A/N: Chapters in advance in Patreòn
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(20+ chapters in advance)
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Chapter 53

***
Azula was left embarrassed, and Ty Lee wasn't far from it either as she explained how she accidentally got a book from one of the other female circus members. She held onto it and never returned it. 

"So yeah, that's the general gist of it," Sokka said with a proud smirk.

[Quest Completed]

[Rewards have been deposited in your inventory]

He ignored the notification and continued talking. "By the way, Ty Lee, do you still have that book?"

"...yes…" she answered softly. 

"Well, we are gonna read it together."

"Such debauchery, people enjoying pain? That's stupid," to Azula it felt weird and unnatural that people enjoyed things like that. "Kuzon, how do you know this?"

He had been asking Ty Lee and teasing her for so long. But as they arrived at the docks, Sokka decided to change the subject and point at it. "Oh, look, it's the ship. We should go and spar now."

This made Azula narrow her eyes. "You are going to tell me that. After making us like this, the least you can do is tell us a little about yourself."

"That wording is horrible," Sokka muttered, just out of Azula's hearing, but Ty Lee heard it and contemplated her friend's words once again and it made her chuckle. "Well, do you want a lie or the truth?"

"The truth, obviously," Azula said as if it was obvious.

"I had a girlfriend that was into it, she was masochistic. Though not to an excessive degree. She even taught me how to choke someone without leaving marks. Wanna try that Azula?" He asked, jokingly.

"Do that and I will burn your hands off," she answered simply.

**
As they walked into the ship, Azula wasn't angry anymore and Ty Lee seemed amused by some of the ridiculous stories Sokka told.

By now, no one cared about the spar, but Azula still insisted on holding it. Sokka requested a week break if he won. She accepted such conditions due to being confident in winning.

As the sun was setting, Azula was in her normal armor, while Sokka stood opposite of her with a spear in hand. Ty Lee was by the side and didn't know who to cheer for, as she too had gotten closer to them both and knew that Kuzon was a good guy. 

Sokka was unbothered by this and looked at Azula. "So? How do we decide the winner?"

"It will become apparent when the winner… wins!" She took a deep breath and shot out a dozen blasts of fire in his direction.

He looked at the flames heading towards him with a dismissive gaze and tilted his head to the side slightly, just enough to dodge the flame and its heat damage. Though as he had expected, the blue fire felt hotter than normal. "You truly are a genius firebender."

Though he said that with a sincere voice. The casualness that he dodged the flames with, made it seem like he wasn't telling the truth.

But in reality, the reason Sokka was so casual was that by now he had fought monsters. While Azula was agile and quite close to his level of speed, in comparison to the Nemean Lion she was slow.

Seeing this, Azula closed the distance, normally doing so against a spear user would be their weakness. But Sokka countered her style by dodging point-blank fires and getting out of the way of the blast in just the right moment. He was using this as a leveling experience for his [Danger Sense] skill that can't be leveled up in normal sparing. Because the sparring opponent wouldn't want to hurt him… but Azula did.

She was giving it her all, but each blast of fire met empty air, and by now she realized that he hadn't used his spear. When within such close distance he could have used it to hit her. Azula was betting on the first hit landing, and when it didn't, she knew that Kuzon would go on the counterattack.

But now, she could see that things had changed. The dynamic of completely overwhelming her opponents had shifted, Kuzon had a nonchalant look that seemed almost bored. This enraged Azula, which made her come up with a new idea because as he dodged the next blast of fire, his body was left in a strange position. She opened her mouth and blew out a fire breath. 

This was the first time she had done something like this, but it worked. Showing just how talented she was and how strong her understanding of firebending stood.

Even Sokka was a little surprised by such an attack, but he had expected something unexpected from Azula. He had thought that the breathing flames out of their mouth was more down Iroh's alley. But still, he dodged the attack by barely crouching out of the way. Azula then changed her direction and blew fire downward, by looking at him.

Seeing this, Sokka frowned, normally he would have used his palm to hit her lower jaw and shut her mouth. Causing the fire to blast on her face, killing her, and at best, disfiguring her horribly. But he kept himself from doing that.

And instead used his spear to trip Azula, and jump back, while the spear burned due to being within the radius of the flames being breathed out by her. Sokka didn't mind and just rushed. 

Azula used the momentum of her fall to go into a one-handed handstand and blast fire with her feet. Causing Sokka to jump back again. 

"Be careful next time, I could have used the palm of my hand to shut your mouth while you were breathing fire. I don't think either of us would want that. So next time you do something like it, remember, enemies won't hold back." Sokka warned her, and as the image of what would happen in that scenario came to Azula's mind, she winced.

"Thanks," she whispered, so low that even Sokka was unable to hear her. Right now, she was pushed to the corner and planned to use lightning. But stopping herself, for the first time in her life, Azula showed mercy to an opponent. She didn't think Sokka could dodge lightning, no matter how fast he was.

So instead, since he had spared her she put her guard down and looked him in the eyes. Her gaze was as cold as always. "It's your win this time."

She knew that some of the guards heard her, and this would lower her power within her crew. But she didn't want to hurt someone like Sokka… he was more useful than her honor. At least that was what she told herself.

***
-Sokka POV-

Did the usually driven and cruel Azula just compromise? Willing to give up some of her reputation for this? I don't think Ozai will like this when it reaches his ears.

Well, if she was willing to do this much for me. I will do the same for her. 

So with a smile on my face, I respectfully clasped my hands. So any guard that saw us would see that Azula was still in charge. I didn't want to usurp her authority. 

"Thanks for your kindness Azula, I know the Royal Family can use lightning. Someone like you must be extra good at it too. So, thanks for not using it, that thing is dangerous for a simple spar." 

She stared at me curiously at first but then smiled. "Yes, you should be thankful."

Ah, so she caught on to what I was doing. This girl was smart, at such a young age being able to read such political power moves.

Well, our friendship was now fixed and had grown even stronger. She should understand by now that I wasn't here to usurp her, and my opinions are only what I think, and that I have her best interests in mind.

"Sure, you can go and have your one-week break. Meet us in Omashu after this is all over." Azula ordered as if I was a subordinate. But the look on her face said something different. "Do you need any guards?"

"No, I am quite good by myself. They would just slow me down," with that said, I walked out of the ship. Leaving some of my stuff behind, wouldn't make her think that I was leaving her. Though my important stuff was in the [Inventory] she didn't need to know that.

So with that said, he went and jumped off the ship and swam to shore. Azula frowned. "He didn't even ask for food or money."

Ty Lee rushed Azula and hugged her, glad that the spar didn't develop into a real fight. "C'mon~ Azula~ you are worried about him, right? Will he eat enough? Is he cold?"

The answer she got was in the form of Azula lighting up a fire in her hand and bringing it close to her friend.

"I am joking, just joking!" Ty Lee said, but her demeanor didn't show any regret as she kept rubbing her cheek against Azula's. 

She was glad that she saw an aura around her friend that Ty Lee never thought she would see. 

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