The Next Move
Two Weeks After Azula's Coup...
Aang's Dream...
Aang and Katara were roaming the streets of the Southern Water Tribe, smiling, and laughing. They walked into an alley, where they saw Azula.
"Azula!" Aang shouted.
"What are you doing in the southern tribe?" Katara demanded.
Azula then turned to face them, and she shot a bolt of lightning at the ground, breaking the ice.
"Avatar, you will do as I say!" she shouted.
"I would never listen to you!" Aang shouted.
Azula turned away, "Even if..." she began, "I asked you?" she turned around, with Katara's face.
Aang looked to his side, hoping to see Katara, but saw that she was gone. "K-Ka-Katara? You...you're AZULA!" Aang shouted in disbelief.
"Yes Aang, now do As I say, or..." she began, as she cast an evil smile, "I'll throw myself into the freezing water." she threatened.
Aang thought for a moment. He couldn't let Katara get hurt, even if she was going to hurt herself, but he also couldn't believe Katara was Azula.
Finally he spoke up, "Fine, what do you want Katara?" he muttered.
She turned around again, and when she finished, she had Azula's face again. "Good, but you are such a retard. Look up there..." she pointed to the sky, to see Katara hanging from a rope.
"Aang HELP" she shouted. Azula shot a tiny fire shot towards the rope. Katara fell, screaming. Aang jumped up to save her but missed her by an inch, as she fell into the water. She began to sink in the water as she drowned.
"NO!" Aang shouted as he dove into the water. He swam and swam and swam, but had no luck finding her. His eyes began to blur up, as he felt nothing, he struggled to move but couldn't, his eyes closed as he felt nothing, but fear and love...
Aang shot out of the bed, dripping in sweat. He sighed, then quickly turned to see Katara laying peacefully. He smiled, knowing it was just a dream.
He sighed with relief, "That was such a weird dream. But, it felt so weird. Maybe it was a vis-, no my visions are more explained than that was." he whispered to himself.
He laid back down, and scooted himself closer to Katara. He put his arm around her waist, bringing her closer to him. He closed his eyes and drifted to sleep.
Aang woke up around noon. He awoke to see Katara still in his arms, as she looked at him with her sparkling blue eyes.
She smiled gave him a kiss, "Morning Sleepyhead, you seemed to sleep well."
Aang sighed, "Yea I did," began as he lowered his head, "most of the night." he muttered under his breath.
She smiled, "Good, so why don't we get out of bed." she suggested.
"Fine." he muttered depressingly.
Katara looked at him with a worried expression, "Aang, are you okay, you seem depressed?" she asked.
He looked up with a questionable look on his face, "Yea, of course I'm okay, what made you think I was depressed?" he asked.
Katara shrugged, "I don't know, you just seemed a little down."
"I'm okay Katara, really. I just...I don't know. I just have a bad feeling, I can't...I can't really explain it." Aang said.
Katara tilted her head, "Is it like an Avatar feeling? You haven't felt it recently have you?" Katara asked.
Aang shrugged, "Like I said, I can't really explain what it is. It just feels like...nevermind, I'm sure its nothing." He assured her, putting a hand on her shoulder.
Katara smiled, "Okay, just let me know if you feel it again, okay."
Aang smiled back at her, "Okay. So, what are we gonna do today?" he asked.
She shrugged, "I don't know, wanna go penguin sledding? We haven't done it in a few weeks." she asked him
Aang thought about it for a moment, "Alright, I'm sure we can do that."
The couple walked downstairs, only to have Sokka walk right in front of them.
"Hey Katara, have you seen Dad lately? He was supposed to be back from the North Pole last night." Sokka asked.
Katara looked at Aang, who shrugged, "I don't know where dad is. He probably just got caught up in the meeting. You know how long those things can be." She assured him.
Aang looked to the floor, having a weird feeling in his stomach, "Katara, when was the last time we got a letter from Zuko? He said he was gonna mail us five weeks ago."
Katara shrugged, "Last time he mailed us was right after we invited him to your birthday."
"Oh, okay. I just don't know, he would normally mail us every two or three weeks." Aang said.
Katara put a hand on his shoulder, "Don't worry, Aang. He's probably just busy." she assured him.
Aang brought his head back up, "You're right, He's always a little busy, especially since he's the youngest Fire Lord in history, he's probably just stressed. I mean, more than normal."
Katara laughed, "Come on, lets go."
Sokka walked back in front of them, "Go where? Just cause Dad isn't here doesn't mean you guys can go and do whatever you want." he told them
Katara made an annoyed expression, "Sokka, when are you going to stop treating us like we're still kids? I'm seventeen and Aang is sixteen, we are technically adults."
"Yea, Sokka. I know you're just trying to protect your sister, but come on. We dated for like three years, and now we're engaged. We get married in a month." Aang told him.
Sokka growled, "Fine, I just hate it that you guys are always doing something, you never train or anything."
"Actually Sokka, we do train. Sometimes me and Katara spar a little, or haven't you caught that yet." Aang smirked.
Katara laughed and Aang joined in. Sokka just growled and walked away. Katara and Aang walked towards the door and began walking down the street.
A few minutes later, while they were passing town square, a messenger ran up to them.
The messenger walked up to them, "Avatar Aang, this message just arrived for you."
Aang's eyes filled with excitement, "Is it from Fire Lord Zuko?" he asked.
The messenger shook his head, "No, it's from King Bumi. It's labeled as an urgent message." the messenger told him, as he gave the message to Aang.
"Thank you." Aang bowed as the messenger did the same and walked away.
"What's it say Aang?" Katara asked as she hovered over him.
Aang began to read it out loud.
Dear Aang,
I have terrible news. Azula has overthrown the Earth King, Fire Lord Zuko, and both the Chiefs of the Water Tribe. Her Dai Li Agents and her army of Fire Benders attacked Omashu, we were able to hold them off, but then Azula arrived. We were outmatched. Azula ordered that I either surrender Omashu and leave, or get captured. Sadly, I knew this would be the only way to inform you, I surrendered Omashu. Now I am in a small Earth Kingdom town not too far from Omashu, considering at the moment Azula hasn't taken it over, along with the rest of the Earth Kingdom. Aang, you are the only one that can stop Azula, So I ask that you get to the The Boiling Rock, and free the World's Leaders. Then, we can all take back our Nations.
Zuko, Earth King Kuei, Chief Arnook, and Chief Hakoda are all in one part of the prison, and they haven't been allowed out of their cells. The Prison is filled with Imperial Fire Benders, along with a great number of Dai Li Agents. Aang, you are the world's only hope at the moment.
Sincerely, Bumi
Katara's eyes began to water, "Dad. Azula captured my Dad!" Katara shouted.
Aang's eyes also began to water, Hakoda had become like a dad to him, much like Gyatso was. "We gotta go tell Sokka, then I'm going to the Boiling Rock to free them."
Katara stopped him as he began to walk off, "Don't you mean we're going to the Boiling Rock?" she asked him.
Aang turned to face her, "No Katara. You aren't coming with me. It's not safe." he told her.
Katara scoffed, "Not safe. I know it's not safe. But you're not going without me."
Aang turned back around, "We'll talk about this later, right now we have to atleast tell Sokka." he told her.
Katara sighed, "Fine." she muttered under her breath.
They ran back to the house, just as Sokka was leaving for his warrior training.
"Sokka, we have bad news." Aang told him.
"If it isn't about Dad, I don't want to hear about it." he said coldly.
"Sokka...It's about dad." Katara said, her eyes watering.
"What? What happened!" he asked.
Aang turned away, not wanting to tell him the truth.
"TELL ME!" he shouted, his eyes watering.
Aang began to speak up, "Sokka...Dad was captured by Azula, while he was at the North Pole, and so had the Earth King, and Zuko."
Sokka's eyes widened, "HE WAS..." Sokka stopped in the middle of his sentence, "Wait, what did you just call him?" he asked.
Katara and Sokka both looked at him, shocked.
"I called him Dad, I'm sorry. I...I just...I didn't know what else to call him! He's been like a father to me ever since we got back to the South Pole!" He yelled.
Sokka and Katara wiped their eyes, right before they both pulled him into a hug.
"Aang, I can't believe you called him 'Dad', do you know how much that means to us." Sokka asked him.
"No, it just felt right. I don't know how much it means to you, but I know care about him as much as you guys do." he finished.
"It means the world to us Aang. It means you know the pain we feel when he's away like this." Katara told him.
They broke away from the hug, and Katara gave him a quick peck on the lips, "Thank you, Aang."
Aang blushed, "Anyways Sokka, Dad was taken to the Boiling Rock, along with the others." Aang told him
"Alright, then we're going to the Boiling Rock then." Sokka said, beginning to walk up the stairs to get packed.
"Actually Sokka, I can't let you guys go," Aang began, "Its too dangerous for you guys."
Katara stood in front of Aang, "Aang, we are going. No matter what you say, we are going." she told him.
"I'M NOT LETTING YOU GO, DON'T YOU SEE WHY?" he asked her, shouting.
"BECAUSE YOU THINK IT'S NOT SAFE!" she told him.
"NO, BECAUSE IT'S TOO DANGEROUS!" he continued yelling.
"WE'VE BEEN IN DANGEROUS SITUATIONS BEFORE YOU KNOW. YOU THINK YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE THAT CAN HELP SAVE THE WORLD!" she yelled.
Aang grabbed her arms, "I CAN'T LET YOU GET HURT AGAIN!" he shouted, then let go of her arms and looked down to the ground, "I can't watch you get hurt again. I would never forgive myself if you got hurt again because of my job." he finished.
Katara's eyes began to water, "Aang, last time she caught me off guard. I wasn't ready, but this time I will be." she assured him.
Aang looked up at her, he didn't want her to get hurt, but he also didn't want to hurt her. "Fine, go get packed." he told her.
She nodded and headed upstairs, Aang followed closely behind. They had gotten packed up in about two hours.
Kanna had seen them packing up, "Where are you all going?" she asked.
Aang looked up to her, "We're gonna go save Dad."
Kanna had a confused look at her face, then Katara spoke up, "He means Hakoda, Gran Gran."
"Ohhh, well before you go, atleast let me make you all something to eat for the trip." she suggested.
"Okay, Gran Gran. Are we having stewed sea prunes?" Aang asked.
Katara looked at him, confused. "Don't you hate those?"
He looked at her, "Not when they have stewed vegetables in them." he assured her.
Kanna laughed, "Alright Aang. I just don't want you all to leave without something to eat."
They all laughed, and they headed downstairs to help Kanna cook.
A thought then came to Katara, "Aang, what about our wedding? We surely won't be back in a month." she asked with a worried face.
Aang looked at her, then thought for a few moments, "Katara, I'm sorry to say this but, I think your dad is more important than our wedding at the moment." he told her.
She smiled and pulled him into a hug, "Thank you, Aang. I know we didn't plan on this but-"
Aang stopped her, "I know we didn't, but its for a good cause. You're dad is more important at the moment" they broke away and smiled at eachother.
Azula was roaming the halls of the Boiling Rock. She stopped Hakoda's cell.
Hakoda was sitting on his small bed as she walked into his cell.
He looked up at her, "What do you want, Azula." he asked her.
"Nothing, atleast from all you people." she told him.
"Then why did you capture us? Surely you didn't capture all the leaders of the world in such an organized way just to lock us up." he questioned
"Two words: The Avatar. The Avatar is the key to my plan Chief Hakoda. Are you will bring him to me." she finished.
She walked out of his cell. Hakoda had anger in his eyes, he had no idea what she meant by that, or what Aang could actually Provide her.
Two Weeks Later...
Aang, Sokka, and Toph were flying towards the Boiling Rock. Suki was unable to come with them, considering her Kyoshi Warrior duties. And they had picked up Toph at Gaoling on their way. They had been flying two weeks straight, with the exceptional stop at Gaoling. They were coming into vision of the volcano that contained the Boiling Lake. Aang and Katara had whipped up a cloud cover to prevent being noticed
Aang turned to look at the rest of the Gang, "Alright, now remember. We have to sneak into the prison and find the others as fast as possible. Only take out guards if we have to, we don't want Azula knowing we're here." he explained.
They all nodded. Appa made his way to a blind spot between the two guard towers so they wouldn't be spotted. They all climbed down Appa.
"Good boy, now go find a place to hide. I'll call you when I'm ready." Aang told the bison. Appa then growled and flew away.
Aang and Katara were going to find Hakoda and Zuko, who were most likely close near eachother, while Sokka and Toph would find Arnook and Kuei.
Aang and Katara made their way to the middle of the prison, hoping to find Hakoda and Zuko. After about two hours of searching they came across a familiar voice.
Katara and Aang jumped down from the room they were suspended to, "I just hope Katara's okay." the voice said.
Aang looked into the cell to see Hakoda talking to himself.
"Katara, I found him." he whispered. Katara moved beside him to look inside the cell.
"Dad, its us." she called out to him.
He immediately shot up from his bed and ran towards the door. "Aang, Katara, what are you doing here?" he asked.
"We're here to free you." Aang told him. "Stand back." Aang stabbed his staff into the door, and began pulling it aside, trying to make the door budge, but having no luck.
Katara put a hand on his shoulder, "Let me try." he nodded and moved aside. Katara pulled water out of her pouch and began whipping it against the door, slicing the metal in half. After a few moments the door snapped in half.
Katara ran in and grabbed Hakoda's arm. "Lets go." she said as she pulled him out of the room.
A few moments later they found Zuko, and Katara did the same to open the door.
Zuko ran out of the cell, "Aang, thank the spirits someone got the news to you!" he exclaimed.
"Zuko, where is Arnook and the Kuei?" Aang asked him.
He shrugged, "I don't know, but I think they're-," Zuko began, suddenly his eyes widened. "DUCK!"
A blue fire ball blasted against the wall as they all ducked.
They stood back up to see Azula. "Just as I said, Hakoda, You would bring me the Avatar." she said. She then shot another fire ball towards them.
Aang turned to look at Katara, "Katara, find Sokka and Toph and meet me at the courtyard." he told her, "I'll hold her off."
Katara nodded and gave him a quick peck on the lips, "Be careful." she told him. She began running down the hall. Aang twirled his staff to block a fire blast. He jumped up and kicked a wave of fire towards Azula. Azula jumped and kicked a wave of fire that blocked Aang's fire kick. Aang landed on the ground, and began running towards the courtyard.
Katara was running when she saw Toph metalbending the doors of Kuei's cell, while Sokka sliced the metal of Arnook's cell with his space sword.
Katara ran up to them both, "Come on, we gotta get to the courtyard." she told them.
"Where's Aang?" Sokka asked, finally breaking down Arnook's cell.
"He's gonna meet up there, " Katara continued running, "Come on!" she told them.
They made it to the courtyard after a few minutes of running, and they saw Aang battling Azula. Azula was fiercely launching fire blasts at Aang, who was having trouble sending his own attacks. Suddenly, Dai Li Agents shot out of the ground as they began attacking the rest of the gang. Aang made some earth armor around him, and launched towards Azula. Azula brought both her arms back and forth, launching two huge streaks a blue fire towards Aang, shooting him into the wall.
Katara gasped as she watched the airbender get shot into the wall, helpless at the moment. Azula made fire-rockets shoot behind her, rocketing her towards Katara.
Azula was making her move to make The Avatar finally Surrender To Her,
Azula was ready to Finally Capture the Avatar,
And Use him For Her Master Plan.
Hope you love the chapter, please continue reviewing and tell your friends of this please, I may be new at writing my I encourage any kind of reviews