Avatar Chapter 44
I do not own Avatar the Last Air Bender
Mai examined her opponents, there were quite a few of them. Most were clearly Earth Benders, their uniforms were clean, sharp, their faces determined. "Wonderful, I get to be assaulted by grizzled soldier's not desperate thugs this time." Who she assumed was the leader took a step forward
"This can end quickly and easily miss."
Mai kept her face passive, after sending a boulder her way they wanted to talk now? She brought her hands together and allowed the long sleeves to cover them.
"We don't want to hurt you miss." Mai could tell he disliked calling her that, she imagined he wanted to call her something much less respectful.
Mai simply stood there, waiting patiently as the soldiers became more and more unnerved. Finally the leader seemed to snap "Enough of this! Men take her, try not to harm her face."
"Finally." Mai whipped her left hand out and a knife imbedded itself in the hand of the man who moved first. He let out a scream and tried to use his other arm to bend but the hand was quickly pinned to the wall behind him by Mai's follow up throw.
"Both hands, I'll give that a three." She could have simply sent a knife into his throat but that was messy and it was more interesting to do trick shots. Mai ducked under a disk shaped rock and kicked forward, sending several stilettoes into the thigh of her would be opponent. As he knelt down in pain a casual toss with her right arm sent a series of knives through is cloths, pinning him in a very uncomfortable position "That deserves a seven and a half."
She stood up and stepped to the left, letting a large rock pass by, and spun around, sending a handful of knives at the nearest assailant, pinning him spread eagle to a wall. She did this to the next one, and the next, and the next each time trying to pin her opponents into more unique positions.
The rebels that remained looked shocked, they probably thought she would be an easy target but this was not a new experience for assaulted in the street by a group of stern faced assailants was nothing special, she was the heir of an Honored House which had more enemies than most. At first it was interesting and even a little exciting but now it was just a semi-enjoyable workout, there was no creativity. Whether it be other houses looking for a step up or some local rebel holdout they always tried the same thing, talk to her like she was an idiot, throw rock or fire, and inexplicably get mad when she fired a stiletto into their foot. In fact half the time she simply gave her assailants the slip so she could go home and take a nap.
Mai had taken out at least seven rebels before the rest had the good sense to back up a bit, this gave her a moment to think. "I haven't heard anything from the other side of this wall yet… I wonder how Ty Lee is coping"
Ty Lee was panicking, one moment they were having an awesome time and the next there were strange soldiers everywhere and a big wall of earth separating her from Mai. "Oh Agni what do I do! Is Mai alright? Am I? Is the food? Ohhh come on stupid remember what Li and Lo taught you."
She was positive the twins had told her what to do in case she was assaulted in the street but she was drawing a big blank at the moment. Luckily for the Princess her guards were more composed and had taken up defensive potions around her, keeping her out of sight of the small group of Omashu rebels.
It was a bit of a stalemate, there were far more rebels but they were reluctant to go up against a group of intimidating looking imperial guardsmen. The guards on the other hand were likely the more nervous group, Princess Azula had briefed them of what would happen if Ty Lee was hurt under their watch.
The sound of rocks crashing on the other side of the wall snapped Ty Lee out of her nail biting, but now she was worried about her friend, who she had just got reacquainted with.
"Attention Fire Nation wretches, surrender now or we will bury you alive." One of the rebels had decided to address them now, quite rudely in Ty Lee's opinion.
"Wretches?" Ty Lee tried to peer through her wall of guards but soon gave up and simply jumped onto the shoulders of the one in front of her, who wobbled slightly under the extra weight.
Ty Lee scanned the area and found the man most likely responsible for the name calling, who now looked shocked at her appearance.
"You know we were having a great time before you guys showed up, why don't you leave us alone you… brute." Ty Lee realized she was not very good at trash talk.
"Princess! please get down from there." The guard captain's panic was obvious.
"In a minute, this man is being very rude."
"Y-You arrogant bitch, how dare you talk down to use!" The man's face was bright red and his aura was even more so. Ty Lee was shocked still, she had never been called that before.
"This is our city, our home, and you come by and mock us by pretending to have a good time! I am going to cleave your skull in then throw you in the sewer!"
Ty Lee was actually tearing up, this man's words were so raw and honest she had no doubt he truly meant what he said, she shrunk in on herself and nearly lost her balance.
"Don't you dare shed your fake tears here!" He began to raise his arms and Ty Lee finally remembered one thing she learned.
"Wait! Do-"
"Men, bring these invade-". There was a sound like an enormous whip cracking and the man's angry head was suddenly at a very unnatural angle, Ty Lee gasped and fell off the guard, who managed to catch and set her down, while the sounds of screams and a bestial roar began to fill her ears.
By the time the screaming started Mai was already bored, they were all just so… plain, she might as well be tossing knives at her ceiling.
"Well I suppose that's where that giant fur bag was, watching him would probably be so much more fun than this." Mai looked around, she admitted she got some nice poses from her attackers, one guy was nearly bent over backwards as he struggled to get loose.
There weren't many rebels left, the guy who spoke to her looked livid and the rest looked ready to run, except for one overly enormous, dark-skinned man walking forward.
"That's it! Bu cleave this ash lickers face in and bring me what's-."The man named Bu planted his fist into the man's face.
As the man continued forward Mai examined him, he could just be an enormous mountain of dumb meat or…
Bu planted his foot in the ground and a pillar of earth shot forward under it, sending him right at Mai fast enough to plant his fist into the space she occupied half a second ago. Mai had ducked and now sprung to the side, she was much less competent in close quarters.
She threw a test knife at the meat mountains arm and to her shock he seemed to let it hit him, it barely pierced the skin and fell out a second after with just the slightest hint of blood
"Well that's new" She had heard that most Earth Benders were thick skinned but she always thought that to be a metaphor.
Bu looked at his arm, then at her, "Little girl, little blades, little problem."
Mai kept her face blank. "This could be tricky… Agni, it's been so long since I've had tricky." She almost cracked a smile, finally something new!
The man started to run towards her and she tossed a knife at his head, he ducked, again more quickly than one would think, and dug his arms into the ground. When he raised them each forearm was covered with a cylinder of stone, he took a swipe at her and she backed up only for several pieces of his rock covered arm to fly off in her direction "This is going to hurt." Mai brought her arms up, the stiletto bracers dulled a few hits but one caught her in the stomach and the wind was knocked out of her.
Mai grit her teeth and bit back a groan as she landed on the ground. She flicked her wrists, a handful of knives now filled both hands, and she started tossing them at the large oaf. Mai was done playing, this was exciting but that hit would bruise, and she despised waking up with aches and pains.
She kept up her barrage with the intention of making him bleed out from dozens of cuts if that was what it took. Unfortunately Mai realized this 'Bu' was good, very, very good, his rock covered arms deflecting every knife she tossed at him.
"I may actually get captured today, that would be different but I doubt I'd enjoy it very much... on that thought" It suddenly hit Mai that she did not hear the cheers she expected from the rest of her assailants.
Bu seemed not to care, and since he punched out is commanding officer Mai suspected the man was not the social type, she could tell. But Mai cared, she was a noble and unlike her father she had the brains that should have come with highborn blood. It was risky but she had an idea.
"I surrender" She held her hands up, and put on her most bored look, which was quite feat.
Bu looked suspicious "Little girl does not understand, Bu does not accept surrender."
Mai waited patiently, it was one of her best qualities.
Bu snorted "Little girl has amused Bu, but if she quits then she is of no use to Bu" The rocks fell away from his arms as he performed a motion. A huge slab of flat rock rose up from behind him and floated in the air above his head, Mai had the image of giant stone mouse trap.
"Little girl will now-." His eyes widened and he spun on his heel, his large hand catching whatever it was heading for his head. Mai took her chance, two special knives appeared in her hands and she gave them a flick, they left her hands with a spin and two rapidly spinning blades headed for her opponent's throat. He blocked of course but with his bare arm, earning him two long gashes.
With both arms occupied his eyes widened for half a second before the slab of rock fell on him, throwing up a cloud of dust and dirt. Mai covered her mouth, she hoped that would at least knock him out. She waited, she heard no movement nor could she see through the dust cloud.
"Lady Mai! Are you alright!" The voice of whoever had taken care of the stragglers and gave Mai her opening called through the dust. The cloud actually parted, rather awkwardly, and a girl her own age stepped forth.
Mai actually recognized her, she was the daughter of some mayor of some colony visiting here for some reason. "What was her name again Momi? Kongi? Actually I think she's one of those people with two names, blasted colonials."
"Oh thank Agni you're alright my Lady, when he caught my mace I-"
"That was all I needed, don't get to worked up" Mai has actually taken note of the girl, of all the guests roaming around here she stood out for being the only one wearing something other than the color red.
"Of course my Lady, sorry." The girl bowed her head and actually gave a salute.
"Wow" Another voice, though this one more familiar, drew Mai's attention to the earthen wall, where Ty Lee was now standing, and gawking.
"That was so cool Mai! I never knew you could throw knives like that." She ran over and stood in front of… Mai wanted to say Zobi.
"And you saved Mai with that cool ball thing! Thank you so much!" Ty Lee gave the girl a bone crushing hug.
"Uh, you're welcome." She looked confused and Mai mentally grumbled to herself "Saved me? I distracted that behemoth."
"Um miss, are you a friend of Lady Mai." The girl looked uncomfortable yet still continued to call her Lady.
"Ty Lee how did you get over here." Mai ignored the red and green girl and addressed the Princess.
"Me? Well I heard a lot of crashing so I jumped on top of the wall." Ty Lee let go and had big smile on her face, which to Mai looked a little too forced.
"Ty Lee?" The girl seemed to test the name out and Mai watched as she looked over Ty Lee, her eyes coming to rest on the crown in her braid. The girl paled and her mouth dropped "By the burning throne, please forgive me Princess." She bowed down to the ground so fast Mai was sure she would break her nose.
Ty Lee looked lost and Mai shook her head, she finally remembered the girl's name, Kori Morishita from Yu Dao.
Ty Lee looked at her, as if asking for help, Mai sighed. "Tell her to rise already, I want to get the dust out of my hair."
"Oh yeah, um, you may rise uggggg…"
"Kori, I think" Mai honesty didn't know which name came first so she chose the shortest.
"Thanks, you may rise Kori…please." Mai wanted to smack her forehead, what princess said please?
None the less Kori rose but refused to look Ty Lee in eye, as if she was afraid she would burst into flame if she gazed upon royalty. Mai had to hold back a smirk, the idea of Ty Lee being held in such high regard was amusing, like a bunny-chick dressed as a dragon.
"Princess, are you unharmed!" Mai saw the captain of Ty Lee's guard clumsily hanging onto the top of the earth wall.
"I'm fine! And I asked you nicely to look after the food"
"But Princess!"
"Alright, alright we'll go find Azula." Mai saw Kori tense up even more at the mention of the crown Princess's name "A royalist through and through, this is her lucky day."
"I'm sorry Mai, he says I'm in danger and that we should get to the palace quickly."
"That fine with me, not much danger at my father's gaudy mansion." Mai scanned the pile of rubble were Bu went down, and saw no trace of the man.
"Ok good" Ty Lee walked a few steps before turning around, obviously lost.
"Follow me" Mai took the lead and Ty Lee soon followed.
"Hey Kori, are you coming." Ty Lee called back to the rooted girl.
The colonial jumped "Me?"
"Of course, you saved Mai" Mai's eye twitched "I don't know what she saw but I'm sure it was even a split."
Mai kept walking as Ty Lee marvelled at the posed assailants, with a very nervous colony girl following a few steps behind.