SUKI

SHE STRODE OUT TO WHERE THE AVATAR'S PARTY STAYED, VERY CLOSE TO A TOWERING RAGE. All that morning, as a light nighttime snowfall melted under a weak winter sun and her Sisters trained in the yard, Matron had raged. Suki had stood, at rigid attention, head up, shoulders back, and tried not to grind her teeth.

Tighter security, that's we need up there! You're letting them range too free, letting them feel too comfortable. They are not welcome here! How many times do I have to tell you that?! You're letting your Sisters get too lax, letting them talk too much!

Are they our enemies? Suki had asked, voice perfectly controlled.

Matron had rounded on her, not the least bit fooled. Hold that tongue of yours, girl. You're still on thin ice, and don't you forget it!

Well, she'd said, looking straight ahead, I wasn't aware that the Avatar was our enemy. I thought the Avatar was always welcome at Kyoshi. Isn't that a central tenant of our Order?

Matron's eyes had flared. Times change! Matron had snarled. You have no comprehension of how close to destruction we have been, for how long we have walked the knife's edge, of what forces lurk in the darkness. No comprehension! You will enforce the rules I have set out, you will follow my orders, or, next time they leave, I won't be so merciful!

Suki held her ground. She didn't have the least idea why. Just like the last time, she thought. Outsiders come, and I begin to ask questions. Looking at Matron for the first time, she had bowed her head. I'm sorry, Matron, but the Avatar needs to train. Bending requires room. I assure you that they are escorted at all times.

That seemed to really unleash Matron. Oh, is that so? Then how come, last time I went to check, rather than keeping watch, your Sisters were sitting in the grass, cheering them on?!

Suki had to struggle not to smile. What can I say, Matron? Korra likes to put on a show.

Matron's eyes narrowed, and her voice turned into a growl. And that's the problem. She is the Avatar. The Avatar does not put on a show.

Tell her that. Suki regretted the words as soon as she said them.

Matron bristled, turned on her heel, went back to her desk. Get out. You have your orders. Follow them, or find out just how far you can fall.

And so Suki bowed, turned on her heel, and left, and now she was here, bristling with anger. Gods-damn her, she raged within, thanking those same gods for the makeup that helped her cover her emotions. What is going on? What has happened to us?

It really was getting harder and harder to make excuses.

There were four Sisters on duty at the site that morning, and Suki found them all about where she expected to find them: Lounging against a railing overlooking what had become a makeshift practice yard for the Avatar and her companions, doing what could only be described as gossiping. Suki paused behind them, calling up their names. Cuifen, Luli, Jinghua, and Liqiu. Good girls all. She knew what Matron wanted her to do, knew what Matron had all but explicitly threatened expulsion from the Order if she didn't do it. For reasons she couldn't quite understand, she did exactly the opposite. She went to the end of the row of girls, leaned against the fence, and said, "So, what's going on?"

The girls jumped, but broke into relieved smiles when they saw it was her. "Oh, hey, Suki," Jinghua said, sharing looks of nervous relief with the others. "Everything alright?"

No, you twit, everything's the exact opposite of alright, and you know it. But none of them had ever actually talked about what was rotten within the Order, and Suki figured there was no reason to start now. So, she shrugged. "Eh, Matron's in a mood, but what's new."

Nervous laughter rippled through her Sisters, and she didn't have to look at them to know that they were casting frightened glances over their shoulders. "Figures," Jinghua said; as the most senior Sister present (after Suki), she naturally took the lead. "Well, you came just in time."

"Did I?" Suki frowned at her voice; she really didn't recognize it.

"Oh, yes!" Jinghua slid over beside her, an excited tone creeping into her voice. "It's time for Sokka's Daily Humiliation."

Suki couldn't help but feel very intrigued by that. "Oh? Do tell."

"Well," Jinghua began, "it's been a full week since they got here, and every day at noon, since that first day, while Korra naps off her morning firebending practice and Lobsang tends to the air bison, Azula and Sokka square off, and they fight."

It all sounded very familiar, and Suki couldn't help but feel a pang of what even she knew was quite unreasonable jealousy. "Sounds interesting. I have to admit, it doesn't look like much."

"Oh, they're just trying to psyche each other out. Happens every time. Sokka always breaks first."

Suki felt a smirk form on her face. "He would."

The scene in question looked, at first glance, very strange. Azula (whose status as a princess Suki still, after a full week, couldn't wrap her mind around) was in some sort of strange stance, one leg out stretched, body weight perched on the other. She held a katana in her hands, held parallel with the ground, blade right by her face, pointing at Sokka. Sokka, meanwhile, was in a similar position, only he carried a spear, which Suki could only assume he had charmed off of one of her Sisters.

"Has he fought with a spear before?"

Jinghua shook her head. "No, this is the first time. Before, he's always had his sword."

"Guess he got tired of losing!" Cuifen giggled.

Suki scoffed. "Maybe. Still, this could be good. The spear is the primary weapon of the Water Tribes; Sokka's very good with one."

Jinghua nudged her in the arm. "You would know, I guess."

Suki rolled her eyes. The biggest problem with being in an order of celibates: Not many make it past teenage-level humor. "Hush. I want to watch."

Her Sisters were right: She had been just in time. Without warning, Sokka struck. He hurled himself across the ground, jabbing his spear in what should have been a deadly thrust. He only hit empty air, as Azula slid away, slashing at where his head was…only, his head had already moved, as he rolled across the ground. He swept the shaft of the spear across the ground, missing tumbling Azula to the ground by a hair, as she leapt into the air, tumbling before she hit the ground on the other side and slashed down. Sokka had already moved, and was already striking again.

It went on like that, for how long, Suki didn't know. They appeared quite evenly matched, though, in her opinion, between a sword and spear, there should've been no contest. I guess this princess is like most benders: No good without their element. She rolled that opinion around for a bit. Well…okay, she's good, but she could definitely stand to learn a thing or two.

It was an impressive show, she admitted as it rolled ever onward, as any fight between perfectly matched opponents would be. Hack, slash, jab, roll, duck, dodge, parry, on and on and on. Both of them worked up quite a sweat; soon, despite the chill, Sokka was bare-chested, and Azula wore only tight trousers and her chest wrappings.

And Suki? Suki felt a bit warm, and slightly uncomfortable, why, she couldn't quite say. Though, maybe it had something to do with how her Sisters seemed far too excited, how Cuifen seemed to be fanning herself, and Liqiu was watching Sokka with rapt attention, and Luli? Well, of course she only has eyes for Azula, but still…

Jinghua said it best: "Is it just me, or does this feel like foreplay?"

Alright, that's enough. I already feel like I should be paying to see this. Vaulting over the fence, she strode onto the field, where Azula had Sokka in a corner. She had sliced his spear in two, and he was doing his best to fight with the pointed half while dodging her attacks. Raising her hands, Suki called, "Time out!"

Behind her, her Sisters went, "Awww!" Suki ignored them, pulling Sokka to his feet and doing her best to ignore his bare torso. Focus, girl, focus. Remember your vows. She paused at that thought. This time. "You doing alright, Sokka?"

He gave his usual nonchalant shrug, complete with his usual nonchalant, lopsided grin. "Meh, I had her where I wanted her; it was only a matter of time."

Azula scoffed. "Please. You were going down, just like you do every fucking day."

Sokka crossed his arms and stomped his foot. "Was not."

Azula flipped him the bird. "Kiss my ass, sore loser."

"Hey," Sokka snarked, jabbing a finger, "I resemble that remark!"

Suki rolled her eyes. Ugh. Everywhere I go, children. Though, she had to admit, she was liking Azula's attitude. Maybe princesses aren't so bad after all. "Enough, you two. Oh, and Sokka? Your Guangzhou is getting really good! Your sister would be proud!"

He gave an awkward shrug. "I do my best."

Azula rolled her eyed. "Please. You should see him try to write a fucking sentence. Fucking torture, I'm telling you."

Okay, I take that opinion back. Suki rounded on Azula, feeling a bit cross. "Hey, be nice to him!"

"Aww," Azula said, in a whiny, singsong voice, "Suki doesn't like it when I'm mean to her cute little boyfriend!"

Suki felt the barely suppressed anger from her meeting with Matron well up anew. "Excuse me? Just who the hell do you think you are, bitch?"

Azula struck a proud pose. "Ahem, that's Princess Bitch, thank you very much."

At the fence, her Sisters went, oooh, while behind her, Sokka snickered. Yeah, laugh it up, butthead. I'll get to you in a minute. But for now… "Bite me, Your Highness. Why don't you pick on someone your own size?"

Azula looked her up and down, and Suki was very proud to note that they were the same height. "Hmm…sounds good. I've been wanting to fight you since I saw you."

I bet you have. "Good. Swords or spears?"

Azula held up her katana. "Swords, of course. I've already beaten spears today."

"Hey," Sokka chimed in, "you didn't beat me! The fight wasn't over!"

"Hush," Suki barked, and could've sworn he was chuckling under his breath as he raised his hands and walked away, but no, that couldn't be. Focusing on Azula, she leaned in and said, "It's on."

Azula smiled. "Fuck yes! How about we make it interesting?"

Suki popped an eyebrow. "It isn't interesting enough already? I'm pretty sure this is one of Sokka's fantasies."

From edge of the field, Sokka called, "Fuck yeah it is!" Both girls rolled their eyes.

"Probably," Azula groaned, "but that's not what I'm talking about. I'm thinking…a wager."

Suki was already shedding her armor, tossing it to the side of the field. "Sorry, but Warriors of Kyoshi don't have money."

"Fuck money! I'm a gods-damn princess. What would I need with money? I'm talking…hmm…how about this! Whoever wins, has to answer whatever question the other one asks."

Suki mulled it over, and decided that she could play that game. "Alright…except…whoever wins gets to ask five questions, because I've always wanted to ask a princess a few things."

Azula popped an eyebrow. "Think you're going to win?"

"After seeing that pitiful show of beating up on Sokka? I know I'm going to win."

The smile that creased Azula's face was something that Suki did not like at all. "You're on."

Suki really should have seen it coming. Really. She did her best, and put on a good show, but Azula caught her off-guard from the beginning, and against an opponent like that, there's really no recovering. Still…

I really should've seen that coming…

She so should've seen it coming, in fact, that, for the rest of the days remaining to her, she would wonder if she'd lost on purpose.

You just know Sokka is going to be mulling over that fight for a long, long time.

By the way, Suki isn't fighting Azula on Sokka's behalf, or because she's spent the past two years pining over the guy. That's not Suki's style. Still, who wants to see their ex engage in something that strangely resembles foreplay with someone else? Also, she was still pissed from Matron, which is why she snapped. She wants someone to take it out on.

Which is why she lost. She wasn't going into it with a clear head.

Exactly as Azula and Toph planned.

That's all for today! Like I said, sorry that I got around to it so late. I'd give you more in penance (heh), but, it's Wife Time! I wrote a good 15,000 words today, began plotting out Book Three, cleaned the house, did the dishes, made my wife super happy...I think that calls for a beer!

In the next chapter, Zuko has a bad dream. Stay tuned!