Again, that wretched document had been plastered to the door. Huang Li would be cross if he saw it, so Wang Shui removed it hastily before entering his workplace: Hui Yi's Amateur Arena.

The years had been unkind on Hui Yi, unsurprisingly. The town had ever been a hovel of criminal activity, but Huang Li had hoped, briefly, that new money would pour into their small town after the Blue Wolf had been taken away by none other than the Fire Lord's daughter, around three years ago, soon-to-be four. It wasn't that Huang Li was selfless, or that he wanted his town to bloom with activity, but if Hui Yi had gained a reputation for yielding high-caliber gladiators, worthy of the Superior Gladiator League, he wouldn't have had enough pockets for all the money he had dreamt he could gain…

But those three years had come and gone, and nothing had changed. Nothing except…

"That lucky son of a bitch!" Huang Li was howling in outrage when Wang Shui entered the building. There was only one person he spoke about with such a mix of frustration and passion, and Wang Shui assumed he had received word of the man's successful career once more: "Wang Shui! Look at this shit!"

Wang Shui grimaced as Huang Li stormed up towards him, stomping so hard across the wooden building it shook with each step. The stocky man was carrying what looked like a flier in his hands, and he near shoved it in Wang Shui's face once the young counter clerk had crossed the door.

Again, a copy of the Gladiator Chronicles. Whenever any of the firebending guards took to the Capital, for whatever business they went there for, they'd bring back the Chronicles with its articles about the most important fights of the week. Huang Li had been reading them near obsessively, though it took him hours, usually, to assimilate the text in any of the articles. He had never been all that good at reading, ever more suited for counting, and truthfully, he only ever counted money. Most the times he had no idea how many gladiators he had left, and he would send Wang Shui scrambling at haste to the nearest markets for more if he was running out of slaves to send to their deaths.

Yet whatever he had read on the Chronicles this time was rather distressing, enough that he had decided to march up to Wang Shui about it. The younger man grimaced as he read the Chronicles Huang Li had shoved into his hands. It was dated for several months ago, so it was hardly a recent copy, yet Wang Shui's eyes widened upon reading the headline: The non-benders have a rising champion: the Blue Wolf ushers in a new era for non-bending gladiators.

"Can ya' believe this?!" Huang Li roared "That boney bastard! Wha's all this talk 'bout him being the best non-bender?!"

"U-uh… yeah, I wouldn't know" said Wang Shui, swallowing hard as he read the article far faster than Huang Li had "Though hey, it says it's only because he beat the top-ranked non-bender, not because he's officially the best non-bender…"

"And why don't this article mention Hui Yi's Arena?!" Huang Li growled "That boy'd be nuthin' without me!"

"Well, we know that, but maybe he's just too selfish to give credit, right?" said Wang Shui, shrugging "Or the Princess is, at any rate…"

"Princess, bah" Huang Li snapped "Pampered wench just swings in, takes what she wants 'n ain't even a bit grateful. She'd be nuthin' without the boy, and she'd never have gotten him without me!"

Wang Shui held his tongue, uncertain of whether that was true or not. Rumors about the Princess's mysterious connection with the long-gone Blue Wolf had existed even before he had been hired: he had heard of them when talking with the Amateur Arena's guards. Their fellow comrades from the markets had claimed, ages ago, that the Blue Wolf had simply been brought to them by Royal Guards, without having been scooped up by the usual slave hunters who brought their trade. It was possible that there was a prior connection between the two… but to Wang Shui, the Blue Wolf was history. He was far more concerned with how to keep their shabby business afloat, seeing as the turnout at the stands was decreasing every week.

"Maybe we could send them a letter, then. Or whoever runs this Chronicles nonsense, anyhow" Wang Shui suggested, shrugging "Let them know they should mention where the Blue Wolf came from, that way we might just draw some more attention to ourselves"

"Eh, what's the point. Stingy bastards won't look twice at the likes of us, Wang Shui" said Huang Li "We've gotta carry our own weight, let 'em rich pricks do what they want…"

"Yeah, problem is they seem to want us to do what they want, too" Wang Shui said, sighing as he offered Huang Li the document he'd found outside. The man's mood had been dreadful this morning, but now he was livid "Another copy. Don't know who keeps pinning this trash to our door, but…"

"Oh, if I find 'em I'll gut 'em!" Huang Li roared, grabbing the documents and tossing them wildly against the wall. The pages tore off the central spine of the small booklet, and they seemed to hover to the wooden floor of the small vestibule of the Arena as Huang Li huffed through his nose, as an angry bull-pig might "Spreadin' all this bullshit in town, pretendin' I'll follow their stupid rules… rules don' apply to Hui Yi! That's the only rule that counts!"

"Well, these aren't exactly common rules… they're laws" said Wang Shui, sighing "And I'm pretty sure they want us to follow them, else no one would be spreading them, like you said…"

"If we don't hear no news from the boss, we ain't got to obey anyone's bullshit laws" Huang Li growled "The boss always says we ain't got no need to worry 'bout authority, and I ain't gonna start worrying now. This is our turf, Wang Shui, and don't ya' forget it"

"Well… fine" said Wang Shui, shrugging "I guess I'm just a bit worried, you know. It's the first time something like this happens, and those laws… have you looked at them?"

"Meh. What's to look at" Huang Li growled, walking behind the counter and opening the bids' drawer "Hey, now, are ya' pocketing money, Wang Shui?"

"What? No! People are betting less often, I told you that…" Wang Shui huffed, shaking his head "Listen to me, Huang Li: those laws are about slavery, okay? About… how to handle slaves nowadays. I have no idea what's changed, but ever since we got that first copy of them, I've thought they were sending a message to us. I mean… it's been over a month now since you last heard from the boss, right?"

Huang Li remained silent at first, his bushy eyebrows furrowed. Wang Shui waited for his answer, crossing his arms and tapping the floor with a foot until the stocky man spoke once more.

"If anything'd changed… he'd have said something just the same" Huang Li decided, and he was set on believing as much, even if Wang Shui disagreed with him immediately "There ain't no reason why the law'd come into Hui Yi to do whatever. This is our turf, I said, ours! The law belongs in the big cities, fancy towns and everywhere but here"

Wang Shui didn't say anything, but he was far from reassured by Huang Li's claims. The man had always been shortsighted, which made him difficult to work with, but Wang Shui guessed there was little reason to think they'd face dire consequences for not following fit with these new laws. He hadn't read them thoroughly, but what little he'd skimmed would have utterly destroyed their business. Most their public merely dropped by to watch gruesome, violent combats: they'd never find any entertainment in fights that ended before either or both gladiators were dead.

"So quit yammering about those nonsense laws and get to work already" Huang Li said. Wang Shui frowned.

"How many fights do you have planned for today?" he asked.

"Eh, I guess five. Gotta restock, though" Huang Li admitted, scratching the back of his head "Else by tomorrow we'll be down to, uh… how many's that?"

"Twelve?" Wang Shui sighed "I don't know if we have enough money to buy a good group this time, Huang Li. Not to mention the market's been real expensive and short on gladiator-worthy slaves lately…"

"Heh, it's nuthin' but excuses with ya', Wang Shui…" Huang Li grunted "I oughtta replace you, should've done it ages ago…"

"Yeah? Like anyone else would work for my measly salary" Wang Shui growled back.

It wasn't any surprise that they'd come to an argument. They'd done that often as of late, but most of all, as of the last month: it had started ever since the slave trade had slowed, down to near a halt, for reasons that might have been obvious to sharper minds. But neither Wang Shui nor Huang Li had given much thought to the slave shortage just yet and they wouldn't have the chance to do so today, not merely because were they caught up in a pointless argument that could have spanned all day, at the rate their business was going: something was moving very quickly in their direction. Something that would put an end to Huang Li's tyrannical and murderous Amateur Arena before he could make a single move to preserve it…

The rumbling of carriage wheels was the first sound to reach the villagers. Soon, the strong stride and steady footsteps of the soldiers came closer too. Hui Yi was located in a plain, an unusual dry patch of Fire Nation land, sterile despite the usual fertility in the territory. Thus, the troops in the distance, to the north, were easy to identify.

Hui Yi had always been left alone by the Domestic Forces and their ilk: many of the villagers assumed these soldiers were merely passing through, perhaps to quell some revolt in a different town and Hui Yi was on the way… but they kept coming closer. The fear of whatever purpose these soldiers might have to march into the town prompted the most cowardly villagers to scurry away, some hiding in their houses or the inn, others running away from Hui Yi altogether, in a very undignified and reckless manner.

The bulk of their forces was on foot, though some of the soldiers were astride mongoose dragons, others rode ostrich horses: the one at the front was riding a komodo rhino. The carriages were at the back of the procession, empty, carried forward by moose dragons, strong creatures that could bear with the weight of the many people who would be loaded onto the vehicles later. It was, without a doubt, a worthy army company, one that instilled fear in the hearts of every man and woman in Hui Yi…

That fear was tinged by utmost confusion, though, once the group was close enough for them to recognize that the majority of the armored soldiers were, unexpectedly, female.

Never before had such an army company marched across the lands of the Fire Nation. Their uniforms were sober, comprised by black clothes, topped by red and gold armor. Each of them had jian swords hanging on their belts. The entire situation was bizarre, and for it, it seemed to deflate some of the visceral fear and replaced it with curiosity: no groups in the army would possibly be comprised by only non-bending women, or would it?

The cavalry at the helm of the group spread out just before reaching the town's entrance. Before long, the villagers understood why: they were securing all exits, ensuring no one still within the village's premises could escape anymore.

The leader of the group, astride her intimidating komodo rhino, stepped into the town. Her face was framed by a helmet that didn't hide her sharp face, with which she seemed to threaten the villagers into standing down even before she had spoken a single word. Their confusion and fear were palpable, and Mei Xun would have had it no other way.

"Village of Hui Yi!" she spoke, her voice deep and stern "This is an Enforcers Raid, as established by the twenty-seventh article of the newly instated Slavery Laws! As per stated by these laws, the Enforcers are entitled to enter cities, towns and villages without prior notice!"

With those words, Mei Xun unfolded a scroll, displaying it to the nearest, horrified villagers. The text across the scroll was impossible to read at a distance, but Ozai's royal seal was plain across it, as was the signature of the royal who had planned the raid in the first place.

"We have received direct orders from Crown Princess Azula to raid Hui Yi!" Mei Xun declared "Each and every slaveholder in this town must come forward with their respective slaves, so that we may ascertain the new Slavery Laws have been upheld as demanded of every Fire Nation citizen!"

The entire town, ever bustling with lowly, criminal activity, was now frozen, suspended in a state of utmost disbelief. Mei Xun spurred her komodo rhino to step forward, and the foot soldiers filed inside the village without further ceremony, some approaching the villagers who stood out in the open, others moving to the nearest buildings and knocking on their doors harshly.

Everything was so sudden, so unexpected, that next to no one had a response for it. The villagers out in the town's streets were instantly terrified, despite several of them were utterly befuddled upon being held in check so thoroughly by female troops. Eventually they would speak out, Mei Xun knew, and they might try to undermine their authority over petty reasons… and all their protests would be to no avail. Power could be quite inebriating, Mei Xun admitted to herself, as she watched the smooth beginning of their first raid.

This was what they had been training for over the course of the past months. Every step of the way had brought them to this moment, when they would finally face the first of many villages where the Fire Nation's criminal underbelly dwelled, and they would uproot it altogether. Everything had been calculated thoroughly, with each group of soldiers fully aware of what their jobs would be. All individual weaknesses in the soldiers had been replaced by the same stone-cold roughness of their male counterparts, the ruthlessness the Fire Nation army had ever been known for. That was why they had been disciplined ever since the first day the Enforcers had been formed, so that they would stand strong and not be afflicted in the face of the horrors they were sure to see in the line of duty, not over the tragedies of the slaves or the aggressive resistance of their owners.

As expected from the first raid they had ever held, Mei Xun kept an eye out to identify all the inexperienced Enforcers' mistakes. Slave owners were supposed to be seized first, to ensure they would not escape if they were suspected of having mistreated those under their care: some of the Enforcers had taken the slaves out of the houses first, impulsively breaking protocol whether out of nervousness or fear that they should never display before the villagers. Mei Xun breathed deeply as she continued to oversee their performance, knowing she would have to speak with the soldiers who had made such mistakes later: for now, she focused on instructing the Enforcers to gather the slaves to the left side of the village's entrance, the suspicious owners to the right.

Little by little, each group grew larger, though the slaves certainly increased in number faster. Some were old, some were young, some were far too young, even. Mei Xun's heart clenched, discipline be damned, when the group of slaves from the brothel were brought into the open. Their owner yelled and roared slurs – there it was, the expected attempt to demean the Enforcers by a man who was completely outnumbered and overpowered – while he was dragged to be held with the rest of the outraged slave owners: yet Mei Xun's attention was upon his slaves, a few of whom appeared younger than her own teenage nieces and nephews.

But it wasn't the moment to reflect on the depths of Fire Nation depravity and corruption, and she knew as much. It was time to work, and she would ensure to retain her professionalism as she waited for confirmation that the first step of the raid was finished.

Enforcers continued to knock on each door, busting them open with kicks whenever they heard no answers. It was inevitable that they would have to do as much upon reaching the Amateur Arena: the pair who had been assigned to this particular location exchanged a quick glance to ensure the other was ready to proceed. They had been told the man who owned this business was quite important for their top commanding officer.

They knocked on the door harshly. By then, both Huang Li and Wang Shui had noticed something was happening in their town, despite their heated argument about cheap salaries and poor work ethics.

"By order of the Fire Lord, open this door!"

"W-what…? N-no, no, we don't… what's this?!" Huang Li said, eyes nearly out of orbit as he glared at the door, confused by the female voice he'd just heard "Y-yer' just makin' that up! No girl's got any Fire Lord permission to do nuthin' in Hui Yi! This is a free town, a peaceful town!"

The Enforcers outside exchanged another look, this time of disbelieving exasperation, before one of them took her position in front of the door.

"You have five seconds to open this door, sir! Five!"

"Huang Li, maybe we ought to…"

"Four!"

"Oughtta nuthin', ya' good-for-nuthin' dumbsack…!"

"Three!"

"They're going to kick down the door!"

"Two!"

"It's a bunch of girls! Girls can't kick down doors!"

"One!"

Wang Shui had nearly retorted again, but he chose not to barely instants before the door flew out of its hinges under the power of the promised kick. Huang Li even squeaked in fear, eyes widening at the sight of the female officer in her elegant uniform.

"Y-you just…!" Huang Li said, before frowning heavily and snarling "Yer' gonna pay for that, wench!"

"Heh. Wench" the Enforcer who kicked the door smiled at her partner "We were warned you might call us that"

"Eh?" said Huang Li, his puzzlement increasing as the two officers entered the building without further ado.

"Huang Li, you're under arrest" said the soldier who had kicked the door.

"No, I'm not! I ain't under anything! I'm under the protection of…!"

"Oh? Under whose protection?" the officer asked, but Huang Li had fallen silent, remembering to conceal the identity of his mysterious benefactor at all costs.

Instead, he lunged forward at the highly trained officer, who avoided the clumsy punch the Amateur Arena's owner threw at her. Within moments, she had immobilized him, his arm painfully twisted behind his back, her steel boot kicking his knees hard enough that he fell face-first on the wooden floor.

"And now, are you going to cooperate, or would you like to be pinned to the ground too?" the second officer asked Wang Shui, who flinched and bowed his head submissively.

"N-no, no, I… I'm not a slave owner, it's Huang Li. I'm just an employee" he said, truthfully. The officer raised her eyebrows menacingly but nodded, approaching her partner so they could cuff Huang Li and take him outside.

"N-nuh, stop that! Let me go!" the man yelled, his face red after the face-first fall he had taken. The officer that held him down was resilient, though, and Huang Li's attempts to resist were to no avail as the two Enforcers restrained him and dragged him out into the streets "Let me go! LET ME GO!"

Huang Li's shouts were the loudest so far, despite several slave owners hadn't been compliant with the Enforcers arresting them. He tried to shake off the two officers quite clumsily again, even attempting to tackle one of them: not only did the tackle fail, but the officer tripped him and he fell face-first once more on the dirty street, yelling and cursing just as he had so far.

It seemed he would never shut up to the two Enforcers, who grew more disgusted with Huang Li with every second that ticked by… but a shadow overhead was quick to silence a confused and soon enough terrified Huang Li, who raised his head to discover a large, serpentine animal was about to land in Hui Yi, barely a few feet away from him.

He yelped, trying to scramble away from the creature: by doing so, he merely crept right back to the two women who had caught in him the first place. The black dragon landed dauntingly before them all, his head reared, his eyes unrelenting. Huang Li was often melodramatic without reason, but this time he was dead-certain he was justified in believing the mighty creature before him wanted him dead. And so, he screamed.

Azula cringed on Xin Long's saddle, regretting, not for the first time, not having killed Huang Li back when she had first met the unpleasant man. She had hoped he would be daunted into complete submission when the imposing dragon landed before him, but it seemed he would sooner make a very loud and embarrassing scene for himself in the middle of the village than shut up and submit to someone else's authority, for a change.

"Well, look at that. He's even more spineless than I remembered" said a voice behind Azula. She smiled weakly despite it all, finding a speck of amusement in the situation beyond the natural disgust it elicited.

Azula climbed off the saddle first, after they exchanged a quick glance to confirm they were of one mind when it came to how to handle the Amateur Arena's repugnant owner. She stepped forward, the gold of her armor, boots and hairpiece gleaming under the inclement sun. She felt quite inclement herself, today.

"Long time, no see" she said, with a sarcastic smile.

Huang Li, busy screaming and keeping his eyes closed, hadn't assimilated yet that the worst day of his life didn't involve a dragon spontaneously arriving to eat him. Everything had been dreadfully nightmarish so far for him, though he lacked even the sense to pinch himself to check if this was a bad dream. It wasn't until he registered that female voice under his screams that he reasoned with the situation, if just slightly…

His eyes opened wide as his voice lost its volume gradually, and an overpowering shudder took hold of him upon taking in the dark silhouette of the Fire Nation's Princess, shadowed by the potent sun gleaming behind her.

"A-ah… ah" Huang Li mumbled, too shocked by the dual, gold glares that bore into him to be coherent anymore. It would have been the best moment to pinch himself, but he didn't seem to think of doing it even then.

"I did remember you were distinctively lacking in eloquence, but you're certainly setting a new bar for yourself today" Azula said, with a sardonic smile "I take it business is going poorly?"

"Ah… w-well, just a bit…" he answered, too frightened by both the Princess and her dragon to put on bravado this time. Azula smirked.

"Good. That gladdens my heart for certain" she said, quite bluntly. Huang Li's eyes widened, one of them even twitching as he took in her words "I'm not surprised you'd prove to be a difficult one to bring into custody, but it's a known fact that you are a slave owner, however you may wish to hide that truth…"

"Y-ya've got no right!" Huang Li finally snapped out of his daze, and he glared at Azula despite he was still trembling visibly: the trembling worsened when Xin Long growled at him, menacingly "I mean, t-this is my business… This is…"

"This town, and all its occupants, are either Fire Nation citizens or slaves" Azula declared, raising her voice above Huang Li's "As such, this town and all its occupants are subject to the law, as established and proscribed by the Fire Lord and his council. Said laws have been spread far and wide throughout the Fire Nation over the past month, time enough for you and your fellow Hui Yi villagers to correct your handling of slaves in accordance with the new laws… but somehow I suspect you didn't quite do as you were told, now, did you?"

"I… I didn' see no laws…" Huang Li mumbled. Azula chuckled softly.

"Right. I suppose you must have handed them to your guards, asked them to burn the documents before you could read them, so you could have some semblance of plausible deniability…"

Her big words seemed to utterly confuse Huang Li, but he wouldn't have a chance to confirm or deny Azula's latest accusations. One of the officers had been inspecting the building as Azula spoke to Huang Li: she stepped outside with the torn pages of the latest delivered copy of the Slavery Laws in her hands.

"Not burned, just torn" the soldier told the Princess "I suppose there's a chance the other copies are lying around somewhere"

"Likely" Azula said, with a dry grin "I did command specifically for weekly copies to be delivered to the Amateur Arena in particular, after all… so, lie as though you might, I know for sure that you had plenty of time to read them and adjust your working methods, Huang Li. It baffles me that you wouldn't have done such a thing, with such ample opportunity too…"

"I… I just… y-ya' can't just…" he mumbled nervously, and Azula raised her eyebrow carefully, hands on her hips.

"I thought you'd learned after our first encounter that it isn't you who tells me what to do" Azula said "But I guess it's a lesson hard learned, is it not…?"

"Well now, that's not fair, Azula…"

The voice behind her startled Huang Li: he hadn't noticed yet that there had been someone else on the dragon's saddle.

His jaw dropped when the second dragon rider climbed off the saddle, in his blue-black armor, with at least twice the body mass he'd sported when he'd been in Hui Yi. His bulky muscles were thicker than those of any of Huang Li's firebending guards, and he carried a new weapon with him: a sword slung over his shoulder.

He was completely different from the malnourished, weak man he had been in the Amateur Arena. His skin even seemed to gleam, as well as his hair, but nothing was more striking than his ice-like eyes, glaring daggers at Huang Li as he fell into step right next to his sponsor, arms folded over his chest. With that, the dragon, the Princess and the gladiator all glared mercilessly at a man who cowered and trembled violently on the dirt ground of Hui Yi.

"You promised you'd leave all the roughening up to me, now, didn't you?" Sokka finished. Despite wanting to intimidate Huang Li, Azula couldn't help it when a corner of her mouth curved into a smirk.

"I suppose I did. And I ought to keep true to my word" she conceded "I do have to check on how everything's going on Captain Mei Xun's front, so… bring Huang Li there once you're done, if you'd be so kind"

"As you wish, Princess" Sokka said, uttering her title with the ease of a man who had nothing to fear. A man who stood on equal grounds with the woman beside him, even if all logic dictated that should be impossible…

Azula glanced at Sokka quickly, assessing his current state quickly. She knew she should leave him to handle Huang Li by himself – letting Sokka confront the man had been the main reason why she had brought him with her today. Sokka had asked if he could be part of this first raid as soon as she had let him know it would happen in Hui Yi, and despite she had dreaded his heart wouldn't take kindly to facing the town he despised so deeply, she had allowed him to join her on her dragon's saddle. Perhaps he needed this, just as much as he had needed to see his sister again. Azula hoped the high spirits that he had been in since Whaletail Island wouldn't fade away after this raid.

Still, as intended, she would give him freedom to do as he pleased. If he went too far with roughing up Huang Li she'd deal with the consequences for that crime later. For now, she'd keep an eye on their exchange through Xin Long while she ensured the rest of the operation was flowing smoothly.

Huang Li remained daunted on the ground after Azula walked away. Sokka's glare was deadly, far more terrifying than the Princess's, if possible: it was charged with cold fury, with the wrath he had retained against the Amateur Arena's owner since the first time he had been dragged to the very building before which they stood…

"So… it's been a while, huh?" Sokka said. Huang Li swallowed dryly as Sokka scowled at him "I take it you still remember me, don't you?"

"Dum-…" Huang Li started, but he froze. Sokka smirked.

"What was that? Dumb-what now?" he asked, stepping forward. Huang Li flinched.

"B-Blue Wolf. I said Blue Wolf!" he exclaimed. Sokka sighed.

"Right. You know, I hate that you're the one who came up with that name. It's too good for the likes of you" he said, shaking his head "But it's too late to change it by now, seeing as it suits me and I've come this far with it, huh?"

"Did you good, huh…?" Huang Li scoffed "You… I made you, boy. I'm the one who…"

Sokka's bark of laughter was so genuine and honest Huang Li froze where he lay. Sokka turned to Xin Long now, whose fierce glare never left the man splayed on the ground before them.

"Get a load of this guy, Xin! He made me, he says! After starving me for two years, making me fight and kill countless people in equally bad or worse conditions than me, and then trying to get me killed because he disliked me, now he wants to take credit for all the hard work we've all put into my gladiatorial career, huh? Can you believe that?"

Xin Long surprised Huang Li by nodding and groaning in a dangerous manner. Smoke poured out of his nostrils, and Huang Li trembled all the more violently.

"Yeah, I think not, you scumbag" Sokka declared, turning a dangerous smile on Huang Li "You don't get to pretend you had anything to do with who I am now. If anything, all I ought to ever thank you for is that you chose me to fight the Dart Slayer when you did, else Azula would've never found me again and I would have never returned to Hui Yi, all these years later, proud of having helped her usher in a brand new era for slaves everywhere…"

Realization dawned on Huang Li when Sokka said those words. The Water Tribesman's pride was appalling to the slave owner, and he soon tightened his fists, incredulous.

"Y-ya'… ya' did that?! It's yer doing?!" he exclaimed. Sokka snorted.

"Mine? You think I have enough power to write up all those laws? Let alone the patience to put up with Ozai's council to get them passed?" Sokka smiled "Nah, it was all her. Maybe I inspired her, nudged her, helped her… but it's the Princess you've got to thank for all this. And damn, she did a fine job of it all. I'm really impressed. I feel like she planned for every little eventuality, every single possibility… see? She even seized your firebending guards"

Huang Li flinched as he glanced at the barracks' entrance: a group of Enforcers was escorting the firebending guards out, in their plain uniforms. Sokka's blood boiled only upon looking at them, even if he didn't quite recognize the men. They were part of whatever secretive slavery system existed underground, and they were part of the network Azula intended to dismantle eventually, once she found enough information to successfully unravel it. She had instructed the Enforcers to detain any firebenders dressed in the exact uniform they wore, and if all went well, these captured guards would provide the first clue, if not more, to put an end to the old slavery system.

"They'll get the gladiators out next" Sokka continued "And even if your business survives, which you won't get to see because you'll surely be decreed unfit to hold slaves, you'll find that having Amateur Gladiators kill each other is now a felony. So you can't do that anymore, not unless you want to risk incurring in the Princess's wrath… and I think you already know enough of that to dare do it again, don't you?"

"Y-yer' gonna get me killed…" Huang Li said, eyes out of orbit "This is all I have! M-my Arena…!"

"You've been killing people for years, bastard" Sokka huffed "Don't you dare beg for mercy when you've had none for anyone. Serves you right if this kills you, if anything…"

"No, please, I beg you…! I-if it weren't for me, she wouldn't have found you!" Huang Li whined now "Y-you owe me for that!"

"Well, damn, I said it was the one thing I could possibly thank you for, but according to you, I owe you?"

"Damn right you do!" Huang Li exclaimed "Both you and that Princess of yours…!"

"Hmm, now I think of it, Azula told me something funny about you" Sokka chuckled, and he flexed his knees, crouching close to Huang Li's level now "She told me you, uh… you called her a wench, back when you first met her? Is that true?"

Huang Li trembled violently, uncertain of how to answer the question. What was better, to lie or tell the truth? The Blue Wolf appeared rather attached to his sponsor, after all…

"I-I didn't…" he started, but Sokka looked at him skeptically.

"C'mon. I bet it must have been hilarious…" he chuckled "Admit it, now. If you tell me the truth, I can get you a lighter sentence. Not a lot of people have the guts to insult her to her face, you know, it must have been so amusing…"

His obvious lies were not so obvious to a man as obtuse as Huang Li, whose ears perked immediately at the thought of a lesser punishments for the crimes he still didn't regret in the least. He swallowed hard before biting his lip and shrugging.

"Maybe I did…"

"Maybe you did what?" Sokka asked. Huang Li frowned in confusion.

"Called her that" he said. Sokka raised his eyebrows questioningly.

"Called her a what?" he insisted. Huang Li's patience seemed to have worn too thin by then.

"Called her a wench! I called the Princess a wench!" he said. Sokka smiled.

And he punched Huang Li so hard he felt bones of the man's skull cracking under his fist.

Huang Li roared in pain, and the Enforcers nearby grimaced in distaste as blood squirted out of his nostrils. Sokka sighed and pushed himself up, a satisfied smile on his face.

"You girls have no idea how many years I've wanted to do that" he said, shaking his head "For many reasons, mind you, but with this… it was unacceptable for him to badmouth our commanding officer that way, wouldn't you agree?"

The girls now smiled, and they nodded at their sword master. Sokka grinned too as Huang Li's cries of pain went ignored.

"You done with him yet?" one of the officers asked "We ought to bring him to the slave owners' group by now…"

"Ah, yeah. Go on and do that" Sokka said, waving a hand carelessly. He noticed some blood on his glove by doing so, though, so he grimaced and rubbed it with irritation and disgust. His behavior didn't go ignored by Huang Li, who had so often complained after violent fights when his own clothes were stained by splatters from the Arena "Ugh, Huang Li's filthy blood. Gross"

Huang Li could only whimper as the girls dragged him away – to their relief, he seemed to have stopped resisting altogether by now. Xin Long chuckled behind Sokka, who breathed out and smiled, stroking the dragon's mane happily.

"I admit, it's not that exciting, taking a petty revenge like this… but it's still somewhat fun, eh?" he said. Xin Long nodded promptly, and Sokka suspected that if they'd been bonded too, he would've felt the dragon asking for permission to set the man on fire. The thought made him smile "If you want to burn him, you'll have to ask Azula, though. I can't make that kind of decision, can I?"

Xin Long's chuckles told him his guess wasn't that far off. Understanding the dragon better was certainly something to take pride on, Sokka thought. It was as though the natural bond between dragon and rider had been extended to him, if only to a lesser degree.

Huang Li was marched by the two officers towards the cluster of slave owners. They were unruly, demanding to be treated with dignity, slinging threats back and forth to the Enforcers. Several officers had been tasked with the duties of writing down everything about the raid: they would identify each slave master, jot down how many slaves they owned and they'd also take notes of their behavior throughout the raid, such as their blatant disrespect for the Enforcers, which would only worsen their sentences. It could have been amusing to think they were so certain of being untouchable, ever lulled into believing their crime dens were safe from the law… but to Azula it was disturbing instead. Many slave holders had implied there was someone who protected them, as some officers, including the ones that brought in Huang Li, reported as much to the Princess. So far, none had given away the identity of their mysterious benefactor.

Still, that proved to be a secondary problem before long: while everything was going according to plan with the slave owners, the same couldn't be said for the slaves.

They were in terrible shape, some deeply malnourished, the rest of them on their way there. The clothes they wore appeared old, ragged, often full of holes. The skin on many bodies sported signs of abuse and disease, such as bruises, pustules and paleness even in those with the darkest complexions. That so many people would be in such dreadful shape was harrowing, yet Azula knew she couldn't show how much it affected her to see them like this. She was supposed to be doing this for rational reasons, after all. She needed to stay grounded rather than letting her emotions run away with her as she pondered the hardships she could barely imagine these people had endured over the last years.

"We've rounded them up" Mei Xun explained, and Azula nodded "The only slaves left are the ones in the Arena, but they're being brought over right now"

"Good. Have you explained them the process yet?" Azula asked. Mei Xun grimaced.

"We have tried, several of us, but I'm afraid they're not being cooperative" she said "It appears the one thing they distrust more than their masters are soldiers"

"As uncomfortable as it may make us, they surely have good reason for it" Azula sighed "But we need to do something. If they won't work with us, this mission would be just as big a failure as if the slave masters had rallied them up to fight against us instead"

"I know, but… I'm not sure what to do" Mei Xun admitted "We've been as kind to them as possible, but perhaps they don't know how to respond to that. I guess they'll expect we're only offering kindness to withdraw it immediately…"

"That is, indeed, the way a slave thinks when approached by the likes of us" Azula said, closing her eyes "Again, for good reason"

"I suppose you speak of experience?" Mei Xun asked "Could you, perhaps, try to get through to them? You were successful enough with your gladiator…"

"That took ages. I doubt I can achieve the same result in a single try" Azula admitted, with a small smile "Nevertheless…"

The last time she had been in Hui Yi she had saved one man, for her own advancement. She had returned today, knowing it was too late to save countless others, but hoping to do what was right by those who remained. What was the best way to pull it off, though? She breathed deeply and stepped forward, hoping to try a different approach from Mei Xun's. An approach that had worked with Sokka, if just at first.

The slaves were silent, on the most part, only a few murmurs exchanged between them, whereas the slave owners were rowdy, loud and crass. As soon as Azula had approached them, the slaves had inched away, shrinking in their frames. She scrutinized them, taking in their ragged appearances, even the unpleasant smell that gave away how little hygiene they were afforded by their masters. Though it wasn't like the slave owners smelled much better, in Azula's opinion…

By the time she was gearing up to speak, a group of five officers had brought in a new lot of slaves. Their appearances weren't much better than those of the others, but some had visible muscles, along with countless scars over their bodies. One was missing an ear, another a few fingers. Even without the experience she already had with gladiators, Azula would have been quick to guess where these seventeen men had come from.

"Very well, then" she said, breathing deeply and getting ready to speak when the newcomers settled amongst the rest of the slaves "Good day to you all. I suspect you're both confused and scared, for this is no ordinary occurrence in Hui Yi. Raids like ours are a complete novelty throughout the Fire Nation: in fact, Hui Yi is the first place to be raided by the Enforcers. Still, we haven't come here to make your lives more difficult than they already have been, if that's what you feared.

"In case you don't recognize me, I'm Crown Princess Azula of the Fire Nation. And I've been tasked with the crucial duty of writing and upholding the Fire Nation's new slavery laws"

Her words drew gasps from her crowd, some of them trembling with fear, though a few with anticipation. So many sets of eyes gaped at her, and she knew they were listening, more than they had listened to the Enforcers earlier. Whether she'd achieve better results than them remained to be seen, though.

"These new slavery laws have been spread out through Hui Yi, by my command, to all the known slaveholders in this town. All your masters would have been expected to read those laws: if some of them didn't know how to read, they could have asked those who could to explain the content of said laws. Had they done this, they would have understood no town or village would be spared from the Enforcers' Raids, but as most of them didn't bother reading far enough to know this, I suspect they didn't read them at all, to begin with. They've had one month to do so, one month to adjust their handling of their slaves, to adapt to the new laws… yet I see all of you, underfed, poorly clothed and unkempt, and it further convinces me they neglected reading the laws altogether.

"Slave owners who are found guilty of any form of slave mistreatment will receive various forms of punishment: chief among them, they will be forbidden from owning slaves for the foreseeable future. This would mean you would be taken by the Enforcers to a safe location, from where you shall be sent to slave markets that follow the laws' new regulations for slavery commerce. You will be fed, you will be clothed, you will be cleaned, all as according to these laws. You will be safe.

"As for what counts as slave mistreatment, naturally, it means aggression, abuse and assault of any kind. If your owners have hurt you physically, if you've been forced to fight other slaves, worse yet, if you've been forced to kill others against your will, for your owners' entertainment… all that counts as slave mistreatment. If you've been forced to engage in unwanted practices, such as intercourse you did not consent to, it's also slave mistreatment. If you've been insulted, threatened with death, for whatever motive, it's slave mistreatment just as well. If you've been kept in chains, if you've been denied nourishment… it's all part of the same package.

"If any of you have been mistreated in any such ways over the past month, speak out now" Azula said, near her speech's conclusion "Like I said, you shall be taken away to a safe location, and your former masters shall be subjected to trials that will determine the fitting punishment for the crimes committed against you. But we can only do this, we can only punish the criminals if you, the victims, speak out about the mistreatment you've endured by their hand and allow the Enforcers to document the visible signs of abuse on your bodies. If you let us help you, your lives are sure to take a turn for the better. It's in your best interests to comply. Nothing will change for your benefit if you don't"

Azula breathed deeply once she fell silent, watching the men, women and children before her. Some looked as though they were on the brink of speaking out, whether to reject her offer or to accept it. Others looked so frightened still that they did nothing but shrink in their spots, as though waiting for this, whatever it was, to be over.

But no one spoke. No one stepped forward. Azula's fists clenched: her words wouldn't suffice, even if she had hoped otherwise. Sokka's rebuttal from their second encounter rang in her mind again: Think again, Princess. There are some things in this world you'll never have to face…

They thought so too, surely. She was the Princess of the Fire Nation, so perhaps they believed she was even the pinnacle of cruelty in the Fire Nation. They had heard nothing of her exploits, nothing of her successes, not a word about her unique bond with her gladiator. They didn't understand her: they feared her. Her father's philosophies, those that claimed fear was the best means through which to control others, seemed to be disproven right now: their fear was paralyzing. Their fear only convinced them that a highborn woman would be worse than the lowlife thugs they'd endured so far. And unless she found a way to convince them otherwise, they would refuse to cooperate with her or the Enforcers altogether…

"Say, you don't think Huang Li can plead for a shorter sentence just because I punched him in the face, do you?"

Azula froze. Sokka's voice reached her as he approached her carelessly: he sounded pleased with himself, and she had no doubts he was, seeing as he had taken the small revenge he had hoped to, before Huang Li faced the actual repercussions for his crimes.

"I… suppose not, as long as it was provoked somehow?" Azula said, raising her eyebrows and glancing at her gladiator warily over her shoulder. Sokka shrugged.

"Oh, it was, he called you a wench again. Wei Ming and Asa can confirm it" he smirked, though his mood dampened quickly, as Azula suspected it might, when he stopped beside her and laid eyes upon the slaves.

It was like staring himself in the face, four years ago: the hollow cheeks, the empty eyes, the crippling dread of fearing the next day could be the last. The group gazed at the Princess in terror… and yet some eyes had shifted towards Sokka now, no less confused than they had been before. It was apparent to them that he wasn't a soldier, or a royal… so who was he?

Sokka's heart clenched upon finding he couldn't recognize any of their faces. It had been long ago, but he had hoped that at least a couple of gladiators he had known from the Amateur Arena might have survived to this day. Nothing, though: they were all strangers. He had made no friends in Hui Yi's Arena, but confirming everyone from that dark past had died had chased away all his previous, vindictive enthusiasm and replaced it with deep, drowning sorrow.

"Thank you for protecting my honor" Azula said, with a curt nod "But, as you can see… we're having a bit of a situation here"

"What? What's going on?" Sokka asked: Huang Li had gone forgotten for now.

"Well… I can't make them trust me" Azula smiled, with a weak shrug "I suppose that should have been the obvious outcome all along, but still… without their cooperation, this is but a half-finished mission, and nothing will change for the better in Hui Yi. But perhaps this is the true reason you should have come with us, rather than just to punch Huang Li's face and rejoice in the demise of his thrice-accursed business…"

"Wait, you want me to talk to them?" Sokka asked, startled "You think they'll listen to me?"

"Who better to speak to them… than one who was amongst them once before?" Azula asked, stepping back and spreading an arm towards the slaves. Sokka grimaced with unease before raising his eyes to meet theirs.

Azula's words finally had an effect on the slaves: their curiosity seemed to outdo their fear as they gazed at the strong gladiator before them. Sokka swallowed hard, immediately reminded of the men he had saved in Fa Zhan… he had to try to get through to this group, just as he had with them. It was for their sake, as well as the sake of Azula's greatest project. If this first raid succeeded, the way would be paved for the next ones to be successful as well. He closed his eyes briefly before stepping forward.

"Okay, going by how things went when I was a slave here in Hui Yi, chances are none of you have heard anything about me" he said "What little information reaches slaves in Hui Yi are just occasional rumors, and most the time we had to eavesdrop to find out anything of what's going on outside this forsaken town. So… hi. I'm Sokka, the Blue Wolf. And I'm the Princess's gladiator"

Another gasp of surprise, though this time the muscular men spoke amongst themselves, staring at Sokka in confused disbelief. Sokka smiled a little as he waited for the chatter to die down again.

"I was like you, around four years ago now" he said "I was ready to die every day in the Amateur League, and that piece of shit, Huang Li, was determined to have me killed just because I was a rebellious bother. But I was saved, unexpectedly, on the day Princess Azula came to find a gladiator for herself, someone who could rise through the ranks of the Superior Gladiator League. And, of all people, she chose me.

"I didn't want to go with her right away, though" Sokka admitted, with a guilty smile "That wasn't the first time I'd met her, turns out she's the one who made me a slave in the first place. So… I had plenty of reason not to trust her back then"

His words didn't reassure Azula in the least. The slaves now leered at her as though she were a traitor of some sort, as though all her previous words had just been rendered null and void by Sokka's latest claim. She breathed deeply and lowered her gaze: she knew her mistakes had been severe, and she had no right to complain about being judged for them. Yet she hoped Sokka would make a compelling enough case as to why he'd decided to join her, and how little he regretted it…

"But see…" Sokka said, breathing deeply "I'm not even going to tell you about everything that's happened ever since I joined her, because that'd take me ages. I will tell you, though, what my thoughts were when I made that decision. What I thought was… this was hell. Living in Hui Yi had been the worst kind of nightmare I could have ever imagined. I spent two years here, and every day I fought to survive while wishing I would die instead. Because this kind of life? It's not worth it. Being a gladiator under Huang Li's orders, doing his bidding just so he could fill his pockets with the blood of those who might as well have been our brothers? It was destroying me inside. And I know it has destroyed you, too"

He stared at the gladiators now, and they looked back at him. Understanding passed between them, despite the men still seemed reluctant to trust him.

"And there are those of you who have had it worse, even" Sokka admitted, glancing at the others now "The brothel, for instance… the horrors you have seen there surely defy anything I dare imagine. I've heard about how sex slaves are treated, never experienced it myself, and I know the courage needed to fight for a new life is really difficult to find for someone who undergoes that kind of experience. Because… you feel worthless. You don't dare fight back anymore, not after the hell you've had to live through.

"You've all been here for so long, enduring all forms of abuse, putting up with it because the consequences of rebelling could be worse yet. Though, if you're anything like me, maybe death looked like a blissful release compared to everything you've endured…

"But what Azula is offering, what the Enforcers are fighting to provide you with, is life. It's… it's a second chance, one that didn't exist for most slaves until now. I was lucky, too lucky, when she offered that chance to me. And I took it, even if I didn't trust her at all at the time, because I realized there was no future for me in Hui Yi. Because I knew one day I would die, and my life would have been meaningless if I did. It would have merely been something for Huang Li to laugh about later as he got hammered with his friends at the inn, while the rest of the slaves huddled inside the barracks, wondering if they were next.

"And yeah, at first I feared she'd be worse than Huang Li. I was afraid she might be seeking entertainment too, in roundabout, messed up ways. But… look at me now. And look at them"

The slaves glanced between Sokka and the amateur gladiators he had gestured at. Sokka swallowed hard as he held their gaze, too.

"I was one of them" he said, again "And after I left Hui Yi… I became the man I am now, see? I… I ate, three times a day, heck, even more than that if I felt like it. Somehow, Azula forgives me for eating far too much whenever we travel on her ship, even when I eat so much we have to make unscheduled stops to find more food because I went overboard…"

Azula couldn't help but smile, shaking her head at his anecdote as Sokka grinned proudly.

"I was trained, too, by a remarkable swordsman who helped me become a more honorable warrior" Sokka said "I… I have a house of my own. I have clothes, enough that I can spend hours choosing what to wear on any given day. And all that is possible only because I joined her, even if I didn't trust her at first. Because I knew, the same way you do, that Hui Yi is barely a step away from hell. I'd wanted to give my life meaning, even if I didn't know how I'd make that happen. It's almost four years since I left Hui Yi, and I've come back… I've come back with a Princess who no longer takes slaves for granted. A Princess who wrote every single one of those laws herself, and who would face consequences for those laws as well, because if she so much as touches a hair of my head, I can complain to the Enforcers about it and she'll be in a whole world of trouble too!"

Those words actually brought a laugh from his crowd, and Azula rolled her eyes but smiled fondly at Sokka, arms folded over her chest.

"Point is… I left Hui Yi ages ago without knowing how I'd find a purpose, but I found it all the same: I'm here to help you. I'm here to let you know this really is the lowest point. That you can do better, and that the woman who is offering you a better life means it, for real. I've said many times I didn't trust her all along, right? Well, after all these years of being her gladiator, now I'd trust her with my life, completely. Like I said, it would take days for me to explain how I've grown to trust her that much… but I wouldn't be here now, urging you to take a chance for a better life, if it weren't for her.

"And sure, this isn't the greatest solution for us yet, I know it just as well as you do" Sokka said, breathing deeply "We all want full freedom, to be respected the way all people deserve to be respected. But… it's a step forward. It's a chance to finally take back some of our dignity, and see to it that those who've been stomping on our necks are punished for everything they've done to us. So… I urge you, truly, to speak to the Enforcers, to explain how you came to be here, and to tell them how those pieces of shit treated you all along. It may not set you free altogether… but these laws are the closest any of us have been to freedom ever since we were turned into slaves, I promise you that much.

"There's no fallout. There's no hidden agenda. We're here to help you" Sokka finished "You won't regret it if you let us do so"

And he fell silent, though this time the group of slaves appeared far more willing to comply. There were a few smiles in the group, not too confident but still intrigued. And just as one of the gladiators stepped forward, towards an Enforcer…

"Y-you said your name was… Sokka?"

The voice came from the cluster of slaves, but it was impossible to recognize the woman who had spoken right away. Sokka frowned, as well as did everyone nearby…

It had come from the brothel's group, quickly recognizable by the slightly nicer clothes the women wore. They were revealing garments regardless, but not as dirty or unsightly as those worn by the other slaves, surely meant to make them appealing for their customers. Sokka's confusion increased, though, as he saw the women shifting, and one of them finally stepped forward…

One of her hands was missing.

Sokka's eyes widened.

"Sokka…?" the woman said. She looked old enough to be his mother.

And yet it was the only familiar face for Sokka amongst Hui Yi's slaves. A disbelieving gasp shook him to his core as the woman smiled, holding his gaze in surprised delight.

"I-it is you…" she said, beaming as she stepped forward and reached for him with her only hand "Oh, it's really you!"

"You're still alive!" Sokka exclaimed, smiling in amazement now as he placed his hands on her shoulders "You're…! Hell, I heard about your hand, but as I didn't see you just now, I thought…!"

The woman didn't hold back: she threw her arms around Sokka, embracing him tightly, and Sokka wrapped an arm around her shoulders, though he still seemed utterly shocked by her sudden appearance. Far too shocked to worry about Azula's potential jealous reaction, in fact.

But as much as the irrational impulse did manifest inside her, this time it was easy to ignore it: Azula couldn't help but be profoundly relieved instead. Sokka's story about the first woman he'd met in Hui Yi had hung heavily in her heart since he had shared it, and she had dreaded what might have happened to the woman ever since. Nothing intimate had ever happened between her and Sokka, yet they had bonded more than Sokka had with anyone else he'd known in Hui Yi. She had a family, torn apart by the war, and a husband…

Sokka pulled away from the woman and smiled more confidently now. She only gazed up at him with tearful eyes, smiling more genuinely than she had in years.

"I really thought you were dead, Sokka. The girls asked about you because I told them to, when they said they hadn't seen you in the Amateur Arena's barracks anymore, but no one knew anything…" she said, sniffing "I'm so glad… oh, I'm so glad you were alive, and healthy, and…! Goodness, you're a whole new man, aren't you?"

"Something like that" Sokka smiled, grinning kindly at her "And I mean it when I say you'll be free from this hell now, Daiyu… brothels are no longer allowed to hold slaves altogether. That's part of the new laws"

"They can't have slaves…?" Daiyu asked, eyes wide "Then, me, and the rest of us, what will happen…?"

"I don't know for sure just yet, but the Enforcers will look after you" Sokka smiled "If you're ever sold again, you'll be given entirely different duties, and you'll work for someone who won't ever hurt you again. I promise, Daiyu…"

"I… I believe you" she said, beaming and nodding "Oh, I believe you! Thank you, Sokka! Thank you!"

She hugged him again, and Sokka laughed as he patted her back gently. And as much as his earlier words had already inspired the first slave to take a step forward and speak with the Enforcers, it seemed Daiyu's trust in Sokka had been the final push they'd needed to begin cooperating with the many female officers: the Enforcers were ready to take notes about their experiences with their owners and what kind of treatment they had been subjected to, focusing especially on what had happened during the past month.

The process took hours, naturally, but by sundown the slaves had been brought aboard the carriages that would take them all the way to the Enforcers' Headquarters near the Capital. There were carriages for the worst offenders amongst the slave owners too, those who had committed the worst possible crimes as established by the laws: Huang Li and his friend, the brothel's owner, were amongst them, as were the uniformed men who had guarded the Amateur Arena.

"Well, that was a successful first raid for sure" Mei Xun said to Azula as they stood at the town's entrance, once the last of the carriages was loaded. The older woman had a proud smile on her face as she regarded the Princess, a smile very similar to Sokka's, who stood beside Azula too.

"It was, though I fear the next ones may be more complicated" Azula admitted, frowning. Mei Xun raised an eyebrow.

"Or perhaps they will be easier" she suggested "We could bring some of Hui Yi's slaves with us, to help convince the slaves from other locations to come along, just as Instructor Sokka did this time"

"That's not a bad idea" Sokka said, smiling "I think it helps if they get to speak with people on their level"

"It's a thought" Azula said, biting her lip "My problem is the slave owners, though. I was told some people escaped moments before we arrived, and surely word will spread about what we're doing. If the worst offenders amongst slave owners throughout the Fire Nation get away, or prepare to fight back against the raids…"

"I doubt they'll be able to hold off our entire company" said Mei Xun "They're slave owners, I question most of them would have military training…"

"Let's hope so" Azula said, nodding "At any rate, I'm getting ahead of myself. I ought to ponder all possible complications later. You did a fine job today, Captain"

"Thank you, Princess" said Mei Xun, bowing her head in her direction "Today's success will have certainly established the Enforcers as an army branch in its own right, as it must be. I dreaded we might be ridiculed, but the more successes we pack to our name, the smoother the raids ought to be in the future"

"Indeed" Azula nodded "I was quite a confusing newcomer for most sponsors in the Superior League when I first joined it. Eventually they tried to snuff me out, and now they've had no choice but to accept me amongst them. Chances are the same will happen with the Enforcers"

"I sure hope so" said Mei Xun, nodding "Very well, then. I will rejoin the rest of the group now, if that's alright by you"

"Please do" Azula agreed, and Mei Xun bowed once more before climbing on her komodo rhino.

Mei Xun would guide the company and its carriages back to the Capital, and with that, their work in Hui Yi would be finished. It hadn't been a lightning raid, nowhere near as fast as the ones Sokka remembered the Southern Raiders had done in the South Pole, but it had been a rather productive day regardless. He only hoped Mei Xun would be right to believe their next raids would prove to be much easier after this one paid off as it had.

"Well… that's that" Azula said, breathing deeply as she turned to look at her dragon. Xin Long had kept some distance from the groups of slaves and slave owners by Azula's orders, for she didn't want him to frighten anyone. All the same, it looked like Xin Long wasn't so playful anymore and wanted nothing but to fly back home already. Azula smiled at him "Yes, yes, we're going back now, Xin. I don't like this place either"

"No one in their right mind would" said Sokka, breathing deeply but smiling as the two of them walked to the saddle "Still… if I ever had to return, I'm glad I only did it for this raid. Hui Yi… this trash heap deserves no less"

"If the next owner of this Amateur Arena refuses to adjust to the laws for it…" Azula said, as she climbed onto Xin Long's saddle. Sokka followed, and Xin Long shot off just in time for the Princess to finish her sentence safely, with no one to overhear: "… I might just be able to arrange things so you can set this one on fire too"

Sokka snorted before laughing out loud, bliss rushing through him at the prospect. Azula smiled proudly as Xin Long rose through the air, carrying them further away from Hui Yi and towards the Capital they all called home.

"I can barely believe it all worked out, though" Azula admitted, relaxing against Sokka once they had risen high enough in the sky for their closeness to go unnoticed "For a moment I really thought the slaves wouldn't cooperate in the least…"

"Well, it's a good thing we all worked together to make sure they would" Sokka said, wrapping his arms around her waist "What I can barely believe is that Daiyu was still alive. I honestly thought…"

Azula smiled, watching as his eyes seemed to gleam in disbelief. He chuckled soon enough, kissing the top of her head.

"I'm sorry I couldn't save the other gladiators who were with me, but… at least I could help her" he said "She definitely deserved it"

"She looked like a nice woman" Azula said "I suppose it won't be easy for her to find a new buyer, as she's missing a hand, but… perhaps we can find a solution for her. She could help Haiyan, perhaps, I don't know…"

"That would be great" Sokka said, grinning.

"Good to know you approve. Though, in general, there are too many variables to account for, even now" Azula admitted, frowning "This is only the beginning of this process, after all. The next raids will be decisive: if we manage to quell all resistance in the next towns I had in mind, Shu Wo and Wugou Zhen, the rest will fall far more smoothly. Still, we can't strike right away: the headquarters don't have enough holding space for three towns' worth of slaves or slave owners. So that might allow them to build up defenses, possibly, or escape elsewhere, and…"

"Azula"

"What?"

"Didn't you say earlier you shouldn't get ahead of yourself?" Sokka asked, raising an eyebrow. She grimaced "You did fine today, girl. Rejoice in that! It's a first successful strike, and many more ought to follow, so… relax!"

"Relax. Heh" she said, grimacing "I suppose I could, but… I'm not entirely sure I know the meaning of the word anymore. There's just so much to account for, Sokka, so many different problems that could result in failed raids altogether: if I hadn't brought you today, because you insisted on coming if just to laugh at Huang Li's misfortune, things could have ended very differently"

"Well, true, but Mei Xun already came up with an idea on how to handle that in the future…" Sokka said, propping his chin on her shoulder as he looked at her with a small pout. Azula bit her lip.

"Hopefully it'll pay off, but hopes aren't what we ought to be running on here" she said "Uncertainty is dangerous, Sokka, especially in this line of work. We can't afford to tread on unstable territory, or our entire operation might fail. Even my father's approval isn't enough to command respect from everyone we need to deal with, so…"

"And you want to do everything smoothly and flawlessly, so that people know you mean business" Sokka finished. Azula sighed, shrugging near imperceptibly.

"Isn't it better if I do? If I project an image of utter ruthlessness, chances are I could win many battles without even needing to fight them" she said "The Enforcers need to build up a reputation that daunts even the most confident noblemen: the raids are starting off at the lowest levels of society, but they will move up eventually, all the way to the nobility. And that will be far more difficult…"

"And, again, you got ahead of yourself" Sokka said, with a dry grin. Azula grimaced.

"I said I can't help it" she huffed "This is a big deal, you know it as well as I do. The biggest mission we've ever undertaken. It needs to go well, no matter what"

"And it will" Sokka said, rubbing her arms reassuringly, hands slipping under her armor's plates "You really think losers on par with Huang Li could ever outsmart you? They're doomed, Azula. You'll turn them all into pudding before they know what hit them"

"Pudding?" Azula repeated, with a disbelieving smile. Sokka grinned, kissing her cheek.

"I'm proud of you" he said, embracing her happily again "Thank you for bringing me today. I know I mostly just wanted to come here to spit in Huang Li's face if I could… and yeah, I punched him instead of spitting. I should've done both things, now I think of it…"

"Oh, boy…" Azula smiled. Sokka chuckled, prodding her cheek with his nose now.

"But still… I'm really grateful for what I could do for the slaves. They deserve better lives, and they're about to have them, one way or another. Even if it's not the best solution, like we said… it's still the best step forward they could take towards a better future, isn't it?"

"As things stand, it is" Azula said, turning her head to look at him "And it's all thanks to you, influential gladiator, sneaking into my head and bringing out the conscience I'd been ignoring all my life…"

"Oh, now, don't give me all that credit…" Sokka chuckled. Azula smiled warmly.

"I give you every bit of credit you deserve. Else you might just report me to the Enforcers for not paying you your dues" Azula smirked. Sokka laughed and shook his head "Really, I apparently can't even touch you anymore, or else you'll turn my laws against me…"

"Hey, you can touch me, on my terms" he stated, amused "Whereas I can do with you as I see…"

"Uh, technically, you can't. Need I remind you that the two of us are engaged in absolutely illicit relations, Sokka?" Azula smiled. Sokka froze, but he smirked guiltily later.

"Well, it's good to know they're illicit on both ends now. We're such terrible criminals, aren't we, Princess?"

"It appears we are" Azula grinned, leaning in as Sokka did the same, their lips meeting in the middle.

The day had gone by far too quickly, and in truth they were both too tired to spend much time together the way they usually did. Azula dropped Sokka off at home at dusk and returned to the Palace for a well-deserved rest…

Only to find herself sitting at her room's desk instead of going to bed, writing a report about the raid that she intended to submit to her father by the next day.

There was always more she could plan ahead for, so many difficulties she had to be ready to face. This mission was no simple matter, and she knew all too well that her decisions as leader of the Enforcers were crucial. Every mistake would reflect on her, as it was with Sokka's performance as a gladiator, but this time it was something far more consequential than their gladiatorial career. Mistakes wouldn't merely damage her public image or cost her supporters: if she made any mistakes in these regards, they could easily cost them the lives of many slaves. She had to do everything in her power to avoid that outcome.

She barely got a few hours of rest: by dawn she had taken off on Xin Long's back once more, to ensure everything was flowing smoothly in the Enforcers' Headquarters.

Slaves had already been given new clothes, and they'd all had chances to wash properly. The beds they'd been able to sleep in had allowed them to rest for the first time in years, or so they had told the officers taking care of them. They ate ravenously, some a little too fast for their own good, but overall, everyone seemed to be pleased over cooperating with the Enforcers as they had.

And yet Azula could not be appeased. By the earliest hours of the morning she had reunited with Captain Mei Xun and Commander Rahi, and the two appeared slightly put-off by her mix of indecisiveness and determination.

"With all due respect…" Rahi said, once the Princess had spoken about her concerns regarding the next raids "As things stand, we cannot be spread any thinner than we are, Princess. New recruits have been arriving, and I am processing each one gladly, but they need training and instruction. Even if we doubled our ranks within a week, we would still be unable to strike down every single dangerous town or village where slavery is at its worst, let alone strike them down simultaneously. If we had the power of the full Domestic Forces, perhaps…"

"Well, I could request my father to authorize joint operations between Enforcers and Domestic Forces, if it comes to that…" Azula said, arms folded as she frowned, deep in thought.

"But is there a real need for it, Princess?" Mei Xun spoke now "We have already been successful at this first raid. I understand your concerns, and I share many of them, but if we ask the Domestic Forces to bolster our numbers, we will appear a weaker branch of the army, incapable of holding our own, ever requiring others to help us. It's one thing to accept transfer officials from the Domestic Forces who may wish to join us, but merging both forces during our operations may send the exact opposite message than what you hope to convey"

Azula breathed deeply, rubbing her brow with her fingertips. She knew Mei Xun was right, but the Princess's mind was clouded somehow, by countless thoughts that overlapped and clashed together, urging her to act and make certain of the absolute success of her enterprise. And yet the more ideas she came up with, the more problems arose…

"I fear you may be overstepping yourself, Princess, if I do say so" Rahi said. Azula raised an eyebrow in his direction "I apologize for my indiscretion, but…"

"No. Speak your mind" she said. She wasn't bothered by hard truths anymore: Sokka's influence had certainly cured her from that.

"You are hoping to clog up the holes in a vessel before it even sets sail" Rahi declared. Azula grimaced "It is an admirable thing, what you've done with the Enforcers, and what you've achieved by establishing a proper system with slavery… but as prepared as you might be for every possible problem that might arise, chances are you'll end up facing different ones, some that didn't even cross your mind when you started your preparations. Planning ahead for eventualities is all fine and good, Princess, but for now we have much work to do with the slaves and masters that are already in our power. Panicking over the next raids when we have barely just finished the first one seems an exercise in futility, especially as the next one is bound to take place in over a week, at best"

"I understand…" Azula said, breathing deeply and shaking her head.

"Not to mention, me, Captain Mei Xun, Sergeant Daiki and Captain Jung-woo are all hard at work, with the duties you assigned us" said Rahi "If complications arise, Princess, we'll be sure to let you know and together we will find solutions for the problems we're facing. But as things stand… you may find solutions for problems that might never come to pass. And that would be a waste of time, now, wouldn't it?"

His words sank in slowly, but despite herself, Azula could only agree with the old commander's assessments. He was quite wise, though she suspected he was tired of her meddling, more than anything else. She wasn't completely new to being a commanding officer, having ordered her guards around ever since she was a teenager… but the Enforcers were new, as well as the laws they had to uphold, and without meaning to, she was losing herself to stress as she took upon more duties than she could have needed to.

"Very well. I… I suppose you're right" she conceded. Rahi seemed relieved she hadn't reacted negatively to his words, and Mei Xun's admiration for the Princess only seemed to increase upon finding she was a commanding officer willing to listen to her subordinates, and to take their words into consideration "I intended to spend the day in the Headquarters to ensure all was going well, but… perhaps that wouldn't be wise. I do have other duties I ought to attend to, after all, so…"

"I supposed you might" said Rahi, nodding "If we need you, we'll send a bird. For now, Princess… relish in our triumph and unwind a bit, if you can. That is what us in the army used to do, after a job well done"

Azula refrained from asking what kind of job Rahi meant, seeing as it was likely something unpleasant; the Fire Nation army was far from innocent, after all. Nonetheless, she offered him a half-hearted grin and another nod. He was right. Of course he was right.

And yet there was no way to clear her mind, not for real. She went flying with Xin Long anew, and as much as she tried to distract herself with his reckless hunting of insects and wild animals, her mind was back in Hui Yi within mere moments: they'd have to send follow-up raids eventually, to ensure the few slave owners who hadn't been found guilty were still upholding the law. Though, rather than more raids, they ought to assign squads into every village as soon as the Enforcers were a big enough group to afford working in distinct units, as every other faction of the armed forces did…

Oh, it was useless. She groaned, dropping her head on Xin Long's neck. The dark dragon asked her if she wouldn't rather visit Sokka, for he might just help her clear her mind, but Azula refused, to his surprise.

"Imagine if we're in bed and I suddenly start rambling about how many members each Enforcers unit needs to have to operate successfully in every town, despite no one will be assigned to that kind of work within at least two or three more years…" she grunted "He'll either laugh at me or lose his patience, and I'm not sure what's worse"

Certainly the lost patience would be worse, Xin Long suspected, but Azula needed to get her mind off her duties, and that was final. She had barely slept, and she didn't seem to stop fretting about the Enforcers ever since Ozai had approved of the project. She had only gotten worse about it ever since they traveled to Whaletail Island…

Xin Long's assessment made Azula grimace. Perhaps, on some subconscious level, she was desperate to achieve every bit of success she could for slaves, as fast as possible, so that in one year she might be able to look Sokka's father in the eye without feeling completely unworthy of being his son's partner… oh, but it was folly, it was stupid, nothing she achieved would possibly be grand enough to make Sokka's family dislike her any less. Katara's hostility had decreased to some degree on the second day of their acquaintance, but Azula had no doubts it would never decrease any further. She deserved no less. But if she could do the right thing by the Fire Nation, prove she was steering it into a better path…

Xin Long shook her violently, startling her out of her newest train of thought. Azula slumped on her seat in surrender as the dragon flew back into the Capital.

"Yes. Fine. You win" she sighed "Maybe that's what this is about. And if that's the case, going to Sokka right away isn't going to help me much either, don't you think?"

Xin Long wasn't sure what to make of her latest conclusion, so he changed directions towards the Palace instead. Thoughts of bubbles, warm steamed towels and perfume suddenly materialized in Azula's mind, and she frowned before surrendering to Xin Long's latest suggestion: the royal spa might just hold the secret to her peace of mind. That was what it was meant for, after all. And if she successfully cleared her concerns away, she would be able to visit Sokka later and properly enjoy her time with him, too…

That was, if Sokka was even home, for he might just go to the Enforcers' Headquarters to instruct the new recruits Rahi had mentioned. She frowned as she made her way to the spa, and she was still sulking about the possibility of not seeing Sokka at all today as the servants washed her hair thoroughly, filing her finger and toenails carefully. Oh, she should've just brought a book with her. A novel, perhaps, about the tragedies and tribulations that befell fictional people whose problems were utterly irrelevant to her actual life…

She asked a servant to bring her one indeed, placing all her hopes in the worlds she might find amidst the pages of a good volume… and yet she couldn't seem to focus, no matter how interesting the book might be. As soon as she read words she could link with lawmaking, freedom, slaves, and even the Water Tribe, her eyes would slip away from the page and drift away to the horizon, her mind racing aimlessly and guiding her no closer to the respite from her responsibilities she was supposed to be working towards.

In the end, she had no idea what to do. She was left to lie down after a massage, face-up, a towel over her eyes, as was the customary position to lie in once the massage was finished. The silence helped little in easing her mind, and before long she indulged, unsurprisingly, in the guilt brought about by the whispering voices in her head that insisted she ought to be anywhere but here, that she had duties, that there was no doubt she would make more enemies than ever before through the Enforcers and their operations…

It wasn't like she didn't know that already, though. Even when the laws were only being debated, her father's council had mostly discussed them begrudgingly, and she could sense the hostility of some members easily enough. So, once they were done with the crime dens and moved up to the middle class they would face a different, more entitled kind of resistance, and nothing would be worse than the highborn, the ones who would be most unwilling to change the way they treated their slaves. She could nearly hear them already, lurking behind her, ready to strike her down when she dropped her guard, hoping to put an end to the boundaries she had attempted to craft around their perfect lives…

And it would be foolish, for even if she were dead the laws wouldn't be likely to change unless Ozai decided on it, and if someone tried to murder his daughter, the sure result would be yet another public execution scene, wouldn't it? Only, this time it would be an execution of the highborn who tried to have her assassinated, and not slaves…

But the footsteps closed in around her regardless.

Only then did she realize she wasn't imagining the sounds. Her body tensed up, and she heard yet another footstep… right next to her.

She leapt up, the towel on her head flying off, her dexterous hands quickly taking up a defensive kata as she stood, barefooted, before the looming threat that had approached her so stealthily just now…

And her gaze met her father's own.

Ozai watched, bewildered, as Azula nearly lost her footing out of sheer embarrassment once she recognized him. Her cheeks flushed, and a small gasp shook her as the Fire Lord, clad in his own spa robe, raised a questioning eyebrow.

"What on earth has gotten into you now, Princess Azula?"