The smoke was the last thing he remembered. Thick, black smoke that made his eyes water, and the deafening silence that came afterwards. It was probably than when the darkness began. He closed his eyes for a second and when he opened them he was there. A small, filthy cell, so dark that he needed minutes to adjust.
Fire Nation, he knew. Is Aang... dead? And Katara? It seemed impossible. Aang was the liveliest person he has ever met, he was fun, frantic, smiling. Katara's a water master, she could protect herself from anything, and Toph can't be surprised, and Suki's an elite warrior. So why is he there alone?
He reached to his back. Boomerang wasn't there, and neither ware the Space Sword, machete, or maps. He didn't expect any different, but missed the familiar feeling of Boomerang in his hand. His chances to escape plummeted substantially. But Toph would know how to find him, she could feel him move. So he started pacing, to make it easy for her. Soon everyone will come and bust him out, with wind and water and flying rocks... his head hurt.
Is he in the Boiling Rock? The place seemed too isolated. His cell was the only one there, as if it were build just for him, unlike the constant buzzing of the Rock. There's no guard near him, that's good. But on the other hand, why would there be? Unless he can break through the lock with his fingernails, he's trapped there forever.
He closed his eyes and mustered all the positive attitude he could find. A voice very similar to Katara's told him, Don't give up hope. Don't give up hope. They're getting you out. There's always something you could use. But it didn't last long. Soon he gave up, closed his eyes again and hoped that when he opens them he'll see Appa flying nearby. Then he heard steps.
"So you finally woke up, Sleeping Beauty?" a fairly old prisonguard walked to his cell with a bowl of rice. "We've been saving this up for you ever since you got here."
He tried to formulate a coherent sentence. "How long... since when am I here?"
"Bon apetite," she said and threw the bowl to his feet. Half the rice scattered. It was gray.
Sokka didn't know how long it's been since he last ate, but he wasn't hungry. As if he's in a dream. But Sokka doesn't dream, he thinks. So it must be real.
He wished he could bend like Katara, run or fight back. What the hell is he supposed to do?
Footsteps echoing. He closed his eyes again. It's Suki sneaking in disguise.
"Are you meditating?" asked a poisonous voice once the steps stopped.
"Azula," he opened one blue eye.
"Water Peasant," she said. "Aren't you enjoying your meal?"
"I lost my appetite."
"Strange. From your play I got the impression you never lose your appetite. I'll make a bad hostess if I won't urge you to eat."
"What do you want?" he started to lose his patience.
"I just wanted to say good morning. It's been seven days since you got here, I hope you slept well."
"Seven?" Sokka mumbled, trying to figure out the consequences.
"The Avatar is dead, in case you were wondering." she turned around and started walking.
"Wait!" he shouted, almost out of instinct. She halted. "Where's my sister?"
Azula kept walking.
Since then, Sokka went to sleep and woke up. He deducted it's been one day. He can't lose count... Zuko told him, Azula always lies. He could only be in there for several hours. Aang's still alive. He's the Avatar! He defeated Azula dozens of times already, he can handle the Firelord. It's... impossible. As he lay there, he stared at the rice scattered on the floor. A tiny ant crawled near one grain for a moment, ignored it finally and walked between the bars. He sighed. They're coming, he mumbled, they're coming.
He forced himself up and felt the familiar pinch of abysmal hunger. He did feel as if he hadn't ate in eight days. He grabbed his chopsticks as if someone else was controlling his body. Grain by grain, almost infinitely, was shoved into his mouth. It was a miracle he didn't spit it all out. I can't die here. Must eat. Stay strong for when they come.
When he finished, Sokka held one chopstick and began engraving a line on the wall. A stunningly boring monotonous activity, a tiny screech, thousands of repetitions. Eventually a small line began forming on the wall. One day, at least.
When he heard the steps again, Sokka hid the chopstick quickly. Azula came in again.
"I see you ate, eventually."
Sokka said nothing.
"I brought you something. I tend to lie often, but this time I made an exception and even bothered to provide proof." she through a small object through the bars. "Have a nice day," she smiled, and her eyes shined like the eyes of a cat.
Sokka picked it up. His mother's necklace. Katara's. "Wait!" he screamed, just to hear his voice echoing back from the walls, while Azula's shadow walked away.
He gazed at the necklace, laying flacid and lifeless in his hand. It can't be – that's not even proof. It doesn't mean Katara's dead or captured, Zuko managed to get hold of it when she was perfectly fine. It doesn't mean anything.
He reached to his own neck. The traditional choker his father made for him was gone too. He hadn't took it off since Hakoda left. Could it be that somewhere, Katara is holding his necklace?
Sokka engraved ten lines on the wall already. He spent most of his time observing the insects in his cell, hoping they'll show him a way out. But the holes in the wall will never be big enough for him, and the cell seems so isolated. Katara's voice, the one who said that Whatever happens, we can't give up hope, for it is all we have left, began to fade a little.
A lot of voices were fading. The sound of Aang's laughter, and Toph's jokes, and the words Suki whispered in his ear, and Zuko's hoarse voice when they flew in the war balloon together.
He missed flying. The light breeze patting his face was now replaced by the dense air of a room which hadn't been ventilated in decades.
But they're not dead... I mean, really. We've been through worse.
"Hello, Water Peasant. Did you not hear me come in? After so long without company I thought you'd be thrilled."
"Where's Katara? Where are my friends?" he asked, syllables rolling on his lips, and it's almost refreshing.
Azula's wicked grin faded. "You're unmannored and impatient? Fine, I'll tell you, again," she rolled her eyes. "The Avatar's dead. Water Bender's dead. And that's all for now. You know, you should be thanking me for dropping my obligations as Firelord just to visit you in this horrid place."
"You're Firelord? That means... Ozai's dead. You are lying, Aang's still alive!"
"Ozai's not dead, Dumdum," she said vainly, "He's the Phoenix King now. I rule the Fire Nation, he rules the world. Well, for now, at least."
"That... that's... you..."
"Didn't I gave you enough proof? I have never met anyone who likes to ignore reality as you do."
It hit Sokka like a slap in the face.
"Look, I don't know what kind of sick game you're playing, but i'll get out of here eventually and you'll get what you deserve!" Sokka wanted to shatter the bars on his cell just to strangle Azula.
"The world is my game. And guess what? I just got a telegram I thought you'd like to read." she handed him a piece of paper and he snatched it out of her hand.
Invasion to the Water Tribes leaves tomorrow. Send backup. In order of Phoenix King
"Are you from the Northern Water Tribe or the Southern?" she asked with her eyebrows raised.
"Southern," he said through gritted teeth.
"That's nice. We plan on conquering it first, because it's so defenseless. Dad allotted only four ships for this invasion. Isn't that funny?"
Sokka crumbled the telegram in his hand.
"You know, I always thought you were supposed to be the smart one out of the four of you. Your ideas, the Invasion. If I hadn't found out about it it could have worked."
"I know."
"That's why I think it's so astonishing you hadn't figured out a way to escape yet. I guess you're not that useful without your little friends."
Don't cry, Don't cry, Don't cry
"Your warrior talked so much about you. She claims you're funny. You've been my guest for ten days and you hadn't made me laugh yet. I'm waiting."
"What did you do to Suki?" he yelled with fear, "she wasn't even near you when you - " when you killed us all.
"I didn't bother myself trying to find out about her. But you, the guest of honor..." she smiled.
"You should have just killed me."
"What would be the fun in that," she said.
As she walked away, Sokka couldn't help but believe her. It's been so long. But don't give up, Sokka, we're on our way, her voice in his ear.
That day, Sokka couldn't see much through the smoke. Once the comet striked. Fire everywhere. Katara, Zuko and Suki were nowhere to be found. Aang went to confront the Firelord. Toph stayed with him, protected them both with earth-boards, rocks, mountains. It just wasn't enough.
After a while he realized that actually, it's very reasonable that Katara's dead. She's a Waterbender. What chance did she have against Sozin's comet? That's the second mother he lost.
After twenty-something lines, one of the guards found out about Sokka's engravings and his chopsticks were confescated, probably in order to bore him to death. But it didn't really work- Sokka wasn't bored for a second. He kept thinking. Remembering. The gray rice brought back the smell of meat roasting on a bonfire, the four of them eating it together and tell spooky stories. A quick look at his blue sleeve reminded him of the south pole, Gran-Gran, canoes, Yue. Scratching the hair that grew a bit too long made him think of his warrior days, the hope of the Invasion, and Suki. His palm, completely black from dirt, rekindled the days when it was just the three of them, him floating peacefully in a lake while Aang and Katara passed a stream of water to each other.
The memories were still tangible. He could have touched them, smell the smoke of the bonfire, get solked by the water. But the details faded, and he could no longer remember the gesture Toph gave when she wanted to move a boulder, or the tone Aang used when he wanted to do something out of schedule.
He forced himself to hear Katara. Conversed with her in his head. Don't worry, Sokka, it would be over soon. We're just waiting for the right moment to get you out. It's a bit hard without a plan, she laughes, but we're on our way. Don't give up hope. Don't ever. Hair loopies fluttering and blue eyes like his, staring back at him.
The only voice that was clear in his ear was hers. Azula, who bothered keeping him company almost every day. The sound of steps, gradually increasing and then a lengthy shadow on the wall, and she's there, taunting him.
"Good afternoon, Great Sokka of the Water-Tribe," she said.
He looked at her with fury.
"I presume you remember what I ordered you to do."
"I won't do it," he said decisively.
In a bling of an eye, she fired a bolt of lightening at him that missed him by a few inches, leaving the smell of scorched hair and a dazzle that wouldn't fade. Sokka took a deep breath. He bowed his head and said, "Good afternoon, Firelord Azula."
"There. Was it that hard? Well, here are the updates from the frontline, because I know you care about current events. We finally have the Northen Water-Tribe. The Southern is completely vacant, of course, I doubt if there's even so much as a penguine left. But Father and I are pondering- should we colonize it or just leave it as a wasteland? What do you think?"
"Why are you doing this to me?" he looked down, trying to repress the image of Yue's father laying dead in red snow.
"You were always my favorite. Sure, it's easy to fight when you can harness all four elements, or at least one. But let's face it, you can't do anything. But somehow, time after time, you just bounced back and tried again. Pathetically, of course, but it's still appreciative."
Sokka looked at her silently. She stood so close to him that hair her brushed his forehead.
"Three great benders and the Avatar died that day. But you... how did you do it?"
"All of them? I thought at least Toph... or Zuko..."
"Please. Don't fail me now, I was sure reality sunk in weeks ago."
"It has... I mean..."
She kissed him. It was horrible. Belligerent, evasive, surprising. Her hands firm on his shoulders, preventing him from moving, or breathing. She kept holding him even after her lips departed from his. She gazed at him and smiled almost insanely, observing his expression.
"What do you want from me?" he asked, drained.
"I want to break you slowly," she said.
There are no lines and Sokka lost count. He doesn't know how old he is, how long he's there or what date it is. He stopped having conversations with Katara, and her voice faded entirely.