Honora's Great Escape (feat. Bumi)

Disclaimer, schmishclaimer...

INTERLUDE II

The only good thing about having a reunion in the Fire Nation, Sokka decided, was the food, and the fact that you could order food from the royal kitchens at any time of the day, which was why he was currently in the dining room stuffing his face.

Normally he'd be comatose until midday, but his room was right next to the stupid pig-rooster hutches, and this morning he found out the hard way that they really did crow at the crack of dawn. Tui and La, he was going to give Zuko a dressing-down when he next saw him (although, on second thoughts, this was probably just petty revenge for rooming Zuko next to a mating turtle seal colony last year in the south pole).

He was about to take another bite of his spiced porridge when Zuko came bursting into the room, robes a-flapping and shiny piece of metal askew in his messy topknot. "Do you know where Honora is?" he demanded, slamming his palms onto the table.

Sokka's spoon froze halfway to his mouth as the dishes clattered on the table. "Uh, why're you looking for your honor again? Didn't you get over that ages ago?"

"Not my honor; Honora! My daughter!"

Sokka frowned and rubbed his chin. "I don't know. The last time I saw her was at dinner yesterday. Are you sure she's missing? Maybe you-

Zuko's hands started steaming. "I've looked everywhere!"

"Uh, have you told the guards yet?" asked Sokka.

"Yes, Mai's gone to do that already. I'd go tell Aang but he got called out early this morning on Avatar business." He started pacing the room.

"Hm. Well, I'll help you search outside the palace, if you want."

Zuko looked up.

"But first, I must finish my porridge!" Sokka started shovelling it into his mouth.

"You sound like Uncle Iroh." Zuko paused for a second, then when he realised Sokka would take a little longer than that to finish his breakfast, he scowled. By the time I'm back, you better have finished eating." He turned to leave and almost ran straight into a blue blur that came racing through the doorway.

"Have you seen- Zuko! There you are!" exclaimed Katara, running a hand through her hair worriedly. "Have you seen Bumi anywhere? I can't find him."

"Bumi's missing too?"

"Yes...wait, missing 'too'? Who else is missing?"

"Honora. Zuko lost her. Ha, get it? He lost his honor again!" cackled Sokka. He was simultaneously whacked across the back of his head.

"Not the time, Sokka!"

"Ow, okay, okay!" Sokka rubbed his head mournfully. "But I guess maybe history really does rep-"

"Maybe you should just stop talking."

The three adults stood around Bumi's empty suite. It had been Sokka's idea to go back to the last place where they were seen and look for hints regarding their disappearance. He stood and looked at the area, rubbing at the numerous tender patches on his head where he had been repeatedly whacked. "The garden looks a little disturbed." He knelt to inspect some plants.

Zuko frowned. "That's not too surprising. The gardeners have been doing some work lately, plus it's been windy these past few days."

"But why was Bumi roomed here in the first place?" asked Katara. A frown creased her forehead and she brushed her hand over some plants.

"Yeah, everyone's rooms seemed rather separated this time."

"I don't know. My usual steward has been ill for the past couple weeks, and he got someone to replace him."

"Isn't that a little too convenient?" Sokka stood up and brushed dirt off his knees, watching Zuko's jaw clench, but turned at Katara's sharp intake of breath.

"Look!" She held some singed, blackened blades of grass in her hand.

Zuko took them from her and rolled them between his fingers. "A relatively recent singeing, I'm guessing. Maybe even Honora's flames." He gritted his teeth, and the grass crumbled to ash. Smoke wafted out from between his fingers.

"They were probably captured together, Bumi and Honora," Sokka deduced, stroking his stubble, "and the placing of his suite would have made it convenient, seeing as it's the furthest away from anyone's."

"Agni damn that bastard. I'll get that imposter detained right now."

Katara crossed her arms. "You do that. You wouldn't happen to have a balloon handy, would you? I'm going to look for my son."

"Well, meet me in the back courtyard in ten minutes. I need to find my daughter."

"I'm coming too. No-one messes with my nephew and honorary niece."

There was a brief pause before Sokka cracked. "See? I didn't even point out the pun that time!"

Katara scowled, but before she could say anything, another voice piped up. "Hey, where are you guys all going?" Toph appeared from around the corner.
The other three quickly brought her up to speed. "I guess that means I'm coming too," she announced.

"Suit yourself." Zuko turned to stride off quickly.

"I just have one question; what was Honora doing on her own near Bumi's room?" Toph added. Her milky green eyes were gleaming mischievously.

Sokka could almost hear Zuko's jaw opening and closing like a stunned fish. If he leaned over a bit, he could probably even see Zuko's eye twitch. "...I really hope what you're implying is incorrect, Toph." He hurried off, but that wasn't enough to disguise the smoke from his hands, now billowing gratuitously out from between his fingers.

Zuko barely had time to storm off dramatically when two blurs raced around the corner and skidded to a stop, panting.

"Have you seen," gasped Kya, hands on knees.

"- Bumi and Honora today?" Tenzin finished, breathing almost as hard as Kya.

Sokka and Katara exchanged looks, and started herding the group towards the door. "Well..."

I hope you enjoyed! A review would be great as well :D

ughghghgh schoolwork and exam prep is preventing me from spending as much time on this as I would like, PLUS I'm trying to organise my personal 'NaNoWriMo' (look it up if you don't know what it is :D) so unfortunately your next update will not be coming until some time next week SORRY.

Up next: The two captives make some progress with shit