Zuko's Journey

Dilemma

Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Molana fly on Appa over the Forest, looking to aid Molana's people in the fight against Azula's militia. Molana looks over the edge concerned for her Jakto's well-being. Katara looks at her fellow Water Tribe Sister with disdain and distrust. Sokka notices her dirty look. "Katara, you've been staring at her for the past hour. Ease up will ya?" "I'm not going to ease up on anyone that trusts that scar-faced freak." Katara says referring to Molana's allegiance to Zuko."Katara, chill out. Her people are in danger. Our people. Fellow Water Tribe Survivors from the South Pole. Just like us." "People who ally with someone from the Fire Nation are not my people." Katara says in a bitter tone. 

Katara has made her intentions clear. It's going to take a lot more than words from her brother to trust Molana. Her scornful eyes are met by Molana's inquisitive look. "Listen, I get why you don't trust me. But I am asking you this one time to put your personal feelings aside and help me save my people from Azula's madness." Katara says nothing, she just looks away with no emotion. The group lands to see a destroyed campsite. There are no bodies. No witnesses. Just smoke and ruin. Molana looks on in horror. Just then, her small cousins, Anwanna and Bol, run up to her, screaming her name crying and hugging her, yearning for her comfort. The group can only look on with sadness. Even Katara gets emotional seeing Water Tribe children have to go through such senseless violence. Molana takes her children away to Appa, only a gentle giant like him can comfort scarred children. "Avatar! Please help!" A Water Tribe man cries out to Aang and his team. He is severely wounded and has multiple burn marks.

Turning back, Molana saw the wounded warrior and moved to his side, Katara already bending water to her command. Their eyes met briefly - in that look, their animosity went away, temporarily. Molana then recognizes the injured man. "Warrvoq!? Is that you!?" Molana and Katara begin healing the injured right hand man of Jakto. Warrvoq had been a mentor to him for the past few years. "Yes, it is. I understand why you can barely recognize me. It was that Fire Nation girl Zuko warned us about. After we were instructed to head away from the campsite, she and her other gloomy friend were waiting for us. We had no choice but to turn back. When we got back to camp, another girl allied with Azula attacked us with her own team. She was a chi blocker. She neutralized us benders, allowing Azula to burn me and take everyone hostage. She left Anwanna and Bol with me as a reminder as to what happens if you cross her path. And if you ever want to see Jakto and the others again, you must bring her the Avatar to the Boiling Rock Prison." Thanks to Molana and Katara's healing abilities, Warrvoq is able to sit up under his own power as he lets out a sigh of relief, though still fairly wounded from Azula's attack. "What's Boling Rock?" Katara asks.

"A Fire Nation Supermax prison located in the middle of a volcano. No one has ever escaped from there. That is where Azula took Jakto and the others. She says you have 24 hours to bring her the Avatar... or she'll execute Jakto." Warrvoq says with sadness and pain in his voice. Everyone looks on in horror. "Azula is as cunning as she is cruel," Molana spits, hands clenching with boiling fury. To have her beloved people used in this way - it made her feel indescribable rage. "We have to free my brother!" She shouts at everyone. "I know Molana, we'll figure something out." Aang advises. "Well, it better be in less than 24 hours! Because if not, I'll never see my brother again!" "It's simple what we need to do. We need to let Azula know she can take her deal and shove it. We're busting into that prison and we're freeing Jakto and the others." Sokka says determined. "But if we fight back, she'll kill Jakto on the spot in the blink of an eye." Katara reminds him. "We have to do something! We can't just trade Aang away. She'll keep him as her prisoner, or worse!"I'm with Sokka! No one threatens my family!" "Guys, wait, we can't just rush into this!" "Oh now you care about my people?! Not even a minute ago, you were ready to hang us out to dry because we trusted Zuko. But since Aang's life is in the balance, now all of a sudden you care!" "That's not fair! I wanna help your brother!" "No you don't! You don't trust me, or him because you hate Zuko!" "I never said..." "Guys stop!" Aang yells at everyone.

He turned to Molana, laying a calming hand on her trembling shoulder. "I wanna help your people, and so does everyone here. But your brother's life is not the only one at stake - we have to think not just of today, but all the days this path could bring." His gaze swept them all, gray eyes solemn yet hopeful. "There is a peaceful way if we open our hearts to find it. Azula wants division - we will give her unity. We go to Boiling Rock together." Aang smiled sadly. "I make no promises, only ask you trust me help save as many innocent lives as possible." "How are supposed to do that?" Molana asks. "If we show united, she'll think we're retaliating against her. Azula wants to control us, not challenge us." "Ah-ha! That's it! I have an...IDEA!!!" Sokka says joyfully. "O-kay. And what might it be?" "It's simple!" Sokka grows more and more excited.

"We go to Azula, but on our terms," He explained. "Aang surrenders to her willingly at the rendezvous point. But the rest of us scatter throughout the prison in disguise, posing as guards or prisoners. With my genius and your bending, we'll cause enough of a distraction and unlock enough doors to free Jakto and the others in the chaos!" His eyes gleamed with excitement, though Molana's frown remained. "I guess it could work. But I don't feel comfortable just endangering The Avatar's life like this." I'll be fine Molana. You don't need to worry about me. I can handle Azula. You just follow Sokka's orders. Besides, it'll be a lot harder for her to take me down with my back not turned." "Then it's settled! Let's go get Molana's people back and show Azula who's boss! Woo-hoo!" Sokka yells as he runs over to Appa eagerly. "You seriously want me to take orders from this buffoon?" 

"Hey! Who are you calling a buffoon, lady?" Aang chuckled, laying a calming hand on Molana's arm. "Sokka may seem silly at times, but he's really smart. And we will all need cunning and humor he can muster if we're to walk away from this prison freely." Molana takes a deep breath in. "Okay, Avatar, I'll follow your friend's lead." Aang smiles at her boldness. "Thank you, Molana." Molana rolls her eyes in secrecy, unamused by Sokka's giddy, carefree exterior. "Alright, funny boy. How does this plan of yours work?" "Well, it's gonna go like this...."

The Boiling Rock prison stands in all its glory. Three guards are walking their post. Suddenly, Katara uses three water whips to drag them down the railing and knocks them out. She and Molana drag them away. Sokka takes Aang up to the entrance of the prison in chains. Azula is seen waiting on them with her friends Mai, Ty Lee (the Chi Blocker), and several Fire Nation soldiers. "Hmm, come to your senses, huh Avatar?" Azula asks in a cheeky tone. "I knew you were too much of a weakling to watch another man die. Even if he is just a Water Tribe peasant. Oh, I forgot to mention. How's your back?" She asks in a braggadocios tone. Aang, still hurting from that near-deadly attack he suffered at her hands back in Ba Sing Se, clenches his fists and decides to not fall for Azula's mind games. 

"I've only come here to peacefully negotiate, Princess. Savage violence is not necessary." Azula scoffs at the young boy's ludicrous ideology. "Not necessary? The only thing these lowlifes understand is violence. But I admire your spirit, Avatar. It will make breaking you all the sweeter." Aang closes his eyes, willingly going along with the plan, knowing his well-being is now uncertain. "Ty Lee. Care to do the honors?" She cartwheels up to the Avatar on Azula's command. "Hey cutie. I'm just gonna pinch you a few times." Ty Lee chi blocks Aang. "Excellent work. Now take this filth to a holding cell." Azula orders. Two soldiers take Aang away. "What about this guy, Princess?" A soldier asks pointing at Sokka. "Leave him outside. He's useless. He'll never amount to anything. He proved that when I got into that thick head of his about his precious girlfriend on the Day of Black Sun." Sokka growls angrily. The doors behind them close. Sokka sneaks over to Molana and Katara hiding. They then put on the clothes and armor from the clothes they used to take out the guards. 

Molana's hands clenched as they dragged the limp Avatar away. To see such powerlessness awakened her own long-banked fury. But this was no time for revenge - her people needed her steady. Turning to Katara and Sokka, hiding their own rage with effort, she spoke low and keen. "You two - find the Avatar, free him at all costs. I'll find my brother." The two siblings nod their head in approval. The three water tribe warriors disperse. The hunt had begun. Spirits aid those who stood against them now.