⟪ individually, all these concepts already exist in her world: thorough checks, blaring security alarms in response to a breach, those parts. there is still a moment during which she visibly tries to picture them all come together. she does not have enough practice with social interaction with people who aren't obligated by law to worship the very ground she walks on to... feel confident in assuming he is joking.

for a moment, she veers between anger and confusion, and then he rises, which prompts her to shift into a defensive stance. he does not quite make sense to her – after all, he is dressed in a way that appears normal to her. decent, even. none of those absurd fabrics and funny little zipper-things. yet half of what he speaks of isn't quite what she is used to, and it makes it nearly impossible to place him.

that he asks her name only stubs the toes of her pride even more. ⟫

Firebending, obviously. ⟪ obviously. ⟫ What sort of rock have you lived under? ⟪ yeah, it's not been long enough for her to truly appreciate that bending isn't necessarily a universal thing here. ⟫ I am the princess. I am about to be crowned the next fire lord –

⟪ her voice has gotten just a pitch higher toward the end there. ⟫ Azula is my name. Who are you to even ask?