ATLA: Azlua

Ty Lee sat at her desk, her usual vibrant demeanor dulled by the endless stream of reports piled high before her. She had exchanged her typical airy attire for something more practical and warm, her outfit now layered with thick fabrics to guard against the creeping chill of early winter. The shift in seasons was as stark as the shift in her responsibilities, and both were wearing on her.

Her fingers massaged her temples as she leaned back in her chair, groaning. "How can one place be so corrupt? Is Azula's influence so weak as to not reach here?" she grumbled, her frustration spilling out.

Zira, ever the stoic guard, stood at her post near the door, her sharp eyes scanning the room out of habit. At Ty Lee's remark, her posture stiffened, and she glanced nervously around the chamber, as though Azula herself might materialize from the shadows.

Noticing her unease, Ty Lee grinned mischievously. "Relax, Zira. The Dai Li aren't here. Besides, Azula's my friend. As friends, I think I'm allowed to tease her sometimes."

Zira's shoulders lowered slightly, but the tension didn't fully leave her frame. Ty Lee chuckled to herself before groaning again, holding up a particularly egregious report.

"Eighty percent tax on guilds and trade goods?!" Ty Lee exclaimed, her voice pitching in disbelief. She slammed the scroll onto the desk with an exaggerated huff. "If the previous overseer were alive, I'd punch him! My aura is an absolute mess because of this!" She shot up from her chair, reaching for the small silver bell on her desk. "Zira, tea break!"

Before Ty Lee could ring it, Zira stepped forward, gently but firmly stopping her hand. "This would be your fifth tea break, Overseer," Zira said, her tone measured but firm. "You need to get through your work."

Ty Lee pouted, slumping dramatically back into her chair. "Look at you," she said, wagging a finger at Zira. "Before, you never talked unless I asked, and now you're giving me orders?"

Zira smirked, a rare expression that softened her usually stern demeanor. "I guess someone rubbed off on me."

Ty Lee rolled her eyes playfully. "Regretting that now," she mumbled before letting out another exaggerated groan. "Renshu!" she called, her voice carrying through the room.

The side door creaked open, and Renshu stepped in, his posture as composed as ever. His mixed fire and earth nation garb gave him an air of pragmatism, a man who had long since adapted to navigating Phoenix City's murky political waters. "Yes, Overseer?" he asked, his tone polite but clipped.

Ty Lee grabbed a scroll from her desk, waving it like a weapon. "What kind of policy is this? 'Only Fire Nation-born citizens can trade with the homeland?'" Her voice rose incredulously. "No wonder the guilds slammed their doors in my face this morning!"

Renshu cleared his throat, his gaze dropping slightly. "The previous overseer was... quite insistent on preserving what he called the 'purity of trade.' He believed that allowing those he deemed 'mutts'—" he gestured to himself and his earth nation heritage with a small, rueful smile—"to engage with the homeland would taint it."

Ty Lee let out an exasperated sigh, tearing the offending scroll into pieces. "No wonder this place is falling apart," she muttered, reaching for her ink and parchment. With swift, confident strokes, she began drafting a new document, her handwriting a mix of flowing elegance and hurried practicality.

Once finished, she stood, handing the freshly penned scroll to Renshu. "Here. These are the policies we're changing and abolishing. Deliver this to the guilds and request an audience with their leaders."

Renshu bowed deeply, taking the scroll with a reverence that hinted at his relief. "Of course, Overseer. I'll see to it immediately."

As he turned to leave, Ty Lee called out after him, her voice softer but no less determined. "Renshu... thank you. I know it's not easy working under someone like me, but I promise we'll make this city better."