Second Coat of Paint

Chapter 6

"Who's your father?"

"Admiral Ren Omori."

"He's important."

"And once he's gone, I'm going to be important. No male cousins, no uncles... Even if I eventually get a brother, he'll need time to grow up while I'll be managing things. And you can't run a noble family on poetry alone."

"They could've gotten you a tutor and not broken every rule we have."

"I asked, believe you me. They said, since all tutors are men, neither of them can be trusted alone with me."

Ozai said nothing.

"You see, I'll actually be someone, second son."

Ozai felt his face go red. Who did this girl think she is? He was still her prince, even if her family was the second most important in the nation.

"Once I tell the Fire Lord what you did, you'll get expelled and it won't stop there. You won't be inheriting anything. We'll see who you'll be then."

"Fine, do that. If you can't see why that's stupid..."

This got Ozai's attention. "What do you mean?"

She shrugged.

"Spit it out, Omori."

"Everyone just witnessed me, a girl, absolutely destroying you out there."

"You didn't-"

"That will lose you some of their respect. I know how to get it back."

"Well, tell me."

"You really don't see it? Maybe I am gifted..." She smirked. "You tell the headmaster we were just joking around, that you suggested it. You won't get punished. We get out of here and you challenge me to a proper rematch. Then you beat me in front of everyone. I'll let you win, don't worry, I'll even cry... And you get their respect back."

"And you get to stay here?"

"I don't plan to for much longer. I've been causing enough trouble, my father will probably ask for a transfer back. If not, I'll steal something, or cut my hair or whatever... It's not like I want to stay here with you, boys. Just make sure the Fire Lord doesn't hear, he was testy about this thing with me from the start."

"I accept," Ozai said. He heard how the other boys laughed when Zyra took him down and he never wanted to hear that again. "We'll have the fight today. I hope I can at least expect you to keep true to your word."

"To never seeing each other after today..." She put out her hand. He shook it.

"To never seeing each other after today."

oooooooooo

Zyra was caught in a dilemma, no matter how hard she tried to assure herself her choice was easy. At first, she tried to convince herself that letting Ozai send her away was the only solution, which meant she tried to rationalize leaving Azula with that instable man she talked to the previous night.

She didn't even know Azula that long. She was nothing to the girl, not her mother, not even related to her. She had no rights to decide on how the girl was brought up, yet she couldn't make her peace with Ozai turning her into... Well, into Azulon.

In Zyra's mind that man was a symbol of everything she despised and hoped to destroy. Yet, Ozai was just like him now. Maybe on some level he always was... No, she couldn't believe that. Not the little boy she knew. He was always proud, always determined and ambitious, but never this cruel. Never this monster.