"That was some bold move you decided to pull." Soana narrowed her eyes at Sokka.
"Hey! I was trying to not blow my cover. It would've ended a lot worse if I didn't arrest Zuko. Actually, it wouldn't have happened if you would've stayed at your post instead of sneaking off."
It had only been a day since they had arrived and already, Zuko had got himself caught. However, Soana and Sokka were managing just fine.
Approaching the cafeteria that was being mopped down by the prisoners, Soana and Sokka noticed a girl with short brown hair mopping with Zuko as Gato was nearby, wiping tables down with a sopping wet tattered piece of cloth.
With each table Gato had wiped down, Zuko and the short haired girl would glare over at him occasionally before the girl glared at the prince, to Soana was an unknown reason.
"Good, so you two met." Sokka crossed his arms and held a pleased grin.
"Actually, we met a long time ago." The short haired girl spoke to Zuko.
"We did?"
Just by forgetting their encounter, the girl made her tone a bit hostile.
"Yeah, you kinda burned down my village."
"Oh," Zuko paused, stopping himself from mopping the floor. "Sorry. It's nice to see you again."
Sokka cleared his throat.
"Soana, this is Suki. She's a Kyoshi Warrior. Suki, this is Soana, Northern Water Tribe Princess."
"And Zuko's wife?" Suki raised a brow, causing the color to drain from the princess' face.
She continued to speak in such a hostile tone until Soana decided to talk.
"That's an explanation that will have to wait for another time."
"You're no fun." Gato chimed, heading over to the four.
Zuko glared at Gato and nearly threw his mop on the floor.
"What do you want?"
Gato shrugged nonchalantly, staring in between each person.
"I figured with a group nearby including an undercover princess, a runaway prince, and two other people who are obviously apart of the resistance, this to me seems like some sort of jailbreak."
Sokka coughed.
"Jailbreak! Get a load of this guy!"
Gato hummed, raising a brow.
"I can read people very well. Trust me."
Suki scoffed rather loudly.
"Why would we trust you? The last I saw you, I was being fed scrap food made for wooly pigs in a cell!"
"Yeah! You really enjoyed throwing me down that tunnel into the crystal catacombs back in Ba Sing Se!" Zuko seethed.
"Guys, calm down." Sokka attempted to coax them down. "He could be an important asset to us."
Zuko rolled his eyes.
"He was Azula's right hand during the siege and he tried to kill Yuri and Sueh!"
Sokka then paused for a moment before pointing his finger accusingly at Gato.
"Get out of here!"
He scoffed.
"Perhaps someone didn't tell you the reason why I'm here." Gato looked over Sokka's shoulder to gaze at Soana.
The princess sighed, feeling the attention being drawn to her.
"Look," She spoke subtly.
"Gato's just as innocent as us. Zuko, you should know that whatever Azula says is just lies. Gato never tried to kill anyone, not even Yuri or Sueh. If anything he was blinded by your sister's manipulation and when he finally gained his true sight, he was caught."
The prince had his glare on the former Dai Li agent as did everyone else.
"Why should we believe him? All he's done was cause trouble for everyone."
"Need I remind you that each of us didn't like you at some point?" Soana crossed her arms at her husband.
Zuko hesitated to Sokka, Gato, Suki, back to Soana then shook his head.
"Yeah, but I think I redeemed myself after some of major convincing. This guy just happened to help Azula take over the biggest and most impenetrable city in the world. Everything I did can't be compared to that!"
Gato cocked his head then rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, I know I haven't been the most amazing person to you people recently. I get it, but how about we work out a small deal?"
"Like what?" Sokka sneered.
"I was thinking earlier," Gato looked around them discreetly to make sure no one would notice how they were talking so casually.
"I have an escape plan, but I never had enough people to do it."
"Why should we take your trust when all you've done was betray everyone here?" Suki rolled her eyes.
"Because I'm the only chance you got." Gato smirked then sent a wink at the Kyoshi Warrior out of spite.
Suki formed her lips in a straight line as everyone waited for Gato to explain.
"I was checking out those coolers a month ago when I was put in one as punishment. The whole point of them is to keep fire benders contain, you know? I'm an earth bender, so it doesn't have much affect on me besides getting hypothermia and a sinus infection."
Zuko seethed.
"Where are you going with this?"
Soana rested her hand on Zuko's forearm and sent him a look to pipe down.
"Can it, hothead."
Gato rolled his eyes.
"I'm saying they're completely insulated and sealed to keep the cold in. Well, to keep the cold in, it also has to keep the heat out, right?"
"Just get to the point, Gato." Suki said impatiently.
"Oh!" Sokka widened his eyes and whisper shouted out of excitement.
"I know what he's trying to say! It's the perfect boat for getting through the boiling water!"
Zuko, Suki, and Soana looked at each other, a bit skeptical of the plan.
"The cooler as a boat?" Zuko questioned.
Gato nodded.
The princess felt surprised by the thought.
"Are you sure?" Soana asked.
"I'm telling you, it'll work. I've been around this place long enough to know that it's in between the blind spots of two guards towers, making it the perfect launching point. The current will then carry us straight across, and as long as no one makes a sound then we'll go unnoticed."
"And bing, bang, boom, we're home free!" Sokka chimed with a triumphant smile.
"I think you've just became my new best friend!"
Soana and Zuko widened nearly dropped their jaws at Sokka as Suki carried on.
"But how are you gonna get the cooler out?"
"Yeah! How are you gonna get the cooler out?"
Stunned by the thick, deep voice, above was Chit Sang leaning against the railing merely staring at the group. The burly man grabbed ahold of the metal bannister and hoisted himself over and perfectly landing on his feet.
Sokka stammered as everyone went quiet.
"What? We didn't— we didn't say that!"
Zuko sighed, finally able to speak after being in complete shock.
"Yeah, you heard wrong."
Chit Sang narrowed his eyes.
"I heard you hatching an escape plan, and I want in."
Soana then averted her eyes to Gato.
"I wonder who else is overhearing this entire thing?"
The earth bender shrugged weakly with a slight smirk appearing.
Zuko frowned.
"There's nothing to get in on."
"Yeah, the only thing we're hatching is...an egg?" Sokka shrugged suggestively, hoping Chit Sang would believe them, however, Zuko slumped in despair, sighing.
"Okay, well, I come with you, or the warden hears about this egg too."
Soana's stomach dropped.
"I guess we have no choice."
"Okay, you're in." Gato not the inside of his cheek as he snuck his hand into his shirt and pulled out a wrench.
"Now, first, we need someone to unbolt the cooler from the inside."
Chit Sang huffed, grinning eagerly.
"Oh, I can get you inside."
•
Chit Sang groaned as Zuko bumped into him while scrubbing the floor.
"Hey, what are you? Stupid?" Chit Sang yelled abruptly before taking his monstrous hands, grabbing Zuko by the shoulders and tossing him halfway across the mess hall.
Zuko landed on his feet and groaned.
"Hey, you watch who you're shoving!"
With that, Zuko moved himself and pushed Chit Sang hard enough the shove him in the middle of the cafeteria for everyone to see perfectly.
Chit Sang pointed at the prince accusingly.
"I think you mean whom I'm shoving!"
The two opponents then grunted as their hands collided and struggled against each other.
As their grunting began, so did a fight circle from nearby prisoners from the bottom and upper decks, cheering them on for some entertainment in their boring lives.
The burly man pushed away Zuko but the prince grew irritated by the move, so he wielded his fist back to throw a punch but Chit Sang grabbed him by the shoulders and threw him over his head, making the prince slam on his back with a loud groan.
Soana winced at the sight before realizing this was getting a bit out of hand.
The princess approached the circle and called.
"We need backup over here!"
Zuko flipped himself with such flexibility as Chit Sang jumped and slammed his elbow on the spot the prince had been before.
Zuko grit his teeth as he punch a shot of fire at the built man. Immediately, a group of guards disrupted the fight and hissed at Zuko.
"No fire bending! Into the cooler!"
The prince was about to comply, however a pair of guards tackled him to the floor as he grunted in pain from the weight.
Soana's heart felt heavily, witnessing Zuko go through with the plan and offering himself to be the one to make the wheels turn.
•
Soana and Sokka quickly paced to the cooling area where a hall of coolers were placed in the prison. The princess then found the one that held Zuko.
A pair of guards had passed the two as Soana started by opening the first door to the cooler. When the second door had opened, an ice fog rolled out, completely freezing Soana's feet.
Zuko kneeled in the floor, hugging his stomach as he shivered occasionally. Soana crossed her arm to show authority, knowing the two guards were able to listen.
"I can take take you back to your cell if you've learned your lesson." Her voice boomed through the hall.
Zuko released a breath of flames as he looked up and devilishly smirk at his wife.
"Yes, I have—completely."
He opened the bottom of his tattered tunic to reveal the various amount of bolts he jade managed to get.
Her breath hitched when she felt a sensation in her lower stomach. She bit her lip, looking at her husband who continued to give the same sultry look.
"Okay, you both are gross!" Sokka coughed awkwardly, breaking their moment.
Sokka lifted his visor and peered into the cooler.
"I got Suki and Chit Sang out of their cells a few minutes ago. Gato's with them, they'll be waiting for us at the shore."
Soana and Zuko heard footsteps approaching from a nearby corridor.
"Someone's coming!" Zuko gasped before grabbing Soana and Sokka by their shoulders and pulling them into the cooler.
He slammed the doors before pressing himself against Soana in the cramped space. She smirked, feeling Zuko's warm body against hers.
Zuko smiled softly at her during the intense moment then laid his hands on her waist.
The couple was trying to be discreet in the cooler as they were leaning in to press their lips together with Sokka being near, but no amount of space between the couple and him wasn't enough to make the swordsman not notice.
"Guys," Sokka faintly whispered as he was pressed against the frost that had been freezing on the metal.
"Could you not do that when I'm literally against Zuko's butt?"
Sighing, the husband and wife drew apart as the guards passed, conversing together. Sokka cracked the cooler door slightly to hear better.
"Yeah, new arrivals coming at dawn." The guy said.
The girl looked to him.
"Anyone interesting?"
"Nah, just the usual. Some robbers, couple of traitors, some war prisoners. Though I did hear there might be a pirate."
"No foolin'." The girl's voice went faint as they rounded the corner.
Sokka turned to the couple with wide eyes.
Zuko looked at Sokka with empathy as Soana sighed happily at the thought of finally having a chance to rescue Sokka's father and Yuri.
"War prisoners? It could be your father and Yuri."
Zuko explained.
"I know." Sokka bowed his head.
"Well, what should we do?" Soana shrugged.
"Are we gonna go ahead with the plan, or are we waiting another night?"
"I don't know." He groaned.
"Is it right for me to risk Suki's freedom, all of our freedom, on the slim chance that my dad is gonna show up?"
"It's your call, Sokka." Zuko informed.
Sokka clamped his eyes shut to think.
•
On the shore of the boiling rock, Suki, Gato, and Chin Sang waited patiently and quietly with two other people until they were disrupted by a noise approaching them.
Soana, Zuko, and Sokka were trying their hardest to ease the cooler down the steep hill. With the help of Gato, he bended small grove clamps around the cooler and eased it down the hill, giving the three of them a break.
"Took you guys long enough." Chit Sang spoke with his hands on his hips before gesturing to the two strangers.
"This is my girl and my best buddy. They're coming too."
Sokka narrowed his eyes at Gato who gave him a sigh.
"Can't argue with no one around here."
He finished easing the cooler to the shore before Sokka released a breath of frustration.
"Fine. Everybody in the cooler. Let's go."
Gato then moved the cooler halfway into the water and kept it in place as everyone boarded. Soana helped Chit Sang, his girlfriend, and his friend into the cooler as Gato was at the end, ready to push when everyone was prepared to leave.
Soana and them heard the commotion between Zuko and Sokka before Chit Sang turned and made them put a pause to their talk.
"Hey, if you two are done cuddling, can we get a move on?"
"No, I'm staying." Sokka announced then turned to the princess and Zuko.
"You all go."
He went to Suki and rested his hand on her shoulder.
"You've been here long enough."
In return she placed her hand on his.
"I'm not leaving without you, Sokka."
Soana sighed, seeing how Sokka was glancing her way. "You have to get out of here, Soana. Your safety is more important than mine."
"No!" She protested.
"Princess or not, my safety is not anymore important than any of you guys. You may not know it, but we've grown to be good friends, Sokka. I'm staying because you'll need the help."
Zuko gazed at his love with admiration.
"I'm staying too."
"Not me. I'm out. Let's roll, Gato." Chit Sang spoke to the earth bender who merely sighed.
He lowered his head before rounding his leg to kick the cooler which sent it floating into the boiling water.
Sokka raised his brows at the former Dai Li agent before they let their mouths drop at what he said.
"I discovered a newfound friendship today. There's no way I'm risking it especially for those guys." He moved his head to Chit Sang and the cooler.
However, Sokka frowned in realization.
"We all gave up our only chance of escaping. I hope we haven't just made a huge mistake."
•
By morning light, the sound of a bell tower could be heard, meaning that someone was caught escaping the Boiling Rock.
Soana and the rest of the group was outside of the prison perimeter when the alarm had sounded.
Sokka's face fell as he looked to Gato.
"The plan failed! They're caught!"
"Well, that's what happens when you send a boy to do a man's work!" Gato scoffed as they continued to scan the perimeter.
"The gondolas moving!" Sokka pointed out
The five then reached the front of the prison where a cart glided on a long cable with ease until made a stop on the platform.
"If my dad and Yuri's not there, we risked everything for nothing." Sokka bowed his head.
"We had to." Suki soothes him, grasping his hand.
"Please be there." Soana begged to the spirits mentally with so much angst.
Zuko observed this and placed his hand carefully on her shoulder.
Gato furrowed his brows, seeing how everyone had someone to lean on besides him, so for comfort he hugged himself, waiting for Yuri's face to show.
"Is that him?" Zuko asked, seeing a tall dark haired man who had a metal bull ring in his septum.
"My dad doesn't have a nose ring." Sokka cringed.
One by one, each prisoner revealed themselves as Sokka and Soana grew impatient.
"Where are they?"
After seeing a pale short guy leaving the gondola, no more faces showed.
The two water tribe members frowned, realizing their fate.
"That's it? That can't be it." Sokka told himself.
"I'm sorry, guys." Suki spoke, looking in between Sokka and Soana.
"Hey! You two! Get off the gondola!" A guard yelled in the cart.
A spark of hope ignited, hearing this sentence abruptly.
Sokka and Soana snapped their heads and watched as two familiar faces revealed themselves to the morning sunlight.
Hakoda stood in front of Yuri protectively as she looked sorrowfully at the chains around her wrists.
"Dad."
"Yuri."
The two of them whispered with glee.