Disclaimer: All rights belong to Nickelodeon, Bryan Konietzko, Michael Dante DiMartino, and all the men and women that created the A:TLA show, books, and comics. I take no credit, and I do not mean to break any copyright rules. This is simply a work of fiction made for enjoyment. No money is being made. The lyrics are from the song "Lover to Lover" by Florence and the Machine
Rating: General Audiences. Warning: some scenes contain dark themes and minor violence
Author's Note: As a banker, I'm relieved to be in a essential profession that will never shut down, but at the same time it's annoying because I just want 2 weeks to chill at home and write and stay away from all the sick people. Oh well. Catch me chugging hand sanitizer (just kidding I promise)
Chapter 15 - The Prison Break: Part 1
I've been losin' sleep
I've been keepin' myself awake
I've been wandering the streets
For days and days and days
And I've been taking chances
I've been setting myself up for the fall
And I've been keeping secrets
From my heart and from my soul
Zuko walks around the palace slowly, taking everything in. The countless tapestries of his father, grandfather, and great grandfather. The few of Azula, and slightly fewer of him. Paintings of grand military victories over the years. Richly woven red and orange curtains and rugs. Gold plated statues and marble busts. Glowing stain glass windows and crystal chandeliers.
He grew up in this building, and yet, that's all it is to him - a building. He feels nothing as he walks through the halls. There's no pride in him at the wealth. No fondness at the images of his father in all his glory. There's nothing but emptiness.
Then he stops at a painting that depicts to destruction of the Water Tribes. He's not sure if it's the North Pole or the South Pole in this particular image, but it doesn't matter. He sees the brilliant red and orange flames cutting through the blue hues of the Waterbenders and he finally feels something. He feels disgust and shame.
Sometimes Zuko doesn't understand how he can even be related to his father. The things his father has done - the things his father has been willing to do -
And yet, Zuko has done some awful things himself. He treated his uncle terribly during his banishment. When he and the girls were on Ember Island, he said and did awful things to them and the other teens on the island. And he betrayed Katara.
He feels an arm drape around his shoulders. "I didn't know you were into history," Mai says, leaning her head against his shoulder and looking at the painting.
"I'm not."
"Then why are you staring at it so closely?"
Zuko steps away, gently removing her arm from his body. "I'm not happy here, Mai," he confesses.
"Is it because of Azula? Because you know she has a temper sometimes. She didn't mean what she said at Omashu."
Zuko shakes his head. "I changed when I was searching for the Avatar. I'm not the same person I used to be. And there's no going back now."
She rolls her eyes. "Don't be dramatic. You're meant to rule the Fire Nation one day. You just need more time to adjust. You've only been back for a few weeks."
Zuko shakes his head again. "Azula was right when she said I shouldn't be Fire Lord."
"Zuko." She takes his hand, and he notices her eyes are shining. He's so shocked at the rare, strong sign of emotion from her that he shuts his mouth. "I know you haven't been happy. I know that everything is different now. And I don't know how to help you. But you are meant to be Fire Lord. Azula was wrong. She's a great warrior, but she's not a leader. A leader has to have a heart for their people." She lays her hand against his heart. "You have that. Not her. The Fire Nation needs you." She turns away slightly, breaking contact with his eyes. "I need you."
He doesn't know what to say. On one hand, he knows she's right. Azula's greatest strength is also her greatest weakness: she's too cold, too detached from everything and everyone around her. Zuko has always known this.
On the other hand, he doesn't know how he can keep up his perfect prince act forever. And the gods know that his father isn't going to die anytime soon. It could be decades before it's Zuko's turn to be Fire Lord. He can't imagine living like this for another month, let alone years.
But perhaps Mai has a point. Maybe he's still adjusting. Maybe in a month he'll be okay.
Mai has such strong faith in him. It gives him hope. Not much, but enough.
"I'll try harder," he promises.
Mai leans up and kisses him. As they're pulling apart, they hear running footsteps. They turn to see a breathless Ty Lee approaching.
"Mai! Come! Azula needs us."
"What are we doing?" Zuko asks suspiciously.
Ty Lee shakes her head. "Only Mai and I. She said it was a girl emergency. She needs us immediately."
Mai leans up and kisses Zuko on the cheek. "Wait here. I'm sure it's nothing important."
They both head off to do Azula's bidding. Zuko watches them depart, feeling a bit unsettled. He doesn't buy the whole "it's a girl emergency" thing. Azula would use her servants for a girl emergency. No, this is something bigger. And Azula wants to keep him away from it.
But why? What would be so big that she would lie about it?
Zuko is going to find out.
After sneaking off the Fire Nation ship, Sokka and Suki meet up in the forest outside of the palace. Sokka has held up his part of the plan and, as far as he can see, Suki has also.
She pulls off her Fire Nation helmet and tucks it under her arm. "Three sets of civilian clothing," she says, holding a bundle out with her other hand. "One for you, one for me, and one for Katara. I didn't know her size but I assumed it's close to mine."
"Perfect," Sokka says, taking the clothes and throwing them into his bag.
"And you got us an escape plan?"
"Follow me."
He leads her through the forest to a hidden cove. Half on the beach and half in the water is a small fishing boat.
"It isn't much, but it should be enough to get us to the Earth Kingdom shores. Then we can blend in better."
Suki glances at it doubtfully. "I don't think normal clothes will be enough to disguise us if we run across a Fire Nation Army ship," she says.
Sokka knows. He's had that same thought. But there's no other way off an island except by ship so they'll have to risk it. "It'll be dark. They probably won't even see us. Besides, that ship is too small to be noticed anyway."
He tries to keep his tone light but for once jokes and sarcasm just don't come easily to him. The weight of what they're about to attempt is weighing heavily on his mind. He's scared. He's scared of failing. Scared that Katara will rot in prison forever. Scared that Suki will get hurt or imprisoned.
And he's terrified that they'll break into the prison only to find that Katara's not there.
He pushes the thoughts from his mind and looks up at the sky. The sun is just starting to set. An hour more and it will be dark enough for them to begin the first part of their rescue plan.
Sokka wishes his father was here right now. He always looked up to his dad. When he was little, he copied everything he did. The day of the attack on their village, it broke his heart to run away instead of fighting by his father's side. He only did because he knew that he had to protect his sister. And he's managed to fail even that.
If his dad was here, he'd tell him how proud he was of him. He'd tell him that he was carrying on the Water Tribe legacy with pride. Sokka knows this, and yet he can't quite believe it.
He feels a hand on his shoulder. He turns to see Suki watching him closely.
"It's going to be okay," she promises. "We're going to rescue your sister."
"How can you be so sure?"
She smiles. "Because I have hope. And because you're the mastermind behind this plan."
Sokka swallows. He doesn't think he's deserving of her hope. There are so many factors that could go wrong. So many risks. They're deep in enemy territory with a shaky plan. They're just kids.
"Thank you for coming, Suki," he says. "I'm not sure I would have the courage to do this without you."
She shakes her head. "Don't sell yourself short, Sokka. You're the bravest person I know. Not many people would attempt a rescue in the middle of a war at the heart of the most powerful empire. And of those people, all of them would either be masters of some form of fighting or Benders."
"That's why you're here," he jokes. "You're the brawns and I'm the brain."
She playfully smacks him. "Don't get too cocky. You may be smart but you're also pretty dumb sometimes."
He can't deny that. They sit around in comfortable quiet for some time, waiting for the sky to darken. When the sun finally disappears around the horizon, Sokka digs into his bag and pulls out the tools for Phase 1.
"You ready?" he asks, holding the items out.
She takes them. "You bet."
And then they're off, running through the forest and setting off fireworks as they run in a zigzagging path. The firecrackers explode into colorful and violent displays behind them, leaving behind a fiery trail that no one can miss.
Sokka's heart is racing like crazy. He looks at Suki, running beside him, and catches a glimpse of her bright eyes through her helmet. He doesn't think she's ever looked as beautiful as she does in this moment.
They make their way towards the prison after setting off a fake trail in the opposite direction. Once the firecrackers are finished (or Phase 1: Distraction, as Sokka likes to call it) he's almost instantly relieved. The fake trail they made should buy them some time. Not much, but hopefully enough to sneak into the prison.
Because of Katara's heritage, no one should expect anyone to know that she's still alive. Thus, no one should suspect a jail break - at least not for her. Sokka is counting on that advantage to help them.
When the jail is in site, he and Suki pause to catch their breaths. Sokka straightens out Suki's uniform and changes his own clothes. Suki leans down, picks up some dirt, and smears it across his face and hands a bit. Then she undoes his hair and ruffs it up.
"There," she says, stepping back to admire her work. "Now you look like a common criminal."
Sokka rubs at his cheek with the back of his hand. "Yeah, and my own sister probably won't even recognize me."
"Let's go. We don't have a lot of time to waste."
Suki grabs him by the collar and drags him to the front doors of the prison. The guards standing watch give her suspicious looks.
"What are you doing?" one demands.
"Taking this scoundrel to a cell. Tried breaking into some noble's house." Suki speaks in a drawl, disguising her Earth Kingdom accent. "Just some lowly common thief who got too big for his britches. The captain told me to throw him in here for a few nights."
The guards glance at each other and then nod and step aside. Suki continues dragging him through the prison and through corridors of cells. As soon as they're in an area without anyone in sight, Suki lightly binds his wrists. Since Katara is a Waterbender, they figured she'd probably be kept in a more secure part of the prison. Bring in Phase 3: Locating Target.
Suki escorts him deeper. They come across more guards. Suki explains to them how Sokka is a descendent of the Water Tribes and managed to inherit Waterbender genes.
"He's too dangerous to be kept in just any cell," she explains. "Do you have anything special for Waterbenders?"
The guard looks at Sokka suspiciously. "Man, I'm so sick of Waterbenders," he complains. "Last week we had two that attempted to escape. Half of the guards got injured. A week before that, one of them tried to escape alone."
Sokka tries not to react but he can barely contain his excitement. They had two Waterbenders? There aren't many, if any, Waterbenders left; there's a very good chance one of them is Katara. He feels strengthened and encouraged by the news.
"So you have a secure cell for one?" Suki presses.
The guard nods. "Yeah. I'll take you there. But be careful. Waterbenders aren't to be messed with."
Sokka's hope soars as Suki escorts him deeper into the mountain prison. He's so close to getting his sister back. Nothing can get in his way now.
He has hope that they're going to make it out of this alive, well, and together.
They have to.
Azula sits in front of her vanity, brushing her hair in the mirror. She stops and observes her face, tilting her chin back and forth.
Sharp jaw. Straight nose. Good brows. Cold eyes. Just like her father. Everyone is always saying how much Zuko looks like father, but she looks more like him. Acts more like him, too.
Truth it, Azula's pretty upset at Zuko right now. She had tried to make him happy, tried to reach out to him. That's big for her. She had made an effort to close the chasm between them. But how had he reacted? By spurning her! He pushed her away and he complained and he acted all moody and she's sick of it.
She's sick of all his drama. Everything is always about him. Oh, Zuko spoke up at a war meeting when he shouldn't have and had to fight an Agni Kai against their father? Poor him. Oh, Zuko has a huge scar across his face? Poor him. Oh, Zuko was banished for three years on an impossible quest? Poor him. Oh, Zuko (somehow) managed to succeed? Good for him! Oh, Zuko is angry at himself because of some choice he made that he's feeling guilty over but he won't confess what that choice is to anyone so instead he'll keep lashing out at everyone around him and act all moody?
Ugh. Azula just can't deal with it anymore. He's not the only one who has problems! While Zuko was running around the world chasing a ghost, Azula was learning how to run a nation. She was honing her firebending. She was creating treaties and allies in the name of her father and in the name of her own future interests. She sucked up to generals and memorized pages of information about nobles and held babies and smiled and prepared to take over the throne.
While Zuko was aimlessly pacing a ship, she was becoming the rightful crown princess.
And then he showed up and all her hard work was for nothing because Father took him back with open arms. And it was like nothing had ever happened.
That made Azula so mad. She'd never once entertained the possibility that Zuko would actually succeed in his quest with the Avatar. But she put her own selfish interests aside and did her best to welcome him back. She played nice. She planned a vacation for him. She helped him get back together with Mai. She invited him into her inner circle. She helped him look right for balls and meetings.
And how did he repay her? By whining and crying about moral choices. By blaspheming their father - their father, who had welcomed him home without a word about his mistakes!
Zuko is weak. He's always been. Azula just wished she hadn't wasted so much time on him. He's been slowly falling apart. She has no idea why, but she's sick of trying to tape him back up together. He's weak and he's going to waste away within a matter of weeks and she won't even be that sad. Perhaps a bit of melancholy for the old days, but it's hard to be sad about someone slowly fading away. Not when they're as obnoxious about it as Zuko is.
And worst of all, he's the one who is going to inherit the throne one day. Just because he was born two years before her. Whoever made the rule about the first born getting to be first in line was dumb. Just like her father deserved to be Fire Lord over Iroh, Azula deserves to be Fire Lord over Zuko.
There should be a better way to determine who has the right to the throne. A small smile spreads on Azula's face as she considers the options. Near impossible quests are always good, but as her brother proved, even unworthy heirs can sometimes manage to complete one of those. Although, if she was the one searching for the Avatar, she would have probably found her faster than Zuko.
No, there's only one way to prove who has the intelligence, strength, and ruthlessness to be Fire Lord. An age old tradition carried on from the beginning of history.
Agni Kai.
If Azula had to fight Zuko in an Agni Kai, she would, without a doubt, win. She'd probably not even break a sweat. And not because he's horrible at firebending, but because she's just that good. Besides, even if he did manage to corner her, he'd probably hesitate. She wouldn't.
Azula stares at her reflection and imagines herself sitting atop the throne, her special blue flames burning around her, brilliant orange and red robes flowing around her, the golden flame headpiece sticking out of her hair. She'd be terrifying and beautiful. A true leader.
Now she tries to imagine Zuko on the throne. All she can see is him slouching, head in his hands, shaggy hair covering his eyes. Maybe Mai is sitting next to him, chin stuck in the air, complaining about something. If Zuko was Fire Lord, Mai would be the one really running things. He never stands up to her. Just like he never stands up to father. Weak.
Azula's admiration for their father runs deep in her veins. How many men would have the strength to be willing to sacrifice their first born son? And, in order to avoid that, would be bold enough to poison their own father and steal the throne from their brother? And when their son showed unacceptable weakness, banished him.
And of course he's gracious beyond measure. A bit too gracious, Azula thinks. She wouldn't welcome him home so quickly and warmly. Father thinks Zuko is strong because he captured the Avatar, but Azula knows that Zuko has never been weaker. Something happened and made him weak. He's ashamed of it - or protective - and won't tell. Whatever. He can keep his secrets.
A knock on the door interrupts her thoughts. She sets down her brush, pulls up the back of her hair into its usual bun, and then calls for them to open the door.
A guard opens the door and bows. "Your presence is requested by the Fire Lord," he says, keeping his head bowed.
Azula smiles. She hopes this meeting is just between her and her father. Like the good old days before Zuko returned with a boatload of angst and drama.
She glances at her reflection in the mirror one more time before heading to the throne room. She bows before the Fire Lord and then stands to speak to her father.
"It's good to see you," she says, attempting to squash her smug smile. Zuko isn't here.
Her father ignores the comment. "There's been some suspicious action in the forests near the prison," he says. "I have more important matters to deal with, so I'd like you to handle it."
She bows. "Of course. You have nothing to worry about."
He waves her away. Azula can barely keep her steps even. She can barely fight the smile growing on her face. Her father entrusts her to take care of this! Not Zuko, the crown prince, the heir - her!
This is her chance to prove that she has what it takes to be the heir. She wipes the smile off her face and starts thinking. Action outside the prison. A distraction, perhaps? Set to draw attention away from something else? Like a prison break?
Or is it just some kids messing around?
Azula doesn't want to take any chances. She decides to cover both options. If there are kids in the forest, Mai and Ty Lee can take care of it. If there's a potential prison break, she's going to stop it herself.
She would take Zuko with her (he may be weak emotionally, but he is still a decent fighter) but she A) doesn't want him to get involved and potentially take credit for her work and B) doesn't trust him. She has a feeling whatever is tearing him apart has something to do with the Avatar and she doesn't want him anywhere near the Avatar.
She sends guards to fetch Mai and Ty Lee and prepares herself. This is her moment. She's going to show her father that she's the rightful heir. She's his right hand man. Not Zuko.