Disclaimer: Not mine.
A/N: Hello to new Favorite Story reader: musicisherescape; new Story Alert reader: musicisherescape; and new Author Alert reader: silversable13! You two are the best! Thanks so much!
My Queen:
You were correct in your assumptions. The Avatar, a sixteen-year-old girl named Sakari, is indeed alive and was being kept hidden on what was Kyoshi Island. When we arrived however, she was already gone, presumably to study Waterbending somewhere else.
As you instructed, we burnt the village to the ground. In the process, however, the Avatar appeared and put out the fires but not before we had taken the island inhabitants prisoner. Another ship is currently escorting the traitors to Boiling Rock. Among the traitors are the Kyoshi Warrior Leader and Master Swordsman. I believe you've had dealings with the two before, known by the names of Suki and Sokka of the Southern Water Tribe. Information tells us that these two raised the Avatar.
The Avatar escaped us by accessing the Avatar State. She flew off on a flying bison bearing three others. I couldn't very well get a glimpse of them, but they all seem young, no more than teens. We are certain, however, that they are heading North East, in the direction of your Earth Kingdome, in hopes of finding an Earth Bending teacher. We will continue to keep pursuit.
Loyally sworn to you,
Admiral Yaozu
Azula crumpled the letter, throwing it at the head of the servant to her left.
Incompetent. All of them were incompetent.
How annoying that you couldn't find good help these days when it came to enslaving the world.
No matter. Azula pressed her fingertips together. If the girl was heading in this direction, she'd get her chance to participate.
No way was she going to just stand off on the sidelines. She had already succeeded where her father and her idiot brother had failed once and she was sure she could do it once more.
Azula would end the Avatar Cycle.
Shui and Sakari stood by the lake, the current rushing past. Shui took a deep breath, raising the water, circling it into a sphere before pushing it to Sakari. She caught it, circling it and sending it back.
"Good," Shui said, smiling at her.
After escaping Omashu, the friends had stopped in the plains, deciding to camp out there for a day. Apparently, according to Meifeng, this was a place her father had talked about, where he used to ride Hog Monkeys. A small lake ran through there, probably connected to the ocean but it was good for practice and their entire campsite was very well hidden amongst the trees and small dirt like mountains that lined the shore.
Sakari smiled at Shui as they continued their very meditative practice. Of course she missed Lan and Bo terribly but Shui and Meifeng were family and, over the weeks, the three of them had grown so close that it was a surprise that they had just met. She, Shui, and Meifeng could laugh for days about something so incredibly stupid that often she'd forget what they were doing, why they were traveling. Knowing them made life fun.
Houjin on the other hand. . . . Sakari was never really able to talk to him. Sure, she considered him a friend and he remained an ever-protective force but . . . she couldn't talk to him. He made her feel awkward and sometimes unwanted. She often tried not to acknowledge it, thinking maybe this was just the way Houjin was but she had a feeling she was wrong.
"Shui?" she asked softly. "What can you tell me about Houjin?"
Shui laughed. "He's a brooding, seventeen-year-old who hates the world. Nothing much else to him, really."
"Well . . . why does he hate me?"
The boy suddenly became very serious, his eyes caring. "He doesn't hate you Sakari. Houjin . . . Houjin is just complicated. He doesn't like to express himself much, it's just not an easy thing for him to do. You'll probably never get, you know, a teary-eyed expression of how much you mean to him but it's there. If it wasn't, he wouldn't have stood up for you the way he did at the marketplace. Don't let it bug you to much."
Sakari nodded, opening her mouth to respond when she caught a glimpse of Shui's left shoulder. "Look out!"
Shui spun, raising and spinning the water fast enough that it acted as a shield, evaporating the oncoming fire blast.
Coming up the little lake were boats, dozens of them. On the breastplates of all the men's armor was the symbol of the Fire Nation and Sakari recognized the man on the first boat. It was the man from the Island, the one who took her family.
Shui grabbed Sakari's hand, pulling her away from the lake as the soldiers began to jump on shore. "Meifeng!" Shui shouted. "Houjin!"
The two of them came running, Meifeng jumping into the air and slashing her staff down. The resulting blast of air sent the soldiers chasing after the younger kids back into the water but others were still coming.
"Watch out!" Houjin yelled, pulling Sakari behind him as he punched forward with his free hand. The fire that blasted from his fist broke the boulder heading towards them into pieces, debris flying past them. Still, they were clearly out-numbered. "Run!"
The four teens started up a short hill, trying to get back to Appa. If they could get to the bison, they'd be able to escape.
The ground beneath their feet suddenly dissolved, bring the sliding back to flat ground. They struggled to stand again, making to move once more but the ground shot up, surrounding each of them in pillars of rocks with dangerous points directed towards their necks.
The dust cleared and Sakari looked around. They were surrounded, fire and earth directed towards them. One man stepped forward, clapping his hands.
"Very good," he said and his short beard seemed to quiver. He stepped forward, standing close to Sakari as if appraising her. "Very good indeed. You proved evasive, Avatar, but you children are no match for the Fire Nation Navy and certainly not for Admiral Yaozu." Yaozu chuckled. "And here I thought you may have been more . . . formidable. You're nothing more than a little girl."
"Get away from her," Houjin snarled.
Yaozu spun around with a growl, his foot swinging and sending a large fire arc in Houjin's direction. Houjin turned his head, the fire harmlessly ceasing before burning him. He glared at the older Firebender, who glared down at him for a moment before his eyes widened. "You are that traitor's son, Queen Azula's nephew. Which means you two," he said, turning towards Shui and Meifeng, "must be the children of Avatar Aang."
Yaozu laughed, ecstatic. "This is perfect! Not only have I captured an entire island but also the four most wanted teenagers in the entire world!"
"What have you done with them?" Sakari asked. "My family, the islanders. What have you done with them?"
Yaozu smirked. "That is none of your concern, little girl. Sakari, isn't it? Your mother mentioned you."
"What have you done with her?" Sakari shouted.
"You know she begged me not to take your brothers, begged me to leave them, but I don't think she'd be too fond of me if I had left them to be burned with the rest of your island."
Houjin looked between Sakari and the Admiral. Tears were starting to form in the girl's eyes but beyond that, Houjin could see the dangerous anger that was building up, slowly but surely. "Stop it," Houjin muttered.
"Pathetic really, the whole lot of them," Yaozu continued, oblivious to Houjin's warning and Sakari's tears. "Especially your so called father."
"Stop it," Houjin repeated louder.
Yaozu didn't listen. "Do you know he tried to fight me off with a sword? He's lucky I went easy on him or he'd be a lot worse off than he is now."
Houjin looked to Sakari as she turned her head squeezing her eyes shut. "Stop it!"
But it was too late. Sakari's eyes shot open, glowing a burning blue, fierce and angry. The ground beneath their feet began to shake and the pillars of rocks holding her crumbled.
Houjin, Meifeng, and Shui all fell to their knees as their prisons crumbled as well. An angry breeze blew their hair and clothes, blowing dust, rocks, and dirt around. The Fire Nation soldiers threw up their arms, blocking their faces. "What have you done?" Sakari asked, her voice terrifying.
Houjin stayed kneeled at the ground, eyes wide. It was a magnificent and frightening thing to behold; she seemed so regal and powerful and amazing! Even the soldiers standing around them were afraid, stepping back away from her. Some even ran away.
"What are you waiting for?" Yaozu screamed. "Fire!"
A few Firebenders rushed forward from all directions, punching out. Fire blasts sped towards the four friends.
"Sakari!" Meifeng screamed, reaching for her but Shui held her back, covering her.
There was no need to worry. Sakari raised her arms, spinning them in a wide circle over her head. The trees around them seemed to wring themselves dry, water bursting force and the trees disintegrating, bursting force like shrapnel, striking the soldiers. The water covered the four teens, the fire blasts evaporating against the surface. Sakari pushed forward, sending the water around out in a large wave that washed away a few unprepared soldiers. A few Earthbenders covered themselves and Yaozu in rocky domes, protected from her onslaught.
Again Sakari pulled water from the trees and grass, the water spinning in a large ring, the girl still focused on Yaozu. "What have you done with them?" she screamed.
Part of the water froze into fierce ice daggers, speeding at Yaozu. The Earthbenders blocked them, however, sending them away from their Admiral.
"Get to Appa!" Houjin yelled back to Shui and Meifeng. They nodded, ducking under the ring of water and running off back in the direction of their campsite. Houjin looked back to Sakari.
Yaozu stepped forward. "Surrender Avatar! You are outnumbered!"
Sakari swung her arms, surprising Yaozu and his remaining soldiers as they were swept up into a water bubble and then she clinched her fists.
"No, Sakari!" Houjin yelled as it became apparent that she was going to kill them, drown them.
Houjin rushed forward. He shot a blast of fire along the ground, creating a ring of fire around Sakari and raising it. The distraction was enough. He could hear the thuds of the soldiers and Yaozu hitting the ground, gasping for air.
"Sakari," Houjin said, knowing hey didn't have much time. He grabbed her arm and she looked to him fiercely, her eyes still glowing. She was very terrifying but Houjin met her gaze.
Finally, she closed her eyes, sinking to her knees. Houjin caught her under her arms, holding her up. She looked to him. "I'm sorry."
Houjin nodded. "It's fine."
The fire ring vanished as Yaozu stepped through, steam rising from every part of him, his anger apparent. Houjin and Sakari stared up at him as fire appeared on his fists. "You should have killed me when you had a chance, brat."
Houjin pulled Sakari behind him, felt her clench onto the back of his vest. Yaozu raised his hand.
"Look out below!"
Sakari looked up in the direction of the voice. "Appa!"
The sky bison roared. Yaozu fell back as Appa landed protectively in front of Houjin and Sakari, sweeping his tail. The soldiers and Yaozu were all blown back through the remaining trees.
Sakari rushed forward, pressing herself into Appa's side. "You are the best ever!"
"Hurry!" Meifeng cried.
Houjin gripped Sakari around the waist, lifting her to Shui who grabbed her hands. Houjin jumped onto Appa's tail, climbing into the saddle. "Yip, yip!"
The bison snorted, flying into the air. Houjin took a deep breath, looking down into the trees . . . or what used to be trees. From the air, he could see the disintegrated bark of the trees and the dead grass Sakari had taken water from. He hadn't even known she could do that.
He looked to her now, her hair blowing in the breeze as they flew. Her eyes were closed and she had her fingertips pressed to her temples. He had definitely misjudged her. She was still stronger than he ever thought possible, Avatar State or not.
But she was also dangerous, vulnerable. How on earth was he to protect her?
Sakari's eyes opened and she met his, smiling that wide naïve smile of hers. Frowning slightly, he looked away. He was supposed to be her Firebending Master, he was supposed to protect her.
He had some serious work to do.
Yaozu got to his feet, his hair lose from his topknot. Smoke poured from his nose and fire blazed from his mouth as he roared in anger.
She slipped through his fingers again!
Queen Azula would not be pleased.
"Sir?" Yaozu turned on the solider cowering behind him.
"What, what is it?" he shouted.
"Sir, many of our soldiers have been injured," the solider muttered. "What should we do?"
Yaozu took a deep, calming breath, quieting the fire within him. When he opened his eyes, the solider was watching him warily. "Do your best to get everyone back to the ship. We will see to it that the injured our care for when we reach the nearest port."
"Are we not pursuing the Avatar?" the solider asked before he could stop himself.
Yaozu looked to the sky, a slight smirk on his face. "We already know which direction she is heading in. Besides, she won't get far. There's a storm coming. You have your orders."
The solider saluted, moving to rally those who weren't injured to help him. Yaozu continued to stare out in the direction the sky bison had flown in.
He had underestimated the young girl before. He wouldn't make that same mistake again.
A/N: I hope you guys like this :-D I'll see you next time!
