Ch 2: Meeting Semi-new People

I don't own anything! I just own my OC's. And I know I'm repetitive. I'm working on that little problem, as well as my little describing problem. And some of these sentences aren't mine. I took some from the show. I did it to help it flow.

I'm going to be executed in the Fire Nation and I just found out I am a double bender!? Layla thought. This was so exciting and so terrifying at the same time.

The machine was going really fast, then it stopped all of a sudden. Layla hit the metal wall really hard. "Ow," she mumbled.

"The bison's near," Azula hissed. "Let's go."

The large metal door opened. The three girls climbed on the big mongoose-lizards and left. Or almost left. They stopped when they were about five yards away from the machine. Ty Lee noticed the door was left wide open. "I hope she doesn't escape," Ty Lee said with a little concerned look.

"She won't," Azula promised with a smirk. "Besides, if she did, I'll make sure that'll be the last she'll do."

Then they were gone.

As soon as the tied up Layla couldn't hear the steps of the mongoose-lizards, she hopped out of the machine like a little frog or toad or something.

When she was far enough, she stopped hopping. An idea came to her; and it wasn't an idea she was proud of. She even grimaced a little bit at the idea. Layla looked at the rope that tied her hands and grimaced again. I hope it doesn't taste bad, she thought with her nostrils flaring a little bit.

She untied her hands with her mouth with her nostrils still flaring. Then she untied her feet with her hands.

"Gross," she whined as she tried to get the horrible taste off her tounge. But this wasn't the time to be whining or complaining. It was time to look for someone; someone like Avatar Aang and his friends.

Layla looked at her surroundings. It was winter in the real world and spring in the Avatar world.

She was beside a shallow river. There was something that looked incredibly familiar in the water. She walked closer to it and scrutinized it. Clumps of wet, white fur.

"Appa," she whispered a little exuberantly.

Layla scrutinized the rest of her surroudings. There was a trail of fur and a single set of mongoose-lizard footprints. Then, there were two sets going in a different direction.

Layla kept walking. She was following the trail of fur. That was a little scary. She knew that would lead her to the town, and the town would take her to, not only Avatar Aang, but to Azula as well.

While she was walking, she tried practicing her firebending. Firebending was first because as she followed the trail of white, bison fur, she was getting farther and farther away from the river.

The now determined teenager began inhaling, exhaling, and concentrating on the heat of the sun. The last exhale was quicker and little rougher. She was now holding a small, bright flame. A smile grew on her face. For her own safety, she turned both of her hands into fists and the flame went out.

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About thirty minutes of walking later, Layla could feel and hear the ground rumbling. The next thing she heard was an elderly man saying, "Oooh. That really hurt my tailbone."

Next thing she knew, rock popped up out of the ground under her.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" she screamed as she was flying up then falling down. She landed on someone's back.

Layla rolled off of the person's back and looked. Her eyes widened, and she stood up swiftly.

"Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry, sir! I didn't mean to-"

"It's alright," the man interrupted calmly while getting up. It was Iroh. "It wasn't your fault." He smiled sweetly.

The two heard some footsteps walking towards them. A young, blind girl walked through the nearby bushes in a fighting stance. There was a hard expression on her face. Toph! Layla thought joyfully. I can't believe so much has happened all in one day!!

"Hi," Layla said. "Sorry if we startled you."

Toph's expression softened a bit. "That's okay. Sorry I hit you two in the butt."

Iroh and Layla laughed. Toph joined them in their laughter.

"Why don't you two drink some tea with me?" Iroh suggested.

"Okay," Layla said, smiling a sweet smile.

"Yeah, why not?" Toph agreed.

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"Here's your tea," Iroh said, giving them both a small cup of tea. "You both seem a little young to be travelling alone."

"You seem a little old," Toph commented. Iroh laughed. "So," Toph went on,"you think I'm helpless and can't take care of myself, huh?"

"Not at all," Iroh said.

"But you wouldn't even let me pour my own cup of tea," Toph argued.

"I did that because I wanted to," the old man explained. "Plus, I gave this girl tea, too."

"People always see me and think I'm weak," the earthbender continued, almost ignoring the other statement that Iroh said. "They just wanna take care of me. But I can take care of myself by myself.

"Hm, you sound a lot like my nephew," Iroh said. "Always thinking you need to do things on your own without anyone's support. There's nothing wrong with letting people help you."

Layla didn't want anyone to think that she knew them and everything that happened. So, she jumped into the conversation.

"So, where is your nephew?" Layla asked.

"I've been tracking him actually," Iroh answered.

Good. They don't suspect anything, Layla thought.

"Well, is he lost?" Toph asked.

There was a slightly concerned and sad look on the elderly man's face. "Well, a little bit. His life has recently changed and he's going through very difficult times. He is trying to figure out who he is and he went away."

"So, now you're following him, huh?" Layla said.

"I know he doesn't really want me around right now, but, if he needs me, I'll be there," Iroh said.

"Well, your nephew is very lucky to have you as an uncle," Toph said, smiling. She put down her now empty cup, stood up, and thanked him.

"My pleasure. Having tea with a stranger is one of life's true delights," Iroh said.

"No... it's what you said," Toph explained. "It helped me a lot."

"I'm glad," Iroh said.

"Well, I think I should be going, too," Layla said, putting down her now empty cup. She stood up, about to leave. "I don't want to bother you. Thanks a lot for the tea, sir."

Iroh grabbed her wrist gently. "Don't go."

Oh no, she thought, looking down at him. "Uh...yes?" she said with a raised eyebrow.

"Would it be okay if you were to stay with me and help me find my nephew?" Iroh asked.

Layla thought this though in her mind quickly. If I were to follow Toph, I would end up in that town. That would mean I'd run into Azula. No water would be available, so I would only be able to use firebending. And when Iroh gets hurt, Zuko would just get furious and have me run off. I'd end up with them. When I explain everything, they'll most likely let me join.

"Uh, sure," Layla said. She sat back down.

Iroh realized something. "I believe I haven't told you my name. I am Iroh."

"Iroh?" Layla repeated, still pretending. She was a very good actress. "As in like... the once great general from the Fire Nation?"

"That's me," Iroh said, a little proudly. "What's your name?"

"It's, uh, Mei-yun. I'm from a Fire Nation colony."

"A colonial," Iroh sighed. "Interesting.... So, what are you doing out here? Do you have a family?"

Think, think, think, think. "Yeah. I have a family. We're just a little separated for now. I'm supposed to go to Ba-sing-se. That's where we're going to meet."

"Why are you meeting there? It's not like Ba-sing-se is going to welcome Fire Nation people." Then he took a good look at Layla's clothes. "Where did you get those Water Tribe clothes anyway?"

"Well, we want to make a fresh start. We're kind of tired of the way people from our town treat and talk about the people of the Earth Kingdom." Layla really made it sound like the truth. She looked down at her clothes and answered the other question easily. "About the clothes... I come from and old colony that was founded many many years ago. When Water Tribe warriors back then attacked, they stopped and captured them. They thought the clothes would make great disguises."

"Actually, that sounds like a very good idea." He paused for a moment. "I mean the Ba-sing-se idea."

"Well, it is the safest place in the world from the Fire Nation," Layla added. She almost broke out laughing at that untrue statement. "And we're not just going there for the safety. It's also to make that fresh start."

Iroh stood up slowly. "Well, time to be moving on. We have to catch up to my nephew."

Layla smiled sweetly and got up, too. "Alright."

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They made it to the abandoned town (well, for now it isn't abandoned, right?). They missed some of the action. Zuko had been knocked unconcious, and Aang was fighting the evil witch named Azula with his friends.

Iroh and Layla helped Zuko get up. When he saw Layla, he looked at his uncle questioningly. "She's on our side," he convinced Zuko. They they joined the fight. Layla was firebending like she had been doing it all her life (or watching it for three years of her life).

They eventually had Azula surrounded.

To Layla's surprise, Azula hadn't mentioned that she was a double bender. Well, she couldn't read Azula's mind: Well, her execution will come sooner than I thought. Instead of waiting, I'll just capture her and just take her there quickly. I won't have to capture, Zuko, Iroh, and the Avatar first. That'll be her penalty for escaping. And I can do it without telling them. They'll just come after her and be in my way if they find out.

"Well, look at this," Azula said. "Enemies and traitors, all working together."

Iroh was looking at Toph and saw she was with the young Avatar and his friends.

While he was distracted, Azula shot him with a blast of her deadly blue fire.

Zuko and Layla cried out in horror and shock. Everyone else just stared with horror and shock on their faces.

Everyone shot as Azula. There was an explosion, then... smoke. Pretty soon the smoke cleared, showing the fact that Azula had eluded them, and showing Zuko kneeling next to his uncle. Everyone walked forward some steps to take a closer look. They would've taken some more steps closer if Zuko hadn't turned around and shouted," GET AWAY FROM US!" He was also talking to--or yelling at-- Layla. He didn't care if Iroh said Layla was on their side or not. All he wanted was to be alone.

"Zuko, I can help!" Katara offered.

Zuko refused. "LEAVE!" he shouted once more, this time lashing fire out at them.

A little frightened, everyone ran off to go back to the bison, Appa. Along the way, Layla told them everything. Including the two facts that she was to be executed in the Fire Nation and needed to be a secret.

They kept flying until they were sure they had reached a safe place. Everyone instantly fell asleep. During the flight, Layla had developed a large headache. It was one of those sleep-it-out ones.

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I know this chapter was worse than the last, but I'm trying! But, stay tuned for more!

Oh, and I'm going to challenge myself a little bit! I'll work on two fanfics at the same time, even though I'm a beginner at this!