AGNI KAI (SOKKA - ATLA)

Chapter One

BOOK 2: Chapter One
The Drill

Could things go by any slower? Princess Lui was becoming uneasy standing in the control room of the Fire Nation's newest weapon—The Drill.  It was the largest war machine the teen has ever seen, a massive hydraulic drill designed to penetrate the "impenetrable walls" of Ba Sing Se. The machine slowly inched it's ways across the desert, nearing the outer city walls.

Lui had to admit it was an impressive war machine, even designed by some former allies hidden in the Northern Air Temple—at least that's what War Minister Qin had said.

Despite the interesting infrastructure and mechanics that peaked the girl's interest, Lui, personally, would rather be back home in the Fire Nation Palace. She could be enjoying a fun game of pai sho with Lo and Li, practicing chi-blocking, or catching up on her studies.

Rather instead, she was playing babysitter to her younger sister, and her two polar-opposite friends. A common task gifted to her by her busy, and hotheaded father.

She glanced around the room again, everyone seemingly were lost to their own devices.

"Stop looking so tense, Lui," Azula called out from the grand throne besides her. "All those frown lines will give you wrinkles when you're older." Her younger sister chided, placing a cold hand onto hers.

"I am fine, Azula." Lui stressed, not in the mood to play mind-games with her sister. "Just worried about things back home, that's all." Spirits, she hoped Azula would drop it.

"What is there to be worried? Father has everything handled, unless you doubt him?" The room became silent, at first, no one daring to interrupt the two.

Constantly, Azula tested her sister's loyalty and belief in her nation—she felt obligated to. After Zuko was banished, Lui is now next in line to become the Fire Lord. The Spirits had pinned them against each other for greatness.

No one wanted a weak Fire Lord.

"Of course I don't doubt Father, I doubt his incompetent followers." Lui remarked back, swiping her hand back from Azula's and placing it into her lap. Satisfied with digging underneath her sister's skin, Azula remained quiet.

"Girls! Come on, there's no reason we should be fighting!" Ty-Lee rose from her meditation mat, gleefully skipping towards the two crowned sisters. "We're all together in Ba Sing Se! For the first time! Is anyone else as excited as I am?"

"No." Mai chimed in looking away from her sharp and perfectly manicured nails. "This is boring." The teen sighed dully, before returning to pick at her cuticles.

Lui bit back on calling her out, saying she could have stayed in recently claimed city of New Ozin—and continue her mundane life there.

How sad it must be to be given everything from her two parents.

At times, Lui could barely remember her Mother's voice and embrace—while Mai seemed to run away from her own Mother.

After Ursa's unexplainable disappearance, Zuko was banished (and Uncle followed him). Lui hadn't seen her brother in years, and with no way of contacting him—she always wondered about him.