. . . . . I was alone, falling free. . . . .

-

"Spirits, I can't stand her," Katara complained, glaring across the cafeteria at another lunch table. The people crowded around it were all dressed in red and black, as was their House colors, but her glower remained on one person alone. Azula.

"Aww, c'mon," Toph shrugged, taking a large bite of her hotdog. "Just don't think about it, and you won't have to worry."

"Yeah, but that's kinda hard to ignore," Suki said. "I mean, that girl is good at everything."

"So? Doesn't mean she's perfect," Toph disputed.

"But it certainly does seem like it." Katara sighed. She couldn't help but sneak a glance at the scarlet-uniformed girl. Her figure was a mixture of relaxation and readiness, her shiny ebon hair pinned up royally and her legs crossed and composed. She was talking about something, full lips and pearly teeth moving at an articulate speed, informing her companions about her subject, no matter how uninterested they were. Eventually, like Katara's eyes, they were naturally drawn to the prestigious teenAzula didn't even have to ask to be the center of attention, she just was.

"Hey, hey!" Toph snapped her fingers in front of Katara's face. "What time does rehearsal go to tonight?"

"Oh, uh, I think 8:30," Katara answered, finally tearing her gaze away from Azula. Her annoyance ebbed away at the thought of rehearsal but returned when she remembered that Azula was holding one of the roles that was just as large as hers. Competition.

"What's the play about again?" Yue asked. "Jet and I were thinking about seeing it."

"Love Amongst the Dragons." Toph held up her hands, eyes big and wide, as if the play was supposed to be magical. In reality, she didn't care, but that was because she wasn't a drama freak. She was a techie, and a sound coordinator at that. "Big whoop."

"It's more than that," Katara continued, her passion and participation in the production becoming obvious. "It's about two dragons that fall in love, but they come from dysfunctional families that are always arguing. I play the role of Oma, the girl dragon that's supposed to fall in love with Shu, who's being played by Aang. It's a really good show, you should see it. The set is amazing."

"Sokka said he saw it last night when he picked you up," Suki piped in. "He said that it was really nice and can't wait to see the show. I think I'll go too."

"Neat." Toph smiled. "As long as you won't be surprised that there are condoms all over the bleachers."

"What?!" Suki and Yue exclaimed as Toph and Katara burst into a fit of laughter, loving the inside joke.

"So…" Suki said, not understanding them but moving on. "When is it?"

"Next week," Katara replied. "Tickets are six dollars. You can buy them early at the bookstore and get good seats."

"Thanks," Yue said. "I'm going to go buy mine now, I think. Want to come, Suki?"

"Sure." Suki stood up and gathered her garbage, threw it away and left with the white-haired girl. Katara turned her attention to Toph who was rummaging through her messy backpack.

"Found it!" Toph announced, yanking out a green sheet of paper. It was crinkled and partially ripped, and she briefly smoothed it out on the table before standing up and packing her things. "Aww, shit. I'm sorry, Sweetness. Pu On wanted to talk to me about some last-minute sound stuff. I gotta fly."

"Um, okay…" Katara replied, somewhat taken aback. The next thing she knew she was sitting alone at the lunch table with only half of her food eaten (and Toph's neglected trash), feeling lonely. It would take a while for Yue and Suki to come back, so she took out Lady Hama's infamous young-adult novel The Bloodbender. It comforted her and made her feel not as embarrassed to be sitting alone. She was absorbed into the dark tale of danger, romance, and murder until an equally dark shadow spilled over the pages she was reading, interrupting her and causing her to look up. It was none other than Azula herself.

"What do you want?" Katara growled, scowling.

"I was just wondering if you're ready for the entire rehearsal tonight," Azula replied nonchalantly, shrugging. "Because if it's anything like last night, I can't wait."

A cruel smile curled on Azula's lips. Katara had to scoff at this, meeting Azula's eyes as any rival would that was proposing a challenge.

"That, my dearest, is something you are sorely mistaken at," Katara replied, reciting one of Azula's lines from the play. "For if there were to be one individual that should be honored to marry him, it would be I."

Azula raised an eyebrow. Two could play at this game. "Only because there's no man fit for you," she said, using Katara's lines. "Except the ones you kill."

"Haha, so what? Shu will be one of those men."

"Actually," Azula interrupted. "It's—Shu will be one of those men by the time I get rid of you. It'd be better for you to remember your own lines instead of mine."

Katara's frown returned, her lip flickering. She wanted to correct herself but knew that doing so would make her look stupid in front of Azula.

"Well I'm glad to see that you're ready. I would hate it if something happened to the show's star," Katara said, her smirk returning.

"Are you trying to imply something?" Azula inferred.

"No. I really do hope you're ready, because I would hate it if you messed the show up."

"You don't even know all the right lines."

"I don't have to get them out of a book. Improvisation is more admirable on a college transcript, anyways. It shows that you have more acting experience."

There, she got Azula. The prodigy snorted and stood to her feet, her shadow being cast on Katara once again. The bell rang and Katara stood, meeting Azula's height, and grabbed her backpack. The two shared a look of enmity before going their opposite ways. Katara merged with Yue and Suki in the crowd again, who were both now holding tickets to the show.

"What did Azula want?" Suki asked over the general murmur of the school body.

"She thinks I'm not ready," Katara answered.

"Well, you still have a week, don't you?" Yue spoke up.

"I do, and I'm not worried about it. Azula's just…"

"Azula's just got issues," Suki filled in. Katara nodded, laughing.

"That's for sure!"

No longer shaken by Azula's intimidations, Katara had a smile on her face for the rest of the day. She received an "A" on her trigonometry test, was able to cook platypus-bear eggs in her foods and nutrition course, and had an easy day as a lifeguard at the pool for the last period of the day. The thought of Azula didn't even cross her mind as she walked through the school's parking lot and over to the separate auditorium. Winter was starting to roll in and the wind was chilly, so when she entered the theater's lobby she was greeted with a burst of warmth and comfort. Unlike the new gyms that had been built, with their linoleum floors, steel structures and blinding white lights, the auditorium was fashioned from wood and cement, giving it an aged and memorable smell that made any actor feel at home.

"Katara! You're finally here!" the director, a teacher by the name of Pu On Tim (or just Pu On, considering the various "nicknames" he had already been given courtesy of the cast) announced the moment she came in view of the stage. The tech crew had already finished painting the marvelous red and blue set, and by the look of the dark lights and the absence of Toph (up in the sound booth, of course) it appeared that they were running a full rehearsal. She was thankful for the darkness because it covered up her embarrassed blush.

"Sorry, I thought we starting at the same time as usual," she apologized, unaware of the schedule shift.

"Well, you're lucky that this isn't the night of the show," Pu On replied, sighing from his place on the stage. It appeared that he had been helping Aang get into position for his part. "Just go downstairs and get ready. I'll expect you back in five minutes."

"Okay, thanks." Katara shifted her backpack on her shoulder and ran around behind the stage, heading down for the locker rooms.

"So much for being prepared," Azula snorted to her on her way down the stairs. Katara glared at her but didn't have the time to compete. She needed to get on stage.

Katara tried to change into her dress as fast as she could. The gown was a baby blue color with sapphire frocks and a sash of brilliant cobalt, as if it were an outfit out of a fairy tale. She let her hair fall free before quickly tying it back in the style she hoped was suitable for the show, considering that not only was this their first full rehearsal but also a dress rehearsal. Her heart racing, she rushed out of the locker room, praying that her stage makeup didn't look as terrible as she thought it did.

"Hey, wait!" Haru cried, snatching her by the arm, catching her by surprise.

"What? What?" she panted. He handed her a headset microphone.

"Full rehearsal, sound included. Oh crap, the condom broke."

"That's fine," Katara said, taking the mic anyways, even if its latex protective sling had been broken. For one thing, she didn't want Pu On to be mad at her, and any more of Azula's insults and she more than likely would have exploded. "I'll get a new one during intermission. Don't worry about it."

Haru nodded, saying something over his walkie talkie to Toph while Katara placed the microphone around her head. It felt large and clunky, probably because it was one of the older models and chosen at last minute, but as long as it worked she would be okay.

"But Oma is the love of my life!" Aang, playing as Shu, exclaimed on stage over and across to Azula. Katara stopped, listening, knowing that once their scene was over, the one between her and Azula (or in the play, Oma's wretched stepsister bent on doing nothing but causing destruction and chaos) would start next. "Why would I want to do something horrible to her?"

Azula walked up to him, smiling wickedly, and placed a cool, possessive hand on his shoulder. "It's not at all horrible," she said sweetly, sickeningly. It made Katara's spine shiver and want to curl. Azula didn't even need to act to play the part—it was certainly cast for her. "I understand that you… that you love her, but you know as well as I, young Shu, Prince of the Dragons, that the lands are torn apart by war. You'll be going into battle soon, will you not?"

"Well, yeah," Aang replied, shrugging, but unable to tear himself from the stepsister's mesmerizing amber gaze. "I have to. I'm a Prince, it's what we do."

"Then don't you believe that death would be a saint? An escape? Who's to say that Oma isn't going to perish in an oncoming raid, or you won't be slaughtered by the sword of some peasant?"

Aang hesitated, musing it over, looking pensively down at his feet. Then, as if he had a sudden realization, he snapped his head up and took an emotional step backwards, shouting, "No! I won't do such a thing! I can't! I won't! I love Oma, but I'm not going to kill her, I can't!"

"You can join her in death, you fool. Suicide."

"No! You're the fool!" Aang shouted angrily before swiftly turning his back and stomping off the far side of the stage. The lights went black, and Katara hurriedly shuffled towards Azula, trying to avoid the various wooden platforms that made up the set. When the lights came back on, lower in an attempt to imitate a night scene in a splash of gold, Azula was hurriedly pacing back and forth.

"He called me a fool," she muttered to herself, seething with rage. "A fool! Ha, he probably doesn't even know the meaning of the word. He may be a Prince, but it's not as if he's worthy of gaining that crown. It should be mine, I know it is. I know it."

"Who called you a fool?" Katara, playing Oma, asked. "Because they're probably right."

"It was that insidious boyfriend of yours."

"Oh. Then he was right."

"Hush up, will you? I'm trying to think."

"Maybe you should just sit down, have some tea with me," Katara said, walking forward and placing a hand on the stepsister's shoulder, but Azula violently shoved it away.

"I don't need any tea! What I need is to kill you!"

"What?!" Katara's eyes widened in real alarm, Azula whirling on her, lips curled back and livid. It truly terrified her, even though it was just an act. She was such a good actress. The stepsister clenched her by the collar of her dress, yanking her close. They bumped mics, audibly fuzzing over the speakers, but it was ignored as Katara spoke softly, fearfully. "Since… since when? Why?"

Azula suddenly let go of her, practically kicking her away as she threw her hands up in the air, cackling to the ceiling. "Why? Why?! Oh dear Oma, don't you see, it's perfectly clear! You need to die in order for me to take Shu and gain the throne!"

Katara quickly backed up where a table was and a conveniently placed fake knife sat. She picked it up defensively, glaring coldly at Azula. "You're crazy."

Azula paused, listening to what she had to say for only a moment, and then broke out into insane laughter. Out of the corner of her eye Katara saw the actors behind the curtains share uncomfortable glances and fidget awkwardly, obviously disturbed by Azula's behavior. Katara herself didn't like the look, as convincing as it was.

"Oh yes, I'm a fool and crazy! How wonderful, how perfectly insane! Look at me, proclaiming that I've lost my mind, off my rocker, belonging in the nut house! Or better yet, the whore house, considering how badly I want to steal that beloved of yours! Yes, I'm apparently a whore, thank you very much, but I don't care! Because I'm also a monster!"

Katara paused, her voice getting caught in her throat as Azula threw herself to the ground. Her character was supposed fall, but the last line wasn't in the script. She rose back up, now on her knees, and Katara was paralyzed by the next words that came out of her mouth.

"A monster, a monster, that's what my mother called me! She didn't die, she didn't divorce, she abandoned me because I scared her! I SCARED HER!"

Azula suddenly toppled over and slammed down onto the wooden stage, her body shaking out of control. Somebody screamed and the cast erupted everywhere, fleeing the stage as if Azula was spewing fire when in fact she was having a seizure. Katara stared dumbly at the girl's epileptic-like shock, uncertain of how to act, when she remembered her lifeguard training. They had taught her how to deal with people in seizures, even if there wasn't much that could be done. She would still have to try until the paramedics arrived. Pu On was quickly up on the stage and kneeling by her rival's spasming body.

"I don't know what to do!" he panicked, his voice high and squeaky. Katara, just as scared, had to swallow a heavy lump in her throat in order to speak.

"Take off your jacket—her head needs a cushion," Katara instructed as calmly as she could, darting her hand beneath Azula's skull to prevent it from hitting the stage floor.

"How do you know how—"

"I'm a lifeguard."

"Oh."

Pu On took off his jacket and folded it so Azula had something to lie on, and Katara did the best she could to roll her on her side. Katara tried to remember all she could about seizures, knowing that if it lasted longer than five minutes it would become life-threatening. How long had Azula's seizure lasted? How long would it go on?

After spending what seemed like forever on her knees trying to coax Azula out of the seizure, two paramedics came crashing through the doors, opening them so much that Katara could hear the siren of the ambulance drowned out the worried voices of kids calling their parents and telling them of the event. Katara knew that she couldn't leave Azula's side, hovering over her as the paramedics came with their equipment and techniques. The moment they knelt by her side, though, the seizure subsided.

"Can you breathe?" they asked Azula as they shined a light into her eyes, the pupil dilating accordingly. She shut them tightly at the bright light, rolling onto her back.

"Yes," she panted, but didn't get up. The medics turned to Katara.

"Who are you?" they asked.

"I'm a lifeguard at the school."

"You did the right thing, keeping her safe like this. Did you find any epileptic bracelets or any indication of a seizure on her?"

"No," Katara shook her head. "It just happened suddenly."

Azula glared at her, fully coming to consciousness again. "And why are you here?" she snarled.

"I would say I saved your life," Katara replied. Azula rolled her eyes and sat up, one of the medics helping her. She placed a palm to her forehead, groaning.

"What kind of medications are you taking?" the medic asked, getting out a notepad. Azula opened her mouth, and then closed it, groaning again.

"I forgot to take them."

"You take medication?" Katara piped in. "For what?"

Azula glared at her. The medic cleared his throat, and Azula turned her attention to him and said sharply, "Adderall, 15 milligrams. Benzo, 5 milligrams. Cymbalta, 20 milligrams. Seroxat, 12.5 milligrams."

The medic wrote down the medications accordingly, and Katara could only stare at Azula more. She had no idea that she took so many pharmaceutical drugs. Who knew that it took so much to be so perfect, so flawless?

If only Azula had remembered to take her meds, Katara would have never seen the fall of her great façade. Now, though, she knew that whenever Azula was on stage, she wasn't acting. It was all true, and that both impressed and terrified her.

"We'll be calling your father," one of the medics announced, and Azula scowled.

"No," she snarled. "Don't." Her glare suddenly turned on to Katara. "No one is to know about this. You tell anyone about those medications, and I will personally hunt you down."

Katara nodded meekly, her eyes wide. Thankfully, her cell phone rang.

"Hey sis," Sokka spoke over the phone. "I just got a text that something's happening at the theatre. Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Katara replied, watching as the paramedics lifted Azula beneath her armpits to her feet, as if she were incapable of standing by herself. Katara quickly diverted her gaze. "Yeah, I'm fine. But I think rehearsal is over."

-

. . . . . Trying my best not to forget . . . . .

Author's Note: I've learned a lesson recently. Don't forget to take your medication. It has bad results, as you can see here. I borrowed the very first and last lines in bold/italics from Placebo's song Meds, which in addition, inspired this little oneshot.

Oh, and if you're wondering about the "condoms on the bleachers" mentioned (which you no doubt are), one thing that we do in the theatre is put condoms on the pocket microphones so the actors don't get them all sweaty and messed up. Not everybody knows that though.