Smoke and Shadow Part II
Two months went by without a single sighting of Azula, things in the capitol had been relatively calm.
Zuko and Ari were sitting together eating breakfast when a guard entered.
"Fire Lord Zuko. A situation has occurred in the capital. Reports have come in that a child has been kidnapped. The son of Ukano and Michi, Tom-Tom."
"Mai's little brother?" Zuko said eyes wide in disbelief.
"Go to them. She's your friend and she's probably really scared right now." Ari urged him gently.
Watching him walk away Ari let her mask drop as her heart fell. Of course she wanted him to help his old friend, she would never ask him otherwise; but with her pregnancy rapidly coming to its end they had so little time left together.
"You have to get our boy back!" Michi begged the officer desperately, wringing her hands.
"He must be so scared!" Auntie Mura cried out.
"Sounds like you got the closest look at the kidnappers, Mai. Can you describe them?" The officer questioned Mai.
"They looked like the Kemurikage." Mai said looking down in embarrassment.
"Excuse me?" The officer asked her.
"The Kemurikage." Mai said looking at the officer, "My parents used to tell me about them when I was little, whenever I did something bad. They're from an old legend; spirits who live in the mountains of our hometown. Supposedly, when children misbehave, the Kemurikage come and snatch them away in the middle of the night."
"Oh, Mai! Your father and I told you those stories to help you build character! Our parents did the same for us! All the parents in our village told those stories. The Kemurikage aren't supposed to be real!" Michi said dismissing her daughter.
"But it seems that they are." Zuko said from the doorway.
Everyone turned around to see the Fire Lord standing in the doorway. All of them but Mai bow to him, while Mai simply stares at him completely stunned.
"Zuko!" She yells in shock.
"Fire Lord!" The officer says equally in shock.
"What are you doing here?" Mai asks him.
"I heard what happened to Tom-Tom last night. I want to help." Zuko explains.
"We are grateful for your concern, Fire Lord." Michi tells him.
"If we're up against spirits, though, we'll need more than just me. We'll need the Avatar." Zuko explains to them.
"Zuko, Ari!" Aang cried out walking into their conference room in the palace a couple days later.
"Hey Aang!" Ari greated her old friend with a smile and a hug.
"Thank you for being here buddy!" Zuko told him, shaking his hand.
"No problem." Aang tells them.
"You remember -" Zuko said turning to the others in the room.
"Mai!" Aang cried out in surprise.
"Hello Aang." Mai said giving him a rare smile.
"Wow, this is great! I didn't know you guys were talking again. I mean, you know after the break up- um..." Aang stumbled.
"And this is Kei Lo. Mai's boyfriend." Zuko said feeling embarrassed but trying to ignore his friends awkward moment.
"Hello." Kei Lo said rising from his chair.
"Oh, I mean- You know, I- What I said earlier- by "talking again" I meant, um- It's just- I thought-" Aang stumbled awkwardly.
"Please, keep talking. Because things aren't awkward enough already." Mai told him sarcastically.
"Sorry." Aang said giving up and hanging his head.
Zuko cleared his throat and tried to power through, "And finally, Aang, meet Constable Sung. He's leading the investigation into the kidnapping." Zuko said introducing the other man.
"I'm honored, Avatar." Constable Sung said bowing respectful to the Avatar.
"Nice to meet you, Constable- Wait, kidnapping?!" Aang ask the words finally registering in his brain.
"A couple of nights ago, my little brother Tom-Tom was taken by a band of dark spirits." Mai explained.
"You saw them?" Aang ask her.
"I fought them. They were the Kemurikage." Mai told him.
"Who?" Aang ask in confusion.
"Dark spirits who supposedly haunt the mountains just outside my home village. I recognize them from stories my parents used to tell me." Mai explained.
"Several reports of dark spirits sightings came in from all over Capital City, though Tom-Tom was the only abductee." Constable Sung told them pointing to a map.
"Constable, were these sightings from-" Aang started to ask but he was interrupted by a commotion from the hallway as a man tried to get past the guards at the door.
"Get off me! My son's missing, and you're worried about palace protocol?" The man yelled as he made it past the guards and burst into the conference room.
"Apologies, Fire Lord! We asked him to wait, but-" The palace guard tried to apologize.
"It's all right. He's the victim's father. He ought to be informed." Zuko told him raising a hand to try to quiet him.
"Mai! I should've known you'd be here!" Ukano yelled at her.
"Father." Mai replied in a flat emotionless voice.
"This is all your fault, daughter! If Tom-Tom were still with me in our home, he would've been safe! I would've made sure of it!" Ukano continues to yell at her, completely enraged, as she looks down he lowers his voice. "You may hate me, but you know I'm right."
Ari can feel her blood boiling at this man's treatment of his daughter, it is took all her self control to neither speak nor strike him.
"Oh, come on! No house is safe from dark spirits!" Kei Lo says jumping to his girlfriends defense.
"You stay out of this, boy!" Ukano yells at him.
"Please, everybody! Calm down! All this arguing isn't helping us find Tom-Tom! We need to put our heads together and figure out what to do next!" Aang attempts to act as referee.
"I'll tell you what needs to happen next! Our "Fire Lord" needs to grow a spine! Everybody knows the Spirit World begins to act up when the human world is weak!" Ukano says rounding on Zuko and pointing a threatening finger at him.
"No! That isn't how the Spirit World works! The balance between the humans and the spirits has nothing to do with strength!" Aang tries to explain.
"We still don't know for sure this even was spirits!" Ari interjects.
"Show that you're worthy, Zuko! Declare a curfew to keep your citizens safe! Then send out an elite task force to fight the dark spirits! Take down just one of them and we'll show the spirits that humans aren't to be trifled with!" Ukano yells, completely ignoring Aang and Ari.
"If that is your wish, Fire Lord, I'll begin gathering a task force. It may take some time, though." Constable Sung tells Zuko.
"Don't do it, Zuko! A curfew would just make folks even more fearful! Plus, how's a "task force" supposed to fight spirits? You can't use normal bending! Let's first figure out exactly what happened to Tom-Tom. Then we'll know what to do next." Aang tells Zuko, putting his hand on his shoulder.
"What the Avatar says makes sense." Mai agrees.
"Wise advice, Avatar. Constable, please escort Ukano out." Zuko concludes.
"I knew it! You're unworthy of the throne, Zuko! You're an imposter! Imposter! Imposter!" Ukano yells as he's escorted out.
"Mai, when the New Ozai Society attacked me and my family a few weeks ago... was your father a part of that?" Zuko ask her with a frown.
"Not that I know of." Mai says refusing to meet Zuko's eyes.
"Hm. I thought I recognized his voice." Zuko replied not entirely convinced.
"Mai, I need to know everything you know about the Kemurikage." Aang asks her.
"I've already told you. They're just an old legend." Mai replies.
"An old legend, huh? Then I have an idea about where to find out more. Follow me." Zuko says leading them from the room.
Ari looks behind her and realizes Mai and Kei Lo are lagging behind.
"Zuko, I think we need to consider the possibility that this may not be the work of spirits, something feels...off. I'm also fairly sure Mai is lying about her father." Ari told him quietly.
"I think your right, his voice sounded too familiar; but I don't have any proof. As for spirits, we'll investigate thoroughly I promise." Zuko assured her leaning over to kiss her forehead.
It is early evening as they arrive at their destination.
"Whoa. What is this place?" Kei Lo ask in amazement.
"The Fire Sages Capital Temple." Mai told him.
"You've been her before, Mai?" Kei Lo ask.
"An ex thought it'd be romantic to share a meal over the burial site of his ancestors." Mai told him sardonically.
Ari gave Zuko the side eye and he at least had the good graces to blush.
"So! You guys! How about we, you know- get going on the, uh- whatever it is we came here to do?!" Aang said overenthusiastically trying to break the tension.
Ari took a deep breath, Mai was not going to make anything easy. It was clear the other girl still harbored resentment that her ex boyfriend had come back from the war engaged to someone else. Mai hadn't been the only one unhappy; Zuko's advisors had been nearly apoplectic. They had vocally opposed his engagement to Ari, who they thought was an orphan from the colonies. They wanted to see the new Fire Lord marry a member of nobility, preferably one of their own daughters. Zuko had of course been unyielding and their marriage had occurred rather quickly.
"Great Sage Shyu!" Aang called out as he caught sight of the Fire Sage.
"Fire Lord! Fire Lady! Avatar! What a pleasant surprise!" Shyu called out to them and all four of them bowed respectfully.
"So good to see you again, Shyu!" Aang told him.
"A pleasure as always, Great Sage." Ari replied demurely.
"I'm sorry it's been so long since my last visit. Things have been busy." Zuko apologized.
"You know what Fire Sage Kaja used to say: The busier we are, the more attention we must pay to our interior life." Shyu told Zuko.
"True, but-" Zuko tried to speak but was interrupted.
"My brother sages and I recently revived a couple of old practices that may be of interest to you! In fact, I'm teaching a meditation class that-" Shyu tried to say but Zuko held up his hand to silence him.
"I'd love to hear more, Shyu, I swear; but right now, my friends and I need to get into the Dragonbone Catacombs."
"Of course." Shyu said with a disappointed sigh, leading the way.
"Does the Fire Lord visit often?" Aang ask walking next to Shyu.
"Sure. Sometimes for the view- sometimes for the dusty old scrolls in the catacombs. Never for my meditation classes." Shyu told Aang with a frown.
Shyu stops and takes a firebending stance; clenching both his fists and raising them above him, he forcefully lowers one raised fist into the floor. The small tongue of flame erupts upward, growing briefly taller than the crouched man before disappearing. The floor around the circle Shyu is standing on breaks into pieces, which slide outward into the floor, revealing a spiral staircase leading downward into darkness.
Zuko takes the lead, and holding a flame in his hand walks down the spiral staircase. Aang takes up the rear holding a flame as well for additional light. Ari starts to regret her decision to come as she walks down the narrow stairs with her nearly 7 month pregnant stomach obscuring her feet.
They walk through the dimly lit ancient corridor. Dragon skulls line the way, it's a gruesome sight. Ari schooled her face and looked over at Aang who was looking incredibly uncomfortable.
"So this is where the Fire Lords are buried?" Kei Lo ask breaking the silence.
"Yes." Zuko responded simply.
"Reserve a place for yourself yet?" Mai ask him.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Zuko ask stopping to turn and face Mai.
"It's just a question, Zuko." Mai replied rolling her eyes.
"Is this supposed to be Fire Lord Sozin?" Kei Lo ask pointing to a large metal door, trying to distact them.
"My great-grandfather, yes." Zuko replied.
"Looks like a crank." Kei Lo said examining the image.
"Crankiness runs in the family." Mai responded.
"So how's this visit gonna help us, Zuko?" Aang asks him, as everyone ignores Mai's comment.
"Look at this. This mural illustrates the history of the Fire Nation, including its myths and legends." Zuko says gesturing to the next part of the hall
"Oh, yeah!" Aang says as he walks further down the hall, which ends in a dead end. "But it all stops here!" He said gesturing to the open mouthed dragons on a large metal door.
"When Sozin came to power, he ordered the rest of this corridor sealed off, as if Fire Nation history began with him." Zuko explained.
"Why didn't he just have it destroyed?" Aang ask him.
"He wanted access, just in case. You can still learn from the past, even if you officially deny its existence. I'm guessing we'll find a clue about the Kemurikage behind that wall." Zuko told them.
"You know, there's something just like this in the sages' temple on Crescent Island! Zuko, if you and I send fire blasts into each of the dragons' mouths, the whole thing will open right up!" Aang tells him excitedly.
"Worth a try." Zuko shrugs and the two take firebending stances in front of the dragons.
"Ready when you are!" Aang tells him.
"You might want to stand back." Zuko looks back to warn the other three.
"We're fine, thanks." Mai says sarcastically rolling her eyes yet again.
Ari stubbornly stands her ground unwilling to let the other woman think that she is in any way weaker than her.
Zuko and Aang start blasting fire into the mouths of the dragons... but nothing happens. They try again and again.
"Nothing." Zuko says sounding a little frustrated.
"Huh. Maybe if we give it one more try -" Aang begins to suggest.
"You've given it, like, twenty tries already! My turn." Kei Lo tells them as he steps forward and examins the dragon heads.
"I didn't know you could firebend, Kei Lo." Aang says.
"I can't. Mai, can you hand me four of your throwing knives?" Kei Lo says reaching out his hand. "If you two had taken the time to study the dragons, instead of just blasting away, you would've noticed that the locking mechanisms aren't located in the dragons' mouths." Kei Lo tells them as he inserts a knife into the dragon's right nostril.
"Wait, you're gonna pick the dragons' noses? That seems awfully disrespectful. Not to mention gross." Aang says making a face.
"Babe, can you help me out here?" Kei Lo asks Mai as he's elbow deep in the dragons' nostril.
"Sure." Mai replies going over to help him.
"Babe"? Aang whispers to Zuko.
"You're not really one to talk, Aang." Zuko whispers back as he thinks about their most recent trip with Aang and Katara, and their over used "sweeties".
Kei Lo positions Mai between two of the dragons, a knife in each of her hands, in the dragons' noses.
"Just hold this here- and this here." He instructs. "Give each a counterclockwise turn- now!"
Together they each turn their knives. A rumbling emanates from the door, and they step away from the doors as they slowly slide open, revealing the continuation of the tunnel beyond. Aang is the first to enter the passage.
"Well, look at that! You were right, Zuko! The mural keeps going!" Aang says excitedly leading the way.
"I'm impressed. Any other criminal talents I should know about?" Mai asks Kei Lo flirtatiously as she takes his arm.
"Stick around. Maybe you'll find out." Kei Lo responds with a wink.
'Good' Ari thinks rolling her eyes 'She can flirt with her own boyfriend instead of snipping at my husband.' Ari thought unkindly; the other woman had most definitely gotten under her skin.
They continued to walk through the catacombs.
"Oh look, more of Zuko's cranky ancestors." May says looking at the murals on the wall.
"They don't all look cranky. This guy's more... stoic." Aand tells her. "How many Fire Lords were there?" He asks Zuko.
"I'm not sure. The history books I studied as a kid all began with Sozin." Zuko tells them but stops infront of one of the ancient murals. "But I bet this is the first one, the one who united the Fire Islands."
"Guys, I think I found what we're looking for. The spirits who kidnapped Tom-Tom; that's exactly what they looked like!" Kei Lo tells them pointing to a section of the mural.
"The Kemurikage." Mai tells them as they look at the dark one eyed spirits.
"Creepy!" Aang says.
"And this must be their story. Can I get a light, Aang?" Mai asks him.
"Sure." Aang says stepping closer and holding his flame out for her.
Mai begins to read the scroll "Long ago, long before the Fire Nation came into existence, warlords ruled the Fire Islands. They fought one another for territory, and often the common people were caught in the middle. All the warlords were cruel and ruthless, but the worst of them was a brute named Toz. Feast or famine, Toz demanded annual tributes from all the villages in his territory. One year, a village dared to refuse Toz his tribute. And so, to teach them a lesson, Toz had all the village's children kidnapped. The children were never seen again, and the village's mothers died of sadness."
Ari could feel tears pricking the corners of her eyes and she laid a protective hand over her stomach as she thought of not only this child but her other three.
"How horrible! Where was my past life in all this?!" Aang ask horrified.
"Maybe this was before the first Avatar." Zuko offered.
"Shhh. I'm not done." Mai told them as she continued to read. "Soon after the mothers' deaths, dark spirits began to haunt Toz and his men. Every so often, they would drift into the warlord's encampment in the middle of the night. The next morning, a child would be gone. Out of fear, Toz's men abandoned him. His regime collapsed. However, the dark spirits- the Kemurikage- continue to appear, even to this day, their sadness insatiable."
"Eeesh. Maybe Sozin kept ancient Fire Nation history locked away because it's so depressing." Kei Lo replied.
"Mai, I think you summoned something by reading that scroll! Look!" Aang says excitedly.
They all look up. A wisp of smoke, appears out of the mural. As the smoke wafts down the hall, Aang puts his hand through it and it loops around his hand and begins to glow a bright bluish-white.
"Whoa. Neat." Aang says looking at the smoke and suddenly he takes off running down the hall following after it.
"Aang! Where are you going?! It could be dangerous down there!" Zuko calls out as he chases after him.
"But I think it wants me to follow it!" Aang says not even slowing down.
"This kind of thing happen a lot?" Kei Lo asks.
"All the time." Ari answered with a sigh.
"Interesting friends you got there, Zuko." Mai told him.
"Where are you leading us, little wisp of smoke?" Aang ask it while he continued to run after it.
"Probably somewhere dark and dank." Mai replied pessimistically.
"Kind of like where we are now?" Kei Lo ask her.
"Oh, it'll be worse." Mai replied.
"You know, you're pretty cute when you're pessimistic." Kei Lo told her.
"I've been told." Mai said with a smile.
"Hey, smoke! Can you wait- No, don't go-. Oh, monkey feathers! I bet this is another lock. Kei Lo, you think maybe you could-" Aang said as the smoke disappeared into the mouth of a dragon statue.
"No problem, Avatar Aang." Kei Lo told him as he pulled out the knives again to fiddle with the locking mechanism.
With a rumble an entire section of the wall turned to the side. Ari was briefly reminded of Saturday morning cartoons when she was a child.
"Looks like a crypt!" Aang said looking down the stairs.
"I'm not going in there." Mai said crossing her arms.
"I have to agree with Mai on that one." Ari added.
"Kei Lo, maybe you could come along, in case there's something else to unlock?" Aang ask him as he walked down the stairs.
"Sure." Kei Lo said sounding a little unsure.
With them gone Zuko, Ari, and Mai stood in uncomfortable silence.
"Are you feeling alright?" Zuko ask Ari.
"Just tired, I'll be fine." Ari said, if Mai hadn't been there she would have probably admitted that not only were her feet killing her but her lower back as well. Admitting weakness in front of Mai however was simply not an option.
"This enough light? Because if the flame isn't big enough, I could-" Zuko ask feeling awkward.
"It's fine, Zuko. The less we see of this place, the better." Mai told him flatly.
"Oh. Okay. You're right. Kei Lo seems nice." Zuko said trying to make conversation.
"Yeah, he is." Mai replied with a small smile.
"It's good to see you happy. Or at least happy-ish." Zuko told her.
"So you two are having a baby?" Mai ask.
"Yep, two actually...twins." Zuko said rocking on his heels.
They stopped trying to make conversation and contented themselves to just stand there in awkward silence until Aang and Kei Lo returned.
"I'm telling you, they're not the same spirits as the ones in that scroll!" Aang told them all from Appa's saddle as they made their way back to the Capital.
"So they're different spirits who just look like the Kemurikage?" Zuko ask him.
"Maybe." Aang said not sounding convinced.
"I've said all along they're probably not spirits at all." Ari pointed out.
"All I know is, on the roof of the flower shop that night? Those ladies looked creepy." Kei Lo told them.
As they flew over the city they could hear chanting coming from down below.
"A strong nation is a safe nation!"
"What the-?!" Aang ask in confusion.
"A strong nation is a safe nation! A strong nation is a safe nation!"
"What are all those people doing out in the street? It's the middle of the night!" Aang asks us.
"Let's find out." Zuko told him.
Ari found herself searching deep inside for the strength to keep this up, desperately wishing she could collapse into bed.
"Constable Sung! Ukano! What is the meaning of this?!" Zuko ask with authority.
"Fire Lord!" Constable Sung said sounding surprised.
"As I predicted, the Spirit World has gotten completely out of control! Dark spirits have taken more children, including the constable's own son!" Ukano told them.
"Oh, no!" Aang said.
"I'm so sorry, constable!" Zuko told him.
"I was unable to find you, Fire Lord! We had to do something!" Constable Sung tried to explain.
"Since Zuko's refused to protect his nation, a group of young volunteers has stepped up! The Safe Nation Society are risking their own lives to keep us all safe!" Ukano said gesturing to the men behind him.
"The Safe Nation Society?" Aang said in confusion.
"What's the Safe Nation Society?" Zuko ask them.
"How'd you get this many volunteers to assemble this late into the night?" Aang ask him confused by the whole situation.
"In fact, not ten minutes ago, the Society saved a child by heroically fighting off a group of dark spirits!" Ukano told them.
"I am loathe to inform you, but those probably were not spirits." Ari told him imperiously, hold her head up high.
"Preposterous! I saw them with my own two eyes! Humans don't move like that! Besides what would a girl from the colonies know about it." Ukano insisted.
"You're out of line Ukano. I am still your Fire Lady, and you will show me the respect I am due." Ari told him with steel in her voice.
Ukano just glared at her.
Mai walked up behind her father on silent feet. "You're hiding something." She said calmly with her arms crossed.
"Mai! What are you doing here?" Ukano said sounding startled.
"I can tell by the way you're talking... What's your secret, Father?" Mai said narrowing her eyes.
"I don't know what you're talking about!" Ukano said starting to sweat and he refused to look at her.
"Constable Sung, truly, I'm sorry about your son. We will find him I promise you. But the curfew, all of this, was done without my authority! I will not be undermined! Until further notice, you are suspended from your post!" Zuko told hin firmly.
"Fire Lord, I- I'm sorry." Constable Sung said with a respectful bow.
"So am I." Zuko said sadly.
"What do you think you're doing?! Constable Sung is a good man!" Ukano said continuing his tirade.
"And you, Ukano. This Society of yours will disband immediately or you will all face arrest!" Zuko said loudly rounding on Ukano.
"Come, Safe Nation Society! We will respect the wishes of the Fire Lord. Let us return to our homes and stand idly by while our nation suffers!" Ukano called out to the crowd. "And Mai, when you finally come to realize the truth, you know where to find me." He told his daughter while he walked away.
"What just happened with Constable Sung... That was pretty harsh." Aang told Zuko.
"I hated to do it, but I had no choice." Zuko explained, shaking his head.
A young woman came up behind them holding a very small child in her arms.
"Fire Lord Zuko?" She said and they all turned to her. "With all due respect, the Safe Nation Society just saved my daughter. They're heroes, which is more than I can say for you."
Zuko and Ari had finally made it back to the palace and were making their way back to their room when they heard a noise.
"Pssst! Zuzu!" They hear whispered from the room to their right.
They look in the room and Noren and Ursa are sound asleep but Kiyi is wide awake and trapped under Ursa's arm.
"Help me, Zuzu!" Kiyi whispers as Zuko walks into the room, while Ari watches from the doorway.
"Kiyi? Why are you still awake?" Zuko asks her quietly.
"She's holding me too tight with her cold, cold hands! I'm suffocating!" Kiyi says dramatically making Zuko and Ari smile.
"Would you like to sleep in the other room?" Zuko asks her.
"Yes, please!" Kiyi told him as Zuko helped her out of bed.
Zuko swung her up on his shoulders as they continued walking down the hall.
"What'd you do today, Zuzu?" Kiyi asks her brother.
"I had to... deal with a problem our nation's been having." Zuko explained to her.
"What kind of problem?" Kiyi ask curiously.
"Nothing for you to worry about. I'm going to take care of it." Zuko assured her.
"I know you will, Zuzu. I know you will." Kiyi told him as Zuko tucked her into bed.
"Goodnight." Ari told her gently.
"Sleep tight, Kiyi." Zuko told his sister while he closed the door.
Out in the hall Ari and Zuko were finally alone again.
"Now Fire Lord Zuko I think it's time you tucked me into bed as well." Ari teased her husband slipping under his arm.
"Your wish is my command Fire Lady Ariadne." Zuko teased back with a smile.
Ari made her way to bed and was asleep almost instantly, the day had been absolutely exhausting. Zuko however only stayed in bed long enough for his wife to fall asleep, before slipping silently out onto the balcony. He was watching the lights from the city when Suki slipped out behind him.
"The Kyoshi Warriors just finished their nightly rounds. Everything's secure." Suki told him.
"Thank you, Suki." Zuko responded.
"Want some company?" Suki ask him.
"Sure." Zuko replied. "So how are you feeling?"
"Oh my feet hurt, my back hurts, this kid keeps kicking me in the ribs, and I'm as big as a house... so just peachy!" Suki told him with a smile.
Zuko laughed for a second but his face fell right away.
"You'll find Tom-Tom. I know you will." Suki said her tone more serious.
"Yeah... But it isn't just about finding him. A couple weeks before we broke up, Mai and I took Tom-Tom on a picnic with us. I think their mom had errands to run? I don't really remember. At first, I was kind of annoyed. I was hoping to get some alone time, just Mai and me, you know? But then, I remember watching him run after this glow moth. He was so happy. I didn't remember ever being that happy at the time. I don't think I was ever really happy until I met Ari." Zuko sighed. "Mai ever tell you what happened to Tom-Tom in Omashu?" He ask.
"Yeah." Suki replied.
"So you know. For a little guy, he's been through a lot. But he could still get so much joy from chasing a flying bug. If we... When we find him, will he still be the same kid? Will he be able to be that happy ever again?" Zuko ask her.
Zuko looked up and noticed smoke wafting away from the palace and his eyed went wide in terrified horror.
"No." He said not wanting to believe his eyes as he took of running to his sisters room.
"What's wrong?" Suki ask running with him.
"Smoke! From Kiyi's room! Go back Suki! Stay with Ari!" Zuko yelled to her.
"No, no, no!" Zuko yelled as he saw Kiyi's empty bed.
"Zuko?!" Aang ask having heard the commotion in the hall as he and Ty Lee rushed in.
Zuko ran to the window and saw three mask figures trying to escape with his sister. "Put her down! Now!" He yelled as he lept out on the roof.
Zuko and Aang send a firebending blast at the escaping figures and one of them turned and kicked Aang in the chest.
" ... definitely ... felt like a human foot! Try chi blocking 'em, Ty Lee!" Aang said struggling to catch his breath.
"I'm trying, I'm trying!" Ty Lee yelled before changing tactics and trying to tackle them.
"Got you!" She yelled to the figure holding Kiyi, but they quickly tossed the child to one of their compatriots.
"After them!" Zuko yelled, but suddenly the smoke grew thicker and they started coughing unable to breathe.
Aang used an airbending blast to clear the smoke. "There!" Aang said pointing at a retreating figure.
Zuko hit one of them with fire and they fell hard. "That's it! It's over! Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide!" Zuko yelled running over to them. He held a fireball in his hand threateningly "Where'd your friends take my sister?! Same place you took the other kids?! Answer me!" He yelled.
The figure sat up and suddenly shot lightning above their heads.
"Azula." Zuko said realization sinking in. He immediately got into a lightning redirecting stance, Azula hadn't tried to hit them the first time but he didn't doubt she would the second time. "I know that's you, Azula! Tell your friends to let Kiyi go!"
Azula shot lighting at him again, which he redirected with ease.
"You know I can redirect anything you- ?!" Zuko started to yell but Azula caught his lightning redirection and redirected it back at him him hitting him square in the chest.
"Zuko!" Aang yelled.
"I'm okay... she's gotten strong again..." Zuko said struggling to stand but still trying to hide how much pain he was in.
"Oh, no you don't!" Ty Lee said tackling her, but Azula wriggled out of her grasp and smacked her on the face "Ow!" Ty Lee cried out.
Azula then used fire blasts from her feet to propel herself back on the roof where her accomplices waited with a still unconscious Kiyi. In a puff of smoke they were gone.
"No... no...no!" Zuko yelled out in disbelief.
Ursa and Noren came running out of the palace.
"They took her, didn't they? They took my baby." Ursa cried out.
"I'm sorry." Zuko said bowing his head in grief as his mother collapsed in Norens' arms.