Chapter 6 – Old Time Religion
Chit Sang had a very confused look on his face. "Do I know you, friend?"
Sokka's face fell while Azula snickered. "You mean you don't remember the guy that broke you out of the Boiling Rock?" Sokka asked.
"You're not Firelord Zuko. You're too young to be Chief Hakoda..." the former convict started grinning at his own joke. "Ah... get over here Sokka! It's been too long!" as he pulled Sokka into a bone-crushing, back slapping hug, knocking the wind out of the young ambassador.
They broke the hug and Chit Sang gushed, "Just look at you, all grown up! Who's the babe? I gotta say you must have huge brass ones if you're two-timing Princess Azula..."
Azula spoke up. "While I'll admit his equipment is impressive, his brain would have to be completely non-functioning if he were to carry on with some peasant girl behind my back."
Chit Sang's eyes went wide in realization. "My...my apologies, Your Highness. I didn't recognize you. It's not every day royalty comes into my place, especially dressed so casually."
"You're forgiven," Azula said, dismissively. "After all, I believe we are trying to pass about unrecognized, aren't we Wang Fire?"
Sokka blushed. "You do have a point." To Chit Sang, "Is there anyplace we can talk more privately?"
The firebender shrugged his shoulders. "No one in here but us, let me close down for a bit."
Azula and Sokka took a seat at a table near the center of the room as Chit Sang closed the window shutters and hung a "Closed" sign on the door. The big firebender took a seat at the table. "So what brings you two to my humble tavern?"
Sokka spoke, "I believe we have a mutual friend, salt and pepper beard, carries a nice sword." Chit Sang nodded. Sokka continued, "Anyway, my friend tells me you have information about a street preacher. I need to find him."
Chit Sang nodded again. "Yeah, he came in here a couple of nights ago. He was handing these out..." He handed Sokka a copy of the same tract Azula found on the royal barge. "Then he started talking about national revival and how we all needed to repent, and how the Firelord is corrupt. That's when I threw the bum out. Nobody talks trash about Firelord Zuko around me!"
"Your loyalty to my brother is appreciated," Azula began. "But have you heard anything else about this man since your encounter with him? Do you know if he is still on this island?"
"Yeah. He's been thrown out of a couple of other places. Last I heard he's been preaching in one of the tents down at the fairgrounds. What's the big deal, anyway? He's just a loudmouth bum. There's plenty of those around," Chit Sang asserted.
Sokka gave him a hard look. "We think this particular loudmouth bum may have had something to do with the Firelady's disappearance."
Chit Sang blanched, "Oh. I didn't know. If that bum had something to do with that... just bring him back here... I'll make him talk," as he cracked his knuckles.
With a predatory grin, Azula said, "You've been quite helpful already Chit Sang. Making this preacher talk will be my pleasure."
…...
Sokka and Azula walked hand in hand among the stalls on the island fairgrounds. Sokka smiled and said, "I wish we could do stuff like this more often."
"Hunt down treasonous low-lifes that threaten my family?" Azula asked.
"No. Stuff like this..." he held up her hand. "You know, visit a festival, holding hands. Just us, no retainers, no courtiers, no palanquins..."
"I like the palanquin," Azula said. Sokka gave her a hurtful look. Azula smiled, "I'm teasing, you big dum-dum. I like this, too. It's nice. I have an idea: when this is over, let's take a vacation to Ember Island. Just the two of us."
"No servants?" Sokka asked.
"No servants," Azula promised.
Sokka smiled, "I'd like that." He moved in to kiss her. She turned her head abruptly and said, "I think we've found the tent."
They stood about 50 feet away from a small circus tent with about 20 people queued up to go inside. A placard outside the door proclaimed "Inside Find the Path to National Redemption."
They took their place at the end of the line and shuffled quickly into the circular tent. They took seats about halfway up the bleachers, which were arranged in a semi-circle around a podium in the center of the tent. Sokka estimated the bleachers could hold about 200, and that there were about 75 waiting to hear the Preacher.
They didn't have to wait long. The Preacher, still dressed in the rags that were once a Fire Navy uniform, stepped behind the podium and began speaking, "All praise to the Fire Spirits! Though you are small in number, I know you are mighty in spirit and fervor. I know that you have come here today because you, like I, am dismayed and disheartened at the state of our once-mighty nation. I know you are here today to lay aside your frivolities and turn in repentance to the true Spirits of Fire. Even now, events are unfolding as the Shaman has foreseen! The consort of the so-called Firelord has disappeared; this can only be a precursor to the fall of Sozin's house!"
Azula had heard enough. She stood up and screamed, "Silence, Traitor!" as she launched a blue fireball toward the Preacher. A wall of orange flame sprung up in front of him, deflecting Azula's blast.
The crowd looked on in awe as the wall of fire dissipated, revealing the Preacher smirking at the Fire Princess. "I don't fear you, Daughter of Ozai. Soon you will fall with the rest of your house, just as it was written by R'Kyu the Wi..." Thwack. The Preacher fell over as Sokka reached out and retrieved Boomerang II.
"Show's over, folks!" Sokka announced with a lopsided grin.
…...
Azula and Sokka brought the Preacher, bound and gagged to the city jail. The chief constable protested, "This is highly irregular. How do I know who you are..."
Azula silenced him with a smirk and a blue flame in her hand.
"Of course, Your Highness, if there's anything I or the city guard can do..."
"Yes. Leave us." Azula ordered.
The chief constable saluted, and turned around to leave when Chit Sang brushed past him.
"I heard what went down at the fair. You want me to soften him up for you?" asked the ex-con.
Sokka secured the unconscious Preacher in a cell, then patted Chit Sang on the shoulder, "We got this Big Guy. But thanks."
As the firebender left, Azula commented, "That man has exceptional loyalty to Zuko. I wonder why."
Sokka shrugged, "Zuko did help break him out of prison and give him a pardon."
"Hmm, it seems we have something in common then," Azula mentioned. "Now to the business at hand." She picked up a mop bucket filled with dirty water, and emptied its contents through the bars on the Preacher. The man's eyes opened and he sputtered through his nose while he tried to sit up. Sokka grabbed a stool, went into the cell, stood the man up and sat him on the stool.
Azula entered the cell and stood in front of the Preacher while Sokka stood behind.
"Are you more comfortable now?" Azula asked. The man shot daggers with his eyes at her. "Good," Azula smirked. "Let me explain how this is going to work. I have a very simple question to ask you. You are going to answer it. I know you're a talented bender, as am I. I know you don't fear me, even though you should. But what you may not appreciate is that 'Water Savage' that I 'debase' myself with is standing behind you. He has many talents, including the skill to temporarily remove your bending ability. Sokka, Love, please demonstrate."
Sokka curled his knuckles and tapped the Preacher on the base of his neck.
Azula continued, "That numb feeling is your chi being blocked. You won't be able to firebend for several hours. Chi blocking has several other uses, an expert can cause temporary paralysis on any part of the body. A novice, however, might accidentally cause more painful, permanent damage..."
Sokka leaned over and whispered into the Preacher's ear, "I'm not exactly an expert."
Cheerily, Azula continued, "Now that we all understand the parameters, we can begin. Where. Is. The. Firelady?" She smiled, and lowered the gag over his mouth.
The preacher spit on the floor and glared defiantly at Azula. "The mighty one will be brought low and will grieve all for naught: for his house will turn to ash. In that day a new Son of Fire will rise and the nation will rejoice."
"Now, you didn't answer my question," Azula chided. "Sokka, Dear, if you will..."
Sokka rapped the Preacher's left shoulder and he cried out in agony. "Oh, I do hope that didn't cause permanent damage!" Azula exclaimed in false sincerity.
"Nahhh... he'll be fine as long as he sees a healer within a couple of hours, shouldn't be any need to amputate," Sokka dryly commented.
"Now," Azula addressed her prisoner, "I ask you again: Where is Firelady Mai?"
The preacher gasped, "I don't know for sure! All I know is that she is with the Shaman and she won't be harmed."
"Who is this Shaman you speak of?" Azula demanded.
The Preacher laughed mirthlessly, "She's a seer, a prophetess. She is a vessel that speaks for the spirit of the great sage R'Kyu... She went into seclusion three months ago to stay in contact with the spirit, I don't know where. We communicate by hawk."
Azula had a faraway look. "R'Kyu," she muttered. She then placed the gag back over the man's mouth. "Sokka, I think we're done here."
"What?" Sokka asked incredulously. "He didn't tell us anything!"
Ignoring him, Azula found one of the city guards standing outside the door of the jail. "Go get the chief constable," she ordered.
"You mind letting me in on what you're thinking?" Sokka asked.
"I think he told us where Mai is," Azula explained. "But we need to get back to the capital and talk to the Fire Sages to be sure."
The chief constable arrived and saluted Azula. "What is your bidding, Your Highness?"
"Transport that man immediately to Caldera Tower, under charge of High Treason," Azula ordered. To Sokka, "Come on. We haven't time to waste."