The next day Aang planned a picnic with the help of Tao. They spent most of the morning in the kitchen making a lunch for them all. They made not so common roasted chicken, sandwiches, fresh bread and butter, fruit and Aang even made some cakes that Gyatso had taught him to make. They packed it all up in a basket and Aang went to round up the rest of the people who were coming.
"Who wants to go on a picnic?" he called when he walked into the room where everybody was talking. Some people mumbled, but Malu shot right up.
"Oh me, me! I want to go!" She walked over people and joined Aang near the doorway. She gazed at all of the people not moving and said, "Oh come on you guys! Tao and Aang went through with all of this trouble to make a picnic for all of us and you're not even coming."
"Fine, fine I'll come," grumbled Jamin. "If I don't come you'll probably nag me as soon as you get back." She stood up and stood with the rest of the group.
"What about you Sokka? You don't wanna come?" asked Aang. When Sokka made no response he bribed, "We have roasted chicken."
"No thanks," said Sokka lazily, "But save me some meat when you come back."
"Katara? Toph? You guys sure you don't want to come?" asked Aang.
"No thanks Aang. It was sweet of you to do all of this but I'm tired from practicing with Kana," replied Katara a bit disappointed.
"I don't think so Twinkle Toes. I promised Jojo to show her some moves," said Toph. "And I want to continue my little game." But she kept that to herself.
"Oh okay," said Aang a little dejected. "We'll just go then."
They all walked outside carrying the basket, a blanket and several water skins. They headed off into the forest to a meadow that was on top of a hill but was surrounded by the forest. When they got there the whole place was covered with a carpet of small blue flowers. Jamin gently shifted the flowers out of the way so they could lay down the blanket and set out the food. They started talking and eating and having a grand ol' time. Jamin played with the grass and encased them in a grass woven house. After a few hours they had lain down and were playing word games when they heard some footsteps.
"That must be Sokka and Katara. They must have changed their minds," said Aang from a corner where he was reclining.
They all looked at the opening of the house that was the door and waited expectantly for Sokka and Katara to show up. They watched as two silhouettes stepped into the doorway. They all stood up in fright. In the door didn't stand Katara and Sokka as they had thought. There stood Aang's worst enemies. Zuko and Azula. They both smirked in greeting.
"Aang, who are they?" whimpered Malu. She was standing next to him and looked like she was going to start crying.
Azula looked at the girl then said to Aang, "Is this your new girlfriend? Isn't she a bit young?" She inspected her nails and continued, "Did the other girl dump you after she learned you weren't 'powerful' anymore? She probably only stayed with you because you could get her anything she wanted. Now you're nothing but a worthless little boy." She stopped inspecting her nails and watched Aang intently to see what he would do to defend his friend.
Sure enough Aang's anger started to boil over. His face was starting to turn red. "Don't you ever say something like that about Katara ever again! She's a great friend! She would never leave just because I couldn't bend!" He started to glow slightly but no wind came. Zuko looked scared for a second but when he noticed that nothing was happening he continued to sneer.
Azula just stood there smirking at him then like lightening grabbed Tao by the scruff of the neck, created a spark of blue flame and put it in front of Tao's face. Tao tried to squirm out of her grasp but she held on firmly. "Now if you all come with us your friend here might not get burned."
Aang looked from Tao to Malu. She was whimpering and tears were already cascading down her face. He then looked at Jamin and was taken aback a bit. She was shaking with fear. Cool, collected Jamin was scared. Apparently she could tell how evil these people were. Aang held out his hands in front of him as a sign of surrender and said, okay, we'll come with you. Just put Tao down."
Azula smiled wickedly and let go of Tao. But only before she made a bright flame in front of his face and blinded him.
Tao crumpled on the ground sobbing. Jamin finally unglued herself and went to her brother's aid. She knelt by him, but stayed as far away from Azula as she could, and checked him out. "It's okay. It's okay. Everything's going to be okay," she soothed. She led her brother to a corner and started to bandage her brother's eyes with strips from her dress. She sat there whispering to him as she wound the strips over his blinded eyes. As soon as she was done she quickly made a hole in the wall and shouted, "Go!" Tao scrambled out and Jamin sealed up the hole and stood in front of the wall defensively. She was still shaking but she was defiant to them.
Azula and Zuko didn't even move. Zuko faked a yawn and said, "Nice try. He's not going to get far. Mai and Ty Lee are posted around the meadow."
Sure enough they heard TY Lee's giggling and Mai's grumbling as they started to chase Tao. Of course no one could see what was happening but they heard Ty Lee screech and Mai swear loudly. Then they were standing with Azula and Azula talking.
"He sent mice at me. He squeaked a bit and mice jumped out at me. That boy is freaky. He can talk with animals," said Ty Lee as she shivered.
Mai stood next to Zuko casually linking arms with him and grumbled, "He hissed and snakes lunged at me. I don't like snakes and it was a waste of knives to kill them." She rolled her eyes and made a big show of cleaning her bloody knives.
"Enough chatting ladies. We have some 'guests' to pack up," smiled Azula.
Ty Lee looked in the building hopefully but didn't find the person she was looking for. "Oh that handsome boy isn't here," she said a little crestfallen. "Oh well he's probably close by." She started to look around but suddenly remembered her task.
The two girls got out some rope and tied the prisoners together. They didn't even struggle not even Jamin. They started to file out and were led to waiting rhinos. They clambered onto them and rode into the forest.
