Wild At Heart (Zuko)

Chapter Forty-Nine

A/N – I am going to add a fourth option to the fate of Zuko and Kali that I put a vote up for a few chapters back. Again, Kali is used by Azula to get Zuko on her side. Only Kali ends up escaping with Katara and Aang. Zuko's season three/Book three journey is pretty much the same as it is in the show and gives Kali time with the gaang on her own, maybe more so than with the other options. 

So far, option 2 has the most votes (2. Kali is taken by Azula and used to get Zuko to side with her. But Zuko turns on her instead and he and Kali escape with the help of Iroh, unfortunately leaving Iroh behind. Zuko and Kali eventually separate, but for good reason. He wants her to go and find the Avatar, who he thinks will keep her safe, whilst he goes back for Iroh (though he will fail and then rejoin Kali with Aang and the others).

.....

Toph stands outside of the Royal Palace with Aang, Sokka, Kali, and Iroh, along with Bing and Momo. Toph kneels and settles her hands on the ground as she feels through it. Looking for the Crystal Catacombs. Kali worries her hands as she waits. The longer they are away from Zuko the longer Azula has to whisper in his ear. She is scared he's going to listen to her.

"Well, what'd you know?" Toph states and then stands up. "There is an ancient city down there. But it's deep" She makes a tunnel through the ground, beginning to lead to the catacombs. Sokka is thinking of a plan. He glances at Kali and then Iroh and then Aang and Toph.

"We should split up" Sokka offers. "Aang, you go with Iroh to look for Katara and the angry jerk" He then remembers Iroh is there and places his left hand on Iroh's right shoulder. "No offence" Kali pulls a face and shakes her head. Complete offence taken. Iroh shrugs.

"None taken"

"And I'll go with Toph and the...green one..."

"Kali" Kali offers. Sokka hums and nods.

"Kali...to warn the Earth King of Azula's coup." There is a shared look through the group. They all know what is at stake here. Not just Katara and Zuko, but the Earth Kingdom, and Ba Sing Se. Kali moves to Iroh.

"Iroh" She starts and he touches her arm.

"I'll bring him back" He assures her softly, raising his hand from her arm to her chin.

"No, I know you'll try, but...what if she's in his head?" Iroh shakes his head.

"Everything will be okay" He counters. "Because he has you" Iroh whispers and then turns to walk away through the tunnel with Aang. Bing jumps onto Aang's back whilst Momo clings to Kali, the two animals glaring at one another as the group splits up.

......

Kali races ahead of Sokka and Toph as they head up the stairs towards the Royal Palace ahead, with Momo flying behind them. She wanted so desperately to go with Iroh, to go to Zuko, but there is something greater at play here. And if they are going to have a life in Ba Sing Se, then she has to fix that for them to get their life. A safe home. That does not include Azula being here and being in control. Zuko needs to be free of that influence and that lure. She knows him, but she knows that if Azula started whispering in his ear about honour and going home, then he might listen to it, but Kali doesn't think she can follow him there. Ahead of them is an Earth Kingdom military soldier making his way out of the palace.

"There's General How!" Sokka points out but Kali comes to a stop and when Sokka and Toph reach her she shoves them behind a pillar and joins them, crouching slightly to watch. Sokka goes to scold her but notices what she has. Dai Li agents above them on the pillars, tracking How's movements. They send out their earthbending cuffs grabbing How's wrists and pulling him down to his knees. Another agent drops in front of How.

"What's going on here?!"

"You're under house arrest"

"The coup is happening right now!" Sokka points out. "We've gotta warn the Earth King!" Once the Dai Li are out of sight, Kali moves first, racing forward towards the Palace doors followed by Sokka, Toph, and Momo.

.....

Inside the throne room, the doors swing open as Sokka, Toph, and Kali hurry through them, Momo behind them. And almost instantly Kali is on edge. This is the room from her vision. The one she saw with Azula and Zuko. Her eyes flicker around as she slows, allowing Sokka and Toph to go on ahead, though Toph turns her head slightly, sending Kali's unease. It is vibrating out of her. The Earth King, Kuei is sitting on his thrown, three Kyoshi Warriors watching over him and a bear resting at his side.

"Thank goodness we're in time!" Sokka states, out of breath as he rests on his knees.

"In time for what?"

"Yeah. What are you in time for," One of the Kyoshi Warriors...A disguised Ty Lee cartwheels to Sokka, standing just inches from his face. "Cutie?" Sokka begins to sweat and places his hand behind his head in discomfort. Nervous.

"Uh, I'm kinda involved with Suki"

"Who?" Toph knocks Ty Lee away from Sokka with earthbending, in which she flips up above them.

"They're not the real Kyoshi Warriors!" Toph points out. Kuei gasps, surprised. Kali instantly changes her stance, curling her fingers into her palm.

"Sorry to disappoint you" Mai comments sarcastically as she stands from the stairs. She shoots some of her daggers at Toph, who uses an earth shield to stop them, and kicks the shield to Mai, who jumps over it. However, just as Mai lands, Toph brings up another pillar, knocking Mai over. Toph smiles confidently. Kali knocks back a couple of Dai Li agents as they appear from behind a pillar with an air blast before manifesting thorn daggers which she launches at them, pinning them against the wall. Ty Lee comes up in front of Sokka, laughing. She starts trying to jab him, but he evades all of them.

"Oooh, it's like we're dancing together!" From the throne platform, Azula has Kuei at flame-point.

"This fight is over" Azula sternly tells them. Toph and Sokka surrender and Ty Lee chi-blocks them. Momo tries flying away, but a Dai Li agent traps him with a rock glove. Kali glances between Mai, Ty Lee, and Azula. She's taken them once before. She can take them again. Though the Dai Li agents are a new addition. What's one more? Azula raises an eyebrow and pulls Keui closer to the flame in her hand.

"I don't know him, so threatening him means nothing to me" Kali points out, then looks at Kuei. "No offence" He shrugs a little back at her. Azula glares harder at her. Kali smirks, then flicks her fingers and vines break through the back wall and wrap around Azula's wrists, yanking her backwards away from Kuei. Mai and Ty Lee race towards Kali who manifests thick thorn daggers and launches them at the two of them. They dodge each one of them. Kali throws out her hand and the vines around her wrist shoot out and knocks Ty Lee back, Mai dodges her friend and launches her own blades at Kali. One catches her arm, grazing it, the other she dodges. She throws out her other hand and launches her vines at Mai. Mai flips over them. A fire blast hits the ground next to Kali and sends her flying back against a pillar that cracks with how hard she hits it. Landing on her knees she lets out a pained breath but pushes herself back to her feet. She's suddenly surrounded by Dai Li agents and they all throw out their earthbending gloves until Kali is held down by at least ten of them. Every time she manages to get out of one set, another catches her. Until Mai is at her side, holding a blade to her throat.

"What does Zuko even see in you?" Mai asks, Kali glances at her.

"Perhaps he prefers girls with a bit of colour" Kali counters. "Or the ability to think for themselves....a basic moral compass...." Mai presses the blade harder and Kali smirks. Azula shoves Kuei down the steps leading to his throne.

"Get them all out of my sight....except for her" Azula points at Kali and smirks darkly. Toph, Sokka, Kuei, Momo, and Bosco are all taken from the room by Dai Li agents. Azula moves towards Kali, something metallic in her hand. A collar is snapped around Kali's neck, attached to a chain leash which Azula tugs with a dark smirk.