Chapter Nine

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The Avatar and Zuko stared eachother down, ready to strike one an other at any occuring moment, but soon a girl with long dark hair and a thick coat came running down the hill, accompained by a boy that looked similiar.

" Aang!" The girl yelled, as she rushed to the Avatar's side. The older boy ran past Yumi and took out his boomerang, at an attempt to be threatening. Yumis' eyes darted from side to side nervously.

" Who's your freind, Zuko? She a firebender too?" Sokka shouted over at Zuko, he merley smirked.

" Don't ask stupid questions, peasent. Now move out of the way, so I can get a clean shot at the Avatar!" Zuko commanded.

" Peasent? Why I outta.." The boy growled, running forward, but the girl held him back steadily.

" It's okay, Sokka. I'll take care of him, you and Katara get back." The Avatar named Aang said, a grin on his young face. Yumi was fascinated by the Avatar. She had read about Airbenders in her father books and journals, but they had died out, one hundred years ago. How could this boy be the Avatar? If he was an airbender, he would have to be at least one hundred years old. Yumis' face contorted in confusion, as she watched Aang and Prince Zuko start to fight. This kids' skills were utterly amazing. She couldn't help but let her mouth hang agape.

" That's right Aang, use the techniques I taught you!" Sokka, the one with the boomerang cried at the fighters. Yumi wasn't standing too far away from Sokka and the girl, Katara, so she was in ear shot.

" Your the one who taught the Avatar those amazing skills?" Yumi asked curiously. Sokka and Katara looked at her, as if just noticing she was in the vicinity.

" Of course he didn't, don't mind my brother." Karata answered, hitting Sokka on the back of his head.

" Ow.." Sokka said, rubbing his head. " You're very abusive."

" No, I'm not!"

" Come on Katara, you know--"

" Excuse my interuption, but may I ask why Prince Zuko wishes to capture your freind the Avatar?" Yumi asked, all of a sudden. She smiled at the two, for they reminded her of relationship with Aru, a love, hit relationship.

Katara's eyes' widened, as if she were terrified, Sokka grabbed his sisters' hand and bolted away from where they were standing. Yumi watched them run away, her brow furrowed.

" Why are you running?" She asked, calmly, for she wasn't aware that a whole side of a wooden wall that was orginally built around Teru was swaying. Zuko and Aang were fighting a couple of feet away, and in the process had put the wall on fire. It was about to collapse. Yumi gasped, and took a couple steps back. This was her chance to prove to Prince Zuko that she was worth something, well, by not getting crushed. She jumped up and avoided the wall easily, she vaulted herself up and ontop of it, and held onto the edge of the wall. She could feel her hands burning. Finally the wall fell with a crash onto the ground. Yumi looked up and Aang had stopped dodging the constant attacks of fire Zuko was shooting at him, Sokka and Katara turned to look, even Zuko glanced over.

Yumi stood up, and dusted off her red Fire Nation robes. She smirked at them. " I'm okay!" She said, raising her hand to reveal first degree, possibly second degree burns.

" Wonderful job." Zuko said, sarcastically, turning to face Aang. He ran up behind Aang and shot fire from an extended arm. Aang knelt down, barley missing the attack. He smacked his staff onto the ground and a wave of an almost invisible force swept Zuko back. Katara and Sokka ran over to the wall Yumi had just hopped off.

" Oh no, it's going to set the forest on fire..." Katara muttered softly, watching the flames.

" Stupid firebender!" Sokka turned and yelled at Zuko, who had his concentration on Aang. Yumi glanced at Katara.

" Are you a waterbender?"

" Uh...yeah, how did you know?"

" I could tell."

" Are you some kind of pyschic?" Sokka asked, eyeing Yumi. She held her burnt hands up.

" No, no nothing like that. It's just...I've read about waterbenders, in my father's books. You wear their garments." She said, sighing, relived Sokka wasn't an inch away from her face anymore. " You can put the fire out."

Katara looked from Yumi to the fire. " I don't know..."

" You want to save the forest, right?"

" Yes."

" Then go ahead." Yumi said. She could have put the fire out by herself, but she wanted to give the waterbender a try. Their weren't many waterbenders around anymore, that she knew of, so she supposed it would be a good idea to let Katara practice. Also, Sokka didn't seem too fond of firebenders and she wasn't all that eager to show her bending anyway.

Katara moved her hand so the water that was in her canteen came out and let it swallow the remaining cinders. She turned back to Sokka and Yumi who had been watching.

" That was great! I must say, I've never seen waterbending in real life..." She admitted. Sokka nodded, Katara stared at her. Yumi noticed this and shifted.

" Why are you here?" She asked, suddenly.

" M-me?" Yumi asked, pointing to herself.

" Yeah, how come your traveling with Zuko?" Sokka asked, suspisous.

" It's a long story."

" Are you a spy?"

" No!"

" Are you a prisonor?"

" No. Well, at least not anymore..." Yumi muttered.

" What?" Katara asked.

" Oh, nothing." Yumi said, smally.

" A gypsy dancer!" Sokka said, abrubtly, and was rewarded with a elbow to the side from Katara.

Yumi laughed and looked over at Zuko who had started to retreat back into the forest, his men appeared from the innards of the city and were following him. Aang was sitting on the head of the large flying bison, that had just appeared. It was the creature they had seen earlier, flying in the sky. Aang motioned for Katara and Sokka to come on. They started to make their way to Aang and the flying creature. Sokka jumped on the bison quickly, but as Katara was about to get on, she looked back.

Yumis' eyes were content and reasurring. " Go." She urged the girl. Katara nodded, slowly and hopped on the flying bison's large back. It flew away in a matter of seconds, Yumi could not follow it's speed with her naked eye. She stared at the spot where they had just been for a moment. She then averted her eyes and looked towards the forest, Zuko and the last of his men were on the edge of the forest. Zuko had very apparent anger on his face. He turned a scarred cheek in Yumis' direction. They stared at eachother for a long while. He, a solid frown, and her, a soft, blank expression. He lifted his arm and with a sweep of his hand he told her to come.

She nodded and bowed slightly to him. Yumi made her way up the hill and followed Zuko and his men through the wilderness. Yumi was walking in the back. Zuko and Iroh in the front, their officers in the middle.

" Did someone see which way the Avatar went?" Zuko asked his uncle.

" No, no one saw. His escape was shadowed by the clouds." Iroh answered, lowly, Zuko stay silent.

" I have a suggestion." Yumi said, walking up behind them. Iroh turned, Zuko tipped his head slightly.

" What is it?"

" Well..."

" Well what?"

" Never mind."

Zuko narrowed his eyes. " What were you going to say?"

" I suppose if we flew, we would be able to find the Avatar at a faster speed, then just sailing." Yumi said, pondering the thought.

" That could work, Prince Zuko." Iroh agreed.

" That's idiotic, none of us can fly." Zuko answered, waving away the suggestion.

" But I can!" Yumi said, happily. Zuko stared.

" No you can't."

" Yes, I can."

" No...you can't!"

" Yes, yes I can." Zuko turned to Iroh.

" She can't, right uncle?" He whispered into Irohs' ear. Iroh shrugged.

Yumi giggled. " Well, not me, exactly. "

" Then who, fool!" Zuko asked, getting extremley annoyed.

" The Fire Nation. My father used to talk about hot air ballons, " She paused. " Yes, that's what they were called."

" Hot air ballons?" Zuko mouthed. Iroh nodded.

" That's actually a very good idea. I've heard of some proto-types the Fire Nation has been working on, that's ideal for catching a foe in the air." Iroh explained. Zuko nodded, reluctantly and walked off muttering. Iroh and Yumi smiled at eachother before trotting after Zuko.

" Where are we going, Prince Zuko?" A soilder called from behind them.

" Back to the Fire Nation." He said, his voice calm.

" But, sir...you're..." The soilder began.

" I know I can't go back, I'll send someone else to get supplies!" Zuko said, angrily, walking faster. Yumi was deep in thought.

" Wait a minute...were going back to the Fire Nation?" Yumi asked herself. " Yes! I can get to my brother from there..."

" Did you say something, Yumi?" Iroh asked, even though he heard clearly every word she muttered.

" Eh...no, sir." She said, stepping to the side to avoid a log, that she tripped over anyways. Iroh helped her up. " I'm okay, its' fine

I am alright!" Yumi said laughing, and hugging her rib with her forearm.

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This took me a little longer then usual chapters do, like three days, but I've been busy with school and karate. Heh heh I'm a Sempai, so now you can call me Sempai-sama, or Rachel-sempai...Lol. Review.