Peacekeeping- Zuko

The Boiling Rock

Zuko poured tea into my tea cup before moving on to Haru and the Duke. "You wanna hear Uncle's favorite tea joke?" Zuko offered. "Sure," Katara shrugged over tea. I iced mine and took a sip. It was surprisingly good. I'm gonna have to show Iroh this. "I like jokes!" Aang added. Toph pulled her tea cup away,"Bring it!" "Okay. I can't remember how it starts, but the punch line is 'leaf me alone. I'm bushed'." No one made a sound. "Well, it's funnier when Uncle tells it."

"Right, maybe that's because he remembers the whole thing." Katara teased. Everyone laughed while Zuko gave a small smile. I'm gonna have to give him another apology hug. "It's nice to get a chance to relax a little. It hardly ever happens." Toph smiled. "Bruh, I know right." I agreed. Sokka tapped my shoulder, "Can I talk to you and Zuko for a second?" I nodded, following him as he got up and dragging Zuko along. "So, what's up?" I asked after we made it outside where Appa had awoken at the sound of us. I patted his head, trying to get him to go back to sleep. "If someone was captured by the Fire Nation, where would they be taken?" Sokka queried.

"What do you mean? Who was captured?" Zuko said, answering a question with a question. "His dad and some other warriors." I answered for Sokka, knowing it was kinda hard for him. "Oh. I can't tell you." Zuko blurted. "What? Why not?" Sokka pressed. "Because I know you. Your gonna go there and try to save them." I said, brow furrowed. "Yeah. Trust me, it's not good." Zuko added. "Please." Sokka pleaded. I sighed, "At the Boiling Rock. The highest security prison in the Fire Nation. No one has ever escaped, and never will. Only the most dangerous criminals are taken there." I rushed. "Cool, where is it?" Sokka smiled, acting like it was nothing. I was gonna say that I wasn't gonna say but Zuko interrupted, "it's in the middle of a volcano between here and the Fire Nation. You actually flew past it on your way here."

"Thanks. Just knowing makes me feel a lot better." Sokka smiled, yawning. "Yeah, I'm sure it does." Zuko muttered after Sokka left. "He's gonna go there," we both announced, turning to each other. "Well, what do we do?" Zuko raised a shoulder. "I don't know. What I do know is Sokka. He's gonna find a way to get there no matter what." I shrugged. "Looks like we'll have to go with him then." Zuko sighed. "Yep." Zuko pulled me up onto Appa's saddle, knowing that it was the first resort Sokka would take.

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I lifted my head off of Zuko's shoulder, sensing Sokka's energy shift. Everything was a bit blurry since I had just woken up. Zuko had stayed awake, though, which wasn't good for him. He hasn't slept yesterday either since we had that trip to the Sun Warriors. Sokka climbed over the side of the saddle and screamed falling to the ground surprised by us being there. "Not up to anything, huh?" I mused, leaning over Appa's saddle, my chin resting on my hand. "Fine, you caught me. I'm gonna rescue my dad. You happy now?" Sokka admitted. "I'm never happy." Prince Angst said from behind me. I sent him a big smile and he smiled back. "Your happy right now." I pointed out. "You get a pass." Zuko excused.

"Look, I have to do this. The invasion plan was my idea, it my decision to stay when things were going wrong. It's my mistake and it's my job to fix it. I have to regain my honor. You can't stop me." Sokka pressed. "Damn, Zuko's been really been rubbing off on you, huh?" I asked. "Trust me, Sokka. I get the whole 'regain your honor thing'. We're going with you." Zuko decided. "No. I have to do this alone." Sokka said, persistent. "Look, hun, we're coming whether you like it or not." I answered sharply. "Yeah, and last time I checked prisons don't have bison day care. We'll take my war ballon." Zuko announced.

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I had offered to help Zuko with the fire in the war balloon but he didn't let me. My dude really needs to go to sleep. "Pretty clouds." Zuko started, trying to make conversation with Sokka. Oh yeah, they've never had a full conversation before. "Yeah....fluffy. What?" Sokka answered/asked? I don't know what's going here. "Huh? I didn't say anything." Awkward silence. "Y'know a friend of mine actually designed these." "No kidding." More awkward silence. "Yep, a balloon...but for war." "If there's one thing my dad's good at, it's war." I snorted at that comment, the boys turning to me. "I-I'm sorry? Your dad? He had a hundred years to break through the walls of Ba Sing Se, but he never did that. The best they could think of was a giant drill. A giant drill. And it wasn't even him that thought of that, it was his fourteen year old. Azula actually implied some real strategy and took it down from the outside. But Ozai is useless."

Zuko laughed, "Yeah, he is." "I guess war runs in the family." Sokka shrugged. "Hold on, not everyone in my family is like that-" Zuko started. "I know, I know, you've changed." Sokka said. "I meant my Uncle. He was more of a father to me and I really let him down." Zuko mumbled, staring at the ground. "I think your Uncle would be proud of you. Leaving your home to come help us? That's hard." Sokka comforted. I scoffed, smiling, "Not when your home is the Fire Nation." I've left the Fire Nation too and it wasn't hard at all. "Yeah, she's right. It wasn't really that hard." Zuko agreed. "Really? You didn't leave anyone you cared about behind?" Sokka questioned. "Well, I would've had to leave Y/N, but luckily she'd joined you too."

"Heh. Yeah. If you'd done that, you would've regretted it." Zuko smiled, turning to Sokka as he started talking, "My first girlfriend turned into the moon." Zuko turned to me, eyes wide. It's true. I said in my head. Oh god. What do I say to that? Zuko asked mentally. I don't know. It's your decision. "That's rough, buddy." Zuko blurted. I burst to quiet laughter which Zuko playfully glared at. I tried, okay?

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Night had fallen and we were all asleep. Well, me and Sokka were. Zuko had stayed awake even though he hadn't slept last night either. I had told him that I would take his place but he was too determined. I was curled in his lap, breaths long and deep when, "Wake up. We're here." Zuko whispered, pressing a kiss to my forehead before waking Sokka up. When we got closer the balloon started sinking closer to the water. This place brings back too many bad memories. Especially the whole Sorla episode. I shuddered at that horrible memory. That wasn't me. I don't cry like that. I'm not a crybaby....okay, maybe I am. But I've only cried once, and that was due to a lot of emotions and I'm not used to dealing with a lot of emotions at once so shhhh. The balloon drew closer to the steam.

We almost died. Like every single time we try to do something. But I blew us onto the island with air. Oh and Zuko yelled at Sokka for not thinking of a plan before we came here and stuff. After that, he set an arm around me. "You good?" He asked to my confused face. I nodded, "Yeah. This place just has too many bad memories. And the...argument...that happened after was just.." "Honestly, your kinda scary when your mad," Zuko admitted. I laughed, "Good. Now, you won't make me mad." "You two lovebirds done? Come'n, we have to get inside." Sokka interrupted. "I got you." I smirked.

I came back outside a couple minutes later with two uniforms. "Where'd you get these?" Sokka asked. "None of your business." I shot. "Y/N." Zuko said, pointedly. "Bruh, fine. I knocked two of them out. They're in the closet....I think." Zuko blinked, "Where did you put them if not the closet? We can't hurt anyone or they'll know somethings up." I shrugged, "I dunno? Maybe I froze them. That's not the point. Just take these. There were only two guards outside so I'll just go into spirit mode and find an extra uniform for me. I'll meet you two then."