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...

83. Chapter 83: The Slate-Festivals 1

The hawk's wings flapped gracefully as he took to the skies, setting out to his first mission outside the Fire Nation. His owner watched him with a smile on his face, and the girl who had written the message Hawky was about to deliver released a nervous sigh. Sokka patted Song on the back and she smiled at him.

"Well, there goes Hawky," he told her.

"Are you sure he can make it to Ba Sing Se safely?" Song asked, and Sokka chuckled.

"Don't worry about him. He's well trained and smart enough to find his way to your mom," he said, and Song nodded, still beaming.

"It feels surreal," she said, her eyes gleaming. "I probably won't believe she's really okay until I read her reply with my own eyes, even though I already know she is…"

"Let's hope that reply comes soon, then," said Sokka, patting her head now. "And that you two can meet again someday, too."

"I do hope so. Just as you'll see your family again one day," said Song. Sokka was surprised briefly before giving her a sad smile.

"Yeah. I sure will," he said, and Song would have asked him about why he seemed so disheartened by that idea if only she hadn't sighted another figure in the sky, right behind Sokka.

"But in the meantime…" she said, watching as the serpentine shape flew above them. "You have other things to think about."

Sokka frowned for a moment before lifting his gaze and finding what had caught Song's eye: his eyes were the ones to gleam now as he beamed towards the dragon.

The Royal Barge had arrived in the Capital only the previous day, after sailing smoothly through Fire Nation waters once they had left Shu Jing behind. Being around Azula while the guards were present as well made matters a little more complicated for Sokka, and for some reason, there had always been a guard nearby ever since they left Shu Jing… nevertheless, as he had told Azula before, simply being around her made him happy. He didn't need to push his luck, let alone near guards, when he knew that was only going to get Azula in unwanted trouble. Still, she had come to see him now by herself, and no guards would keep him in check this time. Not when it was just the two of them.

Sokka's blissful smile as he watched Xin Long approach the ground was an enigma for Song. It wasn't unusual for the gladiator to be happy to see his sponsor, but the joy in his features wasn't of the usual kind and Song was quick to notice it. There wasn't much sense in Sokka missing Azula this badly when he had only gone half a day without seeing her… but Song knew better than to pry into this matter. She merely smiled as well and bumped Sokka's arm with her shoulder before entering the house again. She broke his daze by bumping him, though:

"Hey! What was that for?!" Sokka exclaimed to no avail, for Song didn't reply.

Nevertheless, he turned again to find Xin Long was already landing not far from where he stood, in the house's yard. He grinned once more when he saw Azula sitting on the saddle, a stern look on her face until she lifted her head to find him standing not too far from where Xin Long had landed. The expression on her face softened once their eyes met: Sokka's smile broadened as he made his way towards her, and she soon gave him a smile of her own after Xin Long lowered himself to allow Sokka to climb on his back.

"I take it he's not mad at me anymore, is he?" Sokka inquired, and Azula raised her eyebrows and looked away from him, a guilty expression on her face.

"Huh. I suppose not," she whispered, and Sokka raised an eyebrow.

"What's that look supposed to mean, Princess?" he inquired, and she smiled again, still not meeting his gaze.

"It's merely that he's not mad anymore, no," Azula said. "He hasn't been since… well, since a couple of days ago, when things got cleared up. That's all."

"That's all?" Sokka repeated, smiling. It seemed Xin Long's attitude had been born out of his wishes to support his rider in her bitterness towards him. He should have guessed as much.

"I just said so, didn't I?" Azula replied pointedly, and Sokka laughed under his breath before hoisting himself onto the saddle, right behind Azula.

She was taken by surprise when he leaned in and kissed her cheek. Impulsively she turned her head slightly to glance at him, with a subtle blush on her cheeks.

"It's good to see you again, Azula."

The way her golden eyes sparkled upon his words didn't go unnoticed by Sokka. He couldn't stop smiling as he took in the angling of her head towards him. It was extraordinary how, after all this time, her beauty didn't fail to mesmerize him.

"You just saw me yesterday," she reminded him, amused.

"Well, what can I say? I missed you!" Sokka exclaimed, happily.

"You missed me," Azula repeated, much like he had repeated her own phrase an instant ago, a smirk on her face. "Figures."

She laughed under her breath before ushering Xin Long to take into the skies again. The dragon sped his way upwards, soaring above the low, white clouds that hovered above the city. It was only then that Sokka allowed one of his hands to slide over the saddle to find Azula's, to her embarrassment and delight at the same time.

"So, what are we up to today?" he asked, placing his chin on her shoulder.

"We're just going to the Grand Royal Dome for the time being," she told him, biting her lower lip. "Your schedule is clear at the moment, so we have to decide which of your challenges to accept next."

"Huh, sounds good to me," said Sokka, smiling goofily.

"You know you can't be this comfortable once we're below the clouds again, don't you?" Azula asked. Sokka smiled and turned his head into her neck, even though her armor's collar was covering most of it.

"Well, then, I'll have to make the most of it while it lasts," he whispered, as she intertwined their fingers, his other arm surrounding her waist.

Azula took in a deep breath and rested against him just for a moment, merely enjoying the closeness between them. Some time ago they had been flying on Xin Long, just like this, with his head on her shoulder. Back then she had been convinced that their relationship could never become what it was now: being wrong about something had never made Azula so happy. She smiled and tilted her head in his direction, as his grip around her tightened.

This felt right in ways nothing else ever had for either one of them. They flew high above the ground, far out of reach of anything that could possibly hold them back or weigh them down. Nothing could stop them as they hovered in the sky, free of all consequences for their apparent transgressions.

Sokka leaned in first, pressing his forehead against Azula's before she sought out his lips with hers. He grinned before reciprocating the gesture, most unlike what had happened that night when he had fallen asleep on her shoulder. Azula smiled as well, basking in the familiar burning sensation inside her. Everything was different now. Everything felt right now. And she couldn't get enough of that delectable sense of fulfillment when she was around him. It was as though she would break if she didn't kiss him, as though she would be set on fire whenever he whispered his blunt but affectionate words to her. She felt as though she could achieve everything she set her mind to… but she really didn't have any ambitious goals in mind right now. All she wanted was to stay with him, to drift through the heavens by his side.

Xin Long made a brusque jolt in his flight before changing his trajectory downwards, alerting them of the obvious: they were supposed to return to the ground sooner than later. Azula smiled weakly before pecking Sokka's lips one last time and turning forward again, letting go of his hand and making him release her from his grip altogether. Granted Sokka was somewhat disappointed that their one private moment in days had been so brief, but he was pleased nonetheless. It didn't matter how ephemeral their time together might be, for every second of it was worth treasuring.

"Any ideas on who you want to challenge next?" Sokka asked, climbing off the saddle once Xin Long had landed.

"I'm not quite sure, to be honest. I'd like to look at our pending challenges for the time being. If there are none worth accepting amongst them, we can proceed to pick someone out of the ranking," she replied, stroking Xin Long's hair before following Sokka's lead and dropping on solid grounds again. "We won't be long, Xin. Stay put for now, and try not to eat anyone, will you?"

Sokka chuckled as Azula spoke to her dragon, who simply shook his head and waved his mane around proudly, at which Azula could only be amused. She had only taken a few steps towards the Grand Royal Dome when she noticed people were approaching Xin Long curiously, all of them awed by the magnificent creature.

"You sure he won't eat anyone?" Sokka asked Azula, as they made their way to the doors.

"Of course he won't. He loves attention, and eating any of them would give him less admirers, so I don't really fear for their lives," Azula said, with a smirk. But they both were quick to stop on their footsteps as they heard the sound Xin Long always made when he was about to release a blast of fire.

Both of them turned around immediately. Sokka was worried, but thanks to her connection with her dragon, Azula knew Xin Long wasn't trying to set anyone on fire even before seeing what he was up to with her own eyes. Xin Long was sitting on the street, casting blue blazes into the air through his nose and mouth, while all spectators stared at him in awe, both terrified and amazed by his display.

"Such a show-off," Azula said, smiling and turning towards the Grand Royal Dome again. Sokka laughed weakly before following his sponsor into the building.

There had been someone at Shoji's counter as they approached it, but he moved away soon enough, allowing the young man behind it to notice the Princess and her gladiator were coming towards him. Azula frowned when she saw the look on the boy's face. Was she imagining things, or was that dread in his semblance, all of sudden?

"What's wrong with him?" she asked Sokka, who had also noticed Shoji's unusual behavior.

"Not a clue. Is there something on my face?" Sokka asked Azula, and she panicked for a moment, wondering if perhaps Shoji had noticed any evidence of their exchange back when they were still riding Xin Long. Yet she saw no marks of makeup on Sokka's skin that could give away they had been kissing only a moment earlier.

"Not really," Azula said, frowning before turning towards Shoji again, stepping up to his counter with quick strides.

Shoji's expression remained unaltered as the Princess and her gladiator approached. He gulped and stood up slowly from his seat, almost as though he felt guilty about something. Azula's frown deepened as she and Sokka reached him.

"What is the meaning of that look, Shoji?" she asked, unyielding, and Sokka cleared his throat to earn her attention.

"Maybe you should've greeted him instead of asking that right away, you know. Would have been nicer…" he whispered, and she scowled at him.

"Maybe I would've greeted him, if he didn't look like he's about to tell us we have to drop out of the League or something of the sort. What's the matter, Shoji?"

With that, she turned towards the young man, who hadn't said a word yet. He was fidgeting, and he looked at them with worried eyes before sighing deeply.

"I, uh… well, there's something here for you, is all," he said. "A challenge."

"And that's such a worrisome matter because…?" Azula asked, raising her eyebrows as Shoji walked towards the drawers where the challenges were stacked.

"You'll see for yourself in a moment," Shoji replied, looking through the folders until he found the challenge form in question.

Sokka exchanged confused glances with Azula, and she merely shrugged in his direction before Shoji placed the challenge on the counter. The first thing about the paper that drew Azula's eye was that the borders of the challenge were dark red, while normal challenges didn't have their borders highlighted in any way. She frowned at that, but soon enough her eyes widened, and her eyebrows rose as she read the name of the gladiator whose sponsor had decided to challenge her.

"Wait. Wait…" she said, as Sokka's jaw dropped when he read the gladiator's name also.

"N-no… you've got to be kidding me," he said, as Shoji swallowed hard again. "The Millennium Dragon?!"

"Yeah, the Millennium Dragon," Shoji repeated, nodding.

"This makes no sense," Azula said, shaking her head, incredulous. "Why would the Millennium Dragon, of all people, challenge us? We're not even in the top hundred fighters yet, are we?"

"Nope, not just yet," Shoji admitted.

"Then why in the name of…?" Azula said, as a hand moved up to her mouth and she looked at the challenge in confusion. There were more things about it that brought questions to her mind, but right now, the one thing she could think about was that the second best gladiator of the ranking had decided to send them a challenge.

"That's not really all there is to it, though," said Shoji, biting his lower lip and pointing now at the location of the fight with his index finger. Azula nodded.

"The Slate, it says," Azula read aloud. "What's that supposed to be? I'd never heard of it before."

"You hadn't?" Shoji said, surprised.

"Was I supposed to hear about it if you've never mentioned it before?" Azula asked, raising an eyebrow. Shoji grimaced and nodded.

"Right, right, makes sense," he said, nervously. "Well, you see, the Slate is actually a special Arena. Only two fights are allowed to take place in the Slate on a yearly basis…"

"Only two?" Sokka asked, frowning. "Why's that?"

"The Slate is located in an island of difficult access, so only a handful of people have the guts and resources to travel there," said Shoji, biting his lower lip. "It's in an active volcanic island. People used to live there over a hundred years ago, from what I've heard, but nobody lives there anymore. The conditions of the island aren't favorable for anyone to spend over a week there, so the League has made it so only two fights take place there annually, as a safety measure…"

"And why is there an Arena in such an inconvenient location in the first place, if it's such a dangerous place?" Azula asked, raising an eyebrow in confusion.

"Because it serves for extreme, intense fights," said Shoji, biting his lower lip. "The Arena itself is underground, like the ones you must have seen in Gaoling and Omashu. The difference is, this Arena is built of solid metal and nothing more. It's a fully metallic enclosure, all the way from the entrance to the fighting ring. Which is not exactly a ring in itself, but rather, a metallic platform suspended by chains. If anything, the platform is more like a cage, to be precise…"

"What the…?" said Sokka, his eyes widening.

"And that's not all," said Shoji, gulping. "The stands are positioned well above the cage, to keep them away from the gate that's underneath the cage, which is opened every five minutes through the fight… to reveal boiling lava down below."

"Lava?!" Sokka exclaimed, aghast.

"It's used to raise the temperature of the fight to the extreme," said Shoji. "The fights in the Slate are set to last for an entire hour, the sponsors don't get to agree on the time limit there. And as I said earlier, the Slate is only available for two fights a year. Those who win the fights in the Slate get the right to challenge someone six months afterwards, unless the winner surrenders his right to challenge to another fighter."

"So, you're saying I'm being challenged by the last fighter who won in this ring?" Sokka asked, an eyebrow twitching.

"Well, yeah," said Shoji, biting his lower lip. "To be fair, the Millennium Dragon has lost more fights in the Slate than he has won. Combustion Man was the first fighter granted the right to battle in the Slate, and he challenged the Millennium Dragon and many others during about four years until his substitute sponsor got bored and gave the right to challenge to another gladiator, Flameheart. But then Flameheart challenged the Millennium Dragon, and the Millennium Dragon defeated him. He has earned the right to challenge ever since, by defeating every opponent he has challenged to the Slate."

"And, out of nowhere, such a fighter decided to challenge Sokka?" Azula said, raising an eyebrow and looking at her gladiator.

"Well, this is the guy I met in Yu Dao all that time ago," said Sokka, frowning. "He did tell me he might get his sponsor to challenge us if I got any higher in the ranking, but if he's the second best fighter of the League, it makes no sense for him to challenge us in the Slate right now."

"How is his record these days?" Azula asked, turning to Shoji again. "Has he been on a bad streak lately or so?"

"No, the only fighter he has ever lost against is Combustion Man," said Shoji. "And granted that has happened about fifty times by now, they've been clashing ever since the whole business started out, but honestly…"

"Our odds aren't good," Azula finished for Shoji, who gave her a sad smile.

"It's why I was so uneasy about this challenge as soon as I first saw it," he whispered. "If you want me to be perfectly honest, it would be for the best if you didn't accept it. Granted it will provide you with lots of money if you win it, a prize the Gladiator League awards to whoever wins at the Slate, and your fighter would also earn three thousand points if he were to win, but when you consider that-…"

"Wait. Three thousand?" Azula said, her eyes widening. "Did you actually say three-…?"

"Woah, woah, woah! You're not going to say you're considering this, are you?!" Sokka asked, scandalized as he looked at Azula with utter disbelief.

The Princess looked back, guilt plain across her face now. Sokka glared at her, both terrified and outraged.

"What the hell?! You can't make me fight there just because there's an unlikely chance that I might win three thousand points! Like hell am I going to win this thing, especially if it's against the second-best gladiator of the League! Azula, don't even think about it!"

"So now the gladiator tells his sponsor what to do?" said Azula, raising her eyebrows and making Sokka scowl at her. "It's not just about the chance that you might win it. This sounds like a truly important fight, of the sorts that no respectable sponsor would decline even if he thought he would lose."

"Well, it's true that the Slate is the most important event of the Superior League," said Shoji, shrugging. "And no other gladiator under the top hundred has been challenged to the Slate before. If your fighter is considered good enough to be challenged to the Slate, that alone would bring you more fame and glory than any other event ever could."

"I guessed as much," Azula said, nodding as Sokka looked at Shoji with irritation now.

"Oi, Shoji, weren't you saying I was better off not fighting this thing?! Why are you trying to convince her of accepting now?!"

"I'm not trying to convince her of anything," said Shoji, smiling uncomfortably. "But she should know all the pros and cons about this fight. Just… I guess there are more cons to it than pros."

"Really?" Azula asked, frowning. "Are there any more 'cons' I should know of?"

"Well, yeah. A pretty nasty one, actually," said Shoji, grimacing. "The only fighters who have survived in the Slate are, well, firebenders. Non-benders have been challenged to the Slate, but none of them have survived. Several firebenders have died in the Slate too. So, well… accepting a fight in the Slate is a big risk to take."

Azula lowered her gaze now, and Sokka hoped it meant she wasn't interested in the matter anymore. She wouldn't push him to his death just on the chance of earning three thousand points, not after everything they had been through… or would she?

"It sounds like it is," Azula agreed. "Yet this fight would put us in the League's spotlight, if we were to accept it, right?"

"Well, yeah, even more than you already are," said Shoji, nodding. "You two have been pretty famous ever since you started out, but after winning in the Pairs Tournament, people have been talking about you more and more. In fact, there are many more challenges pending for you both, if you wanted to accept anything else, but the Slate is… well, it's a really big deal. It's just a seriously dangerous deal, too."

"Too dangerous, if you ask me," Sokka said, frowning and looking at Azula. "C'mon. We can just take up another challenge and forget about this one. It's not worth it."

"Eh, I guess on some level that may be the case, but…" said Azula, grimacing and sighing as Sokka looked at her in disbelief.

"You can't seriously want to send me to my death like that, or do you?!"

"Let's not jump to conclusions, shall we?" Azula said. "Your pessimism is astounding, truly You really think this fight could only possibly result in your death?"

"If it's as bad as it sounds, I doubt it'd be otherwise," said Sokka, frowning. "Seriously, Azula, we're talking about the second-best gladiator of the league! I'll be toast!"

"You'd need quite a lot of training to fight him on even terms, granted," said Azula. "But you haven't fared that badly against firebenders. It will be very difficult for you to win if the conditions are as extreme Shoji described, but I think there might be a chance for you to…"

"Like hell there would be!" Sokka squealed, and Azula rolled her eyes. "No! I'm going to get burned to cinders! This is completely crazy, Azula! You can't have me do this! Three thousand points aren't worth this bother, we can get that same amount through regular fights all the same!"

"Uh, sure, in about a year's efforts or more, perhaps," Azula said, frowning.

"You earned about five hundred points in your last tour…" said Shoji, looking at the ranking, and Sokka nodded vigorously.

"See? Five hundred points, no less! Five more tours like that and we'd get three thousand points indeed, without putting my life at risk!"

"Mind you, I'm pretty certain that, by this point in time, your life is at risk more often than it isn't," Azula stated. "You're already in the upper half of the ranking, the competition is only going to become more vicious from now on. You only won twice in this tour, and you were fighting against gladiators near your level, save for the Priestess who was well above you. So, if you really think you'll earn three thousand points that quickly, think again."

"And if you really think I'll earn three thousand points when my foe is going to be the Millennium Dragon, you might need to think again too," Sokka said, an eyebrow twitching. "You just said it yourself, that Priestess girl could've beaten me if she hadn't lost interest in our fight as she did. Do you really think I could do better when I'll be fighting against the second best firebender in the league?"

"If you train properly, then yes, I think you could," Azula replied, with raised eyebrows before turning towards Shoji. "Nevertheless, accepting this challenge without giving it proper consideration isn't wise. When is the fight due?"

"Two months from now, and since it's established by the League, the date's not subject to change," said Shoji, pointing at the date on the challenge. "You'll have some time to decide whether or not you'll accept this challenge, but make sure to do it within this month. If you decline, the Millennium Dragon's sponsor will have to look for someone else to fight in the Slate against his gladiator, and the sooner he can do that, the better."

"Then I'll let you know if we'll accept the fight or not later on," said Azula, nodding at Shoji. "This is a matter that needs to be discussed at leisure."

"I don't think there should be much discussion given to it, to be honest," Sokka said, but Azula ignored him.

"I'll be awaiting your response, as always," said Shoji, smiling weakly.

After saying their farewells to Shoji, both Sokka and Azula left the Dome and returned to Xin Long, who was still rather busy giving his admirers a display of his fire. Once his performance was finished, Azula and Sokka climbed on his back again and the dragon took off to his refuge in the Palace. And while Xin Long sprawled on the building's floor lazily, his rider and her gladiator were busy arguing over whether or not Sokka should fight in the Slate. Sokka had taken his seat near the central column of the building, while Azula paced in front of him.

"Could you be reasonable, Azula?" Sokka pleaded, looking at her with despair, as the Princess frowned. "I'm not strong enough to fight against anyone from the top ten as I am. And there's no way that's going to change in a matter of two months."

"You can say that all you want, but I know you have more potential than you think you do," Azula snapped. "It took you less than a month to reach a level high enough to defeat the Spawn of the Volcano, if you need a reminder of that…"

"Which I accomplished because Piandao was teaching me swordsmanship," Sokka said. "And he's not around to teach me anything anymore."

"Piandao's absence didn't stop you from becoming strong enough to fight earthbenders, despite you weren't capable of holding your own against them at first," Azula reminded him, and Sokka shook his head.

"True enough, but what I learned after training with Haru isn't going to help here," said Sokka. "This is a firebender we're talking about, and while my record against firebenders is much better than against earthbenders, I doubt it's going to make a difference when I'll be fighting in a furnace-like Arena against the Millennium Dragon."

"We can improve your odds, though," said Azula, looking at him. "I could train against you, using my firebending at full power, and that way…"

"If you fight me with your firebending at full power, you're bound to kill me," Sokka said, simply, and Azula rolled her eyes.

"Well, then, I'll hold back slightly," she said. "The Millennium Dragon most likely won't be a better bender than I am. I doubt he has been trained as I have, so it should stand to reason that if we train together regularly to make you stronger, with firebending exclusively, you'll prove capable of standing your ground against him."

"You're giving me too much credit," said Sokka, shaking his head, and Azula frowned. "I can't progress like that so fast. I mean, I could, perhaps, grow stronger, but I won't be up to the Millennium Dragon's level in a matter of two months. If you really want me to stand a chance against that guy, I… I don't know, I'd need to have something new. New skills that I could use to defeat a firebender."

"New skills such as what?" Azula asked, raising an eyebrow. "Are you hoping to master something other than swords?"

"Well, not necessarily, but it's a thought," said Sokka, rubbing his forehead with his fingers. "Having more skills up my sleeve should help. I've never really excelled in hand-to-hand combat, to say one thing. And heck, maybe I could use two swords instead of one? I don't know, honestly, Azula. It's probably a long shot, just as this whole Slate thing is. Accepting this would be ridiculous."

"But it would give you a remarkable boost," Azula said, biting her lower lip. "You defeated the Stingray once before, and he was also a skilled bender who had been in the higher levels of the ranking for a long time. If you prove capable of holding your own against the Millennium Dragon, even if not defeating him, you would earn recognition beyond anything you've had so far. People seem to think your triumph in the Pairs Tournament was mainly Toph's doing, not yours. So, by fighting the Millennium Dragon in the Slate and surviving, you would prove them wrong, for not many gladiators could accomplish such a feat. Granted it wouldn't be as big as surviving against Combustion Man himself, but…"

"Azula, if you want me to fight this guy, I can do it anywhere else," said Sokka, sighing. "But if that Arena is as Shoji described it, no fame or glory is worth it. I can't possibly become strong enough as to beat him in this short time, and…"

"If you don't even try to do it, you're obviously never going to succeed," Azula snapped. "Sokka… let's give this matter a month. A month during which we'll train you in new skills and fighting against firebenders, and if you don't make enough progress, we'll decline the challenge. Only if you make real progress will I tell Shoji we accept it, but you must make an effort all the same."

"So… you're not just going to accept this recklessly?" Sokka asked, raising an eyebrow and feeling a little relieved by her new proposal.

"I just said as much," said Azula, sighing heavily. "It would be convenient to go for it, not many gladiators below the top hundred get challenges from fighters of such reputation. But indeed, I don't plan to sacrifice you in an attempt to earn recognition. I can't have you dead."

"Well, that's a relief," said Sokka, sighing and smiling. "For a moment I thought you were so eager to do this that you didn't care about the risks…"

"If that had been the case, I would have told Shoji to accept the challenge immediately," said Azula, sighing. "I don't want you in deadly peril, but I do want you to do your best to rise to the Millennium Dragon's level. Finding new fighting techniques for you might be tricky, but it could be done. Dual swords could help, even if you mentioned that fleetingly, but maybe I could lend you Wolf's…"

"Princess," said a stern voice from the refuge's entrance, startling both Sokka and Azula.

Both turned to look at the Captain, standing stiffly at the gate. Something about his body language was ominous for Azula, despite his mask covered his face to conceal the angry expression on it.

"The Fire Lord requests your presence," he said pointedly, his speech pattern so harsh that now Sokka as well found Rui Shi's behavior weird.

Azula would have questioned Rui Shi over his attitude if only she hadn't been frozen in place by his message. Knowing the Fire Lord demanded to see her reminded her of the pending matter of the ceremony, something she hadn't made up her mind about just yet. Not that it mattered if she had made a decision, though. She would have to perform the ceremony whether she wanted to or not, for her father would demand as much from her.

"Huh. Of course he does," she muttered, and Sokka frowned.

"You haven't reported to your dad yet?" he guessed, looking at her with confusion.

"Not quite, yesterday was quite a busy day," Azula replied. "This is probably going to take a while, Sokka. I have matters to discuss with my father. So… try to think of how you'll develop new skills, if you can. Any progress we can make, if only in planning, is better than staying here doing nothing. We have no time to waste if you only have one month to reach the Millennium Dragon's level."

"Huh, yeah," said Sokka, grimacing as Azula moved towards Xin Long, patting him on the head and letting him know she would be taking her leave for now.

The dragon groaned a small goodbye before settling in his napping position again, and Azula walked towards the exit with steady footing, her head held high and her brow slightly creased. The Captain moved out of her way, still stiff, still acting strangely. Azula's frown deepened at that, but she decided not to give it further importance. The Captain was the least of her worries if her father was summoning her.

Sokka stood up from where he was and walked towards the exit as well, as Azula passed by Rui Shi quickly. The sight of her was still mesmerizing even when his heart was troubled as it was… but once she faded from view, Sokka took a deep breath and looked at Rui Shi with inquisitive eyes.

"I don't suppose you have any knowledge on techniques to fight extremely powerful firebenders, or do you?"

The Captain didn't reply, though Sokka noticed he was shivering for some reason, but the weather was as warm as it usually was in the Fire Nation. He frowned and stepped towards the man, unsure of what was bothering him.

"Something the matter, Rui-…?"

"Something the matter, you ask, you filthy…?" said Rui Shi, trembling violently now as he turned his head towards Sokka.

Again, as it had happened once, Sokka could see the hatred in the man's golden gaze through his mask. It took him aback, all the same as being called filthy by the man. Despite the harsh treatment he had received many times by the hands of Fire Nation people, not once had he heard Rui Shi speak to him as viciously as he had just now.

"F-filthy? What the hell?" Sokka repeated, stepping back cautiously, but to his chagrin, Rui Shi stomped towards him, closing the distance between them.

"Quit acting innocent, you wretched gladiator," he growled, forcing Sokka to continue walking backwards. "I always… I always knew you were up to no good, but I held onto the naïve hopes that perhaps there was a shred of honor or dignity within you. But I was a fool for thinking as much…"

"What?" Sokka said, staring at Rui Shi in confusion and disbelief. "What are you even talking about, Captain? And would you move away? This is starting to get really uncomfortable, so maybe just…"

But the Captain continued to walk forward until Sokka had his back against the refuge's threshold. The man's amber glare bore into Sokka's head, as though he believed it would combust if he glared at him hard enough.

"You know all too well what I'm talking about," he snapped. "The Princess… you've compromised her integrity, her chastity! And don't pretend it's otherwise, because I saw you both in Shu Jing with my own eyes! And because of that, I now know what I wish I'd never come to know! So don't bother lying, Sokka. I already know the truth of it."

"W-wha…? Wait," said Sokka, raising his hands defensively as his mind raced, his innards twisting in panic as he realized what a precarious situation he was in. "Y-you saw us in Shu Jing, you said?"

"Yes, I did! I went to find the Princess, and I was told she was on the roof with you. When I got there, you two were…!" Rui Shi said, stopping cold at the last word as he seemed to be incapable of uttering it, despite it was merely a word. "Just…! How dared you, damn it?! Why did you do it, when you knew she wasn't meant for you, or for anyone like you?! She's a Princess! She cannot mingle with the likes of you!"

"Hey, I…!" Sokka started, before realizing he had no idea how to defend himself. All the same, he frowned heavily, unwilling to take Rui Shi's accusations as they came. "Yeah, I'm not the one she's supposed to be with, but that doesn't mean I've done anything that bad to her! Nor have I done anything she didn't want me to!"

"Oh, really?!" Rui Shi asked, a hand reaching up to Sokka's shirt and pulling him closer as his glare grew more vicious. "Are you trying to say her honor remains untarnished, despite what I saw with my very own eyes?!"

"I'm trying to say that I haven't…! I haven't done anything that can't be taken back!" Sokka said, pushing Rui Shi away, and glaring at him. "It's not like I took her virginity or anything like that. It's not how it is."

"You haven't…?" Rui Shi asked, raising an eyebrow despite he seemed relieved to hear that bit of information. "Huh, hard to believe. I wouldn't have pegged you for the kind of man who waits for the right moment."

"I'm not waiting for…!" Sokka started, before breathing out heavily. "Look, pal, I know all too well that I'm not the guy she should be with, but you told me about the spark in her eyes! You saw it just as well as I did! And that spark is back now, has been ever since she found Xin Long. And I'll do everything I can to keep it there and to keep it growing stronger. So…!"

"So you'll gladly deflower her if that's what it takes for that spark to linger," Rui Shi asked, sarcastically, and Sokka gritted his teeth and groaned.

"That's not what I'm saying! She… she likes me, okay? For some reason I can't understand, and I know all too well I don't deserve her feelings, but I can't just push her away, you know? I… I'm not strong enough to do that. I'm not a good enough guy to just push her aside because the universe isn't ready to see us together. If she wants to be near me, how the hell am I supposed to say no?"

"By saying it!" Rui Shi snapped, stomping on the ground angrily. The dragon, napping not too far away from where they were, groaned at them to silence the pair, but they ignored him. "She is not meant for you, curse it! The Princess can wish for whatever she may, but she cannot have her every heart's desire, especially not if said desire is a common slave like yourself! A life of privileges has its own inconveniences, and this is but one of them. She's supposed to know better than to indulge in meaningless pleasures that will only…"

"Woah, pal, hold up there," Sokka said, frowning. "You can think it's meaningless, but it's not meaningless for her. It's not for me either. I'd put my life on the line for her and you know I would because I already have done it many times. You can insult me all you want, but don't dare say this is meaningless. It's not for either of us."

"And that makes a difference?" Rui Shi asked, his hands on his hips. "That makes it any less dangerous for her, pray tell?! Do you realize what problems you'd bring upon the Princess if you continue with this folly?!"

"Like hell I do!" Sokka said, looking at Rui Shi with disbelief. "I may be stupid, but I'm not that stupid! Of course I know she'd get hell brought upon her, that her father would punish her, that you would lose your job and credibility and…"

As he started to list all those reasons, Sokka actually froze where he was. He knew it was a risk, of course he did. But it wasn't just a risk for him and Azula. Whatever happened between them could affect Rui Shi as well as many others, if word of their intimate relationship ever got out.

"And yet whatever pleasure you're achieving through the Princess is more important than any of this," Rui Shi grunted. "You're a fool. If you truly have any feelings for her, real feelings, you'll step away. You'll leave her be. You won't put her life and future in danger just because you yearn for her. You'd know your wishes and desires aren't more important than her needs and duties."

Sokka gritted his teeth and Rui Shi shook his head before stepping away.

"You may think highly of this relationship, but it's doomed to fail," he continued. "The happiness you want the Princess to achieve will disappear as soon as everyone knows what bond exists between you two. Feel free to sacrifice your own life for her if you so wish, but don't you dare force her to do the same for you, Sokka."

With that, the man left Sokka in the refuge with the sleeping dragon. Sokka's pleasant feelings from earlier had disappeared completely, both because of the pending matter of the Slate and his sudden conversation with Rui Shi. He sighed heavily, knowing Rui Shi was right about what he had said. But the Captain didn't understand Sokka was balancing himself on the edge of a knife. He knew he couldn't pull through with what he truly wanted, and he couldn't push Azula away either, not after everything that had happened the first time he had tried to do such a thing. He couldn't bear the thought of making her unhappy. Perhaps that made him selfish, but he couldn't forget about Azula's joy and focus only on her wellbeing. She deserved happiness, no matter what form or shape it came in. But it didn't seem Rui Shi would understand that.

And it scared Sokka to think of what Rui Shi might do in order to end his relationship with Azula. He wouldn't dare tell Ozai, would he? Yet even if he didn't give them away to the Fire Lord, he would likely try to convince Azula that her relationship with Sokka had no future. And he was right. Sokka knew he was, despite how much it hurt to admit it. Rui Shi was a practical man, and matters of emotions and feelings wouldn't sway him. He didn't care if Sokka had the best of intentions towards Azula. The Captain had wanted Sokka at proper distance from the Princess ever since he had first hurt her. And now that he knew for certain that Sokka was in what he would consider an affair with Azula, all sympathy he had ever held for Sokka had fizzled out of existence.

"No chance for him to help me master new fighting styles, huh?" Sokka whispered before leaving the refuge as well, his head hung as he walked down through the Palace's hallways, brushing aside all thoughts of Rui Shi with difficulty, in hopes to focus now on what Azula had told him to think about.

How would he master new fighting styles in two months? The mere thought of facing the Millennium Dragon in battle was enough to make him cringe. Thinking about the complicated circumstances in which their face-off would take place only served to worry him further. There was nothing he could do in the span of two months to become capable of fighting evenly against the second-best gladiator of the league, simply, nothing. Azula wouldn't accept that, though, and Sokka knew it. She would push him to the last stretch, he knew she would…

He sighed, accepting he would have to make an effort despite already thinking it wouldn't pay off, and he took a corner to find quite an unusual sight in front of him.

Zuko was closing the door to what Sokka guessed was his room, holding a bouquet of flowers in his free hand. Sokka stopped on his tracks and raised an eyebrow, for Zuko looked very different now, dressed in tasteful clothes, his hair neatly cut. Once he had closed the door he busied himself with fixing his flowers, making sure they were arranged properly in the bouquet, despite he didn't know what made for a proper bouquet arrangement.

"Uh… huh?" Sokka said, and only then did Zuko notice he wasn't alone anymore.

Zuko jumped in quite a comical manner, startled when Sokka spoke to him. He scowled at the gladiator, moving away from him as to protect the flowers.

"W-what are you doing here? Weren't you on some trip with Azula?" Zuko asked.

"We got back yesterday, didn't you hear?" Sokka asked, eyeing the flowers with interest. "Well, maybe you didn't hear after all. Looks like you've been busy, huh?"

"I-I wasn't…" Zuko started, not quite knowing what prompted him to hide the truth of what he had been up to the past few days. "Quit prying. This doesn't concern you."

"Now, no need to get defensive," said Sokka, smiling. "It's great that you have a girl now! Or at least, I'd assume that's what this is about… unless those flowers are for something else?"

"I'm not… it's none of your business what I'm doing with these flowers, okay?!" Zuko snapped, and Sokka grimaced.

"Man, aren't you volatile," he said, and Zuko glared at him.

"You know, I'm not always like this," he grunted. "But for some reason you always bring out the worst in me. So, excuse me, but I'd rather not be at my worst today. I have important things to do."

"Huh, do you?" Sokka asked, as Zuko turned on his heels and attempted to walk away from Sokka. "Well, mind if I tag along? I don't have as many things to do… well, no, I actually do, but I don't know how to do it and I won't know until your sister is free again, so…"

"Huh?" Zuko said, looking at Sokka skeptically. "Yeah, I do mind if you tag along, very much so. What the hell gives you the idea that I'd want you around? And why would you want to be around me in the first place? The last time you and I met you punched me in the jaw."

"Not true," said Sokka, lifting a finger. "That was, uh… the fourth to last? Maybe fifth? In any case, it wasn't the last one."

"Impressive. That's what you focus on," said Zuko, an eyebrow twitching.

"What, you don't expect me to apologize for it now, or do you?" said Sokka, looking at him with challenging eyes.

"You, apologize to me? Yeah, sure," said Zuko. "I don't think that's within your capacities, so no, I don't expect you to say sorry for anything. So don't expect me to ever do it for you, either."

"I wasn't about to. What would you be sorry about anyhow?" said Sokka, shrugging. "I can't think of anything you'd be sorry for regarding me, personally."

The long hallway winded up on another corner before leading up to the front door. Zuko frowned and glared at Sokka, wondering if he really would continue to pester him for the rest of the day.

"Putting up with you, that's what I'm sorry for," said Zuko. "Come on, get lost. Go grovel to Azula's feet as you usually do and leave me alone."

"I would, but she got summoned by your dad," said Sokka, and Zuko stared at him in surprise.

"Really? What for?" Zuko asked, unable to contain his curiosity.

"Beats me," said Sokka, shrugging. "She didn't look happy about it, though."

"Odd," said Zuko, frowning. "But then, you really would grovel to Azula…?"

"I was just humoring you, don't take everything literally," said Sokka, smiling a little.

"Yeah, sure, that's all it was," said Zuko, sighing heavily as they both climbed the steps down to the Palace's main walkway. "Anyhow, go away. I'm not going to have you clinging onto me all day just because Azula's not around."

"No need to be so harsh, Zuko. In all honesty, I actually have wanted to talk about a few things for a while," said Sokka, at which Zuko frowned more.

"Yeah, I doubt that's going to end well. More than half of the times I've talked to you I've ended up wanting to set you on fire, so…"

"Funny, your sister surely thinks the same way," said Sokka, smiling and Zuko glared at him. "Okay, okay, I just wanted to say I was surprised by what you did for her on her birthday. Pleasantly so. Maybe I was too quick to judge you after all. You might not be as bad a person as I'd thought you were that night."

"S-she… she told you about the knife?" Zuko asked, frowning. "Why would she do that?"

"Well, why wouldn't she?" said Sokka, blinking blankly and Zuko glared at him.

"Maybe because that knife was something important for both her and me," said Zuko. "And you never had anything to do with it. So I don't know why she'd tell you about it."

"W-well, that…" said Sokka, lifting a finger as though he were about to deliver a big explanation for why Azula trusted him, but his mind was completely blank. He couldn't come up with any ways to excuse their closeness to Azula's brother.

"My sister isn't the kind of person who opens up to any random someone," said Zuko, frowning. "It's weird she would with you, of all people."

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Sokka exclaimed, as they crossed the Palace's gates.

"That you're not the type of person I would've expected Azula to share her secrets with," Zuko stated. "But I guess I've misjudged you too. You were right about a few things you said that night: I barely know my sister, let alone do I know what sorts of people she'd want around her. If anything, it makes perfect sense that she'd grow close to the person who pisses me off the most."

"Woah, really?" said Sokka, raising an eyebrow. "Huh. Considering how easy it is to piss you off, I should be flattered that I'm the one who…"

"It wasn't a compliment!"

"You sure it wasn't?" Sokka asked, chuckling a little. Zuko groaned with irritation. "Still, I'm glad you did what you did for her"

Zuko's displeasure didn't decrease at that, despite he was somewhat relieved that Sokka approved of what he had done during Azula's birthday. Even if his relationship with his sister didn't seem to have undergone significant changes recently, for she had barely interacted with him at all after that, it was good to know that at least Sokka seemed to think he was on the right track. Azula's opinion was the one that mattered most, but Zuko felt somewhat hopeful after hearing these words from the gladiator. Maybe his gesture towards his sister wouldn't go to waste.

Regardless, it was hard to focus on the good things when he realized Sokka was still walking with him by the time they reached Mai's house. Zuko froze a few steps away from it, a frown on his face, as Sokka continued to ramble.

"In any case, don't feel so bad if she's still aloof and mean," said Sokka, smiling. "She doesn't know how to react when people are nice to her for no reason. Which is a bit sad, but understandable considering her position and the way she's always treated most people… anyhow, you did a good thing, and I'm glad you did. Even if we're always fighting, I guess you're a better person than I…"

Sokka stopped walking when he noticed Zuko had stopped as well. He turned around to look at him, noticing he seemed uneasy all of sudden.

It was only then that Sokka paid attention to his surroundings and realized they were on a familiar street… and in front of a familiar house. His gaze flickered towards Zuko's flowers, and his eyes widened as he looked at him in horror.

"Oh… oh, no," he said, and Zuko blushed. "Y-you were on your way to Mai's house?"

"W-what's the problem if I was?!" Zuko asked, glaring at him. "Get lost, I said! It's none of your business what I'm doing here!"

"Like hell, it's not!" Sokka exclaimed. "You know, I was just talking about how nicer a guy you are than I gave you credit for, and yet here you are, bringing flowers to a taken woman!"

"Taken woman?" Zuko repeated, his eyes widening. "What the…? Hey, what's with that sudden possessive attitude? She said there was nothing going on between you two!"

"Between me and Mai? Of course not!" Sokka exclaimed, and Zuko's jaw dropped. "She's married, for crying out loud! I barely know her! Why would I ever get involved with her?"

"The hell?" Zuko muttered, as Sokka stepped forward and clasped his shoulders.

"Snap out of it, Zuko! She's married, she has a son, she's happy! You can move on and find someone better, stop trying to go after a girl who's out of your reach! It's done, you can't…!"

"I'm not trying to go after someone who's out of my reach!" Zuko exclaimed, frowning. "I'm not bringing anything to Mai! Now just go away, okay? You said what you wanted to say, there's no reason for you to stick around anymore…!"

Just then, the house's front door swung open, and Zuko gazed at it instinctively before his blush intensified. His grip on the flowers tightened as his golden eyes met a violet gaze.

"Zuko?" said Suki, her face the epitome of confusion. "I heard raised voices, and it sounded like you, but… wait, Sokka?"

Sokka frowned and dropped his hands, looking at Suki in surprise. He glanced back at the Prince for a moment, finding Zuko was very nervous all of sudden.

"Uh… you two know each other?" Sokka asked, looking at Suki again.

"Yeah, we met long ago in the Dome. He's been coming to visit for a while now," said Suki, smiling as she made her way towards them, passing through the gravel pathway that stood between the front door and the gateway that led into the house. "What are you two doing together, though? That's quite a rare sight."

"Tell me about it," said Zuko, sighing in irritation. "I kept telling him to get lost, but he wouldn't listen to me. I think he's just lonely."

"Really?" Suki asked, smiling, and Zuko took a deep breath before extending the flowers towards her. Suki's eyes widened, a subtle blush on her features. "W-what's this for?"

"Well, it is moving day, right?" said Zuko, biting his lower lip. "You don't have that much to take with you to Ty Lee's place, so I figured I'd bring something nice for you, well, if you think it's nice, that is…"

"Flowers are nice, clearly," said Suki, beaming and taking them into her hands. "Thanks, Zuko. They're wonderful."

The Prince smiled happily at that, and Sokka was left raising an eyebrow as he glanced between the pair. He still didn't quite understand what was going on, but he could only think Azula might be amused to hear of what was brewing between her brother and the former gladiator.

"Moving to Ty Lee's?" Sokka asked, startling Zuko, who had as good as forgotten Sokka was still there. "What's that about?"

"Well, it was Ty Lee who bought me," said Suki. "Mai had been looking after me while my wounds healed, but now that I'm better I decided to stay with Ty Lee from now on."

"Uh… is that wise?" Sokka asked, with a crooked smile. "I'm pretty sure she's more than comfortable with Haru…"

"Oh, well, it would seem so," said Suki, chuckling. "But I've imposed upon Mai enough as it is. She has a son to take care of, too, so it's better if she doesn't have too much to deal with. And since Mai said the Princess didn't need anything from me, which I still can't quite understand, then going to Ty Lee's is the best thing I can do."

"Huh. Well, sounds reasonable enough," said Sokka, nodding, as the three of them walked inside the house.

"Have you packed everything already?" Zuko asked, pointedly ignoring Sokka again as he looked at Suki.

"Yeah. It's not much, but it's all upstairs. Haru will bring Ty Lee's carriage soon and then we'll take everything to their place," Suki replied. They both moved towards the staircase and left Sokka behind on the vestibule, right after he closed the house's door.

"Weird as hell," he said as he watched them climb the staircase, but he was smiling all the same. He truly had judged Zuko wrongly.

He stood in place, knowing better than to follow them upstairs. But just as he started to think he was better off returning to the Palace, a child came crawling towards him, taking Sokka by surprise. Only an instant afterwards, his mother came rushing through the hallway, as Sokka leaned down to look at Yuudai.

"What're you doing here, little boy?" he asked, as Yuudai beamed at him.

"I should be the one asking that question," Mai said, at which Sokka lifted his head towards her.

"Uh, hey there," he said, with a smile. "I was just talking with Zuko as he came here. And, uh, truth to be told I probably should go now…"

"Well, it would be helpful to have another pair of hands to help Suki move," said Mai, raising her eyebrows before smirking. "You came just at the right time, gladiator."

Sokka was surprised by that, blinking blankly as he realized Mai meant to use him to haul Suki's possessions without even asking him if he was up for it. But before he could protest, Haru came through the door just as Zuko was bringing down several bags with Suki's goods in them. The earthbender greeted Sokka enthusiastically, for they hadn't seen each other in a long time, and soon enough all three men were busy loading the carriage with bags.

Sokka found it odd to end up entangled in Suki's moving day before he could have a say upon the matter. It wasn't unpleasant to spend time around all these people, especially since Zuko became far more likeable when he was around Suki, Sokka noticed. Nevertheless, there was a voice in his head nagging him constantly, reminding him he should be pondering how to fight the Millennium Dragon rather than helping Suki move out of Mai's house… a voice that sounded very much like Azula's.

---

"Then this is how it will be done," said Ozai, smirking, as the High Sage bowed down before him. "You will teach my daughter the proper firebending routine for the ceremony, and in a matter of two months, she will inaugurate the Festivals with her performance."

"As you command, my Lord," said the man, a fist against his palm.

Azula was sitting at her Father's right, as usual, and she frowned as she looked down at the Sage. She could tell the old man wasn't pleased by Ozai's demands, for there were many other sages who could perform this ceremony properly. Ozai's request for Azula to do it came as a whim, and the sage would never understand why he needed his daughter, of all people, to do it.

But the daughter knew all too well why her father was being so unreasonable over this matter: he needed to ascertain she was still his loyal subject. He wanted to make sure she would do everything he demanded while exceeding his expectations, just as she always had. He was making sure she was still his perfect, faithful daughter who would only stand up to him for the Fire Nation's sake. Ozai hadn't voiced any displeasure towards Azula after her birthday feast, but Azula could read her father without difficulties. She knew what he wanted, and she dreaded what would happen if he didn't obtain it.

"Very well, then," said Ozai, as the Head Sage left the Throne Room, only illuminated by the flames Ozai had ignited around himself and his daughter. "Everything is set for you to perform the ceremony. It shall be the first time a Princess is granted such an honor, Azula. Make the most of this opportunity."

"Don't I ever?" Azula said, looking at him nonchalantly, and Ozai laughed under his breath.

"Oh, indeed you do. It is why I'm certain you can master the routine for the ceremony in a matter of two months," he said, smiling. "Most sages require half a year to do so. Surely you can accomplish it faster."

"I would like to think I can, yes," Azula said, despite not feeling half as confident as she sounded.

"Was your latest journey pleasant?" Ozai inquired.

"Well, on most accounts it was," Azula said, frowning. "Save for a certain matter I meant to discuss with you."

"Oh?"

"My ship was supposed to restock its supplies in the floating village of Jang Hui," Azula stated. "But when we arrived at the island, there was nothing but pollution and animal corpses there. It would seem the factory in the island was responsible that catastrophe."

"Well, it comes as no surprise," said Ozai, shaking his head. "It was your grandfather who set up that insecure and old-fashioned factory near Jang Hui."

"Indeed," said Azula. "Yet… I merely meant to say, Father, that we should be more careful when it comes to factories of this sort. That peasant attempted to attack you over what was happening with the refinery at Danqian, so you may feel inclined to ignore all about the pollution, but…"

"Ah, the peasant may have lashed out at me and been demoted into slavery for it, but that doesn't mean I gave the matter no thought," Ozai stated, taking Azula by surprise. "Danqian has been tended to, Azula. Policies on avoiding children's death by pollution have been laid down by now. You needn't worry: we won't have another Jang Hui for as long as I'm Fire Lord."

"Well, that is a relief," Azula said, nodding. "Did you know about Jang Hui's situation, though?"

"I had heard of it," said Ozai. "But the matter had already been resolved by the time word reached me. The population of the town was evicted from the island and relocated to the Colonies."

"Well, there were no human corpses. I should have guessed as much," said Azula, relieved. It seemed this matter wouldn't escalate into a brand new conflict between her and her father.

"Let it not be said that the Fire Nation doesn't look after its own," said Ozai, smiling proudly and standing up. But just as he was on his feet he seemed to recall something, and he looked at Azula with a grin on his face. "And speaking of our own, Azula, an old friend has finally sent word that he will be returning from the frontlines, at last."

"An old friend?" Azula asked, raising an eyebrow in confusion until she made the connection and frowned. "You don't mean… Zhao?"

"He had been up north far too long," said Ozai, nodding. "He has sent word that he will be back in a matter of months. Hopefully he arrive on time to watch your ceremony. I'm certain he wouldn't want to miss it."

With that, Ozai turned on his heels and left Azula sitting on her spot. The last information he had given her had felt as though he had dumped a bucket of freezing water over her head.

So, Zhao would return, now it was a certainty. And she most definitely didn't look forward to that. Her father had always been close friends with the Admiral, but her respect for the man had dwindled and disappeared long ago. His absence during the last years had made her life more enjoyable, despite it hadn't been that enjoyable all the same. What would Zhao think of all her recent accomplishments? And what would he say once he heard she was sponsoring a gladiator…?

She gritted her teeth and sighed heavily before standing up and taking off to the west wing of the Palace. Thinking about Zhao would only serve to bring her more stress than she was willing to put up with, but, luckily, she knew of one way to take care of that problem.

---

"And here's to our very successful moving day!" Ty Lee squealed as she raised her cup of tea. She had intended to toast with a stronger beverage, but nobody else had agreed to her suggestion, so tea it was.

Bringing Suki's goods had only taken one trip, and helping her settle down in her new home hadn't been time-consuming either. After that was done, the whole group had gathered in the living room around a round, low table. The room was far more crowded than Sokka had ever seen it before: Ty Lee sat beside Haru, as she always did, with Suki at her other side. Zuko had taken his seat next to her, upon Suki's insistence, and Mai took her place beside the Prince, with Yuudai sitting on her lap. Sokka was next to Mai, closing the circle. Zuko's flowers were placed as the centerpiece of the table. Everyone was talking quite amicably, but Sokka wasn't part of any conversations at the moment, for he couldn't stop his mind from drifting towards Azula constantly. Surely this gathering would be a lot more fun if she were here as well.

"Say, why were you helping us out today, Sokka?" Ty Lee asked, bringing Sokka out of his daze when she talked to him. "Why weren't you off on your usual training with Azula?"

"She was busy," Sokka said, smiling a little. "And so I was left with nothing to do… well, in all honesty, I had something to do but no idea how to do it, so yeah…"

"What do you mean?" Mai asked, frowning, and Sokka sighed.

"Well, we got a new challenge today," he said. "And it wasn't just some common challenge, but one that will require for me to become way stronger if I'm to survive the fight altogether. But I have no idea how to do that. My best bet so far would be to use two swords, maybe, but I doubt that would be enough."

"What challenge was it?" Haru asked, raising an eyebrow and looking at Sokka in confusion.

"It was the Millennium Dragon, challenging me to the Slate," Sokka said, curtly, and both Haru and Suki gasped.

"What?!" Suki exclaimed, once her initial shock subsided. "Y-you got a challenge to the Slate?"

"By the Millennium Dragon, of all people?!" said Haru. "You can't go through with that! You'll end up dead!"

"That's what I thought, but Azula said I should spend the next month training and if I'm not strong enough to fight him by then, she'll decline the challenge. If I am, though…" said Sokka, grimacing.

"Wait, wait, I don't understand anything," said Ty Lee, looking at the gladiators in. confusion "Who's the Millennium Dragon and what's that Slate?"

"The Millennium Dragon is only the second-best fighter of the League," said Haru, frowning.

"And the Slate is a fighting ring where only firebenders have survived," said Suki, biting her lower lip. "Combustion Man… he killed many fighters in the Slate. I don't think the Millennium Dragon is as eager to murder as Combustion Man is, but the fact remains that it will be a dangerous fight to get involved in. You would be very lucky to fight there and survive, Sokka."

"Sounds bad," said Mai, caressing Yuudai's hair. The child had fallen asleep on her lap. "But not bad enough for Azula to back down, I guess. It seems just like her to pull through with this, despite the unfavorable conditions."

"They're horrid conditions," said Sokka, rubbing his forehead with his fingers. "The Arena is supposed to be made of metal. The whole place will be hotter than an oven, and that'll give him the advantage right away. I don't know how I'd possibly hold my own against him in those circumstances."

"Well…" said Ty Lee, tapping her chin with a finger. "It's not like it's impossible for you to hold your own against a firebender, not really."

"No?" Sokka asked, frowning.

"Yeah. There are some kinds of clothing here in the Fire Nation that are coated with flame-retardant material," said Ty Lee, smiling. "They would keep you from being set ablaze and they might also protect you from the awful heat."

"And in order to withstand heat, you could also train in conditions of extreme heat," Haru proposed, and Ty Lee looked at him with interest. "Maybe you could find a way to emulate the conditions of the Slate, maybe in a volcano or so, and train yourself into being able to fight properly despite the unfavorable environment."

"Huh… interesting ideas," said Sokka, blinking a few times. "But even if I do that, we're talking about the second best firebender of the League. I don't think flame-retardant clothing and training at high temperatures would suffice for me to survive against him. I should learn new fighting styles, maybe. Something that can be used against benders."

"Oh, oh! I could help you with that!" Ty Lee exclaimed, surprising Sokka.

"You could? How?" he asked, frowning.

"Well, you may not know it, but I'm quite skilled in the arts of chi-blocking," said Ty Lee, and Haru choked on his tea next to her before blushing. "I could teach you how to chi-block, and that way you could render your opponents helpless in the battlefield!"

"That's easier said than done," Mai stated, just as Sokka's hopes were starting to rise. "A firebender can be chi-blocked all the same as a normal person can, but it's not going to be easy to do it in those conditions. Sokka would need to get really close to him in order to block his chi, and getting so close to his opponent might prove lethal in that kind of fighting pit."

"Chi-blocking is also done through hand-to-hand combat," said Haru, thoughtful. "So Sokka would have to learn a lot more of that, too, if he wants to become an efficient chi-blocker."

"Truthfully, I was thinking he should develop a method of chi-blocking at a distance," said Mai, her arms folded before her chest. "Say, through projectiles."

"Projectiles?" Sokka asked, raising an eyebrow. "My only long-range weapon is my boomerang…"

"Well, that could work," said Ty Lee, shrugging. "You can chi-block with almost anything, really. So long as you hit the right spot with the proper strength, you'll chi-block your opponent effectively."

Sokka frowned, rubbing the stub of beard on his chin while thinking hard. Azula did want him to develop new skills, and what they were suggesting was starting to sound promising. It made him think that perhaps he truly could stand a chance against the Millennium Dragon.

"To be fair, what you're saying sounds good," said Sokka. "But are you guys willing to help me? Aren't you all busy with other things?"

"Well, I'm not that busy," said Ty Lee, smiling happily. "So at least Haru and I could help you. I have enough free time to teach you the basics of chi-blocking."

"I could help you with aiming, in my spare time," Mai said, shrugging. "I don't know how much help you'll need with that, but perhaps I could help you figure out how to chi-block at a distance. Should keep me from utter boredom for a few days, if anything."

"And regarding hand-to-hand combat…" Suki said, surprising everyone. "I could help with that. I mean, I should start training as well. I've been getting rusty, so why not?"

Zuko looked at her with concern, and Sokka didn't miss the expression on the Prince's face. He bit his lip yet smiled at Suki, nodding in her direction to acknowledge her offer.

"Well, if you guys really are willing to do this, I'm probably going to impose upon you all for a month or two," he said, with a smirk. "But it's all up to Azula. I'll ask her if she approves of this or if she has better ideas, but I doubt we'll come up with anything better than this."

"You could fight Zuko and Azula simultaneously!" Ty Lee blurted, and both Sokka and Zuko stared at her in disbelief. "I mean, two firebenders fighting against you would prove a lot stronger than just the Millennium Dragon, right?"

"Yeah, I don't think so," said Zuko, frowning. "I didn't say I'd help him with anything, I really don't want…"

"To be honest, I doubt that'll be necessary, Azula alone already should be way tougher than the Dragon," said Sokka, waving a hand carelessly. "No need to involve Zuko if he doesn't want to get involved."

"Well, then the rest of us can work with you," said Haru, smiling at Sokka. "I know training with an earthbender might not help much when your fight will be against a firebender, but I'm up for helping you develop your agility more. You'll need it in the Slate"

"Sounds like I will," said Sokka, grinning back. "Thanks. Then, uh… I guess we could start tomorrow? The sooner we start, the better."

"Sure! Come here tomorrow with Azula!" Ty Lee exclaimed, happily, and Sokka nodded.

"I will," he said, feeling somewhat relieved by how quickly his predicament had been solved… or, at least, how quickly it appeared to have been solved. Chances were the Millennium Dragon would still be too strong for him to handle, but at least this would improve his odds to survive the battle.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Zuko whispered to Suki, looking at her worriedly. "I mean… if you're not up for it, you don't have to bother. You don't owe him anything."

"I actually think I owe him, and your sister, a lot more than I realize," Suki replied, looking at him sideways. Zuko frowned and she smiled, reaching out to clasp his hand under the table.

Zuko's eyes widened and his cheeks reddened as Suki gave his fingers a squeeze.

"Everything will be alright, Zuko. Don't worry about me," she said, and Zuko smiled before nodding, deciding to trust her. But also deciding to come watch the training tomorrow, just to make sure Suki would be fine after all.

Sokka and Zuko returned to the Palace together, but they went their separate ways as soon as they crossed the front gates: Sokka took off towards Xin Long's refuge while Zuko went to his room. The gladiator hoped to find Azula with her dragon, but Xin Long was by himself, napping quite unceremoniously on the ground. Sokka decided to continue looking for Azula in the Palace, guessing he might find her in her room.

As soon as he opened the door he found the Princess pacing within her private chambers. Yet his delight by having found her was replaced by amazement when he detailed her appearance. In one word, she looked radiant. Her hair seemed to be sparkling, and her skin looked smoother than he had seen it before. He blinked a few times, wondering if perhaps he was seeing things differently merely because she was wearing her red-and-gold robe rather than her usual armor, but something about her wasn't quite the same as usual.

"Sokka?" she said, raising her eyebrows as she regarded him when she heard the door swing open. "Care to knock next time, will you?"

"S-sorry, I just didn't really think I'd find you in here," he said, smiling weakly before stepping forward and closing the door behind him. "You settled things with your dad, then?"

"Indeed. It didn't take as long as I expected," Azula said. "I had enough time to head down to the spa, I hadn't done that in a while."

"Huh, I see," said Sokka, smiling. "Well, I hope it was relaxing, if anything. I've never been there myself, truth to be told…"

"And you won't be going there anytime soon, sorry to say," Azula told him, with a smirk. "My father has been permissive regarding you in many ways, but I doubt he'll consent to have a gladiator enjoying himself in the royal spa."

"Oh, bummer. Well, I'll try to live with that," he said, and Azula smiled.

"Good to know you'll make that effort," she said. "Any progress regarding our predicament, then?"

"Actually… yeah," said Sokka, taking her by surprise.

"Oh, really?"

"Really," he said, before retelling what had happened in Ty Lee's house. Azula had been quite surprised to hear Sokka had followed Zuko to Mai's house, and afterward's to Ty Lee's, but she wasn't displeased upon discovering her friends were willing to help her gladiator.

"Then chi-blocking?" she said, thoughtful, once Sokka had conveyed everything to her. "It should come in handy, it's true, but it may be too wishful. If you're going to be fighting in a metallic cage, it's not bound to be easy for you to chi-block him without being set on fire first."

"She said I could wear some special, flame-retardant clothes, I think," said Sokka. "My armor wouldn't catch fire, and having flame-retardant clothes should help me avoid being set on fire even if his attacks reached me."

"Interesting," said Azula, nodding. "Flame-retardant clothing would be a good idea."

"Still, uh… you may not feel that comfortable with this," said Sokka, smiling weakly. "I mean, learning new fighting styles should help me, but, well… one of the people offering to teach me something was Suki. So, if you don't want that to happen, I can just…"

"Never mind that, she was a good fighter," Azula acknowledged. "If she can teach you something on those regards, she's free to do so. As long as she doesn't get too mushy around you, I won't complain."

"Really?" Sokka said, surprised.

"I'd like to believe I can trust you not to get entangled with other girls while I'm not around," Azula said, matter-of-factly. "It wouldn't be too convenient for you to do so in these circumstances either. If I suspected there's anything going on with you and that girl, I could simply ask Mai or Ty Lee and they'd tell me all about it."

"Huh, so that's how you'll trust me?" Sokka asked, skeptically, raising an eyebrow, and Azula smirked.

"Well, if you thought there was any reason why I might refuse to let you train with her, perhaps it is," she said, and he sighed before shaking his head.

"Can't say I blame you, but you don't have to worry. It even looks like Suki is… wait. What do you mean with that about not being around?"

Azula's mood darkened upon that, and she grimaced as Sokka looked at her inquisitively.

"You see… I have a few things to take care of, myself," she said, before explaining her situation to Sokka. He remained silent, but soon was utterly befuddled as she told him what her father had decided regarding the ceremony he wanted Azula to perform.

"W-wait, so… this ceremony is supposed to start up some festivals?" Sokka asked, confused.

"Indeed, the Fire Nation's holidays," Azula nodded. "There are many events spread through the week, and the first one is the ceremony my father wants me to perform. The streets are lined with vendors during the whole week, there are parades, theater plays, competitions, a ball… all sorts of celebratory matters. You missed it last year because you were still staying at Piandao's. Not to say the holidays aren't celebrated throughout the whole nation, but the main spotlight of the festivals is in the Capital."

"Huh," said Sokka, frowning. "And you said you're the first Princess to ever perform this ceremony?"

"According to what the records say, I would be," Azula said, sighing. "I'm not too pleased by this, though. Only a rookie would think ceremonial firebending is the same as combat firebending. I'm a master of the latter, not the former."

"But you can do it, right?" said Sokka, raising an eyebrow. "I mean, you're the best firebender in the world, aren't you?"

"Maybe," Azula said, shrugging. "But while I might not have as hard time as many to learn ceremonial firebending, it doesn't mean I was the best candidate for this."

"You can't be serious," said Sokka, smiling a little. "It's odd to hear you to doubting your abilities, Azula. You know you're better than you're claiming to be right now."

"I know my own capacities well enough," she snapped, glaring at him. "But it's not as simple as you think, Sokka. Learning a set of stances isn't all there is to ceremonial bending."

"Okay, okay," he said, grimacing. "But then you have to get ready for that? You won't be able to train with me?"

"It's unlikely," said Azula, shrugging. "On top of it all, according to the date written on the challenge, our fight in the Slate is supposed to take place two days after the ceremony, too."

"What?!" Sokka exclaimed, looking at her in dismay. "Are you serious?"

"Yes, I am. Both things have been brought upon us at the worst possible timing, really," said Azula, sighing. "I wish it weren't so, but Shoji already said we can't change the date for the Slate. We're stuck with these two dates."

"So, it's not like we have a choice," said Sokka, frowning. "Either you give up on the ceremony or I give up on the Slate…"

"Give up?" Azula asked, raising her eyebrows. "Sokka… that's not an option. I have to practice for the ceremony, it's that simple. My father wouldn't let me get out of this."

"And how am I going to train for the Slate without you?" Sokka said, frowning. "If you have to practice ceremonial bending, which is vastly different from combat bending, then I'll have no firebenders to train with."

"Well, if worst comes to worst I could have one of my guards help you," said Azula, shrugging. "Taro might want to, he seems fond of you."

"Uh, yeah, that might work. J-just don't send Rui Shi," said Sokka, grimacing, and Azula raised an eyebrow.

"Huh?"

"Well… he sort of talked with me when you left earlier today," Sokka said, looking at her warily. "And he wasn't happy."

"Why, exactly?" Azula said, frowning now. Something about the Captain had felt wrong to her, but she hadn't figured out what it was.

"Because it seems he saw us in Shu Jing… on the roof," said Sokka, and Azula closed her eyes before taking a deep breath and rubbing her forehead with her fingers. "I tried to calm him down, but things escalated and, well… I don't know what he'll do. I mean, if he was going to report to your father about us, he would've done it already, right?"

"Maybe. But maybe he didn't because he knows there's nothing of serious consequence to report yet," Azula muttered, shaking her head. "Blast it all. So now… swell. Well, this just makes everything even better."

"I'm sorry," said Sokka, sighing. "We shouldn't be so careless anymore. We've taken many risks as it is."

"More than we should have," said Azula. "I have to talk to him. If this matter gets out of hand… well, there's no telling what would happen, truth to be told. It could be catastrophic, for everyone involved."

"It's exactly what we'd wanted to avoid," said Sokka, looking at her guiltily. "But… it was just hard to help it."

"Nice as it is to know you couldn't exert the willpower to resist me, this is a serious problem," said Azula, closing her eyes and folding her arms across her chest. "And one we'll have to tend to before it escalates any further."

"Sounds about right," said Sokka, nodding.

"I'll see to that one of these days," Azula muttered. "In the meantime… well, if this is the situation we're facing, with both our respective trainings to tend to and with the Captain lurking, I think…"

"You think we should…?" Sokka started, looking at her warily. Azula released a slow sigh before answering his unfinished question.

"We should pull through, both with the Slate and the ceremony. We won't spend as much time around the other if we do, which might help shake the Captain off for a while. I can't back away from the ceremony, there's no point to even wondering if I can. And you should learn new techniques, not just for this fight but for all your future fights. So…"

"B-but…" said Sokka, looking at her with despair.

Azula shrugged, dropping her hands at either side of her body.

"You can't expect anything better than this," she said. "It's only a matter of two months anyways. And it's not as though we won't see one another at all, I'll still drop by whenever I have free time to make sure your training is progressing smoothly. You have a month to improve to the point where you'll be able to survive a fight against the Millennium Dragon, so I'll have to check on you once in a while."

"Still, it feels unfair," said Sokka, his eyes dropping. "I suppose I'm being a selfish, needy idiot, but I can't really help it…"

"It's amusing, if you think about it," she said, smirking. "Little over a year ago you would have been relieved to get rid of me for that long, and now you're upset about it."

"Well, I'm not the same guy I was back then, and you're not the same girl you were back then, so is it really that surprising?" Sokka asked, smiling a little. "It's just… I'm going to miss you."

Azula looked at him sadly and shook her head, at which Sokka raised an eyebrow.

"Could you not be so dramatic? It's for both our sakes," she said, looking at him in exasperation. "You need to get stronger or you'll get killed in the Slate, I need to perform that ceremony, or my father will banish me next, and we need to keep Rui Shi off our trail or risk having him report to my father. It's all a matter of logic, really."

"Yeah, yeah, I get it. I'm not saying we can't do it," said Sokka, sighing. "It's just not going to be fun at all. Why can't things ever go our way?"

"Because we're supposed to make them go our way. You can't expect the stars to align, for every sign to be in place for you to finally make up your mind about something," Azula said, matter-of-factly. "When you want something, Sokka, you fight for it. I thought you'd know as much by now. If you sit around waiting for destiny to bring you what you want, the likelihood is that you won't ever get it. Life has a way of being harsh like that."

"Yeah, I know," said Sokka, with a weak smile. "And we've gotten through worse problems after all. Spending a little time apart won't be the end of the world. But I really am going to miss you."

"Quit saying that," she sighed, shaking her head, and he chuckled. "You make it sound like it's forever."

"A little while without you feels like an eternity," he said, stepping towards her. "All I could think about for most the day was seeing you again. Which is entirely your fault."

"My fault?" she asked, raising her eyebrows but smiling a little as he nodded.

"Yup, all on you," he said. "You said it yourself, I used to get by perfectly fine without you a few years ago. I can't do that anymore… rather, I don't want to."

"Well, neither do I, to be honest," Azula said, as he raised a hand to caressed her hair gently. "But I can't think of a better alternative than this one."

"Me neither," said Sokka, sighing. "I mean, we could give up on the Slate indeed, but then I'd just be a nuisance for you. You need to focus on your ceremonial bending, and I can't help you with that."

"And you need to become stronger," said Azula. "Our ultimate goal is for you to reach the top of the League. If you prove to be capable of standing up to the second-best gladiator, you might be capable of fighting Combustion Man and surviving, too."

"And surviving is the first step, huh?" said Sokka, smiling a little.

"Well, it's not realistic to assume you'll be able to defeat the man on your first encounter with him," said Azula. "But if you become much stronger, perhaps you'll give him a run for his money when the time comes. Nevertheless, for now, your goal is to survive against the Millennium Dragon. That's all you need to focus on."

"Yeah. And you on your ceremony," he said, smiling a little.

Azula nodded, her arms folded over her chest as she lowered her face into his hand. Sokka's palm cupped her cheek and lifted her head towards him.

"It's not a big deal, you said as much," he told her, pressing his forehead against hers. "You're going to master that ceremonial bending in a matter of days, and then you'll be kicking my butt, as you always do."

"Yeah. Hopefully," she said, smiling. "But in the meantime…"

She reached upwards, brushing her lips against his in a subtle gesture that Sokka intensified right away. His arms surrounded her, pulling her closer as hers slid around his neck, her coy kiss deepening as he as well enjoyed this moment for as long as it lasted. There was no telling when they would have a chance to kiss like this again.

New challenges had arisen for the Princess and the gladiator, challenges that meant to test their relationship in many ways. But both of them were ready to overcome them, no matter what it might take.

A/N:

Hello, everyone! I hope you enjoyed the chapter and beginning of our new story arc. In any case, I wanted to tell you that you're all invited to participate in the Sokkla Forum Fanwright created, The Crying Demon Pub. It's a forum where you're free to discuss the characters individually, their relationship, why you ship them and more. There are also fun challenges you can take up, if you feel like writing your own stories about these two but you're not sure what to do yet. Those challenges might just help you find the inspiration you needed!

Anyways, I sure look forward to seeing you guys in the Forum :) all you need to participate is your own account, so feel free to join in and discuss anything and everything regarding Sokka and Azula!