3rd Person's POV

"Do you seriously have to follow me everywhere?" Himoko asks them in a quiet tone as she brushes past the green spirit, continuing on her way through the dark and dreary tunnels, the ominous green lighting guiding her sight, doing her best to find her way.

"Yes, yes I do!" They reply quickly, a small hum passing their lips as they bounded down the tunnel, arched stone roofs, opened different passages, and yet, at the moment. Himoko could barely see anyone in sight. No agents, no guards, nothing. It was just silence.

She furrows her brows, her head tilting to the side as she peaks from behind a wall down a corridor. Staring down at it, trying to see any shadows shifting or moving across her vision.

"What ya looking for?" Questions Frigg curiously, looking over Himoko's shoulder. Himoko releases a small groan before rounding the corner fully and walking down it. She could barely hear anything, it was too echoey in these tunnels, different sounds just kept bouncing off of each other compared to what she could hear from up on the surface, leaving her with no way to pinpoint where she had originally heard Appa in the first place.

"Appa..." She whispers, despite her not seeing or hearing anyone at the moment, with how echoey it was, she wasn't going to change her being found out.

"Hey didn't you swim through water? Aren't you supposed to be drenched right now-?" Himoko chuckles to herself, "Airbender, remember...?"

"Ah, so I see... Anyways! We can play a game down here!" She raises a brow, looking at them in her peripheral, "Huh?" She airs out in confusion. 'Why are they so freaking childish?' She thinks to herself, 'I feel like a mother right now trying to keep control of their child.' She continues her thought as she descends down a set of staircases, leading her further down the old prison, remarking silently to herself, "Great interior decorating here, Aang..."

"We can sing! Talk with ourselves, oh boy, much fun!" Himoko sighs heavily, wishing that Frigg would leave her alone again so she can focus on finding Appa. She can't with them being so loud without a care in the world, which, they didn't have. No one besides her could hear them.

Himoko stiffens before her muscles relax in time for her to duck behind a wall when her eyes catch sight of a green lantern glow moving along the dark dirt brick walls. Frigg giggles excitedly, clapping his hands. "Oooo~ Hide and seek then?!" She sends them a quick glare, shaking her head, breathing harshly out of her nose, waiting patiently until the three Dai Li Agents pass her, Himoko hiding in the shadows. She was glad to have put on such dark clothing- And that she had black hair, this wouldn't be so easy if she were a blonde or had another kind of colored hair.

Her eyes narrow, watching their retreating figures walk down the dimly green-lit hallway. Why was Appa here of all places? And why did these Agents patrol like that? In such a formation? This was supposed to be a historical sight, not a prison anymore.

She continues sneaking her way down the hallways, listening for Appa, who wasn't making much noise anymore sadly, leaving her to wander around more aimlessly in search of him, heading down more corridors than hallways. Appa was a big animal, it would be near to impossible to get into some of these old rooms and areas, so she focused on the wide archways that he could easily slip under without worry of the whole place collapsing on top of them.

She doesn't know how much time passes before stumbles upon a long-winded down hallway that led her to feel nauseated, cringing at the sound reverberating off of the walls, the voices, the tones, and drawls. She covers her ears, doing her best to purposefully block them out.

"I'm Joo Dee. Welcome to Ba Sing Se." Repeated a Joo Dee, going down the line of other victims, following her lead. Unionizing plastered fake smiles and fearful eyes.

"I'm Joo Dee. Welcome to Ba Sing Se.", "I'm Joo Dee. Welcome to Ba Sing Se.", "I'm Joo Dee. Welcome to Ba Sing Se.", "I'm Joo Dee. Welcome to Ba Sing Se.", "I'm Joo Dee. Welcome to Ba Sing Se.", 'Shit shut up!' She curses in her thoughts, hurriedly walking away from the hallway. But the voices didn't stop, the repeats, and the voices of Dai Li Agents accompanying her.

"You are safe here, in Ba Sing Se. We are so lucky to have our walls to create order." 'What is going on down here?' Himoko asks herself with a small pained groan ripping through her throat, 'This is too much...' She thinks to herself, shaking her head, turning down a different hallway, only to be welcomed by cells, flittering, rotating lights, slipping through the cracks in the doors.

The girl reluctantly passes by them, her steps becoming more sluggish as her brain takes more of a beating from the voices.

"No war."

"There is no war within the walls. Here we are safe. Here we are free."

"No war in Ba Sing Se." 'Stop...'

"The Earth King welcomes you to Lake Laogai." 'Please...'

"You are nothing but a wonderful librarian, you have never been hurt by war." 'I want to go home...'

'I want to be with my family.'.

---

"Still no sign of her?" Questions Sokka, Sadem sighing heavily, leaning forward, resting his head into his hands. He shakes his head.

"It's been four hours. No sign of her. No one in any of the rings has even seen the Princess today." Sadem stated, gritting his teeth, grinding down his back molars in frustration. Sokka places his hand on Sadem's shoulder, leaving the young agent to glance up at the Water Tribe Boy between his fingers.

"This isn't your fault, Sadem-"

"I'm her guard! Sokka, I was supposed to protect her, I should have just switched patrol with someone else and stayed with her today! If I had, none of this would have happened and she wouldn't- she wouldn't-" Sokka's eyes widen in worry as Sadem begins to lose his breath, the teenager beginning to hyperventilate. Sokka rips Sadem's hands away from his face, crouching down to his height, where he sat on the bench.

"Breathe. Sadem. In and out... We will find her, okay? Heck, she may even find us instead! Himoko is really strong, whoever took her can't handle her for long, especially when she begins to sass them." Sokka tells him with a reassuring smile, squeezing his shoulder. Sadem closes his eyes, taking in a deep breath, releasing slowly, his heart pumping as he begins to think. They have searched the city in multiple teams, including the outskirts, and even miles around the perimeter. No sign of her, or any struggle, no tracks to go by, it was just like she just... Vanished.

Sokka could fear his heart being tugged at the sight of Sadem, how distraught and worried he appeared to be. Guilt in his eyes as he thought over just where Himoko could be, just what was happening right at that moment. Just because he wasn't there for her, to protect her, watch over her.

He couldn't blame Sadem, Sadem had another post to attend to, the people who were truly at fault were the guards who should have followed her after the lunch service with the lords. They should be the ones dealing with this amount of guilt.

He was disappointed himself for not being able to do much for Sadem, he could only say reassuring words so many times before they fall on deaf ears, all he could do right now is stick by him, and hope for the best.

Elsewhere, stood Aang, with Toph and Long Feng, they were currently looking in the Third Ring, down the old evacuation paths when the 100 Year War first began, these paths were created for the citizens to escape if Ba Sing Se ever fell- Which it hasn't yet. So the paths were forgotten to time.

They were pulling at loose weathered strings at this point, almost five hours since anyone has seen Himoko, and with each hour, the more they got worried, the more realization began to strike them- The Fire Nation could have Himoko in their waters by now, in their territory, and there was nothing they could do.

Aang and Toph didn't enjoy being in the company of the Advisor, after their previous encounter with the man. They did their best to ignore him, focusing solely on trying to find their friend. Her safety was more important than worrying about Long Feng's horrible ideas and ideals.

Toph blows hair out of her eyes, after a few strands began to itch the top of her nose, she wiggles her nose, thinking to herself of how much she just wanted to pummel this man to the ground.

"No sign of her yet?" Questions Long Feng when they walk up to an agent. He shakes his head, "No, I apologize sir. Everywhere in the city has been checked, each home, basement, attic- Nothing. Including the teams from the outskirts, they haven't found any traces."

"Keep looking. If we lose Her Highness, then we have lost." Long Feng states before he continues to walk. Toph frowns, sensing the bitterness in his voice, and the frustration with his men that they still hadn't found her.

"Why do you talk about Himoko like that-?"

"Princess Himoko." He curtly corrects Aang, not sparing him a glance, before answering, "Princess Himoko is the Heir to Omashu. If King Bumi falls, then she will automatically be granted the position as Queen of Omashu, despite her non-biological nature. If she is in the hands of our enemies, all is lost. Omashu is lost, and the only member of the Royal Family left standing would be The Earth King. We can not allow that to happen." He pauses for a moment, stopping in his current trek, spinning around on his heel to glower down at Aang, "And with relation to her ancestry, losing her would also be detrimental to your extinct culture, as well." Aang's feels the painful jab at his heart, his eye twitches as he holds back from shouting aggressions at him. Toph, however, didn't hold back.

"Himoko isn't just a pawn to be tossed around! The way you are talking about her is as if she isn't even a person!? Are you not worried, genuinely, about her safety?! No matter her role in this war, she is not to be talked about like that-!"

"Sir!" Toph is cut off by a guard, "Sir Long Feng!" He repeats, rushing over to the group of three. He pants heavily as he stops in front of the Advisor, bowing his head for a moment to show respect.

"Yes?" Long Feng responds swiftly.

"Her Highness was found!".

-

Himoko groans in pain, her head pounding as she awakes.

"Your Highness? Are you awake?" She hears a muffled voice question her. Their voice sounded so far away, and yet, she could feel the warmth of someone carrying her.

The dampness, and the sound of water dripping- Told her that she was in some sort of underground tunnel. She sniffles, coughing into her arm as she turns away from the shoulder of the man who spoke to her previously, feeling incredibly cold, and wet.

"It's okay, it's okay, you are safe now." Stated the man, the sound of clinking armor and shuffles of fabric she could hear. She cracks her eyes open slowly, feeling fatigued as if she had just finished a relay race.

"W-Where-" Her voice croaks out before she begins coughing into her arm again. The man tenses up in worry but continues to speed walk, not risking jogging when his princess was in this condition.

"We are in the tunnel. I already sent a signal to the other teams. We are almost home, Your Highness." He tells her in a comforting voice, reassuring her. She nods softly, blinking, as she stares ahead of them, remembering these walls. The stone walls. The lights... This was the tunnel she and Sadem traveled through when she first came to Ba Sing Se. She remembers her first interaction with him, speaking to Long Feng, listening to him reprimand her friend for something he couldn't control. All of it, how much she just wanted to turn back and kick Long Feng where the sun didn't shine.

It was strange to be in this tunnel again, and even more strange when she realized just where she was previously-

She blinks in confusion, glancing down at her attire- She was wearing what she wore the lunch with the lords- How could that be? She couldn't have just dreamt all of it? Of Lake Laogai? Of those women, those men, everyone in those cells, the lights, the chants-

Her search for Appa. She couldn't have just made that all up unconsciously.

Of Frigg, and them annoying her throughout it all.

Why?

Just why?

She didn't understand.

They pass the meeting room, the sound of the memory playing out, the slap, bouncing off of the walls of the tunnels, walking stiffly behind her, the Dai Li Agents.

Speaking of- It was a Dai Li Agent, currently carrying her. She didn't recognize him at first- Until, she realized that he was the one who was the head of the operation to retrieve her when she first arrived. The one who ordered Sadem to just take her and run.

She shivers, clutching her arms as she returns her gaze back to her lap, eyes trailing to the ragged tears at the bottom of her formal dress, of the stains of mud and the dampness of her clothing and hair- Just what happened to her?

Why couldn't she remember?

Up the stairs, down the turn- And into the palace. Where different Dai Li Agents awaited them.

She could hear their breaths hitch at the sight of her, and yet, their breaths, sighs of relief, making her heart flutter. There was genuine relief in their eyes. An emotion she hadn't seen from any of them before.

She didn't comment on it, no matter how perplexed she was to see a rare emotion in their eyes, as she is carried down the hall, the agents surrounding her in a defensive formation. After this, it would be harder to get away, away for herself, to spend time with Sadem and Seren.

The Agents stayed in formation, none of them speaking to her, but she could feel their eyes on her occasionally, hear their heartbeats, know that all of them were on edge, waiting, waiting for something to show up and attempt to harm her.

They reminded her like a hawk mother, hawks protecting one egg, from any predators that would intend to harm it, or will proceed to harm it.

It was strange... So strange.

She felt her heart quicken when they entered the Throne Room, where Basco, and King Kuei, stood in wait.

This is where she is finally let down, onto her feet, when she feels the instability of her knees, struggling to keep herself standing, leaning onto the Dai Li Agent for support.

"Your Majesty." Kuei is called, and he turns, the tired and worried king having just thought it was just another group of guards passing through the room to head out and continue their search. He is instead met with the grey-blue eyes of Heir to the Omashu Throne. Her face pale, lips blue, formal dress tattered and ruined- To him, she looked like she had been through hell.

A sense of urgency washes over him as he goes to hurriedly pace towards her. Basco beats him to it, going back on all fours to charge forward, over to Himoko's front, a head butt her stomach. She winces, a soft, 'oof' passing her lips in surprise, hearing the platypus bear whimper, sniffing at her attire.

"H-Hi Bas- Basco..." Her throat still feels scratchy, parched, and dry. She softly pets the top of his head, giving him the affection and reassurance that he deserves.

"Are you okay? What happened, are you hurt-? In any way-" Kuei began to spitball questions. Himoko nodded, smiling softly up at him, "I'm.. I'm okay. I don't really..."

"I found Her Highness five miles out from the wall to the west, knocked unconscious. No one else was in sight, I can only guess something happened with the kidnappers to leave her behind like that." Kuei frowns, sighing heavily as his eyes narrowed in anger and frustration. But the weight on his shoulders was lessened. Himoko was fine, she was safe.

"Do you remember anything?" Himoko shakes her head softly, feeling guilt wretch up at the back of her throat, "I-I don't... I'm sorry-" Basco lets out a tiny roar as if to dismiss her apology, that she shouldn't be sorry. The platypus bear felt happy to see her again, however, he remembered the scream he heard earlier that day. And felt sad, while also being happy. Bittersweet.

"No need to apologize. You are home now, you are safe." Kuei reassures her, resting his hands upon her shoulders. She nods softly, still trying to remember how she managed to get out of there... And what exactly was going on under Lake Laogai, in the old prison.

"H-How long... Have I been gone?"

"Almost six hours, Your Highness. We are lucky that they didn't get further than they did." States one of the agents that surrounded them. Himoko didn't take the time to look up and see who said it, too focused on trying to remember. But, was, unfortunately, coming up empty, for now.

The doors of the throne room thrust open, Kuei jumping at the sound, along with Himoko. The two royals directed their attentions to who just thrust open the double doors.

Himoko was surprised to see Sadem, beelining directly towards them, passing the Earth King to throw his arms around her, not caring if any of his superiors were watching right at that moment. Sadem lets out shaky breaths filled with relief, his arms grip tightened securely around her, Basco whining after Himoko stops petting his fur to hug Sadem back. She could feel him shaking, while desperately clutching onto her.

"I'm sorry..." He mumbled into her shoulder, his voice coming out gravelly and tired. She didn't know why he was apologizing to her. But with this many eyes on the two of them, she didn't object to it. She will talk to him about it later when they are alone- If they would even allow them to be alone again.

"It's okay Sadem.. I'm okay..." She spoke softly to him, feeling him relax against her at the sound of her voice, calming him down some.

"Agent, take me to where you find Her Highness, we must look more closely at the area to find-" Long Feng began to speak to the agent who found her out there, and is interrupted by Kuei. "No. Princess Himoko is home now, and safe. Make all of the troops return back to Ba Sing Se as soon as they can. It's getting dark out, it isn't safe to be outside of the walls after something like this just happened." He began, his voice filled with power. Himoko blinks in confusion, pulling her head away from Sadem's shoulder to stare at the royal man. "Announce the curfew to be early tonight, no one is to be seen out of their home for the rest of the night, understood?" The agents all nod stiffly, Himoko glancing to Long Feng to gauge his reaction, seeing him clench his jaw, biting his tongue to stop himself from doing anything he may regret- No, will regret. It was a direct order from the King, and with this many people in the room, including a lot of his own men, he couldn't just go against him right now.

"Yes, Your Majesty." The agents leave the room, half of them staying put to protect the royal family. One agent Himoko didn't bother to try and recognize, goes to grab Sadem and remove him from her. But is met with a heated glare from Himoko, telling him to not.

"Sadem is fine. Leave him be." She told him protectively. The agent nodded, retracting their hand, an emotion of understanding on their face. She smiles softly at him in thanks.

"Your Highness, what happened-?" Long Feng began to question and is interrupted- once again, by the king.

"She doesn't remember much. We will resume this talk in the morning, right now the Princess needs rest. Agent, you and five other Dai Li's, please escort her to her bedroom." Sadem nods against Himoko's shoulder, taking a small deep breath in before pulling away, he removes his arms from around her, glancing down at her wobbling knees.

"Do you need help walking?" He asks her, eyes blinking, full of worry. Himoko nods slowly after testing out her own strength by slightly bouncing on the heels of her feet.

"Just a bit..." She mutters, knowing Sadem would hear her anyway. He nods, gently grabbing her wrist to pull it and rest it over his shoulders, his own arm going around her waist to help support her body weight.

They walk out of the room, leaving Long Feng and King Kuei standing alone in the room, besides the guards posted at the other entrances.

"You and your men can go out and search for any sign on what seemed to have happened in the morning. For now, go and get some rest, it's been a long day."

"But-"

"No buts. I am tired with a headache. Have a good night, Advisor." King Kuei walks away, heading out of the throne room, leaving Long Feng to boil silently in the middle of the room, staring at the empty throne.

The group of agents and a Princess made it to her room, opening the door, where the agents spread out and re-check for anything out of place, tearing her bedsheets off of her bed, in her wardrobe, on her vanity, on the sill of window- Anywhere. As a safety precaution.

"Are you hungry? I can have someone go and get you something from the kitchen-?" Sadem asks her. Himoko shakes her head, not having an appetite at the moment.

"I'm okay. Not hungry."

"Not for anything like soup? Or chicken broth?" Himoko snorted at the last suggestion, side-eyeing him, watching the glint in his eyes returning.

"Don't start that with me again."

"What? I would never~" He smiles back in amusement. Their inside joke leaving the agents who overheard confused, along with the readers currently watching this play out, and the author just staring at the window screen in wonder on what the hell kind of inside joke she just created between two characters in a fanfiction of a show that ended in 2008 when she was 7.

An agent clearing his throat gains their attention, "Nothing out of the ordinary, Your Highness. We will be outside guarding you for the rest of the night. If you need anything, let us know." Himoko nods, bowing at them in respect, thankful, "Thank you for everything." He bows back before leaving the room, glancing over his shoulder as the other agents walk past him.

"Agent. Come-"

"He is fine."

"I can protect her better in here." Sadem told him stiffly, making eye contact with his elder. The elder agent looked to the other agents, waiting for anyone else to make a comment, but none came. And so he nods, and leaves the room, closing the door behind him, locking it. He softly rattled his knuckles on the wood to keep their attention, "If you need anything, shout and we will go get it for you." Himoko nodding, "Thank you.".

Himoko sighs in relief, taking a seat at her vanity, cringing at how she looks at the moment.

"Wow, I look like shit..." She whispers, breathing air out of her nose.

"Do you not want to go and get a bath before bed? Not to be rude or anything, but you smell like a swamp." Himoko giggles, shaking her head as she turns to look up at Sadem, seeing that he was over by the window now, looking down at the incline and the towering houses of the lower rings.

"I'm okay for right now. I will change out of these clothes first though."

"Oh okay- Himoko!" Sadem quickly turns around, shielding his vision with his hands.

"Hmm? Oh sorry Sadem, I guess I should have warned you sooner."

"You think?!" Himoko laughs at him before finishing up undressing and pulling out her nightwear.

"I need to talk to you after I'm done, okay?" Sadem furrows his brows at the sound of her voice, lowered an octave, and harder to hear. He felt like a dog pointing its ear back to hear exactly what she said.

Himoko finishes dressing, announcing to Sadem that she was done and could turn around and look now. Sadem hesitates for a moment, taking a breath in and releasing slowly to calm down his nerves. He turns, and sees her back to sitting down at her vanity, her ruined dress hanged over a beam in the other corner of the room.

"I doubt the tailors could fix it, so after it dries I will have someone burn it or just rid of the seams and make more fabric out of it." Sadem nods, taking a seat at the edge of her bed, his elbows resting on his knees. He could feel how tired he was, and here he thought he was tired before, his eyelids were drooping, but he fought to stay awake, just for a few more moments. Himoko pauses in her hair brushing, breath hitching as she focuses. The air condenses around them, the soft brittles sounds of her hairbrush gliding through the black strands of hair dissipating. Her heart picks up in a beat as she spreads the condensation to the walls, pressing them flat to it. Her brows crease as continues to focus, ignoring how weak her body felt at the moment- She could speak to Sadem alone when there were so many agents outside of her door, already listening in.

Himoko takes a breath in as she finishes the sound barrier, blocking out any sound from escaping this room.

"Sadem." She speaks more clearly to him, pulling him out of his staring down at the flooring. He looks up, watching his friend turn around in her chair, sitting on it backward, folding her arms on the top of the backrest.

"We can speak freely now, they won't hear us." He furrows his brows in confusion, "What?"

"No one besides the people on Team Avatar knows this- and a few select others like King Bumi. Along with me being an Air Nomad, I am able to..." She hums softly, thinking about what was the best way to put it, the easiest way to help him understand. She had to tell him about the extension because what follows after, is in need of it.

"...to bend sound, as an extension of airbending. I am a Sound Bender to be more precise." Sadem tilts his head, fumbling with his bottom lip in between his teeth, which was already badly chapped and cracked from him doing it for most of the day.

"That sounds like you are pulling my leg-"

"No. It's real. Here, I can scream at the top of my lungs right now, and no one outside will be able to hear me."

"Please don't, I am already battling the urge to fall asleep." Sadem waves his hands in front of him, sighing heavily, tired. "Then we can talk about this tomorrow morning, once you have your rest-"

"No- No no no. Himoko... What aren't you telling me?"

"You... You know- You know-how at the beginning of all this, with Seren, and everything, we wondered why Long Feng has been so suspicious?" He nods slowly, "Yeah? You mean when we talked in the library weeks ago?" Himoko sucks in her cheeks for a moment, thinking back on their conversation, and how the drowned spirit shortly followed.

"Yeah. I figured it out. Why Ba Sing Se is so hellbent on forgetting about the war, why Long Feng and his agents silence anyone who mentions the war at all- And why people keep disappearing, like Seren's relatives or friends- In general."

"And just how did you-" He stops himself, blinking rapidly when he spots the glint in her eye. He was becoming used to it, seeing it, and knowing what it meant.

"After lunch with the lords, I snuck off. I didn't get kidnapped? I honestly don't know how that could have-"

"There was a breach around the same time everyone noticed that you were missing so it was assumed- WAIT YOU LEFT ON YOUR OWN FREE WILL?!" Sadem suddenly stands up, in shock, hurt, anger. Himoko jumps at the intensity of his voice.

"Yes! I'm sorry, I didn't realize how long it had been until just a little bit ago! I was only meant to be out for an hour and then head back and-"

"Himoko! You should have taken someone with you, hell, the Avatar and them were right there, waiting for something to do, you could have went to them and asked for help when I wasn't available, then at least someone would have known that you were okay! That you weren't kidnapped by the Fire Nation, that we just didn't lose our princess in the blink of an eye, that we lost everything. That I LOST EVERYTHING!" Himoko could feel herself unconsciously shrink down, Sadem's voice growing louder as he continues.

"You knew where I was stationed at, you could have come and got me! Hell, or even left a damn note saying, 'I'm off to the market' or some dumb shit, I don't know! You should have told someone, you should have told me! I am not going to risk losing you too, Himoko. For whatever reason you had for leaving is not more important than your life! Your safety! You are my friend, Himoko. Princess, status, whatever the frick, I don't care. I am not going to lose you like I did with the rest!" Sadem breathes heavily, his nostrils flaring as his chest rises and lowers in quick intervals. The Princess is left stunned in her seat, feeling the emotion oozing out of his emotionally charged words, the look on his face, the way he looks away from her, and rubs the side of his face- The side where his eye scar was present. The eye he was fully blind in, and the shuffle of fabric as he shifted from foot to foot. Small littles clues left behind for her to figure out the context of his break.

"..." He doesn't say anything after that, debating on leaving the room- But, he couldn't. No matter how angry he was at her, he couldn't leave her be defenseless, not again. Even if she told him that she wasn't kidnapped, that she just lost track of time- He couldn't risk it. The sinking feeling in his chest wouldn't disappear.

"Sa- Sadem. I'm sorry, I-I-I really am. I wasn't thinking and-"

"You weren't thinking?! Himoko, you are one of the smartest people I know, you don't just stop thinking about your actions out of nowhere."

"I know I know! But I was too preoccupied with thinking about finding Appa-"

"YOU DISAPPEARED BECAUSE OF AN ANIMAL?!" She flinches when he turns around to look at her again, cringing at his loud voice, covering her ears. Sadem frowns, feeling guilt hit him. He sighs, rubbing at his eyes, shaking his head, he was being aggressive now. More aggressive than he needs to be towards her. Probably because of the lack of sleep... He leans down, placing his hands on Himoko's shoulders. Himoko opens her eyes again, moving her head to look up at him staring down at her.

"I'm sorry for yelling."

"It's okay. I'm- I'm sorry for not telling you when I left." He nods before she stands up and pulls him into a hug.

"All of us were really worried about you... It was to the point of Long Feng going to Aang and asking him and everyone else to join the search in finding you..."

"Do they know that I'm okay?" He nods against her shoulder, "Yeah, they know. We were with them when we were told that you were okay. They couldn't come with me to see you because King Kuei was there, and Long Feng wouldn't allow them to be in the same room together." Himoko hisses at the thought, "That's quite rude."

"I know. Long Feng has been a dick all day, I was glad when I was finally paired with Sokka. All Long Feng did was press me into giving out your normal routine."

"Did you?"

"No. Even with you being missing, I knew not to tell him everything. I only took him on the roads and paths that we frequented the most without Seren accompanying us. We only went by her neighborhood once or twice."

"How about the tea shop?"

"That area wasn't in designation so we didn't check there, another team did I would guess." Himoko nods, sighing in relief. "Good... I don't want them to be punished for my mistakes..." Sadem nods, understanding. He wouldn't want them to punished for something they didn't do either. No matter how much he disliked having the knowledge that two Fire Nation- Royals even, banished or not, was in these city walls... It was unnerving.

"Did you find Appa?" Himoko shakes her head, frowning, "I didn't... I wish I did. I managed to create sound that only animals could hear, animals like him. I know that he heard it, because he replied back to me. But, I still didn't find him."

"We can go and look tomorrow?" Sadem told her.

"We could. But, I don't know if I will be allowed out of the palace now after this happened. There is a good chance that I won't be."

"We will figure it out, we always do." He tells her reassuringly. The Princess stands up from her seat, walking over to the side of the bed and sitting down on the plush mattress.

"Yeah. We do... There is something else I have to tell you."

"Hit me." Replies Sadem, taking a seat next to her.

"Lake Laogai is where I heard Appa. He was deep underground. Underneath the lake. So I- I went down there." Sadem furrows his brow in confusion, "T-The old prison?" She nods.

"You don't know about it? There were Dai Li Agents down there patrolling." Sadem shakes his head, "No? Hold on, I'm confused, the old prison, under the lake, is being patrolled by Dai Li Agents when no one has been down there in almost 50 years?"

"Yeah, that's what I'm saying."

"That doesn't make any sense... No one should be down there. I mean, it would make sense for there to be patrols, but that would only be if it was safe to be down there in the first place, which it isn't. And on the shift schedule, no one is scheduled to be down there. It has never been on the list as far as I know."

"Must be a code word for Lake Laogai... Have you been scheduled to patrol everywhere before? Like, at each station?"

"Yes. Rookies get the blunt end of the sword when we start out. We are stretched thin and are stationed absolutely anywhere they can fit us in. I don't recall there ever been a place I haven't been yet."

"Then maybe only a few Dai Li Agents know about it... Or they are acting on their own accord and Long Feng doesn't know about it?" Sadem blows air out of his nostrils, thinking on Long Feng's character. That wouldn't make sense, especially with someone like Long Feng. He is a dominant sleazy snake who slithers his way into anyone's business, no matter what it is. So for him to not know about it would be unlikely.

"I severely doubt it. Him not knowing."

"That's worrying." Himoko throws herself back, laying down, staring up at the ceiling. Sadem twists his body to stare down at her, his eyebrows creased and eyes narrowed in suspicion. "What did you see down there?"

"I-I honestly don't know. It's confusing and yet makes sense. Pieces are fitting together in awkward angles. My puzzle of a house with rounded edges is being fitted into different spaces that don't belong. A space for water is now a space for grass." Her eyes clouded over, feeling exhausted from today's events, but like her friend, she was stubborn and fought to stay awake, keeping ahold of the sound barrier to block the sounds that appear in the room to stay in the room, no one outside could hear them. She had to.

"I heard and witnessed lights. Voices, repeating the same phrases over and over again. I saw different women, all looking the same, all being named Joo Dee. Different citizens staring into lights revolving around in a circle, Dai Li Agents recurring, it got too much... With this, being able to Sound Bend, I can only guess that with all of that combined, it got too much and I passed out. Because that's the last thing I remember before I woke up and found myself being carried by an agent." Her explanation to him left him to stare at her, his mind processing her words. She wasn't lying to him, wasn't dodging a ball, her words were laced with venomous truth, the truth that hurt worse than any bitter lies.

"Himoko... Lights, voices... Phrases being repeated? You do realize what was happening down there, right?" Himoko continues to stare up at the ceiling, not having it in her heart to look at Sadem, her eyes were already beginning to well up in tears.

"-Y-Yeah..." Her voice cracked, feeling her heart being harshly tugged painfully in her chest. She clasped her hands together, closing her eyes, "I do... I-I do Sadem." Vision was becoming blurred, and she closed her eyes, feeling pain, disappointment, and hurt. Hurting for the people of this city, her people.

"They are hurting them. Torture. Making- Making them..." Sadem's throat closed up, biting back bile that rose at the back of his throat. He shakes his head, then looks down at himself, his attire. He was a Dai Li Agent... He was working to protect to the people of this city, to protect his friends, the people he cares dearly about, and here... By being an agent, he was unknowingly hurting them, all of them. Unintentional."Making them forget... Giving them all a false sense of hope, that Ba Sing Se is safe, that there never was a war, that the Fire Nation are our friends and not our enemy. That the Air Nomads weren't wiped out by them. That my ancestors' homes were taken away from them by someone else entirely. That the Fire Nation, the FireLord and his generals, never did, not even once, committed a heinous war crime. Multiple heinous war crimes...".

---

The green figure giggles softly to themself as they float above the city lights, watching the alive members of society head inside for the night, due to the early curfew, different guards patrolling the almost empty streets, the sounds of voices, people speaking with one another, the sounds animals, cats, dogs, birds alike, living their lives. They fly up higher into the sky, extending their arm to reach for the stars, their face morphing into a satisfied grin.

"You can stop following me now." They turn, looking below them, seeing the past Avatar already staring up at them. Her arms folded behind her, standing tall as she floated above the trapped city below them.

"I believe I had previously warned you to stay away from the Adversary."

"Aww~ I don't remember that!"

"I had told you, many times before. Each time you visit, hang around her, you use up her spiritual energy, making it more difficult for other spirits to pass through her, including the elements that she already holds. You know how important it is for them to pass through."

"Pfff! She is fine, she is a big girl, she can do things by herself without you knuckleheads nagging at her at all hours of the day-" Yangchen suddenly bolted up, grabbing their front, Frigg jumping at the sudden motion that they didn't expect.

"Today she could have been chained up and hidden away for all of eternity. She was trapped in the prison that Avatar Kyoshi herself constructed, and you dare say that she was fine?! You sucked up all of her energy, made her vulnerable, and you dare say that you are better now?! After all that you have done in the past?! Neither La nor I could help her!" Yangchen scolded them, her tongue laced with bitterness. She was angry, rightfully so. Frigg pushed Yangchen off of them, floating backward, gaining back the safe distance they previously had. "But I was there~! And she was fine, made it back safe and sound, isn't that what you wanted-"

"You aren't her spiritual guardian! You had no right! You should have vanished, should have gone back to the Spirit World and notified either of us that she was in trouble! You are our enemy, not our friend. Leave. If I have to be the one to suck up her spiritual energy, to keep you away from her- I will! I will not hesitate when it means that her safety is in jeopardy. Have a good night, Frigg." Yangchen vanishes suddenly, leaving Frigg alone in the sky. They stare where Yangchen was, feeling the cold wind brush against their green body, needles, and pricks dancing across their skin. Reminding them that Himoko was too weak to keep them there any longer. Yangchen barely managed to pass through while they were still present here.

They turn around, looking to the palace, the tall walls and extravagant building style illuminated in the lantern lights places around it, the lights coming from inside seeping out through the windows.

Frigg floats over, floating more and more down as they neared closer, coming upon the window, and looks inside, seeing the Princess fast asleep, with her guard sleeping at her bedside, hunched over in a chair.

They faze through the wall, their feet making contact with the carpet. They walk to her side, staring down at the sleeping form of the Adversary. Frigg rested their hand on the top of Himoko's head, hearing her air a soft tired sigh, snuggling more into her pillow, still asleep.

Frigg disappears, lifting the weight off of the young Adversary's shoulders.

To Be continued

Hello!

I have been feeling quite unmotivated lately so I am glad that I managed to get this chapter done in time!

The next chapter I know for sure will be late next month, so apologies in advance!

We got some character development between Sadem and Himoko, expressing more of their friendship and how Sadem feels about her. (No romantic feelings my dudes, just don't know how to word it in another way pfff).

He feels betrayed in a sense, that he worried over her well being, thinking of her to be in the Fire Nation's clutches- When in reality, she was fine. And left on her own accord. But without telling him.

There is also character development for Frigg! Something a bit unexpected, and while the conversation between them and Yangchen showed more of their development- It was also vague as well, holding onto that mystery.

Himoko has realized what is happening underneath Lake Laogai and feels horrible about it, that she didn't find out about it sooner, and prevented more pain from happening. Guilt. She feels guilty.

Himoko is a very empathetic character, that really shines through when she is tossed into the middle of the battlefield and shown the pain that her people, or anyone in general, is enduring.

What shall happen next? Now that Himoko knows the Secrets of Ba Sing Se?

Thank you all for reading, comments, votes, are all appreciated! Talk to you all later! -Golden