Azula had settled into a fairly stable routine (considering the circumstances)-- sleep during the day, fight monsters at night. She hadn't had much contact with others in the city for a while, but she didn't mind; while she was undeniably lonely, it was better than having to deal with traitors and liars and potential betrayers. And everyone fit into at least one of those categories.
Considering the state of Siren's Port, much of what she did after hours involved fighting monsters. It had become second nature to her. She had to grudgingly admit that there were some more powerful than she was, but so far, she'd been lucky-- all that she had encountered she'd been able to either take down or escape from. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew that that luck couldn't last forever, but she didn't care.
On this particular night, she was edging her way along the side of a building, eyes peeled for anything that might attack her. She saw Katara, but in the darkness, didn't recognize her at first-- she looked like just another human, trying to survive after the sirens. Using a fistful of her signature blue fire to light her way (something that Katara would be sure to be able to use to identify her, even in the low light), Azula continued down the street, the other person in the area all but forgotten.
Loneliness Katara could understand. She missed Aang and Sokka, Toph, Appa and Momo terribly. And being stuck in this place with enemies - both firebenders of all things - was frustrating. Their silence made her nervous. Zuko pretending to be nice like he had been in Ba Sing Se... Azula's completely unhinged -- unhinged ....
Wait.
Katara almost missed that flash of blue fire that sent chills down her spine, and her headlong dash slow to a stop, blue eyes narrowing to stare closely at the all too familiar shape stalking down the street, apparently having taken no notice of Katara herself.
That was Azula.
Katara's own path was going to intersect with Azula's - it would be cruel fate thrown in her face that they wound up heading in the same direction. But what in the world was Azula doing out here? No matter, if she was up to no good, Katara would... just...
Well she didn't know. She didn't have time to think about it, already starting to follow the firebender out of coincidence . . . and perhaps deliberately. The direction that the Fire Nation Princess was headed - there was a thunderous, bone shaking roar in that direction. It was still a ways off, so if they were lucky, it would head -away- from the benders. IF being the key word there.
Azula heard the roar, and almost started forward to investigate before she thought better of it. She spun around to head in the other direction... and caught sight of the other person again, realizing it was Katara.
Her eyes widened in shock. The last time she had seen the Avatar's waterbender, it had been in the courtyard of the palace. She had fought her, and tied her up-- it was her fault just as much as Zuko's that she'd lost her country and been locked in prison for all those months. That was why she was following her; she was trying to sneak up on her! She wanted to do the same thing here! A blinding hot rage coursed through Azula's body, and she leapt forward to attack, fire at the ready. She had to get the first move in. She had to get the upper hand.
Oh monkeyfarts. Katara had been following at a slower, more cautious pace than the other bender, just in case Azula /was/ plotting some secret, nefarious firebender plot. Maybe even with Zuko, that dirty liar. "I knew it." She hissed flatly when Azula caught sight of her and charged to attack.
"You ARE up to something here." And clearly Katara would be in the way. That was obviously why Azula was attacking her now. Azula had the first move, forcing Katara onto the defensive, water whipping out of the canteen with a fluid movement, jetting forward at the princesses chest as she charged forward, to try and get some distance between them. The only problem was she didn't have as much time to prepare as Azula did - and Azula was as quick as she remembered - and likely just as dangerous, if not moreso.
"You're not taking me anywhere!" she screamed, pushing through the water as much as she could; trying to reach Katara so she could incapacitate her and get away.
The last thing Katara wanted was to close distance with Azula. Immediately backpedaling, she frowned at the apparent nonsense that the girl screamed at her. The hell?
"Who said I was GOING to!?" Surely the batsh-t lady wouldn't take this the wrong way. Actually Katara was more concerned about the Darkness monsters - their fighting would definitely draw attention, the water curving around and whipping forward to curl around Azula's foot to trip her off balance. "What are you doing here, Azula!"
Azula went down, but immediately sprang back up madder than ever. So she was trying to take her down. But it wouldn't be that easy. She rushed foward again, fire out in front of her.
"Get out! Get out!" Leaping in the air, she hurtled towards Katara. Zuko was probably around the corner, waiting for the right time to step in-- or rather, sitting around doing nothing while he had other people fight his battles for him, just as he had back in the capital and just as he had always done throughout his life. Azula could get Katara on the ground, then take off before he knew what was happening.
"I'm not going anywhere!" Or rather, she was getting the wind knocked out of her as Azula hurtled right at her, slamming her backwards and into the ground.
The roar of the Darkness beasts was closer now, but Katara was paying them no mind. Afterwards she would find Azula's behavior just as strange, but ... still not making any sense. More importantly, Katara's recovery wasn't as quick as Azula's, "Don't you run away from me!" What was it that Katara interrupted? Why was she running? That wasn't like Azula at all.
More importantly, one of the darkness beasts emerged from around the corner - something that almost resembled the a gila monster, or a shirshu depending on what world you viewed it - turning its head to glower down at the fleeing firebender, belching out a smelly roar while Katara was struggling to get to her feet. Argh, soreness.
Or maybe this had been the plan all along. They didn't want to lock her up anymore-- they just wanted to kill her. And they knew they couldn't do it by themselves (of course they couldn't; they were just traitors and enemies and she was Fire Lord Azula), so they sought to distract her while they called a monster in.
She let out a manic-sounding laugh. "Where are you, Zuzu? Are you too scared to come out and play?" Ducking to the side, she struck out at the creature, paying it all her attention now. After all, she figured, Katara would be running. Her work here was done.
The sound of the roar almost caused Katara to lose her balance. The sight of the beast caused her to freeze for a second, then quickly scramble to her feet. Truthfully, her instinct was to get away, which was probably why Katara started backing away slowly, now that DarknessGila had its attention caught by Azula.
Azula was an accomplished warrior. She could handle herself against a darkness monster that size, surely. Not only that, but help a fire-bender? After everything they ever did to her and her tribe and her friends? Surely you jest. She pivoted, stalking in the opposite direction, even as the beast snarled in pain from Azula's strike and snapped viciously at the smaller girl in retaliation.
Katara hesitated, torn between leaving an enemy to the jaws of another enemy, and assisting only on the grounds that not even that repulsive firebender deserved falling to one of those beasts. Not only that, but what if Azula was defeated? The creature would go after Katara next, and if not Katara, then some other poor innocent.
But... Azula was the enemy, a hated enemy. Ohhhh what to do, what to DO.
Azula dodged away from the monster's teeth, continuing to strike out to drive it away. But though the fire kept it back to a point, it also made it angrier, and caused it to lash out with more fury than ever.
Deciding to run rather than sap up all her energy fighting the beast, Azula sprang to the side and took off in the direction that she had come, the Darkness creature hot on her trail.
Comfy day + Early Evening naps = Late repliesunyieldingwaterSeptember 18 2010, 23:40:41 UTC
Aaaand her decision was made for her. Because Azula raced off with the beast chasing after her, and Katara of course had to make sure she didn't get eaten by that thing.
Had to make sure, even though Azula surely could get away. "Azula wait!" As if. Not with a monster on her heels anyway. Even as the firebender and the monster (some may say that both terms were one in the same, har har) rounded the corner and out of Katara's sight, the waterbender quickly sprinted after them.
What if Azula raced right into a whole -nest- of those things? Ugh. Was Katara really planning on getting that damn thing's attention so Azula could get away?
"I think I must be the insane one." She muttered to herself.
I'm sorry; I've been too beat for log tags lately ;;peoplesprincessSeptember 21 2010, 22:21:56 UTC
If Azula had been in a better mood, she would have laughed. Wait? Was the girl serious? It was clear what she wanted; she had been hoping to tidily dispose of her enemy via monster-- or at least incapacitate her. And running ruined those plans. People from the Water Tribe really were horrible plotters; it was pathetic.
In order to show her disdain, Azula shot a blast of fire back at both the monster and Katara. "Stay away from me!"
She hated her. She hated Zuko. She hated them all.
That's a felony! /drags off to jail (it's okay!♥)unyieldingwaterSeptember 21 2010, 22:40:08 UTC
What plot. What. Just. What? Also, GACK! The monster fell back at getting a blast of fire dead center in its chest, roaring in pain. Katara nearly smacked right into the damn thing - proximity, unfortunately, drew its attention.
On the one hand, Azula got away, and Katara was infuriated that she was actually glad for it. Worse, that beast had a new target. Katara had no choice but to fall back a bit herself to deal with her threat - if Azula was lucky, and she certainly had SOMEONE looking out for her here - she wouldn't run into anymore of those beasts.
She couldn't shake the uneasy feeling she had when she thought about the other girl though. She was like a wild animal. What in the name of the Spirits -happened- to make her like that? Worse, Azula was probably going to be long gone by the time Katara wrapped up with her new dance partner. Dangit.
Azula continued running, hoping that the monster would go after the Water Tribe girl instead (it would serve her right, after all; the way she had dared to try to sic that thing on her!). Months in prison had caused her to become pretty out of shape, and while she was certainly getting a lot of exercise here in Siren's Port, lack of nutrition and regular food did a number on her health-- she was panting and breathing hard after only a few blocks of sprinting. Still, she didn't stop. She managed to make it all the way back to the underground mall, where she threw herself inside.
Next time, Gadget. NEXT TIME.unyieldingwaterSeptember 22 2010, 00:03:01 UTC
Azula had a reprieve, for when she escaped, there were no hungry, overly chummy monsters to follow her. Katara on the other hand, is just in a sour mood - not only did she run into a hated enemy, not only did she run into one of THOSE beasts, and not only was she late for making that water delivery but.. just... GRAH. ...of course Azula WOULD find it safest in the underground mall. Katara works there, dangit. Why couldn't Azula just stay in jail where it was nice and safe? :D
[ Pff, tempted to have Katara about this after her unsuccessful search with Zuko and Mr. Grabby. :D ]
Considering the state of Siren's Port, much of what she did after hours involved fighting monsters. It had become second nature to her. She had to grudgingly admit that there were some more powerful than she was, but so far, she'd been lucky-- all that she had encountered she'd been able to either take down or escape from. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew that that luck couldn't last forever, but she didn't care.
On this particular night, she was edging her way along the side of a building, eyes peeled for anything that might attack her. She saw Katara, but in the darkness, didn't recognize her at first-- she looked like just another human, trying to survive after the sirens. Using a fistful of her signature blue fire to light her way (something that Katara would be sure to be able to use to identify her, even in the low light), Azula continued down the street, the other person in the area all but forgotten.
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Wait.
Katara almost missed that flash of blue fire that sent chills down her spine, and her headlong dash slow to a stop, blue eyes narrowing to stare closely at the all too familiar shape stalking down the street, apparently having taken no notice of Katara herself.
That was Azula.
Katara's own path was going to intersect with Azula's - it would be cruel fate thrown in her face that they wound up heading in the same direction. But what in the world was Azula doing out here? No matter, if she was up to no good, Katara would... just...
Well she didn't know. She didn't have time to think about it, already starting to follow the firebender out of coincidence . . . and perhaps deliberately. The direction that the Fire Nation Princess was headed - there was a thunderous, bone shaking roar in that direction. It was still a ways off, so if they were lucky, it would head -away- from the benders. IF being the key word there.
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Her eyes widened in shock. The last time she had seen the Avatar's waterbender, it had been in the courtyard of the palace. She had fought her, and tied her up-- it was her fault just as much as Zuko's that she'd lost her country and been locked in prison for all those months. That was why she was following her; she was trying to sneak up on her! She wanted to do the same thing here! A blinding hot rage coursed through Azula's body, and she leapt forward to attack, fire at the ready. She had to get the first move in. She had to get the upper hand.
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"You ARE up to something here." And clearly Katara would be in the way. That was obviously why Azula was attacking her now. Azula had the first move, forcing Katara onto the defensive, water whipping out of the canteen with a fluid movement, jetting forward at the princesses chest as she charged forward, to try and get some distance between them. The only problem was she didn't have as much time to prepare as Azula did - and Azula was as quick as she remembered - and likely just as dangerous, if not moreso.
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"Who said I was GOING to!?" Surely the batsh-t lady wouldn't take this the wrong way. Actually Katara was more concerned about the Darkness monsters - their fighting would definitely draw attention, the water curving around and whipping forward to curl around Azula's foot to trip her off balance. "What are you doing here, Azula!"
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"Get out! Get out!" Leaping in the air, she hurtled towards Katara. Zuko was probably around the corner, waiting for the right time to step in-- or rather, sitting around doing nothing while he had other people fight his battles for him, just as he had back in the capital and just as he had always done throughout his life. Azula could get Katara on the ground, then take off before he knew what was happening.
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The roar of the Darkness beasts was closer now, but Katara was paying them no mind. Afterwards she would find Azula's behavior just as strange, but ... still not making any sense. More importantly, Katara's recovery wasn't as quick as Azula's, "Don't you run away from me!" What was it that Katara interrupted? Why was she running? That wasn't like Azula at all.
More importantly, one of the darkness beasts emerged from around the corner - something that almost resembled the a gila monster, or a shirshu depending on what world you viewed it - turning its head to glower down at the fleeing firebender, belching out a smelly roar while Katara was struggling to get to her feet. Argh, soreness.
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She let out a manic-sounding laugh. "Where are you, Zuzu? Are you too scared to come out and play?" Ducking to the side, she struck out at the creature, paying it all her attention now. After all, she figured, Katara would be running. Her work here was done.
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Azula was an accomplished warrior. She could handle herself against a darkness monster that size, surely. Not only that, but help a fire-bender? After everything they ever did to her and her tribe and her friends? Surely you jest. She pivoted, stalking in the opposite direction, even as the beast snarled in pain from Azula's strike and snapped viciously at the smaller girl in retaliation.
Katara hesitated, torn between leaving an enemy to the jaws of another enemy, and assisting only on the grounds that not even that repulsive firebender deserved falling to one of those beasts. Not only that, but what if Azula was defeated? The creature would go after Katara next, and if not Katara, then some other poor innocent.
But... Azula was the enemy, a hated enemy. Ohhhh what to do, what to DO.
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Deciding to run rather than sap up all her energy fighting the beast, Azula sprang to the side and took off in the direction that she had come, the Darkness creature hot on her trail.
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Had to make sure, even though Azula surely could get away. "Azula wait!" As if. Not with a monster on her heels anyway. Even as the firebender and the monster (some may say that both terms were one in the same, har har) rounded the corner and out of Katara's sight, the waterbender quickly sprinted after them.
What if Azula raced right into a whole -nest- of those things? Ugh. Was Katara really planning on getting that damn thing's attention so Azula could get away?
"I think I must be the insane one." She muttered to herself.
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In order to show her disdain, Azula shot a blast of fire back at both the monster and Katara. "Stay away from me!"
She hated her. She hated Zuko. She hated them all.
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On the one hand, Azula got away, and Katara was infuriated that she was actually glad for it. Worse, that beast had a new target. Katara had no choice but to fall back a bit herself to deal with her threat - if Azula was lucky, and she certainly had SOMEONE looking out for her here - she wouldn't run into anymore of those beasts.
She couldn't shake the uneasy feeling she had when she thought about the other girl though. She was like a wild animal. What in the name of the Spirits -happened- to make her like that? Worse, Azula was probably going to be long gone by the time Katara wrapped up with her new dance partner. Dangit.
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[ Pff, tempted to have Katara about this after her unsuccessful search with Zuko and Mr. Grabby. :D ]
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