Chapter 42: Siege of the North, Part 4

Hospital

"That's...an interesting wound there, Mr. Sokka. I've heard of love bites, but this is, well...do you mind if I ask how it happened?" the nurse asked while she stitched up his wounds.

"I, uh, prefer to not talk about it."

"Understandable. Then again, you are dating a Fire Nation girl, I hear they can get quite passionate, must be all that fire in their blood." she chuckled at her own pun. In a whisper, she added "She is way out of your league. No offence, but someone like her has to be some form of nobility. Not sure why she'd shack up with a commoner like you and me, but love makes you do crazy things."

"Don't I know it." Sokka whispered back.

"Quit whispering like you're plotting something!" Azula hissed, squeezing his free hand tightly.

"My my you've certainly bagged yourself a feisty one. And a jealous one at that."

"I'll show you feisty, you-you-"

"That's enough firefly, calm down. Let's not forget who got too carried away, hmm?" Sokka replied, to which Azula turned an even deeper shade of crimson, pouted and looked away in a tantrum.

"Fine."

Earlier that morning….

The hushed mumbling sounds of Azula deep in dreamland and the soft beams of sunlight filtering through the worn curtains slowly but gradually roused him from his slumber. Blinking a few times to disperse any traces of drowsiness, Sokka's eyes took a while to adjust to the current lighting condition. Beside him, lay the form of Azula, who in the middle of the night had curled up tighter into him, her hair falling in a veil around her face.

Staring at the ceiling, he soon found himself picking out bits and pieces of Azula's dream, which at that moment consisted of her chasing a piece of mochi who was most displeased at its fate of being consumed by the princess. Chuckling to himself, he brushed aside some stray strands that clung to her face while noting to himself, if only you knew how adorably cute you look right now…

Feeling her grip suddenly tighten around his arm, Sokka didn't think too much of it. Neither did he give much thought when she mumbled "aha, got you now!" and gave his arm a few licks, though he did think it was really weird. When her teeth made contact with his flesh however, Sokka yelped out in pain. His writhing however, prompted Azula to clamp down harder, making him yell and cuss.

Meanwhile in Azula's dream, she thought she was taking a bite out of her defeated opponent when the hapless piece of mochi started to sound suspiciously like Sokka. Upon further tasting, it did not taste at all sweet, but more minerally and bitter. Lastly, the texture was all off. Connecting the dots, she realised in horror that she had in fact, taken a rather large bite out of his arm. Shocked, she immediately unhinged her maw, freeing his arm from her clutches.

Blue eyes of pain and agony locked onto honey coloured orbs of shock, horror and panic. Running immediately to the sink to wash off the taste of blood in her mouth, she grabbed the nearest towel, rinsed it and wrapped it around his wound, before dragging him to find the nearest nurse to patch him up. As she frantically searched for a nurse, she gripped his hand tightly, which Sokka took to be her own way of comforting him after what she unintentionally put him through. Thankfully, a wet bloodstained towel and a panicking patient was more than enough to get the attention of a nurse and soon, they were hustled into a clinic, where Sokka's arm was currently being patched up.

Agna Q'ela

Bursting through the front door, the battered remnants of the team stumbled onto the snow lined streets. Immediately, accurate fire from across the canal started to land on them, drilling Jia Ling in the thighs and Jiro in the forearm. Meanwhile, grazing fire drew thin red lines on Aldo, Jahan and Ursa, even as sirens were blaring in the distance from the exploding house. Picking up the fallen weapons from the ground, they returned fire and temporarily suppressed them. Tumbling all over each other, Aldo who was bringing up the rear sustained aimed fire, with two shots slamming into his left shoulder and one last parting shot shattering his right kneecap.

Screaming at the driver to step on it, Ursa and Jahan patched, sewn and provided painkillers for the team while they sped back to the embassy, where there was a small but fully equipped medical facility on hand for worst case scenarios. In the limited space of the vessel, there was only so much space to place the wounded. In addition, there was the fact that they had borrowed the ambassadorial vessel without permission to conduct an unsanctioned operation, which had not only resulted in casualties, but also had the very real possibility of causing a major diplomatic incident that could very well result in the expulsion of the ambassador.

As the vessel sped off into the distance, their assailants ceased their fire and moved to escape what was sure to be a rapid reaction team of more White Lotus militsiya and law enforcement, if not actual military units given the state of martial law. Despite their failure to completely neutralize the rescue force, the carnage that was created in its wake was more than enough to more or less pin the blame on the unit and disguise their tracks.

In addition, the chaos created would allow the final shipment of ores to the Hanyang facility and thus, fulfill their end of the bargain, though there was always the possibility of duplicity and losing a large amount of leverage once the ship had docked in Hanyang. Finally, they could now divest themselves of their partnership with the Wolves, who were ideologically opposed to foreigners on Northern Water Tribe territory, especially those of Fire Nation stock.

Slipping away into the shadows, they were nowhere to be seen as more personnel swarmed the bombed out building.

Hospital

On the way back to the room, they ran into the rest of the gang. Noticing Sokka's arm wound up in bandages, Aang asked "What happened?"

"I uh, well I don't want to talk about it."

"Judging by the way she's gripping your hand, it musta been something kinky." Bulan teased.

"Does your mind always tend to the gutter?"

"Knowing you both, I'm just surprised he hasn't tried to knock you up just yet. Would you like me to tell your brother just what you both were doing before we left Agna Q'ela?"

"Bulan, please don't antagonize her." Hahn intervened.

"You're no fun." she pouted.

"Sokka what did you do to Azula?" Zuko questioned.

"I well, um, let's just say I love your sister very very much?" he squeaked.

"Prove it."

"What?"

"You heard me. Prove it."

"Since when do you care about my love life?"

"Since you decided to date your co-worker. I can't have relationship problems getting in the way of the job."

"Be careful what you wish for, dear Zuzu." she smirked. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she leapt up and locked her calves around his waist, throwing him off balance and crashing them both against the wall. In response, Sokka moved to support her by her ass, giving it a couple of lusty squeezes that made her groan and pant. Grinding their bodies together, both of them did not hold back their sounds of pleasure, making them gag in response.

"Okay people, that's enough. This is a medical facility." Miska whined, plugging his ears to stifle their noise.

"We should do that sometime, Hahnny." Bulan whispered., nudging him in the ribs

"Please don't. Are all Fire Nation people always this horny?"

Turning to answer him, Azula replied "You do realise your fiancee is half Fire Nation right? Besides, does Zuzu strike you as someone who couldn't keep it in his pants?"

"I don't believe I have to answer that."

"Would you like me to tell them just how many times you freaked out when you thought you finally knocked Mai up? Aang, tell me, how many times did Zuzu try to con you into borrowing Oogi so he and Mai can-"

"Not. Another. Word. Aang. Or Else."

"Oh wow, look at the time, we oughta get a move on, I'm sure those in the capital are worried sick for us." Aang blurted, desperately trying to change the subject and stay out of the siblings' arguments. The last time he tried to take a side, both of them almost tried to burn him before it devolved into a sloppy Agni Kai.

"You're just saying that so you go and make sweet love to your kitty Kat aren't you?" Bulan cooed.

"Ain't nobody going to be making love to anyone, especially my sister, you hear me?!"

"And yet you blatantly-hmmph mmph!" Azula replied but was cut short by Sokka covering her mouth with his hand.

"Just what exactly did you do to my sister Sokka? If I ever find out you-"

"Ew! Azula!" Sokka yelped, as Azula deliberately ran her in the sloppiest manner possible all over his hand, before nibbling at it like an elephant mouse.

"Why are you the way that you are Azula?"

"I could ask the same about you, you insatiably horny peasant."

"Alright folks break it up, no one needs to know who is fucking who when and where okay? For all we know the capital is a smoking crater when we get back so let's hop to it." Miska intervened, internally sighing at having to play the responsible adult along with Aang in light of how his superiors were acting, with one of them intentionally stoking the fire between the siblings whilst the other was more or less whipped by her. Deputy my ass, she's probably the real one running the directorate instead of Chief Hahn. Still, couldn't be all that bad, he thought to himself as the squabbling group exited the facility and boarded their ride.

As the tracks kicked up a wall of snow, a nurse observing from the second floor made his way to a telephone booth and inserted some coins, before dialing a number.

"They just left for Agna Q'ela. The boat might leave soon if they don't make it."

"Very well. Contact Aniki to buy us some tickets."

Agni Kai Ship

Two nautical miles outside of Agna Q'ela

Northern Water Tribe

"Where's Skolas? A meeting this important requires his presence." one of the Barons questioned him.

"His well being does not concern you."

"I don't like this. What have you done with him?"

"Know your place." Wenfu replied, before casting a bolt that charred the Baron's leg. In response, the rest of them either drew their weapons or pulled water from the surrounding ocean.

"Clearly, choosing to hold this meeting in the middle of the sea was a grave miscalculation on your part."

"If you think so."

"What makes you think you have the upper hand here?"

"What makes you think I don't? Go on, try me." he dared.

One of the Baronesses charged him with a fist of ice shards, closing the distance until she was almost within punching range when multiple darts struck her and she crumpled in a writhing heap, her face contorted in agony as her icy fist dematerialized into harmless water. In response, one of them launched a flurry of frozen spears in his direction. Conjuring a wall of flame, he converted the shards into steam, before he too was brought to his knees with another flurry of darts.

"I was rather hoping it would not come to this."

"What have you done to them?!"

"Let's just say the more they struggle, the more damage will be inflicted on their chi paths. Of course, there is the slight possibility they might just up and die of massive cardiac arrest, my chemists are still looking into it."

"Son of a bitch, we shouldn't have answered your call!"

"A bit too late for that now. Stand down now, or else."

"Never."

"Well then, this makes my job a whole easier. Can't have loose ends like your ilk running around.