Chapter 4 – Friends in Low Places
Ty Lee and Sokka disembarked the ship together, in the same port where Katara had stolen that waterbending scroll all those years before. The place had grown considerably, but still maintained a certain lawless atmosphere.
"Well, I have to catch a train, Cutie. I guess this is goodbye," Ty Lee said to Sokka.
"I guess it is. You know, really I'm glad I got to see you again."
With an evil grin, Ty Lee grabbed Sokka by the shirt collar, and pulled him into a sensual kiss. After she broke the kiss, she purred into his ear, "I know you are. Remember what I told you, don't be afraid to let someone in."
After the two parted, Sokka made his way into the town. He'd decided he'd need to buy a ostrich-horse, but first he'd need to get a meal and check if there where any messages from the Order. He was looking for a particular tavern and found it just off the town square, the Laughing Badger-Frog.
Sokka found a table in the corner of the tavern. An old waiter brought him a menu and a cold glass of water. Making some small talk, the waiter said, "This humidity is terrible, and I must apologize for that odor from the docks."
Sokka chuckled, "It's not nearly as bad as a sweaty sky-bison. I'll have the hippo-cow steak, warm and bloody."
A few minutes later the waiter brought him a plate of food and a small package. Sokka pushed the plate aside and opened the package. It contained two scrolls and a small object wrapped in tissue. Both scrolls bore Zuko's personal seal, one was addressed to him personally.
Sokka opened the scroll. Written in the Fire Lords neat calligraphy, it said: Sokka, I know that you're looking for Azula. Make no mistake, I do want her to come home. When you find her, please try to make it clear to her that you are bringing her home, not to some asylum, not to a prison. The other scroll is a personal letter to her from me and the item I've included is her palace headpiece that I'm hoping she'll accept as a token of my sincerity. If anyone can find her, I know its you, Buddy. I'm having the sages send up prayers for your success. Your friend, Zuko.
Sokka rolled up the scroll, put it aside and started into his meal. 'So, Zuko does care,' he thought. 'Even thought enough to send something personal... Wait. That might just work... and her hangout's not too far from here, maybe a half-day's ride...' Sokka quickly finished his meal and went out to purchase a fast mount.
An hour later, mounted on an ostrich-horse yearling that was quickly dubbed 'Horsey', Sokka rode out into the Earth Kingdom countryside bound for a tavern in the middle of nowhere.
…...
It was just after sunset when Sokka arrived at the tavern. From the sound of the ruckus he could hear outside, Sokka deduced that the woman he'd come to find was present, and holding court. He went inside and confirmed his suspicions: a certain raven-haired bounty hunter was arm-wrestling, and beating, a man easily twice her size. She slammed his arm down and said, "Ha! Pay up, Lee!"
The big man grumbled an laid some silver on the table. Then, leering he said, "Hows about a rematch, my kind of rasslin'?"
June, in a single motion, rose from her seat, and flipped the big man onto the floor. With her boot on his neck, she said, "Eww. Not even in your dreams. Now get out of here before you ruin my good mood."
She sat back down and was pocketing the silver when she noticed the young Water Tribe warrior. She eyed him appreciatively and said, "I remember you. You're that Water Tribe kid that was with the Avatar. I hear you're some kind of sword master and ambassador now. Where's your blind earthbender girlfriend? I liked her."
Sokka took the seat opposite June, "Just to clarify, Toph is my best friend, not my girlfriend. And as much as I'd like to reminisce about old times, I'm here on business." Sokka pulled out Azula's wanted poster. "I assume you've seen this particular bounty. I'm wondering if you've tried to claim it for yourself."
"Well, Water Tribe, it's not really any of your business what bounties I've taken on. But even if I was interested in this one, which I'm not, I'd still need a scent sample for Nyla."
Sokka leaned in, "What if I told you I had a scent sample for your shirshu, and could offer you twice the reward on that poster if you help me find her. That enough to interest you?"
June cocked her eyebrow, "Ten thousand gold? Intriguing, but no. What's your interest in her, Handsome?"
"I have my reasons. What I can't figure out is what are yours? It can't be that she's a bender, you've taken on benders for a lot less money. And it's not even the money, you've made enough on some very high profile bounties to retire three times over. You stay in this business for the challenge, the thrill of the hunt. I can't think of a bigger challenge than hunting arguably the world's most powerful fire bender," Sokka said, smugly.
"Don't waste your time analyzing me, boy. Like I said, I have my reasons," rebutted June.
Sokka noticed that the table June arm-wrestled on was also a Pai-sho table. He got an idea. "How about a wager, then. If I win, you help me find the princess."
"What's in it for me if I win?" asked the exotic huntress.
"Name your stakes," Sokka answered.
June smiled, "Alright, if I win, we go up to my place and you show me just how good you are with your sword."
Sokka nodded in agreement, and placed her elbow on the table. Sokka shook his head, "Nope. That's a sucker's bet. I'm thinking more of an intellectual challenge. A game of Pai-sho."
June lowered her arm and eyed her opponent suspiciously. "Alright. Do your worst."
Sokka smiled, "Lady gets the first move."
June nodded, reached inside her shirt, and brought out a white lotus tile which she placed in the center of the board. She then looked at Sokka with a smirk.
Sokka returned her look with an icy glare. "I see you favor the White...Lotus...gambit...ah, hell, I concede."
…...
In June's room above the tavern, Sokka confronted the bounty hunter, "You're an initiate, I should have known. What I can't figure out is why the old man just didn't send you after her in the first place."
"Because she doesn't know me. Iroh thinks she'll trust you, for some reason. He knew if he gave you a push in the right direction that you'd find me and bring me in," June explained.
"Always the Pai-sho master," Sokka muttered. "Wait, that was Iroh's plan all along, and just how is it you're privy to his machinations?"
June smirked, "Let's just say I have Iroh's...special...confidence. Do have that scent sample on you?"
Sokka cringed internally at June's implication. He reached into his cloak and unwrapped the golden headpiece.
June said, "OK, you stay in here for a few more minutes to make it look good for the mouth breathers. There's an old Avatar shrine just off the trail about two miles from here. I'll meet you there with Nyla in about an hour."
…...
Sokka found the ancient shrine and waited as instructed. He wondered which Avatar this shrine was dedicated to. Earth Kingdom, obviously. Not Kyoshi, this Avatar was obviously male. Maybe the last Earth Kingdom Avatar before Kyoshi? That would make this shrine...700, no 800...really old. Sokka's reverie was broken by the sound of crashing underbrush and the snorting of giant, wild, mole-thing.
June dismounted. "OK, let me see the headpiece."
Sokka handed her the object and carefully approached her beast. "Easy, Nyla, baby... that's a good snuffly-wuggly. Momma's got a new scent for you, OK, sweetie..." She held the headpiece near the shirshu's fleshy snout. The beast took several quick sniffs, then started sniffing the ground in a spiral pattern. Then, he sniffed the air, and with a whine, collapsed to the ground and placed his paws over his snout.
June handed the headpiece back to Sokka. "What's that mean? He couldn't find her?" Sokka asked.
"No he found her all right. She's at the one place he just won't go, at least, not anymore," June explained.
"Where's that?
"A convent, about 3 days ride from here, near the coast. The sisters there make perfumes. You should remember the place. Anyway, theres no way Nyla will go back there. Looks like you're on your own, Sokka," June said apologetically.
Sokka nodded, and went to mount Horsey. "Thanks, June. Now that I know where to look, I can take it from here," and he turned back down the road toward the coast, as a light rain began to fall.
…...
Sokka knew he needed to make up time, so he rode through the night and into the next day, ignoring the rain and the cough he'd started to develop. He fought the chills even as he dismounted to give Horsey a well deserved break. He wiped his brow. How could he be sweating when he was having chills. The trail also became windey-er than he remembered. Still he soldiered on. He wouldn't stop this close to his objective. He was having trouble breathing. Somehow, he got back up on Horsey and continued his ride for another day. Then, he thought he recognized it, the gates to the convent. His smile was broken by a coughing fit that that caused him to black out and fall off his horse into the mud.
When Sokka came to, he found himself in a warm bed. His vision still blurry, he saw an angel in white wipe his brow with a cool cloth. The angel in white, with golden eyes smiled at him.
"A...A..zul..a?" More coughs.
"Shh, Warrior," the Angel quieted him. "Rest. You have a fever and are delirious. I am Sister Ta Min, and I'll take care of you."
