The Legend of Percy: Book 1 - Finding Purpose

27. Yet Another Underground Battle (Working Together, With Betrayal - Fun)

Percy watched Azula leave the cell, feeling more than a little sympathy. Insomnia was never a good thing to have, and she must be having a rough time trying to keep up the princess gig for everyone. It must be difficult.

The demigod didn't feel too much for her though. Mainly because she could change. It was always hard with overbearing father figures, but everything was a choice. Everything you did showed your character. And it almost always points where you could choose to do good or bad. At this point in time, Percy couldn't really see her making any of those good choices.

He settled back into his cell, content to laze about the day before he had to break out, yet again, and find the rest of his group of friends. There was already some ice in the mechanism of the door lock, which was primed and ready for him to use.

Azula must've been rather frazzled, because she really hadn't thought any of it through. Even with the cell, the earthen walls that the recently arrived Dai Li had filled in, and the Dai Li themselves, surely she realised that wasn't enough for Percy. That being said, he wasn't complaining. It made his job much easier.

At about midmorning, he heard the rumbling of the tunnels around his little cave. A burst of greenish light came through as a hole opened up. It shut almost as soon as it opened.

"Percy!!!"

He heard the delighted squeal of Ty Lee, and figured that Mai was probably doing her equivalent of that. So smiling... maybe.

~~~

Percy had spent the day chatting with Ty Lee and Mai. It was unendingly refreshing.

The walls were clearly soundproof, as very thick compacted earth usually is, and as soon as they'd been closed by the Dai Li, Percy had unlocked the cell and was crash tackled in a hug by the excitable chi blocker. To his surprise, Mai had a slight smile to her face and even involved herself in a one-armed side hug of the waterbender, before abruptly pulling away.

The demigod was having none of it and scooped her up in a full hug, much to her annoyance. Ty Lee was cackling and giggling just off to the right of them as Mai desperately pushed herself away from him.

After letting her go, he smiled down at his two friends. Ty Lee seemed to get a little insecure and worried from her posture.

"So, you don't hate us for capturing you again?" She said, shyly.

"No! You're my friends." He didn't miss the slight grimace on Ty Lee's face, but it seemed she was too happy to be forgiven for it to last any longer than a split second. I wonder why she grimaced though. "It was Azula's plan right? And you two are her friends. Plus, I'm getting out of here soon enough. Now," he turned to Ty Lee, "how are we going on Team Save Azula?"

Ty Lee really properly rolled her eyes at him. Alright, it isn't my best name. I'm not Sokka. The TSA? Yeah, maybe not.

"It's going alright. I think she might've suspected something. I'm trying to be nice, and show her what kindness can do, but it's hard."

Percy nodded. It wasn't just going to be solved with that. He also didn't know how far gone the princess was from being consumed by the delusions and manipulations of her father.

"Hey," he placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, "it's a start. Right?" He said, optimistically.

She grinned back at him. Mai seemed to be comfortable with the two of them talking like that as she leant against the metal cell walls, watching them interact.

"Now, tell me how you two have been?" He smiled at them.

Both of them went into the stories of their travels ever since his escape in the lake. A lot of them were revolved around Azula, and her declining stability, which surprised Percy only slightly after this morning's events. They all talked more in depth about what happened with the drill. The demigod teased them about beating them both which incited both the girls to challenge him to a rematch whenever they got the chance. Ty Lee also mentioned, a little spitefully, what 'that waterbending girl' had said to her, and he made a mental note to talk to her about that. But many more were just the kinds of updates you'd give friends.