Weaknesses and Strengths/Missing Fire
1
Ba Sing Se's landscape by dawn was still beautiful, regardless of the damage the city had sustained. Much of it had been restored by now, to the point where the restoration efforts were visible in the Middle Ring by now. Gazing upon it, confirming he hadn't caused more strife and chaos than the Earth Kingdom Capital could sustain, should have reassured Sokka…
But after such a restless evening and night, even those small reliefs and pleasure seemed to elude him. His chest still ached with pain that didn't belong to him… his heart remained burdened, and he didn't know why. Some part of him felt guilty, even… a strange part that believed everything Azula had been through recently, so deeply troubling and anguishing, was somehow his fault.
He had barely slept. He had taken Hawky with him as he sat by an open balcony in one of the upper levels of the Palace, the place where he and Aang had watched the city from after their successful takeover… somehow, he seemed to gravitate to this location whenever the circumstances around him seemed to insist that he should be rejoicing, triumphant, when his heart felt as though it had been trampled, squeezed and crumpled instead.
"Sorry that I woke you so soon. Don't really have much to ask of you, but… it's better to have you around than not to, huh?" Sokka said, stroking the hawk's feathers carefully. Hawky squawked lightly before taking to cleaning up, ruffling his feathers and picking away at them with his beak. Sokka pulled back his hand, and he breathed deeply.
Dawn broke slowly, and the sunlight didn't ease Sokka's heart any further. It should have… for the gradual warmth reminded him of her, inevitably, much like most things did. But the pain, the rage, everything she had experienced merely yesterday continued to plague him. Even if she had calmed down – hopefully, she would be sleeping now –, a sinking feeling in his gut told him she wasn't okay still.
And he wasn't there to hold her and comfort her.
He couldn't let her know he'd be there as soon as possible, within the circumstances.
He didn't even know if that would help, for she might just be so outraged, so upset and distraught… because of him. Never before had he been so certain that the mixed, explosive feelings she had experienced were connected to him.
He rubbed his brow with his fingertips when he heard footsteps approaching his balcony. He didn't dare glance towards them as they stepped closer, but there was no need to worry, he realized, once the newcomer stopped beside him.
"Good to know you arrived safely, Hawky," Rui Shi whispered, raising a hand towards the bird: Hawky nipped his fingertips lightly, acknowledging him as a familiar face, too.
"Another reunion, huh?" Sokka said, with a weak smile. "I'd nearly forgotten he was here, when I first got here myself…"
"I'm glad he stayed here. That nobody used him to send some message or another, too," Rui Shi said, breathing deeply. "You weren't planning on it now, or were you?"
"No, I… no. I don't really… don't really think I could send anything to anyone without endangering Hawky, anyway," Sokka said, breathing deeply. "Though, if you want to send him to Song…?"
"I… I suppose I'll think on that," Rui Shi said, frowning. "But I'm not sure I should. I've refused to communicate with her because I don't know if she's being watched… sending Hawky to her wouldn't help me keep her safe."
"Good point," Sokka said, with a sigh.
Rui Shi patted his shoulder before turning around, as to return to the building.
"You don't seem to be in the best of moods… I'll see if there's anything in the kitchens I can steal away to cheer you up," Rui Shi said. Sokka scoffed. "What? You don't think I forgot your terrifying appetite, or do you?"
"Some things can't really be fixed with food… though I appreciate the intent," Sokka said. Rui Shi offered him a sad smile.
"Well… I'll attempt it, nonetheless. It's the least I can do for you."
Sokka sighed, returning his attention to Hawky and the horizon beyond the walls of Ba Sing Se. Rui Shi returned about ten minutes later: Sokka's reverie was interrupted by a cup of steaming tea.
"Not food, I'm afraid… but some people think tea helps when you're having a rough time. Song certainly did. But… don't drink it if you don't feel like it, of course."
Sokka raised his gaze from the cup, smiling slightly at Rui Shi. As discouraging as things were, his friend's presence was certainly reassuring.
"Thank you," Sokka said, nodding in his direction. Rui Shi took his seat beside him with his own cup of tea, by the balcony's railing.
"Don't mention it… General Sokka," Rui Shi said: the smirk on his face caused Sokka to snort and shake his head. "Who knew the day would come when you'd outrank me to that degree?"
"Well, you're not exactly part of this army yet, so who knows? You might become Supreme All-Mighty Ever-Powerful General Rui Shi," Sokka taunted him. Rui Shi smiled and shook his head.
"Nah. I'd rather you're the leader, I can tease you for your weird decisions much more easily this way," he said, breathing deeply. "Do you do this often? Sitting out here, waiting for the sun to rise?"
"Not… not as often as you might think," Sokka said, breathing deeply. "And no, I wasn't so excited about meeting you guys again that I couldn't sleep afterwards because of it…"
"It would be very childish of you, if that were the case," Rui Shi pointed out, raising an eyebrow. Sokka shook his head, shooting a deadpan glare at his smirking friend. "What's wrong, then? Nightmares?"
"I suppose… something like that," Sokka said. "Do you have some of your own?"
"Often," Rui Shi admitted, sitting with his back towards the railing, raising his teacup to his lips. "If anything, nights of full rest are a rarity I can only appreciate further nowadays, sparse as they are."
"I'm afraid joining our war effort isn't going to make that any easier," Sokka warned him. Rui Shi sighed but nodded.
"I'm aware. I'm not here expecting to be coddled and taken care of, though: I want to help. I want to be part of your war effort, Sokka," Rui Shi said, earnestly. "You've paved the way for those of us who thought we'd never find our way through the darkness again. The least we can do is help you continue doing so… help you continue building the world all of us deserve to live in."
"I'm glad you believe in me, but… sometimes it's harder to convince myself that I'll actually pull that off," Sokka said. "At times it just hits me that I've come as far as I have. Just sitting here, looking at a city halfway through repairs… repairs that are only necessary because I brought an army here. Because I planned and strategized and led my forces into a dangerous battlefield. Thousands follow me… I don't know how many will now. It was around five thousand when we left Omashu…"
"It'll be about ten thousand now," Rui Shi said, with a weak smile. Sokka gritted his teeth and shrugged. "More, even, if you extend your reach and claim nearby villages. All of the eastern Earth Kingdom should be yours to control now… the central Earth Kingdom would be, too, but unfortunately, the bulk of it is the desert, so it's not too powerful as a political claim."
"It's still good to have Omashu and Ba Sing Se," Sokka agreed, sipping his tea slowly. "I know this isn't something anyone else has been able to do… I know that. But… damn, what I'm going to tell you will sound unhinged."
"Will it? As unhinged as tales of owls and libraries in a desert?" Rui Shi asked. Sokka couldn't hold back a smile upon hearing that question.
"Maybe," he said. "Do you remember… that she and I had attuned chi?"
"Yeah," Rui Shi nodded. "Song… mentioned it, once. It was the reasoning behind… well, your peculiar therapy to help her with the chi corruption, right?"
"It was," Sokka said. "It's… it's a lot more complicated than that, though. Back in the day, even before I had that strange spiritual experience with the guru, I still felt some things at times that weren't truly my feelings, I suppose. I remember it happened when Shaofeng and his louts came for me… I woke up before it happened, it had been a perfectly great day and yet I was anxious. I knew something was wrong… and then they stormed in. I guess I'm saying…"
"You're… connected to her? Your energy and hers remain linked," Rui Shi said, frowning. "Then… you have those strange feelings now, too? Do you know if she's in pain? If she's…?"
"I do," Sokka said, earnestly. Rui Shi's eyes widened. "Our time with the guru made it even easier to understand, too. When we were barely reaching the Earth Kingdom, I woke up with a start one morning because I couldn't handle a sudden burst of anguish, of misery that I knew was hers. Thing is… she thought I was dead. My plan to deceive Ozai worked, but Ozai didn't show her the knife I'd sent as proof of my demise. She didn't know… couldn't know I had tricked him. We connected through the swamp that day… but the thing is, we can't always do that. It felt like we did it again on the anniversary of our wedding in Firelight Town… could've just been a dream, but it felt like it was more than that. Still, whenever I've tried to bridge myself with her beyond that, it hasn't worked."
"Perhaps it only does whenever the two of you have similarly strong feelings and desperation to see each other again," Rui Shi suggested. "If she's preoccupied with other things… then she's not as focused on wanting to see you, if just for that moment. And maybe when she wishes she could see you, you're up to something else, yourself."
"Heh. The fact that we're at opposite ends of the world doesn't help much, either," Sokka said, with a deep sigh. "Point is, last night, I… I started to feel something. A sense of dread I couldn't shake off. She was… distraught, angry, but most of all, she was terrified. I don't know what happened, truthfully, but… I couldn't sleep. It only got worse and worse as time went by, and even when she seemed to calm down, there was something still so wrong… it still feels wrong now. My stomach is twisting and turning and I… I just want to reach her, Rui Shi. I just want to hold her. To protect her from everything that might try to harm her… but a part of me is terrified, too, because I…"
"You think you're at fault?" Rui Shi asked, after Sokka paused for a moment. He gritted his teeth but nodded. "That… she's learned of what you've done now, in the Earth Kingdom?"
"She asked me to stay… to live my life in the South Pole," Sokka said, shaking his head. "I couldn't do it. She wouldn't have done it either, had our roles been reversed, so… I figured she'd understand. The few times we've been able to communicate, I've thought she'd understand that I meant to come find her… but maybe I didn't make it as clear as I should have, huh?"
"Maybe," Rui Shi agreed, glancing at him remorsefully. "How often does this happen?"
"Not that often… but it doesn't last this long, typically, when it does," Sokka said. "This one felt as bad as… as when she thought I was dead, I guess. But it doesn't stop, though, so…"
Rui Shi breathed deeply, reaching out with a hand to squeeze Sokka's shoulder gently. The Gladiator swallowed hard, shaking his head slowly.
"Has… has something like this happened to you too?" Sokka asked. Rui Shi frowned. "I'm just saying, I… I wouldn't be surprised if you could feel Song this way, too."
"If I can… I haven't learned how to interpret it," Rui Shi admitted, lowering his gaze. "It… it does feel like there's some moments when my heart clenches for no apparent reason. It could be what you say it is, but… I'll have to find that guru of yours and figure it out, I suppose."
"Or you could ask Kino. He was our spiritual prodigy," Sokka said, with a weak smile. "Might be I ought to ask him to help me sort out my heart's mess, too. It was… weirdly nice to find some level of peace after meeting the guru. He helped us untangle so much of our baggage… but I guess I've piled on a lot of new burdens lately."
"It certainly sounds like it," Rui Shi said. "Though… you do know you don't have to carry these burdens alone, don't you?"
"I know. And I haven't," Sokka said, glancing at Rui Shi meaningfully. "I couldn't have come as far as I have without so many people standing with me. I just… I guess there's a part of me that still thinks I shouldn't burden anyone with this specific matter. Most people don't understand and don't care to, they're here to free the world and they couldn't care less for Azula… I haven't had a lot of clashes with them, but it's clear that, if I hadn't intimidated them or earned their respect, they would likely say to my face all the things I figure they say behind my back."
"I suppose I'll have to brace myself and the others for that sort of behavior and treatment," Rui Shi said. Sokka huffed.
"You might have to, though as usual, they'd be hypocrites to the utmost if they treated you guys poorly just because you're firebenders," he said. "Two of the White Lotus's leaders are firebenders who reached even higher ranks in the Fire Nation's armed forces than any of you guys. One of them is a royal, too. They also seem to accept and respect Zuko a certain amount… but it would be unsurprising if they're assholes to you guys because you're loyal to Azula above everything else."
"She doesn't have the greatest reputation in the White Lotus, I suppose… though I imagine there's some in Ba Sing Se who admired her anyway," Rui Shi said. "I wonder if those would join your ranks…"
"Likely not. I'm stuck in a really weird contradiction," Sokka said. "What I'm doing… it goes against my loyalty and love for Azula, in their eyes. Jin… well, outright slapped me when she saw me again. I won't deny I felt I deserved it, I had just beaten her husband into submission, but…"
"How is General Tiang taking everything?" Rui Shi asked, eyeing Sokka with uncertainty. "You defeated him, he surrendered, from what you told me… that's not normal from a Fire Nation military leader of his category. It's a basic principle in our warfare to win at all costs, and if we can't succeed, we are unworthy of serving our nation and are better off dead. So…"
"Well, him and his people certainly behaved that way during the battle," Sokka said, gritting his teeth. "Same was true in Omashu, but they were far more defenseless. There were casualties there too, but we had better ways to capture them, we didn't need to resort to lethal force that often. Had it been easier in Ba Sing Se, had their defenses been any weaker, we would've gladly just kept doing the same immobilization techniques we did before, but…"
"Victory or death," Rui Shi recited, scowling and shaking his head. "At times I wonder how large the death toll truly has been, across the hundred years of war. How many people have been murdered by Fire Nation soldiers, and how many Fire Nation soldiers died senselessly because of that belief. All available information about either thing has to be false, I suspect. I wonder if the Fire Lord even has the accurate numbers for it."
"Unlikely," Sokka said, shaking his head. "And it's even more unlikely that he'd care. As far as that piece of shit can tell, they're expendable. If they couldn't bring him absolute victory, he'd rather they're dead."
"Surely," Rui Shi agreed, frowning heavily. "It's odd, and yet fitting, that your war effort will end up saving all four nations, for you'll save the Fire Nation from itself too. I don't think you'll falter in this journey, even if the Princess's strife affects you so deeply… but if it ever becomes too much, I'll be here for you, Sokka."
"Ah?" Sokka raised an eyebrow, smiling weakly. "You'll straighten me out if I lose my way?"
"If you're too depressed to, uh… to remember the original reason why you're depressed? Yes," Rui Shi nodded. Sokka chuckled.
"Reminding me of the true source of my depression… that actually isn't terrible. I guess I am prone to losing sight of what's at stake at times. When Myeung reacted to my actions as she did, when Jin slapped me, I just… I couldn't help but think about all the friends I left behind. All the people who will see my actions as a betrayal, too. Will they think I'm deliberately endangering them? That I'm putting their lives on the line for a battle I can't win?"
"They would certainly be wrong to assume that last thing, as proven by your success so far," Rui Shi said. "But… I fear that's possible, yes. You'll have to brace yourself for those who will misunderstand you… though you already know that there are some who won't. The Blind Bandit… she's with you, and I'm sure her determination to fight and win is quite similar to yours. She always cherished the Princess…"
"Yeah… it's actually a little strange that it feels like I'm coming home, little by little, by reclaiming these bonds," Sokka said, smiling at Rui Shi. "First with Toph… now with you guys. I suppose there may be others left for me to reconnect to in the road ahead, but… at least you guys get me. You know this is the right thing to do… and you understand exactly why I won't stop until I've made sure she's free again."
"We're here to help you in that endeavor," Rui Shi said, firmly. "To give you as much of our strength as we can lend. And if there's even a sliver of comfort to be found in being understood, I offer you that, too. We share similar burdens… only, you've gone about handling yours through much more productive means than I did. I long to return to Song's side, I have since the moment I had to send her away… but I'll be able to do that after we succeed. Once the Fire Lord is defeated, I'll go to Ember Island and retrieve her myself."
"Heh… that's a nice idea," Sokka said, with a gentle smile. "Depending on how we go about it, you could even see her on our way to the Capital…"
"I… would rather not," Rui Shi said. Sokka raised an eyebrow. "You know her. If I show up at her doorstep just to say hi and leave again, she's going to demand to come along. She'll be even more likely to do it because she has been removed from the action for such a long time… she'll want to help somehow, and maybe she could? But… I think she'll be safer there. Lo and Li will take good care of her… at least, I hope so."
"You hope so?" Sokka repeated. Rui Shi's brow furrowed slightly.
"Well, provided the Fire Lord didn't call for Lo and Li to… to help the Princess," Rui Shi said. Sokka frowned. "You know… with the child. They were midwives before serving as the Princess's advisors, so…"
"But they're… pretty old. And they're part of Azula's old life, wouldn't Ozai prefer a midwife that he can daunt into total submission?" Sokka asked. Rui Shi shrugged.
"It's a valid point. Then, I shall hope they're still in Ember Island… and that Song is still safely with them."
Sokka nodded, and Rui Shi finished his tea: by then, the sunlight had warmed them slightly… though not as much as it would have a few weeks prior. Winter would begin soon, and their next pushes in the war would have to be discussed thoroughly because of it. Preparing a major incursion in the middle of winter didn't appeal to Sokka, he knew that feeding an army once the weather took a turn for the worse would be even more challenging then than it already had been… the Fire Nation had an advantage over them right now, for their lands didn't have the full cycle of seasons. This was, then, the ripe moment for Ozai to begin gathering his forces to strike back: they had to be ready to field them, to anticipate Ozai's choices, to find allies who could help them further, just as Rui Shi and the guards would.
"I hope we can get there soon," Sokka said. "Though it never seems to be soon enough. I've come this far and… and technically? I'm farther away from her than I was back in the South Pole. Other end of the planet, and all…"
"Even so, you're closer to going back than you were before. You have an army… a seriously dangerous one at that," Rui Shi said. "You have great, powerful allies, and all of them are willing to follow your lead. I don't really know the inner workings of this alliance of yours with the White Lotus… but the progress you've made in liberating the world is no small thing. Don't forget that."
"I do my best not to," Sokka said, biting his lip as he finished his tea. "Want to know about them, though?"
"About… what?" Rui Shi asked, raising an eyebrow.
"The inner workings of the alliance," Sokka said, with a weak grin. "We're bound to have a meeting today… we were supposed to do it yesterday, but then we had to put it off after I heard you guys were at the station. I don't think we should have any reason to reschedule it today, so… how about it? Want to join in?"
"I… can't say for sure that I should. Shouldn't I earn my place there?" Rui Shi asked. Sokka snorted.
"What if I say you already did, ages ago?" Sokka asked. Rui Shi raised an eyebrow.
"I'd call that… some manner of nepotism, then," he said. Sokka actually chuckled. "And I'd also ask if you really have the power to decide that I can be there just because you feel like it…"
"I mean, well…" Sokka said, his voice hitching as he ran a hand over his hair. Rui Shi scoffed, amused.
"Well, then, Grand General Overlord Sokka, I shall endeavor to be there if you will it to be so…"
"Oh, for crying out loud, that's not what I…! Rui Shi!" Sokka huffed at Rui Shi's sarcastic reverence – both men wound up laughing side by side as Rui Shi sat upright once again.
Their conversation wouldn't last much longer than that: Sokka carried Hawky back to the safety of his room, and after that, breakfast awaited them within the Palace's dining hall. Most of Azula's former guards were already rejoicing in the full-course meals they had a chance to enjoy anew, a privilege they appreciated just as much as the opportunity to sleep in quality beds for the first time in months. They got along nicely with Kino, who appeared to still struggle with accepting that any soldiers of the Fire Nation, whether deserters or not, would acknowledge his existence for a change. Rui Shi, however, focused on other allies of Sokka's, instead.
"I can't pretend we knew each other on any level in the past… but I'm glad you've been able to join us, Cap-… well, you haven't been a captain for a while, have you?" Zuko said, frowning as Rui Shi greeted him with a proper bow.
"I suppose I haven't… much as I suspect you haven't been a prince, Prince Zuko," Rui Shi replied. The banished prince smiled slightly.
"Well, people call me that anyway… guess I'll call you captain even if you're not one, officially. Though I bet you will be one again soon, once Sokka settles that," Zuko said, with a shrug. "Won't be the same as being captain of the Royal Guards… but it'll be good to have other firebenders fighting alongside us against my father."
"I can only hope that there will be more of us as time goes by," Rui Shi said, nodding in Zuko's direction. "As much as the Fire Lords have attempted to thwart any manner of rebellion, we're living proof that dissent is not impossible. Let's hope we can inspire more of our people to rise against him."
"Let's hope so," Zuko smiled, nodding approvingly.
Rui Shi would've taken his seat then, but another of Sokka's allies greeted him then – with a rough slap on his back and a devious grin.
"Damn, that's a surprise!" Toph laughed. "I just heard about you and your friends, Cannonball! Good to have you back!"
"Cannonball?" Zuko repeated, raising an eyebrow as Rui Shi gaped at the earthbender in surprise.
"Heh, you missed out on his finishing move on that crazy waterbender, Zuko…" Toph chuckled. "He and I worked together to kill the bastard a while back. Fun times, huh?"
"Right. I'm sure the right word is, indeed, 'fun'," Rui Shi smiled a little. Toph shrugged at his sarcasm.
"It was pretty weird, I won't lie, but compared to all the crazy stuff we've been up to lately, it doesn't even feel that wild anymore," she said, grinning again. "Still, it's good you and your gang could join us. Sokka's bound to be happy for the first time in ages, isn't he?"
"I'm sure rejoining you made him happy, as well…" Rui Shi said, but Toph grimaced.
"I mean, somewhat, but he'd just learned about Spicy's situation and… eh, he wasn't that cheerful, I guess. Anyway! Welcome aboard, make sure to get something to eat before I eat it all myself, try to avoid becoming the Avatar's firebending teacher if you can help it, teaching him earthbending is such a chore…"
"Toph! You're joining us today?" Aang asked enthusiastically as the three benders took their seats at the table – Sokka, Aang and Katara were already eating by then, with Momo sitting by Aang, munching happily on fruit. Toph huffed, her bangs swaying carelessly over her breath.
"I am, but not because I love hearing annoying people talking in circles," she said. "I just want to know whatever the hell we're doing, going forward. Pretty sure we'll outgrow Ba Sing Se quickly, huh, Sokka?"
"Not sure how quickly, but we won't stay here forever, no," Sokka said. "Today's meeting will be about establishing our next goals."
As casual and leisurely as their behavior had been leading up to that moment, the seriousness of the situation started to ramp up by then: once they were finished eating, Sokka's mood changed completely. Rui Shi, the only one of the guards to join the group that would attend the meeting, watched his friend with surprise and curiosity. Even in his darkest moments in the Fire Nation, he couldn't quite remember Sokka's very presence being as daunting as it was right now, as he readied himself to speak with his army's leaders.
Out of Sokka's core group, Kino stayed behind with the other guards. Everyone else marched into the Palace's Throne Room, furnished with that large war table around which would sit many of the White Lotus leaders, as well as Ba Sing Se's most powerful people. Anorak raised an eyebrow upon glimpsing the unfamiliar, long-haired firebender with Sokka, but he nodded in acknowledgement at their army's leader.
"I take it this is the ally that awaited you in the Outer Wall's station?" Anorak asked. Sokka nodded as Rui Shi came to a halt beside him.
"Indeed. Rui Shi, this is Colonel Anorak," Sokka explained. Rui Shi bowed his head respectfully towards the man. "He leads our waterbending forces. Anorak, this is Rui Shi, former Captain of Princess Azula's Royal Guards, then Imperial Guard…"
"And now deserter of the Fire Nation army," Rui Shi said, rising back to his full height. Anorak nodded in his direction.
"Well, deserters are the better kinds of Fire Nation soldiers, if you ask me," Anorak smirked slightly. "I suppose you intend for him to join the meeting, General? I can organize the seats differently to accommodate him by the firebending colonels…"
"No need… you can simply set his chair just behind mine," Sokka said, with a shrug. "Less work that way, and besides, we don't really know what his role will be in this army, so…"
Anorak raised his eyebrows but nodded approvingly. It was, indeed, less of an effort, even if it brought about many questions regarding how important this former guard might just become in the Gladiator's army…
"As you wish, General."
He walked away to find a new chair while Rui Shi eyed Sokka with poorly veiled amusement. The Gladiator grimaced, glaring at him.
"What? You already know that's what they call me…"
"It's nothing, I just feel like a parent watching his child grow up, don't mind me…"
"Pfft, a parent? At best, the annoying older brother who can't respect his sibling sounds more accurate," Sokka hissed, poking Rui Shi's ribs and causing the man to chuckle softly.
His amusement receded quickly once everyone was ready. Sokka, the Princess's Gladiator, notorious for his silly antics as well as his unpredictability and talent for causing trouble, shifted fully into the darker, serious persona that Rui Shi had only glimpsed in him during the direst of circumstances, in the past. But where they had usually stood on the same level before – even if, by Fire Nation's societal standards, Sokka should have been beneath Rui Shi –, right now their circumstances were profoundly different.
Everyone in the room appeared to either fear or revere him. Even people like General Iroh, whom Rui Shi felt a burst of resentment for, which he contained successfully, offered him nothing but respect as he took his seat at the head of the large table… a table featuring two Fire Nation Royals, the deposed Earth King, the Avatar himself, numerous notorious military leaders of multiple nations: and in those circumstances, the man leading all of the others was none other than the Gladiator.
Thus, once everyone took their seats, Sokka started the meeting.
"Alright… I suppose I could bore you with welcomes and gratitude for your presence here, but I think we'd all rather get to the point," Sokka said. "According to the reports I've received, Ba Sing Se's recovery is well on its way to completion by now. For the time being, the rings' walls will remain torn as they are, but the Inner and Outer Wall have been repaired and even strengthened further, so the city should be safe from any hostile forces from the Fire Nation. While our army isn't likely to move out right away, it's time for us to discuss what our next steps in this war will be."
"If I may, the Earth Kingdom is well on its way to full liberation," General Fong spoke, with a proud grin. "We already hold the two most pivotal cities of the continent, and that control can be expanded to other cities, as well as towns and villages, until the Fire Nation is fully ousted from our lands."
"That would deal a significant blow against the Fire Nation's economy. They've grown to rely on Earth Kingdom produce to bolster their own nation," Colonel Shiju said, curtly.
"That being said… we do not have endless resources, ourselves, let alone endless forces we can commit to any cause," Jeong Jeong pointed out, hands linked over his mouth, elbows on the table. "We won't be able to commit the full strength of our forces to liberating any new locations of the Earth Kingdom: some need to remain in Ba Sing Se, much like a considerable number stayed in Omashu."
"And as you've brought that up… what news do we have of Omashu?" Sokka asked, glancing at Jeong Jeong, though it was Piandao who answered.
"They have not received any attacks in the past weeks or months… however, patrols found tracks of forces that may have been sent to observe the city," the sword master explained. "Our attempts to secure a proper trade route between the two cities are underway right now…"
"Something else that will require the protection and escort of our forces," Jeong Jeong pointed out, and Piandao nodded.
"We may need to send small groups of agents to liberate smaller towns in the path of our trade routes for further safety," Piandao said. "And even then, it's possible that the Fire Lord will send forces to sabotage our trading, too."
"He knows firsthand how important it is for both of our footholds in the Earth Kingdom to stay connected," Sokka said, breathing deeply.
"It's one of the reasons why expanding our control would be crucial," General Fong said. "I propose we go for the next main cities, Yu Dao or Gaoling, and…"
"Gaoling? It's too far south to mobilize all our troops there from Ba Sing Se," Anorak pointed out, frowning. "Unless King Bumi has gathered sufficient recruits that could, perhaps, join with some of our forces in the Fortress, I don't think there would be much sense in backtracking all the way to Gaoling from here."
"And Yu Dao also brings up the problem of Pohuai Stronghold," Iroh said, shaking his head. "We cannot reach that city without first sorting past the Stronghold's defenses… and they will be far more ready than they were in the past. They will know that there is an enemy force to the east, they will certainly bolster their own troops to retain their control over the northern Earth Kingdom."
"And there's the matter of winter, too," Jeong Jeong said, shaking his head. "Whatever choices we make, we will have to take into account that mobilizing our troops will become much more difficult in the coming months."
Sokka breathed out slowly: none of what they'd said so far was all that surprising, he had anticipated most of their ideas and the drawbacks to them already. All of which didn't make it any easier to choose their future course…
"Securing our position in the Earth Kingdom would be ideal, but I cannot say with any certainty that it will be easy, let alone that the Fire Lord won't be able to counter that, no matter how severe our blows against his forces have been," Piandao said, breathing out slowly. "I intend to set out to meet the group establishing and securing the trade route soon. I will see to their safe arrival in Ba Sing Se. It shouldn't take that long, but I won't be available if you intend for our army to move out over the coming weeks, General Sokka."
"I expect we'll have to wait a little longer than that, regardless of what we choose," Sokka said, breathing deeply as he scanned the map before him with uncertainty. "The Fire Nation army had the same problem we're experiencing now. Granted, with how many soldiers we've taken prisoners and slain in battle, their numbers are bound to be smaller than ever at this point. But winding up spread too thin is not a good choice for any army that attempts to hold the Earth Kingdom, no matter who it answers to."
"Wouldn't we have a chance to recruit more forces if we liberate other cities?" General Fong asked. Sokka shrugged.
"We would, but they won't be as significant as the forces we've found in Ba Sing Se and Omashu. Adding to that, in my experience, there's no city as tied to the Fire Nation in this continent as Yu Dao is. I can't say this with any degree of certainty… but it's possible that their people won't wish to join us. Assuming that all their civilians will rally to our cause as easily as Omashu or Ba Sing Se's did would be wishful on our part."
"Gaoling has been under Fire Nation control for less time, though, unlike Yu Dao or Garsai," Fong insisted. "Securing the southern Earth Kingdom…"
"I've heard your arguments and I understand them," Sokka said, rubbing his brow as he cut off the man's words. Fong flinched and fell silent instantly, though, as if embarrassed over having repeated himself too many times. "But I guess there's a part of me that just… feels like this isn't enough. I know it'd be reckless to think offense is the best kind of defense, but…"
"You can't expect us to strike at the Fire Nation yet…" said Fong, eyes wide. Sokka shook his head.
"No… but we will do that eventually, won't we?" Sokka said. "That's, ultimately, our goal. While setting the Earth Kingdom free is evidently a priority, the truth is that breaking the Fire Nation's hold on the Earth Kingdom will be easier by… suffocating the Fire Lord, so to speak. By closing in the frontlines gradually, we may have a chance to push him into a position so uncomfortable from which responding to our attacks will become near impossible for him."
"And you don't believe we could do that by focusing on the Earth Kingdom?" Katara asked. Sokka grimaced.
"I suppose it could be done, but it's not… not a blow as hard as something else might be. I mean, ultimately, our goal is to defeat the Fire Lord. We will be headed to the Fire Nation eventually."
"Indeed," Jeong Jeong said.
"If that's the case, we need to think about that goal in particular, we need to figure what we need to do in order to break through their defenses and clear a path into the Fire Nation mainland," Sokka said, eyes scrutinizing the Fire Nation upon the map. "As far as I understand… we don't have a navy that can help us travel there, do we?"
"The Earth Kingdom navy was destroyed beyond repair during the war," Shiju confirmed.
"Stealing Fire Nation ships shouldn't be impossible," Jet interjected – he had joined the meeting too, sitting with Toph as he ever was. "Stealth strike teams could take their ships…"
"We could even seize the Prison Rig," said Iroh, frowning. "Ships are built or repaired there. We would secure traveling means for our forces there, liberate more Earth Kingdom people and territories in the area, and deal a severe blow against Ozai's forces."
"We don't know if they would have enough ships there to carry our army all the way to the Fire Nation," Jeong Jeong pointed out. Sokka breathed deeply.
"Well… there's another place that might be able to provide us with ships. That is, if we help them, first."
His eyes had shifted away from the Fire Nation… and to another spot by the top of the map.
"What's the only nation that hasn't faltered or ceded any terrain against the Fire Nation so far?" Sokka said. The entire room fell reverently silent as most its occupants stared at him in astonishment. "They're bound to have ships of their own, so… if we aid them in ridding themselves of the Fire Nation's persistent assault, they'll be honor-bound to give us a hand in defeating the Fire Lord for good. Honestly, I can't imagine they would find it unreasonable to aid us if it means we'll get the Fire Nation off their shores after ten years, so…"
"The… the Northern Water Tribe," Anorak said, eyes aglow with surprise. "But… how would we help them? The enemy navy stationed there is massive, General. I understand the Avatar's sky bison might be able to carry you and your first allies all the way to the North Pole, but as powerful as all of you may be, you'll need more forces if you intend to offer proper reinforcements to the warriors and benders in the north. How would you carry them all the way there?"
"If I may…" Rui Shi startled Sokka with his sudden intervention. The firebender eyed him significantly. "The General himself has thorough knowledge of a newer method of transportation that wouldn't be restricted to sailing across the seas…"
Everyone at the table fell silent as the possibility Rui Shi had suggested sprung to life in Sokka's so far dour countenance. He glanced back at his friend, eyes widening with realization:
"Airships," Sokka said, and Rui Shi shrugged.
"You know how they work, better than any of us could hope to," he said. "While I can't say for certain that you'll have the time to build numerous hot-air balloons, it's possible that there may be some in the city that can be used to transport soldiers to the north, right?"
"I… I might not have the time, or the chance to build them from scratch," Sokka said, rubbing his chin with his thumb. "But maybe I don't need to do it myself. I… shit. Oh, hell, I should've thought of it sooner: we have to recruit the Mechanist."
"The Mechanist?" repeated Toph, puzzled.
"He's an inventor, an Earth Kingdom refugee living in the Northern Air Temple with a group of refugees like himself," Sokka explained. Aang's attention was piqued at once. "He started the development of the hot-air balloons, I helped him with the final design, and he also designed the armored airships used by Ozai's forces…"
"He's bound to the Fire Nation, though, isn't he?" asked Shiju. "As far as I understand, they've kept him under their control for longer than a decade…"
"It's not like he wants to work for them, though," Katara said. "Everything Sokka told us about him… it sounds like he'll jump at any chance to get out of their grip, right, Sokka?"
"Most likely," Sokka said, nodding. "The last time I saw him, he made no efforts to hide his genuine opinion of Ozai. He's simply done whatever he can to survive, waiting for a chance to rebel, hoping the tides will change… and they can change now. So… we should go find him. We should reach him before Ozai gets to him first, before he remembers he literally sent me to him and that we worked together for a time. If we bring him and the rest of the refugees to Ba Sing Se, should they choose to come, it'll be a lot easier to protect them here, and they'll be able to help us with producing hot-air balloons and any vehicles within the realm of our possibilities inside Ba Sing Se. So…"
"Then… once you succeed, you'll send the bulk of our forces north?" asked Fong, puzzled. Sokka gritted his teeth, biting his lip.
"Well, not right away," he said. "We could send a scouting group, perhaps, to check how dire the situation is. If the Water Tribe has kept the Fire Nation in a stalemate for ten years, it stands to reason that we might not need to commit all our forces to help them overtake the enemy forces right away. We'll do it if it's necessary, but we ought to assess the situation first. That being said… whether they need us that desperately or not, it's clear that we have to expand our recruitment efforts."
"It appears that will be necessary, indeed," Jeong Jeong said, breathing deeply.
"We have too many fronts to focus on, and too much work to do to continue pushing back against the Fire Lord and retaining our control of the Earth Kingdom," Sokka said. "Helping the Northern Water Tribe is the ideal choice not solely because we'd secure further means of transportation beyond hot-air balloons…"
"Do you think building the armored airships would be beyond the Mechanist's ability at the moment?" Zuko asked.
"Yeah, that takes a big factory to build," Sokka said. "As well as tons of resources I don't think we'll have any access to as we are. So, our best bet would be hot-air balloons as well as Water Tribe ships. Both things can provide us with a fleet large enough that we may direct towards the Fire Nation when the time comes."
Zuko nodded as Sokka breathed out slowly, leaning forward on the table, elbows set upon it.
"As things stand right now…" Sokka started. "Our greater priorities will be securing the trade route and extracting the Mechanist and his people from the Air Temple. We may have a chance to build a few hot-air balloons here without his help, I still remember how it's done… though, if there are any hot-air balloons we can use within the city, that would be much better. Jin…?"
She sat at the table too, though she always witnessed these meetings with stern scowls. She shot Sokka a glare… but she nodded slowly.
"We have… five hot-air balloons that can be used for that plan of yours," she said. "You'll have to test them to make sure they work properly, though."
"Well, still better than having to build them from nothing," Sokka reasoned, nodding in her direction. "I don't know if five will suffice to extract everyone, but even if they don't, the Mechanist is bound to have other available hot-air balloons in the temple. We'll be able to bring all the refugees to safety, provided they want to come."
"And after that…?" asked Aang. "We'd just go to the Northern Water Tribe?"
"Well, we'd return here first," Sokka said. "We'd have to try to start producing hot-air balloons of our own, they could serve as our primary means of transportation for our upcoming missions. Once we have enough hot-air balloons to bring forces to the North Pole, we'll send the scouting group and afterwards, the necessary force to break the stalemate in the Water Tribe's favor. But we can't remain idle until the Water Tribe is free: small squads can attack and dismantle the Fire Nation's control over towns and villages near both Ba Sing Se and Omashu. Our trade routes need to be fully secured… and taking back those places may just help us find more people we can recruit in our favor. As for Gaoling… I think it's not a bad idea, but it's probably something that needs to be done after the trade routes have been secured."
"Yu Dao?" asked Jeong Jeong. Sokka shot him a meaningful stare.
"I take it you know exactly how to sneak past the Stronghold and you hope to offer your expertise on the matter…?" he asked. Jeong Jeong shrugged.
"I do understand those lands quite well, which doesn't mean that a journey there would not be perilous. Seizing Yu Dao, however, will provide us with control over a crucial western shore of the Earth Kingdom… and we could launch the ships from our final raids into Fire Nation territories from there," he said. Sokka hummed.
"It's a good point, too," he said, breathing deeply and frowning as he scanned the map thoroughly. "But thinking about it further, though… Gaoling isn't bound to be defended all that strongly. I'm not exactly keen on underestimating the enemy, but in this case? The enemy is Governor Kuan. The slimy weasel is bound to skip town and run to hide under Ozai's skirts the minute he realizes someone hostile is knocking on his door. A strong force should go there anyway… but honestly, taking control of Gaoling shouldn't be that difficult."
"Then… maybe I should do it."
Sokka glanced at Toph questioningly. The earthbender shrugged upon sensing everyone's attention was on her.
"I'm not that much of a nationalist, you know I'm not, but… my parents are there," Toph said, firmly. "That's my hometown. Feels… fitting, I guess, to come back to free it. No idea if we'll find anything valuable there, but maybe I can recruit a few gladiators, or even old people from Earth Rumble, to join our forces."
"Heh… if you insist," Sokka said, with a small smile. "I hadn't even meant to assign officers to everything yet, but… this seems like a good job for you."
"Then you won't go north with us?" Aang asked. Toph scoffed.
"You're going north, then?"
"W-well, Anorak said something about Appa going there, so I kind of figured I'd go, too…" Aang said, blushing slightly.
"Well, that's all good for you, Twinkle Toes, but I'm pretty damn sure I won't be much use in the North Pole. What's that place made of, huh? Isn't it all ice?"
"Or water," Anorak responded. Toph made a face of disgust.
"That's not my thing. Not even by mistake," she said, shaking her head. "Leave it to Sugar Queen instead, she'll have a field trip there."
"Heh, not sure going to war counts as a field trip… but sure," Katara smiled, nodding at Sokka. "Would you be part of this group too? I mean, you could stay in Ba Sing Se if you want, but… I get the feeling you'll be necessary in the North Pole."
"He will be," Jeong Jeong said, firmly. "I will be able to vouch for you through a message, General Sokka, a message I hope you can hand to the Grand Lotus stationed in the Northern Water Tribe…"
"Oh?" Sokka raised an eyebrow. "Guess there was one more left for me to meet, huh?"
"Master Pakku," Anorak said, nodding sagely. "My waterbending master. He's the one who assigned me and the other waterbenders that currently serve with the White Lotus."
"He'll be of help in procuring an alliance with the Northern Water Tribe's leadership… which, I assume, is what you hope to obtain," Jeong Jeong said. Sokka breathed deeply and nodded.
"The Fire Nation has sought to break the stalemate in numerous ways… I was roped into one such attempt, and I sabotaged it as best I could. Ultimately, though… the Fire Lord doesn't know how to defeat them. We shouldn't give him time to come up with ideas to succeed at that," Sokka said. "Helping the Northern Water Tribe will allow them to join us… so our army will be bolstered further. White Lotus forces, Earth Kingdom forces, Water Tribe forces…"
"The Fire Lord won't be able to take a stand against us," Fong declared, proudly.
"If only someone had thought of building this sort of alliance sooner, this war might not have lasted as long as it did," Zuko sighed, shaking his head. "But… this means our forces will be split, if just for a time?"
"Probably for a long time," Sokka admitted, startling everyone. "Gathering more forces, strengthening our army… it's all for the sake of our final push. Jeong Jeong… you'll be able to sort through Pohuai Stronghold and attack Yu Dao?"
"Attack it? Not liberate it?" Aang asked, grimacing.
"Like I said… I don't know if colonies as ancient as Yu Dao would be open to that kind of liberation," Sokka said, gritting his teeth. "That being said, pushing and pressuring Ozai to withdraw his main troops from the Earth Kingdom would help our cause. There are gladiators in Yu Dao, or there should be… gladiators like the Millennium Dragon. I can't say for certain that he'd join us, but he'd be a grand ally for us if he's willing to be part of our push. Still, ultimately, cutting off the Fire Nation's control of the Earth Kingdom continent is going to deal a serious blow to their army. So… I would think the bulk of our forces should go with you to Yu Dao, but not just yet. If the Water Tribe alliance can be secured soon, they might be able to provide some assistance, striking through the sea while you attack on land."
"An ambush… it could work," Iroh said.
"And as for Gaoling… I guess you'll be the boss in that one, Toph?" Sokka asked. She smirked.
"Leave it to me, General Bigshot. I'll pull it off way faster than the rest of you," she declared. Sokka smiled slightly.
"Will you be part of our first operation in the Air Temple before setting off to Gaoling, though? No idea if you care to travel by air that way, but…"
"Did it a couple times, not a fan. No, thank you," Toph said, stubbornly. Sokka shrugged.
"If that's how you want it… Master Piandao, can I task you with staying in Ba Sing Se?"
"You mean, after I'm done with my work on the trade route?" Piandao asked. Sokka nodded.
"I'm not saying you'll be the one to govern this city, clearly… but once I'm in the North Pole, I'll feel Ba Sing Se is safer if someone I trust is protecting it," he said: he didn't even have to glance at Iroh to know the man was making one of his stomachache faces again.
"I… I shall. If this is what you require of me, then I will stay here indeed," Piandao said, nodding at Sokka. "I'll work with Lady Jin and the Earth King to continue organizing the repairs to the city in your absence."
"This isn't… going to be permanent, is it?" Kuei asked, glancing at Sokka warily – he had been silent, on the most part, during many meetings in which he had grown to understand just how deeply disconnected he was, not only to his city and people, but the state of the world at large. "I mean… you don't expect to constantly have a White Lotus overseer in the city, or do you?"
"That… depends on whatever happens once the war ends," Sokka said, staring at Kuei firmly. "I understand your gripes with the matter… but I also hope you understand ours when it comes to entrusting you with full power over Ba Sing Se once more. Or rather, for the first time, to be perfectly honest…"
"I can acquaint myself better with my city," Kuei said, pleadingly. "I can do better than I did in the past…"
"Well, like I said, you hardly did anything in the past so it's probably guaranteed that you would do better," Sokka sighed, rubbing his brow with his fingertips. "I don't feel like I should have a say on how Ba Sing Se will ultimately govern itself, but until the war has been won, I don't think my forces will withdraw from your city. It's for your safety, for the protection of your people… so take advantage of that opportunity to grow to understand Ba Sing Se better. If she's willing, I guess Jin could help you with that."
Kuei eyed her reproachfully, and Jin shot him a scathing glare in response. Clearly, building bridges between those two would be no easy matter… but Sokka had enough to concern himself over, he'd leave someone else to broker peace between the pair.
"If all is still well in Omashu, I hope that means we won't need to bolster their defenses anytime soon," Sokka said, breathing deeply. "We'll begin working out the details on small groups to liberate towns and villages after the first recruitment efforts have yielded fruit. Those of you who don't have an urgent, immediate mission, be it the trade route or the Northern Air Temple, should focus on that instead. Once those two first missions are done, our forces will split: to Yu Dao, to Gaoling, and to the Northern Water Tribe."
Everyone seemed to agree with that decision, nodding approvingly as Sokka breathed out slowly: the unsettling feelings in his gut seemed to dwindle now that his purpose was renewed, now that he knew exactly what his next steps would be…
Now that he knew what stages remained in his journey before he could rejoin the love of his life. The Northern Air Temple, the Northern Water Tribe… and then, to the Fire Nation.
"Uh… maybe you already meant for us to come, but I figured I'd ask anyway: do you want us to go with you to the Northern Air Temple?" Aang asked Sokka, uneasy. "You've told me the temple's probably different from what I remember, but I still knew it and… and I still want to see it."
"I understand. If you're ready to face it, of course you can come," Sokka nodded.
"If Aang's going, I'm going," Katara said, bluntly. Sokka smiled.
"Then the three of us would go? And…"
"And the ten of us."
Rui Shi's voice rang in the room again, and Sokka's smile grew more genuine as he nodded in agreement.
"Thirteen people on five hot-air balloons and a sky bison? That should work," the Gladiator said.
"I understand that you trust these former guards… but are you certain that you wouldn't want more forces than ten firebenders joining you in this endeavor?" asked Shiju, raising an eyebrow as he stared judgmentally at Rui Shi. The firebender wasn't fazed.
"I'm certain," Sokka said, nodding. "If anything, we'll already be too strong, I'd say. The Northern Air Temple should be safe for us to visit, and the people living there are as familiar with me as they are with the guards. So, this is a good team for the task we have in mind… and after we succeed and bring the Mechanist here with us, I expect the rest of you will be more willing to trust them, too."
"As long as they prove themselves, I suppose so," Shiju said, drawing his gaze away.
"Then… do we have any other pressing matters to discuss?" Sokka asked. "We can certainly hold another meeting to confirm everything once my group returns from the Northern Air Temple…"
"That would be for the best. We do not know for sure how Fire Lord Ozai will react in the coming days," Jeong Jeong said, nodding sagely. "Preparing ourselves to counter his likely violence will be important as well. Anything can change in the space of a few weeks."
Sokka nodded, the words dangling ominously over his head and heart: the pain in his chest hadn't faded away yet, even if it felt more muted than before. Whatever anguish his choices had caused Azula, her reaction had been so abrupt and unsettling that Sokka could only wonder if Ozai was already planning something… if he had taken out his frustrations on Azula still, instead of focusing on fighting Sokka.
He hoped the bastard would have the sense not to do that… but his urgency, his need to broker this alliance with the Northern Water Tribe, to recruit as many willing fighters to his cause, answered to his dread that Azula's time might be running out. They had been apart for seven months… if, as some people believed, her child was actually his, she would be forced into a most unbearable position by her father's wrath right now. If possible, he should try to reach her before nine months had passed. Maybe the baby wasn't his, maybe he was being an idiot to so much as entertain that notion… but whatever the truth might be, the sooner he reached her, the better. Her pain, her anguish, her sorrow… he would be able to put a stop to it all once he could shield her from it, as he ever hoped to while he stood by her side.
The meeting was adjourned then, and most its attendants, the highest ranked members of the Gladiator's army, spoke among themselves as it dissolved. Aang and Katara suspected Kino might ask to join them in their incursion to the Northern Air Temple, but if they'd be evacuating the Mechanist's people, the less people joined them, the better. They set out to inform him of the developments while Sokka breathed out slowly, rising to his feet as he stared down the map before him – that needling, unpleasant feeling seemed to warn him now that maybe, without his awareness, he was making a mistake of some sort, even if he couldn't see, logically, how that could be the case.
The rules of this complicated conflict had changed now. With Ozai fully aware of what Sokka was doing, with at least some knowledge of how powerful he and his allies were, the man would become unpredictable… and Sokka could only hope he'd do so by being reckless and foolish, committing his forces to the wrong battles instead of genuinely composing a threat for their liberation efforts. He had never been too bright, and he was even less likely to be smart whenever his wrath was triggered… but the danger of the situation, the menace he represented for those in the Fire Nation, especially Azula, only deepened Sokka's despair and sense of dread.
"Well… that was something," Rui Shi said, standing behind him. Sokka smiled and shrugged, turning towards his friend.
"It's tricky organizing so many different people with so many different priorities," he admitted. "But it's worked out well, in spite of that…"
"Only because you have the final say, seems to me," Rui Shi smirked. "I certainly hope Jeong Jeong actually regrets what he nearly did to you, years ago. Otherwise, he wouldn't have a leader to look to right now."
"I'd like to think I've made him regret it," Sokka smirked. "But yeah, earning their respect was a wild ride. Took me conquering a city with just six allies to pull that off, actually. They're a bit high-maintenance that way… but at least now they listen to me."
"As does the Earth King," Rui Shi pointed out. Sokka grimaced.
"I really have no idea how they're going to sort out that mess, though," he admitted. "I'd hope Jin can advise him… but for that matter, she could be the one ruling instead. I don't know, honestly… maybe he can be a figurehead while she takes care of the more serious side of ruling, and this time without as much subterfuge to hide that truth. But it's not up to me to decide that, so…"
"You really don't want to get involved in how other nations sort out their issues, huh?" Rui Shi smiled. "Though you're about to overthrow the Fire Lord…"
"Well, that's the only nation in which I know what the right course of action will be," Sokka said, with a light smile. "As long as we do this right… as long as we do it quickly, the better Fire Lord will take that throne eventually. Provided she wants to, of course…"
"I can't imagine she wouldn't, but I could be mistaken," Rui Shi said, with a shrug. "At any rate… we should check the hot-air balloons, shouldn't we? We have to make sure they're ready for this journey."
"Definitely," Sokka nodded: he and Rui Shi approached Jin who, as apprehensive as she still was, agreed to lead them to the hangar where the vehicles were kept.
The three exited the room… followed by the keen golden eyes of a firebending master. He had overheard those words… he had understood their meaning. Of course he had known what Sokka's plans were likely to be, what his priorities might shape into… but while his leadership was appreciated, while it had proven invaluable and respectable, he was still but one man. A man led by his heart, primarily. There was no denying that it had brought him quite far…
But hearts were not infallible. A kind heart did not guarantee that its holder would make right choices.
That Sokka would believe Princess Azula should become Fire Lord was proof of that.
There was a better alternative, of course. While the Gladiator might not appreciate that, he was hardly the only visionary in their army. The future of the world would be brighter one day… so long as the one to lead the Fire Nation forward was Fire Lord Zuko.
Waking up in that bedroom again proved unsettling – Azula had dearly hoped to never need to return to the physicians' wing, to begin with. But that same room, the same place where she had woken up to find Sokka sitting by her side…
A foolish, feeble part of her wondered if time might turn back, right before she opened her eyes. If maybe he'd be there again… if they'd have a chance to do everything all over again, starting from the day when she had taken that devastating wound. She clung to that fantasy for just a moment… for she grew aware, all too quickly, of her large pregnancy belly, of the fact that her body, as much as it ached, was not as weakened as it had been after that experience.
Most of all, she was conscious of the fact that he wasn't by her side, and that the choices they'd made might make it so she'd never wake up beside him again.
Everything she had wanted to block away returned to the forefront of her mind slowly: the dreams, mercifully empty that night, faded away as reality took their place. The fight with Zhao, her father carrying her to her room, her scare, the acute, devastating fear that the baby might have been harmed… the war meeting that had jumpstarted everything through the unwanted, unbearable revelation that Sokka had charged into all-out war against her father.
A night's rest had placated her spirit slightly… but the apprehension, the despair wrapped tightly around her heart, had yet to recede. Everything she had been hoping for, counting on, had crumbled and fallen to pieces in a single day, it seemed…
"Hey…"
Rei's voice compelled her to turn towards her daughter: it looked like she had barely rested, sitting by her bedside as she was, but she offered Azula a gentle smile nonetheless.
"Rei…" Azula said. The younger woman clasped her hand delicately.
"Hi. I'll let Song know you're awake. Though… I should probably tell Fei Rou, too," she said. Azula sighed but nodded. "How are you feeling?"
It was a complicated question, one she couldn't even answer with an obvious lie. Her silence spoke for itself, and Rei offered her a sad smile now.
"It's okay… we'll make sure you'll feel better soon, Mom," she said, squeezing Azula's hand gently before rising to her feet. "Song is in your room right now, I wanted to stay here until you woke up, though, but I'll go get her now…"
"Thank you," Azula said, swallowing hard. "I'm glad you were here, Rei. But… you should try to get some sleep too. Take a nap, maybe…"
"I… I would, but I'm afraid there's a lot to do," she said. Azula frowned. "Song was actually getting started with some of that. The repairs are… underway."
"Repairs… in my room," Azula said. Rei nodded slowly.
"Both Song and I wanted to make sure they're only replacing what was damaged," Rei said. "I… I don't want them looking through things they're not supposed to. I don't think the closet was touched by the fire at all, but…"
"You're hoping to guard my more dangerous belongings, then?" Azula asked. Rei smiled and shrugged. "You're too kind, Rei… Thank you, but really, do take a break once you can. The last thing I'd want is for you to fall ill over trying to nurse me to health…"
"Oh, I'll make sure not to let that happen. I promise," Rei said, with a gentle grin. "I'll go help Song, and if I can, take over for her in overseeing the repairs. She should come here to check on you personally… though, does anything feel bad? Anything particularly worrisome?"
"Well… nothing noteworthy," Azula said, breathing deeply: she focused on her belly, and she sensed a gentle movement within her womb. "The baby's moving a little, so… I hope that means everything is stable again."
"I hope so too," Rei smiled, clasping Azula's hand gently. "I'll call Fei Rou and go fetch Song, then."
Worrying about others, as ever, was much better than letting herself think about her own circumstances. Rei's absence sent Azula's mind down dark paths once the girl took off, and while she would've gladly welcomed Song's company, she was out of luck: the first person to enter it was Fei Rou, instead. Her already dark mood only darkened further because of it, even if the man, immediately defensive, raised his hands to show he meant her no harm.
"I will keep my distance. Lady Wen is in charge of your personal health… I only wished to ensure you were feeling better," Fei Rou said. "I've sent word to the kitchen to bring you a light breakfast, and it should arrive soon. How are you feeling?"
Azula raised an eyebrow dismissively before sighing heavily.
"As if I'd been trampled by a carriage," she said. "If you really must know."
"Well, that's… a visual," Fei Rou said, grimacing. "Do you feel any pain in your abdominal region?"
"None that stands out from the rest," Azula said, with a shrug – it wasn't a lie, for everything seemed to hurt today. Fei Rou nodded.
"Then very well. You will remain in bed until further notice, Princess, and…"
"And I'll be relocated to my room… once it's ready," Azula said. Fei Rou frowned.
"Well, that's… that's bound to take some time. You'll have to be patient," he said. Azula scowled. "I understand you'd rather not be here any longer than you need to be, but your condition can be worrisome, Princess. I'll send for Lady Wen at once…"
"Rei should have already called her," Azula said. Fei Rou breathed out slowly.
"Good. Then she'll confirm whether there's anything to worry about or not. Still, if you don't feel any alarming sources of pain so many hours later, I expect Lady Wen would have been correct to assess that your scare was caused by stress rather than anything else," Fei Rou nodded. "The Head Sage will drop by as well for another energy reading later."
"Very well," Azula said – the more they monitored her child's health, the better.
Her meal arrived around five minutes later, and she ate it quietly while Fei Rou came and went multiple times. Now that she had spoken with him, and he had breached no boundaries thus far, Azula wasn't quite as displeased by his presence as she could have been…
At least, not until the man returned to her room with an undeniable nervousness that disturbed Azula, just as she was finishing her miso soup.
"P-Princess, there's, um…" he said. Azula frowned.
"What?" Azula pushed the tray aside, glaring at Fei Rou. "What the hell is the matter now?"
"Someone's here… to speak to you," Fei Rou said. "He wishes to know if you would receive him."
"He…?" Azula frowned…
Fei Rou's nervousness gave away what the truth would be, though. Azula's eyes widened upon reasoning with that reality, her heart sinking, her stomach clenching, her need for any further nourishment well and truly forsaken now. She glanced up at Fei Rou, who likely had been under orders not to reveal that the Fire Lord had come to speak to her…
Why wouldn't he do so? Did he want to be sure she'd be willing to receive him? Did he know she would have accepted to see him if she knew it was him who requested it, whether she was ready to face him or not, all be it to avoid his wrath?
Whatever his reasons, though… Azula had no choice. There was none to be found in these circumstances, whether she liked that or not. If only Song had arrived sooner… supervising repairs in her room was bound to be a rather complicated matter, if both Rei and Song were still there rather than here so far.
She clenched her jaw and fists before nodding at a relieved Fei Rou. He bowed his head towards her, then marched to the door.
The Princess pushed herself up slightly, nerves twisting and turning as she glanced at the doorway: she was residing in this room for the second time in her life, and just like the first, the large shadow of a tall man appeared by the room's threshold. Unlike the first time, though, his face didn't bear the expression of an outraged, vengeful warmonger…
Instead, it was akin to the expression, the emotion, that he had showed her halfway through their conversation back then. Right before he said words that still haunted her, to this day:
"What sort of father could ever be disappointed in a daughter like you?"
That he had asked that question, and then answered it mere months later, stung in places in her heart that had not healed, and that might never heal in the future, either. But as Fire Lord Ozai stepped across that threshold, Azula let herself hope that, for once, the Fire Lord wouldn't worsen their wounds, wouldn't further fray a bond that, for a long time, had been his daughter's whole world.
She didn't deserve kindness, or empathy. She didn't want them. But even when she didn't expect either thing from her father, Azula still allowed herself to hope that Ozai's eagerness to punish her might have finally reached its well-overdue conclusion.
"Azula," he called her, without steel in his voice, without the cruelty she had come to expect.
Whatever he wanted, he'd get… that wasn't negotiable, it hadn't been for as long as he had become Fire Lord. But if just for now… if just for today, it seemed the Fire Lord wasn't here to make demands and impose his expectations upon her: for today, Ozai was here to speak with his daughter, to hear her out… and to trouble her heart further when, for the first time in far too long, she glimpsed a spark of humanity underneath the many layers and masks of the monster her father had built himself to be.