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 "Countdown" by Sleeping At Last
Rating: General Audiences. Warning: some scenes contain dark themes and minor violence
Author's Note: And so continues Azula's slide into madness...(and yet another prison break lol)
Chapter 9: A Tale of Two Siblings
I am happy, I am thankful and I am proud
Said with a smile for the cameras at the countdown
But if I'm honest, I am seconds from breaking down
The whole world stares up in wonder at the night sky
Oh, what a marvel to see our dreams so realized.
But all these bright lights run together after a while
And a blaze of glory turns ordinary overnight
"There it is."
Sokka hands the binoculars to Zuko and he peers through them, zooming in on the guards standing in the tower above the walls. Inside, Zuko can see acres of crops and dozens of workings moving around, weeding or watering or digging. A few guards mill around the edges of the fields.
Zuko zooms in even farther to see chains clapped around the wrists of the laborers, tethered to a band around their ankles. He shudders and passes the binoculars to Suki.
"What's the plan?" he asks.
Sokka counts to himself as he peers in the distance. "I count fifteen guards along the walls and another ten in the fields. There may be more."
"Twenty five doesn't sound too bad," Toph says, cracking her knuckles.
"I think we should try to get in unnoticed. Our odds will be better once our numbers are bigger."
"A few of my girls will make a huge difference," Suki agrees. She hands the binoculars back to Sokka.
"Mai and Ty Lee could take out all twenty five on their own," he says. "Even if they want nothing to do with us, they'll want revenge."
"They sound like lovely people." Sokka creeps back from the edge of the bluff. The others follow him as he stores the binoculars back in one of Appa's saddlebags. "Breaking them out of prison isn't going to be the hard part; getting them out of the Fire Nation is. Appa should take anyone who is hurt or sick. The rest of us will have to walk until we can raid a Fire Nation armory. If there are any rhinos or tanks left, we'll have a much better chance of reaching the coast. Then we just have to steal a ship."
"Does everyone remember the rendezvous point?" Suki looks around. "If we get separated or lost, we're meeting at the village of Yumai."
"This escape plan sounds great, but it's worthless unless we have a plan for how to get the prisoners free." Toph crosses her arms.
Sokka glances back at the camp in the distance. "We need to get in unnoticed. Those walls look pretty flimsy, but if we knock one down it will be pretty obvious. Toph, can you tunnel us under the wall into the camp?"
"If you ask nicely."
Sokka scratches his chin. "I hate to say this, but I think we should split up once we're in the camp. We have to move fast before the guards notice that we're not in chains. Suki and I will find the Kyoshi Warriors. Zuko, you and Toph should find Mai and Ty Lee. We'll quietly unchain them until they're either all free or the guards notice. Then we can fight our way out. Hopefully we'll have enough people free by then to make it a fair fight."
"I can't promise Mai and Ty Lee won't start fighting the moment they're set free," Zuko warns. What he doesn't add is that he can't trust Mai to not fight him the moment she's free. Just because she saved his life doesn't mean she's not still mad at him.
Sokka shrugs. "We'll do what we can. Luckily the Fire Nation has already shipped out most of their troops to the colonies, so those left here are more like babysitters than fighters."
"We still shouldn't underestimate them." Suki pulls out her metal fans, runs her fingertips along the sharp edge, and then tucks it safely in her belt. "This isn't like Boiling Rock or the palace prison where our chances are slim. If something goes wrong, we can still make it out."
"So what are we waiting for then?" Toph stomps the ground with her foot, creating a hole wide enough for them to pass through. "Let's get going."
The others follow her as she tunnels underneath the earth. Zuko feels claustrophobic and helpless; if he firebends, everyone in the tunnel will get burnt, and he doesn't have enough room to wield his swords.
They march in the dark for what feels like hours, but Zuko knows it's closer to ten minutes. Toph begins angling the tunnel upwards, and she slowly breaks open the tunnel at the other side, letting them peek up just high enough to see if they'll be spotted.
She positioned the tunnel perfectly; they climb out of the hole in the middle of a field. Corn stalks grow seven feet tall, disguising both them and the tunnel. Zuko breathes easier once they're all out in the open.
Toph closes the tunnel and then they pair off and separate, weaving between the rows of corn. Zuko and Toph pass close to an older man in chains. His face is covered in scars and he has a permanent scowl on his face.
They hide until he's gone and then continue crawling through the fields. They pass a couple girls who could be Kyoshi Warriors, but Zuko doesn't want to alarm them. They probably would attack him before he could explain what he's doing here.
"Ugh, do you really have to spray that at me? This is my last clean jumpsuit before next month."
Zuko suppresses a smile. He knows who that voice belongs to.
"Sorry! I just get excited. I was stuck on digging duty all last week."
Zuko parts the stalks in front of him to see Mai and Ty Lee just a few feet away. Ty Lee has a hose in her hands and Mai is standing with her arms spread to her sides, her prison uniform sprayed with water.
"We were both stuck on digging duty last week, since you can't seem to stay in your chains when the guards are around."
"Hey, I almost made it to the gate that time!"
Toph taps his forearm twice, their all-clear signal. Zuko steps out in front of the two.
They go on arguing for a moment before he clears his throat. They both turn to look at him, their expression instantly turning from annoyance to shock.
"Zuko? Is that you?" Ty Lee asks at the same time Mai murmurs, "You've got to be kidding me."
And he freezes. He had a speech all rehearsed for when he'd see her again, but his mind blanks out. He stands there like an idiot for long enough that Toph sighs loudly and steps out behind him.
"We're here to break you out, so please don't fight us."
She metalbends the chains off their hands and ankles. Mai and Ty Lee rub their wrists for a few seconds.
"Why are you here?" Mai demands, looking straight at Zuko.
"We need your help," he finally says.
"Who's 'we'? Because I'm tired of dealing with your family drama, Zuko."
"We have a plan to defeat the Fire Lord, but we need some good fighters on our side to give Katara a chance to fight him."
Zuko hates this. He hates how cold and detached he sounds, but he feels so awkward and helpless right now. He hates how things with him and Mai ended. It was so abrupt, with no closure. Just a betrayal and an argument - and then she betrayed her best friend for him.
"We'll come," Ty Lee offers. "It'll be more fun than watering corn." She drops her hose. "Oh! Can I bring my new friends?"
"Your new friends?"
"Yeah, a great group of girls called the Kyoshi Warriors. We've taught each other some cool new tricks."
"We're here for them, too," Toph replies. "We have to - "
Before she can finish, the alarm is raised. Zuko curses under his breath.
"Let's go! We need to free as many prisoners as possible to create a diversion."
They run through the paths between the fields, no longer worried about being seen. A few guards try to stop them, and Mai and Ty Lee dispatch them quickly.
The main battle is up ahead. Zuko and Toph run toward the mass of guards. They sever the chains on any prisoners they pass by. Ty Lee quickly greets some of them and explains the plan.
Zuko sees Sokka facing up against two guards. Sokka has pulled out a black sword and is swinging it at them, their spears disarmed. Suki is working her way through a small crowd, jumping and kicking and deflecting their fire with her fans. A few other girls are fighting back in similar styles.
With Toph, Zuko, Ty Lee and Mai joining the fight, the tides turn quickly in their favor. There weren't enough guards stationed here to fend off a planned attack. The gates are forcibly opened and prisoners rush out, the guards climbing their towers for safety.
They all meet up at the hilltop where Appa is waiting. There are thirty of them in total. Suki goes through the ranks quickly, checking to make sure all of her warriors are okay. One girl has a nasty burn on her arm but otherwise they're relatively unscathed.
"They won't wait to call for backup!" Sokka says, standing on Appa's back so everyone can see him. "We need to get as far away as we can. At night we can stop for food and rest."
They begin cutting a slanted course for the ocean, taking a roundabout way so that they have more forest to cover them. They march for hours under the canopy of the trees, the sun bearing down against their backs. It's hot in the way only summer in the Fire Nation can be.
Zuko is relieved when night finally falls. They camp out in the forest, trying to stay as quiet as possible. Zuko and Sokka hike another two miles to the nearest village, where they purchase as much food as they can without looking suspicious.
"That's a nice sword you got there," Zuko says, nodding at the sheath hanging off of Sokka's belt. "I didn't know you were trained."
"Thanks! I learned while you and Katara were in the North Pole. Have you heard of Master Piandao?"
A smile stretches across Zuko's lips. "He trained me, too. He must have seen great potential in you or else he wouldn't have taken you in as his student."
"Huh. No wonder you're so good."
"If you ever want to train sometime, just ask. I know I'm losing my touch without practicing."
"Yeah, I'll let you know."
Zuko knows that Sokka's just trying to hide his enthusiasm. He remembers what Katara said about Sokka looking up to him. Zuko still doesn't entirely buy into that, but he can see similarities between Sokka and himself.
When they return to camp, they hand out the food. The rations are small, just enough to take the edge off the hunger, but it's all they can do until they get back to the Earth Kingdom. Their money is running out, and buying lots of food in the area of a jailbreak is suspicious.
Zuko reminds himself that they'll only have to be hungry for a few more days. After Sozin's Comet, he'll either have enough resources to buy them all seven-course meals or they'll be dead.
He senses a pair of eyes on him and looks up to see Mai staring at him. He amends his thoughts: maybe he has only one more hour of being hungry or he'll be dead.
Azula sits at her father's side in the war room. The highest ranking generals not already in position with their armies are seated around the conference table. Azula is wearing her finest robes and has her hair done up neatly, the golden flame decoration wedged into the base of her ponytail tightly. Her heart races in excitement.
This is it. This is the moment where her father explains her plan to everyone. She'll be honored and respected more than she ever has before. More than when she took down Ba Sing Se. They'll look at her and not see her father's tool or a spoiled princess, but a brilliant and ruthless war tactician. They'll see her as Ozai's successor.
Her father waits until everyone is bowed deep before he takes a seat. The others sit down after and the meeting begins.
"We are only a little more than a week from Sozin's Comet," Ozai begins. "With Sozin's Comet comes a new era. It is the era of fire. It is the era of power. It is the era of the Fire Nation."
The generals pound the table in excitement.
"We all have important roles to play to wipe out the remaining pockets of resistance. The Earth Kingdom still has some strongholds that refuse to bow. And the Air Nomads, hidden away in their Air Temples, think themselves above all of us. They hide in ignorance. They think themselves untouchable. But the Fire Nation has grown strong enough to send them into the spirit world they so adore!"
Azula's eyes light up. This is it. This is where he explains her plan. Maybe he'll even let her explain it herself. She imagines standing up in front of everything, their eyes focused on her -
"I've decided to split up our invasion force in two parts. Half of the warships will be deployed to the Air Temples. We will take them swiftly and brutally, just like my grandfather did to the Water Tribes. The other half of my warships and all of my troops will march into the Earth Kingdom. Rain fire down upon them! If even one person in a village resists, destroy the entire town!"
The generals pound the table again and cheer. Azula's smile falters on her face. She struggles to replace it with an empty one in case anyone looks her way. But no one does. They never do. She's nothing to them.
"You are as brilliant as you are cruel!" a general calls out. Ozai grins.
"I will lead the offensive into the Earth Kingdom myself. General Zheng will lead the attack on the Southern Air Temple, General Thao will lead the attack on the Northern Air Temple, and General Huzon will take the Eastern Air Temple."
The three men honored press their fists to their chests and bow in their place. The generals around them slap their backs and congratulate them. Azula has never felt smaller. The pit of emptiness in her stomach widens. She feels as though all her insides have been scraped out and there's nothing but an empty cavern under her ribs. Part of her wonders if she might be sick.
She looks up at her father, sure he made a mistake. She was supposed to take on the Air Temples. After all, it was her idea.
"And what of me, Father?" she asks, trying to be as polite as possible.
"You will stay here and watch the Fire Nation."
Ozai reaches down and pats her shoulder. Azula does her best not to cringe away; it's the most condescending act anyone has ever done to her. She feels nothing but repulsion for her father in this moment.
"But...we were supposed to defeat the world together. You can't treat me like this - you can't treat me like Zuko!"
"Azula," he hisses, glaring at her. "I need you to stay and watch the homeland. It's a very important task that I can only entrust to you."
He turns back to address his generals again. "The day before the Comet arrives we will have a special coronation here at the palace. As I am stepping into a new leadership rule, I deserve a new title, one that fits better. Fire Lord is good, but it's not powerful enough to describe the vast expanse of territories that will be under my control." He makes eye contact with all the generals, a sly smile pulling at the corners of his lips. "Just as the world will be reborn in fire, so will I be reborn as the supreme ruler of the world. From this moment on I will be known as the Phoenix King."
The generals cheer again, this time even louder. Azula's fingers dig into the carved wood of her chair and her teeth grate together in her mouth. She can barely keep a straight face.
He's taken credit for her plans. He's taken her position of power and turned her into a babysitter during the most important battle in the history of the world. And worst of all, he's taken her name.
Ozai raises his hands to calm the cheers. "My daughter, Azula, will also be coronated as Fire Lord and my successor. One day she will be the ruler of the world. But for now, she will handle the affairs of the homeland."
The generals give a muted clap for her. Azula's face burns with embarrassment. They're patronizing her. They're giving her just enough to seem polite while they're taking all the goods and glory for themselves.
Azula's sure she's going to be sick now.
She doesn't hear anything her father says for the rest of the meeting. She stares at the floor, trying not to hurl or scream. As soon as the meeting is officially over, she's the first out the door, pushing past the generals who stay to grovel at her father's feet.
She slams the door of her room closed and throws herself on her bed, breathing hard. She's never felt so belittled and powerless before as when she was in that room. She's never felt so betrayed - not even when Zuko turned on her for the pesky Avatar or when Mai and Ty Lee fought against her. Those hurt, but she managed.
But her father? Her father, who has only ever complimented and fostered her skills and intelligence? Who sent her to the best schools and gave her the most important missions? Who loved her more than he loved anyone else in his family?
This is the betrayal that cuts her deeper than she can bear. She feels the way Zuko must have felt all those years. An ironic laugh escapes her mouth, bubbling out.
Now she understands why Zuko was miserable here. Now she understands why he ran away. But he deserved the treatment he got. He was weak and sensitive. She's strong and mighty. She doesn't deserve this. She was made for more.
Your father doesn't love you, the voice inside her head whispers. He never did. He was just using you from the beginning.
"He does love me!" Azula screams back. "He just made a mistake!"
You've always been good at manipulation, but your father is better.
"He's not manipulating me! He loves me!"
He loves to use you.
Azula finds herself unable to hold back the sobs that burst out. She shoves her face in her pillow, embarrassed by the outburst. She's better than this. She's stronger than this.
Her door opens and two guards rush in.
"Princess? Is everything all right?"
She freezes. No. No one can see her in this state. She's not weak!
"Get out!" she screams, throwing a ball of fire their way. "Leave the palace and never come back!"
They dodge the fire and quickly rush out, pulling the door shut behind them. Azula stares at the scorched circle in her wall by the door, embers still flickering. Then she buries her face back into the pillow and lets the rest of the sobs come out.
She'll allow herself this one moment of weakness. She has to get it all out and never let it return.
When the others are resting, Zuko seeks out Mai. She's set up on the very edge of the camp, facing the outside. He can hear the wet rasp of stone against metal as she sharpens her throwing blades.
He knows it's dangerous to approach her now, but he has to. It will only get worse if he puts it off.
He takes a seat next to her, leaving a foot of space between them. "Thank you for saving me at Boiling Rock," he says quietly.
"I shouldn't have." She continues sharpening her blade against the stone. Each sharp grind makes his heart rate spike.
"I know. I've treated you horribly, and I'm sorry."
She sighs and sets down the stone, tucking the blades into her pocket. "I guess I wasn't the best girlfriend, either."
"It still wasn't right for me to use you the way I did. I do care about you, Mai. You're the oldest friend I have. I don't want to lose you because of my stupidity."
She rolls her eyes and turns to face him. "You've done and said so many stupid things in our relationship and I still risked my life for you. Don't ask me why."
He isn't going to. He may not like the answer. "In the interest of trying to preserve what little remains, I want to be honest with you. Completely."
Mai sits back on her hands. "Go ahead."
He sucks in a deep breath before he begins. "I'm with Katara now. I have been for a while. I still do have some feelings for you, but they're only a shadow of what they were. I thought I could force myself to make them into something more and forget about Katara, but I couldn't. I used you and it was wrong, and I'm sorry. But if it's possible...I still want to be your friend."
She stares into the dark forest, her expression unreadable. "You broke my heart, Zuko. Not that there was much to break in the first place. I loved you. It's going to take me time before I'm ready to be friends."
He nods. "Fair enough. But...just give me a second chance? Please?"
It's a long minute before she nods.
"You better upgrade my house by the palace, too," she adds. "I want the best servants in the land - better than yours, even."
Zuko allows himself to smile. "Deal."
"And when I throw big parties late into the night, you're not allowed to complain about the noise."
"I can live with that."
"Then we might just make it."
With that conversation, Zuko feels as though he's finally come full-circle in his quest for forgiveness and redemption. There's only one name left on his list, but he's not sure it's even possible to get forgiveness from her.
He fears it's too late to make things right with his sister.