A/N: Hi again! New chappie already! I just wanted to get a good chunk of the story in before more of my family comes to visit soon. Enjoy!
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Katara had no earthly idea what Aang was doing, telling Appa to fly. The bison had been struck by lightning for Yue's sake! The poor bison was in searing, burning, unbearable agony! Despite his horrible injuries, however, the loyal Spirit Guide groaned and hovered about a foot above the ground. The Avatar whispered things in his ear, telling him how good he was and that he'd feel much better soon. Appa flew behind his master obediently, trusting him. Aang used his airbending to clear some trees out of the way. The trees were sent crashing into one another, snapping and cracking. And that's when the waterbender figured out what the boy was doing. He was leading his bison to the stream.
Azula took her eyes off her opponents just long enough to see the Avatar clearing trees out of his path, leading his bison. The creature, amazingly, was flying. It was only about a foot off the ground, but it was still flying. She turned her attention back to the crazy little earthbender before her. The girl was totally and completely insane. She was raising heavy boulders up from the ground and hurling them at the princess as if they weighed as much as a copper piece.
Zuko just stood behind her, arms crossed with a smug look on his face. "Bet you'll think twice before insulting her again, huh Azula?" he mocked. She fumed. Her brother was so different now. He wasn't so cold and harsh (although he didn't seem that cold or harsh before) and now he seemed rather carefree. The earthbender smiled, raising four walls around her opponent to form a small cell. She put a roof on it for good measure. She didn't want that firebender escaping any time soon.
Appa splashed into the river, groaning in relief or pain, Katara couldn't tell. The waterbender hurried over, rethinking the Avatar's clever plan. Said boy hurried off to fight Ty Lee. The stubborn acrobat hadn't been knocked out by Toph's wild rampage. Taking a deep breath, Katara used flowing movements to push a small wave up to Appa's underside. The bison groaned again.
Katara was nervous. She had never done or even heard of what Aang had suggested. He'd told her to try and heal Appa using a wave of water instead of her hands. Concentrating hard, the water swirled around Appa's entire body, leaving his head free. It was working! The water turned a glowing bluish-white.
And that's when a dart flew out of nowhere. Katara dodged it at the last second but not without stumbling. She fell into the water with a splash and the water around Appa sank back into the river. The bison groaned again, trying to get up to help. He knew the girl that threw the dart had tried to hurt his friend.
The water tribe girl stood dripping, looking over at Mai. The weapons specialist stood on the bank, darts splayed in her long fingers. "What are you up to?" the girl thought aloud. Her eyes were narrowed; she didn't think the girl should be doing whatever she was doing. Call it instinct.
"Now?" Katara asked, summoning up a spiral of water beneath her, "I'm going to freeze a girl named Mai in a block of ice." Mai's eyes widened in seeing the peasant's actual power. The ninja had believed the waterbender had been bluffing when she'd claimed to be a master bender. And now the master bender was in her element. Willing her element into a foaming wave, Katara brought it crashing down on the Fire Nation girl. But said Fire Nation girl dove to the side at the last second.
"Aang might need your help." Toph said to Zuko. Her arms were still held in their position should the princess even attempt to escape. Even if she tried, the ceiling would come crashing down on her, more than likely.
With a nod, the prince hurried to join the fray.
Aang dodged a Chi-blocking attack, sweeping the girl off her feet with a gust of wind. She did a backhand spring to avoid falling. What she didn't count on was a burst of flame knocking her off her feet. The Avatar looked toward Zuko. "What about helping Toph?" he asked, brow raised.
The firebender in question merely pointed a thumb over his shoulder. Aang nodded, blinking. "Looks like she has things under control." Aang said, gulping.
Mai threw a handful of darts that Katara narrowly missed. The waterbender's concentration broke and she fell onto the bank. She had barely pushed herself up on her hands before the relentless Fire Nation girl had thrown another dart. The waterbender rolled to the side, standing. Before she knew what had hit her—wham. Mai held Katara's hands over her head, pinned against a tree.
"Do you have any idea who I am?" the girl asked. Katara glared at her. She would not show any fear.
"Mai. Weapons specialist." the waterbender said darkly. The other girl's face faltered slightly, but not by much. "And you've been friends with Ty Lee and Princess Azula since you could walk." Mai's face lost its edge, leaving the waterbender her opportunity.
She brought her knee up to the girl's stomach, causing her to double over. Katara flipped their positions and pinned Mai to the tree by her sleeves, using the knives she had taken in the last fight. Mai's light eyes widened.
"How did you--"
"I couldn't bend so I used any resources I could." Katara replied with a shrug, moving over to help Appa.
Toph screamed suddenly from across the clearing. Aang turned, leaving Zuko to fight Ty Lee, one on one. In no time, the Avatar saw what the fuss was. Azula had broken free of her rock cell, rolling out of the way just before the ceiling collapsed on her. Toph had avoided strong flame-edged attacks from the princess, but because of the close proximity of the fight, earthbending had been rendered near useless.
Aang dove in, freezing Azula's feet to the ground. Toph backed up, standing ready should her friend need any help. Summoning air currents with his staff, said friend brought down a column of air. The enemy firebender was ripped free of her icy holds. She flew back, sling blowing off her arm. The girl stood at an instant, but soon realized her sling was gone. Judging by her cringe, the Avatar bet she was in pain. Nevertheless, the princess pulled up her bad arm and continued to fight.
Out of nowhere, the acrobat was sent flying into her firebending friend. They both cried out as they toppled to the ground and the firebender let out a cry. Aang turned to see Zuko sheathing his broadswords. Beyond him, the boy saw Katara running into the clearing. Behind her was Appa who was fully healed and ready to go. She waved them over.
They all ran toward Appa, Sokka included. The water tribe warrior stumbled a bit, having just regained use of his limbs. "Why is Princey boy coming with us? He'll kill Aang!" Sokka yelled, flailing his arms.
"No he won't Sokka! Just climb on!" Katara yelled, climbing up Appa's tail. Toph got up with aid from her bending while Aang airbended his way to his Spirit Guide's head. Sokka scrambled on, shortly followed by Zuko. The Avatar bended the squawking ostrich-horse onto the saddle and they were off. Ty Lee was up and running after the bison, but a quick boomerang throw from Sokka stopped that.
But Azula was up by the time they had got to a good flying level, shooting lightning up at them. Appa swerved on his own accord. He was not going through that pain again. Zuko stood up, careful not to topple over the edge. "Zuko, sit down! You'll fall!" Katara yelled over the whipping wind and cracking lightning. She tugged on his shirt for good measure.
"And we won't catch you!" Sokka added, glaring daggers at the prince.
"Aang!" the ex-prince called over his shoulder. The Avatar turned. "Fly just a little lower!"
"Are you nuts?" Sokka exclaimed, hands flying to his head.
"Why do you want to fly lower?" Toph yelled, looking up despite the fact she couldn't see anything.
"Trust me!" the firebender yelled.
"No! You tried to kill us!" Leave it to Katara's brother to be stubborn.
"Why, Zuko?" Aang called back.
"Trust me!"
"Just do it, Aang!" Katara yelled. The Avatar nodded and flew a little lower, causing Appa to groan.
A streak of blue lightning shot right at them, but they moved, aiming toward the ex-prince. Katara screamed. Zuko ignored it. He was calm. He seemed to catch the lightning, bringing his arm down to his stomach and back up the same arm. The lightning shot out of his arm, but now it was orange. The bolt plummeted back down to the earth. It made its contact in the clearing. Azula and her reassembled friends fly backward, but he hadn't hit them.
Everyone on Appa looked on with wide eyes (save Toph; she didn't know what had happened). They were all silent as the firebender turned and sat down, grimacing slightly. Finally, Aang broke the silence. "You've got to teach me how to do that!"
"Do what?" Toph asked. "What did he do?"
"He redirected the lightning that creepy girl threw at us!" Aang burst, bending himself onto the saddle.
"Oh. Now who did this?" Toph replied.
"Zuko!" the Avatar exclaimed.
"Wasn't he the one trying to kill you?" she asked, arching a brow.
"That's what I've been saying!" Sokka fumed as he pulled on his shirt.
"He's not trying to kill us!" Katara snapped, arms thrust heavenward. Her older brother narrowed his eyes.
"That firebending girl said you two were in love!"
Silence.
"KATARA!" Sokka yelled. "YOU'RE IN LOVE WITH A FIREBENDER? HE WAS TRYING TO KILL US!"
"Notice the wording." Zuko muttered, just loud enough for the water tribe warrior to hear.
"WHAT ABOUT THE WORDING, PRINCEY BOY?" It looked as if Sokka's eyes were about to pop out of his head. Zuko sniffed, looking at the water tribe boy in front of him without any emotion in his features.
"You said 'was trying to kill us' not 'is trying to kill us'." The ex-prince wasn't being arrogant or sarcastic or even smug. Sokka narrowed his eyes further. Before anyone could do anything, said warrior pounced on the firebender, hands around his throat.
"WAS! IS! IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE!"
"SOKKA!" Katara yelled. Aang sat frozen as he had the entire time, eyes open wide, mouth wider.
"DON'T-GO-NEAR-MY-SISTER!" Sokka shook Zuko violently, grip cutting off the firebender's air supply. Chi started squawking while Momo chattered. Appa let out a groan and if anyone had seen him, they would have seen his eyes shift in an attempt to see what was going on.
"SOKKA! GET OFF HIM!" Katara screamed, tugging on her brother's shoulders. Suddenly, Zuko pulled back an arm, punching his attacker in the face. Sokka fell back, barely missing a surprised Toph. The firebender breathed deeply, holding the side of the saddle so tight, his knuckles whitened.
Sokka sat up with a bloody nose. "You jerk!" Katara moved over to Zuko, moving his hands away from his neck. Finger shaped bruises were already forming. The waterbender uncorked her flask, forming healing blue gloves over her tan hands. "Katara, what are you doing?"
"What the hell does it look like I'm doing?" the girl snapped, venom dripping from her voice.
Toph crawled over to Aang, grabbing his hand to get his attention. The Avatar looked up. "What just happened?" she asked. She knew there had been some sort of fight but the rest was a mystery. Aang shook his head and swallowed.
"Sokka lost it."
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A/N: Fight scene's over, just like I said it would be! Let me know how you liked it!