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[onlythepinkest]

[When Ty Lee went to sleep last night, she expected to wake up in the same jail cell she was left in. Waking up in some sort of cocoon in a completely different setting definitely confused her. Once she was awake, she didn't waste any time in trying to figure out what was going on. With the necklace under her shirt, she had the the packet under her arm after reading what she could before trying to use the communicator.]

How do you-- Oh! It's on!

So uhm... This probably sounds like a stupid question at this point, but...  Am I dreaming right now?

I get that we're in some strange new place from what I've found out so far, but it seems unlikely that I would be free to do as I wish considering what happened at home.

[She's not even elaborating on that because that seems like a bad idea right now.]

Comments

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[whiteas]

I don't think she's that bad, actually. Once she was okay with it she took me out for a picnic. At 7am, which was a little strange, but it's the thought that counts. I mean, I know what she's capable of so I'm not completely disillusioned and I don't know her as well as you do, but I get along with her just fine.

[ Weiss glances up at Zuko briefly. Takin' your time with the window over there? Well, might as well keep talking. ]

Are you a bender too?

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[onlythepinkest]

No, she's not always bad. That does sound like something she'd do though. There have been a few times where I had to give her some pointers. Let's just say hitting on guys without scaring them off didn't work so well.

[But despite what was just said, she does laugh a little. Clearly -- besides Azula yelling at her -- it was a good memory.]

Well, I mostly block chi. I kind of ran away from home to join the circus before Azula came to ask for my help.

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[whiteas]

I definitely want to see that one day.

[ At least Ty Lee seems friendly and easy enough to get along with. Then again, Weiss is fairly certain she's been good for her own part. ]

That's what Zuko meant? I thought it was more metaphorical, like how he calls me a tyrant just because I'm a... little bossy sometimes. [ Only a little. ] I don't actually rule over anything, I'm just the boss of him. [ Though she's pretty sure that he lets her be. ]

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[onlythepinkest]

Well.. I guess being called a circus freak isn't exactly what I'd like, but I take pride in it regardless. I didn't really have my own identity back home, so I felt like there had to be something I could do.

Besides, in the end, it just makes me all the better.

[Trying to find a way to prop the communicator... Once it's staying, Ty Lee demonstrated as she bent back into what should be an impossible position.]

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[banishment]

[ oh, zuko knows they're chatting. he's cleaned off the windowsill and is leaning back against the wall, watching but not quite listening in to their conversation. he'd be lying if he said he trusted ty lee, because he doesn't. not fully. the girls have always been loyal to azula first and foremost, and he's honestly having a hard time coming to terms with the knowledge that they betrayed the princess, whether it was to help him or not. maybe he would understand it better if he actually remembered whatever happened at the boiling rock, but isn't about to go down to the docks to dream of things he probably doesn't want to know.

was he arrested? did aang get captured somehow? what business did he even have at the highest security prison in the fire nation? he had so many questions, but no desire to go searching for answers. ]

Talking about me? [ he asks, stepping back into view beside weiss. he sits down next to her, not bothering to reclaim his communicator. ]

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[whiteas]

Talking about your terrible nicknaming sense, specifically.

[ Weiss considers for a moment, having something very pointed to say to him regarding flexibility, but it's something she'll reserve for later. ]

Zuko, stop calling her circus freak for your own sake. I think flexibility and going after what you want is important, Ty Lee.

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[onlythepinkest]

[Shifting herself, she slightly shrugged as her feet touched the top of her head.]

It's okay. I appreciate it though.

[After a moment of doing handstands, she flipped back onto her feet to get the communicator again.]

So, all this being said... Where am I supposed to go from here?

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[banishment]

[ sorry, zuko's too busy entertaining a sudden coughing fit to answer that question. he caught that (intended?) innuendo, weiss. you are going to be the death of him. ]

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[whiteas]

[ MEGA ROLLING HER EYES AT YOU ZUKO. ]

We're all stuck here, so you're going to need to find somewhere to live, first of all. Zuko can go pick you up once he remembers how to breathe.

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[onlythepinkest]

I guess I'll just stay where I am for now then.

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[banishment]

[ IT'S NOT HIS FAULT HIS MIND DROPPED INTO THE GUTTER. admit it, weiss. that was your intention all along.

but he recovers and is sliding off the bed anew, plucking his device out of weiss's hands. ]

Stay there, I'll be there soon.

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[whiteas]

[ She isn't admitting a thing.

After Zuko takes his device back, Weiss raises her voice. ]

Bye!

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[onlythepinkest]

[And while he's on his way, she'll just keep herself busy by doing handstands and whatnot.]

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[banishment]

[ ...of course she's doing headstands when he finds her. something like a faint sense of homesickness tinged with fond familiarity bubbles up inside of him when he gets closer, the fact that ty lee's the first person from home (outside of his sister) that he's seen half a year finally hitting him. he grapples with that knowledge of a second, warring with himself before he gets enough of a grip to clear his throat and speak up. ]

You do know that I'll be taking you to Azula, right?

[ and on some planets, people say hello first. nice to see your (lack) of social skills are still intact, zuzu. ]

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[onlythepinkest]

[Would she be Ty Lee if she didn't? With her legs bent over in front of her, she looked at Zuko's feet from between her own.]

.... Right... Because... We're still best friends and nothing happened.

[And yet she feels really uncertain about that, but she'll manage. She's also used to his lack of social skills.]

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[banishment]

Exactly. You might feel bad about lying to her, but the war and Aa— the Avatar, everything we were dealing with doesn't exist here. There's no point in making that a problem in a place where it doesn't have to be. And she's been doing okay. She's done a lot of good here, actually.

[ because her brother was at her side, convincing her of these things. but some of it azula's done all on her own. she's suited to her position and has done well with it, no matter what those weird tabloid (a word he's only recently become familiar with) broadcasts claim. ]

I never thought I'd be keeping you of all people in this... secret loop.

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[onlythepinkest]

It's a strange feeling, that's for sure.

[Doing a bridge, she pushed herself up enough to stand up.]

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[banishment]

Yeah...

[ it was awkward, knowing that ty lee was now part of this select group of people who knew the truth about where he stood with things back home. she might see him as a friend, but zuko's always struggled with friendships and tended to view azula's friend as azula's friends that he hung around with because they were his sister's friends, not his own. and he wasn't always nice — he wasn't even nice to her when she popped up on the network initially.

then again, he wasn't always nice to the few friends he managed to make in the avatar and the earthbender. but toph could dish his acidic tone back at him with as much force as the boulders she hurled at her enemies while bending. not taking his crap and giving him a helping of his back was probably one of the reasons why he and weiss were so compatible. ]

I'm, uh, sorry about before. The circus freak comment.

[ apologizing was a thing he did now. ]

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[onlythepinkest]

[Of course Zuko was her friend. They may not have hung out as much, but he was still a friend to her. She could understand why he'd be hesitant though.

She was okay with Zuko helping the Avatar. To be honest, he didn't seem to really fit in as a Fire Nation prince, even if he was one. His forte always seemed to be more for helping the Avatar anyways. It probably didn't make much sense as to why she felt that way, but it was good for him.

That was one of the reasons why she felt bad when they were going to cut the gondola. He was still a friend... And to be honest... The Avatar and his friends didn't seem that bad, even if she was supposed to be one of the "bad guys".]

It's okay, it's not like you were lying. I'm proud of who I am and who I've become. I'm glad that I'm not just another identical sister that's destined to do what my sisters are doing.

I'm glad to be different.

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[banishment]

[ if she ever voiced that, he'd appreciate that at least someone from home -- other than iroh, of course -- approved of what he was doing. the war needed to be stop. too many lives had been lost, and what his father was planning to do to the earth kingdom was unthinkable. one hundred years is too long; it's high time the fire nation's oppressive reign came to an end.

but that doesn't matter here. there are other problems, like the ones weiss listed off. ]

So am I. [ zuko touched his scar. he wasn't always, but he was proud of it now. he stood up to his father, he said no. he wasn't an honorless coward, he was brave. it took courage to say no, courage to stand up for what was right. his scar wasn't a mark of shame, it was one of pride. ]

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[onlythepinkest]

Everything will be okay. [Since she's thinking about it...] No matter what happens, I'm sure you'll help the Avatar and his friends bring peace.

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[banishment]

We're working on it. Aang was making decent progress with his firebending before... Well, before I wound up here. I assume whatever copy, double-- whatever version of me that's still hanging around is still making him do his fire squats and run drills.

[ he began walking, but stopped, whirling around to face her as something occured to him. it was suddenly very important that she understood something. ]

You know that I left for the Fire Nation, right? That I didn't aim to betray our country, just my father, right? The war isn't just making the other nations suffer. We're suffering, too. I want to bring an end to that. I want to set us free.

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[onlythepinkest]

[And seeing his serious face made her stop and give off a slight concerned look.]

Yes, of course. I never saw it that way. I never thought you betrayed us. Honestly, I think that it's better for you that you did. It's... healthier.

In fact, you're aura isn't as dingy as it used to be, and I do mean that in a good way.

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[banishment]

I feel healthier.

[ amazing, how he slept better on the cold stone floor of the western air temple than he had in a warm bed at the palace. ]

I wanted to go home, but once I got there, I wasn't happy. I knew that returning, that siding with Azula in Ba Sing Se was wrong. I should've stood against her with Uncle, Katara, and the Avatar.

[ selfishly picking a chance to go home over his uncle was perhaps zuko's greatest regret. ]

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[onlythepinkest]

We're human. We all make mistakes. When you came back... I could tell there was something off about you, but I didn't know what for sure.

I know you probably think of me as just one of those girls who follows Azula around, but I've always thought of you as a friend. So even though you went to help the Avatar, I've only wanted what you thought was best for you...

You know.. As long as it actually was best for you. Azula and Mai are special to me of course, but I can't ignore what I feel is wrong and right.