Air and Fire

Summary: Azula decides she is tired of being a pawn in her father's game. With a new plan in mind, she seeks out the avatar.

Ch 1

Azula approached Ty Lee, watching her perform her contortions.

Lucky. Her flexibility may be the death of me.

Pushing the thoughts away, she spoke.
"Ty Lee, could that possibly be you?" Azula asked.

"Azula! It's good to see you." Ty Lee said.

"Please. Don't let me interrupt your stretching." Azula said. She watched as Ty Lee dropped into a straddle split and lay on her stomach. Azula couldn't help but envy her flexible friend.

"Tell me. What is the daughter of a nobleman doing here? Our parents didn't send us to the Royal Academy to end up in places like this." Azula said.

Azula turned and saw a platypus bear lay an egg. With a look of disgust, she turned back to her friend.

"I have a proposition. I'm hunting a traitor. You remember my uncle?" Azula asked.

"Oh yeah. He was so funny." Ty Lee said.

"I would be honored if you would join me." Azula said.

"Oh. I, I would love to. But I'm really happy here. I mean, my aura has never been pinker!" Ty Lee said, quickly standing up to Azula.

Azula seemed complacent.

"I'll take your word for it." Azula said.

"Thank you, Azula." Ty Lee said, bowing to her.

As Azula turned to leave, she spoke one more time, much to Ty Lee's worry.

"By the way. I look forward to your performance tonight." Azula said.

When Azula was out of sight, Ty Lee whispered a prayer to herself.

"Spirits save me."

…

The circus master was very happy to have Azula at his circus. Azula sat next to him, as they watched Ty Lee perform.

"Incredible. Do you think she'll fall?" Azula asked.

"Of course not." The master said.

"Then wouldn't it make it more interesting if you remove the net?" Azula asked.

The master started to sweat, realizing what Azula was asking.

"The thing is, the performers…" he started.

"You're right. That's been done before. I know. Set the net on fire." Azula said.

"Of course, princess." The master said.

He approached the net and set it on fire. Ty Lee could only watch down at her peril.

"Brilliant, just brilliant! What kind of dangerous animals do you have?" Azula asked.

The master looked at Azula, hoping he can save Ty Lee from her predicament.

"Well, we host the most exotic…" he started.

"Release them all!" Azula commanded.

The wild animals were released, and Azula just watched. Her eyes were on Ty Lee the whole time, as she balanced and swung from swing to swing. When her sadism was satisfied, the animals were herded away, and the destroyed net was replaced with a fresh one.

Azula left the tent, planning on visiting Ty Lee later. She got her wish, as she entered her tent.

"What an exquisite performance. I can't wait to see how you'll top yourself tomorrow." Azula said.

"I'm sorry, Azula. But there won't be a show tomorrow." Ty Lee said, hanging up her tiara.

"Really?" Azula asked, knowing the answer.

"Yes. The universe has given me strong hints that it's time for a career change. I want to join you on your mission." Ty Lee said.

Azula could only smile, having her way again. As Ty Lee walked past Azula, Azula grabbed Ty Lee, pulling her in front of her. Ty Lee looked at Azula, fear in her face.

"One final thing." Azula said, her voice soft.

"Anything." Ty Lee replied, her voice just as soft.

"Dance with me." Azula said, pulling Ty Lee against her. Her arms snake around Ty Lee's waist, pressing her closer to her body.

Ty Lee wraps her arms around Azula's neck, letting herself be swayed by Azula. Azula grabs one of Ty Lee's arms and spins her around, finishing by dipping her.

"So flexible." Azula said, watching as Ty Lee bent her back all the way.

"Helps with my performance." Ty Lee said, as Azula pulled her up. Azula leaned forward and kissed Ty Lee.

"Show me." Azula commanded, trailing a finger down her torso. Ty Lee shivered from the cool touch, yet yielded to Azula's demand.

Azula sat on the bed, and watched Ty Lee. The acrobat started by doing a backbend, and let the momentum take its course, resting in a chest stand. She then spread her legs open and closed them again. She let her torso fall on the ground, her legs following suit. Entering cobra, Ty Lee suddenly swung a leg forward, sitting in a full split.

Quickly standing up, Ty Lee cartwheeled towards Azula, finishing the movement right in front of Azula. Before she could back off to continue the performance, Azula held her hips.

"Azula?" Ty Lee asked.

Azula said nothing, but pulled Ty Lee so she was straddling her. The two kissed, and Azula backed onto the bed. Grabbing Ty Lee's legs, Azula pulled them apart into a full straddle, and followed suit.

"Impressive, Azula." Ty Lee said, pulling Azula close to her.

Azula said nothing, and turned off some of the lit flames, giving the tent a darker and more sensual feel. Ty Lee looked at Azula, and noticed how the dim flame cast a shadow across her body.

"You're beautiful, Azula." Ty Lee said

Azula smiled and trailed her hands across Ty Lee's open legs and inside her pants.

"Make love to me, Ty." Azula softly said, kissing her.

…

Omashu

Trade meeting

"Wait a minute. We're trading a two year old for a powerful earthbending king. Doesn't seem like a fair trade, does it?" Azula asked.

Mai knew a firefight was likely to break out, and quickly calculated the odds of her younger brother's safety. He was much safer in the hands of the avatar, than in the hands of Azula.

"You're right. The deal's off." Mai said to Aang, and motioned for Bumi to be taken away.

And break out, it did.

Aang ran towards the trio, and watched as Azula fired a plume of blue fire at the knee level towards Aang. He jumps high into the air to avoid it. He leaps and jumps off the construction equipment, losing his hat.

Azula notices the blue tattoo's, and realizes who the attacker is.

"The avatar! My lucky day." She smirked.

Azula ran to the elevator winch and broke it with a blast of fire. Grabbing one of the chains, she is quickly pulled up to the top.

Scanning beneath her, she notices the avatar trying to free Bumi. She fires a blast of fire, and watches as the coffin falls onto one of the city's chutes.

Scowling, Azula jumps into a nearby box, and goes down the chute, chasing Aang. She and Aang duel it out, firing their respective elements at each other.

Azula gains momentum, but notices Aang firing ahead of him. Ducking, she waits to clear the debris of fallen arches. When she clears the debris, she continues the duel with Aang.

The avatar's one hell of a combatant. Even with only airbending, he puts up a decent fight.

Azula watches as Bumi is suddenly catapulted from the chute onto the flying bison. They overshoot, and fall onto the chute system, right in Azula's path.

"Enough of this." She muttered. As she gets closer, she creates a saw blade of blue fire and launches it at the coffin. To her surprise, a blade of earth appears and absorbs the blast. She jumps out of her box as it runs into the pillar of earth.

Azula can only watch as her enemies get away. Using her firebending, she leaps from the chutes, down to the city. Gathering Ty Lee and Mai, they leave the city.

"So, we're tracking down your brother and Uncle, huh?" Mai asked.

"It'll be interesting seeing Zuko again, won't it, Mai?" Ty Lee teased.

"It's not just Zuko and Iroh anymore. We have a third target now." Azula said.

"The avatar." Ty Lee said.

"Yes. He's quite a competent fighter. With only airbending, the weakest of all the elements, he gave me a good fight. With the other elements, he's only that much stronger. And I enjoy a challenge." Azula said.

Thanks to biginferno for the idea.