The School of Ba Sing Se (Zukka Highschool Au)

Chapter 16

<Sokka>

"So, you're going back to the Fire Nation?" I asked Zuko. We were sitting on his bed. I'd just read the letter that his sister had written.

"Yeah, tomorrow." Zuko responded.

"Will you be okay?" I asked. "I know that it's a..." I paused, trying to think of the right word, "bad place for you."

"Yeah, I'll be okay," He said. "From what the note says, it looks like Azula needs me there with her. Besides, I'll only be there for a few hours. It'll be fine!" Zuko squeezed my hand. Whether it was to reassure him or me, I didn't know.

I wasn't convinced, though. I sighed and looked away.

"Is everything okay, Sokka?" Zuko asked.

"I... I just-" My eyes started tearing up. "I don't want you getting hurt again."

"I already talked to my uncle about it." Zuko said. "He said that my father shouldn't be at the palace tomorrow, so I think I'll be safe."

I sat in silence for a few seconds, think about what he said. "Does... does your father know that Azula's leaving?"

Zuko shook his head. "No. As far as I know, he doesn't have a clue."

"So... what's your plan?" I asked. "Sneak her out?" If that was their plan, I could come up with so many code names for it. Capture the Princess; Fire Escape; Get the Formerly Bitchy Sister Out of the Shitty Household. The last one is a bit more descriptive than the others, but it could work!

"Plan?"

"Yes, plan! You know, how are you gonna get Azula out of the Fire Nation without your father noticing?" I waved my hands around a little for emphasis.

"I don't know, pick her up and then go to the airport and leave?"

"Ah, well, yeah, that would probably work the best." I scratched my chin.

"What did you have in mind?" Zuko asked. "For the plan, I mean."

"Ah, well, I was thinking like sneak in from the ceiling and snatch her from her room. Yaknow, like, James Bond style."

"Yeah, no." Zuko said with a laugh. "I'm not doing that."

"Aw, okay. But if you do decide to go with that plan. I have the perfect guy for the job!" I told him.

"Oh yeah? Who?"

I pointed to myself. "The handsome guy in the room, of course."

Zuko looked around. "What handsome guy?"

"Oh you little shit-" I stuck my tongue out at him. "Me, of course!"

"Hmm... well, calling you handsome would be kind of biased of me wouldn't it? Considering I'm your boyfriend and all." Zuko scratched his chin.

"Hey, that's not fair!" I pouted.

"Haha, I guess not." Zuko grinned. "But I need my handsome boyfriend to be here waiting for me when I come back."

"Okay, I can do that."

"Thank you." Zuko smiled at me, and then leaned in and kissed me.

"I'll be waiting." I assured him.

***

<Zuko>

It was the next day. Uncle and I had just landed in the Fire Nation. We'd left at 3pm but since the Fire Nation time zone is 8 hours behind the Ba Sing Se time zone, it was 4pm by the time we landed.

"Are you sure about this?" That's what Uncle kept asking me before we got on the plane. I kept saying that I was sure, but the closer we'd gotten to the Fire Nation the more unsure I felt.

What if Uncle estimated wrong and my father would be at the palace?

No, no. Uncle is always right.

Uncle must've noticed my nervousness, because he turned to me and said, "Zuko, you don't have to come with me to the palace if you don't want to. You can stay here. I'll be right back."

"No, Uncle." I said. "I have to help her." I took a deep breath and stepped off of the plane's exit ramp. I was officially back on Fire Nation ground.

Somewhere I hadn't stepped in over 4 years.

I recognized the smell of air filters all around me. The Fire Nation is a volcanic island chain, so residents there have to constantly filter the air so they don't get sick.

No one really went out much because of the air.

That wasn't the only thing that was familiar, though. I also recognized the feeling of complete helplessness when I stepped onto the ground.

The entire place just radiated a dark energy that basically told you, "You're not escaping from here. Not ever. Everyone who leaves here always returns."

And it was right. No one ever really leaves. Everyone always comes back.

I was a living example of that truth.

I took out my phone and texted Sokka that we'd landed. It was around midnight back home, so I didn't expect to get an immediate reply, but I was proven wrong.

"Okay, please be safe! Love you! ❤️" Is the text I got.

"I will! Love you too! ❤️" I sent back.

Seeing Sokka's text eased my nerves a lot. I hadn't realized how much I'd been shaking until I stopped.

"Come on, Zuko!" Uncle called. "I need to get us a taxi before all of them close!"

"Coming!" I yelled back.

—

The taxi drove up to the palace gates.

Before we got out, Iroh told the driver to wait for us. That we'd be back shortly.

I stepped out of the cab and looked up at the place that was formerly my home. But now, it was alien to me.

Although I recognized what it looked like, I couldn't think of any good memories with anyone who currently lived inside it.

The feeling that I'd had at the airport was back, but 100 times more intense.

The palace loomed over me like the walls of a prison. It was trying to trap me again. It seemed to grow taller the longer I stared at it.

My breath caught in my throat.

"Uncle..." I whispered, grasping my Uncle's shoulder with my left hand.

"Zuko, hey, look at me." He said in a gentle yet stern voice. "This place is just a thing of your past. It cannot hurt you. Although it may have in the past, the only thing that can do anything now is yourself. And if you cannot go up there, it's okay. I'm proud of you for even making it this far. You are incredibly brave for even stepping foot back in the Fire Nation."

"I can make it." I told him, and he nodded. We walked up to the palace side by side.

When we got up there, Uncle rang the doorbell. The door was quickly answered by an exhausted-looking Azula.

"U- Uncle? Zuzu?" She asked.

"'Zula!" I shouted. My hands grabbed her shoulders.

"Ow!" She winced and jumped away. That's when I noticed it. All around her upper left arm were white medical bandages. I instantly understood why she'd sent me that letter.

I was furious, but I kept composed and grabbed her right hand.

"Come on, Azula," I said. "Let's go home."

_______________________________

TAKE THAT WRITER'S BLOCK! I WROTE A WHOLE CHAPTER! granted, it took like 2 weeks but still!

anyways, i really like setting a mood and writing the thoughts of characters, so like this, the next chapter is gonna be a lot of Zuko thoughts!

alright that's all! thanks for reading! -Em