Chapter 13: Separation
Aang found himself facing Mai, while Katara watched Ty Lee warily.
Toph stood behind them, grinning disconcertingly at the feet of the Dai Li.
Sokka realised he wouldn't be able to help until his limbs became useful again, so stayed by Kuei and Iroh, who kept up his calm appearance. It was now Sokka realised the old man was brimming with tension, ready to enter the battle if need be. He was new to this group, and didn't want to interfere if unwanted.
Zuko prepared himself for what would more than likely be his last battle. Azula smiled, one that terrifyingly resembled their fathers.
The tension was straining, just waiting for something to break it.
Momo, sitting on Appa's head, chattered quietly.
Kuei held Bosco quietly, looking apprehensive.
Sokka suddenly sneezed, and all hell broke loose.
Toph moved quickly, raising the earth around the Dai Li before her. She managed to snare two in her trap, while the other two escaped by raising the ground beneath them. Carelessly, Toph sent the two trapped Dai Li flying, where they landed heavily beside their already captured comrade.
She sensed the Dai Li releasing their rock cuffs at her. With a grin, she grabbed them and threw them back. One was not expecting the blind girl to be able to catch and return his attack, and received his own cuff in the gut. The other had fought Toph before, and knew she was not to be underestimated. He smashed the rock cuff and leapt aside as the ground beneath their feet leapt suddenly.
The winded Dai Li screamed as he flew and smashed into the pile of his stone covered comrades, sliding unconscious to the ground. Toph and her remaining opponent circled each other, the girl's smile never fading. He immediately raised several small boulders, sending them flying at the blind girl from all directions. Toph raised a tent around her body quickly, listening carefully to the boulders smashing against her shield. She laughed when she realised one hadn't hit - he thought she wouldn't know! She raised her arms, sending her shield flying around her, destroying the remaining boulder that would've rendered her unconscious.
"You're not bad." She admitted. "But I'm still the best." She turned to the side, sweeping her foot around through the air.
The Dai Li's momentary confusion at this unfamiliar move was enough make him fail to notice the strip of earth that followed with her foot. It flew as she spun, smashing him on the shins. Toph heard the satisfying sound of bone breaking, then faced the screaming man once more. He collapsed to the ground, holding his injured limbs.
"What...was that?" He managed, horrified. Toph laughed.
"That was firebending." She kicked the ground, and one last time the earth rose, and he flew through the air, landing on the unconscious body of his fellow agent. Toph straightened with a satisfied smirk.
Katara backed away towards the raging river, carefully keeping an eye on the grinning acrobat. She would need all the water she could get to take this girl on.
"Hey is that cute guy your brother?" Ty Lee asked, bouncing on the balls of her feet.
Katara gave Ty Lee the most appalled look she could muster.
"Of course he's my brother! And he's not cute!" She whipped her arms around hard and fast, a powerful wave following.
Ty Lee leapt gracefully into the air and over the attack, landing dangerously close to the waterbender. Katara allowed the water to flow over her shoulders and arms, ready for an attack. Ty Lee didn't disappoint. She moved with almost supernatural speed, fingers reaching for the pressure points. Katara managed to duck and dodge successfully, twisting and turning on her feet. She now had Ty Lee backed up to the river. Grinning, she unleashed the water around her arms at the girl.
Then things started to go wrong. She heard an explosion behind her, but assumed it was just Toph having fun fighting the Dai Li. Then she saw Ty Lee's eyes widen, looking over the waterbenders shoulder. Not willing to fall for that one, Katara prepared to freeze the water gathered around Ty Lee's legs. Something small and hard hit her shoulder, and pain exploded as she felt her shoulder become dislocated.
She fell to the ground, screaming and clutching her shoulder in pain. She'd been hit by a piece of debris from Toph's fight. Now down to one arm, Katara somehow pushed herself to her feet, ignoring the splitting pain of her shoulder. She desperately tried to trap Ty Lee again, who flipped over Katara quickly, jabbing her shoulder as she passed. Katara felt her waterbending leave her and moaned in fear, spinning once more to face the acrobat.
Aang narrowed his eyes at Mai, who looked predictably bored. He'd never really fought this girl before, apart from when she nearly impaled him in Omashu, but he knew her style from his friends stories. And now he was angry - she'd destroyed his gliders wings. Mai showed no outside emotion, but suddenly realised she'd pulled the short straw in this battle.
Mai shot her hand forward, a flurry of blades shooting from her sleeves. Aang swiped his staff at her, then raised an earth barrier before him. The blades dug harmlessly into the wall, then fell when he allowed the earth to crumble. Mai had somehow once again dodged his air attack, and this time kicked forward, blades flying from her ankle. With a surprised cry, Aang spun his staff, deflecting the blades. Mai suddenly raced forward, hoping to startle the boy into another wild attack.
The Avatar raced forward to meet her, surrounding his hands with stone. Just before they met, Mai suddenly twisted on her heel, sliding out of his path. Aang saw the dagger flashing in her hand seconds before he had the presence of mind to block the attack. Her blade smashed on his arm guards, and she frowned, frustrated. They both jumped at the explosion of earth beside them, and ducked the flying missiles. Nobody heard Katara's cry of pain over the Dai Li's, but Aang took advantage of Mai's momentary hesitation to open the ground beneath her feet. Mai shrieked as she fell into the hole, which quickly closed, allowing only her head to protrude above the ground.
Aang and Toph glanced at each other, the Avatar shaking his head.
"Next time, could you watch were you're throwing your rocks?" He asked sourly.
"Sure Twinkletoes. Maybe I'll be able to tell you what grass looks like as well." She said with a laugh. Toph had grown up learning how to be a subtle and gentle lady, and wanted none of it.
Zuko attacked first, kicking out at his sister's feet, hoping to break her stance. Azula leapt into the air and shot a powerful wave of blue flames at her brother, who miraculously managed to deflect the attack, but felt himself being pushed backwards from the force of the attack. He immediately struck back as she landed, hoping to catch her off guard. No such luck, the prodigy swept his flames aside and shot her hand forward, another wave of fierce blue flames shooting towards him.
Zuko sent his own wave at the oncoming fire. The blue and orange flames hit, each consuming the other on contact. The remaining force hit Zuko, who landed hard on his back. He flipped quickly to his feet, punching several fireballs at Azula. She laughed as she deflected the attack easily.
"When will you learn, Zuzu, that you will never be as good as me?" She sneered.
Azula twisted her hands to circle each other, then threw a spinning blue flame at the former Prince. Zuko barely managed to defend himself, but he was still sent flying back. He cried out when he hit a tree and slid to the ground, lights burns on his chest and a cut on his head screaming at him. He was vaguely aware of the earth shaking, then struggled to his feet, ready to face the prodigy once more. Azula was walking away from him.
Zuko was furious. How dare she! They were in the middle of a fight! She would not disrespect him like that! He hurried after his sister, noticing she was heading towards Ty Lee and Katara, who was visibly injured and unable to waterbend.
"Ty Lee, go take care of the other two. You've done well here."
Ty Lee looked relieved, then turned and raced off towards Aang and Toph. Katara glared as defiantly as possible at the Fire Nation Princess, who smirked confidently.
"Take one last look at your pathetic life, waterbender." She said, raising her arms above her head. "Soon the Avatar will have no one to protect him."
"You won't win!" Katara yelled. "Aang will beat you and your father!"
"No. He won't." Azula suddenly cried out when an unexpected fireball hit her side, throwing her to the ground. She looked up in absolute surprise as her brother stood over her.
"I will not let you disrespect me like this!" He yelled furiously. "You can't just leave to take potshots at a peasant!"
"Hey!" Katara yelled, recovering from him saving her to feel blessed anger racing through her body again.
Azula straightened and brushed herself off.
"Zuzu, you are not even worthy of respect. You are pathetic. No wonder father sent you away."
"Shut up!" He yelled. "I am not who I used to be!"
"That's where you're wrong." Azula said. "You're still a weakling. You still can't master firebending. You still think that father wants you to come back, wants to love you! And you still believe whatever I want you to know." She shot her fist forward, a powerful blue blast racing towards her brother.
Her words still writhing in his mind, Zuko didn't even register what had happened until the blast caught his shoulder. He flew back, and vaguely felt the waterbender behind him cry out as the blast caught her too. Azula smiled with satisfaction as they hit the water and vanished down the swiftly moving river.
She turned and sighed when she saw Ty Lee had somehow become trapped up to her waist in what appeared to be some sort of earth cyclone. The blind girl hardened the twisting earth and smirked as Ty Lee squirmed unsuccessfully. That earthbender was more trouble than she was worth. Uncle was clearly not going to involve himself in this battle, the Earth King wasn't even worth considering, and the Water Tribe boy still couldn't use his arms, so all she had to do was take out the Avatar's remaining guardian.
Toph and Aang had their backs turned to Azula, completely oblivious to her plans. Toph could sense the princess behind them, but knew she could easy sense any attack she might try. Toph frowned when she realised two of their party were missing.
"What's wrong?" Aang asked, seeing Toph's furrowed brow.
Azula knew the girl somehow always seemed to know where her attackers were. It didn't take long for her to realise she must use her earthbending to somehow do this. So to attack, she mustn't be touching the earth. She leapt into the air as she released a deadly bolt at the blind girl's back.
It was only by luck that Aang saw the flicker out the side of his eye.
"Toph!" He yelled, desperately lifting a barrier between the lightning and the girl.
But the bolt was too fast, and the barrier was too close. The lightning hit the wall, immediately shattering it. Aang was thrown back, mercifully hitting Appa in the stomach. He heard Toph's pain filled shriek, cut off suddenly.
"Toph!" He cried out again, racing through the thick dust.
With an angry cry, he took a deep breath and blew the dust away, revealing a small green lump, covered in rubble. And not moving. He hurried over, shoving the rubble aside with his bending. Cuts and bruises already littered her back and face. Aang was completely shocked. He couldn't recall ever seeing Toph injured, and now she wasn't moving-
He spun when he heard a crunch behind him. Azula stood tall, victorious.
"No one to hide behind now, Avatar." She sneered at the boy kneeling before her, grey eyes wet with unshed tears.
Anger grew, furious anger which he hadn't felt for a long time. He took another deep breath and blew it straight at Azula. The firebending prodigy managed to dodge the wind blast, but was caught full on by the enormous flame she was not expecting from her side. Azula flew back and slammed into the earth, groaning as Iroh straightened from his attack. As she struggled to sit up, Aang moved quickly, encasing the girl to the throat in earth. She glared furiously, and started to call a very powerful flame. A small boulder appeared out of nowhere and smacked into the prodigy's head. She immediately slumped.
Confused, Aang turned to see Toph's eyes slightly open.
"You're alright!" He cried, relief pouring through him.
"Did I get her?" She asked quietly.
"Yeah, you got her. The Blind Bandit won the day." Aang said, squeezing her hand.
Toph smiled weakly, then lost consciousness once more. Iroh knelt beside them, gently checking the girl's injuries.
"I'm sorry for not helping earlier." He said quietly. "I think I am so used to Zuko not wanting my help, I thought it best I not interfere. But next time, I will not hesitate."
"Where's Katara?" Sokka asked suddenly, looking around desperately. Aang looked around scanning the area.
"The Fire Nation boy is gone too." Kuei noticed. Sokka went red in the face.
"I swere, if he's done something to her-" He began, limp arms flailing wildly.
"They fell in the river." Everyone looked up at Ty Lee, who was smiling, but without her usual brightness. "Princess Azula hit Zuko with a big flame, and he bumped into the waterbender, and they both fell in the river."
Sokka immediately started racing down the river bed, shouting his sister's name.
"Ty Lee, we need to have a talk about not conversing with the enemy one day." Mai sighed.
"Oops."
"I'll go after him." Iroh said, straightening quickly. "Kuei, you and Aang get Toph to the doctor, quickly, and carefully. I'll bring Katara as soon as we find her."
"Take Appa!" The airbender cried as he helped Kuei scoop up Toph's suddenly tiny and frail body.
Iroh nodded and sat on Appa's neck. Momo took off after Sokka, seeming to understand what was going on.
"Yip yip." Iroh commanded, and the bison immediately lifted off the ground.
Kuei and Aang were already hurrying through the forest, Bosco trundling lazily after them.
"I'll go ahead and warn them!" Aang cried, and created an air scooter.
"Be careful!" Kuei called after the panicking boy as he sped away towards the village.
Authors note: sorry for the amount of line breaks, there was so much happening and i wanted to try and have it all make sense. so another page of bending madness! and i finally got to the bit i described in my summary! i hope i did oks, you all seemd to like the last one (thank you!) thanks all so much for the R&Rs