He lowered his head, his gaze centered on the blade of grass before him. He didn't make a sound, and he tried not to move either. The cricket was right in front of him, and he could have snatched it between his jaws in a heartbeat, but it was so much more fun to trick it into believing it was no longer being hunted.
And indeed, the bug failed to notice he was still there, leering at him. The cricket climbed to the top of the grass blade he was dangling from, and he hopped into the air, spreading its wings with a flutter…
And then the cricket was scorched in midair by a fire blast. A forked tongue darted out to pick up the bug before it could drop to the ground. Xin Long rolled his tongue back and savored the cricket before swallowing, chuckling in his own reptilian way once he had gotten away with his malicious endeavor.
He turned towards his rider cheerfully, wanting to share his great accomplishment with her, but even though Azula was sitting with her back resting against the dragon's long frame, the Princess's mind was nowhere nearby. Xin Long groaned loudly and brought her out of her meditative state, and Azula turned towards him, startled.
"What? Oh, you caught another one?" she said, as Xin Long flashed her mind with images of his successful hunt. "Well done. You'll catch them all at this rate."
Xin Long groaned again, knowing she wasn't being completely sincere with her praises. Something was preventing her from admiring his hunting skills genuinely, and Xin Long already knew what it was.
Azula was startled by the next thought her dragon sent her way, and she stared at him in disbelief.
"What do you mean, what is the big deal?" she said. "You should know by now, Xin!"
Xin Long growled, letting Azula know he was aware of the fact that it was important to her, but he was unable to understand why it was. He doubted dragons touching their mouths together would make as much of a fuss over that simple action as she had…
"Not like we'll know if they would or wouldn't make a fuss," grunted Azula, sighing and dropping on the dragon's back again. "It's more than just 'touching our mouths' together, Xin. It's the heralding of my doom, that's what it really is. It doesn't matter how amazing it might feel, it just can't happen…"
Xin Long grew more confused with every passing moment. What couldn't happen?
"Him and me. We're not supposed to be together," sighed Azula. "Do you have any clue of what would happen if we ever went any further than that and my father were to find out…?"
It didn't make any sense to Xin Long that Azula would speak of 'being together' with Sokka. Ever since Xin Long had met the pair of them, Azula had almost always been with Sokka. She was contradicting herself wildly, in Xin Long's humble opinion…
"I don't mean together in the conventional way," said Azula, blushing as she came up with a very embarrassing way to explain this to the creature. "What I meant was for us to… mate."
Xin Long actually made a hooting sound, at which Azula stared at him in indignation, her blood rushing to her face even faster.
"Will you stop?!" she exclaimed, and the dragon was amused by her reaction. "Yes, that is what I meant! Now you understand why I can't be with him?"
Xin Long stopped chuckling when he realized he still didn't understand. Why couldn't they mate? If they were from the same species, they had fun together, they liked each other and they shared common interests, such as pressing their mouths together, why shouldn't they mate? It wasn't all that complicated…
"It's far more complicated than it seems to you," said Azula. "It doesn't matter how much I wish we could go any further, it can't happen. There's too much at stake, and he knows it. I told him as much! I… I thought we had reached an agreement, a new deal, but he just broke it as if it were nothing to him! Why did he have to kiss me?"
Xin Long was still confused, but he didn't keep from pointing out that she had kissed him back. Azula shot him a glare she never thought she would have to use on her dragon.
"It wasn't as if I could… as if I could resist, damn," said Azula, dropping against the creature's back again. "I wish I could. I should have just shoved him off and told him to keep his tongue to himself…"
Xin Long blinked a few times as he stared at Azula, sending other thoughts her way. Azula would have smiled at his innocent idea if she hadn't been as troubled as she was.
"If he wants to catch crickets with his tongue like you do, he's welcome to try," said Azula. "But if he'll start hunting crickets that way, then all the more reason he should keep it away from me."
Xin Long seemed slightly offended at that, and he stuck his tongue out at Azula, but she ignored him.
"I know I don't want for us to just be sponsor and gladiator… of course I don't," said Azula. "But I've already had my taste of what happens if I forget the rules of the game. Any slip-ups will end badly… even if it could work at first, there's no chance a relationship between us could endure through the strains of the world we live in. If I just wasn't the Princess, then maybe…"
Azula's eyes widened when those words slipped from her mouth. She didn't recall ever having wished not to be a Princess. All along she had enjoyed every single perk that came from being a royal, and there was absolutely nothing she would have traded her life away for. How had she even dared think about the possibilities of not being a royal…? How could she even wonder what her life might be like if she weren't a Princess? And it was because of him that she had come to think of this…
"What is he doing to me, Xin?" she asked, her face in her hands as she tried to find the answer to her own question. "How can he make a mess of me without even trying? And why am I letting him…?"
Xin Long encircled Azula with his tail, not knowing how to soothe her. Azula allowed it to wrap around her shoulders and sighed, shaking her head.
"It's pointless to keep thinking about it. Dwelling upon the matter is just not going to help at all. But even though I wish I could just act as if nothing had happened, I can't. I can't face him like this, when I have no idea what to say or what to do… what if he tries to kiss me again, Xin? Am I supposed to just go with it again…? Even if I tell myself I won't do it, I know it will be useless. I've been unable to hold my own against him so far…"
Xin Long nudged at her shoulder with his nose, growing concerned. It wasn't like her to feel so weak-minded over anything, and it seemed even weirder for Xin Long that she would feel this way about her best ally. Sokka was the only other human, aside from Azula herself, who had ridden him, and it was only because Azula had allowed him to. He had fought alongside with Azula against the Rhino Gang, and Xin Long hadn't ignored just how much Azula's mood would improve whenever she was with him. If she enjoyed herself so much when she was with Sokka, why not let herself go and forget all her reservations?
"Because it's too big a risk, Xin," said Azula, shaking her head. "If my father even knew he has kissed me, he would lock him up without a second thought. He might even behead him for just a kiss…"
Xin Long groaned teasingly and Azula rolled her eyes.
"Well, it really wasn't just a kiss for me. None of them have been," said Azula. "Still, Xin, it can't happen. I can't let it happen. I need to… I need to get over him. I need to leave all these useless feelings behind. My father has always told me emotions are pointless, and he's right… they've only brought me sorrow and pain so far. I can't let myself make the same mistake I did before, no matter how badly I wish to make it."
Xin Long nudged at her shoulder again with his nose, and Azula sighed.
"I said I wouldn't make the mistake, stop trying to convince me. No, it doesn't matter if it'll make me happier, it's going to ruin everything in the long run, so quit harassing me, Xin… I said quit-…!"
The dragon had been nudging at her playfully until he stopped upon noticing they were being watched. Azula was surprised when he actually obeyed her, but it didn't take her long to realize he hadn't stopped because of her.
She felt the color drain from her face when she realized her brother was staring at her with utter confusion.
The first question that popped up in Azula's mind was: how much had Zuko heard?
Being caught in such a strange situation was most unlike her. She was sitting on the grass, with a dragon's tail wrapped around her, while talking seemingly to herself… it was not something most people would expect to witness, coming from her. So why did Zuko, of all people, have to be the one to spot her?
Yet she wasn't the only one sporting an appearance that would bring up many questions. Zuko's frame was draped in a black cloak, with a dark hood drawn upon his face that failed to conceal his features properly. Azula could see his confused frown just as clearly as she would if he hadn't been wearing the hood.
They stared at each other silently for a moment, both wondering who might be the one to take the initiative. For once, Zuko actually might have an edge on her… but as soon as he realized he did, she decided to grasp hers.
"Well, if it's just you, Zuzu," she said, seeking to lead him into believing she was as calm and collected as she usually was. "It has been a long time. Did you come here in hopes to pet Xin Long without my awareness?"
"Wha-…? Of course not," grunted Zuko, his sole eyebrow twitching.
"I suppose not, that getup implies you're up to something else…" said Azula, tapping her chin with her index finger. "Perhaps you're playing hide-and-seek with the Bandit?"
"What? Playing…? What on earth are you talking about?" asked Zuko, staring at her in bewilderedness.
"I'm merely guessing here," said Azula, smirking slightly. "It will be quite useless to try to sneak past her by wearing a hood, Zuzu. She's blind, she wouldn't care if you were wearing a hood or a skirt… doesn't mean she can't catch you if she puts her mind to it, of course. You've never been all that good at games, as you surely must recall…"
"I wasn't playing anything, let alone with her," grunted Zuko. "And since you're that hung on games, why don't you go play with your gladiator and your swords?"
Azula had to make use of all her willpower to keep the blood from flowing up towards her face in a rush when Zuko happened to mention Sokka.
"I could ask you the same thing," asked Azula, raising an eyebrow, and startling Zuko.
"What…? I don't have a gladiator," replied Zuko, flinching away from her.
"I thought as much," said Azula. "Yet you keep frequenting the Arena, from what I've heard. Why might that be, Zuzu? Didn't you think the lowly Gladiator Business was revolting and that you wanted nothing to do with it?"
"That's… that's none of your concern," grunted Zuko, gritting his teeth. "How did you know?"
"Ty Lee has seen you," said Azula, pleased by Zuko's response since it had helped her to change the subject. "She told me all about how witty you thought you were by concealing your face underneath that hood… anyone would know it's you, Zuko. You really shouldn't bother wearing it."
"Shut up," grunted Zuko, turning around and storming off the hall, fuming.
Azula sighed and dropped her head on Xin Long's back again. He was gone now, and he had made no mention of what she had been talking about to Xin Long… so he probably hadn't heard anything important. If he had heard her mention a kiss he would have likely poked fun at her to no end. He would have finally found an opportunity to pay back for all the times she had picked on him since childhood, which had been more than she could count… and it was because of this that she couldn't allow herself any weaknesses in front of him. To Zuko, she was flawless. She would do everything in her power to keep him thinking that way.
Zuko walked away from the gardens feeling rather irritated. Why was it that every single time he crossed paths with his sister she had to make him feel like a fool? Why did she enjoy feeling superior to everyone else so much? It annoyed him beyond belief.
And it annoyed him even further to think that he had almost found the chance to return the favor, but he had let it go to waste. She had been talking to the dragon about a mistake: since when did Azula make mistakes? He would make sure to ask her next time she spoke to him. He was sure she'd be unable to avoid the matter if he brought it up one day.
But for now, it would be best if he stopped thinking about his sister. He walked towards the Palace walls, slipping past the hidden door and walking out into the town while feeling slightly foolish. Wearing the hood… was it any use? Why did Azula have to be so skilled at throwing his world out of balance? Maybe Ty Lee had spotted him, but that didn't mean everybody else knew it was him! Surely she was just exaggerating…
He entered the Arena, still wondering if people already knew who he was. He sighed and walked towards the bets' counter, but not before stopping by the board where today's fights were written.
"Kyoshi's Heir against the Chained Titan…" read Zuko, smiling weakly as he read the name of his favorite gladiator.
He approached the counter and set a bag of coins before the staff member, who nodded in greeting.
"Kyoshi's Heir again, is it?" he muttered. "You sure about doing that this time around? The Titan isn't above her in the ranking, but he has won over a hundred fights, no losses."
"It doesn't matter," muttered Zuko. "I'm placing my bet on her."
"Suit yourself," said the man, shrugging and putting the money away.
Zuko glared at him, irritated. It didn't matter if she was up against a man who had won every single one of his fights, of course she would win! There was simply no questioning it! Suki was strong enough to defeat…!
His thoughts were interrupted when someone collided with him. The crash almost knocked him to the floor, and he stared around himself in confusion, wondering who it might have been and why…
"Oh, spirits, I'm so sorry!"
Zuko's eyes almost fell out of their sockets when he realized that the person who had run into him was the very gladiator he had been placing a bet on. His mouth fell open as he stared at her, incapable to utter a sound.
"Are you alright? I'm coming in a little late, I was in a rush and I didn't realize… did I hurt you anywhere?" she asked, grimacing and looking at Zuko in concern.
"N-no, I… I'm fine," he said, weakly.
"Really…?" muttered Suki, still looking at him worriedly before recalling she was late. She edged away towards the stairs and made an apologetic gesture with her hand. "Sorry again! I've got to run now, so see you around!"
"Uh… sure," said Zuko, staring after her wide-eyed as she sprinted down the stairs hastily.
He gaped after her in shock, his heart racing in his chest. She had talked to him… she had seen him. They had been face to face for the very first time. He had thought he would only ever watch her from afar, admiring her talent and dignity while fighting. But he had just talked to her… what had he said? Had he made a fool of himself? He didn't even remember what he had told her anymore! He should have asked if she was fine as well, or at least wished her luck in her fight…
His hand went to his forehead and he shook his head in disbelief. And he would have continued regretting not having said anything useful if he hadn't turned around to find quite an unexpected crowd staring at him.
He had seen them before many times now, and he had always avoided them like the plague, pulling at his black hood to show he was nothing like them. Yet he had always dreaded that Kyoshi's Heir's fans might round him up eventually… and it seemed the day he had feared had finally come.
They were a strange group, truly. They were all clad in green and yellow clothes, wearing bandanas and holding up fans. Some of them had headpieces, others wore the face paint… and in Zuko's opinion, all of them looked slightly crazy. There was one who stood to the front of the group, a plump and short man who couldn't have been older than Zuko, and he seemed to be the leader of the fans, given that he had a ribbon on his chest that identified him as 'President of Kyoshi's Heir's Fanclub'. He stared at Zuko with wide eyes before smiling broadly.
"She talked to you! She talked to you!" he said happily. "That's something to remember, truly!"
"She… she crashed into me," muttered Zuko, staring at the man in confusion. "She was just apologizing. What do you want? Why do you talk as if you knew me…?"
"Oh, but we know you! You always show up at Kyoshi's Heir's fights!" said the man. "We're her fan club! I'm the president, Zhai Gou! Who might you be, my fellow fan?"
Zuko could have almost thrown a celebration fit right then and there if he hadn't caught himself. The guy had no idea who he was! Take that, Azula!
But truly… he didn't want the president of the fan club to know him. Even if he didn't seem a bad person at heart, this guy was too cheerful and happy… and he wasn't the sort of person Zuko wanted to involve himself with. Zuko hardly wanted to involve himself with anyone, for starters.
"I'm… Lee," he muttered, not knowing if he had spoken with enough conviction.
"Nice to meet you, Lee!" said Zhai Gou, and the others behind him chorused his words. "I've always wondered if I should come up to you and invite you over to our side of the stands, but I didn't know until today if you were her fan or perhaps if you wanted to see her fall…"
"See her fall?" asked Zuko, shocked. "Why would I want to do that?"
"There are many spectators that come by just to watch the gladiators lose," said Zhai Gou. "They bet against them instead of betting for them, so I thought perhaps you would be like those, given how scary and eerie you are! But she just spoke to you, and if she did, then you must be one of the good guys!"
"Says who?" grunted Zuko, growing irritated, but it seemed he could say nothing to push away the man who pestered him so much.
"You are more than welcome, Lee, to take your seat with us today!" said Zhai Gou, grinning. "You are one of us, so…"
"Wait, I'm not one of you!" said Zuko, grimacing. "I'm not!"
"You are Kyoshi's Heir's fan!" said another member of the crowd. "Of course you're one of us!"
"B-but I…!" started Zuko, trying to defend himself from the horde of fans to no avail.
Zuko found himself engulfed by them, and they all squealed happily as they dumped what seemed to be Kyoshi's Heir's merchandise on Zuko. He found himself holding fans, bandanas, a Kyoshi outfit, several different kinds of headpieces, posters, amongst so many other things, as the crowd gifted him with what might be the beginner's set for cheering on Kyoshi's Heir, according to her fan club.
"We'll be waiting for you in our side of the stands, Lee!" called out Zhai Gou as the entire crowd moved away, leaving Zuko behind amongst all the objects he had just been gifted with.
Zuko stared after them in disbelief for a few moments, and the man at the bets counter looked at him worriedly.
"You alright there, Prince?"
"I'm, uh… fine," grunted Zuko, growing slightly irritated when the man addressed him by his title. Maybe Azula hadn't been so wrong after all…
Zuko wondered if he should drop all the stuff he had been given, but he decided against it. Littering the Arena wasn't a good idea, after all. Thus, he carried all of it with him as he climbed the stairs towards the stands.
He looked for the group of Kyoshi's Heir's fans just to make sure to go the exact opposite direction. Once he spotted them, cheering at the east side of the stadium even though the match hadn't begun yet, Zuko walked away as discreetly as possible. Whatever spot they had saved for him, he certainly didn't want to take it. These people were even crazier than he had expected them to be…
He walked towards the west of the Arena, and he sat on the highest bench available, dropping his gifts on a vacant seat by his side. He stared at the pile of goods in mild disbelief, still wondering what was the point of it… was that a peach? Why had they given him a peach? Was that Kyoshi's Heir's favorite fruit or something?
Zuko sighed and shook his head. He frowned as he relived what had just happened in the Arena's vestibule, and recalled what the president had told him… he wasn't one of them, not at all. He enjoyed watching her fight, but that didn't make him a crazed fan like the rest of them. He wouldn't wear paint on his face as they did, nor would he try to dress up in clothes like hers. Perhaps he was curious about her and he wished to know more about the girl, but he wasn't going to waste away his life with this, this was just a hobby, a simple way to pass the time for now…
Though, was it? Zuko frowned and shook his head, feeling quite foolish. Perhaps he ought to be busy with something more important, but what? His father still wouldn't meet with him. His uncle and his sister were both completely involved in the Gladiator Business. Maybe he should go into the Earth Kingdom to find another dragon so that he wouldn't lag behind his sister… but what use would that be? She had gotten one first. He would come second, as always, and his luck was such that he wasn't bound to find a dragon no matter where he looked…
Then… the Avatar? No, he'd had enough of chasing him for a lifetime. He hadn't found him in ten years. There was no chance he would find him if he tried to search for him one more time. The Avatar was gone: maybe he had been reborn in the Northern Water Tribe, or in the Earth Kingdom by now, but there was no Earth Kingdom anymore. And the Air Nomads were gone as well. How would he be an Avatar if he couldn't be taught how to bend all four elements?
Zuko sighed and shook his head again, picking up the peach and wondering if perhaps he should eat it to forget about his distressing thoughts for a moment. He was quite helpless as he was, and there was little he could do to change that for the better. Perhaps his father would come to accept him again eventually, if Azula was too busy frolicking around with her slave or with her dragon to fulfill the Fire Lord's orders… but if not, then he would have nothing else to do for now. Dropping by at the Arena served to distract him from all his concerns, at the very least…
Zuko was staring at the peach on his hand when he realized there was someone trying to take a seat beside him. He looked up to find a plump young woman, staring at all the goods in mild confusion as she tried to make room for herself.
"Could you please…? The rest of the Arena is already so crowded," she said, smiling apologetically at Zuko.
"O-of course, I'm sorry," he said, pocketing the peach. He picked the rest of the objects up and dropped them on the ground by his feet. The movements made the hood on his face fall back slightly, revealing his face without his awareness.
The girl stared at him in awe when she caught sight of his scar, his dark hair and his golden eyes. Had she been carrying anything on her hands, she would have certainly dropped it.
"I-is there a problem?" asked Zuko, when she still wouldn't sit down. "I already put everything out of the way…"
"N-n-n-n-no… not… no problem…" muttered the girl, sitting next to him while her face turned red. How was she going to be able to act naturally when she had just encountered the Fire Lord's son…?
Zuko might have taken notice of her unease, but the grids of the stand-by rooms were lifted on that very moment, claiming his attention. Zuko stared avidly towards the sand pit, and he smiled when Kyoshi's Heir walked into it, waving quite charismatically towards the crowd. She sure didn't seem to be the same person who had bumped into him clumsily just a moment ago…
But Zuko's smile dwindled when he caught sight of Suki's opponent. The man was ridiculously buff, and his face was ugly and disfigured by scars. His hair was a mat of brown, falling over his eyes in total disarray. He wore a heavy armor, and he was armed with several different kinds of blades, but his hands were gripping a large dragon-beard hook attached to a long chain, which seemed to be his main weapon.
Suki squinted under the sun as she stared at her opponent. She had fought worse… of course she had. She brought forth her fans and stared at the man with a frown on her face. The Chained Titan had never lost a fight, according to his records… and what was worse, it seemed he was one of those gladiators who relished in murdering his rivals.
And she couldn't let him win today. The bet was really high this time around… she couldn't let it go to waste. Oyaji had already told her she couldn't take this fight for granted. She needed to defeat this opponent, no matter what the cost was.
"… Can Kyoshi's Heir bring down the Titan's perfect winning streak? We will have fifteen minutes to find out," said the megaphone man. "Get ready, and… START!"
The Titan didn't wait another instant before beginning his assault. With a roar, he threw the hook straight towards Suki, and she jumped out of the way swiftly… but the Titan swung the weapon in her direction, and she had to duck to avoid getting beheaded by the hook. As she saw the weapon pass right above her she realized just how sharp the edge was…
The Titan continued roaring, still flinging his hook dangerously towards her. Suki grimaced and began running through the sand, forced to make feints in order to avoid his attacks. It was shocking that she would have such trouble against an opponent at the very beginning of the fight. He was below her in the ranking, he shouldn't have the upper hand this easily.
But Suki knew better than to despair. She had to be careful regarding how she fought against this foe…
"Just how high is that guy in the ranking?" Zuko asked to the girl sitting next to him, as he watched worriedly how Kyoshi's Heir struggled to keep up with her opponent's deadly weapon without being able to counter any of his attacks.
"I… I don't know…" she replied, blushing again upon being addressed by Zuko.
Zuko frowned and stared down even more intently, his fingertips digging into his knees as he leaned forward. She could do this… she always found a way to defeat her opponents, this time would be no different…
Suki had to sprint, running back and forth through the Arena while trying to avoid being struck by either the chain or the hook. She would be able to sustain a blow by the chain… but that hook would slice through her armor as if she were wearing none, not only because of its sharpness but because of the momentum it was gaining thanks to the way the Titan spun it in the air.
She ran forward, straight towards her opponent, her fans gripped in her hands as she tested him. The Titan would have to reel in his chain in order to strike Suki, and upon doing so, the spinning had to slow down. Suki would have smiled upon having gained an opening, but she really couldn't waste any time in celebration when she still hadn't won. Especially when the Titan swung the now shortened chain straight towards her, again with enough momentum to kill her if she failed to defend herself.
She brought forth the shield on her left arm and lifted it to protect her face, since the hook was coming straight towards it. The hook's blow shook her, almost knocking her off balance, and it actually tore through her shield. Suki grimaced when she noticed the deadly tip of the blade was peeking out through the shield only a few inches above her hand.
She released the shield from the hook, and the Titan reeled it in again only to swing it above his head, again relying on the force of the spin to make his weapon even deadlier. Suki grimaced, wondering what she ought to do to defeat him. No wonder he hadn't lost against other gladiators before… He was quick, and his aggressive attacks served as defense as well. If that chain caught her it was bound to maim her badly, and there was also the chance that the hook would find its way into cutting her, if the chain wrapped around her body…
She couldn't give him any opportunities. She had to defeat him as quickly as possible.
She tossed one of her fans at the Titan, and he was finally forced to shift his stance, but that only served to make the hook's trajectory even more difficult to predict for her. Suki snarled and jumped towards him, bringing forth her remaining fan just as her opponent directed his chain towards her again. Suki dropped to the ground to evade it, but the Titan slung the hook around himself on a second lap, and he lowered the chain so that the hook would still find her. But Suki wouldn't let him defeat her so easily. She leapt forward and struck the center of the chain with her fan, rendering the weapon useless for the moment as it lost its firmness.
But the Titan was anything but helpless after what she did. The dragon beard hook fell to the ground a few feet away from Suki, but as soon as she turned around she found the Titan running towards her, yelling again, with a dagger in hand.
Suki hardly had enough time to unsheathe her katana to protect herself from the man's attack. He used the dagger to stab at her wildly, his eyes bulging with madness as he did. It seemed he hardly had any prowess with the knife, most unlike with his hook, but he still had an advantage over her. Suki had to jump back to keep from getting pierced by the blade, and when she did so, the Titan pulled the chain again and the hook came flying straight towards Suki.
She used her katana to knock the hook off-course, but the Titan pulled on the chain and swung it towards his right. The chain caught her right below the knees and brought her down head-first into the sand.
Zuko gasped, along with the rest of the crowd, when Suki took a fall in such disgraceful manner. It wasn't like Kyoshi's Heir to lose her footing…
Suki rolled on the sand, almost as a reflex, before bolting up to her feet. She was relieved to have done that, given that only a few seconds later the hook plummeted down on the very spot she had been lying on. The sharp edge sank into the sand so swiftly that Suki couldn't help but stare in horror. The blade would have definitely killed her if she had lingered a moment longer… and it would if she lingered where she was now.
The Titan roared again, pulled back his weapon and threw it towards her anew, and Suki grimaced, ducking below the chain to avoid it once the Titan had tossed it towards her. The hook spun around the Arena and swung towards Suki again, this time aiming at her legs. Suki jumped high and forward, hoping to avoid the hook and to reach the Titan this time around, but the gladiator took advantage of the spins to shorten the chain, and the hook was coming straight towards her again.
Suki grimaced and tossed her fan at the chain when she realized the hook would strike her. It wasn't much use, but at least it helped alter the trajectory of the blade.
Even so, it seemed that every passing second would only make the Titan deadlier. The hook had become slightly unsteady for a moment, but its momentum only seemed to increase as he spun the chain harder. Suki gritted her teeth and gripped her katana tightly, lounging forward in a last, desperate attempt to reach her opponent.
The Titan stopped the hook and yanked it back when it was right behind Suki. The hook lost some power, but it still flew rapidly as it came closer to its objective. Suki grimaced, knowing the hook was much faster than she was. And it was right behind her, about to rip her back in two…
The Titan was smirking as he saw her running towards him, knowing she would be unable to hit him before the hook struck her down… she was done for, the fabled Kyoshi's Heir. This was definitely going to be her last fight.
But just as he was starting to feel triumphant, Suki dropped flatly on the sand. Her head hit the ground a little harder than she intended, and she slid towards him as her own momentum kept her moving, even though she wasn't going to attack her opponent anymore. It wasn't necessary.
Suki watched as the hook passed right above her, the edge shining brightly against the sun as it was flew back, straight towards its wielder.
Blood splattered Suki and she closed her eyes, knowing just what had happened to her opponent. She was on her feet again quickly as the blood oozed out of the Titan, his stomach cut open by his own blade.
The Titan spat blood as his shivering hands went down to his hook, and he stared at Suki almost accusingly, and she could only look back at him in horror. He had brought this upon himself, he should have been aware of the perils of his own weapons. And she had been forced to win, she didn't have a choice but to defeat him…
The Titan tried to roar angrily again, but upon doing so he collapsed on the ground, too weak over the blood loss to utter any sounds at all. Suki heard the hook sink deeper into his body after he dropped on his stomach on the sand.
The staff members ran into the sand pit quickly, picking up the man carefully as the megaphone man declared Kyoshi's Heir as the winner. The crowd seemed satisfied by the result, but the cheers weren't as loud as usual given how bloody the battle had been. Kyoshi's Heir had never been one for spectacles of this sort.
Unlike other fighters did when they were victorious, Kyoshi's Heir wasn't the type to put up much of a celebration show after winning a match. She would simply stand in spot, her head held high, as she listened to the cheers of the crowd, before walking away.
Perhaps this was the reason why nobody other than Zuko caught the unusual change in her demeanor this time. Instead of keeping her head high, she was staring down at the blood-stained sand. She had her back turned towards where Zuko sat, but that didn't keep him from noticing she was shaken up by what had just happened.
"She's… is she okay?" he muttered, gulping. She hadn't sustained any injuries… but that didn't mean she hadn't been wounded by this fight.
Kyoshi's Heir was led into the stand-by room by a staff member, and Zuko watched in dismay as she walked away, still with her head tilted. Her supporters were still cheering her on, but it didn't seem to serve its purpose, and it seemed to Zuko the fans didn't realize how troubled she was.
Suki entered the stand-by room and she was gone from sight. Zuko grimaced worriedly, his eyes fixed upon the golden gate. Could she be alright? Even though the fight had been as bloody as it was, she had still triumphed in quite an honorable fashion, in Zuko's opinion. Yet she was clearly disturbed by what she had been forced to do to defeat the Titan, and there was absolutely nothing Zuko could do about it. He could only sit there and watch her from afar, as always…
"Maybe you should… maybe you should go see her," said the girl that had been sitting next to him, startling Zuko.
"What?" he said, looking at her with wide eyes. She jumped at his response, her cheeks reddening again.
"I mean, y-you are… well, you… you are worried about her, aren't you?" she muttered, gulping. "You were supporting Kyoshi's Heir…"
"Well, yeah," said Zuko, frowning. "But I can't just walk to where she is and ask her if she's fine! She doesn't even know who I am."
"W-well… if you told her who you are, she'd know…" shrugged the girl, matter-of-factly.
"No kidding," said Zuko, grimacing. "But I don't think…"
"It was just a suggestion," muttered the girl, lowering her head and leaving the stands without another word. Zuko watched her leave, still surprised by what she had told him.
"Why would she want to help me…?" he muttered, confused.
He looked again at all the goods he had been given, frowning. The people who had given him these objects cheered on for a gladiator, not for a woman… they didn't think of the toll that these fights took on Kyoshi's Heir. They surely didn't understand the reality of the Gladiator Business.
But Zuko did. Perhaps the girl had been right… perhaps he could talk to Suki. He didn't admire Kyoshi's Heir merely because she was a gladiator. On the contrary, he admired her because he could see that she was much more than a gladiator. And there was a chance that he might be the only one who saw her in this light. There was a chance that he might be the only one who could help her in this moment of sorrow.
He gritted his teeth and picked up all his gifts yet again. He walked through the stands, back to the stairs that would lead him to the vestibule. But instead of heading straight for the gates, Zuko continued downwards, determined to reach the stand-by room before she could leave it.
He dropped the fans' presents on the hall, making a note to pick them up later. It wouldn't be a good idea to talk to her while carrying a load of junk that would convince her that he was merely another foolish fan of hers.
To his relief, she was still in the stand-by room. He almost smiled when he saw her… until he processed the sight completely. She was sitting on the stand-by room's bench, hugging herself, her head tilted down, her hair falling as a curtain to cover her face. Her clothes were stained with the Titan's blood, and she seemed to be breathing agitatedly as her body shivered. Was she crying…?
All of Zuko's delirious ideas to help her vanished on the spot. How could he dare approach her now? She was miserable… and he wouldn't be able to make her feel any better. He couldn't even cheer himself up when he was upset, how would he be able to help someone else?
He gritted his teeth and decided to turn around and leave, but his movement made his cloak rustle. The sound gave his presence away, and Zuko grimaced, knowing he had revealed himself without meaning to.
And Kyoshi's Heir lifted her head and found him standing only a few feet away from him, looking at her with worried eyes.
They stared at each other for a long moment, during which Zuko was relieved to find that she wasn't actually crying. She seemed confused to find herself with company in the stand-by room, but she looked down quickly once she remembered who he was.
"Y-you… sorry again for tripping on you, I didn't mean…" she muttered, avoiding his gaze.
"That's… that's not why I'm here," Zuko blurted out thoughtlessly, and she seemed quite confused at that.
"What are you here for, then?" she asked, looking at him sideways.
"I… I watched the match, I…" he muttered, nervously. How was he supposed to do this? How could he just talk to her naturally, after spending such a long time admiring her from afar…?
"I hope you placed your bet on me, then…" she said, smiling so weakly that it almost seemed a grimace.
"I did, but that's… that's not really important," said Zuko, scratching his head. "Are you… alright?"
Suki's eyes opened wide upon his question. She finally dared look at him, and she was surprised to be admiring such a handsome face underneath that hood. His left eye was marked with a scar, and yet it didn't make him any less appealing to her. Who was this dark stranger? And why did he care how she was faring? Nobody ever asked such questions to a gladiator… only one out of ten sponsors cared for their gladiator's wellbeing, and she was one of the lucky gladiators with a gentle sponsor. Oyaji had always been kind to her, but the same couldn't be said for the crowd. Perhaps she had fans and supporters, but they only loved her gladiator persona, Kyoshi's Heir. So long as she won, they cared for nothing else. This guy, though… since when did spectators care so much about the fighters?
"Why do you ask?" she muttered, staring at him with her outstanding violet eyes.
"B-because I watched the fight, I… I've been watching you for a while, and this time it was… well…"
"You're a fanboy, then?" asked Suki, smiling sympathetically at him.
"No! I'm… I'm not!" said Zuko, flustered. "I just… you're the best fighter I've ever seen. I just thought you seemed upset, and I thought… maybe you needed someone to talk to, after what happened."
Suki stared at him in surprise. He really wasn't one of those crazy fans, or else he might even be wearing face paint… but he was still one of her supporters. And for once, it was someone who was worried about her as more than just a gladiator. She smiled at him, almost shyly, and shrugged.
"Maybe it could help…" she muttered.
Zuko's eyes widened and he had to hold back from grinning at her response. She would talk to him! She would actually talk to him! But he had to keep from losing his cool. This was a very important matter, and he couldn't ruin it now. He was talking to Kyoshi's Heir, for crying out loud! He had messed many things up in his life already, he definitely didn't want to ruin this one.
He approached as she made some room for him on the bench, and once he sat down she sighed deeply.
"Must be ridiculous for a gladiator to be this bothered by a mere fight, huh…"
"It was disturbing," said Zuko, frowning. "For a moment there I was afraid you might not make it safely."
"That makes two of us," said Suki. "I didn't mean to injure him so badly, but…"
"You used his strength against him. He pretty much did it to himself," said Zuko. "And besides, chances are he might not die…"
"No use sugarcoating this," said Suki, shaking her head. "He probably will die, even if he's still alive right now."
"I guess so… but it would have been you or him anyways. If you hadn't done what you did, you'd be the one dying right now."
"Doesn't sound like that bad an idea…" muttered Suki, dropping her head between her hands.
"Don't say that," said Zuko, surprised by her words. "You're the most amazing fighter I've seen, you… you deserve to live."
"And he didn't?" asked Suki. "What makes me so much better than him?"
"You… you're honorable," said Zuko. "If you weren't, you wouldn't feel so bad about this."
"Honorable…?" repeated Suki, surprised.
"After all these fights, you still hurt inside when you kill a man, no matter how many you might have killed before," said Zuko. "And that shows that you're still human, still honorable. Even when the world has tried to corrupt you, you're still pure…"
"I wouldn't know about purity," said Suki, smiling weakly. "But I hadn't killed another man before… this one would be the first."
"Really?" asked Zuko, astonished. "But you've been a gladiator for quite a while, haven't you?"
"About six or seven years," said Suki. "I don't really keep track. My sponsor is very kind, he… he usually keeps me from the fighters that will be a handful, or that are bound to beat me. It's the first time we have accepted a challenge from a gladiator with a killer reputation to precede him, but it was because…"
"Because…?" asked Zuko, raising an eyebrow when she fell silent.
Suki sighed again before finishing the sentence.
"The winnings were huge. That's why," she said. "Do I still seem all that honorable to you when I just fight for the money?"
"W-well… everyone has their own reasons to fight," said Zuko, gulping. "It's not about your motive, but about the way you do it, I guess…"
"You're quite an idealist, aren't you?" said Suki, smiling at him. "It's unusual to find people like you in this day and age."
"I… I guess," said Zuko, looking back at her. She didn't know him, then? She didn't realize who he was?
"So that's the story," said Suki, sighing. "That's why I'm… I'm such a mess right now. I've never had to do this before…"
"Not even in the Amateur League?" he asked.
"I was never in the Amateur League," replied Suki. "My sponsor and I… we're both from Kyoshi Island. Almost everyone there was enslaved, but he became an Honorary Fire Nation citizen. He took me as his gladiator to protect me from the dangers of slavery, pretty much. I used to be a Kyoshi Warrior, I had mastered several fighting styles already, but chances were I would be forced to become a different kind of slave…"
"I'm glad that wasn't the case," said Zuko, grimacing at the thought.
"Me too, but… even though this life isn't all that hard on me, at times it just gets to me," said Suki, sighing. "You really think there's a chance that guy might live?"
"Likely," said Zuko, nodding.
Suki smiled weakly. It was a ridiculous hope to hold on to, but a hope no less. It might make reality more bearable.
"And… why did you come here?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "Were you really worried about me?"
"It was a bad fight. I… I saw the way you kept your head low when it was over," he said, folding his arms over his chest. "It wasn't like you to act that way after winning, so I thought I'd find out if you were alright after all."
"Well, there was no reason to fret, I… I'll be fine, yeah," she said nodding.
Zuko frowned as his hand hit something bulgy within his clothes. It took him a moment to realize it was the peach he had pocketed earlier. He took it out and looked at it insecurely, and Suki watched him with curiosity.
"What…? Why do you have a peach?"
"I… I don't know," said Zuko, mildly flushed. "But you can have it, if… if you want it"
Suki was quite confused by his offer. Why would she want a peach…? If anything, she wanted to puke after that fight. But the way he was blushing under that hood, holding that peach out with that trembling hand…
"I guess I could save it for later," she said, smiling and taking the peach from him. "Thanks… uh, you never said your name, did you?"
"I didn't," muttered Zuko, shaking his head promptly.
"Well, I'm Suki," she told him.
"I…" started Zuko, freezing before saying he already knew that. Suki might have stopped thinking he was a stalker by now, and he wasn't going to convince her otherwise.
He coughed to cover up before saying his name… but what name should he say? Should he stick to his alias, or should he be honest with her? He didn't want to lie to her, even if it risked having her realize who he was. And so, even though his mind advised him otherwise…:
"I'm Zuko."
Suki frowned and stared at him thoughtfully.
"Zuko… huh?" she said. "It's a good name. Thanks for the peach."
"Y-you're welcome. If you want another, I can get you one on your next fight, or…"
"I'm not really hungry after fights," said Suki, smiling awkwardly.
"Oh, yeah, of course not," said Zuko, scratching his head. "W-well, then… if you're feeling better now…"
"You must have other things to do, surely," said Suki, nodding. "Thanks, Zuko. I… I really needed a friend right now. Though I guess I really don't know you, but…"
"That's okay," said Zuko. "You can think of me as your friend if… if that's what you want."
"Well, then," said Suki, smiling. "Maybe we'll meet again sometime."
"Surely," said Zuko, nodding. He knew it would be best to give her some space, he shouldn't push his luck any further. "I'll leave you to yourself, then… I guess you need to be alone for a while."
"Might help a little," said Suki, nodding. "Thanks again."
"Not a problem," replied Zuko, standing up and walking down the hall without looking back towards her again.
Suki watched him leave, with a half-smile on her face. That had been unexpectedly nice. She wouldn't have thought the cloaked man would happen to be friendly. He seemed so aloof, so mysterious… and that name rang a bell, but she couldn't quite place where she had heard it before.
Zuko made sure to pick up all the objects he had been given by Suki's supporters before heading out of the Arena. It took him his every effort not to beam like a fool as he walked through the city carrying his goods. He had talked to her… at last, he had talked to her! And maybe he hadn't helped her much, but that was a start, at the very least.
He entered the Palace with difficulty due to all he was carrying. A shadow sped past the Palace yards as he walked towards the building, and he was surprised to find Xin Long was flying above, with Azula on his back. For once, the sight didn't bring forth jealousy or irritation… not today. Not after what had happened. He even found himself amazed by the contrast of the dragon's dark shape against the blue sky…
Zuko ran into the Palace, entered his room and locked himself inside it. He couldn't help but laugh at himself in joy, amazed by what had happened. He was Suki's friend now, it seemed. He dropped the goods of his bed, unsure of what to do with them. He was still Suki's supporter, even though not of the same kind as the rest of her fans. But that didn't mean he couldn't make use of some of what he had been given, right?
He placed one of the posters on the wall and stared in awe at Suki's painting: her hands held yellow fans, her legs were wide open as she took a stance for a fight and there was a fierce frown on her face. Zuko found himself admiring the picture for a moment… before shaking his head and taking down the poster. He was the Prince, for crying out loud. There was no sense in putting up a poster in his room! He was above this sort of nonsense…
But despite himself, he pinned it up again. It didn't matter just how foolish it seemed of him to have a poster in his room… that picture portrayed Suki in all her honorable beauty. And that was why he had grown interested in her in the first place. No matter how stupid he felt… her picture served as a reminder that his time wasn't being completely wasted. She had talked to him when he thought she was unattainable. If that had happened, then there was a chance, no matter how slim, that his father would accept him again one day. There was a chance that he might yet regain his honor.
"Oh, there you are! How did it go today?" asked the neighbor, smiling at Suki once she saw her on the building's hallway.
She was actually the neighbor's slave, in a position much like Suki's, but they had grown to get along over time. They had lived next to each other on the same building for several years now, and they had bonded gradually since they first met.
"It was troublesome," said Suki, smiling as well as Oyaji looked for his keys. "But it wasn't a totally bad day. I guess I made a new friend…"
"Oh, really? Another gladiator?"
"No, he's a spectator," said Suki. "A strange one, too… he wears a dark hood, and he's always avoiding the crowd, it would seem. But we talked today. He seems rather nice."
"Is that so?" asked Oyaji, interrupting the conversation as he slid the door open.
"Yeah. He's not as terrifying as he seemed," said Suki, smiling.
"That's really good news," said the neighbor, as Oyaji entered the apartment.
"Sure is," said Suki. "See you later, Han Lun."
"See you, Suki! Take a nap, you look like you need one."
Suki smiled and entered the room, closing the door behind her. Oyaji stretched and walked towards one of the few pieces of furniture they had, an old cupboard in which they stored their winnings. He took out a large bag, and he added to it the winnings from today's match.
"You have to deliver the money today?" asked Suki, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes, I'm supposed to meet with them in a few minutes. I'll be heading out right away," said Oyaji, holding the large bag in his wrinkled hands. "Keep the place safe while I'm gone."
"You stay safe as well," said Suki. "This is already risky enough as it is… keep the money hidden until they arrive."
"I shall, I shall," said Oyaji. "You worry so much that at times I wonder who's the old one, out of the two of us."
"Very funny," said Suki, rolling her eyes as he smiled at her and passed her by, headed to the door again.
Oyaji left her to her thoughts, and Suki dropped before the dining table. She could have passed out atop it, but her mind was racing still. The fight lingered in her thoughts, but so did that mysterious man…
She took out the peach and stared at it thoughtfully, still not hungry. She placed an elbow on the table as her mind was filled by thoughts of that curious man, Zuko. Where did she hear that name before? She frowned as she tried to remember: it was something official, wasn't it? The name of a big governor, or a nobleman, or maybe…
"Prince Zuko?" she muttered. She seemed to recall that was the name of the Fire Lord's son, but she laughed and shook her head, feeling foolish to even consider she might have caught the eye of a royal. "Not a chance."
Oyaji sighed in relief when the three men finally appeared in the alley by his apartment. He had been waiting for enough time to lose his patience. He was starting to consider going back to his apartment when at last they had showed up. They walked towards Oyaji, and the four of them showed each other their White Lotus tiles, confirming their identities as members of the ancient society.
"How much do you have this time?" asked one of the men, as Oyaji tucked away his tile and brought forth the money.
"Four hundred thousand," replied Oyaji. "It should help a lot more with the funding."
"Sure should. The White Lotus really owes you a lot," said another of the men, taking the bag of winnings in his hands. "Your contributions won't be forgotten. You will be acknowledged for sure once the Fire Nation has fallen…"
"I don't care for recognition, just go quickly, before people notice us…" said Oyaji, nervously.
The men nodded and turned around, ready to leave. These operations would never cease to make Oyaji anxious. It didn't matter if it was during the sunset or at midnight, there was great risk in being caught in the middle of their operation. But there was no other manner in which he could provide the Society with his contributions…
The men were already walking away, but they stopped on their tracks all of sudden. Oyaji frowned at that, his unease increasing. The three of them blocked the rest of the alley from his sight, and he couldn't see what had prompted them to turn around.
"What is…?" Oyaji asked, but his question was answered before he could finish it.
"What are you people doing in there?" shouted a voice, a powerful voice… the voice of a Fire Nation soldier.
"It's nothing, officer," said the man with the money, trying to hide the bag behind him. "Mind your own…"
"Where did you get that? Is that the old man's money?" asked the soldier, stomping into the alley.
"No, not at all, good sir…!" said Oyaji, trying to salvage the situation somehow.
But if there was an issue within the White Lotus Society nowadays, it was how rash the youngest members were. Instead of searching for the most peaceful methods to sort out their troubles, they would rather brave their way out of their predicaments.
"It's none of your business, we said!" shouted another of the White Lotus members, snarling.
"I am Captain Kuo of the Fire Nation Army! If we say it's our business, it means it is!" shouted another soldier.
Oyaji saw a flash of fire, and he winced as a battle broke out between the soldiers and the White Lotus members. And Oyaji couldn't get away. The alley was a dead end, there was no way he could escape from where he was: this was what he had always feared, he had always dreaded they would get caught at the money delivery one day…
Captain Kuo pushed a White Lotus member against the wall, and the White Lotus tile slipped out of his clothes. He stared at it on the ground with confused eyes for a moment before snarling angrily, threatening the White Lotus member with a dagger of fire.
"The White Lotus…? The White Lotus?!" he shouted. "You scum… Capture them! All of them, including the old geezer!"
"What…? The old geezer?" asked another of the soldiers, confused.
"They're the White Lotus!" shouted Kuo. "Get them if you know what's good for you!"
The rest of the group didn't seem to understand the importance of the Pai Sho tile, but clearly, Kuo was their leader. He was the oldest and most experienced member of the squad, and he seemed to grasp the true meaning of this meeting far better than the rest of them could. And thus, they obeyed without question.
Oyaji had never been a fighter, and he definitely wouldn't be able to stand his ground against the soldiers, but he still tried his hardest to escape them. It was to no avail. A soldier grabbed him before he could turn around to attempt to climb the walls that surrounded him, and he pushed him to the ground, twisting Oyaji's arm behind his back, forcing him to surrender.
Two of the White Lotus younger members were captured as well, subdued through the soldiers' fire and weaponry… but despite their efforts, one of the rebels managed to run off on them, using his earthbending skills to launch himself into the air by generating a rock pillar.
"Get him! Get him now!" shouted Kuo, and two of his best men took off after the White Lotus member.
The White Lotus member ran as fast as his legs would allow him, fleeing from the soldiers as he snuck into other alleys in an attempt to lose them. When he had a chance, he brought forth a wall of earth to stall them, and he hid inside another alley, closer to the center of the city, as he waited for his pursuers to run past. He panted as the soldiers knocked down the wall and failed to find him. They were gone quickly, to his relief, but before he could even start to think of what to do in this dreadful scenario, an unfamiliar hand gripped his shoulder…
A/N:
To the anonymous reviewer who asked for me to clear up the characters' ages: Sokka, Haru and Zuko are 23, Mai and Suki are 22, Azula, Katara and Ty Lee are 21, Toph and Aang are 19… and if I'm missing out on anyone important, I believe you might be able do the math anyways with this much info.