Me: Good new! I found out that my doctor only removes tonsils on June 12 (weird) and sometime in early August so my surgery is off (for now).

Gidget: What? That's not fair! I wanted the house to myself!

Me: What were you going to do? Kill my computer and set my room on fire?

Gidget: What would give you that idea? –hides blow torch and ax behind back–

Me: Whatever…

Disclaimer: If I owned A: TLA then this would be a claimer, not a disclaimer.


Escape

"Aang you have to concentrate." Toph instructed. "After telling you almost every day for two weeks you'd think that you'd have gotten that by now."

"At least I can lift rocks." Aang said.

Toph frowned. "Earthbending isn't about lifting rocks. You have to be one with the Earth. You have to sense everything around you."

"I know. I just meant that I can do some bending."

"Well you still have to concentrate in today's lesson." Toph told him.

"I'm sorry. My mind is just somewhere else." Aang confessed.

"You're thinking about that Katara girl and you sister aren't you?"

"Aang, Toph, time to go!" Sokka called.

Toph sighed. "We'll have to continue tomorrow."

They all piled onto Appa and left the ground. For breakfast they had what they ate for dinner, nuts.

"I miss Katara's cooking." Sokka whined.

"Sokka, I think we're being led to the Fire Nation capital." Aang said.

"Why do you think that?" Sokka asked.

"Because I see a lot of red up ahead of us." Aang told him.

Sokka looked. "Okay, that's a good reason."

"Good observation Captain Obvious." Toph teased. Sokka glared at the blind girl. Momo

"The ship is really close to shore. I think they're about to pull into port." Aang stated.

"They're still about an hour away." Sokka corrected him.

"Then we have to hurry. Yip-yip!" Aang called.


"James, Zuko, Iroh, wake up!" Sarah hissed for the millionth time. Finally, she lost her temper. Her eyes turned to glowing red as she heated the room up to an unbearable temperature.

"Sarah, stop! Make the temperature go down!" James pleaded after he awoke because of the heat.

The red faded and Sarah's eyes returned to their normal silvery color. The room began to cool until it was normal as well.

"Why did you make it so hot?" Zuko, who had also woken up, demanded.

"I've been trying to wake you up for the past three hours. Listen to me. I have something important to tell you. My father came here last night."

"Your father came here? What did he do? What did that bastard want?" James inquired.

"James, don't call my father that. Do you remember when you found me a few weeks ago and how I had seen my mother?" James, Zuko, and Iroh all nodded. "Well, she told me that the Fire Lord had implanted some kind of mind control devise. It made my father evil but the good Keith is still in there. I've come up with names for the personalities, Evil Keith and Good Keith." Iroh chucked.

"Okay. What did your father want?" James asked again.

"Good Keith was in control when he came in here. He told me how we can escape. I was trying to wake you all up so you know what to do. He told me that the guards are going to unchain us when we reach the Fire Nation. There is supposed to be a guard for each of us. There is going to be a moment when we're free. That moment, before they put the other shackles on us, is when we strike." Sarah explained.

"What other shackles?" Zuko questioned.

"The guards are going to have a pair of shackles to put us in. The moment in which we strike is right before they chain us up again. We have to be very fast and make sure there is no noise when we knock out the guards." Sarah replied.

For the next hour they went over the plan and any questions they might have in whispers. Sarah told them where Katara was. It was decided that Zuko and Sarah would be the ones to get the waterbender while Iroh and James got off the ship and waited for them. Now it was time to wait for their chance to escape.


They didn't have to wait long. About twenty minutes later four soldiers entered the room and released the prisoners. The moment they were free the attacked the soldiers. James and Zuko dragged the bodies into a corner and chained them together. Then Sarah stole a set of keys from one of the unconscious men and they all dressed in the soldiers' uniforms. When they were all dressed they hurried out of the cell.

The four walked to the deck, hardly able to restrain themselves from running to freedom.

"Where are the prisoners? Weren't you supposed to bring them here?" Azula asked harshly.

James stumbled for words, "That was the other soldiers. We were guarding the doors to make sure the prisoners didn't escape." Azula nodded and walked off.

Sarah sighed in relief. "That was close. Too close. We have to get off this ship." The others nodded in agreement. The strolled off the ship and ducked into the shadows.

"We'll meet you here when we have Katara." Sarah said as she and Zuko slipped back aboard the ship. Sarah led Zuko to where she had sensed Katara.

"This is where I sensed Katara earlier." Sarah frowned.

"What's wrong?" Zuko asked.

"Something's not right."

"Well, we have to get Katara. Give me the keys." Sarah handed them to him.

He opened the door and pulled Sarah in. He looked around for Katara but couldn't see her. "Sarah, where is she?"

"She's not here, but something of hers must be because I sense her in this room." Sarah closed her eyes and concentrated. She walked over to a table and picked up a blue necklace. "Katara's necklace," she murmured to Zuko.

Zuko came over to her and grasped the stone. Then he saw a map and a note. "Sarah, look at this."

Sarah opened her eyes and grabbed the note. She read it aloud:

Jet,

You should take the waterbender and leave for the hut now. Be sure to take the map. I'll send a soldier to fetch you as soon as I explain to my father that you helped us and your reward is the girl.

Azula

"I should have known Azula would have them leave before we were to be brought up." Zuko growled.

"This must be a map that the note was talking about. This," she pointed to a red circle, "must be where Jet is taking Katara." Sarah observed.

"Let's go before someone catches us." Zuko tugged at Sarah's wrist as she put the map and note in her pocket.

"Wait a minute. Azula would have taken Katara and my things, right?" Zuko nodded. "Where would they be?"

"They would be in her room, why?" Zuko inquired.

"There's stuff I need. Show me her room."

Zuko who knew the layout of Fire Nation ships led the way and soon they were standing in front of a door, Azula's door. He found the key and opened it. Sarah rushed in and snatched her things. She didn't see anything of Katara's and assumed that Jet must have them.


Azula walked down to the prisoners' cell and opened the door. She saw the four soldiers she had sent.

"Zuko!" she shouted in rage. Azula ran to the deck screaming, "Keith, where are you?"

"What is it Princess Azula?" He panted.

"The prisoners have escaped! Find them!" She barked. Soon everyone was searching for them lest the crew feel Azula's wrath.


Sarah and Zuko froze when they heard Azula screaming.

"Hurry, Sarah!" Zuko hissed.

"Zuko is this yours?" Sarah held out a blue mask.

"I can explain-" Sarah cut him off.

"There's no need to. I'm glad. This means that we can sneak off of here instead of trying to walk of in these uniforms. Here," she tossed him the black clothes that had been with the mask. "Take of the uniform and put this on." She turned away and allowed him to change. While she waited she striped off the armor and put the finishing touches on her disguise since she was already dressed.

"You can turn around now." Zuko whispered.

Sarah turned and went to the door carrying a bag. She was a bit startled buy Zuko's mask but only for a moment.

"Come on." They slipped into the hall and into the shadows.


James and Iroh tried to hide from the soldiers coming off the ship.

"Do you think they were caught?" Iroh asked anxiously.

"I don't think so. Azula probably discovered that we're gone. I'm surprised that it took her so long." James chuckled as two figures in black jumped in front of them. "You certainly took your sweet time." James chided. "Where's Katara?" He asked when he realized she wasn't with them.

"Jet has taken her to a hut somewhere. We managed to steal a map the he was supposed to take but forgot. We also took a note Azula wrote." Zuko explained pulling off his map.

"Then we must find her before something horrible happens to her." Iroh stated. The others nodded in agreement. Together they followed they began to follow the map and set off away from the ship and farther into the Fire Nation.


Me: I'm finally updated this thing. Aren't you all happy? Sorry about Toph being OOC. I just can't seem to write her any other way.

Gidget: Shouldn't you be in bed? I'm telling Mommy. Mommy!

Mom: What is it Gidget?

Colorcrystals: Mom, since when can you communicate with animals?

Mom: Gidget trying to tell me something dear. Wait a minute, why aren't you in bed?

Gidget: That's what I was going to tell you.

Mom: You're such a good little dog. Here, have three treats. Colorcrystals, you're grounded for the rest of the month.

Me: What! That's not fair!

Mom: I don't care. Go to bed this instant or I'll extend your punishment until the end of summer.

Me: Yes ma'am. –turns to reviewers– See how much I love you guys? I've gotten myself grounded again so I could update for you.

Gidget: Ha ha! You got in trouble! You got in trouble!

Me: I'll show you trouble. –runs after Gidget– Get back here you evil fiend! I want to kill you!