Dawn of a New Prince (Star Wars/Avatar Crossover)

"Or help Aang when he's in the Avatar State fighting him," Sokka added, frowning a bit as he waited for Toph to find Aang.

"If we have the chance, yes," said Katara. She sighed and, without warning, gave Sokka a light hug. "I really am glad you are okay. I was so afraid..." She trailed off and shook her head, leaning back to look Sokka in the eyes. "And, please, don't blame yourself for what happened to you and Toph. That's all on Vader, Sokka."

Zareal

Zareal felt it, Mara's familiar presence in the force. It was just up ahead, and there were quite a few agents around the cell. He wondered if he could trick them, but he had been feeling for a while that these guards weren't going to be fooled by a mind trick, which was why he hadn't tried it to escape his own cell. Prisoners had escaped, maybe he could use that, but it would mean alerting the place to the fact something was wrong.

In the end, though he didn't like it, he was forced to attack. With the Force, he lifted all four of them and slammed them into the walls. It was enough to knock them out, and when they fell to the floor, he searched them for keys. Finding a set, he slid the right one into the lock and opened the door.

"I know," Sokka told her with a frown, clenching his fists once again, "I'll make him pay for that."

"Remember your own advice, Sokka," said Katara, gently. She knew how serious Sokka took his role as protector. It hurt to think he thought himself a failure for being unable to protect them. "Don't think about vengeance right now. Just think about helping us get out of here."

"Huh. I think I found Appa," said Toph, all at once.

Zahanna

"Hm, and here I was expecting your friend to scream in horror and call me a demon. Good. Everyone ready to go, then?" Zahanna asked.

Mara

A barely conscious Mara looked up at Zareal as he entered her cell. She groaned and tried to sit up, and clear the fog that was in her mind.

Fi

"We tried. And we failed. She toyed with us for awhile, before slaughtering us, one by one. At the end, I was the last one standing. But...she didn't kill me." Fi said.

"Yeah, I know," Sokka told her with a nod looking at her before turning to Toph with a smile, "That's great!"

He had a different expression that he usually had when talking to Toph. It hadn't changed much. It was still happy but focused on the task at hand, but there was something else, something protective, perhaps tender in his expression, though he didn't notice the difference at that moment.

Zareal

Zareal knelled by Mara's side, as she was obviously having trouble with her head, probably from the impacts she went through. He put his hands on her head and used the force to help relax and clear her mind. He wasn't trying to invade it, but clear it of the fogginess.

Katara did note his expression. She wondered at it, but decided to chalk it up to his being his protective self again. He and Toph were good friends, too. That was all it was, she thought. It couldn't be anything else.

"Where is he?" she asked.

"In a big cell, about mid-level of this place," said Toph. "There's, uh, a big hallway close by, and ends in another big room. I think it might be some earthbender-elevator."

"That would explain how they got Appa down here," said Katara. She pursed her lips. "Anything with Aang yet?"

"I'm still looking. Wherever he is, it's deep." Toph's brow furrowed. "This isn't very easy."

"We could ambush a Dai Li agent and make him tell us," Sokka suggested thoughtfully, rubbing his chin. He didn't want Tooph to strain herself too much after her encounter with Vader.

"I don't think we should make any more noise than we have to," said Katara. "And who's to say he would even tell us?" She scowled. "I don't trust them."

"Oh!"

It was Toph. Katara immediately turned towards her. "Did you...?"

"I... I think so. It feels like him, at least."

Sokka smiled at her, glad that they had a lead at last.

"I knew you'd do it!" he exclaimed before asking, "Where is he?"

"It's just like I thought. He's in a cell in the deepest part of this place," said Toph. Her brow was still furrowed as she felt around the area she had found. "And it's really hard to get a lock onto him. They've got him pinned or tied up, somehow."

Katara clasped her hands. "Is he hurt? Or can you tell that?"

"Not from here. Sorry, Katara."

"That's okay," sighed the waterbender. She almost missed "Sugar Queen" and "Sweetness." "You can lead us to him though, right?"

Toph nodded.

Sokka nodded, gripping his blaster and looking at the other two in concern. He knew that they had to free Aang, but he was concerned for both of them. He didn't want them to get hurt even more.

"Alright. Let's go, but if something goes wrong, I want you two to get out of there," he told them.

Both girls managed to scowl.

"We're leaving here, together, or we won't leave at all," said Katara. "We are definitely not leaving your or Aang in this place, Sokka."

"I already told him that, but apparently he's an idiot," said Toph.

Katara couldn't help it. She laughed. It sounded so much like Toph--and it was such a relief to hear it, after the sullen, vulnerable Toph who had been so polite and quiet up until now--that it gave her a newfound strength and hope.

Vader and his allies had not destroyed them at all.

"You heard her," said Katara, smiling at Sokka. Toph looked momentarily embarrassed. "I doubt you could change her mind. Or mine. We're with you."

Sokka scowled and crossed his arms, a bit frustrated with their reactions. He should have known they'd react like this. Why were girls always so difficult?

"Stubborn women..." he muttered before sighing, "Fine. Let's just get going. As soon as we get Aang, we get out of here."

"We'll probably have to save Appa too," said Toph. "Aang won't want to leave without him."

"Let's worry about that when we get to it," said Katara, sighing.

Toph darted to the head of their formation and led them down the hallway. With something to do at hand, Katara realized that there was more energy in her. She half feared Toph would push herself too hard to try and prove to them, and herself, that she was not useless.

Sokka nodded, following close behind Toph, his blaster at the ready should any Dai Li get in their way. They needed to rescue Aang and Appa and get out of there quickly if they wanted to make sure the world had a chance against Vader.

The group of three moved like shadows through the corridors and down the various levels. The Dai Li base was huge and swarming with agents; thankfully, Toph's earth-sense helped guide them through the worst of it, and she was able to warn them whenever an agent drew close.

So far, they had not run into either Vader or Zuko. Katara hoped it stayed that way. They were in no condition to fight against either one of them, and the last thing Sokka or Toph needed were new injuries.

They burrowed deep underground, and they eventually came to the most closely guarded section of the base. Toph halted in a small alcove and nodded at a door ahead.

"Beyond that is a whole other level of stuff. Aang's in there, somewhere."

"Well, let's hope they aren't expecting a break-out," Sokka told her grimly, as he stood in front of the door and turned the handle slowly. He gripped his blaster and held it in front of him just incase.

"Toph, be prepared to make a wall incase they start attacking," he told her.

"Don't worry. I won't let them hit you," said Toph.

Katara drew up behind the pair. She had gathered water during their trek through the base, and now she had herself something to fight and defend with. She only hoped it would be enough.

"And I won't let them hit you either," Sokka told her with a small smile as he opened the door. They didn't have time for sweet talk anyway. Besides, it wasn't in their nature anyway.

With that said, he opened the door, finding three surprised Dai Li agents. Sokka opened fire, taking down two of them before one sent a good chunk of rock at them.

Toph moved forward, covering Sokka. She brought up her arm. The ground in front of her burst out, knocking the agent's attack awry and away from them.

Katara slashed her hands. A wave of water snapped across the agent's face. He stumbled backwards and crumpled to the floor, out cold.

((Mind slowling down with Sokka, Katara, and Toph for the moment? Things are going a little too fast for them.))

OOC: Sure, no problem.