Cliffhanger at the most inconvenient point! Yeah, sorry about that, guys... or am I?!


~ Day of the Black Sun, Part 2 ~

The Eclipse

Part 2

Ryuu POV

"You're lying!"

"He's already dead."

I clenched my eyes shut in shock. Her voice so calm, controlled. It cut like a knife. I had failed him. Hot, prickly tears welled up in my eyes as I thought about that statement over and over again. Dead? No. He's not. Aang's voice ran tinny as he yelled at Azula.

"Where is he? Where's the Fire Lord?"

"He's already dead." Biting my lip, I tried to concentrate on the present and convince myself she was lying. He couldn't. He mustn't... Sokka squeezed my shoulder and nodded sharply. No time to cry - time to fight. I wiped away the tears and screwed up my nose. Azula smirked coolly.

"And stick to the truth. I'll be able to tell if you're lying," Toph tapped her feet impatiently.

Azula rolled her eyes as she stalked towards us, "Are you sure? I'm a pretty good liar. I am a four-hundred foot tall purple platypus bear with pink horns and silver wings. "

Opening and closing her mouth, Toph was at a loss - the moment would've been comical if I wasn't in shock. Snapping from her funk, Toph trapped Azula with Earthbending. The Princess had a huge smug smile on her face as the trap disintegrated around her. We all were stunned as she brushed off the dust.

"When I left Ba Sing Se I brought home some souvenirs: Dai Li agents!"

Those guys had a theatrical streak as they leapt down from behind Earth columns, sending chains at us with thier tiny wrist-mounted guns; They must've rehearsed this because that was so perfectly on time. I swore and was immediately drawn from my grief as one chain wrapped itself around my ankle. The others were occupied with other Da Li agents so, as I was dragged vertically, I yelled angrily.

The agent was smirking beneath his hat as I was swung too-and-fro. I hauled myself up by grabbed the chain. Azula was getting away. Screaming in frustration, I managed to tug so sharply at the chain, the agent got a shock and dropped me.

I was falling... until I latched onto an earth column. I clawed myself to a stop before I was turned into a human pancake by smashing onto the floor: gasping for breath as I did so.

"I can't pin her down! She's too quick!"

Aang's voice echoed through a hole in the wall. Ripping the chain from my ankle, I pulled it taught in both hands and raced after my friends. By the time I caught up to them, a Da Li agent was hanging from a metal beam by his feet and Sokka had pinned Azula against a wall. He was demanding to know where his girlfriend was.

Another girlfriend? In one year? Wow, he's a real smooth talker. Guess being handsome helps. I mean, seriously - he has two girlfriends in one year? I'd never even been on a proper date... with Zuko... Zuko, who, according to Azula, was dead. A tear escaped my eye.

"Where's Suki? Answer me!" Sokka yelled in Azula's face, tears streaming from his eyes. Azula wouldn't crack. This was a delaying tactic, I knew it.

"Uh, guys.. we should probably go..." I edged backwards - distancing myself from Azula. She smirked triumphantly as the roar of lightning exploding echoed down the hall. I don't know why but I had a distinct gut feeling that Zuko was responsible. It gave me hope.

With a calm ring in her voice, as if watching sports, Azula raised her brows: "Oh, sounds like the firebending's back on."

Then she kicked an arc up, narrowly missing Sokka. He fell back onto his butt as the Fire Princess back flipped and broke free of Toph's earth cuffs. I hurled newly acquired chain at her, but she dodged it and landed perfectly on the floor. Brushing away a hair, she smiled sweetly.

"Dad's all the way at the end of the hall then down a secret stairway on the left. I'm sure he'd be more than happy to see you now."

Water boy hung his head in dismay and blamed the entire thing on himself. Toph shookher head and consoled him that it was, intact, Azula's fault. He didn't believe her. Aang put on a determined grin, readied his glider and puffed himself up - preparing himself to face the Fire Lord who now had Firebending. I growled.

"He knows we're here... he'll cut you down in the first five seconds- no offense. "

Aang shrugged, heavily disappointed. Sokka struggled up and rubbed his behind before placing both hands on the Avatar's shoulders. He locked eyes with the younger (or older, depending on how you see it) boy and smiled genuinely:

"You'll have another chance. I know you will."

...

Air ships floated lazily about as we returned - disheartened - from our encounter with Azula. The sea was crystal blue, retracting light most beautifully in an array of colours. Above us, the air was heavy with the Air ships, blotting out the sun as they bobbed about. I buried my face into my hands - clinging onto any hope that Zuko was alive. He had to be...

Sokka opened his mouth in awed horror as the airships swarmed around us. He screwed his eyes up and directed us with a sweep of his hand: "If we can make it to the submarines, maybe we can get away safely."

Aang flicked open his glider and stared up at the looming air ships, "They've got air power, but so do I!"

He and Katara decided to try and take down as many airships as possible. Sokka, along with Hakoda, ordered everyone to retreat to the subs - but it was hard work. Fireballs struck dangerously close to everyone. Someone cried out directly behind me, having been hit. Without thinking, I scooped them up and ran on.

It was Gopala. He furrowed his brow in annoyance at the turn of events. I ignored him. Something changed in the way the giant balloons were acting; they circled us menacingly. Sokka knew the signs.

"Try and find cover! I think we're about to see some bombs!"

Gopala was shaking in my arms as we skidded under Toph's impromptu shelter just as a bomb hit where we had been previously standing. He was no longer the self-confident young man whom had single handedly sailed in and out of Fire Nation territory - he was terrified and wounded. The air ships began to pass on, over towards the beach. Gopala and I swore in sync.

"Why aren't they turning around to attack us again?" Katara cried out.

Aang tapped his chin thoughtfully, "They're heading for the beach ... They're gonna destroy the submarines!"

Sokka threw his arms up in hopeless dispair, "How are we all going to escape?"

Hakoda, helped along by another warrior, came up to us as Toph disintegrated the battered shelter. He put a hand on both his children's shoulders and gave a pained smile. We weren't all going... The adults were staying behind - to be captured and thrown in prison. Gopala smiled slightly and told me to put him down. He wanted to stay behind - give us less wieght to carry.

"You sure, Gopa- ?"

He laughed forcefully, "Yes. Don't worry, Aimi-"

"-Ryuu-"

"-Ryuu, I'm tough. I'll live."

I sniffed and shook my head to hide my tears, "Good luck..."

The kids turned tearfully to thier parents or elder siblings and squeezed them into hugs. Tears ran down everyone's faces - but not Toph's. She looked indifferent. I bit my wobbling lip and forced the tears to stop. We waited for Katara and Sokka before all four of us helped the other kids up onto Appa.

Aang stood up on Appa's head and wiped away his tears, "Thank you all for being so brave and so strong. I'm gonna make this up to you."

Curling up at the back of Appa's saddle, the wind rushed through my hair. The others were mourning the loss of the elders - some sobbing, some staring at the ocean passing beneath us. As the Fire Nation sped away, something popped up on the horizon line. Squinting, I shielded my eyes from the sun.

Tiny, rogue air ship. It bobbed after us. The way it was commandeered looked amateurish - like the person saw them fly and thought it would be easy. No one else had seen this - but I kept it to myself. I had a suspicion who was behind this.

Rash, inexperienced, totally reckless, certain chances of death - Spirits, it reeked of Zuko.