform, and a hair pin.  The helmet belonged to him, placed next to his son’s belongings on the day of the siege.  He hadn’t worn it since.  The uniform was laid out in anticipation for its owner’s return; the hairpin was worn the moment it was decided he would not be.  He lay now on his own cot, staring at the pile.  Unmoving, unforgiving.  Was it mocking him?  Your helmet touching your son’s uniform is the closest you will ever be again.  He closed his eyes, rubbing them with the heels of his hands.

The rest of the unit was above deck, their footsteps sending uneven creaks down the boards of the ships as they limped along.  The youngest of them had come to report to him the day before- or had it been a few days?  Twelve of their men and three of their women had returned to the ship.  Iroh had been the last to return, ensuring that each member of his platoon that had survived the battle was accounted for.  He had never spoken his only care out loud, and the others had never brought it up.  When he had closed himself off in his quarters, they had let him.  He had been there until he lost track of time, ignoring the rations set out by his door each morning and night. Today, instead of the silent swapping of portions, there was a soft knock.

“General, sir, it’s Yama…” There was an uncomfortably long pause. “Your soldiers… and… myself… think you should eat, sir.” Iroh was sure straws had been drawn to determine the unlucky soldier to be the first to face him.  There was another pause, so long Iroh almost thought he had missed the boy leaving. “They… we… would like to see you, sir.”

The boy went flying back against the wall when Iroh opened the door.  He clearly had not expected an answer.  He gathered himself, inhaling sharply before dropping into a low bow. 

“I need a letter drafted,” Iroh said shortly. “And tell Takon to set our course.”

“Yes- yes sir,” the boy replied, barely moving a muscle as he held the bow.  “Where should I tell them to navigate?”

“Home.” Iroh’s voice was tired, strained. “You’ve done enough to serve.  You will return home and be dismissed from service.” A mixture of emotions flashed across the boy’s face.  He was young enough to still have parents waiting for him at home. He was younger than Lu Ten.