The Pirate Empress

9

Briefly, someone was thrown on top of me. They rolled over with a groan, onto the cold floor next to me. I had a throbbing pain in my forhead, a ringing in my ears, and a strain in my eyes. What was going on? Last I remembered, Zari and I ~

"I'm sorry," the man - Bumi - said. He groaned, the repeated, "I'm sorry, Su. I'm sorry."

"Where is she?" I sat up, my wrists tied to my ankles behind me I stood on my knees and strained against the chains as I yelled for our captors to come and face me. "Where is she? Where is she? WHERE IS SHE?"

The door opened to reveal to figure of three people, all dressed in baggy clothes. The light behind them let me see only their silhouettes, and nothing of what was outside of the cell.

I saw more bodies on the ground - Izumi, Bumi, Iroh, Ursa, Zuko, Azula, Mai, Shi, Zari.. but I didn't see her. I knew we weren't safe here, but if I was with her at least I'd know she wasn't dead.

"WHERE IS SHE?" I screamed. One person held my ankles, the other grabbed my wrists. "WHERE IS SHE? WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER?"

I'd be willing to bet my life I looked like a wild animal, but I didn't care. All I wanted was to get out as fast as I could and find her.

The third person held a cloth over my nose. The chemical burned my nostrils as I breathed, but I didn't care - I thrashed and screamed as I kicked one person in the face and bit the hand of another.

Freed for the moment, I attempted to bend off my cuffs - but they were platinum. Of course!

"WHERE IS SHE?" I yelled, my voice cracking. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER?"

As the chemicals settled in, I stopped thrashing and fell to my side. My entire body wanted to give in to sleep, all of me... but I knew I shouldn't.

The chemicals were to strong. I felt myself slipping away. The three figures stood over me still, tall and endless, metallic helmets shining from the bright light.

"I don't know who you are, and I don't care." I coughed. "As soon as I find her, we're leaving. Right after we burn you all to the ground."

I heard a chuckle from a man above me as they turned to walk out. Before they left, though, I laughed at them.

"You think you can just capture a family of royals, pirates, and ex-convicts and get away with it?" I laughed again, and one of the three people turned wordlessly to look at me. "You're wrong. You're so, so wrong."

"Good luck when we escape."

The door closed with a click, and I drifted into more recent memories...