AtLA Rewritten: Edition 1

Chapter 52

"H-hey, good sir, could you maybe get us out?" Sokka asked, feigning a charisma as normal.

"Stop forcing the charm," the man responded, making a face. "It comes much better naturally." Toph and Dai laughed. The man grabbed the keys to each cell and moved to unlock them, using a bit of fire to untie each one of them, freeing them.

"Thanks," Katara said, nodding to the stranger. Zuko rubbed his wrists, nodding and thanking him as well.

Dai immediately rushed forward, replacing her staff in her belt and slinging her arrow bag over her shoulders. She nocked an arrow. Katara cleared her throat as she picked up her canteen, nodding at the stranger. Dai laughed nervously. "Oh, right, heh. Thanks!"

"Don't mention it," he said with a nod.

Zuko rolled his eyes and faced the man. "What is your name?"

The man stood in the middle of the room, arms crossed. He was clearly older than them. He tilted his head to the side. "I'd rather keep that private," he admitted. Katara frowned.

"Mystery Man!" Sokka announced.

"Mystery Man is it," the man laughed.

Athlea kept a distance from the man, frowning. After a moment she turned away from everyone, returning her sword to the sheath on her belt. "We should go," she said calmly. Zuko glanced at her, then the man, his eyes widening.

"Uh... I think I can be of help," Mystery Man admitted.

"Oh, really?" Sokka leaned closer to the man, arms crossed.

The man blinked, then put his hand on Sokka's face, pushing him back. "I'm looking for Delun. He owes me money. I can help you take him down."

Dai stepped in between Sokka and the man, giving Sokka a look. "Back off," she told him through gritted teeth.

Sokka blinked, eyes wide. "O-okay."

Dai rolled her eyes and bumped her hip against his. "I'm not that scary."

Athlea blinked. Zuko glanced at her. Her grip on the sword was getting tighter and tighter, until her knuckles were losing color. "Let's do it, then," he announced, taking his wife's hand.

Athlea took a deep breath, her grip softening on her sword. She smiled up at him and, after a moment, nodded. "Let's go, then!" Zuko met her gaze calmly, smiling softly after a moment.

They began roaming the tunnels with Toph's guidance until they were face-to-face with Delun. Mystery Man pushed his way to the front of the group, pointing at him. "You owe me money!" he announced, annoyance in his tone.

"Oh, my... Avi, what are you doing here?" Delun asked nervously. "L-look, bud, I still have business to do. I don't have enough."

"Bullshit," Avi responded.

Toph raised her arms, making a curtain of earth that trapped the guards against the ceiling, pinning them there. "What are you going to do now?" she asked, grinning.

Athlea threw her sword to the side, cracking her knuckles, her eyes icy. Dai smirked, swirling water between her two hands, Zuko holding a flame in his hand and running his fingers through it, grinning himself. The Fire Lord approached Delun with Athlea, his gaze calm.

Delun began walking backwards. "Come on, I'm sure we can negotiate something," he offered.

Athlea punched the wall by his head, turning to glare into his eyes. "You're lucky I'm not going to burn you alive. Nobody would hear you as you plead for your life."