Tournament - Princess Azula vs. Ty Lee

[C.T.]

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4bKZT_Eg4A

The moon shined extra bright in the dark sky, the pale orb bathing the cloaked firebender in soft white light. An ethereal and beautiful atmosphere interrupted only by the bursts of intense blue as she practiced in total solitude in the woods outside the Fire Nation capital. Punch. Kick. Flourish. Jump. The familiarity of a long practiced kata was soothing in a way that she hadn't felt in a long time. The last time, ironically, she had been doing exactly this as well. It probably said a lot about her that the most soothing times came when she was putting herself through intense training. But back then, it only had half as much to do with the actual training. 

The other half concerned who was watching her. Her older cousin, Lu Ten, back when he was still alive. She had impressed him greatly with her martial prowess. The younger Azula's golden eyes had lifted up to the night sky, one that was much like the starry sky hanging above her now, and asked Lu Ten with all the curiosity and wonder of a child: "Lu Ten...they say the stars are made of fire. Do you...do you think I could bend one?" 

He laughed, ruffling her hair and messing it up even more than the training had. With almost anyone else, that would have annoyed her, but with him, she didn't mind enough to voice any complaints. He had that way about him, and when his smile widened, she grinned alongside him. "Maybe if you ever get close enough, you can." He had said. 

The words had stuck with her, even after all this time. A supremely ambitious girl, was it any surprise that one of her dreams was that she'd be the first firebender in history to bend the stars? 

But that had been the past. 

This was the present. She knew better now.

So much of her ambitions had been thrown away. The desire to become Fire Lord, to rule as only she knew she could, to make her father proud as she held dominion over the world...to just once, look at her mother and know that she had pleased the woman. Large swathes of the things that she wanted, the things that had defined her, gone. She didn't want to be Fire Lord any more. The father she'd once wanted to make proud was just a sad, powerless man stuck in a cage. It was as pathetic as it was sad, and...she knew now that he was not a man worth looking up to. 

No, if anyone in their family deserved to be Fire Lord, it was her brother. Zuko was the rightful ruler to guide the Fire Nation forward. She knew her place as well, to be the one watching over him from the shadows. To protect him, and when necessary, push him into making the decisions required for the good of their people. No matter how cold or cruel it seemed to anyone else, especially the Avatar and his little gang. 

And another difference from the past was that now...Azula was alone. Or so she believed. A notion that was quickly proven false. She may have given up a lot of what had once defined who she was, but that didn't change that she was one of the most powerful benders and most skilled combatants in the world. One of the most dangerous and fearsome individuals who walked its surface. A hint of motion at the corner of her eye had her head snap up, gaze intensely focused in that direction. Narrowed eyes scrutinized that area for several seconds...and then, without warning, relaxed. Azula even laughed, a shrill amusement escaping her lips. 

"Not many people can sneak up on me. Your time with those girls has been well spent. Or perhaps it is you taking a page out of Mai's book, hmm? Either way, top marks...Ty Lee." The last two words were spat out with a decidedly more solemn tone than the rest of the lighthearted mocking. Azula meant it as severe, even harsh perhaps, but...well, even the former circus acrobat plainly recognized there was more there. Hidden beyond the harshness. 

Moments passed before Ty Lee emerged from the edges shadowed forest and stepped into the clearing. Her wide eyes revealed both concern and wariness, and a nervous smile played at the edges of her mouth. "Hi, Azula." She greeted. 

There was a time Azula would have immediately responded with a blast of fire, or would have just turned on her heel and immediately strode away, or gave a dozen other signs that she really didn't want to have this conversation. But she didn't do any of that. Instead she straightened up out of her stance, though she didn't truly relax. "What do you want, Ty?" Azula asked, a tiredness that had nothing to do with the exhausting exercises she'd been doing suddenly creeping into her voice.

The pink clad young adult rubbed at her knuckles, taking a step or two closer and clearing her throat. "I know what you did." 

"Is that so?"

"Yeah." She nodded.

"And what would that be, hrm? Enlighten me." 

"You helped Zuko." Ty stated firmly, in contrast to her shaky body language. "Oh, sure, it was under the guise of trying to take him down, allying with political dissidents, but you didn't share their goals. Not truly."

"What makes you say that, I wonder? What makes you so certain?" Azula prodded, her gaze staying steady on Ty's own eyes, betraying nothing of what she was feeling inside. 

"Because it's you. That's what you do best. It's how you brought down a city that had withstood 100 years of warfare." 

There was a low sigh, so quiet it was easily missed with the wind as Azula finally broke their staredown. "Say you're correct. I'm not saying you are or you aren't, but let's imagine you are. That doesn't explain why you're here."

"I think we both know why I'm here, Az."

There was a flicker of...something across Azula's face after hearing that old nickname again. "I'm in no mood for games, Ty."

"This isn't a game, though." She pointed out. "This is something else."

"Yes, but that doesn't change what I meant. I'm not in the mood for trying to pick apart every word, to read everything in your facial expression or conveyed through body language. Just tell me what you want." 

"A couple things, actually." Ty admitted. "One, to thank you."

"...Really? Thanking me? After everything that I've done to--"

"Yes." Ty interrupted, a bold action indeed. The old Azula would not have tolerated it. That Azula wasn't here. "Because you deserve it." The acrobat continued. "You deserve more than that too. You shouldn't have to live like this. You know, with..." She fell silent for a moment, gesturing out to the woods all around them. 

"What, you mean I should be in a cell next to my father, is that it?" Azula hissed, swinging her gaze back towards the other girl and even taking a step closer. 

Ty flinched from the harshness in that outburst, hands tensing up, but she stood her ground. "No, Az. That's not what I mean at all." She shook her head. 

"Why not? I'm a criminal, aren't I? Not just that either, a dangerous one. A hated one. One that can't be trusted. Someone best kept behind bars. That's the sensible approach." Azula remarked, matter of factly and almost like she was not referring to herself. 

"Wellllllllllll..." Ty began, stressing the word far longer than usual. "Yeah, that's not exactly wrong. Criminal, yes. Dangerous? Yep. Someone that many people hate, someone that many can't trust? Sure." She wasn't going to lie to Azula, no matter if the truth was unpleasant. "But...you should know, I'm not among that number."

".................................................Why not?" Her gaze averted again, dropping to the grass at her feet. Her voice was low, a hushed whisper that Ty had to strain her ears to catch. 

"It's...complicated. Alright, yes, I more than most should be wary of you, because I know you better than almost anyone. I did always fear you, and you knew that. You used that. But there was more to it than that. As much as I was afraid of you...I was more...concerned for you." Ty struggled to admit, out loud. "I've always been concerned for you, Azula." 

"..."

Ty took advantage of the silence to proceed. "I know you have troubles, ones that run deeper than most, but that's why I came here. To help you. I know you've done a lot wrong, but you've done a lot right, too. Maybe you have selfish motivations for it, I don't know, but you did right for Zuko not so long ago. You could be there, beside him, helping more openly! Having the princess of the Fire Nation openly supporting him instead of from the shadows, it could--" 

Azula slowly closed her eyes. Ty Lee did always wear her heart on her sleeve. "Ty, stop." She cut her off. "I can read people still, you know. That isn't a skill I lost while withering away in prison." Her eyes slid back open. "This isn't about Zuko, not really. Sure, what you're saying, it makes a certain kind of sense. There's logical and reasonable merit in what you say, even with the risks. But Ty, don't take this the wrong way...but you've always thought more with your heart than your head. This is about us, isn't it?"

 "I..."

Azula waited expectantly. 

"...Yes. Okay, yeah, you're right. Listen, I just...you've made so much progress lately from the person you were, the things you've done since then...and....and......................"

"...And?" 

Ty exhaled, steeling her nerves. "Listen, Az, I...want to share something with you. Something I've kept to myself for a long time." 

For all of Azula's gift in reading people, she had no idea where this was going. "...Okay?" 

Ty let out an even longer, more pronounced exhale before she nodded to herself and hurriedly closed the distance between them. A walk that ended with her leaning in and planting a kiss on Azula's lips. One that lasted for only a few seconds, but seemed much much longer before she pulled away. Azula's thoughts raced, struggling to take that in.

Close to a minute passed before Azula managed to speak. "That...you mean..." 

Ty nodded, an embarrassed blush upon her face. "I love you, Az. I always have."

"But what about, I mean...you and boys, they..."

Ty managed to snicker. "Azula, that was...I really didn't want you to know. With who you were back then, and me...I...it was always there but it didn't feel..." She didn't know how to put it. "How I was with guys, that was always with the inner desperate hope that you wouldn't know. So you wouldn't realize." 

Things were silent between them for a long time again as Azula came to terms about why Ty wanted her back. To have someone openly admit that they cared for her, wanted to stand beside her...the fire princess was glad it was just the two of them in that clearing, for the tears she shed. She didn't know what to say. The first thing that came to mind was...well, a lot had changed about Azula but some things didn't. In some weird way, what she was about to say was her own declaration of long hidden feelings. The closest she could come to saying three specific words. "You want me back?"

Ty nodded.

Azula stepped back, falling into a stance. One of the things she knew best. 

"Tell you what, then. You beat me in a spar, no bending, just hand to hand...and I'll consider it." 

"...Az..." Ty started, a surprised and incredulous look on her face.

"I'm many things Ty, a princess most of all. You want royalty? You have to earn her." A smile slowly formed on Azula's face, one soon joined by one of Ty's.

"If the princess insists."

[Callisto]

Learn More About
Princess Azula
Read more about Princess Azula at Wikipedia
Official Site: Nickelodeon Links: Azula's Wiki Article Distant Horizon Official Site

Ty Lee
Read more about Ty Lee at Wikipedia
Official Site: Nickelodeon Links: Wikipedia Avatar: The Last Airbender Wiki Absolutue Anime

[Fox]

An excellent romantical tale.  Really well done and a wonderful Valentines read.  As a fan of the show, I could totally see this playing out.

However, my word count count shows the entry at 2094 words.  There is a 2000 limit.  You need to find a way to edit 94 words from the entry.  I will be glad to re-read it.

I believe in you, good luck!

 

[C.T.]

5 minutes ago, Fox said:

An excellent romantical tale.  Really well done and a wonderful Valentines read.  As a fan of the show, I could totally see this playing out.

However, my word count count shows the entry at 2094 words.  There is a 2000 limit.  You need to find a way to edit 94 words from the entry.  I will be glad to re-read it.

I believe in you, good luck!

 

Wait, really? May I ask what word count you used?

Not to be a bother, but just because I used two different ones myself while writing it and I'll admit I was cutting it pretty close to the limit but according to both I didn't go over.

 

[Fox]

7 minutes ago, C.T. said:

Wait, really? May I ask what word count you used?

Not to be a bother, but just because I used two different ones myself while writing it and I'll admit I was cutting it pretty close to the limit but according to both I didn't go over.

 

I use Notepad++

But, I am flexible.  I'm open to using word count tool and see what it says.  Let me check...

Yep! Word Count Tool says it meets the requirements.  In the future I will use that, so we are all on the same page, so to speak.  Thanks for telling me about it!

All good.

[C.T.]

Ah, sweet. I appreciate that, thanks Fox. 

[Fox]

4 minutes ago, C.T. said:

Ah, sweet. I appreciate that, thanks Fox. 

Anytime.  And again, an excellent match I very much enjoyed.  Thanks!

[DSkillz]

Ah, I see something might've partially inspired this writing. Though, this may be a better representation of it.

Good to see another Azula-inspired love-themed match from you, Nov -- uh, C.T. This is about as good as your last one, and it also references the Smoke and Shadow comics (though I've only read summaries of them so far).

As for the match, though Azula is quite skilled in hand-to-hand, it's been said that she learned much of her acrobatics from Ty Lee herself, and Ty Lee has since added to her own skills with what's she's learned from the Kyoshi warriors. Azula also tends to rely on firebending at least a bit more than her non-bending combat skills in a fight, so in a non-bending skirmish, I think Ty Lee has the edge here.

In the end, Ty Lee wins the fight -- and Azula's heart.

[C.T.]

Thanks DSkillz! And yeah I’ll admit that was some of the inspiration, alongside other things, haha. 

[DSkillz]

Heh, shouldn't Callisto have wrapped this match up by now? 

Aw, well, as long as she's ... um ... delayed, more of you might want to get in your comments, votes, and ratings.

[C.T.]

👀

[Fox]

14 minutes ago, DSkillz said:

Heh, shouldn't Callisto have wrapped this match up by now? 

Aw, well, as long as she's ... um ... delayed, more of you might want to get in your comments, votes, and ratings.

Tournament entries run 10 days.  That is stated in the tournament rules thread.  I imagine she will be getting around to this at some point during the next 24 hours. Thanks!

[SSJRuss]

Good match. You write Azula really well and remind me to read the comics again. And not often you see Avatar characters pop up here so that's cool too.

Azula got my vote. Ty Lee is good, but not brutal enough.

[C.T.]

Thanks Russ! Yeah, love writing for Azula, she’s a very great character to explore, and those comics were pretty good, always a fan of that artstyle. 

[Callisto]

Match Final Results

Member Ratings:
4.50 - Fox
4.00 - SSJRuss
4.50 - Boratz
5.00 - patrickthekid
4.70 - DSkillz

FPA Calculation:
5 Total Votes cast
22.70 Total Combined Score
22.70 / 5 = 4.54 Final Rating on the match

MATCH SCORE
Princess Azula: 3
Ty Lee: 3

[Fox]

It ends with a tie and, presumably, true love blooms.  How sweet.

[C.T.]

They share another kiss.

[JohnnyChany]

I didn't rank it because I want to participate this month (although I am currently stumped on who I want to use) and I am also unfamiliar with Avatar, but I wanted to comment that this was very well done.