Kuvira sprawled out in a chair. She was mentally trying to block Wu's nonsense. Even if he claimed to have taken voice lessons, his music sense was horrid. The metalbender rubbed her temple as a headache was forming.
"Alright Wu," She finally spoke up, "If you continue singing, I am just going to toss you out of this airship."
Wu straightened his stance and readjusted his jacket. Then he sat down in the back with a pout on his face. Kuvira was not glad to see that he had not changed.
"Kuvira," Asami suddenly called out, "I think we are about to have company."
The metalbender rushed up to stop behind Asami. There were two airplanes from Ba Sing Se flying besides them which meant that Korra was getting paranoid if this flying unit was still flying over another state.
They watched as the lead pilot shook his wings and pointed to his radio. Asami clicked on the radio and held it up.
'By authority of Head Minister Korra, land the stolen airship or risk being shot down.'
"Oh, let me answer." Wu jumped up.
"No!" both women shouted at once. Wu sat back down.
"Tell Korra that she's lost her mind and that we are coming for her." Kuvira stole the radio from the other woman, much to Asami's dislike.
The pilot shook his wings again before pulling away. Kuvira rushed to get on top of the airship. Asami warned about the new weapons in the airplanes and that they could cause the airship to explode from the gasses keeping the flying machine in the air.
Just as the hatch opened, small objects began to hit around the metalbender. Kuvira finally left the hatch and ran towards the bow of the airship. The two airplanes had already made their first pass and were coming around again for the second. The fronts of both airplanes lit up, peppering the airship with more holes. Kuvira dove to avoid being hit and went back to her feet to reach out at the trailing airplane. She watched as the airplane staggered in the air and then Kuvira ripped it apart. The pilot fell out and was scrambling to open his parachute. He fell into a cloud before Kuvira could know of his fate.
The airship soon began to smoke, leaving a thick dark trail behind it. The metalbender ran to the hatch and leaped into the hole. She knew that she had to find the other two and get them out before the airship exploded. She was met halfway by Asami and a panicking Wu.
"I hate parachutes." Asami muttered before strapping Wu in one and pushing him out of a door.
She jumped and then Kuvira jumped. They both could hear Wu screaming the entire way down.
"Wuuuuu down!" he shouted as he collided with the ground.
The former king stayed on the ground, helplessly flailing about under the parachute. He began crying for help as the two women gathered their own parachutes.
"Now how are we going to get to Ba Sing Se?" Kuvira asked.
"I managed to grab a map. We at least have a lay of the land before us." Asami's statement was followed by the crashing of the airship, "And if we can save some of the metal, we can probably make something to get us out of here."
"You mean me, unless you have tools as well?" Kuvira gave the engineer a look of disbelief.
"I do not have any, so yes; you will have to be forming the pieces for us. I will tell you what to do with them."
"While you two argue about what we will do to save us, may I remind you all that I have no sense in technology and cannot help with building anything." Wu spoke as he finally figured out the white cloth over him, "Also, can you of you get me out of this before I blow away?"
A stone spike shot up behind the small man, holding the parachute in place.
"Now, what do you have in mind Ms. Sato?" Kuvira asked.
Asami pulled hard on the crank. The cord from their parachutes followed as the improvised motor sprang to life. The engineer stood up and wiped her brow. With what fuel they managed to find, it gave them hope that the engine was working. They just needed more of it.
Until then, they were going to have to move the machine using pedals.
"Aww, my royal legs are not meant for this kind of work."
Asami slapped the back of Wu's head, "Just help and stop complaining unless you want angry soldiers finding us."
They took turns, two pedaling at a time with one resting. All they needed was to get to a town to find gas. The green lands began to turn brown as they got closer to the large city, yet no town. Kuvira was getting impatient with the former king and she was beginning to regret kidnapping him.
"I have two ladies," Wu was singing, "Two ladies have me. We are peddling, oh peddling to Ba Sing Se. Oh yes, we are peddling to go save the day. Hey!"
Kuvira was not peddling at the time. She was trying to sleep but the man's singing was just becoming a pain.
"Down with the wickedly beautiful Avatar."
"Enough." Kuvira growled, "Switch me, jazz singer. Maybe if you fall asleep we'll have peace."
"Don't have to ask me twice."
A day into continuing their trip, the machine fell apart. Asami and Kuvira argued about what when wrong. In her hands, Kuvira unconsciously played with the White Lotus tile. She was not happy about listening to a non-bender complain about her bending even when the bender herself is not an engineer.
"We are not going to get there with this junk." Kuvira growled, "We are almost there and we would get there faster if you would let me move the earth below us. Trust me Asami, I want to get there too."
"What happens when you tire? Wu and I cannot bend earth. At least with this machine, we can keep moving."
Wu put on a cheesy smile, fixed his great hair and strutted up to the arguing women.
"May I add something?"
Two sets of angry green eyes shifted to him.
"I love your machine Asami, but if we can get to Ba Sing Se soon by Kuvira's way then I, I mean us, would not have to worry about an army chasing us. You guys get Avatar Korra and I get a position I still don't want. It's win-win."
Asami looked back at Kuvira, "Fine. Move the earth, oh Great Uniter."
So Kuvira did.
The three of them sneaked into the city through an underground tunnel before reaching the old catacombs of Ba Sing Se. From there, it was a guess as to where they would go next. Kuvira led the way, changing paths if she thought she needed to. It felt like days that they travelled in the dark. Only the crystals gave them light.
"Kuvira, take us back to the surface." Asami said, her voice echoing through the tunnel.
The metalbender nodded and broke through the earth. They were in the center ring and Asami took the lead towards the home shared with the Avatar. The women often had to toss Wu over hedges as he was unwilling to get dirty. When they stopped in the backyard of the Sato home, Asami looked for signs of Korra being home. The office light was off. She could make a good guess that Korra was at the palace.
So they broke in.
"I need to find my glove." She said as she stormed in and ran up the stairs, "You two can wash up if you want."
Wu took that time to find the washroom. He wanted to look good when they broke into the palace.