The girl leaped, soared, flew through the air, propelled by the blue flames that shot from her hands and feet. She landed catlike on the stone pavement, scorching the ground, and performed a spinning roundhouse kick on the spot. Flames ten feet tall encircled her from the ground up. Using the heat propulsion from this maneuver, she leapt once again into the cool night air. She kicked, then punched, then somersaulted in midair, flames spurting from her feet as she spun. She spread her arms and flames leapt from them as well. Finally, she landed in a crouched position in front of her Firebending master.

"Not bad. But you can do better."

The girl, panting from the hard workout, smiled at her mother's praise. She sat down heavily on the edge of one of the many large fountains on the Balcony that Overlooks the Sea, the main one in the palace that was her home. She passed a hand lazily over the water, igniting the candles that floated serenely on its surface. Her mother sat down with her and looked down at the candles that reflected brightly. The blue flames would shine brighter as night came and darkened the sky.

"Great people are born of humble beginnings. Some have to work at it. But some are born that way."

"Guess I'm the third one, then?"

"Yes, obviously. You are a prodigy Firebender and I am proud to call you my daughter. However… your attitude towards prisoners could use some work, you're getting soft."

"Mother!" the girl shouted and splashed water in her mother's face. Her mother gasped indignantly, then repeated her daughter's actions. The girl splashed back, and soon the two women were fighting a fully fledged water war.

"Am I… interrupting something, ladies?" a voice said from the shadows cast by the setting sun on the palace balcony.

The mother quickly straightened up and looked down at her sopping clothes, then back up at the man. "I was just- ah, I was… teaching Princess Liang the how the, er, Water Tribes fight their, um… battles."

The man raised an eyebrow and shook his head, striding out to the railing of the huge balcony and leaning on it. Liang glanced sideways sat her mother, who nodded. Liang grinned and scooped some water from the fountain into her water skin. She stepped silently over to the edge of the balcony and dumped it over his head. He shouted and she turned quickly and ran back inside the palace, laughing all the way.

"Supper's on the table in the small dining room!" Liang's mother called after her, also laughing. She stood and clutched her sopping robe closer around her as the man walked over to her.

"Crazy kid," he said as he lifted the robe off over the mother's head and held it out flat in front of her. She stretched out her palms underneath it and two bright blue flames appeared in her hands, the light shining in her midnight-black hair. The heat dried out the material almost instantly, sending great clouds of steam into the heavens, and she followed its ascent with her golden eyes. The man slung the robe back around Azula's shoulders and, putting an arm around her waist, led her back over to the edge of the balcony. She leaned against the railing, facing him, and he put one hand on either side of her on the railing's smooth stone surface.

"Well she gets it from her father, I'm sure," she said, smiling up at the man. He smiled back and leaned down to kiss her softly.

"She gets her skill from her mother, though," he murmurs, "and her beauty."

Azula hit her husband lightly on the arm. "She's going off to a party tonight. We'll be all alone together, isn't it a shame. Are you doing anything tonight?"

He grinned knowingly and pretended to think. "Well, believe it or not, I'm rather busy being the Fire Prince and all. We'll need to stop by our bedroom so that I can check my schedule and see if I can squeeze you in."

Azula grinned back, already anticipating the night to come. "That would be just lovely. Thank you, Sokka."

A/N: Yeah. Random little fic inspired by "The Beach" episode, when Azula has her first kiss with that total idiot guy and then completely blows it. And they were on a balcony then, too….

Yes, Azula is Fire Lady and Sokka is her Prince. :D yeah Azokka!

To my Harry Potter fanfic readers: I said in my profile that I liked Avatar: The Legend of Aang, and every new episode makes me want to write a fanfic. I'm still working on His Most Faithful, though, and that new Bellamort one, October 17th Again, that I promised in my bio.

To the ATLA-loving readers: I love ATLA too! Every new episode does make me wanna write and I can't wait till each new episode comes out. Azula's my favorite character, so expect lots about her. I do also really like Harry Potter, so if you like HP too, click on my penname and read my Bellamort fic, His Most Faithful and October 17th Again.