Change The Flame, Change The Fate.

Chapter XXIII

"Line 'em up for the warden!" A bodyguard commands while eight prisoners are seen filing in line, one next to the other, including Hakoda, Sokka walks forward and lifts his guard mask.

"Dad..." Sokka breathes as he exits a stairway and passes through a lineup of guards, surprising them a bit.

"Excuse me, coming through. The warden wants me over there." Sokka points in the warden's direction.

"Sorry!"

Sokka inches his way behind several guards, taller than him. The warden approaches the new prisoners.

The warden walks past the line of prisoners starting from the left. "Welcome to the Boiling Rock. I'm sure you've all heard the horrible rumors about our little island. Well, I just want to tell you that they don't have to be true, as long as you do everything I say." He stops in front of Hakoda who looks downward; looks closer at Hakoda.

"Look me in the eye when I'm talking to you." The warden commands.

Hakoda averts his gaze slightly off to the side. "No," Hakoda states firmly.

"Oh? You'd rather look at my shoes? Then take a look!" The warden commands angrily as he raises his left leg and drags Hakoda by his handcuffs down onto the floor. Hakoda growls as he kneels over, his face expressing anger. While Sokka, who stands behind two guards gasps in horror. The warden stands over Hakoda, keeping his foot firmly pressed on the warrior's handcuffs.

"I know exactly who you are, Hakoda of the Water Tribe. So strong-willed. But don't worry, we'll get rid of that in time. Now, look me in the eye!" The warden commands as Hakoda reluctantly lifts his head to look the warden in the eye and glares hatefully at him.

"See, isn't that better?" The warden lulls tauntingly before he turns to the other prisoners.

"You will all do as I say or pay the price. You will all-." He begins to walk forward only for Hakoda to lift his left handcuff slightly, tripping the warden and causing him to fall flat on the ground. Sokka stifles a chuckle, as the two guards he was standing behind, rush to aid the warden.

"Are you okay, sir?" The bodyguard questions.

The warden rises and snaps angrily. "I'm fine! Get these prisoners out of my sight!" He storms away impatiently. The two guards look at each other. The prisoners file one behind the other and are led down a stairwell into what is presumed to be the prison hold. Sokka runs away to find a way inside. Inside the prison, Hakoda sits on his mattress, his face buried in his arms. A sliver of light appears as the doorway to the cell is opened. Hakoda raises his head to see who has entered. Sokka has walked in, still dressed as a guard.

Sokka approaches his father. "Thank goodness you're okay." Sokka grins.

Hakoda rises to his feet and extends his right arm out, clenched in a fist, not realizing the guard is his son in disguise; Sokka backs up a bit. "If you take one step closer, you'll see just how "okay" I am," Hakoda growls warningly.

Sokka lifts uis helmet mask. "Dad, it's me." Sokka grins while Hakoda softens and grows teary-eyed.

"Sokka," The two embrace; Sokka drops his helmet to the floor.

"My son..." Hakoda smiles before he places his hands on Sokka's shoulders, smirking amusedly.

"You know Sokka, you should be more careful with that guard outfit on. I almost punched you in the gut." Hakoda jokes while Sokka rubs the back of his neck sheepishly.

"Yeah, I ran into that problem earlier." Sokka chuckles.

Meanwhile, in a dimly lit hallway, Chit Sang sits inside an interrogation room, cuffed to a wooden chair. The warden walks into the room, approaching the prisoner with his arms crossed behind his back.