Sokka resists the urge to rub his eyes. It has been so long since he has seen anyone else from his tribe that this must surely be a dream. Katara is beside him nearly vibrating with excitement as they search through the sea of blue for the only one that really matters.
"Katara?"
The last time they heard that voice was when an entire village was nearly wiped out in the name of freedom.
"Jet?" Katara says hesitantly. "What are you doing here?"
The Freedom Fighter casually looks them over, letting his eyes take in the newcomers as well. The Fire Nation red raises an eyebrow.
"Who's this?" He nods to the scowling one with the scar.
Katara looks like she doesn't want to answer but she still does. "This is Zuko. He's a friend."
"A friend?" Jet muses. "You should know better than that after what the Fire Nation did."
Blue eyes flash at him. "Zuko isn't like the rest of them."
This draws a surprised look from the man in question.
"We're looking for Chief Hakoda." Sokka cuts in.
It's not that he isn't simply delighted to see Jet here of all places but there are more pressing matters than dealing with than this half baked nut.
Jet smirks. "Hakoda? I guess he's probably holed up in his tent with his Fire Nation whore."
The harsh words first draw shock and then anger. Katara opens her mouth but another voice interrupts.
"Sokka? Katara? You made it!" Bato exclaims as he swoops in with open arms, gathering the siblings close. "Hakoda will be so glad to see you!"
When Bato releases them, he extends friendly hands to Toph, Zuko, and Aang.
"Come on, let's go find him." Bato says excitedly.
"I'd check under Her Majesties skirts if I were you."
This draws confused frowns from the others except for Bato who turns on Jet.
"You would do well to show more respect."
Jet rolls his eyes. "Whatever. Let them see for themselves."
They watch as he stalks away.
"What was that about?" Katara asks cautiously.
Bato shakes his head. "Let's just say, Hakoda and Jet haven't seen eye to eye lately."
Ooo
As they walk through the throng of Water Tribe warriors many call out in greeting to the children they left behind years before. Some familiar faces are missing but Katara pushes these thoughts away. She hopes the missing ones are just not present at the moment.
Jet's words confuse her. She knows he spread nothing but lies but Bato didn't exactly deny them. What if her father really has taken up with another woman? And a Fire Nation one at that? It causes an ache in her chest that she tries to push away. Surely her father would never replace their mother.
They round a corner of the beach and the man they were looking for comes into view. With a shout Katara and Sokka break into a run as Hakoda stands. At first his expression is uncertain but quickly morphs into a large grin as he meets them halfway with open arms.
Zuko stands back and shifts uncomfortably. He can't help but notice Toph and Aang do as well. None of them really had what you would call a happy home life. Aang didn't have parents and Toph had parents that were basically absent. At least neither of them had to worry about their father maiming them or worse.
When the Water Tribe family finally looks up, Sokka introduces them. He noticeably leaves the "Prince" off of Zuko's name which is only fair since he has been disowned by his father but it still irks him.
"It is great to meet you all. I have been hearing wonderful things." Hakoda beams with his arms around his children's shoulders.
Katara's face lights up. "Really?"
"Oh, yes." Hakoda assures her with a smile. "It seems you might have a few stories of your own to share."
Zuko looks away. This is what a father should look like. This is how a father should act. With a longing look at the setting sun, Zuko lets his thoughts wonder to Iroh and where he could be.
Oooo
Azula doesn't dare leave the safety of Hakoda's tent. Jet is always hanging around and the looks from the other supposed "Freedom" fighters aren't all that reassuring either. It's not that she is afraid but she doesn't want to court trouble this far into her plans. From time to time she does peek out through the flaps but not enough to let anyone know she is looking.
Her heart stutters in her chest when she sees him. It has been so long and something inside of her aches at the sight of blue tattoos and gray eyes. Azula curses her weakness and stamps it down.
Now is not the time. There is too much to do and the Avatar's appearance here can only mean that things are moving ahead of schedule. At least Zuko is with them. Her father reported he had thrown his lot in with Aang but she couldn't be sure it was really true.
With keen golden eyes she watches Bato lead them past the tent in search of the Chief. Once they are gone, she turns her attention back to the table and the maps and plans that cover it. Hakoda has surprised her with his ingenuity and his unconventional methods may just match Fire Nation technology. Azula knows though that Ozai has a weapon in his arsenal that Hakoda does not; the ability to be cruel.
She turns her attention to Ba Sing Se. Part of the Fire Lord's plan is to bring the city to its knees. A great deal of strategy and planning has gone into this. There are layers upon layers of tactics which have been developed just for the purpose of bringing down the walls that have defied the Fire Nation for decades.
Carefully she considers the intelligence concerning the great Earth Kingdom city. It won't be easy but it can be done. Ba Sing Se must not fall.
Oooo
That night around the fire it is a celebration. Hakoda sees just how much his children have grown as they tell stories of their adventures and some very close calls that make his heart skip a beat. Water Tribe dishes are in abundance and Sokka wolves down more than his fair share. Katara doesn't leave Hakoda's side. He can't quite get a bearing on the other three though.
Zuko is clearly Fire Nation and he looks as uncomfortable as a Fire Nation citizen could be surrounded by Water Tribe could be.
Toph can't see but this doesn't seem to stop her as she easily navigates her way around the fire and manages to fluster more than one tribesman with her brash manner.
The Avatar just hangs back quietly watching and occasionally looking up at the moon that hangs low in the sky.
Hakoda contemplates this. The Avatar is supposed to be the last best hope they have to stop the Fire Nation but he is barely older than Sokka. He isn't sure if he should feel relief or apprehension at this thought.
It is late when they finally call it a night. From the way the kids roll out their bedrolls it is clear they have become accustomed to the nomadic lifestyle. Hakoda leaves them to go back to his tent to check on his other guest that has been excluded from the festivities.
"Azula?" He frowns at the sight that greets him once he pulls back the flaps of his tent.
The Princess finishes tying her cloak around her shoulders before turning to him.
"Did you have a good time?" She asks pleasantly as if she wasn't just about to bolt.
"I did. Where are you going?" He asks eyeing the small bag packed at his feet.
"It is time I took my leave, Chief. There are other matters that require my attention." Azula replies matter-of-factly. "I have nothing more to share with you."
For days, Azula has versed him well on the battle plans the Fire Lord and his generals have concocted. The Fire Nation strategy has surpassed the reputation for cunning and brutality he has come to associate with Ozai.
"It isn't safe out there." Hakoda argues. He has come to respect the Princess a great deal and feels protective of her.
"It isn't safe here." She volleys back at him.
It clicks for him as she pushes past him, picking up the bag.
"It's him, isn't it? It's Aang."
Over the past few days he has tried to get past the Princess' icy distance when it came to personal matters. She hasn't exactly opened up but she also hasn't exactly shut him out.
Slowly, Azula turns to face him with such a raw look of sadness on her face. "I can't face him right now."
It pulls at the father inside of him and he nods in agreement. She sighs with relief and pulls the flaps open enough to peer out.
Hakoda's instinct is to make her stay. However if she is anything like Katara then it would be a fight so instead he relents and gives her the benefit of the doubt. "If you need anything, you know how to find me, Princess."
Azula gives him a hesitant smile. "Thank you, Chief, and good luck." She slips through the doorway and is gone.
"And you as well, Your Highness." Hakoda says sadly to the now empty tent.
Oooo
The next morning finds Hakoda on the shore of the beach mending a torn net. Sleep didn't come easy and he finally gave up the attempt by dawn's light. The rest of the camp is slowly coming to life.
"I see our guest is gone." Bato says as he appears at his side.
Hakoda nods as he ties the pieces together. "Said she had other places to be."
Azula breezed into their lives and back out just as quickly. Still she has left her mark.
"I guess it should bear mentioning that I can't find Jet."
This stops Hakoda cold and he looks up at his friend. "Are you sure?"
Bato nods towards the Freedom Fighters. "They aren't talking either."
Hakoda looks over at the rag tag group of kids who stare sullenly back. Brushing off his hands, he stands and looks across the glistening water of the sea. This puts an ugly twist on the situation.
"Should we try to find them?" Bato questions.
They could search for Azula. Hakoda has no idea which direction she left for. If Jet is following her, then it could spell trouble for the already troubled princess.
It is one of those times he wishes he wasn't the one in charge. That he could throw off duty and responsibility and be brash and daring. But he's not and the carefully laid plans don't allow for deviation.
Hakoda shakes his head. "No, she can take care of herself. We have a city to save."
Ba Sing Se must not fall. It was a repeating theme in his many discussions with Azula. The city must not fall at any cost.
Ooooo
"I have to do this." Aang's words are firm but gentle.
Blue eyes glisten in the moonlight. "I don't see why." Her voice wavers betraying her deeper feelings.
"It's an Avatar thing."
Katara wraps her arms around her body, seeking to warm herself against the cold air and the even colder tone in his voice. Another separation, another reminder that there is so much to him that she can't see.
"Do you have to go alone?" She hopes her voice doesn't sound as timid as it feels.
Aang doesn't look at her as he answers. "It's the Eastern Air Temple. It'll be fine."
There has to be something more to this.
"What if it's a trap? We don't actually know who sent that letter."
After all they have been through she can't help but feel suspicion, especially at something that was found in the hands of the now imprisoned Fire Nation soldiers.
"It's not." He assures her.
For some reason he can't just bring himself to tell her about the visions he has had of the Eastern Air Temple, of what awaits him there. The letter only confirmed what he suspected. The price will be great but so will the reward. The burden of his title bears down on him threatening to crush everything good out of his life.
The expression on his face is so earnest so she just nods, hugging herself tighter.
"Go with your father to Ba Sing Se. I'll catch up when I'm done with this Guru." Aang sees the reluctance on Katara's face but if this Guru can help him master the Avatar State then the war can be ended that much quicker.
Before he can turn away, she wraps her arms around him, holding him close. It's instinct to return the hug as he pulls her flush against him. Some traitorous part of his mind can't help but compare the soft curves of Katara to the hard lines of Azula.
"Come back to me, okay?" Katara whispers against his neck, her lips gently brushing across his skin.
The feel of those warm lips against his skin doesn't make him shiver or wish for more. It only leaves him cold and aching for what is lost. Azula's betrayal has cut him deeper than he cares to admit.
Aang nods against Katara before gently releasing her and stepping back. "I'll see you in Ba Sing Se."
With a quick gust of wind, he bounds onto Appa's back and they are off.
oooooo
Ba Sing Se is large, crowded and the perfect place to just disappear. Azula blends easily into the sea of faces. The citizens carry on with their daily lives quite unaware of the danger lurking just beyond the horizon. Looking out over the smiling happy people, Azula thinks it is best they don't know for the reality of war will soon be upon them. Vaguely she wonders how many of the faces she sees now will be no more after the Fire Nation makes its move.
She knows Ozai's plans. The Fire Lord doesn't just want to defeat the proud city that has defied the Fire Nation for generations. He wants to obliterate it from the map, remove it from history, and leave the name Ba Sing Se as a curse whispered under the cover of night.
Uncovering Ozai's strategy for world domination took careful time and conniving. His approach is ruthless and will be the demoralizing strike necessary to cow the rest of the Earth Kingdom into line. She knows it won't stop there though. Obedience won't be enough for the Fire Lord. He will seek to punish. Death will be a plea on the lips of those that stand in his way. There will be no one left to stand against the Fire Nation, her grandfather exterminated the Air Nation and her father plans to annihilate the Earth Kingdom. After that it will only be a matter of time for the Water Tribes.
Azula winds her way through the streets, ducking and dodging through the pedestrians and carts that crowd the Lower Ring. She keeps her hood pulled over her head and avoids eye contact. The golden eyes will mark her as a Fire Bender and that is the last thing she wants right now. Soon the streets will be swarming with Fire Benders and Ba Sing Se will be no more.
Ooo
"Where did you get this?" Sokka asks in awe as he eyes the map in front of him. "How do you even know where all of this is?"
The maps in Hakoda's tent have been severely altered with lay outs of troops and multiple military sites previously unknown.
Hakdoa resists saying much. "Let's just say I met a very informative birdie."
If Azula wants to keep her hand in this hidden, even from her own brother, then he is willing to help her. He owes her that much.
Zuko shakes his head. "I didn't even know some of this was there." The Fire Lord's force is greater than what even the Crown Prince knew. "From the looks of it, they are gathering around the city walls."
All roads point to Ba Sing Se and the picture is grim.
"Ozai means to destroy the city and everyone inside." Hakoda announces quietly.
The reality of the situation had not smacked him in the face until Azula spelled it out for him.
Katara stares on with large quiet eyes. "How many people are in the city?"
Zuko steps back, crossing his arms over his chest, glaring at the red on the map. "A hundred thousand easy and that's not even counting refugees."
More and more people pour into the city seeking refuge from the Fire Nation war machine that has so easily destroyed their homes and their lives.
"Can we stop them?" Katara asks, as she looks at each of the men standing around the table.
Hakoda shakes his head. "Maybe, maybe not but at least we can slow them down."
Azula's plan is good but, Hakoda knows that even the best laid plans can fail.
Katara blinks against the wave of hopelessness she feels and grabs onto that one thing that keeps her going when all else seems dark.
"The Avatar will stop them."
Sokka glances from his father to Zuko and sees the same thread of doubt in both their eyes.
Oooo
Toph sits outside. War meetings never interested her before and they sure don't now. Instead she considers what she knows. Hakoda is hiding something and he's about as good at it as Sokka is; like father, like son.
Toph hasn't met Azula before but she has heard enough about her. The strong steady heartbeat stood out to her in a way that one never has before. It was almost eerie. Still it doesn't fit with Twinkletoes' assessment. If Azula is so bad, then why would Hakoda trust her?
The soft footsteps approaching could only belong to one person. For someone that has more than his fair share of muscle mass, Sparky almost rivals Twinkletoes with light steps. The sand shifts as he sits beside her.
"How's it hanging?" Toph throws out at the newcomer. "Chief have anything new to say?"
Zuko doesn't answer at first. "It's about the same." There isn't more to it than the simple fact that his father simply can't be stopped.
Toph blows dark bangs out of her face. "So doom and gloom again, eh?"
"Yeah, something like that." Zuko rasps out quietly as he sighs.
A stinging punch to the arm breaks him out of the dark thoughts. "Cheer up, Sparky. Maybe you can make some time with Sugar Queen before we all die."
The heat around them spikes. "Would you stop saying that?"
She smirks. "Hey, I just tell it like it is." Zuko's reaction to Katara is amusing on so many different levels. "Who knows, Hakoda may give his blessing."
Zuko growls and she can smell the smoke rising from him. "Don't you think we have more important things to worry about?"
Toph shrugs. "In case you hadn't noticed there seems to be a lot of whatever you want to call it going on."
Katara chasing Aang, Zuko chasing Katara and Sokka chasing Suki. It all makes Toph giggle.
Zuko has noticed, more than Toph or anyone else realizes so he just bites his tongue and says nothing.
"So tell me about this psycho sister of yours and how long you knew she was doing Twinkles?" Nothing. No reaction. No spike in heartrate. Just nothing. Toph frowns impressed but not willing to show it. "Seriously? You have nothing to say about it?"
"How did you know?" Zuko's voice is quiet and controlled.
"Meh, Aang and I may have talked about it." There wasn't much talking at all but Aang got his point across.
"What did he say about it?"
Toph debates how much to say but Mother always did say honesty was the best policy. "He said to take her out."
She expects some sort of disagreement or denial, at the very least she expects Zuko to be undecided.
"I see."
With that he stands up and dusts the sand off his pants.
"What? You agree with him?"
Zuko pauses as he thinks about it. "After what Azula did to him, I'm not surprised he feels that way at all. I told her he would hate her. I'm just sorry I'm right."
As his light steps carry him away from her, Toph calls out to him. "So what happens if you run into her first?"
She feels Zuko stop a few paces away from her but he doesn't turn around. "I don't know who the enemy is anymore. I just don't know."
The vibrations lessen the farther the Prince walks away from her, leaving Toph more in doubt than before.