Sokka was the master planner. He'd planned their trip to the Northern Water Tribe (mostly). He planned where they needed to go. He planned for their safety and for fighting. Once he found the library, he planned for the invasion. He had several plans for the invasion. None of which included the Dai Li or brainwashing. It wasn't supposed to be possible. Now he worried his plans might not be enough-he might not be enough.
When he, Toph, and Aang arrived back at their home, he paced around until his sister was safe. Until she entered the house with that same smile she always had and Iroh following her. He hadn't realized how stressed he was not seeing her and worrying if she would be taken.
"You're back!" Sokka exclaimed, rushing to hug his sister. "Did you guys have any problems?"
"No. There was a Dai Li agent watching the shop but nothing happened." Katara said. "Uncle did get an offer to open his own tea shop in the Upper Ring!" She smiled.
"That's... uh... that's great news." Sokka was confused. It didn't seem like good news to have a tea shop in the middle of a brainwashing crisis.
"I've always wanted my own tea shop." Iroh smiled. "I wish Zuko was here with me to celebrate." And just like that, the mood changed for everyone.
"Well, we talked to King Kuei. We started planning for the invasion." Sokka rubbed the back of his neck, unsure of how to explain the next part. "Kuei arrested Long Feng."
"And my Nephew?" Iroh asked. "Is he... safe?"
"We don't know. Long Feng refused to tell us where he is. He said there was nothing we could do to change his mind."
"I see." Iroh frowned. He walked over to the table and sat down in one of the chairs. He seemed to age in those few moments, burdened by grief.
"We're going back tomorrow to see if we can't find more information. I'm not sure if any of the Dai Li will be able to help us or not." Sokka shrugged, disappointed in his ability to plan things out. "We might find something in Long Feng's office that might help."
"Might?" Katara repeated. "Why does that seem like it's not going to happen?"
"Because I don't know!" Sokka sighed. "I don't know where Zuko is, I don't know where he could be, I don't know how we are going to heal him, I don't know how any of this is going to go in our favor, and I don't know what I'm doing! I planned for invasion of Fire Nation. Not an invasion of the mind! I don't know what I'm doing and I'm the plan guy!" He yelled as the stress of the situation built up. He hadn't realized he was that anxious until he let it all out.
"It's okay Sokka." Katara reached out to hug Sokka. "It's okay. We'll figure it out."
"Why does it feel like we won't?" Sokka mumbled into Katara's shoulder as he embraced her. He wasn't sure the hug made a difference. He also wasn't sure if he wanted to end the hug.
"Think positive Sokka! We found Appa! We maybe have firebenders on our side. Things are looking up." Aang smiled. Sokka thought it was too late or too realistic or too something to be that cheerful.
"Yeah. Sure." Sokka broke from the hug. "I have a question for you." He pointed at Aang. "What's up with the lying to the King?"
"Lying? What do you mean?"
"Come on Snoozles, if anyone was going to call Twinkle Toes on lying, it would be me."
"You said Zuko saved your life. When did that happen?" Sokka asked, ignoring Toph's comment.
"Oh that." Aang looked away and rubbed the back of his neck. "He did save my life. Remember that time you guys were sick?"
"And we had to suck frozen frogs? How could I forget?"
"I was captured by Zhao and Zuko busted me out."
"What?! That's crazy!" Sokka turned to Iroh. "That can't be true, can it?"
Iroh rubbed his beard and thought for a moment. "Zuko didn't explain what he was doing but if he broke you out of Pohuai Stronghold, it would explain his injuries and Zhao's hatred."
"Injuries?!"
"Oh yeah..." Aang gave a weak smile. "He might have gotten hit in the forehead with an arrow when we were escaping."
"My Nephew forgets to tell me these things and makes an old man worry. I know he goes out but he refuses to tell me where he's going or what he's doing. I knew it was a matter of time before something happened to him." Iroh sighed.
"We can find him." Sokka said, more determined now. "Toph, you can feel where a person is. Would you be able to tell where Zuko is?"
"I can try but I'm not sure if I'll be able to feel him. Since Long Feng took him, he feels... different. Not the same. It'll be harder to locate." Toph shrugged.
"Okay, well we can try that. And-" Sokka stopped when an urgent knocking interrupted him. It was late and none of them were expecting a visitor. All of them-except Toph-glanced at one another in confusion.
It was Aang who was the closest and made the move before anyone could stop him. He opened the door to find a guard standing there. "Hello?"
"Avatar Aang, it's urgent that you and your friends come back to King Kuei. Long Feng has escaped." The guard panted out.
"We gotta go!" Sokka exclaimed, grabbing a few items they might need. "Uncle, you're coming with us."
Long Feng started to head towards his secret room when he was stopped by the Princess. He was sure no one knew of his room but it still annoyed him to see her blocking him. She wasn't supposed to find him. He would find her. If he wanted.
"You have my brother." She said as she walked around Zuko. "Interesting." She stood in front of Zuko and tilted her head, as if waiting for Zuko to respond. "Zuzu, why don't you do what I ask now?"
Zuko said nothing and gave no indication of hearing what the Princess said. Long Feng enjoyed the look of frustration on Azula's face as she realized she couldn't control him. "He only listens to me." Long Feng said. "He only obeys me."
"You don't know how to control him like I would. Give him to me."
"No. I'm keeping him as my pet." He smirked. "As leverage." Long Feng moved Zuko in between him and Azula. "Lee, if the Princess decides to attack me, stop her by any means necessary."
"Yes Master."
"He won't." Azula snarled. "He's not better than me. I'm the stronger bender. I'll kill him before he tries."
"Perhaps." Long Feng shrugged. "But he has his swords. And all he knows is to protect me. He doesn't care if you're his sister or not. He'll keep going until he accomplishes what he was commanded to do. Or he dies."
"If I kill him, you won't have anyone to hide behind." Azula cleared her face of any anger, wearing a mask of indifference. Long Feng could see through it. "I'll kill him and then I'll kill you."
"You could. But without me, the Dai Li won't trust you. Without me or your brother, the King will get suspicious. How long do you think you can keep your little act up before he finds out who you are?"
"It won't matter if I control Ba Sing Se by then."
Long Feng hesitated a moment. He was getting no where with the Princess and he preferred to have her on his side. At least for now. There was no way she would stay on his side, but if he got what he wanted out of it, it wouldn't matter by then. "A compromise then. I will help you and you will help me."
"What could you help me with? And why would I help you?" She sneered.
"You want to take Ba Sing Se. I want the King gone." He also wanted to rule Ba Sing Se without having to sneak around like he was with the King, but that wasn't something he had to mention just then. "I can help you overthrow the King and the council so that you win Ba Sing Se."
"I doubt you will be happy with just the King gone if I rule Ba Sing Se. You want power and control, don't you?"
Long Feng wanted to choke the Princess. She was becoming a pain he didn't want to deal with. "Of course I would. Who doesn't?" He rolled his eyes. "What I want more is that incompetent fool out of the way. I want the Avatar and his friends to stop trying to make things better for the world."
"Fine. Give me control over my brother and I will give you what you want."
"I'm not stupid to believe you won't kill me as soon as I do. Help me and I'll give you him."
King Kuei looked a mess by the time they arrived. His hair was out of place and he wasn't wearing his outer robes. He kept pacing back and forth in front of his throne.
"Your Majesty? You called for us?" Sokka was unsure if he wanted to hear how bad things were.
"Yes. Long Feng is not in his cell. The guards went to check on him and he's not there."
"Did he earthbend his way out?"
"No. He was in a metal cell. Everything is in tact, no signs of bending on his end. Two guards were unconscious and injured. They're in recovery now and we're waiting for them to wake up to find out what they know." Kuei shook his head. "This is bad."
"What sort of injuries do they have?" Katara asked. "I might be able to help."
"I'm told concussion and cuts from swords. Nothing life threatening. It seems more as if whoever broke in only wanted to break Long Feng out."
"Lee!" Sokka shouted.
"What?" Kuei blinked. "Isn't that... your friend?"
"Long Feng must have known he was going to go to jail and told Lee to break him out."
"Oh my Nephew." Iroh sighed.
"This might work for us. If Lee is with Long Feng, Toph can find them." Sokka exclaimed and turned to Toph. "Toph, can you look for Long Feng and see if he's with anyone?"
"Way to just assume Snoozles." Toph sighed and punched Sokka.
"Sorry." Sokka said as he rubbed his arm. "But you can do it, right?"
Toph stepped away from the group and stomped her foot down and concentrated. "I found him." She declared a moment later. "But there's trouble."
"What kind of trouble?"
"It seems he's not alone with Sparky. Crazy is with them." She frowned.
"That's not good." Aang said. "That's really not good."
"What do we do?" Katara asked. Sokka didn't miss how everyone turned towards him for the answer.
"We have to go after them. We can't let Azula have either of them or get control of Ba Sing Se." Sokka started, thinking of a plan as he spoke. "We need both Long Feng and Lee. But we can't let Long Feng give any commands to Lee."
"So we knock him out first and take them both." Toph shrugged.
"Are you sure that's the best option?" Aang asked.
"Look, I know you may not like violence Aang but it's best if we knock them out so no one else gets hurt. If Long Feng sees us, he could command Lee to do anything. We can't afford that." Sokka sighed. "And since Azula is here, that's another problem. How did she get into Ba Sing Se?" Everyone turned to King Kuei for the answer.
"Oh. Is she one of the Kyoshi warriors that came?"
"She is no Kyoshi warrior. She's the Princess of the Fire Nation." Iroh said. "It appears as though she pretended to be a Kyoshi warrior to infiltrate the city."
"Then we also have to assume her friends are with her too. The Chi-Blocker and Knife one." Sokka rubbed his chin, thinking of a plan. "I have a feeling we're going to fight for Ba Sing Se tonight."
"Why does that not sound promising?" Katara sighed. Sokka hadn't meant for it to sound that way but once she mentioned it, he believed it. It wasn't just about Zuko anymore. Azula had to be stopped. The only way out of this was if they defeated her or she took control of Ba Sing Se.