"A merciless chapter. Her fight and flight is written so vivid by you." Thank you. :) "It's typical for Azula that she can take a chance even when she seems to have none." Yes, Azula isn't one to sit idly by and just let things happen to her; she'd rather take the option that gives her the best fighting chance. "I think they haven't expect her to survive this trip and even if so they haven't dared to follow her." This is very true. "You write this biting cold and her fainting hope and strength so vivid." Lmao this may or may not be partially due to my hatred of the cold. "Thank you for you wishes for me, I definitely needed this and the little distraction too. I hope it'll be better soon. Have a wonderful day and keep on havong fun with your stories" And you're welcome! Breaks and distractions are one of the reasons I write! Not just for myself, but for everyone else.
Sokka and Dr. Yu-Kang stare at her for quite a long time. Long enough to make her feel somewhat jittery, as though she has said something wrong.
"May I see?"
"See what?"
"The stitchwork."
Azula doesn't know why this is important but she holds out her arms. Dr. Yu-Kang holds her arm up by the wrist and inspects the thin patchwork of scars. "Can I see the ones on your stomach?"
Azula lifts her hikes her shirt up some and holds it there. Dr. Yu-Kang seems to purse her lips in concentration and makes a small sucking noise. "I am going to call for one of our medical doctors and see what he makes of this. I do believe that this is a trademark of The Vine Research Facility. You aren't the first person to show up with these marks."
Azula's heart quickens. "You've seen this before?"
Dr. Yu-Kang nods. "Two others, yes."
"Did they lose their memories too?" Sokka asks.
Yu-Kang presses her lips together and her face darkens. "We don't know, they were found dead. We only know of them because they had been patients of ours and we were suspects in their deaths. We were quite thoroughly investigated."
"Who were they?" Azula asks.
"The son of Admiral Chan and master Jeong Jeong."
"Jeong Jeong is dead!?" Sokka asks. "Does Zuko know about this?"
"I don't have a hand in those matters. That is a job for the Capital City guards. I believe that the chief guard has plans to fill the Fire Lord in at the meeting in a day's time. I will send for them as well," she looks to Azula, "your condition may be part of a rather complex scheme."
Azula shudders almost involuntarily.
"If I may guess, they have taken you and Jeong Jeong because you have extraordinary firebending abilities. It's appetizing to people like them."
Azula doesn't feel as though she possesses such, she thinks that if she had, she would have been able to keep herself from their clutches or, at the very least, from having succumbed to the cold.
"Entertain yourselves and have your meal, I am going to bring in Dr. Phang, he is one of our leading doctors in chi-point anatomy and rehabilitation. I'd like him to tend to your chi-points, they look rather damaged even from the outside." She pauses. "What I mean to say is that you're in good hands, Dr. Phang is a reputable man."
Azula nods. She watches the woman exit the room.
She doesn't stop Sokka when he reaches his hand out and takes hers. "At least we're getting closer to solving this, right?"
She shrugs. "Perhaps. Or maybe it is a dead end."
"I don't think that it is." He replies.
"I just can't believe that anyone would lock you in a room like that…"
She bites back a snippy remark about how he and Zuko had been discussing doing just that only a few days ago. It is a small scrap of progress to have not lashed out at him while he is trying to soothe her. Instead she says, "apparently, I have a lot of enemies. Is it all that surprising?"
He rubs the back of his head. "I guess that it's just hard for me to comprehend how someone could do that…" he motions to her arms and she absently finds herself rubbing them. "And not just to you, but to someone like Jeong Jeong."
.oOo.
Though her body is tight and tense, she holds herself high. He knows that she is strong and determined-he always knew-and yet he still finds it incredible that she can carry herself with such composure even knowing that her chi has possibly been tampered with.
It might be rude but he can't help staring at the scars lining her arms, at the hand he holds with its empty space. He squeezes it without thinking. She has already gone through so many insufferable pains and he is almost certain that there are more on the way, even if they aren't physical harrows.
Despite everything, he just wants her to feel safe and unburdened.
"Stop that." She mutters.
"Stop what?" He asks.
"Staring." She replies, slipping her hand into her pocket.
He flushes. "Sorry."
"You will be if you do it again." She grumbles.
Without thinking, he ruffles her hair as he does whenever he pesters Katara. The princess frowns and he offers her only a psuedo-innocent smile. "Can we just eat now?" She grumbles. He picks up a fork and holds it in front of her face.
"I can feed myself, Sokka." She crosses her arms and fixes him with that pout he is becoming so familiar with. It is almost endearing. Azula herself is rather enduring when she isn't chasing him with a fist full of fire. His stomach does a little flop, he is beginning to wonder if he is getting too fond of her. She already finds him annoyingly affectionate.
He gives his head a light shake; what is he saying? He is just trying to support a friend in need, it is that simple.
.oOo.
Azula lies on her stomach with her arms folded and crossed under her head. Several tea light candles cast the room in a warm ambiance. Dr. Phang carefully massages her chi points starting with the one at the base of her spine. She gives a small sigh as some of the stiffness in within fades away. They aren't even a minute into the session and her body already feels so much less tense.
She hadn't even realized that her chi points were so clogged until the doctor got to clearing the pathways.
"You look relaxed." Sokka notes.
She cracks an eye open. "I was until you kicked the door in."
"Whoops." He mutters. "What are we doing in here anyways?"
"Her chi points are very swollen and congested." Dr. Phang notes. "I just had a waterbender in here, we're working to heal and soothe. Frankly, it is a wonder that she has been able to bend at all."
Sokka pulls up a chair. "You look like you're enjoying yourself."
"Yes." Azula hums softly. "It feels nice."
"It must be like a trip to the royal spa." He remarks.
"Not quite that nice." She replies. Not that she has had much of a chance to truly get acquainted with the palace's spa. But she imagines that it has more to offer than the makeshift one that they have created in Dr. Yu-Kang's office. "You said that you wanted to help me?"
"Yeah, I might have said something like that." Sokka replies. "Why?"
"After Dr. Phang and I talk about what he thinks has happened to me, perhaps you can get some massage tips from him." She finds herself unable to keep her voice from slipping into a languid drawl.
"I guess that I can, but I can't promise that I'll be any good at it."
Azula rolls her eyes. "Don't worry, Sokka. I'm just teasing you."
"Oh…" his face reddens.
Dr. Phang holds out a towel and motions for Sokka to look away as she wraps around her body. "Done." She announces.
Dr. Phang turns back to her. "Hold out your arm please." When she does, he begins tentatively pressing upon her chi points. "Would you like me to share my theory now or would you like me to wait until after we our finished with our massage session."
"Tell me now." Azula replies, feeling a soft flutter in her tummy. She doesn't think that she should be anxious to hear what he has to say. If anything she should be elated to have some mystery cleared.
"Dr. Yu-Kang has mentioned The Vine Research Facility, yes?"
Azula nods.
"I used to be a member of that institute." He confesses. "And then I had a...disagreement with them over some of their proposed methods of study. I am inclined to believe that they have put those methods into action." He pauses as he works on what she imagines is a particularly stubborn kink in her chi network.
"When I was there, they had two goals in mind. One that studies the use of spirit vines to transfer bending types so that a person may wield two or even three elements. The other goal is to make use of the vines for feats such as mind control." He says. "You have peculiar bending abilities and I believe that they were drawn to that."
Azula flexes her free hand. "Why did they need to steal my memories for that?"
"Generally speaking, they aim to extract memories in order to make the mind susceptible to mind control. But with yourself the focus was on transferring bending. I suspect that they have tampered with your memories to keep you docile, being as you have a...stubborn temperament." He explains. "I also suspect that they had a side project in mind for you, one that involved using the vines to alter your personality. If they can manipulate a mind as sharp as yours, then anyone else will be easy pickings."
Once more, Azula's stomach turns at the thought of them molding her mind to their liking and at the invasiveness of the procedures happening at all.
"If they have had any success with you then there might be an earthbender out there who can bend fire as well."
"Are they trying to create another Avatar?" Sokka sputters.
"In some manner of speaking." Dr. Phang confirms. "They have not yet gotten their hands on the actual Avatar so air isn't an element they will have success with." He sets her arm down and she holds out the other.
"These scars are consistent with those found on people who have come to me for surgery on damaged chi points. Such operations have since been put out of practice now that we have waterbending on our side-much less invasive." He notes. "In other words, the people behind this are not from the poles though they have a hidden base there."
Azula hears Dr. Yu-Kang scoff in the corner. "To think that we wasted so much time searching in the caverns beneath Lake Laogai."
"If you were looking for them, then why wasn't Zuko informed?" Sokka cuts in.
"Because they didn't want to get in trouble for negligence and incompetence." Azula answers for her. "It was easier for them to let him think that I ran away."
"We wanted a chance to...get things under control before troubling the Fire Lord." Dr. Yu-Kang justifies. Though Azula sees it as little more than an excuse. "Given what we know now, I understand that this was a mistake."
Azula bites her tongue, deciding that she will save this admission for a time when it might suit her more to bring it up. Instead she waves her hand dismissively and inquires, "speaking of negligence; how is it that I ended up in their captivity?"
Dr. Phang sets her arm down and looks to Dr. Yu-Kang.
"I suspect that someone here might have ties with The Vine Research Facility. The woman who had been in charge of your transfer from this institution to our sister location has since fled."
"And who was in charge of that?"
.oOo.
Sokka can't the shiver from running up and down his spine. She is speaking so matter-of-factly and so firmly. Now that both of her hands are free she holds them clasped in her lap. She sits rigidly and with one leg crossed atop the other. He can't help but think of the apathetic princess she'd been before her flight into the Forgetful Valley.
"It was Yion, princess." Dr. Yu-Kang replies.
Sokka notices the furrowing of Azula's brows. "Yion?"
"She would have had no reason to flee if she weren't involved." Dr. Yu-Kang replied. "She was a nice girl, I wouldn't have guessed…"
"Clearly." Azula replies dryly.
Again Sokka finds himself unsettled. Directed at him or not, he doesn't enjoy seeing this side of her. "You're not going to arrest her, are you?" He nods at Dr. Yu-Kang.
She quirks one of her brows. "Do you think that I should?"
"What!? No! I just…nevermind."
She holds her gaze and he knows that she will grip the subject just as tightly until he elaborates.
"I was worried that you would see her carelessness as an act of treason or something…" He stuffs his hands into his pockets. It sounds ridiculous out loud, but from what he has heard, she has arrested people for lesser crimes.
"Perhaps I'll have Yion arrested for that." Azula shrugs. "Incompetence isn't exactly a crime. Though it ought to be."
Sokka flinches.
"What?"
"What?" He returns the question.
"You're making ridiculous faces and I don't like them."
He almost laughs at the sheer seriousness in her tone over something so mundane. "It's just that…" he pauses. "Sometimes you do and say things that remind me of...of...you." He twiddles his thumbs in his pockets as he clarifies, "the old you."
Azula sighs. "We're not discussing that right now, Sokka."
"I know." He mumbles.
"And for the record, I won't be changing my tone to accomodate you."
But whether she means to or not, she does. When she addresses Dr. Yu-Kang again, it has less of an edge. "How do you propose Yion managed?"
"She has been responsible for the safe escort of hundreds of patients over the past ten years. We had no reason to believe that she would form a connection to a more unethical institution. With her having been with us so long we have trusted her with our institution's logistics." Dr. Yu-Kang explains. "When she informed me that she had a ship ready for your transfer, I had no reason to suspect that it wouldn't be enroute to anywhere but our sister facility."
"Do you not verify these things?"
"We do. Yion isn't a foolish woman." Dr. Yu-Kang notes. "She introduced me to the ship captain. He had documentation and identification. I am now under the impression that these were fake."
Azula nods.
"It was, as I see now, regrettably easy for her to pull this off. I understand how she managed to do it, I just struggle to figure out why-after so much time-Yion would dishonor us so greatly. It is truly embarrassing. I have been working with her for a very long time..."
"It is incredibly easy for people you are close to, to betray you."
It isn't directed at him, she doesn't even give him a pointed glare. And yet he applies the remark to himself.
"In any case, The Fire Lake Institute is ready to go to great lengths to make this right. If there is anything we can do to accomodate you until your brother arrives, let me know. Since your admission here was planned, we have no reason to keep you confined to your room. You are free to enter and exit at your leisure. Explore the island if you will. We will send for you when your brother makes it."
"The gesture is appreciated." Azula says. "Of course, we will have to discuss new protocol for future transfers."
"Naturally." Dr. Yu-Kang agrees. "I will leave you and Dr. Phang to the rest of your session." She makes her way to the door and pauses in the frame. "And if you find that you need to speak with someone about everything you have gone through, I am still your therapist and I am still prepared to do my job."
"I will consider." Azula replies.
"It could help with your nightmares, to talk about it." Sokka suggests when the woman exits.
Azula shrugs as she lays back.
Dr. Phang hands her a bundle of clothing, her own, Sokka notes, not the asylum garments. "I'm going to need you to change back into these."
Sokka turns away from her and waits for her to mention that she is fully clothed again before turning back around. He watches her lay back down again. Dr. Phang lifts her shirt enough to examine her torso. "Much of the damage to your chi is central to your stomach chakra. Which isn't surprising considering that, that is where the fire chakra resides." He begins working to unblock the chi-points around it. "I might have to bring a waterbender in to work with that one."
Azula's posture seems to relax again and, consequently, he relaxes. Sokka decides that, overall, the discussion has made him feel better about her. She isn't so ruthless and unforgiving. He takes her hand again.
.oOo.
"Did I bother you today?" Azula finally brings herself to ask.
"No!" Sokka responds too quickly.
She fixes him a deadpan stare and a raised brow.
"Okay, yeah, a little. But only for a moment." He answers.
It relives her more than she had anticipated to hear that she doesn't absolutely terrify him. She makes herself comfortable on the bed. It isn't as comfortable as the one in the palace, but it is sleepable. "Good."
"Good as in, I'm glad that you're not afraid? Or good as in, I'm glad you were afraid?"
Azula laughs. "Both. I am, apparently, a very good firebender; you should have a healthy dose of fear of me. But I am glad that you aren't off-put."
He chuckles too. "You're something else. I mean I already knew that, but now that I'm talking to you…"
"Lay down." She pats the side of the bed next to her.
"Right there?"
"Right there."
"That close?"
"Sokka, two people can lay just next to each other, yes?" She asks. "It helps me sleep better to have someone near." She doesn't mention that it is he specifically that keeps the nightmares at bay.
"Alright." He mutters as he lays himself down next to her.
"I'll see you in the morning?"
"Unless you leave, yes."
"I'm not leaving."
Azula smiles. "Good night, Sokka."