They all decided to wait an hour after Mai had left them before they would start moving to get Zuko out. To give her enough time to get back and settle.
Sokka had to admit, the more he learned about the fire nation, the more people he met from that nation. The more sad he felt for them.
Which was really strange because… It really wasn't that long ago that they left the south pole. And at that time the fire nation and its army had been nothing but a faceless terrifying menace.
Something to fear and hate.
They were the black ash dirtying their beautiful white snow. The burning fire destroying their villages. The squeaking metal ships that had no soul to them, but produced that smog that would paint the ice glaciers grey.
And those men in armours taking away their tribes men and family.
Zuko had been the perfect avatar for the fire nation itself. Scary… Scarred… And with no care for what he might destroy in his pursuit.
Or so it had seemed at the time.
Now Sokka looked at Zhau-Li who was strapping Zukos swords to his own back. And then he saw Aang approaching him. The two exchanging a few words and laughing.
And Sokka thought of Mai and what her story could possible be. She had plainly admitted it to them. She didn't want this.
Sokka thought of Iroh who had only ever been kind to them, even when they were on different sides. And he thought of the refuges. Of Tanyi back in the village who had given them a discount on Zukos salve, just because she wanted to help.
The reality ones again hit Zuko.
This was a people… An entire people. Some were good, others were bad. Most was just kind of caught in the middle.
Just like the earth kingdom…. Just like the water tribes.
They were just that. A people. Funny how it could go so far… Sad actually.
Sokka glanced at Katara who stood next to him, and from the looks of it very similar thoughts were going through her head as she glanced up at Sokka.
"Do you think Mai will be okay?" Katara asked concerned.
"We know she's strong." Sokka encouraged. "Same with Iroh and Suki."
Katara chewed her lip.
"We'll free them." Sokka said. "At the right time. And when we free the fire nation Mai will be free too."
Katara closed her eyes. "What is Zuko going to say… When we tell him we chose to leave his uncle behind."
"Well… Katara." Sokka said. "Knowing Zuko he is probably going to be pissed." he said. "And there'll probably be some shouting involved and maybe some fire bending. Then when he realize why we had to do it, he'll still be pissed, but instead of shouting at us he'll make like… thirty pots of tea. By the end though, he'll understand." he said.
"I hope you're right." Katara said.
"Katara it's me. Of course I'm right." Sokka said. "And he'll be super fired up for the invasion. Because doing it right means freeing everybody."
Katara smiled amused as she shook her head.
"Oh no… He's going to be merciless at training!" Sokka suddenly realized. "He already were. But it's going to be five times as bad!" he exclaimed.
"You'll handle it tough guy." Katara commented in a smirk. "Gotta work on those biceps for Suki right?"
"Excellent point Katara." Sokka stated. "So guys ready to go?" he asked. "Remember ones we go we probably wont be able to get back. Anything you need you must have with you."
"I'm good." Aang beamed having his glider strapped to his back.
"Me too!" Toph grinned then shouted down the hole to their prisoners. "Sorry guys! You'll have to get out of there by yourselves! If you could wait for like an hour that would be great!"
"Eeeh, if you guys make a big mess of things we might be able to sneak back in and avoid latrine duty." Was the response. "You guys in on that?"
"Yup." "Me too."
"Great!" Aang beamed. "Your armours are up here! Nice and clean, not a dent in them. I'll talk to Zuko about that dental plan. I'm sure he'll consider it ones he is fire lord."
"Sounds cool!"
Sokka smirked amused. "Let's go. It's gonna be a long way to get under the military head quarters."
"More tunnelling for Toph." Toph commented, then cracked her neck. "On it." she smirked. "Zuko still owes me a night as my private pillow!" she proclaimed.
Mais face was completely still, completely impassive as she lowered her chop sticks and picked up a piece of chicken before putting it in her mouth.
Azula sighed deeply. "Earth Kingdom food is so boring. Don't they know how to use any spices?"
"Try this beef. It's pretty good." Ty-Lee smiled as she chewed her own food.
"I doubt it." Azula sighed deeply. "Well. We'll be home soon enough. Dad send me to get Zuzu and Iroh. Now I got him Zuzu, Iroh and Ba Sing Se. He should be pleased." she smirked.
"He's going to be so proud." Ty Lee said in a encouraging smile.
"Of course he will." Azula replied lifting up her cup to her lips. Though as she did there was just the slightest of change in her face. The slightest but of uncertainty. And perhaps even a bit of hope.
Mai remained quiet as she slowly ate her noodles.
"You got nothing to say Mai?" Azula asked.
"Congratulations." Mai said. "You exceeded all expectations and things went to your plan. Not that that's a surprise. Things always goes exactly like you planned it."
"That's right." Azula smirked. "Been enjoying your dates with Zuzu?"
Mai glared at Azula. "Why do I have to keep seeing that pathetic looser?" she asked.
"You've been spending a lot of time with him though, haven't you?" Azula asked. "It doesn't take that long to feed him."
Mai rolled his eyes. "You've let him just hang there for three days." she commented dryly. "He ended up pissing his own pants. It was disgusting. I had to find a guard to make him change Zukos pants for me before I went anywhere near him." she said. "I don't like the smell of piss."
Azula smirked amused. "That's cold Mai." she commented. "Very admirable."
"I'm not feeding him any more." Mai said. "If you insist on it just being me. He's going to starve from now on."
Azula looked at Mai, her amber eyes looking curious as the flames themselves reflected in them. "You really don't feel anything do you?"
"No." Mai said sombrely. "Nothing."
And in response Azula smiled.
Just then the door opened and three Dai-Li entered.
"What is it?" Azula asked annoyed.
"Princess Azula." They all bowed for her. "You asked to be notified at ones if we felt a changing in the earth. We have. And it's moving towards the catacombs under the military head quarters."
Suddenly Azulas eyes turned harsh and her face cold as she looked up. Then she picked up a handkerchief, dried her lips and stood up. "Sorry girls. Dinner is over. We're moving out."
"Who could it be?" Ty Lee asked.
"Maybe a rogue royal guard we didn't manage to snatch up or perhaps… Someone else." Azula said in a deep frown. "Either way that fool is going to pay. Get Long Feng too. Tell him to meet me there." she asked as she started to walk and the two young girls stood up to follow the princess.
Together Toph and Aang were working to create a tunnel in the right direction while Zhau-Li held up a little flame illuminating the tunnel for the rest of them.
"How far are we?" Katara couldn't help but ask.
"Almost there." Toph informed. "I feel them. We are moving towards large rooms. Like a large underground cave."
"So she didn't lie." Katara gasped. "Thank Tue and Lai."
"I would have been able to tell you know." Toph huffed.
"Sorry." Katara blushed. "I just… I was nervous."
"We're getting him out." Aang said. "It'll be okay." and then suddenly a hole opened up and they were met with a brilliant green light.
Light coming from odd glowing crystals all around the place. The green light though reminded Aang of the fire that Long Feng would use, and he wondered if perhaps these were the crystals he used to make that fire in the first place.
Toph was the first one to jump down on the ground, the moment her feets touched the ground she screamed. "ZUKO!" her head lifted. "This way!" and she bolted off.
"Hey wait!" Aang shouted as all the rest jumped down as well and had to run to keep up with the little girl who ran with purpose.
"Halt! Who goes there!" Two guards suddenly shouted standing in their way. To bad for them though that Toph couldn't care less and they were both just flung aside by boulders as Toph screamed. "Zukooooo!" she crossed her arms and suddenly the entire stone wall just busted open and there.
There he was.
Everyone gasped as they saw the poor figure hanging on the wall by his wrists.
Slowly, slowly Zuko managed to lift his head to reveal and incredible bruised face. His good eye swollen, his lips cracked. Scratches and marks covering his face and Katara gasped as tears stung in her eyes.
"Guys…" Zuko gasped in a hoarsh raspy voice.
Toph was already crying as she ran straight for Zuko holding up her hands and then the shackles around Zukos hands were torn open making him fall directly down on the ground.
"Urgh."
"Zuko!" Katara gasped as she ran to him. "Zuko are you all right?" she asked as she sat down on her knees touching his face while Toph tore off the shackles on his feet.
"Well… " Zuko managed to lift his head to smile up at her. "I tried worse."
"What have you been through worse than this?" Sokka asked bewildered.
"Erhm… assassination attempt when Zhao blew up the ship I was on." Zuko admitted. "And then Katara beat the snot out of me… And then Aang did too… Granted I probably deserved those last two at the time." and then he hissed as he tried to sit up.
"Take it easy." Katara asked. "You're really hurt. It looks like someone has been using you as their private punching bag."
"I'm sorry!" Toph bawled through her tears. "If I hadn't gotten myself captured."
"Toph." Zuko smiled up at her. "You're okay. Thank Agni. I was really worried."
"Asshole!" Toph shouted hitting him on the side only to make Zuko scream in pain and Toph gasped. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean!"
"Zuko... I." Aang also seemed to be a mess of tears while Katara lifted in Zukos shirt to have a look at a black and blue torso.
"You have to thank Azula for that." Zuko admitted as he glanced down.
"Why?" Katara couldn't help but ask. "Why does she hate you so much?"
"I don't know." Zuko admitted in a hopeless tone. "It's just always kind of been that way."
Then suddenly Toph looked up, her body standing rigid and her eyes wide. "We need to go." Toph informed. "We need to go now."
Katara nodded as she tried to grab Zuko only for him to stumble forward and fall down again.
"So-Sorry." Zuko hissed.
"Let me!" Zhau-Li stepped in and grabbed Zuko under the arm to pull him up, only for Zuko to fall a second time.
"Argh. My legs are sleeping." Zuko informed in a hiss. "My arms too… I'm sorry I."
"You don't need to apologize you idiot!" Toph snorted.
"I got you now. I promise." Zhau-Li said as he pulled up Zuko and placed Zukos arm around his shoulder. Sokka jumping in to take the other arm.
"Hurry!" Toph exclaimed only for crystals to shoot up right in front of her and then she turned as a wall opened and there they were.
Azula… Mai… Ty-Lee… Long Feng… And at least Ten Dai-Li.
Azulas eyes widened. "The avatar." she whispered.
"He's back in the city." Ty Lee gasped. "How. We didn't see a flying bison and all the entrances has been monitored. The Dai-Li said there had been no movement under ground."
"Obviously they must have used a tunnel that was already there." Azula commented annoyed. "Honestly."
Long Feng smirked. "So we meet yet again. Avatar." he commented.
Azulas eyes were cold. "Listen closely." she spoke. "No one are to escape these tunnels. It will be better if they all die than if a single one escapes." she moved her hands and suddenly they crackled with electricity. She smirked as she took a stands her hands sizzling while her hair seemed to be levitating with the electricity itself. "Kill them." she simply said and then fired right at the group.