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...

364. Chapter 364: Worlds collide 1

Worlds collide

1

The sun gleamed powerfully over the Northern Water Tribe. The tribespeople had worked to clear up the harbor, but some remnants of the terrible battle that had shaken their shores months ago remained visible in the water. Obliterated airships and battleships protruded out of the sea in the shallow parts of the nautical landscape – those that had been destroyed deeper into the icy ocean had sunken to its depths, instead.

Regardless of the lingering debris, the fifteen ships would have sufficient room to sail out into the ocean, towards their next destination. The vessels were large, spacious enough to host and carry around a hundred men apiece, perhaps more if they clustered tightly together. They wouldn't require expendable resources to run, like coal, for they were traditional Water Tribe ships, and their deep blue sails would carry them across the waters at speeds that would rival or even outdo the highest pace a Fire Nation warship could reach, provided their naval expertise allowed them to exploit the ocean and air currents as best as possible.

Warriors and waterbenders climbed aboard each of the ships – they were skilled sailors as well. Each ship would host around five waterbenders, and they would be tasked with speeding their vessels further, should there be a need for that. Their departure wouldn't require their waterbending support, but predicting the tides and currents once they reached the Fire Nation's inner waters would be no easy feat…

Sokka breathed deeply as he gazed upon the row of ships, smoothly lined one after another on the repaired and restored harbor of the Northern Water Tribe. Signs of the battle's destruction across the icy city remained in sight, but reconstruction had been quick and smooth thanks to the architectural prowess of the resident waterbenders. The notion that he would be boarding one of these ships, rather than simply watching them sail away…

He still remembered his despair, his helplessness, as his father bid him farewell before setting out to fight in the war, in a similar environment as this one. He had been tasked with protecting his Tribe, his family, his sister… he had tried to find the strength to do so, but he had faltered often. He had been but a boy, an angry teenager later, and he had wanted nothing as badly as to stow away on one of his father's ships, to fight alongside him, to prove himself as a warrior and save the world from the Fire Lord's evil grip.

His father remained in the Southern Water Tribe this time, however, and Sokka was in the north instead. The ships weren't of the same build as those of the south, but similar enough to remind him of them regardless. This time, he would set out on those ships as he had longed to, as a child… but this time, he would face a battle far fiercer than anything his childish mind could have conjured back then.

For he had never thought he would come to love a woman from the Fire Nation, let alone its Princess. He had never imagined a scenario where his relationship with someone would be a hurdle, a difficult obstacle to overcome, in order to win the war. He never pondered the possibility of experiencing these conflicted feelings and hesitation, both of which he had to set aside to succeed on this journey to defeat the Fire Lord, as he intended to.

He could have never imagined that setting out to the Fire Nation would feel like he was returning home.

Thoughts of the unstable peace he had lived in across all those years, in his own house, with friends and a lover who saw to his wellbeing and gave him the brightest happiness, both tormented and soothed him. He could never reclaim all of which they had lost… but maybe they would be able to build a new normal once he succeeded at his task. Once the Fire Lord was defeated, and his daughter was free.

He wanted to trust Rui Shi's certainty that she still wanted him to save her. To hope that would be the case. A dark part of him, however, still dreaded that Azula might just turn her back on him, unwilling to forgive him for his crimes against her people, much as he should feel the same about hers. But maybe the situation wouldn't be as difficult as that… hopefully. His aching, tormented, tired heart needed an outcome different from the scenario his overthinking, pessimistic mind kept conjuring.

Such thoughts rampaged through him constantly ever since Rui Shi's group had set out. Even standing before the ships that would bring him closer to fulfilling his destiny couldn't seem to break the cycle of the unpleasant thoughts in his head, all revolving around her.

"Appa's ready," Aang's voice interrupted Sokka's reverie. He swallowed hard and nodded, turning towards the Avatar. As usual, Katara stood beside him. "Once everyone's set, we'll take off."

"Good," Sokka nodded. There was no brightness, no joy to his countenance at all. "Katara, Aang…"

"Yeah?" his sister raised an eyebrow. Sokka sighed heavily and turned his remorseful gaze on her.

"I've been awful the last few days. I know I have been. I'm sorry."

Both Aang and Katara froze, eyes wide. His harsh words when he had first made the connection about Azula's involvement in the battle of Yu Dao hadn't truly registered in them as a greater mistake…

"You're hurt, Sokka," Katara said, with a sad smile. "Hurt wolves tend to bite everyone who's trying to heal them."

"That's… heh. Guess that's one way to put it," Sokka said, gritting his teeth. "It's still no excuse, though. I appreciate both of you a lot… what you've tried to do for me. You could've just turned your backs on me because I've been… well, less than friendly too often across this journey. I've asked a lot of you, and I don't know if I'll ever do enough to make up for…"

"Are you kidding me?" Katara blinked blankly. Aang snorted.

"He really doesn't know how much impact he's had on everyone's lives," Aang smiled. Sokka winced.

"Sokka…" Katara sighed, stepping forward and clasping his armored shoulder as firmly as she could. "You're my brother. You're a goofball sometimes, though not too often lately, and you're a no-nonsense tyrant at others. I love you anyhow. You're making all my reckless childish dreams come true with your leadership in this war. You're helping me fulfill what I hoped would be my destiny. If we have to put up with the occasional outbursts from you because you're overwhelmed by… by how unfair life has been towards you? Well, we'll endure them. Unless you go too far out of line… then we'd beat you up for it."

"Or, uh, we'd protest verbally. Yeah. I think that's better," Aang said, with a nervous smile. Katara scoffed.

"I know Sokka scares you, Aang, but really? Don't give him that kind of ammo, his ego will only get bigger if you do," she said. Sokka smiled, shaking his head as Katara turned towards him again. "Seriously, though… you don't owe us anything, Sokka."

"Especially not me," Aang said, running a hand over his forehead's tattoo. "Everyone thinks I should be in your shoes. That it should be the Avatar leading the charge into the future, not the Gladiator. But I… if I've learned anything about how to do that, and I'm not even sure that I have? I've only learned it from you. So… yeah. It's not very nice, being yelled at, of course…"

"I know, I… I'm sorry," Sokka said, bowing his head again. "My apology is so many days late, but still…"

"It's fine," Aang said again, smiling kindly at Sokka. "I know you're under way more pressure than anyone should be. We'll support you through this, however we can. Even if you ride on the ships while we go on Appa, we're going to be there for you."

"I know. I… thank you, guys," Sokka said, earnestly. "I don't know if I deserve you, but… thank you."

Katara sighed, smiling and shaking her head as she wrapped her arms around her brother. Aang smiled before joining in too, taking the Gladiator by surprise. Sokka breathed deeply, though, before tightening his arms around the two of them as well. Their support truly had been invaluable across all this time. Not many people could be as lucky as he had been, with so many extraordinary, powerful allies thinking he was worthy of standing among them… perhaps, if the latest circumstances hadn't triggered such an unpleasant reaction from him, he wouldn't be thinking of matters quite so negatively. Unfortunately, it might still be months before he was back to his better self… that was, if he ever could reclaim the man he had been before his life had fallen apart by Ozai's designs.

Zuko watched them from Appa's saddle: he had been the first to climb, still somewhat ailed by body pains that receded gradually with each passing day. Momo perched on his lap, trembling – the creature had constantly stayed indoors during their time in the Northern Water Tribe, cowering from the mercilessly cold weather that seeped easily through his lemur body. Zuko sighed as he patted the creature's head kindly, even evoking some of his firebending to ease his temperature.

"Feel a little better yet?" he asked. Momo chirped, pressing tighter against his abdomen. Zuko smiled. "Hope so. Maybe going back south will do us both some good, huh?"

He hoped the warmth of the tropical climate of the Fire Nation would agree with his wounds. His role in the upcoming battle was still questionable, regardless of his certainty that his father would only die by his blade. Katara would continue to heal him as best she could, but getting back into proper shape after that long recovery would be easier said than done. He hoped not to be a liability in the battlefield… that no one would have to worry about protecting him while more important battles needed to be fought.

He would travel on Appa with Aang, Katara and Kino. Sokka had resolved to remain with the fleet, and they would communicate with him frequently on their way south. It would be Appa's duty to scout the landscape and ensure that no dangers that might menace their fleet would be lurking anywhere at all. The bison had eaten his fill of seaweed and what little fruit the Tribe could harvest in the oasis's vegetation, and he stood ready to receive his partner, who would sit at his neck shortly.

The only member of their group who hardly seemed ready to go was Kino. He had knelt to speak with Yue's children, smiling kindly at them as Shina wept, little arms wrapped around his neck.

"Don't leave! Y-you can penguin sled on me next, if you want…" she whimpered. Kino laughed, shaking his head.

"I can't do that to you, Shina! It's my job to be the penguin, remember?" he said, smiling kindly and hugging her back. "I'm sorry I have to go. But I'll be back, Shina. I'll try to bring you guys gifts, if you want them. But, if I don't find anything, uh… I'll just come back without any? Would that be okay?"

"No! Stay!" Shina pouted.

"Stay!" Kallik joined her: the little boy jumped in to hug Kino as well, and the former soldier laughed as he hugged him too.

"You kids are going to make my heart explode. You're not supposed to be this cute, most kids aren't! But I guess… I guess you just take after your mom, don't you?"

"Mom… Kino stays?" Kallik said, turning towards Yue.

She smiled sadly at him, unable to admit to her kids that she had as good as asked that of Kino already, but his mind was made up. He would prove himself to Master Pakku, who had boarded a ship by then, shooting menacing glares at Kino even from a distance. Yue waved in his direction and Pakku scoffed at her before focusing on organizing his warriors once again.

When Shina and Kallik finally let go of Kino, Amarok stepped forward, frowning heavily. Kino rose to his full height, but even so, he felt far more intimidated by the boy than he expected the boy would ever feel over him…

Amarok extended a fisted hand in his direction. Kino swallowed hard, opening his own hand underneath his. The child deposited something on his palm.

"This is…" Kino blinked blankly: a circular blue brooch sat on his hand, with a relief of the crescent moon, depicted with the waves of the ocean where the dark side of the moon traditionally would be. "The Water Tribe's symbol."

"In the North? We… we wear it, always," Amarok said. Kino nodded: Yue wore them as ornaments on her hair, Amarok upon his belt, Shina as a necklace, and Kallik as a bracelet. "I… didn't have the time to make it a necklace, or a bracelet. M-maybe you would want it on your hair, I don't know."

"Amarok…" Kino said, breathlessly. "Y-you're giving this to me to…?"

"Because… well, you're from the south. But you're still Water Tribe. And you… you said you'd come back," Amarok said, his voice tinged with emotion. "S-so… maybe when you do come back, we can make it whatever you want it to be. A bracelet, or a necklace, or…"

"I… A-Amarok, this is… this is a great honor," Kino said, tearful. Amarok, not much better off than him, scoffed while dabbing his nose dismissively.

"Why are you crying about this, I…? It's a gift. People… people shouldn't cry when they get gifts," Amarok pouted, rubbing his eyes next.

"I'm an emotional idiot, I guess," Kino said, with a genuine smile. "I'll treasure it, Amarok. I promise I'll bring it back as soon as I can. I can't wait to see what we'll make it into…"

"You can think about it when you're gone, then. I'll… I'll be ready to make it whatever you want once you come back," Amarok nodded. "Good luck… Kino."

"Thank you, Amarok," Kino smiled warmly at him, gripping the Water Tribe's symbol tightly in his hand, pressing it to his heart. "I can't even explain what you and your family have meant to me. Maybe… maybe I'll find the words to do it, once I come back."

Amarok nodded promptly, and Kino smiled fondly at him. His free hand reached out to Amarok: where he could have messed his hair or hugged him as he had hugged his siblings, Kino offered the little boy the gesture of respect from his Tribe, the one he had learned long ago in the South.

Amarok finally smiled as he clasped Kino's forearm. They squeezed lightly, and Amarok pulled back, nodding quickly at him.

"Come back soon," he said, softly.

"I will. Watch over everyone while I'm gone, Amarok," Kino grinned warmly. The boy nodded again.

The hardest goodbye was next: he had spent as good as the entire day with her, waking up by her side and helping her dress up while she helped him. But even if they had shared so much more than they ever had before, Kino felt as though there hadn't been enough time instead. He gazed at her, finding Yue somewhat shrunken in herself, as it would happen at times when she felt overwhelmed by her emotions, as far as he had seen. He offered her a heartfelt smile, his hand reaching out to touch hers.

"Yue…" he called her, softly. She gritted her teeth before offering him a weak smile. "I'll… I'll be back here very soon. I hope so, at least. I… I'll try my best out there."

"I know you will. And I know you'll succeed, too." Yue said, nodding. "You and your friends… you're far too extraordinary for Fire Lord Ozai to stop any of you. You'll prevail… and you'll come back here. To… to join this family, if that's your wish."

"If it's yours, rather. All of yours," Kino smiled, glancing at the children too. "If you want me… there's nothing in this world I would be happier to do than becoming your husband. But, uh… yeah, I'd have to build an igloo here for that, I imagine? Unless Pakku attests that I'm worthy while we're on the road, huh? B-but still…"

"Igloo?" Yue smiled warmly. "Well… it's tradition for the man to offer the woman a betrothal necklace, actually."

"It's… tradition. A northern tradition," Kino said, eyes widening as the information he had already known sank in more deeply than ever before. Yue smiled. "Ah! I… I should have! I will! I'll make you a necklace, I promise!"

"I believe you," Yue smiled, and Kino grinned giddily. "But don't focus on that yet. At least, not too much. Fight… survive. Come back to us… and make the necklace then, Kino. As long as you do all those things… I might just become the happiest woman in the world."

"I… I really hope you will be," Kino said, his voice thick with tears. "I hope I can make you happy, always. I know I have to go now, but… but I'll come back, Yue. I'll come back. I love you. I…"

She didn't hesitate to respond to those words by kissing him boldly, in front of the entire Northern Water Tribe.

Amarok gasped, and Shina squealed irrationally. Kallik simply stood in place, covering his ears with his hands without understanding the fuss. Arnook, not too far back, yelped and clung to one of his warriors, who were just as dumbstruck by the sight of their Princess, cupping the Fire Nation-born man's face and kissing him without restraint. He wasn't even ashamed, the bastard: he gave as good as he got, holding her so naturally, as though he were used to it, as though he had nothing to fear, no reason to worry…

"That little…!" Pakku hissed, paling at the sight of the events on the port.

"Uh-oh. I think he's going to be in trouble for that," Aang grimaced, glancing at Kino just as he was getting ready to climb on Appa's back. Katara snorted.

"Well, he sure can't complain about not being loved anymore. Of all things, the Northern Water Tribe's Princess kissing him in public…" she said, jumping aboard with Zuko. He watched the scene with amusement, still rubbing warm hands over Momo's slender body.

"Sounds to me like princesses have a thing for dorks," Zuko concluded. Katara scoffed.

"Really now? What about princes? Are they into dorks too?" she asked, skeptical. Zuko cleared his throat.

"Princes have better taste than that, mind you," he said, closing his eyes. "We like strong, kind, sincere, driven women who fight with fans and katanas, and…"

"And have auburn hair and violet eyes?" Katara finished. Zuko smiled and nodded.

"Exactly," he said, proudly. Katara laughed, shaking her head.

"Maybe she's the one who has a thing for dorks, then…"

"What? Don't lump me in with Kino and Sokka!"

Katara laughed as Aang joined them on the saddle, though he continued to glance over his shoulder at everyone's reactions over Kino's shameless display of affection with Yue. Even when their lips parted, they pressed their brows together anew.

"I love you too, Kino," Yue said, earnestly. "We'll be waiting here. For as long as needed."

"I'll do my best to make it a shorter wait than you think," Kino smiled warmly. "I'll come back to you, Yue. I promise."

He held her for one more moment. He kissed her lips one last time. He felt his heart break once the impending, necessary separation struck him…

Tears rolled down his cheeks as he pulled back, and he caressed her beautiful face one more time before marching with firm footing and a bowed head, towards Appa.

"M-Mom…" Amarok called Yue, startling her as her tears spilled down her face, too: her son was offering a cloth to her, and she smiled kindly at him.

"Thank you, Amarok," she whispered. Her son swallowed hard.

"You… like him?" he asked. Yue smiled and nodded. Amarok smiled a little too. "I like him too, but… maybe you shouldn't kiss him like that…"

Yue laughed softly at her shy son's advice: many warriors around her no doubt were judging her, perhaps even looking forward to Kino's return just to beat him up for his shamelessness… but she disregarded them for now. She focused on her kids… on the man who climbed onto that bison's saddle, among friends who appeared to choose strategic seats to ensure they could protect him from any hostilities by the outraged Water Tribe people.

Kino sat there, gazing at Yue through misty eyes, waving at her and her kids: the ships were ready to go by then.

Sokka gave the command, and one after the other, the ships began to drift out of the bay and into the sea. Appa took flight, and Kino whimpered as he found himself drifting away from the woman he loved…

"You'll be back. Just as I'll be back in the south," Zuko told him. Kino sniffed, turning towards him without as much as wiping his tears. "She'll be thrilled once you return Kino. Definitely."

"Y-yeah. I… yeah. Just like Suki will be, when you do, too."

A dark thought hung in the air, regardless of everyone's reassurances – Katara hugged Kino, patting his back while also telling him he was a reckless madman for what he'd done. While Zuko and Kino could look forward to returning to the women of their lives… their team's leader was supposed to feel the same, and yet recent circumstances had put a damper on that feeling for him.

But for now, Sokka stepped forward, onto the prow of the fleet's flagship. He narrowed his eyes, into the bright horizon, as good as hoping to see the Fire Nation from such a distance. The next time he disembarked, he would finally be back in the nation that had seen the darkest of his days and the brightest alike: he would be ready to face his truest foe, to unleash hell upon him, and to reclaim peace for their world's sake… so that one day, he might return to Azula, upon having set her free from her father's treacherous, malicious clutches.

---

Imprisonment in a shed could have been much worse than it turned out to be: a nice futon had been brought to the small building for Anorak to use, and to his utter astonishment, he had food and water aplenty, no matter how uncomfortable his two main watchmen appeared to feel over it. Chan and Renkai watched over him almost constantly, occasionally together, but typically on single shifts. Talking to them could be frustrating at times, but amusing at others: on that particular morning, Anorak had a sudden idea to catch the distrustful men off-guard with a request they would likely never concede willingly…

"You're out of your mind," Renkai scoffed: he had only just arrived, intending to relieve Chan from watching duties, when Anorak blurted out what he wanted to do that day.

"There's no way she's going to agree to that!" Chan squeaked. "You have no idea how long it took for me to see her…!"

"It took even longer for me than for you," Renkai huffed, startling Chan. "And she trusted me considerably more than she has ever trusted you. But maybe it's because I just… wasn't about to go out of my way to look upon her child. Why would you ever wish to do such a thing? And why would you assume the Princess would ever…?"

"I have my reasons," Anorak said, simply. Chan scoffed.

"She said, in no uncertain terms, that she only wants one Water Tribe guy and it isn't you, buddy," Chan said. "Could you stop acting like you and her are best buddies or something?"

"I'm not acting like we are," Anorak smirked. "I simply believe she'll have reasons to accept my request. One of you ought to go ask."

"You…" Chan scoffed. Renkai rolled his eyes.

"He's playing us for fools or there's more to this than meets the eye," he told Chan, who eyed him in confusion. "Stay with him a little longer. I'll ask. She'll say no, and you'll be free to laugh in his face when she does."

"And what will you do if she says yes?" Anorak smirked.

Renkai scoffed, shaking his head as he marched out of the shed. Chan scrutinized Anorak with suspicion, arms folded over his chest.

"You're way too familiar with someone you met only about a month ago," Chan said. Anorak shrugged.

"Hardly my fault that she trusts me more than she trusts you."

Chan snarled, and Anorak only continued to smirk proudly. His self-assuredness didn't sit well with the Fire Nation soldier at all.

"Quit acting like you're in some sort of position of power here. You're a prisoner, even if she's not treating you like much of one," Chan huffed. "Beats me why, too. You're enemies. If she killed a bunch of your allies, she should know how dangerous you are."

"She knows. She's more dangerous than I am, though," Anorak said, simply. Chan raised an eyebrow. "She has nothing to fear from me and she knows it. You? That's another story I guess."

"Well, I've got a pretty cool weapon I could use to blow you to smithereens. Or to set you on fire," Chan said, with a shrug. "Besides, your big boss is supposed to be a non-bender, right? Don't underestimate me just because I am one, too."

"I'd never underestimate you on that basis. But if you ever thought you can compare on any level to Sokka, uh…" Anorak said, with a devious grin. Chan gasped. "You might have a few points in common, but that's about it."

"We… we do? What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Chan said, unsure of whether it was an insult or a compliment.

"Means… you have slightly similar appearances, I'd say," Anorak said, raising an eyebrow. Chan blinked blankly. "Dark skin, hair fastened like that… though you're all clean shaven. Maybe you can't grow a beard? Not that I'd judge you, I can't really do it either…"

"T-the hell…?" Chan said, cheeks flushing. "Sure I can! It's just more professional not to have a beard, I think. Well, anyway… huh. You think we look alike, then? Is he as tall as me?"

"About as tall," Anorak admitted. Chan smirked.

"Who's taller?" he asked. Anorak sighed.

"Don't know. You'll have to stand next to him one day for us to figure that one out. Live long enough to pull it off," he advised him. Chan winced.

"Well, I intend to, but… you're very confident that he'll live long enough for that too, huh?"

"You don't know the first thing about him," Anorak said. Chan scoffed.

"Princess said a few things. I know more than you think," Chan said, haughtily.

"Hearsay isn't enough, not even from her. Just as his stories about her were barely a hint of what I found when I finally met her," Anorak said. Chan frowned.

"Wait… wait. You knew him personally," he said. "And if you're a Water Tribe guy… well, you were very much against the Princess when you were in the big prison at first. So, whatever stories he told you about her… you probably questioned them and didn't believe them that much, right?"

"Sure?" Anorak said, with a shrug. "Became easier to believe them after a while, but…"

"But you can tell me… if he actually loved her as much as she seems to love him," Chan said, scrutinizing Anorak: that question caught the waterbender by surprise.

"You… that's what you wanted to know?" Anorak said. Chan pouted.

"I'm watching out for her. I don't want him to be leading her on or something… is he really fighting as he is just to get back to her? Or is she like, an excuse? Or maybe she has nothing to do with it and he was just using her all along…"

"I used to think that was exactly what she'd done to him," Anorak said, skeptically. Chan blinked blankly.

"Well… considering what she's like, wouldn't have surprised me much if that were the case, but I do know she loves him now," he attested firmly. "So, I just want to know if he was taking advantage of her or something."

"He wasn't," Anorak said. "At least, I don't think a guy like him could ever do something like that. He was… invulnerable, in so many regards. Driven, strong, stubborn to no end. And every single time someone tried to use her as an excuse to oppose him, as I did at first, he'd stand up to us and own up to his feelings for her without remorse. I have no idea how he didn't kill General Iroh, how he held back… but he absolutely despised him for his role in revealing their relationship to the Fire Lord. So, no, Sokka isn't some predatorial creep who wanted to use her for his own designs. He loves her for sure. He's definitely fighting for her sake, no matter if she doesn't like it."

"Huh…" Chan said, lowering his gaze. Anorak raised an eyebrow.

"Does that bother you?" Anorak asked. Chan winced. "What's this? You got a crush on her?"

"I…! Pfft! How's that supposed to even…? No way," Chan laughed, shaking his head. "That woman set my house on fire enough times as it is. Never again, pal. Never again."

"I have no idea what you mean by that… but you'd definitely be a masochist if you fell for someone who burned down your house," Anorak concluded. Chan nodded sagely. "Then again… the man she turned into a slave loves her enough to go to war against the Fire Nation to save her."

"Right, right…! Huh?"

"Just saying, you would hardly be the first weirdo who falls for the Princess after she did something awful to you," Anorak smirked. "What she did to Sokka is much worse than burning down a house, if you ask me… unless, uh, was there someone still inside?"

"N-no, but… there's no point in talking about anything like this anyway," Chan huffed, rising to his full height and folding his arms over his chest. "I'm not so crazy as to fall for her. She's clearly not over that guy anyway."

"And she won't be," Anorak said. Chan frowned upon hearing those words. "Their commitment was serious. You're better off looking for someone you can keep up with. Not only is she too much for you… but you can't hope to ever measure up to the kind of love she had with Sokka."

"Heh, I could try. I mean, not that I want to, but if I ever felt like it, I could very well be the best boyfriend in the world," Chan declared proudly.

"How about husband? And father?"

Chan froze: Anorak's skeptical stare told him just how short his offer would fall if he ever dared bring it up to the Princess.

But why would he do any such thing to begin with? They had a connection once before, but it had been brief and it died out quickly, by Chan's own choice. He had panicked, entirely unwilling to marry her when he realized who she was… and then, he had hated her fiercely until he had found her again in Yu Dao.

Could he truly have developed deeper feelings for her than anticipated? It didn't sound right. It didn't seem right. And yet his heart pounded at the very notion… for of course she was beautiful, but she was terrifying. She was admirable, just as she was daunting. She had told him, directly, that he'd do best to find someone whose pace he could keep up with, back when they had parted ways in the Ember Crater… she knew she was too much for him, and he had never denied that was the case. He had taken no issue with that statement… and he still shouldn't. For it was still true.

Maybe he just didn't like that it was true, after all.

But she was out of reach for a man like him. Far out of reach of a man who had once been first in line to take her hand in marriage… for she remained wound up entirely in the memory of a man who should have never so much as looked twice at her. If he had been the Water Tribe warrior, captured and enslaved, would Chan have ever found the strength, the boldness, to overcome the trappings of his social station, the way Sokka had? Would he have ever dared act on any feelings he might have felt for her, when he didn't even dare do it now?

He let himself smile a little. He let his heart break, if just a little.

She could have been his, he always had known that. He had blown his chance well before he had known he had been presented one.

"Guess… guess you have a point. No way I could measure up to that, hah," Chan said, shaking his head and rubbing the underside of his nose. "Though, if she ever asked…"

"With what little I know about her, about them… I sincerely doubt she'd ever want anyone other than him," Anorak said. "So, if you really were interested…"

"I wasn't. I mean, not really!" Chan laughed, shaking his head dismissively. "I was just thinking a lot, that's all."

Anorak might have teased him with a wicked comment, but footsteps on the grass outside the shed gave him pause. Chan turned towards the sound too when Renkai opened the door, an anguished grimace over his uncovered face.

"Oh? What's the verdict, Grumpkai?" Chan asked, as soon as his ally entered the room.

"She… she's waiting," Renkai said. Chan yelped. "In the living room. The others are there too. S-she… said to bring him."

"But… what?! For real?!" Chan squeaked. Anorak's proud grin was answered by the irritable scowls of both his captors. "You… you know, the worst part is how smug he is about this. What the hell did you two talk about when you were alone together, huh, Anorak?!"

"That's between the Princess and myself," Anorak said, firmly.

They couldn't know that Azula had entrusted Hotaru's long-term safety to him. They would most likely be tasked with protecting the Princess herself in whatever dangerous situations came next… they would surely determine that Hotaru needed to be protected from any and all of Anorak's allies, perhaps even including Sokka. Azula couldn't trust anyone else to bring her daughter to safety on the other side of the war. It was a task she could only entrust to someone like Anorak, who had access to the White Lotus leadership, or at least, he would reclaim it once his status as prisoner was revoked.

But as Chan and Renkai would remain in the dark about the Princess's plans, plans that most likely included her death or her inability to bring Hotaru to the child's father for whatever reason, it meant that her willingness to allow Anorak to meet her daughter would never make sense to them. Perhaps they'd start suspecting something was wrong soon, but for now, the two men simply glared at him suspiciously as they guided him towards the main house. The Morishita family members were either busy preparing the next meal or preoccupied working on the repairs to the city port, so Azula would sit in the living room with her two constant companions and her baby, no one else…

Anorak swallowed hard as they led him, still shackled, into the room in question: it was the very place where he had previously seen the child, back when he had first been brought into the house. He had heard her crying occasionally from the shed, though it seemed she was an unusually quiet baby: right now, she sat on her mother's lap, bringing a small rattle in the shape of a dragon to her mouth.

"Now, now, no need to eat your friend…" Azula said, tugging it lightly out of Hotaru's grip. "See? The point is that he's fun because he's noisy."

She shook the rattle, and the sound startled Hotaru – probably not for the first time. But the child lost interest in the sound and instead looked up at her mother, smiling and laughing as though Azula had made a brilliant joke that only Hotaru understood. Azula blinked blankly, shaking the rattle again.

"Did you draw funny pictures on my face when I was asleep, by any chance? What's so funny, you little rascal?" Azula huffed, her voice playful as she set aside the rattle and tickled the baby, which caused her to giggle all the more. "I really hope your sense of humor refines more with time, if you really did anything quite as silly as doodling on… oh. You're here already."

Renkai nodded, and Chan offered her an awkward wave… but Azula's attention was claimed by Anorak. Shackled as he was, the waterbender stepped forward, past the other two, eyes wide with wonderment as he approached the Princess and her baby.

Azula sat with Hotaru on a couch: her older daughter sat with her, while the midwife stood by the window, relishing in the light breeze. Anorak swallowed hard, eyes drifting between the two other adults he hadn't gotten to know yet, either…

"Anorak," Azula said, with a small smile. "This is Rei. Rei, this is Anorak."

"Hi," Rei smiled shyly. Anorak nodded in her direction.

"I'm pleased to meet you," he said.

"And that's Song, though you did come across her before," Azula said, gesturing at her friend by the window. Song grinned at him and nodded.

"I wasn't told if you were wounded in the battle, but if you weren't treated for any injuries, let me know," Song said. Anorak shook his head.

"I was… drenched. Scared. Confused. But I got out of it unscathed," he said. Song nodded. "Thank you, though. And, uh, this is…"

"This… is our little rascal indeed," Azula said, picking up Hotaru by the armpits, though without hoisting her fully. Her little arms stretched out awkwardly, and she let out a soft coo as her mother presented her to the eager gaze of the Water Tribe man. "Hotaru."

"She's… she's really cute," Anorak smiled, kneeling by the couch. In doing so, his head was level with Hotaru's. The girl let out another soft coo, and Anorak waved at her. "Hey there. That rattle toy's not much fun, is it?"

"I'm starting to think she's an enthusiast of silence, frankly," Azula said. "Only makes noise when she's genuinely distraught. Beyond that, she's surprisingly quiet. Far more quiet than I'm sure I was, at that age."

"Most people aren't well-behaved as children," Anorak said, with a soft chuckle. "You lucked out. Well… more so considering who her father is."

The mention of Sokka didn't seem to lighten Azula's mood, and Anorak took notice of that at once. Her eyes drifted into nowhere for a moment, before she returned to herself and offered him a weak smile.

"Yes, well… she eats as voraciously as him, at least," she said. "Takes after him in enough ways, I'd dare say. Maybe even her sense of humor, too."

"She does like laughing at nothing," Rei chuckled. Azula smiled.

"I suppose she's making up jokes inside her head. Maybe one day she'll deign us worthy to share them with," Azula said, hugging her daughter and kissing the side of her head softly. Then, she glanced at Anorak again. "Want to hold her?"

"O-oh…" Anorak blinked blankly: the offer was rare, one that neither Chan nor Renkai had received yet… but Azula didn't propose that solely out of sentimentality. It would be a good idea to confirm that Hotaru got along with Anorak, sufficiently so that, should worst come to worst, she would not cause unnecessary trouble, should he need to run away with her, Song and Rei in the future. "Okay. I-if you're sure."

"It'll be for the best to try," Azula said, scooping her daughter up carefully and leaning in, so she could deposit her in Anorak's trembling, waiting arms. "Hold her firmly. She's managing to hold her head up lately, but it's better to offer support nonetheless."

"Okay. I… okay," Anorak nodded, cradling the child as carefully as he could in his shackled hands. Hotaru let out a soft sound again, her golden eyes gazing into his. "Hey. Uh… I can't do much better than this, Hotaru, not with these shackles, but… hello there. Hope you're having a good day."

Hotaru made another sound… this time, more excitable. Anorak blinked blankly as the baby's hands reached out… to grab his side-swept fringe. He winced as her hands gripped his hair, and then the baby laughed happily as she ran her hands through it.

"I should've warned you. She really likes playing with hair, for whatever reason," Azula smiled, gazing at her daughter with heartfelt emotion. "Likes it better than rattling toys. Guess maybe… maybe she takes after her father's hairdressing tendencies too."

"Hairdressing?" Anorak said, blinking blankly. Azula snorted.

"Well, now you know, if you didn't before. If you ever need a nice hairdo, let him know and he'll be sure to take care of it," Azula said, with a proud smirk. Anorak huffed.

"Yeah, uh, I think I'll handle my own hair, but thanks for the suggestion," he laughed, shaking his head as best he could, though the child's grip didn't help him do so.

Hotaru cried out happily as she tugged on the strands, though without sufficient strength to pull the hair too unpleasantly. Anorak smiled as the girl let out a spree of giggles: perhaps she liked the texture of his hair, then…

By the door, Chan watched the scene with utmost confusion. Renkai, uncomfortable as he was, elbowed him in the ribs.

"It's none of your business," he told him. Chan scoffed.

"You've never held her, have you?"

"She'll have her reasons if she decided he can," Renkai said, though those reasons remained a mystery for him, too.

His attention was taken away from Hotaru and Azula, however, upon hearing someone by the front door: Kori had returned from wherever she had gone out to… and there was a dark expression across her features.

She held a black ribbon message in her hands.

Renkai gasped as he backed away from the living room's threshold. Kori met his gaze nervously.

"Is she…?" she said. He nodded as Kori glanced inside the room: Azula raised her eyes at her quickly, and the earthbender trembled.

"Kori?" Azula said. "What's wrong?"

"I was… over at the war command again, making sure things were going well. This message arrived while I was there, though."

She raised the scroll, bound in that black ribbon. Azula rose to her feet at once, a heavy frown across her features.

She had known she would hear more from her father soon… she had not expected, however, a black-ribbon message unless anything truly dire were happening.

After her last vision, she had anticipated that trouble would rise towards Yu Dao anew. She had ideas for stronger defenses in the harbor, but she had no intentions of holding the place against Sokka if he brought the bulk of the Water Tribe's force against it. She had requested for more explosives from Takase, some of which had already arrived… but she suspected Sokka would circumvent the bombs somehow, probably through the sky bison that was reportedly the Avatar's animal companion. Nothing could truly stop him if he came here…

Yet, just before reading the message, the thought that he might not target Yu Dao came to mind.

She took the message while Anorak kept holding Hotaru in his arms. The baby's attention had been entirely taken up by Azula's sudden movements, and she seemed to want to be in her mother's arms anew… Rei offered to relieve Anorak from holding her, and he acquiesced quickly, hoping the bumbling sounds spilling from the child's mouth would not surge into a full tantrum. Her mother wasn't bound to pay proper attention to her and tend to her needs just yet, if they did:

Princess Azula,

Your excellent success in the defense of Yu Dao has filled the Fire Nation with new vigor to defend our great nation from the enemies closing in around it.

You are hereby called back to the Capital in preparation for the battles to come. The enemy may assault the mainland next. Our navy's current weakness invites danger. Make haste to return home as soon as you are able. Mayor Morishita shall handle Yu Dao's defense in your absence.

Fire Lord Ozai.

Azula closed her eyes. A selfish spark of relief would have bloomed in her heart over being withdrawn from Yu Dao, in the hopes that it would mean she wouldn't have to confront Sokka yet. But the Fire Lord's reasons suggested otherwise: Sokka was likely to attack the mainland? Sokka might just…

She had been blinded by her foolishness. By that connection that had unsettled her so deeply. By the certainty that the man she loved would never forgive her for her trespasses, countless of them as they were. Her certainty that he would come to Yu Dao… it had come from his words, his demeanor, his confrontational behavior. He wanted answers that she didn't want to give. He wanted justice and retribution, and she dreaded the form they would take.

But above all… she wanted freedom.

She wanted him to come to Yu Dao and release her from the burdens of her own actions. To take her into his custody and punish her for everything she'd done. Whether with death, or with anything worse than that. Anything that might feel as genuine atonement for her misdeeds…

But Sokka knew more about freedom, just as he knew more about chains, than she ever had.

The freedom he would grant her was that of the destructions of those chains. The removal of the hand that still held her strings. Without Ozai, she would hide behind nothing and no one even if she wanted to – and she scarcely wanted to. Without Ozai, she would have no excuse, as far as he was concerned… no more reason to keep fighting to defend her nation, for the Fire Lord would no longer be forcing her to do it. The Fire Lord would be…

Her stomach dropped at the thought. The letter fell out of her hand, too.

Maybe nine months ago, that thought would have been far more palatable than it was now: her throat closed in at the very notion of Space Sword cutting through her father's body.

"What happened?" Song asked, stepping up to Azula and picking up the letter. "Azula…"

"He's…" Azula said, choked up. She shook her head, frowning and trying to reel in her rampant emotions. "He's called me back to the Fire Nation mainland."

Even Hotaru fell silent, no doubt affected by the dark, oppressive atmosphere that swelled within the Morishita house after her statement. Song's eyes widened as she shook her head in slight panic… but Azula stared at the paper in her hands, knowing the content Song would read was no different from that which she had just taken in.

Sokka wanted to kill her father.

If Ozai had sent that letter, it was either because he knew it for sure, or because his paranoia was flaring up. If it was the latter… then Azula would go home and reassure her father. But if he was right to suspect what he did… then she would go home so she could stand between the man she loved and the father she owed her loyalty to, even if she hardly knew how she would have the courage to do such a thing.

"Back to the…? But…" Rei said, eyes wide too. "Can we just… go back? Should we…?"

"Should you and Song… and Hotaru, stay here?" Azula asked, turning towards Rei with remorseful eyes.

The notion was unthinkable when the Princess spoke it out loud. It wouldn't be any easier to get them out of the Barge in the city, to keep them safe when the assassin was always lurking… but leaving them behind in Yu Dao didn't appear to be an option.

"Guess not," Azula said. Rei shook her head, and Song clasped Azula's forearm.

"We'll figure out ways to stay safe. Maybe we won't go back to the Palace, we could go elsewhere, I don't know, but… we can't just let you go on your own. Hotaru still needs you every bit as much as she did a month ago," Song told her. Azula gritted her teeth and nodded.

"I know, but…"

She hadn't thought they'd go home. Not yet. Not for months. Not until the Fire Nation had reclaimed more lands in the Earth Kingdom. They wouldn't have had the strength to do it, no… but she certainly had expected her father and his council to make that kind of choice, going forward. She never imagined they would withdraw… that they would choose to defend. The Fire Nation had always been far stronger on the offensive, after all.

"Well, then… when do we have to get going?"

That the question would come from the one person whose actual fate was uncertain changed the mood of the situation entirely. Azula turned towards Chan with a confused frown that saw itself replicated in the faces of most everyone else in the room, save Chan himself. He simply blinked a few times, waiting for an answer.

"What?" he blurted out.

"You said… 'we'?" Azula raised an eyebrow. "Did my father send word to you too, by any chance?"

"Oh, well, no, but… I kind of assumed?" Chan smiled awkwardly and shrugged. Azula's eyebrow twitched.

"It's not just him, though…" Kori said, startling Azula. "Maybe… maybe Sneers and I could go too? I feel like you could use as many forces as possible to defend Hotaru. My parents would be fine here…"

"Kori…" Azula said, but she frowned and shook her head. The earthbender winced. "I would welcome your company and support… but I don't think that's the right call at the moment. My father… he's calling me back because he believes Sokka will target the Fire Nation directly and overlook Yu Dao for now. Considering the movements of Jeong Jeong's troops, at least, what we know of them… he might not be mistaken."

"Do they have enough ships to carry an army of that girth to the Fire Nation?" Renkai asked, scowling.

"I don't know. Maybe more ships from the Northern Water Tribe survived the battle than what my father believed," Azula said, shaking her head. "The point is, though… he doesn't know for certain what's going to happen next either. His prediction makes sense, but it might not be fully accurate regardless. If it weren't, and Sokka did come to Yu Dao, then…"

"Then… you'd want me to stay here so that I can tell him what's going on?" Kori asked. Azula nodded. "That is, if he cares to listen…"

"The city can't remain undefended. That's my main concern," Azula said. "He has relieved me from duty and passed it on to your father. You can take up an active role at bolstering the city's defenses and ensuring that no threats approach it. But if you come with me… you and Sneers will no longer be here to keep Yu Dao safe from any potential surprise attacks Jeong Jeong or anyone else might launch upon this city."

"I guess I get it, but… I'd still rather go," Kori said, grimacing. "Nowhere is safe, it feels like… the Gladiator Army could come here, or it could go to the Fire Nation mainland, and no matter where it is, we'll be in danger until they're defeated or we surrender?"

"In short… yes," Azula sighed. "I know it's not the optimal choice, Kori… but I'll rest easier if I can entrust Yu Dao's defenses to someone of your competence."

"I… I'll do my best not to let you down," Kori said, closing her eyes in resignation.

Azula squeezed her shoulder kindly… before turning to Chan. He pouted slightly after hearing Azula's decision over Kori, and Azula sighed as she stared pointedly at him.

"And you wanted to come too?"

"Well…! I should! You're bringing that guy, aren't you?" he asked, pointing at Anorak. Azula nodded, and Anorak's heart jolted and sank at once: the Fire Nation. He'd actually reach the Fire Nation…

"I am, and it's true that I'll require security for him as well, but…" Azula said, frowning as she glanced at Anorak. He winced.

"Y-you're not going to assign him to guard me, are you?" Anorak asked. Azula eyed him with a slight frown. "It's bad enough when it's the two of them… but if it's just him it's even worse."

"It might be a good idea considering he's already in our… inner circle, as it were," Azula said, with a sigh. Anorak groaned. "It'd mainly be for official purposes anyway…"

"Official purposes? So, unofficially I'm, what, his personal jester or something?" Chan asked.

"Oh, I'm not paying you to amuse me, if that were your role," Anorak huffed.

"Unofficially… Anorak has other purposes beyond being a prisoner. And I may share more of that with you if you actually convince me that you're worth bringing to the mainland anyway," Azula said, staring at him intently. "I trust you as a warrior, you don't seem to be ready to betray me at the drop of a hat, but I don't know if… if you'll change your mind about that once you're in the beast's den, so to speak. I don't know if I can risk…"

"Wait," Renkai frowned. Azula glanced at him next. "Wait. Maybe… maybe it's not a bad idea."

"What?" Azula raised an eyebrow. "Bringing Chan might not be a bad idea… why, exactly?"

"You say you trust him now," Renkai reasoned. "Even if you don't trust him as fully as you might trust others, it means he's close enough to you that… that General Shaofeng would want to reach out to him even if he stays behind in Yu Dao."

"The General who, now?" Chan frowned.

"You mean…" Azula gritted her teeth. "If he's here by himself, he could very well send his mysterious goons to capture him?"

"He would dare. He's bold enough to try."

"Hey, I wouldn't get captured that easily…!" Chan scoffed. Azula rolled her eyes.

"Please, hold your tongue while other people are deciding your fate," Azula said. Chan winced at the threatening tone of her voice. She turned her attention to Renkai again. "You… you want him with us so we can keep an eye on him in case he does get contacted by the General? Do you expect you'd be able to protect him from being forced into… what, becoming his informant, maybe?"

"No… I think there's no stopping him if that's what he wants," Renkai said. Azula frowned. "But wouldn't you like to have someone nearby who has actual insight on the General's organization, as opposed to myself?"

"You… uh, think I could become a spy on this big enemy of yours?" Chan asked, blinking blankly. "Really, now?"

"You are talking about Chan, Renkai," Azula said, agreeing with his sentiment.

"Precisely. As long as he holds his tongue about things he can't just disclose carelessly… he should be fine," Renkai said, glaring menacingly at Chan.

"I don't know to what extent of torture Shaofeng could stoop to, Renkai. If Chan could be attacked, beaten, I… he nearly killed Sokka once. I don't know if…" Azula said, gritting her teeth.

"Chan just needs to pretend he will give the information when the time is right," Renkai said. "He has cards Shaofeng doesn't."

"Like what?" Chan asked, smiling eagerly at Renkai. Renkai's deadpan glare certainly seemed to strike Chan as a frying pan might.

"If you can't think of it right now? Maybe you really are the ideal spy. Utterly lost in his own reality, can't give away secrets he forgot he's holding," Renkai rolled his eyes, rubbing his brow with his fingertips.

"I'm afraid you'd have to personally coach him into being up to snuff, Renkai," Azula warned him. The guard scowled. "Don't give me that look. Not only is it your idea… but you're undoubtedly the best person among us to teach him what to expect from Shaofeng and how to get in his good graces. No one here has had to deal with the man as much as you did."

"True, but…" Renkai said, before letting out a deep sigh. "Fine. Very well. I'll… I'll prepare Chan for it on our way to the Capital, then."

"So, I am going? Hey! Thank you, Renkai! Oh, buddy, I knew you liked me way more than you wanted to admit!" Chan squealed, wrapping his thick arms around Renkai, who winced and attempted to squirm out of his grip.

"Could you cut that out?! Stop hugging me! I didn't do this for your benefit, fool, you're bait! You'll be in deadly danger constantly…!"

"Admit you would've missed me too much if you'd left me here! Admit it, Renkai!"

Renkai's irritation, and Chan's easygoing nonsense, struck a familiar chord in Azula's heart: the dynamic between them alarmingly grew to resemble that between two of the most important men in her life, too.

The thought struck her like a burst of needles in her chest. Even if it was easy enough to evoke moments of peace, when she could carelessly indulge in the conflicts between Sokka and Rui Shi, any time her mind returned to Sokka, her heart would appear to be primed for breaking irremediably. Points in common between him, Rui Shi, Renkai and Chan could have been nice to think on, to indulge in… but not after that night. Not after that vision.

"Very well, then. If we're settled, we should get started with preparations to leave," Azula said, closing her eyes and turning towards Song and Rei. "I… I'll have to go talk about this with all the authority figures in the city. They need to know I'll be leaving again. Can the two of you handle packing in the meantime? Or…?"

"We'll take care of it," Song said, rising to her feet and offering Azula a pained, reassuring smile. "Go on. We'll be fine, Azula."

The Princess gritted her teeth and nodded: it was going to be a long day.

Over the course of the next hours, Azula spoke with anyone and everyone of note within Yu Dao, informing them of her upcoming journey, as requested by Ozai's urgent summons. Sailors worked to restock the Barge and prepare it fully for a new voyage, and the remaining members of the Third Squad – two had perished in the battle of the bay – would supervise the entire process of conditioning the ship for a new journey. The battle against the waterbenders had resulted in some superficial damage, namely on the golden paint of the prow, but nothing that would prevent the ship from sailing safely to the Fire Nation anew.

Colonel Shinu had started drafting plans to retake Pohuai Stronghold – or, rather, to establish a new base near the location where the old had been destroyed. Upon hearing the Princess's announcement, he was quick to set aside such plans and he switched his focus to protecting the city along with the guarding force that had kept it safe so far. General Ling offered to follow Azula across the ocean, escorting her safely to the Capital, so the Barge would not be the sole ship traversing waters where the White Lotus might already be sailing, for all they knew.

It was sundown when Azula finally returned to the house. Dinner wouldn't be ready for a few hours yet. She had a chance to, perhaps, check on Anorak anew… but she didn't truly wish to do that right now. All she truly wanted was to take a break from her hectic, chaotic, dark life… perhaps to pretend she was someone else, if just for a few hours. Perhaps to simply fall asleep without fear of what she'd find in her dreams… fear of what she wouldn't find, too.

She pushed the door to her room open to find it wasn't empty: her eyes immediately fell upon Rei and Hotaru, comfortably asleep on the large bed meant for Azula's use.

Her heart clenched at the sight of her two daughters. One of Rei's arms kept Hotaru by her chest, and the baby slept on her side, curled up snugly with her older sister. If the situation were any different, the innocent sight before her eyes would have brought a smile to her face. Instead, it nearly brought her to tears.

Song sat by the window, quietly watching as the city's lanterns were lit. Numerous bags sat near her: all the luggage they would be bringing back to the Barge with them. She glanced back at Azula after a moment, and she held her gaze.

"All done setting everything up?" Song asked. Azula shrugged.

"I think so," she whispered, glancing at her daughters again. "Must have been tiring, packing everything up so fast…"

"It was, but I promise we didn't make Hotaru work too hard at it," Song said, with a weak smile. Azula raised an eyebrow. "We just left her with Anorak for a while. He really seems to like her."

"Good. I hope she likes him, too," Azula said, sighing as she approached the pile of bags.

She unbuckled her armor, making faces of discomfort as she removed it. Song moved to help her, but Azula held up a hand to stop her before pulling it off by herself. She set it down by the bags, the removal of its weight a welcome respite. Song gazed at her compassionately before patting the windowsill, urging Azula to sit with her. The Princess sighed and nodded, sinking in place by the left side of the window while Song sat at the right. She dropped her head against the wall and closed her eyes.

"It's been too much lately, hasn't it?" Song said.

"Maybe I'm experiencing the lows of having birthed a baby and I haven't really had the chance to process them yet," Azula mumbled.

"Is that why you've been down lately?" Song asked, quietly. "It feels like…"

"Like something must have happened to me?" Azula finished. Song nodded. "Heh, well…"

"Was it another dream?" Song asked. Azula tensed up. "A vision?"

"I… I'm afraid so," Azula whispered. Song gritted her teeth.

"Not a good one this time?"

"Not at all," Azula said. "I… I don't know if you're right about everything. I'm sure you'll say you are. But… the way he spoke to me was unlike anything he'd ever done before. And fool that I am, I… I couldn't be honest. I basically just challenged him to keep fighting. I know it's what the world needs… but I don't want to fight him at all."

"Hopefully you won't have to," Song said, earnestly. "I can't believe he'd want to do it, either."

"Maybe. But if that's the case… if my father is right to suspect that he wanted to attack the Fire Nation first? Following my father's commands will just make it inevitable for us to clash anyway, once he reaches the Fire Nation. And I don't know if… if he's as pressured as I am to do things he doesn't want to do. He might just be."

"So… you think that, if the people fighting alongside him happen to push him around, he'll fight you as ruthlessly as he might fight your father?"

Azula couldn't avoid detecting the skepticism in Song's voice. She glanced at her helplessly, and Song shook her head.

"Nope. I don't think so."

"Your faith in us is truly staggering," Azula whispered. "So much has changed. We're not just… gladiator and sponsor, fighting for our own causes, anymore."

"No, you're a gladiator and a sponsor, and you have no choice but to fight for other people's causes, you think," Song said, shaking her head. "Unfortunately… I do believe in you and Sokka, probably a fair deal more than I should. Your goal was to build a world where you could be together, wasn't it?"

"Well… yes. It used to be," Azula said, frowning. "But after everything I've done, I…"

"He'd likely have just as many reasons to fear that you'd never accept him in your life again as you do," Song pointed out. Azula frowned, staring at her in confusion. "Tell me… is there any chance that you'd fathom that Sokka might have done stuff you could never forgive him for? Anything that would make you stop loving him for good?"

"I… no," Azula admitted, frowning. "Even if I shouldn't say that so lightly. But I fear… even if he slit my father's throat before my eyes, even if it would kill me to see either of them killing the other, I… I wouldn't stop loving him. But…"

"There's no need to elaborate further," Song said, with a simple smile. "The two of you are evenly matched at everything. I'm sure he feels the same way about you."

"Would I deserve it, if he did?" Azula asked, skeptical.

"I think so," Song said, breathing deeply. "As difficult as it might be for him to understand many of your choices… your reasoning, I think, would always give him pause and he might just end up agreeing that you did the right thing, more often than not."

"I… I doubt I did," Azula said, frowning.

"Azula, you've been cornered constantly for well over a year now. We both know that's been the case," Song said, earnestly. "It's damn easy to say you should do something else, should make another choice, should stand up and fight differently… it's easy when you forget everything you could be risking if you dared do any of that. It's not just your life at stake. It's not just those of everyone in this room, or in this house. The more I think of it… the more I realize how your choices truly stopped the Fire Lord from immolating his entire nation in a vengeful spree. Those choices saved the man I love, allowing him to live on until he can finally come back to me. They saved countless people who will never know what you sacrificed for their sake. So… if I've come to understand what kind of pressure you're bearing with, and what kind of unfair pressure I've forced on you…"

"What…? I mean, we had that big argument, and you did say later that you understood but… but you still don't agree with what I'm doing," Azula said. Song smiled. "I'm not saying you have to, but… it kind of sounds like you do now?"

"Oh, I don't agree. I just… understand better now," Song shrugged. Azula sighed.

"And you don't begrudge me for any of it, even if you do?"

"Azula, no one who has stood by you for all this time, watching you navigate the perils and horrors you've endured, helping you bear with the challenges you've faced, could ever begrudge you for the hard choices you've had to make," Song said, earnestly. "I hate this war more than anything in this world. I want it to end. I want it to stop. Sokka… he might just be able to make that happen. But I don't want it to end just for the sake of it: I want it to end for your sake, too. So that you can be free again… or maybe, be free for the first time?"

"I… I wasn't in these kinds of chains before," Azula frowned. "My father may have held some control over me before this mess started, but it wasn't like…"

"You didn't dare stand up to him and tell him your truths about who you loved and what you thought of the war, though, did you?" Song asked. Azula winced. "Azula… him being your figure of authority, your father, means you have never truly been free. I never really met your brother… but you said he got burned in an Agni Kai against him, right? That your father burned his face. As much as he hasn't done that to you… do you really believe you and your brother weren't shackled by your father well before that day? To the point where he could burn him to no consequences, where he could break you and destroy your life as he did?"

"Maybe you're right and we were, but… I don't know. I've never really thought about it that way. I'm… I'm someone in a position of power, Song. I'm not some common Fire Nation peasant with no clue of what the asinine ideology of my forefathers truly means. I've understood all along and…"

"And you weren't ready to rebel. You wouldn't have, at first. Then there were reasons why you couldn't, once you finally understood how bad your situation was. You can't convince me otherwise, Azula."

Song's dark eyes gazed at Azula with such clarity the Princess felt herself shrink in place. She was so tired… she might just need the compassion her friend offered her after all. Pushing on to prove she was unworthy of any kindness would only cause her further grief in the end.

"So, you… want Sokka to break my chains," Azula whispered. "As if I were the slave instead of him. Though he really isn't one anymore, but still… you think his fighting in the war, his victory, will set me free?"

"I'm sure of that. But if you want me to be fully honest… I've been thinking more about what will happen afterwards, rather than what will happen once you and him meet again."

"You… what?" Azula raised an eyebrow. Song smiled.

"Call me crazy for daydreaming and imagining weird scenarios," she laughed softly. "But even though it used to hurt to so much to think about what we lost, what we never really got to experience too… nowadays, I can think about the future that was stolen from us and I don't break down in tears because of it. I… I even think it might still be a possibility, going forward with it, after Sokka ends the war."

"What possibility are we talking about, exactly…?" Azula asked, wary. Song snickered.

"You know exactly what: the Sokkazula Fortress, of course."

Azula snorted, covering her mouth with a hand to muffle the sound, in hopes of not startling Hotaru or Rei out of their rest. Song chuckled quietly, and Azula stared at her in disbelief.

"You… you were thinking about that crazy concept? Again?" Azula asked, an earnest smile spreading over her face. "Song, that's not… I mean, I don't know if it's impossible, but I don't really think…"

"Oh, don't come here with hard logic and facts, I won't hear any of it," Song said, with feigned arrogance. Azula chuckled. "Now, then, I'm thinking we're all going to have our personal suites in the Fortress. You and Sokka would get the biggest because, well, it is your fortress, and you'd have a whole slew of rooms to share with Rei and Hotaru too. Rui Shi and I, we'll have a smaller suite, but it'll still work for us, we aren't as boisterous and chaotic as you…"

"That so?" Azula smirked. Song chuckled.

"Then, the rest of the guards… they'll have their rooms, better ones than in the barracks though. They deserve the upgrade," Song said, confidently. "Renkai will be there too, of course. He'll be Rui Shi's second-in-command in the Sokkazula Fortress Guard Army. We'll have lots of free rooms too, for occasional visitors… like Toph. I'm sure she'll love to hang out…"

"Her room must be in the basement," Azula said, startling Song. "Somewhere with as much dirt and earth as she wants to play with."

"Ah. Well, sure! I can get behind that," Song chuckled. "Say, come to think of it… we should build it somewhere fun. Like… in a place with hot springs!"

"Hot springs?" Azula laughed. "That's something…"

"They can be fun," Song chuckled. "I haven't been to any since I was a kid, but it's supposed to be beneficial for your health too. I'm sure we'd all be in much better shape if we soaked in hot springs more often."

"Heh. Sokka and I visited a few… but I doubt they're in locations worth building big fortresses on," Azula smiled awkwardly. "And if Sokkazula Fortress is supposed to be in the Earth Kingdom somewhere…"

"Well, it could be anywhere you want it to be. I think we've proven we can live wherever the wind blows us," Song smiled sadly. "Though I guess getting used to the South Pole could be challenging, if we wound up there… do you think Sokka would want to make it an ice palace, come to think of it?"

"Uh… maybe. That would be right up his alley," Azula smiled awkwardly. "But I don't know if the Southern Water Tribe would want to have a slew of strangers, and firebenders, to boot, living in their outskirts, no matter if Sokka tells them we're safe."

"Well, fair," Song smiled sadly. "We'll get a secondary home in the South Pole, then. Once they get used to us and all diplomacy is settled, we'll be able to build a proper fortress there later."

"You're just a little ambitious, aren't you?" Azula asked, amused. Song snickered.

"One home in every nation. That's not the worst idea ever, is it?" she said. "Though I guess it's harder to do that in the Air Temples, and we shouldn't desecrate their temples any more than they already have been…"

"I think we can leave it at the other three nations for the time being, provided we're even allowed to do anything of the sort," Azula smiled sadly.

"Considering you'll marry the savior of the world, I'm pretty sure people will be thrilled to have you as neighbors everywhere in the world," Song said. Azula scoffed at her certainty. "No, but really now! People will even volunteer their own homes for your use, they'll offer you grand tributes, all the meals you can eat…"

"All the meals I can eat is one concept. All the meals he can eat? That's a different matter," Azula pointed out. Song snorted with laughter. "He'd devour enough food to feed his whole army on a good day, if he had the chance. No one ought to be that generous for their own good."

"Well, if that's how it is… you'll have to keep dueling him to make sure he burns out all that energy after those crazy feasts. Get ready for it," Song said, with a smirk. Azula laughed, shaking her head. "If you'd like to take a break from combat, though, I'm sure the guards will be happy to train with him for the time being. You and I can just sit in the sidelines watching our respective husbands being manly and handsome, right?"

"Sounds perfect," Azula said, smirking slightly. Song snickered. "You really have been thinking about this kind of stuff often, Song?"

"Lately? A little more often than I intended. It's… kind of nice. Reassuring. When things get bad, when they get dark, I just cling to the belief that we'll be there one day. That whatever's happening now can't stop us from… from making that dream come true," Song said, breathing deeply. "I know… it might not happen at all. But it's so much easier to go through this rough patch by having something to trust, something to cling to. Something to have faith in, I guess."

"Faith," Azula whispered: the word wasn't all that common for her before her life had fallen to pieces. She had first understood its meaning deep in her very soul when Sokka was reported dead, and she was the only one who had reason to believe otherwise.

Was it faith, too, to hope that they would be together again one day? That the burnt bridges might actually be restored? That their broken hearts could yet be mended? Even if there would never be any denying the truth, any masquerading the pain any of them had faced, whether because of her father's choices, or each other's… could they find peace together? Could they actually fulfill that wild hope of finally living outside of the Fire Lord's watchful glare, beyond his threatening reach…?

Azula sighed, the ache in her heart gaining strength as her dread returned: what if this was possible, but Sokka no longer wanted that kind of future with her? Would she even be worthy of pleading with him to try? Would their relationship be salvageable at all, if Sokka happened to not want her anymore?

"It's… it's a beautiful future, Song. One I would love to see coming true, but…"

"Ah, I didn't tell you about the library, did I? We'll have one of those. Rei's going to curate the books for us because by now I'm sure she has read more than any of us combined…"

"Right," Azula smiled a little. Song nodded.

"And we'll have… artistic competitions often. Music ones, you know? You'll always be fighting with Rui Shi over first place, you with the guzheng, him with the pipa…"

"He'd beat me, no contest," Azula laughed. Song smiled. "He was better than me, comparatively. I might measure up if I practiced more, but…"

"You'll have to put in the work. I'm sure he'll want you to give it your everything," Song smiled proudly. "Oh, but… the biggest thing we really should do? The one thing we have to do. It's… it's something we forgot to, so far. Maybe we'll have time to do it once we go home."

"What is it?" Azula's smile waned, though Song's grew more earnest, if also more fragile.

"You know… that rug I got for your room," she smiled a little. Azula raised an eyebrow. "I always thought… once Hotaru was big enough, it could be her first art project. We could just use colorful inks and… make a messy painting on that rug, pretty much. I know, it's kind of a weird concept because we'd be stepping on it eventually… so maybe I should leave the rug alone and we should do a big tapestry instead."

"A tapestry…" Azula repeated, raising an eyebrow. "Not a fancy painting, like the ones my family had made when I was a child, but… something like what Sokka would do."

"Sokka?" Song hummed.

"His sword master taught him through calligraphy that he had to leave his mark on the battlefield," Azula explained. "He picked up his ink brush, smeared ink all over his hand, and then pressed his open palm to the paper."

"Huh. We could… do it with our palms too," Song agreed, tapping her chin and smiling. "That way we would immortalize how tiny Hotaru's hands are right now, come to think of it. I know there are other ways to do it, but that one's cute. I feel like she'll grow up so much that she'll never believe her hand was that small, heh."

"Entirely possible," Azula said, smiling warmly as she gazed at the baby on the mattress. "She… she'll grow up happy, that's for sure. Healthy and happy."

"She will," Song said, glancing over her shoulder towards the little girl, too. "And she… she will be very embarrassed by her parents' antics once she grows older. As it should be."

"Song…" Azula smiled. Song grinned at her.

"You wouldn't behave yourselves just because you have a kid, would you? You'd do nonsense anyway. Like joining spicy ramen competitions…"

"Hey, now, that was a very sound choice on our part, mind you."

"Or finding weird libraries in deserts manned by owls and foxes…"

"One owl only, though yes, many foxes…"

"Or, uh… ripping up shirts and then running to Song so she mends them…"

"Hey! That…!" Azula huffed, cheeks heating up slightly as Song chuckled. "You really didn't use that against me nearly as often as you wanted to, now, did you?"

"We weren't close enough back then that I'd have felt comfortable doing it," Song laughed. "It's different now. I know you love me too much to set me on fire for embarrassing you."

"Don't test me," Azula said, though there was no bite to her words. Song laughed still, smiling kindly at her.

"In any future I'd dare imagine… you'll be right there with Hotaru, every time," Song said. Azula swallowed hard, her throat tightening as tears bloomed in her eyes at that notion. At something she craved, something she needed, something she wanted to live for… something she might not get to experience at all, regardless of how badly she wanted to. "The two of you… you'll raise her together. You'll make up for lost time. You'll teach her all the things you taught Rei, and then some. Who knows? You can train her as a bender, if she happens to be one, or as a warrior, if she isn't. You'll be able to play silly games with her… fly with her on Xin Long's back, too. The future I want is… a future of peace. A future where everyone I cherish can find happiness. And you're at very center of that, Azula. Every one of us… whether your friends here, or those with Sokka, all of us want you to live this life with us. And I know it's hard for you to fathom that it's possible… but I know none of us will give up hope that you'll be part of it too."

"I know, but…" Azula said, trembling slightly. "I'm… I'm terrified, Song. I'm terrified of what he'll think of me, of what he'll say, of… of the chance that even Sokka might grow to believe I'm not worth it. And I'm even more scared of the idea that he might not think so. That he might believe in me faithfully when I don't deserve that from him right now. That his faith in me might be his undoing, a target on his back in the eyes of the White Lotus. Every possibility daunts me. I'm almost more scared of being loved than of forever losing the love that's out of my reach, at this point. So many of you would do so much for me, and I… I'm not sure I'll ever be able to believe I'm worth the trouble."

"Well… you don't have to believe it. It's enough that we do."

Azula grimaced, finding another compassionate smile in her friend's face. Azula gritted her teeth, leaning forward until her brow pressed against Song's shoulder.

"I really don't deserve you," she whispered. Song laughed and shook her head.

"You're maddening. You deserve more, if anything," Song said, wrapping an arm around Azula's shoulders: the Princess seemed to shrink in herself, curled up against Song's side, finding comfort and relief, no matter how unworthy she felt of either thing. "But I don't have the patience to argue with you over how amazing you are. I'll leave that to Sokka."

"You keep on saying that…" Azula sighed, and Song nodded.

"And I'll keep saying it, no matter what. I'll keep believing in the two of you… in your little one, and her power to bring her parents together when the world is falling apart. Besides… who knows? Maybe…"

"Maybe?" Azula raised her head slightly, trying to gauge what Song would say… and the devious smirk on her face suggested it wouldn't be anything Azula would take well. "Song?"

"Just wondering… if you'll be able to come up with names for more kids, considering how long it took you to settle on Hotaru," Song said. Azula's eyes widened. "How many would you even end up having, I wonder…?"

"W-wait, wait, I… no. No! I already…! Hotaru was enough. She was a lot of work, you know that better than anyone, I…!" Azula gasped, pulling back in sheer panic: Song laughed beside her, tightening her grip on her friend. "You can't be seriously expecting me to go through pregnancy again. I don't think I…!"

"You'll have to be very thorough with the tea, if you won't do it again," Song chuckled. "We'll need a garden to grow the plant ourselves, can't leave it all to Mai after all…"

"Please and thank you," Azula said, groaning before pressing her face to Song's shoulder again. Song chuckled.

"All I ask is that you make sure that, if you do have another accident of that nature, it doesn't happen at the same time as whenever I get pregnant, alright?"

"I… what?" Azula blinked blankly. Song grinned proudly. "Huh. You… you'll have your own kids with Rui Shi, then? You're already set on it?"

"You know, that day, when you first told me about Niece Wen?" Song said. "Rui Shi told me that night about the predictions. I was curious, so… I asked. He said the fortuneteller mentioned that we might just have twin daughters… might as well get to work on that once everything's sorted out, huh?"

The confidence in her voice didn't match her frail smile, but Azula couldn't help but smile kindly too: her arms tightened around Song's body, offering her as much comfort as she could, much as her friend had offered her plenty of her own.

"You deserve that kind of future," Azula whispered. Song sighed, her head dropping against Azula's.

"So do you," she said, earnestly.

"But… I won't make any promises. For all I know, I might really just get knocked up again exactly when it happens to you, accident or no."

"Of course. Knowing how opportune you two are, I have no trouble believing that," Song laughed, her arm tightening around Azula's shoulders.

Their hopes in that uncertain, nebulous future served indeed as the beacon of light Azula was meant to follow in the depths of the greatest darkness. So often she had been moments away from giving up… but that light, that hope, remained within reach. She had to tighten her grip around it, and never let it go.

Her fears had not been dispelled. Her dread, her uncertainties about the coming days, about what Sokka might choose, about what judgment he might cast upon her, hadn't truly faded away.

But perhaps the chance of conceiving a different, brighter future could quell her troubled heart for a moment. Perhaps that simple instance of sitting with her friend by that window, as her daughters slept soundly, could truly alleviate so much of the nightmare she had been enduring for well over a year. To this moment, Song, Rei and Hotaru were the main rocks upon which she could still hold herself up… to this moment, they kept her going where she might have given up if she were alone. The future remained unwritten… but it would not stay that way for much longer. She could only hope that, if there were any forces that would determine their destinies, that they might show greater compassion than they had, as of late… that they might allow Song's dream of a beautiful life in a home they would build for themselves, in a peaceful world where they might reunite with everyone they loved, to finally come true.