He was slumped back in his chair, one hand lying limply at his side and the other loosely clutching a nearly empty glass of scotch. Papers were strewn about his desk but he ignored the debris, focusing instead on drinking his way through the bottle.
'After all,' he considered, eagerly gulping down another mouthful of the liquid, 'it's not like I have anything better to do.'
It was, in Sokka's opinion, rather depressing. He'd signed up for the job on his friend's urging, expecting to chase evildoers, uncover nefarious plots and win the hearts of gorgeous women. Sadly, his dreams had been shattered.
Work had been slow for weeks. Nobody seemed to need help any more, nobody serious. His last case had been to help find an old lady's missing cat Miyuki. The animal turned out to have been stuck in a tree the whole time.
'Some detective I turned out to be,' he thought bitterly.
Here he was, washed up before he'd even had a chance to get started. Sometimes he thought he should have gone into the invention business, and come up with gadgets to change the world. At least he would be getting paid regularly.
Sighing, he kicked back his chair a bit, rested his feet up on the desk and pulled his hat over his eyes. Perhaps a nap would help, leaving him refreshed and prepared for potential customers. Optimism wasn't his strong point, but sleeping was a vice of his.
Settling in, he began to doze off, the effects of the alcohol sinking in. Colours and images bloomed in his mind - curious visions of a world where people could conjure fire at will, or move rocks without touching them.
His peaceful slumber was abruptly shattered by the sound of his door being opened with some force.
Confused and dazed, Sokka rolled to the floor, blinking at the sudden introduction to the ground. Instinct kicked in and he reached into his coat, fingers clenching around cool metal.
In one swift (if slightly unsteady) movement he jumped to his feet, prepared to fend off any attackers, before freezing in place.
A woman stood in the doorway, dressed in a deep red suit. Her golden eyes swept the room with obvious disgust before landing on him. One perfect eyebrow raised a fraction.
"Are you Sokka Amarok?" She asked, her voice cool.
He straightened up fully, pulling his hand free from his jacket and adjusting his hat away from his eyes.
"That's me," he said, still somewhat disorientated.
The woman nodded as though she'd expected nothing else, the movement setting the bangs at the side of her face aflutter. Sokka's eyes followed them, entranced.
"I am Azula Huoyan," she told him.
He smiled his most charming grin, and stuck out his hand.
"Pleased to meet you. Not every day I get a beautiful dame like you in here," he said charmingly.
Azula regarded the gesture as though she had been offered a live snake, not moving an inch.
"No, I don't suppose you do. In fact, as far as I know no one comes here at all," she said.
Sokka couldn't help but frown at this admittedly true statement. He shrugged, pulling his hand back and sitting behind his desk.
"Well, I guess people's lives are going well enough that they have no need of me," he said defensively.
Azula nodded, her lips curling into a smirk.
"Of course. Fortunately for you, your luck has changed. I am in need of your services," she confessed.
Sokka snatched up his glass and poured another dose of scotch into it. He took a moment to swallow before squinting up at her.
"What kinda help?" He asked.
"I work for the Fire Nation. You know who we are, don't you?" She said.
He certainly did, having had a few run-ins with their goons in his younger days. But the past was the past, and Sokka wasn't one to hold grudges. He nodded.
"Good. One of our employees has gone rogue, and caused quite a bit of damage before escaping. We have been unable to locate him so far," Azula explained.
"And you want me to hunt him down?" Sokka asked.
"Yes. In fact, I want you to lead a team of people in investigating for his whereabouts," she declared.
Sokka paused mid-drink, the whisky nearly going down the wrong pipe. He coughed for a moment, beating his chest before glaring at her.
"Lead a team? Lady, do you see the sign on the door?" He said.
"Yes. It says Sokka Amarok, detective. And after that it says 'and local idiot' in different writing," Azula told him.
Sokka frowned, his eyes flickering to the door.
"Really? It didn't say that earl- never mind. The point is, I work best alone," he exclaimed.
Azula stared at him flatly, her gaze cutting through to his soul.
"I don't think you're in any position to negotiate the terms of your employment. And besides, the man we seek is extremely dangerous. It will take more than just you to bring him to justice," she retorted.
He pouted for a moment, unused to such defiance. Licking his lips, he shrugged.
"Alright, fine. Don't blame me if it goes wrong though," he muttered.
"Blame will be assigned where it is due, Mr Amarok. Your team awaits," Azula said.
Rolling his eyes at her, he nonetheless rose from his seat, fishing a key from his pocket to lock up his office.
"So," he began when he had caught up to her, "what's the deal behind this guy exactly?"
Azula regarded him neutrally.
"As I said, he is a former worker for the Fire Nation. He decided to terminate his employment, and a few of his colleagues in the process. You don't need to know anything more than that," she said.
"That's not enough," he persisted.
"You will find out everything relevant to this job when you meet the other members of your team," Azula said, and wouldn't say anything more.
It was in a wide room with the black flame insignia of the Fire Nation dotted around it that he finally met the people he would be leading.
"Ladies and gentlemen, this is Sokka Amarok, chief of this investigation bureau," Azula introduced him.
"Chief? I like the sound of that," Sokka said, the word rolling off his tongue.
"This is Toph Beifong," Azula said, gesturing to a small, black-haired woman who seemed to be carrying a slingshot of some kind.
"Pleased to meet you," Sokka said, holding out his hand.
"Alright, 'chief'?" She asked, not reacting to his hand and instead punching him on the arm.
Sokka hissed in annoyance, rubbing his new injury and glaring at her. Beside him, Azula sighed.
"She's blind," Azula explained tiredly.
"Blind? What good is she going to be? I'm not here to babysit people," He said tactlessly.
Before Azula could respond, Toph had drawn her slingshot, loaded it with a small pebble and fired it at Sokka's face. The projectile struck him right between his eyes, and he reared back with pain and shock.
"I'm blind, not deaf," Toph declared, putting her weapon away. "And I'm more than capable of handling myself."
"Blind and vicious," Sokka muttered. "I hope you're half as deadly to our enemy as you are to me."
"This is Jet. Just Jet," Azula continued.
Jet was a man of a similar age to him, who sported a cocky smirk and a pair of hooked swords. Sokka eyed them with a pang of envy - he'd always wanted a sword. The two nodded at each other.
"And the final members of your team - June and Nyla," Azula concluded.
June was clearly the oldest member of the group, though still remarkably attractive. There was a look in her eye that clearly told Sokka she was not someone to be underestimated.
Out of reflex he opened his mouth to make a pithy remark about the whip on her side, but deciding better of it. Instead, he turned to the creature lying at her feet. It was possibly some kind of dog. Anything more specific than that was beyond Sokka.
"What's the, uh… Nyla for?" He asked.
"She's for tracking. Best nose found anywhere in the world," June explained. "Aren't you, Nyla?"
Mildly uncomfortable, Sokka turned away from the sight of a grown woman treating an animal like a child. His eyes caught sight of something much more interesting.
"And who is that?" He asked, gesturing at an approaching figure.
Azula turned, contemplating the new arrival.
"Ah, Ty Lee. She's my assistant, not part of your group," Azula said.
His eyes roved over the young brunette, a smile coming to his face. She regarded him interestedly for a moment as she stood by her employer.
"Azula, it's all ready," she said.
The black-haired woman nodded, satisfaction alighting on her face. She nodded at Sokka.
"Please escort Chief Amarok and the others to the site, while I prepare."
She watched the group leave, frowning to herself as she noted the pair's flirting. She'd have to warn Ty Lee against such conduct in future.
But there were more pressing matters at present.
"By Tui and La!" Sokka exclaimed, staring in disbelief at the ruined room.
June and Jet murmured in agreement, taken aback by the devastation. Toph stared blankly. Sokka turned to Ty Lee.
"So, do I finally get to know what I'm even here for?" He asked.
The woman nodded, brandishing a sheet of paper.
"This was our generator room. Coal and other fuels go in, gets all heated up and poof, turns into power. One of the men we had operating it was known only by the nickname Combustion Man. What we've gathered so far is that he rigged the place with explosives," she explained.
"He's got bombs? Oh boy. Was anyone hurt?" He asked.
"Yes, several people were killed and a few more are seriously injured."
"Not a man who messes around then. What's he look like?" Sokka said, moving some of the rubble around.
"According to our records; he's about six and a half feet tall, has various tattoos, including one on his forehead, and has both a prosthetic arm and leg from an injury years ago," Ty Lee recited.
"Sounds like a big guy. I love a challenge," said Jet with relish.
"Those injuries could work in our favour, they'll make him unstable," June noted.
Sokka nodded, stowing away the magnifying glass he'd been using to look around and adjusting his hat.
"What made this guy go off the rails, do we know?" Sokka wondered.
Ty Lee shrugged.
"He's worked here for many years," was all she could offer.
Sokka rubbed the stubble on his chin with interest.
"Maybe he got a better offer elsewhere - and decided to take the chance to sabotage the place while he could," he considered.
"Are we going to stand around all day talking or are we gonna find this guy?" Toph interjected, losing patience.
"You're right, we can talk details later. June, you able to get that creature of yours to find him?" Sokka asked.
June didn't respond for a moment, petting her animal's head.
"I need a scent sample - something he owned. The chemicals in the air here mix the scent up too much for Nyla," she said.
"We have some of his old clothes in storage, I can go get them. You can't leave yet anyway," Ty Lee said.
"Why not?" Sokka questioned, but the woman had already hurried off.
Ty Lee returned a few minutes later, clutching a shirt and with her boss in tow. The golden-eyed woman stood impassively as Nyla sniffed at the shirt.
Sokka narrowed his eyes, staring at the metal gauntlet that now covered her wrist.
"I'm not one for fashion, but that's an unusual choice," he said.
"Focus on what you're being paid to do," Azula commanded.
"Oh don't worry, I'll find your psycho," Sokka assured her. "Well, the dog will anyway."
As if listened to his words, Nyla let out a growl and darted away, pulling at the lead her mistress was holding.
"Well, see you when we get back. Hopefully in one piece," Sokka said, moving to follow after them.
"I'm sure I'll see you before then, since I'm coming with you," Azula said.
"You? First a blind kid and now a suit. You ain't got a slingshot. How're you supposed to do anything against this guy?" He asked.
"That's not your concern. Go on, Chief Amarok," she instructed.
Frowning at the order, Sokka nonetheless trailed after his team.
"Okay, everyone be quiet. Even you, Azula," Sokka cautioned.
The world ahead was barren, discarded rocks littering the floor. An abandoned manor house stood on the hill overlooking the area. The years had not been kind, and without any upkeep it had swiftly fallen into disrepair.
"We've got to do this fast, while we have the element of surprise, alright?"
Sokka crouched down, snatching a stick from the ground and smoothing the earth in front of him.
"Now June, I want you to go in from the hole in the left. Leave your pet here. Jet, you find your way in from the right. Toph, you're going around to the back, and Azula and I will go in from the front. When we're inside, we look for him. If one of us finds him, screech like a hawk. Any questions?" He finished with a flourish.
Jet snorted, chewing on a stalk of grass vigourously.
"What are those markings?" He asked.
"Directions," Sokka said. "Can't you tell?"
"They seem alright to me," Toph said cheerfully.
"Thanks, Toph. Good to know I have your support," Sokka said, oblivious.
Nyla perked up, growling at the wind.
"What is it, Nyla?" June soothed her companion.
Sokka cursed, scrambling to his feet.
"Change of plans, we've got company!" He shouted.
A small black ball landed near them and suddenly detonated. The earth shook as the explosion tore a small chunk out of it.
"Can anyone see him?" Sokka called.
"No," said Toph, somewhat unhelpfully.
"He's near the house, walking towards us," Azula said.
"Get ready for a fight then," Jet shouted, pulling his blades free from their sheath.
"Split up! We don't want an easy target for his bombs," June said.
"Yeah, surround him. We're just doing this earlier than expected, is all. Who needs surprise? We outnumber him," Sokka declared.
Toph made the first move, her slingshot firing towards the walking behemoth. The stone pinged off his shoulder without any effect.
In response, he hurled another bomb, forcing Sokka to shove Toph out of the way. The explosive landed behind them in a tree, which immediately ignited with the blast.
Yelling a war cry, Jet charged forward, swinging his swords wildly. The giant regarded him with a detached stare, holding up his metallic arm to block the erratic attacks, before knocking the blades away. Then he pulled back and struck Jet with his unarmoured fist.
The stalk in Jet's mouth flew free as all the air was expelled from the man's lungs. Gasping, Jet collapsed to the ground.
"June! Defend him!" Sokka screamed as the tattooed goliath loomed over the fallen man.
The pale-skinned woman coiled back her whip, lashing against Combustion Man's side. He paid it no heed whatsoever, cocking back his prosthetic arm. In one swift movement, he brought it down hard. There was a wet cracking noise as it met Jet's unprotected chest three times.
Sokka flinched. There was no way Jet was getting up from that again. They were a man down already, things were looking bad. He turned his head. Where was Azula? He didn't see her anywhere.
Toph was firing away at Combustion Man, rocks pelting the men's shaven head. Her accuracy was amazing for someone supposedly incapable of sight, in Sokka's opinion.
June was staying out of Combustion Man's range, wary after seeing Jet's demise. Her whip was long enough to ward him off, but fast enough that he couldn't grab it. Red welts began to appear on his body from the strikes.
Evidently Combustion Man had grown tired of them, because he reached into his tunic and retrieved more grenades. Carelessly he hurled them towards June, who managed to avoid them narrowly.
Sokka spied one of Jet's hook swords not far from his corpse. The murderer had move on, so Sokka managed to grab them. Combustion Man had his back turned, and Sokka was going to avenge Jet.
Moving as fast as he could without making any noise, Sokka snuck up on the mute killer. Combustion Man was focused on dealing with June, so it gave Sokka a free window to slash at his foe.
The sharp blades sliced cleanly through the flesh, cutting at Combustion Man's undamaged leg. He roared in pain, twisting around, but Sokka had already dropped the swords and fled, too wary to be caught out.
Hit and run, that was the plan. They'd bleed him out like a bull seal back home. It was clear that the injuries were beginning to take their toll on the enraged colossus.
His eye caught sight of Azula, reappearing from behind some bushes. She was fiddling with the strange contraption on her wrist. As he stared in confusion, Azula crept up behind Combustion Man.
She pointed her arm at his side, and it made a whirring noise. The sound caught Combustion Man's attention, and he turned to her ready to take a swing. Before he could move, however, a stream of blue flames shot from the device, engulfing his side.
He screeched in pure agony as the smell of burning flesh filled the air. Before anyone could blink, he charged forward, smashing Azula down with a fierce strike. She flew away from him, hitting the floor bonelessly, clearly dazed.
This was bad. He wasn't going to lose anyone else, Sokka just wouldn't. Combustion Man stared down at Azula with loathing. With all the finality of an executioner, he withdrew another bomb, and primed it.
In desperation, Sokka shoved his hand into his jacket. His heart sang as his fingers met the smooth metal of his beloved boomerang. He had one chance - it had to count.
"Oi, Fairy Queen! This one's for you!" He taunted.
He cocked his arm back, prayed briefly to whoever might be listening, and let the boomerang fly.
The blue weapon whirled through the air. Combustion Man turned to this new interruption with a glare, but didn't have more than a moment before it struck him cleanly in the forehead. For a moment he teetered on his feet, the wounds he had sustained nearly bringing him down.
And then he straightened up, shaking his head free from his stupor. He turned back to Azula, who stared up at him with resignation, and raised the explosive.
It detonated, spraying chunks of meat and blood everywhere. The metallic hand scythed through the air, embedding itself in a tree trunk.
Sokka rushed to Azula's side. The woman was staring blankly at the smoking remnants of their enemy, her eyes dull.
"Are you alright?" He asked.
Her gaze slid to him.
"No. But I'm alive, at least. Thanks to you," she said.
He shrugged, offering her a hand and pulling her to her feet.
"Hey, if you died, who'd pay me?" He laughed for a moment, before shutting his mouth at her bemused expression.
His eyes turned to the beaten body of their comrade.
"Poor Jet. You'll get him sorted out, won't you?" He asked.
"I'll make arrangements. He'll be honoured for his sacrifice," she assured him.
He nodded, helping her along as they headed back to June and Toph.
"Well, I suppose that's that then. I'd say it was fun, but it was actually terrifying," Sokka admitted.
"Yes. Thank you for your assistance, I am in your debt," Azula said.
"Hey, I was just doing my job," he replied modestly.
"Your job, of course. How would you like to work for us full time? We could always use someone like you, I'm sure," she offered.
Sokka considered it for a moment, before shaking his head.
"No thanks, being a detective is what I am, for better or worse. But if you ever need me, you know where I am," he smiled.
She nodded at him, her gaze soft. For a moment they stared at each other, before she sniffed and held out her hand.
He took it, grinning. He gently pulled it to his mouth, laying a soft kiss on the back.
"Well. Goodbye, Mr Amarok," she said, turning abruptly and leaving.
"Goodbye, Azula," he said to the empty room.
He stood there in silence for a moment, before sitting back behind his desk and opening the bottle of scotch. As he savoured the drink, he smirked to himself.
He'd see her again, he was sure of it.
Game Day Round 4 relevant information:
Words: 3490
Prompts: Fairy, Combustion Man, Non-bending!Bender.