intro|katara atla|no event (locked to azure_prodigy)

[imaq_uajuq]

Her calloused fingertips dragged over the satiny walls of the Hotel's hallway; her steps were light and careful as a fawn's as she studied her surroundings as she half expected a predator to show up and drag her into one of the rooms with it’s claws. Of course, the predator would realize Katara had more than a few tricks when it came to getting

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[azure_prodigy]

Still unaware of the magnitude of her situation, Azula nonetheless finds herself wishing for a way out. She has lands to conquer; rebellions to squash. How she ended up in a house of debauchery with the Water peasant, of all people, is anyone's guess.

From her tenure as a people-person, the Princess could easily discern the nuances of emotion on another person's face. For now, Katara regards her with the former, but a familiar tremor stirs within her -- a desire to once again see the Waterbender vulnerable, radiating pure fear. No matter what this strange Hotel threw at her, she would see to it that her enemy be rendered prone and helpless before her.

Azula draws herself to her full height at the older girl's approach, intent on bridging the discrepancy between them. The Waterbender had always been the taller of the two, much to her foe's chagrin. The sharp golden gaze lowers to Katara's attire, almost seductive in the accentuation of supple curves through shadow. She unconsciously swallows, throat dry against the muggy air.

"You were about to board a ship to the Fire Nation after organizing the new government of Ba Sing Se," she replies wryly, noting the sudden look of interest aimed her way. The peasant appeared to be studying her, for reasons she could only surmise. It almost felt like it had something to do with her clothing. A dismissive flick of a hand punctuates an end to the sarcasm. "In other words, you were walking along, when you suddenly found yourself here."

"It looks to be a hotel of sorts." Eyebrows draw inward, scrunched in wary contemplation. "Almost like a brothel."

[imaq_uajuq]

Katara has faced a comet fueled and insanely powerful Azula. In her own way, dangerous though not as cunning as the girl she fought prior to Ba Sing Se. Even before she had killed Aang, Katara had some ability to deal with her. Not on the same level of course, but she had managed to keep her head. Two years later... she could deal with the insane girl.

Right now, the young Tribeswoman fears the Hotel. Not Azula.

In fact, Katara had gained just another inch more over the petite princess since the last they saw each other. The way how Katara carries herself indicates she's not quite aware of how seductive the clothing truly is and her anger and fear of the hotel keeps her from quite seeing Azula's flickering and darting gaze.

"Yes. Long after Ba Sing Se was taken back." She is wise enough to never say how. Because she has a feeling this Azula is not from when Katara remembers it. "And you're completely right, a brothel with a mind of it's own that we're both stuck in."

[azure_prodigy]

In spite of the apparent gap between realities, the Princess's latest memory of the enemy embodies brokenness and exhaustion, a hapless Waterbender struggling to flee the catacombs with the Avatar's charred corpse. The peasant before her is notably more confident and a touch more mature in both body and spirit, but Azula can nevertheless see past the surge in strength to the frail girl cradling the last Airbender, hopeless and lost until the insufferable Iroh leapt into the fray. For her, it wasn't that long ago; certainly not years, but measurable in weeks.

A scowl draws painted lips downward; how aggravating to have lost an inch more to this meddlesome peon. Azula's stature is an inadequacy not easily remedied -- in its barest truth, it's entirely out of her hands, and how it vexes her. But her irritation ebbs as Katara sashays closer, seemingly attuned to the cut of the cloth and how her movements draw the gauzy fabric tighter to curves and creases. The younger girl swallows again, thickly, puzzled by what appears to be a mixed message.

"Taken back? I hardly believe that. The last time I saw you, you were wallowing in despair." The amusement from before manifests in a cocksure grin, "How can an inanimate object have a mind of its own?" Empowered by ignorance, Azula sees little to fear from a building. "It's large, but there must be a way out. No place is without an exit."

[imaq_uajuq]

Katara couldn't forget those memories, because they helped fueled what she became. Even if things between her and Aang had taken a turn to the platonic; he was still her friend even if he had gone a different way with someone else. Too many triumphs had happened since then, too many sorrows that also had given her power. She wasn't going to be afraid of Azula; not when it seemed Azula hadn't changed since... yes, since the Fall of Ba Sing Se.

It did strike Katara that Azula was... human in the clothing. Similiar to what her brother wore and not entirely shapeless on her form. Inklings of a young woman about too bloom; not all different than Katara had been at that time. It just... never occuried to Katara that Azula was feminine in nature and had a figure to display. It was always hidden under armor or layers of cloth.

Of course, she never considered what she was wearing would be distracting to Azula.

There's a broken smile of almost pity on the Watermaiden's face. "It still haunts me to think about the last time I saw you; and it still amazes me how Ba Sing Se was taken back." And then Katara stared at the younger girl. "You of all people should be aware that spirits come in all forms and shapes. Owls, fishes... buildings." She bowed (showing generous cleavage) to Azula and stepped away from the door. "It's all yours to open, your Highness."

[azure_prodigy]

The Water peasant's lack of fear is frustrating, but still subject to change. There must be something that would elicit a tremble or a whimper; the Princess just needs to find it.

Azula doesn't like to display her body, but the room is unbearably warm; stifling... and she never expected a visitor to pop in. Unfortunately, the sweltering air is acting to draw the fabric closer to her in much the same way as for Katara; it would normally hang from her form a bit more than it is at present. Having a feminine build attracts unwanted attention -- she's seen it enough times with Ty Lee, who considers her curves to be assets and utilizes them for that very purpose. It's not so for the Fire Princess. The armor and heavy robes denounce any emerging shape, which, in addition to functionality, is the look she's aiming for. Her current clothes are decidedly utilitarian in design as well, but apparently... not as concealing.

The flickering gaze of gold tears away from the peasant's curvaceous attire; an unwanted distraction.

"Regale me with the details, peasant," she begins smoothly, obviously unshaken by the dismal prediction. Her answer to the theory is still dismissive. "Living creatures, perhaps, but not a building." With a watchful eye, the Waterbender might catch the younger girl's brief but burning stare centered upon the gracious peek of cleavage. The tingle up her spine is from the pooling of chi needed to necessitate Firebending, she decides, facing the door and flinging a clenched fist for its face. Blue flame bursts from her knuckles to ricochet harmlessly, sparks dispersing in the weighted air.

[imaq_uajuq]

It’s more than certain that Katara isn’t frightened of Azula’s bending abilities. The Firebender can’t have the advantage of planning a coup in the Hotel nor does she has allies. For now. But that wouldn’t make Katara whimper, not in the long run.

Katara just can’t help but look. She is pretty sure that she wasn’t much older (maybe younger) than Azula and apart of her feels almost guilty for noticing. But she can’t be more than… just a year and a half at most older now. A year or nine months at the least. Right?

It was Azula and Katara shook her head scowling at herself. The clothes are nowhere risqué as her own, but it was still so strange to know she’s looking at someone… she never really. Never considered as…

She had no idea how to word it.

And why was Azula looking at her like that? She didn’t have anything that Azula didn’t have, right? Right. Still she seemed to stick to the shadows as if keeping away from the Fire Princess’ eyes.

“Oh, why should I?” Katara chirps back from the relative safety of shadows (so she thinks). “You’ll be dealing with it soon enough.”

Oh, Azula was staring. Why?

That thought is pulled away as she watches Azula fight against the door and a tiny smirk of triumph graces her lips. “We could always try a drill, it might work this time.”

[azure_prodigy]

If Azula ever hopes to stage a coup in unfamiliar territory among countless residents, she would find herself in dire need of allies. It isn't on the radar yet. Escape is far more pressing. The Waterbender has seen an overthrow take place; witnessing a second isn't likely to phase her much. No, something new is in order...

But watching her enemy squirm still takes a backseat to breaking free of this forsaken brothel.

There isn't much difference in age between them, but enough to be noticed. By this point, Katara is nearly staring, a pointed blue gaze roving over the younger girl. Had she been of lesser confidence, she might shift uncomfortably or act to divert the sudden attention. It's a curious behavior, one Azula wonders about, but doesn't question. She has no knowledge of the fact that her brother would someday dress the same, for that to possibly be the reason behind the peasant's fixation.

...Right. After all, Azula has breasts, too. Breasts are nothing inordinate for girls their age, but the people of the Fire Nation dress conservatively amidst the tropical heat, and she isn't used to such revealing, clingy attire accentuating such an alluring part of a person's body. That must be it.

Staring into shadow, the Firebender's eyes narrow irritably. "You almost sounded piteous before. What would make you take pity on me?"

It's all in the clothes, Katara. Perspiration anchors them to a taut frame.

The Princess glares at the door, almost as if she were trying to burn a hole through it with her eyes. "You should be hoping I break this door down. I somehow doubt you want to spend the remainder of your life in this room with me." A threat lingers beneath the bluntness. She blinks at the sarcastic suggestion, throwing a perplexed glance over her shoulder. Was she trying to blame Azula for that debacle? "The drill was War Minister Qin's failure."

[imaq_uajuq]

The older girl hadn’t quite meant it; but the idea of enemies having human traits was… it shouldn’t be quite so shocking. Zuko turned out to be half way decent if not fully decent (though seeing Aang and Zuko together still hurt) and she come to like Mai and Ty Lee very much. But Ozai and Azula were entirely different; absolutely different.

It made Katara uncomfortable.

So she thinks. A lot of this room makes her uncomfortable, the heat that fills her lungs and the tingle down her skin and it’s just aggravating. It’s not like this at the Fire Nation. Even the homes in the Fire Nation provide some coolness and she’s sure there’s a hook up in the palace to make it cooler.

“You lost. You lost hard.” Katara says with a frown. No one is quite sure what made Azula break down so completely. Fate? Luck? She has no idea, other than the fact she was able to take Azula down after she cheated in striking Zuko.

“Oh, I’m hoping you will. I just know you won’t and we’re not going to be here forever. I told you, this brother has a mind of it’s own.” She tosses her head and walks towards a chair. She slides into it, profile highlighted by fire and showing her clothes are sticking maddingly in places they shouldn’t. “And I recall you and your little goons-“ She winced, she really liked Mai and Ty Lee but if this Azula hadn’t cracked yet… well… “-were riding with the rest of them.”

[azure_prodigy]

The Fire Lord and his daughter are in a class of their own, having risen above the confines of sentimentality and needless displays of emotion. Zuko has always been driven by that crippling emotion, something plainly inherited from their mother. Ursa is another one of those "fully decent" Firefolk, as is Iroh, arguably. In the Fire Nation, those traits aren't held in high regard and actually viewed as weakness by most. Someone like Katara would see the value in empathetic ideals, though.

Even the palace itself is spared the sweltering atmosphere of this room. It wouldn't have been Azula's first choice of occupancy, but it's where the Hotel deposited her, and before she could make an attempt to switch or hunt for an exit, the Waterbender stumbled on a wayward chunk of carpet and trapped them both inside.

"I still don't see why I should believe you." Anyone can lie, and though the Water peasant frowns with the assertion, something about it rings false. Princess Azula never fails; never settles for a loss. Assuming the unthinkable had truly happened, she would dust herself off and forge ahead. This explanation is empty and doesn't sound a thing like her.

"...You seem to know a lot about this place," the Firebender begins tersely. "Since you're so certain, tell me how a door seemingly impervious to Firebending will open." Azula stares after the older girl, lips drawn tight as she takes a seat in a chair closest to the room's only active light source. Doesn't she realize her clothes are stuck to her? Why doesn't she do something about it? The Princess would never allow something so uncomfortable and baring for herself. She inhales sharply, releasing the intake of air in a heavy sigh, a thin trail of smoke accompanying the forced breath. It wafts lazily through air so saturated by moisture. The wince is noted, but not pursued. "The structure had its faults, obviously, to be broken apart the way it was. Had I been present to oversee its construction, that never would have happened."

[imaq_uajuq]

From the note comparison between herself and her brother; Katara found the father and daughter's emotional states were not quite so stoic as this Azula tended to believe. She had seen a young woman broken by the emotion she attempted to swallow within and arrogance had been worn like a cloak by the former Phoenix King.

But it was the room that Azula decided to stay in, the one that felt like a sauna with it's particular brand of steam. If Katara focused, she realized, she could see the vapors too. Sometimes she was able to feel the stirring of water among the opalescence clouds but she couldn't quite feel anything of the sort of the vapors that danced lazily above her head and around her.

"Believing me or not is up to you. If you don't want to believe me, I'm perfectly fine about that." As much as the Watermaid felt pity for her 'world's' fallen Princess, she didn't feel enough to regert the good that happened after Azula's fall. Or the ego boost she had in displaying her abilities so marvelously.

She absently pulled at the cloth clinging to her chest and frowned at it with annoyance. "Instead of sitting in one place, I actually decided to explore and learn about it. Really, I thought you'd gain value in studying your surroundings to get a better understanding of your situation."

When the outfit wasn't so damp and sticking to her sandalwood skin, the Fire Nation skirt and top were actually very comfortable. And there wasn't much she could do to the now ultra revealing material besides dry it and that would mean taking it off. "So you've suddenly become an engineer on top of up everything else?" She delicately snorted and turned her head away with her arms crossed under her breasts.

[azure_prodigy]

Those issues have yet to come to fruition in Azula's time, and even if they had, there's no doubt she'd put on a front and deny any inklings of emotion. Nothing seems broken or misplaced; she feels whole, and the stoicism acts as a barrier to buffer any undesired feelings.

The Fire Princess's "choice" to stay in this room is half-true. Perhaps she could've made a quicker attempt to leave and find a more accommodating space for herself. She'd planned to, after relieving herself of the suddenly burdensome armor. Her natural immunity to warm, humid climates was being tested, and she had succumbed. But everything looks easier with foresight, and if Azula could rewind to a time before the peasant's bumbling condemned her to this sauna, she likely would.

"I might be more inclined to believe you if you didn't skimp on specifics." The Princess quirks an eyebrow, unconvinced. "Why bring it up at all if you don't care what I think?" She'd been taught that most everything had a reason, unless people were too dull-witted to rationalize their own behaviors. Begrudgingly, she realizes Katara is no such person.

"I was about to," she defends. "Unlike you, I'm not dressed like a common courtesan. You couldn't have lasted half as long as I did in heavy armor." It's an admittance, but also a jab at the sultry clothing adhering to her enemy's form. She exhales another weighted breath, electing to seat herself on the edge of the bed. It suddenly seems like a good idea to. "I didn't give you permission to sit in that chair."

If the Water peasant wanted to continue fussing with her clothes, so be it -- Azula could always look away. Which she's trying to do, but some unforeseen force appears to hold her gaze relatively steady. "I've always been a fast learner," the Princess shrugs, indifferent to the other girl's skepticism.

[imaq_uajuq]

Oh, this place will most certainly test Azula's resolve.

It turned out to be a wise idea for Katara; the hallway was a bit steamy but never unbearable like this. It didn't have this fake water vapor that curled around and teased their senses. Okay, there was some, but there was something else.

"Oh, but then that would make me a nice person. And between you and your brother, I'm not as nice as I used to be." Somewhere, Katara could hear Sokka laughing. She gives Azula a smile then, sharp and cool as a glacier. "So I'll let you think whatever you want to think." There had to be a little bit of pay back for the suffering Azula's... past-future self? ... has done.

Besides, it was an excellent way to keep her distracted from the strangeness pooling between her legs. She actually was familiar with the sensation; terribly familiar. But she wasn't going to acknowledge it. "I didn't exactly have a choice either." She frowns, touching where her mother's necklace used to be. Maybe it's safe... somewhere. Katara looks up at Azula and then scowls, blue eyes back to ice. She defiantly bounces in the chair and wiggles upon it before she settles down upon it. "It doesn't matter what you think you are, you're not what you used to be. No one has to listen to you. As if I ever would."

She was... slightly aware of the display she just presented. The clothes were becoming just more damp and the entire action is lewd but she hadn't meant it to be lewd. Just defiant. "Or you're under the impression that you are."

[azure_prodigy]

Little does the Princess know how much.

Evey facet of the room is a recipe for disaster. The moisture-laden air, the silk sheets draped surreptitiously about an expansive bed, the shadows that dance about the walls (and Katara)... it's all overtly sexual, and Azula doesn't understand why it matters.

"How bitter, for someone so righteous." Not that it means anything... if the peasant wants to be vindictive, it's her prerogative. Azula doubts the validity of her claims, anyway. "I know what you say is folly. You're trying to wear me down -- it won't work."

She shifts almost imperceptibly, golden eyes seeking a weakness in the brave veneer. The Waterbender certainly became more abstract and empowered through the shift in time. But there had to be a chink somewhere. At least she looks uncomfortable, but from what cause? "What happened to escaping? You never answered my question, and I would surmise you know more about this place than I do, judging by your confidence. Could it be that you're starting to enjoy my company?" A little bit of arrogance should help with her own growing discomfort. Between the acridity of the air and her foe's unfortunate garb, Azula is in pressing need of a distraction.

She almost appears to wince at the display, the gauzy fabric exasperating the bounce of Katara's bosom. "I haven't lost my power, no matter how much you might wish it." Her arms cross about her chest in her own show of defiance. "I'm hailed as a prodigy for a reason."

[imaq_uajuq]

It truly is and Katara absolutely aware of the set up. She knows the bed must feel like heaven and the sheets will cling and caress and be just... Oh, she doesn't want to think. She just wants to meld back into the shadows or just crawl under the crack of the door.

"Whatever," Katara dismisses her words with a gesture. She has the past on her side, and if Azula doesn't want to prepare of a loss that's completely fine with her.

She stares back at Azula, and then her blue eyes focus on the shadows, the fire, the be-- no, not the bed. She focuses on the nightstand and the carpet. "We can't escape, there's only one way to get out." Katara's hips shift uncomfortably. "We have to do what the Hotel wants us to do."

She pauses and looks at her feet. "It wants occupants to have sex."

[azure_prodigy]

Well, the bed is comfy... very plush, and the satin sheets are velvet in Azula's palms. But she's making a gallant attempt not to linger on such detrimental thoughts.

The Firebender snorts at the immature dismissal. This is petty banter, and meaningless in the grand scheme of things. For what reason would the Watermaiden admit to defeat? Of course she'll make something up. To secede to the Fire Nation's triumph would only serve to embolden Azula. No friend of the Avatar wants that.

Katara's gaze wavers, hips shifting against the cushion of the chair, and the Princess sucks in a breath. "How do you know there's only 'one' way?"

...And so comes the big reveal. At first, Azula's jaw works, producing no sound until she can collect her thoughts. "...It can want whatever, but that's absurd." Her posture straightens, an effort amidst the room's oppression and the beginnings of arousal. "It isn't funny, peasant."

[imaq_uajuq]

Even the sofas and chairs in the hallway are extremly comfortable. Softer than most any bed than Katara's been before. Of course, she's been treated to a lifetime of beds on blocks of ice or hard tundra with only furs to soften the unforgiven hardness. The chair she's sitting on is soft and divine to her skin.

Simply because Katara is wise enough not to give any details; even if she knew exactly what was going on. Zuko knew she was off, Katara also knew her friends betrayed her though she didn't know about Ozai's dismissal. And she wasn't even listening to the warning.

"I've been here for... two or three days. I've been watching and talking and people have been here for seasons. And more than just one person said that and I've heard things." Katara snaps, fists at her sides.

The aching between her legs increase sharply as she studies the Fire Princess, her expression neutral. "Give me one reason why I would lie about that? Why would I even want that?"