Disclaimer: I don't own, or any allusions to other shows. But I do own my OCs.
Change
...It is not necessary to change. Survival is not mandatory...
Slade eyed the women before him, their eyes glowing fiercely. "I have come to make a proposition." The woman before him, her hair perfectly split, yelled dominance yet also power. She could get what he wanted. She was who he needed.
"So you have," came the bored response of the female on the left side of the one radiating power.
"Why do you wear such a scary mask, Mister?" the last female asked, the one to the right of their obvious leader.
Slade ignored the girl's question, his eyes never leaving the face of the female in the middle. She didn't break contact either, her familiar eyes boring into his head intently. Muteki's, Zuko's, hers, they were all the same. All the same –- all holding something deep inside, good or bad.
"It's rude to ignore questions, Slade," the leader finally said, talking for the first time since meeting him, in a mocking tone. "But, I am feeling gracious today," her eyes molded sharply as she flashed a grin at Slade, "what is your proposition?"
Slade smirked back, his tone maliciously gleeful. "Well . . ."
Toph hid another shiver. Despite the warm winds throwing her hair around messily, Toph felt a strong sense of fear. Something had changed in the world, she knew it. One doesn't just randomly get a feeling of danger. Her tan-green shorts whipped around her, but she wouldn't turn back to the Hive. Not yet.
Her feet stopped her a few feet away from a bench, petals flying up and around everything. Toph hid her eyes under her dark bangs. She couldn't afford to feel defeated at a time like this! Stupid Sparky, getting himself lost and ruining everything. Toph sighed vocally, plopping herself on the bench. She knew, oh how she knew, that it would take some skill to be stupid enough to get lost. But then that meant that he didn't get lost, that something scarier to think about happened. Toph couldn't take that. She had to believe that Zuko was okay and alive someplace else.
A petal landed soundly on her lap. Toph "looked" down, her fingers gently picking up the soft object. Idly, she rubbed the pale petal, while talking aloud to herself. "Sparky, you idiot!" Her voice quieted, "Please don't be dead."
A cough sounded behind her. "Miss, could you pass us that ball?"
Toph's misty eyes followed the direction where the voice sounded from. "What ball?" she asked, genuinely confused.
The boy exchanged glances with his teammates behind him, deciding to retrieve the ball himself. "Thanks for nothing, miss." He told her as he made his way to the ball, passing her. Only when he looked up, ball in hands, did he see her foggy sea-green eyes. Immediately he felt guilty. His mother was probably frowning down at him from above if she saw how he had just acted.
"Sorry, miss, I didn't know that, um, that you couldn't see." The girl that looked to be his age continued to "stare" at him. Even though he knew she was seeing darkness right now, it unnerved him a bit. "Sorry, again." He sighed, turning back to his teammates. Holding the ball before his chest, he dropped and kicked. The ball flew to the other boys his age, them shouting in glee as the game continued.
"It's okay, I'm not mad."
He stuttered, "I'm sorry, really I am."
Her eyes hardened, "It's fine, and I'm not some weak blind girl. Stop thinking I am!"
"I, I never thought that!" His bit his lip, shifting nervously from foot to foot. "Do you want to join us?"
To his surprise, the girl didn't make fun of his offer. "What are you playing?" She seemed to really want to know, and he liked that.
Abruptly, he thrust a hand in front of her, "I am Mifune. Mi-fu-ne."
To his awe, she grabbed his open hand, strongly shaking it. She was one strong girl. "Toph." Toph had just thought to grab the hand when he threw it at her, and her guess was correct when she felt him jump at her power. He-he, she liked that better than doing that stupid formal bowing stuff.
They smiled together. "So, this is how you play…" and he told her the rules. Toph took it all in, nodding and, albeit rarely, asking questions when he confused her.
The other boys all stood by, watching Mifune lead Toph over to them. To their surprise, she pushed away his offered hand, choosing to walk to them herself. When Toph arrived in their little deformed circle, she introduced herself, surprising some by the odd and uncommon name of "Toph."
One boy, one that seemed highly accepting to everyone and everything, spoke, "I'm Sanzu." He smiled cheekily at her, welcoming her without so much as a fuss. He placed a hand on the shoulder of a boy next to him. "And here," he shook the person's shoulder, "is Bob."
Bob took it from there. "The red haired boy next to me is Harry." He threw a thumb at the so-called Harry.
Harry nodded to Toph, fixing a look on the brunette boy with glasses next to him. "The kid with the glasses is Billy."
And the introductions continued like that. Everyone welcomed her in, though Toph had to admit the most accepting were Mifune and Sanzu. At the last person, Toph felt cold. His stare, or glare more like it, hadn't lessened and it was creeping her out!
"Why are we letting a girl play with us, Mifune?" the last person she didn't know whined, still glaring at her, even though she couldn't see it. Toph blankly "stared" back at him, her mind thinking, almost as bad as at home. I'm not some blind, weak doll. Why can't people see that?
Before Mifune could even open his mouth, Sanzu whined, his eyes hard, "Why are we letting a baby play with us, Mifune?" Sanzu mocked, glaring at the other teammate, pointing a finger in his direction. Angry eyes flashed at the obvious disrespect. Toph stayed silent, but was thankful for someone standing up for her, for once.
Mifune again was too slow to answer. "I don't know, Sanzu, why are we letting you play?" the other boy asked.
The other teammates went "ohhhhhh" at the obvious insult. Toph interrupted before her two new friends lost a teammate because of her. "Want to see what this girl can do, buddy?" She snapped her lips together for effect, and smirked when it made a smack sound. She couldn't wait 'till she kicked his butt, and showed him what this girl was made of. He's almost as bad as Sokka was, especially when he met Suki. Toph was told stories of the gang's misadventures, and the one with Suki had really caught her interests.
He smirked, "Yeah I do!" He faked remembering something, "Oh! And before I forget, the name of this winner will be Feodor, and the name of the loser will be you, Toph."
To all their surprise, Toph spit on the ground, smirk broader. "Let's see."
The game began.
"Pass, Mifune!" Toph kicked the ball up once she got it, her feet knowing where the ball would go through her special sight. Feodor crouched low, ready to make a jump for it. The ball came quickly, Toph on its trail. As she picked up her foot to kick, Feodor made to jump. It felt like a slow-motion scene as Toph's foot came into contact with the ball. The wind blew and dust rose.
When the dust finally settled, the situation was made clear. Toph had scored the last needed goal to win. They had won!
"Yeah! Toph, awesome job!" Mifune and Sanzu cheered, jumping up and down around her, like young fan-girls. She allowed them for the moment, letting them bask in her awesome glory.
"So, Feodor, want to say something to me?" Toph called, when she knew that he was close enough to hear.
At first grudgingly he said "yes" before softening and truly telling her that he misjudged her and she was amazing. "But what I can't wrap around my head is that you're blind, no offense," he added, "But how can you play soccer blind?"
"I feel the vibrations in the earth, it's pretty easy." Then, "And yes, I am awesome."
They all patted each other on the backs, congratulating everyone on the great game. Toph laughed and joked with them all, having a smile on her face the whole time. It felt good to not be worrying about what Firebender the Avatar needed and the "oh, I have to save the world" and all that stuff. She really liked this moment, and something in her told her that she wouldn't forget it.
Mifune froze mid sentence with Sanzu. "OH MY GAWD!" Sanzu immediately followed Mifune's line of sight, eyes widening at the scene before him.
"Call 911, NOW!"
Toph "looked" at the two, questions clearly in her head. All the other teammates mimicked Toph's confusion. A few guys behind her shouted at Sanzu and Mifune to tell them what was happening.
Sanzu looked to them all, panicked. "Does anyone have a cell phone?" The answer was no, as everyone shook their heads. Toph shook her head too, not knowing what a cell phone was anyways. "Damn."
Mifune was wide-eyed, his body shaking. "Shit."
"What the hell is the matter, Mifune, Sanzuuu…?" Feodor trailed off, looking up. "We need to tell someone now!" Feodor raced off, searching for the nearest call-booth. The other teammates watched as he raced off, never before seeing him so panicked. A few other intelligent teammates looked up as well, and went still at what they saw.
"What is it?" Toph finally asked, not seeing what everyone was freaking out about. The vibrations she was feeling were frantic. Sanzu was shaking where he stood, and Mifune was shock-frozen. "Don't tell me you're going to pee your pants?" When she got no answer she went on, yelling, "What in Oma and Shu's name is it?"
"Fire," Mifune finally told her without turning.
"A lot of fire," Sanzu informed her, eyes trained only on the building being engulfed in flames.
"Where?" Toph worriedly inquired, her eyes seeing nothing. She searched wildly, sensing vibrations all over the town but none of fire. She couldn't sense Zuko either, but she had known that the moment she left the Hive. They had given her some directions around the town, but then they said that they had some business to take care of, whatever that is, and left.
Mifune and Sanzu, at the same time and in the same chilling voice, said, "Titan's Tower."
Toph didn't know how bad that was, but she knew that it was not good. Not good at all, for with her adept hearing she thought she heard screams…child screams.
"When did Slade say we needed to show up?"
"Who cares? We'll just leave whenever we're told to," the women in black commented, idly playing with her black-polished fingernails.
"Do you think Zuko will be there, Mai?" The teenager asked, all bubbles and smiles. She elegantly threw her head back and arched her back. Upside-down, she smiled broadly at her older, and dare she say it, more mature friend. "I hope he is," she sighed happily. "He always was very nice to me when we were younger."
Mai, against her willpower, smiled slightly and heat rushed to her face. "I don't think so," she said, squishing the smile as it came along with the pink on her face, "we were just told to go to some tower, Ty Lee."
Ty Lee pouted overdramatically, her bottom lip quivering. "But, but, Princess Azula said we'd see him."
"She lied."
"Princess Azula doesn't lie, silly." Mai sighed, covering it up as a yawn when Ty Lee heard her. Ty Lee was her friend, yes, but she was also unbelievably naive. Mai knew Azula thought of Ty Lee as gullible and easy prey or maybe just plain easy, but that wasn't really what Ty Lee was at all. Unknown to others, Ty Lee was amazingly intelligent, but just liked to release tension and blame with simple comments and half-witted reactions. Mai sighed again, not bothering to fake it as a yawn, Ty Lee was like nothing but a pawn to Azula…but that was good. Let Azula think that, it would be her loss.
"I guess Princess Azula doesn't lie," Mai shrugged. "But that doesn't mean our friend Azula doesn't, Ty Lee."
Instead of asking what she meant, Ty Lee understood what she had said immediately. "You're right, but we should still put all our faith in her, friend or princess no matter."
"Maybe not all," Mai muttered beneath her breathe. She stopped looking at her nails and fixed a dark-brown eyed look on the chi-blocker.
"What was that?" The pink clad teenager probed, her voice sweet and innocent. She released her pose, spinning a full circle and a half before stopping straight before her blank-faced friend. Mai, used to Ty Lee and her antics, didn't blink an eye at the now up-close teenager.
"Nothing."
Ty Lee eyed her shuriken-throwing friend suspiciously, but then decided to let it go. "Mai, you'll tell me stuff if you need to, right?" Mai nodded, surprised at the question, and Ty Lee smiled back at her, pleased with the answer. "Let's go get Azula."
Mai nodded, and sighed once more when Ty Lee yelled a "yay!" and skipped ahead. Skipped. Mai had thought that this couldn't get anymore embarrassing, she was wrong…Very wrong, for as soon as they were out in public Ty Lee began singing. Singing! Mai ducked her head as eyes followed them. She, more than anything at the moment, wanted to go home – back to the palace where Azula wouldn't make creepy deals with shady men in masks. Or at least, she hoped not.
Ty Lee cheered, "Let's go find Azula, Mai!" Her soft hands grabbed Mai's hesitant ones, and led them along. Ty Lee in lead, and Mai in tow. This got them even more stares, but Mai didn't care this time, brushing them off like nothing.
When they stopped before water, Mai watched the flames dictate territory. Ty Lee made cooing sounds, which Mai ignored. Somehow, she expected that no one would come out anyways. Their job was to kill, or stop, anyone that made it out of the building, excluding the princess and masked man. Mai doubted they would be needed, watching in a strange shell-shocked way as the orange glow lit up around them.
Unknown to either, but at that moment, both Ty Lee and Mai thought the same exact thing. Fire destroys…what lies ahead now?
A horrifying scream from inside the T shaped tower had Ty Lee squeaking and hiding behind the deadpanned woman. Mai shivered into herself…it was a kid's scream.
Rin coughed, her eyes watering. Screams. Someone was yelling. Who? Rin licked her lips, the shrill screaming stopped. Oh, the one screaming was her. She felt numb...the fire had startled them all. She remembered what had happened before this. Her legs went limp as she fell to the ground, tears drying from the heat before hitting the ground. It was all so clear, what had happened.
Raven looked out the window, and then looked to the child as she moaned in her sleep. Her firm hands brought the girl back to reality, and Rin was thankful for the wakeup call.
"Bad dream?" Raven asked, watching her out of the corner of her eye.
"Uh-huh." She whispered, pressing herself closer into the chair. The fabric felt nice on her battered skin, she was thankful for the texture on her body. Her poor, abused body. She whispered in her head an apology for all that has happened, pretending her body was another person apart from her that she was caring for.
"Want to tell me about it?"
Rin looked to her. At first, the Goth female had scared her to no ends. She just got chills whenever she came into the same room as her. But something had changed when she woke her. She all of a sudden became a figure that would listen to her fears, someone that would help her rather than drown her. Someone like her sad demon…wait, what?
"Yes, please," she finally answered timidly.
Raven smiled gently to her. "Whenever you're ready," she assured her.
As Rin opened her mouth, a siren went off. Raven and Rin exchanged glances, Rin already having her ears covered because of the volume. Robin, who Rin had actually come to like and idolize, ran to where they were sitting abruptly, also hearing the loud, obnoxious noise.
"Intruder," he warned them, eyes, mask and all, narrowed.
Rin coughed again, her breath was ragged and she was shaking. I don't want to die! She thought frantically, though it sounded more and more like a complaint and whine than determination and regret. But, she couldn't die, not yet, she determined. She still had stuff to do. Fire clouded her vision, her vision splotching like before. Drums beat in her ear, the thumping of her heart.
Raven went immediately tense, her whole body tightening. "Where?"
Robin looked to her, and then to the place he had just entered from. Robin didn't answer her question, instead saying something that neither wanted to hear. "It's Slade, and there's some other woman with him."
"Explain the woman."
Robin answer immediately, eyes still focused intently on the other side of the room. "Hair split on two sides, a ponytail in the back. Gold eyes like that clone's. Red clothes, same weird style as that group from before. Creepy smile and laugh. She can control blue fire, apparently."
Raven nodded determinedly. "We'll stop her, before Slade can use her anymore."
Rin cringed while Robin and Raven winced when said woman laughed at them from the other side of the room. Robin was right, Rin concluded, she does have a creepy laugh.
"You are mistaken. It is the other way around…and he knows that."
"Who are you? Why are you working for Slade, or Slade working for you?" Robin interrogated sternly, already in a battle stance. Raven, off to his side, didn't rise in the air like expected. Raven stayed on the ground . . . beside Rin. Rin, as a child, didn't know how much of a risk that that was…protecting her rather than fighting along her leader.
Azula twirled her hair, mocking them with every bored flip. "My, aren't we quick to the chase." She sighed loudly, "I hope that you'll be more of a match than that ugly woman from before, and the metal and green men. They were so easy to beat." She continued, a smirk blossoming as both power-granted heroes tensed more. "What were their names? Beast Boy, Cyborg, Starfire, was it?"
Rin knew what the other woman was doing. She had seen it all the time. "Don't," she whispered urgently, "she's just baiting you guys."
"We know that…but what if it isn't a lie? What if she really…?"
"Don't think that!" Robin jumped when Rin shouted at him, her usually timid voice loud and fearless. "If you believe what your enemy says, then, then, I don't know what to think of you!"
Rin was trying a long-shot, but it worked. Robin narrowed his eyes (mask) at the smirking feline before them. "If you've hurt them, then I will not give you mercy."
This was when Raven chose to use her gift. When Azula laughed at Robin's declaration, a black engulfed refrigerator flew to the other predator. She jumped sideways, landing in some sort of unknown stance . . . it almost looked Chinese.
"Missed me," she sang.
Rin froze when blue fire sprang from her long-nailed fingers.
All hell broke loose.
Rin covered her mouth with a shaking hand. She had to get out of here! She needed to find help, she needed to . . .
Rin screamed, a bloodcurdling shout at the heavens. The unearthly and morbid yell echoed in the whole tower…but she knew no one would hear it…they were all unconscious. All because they protected her. That was why she needed to find help! Help!
"Seems we missed someone, Slade." That horrid woman's face took up Rin's vision. Abruptly, Rin was reminded of a now-dead gangster…the one that referred to a man named Slad.
Slade, a tall man in a mask, entered Rin's line of sight. "So it seems, Princess Azula."
Princess? Rin numbly thought, watching fearfully as they threateningly advanced closer. Azula?
"Oh look, she's shaking? Want to be put out of your misery, little girl?"
It didn't matter who said that. Both were no good. Both would do the same thing. They were like twin demons from hell. Flashes of the nightmare she was going to share with Raven flew around her. Gold eyes stared down on her, watching as she screamed in agony from the heat, the fire consuming her. Her body outstretched a hand without her will, for she had no strength to even twitch, her shaking soul begging to be saved. The gold eyes continued to stare down on her, pity swarming deep inside; pity, regret, and . . . something else.
It was coming true, or at least, the fire bit was. Or so she had thought.
The blue fire surrounded her, seemingly to bend to the princess' will. Fear stamped on her face as the heat burned into her. She whimpered, holding her head down. A strong, male hand grabbed her hair, holding her off the ground by a messily made ponytail. She squirmed to no avail, the man's smirk growing as she screamed from pain and fear.
This whole thing was sick.
Then suddenly, the pain left her. Rin fell limply to the ground, sprawled out on the floor. Her limbs were array and tear tracks visible. She couldn't cough anymore, her throat feeling dead.
"Who the hell are you?" the princess shrieked, after watching Slade rub his bleeding arm tenderly.
Narrowed gold eyes glowed back. "Leave the child alone." Footsteps were heard from behind the newcomer. Panting, his partner showed his face.
Azula allowed the smirk back to her face. "Hello, Zuzu. I didn't know I'd see you here."
The other man, the one with similar gold eyes, but unknown person, snorted. She narrowed her eyes. "You made a deal with Slade. A deal that you'd kill the Titans if you got your brother and the Avatar." At Azula's, Zuko's, and Slade's startled and enraged looks, he continued, "You thought I'd let that happen?"
Slade grit his teeth.
Muteki yelled, eyes blazing, "Well, guess what! There is no way in seven hells that I am letting you win your stupid game." Muteki avoided looking at the princess. She was very pretty…and at that thought he had decided that being a young man now was the worst decision he could have made.
Azula eyed him distastefully. "Who, may I ask, is saying this?"
"I'm not telling you my name, witch."
Slade came to stand before the princess. "His name's Muteki. Be careful, he can change into any shape he wants, with him the power, too." Slade eyed the two before him coolly. "But, other than that, he is no challenge."
Zuko frowned, "Oh yeah? Tell that to Mai and Ty Lee, will ya?" Muteki subtly threw a look to Zuko. Zuko caught it easily, the message simply saying "don't mess this up by angering your insane sister." If the situation wasn't dire enough, Zuko would have rolled his eyes.
Rin finally coughed up the thick soup of fog that was taking over her throat…she needed to get help soon or the Titans really would die. Slade watched her from the corner of his eye, amused. Azula completely ignored the sound and the scarred teenager shot her a worried and soft look.
Muteki broke contact with the Princess and his old Master, worry swimming in his irises, laced firmly with panic for her life. Slade and Azula saw it, like seeing through a newly cleaned window. "She'll die no matter what you do." The amusement and enjoyment in her voice made Muteki feel disgusted at ever thinking she was pretty, or that she could be saved.
"Zuko," Muteki whispered urgently, careful to not be overheard. Zuko shifted closer to him, replying with a 'what is it?' "I need you to go and find the Titans, all five of them. With your Firebending magic, I need you to get them all out safely and to a hospital." At Zuko's protest to stay and help, Muteki silenced him quickly.
"No, they need you." Zuko nodded reluctantly. "And, Zuko, sorry for dragging you into this."
"It's okay. Thank you for being a good friend, or, uh, sort of a friend, I guess." Muteki snorted at that, and pushed him away. Whispering a quick 'good luck' before standing in front of the way Zuko had just left. He was going to make sure Zuko and the Titans got out, even if it meant his own life.
"Zuzu's running away again? I guess I can't blame him," Azula sighed, intently looking at her manicured nails. Slade just glared at him. Rin coughed in the distance again, making his resolve harden even more.
"If I die, then I am bringing at least one of you down with me," he assured. He coughed, but never broke eye contact. The smoke was getting to him… Yet, it didn't seem to be bothering the other two. Maybe the mask or Firebending ability was helping them…or maybe they were just good at hiding it. Muteki liked the latter better.
The fire gave off a warm, orange glow to all four faces in the room. Azula and Slade had expressions of astonishment mixed in with anger…they finally understood what lengths Muteki would go for the ex-prince. Muteki's was pure rage. The warm glow vibrated a blood-red hue over his face. The smell of close-death could not escape him... Rin was going to die, even if the shape-shifter managed to get her out and to a hospital, it wouldn't work. Rin was going to die. His resolve turned, and hardened at a new thought.
Muteki growled low in his throat, a deep rumbling sound. "I won't let you pass. You'll have to kill me first." His fingers glowed a lime-green, countering the red glare of the fire.
The princess laughed, cold but not unnerving like he had expected. Instead of creeping him out, he unexpectedly felt pity and…was it triumph? Muteki thought on that, he did just stop them both from getting what they wanted. He sent Zuko, Azula's prize, to help the Titans, Slade's prize. Oh, I am so awesome. But he wasn't, because he couldn't even save a child, a kid whose scream had called him here.
I will not let her die alone, not if I can help it.
"Planning on dying so soon, Muteki?" His name rolled of Azula's tongue like she had known him for years. However, to him it sounded alien and disturbing. He even threw up a little. He'd rather never have to hear that ever again.
She attacked. The princess flew at him, at an eerily fast speed. Muteki dodged, just barely, and immediately berated himself. He couldn't chance losing this fight, he still had to make sure that Prince Zuko and the Titans got out safely. By now, someone on the outside must have seen the fire. Meaning…
"The firefighters of this era will come, whether or not I die. You can't win this time, Slade, Princess." Muteki made an elegant circle with his hands, bowing himself mockingly.
That only served to infuriate them both, master and princess both seeing the truth ringing in his words.
The fight continued. Slade and Azula were sort of working together, but not really. Both were, to put it simply, taking turns in fighting, not attacking together. That came as a relief to Muteki and he suspected he knew why both fought at different times. It wasn't because of courtesy or any crap like that. No, it was solely because neither wanted to share the time to attack, they both wanted to be the one to kill him, not both of them distributing evenly the glory. Meh, I can't say I'm please, but I am grateful for their large egos.
Muteki threw himself down, missing another blue blow. As if his mind had the chance to roam, he thought immediately of the fight with Zuko just a while back. Zuko was almost as bad as Azula at the moment…but she wasn't shooting at his face repeatedly.
"You will not get out of here. I won't let you stop Zuko."
Muteki jumped out of the way of a strong kick aimed to his stomach. "You're really mad at me, Slade," Muteki noted, and at the same time ducked down to avoid another punch.
"What? Cat got both of your tongues?" Yeah, it wasn't the smartest move to get them mad, but it worked. They both narrowed their eyes, and their attacks faltered momentarily. "Upset that this isn't going your way? Your plan's ruined now. Sorry," he apologized "sincerely."
"Shut up!" the princess finally squawked, the mention of their failure finally getting to her.
Muteki smirked inwardly, just one more step.
Slade put up a hand, stopping Azula from running to her death, literally. "Don't let him provoke you. You still must kill the Titans, and I must still get Zuko for you. You may not die now." He reminded her. It worked, to Muteki's dismay, and Azula stopped advancing closer.
In a matter of seconds the roof above Muteki broke, the shape-changer already jumping out of the way. That was what he had planned; if only Azula had come closer it would have caught her.
Azula smirked slyly at the failed attempt to kill her, "Nice try," she cooed.
"Not so nice, since it didn't work."
"Oh, you wound me," the princess placed a long-nailed hand over her breast. She stood beside Slade, who was hunched over a little more than usual. Azula's voice had gone husky, Muteki realized with small glee. The fire and smoke really were getting to them!
"Trying to find your heart? I can assure you it isn't there," Muteki muttered lightly, and frowned when Azula only smirked at him in return.
In a corner, more wood above them cracked. The sound brought fear into the youngest of the four. Rin crawled closer to a shattered window, her hands idly rubbing the smooth glass and running over the cracked chips absentmindedly. She coughed, but it came out weaker than before. Slowly, she turned an eye on the red liquid blobbing on her finger. …Glass is sharp, she moaned in her mind. She held a particularly sharp and large broken piece gently in her arm.
Meanwhile, Muteki threw lime-green fog at the two finally moving on the defensive, him on the offensive. It missed, obviously, but it did serve him some use. It showed him that their movements were slowed and more trudge-y than elegant. Muteki squelched a cough tickling his throat. He needed to finish soon.
Another crack echoed from above him. This time, the decaying and fire-swallowed wood fell before his enemy. Both jumped back, startled at the up-close heat.
That was when everything seemed to happen at once. Rin, who Muteki had momentarily forgotten, screamed a horrifying battle cry and threw something towards the Princess. Slade moved in the way, his body more protected than the woman's. Slade hissed under his breathe as the object the child threw burrowed itself in his arm. Blood oozed out, soaking his shirt.
Azula yelled when her ally began bleeding, the droplets falling to the ground in red splotches, and threw blue fire all around her. She smirked when she saw Muteki's face. "Have fun dying alone." With that said, Azula snagged Slade's unhurt arm and raced through the flames.
Muteki smiled gently. It was over. And, he knew with all his heart and mind, that Zuko was long gone and safe. He also knew that his escape route would have to be different than hers…he couldn't part fire like she had just done.
"Mute..ki…"
The shape-shifter raced over to Rin's side, falling to his knees before the shaking child. "Shhh, it's okay, I'm here."
"Mute…ki…I did it… I helped stop her." She took a deep breathe. Muteki gently caressed her head, not letting it fall to the ground, for she was too weak to hold it up herself. He calmly petted her hair, softly murmuring words of comfort to the dying girl.
"Yeah, you did."
"Stay with me?" Rin looked up at him, her casual brown eyes yearning. "I don't want to be alone."
"Of course," Muteki didn't even hesitate.
And he did stay. Rin's head in his lap, their eyes only focused on each other. The sounds of cracking and breaking around them went unnoticed. They both smiled softly at each other, it never faltering even as the fire slowly advanced closer and closer.
Toph ran. She couldn't stop. The screaming had stopped, it was silent. So silent. She felt sick. She was just playing a game with boys and there were people in need of saving. She was useless. She had to go help. She had to save the child.
A familiar voice cut through her concentration. "Toph!" Mammoth shouted happily. "We were looking everywhere for you."
Toph didn't have the energy to respond. She had been running aimlessly for more than an hour, and her limbs felt like they were on fire.
Mammoth didn't seem to mind her silence, instead taking it as means to continue. "We have a surprise for you."
Billy nudged Toph from the side. "I don't know why we did this for you, but I guess because we feel guilty for letting your friend leave."
See-More rubbed his elbow nonchalantly. "And, I guess you could say that we like you. As a fighter of course!" Toph knew that he was referring to the training she had done after they welcomed them in. She had kicked all their butts, and Zuko had done some butt kicking too.
She swallowed a shake before speaking in a calm and collected tone. "Well, what is it?"
All five smirked at her. "You'll just have to come and see."
Toph jogged to catch up with them. "Are we going back to your hideout?" When no one answered, she sighed and tightly went on, "Did you see that fire?"
Their eyes darkened slightly. "Yeah," they answered as a group, excluding Shadow, err, Kyd.
Toph shrugged it off. "What's happening? Did someone put it out?"
Gizmo, who had surprisingly been silent through out the episode, spoke up in his whiny, little voice. "The firefighters put out the fire just moments ago."
At Toph's "and?" See-More took over. "There were no survivors."
Toph felt cold. No survivors? When Billy shook her, she smiled shakily at him and continued along. "This had better be a good surprise, you guys, or I will stick all your butts in the ground for two days."
"It is."
"Can you get anymore suspicious, guys?" She cracked her knuckles, "If it is bad, no matter what you say, I'll make sure you all pay." Most of them shivered at her grin.
A/N: I am leaving for Paris on Monday. For a whole month. So…my update will take a while, because I have no computer for the month I will be gone. I tried to make this chapter longer to make up for my next long update. Please Read and Review!