Sokka's Quest
Chapter 1: The Dream
The second time Fire Lord Zuko had the dream again, he was not worried. After all, only a week had passed since the war had ended and it was probably just the anxiety and stress of all of it ending. He tried just rolling over in the royal bedchamber, but the words of the blue dragon would not leave him:
"Sleep Fire Lord Zuko, sleep…. just like Mother!"
He shrugged it off, it was in the past, he conquered that part of himself, and he'd saved has nation. He walked towards the great hall and sat down for a breakfast with Mai. She'd already been seated and smiled, something he still took getting used to. He felt like that more depressed side of her had fallen away since the war ended, though the bleak sense of humor remained.
"You look well rested," she said.
"Having the weight of a nation on your shoulders will make anyone sleep like a baby Platypus Bear," he said reassuringly.
"He will tell you where she is. If not, we'll find her on our own."
Zuko looked to his plate of noodles and the glass of Uncle Iroh's imported Jasmine tea. He didn't feel all that hungry. He pushed his chair away and went towards the balcony that overlooked the small pond and courtyard where Mai and Zuko played as children.
"I've been having the dream again. I think she might be in trouble. Real trouble, but I don't even know where she is."
Mai was about to get up and walk over to comfort him, but the royal guard rushed in abruptly.
"Fire Lord Zuko, your sister has escaped early this morning before dawn," The first guard said. "It appears the Rough Rhinos have rebelled and were laying in wait off the coast for her escape."
Zuko said nothing. He let out a breath of fire through his nostrils. "Well," he said, "Father hasn't wasted anytime in trying to reclaim his throne."
"Actually sire, your father is still secure in his cell," the first guard reported.
"He would only slow her down, being unable to fire bend now. I think I should go pay him a visit," Zuko said. He looked to Mai and said, "I need you to do something while I'm gone."
"Alright I'll go bring Azula back." She smirked and said, "Wow, I've always wanted to say something like that."
"No. I want you to send a messenger hawk to Sokka of the Southern Water tribe."
"What? Why?"
"Because he owes me a favor," Zuko said as he left the banquet hall.
The metal gate clanged closed behind him. Dank, wet, stone walls surrounded Zuko as he walked the hall towards his father's cell. He was escorted by two guards on both sides, both in full uniform with faceguards.
Ozai was there, smiling his usual overconfident glare at Zuko. His cell had a plat and few pieces of bread laying on the floor next to him. Oddly enough, Zuko felt his father was more at home living in this rank cage like an animal than as a royal king. Some king, Zuko thought, as long as I don't burn the fire nation to the ground, I'll have a better legacy than him.
"Are we going to make these visits a weekly thing, Fire Lord?" Ozai said. It was never "Zuko," never "son," just "Fire Lord," and it still irritated Zuko even though he knew his father wouldn't ever show anything but disdain for him.
"Actually, I've decided you're too close to the capital for my comfort, you're being transferred to the Boiling Rock," Zuko said.
Ozai let out a laugh, "And what new crime did I commit that is worth of moving me to such a notorious prison?"
Zuko opened the door to the cell and the two guards grabbed each of his arms, "You let Azula out."
"Did I? A week on the throne and the new Fire Lord is already paranoid. I couldn't have possibly done that from my cell," Ozai said, never ceasing his grin.
Zuko went into the cell. He started feeling the cold stones of the cell. Finally, he found a stone that gave way on his right hand, but nothing happened. After several more minutes, he found a stone on the floor that, when both pushed together, revealed a hole large enough for Ozai to squeeze through under the cot.
Zuko looked back at his father, who was quite furious at him now and clenching his teeth instead of grinning.
As they walked Ozai out of the prison, Zuko explained. "I never understood why the day you were thrown in here you never stopped grinning. Then I asked the Fire Nation's Chief Engineer who built this prison. After learning you built it, I realized that if you could plan for an eclipse, you could've planned this prison in case Iroh took the throne back from you. The Boiling Rock was built by Fire Lord Sozen and he wouldn't have revealed any secrets about it to you."
The former Fire Lord said nothing as he was led towards a Fire Nation blimp just outside the prison. Yet, before e could reach it, Zuko pulled on his shoulder hard. His hand was fire bending, not enough to burn, but enough to hurt.
"Very well, you have my attention," Ozai said over the roar of the blimps engines and winced in pain as smoke started to rise off the burn.
Zuko pulled back. "I need to know one thing before you leave. Where is my mother?"
Ozai smiled again, "Oh you won't need to worry, Azula will be bringing her to you for a 'family reunion' very soon."
"I guess we'll be short one member then. The warden at the Boiling Rock keeps mesending requests to repair the Gondolas, but you know, they seem to keep getting lost. One of these days, that cable might just… snap. I speak from experience Father, those things aren't very safe."
"You wouldn't dare," Ozai said, trying to see if Zuko was bluffing.
"I told you before you were lucky the Avatar spared your life. Your luck is going to run out if you don't tell me where she is right now; your choice."
Ozai looked at his son and for a moment Zuko saw something in his father he'd never seen before: fear. His father was powerless and Zuko knew he could get away with such a plan though he had no intention of carrying it out. The reason he knew it was working is because he knew that while his father was on the throne, his greatest fear was losing his kingdom to the Avatar, if Zuko acted like he had the same fear of his father, Ozai would conclude his son would do anything to keep the throne
"Bring me a map," said Ozai.