A/N: Some creepy themes in this chapter. I liked writing it. Maybe one day I'll try my hand at supernatural/dimensional body horror stuff.

Without giving anything away, I should probably tell you as a reminder to just expect adult stuff throughout this fic. If it's just especially out there, I'll warn you ahead of time, but... violence and sex ahoy.

animulal: Thanks. Also, back to your earlier review which I couldn't respond to because of FFN's server issue, holy crap yes to Donnie Yen as Piandao and Jiang Wen (looking like Rogue One) as Bato. Picture perfect casting.

red shoulder85: the nightmare sequence wasn't there originally but I'm glad it was vivid, I was hoping it would be a good addition. As for whether it means something, well... :)

Dotsey: I love my 501st boys, but their unnamed homies did march up the Jedi Temple steps and pop off on a bunch of younglings lmao. Also I don't want to make Sokka too much of a Jon Snow type, but it's hard not to with all the wolf parallels and this being a more serious version of Sokka.

Richardsingar: Thank you! Kataang will come... just waiting for more Aang/Katara centric moments to build off.

Therecklessone: Every time I go and watch an episode I realize just how much Sokka was turned into the comic relief guy. He has his moments where his depth really comes out. I guess now that I think about it this fic was really just out of a desire to write a Sokkla story and to give Sokka that depth that he gets in small amounts in the show, in a larger dose. I love throwing random shoutouts to my favorite fandoms, so be on the lookout for more SW, Mass Effect, Assassin's Creed, DC Comics easter eggs.

kingeddie16ne: thank you for your kind reviews!

Sokklafil: thanks! I loved writing that little comedic scene.

MadMeijin: I can't promise Azula won't lose it and fry a bunch of people in the future... :)

Any reviewers I may have missed: (holy crap the reception to this fic has been beyond my wildest dreams): Thank you all, and I apologize if I missed you. I hope you continue to enjoy this fic as much as I enjoy writing it (which is a lot).

Chapter XXIV: Mother's Love

Azula glared at the woman – the spirit, she reminded herself – with suspicion. For the first time, the spirit presenting itself as Sokka's mother tore her gaze away from him, and her eyes – just as shockingly blue as her son's – locked with hers. Her smile didn't slip an inch.

"Azula. I'm glad you're here, too," she said. Her voice wasn't cloying, or overly sweet, nor was it sinister. It was too frighteningly normal, which made it seem out of place in this ethereal world.

"You're not here. You're not real," Sokka whispered.

Kya turned her gaze back to her son. She stepped forwards, two steps towards him; Sokka took two steps back. Azula saw terror and disbelief in his eyes, a sort of fear she'd never seen on his features before. She could hardly blame him - this was different even from her disembodied voices.

"My darling boy, none of this is real," she said, her smile turning sad. "Reality is a different plane of existence from this one." She sighed. "I wish it were reality, Sokka. I wish I was really there for you, for your sister, for Hakoda." She gave a wan little smile. "My love and my children. I am so sorry-"

"Don't," choked Sokka. "Don't go there. You're not my mom. My mom left me and Katara alone." His eyes fell to the betrothal necklace around her neck, and he let out a strangled cry. "Where's Katara? What have you done with her?"

"She's alright, still in the real world, Sokka. I wish I could see her and you both under different circumstance. Safer ones." She took another step towards Sokka, and that was the straw that broke the arctic camel's back. Sokka turned away, tearing into the brush.

"Azula, please, go after him. Before he gets too far. This place is not safe," she said, looking sadly at the Princess. "There are old and terrible things that lurk in the woods."

"Y-you're not his mother, actually, are you?" Azula blurted.

Kya simply smiled sadly. "I will answer any question you have, dear, I promise. But first, you have to bring Sokka here. This clearing is safe, but everywhere else you both will be in danger. Go."

Azula didn't need a second prodding. She turned and ran after him.

The brush was thick, and branches prodded and poked at her, tearing her face and cutting into her clothes. They would have left scratches anywhere else, but nothing tore, and she didn't bleed, though the sting was there nonetheless.

Concepts such as time and space had no meaning in this place. She felt like she ran in circles at least thrice, when she passed the same oak tree – but each time, she came at a fork that was slightly different. She offered a quick prayer to Agni, hoping that she followed the right path.

Soon she caught up to footsteps, and she thought she saw Sokka ahead, running slower and slower. He knelt by a small creek, and she could see his shoulders heave.

As she got closer, a sudden feeling of dread overcame her. There was a strange, stilted sob coming from Sokka… but she'd never heard him cry like that. It wasn't how he expressed pain. Something about the hunch of his shoulders was all wrong, and his back heaved in a way that didn't seem quite Sokka-like.

It only struck her then that the creature ahead of her was breathing as if it was trying to act like it needed air. She took a step back, and then a second, and then the creature turned to her.

It wasn't Sokka. It wasn't anything. Where its face should be was just empty, red skin – not red in a human way, but blood red, like the flags of the Fire Nation. The thing gibbered, without a mouth, and took an impossibly long step to her, longer than any human should have stepped. It raised two hands to its face and began to peel off its skin with claws.

Azula was frightened by little, but that was enough. She let out cry of terror as the thing peeled off its human skin, and a blood red humanoid creature wriggled out of the flesh. It had dark marks on its face and bald head, and its eyes were milky white, slitted like those of a cat. A mouth opened wide, smiling ear to ear, revealing far too many teeth, and a long, forked tongue lolled out of its mouth.

It was slobbering at her, like a hungry thing that hadn't feasted in eons.

Azula willed her flames from her hands, but nothing came. Her bending refused to work, and sheer panic set in. A flicker of glee ran through the red-thing's eyes.

She ran. She wasn't proud of her reaction, but nothing about this place was right, and the thought of what that thing would do to her if it got its hands on her made her quiver with terror.

Again, she lost track of time as she ran. Even though she was sure that she had taken the same path backwards, the forks here were all different, as were the trees. She went left, then right, then left again - though this time, the trees around her began to change. Gone were the oak, ash, and rowan trees - instead, the smell of pine, spruce, and fir pervaded the air, and the ground she treaded upon was strewn with pinecones that crunched underneath her feet.

The thing was no longer after her - at least, not that she could tell. She allowed herself to breathe for a few moments, bent over with hands on her knees, gasping for air. The terror she felt began to abate, until she heard a low mewling noise coming from the trees. She snapped back upright, alert.

The mewling continued. She quickly recognized it as the sound often made by the spider-lynx native to the mountains in the Fire Nation colonies, but the thought of its normalcy didn't comfort her. Normalcy didn't belong in a place like this.

The noise grew closer. Something rustled around in the brush, and she steeled herself for the pounce of the lynx. The eight legged cat was a dangerous predator, but nothing she couldn't handle.

Instead of the cat she expected, a grown man crawled out of the brush on his hands and feet. He was pale and near bald, though long, stringy black hair fell from the sides of his head. When he drew closer, Azula realized he wasn't just pale - he was pure white, unnaturally so. Red lips widened into a sinister smile that stretched from ear to ear, and black-rimmed eyelids stayed open to reveal unblinking eyes.

The thing mewled at her again, and it was so incredibly wrong for it to sound like that. It leapt at her, and now fear could not even move her. She stayed rooted to the spot.

Death - or whatever would approximate for death in this unnatural place - never came. She heard a loud howl, and when she opened her eyes, the lynx-man was dueling with a huge, furry beast. At first, Azula thought it to be a bear, but the limbs were too small, and its haunches were more muscular than fat. Only when she caught sight of the ears and the snout did she realize what it was.

It was a large silver wolf, as big as a pony. Its fur shimmered, and its eyes were icy blue - almost white, but with a tinge of color, like the underside of an iceberg.

The lynx-man clawed at the wolf, but the wolf was too powerful for it. It scratched and clawed the lynx-man until it bared its neck; then, with a powerful snap of its jaws, the wolf tore out the throat of its prey.

There was no blood, and even as the lynx-man thrashed, it turned its head to Azula with that same horrid smile, still making that awful mewling noise. Azula shuddered.

Her savior wolf paced around her, sniffing the air slightly. It approached her slowly, and though she was afraid of it, she didn't run or back away. The thing didn't seem to intend her harm. After inspecting her, the silver wolf paused in front of her, and then dipped one side of his body towards her.

Does he want me to... get on?

Azula approached the silver wolf and touched its fur slightly. It gazed at her with baleful eyes, in which she saw no ill intent. She leapt onto its back, and it gave her a small huff, as if to say finally.

The silver wolf bounded off so quickly that she almost fell off, but after regaining her balance, she leaned forward and buried her arms into the sides of the wolf, clasping its shaggy fur lightly to maintain positioning.

To her wonder, the world around her began to fade and slip as the wolf ran, as if location did not matter. She only then began to realize how wrong it was that she was here. Regular mortal minds, those unprepared for such a journey, were never meant to be in this place - if one could even call it a place. Time and space were irrelevant here. Distance was nothing. Azula could have sworn she saw the stars and distant constellations cross her as she ran, almost as if she was flitting among the heavens, well past the sky.

The wolf came to a halt by another clearing, this one with a radiant pool in the center. Azula got off, and the wolf seemed to huff at her as if to indicate that she should look into it. At first she saw only the shimmering scales of the indigo world serpent that comprised the sky... but when she looked closer, she saw two fish in the pool.

One was black, with a white spot, and the other was its twin in reverse. The floated around each other, as if chasing each other's tail in a never ending dance. And underneath them lay Sokka. When she saw him, his eyes opened, and they were icy-blue, not sapphire like they usually were, but pale and ghostlike. His hair was silver, just like the wolf's fur.

He opened his mouth under the pool, and suddenly he was ejected out of it by some unseen force.

"Oof!" Azula cried, as Sokka slammed into her with full force.

Azula cried out as she tumbled to the ground. She made eye contact with Sokka's face, but the terror coursing in her veins made her retreat backwards on her hands and arms. His eyes were no longer icy blue, but the same sapphire they had always been, and his hair was brown again, not silver. But he couldn't be her Sokka. This was another trick of this infernal place, meant to drive her mad.

"Get away from me!" she shouted, her eyes wild.

Sokka backed away from her, still coughing water into the grass. "Hey, 'Zula, it's me," he said, standing up. He put his hands up in a placating gesture, taking a step towards her. "It's me, Sokka."

"No, you're a spirit or a demon, or something else, you're not Sokka."

His eyes softened, in a way only a human's would. "Azula. Do you remember, a week after we went to Heart's Hollow, you and I ate sea prune stew for like... the fifth time that week. You had a stomachache the rest of the night and you couldn't sleep, so we stayed up talking."

A flicker of recognition appeared in her eyes, and the wildness abated a little.

"You told me your favorite dessert was this drink. It had rose syrup, and cream and milk, and… well, I don't really remember the name," he said sheepishly. "You said it used to give you stomachaches like the one you had that night, but at least it was worth it."

The memory came rushing back to Azula. "Falooda. It's called falooda." She glanced at him. It took only one look at his eyes to realize that he was real.

He extended his hand to her, and she took it. He hoisted her upright, and she pulled him in, locking her arms around his neck.

"Sokka, it's you. It's really you," she breathed. "Spirits and gods, the things I saw in this forest..." the fear she'd felt when she saw the creatures suddenly returned, and she snapped out of his arms to look behind her, but there was nothing but their guardian wolf. "We should get back to the clearing," she said.

"I don't want to see her," he said, obstinately.

"Sokka, she might not be real, but at least she's not a demon with no face." She shuddered, thinking of the way that faceless thing masquerading as Sokka had shredded the flesh of its fake face, revealing the horrid creature underneath. "I'll take my chances with her over the beasts in this forest."

She didn't give him a chance to object. Leading him by the hand, she took him to the silver wolf.

Sokka stared at it in wonder. "A silver amarok... in this place." He knelt and put his head on the side of the wolf, as a sign of respect. "Did he bring you to me, Princess?"

Azula nodded. "He let me ride him here."

Sokka stared at her with an expression of awe and love. "You really have a way with wolves, little dragon."

Azula laughed, despite the absurdity of what had happened to her and the danger they were likely still in. "Maybe he'll take us back," she said.

The wolf huffed and nuzzled Sokka's head, as if to confirm her guess.

Before long, they broke through the brush on wolfback, past the tree line and into the clearing they had woken in. Kya was waiting for them there; when she saw them, she ran towards them, though the sight of the wolf gave her pause. She bowed to the wolf, who dipped his head in respect to her. Sokka and Azula dismounted him, and the wolf huffed on both of them in parting, before bounding back away into the trees.

Azula's grip tightened around Sokka's hand. "You will not run, do you hear me?" she said, through gritted teeth.

He didn't answer her. He still stared at Kya, who looked at him sadly. She glanced at Azula, giving her a small smile of thanks. "Thank you, Princess. Sokka always was difficult to control. Always moving as a child, never in one place at any one time." She smiled, a twinkling of memory visible in her eyes. "I'm glad the silver amarok found you. This is not a good part of the Spirit World, and we are fortunate that he was nearby. Please, stay in this clearing. I took you from Hei Bai as he ran past this place, and as long as you are here under my protection, you will be fine."

"Don't pretend like you know who I am, thing." Sokka's eyes burned with anger, but there was a deep ocean of sadness behind them, too.

Azula decided she would have to play mediator between the spirit and Sokka. Sokka's anger was irrationally blinding him, and if the silver amarok thought that this Kya spirit was trustworthy, perhaps it was worth extending her the benefit of the doubt. "Kya... you said you would answer my questions if I brought Sokka back. Here he is. Now, tell me, are you really his mother?"

Kya stepped closer to them, and Azula's grip tightened so much around Sokka's arm that she was sure she would leave bruises on the skin. "Don't run," she whispered to him, but she wasn't truly afraid that he would. His limbs were slack, and he allowed Kya to approach.

The woman stopped close to him, their faces close. She stared at his blue eyes, as if to ascertain it was really him. She looked back and Azula and smiled. "I had to make sure it was him, and that you didn't bring some face-changing div back from the forest."

Azula shuddered. "I think I ran into one. This red thing that posed in Sokka's skin, with no face... it was just awful. And then there was this other, that made these horrible sounds..."

Kya nodded. "As I said... old things, fell things beyond memory exist in this forest. Divs are some of them. As to your question, my dear... yes. I am his mother."

"I don't believe you." Sokka spat.

"When you were eight, I took you penguin sledding. You were going too fast and you careened into a rocky outcropping. It's how you got this scar," she said, tracing a stray line above his eye. "You cried like there was no tomorrow, but I wanted to laugh, because I was so afraid that you were seriously hurt, or worse, that when I saw this tiny scratch, I was relieved. I bandaged you up and took you to Gran-Gran, who made you grilled tiger seal-"

"Grilled tiger seal meat," Sokka finished breathlessly. "And the next day you let me stay-"

"in bed, the entire day, even though you were supposed to go with your father on the hunt," she said smiling. "Darling boy, you were so dramatic as a child. I knew you weren't hurt, but every year you would get taller, and more like your father, and the more you did the more I wanted to coddle you like you would be my little one forever. It is the curse of parents to see our children grow beyond needing us."

"But you didn't," Sokka said, tears spilling down his face. "You left us before we were done needing you. Kat needed you. I needed you. And you left us."

"Sokka," Azula whispered. She didn't say more, but the intent was clear - it wasn't your mother's fault. There were mothers who were blameless, and others who were not. Kya wasn't like Ursa, and she didn't want to see Sokka push her away like she wanted to push away Ursa.

"I know it wasn't your fault, but it doesn't matter. I missed you every day! Katara used to wake up screaming every night for a year because she saw you die!"

Kya wept too. "I know, I know. I saw it all. I'm sorry, sweetheart. I would give anything to raise you and Katara and grow old and watch you with children and grandchildren of your own. I would give anything for that, Sokka, but I was robbed of the chance. Those men would have killed Katara. I know it might not be what you wanted to hear, but I would make that sacrifice again, to keep her safe."

Sokka's shoulders slumped. "I wish you didn't have to choose." He looked at his mother with a wan expression on his face, and took a step towards her. It was enough for the levee to break. Mother and son swept into each other, embracing in a flurry of tears and sobs. Azula felt her own eyes glisten, but she couldn't stop the small pang of jealousy in her stomach. Truly, she was happy for Sokka, but Kya's unlimited love for her son made the yawning chasm left behind by the deprivation of her mother's affection even more apparent.

"You're so big," Kya sobbed happily into her son's chest. "You're even taller than your father. My little boy, so grown up. She wiped her tears noisily, her lips curling into a smile. "You look just like him, you know. But you've got-"

"Your eyes, I know. Gran-Gran always says. You look just like I remember, Mom." Sokka said with a wet laugh. "Spirits, it's like looking at Katara's future."

"I'll take that as a compliment," his mother said, smiling.

He pulled apart from his mother, but still held her with his arms. "Mom... is Saira here?"

Kya sighed. "I'm not sure, love. Perhaps she is, but not here, not in this clearing. This is a strange place, where time means little. I know you lost her two years ago in the real world, but... years are seconds here, and seconds are years. Best not to think about it too much," she said, patting his shoulder. She chased away his frown with a smile. "I think you're forgetting to formally introduce me to someone, son. Spirits know I tried to teach you better than that."

Sokka laughed, a little nervousness to his voice. "Mom... this is Azula. Azula, meet my mom."

"Hello," Azula said, blankly. Agni, meeting the mother is awkward under normal circumstances already...

Boys never bring me back to meet their mother, Ty Lee's voice complained. At least she seems sweet. She chased away the thought.

Kya gave her a genuine smile and embraced her. Azula reddened, just as she had when Kanna had given her a hug. "At our hearth, you will always have a fire to keep you warm, a meal to fill your belly, and a blanket to keep you comfort," Kya whispered into her ear.

"I think Gran-Gran beat you to the punch, Mom," Sokka said, grinning sheepishly.

"I know, sweetheart." She pulled away from Azula and looked her over. "I just wanted to welcome her into our family myself. It will likely be my only chance. Spirits, you're beautiful, Princess." She leaned in and whispered conspiratorially into Azula's ear. "Well out of Sokka's league, and I hope you never realize it."

Azula smiled weakly, remembering the love Kanna, Katara, and now Kya had showered her with. Sokka's family had made her more one of their own than her own family had... and where it used to trouble her, she instead chose to let it warm her instead. These people chose her willingly, even where her blood had forsaken her.

"I'm sorry about-" Azula started.

"Hush, dear. The attacks on our village were not your fault," Kya said. "And don't you ever blame yourself for it. You and Sokka have a lot of work to do to right all the wrongs of the past, but you're not to blame. We'll have no more of that."

She put a hand on both their shoulders, drawing them closer together. "I cannot tell you the future for certain, but a mother knows these things. The two of you love each other deeply and truly. Stick to that love, for it will guide you through the darkest nights and brightest days, through the stormy seas and the calm rivers." She kissed their foreheads; Sokka had to dip his head for Kya to reach, which made his mother chuckle. "I'm sorry that I could not say this to you down there, my dears, but I say it now, before you go."

"Mom..." Sokka pulled Kya into yet another embrace. "Can't I-"

"No. No matter how much I want you to stay here, you belong down there. There are places in the Spirit World that are happier than this, but now that the Solstice is near, this forest is closest to Hiragana and its guardian, and that forest has been scarred. Such scars from reality sometimes leach into the Spirit World, creating twisted places like this."

"So this forest was better before the fire?" Sokka asked.

Kya smiled sadly. "Before and after are meaningless words here, sweet boy. But the two events are linked. You have to return, eventually."

As if by command, a large, shimmering gate appeared in the middle of the clearing.

"That's your cue, Sokka," she said, smiling sadly. "Go quick, before the dark things in the forest sense it. They will try to come through, for the solstice is nigh and the barrier between worlds is weak. I will keep them at bay, but your presence will draw them in."

"Mom..."

"My boy, please tell Katara how much I love her and miss her. Tell her I'm with her every day."

Tears welled up in his eyes. "I will, Mom. I promise. I love you."

"I love you too, son," Kya said, her voice cracking. "Your father was right. I am proud, so proud of you, my little prince. Now go!"

Sokka tore away from her, his shoulders heaving as he sobbed his way back to the portal. He stepped through with a final look at his mother, who smiled at him as he left.

Azula lingered. "Kya... I don't know if you can make sense of this before I go, but I had a dream... and you said time has no meaning here-"

Kya smiled. "My grandchildren will be beautiful, just like you, dear." she said. "But as for the rest of your fears... Destiny is a fickle thing. It is never one road leading to one destinations, but a number of roads, crisscrossing, always changing, and with multiple destinations. The only thing that stays constant are the few crossroads that you will come to face, and each time, you'll have decisions to make. I do not know what your crossroads are, but remember this: trust in Sokka, and trust in yourself. There will be crossroads where every path feels wrong, but if you do what's best for him, I think you'll find happiness in the end."

The Princess bit her lip. "You're not really Kya, are you?"

Kya laughed, a tinkling, mirthful sound. "Real? Like I said my dear... real and unreal have no meaning here."

Azula looked at her cryptically, but she found that none of the trust the spirit had built dissipated. "You're a memory. An imprint... something of her, lingering here. But not just a mortal soul. I don't think mortal souls could keep a place safe from the horrors of the forest, or see destiny quite so well."

"Mmm... well reasoned. If that is the story you wish to tell, it is not a bad one. But what do you really think?"

Azula was quiet for a second. "The love you showed him, even the love you showed me... it was genuine. Even if you are just some spirit of mercy or compassion, that was real."

Kya smiled at her and kissed her forehead. All of a sudden, her features began to change - she became younger, her face softer and rounder, but her hair stayed black, and her eyes became less sharply blue, more of a dim steel color, like Suki's. Soft red lipstick adorned her lips. Azula stepped back. The woman in front of her had a brief, passing resemblance to her, but she was unmistakably different after anything longer than a glance, and she was definitely Water Tribe. She began to change again - her skin lightened, her eyes became golden, and she became taller. The blue robes that graced her petite frame were replaced by flowing robes of red, until Azula stood watching the mirror image of herself, only fifteen years older. It was Ursa as she remembered her.

"M-mother?" Azula gasped.

The spirit, Kya, or Ursa, or whatever it was, smiled. "I am the love of all mothers, all mothers who ever were, are, or will be. I am Kya, and I am also Ursa. I am Kanna. I was Saira. One day, I will also be you and Katara."

A stunning realization struck Azula: the Water Tribe girl she saw was Saira. She was a mother-to-be.

"My mother didn't love me," Azula choked, as tears fell from her eyes, watering the grass of the clearing. "She never will, now."

Ursa patted her shoulder gently. "My dear... I said all the mothers who ever were, but I also said all the mothers who are."

Azula's head shot up. "What?"

Ursa smiled at her. "I love you, my little princess. You were always brilliant. You know deep down that my vanishing, your grandfather's death - all these events were interconnected. If you want to find the truth, you must go to Hira'a. I shouldn't tell you this, as there are spirits here that will be angry with me... but a mother's love should always be unflinching. Now go! The Divs are coming, I can hear them in the trees."

Azula gulped in the sobs and noises that threatened to spill from her eyes and mouth and nodded. She leapt into the shimmering gate, and disappeared from that inexplicable place, even as the nebula eye of the cosmic serpent gazed down at the tiny mortals who had wandered into his plane.

XXXXX

When she opened her eyes, she was in the burned forest, in what had once been a clearing.

Sokka came up to her, gasping for air, his eyes struggling to focus. He leaned on her, using her figure as support as he tried his best not to keel over.

"Was she real?"

"Hmm?" Azula asked. She heard, but she stalled for something to say.

"I know you stayed behind to talk to Mom for a while."

"I wanted to ask her if there was any truth to my dream."

Sokka smiled. "And what did she say?"

"She said we'd give her beautiful grandchildren, but that she couldn't be sure about the rest of it. And... I asked her if she was really Kya."

Sokka's smile abruptly vanished. "And what did she say?"

Azula thought about her words for a moment. For a minute, she considered lying to him outright, but then banished the thought from her mind. She did not need to tell a lie.

"It was her, Sokka. That sort of love could never be faked. Whatever else we saw in that forest, I know Kya's love for you was genuine."

"Her love for us, you mean." The happy grin reappeared on his face.

Azula smiled. "Her love for us," she repeated in affirmation. She knew Sokka meant Kya, but the words held deeper meaning for her.

"Sokka, Azula!" Katara's relieved cry rang out towards them, as the Waterbender barreled towards her brother and her friend. She leapt into Sokka's arms, crushing him in a bear hug.

"Ow, sis. Easy, my ribs, spirits..."

"You spirits damned idiot! Will you stop almost dying every time I look away? And you!" She turned to Azula. "You're the competent one! What do you have to say for yourself?"

"W-what?" Azula was taken aback by Katara's scolding.

"Never mind, I'm just glad you're both safe," she said, pulling both of them into a tight embrace. Azula hid a smile, thinking of Kya-Ursa's words about Katara's motherly love.

"Kat... I saw Mom in the spirit world," said Sokka, as she let both of them go.

The shock in Katara's eyes was evident. "What...?" She looked at Azula for confirmation, and the Princess simply nodded at her.

"We saw Kya, Katara. Not just Sokka. I was there, too."

"Mom said she loves you and she misses you, and that she's with you every day. Spirits, Kat, she was so young, still, the same age she was when she died. You look so much like her now, only..."

"Only I have brown hair, not black like Mom's," Katara whispered. "Was she happy?"

"She was happy to see us. She said she'd do what she did all over again just to keep you safe."

Tears fell from Katara's eyes. "Oh... Mom."

To her surprise, it was Azula who pulled her into a hug. "She was beautiful, just like you, Katara. And now I see where you get the motherly instinct from." Katara let out a strange combination of a laugh and sob into the Princess's shoulder.

"Did she approve of you?"

Azula laughed. "I'm happy to report that she did."

"Good." Katara wiped her tears and sniffled. "I knew she'd like you."

Aang finally approached, looking sheepish. "I'm sorry about what happened with Hei Bai, guys. I managed to calm him down and get him to release everyone, eventually, but... I was frightened out of my mind when you didn't reappear with them at first. Then I saw two flashes of light in the distance, and we thought it might have been you."

Sokka shook his head. "Honestly, Aang... and cherish this moment... but I'm glad you screwed up. It was the gift of a lifetime. I think when Hei Bai took us and disappeared into the spirit world, my mother's spirit intercepted him and took us to a safe place... which is probably why we appeared separately from everyone else. How did you even manage to talk to Hei Bai?"

"Long story," Aang said, shrugging slightly. "I'll fill you in tonight. I just wanted to say sorry anyway."

"Normally, I loathe incompetence," Azula said, glaring at Aang, "but this time it was welcome. By the way... what did Sokka mean when he reminded you of a promise?"

"Oh... ah... You want to tell her, Sokka? Thanks!" Aang said, brightly, before quickly making himself scarce with Katara to check on the other rescuees.

"I may or may not have had Aang swear to me that if we were both in danger, and he could only save one of us, that he'd save you."

Azula snorted. "You're going to release him of that oath, Sokka."

"Why?"

"Did you not hear Kya? 'Through darkest nights and brightest days', Sokka. You're a moron if you think I'm not going down with you."

XXXXX

They decided to stay in Senlin one more night, if only to catch up on rest before attempting to strike out for Roku's temple for the solstice in two days time. The local inn was burned down, but there were still empty houses in the village that were livable, and each couple had claimed one. Katara slyly warned Suki to stay with them, if she would rather not be woken up at night by "noises." Suki took the hint, blushing, and stayed in Aang and Katara's slightly larger house in a guest room.

That evening, at dinner, Aang caught Azula and Sokka up on what had happened in their absence. He too had been whisked away into the Spirit World, although he was grounded in both that world as well as the real world - something they all chalked up to his status as the Avatar. Aang had grimaced and Katara and Suki simply stared in slack jawed horror as Azula and Sokka described what they had seen in their perception of the Spirit World, including the world serpent, the silver amarok, the divs, and the mindbending reality of the forest.

Aang told them about meeting Fang, Roku's dragon, who spirited him away to Roku's temple on Crescent Island and gave him a vision of Roku's statue and a comet. When Fang returned Aang to his body, Aang had realized that the reason Hei Bai was so upset was because of the destruction of Hiragana.

Azula gritted her teeth. "We saw the aftereffects of that on our side, too. Sokka's mother told us that the spirit forest had been corrupted by its destruction in the real world, bringing out all kinds of foul things."

Aang nodded. "Hei Bai was upset for that reason. He was having to defend his spirit realm from all kinds of things, and on this end, the forest itself was badly damaged. I think, in his grief, he blamed the villagers. When I confronted him, I showed him that the forest would grow back, the way Katara showed me." He smiled sweetly at her, and she squeezed his hand lovingly. "After that, he seemed to calm down, and he turned into a great big panda bear," Aang concluded with a laugh. "Much more adorable than the scary beast that came tearing out of the woods the night before."

After dinner, Katara had kindly filled the tubs in their houses with water, which Azula warmed for them. Sokka had given his sister a very pointed stare when he saw that she prepared only one bath between her and Aang, though Suki got her own separate tub. Katara loudly told him that if he and Azula could bathe together, so could she and Aang - to which Aang had blushed, Sokka had seethed, and Azula had simply shrugged and pointed out Sokka's hypocrisy.

In the privacy of their own house, Sokka practically wrestled Azula into the tub with him, even as she shouted and giggled from the way his arms wrapped around her naked form. She stopped struggling in the tub, if only to avoid splashing all the contents out into the bathroom. She settled into his chest, her back against him, and sighed softly as she felt his stiffening manhood press against her.

"You've been trying to get a chance to do this again since Chin village, haven't you?" she asked him. He only grinned in response.

"Is it so bad that I have multiple fantasies involving you?" he asked her coyly.

"No, no it isn't," she said. Her hands traveled behind her, finding his length, stroking it underneath the water's surface. "Maybe we'll even have time to act all of them out before we get to Agna Qel'a."

"Spirits," he growled, directly into her ear. "This tub isn't big enough for what I want to do to you."

"Precisely why I'm doing what I want to do to you," she remarked, a hint of a smile on her face as she upturned her head to look at him.

She continued stroking him, building up his pleasure, causing his blood to roar in his veins and rush in his ears as she forced groans and gasps out of him. Eventually, it was too much for him to bear, just sitting there and letting her take advantage of him. His fingers began to trace her curves, traveling from her hips to her small waist and upwards, cupping her breasts. As one hand found her nipples and began to trace around them languidly, his other hand traveled down her stomach, lightly playing over the ridges of her muscles, before going further and further down past the soft fuzz between her legs. When he found her folds, she gasped, arching her back as one of his long fingers entered her.

His mouth traveled all over her jaw and neck. His soft kisses became meandering licks, nipping at her earlobes. He sucked on the side of her neck, giving it a little love bite that caused her to moan. A little shred of rationality told her it'd leave a hickey, easily visible the next morning, but she didn't care. She was his to mark, and he was hers.

They couldn't get out of the tub fast enough, not bothering to dry as he picked her up and carried her to bed, her arms and legs locked around him, their mouths furiously dueling with each other for dominance. He practically threw her down, causing her to yelp as she landed on the soft bed, the sheets sticking to her still-wet body. He looked at her for a few moments, admiring her beautiful body - the shapely legs of an acrobat, her toned and athletic torso, the fullness of her breasts, and the way she glistened when wet. He leapt onto the bed, pinning her down, but she wrestled one arm free of his control and began to stroke him again as he planted furious kisses down from her mouth to her breasts, taking a puffed and aroused nipple to his mouth. The moan she gave as a reward for that made him grin as he lightly grazed the nub with his teeth.

Even though he was heavier than her, the princess was nothing if not nimble. She managed to extricate her other hand from his grip and hooked her legs around his waist. In a smooth and lightning quick motion, she flipped him over and straddled him, now pinning his arms down.

"I'm in control, wolf," she hissed into his ear. She knew he was strong enough to break free from her grip, but he gave her just enough of a fight to make it sporting. Once the struggle relaxed, she found his length again, behind her, and fell back just enough to impale herself on his manhood slowly.

He gasped and his arms flew from where she'd pinned them to her sides, grabbing onto her hips as he angled himself better for her to slide down, and slide down she did. Every inch of him was glorious pleasure, filling her in an angle she immediately loved. When she took him to the hilt, she smirked at him proudly, knowing that his pleasure and hers was fully under her control.

Slowly she began to rock her hips, finding a slow trotting pace that made her groan from the friction his groin created against hers. She leaned forwards slightly, trying to pleasure that little button he had found with his mouth their first night against his rough skin. When she found it, the the little jolt in her body caused her to cry out loudly.

Sokka sat up partially, keeping his legs down for her to continue riding, but his torso came up to meet hers, their faces inches away from each other as a mixture of sweat and bath water caused the room to heat up, their windows fogging. He lost himself in her golden eyes as her bucking became faster, and his hips grinded in rhythm with hers. His whispered mindless, sweet nothings to her, their pace becoming faster and faster until neither of them bothered to conceal their pleasure, their moans so loud that the entire village may as well have heard them together.

He could sense her beginning to tremble, the way she did when her pleasure was about to reach its peak, but he wasn't about to let her finish herself. He was going to do it for her.

His hands found her hips and grasped them firmly, stopping her motion. She whined, a little needy noise, as her pleasure was suddenly halted before it could crest that peak and fall headlong from it, but in a flash he'd scooted both of them to the edge of the bed. Still inside her, he lifted both of them up, his powerful arms lowering her until he was fully sheathed inside her warmth again. With two quick steps, he pinned her to the wall, her legs wrapped around his waist, and she cried out as the wall hit her back and forced him even deeper inside her.

"My turn, little dragon," he whispered huskily in her ear.

He pounded her against that wall with no mercy, pistoning into her with a methodical strength and pace that caused her to come near that peak. When he felt her tighten again, he pulled out until he was almost outside her, and stopped.

She cried out in want. "Sokka, please!"

"Please, what, little dragon?"

She didn't have the words. Every noise out of her was just a greedy little thing, begging for release. He laughed, a twinkle of victory in his eyes, and buried himself in her. She saw stars from the sudden entry.

"Like that, Princess?"

"Y-yes."

He almost pulled out again, and then slammed back into her. Agni, she was so close, and he was intent on dragging it out as much as he could for her. She whimpered endlessly.

He repeated that, impaling her against the wall slowly, before pulling out and slamming into her again. She stopped saying anything sensible, and so did he, both of them mumbling and growling and whispering little noises of want at each other until with one final slam, he brought both of them over the edge. She could have buried a scream into his shoulder, but chose not to, letting everyone in the nearby vicinity exactly how well fucked she had just been as he spilled inside her.

His strength didn't last long after, and they both collapsed into a heap on the floor, laughing at how tired they were.

"Spirits, Sokka... I know this is just the second time, but I think you have to stop being this good. My expectations are going to be too high."

He continued laughed into her ear, a rumbling noise that spread a contented warmth in her belly. "Good, because then you'll never want to go anywhere else."

She rolled on top of him, resting her chin on her arm, which she draped over his chest. "I don't want to go anywhere else."

His eyes bored into hers, and again she felt that same flare of love that warmed her so well after their lovemaking. "Do you think it's strange that both times we've had sex, it's been right after moments of vulnerability?"

She shook her head. "Well, we can hardly fuck on top of Appa, and besides... I don't really feel vulnerable during. You make me feel powerful."

"Even when I have you at my mercy against the wall?" he asked with a chuckle.

"Even then. Because you're all mine." Her arms spread around his shoulders. "No one else's. There's a power in that."

His hands traveled through her hair, stroking it. "Have I mentioned I love how possessive you are?"

"No, but I'd say that bodes well for you in the future. No one else can even look at you while I have you."

"Can I look at others, though?"

She punched him.

"Just kidding."

"If I see you even look at anyone else without my permission, I'll-"

"You'll pin me down against the bed and ride me until I make you come four or five times?"

She smiled contentedly. "I think that's a good punishment for a savage like you. I love you, Sokka."

"I love you, my little dragon."

They lay on the floor for a while, but eventually they had to get up, and Sokka led her back to bed. They both laughed as they realized the sheets were still wet from how soaked they'd been after the tub. Azula disentangled them and steamed them out with her firebending. Sokka just stared slack jawed when she did.

"Really, Sokka, we just have mind-blowing sex but the thing that really shocks you is the fact that I can steam out fabric with my powers?" she said, giggling.

He put his arms around her from behind, pressing into her with an already stiffening manhood. "No, but I enjoy watching you do the occasional domestic task."

"I can tell from how little Sokka down there is reacting," she murmured, heat pooling between her legs as desire stirred in her once again. "Lucky for us, these sheets are now dry and warm and ready to be made dirty again."

"Good," he growled. He let her go just long enough to tuck the sheets back into place, before pinning her down to the bed again.

XXXXX

When they woke up the next morning, the rays of dawn hadn't even quite begun to peek out over the horizon. Sokka grumbled something about her stupid firebender's inner clock that made her laugh sleepily as she kissed him. He was stiff against her belly, as they awoke entangled with each other skin to skin.

"How are you ready to go after three times last night?" she asked bemusedly.

"Blame yourself for being sexy. Clearly I can't get enough," he said, smiling a little, his eyes still partially closed.

"Well, you'll have to live without it for a while. I have something to tell you."

"Mmm... can't you tell me while we fuck?" he asked lazily.

"Sure, if you'd like to talk about my mother while you're buried deep inside me," she said, voice dripping with sarcasm.

He suddenly snapped awake at that, and his erection flagged a little, causing her to laugh. "So that's what it takes to keep you in control," she said, as he groaned with disgust.

"Alright, lay it on me," he said, exasperated.

"Kya's spirit told me that my mother is still alive, at Hira'a."

His voice was decidedly less sleepy now, and far more focused. "That's the place Vachir mentioned. The one with your mom's secret lover. How far is it from here?"

She was quiet for a moment. "It's not far from Roku's temple. Different island, though. We'd pass Shu Jing on the way."

Sokka stroked his chin stubble for a while. "We won't have time for both. We'll go to Hira'a."

"Sokka, you need to go to Shu-"

"I know, but not now. Bumi even said that our priority was getting to the North Pole. Between Shu Jing and Hira'a, I would rather go find your mom."

"I can't ask you to give that up for me."

"You're not asking. I'm offering. No, ordering."

"You can't order me around, peasant."

"Oi, enough with the disrespect. I'm a prince now, remember?"

She smiled, despite herself. "Must you be so selfless? I don't like it, because it means I'll feel guilty being selfish."

"Like you said... our path is together, through thick and thin. We're going to Hira'a, and that's final."

A happy, genuine smile crossed Azula's face, though the idea of confronting her mother, if she was still alive, terrified her. She shoved aside the feeling and climbed on top of Sokka, planting kisses up from his chest to his earlobe.

"Round four?" she purred into his ear.

"Spirits, Azula. Let's wake up the entire village."

A/N: The Spirit World is one of my favorite concepts in the ATLA universe. I thought Koh was one of the best expressions of the potential of that setting. Raise your hand if you thought Koh was super creepy when you first watched the show. Let me know what you think of the spirit character. I thought about making it actually Kya, but I thought that might be too cliche. It's probably less satisfying that it isn't, but in my head, the spirit is basically a manifestation of the very real love Kya had for her children.

Little glossary for ya:

Falooda is a Central/South/Southeast Asian cold milkshake-esque dessert drink. It goes by different names in different countries. Very delicious especially in hot summer months. I thought it would be an appropriate beverage for the Fire Nation.

Divs (sing. div or dev, dew in Pashto and Baloch, deo in Urdu), originating from the Avestan daeva, which is related to the word "deus" and its cognates in Western languages, are in Central Asian mythologies and legends, evil spirits. In medieval artwork, divs were commonly portrayed as devilish ogres or trolls, but they originated as evil thoughts that were given life. They are sometimes conflated with jinn.

For visual reference the Red Div looks like the red-face demon from Insidious. The Cat-Noise Div looks a bit like Killer Jeff from that old creepypasta... but less silly.

Hope the tub-to-bed-to-wall-to-bed sex was good.