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...

289. Chapter 289: WL Fortress-Loyalty 2

The White Lotus Fortress/Loyalty to the Disgraced

2

The light vegetation in the mountain range wouldn't conceal the sizable Appa from sight if they had chosen to wait too close to the fortress. Thus, they had elected to land at a fair distance from the location, not so far as to lose sight of it, but not so close that they'd risk revealing themselves to the potential enemy.

Zuko had marched off hours ago and they had watched anxiously from afar as he was guided inside the fortress. As there were no signs of distress, no fire plums signaling that he needed to be rescued, Sokka told the others to stay put and wait until Zuko returned. Even so, he had to temper his own need to rush into the fortress, uncertain of whether the White Lotus soldiers might have deceived Zuko simply to take him as their prisoner. If Zuko didn't come back within the next twelve hours, they'd have to assume the worst.

Evidently, that notion distressed Ursa greatly. She sat against a tree trunk, hugging her knees to her chest again, eyes set on the ground as though she hoped to clear her mind by focusing even on something as menial as the ants that walked over the ground, carrying whatever loot they'd found back to their colony.

"You think he'll be back soon?" Kino asked Sokka: the soldier had been watching the fortress persistently so far, asking variations of that question across ten-minute intervals ever since Zuko had first been led into the fortress. Sokka sighed and shrugged.

"I can only hope so," he said. "Iroh… he's a piece of shit, I'll never stop thinking that about him, but even so, he cares about Zuko. If he's got even a shred of backbone, he won't let anyone hurt him."

"That's not very tranquilizing," Ursa mumbled. Sokka swallowed hard and sighed.

"I'm sorry that it's not. I realize this must be a thing of nightmares for you…"

"I wouldn't say it is, not just yet," Ursa said. "Not until we confirm they've chosen to do anything unforgivable. For now, I… I'll hope you're right, but counting on Iroh's goodwill in any regard sounds like… like a very unreliable plan."

"Unfortunately, it was the only plan at our disposal at the moment," Sokka said. "Zuko's the least likely of us to earn their enmity, and he's too stubborn to let them walk all over him. I… I want to believe he'll even be too stubborn for Iroh, at this point. He always seemed to be, back when… when we were all in the Fire Nation."

"You… did you always distrust him?" Ursa asked. "Iroh, I mean…"

"Well, yeah. Azula… she always said he was up to no good. And she was right," Sokka sighed. "I had no idea how to judge most things in the Fire Nation at first, and I barely trusted her back then, to begin with… but I had no reason to believe Iroh was any better than she thought he was. It… surprised her, when I seemed to believe she could be right about Iroh."

"Did it?" Ursa said, eyeing Sokka with uncertainty. "Then… I suppose she never did see through me, if so. In the past I might have been proud of that, but… now I wish I had been more transparent. If anything…"

"You could have bonded over your dislike for Iroh?" Sokka asked, with a weak grin. Ursa laughed very softly, with a sound that came off as a sort of cough: it was clear she had hardly laughed in years.

"Perhaps. There… there was much we could have bonded over, if only I hadn't been swept up by the damnable pretenses of the nobility and the Fire Nation Royal Family," she admitted, letting her chin rest on her forearms. "Too late to regret it now, of course…"

"You can regret it all you like, if you ask me," Sokka said, breathing deeply. "We all have plenty of things to regret as it is. Living with no regrets, whatsoever…? That sounds idyllic, and humanly impossible, to be honest."

"I suppose it might be so," Ursa conceded, biting her lower lip.

"Still… if Sokka is right, then Zuko will be alright and Iroh won't want to do anything stupid to him," Katara chimed in, smiling reassuringly at Ursa. "We're all a team, and we'll get through this together."

"All…?" Ursa repeated, eyeing Katara with uncertainty. Her smile waned upon hearing the question. "Y-you mean… the five of you?"

"Well, there's actually seven of us… eight now that you're with us, too," Aang said, grinning at her. Ursa swallowed hard, eyes glistening with hope.

"If you thought we might just ditch you here with the White Lotus and take off on our own if they don't agree to work with us… well, rest assured: that's not going to happen," Sokka said, arms folded over his chest. "They've been cruel to you in many ways, as far as I've understood. Though you haven't explained absolutely everything about your stay with them yet, but… if they were hoping to use you as some sort of bargaining chip against Ozai in the future, you're better off away from them."

"I don't know if they truly intended to do that anymore. But…" Ursa said, letting out a sigh. "They didn't quite care for me, no. Only one person did."

"Then that means we could just poach their cool members, if they want to join us, and leave behind the nasty ones," Kino suggested, with a careless grin. "I mean, I guess there's bound to be a lot of bad people there, but… surely there's a few others who aren't that awful, right?"

"Who knows," Sokka responded. "I would welcome Piandao joining our ranks, if he wanted to. But… as legendary as he is, I don't think we can charge into war with him alone as our backup."

"Do you have any other plans?" Ursa asked. "Anyone else to call upon if the White Lotus fails you?"

"Well… nothing's set in stone," Sokka admitted, with a shrug. "Though I want to believe the White Lotus can't be the only bastion of rebels against the Fire Nation. I know a few people who would be open to joining us, I reckon, but… it's hard to say where to find them right now."

"People… gladiators?" Katara asked. Sokka breathed deeply and nodded.

"Unfortunately, reaching out to gladiators right now is… well, impossible, as far as I can tell," he said. "The League is gone, Ozai saw to that. I have no idea if the gladiators would still be under any sorts of contracts or partnerships with their sponsors under these circumstances… likely not. And I doubt they'd be easy to track down now that there's nothing to bring them together."

"Would be fun if there was some sort of gladiatorial gang ready to protest against the Fire Nation because the League was abolished," Kino said, biting his lip. "Then we could recruit them and we might have a good chance at success without these guys!"

"Well… now that you mention it," Sokka frowned, glancing at Ursa. "I know you weren't exactly in on most of what was happening in the fortress. But… did you notice a sudden influx in new arrivals some time ago? Maybe… maybe after Iroh showed up again?"

"I can't say I know," Ursa admitted. "It… it did seem the fortress was more crowded when I returned after my… my second-to-last foray into the swamp. That's when I… when I realized Iroh was one of them. Piandao brought me back…"

"Huh? I thought you'd said you'd ran off this time because of Iroh…" Sokka said, blinking blankly.

"For a second time, yes. But not because I learned of his allegiances… it's because I learned of his crimes," Ursa confessed. Sokka's brow furrowed. "I met someone a… a few months ago, I suppose. A young woman who was… well, very moody. Slightly drunk, I suppose, she had a bottle in her hands when we crossed paths. We… talked, briefly, until Iroh came by and I… I realized what his true allegiances were. She was mad at him, I suppose, but I… I was overwhelmed upon realizing who he truly was. That was… the first time I fled because of him. The second time… it happened because they were arguing once again, Iroh and this young woman. She yelled at him about many things, among them that… that he'd ruined Azula's life."

Sokka's eyes widened at Ursa's explanation: there was one person who came to mind, one person who had to be that young woman, especially if she was upset and outraged by Iroh's choices…

"I didn't understand, so I intruded on the conversation and demanded for an explanation… Iroh told her they could discuss things at leisure in private, but she refused," Ursa continued. "Instead, she recounted everything that had happened, outright… everything Iroh had done. How… how he'd caused Azula's downfall. Whether she knew who I was or not, I don't know, but… I lost myself in my grief, as always. I panicked, I… I rejected that reality and I wanted to return to the swamp at once, again, as fast as I could… always hoping to find her once more. But… this time it sent you to me."

"Which is a way to send Azula to you too, if you think about it…" Katara mumbled. Sokka blinked blankly as he glanced at her. "W-well, I mean… you're the closest person to her, right? Her life partner, secret husband, all that…"

"Secret husband?" Ursa repeated, glancing at a now blushing Sokka. "You…"

"U-uh, well… we couldn't really get married officially or anything, the world was proven to be just as unforgivable as we expected, back when our relationship was revealed," Sokka said, flustered before letting out a deep sigh. "But it's not like… like we didn't think about it. If anything, we thought about it a little too much. To the point where, well… we eloped, during a one-week vacation Azula had a chance to take. It wasn't going to mean anything to the general public, of course, but…"

"Goodness…" Ursa raised a hand to her lips as Sokka continued to avert his gaze from hers. "My daughter… married. I suppose it is natural, even obvious considering the relationship you had, but I hadn't truly… I hadn't truly pondered it."

"It did surprise you too to hear about Zuko's wedding," Katara smiled empathetically. Ursa laughed quietly and nodded.

"I… I'm only sorry I couldn't be there, to… to be part of it all," she said, biting her lip and gazing at Sokka with a heartfelt smile. "I suppose, as difficult as matters became in recent times, you and Azula were truly happy."

"To the point where it was easy to forget we ever hadn't been happy, I guess," Sokka said, biting his lip. "Especially that week. But reality caught up with us eventually. Sometimes I wish it hadn't."

"It… it may not be easy," Ursa whispered. "But you have a chance. We're doing this to ensure you have a chance to find your way back to Azula and end this war. I… I cannot pretend to know if you can reclaim your happiness fully, I know it's not easy to reunite with someone after decades of separation, but I'm hoping it won't be that long for the two of you. I'm hoping… I'm deeply hoping you'll succeed soon. That those White Lotus men… that they realize they're best served by following your lead…"

"Can you think of anything we could do to convince them faster?" Aang asked. "I know you weren't informed about most things, and that sucks, but… do you have any ideas on what would impress them? Maybe someone else who came by to join the White Lotus recently did something cool so they'd accept them…?"

"Unfortunately, I… I cannot say," Ursa admitted. "I barely noticed new arrivals, it… it was only when Iroh showed up that I was alerted about it, namely because I knew him from the past and… and I never thought he'd turn his back on the Fire Nation to this extent. Perhaps he isn't wrong to do so… but I still never expected it."

"I guess, but…" Sokka breathed deeply, glancing at Ursa uneasily. "You said Iroh was… talking to a young woman? That she was arguing with him, in Azula's favor…?"

"Yes?" Ursa responded. Sokka's heart pounded in his chest as he prepared to ask his next question…

"Oh! Guys, guys! Zuko's back!"

The conversation ceased at once as they joined Kino by the edge of the mountain: indeed, a lone figure was outside the fortress again, shooting blazes of fire into the sky in a manner that didn't betray true urgency. The fire flowed smoothly, no White Lotus men had chased after him – though some seemed to watch him intently from the wall – and he stood at the valley between the mountainous territory, calling for them.

"Okay… okay. He's alive, he's okay, and we should scoop him up," Sokka reasoned, biting his lip before marching up to Appa.

"You're sure we should go right away?" Katara asked.

"If he's making those signs with fire rather than hiking all the way up here, it probably means he's been successful, if just to some extent," Sokka said, as the others prepared Appa's saddle – Aang sat on the creature's neck, Kino cradled Momo and Ursa climbed on the saddle with Katara's help. "He wouldn't risk communicating with us at this distance if the outcome had been negative, I think. I can't imagine Zuko would make a mistake like that."

"Alright, alright…" Katara breathed out anxiously, climbing after Ursa and extending a hand that Sokka clasped quickly to help her up, too. "Let's go to him, then."

Appa roared as he flew down to where Zuko waited, a hand raised to catch their attention. Aang waved back in his direction shortly before Appa touched down, and Zuko let out a deep breath as he regarded his team with uncertainty.

"How did it go?" Sokka asked immediately, extending a hand to help Zuko climb aboard the saddle. Zuko took it, as well as Kino's, leaping on board quickly before letting out a deep sigh.

"We've been granted… the benefit of the doubt so far, I guess," Zuko said, glancing at Sokka. "They'll hear you out, at least. Uncle wasn't difficult to convince… Jeong Jeong was trickier."

"You got to see them both?" Sokka asked. "And Piandao?"

"He's not in the fortress right now," Zuko sighed, glancing at Ursa remorsefully. "He's out looking for you, Mom."

"O-oh… oh, I'm sorry," Ursa sighed, covering her face with her hands.

"They think the swamp might just convey to him that you've been found and brought to safety," Zuko said, reaching out to clasp his mother's hand reassuringly. "But… Jeong Jeong seems to think that the negotiations can only begin once everyone is there to hear you out. It also sounds like… like he expects you to persuade everyone altogether? Like… unless everyone agrees to join forces with you, there's no alliance to be had."

"Oh, really?" Sokka scowled: Appa was hovering higher and higher, offering them a vantage point from which they could see the walls of the fortress spreading as a spider's legs, all the way to the central wall… to the tower, in the distance. "So… what happens if that doesn't work out? What if we don't strike an alliance?"

"I tried to argue that your survival, and Aang's presence with us, are secrets as vital to us as the location of their fortress," Zuko said, breathing out slowly. "Jeong Jeong's main worry seemed to be that we'd give away their hideout to the Fire Nation. Mine is that he and his goons could give away to the Fire Lord that you're alive much sooner than we intended, so as long as we both agree to keep each other's secrets, we'll part ways safely."

"And he agreed with that?" Sokka asked. Zuko shrugged.

"He did, but… I don't know if we can trust him," Zuko admitted. Sokka sighed and shook his head. "Look… we're getting a chance. You've made miracles out of much less than this, haven't you? Even if they're not leaping at the chance to follow you into battle…"

"I didn't expect them to be, but I'm not exactly happy with the notion of being imprisoned by the White Lotus if they decide to double-cross us," Sokka said, brow furrowed. "I'm not blaming you, if you thought I was… I just hate how twisted that man can be. Guess I'll be as firm as I can be and, if he's determined to reject an alliance, we'll drag out the negotiations as much as possible so we can figure out a plan to get away safely."

"Sounds good," Aang said, unable to muster a reassuring smile even if he wanted to. "Then… to the fortress?"

"To the central tower," Zuko specified. Sokka gritted his teeth. "It's where Jeong Jeong said he'll await us."

Sokka breathed out slowly, glancing in the military structure's direction once before nodding: it was their only hope right now, their only tangible choice… everything hinged on his potential success at persuading Jeong Jeong and his people that he, somehow, could bring war to the warmongers and find victory, at the very end of the line…

"Everyone… keep your wits about you," Sokka said, firmly: Appa had started to move towards the tower now. "If possible, stay close together as often as possible. Don't let anyone catch you off-guard. We may have to make a chaotic escape if things don't look promising, so be ready in case that happens."

"Is there anything we can do to help you persuade them…?" Kino asked, with a small voice. Sokka breathed deeply but shrugged.

"Beats me. I'm not sure my talking skills will be strong enough to convince people who are set on hating me. I'd think actions would be more persuasive than words, but I don't know if we can achieve any impressive feats without finding more allies first…" Sokka said.

The fortress was fast approaching, and Sokka scowled at the sight of archers on the walls, drawing their bows and holding arrows at the ready, waiting for orders to fire. It seemed that Zuko's return to their group had taken long enough that the White Lotus's leaders had a chance to spread word about the impending arrival of the rest of Zuko's allies, likely giving them orders not to shoot on sight.

The tall tower's topmost, terrace floor was spacious enough for Appa to land… even amid many more archers with arrows trained on his figure. Sensing the danger, the sky bison roared, but Aang soothed him gently with a hand, guiding him to land carefully at the cleared space at the top of the tower.

The urge to reach for his weapons nearly overcame Sokka, but he resisted it. The archers were certainly aiming at Appa right now… but the minute they caught sight of him, he knew they would change targets right away. He breathed deeply, hoping his armor would prove as resilient and sturdy as it had so far, should worst come to worst…

A small entrance to the tower stood right in front of Appa's landing spot. Its conical, orange roof was elegant and practical… but this was no time to admire architecture. A group of surly, scowling men stood by the railing that enclosed the elegant entrance into the tower… a group of men among whom Sokka could recognize two, and his blood boiled painfully at the sight of them.

That Iroh would elicit such feelings of wrath inside him was unsurprising… but the man's reluctant grimace was still far more welcome than Jeong Jeong's arrogant frown. He stood at the center of the group, arms behind his back, with Iroh to his left and a tall, armored man to his right. The grandeur of the pristine Earth Kingdom armor suggested that this would be the man Ursa had described as the likely owner of the fortress: two men stood along them as well, another of Earth Kingdom appearance, just like the general, and one of undeniable Water Tribe looks. That another Water Tribesman would dislike Sokka strongly, judging by the scowl on his face, was as good as familiar territory for the Gladiator at this point: he wouldn't be daunted by any sneers, by arrogance, by distrust or by remorse. He had come here for a reason…

He was here for the woman whose soul had sought him in that swamp, with whom he shared an unbreakable bond he would never relinquish. For the child they had sired without their awareness, the child she protected now as best she could while she waited for his arrival. For the world he had meant to change by her side, a world that needed to be set free from tyranny, violence and war… even if that meant Sokka would have to face countless challenges in order to truly end the war.

Joining forces with people he absolutely despised would be the very first of them, and she mattered more than his hatred of them ever could: he would prevail against this challenge, no matter how hard it might be.

"Sokka…" Katara glanced at him warily: her brother's focused eyes intimidated anyone whenever he took anything seriously… but his cold fury right now was genuinely frightening.

Appa touched down slowly, smoothly, even if he seemed anxious still. Aang gritted his teeth, clasping the bison's reins tightly: it was the first time he showed himself as the Avatar in front of so many people since before the comet's arrival. His hands felt uncharacteristically cold, his stomach sinking with dread and nervousness as he wondered if, despite Zuko's assurances, Jeong Jeong and the others weren't open for negotiations of any kind…

Some of the soldiers glanced at Aang, no doubt puzzled by his unusual tattoos. Others, though, focused on the saddle only… and soon enough, all of them focused on it when one of the people riding the sky bison rose to his feet very slowly.

"Sokka…!" Katara gasped: was he trying to make himself a target? Why was he standing up at all before knowing if they were allowed to dismount…?

Sokka didn't let her fears and urgency deter him. He rose to his full height slowly, hands clenched into fists: every set of eyes fell upon him now… while his own eyes were firmly focused on Jeong Jeong. This was going to be a battle of wills between them once again… and Sokka wouldn't let it end the way it had on the first time they'd crossed paths.

He stood there for a long moment in a display of courage and fearlessness that instilled uncertainty in the many archers who aimed their arrows in his direction. Sokka didn't display even a smidge of fear in the face of the threat: all his attention was on the man at the front of the leaders of the White Lotus, the man through whom he'd establish this truce or fail catastrophically. Much as Sokka was determined to do anything to prove himself, Jeong Jeong appeared determined to reject anything he dared say.

Even so, the standstill between them would have to break eventually. Both of them knew as much. And while Sokka could certainly make one very necessary demand right then and there, he elected not to speak his mind for now… only for Jeong Jeong to let out a deep sigh and abide by Sokka's wordless demand.

"Lower your weapons. Now," Jeong Jeong commanded. The archers hesitated for an instant, but little by little, the arrows stopped aiming at Sokka dangerously. He didn't manifest his relief visibly… but now he was far more willing to speak than he had been before.

"It's been a while," Sokka said, curtly. Jeong Jeong scowled.

"You did not come here to exchange pleasantries, or did you, Gladiator?" he asked. Sokka frowned. "Prince Zuko has expressed your group intends to enter negotiations with the White Lotus. To what avail?"

"To end this war," Sokka said, without hesitation. The archers gasped, and a rumor of voices rushed through the terrace until Jeong Jeong silenced them with a sharp glare. "Surely you realize that, short of a goal of this magnitude, I wouldn't have attempted to find you. But here I am… and that is my sole intent. If you're not interested in aiding us in that venture, my group and I will take our leave…"

"Might as well get lost already," the Water Tribe man spoke, snarling. "How could the Princess's plaything serve as any sort of leader in ending this war when others…?!"

"Silence, Anorak," Jeong Jeong snapped: the Water Tribesman scowled but obeyed. Sokka's sharp glared turned to the man briefly before returning to Jeong Jeong. "You're in a complicated position, Gladiator. It is difficult to trust a man who has already cost the White Lotus as much as you have…"

"The White Lotus has cost me a lot, too," Sokka growled: his eyes flickered towards Iroh quickly, but they returned to Jeong Jeong right away, for the sake of his sanity. He couldn't risk giving the White Lotus more excuses to refuse him. "And I'm putting aside my obvious misgivings because I have no other choice. Fire Lord Ozai won't be dethroned if we don't have enough forces to fight back against his armies…"

"And you intend for us to lend you ours?" Jeong Jeong asked, skeptical. "For you to send our troops to their deaths in whatever plans you've schemed so far?"

"Wouldn't be all that different to the kinds of deaths many of them faced over your own schemes," Sokka said, cuttingly. Jeong Jeong snarled. "But fortunately for the White Lotus, immolating my forces isn't my style. Finding every weakness worth exploiting in the enemy, striking when they don't expect it… that's the way I do things. And that's how the Southern Water Tribe successfully dismantled a fleet of fifty Fire Nation vessels merely a month ago, after Fire Lord Ozai decided to send his troops to kill me."

Another rumor of noise ran across the terrace now, and this time Jeong Jeong didn't bother quelling it. He breathed deeply and shook his head, arms folded over his chest.

"What evidence is there of this grand achievement of yours?" he asked. Sokka snorted and eyed Jeong Jeong with disbelief.

"Feel free to take a trip to the Southern Water Tribe if you want to see the frozen shipwrecks all across what once was the main bay of the South Pole," he said. "Or would you prefer it if I'd brought one of the men we took as prisoners to offer testimony of how the battle unfolded? Or maybe, I don't know, use one of your many spies in the Fire Nation to find out if Fire Lord Ozai believes I'm dead or alive. If the information they uncover suggests it's the former… why, it's simply because we sent him a deceptive missive, claiming I was slain successfully in the battle. Need more than that?"

"I do," Anorak hissed. "You're pretending you alone took down fifty Fire Nation ships?"

"I'm not pretending I did it alone," Sokka said, eyeing Anorak with dismissive disbelief. "I had my Tribe's forces aiding me every step of the way. I had the Avatar, I had my sister, I had Prince Zuko, and I had a Fire Nation deserter by my side, too. They're here now, as you can see… and they've chosen to come with me to end a war that should have never begun. Like I said… if you have no interest in this association between our forces, I have no problem with it, and I'll take my leave as soon as you've confirmed our story is true…"

"Why now?" The less-armored Earth Kingdom man asked, arms folded over his chest. "We're all aware of your circumstances, Gladiator… those circumstances prompt us to distrust you. While a favorable interpretation of your choices and actions while under the Princess's control suggests that you may have been attempting to fight the Fire Nation from within…"

"Bullshit," Anorak hissed, but the Earth Kingdom man continued.

"You're keen on this alliance now when you could have reached out sooner," the man said. "When you had the chance to join us, you chose death over betraying the Princess: now that you've lost your privileged position at her side, you have finally chosen to betray her?"

"Don't misunderstand: I mean to fight against the one who betrayed her," Sokka snarled. "The Fire Lord is my enemy, not her, never her. Ending this war means taking down Fire Lord Ozai: every nation on this world would benefit if his disgraceful rule were over. You want me to claim I'm turning my back on her, taking open action now because I was too comfortable, too placid in the past, and now I want to defeat Ozai because all that ended? No doubt, that's what all of you have chosen to believe… well, I'm afraid you're completely off the mark, if so: I fight for her to this day as I always have. In defeating Ozai, the world will finally be free… she'll be free, too. If that sits poorly with you… then say so now, and I'll spare us all from wasting our breath with a debate that will never lead us anywhere."

The Earth Kingdom man said nothing else. He only stared at Sokka apprehensively, no doubt unconvinced, still. Sokka didn't lose heart for it – his heart was already quite so overflown with dark thoughts that he couldn't find himself disappointed over anyone's reaction to his words. Iroh appeared even more apprehensive, guilt marring his demeanor thoroughly… the Water Tribe man only regarded Sokka with a scowl. Jeong Jeong watched Sokka intently, as if waiting for him to make any wrong moves… but the one to speak next was the tall general, instead.

"You intend to end this war?" the general asked. "That is, indeed, your ultimate goal?"

"Yes," Sokka said, promptly. The general stroked his beard before glancing at Jeong Jeong.

"I understand your misgivings, but I have to say… the Fire Lord has made enemies of us all," the general said. "Whether this man is as important as to warrant fifty ships being sent to find him or not, we have been gathering our forces for years to no avail, haven't we? Surely the time to march is nigh…"

"That is not up to you to decide. Or up to the Gladiator," Jeong Jeong said. Sokka huffed. "If Ozai truly believes you are dead, you're strictly limited to attacking him the one time before your deceit is uncovered. You have locked yourself in a most inconvenient situation, Gladiator…"

"Maybe I have," Sokka conceded, raising his eyebrows. "But this isn't the only reason to act now…"

"For you, it is."

"You have other pressing reasons to strike as soon as possible just as well," Sokka said: Jeong Jeong scowled. "You're unaware of it so far… beats me how, but I guess you are."

"What are you talking about?" Jeong Jeong growled. Sokka breathed deeply.

"Not too long ago… someone who was once associated with the White Lotus, if only through his sponsor, caused a severe catastrophe in the Fire Nation," Sokka said. Iroh flinched, and Jeong Jeong's brow furrowed. "His attempt to kill as many Fire Nation people as he possibly could was thwarted successfully. But he did succeed in one regard… a very delicate regard that has caused a momentary hitch in the Fire Nation's war machine: the airship factory is unusable now. Fire Lord Ozai can't construct more of those massive vessels for the time being… which is good news for you, because once he rebuilds his factories and he expands his Air Force, those airships will spread out across the world and it won't be long before one of them spots a curious fortress in the southwestern Earth Kingdom…"

A rumor started again, but this time, Sokka saw the fear in many of their eyes: even Jeong Jeong appeared puzzled by a factor of danger he hadn't quite taken into consideration so far. Sokka raised his eyebrows quizzically, hands on his hips.

"If Fire Lord Ozai continues acting like an unhinged fool, as he did when he nearly had me killed…" Sokka continued. "Then it's entirely possible that he will double down on his war efforts as soon as he has the resources and the opportunities to do so. He already sent a fleet to the Southern Water Tribe, hellbent on annihilating my Tribe: how long before he decides to burn down the entire Earth Kingdom looking for this place? How long before he sends the current, functioning airships to the North Pole to rain death from above, even though he had been discouraged from that course of action in the past? It really isn't a question of whether he'll do it or not… I, personally, have no doubts that he will. So it's not just my time that's running out… it's everyone's. For as long as I was in the Fire Nation he was looking for advantages, for means through which he could turn the remaining warfronts around to his benefit: for as long as I was in the Fire Nation, he was obsessed with finding the White Lotus and destroying them. I… I even witnessed some of that destructive spree myself, when he assassinated so many of your undercover agents in the Capital. He keeps White Lotus tiles as trophies from that particular murder spree, you know? Yeah, right under his fucking bed. That's how twisted the bastard is. I know this for a fact. So no, this isn't just about me. This is the right moment to strike, because if we continue to waste time, Sozin's Comet will be a thing of the past compared to the destruction his vengeful sprees will amount to."

A strange emotion crossed Jeong Jeong's face by then: was it fear? Was it disgust? Was it confusion? Was it simply the realization that he had been underestimating Fire Lord Ozai, to a fault, for the past years? Had it never crossed his mind that his safe hideout might be compromised one day? Had he been that complacent, that prepared to spend as many days as possible isolated in that fortress? Had he really forsaken any and every plan to defeat the Fire Lord?

Zuko rose to his feet on the saddle as well: Ursa winced as she eyed him with uncertainty, no doubt fearful that he would be just as open to be pierced by arrows as Sokka was, for those archers might have lowered their bows, but they hadn't tucked them away just yet. Still, that didn't daunt the firebender, whose sharp glare fell upon Jeong Jeong as well.

"No ally you've found, not even my uncle, would have the insight Sokka does on my father and his future choices," Zuko said. "No one knows his weaknesses, no one has been sabotaging him quite as thoroughly as Sokka has. My father has singled him out as an enemy to destroy, personally: this man can tip the scales of the war if you give him the chance. No, he can't do it alone… but even if you rejected us, he wouldn't be alone. One way or another, we're going to defeat the Fire Lord. If your Order joins forces with us, though… then we'll be likely to defeat him that much faster. Ultimately, that's what our offer of an alliance boils down to."

Sokka glanced at Zuko and nodded gratefully in his direction. Zuko nodded back before glancing around them: even beyond this terrace, all the way in the circular wall that enclosed the fortress, there were many soldiers watching them warily. Beyond the circled wall, farmlands spread out on the plains and valleys leading up to the mountains. They had resources… they had forces beyond counting. Building up an army only to never use it sounded like an exercise in futility… but Zuko knew all too well that stubborn war-weary men wouldn't be persuaded easily.

Such suspicions proved true when Jeong Jeong let out a deep sigh and lowered his head.

"We won't hold these negotiations out here, of course," he said, bluntly. "You propose to offer insight on what the Fire Lord may be capable of… but your personal loyalties are not so easily overlooked, Gladiator. There's much you will have to answer for… much you have said and done that puts into question that your dedication to this quest comes from the right place. Nonetheless… you will be allowed to stay in the fortress with your allies until an agreement between both parties is reached."

"We'll stay… as a negotiating party?" Sokka asked. "Explain what that means, exactly."

"I can provide you with quarters, all of you… lady Ursa already had her own room, of course," the Earth Kingdom general spoke this time. "All our troops are expected to stay within the fortress's territory and jurisdiction, and the same will be true for all of you… surely that's agreeable?"

"No chaining or shackling us?" Sokka asked. Jeong Jeong shook his head.

"You will have proper meals as well, if that concerned you," Jeong Jeong said, though his eyes narrowed when he settled on Appa. "Though I certainly hope the bison won't be as difficult to feed as he appears to be."

"He's not that much of a picky eater: vegetables and fruit, hay…?" Aang said, with a reassuring grin. Jeong Jeong sighed and nodded.

"Very well, then. All of you will be expected to abide by the same rules that apply to every White Lotus member currently residing in the fortress and its territories," Jeong Jeong said, firmly. "No unsanctioned communication with anyone beyond our walls. No leaving the premise of the fortress without authorization. If conflicts arise between any of you and members of the Order, both parties will face punishments appropriate for the severity of the crime. You will be left to your own devises while within the central fortress, but if you intend to step outside to the farmlands, the temples, even the gazebo, you will only be allowed to do so under the watch of a White Lotus member, more than one if it's deemed necessary: you may be our guests for now, but as I've said…"

"You don't trust us," Sokka finished. Jeong Jeong nodded. "I suppose that will be part of the negotiations anyway, but I should ask already… what will it take for us to earn that trust? Like I said, I don't think we have the luxury of time on our side. The more we delay matters, the more time we waste, our opportunities to attack Ozai will grow slimmer…"

"As you've said… it will be something to settle during negotiations," Jeong Jeong said, firmly. He glanced at Anorak, then at Shiju. "No one is to harm any members of their traveling group. If negotiations fail, they will leave our fortress unharmed. If they succeed, they will become our allies, for better or for worse: however apprehensive as you or any of the soldiers under your leadership may feel about this association, we will gain nothing from antagonizing their group as we are."

"You're being so permissive…" Anorak said, frowning. "I… I can't trust him. Not until we see real evidence that he's changed, that he won't turn on us as soon as the Fire Lord dangles his daughter as bait for him to chase after. Because you know he would, don't you? It's his weakness, everyone knows it is, and if the White Lotus falls because of one man's misplaced affection…"

"That… is the whole point of the negotiations, Anorak," Jeong Jeong said, firmly. Anorak grimaced. "If it becomes apparent that his intent, his plans, will be as easily thwarted as you might expect… the answer he will receive will be the obvious one. But for now… it is best if we give him the benefit of the doubt, if only for a few weeks."

Sokka breathed deeply, scowling in Jeong Jeong's direction: a few weeks? How long would they have to waste time here before taking action? Anorak could distrust him all he wished, that barely mattered to Sokka when compared to the dreaded notion of waiting for multiple weeks in a hostile location until Jeong Jeong eventually decided to reject Sokka's proposal…

"Are these terms agreeable, then?" Jeong Jeong asked, glancing at Sokka anew. Sokka breathed deeply and nodded.

"I find them agreeable, myself… how about the rest of you?" Sokka said, glancing at the other members of his team.

"I… don't think I have much say in anything, do I…?" Kino said, shrinking in his seat. Katara, next to Sokka clenched her jaw.

"It's… better than what we expected, I hope," she said.

Ursa said nothing: it was clear that she distrusted Jeong Jeong every bit as much as Jeong Jeong distrusted her. Still, she didn't attempt to argue against the proposed terms, possibly because she didn't quite know whether she was part of one group or the other, no matter if she certainly preferred her son's team over the White Lotus.

"I'm fine with it," Zuko said. Aang breathed out and nodded.

"Me too," he said. Sokka gritted his teeth and nodded as well before turning to Jeong Jeong anew.

"Then… we will agree to these initial terms," he said. Another rumor of voices ran across the terrace: Anorak scowled, Shiju frowned, Iroh seemed to want to vanish in thin air… but the Earth Kingdom general stepped forward with a proud grin, performing a reverence in Sokka's direction.

"If so… we'd do best to introduce ourselves properly: I am General Fong, the last remaining General from the Former Earth Kingdom. This is my fortress, and I am honored to be the host to… to the Avatar himself! Goodness, it is a miracle that you yet live as it is, but that you have come to us…! Marvelous!"

"U-uh… yeah. Well, great! Thanks!" Aang smiled awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck at the euphoric smile on General Fong's face. "I'm Aang. Avatar Aang."

"Magnificent!" General Fong exclaimed, grinning brightly. "I bid you welcome, you and your group, of course…"

Sokka breathed out and nodded in the man's direction before leaping down from Appa's saddle. Every move he made was watched intently by the soldiers… by the other four men at the helm of the White Lotus. He rose back to his full height slowly before helping Katara down from the saddle: Zuko followed his example on Appa's other side, and he helped Ursa down just as Kino slid down the bison's tail, with Momo nestled safely in his arms.

"And you, of course… are the Gladiator," General Fong said: his euphoria seemed to dwindle now, no doubt wary of Sokka even if he had showed himself open to working with Sokka so far. "I bid you welcome, too. Master Piandao had long hoped you would join us…"

"So I heard," Sokka said, letting out a deep breath. "I can't pretend that I intend to do it in full capacity, however."

"I suppose that's something to be determined during negotiations," Fong said, glancing at Katara next. "And this is…?"

"Oh, I'm Katara. Sokka's sister," she said, with an awkward smile. "I'm, uh, a waterbender, if that's considered important information…"

"Ah! A waterbender, truly?" Fong smiled brightly, stroking his beard anew. "I see, I see! You are already quite the powerful group, if so. This is a promising start for our negotiations, for certain! Ah, and that young man, the last one, is he a firebender as well, by any chance?"

"Uh… no," Kino said, smiling awkwardly as he rounded Appa and approached the General. "I'm just… Kino. A deserter from the Fire Nation army…"

"Is that so? Like Master Jeong Jeong? Impressive…!"

"U-uh, I'm not…! N-not that big a deal…?" Kino tried to say, but it was clear the General had already built up his own concept of him, of their whole group, if anything.

"What promising winds of change you've blown with your arrival!" he said, hands on his hips. "As it is… we may be able to defeat the Fire Lord within months, with a group like this!"

"Do not get ahead of yourself, General Fong," Jeong Jeong cut him off, frowning heavily as Zuko stepped forward, an arm around his reluctantly-walking mother. "Don't take for granted that we will be joining forces as we are. It will take time before we're ready to strike at all, even if we do make such a decision."

"Oh, of course, of course…!"

Sokka breathed out slowly, glancing at the other leaders of the White Lotus just as they eyed him: he did his best not to regard, not to acknowledge Iroh in any way. Doing so would be dangerous… doing so would put this entire operation at risk. The less he saw of the man, the more he ignored him, the better his chances of success. Aang leapt off Appa's neck, standing by Zuko and Ursa.

"Ah, very well, then! Now that this is settled, I will send some of my men to set up accommodations for you all," Fong said, clapping Aang's shoulder reassuringly – he was almost a full head taller than the already tall Avatar. "The rest of you, back to your usual stations! We're done here, I believe, Master Jeong Jeong?"

"We are," Jeong Jeong said, letting out a deep breath – as much as he had said so, the four leaders of the White Lotus hadn't moved an inch so far. "Officially, at the very least. Everything else is best dealt with during negotiations, I expect. Gladiator… I will ensure our forces do not bring any harm to yours. I expect the same from you."

"I already heard you the first time," Sokka said, folding his arms over his chest. Jeong Jeong's eyes narrowed.

"Then I can expect you to behave yourself and not lose your temper upon entering negotiations with us… with General Iroh himself?"

The words sent an influx of rage boiling over inside Sokka's gut, rushing up his body all the way to his face… then he breathed out: the anger didn't recede, but it no longer held as much power over him as it did at first.

"I've been aware of what is necessary for this alliance to work from the moment Zuko worked out that his uncle was bound to be part of your group," Sokka said, sharply. "Had I intended to lose my temper and attack General Iroh the minute I laid eyes upon him, I would have done so by now and I'd be shot dead full of arrows, wouldn't I? Clearly, I'm not as stupid as to jeopardize this mission over my personal feelings towards that man."

"Sokka…" Iroh spoke, his voice frayed… and he couldn't say another word before the Gladiator raised a hand in his direction.

"Don't. Don't even… don't speak my name. Don't talk to me. Don't even try it," Sokka hissed: even if he should have known better, the rage threatened to overflow at once upon hearing the old man's whimpering tone.

"Sokka…" Zuko warned him, eyeing him warily. "Please. You know what rides on this is more important than…"

"I do. And because I do… I will tolerate him so long as he stays the hell away from me unless his damn presence is necessary," Sokka hissed.

He dared glare at Iroh now: the man's apprehension increased. Did he seriously fear for his life? He should have. Sokka's whole body shook with a bloodlust he had not experienced before… not even in the Amateur League, not when he fought Combustion Man: there had been righteous certainty, a clarity of purpose, guiding his path back then. This time, the darkness that urged him to end Iroh's life opposed that clarity. His heart wanted something, his mind knew better than to fulfill those impulses: Iroh's death would ultimately result in the failure of this alliance, and with it, his hopes to save Azula would decrease further. Much as killing Ozai was not more important than saving Azula, the same was true for Iroh's potential death, no matter how deserved it might be.

He breathed deeply as he stilled himself as best he could… as he fell back on the guru's teachings however possible. They would have to suffice to keep him afloat for now… to keep his shaking hand from reaching for the sword on his back.

"I… have no interest in hearing anything you have to say, whether in your defense or in the intent to apologize," Sokka spoke harshly. "No, I won't hurt you. Of course I won't. This is much bigger than me… much bigger than our unresolved conflict. I intend to save Azula from the hell you knowingly inflicted upon her, whatever it takes. And if it takes joining forces with you… if it takes putting aside my grievances with you, I will do it as long as I can ensure that she'll be safe and far from Ozai's poisonous grasp one day. She matters far more than any vindictiveness I might feel towards you. I guess it's ironic that this is just one more thing you ought to be grateful to her for: she's the only reason why I'm not doing something a lot more final about you right here and now, Iroh."

"I… I understand. I will do my best to enable you to help her, yes," Iroh said, softly. "I know you care nothing for apologies… I accept that you will never forgive me."

"You'd better," Sokka said, bluntly.

"But I… I will work with you as well. This war must end," Iroh said, nodding in his direction. "And perhaps… perhaps it is you who is destined to do so."

"Oh, no," Sokka shook his head, closing his eyes. "I could have chosen anything else, I could have simply closed my eyes and attempted to live peacefully in the Water Tribe as she asked me to, until the Fire Lord came knocking again and succeeded at killing me at last. Care to guess why I didn't? It's because I chose another path, this path, and I'll follow it to the end. Destiny has jackshit to do with it."

Iroh clenched his jaw, seemingly to stop himself from giving out a response… and then he nodded, curtly, in Sokka's direction. The Gladiator trembled, struggling to placate his impulsive wrath towards one of the men responsible for the worst horrors he and Azula had faced. He truly hated Iroh for finding the best shields for himself, even if he hadn't done it intentionally this time… nevertheless, Sokka's hands were effectively tied. Iroh certainly was fortunate for that, for with every passing moment they shook harder with the urge to unsheathe his blade and cleave the man in half with Space Sword.

There was so much he'd gladly say to Iroh, so many answers to demand, so much repentance he could make sure the old bastard genuinely felt… but it would be better to leave that for later, if ever. Keeping his sights on the actual goal was what mattered most. Sokka settled for raising his glare towards Jeong Jeong, suspecting the man would have anything to say about Sokka's latest words.

Movement behind Jeong Jeong, however, stopped him from saying anything else.

A newcomer had arrived. He had crossed the threshold at the topmost floor of the tower, his chest heaving, his hair almost undone from its top knot. He panted heavily, betraying that he rushed as fast as he could all the way to the tower… he had learned what was happening just as he returned to the White Lotus's fortress.

Sokka froze on the spot, his resentment towards Iroh set aside far more easily now. A pang of familiarity, of recognition, seized him and almost drove him to rush in, crying out the man's name, throwing his arms around him in relief upon finally seeing him again after so many years…

But he was no longer the young fool who had trained with that sword master long ago. He was no longer the same warrior waiting for the chance to prove himself, fearful of being unworthy. No longer did he perceive his life, his role as a Gladiator, as a badge of shame… he had learned to inhabit that title fully, fearlessly, and in that process, he had become a different man than the one who had been at a loss in Shu Jing, fearful of what he'd ever make of himself without his master's guidance.

Now, his eyes met his master's once more. And upon doing so, whatever childish impulses he felt were quelled by tempered restraint and growth.

Jeong Jeong frowned, glancing over his shoulder just before Piandao walked past him, bumping him lightly. Disheveled, covered in the filth of a long journey into the swamp, the swordsman seemed almost hypnotized as he approached the apprehensive, strong, stalwart man he had once trained…

"Y-you're here… you…" Piandao gasped, eyes raking the group around Sokka in utmost surprise and confusion… his eyes fell upon Ursa, though, and he let out a light huff of amusement. "So… it was your group. You were the ones who found her this time? Sokka…"

Sokka shivered upon hearing his name in the master's voice. He frowned slightly, apprehensive still, new emotions surging in his gut even if he didn't want to let them do so: however supportive as he might be of Sokka right now, Piandao, too, owed him many answers.

"I… am here to broker an alliance with the White Lotus," Sokka said, firmly. Piandao froze on the spot. "An alliance of equals. I… won't join your group. I'm here for one thing only… and it's not to become part of your system, Order, whatever you may call it. I'm here to…"

"To fight in this war," Piandao finished for him. Sokka nodded firmly.

"To end it. That's what matters. That's it" Sokka repeated. "So…"

He tried to still himself, his conflicted feelings, his troubled heart, and remain as professional as possible. His gaze returned to Jeong Jeong, who frowned as he glared pointedly at Piandao.

"You have much to catch up on, no doubt," Jeong Jeong said. "As that's so… can I trust that you will be able to share our newly gathered information with the Gladiator, Master Piandao?"

Piandao tensed up immediately as Sokka scowled in his direction: emotional as he was, he hadn't missed out on what Jeong Jeong had said. New information? As far as he had understood, they barely had been able to gather any news after Iroh had left the Fire Nation… after Ozai had done who-knew-what to the spies within the Palace. It was distressing to ponder how he had done away with them… for Sokka knew for a fact that Ozai had never gotten any closer to unraveling who the true traitor in his midst was. He had believed it was a single person, but the White Lotus clearly had more hidden weapons than was apparent. It wasn't likely that, in all his unbridled fury over Azula's choices, he would have slowed down to unravel who these spies were: he had simply gone on a rampage and cracked down on everyone in his vicinity, whether guilty or innocent, just as he had during the Slave Riot…

But even in that case, Jeong Jeong claimed they had news, and that was what Sokka ought to focus on. Any information on the Fire Nation would be useful, he thought… though the suddenly furrowed brow of Piandao suggested the man didn't welcome the sudden responsibility of being the one to inform Sokka of whatever they had learned.

"What is…? What's he talking about? What's going on?" Sokka asked, glancing at Piandao with uncertainty. The tall swordsman breathed deeply and shook his head.

"I… will explain shortly, yes. I suppose it is for the best if I do it," Piandao said, glancing at Sokka wistfully before turning to Jeong Jeong anew. "Would that be all you'd have me do, for the time being?"

"I suppose so," Jeong Jeong said, curtly, turning around. "Our talks about this alliance of yours shall begin tomorrow, Gladiator. We'll all do best to get rest beforehand. I trust you'll handle arranging proper accommodations for our new guests, Fong?"

"Yes, yes, right away!" the General reassured him, clapping Shiju's shoulder powerfully as he passed him by, on his way inside the tower.

The archers finally marched away as well: not until the last of them was gone did Jeong Jeong, Anorak and Shiju leave as well. Jeong Jeong cast one more glance at Piandao… and a last one at Sokka before ducking inside the tower. The tension in the scene only seemed to recede by then, as Sokka breathed out slowly while Piandao turned to regard the rest of his group.

"I… I know I have much to answer for, Sokka," Piandao confessed, gazing at his student with heartfelt remorse. Sokka gritted his teeth, apprehension born anew in his gaze as Piandao stepped forward. "I'm aware of that, but… however inappropriate as it may be of me to say so, I… I'm truly proud of you. Of what you've made of yourself since…"

"You left," Sokka said, shivering, his voice more heartbroken than confrontational. "Y-you… back then, you were my only stability. And you just… you just left, without saying a word. I don't know why you did it, I never understood why, b-but… you just left that tile and you were gone. That was all… that was it."

"I knew you would be hurt by it… I feared as much," Piandao conceded, still the very picture of remorse. Sokka shivered as he tried to retain a strong front: it shouldn't have surprised him that seeing Piandao again after such a long time would elicit such strong feelings inside him… and yet he hadn't prepared for it remotely as much as he had prepared for facing Iroh. "And I suppose everything that came afterwards didn't help matters in the slightest either…"

"Those men… the ones who attacked the Capital, who tried to take her prisoner?" Sokka gritted his teeth. "They said you'd told them about me… as though you believed I'd be some asset to the White Lotus one day. I had no idea who your group was, no idea why I should ever trust them or believe in anything they said…"

"Take her prisoner…?" Piandao repeated, a shadow of displeasure crossing his face. He shook his head, a hand going up to his forehead. "So… that's why. That's what they told you…"

"And then Jeong Jeong tried to kill me, saying you… you'd believed I could be useful but he was sure of the opposite, and…" Sokka said, his breath catching as he rambled. He shook his head, staring at Piandao intensely. "I wanted to believe in the best of you. I did… I still do, to this day. But…"

"But you need answers. More than that, you deserve them," Piandao said, stepping closer… setting a hand on Sokka's shoulder. A slow smile spread over his face. "I'm sorry for the pain I caused you… but I'm so proud that you found your way without me. That you learned how to stand your ground in that world… that you learned to change it with your own power. I didn't think I'd have much left to teach you…"

"I don't know about that…" Sokka said, shaking his head.

"Whether either of us is right, the truth is that you've learned everything you had to, and you've become a much stronger man by your own power than you were when we last met," Piandao smiled warmly. Sokka gritted his teeth, tears burning in his eyes. "I cannot know if I could have made that process any easier… but you found your way, Sokka. You found your way… by her side."

"I… I did. We did…" Sokka admitted: the tears started to spill by then, and he cursed himself inwardly for that. He didn't want to cry, not here, not in front of his master, not even though most the White Lotus members were already gone… how could he pretend to be a respectable man before them if meeting Piandao again would reduce him to tears? "You… you said things before you left, and I didn't understand any of them. B-but you… you spoke to her, too, once. You told her…"

"To never kill your spirit. To never break you. To not turn you into someone you were not. To let you thrive as you were, for what made you strong was that you had never lost sight of who you are," Piandao smiled. "And I have no doubts she listened to me. No doubts, whatsoever…"

The poorly contained sobs that wracked Sokka's body compelled his master to step forward… to offer him an embrace he never had, during the months of Sokka's apprenticeship. So much for trying to stay firm… at the very least he hadn't broken down before all those White Lotus archers and Jeong Jeong himself, Sokka supposed, with what little rationality he had left. Curses, but after all these years of conflicted feelings over the White Lotus, winding up in Piandao's arms was an unexpected relief. Even if it was still possible that Piandao had meant to use him and Azula in whatever way he cared to, this sudden hug, the emotions across the man's face, led him to believe he hadn't been self-serving all along. He had truly cared about Sokka… he had wanted what was best for him. His guidance, his words, his every gesture… all of them had been meant for Sokka's wellbeing. He had hoped so all along… but he felt he had confirmed as much right now.

"Oh, Sokka. I know I owe you a thousand answers, I do…" Piandao said, smiling as he pulled back, hands falling firmly over his shoulders. "But I hope you can forgive a foolish old man for being so emotional. You're… you're so much stronger and bigger than you were when I left the Fire Nation. And this armor…!"

"It's… it's from the meteorite ore too," Sokka explained, with a weak smile, dabbing at his tears quickly. "I… I built it with her… a-after you left, I…"

"Ah… I see," Piandao smiled approvingly: Sokka's heart jolted in his chest at the sight of that grin.

"Y-you… you knew all along, didn't you? What… what might happen between us. What our relationship might become…" Sokka said, shivering. "That's why…"

"I knew it was a possibility, yes," Piandao confirmed. Sokka swallowed hard. "I didn't know whether it would be for the better or not… but more than anything, I hoped you two would be able to strengthen your partnership and build your own path together. What little news I heard of you both ever since I came here suggested that was the case… I believed in the two of you, Sokka. I truly did, all along… even if it might be hard to trust my word. But I… I never supported the White Lotus directives that attempted to bring you harm. I'd always known you were a good man, and I told them so, but… oh, I'm sorry, Sokka. I'm really sorry I couldn't stop them. I'm sorry for all the strife they caused you…"

Sokka nodded at first, but then he shook his head. Piandao tensed up, unsure if that meant his student was rejecting his apology…

"It's… it's not you who should be apologizing. Iroh, Jeong Jeong… those two bastards should, but not you," Sokka said, gritting his teeth. "I… I appreciate the sentiment anyway, but it's them, and their people, who were the problem. I… I believed in you too. I wanted to think you led a better faction of the White Lotus, that you would never support what they'd tried to do…"

"I spoke against it every time," Piandao said, but he sighed in defeat. "Unfortunately… my voice alone didn't suffice against Jeong Jeong and those who were ready to support him. But you're here now… you had to have come here because you wished to fight back against Ozai, isn't that right? The White Lotus caused you so much harm, so…"

"So I wouldn't have come here if I had any other choice?" Sokka finished. He offered Piandao a resigned smile. "I'm afraid that's… that's exactly why I came."

"Well… you know I'm in your corner. I always will be," Piandao said, clasping Sokka's shoulder firmly, his smile gaining a tender edge once more. "It's so good to see you again, Sokka…"

The sword master couldn't remember the last time he had received good news of any nature: the last months had rendered the fortress almost unlivable. Iroh's return had caused no end of strife, arguments and crises in the White Lotus leadership, not only due to his abandoning of his privileged position close to the Fire Lord, but due to the choices that had led him to do so. Everyone's personal feelings over Sokka were irrelevant at that point: the discovery of the affair between the Princess and the Gladiator had resulted in some of the darkest days the Fire Nation had faced in recent history. They wouldn't have understood the sudden surge of cruelty by the Fire Lord if only Iroh, instigator of Ozai's wrath, hadn't admitted to his wrongdoings ruefully: the general populace, however, remained completely ignorant as to what had caused the Princess's sudden disappearance from the public eye.

None of their remaining spies in the Fire Nation Capital – of which only a handful had survived or been able to reach out to White Lotus operatives after the spike in the Fire Lord's vindictive madness – had the slightest clue of what had caused the Fire Lord to behave so erratically: only Iroh's return had shed light on the truth. At this point, rumors swirled in all Fire Nation-held territories primarily due to the information that had reached those operatives who had managed to leak it to the general public: while nobody took the information as fully factual, most people suspected the truth by now… whether that was a good thing or not, only time would tell.

But within the White Lotus's highest ranks, the news had been unwelcome and unwanted. They had been aimless for some time, still struggling to restructure and strengthen their ranks anew after the Fire Lord's devastating, destructive attacks on their main group of operatives in the Fire Nation Capital. Even before that, a plan to destabilize the Fire Nation in order to trigger a natural insurrection within the nation itself had also backfired… because the Princess herself had intervened, quelling her father's unreasonable behavior and working to better the lives of the homeless people who had nearly been sacrificed in order to become the starting point for a potential civil war.

And just as they had been starting to make headway in rebuilding their ranks, in rethinking their strategies, Rhone had attacked: he was no longer associated with the White Lotus, but several of his fellow rebels had deserted the Order to join him. They had brought a wave of destruction so devastating to the Fire Nation that even Jeong Jeong, ever so antagonistic to his home nation, had found his actions appalling for once. Iroh had dealt with the matter as swiftly as possible… but their position had been no better just yet: Azula had proven to be a much more reliable leader in less than a week than Ozai had been for over a decade. Upon nearly being struck down by Rhone, her temporary power over the Fire Nation had seen Ozai returning to his throne with a vengeance, with threatening announcements that all in the White Lotus knew were meant for them. So far, being safe in their fortress was the only factor in their favor: no path they could choose, going forward, would be likely to succeed at sparking a proper rebellion. Azula would have been a reasonable leader, they knew as much for sure now, long after Iroh realized what a dreadful mistake he'd made… after he realized she had deceived him fully when he had confronted her in Crescent Island. If only he had understood it sooner, if he had pushed forth just enough to get the truth from her and make her trust him, he could have been a perfect link between the Princess and the White Lotus…

But it was far too late to regret the outcome of the catastrophic falling-out between Princess and Fire Lord. Azula was completely powerless now, her role as Crown Princess taken by someone else, her political power annulled and dismissed. Now, Ozai punished her in ways they couldn't possibly fathom as they lacked enough information to learn actual details of what was happening behind the Palace's walls. Now the war against other nations had gained a personal quality for Ozai… he didn't only fight because his forefathers had done so before him: he fought because he believed foreigners and slaves alike had corrupted his daughter's once-brilliant mind. He had convinced himself that anything but absolute submission to the Fire Nation's traditions, to the Fire Lord's orders, would be sins of inconceivable proportions, punishable by obliterating whoever dared stand against him.

They were as good as cornered… as good as forced to hold out for as long as possible until a miracle happened. They had thought they were out of options: their initial bet on Zuko had gone nowhere, for the Prince had vanished without a trace. Then, their hopes that Sokka would influence Azula into becoming a better leader and overcoming her father's shadow had been destroyed as well. Everything suggested she had saved Sokka and taken him to the Southern Water Tribe, but no one had any certainties that he'd be there. It was entirely possible that the confusing, contradictory information they'd received ultimately meant that Sokka was dead…

But he wasn't. Not only was Sokka here, but he had brought Zuko with him too… and the Avatar. The most unthinkable of allies, the one everyone had taken for granted was lost forever to the world… even that was a possibility again thanks to Sokka. Without hearing him out fully, the way the others had, Piandao already suspected that Sokka's greatest goal, the one he was aiming for, was the rescue of the woman he had grown to love as deeply as he did…

From absolute despair, from hoping desperately that the Fire Lord would never find the fortress, a burst of hope had bloomed, and there were so many possibilities ahead that Piandao could scarcely process them. What an extraordinary man his apprentice had turned out to be…

His eyes traveled over the other members of their group now, though. The first to claim his attention, of course, was the fully grown Prince, towards whom Piandao shone another smile.

"And I'm deeply relieved to see you well, Prince Zuko," he said. "It has been far too long…"

"Yeah… since I was nine, I guess," Zuko smiled as well. "You look like you haven't aged a day."

"That is far too generous of you to say. I certainly don't feel so young anymore," Piandao smiled, bowing his head in Zuko's direction. "No doubt… no doubt your mother is pleased to be with you anew."

Ursa swallowed hard and nodded, averting her gaze from Piandao's. Still, Zuko turned his smile on his mother and hugged her against his flank gently. The swordsman turned to the rest of the new arrivals with unbridled curiosity:

"I take it… this is your sister, Sokka?" Piandao asked, smiling at Katara. "Katara, was it?"

"Oh… you talked to your master about me?" Katara asked, amused and surprised. Sokka, still recovering from the emotional reencounter with Piandao, smiled and shrugged.

"Had no reason not to. He… he was the first Fire Nation person I respected and trusted," Sokka admitted.

"Though certainly not the last," Piandao smiled, bowing his head towards Katara. "I'm honored to meet you. Just as I'm honored to meet… someone I never thought I'd meet, of course. The Avatar? Truly?"

"Heh, yeah. Believe it or not," Aang grinned awkwardly once Piandao bowed towards him, and he responded in kind. "Guess I could've given everyone a demonstration if someone didn't believe it, but…"

"That you're an airbender is apparent already: those tattoos… they are traditional Air Nomad tattoos," Piandao remarked. "Which… brings about many questions, of course. How, exactly, is there an airbender among us in this day and age…?"

"Believe it or not, he froze in an iceberg about a hundred years ago," Sokka explained. "My sister thawed him out somehow, but I guess it's better if you hear the story from them…"

"I suppose, if you'd be so kind to share it, I'd welcome that," Piandao smiled, and his eyes turned to the last human member of their group. "As for you… who might you be?"

"I-I-I-I…!" Kino chortled, dropping Momo as he trembled under Piandao's good-natured scrutiny. Zuko chuckled, shaking his head at his friend's starstruck reaction.

"That's Kino. He's a former Fire Nation soldier," he explained. "He deserted the army and joined the Water Tribe… which is where I wound up after my second exile. After everything that happened, Azula brought Sokka back to the South Pole… that's how we're all here now."

"I see… I see," Piandao smiled, nodding in their direction. "Quite the intrepid group you make. Evidently, fighting a war would never be easy… but it seems to me your well-rounded team might tip the scales in our favor. It's as good as a miracle that you've assembled a group like this, Sokka…"

"I… didn't really assemble them, they were as good as assembled already when I got there," Sokka admitted, with a sad smile. "There's… quite a lot of things for us to talk about, I guess. But… Jeong Jeong said you've gathered news from the Fire Nation? That it's something you should explain to me?"

"I… I fear that's so," Piandao said, gritting his teeth. "Unfortunately… it isn't good tidings."

"How bad is it?" Sokka asked, immediately wary. Piandao breathed deeply.

"Bad enough that I don't believe it would be wise for me to share these developments with you other than in private," Piandao admitted. Sokka's eyes widened. "I… I don't believe our cause is lost, not at all, but… it might disturb you."

"Consider me disturbed already," Sokka said, frowning heavily. "Master…"

"Take a walk with me," Piandao said, with a pained smile. "I'll explain everything, Sokka."

"But… what about us?" Aang asked, blinked blankly. "Shouldn't we hear about this too?"

"You should. And… you can. You will, I guess," Piandao said, turning his gaze towards the last member of the White Lotus leaders standing by the tower's threshold…

Iroh swallowed hard: he felt out of place, uncomfortable, and for good reason. Sokka couldn't hold back the glare he shot in the man's direction as Piandao took a step in Iroh's direction.

"Can you, perhaps… handle the others?" Piandao asked. Iroh nodded quickly.

"I… yes. Yes, whatever you need, Piandao," Iroh said, backing away from the entrance. Piandao nodded gratefully.

"Then… follow me, Sokka," he said, glancing at Sokka again from over his shoulder.

The Gladiator, tense and wary, did as he was told… though he still glared with unbridled disapproval at Iroh as he and Piandao crossed the threshold that led into the tower. Iroh kept walking backwards, nervously, putting as much distance between himself and Sokka as he could get away with.

The tension in the scene didn't fade after Sokka and Piandao were gone. Katara let out a deep sigh, again grappling with the reality of the complicated life her brother had led while she had remained with her hands tied in the South Pole. Jeong Jeong regarded Sokka warily, with hostility, just as the younger leaders of the White Lotus did. To them, he wasn't the goofball who had stuck two fishhooks in his thumb, he wasn't the affectionate grandson who had done his best to lighten his grandmother's load upon returning to the South Pole, he wasn't the experienced warrior who trained his fellow warriors in the Water Tribe…

For them, he wasn't the man Katara knew: he was the Blue Wolf, a man she found herself more impressed and daunted by whenever she glimpsed him at all. Just now, when he dared rise to his full height and as good as challenged to archers to shoot him, without a shred of fear… it reminded her starkly of his choice in the battle of the South Pole, when he had dangled himself as bait for all those ships, ensuring they wouldn't retreat upon finding the Water Tribe had prepared better defenses than they had anticipated. He was her brother, and he would always be her brother… but he was also a man who could instill fear in others, who could inspire them, capable of defeating the most fearsome foes and outsmarting the most dangerous enemies.

He wasn't just Sokka for the White Lotus at all: he was the Gladiator, and whether they'd decide he was a worthy leader or an enemy to thwart, only time would tell.

"Sokka's master looks like a nice guy, huh…?" Aang said, breaking through Katara's ruminations with his careless question. She only smiled and nodded.

"Pretty sure we all expected him to be nice, yeah," she said, biting her lip. "Though… whatever he's going to tell Sokka sounds unsettling. But… uh, I guess you'll be telling us about it, too?"

She glanced at Iroh, who seemed to shrink under her gaze too. It was truly difficult to believe a man as mellow, as remorseful, as seemingly inoffensive had been the one who had jumpstarted the debacle that had brought them to seek out the White Lotus… but Katara knew better than to reject her brother's explanations at this point. Iroh had certainly sounded remorseful earlier… if he hadn't done what Sokka said he had, surely the old man would have cleared that up immediately. Instead, he had acknowledged and accepted it…

"I… I suppose I shall, yes. If you will hear it from me," Iroh said, stepping forward with uncertainty. He glanced at Zuko with a smidge of a smile… a smile that faded quickly when his eyes fell upon Ursa's displeased glare. "It… it is good that they found you when they did, Ursa…"

"It is. I suppose that causing me to run to the swamp that time is the only thing I should ever thank you for," Ursa whispered, harshly. Iroh gritted his teeth but nodded.

"Perhaps that's so," he said, breathing deeply before raising his gaze to regard the rest of the group. "You've all… traveled from quite a distance. I suppose you haven't visited any towns or villages, heard of none of the latest developments in the Fire Nation at all?"

"Of course not, that would've been suicide," Kino grimaced. "Sokka's like… public enemy number one, isn't he?"

"Not at the moment, if my brother truly believes him to be dead," Iroh admitted, brow furrowing slightly. "Then… I suppose the last of what you'd know must be… must be whatever Sokka witnessed personally?"

"We know that Azula was having a hard time, too. Goes without saying," Zuko said, softly. "Sokka… he says he connected with her actual soul when we were in the swamp. After we met a man, Guru Pathik, who taught us to open our chakras, Sokka was a little less burdened, but… that morning, just before we entered the swamp, he was anguished and anxious without knowing why. Apparently… that's how deep their connection goes? They met spiritually somehow, she told Sokka that our father claimed he was dead and… and he didn't show her the whalebone knife we'd sent as proof, which Sokka had hoped would suffice to convey to her that it was a lie. It didn't work, though… so she only learned he wasn't dead after he had a chance to talk to her spiritually. But I can't say Sokka has explained much else, really… if she told him anything else, he didn't tell us about it."

"Perhaps she didn't speak of anything more… perhaps she didn't wish to," Iroh said: Kino blinked blankly.

"Wait, you believe it? Just like that?" he asked. Iroh shrugged.

"I'm no fool as to underestimate the powers of that swamp," Iroh explained. "It is a mysterious, spiritual location where anything is possible. Though… I suspect Azula, if it truly was her, wouldn't have conveyed every truth of what she has faced to Sokka just yet."

"What makes you think that?" Katara asked, puzzled. Iroh breathed deeply.

"He… isn't as unsettled or desperate as I would expect him to be if he knew all of what we've learned recently," Iroh said. Zuko frowned.

"You didn't tell me anything about that," he said, letting go of his mother to step closer to his uncle. "You said that what you've learned is… blood-curdling, didn't you? I… I thought it was just what my father had done to Sokka and Azula. I didn't think…"

"That was bad enough… but truth be told, we've learned very little anyhow," Iroh confessed. "There is no official information. The Gladiator League has been abolished, there's been no sign of the Blue Wolf, the Princess fell from grace… that is all we heard at first. Even the attack you faced in the South Pole was kept a secret to us, and to the general population, I assume. But… official information has been released as of late. Official information pertaining… the Princess's current situation."

"Current?" Ursa repeated, eyes wide. "It's… not what I overheard that day, about you having caused Azula's downfall?"

"No… it's something far more recent than that," Iroh admitted: it was clear it pained him to speak the words aloud at all… but he knew he had to do it sooner than later.

Several levels below them, Piandao guided Sokka through the tower's corridors, eventually through the fortress's walls as well with the warmest smile he could muster. The Gladiator followed dutifully, answering Piandao's occasional questions while listening, too, to every explanation the man offered freely. Some of them were what Sokka had already guessed at: Piandao had left his mansion in Shu Jing because of Ursa's first, sudden escapade into the swamp. He had been informed by Jeong Jeong that Ursa's denial of reality only seemed to worsen with each passing day, that she had closed her mind and heart upon each reminder of what she'd lost. He had hoped to be of help, to be a friendly face, a voice of reason… but he had represented none of those things to Ursa, as far as he could tell. Even so, Piandao hadn't given up, not once… and now he found that, while he had been unable to help her, at least he had protected Ursa and ensured she lived long enough until she had the chance to reunite with her son.

"You've been through no end of adventures and struggles alike in my absence, from what I understand…" Piandao said, glancing remorsefully at Sokka as they marched through the fortress's walls. The Gladiator frowned but nodded.

"More than I can recount right now, I expect," Sokka said. "I don't know if we'll have enough time for me to explain everything eventually… guess it depends on how these negotiations turn out."

"I vow to do my best to ensure they succeed," Piandao said, earnestly. "Though I can't promise Jeong Jeong will be eager to cooperate. Even if he's not… I'll give you a hand in every way I can. My advice, my counsel, you'll count with them for sure…"

"And your sword?" Sokka asked. Piandao raised his eyebrows. "I'm not here just to reacquaint with old friends, Master. I have a purpose, one I don't intend to lose sight of over anything. I intend to end the war, yes… and I intend to find Azula and save her from her father as soon as possible, too."

A streak of remorse crossed Piandao's features then. Sokka gritted his teeth, fists trembling: whatever Jeong Jeong had wanted them to share with Sokka, it was evidently connected to her.

"What's happened to Azula?" he asked, point-blank. "What do you know about her circumstances? I know Ozai well enough to be aware that… that she's bound to be in a world of pain right now. That he's taking out his wrath and vengeance on her, and it's because she chose to face him directly. She's taking the brunt of it all so she can spare the rest of us, she literally told me that was what she meant to do before she left me and… I know it must be dreadful. I know it will break me just as it broke me when she first sailed away, but I need to understand what I'm going up against, Master. Please…"

"No man should charge into a battlefield unprepared, lest he be struck down by his own ignorance rather than by his enemy," Piandao sighed. "It's… it's true that we have information about her. General information that has been spread in the Fire Nation, however. We know nothing about her current status on a personal level… no one has been able to get close enough to confirm what kind of suffering she has endured personally."

"Then? What's the general information?" Sokka asked, frowning heavily. Piandao breathed deeply.

"Come," he said, gesturing at the plains that spread before them. "I fear… it may be for the best if we find even more privacy."

That Piandao continued to delay the inevitable only sat badly with Sokka: his pedestal, his admiration for the man, were constantly in danger of toppling and crumbling, and right now he couldn't help but feel they stood as equals rather than as master and apprentice. Perhaps that was the true reason why Piandao behaved this way… he no longer felt like he held any authority over him. Perhaps he was genuinely scared of Sokka's reaction to what he'd reveal to him. He was worried that he might lose his center, his mind, to whatever news he had in store… Sokka's fist clenched as he followed the swordsman through the stone corridors, and then into the open fields that belonged to the Fortress.

They marched past rows and rows of produce as they hiked up to a small hill, bereft of crops, distant from any cabins or small huts that had been erected past the walls by those who worked the land the Fortress's inhabitants lived from. Piandao let out a slow sigh once they reached that hill and he turned towards Sokka, still with those eyes that spoke of heartfelt, genuine remorse.

"You grew to love her deeply, didn't you?" he asked. Sokka nodded. "More deeply than I anticipated, even…"

"Well, I don't know what you anticipated, but… yes," Sokka confirmed. Piandao breathed deeply and nodded.

"I can't pretend I do not understand how easy it may have been for you to feel as you did, Sokka," he said, earnestly. "Once you find someone with whom you can craft a powerful bond, someone for whom you'd readily abandon anything… there's nothing in the world that can give you pause when it comes to that person. Nothing at all…"

Sokka frowned: Piandao seemed to speak of experience, and a careless thought bloomed in his mind only for him to quell it quickly. There was no point in pondering anything about his master's personal life, not when something much more important than that was at hand…

"She loved you as well, didn't she?" Piandao smiled sadly at Sokka. "How could she not? You were… you were certainly the ideal man to stand beside her. I heard she learned swordsmanship from you, didn't she?"

"I… yeah. I taught her…" Sokka said, his throat choked up abruptly as flashes of his duels with her, as his careless training of her in Shu Jing, burst back in his mind. His fists trembled as he nodded once more, bereft of enough voice with which to speak once the emotions overwhelmed him.

"I'm pleased for that," Piandao smiled fondly. "For what it's worth, I… I did believe she could be worthy. She simply needed to be steered in a different path from her father's. To be guided in a different direction, much like her brother did. I tried with him, though I fear the irregularity of his training regime didn't help matters much… and I wound up trying to help his mother open her eyes to reality far more than I helped him, too. He was too young, after all… but that's irrelevant, I suppose. Saying that I'm proud of you for succeeding where I couldn't even attempt to aid her… well, it seems out of place. But truly, I'm glad you could become such a staunch, strong partner for her. She certainly chose the right Gladiator for herself…"

"She did," Sokka agreed, brushing the underside of his nose with his hand. "You… you don't think I shouldn't have done it? I don't mean just… training her, but growing close to her, as close as I did?"

"I had the feeling it might happen," Piandao admitted. "I feared the consequences, if it did… but in some ways, I made the same mistake Iroh did by assuming she wouldn't have risked everything over…"

"Over me," Sokka said, bitterly. He shook his head. "Sometimes I… I think she shouldn't have. Then I remember that I told her to regret nothing and… and I hate myself for regretting anything at all. But…"

"You have very little to regret, Sokka," Piandao said, earnestly, clasping his shoulder firmly. "The love you shared with her… I barely know anything about it as it is, but if you're here, ready to take up your weapons and rush against the Fire Lord to save her, it must have been the grandest love anyone could experience. Not any man has the courage you're showing right now… not any man has the means to put that courage into action, either. But you're prodigious, resilient… and I'm sure you can succeed. But Sokka…"

"I have to be prepared for whatever I'll find once I return?" Sokka asked, sniffing softly. "Yeah, well, Zuko already told me so. I know that… that she won't be the same. I wasn't there for her, I don't know if she's faced this hell on her own…"

"She may have," Piandao said, softly. Sokka gritted his teeth. "But that's only more reason for you to come to her as fast as possible, isn't it?"

"Of course it is," Sokka said, his tearful eyes gaining determination once more. Piandao swallowed hard.

"Well… it seems your resolve is unshakeable. Even so… I'll understand if you're overwhelmed, distraught by the main punishment we've heard the Fire Lord has inflicted upon her," Piandao said, closing his eyes and lowering his hand. Sokka frowned heavily.

"What is it? You keep beating around the bush, Master, but…"

"I'm sorry for that, Sokka. I am, but…" Piandao said, gritting his teeth. "You meant to spend your life with her, didn't you?"

"I did. And I still do," Sokka said, stubbornly. "Once I come back…"

"Good. I'm sure she'll mean to make that happen, once you return to each other," Piandao said, nodding. Sokka frowned. "It doesn't matter what I say… you'll still feel that way? You'll…?"

"Master… I know this will come as a surprise for you, maybe you won't understand what it means, but I guess I'll explain even if you don't," Sokka said, shaking his head as he removed his right hand's glove: Piandao's eyes widened at the sight of the scar upon his palm. "This… it's a marriage scar. She has one, too. A scar that matched her to me, back when we… w-when we went back to Shu Jing once, not seeking you out, just hoping to find peace and quiet across one week where we just… us. Where we married each other in secret, twice. Once, under false names, then under the Water Tribe rite. I… I gave her this necklace…"

He stuffed his glove in his pocket, drawing Azula's necklace next: the blue stone seemed to gleam under the afternoon's light, and Sokka showed it to Piandao with trembling hands.

"It's a betrothal necklace. A northern tradition, yeah, but that's still what it is," Sokka said, firmly. Piandao's astonishment only seemed to increase with each of Sokka's revelations. "So… yeah. I know it's insane, I know it's hard to accept… but it's the truth. I'm committed to her, as much as I was on the day we got those scars, on the day we lit that candle… I want to spend my life with her, as much of it as I can. The months I've wasted, months I've spent away from her, have been sheer agony. We didn't… didn't deserve to be torn away from each other this way. But I'll do anything I can to subvert that, so… so there you have it. I meant it, I always have meant it: I'll come back to her, take her away from her damn father and ensure she can live her life in peace… with me."

He didn't hesitate to speak as earnestly as he had, giving proud voice to the truths he knew and believed in faithfully… and the distraught expression on Piandao's face only seemed to suggest he was incredulous, to Sokka. He couldn't tell that the truth behind that unusually emotional reaction from his master came from someplace else… as Piandao covered his face with his hands briefly.

"Who… knew about this?" he asked. Sokka frowned. "Did any of your friends know? Did the Fire Lord find out about your marriage?"

"Well, some of them did know, but… he didn't know. Not that I know of. Though it's not like Azula had to state it outright…" Sokka said, frowning. "She took responsibility for everything, she faced him bravely, standing up to him the whole time, told him she had chosen me, so… I'd suppose it was implicit for him, maybe?"

"The bastard," Piandao said, shivering. Sokka's explanations froze: he had never heard such utter fury in his master's voice before. "The bastard… curses, how could Ursa ever…?"

"Ever what…?" Sokka frowned. Piandao shook his head, his eyes charged with fury… even if there seemed to be tears sparkling in them, too.

"Ever care about and protect a monster like him," Piandao said, his voice grave, trembling. Sokka shivered, too, once Piandao's emotional gaze found his. "I… I'm sorry, Sokka. But whether he knew the exact truth or not… his punishment of Azula was certainly intended to break your vows to each other."

"His…?" Sokka repeated…

The truth slammed into him with the force of a train-tank, perhaps ramming him into a mountain, destroying his body, his entire soul, as its blades and daggers stabbed at him repeatedly with the reality he didn't want to confront. The revenge Ozai had taken… it was meant to break their vows? It was meant to…?

"No…" Sokka said, shaking his head and taking a step back. "He didn't do it. He…"

He had beaten Zhao's gladiator, hadn't he?

And he had saved the Fire Nation too, which hadn't stopped Ozai from sending troops to assail the south, even after promising he wouldn't do so, long ago.

"He…?" Sokka gritted his teeth, glaring at Piandao now as the man shook his head, covering his face with his hands. "He forced her to… he did. He forced her to…?"

"I'm sorry, Sokka," Piandao said, as Sokka snarled so hard his head hurt over the friction of his teeth…

But he couldn't register any of that pain. Not when his heart seemed to be collapsing in his chest, not when his pleasant memories of a week of bliss were suddenly marred with a surge of darkness he couldn't stem. They had sworn to spend their lives together, they had been husband and wife, they had married each other…

And whether Ozai knew about their secret marriages or not, he had forced Azula to take another husband.

As hollow as he felt, as painfully empty, new rage bloomed inside him quickly: nothing was enough for the wretched Fire Lord. Nothing would suffice, nothing would ever sate his monstrous heart, his rotten soul… he was unforgivable. He could never atone for any of his sins… Sokka would never allow it. Perhaps Azula would still feel some manner of attachment to the bastard to this day, Sokka couldn't know it anymore…

But he longed to drag his sword through the man's gut, just as he had with Rhone.

How could he? How had he dared inflict that kind of suffering upon Azula when she couldn't fight back? How could he be so heartless, so monstruous…?

The pain in his heart, the surging pain, was not meant for himself. It wasn't anguish caused by feeling abandoned or betrayed… no: his grief was for her. His grief took shape upon having found Azula in that spiritual vision and finding her unwilling to live for one more day if he was gone…

She had done everything to save him.

She had endured everything to ensure he lived on.

She had sacrificed everything for him.

He had never asked her to do that… but she had done it anyway.

Cries of fury tore through his throat as wrathful tears flooded his eyes. The world seemed to quake and tremble beneath his feet, even if he knew it was stable still. He wanted to break something… he wanted to cleave his sword through Ozai's body, more than anything, but he wasn't here, he couldn't do so…

But when the moment came, he would claim his own revenge. He would destroy Ozai's designs without fail so Azula would be safe and sound in his arms again. He didn't care what kind of monster he would have to become in order to succeed at that… but he'd become one gladly if it was for her sake. His inner darkness seemed to leak out of him, overtaking his body… but it didn't blind him this time. He didn't lose sight of reality, not entirely, for his mind and heart matched each other in the surging fury he was experiencing.

She had never done anything to earn a fate so cruel, so devastating and horrific, down to the point where she even felt like discarding her life out of fear that he would be gone…

She had never deserved a father as heartless and manipulative, who kept her tied to him, bound to their nation and its leadership while effectively annulling all her power… for whoever was her husband now would be the new Crown Prince in her stead.

It wasn't only the slight against their relationship, a slight Sokka could only imagine Azula had been forced to accept under extreme duress… it was a slight against everything Azula had ever stood for. Everything she had ever hoped to become, every dream she'd ever clung to, dreams she had once told him he had helped her fulfill…

And Ozai had destroyed all of it, remorselessly, just because he could do so. Just because…

"I'm sorry, Sokka…" Piandao said, his voice strained with emotion. "Sokka, it's…"

He couldn't continue speaking, for a louder cry tore from Sokka's throat. A furious roar of grief and rage, blended together into a most fearsome combination.

He roared, just as powerfully as he had when she had left him. His throat ached, his lungs stung, and yet he kept going, he kept going…

He fell to his knees, undone by the emotions that wracked him, leaving him torn, undone, his throat raw once his scream dwindled into silence. Furious sobs overtook him, as he couldn't contain them anymore: she needed him. Curses, she needed him so badly and he had to reach her as soon as possible. Her heart had been broken, it had been devastated, and perhaps their encounter across that spiritual connection had helped her… but what if it hadn't sufficed? What if Ozai dared strike again and again, with whatever new blows he meant to deal her…?

Piandao's hand fell upon his shoulder, hesitant, once his voice was quelled after the long scream he had given himself to completely. Tears spilled down on the soil he dug his fingers into carelessly, seeking purchase somewhere, on something, for it seemed as though his very bones had crumbled into dust…

"I'm sorry," Piandao said, softly. Sokka shook his head. "I'm so sorry, Sokka. I…"

"W-who…?" he blurted out, and he barely knew why he asked that question, but he did anyway, his voice hoarse and scratchy. "Who… did he force on her? Who…?"

Piandao seemed to hesitate at first, but he shook his head as though to make himself face this was something he had to do. Sokka needed to know everything he could about what had happened, and it was his duty to see that done.

"I'm afraid it was… Admiral Zhao," Piandao said: a cough that sounded like a bark burst from Sokka's lips.

"Fucking… figures. Of course… o-of course…" Sokka said, chest heaving as he shook his head. "The bastard… of course it'd be Zhao. T-the one he wasn't supposed to… a-after I beat Combustion Man, no, of course he'd… he'd go back on his word, over and over, the piece of shit! The bastard! I… I want to strangle him. I want to… I want to…!"

"Sokka…" Piandao said, withdrawing his hand as Sokka slammed a fist on the ground, furious tears still spilling on the ground.

"He doesn't deserve to live… t-to live another day in this world!" Sokka roared. "He doesn't deserve… t-to call himself her father, he never did! I'm going to… I-I'm going to end him. End his rule, end every fucking ambition he ever had, I'm going to end this fucking war and I'm going to kill him! I'm going to…! I'm going to…!"

Again, tears overtook him: tears meant for his lover, for the woman who had truly sacrificed everything for his sake… far more than he had even known, until now. She had never wanted this, she had fought against it… and yet this outcome was no surprise, for that was exactly the kind of man Ozai was.

"I'm sorry," Piandao repeated yet again, letting out a sigh as he patted Sokka's back. "But I'm afraid there's… there's one more thing you need to know. And I know it's something that may just… distress you further."

Sokka froze in place, glancing at Piandao with tearful eyes. There was more? This wasn't all Ozai had done to punish her?

Had Azula failed to stem the tide of his fury to that extent? Was there truly nothing she could do to stop him?

"What is it? What else… what else did he do? What else do you know?!" Sokka asked, frantically. Piandao gritted his teeth.

"It seems… Princess Azula is with child."

He froze where he knelt, the tears spilling down his cheeks as he remained stunned, holding Piandao's gaze for a moment. For just that moment…

But his mind was elsewhere. His eyes weren't truly staring at his master at all.

She had told him so. She had guided his hand to her womb and told him, directly, that she was with child. She had barely had a chance to tell him as much, but…

She had told him he had saved them. She had told him…

But she hadn't told him she had been forced to marry Zhao.

His body shuddered as he dropped on a fully sitting position. His hands left the soil, the dirt under his fingernails causing pain he couldn't register.

It made no sense for her to tell him that in such a way if the baby weren't his. It sounded like it, and yet… could it be Zhao's? The thought sent bile up to his mouth, and he covered it quickly before stifling the impulse. Could Ozai's punishments have taken her as far as to…?

Oh, Azula. Oh, his beloved Princess… was it truly any wonder anymore that she would have been so brokenhearted, so ready to discard life altogether? And yet she ran to him, she had broken down in tears, she had rejoiced in their brief reunion… she needed him. She did, for she was stuck in a nightmare that seemed never-ending. She had no choice but to endure it, to face Ozai's wrath, for she had made the choice to spare everyone else from the misery and pain… had she succeeded? Had she saved anyone, in the end? After making sacrifices as mortifying as these, Sokka sure hoped so. He had no choice but to hope so, for if Ozai had done even worse than this, if he had hurt those Azula had meant to protect by leaving Sokka down south and returning to the Fire Nation…

He snarled again, bringing a fist to his forehead. Fool… fool that he was to wonder about whether the baby was his or Zhao's. Why the blazes would that matter at all…? If it were Zhao's, it meant Azula had suffered horribly under Ozai's command, facing something she would have never accepted under normal circumstances, all be it to protect and save others. Whatever the truth might be, it was still her child. It was hers, and Sokka had no right to begrudge anyone for the baby's parentage, whether it was ideal for him or not. Maybe Azula wanted to believe it was his… maybe she didn't know for sure, either. Maybe that was why she hadn't said anything, why she had dared tell him about the child without sharing what horrors she had faced during the months without Sokka.

"I understand this… it must have come as a shock to you," Piandao said. Sokka shivered, shaking his head lightly at his words. "But we don't truly know how far along she is. That information wasn't publicly revealed, so…"

"Even if it were…" Sokka said, his voice hoarse once more. "Even then, any official information will… will suggest the child is his. Whether it is or isn't…"

"Is it possible?" Piandao asked, gritting his teeth. "Could it be yours? Were there any… any signs, before you parted ways? Did it seem likely…?"

"She didn't drink the tea…" Sokka admitted. Piandao's eyes widened. "That's how… how she prevented it. But while we were at sea, she didn't… I didn't even remember, didn't think of it, and I guess neither did she. So…"

"So… it could be," Piandao said, but Sokka shook his head. "Sokka…"

"Don't… don't cling to that notion. Don't make me cling to it, either," Sokka said, shivering violently. "What kind of unforgivable bastard would I be… if I only wanted the child so long as it's mine? It's hers… it's hers, first of all. Whether it's truly mine or not… if it is, she's putting up with all this to… to masquerade it as Zhao's. She must have. And it… it must have been such a difficult decision if that's how it is, but she'd have done it to keep the child safe and… and it will be in danger, it will be as soon as it's born, unless it doesn't look like me at all. So… she's taking a huge risk if it's mine. A huge… really huge risk. S-so it's… it's almost better for her if it isn't mine. It would be easier, it would be less painful for her, it…"

"Oh, Sokka…" Piandao said, as Sokka snarled again and covered his face with his hands.

"W-whatever the truth may be… if she's passing the child as his or if it's really mine, it makes no matter. I… I have to fight for them both. I have to fight for them both, damn it. I… I didn't come this far just to falter. I didn't come all this way just to break over Ozai's cruelty… no, I came all this way to stop it. To put a stop to him for once and for all. Azula…"

"My choices… the consequences keep haunting me, they keep hurting me. I've lost so much as it is, just by losing you… and yet he never stops. You were right all along, Sokka, you were right, and I was a fool…"

Her words from the swamp vision returned to him, and his heart ached and burned with righteous fury once more. He had been right… for he had warned her that Ozai would stop at nothing. That his punishments would never cease, that his torment of her would last a lifetime if he could get away with it. She had admitted she couldn't take the pain anymore, that she couldn't bear it…

"She sacrificed everything for me," Sokka said, a stern scowl across his face. "And then she… she sacrificed everything for her nation, all over again, upon ensuring I'd be safe. She gave herself up to her father in the hopes that he'd have enough one day. That it would suffice. She hoped to keep him in check… to rebel against him, to fight back, and yet he never allowed it. She sacrificed everything! And it's up to me to make sure she gets it back. It's up to me… to make sure the sacrifices she made weren't in vain. If I stop him, if I rise up and stop him…!"

He pushed himself to his feet, tears still spilling down his cheeks as he did… but once more, his face was the picture of utmost determination. Piandao rose beside him, gazing at his student intently and finding, instead, a man who had reached a potential that was so much greater than anything Piandao could have envisioned…

A man whose resolve hadn't shaken and crumbled, the way Jeong Jeong had feared it might: instead, it seemed revitalized and strengthened, spurring him into action at haste:

Piandao witnessed the fierce glare with burning, furious blue eyes. A glare intended for the Fire Lord whose sins had reached their zenith… a Fire Lord who had singled out Sokka as his greatest enemy, and who would regret that choice once Sokka rose high, higher than he would ever imagine possible for a common man from the South Pole…

Though he was no common man at all. Azula had seen to that. Ozai had seen to that.

Sokka himself had seen to that.

"I will save her, no matter what it takes," Sokka declared. "That's… that's my duty to her. It's the one thing I want to do… it's my purpose, the destiny I've chosen. Whoever I have to defeat, whoever I have to kill to reach her… I won't hesitate, ever. I won't surrender. I won't back down, not against Ozai, not against Jeong Jeong, not against anyone! Even if it takes me a lifetime, if it takes every last shred of strength I have left inside me, I will find her… and I will set her and this damn world free from Fire Lord Ozai."

A/N:

Well… a long awaited chapter, even if it probably didn't go down exactly as many of you hoped it would. But we're on our way to making more progress with Sokka's quest to end the war, so hopefully you guys will be happy about that and his reunion with Piandao even if he didn't kill Iroh immediately upon meeting him :'D

Anyway, I figured I'd remind you guys again that Gladiator reached its tenth anniversary last week, and that there's a commemorative video about it in my Youtube channel: you tu . be / 7ITnt2 N80KM , just erase the spaces and you'll get there. Hope you enjoy it if you watch it!