Zuko's Journey

Finale (Part 4)

Sokka and Suki are surrounded by Fire Nation soldiers aboard the final air ship left standing. It's going to take a miracle to get out of this alive for these two warriors. The pair stood back to back, surrounded on all sides by armed soldiers. But though outnumbered, Sokka and Suki would not surrender without a fight. Sokka's boomerang hung loose in his hand, eyes darting for any advantage. Beside him, Suki clenched her fists, stance at the ready despite the hopelessness of their plight. These were no strangers to long odds...and had often beaten worse through skill, brains and sheer stubborn defiance of fate. The commander stepped forward, sneer upon his scarred face. "Lay down your arms, and I may yet be lenient." Sokka matched the man glare for glare. "Lenient? We'd rather take our chances!" His hand shot out - the boomerang flew, followed by Suki's unrelenting martial arts fighting. For honor and freedom, they would go down battling to the last. Sokka and Suki fight tooth and nail to survive. Eventually, they use their skills and ingenuity to incapacitate the soldiers. Suddenly, a giant warrior enters the fray. His intimidating size and power sent shivers down the heroes's spine "Ha, the Avatar sends two scrawny children to fight his battles for him? What a farce. I'll enjoy squashing you like the insects you are!"

Sokka grit his teeth at the hulking brute's taunts - did this oaf have any idea who he faced? Beside him Suki held her ground, ever the vision of poised defiance in the face of overwhelming odds. "Less words, more fight!" Sokka shot back, whirling his boomerang to deflect a blow from the man-mountain. But Agni, he packed some serious power behind those swings! Suki launched spinning kicks, seeking any opening in the warrior's crushing attacks. But his sheer size made him near impervious to her deadly accuracy. They needed a plan, fast, before... A glint in Sokka's eyes - of course, the engine room! Backing toward the exit, he grabbed Suki's hand. "There's only one way to even the score around here. Follow me if you want to live!" With a roar the behemoth gave chase. Now if Sokka's hare-brained scheme panned out, they just might flip the script on this oversized oaf yet...

They reach the engine room, with the brute chasing after them with vicious fire attacks. Sokka comes with a strategy. "End of the road worms! Any last words?" "Just a few... did you know that man-skirt makes your butt even fatter than it already is?" Sokka asks jokingly. The brute growls angrily. Blind rage consumes him, just as Sokka had wanted. Beside him Suki readied with practiced calm. When the moment was right, she gave a barely perceptible nod. The giant roared and unleashed a torrent of flames that could level buildings. But Sokka stood unfazed, trusting his friend with his life as always. At the last second they dove apart, the man-mountain's raging firestream engulfing the engine core in a fiery explosion. The floor lurched, systems went haywire - their foe was left flailing as rising smoke announced their victory. A tug at Sokka's arm and they fled, their foe's enraged howls fading into the distance. Teamwork and smarts had seen them through yet again.

Sokka and Suki rush to the edge of the air ship. Everything collapses around them. They reach the roof of the ship. Suddenly, a piece of debris hits Sokka right in the leg. He screams in pain. "Aaaa!" "Sokka!" "My leg! I think it's broken!" More firebenders enter the rooftop, surrounding the two friends once again. With a last ditch effort, Sokka throws his boomerang, knocking down an antenna that crushes the other soldiers. He then throws his space sword at the repeller, causing the air ship to completely tilt on its side. The remaining Fire Soldiers go flying off the ship, as Sokka holds onto Suki for dear life. "I don't think boomerang's coming back Suki. It looks like this is the end." Suki's eyes begin to fill with tears. Is there truly no turning back?

Sokka grimaced, trying to lock eyes with her through his own tears. "Suki...it's been kinda amazing. You and the Kyoshi Warriors...you gave me courage I never knew I had. Tell the others..." She pressed her forehead to his, refusing to accept this bitter end. Not after all they had survived to reach this point. Somewhere, somehow, an answer must exist still! As if in answer, a glint caught Suki's gaze - a shred of hope sailing on the thermals. A plan sparked, insane and daring...but what more could they lose? Lifting Sokka gently, she pressed a kiss to his brow. "No goodbyes today. Hold on!" And with that, she leapt into the swirling skies, grasping for the line that just might save them both... Suki uses her strength to put her man on his shoulders firemen's style. She uses her speed and reaches out for the wire. At an instance, the world had seemed like it became in frozen in time. Suki reaches out with all her might.... And grabs the line. They glide through the air and land carefully into the ocean. Suki uses her peak athleticism to swim her man to safety and on dry land. The final air ship had crumbled. Their destiny has been achieved. "I...I can't believe you saved us." "No. We saved us." She reassures him.