Hey guys! Here you have the longest chapter I've written for Gladiator so far! ^^
But before you get down to business…
I'm making this Author Note mostly to say a little something to my mysterious guest reviewers, whom I appreciate just as much as any registered reviewer, but there's something I want you guys to know: if you ask me complex questions in your guest reviews, there's practically no way you'll get an answer from me. I won't avoid this by disabling anonymous reviews, because I'm happy with any sort of feedback, but if you ask me questions and you want me to answer, then log in or register so that I can actually address your concerns, because I'd rather not do it through an Author Note or any such means.
Now that's settled, thanks for all the reviews I've gotten so far! Gladiator is already over 200 reviews! So thank you very much for all the support, it's what keeps this story running and my fingers typing! ^^ I hope you enjoy this chapter!
The ship slowed down as it approached the port. The crew kept running back and forth, both above and below the deck, shouting out orders at each other as they tried to contain their excitement somehow. Reaching the docks of the Capital after ten years of sailing was a dream come true for them.
They were all grateful to the old-timer for this, of course. General Iroh had spent around ten months telling his nephew that spending over a decade chasing after someone who hadn't been seen for a hundred years was a waste of time and efforts. Regardless, Prince Zuko had remained stubbornly set on his goal, and he had insisted they should keep searching… and while his persistence was a source of frustration for everyone on the ship, Iroh understood why his nephew was unwilling to put an end to his goose chase.
Ten years had passed already since the Agni Kai that had scarred Zuko for life. The Banished Prince had become a cold and ruthless man, although he still behaved like a terrified kid in many circumstances: the sole thought of seeing his father again filled his mind with fears Zuko didn't know how to control. He hadn't found a way to control them during his twenty-three years of life.
Iroh had managed to convince him, though, that returning home was the safest course of action they could take, and if Ozai had anything to say upon the matter, Iroh himself would confront him about it. With this, Zuko had grown a little more enthusiastic about the idea, but not enough for him to look forward to returning to the Fire Nation Capital. He was currently brooding in his room, secluded from the crew. He had been behaving this way ever since he heard they would be reaching port.
Regardless, Iroh felt no need to go to him. He knew that his nephew would appreciate spending some time alone, and if he wasn't ready to jump on the solid, tropical grounds of the Fire Nation yet, then so be it… but Iroh wasn't about to delay his return home in solidarity with his nephew. He had been waiting eagerly to come back to the Capital ever since he had sent out a messenger hawk to the Fire Nation's High Council, requesting for Zuko's banishment to cease, and his excitement had been boosted when he read the positive response he hadn't thought he would receive. He suspected his younger brother Ozai wasn't pleased about having his son return empty-handed from his banishment, but it would seem the Council members had convinced him that his heir had been punished enough for his wrongdoings.
Iroh's belly joggled as he laughed happily at the sight of the port. Ships of several kinds were being stocked up by their crews while others were being unloaded. There were soldiers anywhere he looked, and a group of them helped to tie their ship to the dock.
"We are far behind times, aren't we?" Iroh said to nobody in particular as he looked at the magnificent vessels nearby and compared them to the old, rusty ship they had been sailing in for over ten years. They hadn't bothered with cleaning up the barnacles after one of the crewmen had cut his hand while trying to scrub them off the ship. The wound had become infected, and they had been forced to cut his hand off to avoid having him die painfully… though the man was currently whining about living painfully. Iroh wondered at times if it wouldn't have been kinder to let him die instead: it would have spared him from the pain and spared the rest of the crew from his complaints.
"We will proceed to unload the cargo now, sir," said the ship's captain, reporting to Iroh.
"Oh, very good," said Iroh, still smiling. "Make sure you are very careful with my jasmine tea supplies and my teapots."
"We will be, sir," said the captain, nodding and bowing down.
Iroh was already quite elderly, but even if he had still been in his younger years, he wouldn't have gotten involved in the hassle of unloading the ship's goods. He had many traits that set him apart from the rest of the royalty, since he would often be willing to take part in commoners' activities, but even so, he wasn't about to strain himself with something as boring as unloading the ship. Rather, he felt like getting off the deck already so that he could bask in returning home.
Iroh walked down the ship's ramp as soon as it was lowered atop the wooden dock. Bystanders would stare at him in surprise, recognizing him as the Fire Lord's brother: it seemed that the general public hadn't been informed that Prince Zuko and his uncle would be returning home. Iroh waved at those who stared at him for too long, and they would immediately return to their duties, ashamed of watching him so intently. Iroh merely chuckled at this as he looked around, curious about who owned the other ships docked at the port.
He caught sight of a few navy ships and three civilian vessels, and he didn't identify any of the people involved in the discharging of their goods… but when he turned to the last ship docked at the harbor, he found quite a curious surprise.
"Make sure to restock quickly!" yelled a Royal Guard, walking up the ramp towards a Royal Barge. "The Princess won't tolerate any tardiness! We must be ready to take off as soon as possible!"
Iroh smirked as he wondered why Princess Azula would be in such a hurry to get someplace. Indeed, she no longer would be the eleven-year-old he had last seen before he took off with Zuko, but regardless, he found it very unusual that Azula would need to travel anywhere so urgently.
"What a handsome barge," he said, smiling as he stopped by the ramp of the Princess's ship. "They didn't make them like this before my departure."
One of the Royal Guards on the deck stumbled when he caught sight of the older man, taken by surprise by his presence. The Dragon of the West hadn't been seen in the Capital in over a decade… and he was strolling about as if he had never been gone in the first place.
"G-General Iroh, sir!" said the man, kneeling in his direction. "G-good day to you!"
Iroh was amused by the guard's failure to respond appropriately to his sudden appearance.
"A good day to you, also. Would you be so kind as to answer a question?"
"Uh… of course, sir," said the guard, raising his head.
"Why does my niece need to travel somewhere?" he asked, inquisitive.
The guard was taken aback by this inquiry, but seeing how it was a Royal Family member who was asking, he didn't hesitate about answering.
"Well, I don't quite understand the full extent of the circumstances…" said the guard, earnestly. "But she has recently taken to traveling to Shu Jing and back again because she's sponsoring a fighter in the Superior Gladiator League."
"Oh… that is truly unexpected," said Iroh, his eyes widening. "A gladiator? Are women allowed to sponsor gladiators?"
"As I said, I really don't know much about it…" said the guard, blushing even though his mask concealed the redness of his face.
"I see," said Iroh, thoughtful. "Do you know who her gladiator is, at the very least?"
"Well, I have seen him," said the guard, frowning as he scratched the back of his head. "He looks foreign… I assume he's from a Water Tribe, though I don't know which one. He's dark-skinned, well built, and his main weapon seems to be a sword."
"No wonder she travels to Shu Jing, then," muttered Iroh. Azula must have had Piandao training her gladiator. "As sneaky as ever, my niece…"
It didn't take long for Iroh to realize what Azula was attempting to achieve through sponsoring a gladiator. If she hadn't changed her ways ever since he had been in the Fire Nation, then he was quite certain he understood what she meant to accomplish. Always trying to prove her worth… she was awfully similar to Zuko in that sense, even though the Princess would never admit to that.
"You can see her gladiator for yourself, though," said the guard, bringing Iroh out of his thoughts with those words.
"What?" said Iroh, surprised.
"W-well, what I mean is, I believe her gladiator must be about to enter his combat right now. You can go find out for yourself what he's like…"
"Huh, I see," said Iroh, smiling. "A wise suggestion. I believe I will do that. Thank you for your time."
"Uh, yes, sir! And… uh, welcome home, General!" said the guard, stuttering as he bowed. Iroh chuckled and started his way through the bay.
The Dragon of the West didn't like the idea of walking the long, uphill road towards the Capital, but if he wanted to enter the crater that surrounded the city and head to the Gladiator Arena, he had no choice but to walk indeed. And so, hoping his belly wouldn't weigh him down too much, he did his best to climb over the hill as quickly as possible, hoping to arrive in time to watch the gladiator combat…
Sokka was fitting his forearm guards while Azula paced back and forth in the stand-by room, a prominent frown on her brow.
"Be very cautious," she warned him. "You haven't fought any earthbenders before, and they have a great advantage in this environment. The sand pit provides them with more than enough material to bend, so you must be swift and decisive to make sure the combat goes on your favor."
"I figured that out by myself, to tell you the truth," said Sokka, gritting his teeth as he looked outside towards the sad pit. "This is likely going to be one of my toughest fights up to date… even if I'm fighting a blind girl."
"Do not underestimate her," said Azula, glaring at him. "I rather doubt she'll be as easy to defeat as the Red-Striped Hornet was."
"I'm not underestimating her," replied Sokka, rolling his eyes. "I just don't understand how a blind girl can be a gladiator. It's really confusing…"
"Yet she has aced every single fight she has been in so far," said Azula. "She hasn't simply won: she has knocked out every opponent she has faced against."
"Wait… you hadn't said that before," said Sokka, frowning and growing more cautious now. "Knock-outs… against all her opponents?"
"Or so I heard," muttered Azula. "I don't think she has faced off against anyone too dangerous yet, but she must be something to behold if she can knock her opponents out even when she's blind."
"You must be right about that," said Sokka, placing his helmet on his head. "She probably has some odd trick up her sleeve or something."
"Therefore, you should be extra-careful," said Azula, worried. "You don't know what you'll go up against today."
Sokka nodded and looked at the sand pit once more. The furniture seemed to be the same as it had been during his fight against the Hornet, although many of the objects were placed in different locations now. He attempted to get a glimpse of his opponent, who was waiting at the other side of the Arena, but she was too far away for him to see anything at all.
"Very well, then… good luck," said Azula, prompting him to turn to her. "Do not disappoint me this time."
"I won't," promised Sokka, nodding confidently. "I will fight to my best, whether she's blind or not. Her trick could be to garner sympathy from her rivals because she's crippled, but that won't work on me."
"It better not," was Azula's response, and she left the room without another word.
Sokka could tell they were still in a very bad place in whatever relationship it was that they had. Regardless, he would try to set things right this time… he had to, somehow. And the best way to do it would be by fighting against the Blind Bandit without giving her any quarter. He would win this fight.
Azula climbed the stairs all the way to the sponsors' balcony and she wasn't surprised to see the opposite sponsor was already waiting for her. He was burly and tan, and his conceited monkey-face told her she wouldn't receive the respect she deserved from this man. She wasn't surprised by his attitude, though… he was a former Earth Kingdom man, now converted to a Fire Nation Honorary Citizen. It would have been astonishing for the man to behave in a respectful manner towards her. She took her seat quietly next to him, not about to grant him any courtesy until he showed some politeness to her first.
"Good day for a fight, Princess," finally said the other sponsor, grinning cruelly. "My name is Xin Fu, and I'm the Blind Bandit's sponsor."
"I figured as much," said Azula, not looking at him. "I hope your blind girl is as strong as I heard she was."
"Oh, she isn't… she's far tougher than that," said the man, chuckling cruelly. Azula felt disgusted at the sound of his laughter. "You'll see soon enough."
"Excuse me…" said a member of the Arena staff, who had come, as usual, to ask about the time limit. "How long do you wish this fight to last?"
"I'd say… ten minutes should suffice," said Xin Fu, still as cocky as ever.
Azula frowned. Ten minutes didn't sound like a good time limit. She scowled as she shook her head.
"I don't think so. Perhaps fifteen… ten shouldn't be long enough."
"Oh… well, if you wish to make your gladiator suffer more, then I agree," said Xin Fu, smiling. "Fifteen it is."
The staff member left the room quickly once the procedures were over with, and Azula couldn't help but feel horribly uncomfortable upon being alone in the room with such a creepy man.
"But I have to say it does make sense for a Princess to have fun at the expense of her slave," said Xin Fu, grinning. "You must be quite a sadist if you enjoy watching gladiator fights, after all. Most girls are completely disgusted by them."
"Do not pretend you understand me," said Azula, growing more wary of the man with every word he said. Xin Fu chuckled and nodded.
"Whatever, Princess. But I have to say… if you don't enjoy watching people in pain, you got involved the wrong business and you definitely accepted the wrong challenge. Your fighter won't come out of this in one piece."
"We'll see about that," replied Azula, although she was slightly intimidated by his words. His confidence was overwhelming… mostly because she feared said confidence would be justified shortly. Could the Blind Bandit be such a tough fighter to deal with? Azula was starting to dread she just might be.
The metal grids slid upwards, allowing entrance into the sand to both gladiators. Sokka took a deep breath as he walked towards the center of the sand pit, passing by the water well just as the announcer called in his opponent amongst the crowd's screams.
"And, with a remarkable streak of no losses, the highly promising girl who can't see a thing… other than her own awesomeness! I give you… the Blind Bandit!"
Sokka frowned deeply when a small, slim girl with jet-black hair walked towards him from the other side of the Arena. She was dressed in a green-and-yellow outfit, the typical colors of an earthbender, yet to Sokka's surprise, she wasn't wearing armor. He felt cheated. Not only was she a girl, she was also blind and she headed into battle without any protection… though then he recalled Azula's words: "Do not underestimate her". Still, he hadn't underestimated her. He had his weapons in tow, and he was perfectly armored, as opposed to her. She wasn't even wearing shoes!
He snarled when he realized that the one to be underestimated had been him.
"The time limit for this fight is up to fifteen minutes, as decided by the sponsors!" said the man from the judges' balcony. "Get ready… and START!"
Everyone was expecting an explosive beginning, or at least, that either of the fighters would strike a threatening stance towards the other… but it didn't happen. The Blind Bandit simply crossed her arms as she looked at him… no, she couldn't be looking at him, she was blind. So what was she doing?
"'Sup?" asked the Bandit, making Sokka stare at her in complete disbelief.
"W-well… nothing much, I guess," he replied, hardly knowing what to say to that. "Just here, you know… uh, you are aware that we're supposed to fight, though, aren't you?"
"Yeah, I know that," said the Bandit, digging her toes into the sand. "So, what's your real name? I'm Toph. Toph Beifong. You?"
Sokka frowned. This was exactly what he had done to the Spawn of the Volcano and what he had attempted to do with the Hornet: lower your opponent's guard through annoying chit-chat to induce him to strike, and take advantage of the situation when the foe attacked recklessly…
"I'm Sokka," was his reply, to Toph's surprise. "Though in these circumstances, I'm the Blue Wolf."
"You're pretty smooth, aren't you?" asked Toph, smirking. "So… are you really the Princess's gladiator?"
"Uh… yeah," said Sokka, distrustful.
"Gee," said Toph, chuckling now. "You'll have to show me what's so special about you, Sokka… because I can't see why the Fire Nation Princess would hire a gladiator who seems like a complete wimp."
Both the Princess and her gladiator frowned at the comment. It wasn't so much that she would be right or wrong about her assertions… it was more the utter bewilderment that arose when she spoke of Sokka as if she could actually see him.
"Come again?" said Sokka. "How would you know if I'm a wimp or not if you can't see what I look like? Or is it that all this blind nonsense is a charade, just like I suspected?"
"It might be, in some way," said Toph, shrugging. "I'm not really blind. Sure, I can't see, but that doesn't make me blind. You don't seem to be half as burly as I expected from a guy who is getting sponsored by the Royal Jewel…"
Azula became even more indignant when she heard the girl speak about her without an ounce of respect. The Royal Jewel? Who exactly did that stupid blind girl think she was talking about?
"… Because, to top it all, you're a non-bender. So… you should be really tough. But you don't appear to be strong at all. Care to show me why would she pick a weakling like you to be her gladiator?"
Sokka sighed and raised his hand towards his sword. He didn't like the idea of hurting the girl… but he doubted he'd actually maim her at all. She was stirring his mood because she was trying to take the advantage of the situation… and he wouldn't let her. He had promised he would fight properly, and he had every intention to do so.
"I guess I will," he said, once he had Space Sword in his hand.
He had to clear his mind away before his principles began pestering him about attacking a blind girl. Sokka broke into a half-hearted sprint, expecting the girl to respond at his approach somehow… and she did.
Toph simply moved her left foot upwards with a flick of her ankle, and an array of sand flew straight at Sokka's face, knocking his helmet off and stopping him halfway through his dash towards his opponent. The sudden movement of the sand knocked him off balance, but he jumped back to avoid falling over. Indeed, Azula had been right to say an earthbender had it very easy in the middle of a sand pit…
"Huh… I guess my question has been answered," said Toph, smirking. "You're smart enough to know when to strike and when to take a step back. Nice."
"Thanks," said Sokka, although he was pretty certain she wasn't quite complimenting him.
"But I doubt you'll be smart enough to beat me," she replied, lifting both her arms into a fighting stance.
Sokka didn't understand at all how was she fighting, it hardly made sense… how could she know where he was if she couldn't see him? But somehow, she knew… else she wouldn't have been able to attack him by bending several sand streams in his direction. Sokka was forced to dissolve the unexpected attacks by shielding his face with his armguard, kneeling as he waited for her assaults to end. Being struck by sand wasn't painful, but it was very unpleasant. The tiny grains of dirt slid into his armor and clothes, running down his body in quite an annoying manner, and before he knew it, his feet were submerged in sand. Still, this was something he could bear. If this was truly the best this earthbender could do, beating her wouldn't be as hard as…
That last thought was interrupted when the Blind Bandit closed her hands into tight fists, and before Sokka knew it, the sand that had covered his feet grew solidified, turning into a rock. His eyes grew wide open as the earthbender performed a high and steady kick, and he found himself flying over the Arena, crashing painfully against one of the wooden structures as the earth around his feet grew softer again, allowing him to move. His ankles ached after the brusque pressure the compressed sand had exerted over them.
"Oh, did I forget to mention I'm the best earthbender in the world?" asked Toph, tapping her chin with one finger as she frowned. "Yeah, I think I did…"
"That's crazy-talk…" said Sokka, staggering as he got on his feet again, the structure behind him collapsing loudly, costing his opponent twenty points.
"Oh, damn it," said Xin Fu at the sponsors' bench. "Stupid girl, you should be more careful!"
Azula was surprised to see the man had the guts to yell at his gladiator in the middle of a fight. He looked like an angry boarcupine as he glared at the Blind Bandit.
"Not at all," said Toph, ignoring her sponsor and focusing solely on her enemy. "Do you still need more proof?"
"This makes no sense!" said Sokka. "If you're blind, then how come can you fight like this?!"
"I shouldn't reveal my secrets…" admitted Toph, thoughtful. "But I guess telling you this could work in my favor somehow. I don't see with my eyes, true enough, but I can see you through earthbending. I have to say sand isn't the best landscape for me, the earth is scattered so I can't see as well as I normally do… but even in these circumstances, I can still beat you."
"We'll see about that," grunted Sokka, smirking slightly. So… she really couldn't see. That could work in his favor after all…
He withdrew his boomerang from its sheath and threw it after aiming it at Toph. She sensed through his movements what his intent was, and she brought forth an earth barrier, compressing the sand quickly to solidify her defense.
She was surprised, though, when she failed to feel anything colliding against her earth shield.
"What just…?" she grunted, feeling slightly paranoid. He had flung something at her, she had sensed his movements… so where was his projectile? What was his projectile, rather…?
Sokka smirked, knowing his little ploy had worked. He had tossed his boomerang a few feet from where Toph was currently standing, calculating the trajectory so that the weapon would strike her as it made its way back to him. And indeed, he landed his first blow on his opponent through this scheme.
The boomerang's edge struck Toph's back, making her stumble as she gasped, taken by surprise by the hit. She didn't know what sort of projectile he had hurled that would hurt her from behind. All she knew at the moment was that she couldn't keep her guard down. This guy was way smarter than any other gladiators she had faced so far, and she refused to give him a chance to beat her.
"Ha!" said Sokka, after hearing her huff when the boomerang hit her. Toph frowned and regained her stance quickly. She dissolved the earth barrier at will, and Sokka was taken aback when he caught sight of her face this time.
She was smirking in a very scary and cruel manner now, and she had lifted her hands as she took a bending stance. The sand behind her began shifting, as if it were swallowing something… and that something, to Sokka's dismay, was his boomerang.
"No!" he yelled, starting towards his weapon, but the Blind Bandit wasn't going to take him for granted anymore.
Not only did she make the boomerang sink deep into the sand, she also shot a great amount of solidified sand into Sokka's stomach brusquely, making him fly over to the edge of the Arena. Azula found herself gripping the armrests of her chair with enough strength for her knuckles to turn white when Sokka's right shoulder was caught in one of the metal spikes on the rim of the sand pit. Hell knew what the odds were for the tip to make its way through the only area of Sokka's back that wasn't covered by armor…
Sokka couldn't help but yell out loud in pain as the tip impaled on his shoulder pierced his body, protruding slightly through his chest. He dislodged the tip after struggling a little and he collapsed in the floor, coughing and gasping for air. He hadn't expected anything like this to happen…
"How'd you like that?" asked the Blind Bandit, smirking cruelly.
"D-damn… d-damn you…" said Sokka, struggling to get back on his feet. His right arm felt horribly numb, for his body seemed not to know how to react to that much pain.
"I do feel a little bad about this, I have to say," said Toph, shifting the sand beneath him. Sokka stumbled as he tried to keep distance between them, since the earthbender was trying to bring him closer to her. "You see… I'm about to kill you."
Sokka's eyes grew wide in horror as Toph said such dreaded words.
"W-what?!" he said, still unable to get out of the sand trap Toph was stirring.
"I don't think I'll enjoy killing you," she admitted, moving her fingers as she toyed with Sokka. "But I don't have a choice. You see… it's been said that you only won your previous fight because you're the Princess's spoiled slave…"
Azula winced at the accusation. She knew it… she had known everyone would take Sokka's victory as cheating because of the pathetic way the Blue Wolf had behaved during the second half of the fight. Even when she had tried to clear it up at the end of the combat, and after she had obtained a somewhat satisfying answer, rumors had spread about how nobody would be able to beat Sokka because of his sponsor's title…
"So the only way to make sure I'll definitely win… will be by killing you," said Toph, matter-of-factly. "Too bad for you. You'll be my first dead opponent ever, how's that?"
"What…?" grunted Sokka, frowning. "You weren't in the… in the Amateur League, then?"
"Hell, no!" said Toph, smirking. "You thought I was that weak? Only weaklings go to the Amateur League. The really tough fighters, like me, are chosen immediately for the big leagues. And you, clearly, don't belong in the upper ring of this business."
"You're not the one… to decide that," grunted Sokka, growing angrier by the minute. This girl was so cocky she was making him sick. Who did she think she was? She had no right to declare who was worthy of being a top gladiator and who wasn't…
Sokka's shoulder was throbbing now, and the discomfort he felt on it was beginning to turn into pain. He had to do something… he didn't know how much time they had left, but he knew he had to turn the tables in this fight right away if he was going to win. And he was going to win… his life was on the line now, it seemed. He couldn't lose against the Blind Bandit… he simply couldn't. It had never been an option to die in a gladiator pit, and it definitely wasn't one now.
He was still gripping Space Sword in his left hand, but he didn't have his boomerang anymore… there had to be something he could do with his remaining weapons, anything. He could fling his bombs at her… but to what avail? They were smoke bombs, and she was blind. She'd see through the smokescreen without a problem using her earthbending skills. He had his knife too, but he didn't think it would come in handy at all.
"Oh, no," said Toph, snickering. "I don't get decide if you're good or not… but I do decide if you're a winner or a loser. And I'm thinking you're the latter, really… you're not half as tough as you thought you were, Wolf."
Sokka smirked. As the girl spoke, he worked up a strange and unreliable plan that might not work at all… but he had to give it a try, at least. His eyes flickered towards the sponsors' balcony, wondering if Azula was disappointed in him… and hoping that, if she was, his next endeavor would make her beam with pride afterwards.
He was surprised to see she seemed to be worried rather than displeased, but that didn't alter his resolve. He was determined not to let her down this time. Their eyes clashed together once again, even at such distance. Azula's grip on the armchair wouldn't grow any fainter. She was so focused on Sokka and his fight that neither she nor Xin Fu noticed the door to the room opened behind them, and, unbeknownst to them, they were joined by a guest who remained silent as he stood behind both sponsors.
"Oh, maybe I'm not… but neither are you, Toph!" he yelled, having memorized her name right away.
He put away his sword for a moment before flinging a bomb towards her. Toph sent a chuck of earth towards him, and Sokka twirled to avoid the blow. Toph frowned as she noticed a strange sphere had landed between her feet.
"What the hell is this?" she grunted, just as she was about to kick it away…
The bomb released its content when she moved, and just as Sokka had planned, the smoke hit the girl in the face, getting attached to her clothes and forcing her to stumble to get away from the irritating cloud of smoke. But Sokka took his chance and sent out the other bomb, rolling it down through the ground towards her… and he instantly thought he would have to thank some god of fortune when she stepped over the second bomb, tripping and falling to the sand with a yelp of annoyance as more smoke was released by the second bomb.
That was his cue. Unsheathing his sword once more, he ran towards her, gritting his teeth as he thought he would get even with her now. He would repay her for the stinging wound she had left on his shoulder as soon as he reached her…
Azula's eyes regained their glow when her gladiator seemed to have the upper hand in this combat for once. She always had great hopes set on him, and she had known he wouldn't disappoint her this time…
The cloud of smoke didn't let the crowd witness what had happened when Sokka had lunged at his rival again. Regardless, it didn't take too long for the result of his attack to be clear to everyone.
Sokka had rushed into the smoke, ready to strike Toph down… but he was met by a sudden surge of sand that surrounded and stopped him in the middle of his sprint. Toph was struggling to get up, but before doing so, she performed an incredibly potent kick… and Sokka was sent flying outside the smoke cloud again.
Azula grimaced when she saw him rolling on the floor, wincing at the pain on his shoulder and at the frustration he felt after his plan had failed at the last moment. He had no more ideas… what could he do now? Had he already lost this fight?
"You scumbag," he heard from the cloud. The Bandit sure didn't sound happy now. "You think you're so cool, knocking me over to the ground, huh? Well, I'm about to show you the Blind Bandit's true power! Let's see how you'll counter this!"
Sokka hadn't expected her to become so livid, considering he had only managed to knock her off her feet, but he guessed nobody had ever gotten the better of her like that. He allowed himself to bask in pride for a second before feeling the sand beneath him growing more and more unstable. He jumped to his feet, but he failed to stand up in time to leap out of this new trap, which had already managed to sink him to his waist.
Azula gasped at the sight. Sokka was trying to get released from the furious earthbender's grip, but his efforts were proving useless. Xin Fu, next to the Princess, beamed cruelly. And the other person in the room finally decided to announce himself, taking both sponsors by surprise when he did.
"Well, that was quite a mischievous plan… too bad it didn't work."
Azula was already distraught enough because of the fight. She didn't need a new problem to add to her list. And this problem… this was the worst sort of problem she could ever have envisioned.
Her eyes grew wide open the second she heard that voice, and her grip on the chair grew even tighter. This wasn't happening… not when she was making a new name for herself through her gladiator. Not when she had finally found a way to make people acknowledge her… But that old man's voice was unmistakable, and if he was here, in the Grand Royal Dome, then it could only mean one thing:
Zuko was back.
"Well…" she said, trying to keep her voice from trembling. "This is a very… shocking surprise, to say the least. What are you doing here, Uncle?"
"I sent a message to my brother not too long ago," said Iroh, smiling at Azula despite the fact that she refused to look at him. She was still unwilling to acknowledge his presence. "I was certain you would have been aware that Zuko's banishment has been lifted… the Council declared he could return home."
"I… I wasn't informed of this," said Azula, keeping her head held high and her eyes set on the fight, which was growing murkier by the minute, although she wasn't registering anything of what she was seeing. Her mind was elsewhere right now. "They probably came to that decision during one of my travels."
"Most likely," said Iroh. "I didn't think my brother would have kept any secrets from you… or is it that he has grown wary of you during these ten years?"
Azula had to make quite an effort not to laugh at that statement. She knew what Iroh was trying to play at, she had always known… just as he had always been able to see right through her, she always could see through him.
"My father has always been wary of me, Uncle. Everyone is," said Azula, proudly. "I guess he didn't mention this matter to me because he didn't consider it important enough to inform me of it."
"Oh, well," said Iroh, laughing in that jolly way Azula had grown to loathe over the years. "You do understand Ozai far better than I ever will. You are most likely right about that."
"Are you the Dragon of the West?" asked Xin Fu, turning to see the man with a frown on his face.
"Ah, indeed I am," said Iroh, smiling.
"Well, what business do you have here?" grunted Xin Fu. "This is the sponsors' balcony. You're a royal, so go up to the royal seats instead…"
"On my own? That would make this experience far too boring," said Iroh, shaking his head. "And I have just returned home after ten years of sailing… I should be allowed to see my niece after all this time."
Azula scowled at such a ridiculous claim. Iroh, wanting to see her? Not even a toddler would buy such a pathetic excuse for a lie…
"You have grown a lot, Azula," said Iroh smiling down to her as he stood by her side. "You are the spitting image of your mother Ursa."
If what he had said so far had been annoying, this was borderline insulting. How dared he…? He was completely aware of how much Azula hated to hear people comparing her to her mother, and that was likely the reason why he had said those words in the first place.
"That is very kind of you, Uncle," she said, sarcastically. "Whereas you seem far older than I ever thought you'd get to be. I'm amazed to see you managed to survive ten years at sea with Zuko pestering you… or was it him the one struggling to survive you?"
Iroh chuckled and focused on the fight again, even though Azula took her time to shoot another glare at him before looking down at Sokka once more… and she felt her heart-rate slow down as she gazed at the combat below.
The smoke had cleared up completely already, so there was nothing to prevent anyone from witnessing the massacre below. Toph had spent the last few minutes throwing Sokka from one side of the Arena to the other, throwing huge blocks of earth to his face and chest and breaking most of his armor after so many powerful smashes. She had recurred to smothering him in quicksand again now, and only Sokka's head was visible at the moment.
"You know… people say that, if you get buried while standing up, you won't be able to dig yourself out," she said, smirking cruelly as she walked up to Sokka. The Water Tribe man could look at her face from his current position: he was terrified by the way her sightless eyes passed over him while her hands kept stirring the sand beneath him. "We could test that right now, couldn't we?"
With this, Sokka sank into the ground with a muffled sound that might have been a scream, but he was below the surface so fast that his yell was completely smothered by the sand. Azula couldn't contain a gasp of horror. Her gladiator had been buried alive.
Xin Fu, next to her, laughed. Azula used all her willpower to avoid going into a firebending rampage to kill both the men in the room with her. She couldn't believe this was happening… Sokka couldn't die like this, he couldn't. He had to return to his Tribe, didn't he? He had many things to accomplish! He had proven to be too damn hard to kill for him to drop dead here and now, and against a blind brat of all people. She was left staring at the spot where she had seen him last… and she wondered if that had been the last time she'd ever see him. No, there was no way she would let that happen…
Iroh raised an eyebrow as Azula stood up and walked up to the edge of the balcony, standing by the wooden fence that secluded the area. She placed a hand on a red column as she looked down into the sand pit, begging him mentally to come back up. Her heart was beating weakly as despair made its way through her… he had to come back. He couldn't do this to her, he couldn't be gone now…
She didn't know if she was relieved or horrified when Toph thrust a fist up in the air and Sokka resurfaced… but he wasn't free from her clutches. In fact, he was anything but free from her grip.
Sokka was still held tight by a gigantic sand column shaped as a hand that mimicked Toph's very own. Azula stared, aghast, as she felt some relief to see Sokka was still alive, but his face was covered in blood and his hair was no longer up in his wolf's tail. All the blows he had received had left him in his currently dreadful state.
"I hope you were trying to get out of the sand, as I told you to," said Toph, smirking. "That way we've proven that theory, huh?"
Sokka didn't respond, which displeased the Blind Bandit. She began closing her other hand, solidifying the sand and tightening its grip around Sokka until he could hardly breathe.
"Well, if you're not going to cooperate… I guess I'm just going to end you right away," said the Blind Bandit.
The sand became a solid rock eventually, and Sokka could only utter a muffled cry of pain at this stage as he felt several bones snapping under the brutal pressure. Azula was staring at him in panic, knowing that this was it… and she could do nothing about it. There was no stopping this madness…
But, to her surprise, the tight rocks fell apart and Sokka collapsed in the sand again. Azula was somewhat relieved at this and so was the gladiator as he panted, trying to catch his breath again.
"You didn't really think I'd be done with you just like that, did you?" asked Toph, smirking. "Where's the fun in that?"
Sokka could hardly move. Toph had crushed the bones on his legs and the only extremity he could use currently was his left hand. He turned around and coughed up sand and blood on the ground, his eyesight growing blurry with every second that went by. He probably wouldn't be conscious for much longer… and it might just be the last time he'd be conscious over all. He had failed…
He had lost this fight.
"So… let's see," said Toph, walking around him as if she were a beast intimidating its prey. "There are a few ways I could kill you. I could squeeze you to your death, like I was doing just now… or I could make tons of sharp stones and stab all your body with them!"
Sokka panted, a strange shrill sound was coming out of his throat with each breath he took. He didn't realize he was the one responsible for that sound.
"Or maybe… I could slide a lot of sand into your stomach," said Toph, smirking. "And I could use potential force to bring all the earth out of you and BAM! You'd die in an earthy explosion. I figured that one would suit you, seeing how you seem to be so fond of bombs and useless junk like that."
Azula hardly realized there was a burning feeling in her eyes. Tears of frustration were threatening to slip down her cheeks as she witnessed the half-dead figure of her gladiator, too weak to do anything other than drag himself in the ground with one hand…
"Well? I don't have all day, you know?" said Toph, her hands on her hips as she stared at him impatiently. "Make a choice already!"
Sokka coughed up more sand. He felt as if he hadn't had a drink of water in his entire life, his throat was horribly dry. It was sad to think he would die with an empty stomach and his mouth full of sand…
And then it hit him that he really was going to die. All the thoughts that had often come to his mind during his stay at the Amateur Gladiator League came back to him at full force… and he surprised Toph by flashing her with a most unexpected smile.
"I… I don't really care," he muttered with what was left of his voice, making Toph huff in irritation, shaking her messy bangs with the movement. "I can't… I can't fight anymore, so… I'm going to die."
"Well, gee, thanks for clearing that up, Captain Obvious!" said Toph, sarcastically. "So that's it, then? You're not even going to try to survive?"
"N-no…" said Sokka, still coughing up more sand. "I've… I've been afraid of death for all these years. I wanted to die, but I couldn't. I was… so scared… of what would happen when I passed… I didn't think I could… c-could handle the pain, so I… I fought back and killed… killed my opponents instead. I even… I wanted to kill myself, but… I didn't have it in me to do it. This time, though… this time I can't do a thing, and I'm about to die. So… I'm glad…"
Toph's face contorted with rage as she heard him speak.
"Those are the last words of a coward," she said, her nose growing wrinkled as she tightened her fists. "The hell was that? You're too afraid of death to let others kill you and you don't have the guts to do the job yourself? That's pathetic. So you just want me to make you a damn favor, is that it?!"
Sokka didn't answer anymore. He had already spent what he had left of his energy by talking to her.
"Let me tell you something, you useless pile of broken bones," said Toph, harshly. "I'm not here to do favors to any pathetic gladiators I cross in the Arena, I'm here to fight them and kill them if I must! And if you're here for another reason, then you're not a fighter! You're not a gladiator! You're just a spineless scumbag!"
Sokka didn't seem too pleased to hear this, although he hardly understood her words at this point. The world was becoming too blurry; his senses were failing him…
"And you know what, you stupid Blue Wolf?" she said, kicking at his stomach and making him wince in pain again. "You're not getting any favors from me."
Azula suddenly grew hopeful after those words. Then… he would live? She would let him live?
"What the hell does she think she's doing?!" yelled Xin Fu, standing up as well. "Kill him already!"
"Maybe one day, if you grow a pair, I'll think about finishing you off," said Toph, ignoring her sponsor's screams. "But right now… you're just not worth killing."
Sokka didn't know if he should take that as an insult, but he was far beyond caring at this point. His mind was closing down slowly, or so it felt…
"No, no, no… come on… you can do this, Sokka," Azula whispered, watching him tilt his head down as he tried to keep awake, but it seemed his efforts were doomed to fail. "Don't do this… don't bail on me just yet…"
"KILL HIM!" screamed Xin Fu next to her. Toph gritted her teeth as she heard his voice. "WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH YOU, STUPID?! KILL HIM!"
Toph's response garnered a gasp of shock from the entire crowd. She lifted her hand at her sponsor, her middle finger sticking out as she showed him a particularly offensive sign.
"Oh, my… that's some girl," said Iroh, laughing as his belly joggled as usual.
"Y-you…!" said Xin Fu, baring his teeth at the girl.
Azula didn't care for the strife between her fellow sponsor and his gladiator. Her eyes had finally left Sokka's writhing figure as she stared at the hourglass on the balcony opposite to hers. There were only a few grains left… the fight was almost officially over. Just a few seconds more and she could go to him. He had to hold on just for a little longer…
"Please, Sokka… Please…" she begged, as if she thought he could hear him.
Iroh frowned as he caught wind of what she was saying, and he wondered when had he last seen his niece so worried about someone… he recalled she had been most pleased to witness the Agni Kai between her father and brother, and she had been especially enthusiastic when Zuko's face had gotten singed. How come was she more concerned over a lowly slave than she had been over her brother?
Azula was convinced the damned hourglass had to be malfunctioning. The sand appeared to defy the laws of gravity as it fell too slowly to the second section of the hourglass to Azula's liking. Xin Fu kept yelling next to her, and Toph refused to respond. She walked away from Sokka, unwilling to land another blow on a man who wasn't worth her efforts. Sokka shivered now, longing for the final strike that would never arrive, the strike that would put him out of his miserable life for once and for all…
And the last grain fell, finally. Azula didn't even notice she was holding her breath as she forced herself to stay put until the judges decided on the obvious winner. Not too long afterwards, the usual announcer ran to the bullhorn and yelled:
"The winner is the Blind Bandit!"
Xin Fu finally shut up when Toph was declared triumphant, relieved that the judges hadn't been as unfair as he expected them to be. But even if they had been favoring Azula, there was simply no way they could award the victory to the Blue Wolf when he lay on the floor, shaking with every new breath he took.
Xin Fu would have gloated about his gladiator's victory, even though he was displeased over the fact that Toph hadn't killed Sokka, but he had no chance to do so. Azula shoved the bag of the bid's money to his chest before turning to the door and storming out of the room, almost colliding with her Uncle as she did. She hardly even recalled what Iroh's return meant to her at this point.
"That little bitch," said Xin Fu, forgetting about Azula as he glared at Toph, who was currently exiting the Arena, unhurt. "I'm gonna teach her a lesson or two…"
Iroh raised an eyebrow as Xin Fu followed Azula's lead and left the room, albeit without running. The Dragon of the West gazed at the Arena, taking in its glory and details… it was the first time he witnessed a gladiator fight, seeing as this branch of the slave business had been developed a few years after he had taken off on his trip with Zuko. The cheering crowds at the stands, the sun's gleam sliding through the Dome's glass roofs, the outstanding girl who had just made a mess out of Azula's gladiator and finished the fight completely unscathed…
Iroh smirked as he walked out of the room, brewing something in his mind that, for once, had nothing to do with tea.
Azula didn't recall having run as if her life depended on it ever before. She used to run around the Palace when she was little, but never had she sprinted in this manner. The rational side of her brain told her she might end up falling down the stairs if she kept rushing like this, but she ignored those warnings. She had to get to him as quickly as possible…
The way to the stand-by room seemed ten times longer than when she had walked through it earlier, even when she was running this time. People turned to look at her as she passed them by, some of them realizing she was the Fire Nation Princess, but Azula didn't care about being judged by them for once. Her mind was set in only one goal right now… and that goal was Sokka.
When she finally arrived to the stand-by room, Sokka was being helped out of the ring by two staff members, who were dragging him from the sand with difficulty. Sokka kept gasping for air, too weak to cough, his legs too damaged for him to walk without help.
"Sokka…" Azula whispered, shortening the distance between them with long strides. The two staff members were surprised to see her in such a shaken state.
Sokka managed to recognize her voice, although he didn't even understand what she said. Somehow, hearing her gave him strengths he didn't know he still had within him… he had to tell her, say that damned word before she took out her anger on him again. He knew she would be extremely disappointed in him after what had just happened, but he couldn't make things right anymore. He had failed her…
"A-Azula…" he mumbled, trying to raise his head to look at her, but his eyesight was too blurry for him to see more than shapes.
"Hush," she said, approaching and sliding her hand under his left arm, surrounding his waist as she got ready to carry him on her own. The staff members stumbled back, staring at the scene with disbelief. Never before had they seen a sponsor so concerned over the well-being of his gladiator that he would choose to carry the almost lifeless slave like this. "You don't have to say anything, everything will be alright soon."
"A… Azula…" he said once more, since he hardly understood any of what she had told him.
"Where can I find medical assistance for him?" she asked, looking at the staff members with fury gleaming in her eyes, threatening them to speak at once or face dire consequences. "Answer me!"
"T-there are no medical facilities in here, Princess," said one of the men, terrified.
"How can there be no…?!" started Azula, in complete disbelief, but she shook her head, knowing she couldn't press on the subject right now. She would address that issue later. "Sokka, can you walk?"
"H-huh…?"
"Can you walk? Do you understand what I'm saying?" she asked, looking at him in the eye.
"A… a little," he admitted. "My legs are killing me…"
"Well, I'm not about to drag you all the way to the Palace," said Azula, frowning. "You'll end up in an even worse state if I do that. You have to work with me here, Sokka… try to walk, please…"
Sokka only caught the last sentences, and was bemused at hearing Azula pleading with him. He didn't understand what she wanted from him, but he would comply somehow. He nodded and used all his willpower to move his legs. Azula had him place his arm across her shoulders, and she exerted all the strength she could muster to pull him with her as she walked towards the hallway.
Sokka gasped at every step they took, even though Azula was walking as slowly as possible, trying to make the trip less difficult for him. She didn't realize she kept reassuring him through words, telling him everything would work out for the better, that he would be fine soon enough. Sokka hardly understood what she was saying, but he was clinging to her as if his life depended on it… and it sure was depending on it right now.
It took them what felt like ages to get up the stairs. Azula wondered if it would have been easier if she had been carrying him on her back, but she wasn't strong enough to lift his weight through such a long flight of stairs. Sokka was trying his hardest to climb each step, but his legs kept giving away and he almost brought Azula down each time he collapsed. Regardless, the Princess didn't give up on her endeavor; she didn't even consider doing so.
Finally, they reached the vestibule. Sokka was trembling violently by then. Azula gritted her teeth as she nigh dragged him towards the gates, and many unwelcome eyes were fixed upon the two of them. Shoji was looking at them with his mouth hanging open, wondering what could have injured the Blue Wolf like this, and definitely confused over how the Fire Nation Princess was carrying him like this on her own… but whenever someone approached her, she would glare at them defiantly. Sokka was her gladiator. She had gotten him into this fight and she would be the one to get him out of it as well, no matter if she felt too weak to carry both him and an enormous pile of guilt as burdens on her shoulders.
Another staff man got the door for her, and she didn't thank him for his kindness. There was her palanquin, at last…
The Captain of the Royal Guard hadn't been paying close attention to the door, but when the other guards and the palanquin bearers began staring at the Arena's gates with scandalized looks on their faces, he turned to see what was happening. He would have never expected to witness such a horrifying sight: The Princess was struggling to walk down to the Palanquin while holding her horribly wounded gladiator in her arms. She was stained with his blood and also with the sand that had been attached to the remnants of his clothing and armor, giving them both an extremely ragged up appearance.
"P-Princess!" he yelled, turning around at her.
"Is the palanquin ready?" was her sole question as she dragged Sokka down the steps that would lead her to the street.
"What happened to…?" asked the Guard, rushing up to her as the rest of the Royal Procession got ready to move. "Princess…"
"Don't touch him," said Azula, wincing as she walked down the last few steps towards the palanquin. "He's badly injured, so just… don't touch him…"
"I can see that," said the guard, although he kept walking nearby, afraid Azula might drop Sokka, but, despite she was struggling to stay steady on her feet, she managed to keep a strong grip around him.
Despite Azula's orders, the Captain insisted in aiding her once he realized what her intent was. He opened the curtains of the palanquin and helped her place the wounded man inside the cabin. Sokka was half sitting, half lying down on the palanquin, grunting as the dreadful pain kept making its way through his numb body.
"Are you bearers strong enough to carry two people?" asked Azula, fearing she might have to walk to the Palace, even though she loathed the idea of doing so.
"Of course, Princess," said one of the bearers, although he winced at the thought. Carrying Azula was one thing… but that man was big enough to tower over all them. Still, they were devoted to their duty and they would fulfill it to the end. They would carry both of them if the Princess commanded them to do so.
"If need be, I'll have some of the guards help carry the palanquin," said the Royal Guard's Captain, reassuringly. Azula nodded and climbed aboard, closing the curtain behind her.
There wasn't much room left in the palanquin, seeing how Sokka had taken up her usual spot. He was breathing heavily as he tried his hardest to remain conscious, but he was slowly losing the battle against his wounds and his exhaustion.
"A-Azula… w-what is…?" he managed to say before huffing in pain, his teeth clenched as a sudden burst of pain coursed through his right shoulder.
"No need to say anything, Sokka," she told him as he lifted his left hand to who knew what avail. "Or to do anything, for that matter. You're going to be fine soon, I promise you that."
"A-Azula… b-back then, I…"
"Shush, I said," she told him. Sokka seemed to be searching for something with his hand, but his eyes were failing him and he couldn't find what he was looking for. Azula had no clue what to do other than to take it in hers, and to her relief, Sokka seemed to calm down slightly at this. Was that what he had been trying to accomplish? "It's going to be alright. I'll make sure of that."
"Azula… I… I'm…" he muttered, and she no longer had the heart to shut him up. Clearly, he had something to say. "I'm… sorry."
Azula's eyes fell at those words. Sorry? Again? What was he sorry about now?
It seemed that he had been forcing himself to remain conscious only to utter those words. His eyelids fell over his blue eyes, making Azula fear the worst until she saw his chest was still heaving. She allowed herself to take deep breaths now, since it seemed like she hadn't breathed in over half an hour, but as she did, something unexpected came over her.
She couldn't quite understand it, but as she looked at the man's torn up face, she felt a powerful urge to restore him to the goofy idiot he had been before. She wanted him to open those eyes again soon, she needed to argue with him, to discuss matters they didn't agree upon, she wanted him to say and do all those ridiculous things that always took her off guard… She couldn't let him die. She wouldn't let him leave her, not now. And to think she had wanted to get another gladiator not even a month ago…
She felt something wet on her lap, and it took her a moment to realize she was actually crying. Her hand was still holding his, and she just gazed upon her worn out gladiator as feelings foreign to her began rising within her chest. She had no idea what this strange surge of emotions was, but she couldn't have cared less about understanding them right now. She was too concerned over his well-being to care about anything but him at this point.
The palanquin began moving, and she finally stopped looking at him. It was unbearable for her to keep staring at his limp figure. Yet she still held his hand tightly, unwilling to let it go… unwilling to let him go.