Getting back to Appa and Momo, we all quickly got ourselves back into the air and flew towards the troops on the ground, though as we flew we saw small war balloons starting to rise up from the ground before they were followed by giant floating warships, making all of us stare in fear and alarm as I pointed them out. "Look!"
"What are they? What's going on?" Toph demanded in confusion, sensing the trepidation in the air as the rest of us continued to stare.
"Maybe you don't wanna know." Sokka informed her, shaking his head and pressing his eyes shut as we made our way back to the others. The airships quickly rose into the air and made their way towards us as Appa landed, everybody save me jumping off as I stayed put in the saddle and refilled my pouches with more water, the heat from the volcano having vaporised a lot of what I had. "It was all a trap. Azula knew we were coming and she's plotted out every move." Sokka informed everyone as Katara and his father approached him. "We just got to get to the beach as fast as we can. If we can make it to the submarines, maybe we can get away safely."
"They've got air power, but so do I!" Opening his glider, Aang stood up in order to take off. "I'm going to do what I can to slow them down." He's really going to try and take on those things by himself?! No way!
"Appa, you and I can help too." Katara said as she jumped up onto Appa in order to join Aang in the air after he had taken off.
"Count me in." I agreed, standing up and balancing on Appa's back as we flew towards the ships. We burst the balloons however we could. I formed an ice spear and launched it with all my might, the sharp point bursting through the balloon of one airship and out the other side before striking another, popping both until I called the water back in order to counter the fireballs from the larger airships which quite frankly were going to give me nightmares.
When fire hit Appa I quickly doused it before it could burn through his armour and covering, using a water barrier as we became locked in a crossfire of missile like blasts which came from every direction, forcing all of us to react mostly upon instinct whenever one came to close. "We can't keep them all back. They're too many of them!"
"You think?!"
"Let's join the others." Barely avoiding being hit as he said so, Appa and Aang flew back towards the retreating troops as they made their way back down the mountainside, angling for where Sokka and Toph were standing before landing as I breathed heavily, falling flat against Appa's back with a tired groan. I seriously need a nap. Food too.
"Try and find cover! I think we're about to see some bombs." Sokka yelled in warning so I squeaked and quickly covered my head as Toph bend a huge canopy over our heads in order to protect us, covering us from the missiles which were released from the airships above us and bombed the entire mountainside without restraint, causing it to tremble and quake. Momo flew over to me with a squawk of worry so I let him fly into my arms before I covered him with my body, Toph bending strong pillars to support the canopy as the missiles caused it to break.
Once it was over I looked up, sliding down off Appa with Momo in my arms as the airships sailed overhead and down towards the beach, making us all frown in confusion. "Why aren't they turning around to attack us again?"
"They're headed for the beach." Aang noted before suddenly it clicked. "They're going to destroy the submarines!" Stroking Momo's ears for my comfort just as much as his, I watched as the airships moved closed and closer to the beach, already too far ahead to catch up.
"How are we all going to escape?" Sokka had run out of ideas, not knowing what else to do after having trying everything humanely possible to make this invasion a success. Each of us looked around at one another, hoping somebody would come up with a bright idea, but then Hakoda, helped by Bato, informed us that we weren't going to escape so Sokka turned to him with a clenched fist of determination. "Then our only choice is to stand and fight. We have the Avatar, we could still win!"
"Yes, with the Avatar we could still win on another day. You kids have to leave. You have to escape on Appa together." Hakoda informed us all, making me start in surprise.
"What? We can't leave you behind. We won't leave anyone behind." Shaking her head in refusal, Katara stared at her dad in disbelief who began to explain.
"You're our only chance in a long run. You and Sokka have to go with Aang somewhere safe. It's the only way to keep hope alive."
"The youngest of our group should go with you. The adults will stay behind and surrender. We'll be prisoners but we'll all survive this battle." Bato informed everyone and I looked down at Momo who chittered at me sadly. I hugged him, feeling rotten that we were being forced to flee after coming so close to winning this once and for all. I guess it was too much to hope for that this would all go easily.
"I've got some experience with the Fire Nation prisons. It's not going to be easy but we'll get by." Tyro assured everyone just before Sokka yelled.
"They're at the beach already!" The missiles dropped and exploded with bright flashes of fire, the swamp benders doing their best to hold off the attack before they were overwhelmed and all the submarines were taken out, cutting off all hope of escape. It was…soul destroying. Seeing everything burning before our very eyes, I'd never felt more helpless in all my life. Fathers said goodbye to their children, Teo, Haru, Sokka and Katara, Pipsqueak helping the Duke into the saddle as everybody got ready to leave. after letting his kids go, Hakoda turned to me as I held Momo up so that he could fly into the saddle, looking over to Hakoda before approaching him.
"Take care of my kids for me." He requested, not even for the first time so I bowed to him.
"Sure thing, Chief." I smiled when I stood up before offering him my arm which he clasped firmly, giving him a respectful nod before I too climbed up into the saddle as Aang wiped away his tears in order to stand strong and address everyone with a firm voice.
"Thank you all for being so brave and so strong. I'm going to make this up to you." He promised them all before sitting down at Appa's head and taking off, carrying us all away from the Fire Nation capital as I watched it grow smaller and smaller until I finally turned around and laid on my back to stare up at the sky and clouds, Momo jumping over to me and curling up at my side within my arm so I curled it around him so he could keep warm. "I know just the place for us to go where we'll be safe for a while, the Western Air Temple." Telling us where he planned to go, Aang veered Appa east to fly away from the Fire Nation capital, heading for the temple.
"I can't believe we failed." Sokka said quietly, sitting next to me in the saddle as everyone hung their heads low in defeat and shame.
"It's not a permanent defeat." I said to him, reaching out to hold his hand and give his fingers a squeeze to console him. "We'll be back, and next time…we'll win this war. Decisively." Giving me a grateful smile, I let go of his hand in order to sit back and close my eyes, needing to rest. It's true, we lost today, but this was just one battle. The war isn't over until the last person standing has been defeated, and I know for a fact that we were all still ready to stand again. We just need time.
Time and patience.
