Gladiator

by Seyary-Minamoto

In a world where the Avatar wasn't found, the Fire Nation took over two nations and they strive to overcome the last one. Water Tribe warrior Sokka seeks to fight for his people's rights, but he's captured by his enemies. His life is no longer in his hands as he fights as a Gladiator, and his fate will eventually depend on the Fire Nation Princess, who needs him for her own ends...

50. Chapter 50: The Emerald Rockman 3

Sokka woke up in a very good mood that day. Today he would fight a non-bender for the first time since he had beaten The Butterfly Lady in Yu Dao. A month had gone by in which he had only fought against earthbenders: Azula had meant to prove that she wouldn't back down no matter if her gladiator seemed to be at a disadvantage. But the disadvantage was decreasing with every passing day.

Sokka's training with Haru had started out with analytical sessions, to Sokka's surprise. Haru had devoted their encounters to explaining the way earthbenders fought, hoping to show Sokka how he should attack them. The main weakness of benders, as Haru had explained, was the time they required to bring forth their attacks. There were other weaknesses worth exploiting: unlike firebenders, who could produce their own flames, earthbenders required the earth under their feet to fight, and they couldn't manipulate it just by willing it. There was a short window that Sokka could make use of, the moment in which the earthbenders took their stances to bring forth their attacks. It would require all of Sokka's stealth and agility to use that opening properly. Thus, when they started to train physically, Haru compelled Sokka to seek out the right opening. That little guidance alone had been incredibly helpful.

Haru had also briefed Sokka in the common ways earthbenders would attack him in the Grand Royal Dome. The knack of using the stones from the well was growing quite popular lately, but breaking it down would take time that Sokka could use to his advantage. The sand attacks were troublesome, but if Sokka broke the earthbender's stance he would be able to get out of sand traps without much issue.

Haru's advice regarding Sokka's offense was to stun his opponents, or to seek to maim their extremities. Earthbenders didn't bend with their heads, at least, not that Haru knew of, so attacking their limbs would serve Sokka well. Upon this advice, Sokka recalled the way he had almost taken down his opponent in Gaoling. Cutting his hand would have served him much better if he had done it earlier… but there was no point worrying about a lost battle anymore. He would do his best so that he wouldn't have to lose another one in the same fashion.

And to his satisfaction, Haru's help paid off almost instantly. Now that Sokka knew what to aim for with his attacks, his performance against earthbenders was no longer as inconsistent as it had been. He collected two more triumphs, against earthbenders in higher standings than Haru, and afterwards the challenges from sponsors of earthbenders ceased to arrive. Pleased by that change of tides, Azula had decided to give Sokka a break from the relentless combats against earthbenders and she had finally accepted the challenge of a non-bender.

The one they had accepted was well beneath Sokka in the ranking, but that didn't bother the Blue Wolf. He might not award them heaps of points, but having the chance to face off against a non-bender was very refreshing. He wouldn't underestimate his opponent, of course, but it was a relief to know he would be able to fight without fearing the grounds underneath him would swallow him if he wasn't careful enough.

All in all, everything was faring off surprisingly well for Sokka nowadays, which gave him a mild sense of foreboding. Perhaps it meant something bad would happen sometime soon, but he shook his head as the thought came into his mind while he enjoyed his breakfast. If he was on a roll right now, he'd do best to enjoy it instead of worrying over whatever troublesome matters might come next.

"You seem rather happy today," said Song, smiling as Sokka gulped down the remnants of his breakfast as rashly as ever.

"Well, I'm finally off to fight something other than an earthbender," said Sokka, sighing happily. "And that's a relief beyond compare, believe me. I'm so tired of those guys and their sandbending… all the little grains get stuck in the most uncomfortable places, you know?"

"I can imagine," said Song, smiling awkwardly. "I am the one who does your laundry after all."

"And I owe you lots for that, my friend!" said Sokka happily, standing up from the table and mussing Song's hair. "Alright, then, I'm off to get ready!"

"Okay," said Song, smiling as she fixed her hair as she could. "Good luck today!"

"Thanks!" said Sokka, as he entered his room and donned his armor and weapons.

He climbed down the stairs once he was ready, and he waited patiently for the knock on the front door, but it didn't come. He frowned and decided to wait a little longer. Perhaps his fight was set to happen later than he had thought?

After a while of waiting he started pacing in the living room impatiently. Did Azula tell him to go to the Arena and wait for her there? No, he didn't recall her saying so this time around. But maybe his memory was failing him. Maybe she said that before taking off yesterday, after their sword training…

Azula had improved much in regards of handling a sword. She was still not up to Sokka's level, but she had taken upon training by herself from time to time, combining her firebending with her skills with the blade. She had showed Sokka the new fighting forms she had developed, and he had watched in awe as she used a fire-coated blade to direct fire blasts. He had instantly reminded her quite nervously that, while training with him, she wasn't to use her firebending at all, and Azula was rather amused by his unease.

But now he thought about it, he recalled Azula telling him expressly to wait at home for her arrival. So, if she had said that, where could she possibly be right now?

A loud thud on the house's backyard startled him, knocking his thoughts out of his head. He turned around just as a shrill roar came from outside, and he identified the sound instantly. With a smile on his face, he walked out to the yard to find a most interesting sight.

Azula was patting her black dragon's neck kindly, a delighted smile on her face as she shifted in her brand new saddle. It was black and crimson, honoring both the colors of the dragon and of the Fire Nation. It was unexpectedly anatomic, fitting the dragon perfectly and keeping several layers of steels and leather between Azula and the sharp scales on the dragon's skin. Metallic bars lined the back of the saddle, which served as a grip for passengers to hold onto during the flight. The metal stirrups covered Azula's feet well enough, providing solid protection for them. She held leather reins in her hand, though they weren't attached to the dragon's head. The reins criss-crossed over the dragon's chest, allowing Azula to steer Xin Long's flight gently, although the reins weren't entirely necessary for that purpose. The link between their minds was strong enough for Azula to guide Xin Long without needing to pull the reins at all.

"Well?" she said, raising her head arrogantly as she smirked down at Sokka.

"It's… impressive," said Sokka, blinking repeatedly and approaching the dragon, forgetting most caution as he admired the saddle. "Looks somewhat scary. Suits the two of you pretty well."

"I thought the same thing," said Azula, proudly. "I'm pleased with the final result."

"It's really nice," admitted Sokka, nodding. "But at this rate we're going to be late for the fight, so you'd better stop showing off and…"

"Why would we be late?" asked Azula, raising her eyebrows. "The saddle was built for two in case it might be necessary… and it seems to me it's necessary right now."

Sokka's eyes widened as he stared at Azula with a cheery, goofy smile on his face. Azula jerked her head towards the seat behind her and grinned back at him.

"Well, what are you waiting for?"

Sokka jumped towards the dragon and hurled himself on board swiftly, his smile unfaltering. The seat he had taken had been developed carefully so that he wouldn't press against Azula's body uncomfortably.

"There's a fair amount of distance between us just in case you get a little too happy again…" said Azula, and Sokka blushed as his smile turned into a grimace.

"You'll never let that rest, will you?"

"Absolutely not," said Azula proudly, smirking and ushering Xin Long to take off.

Sokka held on to the saddle's support bars, which helped him keep his balance as they flew into the air quickly. It would take them no time to reach the Arena on the back of the dragon.

"This is some quality saddle, really," said Sokka, beaming. "Did you get it today?"

"They finished it yesterday," said Azula. "Xin Long and I tested it as soon as it was delivered. We only needed to try out the second seat now… and from the looks of it, it's working out rather well for you back there, isn't it?"

"It's great, I tell you," said Sokka, smiling widely. "And the refuge? Are they done with that yet?"

"No, it takes longer to build such a large structure," said Azula. "It's bound to be finished in another month. So far, Xin Long is less than impressed by what it looks like."

As if to reinforce Azula's words, Xin Long shook his head and exhaled smoke, with a low gurgled sound that spoke for itself even though he hadn't said anything.

"For now, it's only the foundation of what it will be," said Azula, smiling and patting the dragon's head. "But it will be formidable when it's finished. I have looked at the old paintings of the dragon refuges, and blueprints of them as well… I'm certain Xin Long won't be criticizing it so harshly when it's finished."

"You'd better hope not," said Sokka, chuckling. "Who knows, perhaps he'd rather take the Fire Lord's chamber for himself and toss your dad into the refuge if it's not up to his standard…"

"Xin Long doesn't enter the Palace, for starters," said Azula. "He's bound to get stuck while trying to make it through the doorway in my father's room, so I wouldn't recommend him to choose it as his lair. You shouldn't worry, I'm certain Xin Long will have no qualms about the finished product. And if he does, I'll make sure to get the builders to improve it immediately."

"Yeah, I don't doubt you would," said Sokka, smiling. "Only the best for the Princess and her dragon, is it?"

"If only that were the case... but we're stuck with you, aren't we?" asked Azula, smirking.

"Hey!" Sokka whined, making her chuckle.

Much unlike his descent on Garsai's Jade Range, Xin Long touched ground before the gates of the Grand Royal Dome instead of diving into the sand pit. His landing was quite gentle, to Sokka's relief, and Azula nodded approvingly.

"His landing training has paid off, apparently," she said, smiling and turning towards the dragon. "We'll return in a few hours. I'll let you know when to get us. In the mean time… you can go find a snack, perhaps."

Xin Long groaned back cheerfully just as Sokka climbed off the saddle. Azula beamed and slid off the dragon's back as well, and Xin Long took off into the sky once more, free to roam the lands at will.

"Where's he off to?" asked Sokka, after Azula turned towards the Arena's doors, once Xin Long was out of sight.

"He enjoys flying through the volcanoes west to the Capital," said Azula. "He claims he feels their fire, much like I felt his when we found him."

"So long as he doesn't decide to stay and live in one of those volcanoes…" said Sokka.

"Well, that would be… unexpected," admitted Azula. "But he's a dragon, he can do as he pleases. No matter where he lives, his bond with me will endure until death."

"So it wouldn't bug you, huh? Now that's unexpected," said Sokka, raising his eyebrows.

"What is unexpected is how enthusiastic you are today," replied Azula, her arms folded as the gates were opened for them. "You seem to be in too much of a good mood for your usual standards. Even if I tick you off, you're back to carefree Sokka in no time. Is Ty Lee rubbing off on you all of sudden?"

"What? No, none of that" said Sokka, shaking a hand carelessly. "Things are just going pretty well lately… but I don't want to talk about it much or else I'll jinx it, much like it happened when…"

"No need to remind me," muttered Azula, raising a hand to stop Sokka before he said anything they both would regret. Putting their strife behind them seemed easy at times, but there were days when they couldn't ignore the doubts that haunted the peace their relationship had finally reached.

"So, let's just relax enjoy the joy, alright?" said Sokka, cheerfully.

"Ruining your happiness would be fun, but considering there's a fight up ahead I'd rather not do it," said Azula. "Who knows how badly you'd fare if I dared burst your bubble…"

"Your one concern is my performance in battle?" asked Sokka, his eyebrow twitching.

"It is, but you're free to think otherwise if it'll make you fight any better," said Azula, smirking. Sokka glared at her and shook his head as they reached Shoji's counter.

Another man was currently speaking to the boy, so Azula, despite herself, stood in line patiently, waiting for Shoji to be free. Sokka had been standing by her until a small hand had tugged at his pants. He frowned and turned around, and he was shocked to find a little girl smiling widely, with eyes shining in delight as she looked up at him.

"Uh… hey there," said Sokka, blinking a few times as he looked down at the child. She couldn't have been older than nine years old.

"The Blue Wolf… you're the Blue Wolf!" said the girl, laughing cheerfully. "When I grow up I want to sponsor a fighter like you!"

"W-what, like me?" asked Sokka, surprised. He couldn't help but smile at the kid. "You sure about that?"

"The Princess sponsors you, and you're amazing!" said the kid. "Do you think I can sponsor a gladiator one day?"

Sokka smiled and leaned down towards the child.

"Sure thing, you'd make a good sponsor too, I bet," he said, grinning.

"Then I'll get you to be my gladiator!" said the girl, beaming.

"What? Oh, I'm sorry," said Sokka, chuckling. "I don't think the Princess will agree to that."

"Because you're really good, right?" replied the girl, looking somewhat disappointed. "I knew it. Well, never mind! I'll find one just like you, you'll see!"

"I sure hope you do," said Sokka, just as a grown man approached and took the girl by the hand.

"Come along now, don't bother the fighter," said the man, nodding curtly in Sokka's direction before leading his daughter away.

Sokka smiled as the girl left, waving cheerfully at him. He couldn't help but wonder if, perchance, he would come across the girl again several years from now, to fight against her chosen gladiator…

"Wha-...?" said a raspy male voice behind him, taking Sokka by surprise and making him stop thinking about the little girl.

Sokka turned, a confused frown on his face as he wondered if it would be another admirer... until he caught sight of the man and realized he knew him from someplace.

The dark tan on his skin evidenced he had been forced to withstand the fierce sun far too many times. The mail he wore protected his chest well, but his arms were bare, and covered with scars. With such appearance, he could only be a gladiator.

From the looks of it, he had just come out of a fight. There was a bandage draped around his right leg, and there was a dark red stain on it, proof that the injury was still bleeding. His haggard, bearded face was bruised, and there was also a wide gash above his right eyebrow. The wound hadn't been tended to, and it was bleeding down on his closed eye.

But even if he was only using one eye, the man seemed to have recognized Sokka. And it took Sokka but a moment to realize he knew the other gladiator as well, from what seemed to be another life…

"Dumberang! It's really you!" said the man, smiling. "I thought it might be, but I wasn't sure. It's great to see you here!"

"You too, Maggot," said Sokka, smiling weakly as he looked at the other gladiator in disbelief. "You had gotten a sponsor? I thought you'd gotten killed when you disappeared from the barracks…"

"Easier to believe someone got killed than sponsored in Hui Yi," said Maggot, shaking his head. "It's been ages, though! So glad you've made it to the big leagues, Dumb-… oh, sorry. I probably shouldn't call you that here, you're not Dumberang anymore, are you?"

"No, not really," said Sokka, still slightly uncomfortable. "My name never was Dumberang anyways, and I guess you're no Maggot either…"

"No, of course not," said Maggot, chuckling. "It's just the only thing I ever heard Huang Li call you, so…"

"Same," said Sokka, nodding. "How are you faring in the Superior League?"

"Not as well as I could be, as you can see," said Maggot, pointing at his injuries and Sokka grimaced.

"Well, I've had my fair share of injuries too, I won't lie about that," said Sokka, gulping. "And I'm off to fight just now, so…"

"Watch out for those danged spikes," said Maggot, shaking his head.

"No need to warn me, they've almost killed me enough times by now," said Sokka, smiling and getting Maggot to beam as well.

"It's good to see you again, really," said Maggot, patting Sokka's shoulder. "Always nice to find out that someone else got out of the hell hole. Even if it just meant to get into a bigger hell hole, but still…"

"Well, I…" said Sokka, about to explain his situation to the gladiator when suddenly a rough shout interrupted him.

"Get going, you useless sack of dung!" yelled the man who had been standing in front of the counter when Azula had arrived.

He walked towards Maggot and kicked the man's shin brusquely. Maggot almost fell over upon the blow. Sokka caught the gladiator in midair, his eyes wide open in shock.

"Get moving, I said!" yelled the man. "You, let go of him! Let him suffer, that's all he deserves for losing as he did! You should have gotten killed in that bloody sand pit, you pathetic excuse for a slave!"

Maggot pulled away from Sokka and gave him a weak smile.

"At least he feeds me every day… can't ask for much more, really," he whispered, as the sponsor walked away towards the gates without looking back at him. "I hope to see you around again one day… you didn't tell me your real name, did you?"

"Sokka… it's Sokka," he whispered, staring at the opposite gladiator worriedly.

"I'm Fa Ling," replied Maggot, bowing his head towards Sokka. "Good luck today, Sokka."

Limping, Fa Ling followed his sponsor, who yelled at him again for being so slow. Sokka wasn't sure if he had only seen things, but it had seemed the man had kicked Maggot once more when they were outside the Arena. But the men at the doors shut them too quickly for Sokka to see properly.

He stood grounded in the same spot, staring at the gates in utter disbelief, as if a bucket of freezing water had been emptied over his head just now. It was almost as if a door he had closed had been opened again, and everything he thought he had left behind had suddenly returned to haunt him. His past in Hui Yi…

A hand on his shoulder startled him. Sokka jumped and turned around with wide eyes, moving so fast Azula withdrew her hand instantly.

"What…?" she asked, utterly confused.

Sokka stared at her in shock, almost as if he didn't recognize her. He blinked a few times as his eyes seemed to find their focus, and Azula could only frown at his unexpected reaction.

"Sokka?" she muttered, raising an eyebrow.

"Y-yeah?" he said, nervously.

"Your weapons this time…" she muttered, and Sokka dropped his gaze, seemingly confused regarding what Azula meant. "You have to tell Shoji what they'll be."

"I… I do," he said, nodding. "I'll get on with it, then, yeah…"

Sokka went to Shoji's counter as if in a daze, and he muttered his chosen weapons for this battle without holding the boy's gaze. As soon as he was done, he turned towards the staircase, walking towards it as if the noose awaited him. Azula frowned deeply and followed, without turning around to reply at Shoji's wish of good luck.

Azula caught up to him halfway through the stairs, and she could only watch him in concern when she did. He had been fine just a moment ago, he had even joked about his good mood getting ruined! But it had only been a joke, hadn't it…?

Then again, he had been talking to a gladiator when she had turned to look at him. What could the man have said to lead Sokka to be this troubled right now?

"Who was that man?" she asked, once they had arrived into the stand-by room. "Why was he talking to you?"

"He… he was just an old acquaintance," said Sokka, shrugging. "Even less than that, I guess. It's the first time I've ever talked to him."

"Then why did speaking to him turn your cheerful mood into nothing but sulking?" asked Azula, raising an eyebrow. "You were fine just a moment ago…"

"I'll be alright," said Sokka, avoiding looking at her. "Don't worry about it."

"It's hard not to," muttered Azula. "I just reminded you again that your performance in the sand pit is closely related to your attitude…"

"You did… but there's nothing to worry about," said Sokka, his hands gripping the golden grid. "I'll win today."

"How do you know that? How can I be sure of that?" asked Azula, frowning. "Why are you acting like this all of sudden, Sokka?"

"It's… it's nothing, Azula. Not to you," he said, gulping.

"Not to me? If it were nothing to me, I wouldn't be asking about it," Azula retorted, growing annoyed.

"Well, it shouldn't be," said Sokka, still with his back to her "You're worried that I'll make a fool of myself in the Arena today. Well, I won't. I'll win."

Azula frowned and shook her head, displeased.

"You're just as you were back then. You have that same look of vacant determination in your eyes."

"Vacant…?" repeated Sokka, surprised.

"When you kept promising you'd win even though you didn't know how you'd do it," said Azula. "And then your opponents would destroy you. You would keep apologizing, because you had vowed to triumph, yet you would lose every time, no matter how close you came to winning."

Sokka gritted his teeth and clutched the grid with more strength.

"I thought we were past this," said Azula, shaking her head. "I thought…"

"We are," said Sokka, his head against the metal bars. "What happened between us is settled now…"

"Perhaps it is, but if that's the case, what is it now, then?" asked Azula."Why won't you tell me what's troubling you now?"

"The battle will begin soon," said Sokka. "I… I should just focus. You don't have to worry. You want me to win, I'll win. I'm stronger than I was the last time I faced a non-bender… I'll win, I know it. And that's all that should matter."

His words irritated Azula even further. How dared he…? Was he implying he thought she didn't truly care for whatever troubled him? She rolled her eyes and huffed before turning around, ready to leave.

"Your opponent has broadswords," she grunted coldly. "Put that black blade to use and be done with it quickly before he beheads you while you're too busy sulking as you are."

Azula's spoke spitefully, startling Sokka. When he turned around to respond, he found she was already gone. He dropped his gaze and gritted his teeth again, his mind in disarray. He was sorry to have displeased her, truly… he would try to say so later, if she allowed him. She likely wouldn't.

And she sure didn't feel like allowing it. Azula stormed into the sponsors' balcony, slamming the door angrily once she was inside. The balcony was empty; the opposite sponsor hadn't arrived yet. She folded her arms across her chest and sat on her chair, glaring at the golden sand below. How could Sokka still act like such a fool? After all they'd been through, after all this time, he would still think she only cared for him as her gladiator?

Her fury froze when she realized it had been her who had tried to convince him of that in the first place. She had been the one to propose they should stick to their respective roles as sponsor and gladiator, nothing more. If anything, Sokka was right to say that she should only care for his victory and not for his peace of mind. The state of his mind should only matter to her in regards of his performance, and stating otherwise would only get them into that problem she wished to avoid so much nowadays.

It was hard to ignore just how smooth everything was for Ty Lee and Haru. He was just a slave, and yet she had accepted him as if they were perfect equals. And perhaps they were… but the same couldn't be said about Sokka and her. They would never agree on anything, they would always argue until one of them finally conceded defeat. He was water, and she was fire. He was a gladiator and she was a Princess. He was destined to return one day to his simple life, to being a snow peasant… she was destined for greatness in the heights of the Fire Nation. No matter if they were sponsor and gladiator just like Haru and Ty Lee, their situations weren't similar at all.

There was so much at stake… too much at stake in any potential relationship she might start with Sokka. And neither of them dared risk their much-needed stability simply over their feelings. He needed to return home, she needed to prove herself before the world. They both had been goal-oriented when they had entered their deal, but things had changed beyond recognition ever since. She was definitely not the same person who had sought him out so long ago. And he wasn't the same either. Somewhere along the way, they had grown closer… too close, perhaps. Azula refused to believe they were friends, but what were they, truly? They weren't only gladiator and sponsor. Was there a term for whatever relationship they were leading?

She sighed and shook her head, knowing none of her thoughts would lead her anywhere. It didn't matter what Sokka meant to her. He was her slave, first and foremost. She had promised she would only think of him as such. And she would do her best to keep her word…

And below, in the stand-by room, Sokka's hands shook as he gripped the golden grid. The thought of Azula being angry at him bothered him, but too many thoughts were battling in his mind at the moment as it was, and he couldn't think properly anymore…

Why? Why had he locked everything away in his mind for so long? How had he gotten so lost in his new reality as Azula's gladiator to forget the truth of the world he lived in? He had blocked every possible thought of the Amateur Arena of Hui Yi. Thinking about it now was bringing all the nightmares back, all those moments when he had wished he could just give up on his life and be done with everything…

… Because the blood stained his hands, the blood of the man he had just injured mortally in the stomach. He would still breathe heavily as he lay face-up on the sand, his eyes bulging as a pool of blood spread over Sokka's feet. Sokka cringed and stepped away, horrified. It wasn't the first man he had killed… no, it wasn't. He had murdered a Fire Nation soldier back home. His boomerang had come away bloody, so he had killed that man, he was sure of it…

But he hadn't stayed to watch. He hadn't been forced to murder him. It had been war, it had been an enemy. This was only another gladiator. One who had tried to kill him too, in hopes to keep his life if only for a day longer. The man lying on the ground could be him eventually… the thought only brought tears to his eyes. What was this madness? How had everything come to this…?

"What are you waiting for, Dumberang?!" shouted Huang Li, from the place where he would usually rouse the crowd. "Kill the bastard and be done with it, you fool!"

"He's already dying!" Sokka replied, glaring at Huang Li. "Isn't that enough for you?!"

"Kill him, I said!" yelled Huang Li. "Or I'll climb down to kill you instead!"

"I won't kill him!" yelled Sokka, though a voice in his head told him he already had. He felt his bile rise upon the thought.

"I'll send another gladiator to finish you off, then, youscum!" yelled Huang Li, striking a fist upon the platform he was on. "TAI RONG! GET HIM!"

Sokka thought everything was over when a hairy man of broad shoulders had suddenly walked into the Arena. Sokka lifted his club towards the man, his shivering hands betraying him as he thought of having to defend himself in another fight to the death… but he knew he would die this time. He was already worn out after his previous battle. This man would destroy him without breaking a sweat.

Nevertheless, Sokka tried to attack. Tai Rong avoided the blow and punched Sokka's stomach, rendering him breathless. Sokka thought Tai Rong would kill him now… but instead, the fighter had dragged Sokka back towards where the other gladiator lay dying. Tai Rong's enormous hand wrapped around Sokka's, forcing him to seize his club.

"No…" said Sokka, when he realized what the man's true intent was. Tai Rong lifted Sokka's arm with ease, and Sokka's attempts to fight back were useless. "No! Stop it! NO!"

His pleas weren't heard. The club fell upon the head of the gladiator with a horrible splattering sound, and all Sokka could see was blood. All Sokka could feel was grief. All Sokka could wish for was his own death…

But that hadn't happened. Huang Li had only meant to teach him a lesson that day. A lesson he didn't want to remember anymore. A lesson he had no choice but to abide by while he was in Hui Yi. He had forced himself not to think about what he was doing anymore, just to act until his death finally came for him, because death was all he had deserved…

And instead of death, she had appeared in his life yet again: Azula had come to offer him a life in the Superior Gladiator League. An offer he was certain was too good to be true, an offer he felt completely unworthy of. And she had been the one who had reduced him to a slave in the first place, hadn't she?

She had stood there, terrible and beautiful, amid the snow. She had struck him down and bested him in combat as if he had posed no challenge to her. Her nails had left those gashes on his neck, and just as the burn to his stomach, the scars hadn't left him. Just as all the scars he had collected afterwards. She had pardoned his life, though… just to send him into a living hell. She hadn't been the one to decide he would turn into a gladiator, yet she had her guards dump him in the slave market. Had she thought she was doing him a favor by letting him live? Those years of misery said otherwise quite clearly…

The grid was lifted suddenly, startling Sokka and making him stumble backwards as he stared at the sand ahead of him. His chest heaved as he tried to calm down, but the roar of the crowd would only make him more anxious. He had to relax, he had to stop thinking just for a moment, to send all his traumas back to the place where they belonged…

Azula frowned from the balcony when the megaphone man introduced Sokka and he didn't appear. The crowd's cheers dwindled upon his delay, and the hoots turned into an uneasy muttering through the stands after a minute. The sponsor of Sokka's opponent stared at Azula, as if wondering if she had misplaced her slave. Azula stared down at the stand-by room in worry. He had said he would fight and win… had he run away? Or was he going to forfeit? What was taking him so long?

The megaphone man called the Blue Wolf yet again. Sokka gritted his teeth and forced his legs to move, entering the sand pit with his head bowed. Applause and cheers sounded again, but not as powerfully as before. Azula gripped her arm rest tightly, as she often did whenever something in the sand pit was bothering her.

Sokka stared at his feet, flashes of his hands covered in blood still returning to his mind. How many gladiators had he murdered? He recalled his conversation with the Millenium Dragon, and his irritation when the man had been unable to keep count of his rivals. He was no better, though, was he? Worse… he had killed them. His body bore the scars from almost every single fight, but did he remember how each and every single one of those wounds had been delivered?

It took him a moment to realize the other gladiator had arrived too. Sokka gulped and raised his head, trying to find the strength he needed to settle this fight quickly.

His eyes widened when he gazed upon his opponent.

The boy before him couldn't be older than fourteen. His eyes blazed with determination, yet Sokka could see all the fear behind them. The boy's hair was dark and unruly, and his skin was rather pale. He couldn't have been fighting as a gladiator for too long…

"START!" shouted the megaphone man, and the boy unsheathed his broadswords. Sokka's mind instantly told him the weapons were too large for the kid when he saw him wield them.

The boy shouted and ran towards Sokka, his blades in tow. Sokka jumped back, baring his teeth as he avoided the attacks. The boy was no master of the weapon, but it seemed he knew what he was doing as he swung the broadswords horizontally and quickly, and Sokka almost stumbled to avoid him.

Azula's concern and irritation only grew with every passing moment. Why didn't he just bring out his own sword to fend off the boy's attacks? What was he doing? This opponent was obviously easy to defeat and he was just evading his blows clumsily! Where was the fighter who had been able to defeat three earthbenders in a row?

It seemed he was nowhere around. Sokka watched the boy's attacks, and he knew he had to fight back, but his mind kept feeding him memories he had tried to keep away, memories of the bloodiest fights he had been involved in… and to think he had to fight a kid now, of all things. When he had been fourteen he had wanted to be a warrior… and that was a far cry from being a gladiator. This boy was fighting for his life. He was just a child, and Sokka would have to defeat him for what purpose? So that Azula would be pleased?

Azula, who had brought him into this mess in the first place. Sokka cringed and jumped out of the way when he got too close to the spikes that lined the arena. The boy's blades followed him relentlessly, and he gave out war cries with every swing of his weapons. It was a boy, much like he had been once. A boy who had to fight in an arena in to survive, even if it was in the Superior League. A boy who wasn't that masterful with his weapons, who was bound to die at the hands of another gladiator eventually, and why? What for? For the entertainment of the highborn? He couldn't fathom it. It was such a repulsive notion. It always had been. And he had gotten used to it. He had actually gotten used to it…

And it was a notion that would behead him if he wasn't careful. The boy's blade swung perilously close to his neck, and Sokka stumbled backwards again, his face contorting into a frown. Fighting as a gladiator was a dreadful thing, but it was what he had become. And he had done it quite well so far. This wasn't the Amateur League, so he wasn't bound to get killed… but he had to fight. Piandao had taught him about honoring his opponent: that kid was doing his very best to defeat him, no matter how hopeless the fight might be. Sokka owed it to him to fight back to his best as well.

Just as he had owed the other gladiators in the Arena to kill them. It was better to die by the hand of a fellow gladiator than to be killed by soldiers or by Huang Li. And whether it was him, or if it was another gladiator, one of them would die in the end. It didn't matter who died or when, because the situation would never get any better for anyone…

But it did for him.

He stole a look towards the balcony, and he gazed at Azula for a moment, just a short instant. She was staring down at him worriedly, those golden eyes no longer as cruel as they had been when he had first met her. She had been his damnation then… she became his salvation years later. He was certain she only sought to make his life worse when she proposed to sponsor him, but it hadn't been like that. Even these past troublesome months, no matter how terrible they had been, had turned around for the better eventually. He had come to know Azula so well; he had held her, talked to her, argued with her, kissed her…

It was so hard to believe she was the same person who had defeated him in the South Pole in the first place. Allowing him to live had seemed a kindness at first, afterwards Sokka had grown certain it had been a curse… what did it mean to him now? Was he glad she had let him keep his life? Was he grateful for what she had done for him? And what was he going to do with the life she had allowed him to keep?

He held no answers to those questions. He didn't know yet if he was glad or if he wasn't. It would take longer for him to find out. But for now… he had a fight to finish.

With the swiftest of motions, he unsheathed Space Sword and it was his turn to hack at his opponent now. The boy jumped backwards, his eyes widening as he stared at the black blade in fear. Yet his fright didn't stop him from attacking again. He lunged at Sokka, the broadswords held high, and Sokka ducked. Space Sword moved towards the opposite gladiator's left blade, and with a quick jab, Sokka had cut his opponent's sword in two.

The kid stumbled and stared at the useless hilt in his hand. Sokka didn't waste any time before cutting the remaining broadsword, and the boy was rendered unable to do anything but stare at him in horror as he collapsed on the ground. The Blue Wolf's sword was as powerful as the rumors claimed…

The boy grimaced and breathed heavily, staring at Sokka with wide, horrified eyes as Sokka aimed at his neck with his sword, threatening him not to move.

"How old are you, boy?" Sokka asked, his menacing glare softening.

"I... I'm twelve," replied the boy, gulping. "The youngest gladiator in the Superior League..."

Sokka's eyes widened. His grip on his sword shook a little before he withdrew it, to everyone's surprise.

"Are you proud of that? Of being the youngest?"

"Sure am," grunted the boy, no longer as scared as before. "I'm the strongest of my siblings. I'll win for their sake, for my mother and father as well!"

"Oh, Wei..." said the boy's sponsor, his hands on his face as he stated down at the Arena in horror.

Azula looked at the man, surprised by his concern. It wasn't until now that she realized just how alike they were. Could the gladiator be this man's child?

"Did your father and mother want this life for you?" asked Sokka, gritting his teeth. "Is this really the life you want for yourself?"

"This is the life I have," grumbled the boy. "Mom is sick, and dad hasn't got the money... So I fight in the Arena! I'll do what I can for them, even if it's not enough."

Sokka sighed. The boy had his own conviction, he could see that clearly. He had his own reasons to fight, just as he did.

"Your father knows about this, then?" asked Sokka.

"He's my sponsor," the boy replied, confirming Azula's suspicions. "He taught me everything I know."

Sokka gritted his teeth and looked away, growing angry at himself. The boy had such a powerful resolve to fight… so many gladiators did. Who was to say the kid's cause wasn't more just than his own? Sokka's life was so comfortable, so wonderful as of late, while this boy struggled to help his parents, even when he was barely strong enough to fight at all. How many gladiators had deserved to live, and yet he had cut them down…? Why was he the one to survive, when he had discarded his own life time after time? He was afraid of dying, that much he knew… but why? Why could a coward like himself escape the fate that had been forced on so many other brave gladiators who didn't deserve it?

"Don't… don't you dare look away like that," grunted the kid, struggling to get up while glaring at Sokka. "Stop pitying me… Stop it! If you're going to win, then win! Don't look down on me!"

The kid's shout made Sokka turn his face towards him again. The boy jumped at Sokka, his hand balled into a fist. He had no weapons left, so all he had left were his own fists. Sokka snarled, hating himself when his body moved instinctively to defend himself and defeat the boy… truly, only the strongest prevailed. It wasn't a fair fight. It never would be. But he owed the boy all the respect he could grant him… and that meant he had to fight him, even if he loathed the idea of doing so.

He dropped Space Sword and brought forth his own fists just after avoiding the boy's attack. Sokka leaned forward and struck a fist into the boy's stomach, which was only protected by a leather vest. The kid lost his breath and was unable to respond to the punch. He stumbled back and tried to move against Sokka again, but now his face met Sokka's fist. The boy fell to the ground, unconscious.

And the battle was over.

The megaphone man announced his victory, but Sokka hardly heard him. His eyes were fixed upon the boy's limp figure, and they didn't leave him until he was carried away into the stand-by room by the Arena's staff. He didn't celebrate his victory with the crowd. He didn't look at the sponsor's balcony. He stood in the sand until a staff member asked him to leave. He moved away without a word, picking up his sword as he did. The fight had done nothing to wash away his doubts. His mind was even more troubled than it had been before.

He had guessed correctly that morning: there was no chance that the universe would let him enjoy his careless happiness for long.

---

Sokka toppled over yet again, falling into Haru's earth trap for the sixth time today. Azula watched them from the back of the house with a frown on her face, unwilling to take her eyes off him for a second.

Once his fight had ended she had meant to ask him if he was feeling well, if he truly wanted to train with Haru today, but the words hadn't found their way out of her mouth. She hadn't been brave enough to ask once she saw how miserable he was. The look in Sokka's face had been so blank, so distant, so troubled… had she ever seen him like this? Back when they had trained on the deck of her barge, so long ago, she had told him that if he failed to defeat Chan's gladiator, he would likely return to Hui Yi. The expression on his face had resembled the one he bore now… but perhaps not. He had been determined then. Now he seemed broken. What had happened to him?

"And Haru wins again," said Ty Lee, sitting by Azula and bringing a tray with several cups of tea with her. "My gladiator is just that wonderful, isn't he? He already broke his loss spree, did I mention that?"

"You haven't failed to remind me every day since it happened, Ty Lee," muttered Azula.

"Well, I'm still stoked about it!" said Ty Lee, happily. "Sokka's advice to Haru has been really helpful, he only broke about five objects on his last fight…"

"Then he lost a hundred points," concluded Azula. "Why are you so pleased? That's not enough of an improvement."

"Well… I'm not in this for the points," said Ty Lee, folding her arms over her chest. "So long as he keeps winning, I don't care how much furniture he destroys."

"You two are the perfectly careless match then," said Azula, grimacing.

"And so are you two," said Ty Lee, teasingly, but Azula's frown only deepened. Instead of the usual denial, or instead of snapping at her, Azula seemed bothered by those words. Ty Lee blinked a couple of times before tapping her friend on the shoulder. "Azula?"

"What?" grunted the Princess, taking a cup of tea and sipping it slowly, all of this without looking at Ty Lee in the eye.

"Is something wrong?" she asked, worried. "You look… angry."

"I'm not," Azula replied, staring at Sokka as he tried to cut through Haru's defenses ineffectively.

"Well, then, what's the matter?" asked Ty Lee. "You can tell me. They won't hear, they're too busy fighting, so…"

"Maybe they won't hear now, but they'll hear later anyways. You never keep anything to yourself, Ty Lee," snapped Azula, trying to change the subject.

"Hey, that's not…!" started Ty Lee before sighing. "Well, maybe it is true, but it's always better to get your problems out there than to bottle them up! So please, will you talk? I won't tell anyone if it's that big a secret."

"It's no big secret," said Azula, sighing. "I'm sure you wish it were."

"Well, if it's no secret then I won't feel like spreading it," said Ty Lee, happily. "You can definitely trust me if that's the case!"

"I doubt it," said Azula, her eyebrows twitching, but she sighed with resignation. "There's something wrong with him. I have no idea what it is, but there's something really wrong with him today. He was fine before the fight, but now…"

"Is that why Haru keeps defeating him?" asked Ty Lee, surprised. "I thought maybe he had been injured today or something…"

"No, he wasn't hurt at any point," said Azula. "It's something else. He talked to another gladiator before his fight. He had been fine earlier, rather cheerful, even… but after that conversation he started acting strangely. I tried to ask him what was the matter, but he didn't tell me. It's as if he thought speaking will do no good or that I won't understand even if he explains…"

Ty Lee was quite concerned by the subject, but she couldn't hold back a giggle when she heard Azula speak of Sokka so worriedly. That was a sight she hadn't witnessed ever before.

"But you're sure he's just being an idiot, right?" she asked, trying not to smile too much.

"He always is," grunted Azula. "But this time it's different. I don't know what to do with him. Just asking seems pointless."

"Why would it be?" asked Ty Lee, raising an eyebrow.

"Because the only thing that can come out of that is an argument," replied Azula.

"Oh, please," said Ty Lee, rolling her eyes. "You can't just sit here and stare at him all day. You're crazy worried about him! So just do yourself a favor and go to him already."

"I'm not going to throw myself at him, if that's what you're suggesting," Azula growled, glaring at Ty Lee.

"Well, it could help, you know?"

"Ty Lee…" said Azula with that dangerous voice tone that always heralded her wrath.

"Okay, okay, gee!" said Ty Lee, gulping. "The thing is… you two are friends, really good friends, so…"

"Friends?" Azula repeated, in disbelief. "We're not friends, Ty Lee. We're…"

"You're not?" asked Ty Lee, raising an eyebrow. "What are you, then?"

"I… I don't know, but we're not friends," said Azula, shaking her head. "We don't agree on anything, ever. You could search the ends of the earth if you want, but you won't find two people as opposite to each other as Sokka and me."

"And yet you've gotten along wonderfully so far!"

"That's what you think," said Azula, grimacing. "You have no idea, Ty Lee…"

"Well, granted you two have your squabbles," said Ty Lee. "But you two are so close already! You know you're opposites in everything, which is something I can't say about me and Haru. And not because we are or aren't, but because I don't even know if we are yet! I guess I'm just getting to know him, so…"

"I thought you knew him quite well already," said Azula, as sarcastically as possible. Ty Lee pouted.

"Maybe in one regard, but he's still a total mystery in so many other ways!" she said, crossing her arms. "So see? You and Sokka are way closer than me and Haru! And if I think Haru and I are friends…"

"You're not friends, Ty Lee, you're something quite different," said Azula.

"Well, then! You and Sokka are way past that anyways!" said Ty Lee, startling Azula. "If Haru and I are more than friends, and you are closer to Sokka than I am to Haru… then how about you do the math?"

Azula flushed before shaking her head and trying to dismiss Ty Lee's accusation.

"That makes no sense," she grunted.

"Maybe not to you, but it does to me," said Ty Lee, pouting again. "And I think letting this matter eat away at you won't help at all. You have to do something. Talk to him and show him you're here for him, that he can trust you! And even if you don't like what he's saying, be supportive! That's what a friend… well, a more-than-just-a-friend would do!"

"I'm not going to feign support just because…" grunted Azula.

"Then all the better," said Ty Lee, waving a hand carelessly. "Maybe he needs you to irritate him as always so that he starts to act more like himself, who knows?"

"I sure don't," said Azula, sighing and sipping more tea.

"Well, how about you go find out?" said Ty Lee, cheerfully. "I'll ask Haru to help me with dinner while you two talk things over!"

"What? Ty Lee, you don't have to…"

"I insist!" said the girl, beaming. "Make sure to get him back to normal, he's a lot more fun when he's being himself, don't you think?"

Of course Azula thought so, but she wasn't about to disclose it to Ty Lee. Without another word, the girl pranced towards the training area, where Haru had just struck Sokka with a boulder from behind.

"You ought to be more careful with that, don't you think?" said Sokka, rubbing his back.

"It's not real training unless we're actually giving it our all, isn't it?" asked Haru, smiling weakly. He had taken notice of Sokka's strange behavior as well, but was trying his best in their training regardless.

"Haru, my dear!" squealed Ty Lee, bouncing towards where he was and clinging to his arm lovingly. The sight made Sokka crook an eyebrow and Haru blushed. "I thought you should help me make dinner, I figured we'd make a meal for Azula and Sokka today."

"Wha-…? Would my cooking be worthy of the Princess?" asked Haru, skeptical.

"Why wouldn't it be?" asked Ty Lee, shrugging. "I'm sure she'll be fine with it."

"Huh," said Sokka. "I wouldn't be that sure. She's pickier than you think"

"Oh, she's not all that picky…" said Ty Lee, waving a hand as if it weren't a matter of importance. "It's surprising that you know about her food likings, though."

"I know she wants nothing to do with komodo rhino, and neither do I," said Sokka, with a weak smile.

"Huh, really? I always thought she liked it…" said Ty Lee, rubbing her chin. "Well, we're off to make dinner anyways! So take a break now, Sokka. We'll see you in a bit!"

"Sure…" said Sokka, as Haru was dragged into the house by Ty Lee.

Sokka's gaze fell upon Azula for a moment, finding that she was looking at him as well. He lowered his head and walked away towards the wooden fence that lined Ty Lee's property. Even if he could talk about Azula's taste for food, he didn't feel too comfortable talking to her just yet.

He hadn't attended the medical check, and he had only nodded in her direction when they met again before Shoji's counter. She had been informed of his new position in the ranking and they had left the Arena together. Xin Long came down upon Azula's call, and they rode him towards Ty Lee's house. Azula had wanted to enjoy the flight for a little longer, it had seemed to Sokka, but he was sitting so quietly behind her that she seemed rather unwilling to put up with his strange behavior any longer. He was surprised she hadn't asked again about what bothered him, but he figured it was his own fault. He had blown her off quite thoughtlessly before, and he would make sure to apologize for it. But he still was too confused and troubled to speak his mind to her. He needed some time to think things through and straighten out the mess within his head.

He climbed and sat on a fence post at the edge of Ty Lee's property. He stared at the darkening sky, hunched over, with his back towards the Princess. And Azula just stared, frowning. She really shouldn't talk to him, like Ty Lee had suggested… why should she? She didn't even want to… well, perhaps she did. But she feared it would be no use. Sokka wouldn't want to talk about whatever bothered him. She knew she wouldn't enjoy disclosing her personal problems to anyone else so randomly. Sokka was bound to feel the same way.

But she had told Ty Lee they were perfect opposites on everything. If she preferred to keep matters to herself, then it was likely that Sokka didn't. Maybe, just maybe, she ought to talk to him… no, no, it was stupid. She would only be a bother.

Well, she was Princess Azula of the Fire Nation. She shouldn't be a bother to anyone. So why did she feel so uneasy regarding this matter? Why did she feel like leaving him alone? Was it because she feared she'd irritate him? Well, why should she be afraid of that? Since when was she so unwilling to get to someone's bad side? Especially Sokka… she would enjoy ticking him off on most occasions. This time it was different, though. She truly didn't want to upset him any further.

But maybe Ty Lee was right. And maybe it would be best to talk to him instead of sitting here, staring at his broad back while feeling a ridiculously childish urge to push him off the fence. She shook her head at that wild thought before making up her mind and standing up.

Sokka frowned when he heard her footsteps through the grass. He knew it was Azula instantly, but the thought of her approaching right now was nerve-wrecking. Why couldn't she just wait until he had sorted all his problems out…?

"I didn't come here to push you over, in case you thought so," muttered Azula once she stopped next to him.

"I didn't think you had…" said Sokka, slightly surprised.

"I felt like it, I won't lie," said Azula, and Sokka looked at her sideways with a skeptical smile. "But I decided against it."

"Well, that's a relief" he said, turning his head around again towards the horizon. "Then… why are you here, if not to push me?"

"I don't know," said Azula, sighing before climbing on the fence too, sitting next to Sokka but leaving some distance between them. "I suppose you don't expect me to care for whatever troubles you, and I don't mean to be bothered by it either, yet…"

"I… I didn't mean to say that," said Sokka, sighing. "I'm sorry, Azula. I say stupid things…"

"Whenever you're messed in the head," finished the Princess. "I know you do. I'm not about to hold it against you when I know that's just your nature."

"I suppose I should be grateful for that," said Sokka, mildly confused by her response.

"Still, I thought it might stop bothering you eventually, whatever it is that's got you in this mood. But that doesn't seem to be the case," said Azula, frowning. "I don't know if perhaps it might be some use to talk about what bothers you… maybe it won't be. But I figured I would ask anyways."

"You're… you're that worried about me?" he asked, smiling weakly.

"You could at least pretend not to be so pleased by it…" grunted Azula between gritted teeth.

"I suppose," said Sokka, his smile dwindling when he thought of how to address to Azula's concerns. "Something… something happened today."

"I would have never guessed…" said Azula, rolling her eyes.

"Will you let me talk?" asked Sokka, his eyebrow twitching as he glared at her. "That guy… the one I was talking to, he was from Hui Yi."

Azula frowned at that.

"From Hui Yi? An old friend of yours, then?"

"There are no friends in the Amateur League," muttered Sokka, his face growing stern as he spoke. "As soon as you make a friend, you're forced to fight against him on the next day. Huang Li would always keep an eye out in case he saw two gladiators getting along better than usual. He thought it made for a more interesting show, having friends killing each other. Because of that, the gladiators hardly ever talked between them. Growing attached to someone would end badly for everyone involved. I had only ever seen this guy from afar. Huang Li used to call him Maggot. I thought he had died when he disappeared from Hui Yi, but it seems he had gotten a sponsor…"

"Well… that should be good news, or isn't it?" asked Azula, confused. "You would have rather he had died?"

"No, that's not…" said Sokka, sighing. "That's not the case at all. You saw his sponsor, didn't you? He was… a thug, just like Huang Li was. Probably worse than him, if that's even possible."

"Then you feel his condition hasn't improved at all," muttered Azula.

"And it's probably not just him," said Sokka, lowering his gaze. "All those gladiators from the Amateur League… they're still killing each other with every passing day, under the orders of that scumbag. And most of the ones who got out of there and got a spot in the Superior League have to deal with the same sort of masters: sponsors that won't care at all about their fighter's wellbeing. They want the money, the glory, the fame… all of it, without doing anything. It's the gladiator who puts his neck in the line, and yet those sponsors who don't ever do anything are so proud of themselves… And if the gladiator loses, they beat him up. As if they hadn't sustained enough injuries already. As if they were only good for being whipped and bossed around."

"But you…"

"I don't have to face that," said Sokka, nodding. "I'm… I'm the lucky one. And hell knows why I got as lucky as I did. You spared my life. I survived the Amateur League. And then you showed up to sponsor me. You, the Fire Lord's daughter, no less. You had the best swordsman training me, you got me a house, a maid… you've even let me fly on your dragon. And while all this happened, I conveniently forgot that I should have died so long ago…"

"That's… that's not true" said Azula, frowning. "You didn't have to die back then. If that had been what you had deserved, then I assure you I would've…"

"Why did you spare me, then?" he asked her, staring at Azula as if begging for an answer. "Why me, Azula? I… I'm not worth all of this. I'm a mess, I've always been. There are so many gladiators out there who have better causes, better reasons to fight than me. I'm just trying to go back home even when I don't know if I'll be welcome…"

"Why wouldn't you be?" asked Azula, confused. "Why wouldn't your people want you back?"

"They must believe me dead," muttered Sokka. "And it might be a lot easier if I were. If they knew what I've been doing…"

"What, fighting in an Arena? Your Tribe would blame you for that?" asked Azula, frowning.

"Not that," said Sokka, sighing. "I'm… I'm getting used to this, Azula. To this life. I'm growing adjusted to it, and I'm enjoying it. I've gotten so much more than I could ever deserve. I live in the Fire Nation Capital, for crying out loud. I'm sponsored by the Princess, and I'm her sword master as well. I eat as much as I can, as often as I want… and I'm comfortable. I'm… I'm happy. I woke up today, and I was happy. How can I be happy when they're still fighting this war? Why on earth am I just sitting back and enjoying the ride while they're still trying to hold their own against the Fire Nation?"

"So, you believe you should strike the Fire Nation from within, perhaps?" asked Azula, raising an eyebrow. "You should go to the Palace and kill my father at once, so that you can return home like a hero…"

"I… I don't think so," said Sokka, cringing. "That's the part that makes me feel the worst, Azula. I… I don't think I want to anymore. I don't hate the Fire Nation anymore."

Azula's eyes widened at his confession. He didn't? After all this time, something had actually changed within Sokka? He had come to see things differently?

"And I can't face my people like this. I can't go to them to say that I've had the time of my life here," said Sokka. "I couldn't be more shameless… but it's the truth. I've… I've had too much fun. It's been a mess, no kidding. But after you took me as your gladiator, I've seen the world. I even caught sight of an Air Temple! I met a dragon, I've become a better warrior than I ever dreamt I could be. Everything I could have wished for is happening. But why? Why did I get away with this? Why me, of all people…? That boy today… he was trying to fight for his family. He wanted to save his mother, and I had to defeat him. I couldn't let him win out of pity, he didn't want me to. And yet… he must be at home today, crying over his mother's condition, while I'm sitting here, talking the Fire Lord's daughter's ear off. And it's not just that boy… it's all the men I've ever killed."

Sokka stared at his hands, seeing them drenched in blood again. He gritted his teeth and closed his eyes, trying to stop seeing the red anymore.

"Every single one of them… they must have had a reason to live. A better reason than the ones I hold on to. Returning home, taking my revenge… what's the point? I don't even want revenge anymore. And how could I dare return like this? Truth to be told… I'm just a single, common guy, who got much luckier than he ever deserved to be. There's nothing special about me. I'm just… me. And that's all I'll ever be."

"Perhaps you are just you…" said Azula after a moment, still unsure of what to say. "I don't see a problem with that."

"You don't get it," sighed Sokka. "Those guys…"

"They should have been in your place, while you were in theirs," said Azula, frowning. "You think you should have died. Your reasons to carry on weren't as powerful or as important as theirs. Is this the reason why you were fine with letting the Bandit kill you?"

Sokka was surprised when Azula brought that matter up. He stared at her in surprise, having forgotten that instance completely.

"I… yeah, it was," he muttered, lowering his gaze again. "I've always been too much of a coward to kill myself. I had considered it, but I can't do it. Whenever I feel I'm in mortal danger, I… I lose it. You saw me against the Savage Hook. I went insane by the end… I almost killed him."

"Well, he almost killed you as well," said Azula, displeased by that memory, which brought forth others she didn't want to recall…

"But even though I keep thinking I don't deserve to go on, that I ought to die, every time a guy like the Hook shows up, or even the Blind Bandit, I claw at staying alive no matter what. I… I'm truly shameless, aren't I?"

"You are a fool, that you are," said Azula, sighing. "I don't think you're shameless for doing everything in your power to keep on living. Perhaps you're right, you've been quite lucky. But perhaps all of this has happened for a reason. Maybe you're supposed to accomplish something you can't even imagine…"

"Oh, really?" asked Sokka, raising an eyebrow. "You truly believe a scum slave like me will ever achieve anything in this world?"

"I'll never know until you do," said Azula, shrugging. "You have a life, though, Sokka. A life that you could use for more than you believed possible, be it thanks to luck or fate or whatever you want to believe it was. You have had opportunities none of those other slaves have gotten."

"But why me?" asked Sokka, yanking at his hair. "Why am I the one who gets to live like a king…?"

"Well, that's stretching it…"

"I live like a nobleman, at the very least," said Sokka.

"A low-class nobleman, perhaps."

Sokka's eyebrow twitched and Azula gave him a malicious smirk.

"Whatever, then. I still live too well in comparison to what slaves usually get," he said, huffing.

"Well, do you want me to make your life a little more difficult? Because if that will make you feel any better about yourself, then I'd have no problem…"

"No, that's not it at all!" exclaimed Sokka.

"Ah, now you're being shameless. You complain about having such a great life but you cling onto it like a baby to its mother…"

"Will you stop making fun of me?!" asked Sokka, and Azula chuckled.

"You need something uplifting, I believe. Making you argue with me might just be the thing," she said, smiling. "But what is it you want, Sokka? Are you planning on dwelling in your misery forevermore, believing you're the worst human being ever just because you're enjoying a better life than that of most slaves?"

"No, I… I don't know," said Sokka, sighing. "I just wish that slaves didn't have to put up with what they do. That maybe they could be respected… that the Amateur League was no longer as bloody, that the gladiators wouldn't have to kill each other over there. I wish I could change things. I wish I could make it all better, but I can't. What's worse, I had even forgotten all about these problems. I was so pleased with my life that I didn't even remember… I had locked away all thoughts about my time in the Amateur League. When I became your gladiator I was so glad to be out of there that I threw everything else into oblivion. Maybe… maybe I was getting adjusted, and to accomplish that I had to put all those matters out of my mind for a while. But it's not until now that I remembered why I hated the Fire Nation as much as I did. It's not until now that I recalled all the wrong they've done, all the pain they've caused… the pain they're still causing. And I was just so comfortable that I couldn't even give it a thought…"

"You feel guilty, then," said Azula, frowning. "For growing to enjoy the life you have. For liking the Fire Nation, even in the slightest, when you had always hated it."

"Ever since I was a kid I was told the Fire Nation was the source of all evil… that you guys were rotten to the core," said Sokka, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "There was nothing good within you, you had wiped out an entire race and you were fine with doing the same to the Earth Kingdom's culture. My mother was killed by a Fire Nation raid… and so were so many others."

"Your mother…?" said Azula, surprised.

"I never told you?" asked Sokka.

"You said she had died… I didn't know she had been killed," said Azula, aghast. All the more reason why he ought to hate them.

"She was killed for no reason," said Sokka, shaking his head. "Kata-… my sister and my dad were the ones who found her. My sister said a Fire Nation soldier had been threatening her, and she went to get dad, but by the time they returned it was too late. Why was she killed? I never knew. I likely never will."

"I'm sorry…" muttered Azula, gritting her teeth.

"Well, I'll accept that, but it's not like you were the one who did it," said Sokka, smiling weakly. "It was a long time ago."

"Still, I didn't know you had such a reason to hate us."

"My dad's best friend died in the war too," said Sokka. "Lots of the Tribe's warriors did. In the end, I'm not short on reasons to hate the Fire Nation… but lately I can't bring myself to hate it. Not anymore, I… I hate everything you guys have done. All of it. The slavery, the genocide, the world dominance… it's completely wrong. If I could do anything about it, I would. But still…"

"The Fire Nation has done its fair share of unforgivable crimes to your people," said Azula. "And to others as well. I won't deny that any longer, there's no use in sugarcoating anything. If I had been in your position, I would have likely been beside myself in hatred. But not everything about the Fire Nation is bad… and now you know it."

"I don't like acknowledging it, though," said Sokka, sighing.

"It's a good place to live, despite the homeless people roaming around the city from time to time," said Azula, making Sokka chuckle at the memory. "It has great landscapes."

"Great sunsets too," said Sokka, smiling weakly. "And great food."

"How could I possibly forget?" said Azula, rolling her eyes but smiling.

"And… the people have a knack for being a little crazy and mean," said Sokka, smiling at her. "But once you get to know them better, they're not exactly what they seemed on the outside."

"Perhaps…" said Azula, changing the subject before the blood rushed to her face. "We have good technologies too. Most public services work wonderfully as well."

"And nowadays you even reimburse the towns in the Earth Kingdom that got sacked by pillaging bandits," said Sokka, smiling. "So yeah, maybe it really isn't all bad. But acknowledging that just makes everything worse…"

"Why?" asked Azula, frowning.

"Because changing my views about you so radically would make me… it would make me seem a traitor to my people," said Sokka, clenching his fists. "Even when I don't really believe I've betrayed them, when I'd rather be there than here… all along they've said the Fire Nation is the enemy. And I no longer think of it like that."

"You're a traitor for opening your eyes to reality?" asked Azula, raising an eyebrow. "Why, if that's the case, then I suppose I must be a traitor to the Fire Nation also. A year ago I would have never even thought about the Earth Kingdom people as anything but lowly peasants who deserved nothing but to bow before us. But the people from that village took us in. They gave us food and shelter… they were grateful for what we had done, no matter if I was the daughter of the man who had destroyed their nation. And that gratefulness… it was better than their reverences or their fear. I never thought I would come to think so, but it really was."

"I didn't know you had been so shaken up by that…" said Sokka, surprised.

"It was an odd experience. Much like everything we went through while in that forest," said Azula, sighing at the memory. "And truly, I have come to accept that perhaps the Fire Nation isn't as flawless as I used to believe it was. Perhaps some of what you told me back in Ember Island was true. And I doubt that thinking this way makes me a traitor to my people. Even the fact that I'm sitting here, talking so easily to the Water Tribe's most annoying peasant, doesn't make me a traitor, I believe…"

"Now, wait a second…" said Sokka, holding up a hand. "I'm no peasant."

"Well, maybe you're a slave now, but back when you were in your Tribe…"

"No, no, I was never a peasant," declared Sokka, proudly. "My father was the Tribe's Chief!"

Azula's eyes widened at that.

"The Tribe's Chief?" she repeated. "Truly? Why didn't you say so until now?"

"Huh, surprised, aren't you?" said Sokka, smirking. "A little late to try and send them a ransom message, I guess, but you still might get a good price for the Water Tribe's Prince, I believe…"

Azula's disbelief turned into laughter at his self-appointed title. Sokka was obviously displeased by that reaction.

"Hey! I mean it!" he squeaked.

"A Prince? You?" she repeated, still laughing. "Not a chance, Sokka, no matter how much you wish for it…"

"I'm the Chief's son! He's the most important person of the Tribe, much like your dad is the most important person of your nation! You and I, Azula, are equals in more ways than you believe!"

"Please, don't ever bother comparing us like that," said Azula, shaking her head while looking at Sokka mockingly. "The Fire Lord is the strongest firebender, the most powerful descendant of the sun… all the Fire Sages believed themselves to be children of the sun, but since the Fire Lord was the most powerful of them, he's the one that rules the Nation. Therefore, I'm a descendant of the sun."

"Well then, we came from the moon if that's the case!" squeaked Sokka. "If you guys are descendants of the sun, we're likely descendants of the moon."

"Yes, there's a chance that's true… but not for you," said Azula, smirking. "The Northern Water Tribe has its royalty. There's a Princess there, isn't there? She's a descendant of the moon, I'm sure. You, on the other hand, have no royal blood in your veins, and that much is painfully clear just by looking at you."

"Oh, please," said Sokka, rolling his eyes. "Then if all this is true, the former Earth King popped out of a pile of dirt and that's why he was a royal?"

"I wouldn't rule it out…" said Azula, chuckling at the notion.

"And the Air Nomads appeared out of thin air too, huh?" asked Sokka, and Azula could do nothing but laugh.

Soon enough he was laughing along with her, unable to take his eyes off her while the moment lasted. Azula composed herself and shook her head, trying to calm down.

"Putting aside all these absurd and irrelevant notions," she said, still smiling. "You are a Water Tribe… member."

"Prince!" insisted Sokka, apparently indignant.

"Go ahead and delude yourself, we both know you're not one," said Azula, chuckling again. "Anyways, the matter is that you and I are completely different, aren't we? But… I've never laughed like this with anyone from the Fire Nation."

Sokka's eyes widened as he stared at her. He wasn't seeing things… she was blushing a little, wasn't she?

"You've influenced me in ways you shouldn't have, and that irritates me more than you imagine," said Azula, sighing. "But truly… I don't think I have ever met anyone I could get along with as well as I do with you."

"R-really…?" asked Sokka, amazed.

"And that is truly something that ought to be decreed a betrayal," said Azula, shaking her head and smiling again. "Who is the shameful one now, pray tell?"

"I'm not so sure," said Sokka, chuckling.

"But… I'm fine with this," said Azula. "I've grown to accept it, that you're completely different from me. There's nothing wrong with that. I still don't know how we get along as we do, but it's the way it is. And even if matters between us were rather dreadful just a while back, I'm still glad that things have turned out as they have."

Sokka was astounded as he stared at her. He never thought Azula would speak these words… she was glad? Glad to have taken him as her gladiator, perhaps? Glad that she had decided to give him all the chances that he had almost wasted?

"I don't think I've betrayed my people with what I've done," she said. "My views have changed after what I've experienced, after the things you've said… but this doesn't mean I'm turning my back on them. I will do everything I can to make the Fire Nation the best it can be. My loyalty to my nation has always been my main priority. If my father will truly bestow its rule upon me one day, then I shouldn't blind myself to the truth, no matter how uncomfortable it is. I need to understand the Fire Nation's shortcomings, its wrongdoings, to understand what I must do to improve it."

"Then you're proud of changing so much…?" asked Sokka, surprised.

"I'm proud of who I am," said Azula, nodding. "I haven't betrayed my nation, not truly… because I haven't betrayed myself. Even after all this time around you, I still believe I've kept true to who I am. And that's what you should think of, first and foremost. Perhaps your Tribe won't be pleased to hear you enjoyed a pretty nice life while in the Fire Nation… they might think you've been corrupted, perhaps. But so long as you know who you truly are, Sokka, they can say whatever they want to say. You own your truths. You know yourself better than anyone else will. So long as you are loyal to yourself, Sokka, there's nothing to be ashamed of."

Sokka's eyes were filled with hope as she finished talking. Azula was startled by his reaction. She had spoken what she believed was true, and what she thought he needed to hear… but why was he looking at her like that? His gaze was making her too nervous. Those blue eyes… why did they have to be so clear, so mesmerizing…?

"You… you're right," he said, smiling. "That sounds like what Piandao might have said, actually…"

"Really?" said Azula, still uneasy by his stare.

"Yeah… it's true," he said, chuckling. "I just… I shouldn't forget the Fire Nation's flaws, and I won't. There's much of it that should be improved, and I'll be around to pester you until you make things better."

"Now that's an idea I'm not fond of…" said Azula, grimacing.

"But just as I won't forget its wrongs, I won't forget the good of it either," he said, smiling. "There's both things in it, truly. So maybe… maybe we could make things better, don't you think?"

"We? The two of us? How, through a marriage alliance, oh Peasant Prince? I don't think so," said Azula, sarcastically.

"Huh… that doesn't sound so bad, actually," said Sokka, scratching his chin as Azula slapped her forehead with a hand.

"That was just a joke, you fool!"

"But it really might work!" said Sokka, cheerfully.

"You are insane," said Azula, rolling her eyes. "Not a chance. Keep dreaming."

"B-but… it really could help," said Sokka, still smiling. "Wouldn't it be nice, to find a way to stop all this war and the slavery and everything that's wrong with the world…?"

"Indeed," said Azula, sighing. "But I am just a Princess right now. If I dare ask my father to stop enslaving people, he'll likely enslave me as punishment."

"How about we start this by fixing your father first?" muttered Sokka, grimacing. "You take over his position, and take care of the Fire Nation in his place…"

"He's the Fire Lord and he's my father, Sokka. I'm not going to usurp his rule," said Azula, rolling her eyes and climbing off the fence. "Come on. Let's see if Ty Lee's done with dinner."

"But you really should try to do something! You could, I'm sure," said Sokka, following her off the fence.

"Likely, but in the far future, if anything," said Azula. "You'll have to wait patiently until then."

"Well, fine, I'll try to do that…" he said, sighing. "Hey, Azula…"

"What?" she said, looking at him.

Sokka smiled gratefully at her, and her heart raced in her chest upon that sight.

"Thanks," he said. "You saved me from losing my mind, pretty much. I owe you a big one."

Azula blushed slightly and looked away, starting towards the house at a slow pace.

"People keep owing me favors lately, it seems…" she muttered, not knowing how else to respond.

Sokka chuckled and sighed with relief, his mind clear at last. He would have never guessed Azula would be the one to soothe his sorrowful heart, or that she would do it so quickly. He smiled and trotted up to her, walking side by side with her towards the house, still beaming. Indeed, she had been his damnation a long time ago. But without a doubt, she was his salvation now. She had changed his views on the world while he was changing hers, and she had given him hope… hope that the world could change for the better as well. One day, surely, Azula would set the Fire Nation on the right course, and he'd make sure to stick around to watch it happen.

Azula snuck a look towards him and smiled, pleased with how matters had turned out. How had she managed to appease him, she had no idea. She hated to think Ty Lee had been right about how to address this problem, but she was so relieved she could hardly be upset about that anymore. Sokka was back to himself now, and that was all that mattered.

He looked at her as well, and he caught her in the middle of her smile. Sokka blinked at the sight of her grin, taken by surprise by the sight of such joy in her features. She grew even more beautiful when she smiled…

Azula blushed and turned away when she met his gaze, walking off towards the house more quickly. But before she could get away, Sokka's hand darted out and grasped her wrist.

Azula turned around towards him and stared at him in apprehension. What did he want? Was he going to make fun of her stupid smile…? But the way he was looking at her said otherwise. Those blue eyes, so clear, so sincere, so dazzling…

She had lost herself in them when his other hand went to her waist and brought her closer to him. And she could have sworn her heart was about to burst out of her chest when he leaned down to kiss her.

It was a gentle kiss: it wasn't savage, it wasn't sorrowful, it wasn't desperate… was it a display of his gratefulness, perhaps? She didn't know, but feeling his lips move against hers was as exhilarating as ever. She closed her eyes before she knew it, returning the kiss just as kindly as he brought her closer to him, releasing her hand and surrounding her with his arms.

"And yet they keep saying there's nothing going on, huh…?" said Ty Lee, smirking as she stared out the window. "Caught red-handed."

"Did you say something?" said Haru, looking up from the oven towards Ty Lee when he heard her speak.

"Nothing, dear. Everything is just the way it should be," said the girl happily, beaming and turning back towards Haru, deciding to give the pair their privacy. "I'm just going to cash an old bet first thing tomorrow."

A/N:

… Well, I hope you guys enjoyed the 50th Chapter's surprise! (even took me by surprise, seriously…)

And since we have finally reached the 50 mark, we have another big event upon us! This time, all of you are welcome to get involved with Gladiator by suggesting gladiator profiles for the story! Make up your own Gladiator profile and send it to me through a Private Message or an ask through Tumblr. The gladiators you suggest shall be added to the Gladiator Ranking and he might even show up in the story at some point! You are welcome to send in as many gladiator profiles as you wish, you only need to fill these questions and send them my way:

Name

Gender

Specialization (firebender, earthbender, or non-bender, if it's non-bender then include the weapons the gladiator would use in battle)

Any particular traits of the gladiator (this will come in handy if your gladiator gets to show up in the story)

Thanks to everyone who takes the time to participate! Just make sure to keep the suggestions within the parameters of the Avatarverse, alright?

Thanks for reading this far, everyone. Especially thanks to those who have been sticking to this story since chapter 1 was posted. All your support has kept me going all along, I really have no words to thank you. I hope you enjoyed the 50th! Look forward to the next one!