A couple weeks later, Azula, Mai, Ty Lee, and Zirrinni were in front of a tank train.

"Zirrinni, you follow from the skies on Echo. Mai, Ty Lee, and I will follow the Avatar in this tank train." Azula said. Zirrinni nodded then climbed into Echo's saddle.

"We'll fly high enough to be barely visible." She said.

"No. Let the Avatar and his friends see you and Echo." Azula said. "That way, they'll have some idea of who's following them."

Zirrinni nodded as Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee got on three mongoose lizards then got in the train.

"Up, girl!" She nodded and Echo flew above the train as it began to move.

Echo spotted Appa in the distance and growled. Zirrinni knew Echo was still angry at the bison for that attack in Omashu.

"Easy, girl..." Zirrinni soothed, causing the dragon to calm down a little.


The chase continued until Aang, his sister, and their friends chose to face their pursuers. Echo set down when the train stopped then Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee got out. While the latter three charged forward on their lizards, Echo flew just above them, Zirrinni shooting fireballs towards Team Avatar. Katara used her Waterbending to stop the flames.

Toph, the newest member of the group and Aang's Earthbending teacher, used her Earthbending to raise rocks in order to try and slow Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee down, but it didn't work. She then raised a barrier of rock, but Azula and Zirrinni both shot lightning at the wall and blew a hole in it for the trio on the ground. Mai fired some of her stilettos at Toph, but the latter launched the part of the ground on up into the air, catching the stilettos while she landed in Appa's saddle. The bison took off after that. Echo landed in front of Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee and let out a loud roar of rage.

"It's okay, girl." Zirrinni soothed.

"Why's her aura so red, Rinni?" Ty Lee asked.

Zirrinni glared at Ty Lee before sighing. "She wants to ram into the bison as payback for what happened in New Ozai."

"Let's continue to follow them. They're leaving a trail for us to follow." Azula said as she picked up some of the fur that Appa had shed.

"That thing is shedding?" Mai asked.

"Everything with fur sheds, Mai." Zirrinni said.

"Come on, ladies." Azula said and they followed the trail as the sun began to rise.


By a river, Azula reached her hands in and pulled up some of the fur Appa lost.

"Wet fur in wads. Delightful." Mai said.

"Not wads. More like...bundles? Bunches? There's an 'uh' sound to it." Ty Lee said.

"...Clumps?" Zirrinni offered.

"Yes!" Ty Lee exclaimed excitedly and hugged the dual bender. "Clumps!"

Zirrinni rolled her eyes with a small grin and hugged back.

"In any case, the trail heads in that direction." Mai said, pointing in the direction the shed fur was going.

Azula saw a couple of trees that were broken at the top and turned to her team. "The Avatar is trying to fool us. Mai and Ty Lee, you head that way and follow the bison. Zirrinni and I will follow this trail."

The girls followed Azula's orders, the princess on her mongoose lizard and Zirrinni in Echo's saddle, Echo running beside the lizard.


Coming across an abandoned town, Azula and Zirrinni found Aang waiting for them.

"You found me. Who are you two and what is it you want?" Aang asked.

Zirrinni bowed to Aang. "We didn't have a proper introduction. My name is Zirrinni. It is truly an honor, Avatar Aang. You passed through the village I lived in and helped free the captives in a metal prison several miles from the shore."

"The village where Haru lives? If we'd known you lived there, Katara would've talked to you then."

"It wouldn't have mattered. She made her choice."

Choosing not to press the issue, Aang turned to the princess. "And who are you?"

"You're saying there's no visible family resemblance?" Azula smirked. "A hint should help you." She said then covered her left eye. "To restore my honor, I have to capture the Avatar." She said in a deeper voice to imitate her brother. "Go ahead and laugh. It's funny."

"Avatar Aang, may I present Azula, Princess of the Fire Nation." Zirrinni said.

"What now, then?" Aang asked.

"Now is where it ends. You have nowhere to go and you're tired. Run all you, your sister, and your friends want, but we will catch you." Azula said.

"Who said I was running?" Aang asked as he stood up.

Azula just smirked. "You truly want to fight us?"

A noise was heard as Zuko jumped off an ostrich horse and came between Azula, Zirrinni, and Aang. "I do."

"Zuko." Aang said.

"I've been expecting you, Zuzu." Azula said.

"Back off, you two. The Avatar is mine." Zuko warned.

"All due respect, Zuko, but you had your chance." Zirrinni said.

"So, we're not going anywhere." Azula said.

Zirrinni shot fire at Zuko, who deflected it and countered with his bending, but he quickly became frustrated when Zirrinni used her Waterbending to stop his flames. Aang tried to flee, but a stream of Azula's flames stopped him. Zirrinni used her Waterbending for defense and her Firebending for offense before shooting lightning at Zuko, who dodged it. She pulled out a few knives Mai had given her and threw them at him, but he ducked down. Both were unaware of Azula chasing Aang down.

"So, my sister recruited Mai. How else would you be able to throw like that?" Zuko said.

"You don't know that, Zuko." Zirrinni said. "Maybe I've always been this good."

He growled then noticed his sister was gone and ran after her, only to fall from a second floor of a building. Zirrinni saw Aang running out and blasted him with fire.

"Zirrinni, you don't have to do this." Aang said.

"I'm afraid you're wrong, Avatar. This is the only way I can help my family." She said as Zuko was thrown out of the building he and Azula were in. The princess then ran to the Avatar, who scaled the sides of two buildings as Azula shot fire where he landed before Zirrinni used her firebending to cut through the building twice, pinning Aang inside under some rubble. Azula set fire to the bottom corners to keep him from trying to run, but Katara stopped them from trying anything and freed Aang.

Zirrinni shot fire to Katara, who ran out of the building with Azula and Zirrinni running after her. But then, Sokka attacked the two from the side. The two girls were holding their own against Team Avatar until they both were tripped up by Toph.

"Thought you guys could use some help." The blind girl said.

"Thanks, Toph." Katara said.

Zirrinni and Azula were soon backed into a corner by Aang, Emi, Katara, Sokka, Toph, Zuko, and Iroh.

"Well, well. Enemies and traitors working together." Azula said.

"Zee, please. We don't have to keep doing this." Katara said.

"For once, you're right, Katara." Zirrinni said.

"We're finished here. We surrender with honor." Azula said before smirking and shooting fire towards Iroh's shoulder. Zuko was horrified then shot off fire while the Airbending siblings, Katara, and Toph shot off air, water, and earth respectively and Sokka threw his boomerang at the two, who used firebending and the resulting smoke to mask their escape. When the smoke cleared, they all saw Zirrinni and Azula in Echo's saddle before they flew off.


By nightfall, Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee were on their mongoose lizards while Zirrinni sat in Echo's saddle.

"What now?" Mai asked as squawking was heard. The four girls saw a messenger hawk arriving and land on Azula's forearm.

"A message? From whom?" Ty Lee asked.

Azula looked at the message. "My father. He says he has plans for a machine to help conquer Ba Sing Se and that I, and by extension we, must see to its safe arrival there."

"So, with this machine, the Fire Nation will conquer Ba Sing Se..." Zirrinni said.

"Yes. Let's go, girls." Azula said then they headed off.


That's chapter five

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