𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝙵𝚘𝚞𝚛

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The sun was brushing against the horizon as they arrived at Chan's massive beach house that was teetering over the rocky cliffs. Waves crashing against the rocks below. La'keas stomach twisted with nerves, she did not like the idea of attending a party full of Fire Nation kids.

Azula, leading their group as always, reached up and rapped the door knocker against the wood to signal their arrival.

Opening the door slightly, Chan peered out, squinting at them. "Um... You're a little early. No ones here yet." La'kea wanted to crawl into a hole and hide.

"I heard you telling someone that you would be partying from dusk 'till dawn." The princess looked towards the sun, low in the sky, "It's dusk. So we're here."

Chan lifted his brows in bewilderment, "But that's just an expression."

"We are the perfect party guests," Azula stated, smacking the side of her hand against her palm to emphasize her point. "We arrive right on time, because we are very punctual."

The host just shrugged with a sigh, stepping back and gesturing for them to enter. "All right listen," He led them to a sitting area in the center of the house. "My dad's an admiral, he has no idea I'm throwing this party so don't mess anything up."

The princess lifted a brow with a sly smile, speaking hurriedly when Chan started to turn away. "That's a sharp outfit, Chan... Careful. You could puncture the hull of an empire class Fire Nation battleship, leaving thousands to drown at sea." She flung a finger at it, "Because... It's so sharp."

"Um..." Chan angled a finger back at her awkwardly, "Thanks." La'kea winced from the side, watching the whole exchange.

As they walked farther into the large house, she realized she was analyzing all entrances and exits, calculating the risk of a possible attack, but that was stupid. Who would attack them here?

She spotted Ruon-Jian messing with his hair in front of a mirror against the wall, he quickly turned around when he spotted them walking through. "Hey," He greeted nonchalantly, flipping his hair out of his eyes, "First ones here?" Smiling slightly, La'kea lifted a hand in greeting before trailing after Azula.

The prince scoffed as he walked by the other man, not bothering to hide his scowl.

La'kea walked around as the party was in full swing, guests milling around together in groups or pairs. She tapped her fingers on the table that held bowls of punch and various other beverages, trying to figure out which drink the princess would like.

"Hey, there." She looked up to see Ruon-Jian leaning with one hand against the table, smiling coolly. "You enjoying the party?"

She faltered, now painfully aware of how little she knew about holding light conversations, "The music is nice."

"Right?" He took a step closer, pushing back his hair and her stomach wound itself in an unpleasant knot. "It took Chan forever to find this band."

"Well," She poured the closest liquid into a two cups, one for herself and another for the princess. "It was worth it."

He noticed her struggling to bend her fingers around the cups, "Here. Let me help you with those."

"Oh, it's okay." She blanched as his hand trailed down her bare arm before grabbing the cup. "I'm just bringing this over to- My... Friend."

Ruon-Jian just flashed a half-smile as they started to walk back towards Azula. "It's fine. So where are you guys from?" The islander was so distracted by Ruon that she didn't notice the prince practically spitting fire from where he was sitting.

Her mind scrambled for an easy but vague answer, she didn't know how far the princess was willing to stretch the truth to remain covert. "Nowhere important..."

"How long do you guys plan to stay on Ember Island?" What was with these questions? She shifted into a different gear, suddenly becoming highly suspicious of this boy.

"Not long," She answered vaguely, glancing at him from the corner of her eye. Azula was leaning against one of the pillars in the center of the house, looking she'd bite your head off if you dared approach her. La'kea offered her the drink easily, and she accepted it.

"Well," A smile flitted across Ruon-Jian's face. "I'm gonna go walk around, I'll talk to you again later." La'kea let herself return the smirk, arching one brow as she watched him walk away.

Azula scowled, rolling her eyes, and turned her head to the side as Ty Lee walked over. "Oh, I'm glad you're here. Those boys won't leave me alone, I guess they all just like me too much."

"Come on, Ty Lee," The princess crossed her arms. "You can't be this ignorant."

The acrobat tilted her head, looking up at her friend with sad, round eyes. "What are you talking about?"

"Those boys only like you because you make it so easy for them," Azula replied simply. "You're not a challenge- You're a tease. It's not like they actually care who you are."

To both their alarm, tears began to well in Ty Lee's eyes, she buried her face in her hands and began to sob. La'kea quickly pulled out a napkin as she set down their drinks, gently dabbing the lady's eyes as Azula reached out to grasp her hands.

"Okay, okay. Calm down." She coaxed, "I didn't mean what I said. Look, maybe I just said it because I was a little..." The princess glanced around, like she was afraid someone was eavesdropping. "Jealous." La'kea choked.

"What," Ty Lee exclaimed quietly. "You were jealous of me? But, you're the most beautiful, smartest, perfect girl in the world."

Azula turned away with a frown. "Well you're right about all those things, but for some reason when I meet boys they act as if I'm going to do something horrible to them."

"But you probably would do something horrible to them," Ty Lee giggled. "I'm sure they're just intimidated by you.

"Men do not like to feel small," La'kea murmured, and blanched, expecting the princess to set her on fire for speaking out of turn. But Azula just blinked with an arched brow, seeming to understand her words.

"Okay, look," Ty Lee started. "If you want a boy to like you just look at him and smile a lot and laugh at everything he says even if it's not funny."

"Well, that sounds really shallow and stupid," The princess turned towards them with a bright smile. "Let's try it."

"Okay," The acrobat crossed her legs and leaned against the pillar with one arm, lowering her voice. "Hey there, sweet sugar cakes. How you liking this party?"

Azula burst out in a giddy and overzealous laugh, and most of the people around them turned towards her in confusion. The princess glowered at them, but La'kea waved her hand. "Don't worry about them."

"Well," She huffed, propping her fists on her hips. "What do you think I should do?"

The islander lifted her brows, wondering if she was trying to trick her into saying something that would allow the princess to incinerate her. "I... That was a good first try, but it still might have come off a bit too strong. And um- Wait until he tries to tell a joke before laughing."

"If none of their jokes are funny, how will I tell when I should laugh," Azula scowled, folding her arms across herself.

Ty Lee and La'kea shared a glance, and the islander spoke up. "He'll most likely look at you for reassurance, keep an eye out for that." The acrobat nodded in agreement.

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As the night went on, La'kea found herself easing more and more into the lively atmosphere, finding herself able to chat easily with the various other party goers. As she was making her way around the food table, sampling it's various dumplings and fruits, she bumped into someones shoulder.

"Oh, sorry! My bad-," She choked on her words as she found herself staring into the golden eyes of the prince.

He gave a soft sigh, his aggravation towards whoever had almost knocked the food out of his hands vanishing. "It's fine."

"Sorry," She repeated hurriedly, spinning around to walk away back towards Azula. Only to be intercepted yet again by Ruon-Jion. The man was absolutely clueless that the islander could care less about him.

"La'kea-." Zuko growled in frustration. His anger mounted as he realized the boy from before had been hovering around La'kea all night. He watched as she tried politely excusing herself, only to be blocked yet again. That set the prince off, he stormed forward, placing himself between the other man and La'kea.

"What are you doing?" Ruon-Jian demanded.

The image of him trailing his hand down La'kea's arm, smiling with her as they walked burned in his mind. "Stop talking to my- Her!"

The young man scoffed, "Relax. It's just a party."

Zuko didn't give him a chance to approach, slamming the butt of his palm into Ruon-Jian's chest with such force that it sent him flying and he crashed into a clay vase on the other side of the room.

Chan rushed over to see the pieces of clay scattered across the floor from where Ruon-Jian was picking himself up. "Who broke my Nana's vase!" They quickly pointed to the prince, and he rushed over. "That's it! You're out of here."

Zuko sneered, "I was just leaving."

"Have fun by yourself, loser boy," Ruon-Jian called out snidely as the prince slammed the door behind him.

"Nice," Chan commended.

La'kea watched, still frozen in shock as Zuko slinked out the door and down the steps out of sight. She quickly tossed her plate of food back on the table and hurried after him. But before she could even make it off the steps, Azula appeared.

The islander halted, "Your Highness?"

"Where do you think you're going?" The princess's gaze was cold and sharp, her hands curled slightly. She was angry.

La'kea slowly stepped down onto the sand, "I was just getting some air..."

Without warning, Azula snatched up La'keas wrist, squeezing painfully. "Don't lie to me! I know you're going after my brother. I saw what he did in there." She pulled the islander farther out, tossing her down onto the sand. "What I don't understand is why."

La'kea looked back at the princess in confusion, "What?"

"Don't think I haven't noticed you spurning every advance Zuko tries," Azula towered over her. "And now that pathetic rat has been after you all night. Why," She crouched closer, "Are they both infatuated with you? And why don't you care?"

"I-," A sharp nailed hand quickly clamped around her face before she could answer. Dragging her closer by her cheeks.

"You are nothing special to look at," Azula hissed. "So how did you get two men to chase after you."

La'kea winced slightly as the nails dug deeper into her skin until the princess just sighed aggressively. "You don't even know, do you? Because men are stupid." Swiping a polished nail across the islander's cheek, Azula seemed satisfied to watch the blood bead around the scratch. "Fine, go after my brother."

Without even waiting for the islander to get to her feet, Azula turned and marched right back into the party.

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Zuko kicked the sand out of his way as he walked down the moonlit beach with his head low. The waves rolling to his right softly.

"Hey, wait." Someone called out from behind him, and he turned towards the footsteps rushing toward him over the sand. Surprised to find the islander trotting up to him. "Are you okay?"

"Do you even care?" He said irritably, beginning to walk back down the beach, following where his feet were taking him. La'kea exhaled sadly, just following behind him silently and when he didn't snap at her to leave him alone, he led her to a massive and grand house nestled in rocky cliffs at the top of the beach.

She walked up beside him as he stared over the rolling green hills, the ocean glittering beyond them. "Is this..."

"My family's house." He responded flatly, walking up to the impressive doors, only to find out they were locked. Before she could even offer to freeze the lock he kicked it open aggressively, making her wince.

The house was so dusty it was clear that no one had been inside for a long, long time. They made their way up the stairs to the second story, where a large portrait greeted them. La'kea instantly recognized the Fire Lord, whose hand was gently placed on a youthful Zuko. The delicately beautiful woman caught her eye, "Your mother?"

Zuko clenched his jaw, "Yes."

"She's beautiful," La'kea whispered as he walked over to the table beneath the painting, picking up a piece of clay with a child's handprint imprinted on it. Her heart ached painfully for the prince, for the family torn apart, and before she could stop herself she placed her hand gently over his. "I'm sorry."

He forcibly sighed through his nose, knowing that she was referring to... Everything. The prince sighed, turning to look down at her dark eyes that swallowed the moonlight.

La'kea cast her eyes to the floor, face pinched in dejection, "Zuko, I-." She never got the chance to respond as his hands were suddenly tipping her face up, and he was suddenly kissing her gently. Moving on their own, her hands were unexpectedly at the back of his head, tangling her fingers in his hair.

They pulled apart for a brief moment, but he slid his hands to her waist as she pulled his lips to hers again. The prince bit back a groan as they stumbled back against the table, kissing her so deeply that she gasped, feeling as if her body was aflame. Her eyes flew open when she tilted her head back as his mouth roamed, his hand sliding along her thigh. This was exactly what she shouldn't be doing.

La'kea pushed him away abruptly, eyes wide with shock as she pressed a hand to her mouth, already feeling it swell. Confused, Zuko reached out, only for the islander to duck under his hand and run down the steps, disappearing out the door. Gritting his teeth, the prince contemplated setting the house ablaze.

Azula walked up the path to the old beach house to find her brother stepping glumly on the steps, staring at a piece of clay. She had been searching for her brother down the beach when her handmaiden had suddenly come barreling down the hill. "I thought I'd find you here."

The cool night breeze rustled their hair slightly, "Those summers we spent here seem so long ago. So much has changed."

His sister looked up towards the house with a small frown before gesturing back towards the water. "Come down to the beach with me. Come on, this place is depressing."

Together, they walked back down to where Ty Lee and Mai were sitting on slabs of roughly hewn stone placed in a half circle. He glanced down at Mai as he walked by, but the noblewoman just turned her head away. The prince looked around for the islander, and when he didn't see her, worry bubbled up inside him.

The princess rolled her eyes, and pointed a finger out to sea, "She's out there." So she was, Zuko spotted La'kea waist-deep out in the surf, skirt floating around her as she stood eerily still despite the waves crashing around her.

Exhaling, he turned back towards Mai, who was sitting alone with her shawl wrapped tightly around herself, "Are you cold?"

"I'm freezing," Ty Lee exclaimed cheerfully.

Zuko turned towards her with a gentle smile, "I'll make a fire." They looked back up at the beach house, "There's plenty of stuff to burn in there."

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"What are you doing?" Ty Lee questioned as they watched the prince toss a portrait of the royal family in the fire.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Zuko rebutted, arms crossed over his chest as he watched it be devoured by the flames.

"But, it's a painting of your family..."

"You think I care," He scowled.

The acrobat's brows rose, "I think you do."

"You don't know me," He snapped as he turned away from the fire. "So why don't you just mind your own business?"

Ty Lee scoffed quietly, looking into the flames, "I know you."

"No, you don't," Zuko whipped back towards her angrily. "You're stuck in your little Ty Lee world, where everything's great all the time."

"Zuko," Mai admonished, "Leave her alone."

The prince growled as he turned away fully, imitating the acrobat in a high voice. "I'm so pretty. Look at me. I can walk on my hands, whoo!" His eyes fell on the silhouette of the islander, still standing in the water, as he rolled onto his hands. He let himself fall onto his back with a soft thud, spraying sand to the sides. "Circus freak."

Azula chuckled at the outburst, only to fall silent when tears began to drip from Ty Lee's eyes. "Yes," The acrobat snapped, "I'm a circus freak. Go ahead and laugh all you want, you wanna know why I joined the circus?"

"Here we go," Azula said exasperatedly as her friend rose to her feet.

"Do you have any idea what my home life was like? Growing up with six sisters who look exactly like me?" Ty Lee fell to her knees in front of the fire, tears streaming down her face. "It was like I didn't even have my own name! I joined the circus because I was scared of spending the rest of my life as part of a matched set. At least I'm different now." She looked up to glare over the flames, "Circus freak is a compliment."

"Guess that's why you need ten boyfriends, too," Mai commented dully.

Ty Lee put her fists on her hips, "I'm sorry, what?"

"Attention issues," She continued tonelessly. "You couldn't get enough attention as a kid, so you're trying to make up for it now."

"Well, what's your excuse, Mai," The acrobat challenged as she stood up fully. "You were an only child for fifteen years. But even with all that attention, your aura is this dingy, pasty, grey-."

"I don't believe in auras," Mai rolled her eyes.

"Yeah," Zuko got to his feet, "You don't believe in anything."

"Oh, well, I'm sorry I can't be as high-strung and crazy as the rest of you." She countered dryly and flung a hand out towards the sea. "La'kea is the only other one here who's normal-!"

Mai quickly took back her words as the ocean suddenly erupted into a massive tidal wave. Soaring towards the sky as the islanders hands were lifted upwards. Everyone flinched as they remembered the waterbender among them, capable of making a man's heart explode.

She dropped her hands, and the wave crashed back into the ocean, disappearing as if it had never been there in the first place. The islander had needed that release, not caring about the shouting going on behind her.

Zuko scowled at Mai, "She just called your aura dingy, are you gonna take that?"

The noblewoman sighed as she stretched out against the rock, folding her hands behind her head. "What do you want from me? A teary confession about how hard my childhood was? Well, it wasn't," Everyone faltered as La'kea strolled out of the ocean silently, water dripping off her, but Mai continued.

"I was a rich only child who got anything I wanted," Her gaze flickered to the sky, turning dull. "As long as I behaved... And sat still and didn't speak unless spoken to. My mother said I had to keep out of trouble. We had my dad's political career to think about."

"Well, that's it, then," Azula contemplated. "You had a controlling mother who had certain expectations and if you strayed from them you were shut down. That's why you're afraid to care about anything, and why you can't express yourself."

"You want me to express myself," Mai shot to her feet angrily. "Leave me alone!"

The princess just rolled her eyes with a scoff, gaze landing on the islander who had taken a seat in the sand, legs folded beneath her. "What about you, La'kea? Surely you must have some sad childhood story to explain your behavior."

The islander jumped slightly, not expecting the princess to put her on the spot. "Oh... No, it would only bore you," She said carefully, but in honesty, she wanted to scream at all of them. She wanted to stomp her feet in a fit of rage and roar. The islander was disgusted with their whining and weeping.

"Please," Azula waved her hand. "Don't flatter yourself. Surely your childhood wasn't that good."

"No." La'keas tone was strangled as she stared into the dancing flames. "My childhood was perfect. I was the only daughter of one of the most revered families of our tribe, my parents always supported me and taught me. My best friend was next in line to be chief..."

Zuko crossed his arms, turning away from the fire, he already knew what would happen. But Mai and Ty Lee were listening intently, to their knowledge she was just a water bender who had deviated from the Water Tribe. Azula looked bored.

La'kea shut her eyes, reliving the horrible memories. "Of course that all changed when we were invaded by men on giant ships of metal. It took us completely by surprise. It wasn't hard for them to throw hundreds of us in chains, but they singled out my chief. I suppose it was a small blessing that he didn't die in a foreign land... Many others were not so lucky."

She paused, now aware that she was oversharing entirely too much. Her anger was mounting to dangerous heights as she recalled the unforgivable atrocities the Fire Nation had committed, but even Azula seemed to be leaning forward. 

"My life hasn't been that easy either," Zuko muttered.

"That doesn't excuse the way you've been acting," Mai suddenly snapped.

"Calm down you guys," Ty Lee waved her hands placatingly. "This much negative energy is bad for your skin. You'll totally break out."

"Bad skin," The prince demanded, making the acrobat flinch. "Normal people worry about bad skin, I don't have that luxury. My father decided to teach me a permanent lesson, on my face." He pointed to the extensive scar.

Ty Lee hung her head, "Sorry, Zuko, I..."

He turned away from them, stomping through the sand. "For so long, I thought that if my dad accepted me, I'd be happy. I'm back home, now. My dad talks to me." Zuko gave a dry laugh, "He even thinks I'm a hero. Everything should be perfect, right? I should be happy now, but I'm not." La'kea watched with a furrowed brow as he faced the fire, "I'm angrier than ever and I don't know why."

Azula propped up one leg onto the rock slab, "There's a simple question you need to answer then. Who are you angry at?"

"No one," He insisted. "I'm just angry."

Mai pipped up, "Yeah, who are you angry at, Zuko?"

"Everyone," The prince snapped, pressing his hands to his head. "I don't know."

"Is it Dad?" His sister asked.

"No, no," Zuko panicked.

"Your uncle?" Ty Lee offered.

"Is it me?" Azula lifted a brow

"No! No, no-."

"Then who? Who are you angry at." Mai demanded.

"Answer the question, Zuko."

"Talk to us."

"Come on, answer the question."

"Come on, answer it."

"I'm angry at myself!" Zuko finally roared, bringing his fists down as the campfire erupted into the sky. La'kea stared at the sand, pushing it around with her hand as she avoided the prince's gaze. The fire finally relaxed, simmering down into barely burning embers as he turned away.

"Why," His sister prodded as she leaned forward.

He looked out to the waves crashing on the shore. "Because I'm confused... Because I'm not sure I know the difference between right and wrong anymore."

Azula rolled her eyes, "You're pathetic." But the islander's shoulders slumped slightly in relief, despite her other turbulent emotions, everything was going to plan so far.

"Well," The princess drawled with slow claps, "Those were wonderful performances, everyone."

"I guess you wouldn't understand, would you, Azula," Her brother glared down at her. "Because you're just so perfect."

"Well, yes. I guess you're right," She admitted happily with a shrug. "I don't have sob stories like the rest of you. I could sit here and complain about how our mom liked Zuko more than me, but I don't really care." The princess turned her gaze to the burning coals, "My own mother... Thought I was a monster.

"She was right of course, but it still hurt." Azula's face fell back into a smug smile, leaning back against the rock slab causally, but La'kea still felt a pang of pity.

Ty Lee picked up a round stone from the ground. "What Lo and Li said came true. The beach did help us learn about ourselves." She rubbed her hand over the rock, "I feel all smoothed. I'll always remember this."

The princess rose to her feet, putting her hands together with a smile and an arched brow, "You know what would make this trip really more memorable?"

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Chan's brow quirked in the air when he opened the door to see his former guests, they could still here the music loud from outside.

"We've got some bad news, Chan," Azula cooed.

Zuko turned his head towards the host with a scowl. "Party's over."

The party guests fled as they laid waste to the house. The prince swung his leg up and then down upon the food table, snapping it in half. Mai flung her hand out, sending a knife spinning across the wall through a row of paintings. Ty Lee swung from the rafters onto two chandeliers that prompted crashed in her wake. La'kea twisted her fist and yanked it through the air, and the vase holding flowers with their water shattered into pieces.

Azula just watched with a triumphant smile.