"I believe I have been clear on the details of the plane crash," says Azula, gazing at the cameras with a beautiful yet dangerous glint in her golden eyes.

The reporter says smoothly, "You have, and thank you for sharing such a difficult memory with us and our viewers. Now, only one question remains; what is your response to the terrorists who caused the crash?"

Azula sneers. "To the terrorists who killed my father? To the terrorists who kidnapped my fiancée? To the terrorists who crashed a plane while I was on it and killed my friends? I have only one thing to say. I will become the face of vengeance. I demand blood be spilled for the blood we lost. My sole purpose is to hunt down and kill every last terrorist who dared stand against the Fire Nation. Those who aid my quest will become allies; those who do not will become casualties."

"Does this mean war? Your grandfather put such effort into ending the one Sozin started."

"I cannot say if making murderers pay for their crimes counts as war. But they will suffer. They will die. I have an army at my disposal and I am unafraid to use it."

"That sounds… brutal, with all due respect."

"Sometimes the most brutal path is the most honest and necessary one." The reporter falls silent. "Thank you for your time. I need to be with my fiancée and wounded friends now."

Azula begins to stand and the cameras cut out. She exhales softly as the broadcast ends. It is her eighth interview this week about the plane crash and the now delayed wedding.

She turns to see Ty Lee standing there with a soft, admiring smile on her pink lips. Katara sits with Mai; they both had a part in the lengthy interview as well.

Azula swiftly squeezes Ty Lee's hand before walking over to her two best friends.

Mai sits with her legs kicked up on a priceless table while talking on the phone.

Dryly, she states to an unknown caller, "I hope you had sex last night because I'm going to come over there and cut your cock off with a dull knife."

Ty Lee giggles at the deadpan threat. Mai hangs up and sighs.

"And who, exactly, was that?" Azula demands.

"Jet," coolly says Mai. "Who else? He decided to vanish after the crash like an asshole."

"Ty Lee," calls out Katara, snagging the Fire Lord's fiancée by the wrist. "Can we talk? It's about Suki. I'm… sorry. And… about Azula. I'm sorry about that too. And, I don't know how to express that all. But if you need anything, anything at all. I'm here."

Ty Lee purses her lips while Katara talks, and at last replies, "I'm sorry; I didn't hear anything you said. I was too distracted by how uneven your eyebrows are."

Clearing her throat, Ty Lee turns around and flees the scene. Katara's lips part in shock. Azula does not quite know what to say.

"I didn't know she was capable of snark," dryly remarks Mai, partially amused by the debacle.

Azula glances between Mai and Katara and harrumphs.

"Her best friend died. Give her a break," Azula snaps, startled at herself for being so… forgiving. She supposes her feelings for Ty Lee override her hatred for cutting slack.

"All of us lost friends in the crash," says Katara coolly. Only some of us are snarky or ready to declare war any moment." Azula frowns, teeth clenched behind her lips. "What? I don't think it's smart to go to war and I'm going to be vocal about it. I know you're angry. And it's justifiable after everything that's happened to you because of terrorism. But I'm angry too. A lot of people. This… this crusade. Please tell me you know it's a bad idea."

"I am going to destroy the enemies of the Fire Nation. That is my responsibility as Fire Lord."

"So you are going to war," says Katara quietly, anger simmering in her.

Azula waves her hand dismissively. "I never said that."

"Destroying enemies of the Fire Nation certainly sounds like it."

"Perhaps I do not care what my actions sound like to you," says Azula coldly. Katara pivots on her heel and strides out of the room. Mai stands up as well and Azula shoots her childhood best friend a glare. "Oh, what? You agree with Water Tribe?"

"I don't care who you blow up." Mai pulls her keys out of her jacket pocket and jingles them. "But I'm her ride."

And just like that, Azula is alone, on her own as always.

"Good afternoon, uncle," says Azula icily as she walks into the penthouse after the interview.

The phone starts ringing, as it does constantly since the plane crash. It sings its angry tune twice before Azula sighs and decides to answer it. Iroh grabs her hand.

"It's probably a reporter. They've been calling all day."

"Well I am tired of them," snarls Azula. She shakes him off and picks up the phone. "Leave me and my family alone you bottom feeding vulture!"

"Azula?"

"Oh. Hello, Ty Lee." The Fire Lord knows she should be embarrassed, but she is not. She just stifles a laugh as Ty Lee giggles on the other line.

"The press?"

"Yeah."

"A reporter even knocked on my door earlier. Like major invasion of privacy, right?"

"What did you say to them?"

Ty Lee laughs as she replies, "Before I slammed the door in their face or after?"

Although no one is watching her, Azula forces a smile.

"Do you need something?" Azula inquires.

"I was hoping maybe we could go to the mall together with Mai."

"That would…" Azula pauses to think. Perhaps some normalcy in her life would be for the best. "That would be lovely."

"Good! I can pick you up in like fifteen minutes?" suggests Ty Lee. Azula can hear the smile in her words through the phone line.

"I will see you then." Azula hangs up.

"You should not be going out unaccompanied, Azula," warns Iroh.

"I am Fire Lord. I do as I please." Azula takes a few steps towards her room before turning around. "And, Uncle, eavesdropping is quite rude."

"I am only trying to protect you."

"If there is anything I have learned in the past months since my father's death, it is that no one can protect anyone else. We can try to protect only ourselves… and rarely is that enough."

Iroh says nothing as Azula secludes herself in her room and begins perusing her closet fo ra mall outfit. She thought such a mundane activity would take her mind off of things but it seems to do the opposite. Her mind still spins with bitter memories and cravings for vengeance.

She finds clothes quickly and steps into the shower. Azula wastes no time in that watery solitude, and ends up sitting on her bed, towel pressed to her chest with both hands, droplets of water trickling down her smooth ivory skin, eyes fixated on the wall, mind blank.

Azula does not know how long she stays that way.

A gasp and a cough tear her from her reverie. She spins around to see a wide-eyed Ty Lee standing in the doorway.

Azula cannot stop herself in time from exclaiming, "What the fuck?"

"Your, uh, your uncle let me in. Sorry." Ty Lee blushes as bright pink as her blouse.

"It's… nothing you haven't seen," admits Azula, slipping out of the towel and into her clothes. "Allow me a few moments to put on my makeup and then we can be on her way."

Ty Lee smiles and nods, but her brows remain knit in concern over what she just saw.

Mai waits in the driver's seat of the car, on her phone, frowning. "This is your last chance. I don't wait for people. You've been replaceable since day one. You have twenty-four hours. Goodbye."

"Jet again?" inquires Ty Lee.

"Yeah. I don't even know why I'm bothering. I could have any guy in Caldera. I'm sure at least a few of them have motorcycles."

"You're worried," comments Azula. "He dropped off the face of the Earth after the crash and so you're worried."

Mai just sighs. "I don't worry about people. Or things. I just don't worry. I don't sleep enough to have the energy to care what happens to other people."

Neither Azula nor Ty Lee bother with arguing.

"So, why exactly a mall trip in times like these?"

Ty Lee explains with bright, twinkling eyes, "I've mostly been dealing with my diagnosed PTSD with retail therapy." She beams as if that is a good thing.

Mai shrugs and twists her key in the car's ignition. Azula snaps on her seatbelt.

The driver clears her throat. "Why the Hell not? Your royal majesty Fire Lord Azula?"

"That's Azula to you," snaps the Fire Lord, making Mai smirk faintly. Azula scowls but decides to hold her tongue. "But I suppose I can live with a few new belongings."

Ty Lee claps and bounces up and down in the back seat. "Yay, group therapy besties!"

Azula and Mai exchange a glance as Mai begins driving.

For a while at the mall, the girls feel like they once did, long ago when their biggest concerns were cheerleading tryouts, exams and paparazzi. Azula examines a pretty, devastatingly intimidating blood red pair of pumps as she contemplates how much has changed. Fo an hour, she felt like the girl she used to be. It was bliss. Now she is that girl with a towel pessed to her breasts, her eyes fixated on the blank wall with a thousand-yard stare.

"Tragedies," says Azula to Mai, "have a way of reminding you what you take for ganted." She glances up at Ty Lee. "And what you forgot to do."

Mai does not say anything. She knows Azula well enough to be aware that the Fire Lord wants silence in response to her bold statement.

"Azula!" exclaims Ty Lee. "This shirt would look amazing on you!"

"I would have to try it on," remarks Azula, rubbing the soft fabric between her fingers.

Ty Lee smiles and points at the dressing room. Mai rolls her eyes while neither girl looks at her. Azula and Ty Lee take off, Ty Lee burdened by endless outfits, Azula with one or two items. They step inside the dressing room together and each hang their potential outfits on separate hangers, both apart but beside each other.

"You keep giving me that look."

"What look?" coyly replies Ty Lee.

"Like you know something I do not. Which I highly doubt." Azula smugly smirks.

Ty Lee moves closer and takes Azula's hand in hers. "You know what day it is, right?"

Azula suddenly looks downcast. She averts her eyes as she says coarsely, "Hardly, anymore."

Ty Lee uneasily shifts her weight from foot to foot. "That's… uh darker than I was thinking. Today is the anniversary of the day we ran away together. Meeting at Sushi King and going to that motel. It was so glamorous. Like grungy glamorous."

"It feels like longer than a year ago."

"Yeah." They stare at each other for a brief moment before looking away. Then Ty Lee tilts her chin up. "I remember just what we did like it's yesterday, though. I did a little something like this," she begins before lifting Azula up and setting her on the counter.

"And I did a little something like this." Azula wraps her legs around Ty Lee's back.

They lock lips and kiss frantically, barely taking the breaks to gasp for breath. As Azula presses her feet into Ty Lee's back, she swallows the little whimpers in their kisses.

Azula grazes her fingers across Ty Lee's arm. It makes Ty Lee shudder, breaking out in goosebumps. Slowly, they lean in and press their lips against each other. Suddenly, Azula remembers Ty Lee's body shaking against her in the woods, she remembers the way the floor dropped out from under her when Ty Lee was kidnapped. She takes a slow breath through wide open lips as Ty Lee stares at her, befuddled.

"Let's get married," demands Azula.

Ty Lee blinks and bites her lip, puzzled. "We are getting married."

"No. Not on some distant regal date. I mean today. Right this moment."

Ty Lee lights up like a supernova, and, for once, Azula basks in Ty Lee's radiance instead of the other way around.

Thrilled by today's development, Ty Lee kisses Azula so fiercely that she almost knocks the Fire Lord over.

"Mai," they both say as they vacate the dressing room, leaving their new clothes behind.

"We're getting married!" chirps Ty Lee.

"I know," replies Mai dryly, uncertain why this old news is somehow new news.

"We are getting married today," corrects Azula and Mai cannot suppress the strangled sound of panic in the back of her throat.

"Oh." Mai knew this would happen. She just knew they would go back to their old ways of crazy flat fucking crazy love. And Mai is just (unwillingly as usual) along for the ride.

"Mai," orders Azula. "Drive us to the Caldera Fire Temple. Immediately."

For a moment, Mai opens her mouth to protest, but she gives up before even speaking.

"Please wait," Ty Lee squeaks and Mai thinks perhaps the most unlikely person in the world saw reason. "We should get some wedding stuff while we're in the mall."

And Mai was, of course, wrong. Azula nods and Ty Lee breathes a sigh of happy relief. She tentatively takes Azula's hand and circles her thumb on the soft skin. Azula realizes for a moment what separates Ty Lee and Katara, why she struggles to choose between them, Ty Lee fears Azula, happily submits to her, basks in her light like a cat in the sun. Katara challenges Azula, fearless and overbold. She could use more deference. She reflects Azula's light like the moon shining in mock sunbeams. Ty Lee is the love of Azula's life; Katara is a fling at best. Or so Azula hopes. When she looks at Ty Lee, she sees a future. She sees coffee and toast and waking up next to her every morning. Yes. This is the right choice.

After scurrying to buy shimmering white sundresses and a bouquet of fake flowers (as well as some gaudy shoes), Mai drives the two lunatic lovers to the Caldera Fire Temple.

"Spirits you two are idiots," Mai mutters as they park, earning her a glare that could kill from Azula. Mai knows she is supposed to watch herself, but this is a wild circumstance.

"We're romantic," sweetly argues Ty Lee. Mai sighs and steps out of the car with her two friends. She has no desire to stop this. Mainly because she knows that she cannot. She walks with them into the heavily perfumed building and takes a moment to observe the eternal flames that burn there in honor of the fire spirits.

Azula and Ty Lee stride forward, disrupting a Fire Sage in the middle of lighting ceremonial candles. "We need to be married," regally states Azula, straightening her already perfect posture.

Slowly turning around, the Fire Sage dryly recites, "Marriage hours are between—oh, Fire Lord Azula, forgive me; I did not see you." He bows deeply. Azula only wishes he would grovel. It would make her wedding even more pleasant.

Azula grabs Ty Lee's hand.

"Please your highness, right this way." The Fire Sage bows again and then leads the two girls to the altar, eternal flame burning. "You have a witness?" he asks and Mai uncomfortably raises her hand. "The paperwork will come after the vows. Now, if it pleases the Fire Lord, repeat after me. I face you and pray you will always give me your love, let it never waver, by sickness, poverty or ice. I exile your dust from the Earth and hold in contempt any who turn you into ashes. I shall hold that dust until metals remake you and you blaze like a blade."

Azula smiles.

Ty Lee squeezes her hand.

Today is their first good day in a very long time.

After her wedding, Azula returns home with Ty Lee and finds Uncle sipping tea and halfheartedly watching a cooking competition on television. He looks up and smiles, happy to see Ty Lee, somewhat happy to see Azula. At least happy to see her alive and not assassinated.

Iroh says, "The defense committee wishes to see you, Azula. They sent word while you were away. I did not tell them you were at the mall, as I felt that would offend you."

Azula smirks. "I wasn't at the mall, Uncle."

He panics, staying calm despite being livid at his niece's recklessness, "Azula—"

Azula interrupts. "I was getting married."

His eyes bulge. "I…" He clears his throat. "I…" He uncomfortable smiles. "I suppose in dark times we can use some more love in the world! Congratulations for you and… Ty Lee?"

"Yes. Obviously the girl I am holding hands with, Uncle. Try to keep up, will you? She's moving in, by the way."

"Oh, uh… I am delighted to host her." Iroh pauses. "Can I offer you some tea?"

Azula smirks and sweeps Ty Lee away to her bedroom to pick out more formal clothes for her meeting with the defense committee.

At the meeting with the Defense Committee, Azula sits on her throne and observes those delegated to protect the Fire Nation. They are terrible at their jobs, in Azula's opinion.

Chung, the Head of the Defense Committee, explains surrounded by her colleagues, "We uncovered a laptop belonging to a terrorist from the plane wreckage. It still functions."

"Oh?" Azula is startled. She doubted this would be an enlightening session.

"The laptop from the plane was invaluable in our study of the responsible party; we recovered it yesterday. Needless to say, most terrorists aren't very intelligent. They gave us all we needed to track down their individual cell within a larger organization. I suggest sending a team of soldiers to investigate and take prisoners for interrogation."

Azula rubs her lip with her fingertip and then demands, "Do we know exactly who is responsible? Do we know who to blame?"

"They're a collaboration of Water Tribe and Earth Kingdom extremists. They've been active on a small scale for some time but I believe they gained confidence during the attacks last year and then again after they assassinated Fire Lord Ozai. They have become more of a threat than they ever were before."

Azula hisses, "And they are the same people who kidnapped Ty Lee?"

Chung nervously licks her lips before admitting, "They have been responsible for a number of your violent misfortunes, your highness."

"Then I want to lead the squad invading their base," says Azula. "This is personal. They have made it personal."

Chung gasps. "Your highness, you are not trained for warfare."

"I am a firebender, and by law, a firebender is permitted to commit herself to combat at any time she pleases."

Eyelashes fluttering wildly, Chung attempts, "That is a dated law made by Sozin in entirely different times."

Azula just smirks. "It is still a law."

Chung flounders in front of every single one of her nervous subordinates. "I cannot advise that—well—I beg you to reconsider."

"Then beg," says Azula icily.

She ends the meeting by wordlessly walking out of the throne room.

Azula tosses and turns in the middle of the night. Ty Lee feigns being asleep and pretends not to notice the discomfort of her wife. She knows it would only anger Azula.

The Fire Lord at last sits up, sweating, and walks into the bathroom to try to take a shower and see if that will help. The solitude rarely does, but maybe she can drown the flames of fear and rage inside of her. She stops in front of the mirror and tries to put up her hair to keep it out of the water. She tries to tie it up and the rubber band snaps in her fingers. She bites back a scream of rage and throws open the drawer to pull out another one. It snaps. Another. That one holds her hair up, but within moments her bangs fall down. She tries to sweep them behind her ear and they mock her by falling in front of her face again.

Azula reaches into the drawer once more and withdraws scissors. She has used them to cut her hair more than once, but not with such trembling fingers and such fury in her heart.

"Alright bangs," hisses Azula at the mirror, nostrils flared, scissors poised. "You've met your match."

"What a shame," rings a voice in the back of her head. "You always had such beautiful hair."

She feels a chill rush over her. Many times she has seen and heard things, when she reaches breaking points. But the worst is her mother. The woman who left. The woman who left.

"I am Fire Lord. I do what I want with my hair."

"You don't have to be alone."

"I refuse to take advice from someone who did not even have the decency to yell, to fight, to break things. Not just to sneak out in the middle of the night like a teenager ghosting an internet friend. Fuck you."

"You don't mean that," echoes the half-remembered voice in Azula's mind, the dark shadow of a reflection that could or could not be her mother. Just one of the silhouettes that haunts her daily.

Azula throws her hairbrush into the mirror and it shatters.

"Yes," she breathes as the vision fades. "Yes, I do."

Ty Lee steps inside the room and Azula attempts to compose herself. She fails.

"Hey. It's hard. I know it's really hard right now… and after the crash. I…" Ty Lee shudders. "Is there anything I can do."

Azula stares at herself for a moment, the dark circles under her eyes more prominent than ever before in her life.

"Fix my hair. I need to look good tomorrow when I fight my first ever battle," says Azula and Ty Lee beams.

She could not be happier that she can do something for Azula. So often, she knows she is not good enough to take care of the Fire Lord. But this, this she can do. She took her whole course of classes in the beautician technical school.

Ty Lee takes the scissors gently from Azula's hand and turns on the sink.

She pecks Azula on the lips and gets to work. Azula remains silent, half-broken.

Ty Lee soaks Azula's hair in the sink before picking up scissors and beginning to cut it into an even, shoulder length style. She always knew these skills would come in handy one day.

Azula rises and Ty Lee blow dries her hair. They remain in this peaceful, comfortable silence for ages upon ages. It is almost sunrise when they return to bed.

Ty Lee wraps herself around Azula and they do not break apart until morning.

Azula sits in the school library as the sun begins to set. She should not be in here, but no one ever argues with the Fire Lord. Someone approaches from behind and she spins around, heart racing, expecting an assassin.

But, instead, Azula asks breathlessly, "Katara?"

Katara nods. "I asked around and found out you were here. You're going on that mission tomorrow, I heard. I pulled some strings and volunteered myself as the healer. I've been training as a combat medic in my spare time."

Azula huffs. "Good for you."

Katara ignores the rudeness and sits down beside the Fire Lord. "I wish we had a better plan than just barging in, though… like time travel, or teaching the terrorists to love."

Azula laughs. Katara cracks a smile.

"Look, I just…" Azula glances around at the shadowy library.

Katara asks quietly, leaning in for a kiss but stopping just short.

She asks, hot breath prickling against Azula's skin. "Would you like some company?"

"Yes." Azula kisses her and then sits back.

"You know, we shouldn't do this. You're engaged and—"

Azula lifts one finger and presses it to Katara's lips. "Sh. Say that after."

"Sounds like a plan," Katara cannot help but say. Azula kisses her fiercely.

Azul leans in and presses her lips against Katara's. She bites down and Katara wraps her arms around Azula, pulling her closer.

Katara reaches down and rolls up Azula's shirt, tracing her fingertips up towards Azula's breasts. But, abruptly, Azula steps away.

"Maybe you were right." Again, Ty Lee in that white sundress ready for their wedding flashes in her mind. "I can't do this to my…" wife.

Katara nods, but still looks angry, frigid fire in her cobalt eyes. "I respect you for that," she flatly says.

Azula wishes she could appreciate the statement, but every time she looks at Katara's lips, she desperately wants to kiss her.

"You're going to head into war no matter how this covert mission goes. You are, aren't you?"

"I'm going to destroy an extremist group beyond this one cell we're snuffing out. There is a difference."

"With you, I don't think there will be. What makes you so sure you're doing the right thing?"

"My moral compass. It does not waver," Azula says determinedly and Katara's jaw drops.

She laughs slightly as she remarks, "Honestly, Azula, you can't believe that. Your moral compass is a roulette wheel."

Azula shrugs. She stares at Katara's lips. She still wants to kiss them…

And so she does. One last time. Katara furrows her brow as they break apart.

"Don't confuse me, okay? I won't stand for it." Katara locks eyes with Azula. "I'm not something to be trifled with, okay?"

"I am aware," says Azula. But if anyone is confused, it is her. To preserve her dignity, however, she does not tell Katara that.

Katara slowly turns away. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Again, Azula remains silent.

She does not say a word as Katara leaves.

Azula wakes in the morning and reports to the armory, set up in the former obsidian dungeon of the Fire Nation Royal Palace. She never has been on a military operation before, but anyone trained in bending can fight well enough, even in the context of war. No one can stop her.

When she sees Katara, they both avert their eyes.

"Good morning, soldiers," states Azula, stepping onto the pedestal. Their necks all snap up to face the Fire Lord herself. "I am leading this mission. Yes, I am Fire Lord. Yes, I am trusting so well that we will succeed that I would allow our nation to be run by General Iroh or my useless brother. I need to be on this mission because I and the Fire Nation vowed to destroy these traitors, these terrorists. And I doubt many of you could succeed at destroying wet tissue paper. So, follow my orders and this will go smoothly.

"Today we will spill blood for blood. Today we will eradicate those who seek the collapse of our society. We will tear them limb from limb if we must. We will show the world that we are not afraid, and that we are as powerful as the fierce Fire Nation sun. Our mission is simple; we raid this foress. We take prisoners for interrogation and wipe out any who resist too strongly. Then we set bombs to get rid of the facility, so they can never use it again."

The response from the soldiers is decent enough for Azula's liking. Except for Katara, who engages in no bravado nor makes eye contact.

Azula jumps down and equips herself.

It is at last time for revenge.

"That was impressive for someone who has never been on a military mission before," says Katara.

"I know. I'm brilliant like that." Azula smirks, eyes sparkling.

Katara laughs bitterly and rolls her eyes. "Don't break your arm jerking yourself off. It wasn't that good. You just have a penchant for public speaking."

Azula turns her face away to hide her silent laughter.

But Katara sees it, and her eyes twinkle.

Azula sits beside Katara during the rowdy ride to the hideout They both remain silent and collected while the soldiers laugh and shout.

After antsy ages, the car stops. Slowly, they rise in front of a long dirt road.

"We walk from here. We must retain the element of surprise," Azula barks.

No one complains, which is quite safe for them. Fear of Aula is a very healthy thing.

They walk as quietly as possible, although gravel crunches softly beneath their boots. They weave between the cover of trees until the path dwindles. As they reach the end, Katara grabs Azula's arm.

"I know you're angry and that's dangerous when you're going into a situation like this untrained. Just promise me you'll be careful."

Azula blinks and sighs, "I can't promise that, Katara. Can you?"

"No," whispers Katara. "No, I can't."

Slowly, years brimming in her cobalt eyes, Katara releases Azula's arm. She is so confused. So confused. Maybe they both are. Maybe they both are more emotionally confused than they have ever been before in their lives.

They move forward a few steps apart as the frontal assault begins.

Azula had never loved the smell of burning flesh until today. She always enjoyed violence, the thrill of fighting in probending, but never like this. It reminds her of the plane crash, which at first makes her ill and panicked… but then she recalls that this is vengeance for the crash, for those whose flesh burned. And that makes the smell pleasant once more.

The Fire Lord herself battles alongside her people, a Fire Lord risking herself for a good cause, with each death she feels a surge of pleasure as strong as narcotics, for these monsters have caused her such great pain.

Katara accompanied the few who seized some of the men and women alive for interrogation.

Azula plunges further and further into the facility. She enters a room of terminals. A tiny cell of extremists should not have such a chunk of technology like this. She slowly and steadily steps forward, checking around the room.

"I'm wiping the data as fast as I can," snarls a familiar voice into a cell phone.

"Jet?" Azula calls out, taking several more steps forward.

"I—" begins the boy as Azula rounds the corner, revealing herself to the traitor. "I won't surrender to you. You're going to have to kill me. But you won't. I know you won't."

Suddenly, he faces Katara as well as Azula. A friend on one sided, an enemy on the other.

"Jet," pleads Katara, "tell me that this isn't what it looks like."

His eyes narrow. "I'm only surprised you never joined. You were always passionate about this cause. You always hated the Fire Nation."

"I'm not big on oppressive empires but I need a reason better than someone's nationality to hurt them, to go to war against them." Katara furrows her brow." You—this—your friends blew up a building. You all assassinated people. You kidnapped people. Tell me you weren't involved in the plane crash. Tell me."

"I want to tell you that, but it would be a lie. I was. It was my idea, so was kidnapping that vapid cheerleader of the Fire Lord's. But it was all for a good reason. None of what my friends or I did was as bad as what is done every day in the Earth Kingdom and Water Tribe. Katara, your people have been oppressed since the days of Sozin."

"Don't tell me about my people," growls Katara, clenching her fists.

"Enough of this," snarls Azula, lunging forward and grabbing Jet's shoulders with burning fists. He bites his lip to hold back a scream of pain but cannot hide his bulging eyes. HE fights back of course. They tumble viciously, destroying expensive technology as collateral damage. At last, Jet pins Azula to the floor, grabbing her by the hair. She lights her fist and seizes his throat, burning the flesh as he screams. He grabs her wrist, pries it from his neck and snaps the bone.

It seems that the fight could rage for hours more, but Katara slashes the side of Jet's face with a water whip and helps Azula pin him to the table.

"You've got me. Katara, I surrender myself to your custody," spits Jet. "It's over, Azula."

Azula seizes his throat and snarls, "This isn't over until your next of kin can't identify you!"

Katara cries out, "Azula, this is murder!"

"I know," says Azula calmly, golden eyes gleaming, squeezing tighter and tighter with each breath. "Brutal, calculated, cold blooded murder. No less than he deserves."

Katara lifts a hand to intervene, but then, slowly, betraying herself but doing what she considers to be right, she turns away until she hears the crack of lightning and the thud of a lifeless body hitting the stone floor.

Katara closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. We should download the data he was trying to wipe while we have the chance."

Azula nods.

As they return from the mission and enter the former Royal Palace, "Azula," cries out Ty Lee in shrill joy, wrapping her arms around her wife and kissing her. "I'm so happy to see you. I was worried. I waited and waited and, I'm just, like happy!"

Azula smiles softly and kisses Ty Lee again.

Katara gazes at the happy couple from afar, but, then, at last, fixes her eyes on the ground.

Azula throws her briefing paper down on the conference table in the throne room. She sits with the Defense Committee yet again, going over the data they salvaged from the terrorist facility.

"What do you mean these terrorists were funded by the Water Tribe and Earth Kingdom governments?" demands Azula, lips curling into a snarl. She keeps hearing the screams from the plane crash. She keeps seeing her father dying right in front of her. All she wants is for the people responsible to pay. Is that so much to ask?

Chung, Head of the Defense Committee, explains calmly, "I mean exactly that, your highness. The data your team salvaged was clear."

Azula stares at the briefing before her. When she closes her eyes, she hears Ty Lee screaming in the woods, hears Katara's hands breaking as she frees her from rubble, tastes the acrid smoke from the plane crash.

"Prepare the fleets," orders Azula icily, not breaking her gaze or faltering in the slightest.

Chung clears her throat. "What?"

"I said prepare the fleets."