Sokka
A Couple of days before the ceremonies -
I hate The Fire Nation. was the first thing that came to Sokka's mind as he landed at the docks of the Fire Nation harbour with his sister, his father and his mother..
"I can't believe these people are considered human beings, i hate each and everyone of them." Sokka muttered loud enough for his family to hear.
"You're talking as if you have dealt with all the fire nation citizens." His Mother Kya reasoned with him.
"I've dealt with enough of them to understand their motives, besides, i can't believe you're defending these people, they're the same nation that's wanted to destroy the world for a very long time." Sokka argued.
"I'm not defending anyone, Son, i'm just trying to tell you that some of these people are innocents just like us, we have good people and bad people in our midst as well." His mother tried to reason again, but Sokka still didn't look convinced, that's when his father decided to interfere..
"Listen, Son, i agree with you, the people of the world have suffered from the fire nation on a number of occasions, they deserve whatever punishment they receive, but as your mother said, not all of them are monsters, there are innocent people among them, people that just wanna live peacefully, like us, so you can't say that all fire nation people are monsters, you don't know how strict the rules are here, i know, that's why i'm not as angry as i'm sympathetic towards them." His father finished.
"Besides, look at how lively and at ease with each other these people are." His sister Katara chimed in.
Finally Sokka began to feel at ease as his family said those words as to indicate that he was finally convinced by their words, and actually began to see the fire nation citizens in a different way, he looked around and found fishermen at the docks struggling to unload their fish, he saw villagers talking and laughing with each other in a kind-hearted manner, Sokka actually had a faint smile on his face at the sight, and kept on..
maybe these ceremonies won't turn out to be so bad after all. Sokka mused They finally arrived at the house reserved to them by the fire lord as they began to unload, Sokka told them that he wanted to take a walk in the fire nation alone, his family agreed and told him to come home by lunch time..
"I wouldn't miss it for the world, Mom." Sokka told them, it's true he had quite an appetite 'A strong man needs his strength, and his strength comes from food.' he'd always say whenever a member of his family tell him to stop eating as wildly as he does.
As he kept walking through the streets of the fire nation, he passed by many different types of people, from the greedy merchant who tries so hard to lure customers to his shop, to the very talented street girl with the flute, Sokka left some coppers for the girl appreciating her talent then kept on exploring the city..
"What do you mean we have to remove our make-up to enter ? this make-up represents our culture, you imbecile !" Sokka stopped walking as he heard a distant female arguing voice, he looked to his left and found a group of girls in green outfits and a very delicate white make-up, coloring their upper eye lids with red and black ink.
He saw that costume before, and when he asked about it once, he was told that this was the style of Avatar Kyoshi, but if that's just a costume, then why are these girls very angry about taking it off ?
"I'm sorry, miss, rules of the tavern owner, two faced people aren't allowed" He heard the bodyguard say, Sokka held a laughter inside of him, he had to admire the owner's sense of humor in writing down his rules, but he decided to step in and help the girls as he realized that the situation was about to get ugly..
but before Sokka could do anything he was met with a sight he might never forget for the rest of his life, the girls decided to retaliate against the guards..
"Two faced people, huh ?" Sokka saw their leader sneak a glance at her companions, then looking at the guard again with full intent to kill.. "Well, second faces aren't always nasty, but yours is gonna be Very nasty."
Then Sokka saw the leader of the group jump up and landing with a punch to the man's face, the man fell flat on his back from the power of the punch groaning in pain, Sokka watched his mouth gaping in awe..
Wow that girl is powerful. he thought amused, then the other two girls that were with her circled around the rest of the guards pulling out their fans..
That's right, they were fighting with FANS ! Sokka had to snicker at the sight but decided to keep watching still, as the girls jump and landed on each guard with each fan on a guard's head the other two guards fell beside their companion also groaning in pain, their leader came face to face with the guard grabbed him roughly by the collar to look her in the eye, by the time that happened there was a mob of people around the fight trying to separate them but Sokka was in the middle of it watching and you can imagine how amused he was..
"I wish i had a mirror right now, you'd have liked your second face, you prick." Their leader said pointing out the blue mark on the man's face from her punch, while everyone else was just trying to the separate them,
Sokka laughed loudly at their leader's joke, many people gave him weird looks, but he just kept laughing, he was the only one that attended the fight from the beginning so he was the only one that understood the leader's joke, the leader let go of the man's collar and stood up again, sparing Sokka a glance, Sokka swore he saw her giving him a faint smile, but he couldn't identify it very well from the make-up, then she turned on her heels and entered the tavern with her companions.
Sokka was so sure that girl wasn't from the fire nation, but that brief glance confirmed it, she had blue eyes and auburn short hair, also he knew she wasn't Water Tribe, if such costume was part of a culture in the water tribes, he'd have known, That leaves the air nomads, and The Earth Kingdom, but he knew the air nomads better to know that they weren't into many cultures and ways of life, they just have one culture and one way of life, That leaves the Earth Kingdom..
wait a min, didn't i see in one of my maps that there was an island called Kyoshi Island ? Sokka remembered, mentally cursing himself for being stupid sometimes, Of course these girls must be from Kyoshi Island..
You might be asking why Sokka is asking himself all these questions and why he was trying to find out what those girls are from, Well, Sokka took a liking in this girl, so he might as well work to develop it..
So, he entered the tavern after them, as he entered he looked around and finally found the girls sitting down on one of the tables ordering a drink from the now terrified Tavern wench, he sat at a nearby table waiting for a chance to talk to their leader and in the meantime he might think of the topic they're gonna talk about..
Ugh, Interacting with new people is so hard ! Sokka thought with irritation written over his face, he spent the last ten minutes trying to find a way to approach a girl, but he just couldn't think of any, he ordered a drink and just sat there for ten minutes straight scheming and plotting..
Alright, i'll just go to her and tell her my feelings.. What the hell ? why'd i tell her how i feel when she doesn't even know me ? Sokka had to slap his forehead when he thought of that, he was so nervous as to what to do next, how could he approach her, will he make a fool out of himself if he did ?
Finally he had an idea, "Hey, Tavern Wench, Here." The Wench looked at him with confused eyes.
"Me ?" She asked confusedly, Sokka nodded and she immediately came to his table when, "Something wrong, Sir ?" She asked somewhat frightened that he didn't like their service.
"No, No, Everything's fine, i just want to ask you a favor." Sokka looked at her with curious eyes, that the girl had to look away frightened as to what he might ask of her.
"Sir, Please, I'm not into these kinds of favors, Please, leave me alone." She said trying to move away from him,
Sokka caught her wrist and said.. "What're you talking about ? i'm not trying to get you to my bed, Silly." The girl gave a sigh of relief, "But you're gonna help me with getting someone else to my bed." Sokka said struggling to keep a straight face when the girl's eyes widened not sure what to say,
"I'm kidding, Relax." Sokka said laughingly, she laughed reluctantly with him still not sure what to say, when the laughing stopped, the warrior regarded her again,
"I need your help with delivering a message to the warrior girl right over there." He pointed at the leader of the group of girl in Kyoshi make-up, The Wench's eyes widened again, making Sokka wonder if widening her eyes is a habit of hers, she said..
"Those girls just attacked our guards, it was hard enough to deliver their orders, and you want me to deliver her a message ?" The wench practically yelled but in a low tone, so that the girls don't hear.
"Calm down, i have seen the whole thing, they were nice to the guards at first, but the guards forced their hand, i'm sure you know that about your stupid guards by now." The Tavern wench had a confused look on her face as to how he knew something like that, but then she brushed the thought away, but before she could say anything, Sokka continued..
"I know that's not gonna be a easy task for you, but i'm sure you'll pull it off, besides.." He stopped talking to pull out a gold piece from his pockets. "It won't be for free." Sokka finished.
The girl's eyes widened at the sight of the gold piece, making Sokka groan inwardly, but brushed it away, Finally the girl accepted the offer and asked him about what he wants to deliver.
"A message, from me to the leader, Never open it, just deliver it to her, okay ?" The girl nodded and Sokka gave her the message, left some money on the table and left, he peeked from the door of the shop as he saw the leader gasp, satisfied with his work, he left to prepare for the outcome of the message..
3 hours later, after having lunch with his family, he left the house again to continue his plan, Sokka was on the top of a hill waiting for the Kyoshi Warrior to arrive, She finally arrived and she didn't look so pleased..
"I see you got my message.." but before he could finish his sentence, she practically jumped on him pinning him to the floor, Sokka made no effort to release himself from her grip.
"You sick bastard ! you kidnap my friend for a fight at a tavern ? how did you get to her in Kyoshi Island that fast ?!" She yelled at Sokka's face, practically choking him right now.
"I don't have your friend.. i was just trying to get you to talk alone." Sokka said struggling to breath at her hold, she let go of him slightly with a shocked face but still pinning him down.
"What.. ?" she said clearly shocked but still unconvinced.
"Earlier during the fight at the tavern, i was there, i saw you fight with much grace and intelligence, it was like a second nature to you.. Fighting i mean.. so, i wanted to talk to you privately, but i couldn't with your friends surrounding you, you even saw me after the fight, remember ?" Sokka tried reminding, which needles to say he succeeded in.
"Yeah, you're the guy who laughed loudly after the fight.." Her face got angry and she choked him again, "You Bastard, i've been worried sick for the past three hours.." She said still choking him, Sokka has had enough, he grabbed her hands, lifted them up, rolled over and pinned her to the gound, they'd have noticed how awkward their position was, had The leader not been so angry, and had Sokka not been struggling to keep his life moments ago.
"Why don't you understand that i'm on your side, I'm sorry it had to be this way, i just had no other way." Sokka said still keeping a firm grip with each hand on each of her wrists.
"Let go of me so i can strangle you with your own guts, you bastard !" The leader yelled at him, struggling to release herself.
"Ok, i'm gonna let go of you, but please, no more choking, i barely made it out alive seconds ago, Please.. i just wanna talk to you." Sokka said, making the leader stop her struggling and after some time, she nodded her head, So Sokka let go of her wrists and stood up letting her stand up as well, she folded her hands above her chest waiting irritably for what he had to say.
"First off, i'm so sorry for the way i called you here, it was wrong of me to make you worry like that and i'm sooo sorry, i won't ask for your forgiveness right now, because i know i'm gonna have to earn it, and i promise i won't rest until i earn your forgiveness and trust." Sokka said letting The leader's posture ease down a bit from the honesty in his eyes, he continued..
"Secondly, i just wanna say you're an incredible fighter, as i said earlier, i have never seen anyone fight with such grace and intelligence, and as a guy who liked to learn, i just wanted you to teach me some of the moves, you know." Sokka said, making the leader chuckle in an irritable way.
"Teach you ? you just countered my attack earlier, which makes it even worse." The Leader said in an angry tone.
"It was just a reflex, as you know i was fighting for my life, i'm not usually that good." Sokka said humbly, making the leader's posture ease down again, Sokka smiled inwardly at the sight.
Good, i'm in the right direction. He thought satisfied with himself.
"You're probably right.. i'm sorry for attacking you by the way, but i'm sure you had it coming." She said in a soft tone indicating that she finally warmed up to him, Sokka'd have jumped in joy, but he had to finish the job here.
"Yeah, i probably deserved that, but most good things start off with a bad thing, am i right ?" he said with a smile on his face, making the leader give him a faint smile back indicating that she might have understood his remark, he extended a hand as he continued. "I'm Sokka of the southern Water Tribe."
The Leader took the hand and shook it. "Suki, from Kyoshi Island and Leader of the Kyoshi Warriors." The Leader who he might now call as Suki introduced herself.
"Oh, we're talking titles now ? then let me rephrase my earlier statement, 'I'm Sokka, Prince Of The Southern Water Tribe.'" Sokka said with a prideful look but he had a smile on his face indicating that he was joking.
Suki laughed a little but then looked at him again with awe. "You're the prince of the southern water tribe, why haven't you said that earlier ?" she said with a confused look.
"Why ? you'd have treated me better ?" Sokka said in teasing matter.
"I'd have done what i did even if you were the avatar himself, Prince Jerk." Suki said with a pouting face, Sokka had to admire that even in full make-up she looked so cute pouting, she continued..
"It's just, why'd you not say your title in public ? most princes i see are so proud about their titles, they say it to every living person their is, but you haven't, Why ?" she asked clearly confused.
"I like walking among the people as one of them, i don't want them to feel inferior to me because for What i am, though i'd like it if they felt inferior to me for Who i am." Sokka said matter of factly.
Suki looked at him confusion written all over her face and said. "I don't get it."
Sokka felt the urge to smack his forehead for saying such complicated words to a girl he barely knows her name.
"I meant that i wouldn't like it if people called me a great man because i'm a prince, but i'd like it if people called me a great man because i served them and really did something good for the world." Sokka said satisfied with the way he delivered the explanation.
Suki gave a smile on her face and looked at Sokka. "Same here." Sokka smiled back at her.
"Well, since we're short on time until the ceremonies, i'd like it if we started training today, anytime you want, you might consider it a date." Sokka never realized what he just said until he said, his face turned bright red, and he looked away in embarrassment, he spared a brief glance at Suki and found that his statement had a similar effect on her.
"Well... i mean,.. i didn't mean for it ... to.. come out like .. that, But.. Uhm.." Sokka was scratching the back of his head his face still bright red, Suki finally recovered from his statement and decided to speak.
"Of Course.. We can uhm.. start tonight, 5 hours from now, have your dinner and come to my place training place in the capital, it's just outside the palace, in the section of Earth Kingdom guests, 24th district beside a meat shop." Suki finished, her talking washing her and Sokka's embarrassment away.
"Ok, Cool, i'll get there in time." Sokka informed finally relieved that his statement didn't ruin their meeting.
"Cool, i am... gonna go now, See ya later." With a final glance in his direction, Suki turned on her heels and left.
Sokka stood there on the hill, staring at the girl's departing figure, still not sure what just happened, she just agreed to meeting him.
He Jumped up and did flip in the air screaming. "YES !" and after the flip he did a victory dance, unaware of Suki seeing him from behind a rock with a smile on her face.
