Azula would be lying if she said she didn't choose the panda-dog because it looked like Sokka. It was kind of cute but also kind of a dumb thing, yet she loved it anyhow. A lot of things reminded her of Sokka though. Certain smells, certain sounds. The smell of roasted komodo meat, for example. Anytime she bypassed a stall selling it, a rather vivid image of Sokka would paint itself in her head. The boy smelled off the stuff every time he came to visit. No wonder he calls himself the meat and sarcasm guy, she thought. She didn't care for the scent, not on its own anyways. Sokka had a way of getting her to enjoy things she otherwise wouldn't have. Like fishing, Azula hated fishing for most of her life. But he made it somewhat of a thrill. He made it sound like an art, perhaps it was an art. It took patience and a precise hand that was for sure. She supposed the reason she never found it fascinating before was because she only tried it using a fishing rod. Fishing with a spear was much more challenging. And with Sokka there to compete with and push over when he was about to make a catch, it was a thrilling experience. So she set a decently sized stack of coins on the counter and bought the panda-dog. If it was anything like Sokka it would entertain her and care for her for years to come. She would return the favor.
She watched the pup prance about its new home for some time, feeling the place out, before he flopped over and rolled onto his back. His tongue lolled out in a silent plea for some pets and belly rubs. Azula refrained for a moment, taking in the panda-dog's dopy expression. "You look like him too." She muttered to herself before finally reaching over to scratch the dog's belly. His tail wagged so hard that he was shaking. The more she pet the him the more wildly his tail whipped about. When she grew bored of petting the dog, she took him into her arms and rubbed his head. "Now what should I name you?" She cooed at the panda-dog. Not a single thing came to mind. She decided to wait for Sokka to come and help her pick a name; she did buy it because of him after all. Whether he knew it or not. The panda-dog wriggled out of her arms. For a moment he just sat at her feet, looking up at her as if she knew what he wanted. "Hey!" She shouted as the dog snatched at her sock. Azula didn't let him get as far as actually taking it off. She scooped him up once again and held him at eye level. She couldn't stop the cheerful smile that spread over her face. For that she was glad no one was around to witness her childish glee. She lie down on the floor and let the panda-puppy rest atop her. He was antsy though and never stayed in one place for too long. Eventually the puppy ended up ended on her face, licking her cheeks. In spite of herself she laughed at the panda-dog. The feeling of his warm fur brushing against her next was comforting in a way that nothing else could be. Sokka walked in at that moment, just in time to witness the dog lick her mouth causing her to sit up right and wipe her tongue off. "You are gross." She muttered at the panda-puppy who continued to look up at her without a care in the world.
"Well there's something I never thought I'd see." Sokka grinned. Azula jumped at the sudden sound of his voice. "You can actually laugh at things that aren't peoples' pain and suffering?"
Azula picked up the panda-puppy again and cradled him in her arms. She fixed Sokka with a fake pout. "Of course I can. I got him because he reminds me of you."
"How does he remind you of me?"
"He has the same hairstyle as you. And, for the record, he kisses like you."
"Gee, thanks." Sokka grumbled. With a smirk he gave her a kiss, the same kind given to her by her panda-puppy.
"Ugg, you're gross too." Azula muttered while wiping her cheek with her sleeve. "Anyways, you're here to help me name him."
"I'm not good with names." Sokka replied. "Unless you're looking for a name like Foo Foo Cuddly Poops or Sparky Sparky Boom Man." He added.
"Those are awful." Azula agreed, stroking the panda-puppy's fur.
"When I get new pets, I usually just name them after things I like."
"One Sokka is bad enough, so I can't name him after something I like. And I can't name him after something you like either because then I'd have to name him after me. I don't want to share a name with a panda-puppy, as precious as he is." Azula remarked.
"I like Komodo meat." Sokka shrugged.
"I'm not naming him after meat." Azula rolled her eyes.
"I don't know, Komo sounds pretty cute." Sokka argued. As much as she loathed to admit it, she agreed. She would just have disregard the origins of the name.
"Alright, yes, that will work. On to the next problem." She paused. "I'm not sure how mother is going to feel about having a panda-dog running around the palace."
"I'm sure she'll love him." Sokka replied. "If he's cute enough to draw you in, he'll definitely win your mom over."
"I suppose we'll find out when she gets home." Azula replied. She sat down upon the sofa and motioned for Sokka to join her. "Until then, you have a puppy to help me occupy."