Looking behind him at the walls of Yu Dao, Sokka could help but feel relieved that he had made it out of the city, and now he could get himself and Azula out of harms way; gazing at the sentries on the wall, who took little notice of the peasant standing in the distance, he noted that they hadn't taken any notice to Kori's swift earthbending moves that had got them under the wall. He hadn't discussed any of her conversation with Mai, and from the implications of her brief details to Kori, he could deduct that the Princess had organised a meeting with her brother, however whether that meeting was going to lead to an Agni Kai or not was still in question. He turned to his companion, considering to ask her about the very topic before realising she was already walking away up hill back toward their campsite- she glanced back at him and glared him down.
"Hurry up- we need to get back to camp right now." she demanded of him, before turning back around and pacing herself uphill, forcing him to tail behind.
Walking their way along the winding path they made their way up into the lightly wooded hills that surrounded Yu Dao, closing in on their campsite that was hidden in a small valley, tucked away from peering eyes by a patch of woodland; as they walked up to the camp, the Captain approached the two of them, noting that both of them had a distinctive layering of dust over them.
"Your highness- what happened?" he asked of Azula, who glared at him momentarily, stepping closer as to not force herself to shout.
"I want you to get this camp packed up by this afternoon- we are required in the city this evening." she explained to the Captain, who looked at the Princess with confusion.
"O-of course your highness." he bowed, before glancing at her with intrigue, "It seems that your venture was successful." he noted, to which she scoffed at him.
"It isn't successful until I am Fire Lord in every sense of the word." she stated seriously, the Captain nodding in deference before walking away to deal with her orders; she glanced at his movements before heading back up to her tent, with the Water Tribesman following not far behind.
Stepping up to the entrance of her tent, the Princess glanced back at him, noting his dishevelled attire and rather pained face, "Sokka- you're dirty and injured- go clean yourself up for spirits sake, then I want you back here for a sparring session- I need to flex my bending before I rip my brother to shreds." she explained to him, Sokka nodding with slight distaste from her rather violent outlook, confirming his suspicions of her intended Agni Kai.
"Uh- yeah- I'll be back." he nodded at her, turning around and heading off in the other direction toward his tent, leaving the Princess be as he waddled his way back to his tent, realising that the wincing pains that be had endured from Mai's weapons were not passing with any ease.
He made his way back to his tent, passing by a number of other tents and a group of Yuyan Archers training, noting the techniques they were using for exercise; despite his profession as a warrior, he admitted that he probably wasn't as fit as would like to be, and decided that he ought to take some inspiration from the well disciplined soldiers. He made his way back over to his tent, and quickly shore off his torn shirt, and felt regretful that he had ruined Yano's clothing after the generosity that had he had made in giving them; he exchanged the ruined shirt for his grey and red Fire Nation style shirt and vest, which he wore instead of his original blue and white shirt that had been ripped to shreds in the attack on their camp by the White Lotus- his pants and boots were the last remnant of his original clothing, though he usually wasn't wearing them as he preferred the protection and warmth of the armour he had been provided by Azula. The Water Tribesman rubbed his shoulder to try and ease the pain from the attack, and noted the grazing cuts that Mai's weapons had made along his torso, much to his frustration- the injuries were trivial, but the pain from the light attacks was enough to annoy him constantly; he grabbed his boomerang and club, slinging them over his back, before stepping up from his tent to stretch his legs.
"Urgh- I don't want to fight her again..." he mumbled to himself, before slowly pacing himself back to the Princess's tent; after a short walk he stopped himself before calling out to her, "Azula?"
A few moments later she peered the fabric of the entrance out of the way, glancing at his changed attire before looking him in the eyes, "You changed quickly- I assume you're ready to spar?" she asked him, who shrugged his shoulders in response.
"It's better than sitting around aching in pain." he acknowledged, Azula chuckling at his attitude.
"Well if that's the case, let's go." she accepted, standing out of the tent; he noted immediately that she had dressed down for their spar, only wearing a thin top and leggings- a kind of attire he felt was odd for the woman he always saw in her armour or in disguise.
Walking away from the tent, she pointed out a flat area that was devoid of tents, and he took the command, pacing himself over to standing on the far side of the clearing, with her standing opposite, fists bared.
Before they begun, Azula raised a hand and noted his injuries, "I think it's only fair I go a little easy on you- you are a non-bender after all." she mocked him, making Sokka roll his eyes before drawing out his weapons.
"I can fight." he simply responded, before taking a battle-ready stance.
She took the first move, drawing out two strands of blue fire in her hands before twirling them in a clock-wise motion, sending a two beams of flames at him; he quickly took a defensive stance using his weapons to ward off the flames before he raced toward her as soon as he found a clear path. Surprised by his quick reaction, she swung her foot up in a kick of flames, sending a blast of fire right toward his face; forced to dodge, the Water Tribesman somersaulted before swinging his boomerang underneath the fire, the weapon careening right past her right side- now with only his club at hand he bared the weapon over his face to protect against any future blasts of fire. Now close enough to physically strike him, Azula coated her fists with blue flames, the fire pouring out like liquid as she threw punches at him, the Water Tribesman skillfully parrying her fists with his club; using his weapon as a shield, he pushed it forward at her, forcing her to back off as he skid down to a near prone position, nearly tripping her off her feet with his forward-most foot. She raised a hand, and with one swift motion sent out a slicing wave of fire, nearly setting his hair on fire- the near miss forced Sokka to the ground; rolling back into form, he drew his club out again, preparing to strike her before she could muster another attack. The Water Tribesman raced at her, who dropped down before sending out curt blasts of fire with her fingertips, hitting his knees, making him trip over and fall to the ground, his club flung to the side.
Azula stood over him, noting his practically defenseless state, "Declare defeat savage." she commanded of him, the Water Tribesman gritting his teeth before grumbling under his breath.
"Never." he mustered before jumping up in motion using his open hands to grab her waist and throw her to the ground, inadvertently flinging himself over the top of her.
Grunting from the landing she had taken, the Princess gritted her teeth in frustration, "You will pay for that!" she shouted at him, turning to punch a blast at him, forcing the Water Tribesman to roll to avoid her attack.
Returning to a fighting stance, Sokka stripped his vest, which he found overbearing with the strain of fighting- he noted his boomerang sitting to the side of the field, some way from both himself and Azula, but made no attempt to retrieve it, simply staring her down. Without another word, she pushed out two beams of fire from her hands, to which he reacted with a quick sidestep that turned into a sprint as he made his way circularly around the Princess; she returned to a standing form and covered her fists with flames once more, glaring him down.
"You overestimate your agility." she chided him, sending out a barrage of flames at his lower body in an attempt to trip him; the Water Tribesman jumped out of the way of her attacks, somersaulting in the direction of his boomerang before picking up the weapon.
"You overestimate yours." he mocked her before throwing the weapon at her- the boomerang careened on a wide arc, forcing Azula to pay attention to it's motion while Sokka took the opportunity to race at her; she sent out a blast of flames to send the boomerang off course before turning to face him as he charged toward her.
As he jumped in to tackle her, she found herself forcefully stepping backward, unaware that she had found herself in the boomerangs trajectory- the weapon struck her side on, making her wince in pain as he relentlessly charged in and forced her to the ground. Holding the Princess down with his hands, she smirked at his attempts to defeat her.
"Oh- you think that just because I'm on the ground you've won?" she questioned him, who raised a brow at her before she pushed her right side of her body harshly upward, flinging him over, leaving her to hold him in a lock.
Glancing up at her, he gulped fearfully before making an utterance, "Uh- you're on top now." he muttered, making her scoff at his rather unheeded innuendo.
"Shut it you." she demanded of him with a slight blush, Sokka nodding with defeat before he narrowed his eyes, making her consider that he mightn't have been finished fighting.
She was unprepared the following spit at her face, forcing her to reel back fearfully- he had taken advantage of her disdain of uncleanliness, and allowed him to grab his boomerang, which he turned to hold against her neck before she could ever react.
"Now- I think that's a fair draw this time." he commented, the Princess holding one of her hands with a ball of fire over his face; the Princess chuckle condescendingly at his claims.
"Is that so- would you like to stop fighting?" she asked of him, as if he was the 'weak one', making him roll his eyes.
"Mr. Boomerang is at your throat- I think that calls for a draw." he explained himself, Azula smirking at him.
"Well, why don't you make it a victory?" she mocked him, knowing all too well that he wouldn't try to harm her.
"Urgh- shut up- can you get off me now?" he pleaded to her, who relented and pulled herself up, lessening the flames in her hand to a cinder; she lent out a hand to help him up, the Water Tribesman raising a brow at her momentarily before accepting, "Uh- thanks." he acknowledged, dusting himself off as he stood up.
"I was thinking you might have had a better tactic than tackling me." she chuckled at the result of their spar, Sokka shrugging.
"Without any weapons it's the only thing I could do- firebenders aren't exactly easy to fight at a distance." he noted, the Princess considering his statement.
"How about chi-blocking- you said earlier that you wanted to learn some- it's a little more efficient and elegant that jumping on your enemies." she suggested to him, who smirked at the idea.
"Well it does sound helpful- but do you even know how to do it?" he asked her, who shrunk back in thought.
"Uh- I know the basics of it- I've mostly been on the receiving end however." she explained, making him chuckle in thought.
"Huh- it would be an easier way to defeat you, now that I think about it, especially if I could use that trick I did on Long Feng." he considered, smirking with confidence.
"So that settles it- I'll show you how it's done, and you'll try and learn from being beat up by it." Azula smirked at him, making Sokka step back, raising his hands defensively.
"We don't need to do it now- seriously- there's bett-" he tried to reason with her, finding himself interrupted by the Princess jabbing him with her fingers at his extremities, suddenly realising he couldn't move his hands, "W-wait what- it can do that?" he gasped in near horror of the power that such a skill would provide, and the fact that she could use it at a whim.
"It can do so much more- but to your luck, I don't know those moves, so I can't make an example of such blocks." she admitted, the Water Tribesman sighing in relief, before she tapped the points she had struck, to which he noted that his arms were numb.
"The numbness fades over time, depending on how intensity of the attack- that's why your strike on Long Feng was so effective, because the boomerang hit his pressure point at such a high speed." she explained the theory behind her attack, Sokka nodding with interest despite his numb arms; unable to balance himself properly, he fell onto his backside and glanced up at Azula with embarrassment.
"You know I picked up this skill completely by observation- I considered it useless for myself, but now I've found some use in teaching a non-bender such as yourself." she bragged to him, who rolled his eyes.
"Yeah by being beat up by your friend- what's her name- Ta Lee?" he asked her, the Princess immediately correcting him.
"Ty Lee- she is quite skilled in chi blocking, to the point at which I consider her skills could defeat a master bender if necessary- which is why I think it is compelling to teach you some of that." she explained her reasoning, the Water Tribesman nodding in agreement.
"Well I always ought to get better at fighting- you never know when somebody's going to try and kidnap you again." he joked, the Princess awkwardly laughing along with his jest.
"Y-yes, we're trying to avoid that very situation by getting all of this over and done with as quick as possible." she explained to him, the Water Tribesman nodding with a face of fear.
"You are right- but even if you get the throne, won't the White Lotus still try to get rid of you in exchange for your brother." he thought aloud, Azula glaring him down with resolve.
"So then it's simple- he dies." she simply stated, Sokka coughing and reeling back in shock.
"What no! You shouldn't have to kill your own brother to take the throne." he tried to argue against her fatal desires, the Princess chuckling at his further comments.
"No Sokka- you are right- it is not my brother who is at fault, but my insidious Uncle who has torn our family apart- he is more at fault for my fathers death than Zuko is- if it weren't for his meddling, I doubt my brother would have even been banished in first place." she proclaimed, shifting the blame squarely onto her uncle, who he knew all too well that she disdained to the point of wanting him dead.
"So what- are you just going to kill him instead- that's the smartest move I've ever seen." he sarcastically remarked, making her glare him down with slight contempt.
"We were meant to be practising chi-blocking- I don't know why you wanted to talk about who I ought to kill." she derided any further discussion, making him scoff at her ignorance.
"For one- you were the one talking about 'getting things done quick', which I already know the euphemism for," he remarked with distaste, "and for another, I know that you want to find someone to blame, but let's be honest here, the real person to blame is your father." he argued, making Azula glare at him.
"And why would that be- other than being 'evil', as you so regularly like to remind me?" she mockingly questioned him, the Water Tribesman rolling his eyes.
"He made you hate each other- although it mightn't have been his original intention, that's certainly what happened." he simply told her.
She scoffed at his claims, "You haven't met my brother or my father- if anything, my mother was to blame for her favouritism and moral bias." she grumbled at him, who looked at her with a sense of disappointment.
"Maybe I shouldn't try and stop you- I can trust you to make the right decision." he commented with a sense of defeat, realising he couldn't convince her of the real issue between her and Zuko.
"The 'right' decision? That's the one you'll protest- but then again, you're here to argue against my every decision, aren't you?" she asked him, Sokka shrugging his shoulders.
"I guess- it's a bit more complicated than that." he muttered, the Princess staring him down with intrigue, moving her face closer to his.
"Then what is it savage?" she questioned him, pushing him to make him reel back slightly in fear, although she couldn't deduct which kind- fear of injury or fear of the truth; she noted that he had just moving his arms, though only slightly, and smirked knowing that their training could finally continue.
"Well- can you feel your flimsy arms yet?" she asked him, the Water tribesman realising at that moment that his arms were again mobile, nodding with relief, rolling his shoulders to lift his arms up to his face.
"My fingers feel a little weird, but other than that I can move pretty well." he noted, making the Princess narrow her brow with a devious smirk.
"Now- let's see if you can do it." she told him, who paled in realisation he'd have to try and chi-block the Princess.
"Oh spirits..." he muttered under his breath, as he pulled himself back to his feet.
"Well okay- how about I don't use my bending." she offered, before pulling an arm back, "How about one hand?" she asked again, this time more mockingly; Sokka grumbled and raised his fists, ready to try what Azula had explained to him.
"Fine- let's go." he grumbled, the Princess smirking at him confidently.
"That's what I like to hear."
Standing at the door of her temporary residence, Mai stoically stood silently, unsure if she wanted to enter yet- beside her stood Kori, who had a similar sense of distaste- they both knew the reaction that Zuko might spout, her a bit more than the girl, but she knew well enough; Zuko and Azula's sibling rivalry ran deep- it was a feud that she had personally bore witness to, and she most certainly didn't want to play out in a potentially fatal duel- after hearing of his personal discouragement after the duel with his father, she knew that he didn't want to kill his sister. That struck a cord with her- that he cared enough about his sister that he didn't want to end up in a situation where he might inadvertently kill her; she didn't know if she felt the same- Mai knew her to be more than cruel, but she didn't seem to be capable of actual murder- not that she knew of any time that the Princess had personally killed anyone. The gravity of the situation was always in the back of her mind, but now she really had the sense of what was unravelling- if it wasn't an Agni Kai, it would be an open battle, and countless needless deaths would occur in the process; she considered that perhaps the Crown Princess was averse to having her own loyalists killed unnecessarily, or perhaps something deeper than that- the girl she knew would have ran in and massacred everyone in her path until she had her hands on her brother.
She breathed deeply after she broke her chain of thought, knowing that she had to tell him- turning to Kori, she acknowledged what was already apparent, "I can handle this- you can go home." she explained to her, who took her suggestion to heart, nodding sympathetically before turning her heels and walking back to her own house; opening the door of the house, Mai encountered the expected sight- the central table in the living room was covered with a map and small symbols that likely represented the stationed guards and units- Iroh and Zuko sat over the table, looking over the table, their discussion broken by Mai's return.
He pulled himself up and looked to her with interest, "M-Mai, you're back early- was it okay walking around with Kori?" he asked her, somewhat sympathetic of her probable boredom being stuck with a girl she barely knew.
"It was boring-" she acknowledged before her eyes narrowed, knowing all too well she had to tell the truth, "that was before I was stalked by some peasant- who then turned out to be Azula's goon." she explained, Zuko's eyes widening in shock.
"W-what- she had someone stalking you?!" he asked her, feeling personally attacked by the obvious threat against her.
"He wasn't after me actually- he was after Kori; that's not important, because Azula showed up a few moments later." Mai admitted, making him raise to his feet, clenching a fist.
"She didn't try to hurt you, did she?" he questioned with a face of near anguish, fearing that his sister would be so bold as to go after her.
"Nothing of the likes- she was quite cordial actually;" she explained, "Azula wanted to organise a meeting, which I agreed to-" Iroh raising a hand in interruption.
"When you say a meeting- you mean a-" he begun, Mai already nodding in understanding his question.
"Yes- an Agni Kai." she confirmed, the Fire Lord paling up visibly as he realised what he would have to do.
"By the spirits- it's really going to happen isn't it?" he asked rhetorically, his uncle patting him on the shoulder.
"My nephew, you have trained tirelessly in preparation for such a duel- there is no way that you could lose, not after going so far and so long to fight for your nation's future." he offered in advice to his nephew, who smiled with hope from his Uncle's words.
"You're right Uncle- I will win- not my own sake, but for all of ours." he proclaimed confidently, both Mai and Iroh appreciating his change in tone.
She stepped closer, "She wants to do it tonight-" being cut off by Zuko in confusion.
"Tonight?! Is she that eager to fight?" he questioned her, who nearly chuckled at his comment.
"No- she told me herself that she doesn't want you to have a chance to try and find her camp- I believe that she is doing this good faith Zuko, and this is Azula we're talking about, she's no angel." she explained, Iroh chuckling at her joke.
"That is true." he laughed, patting his nephew on the shoulder, earning him a glance of frustration from his nephew, who thought his jocular attitude was unsuitable for the topic at hand.
The Fire Lord stepped up, "Can we trust her? Azula always lies- that's a saying I hold close to my heart." he questioned her, who sighed in frustration.
"I understand why you don't trust her Zuko, but how do you want to end this civil war- on the field of battle or in an honour-bound duel that will ensure that there is no blood spilt?" she questioned, making him nod in understanding.
"I don't want to be tricked- that's all."
"That's why asked Azula that she come alone- she won't have her guards to try and back her up- you've got Iroh, I'm sure she won't try anything stupid- she's not stupid." she explained, assuring him that he would be safe to duel Azula fairly without the chance of her trying to have him dishonourably killed.
"Well- I guess we'll have to go ahead with it- I don't want to look like a coward in the eyes of my generals- I must do what is right." he assured himself, Mai knowing too well that he was heavily conflicted with fighting his sister, especially after the outcome of his duel with his father.
His uncle looked to her with interest, "Lady Mai- I must ask, who was my niece's companion?"
Mai cleared her mind to try and remember his name, "Ah- his name was Sokka- a lanky and downtrodden man, although I'm sure that was part of his disguise, to look like Colonial peasant." she noted, Iroh scratching his beard as he continued.
"My allies reported that my niece was accompanied by a Water Tribesman- is this that same man?" he asked her, who nodded, making the two royals both look in utter confusion.
"This is Azula we're talking about right?" the FIre Lord questioned, "My sister who disavowed the other nations as being full of 'idiotic and dirty degenerates'?" he questioned the reality of what she had just told him.
"No he was certainly Water Tribe- the blue eyes proved it." she explained, Iroh furrowing his brow.
"And what exactly would have led to my niece taking a Water Tribesman into her company?" he questioned, Mai shrugging.
"How would I know? She didn't give me any details as to how they met." she bluntly admitted.
"So- is he like her boyfriend or something?" he questioned, making her scoff at the possibility of his sister in a romantic relationship.
"Your sister hardly has time for friends, let alone lovers." she argued, the Fire Lord pressing his question.
"But did they seem close? It's not like she would let a foreigner hang around her if she didn't like him." he considered, the stoic girl rolling her eyes.
"Perhaps- they talked to and about each other casually- so maybe you're right- you can judge for yourself tonight." she explained, Zuko nodding in realisation he'd have all the time in the world to analyse Azula's new companion when he would show up with her group.
"Well- uh- I guess I'll do some training to prepare- that puts most of our military plans on hold Uncle, if you don't mind." he explained, his uncle nodding sympathetically.
"This is far more important nephew- you'll need to work on your sets, ensure you are well grounded for this duel; Azula is a whole different kind of firebender from her father- tough, regimental and analytical- you can't have any weak spots." he detailed his idea of what his training would have to consider.
Mai stepped in with her own advice, "If you can't defeat her with your brawn, you have to outsmart her if you want a chance." she noted, to which he nodded in comprehension, gasping as he came to realise the connections between their ideas.
"If I can predict what she will do then I can defeat her-" he realised, Iroh nodding in agreement, "and I have something she doesn't." he considered, both his uncle and Mai looking at him with considerable fear.
"Zuko you can't possibly consider purposefully trying to redirect lightning again- it's dangerous! If you make one mistake, you could die." he explained to his nephew, who shrugged off his uncle's fears, Mai nodding in agreement with his sentiment.
"Zuko- if it doesn't kill you, what if it kills her?" she offered to him, the Fire Lord considering the dilemma he had at hand- he could be given an opportunity of reasonably certain victory with the chance of accidentally killing either himself or his sister- Zuko knew the risk was there, his uncle had warned him before his duel with his own father even about the same threat.
"I- I don't know if I can control it." he lamented, his uncle glancing to him with hope.
"If you can find the peace in your heart that you desire, perhaps you will be able to." he explained to Zuko, who smiled with a more upbeat attitude.
"Maybe-" he muttered, "maybe you're right."
"Dad, we need to talk."
Mayor Morishita raised his eyes to acknowledge his daughter, "About what Kori?"
"I know this is the last thing you're going to want to hear, but you can't support Zuko." she bluntly told him, her father's eyes opening wide.
"W-wait what- you want me to support the insane Princess who had me threatened- nearly killed?!" he questioned his daughter's judgement, Kori shaking her head.
"That was my fault Dad- I told her when you would still be your office so they could rustle you up." she admitted, her father standing from his seated position, pointing at his daughter accusingly.
"How could you? You're my daughter, my only child- I gave you everything, and this is how you repay me- by letting me become a pawn in someone else's game?!" he questioned her, his voice raised as loud as it could without the chance of the Fire Lord himself hearing next door.
"It was only to prove a point- which you clearly didn't get- he's going to take our home away- break our family apart, all to achieve 'peace'." she proclaimed, her father rubbing the bridge of his nose in frustration.
"I know that Kori- and that's why it's best he see our colony- the great progress that has been made here from when it was just a small Earth Kingdom fishing village! If he believes we're against him, it will only double his resolve to remove the colonies." he argued to his daughter, who clenched her fists in frustration.
"Father! If we don't do anything, then how can we resist- if there's a chance that Yu Dao can continue to be the place that I love- then I will fight for that chance, no matter what." she told her father with steely confident eyes, making him sigh with defeat.
"I can't persuade you otherwise?" he asked her with little hope of a positive response, his daughter shaking her head with no relent.
"I could ask you the same thing father..." she noted, the Mayor placing a hand on her shoulder.
"Kori- I can't protect you if you go ahead with whatever you're planning- I'll probably go down with you in the case, so will your mother- are you willing to let that happen?" he asked her, Kori's eyes narrowing at him with frustration.
"Can you just stand there and watch while our livelihoods might be taken from us?" she questioned him, her father turning away.
"I must do what I believe is best for Yu Dao- if the Princess is to take power then we will support her, as would be expected, but until then, I will not risk the lives of my fellow citizens for a political agenda that has no hope against the might of our nation's armies." he simply explained himself, refusing to look back at his daughter.
"Maybe you should talk to Mum about this, maybe she can drill some sense into you." she suggested with a tone of spite, before turning around and returning to the door, her father taking note of her intention to leave.
"And where do you think you're going" he questioned her in an attempt to assert his parental authority, her eyes narrowing in steely resolve once more.
"To find my boyfriend- that's what." she grit her teeth before opening the door and slamming it in one swift motion.
Storming away from the door, she nodding in acknowledging the guards protecting her home before walking off down the street toward the middle of the city; making her way along Kori considered what her father had told her- his argument was justifiable but she couldn't she how he was willing to support it- she knew him to be a true patriot, more than most in the Fire Nation- she believed that he would have thought better to support Azula, who was clearly the more proper heir to her father- she would support the colonies and continue the prosperity that Yu Dao had experienced for years to come. She walked through the busy crowds, the pathways even more filled than they were when she walked with Mai- the city was bustling with commerce, but even she could admit the traffic was a little frustrating; she took a number of back paths through narrow alleyways to make her way toward Sneer's residence, where she guessed he would be around this time of day- either there or at work- she knew that he was working as an apprentice under his uncle at one of the many metalworking workshops, and guessed if he weren't at home then he would be there. Making her down an alleyway she noted on the wall a distinctive poster- it showed a crude drawing of Zuko being defeated by Azula while fire burned all around them- below the image she could make out the words 'our fate', which chilled to the bone; she knew all too well if she couldn't prevent an open conflict, her city would be the first battleground of the inevitable civil war, which would probably lead to the expulsion of the colonies if the Earth Kingdom was to take full advantage of the Fire Nation's moment of weakness- her family, her life, everything she loved could be taken away by two siblings feuding over a throne.
Leaving the alleyway, Kori walked along one of larger streets, approaching the apartment block in which Sneers and his uncle lived; glancing up at the building she noted how decrepit it seemed in comparison to her families house, which was a detached building, unlike the complex of buildings she saw forming a wall of balconies, roofs and windows. She made her way to the entrance of the complex, a narrow gate that lead to a staircase, leading her up two the second storey of the building- she walked down a narrow walkway that bounded the interior portion of the apartment complex, bounding the small gardens that lay in between blocks of buildings. She knocked on the door to Sneers apartment- and after a few moments she heard someone behind the door; moments later, the door opened- her boyfriend stood before her, happy that she had decided to make an appearance, but upon seeing her face, he knew immediately that something bad had happened.
"Kori... what happened?" he asked her, making her blush in embarrassment that he had immediately noticed her mood.
"Oh- my father is being foolish, and not just with his drinking habits, but with the fate of Yu Dao." she explained, Sneers nodding sympathetically.
"So I'm guessing he didn't take to your ideas that well- Azula probably didn't help." he noted, Kori nodding in affirmation.
"Yeah about that- she showed up in the city today when I was meant to be giving the Fire Lord's girlfriend a tour." she admitted, her boyfriend raising a brow in shock; he had got some experience with military tactics from his time in the Freedom Fighters, and he knew that it was a stupid idea to run in just after making a big threatening move, especially when your enemies would be looking for you.
"So how did that go down?" he asked her, who sighed with relief.
"The two of them were friends before all of this, so they were able to cut a deal for an Agni Kai between Azula and her brother- that's a firebender duel." she explained, Sneers shrugging at her explanation- he had little understanding of Fire Nation cultural customs- most of his knowledge coming off handedly from talking to Kori about the things she would do differently to him, and even then she was half Earth Kingdom herself, and an earthbender.
"So they're going to fight- does this help you or not?" he questioned, unsure if a battle between two royals would do any good for Yu Dao.
"If Azula wins, Yu Dao will be safe- who ever wins that fight will be undeniably Fire Lord, so we have to ensure it will happen, for the sake of peace at the very least." she explained Sneers nodding in understanding.
"Well then- I guess you want to help it happen?" he asked, Kori nodding.
"That's where you come in- I need you to go find some of my fellow disenchantees- they will help us protect the Princess from a potential sneak attack- keep the peace while all of this goes on." she explained, Sneers looking at her with confusion.
"Why is this your responsibility- couldn't she just protect herself?" he questioned her, who turned back to him, trying to reiterate her point in a more understandable fashion.
"She can't attack her own people, that goes against what she is trying to stand for- a united Fire Nation; she needs people like me to act as a buffer to stop the Fire Lord or any of his supporters from doing anything that could spark an open fight." she explained to Sneers, who sighed in realisation that he would be directly supporting a future Fire Lord, all for the round about reasoning of protecting his girlfriend- he knew though that his love for her came before any ideological hatred he might have for the Fire Nation and their policies- he had to act to save her, because if he couldn't do that, he wouldn't be worthy of her love.
"Well- there's no time like the present." he admitted, stepping out of the doorway and closing the door behind him.
She raised a brow at him, "No work today?" she questioned, Sneers chuckling at her question.
"I may or may not have told my Uncle I was sick just so I could be prepared for a situation like this." he smirked with a sense of humour, making Kori laugh at him.
"Oh Sneers- what would I do without you?" she rhetorically asked him, making him leap in for a hug, which she accepted wholeheartedly- after a few moments of tense holding, Sneers let go and smiled at her optimistically.
"Let's save this city."
Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Sokka glared at Azula, who stood across from him in form, ready to counter his attempts at chi-blocking her; in the span of a few hours he had gotten better- no master, but he had grasped the basics of the skill- the chi-points were the hardest part to figure out, but once they were in his mind, all it took was a well-aimed throw from his boomerang to make her limbs to act more like seal blubber than muscles.
"Come on savage- I don't have all day." she chided him, who chuckled at the literal interpretation of her jest.
"Well- you're not wrong." he admitted, glancing to note the arc of the afternoon sun- although he could tell they were barely past midday, her intended entrance to Yu Dao was fast approaching.
Around them the camp had been slowly dissembled, and the guards themselves had took to playing games while they waited for the sun to drop to the horizon- after the Captain's intense ordering, they had incidentally got all the work done far too early- that barring Azula's own tent, which was being left up until she asked for it to be taken down. Glaring at her, the Water Tribesman plotted his first move, and decided to fawn an attack to the left, throwing his right arm out to hit her shoulder, only to have his left leg kick her shin, forcing her to one knee as she attempted to block his moves without her bending- she was a skilled hand-to-hand fighter, but he had the edge of hands on experience when it came to such fighting. With one of her legs down, he jabbed her shoulder with his free left hand which she didn't expect, breaking free from a quick hold she had attempted to make on his hands.
"Argh- you savage!" she squealed in frustration, using her free leg to kick up, kneeing Sokka's funny-bone so hard it made him scream in pain, reeling back and allowing her to regain her footing.
"Ow! What was that for?" he questioned her, the Princess smirking back at him confidently.
"I can still fight you with one hand silly- this isn't over." she chided him, taking a form that looked stupendous with her right arm drooping down, unusable in it's current state of paralysis.
"Me too." he mocked her, placing one arm behind his back before she charged at him attempting to sidestep his form to strike his abdomen- the Water Tribesman reacted with a somersault roll before striking Azula's lower back with the tip of his fingers.
"Argh!" she squealed in frustration as her legs slumped, forcing her to a crawl.
"Okay you have to give up now- look at yourself!" he asked of her, the Princess glaring him down in frustration.
"I will not stand for this embarrassment!" she declared, unable to stop Sokka lending out a hand.
"Come on, I'll help you back to the tent- you can recover there." he offered her, who bit her lip and glared him down.
"I will do no such thing- I will fight you with my bare hands!" she grit her teeth, the Water Tribesman raising a brow.
"One hand." he corrected her, making her muffle a scream of frustration at him; she for one did not appreciate being defeated by a non-bender, though she told herself it didn't count because she purposefully refused to bend to make it fair.
He knelt down before her, allowing her to punch him weakly, as to vent her frustration, before he lay his arms under her knees and behind her back, lifting her from the ground to hold her up; he turned around to the tent which only stood a few paces away and indicated with a tilt of his head.
"I'm just taking you there- this isn't like last time." he explained, Azula rolling her eyes.
"Correct- last time I could walk." she glared at him, Sokka ignoring her complaints and drudging slowly over to the tent, pushing through the canvas opening to walk inside; he took her over to her bed, dropping her into a seated position on the beside, her face still glaring him down with frustration.
"You didn't need to do that- I was fine by myself." she told him with anger, who shrugged his shoulders at her attempt to argue with him.
"Would have you rather yourself out there angrily writhing in the mud while your men watched, or here where you can be angry in seclusion?" he asked her, who glared back at him- he knew that she agreed with his advice, but she was too proud to admit it, "Wasn't that the goal anyway- to make me a skilled chi-blocker?" he asked her, the Princess staring at him with a face of disappointment.
"I created my own worst nightmare, didn't I?" she lamented, the Water Tribesman laughing at her attitude.
"Hey now I can disable anybody who tries anything- you'll be safe, and seem even more intimidating without lifting a finger!" he argued, Azula shrugging at his idea with disinterest.
"Perhaps- it doesn't really matter too much- I'll be Fire Lord soon, and you'll be heading home, isn't that right?" she asked him, who looked at her in confusion.
"I'm here to the bitter end- where-ever my instincts take me, which has currently been on this journey around the world." he admitted to her, who glared him down with frustration.
"Don't spill those lies to me- I know you're here for more than just a fateful journey." she chided him for his dishonesty, Sokka raising his hands defensively.
"Hey- I didn't lie..." he argued, looking at her with consideration, "But you're right- that's not the whole truth." he admitted, the Princess raising an eyebrow at him, looking up at his face from her seated position.
"So what then Sokka- what's your deal?" she asked him, who chuckled at her interest.
"No- no- there's no deal." he admitted, kneeling down beside her, "There's only... you." he simply told her, Azula looking at him with slight confusion.
"What do you mean m-" she begun to form a question, being cut off by his lips meeting her own; the feeling of butterflies in her stomach contended with the anger she felt for such an intrusion, but the warm feelings ultimately overcame them, her eyes closing as she embraced the unexpected kiss.
After a few moments, his lips broke with hers and he moved away, realising at that moment that he overstepped a number of boundaries in a single action, "Oh spirits- I- I'm sorry for doing that- it w-" he begun, trying to make an excuse, only cut off by the Princess raising a finger to his mouth.
"Do you regret that kiss savage?" she asked him almost inquisitively, Sokka dropping his head in shame.
"No- I- I shouldn't have done it without asking." he admitted, Azula rolling her eyes at him, feeling that she knew he was confident enough to tell her the truth.
"Well- I find that I might have taken my little 'don't stop until I own you' idea a bit further than expected." she admitted in humour, to which he blushed in realising she had perhaps similar feelings to his own.
"So- does this mean- do y-" he tried to ask her, being cut off by another kiss, this time initiated by her; she pushed strongly into her motion, holding his lips against hers, pushing him backward strongly- he remained steadfast and held the embrace of lips; the Princess showed that she was more than willing to make him feel uncomfortable, even in embrace.
"You're mine savage." she told him, making him blush in realising the situation that had just unfolded- an unexpected revelation of feelings on her behalf- he had half expected her to burn his face off for even trying what he did.
Sokka remained quiet for a second as she stared him down, her face only a few inches from his own, "U-uh- so that happened." he mumbled, the Princess smirking and raising a brow at him.
"Yes it did savage, brilliant observation!" she mocked him, "Is that all you have to say for yourself?" she furthered with a question.
He cleared his throat before responding, "I- I feel that you're more than a friend to me." he admitted, Azula nodding in acknowledgement before jesting at him.
"So- more like a master?" she mocked him, who rolled his eyes at her interpretation.
"N-no- you know what I mean." he berated, making the Princess glance at him with intrigue.
"Loyalty is one thing- this is another." she noted, before smirking at him, "It's not that I don't consider things like any other girl- I just happen to be someone with great ambition and little time for such trivialities- I'm appreciative you haven't fled from me already in fear of utter emasculation." she explained her own point of view, the Water Tribesman nodding with a grimace.
"I'm long past emasculation- you're a master strategist, warrior and firebender- how can I compare?" he shrugged to her, the Princess rolling her eyes at his pessimism.
"You may never be royalty Sokka- but you can achieve things, only if you have the stomach to do it." she noted, Sokka looking to her with concern.
"What- like killing a sibling?" he asked her, who sighed in frustration of his intent focus on her view toward Zuko.
"I am not intending to kill my brother, despite how much he has dishonoured our family and annoyed me personally," she chided him, leaning in closer, "but if he thinks he can get away with trying to do so to me, he is sorely mistaken." she glared him down, the Water Tribesman nodding in fierce agreement.
"I won't let anything like that happen- my new skill will stop that." he affirmed her, who chuckled at his drive.
"What- are you going to try and knock my brother out with your boomerang?" she questioned him as to consider his idea stupid.
"Well I can try- it can't be that hard- he won't be wearing a helmet will he?" he questioned her.
She rolled her eyes at his comments, "No Sokka- all he'll be wearing is pants and the traditional metal bands, if he decides to show up for the Agni Kai in the first place."
He raised an eyebrow at her explanation of the clothing conventions of the duel, "So wait- what do you wear?" he asked, the Princess raising a brow at the potentially lewd implications of his question.
"I will be sufficiently covered up savage- perhaps to your disappointment." she mocked him, who blushed a bright red, stammering in response.
"No! That isn't important- keeping you safe is!" he exclaimed, standing by his position that he was with Azula first and foremost to help and by extension, protect her from threats.
"You love to keep me safe despite the fact you're reckless and beyond idiotic." she jested at him, making Sokka shrug in note of the basis in her claim.
"I am reckless, but I have reason to my actions." he countered, leading her to lean in slightly closer to his face.
"So then Sokka, how did you reason that kiss?" she questioned him, making him blush before clearing his throat.
"U-uh- instincts?" he told her, unsure if he had made the 'right' answer.
"Oh, so your instincts tell you both how to find planted explosives as well as guide you in the art of wooing." she mocked him, noting his casual tendency to credit his instincts for everything he did.
"I guess I could say it was the feeling of the situation- your words don't say everything." he explained himself further, the Princess raising a brow.
"Then what was my face saying?" she questioned him, who simply shrugged before breathing in deeply.
"That you wanted what I did." he admitted quietly, unsure if he was stepping over any of her boundaries, knowing that he had probably already done so.
She remained quiet for a few moments before nodding, "You're right Sokka- but that's not important right now." she told him, stretching her now mobile legs, as to prepare herself to stand up; the Water Tribesman offered out a hand, which she accepted, pulling her to her feet; turning to face him once again, the Princess smirked, "I have a duel to win."
"It's not that late- we should probably go back to practice." Sokka asked her, the Princess raising a brow at him.
"After the beating you gave me- I'd prefer not, unless you'd like to do a proper spar." she offered, the Water Tribesman gulping at the thought of getting incidentally set on fire.
"I like my clothes- they're the wrong colours, but I don't want to have to get new ones... again." he admitted.
"That is true- I'll get the Captain and the men to do some sets with me." she explained before considering that she had left him without much to do, "Uh- you can... do whatever you like- just don't prance around and let Zuko find us."
He nodded in agreement, "That would throw a spear into your plans, so yeah- reading?" he considered, the Princess raising a brow and pointing to the chest beside them.
"I have a few books in my chest- some of them might interest you- mostly about the early history of the Fire Nation, which mightn't surprise you to be full of war and death." she explained, the Water Tribesman considering her offer.
"Sounds interesting- I'll give it a try, and a open mind, although I doubt this will improve my opinion of your people." he confirmed, chuckling it thought, "Perhaps I'll start calling you savage in compensation for your ancestors actions." he jested, the Princess glaring at his cheap joke.
"Yes- I'm sure you have a fun time thinking of new ways to make fun of your enemies." she noted, before she turned to leave the tent.
He raised a hand a curtly waved, "Good luck!" he called out, Azula acknowledging by raising her hand as she left the tent, dropping the canvas opening, leaving him alone in her tent by himself; Sokka breathed out deeply after realising what had just transpired.
"Oh spirits- I'm not dead..."
Holding herself upon her komodo rhino steed, the Crown Princess of the Fire Nation looked upon the valley that Yu Dao was situated in- the sentries upon the cities wall had noted the appearance of her group, which explicitly bore Fire Nation flags to prove that they were there representing their nation's interests, as she wanted them to; more than a physical duel between her and her brother, Azula knew this encounter was her first real public appearance since she left Ba Sing Se, and ultimately she sought to make the greatest impression she could upon the people- if she would not inspire awe from her future subjects, then she would inspire fear from her might. Turning to the Captain, who sat upon his own mount patiently awaiting her orders, she decided to make the order.
"We ride to the gates, if they do not open them after- let's say, a minute, then we burn the gates down and continue forward; is that understood?" she questioned him, who nodded confidently at her.
"Of course your highness- we will not fail you." he nodded, raising his fist to signal the mounted groups movement toward the city; one by one, each of the komodo rhinos filed down the hillside toward the city gates that lay before them, earning them the attention the undivided attention of the guards who stood at the gates.
As they approached the gate, the guards stood forward with pikes bared, but lowered to the side, clearly showing they didn't intend to pick a fight; one of them stood forward to acknowledge their arrival, bowing to the Princess, "Your highness- we were informed of your arrival, and your brother awaits you where requested." the guard explained, the Princess smirking at the knowledge that her request to Mai had clearly gone through.
"Good- please provide my men with the directions they require to get us there." she requested of the guard who immediately nodded, turning to the Captain and the other mounted guards, "Head directly along this main road past the city-square, and you will eventually reach the barracks, near the West Gate." he explained, the Captain nodding and motioning his hand forward, acknowledging that they should commence moving once more.
With that the group picked up pace again, with Azula, Sokka and the Captain in lead- as she entered the city, the Princess immediately noted crowds, a number of which held what seemed to be blue flags that imitated the Fire Nation one- she could only guess that those were to show their support to her, as she was the only person known to bare blue fire, a unique trait only fitting of a firebender of her calibre.
Sokka turned to her with interest, "Blue flags huh- these people must like you." he noted, to which she rolled her eyes to state the obvious.
"Kori has done her job well- if we're lucky they'll overpower the guards and declare me Fire Lord." she considered, making the Water Tribesman shake his head in disapproval.
"Huh- always with the damn conspiracies." he mumbled to himself, the Princess ignoring his comments as she pulled herself into form, trying to keep up her image of strength in public- not that she would fear the townsfolk of Yu Dao, but that her enemies best think twice before considering her just some girl who happened to be the last Fire Lord's daughter, but a fearsome leader in her own right.
As they rode forward, the townsfolk stepped back somewhat fearfully, her line of komodo rhinos walking down the main road of the city- all eyes were on the Princess as she led her unit of komodo rhinos into the city; she smirked in thought that she was a distracting figure- her arrival would ensure that the Yuyan Archers would be able to infiltrate the city without being noticed. Her plans were finally coming to fruition, all she needed now was to face her brother, the foolish adolescent she hadn't seen in nearly five years; when she had heard of his duel with Zhao, she was almost proud of him-she knew one thing, and that was that Zuko was not the same child she had known, for better or for worse. The group made their way along the main road, riding around the large City Hall that stood out in the centre of the cities road network, onlookers still aghast at the appearance of the Princess and her force in the city- behind her she could see those holding blue flags continuing behind their group, as to show their support for the Princess; Azula reminded herself to thank Kori for her great work in creating an atmosphere of power and intimidation that she loved to flout. Finally the group rode down the final stretch of the road, where at the end of which she spotted a group of Imperial Firebenders, a clear sign of her brother's presence; as she approached their leader stood forward to address her, the Princess remaining steadfast at the head of her group.
"Your highness- his majesty the Fire Lord has agreed to your meeting, he has requested that you come to the sparring ground without your guards." he explained, the Captain looking to her with frustration.
"My Princess- you cannot stand for this, we are sworn to protect you." he demanded, his words more directed at the guard before them than himself.
She raised a hand to indicate for him to be quiet, "I agree to these terms- I assume you and your men will be accompanying me to the Fire Lord?" she questioned the guard, who nodded in confirmation.
"As is protocol, your highness." he stated before raising his arm to indicate she follow, the Princess rolling her eyes before dismounting her komodo rhino.
Suddenly the sound of a bang reverberated throughout the street, the Princess turning to see that Sokka had thrown his helmet to the ground, stepping himself down from his komodo rhino; she turned to him with slight shock and anger, seeing that he might have just made a fool of her.
"Excuse me- what exactly are you doing?!" she asked him with a clear tone of annoyance, the Water Tribesman shrugging his shoulders.
"He said without your guards- I'm not a guard, I'm just your foreign lackey." he denigrated himself, explicitly pointing out his blue eyes and swarthy skin, the Imperial Guard looking to him with confusion.
"Oh- um- I assume that if he is of no threat to the Fire Lord, then he can accompany you." he explained to her, who nodded with a smug smile.
"Oh he's of no threat at all, believe me." she affirmed the guards belief, making Sokka roll his eyes as he followed behind, the Captain looking to the Water Tribesman with frustration- the two of them caught eyes for a moment before he followed the Princess into the crowd of Imperial Guards.
Being chauffeured by the Imperial Guards, they walked up to the barracks of the local garrison where before them stood someone the Princess was quite familiar with; his pot-belly and warm smile brought a sense of disgust to her very being.
"Uncle." she muttered, the retired general nodding at her.
"Niece- it has been too long." he noted to her, raising an eyebrow at Sokka, who he immediately noted as being 'the Water Tribesman', "You must be Sokka- I've heard very little of how you and my niece actually came to meet- I'd love to hear the story." he smiled at him.
He coughed and chuckled, feeling slightly uncomfortable with another person knowing exactly who he was without having even met, "Uh- well it's a long one." he replied, earning the ire of the Princess, who thought he ought to try and ignore her uncle, like she had done.
"Even better!" he chuckled, before lending a hand behind him, pointing out to the sparring field that lay out behind the barracks itself, "You'll be doing your duel there, as you requested." he indicated to Azula, who barely nodded, refusing to speak to him; he cleared his throat before pointing to the barracks themselves, "You ought to get changed in there- you did want a traditional duel, did you not?" he asked her.
She smirked at the opportunity to make a comment, "Ah yes- just like the last one I witnessed- less of a crowd, but Zuko will learn his lesson none the less." she explained to her Uncle coldly as she stepped closer to him before walking into the barracks, leaving his presence quickly enough that he couldn't rebuke her.
The retired general turned to Sokka, who stood in awe of what his niece had just said, "So- is she always like this?" he questioned, the Water Tribesman chuckling at his words.
"Not really- she just really hates you." he bluntly admitted, Iroh's brows raising in a face of agreement.
"No kidding..." he mumbled under his breath, before turning to him more directly, "How about that story- I am truly invested in it." he admitted with a chuckle, the Water Tribesman shrugging in nonchalance, "Uh I guess I can tell you the details- it's not the prettiest story." he admitted to him, the retired general sighing at his sentiment.
"They never are- would you mind for a cup of tea?" he asked him, who raised a brow at him.
"Huh, she did say you really liked tea..." he mumbled, before nodding, "Of course I'd appreciate it." he affirmed to Iroh who indicated him to follow, leading Sokka out to a small pavilion where there was seating in front of the sparring field.
He drew out his tea-pot and quickly got to boiling it, sitting down on a small cushion, indicating for him to follow him to another; looking to the Water Tribesman with interest, he asked, "So how does our story begin?" he asked, Sokka sighing before beginning his long-winded tale.
"My tribe was attacked by the Fire Nation many times- and because of these raids, my people lost our waterbenders and only city- I joined my father on a expedition with many other tribesmen to go help the Earth Kingdom against the Fire Nation; when we got there, it turned out there wasn't much Earth Kingdom left." he explained, the retired general nodding in agreement.
"Ah yes- the comet truly did spell an end to their efforts." he noted, before continued to explain.
"After a few months our group was hired for a mission to capture and retrieve a high ranking Fire Nation noble- at the time, I had no idea that was the Princess and who hired us." he continued, the older man raising a brow at his explanation.
"So you do know who hired you- correct?" he asked, Sokka glaring at him with slight annoyance.
"Yes- some asshole called Jeong Jeong- you might know him?" he asked Iroh, who cleared his throat and nodded.
"He was an Admiral in the Fire Navy for many years before he defected, some years ago now." the retired general noted, to which he shook his head in disapproval.
"No I mean in the Order of the White Lotus, your little gang of conspirators." he bluntly corrected, Iroh stopping for a moment, realising that Sokka, and by extension Azula, had understanding of the White Lotus and their role in the events that had transpired.
"I must stress, I had nothing to do with Jeong Jeong's plan- I simply explained to the Order that we ought to support my nephew's aspirations to become Fire Lord."
He chuckled almost mockingly at his explanation, "Well they certainly did so." he explained, the retired general shaking his head in confusion.
"You were part of that group that came to capture her, were you not? I misunderstand why you are angry at me." he asked in confusion, Sokka shaking his head, realising that he had sidetracked himself with Azula's own agenda- he wanted to protect and defend her, but he knew that might have been to harsh on the old man.
"I'm sorry- uh- as I was saying, we were hired to kidnap Azula without knowing that it was her- it was a disaster, most of the men were beaten on the deck and we were forced to sink the ship to allow for an escape." he returned to his story, the General nodding in understanding.
"But you didn't make it out." he suggested to him, who nodded in confirmation.
"Yes- I distracted a number of the guards to allow for my people to escape, and then I tried to duel Azula again."
"Again?" he questioned, the Water Tribesman shrinking back in embarrassment.
"She knocked me out when me and my men tried to capture her." he noted, making him chuckle at the turn of events.
"Well then- so the ship sank then, leaving you stranded?" he thought, the Water Tribesman nodding.
"Yes- I used a metal crate to float on as I swam away, trying to get to the shore- I woke up the next day on the beach, and soon after that I found Azula again." he continued,
"She wanted to fight me, but she had strained her ankle, so then I got away with trading water- after that we hunted boar, hiked northward, fought deserters, found a village and then escaped from it, finally getting to this port town called Huangwen." he explained, Iroh confused by the quick explanation he had given to the turn of events.
"Wow- it sounds like you had quite the journey." he noted, Sokka sighing in agreement.
"That was just getting out of that damn forest- after that I had to stop a conspiracy in Ba Sing Se, before coming here, to do this." he noted, the retired general nodding in interest.
"So why are you here Sokka?" he questioned, the Water Tribesman not wanting to actually explain himself.
"I- uh- I want to help the world." he tried to explain himself, Iroh raising a brow with interest.
"By supporting my niece?" he questioned, almost mockingly at him, knowing all too well Azula's nature.
"She's not that bad- at least when you get to know her." he explained, raising a finger in realisation of his point, "That being said, she did attempt to kill me over boiled water, so I can see where you're coming from." Sokka noted, to which the older man chuckled, pouring out his tea-pot it's contents filling two small cups.
"Here's your tea- your story is interesting to say the least." he commented on his story, the Water Tribesman nodding as he grabbed the cup to hold in his hand.
"I question why I chose the path I did when I did, but I don't regret it now." he admitted, Iroh smiling at him, raising his cup.
"That is respectable- you have faith in your actions- true conviction." he noted, before his tone turned more solemn, "Your path has lead you here, but trust me that this is not a place that will bring anyone joy."
"I know." he mumbled in agreement, turning to look at the barracks where he knew Azula was preparing for the duel.
"So why are you here?" he asked him, reiterating his question; Sokka sighed, knowing all too well the fate that would befall one of the siblings once the duel took place.
"I- I want to save her."
Standing in the change-room of the garrison barracks, Azula breathed in and out slowly, ensuring that she was prepared to use her firebending as efficiently as possible; the Princess didn't want to believe her brother had become somehow as good a firebender as her, but she knew after the events that had transpired in the capital, she ought to take the precaution to consider him a serious opponent- five years prior she wouldn't have even blinked before starting a fight with her incompetent brother, but she knew at that time he wasn't capable of fighting her, let along having the will to go through with it, as evidenced by his forfeit with his disgraceful first Agni Kai. Checking her outfit, she ensured that her metal bands and hair were in place- she knew that if she ought to make a spectacle of herself, she best be looking perfect; she turned to glance at the door, unsure if she should leave the room just yet- she knew facing her brother was inevitable, but now with it just around the corner, she felt at odds with a part of herself that didn't want to fight- she pushed those thoughts back into the recesses of her mind, turning her attention fully to the duel that she knew she had to win. She opened the door and glanced out, noting the courtyard to be empty in front of her except for Sokka and Iroh, sitting drinking tea- the Water Tribesman acknowledged her with a wave.
"Azula-" he called out, stepping from his seat, examining her figure, "I see you're dressed up for the occasion." he noted, making the Princess blush lightly, realising that her outfit was somewhat revealing- his comments didn't go unnoticed by her uncle, who cleared his throat.
"Yes- my niece and nephew will both be wearing the traditional garbs for their duel, as would be expected of individuals of their rank." he noted, the Princess nodding with agreement; her outfit consisted simply of two metal bands, a chest binding covered by a red and gold vest, along with a pair of pants, similar to the ones she would ordinarily wear for training- such garbs were traditional to Agni Kai duels and she was feeling rather pumped to fight- an adrenaline rush of anticipation.
"Where is my brother?" she questioned her uncle, whose eyes raised up to look at her before glancing to their side, where another door opened- that moment Azula caught the first sight of her brother in over five years- he looked very different in her eyes- his hair was long and messy, his body well-built and muscles toned, now reaching a height as tall as their father- his phoenix-tail the only resemblance to the boy she once mocked for his cowardice.
"Azula." he muttered, acknowledging the presence of his sister.
"Zuzu- what a pleasure to finally see you after so long." she sarcastically remarked, her brother clearly getting her tone, rolling his eyes at her attitude.
"I assume that you intend to win this duel to claim the throne?" he questioned her, his sister chuckling at his observations.
"Claim the throne? If I'm lucky I'll be a single child after this is over." she smirked at him with a glare, her words of intimidation not fazing Zuko.
"I never wanted it to come to this, honestly Az-" he begun to explain himself, being cut off by Azula raising a hand in dismissal.
"Cut the pleasantries Zuko- we are here to do what we must- I assume Uncle will adjudicate the fight?" she questioned him, her brother nodding in confirmation.
"Yes-" he told her, turning to Iroh to call him over, "Uncle, get the gong ready." he requested.
He stood from his seat, nodding with a serious tone, "Of course nephew." before turning to stand beside a small gong that would be used for the timing of spars and duels- in an Agni Kai one would preface the fight by ringing a gong before the combatants could begin fighting each other.
Zuko turned to his sister before walking away, "I hope it doesn't come to the worst, truly." he noted to her, who glared him down with little remorse in her eyes.
"You are all that stands between me and my glorious reign as Fire Lord- I cannot let this stand any longer." she told him, her tone colder and darker than it ought to be, but Azula knew she had to get the message across clearly- she would fight him without mercy or restraint- this was the fight she had trained her life for, and she wouldn't fail now.
"I understand." he simply responded before beginning to walk toward the other end of the sparring ground, his opponent walking in the opposite direction, eyeing off Sokka, who stood on the sidelines, intently watching the upcoming duel.
He called out with assurance, "Good luck!" making the Princess roll her eyes at his upbeat attitude- she knew she shouldn't lose her focus because of the Water Tribesman, but he made sure to make his presence known, and with that her thoughts couldn't help but turn to the moment they shared in her tent- she was unsure how to react to it without making a fool of herself, so drove it to back of her mind, turning to focus on defeating her opponent- that was what mattered.
With both Azula and Zuko at opposite sides of the sparring field, they knelt down for a few moments, the silence almost eerie, the Princess mentally preparing herself for the intense duel she would have to fight with her brother. She rose from a kneeling position to shed her shoulder garment, dropping it the ground behind her as she turned to face her brother; he glared at her intently, standing in a form that mirrored her own. A moment later Iroh sounded the gong, the reverberation of the instrument sounding out across the field with a long echo; following the sound, she stood forward and set out of a beam of blue flames, firing toward Zuko, though intentionally rising just above his head, as to intimidate him before he even tried to respond- he flinched downward in response, but quickly regained his posture, drawing out his fists in preparation to deflect any incoming blasts from Azula. She bent two daggers of fire in her hands and raced toward her brother, intent to use her skill in close-quarters to her own advantage; he sent out of a ball of fire, charging it before flinging it toward her head, who skid under his blast, aiming to strike him with her flame daggers. He filled his hands with fire, creating a defensive glove of flames against her burning slashes; she frowned in dissatisfaction that her attack didn't strike him, trying instead to fill one of her hands with fire, preparing to send a ball of fire into his face- he precipitated the attack by using his own fist to deflect her hand, which sent the blast just to the side of his head, before he was able to knee her directly in the gut, forcing her to edge off as she realised he was more than comfortable making physical contact.
"Good try Zuzu." she mocked him, charging each of her hands with fire, blasting him in a rapid cyclical motion with each hand, forcing Zuko to sidestep each of her attacks before sending a flame charged low kick to swipe her off her feet- Azula jumped over his fire blast, sending her own kick of flames at his head, forcing him to fall back to dodge, leaving him open to further attacks on her behalf.
She raced toward her brother with vicious intent in her eyes, raising again two daggers of flames before pouncing toward him; he glanced up and simply swung his legs around, sending a motion of flames at her, who was hit in torso, and flung back, barely able to regain her footing while he stood above her, ready to continue.
Glaring into his eyes, she raised her hands defensively, knowing all too well that Zuko was her equal in this duel, "Try your best brother." she offered some words of advice before sending out a jab of fire into his shoulder before sending out a kick of flames; the result was that he was forced off his feet, forcing him to return to form in a lower position.
Standing above her brother, she spun her arms to charge of blast of fire, directing it right at his chest, who simply cut through the flames with his hand; the Princess frowned once more, frustrated that her brother could even neutralise her attacks. She raced toward him, Zuko sending out a wave of flames to block her, only to find her vaulting over the fire, her feet sending out their own small blasts to strike him in the head, flinging him to the ground in a painfully swift motion; landing behind her brother, Azula chuckled at his rather competent performance so far.
"I'm surprised you've kept up- is this how you beat father?" she intrigued herself, her brother turning to glare at her as he cringed from the stinging pain inflicted to his face.
"No- he caused his own demise." he simply explained himself before sending out of a cutting wave of flames from his hand, forcing his sister to crouch down to avoid being hit.
Moving down to avoid his attack, she slid down and sent out a jabbing attack to hit his abdomen, her brother deflecting the blast with a wave of his hand; realising that he would simply dissipate any single blast of fire, she sent out a volley of flames, each at different heights to make it harder for him to dodge. He deflected as many of the blasts as he could, but was struck in the leg by one of them, forcing him to kneel as the pain became overwhelming; he sent out a single blast from his free hand in fury, it's pure size forcing Azula to block with a wall of flames, which ultimately did little good, forcing her to the ground. As the flames dissipated, the Princess caught her breath, smirking at her brother before racing at him again, still more than capable of using speed to her advantage; as she neared to strike Zuko, he charged a ball of fire in his head, releasing it to strike her as she got close enough- the ball of fire forced her to flinch to the side, losing her footing and somersaulting beside him as he growled in frustration that he couldn't land a hit on his sister.
Turning to him, she chuckled at his anger, "Are you a little angry Zuzu?" she mocked him, dodging another blast of flames that in reaction he sent another one toward her head.
Refusing to speak to his sister, he stood up once more, bearing the pain in his leg as he returned to form, still ready to continue fighting her; Azula raced toward him once more, who refrained from sending out another blast, waiting for her to get closer; as she sent her fist toward him to strike him with a charged blast of flames once more, he grabbed her arm and jabbed her in the gut with a flame-powered fist, making her flinch before uppercutting him with a similar motion, grazing his face and hitting him backward in recoil. Cringing in pain and trying to recollect his thoughts, Zuko was struck in the head by a blast which he barely dodged by falling downward- the flames danced above his head, his sister laughing at him at the sight of his hair being on fire; the Fire Lord's eyes opened wide in realisation, using his bending to dampen the flames before punching out a ball of flames at his sister in anger.
"Having a little trouble there?" she asked him as she sidestepped his blast of flames; her brother grit his teeth and returned to form angrily, noting the pain in his face and his tattered hair.
"Let's finish this." he growled at her, throwing a barrage of flames at his sister, who was able to mimic his fire deflection technique to some success- the flames continued to graze her skin, making her realise that her brother was getting close to actually injuring her, despite her own successful blows.
Azula shouted in anger from her successive injuries, sending out a blast of flames that pushed out in all directions, forcing Zuko to split the flames with some struggle, leaving himself panting but unburnt; she glared down her brother with frustration, and raised an eyebrow an him with interest, considering the last duel he had participated in.
"How exactly did you kill our father?" she questioned him, her brother glaring at her before returning to his form, without another word; she chuckled at his avoidance of the topic, "Oh- you don't want to talk- we'll have plenty of time to do that when I've defeated you." she smirked at him, drawing two flame daggers again before charging at her brother, jumping before lancing a blow at his body; the Fire Lord returned a counter blast that dispersed both of their attacks, sending flames out to hit both of the siblings.
Wincing from the attack, she charged blasts in each of her hands, throwing them successively toward her brother, her fury and frustration growing with each avoided or dissipated blast; as she begun to run out of breath, Zuko turned the barrage around to her, throwing a succession of sweeping fire blasts that Azula could barely disperse after wasting her energy trying to strike him. Gritting her teeth, she screamed out at her brother in anger, fire bellowing from her mouth, breaking through the last blast he sent her way; he could only look on in awe as she directed three beams of fire from her mouth and each of her hands directly at him, raising a wall of flames in a last ditch attempt to ward off the powerful beams. As the beams battered the walls, Azula understood how their duel was to play out- it was not a battle of skill but a battle of breath- the longer one of them could last firebending effectively would win without contest; drawing down her beams, she stood before her brother who glared her down, his wall of flames lingering between them.
"Why do you hate me?" he questioned her, who looked at his poignant face with a sense of dismissal- her brother's own regrets would be his downfall.
"You are everything I desire to overcome." she glared at him, her eyes turning to their uncle who stood behind him, fearfully watching the duel- she blamed him for everything that had gone wrong with him after their mother had left- what she thought ought to be the one thing that might've set her brother on the right path ended up turning him against everything their family stood for.
She breathed in and understood there was only one thing that put their duel to an end and hopefully stop her brother indefinitely- she knew she couldn't regret her next action, because if she would then it wouldn't work; driving all of her chi from her chest, she drew out sparks of lightning, quickly spinning her fingers- the look on her brothers face turned to one of disappointment to utter fear.
"No Azula don't d-" he shouted out at her, as to try and stop her destiny, but she knew it was too late for him; the sparks conjoined at her fingertip, sending out a rapid strike of lightning that directly struck Zuko in the torso; to her amazement and shock, her brother quite literally caught the lightning in his fingers, and pulled his arms in, as if he was absorbing the attack.
"What the f-" Sokka called out, having observed the attacks effect, before being cut off by another flashing light of lightning being directed this time from her brother, directly toward his sister who looked on awestruck; Azula immediately understood what her brother had done, but with little time to move or act, she had to close her eyes, squinting from the blinding light as it approached her at unimaginable speed- then nothing, as if the light of sun had been cut off and the world plunged into darkness- she saw nothing and felt nothing.