RadioDog77: I'm gonna be up front and say that they aren't. 100% honesty here: I hate writing action scenes, probably more than filler lol. I also feel as though a very extended 'kick in the door and battle it out' scene might even take away from the fic. The way I'd write it, I feel like it would almost be redundant or filler. There are other elements of this fic (such as the capture of Long Feng and Azula tackling whether or not she wants her memories back) that I feel take precedence than a 'boom pow!' scene, if that makes sense. Personally, I'd rather omit a scene that I don't feel like I would enjoy writing (because I tend to half-ass those) than pump out said half-assed scene just to have it there lol. Though a face down with Long Feng will be more action packed because that's the fight that really counts.
gemsofformenos: Thanks! :D
"But you truly capture the horror and the panic as both of them meet the illusions which try to get the best of them. It's choking and haunting and so well chosen." It was hard to pick which visions I wanted them to have. I was thinking about having Azula talk to variations of her past self. But I went with Ozai because I feel like she does fear him. I feel like she'd fear him more than she fears her past, even if it is on a subconscious level. "And Sokka meets the same fear. He fears to loose her, that she would turn cruel and evil." But yeah, Sokka is still very afraid at the prospect that old Azula would overpower new Azula. Neither of the two want that. And thanks again for your review! Best of luck to you with all of your real life en devours!
They don't make a move until a week or so comes to pass, when the reinforcements finally arrive. The invasion of the compounds is rather swift and quick, sheer number alone would have done well enough. But in reporting just how terribly they were ravaging and savagely harvesting from the spirit vines earned them aid from the Foggy Swamp Tribe. As it were, the Vine Research Facility had already been treading stagnant but very dangerous waters with vengeful spirits showing their teeth.
The element of surprise had been lost when Ting-Lao had pieced it together that he hadn't been talking to Aikara and the new recruit. No less, the man was easy to apprehend. In way of entrances and excites, there was only one. A poor design choice, undoubtedly, but a fortunate one for them.
The only loose end left is Long-Feng. No doubt, the man will be elusive now that his compounds have all been compromised. But they have yet to figure out what the man's exact goal is. Though Ting-Lao swears up and down that he personally is only in on it for the research. "Call it a crazed craving for knowledge." He squeaks. "A morbid curiosity, I want to see exactly how chi works and how it flows from within. I want to know just what we can do...how far we can push things." He rambles. "It is fascinating to see a born waterbender wield a flame or raise a boulder. I want to know the long term effects…"
Sokka has heard quite enough, next to him he gathers that Azula has too. She stands with her arms folded, looking as cold and cross as she ever had in her war days.
"I can't say that research and fact hoarding is a bad thing." She agrees. "But really, if you had any real love for knowledge, you'd be aware that it is unwise to provoke the spirits...and in their own territory too." She mutters.
"It's not natural!" Sokka speaks up. "Only the Avatar can bend multiple elements." And that isn't even factoring how truly invasive it is to tamper with and alter one's chi and spirit energy. Aang has mentioned time and time again how wrong and how appalling it had felt to reap Ozai's chi away.
Something in Sokka's stomach heaves. What if Ozai is in league with Long-Feng? What if he is trying to get his bending back. Sokka glances over at Azula again. And by taking it from his own daughter…
"What is Long-Feng's goal?" Azula asks.
"It is simple really." Offers Ting-Lao. "Vengeance. He doesn't like you, princess." The man sneers. "And he doesn't like the Avatar much more. Power as well, the Earth Kingdom should have been under his rule. His goal was to bend three of the four elements, create a new Dai Li of dual bending masters, and reclaim what should have been his before you stole that from him." He spits. "We didn't have to wipe your memories, but he was insistant. He wanted the powerful princess to know what it is to be under someone's control."
For once Azula doesn't seem to go tense at the mention of a grittier time in her past. Instead she stares on at him with a degree of indifference. "If it was rightfully his, he'd be on the throne. And if he was fool enough to fail a power play the first time around then he is undeniably unsuitable." She shrugs.
Sokka still finds himself wishing that she wouldn't speak like that, it still sends chills down his spine each time. But he had already told her that he would love her in spite of it. That he wouldn't look at her differently…
"Long Feng is a great leader." Ting-Lao declares. "Infinitely better than you were. You stole his Dai Li and then you banished them in a fit of psychotic rage. There's something wrong with you. We knew it right when we took you."
Now her posture seems to change some. It is so subtle that he only knows it because he has come to know her. She steps, seemingly nonchalantly, closer to Sokka.
.oOo.
"Is that right?" Azula replies dryly. "Do tell me how you'd take to being captured." She pauses, looking around. "I do recall a lot of screeching and kicking."
The man's face colors.
"Really, I don't think that anyone sensible would go down without a fight."
He scowls, "a fight is one thing. What you did...well I've never seen something so feral and unhinged. It was like we hadn't even captured a human. Made it much easier to slice you open and listen to you weep about it."
She doesn't think that a monster would feel as queasy as she does at the thought of it. Her fingers absently graze over the scars on her arms.
"We watched you for weeks before that, you shouted at things we shouldn't see. Threw fire at them too. You were talking about how everyone was coming to get you. Your delusions made it harder for us too…"
"Delusions." Azula mutters. "Are they really delusions if they are true?"
The man laughs. "Perhaps if your mind had picked up on a real threat. You kept rambling about your mother and brother. And that look in your eyes. We knew that we were about to cage a beast."
Though it weaves a very heavy amount of unease into her belly, Azula doesn't take the bait. She waves the comment off. "Clearly I am perfectly civilized."
"For now." He shrugs. "Really we did you a favor, cleansing that evil, broken mind of yours. You think that it won't unravel again if you manage to get your memories back?"
This time her stomach sinks completely. It is one thing to prepare herself to be vindictive and spiteful again and another matter entirely to consider once again dealing with the things that had sent her to Fire Lake Institute.
Sokka vowed that he could love her despite her past, but she thinks that she might be pushing her luck to ask him to accept her with a head full of delusions and visions.
.oOo.
Azula holds up a dismissive hand. "Regardless, Long Feng isn't fit to run anything and it isn't for him to play with spirit energies." She comes to stand directly before Ting-Lao. "It is a fool's errand just like his first grab." She turns away from him and to one of her imperial firebenders. "We are done for the day, lock him back up aboard the ship."
"Wait!" Sokka speaks up.
She peers over at him and nods her head.
"Are you guys working with Ozai too?"
"He offered us information and inside intelligence in exchange for the possibility of getting his bending back." Ting-Lao replies. "Long Feng saw humor in delivering it to him with the knowledge that we'd harvested it from his precious golden child." He glares at Azula.
Sokka wonders if Azula shares the relief he feels in knowing that her father, for once, hadn't deliberately tried to sacrifice her. Though a good lot of his relief comes in know that they won't have to deal with the former Fire Lord on top of everything else.
He wanders over to Azula and rubs her shoulders as the imperial firebenders carry the doctor off.
"You alright?" He asks.
"You ask me that a lot." She mumbles. "I'm not delicate. I…"
"You are a powerful fire breathing dragon. Got it. But I'm not, I am a sensitive guy and I like to make sure the people I care about are okay. I can't lose another person."
"Sensitive…" she rolls her eyes. But her expression softens. "What do you mean by, another person?"
He has to laugh. Even in the middle of everything, she still has many questions. As he walks with her out of their makeshift interrogation tent, he tells her about his fleeting romance with Yue.
Frankly he is glad that she had brought it up, her sympathetic stares are reassuring. It helps him to decide that she has much more compassion than everyone else seems to account for. More than she seems to account for.
"I'm glad to have run into the both of you." Dr. Yu-Kang greets.
Sokka had nearly forgotten that she, Dr. Phan, and his team of healers and surgeons were aboard one of the several ships.
"I am pleased to say that Yion's family has been reunited with her and that she is on her way to recovery. The Fire Lord is going to have her on trial when she does." She pauses. "Though right now I think that you might be more interested in other matters." Her stare wavers between the two of them.
"Go on." Azula prompts.
"Dr. Phang and his team have been going over the research notes. We believe that they are going to be able to safely recover your memories. We will give them until we reach the homelands to study the notes and thoroughly plan out how to proceed. You should have your memories some time next week if you so choose."
"That's...wonderful news." Azula replies.
He can hear the apprehension in her tone and he squeezes her hand.
Evidently Dr. Yu-Kang is as perspective as ever. "You two have grown quite close, I think that, that will be very helpful for after her memories are retrieved." She pauses and addresses Azula. "I've worked with you for around three years, princess. Having someone who you trust and someone who loves you is going to make a very big difference."
Azula seems to swallow and Sokka offers her a reassuring smile.
"You were never a bad person, princess. But you always had yourself closed off."
"You aren't worried that she'll…" Sokka ponders his word choice. "Revert once she gets her memories back?"
"I'm not terribly concerned, no." Dr. Yu-Kang replies. "If nothing else, the princess is an intelligent young woman; I'm sure that she'll realize that there is no sense in tarnishing salvaged relationships so that she can cling onto old resentments."
He wishes that he could tell what she is thinking.
"Yes, I suppose that there is no sense in that…" she trails off.
He thinks that it is the reassurance that she needs.
"I will let Dr. Phang know that you will be ready for the procedure. Have a good evening."
"Yes, thank you." Azula replies. "Good night."
Sokka grins, she hadn't hesitated to take the offer this time. Though he is certain that she still retains some level of anxiety. He can't say that he blames her. They are going to be playing with her mind, quite literally.
"What if I lose my memories again?" She vocalizes her final, unaddressed fear.
"Then I'll tell you your life story the first time you ask for it this time around." He laughs.