Betting on his favorite gladiator had been a better idea than Zuko had thought it would be. It wasn't that he needed the money: supporting the right fighter filled him with a thrill of excitement he had never known before.
Yes, he still found the gladiator business to be disgusting in essence… but that one girl had driven him to think that you could find beauty even in the most horrid features of the world. And she wasn't just beautiful… she was strong, she was honorable, she was admirable in every single way. He smiled as he thought of how she had trampled over her opponent with ease today, never losing the composure and elegance that set her apart from all the other gladiators.
After witnessing the fight between her and the Blue Wolf, Zuko had asked the boy on the counter for Kyoshi's Heir's combat schedule. The kid had been surprised, since Zuko had showed up out of nowhere and requested the information a little more forcefully than he had intended to, but he had complied as soon as he had realized the man under the hood was none other than Prince Zuko. And so, Zuko had come to frequent the Grand Royal Dome whenever Kyoshi's Heir was due to fight.
He would always sneak out of the Palace to attend the matches, concealing his features under his hood to avoid getting recognized by the townsfolk. He sat as far as he could from Kyoshi's Heir's crazed supporters, still finding their behavior to be ridiculous. He rooted for her as well, yet he didn't make a fool of himself to show it.
But his distaste towards her other supporters couldn't distract him whenever Kyoshi's Heir entered the sand pit. His eyes would never leave her figure, watching how she delivered every blow with skill and grace… she was something to behold. He had taken the plunge to bet on her for the first time today, and he had gone home with twice the money he had brought with him. Betting on her had made him feel quite fulfilled, but it wasn't because of the money: betting was the sole way in which he could show his earnest support for Kyoshi's Heir.
The gladiator vanished from his thoughts temporarily as he snuck into the Palace again, sliding in through a hidden door in the western end of the walls that surrounded his home. A guard spotted him, but he already knew it was Zuko. He had seen him sneak out earlier, and even though he should have stopped him from leaving the Palace in such a getup, he decided to let him go. The Prince's endeavors were of little concern to the guards anymore, seeing how the Fire Lord didn't care for what his son did. It provided Zuko with a lot more freedom than his sister could enjoy, seeing how she was followed by her Royal Procession at all times. But naturally, his father's disinterest made the Prince wonder if there was no place for him in the Royal Palace anymore.
He was planning on heading towards his chambers right away, perhaps dropping by to greet his uncle on the way, but he stopped on his tracks when he caught sight of an unusual clatter in the Royal Guards' barracks. A group of men clad in red ran up and down their building busily, some of them shouting orders while others carried objects from one place to another. Zuko raised an eyebrow and approached them, spotting a carriage that was being loaded with what could only be provisions for a trip of some sort.
"What's going on here?" asked Zuko, approaching the man who seemed to be supervising the operation.
The guard turned around and Zuko caught sight of the golden rims on his uniform. Azula's Captain…
"Prince Zuko? What are you doing here?" he asked, surprised.
"Isn't that what I just asked you?" Zuko retorted, unwilling to explain his circumstances.
"Right…" muttered the Captain, frowning slightly. Azula was downright cold towards him most the time… but there was something about her older brother that made the Captain cringe in unease whenever he interacted with him. It might be that Azula didn't strive to prove her superiority with her every action, because her authority was already implicit. Zuko's behavior was the entire opposite of that. If only on a subconscious level, he seemed to believe other people needed a reminder that he was the Fire Lord's son. Instead of acting aloof towards the servants and guards, in the way his sister did, his attitude would often come across as disrespectful and entitled. "We're getting assembled for a journey. The Royal Procession will guard the Princess as she travels through the Fire Nation Colonies."
Zuko's eyes widened.
"Azula… traveling through the Former Earth Kingdom? Why?"
The Captain froze at his question. Azula wanted her mission to develop in utmost secrecy… was it wise to tell her brother about the true nature of her journey? The relationship between the siblings was rocky, to say the least. Azula probably wouldn't want him to know what she was up to. And if she did… then she probably should tell him herself.
"The Princess will be touring the Arenas of the Fire Nation Colonies with her gladiator," said the Captain, turning towards the carriage once again. "Preparations must be done at once to make sure the journey proceeds smoothly."
"Huh…" said Zuko, frowning at the thought of Azula's gladiator. He still couldn't forgive the way he had defeated Kyoshi's Heir and extorted a date out of her… "Why is she doing this?"
"I haven't been briefed about her reasons," said the Captain. "Nor do I need to be."
Zuko's brow contracted, displeased by the man. It was obvious he knew more than he was telling… but he would say nothing more. Azula had probably told him not to share any details about their trip with him.
"Right," grunted Zuko, walking away without another word. His gut began twisting when he wondered if his sister might be trying to find the Avatar herself… well, he knew the Avatar wasn't in the Earth Kingdom. He had searched the continent high and low during his own travels, and there had been no trace of the Avatar being anywhere in the Earth Kingdom… in fact, there was no trace of the Avatar at all. If her true goal was to find him and succeed where he had failed, she would come back empty-handed.
But that wasn't Azula's goal. Unbeknownst to her brother, Azula was entering her father's chambers on that very moment, her chin held high, her eyes fierce, her soul unyielding.
She found Ozai scanning a very long scroll, sitting before a small table in his private living room. An Imperial Guard announced her presence, making Ozai lift his gaze from his reading material to regard his daughter.
"Azula," he said, as she bowed down towards him. "Have you finally come to a decision?"
"Yes, father," Azula replied, taking her seat across him. "I will undertake this mission."
Ozai's eyes gleamed with pride as a smirk spread over his features. His daughter didn't smile back.
"I'm pleased. A mission of this caliber would require a strong leader such as yourself, Azula."
"Indeed," said Azula. "There isn't enough information regarding the Rough Rhinos' movements. It will take some time for me to find them."
"Take as much as you need, so long as you bring them back with you," said Ozai. "They have made themselves enemies of the Fire Nation. We will give them the same treatment any other rebel would earn."
"I understand," said Azula. "It shall be done, father. I will be departing in two weeks…"
"Two weeks?" Ozai repeated, frowning. "It might be risky to let so much time pass you by, Azula…"
"I have no other choice," Azula stated. "It's taken me some time to decide how to chase them. Seeing how they solely travel through land, I'm not likely to find them if I take this voyage only on my barge. I have sent word to the Mechanist in the northern mountains: I heard about the train-tank he has developed, and I will require it to travel efficiently through the Colonies' territories."
"Are you sure about this?" asked Ozai, raising an eyebrow.
"I won't be entering the towns or cities in the train-tank, if that's what you're concerned about," Azula replied. "The Royal Procession will escort me in, as it should be. The train-tank will carry me from one destination to the next."
"Yet a train-tank… It might give away what you're trying to accomplish, Azula," said Ozai. "I thought you would realize that utter secrecy and discretion will be needed for you to track down the Rough Rhinos."
"I'm well aware of that," said Azula. "It's why I decided I'll be arriving to the Colonies to give the impression that I've traveled only to gloat about my brand-new gladiator as I tour the Arenas in the Former Earth Kingdom."
Ozai's eyes widened in surprise, and he nodded in approval shortly afterward, a smirk on his face.
"It's a good plan… it should serve as the perfect cover story."
"It will," said Azula. "While I travel through the largest cities of the continent, pretending to boast about my fighter's prowess, I will send out my guards in disguise so they can gather as much information as they can about the Rough Rhinos. It would be as if I were setting down a web to trap them…"
"And, since the guards never show their faces, nobody would guess they're anything other than townsfolk, or travelers from the mainland, once they're out of their uniforms," said Ozai, chuckling. "Indeed, that's quite a way to capture them. They'll be in your grasp before they even realize who the one to bring their demise was."
"It's what I was striving towards," said Azula, allowing herself a small smirk of satisfaction. It didn't matter how displeased she was in the many aspects of her life: whenever her father showed her his approval she felt a surge of pride grow within her chest.
"How will your journey proceed?" asked Ozai, curious.
"I intend to begin at Yu Dao," said Azula. "It's the last place where the Rough Rhinos have been seen. My guards will gather as much information about them as possible while I stay at Yu Dao for a week or so. Once we have enough leads, I'll devise what we must do from there on. I plan on sending a group of my men to track the Rhinos while I travel towards Omashu. I'll keep in touch with the men I'll send to follow the Rhinos' trail through messenger hawks, to make sure they're progressing smoothly. After Omashu, I will head to Gaoling. My barge will be waiting at the southern shore of the colonies to take me north to Ba Sing Se, where I hope to reunite with the men who should have captured the Rhinos effectively by then… unless they turn out to be incompetent fools, that is. And if they happen to be, I'll be making a last stop at Garsai, which will broaden my opportunities to ensnare them in case they haven't been caught by then."
"You'll be traveling throughout the entire continent…" said Ozai, thoughtful. "It sounds like an effective plan indeed, although time might not be your ally in this endeavor."
"Time is hardly anyone's ally, father," Azula muttered, sighing. "I plan to spend a week in each city, at the very least. Traveling from each place to the next will take some time as well. My men should be capable enough to seize the Rhinos by then."
"How many soldiers will you take?" asked Ozai, raising an eyebrow.
"I don't intend to raise suspicion by taking actual soldiers with me," Azula replied. "I will be taking my Royal Guards only."
"But your Royal Guards might not be enough…" muttered Ozai. "You will need to double your Royal Procession, at the very least."
Azula frowned upon the suggestion.
"If you intend to split your group by sending men to pursue the Rough Rhinos, your defenses will be very vulnerable," said the Fire Lord.
"But increasing the numbers I already have will make the traveling far more difficult, Father," Azula insisted. "You know I can take care of myself in case I'm left nigh defenseless."
"But you won't be left defenseless," Ozai ordered. "You will double your Royal Procession, Azula."
Azula knew better than to go against her father's orders, no matter how useless she thought his suggestion was. She was relying on stealth for her mission to be accomplished, and having too many men around her wouldn't help her finish her task. Yet she nodded, submitting to the Fire Lord's will. She would simply have find a way to make use of the additional soldiers her father had forced upon her.
"Are there Gladiator Arenas in each city you will visit?" asked Ozai.
"Yes, there are," Azula assured him. "I will issue out challenges to sponsors in the Colonies right away… but I wanted to let you know about what I had planned so far, to make sure I had your consent, father."
"You do," said Ozai, nodding. "Make sure to ponder every stage of this plan carefully. Any slip-ups and you might lose track of the Rhinos. Remember they are quite dangerous, so you'd do best to keep out of damage's way."
"I'll do my best to avoid any predicaments," she replied. "You needn't worry, father. I know better than to take on five bandits riding Komodo Rhinos by myself."
"Oh, I know you do," said Ozai, smiling. "You have my blessings, Azula. Good luck."
"Thank you, father," Azula whispered, bowing her head towards Ozai.
"Run along now. You need to send those challenges," said Ozai, taking his scroll on his hand again.
Azula stood up and bowed once again, turning around and leaving the room feeling slightly relieved. She had feared Ozai might set back her plans somehow, perhaps deciding he wouldn't give her the opportunity to prove herself if her strategies weren't to his liking… she was pleased to find he was most willing to entrust this mission to her. Having to add more men to her ranks was the one thing she found disagreeable, but she would do it regardless, if only to give her Father some peace of mind.
One of her guards awaited her outside the room, and she ordered him to assemble her palanquin bearers right away. She needed to go to the Grand Royal Dome immediately. She wasn't too fond of the idea of bringing Sokka along with her on her journey, but she had decided not to give the matter too much thought. He was to be used as her cover story and nothing more. If he dared take a step out of line, she would take it upon herself to put him in his rightful place, and she would thoroughly enjoy doing so.
The Royal Procession wasn't as crowded as usual this time. The preparations for their voyage kept the guards busy. Azula told the Captain to continue supervising the arrangements along most his men and she only took two guards with her on her quick trip to the Capital's Arena.
Shoji jumped when he saw the Princess walking down the vestibule towards him. The last time he had seen her, she had stormed off from the Arena without sparing so much as a glance his way. Her guards had passed right after her, carrying her gladiator on a stretcher. The boy knew nothing of the gladiator's fate, or of why Azula had seemed so upset that day…
"Princess…" he gasped. "How is the Blue Wolf recovering? Is he doing alright?"
Azula's eyes narrowed at the mention of her gladiator's name, a detail that didn't escape Shoji's sharp mind.
"I don't know how he's recovering, nor do I want to know. His incompetence landed him his wounds, and he'd best suffer them quietly. It's what a true warrior would do."
Shoji blinked a few times, surprised by the cold way in which Azula had delivered her words.
"O-okay…" he said, nodding in slight fear. The Fire Lord's daughter seemed considerably angry over something that Shoji didn't understand. Something was bothering her, but he had no right to ask her what it was. "I… I suppose you'd like to know your gladiator's position?"
Azula raised an eyebrow. To be honest, she didn't care for it much, but in order to maintain appearances…
"Yes, of course," said Azula, folding her arms over her chest.
"Well, he's 320 right now," said Shoji, beaming in hopes to transfer his enthusiasm to the Princess. "You're about twenty spots above the Blind Bandit! Congratulations!"
"Right…" said Azula, knowing she should feel a lot more excited over those news… but surpassing her uncle and the insane earthbender he sponsored had lost most of its previous appeal. "That's not the sole reason why I came here, though."
"Oh, of course!" said Shoji, still smiling. "Would you like to see the challenges you haven't replied to? Or maybe you'd like to issue out a challenge to someone else?"
"I'd like to tour through the Fire Nation Colonies with my gladiator, that's what I'd like to do," Azula retorted, feeling there was no need to wait to reveal her grand plan.
Shoji's eyes widened as he stared at Azula in surprise.
"W-what? How come?"
"Do I need a reason?" asked Azula, raising an eyebrow that seemed to be asking if he was defying her authority.
"N-no, of course not!" said Shoji, gulping. She was fiercer than ever before today, wasn't she…? "I'm just surprised to know you'd like to travel through the Former Earth Kingdom… The Arenas over there aren't all that great, if you want me to be honest."
"They aren't?" asked Azula, raising an eyebrow.
"The men in charge of the Gladiator Business pretty much blew out half their budget on the Grand Royal Dome alone," said Shoji, smiling awkwardly. "This is by far the best Arena there is. I'm not saying the others aren't good… but they're not, uh, fit for a Princess such as yourself, I think."
Azula sighed and placed a hand on the counter, getting closer to the boy for a moment and making him shiver in fear as she glowered at him.
"I have to travel to the Colonies for business I will not explain to you. In order to keep my place in the Gladiator Business, I'm dragging that moron with me and I'm going to fight in those Arenas abroad, whether you think they're fitting for me or not. Am I clear?"
Shoji nodded several times, sweat treading down his forehead as he stared at the Princess in fear.
"Y-yes, of course… I understand," he muttered, lifting the large list of the ranking and handing it to the Princess. "T-take your time to choose your opponents! I'll just wait here, yeah… uh, but…"
"But?" asked Azula, taking the scroll on her hand and raising an eyebrow at him. Shoji shrank on his chair before finding the courage to finish muttering what he had wanted to say.
"W-well, if… if you have to travel for something… you wouldn't have to drop out of the business altogether," he said, biting his lip. "Even if it takes over three months… you wouldn't have to drop out."
"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Azula, glaring at him fiercely.
"D-didn't I explain that to you at some point…? Uh… I guess I didn't," said Shoji, scratching his head. "W-well, the thing is, if a sponsor is unable to play his part in the Arena during his gladiator's fight, he can authorize someone else to take his place until he can get back to the Gladiator Business. The sponsor simply has to sign an authorization notice so that the other person can act as a secondary sponsor…"
Azula's eyebrow twitched at that. Why hadn't she heard of that before? She probably had skipped over that rule when she was reading the guidelines of the gladiator combats…
"Is that so…?" she muttered. Not taking Sokka along on her trip would help her focus on her mission… but she had no idea whom she could ask to provide the service of secondary sponsor. Mai was absolutely out of the question right now, she had a child to take care of. Ty Lee… no, not Ty Lee. Azula might not want anything to do with Sokka in a romantic sense anymore, but she was definitely not going to throw him into the arms of a girl who was flexible enough to get into any man's pants. Zuko? No, he would never agree to help her… It was no good. She had nobody to ask to take upon sponsoring Sokka while she was gone. And besides, using Sokka as a cover story had become a major part of her plan… she couldn't discard him anymore, no matter how badly she wished she could. "Well, it makes no difference. I'm going to take him with me to the Colonies regardless."
"O-of course," said Shoji, smiling nervously as Azula began scanning the list of fighters with her golden eyes.
"I will need a response to these challenges as quickly as possible," said Azula. "I'll travel to the Colonies in two weeks. I want an answer from every sponsor by then, or else they'll have to answer directly to me when I drop by their cities."
"Yes, yes… I'll make it clear they're very urgent challenges, of course," said Shoji, smiling.
"Well, then…" said Azula, leering at the boy once again. "Let's get started."
Sokka's knuckles turned white as he grasped the sword's hilt tightly. A week had passed since his last encounter with the Princess, and he had done his best to obey her by focusing only on recovering from his wounds. But Sokka had never been able to stay put for too long. He had no idea when their journey to the Former Earth Kingdom would begin. For all he knew, Azula would show up on the next day to tell him it was already time to leave… So he had taken Space Sword in his hands today to see if his strength had already returned to him, in case the Princess finally showed up on his doorstep.
"You lost too much blood, Sokka… you shouldn't be doing that just yet," said Song, frowning as she watched him wielding his sword in the living room.
"I've… I've got to try," he insisted. "Else, how will I know if I'm doing better or not?"
"If you push yourself too far, you might just end up worse instead," said Song, folding her arms over her chest.
"No need to worry, Song," said Sokka, shaking his head as his right hand moved forward, stabbing the air with the blade. "See? It's… it's not perfect, but at least I can fight!"
"Sure…" said Song, still distrustful.
Sokka performed a few more moves, his legs stinging him as he shifted his footing. Yes, he still had long ways to go before he could fight properly, but at the very least he could hold his sword. He changed the blade to his left hand now, to test his other arm as well, but he couldn't clutch it appropriately this time around. The injury on his collarbone wasn't too deep, but his left hand begged for mercy whenever he clenched something with it. He tried to tighten his grip around the sword, but his fingers gave way against his will…
… And the sword's hilt just happened to land on his toes. Sokka screamed and jumped on one foot, grasping the other with his right hand. Song rolled her eyes as she watched him squirm in pain, falling on a nearby couch as he massaged his foot.
"I told you so. You'd only make it all worse," she said, shaking her head disapprovingly.
"Of course you'd say that …" he muttered, gritting his teeth and taking off his boot to get a good look at his swelling toes. "Damn it…"
A knock on the door took them both by surprise as they stared at Sokka's foot. Song walked to the door as Sokka's insides twisted with anxiety. Was it her? Had she come to take him to the Earth Kingdom? Or was she going to tell him when they would set out…? Maybe she'd tell him she wouldn't bring him along after all… The pain on his foot faded into the background as he watched the way Song opened the door too slowly for Sokka's liking.
But it wasn't her. It wasn't Azula. His eyes fell when he only saw the red uniform of a Royal Guard. Sokka tilted his head down for a moment, thinking he had been quite foolish to expect Azula to come here again…
"You're an eyesore."
The last words she had spoken towards him rang on his head once more. He grimaced and dropped his head, staring at the new wound on his foot. His skin was starting to turn red. Trying to focus on that, he decided to put aside his thoughts of Azula, even if he wasn't likely to succeed. He had finally come to accept that, no matter how hard he tried, he would never get her off his mind.
"Captain!" Song exclaimed, surprised to see the man. "To what do we owe the pleasure…?"
"I came to inform the gladiator of…" the Captain started, but he caught sight of the Water Tribe man sitting on the couch, rubbing his foot and grimacing at his pain. "What's the matter with him?"
"Oh, you know Sokka…" said Song, shrugging.
"As a matter of fact, I don't think I know him well enough to understand why he's fondling his foot," said the Captain, raising an eyebrow.
"Oh, what I meant was that Sokka always finds a way to make a fool of himself," said Song, giggling a little. "He was testing his skills with his sword and he dropped it on his foot…"
"Huh… yes, indeed, he always finds a way to make a fool of himself. I was aware of that," said the Captain, shaking his head.
"Nice to see you two catching up on the 'Let's trash Sokka' club," Sokka growled from his couch.
"We actually should set a club up," said the Captain, smirking under his mask. "I'm sure it would get crowded quite quickly."
Song chuckled as Sokka rolled his eyes, still rubbing his foot. The Captain entered the house, sitting on a couch opposite Sokka's while Song went to the kitchen to set up some tea for the unexpected visitor.
"So… what are you here for?" asked Sokka, putting on his boot again and trying to forget about the throbbing pain on his toes.
"The Princess commanded me to inform you of what you need to know regarding the journey we'll undertake," said the Captain.
"She did…?" asked Sokka, surprised. He had been certain she wouldn't send anyone to brief him about anything.
"Don't take this the wrong way, gladiator," said the Captain. "The only reason she ordered me to do this was to make sure you would know to stay out of her way as she tends to her mission. Just as Song said, you're prone to make a fool of yourself at all times… and the Princess won't tolerate any hindrances to her plans. By informing you about this, you can keep your foolishness to a minimum. Got it?"
"I… I understand," said Sokka, nodding solemnly. The Captain was surprised to see how the demeanor of the gladiator seemed to change completely when he was reminded of his place in the world. "Well, then… what are you supposed to inform me about?"
"We will be on the road for a month or two," said the Captain. "Most preparations have been made by now. We'll set out to the Colonies in a week."
"One week?" Sokka repeated, surprised, but the Captain ignored him.
"How's your recovery going?"
"I'm getting better," Sokka admitted. "At least I can walk on my own now. But I don't know if I'll manage… a week, you said? I don't think I'll be fully recovered by then, even if I do nothing but stay put…"
"Your situation won't set back the Princess's plans, I'm afraid," said the Captain. "If you're not fully recovered by then, you'll have to fight as you are."
Sokka sighed and nodded, grimacing. He hoped Azula wouldn't pit him against dangerous opponents…
"The trip will take you from Yu Dao to Omashu, then to Gaoling, afterwards to Ba Sing Se and lastly to Garsai…"
Sokka blinked a few times and gaped at the Captain in surprise.
"W-wait… huh? I'm going to see all the big Earth Kingdom cities?"
"Earth Kingdom…?"
"Oh, I mean… F-Fire Nation colonies," Sokka grunted, grimacing with disgust. "Would it only take us a few months to go through all those places?"
"Time is of essence in the Princess's mission. You're not going sightseeing, in case you've forgotten," the Captain declared, as Song set down a cup of tea before him. "Thank you."
"You're welcome," said Song, smiling and sitting by Sokka's side.
"I know I'm not going sightseeing…" muttered Sokka, pursing his lips as the Captain removed his hood.
Sokka was thoroughly surprised to discover there was just a human being beneath the mask. He blinked a few times, not knowing what he had been expecting… well, for starters he hadn't expected to ever see what lay beneath that mask. It was odd to realize the Captain was as much of a regular man as he was.
"You'll stay at each city for a week or so," said the Captain, taking a sip from his cup. "Traveling from place to place will likely take you two weeks, at most."
"Uh, alright, but… what do you mean by 'you'?" asked Sokka, raising an eyebrow. "Aren't you coming as well?"
"Not for as long as you might think," said the Captain. "The Princess will divide her forces and I'll be leading the secondary division…"
"Huh?! What…? What exactly is this mission of hers about?" asked Sokka.
"I'm not sure if you're allowed to know," said the Captain. "Therefore, I won't explain unless the Princess thinks it's wise for me to do so."
"Right," muttered Sokka, an eyebrow twitching. "You know, I was the one to suggest I could act as a smokescreen. Wouldn't it be fair for me to know what I'm serving as a cover for?"
The Captain seemed to consider the idea for a moment, but he shook his head afterwards.
"I'm not here to be fair, I'm here to tell you what you have to do. Nothing more."
Sokka grimaced and shook his head.
"I don't know why I expected anything else from you…"
"You will travel with the Princess at all times," said the Captain, glaring at Sokka. "So make sure to behave properly while around her. If you dare do anything to hurt her again, you'll pay with your life."
"I… I know," said Sokka, nodding.
"Keep as much distance between you two as possible," said the Captain. "She has enough things on her mind as it is for her to also have to deal with your thoughtlessness. Know your place as her gladiator."
"I will," said Sokka. "I know better now… I won't pester her. I promise."
"Excuse me if I can't bring myself to trust your words blindly," said the Captain, glaring at Sokka. The gladiator was slightly intimidated by the fierce stare. Had he always looked at him with such anger underneath his mask? "If anything, you've proved to be the one person who can damage the Princess in ways nobody else can. I can only be wary around you."
"Yeah… and I don't blame you for it," said Sokka, dropping his gaze.
Song looked from one to the other, worried. She had no idea how to interpret the hostility she could sense between the two men.
"You can pack heavily if you want, seeing how we'll be abroad for a long time, but you will be carrying your own bags all the way to port," said the Captain. "Keep that in mind."
"Got it," said Sokka, nodding. "By the way… can Song come with us?"
Song jumped in surprise at Sokka's question. The Captain raised an eyebrow slowly, confused.
"What?"
"Well… she's my healer," said Sokka, smiling awkwardly. "And a very good one at that. If I get hurt in one of the fights, I'll need her to patch me back together so I can fight on the next ones."
The Captain sighed. Sokka's reasoning was understandable, but he didn't think the Princess would take kindly to bringing another slave with them in their journey to catch the Rough Rhinos. The Captain didn't think it was that a great idea either, mostly for Song's safety. He figured the gladiator would be able to stand his ground if faced with the Rhinos directly, but the slave girl would be at a loss in such situation…
"For her own good, it would be best if she didn't come," said the Captain, shaking his head. "You're not in a position to make any requests right now, gladiator. The Princess would likely reject your petition right away. And, for Song's safety, she should stay here in the mainland."
"My safety…?" asked Song, confused, "Why would my safety be endangered in that trip?"
"It's not a simple matter," said the Captain, looking at her with earnest eyes. "And I don't think I'm allowed to discuss it openly. You'll have to take my word for it."
"Wait… so if her safety would be jeopardized, wouldn't Azula's be as well? And mine…?" asked Sokka, blinking a few times as reality began sinking in. What on earth was Azula's mission?
"I'm sorry to destroy any illusions you might have had, but I don't care as much about your safety as I would care about hers," said the Captain, jerking his head towards Song as he glared at Sokka. "You're a fighter, you should be able to take care of yourself."
"Well, in that case, I could protect Song as well…" said Sokka, crossing his arms over his chest.
"If you really want to protect her, leave her here. It's the best way to make sure no harm will befall her," declared the Captain.
Sokka grimaced and looked at the girl beside him. Song smiled weakly at him and shrugged.
"It would have been weird for me to travel through the Earth Kingdom with the Fire Lord's daughter's procession, don't you think?"
"I suppose," said Sokka, sighing. "Will a healer of any sort travel with us?"
"No, but all the guards have basic knowledge on treating wounds," said the Captain, shrugging.
"That's not exactly reassuring," said Sokka, grimacing.
"If you were to win your fights by a wide margin and defeated all your enemies, maybe you wouldn't need anyone to treat you," said the Captain. "How about you do that instead of complaining?"
"Oh, fine," muttered Sokka. "But it depends on what kind of fighters I'll be going against…"
"The Princess has already issued out the challenges… I believe she has gotten a positive response on most of them," said the Captain. "But I have no information regarding your opponents. I can only suggest you to do your best against them."
"Not like I have another choice, do I?" said Sokka, sighing. "If I don't do my best, I'll get myself killed… and maybe not by the guys in the Arena, but by Azula instead."
"I would say the Princess wouldn't do such a thing… but her rage towards you seems strong enough for her to wish to put an end to you, permanently," said the Captain, shrugging. He didn't seem to care much for Sokka's fate.
The more thought Sokka gave to the journey they would have to undertake, the more disturbing he found it. What could Azula be up to that would force her to travel throughout the entire Former Earth Kingdom? What mysteries was she hiding this time around…?
He lowered his head as he realized he wasn't likely to find out the answers to those questions. She wouldn't deem him worthy of knowing what her true mission was, or else she would have explained everything earlier. He wanted to make up for all the damage he had caused her, for all the pain and anguish… but it seemed impossible. Azula would never trust him again. All he could do was fight to his utmost once they were in the Arenas at the Colonies, so that, at the very least, she would let him stay by her side as her personal fighter. It was the only way in which he could be of any use to her anymore.
"Father…" Azula whispered, knowing she was interrupting the Fire Lord's meditative session, but doing so anyway.
Ozai wasn't bothered by the disruption, though. He knew what Azula had come for. Two weeks had passed already since their last meeting, and her current visit could only mean one thing. He stood up and faced his daughter, a smile on his face as he detailed her flawless appearance. Her dark hair was tied in its half-knot once again, allowing the long strands of jet-black locks flow elegantly down her back. She was fully dressed in her armor, her appearance daunting and inspiring at the same time.
"Are you ready?" asked Ozai. "Did everything proceed smoothly?"
"Yes," the Princess replied, nodding. "The guards are assembled, the ship is loaded and the train-tank is on its way to Yu Dao without a hitch, according to the reports I received."
"Very well," said Ozai, smirking. "May the tides favor you, my daughter, and may good fortune shine upon you as well."
Azula bowed down solemnly before her father.
"I will complete this mission, father," Azula declared. "I will make you proud of my achievements."
"I'm certain you will," said Ozai, as Azula straightened her back again and left the room without another word, her golden eyes ablaze with determination as she strode towards the Palace's Gates with two of her guards flanking her.
Sokka dropped his large bag on the Palace's grounds, right beside the stone steps leading to the main hall that allowed entrance into the largest building in the city. The Royal Guards were chatting amongst themselves, all the same as the palanquin bearers. Sokka had just arrived to the scene, having received a message from the Captain a few days ago for him to come at mid-morning to the Palace. Sokka had thought it might be better for him to go straight to the port, but he wasn't going to question what the Captain had told him. It might have been Azula's order to have him join the Procession, and disobeying her now would surely unleash disturbing consequences upon him.
"So… you're really here?" asked someone behind him, taking Sokka by surprise. He turned around to find Prince Zuko staring at him, his golden eyes defiant. The man had been standing near the guards just a moment ago, and he had approached Sokka as soon as he saw him placing his luggage on the ground.
"As far as I know, you're not crazy enough to hallucinate, so I guess I am," said Sokka, raising an eyebrow at Zuko. His rivalry with the Fire Lord's son had been set far back in his list of priorities, but he hadn't forgotten their bitter match at Mai's house, and neither had the Prince.
"I thought this nonsense of a tour was just a ruse," muttered Zuko. "I thought she was up to something other than parading her gladiator all over the world."
Sokka frowned, holding back his urge to tell Zuko that his assumption was correct. It was surprising to see that Azula seemed to distrust her brother just as much as she distrusted Sokka… though it was quite a disheartening thought as well. She had trusted him before. And it had been Sokka's fault that she had withdrawn that trust completely.
"You shouldn't go around trying to guess what Azula is up to," said Sokka. "Your curiosity will come back to bite you in the rear if you're not careful."
"Huh?" asked Zuko, confused. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"What do you think it means?"
"W-well… I don't know! That's why I'm asking!" Zuko yelled, flushing in embarrassment.
"That's too bad. I thought you were smarter than that. Seems like the wit doesn't run in the family," said Sokka, with a dramatic sigh.
"What…?! Take that back!" Zuko roared, glaring at Sokka angrily.
"What's ticking him now?" asked someone else, walking down the main hall towards them. "Why do you go around pissing this guy off, Dog? That's supposed to be my job."
"Your job?" said Sokka, glancing sideways at the Blind Bandit. "Since when do you have the exclusive rights to get on Zuko's bad side?"
"I have the exclusive rights to get on anyone's bad side, including yours, Dog," said Toph, smirking as she climbed down the steps and stood before them. "I just heard his sweet voice yelling at you when I was passing by, so I figured I'd come find out what the ruckus was this time around."
"There's nothing for you to do here," Zuko growled, leering at the earthbender. "And my voice isn't sweet!"
"Can't catch a hint of sarcasm, can you?" Toph said, smirking.
"I was insulting his brains too, you're welcome to join the party if you want," said Sokka, folding his arms over his chest and smirking at Zuko as well.
"Q-quit it," Zuko growled, his anger escalating with every passing moment.
"Nah, I didn't come here just to prod at his ego" said Toph, turning towards Sokka. "Iroh mentioned something about the Jewel traveling, but I didn't know you were tagging along. She's taking you with her?"
"Yeah, she is… and we're going to fight in other Arenas over at the Earth Kingdom," said Sokka, proudly.
"Oh, really?" asked Toph, smirking. "You sure you can handle those fights, Dog?"
"Huh?" said Sokka, surprised. "Why do you ask?"
"You're really naïve, aren't you?" Toph said, shaking her head. "Earth Kingdom gladiators are, mostly, earthbenders. And I don't think I need to remind you of how your last fight against an earthbender went, or do I?"
Sokka frowned at Toph's declaration. His opponents were still a mystery to him, he had no clue who Azula had challenged this time around. Probably just non-benders… right? She knew better than to put their progress through the ranking at risk by having him fight benders of any kind… but he couldn't let Toph see she had planted seeds of uncertainty in his mind.
"You're just saying that because you're mad we've surpassed you," said Sokka, smirking. "How's life in the lower half of the ranking, Bandit?"
"Seriously?" she asked, glaring at him. "You're in the lower half of the ranking as well, Dog. Didn't your people teach you how to divide five hundred in half?"
Sokka's eyebrow twitched and he shook his head in irritation, trying to focus on what mattered.
"Still, I'm way ahead of you! For over three hundred points, no less!"
"That's going to change soon, believe me," said Toph, smirking. "Enjoy your short-lived advantage for now, Dog… it's not going to happen ever again."
"Says you," Sokka said, glaring at Toph.
"My, my, such hostility," asked another arrival, surprising Sokka.
"Why do you people keep popping up out of nowhere?" he asked, glaring at the approaching Iroh, who was walking down the hall that Toph had just appeared from.
"Ah, is it all coming from you?" asked the old man, smiling at Sokka and making sure he'd glare at him with even more fierceness.
"Not really, some of it comes from Princess Zuko over there," said Toph, smiling at her sponsor and pointing at the Fire Lord's son.
"What the…?! Don't call me that!" Zuko yelled, looking as if he were about to lose his temper completely.
"Not Princess? Hmmm… Lady Zuko!" Toph said, smiling brightly as Zuko's hands became engulfed in orange fire.
"Peace, Zuko!" said Iroh, jumping between the pair. "You two won't ever try to get along, will you?"
"What for?" said Toph, chuckling. "It's a lot more fun to piss him off."
"Don't ask me to get along with the likes of her!" Zuko yelled, glaring both at his uncle and his gladiator.
Iroh grimaced at his nephew's exclamations, patting him on the shoulder in hopes he would calm down. Sokka was still glaring at him, not comfortable at being in the same place as the old man. He had only seen him a few times before, but he had kept his guard up on every opportunity. If Azula was wary of the man, he would be as well.
"What are you doing here, Uncle?" Zuko muttered, wishing Iroh would leave and give him the chance to fight Toph personally.
"I heard Azula would be taking off today, so I came to watch her leave," said the old man, turning around towards Sokka. "You'll be joining Princess Azula on her journey?"
Iroh looked at Sokka with calm eyes. Sokka stared right back at him. His eyes were the same color as Azula's… but they were very different at the same time. Sokka had seen many things in Azula's golden gaze: her emotions, her intelligence, her determination… but Iroh's amber eyes were impossible to read. He couldn't tell what the man might be thinking about.
"Yeah… I will," said Sokka, frowning. "What of it?"
"I'm just impressed," said Iroh, smiling. "I didn't know you two were so close."
"C-close?" asked Sokka, gaping at the man in shock. No, they weren't close. They had been close before, perhaps… but not anymore, and they probably never would be again.
"Well, seeing how she has quite a mission ahead of herself…" said Iroh, smiling. "For her to decide to bring you along… it must mean she trusts you quite a lot."
Sokka's eyes widened with shock at those words. Of course she didn't trust him. There was no way she trusted him… why was this man saying those things? What was the matter with him? How had he known the situation between him and Azula had grown so strained? Did the old man know his words were stabbing his heart as if they were knives? Judging by the calm contained in his eyes… he did. Sokka's reaction would have surprised him if it had been otherwise.
"Her mission?!" asked Zuko, grasping his uncle by the shoulder and forcing him to turn around towards him. "I knew it… I knew it! She wasn't just traveling to brag about him!"
"To brag about whom?" asked Iroh, confused.
Sokka only remembered then that Iroh knew about Azula's true intent by traveling to the Former Earth Kingdom. He was about to tell him to keep quiet regarding Azula's mission, but the sudden appearance of the Princess at the Palace's threshold froze him on the spot.
Iroh dragged Zuko and Toph to the side as Azula strode between the four of them, followed by her guards. Sokka wanted to look up at her, to watch her as she passed by, headed towards her palanquin, but he dropped his gaze to the ground, bowing his head down to her almost by reflex. Azula gave no hints of taking notice of Sokka or any of the others, striding towards her palanquin with steady footing, her head held up high.
Sokka looked up as she climbed aboard the vehicle. Closeness, trust… they had been there before, but they were both gone. He was left with nothing but the shadow of what they could have been, with the memories of a shared past that seemed so far away it hardly felt real anymore.
"Good luck on those fights, Dog," said Toph, bringing Sokka back to reality. "You're definitely going to need it."
Sokka nodded to acknowledge her words and he leaned down to pick up his luggage, leaving behind the three people who were staring at him intently as he treaded after the palanquin. He exited the Palace's premises, looking up at the closed drapes of the vehicle with the feeble hope that, maybe, he and Azula would find what they had lost on this journey into the Former Earth Kingdom…
A/N:
Thank you very much for all your support during the 500 reviews-event I held last week! The deadline for the questions was twenty-four hours, and sadly, a few people came in too late for me to answer…but fear not! If the story hasn't answered your questions if/when we reach 1000 reviews, I'll make sure to hold the event again and those late questions will be the first ones to get answered!
To all those who didn't get to ask their questions, you might get a chance to do so if the story reaches 1000 reviews! ^^ Meanwhile, I hope you continue enjoying reading Gladiator as I enjoy writing it! Thanks again for all the support!