AN: Sorry for the wait! Here's the next chapter! Hope you like it! PLEASE REVIEW!

Breathless

Written: November 14, 2010

Posted: November 14, 2010

Chapter 10: Somewhere Out There…

They ran through the dark corridors of the tunnel in the direction the mysterious woman hand given them for roughly around a few hours. The sounds of their feet against the cold floor were the only audible noises in the tunnels until Toph piped up.

"Do you hear that?" she whispered, putting her arm out protectively in front of Zuko and Sokka. Because Toph's hair was still down, it brushed on Zuko's forearm and he winced, thinking only for a second something was crawling on him.

Toph took a step forward and listened closely. Soon, the noise was audible for Zuko and Sokka to hear. It was a mixture of little footsteps and frantic screaming at once.

"WHAT IS THAT?" a female's voice shrieked.

"Be quiet! It's only a badger-mole! Just keep your voices low and he shouldn't bother us. Besides, he's sleeping anyway."

Sokka knew that voice.

He ran from Toph's grip around the corner of the tunnel to see two familiar girls.

"SUKI!" Sokka yelled. Suki dropped to ground as soon as the large beast rose. Sokka screamed at the body on the floor, then at the sneering creature. "YOU KILLED HER! AHHHH!" Sokka held his arm in the air running towards the beast about to "chop" it, when he sunk into the ground. "THEY BEND EARTH, TOO?"

"No, dummy, that was me!" Toph yelled.

"Oh."

"I'm only pretending Sokka!" Suki hissed.

"Oh."

Toph walked around the corner and sensed the internals of the beast. Her face lit up into a brilliant smile and she ran to embrace the badger-mole.

"Jou Ja!" she exclaimed as she hugged the furry creature. It moaned in response and lifted her up on a pillar he created from the earth.

"So they DO earthbend!" Sokka yelled once more.

"Who's Jou Ja?" Ty Lee asked.

"This is my earthbending teacher! This is the cave I hid in when I ran away from home! No wonder I knew where I was going!"

"You didn't know where you were going! Some lady told us the way out," Zuko corrected.

"Can it, Sparky!"

"Whatever. Can that thing find his way out of this tunnel?"

"His name is Jou Ja and duh!" Toph snorted.

"Okay then what's the hold up? Let's go!" Zuko commanded.

"Um…" Sokka chimed in. "Before we go, can we get me out of the Earth first?"

Her legs felt as if they were jello. She used her sweat to skate across the path in the same speed as the Earth cart. Cool air whipped her hot face as she ran away from her doom. After hours of skating at an incredible velocity, Katara fell to the ground in a huff. She inhaled and exhaled deeply, straining to have air pumped through her lungs and veins. Suddenly, she heard voices. Voices close to her. Voices around the corner.

"Come on, Toph! Just bend him out so we can leave!"

"Nope! Get him out yourself!"

"Toph!"

Katara stood up, unbelieving her ears and rounded to corner to see a blind teen straddling a large badger-mole with her long hair out of its messy bun, a glaring Sokka and Zuko along with giggling Ty Lee and Suki.

"Guys?" Katara said in disbelief. Zuko turned around to see a big blue eyed Katara staring him longingly.

"Katara!" everyone said in unison. Zuko was the first to grab Katara by her waist and thrust her towards him a bone crushing embrace.

"Where have you been?" Zuko mumbled into her shoulder.

"Hostage in a cart made of earth," she replied as she returned the hug.

"How did you escape?" Suki asked worriedly.

"She underestimated me," Katara shrugged in Zuko's arms.

"Okay, now that Sugar Queen's back safe and sound, we can go home, now right?" Toph asked.

"No, we can't."

"Why in heck not?"

"Because Azula is still out there and who knows what she's planning now."

The girl awoke with a painful feeling in the back of her head. A moist something oozed down her chin in a ruby colored liquid. She looked over to see a thrashing princess tied up trying to break free. She got up and untied the princess. After removing the gag, Mai stood up and checked the insides of her robes.

"That little peasant! How dare she! I'll kill her…with a new plan, of course, then―"

"I'm tired of plans!" Mai growled. "I'm tired of waiting! All I want is the chick dead and that's what I'll get. I don't need to plan anything out. She's gonna die! There's nothing to plan!" Mai struck a fist into the wall and yelled, "STOP THE FREAKING CART!"

The cart stopped immediately and Mai hopped off, withdrawing a shimmering blade from her sleeve.

"I'll make sure she doesn't get away this time."

Azula jumped off of the cart as well and shot a blaze of blue fire at Mai. Mai dodged it just barely and turned around, even angrier than before.

"Who are you to raise your voice at me?" Azula challenged.

"I do NOT have time for YOU!" Mai snarled. Azula stood in a fighting stance and glared at her now ex best friend.

"Make time."

Mai lashed out 3 stilettos at Azula and she countered them with a piercing blaze. Mai ran along the walls distributing daggers, knives and sais in every angle towards the former princess. Azula managed to kick and block all of them except for a little stiletto that pierced her shoulder. Azula winced and a frustrated snarl escaped her lips. The Dai Li agents bended gloves onto Mai and she fell to the floor.

"What should we do with her, My Lady?" one agent asked.

"Leave the worthless tramp here," Azula bellowed. She looked at Mai. "I'm glad little Zuzu chose that peasant instead of you. She's prettier than you, anyway!" Azula spit on Mai and stormed into the cart.

"Where are we to go now, My Lady?"

"Continue on to the lower ring. We'll catch up with the Southern Peasant another day. I have someone expecting me by this evening."

"What is your report?"

"Lady Azula is on her way to the lower ring."

"Is my army ready to take her down?"

"Yes, your majesty. Everything is planned. When Azula arrives, a fake representative will take her to the room and it goes on from there."

"I knew I could get this done in a day," the person whispered to themselves before speaking to the shaking servant once more. "Perfect. Oh and uh, don't forget to tell Lady Azula this all my treat," the person snickered evilly.

"Yes, as you wish. When Lady Azula is captured, I will tell her that it is by order of Queen Hama."

"Excellent."

AN: I'm stopping here! Soooo what do ya think? Good? Bad? Awesome? Horrible? Tell me your thoughts, please! PLEASE REVIEW! That's about it, yeahhhh….

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