Ch25

Sokka Alone

Sokka watched as Aang followed the others underground. The hole closed itself leaving him alone in the darkness. He searched around him looking for way to sneak in the shadows back to the castle. Although he had comforted Katara he hadn't really comforted himself. He really had no idea how to get to the king. He just believed it would have been easier alone. But the group had never been separated like this, but in his heart he believed it was the right path.

He then remembered as he searched for it, padding his side. He had forgotten the bag that held the information about black sun. He slapped his face in frustration. He had to go back and retrieve it from their house. He made his way back around the building trying to stay in the shadows as best he could.

At one point he had to get close to the crowd but he was going the opposite direction that the crowd was looking. He noticed an agent giving him a questioning look which made Sokka turn quickly around with the crowd's direction and began faux cheering and booing when the crowd called for it. He then looked back noticing the Dah Li agent had lost interest which made Sokka sink lower as he cut his way through to the back.

As he made his way back to the house he noticed that the crowds were smaller until the streets were completely empty. This wasn't good, he couldn't hide if any Dah Li came by. As he saw his house in view he heard shouts to his far left squeezed between some houses.

He tried to take a step forward then realized one of the shouts was coming from a child, he couldn't just leave a child like that. Sokka changed his path to the struggle. He took a few feet when Momo suddenly jumped on his back with his front feet over his shoulder. "Momo?!" He cried in surprise. "Where have you been?" Momo let out small chatter in response. Sokka looked forward taking out his club. "Come on we'll take him down."

As they got nearer to the silhouettes it became clear it was indeed a Dah Li trying to capture a little boy. "No I won't go!" He cried.

"You're coming with me immediately!" the agent responded binding his hands behind him with the rock gloves.

"No! I don't want to disappear!" The boy screamed.

"Let him go!" Sokka responded taking out his club at the agent, knocking his legs. The agent fell but quickly twisted himself back to his feet countering with a rock boulder from the earth knocking Sokka back. The club flew away from him. "I won't let you!" he struggled greatly back to his feet. He grabbed at his chest. The agent laughed. "I'd like to see you try."

The boy came at the agent kicking at him in the air. He used the kicking to bend earth at him knocking him back. But then the kid slipped and fell with his hands still bound behind him. The agent laughed at the child and grabbed the back of his shirt with one arm. The kid struggled and screamed. Momo jumped on top of The Dah Li's head which knocked off his hat and began scratching the top his head. The agent annoyed began flaying letting go of the boy trying to knock off the lemur. Sokka smirked this was it. "Thank you Momo." Sokka took out his boomerang and gave it a skillful thrust at the agent. It went passed the agent but came around again taking a slice at the agent's throat. The agent's arm stopped flaying and fell to his sides as he slowly fell to his knees. The agent lay on the ground face down with blood tripling around his face. Sokka then caught the boomerang with one hand. He looked to the agent lying on the ground and then to the kid. Momo climbed on Sokka's back.

"I didn't know I could do that." Sokka announced in a happy grin.

The boy looked up at him. "Thank you for saving me." The boy spoke shyly.

"No problem." Sokka noticed the boy's clothes. They weren't the standard upper ring attire. He was in rags. So that's why the Dah Li was after him he thought. He belonged in the lower ring.

Sokka smiled at the boy. "What's your name?"

"Taka," the boy responded.

"Hey that rhymes with Sokka. That's my name." He put out his hand for the boy to shake. Sokka guessed the boy was a little younger then Aang but not by much. The boy shook his hand.

Sokka still had a mission to accomplish but he couldn't leave the child vulnerable to another attack and they needed to get out of there quick before they were discovered with the body. Sokka grabbed the boy's hand. "Come with me. You can't stay here." Sokka pulled and the boy followed making their way to the house. They got passed the doors and huffed loudly. Sokka looked down at his shirt and realized he was wounded pretty badly. The blow the Dah Li gave him was quite a punch. He grabbed at his chest and struggled. Trying to get pass the pain. The mission was still more important.

"I need to pick up something important. Wait here, we need to leave as soon as possible." Sokka stumbled to his back room to retrieve the important documents.

"We can't stay here?" Taka asked. "Do you need a place to stay?"

Sokka thought about it and realized he probably did, it was extremely late and morning would be approaching soon. He also needed a place to map out a plan to get into the earth king's palace. He couldn't do that here. His wound also left him vulnerable, he needed time to heal. Time that they didn't have. At least a day shouldn't put them back too far. As long as the crowds are on the verge of rioting the Dah Li will keep them as main priority he calculated.

"Why? Where can we stay?" Sokka enquired as he entered the room with the bag.

"I live in the lower ring, I am sure my parents will let you stay."

"Why did you come to the upper ring?"

"I was searching for…someone." The boy trailed off blushing sheepishly.

"Oh I see a special someone." Sokka grinned goofily as he poked Taka.

Taka annoyed with being teased hit Sokka's wound with the palm of his hand. Making Sokka fall over and squirm in pain.

"Ow…" He groaned.

"You need a place or not?" Taka demanded.

"Yes please." Sokka got to his feet.

"Then follow me, but make sure no one is following us." Taka cracked open the door searching for any agents. He motioned at Sokka and the slipped into the streets. Momo follwed closely behind.

When they reached the first wall Sokka looked around.

"Are you sure you can open it?" he whispered.

"Yeah, that's how I sneak through the rings all the time." Taka concentrated on moving the earth in the wall. It was extremely thick and heavy and for him a difficult task each time. But it helped him understand the earth more every occasion he manipulated it and he found it made his attacks more advanced.

He placed himself sturdily and gave a forceful punch with his arm making a small opening to the other side.

They looked about to see if anyone had heard them. Sokka gave one last look around before they closed the opening.

Sokka didn't see the Dah Li agent that had been spying in the shadows. He had watched their every move and smiled to himself. "So the avatar's friend and the wall hopper boy have become friends. Long Feng will be interested in this for sure." The Dah Li had known about this boy for a while. They had attempted to capture him a few times but had failed. Sneaking between walls was just not allowed or tolerated. He faded to the shadows with this new information for Long Feng.

They reached the boy's house in the lower ring as sunlight was starting to creep above the mountains. Sokka was exhausted and his wound had only slightly stopped bleeding. Losing blood and sleep deprivation, not to mention worry for his sister had taken a toll on him.

As soon as Taka's parents saw him they immediately took to him, his father helped him make his way into their small house. The wood was old and the place small but warm. Sokka lay on the bed and drifted to sleep instantly. Momo climbed on to the bed chattering softly out of concern.

"What happened Taka?" His mother asked.

"I was…I was..." He looked at his worried parents. "I went to the upper ring again. He saved me from being captured." Taka finally explained.

"Taka you know how risky that is!" His father bellowed. "I better not hear any more talk of this, or do you want to disappear like the rest of the children?" He scornfully looked at his son.

"No...I don't!" Taka cried. He looked at his mom and ran to her arms. "I was so scared!"

She embraced him. "We worry about you." She hugged him deeply as he wept. "You know shouldn't have gone."

"I had to see her again!" Taka sobbed.

"You know she wouldn't want you to be captured. She would want you to be safe." His mom kissed his head and sent him to bed.

"What are we going to do with that boy?" The husband asked.

"What can we do?" his wife smiled back. She then began collecting some medicines and bandages for the wounded warrior. She sat at Sokka's bed side and mended his wounds. Momo crept his way to Sokka's feet and curled himself around to sleep.Her husband watched waiting to be some assistance. They did all they could for the boy and hoped he would get the rest he needed.

Two agents watched outside in the shadows. They were given orders from the agent who had saw Sokka and Taka earlier to keep watch when he went to Long Feng. They knew better then to do anything without Long Feng's permission.