AtLA Rewritten: Edition 1

Chapter 51

On cue, Katara's water exploded into the room. Athlea jumped forward, gripping her sword, Katara on her heels.

Delun looked up with surprise. "My, my, Fire Lady. Good to see you are alive and well," he said sarcastically, leaning back into his chair.

"Cut it out." Athlea pressed her sword into his neck, lifting his chin up to look at her. "I could have you killed. Right now." Pure hatred filled her voice.

"Oh, really?" The smirk didn't leave his face. "Do it." The Fire Queen hesitated while Katara glared at the man. "Too slow." He pressed a button on his desk, and footsteps echoed down the hall. The footsteps were brought to a halt before they reached Delun's room, however. Delun raised his eyebrows, leaning forward. "Looks like we have company."

Athlea glanced over her shoulder. The guards were leading the Team into the room, swords at their backs. "Hey, Athlea," Sokka said awkwardly, a nervous grin on his face.

Dai jerked her elbow back at the guard behind her. "Watch it," she snapped, glaring at Zuko. Katara tensed, turning toward the guards.

Suddenly Zuko twisted, shoving the sword behind him down. He shot a flame, yelling to the Team. "Now!"

Dai crossed her arms, not moving. Zuko stood there, flames in his hands. "We promised not to interrupt her!" Dai snapped. The Fire Lord blinked.

Delun took advantage of the distraction and lunged forward, two guards pushing their way into the room. They grabbed the women and tied their hands before they could react. Katara's water fell to the floor as she jerked against the guard. "What are you doing, you fools?" Delun demanded. "Tie them up!" The guards moved forward to tie the rest of the team, forcing them onto her knees. Dai glared at Zuko.

Delun swirled Athlea's sword in her hand. "You know, it's funny, all of you coming here after your dear queenie." Delun grabbed Athlea's hair, forcing her to look at him. "She got hurt once and now you're all chasing after her. You were once a Master, now a weak Fire Lady. What happened? Went soft?" Delun chuckled, forcing her back down with a foot on her chest. "Throw them all in jail." He moved to Zuko. "Time to say goodbye to the Fire Nation, as well as your dear wife."

Dai came to in a jail cell. They were all in separate cells, but the room was circular, so that they could all face one another. Sokka was on her left, Athlea on her right. Zuko and Toph were across from her.

"What the fuck!" Dai immediately yelled. Zuko's head was turning as he woke up. "You promised not to strike when she had things under control!" Zuko groaned, still half-asleep.

"Which we did!" Katara chimed in.

"Oh, please, Katara," Dai continued. "You've been the worst with Athlea, pretending she can't do anything on her own. Without you and Zuko we wouldn't be here!" Glancing around, she noticed their weapons each in a trunk by their respective stalls.

"I said it and everyone got mad," Toph muttered, rolling her eyes.

"You said it and Katara got mad," Dai mumbled.

Sokka sighed, exchanging a look with Aang. "Can we just all stop arguing with one another?" the Avatar snapped, glaring around the room. "Ever since that incident we've all stopped looking after ourselves and we haven't been working like a team. We're all against one another!"

Sokka sighed. "He's right. Katara, Zuko... Athlea is strong. She was a Master at a young age. She trained Aang, and Zuko himself when he lost his fire," he said calmly, glancing at Zuko. "Zuko, when we fought against Delun the first time, your flames turned blue. But no one said anything about it, not even yourself. We all know you would have been proud of that, but you ignored it." zuko frowned. Sokka turned to Katara. "Katara, your emotions get out of control. Especially when you're angry. But I think Athlea's miscarriage affected you more than everyone. Even Athlea." The waterbender bit her lip.

Athlea cleared her throat. "My head is spinning from all the arguing. Everyone makes good, correct points...But I can take care of myself. I've been babied so much it got to me. I don't like being catered to, and I don't like being commanded." She frowned and looked at her husband. "Zuko, I love you and appreciate you wanting to take care of me. You do, every day. But after that day, you did too much, and you didn't care for yourself at all." Her eyes moved to Katara. "I appreciate your motherly, caring side, but I can take care of my own. I know my body, and I know how I function."

"How cute..." Toph muttered.

"We're acting like strangers. We are on a team, everyone, and we should work like one," Athlea finished.

"You know your body better than I do, Athlea. I'm sorry," Katara said.

"It was our job to heal her physically," Dai told Katara, "not to tell her how to heal mentally. You can't force her to feel better by making her do nothing for a week." Her eyes got dark, and she twisted on the ropes that held her wrists. "And if you want to go home, Katara, feel free to. Nobody made you come here."

Katara's eyes grew wide. "I didn't mean that," she said softly.

Dai muttered, "Didn't think so." Her eyes were all for her staff, and she was clearly trying to get out of her restraints.

"Athlea, I'm sorry," Zuko muttered. "I should've let you work if you wanted to work." He glanced at Toph, Sokka, and Dai. "And I shouldn't have tried to attack. Otherwise we might not be in this mess."

Athlea took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She nodded. "Everything's fine. Let's leave it to the side," she said with a smile. "We should all work as a team, like we all used to do!" she said with determination in her eyes. She twisted, trying to get out of the restraints.

Dai grinned, and Zuko nodded in agreement. "How about that blue flame, though?" he asked.

"Someone's coming," Toph announced. Zuko's head jerked up.

Two people were approaching, an earthbender guard with another man. The man was tall, with sharp facial features and black hair. "I don't need to see your collection of prisoners," the man said, showing no interest in the Team, "I just want to get the money I'm owed," he said. The earthbender seemed to ignore him. "Are you deaf, man?" he asked and face palmed. His eyes moved to the Team in their cells and he blinked. "Why do you have the Fire Lord there and the Avatar?" he asked, stopping and crossing his arms.

"And the Ice Queen!" Dai squeaked. "Why does nobody ever remember I'm Royalty, too?"

Athlea looked at the man and blinked. "Sorry about that, Your Highness," he was responding. Dai blew some hair out of her eyes, pouting.

"Hey! Move," the Earthbender said.

The man raised an eyebrow, a grin on his face. "You don't command me," he said. The earthbender elbowed the man, trying to move him on, and he simply knocked him out with a quick punch to the face. The guard fell down. "Stupid."

***

A/N aaand we return to Zuko being a dumbass to defend Athlea. who do you think this new guy is, hm?