Inspired by the events at the end of Season 2 and beginning of Season 3

Recap of story for those who may not remember: Azula infiltrates the Dai Li by pretending to be Kyoshi warriors and takes over Ba Sing Se. Zuko decided to join with Azula and she 'kills' Aang. Uncle is taken prisoner and they all return to the Fire Nation.

Sunny

"Hey... girl," I wake up to a man rudely interrupting my sleep. "Hey, are you okay?"

I open my eyes and look up at the man. Judging by the light coming through the door, it must be morning.

I turn my attention back to the man. What does he want? He stares at me as if I'm a ghost or something. Geez, do I really look that bad in the morning? Though, I think I recognize this man. He looks vaguely familiar. But then again, it seems everyone is vaguely familiar lately.

Shrugs.

I'm sure it will come to me later.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I was sleeping but not anymore, I guess." I'm a little annoyed about the was sleeping part. I've had so much on my mind these past couple of days that it has been very difficult for me to sleep.

"What are you doing here?"

"Sleeping," I reply. Isn't it obvious?!

"I mean, what are you doing here in this abandoned camp site? Are you sure you're okay?" He seems concerned now.

"Oh, right." I totally forgot where I was. "I was... I mean, I am looking for someone." I feel bad for being annoyed at him before. "Do you, by any chance, know where The Deserter is?"

"You mean, Jeong Jeong?" he replies. Clearly, he knows my Dad. "He left not long ago. I'm not sure where he went though. Zhao showed up with his ship and attacked the camp. We were separated and, when I returned, everyone was gone."

I can't believe I just missed him, again!

"Are you sure, you have no idea where he might have went?!" I ask desperately.

"No, ma'am. I'm sorry," he replies. "But, you look familiar. Do I know you from somewhere?" He looks familiar too. But, to be honest, I don't really care right now. All I can think about is how disappointed I feel that my Dad is not here. "You don't happen to be his daughter, do you?"

That takes me by surprise. Do I know this guy? "Um... yeah. And, you are...?"

"Chey," he replies.

Chey? The man who saved me that day... who placed me in the boat? Right, that's it! I remember his face from that day so clearly. He's obviously older now (and doesn't look totally freaked out like he did last time I saw him) but I definitely remember him. He must have deserted the Fire Nation as well, perhaps after what happened.

"Thank you for saving me that day Chey." I thank him like I've practiced a million times before. I never thought that I would actually have the chance to really say it to him or that it would be so... anti-climatic.

"No, thank you," he replies. Why is he thanking me? I look at him, confused. "If it were not for that day, I'm not sure I would have been motivated enough to leave," he explains.

Interesting.

"Well... I guess I'm glad then?" I'm not sure how to respond. Clearly I'm not glad that what happened happened but I guess I'm just glad that some good came out of it I suppose. "Anyways, I should really head back then I guess."

I gather my things and get back on my dog-horse to go home.

"Where are you going?"

"Back to Ba Sing Se."

"What?! You can't go there!" he exclaims. He looks extremely alarmed.

"What do you mean I can't go there?" I'm really confused. Though, it seems confusion has become a pretty normal feeling for me nowadays. "I just came from there yesterday."

"Yes but... haven't you heard?" he begins but then pauses. "Oh wait, you probably just woke up right now, huh?" I'm glad he finally realizes that he woke me up. "Ba Sing Se has... fallen."

"WHAT?!" No offense but, what the hell is he talking about?! "What do you mean Ba Sing Se has fallen?! It's walls are impenetrable! What are you talking about?" I figured I'd leave out the 'hell' since that's not very nice to say to people.

"Well, according to the papers this morning, Princess Azula infiltrated the Dai Li and her brother, Prince Zuko, killed the Avatar yesterday," he relays the most ridiculous story I've ever heard.

"Princess Azula and Zuko did what?!" I don't believe him. The Dai Li is the most elite police force in Ba Sing Se. There's no way anyone could just walk in and infiltrate the Dai Li overnight. Not even Princess Azula. And, Zuko. Zuko would never do such a thing. "I don't believe it."

"Um, Sunny... Sunny is your name, right?"

"Yes."

"Sunny, it's true," he insists.

"There's no way that it's true. Zuko-" I start to explain to him how Zuko would never just kill someone, let alone the Avatar, but then I realize that I probably shouldn't tell him that since it would likely lead him to ask how I could be so sure of that. And then I'd have to tell him about Zuko and I... and considering the so-called 'report' he read this morning, that probably wouldn't go over very well. "It's just not a very believable story, that's all."

"Well, then go see for yourself."

"Fine," I say and then start my way back to Ba Sing Se.

"Wait, Sunny! No! You can't go to Ba Sing Se." He grabs the reins of my dog-horse.

"Hey, I know you saved my life and all but you really need to let go of the dog-horse. I don't mean to be rude or anything but I have to go back."

"No. It's too dangerous. I'm not going to let you go back there and just get yourself killed," he replies. "I didn't save your life for nothing."

Okay, maybe I should stop for a moment and listen to Chey. It doesn't make sense for him to make up this ridiculous story for no reason. Perhaps there is some truth in his story?

"Okay, what do you suggest we do then?" I ask.

"Well, is there anyone you know who may be able to help us?"

"Um... General How, perhaps? But he's in..." Oh no! He's in Ba Sing Se! I hope he's not hurt. I don't know what I'd do if I had to lose another father! I wonder what happened to him? What they did to him and the rest of the Council?

Thinking about it makes me feel so helpless.

My life really sucks right now.

"Is there anyone else?" he asks. I guess he figured out where General How is by my reaction. I need to snap out of it and think. If this is really happening then we have a much bigger problem than just whether or not General How is safe.

If his story is true then no one is safe.

"There is one other person." I think about Uncle Iroh. I wonder where he is. "Uncle Iroh."

"Iroh...? You mean General Iroh?" He looks a bit confused.

"Yes."

"Right... are you sure you can trust him?" he asks.

Well, considering what his niece and nephew just supposedly did, maybe not. But I think about the sadness in his face when he told me about Lu Ten and the flower pattern he put on the Pai Sho board that night and, well, if I can't trust Uncle Iroh then I can't trust anyone; not even my own Dad.

"Yes. I'm sure I can trust him," I decide.

"Okay, then we have to go see him. If you're sure you can trust him, then we must go and ask for his advice," Chey suggests.

"Um... Chey, that's a good idea but Uncle Iroh's in Ba Sing Se as well."

"Actually, he's not."

"What do you mean he's not?" Chey seems to know a hell of lot more about what happened yesterday than I do.

"He was taken captive and is probably being held in a high security Fire Nation prison in Capital City." Wow, another twist to his ridiculous story. What would make Zuko turn on his own Uncle!? I think about it for a moment. If this is true then I clearly don't know him at all. And to think that I considered him my best friend!

"And what do you suggest? That we just walk in and ask him some questions?"

"Yes, well sort of."

Chey is proposing the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard (besides his story itself, which is equally ridiculous)!

"Oh, that's just lovely," I reply sarcastically. His story and suggestion is so ridiculous that I can't hold back the sarcasm anymore. "So, you refuse to let me go to Ba Sing Se because it's 'too dangerous' but you are suggesting that we break into a high security Fire Nation prison in the capital of the nation where the Fire Lord and his millions of guards are?!" I'm starting to think Chey may be a little crazy.

"Yes," he replies confidently. I guess he didn't sense the sarcasm in my voice when I recapped his plan to him! "Look, I know it sounds crazy." Oh great! He knows he's crazy. What. A. Relief. (sarcastic again). "But, I know a way. I used to work there, remember?"

Okay. I didn't think about that. Maybe he's not as crazy as I thought (though still a little crazy).

"Alright," I agree reluctantly. Maybe this plan is actually a decently viable plan. "I guess Uncle's advice may be worth risking a trip to Capital City."