They took their stances, their unblinking eyes fixed upon the other's figure as they waited for the first strike. One of them would have to jump forward eventually, but for now they were doing their best to concoct a plan to overcome their opponent. The silver sword shifted, the black sword did not take the ruse. And since the gladiator did not move, Piandao jumped forward and attacked Sokka.

Sokka parried his master's blow perfectly, twirling to do so. He ducked and tried to strike the man on the legs, but Piandao jumped and avoided his assault. The sword master swung his blade diagonally downwards, aiming at Sokka's head. The Water Tribe man realized he was at a disadvantage too late, although he still managed to block the attack. He attempted to stab his master on the chest before Piandao could perform another move; the sword master was forced to fall back to avoid getting hit by Sokka, who took his chance to stand up and attack again.

Fat was witnessing the combat, amazed over the incredible development of the pupil's skills. He had been working for Piandao for several years, and it was the first time he had seen a man grow so strong after only three weeks of training. And Fat would have gladly enjoyed the fight for a little longer if he hadn't heard somebody knocking on the door. He didn't bother excusing himself, knowing he would be ignored. Both Sokka and Piandao were focused on their fight.

Fat was taken by surprise when he discovered who the visitor was. Looking as deadly and arrogant as ever, the Fire Nation Princess stood alone in front of the gates, and she eyed him without interest when he swung the door inwards.

"Princess," said Fat, bowing down slowly. "It's an honor to see you again."

"Indeed, it should be…" Azula said, carelessly. "Where is my gladiator?"

"I will take you to him," said Fat, prompting her to enter the mansion. "Have you come to check on his progress, or are you here because you need him for a fight?"

"Both," replied Azula. "How is he faring? Has he been any good as Piandao's pupil?"

"He can be very obnoxious at times," said Fat. "But he is a very good student. Master Piandao holds him in high regards. They're sparring right now; you'll be able to witness his current prowess yourself."

"Good," said the Princess, pleased. She had wanted to assess Sokka's growth personally, after all.

And she was most surprised to see it once they arrived to the mansion's backyard, where the combat was taking place. She still recalled the pathetic way he had fought against her in the South Pole and she had been impressed to see how he had changed when she watched him in Hui Yi's Arena. But the way he was fighting right now exceeded every single one of his performances up to date.

Piandao was attempting to overwhelm Sokka with several quick moves to surprise him, but Sokka stood his ground and blocked Piandao's sword, breaking through his flurry of attacks. He pushed his master away with his black sword, turning around quickly to gain momentum and deliver a powerful blow against Piandao, who had to brace himself to avoid tripping and falling. Sokka continued trying to stab Piandao, forcing him to fall back, knowing that if he managed to put him against the wall, he would win…

Piandao surprised him by turning the tables and attacking him while performing a defensive move with his weapon. Sokka parried it, realizing his plan wouldn't work, but the current circumstances allowed him to twirl Piandao's sword, hoping to twist his wrist into letting go of the sword… but before he knew it, Piandao changed the twirl's direction and got out of the predicament with ease. Sokka ducked again and moved his sword almost vertically towards Piandao, nearly stabbing him in the chin. The sword master was forced to lean backwards, but he was unable to keep his balance this time. Sokka moved his sword horizontally, forcing Piandao to contort his body to avoid the blade, and thus he lost his footing. Sokka smirked.

"Ha! And so I…!" he said, proudly, believing he had earned victory…

But as he swung his sword down, Piandao used his own to strike Sokka's blade powerfully, making the weapon shake in his hands and forcing Sokka to let go of it. Piandao stood up and aimed the tip of his weapon at Sokka's forehead. Sokka sighed and finished his sentence.

"… Lose," he muttered, disappointed.

"You shouldn't take for granted your victory until the fight is over, Sokka. I was certain you knew that," said Piandao, smiling. "Regardless, well done. You have grown to become a fine swordsman."

"Why, thanks, sir!" said Sokka, grinning as he picked up his sword and sheathed it.

"Is he up to your expectations?" asked Piandao, turning towards the house. Sokka frowned. What sort of expectations would Fat have about him? He turned as well and his eyes opened wide when he saw who was standing next to the butler.

"I'm rather impressed you have made a true warrior out of him after only three weeks," Azula admitted, walking down from the terrace to where they stood. Sokka could do nothing but stare at her in surprise, feeling slightly dismayed. She hadn't come just to drink tea, that was for sure… and he was also disappointed with himself. Piandao had been focusing on their fight, yet he had noticed the Princess's presence, whereas he hadn't…

"He is remarkable," said Piandao, bowing down to Azula, taking her by surprise. She never would have thought this man would perform any sort of reverence towards her. "One of the finest men I have ever taught. His mind thirsts for knowledge in ways I hadn't been a witness to in all my years of experience. His quick progress was truly outstanding."

"I'm glad. I guess I chose the right man after all," said Azula, looking at Sokka. She was surprised to see his blue eyes seemed serene now after a period of living a good life at Piandao's home. He probably had needed to get away from misery to return to his former self, or so she guessed. Sokka looked back at her, unable to take his eyes off the Princess, terrified for two reasons. The first was that she had probably come to take him away from his sword training and force him into the battlefield again… and the second one made him wish to rip out his own innards with his blade: it seemed each time he saw her anew he would be taken aback by how beautiful she was. It was too reckless for him to admire her looks. She was a demon, and he knew it firsthand. But somehow, he really couldn't help himself…

Azula turned back to Piandao when she realized she had been staring into Sokka's cerulean eyes for too long without saying anything useful, something that had made Piandao uncomfortable. A bag had been hanging on her belt and she loosened it, handing it over to the sword master. Piandao was surprised.

"What…? I don't believe this to be necessary, Princess," said Piandao, looking at the golden coins gleaming inside the bag. The gold caught Sokka's eye and he stared at it in awe, amazed to see so much money in one place.

"I doubt you truly think so," said Azula, her hands on her hips. "Putting up with this snow savage for three weeks might have been fun for you at times… but I doubt it was so enjoyable that you don't want to be paid for making a true fighter out of him."

Piandao seemed to think about her words for a moment before closing the money bag and nodding positively.

"You are right. It was enjoyable, but he did eat all my food. I could use the money."

"I thought so," Azula said, smiling.

Sokka rolled his eyes but shrugged. At least Piandao seemed to have enjoyed teaching him…

"So… what're you here for?" he asked Azula, looking at her hesitantly.

"As if you couldn't figure it out for yourself," said Azula, narrowing her eyes in a cruel glare. "Your first fight will take place in a few days. I've come to get you for it."

Sokka's heart sank at the thought. He would have to leave a place that had become his haven and he would have to return to the world he hated so much… by the hand of the person he hated the most, of course. His life had been great for far longer than usual, and the universe would refuse to let that last, of course.

"Well, it can't be helped if you need him now," said Piandao, smiling at Sokka. "You have progressed smoothly, Sokka. I'm looking forward to having you here again soon."

"Uh, b-but…" said Sokka, gulping. "C-can I at least stay for lunch?"

Piandao would have complied, but he saw the look on Azula's face. She clearly wanted to get to traveling as quickly as possible, and she wasn't going to take kindly to any delays.

"I don't advise you to do so," said Piandao, patting him in the shoulder. "I don't know if Fat's cooking will be to the Princess's liking."

"She doesn't have to eat if she doesn't want to…" said Sokka, crossing his arms in a very childish manner. Azula huffed in indignation.

"Come on, savage. We don't have all day," she growled, turning around to leave, but she stopped on her tracks and looked at Piandao again. "I am very grateful for your services. I will bring him back in a few days if everything goes well. You can continue training him then."

"I'll look forward to that. Fare well, Princess," said Piandao, bowing curtly again. "Good luck on your fight, Sokka."

Sokka looked at him, begging his master with puppy eyes not to let the bad girl take him… but he gave up all hopes soon enough. He really didn't have a choice upon the matter, after all. He followed Azula and Fat all the way to the gates, missing Piandao's mansion even though he hadn't even left it yet.

"Have a good day," said Fat, before closing the doors behind the Princess and her gladiator.

Sokka sighed as he took one last look at the place and turned towards the road… and he was surprised to see there had been no guards waiting for them.

"How come didn't you bring a Royal Procession and all that nonsense this time?" he asked, walking behind Azula.

"I told them I wouldn't need any of it, and they didn't protest," was her reply.

"I'm not really buying that… did you kill someone to prove your point or something?"

Azula smirked, terrifying Sokka.

"You did?!"

"Of course not," she muttered, still smiling. "They insisted for a while, but they know they cannot reason with me once I have made up my mind. They're all waiting at the Barge."

"Will we have to take a detour around town again?" asked Sokka, sighing.

"Oh, is the powerful swordsman unable to walk a few extra miles? I thought you were far more resistant than this" she said, teasingly. Sokka frowned.

"I was just asking! Don't jump to conclusions, woman!" he said, his arms behind his head as he scowled at her… although he stopped scowling as soon as he registered the words she had just said "Did you just call me 'powerful swordsman'?"

"I was merely boosting your ego, but yes, I did," said Azula. "From what I saw, you are more skilled with the blade than I thought you could ever be."

"So I've impressed you, huh?" he said, proudly.

"Even though I'd rather deny it, seeing how you'll let it get to your head, I'll admit you have," said Azula, shrugging. "Did all your training proceed smoothly?"

"Yeah, Piandao taught me many important things…" he said, smiling. "He's amazing. You really found the best master for me. I can't imagine anyone greater than him."

"I'm glad you seem so pleased," said Azula. "What is the story behind that sword of yours? I hadn't seen such an odd blade in my life…"

"Ah, you remember the black rock we saw when we got here?" Sokka asked, smiling.

"I do, and I didn't see it this time. Did you turn it into that sword, by any chance?"

"Hey, you shouldn't anticipate a great story's outcome like that!" he protested, annoyed. Azula chuckled.

"Can you show it to me?"

Sokka was uncomfortable to find out the Princess was so intent on seeing his sword, but he complied anyway. He withdrew it from its scabbard, which hung on his back, and he showed her the weapon.

"The stone it was carved from was a meteorite," he said, smiling. "So I called it Space Sword!"

Azula had been impressed at the magnificent sword, but the name made her wince. She glared at Sokka, who blinked, taken aback.

"W-what…?"

"That's a ridiculous name. You're as pathetic as most gladiator sponsors out there…"

"Huh?! What's that supposed to mean?!" Sokka asked, indignant, and he put his sword back in its place.

"Stupid names, that's what I'm talking about," said Azula, shaking her head. "Most gladiators have the most ridiculous names you could imagine. One was called The Twilight Drilled-Bamboo Bear."

"What's that?" asked Sokka, raising an eyebrow. "A Twilight… what does that mean?"

"I honestly have no idea," said Azula, shaking her head. "And I rather doubt I'll want to know anyways."

"But… you saw the names of other gladiators?" asked Sokka. "Does that mean I'm all signed up already?"

"Naturally, else I wouldn't have come to get you yet," Azula said. "I've sent a challenge to your first rival, and you will be facing him in about two days, in Ember Island's Arena."

"Ember Island?" asked Sokka. "Where's that?"

"Near the Capital Island," replied Azula. "It will take us about a day to get there. On the next you'll have to be ready to face your opponent."

"And how come are we headed to another Arena rather than the one at the Capital…?" asked Sokka with mistrust. The creepy Princess clearly was plotting something…

"I was doing everything in my power so that our opponent would be under the impression that he has the upper hand," said Azula. "I wished for him to accept the conditions of the battle no matter what, and I succeeded at that. As soon as I got a confirmation from him, I set out to find you, and now we'll go straight to Ember Island."

"I see…" said Sokka, as they walked past the town quickly. He had many questions to ask yet, so many that for some reason none came to mind right now except for one. "And who am I fighting, exactly?"

"The Spawn of the Volcano," replied Azula.

"Huh, nice name…" he said, and she looked at him in disbelief.

"Men have the most ridiculous taste in names…" she said, shaking her head.

"Hey, it's a cool name!" Sokka stated, but Azula sped up and ignored him.

They reached the barge after a few minutes of exchanging more jabs, most of them referred to men's general lack of common sense to give out nicknames. The Royal Guards were rather relieved to see their Princess arriving safely to their ship again. They had insisted on accompanying her, but Azula claimed they would delay her. Seeing how quick she had been to return, it seemed she had been right. Azula walked up the ramp and got on board: all her Guards bowed down to her. Sokka felt rather uncomfortable upon returning to high society; it seemed his rightful place was at Piandao's house, since it wasn't neither too classy nor too shabby.

"Welcome back, Princess" said a Royal Guard, bowing down to Azula. She didn't return the greeting.

"Quit wasting time with pleasantries; get this ship going," she grunted. "Set the course for Ember Island, just as we already established."

"Yes, Your Highness," said the guard, bowing down and relaying the orders to the rest of the crew. The ramp was lifted shortly, and before Sokka knew it, they were already on their way. He stared at the shrinking island, sighing as he wondered if he'd return soon, for nothing guaranteed he would. All he could do was hope he would triumph against his opponent tomorrow…

His stomach grumbled randomly, prompting Azula to glare at him in annoyance. Sokka pouted.

"What? You didn't let me eat… it's only natural for me to be hungry."

She rolled her eyes and walked to the nearest guard, who turned to her immediately.

"Get the slave something to eat, anything will suffice."

"Hey! Not anything!" he protested, but she ignored him and walked away, heading, presumably, towards her cabin. The guard prompted Sokka to follow him towards the Barge's kitchens, and Sokka trailed behind him grumpily.

To his relief, he was given a far more decent meal than he had been expecting. He had grown so accustomed to the revolting food he had eaten for two years in the Amateur Arena that he would welcome with open arms anything of better quality than that. He had finally regained some weight and he no longer seemed underfed thanks to the meals he had enjoyed at Piandao's home.

When he was done with lunch he headed to his particular cabin, pleased to find it was still his, although the special treatment came off a little scary for him. He kept expecting the Princess to strike him down when he wouldn't see it coming; she was ruthless towards everyone else, and he saw no reason why she would act differently towards him. Still, she did… therefore he expected to face retribution for it at some point.

He was thinking about taking a short nap, but as he spread across the mattress he realized he wasn't sleepy at all. He had grown used to the routine of exercising for most the day and only resting at night, so having so much time to spare seemed like quite a waste. He climbed off the bed, picked up his weapons and headed to the main deck, hoping to have a chance to at least practice some of his stances… but when he arrived he saw that someone had beaten him to his destination.

Twirling in a vortex of blue fire, the Princess seemed to have gotten the same idea he had when faced with utter boredom. Her movements, powerful and steady, had him gazing at her in amazement. As he watched her now he realized she truly had been weakened by the dark period when they had first met: had he been facing Azula at her finest, he wouldn't have survived two seconds into a fight. Even now, two years later, after all the training he had undergone, he still could tell she was still superior. She would be able to kill him so easily it was almost embarrassing to acknowledge it.

It shocked him to see she seemed to be as much of a master with her fire as Piandao was with his swords. But watching Piandao train with blades was very different from this: Sokka would simply admire his moves and attempt to emulate them, hoping to become as skilled as his master one day. As he watched Azula, he couldn't help but feel a thrill of amazement. Her fire fluttered around her, corresponding with her every move, the blue balanced with the red of her outfit, with the glow of her golden eyes... He confirmed it yet again: each time he saw her she became more beautiful to him.

But oh, how he hated admiring her beauty, how he hated to realize her fire was just as perfect as she was. Her skills forced him to accept she wasn't simply a Princess living off her father's fame and fortune: she had earned her own reputation and authority, and it was perfectly deserved.

He was left there to gaze at her, disgusted at himself but amazed by Azula. She kept flowing from each firebending stance to the next; the fire she brought forth was dangerous and magnificent, just as she was. There was nobody else on the deck: it was likely Azula had sent them away for their own safety. She had perfect control upon her fire, but her training methods were ruthless and she couldn't guarantee she wouldn't injure them when she was performing the most powerful movements in her arsenal of firebending skills. Sokka was the single witness of the spectacle, and he was most impressed by it, his eyes never leaving her figure.

All of sudden, her fire began sparkling. Sokka frowned, not understanding what she was about to do. Unlike before, Azula's moves were a little stiffer now, her feet firm on the floor underneath her. The blue fire slowly morphed into electricity as she moved her arms slowly, her limbs charged with power.

Finally she stretched her left hand forward, her index and middle fingers spread out as she used them to direct the lightning she had produced. The bolt dashed through the horizon, getting lost as soon as Azula had unleashed it. Sokka was left staring at her, open-mouthed. So the blue fire wasn't deadly enough, the Princess could bend lightning as well. How on earth had he survived her all those years before? What business could such a powerful woman have with the likes of him? Why did she need him to beat down a gladiator if she could easily do so herself? No… that was wrong. She had mentioned she wanted him to beat someone's gladiator. Her true objective wasn't the gladiator… it was the sponsor.

"Not one hair out of place," said Azula, smirking as she regained her stance and bodily balance. It was now that she sensed someone was watching her. She looked from the corner of her eye and was surprised to see Sokka paralyzed after climbing all the way to the main deck. "Did you come to enjoy the show?"

"N-not really…" he said, gulping. "I had nothing to do so I thought I'd train up here, since it's the only place with enough room…"

"It would seem we have similar thought patterns," said Azula, smiling. Sokka winced.

"I don't think so…" he grunted.

"Oh, I know. You want nothing to do with the Fire Nation, especially with me," Azula said, dramatically. "The mere notion of having similar thoughts to mine makes you feel like you're betraying the very core of your existence…"

"Quit patronizing me," he grunted, and she smirked.

"Ah, but I'm right, am I not?" she asked.

Sokka understood now why she would always come off as a striking beauty when he saw her anew, but he'd forget about it soon afterwards: it was because of that devilish wit of hers, all the cruel remarks she uttered with that malice that made him wish he could rip her to shreds. She was plain evil, he was completely convinced of it.

"Meh..." grunted Sokka, shrugging. "How can you produce lightning? Is that some sort of firebending secret trick?"

"Bending lightning is a sub-form of firebending," explained Azula. "Only the most skilled firebenders can produce proper lightning and direct it without killing themselves in the process. Therefore, not many firebenders use lightning, since it's really deadly and it might backfire if you can't control it properly."

"Wow, how impressive," said Sokka, rolling his eyes. "And I bet your creepy blue fire is some sort of superior ability too, right?"

"My creepy blue fire, as you called it, is a form of bending I developed myself. Never before has it been registered that a firebender had the potential to bend fire in this manner."

"Huh… well, kudos for you," said Sokka, shrugging. "Maybe you should be the gladiator while I'm the sponsor, since you're so good at what you do…"

"You're a slave, I'm a Princess. You might want to keep deluding yourself with such absurd ideas, but they won't ever come true," said Azula. "And since we were on that topic, you think my blue fire is creepy now? Apparently you thought differently when we first met…"

Sokka's cheeks gained a red quality slowly as he remembered what Azula had referred to. She raised an inquisitive eyebrow towards him.

"I still would like to know what you had meant, exactly, when you said that…"

"Yeah, w-well… I'd like to live a happy life down with my Tribe, but we can't get everything we want in life, can we?" he said, evading the subject as he withdrew Space Sword from his back. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have training to do if I want to beat up that gladiator."

"True, you probably need more practice," said Azula, nodding. "He's not supposed to be so good, yet it's likely he'll be able to defeat you if you're not cautious."

"I'll take my chances," said Sokka, swinging his sword. "So… what can you tell me about that guy? Normally I have some information about my opponent so I can make up plans to beat him…"

"I figured as much," said Azula. "I approve of that way of fighting, you seem to be a good strategist… not the best, though. You should work more on your tactics."

Sokka's eyebrow twitched and he glared at Azula.

"How about you quit trashing me and get on with telling me about that Spawn of the Volcano guy?"

"Fine," said Azula. "I don't know much of him, but apparently he's not in his best shape lately, seeing as his current position in the ranking is 234. He's a firebender, something pretty obvious considering his name, and…"

"W-wait… WHAT?!" squealed Sokka, shocked. "Y-y-you're putting me against a firebender?!"

"Oh, I didn't mention that before, did I?" said Azula, in deep thought.

"You conveniently forgot, yeah!" yelled Sokka, staring at her with irritation. "How the hell am I going to beat a firebender?! The only firebender I ever fought was you and I'm still facing the consequences of that battle!"

"True," said Azula, nodding. "But you don't need to be so alarmed, it's unlikely that gladiator is anywhere near my level of skill…"

"That doesn't matter!" yelled Sokka, swinging his sword around. "Y-you… y-you… You want me killed, don't you?! I mean, why the hell would you have me face a firebender?! For all I know, even the non-benders in the Superior League will beat the crap out of me! A firebender will make me toast!"

"He literally could make you toast, yes," said Azula, nodding.

"I am not joking here!" Sokka yelled, storming towards her. "You have no right to make me fight someone who'll probably kill me without even trying! We're both doomed because you're crazy enough to make me fight that guy!"

"Oh, relax, will you?" said Azula, rolling her eyes. "It's unlikely he's half as good as you think he is, and you've been taught by Piandao, the best sword master in the world. He's the one who should cower in fear, not you."

"That's what you're saying, but for some reason, I can't bring myself to believe you," grunted Sokka, glowering. "So he's 234, you said? 234 out of how many gladiators?"

"Five hundred," replied Azula curtly, making Sokka stand in shock, blinking blankly.

"F-f… f-f-five hundred…?" he repeated. "No doubt about it, you're trying to get me killed here…"

"Oh, quit being so dramatic…"

"No, I won't!" he yelled, glaring at her. "You're insane!"

"Like I've never heard that one before…" said Azula, rolling her eyes.

"How do you expect me to beat a guy from the upper half of the ranking?! And he's a firebender, on top of it all! This is plain absurd! You know, you'd better give me a good explanation for this and you'd better do it now! I'd rather you'd kill me right here than to make a fool of myself in an Arena fighting a guy who has all it takes to beat me!"

"I'm not having that happen, how many times must I say it?" she said, clearly annoyed by now.

"Give me a good explanation, then, or else I'll never believe you!" he yelled. "I'll just jump off this damn ship and swim away if you don't talk now!"

"And I'll electrocute you the minute you turn to jump," said Azula, and Sokka twitched.

"I'm serious here! Spit it out already. Why do you want me to take out that gladiator…? No, not the gladiator. What's your problem with that gladiator's sponsor? Why do you need to defeat him by using me?"

Azula smiled at his wit. She had never mentioned the true nature of her endeavor, but he had managed to see through her. This convinced her yet again that she had picked the ideal gladiator for her; he wasn't just some simple-minded fighting machine she could have found in any Arena. Perhaps he wasn't the toughest fighter… but he was, most definitely, up to her expectations. She stared at him, eyeing him with intelligent eyes, and Sokka couldn't help but feel utterly uncomfortable. Azula's gaze went to his sword and she muttered:

"May I?"

Her hand was extended towards the weapon. Sokka felt unwilling to give it to her, knowing he would be completely defenseless without it… but he complied, hoping she would either tell him what he needed to know or slit his throat already and spare him the useless fight at the Arena. Their fingers brushed softly when he put the handle of the sword on her hand.

Azula took Space Sword, staring at it carefully. It wasn't too heavy, to her surprise and approval. She swung the sword, apparently carelessly, but Sokka could tell her moves had a meaning, despite how ineffective they seemed to be. She performed a twirl, similar to the ones she did while firebending, moving the sword in such a way that Sokka immediately thought of what Piandao had said about having your weapon become an extension of yourself. The sword didn't belong to her, yet she was able to blend with it in such a way that she was, once again, that beautiful and deadly Princess he would be much safer running away from.

Azula performed a few more swings before delivering a final blow at her imaginary enemy, holding Space Sword steadily in her hand. She lowered the weapon, still gripping it tightly, and she began talking.

"About a month ago, my father settled an arranged marriage for me," she muttered, Sokka's eyes grew wide in surprise. "I didn't approve of it, since the man in question and I… we don't get along, you might say. I met him several years ago and things didn't end well between us. Yet his father, an imbecile, believed he could get the better of me by forcing me to marry his useless son. I already had allowed one of his insolences pass me by, but I refused to tolerate this one."

"What was the first one, exactly…?" asked Sokka, raising an eyebrow.

"He stole my credit for vanquishing the Water Tribe raid to the settlement" said Azula "As if he'd been the one to thwart you and your friends instead of me… I let him get away with it because I thought he would thank me for it one day; you see, he was meant to be the governor of the colony your Tribe was supposed to become. His incompetence would have been obvious if I had spoken out, and I should have, but there was nobody else willing to head down to the South Pole. I figured I'd let him keep his rank and position; I didn't appreciate being cheated off like that, but it wasn't really that significant to me anyways.

"My father had told this man, Admiral Chan, that he would reward him for saving me from the savages; the Admiral claimed to have had nothing in mind at the moment, but recently he decided this arranged marriage would be his grand prize for lying about saving me when it was the other way around."

"It's odd you'd let him get away with it… and I still don't get where am I supposed to play a part in this" said Sokka, frowning.

"My father has allowed me to prove Admiral Chan's son is unworthy of me, and the way to do this is showing I'm above him even in what he'd consider his 'area of expertise', if you understand what I mean."

"You're… planning on humiliating him," said Sokka, crossing his arms.

"Exactly. If I'm able to humiliate him, prove my superiority, my father will call off the engagement. I had to give a lot of thought to this, seeing how Chan is such a useless brat that he's not a bender, a warrior or a strategist; he has no special skills or abilities to brag about other than having a well-known father. The sole thing he does is sponsor his gladiator, The Spawn of the Volcano. I really wasn't left much of a choice other than to beat him in that area."

"And so you came… to find me?" asked Sokka, raising an eyebrow.

"Don't flatter yourself," she said, tossing Space Sword back at him suddenly. Sokka caught it in midair. "I went to Hui Yi because it was the nearest town with an Amateur Gladiator Arena. I had almost forgotten that was where I'd left you."

"Yeah, right," said Sokka, smirking. "I bet you went there just to get me…"

"If you wish to give yourself so much importance, go ahead," said Azula, waving her hand as if the matter was completely insignificant to her. "But now you understand why I need you, why I'm betting on your triumph. It's essential for me that you beat Chan's gladiator… if you don't, everything we have done so far will have been in vain. There would be no point in continuing as your sponsor, so I wouldn't know what would happen to you… you'd probably return to the Amateur League, I assume."

Sokka winced and clenched his fists. Going back to Hui Yi was the last thing he wanted to do… because despite it all, he liked his current position. Working for Azula had allowed him to train under Piandao, to believe he might go home someday. He couldn't let those hopes slip away from him now. He hated to realize she had truly trapped him, forcing him to become the greatest gladiator he could be just to claw at his dreams of seeing his Tribe once again; but it was too late to regret his decisions. At least this life was better than being an amateur gladiator…

"I won't return there," he said, his eyes gleaming with determination. "I will beat that guy."

Azula felt relief washing over her as she locked gazes with him. She didn't care for his reasons, she didn't care if he planned to stab her in the back when all matters were said and done… he wanted to beat Chan's gladiator, and that was enough for her right now.

"But I can't defeat him so easily," said Sokka, lifting Space Sword and aiming it towards Azula. "I need more practice if he's a firebender on the top half of the ranking… and I could use fighting another firebender for practice."

Azula huffed and stared at him with derision.

"You don't want to practice with me, believe me on this."

"I don't really have a choice, seeing as your Royal Guards are bound to refuse to fight me," said Sokka. "If you really want me to beat that guy, you'll do this."

Azula sighed and rolled her eyes.

"You'll regret it."

"I really doubt it," replied Sokka, a smirk dancing on his features. Finally, the rematch he had been waiting for…

They sparred for a few hours, trying to keep the situation as safe as possible. Sokka was completely focused in avoiding Azula's blows, her scorching hot flames threatening him and ensuring he would make use of all his agility to avoid her. To his surprise, whenever she unleashed small fireballs at him, he could swing Space Sword and force the fire to dissipate; he would certainly use this technique when facing his future foe.

Sokka was panting and resting on his knees once they were done, a few hours later, and Azula nodded in agreement when he asked her to stop. He headed to the rim of the ship, sitting down with his back against the enclosure as the sweat coursed down his brow. Azula was in better shape, seeing as she had been the one sending the flames Sokka had been forced to dodge, the ones that had made his body temperature rise to sweating point. Azula stared at him as he huffed before she sat by his side.

"I believe that was enough for one day," she said, as he nodded.

"It's… more than enough… thanks…" he muttered, surprising her. Why was he grateful? Nobody was grateful towards her, especially bitter slaves… she didn't know how to respond to that.

"Your skills have most definitely improved," Azula said, crossing her legs before her as she changed the subject. "Piandao made wonders with you. You're not even similar to the weak brat you used to be."

"Yeah… it's all because of him…" said Sokka, resting his head against the wall behind him. "He's the greatest man I've ever met…"

Azula raised an eyebrow, and Sokka didn't miss the gesture.

"What?" he grunted.

"I simply don't think the same way, is all" said Azula, shrugging.

"Of course you don't," said Sokka. "And I bet… it's because he found you unworthy."

"There we go again…" said Azula, rolling her eyes. "He didn't find me unworthy, why won't you understand that for once and for all?"

"Well, he clearly didn't teach you anything or else your moves with Space Sword earlier would have made more sense," said Sokka, shrugging. "And you seem awfully bitter towards him, so I don't find any other explanation…"

"Oh, you just don't get it, do you?" asked Azula, shaking her head. "It's not as simple as you might think it is. You and I… we're not equals. Thus he can accept you, but not me. My circumstances… they wouldn't allow me to train under Piandao even when I wanted to."

Sokka raised an eyebrow, surprised.

"What circumstances are we talking about?"

Azula sighed, crossing her arms now as well. She didn't look at Sokka in the eye as she spoke.

"I told you my brother was trained by him, didn't I? He was about five years old when he began his instruction. I watched the way he swung around swords, the way… t-the way my mother would praise and dote on his clumsy and stupid ways. I went to my father a couple of years later, since I wanted to learn how to fight with swords as well. He accepted my request, and we all headed to Piandao's mansion one day. My mother was under the impression we were only going to watch Zuko's training; she didn't know what my father had in mind. Zuko was swinging and twirling his dual blades, showing off to mother, when father decided to request Piandao to train me. I will admit I didn't get along with the sword master at all, the way he looked at me made me guess he thought me to be inferior to him in some way and I hated it. Yet he handed me a blade and asked me to do what I could with it. I don't know how good or bad I truly was, of course… all I know is that Zuko and mother saw me then, and Zuko lost his mind, claiming I couldn't be taught how to use a sword. I just laughed at him, knowing he was simply jealous since, without any lessons, I was proving my aptitude was superior to his. Piandao seemed to approve of my potential, actually, but… but that was when my mother interrupted."

"Your mother?" asked Sokka, surprised.

"She asked to have a word with Piandao and my father alone. Zuko and I were left in the garden, and he kept claiming I wasn't supposed to learn to fight like this. You see, he was given the opportunity to become a swordsman because I was a superior firebender and he couldn't deal with that, seeing as he was supposed to be my father's heir. Mother, of course, agreed to do anything that Zuko asked for, and she enrolled him with Piandao right away so that Zuko could bask in the chance to surpass me in something for once. I wanted to use swords too, though… and I was finally going to get my chance to do so. But when the meeting ended, Piandao said he wouldn't teach me. I was devastated and Zuko was pleased. I didn't know for certain why I was refused… but it didn't take me long to find out. When we were heading back to the mainland, my mother explained to me that ladies were not supposed to get involved in the arts of war. I protested, of course, but she wouldn't budge. She was annoyed by my resistance to her decision, she didn't understand that I wanted to become a powerful fighter and turned matters around by claiming I was being whimsical because I wanted to receive lessons from someone, because I wanted to be taught things just as Zuko was being taught how to fight. This was what prompted her to send me off to the Fire Nation Academy for Girls… where I only learned useless things that I hardly even remember nowadays. I hated it, hated every second of it, because I could have been becoming a sword master if my mother hadn't gotten in the way... but I should have expected her to do this. Women aren't supposed to learn how to fight, their purpose is to stay at home and waste away as men take care of everything... this is the way she thought, or at least, the way she wanted me to think since I wasn't my father's heir; she believed Zuko to be his perfect successor instead. I have opposed her ideals for my entire life, but my determination doesn't make much of a difference most the time..."

"Huh… that's rough," said Sokka, gulping. "So… it's your mother's fault that you don't know how to use a blade. Somehow I think I should thank her… you're deadly enough as you are."

"True," said Azula, sighing. "But I still think I had potential with swords…"

"You're bad enough with the fire; believe me," said Sokka, chuckling. "But how come your mother didn't protest against you being taught how to firebend if she didn't believe you should be fighting altogether?"

"I was taught most of the firebending I know by my father and two old ladies who were my caretakers, Lo and Li," said Azula. "Lo and Li were my official teachers; they kept everything at a very basic level so that my mother wouldn't worry. My father, though, he taught me many things, many forms of firebending that only a handful of people knew. He was smart enough to do this when my mother wasn't looking, of course. He helped me develop the skill of blue fire and it was him who taught me how to use lightning, although those two things he only managed to teach me once my mother was gone. If she had seen me bending lightning she probably would have lost her mind and demanded for me to be sent to learn acting or something useless instead of fighting..."

"Seems like you two had a difficult relationship…" said Sokka, thoughtful. "What happened to her?"

"I don't know," said Azula, truthfully. "One day she was… gone. I was glad she was. Most of the oppression I felt came from her. Without her in the way I could reach my full potential both as a fighter and a leader, and my father knew it. He has helped me become who I am now."

Sokka was surprised by these confessions. He stared at her, not having expected to share any traits with her…

"My mother died when I was very young," he said, taking Azula aback. "I always relied on my father too, though I didn't have a bad relationship with my mother. I guess I can understand somehow the way you feel towards your dad even if he's the most evil man in the world."

Azula snorted and rolled her eyes, but she was slightly relieved, and also surprised. He understood her. Nobody ever understood her. It was an unusual feeling indeed…

"I guess it all depends on your perspective on good and evil," she muttered.

"Oh, so now you're going to tell me you think you people of the Fire Nation are 'the good guys'... don't make me laugh."

"I didn't say that," stated Azula. "I simply believe we have different takes on what's right and what's wrong. I believe most people in the Fire Nation are imbeciles; I also dislike most people from other nations. Simply put, I really don't take into account where a person came from or what his ideals might be..."

"As long as he's willing to work for you, you'll accept him," Sokka completed, shrugging, "I guess you simply don't care for what's good and what isn't."

"Bothering yourself with such thoughts will only lead you to confusion and self-loathing," said Azula, making him frown. "Somebody established what was right and what was wrong a long time ago, and everyone strives to follow such teachings. I believe one of the first Avatars was the one to cause this... our society is based on those teachings, and if we stray from them it means we're cruel, evil, heartless. But what entitled that Avatar to determine what was wrong and what was right? Everything is changing in the world we live in, the ancient ways are becoming hazier, and following fit through them is no longer an option, not even for a man like you. Surely you wish to do the right thing, to be a good man, but you're working for me, the one you consider evil above all things. Doesn't that make you evil also?"

Sokka frowned and flexed his legs upwards, letting his arms rest on his knees as he tried to digest her words.

"I don't believe in the notions of good and evil," continued Azula. "The way I see it, they're simply obstacles to stop you from reaching your full potential, to prevent you from enjoying your life as you want to... you only get one opportunity to live, after all. You might as well forget all about those pointless guidelines, about karma, because when your time is up, you'll be full of regrets for not living your life as you wanted to, for living it in the way others have forced upon you instead."

"Is that why you're so cruel, then? Because you don't care for karma?" asked Sokka.

"There are other reasons that explain why I am the way I am; simply put, karma doesn't stop me and it doesn't scare me," she declared.

"I don't think anything does," said Sokka, smiling slightly. "You just do everything as you please. It's somewhat admirable, but I can't live my life in the same way."

"I wasn't asking you to do so," she replied, looking at him.

Their eyes met once again, eyes that showed their opposing and conflicting natures. They were nothing alike, yet somehow they'd found a way to respect one another. It didn't mean they were anywhere close to becoming friends, but they were allies now, and they knew it. They had to rely on each other to survive, to achieve their goals… Without knowing it, they had become a team, even when they hardly trusted each other to begin with.

They were brought back to reality when a Royal Guard approached them and cleared his throat, making them both snap and realize they had been staring at the other for no reason.

"Princess, dinner awaits you in your cabin," he said, bowing. "Your meal is in your room as well, gladiator."

"Great!" said Sokka, jumping up. "I was already hungry…"

"You ate only a few hours ago…" said Azula, staring at him in disbelief.

"I've been starving for two years, it's not my fault I'm always hungry!" claimed Sokka, making her roll her eyes as she got back on her feet as well.

"No wonder Piandao said you had eaten all his food, your appetite is unappeasable," she grunted, shaking her head.

The three of them walked inside the ship's tower, the Princess moving towards the stairs that led to her cabin. Sokka wasn't headed to the stairs, though: he carried on down the hallway instead. Azula looked at him, staring at his shrinking figure. It was unlikely they'd see each other again for the rest of the day…

"Sokka," she called out to him, and he stopped on his tracks, surprised. He turned around and looked at her from over his shoulder. "Get as much rest as you can. We will be arriving to Ember Island early tomorrow, if the sailing continues as intended."

"Got it," said Sokka, nodding. "And the fight is tomorrow too, isn't it?"

"Yes, three hours after noon."

"Huh…" said Sokka, surprised. He had always fought under the midday sun… he wondered if this would change his odds somehow. "Well, I'm fine with that. I'll see you around, then, Azula…"

The name felt strange in his mouth, he wasn't used to uttering it. Often he had talked to her using her title rather than her name, it seemed far more natural… he didn't even know where the whim of calling her by her name had come from. He turned around and continued walking, expecting some sort of reprimand for not showing her the proper respect, but it never arrived. The Royal Guard next to Azula seemed surprised and offended to see Sokka talking to her as if they were equals, but she wasn't bothered by it at all. In fact, she looked the total opposite of bothered.

To hear him utter her name had made her soul stir. She didn't know for certain what this development meant, but her mind led her to imagine he had appreciated the moment they had shared on the upper deck, the first time she had opened up to someone in many years… and she had been calling him by his name for a while now, it was only logical he would do the same eventually, if he began seeing her for who she truly was…

The notion of Sokka thinking about her not just as his worst enemy anymore pleased her, somewhat. She stared after him until he turned on a corner and vanished, upon which she decided to head to her room as well, her mind still filled with thoughts of him. She entered her room and glanced at the food that awaited her in a majestic table, but she didn't focus on it just yet. She glanced out the window, still wondering if Sokka was beginning to see her under a different light… could the bond between them be convenient for a sponsor and a gladiator? What was the nature of their bond, anyway? Finding they shared one or two traits meant nothing, not when she thought him to be so inferior and when he didn't trust her at all…

Still, she had no choice but to trust him. Her fate would be determined tomorrow in Ember Island's Arena... her destiny was in Sokka's hands.