Fortunately, she'll have a little help in that department- once the creature starts to fall, Azula quickly darts forward to grab Najaran and try to haul her away from it before it can crush her.

"What are you doing?"

She wasn't certain what reaction she'd expected- she was too busy trying to save her to even process the surprising amount of relief she felt that she hadn't seriously hurt or killed her.

... so the sudden, enthusiastic hug being launched at her just makes her freeze.

It takes her a few moments to register what's happening. A few more to realize that her breathing was shaky. More still to understand what she said. And then she realizes that this is really, really hurting her side. She hisses in pain and firmly pushes Najaran back, though she tries to keep the pain from affecting her voice or expression.

"... I thought I'd killed you."

Creature? That came out of nowhere-

... Oh, spirits, was she serious?

"That was me, you ridiculous fool."

She scowls and crosses her arms defensively, turning to stare pointedly at the ground.

"You're not the one who failed."

Yeah, that- That aggressive hugging thing was already wearing thin, though not enough for her to actually push her away. But what she said-

Really?

Really?

"... I lost control of myself and tried to kill you."

...She's too baffled by it to even object to the various fluids Najaran was no doubt leaking onto her well-worn and dirty attire.

Technically true, she supposes, but-

Wait.

What?

"... you realize most people choose friends who haven't tried to kill them, yes?"

Sometimes she thinks she's nearly adjusted to Najaran, but no, not even close.

"... a lot of things in your life 'just happen,' don't they?"

A bit mean, perhaps, but she suspects the implied snipe will go over Najaran's head anyway. Besides, she's too... baffled... to come up with anything but that odd rebuttal. Friendships don't just happen. Ridiculous, sentimental nonsense-

-following the trail of water, she barges into the door of the next unit over and snaps at the man inside. 'Have you tried turning off the water?'-

...that hardly meant anything, he happened to be in her faction-

-She's still disoriented from her arrival and the costume change, trying to find her way around the carnival, and she initially ignores the sickly pallor of the boy waving her down, writing it off as just a costume of his own-

... It wasn't random, he was useful, he-

'He told me I wasn't a monster.'

She suddenly huffs and folds her arms over her chest.

"Well, if you're not out here looking for me, what were you doing?"