The next morning, Zuko found Azula sitting on a balcony, staring out at the Fire Nation Capital. Her posture was stiff, her expression unreadable. He approached cautiously, clearing his throat to announce his presence.
"Azula," he began, his voice gentle but probing. "Can we talk?"
Azula didn't turn to face him. "If you're here to gloat, spare me the effort. I'm not in the mood."
Zuko sighed, taking a seat beside her. "I'm not here to gloat. I'm concerned about you. How did your dinner with Ty Lee go?"
Azula's jaw tightened, but she maintained her mask of indifference. "It went fine. I realized that Ty Lee isn't who I thought she was. I have no interest in pursuing anything with her."
Zuko frowned, not entirely convinced. "Are you sure that's the truth, Azula?"
Azula finally turned to face him, her eyes cold and calculating. "Of course it is. Now, can we move on to more important matters?"
Zuko nodded slowly, sensing that pressing the issue further would get him nowhere. "Alright. What do you want to talk about?"
Azula's expression softened slightly, a hint of her old confidence returning. "I want to start attending council meetings. You could benefit from my strategic mind, Zuko. I've helped Father plan countless campaigns. Now it's time to focus on rebuilding the Fire Nation."
Zuko raised an eyebrow, intrigued but wary. "Why the sudden interest in politics, Azula?"
Azula shrugged, her tone casual but with a hint of underlying tension. "I need something to do. And let's be honest, Zuzu, you could use all the help you can get."
Zuko smirked. "Fine, you can join the council meetings. But there's something else we need to discuss."
Azula crossed her arms, her eyes narrowing. "Oh? And what might that be?"
Zuko took a deep breath, bracing himself. "You need to publicly apologize to the people in the Earth Kingdom for the things you did during the war. It's part of the healing process, for them and for you."
Azula's eyes flashed with anger. "Apologize? You expect me to grovel in front of those peasants?"
Zuko met her gaze evenly. "It's not groveling, Azula. It's taking responsibility. It's the right thing to do."
Azula scoffed. "The right thing to do? How noble of you, Zuzu. But fine. If it means getting a seat at the table, I'll do it. When and where?"
Zuko nodded, relieved but still cautious. "In a few days, you'll travel to Ba Sing Se to meet with King Kuei. You'll make your apology there, in front of the Earth Kingdom's leaders."
Azula rolled her eyes. "Fantastic. A trip to the Earth Kingdom. Just what I needed."
Zuko's expression softened. "You'll also be meeting Uncle Iroh there. He'll help you through this."
Azula's sarcasm faltered for a moment, a flicker of genuine emotion crossing her face. "Uncle Iroh... Fine. Let's get this over with."
---
In the council chamber, Azula took her seat beside Zuko, her demeanor a mix of confidence and calculated disinterest. The other council members exchanged uneasy glances, clearly wary of her presence.
Zuko began the meeting, addressing the council members with a tone of authority. "Thank you all for coming. Today, we have several important matters to discuss. First and foremost, we need to address the issue of unemployment caused by the downsizing of our military forces."
One of the council members, General Haruto, spoke up. "Fire Lord Zuko, the soldiers need work. They need to support their families. We need a plan to integrate them back into society."
