Chapter 6

There was nothing but Darkness the waterbender could see, she couldn't open her eyes because of blindfold. She was having a difficult time breathing with a gag in her mouth; she had a painful time with the metal chains that tied her hands behind her back and her ankles together; which were digging into her skin.

But that wasn't her only problem.

She was not being fed, or given water.

She felt lightheaded; she was starving just after one day and a half; well that was what she predicted.

Her mouth was dry, she was desperate for water.
And to add another problem on to her list; she was freezing cold.

However whoever kidnapped her had thrown her into some sort of cold metal cell. Since she couldn't move; she couldn't exactly exam her grounding.

Yes that was another thing; she didn't get to see her captor's face yet.

She highly doubts it was Zuko…or was it?
He wouldn't be this cruel? Of course not!

So she must be captured by Azula.
But Azula would've been trying to draw information out or manipulating her.

Combustion Man?
He's dead.

Some other enemy that she and her friends haven't came across yet?
That's a possibility.

Well she knew one thing; it was dead quiet in her cell. Way too quiet. There wasn't even a rat that had made a sound; or so she thought.

'Oh shit…' a thought occurred to her that made her instantly regret being captured, 'They can't cook! Where are they going to get a meal that is already cooked for them!?'

She struggled against the chains desperately, but failed miserably. Those chains held her down too well.

After her long day in the cell, she finally released some tears, and wept silently; worried for her friends.

Everyone slept soundly; even Zuko managed to sleep after tossing and turning during the night.
The former prince was first to wake; after all, Firebenders rises with the Sun.
Slipping out of the small cavern block, he crept his way around the tunnels, he looked around for the nearest light. He was surprised with himself not getting lost in this maze.
Walking over to the light; he crawled out of the hole and when out for a look out.

He walked around the temple. It was quiet, but not deadly quiet.
Walking into his room cautiously, he peeked through the window and frowned at the sight before him.

Azula and her army were no longer there.
However there was a massage mess scattered around the grounds that they were on.

Sprinting out of his room and outside of the temple; he stood in a defensive stance, scanning his ground cautiously.

He noticed that even the creatures of the temple came out; which meant one thing.
Azula was gone.

He sighed.

"So they are gone aren't they Sparky?"

Zuko spun around and saw the smirking earthbender.

"What's so funny?" he asked.

"Let's just say I formed a little plot while everyone was asleep last night." She looked at her nails that she couldn't see as Zuko studied her face, "What did you do last night?"

"It has to do with Azula." She smirked even wider when she said it.

"What did you do?" he wasn't so sure if he wanted to know.

"Let's just say…I kind of destroyed their entire base." She grinned evilly, "I metalbended their ships into crumple bits." She rubbed her hands together, "Oh man, you should've heard them screaming!"

Zuko unconsciously backed up a bit, "You didn't kill anyone…did you?" he muttered nervously.

Toph blinked then burst out laughing, "Oh man! You actually thought I would do that to a bunch of wimps!?"

"My sister isn't a wimp." Corrected the firebender who had his arms crossed across his chest, "Tell me exactly what you did."

"Well, it started out like this." She frowned, "Azula indeed brought her Dai Lee Agents, they were scamming around the temple. However; because they aren't blind and they aren't being taught like Twinkletoes, they don't know how to feel their groundings. Otherwise they would've found us without a problem.

"So for my own fun being; I snuck up to the Dai Lee and knocked them out, then dragged them over to the camp where the soldiers were patrolling…" she paused for dramatic effect, "Anyways; they were startled that a mere child like me took out those two Dai Lee Agents; so when they were about to set an alarm off; I did it happily for them." Her grin she expressed looked like some sort of deadly devil looking at its victim.

Zuko shuddered, "What did you do?"
Scanning the mess he felt his heart nearly stop.

"TELL ME WHAT EXACTLY YOU DID!?" he exploded.

"Well, as I was saying; the guards were about to set off the alarm; but I did it happily for them." She paused again for dramatic effect; Zuko's eyebrow was twitching, "Please stop doing that."

"Why? Where is the drama then?" she snorted before continuing, "Anyways; as you can see…" she waved her hand among the mess, "this was my doing. I earthbended massage chunks of boulders and hammered them into the ships; oh and I did hit some of the soldiers; some were knocked out in one blow-, how do they even get into the army? Jeez,-and so your sister came out to see the commotion.

"She got really pissed off and tried to take me down. However I kept on hiding underground and popping out and every angle she couldn't see and shoot stuff at her." She shrugged, "She really lacks patience.

"As I was saying; because she was being out smartened by a mere blind girl; she obviously wasn't happy." She frowned, "So she shot lightning at me."

Zuko gasped, "How did you see it?"

"I didn't. I heard a strange sound and didn't bother taking a chance and hid myself underground." She replied, "However; Azula was a step ahead; she shot at the earth. She ordered all of her soldiers to set the ground on fire." She pointed to the scorched marks, "I was able to stop the fire before it reached the temple." She grinned, "You are surprised that I even survived this don't you?"

"No, it's just really hard to believe." Muttered Zuko as he sat down on a boulder.

"Actually it isn't." she replied, "I'm the world's best earthbender; don't deny it."

"Whatever."

"What? You don't believe me?"

"This sounds like a whole lie."

"Why?" she questioned him.

"Well, wouldn't we have woken up from all of the racket?"

"Hm, that's true." She shrugged.

"Tell me Toph; are you telling the truth?"

Toph grinned, "Nope."

"Really?" Zuko muttered, he blinked, "WHAT!? YOU MEAN THE ENTIRE TIME YOU WERE TALKING; YOU WERE SPILLING A LIE!?"

"Part of it was true." She frowned, "I did knock out the Dai Lee Agents." She crossed her arms across her chest, "Azula left not much longer when she learned that their air force was damaged."

"So you did the damage." Questioned Zuko; who was now studying Toph, very carefully as she nodded, "I metalbended in order to damage their ship."

"Did you go inside, or did you do it outside?"

"Outside; I went underneath the airships and did quite some damage." She grinned, "Had to choke back my laughter when I was watching; or could I say listening to Azula's fury."

"So they left to get their damaged repaired."

"Yes, I know, but it'll give us time to sneak out of here." She replied, "We should head out and search for Katara. We don't even have clue where she is located."

Zuko nodded.

"I'll go and wake the others and tell them to get packing, I want you to go looking around for some clues; maybe we missed something, we didn't get to search the entire temple because of Azula's sudden attack." Toph called from over her shoulder as she made her way to their underground cave.

The former prince walked among the temple's ground. He tried to think where Katara might've ran off to.

Wait, that night; they didn't refill their water flasks, they were going to do it in the morning.
'The water fountain!' he thought as he dashed over the half destroyed fountain.

The water was still running, the water was still crystal clear.

Circling the fountain, he prayed to find some clues.
He stopped when he felt dizzy after going around in circles looking at the ground seven times.

Cupping his hands into the water, he splashed the cool water at his face. Opening his eyes, he spotted a glint of light from the sunlight's reflection.

A thin ribbon waved from the vibrations of the water, he dove his hand into the found pulled out the object.

"You got to be kidding me." He groaned and held it in his palm, "What is with me finding this stupid necklace anyways!?"

In his hands was Katara's necklace; that meant the world to her.

"Well, better keep it safe; maybe this will chill her out from murdering me." He mused out loud and slipped the necklace into his pocket securely, just before Aang and the others could see it.

"So Toph drove Azula away." Grinned Aang as he approached Zuko, who suddenly noticed something he didn't before and dashed past them.

"Jeez, what is wrong with him?" demanded Sokka as the other all laid their eyes on him.

Zuko was on his knees brushes the bushes away. He found a dagger with a scroll pinned into it.

"Hey! What did you find!?" shouted Aang as he and the others hurried over to Zuko; as he swiftly opened the scroll after removing the dagger, reading the scroll he furrowed his eyebrows, "If you want your friend back, both the Prince and the Avatar must turn themselves in alone."

Sokka looked at Zuko, "Why are you included?"

"Someone my father sent." He growled, "He wants Aang and I dead." His fist balled up, "And Katara is the bait." Inspecting the knife, no clues were found; so he angrily tossed it over the cliff, "DAMN IT!"

The others looked at him as Aang read over the scroll, "It doesn't say where we have to turn ourselves in." he frowned, "So much for rescuing Katara."

"Wait; you intended to turn yourself in for Katara?" scowled the firebender, "You are the world's last hope!?"

"Aang, think about it; Katara can take care of herself, she would be furious if you turn yourself in." murmured Sokka as he placed a hand on the airbender's shoulder, "She would never forgive you."

Aang looked at Sokka with wide eyes, "Katara is willing to sacrifice herself so that the world could have peace?"

Toph smacked the airbender's head, "Hey Twinkletoes! Haven't you noticed that she would sacrifice everything just so that everyone else in the world can live in a better place? Katara always has been like that!" she turned to Sokka, "Right Snoozles?"

Zuko looked at the others who haven't said anything yet, "Why haven't you guys said anything yet?"

The Duke looked up at him, "Pipsqueak told me that I should believe in Katara."

'Who's Pipsqueak?' Zuko wondered as he turned to Haru and Teo, they replied about the same, however Haru said more, "-, but Katara inspired my people to make sacrifices. I know Katara can take care of herself; and this is what she would want. No matter how much I want to go and find her too."

Zuko stared at Haru for a long time before nodding, he turned to Sokka; who now had a map laid out before him, everyone gathered around studying the map.

"I think we should hide in the forest; Azula's Air Force won't be able to see us; so we have a natural invisibility. But on the other hand, she could send out soldiers scouting."

"Or Yuan Archers." Muttered Zuko remembering his last encounter where he got hit while saving the Avatar, he unconsciously rubbed his forehead, "But if we do run into the archers; Toph and Haru should make a shield over us. Air, Water, and Fire are useless against the archers."

"How is that?" Haru asked looking at Zuko square in the eye, Zuko frowned, "The arrows are specially made for these professional archers. The Yuan Archers are the Best Archers of the Fire Nation. If they miss a bull's eye; they are out. They be masters; perfectionist."

"So once they have a target; they don't miss?"

"Oh no, they don't miss at all." Aang replied with a mutter, "I have no intentions of running across them again."

"Unfortunately; my father will have those men sent out to kill us. If we aren't careful; we could be shot by a poisonous arrow."

"How do they make toxic arrows?" asked Teo with interest.

"They put venom on the arrow's blade." answered Zuko as he pointed to the map, "We should take the forest's route as Sokka said; but we should stop by that village in disguises to restock our supplies." He looked up at Sokka who was waving his arms in the air, "And where could we get money?"

"Scamming?" offered Toph with a smirk, "I wouldn't mind doing it again."

"You scammed?" Zuko stared at the earthbender whose smirk faded, "I did; but it got us nearly killed." She left out the fact that Katara warned them.

"Well I-," began Aang who was interrupted by Zuko, "I can buy us the supplies."

Everyone looked at him, "Where is your money?"

Zuko smirked, "When I returned to the palace; I was give fortune and luxury." He eyed the Water Tribe warrior, "And of course before I left, I brought quite a bit of gold…"

"GOLD!?" the group exclaimed staring at his with wide eyes.

"It'll do us good for a long time." The firebender looked at the Avatar, "I suspected that I should bring some money…since I thought my uncle would've been with me…and he really loves tea." His smirk faded into a sad expression, "However he escaped on his own without my help."

There was a moment of silence when Sokka decided to break it, "Alright, let's do what we planned."

Nodding, everyone headed back to get their things, while Aang and Sokka got Appa ready for the trip.

"Hey Aang. Now that you think of it…"

"What is it Sokka?" the avatar looked at his loyal friend who was tightening the saddle on Appa, "We have another companion in the group. How is Appa going to carry everyone?"

Aang nodded, "Teo said he was coming up with an idea. Other than that' because Katara isn't here, Zuko is just replacing her spot." His face sadden for a brief second, "But that still makes the average weight that Appa carried us all the way here." He paused, "So I decided I'll fly a bit too. When I get tired I'll take a bit of a break; so that Appa will only have to carry five people."

"Well, actually; I recently helped Teo build a glider so that he can fly while Appa is flying too. So that makes four people, just like before." He answered, "But then when Katara comes back; I'll be five again."

Aang grinned, "It'll be fun to fly with Teo again!" he paused, "Wait, how did-,"

"It's a foldable glider, pretty smart. We tested it out. So far it is working pretty well." Sokka smirked, "I am a true inventor." His smirk faded into a sad smile, "Just like my dad…" he trailed off.

"Alright! Let's go!" shouted the Duke as Toph earthbended the two of them on to Appa's saddle.

The others climbed on from Appa's tail; Zuko leapt on to the saddle from the solid ground and smiled, "This should be interesting."

"Oh trust me. You'll be scared at first." Scowled the Blind Bandit as she clutched to the saddle's edge.

Zuko shrugged.

Aang and Teo grinned at each other, "Alright!"

Teo turned on his motor as Aang pushed him off the cliff.

"What the hell!?" exclaimed Zuko as he heard Sokka shout, "YIP! YIP!"

"Huh?" he turned to Sokka just as they took off into the air with Aang beside them, laughing with Teo who flew on the other side of Appa.

"Whoa…" Zuko clutched to the saddle's edge, "Well; this is certainly faster than an air balloon."

"Is that how you got here?" asked Sokka looking over his shoulder; holding the reins.

Zuko nodded.

"HEY GUYS LET'S SEE WHO CAN MAKE THE FUNNIEST CLOUD!" shouted Aang as he and Teo flew off into the clouds making a bunch of faces.

"Hey look! It's Aang!" the Duke pointed at Teo's creation.

"I'm with Stupid?" Zuko read as Aang glared at Teo, "Hey, I thought we can a truce?"

He laughed, "It's just a joke!" he flew over and erased it and replaced it with, 'I'm with Genius!'

Everyone laughed; Zuko studied what the Avatar was creating.

Aang created a cloud of Appa.

Appa groaned in response; everyone laughed.

Zuko smiled to himself and looked behind them watching the Air Temple fade away, 'You are right uncle, this must be my destiny. I feel no regrets…I'm being me…I've never felt so alive...Thank you uncle...I wish you were here to see me…'

The fire from the fireplace waved dangerously. The princess stared into the flames thinking over encounter she had with her brother.

"So you ditched everything you worked towards for the last three years; just like that!?"

"I had to do it Azula." He replied, "I was not happy." He looked at her straight in the eye, "I wasn't me; and it's my destiny, to end this war and help restore the era of peace."

She sat down on her bed and stared off into the fire, "I don't understand…I don't understand him at all." She scowled, "How on earth did he prove to the Avatar that he could be trusted? How could the Avatar just let him join the group so easily?" she tapped her chin as she pondered with her thoughts, she closed her eyes and stood up from her bed and lingered over to her balcony, "Maybe that is his destiny." She whispered, "It's so hard to believe…someone from the Royal Family side up with the Avatar…but Zuko…he was out trying to kill the child for the last three years…how, when…" she paused, "It must've been uncle." She clenched her teeth, frowning angrily.

"But he wasn't there." She rested her elbows on the balcony's railing, 'Why wouldn't Iroh be there?' she thought to herself as she stared off at her nation, "I wonder where Tylee went? Off to the circus again?" she looked down at the Royal Garden, hateful memories flashed back into her mind. She scowled angrily and spun around and returned to her room, closing her door behind her and swayed over to the door.

Her vision suddenly began to get blurry.

"What the hell? I was just…feeling…fine…a…second…" without being able to finish she fainted on to her soft rug and drifted into unconsciousness.

A maid who was passing by the princess's room shrieked, "SOMEONE! GET A HEALER! THE PRINCESS IS UNCONSCIOUS!"

A commotion formed in the palace, soon became chaotic.

"My lord; please forgive us, we don't know what is wrong with her. She seems to have a fever, but not an ordinary fever." A healer bowed before her royal highness who stared at his daughter with a frown on his face, "It seems the time has come."

The maids looked at him startled as the healers looked shocked and nodded, "Very well my lord." They bowed down before him, "We'll keep your daughter comfortable."

The group arrived back on to Fire Nation Territory by noon. They began setting up a camp when suddenly Zuko fainted.

"Hey Zuko-, ZUKO?!" exclaimed Aang as he watched the firebender fall to the ground.

Sokka and the others hurried over to him, "He's running a high fever. We need to get him to a village!"

"How? How will we get into a village and not get killed!?" exploded Toph as she paced the grounds.

"We get back into our disguises!" replied Aang swiftly, "Except I have a problem…" he groaned, "I don't have hair!"

"We'll bandage up your head." Teo offered, "We'll make it look like you are injured." He searched in his bag.

Sokka nodded, "Good thinking Teo." Turning to the Duke, Teo and Haru, "We're going to have to get you two some Fire Nation clothes too."

"We can hide with Appa." Suggested Haru, "That way we can defend him if anything happens."

"Good, good." Sokka opened the map once again and trailed is finger along the path, "There is a village not too far from here."

"How long will it take us?" asked Toph as she tapped her food impatiently.

"By foot, about 45 minutes." Sokka began, "On Appa, about 25 minutes, maybe 30 depending on how tired he is."

"I'll make that be 15 minutes." Snapped Toph as she stomped her foot, "We have no time to lose; this guy had been having this problem for almost a week now." She earthbended a platform and lifted the earth that the prince was unconscious on and placed him on to the platform, "Aang you are going to have to help me."

The avatar nodded and jumped on board as Sokka sat down behind the firebender to make sure he doesn't fall off.

"LET'S GO!" shouted Aang as he stomped the ground at the same as Toph as they began dashing off with Sokka and Zuko dragged behind.

"We'll catch up with you later!" Haru shouted at them as Sokka waved his hands with thumbs up.

"What do you think it wrong with him?" asked Toph as she earthbended beside Aang, the air monk shook his head, "I don't know. I wonder if this is normal for a firebender…"

The small group hurried off to the village.

Both Royal Siblings are facing a Fever, what is connection? What is wrong with them?

END OF CHAPTER 6

A/N: Wow, I made this chapter pretty long. YA ME!

So I decided to shoot over to Katara for a bit, then shoot to the gang, then over to Azula…

As you can see, everything is starting to make a connection.

I would like to THANK YOU ALL! For your awesome reviews! You are making me write on fire!

Chapter 7

Coming Soon!