Sokka woke up at the crack of dawn to a still burning tongue: those fire gummies were a lot hotter than he expected. After trying to go back to sleep several times and a quick bath Sokka walked out of his room expecting a leisurely day only to be greeted by a servant.

"Oh good you are up; I was just coming to fetch you Lord Sokka."

"First don't call me lord, and second fetch me why is it breakfast already? I'm starving."

"No sir Master Piandao has requested your presence in the garden immediately."

"Hmm, I thought he wasn't supposed to arrive for another week but no matter now I can get a jump start on my training."

Very well sir if there is anything else…"

"Ya, which way is the garden."

"Oh I was sure you already knew but no matter; I will take you there, Lord… err well what shall I call you?"

"Just Sokka will do."

The servant lead Sokka to the garden where Piandao sat staring into a blank sheet of paper with his butler standing at his side. The butler leaded over and whispered something in his ear causing the man to stand up and face Sokka.

"Ah so you must be Sokka. I am very excited to work with you."

"Eh thanks I'm excited to learn," said Sokka nervously.

"Well shall we get started?" Piandao asked with a grin.

It was a long day of doing what seemed like nothing related to swords such as landscape painting, calligraphy, and rock gardening, but Sokka still did the tasks with enthusiasm trusting in his teacher. However, he was ready for a meal more than the bowl of rice he and Piandao ate to keep from becoming "over full", as if that could happen, and a good night's sleep.

As he was walking to the dining hall Sokka spotted Azula heading in the same direction.

"Hey wait up!" he shouted.

"Why would I wait for you?" she asked coldly.

"Well I just thought that since I went to dinner with you and your friends…"

"That we are now friends? Well on that part you are mistaken. I simply wanted to save myself from Ty Lee pestering me about getting to know you."

"So what that dinner was just another dinner for you then, not a night out with friends?"

"Oh it was a night out with friends… you just happened to be there too." She said turning and continuing on to the dining hall.

"Well I mean even if we aren't friends yet we could at least walk to dinner together," Sokka suggested.

"Hmm, well if you really want to be my friend maybe you could start by being quiet."

"But then how will we get to know each other?"

"We won't. You will either turn out to be the foolish savage I suspect you are and I will find you annoying or you will surprise me by being civilized and actually be capable of being acquainted with me."

"But how will I know which you end up deciding I am?"

"If you have to ask I think you already know."

And with that the both continued on in silence to the dining hall. Dinner that night, as well as dinner the rest of the week, was relatively uneventful. Sokka was always too busy stuffing his face and casting nervous glances at Azula to say much other than answer the questions Iroh infrequently asked, Azula was too busy glaring at Zuko and carefully eating her food to say anything, and Zuko and Iroh both seemed to be in their own world talking about tea and things no one else cared about.

After about a week Iroh finally decided to branch away from just talking to Zuko and include Sokka.

"So Sokka how is your training with Pianao going?" he asked curiously.

"Oh it is going quite well, we started training with wood swords 2 days ago and Master Piandao says we will begin making my sword tomorrow."

"Oh that is quite exciting," Iroh said smiling joyfully.

"Master Piandao says he has found a material he thinks will fit me perfectly, and he says I am one of his best students yet," Sokka stated proudly.

"I don't see how you could be his best student if you haven't even used a real sword yet," Azula said. "Even Zuko started out with real dao swords when he trained with Piandao."

"Well dao swords are very different from jian swords. Dao swords anyone can use, but jian swords you must craft to fit your body and your style." Sokka replied his eyes narrowing.

"Excuses, excuses. But it is only sword fighting I understand if you want to make yourself feel better," Azula snickered.

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Sokka growled.

"Oh only that your style of fighting is completely useless. I mean even Zuko can bend albeit poorly."

"Hey!" Zukko shouted.

"Oh come now don't fight, let's just enjoy the rest of this dinner," Iroh suggested.

"Swordsmanship is not useless and the minute my sword is complete I will show you!" Sokka shouted ignoring Iroh.

"Oh I will be counting down the days," Azula said smirking.

"So it will be a duel then firebending versus swordsman ship," Sokka said proudly.

"Alright, but you are going down peasant," Azula replied as a light grin appeared on her face.

"Absolutely not!" Iroh shouted. "I will not tolerate you two fighting over something so pointless any longer tonight's dinner is finished you may all leave now."

As Sokka was getting close to his room he got the feeling someone was following him and turned around to see Azula a few paces behind him.

"So do you still want to lose at your first duel?" Azula asked slyly.

"I won't lose, but Fire Lord Iroh said there will not be a dual."

"I don't really give a damn what Uncle thinks; crushing you in a duel could entertain me for at least a little while."
"So dueling me would be fun for you huh?"

"Yes but that doesn't make us friends."

"You see it your way and I'll see it my way. But I will continue on with the dual on one condition."
"You challenged me so you really shouldn't get a condition…"

"You can have one too if you like."

"Alright sounds good enough to me. What is your condition, peasant?"

"If I win you have to admit that we are friends."

"Ugh," Azula sighed. "Ok but when I win you owe me one favor which I can cash in anytime I want with no other conditions and no backing out." A fierce smirk appearing on her face.
"Alright deal," Sokka said stretching out his hand.

Azula hesitantly shook it and then headed back to her room. It has been such a weird night she thought.