Flameheart | Zuko

TWENTY-SIX

They were dragged through the tunnels for more time than Homura had expected, and in the end, they got out. From this place, Homura could make out every single spot in the Fire Nation. She didn't have the time to marvel at the view though as she was pushed to the ground.

Homura rolled on her back and struggled to push herself up as Ty Lee was thrown beside her, Mai and Zuko pushed down a few ways away. Ursa and her family were too pushed to the ground beside her and little Kiyi kept crying, no matter what words of reassurance her mother kept muttering at her. Guards moved all around them as Ty Lee leaned against Homura for support and pushed herself up.

"Distract them," she murmured, the corner of her lips barely moving as she straightened up as best as she could. Homura took a moment to look at Ursa, then at Kiyi before she turned to face Zuko. He was looking at her, as if expecting her to do something. Mai beside him was looking around at the guards, searching for a way out no doubt. Slowly, she turned to Chiaki.

Chiaki came to a stop in front of her and sat down on a rock. Her eyes never left Homura. A bandage was handed over to her and she accepted it with a nod as she started bandaging her hand up, all the while glaring at her.

"I should have expected this from you. You never had a good aim, though."

"It was good enough to injure you."

Chiaki let out a humourless laugh before stopping, and for a while, the only sound heard was Kiyi's sniffles as she attempted to stop crying. Homura couldn't look away from her. She was disgusting to be in her presence once more, and questions - one after the other - started to surface in her mind. There were questions she had been meaning to ask and never had the courage to do it. But now, tied next to her friends, most probably about to die in a few minutes, she wasn't afraid to ask. She knew this was her only chance to find out the truth, not to mention Ty Lee had asked her to distract them. With a set jaw, she spoke up.

"What kind of mother blows up the house of her daughter's best friend when her best friend and his whole family are inside and she's just out of their door?"

Chiaki narrowed her eyes at her, her answer instant. "One that didn't want everyone in Ba Sing Se knowing we were from the Fire Nation. I'm a spy. Nothing can stand between me and my mission."

"You killed them," she spat, "you killed them and you burnt me! How could you?"

She scoffed, "Don't pretend you're above such actions."

"I am!"

"You are?" she raised an eyebrow, almost humouring her. "What kind of daughter sells her mother out to the Dai Li?"

Homura glared at once, not caring about everyone listening in their conversation. Her fury was too great to pay attention to what they thought of her at this moment.

"Don't pretend you didn't expect this. You raised me like this."

"How dare you-"

"Ridiculing me for my lack of bending my whole life, taking me away from my home, getting me to Ba Sing Se so we could spy for the Fire Lord, teaching me how to be discreet and how to lie. You killed my best friend, scarred me for life, pushed me continuously and you're surprised I took the first chance I got to get away from you?"

"You would have been nothing if it weren't for me!"

"I would have lived a happy life," she burst as she inched forward.

Chiaki almost laughed. "You think you would? I suppose that joining the Kyoshi warriors wasn't something you were happy to do, then?"

Her eyes darkened. "How do you know I joined the warriors?"