General Iroh had arranged during his trip to the capitol to have the Gates of Azulon 'malfunction' on the Day of Black Sun. An eagle arrives early, when the sun is still hidden by the horizon, telling him that the gates mechanisms are broken and it'll take at least a week to fix. The fleet will get into the Dragon's Bay without a problem. Ozai may know they're coming but with the might of the navy on their side, he can't hope to engage them in the water.
Sokka doesn't sleep in today, instead he's up early pouring over the invasion plans again. Hakoda knocks politely before entering. "Sokka, stop looking at those. It'll work."
"Are you sure, Dad?"
"Yes, son. You've done a great job.
. . . . .
Toph hates ships but at least metal is better than wood. She shudders to think what the ride from Chameleon Bay would have been like on a wooden ship. She'd be completely blind! She picks at the dirt between her toes, ignoring that the sub she's going to be on later is made of wood. She's the best earthbender in the world, she's not afraid of anything! She beats her fist against her chest, she's not afraid of anything.
. . . . .
Aang meditates, as all good airbenders and Avatars should. Kyoshi sits before him, Roku at her side. "Are you sure there's no other way?"
"Aang, it is the Avatar's duty to maintain balance in the world. It slipped into chaos while you slept, entombed in the ice. You must now do your duty. Finish this war, once and for all," Kyoshi states simply.
Roku nods. "I didn't pay attention, I didn't know that Sozin wouldn't heed my warning. Please Aang, fix what I have broken."
Aang nods. He had let go of all worldly desires with Guru Pathik, he had let go of so much of what had been holding him down. What he wants no longer matters, he is the avatar and must restore balance to the world. Yangchen and Kuruk had said the same. He is the Avatar, he will do his duty. "Okay."
. . . . .
Zuko wakes up with Katara nestled against him, comforting after so many weeks of sleeping separately. Even with the invasion only a few hours away, he can't help but be anything content. Katara's top is skewed, pulled down to expose her shoulder. The prince can't help himself, he kisses her shoulder, kissing up her neck, into her hair.
"If every morning is like this…" Katara doesn't finish the thought, simply rolling over to kiss the man beside her.
The biggest improvement of this room when compared to the one on his old ship is the window. Together they watch the sky lighten and Zuko especially watches the way the pinks and purples play across his lover's skin. His lover, is that what she is? For a moment he can see her, not in her Water Tribe blues but in the robes of the Fire Nation Court. Part of her hair pulled back in a top knot with a gold flame adorning it. He can see her walking through the gardens at the palace, stopping to bend water at him when he's not looking. Zuko can also see the whispers, the glances, the sharp knives aimed at her back. He buries his face in her neck, he'll protect her no matter what.
. . . . .
The full force of the invasion is split between the ships and the submarines with most of the strongest benders and warriors in the underwater vessels. Zuko takes one last look at his Uncle, "Stay safe, Uncle."
"You too, Prince Zuko. May Agni go with you and bring you safely to the throne."
Zuko's throat tightens. "Thank you, Uncle. I'll see you soon." Zuko descends into the submarine, gripping Katara's hand as soon as he's beside her. She's clammy, glancing nervously around the submarine. At least there's water nearby.
A woman looking through the periscope makes a forward motion before moving away. "The fog has started, we'll be there soon." Katara lets go, helping the other waterbenders move the sub forward.
"Hey kiddo, long time no see."
"Ming!" Katara gasps. "Thank the Goddess you're here!"
"I couldn't sit this one out now could I? Especially since you've managed to convince the Fire Nation Navy to join the cause."
"I didn't-"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever. Either way, let's go kick the Fire Lord's royal ass. No offence, your highness," Ming calls out.
The sub is small enough for Zuko to easily hear. "None taken."
Minutes creep by. Who knows how long they're in the sub, waiting. Occasionally, the woman will look through the periscope but nothing changes. A loud, painful creaking fills the air, muffled by the water but unnerving nonetheless.
"What was that?" Zuko demands but the woman is already looking. The blood drains out of her face as the creaking changes into metallic clanks.
"The Gates of Azulon are rising," she whispers. The whole sub hears.
"We have to make it through."
"We already have, Prince Zuko."
"And the ships, the other submarines, did they?"
The woman looks out again, shaking her head. "The ships didn't. I can't say about the submarines. We can't see into the water."
"You may not be able to, but I can." Katara interjects, closing her eyes. She's not in the water but she's close enough. Her mind expands, feeling her element around her, feeling, searching.
Nothing.
No! "The other submarines are through. It's only the ships that got stopped."
"Uncle's correspondent must have been captured."
"Or be a loyalist," someone spits.
"Or that. Either way, we split our forces for a reason. There are enough of us on the submarines to take the capitol," Zuko states forcefully.
No one responds. Instead fear and concern are evident on most faces. Katara steps forward. "For one hundred years, the Fire Nation has ravaged and pillaged the other nations all while telling their own soldiers and children that the war is just. The Fire Lord told his entire country to fight and die for a lie. He told them to fight and die or their families would suffer. Today it ends. Today we are closer to taking the capitol and deposing Ozai and giving everyone back their lives. Everyone!"
Her crowd, Fire Nation, Earth Kingdom, and Water Tribe all holler back in response. "We can do this!" She shouts. "We can take Capitol City and finally live in peace! Now, waterbenders, let's go!"
It won't take long to reach the shore, half an hour at max. "We're almost to the pier. Just a minute more!" The periscope watcher calls out. Zuko looks back at Katara with the waterbenders. Their eyes say more than words ever could.
The submarine rocks violently. Water's spewing everywhere.
It's been skewered! A deadly harpoon with a chain attached runs right through the center. Blood's spewing everywhere.
Ice plugs the hole. Ming cuts the chain.
"We have to get out of here!"
"Almost there!" Another harpoon. No blood this time.
"Open the hull!" Katara shouts.
"We can't or we'll all drown." The captain responds.
"Just fucking do it!"
The captain does. The front of the submarine opens and water pours in.
A bubble forms around the crew. "We can still make it to shore. Everyone get out and then earthbenders make us some land."
"We can't, we're too far away from it."
Katara doesn't hesitate. "Ming, make us ice to walk on."
"Yes, ma'am."
The whole crew rises out of the water, propelled to the surface on a thick sheet of ice. Two of the submarines made it to shore. Another's crew is also in the water, being pushed forward by benders. The last ship is dangling, being pulled up the port's wall. Katara hisses. "Ming you've got this?"
The older waterbender looks at the young woman in front of her. She's in love with the prince of the Fire Nation. Fire and water, just like her parents. Maybe this time love will have a chance. "No, Katara. I'll get them. You get the crew to safety."
Katara nods as Ming goes sailing off. They make it to shore as the hanging sub crashes back into the water. Katara turns just in time to see Ming fall. Her heart stops. She can't stop now.
Appa roars above her as Aang demolishes one of the lookout towers on his way up to the city. Earthbenders launch rocks at others. Firebenders fight their own kind as waterbenders pull people down from the walls, breaking their backs on the way. With a thunderous crash or water against stone a great vined behemoth with a wooden mask rises from the waves. It's vines snap forward, engulfing loyalist firebenders and Komodo rhinos.
"Hue, you doing alright in there?" One of the swampbenders calls. The great creature nods in response. A fireball, stronger that others hits Hue's creature, knocking it back into the sea.
"Hue!" Tho yells.
Sokka shouts, "Everyone, wedge formation! Benders in the middle!" Everyone quickly forms the wedge. Waterbenders keep a thick ice wall in front of them while earthbenders propel the tanks far into the sky. Some explode when they come down, others land on the remaining ones. One lands too close to the warriors. Toph bends it away but quickly turns away. There's no helping them now.
The rest of the wedge pushes forward as the area clears.
Finally, they've made it to the gates! "The path up the volcano is next and then we're in the city. Remember, we're only going after soldiers!" Zuko orders. They march forward only to meet Aang flying down, crestfallen.
"What's wrong?" Hakoda demands.
"It was empty," Aang replies. "No one was home. There was no one in the entire city."
"They knew," Sokka spits.
"The Fire Lord is probably far away on some remote island."
"No," Zuko states. "I doubt he'd leave, he's too cocky for that. There are tunnels under the city. We need to check those."
"Yes, but we don't have a map and you said they span miles," Sokka replies.
"I know the way. There's an entrance to the east of here. We'll be at the path to get there in a minute or two.
"Would it be under us here and can you find your way from here?" Toph asks.
"Yeah, I can."
"Good, I can get us down there and into the tunnels. Will everyone fit though?"
Hakoda looks around at all of the troops. "You kids go, defeat the Fire Lord. We'll keep going into the city. We'll hold the palace and keep them out so Prince Zuko can come in and take control."
"Are you sure, Dad?" Katara questions. "We don't have long before the eclipse and they knew it was a trap. Shouldn't we be trying to get people out?"
Zuko looks at her. "You should go but Aang and I have to continue. It's now or never. If we don't kill him now he'll demolish us with the comet."
"No!"
"Katara, please." He has to protect her.
Katara grits her teeth. "No. We're going together then."
"Thanks for signing us up, Sugarqueen." Tophs rolls her eyes. "But really, you're not going without us, right Sokka?"
Sokka nods. "Right."
"If you're all going to face him we're going to the palace." Hakoda adds. He stops for a moment, looking at his kids who he may never see again. "Be safe. Tui and La protect you both." In Sokka's ear he whispers, "If plans fall through, if he doesn't defeat the Fire Lord, run. Take him far away from here. The Avatar is our only hope." The Chief of the Southern Water Tribe doesn't give his son the chance to respond and with a kiss on each of their foreheads he's off and Toph is lowering them into the ground.
Katara doesn't even mind this time. There's too much to focus on, too much adrenaline coursing through her veins to be afraid of something like earth. She's more afraid of what they'll find at the end of the tunnels. Zuko lights a fire, leading them all forward. She finds herself at the prince's side, her hand brushing against his.
Zuko stops, "That's weird."
"What, what's going on?"
"There should be a tunnel here."
"Maybe you just got lost?" Aang asks.
Toph feels the wall. "No, there's been recent earth bending. It's only a couple of days old." She pauses, feeling. "There aren't any tunnels behind it so they completely closed up the area. Did a good job too."
There's no reply to that. What even can be said? Eventually Aang speaks. "Can we make a tunnel straight to the Fire Lord?"
"No, that'll bring everyone running towards us. I may be good but even I can't take on as many people as are likely to be down here." Toph replies.
"Great, so what now? We're definitely headed into a trap." Katara states, biting her lip. Now she's starting to get nervous. They're not going to make it in time.
The fire flickers.
"Zuko?"
"It's beginning," he stammers. The flame burns low and then out. Zuko gasps. "It's so cold," he hisses. Katara squeezes his hand again, rubbing his shoulder, focusing on anything that isn't the darkness pressing down on her.
"Let's get to the palace. Maybe we can hold it and keep the Fire Lord out until I can face him." Aang decides. "Toph, get us out of here."
"On it, Twinkle Toes." With a heavy, the earth above them parts and they rise. They all put on eclipse glasses as the earth fall away around them. They're through the lip of the volcano and come up in the city, cobblestone crumbling around them. The world's overcast, almost grey tinted. Zuko gasps at the sight above him. The sun is completely blocked out. He knew what it would look like, but to actually see it, to feel it is completely different.
"Come on, we're close to the palace. Let's go," Sokka commands. Zuko forces himself to rip his eyes away from the sun.
They break out into a run, a full on sprint for the palace and no one stops them. There's no one in the streets. Toph can feel that there's no one in the houses either. It's totally deserted. The palace is farther away than they realized. Zuko's hardly ever been out in the capitol on foot so he's no help with judging the distance.
They architecture changes, slightly, but the houses have more gold and more plants in front of them. "We're getting close," the prince growls.
"Oh hello, I guess you discovered my little surprise for you in the tunnels?" A voice stops them all cold.
"Azula!"
"Yes, brother. I bet it's so good to finally be home, isn't it? Too bad you have to die, what with being a traitor and all." Azula doesn't move to attack, choosing instead to sit daintily on one of the nearby benches.
"What do you want, Azula?" Zuko snarls.
"Oh, the usual – world domination. I'll settle for seeing your head on a pike though, at least for now. Tell me, should I kill the water bender before or after you?"
Zuko howls, launching himself towards his sister who neatly scampers out of the way. A shuriken lands right in front of him. "Oh yes," Azula laughs, "You didn't think I'd come alone while I couldn't bend did you?"
Mai and Ty Lee appear on roofs next to them. Mai looks bored as usual and Ty Lee is grinning at Sokka. "Hey there handsome!" She calls. Sokka grimaces and looks away.
Azula claps her hands together. "I've decided what I'll do. There's a guard at the Boiling Rock who is about to get promoted. His name's Chang, you might have heard of him Zuzu, after all he did serve on your ship." Azula laughs coldly, "The water bender can go with you to the Boiling Rock. I'm sure he'd just love to get reacquainted. How does that sound?"
The noise that comes out of Zuko's mouth is hardly human. Azula doesn't make it out of the way in time. He tackles her, surprising each of them. A shuriken slices him arm, careful not to hit an artery.
Katara's blood freezes, anger and fear pumping through her ears. Never again. The moon is blocking out the sun. The moon, her moon, her element is blocking out the sun. She simply reacts. She pulls and Aula screams.
Ty Lee jumps forward, landing squarely beside Sokka who can only swing at her with his club. She ducks. Toph sinks her feet into the ground. Suddenly Sokka's all too aware of his lack of bending. He could make a real difference in the fight. Aang tries to knock Mai off of the roof but she dodges.
"Oh, that's not fair!" Ty Lee pouts.
"I don't care," Toph retorts, ignoring the pain the blossoms in her leg from a thrown knife.
"Aang, the eclipse!" Sokka shouts.
"I guess the bending's back on," Azula pants, kicking Zuko off of her, fire blazing. The ungodly hold on her muscles that made her veins scream thankfully gone. A shadow falls across them all, blocking out the newly visible sun.
"Appa!" Aang shouts. He blasts Mai again, this time she can't get out of the way fast enough. Only Azula is left and she's snarling. Zuko throws fire at her which she deflects and returns threefold. Toph propels them all up onto Appa, not waiting for anyone's permission or agreement. "We have to get out of here!"
"We have to defeat Azula. Didn't you see, she was rattled!" Zuko snaps.
"No, Zuko as a matter of fact I didn't see!" Toph shouts.
"We have to get to the palace. Everyone is there," Aang says, about to steer Appa there.
Sokka stops him. "No, we have to get you out of here."
"What? Our people are in there."
"And they all knew the risks coming into the mission. Now the palace will be under siege. We can't get in without risking letting the loyalists in too."
"But I have to defeat the Fire Lord! Everyone is counting on me!"
Zuko snaps out of his own angry thoughts, "You're not ready to defeat him now. You had a chance during the eclipse but that didn't work out. You aren't strong enough to face him at his full power."
Aang's shoulders slump. He turns Appa away from the palace, back towards the beach and the Gate of Azulon. No Fire Nation ships are waiting outside of the gate. "They must have all fled. Do we know where they'll go?"
Zuko shakes his head. "No, but I'm sure my Uncle will find us no matter where we go. Besides, the backup plan was always for you to learn all four elements and then defeat my father. Let's continue with that and hopefully you can face him before the comet."
"I guess we don't have much of a choice do we?"
"No, we don't." Zuko replies before turning to sit beside a quiet Katara and wrap his uninjured arm around her. "You okay?"
Katara nods, not saying anything, just staring at her hands. Something had happened back there. Azula's screams hadn't been from Zuko's hands wraps around her throat. Katara can still feel the blood pumping through the other girl's veins. No one can know what she did.