Second Chances

Pendants

Republic city hadn't seen its people so rambunctious in a long time. There were folks running about in the streets shouting in excitement and waving about fliers. It took a long time for the media to figure out what had caused the commotion until they themselves got ahold of a flier. It read;
To each their own
And beneath the elegant scrawl was some sort of insignia. It was green and blue and red and orange and the shape was that of a circle. Crossing through the circle diagonally were solid colored lines. One green, one blue, and so on. On either side of the four lines was a plus sign.
Much to the media's dismay they couldn't figure out what all the craze was behind a single picture. But, Sokka knew. He'd designed it actually. Of course, he had some creative help, but he was proud of the subtle message that seemed to resonate with the city.

"Oh they're taking it great!" He grinned from ear to ear.
In fact, Sokka was so excited he'd made a special trip just to the fire nation to talk about all that was going on in republic city.
"That's amazing!" Ty Lee smiled, jumping up and down ecstatically.
"Yeah, people seem to know what it means without anyone having to say a word. It's kind of incredible really," Sokka admitted. "But I don't know what's going to happen after all of the excitement wears off."
"We'll cross that bridge when we get there," Azula promised, though she seemed somewhat agitated.
"Is the fire nation not taking to it?" Sokka worried.
"It's...complicated. A little more than the other nations," Ty Lee sighed. "I think people like it, understand it, and are excited but they can't really show it. There's still a lot of people here who-"
"Would hurt anyone being open about it," Sokka concluded. After a moment of thought his eyes lit up with a new idea. "Can't you just ask Zuko to make a law? You know, like, if you assault anyone whose...what's the word-"
"Uhm, good question. I don't know," Ty Lee frowned.
"I believe it's called queer. Hasn't been used in decades but I think that's what you're looking for," Azula shrugged.
"Right! Queer, then they go to prison or something!" Sokka finished.
"That wouldn't fly here. It would restrict the liberties of civilians too much," Azula explained, absent mindedly running at the burn scar on her arm. "They'd find a way to revolt. Do...something."
"But everyone deserves liberties," Sokka snorted. "Why should their liberties limit yours? Doesn't seem fair to me."
"Life isn't always fair," Azula countered with a sigh. "I don't want to push the envelope too soon. That's all."
"Right, okay," Sokka nodded, sensing an end to their conversation.
— — —
"I did this!" Kiyi announced, holding up a small metallic pendant for her sister to see. "It took me ALL NIGHT! Do you see my eyes?! Do you see them??"
"Yes," Azula stammered.
"Look at these bags!" Kiyi glowered, pointing at the dark circles beneath her eyes.
"You should take a nap then," Azula suggested, taking the small pendant in hand. She flipped the smooth silver surface over to see a neatly etched and colored replica of the design Sokka had made. "Oh, thank you."
"I figured you could put it somewhere on your uniform so others would notice it-but only if they're looking for it!" Kiyi added quickly. "If you don't want to that's okay I understand. I just figured it might help someone else feel more comfortable with themselves. "
"Well, where do you suggest I put it?" Azula asked hesitantly.
"Here," Kiyi smiled, pressing the pendant to the inside portion of Azula's left wrist guard and creating a small flame to weld it in place. "Most people don't stare at the inside of someone's wrist."
"Smart," Azula nodded, but she felt nervous never the less. Some people were far more observant when it came to herself than they were with other everyday people.
"You'll be okay," Kiyi promised. "I know it."
"I don't desire testing that theory," Azula admitted. She'd had her fair share of cruel people when it came to her feelings for Ty Lee.
"Well...would you go into town for me? Mom said I could look at the pet shop. She said I can't get anything but I can look," Kiyi smirked. "But we both know that really means she's gonna get bombarded with begging until I acquire the pet I desire."
"I wouldn't expect anything less," Azula laughed lightly. "Alright then, just the two of us?"
"Well, Ty can come and Tom Tom too! He needs a break from studying. That boy is all red eyed and dreary looking. It's pathetic really," Kiyi frowned.
"Okay, go get them and I'll meet you out front," Azula assured.
With a pep in her step, Kiyi ran off to collect the rest of her expedition group. Of course, it didn't take her long to return with a giddy acrobat in tow and a very sad looking Tom Tom.
"That really is a dreary looking boy," Azula teased, ruffling Tom Tom's hair.
"How did you manage so much when you were my age? You must have been craz-" Tom Tom stopped abruptly. "I-I'm so sorry! I didn't mean it like th-"
"I know," Azula reassured him with a small touch to the shoulder, "but you're not wrong."
Blushing from embarrassment, Tom Tom proceeded to scold himself  all the way into town. Even despite Azula's  insistence that she took no offense to his remarks, he wasn't able to forgive himself just yet.
"There it is!" Kiyi exclaimed, pointing ahead to where a long, flat, stout building sat surrounded by pens full of straw and animals. "What are we waiting for? Come on!"
Before anyone could react, Kiyi was sprinting to the front door and practically diving inside.
"We should catch up before she accidentally breaks something," Ty Lee snickered.
— — —
"They're all so cute and amazing!" Kiyi grinned from ear to ear, eyes wide in amazement. "Look at the baby elephant bats! They make the cutest little 'toot toots'!"
As if to prove a point, the tiniest of the elephant bars gave a mighty trumpeted "toot toot!"
"AWWWEE!" Ty Lee and Tom Tom cooed.
"Oh! Oh! Look at the crab snails!" Kiyi giggled, turning to a decent sized glass viewing tank where red shelled slug like creatures inched about.
"That one has two left claws," Tom Tom noted.
But as the others moved on to a new animals for sale, Azula's attention had been drawn elsewhere. She noticed a young boy, maybe thirteen years old, in a school uniform, talking to another little boy dressed in the same uniform.
They seemed happy to see each other, like they were catching up after some time apart. The taller one, with tanner skin and well tamed hair held a tiny fire ferret. The other one, small and lanky in stature, less well rounded than his counterpart, and fairer in complexion seemed more outgoing.
"Okay, if I give half my allowance and you do half of yours we can get him! We'll be his daddies and you can pick the first name!" The smaller friend beamed.
"I don't know Kenji," the heavy set boy worried. "I'm not really supposed to have a pet. You know how my mom feels about pets. Let alone...you."
"Yeah, I know," Kenji sighed, scuffing his shoes on the ground.
"But I'll give you my allowance and you can get him. I can visit from time to time," Kenji's friend promised. "I know you've been wanting a pet since your old fire ferret Window passed away."
Azula found it curious to name a Fire Ferret, Window, of all things. Then again, Azula supposed that Kenji had named the pet when he was rather young, and kids had no idea what an appropriate pet name was.
"You'd do that for me?" Kenji asked, his voice now incredibly soft.
"Of course!" His friend nodded. "You're my best friend!  I love you."
"Awwwee," Kenji teased, before hugging his friend tightly.
"Tekai!" A shrill voice called out. The heavy set friend flinched and instinctively pulled back from the hug.
"Sorry mom!" He squeaked as everyone turned to look at him before eventually turning back to their activities.
"Kenji," a woman sneered, clearly Tekai's mother. She was rail thin compared to her son, and sharp in all of her features. She could practically cut someone with an elbow. 
"Hi!" Kenji stammered, anxiously stepping backwards. "I was just talking-"
"You weren't talking. How many times have I told you to stay away from my son? You'll make him...filthy." The woman scowled.
"We're friends mom!" Tekai protested.
"I'm not stupid Tekai," she exclaimed. "I know what he is and I'll be damned if I let it infect you."
"Ma'am," Azula interjected, surprising herself that she even addressed the woman to begin with, "your son is just fine."
"And who do you think you a-" the question died on her lips as she turned around to spot Azula. "Oh my."
"They were talking. Nothing more. Frankly I find it wonderful that your son has a friend like Kenji," Azula smiled thinly, looking pointedly at Tekai. "And I think your son has a very kind heart. He was offering to help Kenji purchase this little fire ferret."
"You what?!" Tekai's mother scowled.
"It's the least I could do. Besides, you never let me go to Kenji's birthdays!" Tekai prorated.
"That's it. We're going. We won't talk about this in here," his mother frowned. "My apologies princess, but I hope you'll understand that these are family matters."
Before Azula could do anything more, Tekai's mother jerked her son past Kenji effectively knocking the smaller boy over, and tore the fire ferret from her son's hands to toss it on the floor. Kenji made a small dive to catch it before it hit the ground. He sat up, cheeks flaming red with embarrassment, frustration, and anger.
Azula watched him for a moment, could tell he wanted to cry, and offered him her hand. He reached up half heartedly, but paused when he saw the tiny pendant on the inside of her wrist. His eyes widened, and though it was only a second it felt like a century. Those young sad eyes had a shimmer of surprise and then hope in them.
"You-"
"Yeah," Azula nodded, her voice barely a whisper. It was strange sharing a moment of vulnerability with a stranger, let alone a young boy. "And...you?"
"...yeah," Kenji choked out, as Azula finally pulled him to his feet.
"Be safe, you know-"
"I know," Kenji promised, taking off a glove that covered his hand to reveal a scar similar to Azula's own. "So do you."
"Yeah," Azula nodded, swallowing tightly, as she loosened her wrist guard to expose a small portion of her scar.
"Seems no one is safe huh?"Kenji asked.
"No," Azula agreed, her eyes no longer able to meet his. He looked crestfallen. Because if the princess wasn't even protected how was he? "Not yet."
"Yet?" Kenji asked, his face lightening ever so slightly.
"Yet," Azula nodded.
— — —
"So what did you decide to pester your mom over?" Tom Tom asked, as they made their way back through the palace.
"All of them," Kiyi replied dryly.
"Right," Tom Tom snorted.
As the two youngsters continued to joke with one another, Ty Lee silently took the princess' hand. "I saw what happened."
"You did?" Azula asked, somewhat embarrassed.
"Yeah," Ty Lee nodded, taking note of the faint blush on Azula's cheeks. "It was really sweet of you. He's gonna remember that for the rest of his life."
"I just...I know how he felt," Azula shrugged.
"I know," Ty Lee smiled sweetly, giving Azula a light kiss. "They weren't too different from us were they?"
"No," Azula shook her head, "not at all."
"We must have been pretty adorable," Ty Lee mused, letting Azula hold her tightly. The acrobat was beginning to learn that Azula was liking hugs more and more.
"Well, I was adorable. Pretty too." Azula smirked.
"Ah, there it is," Ty Lee laughed, brushing aside a loose strand of hair from the princess' face. "My typical princess."