Intro

Mai and Ty Lee sat, waiting for Azula to bark more order for tracking down Zuko, Iroh, or worse…the Avatar. So by the river, they waited for the perfectionist princess to return and whip them into immediate action.

Mai sat in silence. She didn't feel like talking to anyone, and they would only receive a sarcastic remark in return. Ty Lee on the other hand, always optimistic and cheerful, was twirling her hair and plucking flowers from the grass. When she went to pluck a petal, Mai jumped the gun.

"He doesn't love you…" she was sounding exasperated.

"Who said I love him?" she smiled back before they both went back to ignoring one another.

"Who loves who?" Both looked up, obviously not having heard their leader walk up. "The avatar has been sighted. Let's go."

Chapter 1

After another failed attempt to capture Aang and the gang, the three elites returned to base at the riverbed.

"We should have caught him." Azula began to complain.

"We almost got him, everything went almost perfect." Ty Lee tried to sound positive.

"Almost perfect isn't good enough!" With that she blew lightning into the sky before storming off.

"So typical…" Mai gave a rather droll statement.

Ty Lee was beginning to become frustrated. They were all friends, but they were so negative. Emotionless Mai and insatiable Azula: any good hearted person's nightmare.

There were times when they weren't always like this. It was still there, but it didn't matter, the other two acted the same to it all; water onto wax. They didn't care.

She started to remember good times as a child. Mai was a shy girl with her crushes on Zuko. She shut off from the world slowly though, hence the Mai she knew today. Sarcastic, blunt, cold, and apathetic.

Azula, she was without that same egotistic pride she carried now. She used to smile without that evil glint in her eyes. It was a smile, not a smirk. Now, every time Azula smiled it was frightening, an evil scheme behind it; an air of arrogance. Confidence. That was one of the many attractive traits of Azula, asides being rather pretty and strong. She was quick, intelligent, cunning, but ruthless. She had always been, and her ambition only continued to grow.

She glanced over at Mai, who was silent again, leaning against a tree and staring idly at the river. But she knew better, she was thinking. She always got like this. She wanted to, but she decided not to ask. She knew. It was a couple months before they all split up from the academy to begin a new chapter in their lives.

It had been a couple years ago…

Mai never admitted anything, though you could tell she was after Zuko's heart because she would blush every time he went by. And the extents Azula would go to embarrassing the both of them. Who would have guessed it wasn't him she would steal glances at?

But who would have guessed it wasn't the cute fire nation boys that Ty Lee would gaze at?

It came in during the summer rain, in the candlelight of her room. Mai actually spoke of her feelings for a person that she couldn't decide on whether she loved them or not. As she spoke rather eloquently, drawing a blind image of the perfections and personality of such a wonderful person. Ty Lee was hooked, listening eagerly about the effect he had on her, about all the nervousness she had about confessing to them, and about the fear of rejection.

"So who is this handsome dream boy?"

"It's not who you think. And before you ask, no, you won't guess it."

"Well, enlighten me."

"It's uh…someone…" she began, already turning crimson against her pale face. "Well, it wouldn't matter if they had a name…would it?" She tried to get out of it, looking helplessly at an amused Ty Lee.

"Sounds like you've really fallen for them."

"You can kinda say that I have"

"Are you sure it's not Zuko? He did knock you over," she shot at her.

"Had I not been looking into your beautiful eyes I would have stepped out of the way" she retorted without thought. It struck her in the back of her mind hard.

"I didn't mean…" she tried to recover, but it was futile. So she wasn't as much of an air head as she appeared. Ty Lee was already sitting across from her, with a look like she had just been stricken by Azula's lightning fury.

"Umm…wow…look, it's okay…"

But Mai went cold. The quiet spread fast, like a plague amongst civilization. Then she gracefully rose and proceeded to leave, giving a curt goodbye to Ty Lee's parents.

She seemed to disappear, barely even herself while training in the academy. The raven haired girl became a weapon, like the perfect assassin, striking with precision and feeling no fear for her safety. Nothing but the goal she had ahead of her, and the exhausting efforts riding her into the ground daily. She changed into a completely different person. The shy exterior was replaced by apathy, but it wasn't as terrible as what she felt on the inside. This new love, her gentle poison: simply deadly.

Then she came back and apologized, saying that she had a lot on her mind and she was losing her sanity at the time. It seemed reasonable at the time, as she was slowly starting to lose hers too.

The storm between the two had calmed and they were going back to meet up wit Azula after her "extended" training. Some attractive boys from the royal academy passed by, acting tough as Mai followed one with her eyes.

"Staring at a cute little someone?" she inquired, being overly curious.

"You're the one who thinks he's cute."

They walked up the steps to the ring where the perfectionist was creating an inferno. Distinct hand movements and controlled breathing. It was in the way she stood, the way she moved and her overwhelming determination that created the execution and performance that made her the prodigy she was.

She threw what appeared to be a rope of fire out, followed by quick bursts of fireballs to sweeps and missile launched orbs. Ty Lee gazed intently on her friend, noting all the wondrous features, tracing her friend with her eyes.

Mai glanced over at her friend and gave a smirk. Ty Lee turned, "What?"

"What?"

"You are amused?"

"About what?"

"Oh, nevermind"

The contortionist went back to gazing, unsure of whether or not Mai had picked up on anything and whether or not her friend was being deceiving and pleading the fifth. All was soon forgotten again as Azula blew began to breathe fire and continue shadow sparring with herself.

She began to daydream about the fire lord's daughter, wondering what it would be like to kiss those forbidden lips, to be wrapped protectively in those arms, to be hers and that she was hers and only hers. Far away she heard voices.

"What's wrong with her?"

She snapped out of her reverie to see the brilliant focus of her fantasies right before her eyes.

Azula had removed the top of her armor, exposing more skin than she normally did, always being completely covered by her armor. She noted strong arms and abdominal muscles that had been hiding underneath outer layer of clothing.

"Ty Lee, what is wrong with you?"

"She's had some schoolgirl crush on someone all day" quipped Mai.

Ty Lee was turning a ridiculously adorable pink, winning a smirk from Azula as well.

They began to walk off, leaving a bedazzled Ty Lee behind, later running to catch up. There they went again.

And here they were again. Things were back to normal. Headstrong Azula and apathetic Mai, neither ever let their emotions get in the way of their work. And now was their mission. They were friends but they only acted as soldiers apart from the history they shared.

How did she get into this?

Ty Lee was performing warm up stretches when an upside-down figure walks into her vision. "Ty Lee, could that possibly be you?"

"Azula!"

She flipped right-side-up, twirls and lowers into a bow. Immediately she gets up and embraces Azula in a tight hug.

In you arms…I feel so safe…

"It's so good to see you!" she exclaims as she releases her and they join hands momentarily.

sigh

"Please, don't let me interrupt your…whatever it is you were doing…" Ty Lee performs another back flip and resumes her stretching. "Tell me, what is the daughter of a nobleman doing here? Certainly our parents didn't send us to the royal fire academy for girls to end up in...places like this."

She gives a strange look over to a bizarre animal laying an egg.

"I have a proposition for you," she continues as Ty Lee goes back into a contortionist pose, a bright smile plastered on her face. "I'm hunting a traitor. You remember my old fuddy-duddy uncle don't you?

"Oh yeah, he was so funny."

"I would be honored if you would join me on my mission"

"Oh" Ty Lee's smiled turning to surprise.

Oh no….

"I uh...would love to," she flips to stand and face Azula, placing her right hand over her heart, "but the truth is, I'm really happy here. I mean, my aura has never been pinker."

"I'll take your word for it. Well, I wouldn't want you to give up the life you love just to please me."

Well, if it would please you, I want to go. No. She played off the inner battle she was waging.

"Thank you, Azula" She replies with a small bow.

She begins to stretch her legs again.

"Of course, before I leave, I'm going to catch your show."

Ahhhh? she thinks while almost losing her balance. "Uh, yeah... Sure…of course..." I feel like I'm going to die! She knows how uneasy I get!

Whether she meant it or not, the roses she threw at her and the compliment she gave after the show, it meant enough to change Ty Lee's mind. On that interesting night, she was in a way, persuaded by her furtive friend to join the quest. Still, she could have said no.

Again, she glanced over to where Mai was sitting, but she had disappeared. Alone. Well, that was great. She assumed Mai was being Mai and didn't want to be bothered and Azula was still worked up on how to achieve damned perfection so she didn't seek them out. Instead, she went to her tent and fell into her dreams again.

Chapter 2

Azula ordered to pursue the fleeing Avatar upon his flying bicen. When they finally caught up the trio burst out of the tanks and rushed at them on their gigantic lizards, following them up the mountain. Even the earthbending hadn't stopped the ever persistent team.

As a wall was sent flying up and the firebender deftly shot lightning, creating a hole for them to crawl through. Unfortunately, the bicen flew out of reach, and they had to keep following the trail.

The princess had no limits. She was a slave driver at times, slowly wearing down the bones of her comrades. It was frustrating but Mai wouldn't let it show. The objective was at hand. She glanced over at her leader, focused completely on capturing the Avatar, then over to Ty Lee who was keeping up as much as she could, but was obviously stressed out by the princess's demands.

Joy. The princess is going to be so happy… Mai thought. Why am I on this mission? Was I really that bored? Or was I just sick of waiting?

Four men were carrying Princess Azula up the stairs. Walking by the side was Ty Lee.

I never thought Id see her again. Both of them are here…I wonder if something happened

Azula stepped out of the carriage and walked over to Mai with Ty Lee catching up to meet her steps.

"Please tell me you've come to kill me," she said with a smirk. Laughter.

Azula takes Mai's face in her hands, "It's great to see you Mai." She steps back for Ty Lee to run up to Mai and wrap her arms around her neck in a big hug.

Wrapping around her upper waist, she embraces her in return.

Enjoy the moment.

"I thought you ran off and joined the circus. You said it was your calling," she states before she releases her.

"Well, Azula called a little louder."

Everything's the same…"sigh"…whatever…

Oh yeah, that's why… her thoughts finished as she looked over at Ty Lee again. The girl had finally regained her focus and they were splitting up to outsmart the avatar and his plan to elude them.

Mai and Ty Lee went to chase down the bicen. As they were riding, Ty Lee tried to strike up conversation, and though neither Azula nor Mai would have it (especially on a mission) she made an exception.

"After we capture the Avatar, Zuko and Iroh, what then?"

"We go back to our boring lives?" she answered with another question.

"I mean what then with us?"

"Everything goes back to how it was?" she went back to ignoring the girl.

"Our friendship I mean. Are we just pawns in this quest?"

"At least something happens here."

"You know what I me-"

"There!"

The bicen was right ahead of them and it was about to crash on the other side of the river. Mai and Ty Lee reached the other side and began their advance on Sokka and Katara. Ty Lee quickly subdued Sokka, hitting the pressure points in his arms and legs while Mai through shuriken and pinned Katara helpless to a tree.

"I thought when Ty Lee and I finally caught you guys, it would be more exciting. Oh well, victory is boring."

Suddenly the gigantic bicen lashed out its tail and it sent them hurdling into the river. Ty Lee had lost her orientation (which was odd in the least for the acrobat) and would have come crashing down into the river the wrong way if Mai reached out and pulled her closer to her. The water came, cold and rushing. Swimming frantically, they went to get away from the beast. They crawled out on the other side they had come from and proceeded to dry themselves off.

"Was it just me, or was that one guy cute?" Mai only glared down at the suddenly more interesting grass. Ty Lee let out a sigh and leaned her head on the shoulder of the deadly girl. Mai didn't reject it, but it startled her inside. "Can't you feel anything at all?"

"I don't want to…" Mai answered her solemly.

"I love you as a friend," Ty Lee tried to offer.

"I see the way you look at Azula. You love her as I love you." A pause, "And it doesn't matter to me as long as you are happy. I will be right here by your side to protect you."

She registered what was just said to her. "Thanks…so it really is obvious how much I love…" but she trailed off when Mai gave an irritated look of "of course it's obvious" and then wrapped her arms around herself.

"Ty Lee, stop killing Mai with your happiness. She can't take the cheerfulness." She whispered to Mai, "And I don't even know how long I will be able to take it" Azula walked up after escaping from the Avatar, the watertribe warriors and the two traitors all in one day. She giggled at her friend's vex.

The bender waved the assassin over, "Mai, I need a favor from you." Mai swiftly rose and walked over to her leader. "Mai, I trust you. I need you to get this message to the admiral. It should only be two days. I would send a messenger, but this is far too important to lose."

Mai nodded. She turned to leave when Azula grabbed her shoulder, "Wait." She handed her friend another piece of paper. "Read it. I know you'll understand." Mai acknowledged her. "I don't know what I'd do without you guys."

Mai could almost read through the sincere statement but didn't as she was pressed for time. Quickly, she ran off into the setting sun.

Chapter 3

The two of them were walking along a path, when there was an explosion and the ground began to quake. Suddenly, there was chaos and shouts…

Ty Lee awoke feeling dazed…the sunlight was shot against her eyelids as she wearily opened them, finally becoming aware of her surroundings. She was sore all over, and could barely remember what happened, just the flames that surrounded them in the ambush. What happened after she blacked out?

She felt a warmth pressed against her body, and a pair of arms wrapped protectively around her waist. Whatever was holding her was strong but relaxed, possessive but not dominating; it was comforting. She followed with her eyes the firenation armor that adorned the right arm to the cleaved shoulder plate where a gash had been made. She looked up and saw the face of her princess. She blushed furiously realizing it was her arms she was in. She then noticed the tree she was leaning against and the arrow pinned into Azula's left arm.

The now worried optimist attempted to get up and test her strength when the pair of arms tightened around her, holding her firmly against the owner's body.

"No…Ty Lee…I won't lose you…"

Ty Lee looked curiously into her friends sleeping face. There was no cold-heartedness as there was before. There was a calm, almost innocent look. Was that caring? She pushed her thoughts aside. Despite it being Azula who was holding her, she couldn't imagine what would happen if she woke up and saw her there, and moreover enjoying herself. An image of a wildfire entered the contortionist's mind and she grimaced.

She slowly slipped out of the arms, a little disappointed that they did not pull her closer again, but she needed to see the extent of the damage done to her.

She crawled at first about ten feet from the exhausted firebender and attempted to stand. She fell the first time, muffling a cry as not to wake the sleeping beauty leaning against the tree not too far away. Again, she rose, but only managing to get on her knees. It hurt. The flexible noble girl closed her eyes and found the strength to make another fruitless attempt.

The acrobat rose on both legs to fall again. She shut her eyes tight not wanting to feel the pain of the ground again, but it never came. Instead, someone had caught her.

"Don't try to stand, you wont be able to for a while," a familiar voice said. Ty Lee opened her eyes to see it was Azula she was clinging so desperately to.

"Azula!" she cried, hugging her friend tightly. "You're ok…?"

"I'm alright," she replied in a reassuring voice, "But you're not." She led Ty Lee back to the tree and helped her down carefully. Ty Lee glanced over at the arrow on the ground. Azula had pulled it out and had already wrapped the wound in a piece of the torn cloth from her armor, but the gash on her right shoulder was still unkept. She prodded at the arrow, attempting to remember what had happened.

The flames surrounded the two, closing them in. An arrow shot out and struck Azula in the left arm, knocking her away from her comrade.

"Get out of here!"

She turned to run as Azula tangled with the approaching enemy. She ran until some shadows attacked her. She dodged the first blow, for another shadow to appear and hit her in the ribs. Another hit to the back. A punch contacted with her stomach, and a leg swept her off her feet. She quickly went to get up and retreat as ordered, but something struck her hard in the back of the head. She felt it growing dark, and stumbled on the rocky ground.

Ty Lee blinked. So how'd she get here? She then glanced over at the fire princess, who was now staring at the treetops about the clearing.

Mai studied what were now the ashes of their camp. There had been a serious battle. What happened while she was gone? She looked around, and found the heavy steps from men. There was a shift in the land, some rocks and trees overturned. A powerful earthbender? Towards the center of the camp, some fallen men wore trademark burns. Azula.

She followed a light trail of blood and unnatural rock formations, where she guessed, the others had retreated to.

It was a beautiful night. The moon was bright and it was illuminated by a blue aura. She was walking when something pierced her left arm. She stumbled backwards at first but rebalanced herself. She immediately turned to her friend.

"Get out of here!"

As soon as Ty Lee had run, she moved, striking out at the attackers with flares. Some shadows appeared in front of her and she threw lightning at one, knocking the earth kingdom soldier down. He wouldn't be getting back up. She then turned to the others, who had circled her.

The one from behind her threw shuriken but she jumped out of the way and knocked another soldier back with a flaming fist. She then tripped the next man and sent him into his comrade. She uppercut another, and created a flamethrower of fire against the first bender she encountered. The site had become hell-ridden with destruction, but the enemies kept on coming. Three benders surrounded her, one pulled the ground out from under her while another prepared to crush her with a boulder. She did a spinning kick from the ground sending all of them flying back.

She ran in the direction of Ty Lee, who was about to get struck a deadly blow. She shot out lightning at the shadow and struck him, but he still connected with Ty Lee's head, knocking her out cold.

Azula ran for her friend and blew most of the other men away with her firebending. She hoisted Ty Lee into her left arm and pulled her in the direction towards the forest. An earth kingdom man jumped out of the shadows and sliced at the two, cutting Azula in the right shoulder. He was quickly disposed of then, and she ran into the forest.

She kept running, trying to get to a safer place, but the blood she was losing was enough. She became lightheaded, but kept going. Letting her basic instinct of survival kick in, she closed her eyes and let the black of night take over.

Azula gazed at her fidgeting friend. Ty Lee was notorious for not being able to sit still. She had to move. The bender noticed how cute it was when the optimist grew frustrated with not being able to do what she loved most. Smiling, she walked over the vexed girl and sat down.

"You shouldn't attempt to do anything right now, you could hurt yourself."

"You're the one who pushed yourself past your limits all the time, surely you'd understand."

She was right, and Azula let out a small laugh at the truth in the statement. She immediately placed her hand over the gash, it hurt to laugh. "Mmm…damn..."

"See, you're not even alright." Ty Lee went to examine the wound. Azula tried to play it off in protest, but the contortionist would not have it. She gently ran her fingertips over the gash. "It's not too bad now…."

Azula just awed at the girl, watching her begin to patch up the cut in her shoulder. Ty Lee, feeling Azula's eyes on her began to grow warm on her cheeks as she tore a piece of her sleeve and began to wrap Azula's wound with it. Azula just continued to gaze at her, noting the pink shade growing on her friend's cheeks.

"What are you so embarrassed about?" she smiled, knowing her friend was uneasy.

"Hmm?" Ty Lee had been caught off guard. So she really was blushing. How could she cover this one? "Oh, I was just thinking…"

"About?" Azula inquired, but it only made her friend turn red. She suppressed the urge to laugh. "About last night?" she acted as if she was clarifying her statement.

"You could say that…"

"You did have a rough night."

"But I don't even remember what happened or how I got here…" She finished tying the knot on the cloth. She then leaned against the tree next to her crush. "See, I'm trying to figure something out...how could someone lay a blow as heavy as this to you?"

"It was a lucky shot," Azula was trying to beat around the bush, "There were too many of them to count."

"Yeah, but still, you would have deflected the hit unless you were paying attention to something more important…you had a distraction."

"I found you passed out. Besides, I was just protecting you from getting hurt when he came at us."

"Oh?" Ty Lee thought. But then, that meant the more important thing on Azula's mind was…her? No...She was just getting in the way, the only reason she helped her was because she needed her on her mission.

"Don't let it bother you," the bender comforted the girl and ran her hand down Ty Lee's cheek, making her turn an even darker shade. This time she couldn't hold back her laugh.

Mai was running back as fast as she could to find her comrades. Their safety was all that was on her mind. That and the letter she read on her way to delivering the message to the Admiral.

As the firelord's daughter, I should not even be thinking this. Writing this is even more dishonorable in his eyes, but I cannot deny you the truth. I have seen the way you care deeply for Ty Lee, and it is amazing you even came along in the first place. Well, you are my dearest friends, and I find it striking that I should have this fondness of you both. Dishonorable as it is, I would go against my father to protect you as I can from any possible consequences to being involved in my life as such, but this will only need to be done if these shameful feelings are returned.

It was surprising at first. Azula was so firmly set on achieving her goal that you wouldn't believe she was even seeking anyone, anyone other than the Avatar or her brother and uncle. But the more she thought about it, the more she wanted to be around both of her friends, the more she wanted to see their smiling faces again, and for it to be like it was before they all split up: a happy trio. Soon enough.

Chapter 4

The two had fallen asleep underneath the tree after talking of the much missed "good old times" and how far they had come. The contortionist was pressed against the firebender, legs entwined. She had her head rested on Azula's arm, which belonged to the hand that was tangled in her hair. Ty Lee's arms were wrapped tightly around the waist of her love, and Azula's other arm was latched high onto leg. Their faces were about three inches apart.

Almost in perfect time they began to open their eyes.

Suddenly becoming aware of the situation they tore themselves away from each other and began to blush in unrivaled embarrassment.

A laugh.

"I was wondering when you two would wake up," Mai teased. She had found them lying there the night before but decided not to disturb them, partly out of what she knew would be an amusing morning.

"Why didn't you wake me up!" Azula demanded, still flustered.

"You both looked so cute," she teased again. The bender shot a sinister look at the warrior before a tiny flame started to rise above her head.

"You could have been courteous," offered Ty Lee.

"I was. By the way you were holding each other, I knew I couldn't just interrupt you. So I did nothing."

Ty Lee took a deep breath and released it.

"Besides," continued Mai, "something important came to my attention, and we need to talk" She looked at Azula, who was obviously uncomfortable with the thought of that.

"What's going on?" asked Ty Lee. Mai excused herself and went to go kneel by the river. Now looking to Azula for answers, the bender shifted uncomfortably in her gaze.

Silently cursing herself she began, "Well, I gave Mai a note the other day for her to read on her way to the Admiral." She paused and noticed how intently the other girl was listening. "You know you are my friend and I care for you…"

"Of course."

"Well, what if I cared about you both a little more than that?"

"…." The silence was terrible.

"I know you probly don't feel that way..." Mai couldn't hold back.

Azula glanced over at the laughing girl then back over at a crimson Ty Lee.

"Oh," she said, the smirk coming back to her face. "Well, why haven't you told me?"

"Uh…umm...I was afraid...you'd kill...me?"

"Since when have you thought that?"

"Try a couple years," Mai interjected.

"You're not exactly exempt from this conversation," was the response. The girl came to sit by Ty Lee's side.

"Alright, I'm here."

"Well, everything I said applies to you too."

"We solved this a couple years ago…" Ty Lee placed her hand on top of Mai's lap. Mai looked curious about the action.

Azula gawked, "Was I the last person to know?"

Night had come and Mai was kneeling by the river again, gazing into the stars. It was the first tranquil setting she had seen in a long time, having been caged up by stone walls of castles and fighting the avatar. Ty Lee came to kneel beside her. They both sat there, watching the stars and looking into the heavens.

A nervous hand lightly touched Mai's leg but slipped away, lingering, but then fell back to the contortionist's side. Mai smoothly wove her arm through Ty Lee's and placed her hand on top of hers. The other girl let out a sigh and then leaned her head against the taller girl's shoulder. This time, Mai leaned her head on hers in response, letting out a sigh of her own.

Azula watched, smiling from afar.

The two just sat there until Ty Lee shifted, causing the two to almost fall into each other. They were, so close, their eyes dancing like flirtatious orbs of light. Mai leaned in a little, waiting for Ty Lee's permission. At first, Ty Lee backed away a little and blushed but then she completed the distance, pressing her lips to Mai's. The raven haired girl slowly deepened the kiss, letting Ty Lee become used to the contact and respond.

They broke away for air moments later, gazing into each other's eyes. There they sat, holding each other for a while, until they got up to get some sleep. They walked back over to Azula, who was poking at her wounds.

"How cute, they hold hands."

They sat down on opposite sides of Azula.

"Well, now that we're more than friends…" Mai began…

"We'll take what we want, and it's you." Ty Lee claimed her princess's lips.

--

Through the bushes, Zuko and Iroh surveyed their enemy.

"What the..."

"This appears to be most interesting," said Iroh, looking over to his nephew. "Leave it alone, Zuko."

"Girls are so weird."

Chapter 5

Morning came all too soon, as Azula had her game face back on. The avatar and his gang had been spotted heading to Ba Sing Sei, and she was determined to cut them off. Inside the metal tanks the three of them waited, anticipating the rematch. This time, nothing was going to catch them off guard and nothing would derail them from their objective.

The tanks rumbled through the forest and to a dirt clearing, where Ba Sing Sei was only days away. Then, out of nowhere, the bicen appeared in the sky.

They jumped into action. Azula shot lightning out at the bicen, hitting it in the legs and sending it down. It was only a matter of seconds until the avatar had to face her. As the beast went spiraling down, the airbender flew off at high speed toward the firebender.

She threw more of her trademark blue flames at him and he barely dodged them; he was literally hanging onto the tail feathers of the wind. A needle-like object shot out from Mai's hand and struck through the kite-like contraption of the avatar and sent him crashing off in the distant.

The avatar was down on the ground, temporarily stunned by such a fall. They approached slowly, beginning to circle him.

Ice froze over Ty Lee's legs and a boomerang was flying towards the back of Mai's head. She turned in time and deflected it, and went to retaliate. Azula melted the ice and the second time the waterbender lashed out at her she successfully counterattacked. Azula turned her gaze back to the air nomad.

"Face me, Avatar. Your running is futile."

Aang stood, damaged from the plummet. Azula returned to her stance and prepared to attack him. She threw a punch, letting the flames forming around her hands become a stream of searing heat. The avatar dodged, only to block and be knocked backwards by another strike. He fell to the ground again, but got up to keep his eyes on his opponent. A lightning strike sent him hurdling back again. He caught his balance in the air this time, creating a typhoon of air that hit Azula hard enough to knock the air out of her.

She jumped right back up. With fury, she buried the Avatar in flames. There he lay, on the edge of a cliff, at her mercy.

"Lucky my father wants you alive."

"I'll be taking him now."

A blaze was sent flying at her, but she easily split the root of the flame apart.

"Zuzu, how nice to see you again."

"Don't call me that!" he yelled back, embarrassed and flustered. "The avatar is mine."

"You had your chance, brother."

The two parried, Zuko had gotten a little better, but not enough. He was still far away from her skill. Soon she forced him to the ground besides the avatar, awaiting the final blow.

Again, Iroh stepped in and channeled the lightning away from him. Zuko stood again, both attacking Azula. This was getting difficult.

Meanwhile, Mai threw out shuriken at Sokka, who kept swinging his boomerang at them like a little kid at a piñata. Ty Lee, wasn't able to get close enough to Katara to disable her this time. Then they switched opponents, easily taking them down.

They tied them up, then turned to see Azula under pressure of the other two once royal firebenders. Iroh shot at her from behind and Zuko came from the front, she dodged Iroh, but Zuko took advantage of the still healing wound on her right shoulder, burying a flaring fist into it. She fell down, staring up at the two benders.

She did a sweep kick, knocking Zuko back and tripping Iroh.

"I don't appreciate the pain…"

"Neither did I, but you still laughed at my disgrace!" Zuko again attacked Azula, only to be thrown over and into Iroh, who was trying to get up.

"Retreat."

--

"What happened back there?" a worried Ty Lee asked.

"It's not like you," continued Mai, "Is it because you're still injured?"

"May be…but I had the Avatar…and I lost him."

"Oh, I'm going to lose my honor if I fail too!" Mai quipped. She walked off.

"You'll get over it, you can't be perfect at everything." Ty Lee encouraged the despairing princess. "But for now, is it okay to rest?" She waited until Azula approved it.

She came over and rested her head on the girl's lap. Azula idly ran her hand through some of the lose strands. The birds of the forest sang, and the wind gently brushed the leaves. Tranquility…even if it was just a moment, it was worth it.

"I didn't catch the avatar…but I captured something more important.."

"What's that?" the always curios Ty Lee asked as she leaned back to propped herself up on her elbows.

Azula swept her in her arms and kissed her gently, with love and burning desire then laid her back in the grass.

"Woah.." Ty Lee had never been kissed like that. She felt sky rocketed to the moon. She cuddled back into the bender's lap. "So, you captured me, but are you mine?"

"Yes…"

"Then Mai is going to see a very interesting scene when she gets back…"

"What…? Mmmph!" her question was muffled by a powerful kiss from Ty Lee, deadly as her martial arts, and Azula melted in her grasp. Things became clear when the smaller girl began tugging at the armor.

--

Mai walked deeper into the brush. The moon was rising overhead, and after a long day, the quiet was nice. She thought for a moment if it was a good idea to the leave those two by themselves…whatever. She kept walking until she heard a twig snap.

She turned to face the Blue Spirit. He had snuck up on her. The broad swords were around her neck.

"If I can't have the avatar, I will take something closer to her heart."

--

The sun was just coming over the tops of the mountains in the distance when Azula awoke. She stared down at the sleeping form wrapped around her like the clothes she was wearing. She blushed at the thought of what happened the night before. She pulled the girls arms off her and began to get dressed quietly.

Through one eye half open, Ty Lee watched the princess she had dominated only hours ago. She smiled to herself. Who knew she could take over someone like that, let alone take over someone like Azula. She watched as Azula slipped the tank part of the uniform on, then watched as she pondered whether or not to put on the long sleeve that was draped over the lithe form of Ty Lee.

She decided not to and went to lay back down by the supposed to be sleeping girl.

"You're awake…"

"Should I go back to sleep?"

"Do what you want, but get dressed, we have to get moving," she ran her hand through the silk hair and smiled.

"Awww, but it was more fun without them on." Azula blushed. She had the night of her life, and it would've been against her will had she said no. Still, they were on a mission. Things had to be done.

Ty Lee rubbed her eyes and went to throw her clothes back on.

"Hey, where's Mai?"