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

"Sokka?"

His voice managed to bring her down from the emotional, panicking, high she had been caught up in. It sounded as if he were right across from her, probably in another cell. Toph drew in a tight breath, trying to cam down.

She wasn't completely alone here. Wherever here was.

"Yeah, it's me," she said. "You okay?"

"My body feels like a marshmallow and we just got captured again. Yeah, I'm peachy," he noted sarcastically before sighing, "You know, I never thought I'd say this, but I miss the old Zuko. He was a lot less powerful without his creepy master and those glowly swords."

Toph leaned against the cell-door. "That was Zuko?" she said. She snorted. "You were right. He is a dick, isn't he?" She sighed, too, and grimaced. It hurt to move around too much, thanks to the shrapnel wound she had in her side. "Guess this is just our luck though."

She paused for a moment.

"You got a plan?" she finally asked.

"Well, my cell is made of earth, but I'm guessing yours is made of metal to keep you from freeing us all. Unless you can metal-bend or Aang can use his Avatar State, then we're stuck," Sokka said with a frown.

"Yeah, that's gonna happen," said Toph. "I bet they've got Aang all drugged up, to keep him from doing just that. And everyone knows there's no such thing as metal..."

She trailed off. It was as if a firecracker had went off in her head.

"Metal... Its earth, right? Earth that's been worked with, purified and refined. But they never can get rid of it completely..."

Toph began pounding against her door again.

Sokka perked up, hearing the hope in Toph's voice and the sound of her banging on the door. He sat up and crossed his legs, a plan forming in his head. If anyone could bend metal, it would be Toph.

"The impurities should still be intertwined throughout the door!" he finished for her, excitement in his voice, "Go Team Avatar!"

"Shush!" she said. "Don't give us away. And I'm trying to concentrate!"

Toph continued to pound against not only her cell's door, but the metal in the cell itself. There was plenty to work with. As she did so, she focused her bending sight. She searched, hopefully and almost desperately, for proof that her idea had merit.

She struck the door with the backs of her hands. Ripples of vibrations spread out, over the entire cell, and she drew in a tight breath.

Earth! Bits and pieces of earth! She "saw" them.

It had to be the impurities left in the metal. Could she bend them?

"Only one way to find out," muttered Toph.

She reached out with her bending as she slammed her fist into the door. She could not hold it, and touched nothing. But she continued to try.

Darth Vader

"Erv, see to it that any wounded are tended to." Vader said, gesturing to Fi and Lilith. To Helios, he said: "Helios, you may visit any of the prisoners that you wish to, for now. Except for the Avatar. He is off limits for the moment."

Vader left the cavarn, heading toward one of the many tunnels branching off from it. Vader traveled down several corridors before he felt a small flash of warning from the Force. Changing course, the Dark Lord headed toward the cell the younger girl had been taken to.

Light thumping sounds could be heard from her door. Scowling beneath his mask, the Sith Lord held out a hand and reached insde the cell. He could 'see', in a way, the girl pounding on the door, trying to do something to get it open, no doubt.

Well, that wouldn't do.

Toph would suddenly feel an invisible force slamming into her, making her fly toward the back wall. An unseen pressure started to build around her throat, slowing her breath.

"I am afraid I cannot let you leave just yet, girl." Darth Vader spoke through the door.

Helios

Helios nodded and walked briskly down the cells to the cell the waterbender was being held. There was nothing really to be gained from visiting her, except to hurt her, which was something he would take pleasure in. She didn't seem to be awake yet, but Helios could fix that. With the force, he reached out and attacked her mind, an attempt to startle her into conciousness, and also cause some pain in her mind.

Katara awoke with a gasp of pain. It paralyzed her, for the briefest of moments, and once it ended she had trouble breathing. He rheart pounded, hard and fast, climbing up into her throat.

What...?

She took in her surroundings. Nothing was familiar, and she did not know where her brother, Aang, or Toph were. Panic threatened to overwhelm her.

And then she saw him.

Her eyes narrowed. "Zuko." She practically spat his name.

***

Toph kept up her slow but steady attempts to move the impurities within the metal. She was given a flash of satisfaction when she felt the iron ripple beneath her palm. She grinned.

I can do this! I can! All I have to do is put a little more--

Her thoughts were cut off by a hard shove from nowhere. The force of it was more than enough to send her hurtling back to the rear of the cell. She slammed into the far wall. The air was knocked from her lungs.

And something she could not feel, smell, or hear pressed against her throat, and she couldn't breathe. Toph clawed at her throat, more out of desperate instinct than anything else, and choked.

Vader's voice drifted past the door she had almost broke through. The calm, almost mocking, tone infuriated her. She hated him, and her thoughts came clear and bold and loud, even though she could not even draw a full breath.

You can't keep me in here forever, you overgrown tin-can! Watch me! I'll bust me and my friends outta here, and we'll kick your sorry ass from here to the Fire Nation!

Helios

Helios inclined his head and said, "you're only half right. I was Zuko once, but I'm more now. I am Helios, Dark Lord of the Sith." He walked up right next to the bars, his eyes glowing erie orange as some of the Dark Side users do, observing her through the bars as one would a beast in a zoo.

This peasant had so much power in the force, her waterbending skill was great, but it was wasted in that pathetic art. Not that it mattered much to him, but he couldn't help but feel that she could have taken his place at Vader's side, were she the one he captured those months before. He could feel the darkness within her, right beside the light, and though the light seemed to remain the dominant side, the darkness was ready to slip out, as it seemed close to doing now.

Mai

"Well what should we do now? If we leave her here she might trick the local officials into coming after us." Mai pointed out as she placed her gun back in it's holster.
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Lilith

Lilith sat in the healing room as she allowed one of the Dai Li agents to bandage the bacl of her head. Apparently she was suffering from a concussion and a fractured rib as well, and the Stormtrooper was pretty sure that the healer she had gotten was just making things worse.
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Jet

Jet sat in place as he looked up at the sky, making up his mind as he realized it was almost two a clock. The tea shop was bustling now, and Iroh and Anwar were plenty distracted at this point, Jet decided as he jumped down from the top of the roof.

Katara could not deny that his eyes bothered her somewhat. They were different, eerie and somehow wrong. His gaze made a chill raced up her spine.

But her anger was stronger than her fear, and she did not back down.

"I really don't care what you're calling yourself now," she said. "You're still the same low-life, who hurts innocent people just to get his way." Katara stood, on shaky legs, and glared at him. "Where is my brother, and Toph? Where is Aang? What have you people done with them?"

Helios

"A narrow interpretation," Helios said in response to her description of him. When she asked where her friends were, he replied, "the Avatar is being held far away from you. Vader saw what he was capable of and isn't taking any chances. Let's just say he's very uncomfortable right now. As for the other two, they could be dead by now for all I know or care. They were pratically dead when we captured you." He smiled, a cruel grin that showed just how much he enjoyed saying those words.

"Let her go!!!!!!" Sokka cried out as he heard the sound of Vader's mocking voice and Toph's struggles to break out grew silent. He hated the man more than he thought possible. It just wasn't fair. He wasn't supposed to be here.

"Do you torture your wife like that or did you already kill her?!" Sokka asked wildly, not thinking about what he said or he'd have doubted the monster had a wife.

*

Erv nodded at Lord Vader's orders and soon enough, he had a couple of Dai Li agents looking at the two stormtroopers. They proved excellent under pressure. It was expected of the clone, of course, but the woman surprised him. He was glad that she was one of the few to survive the crash onto this primitive planet.

Darth Vader

Vader eased the force he was applying on Toph's throat, before stopping it altogether. He could feel the anger within her. She was probably desperate to take that anger out on him, too, no doubt. Very powerful in the Force, this one was. While she was blind, that did not stop her in any way. How interesting. She could become a useful pawn, if handled correctly.

"I see I came just in time. I cannot let you leave, girl. You are my prisoners, and you shall stay that way. But, I see I cannot just leave you here, in that cell. You will simply try whatever you were doing again. Hm, perhaps I should cut off your hands, or your feet? Then, perhaps, you will not be as rebellious."

Then Sokka's words came to Vader. A great fury filled the Dark Lord. He sent an unseen push at Sokka, to slam him into the back wall of his cell.

"No, that won't pacify you, will it, child? You'd still fight against me. But...." Darth Vader did a scan of her weakened mind. "Ah, I see.....you love him, don't you? You love that boy. Well, if you will not yield before me, than perhaps I should turn my attention to him instead..."

Fi

"You, Dai Li man, leave. I'm sure you're only making things worse. Go look after one of the prisoners." Fi ordered, stepping into the room where Lilith was being healed. The agent glared at Fi for a moment, before leaving. Fi walked over to Lilith.

"Do you need any bacta?"

Zahanna

"True. We'll have to bring her with us, and tie her up, I guess. You're familiar with the girl, so I assume you can do that in a way so she won't escape. What about that Ty Lee girl you told me about? Where's she? From what I heard, she always follows Azula around like a lost puppy." Zahanna said, looking around. There were no more people in sight, which meant that Vader had taken the Jedi with him, if he had been there.

"Hm. Looks like we're going to have to negotiate with a Sith Lord." Zahanna said, frowning at that idea.

Sokka groaned as he felt an unforgiving, unseen force fling him against the wall of his cell. He cried out. His injuries from his and Toph's encounter with Vader earlier hadn't healed and he heard a crack. He had a feeling that wasn't good.

Then he heard the Dark Lord's declaration. Toph loved him? He looked in front of him at the door, as though trying to see through the darkness and solid earth to see the girl that had been his best friend for months. He thought of all the small signs, like her preferring to spend time with him rather than the others. He groaned and he felt the need to protect her take up a notch.

"Leave her alone," he choked out, feeling a coppery taste in his mouth something warm dribble down his chin. Dimly, he realized it was blood, but he had his full attention turned to Vader, "Stop it. Let her go. Can't you see that she's not a threat to you? Please, just leave her alone."

He was aware of the pleading sound in his voice and before, he'd have rather died than beg for anything from his enemy, but he was aware of the mind games Vader was playing and how much he really could hurt her and that made him toss aside whatever pride he had left.

Katara's eyes widened. A storm of emotion boiled within her, as that familiar panic threatened to overwhelm her again. She swallowed and her fists clenched. She felt tears brim at her eyes, but she refused to cry in front of him.

"You're lying!" she said.

***

Wow. Sokka had really touched a nerve, it sounded like. Toph did not have much time to wonder at it, though. Vader hit below the belt and threatened Sokka's life, or at the very least his health.

It made Toph feel very, very sick.

She really didn't care if Sokka knew about her crush, now. The only thing that mattered was protecting him.

Just as he was trying to protect her...

"All you are is a big bully," she said. Her voice was raspy and hoarse, thanks to his choking. "You like picking on people who can't fight back. Coward." She swallowed and leaned against the wall of her cell. The earth called out to her, but she ignored it. "Just leave Sokka alone. I'll do whatever you want me to do, just leave him alone."

Lilith

"Yes, please." Lilith replied, sounding almost a bit desperate as she spoke. She was grateful that Fi had sent the Dai Li Agents out of the room, and she wondered for a second why she didn't think of doing that. Though the thoughts quickly passed as she decided that didn't matter now.
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Mai

Mai stopped in place for a second as she heard Zahanna mention Ty lee. The Alien was right, it was odd that the cheery girl wasn't with Azula right now. Though Mai was certainly grateful that she wasn't here right now. Mai wasn't sure that she would be able to shoot her like she had shot Azula.

"K, do you have any rope...or chains?" Mai asked as she leaned over Azula. She knew that the best way to go about incapacitating the girl was to tie her hands and feet together so if she tried to firebend, she would just burn off her limbs.

Sokka could have cursed right then when he heard what Toph said. Damn it, she was willing to suffer to protect him as much as he would to protect her. Monsters like Vader loved that sort of thing. As long as he had one of them, he had both of them.

"Damn you," Sokka choked out, spitting some blood out of his mouth, "Why do monsters like you always win? First the Fire Nation and now this... Damn it. Just leave Toph alone. Let her go. Kill me if you like, but let her go. You already have the Avatar; you don't need either of us."

Helios

"Naive peasant, what reason would I have to lie to you now? Trapped in a cage, you can't do anything. What difference would it make to me to lie about anything to you? Well, believe me or not as you like, it makes no difference. Dead or alive, your friends have failed you, and you have failed them. Not even your Jedi friend or that woman could protect you from my master and I, and sooner or later you will all be dead, or wish to be," Helios said. Her eyes were watering, but her pride kept her from spilling them, and it was a futile thing to do. She had emotion, but to keep it stifled, to try and supress it like that, was folly. But it was her folly, and she would either realize this eventually, or die without knowing the true power she could unleash. The latter suited him better at the present.

"Is that why you're here right now?" she demanded. "To try and frighten me? You are pathetic."

But, if she were truthful with herself, she would have to admit she was scared. But she was more scared for her family than herself. It helped that she was very angry, too, and hated this prince and his arrogance. There was no time to be afraid, not when she wanted very much to take him down a peg or two.

Katara, more emotional than thoughtful, dared to smirk at him.

"Oh, let me guess. Are you still sore about me whiping your tail at the North Pole?"

***

Toph clenched her teeth. Shut-up, Sokka! she wanted to say. Spirits, she didn't want Vader to take him up on that offer. She would never forgive herself if Sokka was hurt because of her again.

Helios

Helios looked thoughtful for a moment, his eyes sinking into a dark stare, before he reached out his hand and grabbed her neck with the force, and she would feel an invisible force constrict her windpipe. "I may not be as good as my master when it comes to using the force, but I'm more than capable of causing you a painful death," he said, before releasing her from his power. "I'm not here to frighten you, wretch. I can tell what it is you feel, and fear was in your heart before I came into this room." This was partially a bluff, and partially a feeling he had. He was not proficient at feeling emotions yet, but he could tell enough that it wasn't positive emotions she felt.

Katara still managed to hold her head high, even after the brief scare. She did not know what to think about this strange power Vader, and now Zuko, had at their command. It just did not seem natural. Even so, she was not about to back down before him.

She had to be strong.

"If all you are going to do is gloat, you might as well leave," she said. She turned away from him and sat down. "I'm really not interested in anything you have to say, Zuko."

Helios

Helios sighed and said, "so simple. I guess you really don't care about your companions at all. Even your own brother. I might have been more willing to see they get some medical attention, they could have lived. At the very least, their final hours could have been more peaceful. Instead, they'll likely die a slow, painful death." He continued to feign dissapointment as he turned to leave. Of course this was not completely truthful, unless his master did something the water tribe boy and the blind girl would live, but he couldn't just leave without causing her more doubt and pain.