Sokkla Saturdays 2022 Azula joins the Gaang in DOBS
It was normal day. Sun was shining, wind was blowing, and tribesmen preparing invasion. A totally normal day. Good day for conquest. At least that's what Sokka thought. They prepared for this day and everything was ready. Now they just needed to execute the plan and everything will be done. Everyone boarded their ships and headed out in to open sea to meet their destiny. There were some minor setbacks, like firelord being coward and hiding who knows where, but that were just trivial matter and the reason why Aang, Sokka, and Toph were wandering underground tunnels and flying over lava rivers to find that bastard so that Aang could deliver some spirit punishment to him. But instead of finding the father lord, to use Zuko's words, instead they found his biggest nightmare: his perfect sister, Azula was wasting their precious time instead of surrendering peacefully like all good firebenders would do on the day of black sun. It was irritating. Azula was hopping around the place like some bunny-spider and gluing herself to the walls in crazy positions like she was playing with her prey before eating it alive while being completely oblivious to the fact that she was supposed to be the prey here and they were predators. That girl was crazy… crazy fast even for airbender, earthbender and self-proclaimed boomerangbender working together to catch her. She was having good time messing around with those fools and wasting their precious time. Those fools weren't aware that this entire situation was planned from the beginning to end and they were just marionettes dancing in her palm. Life was good. At it will be even better when she crushed this pathetic excuse for invasion. She didn't surrender even when her arms were bound to the wall. Instead, her tongue was working double to make up for her disability to move and was delivering even worse burns than her blocked firebending. Sexual tension got so dense you could actually cut it with knife.
"Sokka, I don't like this place! The ground is all fuzzy and moving around. We should get out of here as soon as possible." Toph didn't like how her feet felt here and what kind of signal they were sending her.
"Is the little earthbender afraid of earth moving behind her feet?" Azula moved her head and smirked at her. At same time Sokka also turned to face Toph. During their little adventure he learned to trust Toph and if there was something that could worry fearless earthbender it meant it was something to be concerned about and he should address the issue. Sokka shoot a look at Aang who was as puzzled as Sokka. Sokka's mind told him that this was a key moment: either they continue on with their search of firelord or abandon it and return back to surface. Azula wasted enough of their time that if they continued with current plan, they may find firelord after the eclipse is over and he got his firebending back and fighting fire breathing monster may be disastrous in those clamped tunnels. Go or no go?
"Toph, knock her out!" Sokka commanded Toph and saw smirk play on her face.
"With pleasure." Toph replied and bend some earth hitting Azula's head and knocking her out cold. Her bindings were undone and her limp body fell into Sokka's waiting arms.
"Let's go back! Aang, Toph, make tunnel straight up from here." Aang opened his mouth to say something about how he is ready to face firelord and that it's his duty, but Sokka silenced him with stern look in his eyes.
"There is no more time, Aang. We need to leave as soon as possible."
"I guess you are right." Aang was a bit disappointed, but agreed with Sokka.
If Toph was right and something bad was about to happen there was no time to use same path they used before. Leaving now empty handed would mean that they lost, but if they could take princess Azula as hostage there will be some ground for negotiations. At same time she could be used as insurance that everyone leaves this island in one piece. Sokka shoot one last glance at his surroundings and headed into the tunnel that Aang and Toph created while caring unconscious Azula's body in his arms.
o0o0o0o
With Aang and Toph moving in tandem to earthbend tunnel their way up was progressing in rapid place. Compared to time it took for them to get here in that maze of tunnel, the way up looked like they were flying. Finally, the ground opened up and Sokka's team found themselves in the middle of some ruined plaza, because that will happen when you open huge hole inside one. Sokka wasn't able to recognize anything and just stared at empty buildings while at same time Aang used his whistle and called Appa, his sky bison.
Outside the invasion still ongoing. The brave water tribe warriors and their friends were marching forward and already had the palace in sight. Morale was high. Mechanist looked at his eclipse's clock and hummed to himself. Everything was going as planned, he knew that because, he was already used in deciphering Sokka's vague plans. Bato looked up and saw sky bison flying toward them.
Did they finish already? Sokka jumped down even before the big beast managed to land and ran toward Bato and Hakoda. Both men were surprised to see Sokka coming toward then, but not because he returned so quickly, but because of what he was caring in his arms. There was a girl in his arms and smirk appeared on Bato's face.
"We need to leave right now!" Sokka shouted and was met with several different face expressions.
"I see you exploration was quite fruitful" Bato smirked at Sokka. "Is she the reason why?"
"Order full retreat, dad!" Sokka ignored Bato and addressed his father. Hakoda looked at his son, the girl in his hands, and Bato who was smirking at him. There was story behind it and Hakoda could only facepalm at this situation. Bato's shit eating grim didn't help at all.
"Sound the horn." Hakoda commanded while hiding his face in his palm and everyone turned around and headed back same way they came.
Retreat was going well, there were no major resistance if you don't count occasional fire nation scouts poking their head to check on the state of battle. The eclipse has ended and everyone was wary of firebenders counterattack. They had reached the slope road they used to descent to city and started to climb up when they heard ominous sound and everyone turned to look at the palace. Hot air balloons powered by firebending rouse up in the air making machinist recognize it.
"My own invention."
As if that wasn't bad other big and strange contractions rouse up in the air. Aang extended his glider preparing to take to the sky, but was stopped when Toph grabbed his hand.
"Wait! Something big is going to happen! Can't you feel it?"
Aang closed his glider and rooted himself to the surface of the slope. His seismic sense wasn't as good as Toph, but even it told him about horrible things to happen.
"Is it really that bad?" Sokka turned to face Toph and Aang.
"I don't know what is normal here, but I think something big is going to blow up here." Toph replied.
"Any chance this is another trap of firebenders?" Sokka looked concerned.
"I don't think so. They are firebenders and not earthbenders. Something deep underground is causing huge pressure that want to get to surface."
Sokka turned to look at his father and Bato and they understood him without words.
"Double pace! Drop anything unneeded if it hampers your moment. We need to leave this place as soon as possible!" Hakoda commanded the troops. With those words slow and cautions retreat ended and people started to move faster while still maintaining some formation. Caterpillar tanks were abandoned and their crews joined the main force to keep up with them in speed.
When people reached the outside slope of caldera Sokka got a new idea: Omashu post system could greatly work here. Retreat was temporary stopped to reorganize and to check that no one was left behind. Earthbenders created huge sleds to carry huge number of people faster down slope. Everyone boarded their sleds except for Sokka, Toph, Aang and Katara. Sokka, and with earthbenders help slided down at fast speed. At same time Sokka returned back at the entrance to spy on airships progress to reach them. The airships had gained speed and were fast approaching their position. Sokka guessed that it may take another ten minutes for them to reach them and then they will become rousted meat. Not enough time to find any hiding place or reach the subs. Sokka thoughts were suddenly interrupted when laud explosion sound reached his ear and his head moved toward it. He was shocked by what he saw there. At same time Toph, who was extremely sensitive to sounds, passed out from it.
A huge fountain of lava shot out if the ground high up into the sky. It was so high that it even reached leading airship and partly melted it who after huge explosion fell down on the city igniting everything around it. Surrounding airships weren't unshattered either. Vulcanic bombs peppered everyone around. Two more airships were forced to make emergency landings in the city when their hulls were pierced by molten hot volcanic bombs and Sokka could see that people were jumping out of them to in vain hope to save themselves only to make nice pancakes on the ground while dyeing the pavement with their blood and gore. The remaining airships took evasive action and turned around to return back from where they came. Everything was on fire and looked like nightmarish hellscape. Magma reached underground tunnels and people hiding places forcing them out of it or to die where they were hiding. So, everyone rushed out and for the first time since the invasion start, capital city become lively with people running around and screaming in horror. Vulcanic bombs and other debris were falling down on them making the scene even more surreal. They were crushing people heads, caving their chest, or just simply breaking their legs and immobilizing them to wait for their inevitable death. Some people were set on fire by pieces or molten lava falling on them. They were screaming while being walking fire torches. Terror made them forget everything, even how to use their firebending to extinguish fire, and turning them into new sources of fire. It was a huge mess.
Sokka wasn't the only looking at this nightmare. Azula woke up from that horrible sound and saw her home being destroyed by the force of nature. She was bewildered by what she saw and could do nothing, but look at it with shock. Then her mind couldn't take it anymore and she once again lost her consciousness.
o0o0o0o
Sokka recovered from shock, boarded the last sled and started his descent to the port. He and his friends soon joined Hakoda and the main force in the port. Hakoda and his people were momentary surprised by huge crowd gathered near their sub and thought this was attack by fire nation, but soon noticed that they were the common folk, a regular citizen. The vine giant was using his vines to protect subs from anyone approaching it while making sure to not inflict any serious injuries to anyone that dared to get too close. Now with the invasion force returning back, fire nation citizen stopped their attempt to get inside the sub and retreated to the sides.
A group of fire sages approached Hakoda whom they saw as commander of this force for negotiation. Huge ash clouds raising up high in the sky made Hakoda understand the severity of situation and why Sokka wanted everyone to leave as soon as possible. His son must have known what will happen from the start. At same time Hakoda also understood what the fire sages wanted to ask of him even when they still haven't said any word. It was decided to abandon all vehicles and, in their place, to take as much people as possible. Another bigger explosion shot huge amount of ash and dirt high up in the sky announcing to everyone that the time to leave this place alive was running out. People were crammed in subs like fish in the barrel, but no one complained about it in fear that they may be left out. Volcano was raging in full force and now ash, debris, and volcanic bombs were raining down everywhere. Aang, Toph, Katara and some kids decide to take Appa instead of cramming in the subs. Sokka had no such luck. After he entered his sub and reached his room, he laid down Azula and wanted to exit it, but his way was blocked by Hakoda who was talking with one of fire sages.
Azula woke up and looked at the unfamiliar surroundings. Then several voices reached her ear and he turned to look who was it. She managed to recognize it and was later confirmed when she saw their owners. There was that fool she met underground and his taller older version, probably his father, talking with fire sages. The fire sages noticed her and bowed.
"Are you ok, princess Azula?" One of fire sages asked her.
"Oh, I am perfectly fine if you don't count volcano in the middle of my home and this savage dragging me from there against my will."
"He must be quite the man to contain such prodigy as yourself." Another fire sage replied to Azula and then turned to face Sokka.
"Congratulation on successfully performing wife snatching. We bless your marriage and wish long and happy life." Those words caught both Sokka and Azula off guard. Sokka looked confused while Azula facepalmed herself. Sokka looked at Hakoda for some explanation, but only found him smiling at him.
"Congratulation on your new life. I didn't expect for this to happen so soon. When can I expect grand kids?" Hakoda patted Sokka on shoulder.
"Wife snatching is old and dying out water tribe tradition where unmarried man goes to kidnap his desired woman and return her back to his ship. If he succeeds in it, they are considered husband and wife." Hakoda explained it to Sokka.
"Those handsome devils would steal all nice girl and left us poor men with only old and ugly. This is one of the reasons why every firelord sought after strong navy to protect his domain." A fire sage added.
"Well, there is one way to fix it." Azula looked at Sokka and ignited flame in his hand.
"I don't think that's wise." Hakoda looked sternly at Azula and she extinguished flame.
"Fine. I am not that suicidal to fight the chief and who knows how many tribesmen hiding outside. Are the things really that bad outside?" Azula moved her eyes from Hakoda to fire sages.
"It's still unconfirmed, but we believe you are the only surviving member of royal family."
"Great! I can already image how the historians will depict it. Azula joins the Gaang in DOBS." Azula rolled her eyes.
o0o0o0o
After the subs cleared fire nation port gates they surfaced back to surface. They were caring lot of people couldn't stay submerged for a long time. The air was the issue so they acted like a regular ship and would only temporarily submerge to avoid any obstacles. The look outs noticed strange things happened in the island and soon after dive order was issues. A pyroclastic cloud descended upon the capital island and several small nearby islands killing anyone that was still alive on the surface. Aang commanded Appa to dive too. Katara created and maintained big water bubble so that everyone could breathe underwater.
o0o0o0o
Azula woke up from the nightmare and found herself once again it the same empty room. She was at her new home where Sokka lived. She was lying on the ground with Sokka sleeping nearby. What could this dream have meant? She saw herself and Sokka running from doomed island. Maybe that meant that her old life has ended and there is no way to return back, and that she should accept her new life. She is married to Sokka and now has a new home and new life.