The sound of mechanical whirring and metal clanging filled the prison as cell door after cell door slid open. Prisoners and patrolling guards alike were confused, but with the signal of confirmation from the guard at the control room, the prisoners were released out in the courtyard.
Sokka met up with his father and Suki outside. "This is it! We have to start a riot!"
"Okay, but how do we do that?"
Hakoda gazed over the courtyard, looking for the biggest, toughest looking prisoner. "I'll show you..."
He approached a bald, tattooed, inmate who was easily a foot taller than he was and shoved him forcefully forward. "Hey! What'd you do that for?! That hurt my feelings!"
The chief was surprised at the gentle tone that the man had used. "Aren't you mad at me?"
"Normally I would be, but I've been learning to control my anger."
They were all dumbstruck for a second until Sokka felt a huge hand grab his shoulder. "Hey, you!" He turned around and came face to face with Chit Sang. "You're lucky I didn't rat you out. But my generosity come with a price. I know you're planning another escape attempt and I want in."
Sokka shrugged, Chit Sang indeed was a huge factor that they had gotten this far and not get caught. "Actually, we're trying to escape right now, but we need a riot. Would you happen to know how to start one?"
"A prison riot? Please..." Chit Sang stepped forward and grabbed the nearest prisoner. He easily hauled him over his head and faced the others. "Hey! RIOT!"
Not a second has passed yet and everyone started trading blows, punches, and fire fists. Chaos erupted among the hundreds of prisoners in the courtyard and all the guards were desperately calling for backup.
"Impressive..." Hakoda remarked with a stunned expression.
"Forget about controlling my anger. LET'S RIOT!"
She woke up when she heard the metal door of her cell slide open. She expected to hear the footsteps of prison guards, or the light tapping of Maya's booted feet on the stone floor. Upon opening her tired eyes and looking around, she found no one else with her in the cell.
And the door was wide open.
"Arshi Tengri, is this the opportunity that you have given me?"
Chiyo stood up from her cot, shielding her eyes from the light coming in from of the hallway, and walked towards the open door as fast as her tired legs could carry her.
"Ma'am, there's a prison riot going on! I'm here to protect you!" A guard, entered the cell where Zuko and Mai were.
He flinched as he was suddenly on the receiving end of Mai's deathly glare. "I don't need any protection!"
Behind her, Zuko chuckled. "Believe me, she doesn't."
"I'm sorry, but I'm under direct orders from your uncle to make sure nothing happens—"
Zuko sent a stream of fire at the guard's feet. His first instinct was to block the flames from reaching the Warden's niece, little did he know that it gave Zuko an opening to escape. Mai growled and threw the guard aside. "Get off of me!"
She chased after Zuko, but the metal door had already closed, trapping them inside. The prince bolted the doors from the outside shut. From the small peephole of a window on the door, she looked at him hate-filled eyes. She couldn't help the tears that escaped the corner of her eyes as she watched Zuko about to run away from her.
Again.
Zuko closed his eyes and looked away. "I'm sorry, Mai."
He ran.
Her eyes struggled to adjust with the light as she limped out of the cell. "Just a bit more." She told herself over and over and finally she was out of the door.
Seemingly out of nowhere, a hard object slammed right into her and made her fall flat on her back, her head hitting the metal floor hard. The breath was knocked out of her as said object fell on top her, almost crushing her with its weight.
Groaning in pain, she opened her amber eyes as she heard her named uttered in a whisper.
And she could've sworn that there were now two golden suns in the sky.
He ran as fast as he could. He had to meet up with Sokka and the others in the courtyard, and their escape plan was already starting.
As he rounded the corner, he couldn't swerve fast enough and he rammed straight into a prisoner who just got out of an isolation cell. They fell to the ground hard. Zuko groaned and tried to take his weight off the prisoner.
His heart stopped.
Even with her angelic features twisted in pain she was beautiful. His eyes clouded with unshed tears as he looked at her, unbelieving of what he was seeing; wavy hair sprawled across the floor, a dark halo in contrast with her pale skin. His breath came in heaves as he traced the smooth skin of her cheek and the contours of her dry lips with his shaking fingertips.
"C-Chiyo..."
She opened her eyes at the mention of her name, and he fell apart as he saw their familiar red amber, the color of fire lilies in the summer, eyes that he had yearned to see for so long.
Zuko quickly sat up and clutched her frail body to his, letting out a pained cry of relief as he held Chiyo to his chest. He buried his face into her curls and whispered into her ear. "Y-you're here, Chiyo... You're alive-"
"Riot in the courtyard! Bring every guard stationed elsewhere there!" He heard the heavy footsteps fall closer to them. He cradled her in his arms carefully as he stood and broke out into a run for the courtyard.
He spotted the group hiding by the side of the building and he quickly made his way over to them. "Zuko! Good we're all here! Wait, is that-?!"
"Later." He dismissed Sokka's question. "We need to grab the Warden and get to the gondolas. Have you found a way?"
Sokka paused and grimaced. "I'mmm... not sure."
"I thought you thought this through?!"
"I thought you told me it's okay not to think everything through?!"
"Maybe not everything, but this is kind of important."
"Hey, uh, fellas. I think your girlfriend's taking care of it." The teens stopped bickering and looked up to see Suki running across the courtyard on top of the squabbling prisoners.
She scaled the walls and hooked her feet onto the railings, flinging herself up the guard tower. Several guards came at her but she avoided them all until she reached the location of the Warden. He was about to firebend at her, but she was faster. She grabbed his hand and twisted it in the air, aiming a punch towards his face.
"You wouldn't dare..."
Suki restrained his arms using the string of his belt and pulled down the Warden's headband to serve as a muzzle for him. "Sorry Warden, you're my prisoner now!"
The men made it up the platform where Suki was. "That's... some girl..." Hakoda managed to say in between deep breaths, having run up three flights of stairs.
"Tell me about it..." His son agreed as he gazed at Suki lovingly.
They wasted no time and hurried up to the narrow bridge that led to the gondolas. Sokka turned to Zuko. "We're going against firebenders, Zuko. We need you. You have to let go of her first."
He hesitated, but reluctantly gave the unconscious Chiyo to Hakoda who gave him a reassuring look. "Don't worry, I got your girl."
Zuko nodded once before he stepped forward to clear the way. "Back off! We've got the Warden!" He stepped aside to show the guards Chit Sang holding the Warden over his shoulders like a sack of potatoes.
They all backed up against the railings and let the group pass through. Once they were in the gondola, Zuko pulled the main lever. Slowly, but surely, the metal carriage started to move away from the platform.
He stepped back and kicked the lever off its hinges, then he took off in a run. Using the railings as a boost, he jumped. Sokka held out his hand and Zuko took it gratefully. He was hoisted up into the gondola. "What were you thinking?!"
"I'm made it so they can't stop us!"
"Way to think ahead!"
But it was a little too early to celebrate. Hakoda looked back at the platform and saw two women, staring at the leaving gondola intently. "Who's that?"
Zuko peered over his shoulder. "That's a problem. It's my sister and her friend. I'll take care of them. Please, make sure Chiyo is safe."
"Of course."
Ty Lee and Azula ran across the metal cables with ease and they were but a few feet away from their gondola. Suki prepared herself, cracking her knuckles and steeling her resolve, eager to avenge the other Kyoshi Warriors. "This is a rematch I've been waiting for." The prince agreed as they climbed to the roof of the gondola to meet them.
Azula attacked first, sending a flurry of blue flames towards her brother, one that he easily dismissed with his own.
Suki faced Ty Lee alone. Now equipped with the knowledge of chi-blocking, she was able to protect herself better as Ty Lee tried to target her pressure points with quick jabs.
Zuko and Sokka took turns in attacking Azula, careful not to slip and fall into the boiling lake that the gondola was hanging over.
While the fight on top of the gondola went on, Hakoda tended to Chiyo. He noted that she was severely malnourished and dehydrated, judging from the weak exterior and cracked lips. Unknown to him, the Warden's restraints were loosened and he had shouted to the soldiers back at the platform. "CUT THE LINE!"
Chit Sang grabbed the Warden, but it was too late. The guards stop the unfurling of the metal cables by jarring two steel beams into the rig, then they took out a large metal saw and started hacking away at the metal cables.
The sudden halt of the gondola, threw everyone on top of the gondola off balance. Ty Lee managed to stay upright and shouted to Azula. "They're about to cut the line!"
"Then it's time to leave." They transferred into an incoming gondola, leaving them all behind a satisfied smirk. "Goodbye, Zuzu!"
They returned inside the gondola and prepared themselves for the worst, sharing Hakoda's sentiments of hoping that the metal carriage would float.
When they thought all hope was lost, the gondola started moving again. "Who's that?!" Sokka still couldn't believe his eyes as the platform of the prison grew further and further from his view.
Zuko gripped the railings. "It's Mai!"
"That gloomy girl who sighs a lot?"
"The very same."
The gondola had finally reached the outer platform and they hurried out, leaving behind the Warden. Hakoda loomed over him with a triumphant smirk. "Sorry, Warden. Your record is officially broken."
Off in the distance, Zuko spotted the air ship that his sister had come in. They easily threw the soldiers off and commandeered it away from the island and back to the Western Air Temple.
Once Sokka and Hakoda got the hang of flying the air ship, Zuko returned to the others. He entered the main quarters and found Suki tucking Chiyo into one of the bunk beds. "How is she?"
"Lily's not doing very well. She's dehydrated and-"
"Wait, what did you call her?"
Suki looked at him weirdly. "Lily. I met her before at Full Moon Bay. I helped her and her friend get into Ba Sing Se."
Zuko had a million questions racing through his brain, but at the moment he couldn't care less. "Can you look around for some drinkable water on the ship? I'll take care of her." She agreed and left them in the room, taking Chit Sang with her.
He sat next to her on the bed and held one of her hands in his. Gentle as not to disturb her sleep, he tucked away her hair away from her face. Zuko couldn't help the smile that spread on his lips.
"You're alive..." He whispered softly. His gaze fell to her arms and was horrified to see the bruises that marred her skin. Anger coursed through him. They dared harm her.
Chiyo groaned in her sleep, her face scrunching up in fear and pain. "She must be having a nightmare." He held her hand tighter in his, letting her know that she will never be alone again. He brushed his lips softly over the back of her hand. "Don't be afraid, Chiyo. From now on, I'll protect you. I will never let anyone ever hurt you again."
By nightfall, they reached the Western Air Temple. Sokka went down first to greet the others. "Hey, guys! We're back!"
Katara was the first to speak up, everyone else was busy staring up at the foreign vehicle they had come in. "What is this thing?! What happened to the war balloon?!"
"It... kinda got destroyed." Sokka scratched the back of his head.
"Sounds like a crazy fishing trip."
"Did you at least get some good meat?"
Sokka beamed. "I did! The best meat of them all. The meat of friendship and fatherhood."
They all looked at him like he had grown three heads, until Suki, Hakoda and Chit Sang got off the war balloon. Katara ran up to her father and crushed him into a tight hug, pulling Sokka in as well.
"Wait, where's Zuko?" Aang looked around for his firebending teacher.
"Here." He got off of the war balloon last, curled up in his arms was a woman that somehow looked familiar to them.
Amidst everyone's reunion, one question remained unanswered.
"Seriously, you guys didn't find any meat?"
Author's Notes
Happy Valentine's Day!
:)
-TheGreatestConWoman-