A/N: So, relatively new to the AtLA fandom, but I absolutely love the show. Decided to write this.

WARNINGS: Violence, Angst, Slavery, Forced Fighting, Abuse, Non-graphic Child Abuse/Sexual Abuse, Death (no main characters), torture, slight language (a bit harsher than the show, nothing too serious)... Anything that remotely ties into those... And if you notice anymore that I didn't think of, please let me know.

PAIRINGS: Zuko/Mai (Maiko), Aang/Katara (eventually) (Kaatang), Sokka/Suki (Suka),

While language and stuff isn't an issue, this is still rated 'T' because it will be dark, kiddies. Very dark. Not graphic enough to go to 'M', but still. Be warned, as this goes on, it's not going to be a happy story, and -depending on my mood at the end -it might not even have a happy ending.

FULL SUMMARY:

In a world where Benders make up only a small portion of the population, they're made slaves at a young age, and trained to fight in arenas as gladiators. The House of Sozin is known for its harsh, brutal, yet effective training methods; the reigning champions for the last fifty years have come from their training school.

Rumors swirl around the current champion –Zuko, the youngest champion in over a hundred years, trained under the tutelage of the greatest champion ever known: the Dragon of the West. Nobody knows for sure what the truth is, but most sources agree that he's the illegitimate child of some Fire Nation Noble. All sources agree that –in time –he might even replace the Dragon as the greatest champion.

But Zuko has been temporarily forgotten in the excitement of new rumors. Supposedly, House Sozin has acquired the last of the Air Benders –a long-rumored extinct tribe of Benders who haven't been seen in over three hundred years.

A Gladiator A/U, where the Gaang are trained by House Sozin to fight in arenas.

"Again."

Zuko's one good eye narrowed, glaring at the chubby, elderly man sitting on the side lines, but he kept silent, stepping back into the starting form of the kata.

Taking a deep breath, he centered himself, moving his feet –left to the front, pointed out, right to the back, pointed to the right –and raising his hands.

"Begin!"

Starting small, merely encasing his hands in flames, he threw two punches, followed by a sliding side kick, before moving into jumping spin kick. Landing, he finished the move by sending duel jets of flame shooting twenty feet into the air.

Holding the pose for a few seconds, he kept his head bowed, waiting.

"Very good, Zuko," Sifu Iroh said, taking a sip of his tea. "Your stance was perfect."

The scarred young man scoffed as he pulled himself back to a natural stance. "I would hope so. It's a starting kata."

"It is always good to remember the basics, Zuko. Especially since Master Ozai has ordered you to help train the new recruits coming in today."

The young man scoffed again, rolling his eyes as he sat down next to the old man.

"I don't want to train the new meat," He said angrily, grabbing the proffered cup of tea from the man, and swallowing it down as quickly as possible. "Half of them won't survive the first week, and half the ones who do survive won't amount to anything more than opening game fodder at best. The one or two who might actually amount to something? They're not going to be Fire Benders, and I'm going to want to turn them into ash in frustration when they refuse to learn the way I teach."

Iroh sighed, setting his own cup down. "Zuko… You must teach these new benders. Master Ozai has ordered it. This is your last chance. After what happened with the last bunch… I would not risk his anger, Zuko."

"Please. I'm the Champion of Ba Sing Se and Capitol City. I'm taking 20 to 1 on the Northern Pole. I shouldn't even have to train the new slaves."

"Do you remember what happened last time you informed the Master of your feelings?" Iroh asked softly, but his voice still carried a sharp edge. "You forget what you are, Zuko. You may be the Champion of House Sozin. You may be one of the best Fire Benders in three kingdoms. You may even be the greatest gladiator in the three kingdoms. But for all that, you are a slave, Zuko. Just as the new recruits you call 'meat'. Just as I am. Just as the those who draw the Master's bath. You overestimate your value to Master Ozai and House Sozin. You overestimate who you are, and where you stand. And one day, it will get you more than a burned face –it will get you killed."

He wasn't exactly surprised when the teenager stood angrily, fire blowing from his nostrils as he breathed angrily. He said nothing, staring down at Iroh, golden eyes blazing in the morning sun, before stomping off across the training yard to his small room.

Iroh sighed, bending a bit of fire to warm his tea. It wasn't cold –as a matter of fact, it was still fairly hot –but it gave him something to do, and an excuse to sit and think a bit longer.

He wouldn't deny that the boy had good reason for a healthy sized ego; he truly was one of the best Fire Benders Iroh had seen in ages. Perhaps as good –or even better –as Iroh himself had been fifty years ago. There was a reason that –for the first time in Iroh's knowledge –the Champion of House Sozin was barely out of his childhood years. Most Houses wouldn't allow anyone below the age of eighteen to enter the arena, leaving the boy standing victor over men ten or even twenty years his senior.

But the fifteen year old had a vicious temper. Which was an excellent thing to have in the arena, but it did him no favors in his ludus, well-known across the three kingdoms for being one of –if not the –harshest in the world. And Ozai was perhaps the most brutal master House Sozin had ever seen.

"Sifu Iroh?"

Iroh pulled himself from his thoughts, forcing a smile to his face as he turned to look at the young Earth Bender kneeling before him.

"Sifu, if you are finished helping the Champion, perhaps we can start our session early?"

Iroh chuckled, pushing himself to his feet, feeling his knees creaking beneath him. "But of course, Haru. But we shall have to hurry; the new group will be arriving before Agni finds the center of the sky."

"Have you heard the rumors, Sifu?" The young man asked excitedly, stepping into position on the sand.

Iroh smiled, a twinkle in his eye as he took up his own position. "Indeed. Who hasn't?"

"And is it true? Agh!"

Iroh chuckled again as the boy yelped, barely pulling up a rock wall in front of him in time to dodge Iroh's fire.

"You should concentrate on yourself, Haru; otherwise you may not live to see if the rumors are correct." Despite his words, there was no malice in his voice.

He'd learned a long time ago that –no matter who was Champion, or who was new, who was in favor, and who was out –all of the Benders at House Sozin were in the same boat. There was no use squabbling amongst themselves, like dogs scrambling for the largest piece of rotten, vulture-maggot infested meat.

But that didn't mean he was 'easy' on them either. As Sifu, his job was to ensure they would survive in the arena –a difficult job, given that Lady Luck played as much a part in their lives as anything else. He'd seen great warriors meet their deaths because of a small branch, or first-timers land a killing blow in the first hit.

But he did his best. And he'd like to think his best was pretty damned good, all things considered, he thought with a grim smile, leaping back to avoid the tidal wave of rock coming at him. He rarely lost more than a handful of men a year, and most of those were –again –the fault of ill-fated luck.

Or over-excitement.

Haru groaned, rubbing at the back of his head as he pulled himself off the ground. Iroh offered him a hand, pulling him close to inspect the wound.

Ah, a minor thing. Head wounds bleed much, and frequently meant little.

"If your mind had been centered, that never would have happened, Haru," He said sternly, looking the man in the eye. "In the arena, I easily could have turned that into a death blow, and I would be without my favorite Earth Bender."

Haru grimaced sheepishly. "Apologies, Sifu. I… You're right. I wasn't paying attention."

Iroh clasped his hand on the man's shoulder, moving him towards the healer's tent. "I will admit though… it is an exciting thought. Now go get that checked. It wouldn't do to have you bleed to death on me."

"Sifu Iroh?"

Iroh turned, a smile coming to his face at the sight of one of house slaves.

"Mai! It's been a long time since you've graced my aging eyes with your glorious beauty!"

An eye roll, and slight quirk at the corners of her lips was the only expression she gave him. The house slaves –all the female slaves, really –were well used to his incessant flirting, and knew he meant nothing by it. He'd lost his wife many years ago, and had steadfastly refused to take another.

But Mai was one of his favorites. The girl was never obvious about her emotions –reminded him of his wife. A raised eyebrow here, flaring her nose… That was about as overt as she ever got.

Which was probably good seeing who she served.

"Master Ozai would like to see you in his office. Immediately," She added dryly, gesturing towards the house.

"Of course. Lead the way."

Iroh bowed low, hands folded across his chest as he came to a stop in front of the Master of the house.

"You summoned me, Master Ozai?"

The dark-haired man sitting at the desk looked up slowly, a small frown on his face.

"Yes, I did. I'm sure you've heard the rumors?"

Iroh nodded. "Of course. Everyone has. And they're all talking about it."

"They're true. I have the first Air Bender in captivity arriving with the others this afternoon. What are your thoughts?"

Iroh barely managed to keep his surprise off his face. Ozai had always lacked any real subtlety –a fact he was well used to –but his casualness about the issue was astonishing.

"Well, Master Ozai… I would worry about training him. I know nothing of Air Bending. But I would imagine after a few weeks, I could work out all the little issues. It's simply a matter of learning," He said respectfully.

"Do you think he could be ready for the Water Tribe fight?"

Iroh raised his eyebrows. "The one in two months? Or the one next year?"

Ozai rolled his eyes. "The upcoming fight, Iroh. Obviously."

"Permission to speak plainly, Master Ozai?" When Ozai nodded, Iroh took a deep breath. "I would advise against it. Even if I could work out a training regimen suitable to his style in such a short time, I fear he wouldn't be prepared –mentally or physically –to fight other Benders in the arena. And with such a rare commodity, losing him to a fight because we pushed too fast would be a waste, and a shame. Besides, we have Zuko to fight in the Water Tribe fight. He's the ones the crowds will be rooting for. The Air Bender should have his own match, carefully picked, to stand in his own glory. Perhaps in the Capital games in the fall?"

Ozai leaned back in his chair. "I can see the wisdom in that. Time to pick an ideal match, and present him in such a way that the crowds will be clamoring to see him. I'll think on it."

"Master Ozai, if I may, who else is coming in today? For Benders, of course," He added quickly, making sure Ozai didn't think he was overstepping his bounds.

Ozai waved a hand dismissively. "An Earth Bending girl –supposedly she made quite the stir in the underground circuits – and a newly captured Southern Water Bender girl." He searched through the papers on his desk for a moment, before pulling one up and glancing it over. "The Water Bender is fifteen, and the Earth Bender is twelve."

"Twelve? That is… young to be making a name for herself, Master Ozai. Few Benders younger than sixteen have ever stood in an arena. I hope we're not planning on putting her in the games?"

Ozai's face darkened, and Iroh immediately regretted his words.

"You will test her to see if she's suitable. If she is, she will fight. Zuko was only a year older when he first entered the arena. And now he is champion for two Nations, and set to take the Water Nation championship. We make champions here, Iroh. You either help in that process –setting aside your useless 'morality' –or I'll find someone else to do so. My father let you act above your station; I will not. Do not make me have this conversation again."