"Alright prisoner, we're coming in, don't try anything funn- where the hell is the prisoner?!"
The guards surveyed the metal room, but there was nothing there but ashes and scorch marks.
"Damn, this is bad. Alert the Warden, alert the Fire Lord, hell - alert the Avatar! We've got to get a team out, find a trail. If they go underground, we're done for," said one.
His partner nodded, running off to find higher command. The guard sifted through the remnants of the room, the charred pile smearing on his fingers. It was still warm to the touch.
The hairs on the back of his neck stiffened, goosebumps erupting on his skin. A sensation of being watched made him turn -
And then there was oblivion.
"I assure you, Fire Lord Zuko, we cannot afford to go off on a wild turtleduck chase. There have been reports of multiple attacks across the border, remnants of the deserters from the army after the war. The Earth King is angry at our failure to control our people, it could lead to… issues."
Zuko frowned, dismay flooding him.
"I understand, Governor, but this is far more important than petty banditry - the prisoner is extremely dangerous to the world in general, and bringing them back to justice is the most pressing matter," he argued in vain.
"With all due respect sir, how do we even know this person is as dangerous as you say? You have revealed no details beyond the fact that they have escaped from a holding unit. Perhaps we might be able to look into the matter more if we were more informed," said the Governor to the general agreement of the assembled advisers.
Rubbing his hairless brow wearily, Zuko sighed. It was a times like this he really wished he could lean on Mai, but she had been squirrelled away to safety for her own protection - and that hadn't been easy or pleasant.
"I have already said it is extremely sensitive, classified information. If the wrong people became aware, there could be all sorts of complications. Can we not inform the Earth King that the bandits will simply have to wait, or he can deal with them himself?"
A wave of disapproving murmurs rippled through the Fire Nation elite.
"I am sorry my Lord, but tensions are still high over the, ahem, conflict that you so recently put an end to. The Earth King would take it as a slight, or possibly even an act of war to allow these rogue outlaws to roam free and attack his subjects."
That was true enough. Kuei had shaped up considerably upon returning to his seat in Ba Sing Se, and had already had several confrontations with the new Fire Lord about matters relating to the Hundred Year War. The ground was shaky enough as it was - literally.
"Fine. Then what about Aang? Have we managed to reach him?" Zuko demanded.
"The Avatar is busy dealing with spiritual matters in the North Pole - something to do with the moon and ocean, I gather. He cannot come."
Zuko's hand clenched, smoke escaping his nostrils as he snorted in anger.
"Something must be done! If A- they are allowed to run unchecked, it could spell disaster. I have come too far to allow this country to go to ruin again!" He roared, before closing his eyes and breathing deeply, attempting to calm himself.
After a moment, he glanced up again, an idea forming in his mind.
"Bring me a messenger hawk."
The Governor's brow furrowed in confusion.
"My Lord? What is it you plan on doing?"
Zuko smiled, and his scarred face - lined by years of hardship - eased up slightly.
"Reaching out to the only person I trust to help us now."
Sokka yawned for the third time in five minutes. He blinked slowly before shaking his head, trying to clear the last vestiges of sleep from his mind.
The journey to the Fire Nation had been a long and confusing one. He'd been in the middle of a lovely dream about an all you can eat buffet presided over by several rather attractive-looking young ladies, when suddenly a bird had landed on his face and screeched in his ear.
After he had wiped all blood off his face (screaming in confused fear and attempting to rip the hawk off hadn't worked as he'd intended, the sharp claws ripping at his cheeks and forehead a bit), he'd read the letter the creature had brought to him. It hadn't said much.
A summons from the Fire Lord was not something to ignore, but there had been an urgent tone to it that worried Sokka. Whatever it was Zuko wanted, it wasn't going to be good.
Fortunately, he had his own private airship, one that he, the Mechanist and some of the former Fire Nation army war machine designers had worked on. It was nothing compared to Zuko's own flagship, but it worked very nicely in Sokka's opinion.
The trip from the South Pole had been short and uneventful - except for the time Sokka fell asleep at the controls. Fortunately he'd woken up and gotten back on track in time to prevent a crash landing. He'd been much more careful afterwards.
As he docked the airship, ideas ran through his mind at what Zuko might need him for. Advice on what to wear? Unlikely, he'd never shown much interest in fashion, and had several servants for that particular task anyway. A friendly game of Pai Sho? Neither of them were much good at it.
Walking through Caldera City, the city was as relaxed as ever. Nothing indicated a massive threat over their heads, at any rate. Perhaps he was just being paranoid? Katara often labelled him as a pessimist.
He reached the palace and was ushered in by guards. It certainly wasn't his imagination, they definitely seemed more alert than usual. Something was up for sure. Had Zuko fallen afoul of a coup - were they rounding up all his allies?
His hand strayed to Space Sword's hilt, the newly recovered meteor blade a cool, familiar comfort. If push came to shove, he was confident he could win against most opponents.
Thankfully his visions of hostile takeovers proved to be false when he was greeted by his friend (who, Sokka noted, was not in his usual Fire Lord's robes and seated at a nondescript table), staring down at the wooden surface as though the world was about to fall open beneath him.
The older boy glanced up after a moment, catching his eye. Some small measure of relief crossed over Zuko's face, though his weariness was still deep-seeded. Zuko gestured for Sokka to join him, and the Water Tribe warrior did so, shifting about to get comfortable.
Zuko dismissed their guards and leaned back in thought for a moment. Sokka looked around, before deciding to break the ice.
"So, how's Mai?" He asked, and then regretted it as pain briefly flashed in Zuko's undamaged eye.
"She's… She's good. And safe, that's all that matters." His voice was soft, but there was a note of bitter exhaustion within.
"Listen, Sokka. Things are bad right now, really bad. There are bandits making trouble in the Earth Kingdom, spiritual unrest at the North Pole and last night - we got a hawk from the Facility. Code Blue."
Sokka's blood froze in his veins. Code Blue meant only one thing… His nightmares unleashed.
Azula was free.
He tried to speak, but only croaked. Licking his lips and swallowing, he tried again.
"And you need me to… attempt a retrieval? Why not-"
Zuko cut him off, shaking his head.
"It has to be you, Sokka. My hands are tied dealing with the Earth King. Aang's got his own problems, and I can't have the public knowing - it would cause riots, or worse. I've kept it under wraps as much as I can, but you're the only one I trust enough to do what needs to be done."
Part of Sokka was touched at his friend's faith in him. The rest was currently being consumed by complete terror.
He sighed, running a hand over his face.
"Okay. What do we know?" He asked.
"Last night, guards were performing a routine check up, when they found there was no one in the cell. Everything had been burnt to a crisp, nothing but cinders. One of them went off to spread the alarm, while the other had a look through the wreckage, and was then attacked from behind," Zuko informed him.
"I see. Were there any signs of other people, like a breakout attempt? Or was it just a solo escape?"
Zuko shook his head.
"No, it seemed she had been waiting in a corner, they somehow didn't spot her. When the opportunity arose, she fled."
"And the guard, how's he?" Sokka questioned.
"He'll live, at least." Sokka didn't need to know more.
"Right. Well, Zuko, I know you don't need to hear it, but you were warned that letting her keep her bending was a mistake."
In fact, Sokka hadn't been the only one against sparing the mad princess her father's fate. But Zuko had overruled them, hoping with all his might his sister could somehow eventually be brought to the light.
The consequences of his choice weighed heavily on him, Sokka could tell. It would be a long time after Azula was recaptured before the Fire Lord would sleep easily.
"Yes, I know. But if it had been Katara…" Zuko had trailed off. Sokka understood, even if he didn't like it. That was why he hadn't protested too much at the time.
He'd protested more later on, when they'd coerced him into visiting her. He'd been stridently against the move, but the others had seen it as a potential boost to her recovery to have someone she could talk to - someone she wasn't outright filled with hatred towards at least.
It had been an interesting experience, but there had been a sense of wrongness the whole time. There he had been, in a dim cell with a restrained Azula, attempting to talk about menial things and forget the fact that she had tried to destroy him and all his friends.
It was true that she'd been surprisingly civil with him, Sokka supposed. She hadn't tried to burn him more than once per session, or insulted him too often. They'd even managed to have a decent conversation a few times.
But it hadn't worked, clearly. And now he was going to have to go after an unchained Azula, with no back-up. Things were not looking good and he hadn't even taken a single step yet.
"Have you spoken to Ozai? Maybe he might know something." It was a long shot, but better that all angles were covered.
Zuko scowled at the mention of his father.
"I have. He laughed at me, but didn't seem to care beyond that. But I've doubled the guards, just in case she tries to free him."
What exactly she would gain from freeing the imprisoned, powerless former-Fire Lord was anyone's guess. His brief talks with her hadn't exactly painted her impressions of him as loving, though she didn't have a good word for anyone in truth.
"Okay, Zuko. I'll find her, but I'm going to need a few things."
It was several hours later that Sokka was ready to go. Azula had a big lead on him, but she was a lone girl with nothing but the clothes on her back and probably not in any shape to make rational decisions.
He was dressed in nondescript brown garments, with a bag of dark, feature-obscuring replacements for nightwear. He had plenty of food and the best mongoose-lizard the Fire Nation had to offer (though he'd much prefer a shirshu.)
Firstly he had to figure out where she might have gone. Her former bastions of power - Caldera City and Ba Sing Se, had been rooted out of her minions. It was quite likely she was wandering the wilderness.
He'd ridden hard to the Facility where she had been kept, and began examining the surrounding areas.
Sokka's finely honed tracking sense had revealed a small trail of broken twigs and a smear of soot. He'd followed the marks carefully, but was briefly lead off course to a hole occupied by a rather grumpy squirrelmouse.
When he'd bandaged his bitten finger, he returned to the path, picking up the scent once more. Azula hadn't been concerned with concealing her footsteps, instead running as fast as she could.
A spatter of dried blood on a tree root revealed she had injured herself somehow, possibly scraping herself on a branch in her haste to get away. It certainly wasn't fresh.
Eventually the trail of debris and the occasional scorch mark lead him to a stream. There were definite signs of something entering the water. Sokka hoped it was her, and not a boarcuepine. Sadly there were no signs of an exit on the opposite bank.
He walked the length of the river to the left for a bit, before turning around and going right. About fifty metres on he spotted scrapings on the other side. He silently thanked the Spirits he had a mongoose-lizard, and crossed the stream easily without getting wet.
Back on track, he followed the wet, muddy footprints that were left on the fallen leaves. Azula had been clever in her attempt, but he wasn't that easy to give the slip.
After an hour of slowly travelling her path, he made a rather unpleasant discovery - the half-charred carcass of a hogmonkey. It was long dead, and there were signs of having been picked at by something. Possibly scavengers, but more likely Azula herself. The thought almost turned Sokka's stomach.
More investigation of the area revealed a small hollow in a large tree, perhaps large enough for two people to squeeze in. There were scratches in the dirt and a large imprint where something had rested for some time. Perhaps she'd taken the opportunity to grab some sleep after her meal.
Sokka urged his mount onwards, he was surely getting close. The signs were getting fresher all the time. He made good progress, travelling onwards until suddenly there was nothing.
Confused, Sokka glanced around. The trail had just stopped all of a sudden. Dismounting his mongoose-lizard, he began to search for more clues as to her path.
A horribly familiar scent caught his nose - ash. He raced forward to find a break in the trees and saw the burnt remains of several small saplings, smoke still faintly rising from them. Worse than that was the multitude of footprints, and a small pool of blood. It had hardly congealed.
This was not good. Sokka turned around to reclimb his mount, only to find that the mongoose-lizard wasn't there and a sword pointing at his chest.
"I wouldn't move if I was you, pal." The man holding the sword told him. Behind him stood three other men, one holding the reins of his mongoose-lizard and the other two the bound and struggling form of the princess.
Her hair was long and tangled, twigs and leaves stuck in its dark depths. Scratches and bruises marred her bare skin, especially her face. Worst of all were her eyes, deep-gold and filled with twisted hatred. And, Sokka noted with dread, a definite note of fear.
He leaned away from the point of the blade, putting on his most charming smile.
"Hey now, there's no need to be like that, is there? I'm sure we can be friends."
The swordsman snorted.
"Ye hear that lads? Friends, 'e says," the man chuckled.
His comrades laughed too, shaking Azula a bit, who writhed all the harder. The commander of the group ceased his mirth, straightening up and narrowing his eyes.
"Now, what is yer business here? We don't like strangers wanderin' around our territory, as this one found out the hard way," he gestured at Azula with a thumb.
Still grinning but with sweat beginning to roll down his neck, Sokka shrugged.
"Well, she's the reason why I'm here, to be quite honest. She's, uh… She's my bride to be, in fact! Yes, but she got cold feet and ran away, and I had to retrieve her. So, if you'd just like to hand her and my lizard over, we can be back on our way home and leave you in peace." It was not his best story, but it would have to do.
The man's eyes narrowed, his gaze passing between the two.
"Yer bride to be? Well, isn't that a happy story, eh? Ye've get yerself a real firecracker, she damn near torched Zhan over there. Didn't yer?" He directed the last remark at Azula, walking up to her. She growled at him unintelligibly, unable to do more with the leather gag in her mouth.
The commander glanced back at Sokka for a moment and smirked, before suddenly striking Azula with the back of his hand. Sokka flinched, his hand immediately dropping to Space Sword's hilt.
"Aye, she's lucky we found her, all sorts o' terrible things live 'round here. Coulda been chanced upon by something quite foul. But it seems she don't have nothing to repay our kindness.
"We was plannin' on having a wee bit of fun with her, if ye catch me drift, but if she's yours then perhaps ye might want to… make us an offer," the man grinned viciously.
Sokka smiled nervously.
"Sadly I didn't bring any gold with me…"
"No? That's a right shame, that is. She's a pretty wee get, I'd hate to see her get a bit roughed up. Say, that's a nice looking sword ye've got there, why don't ye show it to us," the man told him.
A sense of fear crept steadily into Sokka's heart, but he dutifully complied, slowly unsheathing his beloved blade. The deep black hue of the meteorite brought a sense of awe to all who beheld it.
"Well now, that's quite the weapon fer sure. I ain't never seen a sword that colour," the bandit leader whispered reverentially.
The outlaw holding the mongoose-lizard suddenly perked up.
"I've heard tale of a black sword. They say that the Water Tribe king had one," the mook said.
The commander looked at him with a note of disdain.
"The Water Tribes have never had no king, ye daft fool."
The man shrugged.
"S'what I heard. They say he was given it by the moon herself, because she loved him. It could cut through solid steel like it was paper."
The rest of the men began to laugh, but the leader silenced them, interested despite himself. Sokka's mind was blank with confusion and nostalgia.
"Do they now. And what else do 'they' say about this king o' yers?" He asked.
His subordinate thought about it for a moment.
"They say he summoned an army, and invaded the Fire Nation the day the sky went dark. That he destroyed their airship fleet - with one their own airships. They say he lived with the Avatar, teaching him all he knew. He even killed a dragon with his bare hands."
Sokka certainly didn't remember that last part happening.
"Oh, aye? And what happened to this s'posed king and his 'mystical blade', then?"
The robber shrugged in confusion, pulling on the reins of the mongoose-lizard. Sokka smiled to himself. While their attention had been on their story, he'd been been slowly moving away.
"Actually, I can answer that question - he lost it. But it was returned to him, and now he uses it to dispense justice," Sokka interjected, swinging the blade. It sliced through Azula's bound hands and feet, freeing her instantly.
The bandits reacted immediately, attempting to draw their own weapons, but they weren't nearly quick enough. Azula's flames caught two them, igniting their clothes. The brigand who had been holding Sokka's mongoose-lizard released it, and it bolted.
The leader snarled angrily, swinging his blade at Sokka, who parried the strike without much difficulty. The other one drew a small dagger, attempting to get close enough to Azula but was warded off her by flaming torrents. The remaining bandits rolled around on the floor, attempting to put the fire engulfing their bodies out.
Though the bandit leader was clearly no novice at fighting, he was outmatched by Sokka. Space Sword clashed against its inferior steel counterpart, biting deep into the metal until the other blade had been sheared in two.
Left with only half a weapon, the leader turned to flee, grabbing one of his men and throwing him in Sokka's way. Sokka attempted to shove the man down and go after him, but he was beaten to the punch.
The air crackled with power, and a white light began to emanate. Sokka shut his eyes as the lightning struck. When he opened them again, the smoking corpse of the chief outlaw was lying in the dirt.
There was movement near him, and then pain. Sokka roared angrily, lashing out with his sword, and the bandit next to him fell down, his innards spilling out from the deep wound.
Sokka yanked at the blade now lodged in his side. Thankfully it hadn't hit anything vital or gone particularly deep, but it hurt like hell. More movement caught his eye, and he readied himself, but it was only Azula.
Her clothes were little more than rags and her ratty hair now was now coated in blood. The gag had been ripped from mouth, and she was busy looking through a small bag one of the bandits had dropped. Snatching something out of it, she quickly shoved it in her mouth and began chewing. Sokka supposed it was food and was mildly jealous.
"Azula…" He began.
Her eyes darted to his and then narrowed, and she readied herself into an attack stance, blue flames beginning to form on her fingertips.
"Easy, easy! Let's not be hasty now," he exclaimed, hoping she wouldn't kill him outright. "If it wasn't for me you'd be dead or worse."
Azula stood still for a moment, before standing normally.
"I'm not going back." Her voice was weak from disuse and held nothing of the mockery of the past.
He stared at her for a moment, trying to think of the best way to approach her. A caution step forward had her tensing up, and he eased off.
"Listen Azula, you can't stay here, you know that. There's wild animals and, well," he nudged the man he had just killed, "people too. You've got nothing, no provisions, no money - no friends. You want to live off of whatever you can catch and burn for the rest of your life? And it won't be a long one, believe me," he told her.
His statement didn't seem to sway her.
"It's better than before," she muttered, looking down. A shudder ran through her body.
"Is it? You'll be dead in a week if you're lucky. Come back with me to the Fire Nation. Repent your sins. Zuko loves you, the idiot that he is, he wants to help."
She looked back up at him, fire in her eyes.
"Help? Help? What does he know of help! He threw me in a cell to rot, like he did father! He left me… They always leave me." The last part was almost inaudible, a confession he'd not been meant to hear. The strong, proud conqueror of the past was nothing more than a broken, wretched teenage girl.
He stood there for a moment, before sighing to himself, and walking before her. She didn't react until he put a hand to her shoulder, and she looked up at him.
"When I first met Zuko, I hated him. He invaded my home and captured my friend. So many times he followed us, fighting us across the whole world, seeking to regain his honour. He did many bad things, but he was lost and needed guidance.
"So many people reached out to him, tried to show him the way - Aang, Iroh, even Katara. But he pushed them aside, because he thought he could do it on his own. And he couldn't.
"Eventually he realised what he needed most of all - what all people need - was a helping hand once in a while. We lifted him out of the darkness. And now he's a man I'm proud to call my friend.
"In the Water Tribe, we have a saying - 'those who rage against the tide drown, but they who follow the wave can survive'. Things can get better, but they won't if you don't try. And we can help you, I promise."
He held a hand out to her after his speech. She looked at it for a moment, confusion clear on her face, before she was filled with resolve. She sneered at him for a moment, and Sokka thought with dread that she would spurn his offer, but then she nodded.
"Fine," she declared, ignoring his hand and moving past him. "I'll come with you. But I'm not going back to the asylum."
For a moment Sokka wasn't sure how to react, and settled for just grunting noncommittally. Wiping his still bloody sword on a tree, he sheathed it again.
"Let's just hope my mongoose-lizard hasn't gone too far," he said, the idea of the long walk back not pleasant at all.
Azula didn't respond, not waiting for him to catch up at all and he followed after her.