Chapter 47
The Battle Begins
Zuko was grinning at the goofy smile painted across his wife's face. The last few days had shown them they still had many problems in their relationship but there was at least one thing they didn't have a problem with. He sighed contently as her fingertips trailed a light caress over his bare chest and he leaned down to kiss her again. Her beautiful caramel skin was accented quite nicely by his red and gold robe which she was currently wrapped in. It was really a shame that they were in the middle of a war, otherwise they'd have time for another round of their heated love making but as it was they had been delayed long enough.
He chuckled as she protested him leaving her embrace. He pulled her up with him and pressed a searing kiss to her lips, promising more later. She wore the cutest pout as they began to redress and he couldn't resist pulling her to him once more and attacking her neck, her ear, and her lips before they left the cave. He was partially happy that the glowing had begun but also disappointed because they didn't have an excuse to linger any longer. He tucked her smaller hand in his and they set off to meet with King Bumi.
- -
Aang was sitting in his usual place, just behind Appa's head, encouraging the bison to make a quick trip of their journey to Omashu. While they were flying he was attempting to contemplate just what sort of relationship he and Azula might have. Up until this point in his lifetime he had always seen himself with Katara in his future, now he was with the most unlikely person. He could picture his life with Katara, it would be sweet and simple. He wasn't sure what to expect with Azula. She was highly unpredictable and for as much as he liked her, she still terrified him at times…such as right now.
He glanced at her. He had seen that look on her face before and it had ended with an unnatural amount of electricity flowing through his body. Looking at her now all he could think was 'Thank Kami she's on our side.' He had been successful in keeping his thoughts to himself at this point in his lifetime. It was a lot easier when her mind was so preoccupied with her "final act of evil" as she'd taken to calling it in her head. It was amusing, yes, but also very scary.
- -
Toph smirked, the retaking of Ba Sing Se would be simple enough and the Fire Nation wouldn't even have to get their hands dirty. While there were many who agreed with Kawamura, there were enough people who disagreed and then her friends from Gaoling who had joined her in her request to help retake the city. Haru, Teo, and Suki's connections had come in handy as well. Sokka had devised a plan and now all they had to wait for was a signal to commence the take down.
- -
Iroh waved to Aang and Azula as the two disappeared on Appa in the direction of Ba Sing Se. He would wait with Kaili in Omashu for Katara and Zuko to arrive. Kaili was a cross between furious and miserable over his failure to protect Katara. Iroh had to chuckle at the young man's dedication to his job. As there was nothing left to do now but wait the two made their way into the city to meet with King Bumi.
- -
Kawamura grinned. The Fire Lord had made a charming attempt at being clever with his little infiltration squad.
"Take care of them." Kawamura muttered after being informed of the little rebel group within his territory. "Make sure the Fire Lord knows, he's not very clever at all."
"Yes sir." The rigid man before him gave a curt nod of his head and left.
- -
"Alright, so we just wait for the others to arrive and then we attack. Head straight for the palace and try not to hurt anyone too badly. We just want to knock them out." Sokka explained to the assembled troops. "For now just take a breath and…"
"Actually, breathing done, the fighting is now." Toph interjected.
"What? No, we have to wait for the signal. Appa hasn't groaned yet." Sokka argued.
"Well you can wait around if you want to but earth kingdom troops are on their way here from every direction, right now." Toph said.
"What?!?" Sokka cried.
"New plan guys, I hope everyone's ready because the fight is coming to us. Just let us know when to move Toph." Suki said.
"Right, just hold on one more moment and…" Toph paused, listening to the sounds around them and feeling every vibration of the earth. "Just a little closer…"
Toph balled her hand into a fist and drew her elbow up high above her head, aiming her fist down at the ground. She held still, poised in the moment and then with no warning at all launching her fist at the ground causing such a rippling quake that her companions nearly fell down from the shaking.
"Now, get out there now!" Toph cried.
Sokka kicked open the door of their hideout. He charged forth with his boomerang held high, prepped to bash people in the head with. Suki slipped effortlessly out of the window and launched herself at the surrounding soldiers. The assembled friends of Haru, Toph, and Teo poured out of the house and into the streets to join the fray.
Haru slammed a foot into the ground causing a boulder to fly up. He gave the boulder a swift roundhouse kick and sent it flying into two soldiers that were charging at him. Sokka threw his boomerang and grinned as it bounced off of one soldiers head and ricocheted off to hit another before glancing the side of a building and returning to him. Suki ran up from behind him, leapt into the air and took down a man with a solid kick to the face.
"Watch out!" Teo's voice called as he came zooming through with a small contraption in his hand.
"Teo, what are you doing?" Toph called out.
Teo wound up his arm and then threw the small object forward into the masses of earth bending soldiers now blocking their road to the palace.
"What the..?" A soldier bent down to pick up the strange object when it burst open clouding him and his nearest companions in a smoky haze. "Ahh, what is..?"
"What happened?" Toph asked, as she felt numerous bodies dropping to the ground.
"Teo, what was that?" Suki called.
"It's a sleeping smoke bomb, I came up with it a while back but never actually had a chance to try it. A low dosage of poisonous berries, not enough to kill but enough to knock out the senses for a bit and compressed compartment of water that is heated into vapor upon release causes the explosion and spread of the mixture." Teo shrugged.
"Smart." Sokka nodded.
"Look out." Toph shouted, lunging forward and pushing Sokka to the side before dropping to the ground to avoid the boulder that had been launched at him.
"Looks like we're not done yet." Suki surmised drawing her fans. "Let's go guys."
- -
"Well that certainly looks like fun, doesn't it?" Azula commented peering ahead at the fighting going on in the streets of Ba Sing Se.
"MOMO!" Aang shouted, seeing the lemur flying up into the air. The little animal stopped it's swirling flight and spun around to see Aang and Azula atop of Appa heading towards him. "No, need to go to the fire nation, we're here now buddy. Let's go."
"Gladly." Azula smiled, easily leaping from Appa's back, as they neared the ground, and landing neatly atop the building their friends had been hiding in.
"Go somewhere safe, for now." Aang said, to Appa and Momo as he slid off of the bison's back. He knew they were capable of taking care of themselves but they were trying to cause as little damage as possible and Appa's size might not be so helpful in that respect.
"It's good to be back in Ba Sing Se. I wonder, did you miss me." Azula called down to the assembled soldiers. She laughed manically at her own rhetorical question and dove into the fight below, zigzagging her fingers through the air and summoning lighting to her. "I think it's best you get out of our way."
Jerking her fingertips forward she send t a string of lighting through the crowd, causing those in her way to spasm and then drop to the ground stunned.
"Let's go." She called, running up the alleyway towards to palace.
"How does she do that?" Sokka gaped.
"A battle to us, is child's play to her." Suki shrugged.
"Aren't you glad she's on our side now." Toph grinned, following after her. "We're really going to kick some butt."
More opposition ran into the streets prepared to attempt to stop them but between Aang using his glider to summon up gusts of wind to knock people of the way, Toph sending surges of earth to trap the oncoming foes, and Azula's ability to stun those running at them, the path was easily cleared to the palace.
"Kawamura, I hope you're ready because it's time for you to pay up." Azula growled.
A/N: Sorry for the wait.
