Zuko's Journey

Jailbreak

Katara and Sokka go to the yard. Prisoners are gathered in a circle as the guards move through to the inside. "I didn't do anything. I'm going to back to my cell." A prisoner argues with a guard. He walks away, but the guard whips fire at him. "Not so fast Chit Sang! I've had it with your unruly behavior!" "What did I do?" "You didn't bow to me when I walked by!" "What? That's not a prison rule!" "I don't care! When a guard gives you an order, you obey! Now bow down to me!" "No!" "You'll regret saying that!" The guard yells. The guard attacks Chit Sang with fire. Chit Sang defends himself by redirecting it back at the guard. The guard dodges it. "Tsk tsk. No firebending on prison grounds. You're going before Princess Azula. Guards, take him away." Two guards grab Chit Sang and escort him out of the yard."Katara, if we follow them closely, we might find out where Aang is." The siblings sneak behind Chit Sang and the guards.

he guards drag the man to Azula. Who is sitting on a throne in the interrogation room with her friend by her side. "What is the meaning of this? Why is this common thug being dragged down into my throne room?" Azula questions the guards. "He assaulted a prison guard, your highness. We were ordered to bring him to you." The guard responds. Azula's interests become piqued. "Very well. Leave us." The guards leave. Sokka and Katara watch carefully. "So, you like beating up my prison guards, do you?" Azula asks in a sinister tone. "He attacked first princess. I was just defending myself." "Do you take me a fool?" "No princess, I don't." "God. Because the last person to take me for a fool was struck down by lightning. I think you might know him. He's the Avatar. Do you want to see him? We have him in a very special holding cell. He's tied up in a Fire Nation straitjacket, unable to use his bending to escape. The conditions in his cell are unlivable. The Avatar is barely staying alive. I wonder though, if I were to put a miscreant like you in there, I doubt you would last more than 3 minutes in there! Wouldn't you agree? "Yes Princess. I-I agree." "I do hope a lesson was learned." "Yes princess. I have indeed learned my lesson." "I believe you. But, just to make sure, you don't stir up trouble again..." Azula suddenly blasts Chit Sang in the shoulder with a precise blue fire attack from her two fingers. Sokka and Katara look on in horror at the man's injuries.

Molana walks through the inside of the prison. "Hey guard." A young girl asks Molana. "Can you come here a second?" With no other choice, Molana heads over. "What is it you want? And be quick about it." Suddenly, the girl flips Molana over her shoulder and through a table. She snatches the keys from Molana's side. "Just wanted you to remember the girl who pulled one over on ya. Name's Suki by the way!" Suki of the Kyoshi Warriors runs off with the keys in her hand, rushing for freedom. The guards chase after her. Molana growled in frustration, pulling herself from the wreckage. This Suki was cunning indeed to best her so easily. Sokka and Katara drag the injured man away from Azula's wrath. Katara uses her healing abilities to tend to Chit Sang's injuries. "It's okay. We're here to help." Katara says in a soothing voice. "Who, who are you?" Chit Sang asks "My name is Katara and this is my brother Sokka." "Howdy do big guy?" "We're looking for our friend the Avatar. We're gonna set him free. Do you know where Azula is keeping him?" "Avatar...kept below," he rasped. "Dark cell, past guard stations. Can't reach..." Gesturing them closer, he whispered low, "I know a way. But we have to be smart and fierce. You kids in?" "Of course Chit Sang. We trust you. You help our friend, we help you." "What about Molana?" Sokka asks. "We'll find her later. Right now, we need to help Aang." "Okie dokie. So Chit Sang, what's your plan?"

Chit Sang's eyes gleamed with purpose renewed. "This way, quick now. Listen close - here is what we'll do..." He led them through hidden passages away from prying eyes, speaking low of guard rotations and poorly defended posts. With care and cunning, they could turn this prison on its head. But first, the Avatar. "Below us lies the deep cells. Two guards patrol, but a well-placed distraction could draw them off. Once they're clear, it's a short sprint to your friend. Can you handle it, girl?" Katara's confident nod reassured the man. Sokka chimes in with his own idea. "I think I can help with the distraction part." Two big muscular guards stand outside Aang's cell. The straitjacket compressing on his body tightly, Aang can barely breathe. Sokka walks up to the two guards. "Hey kid, what're you doing down here." "Ahem. Hey guys, have you heard of Cactus Juice? It'll quinch ya! It's the quinchuest!" Sokka flails around on the ground like a fish, the guards being distracted.

The guards stared dumbly at the flailing boy, clearly perplexed by his strange antics. Yet their interest was piqued, giving Katara the opening she needed. Slipping from the shadows, she worked with practiced ease, summoning twin whips of water to ensnare the men from behind. With a twist and pull, they crashed together in a heap, briefly stunned. Not wasting a moment, she dashed to the heavy door and bent the lock open. "Aang! Hold on, I'm getting you out!" She sliced away his bonds with an ice blade, gently catching his limp form as he collapsed into her arms. Fear gripped her heart at his sunken appearance - had they come too late? Regardless, she lifts him gently and sent the flare Chit Sang awaited. Chit Sang opens the hatch door above. "Come on you two! Let's go!" Katara and Sokka put an arm around their shoulders and run.

With Aang supported between them, Katara and Sokka staggered up into the light of Chit Sang's waiting grin. Wasting no words, he flung out an arm - down the corridor, chaos reigned. Smoke billowed as prisoners scrambled every-which-way, some battling guards while others made darting escapes through newfound openings in the walls. Under the cover of unrest, a way forward emerged. "This way!" Chit Sang called. "Follow me - I'll lead you out, then draw them off your trail. But you must hurry! Can he manage?" "I..I'm not sure. But we can't just leave him." Katara says unsure of her friend's current condition. "Very well, we'll manage. But we have to keep moving." Taking the fore, Chit Sang flew through the mad scramble like a fox through brush. Step by step, the prison gates drew ever closer. Freedom was almost within their grasp...

Suddenly, Suki comes by and sucker punches Chit Sang from the side, blindsiding the tall man and knocking him down "If anyone is escaping from this dumb prison, it's gonna be me!" Suki flips up and over several railings."Suki?" Sokka asks from a far distance. "SUKI!!!!!" Sokka chases after the girl he loves without giving it a second thought. "Sokka! Where are you going!?" Chit Sang gets up, holding his jaw."Too late for that! We need to keep going! Come on!" Chit Sang leads Katara holding a limp Avatar in her arms. He clears his way through prisoners and guards alike. Sokka and Suki incapacitate many opponents standing in their way. Several guards cut off their path, forcing them to circle back around. They exchange a pleasant smile, even if it is just for a a brief period. The two lovers meet back up with Chit Sang, Katara, and Aang. A newfound purpose was found within one another. All of them nod at each other... The only way they are going to escape is by working together. Without giving it a second thought, they charge for the exit unified as one. Just then, Azula and her two friends come crashing down from above, and cut off the five escapees.