"Another case, another dead, another convict proved innocent…We need a new jury, we can't keep doing this every month!" Sokka relented to his friend as he stormed angrily out of the courtroom, right after another hearing. Aang sighed aloud in response.
"They just keep pleading self-defense, these murderers! Despite the fact that there are several witnesses claiming the same men have been terrorizing Republic City with their bloodbending!" Aang complained in consent.
"Toph tells me that she has her officers prepare days in advance every month in preparation for the surge of calls they'll get, this needs to stop, Aang. Next it'll be my wife dead, or they'll hold someone of ours for ransom, or they'll take out Toph while she's trying to stop them. I don't want to bury Toph because some bloody bloodbender is getting away with murder, despite being caught-literally-red handed!" Sokka shouted.
"Alright, alright, Sokka, you're jumping to conclusions, you need to calm down, buddy," Aang said behind a slight chuckle, clapping his friend's shoulder.
"Jumping to conclusions? Twenty-seven are dead, Aang! And, what makes you think they wouldn't take Katara or Suki or Toph for ransom? Remember two years ago someone took Mai for ransom from Zuko!" Sokka shouted.
"Yes, but that wasn't a bloodbender, Sokka," Aang replied.
"No, but it was scum. And, all these bloodbending murders are scum, and all scum are the same. They wouldn't hesitate to kill Toph, she's the head of the police department, taking her out would take out their major foe! You know how easy it'd be for them to crush someone's organs! That's how they do it! And, that whole courtroom let the murdering sons of-" Sokka ranted as Aang cut him off.
"Sokka, Sokka, that's enough!" Aang shouted, shaking the young man, "Get a hold of yourself, no one's…organs are popped yet…And, no one is being held for ransom! Get a grip, we'll sort this out in time, Sokka, we always do."
"You're so patient and levelheaded, Aang," Sokka grumbled.
"Why thank you, Sokka," Aang said, beaming a wide smile.
"It's a pain in the ass," Sokka groaned, striding by Aang, brushing his shoulder passive aggressively. Aang just sighed and relinquished a laugh, shaking his head, as he followed his friend to his home. After walking about a mile, Sokka and Aang finally arrived at Sokka and Suki's row home. Sokka slammed open the door with a dour glower painted on his face.
"How'd it go, Sokka?" Suki asked her husband as she helped him remove his coat and Aang stepped inside.
"Crappy, Aang says we should let everyone die and hand you two and Toph over for ransom," Sokka complained.
"What'd Twinkletoes say about me?" Toph joked as she stood from the table and approached her friends, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Nothing, Sokka is overreacting," Aang said with a sigh.
"There's a shock," Katara teased.
"They let another one of those psychopaths go!" Sokka shouted and Katara's smiling, teasing face shifted into an uncomfortable demeanor.
"I don't see why they don't just outlaw the practice altogether…" Katara muttered.
"You think that'd keep those nuts from crying self-defense? Even you'd use bloodbending in self-defense, Katara," Sokka stated and Katara kept her gaze to the floor. She would, she knew she would, she just hated to admit it.
"Nonetheless…" Katara mumbled, "You-you've never done it, Sokka, you…"
"No, I just got bloodbent myself! And, I'll tell you, it ain't fun!" Sokka cried.
"No, it doesn't sound it. That's why we've got a huge problem on our hands," Toph added, slamming down a stack of papers on the coffee table, causing some of the cups to splash out the tea.
"Why, what's going on, Toph?" Aang inquired.
"There's some terrorist group, and that's the root of our bloodbending problems here in Republic City," Toph snarled.
"What kind of terrorist group?" Aang inquired.
"They call themselves The Red Hands, but they're a group of murdering pansies," Toph rebutted, "We don't know what their so-called mission statement is, where their headquarters is, or who their leader is. We just know that they like killing innocent civilians of Republic City and it needs to stop and we gotta stop it."
"That explains all the strategic murders…" Aang mused aloud.
"The killers you caught, and got away thanks to our God-awful judicial system, aren't even a quarter of all the ones out there in the streets," Toph informed, "I have no clue how they all got so adept and sly."
"What do we do? Round up every waterbender in Republic City and try to get someone to squeal?" Sokka asked.
"No! That sounds like tyranny! We can't do that!" Katara protested.
"Katara is right, we just ended a hundred-year-long war, and Zuko and I formed this nation to avoid oppression. Not to tell another tale of the oppressed becoming the oppressors," Aang commented.
"I don't care, I just want these murderers in a cell to rot where they belong! And, I want the head of this ruby fingers group hung!" Sokka shouted in anger.
"They're The Red Hands, Sokka," Suki corrected.
"I don't respect them enough to get their names right," Sokka shooed brusquely, waving his hand.
"So, what do we do?" Katara asked seriously, "We need to do something about this whole bloodbending issue."
"First we need to shut down that group, but it's going to be tough to even track them down…" Aang stated.
"Ay, Toph?" Sokka called and Toph quirked her eyebrow.
"What is it, Snoozles?" Toph retorted.
"You're pretty good at getting suckers to talk?" Sokka said.
"Yeah, so?" Toph replied.
"Well, next time you catch one of those idiots, get some information out of him! Get him to lead you to the base, and you'll be able to sense if he's lying!" Sokka suggested.
"That's not a bad idea for a change, Sokka," Katara complimented.
"What do you mean 'for a change', all I do is conjure up brilliant plans," Sokka sarcastically rebutted as his sister giggled in response.
"Hold up, there's a hole in your supposed-genius plan, honey," Suki interrupted, "When's the next full moon?"
"Thursday night, this Thursday, so in two days," Katara replied.
"See, Suki, I got this all under control," Sokka stated as Suki rolled her eyes.
"I'm sure," Suki joked.
"In the meantime, before we scope these suckers out, we need to set up a game plan. How are we going to go about tracking them down?" Toph asked, leaning up against the wall.
"Why don't we ask jerkbender to help us hunt them down, he's pretty good with obsessively tracking things, if you get my gist," Sokka sarcastically suggested.
"That's not a bad idea, Sparky is pretty perceptive when it comes to finding people," Toph replied.
"I was kidding, but alright," Sokka laughed.
"I don't see why we have to drag Zuko into this, that's another life to put on the line," Katara stated.
"We need his help, Katara," Suki stated, "And, we don't all have to go."
"Suki is right, sweetie," Aang said, wrapping his arm around his girlfriend, "Me, you, Zuko, and Toph, are all who need to come."
"I'm going," Sokka demanded.
"You'll just get yourself killed!" Suki exclaimed.
"I want to take down these sick-o's myself. They're the type who killed my mother, I want to be there when we drag their sorry behinds back to prison," Sokka insisted and Suki sighed.
"Well, if we're going to ask Zuko for help, which I still object to doing, we better head over to the Fire Nation now. The full moon comes in two days," Katara stated.
"Katara is right, we better get going. We can take Appa. Who wants to tag along?" Aang spoke.
"Well, I'm the one who needs him to come, this is my mission, so I better come," Toph stated, walking outside.
"Oh, I want to go! I want to see how Mai is doing with the baby, she's almost due!" Suki exclaimed excitedly, "Come on, Sokka, you're the one who dragged Zuko into this, so you're coming too," Suki said, as she pulled her husband out the door.
"I guess we're all going," Katara said with a laugh, putting her hand on her boyfriend's back, guiding each other out the door as they hopped onto Appa's saddle.
"Did I mention how much I still hate flying, because I still despise flying," Toph complained.
"Yes, Toph, you say it every time," Aang chuckled grabbing Appa's reigns to take all of his friends off to the Fire Nation, "Yip-yip!" Aang exclaimed, snapping the reigns as Appa ascended into the sky and the group began their trip to the Fire Nation Palace. They flew for a couple hours on the sky buffalo's back, as the sun set and the scenery shifted to a gorgeous, starlit sky. The friends spent their time on Appa's back talking about the years they traveled the world as kids on the same beast, how much simpler, yet more complicated things were back then. They finally reached the Fire Nation and were approaching the royal palace, landing in the courtyard. The pack of friends went to the elaborate door together, waiting to be granted access by the imperial guards.
"Hello, Avatar Aang and company," The guard greeted respectfully with a bow.
"Good evening, Hotman!" Aang returned with a wide grin as the guard smiled back gauchely in response to the avatar's strange expression.
"Aang," Katara whispered as she giggled.
"Old habits die hard," Aang said with a shrug and grin, to his girlfriend. The long, black doors then geared open to the large, extravagant palace, the long, ostentatious hallway being displayed. An old servant came to greet them at the halls.
"Avatar Aang, how are things?" The old man asked with a smile, they knew each other from all of the visits over the years.
"Actually, Hako, things could be better. That's actually why we're here, we need to discuss something important with Zuko," Aang explained.
"I'm sorry to hear that this is more than a pleasant stop for tea with the fire lord. Well, Avatar Aang, Fire Lord Zuko has been quite…busy lately, and Lady Mai with her…condition is not making things much easier," Hako explained behind the slight of a laugh, "He's down in his office room trying to file papers as usual, but Lady Mai is…distracting him, I suppose I could say."
"Well, Zuko and his two distractions and work are going to have to wait," Toph growled.
"Toph!" Katara murmured, "What she means is that this is urgent and we really have to talk to Zuko regardless."
"Very well, you all know where his office room is. It's usually where he's to be found anyhow. Good luck with everything, everyone," Hako agreed, as Katara began leading her friends down to the office room to contact Zuko for their mission.
"Is this where you're going to be the whole time, away from our child?! Hidden away like some sort of…I don't know what! You're such a pain, Zuko! That's no way for a father to be, hidden away like a monster in a creepy dungeon his or her whole life!" The group heard Mai hollering from the room's echo.
"Women," Sokka grumbled, "Zuko will probably be glad to come get his organs crushed with us."
"Oh, I'll crush your organs alright…" Suki grumbled behind.
"The only organ of mine you could crush, Suki dear, is my heart," Sokka said sarcastically sweet and Suki fought back her laugh to retain her bitter stare of malcontent.
"And then, you whine about the Aang and Katara 'oogies', for the love of…" Toph complained as she shoved past the bickering couple, "Zuko, get your butt over here!" Toph shouted, causing both Mai and Zuko to jump.
"Toph…" Zuko grumbled beneath his breath to Mai, "Toph, what're you doing here? I'm busy! If you need me, then you come here!" Zuko shouted grumpily up the stairs as Toph barged down them.
"Hi, Mai, how're you doing?" Toph asked in a slump.
"I guess I'm okay," Mai mumbled, shifting her vinegary gaze to her weary husband.
"How's the little person inside you doing?" Toph questioned.
"Well, they were probably okay until you decided to give 'em a heart attack," Mai retorted.
"Nah, I can feel its heartbeat, it's fine," Toph shooed as Zuko sighed and stood up, putting a hand to his wife's stomach.
"My child is not an 'it', Toph," Zuko grumbled defensively.
"Well, what am I supposed to say? I don't know if it's a boy or a girl and they is plural," Toph complained.
"It's better than calling him or her an object and just say him or her!" Zuko grumbled, "Right, baby?" Zuko said as he rubbed Mai's stomach and Mai stared at him peculiarly.
"Zuko, this kid is doing weird things to you, man, and this is before the kid's born. I don't even wanna know what you'll be like come time the kid's crawling around," Sokka commented as he and the others came down the steps and Zuko's face flushed red.
"You're all here?" Zuko exclaimed.
"Next time you could give some notice or not give my assassin-paranoid husband a heart attack from screaming down the stairs," Mai griped.
"You two are a very pleasant bunch, aren't you?" Sokka joked.
"Stop beating around the bush, guys. Unfortunately, Zuko, this isn't an out-of-the-blue social gathering," Katara stated.
"Is something wrong?" Zuko asked, his pouty face in response to his friends' teasing now turned serious.
"Yeah, there's trouble in Republic City," Aang answered.
"What kind of trouble?" Zuko further questioned.
"Bloodbenders, there's a gang of them killing people around town, we think we can stop them on Thursday night," Sokka explained as Zuko's eyes widened. The only time he'd seen bloodbending in action was with Katara, five years ago, when she used it on a man while trying to avenge her mother. That mere moment was enough to terrify him of the form; he remembered being horrified by her insurmountable power with that ability, that with how much she'd hated him, that she could have had him dead in an instant.
"What does this have to do with Zuko?" Mai snapped, also snapping Zuko from his horrified daze.
"People are dying, Mai, he helped found the city, citizens of that city are being murdered," Suki explained.
"It's horrible, but Zuko is the leader of the Fire Nation and I don't see what help he can be," Mai vented.
"I'll help however you guys need," Zuko intervened and Mai's eyes widened and then flashed into a glare.
"You're going to die," Mai hissed, "I'm going to be a widow raising a fatherless heir to the throne who'll end up on the throne at twelve!"
"Mai, I'll be fine, and they're right, I helped found the city, it's part of my responsibility. Plus, I swore to restore balance, this doesn't sound serene and balanced. And…I've seen only a glimpse of bloodbending," Zuko spoke, eyeing Katara cautiously, "And…if that's a restrained form…these people must be stopped."
"Thank you, Zuko," Aang said graciously, "And, what we wanted you for was to help track these people's headquarters down."
"We know you've got a knack for obsessively stalking, Sparky," Toph joked and Zuko smirked in response.
"That I do," Zuko agreed, grinning at Aang.
"Okay, then let's get going, we don't have any time to lose," Sokka reminded as Aang nodded in agreement. Zuko then approached his wife, taking her wrists by his hands.
"I'll be right back so you can finish screaming at me, alright?" Zuko assured with a smile.
"Oh, whatever, maybe you ought to never come back at all," Mai grumbled, turning her face away from his watch.
"That'd probably be better for your blood pressure," Zuko teased lightly, "I better be going now, goodbye, Mai."
"Bye, Zuko," Mai said, hugging him tightly, "Don't die," She whispered in his ear, "You people, you better bring him back in one piece! You know Zuko, he does dumb things, and I'm trusting you to make sure he doesn't."
"Don't worry, Mai," Katara assured, "I'm used to watching over the whole lot of them," Katara said, smiling at the Fire Lord's wife as the boys pouted, Zuko then gave Mai a peck on the cheek and Team Avatar charged out of the palace. The team boarded Appa, fear swimming in all their chests.
"So, what exactly is the problem with the bloodbenders and what help can I be?" Zuko asked as Aang steered Appa across the sea.
"There's some kind of terrorist group out to kill people with bloodbending, and if we catch one of them, we want to get them to talk through Toph's mechanisms, and we were hoping with your adept stalking abilities, you could track this place down, their headquarters, and we could shut the whole damn, crazy movement down," Sokka explained and Zuko nodded adamantly in agreement.
They continued soaring through the night sky and dark clouds back to the newfound city. When they arrived, they all rendezvoused at Sokka and Suki's place, discussing their plans and tactics for taking down the association. This dragged on for the next day and a half, as the area was scoped out and placed under careful watch, and warnings issued to citizens to keep a keen eye out to be safe from bloodbenders. When Thursday night finally arrived, nearly everyone had their doors locked up in fear of their lives, and the police troops were stationed at every corner. This was the night to make a move, people's lives depended on it, and so the group of friends huddled together with their plan, praying it would not end futile.
"Alright, this is it," Sokka declared.
"We better split up so we can all get a better eye around town for wherever they might show up," Katara suggested.
"How will we know if one of us spots someone?" Aang asked.
"Bring them over, we've all got enough strength to drag one here," Toph replied.
"Toph, they're bloodbenders," Katara snapped.
"Should've brought Ty Lee," Zuko stated, crossing his arms.
"I think we can manage it, especially Katara and Aang. You don't have to use force either, you could try to trick them into getting to the police station," Toph explained.
"Alright, sounds like a plan, let's each take a different side of town, we don't have time to lose. Suki, you stay here, at what we'll call base, in case we need something. I'll take West, Katara and Zuko take East, Aang, take South, and Toph take North. We good?" Sokka relayed the whole group nodded along in understanding as they dashed off to their deployed posts. They each reached their designated stations and stood stealthily and patiently, awaiting a bloodbender to take back to the station. The minutes turned into hours as the friends grew weary, beginning to believe the bloodbenders had taken the month off, when Katara and Zuko were startled by a rustling of trees.
"Who-who's there?" Katara shouted, Zuko stretching a hand over her protectively.
"We're on guard duty, show yourselves!" Zuko ordered as he suddenly felt a jab to his back and he collapsed, stunned, Katara fallen beside him.
"We've been chi-blocked," Katara mustered out, wincing.
"What did the boss say to do once we got two of them?" The masked female asked the masked male alongside her.
"She told us just to make sure we didn't get the avatar, to bring them back to base, and to leave a note to make sure the avatar becomes aware of our negotiation," The masked male explained.
"Shoot, they're bloodbenders," Zuko whispered to Katara.
"And, chi-blockers apparently. What do we do, Zuko?" Katara whispered back.
"What can we do? We can't move!" Zuko replied.
"Shut up, you two!" The guised male snapped, giving them a kick on the ground.
"We have to get Rik with the carriage to drag them back!" The female insisted as they bickered back and forth, Katara and Zuko still both helplessly lying on the ground. When suddenly a carriage came crashing up over a curb recklessly, scooting over to the corner, stopping in front of them. "Took you long enough, Rik!"
"I couldn't find you guys. You got them, two of the avatar's people?" Rik asked, hopping out of the carriage, throwing up the trunk to load them in.
"We got the fire lord and some girl," The masked man replied as Rik looked over at the hostages.
"I'm pretty sure that's the avatar's woman," Rik explained.
"Good! Boss wanted good hostages, I'd say the fire lord and the girlfriend are as good as they come," The masked woman grunt added and Rik nodded.
"Now come on, Juku, help me load up the carriage with our supplies," Rik asked the masked man, Juku, as they both took Zuko by the arms and legs, tossing his paralyzed body into the back of the carriage roughly. Rik then went back for Katara, throwing her into the back with Zuko bridal-style. "Alright, Juku, Rosaline, get in, hurry up! Did you leave the note?"
"Yeah, I put it there," Juku assured, "Now let's get the hell out of here."
"Great, let's blow this place," Rik retorted as he snapped the reigns of his ostrich-horse, racing roughly away from the scene of their crime, the only trace left as the note.
"How long does it take for our feeling to come back?" Zuko whispered to Katara in the trunk of the carriage as they sped through a forest shortcut, running over speed bumps, causing Katara and Zuko to fling all over against the walls.
"Hours," Katara whispered back helplessly, "Hours."
"At least we know they're bringing us back to their base, we're getting there, maybe we can stop this or whatever they've got planned," Zuko murmured, Katara nodded, as they hit another bump. They were in for a bumpy road ahead.
Meanwhile, Sokka, Toph, and Aang began to take note of the lack of any bloodbenders treading the streets as they usually had the past few months. Gradually, each of them retracted to Sokka's house in confusion, and to discuss what this could mean and what the next step should be. They were all seated at a round, oak wood, kitchen table with porcelain teacups before them. Suki was pouring each of them tea, as Aang stood up and started fondling with the curtains while gaping out the window nervously.
"They're not here…" Aang muttered aloud in worry.
"Maybe they haven't given up yet, maybe they're looking for us," Toph suggested.
"No, we told them to meet here under this kind of circumstance…" Aang rejected.
"Maybe they're pursuing someone," Sokka stated.
"N-No…I think they're in trouble, Sokka. I think we better go check things out around where we stationed them, just to be safe. Maybe they're still there. I won't feel right until they're both back," Aang explained and Sokka nodded.
"Aang's right, better safe than sorry, we better go check out Katara and Sokka's corner, Toph," Sokka agreed.
"Alright, I guess you're right," Toph said as she chugged down her cup of tea, stood up, yawned and began to stretch.
"We'll be right back, Suki," Sokka said as he grabbed his coat off its hook and slid it on, waving goodbye to his wife as he and his friends dashed back out the door, leaving Suki sighing once again. They retraced the steps of Zuko and Katara until they reached their designated corner, they could see the wagon wheel's tracks in some mud.
"Something happened here," Sokka spoke slowly, kneeling by the tracks.
"But…what?" Toph pondered, Aang then stepped over, spotting the note on the ground; it had a dead flower tied to it. He slowly knelt down and picked up the folded piece of paper and began unfolding it.
"Dear Avatar Aang and Company, if you want to see your friends ever again with their organs intact, follow the directions listed below to find me. I await your arrival and cooperation. –The Red Hands," Aang read aloud with trembling hands and a shaking voice.
"Damn it!" Sokka cursed, kicking the side of the wall on the corner, "I told you, Aang! I told you, dammit! Oh, no, they'd never hold Katara for ransom!"
"Alright, alright, calm down! We'll follow the address; we'll get them back. We always do. They may think they have the upper hand, but you're the avatar. They don't know whom they're dealing with here; they're just leading us to their base like a couple of morons. We'll get back Katara and Zuko safe and sound and we'll shut down these psychos," Toph ordered as Aang put his fingertips to his eyes in distress. He then stood up, inhaling and exhaling deeply, then nodding with determination.
"Let's go get 'em," Aang said fiercely, taking to the directions sternly. The trio evaluated the address precisely, then they charged off, marking each spot on the trail through the forest, keeping a keen eye for the base. The woods ran deep and the paths were convoluted; it was no wonder The Red Hand had remained hidden so long from the authorities. They were going out miles far and each path was a new puzzle behind more rocks and through more caves. The group could only pray that this wasn't a diversion so that the association could rid the town of the avatar to strike with no retaliators to prevent them while they searched in vain for their friends. After their hour-long scavenge, the trio spotted a small room with a long staircase inside.
"They must be down here, they have to be," Aang said, his voice cracking.
"There's only one way to find out," Toph insisted as she barged ahead, charging onwards, her two friends close behind. What they saw they almost couldn't comprehend. It was an elaborate, long cellar filled with people in red suits and blood splattered over the walls and the floors. Aang felt lightheaded at the sight, but his girlfriend's life could be at stake, it was something he needed to take a risk for.
"Your leader! I must speak to him!" Aang declared valiantly, as the mob of people stopped dead in their tracks, quaking in the face of the avatar. Each face in the crowd looked mortified to see his face, the face of the one man who could stop them.
"Don't fear him. He has power, but he'll never use it," An old woman's voice croaked from somewhere in the throng. As the mass of people stepped aside, creating a hall for the woman to walk down. Aang and Sokka's eyes bolted open wide at the familiar old face.
"H-Hama!" Aang exclaimed in alarmed recognition.
"How're you not dead!" Sokka cried as Aang shot him a glare, "You were like a million and a half when we met you five years ago!"
"Here I am, dearie," Hama snickered, "I have some presents for you, I'm a woman of her word, this is precisely why the avatar state won't be a wise choice," Hama called, beckoning for her minions to drag out her hostages: Katara and Zuko.
"Katara! Zuko!" Aang cried, jumping towards them.
"Not so fast, Mister Avatar. Make one move and I'll have my friends here stop their hearts. They're specialists in that death technique, it won't take them but a few seconds," Hama explained as Aang's face went pale. Tears were dripping off of Katara's face and Zuko looked paralyzed in fear. They were both incredibly battered and bruised with bloodstains on their clothes, and you could feel the fear radiating from the gleam in their eyes.
"What do you want from us?" Sokka demanded, his hands shaking.
"I just want to play a game," Hama swooned innocently.
"What game?" Toph shouted aggressively.
"It's simple, we'll take turns. I'm sure you played as a kid, we like to call it 'would you rather'. We've only made some slight adjustments. This time, we'll go by a majority rule," Hama explained with a cackle.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Aang cried as his eyes darted between his best friend and his girlfriend, flickering behind welling tears.
"Oh, you'll find out momentarily…" Hama cooed, "Remove the officer and the judge, it's the avatar's turn first…" Hama ordered as two men pulled Sokka and Toph into a back closet, blackmailing them in with threats on the tied-up Katara and Zuko's lives.
"Okay, so what is this?" Aang choked out.
"I won't waste my breath. I want you to choose, Avatar. Who will live, who will die? Will you save your love or the Fire Nation's noble leader?" Hama cackled.
"Aang, Aang, just-just pick Katara, don't fool around, just save Katara!" Zuko screamed as the bloodbender restraining him twisted his neck with bloodbending to silence him, earning a grunt in pain. Aang's eyes widened in horror as his heart beat rapidly in his chest. Katara's eyes also widened as she spoke out despite the consequence she knew to follow.
"No, no, Aang! Aang, I know you love me, but you have to save Zuko! Zuko is the fire lord; the people need him to rule! He's more important to the world! You're the avatar, Aang; it's your duty to do for the people! Remember what they told you, you have to let go, Aang! Aang listen to m-" Katara cried, trying to reason with her boyfriend, as the same silencing technique was used on her. Aang winced as a tear slid off his face.
"I-I…I can't choose, I-I…" Aang muttered out, tears beginning to fall from his eyes. He didn't know what to do, if he fought, they'd both be killed instantaneously.
"Aang! You can't let her die!" Zuko cried, "She's your girlfriend!"
"I-I can't just kill you off either, Zuko!" Aang screamed, he was shaking in his skin, "Hama, what do you want? What is your reason for doing this? I'll give you what you want, please, please let them go!" Aang begged as Hama smirked.
"It's the same as my reason for forming this whole movement, sending them out to take out the streets of Republic City," Hama snickered, "If you don't make a choice, I'll just mark down your vote as to kill them both. Wouldn't you rather save one than none?"
"You can't expect me to sentence my girlfriend or my best friend to death!" Aang cried.
"Very well, I'll note you as death to both! Bring out the Water Tribe boy next, the girl's brother," Hama ordered as another henchman came and led Aang to the closet.
"No!" Aang shouted as he too was blackmailed into the closet and Sokka was presented before his sister and friend who were chained and forced to their knees. He also noted their tattered and tethered appearance marked also with blood.
"I won't play your sick game, Hama," Sokka demanded, "You tried to make me play this when I was sixteen, and we wouldn't play. We're not all as sick as you."
"Sokka, Aang wouldn't pick! You have to, she isn't bluffing! Katara is your sister!" Zuko screamed and Sokka stared his sister in the eyes as tears fell from them, his stomach curled into a knot. He then also eyed Zuko; his face read a defiant fear. The henchman twisted Zuko's neck again with his bloodbending, making Sokka jump.
"I'll have him twist both their necks right in half if you don't chose one," Hama snarled, "Don't be as foolish as the naïve avatar, young man. You're from the Water Tribe, think like one. Do you really want to let your sister die on account of not being responsible for the death of this…this ash-making, son-of-a-tyrant! They'll both die anyhow!"
"I won't do it! I won't!" Sokka shouted, "Let them go! Both of them, my sister and the fire lord!"
"Your foolish demands get you nowhere. Is that your final choice? Kill them both?" Hama interrogated. Sokka stared Katara dead in the eye. She knew what he meant, he wanted her to use bloodbending to stop her, and the way she did years ago. Katara shook her head helplessly. She couldn't, the chi-blocking was still in effect. Sokka could read his sister's eyes, he understood and knew it was futile. He also knew Katara wanted him to save Zuko as much as Zuko wanted him to save Katara.
"Sokka, Zuko is the fire lord, Sokka, be practical," Katara managed to quickly husk out. Sokka knew what she meant. He still wouldn't do it. He wouldn't vote for his best friend's death, and he would certainly not vote for the execution of his baby sister.
"No," Sokka muttered, keeping his head down, as he shook it, "No," he repeated in obdurate refusal, clenching his fists.
"Very well," Hama stated, waving her hand as the henchman dragged Sokka back to the closet and pulled Toph out, throwing her too before her decrepit friends.
"Aang told me what you want me to do, and I won't do it either," Toph proclaimed boldly, "I won't let you do it either. I've never had much of a family, and those two, and the two you have locked in a closet are the closest I've got to a real one and you aren't taking any of them from me."
"I see you've made up your foolish, stubborn mind. Unfortunately, your stubbornness is going to make you lose two as opposed to one. Bring out the other two so they can see this," Hama commanded as the henchmen dragged Sokka and Aang out, restraining them best they could. They all started shaking, "I think I'll kill the fire lord first," Hama announced as she wrapped her wrinkled hand around the back of Zuko's neck.
"What do we do? What do we do?" Toph cried, as they all began to panic.
"No! Please! Please, don't hurt him, please!" Katara cried desperately, tears streaming off her face as she fell on her side off her knees, begging. Hama disregarded her pleas as she began to move her hands, curling Zuko's gut unnaturally as Zuko shouted in pain, Aang began to breathe heavily.
"No, no stop!" Sokka shouted as he charged at the woman, but two of the henchmen shoved him to the ground as Zuko's face turned blue and he started to choke.
"Zuko!" Toph cried, using her earthbending to fling Hama away, but momentarily after, more grunts used chi-blocking, causing Toph to fall to the floor as Hama got up and resumed her prolonged carnage method. Aang started to feel lightheaded as he saw Zuko going blue, he had to do something, he needed to act fast or Zuko would lose his life and next so would his love, Katara. Hama then twisted Zuko's neck back, nearly cracking it as something snapped in Aang.
"No!" Aang cried as he started to bloodbend Hama's wrist, preventing her from continuing to torture Zuko. Zuko collapsed, coughing up blood on the ground as Sokka ran to his side. Aang's eyes widened in horror at what he'd just learned to do, but he had to finish what he started. Aang then brought Hama to her knees and raised her head up to face him, like she was his puppet, Aang clenched his teeth, fighting his tears. Katara was scared at the sight of him like this, it was scarier than watching him in the avatar state.
"You dumb boy," Hama cackled through her grimace in pain, Aang eyed her with confusion, "Thank you."
"No, you will never do this to anyone else ever again. And, we are shutting down your movement," Aang affirmed, he positioned his hands on her chest and forehead and stripped her of her bending abilities as the weary, old woman fell to her feet. Aang looked away, putting his hand to his forehead. He then ran to Katara, who was still bound. He undid her ties and held her close, kissing her face. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, Aang, I'm fine. I'm worried about you?" Katara sniffled, holding his head to her shoulder, "It's scary, I know."
"I had to do it, Katara, I had to, I'm sorry. I know how much you hate it, but Zuko-" Aang cried into her shoulder as Katara soothed him.
"No, sweetie, it's okay, shhhh. I would have done the same thing, shhhh," Katara appeased him. Zuko then spat up more blood and Aang and Katara looked up in alarm.
"Are you alright, Zuko?" Aang asked urgently, putting a hand to his back in concern. Zuko just groaned in response.
"I don't know what she did to him," Sokka grunted in disgust, glaring at her with her ever-looming, sick, unnerving smile. Katara gently moved her brother and boyfriend aside, placing a tender hand on Zuko's shoulder.
"Zuko?" Katara called, receiving only a moan once more. Katara swallowed hard, "He could be bleeding eternally…I-"
"Can't you fix it, sugar queen?" Toph exclaimed.
"I still don't have my bending!" Katara cried, "And-and…that's how we lost Jet."
"No!" Sokka shouted as he angrily stomped over to Hama, grabbing the old lady by the collar, shaking her, "If he dies, I swear I'll-"
"Sokka! She's an old lady and she has no bending!" Katara snapped, "And, I don't know! He might not be!"
"You children are awfully dumb, aren't you?" Hama still cackled, Katara glaring at her with ire in her eyes as she lifted Zuko's head, holding him up in her arms to allow him to breathe better.
"You're sick! You were sick five years ago! Why aren't you still in prison?" Katara shouted.
"You think that prison could hold me? Throw me back into one and I won't be able to leave now, now that your sweetheart has stripped me of my bending, but I don't have many years left anyway," Hama explained, "I got precisely what I wanted anyway. Years ago, Katara, I taught you to bloodbend, the art was passed on…And, now it will never fade, not now that the avatar knows the technique."
"No…" Aang cursed beneath his breath, he played straight into her trap.
"But why, why kill all those people? Why the movement?" Toph shouted as Hama laughed aloud.
"Because the avatar decided to team up with the fire lord and mingled all the nations! They were meant as separate and he ruined it-contaminating it with the nation of murderers! So the citizens of your newfound land are soiled, I had to dispose of them!" Hama explained, "And, my team is doing a splendid job clearing this up as you fuss over your fuddy-duddy friend here and squander your time arresting me. People are dropping like flies as we speak."
"I knew it!" Toph cried as she ran behind Hama, quickly handcuffing her, "Ignore everything she says, we need to get back to Republic City as fast as we can!"
"What do we do about Zuko? I don't think he can move and we can't leave him!" Katara cried, as the whole group began to panic.
"There's a carriage, I saw it on our way in! Someone sit in the back with Zuko and take care of him and also keep an eye on Hama, I don't want to underestimate her," Sokka exclaimed as they all nodded, Toph quickly led the cuffed Hama up the stairs, dragging her, and got her into the cart as Sokka and Aang carefully helped Zuko up and walked him up into the carriage as softly and swiftly as possible. They all got inside the ostrich-horse-drawn carriage and Katara hopped in the back to care for Zuko and keep a close eye on their prisoner. Sokka then took the reigns, and got the ostrich-horse going as fast as it could, racing out of the woods and back onto the straight path that would lead them directly to Republic City. Zuko groaned as they bumped over rocks and swerved through the streets, coughing up more blood. Katara helped ease some water from her pouch down his throat; he still looked pale. They finally got to the city, and already they could spot blood on the streets.
"Oh, no," Sokka muttered, hopping out.
"This is all my fault," Aang cried, wracking his hands over his head at the sight of the macabre scene.
"W-we don't have time to mourn this!" Toph choked out, "We need to stop more of it from happening! I need to lock this one up in the prison, you guys, get started! I'll be back as soon as I can!" Toph explained as she tore Hama from the back of the carriage and started to force her down to her cell at the station.
"I'll take Zuko back to rest at you and Suki's place, Sokka, then-" Katara began to explain, but cupped her hand over her mouth in horror at the gruesome sight. Aang put his hands on her shoulders.
"Katara, we have to stop more of this from happening, okay?" Aang said reassuringly as Katara nodded along in horror, the scent of blood permeating through her nose, "Go, take care of Zuko, and then come back. We can stop them, we've beaten worse."
Katara nodded to her boyfriend, knowing what had to be done, knowing she had to hold herself together unless she wanted a view of more bloody victims. Katara hopped back into the back of the Conestoga wagon, Zuko was still moaning in the back. There was no way Katara could carry his limp body all the way back to her brother's home. She was physically strong, but she was still not a man. She had no choice but to wake him and have him lean on her shoulder for support as he hobbled back to her sister's-in-law and brother's place. Aang and Sokka needed the carriage to put any injured, surviving victims in to bring to Sokka and Suki's for first aid later.
"Zuko," Katara whispered, still holding in her onslaught of tears from the horrific, grisly sight. Zuko's eyes fluttered open slightly, "Are you okay?"
"I'm hanging on…where are we?" Zuko asked.
"We're back in Republic City, Hama tried to kill you, Aang stopped her by using bloodbending. It was all a pose so her henchmen could get to the city and kill people; we hurried here as fast as we could. Toph is taking Hama to lock her in prison until her trial, Sokka and Aang are fighting off the bloodbenders, and I need to get you to Sokka and Suki's house, you're hurt," Katara explained, catching up her friend as quickly as possible; Zuko's eyes widened in alarm.
"H-how many dead?" Zuko muttered hesitantly in fear. Katara looked away as tears flooded her eyes.
"I-I don't know…Too many," Katara answered honestly as Zuko looked down in grief and guilt.
"We fell right into their trap," Zuko gritted through his teeth in fury, trying to sit up, but wincing, clenching his abdomen in pain, coughing blood.
"Careful, like I said, you're injured," Katara stated, helping him lie back down, "Zuko, I can't carry you, though, I just can't do it."
"I can walk, I'm okay, you help them, I can get back myself, they need your help," Zuko insisted and Katara's eyebrows furrowed crossly.
"Are you crazy? You could be bleeding internally! Plus, they'll kill you on these streets! They'll see you all weak and go in for the fire lord with his Achilles' heal! I won't let you!" Katara snapped. Katara pondered a moment; she'd be more help healing people back at her brother's home than stopping The Red Hand. Plus, she was too afraid to leave Zuko there with no proper medical attention and potential internal bleeding. None of them would ever forgive themselves if they came back from fighting crime just to find Zuko dead. "I'm staying there anyway."
"You aren't staying there just 'cause I'm a little beat up!" Zuko yelled in protest.
"It isn't just for you, don't be so bloated," Katara joshed, "There are tons of injured people in these streets and I want to be able to set up a little hospital to help them out. I'll be saving more lives that way. So, come on, be careful," Katara explained as she put her arm under Zuko's back, helping him rise to his feet. She called Aang's name from down the block.
"Aang, I'm staying at Sokka's when I leave Zuko! Take the carriage! Bring any injured people back to Sokka's house! I'll send Suki to help you guys!" Katara informed her boyfriend as Aang nodded.
"Be careful, I love you!" Aang called back as Zuko jokingly waved to his friend and Aang shook his head.
"Yeah, you don't die either, Sifu Hotman, I mean it!" Aang called, and Zuko just waved him off again with a smirk as Katara eyed him strangely.
"You're being weird, you've lost too much blood, we better hurry," Katara joked as Zuko snickered; both of them beginning to trudge up the block back to the row home. The duo finally made back to Sokka and his wife's home, Zuko panting and sweating as they stood at the doorstop. Katara feverously knocked at the door as Suki raced down to open it; she looked pale as she opened it in fear.
"Katara?" Suki exclaimed, "What's going on? Is Sokka okay? Are you okay? Is everyone alright?"
"Just about," Katara answered as she nodded her head towards Zuko beside her.
"Oh, no, what happened, Zuko are you okay, oh no," Suki cried, opening the door as Katara pulled him in, lying him down carefully on the couch, "I heard them all charge in and I wanted to stop them, Katara, I did, but I didn't know what I could do!"
"It's alright, Suki, they just would have killed you too. You did the right thing," Katara assured, putting a hand on her friend's shoulder, smiling at her as tears flickered in Suki's eyes.
"Where's Sokka?" Suki questioned.
"He's out trying to round up as many members of The Red Hand as he can," Katara explained, "I'm going to stay here and help Zuko and care for any injured victims as they bring me. They need your help Suki, it's just Aang, Sokka, Toph, and her police force right now…and I don't even know how many of Toph's force are left…"
"I'll go," Suki declared without hesitation, "I've seen enough of this bloodshed. Take good care of Zuko, I'll look after the others."
"Look after yourself," Katara ordered in her usual motherly tone as Suki grabbed her fans, standing by the door. She nodded to Katara with a smile as Katara placed a wet rag to Zuko's sweaty forehead, Suki then charged out the door-not in her city.
While Katara lugged Zuko to Suki's, Toph lugged along another passenger. Hama kept chiding Toph with empty threats and terrifying statistics of her ultimate plan. Toph tried all of her mass amounts of will to refrain from noticing the comments, but Hama was good, Toph would give her that, almost as good as Princess Azula.
"I told them not to stop until every Republic City civilian was lying on the cold, hard ground-bloody and dead," Hama croaked as Toph gritted her teeth.
"Be quiet," Toph snapped brusquely.
"That's no way to speak to your elders, young lady," Hama cooed.
"It's how you speak to genocidal psychopaths, though," Toph grunted back.
"He'll die you know, it's inevitable," Hama stated curtly as Toph almost paused, before reminding herself it was all mind games.
"Do you want to be next?" Toph threatened, shaking her, struggling to keep her composure.
"I told them to take out your friends first, they're at the top of the list for targets, and I'm sure the fire lord has bled to death by now. I only wonder who will be casualty number two. Who do you think they'll put on the throne? The old uncle?" Hama baited. Toph could feel her temper running thin, but she ignored the woman, continuing to drag her ruthlessly through the streets, her stomach curling at the scent of blood and the feeling of lifeless bodies lacking heartbeats below her.
"I wonder what the world would do if their avatar was murdered by mere bloodbenders? It'll be interesting enough to see what they'll do now that the fire lord has. But now both of them? It should be quite fascinating," Hama spoke sickeningly sweetly.
"The only fascinating thing will be when everyone hears your verdict for death row, now shut your mouth or I'll just save everyone the time of a trial!" Toph shouted, and then calmed herself. She needed to lock the woman up securely and get straight to the streets to evacuate people and take out the rest of The Red Hands. She also needed to deploy what was left of her force. They needed all the resistance they could convene. The police station was but a block away, and Toph pulled the frail, struggling, old woman along the promenade. They reached the station and Toph grabbed her keys and dragged Hama to the most secure and cold cell they had and she literally swallowed the key.
"You aren't going anywhere," Toph snarled as she darted down to the crew room to see if any of her troops were still lingering. She found seven. "Where…Where are the others?" Toph asked in a plea.
"They went out there to fight, Chief Bei Fong," An officer answered and Toph clenched her fists. She had no idea how many of them were still alive.
"I need one of you to go to our top cell and watch over our special prisoner," Toph commissioned and an officer up front nodded as he ran to his post, "Thank you," Toph stated with a sigh, "Come on, boys, we have a city to save!" Toph proclaimed as she rallied her officers and lead them to charge to take back Republic City into the hands of the pure-hearted.
Aang and Sokka were running out of breath as they each tried to fend off several bloodbenders at once. They were both in awe at the overwhelming number of Red Hands members there were. How could so many join a murder movement so sickening? In between their combat, they also had to pull the wounded fatalities, who were still breathing, onto the back of the carriage; space was getting scarce. A bloodbender had Sokka in a headlock, about to work his magic, with Aang preoccupied taking out another. Sokka held his breath, "This was it," Sokka thought. When all hope seemed to have been lost, Suki knocked the man from Sokka, causing him to fall to the ground.
"Suki!" Sokka exclaimed.
"I thought you could use a hand," Suki stated, kicking out another Red Hand member.
"You saved me!" Sokka cried as Suki knocked over another incoming bloodbender.
"I did, but I don't want to do it again, keep your eyes peeled," Suki shouted, attacking more members of The Red Hand.
"Wait! I don't want you out here! You're going to get hurt!" Sokka cried, as he drew his sword to combat another foe. Suki tossed another enemy to the side as she gave Sokka a sarcastic, sideways glance. Sokka scratched the back of his head with a nervous laughter in response, whipping out his sword once more, in defense.
"Careful, Suki!" Aang called, pulling her down to duck with him from a thrown fist as Aang rose to catch it, throwing the man backwards off his feet.
"Aang would you hurry the hell up and get into the God damn avatar state already!" Sokka screamed as he wrestled on the ground with a foe.
Meanwhile, Katara was taking in as many patients as possible. She had passerbys spread the word and soon she was a full-time doctor for at least three-dozen people. In the midst of Katara's struggle with her patients, Zuko found time to slip away. He felt useless lying there while people were murdered in the city he founded, right outside his door. So, Zuko limped out of the row home and began throwing flames towards members of The Red Hands, not all of who were bloodbenders. Zuko was stunned and mortified by the piles of corpses in the streets, they seemed nearly silent, save for the occasional Red Hand member to creep up behind him. Zuko then reached the heart of the city, where Aang, Suki, Sokka, and now Toph and her force were, and he discovered the reason for the lack of opponents.
Katara dashed from person-to-person, trying her best to treat them all effectively. After checking in with each of them, Katara ran off to reevaluate her personal patient. "Zuko?" Katara called, but to no avail, "Zuko!" Katara called again, cursing at the sight of the empty couch with the bloody pillow. "I knew I shouldn't have let you out of my sight!" Katara shouted in frustration, pulling at her hair. She ran to the door, almost going out to drag him back in there, but knew she had to stay, she couldn't leave all those sick people in there with no medical assistance. She was stuck, and she was afraid, afraid for them all.
The reason, Zuko uncovered, that he was facing few foes, was because Aang had entered the avatar state. He was wiping out several bloodbenders and average Red Hand members in one swipe. Suki, Toph, Sokka, and Zuko were watching in awe at their friend's mesmerizing, yet still, fearful, surmountable amount of power as he took down the evil organization singlehandedly. Aang went on for what seemed to be hours, with help from his friends, taking out the group, until finally no more members could be seen. Aang collapsed from exhaustion. Suki, Toph, Sokka, ran to his side, and Zuko limped behind.
"Aang?" Sokka cried, shaking his friend's shoulder in concern, "You alright, buddy?"
"Twinkletoes?" Toph called as Aang slowly sat up.
"I'm okay, it's over. They're all out, it's done. Hama's in prison?" Aang inquired wearily as Toph tearfully nodded, embracing her friend.
"It's done," Toph whispered as Aang put an arm around her back.
"It's not totally over until I get the council on board with banning bloodbending and we give Misses Lunatic a trial," Sokka mumbled, kneeling himself in fatigue.
"I thought you were against prohibiting bloodbending, Sokka?" Aang questioned.
"I was, but have you seen this? Plus, if someone like Katara needs it in self-defense, and works outside the law, why would anyone press legal charges or repercussions?" Sokka said with sigh, wiping his sweaty forehead.
"That was some impressive stuff, Aang. Glad to see my firebending lessons didn't go to waste," Zuko added in, as they all turned to face him. They hadn't noticed him until now.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Sokka shouted, "You look like you're going to keel over! I thought your guts were bleeding! Lie the hell down!"
"I'm fine, I think Katara needs help though, and there are more people here that need to be brought back," Zuko assured as he received skeptical glares.
"Including you," Suki snapped, "And, Aang needs to rest for awhile too!"
"We all could use to sleep for nine days, but unfortunately for us, we don't get that luxury. We have to clean up this bloody mess and sort things out with the law," Toph interjected.
"Toph's right," Sokka asserted, "As much as I love sleep…"
"What I'm dreading…is the casualty count…" Zuko muttered, leaning on Sokka not to fall over. The whole group remained silent a few moments in grief, they all felt culpable to some degree.
"I thought you were fine, what're you all hugging on me for?" Sokka griped.
"I'm just a little lightheaded, calm down, I'm barely touching you," Zuko rebuked as Sokka tossed Zuko's arm over his shoulder.
"Come on, jerkbender, you need to go back into the hands of the wrath of my sister," Sokka groaned, "Someone help the other jerkbender too."
Toph and Suki both took one of Aang's arms over their shoulders and the group began making their way home. Toph had her officers deport the rest of the wounded along as well. They arrived to Katara tapping her feet at the door, holding several thermometers in her hands.
"Are you all okay? I was so worried!" Katara cried, and it was visible tears had been shed.
"We're okay, it's alright, sweetie. It's over, for now. I took down all the ones I could and some of Toph's officers we found are arresting them all," Aang answered tiredly, embracing his girlfriend as she wiped her tears into his shoulder, kissing him.
"And, where is Zuko?" Katara reprimanded and Sokka handed him over, "You're seriously lucky you didn't keel over dead in the middle of the streets! You look so sick! Go make him lay down now! You all had me worried sick! But Zuko you have no excuse! Y-"
"Sweetie, it's okay," Aang whispered.
"You think Zuko's potential death is okay?" Katara snapped.
"Katara, I think he's okay, I don't think he would have made it that far if he was bleeding internally," Aang explained and Katara started to laugh until her laughter turned into tears.
"I think it's post-bloodbending effect," Sokka answered, Zuko on his shoulder, "Remember this happened to us years ago with Hama? We got all pale and sick, but we were fine the next day."
"That's right," Katara said with a smile of relief, "Nonetheless! Go lie down!"
"Yes, ma'am," Zuko joked as Sokka took him back to the couch.
"Sweetie, you look exhausted. Why don't you lie down too?" Katara suggested, cupping her hand to her boyfriend's cheek and Aang nodded.
"You need help?" Aang asked.
"I've got real doctors coming in, I'll be okay. There's plenty of work to do starting tomorrow, so you need the rest," Katara explained and Aang nodded, kissing Katara as he made his way up the stairs to rest. Toph clapped Katara's shoulder.
"The trial will be tomorrow, bright and early," Toph informed and Katara nodded.
"I wouldn't miss it for the world," Katara replied, and she didn't. None of them did. Not exhausted Aang, not sleep-deprived Toph and Sokka, not Suki, not even half-ill Zuko, who was diagnosed by a doctor, along with several other wounded, to be victims of post-bloodbending effect. They all made sure to be there for the hearing, earlier that morning Sokka had easily convinced the council into passing the anti-bloodbending bill to prohibit the practice except for in extreme dire cases of defense. Now all that was left was Hama's hearing, they all hung at the edges of their seats, awaiting her arrival. The doors flung wide open, everyone in the courtroom diverted their attention to the back doors. But the sight they saw wasn't Hama in chains, what they got instead was a frazzled, young policeman.
"She's gone! She isn't there!" The officer panicked, the gang looking at each other in bewilderment. Hama had escaped prison yet again; no chains could hold that woman down.
Done as requested by the lovely user Brandishing No. 2 Pencils! :) I hope she as well as whoever else reading this enjoys it! (And, I really hope it lives up to her expectations, I'M REALLY SORRY, I DID MY BEST AND DREW SO MANY BLANKS AND WRITER'S BLOCKS WITH THIS ONE AND THINGS USUALLY COME SO EASY TO ME, I'M SO SORRY I MADE YOU WAIT SO LONG, BUT HERE IT IS. I HOPE IT ISN'T TOO AWFUL.)
Thank you all! :D