AN: So I've been getting a lot of questions how the characters' names are pronounced. Tsai (sounds like sai or sigh) and Mecha (sounds like meka/Mecca)
(Also let me know if you can find the 2 parallels in this chapter.)
"No one can make tea like, Uncle." Zuko stated as he finished pouring some tea into some cups in front of him. He felt a pricking stare at his side. "Well maybe Tsai can." He added nervously appeasing the girl that was glaring at him.
He smiled slightly and looked down at the cups, "But hopefully I learned a thing or two."
"I taught him how to brew tea," Tsai said proudly leaning over and whispering to Toph who genuinely did not care.
He set the teapot down and picked up the tray, "Would you guys like to hear Uncle's favorite tea joke?"
"Sure." Katara agreed reluctantly.
"I like jokes." Aang added eagerly.
The red-headed nodded and looked at him eagerly. She missed Iroh dearly. The older man had brought her a lot of comfort during some of the hardest times in her life.
Toph smirked and added her own confirmation, "Bring it."
"Okay." Zuko said as he stood and walked over to kneel between Haru and The Duke, both of whom helped themselves to a cup from the tray. "Well, I can't remember how it starts but the punch line is 'Leaf me alone, I'm bushed.'"
Tsai actually laughed. Not because the joke was funny but because this dork could never get the punchline right. Her face burned a little in embarrassment when she realized nobody else was laughing. They all turned to look at her awkwardly. Zuko coughed uncomfortably and stood walking over to where Aang and Katara were sitting.
"Well, it's funnier when Uncle tells it."
"Right." Katara drawled mockingly as she picked up a cup from the tray. "Maybe that's because he remembers the whole thing."
Aang laughed, helping himself to a cup while the rest of the group chuckled in agreement. Zuko smiled slightly and straightened then made his way over to Toph and Teo. He handed a cup to Teo then to Toph.
"It's nice to get a chance to relax a little." Toph commented with a smile, accepting the cup Zuko placed in her hands. "It hardly ever happens."
He walked around Toph and kneeled on Tsai's side handing her a cup. She took it from him her hand lingering over his for only a moment.
"Thank you," she said not meeting his eyes.
"You're welcome." He responded turning away also not meeting her averting gaze.
Toph groaned a little at the dense tension those two were exuberating. It was almost painful to be around them.
Zuko stood back up and walked over to where Sokka was sitting just a little outside of the group's circle with his back to them miserably poking at the group with a stick.
Sokka looked up at Zuko when he stopped in front of him, "Hey, can I talk to you for a second?"
He got up and walked away, Zuko watching him leave before setting his tray down and following. They walked out into the courtyard where Appa was resting, several yards away from where the group was sitting around the fire where the two could converse in private.
"So," Zuko said quietly as they came to a stop beside Appa, who woke up and looked at them a moment before going back to sleep, "What's up?"
Sokka crossed his arms and stared out at the canyon with his back to Zuko. "If someone was captured by the Fire Nation, where would they be taken?"
"What do you mean?" Zuko asked suspiciously then he narrowed his eyes and demanded, "Who was captured?"
"When the invasion plan failed, some of our troops were taken." Sokka replied, turning around and gesturing with both hands, "I just want to know where they might be."
Zuko was quiet for several moments then spoke stoically, "I can't tell you."
"What? Why not?!"
"Trust me, knowing will just make you feel worse." The scarred prince stated flatly, and he turned to head back to the group.
Sokka quickly stepped forward and grabbed Zuko's shoulder, stopping him in his tracks. He hesitated a moment then sighed, "It's my Dad. He was captured too. I need to know what I put him through."
"It's not good, Sokka." And it really, really wasn't. The prison Zuko assumed Sokka's father had been taken too was the worst in all of the Fire Nation.
"Please."
Zuko closed his eyes and exhaled heavily before replying. "My guess is..." He paused and opened his eyes, turning to stare Sokka in the eye. "They were taken to the Boiling Rock."
"What's that?" Sokka questioned, frowning slightly.
"The highest security prison in the Fire Nation." Zuko explained, keeping his tone flat while Sokka gaped at him slightly. "It's on an island in the middle of a boiling lake. It's inescapable."
Sokka frowned harder and turned away, crossing his arms tightly over his chest as he thought furiously. He forced himself to sound nonchalant as he asked, "So, where is this place?"
"Why do you need to know?" Zuko demanded suspiciously, "What are you planning?"
"Nothing." Sokka replied hurriedly and he turned around to stare at Zuko innocently. When Zuko just narrowed his eyes at him Sokka laughed and waved his hand dismissively, "Boy, you're so paranoid."
Zuko didn't believe the other teen's innocent act for a second, but he answered Sokka's initial question warily, "It's in the middle of a volcano between here and the Fire Nation. You guys actually flew right past it on your way here."
"Thanks, Zuko." Sokka said with a grin and he yawned widely, patting Zuko's shoulder as he walked past him, "Just knowing makes me feel better."
"Yeah." Zuko deadpanned as he watched Sokka's back, "I'm sure it does." He retorted easily seeing past Sokka's façade.
It was the haunting hour. Sokka opened an eye suspiciously and looked around to see if anybody was awake. Aang lay fast asleep so did his sister. The fire slowly dying at the center of the circular formation in which they were sleeping. He slipped out of his sleeping bed roll carefully and began gathering some supplies as quietly as possible, careful to avoid making any noise or to step on any of his sleeping friends. Fearful of waking them and being caught.
After he tiptoed past his sleeping sister and towards a sleeping Appa in the nearby courtyard, turning around to make sure the others were still asleep. He sighed in relief when he saw that everyone was still sleeping peacefully. He turned to continue towards Appa, only to suck in a quiet breath and freeze, his eyes widening when he saw Momo sprawled out in front of him, just beneath his raised foot which almost stepped on the lemur.
Sokka glanced over his shoulder at the group to make sure the small noise hadn't woken anyone, then carefully stepped over the sleeping lemur.
"Sokka?" He heard his name and a chill went up his spine when he turned and saw Tsai leaning on the edge of the courtyard as she usually did during her many sleepless night. "What are you doing?" She asked confused and stood up approaching him casually.
"Shhh!" Sokka hissed making Appa wake up with a quiet grumble. "Keep quiet!" Sokka said over his shoulder as he tiptoed his way to Appa where he began climbing up his side. "I have stuff to do. Places to be." He said ominously.
The girl simply cocked her head to the side and starred at him oddly. Sokka grabbed the rim of the saddle to pull himself up.
"Not up to anything, huh?"
"Wyah!" Sokka yelped in shock almost having a stroke at the surprise. He lost his grip on the saddle and falling to the hard stone floor with a loud thud, his supplies spilling from his bag. The girl looked at him with her arms crossed over her chest a humorous smirk plastered on her lips.
"You could've caught me you know?" He uttered painfully.
"I know," She said with a small smile enjoying his momentary suffering.
Tsai was surprised when she saw Zuko peering over the edge of the saddle glaring at Sokka with an impassive expression.
"Do you Fire Nationers not sleep?!"
Tsai and Zuko exchanged a confused look and she simply shrugged her shoulders. Sokka groaned quietly and slowly sat up, rubbing the back of his head while glaring up at the two Fire Nationers.
"Fine. I'm gonna rescue my Dad." He grumbled in annoyance as he began gathering his supplies and putting them back in his bag, "You happy now?"
"I'm never happy." Zuko deadpanned dramatically.
Tsai rolled her eyes and let out what sounded like a huff. "Lighten up, will you?" She tossed at Zuko. "You're planning on going back to the Fire Nation?" She asked turning her attention back to Sokka.
"No. My father is being kept prisoner at the Boiling Rock and I'm going to rescue him." He explained as he tossed all of his supplies back into his maroon bag. He saw both of their judging expressions.
"Look, I have to do this. The invasion plan was my idea. It was mydecision to stay when things went wrong." He straightened and hefted his bag of his shoulder. He walked back over to Appa as Zuko jumped from the saddle to the ground. Sokka stopped in front of him and stared him straight in the eye, his expression determined. "It's my mistake and it's my job to fix it." Sokka brushed past the other teen, "And neither of you will stop me."
Sokka was about to climb up the saddle when he realized something.
"Tsai! Your brother might be there too!" He exclaimed and the realization hit her like a ton of bricks. She hugged her body and eyes drifted away to thoughts of her brother and how he had stayed behind to hold Azula back so that they could successfully escape.
All optimism she was known for seemed to drain from her being "What if… What if he's not?" She said sadly.
His fate was unknown, and she had sworn off all thinking about his fate. It was painful enough to admit if he was alive… or not. Besides it's not like she could do anything about it…
"But what if he is?" Sokka insisted looking down on her.
Zuko looked from Sokka to Tsai and could see the anguish in her eyes. "You can't live in uncertainty. There's only one way to know." He said to her.
Her discomfort was visible in her body language and expression. Her knuckles turning white as she held onto her arms tightly. He wanted to reach out to her. Hold her. Tell her everything was going to be OK, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. Not after having sworn her up for good. He wasn't good for her, everything bad that had happened to her in her life had one common denominator:him.
"We're going with you," Zuko announced after a moment "No. I have to do this alone." Sokka said looking down from the side of Appa's saddle.
Tsai's eyebrows went up, she was about to speak but was interrupted.
"How are you going to get there?" The former prince demanded sharply, and he gestured towards the sky bison, "On Appa? Last time I checked; prisons don't have bison day cares."
"Especially Fire Nation prisons."
Sokka nearly fell of the Appa's back again while Zuko whirled around,
"Come on, we'll take my war balloon." Zuko stopped moving when he realized the girl wasn't tailing after them.
"What are you waiting for?" He asked bluntly, maybe a little harsher than he had intended to sound.
"I'm... Not going with you." She stood back. "Why not?" He pressed. "If your brother is there it's the only chance that you have to save him and if he's not… You can still help save Sokka's dad."
"I can't," she spoke with a strained voice. "I'm emotionally unwell and besides I don't have my hidden blades anymore." She raised up her naked forearms. "I will only get in the way," She admitted.
He was silent for a moment and simply starred at her.
"I know my limits," she added hesitantly shifting uncomfortably under his gaze.
"You wouldn't get in the way." He said before turning away. "And... "He said over his shoulder. "We both know you don't need your blades to kickass."
"Where are they?"
A certain red head stirred in her dreams. She was currently having a nightmare with Katara in it. She grumbled for her to go away.
"Where are they?" The voice insisted again, this time her voice much louder and rougher.
She cringed before being soaked to the bone and jolting out of her sleep. She opened her eyes and saw Katara, Aang and Toph who were standing around her as she slept.
"Was that really necessary?" She snapped wiping the water out of her face beyond annoyed at the rude awakening.
"Where are they? My brother and your boyfriend?" Katara demanded.
"He's not my boyfriend!" She exclaimed frustrated.
Why did everyone think that?
"And for your information they went fishing. Left before dawn." She stood up and squeezed the water out of her clothes before Katara removed them from her with her waterbending and retreated it to her canteen.
"Oh, and Aang, Zuko said to practice your firebending while he's gone. He said to do 40 sets of fire fists and 20 hop squats every time you hear a badger frog croak," she said wiping the sleep out of her face. "40 sets and 20 hop squats?!" Aang exclaimed.
'Or was it 20 sets and 10 hop squats?'She couldn't remember exactly what his words had been.
It was then that a nearby badgerfrog croaked loudly. An evil grin formed on the girl's face as she put her arms behind her head and stretched.
"Nobody else has homework." The young Airbender muttered sourly.
"Nobody else has to save the world," the girl called out. "Let me know if you want to practice non-fire bending with anyone." She called out to him as Aang moved to stand in a clear area and placed his hands behind his head, shifting into a squatting position. "One hot squat. Two hot squats. Three hot squats. Four hot squats..."
"Why'd they leave?" Katara asked eyeing the girl with mistrusting eyes. "Dunno," The other shrugged. "Sokka said something about going to get some meat." She said as she began to walk away.
"Someonealso said you have the personality of a wet mop." She added bitterly making it blatantly obvious they were her own thoughts.
"Where are you going?" Katara asked condescendingly which annoyed the girl to no end "You have laundry duty again today."
"I have things to do" The other grumbled. "I'll be meditating in the upper deck." She said irritated "So no one bother me!" She warned grumpily.
Sokka leaned against the back of the war balloon's basket, near the propeller while Zuko firebended into the fuel tank with one hand, the other held behind his back. Awkwardly they caught each other's eye as Zuko stopped firebending for a moment then looked away in uncomfortable silence.
"I have to regain my honor." Sokka said as him and Zuko traveled through in his Fire Nation air ship.
"Believe me, I get it. That's why I came with you." Zuko said as he firebended some more coal into the airship's engine.
There was an awkward silence looming over them.
'Say something…' Sokka thought to himself. 'Say something!' He repeated to himself awkwardly.
"Pretty clouds." Sokka commented after a moment, looking at the clouds they were flying through.
"Yeah..." Zuko muttered flatly as he glanced at the clouds, "Fluffy." He agreed his painfully stunted social skills were really no help.
Silently clearing his throat, Sokka began whistling idly to fill the uncomfortable silence. Zuko frowned at the sound and turned towards the other teen.
"What?"
"What?" Sokka unintentionally echoed then shrugged sheepishly, "Oh, I didn't say anything." He hesitated a moment then stated awkwardly, "You know, a friend of mine actually designed these war balloons."
"No kidding."
"Yup. A balloon. But for war."
Zuko turned back to the fuel tank and sent another blast of fire into it, "Well, if there's one thing my Dad's good at, it's war."
"Yeah," Sokka agreed nonchalantly, "It seems to run in the family.'
"Hey, hold on." The former prince protested sharply, turning to scowl slightly at the other teen, "Not everyone in my family is like that."
"I know, I know," Sokka replied with no small amount of sardonic humor, "You've changed."
"I meant my Uncle. He was more of a father to me." Zuko sighed, turning away and bowing his head sadly, "And I let really let him down."
"You know, I think your uncle would be proud of you. Leaving your home to come help us." Sokka shrugged emphatically, "That's hard."
Zuko shook his head and bended more fire into the fuel tank, "It wasn't that hard." He was sure that if the Fire Lord was his father Sokka- hell anybody would've probably made the same decision.
"Really?" Sokka questioned, leaning forward with a curious look. He wasn't sure he believed the former prince's statement. It had to have been at least a little difficult to leave his home, "You didn't leave behind anyone you cared about?"
Zuko was silent for a moment as he thought of everything he had left behind. His father, his sister… His Uncle had gotten away… and then there were Ty Lee and Mai. Of course, he cared about Mai, after all they were childhood friends, but it wasn't like-
"No," He answered after a moment.
"I do wish that I…" He cleared his throat and trailed off. "I wish I'd done things differently." He admitted regretfully.
"Why?" Sokka asked crossing his arms over his chest. "Because of…" The Water Tribe boy felt odd poking at questions so bluntly. He waited for the scarred prince to finish the statement.
"Tsai," he let out in one breath. "Yeah." He answered with a sharp nod.
Sokka leaned back against the basket and tapped his fingers against the rim, speaking with forced flippancy, "My first girlfriend turned into the Moon."
The former prince glanced over at him, "That's rough, buddy."
"Yeah, I feel you. Mine turned out to be the Sun."
Both boys looked at each other and couldn't help but share a laugh at their own ridiculously unique situations.
"Yeah," Sokka agreed with a soft sigh then he perked up and grinned slyly. "You know," he began. "I know you two have your ups and downs, but at the end of the day I think she still really cares about you."
Zuko darted his eyes towards Sokka attempting to appear extremely uninterested in the subject.
"She even told me about you," Sokka spoke casually. Zuko felt as if he was being baited. "Really?" He asked slowly turning to face him in the most casual manner he could manage. "What-What'd she say?" He crossed his arms over his chest appearing completelyuninterested.
"Just girl stuff," Sokka shrugged his shoulders and rolled his eyes. "She said you were smart, funny. Not evil - Something about an organ? Ah, I don't remember well." He scratched the top of his head.
"Really? She doesn't think I'm evil?" Zuko repeated with a bit more emotion that he intended to. Realizing this he cleared his throat and tried to play it cool, but it was too late. Sokka sniggered at his reaction.
"You came to look for her brother, didn't you?"
"Partly," Again the Fire Nationer admitted. "I know what it's like to have to restore your honor. I understand where you're coming from. Finding Mecha… That's another story."
"He's not well… You know?" Sokka said after a moment. It appeared as if his mind was a faraway distant place.
Zuko arched an eyebrow. He remembered meeting Tsai's older brother what seemed to be a lifetime ago.
He seemed like any other Fire Nation teen. Similar to Tsai in their optimistic and family-oriented natures. Perhaps even goofier and more mischievous in nature.
"Just- don't expect the Hotman to be too friendly if we find him." Sokka warned.
"Embrace yourself…" A certain red head hummed to herself as she sat meditating. "Embrace your emotions… Empower yourself…'
Again, she focused on what had happened back in the Sun Warrior Temple. She focused on the care she felt for both Aang and Zuko on how she would've done anything to protect her friends. Her breathing became controlled when she did. She almost felt a little more lightweight.
Aang stood nearby too busy practicing his firebending and following his teacher's instructions obediently doing his fire fists and fire hops.
Unbeknownst to her body emitted a faint light as she sat on the edge of the second story courtyard. Vines had begun to grow and bloom beneath her crossed legs which went unnoticed to her. After all, the sun was life.
"Do you even plan on getting around to doing the laundry?" Tsai was abruptly snapped out of her mediation. She opened an eye and glared at the voice that scolded.
She had strictly asked them not to disturb her.
"I don't understand why Ihave to do the laundry. I mean you arethe waterbender after all," she shot back at Katara.
"That is so typical of you." Katara retorted annoyed hands on her hips. "You have laundry duty because you can't cook or sew! Everybody is pulling their own weight in this camp and it's time for you to do the same!"
The girl rose to her feet beyond irked and dusted her clothes off from the back.
"I am pulling my own weight! Admit it you just can't stand the sight of me!" She barked back.
"What are you guys fighting about now?" Toph entered the scene climbing up the stairs looking bored beyond her mind. Aang was now approaching the arguing girls from the other side of the courtyard.
"No. I can't stand the sight of mountains of undone laundry starring back at me!" The Southern Water Tribe girl shot back.
"Guys, you have to stop fighting!" Aang pleaded from the sides wanting just five seconds of peace from the two girls.
"Speak for yourself," Toph said with an entertained smirk. "I'd love to see Katara take down Chili Pepper."
"Hey! If anything, Ican take her down!" The angry red head called from the sidelines at the blind girl's comment.
"Come on, let's just call it a truce. I'll help Tsai do the laundry and we can all move on," Aang suggested rubbing the back of his neck as he smiled cheekily at the girls. It did not work.
Blue met brown when their gazes clashed, and lightning seemed to crash between them. It was officially on.
Aang saw Katara's furious expression. He turned and saw Tsai's nostrils flaring almost reminding him of a raging bull. A matching scowl mirroring their twin expressions. The red head ran forward towards Katara ready to attack.
Katara whipped open her canteen and spread the water on the courtyard's concrete floor suddenly turning it into slippery ice.
Tsai's eyes went wide when she slipped forward on the ice embarrassingly falling on her bum. She glowered at Katara feeling the cold soak her butt. She wanted nothing more than to wipe that stupid smirk off the waterbender's smug face. She tried to stand up again but miserably failed comically falling forward, then back, then on her side.
"Wow," Toph whistled. "This is painful to watch." She clicked her tongue crossing her arms over her chest.
The redhead let out a frustrated growl as she continued to stare daggers at the girl.
Night had fallen several hours ago as Zuko's war balloon had gone down and both him and Sokka had managed to successfully infiltrate the prison.
"I hope these disguises work." Zuko, dressed as a prison guard, murmured after slipping out of a storage room filled with uniforms. He and Sokka had managed to sneak into the prison just before dawn, stumbling upon the storage room rather quickly.
Sokka, also dressed as a guard, closed the door quietly as he replied, "We just need to lay low and find my Dad as soon as possible."
'And keep an eye out for Mecha..'
Suddenly, over a dozen guards ran down the corridor connected to the one they were in and the two teens froze, hoping they wouldn't be noticed. Unfortunately, a guard at the end spotted them and stopped, calling out hurriedly.
"Guards! There's a scuffle in the yard, come on!"
Zuko and Sokka glanced at each other quickly then hurried to follow the guard, running behind the group. They were last to enter the yard, where a mass of people wearing ragged, red clothes had formed a circle.
The guards, plus Zuko and Sokka, shoved the spectating prisoners aside to the get to the middle of the circle where a guard and a prisoner were circling around each other.
"I didn't do jack." A muscular prisoner snapped at a guard and he turned to walk away, "I'm going back to my cell."
"Stop right there you scum!" The guard called out mockingly, lashing out at the prisoner's foot with a whip of fire. The prisoner was large and muscular with scar marks covered his entire body. His hair was long enough that it hid his eyes. The prisoner glared at the guard.
Zuko, who had reached the inner part of the circle with Sokka, made an impulsive step forward, but the other teen grabbed him by the elbow, stopping him.
"We can't blow our cover." Sokka whispered under his breath as the bully guard approached the prisoner from behind.
"I've had it with your unruly behavior." The bully guard stated with malicious glee.
The prisoner turned back to the guard and scowled, "What did I do now?"
"He wants to know what he did." The bully snickered and turned towards Zuko and Sokka, leaning towards them with a smirk that was hidden beneath his helmet, "Isn't that cute?" He looked back over at the prisoner, expecting a response, but when the boys remained silent, he turned back to them, lifting his helmet to eye them suspiciously.
"Uh, yeah," Zuko replied quickly after catching the nervous glance Sokka sent him from the corner of his eye. "Very cute, sir."
"Super cute." Sokka added nervously.
The guard eyed them for another moment then smiled in satisfaction and walked back over to the prisoner. He smirked and drawled out cruelly, "You didn't bow down when I walked by."
"So what?" The prisoner scoffed lightly before continuing to walk away.
"Do it." The guard sneered at the younger man.
The prisoner glared darkly stretching his arms ready for a rumble. "Make me," he glowered in defiance.
The two stared each other down while the other guards and prisoners looked on then the bully guard smirked. He straightened and began walking away from the prisoner, who let out a small sigh of relief that was short lived.
The bully guard, who had walked a few feet away, smiled cruelly as he bended another fire whip and spun around, lashing out at the prisoner. Sensing the whip approaching he quickly turned around and firebended the whip, directing it back at the guard, who kicked the flame aside. He brushed his wavy hair over his forehead and both Zuko and Sokka's grew wide at the shock.
"Is that-!" The Prince asked in disbelief.
"Yup…" Sokka nodded as the realization dawned on him as well.
It was Mecha. Tsai's brother in the flesh. Unrecognizable. His hair was wavy reaching past his chin and filthy, he seemed to have bulked up to be twice as much in large muscles since the last time Zuko had seen him back in Yu Dao and he carried a certain darkness with him. His eyes however, remained the unmistakable shade of green. His skin in entirety was carved in rooted scar patterns that resembled the branches of trees spreading through his body in a fresh shade of scarlet.
Tsai was still fuming at the humiliating spectacle that had happened earlier. Her bottom still hurt from having collapsed on the ice countless of times. The palms of her hands were sore from touching the ice.
She still sat in the courtyard her teeth gritting as she attempted to continue meditating. However, it would be impossible. The only thing she could think of was getting even. Wanting to hurt Katara for making her feel so small. It was embarrassing really.
"That was the saddest thing I've ever seen," A childlike voice quipped. Again, beyond irked she squinted to see Toph sitting in front of her.
"I'm not in the mood Toph," The other retorted irked the edge of her eye twitching.
"You weren't even able to land a single blow on her. I would've paid to see that!"
"I get it Toph…" The other growled, her patience running slim, the twitch in the edge of her eye intensifying.
"It was pitiful Chili Pepper." The other deadpanned.
"Fine!" Tsai snapped angrily. "Long-ranged attacks aren't my strength. So what?" She huffed angrily. "I've already had this conversation before. I thought maybe if I became momentarily invisible, I'd gain an advantage over the enemy."
"Your problem isn't a long-ranged attack. Your problem is your impulsive nature. You always attack without really seeing what's in front of you." Toph explained.
Lovely. This was just what Tsai needed a blind girl giving her advice on how to see. She was stirred up for a moment and almost snapped but decided not to. After all, despite her childish antics Toph was wise beyond her years.
"Alright," The older girl admitted in defeat sighing. "So, what should I do?"
Tsai guessed that was enough meditation for the day.
"Open your eyes," Toph said with a light grin as a rising rock formation suddenly emerged from the ground and poked the teen painfully on the side. "Ow, was that really necessary?"
Tsai winced a little as a similar formation emerged from her behind and she managed to jump just in time avoiding it.
"Ha!" She said triumphantly.
"Learn from your mistakes," Toph advised. Before she stepped forward and ground gave underneath her making her trip and fall flat on her face.
"Ugh..." She let out a frustrated groan before pressing her forehead against the floor.
Sokka and Zuko hatched a plan to break out Mecha from his prisoner cell in the cooler. That had become task number one since they still hadn't found, Hakoda, Sokka's father.
"Hey, we're breaking you out of here." Zuko leaned in to speak through the small window in the cooler prison cell.
From the inside Mecha's eyes turned into slits as he glared with two piercing eyes filled with hatred. He'd recognize that scar anywhere. It was the Scarred Banished Prince.
He shivered uncontrollably. His bare flesh burnt from touching the frostbite cold metal walls of the cell. He braced himself ready for the door to open. He had been waiting for this day for a very, very long time. He wasn't sure if he was trembling because of the terrible cold or in anticipation.
The door of the cooler cell opened, and the prince said something that did not reach the Colonial Man's deaf ears. It took the muscular man a half split second to get out of the cell.
Zuko collapsed to the ground falling on his back. He felt an unbearable weight crush his chest and he gasped for air. Mecha had leapt out of his cell like a feral creature and was now strangling the prince with all of his might and unimaginable hatred.
It took only Sokka a moment to react and whack the attacker in the back of the head making him become momentarily stunned. It was enough for Zuko to kick him off his person and gasping for air retreat his hands up in an offensive position. Sokka held the colonial man back struggling to keep him away from the Fire Nation's Prince.
"You took everything away from me!" He roared furiously, his eyes dark showing nothing but menace and hatred.
"Mecha! He's on our side now!" Sokka spoke as he struggled to hold the brunette back. Again, his words reached deafened ears.
"Because of you- I have lost my name, my future, my family, my sister! Everything!" He said menacingly. "And I won't rest until the Fire Nation's Crown is no more. Starting with you!"
He came loose from Sokka's grip and attacked. Zuko caught both of his fists in his hands and managed to dodge an incoming headbutt and attack he figured he shared in training with his sibling.
"Your sister is waiting for you." Zuko managed to say through a strained voice. Regardless the other man did not stop struggling. Sokka once again wrapped his arms around his neck in a choke hold hoping to restrain him.
"We're all working together to defeat the Fire Lord." Sokka added holding onto the man's neck. "So, calm the frick down if you want to walk out of here and see her."
The scarred man let out a heavy exhale his chest deflating as he did. His arms dropping to his sides in defeat. Sokka loosened his grip and removed himself from the taller boy's body. Still he glared at Zuko with hatred being reflected in his eyes.
"Where's my sister?" He growled out.
"She's back at the camp," Zuko explained. "I'm really sorry for everything my family and I have done to you."
"Sorry doesn't cut it your arrogant prick!" Mecha proceeded to insult the scarred prince with very colorful language that would make his mother faint.
"I know." The other admitting. Wincing a little at the man's insults. He deserved it. "Which is why we're going to get it all back."
AN: Chapter Parallels
1. Chapter 6 Zuko: "- She'll only get in the way."
Chapter 30 Zuko: "You wouldn't get in the way."
2. Zuko and Tsai's siblings respectively trying to kill their sibling's love interest