[Rabbithole: Loo and Sokka, post Mikideath]

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The Fire Palace is techincally a series of much smaller buildings grouped together and locked by walled footpaths and ornate gardens. The Imperial audience chambers are in the centre, near where the Royal family live in a smaller, heavily walled domicile. Guests are quartered in expansive rooms in one of the outer rings, a short walk away from the temple, used by all who live in the Palace.

One of the low buildings in the temple itself is dedicated to memorials to the departed. Smoke rises in thin worms from a thousand incense sticks, set before rolls representing the dead, individually or collectively. At the front, facing the worshipper as he enters, are twin rolls representing the parents of the current Fire Lord - one handsome king with his face marked by a hug burn scar, and one exotic looking blue eyed woman, sporting a scar of her own. As only four people in the world have ever met Melaka Fray, no one's arguing the likeness.

The victims of the recent border attack are in a temporary position next to Zuko. Each name is written out in perfect and careful calligraphy grouped by nation, and not one is left out, no matter who they might have been or which element they subscribed to. The sand in front of that scroll burns with more sticks than anywhere else, today.

Comments

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It really isn't done for a General or a Princess to take the arm of anyone except her husband, which is why Louise slips hers in Sokka's so readily.

"Roku's shooting up," she says. "He's already taller than Iroh, and Zheng. If Meila didn't look so much like her father I think he'd suspect seomthing."

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"Too bad you'll be missing that fight - it's remarkable how therapeutic it can be to beat your spouse up."

For someone often called a barbarian, Sokka doesn't make too much of an effort to convince people otherwise with his speech.

"Katara asked if I was sure I was her brother a few times. I look exactly like my father, but I'm about a foot taller." He smirks a little down at her, letting her lead the way though he stands beside her. "Roku must be having a good time looming over all those important men."

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"You think I haven't kicked his ass already on the training pitch?" Louise teases, leading the way out of the shrine and down the paths to the Imperial Domecile. "He hasn't defeated me since I was recovering from the huge mess that was Ursa's birth.

"Yeah, he's loving it. He's signing up for officer training next month, finally. Been whining that he's getting too old and I should have let him when he was fourteen."

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Snorting, Sokka shakes his head, rolling his eyes in the same motion. "Spirits, it's like the world is punishing you with the reincarnation of your father. At least he's happy."

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"Which if I remember right makes him not my father," Louise says. Some of the guards with them puzzled looks as she strolls through the narrow streets with a watertribesman, but no one tries to stop them.

"He's happy. And he's going to be a good soldier. It's just... I feel bad for wanting him to stay home and not sign up. We've abolished conscription, but it doesn't seem to stick."

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"He was a lot happier after his babies were born," Sokka reminds her, knocking her shoulder gently and smiling. The guards are ignored with great ease and practice.

There is a pause before Sokka speaks again, but when he does, it's without a hitch. "Miki was like that. No one ever asked him to go to the Earth Kingdom, but as soon as I said no, he volunteered. Possible that it's just a thing with kids."

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Louise's smile is genuine, and fond. "Remember when dad tried to tell us we were too young to fight?"

Now, admittedly the first time Zuko did that they were three.

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"You sure showed him. That stack of broken crates never saw it coming until it was already on fire and chances of survival were low anyway."

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"Wold have been more effective as an argument if we hadn't nearly burned down the entire street," Louise admits.

She passes through some heavy doors, flanked by important looking guards who positively glare at Sokka, before breaking through into a light, airy water garden.

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"Well, all four of you tended to do that. Did I ever tell you about the time your dad nearly set a bookstore on fire while arguing with me?"

The guards get a bright, beaming smile from Sokka, as well as a salute - made with the massive club he constantly has on hand. The garden is a surprise, though, and Sokka blinks as they come in.

"...a water garden. You just love making everyone double-take with irony, don't you?"

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"It's got turtleducks," Louise says. Because turtleducks explain everything.

Before she can say anything else, a child's voice calls out, "Mom!" and there's a girl about seven years old running down a promenade towards them. But she stops when she sees the tall Water Tribesman, and squints up at him.

"Who are you?"

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"Oh, I like her already," is Sokka's reply to the little girl's greeting, smirking over at Loo. He releases her arm and carefully gets to his knees, closer to the child's height. It either makes him non-threatening or more terrifying, depending on how Ursa takes being smiled at like that from someone she doesn't know. "I'm Sokka. I'm your mom's uncle. She's told me all about you, Ursa."

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Ursa eyes him suspiciously, looking to Louise for some sort of permission or approval before looking back at the old man in front of her.

"Did she tell you about the time I fell in the turtleduck pond and was nearly drowneded?"

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"Yup. She laughed, too. She's always been mean like that, though."

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Ursa pouts in the direction of Louise, who raises a finger and says, "Drowned."

"Drowned," Ursa repeats, looking back to Sokka.

"Are you here for the trial?"

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"Mean," Sokka repeats in a mock whisper, nodding back at Loo and nodding sagely. That turns to a softer thing with her question, though, his entire expression lightening save for a gaze that sits heavy on her when she nods. "Yes, I am. Did your mom ever tell you about your cousin Miki, Ursa?"

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Louise steps forward from behind him and places a hand on her shoulder, but Ursa's more interested in Sokka right now.

"Yes," she says. "He was one of the people the bad men killed. He lived in the Earth Kingdom with his family, but he was Water Tribe."

Her golden yes then go wide at him. "Was he your son?"

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Sokka gestures as Louise steps forward, glancing back with a tight smile. He opened the door to this conversation - he'll follow through on it, too.

"He was," he answers Ursa softly, turning back to her with that same smile, arms over his knees. "And his wife was practically a daughter. Their little girl lives in the Southern Tribe with my wife and our daughters, until your cousin Sakari goes back to the North."

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"I'm very sorry for your loss."

It's overly formal, but that's only because at seven, she has no idea how to address that issue.

"I was going to stay with them when I got older," she informs him instead. It's her way of sharing that she's sorry, too.

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Still smiling, Sokka nods for both the apology and the news. "Well, I'm sure King Bumi would still like to have you, when you're ready. And you're welcome to come visit Kanna, Miki and Ai-ling's daughter, whenever you want, too. I know your Aunt Steph would like that - we've been wanting to meet you for a long time."

He winces a second later, wobbling in his crouch before rising to his feet awkwardly. "But there's-- plenty of time for that stuff later. Besides, it's cold there."

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Louise is there for support when he rises, but his hand is being dragged down by a tiny hand that slips into it.

"Meila was going to stay with him next year," she says, conversationally. "But Mom won't let her anymore."

Oh, the things kids say.

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Yes, kids are hilarious.

With one hand holding Ursa's and the other on Lu's shoulder for support, Sokka turns to his other niece with an arched brow. The expression isn't accusing, but it's close if only by habit.

"Well, maybe later. Next year is maybe a little too soon."

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Louise is avoiding Sokka's eye, but she echoes "too soon" softly when he says it, and places her hand over his on her shoulder.

"Do you know Meila and Roku?" Ursa asks Sokka. "They're in lessons right now."

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Sokka's hand rises to cover Loo's, squeezing gently while he looks down to smile at Ursa. "I do. I haven't seen them for a few years, though. I live very far away and don't really travel much. Why aren't you in lessons?"

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"I've finished mine for today," she says proudly. "I learned a new move today, want to see it?"