KIDA SPENDS THE NEXT LITTLE WHILE IN THE PRISON'S INFIRMARY. There are no healers, let alone one close to Katara, so it's mostly Fire Nation soldiers trying to figure out what herb combination to work. Kida fears that they're spending so much time trying to keep her alive because Azula has something more sinister in mind. Though, the idea of being stuck in here with the idea that the team might be in more danger because of the failed invasion dying, and that her brother might be out there, waiting for his sister who would never be able to find him. Kida doesn't really want to think about what happened or what she just lost, but there's nothing much else to do.
Did the team make it out okay? Has Aang found a Firebending teacher? Is Hiro actually alive?
Kida would probably never know.
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AFTER THE INFIRMARY, KIDA IS CONFINED TO A CELL. Twice a day, a guard slips some food under her door, and there's either some outdoor time, or active hours, which really just consists of prisoners doing unpaid labor. Kida never sees the same face twice; depending on the number of guards on duty, the prisoners are either taken out of their cells in groups or all at once, so it's hard to keep track. The guards all look the same, too.
When she was jailed, all of Kida's belongings were taken away. Her knife, her bracelets, her ring: all gone, thrown out, or locked away somewhere to collect dust. Kida refuses to be condemned to the same fate.
She needs to find a way out.
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MORE TIME PASSES; IT'S HARD TO TELL EXACTLY HOW LONG, WITH THE DAYS BLENDING TOGETHER SO EASILY, BUT BASED ON HOW MUCH HER WOUND HAS HEALED, KIDA GUESSES A WEEK, GIVE OR TAKE A DAY.
One day, Kida is on cafeteria duty. She's given a mop and instructed to clean every square inch of the room before she herself can have something to eat. At least there's one other prisoner with the same task, maybe it will go by faster, then.
"So, what are you in for?" the boy, probably around her age, asks, blue eyes shifting to meet Kida's. "You a thief, a traitor, or a criminal of war?"
"Kind of all three," Kida grumbles.
The boy grins, and Kida notices a small scar on his upper lip. While Kida is busy mopping the floor, he's using his mop to prop up his head, seeming more interested in having a conversation than being able to have dinner.
"Awesome."
When Kida doesn't instigate further conversation, the boy finally moves a bit further away and starts working, though he stays within ear shot. Suddenly, Kida feels a flash of guilt at her cold demeanor: the boy probably misses having a real conversation with someone. There's no telling how long he's been here, but even after her short stay, Kida sympathizes with him.
"What are you in for?"
"Let's just say, my specialty was escaping prisons, so they found me a prison that is inescapable. Supposedly."
"If you were so good at escaping, then how did they keep on capturing you?"
The boy shrugs as he tucks a strand of brown hair behind his ear. "Everyone has their off days," he replies as though that's a real answer.
"Why was the Fire Nation interested in capturing you in the first place?"
Once again, the boy stops mopping and instead leans against his mop. "I led a group of Southern Water Tribe warriors to infiltrate a Fire Nation battalion. It did not end well."
"Did you say the Southern Water Tribe?" The boy nods. Kida looks into his eyes; they're the color she imagines is at the deepest part of the ocean. His skin is a medium brown, maybe a bit darker than Katara and Sokka's. Azula's words ring in her ears; Kida should have seen it before. "You're Koa?"
"Um, yeah. You've heard about me?"
Is it possible that Azula didn't always lie? Does that mean Hiro is alive? Spirits, Kida is going to drive herself insane just thinking about it.
"Hey, you still with me?" Koa waves his hand in front of Kida's face.
"Yeah. My name's Kida." Kida extends her hand, which Koa shakes, even in his slightly surprised state. "I was just thinking.... We have someone in common."
Koa raises his eyebrow. "We do?"
"I know Sokka."
At this, Koa leans a bit too much to one side, causing his mop to fall to the ground with a crash. He catches himself quickly before he tumbles as well, before picking up the mop quickly. "Did...did you say Sokka?"
Before Kida can respond, there's another crash in their proximity. Kida turns her head slightly to see a guard, smirking at them, seemingly proud of herself for her ability to drop a tray of food.
"Break time's over!" she barks. The guard then pushes Koa and points to the mess on the ground. "Clean it up. Now!" Koa, still in a daze, takes a moment to respond, but it's a moment too slow for the guard, who forcefully corners Koa. "Answer me when I speak to you!"
"Hey!" Kida steps in front of the guard, who has lit a small fire in her palm. "Back off."
The guard smirks. "Aw, isn't that sweet! She wants to save her boyfriend." The guards in the room start to laugh at this. "And, what exactly do you plan on doing about it?"
Without really thinking, Kida shoots a blast of fire near the guard, close enough that one of the guard's eyebrows gets seared off.
This time, Kida smirks. The laughter has stopped. The guard is on the ground, clutching one side of her face.
"It seems we have a troublemaker," a voice from the back of the room states. The man walks towards Kida, taking his time.
"What should we do, Warden?"
The Warden, having reached Kida, looks down on her sinisterly and smirks. "Let's see how the little firestarter enjoys the Cooler."
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THE NEXT FREE TIME SESSION, KIDA LOOKS AROUND FOR KOA, BUT HE'S NOWHERE TO BE FOUND. Kida sits down on a boulder that's directly in the sun, still feeling cold from, well, her time in the Cooler. She probably wouldn't be firebending for a while. How was Kida going to escape? And, she can't just leave now, knowing that Koa is alive and stuck in here too.
Kida decides to lie down on the boulder and look up at the clouds, seeing if there are any stories to be made to take her mind off of everything. Though, there don't seem to be any happy endings in sight.
"We have to stop meeting like this." The familiar voice makes Kida's heart flutter. No way.
Kida sits up to look, and there she is. "Suki." Suki grins and hugs Kida, tightly, before taking a seat next to Kida. "What are you doing here?" Kida asks, placing her hand on Suki's.
Suki sighs. She reaches up to tuck a strand of hair behind Kida's ear. "I'm the leader of the Kyoshi warriors. You?"
"Invading the Fire Nation, plus a bit of being a vigilante, helping the Avatar. Also, some family stuff."
"Sounds intense."
"Suki, babe, you have no idea."
What was that saying Uncle recited once? Every cloud has a silver lining. In Kida's case, it was more "every raging thunderstorm is followed by a small rainbow," but she'll take what she can get.
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author's note!
i know this was relatively short, but i hope your enjoyed! thanks for reading <3
also, please check the links in my bio for info/resources (and action items), including on palestine and indigenous history/rights in canada