AN: Hey All, I know I don't typically leave notes on here but thank you all for the support on this story. I really do appreciate it! I hope you really enjoy this chapter and let me know what you think about it!

Azula's plan would include five steps to lead her to new, honorable glory.

I cannot believe that was the only word I could work into this sentence, Azula scoffed, frowning as she wrote notes on her first step. She needed every possibility to be mapped out, meaning backup plans for each step.

Step One: Find Allies

The first step in her plan to glory would be finding allies that would support her when she made her proposition to Zuko. Sokka was the first one that came to mind, followed by Kanna and Hakoda. As much as she tried to deny it, she knows that they genuinely enjoyed her presence there despite her lack of receptiveness for their affections. Kanna took every outburst with a smile and never let them stop her from being kind towards the Princess. Hakoda was accepting of her, clearly wanting to make sure she was okay during her stay. She assumed it was part of supporting Sokka in his new interest in her.

While they are both strong options, Azula knew that Sokka and Hakoda weren't enough to prove anything to Zuko. This meant actually being more receptive to the people who also extended kindness and interest her way. Something that made her nervous in more ways than one. Being kind was never her default, and her first test of this occurred the morning after coming up with this plan.

As usual, Azula was up with the sun when she could eye on her, watching her closely as she practiced her katas. She looked around and saw nothing but snow, the white desert that nearly blinded her. She blinked a few times and passed it off on her paranoid mind. A deep breath flowed through her body as she began the next pose, but all of her muscles froze when she heard the unmistakable crunch of a boot stepping in the snow. Azula straightened her pose and turned to face the source of the sound.

"I won't hurt you if you come out with your hands up," her voice carried that deadly tone that made the hair on the back of your neck standstill.

What happened to being kind? Ursa questioned.

I could've struck him down right there, Azula quickly replied, annoyed with her mother and her pestering.

"Ahh!" The shout clearly came from the source, which sounded like a young child. Azula watched as the young boy slowly walked from behind the hill of snow. He wiped snowflakes from his face and clothes as he approached her with his eyes focused on the ground. When he was finally across from her, the Princess cleared her throat and, the boy looked up at her, practically throwing his hands in the air.

"Some assassin you are," she shook her head at the boy's clumsiness.

"What? I'm no assassin. I am here to learn, Princess." The boy bowed in front of her and, her eyes widened.

"Learn? Learn what?"

"Your combat and strategy. You conquered Ba Sing Se!" He exclaimed and, Azula grimaced at his excitement. She used to feel pride when thinking of Ba Sing Se but now it left her sad when she thought of it.

"How old are you?"

"I'm seven, but I am a good student!"

Of course, he lived most of his life without a war. The hate for everything fire nation had slowly started to die out and, for him, the One Hundred Year War must seem like an old tale instead of the grim reality it was.

"Wouldn't you rather have Sokka teach you?" She questions and, he quickly shakes his head.

"He's tried, he's not the best teacher." Azula couldn't hold her chuckle back about that. As the boy looked at her, she realized that this could work with her plan. Another way to show her own growth, teaching a child of a different nation.

"That sounds correct," she tells him and, he nods, still looking up at her. "If you want to be taught by me, there will be rules. I am no one to be messed with." Azula explains and, he nodded hurriedly.

"Of course, Princess." He bows his head again.

"Then we will start soon-" she looked at the boy again and realized that she doesn't even know his name.

"Ku-San. My name is Ku-San."

"Then I'll see you at soon, Ku-San." The boy nodded with excitement, bowing his head out of respect once more before leaving the Princess.

Once Azula sat down at her table in the library, she realized what she had actually agreed to. She tried to go along with her usual routine, but it kept nagging at her as she worked. The Princess left the library early that day and hoped for a moment that the solution to her problem would appear to her.

And appear to her it did.

"Hakoda!" Azula called the chieftain over as he walked past the library.

"Azula, how are you today?" He smiled at her.

"I am doing well. You?"

That's new, Ursa commented and, Azula was tempted to roll her eyes,

"Doing pretty good! Did you need help?" Hakoda asked her and. she cursed his kindness. Azula couldn't deny this would be the best opportunity to ask what she needed to.

"I," Azula paused. She was asking for help. Just thinking about it made her skin crawl. She wanted to just say forget it and only worry if the boy's parents got angry. That sounded okay until she thought of her plan. One misstep and everything could derail before it even began. "Actually, I wanted to ask about a boy in the village. His name is Ku-San,"

"Ah yes, I know Ku-San. He's an adventurous one,"

"Well, he asked me to train him," Azula starts and, Hakoda nodded.

"That sounds about right. He's a fighter, but he was two when the war ended. After one hundred years, people are tired of fighting and preparing for war." Hakoda explained and, Azula strangely knew what he was talking about. She had been ready to give everything for her nation and her father during the war.

As a child!

Once it was over when she was exhausted before her life even began.

"Well, the child was convincing and, I agreed to train him but, I have to admit I failed to think about the boy's parents," Azula tells him and, the man nodded.

"His father died shortly after his birth but, his mother Somi, lives on the other side of the village. I'm sure-" Hakoda stopped his sentence. Sometimes he forgot who he was talking to. A girl who had the strength and intelligence to take over a whole kingdom and put herself on the throne. Azula looked at him and sighed, nodded her head. She understood him, his hesitation because it matched her own. She felt nervous about teaching him herself since her interactions with children are far from kind or motherly. It would hurt her if she made the child cry, intentionally or otherwise.

"How about we both talk to her tomorrow?" Hakoda suggested and, Azula almost let her face slip into a frown. She missed the days where this feeling didn't exist, this pit in her stomach that made her uncomfortable. The days where it didn't matter how people viewed her because it would go her way anyways.

"It might be better if it was just you that spoke to her," Azula tells him and, he shakes his head.

"I think she'd like to know who her son will be spending his mornings with," Hakoda points out and, Azula sighs. He was right and, that made her even more nervous.

"Well, I'm sure that'll change. I'm assuming the war is the reason that woman's son no longer has a father and, well, I seem to be a reminder of that," she tells him, her voice calm and, Hakoda frowns. Azula was her own biggest enemy when it came to trusting, trusting that others won't instantly see her mistakes or her father when they saw her. Trusting that they wouldn't hurt her. It wasn't something she knew how to do.

"Try to have a little faith," he reassured, "You'd be surprised by people and their ability for forgiveness. Just show her that you are worth being forgiven." Hakoda elaborated.

Worth being forgiven? Azula could laugh at the thought. Everyone thought the most she was worth is four concrete walls at the asylum. Forgiveness was not in the equation.

Sokka has forgiven you. So has Hakoda and Kanna. You are worth forgiving, Ursa yapped in her ear and, she could feel that uncomfortable pit returning to her stomach.

"So I'll see you tomorrow morning?" Hakoda asked and, Azula nodded.

"You can expect me tomorrow morning," Azula answered.

She could only hope Hakoda was right.

The bright rays of the sun reflected off the snow and ice of the igloo. Azula stood nervously after preparing to see Somi. She had no clue what to expect and, that made it even worse to sit and wait until she arrived at Somi's home later that morning.

"I hear you're talking to Somi today!" Sokka walked in the igloo, his usual cheerful energy radiating through him. She looked at him and tried to smile but, it failed to reach her eyes.

"Yes. Your father and I are going over there shortly," she tells him and, he nods.

"Want me to braid your hair?" Sokka asked and, Azula's eyes widen before narrowing directly at him.

"Why?" Azula questioned him. What does he gain from doing that for her? Why did she want him to? She had to admit that him braiding her hair sounded appealing. He did a good job last time and ever since last week...well, she didn't know how to feel with Sokka around.

Azula quietly put on her boots and her parka, trying her best to keep her balance with only one hand to do it. The other hand carefully held a flame to light the room. Sokka wanted her to meet him at sundown. He went on about the lights filled the sky during certain times of the year. She met him at the entrance of her igloo and stopped in place.

He was at least a whole head taller than her, towering at the doorway. Snow sat on his eyelashes and ends of his braid, glistening in the moonlight. He was always handsome and, she remembered Ty Lee never failed to point it out. But this man in front of her was different from the boy she fought years ago. He stared at her and, they took each in under the night sky. He had never looked at her like this before like she was beautiful.

Though, she supposed, she had never looked at him this way before either.

"Umm, are you ready to go?" Sokka clears his throat before gesturing to the outside.

"Don't I look ready," she sassed and, he laughed as he began walking towards the best spot to see the lights.

"I really do hope you like them," Sokka tells her as they finally round the side snow hills. The sky became more clear and, she could see past the dark clouds in the sky.

"Is this is it?" Azula's eyes widened as she pointed up to the green and purple swirls in the sky. Seeing this was unlike anything she had ever experienced. Sokka stood slightly behind her, staring at the lights with her.

"They used to say the lights were spirits who were playing kickball with a walrus head. It's an older story that the elders haven't told much lately." He explains the tale softly, and that's when her stomach flipped. She didn't care about finding him attractive, Azula could handle those feelings. What she couldn't handle was the way she started to feel when he said things like that. When he was excited or confident and, he knew so much. It seemed as though he was right to brag about being the brains of their group.

They stood just out of each other's reach as they watched the swirls of light traveling through the sky. Azula wanted him closer to her and, that was an uncomfortable, scary feeling.

"Beautiful," Sokka wasn't sure if he was just talking about the lights.

"Yes, they are," Azula looks back at him over her shoulder and, they both let the stare linger for a second too long.

Ever since that happened, her mind reminded her.

"Don't get me wrong, you look..." the warrior paused as he looked at the Princess. There were so many things stopping him from saying what he really wanted to her.

That she was absolutely gorgeous all the time.

"You always look great. The braid just makes you...friendlier." Sokka smiled awkwardly, hoping he said the right words and, she raised an eyebrow.

She stared him down for a moment weighing her options, "Make it quick," she tells him, turning her back to him. He nods as he carefully takes her hair in his hands. He quickly braids her hair, leaving just enough out at the ends.

"Perfect." He tells her and, she's practically fighting her own urge to smile.

"Ready to go?" Hakoda asks. He watched from the kitchen area and knew that if nothing was going on when they got here, there was certainly something going on now.

"Of course," Azula pulls the hood of her parka up, and they're all walking out of the igloo.

"Good luck Azula!" Sokka waves his good as he heads off to go fishing.

The ghost of a "thank you" lingered on her lips as she walks in the other direction with Hakoda.

The walk was quiet as the sun rose over the tribe. As they appeared closer to the igloo, Azula could feel herself grow anxious, worried this would all fall apart like everything in life did. She ran her fingers along her braid, feeling each symmetrical knot that ran down her back. Hakoda pointed out that the home was just up ahead and, Azula nodded as she followed behind him. Azula couldn't believe that her life had turned into this, being nervous to meet a common Southern Water Tribe woman.

"I can go in first if you'd like?" He offers her and, she shakes her head. She would face this head-on now that she was at their doorstep. Hakoda called out to the mother and, they could hear the running of Ku-San in the background.

"Princess!" Ku-San bowed in front of the Princess and Chieftan as his mother walks up behind him.

"Hello," Somi greets them softly as her son stands up straight.

"Thank you for having us this morning." Azula spits out awkwardly as they step further into the igloo.

"Yes, we just wanted to make sure everything was alright with Ku-San learning from Azula," Hakoda explained and, Somi nodded.

"Well, yes but, you have to understand my hesitance." Somi and Azula make direct eye contact with each other.

"Of course, I'm sure you'd rather have the avatar teaching your son," Azula says and, Somi chuckles.

"Since you have been here, Ku-San has been going out to train early in the morning. I'm assuming that's what you do?" Somi says and, Azula nods, her eyes peering down to the boy who was hiding his embarrassment behind his mother.

"How early?" Azula asks him firmly and, he steps out from behind his mother.

"Before sunrise," Ku-San tells her and, she's impressed by his dedication.

"Good." Her simple reply was enough to boost the boy's confidence.

"Azula really has been a wonderful guest, helping my mother and learning about our culture. I believe she'd be a great teacher for Ku-San," Azula listened to Hakoda talk about her and was stunned that he was so...kind. The Princess had been a mess when she first arrived and, she believed it would be like the trip, off to the side, ignored and alone. She hadn't expected acceptance, especially when they had no reason to but having it felt better than she ever thought it would. After convincing herself that she didn't need it and was better off without it, Azula still felt warm in her chest.

"You promise not to hurt our son?" The mother's stern look reminded Azula of herself but, before she could admire the woman's fierceness, a pang of sadness hit her when she realized this was how her mother acted with Zuko, never with her.

"Of course," Azula snapped herself out of her own pity, bowing before Somi and is met with a bow in response.

"It takes a lot to get a good word and trust from Hakoda and Sokka so, I'll trust them." Somi agreed and, Azula relished in the relief that came with that.

"It only takes a plate of meat to gain Sokka's trust," she smirks to herself and is nearly startled when she's met with laughter from the other people in the room.

"That was a good one, Azula," Hakoda chuckles once more and, the Princess cursed herself as she felt herself smile in response.

Willingly.

Somi pulls Azula over to the side, "Don't worry, your secret is safe with me."

"Secret?"

"Hakoda mentioned that you were a little nervous to speak with me. Trust me, the feeling was very mutual but, I do believe people can change. I hope Ku-San can learn a lot from you during the rest of your time here."

"NERVOUS!" Azula nearly shouted as they walked towards the docks. Hakoda chuckled, keeping his pace ahead of the Princess.

"It's okay to be nervous, Azula," Hakoda tells her and, Azula scoffed as she sped up, determined to catch up to him.

"I was not nervous and, it is not okay to be nervous. It's weak and, it's-" The Princess insisted before Hakoda stopped her.

"It's human. You're human, Azula. Don't you know that?" The rest of Azula's words died on her tongue as the Chieftan kept his pace in front of the princess.

"Of course I know that!" Defensive Azula was awakened after being stunned into silence.

Do you know that? You believe that I think you're a monster. Ozai used you as a weapon, Ursa told her and, a flipped switched inside the Princess.

Don't be daft mother, I am not a daughter to you. I am an evil thing you created by accident, Azula was tired of everyone acting like Ursa could do no wrong.

You could probably say Azula is the biggest example of Ursa doing something wrong.

Don't say that," Ursa's response was instant.

You messed up so bad you had to try again. Try for a better daughter, Azula threw back angrily.

That is not true, it almost sounded like Ursa snapped at her.

It is a fact! Azula said with a finality that silenced all other thoughts.

The silence continued for the rest of the walk until the fishing boat is in view. Sokka looked up at the sound of crunching snow and greeted them both work a grin accompanied by a wave.

"Hey, guys! We got a good catch this morning!" Sokka greeted them. He was only greeted with one smile in return.

"That's awesome! We'll have a good head start on the winter." Hakoda pats his son's back while Azula stood off to the side, shifting from one leg to the other.

"Would you like to try it sometime?" Sokka made the Princess his focus. Azula looked up and raised an eyebrow at his proposition.

"Fishing?" She looked at Sokka like he had grown a second head.

"Yeah, it's harder than it looks." That's always his bait when it comes to Azula. Make it a challenge and, she's sure to agree simply to spite him. Sokka was amazed she hadn't caught on yet.

"Yeah, sure it is," Or at least she hadn't caught on before? Her response stumped him for a second as he needed a new way to convince her. Of course, it took a lot less than it did two months ago, but it still could be difficult.

"At least try it once before we leave?" Sokka playfully pleaded.

"Mhmm," she nods her head before turning back in the direction of the igloo. Sokka takes that as she'll think about it.

"What's wrong with her?" Sokka whispers loudly to his father, Hakoda shrugs.

"Your father is a liar," Azula threw out as playfully as she could, given her change in mood. The Princess would rather have a joke about her so-called nervousness than sit in silence where her mother waits for her.

"What?"

"I told Somi that Azula was nervous about talking with her," Hakoda explained to his son.

"Were you nervous?" Sokka asked, curious to hear the answer.

"No! I simply wanted to be as diplomatic as possible. Hakoda just so happened to offer his good word and, I know the value of that offer," Hakoda covers his laughs with his hand behind her as she half-lied to Sokka.

"Aww, you were nervous," Sokka teased and, Azula huffed, playing the part while she stomped away to the igloo as father and son snickered playfully behind her.

Sokka would peak over for a few seconds. Only for a few seconds. He didn't want Azula to catch him. He was practically fighting with himself as he painted on the other side of the room. He couldn't help but watch as she focused on her scrolls. She was adorable when she clenched her brows-

Adorable? Since when did I think Azula was adorable?

Since you heard her giggle, duh.

That memory came to mind easily for Sokka. The pair were sitting in the library, reading and sorting through some scrolls Azula wanted to study.

"I have some jokes to practice on you," Sokka whispers excitedly and, Azula almost groans in annoyance, "Oh no."

For the past week, Sokka had been practicing jokes on her, attempting to make her laugh in the process. It only took a few tried before she realized this would test her patience...constantly.

"I'll only do three, I promise." He tried his best to pout and, she simply glared at him over her scroll. That was better than when he stayed for her entire time in the library. Whispering jokes in her ear.

"Quickly then," she waved him off as he pulled out his seat and sat in one motion.

"What did the ocean say to the beach?" Sokka started off.

"What did the ocean say?" She follows the routine passively

"Nothing, it just waved."

"Never say that one again it's boring." The Princess critiqued him.

"Okay, okay, this one is good. What did one wall say to the other?"

"What did the wall say?" Her words were accompanied by an eye roll.

"I'll meet you at the corner."

"Better than the last but still awful.

"Okay, last one, What do you call a fish wearing a bowtie?"

"What do you call him, Sokka?"

"Sofishticated."

For a moment, he could only hear Azula and, that was weird enough. The sound didn't last longer than three seconds before she straightened her face, focus fully returned to the scroll in front of her.

She giggled. At least, Sokka thought she did.

And if he wasn't mistaken, he saw the red flush of her cheeks before she put her head down.

"Your three jokes are up," Azula reminds him, wishing he would leave. She could barely believe herself, keeping her eyes on the scrolls in front of her. The joke wasn't even funny, but Sokka found a way to say it just right.

"I'll leave you to it then, Princess," Sokka smirked at her before leaving her table at the library.

Since then, his mind reminded him.

"I have a question I've been meaning to ask you," He speaks up, and she looks at him with questioning eyes.

"Aren't you always asking me questions?" She says, and he chuckles nervously at her true statement.

"Yes, but this is a more serious question," he elaborated, and she nods.

"Well, go on, then. What is it?"

"Why were you on the deck that night?" Azula froze as the words left his mouth.

"You already know why." She tells him, her tone curt. This wasn't something she felt like talking about, especially with Sokka. She didn't need any more pity coming from him.

What about your plan? Her mother's voice pierced her thoughts. She cursed her mother's reminder, wishing she could have hidden from this feeling for as long as she could.

This voice told her to let it go. That Sokka didn't pity her and, even if he did pity her, it didn't matter. Azula heard its whisper in the back of her mind every time something like this happened with him.

But every time,

the voice is drowned out by the constant shouting that he was lying, using her, reporting back to Zuko.

That voice was almost always the one her voice of reason listened to,

almost,

"I made my own assumptions, but I don't know exactly why," Sokka told her. He knew that she valued complete honesty (Learned during week four of being Azula's friend.)

"Why should I tell you? Because we're friends?" She knew that logically the answer was yes, but she stood on that thin line between trusting him and shutting him out. It always went back to that voice in her head, yelling at her.

Aren't you, though? You and Sokka are friends. People who are friends care about each other, Ursa's voice made her squirm in her seat. She'd rather hear the Other voices right now.

Tell that to Mai and Ty Lee, Azula hissed in response.

"No, you don't have to tell me anything. I simply wanted to know because I care." Sokka's tone is soft, hoping that Azula could see his sincerity.

"You keep saying that," Azula hated his sincerity. It made it even harder to keep him where she wanted him. Close enough to help her with Zuko and no further.

"And I mean it. I do care about you." He never thought he would say those words, but he meant them.

That whisper was louder now.

"I wanted to die." There wasn't much emotion behind the words, but somehow Sokka could feel them coming off Azula.

"Azula-" It felt wrong to hear her say those words, along with the lack of concern that was with them.

"I answered your question, didn't I?" The words were spat out fast as she looked away from him and began flexing her fingers.

"Yes, but why? You're-" Sokka stutters out his words as he struggles to express his confusion to her.

"A prodigy? A Princess, royalty, yes I am well aware of my status in society." Azula snapped at him.

Just tell him, her mother's voice grates against her eardrums.

"Yes, those things are true, but you're more than just titles that others have given you."

"Yeah, sure," Sokka was frustrated at her closed-off nature. It's always one step forward and two steps back with her. Sokka rarely ever gets any leeway when it comes to being Azula's friend.

"Well, what about the people who care about you? Your family

"If they care about me, they have an odd way of showing it." Her answer stumps him, and they sit in silence for a few seconds.

"Since we're asking questions, why were you really out there that night."

"I wanted to get away from Zuko and Suki that night."

"Zuko always manages to come out on top."

"I try to get past it as best as I can, but there's still this awkward sting that I get, but it always comes back."

She couldn't believe herself, but the words had already left her mouth "you deserve better anyway,"

"I don't think so." Years ago, Azula would have cringed at the self-deprecating humor and, she most certainly would not have reassured him.

"You should! You are...you are kind. You are intelligent and skilled. Not only that, but you deserve as such." The words were still surprising to hear out of her own mouth. She wanted to pass them off as simply a part of her plan, but that left a queasy feeling in her stomach. It would be lying because she meant her words. Azula hadn't meant to tell him now. Or ever. She kept her eyes focused on her hands that resting in her lap, avoiding his reaction.

"I...thank you, Azula." A nod is his only response.

That voice that had been a whisper was finally yelling at her now.

"I don't think my family would care all too much if I weren't here." She stated it as if it was normal. She finally decided that him knowing this about her couldn't hurt her any more than it already has. Sokka felt this awkward pit in his stomach. Hearing those words from her made him incredibly sad when he thought about it too hard. He couldn't imagine feeling like that when his family meant everything to him.

"Well, I would." He had moved to look at her better, and their fingers brushed as their eyes met. They looked at each other, Azula looking at the waves that crashed within them, the flames in her own meeting them. It was strange to see this glint in his eye that had never been there before. She was observant enough to realize that and, while thankful for the skill, she hated having it at this moment. She would've rather stayed oblivious to the change in Sokka instead of now wondering what it meant.

"That might be foolish of you," she finally looks away, moving her hand from the cushion to her lap.

"Do you plan on not being here anytime soon?" Sokka asks her, trying his hardest to hide his own concern.

"Well, no," relief flooded him as he heard her answer.

She didn't. She likes to think that if Sokka hadn't come out to the deck that night, and she had died, she still would've found some peace in that, but Azula wouldn't tempt Agni again.

"So then I have nothing to worry about," he smiled, and she chuckled awkwardly. While she planned on staying alive in the foreseen future, she doubted that she would bring any more good into Sokka's life.