Chapter 11 A Battle At The Southern Air Temple
Toph and Aang hopped on the back of Appa and Aang said "Yip, Yip" as they took off. Toph turned to him and said "This let's talk on Appa thing had better not be an attempt at you trying to lie to me since we're in the sky." Aang just said "No Toph I've kinda actually wanted to tell someone about this anyway, but no one else can know till I tell them." Toph seemed curious and said "What has Azula done to you, where did you see her?" Aang swallowed nervously and said "Well ummm you see the thing is she's kinda been living with me for the past few weeks." "What" Toph screamed in shock. Aang said "She's been at the temple with me for almost the entire time she's been missing." Toph looked confused as she asked "I don't get it if you captured her, then why wouldn't you bring her back to the Fire Nation?" "Toph she's not my prisoner, she's my friend." Toph was still looking confused as she asked "So the jokes about you dating Azula were real? Yuck!" Aang said defensively "I'm not dating her I've just been living with her." Toph asked "But the girl Zuko heard you were on the beach with was actually Azula?" Aang said "yes."
Toph sat there quietly for a few minutes confusion seemingly permanently etched on her face but she then started to laugh. Aang seemed puzzled by her reaction then heard her say "Good one twinkle toes, now what is the real story." Aang mustered up his most serious voice and said "Toph that is the truth, Azula wants to change and she came to me for help, she's been staying at the temple with me and we've actually grown to be really good friends. She's actually fun and smart and awesome to be around when she's not trying to kill you." Toph seemed concern "How are you sure she's not just trying to get you to lower your guard so she can take you down." Aang said "If she wanted to kill me she's had plenty of chances, so I'm sure if that was her goal I'd already be dead." "But Aang she's pure evil she has to have something up her sleeve, you are crazy to trust her." Toph answered back. Aang just smiled at Toph as he said "I know it seems crazy, but I trust her just as much as I trust you or Sokka or even Katara, so I'm asking as a personal favor to me, Toph just give her a chance like you were willing to give Zuko a chance. Most importantly even if you don't accept her at first this has to stay between you and me, I'm begging you."
Toph seemed lost in thought for minutes and finely said "Fine twinkle toes I'll give her a chance, but when we show up to the temple and we have to fight a bunch of Firebenders led by Azula I am going to tell you I told you so." Aang smiled and said "Thanks Toph, hopefully we can get there before they do I'm worried about her, she's so stubborn she'll try to fight them all by herself." Toph still seemed very skeptical but said "Don't worry Aang she's more than capable of taking care of herself, or us" the last bit was said softly under her breath. Aang smiled even bigger and said "I know you'll learn to love her like I do Toph she's a tough no nonsense girl just like yourself." Toph asked "so what do you and Miss Sparkypants do all alone in your temple, I can only imagine why you don't want Sokka or Katara to find out." Aang blushed profusely as he blurted out "It's not like that, we just meditate and train and battle, sparring with her has got me at the top of my fighting game." The rest of the trip to the Air Temple before they passed out sleeping was spent with Toph making fun of Aang and Azula as a couple.
As they neared the temple Appa roared to wake them both up and Aang hopped down, and his heart dropped as he saw a Fire Nation war balloon floating over the temple. He screamed "Toph wake up they are here." She popped up and said "Ooh there is nothing I like more than kicking the crap out of some firebenders first thing in the morning." Once the courtyard came into view Aang saw some blue flames and a bunch of red flames blasting back at one another. Aang turned to Toph and said "She's already fighting like five of them by herself, I'm jumping down, be ready for action once Appa touches down." Once he finished he jumped off Appa's back and turned into a nosedive so he could get down quicker. As the courtyard came into view he saw what appeared to be a tired looking Azula with her back against the temple doors, five different sets of flameblasts firing at her and she seemed to be barely beating them off. He landed with a great deal of force and sent an earth shock wave towards the five firebenders attacking her. They seemed to be taken totally by surprise and the shockwave sent them flying off in several directions.
Azula looked over gratefully to Aang and said "Nice of you to show up, I was about to let them just take this place over." Aang laughed and said "Haha that would be worse for you I've got like ten homes and this is your only one." The firebenders recovered and the one who seemed like there leader said "There he is boys, let's take down the Avatar." Three flameblasts came flying towards Aang but he swung his staff at them and knocked them off to the side with an air blast. One of the firebenders came running at him and started to do a flip to send a flame blast his way but Azula whipped a blue flame whip at him and sent him spiraling off to the side. One of them fired up high into the sky and started raining flames down all around Aang. He built a quick Shelf of earth over his head and ducked under it he said "Azula get under here", but then he saw her make a rocket booster behind her and shot up in the sky after the firebender. While in the air he saw her do a flip and shoot a very strong flame kick that hit the guy in the air square in the chest and he fell to the earth. The three remaining firebenders lined up next to each other preparing to attack Aang. Azula landed right next to Aang, she said "Now that we're both here these guys have no chance." The rebel firebenders started to attack but suddenly the earth underneath them became a whirlwind of quicksand and soon they were all three buried up to their necks in earth. "Hey twinkle toes, don't forget about me." Aang heard Toph say as she walked towards he and Azula.
Azula tensed and looked at Aang, he said "I'm a terrible liar, she knew I knew where you were and the only way I could keep her from telling everyone else was to bring her. I'm sorry Azula." Toph quickly imprisoned the two rebel firebenders who fell earlier in earth and said "So you're on our side now huh Princess?" Azula let her guard down and said "I don't know about the rest of you but I am on Aang's side." Toph turned to her and said "What does that mean?" Azula's face turned stern as she said "I trust Aang and I will always be on his side, as for the rest of you I'm not going to attack you anymore, for Aang' sake, but I think given all of our pasts it's going to be hard for any of us to become to close, at least for now." Toph laughed "Fair enough, I still think that you have some sort of evil ulterior motive." Aang cut in "Come on Toph, she just fought with us, I'm telling you she's trying to be a good guy." Toph then finished "But as a favor to Aang I'll keep your secret,just know that when you step out of line I'll be right here to kick your butt back into prison where you belong." Azula laughed and smirked "I'd like to see you try." Aang said "That's enough, I don't want to see you two fight, Toph thanks for agreeing to keep Azula being here a secret. Azula I trust Toph so if she says she'll keep my secret you should believe it too." Both girls stood there firmly having a blind vs seeing stareoff but Azula finally turned away and said "Fine, I'm going to my room Aang, I'll let you two decide what to do with the prisoners." then she stormed off towards the temple.
Aang looked over at Toph and said "She's not as bad as she seems really Toph." Toph replied "Who you want to spend your time with is up to you baldie, I'm not going to like her, but I will keep quiet for a while, but you're going to have to tell everyone else, especially Katara eventually." Aang said "I know, and I will, thanks again Toph, I'll send my messenger hawk to the Fire Nation and have them send a zeppelin out here for you to head back, plus it can pick up the prisoners." Toph sat down and said "Whatever" Aang turned around and said "I'll go get the hawk plus I'm gonna go talk to Azula."
He headed up to the top level of the temple where he kept his messenger hawk and attached a note for the nearest Fire Nation military base. He then headed for Azula's room and saw the door was closed. He knocked and he heard Azula say in an agitated voice "What is it." Aang asked "Can I come in please Azula." she replied back "I don't care." He slowly opened the door and saw her rubbing some ointment on a burn on her arm. "Did they get you?" he asked concern apparent in his voice. She laughed and said "Nothing I couldn't handle. No firebender can even hold a candle to me." Aang said sweetly "I know Azula you are the strongest, but no matter how strong you are you still need help sometimes." She seemed to be growing more annoyed by the second "Look Aang I'm fine I don't need anyone and especially not you to baby me." Aang said "I'm really sorry I let it slip to someone that you were here, but don't worry, even if more people find out I'll never let them throw you in prison again, this is your home for as long as you want it to be."
Azula smiled and said in a bitterly sarcastic voice "Well thank the spirits I have my very own Avatar to look after my pathetic and weak self." Aang frowned and said "You know I didn't mean it like that Azula, I know you're mad at me so I'm gonna leave you alone." He opened the door and as he walked into the hallway he stuck his head back through the door and said "I'm really sorry Toph found out, but I'm really glad that you are ok and that I could help save you even if you didn't need it." Then he closed the door.
Azula lay on her bed running things over in her head. She was glad that General Zato's rebellion had started, she was also glad that the avatar was here and separated from his girlfriend. Now she just had to hope that the water tribe girl was staying at the palace with her brother. As soon as she had seen the war balloon with the rebels approach the temple she had sent a coded message to the guard in Zuko's palace that was loyal to her. The message said to be ready to enact her plan as soon as possible. She was actually very nervous about this part of her plan because it was so crucial to get her brother and the avatar's girlfriend in bed together, and she had no direct influence on the outcome. She just had to have faith that her subordinates would not fail her, all she could do was to make sure when the plan worked the avatar would be ready to come running to her. She would rest for a little bit and then she was going to go talk to him and apologize for their little fight earlier she wanted him to be happy with her when he left for the Fire Nation. She closed her eyes, her mind slowly emptying as she let sleep wash over her.