They hadn't planned on staying this long but they all understood the necessity and why. They still needed more answers before anything because so far, it was evident that they had no clue what would happen next. It was an unsettling feeling considering what was at stake.

Everyone separated into pairs, roaming around the prison. Each and every group questioned the guards and interrogated the other prisoners but came up with zilch.

"This isn't working!" Katara groaned in frustration as she grasped at her hair.

"I know; why can't we just do it our way?" Toph mumbled.

"You know why… Aang would never agree to it."

Toph seemed dumbfounded, "Then it will be our little secret."

Katara frowned, "I don't know Toph… it doesn't seem like the correct thing to do—"

Suki and Mai appeared behind them, "Katara, your opinion always matters to us but if you don't help us then we'll do it ourselves. It won't go too far, you have my word. There is just no other quick and efficient way. We are sort of in a time crunch here."

"Exactly, plus it's just a one time thing." Mai added.

Katara sighed and relented, "It's not you guys I'm worried about, but fine… let's do it now though before I think about it more."

"Great! Follow me." Suki said as she led the way.

Everyone followed suit.

Katara, however, hesitated at firstbut shook her head and ended up going anyway. Mai told the guards that the Fire Lord needed to interrogate them for a few minutes and that she and her friends could take their place. They nervously agreed and scurried off. It managed to lure any lurking eyes away.

"Who's first?" Katara whispered.

"I vote for Yami, he seems more nervous than the girl." Toph replied.

"Nervous equals more likely to have a loose tongue, fortunately for us." Suki concluded. Everyone else nodded and made their way to the cell.

The clueless earthbender laid on the metal floor, all limbs spread out. Once he heard the light footsteps, he turned around and gulped.

"What now?" He hissed, trying to sound intimidating.

"We have some more questions for you." Suki said as she opened her fans abruptly.

"I said I'm not answering any further questions. And that's final."

Katara glared at him, "Are you sure about that?" Toph bent the lock open and Katara took water from her pouch and burst the door open, pushing Yami onto the wall with a slam.

Mai gripped onto her dagger and grazed his cheek with it, drawing a small amount of blood.

"We need you to do us a favor and answer our fucking questions. First of all, when are the rest of your… comrades going to find their way to the South Pole?" Her hot breath tingled his ear in an unpleasant manner.

"I don't know." He whimpered.

Suki grabbed his shirt and pushed him on the other wall. He groaned in pain and clutched his side. "Oh but you do know, and we need answers."

"I'm not going to say anything." He said with a loud audible gulp.

Katara drew water from the small bucket, "Tell me, how long have you been in here? Aren't you eager to see the light of freedom again? Aren't you eager to make a life for yourself outside of this dungeon?"

Yami held his head down and refused to look into her eyes of fury. Katara yelled a bit louder, "You won't experience any of that if you don't answer our damn questions! I will personally make sure of it."

Toph scrunched her eyebrows, silently stunned. She shook her head, "I think he's lowering his guard, Katara. Look, all we need are a few short answers and we will leave you alone. When are your friends going to raid the South Pole?"

Yami clenched his teeth but eventually let out a sigh, "...In 2 weeks."

Mai hummed, "But the winter solstice is in two weeks… does that have anything to do with it?"

"Yes." He murmured, as if he were hoping no one else would hear him.

"How are they planning on getting there? What is their strategy?" Suki pried with more questions.

"That's what I don't know. I'm not sure how they are even going to get into the spirit world. The portal is closed. It's just not possible… well unless they…" He trailed off.

"Unless they do what?!" Katara asked whilst pointing an ice dagger right between his eyes.

He groaned at his own cowardice, "Unless the Avatar opens it."

"He would never do that so how are you all planning on opening it?" Toph asked suspiciously.

He sighed once more, "Shit, I don't know! Just be ready in 2 weeks to counteract when they do inevitably strike."

Mai and Suki looked at Toph. She nodded in affirmation, "He's telling the truth. That really is all he knows."

Katara hummed, "Well then, we're done here." With that note, she turned the ice dagger into a ball of ice and knocked his head which caused the man's lights to go out.

"Hopefully he won't remember." She said as she was the first to walk out of the cell, leaving the women behind her confused.

Katara never liked using violence. Ever since she was a little girl, she connected violent acts as unnecessary and cruel. Especially now under Aang's influence, she has learned now more than ever that ruthlessness is never the way to go. It's never the key nor the answer.

After her close encounter with murder during the Yon Rha situation, she realized that it's a part of everyone. Violence and murder is a part of absolutely everyone. Even the nicest of people carry a tinge of evil in their hearts. However, they must fight against it everyday.

As she tried to push back all of her murderous thoughts, she felt ashamed of herself. She so desperately fought to control her temper and impulsiveness but it sometimes took a hold of her. Patience and pacifism was never her strong suit.

Soon after mildly torturing Yami, they found Aang and Sokka who were apparently looking for Zuko.

"Hey… what're you guys doing?" Suki asked as they walked up to Aang and Sokka.

"I don't know, Zuko got pulled into interrogating the guards because apparently he sent out an order but I'm not exactly sure what's going on."

Katara rubbed her arm trying not to laugh and Toph started cackling hysterically at the irony. Mai just smirked and Suki chuckled sheepishly, "Who knows...heh. Anyways, we got some answers out of one of the prisoners."

Aang's eyes widened, "Really? What did they tell you!"

"We should wait for Sparky… it's not safe to talk about it here of all places." Toph pointed out.

"I agree. Let's go to the top of the prison." Mai said as she made her way up the stairs.

Everyone else followed.

As they made it to the last floor, they found Zuko arguing with a guard.

"I didn't even call out an order! Why would I even do that? Not one of the guards would even have useful information!"

"I'm sorry, my Lord. It must have been a false alarm then, I apologize. Please forgive our incompetence." The Captain said with a low bow.

Zuko sighed, "It's fine, you're excused."

The man left and Zuko turned his attention to his new company.

"I hope you've had better luck than I did." He said as his greeting.

"Nice to see you too."

The girls looked at each other, well except for Toph of course. None of them wanted to speak up but Suki eventually gave in.

She sighed, "We spoke to Yami. Apparently, in two weeks, a battalion of men will show up at the South Pole."

Sokka raised his hands in the air, "Really? This is great information! How did you guys get it out of him?"

Toph quickly replied, "With persuasion."

"However, there was something else he said that didn't quite add up." Katara started, "The only way to open up a spirit portal is for the Avatar to do it."

Mai added on, "None of them have the Avatar in their tool belt so how are they planning on opening it?"

Aang raised an eyebrow, "Yeah, and I'm the Avatar but I would never open a spirit portal for them."

Everyone pondered over it but to no avail.

Zuko suddenly got an idea and shared it with the group, "What if they're planning on using the Avatar? On manipulating Aang?"

Sokka rubbed his invisible beard, "Thats certainly a possibility… how would they do it though?"

"Blackmail, threats, murder, bribery…" Mai listed a few possibilities.

Toph scoffed, "But come on, they can't be stupid enough to think that something so basic would ever work on Twinkletoes."

"Exactly! I'm a lot smarter than most people think." Aang joked. Toph and Zuko laughed.

Katara rolled her eyes, "Well it doesn't matter, in two weeks, we have to be at the South Pole, in the forest, ready to defend."

"Right. So, pack your bags people. Bring warm clothes. We're going to the South Pole!" Sokka clapped his hands together, trying to lighten the heavy mood.

Katara muttered under her breath, "I have a bad feeling about this."