CHAPTER 7
The heat of the fire blasts at the farther end of the main deck could be felt all the way to the other end.
The orange fire that came from Zuko's fist was intense and fierce at it reached his target.
Aang bended back at him the attack he had shot him. Zuko dispersed the flames with his hands.
Azula jumped over from behind her sibling and kicked two blue blasts at the Avatar. She landed in front of Zuko as Aang managed to bend out of the way the hotter blue flames. A lower attack came from her part as Zuko threw one punch of fire.
The monk was having a hard time fighting both siblings at the same time. His face was a clear sign of it. But he was handling it well, trying as hard as he could.
Zuko and Azula were standing side by side before throwing simultaneous blows at him. One after the other one. No rest. Aang barely had time to move out of the way of their combination attack. Blue and orange flames blending perfectly. In total sync.
Training at the same time with the fire sibling had helped him notice Aang the difference in their styles, but also with their fires. Not only their color was different, but also the heat that they irradiated, and their density.
Bending Azula's flames out of the way required him more focusing on his breathing as well as precision, as her fire was fiercest and more accurate.
The Princess threw another blow that took him off guard. Aang had to bend some air to impulse him up in the air, out of the way of the attack.
He landed softly on the deck. All the attacks had ceased.
"Tsk! You little bald cheater." Azula said, dropping her stance and crossing her arms over her chest. "You airbended. Again." she scolded him.
Zuko sighed, dropping his arms and closing his eyes while shaking his head, disapprovingly.
It was a firebending exercise.
Both Zuko and Azula were supposed to throw attacks towards Aang while he would try to bend them. The point was for Zuko to test if he could fight multiple attacks without recurring to the other elements, as well to evaluate his progress in firebending during the last couple of years.
But every time they had cornered Aang, he had recurred to the help of the other elements. Mostly airbending.
"Using airbending is not the point of this training, Aang," the Fire Lord remembered him, "Firebending is."
"I know," said Aang, dropping his head forward, defeated. "I guess it's my instinct reacting." he said, as Zuko toasted him a towel to dry his sweat.
"And the score is… Fire Siblings, five. Aang, zero." shouted Sokka at the other side of the deck, making Toph next to him chuckle.
"Spirits twinkle-toes, you're embarrassing yourself," Toph mocked with a smirk, "They are whipping the floor with you." she laughed.
"You know, for someone who is used to having his ass kicked by you, I have to say; it's really amusing seeing you get your ass kicked for once," Sokka sneered, "It kind of boost my mood."
"At least, someone is having a good time," said Aang, "I think I'm a little rusty with firebending."
Aang rubbed the back of his neck, a little embarrassed. He hadn't been training a lot of firebending during the last couple of years, because of the lack of firebender a partner. He had used fire in fights and whenever it was necessary, but it had been ages since he had last had a proper firebending practice. Still, his friends were right, Zuko and Azula were practically lampooning him.
"It's a shame there is no earth close, so I can't kick your ass too as usual. Maybe I could use some metalbending. After all, this ship is fully made of metal." said Toph, knocking with her knuckles, the railing she was leaned on.
Azula glanced at the blind girl, raising an eyebrow. "You dare to touch this ship and I would not hesitate to throw you into the ocean," she warned her, "I heard that a huge serpent lives in these waters. And I'm sure it would love to have you as an appetizer."
"Ushh… the coldness," Toph made a grin. "Are going thru the Serpent Pass, then?" she asked to Sokka.
"Indeed." he said, peeking over the deck and into the ocean.
No monster, he thought, relieved.
"In that case, I would not touch this piece of metal," said Toph, remembering that time when they had been forced it to cross it by foot, she had almost drowned. "I would like to remain on this ship. At least until we left behind the Serpent's Pass."
"Smart girl." the Princess replied.
"You know," Sokka began after glancing at Zuko and Azula next to each other with the same expression on their faces. "When you are both standing next to each other, I can see this kind of… face you both make that it can be quite scary."
The sibling glanced at each other for a second, not understanding what he was talking about. What face? They both crossed her arms over their chest and frowned at him.
Aang watched them both slowly. They had the same resting face. "Yeah, I can see it too. I believe it's called…" he scratched his temple, trying to remember how he had heard it once being called. "Mmmm…"
"Resting bitch face?" said Toph, who was more focused on the wax of her ear.
The Avatar snapped his fingers. "Yes. That."
The sibling's scowling got deeper.
"You both look scary even when you are not intending too," Sokka uttered, "Must be something in your genes." he shrugged, carelessly.
"Well, if you take into consideration the family tree we came from," said Zuko, "It would be weird otherwise."
"You could also add the fact that we are royalty, which adds another 50 points to that," Azula added, agreeing to her sibling statement. "And the firebending would also be a plus."
"Is that's the case, then, when I firebend I must be also scary, right?" Aang questioned.
"Yeah, goody-goody." replied Zuko sarcastically with a grin of mockery.
"As scary as a butterfly." Azula pointed quizzically.
Aang pouted at her comment when Sokka and Toph laughed.
"What about when I'm on the Avatar State?" Aang inquired.
During the last couple of years, he had noticed quite a few times, -more often than he would wish- that people would not take him seriously whenever he tried to resolve matters in a peaceful and civilized way. And more than once he had to become someone a little passive-aggressive for people to listen to him.
Even though he was the avatar, many people still underestimated him. Maybe it was the fact that he was still really young, or maybe that he was an air nomad and they were known as pacifist people. He was proud of who he was and his linage, but sometimes, it wasn't a good thing.
Azula pressed her lips in a thin line, looking at the monk, narrowing her eyes. "Yeah…" she said stoically. "When you glow, you go from a butterfly to a firefly, instead." she scoffed.
Zuko huffed with a smirk, while Toph and Sokka chuckled. Aang eyebrows twitched before joining them in the chuckle.
The Princess glanced at them with a smirk. And for a moment a thought crossed her mind. Maybe this trip wasn't going to be that bad.
"You know, Prissy Princess, when you are not planning world domination, you're actually fun." Toph admitted, using another nickname.
"And what makes you believe that I'm not doing it, Snotty?" asked Azula, raising an eyebrow, also using a nickname with her.
Toph tilted her head. "Are you?"
The Princess made a grin. "If I get too bored… I might do it."
Zuko pushed slightly his sister with his shoulder. "Good thing that we have so much work, isn't it? So, you can't get bored."
His sister sighed deeply. "Yeah, I guess doing your job really consumes a lot of my time, Dum-Dum." she teased him.
"Tsk!" the Fire Lord rolled his eyes.
However, he had to acknowledge that if it wasn't for Azula, he would -more likely- be drowning in paperwork every day. Being Fire Lord involved much, much more paperwork than he had ever assumed, and having Azula working side by side with him, had helped him tons. As she mastered almost every political aspect he still struggled.
"Hey, guys," said Katara when she came out of the tower greeting them. "Morning sweety."
"Morning sweety." replied the Avatar grabbing her by the waist, before giving a little peck on the lips to his girlfriend.
"Oogies…" Sokka complained while Azula made a grin of disgust.
"After all these years of traveling with them, you should be used to it by now, buddy." said Zuko, raising an eyebrow.
"Nop," Sokka denied, shaking his head, "I would never get used to seeing Aang introduce his tongue into Katara's throat." he made a sign of gagging.
"Gross." muttered the Princess.
Katara frowned and placed a hand on her hip. "He is not introducing anythin…"
"I don't want to know," Sokka intervened her raising his hands. "Sis, trust me, there is not a sibling in the world who wishes to know… whatever a guy is introducing in his sister. Right, Zuko?" he glanced into the Fire Lord's direction.
"Yeah," he agreed, "I don't think I would be too comfortable if I would find out that Azula…"
"Please, shut up." Azula cut him off rubbing her temple and with her eyes closed.
Zuko pressed his lips together. He knew that gesture perfectly, and it was her way to warn him to stop talking.
"My point is… There is no way this would never stop giving me oogies." said Sokka, pointing towards them, "My friend and my sister are just... awkward. It's like, like… if you had to witness every kiss Azula and…" he paused a moment trying to think of someone to use as an example. "... and I shared."
Everyone glanced in his direction.
Azula raised both of her eyebrows, astonished by his bold statement. Zuko and Katara's eyes widened and their mouth hung open. Aang blinked perplexed and Toph was with a blank expression.
Bad example. Terrible example, Sokka though when he realized his mistake.
"Tsk! Really?" the Princess snarled, "That's the best comparison you could come up with, you idiot?"
Toph let out a loud laugh, throwing her head backward next to him while patting him on the shoulder. "Whoa… Snoozles, I didn't think you would be so direct about asking Zuko for his blessing to date his sister." she said quizzically, "Way to go, tiger." she punched him in the shoulder.
"Toph!" Sokka squealed, both for the punch and for her joke, rubbing his arm.
"You what?!" Zuko and Katara shouted elated, at the same time.
Azula rolled her eyes. "She is kidding." she replied annoyed at the earthbender giving her a death glare even if she couldn't see her.
"I'm not." Toph said stoic.
"Tsk!" grunted Sokka and Azula at the same time.
The earthbender huffed, amused. "Fine, fine…. I am," she admitted snickering a little and whipping a tear of laugher that had come out of one of her eyes. "But that was hilarious! I wish I could have seen your expressions, guys."
"Hilarious." Azula retorted, irked.
"Oi, it was a joke, Fire Lily," said Toph, patting Azula's shoulder. "Relax."
The Princess shoved off the hand of the earthbender from her shoulder with a swift move.
"I think the one's that need to relax are Zuko and Katara," muttered Aang, pointing out that neither of them had said a word as they both remained a little dumbstruck by Toph's joke.
"Jeezz…" she rubbed her forehead with her fingertips, irritated. "Is any of you acquainted with the term sarcasm?"
Zuko and Katara blinked a few times.
"Very." muttered the waterbender, glancing towards her brother's direction.
For a moment the doubt of Toph's words hadn't been a joke crossed her mind, before dissipating.
The earthbender loved to tease people. Sometimes just because she felt like it, and other times because she had a reason for it. More likely, this time she had only done it to mess with Sokka and Azula, who lately seemed to be the target of her teasing.
"See what happens when you give terrible examples, wanker?" the Princess grunted towards Sokka, before huffing. "Like if that were ever going to happen." she muttered haughtily.
"What?" Sokka squeaked, raising an eyebrow.
Azula ignored him. "Either way, I would have to agree with that," she admitted, "After a while, being around you and Mai would turn uncomfortable." she explained, glancing at Zuko.
"Oh, C'mon. It wasn't that bad," Zuko replied, "And we were never obnoxious like that." he nodded towards Aang and Katara.
"Hey!" both squealed.
Toph and Sokka snickered.
"According to you," Azula retorted, looking at her nails, answering to her brother. "But I can assure you that more than once, I wanted to do the same thing I want to do whenever I hear the sweety thing," she said with a grin, pointing at the Avatar and his girlfriend with disdain. "Throw up."
"You are exaggerating," her sibling refuted, "Mai and I were never like that. For starters, never used pet names."
"And thank the spirts for that," said Azula, "Just the mere thought of hearing you and Mai calling each other ridiculous pet-names makes me want to sew my ears." she stated with animosity before heading towards the tower.
"Where are you going?" Zuko inquired.
"To the dining room. Breakfast must be ready." she uttered, "And if I don't eat something after all this nonsense talk with you all, it's not going to end well."
"Oh, right," said Katara raising her eyebrows, "That's why I came; to let you guys know that breakfast was ready."
"And you mentioned that until now?" Sokka complained with his stomach growling.
"Way to go, sugar queen." Toph said sarcastically, hungry as well.
…
The moment Azula walked into the dining room, she noticed the people she had been talking on the deck were the only ones missing. And also, that Kiyi was stuffing her mouth with food, eagerly.
"Someone woke up a little hungry, huh?" Azula teased Kiyi as she sat in her place.
"Yeah," Kiyi replied after gulping. "I went to bed with a little hole in my stomach," she said, making a hole with her index and thumb and glancing at Azula through it. "And I woke up really…. hungry."
"Morning Kiyi." Sokka said when he took his place. Kiyi waved at him with her mouth full.
By the time the missing ones took their sits and dining room filled, the little one was already half-way through her plate.
"If I recall correctly, you said at dinner that you were full." the Princess quirked a brow at her.
Kiyi nodded. "But I didn't have dessert," she explained, "If I don't have dessert, it's like I didn't eat at all."
"Ahh… I see." a little smile formed in the corner of her mouth.
Even though Kiyi was a small girl with a small body, her appetite was voracious. Almost like the one of a grownup.
Once Kiyi finished her plate. She began with her second round.
"Hey darling," Noren greeted his daughter with a soft kiss on the top of her head. "Are you enjoying the meal?"
Kiyi smiled at him with her cheeks filled with rice while nodding.
"Easy, okay?" said Azula, "Nobody is going to steal your food," she took a quick glance towards Sokka who was also stuffing his face sloppily. "Well, at least I believe he won't try right now."
Sokka pouted. "I would never…" he began with his mouth full.
"I don't care." Azula cut him off before focusing on her meal.
"Tsk! With that temper of yours, I'm not surprised at why you don't have a boyfriend." he snarled under his breath.
The Princess huffed. "Well, you don't have a girlfriend, neither." she retorted.
"No," Sokka said stoically. "That's because I have a boyfriend." he smirked and crossed his arms.
"What?!" Kiyi and Azula squeaked at the same time. Kiyi almost choking on her food, while Azula widened her eyes and mouth.
Sokka smirked, pleased. "Did you really believe that?" he leaned closer to the Princess.
She rolled her eyes, annoyed, and pushed his face back. "Personal space beast," she grunted, "I don't judge. And I must stay that I wouldn't have been that surprising if you were." she said mockingly.
"What is that supposed…?"
"Azula," Noren called her softly, interfering Sokka before another discussion began between them. The Princess raised her eyebrows in his direction. "I know you have been working lately till really late. So, I asked the kitchen staff if they could make some mochi. Ursa mentioned once that you really used to enjoy it a lot when you were younger." he said, smiling warmly while placing a small container on the table in front of her and showing her the insides.
Inside it were at least a dozen of mochi.
"Yeah," she muttered bitterly, "When I was eight."
"Yummy…" said Kiyi, sticking her tongue from one corner of her mouth and reaching her hand to grab one.
Noren quickly closed the lead, almost pinching her daughter's fingers.
"Ahh!" she squealed.
"You know the rules, young lady," Noren scolded her, "Finish your breakfast first. And then you can ask your sister for one."
Kiyi pouted at this but said nothing and returned to her meal scowling and grunting a little bit.
Her father snickered at her childish reaction.
Since her return to the Palace, Noren had been trying to get close to her, like he had done with Zuko. At first, Azula had thought it was some kind of scheme from her mother's part, having Noren getting closer to her. Of course, she had ignored everyone one of his attempts to do so. But for some reason, he kept insisting.
Whenever he could, he would have little gestures -like this one- with her.
If she didn't show up at breakfast, he would make sure that when the servants would take her meal to her room and he would sneak in a note wishing her a good day or something silly like that. The first dozens of messages, she had burned them at the instant without bothering on reading them. But eventually, her curiosity and his insistency won. And she began reading them.
Then, he began doing things like sending the servants with some late-night snacks to her studio whenever she was up till really late working. Or making sure she and Zuko had hot tea or enough food every time they needed to spend the night awake getting documents ready for a council meeting. And when Zuko or her had a thought couple of days, he would always ask for the kitchen staff to prepare them something delicious. He claimed that it would help them boost their spirit.
She clenched her hands into fists. Her nails almost digging in her palms. Every single time Noren had these kinds of gestures with her she would feel astonished and angry.
Astonished, because he would do it willingly. And he would always do it when she would less expected and it would always be something that he would have had to take time to do it and he had always done it right.
If he sent her tea, it would be her favorite. If it was a snack, it would be something really delicious. He always knew what to get her.
And it would make her angry, because it would make her jealous of Kiyi. For having the type of father, she always wanted and never had.
"Thanks" she whispered to Noren, pressing her lips together and giving him a smile so little that it was barely noticeable.
But for him, it always seemed to be enough.
"Enjoy." he said with a smile giving her a little squeeze on the shoulder before heading to his usual place.
Sokka glanced towards Azula.
He noticed her mind was absent as she moved around the food on her plate with her chopsticks. Her eyes had a lost glance as she stared at her plate with a little frown. He wondered for a moment in what could she probably be thinking that was making her look so troubled. Her blank expression concealed all her emotions.
Then, he remembered that he had wanted to see what Noren had gotten her. He didn't have a chance to look at it before Noren had closed the lit again and his curiosity was killing him.
It must be something delicious, according to Kiyi, he thought.
With his eyes fixed on Azula in case she came back to reality, he slowly extended his arms and reached to the container. His fingertips brushed the lid when Azula smacked him in the palm with her chopsticks, hard.
"Ouch…" he squeaked, rubbing his sored hand. "How did you…?" he asked, wondering how she had been available to hit him so precisely when she wasn't even looking. "Do you have eyes in your noddle?" he frowned.
"No," she replied, expressionless, leaning back on her chair and crossing her arms over her chest. "Are all fatties greedy like you? Trying to get other people's food?" she grunted, annoyed.
"I'm not fatty!" he retorted, chagrined, "I only wanted to see what it was." he explained.
Azula rolled her eyes. "Yeah, sure…" she said ironically, "That's what a fatty would say."
Sokka opened his mouth, really affronted. "It's not fat! It's muscles!"
"If it's not fat, then I'm a waterbender." she sneered.
...
It was around sundown when Azula and Kiyi walked onto the deck, ready for Kiyi's training. But they didn't find the deck empty.
The Princess crossed her arms and sighed, annoyed.
Sokka was practicing with his sword. Shirtless.
Okay, It's not fat. I agree with that, she thought, before walking in his direction.
"He is so… handsome, don't you think?" Kiyi asked with a smile, glancing groggily in his direction, while lovey-eyes.
Azula made a grin, glancing at the little one who seemed mesmerized by the savage.
"I mean, I'm only pointing out the obvious." Kiyi shrugged with a cocked smile.
The Princess shook her head and returned her attention at him. Wondering if it would take him long to finish? And of course, enjoying -even if she would never admit it- the view of him.
The last bits of light of the sunshine reflected in his skin covered in sweat and gave him look like he was shining. The loose strands of hair that fell at the sides of his face made him look carefree, yet it was an extremely fitting look for him, as it made him look ten times more good-looking.
The little fire bender smirked when she noticed Azula was staring at him fixedly. "You also think he is handsome, right?" she teased her half-sister.
The older one raised an eyebrow with a riled expression.
"I-I was just teasing you, Az," Kiyi said, smiling nervously and waving a hand carelessly. "Let's pretend I said nothing, okay?" she laughed, glancing around.
"Shouldn't you be stretching by now?" Azula grunted, sulking.
Kiyi made a grin. "I guess I should." she muttered.
"Now." the master commanded to her pupil, pointing with her head to one of the sides of the deck.
Kiyi pouted, before dropping her head forward, defeated, but doing as commanded. She began to stretch her limbs.
"What are you going?" the little firebender asked her a moment later.
"To kick him out," said Azula, heading towards Sokka's direction. "And you begin to warm up and go over the set I taught you yesterday."
"But…"
"Do you want to do a double round of training?" Azula asked her with a warning tone.
"But…"
Kiyi closed her mouth when she tried to retort as the Princess gave her a serious look and she proceeded to do as indicated by her master with resignation.
"But you do find him handsome." Kiyi affirmed, muttering low enough to not be heard by Azula.
Sokka was practicing, too focused on his movement that he didn't notice her presence until she spoke. Jolting him a little bit.
"Why don't you put that away? You are going to hurt yourself." Azula uttered with venom in her voice.
"Huh?" he stopped his movements and turned to her.
"Plus, you are not even that good." she added stoic, glancing at her nails. She had to look everywhere except at him, as she tried to pretend that she was uninterested in peaking at him shirtless. As he looked even more mesmerizing up close.
She had seen him shirtless before. But every single time he had been hurt. And back in Lian Yu, he hadn't ben as brawny as he was now.
Damn it! The savage wasn't only handsome, but he was also freaking hot, she thought, cursing for her insides. Fighting with all her will the urge of contemplating his bare chest and biting her lip.
"What are you…? Hey! I was trained by Piandao himself." he said proudly, pointing at her with the tip of his sword.
Piandao was a well-known sword master all around the nation. Acknowledged to be the best one alive. He had trained Zuko with his dao swords when he had been too young and scared to firebend. His ways of teaching were really odd compared to other masters. Yet, he didn't have the title for nothing.
"Oh, really?" she said with irony, smirking with her attention still on her nails.
"Yeah…" he assured.
"Listen," Azula flicked at the point of his sword, annoyed, moving it out of her face. "I might be a good liar, but I also know when someone is lying." she said placing a hand on her hip.
In reality, the Princess knew he wasn't lying. After all, she had seen it use it a few times. More than once, just like that moment, pointing at her. But messing with his brain and ego was something really amusing for her, and she wasn't going to miss a chance to do it so.
"W-Wha… I'm not lying! He did!" he squealed, disgruntled at her claims.
Sokka was really proud of his sword skills. Piandao had praised himself about his abilities when he had become his student. And now, years later, once he had recovered his space sword he had made sure of keep training and improving his abilities to become the best swordmaster that ever existed.
Azula sighed. "Why would the best swordmaster train a boy from the Water Tribe the ways of the swords?" she wondered.
But she already knew the answer. Piandao was also a member of the secret -not so secret- society the White Lotus, and they all believed in the harmony and unity of the four nations. He would take anyone as his pupil as long as it would answer correctly to his question. Why should I teach you?
"Because he recognized me as someone worthy." said Sokka haughtily, sliding the blade into the scabbard.
And also, very skilled, talented, witty and he was impressed by my abilities he thought but decided to keep that thought for himself.
The Princess rolled her eyes before huffing. "Sure…" her smirk grew wider. "I guess his standards aren't as high as they used to be." she returned her attention to her nails.
"Huh?" he quirked an eyebrow and crossed his arms. Was she implying what he thought she was implying? "What do you mean by that?"
"I mean, what I mean. If he decided to teach you, it means he is just taking every moron in his way as pupil…. I mean, he took Zuko." Azula uttered.
Still, she might need to thank Zuzu for that.
When he had gone training with Piandao during their childhood days, her father had though wise and fair for her to also learn to use a weapon and don't depend fully on her bending, so he had gotten her the retired Captain of the elite squad of the Yu-Yan archers to train her in the use of that weapon.
"Anyway, get lost," said the Princess, turning around. "We need to train."
"Are you going to training your firebending?" he inquired.
Azula stop her tracks and looked at him over her shoulder with a stoic expression. "No," she said, "I'm training waterbending…." Sokka pouted at her words. She rolled her eyes. "Obviously, I'm training firebending, wazzock."
"Are you going to train your lighting?" he inquired.
She turned, crossing her arms. "Of course. Would you like to take part?" she asked, giving him a mischievous smile.
Sokka gulped. "Pass…" Azula shrugged before turning around. "But hey…" he called her again, when a thought crossed his mind.
He knew that Azula had been helping Zuko with his fighting style. Not only his firebending but also with other styles. Like, hand to hand combat, and in using different weapons.
"What?!" she grunted, vexed, turning once more in his direction.
"Here's a thought." he said.
The Princess raised her eyebrows. "Surprise, surprise." she mocked.
Sokka's eyebrows twitched. "I don't appreciate the tone but… look, I need a partner for training and also, I don't know… Maybe, if you are interested..." he rubbed the back of his neck. "Would you be interested in learning some sword fighting?" he asked, walking towards her.
Her eyes widened, perplexed at his proposal. Had she heard correctly? "What?"
"I mean, I could teach you the basics," he said, "It would help me practice and…"
Azula raised a hand. "Wait, wait…" she tilted her head. "Why are you asking me? There isn't like another dozen of people in the Barge you would like to ask first?" she inquired, feeling curious about his intention. Why he was asking her, of all people? Couldn't he train with Ty Lee? Or his ex? Or any other of the painted girls? Or even Zuko?
He shrugged. "Well, yeah… but…"
"You seriously think that us training together is a good idea?" she raised an eyebrow, "Aren't… Aren't you afraid I might do something to you?"
Sokka frowned, gabbled. "No. Why would I?"
Now it was her turn to shrug. "Maybe for all the terrible things I could do to you?" she said, rolling her eyes. Haven't all of them claimed that she would? "Also, I don't wish to have your sister attacking me again. The next time could not end well… for her."
Azula had been trying hard to keep it cool with the peasant waterbender that time, -for her sake mostly, but she didn't know if she would be available to do it once more if she attacked her again.
"Azula," he told her name softly and side smiled. "I'm not afraid of you." he assured.
And he wasn't. In fact, he hadn't been afraid of her for a while. He recognized that a while ago; he had been. He used to find her terrifying. But after Lian Yu and now Yu Dao, he wasn't afraid of her, not anymore. Still, he was very aware that she was a force to be recon in every aspect.
Her bending abilities were out of this world, –the only bender with blue fire, and not to mention the lighting-. She fast and agile, -even without her bending-. Her brains were also something else. She was probably the smartest person he knew. A natural strategist. And lastly, her looks. He had always acknowledged that she was beautiful -more terrifying than anything else- but beautiful in the end. And as he spent more time around her, he would notice that she was dazzling.
The Princess sighed. "What a shame." she muttered jokingly, making him chuckle and roll his eyes.
"If you are worried about Katara, she promised to not react so hastily next time." he said.
"Are you sure you want to train with me?" she asked again.
"Oh, I see," said Sokka, before smirking and crossing his arms over his chest. "You are chickening out, aren't you?" he teased her, "You saw my abilities and you…"
"Oh, shut up," she shut him, annoyed, "You wish I was chickening out, plonker." she crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. "What are you up to?"
She studied him momentarily. What was he trying to accomplish with this? What was his true intention behind his proposal?
"Nothing! Seriously, nothing!" he claimed serious, raising his hands. "It just… I thought it could be a good idea." he admitted, giving her a reassuring little smile.
Azula remained silent for a moment, scrutinizing his face very closely.
Sokka could help but feel a little nervous at her fixed glance upon him.
"Would you like to do it, or not?" he insisted after a moment of silence between them.
"It's… an interesting proposal," she admitted, "Why is everyone so suddenly interested in having me kicking their asses?" she muttered for herself.
"Is that a yes?" Sokka asked, raising an eyebrow.
"It's a…" Azula began, "A-Appealing, honestly… I could get to test your abilities in case Piandao's old age is getting to him and just lost his time with you."
"He did not!" he squeaked again, before sighing. "But fine, why not?"
Azula turned around pleased, and after a couple of steps, she glanced at him over her shoulder. "Aren't you coming?" she inquired picking his shirt from the floor and throwing it at him smacking him in the face.
She made use of those couple of seconds to peak at him one last time. She bit the inside of her cheek trying to maintain her face as deadpanned as she could.
He was hot.
"Where?" he asked putting his shirt on rushing to trail behind her.
"Kiyi, I will be back in a moment. Begin with the first set, okay?"
"Sure." the little one replied a little confused, as Azula and Sokka entered the tower.
"You thought I was going to let you get close to me with that thing?" she nodded towards his sword in the scabbard. "No, thanks. I will not take a chance of you and clumsiness making me lose a finger." she said as they descended thru the stairs two floors under the deck.
"I'm not going to..."
"Take it or leave it." she said, harshly.
"Fine," he agreed, "But where are we going then?" he asked intrigued about where she was taking him.
When they had stolen a ship back during the war, it had been a warship. Most of the rooms had been below deck, as well as the machine rooms and cellars.
But in the Barge, the members of the Royal Family as well as their guests sleep in the upper levels of the tower. Zuko, Azula, and the cockpit shared the highest floor with their respective rooms in there. Then, it was the rest of the rooms on the following floors. And lastly, the dining room, the kitchen, and the library were on the first floor, at the same level as the deck.
He followed her into the hallway for a couple of meters until she stopped on a metal door that she pushed to open. The metal creaked loudly.
Azula lighted a flame in her hand, before throwing it to one torch in one of the corners and then to another one and another one until the room lighted fully.
The Armory.
Sokka followed her inside, looking around the room. By the amount of weapons, and different types of them in there, it kind of reminded him of a weapon shop. Spears, halberds, crossbows, bows and arrows, lances, and… swords.
"Whoa…" Sokka uttered, amazed at the swords hanging on the wall.
Different types, sizes, forms, blades… all of them unique, just like his own space sword.
His eyes blinked at one with the white blade. "This is amazing." he said mesmerized, reaching to touch it, when Azula slapped him in the hand.
"Ouch!" he squeaked, "Was it with you and slapping people's hands?" he grunted.
"Not touching, savage." she warned him.
"I wasn't going to touch it," he lied. Azula raised an eyebrow. "Fine. I was just going to admire it closely, okay? Sheesh…"
The Princess returned to look for what she had come initially. While Sokka glanced around the room, looking at some more weapons. There were so many, some of them, he didn't even know what they were, or had the slightest clue about how using them.
"Catch." Azula said, throwing at him a wooden sword.
Sokka caught in the air. "So, this is what we came for," he muttered, pleased, "Ready to fight me, Princess?" he dared her.
"More like, ready to kick your ass." she replied, cockily.
…
"Please Fire Lily, give him a nice beating." yelled Toph in the deck.
The Princess smirked. "I will. And without using my bending." she said, haughtily.
When Azula and Sokka had returned to the main deck, they had found the earthbender talking with Kiyi.
"We would see that," Sokka replied, before shouting with irony. "Thanks for the support Toph."
"You are welcome Captain Boomerang." Toph sneered.
"Captain Boomerang?" Azula quirked a brow at the nickname as they walked in circles.
Sokka rolled his eyes. "Toph and her thousand of nicknames," he said, "Okay, so, the first thing you need to know about sword fighting is…" he began explaining, but Azula threw a strike at him above his head. He blocked his sword just in time, stunned. He blinked a few times, perplexed. "Okay, you do know the basics." he said, trying not to sound too impressed.
"Of course. I used to sneak in whenever Zuko had a training lesson." she admitted, "I peeked some of the basics."
Sokka smirked as their swords were pushing against each other. "Why am I not surprised?"
They held their swords against each other at their chests level. Sokka was amazed by the amount of strength in Azula's body. She was a head shorter than him and probably half his weight, yet she could hold her ground against someone his size without using her bending.
Sokka slid his sword blade against hers. They both took a few steps back. "In that case, I supose I can start with you on a level a little more up."
This "training" lesson is turning into something more interesting, he thought, pleased.
"Are you going to keep talking or are you going to do something?" Azula teased him, cavalier.
"Just one rule before we begin, Princess." he uttered firmly, "No bending."
"Party-popper," replied Azula, "But that was a given, oaf."
"Oi, Kiyi," said Toph, "Make sure to describe me everything they do, got it?"
Even though, she could sense them perfectly on the deck, there were some things she couldn't notice, yet, she didn't want to lose a detail of their sparring session, as it could turn into tons and tons of material to mock both of them later on.
"Yes." Kiyi nodded at the request of the earthbender.
Now it was his turn to attack. Sokka swoop forward. Azula spun around to avoid his attack with her characteristic flawlessly. When he lunged again, she blocked his attack above her head and twisted her arm in a way that her blade would get a top him, and in an unnatural angle making him lowered it to the floor, neutralizing his blade under hers.
"Nice block," he praised her. His body was really close to hers. His upper chest brushing against her shoulder. His knees were a little bended over, so his face was at the same high as her, just a few centimeters away from each other.
"I'm a quick learner." she replied, proudly.
"Now, let see your footing," said Sokka, trying to ignore their closeness, before Azula punched him in the chest with her elbow, making him take a few steps backs "Ow…" he winced.
"Captain boomerang," she said with mockery, walking around. "I'm curious… It's for your little toy, right?"
Sokka straightened and raised his eyebrows. "Toy?" he inquired, disgruntled at the word toy, "You mean my boomerang?" Azula nodded. "First, it's not a toy. And second, yeah, why?"
"No reason," she shrugged and pointed at him with the tip of her sword at his neck. "It just came to my mind that one time you used to smack me in the head." she remembered wanting to make him pay for that.
"Oh, that." he muttered.
Sokka, taking advantage of the movement, swung his sword against hers. Her sword moved out of the way, leaving him a huge opening for a second strike. Azula had to move around to avoid his attack. Sokka closed the distance between them with his third hit.
The Princess had a hard time trying to block that one. She had barely managed to do it when the distance between them had been too short.
"What are they doing?" Toph asked Kiyi, as she could sense them standing really close to each other.
"They are standing right in front of each other," Kiyi described, "Their swords are between them, at their necks level, and…"
"What else?" the earthbender raised her eyebrows when Kiyi made a pause.
Kiyi tilted her head. "Their faces are… really, really close to each other," she said, "Like, when mom and dad are about to kiss. But their expressions are different."
Both breathed with difficulty.
"Just so we are clear," said the Princess slightly panting, looking at him in the eyes. "The next time you try to use your toy on me, I would not hesitate to shove it right back into you as…"
"Azula." Sokka retorted, raising his eyebrows.
Azula smirked before pushing him hard. Sokka falter a few steps back.
The Princess darted forward, flourishing her sword, ready to strike him. Sokka's reflexes and footing helped him wonder, making him evade her attacks. He slid around at her blocking and avoiding her stabs. And in a surprising turn of events, he managed to stand behind her. Trapping her between his body and his wooden blade at her neck.
Sokka gasped, a pleased smirk on his face due to the current situation. "Your footing is fine," he muttered at her ear. "But you leave too many openings."
Azula swallowed hard. His breath brushing against her skin was a pleasant sensation that made a shiver run down her back. She could feel his hard chest pressing against her back.
She looked over her shoulder up to him. His face was so close that his breath made her bangs dance. She wanted to push him away, make him take a few steps back, and respect her personal space, yet, at the same time, something inside her told her not to. His warm touch made her feel for some reason comfortable.
His blue eyes scrutinized her face closely. Her nose, her eyebrows, her eyes, and lastly her lips.
Sokka gulped hard when he realized he had been starring at them more than intended. His eyes when back to meet her eyes that were glancing at his fixedly. He noticed that hers were a shinier tone than her older sibling.
"Kiyi?" Toph called.
"I… I-I don't think this is very age-appropriate for me to be witnessing." Kiyi replied motionless with her glance upon the other two on the deck.
"You know," Sokka mumbled, "I reiterate my statement from Lian Yu. You do are gorgeous." he affirmed, before raising his eyebrows. "Did I say that out loud?" he asked, dreading he had.
"You did," Azula replied, before stomping in his foot really hard, making him lose his grip around her. She took advantage of his moment of distraction and she swept him off his feet with a fierce, low kick.
Sokka felt on his back. "Ow!" he complained.
"Who left too many openings, again?" she inquired cockily, looking him from above, with a smirk of superiority.
He peeked at her feet. "Still you." he replied before entwining his legs with hers and making her fall back.
The Princess groaned in pain when she landed on her back. She clenched her teeth.
"See? I wo…" Sokka began to say as he stood up, but Azula cut him off, kicking him again in the legs, making him smack against the floor again. "Ouch." he squeaked.
"Who said the fight was over, huh, beast?" she inquired, standing up and placing a foot on his chest to keep him in the ground.
Kiyi and Toph approached them. The last one with an enormous smile on her face.
"Spirits, Snoozles," she said, "I had almost forgotten how amusing it was to see you get your ass kicked." she sneered.
"Ha ha, very funny," he pouted at her mocks. "Azula, would you mind?" he inquired, nodding towards her feet and stretching an arm to her to help him stand. "I think I pulled a muscle." he said with wincing.
"You can't pull what you don't have." the Princess replied while helping him up.
"You beat me for one second." Toph retorted, snickering.
"What is happening?" Katara's voice made them turn.
The Avatar and Zuko were standing next to her.
Azula's eyes traveled to the waterbender's hands. They were coated in water and she recognized her stance. She was ready to attack. Ready to attack her.
The Princess huffed, irked. "Shit." she grunted. Before walking in their direction and bumping Katara's shoulder aggressively out of the way, making her stumble back.
Water splashed around her.
"What the…?" Sokka asked befuddled for what had happened, as his eyes followed the very furious Princess head to the tower and lose in it. Then, his glance when to his sibling who was bending the water on the surrounding floor, back to where it belonged.
"I guess I got a little precipitate, again." Katara admitted, pondering a little bit.
Aang squeezed her shoulder, supportingly. "It's okay, sweety," he said, "Remember, it also took you a while to fully trust Zuko. I suppose with Azula is going to be the same."
"Yeah, you were kind of an asshole to him, back then." said Sokka, crossing his arm over his chest.
Katara's eyebrow twitched at her brother's comment. "Thanks, Sokka." she grunted.
"You're welcome." he replied.
"I'm just hoping that you guys aren't hoping for another round of life-changing trips with her," said Zuko, "Because if that's the case, I firmly believe she would rather choose eternal hate from your part than doing it."
"By the way," said Toph, "You still own me one." she remembered to the Fire Lord.
"You are never going to let that go, right?" Zuko sighed.
Well, I could say I already had one, Sokka thought, recalling Lian Yu.
...
The Princess locked herself in her studio for the rest of the evening. She even asked for dinner to be brought up there. Distracting her mind with work was excellent for her to distract herself from all the matter that had happened back in the deck.
She had been a fool for thinking that she could have a civilized relationship with her brother's drifters friends.
They were just a bunch of goody-goodies, thinking that whatever they did it was right and justified, and that believed to own the right to judge everybody else actions.
The mere thought infuriated her even more.
Azula finished revising the documents she needed to late that night. But she didn't feel the least exhausted, in fact, her mind was still raising with thousands of thoughts. So, she did what had helped her to ease her mind for the last couple of months. Write.
She took her notebook and headed to the main deck. For some reason during this voyage, the sound of the waves helped calm down, and put in order her mind in an easier way.
Most of the time it was just write down a list of things she needed to get done the next day, and scratch the ones she had done that day, or as she had been advised in the institution, write down her most predominant emotion of the day and the reason of it.
She was about to finish, when someone stood next to her, leaning on the railing.
"Hey." Sokka greeted her when he found her later in the upper deck writing in a notebook, just like the first night of the voyage. He had been looking at the ceiling of his cabin for a while without being available to falling sleep. And when he had gone for a walk thru the Barge, he had seen her on the deck through the window.
Azula didn't reply, but once she finished writing she closed the notebook and walked pass next to him.
"Azula," he stopped her, grabbing her by the arm. She glanced at his hold of her, and then at him.
"Sorry, for what happen earlier," Sokka began, "My sister can be quite…" he made a pause to try and find the right word to justify Katara's reactions.
"A jerk?" Azula completed for him.
"I was going to say overprotective," he said, letting go of his grip. "It's her motherly nature."
"That's your way of seeing it," she replied, wondering why he was bothering in making excuses for her.
"Look,…" Sokka spoke, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning his back on the banister but Azula raised a hand showing her a palm to stop him from talking.
"Sokka," she said. Sokka raised his eyebrows. If he was remembering correctly, it was the first time she was saying his name, instead of calling him by an insult. "Why are you here?" she questioned.
"I couldn't sleep. So, I decided to go for a walk." he explained.
"No," she cut him off, "I mean, why are you here? Why are you here making excuses? What are you doing?"
"I don't understand, what are you trying to say," he said gabbled, "What do you mean by that?" he inquired, tilting his head.
Azula sighed and leaned on the railing next to him. "What I'm trying to say is; Why are you being… nice to me? Why do you keep insisting on talking to me? We are not friends." she stated, glancing at him thru the corner of her eyes.
Sokka turned around and looked in her direction, frowning. "We are... not?"
The Princess glanced away from him and focused her attention on the reflection of the sky in the waters of the ocean. "I don't know what gave you the idea." she muttered deadpanned, wrapping her arms around her.
She was a little baffled that he had assumed that they were friends.
He shrugged. "Well, the fact that you saved my life, maybe?" he admitted, feeling a little shaken. Maybe he had rushed to assume that now a little bond of friendship existed between them.
When Zuko had asked to join them, he and Katara had acted harshly towards him. Zuko had to help them defeat Combustion man for them to accept him in the group, and then, when he had helped him to break into the Boiling Rock, he had fully embraced his friendship.
Azula on the other hand, just like Zuko, she had done what she had thought that it was right in the moment. But she had never asked for their acceptance. She had never tried to befriend them. She didn't want friends. She only wanted to move on.
"That means nothing…" Azula retorted, bitterly. "I just…"
I didn't want to add another guilty conscience, she thought, I already have enough.
"Did the right thing?" Sokka finished for her, raising an eyebrow.
"Shut up," she shut him, "I don't do the right thing." she refuted.
Sokka sniggered. "I don't know how you would take this but... for me, the fact that you saved my life… It made you my instant friend." he said with a soft warm smile.
Azula glanced at him, expressionless, wondering if he truly meant those words. She sighed. "Damn…" she cursed, "If I just would have known." she said quizzically.
"What?" he smirked, "You wouldn't have saved me?" he asked.
"When?" she quirked a brow. "Back in Lian Yu or Yu Dao?" she said with a hint of mockery.
"Both." Sokka replied.
She shrugged, looking back at him. "Am I going to regret it?"
He made a grin and nodded. "Probably. But at least you gain a friend," he pushed her slightly with his shoulder. "Also, I think Toph likes you, too."
"She doesn't like me," Azula retorted, "She only enjoys annoy me, more than she despises me." she clarified.
"Nah… I don't think so," he said, "Back then, when Zuko found us and asked to join us, she was the first one to accept him, she was also the first one to believe in him when he claimed he had changed."
"Well, I haven't," she retorted, "I'm still the same cold-hearted bitch I was back then. But with more emotional stability." she joked, but Sokka didn't laugh.
"That's what you want everyone else to believe." he said.
Azula snorted. "Sokka, that's who am I," she affirmed, "Just, because I did the 'right thing' -which I didn't- and saved your ass once, doesn't make any difference." she said making air quotes.
She wasn't a good person; she knew that. And she was never going to pretend otherwise. She was a monster. Her mother had been in charge of remembering that.
"Twice." he corrected her.
She rolled her eyes with a little side smile. "Fine. Twice."
"And that's what makes you different. The fact that you saved my life," he said, "You could have just walked away from that room in Lian Yu. I was a total jerk to you, the only person who could help me at that moment, and even after that, you decided to help me. You could have opted to leave me there. Nobody would have known that you had been there, and still, you didn't. You didn't leave."
"I told you I thought about doing that." she reminded him, glancing into the immense darkness that surrounded them. And she had been really close to leaving him there to die.
"Still you didn't."
"You are also making it sound better than what it was," she said bitterly "Like, if I was a good person."
"Who said you aren't already?" he inquired.
Your sister. My mother. Me.
"For starters, the fact that your sister keeps acting all defensive whenever I'm around, it says quite the contrary." she said.
"Just give her time, okay?" Sokka pleaded, "Katara is not a bad person. And trust me, she is trying. After I told her about what you did, she seems a little more relaxed around you. I know you might not believe it, but I guarantee you that."
Azula frowned. Relaxed? She freaking pointed at me with ice spikes the other day and was ready to attack me again hours ago; she thought.
"Which is more of what I can say about how she was with Zuko back in the day." she raised an eyebrow, inviting him to continue. "The first night he spent with us, she… she might have given him a life-treat."
Azula raised her eyebrows. "Really? Miss goody-two-shoes?"
Sokka chuckled at the nickname. "Yeap, Zuko had a hard time in convincing her to trust him," he said, "I'm sure that the other day she reacted badly because it reminded her to what happen in Ba Sing Se, when you... well, shoot the lightning to Aang and… kind off... killed him," he said, grimacing. "Give her time. She will have to get used to being around you."
"I guess," she muttered, "And you?" she inquired, facing him.
"What about me?" he tilted his head.
"Are you used to being around me?" she uttered, "Aren't you really afraid I might do something horrible to you?"
Sokka gave her a warm smile. "I thought I had already told you that, I haven't seen you like that in a long time," he said, before noticing her finger drumming nervously in her arms. "But, back to the main topic and rectifying what I said; we are friends," he changed the subject. "And yes, Toph does like you. Yes, maybe because she enjoys annoying you, just as much as you enjoy annoying her, but she does. Trust me, if she didn't, she would have probably trapped you in an earth trap or something like that in Yu Dao," he said, "As for Aang, well, he is a monk," he shrugged. "I don't think his bald spirit has space to hold any kind of resentment."
"And rectifying what I said earlier; I don't have friends," Azula remarked, "I never had, and I never will." she gulped.
Having friends is just giving weapons to people to hurt you. To know your vulnerabilities. To use them against you and betray you. Friends are a waste of time and a useless attachment. she thought, remembering the words her father had once told her.
Sokka noticed her broody glance. "But wait about Mai and Ty Lee?" he asked. He knew they haven't ended in good terms, but Zuko had mentioned one time that they had been friends for years before that.
Azula huffed. "Oh please," she said bitterly. "All my life I was blind enough to believe they were my friends. It was only after… What happened, that I realized that... they were never my friends." she muttered.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean… Wait," she began, but made a pause, straightening her posture. "Why am I even telling you?" she uttered, rim.
Sokka changed his posture and leaned on one side to face the Princess more directly. "Because I'm a good listener? And I can give you advice?"
Just because we are friends, it doesn't give him the right to give me advice. Not when I didn't ask for it, she thought.
"And who asked for advice?" Azula grunted.
"Fine," he raised his hands, showing her his palms. "No advice… But friends tend to listen, to support you and give you advice whenever you need it. And as I said before, we are now friends, so…"
She snarled between her teeth. "And I'm already regretting it."
"Huh?" Sokka smirked. "Did you admit we are friends?" Azula opened her mouth to refute, but Sokka didn't let her. "You did! You admitted we are friends."
"Tsk!" she grunted, before sighing. "More like acquaintances."
"Fine," he rolled his eyes, a little amused. "Friends, acquaintances, whatever you want to call it Princess… But why do you think they were never your friends?" he instead.
"Tch!" she grunted, irked. "How nosey can you be?"
"It's not being nosey, okay?" Sokka retorted, "It's just being curious."
"Are you going to tell me what happened in the North?" she inquired.
When the previous time she had asked him about it, he had avoided the subject by telling her that it was a long story. It was clear to her that there was something he didn't want to share with her. So, if he wasn't going to do it, why did she have to?
"I…" he glanced away. His attention turned towards the moon in the sky. Then he gave her a soft smile. "Maybe one day I'll tell you about it." he muttered with a little smile.
"Then, maybe one day I'll tell you about Mai and Ty Lee." Azula replied.
"Seems fair." he said, looking back at the moon, with a melancholic air.
"I'm going to go now," said Azula, "I was just trying to put my thoughts in order before heading to bed. And I already did, so…"
"I guess I should go too." Sokka pondered, "I'm also feeling a little sleepy." he said before yawning loudly.
They both headed back into the tower, and when Sokka reached his floor before parting from the Princess, he wished her a good night, which she replied with a faint smile and a soft goodnight too, before continuing climbing the stairs towards her room.
Azula changed into her robe and undid her hair.
She grabbed one of the mochis that Noren had gotten her that were resting in her nightstand. And by the time she dropped on her mattress, more mentally exhausted than she had realized, the words, 'We are friends' were ringing over and over in her mind.
She felt asleep, wondering if she would ever allow herself to have friends again. But most importantly, if she would ever fully trust in someone.