Miscalculation

Chapter 37: The Invasion, Part 4: Sorrow and Escape

Aang was small and quick and agile and it was those attributes that saved his life. He dropped immediately to the floor and scuttled out of the fireball's way. Ozai was up on his feet and grinning at the group of young people, all of them watching as the fire collided with the far bunker wall.

"That's only the beginning," he chortled.

"I think we should go now," Mai suggested understatedly as Ozai shot a stream of fire from the palm of his hand. "It won't be as easy getting out as it was getting in."

Zuko deflected that one handily enough, but he knew that his father was holding back. "Mai's right," he added. "There will be guards everywhere. Our chance is over for now."

"So that's the big, scary Fire Lord?" Toph asked. "He doesn't seem so scary to me." The earthbender grew quiet for a second, concentrating hard, then sent a flood of rock tumbling toward the surprised man. Part of one bunker wall was destroyed, leaving a gaping hole from which the rock had come. "Come on," Toph urged everyone, "People coming, lots of people."

They ran then, all of them moving as fast as they possibly could and following Zuko's lead. He took them along little used corridors, trying his best to avoid the stampeding mass of guards that were headed toward Ozai's bunker. He just hoped that they wouldn't run into Azula and Ayaka. Ordinary guards in large numbers were enough of a roadblock right now.

"The stairs are right up here," he motioned. "All the guards should still be down in the bunkers but look sharp anyway."

"Guess it doesn't matter if we have control of the plaza and the city now, does it?" Sokka puffed. "With Ozai and Azula undefeated, none of that matters. And they've all got their bending back now too."

Aang flinched visibly, the confirmation of his 'failure' difficult to bear. If only he could have done what needed to be done. If only he had done something. This whole plan, the invasion, was a failure because of him. He'd failed in Ba Sing Se too. He was probably the worst Avatar in history.

Noticing the boy's slumped shoulders, Sokka felt a sharp jab of guilt. "Sorry, Aang; you did the best you could. Don't worry about it."

"Talk later," Mai suggested. "Guards are coming."

Sure enough a coterie of guards was headed straight for them and there was nowhere to turn.

"Piece of cake," Toph cackled, a wide grin gracing her face and making her look slightly maniacal.

The five of them easily dispatched the guards, sending them flying this way and that as they dodged fire and earth and air along with several bladed weapons. The little battle was invigorating, though still not much of a challenge. Making their way through the maze of fallen bodies, the group found the stairs and climbed back up into the palace.

It was surreal, for Zuko especially, but for Mai as well, to be back inside the palace. It had been Zuko's home, of course, from the day of his birth. It should have been a comforting place, and it had been when his mother was still there, but it quickly grew cold and then even colder, a place of humiliation and despair and loneliness. Iroh and Mai had been the only bright spots in his life there.

Running by the familiar tapestries, murals and statues, the thick velvety curtains blowing about in the breeze, Zuko felt a pang, not of homesickness, but of loss. So much could have been that wasn't. But that didn't matter anymore. He had a future now, with Mai, and together, should things work out the way they were supposed to, they would make the palace a far happier place. That thought made him smile.

"Something I should know about?" Mai asked as they turned a corner and stood in the main foyer.

"Hmm?" Zuko replied.

"You smiled just now," she prodded and deliberately bumped against his hip.

Zuko's smile grew wider at the contact. "I was just thinking about our future together."

"So nothing important then," Mai joked.

Their footsteps clattered across the shiny floor as the group tore across the empty foyer and out into the brilliant sunshine. The area surrounding the palace proper was still unspoiled by the battle, its stonework and gardens pristine. But once the allies made it beyond the beautiful red building everything changed. The five of them picked their way meticulously through a mess of wrecked tanks, metal bent and crushed, chunks of the roadway that had been heaved upwards by earthbenders, smashed pottery and broken spears.

Injured from both sides hobbled their way to safety, Katara there to greet the invasion members who needed her help. Meanwhile, Fire Nation reinforcements, bending intact once again, poured out of barracks to join the fray. The soldiers looked surprised by the singed greenery and charred buildings, the wreckage and the sheer size of the battle. They ran amongst the debris, jumping over chunks of this and that, sending blasts of fire at the people who had the absolute audacity to even tread on Fire Nation soil, let alone try to take over their beloved country.

Dragging an arm across her forehead, Katara wiped away the thin, irritating film of perspiration that had settled there permanently.

"I'm sorry," she said to one of the swamp benders, "Just give me another minute."

"Lookie there," he cried excitedly. "The Avatar is coming. I don't think he got the Fire Lord, Missy."

Jerking her head up quickly, Katara followed the bender's gaze. Sure enough, Aang along with her brother, Toph, Zuko and Mai ran toward the allies, the prince shooting his own fire, while Toph handily upended enemy soldiers. It was almost comical to see the men and women in red topple over, the expressions on their faces shocked and angry both. But the waterbender wasn't in a laughing mood. It was obvious that Aang had not defeated Fire Lord Ozai and that the invasion was a failure.

Tears of frustration welled in her huge cerulean eyes but she continued to heal the swampbender. "Damn," she cursed, unusual for her. "It didn't work. We didn't win."

"It'll be okay, little missy. Don't you fret. And at least they're all in one piece." He patted her awkwardly on the back and smiled a gap toothed smile.

"You're right," the waterbender agreed, sounding cheerier than she had earlier, and grateful for the man's positive outlook.

"And look how far we got; we gave them Fire Nation folk what for. We'll get 'em next time; I'm sure of it." Standing up, he gave her another pat and wandered off to join his kin.

Katara hoped he was right. The next time Aang faced the Fire Lord, however, there would be no eclipse to aid them. But he would know firebending at least, be a fully realized Avatar. That had to count for something. It should count for a lot.

It was Bato who saw them before anyone else. He stood silently at first, pointing up at the beautifully blue sky, his mouth hanging agape. "Airships," he finally managed to sputter.

Hakoda and Katara followed his gaze. They were massive things, casting terrible shadows on the ground. Each was powered by a group of firebenders and also had a contingent of soldiers whose sole duty was to blast fire at the enemy and drop bombs from the large hatch on the bottom of every ship.

"We need to get out of here," Zuko shouted urgently as he and Mai came to an abrupt stop in front of Katara and her father.

"Submarines!" Sokka exclaimed as he gesticulated toward the harbor. "If we can get to them, maybe we can escape, all of us."

"They're not going to bomb us," Mai observed as the ships passed overhead, dropping the occasional bomb as though the people below were simply an afterthought. "They're going to blow up the subs."

"And cut off our escape," Aang finished forlornly as he let his head drop. "It's all my fault; everything is my fault."

"Now is not the time, son," Hakoda stated firmly.

"Come on, Aang, maybe we can stop them." The waterbender grabbed hold of his hand and squeezed. Her heart ached to see him this way, guilt ridden and sad. It wasn't right. There was too much pressure on him.

The Avatar thought for a second. "That's right; we have air power too." He smiled weakly and called for Appa, his demeanor already having changed.

He and Katara took to the sky on the huge bison, blocking fireballs and generally being the biggest pair of nuisances they could possibly be. The rest of the invasion force ran for the harbor and the target submarines, still hoping beyond hope that they could beat the airships and their bombs.

Zuko and Mai got back on their eel hound, both of them giving the creature affectionate pats.

"How about Shunsoku*?" Mai asked. "It fits him."

"Yeah, that works," the prince grinned. "It's perfect actually." He wanted to kiss Mai then, hold her in his arms and tell her everything about his brief confrontation with Ozai, how he had redirected lightning and spoken his mind. He wanted to know everything that she had experienced too. But that would have to wait until the group settled somewhere again. Zuko realized he had given little thought, no thought really, to what would happen after the invasion. If it had succeeded, his path would be set. But now that it had failed, the prince had only a vague notion of teaching the Avatar firebending. Where that would happen, how exactly he would teach and who would remain with them was all a mystery.

Sensing his sudden bout of introspection, Mai pressed her lips to his shoulder, letting her warm breath caress him. She wished that she could touch skin, but this would have to do for now. "Everything will work out." Hardly an inspiring statement, more like a platitude, but the sincerity behind her words was evident to Zuko.

"I can face anything, as long as you're with me." The prince's words were just as common, but Mai almost teared up at the emotion behind them. He meant them with all the force of his heart and that was good enough for her.

The Avatar and the Waterbender tried valiantly to stop the airships, but the flying machines were simply too powerful and there were far too many of them. The pair couldn't keep up. Disappointed, they dropped back down to earth.

"There's no way we can stop them," Katara shrugged. "What do we do now? How is everyone going to get away?" The question was directed at anyone and everyone. It was Hakoda who answered, his words almost drowned out by the sound of bombs dropping on the submarines.

"We have no choice really; you kids need to escape on Appa and Zuko and Mai need to leave on the eel hound." He hated the thought of being without his children again, but they were the world's true hope, all of them together.

"But Dad, if you stay behind….." Katara chewed on her lower lip and fought back tears again.

"We still have the Avatar; why can't we fight?" Sokka demanded. "You'll go to prison, Dad, or worse." He looked imploringly at his father.

"Sokka, Katara, part of fighting is knowing when to surrender for the greater good. You and Aang and Toph, Mai and Zuko and the other kids will be the ones who end this war. I'm sure of it. We were close today, very close and that will simply have to be enough. Now get going. We'll be all right."

"I've done time in a Fire Nation prison," Haru's father spoke up. "Don't you worry, young lady. We old timers are tough."

Mai and Zuko exchanged a look, the Boiling Rock Prison coming to mind for both of them. Neither said a word though. Sometimes silence was a far better choice.

Parents and children said their goodbyes at the beach, Katara hugging her father like she might never see him again. The mechanist embraced his son, Teo, before carefully placing the crippled boy on Appa's saddle. Sokka hugged Hakoda next while Haru, his moustache partially singed by a close call with a fireball, gripped his father tight.

"You might want to shave that off, son," the man said, gesturing to the bits of brown on his upper lip. "It's a bit worse for wear."

"Oh, yeah, as soon as we're settled somewhere I will. Goodbye, Dad." Haru gave his father a final glance before climbing aboard Appa and settling beside Teo.

"We can take another person," Zuko offered as he glanced at the crowded saddle. "Does anyone want to ride with us?"

"I do," Toph volunteered with no hesitation at all. "I prefer any kind of travel over air travel." Appa snorted in protest and The Duke looked slightly peeved. "Don't take it personally, buddy," she added, making her way up the eel hounds leg and onto the saddle. Both Appa and The Duke figured she was speaking to them.

Aang bended himself onto the bison and looked around at all the brave fighters gathered on the beach, their fate now in Fire Nation hands. He began to weep and angrily wiped at the tears with his arm. "I'm so sorry," the Avatar began. His voice cracked and the boy found it difficult to meet anyone's eyes. "All of you were so strong today and I was weak." Katara placed a sympathetic hand on his shoulder, rubbing gently. "I will do better next time. Your sacrifice will be repaid."

Momo, who had been absent for the battle, preferring to wait down by the submarines (really, Alabaster completely forgot about the little guy *hangs her head in shame*) jumped up onto Aang's shoulder.

"Hey little buddy," the Avatar greeted the lemur, stroking his long tail affectionately. "I missed you." Chattering happily (to be included in the story), Momo rubbed his soft head against Aang's bald one.

"Where exactly are we going?" Sokka, ever practical, asked Aang.

"I think we'll be safe in the Western Air Temple for awhile." Aang stared into Zuko's eyes. "Do you know where that is?"

"Um, yeah," the prince replied, his unscarred cheek turning a bright pink. "That was the first place I looked for you after I was banished."

"Oh," Aang replied and shrugged. What else was there to say?

"Let's get this show on the road," Toph urged. She bounced about behind Mai trying to get comfortable.

After taking one final look at the scene, committing everything to his memory, Aang cried "Yip yip," and Appa ascended.

Close behind, in the water, was Shunsoku.

And a bit further behind, in one of the mammoth airships, was Princess Azula, dressed in full armor and looking remarkably pulled together for someone descending into madness. But it was taking every bit of her will to maintain control.

"Shall we follow them, Princess?" asked the captain.

"No, we can't keep up anyway. But it doesn't matter. I'll meet them again." She almost sounded like the old princess too, her voice sure and confident, haughty even. But she trembled inside and wondered how exactly she would handle another meeting, the doubts spinning through her head fast and furious.

Ayaka spun her naginata over and over again. She found the motion distracted her from the desire to kill.

Neither party witnessed a strange looking man, huge and hulking, dead eyed like the Bringers were, with a tattoo of a third eye in the centre of his forehead. His head was shaved bare, but he had a trim beard and wore a short, sleeveless tunic over pants. Besides the strange tattoo, his prosthetic arm and leg, both on his right side, were his most distinguishing features.

They were of extraordinary quality, though, and did not impede his movement at all.** He could walk and run, punch and kick with ease. And he needed those abilities in his occupation of assassin. Hired by Azula to kill the Avatar, and if need be the Avatar's friends, he did not quit until an assignment had been completed. Someone would die; whether it was he or they remained to be seen, but the man would see the mission through.

No one seemed quite certain of the man's history or the origin of his strange powers, and no one dared to ask him. Besides, words were not his strong suit. He had given up on them a long time ago, preferring his fists and his fire, fire that came from his third eye, fire he controlled with his thoughts.

The man had been keeping tabs on the Avatar, doing his best to follow the boy's trail. He'd had a setback a bit earlier when the earthbender the boy traveled with somehow hit his third eye with a stone and blocked his chi. The powerful ray of fire he'd been about to release, back fired on him and sent him reeling. He suffered a concussion along with severe cuts and bruises. He was tough, but even the assassin needed time to recover.

Of course, he sent word to Princess Azula of his failure but never heard back. So he continued on his mission and picked up the Avatar's trail once more, this time in Capitol City and in the midst of an invasion attempt. The brat survived that battle so it was up to him once again, to do away with him.

Persuading a local fisherman to give up his boat was simple enough and now he trailed a bit behind the huge bison that seemed to effortlessly drift through the sky and some new players, people dressed in Earth Kingdom green who rode an eel hound, an animal native to the Earth Kingdom. He supposed a few more opponents were all right. The assassin enjoyed a challenge. There was nothing else in his life, after all.

Built inside a huge stone crevasse, the Western Air Temple was a fascinating place with its upside down structures and monolithic Avatar statues, hidden tunnels and chambers galore. Winding staircases took you from level to level. Stone benches and fountains peppered the expansive temple, one that spread along an entire side of the valley in question. Massive sectioned doors closed off the sleeping areas when needed.

In other words, the Western Air Temple was gorgeous, a place filled with spots to hide and go unnoticed. Both Mai and Zuko were thrilled with the arrangements. Privacy was theirs for the taking and they craved it. The whole group thing could be a little much at times, though they both liked everyone well enough.

Afternoon was bleeding into evening when they arrived and setting up camp was the first order of business. Aang moped, sitting off by himself in a corner, showing little interest in anything, Appa and Momo both keeping him company. Katara, meanwhile, unpacked their meager cooking supplies and Zuko made a cheery fire. Teo, The Duke and Haru ran about enthusiastically, all of them eager to explore.

"There are real bedrooms," Sokka exclaimed as he came out from inside the living quarters. "And they have beds." Mai rolled her eyes at the warrior while he rubbed his hands together excitedly. "I'm trying out one of those suckers tonight."

"Don't you think it's better if we all sleep together around the fire, like we always have?" his sister asked. "That way if we're attacked….." Katara stared about their new home and rubbed at her eyes. She was exhausted and desired nothing more than to sleep. Cooking was the last thing she wanted to do, but everyone still needed to eat and the job always seemed to fall to her. The waterbender didn't mind really. She enjoyed looking after others; nurturing whether through food or lending an ear or encouraging someone with words, was an essential part of her nature.

"No one is going to attack us here," the warrior interrupted her. "For La's sake, look at this place, Katara. We're safe. We're fine. Just pick a room and enjoy it."

"We'll take one of them," Mai spoke up. She put her hand discreetly on Zuko's behind and pinched. The prince blushed and stared down at the ground, willing the heat in his face to vanish. Katara gave them both a slightly disapproving sort of look.

"I'll bet you will," Toph replied, a hint of suggestion in her voice.

"What do you know about it?" Sokka demanded. "You're twelve years old."

"Yeah, well what do you know?" the earthbender shot back.

In the midst of the commotion, Mai and Zuko took their few belongings and entered the living area, choosing a bedroom at the end of the long hallway.

"This room should be good," the black haired girl remarked.

The room was dusty and the bed was uncomfortable, but it was theirs as much as anything was these days and the pair intended to make the most of it.

"Come here," Zuko demanded playfully, patting the bed.

"Hmm," Mai teased, one hand on her hip, the other letting loose her hair. "Well, all right then."

Zuko laughed, a deep, throaty, seductive sound and suddenly Mai had no more interest in teasing. She wanted to get down to business and do it fast.

From deep within the shadows, the assassin watched. Crouched uncomfortably on a ledge that gave him the perfect view, he observed the encampment and all its members, biding his time. The assassin was patient. He could wait all night.

*has a few meanings in Japanese, all of them related…..fast runner and fleet steed are two of them…I spent far too long trying to come up with a name for the eel hound (sorry, no Rainbow Dash or Sparkle or anything MLP related ;-)).

**can't help but wonder if someone was thinking of automail

A/N: This week is not a particularly great one for me, so I'm giving you this short chapter a little early, while I still have enough enthusiasm to write. The following one will probably be longer and I'm hoping for next week some time.

Alabaster