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...

169. Chapter 169: Gladiator Brawl 4

Condensed fire was supposed to be more suitable for defensive purposes, as shields or fire blasts to counter any attacks. Azula had used it defensively, she hadn't wielded it as an attack technique during Sokka's training, and even the Millennium Dragon hadn't been quite as aggressive with it back in the Slate.

It went to show, though, that the firebender's expertise with condensed flames were what allowed him to fight back against Combustion Man even if he had never defeated him. Sokka wielded Wolf's Bane without fear, but even so, the condensed fire barrage unleashed by his opponent was as good as an impenetrable barrier, as well as an overwhelming attack. Flames rushed past him as his sword parted them, in a way that reminded him of Azula's deflection of Xin Long's fire back when they had first encountered him. Realizing that this man could have power enough to compare him with a legitimate dragon wasn't at all pleasant, though. Sokka had never fought against Xin Long, not for real…

Maybe it was the sunlight, or the desert, or maybe the Millennium Dragon had strengthened himself over time too, but Azula nearly trembled in anxiety whenever Sokka vanished behind those walls of thick, bright flames. The man seemed stronger, perhaps because he was taking this fight far more seriously than their first. And while Sokka always resurfaced from the fire, he couldn't seem to find an opening, not even a slim one, to attack anew. It was always apparent that Renzhi had extraordinary stamina, else he wouldn't be able to bend condensed flames so consistently and continuously… but this was more than that: this was the Millennium Dragon without any restraint.

Aonu didn't seem to be feeling any better than Azula was, though: it seemed he would only relax once Sokka was knocked out, tossed out of the ring or dead. Witnessing his fighter's superiority wasn't reassuring for him, even if it was supposed to be, since that superiority was the main reason why he had believed he could get away with this. But the Blue Wolf should have gone up in smoke by now, for most other fighters would have…

Sokka breathed out slowly, holding the sword in the best way he could to keep the flames at bay. Even then, they licked at his body at times, dangerously close to his skin even through his fire-resistant clothing. A shield forged by a dragon's breath suddenly sounded like a better alternative than another sword, he thought to himself, before frowning and focusing on how to get out of this predicament: he couldn't count on Renzhi running out of firepower, for he wasn't likely to. No one was going to come to Sokka's rescue… and at this point, he found he didn't want them to. No, Sokka wanted to deal with this himself, on his own. If he stood his ground on his own, it would mean that Azula had built him into a better fighter than the Millennium Dragon was, an unthinkable achievement… and perhaps it was a dangerous mix of pride and hubris that guided him into wanting to prove his sponsor's success.

Another deep breath, and another. Lifting the sword high enough would allow a break in the flames from above, wouldn't it? If Sokka could deflect the fire that was flowing over his head for a specific amount of time, he could use his boomerang: if it connected, the Millennium Dragon would have to lose some control over the flame cage he was crafting all over Sokka. If the man noticed it on time and tried to deflect the attack, he'd at least have to change targets for just a moment…

Sokka sheathed Space Sword, released his boomerang and jumped: the break in the flames was just as he predicted, and he tossed his weapon powerfully, fast. It flew quickly at the Millennium Dragon, who indeed sought to repel it with one of his hands. In doing so, half the fire cage vanished: Sokka was free.

And he used that freedom to lunge forward and toss a bomb at the Millennium Dragon.

The smoke that poured out of it had to be the thickest to date. Azula's eyes widened, for it was such a dark screen that it seemed no light would possibly penetrate in it. An awful lot like Seethus's smoke, actually… had Sokka inspired himself in the man's abilities to create a more effective bomb? She wasn't sure whether to be proud of him or to be worried about him potentially using the assassin as an example to follow.

Still, his attack sequence was effective enough: the Millennium Dragon had stopped bending, caught in the midst of the smoke as he was. Sokka was within the smoke's range as well, but Azula guessed he would resurface at any moment. He had always handled his bomb's smoke without a hint of a problem, so surely this time…

A whirlwind of fire suddenly became visible in the middle of the smoke: it expelled the unwanted gas away from the Millennium Dragon, and he stood with his hands stretched out, breathing heavily and coughing on occasion.

Sokka was caught under his foot, looking disoriented.

Azula's fists clenched. What on earth had happened? Had the Millennium Dragon attacked him without fire? He didn't seem burned, so… had Renzhi anticipated to Sokka's movements?

Sokka hadn't really known why his plan had failed until seconds after noticing he was being held down by a large foot on his chest: Renzhi had caught him, just as Sokka had was reaching for his boomerang on the ground. Renzhi had known he would use bombs, and he had known to stand near the boomerang, for that would offer him a chance to catch Sokka with his guard down. Bombs usually worked, but then again, Sokka didn't usually fight the Millennium Dragon.

"You… really know how to make yourself a threat, eh, kid?" the Millennium Dragon growled, chest heaving before coughing again. Sokka could only grin guiltily as a response.

"Can't really help myself" he said, just as Renzhi raised a hand, condensed fire accompanying his fist.

It was clear enough that Renzhi wouldn't hold back before, but now Sokka was seeing the truth of it up-close. Still, even as every bit of common sense in his body screamed at him to be afraid of what this man was capable of, Sokka ignored it. His heart was racing, but it was with the same adrenaline that kept pushing him forward rather than urging him to back down.

So, he clasped Wolf's Bane and swung it in a dangerous arc that would have cut cleanly across Renzhi's neck if he hadn't jumped away from Sokka immediately.

Not a lot of people in the stands had witnessed the Blue Wolf's most violent fights. He was as good as a pacifist gladiator, only resorting to chopping off limbs if he had no other choice. But right now, everyone was startled by his willingness to hurt Renzhi, just as they were by Renzhi's eagerness to finish the battle as aggressively as possible. Still, the Millennium Dragon had mostly failed to deliver real damage to Sokka: the Blue Wolf, though, had left a red cut over the man's skin, dangerously close to a vital artery.

"You're lucky it was the white sword" Sokka said, as he picked up his boomerang and sheathed it again "The black one's a lot better at chopping people up, you see…"

"Oh, I remember" said Renzhi, with a small laugh, as he touched his new wound "You tore through the Slate's metal like it was butter, didn't you?"

Sokka nodded, moving to release another weapon now. But instead of Space Sword, he clasped his club. Renzhi didn't lower his guard, though.

"You've gotten better, kid" said Renzhi, breathing out slowly "Or maybe you just want it more this time, huh?"

"More than ever" Sokka admitted, unthinking. He was far too invested in the fight to care about what Renzhi could interpret from his words. Still, Renzhi smiled again.

"Good. Keep it up if you can, then"

A large blast of condensed fire collided against Wolf's Bane, and another, and then another. The attacks were like small bombs, not so different from what Toph was enduring a little further back: Combustion Man was struggling to catch her, but he was certainly causing the small earthbender more trouble than she'd faced since her own fight at the Slate. The fire blasts by the top gladiator of the League were the most powerful she had ever dealt with, and while she had every intention of bending his metal prosthetics, she couldn't quite bend metal without direct contact yet. If she dared come close enough to bend the spiked foot, or the clawed hand, chances were Combustion Man would use them to cut her open before she could try to bend them at all.

So she carried on fighting, losing her earth armor and rebuilding it, encasing Combustion Man in sand only for him to blast himself clear of it seconds later. She kept evading the attacks, paranoid about where he might come at her from next, or whether he would be able to predict her movements and attack before she knew it. It was difficult to sense people in sand, usually, but Combustion Man barely moved when bending: it was no lie that he could bend with his mind. Whatever his technique was, it was deadly and it kept Toph on edge, circling him and attempting to strike him down unsuccessfully.

All four sponsors sat on the same bench, watching their respective fighter's battles while knowing they represented something much greater than it seemed at first sight. The newcomers were finally defying the reigning champions of the Ranking on their own terms, by proving they were built of something sturdier than what their rivals were used to dealing with. For so long, the Millennium Dragon's only important opponent had been Combustion Man: all along, Combustion Man had never met an earthbender capable of evading his worst attacks in the way this slippery blind girl could. But today, the stakes were changing: today, the Blue Wolf and the Blind Bandit were writing a new page in the Superior Gladiator League's history by proving they could defy the leaders of the Ranking.

Sokka was no longer confined to a cage, for he kept running, racing around the Millennium Dragon and keeping the man on the move too. He could attack all he wanted, but Sokka was no longer pinned down with firepower alone. It seemed confusing that he would continue to hold the club with his left hand, the other still barring the fire with Wolf's Bane, but it became apparent that he was getting ready to use it: Azula swallowed hard as she watched him loom closer and closer yet, without the Millennium Dragon's awareness. He was subtle, even when fighting his opponent directly. And that subtlety would pay off when he found the chance to duck under the fire stream and attack Renzhi's legs.

Renzhi jumped away, but not fast enough to evade the blunt end of the club altogether: It struck his ankle, even though Sokka had been aiming for his knee. Still, that would help all the same: by now, Sokka had landed two significative blows, and Renzhi had failed to do the same with his own fire.

It dawned on Azula suddenly that Sokka was succeeding: her gladiator was overcoming the impossible, in the face of his most dangerous firebending opponent yet. He was powering through the battle with the confidence he had lacked when he had first faced Renzhi: was it his motivation was far stronger than it had been back then? Whatever the reason, it was clear Aonu could see it too. His breathing was heavier, and now it was him who trembled anxiously. One glance at him showed Azula that he was mumbling something under his breath, but she didn't care to know what it was. The earthbender that sat beside her was fighting his own battles: she could respect as much, though it was hard to tell whether he was more worried about what this meant for his plans or about his partner right now.

Still, she knew better than to take Sokka's victory for granted. One cut, one wounded ankle, weren't enough to push the Millennium Dragon to surrender, let alone would he be knocked out because of that: the man only shook his hurt foot slightly before pivoting on it to launch a fire tornado at Sokka.

Sokka jumped out of the way, for the momentum of the attack would be too extreme for Wolf's Bane to handle… but that he'd evade the attack only told Renzhi that this was the exact kind of technique he had to use to overwhelm Sokka.

The Blue Wolf's eyes widened, as the fire columns rushed at him one after the other. They always faded away shortly after passing him by, so he guessed maybe he could avoid them by running backwards… but they chased after him without fail, over and over again. The Millennium Dragon rushed forward with each attack, already using his foot as though he hadn't been injured at all, and with every step forward he kept pushing Sokka back: at this rate he'd end up crossing the boundaries of the fighting area…

Toph's quick moves weren't bringing her any closer to defeating Combustion Man. She dodged his attacks and launched a few of her own, but earth, sand and even the metal armors she had removed from limp gladiators around her weren't enough to genuinely threaten the tall behemoth before her. While she was mounting a good defense through her aggressive attacking style, she painfully realized she couldn't pose enough of a challenge to the man as she was. She needed more… more what, exactly? The rocks she threw at him would shatter against the metal limbs, or were destroyed by his explosions. He was fast, agile, powerful and all-around invulnerable, it seemed: she had yet to land a proper blow on him, even though he hadn't hurt her yet either. They were at a standstill, and it seemed it was likelier to break in his favor than in hers…

Unless she chi-blocked him.

Obviously, his metal limbs were out of the question. But there were only two of those, right? She sensed he wasn't even wearing proper armor, and most his body was exposed enough that, if she could get close, she could hit one of his chi points and render him helpless. And if she did that…

She barely even needed to get close. Hadn't she been taught to chi-block at a distance, for crying out loud?

A wild grin appeared on her face as her course of action became clear. There was no telling if she'd succeed, but it was the best idea she had yet. And if she made it…

She didn't allow herself to think too much about that. She'd do better to experience defeating the man firsthand, rather than building up expectations that might go unfulfilled because of her eagerness.

Sokka glanced back, knowing he was only a few steps away from the poles that defined the edge of the ring. He flinched and grimaced, clutching his weapons with uncertainty as another tower of fire came hurtling towards him…

If he stepped out through those limits, it was over. If he allowed Renzhi to push him out, Aonu would still claim it as a victory, on the same terms on which Sokka had defeated Renzhi at the Slate. He might even find it poetic, considering that his newest victory could come as a perfect mirror of the past loss…

And if it did, Azula would be gone. Oh, surely she would gladly keep having him as her secret lover, surely she would keep him on as her gladiator, for Aonu wasn't likely to care either way: all he wanted was status. He wasn't like Kuan, with an outright vendetta against Sokka. But that wouldn't keep Sokka from watching Azula lose everything she had fought for: Aonu wasn't a puppet, he wasn't a fool she could manipulate into doing her bidding. He had his own objectives, and he wasn't likely to compromise with Azula so they could go evenly at things. He might take over her current endeavors, bar her away from her ultimate goals of ending slavery and bringing proper equality to the Fire Nation in all terms…

And he would be her husband. He would be expected to father her children, to become Fire Lord, to hold her at night, to become the main priority in her life. All her dreams, all her ambitions… everything would be gone. Everything.

The driven, courageous woman he loved would be gone. He would lose her.

And that wasn't something he was willing to concede. Not for Aonu, not for Renzhi, not for Ozai, not for anyone.

The fire rushed towards him, and it glowed against his blue eyes. So be it. Whatever the cost, he would protect her. She had given him her heart, her dreams, and he fought to protect them all. He wasn't here to fail: he was here to destroy everything that threatened his Princess. And it didn't matter what he had to sacrifice to achieve that goal.

Combustion Man wasn't certain of what was happening when pellets started striking his body from strange angles. He glared about himself, noticing the small girl was running erratically still, using her bending to attack in seemingly foolish ways. What did she expect to achieve by tossing stones at him? He couldn't quite notice them as easily as he noticed the bigger ones, but to a body as firm and strong as Combustion Man's, those pellets were less than mosquito bites.

Still, the young earthbender carried on with her small stones, and Combustion Man was starting to grow weary of her games. He breathed in deeply, aiming carefully as he tried to anticipate her next move…

He lost his footing: something had struck the back of his left leg, leading him to fall on his knee in surprise.

Toph smiled wildly. She had done it! She had chi-blocked him! It wasn't impossible, then. Now she only had to make proper use of this opportunity, to rush him with a barrage of earth he couldn't defend against, and with that…

Combustion Man turned his face towards her, and the next thing Toph knew, she had been blasted away from the firebender violently.

Toph hurtled through the air until she finally tumbled and rolled over the sand, taking a harder blow than she had expected to. She had lost track of her bearings, of what was up or down, of everything, after that explosion had shaken her up to the bone. She made to push herself up, but her body started registering the damage she had taken: the explosion had happened too close to her, and she had been burned by it. She cringed, patting her clothes carefully to make sure she hadn't caught fire after all. Maybe she should have worn those fire-proof clothes Azula and Sokka had given her for her fight at the Slate…

Still, it didn't seem she was too wounded. All her limbs were there, all fingers and toes too. She simply felt as though she had been run over by Ba Sing Se's train, but she'd feel better eventually. She just had to gather herself, and…

The heat of flames behind her startled her, despite the fire wasn't aimed at her. She crawled away from it instinctively, but she knew that wasn't Combustion Man, for she could feel him standing in the opposite direction…

Upon touching the sand, and using her earthbending to figure out what was happening in the midst of a collapsing fire tower, her eyes widened.

The fire tower had rushed towards Sokka, and he clasped his weapons firmly before roaring. His voice rang through the desert, infusing him with courage to face the flames that had been sent his way. If it hadn't been condensed, tossing his boomerang through the flames would have sufficed. But this was a bigger challenge than most: he had to do better than he always did. He had to give it his best effort, even if it killed him to do so.

And he jumped, Wolf's Bane in tow, into the fire. The sword parted the condensed fire, but it didn't swat it away fully: it was too strong, and as it was rotating, it could barely be stopped as it twirled in its axis. But Sokka knew that would happen already. He knew the heat would scorch at his exposed skin, that his body would not enjoy the fire bath he was subjecting it to… but there was no choice. There was no other way to win. There was no other way to fulfill his duty to the woman he loved.

The Millennium Dragon heard the shout, but the thickness of his own fire was such that he couldn't see Sokka in it. Not until it was too late.

Not until the white sword cut through the origin of the fire and stabbed deep into his left shoulder.

Renzhi stumbled back, the sword dislodging itself from his arm. The fire tower had collapsed now, and Sokka was free from the flames that had licked at his skin powerfully, even tearing apart some of his fire-resistant clothing, leaving his skin red and damaged below. His hair had caught fire too, as it always seemed to in his fights with Renzhi, and his face wasn't exempt from burns either…

But he seemed immune to the pain somehow. The wrathful snarl on his face seemed to say as much, at least.

The Millennium Dragon stared at him in confusion only for a moment before lifting his right arm, readying himself to craft a new barrage of condensed fire… and Sokka cut across the fire again. He was too close, far too close, and Renzhi couldn't jump away before the blade scratched across his palm.

It wasn't that he hadn't sustained injuries before, of course he had: his body was covered with scars for an obvious reason. And yet he found himself staring at an enemy who was capable of more than just leaving a few marks across his body. He found himself facing the kind of enemy who wouldn't back down until he had defeated and destroyed him.

Even now, Renzhi could still bend. Even as it was, he could kick at Sokka, he could craft more walls of fire… but it didn't work. Not when the madman was willing to walk through fire, only using the white blade to dampen its power before rushing to attack Renzhi again. And this time he reached him with his other weapon: the club slammed into Renzhi's stomach, rendering him breathless… and a breathless firebender was as good as defeated.

The Millennium Dragon dropped on the ground, struggling to crawl away from Sokka, but he couldn't succeed: the Blue Wolf was acting as though possessed by a demon, going by the brightness of his ice-cold blue eyes, and the cruelty with which he stabbed Renzhi's leg into place with Wolf's Bane.

Renzhi didn't scream, but upon trying to free himself from the weapon, Sokka unsheathed the black blade and pinned down his right arm now. With just that, and with his current breathless state, there was nothing Renzhi could do but lie where he did, staring at his opponent in confusion… and, surprising even himself, in awe. Yes, Sokka was relentless, and he had no common sense… and that meant he was capable of anything to win, it seemed. And as much as Renzhi had wanted a rematch with the Blue Wolf, it was apparent now that it would have backfired on him entirely. The man before him was no longer the same he had faced in the Slate.

But it wasn't over yet. It wouldn't be until the Millennium Dragon surrendered, or…

The Blue Wolf punched the firebender in the face, hard. His nose broke, blood spilled: he remained conscious, though. Pained, but conscious. Rage filled Sokka, and he punched again. Again. One more time. He just needed to knock the man out, that'd be enough, that would set them free and that would be the end. There would be nothing to worry about anymore: Azula would no longer be in danger, she would never be threatened again, because if anyone ever dared lay a single hand on her, if anyone tried to defeat her, to annul her, he would tear them to shreds, he would destroy them just as he was destroying…

As he was destroying Renzhi.

The man's name rang in his head when he pulled back his fist for another punch. He was straddling the Millennium Dragon's chest, holding him down as he attacked.

The Millennium Dragon's face was nearly unrecognizable now. Blood coated it, staining his hair and beard, spilling down on the sand, in the same way as the blood leaking from his hand and leg. Blood, and sand. The searing heat. The life-or-death threat, the vertigo that always took hold of him when he saw himself staring into that void, that menace of losing everything…

A sharp hand grabbed his shoulder and pulled at him.

He didn't know why he did it: impulse, instinct, paranoia, be it whatever it was, Sokka clasped the black sword that had held down his opponent and slashed at the newcomer, before knowing who it was.

The hand released him, but fell in a heavy clutter on the sand right afterwards.

A metal hand.

Sokka's eyes widened as he stared at what was left of the prosthetic hand, the steel parts now in plain sight. The man it used to be attached to had inched away from him, cautiously, it seemed.

Sokka's chest heaved, the realization of what he'd done over the last seconds cutting away at him in a vicious frenzy. His body shook, his mouth hung open, his entire body hurt. His head throbbed, and tried as though he might, he didn't seem to know how to catch his breath. Not anymore.

Combustion Man stared at him in confusion. Perhaps he should have been indignant, for he had lost his metal hand… but he couldn't give credit to his eyes. The gladiator before him certainly did not look like the sort of man who could deliver that kind of damage to a man as strong as the Millennium Dragon: even Combustion Man himself had seldom hurt him to such extent.

"Dog?" Toph called to him, standing further away from the fight than Combustion Man. She hadn't moved much from where the man had blown her away to.

But she had sensed what was happening still, and suddenly her good friend was a lot more menacing than she had always thought he was. The wimp she had refused to kill in battle, who had been ready to forsake his life… he had become a genuine hazard to anyone who dared stand in his way, it seemed. What he'd just done… it wasn't anything she had expected from him. Sokka was a nice guy, wasn't he? He was the kind of guy who would offer her a helping hand whenever she needed it, who had trained her and been beaten by her countless times… why had he never done this to her? If he'd always had it in him… did this mean he had always held back?

Even the Sentinel Knight's fight had been interrupted: only one of his rivals remained at the moment, and they both had stared at the bloodied battle between the Blue Wolf and the Millennium Dragon in disbelief. Whatever rumors they had heard regarding the Princess's gladiator and his extraordinary skills, nothing had prepared them to witness this.

The stands were silent too, as were the staff members. The main sound now was that of Sokka's heavy breathing, as he willed himself awake. As he hoped to unlock his skills as a timebender, so he could return to the past and avoid this. So he could find another solution, one that wouldn't turn him into…

Into what he'd been, when his life had been threatened. Into what he'd been during his fight against Jet, during his stay in the Amateur League. He had killed men, just like this, just like…

He couldn't have killed Renzhi too, or had he?

"U-uh, it's been over ten seconds…" said the megaphone man "And the Millennium Dragon has not risen, so it seems… it's over"

"Over…?" Sokka repeated, raising his eyes towards the man "W-what…?"

"Only five fighters remain" said the megaphone man, gesturing at them "Combustion Man, The Sentinel Knight, Twist of Shadow, The Blind Bandit… and the Blue Wolf. With this… the Brawl is concluded"

Perhaps there should have been cheering, but there was nothing. Shocked silence reigned in the Arena, even as the staff members rushed in to help the wounded fighters who hadn't been picked up yet, including the Millennium Dragon. Sokka swallowed hard and helped immediately with removing Wolf's Bane from his leg, his hands trembling as he did. What on earth had he done? How could he do something like that to a man like Renzhi? This fight had nothing to do with Renzhi, he wasn't supposed to pay for Aonu's actions…

But it had happened again. Sokka's wild, dark side had been triggered, after years and years of keeping it at bay. Even at his worst, he had kept his most violent tendencies in control. He had always managed to overcome insurmountable odds, and he had always been fully conscious whenever he had done awful things, such as the hands he had cut off from the Notorious Stingray and Sands of Time. But right now… he had seen red. He had forgotten himself, just as he did in the Amateur League. And he had attacked, without caring for the consequences, as long as it meant he'd survive. As long as it meant he'd succeed. As long as he could continue to fight another day.

He could feel the many eyes on him, knowing he had brought it upon himself: their judgment, their disgust… even their fear, if that was what they felt, was more than justified. He had never gone this far with another gladiator in the Superior League, not even Jet. He had never felt the need to. But Renzhi was too strong, too strong to be beaten without making sacrifices in turn. If only he could have beaten him without damn near killing him… what was wrong with him? How had he done such a thing?

His hands were stained crimson, his knuckles throbbed painfully, just like the burns across his body. But he felt he deserved it, all the pain, just like all the scars, all the hurting. He had done worse to them, after all. What was one scar, one burn, in the face of all the blood he'd spilled? It was an offense, if anything… for he deserved sustaining worse damage than that. He had already proven as much.

Movements around him didn't alert him anymore. All he noticed was Aonu rushing to his gladiator's side, his face contorted in confused anguish. At least, for all the man's faults, he cared for his fighter. He wanted to see him well. Was he such a bad man, then? He couldn't be worse than Sokka… who could, at this point? Who could be, after what he'd done…?

He didn't register the footsteps approaching him until he saw the familiar boots before him. He froze, wanting to warn her away from him. Wanting to beg her to keep her distance, for he was… he was capable of terrible things, things she should have never witnessed, never again. She had seen him kill the Dart Slayer, but then… then she had offered him a life without murder. And here he was, throwing it all away because…

"Sokka"

His name, spoken by her smooth voice, rang inside his head, his trembling worsening. He didn't dare raise his eyes to meet hers, not even as she knelt down in front of him.

"It's done" Azula said, squaring her jaw "So… you can ease up now. It's over"

"I-is he…? Did I kill…?"

"He's not dead. He won't be, either" Azula said, with certainty. Sokka closed his eyes tightly, his breathing heavy again "He's a strong man, and he's being tended to right now. The staff will prioritize taking care of him"

"G-good. Good…" Sokka said, nodding and still keeping his eyes down. Azula swallowed hard.

"I'm sorry" she said. He gritted his teeth and shook his head.

"It's not your fault that I…"

"It is" she said, simply "But it may be better if we talk about this later, you know. You need hydration after all this. And, well… a change of clothes, too. Probably a haircut as well"

"I don't… I'm fine" he said, shaking his head "Everyone else, they… t-they matter more. Tend to them first, and…"

"They're being tended to first, yes" Azula assured him. Sokka gulped "I could demand to be prioritized, but I won't. You wouldn't stand for it, and I know it. So… I'll keep you company until you decide to go back to the airship. Even if you don't want me to"

"I…" Sokka said, eyes darting up to look at her at last.

Her heart seemed to break at the sight of him: never had she seen him show that kind of expression. He had shown fear before, she had seen it… but nothing like this. Nothing like what he was experiencing now. The worst of it was that she understood it. Her chest hurt as she longed to hold him, to look into those blue eyes with contracted pupils, to tell him he was wrong: to tell him he was not a monster. But she knew those words would ring hollow to his ears right now, as they had to her own, back when he had first said them to her. It was hard to believe otherwise when the ugly, distorted truth seemed to stare you in the face instead.

"It's over, Sokka" she said, trying to soothe him with her voice "It won't happen again. Your job is done for today. You can rest now"

"But…" he said, gritting his teeth. She could see the tears forming in his eyes already, and her chest tightened "I… I can't. I… I'm sorry, I…"

"He knows" Azula blurted out. Sokka looked at her in disbelief. She nodded "He's… he's aware of it. He knows you didn't mean to. He knew it was either you or him. He's a warrior, though, and a really good one. He… he respects you, and it shows. I don't think he'll blame you, even if I know that won't be enough for you to stop blaming yourself"

"I should've… come up with another way. It was… wrong. It's wrong" he said, shaking his head "I've… what did I do to him?"

She yearned to hold him, to reassure him, to talk freely with him as she would if they were alone. But it was impossible right now, under the scrutiny of so many people. It was unthinkable, when the other sponsors were standing nearby, receiving their awards for sponsoring one of the five remaining fighters in the Brawl. She was supposed to be there, too… but she hadn't come here for awards. She hadn't come here to become noteworthy. She was here to defend her right to marry whoever she pleased, and it was apparent now that she had underestimated the seriousness of her quest.

For it wasn't that she regretted avoiding marrying Aonu, for she never would. But she had hoped to never see Sokka quite as broken as this ever again. That dark night in the Northern Air Temple returned to her, the words he'd spoken, the shame, the guilt, the insecurities that had done away with his strength and left him unwilling to live: was this the same situation? Would he rather be dead than be the man capable of harming others to such an extent?

She didn't want to know the answer to that question.

"Sokka, please" she breathed in, closing her eyes "We have to go. You… you don't want to stay here any more than I do. Let's go, and… we'll be able to talk, once we're in the Palace. Until then, just… promise me you'll keep as calm as you can, okay? This isn't… it's not as bad as it looks. I know it looks really bad, but… like I said, he's a strong man. He can get through this, and I know he will. Before we know it… before we know it, he'll be back on his feet, laughing about how you defeated him. He will, Sokka"

"I… I-I don't know, but…" he said, hanging his head in defeat. Azula reached for one of his hands, clasping it gently before standing up.

"Come on. Let's go. Staying here… it won't be any good, not for you, not for anyone" she said, helping him stand up too. His legs trembled violently still "You can hold onto me, if you need to…"

Sokka nodded weakly, doing as he was told. Azula sighed, hating their current circumstances just as much as she had when she had first been caught up in them: yes, she was rid of Aonu's pestering, surely for good by now: but at what cost? Was it even possible to amend Sokka's heart this time around? Fear gnawed away at her, pushing her to dread that it would be impossible. And who would she have to blame for it but herself? Had she listened to him, had she crafted other plans, maybe… but she had pushed him to believe there was nothing to be done other than to fight. He had no choice but to win or be saved by someone else. And no one had come to his rescue, so… he'd had no choice. She had pushed him to give his best, and now she found that the consequences were worse than she could have anticipated.

So now she had to stand beside him, ignoring the many eyes upon them. Ignoring the blood that Sokka was staining her with. All else mattered little when she had to find a way to help Sokka, to bring him back from his darkness, just as he always did for her.

"Don't you have to…?" he said, his voice still anguished. Azula's hand rose to his forearm, squeezing it gently.

"Whatever protocol they have can wait" she said. Sokka shook his head, though.

"T-the sooner it's done, the sooner the airships will be on their way back to Ba Sing Se and… and they can treat him better there" he said, gritting his teeth "I-if Aonu can't afford it or anything, maybe we can ask Song to…"

"The League's physicians can handle it, Sokka" Azula said, sighing "Don't beat yourself up over it anymore. Like I said… it's over now. He's in good hands"

Sokka didn't answer at first, but he nodded eventually and sighed too. Azula urged him to move now, though, gazing up at his hair with concern. That he hadn't said a single word about his burned hair, when that had been such a source of concern for him after his first confrontation with the Millennium Dragon, spoke lengths of how deep Sokka's misery was.

But she couldn't help him deal with it right now. Truthfully, she wasn't sure she'd be much help at all: she felt guilty, to an extent she hadn't experienced in a long time now. She could feel the reckoning upon her, the moment of truth when she'd have to face, truly, what she was constantly asking and expecting from the man she loved. When she would have to acknowledge that, as much as it hurt to accept it, there had been a speck of truth in her father's words after she had confronted him over Seethus…

Sokka couldn't seem to lift his eyes, walking as though in a trance as he followed Azula near-blindly. She accepted the honors from the event's organizers, a small trophy and a cash prize, before guiding Sokka to the airship: most people had already boarded it, and the first airship had already set out, carrying the gladiators with the most serious wounds for better treatment in the city.

"You should… get checked, if just quickly" Azula told Sokka, once they were inside the metal contraption. Sokka tensed up, gritting his teeth "I know, you're not as wounded as others, but…"

"I… I can bear with the pain" he said "I deserve to"

"You don't, Sokka. If anything, I…" she whispered, but he shook his head.

"Not this time. This… this isn't on you" he said, raising his eyes to look at her sadly "I'm sorry, Azula. I… I'm sorry you had to see that"

What was the true source of his remorse? Azula couldn't seem to pinpoint it, and her heart sank as he turned around and walked away from her. Maybe Sokka didn't need to be around her right now, even if her entire body was burning with the urge to hold him against her chest while telling him he had only done his job. While assuring him that this didn't mean a thing, that he wasn't a worse person than he had believed… but could she do that? Could she pretend she understood the anguish he was experiencing? Was it over having pushed a man to the edge of death? Was it because he liked Renzhi, and the guilt over hurting him so badly was destroying him? Or was it because he had thought this side of himself no longer existed, and today's fight had proven otherwise?

She merely stood where she was for a moment, lowering her gaze, letting him go. She'd go back to him later, if he wanted her to. It hurt like knives to imagine that he wouldn't, and yet it seemed inevitable: all the love she could give him wouldn't compensate for the countless scars deeply etched across Sokka's heart.

He didn't walk very far before dropping on the floor, his back against a wall. The corridor he'd just entered was empty, so he felt safer there. He felt alone, and that was what he needed right now. It was what he deserved.

There was no reason to make friends in the Amateur Arena, for everything would have been worse if he had tried to bond with any other fighter. But even if that hadn't been the case, even if Huang Li hadn't been as cruel as he was, Sokka wouldn't have tried to bond with anyone. Much as he was doing now, he would always isolate himself. He would sit at a distance from everyone, he would close his eyes, and he would relive his latest kill countless times, enough to drive him mad with grief… because that was what he deserved. He wasn't strong, he wasn't better than them, he simply clung onto things harder than the others did… and that was why he had nearly killed Renzhi today.

Azula could say Renzhi was too strong to die because of that, if she truly believed so. She was probably right, too. But she didn't quite understand that Sokka's worst side didn't care for strength or weakness: all he could do was attack, attack repeatedly, without caring about whatever wounds he sustained, as long as whoever was trying to destroy him was destroyed first. That, above all else, was why he never had deserved to survive this long. It was why he should have never been able to kill all those men he had faced in the Arena. For it wasn't honorable to kill anyone in this way. It wasn't right. It wasn't fair.

Heavy footsteps approached, footsteps that didn't belong to Azula. Some part of him wondered if she feared him after what she'd just seen… some selfish part that wanted to crawl to her feet and beg her to believe in the best of him, even after she had just witnessed the worst. But he wasn't weak enough to succumb to that impulse, not after what he'd done. If Azula decided to keep her distance, it was all the better for her. Sokka certainly didn't feel worthy of being around her right now.

But it seemed Zhao wanted to be around him, and going by how he sank to sit beside him, without asking for permission, he didn't particularly care whether Sokka wanted him there or not. The Admiral breathed deeply and stared at the windows that allowed them to gaze out at the landscape, while Sokka remained with his knees flexed, arms folded atop them.

"What you did out there was brutal" Zhao said. Sokka flinched "I realize it may not be what you want to hear, but… I'm quite astonished. I never thought you had it in you to do anything like that"

"I… I don't want to have it in me, if that makes you feel any better" Sokka muttered, his voice trembling. Zhao smiled a little.

"Well, it might make me feel better, but I doubt you really think so" he said. Sokka huffed.

"Y-you think I wanted to do that? You think I enjoyed hurting someone to the point where I…? Where I could barely hold back from killing them?" Sokka asked. Zhao shook his head.

"Certainly not. You're a civilized, intelligent, rational man. This irrational side of yours is, no doubt, something you can't control. Something dangerous that you must abhor completely" said Zhao, sighing "Still… without it you would have lost. You realize that, don't you?"

Sokka froze, staring at Zhao in disbelief now. Zhao stared back, with clarity glowing in his brown eyes.

"The Millennium Dragon isn't a better fighter than you" said Zhao, curtly. Sokka's skepticism and irritation were only increasing "No, that was disproven today. If anything, I… I believe I owe you an apology for my behavior back when I first watched your fight against the Blind Bandit. Now… it's clear you were holding back"

"I… no. I wasn't. I…"

"You hadn't reached your full potential yet? That's possible. All the same…"

"You've got it wrong, okay? I'm not better than him, in no way!" Sokka said, shaking his head violently "Not because I could beat him does it mean that I'm…!"

"I know you mustn't want to hear this, but as comforting as it may seem to wallow in your misery and self-loathing, you're blocking out truths simply because you're afraid of embracing them" Zhao said. Sokka gritted his teeth, tempted to get up and walk away. But even when his legs trembled with the urge to leave, he didn't do it "This wild side of yourself, it's you. It's just as much part of you as the part of myself that killed those soldiers, the crime that could have had me executed when I was but a child"

Sokka's anger dimmed when he heard those words. There weren't a lot of people he knew who had killed others without wanting to. Who had done it in a burst of power that seemed inconceivable, unnatural. But Zhao was one of them. And perhaps that was why he was one of the few people who could understand what Sokka was going through right now.

"I spent years mulling it over, you know?" Zhao said, with a small smile "Wondering what sort of monster could do what I'd done. Why was I worthy of the mercy Prince Ozai had granted me, when I'd committed an unforgivable crime against my own nation? Truthfully… I just got lucky he was there that day. I was even luckier that Fire Lord Azulon decided to listen to him, for once. But… none of that could negate the darkness that lurked inside me, and it would do me no good to ignore it either. So I just… embraced it. I accepted I was capable of what I'd done. I realized I had that much power inside me, and that didn't have to be a bad thing…"

"How wasn't it a bad thing?" Sokka said, looking at him in disbelief "Having the power to kill someone…"

"A lot of people have that power, Sokka" said Zhao, surprising the gladiator when he heard him use his name "Do you really believe it's just us? Combustion Man has it. The Blind Bandit has it. Princess Azula, General Iroh… they all have it. Do you believe the Princess is inherently a terrible person because she could kill someone, if pushed to do so?"

"I… no" said Sokka, frowning. Zhao sighed.

"Then clearly the same applies to you"

"But it's different. She's never done it" said Sokka, gritting his teeth "In a way, she's… innocent, even if she'll never think so. But me? I've already… I've already done it so many times, I've let that side of myself take over and consume me just to save my own hide at… at the cost of as many lives as were necessary"

"And you've lived with that for years now" said Zhao, raising his eyebrows "The Millennium Dragon will not be another casualty by your hand, as much as you could have killed him if you'd only taken it a little further. But, see… an actual murderous wretch would have stabbed his heart immediately. You immobilized him instead. Even when your instincts were as violent as they were… they weren't inherently murderous. No doubt, it's not a pretty picture, but it could be much worse"

"That… I guess it's true, but it doesn't help matters much" Sokka sighed, dropping his head on his forearms "I don't want this sort of power. I never…"

"You may not want it, but you use it when you need to. If you didn't have it, you'd hate yourself for being weak" said Zhao, matter-of-factly "And truthfully… would you have acted any differently, if you knew this could happen? If you could turn back time, return to that scene, to that moment where you were inches away from being pushed out of the ring, and you had no other alternative… would you rather let him push you out?"

"I… I'd figure out an alternative" Sokka said, his voice weak "Or…"

Maybe he could have pinned the Millennium Dragon differently, or only pinned him down and walked away. But then the man might have gotten up easily – he surely could have released himself from the swords' hold without issue – and finished Sokka off instead. If he hadn't cut through his limbs, there was no doubt Renzhi would have granted Sokka no mercy upon finding he would be as reckless as to charge through condensed fire. And then…

He couldn't really see another outcome where he could win. At least, not one where Renzhi was in better shape than he was now.

"If there's no other choice…" said Zhao, again, closing his eyes "Would you really choose to fail her, rather than sacrificing your own soul to save hers?"

Sokka gritted his teeth, clutching at his hair with his fingers. No, no he wouldn't. Curses, he wouldn't. He had said he'd die for her… only today did he truly understand that he'd also kill for her. Destroying his soul to save hers was, indeed, worth the price, as far as he could tell. Surely Azula would disagree, but… but if that was what it would take, he would do it. Over, and over, and over again. Whatever the cost…

"I wouldn't" he finally admitted, shaking his head "I could never… I wouldn't"

"I thought so" said Zhao, sighing "You need to keep in mind that it is your actions that define you, not your potential. Someone might have the potential to be the greatest leader in the world, but if they never act on it, it amounts to nothing. It's just as bad as lacking potential altogether, since regardless of your willpower and drive, you're doomed to fail. Now, you do have potential… all that's left is for you to accept it, so you can finally act on it whenever you truly want to. As long as you embrace this side of yourself, it will never overcome you. It will simply be as much a part of you as breathing… in truth, it already is part of you that way, but if you fear it, if you deny it, it will be as though your own shadow is destroying you. As soon as you understand your shadow is just a part of you, like everything else… life becomes a little more bearable"

"Then… you can live with yourself, after everything you've done?" Sokka asked. Zhao shrugged.

"I have no other choice. Neither do you" said Zhao "I'm not going to kill myself in penance, and if you haven't done it yet, I'm assuming you don't dare do that either. So, whether we like it or not, our worst acts are ours to deal with"

"And you have dealt with what you did, then? Are you over it by now?"

"Sometimes. Somedays it comes back to haunt me. Most days I can keep my chin up and forget about the whole thing" Zhao sighed "In any case… it's apparent now that, not only are you a remarkable fighter on your own right, far more remarkable than I realized, but you… you are the best fighter for Princess Azula, too"

"That's…" Sokka said, gritting his teeth. If he meant it because he could achieve the tasks set upon him, perhaps he could accept that… but right now he didn't feel all that worthy of the woman he loved.

"Not only because of your strength, of course, but… your motivations" Zhao said. Sokka frowned "I mean… no man would want to stop her from marrying any unworthy suitors as badly as you do, right?"

Sokka closed his eyes and breathed deeply.

He had prepared for this moment, but it didn't prevent his heart from racing, his body from feeling faint and prickly, as nerves twisted inside his stomach dangerously. It wasn't bad enough that he had nearly killed someone today, Zhao just had to go on and admit, right now, that he'd seen through Sokka that night, at the Ball…

"I guess not" he muttered, lowering his gaze. Zhao sighed.

"I suppose you may not want to talk about that, but… I actually think it's a good thing"

Sokka's head snapped upright before he looked at Zhao in disbelieving confusion. The man actually smiled at him, if just slightly.

"You're kidding me, aren't you?" Sokka said.

"I know it can't be fun for you, and I'm sorry for it" said Zhao "You and her make a better team than she'd make with any of the men who have dared court her so far. Still…"

"My lowly birth would never allow it, I know" Sokka rolled his eyes. Zhao nodded.

"Nevertheless, that you care for her in a deeper level, rather than exclusively professionally… it works in her favor just perfectly" said Zhao, shrugging "It makes you the right fighter for her because she can trust that you will keep her safe from unwanted marriages. I mean, after what you did today… I have no doubts any other fools who try to court her will definitely back off. Ozai won't be pleased, it's true, but… it may be for the best"

"Do you really think so?" Sokka asked "You… want her to remain her father's heir, instead of some guy she marries?"

"I didn't use to think it would matter if she was married to someone, since I figured she'd use any potential husband as her puppet anyways" Zhao shrugged "But after what I've seen from her, over the past year… marriage would surely mean the end of her political career, if she's forced to abide by traditions, as she surely would be. And then what? If another group of homeless people rushed the Fire Lord, would her husband deal with the problem as efficiently as she did? If conspiracies like the ones by the Rough Rhinos and the Dai Li, or the White Lotus, reared their ugly heads again, would her husband step forward to defend the nation as she has? Truthfully… she may just be what's best for the Fire Nation. As much as a lot of people are too blind to see it"

"Including her father?" Sokka asked. Zhao smiled.

"He's not blind to that. He just wants to ensure the bloodline is continued" he said "Yes, he thinks it'd be a shame if it were continued at Azula's expenses, but he's a Fire Lord. His vision is meant to go much further than the next generation"

"It's definitely not doing that, if he expects anything good to come from marrying her off to any idiot he can find" Sokka sighed, shaking his head. Zhao swallowed hard.

"I understand it must be painful to even imagine that she can be taken away from you" he said "That any other man could have her when you can't. But… you are aware that it's the most likely outcome, aren't you? I mean…"

"I know, I can't marry her, and she's sworn to purity until marriage so it's not like I can hope for anything at all" Sokka said, with a dry grin. He only hoped his performance was believable "You think that should dissuade me from caring about her?"

"Well… no. I suppose if your feelings are as deep as they seem to be, you're not interested in any rewards for your devotion" reasoned Zhao "Serving as her gladiator is enough for you, I presume?"

"In general, yes" Sokka muttered.

"Is she aware of it?" Zhao asked, before snorting and shaking his head "Who am I kidding? Of course she is…"

"You seem so sure of that" said Sokka, with a raised eyebrow "You think she's that good at judging someone's character?"

"She always has seemed to be" said Zhao, shrugging.

"Really? Even when she thought you were lowly and untrustworthy?" Sokka asked. Zhao smiled.

"Wasn't I? Considering the mess I made with my two-faced ways, it's not a surprise she'd come to that conclusion. And it's not like I'd blame her for it either"

"You're quite understanding, seems like" said Sokka, sighing "Truthfully, I… I'm confused. You've read right through me since the Ball, haven't you? So… why haven't you…?"

"Why haven't I told Ozai?" Zhao asked. Sokka flinched, his stomach twisting upon hearing someone else uttering those words, especially someone who was so close to the Fire Lord "Do you really think I despise you, even after all this time?"

"W-well, no, but…"

"You'd be off to a fate worse than death as far as Ozai is concerned, if he ever thought you've looked at his daughter the wrong way at least once" said Zhao, with a soft laugh "That's the disadvantage about being Princess Azula, I suppose. Whatever Zuko did with his life, whoever he married, whoever he didn't… to Ozai, it was utterly irrelevant. But Azula… he has always favored her, and he had protected her, in his own way. If he suspected you two are close for any other reason aside from being partners in the Gladiator League, well…"

"I know that. Though… we're not. I mean, not in the sense of…"

"I as well know that" said Zhao, nodding "The Princess isn't quite so foolish as to be caught up in feelings, even though…"

"Even though?" Sokka said, raising his eyebrows. Zhao shrugged.

"For a moment, before the Brawl happened… when she was mad at you about your request to be knocked out? I thought, maybe… maybe she was genuinely worried about your wellbeing. But it was a foolish, fleeting thought. Pay it no mind, she confirmed later that she simply was outraged that you would, well, be so ready to lose"

"Of course…" said Sokka, and to his surprise, he smiled a little. It was a sad smile, but a smile all the same. Azula had been angry, and he had been so certain it meant they would have a terrible argument later on, after the Brawl was over, but after what had happened…

He breathed deeply, Zhao's earlier words carving their way through him now. Whatever took over him during those dark moments, that blinding rage… if he could harness it instead, if he could bend it to his will, perhaps he could prevent these violent outbursts from ever happening again. But the only way to do that was by accepting it as part of himself, even if he hated it: all things considered, he hated more than enough things about himself, so it wasn't like he wasn't used to it.

"I'm sorry about Combustion Man's hand" Sokka said. To his surprise, Zhao chuckled.

"I'm not. Imagine if you'd gotten the other hand instead" he said "He'd be down to three prosthetic limbs. So, if anything, I'm glad you got the metal one"

"I meant, though…" said Sokka, looking at Zhao with uncertainty "Wasn't he just trying to help?"

"Yeah, somewhat" said Zhao "He had been dealing with the Blind Bandit, struggling more than he should have, but when he saw you charging into the fire he seemed to remember his original mission was to help you. So… yes, I guess he was on his way to fight the Millennium Dragon at first"

"So I really shouldn't have…"

"Well, I guess not, but… there's always a silver lining to that" said Zhao, smirking and standing up. Sokka frowned with confusion as he looked at the Admiral.

"A silver lining? To having cut off his hand?" he asked again. Zhao nodded.

"You're the first person to do that, you realize?" he said, turning to look at Sokka from above. Sokka's eyes widened "He blew his own arm and leg off when he was a child, incapable of controlling his powers. But ever since, he simply would switch prosthetics to suit him as he grew older. No one has ever broken them, let alone sliced one clean off him before today. The most he got were a few dents, I suppose. But cutting his hand off…? That's unheard of"

"I get that, but… that's good how?" Sokka asked.

"Well, you've certainly proved to him that he underestimated you, entirely" said Zhao, looking at Sokka earnestly. The Blue Wolf's confusion only increased "And even though he underestimated other fighters… he usually deals with them thoroughly long before they can land a decent blow. But today, the Blind Bandit chi-blocked him, if just briefly. And you? You outright cut off his hand. He has never faced enemies who could genuinely hinder him, and today he did… he faced two of them, at once. And while he managed to hold his own against the Blind Bandit… he failed entirely when it came to you"

"What are you trying to tell me?" Sokka said, an awkward smile on his face now. Zhao smiled too.

"That Combustion Man had never taken any gladiator quite as seriously as he will you" he said "He's seething right now, as we speak. I wouldn't be surprised if he was scared of you, even…"

"That's…! That's absurd!" Sokka exclaimed, eyes wide "I…! I couldn't have scared him, I mean, I'm sorry that I hurt him but I'm nowhere near as strong as…!"

"I think you need to circle back to the beginning of our conversation" said Zhao, with a lop-sided grin "You, Sokka, are a bigger threat to the top tier than anyone realizes, even you. Truthfully, the only person who seems to have understood your true potential from the start was the Princess. So, from being the man we all scoffed at, who we looked down on… today you rose above everyone else in Gladiator Brawl. Yes, it wasn't on the terms you wished to do it… but you've done it indeed. And now… now you're a true threat to the rest of us. Perhaps the truest threat of all"

Sokka's disbelief was only fed further by Zhao's words. No doubt he still found his actions abhorrent, but had he painted a target on his back with them, too? Was that a good thing, or a bad one? If he looked beyond his conflicted feelings… what did his defeat of Renzhi mean in the long run?

"Now, then… I understand your apprehension, and perhaps I shouldn't have said all I just did" Zhao said, with a soft chuckle "But I'm sure the medical teams must be less occupied by now, and you certainly could use a health check already, right?"

"I… guess so" Sokka said, swallowing hard and pushing himself up. His legs still trembled, though he wasn't sure of why anymore. Was it because of what he'd done, or because of Zhao's very disturbing words?

"At the very least, you ought to do it to stop worrying the Princess" Zhao said, nodding promptly in his direction. Sokka grimaced guiltily.

"You didn't really answer me earlier" he said "About… why you hadn't told Ozai about me"

Zhao sighed and looked at him with a sad smile.

"I've done more than enough things your sponsor will never forgive me for" he said "Do you really think I want to add more mistakes to that list?"

"No, but… you might think it's in her best interests to get rid of me, since I, well…" Sokka mumbled, eyeing the floor with uncertainty "Since I'm a hazard to her, somewhat?"

"You can't be that bad, surely" said Zhao, laughing "If you ever dared act on your feelings, she'd likely turn you into a living torch. No doubt you're not a hazard to her, Sokka. I can't imagine the day you will ever be, seeing as you're probably the person who's most hellbent on keeping her safe… more than her own father, I'd say. I mean… Ozai hasn't put his life in jeopardy over his absolute loyalty to the Princess, has he?"

"I… guess not" said Sokka, swallowing hard "And she'd never get over it if he did, so… I hope he never gets that idea into his head"

"He's not likely to, if that makes you feel any better" Zhao smiled "Ready to go, then?"

Sokka didn't know why he nodded, or why he went along with the Admiral's suggestion. Part of him thought there were many truths to Zhao's words, mixed with many misunderstandings… but most of all, he felt overwhelmed. He had too much to process, too much to think about… and that was the likely reason why he abided by the man's recommendation to visit the small room of the airship that had been turned into a simple med bay.

His eyes widened when they reached it, noticing Azula was standing outside the room. The sight of her was all he registered for a moment, his heart hurting him in more ways than he could process. Only instants afterwards did he notice the Princess was speaking with Toph, who had been wrapped up in a few bandages after her chaotic fight with Combustion Man.

"… You'll see! Next time I deal with him, I'll be twice as fast and so ready! Heck, the Dog cut off his hand, right? I could bend it! That's even better!"

"Uh, I suppose, in case you want to use his hand to make him choke himself?" Azula smiled "You're a little eager, Dirt Worm. You need to ease up on this. You'll have a long time to prepare yourself to fight Combustion Man again"

"I know, I know, but when the time comes, I'm going to tear out his… uh, heh. It's the Dog"

Azula hadn't noticed Sokka approaching, for she hadn't expected him to do so at all. She had as good as resigned herself to waiting to talk with him until they returned to Ba Sing Se's Palace, where she'd ask Song to have a good look at him. It surprised her to discover otherwise… and what surprised her most of all was Sokka's company.

"Admiral?" she said, eyeing him with uncertainty. Had he done something to Sokka? Had he forced her gladiator to put up with him when Sokka was down, or…? Or had he helped him?

She wasn't sure if she should be happy or not to find Sokka looked a lot better now. Maybe Zhao had helped, after all. But, if so… why? And why would Sokka let Zhao in, rather than her?

"It took a while to convince him, but I figured you wanted him to have his medical check?" Zhao said. Azula swallowed hard and nodded before looking at Sokka.

"I did, but… I thought he didn't want one" she said. Sokka lowered his gaze.

"Yeah, I'll… I'll just go ahead. As long as there's no one who needs attention more urgently, that is…"

"Nah, nobody's gone in there in a while" said Toph, shaking her head "I think the ones in worse shape boarded another airship. So just go on ahead, Dog"

"Thanks" he said, smiling a little, though the grin didn't reach his eyes.

He walked past the three of them and into the room, guilt and uncertainty plaguing him as he glanced at Azula. He would talk properly with her later and explain why he'd been with Zhao… but for now, he needed to digest that conversation thoroughly, and he'd do that better if he was alone.

"Well, if you guys don't mind, I think I'm going to look for my sponsor" Toph said, rubbing the back of her head with a hand "We need to talk very seriously about my next fight against Combustion Man"

"Huh… I take it you want a rematch?" Zhao said, raising an eyebrow.

"Rematch? No! Our fight was incomplete!" Toph declared, proudly "I didn't lose, neither did he, and I want to fix that! He's going down!"

"You do realize I'm his sponsor…?" Zhao asked, amused.

"And that's why you need to be warned that your gladiator's going down one day" Toph said, beaming before raising a hand in a quick wave "I'll hear you later, Spicy!"

"Right" said Azula, with a weak smile as the earthbender walked away, proud even when bearing a few injuries.

The Princess stood silent for a moment, even after watching Toph vanish through the corridor, but it wasn't long before she turned a confused stare on Zhao. The Admiral breathed deeply.

"Yes, I talked with your gladiator. I'm sorry if you didn't want me to, but… I had the feeling he needed to learn to accept his actions for what they were"

"And you took it upon yourself to teach him that?" Azula inquired, raising her eyebrows. Zhao swallowed hard.

"I understand it sounds invasive, but… I've been where he was, is all. I wanted him to know there's no point in fearing or fighting this perceived worst side of himself, because… that will only make matters worse for him, in the long run. So, well… we spoke. I did most the talking, in truth, but still…"

"Is that what you said to him? Really?" Azula asked, her distrust diminishing a little. No doubt she'd corroborate things with Sokka later, but if that was the case… maybe she'd owe Zhao a lot more than she ever wanted to.

"Well, that and… I may have complimented him, even if he didn't want to hear it" Zhao chuckled "Truthfully, Princess, what happened out there today was not normal. I'm sure you realized it too"

"You don't just mean because of how Sokka defeated the Millennium Dragon for the second time, right?" Azula said. Zhao shook his head.

"No, though it's certainly part of it" he said "No… I meant, on the larger scale of things. Your gladiator, and your uncle's… both are as good as newcomers to the League, compared with veterans like my own Combustion Man, and the Millennium Dragon, and many more. But you're already close to reaching the top hundred of the League, aren't you? And on top of that… the Blind Bandit has already bested the eighth best gladiator in the League, the Blue Wolf has outdone the Millennium Dragon twice as it is. Isn't it clear, then, that the two of you are sponsoring the best non-bender and earthbender in the League?"

Azula's eyes widened. Zhao only smiled, looking at her with amusement.

"I had never taken my involvement in the League too seriously, Princess. I even took pride in that" he said "But now… after today? It's apparent that if I waver just a little, either you or General Iroh will dethrone me easily. And I am a little too vain to allow that to happen, after all these years…"

"You weren't here for most of them" Azula said. Zhao nodded.

"Exactly, which means I scarcely enjoyed the benefits that come from sponsoring the top gladiator" he smirked "I will say, though… what your gladiator did today, as gruesome as it may have seemed to many… it was impressive. Outstanding. I've never seen a non-bender fight that way"

"In the Gladiator Business, you mean?" Azula asked. Zhao shook his head.

"Ever" he determined. Azula nearly gasped in surprise "He's… he's more than just a common gladiator. And I was quite foolish for not seeing it back when I first watched him fight. Truthfully, he's a force to be reckoned with. I'm as good as looking forward to the day when you'll finally challenge me now… it's bound to be Combustion Man's best fight yet"

"That's something to strive for, yes" Azula said, with an uncertain smile "Still… the Blind Bandit was giving him quite a hard time too, wasn't she?"

"She was, but not hard enough. Had your gladiator genuinely wanted to kill mine… he could have succeeded at it today" said Zhao "But rest assured… Combustion Man isn't taking him lightly again. Not after this"

"He's taking him seriously, then? He's regarding him as a worthy rival, perhaps?" Azula asked, with a raised eyebrow.

"He is. Even if he's not aware of it" Zhao said, smirking "And naturally… I am regarding you as one, too. Just so you know"

"That does seem fitting, in truth" Azula answered. Zhao chuckled "I've sought to be acknowledged all along, so… it's good to know I've succeeded. It's just more worrisome to hear that my very much breakable gladiator has pushed yours to regard him as a significant opponent… but I suppose it only means I need to work him into being less breakable, right?"

"Indeed, though that would be terrifying" Zhao laughed "If this wasn't his full potential yet… I am daunted to imagine what's next"

"Then be daunted, if just preemptively" said Azula, smiling "I can't guarantee anything, but… I hope this isn't the full extent of his growth. Things would get boring if that were the case"

"No doubt. But as far as I can tell, you and him never do get bored" Zhao laughed "At any rate… I'm sorry I wasn't much help today either"

"You may have made amends for it, if you really talked my gladiator out of shutting himself in as he often does" Azula sighed "Thank you, both for warning us about Aonu and, well, whatever you just did with Sokka. If need be, I can pay for Combustion Man's new prosthetic hand…"

"No worries" said Zhao, smiling and shaking his head "It's the first time I have to make an effort to get my gladiator back into shape. All things considered, no sponsor demands for others to make amends for their broken gladiators, and I shall not do so either"

"Well, considering we were supposed to be allies today…"

"Considering my gladiator didn't abide by our agreed course of action, I don't think you owe me anything, not a hand nor anything else" Zhao said, chuckling "At any rate, I ought to track him down. He's surely fuming somewhere…"

"As long as he doesn't fume by blasting holes into hovering aircrafts, we should be fine" Azula said, with a crooked smile. Zhao laughed again.

"Indeed we should. I'll see you later, Princess" he said, nodding in her direction before following the path through which Toph had left earlier.

A prickly sensation on the back of her neck told Azula that someone was watching her, after Zhao was gone. She glanced at her left, at a corridor that had been vacant so far: it wasn't anymore, though, and upon recognizing the man standing there, she couldn't help but wonder if he'd been lurking around the corner while eavesdropping on all her conversations.

"Toph was looking for you" Azula said, outright, as Iroh stepped towards her "Which I'm sure you already know. You shouldn't keep her waiting"

"She will forgive me for it" Iroh said. Azula scoffed.

"Does she still let you do as you please, with no say upon the matter?" she asked "Here I had hoped your relationship was slightly more equal these days"

"It is. It's why I know she won't have a problem with what I wanted to speak about with you" said Iroh, before smiling proudly "I listened in on your conversation with Zhao, yes. And it pleases me that he came to that conclusion about our gladiators…"

"Uh… indeed, I suppose it would. Congratulations, we've been acknowledged" Azula said, with a dry grin. Iroh laughed heartily, an unexpected development for Azula. She didn't trust him at all, not even when he was happy, but she had to admit that laugh sounded a little more genuine than she had expected it to.

"That it would seem!" Iroh said, beaming "It's strange, I never thought it would make me so proud, and yet…! Ah, it's quite a nice feeling. It's been some complicated years, for many reasons… but it has been worth it. I'm sure you think so too"

"Is there a point to this conversation, Uncle?" Azula asked, outright. She didn't really enjoy agreeing with Iroh, especially not these days.

"Ah, of course there is We both know we don't talk just casually these days, you and me" he said, his semblance growing more serious quickly now. Azula narrowed her eyes "I heard him say it, quite clearly, that we're sponsoring the best non-bender and the best earthbender in the League… I would like to believe that is indeed the case. Wouldn't you agree?"

"I would, but if you're hoping to throw a party as celebration, I'm afraid I'm not interested in joining it" Azula said, with a sarcastic smile. Iroh smirked.

"Then how about a different kind of celebration?" he said "A much more… competitive one, I'd say"

"What are you talking about now?" Azula sighed.

"I challenge you, Azula"

Her eyes widened. Iroh didn't waver.

"You… you challenge me?" she said, raising her eyebrows "You want us to fight again?"

"Well, yes, eventually, but I had a much more interesting challenge in mind this time around" said Iroh, arms behind his back "We're close to the top of the ranking, aren't we? There's only a short way to the top, for the two of us. And still, there are many earthbenders between Toph and Combustion Man… less non-benders between him and the Blue Wolf, but still: what do you say if we prove Admiral Zhao right for good?"

"By… rising above the highest ranked gladiators of each discipline?" Azula finished. Iroh shrugged.

"I'd suggest by merely challenging, and defeating them, instead" he said "The points advantage can be difficult to outdo, even if we've risen as fast as we have. But it is clear now that our gladiators are better than what the numbers suggest. Toph stood her ground against Combustion Man, Sokka defeated the Millennium Dragon. It seems they're both fit and ready to face the biggest contender, aren't they?"

"I'm not quite sure that's the case, at least not yet" Azula admitted. Iroh smiled.

"Neither am I. That's why I would like to do this" he said "Have your gladiator defeat every non-bender above him, to prove his superiority as a fighter. I'll do the same with Toph, only, against earthbenders. Granted, like I said there are less non-benders than earthbenders in the top hundred… so that should make the process easier and smoother for you than it will be for us. But the ultimate goal should be achieved all the same…"

"To prove that we are indeed the true leaders of the main disciplines of the League?" Azula sighed "Well, I can't see how this is a challenge. Do you want us to see who proves their superiority first, or…?"

"Not quite" said Iroh "No, what I thought was… after we do prove it, we will face off against each other again. Toph against Sokka, the Blind Bandit against the Blue Wolf. For the third time, by then. Whoever wins… whoever wins gets to defy Combustion Man's rule first. And it is to be expected that, if they were to defeat him, they would in fact become the absolute best gladiators of the League, even if the points won't suggest as much. But still…"

"It would speak for itself, since no one has ever beaten him" Azula said, closing her eyes "If any gladiators have good odds to put an end to Combustion Man's tyranny over the Ranking, it'd be ours. Or at least that's how it feels"

"Yes" said Iroh, smiling and nodding "So… will you agree to do this, Princess Azula?"

She stared at him with uncertainty, finding his enthusiasm somewhat suspicious, and yet she couldn't figure out what Iroh would be gaining by doing this. Sure, it was another chance to avenge his beloved nephew by shutting Azula down, if Toph defeated Sokka, but… something about the gleam in his eyes told her that wasn't the reasoning behind this plan of his. At least, this time it didn't seem to be the case.

"Why exactly are you so stoked about doing this, if I can ask?" she said "You've never taken the Ranking seriously, or at least, not as seriously as many others do. So, if you don't mind me asking, why now?"

"Must you question my reasons?" Iroh said, smiling "Here I thought you'd like this idea. I'm certain it will make things more interesting for all of us"

"Right. That's what this is about" Azula replied, staring at her uncle skeptically.

"Well, you are free to do as you please" said Iroh, shrugging "Ultimately, you're not obligated to defeat me and Toph to reach the top of the ranking… and yet you know that, if you achieve that without ever having defeated the Blind Bandit, a lot of questions will arise. Whoever reaches the top position in the ranking should be capable of fulfilling the current role of Combustion Man, after all…"

"And that means our records will have to be just as irreproachable as his? Really?" Azula scoffed "If you hope to have Toph known as Combustion Man's replacement, that's on you. As far as I'm concerned, he's not an example to follow: he's just another enemy to defeat. Not unlike you"

Iroh smirked at her declarations. While the words were poised to attack him, he sensed their ulterior meaning: he had swayed her after all.

"Then will you prove it by accepting my prolonged challenge?" Iroh asked "It may take some time for our two gladiators to become the undisputed leaders of their disciplines, but that will only build up the anticipation for our eventual fight. Don't you believe so too?"

"I suppose that's true" Azula said, glancing at Iroh "And, after the best of us fights Combustion Man… what happens with the other one?"

"Well, they could challenge Combustion Man too later" said Iroh, shrugging "Who knows? Maybe your gladiator could still defeat the fearsome combustion bender, despite falling apart when faced against Toph…"

"It's unlikely that he'll fall apart so easily against Toph anymore, but I suppose it makes sense for the loser to still fight Combustion Man" Azula conceded, nodding "Then, we have ourselves a strange deal, if that's what this is?"

"Indeed, Princess" said Iroh, nodding in her direction "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a dangerous earthbender to find before we reach land once more"

"You do" Azula nodded as well. Iroh smiled.

"We'll meet again in time" he said "Hopefully… to fulfill today's promise"

"Possibly" Azula said, as Iroh stepped away slowly, but with his characteristic confidence all the same.

Had this last conversation been a mistake? Many things seemed to be mistakes, when they concerned Iroh. But Azula's skin was tingling in a strange way. Iroh's words, his certainty about what he'd spoken of, had given rise to a strange feeling within her.

The path to the top had always seemed so vague, so difficult to climb that sometimes she would forget the goal she was aiming for, in fear she'd feel overwhelmed by her ambitions and the unlikelihood of achieving them. After speaking with Iroh, though, everything she'd dreamt of when she first joined the League had burst to life again inside her. The acknowledgement she had already achieved was, no doubt, satisfactory… but she did want more.

She just didn't want it at Sokka's expenses.

The thought eased her suddenly rushing blood, the eagerness that Iroh had given rise to with his challenge. Her eyes narrowed, wondering if that had been his intent… if he had merely done this to stir her into sending Sokka into further danger, into more situations that he would hate her for… was that it, then?

Perhaps it was. She closed her eyes, knowing both that her uncle should not be underestimated, while also keeping in mind that she had always suspected him of plotting cruel ploys she could never prove he was the mastermind of. Whatever Iroh's intent, Sokka's safety was hers to prioritize, and she was certainly planning on doing just that.

All the same… the road ahead looked a lot more straight-forward all of sudden. The end seemed to be in sight, even if it was still far from her reach.

Vertigo shook her for a moment as she wondered if, after all this time, they were closer to achieving their goals than they ever realized. The top hundred was, indeed, the most difficult level to overcome… but reaching it already meant the bulk of the journey was behind them. Maybe they still had years ahead of them, who knew? But as it was…

As it was, Princess Azula would continue to chase the ambitions that had set her on this path in the first place. And she intended to do it without putting the man she loved in a line of fire she couldn't save him from again.