Avatar Chapter 50

I do not own Avatar the Last Air Bender

Mai was bored, so very bored. Since the three twerps left literally nothing had happened, no patrols, no meals, not even a horny soldier. "I bet if Ty Lee was captured there would be a line of men waiting to gawk at her, but I guess men don't like creepy girls."

Mai was leaning against the wall, twirling a small knife in her hand while staring into the dimly lit cell. It must have been at least midnight, she debated if she should try to get some rest but Mai really did not want to go to sleep on the cold hard floor.

There was a a muffled scream from down the hall and Mai let out a sigh of relief, something was happening!

She stood back from the wall and taped her foot, she waited for a while until she heard something outside her cell door. She looked through the small grate but saw only an empty hallway, yet something was now nudging the cell door.

Mai then heard a growl and the air shimmered outside before the door snapped off its hinges and flew across the room. Mai raised an eyebrow and saw a very large paw print on the door. "Oh joy, Azula sent her scaly fur-ball to rescue me.

She looked at the now visible beast, he filled up the whole hall and his mouth had a red smear on it. "Gross."

The big lummox stared at her, moved his lead closer and then shot his long tongue out to lick her face. What he tasted seemed to please him and he actually started to purr, Mai just stood there. "Now there is spit on my face, wonderful."

Mai was not entirely certain what the plan was now, did she talk to this thing? Give it a hand single? The big brute was just staring at her now and Mai was too tired to recall if she knew anything about giant attack animals.

She did know that her feet hurt though. "You, scaly, lay down."

To her surprise he actually laid down. "Alright, now stay." Mai walked up to the beast and climbed up behind his head. The big feline's body vibrated with his purring and Mai realized she really wanted a massage.

Once she was comfortable Arkrez rose up, Mai had to duck to keep from hitting the ceiling, and began to carefully make his way down the hall.

"I suppose he can't vanish with me on top of him, maybe I'll get to see him eat someone? That would be fun."

Mai could not fathom just how dull the inside of this mountain city really was compared to the already bland outside, there was just nothing here. For hours they had traveled through tunnel after tunnel that seemed to serve no purpose other than to crisscross the cities underside.

At least she didn't have to walk, it was like a ride through the most boring under-city in the world. There weren't any deformed mutants, strange symbols or even creepy sounds, just tunnel after tunnel. They turned a corner and Mai looked ahead, she perked up, there was something different up ahead, and voices.

In front of them was a large underground room, like a large hollow cylinder, and many different tunnels at varying heights seemed to come together here.

Hers overlooked most and as she they approached she could see and hear people, this appeared to be a meeting place for these rebels. Arkrez came to the edge of the tunnel and started looking around, no doubt trying to find which path to take.

"I say we just break into the palace to find Bumi!" The familiar voice of the loudmouth from earlier reached Mai's ear.

"We don't even know if he's in the palace." That was the girl.

"Then let's go back to creepy and pry it out of her." Mai imagined she should be offended by that comment.

"Sokka there has to be another way, Gow says we can probably trade her for Bumi."

"Or safe passage out of the city." An unfamiliar, much deeper, voice responded which Mai assumed belonged to who was in command here.

"But that would mean leaving Bumi here." The monk sounded pained.

"I don't know why our King surrendered but I must believe he did so for the people of this city, as his second I must put their well-being first."

"But where will you go? The whole countryside is filled with people." That was the stuck up girl.

"Most are not soldiers, they are builders for some contraption called a railway we can easily break through and make our way into the mountains."

"It sounds dangerous, how do you even know they'll let everyone go?" The squeaky monk was talking.

The man paused. "I don't, the Governor here is weak and would have certainly given us anything for his daughter, but our informant tells us that the Crown Princess has arrived and I doubt she'll be as swayed." That peaked Mai's interest, there was a spy in her household.

"Everyone from the guards to the cleaners are from the homeland or the colonies and yet they got into contact with these brutes… that's probably why I'm down here in the first place." Mai enjoyed espionage as much as the next noble but much less when it happened to her.

"Do you think we can reason with this Princess?" The monk seemed obsessed with reasoning and discussion.

"From what I've heard she is spoiled royalty who is used to getting her way."

Mai had to give them that, Azula was likely already planning ways to get her way despite her capture, which reminded Mai she should probably leave before she was subjected to whatever plan Azula came up with.

There were hurried steps and shouting from the lower level and Mai guessed they had discovered her escape. Her transportation seemed to grow agitated by the sound and decided to leave, his tail wrapped around her and Mai had to suppress a very unladylike sound as he leapt onto a support beam then onto the wall, his claws tearing into the stone.

Arkrez started climbing up and Mai suddenly realized she was not a fan of heights, though as impending death became less likely she did start to enjoy the thrill. She heard yelling and risked a look back, or down as it were, and saw they had been noticed.

The beast kept climbing as the increasingly smaller dots below scrambled around until they had reached the ceiling, there were quite few tunnels all the way up here. Also there was a lot of metal components, grates, pipes and there was evidence of water, Mai realized this was probably part of the sewer system.

Arkrez flicked his tongue in the air and choose a wide tunnel, he climbed over the edge and unwrapped his tail. Mai looked around and to her relief felt a draft, the surface was close.

The air currents suddenly changed and she turned her head, the monk was here. Mai noticed the glider in his hand that he quickly snapped into a staff, "So he is the Avatar, I always heard Air Benders could fly… on flimsy paper sticks but I guess that counts."

The Avatar seemed taken back by her ride, and took a step back as Arkrez roared and bared his fangs. Mai suddenly realized that if she killed the Avatar she'd probably be the most famous person in the world, but also realized she was tired and was quite fed up with this whole prisoner/escape adventure.

That said she did want to see this animal do something interesting and was still a little peeved at the creepy girl remark, she weighed the pros and cons in her head. She looked at the Avatar in the dim light of the glowing wall crystals, he did not seem confident in the face of beast below her.

Arkrez hissed and started backing away, his fur stood on end and his tail swept back and forth threateningly.

"Aang! Have you found her?" The loudmouths voice came from outside, far louder than should be possible.

"I-" The monk was cut off as Arkrez swung his body around and whipped his tail at the boy, Mai's head spun at the speed but saw that the Avatar somehow managed to escape over the ledge and was gliding around.

The big cat turned towards the tunnel and started to run, it was not a comfortable ride to be sure but he was fast. Mai kept her head down as they weaved through tunnels, ever upward, until she saw a flicker of wonderful sunlight.

"Finally." The tunnel entrance in front of them looked boarded up and Arkrez promptly smashed through it like paper.

After she was sure a stray piece of wood would not kill her Mai breathed in the fresh air and appreciated the sun just peaking over the horizon, she concluded she despised being underground.

She immediately noticed they were not alone, there was a group of soldiers here with large bundles of ugly grey would stacked by the entrance. Mai looked around and took note of the faint pillars of smoke rising across the city.

Azula stood with the General near the top of the city, the plan was getting underway and she was very excited. The rebels infesting this new colony were pests, and like pests they had to be exterminated. She had thought about drowning them or poring molten metal into their hidey holes but General Oukun had the brilliant idea of smoking them out.

She examined a stick of Ash Wood in the hand, if there was a tree that could be considered a weed this was it. It was ugly, the wood was twisted and it grew absolutely everywhere one did not want it to. The only redeeming property was by burning it, apparently it was useful for smoking meat if treated properly but by itself it gave off almost unnatural amounts of grey, toxic smog.

So naturally they had acquired a small forests worth and were going drive out every living thing that moved underneath the city's streets. As soon as the sun rose the soldiers had begun sending burning bundles into every hole they could find, the populace had been barred from coming out of their homes so anyone on the street not in uniform was to be considered a rebel.

As she looked over the city she saw dozens of smoky pillars reaching into the sky, the rebels could block off tunnels and plug holes but they had enough wood to keep this up all day and pests needed fresh air eventually.

General Oukun let out a chuckle. "My my, it seem we already have a breach."

Azula looked below to a small public square, choking rebels had burst through a smoking entrance and were easily cut down by the Generals soldiers.

"I expect your men will be able to handle whatever crawls out of these holes?"

The General chuckled again. "They are an able bunch, panicked rebels should not be a bother."

"Then I will assume everything will go smoothly." Azula really needed this problem fixed today, this had been a nice detour but she had a mission to complete and really did not want to have to deal with any hiccups.

She scanned the city, there were dozens of faint smoke pillars… and one very dark one.

The General noticed it as well. "My my, it seems these rebels will be bothersome."

Azula frowned, she could not afford bothersome.

"Azula!" The high pitched voice of her Ty Lee nearly caused Azula to jump.

She turned and saw her consort ride up on an ostrich-horse, with the obviously terrified colony girl hanging on for dear life.

Before Azula could get a word out Ty Lee started blabbing. "Azula why is the city on fire? Did you know Kori's afraid of ostrich-horses? I think I know where Mai is, why is everything all smoky?"

Azula blinked a few times an unpacked the most important note. "You know where Mai is?"

"Yeah, well I think I do, I had a tummy ache and now I have a hunch."

"You had a tummy ache?"

"Yeah, I think cried too much so it hurt but now I have another feeling and it's about where Mai is, well more where Arkrez is but he's probably with Mai."

Azula tried to understand what Ty Lee was trying to tell her. "You mean you have a…gut feeling."

Ty Lee perked up. "Yeah that's what it's called!"

Azula was certain that was not how it worked but she had no idea how else to explain what Ty Lee was telling her.

"So should we go?" Ty Lee was bouncing up and down in her saddle.

"Ty Lee…"

"Oh yeah, duh, you have military stuff to do, alright me and Kori will go."

"Your majesty please reconsi-" The colony girl was cut off and started screaming as Ty Lee kicked the animal into motion and shot off into the city.

Azula was left staring at where Ty Lee was a moment before, not sure what had just happened.

"Well well she is quite the eager soul, shall I go insure the Princess meets with the Governors daughter?"

Azula wanted to pull her hair out. "You really think she somehow knows where Mai is!"

"I am a soldier you Majesty, a good gut feeling is one of the most important tools a solider can have."

Azula settled for messaging her temples, the sun was barely up and things were getting very bothersome.

Mai covered her face with her sleeve, whoever decided to try smoking out these under dwellers was both brilliant and a prick. It seemed as soon as she caught her first breath of fresh air the sounds of people rushing up from below reached her ear.

The Fire Nation troops scrambled to set their wood bundles alight and toss them through the entrance but that twig of an Air Bender had gotten through first and started waving his stupid stick around.

Mai dove to the ground before she got a gust of smog swept her way, she had decided she did not care for Air Benders much.

There was now pillars of dark smoke rising into the air and the small clearing was filled with the Avatar, the Water Tribe savages and a growing group of exhausted looking green clad soldiers.

Mai scanned her side, she supposed she could call them that, they were competent looking but there were only a handful.

On the other hand they did have a giant snarling beast on their team, Arkrez was hissing at the opposing group, who seemed hesitant to move closer.

"See Katara! I told you she was evil, who else has a giant battle cat!" The loudmouth was shouting again. Arkrez did not appear to like being yelled at and let out a menacing growl, the water tribe girl quickly clapped a hand over the moron's mouth.

Mai stood back up, the bundles of burning wood and been blown halfway across the clearing, and realized she was exhausted, this whole adventure had been fascinating at first but she was over it now.

The Avatar took a careful step forward towards her and the newly formed ring of Fire Nation soldiers. "So, um, Miss I think we-."

He quickly moved his staff in front of his face just in time to block the knife aimed at his forehead.

"Just, stop, talking." Mai was tired, hungry, her head was pounding and she had no more patience for much of anything right now.

The monk seemed shocked at hearing her speak, but the onset of screaming from the tunnel caused him, and everyone else to turn around.

The entrance to the tunnel had collapsed, likely with people still inside, and out from the dust walked out an enormous man, and man Mai recognized.

"Why is its one headache after the other today?"

Apparently she was not only one who recognized him. "Bu! You filthy traitor! How dare you show your face in this city again" The Earth Bender with the fanciest outfit, Mai assumed this was Gow, stepped in the giants path.

The man named Bu ignored him and kept walking forward. "Not another step!" The soldier raised his arms and a large slab of rock rose up, with a gesture he sent it flying at the large man.

Bu calmly and without much effort caught the slab and with speed that annoyed Mai rushed his attacker and slammed the slab into his face. Gow, and what was left of his head, flew across the clearing and rolled few times before coming to a limp stop.

Bu tossed the cracked slab away and kept walking forward, no one else seemed eager to stop him, until he towered over the Avatars group.

"Bu must know, are you truly the Avatar?"

Mai could not tell but she imagined the monk was sweating.

"I am"

The man nodded. "Bu is pleased, may you fight to your last breath." He plunged both arms down into the ground, and with a heave flipped a chunk of earth boulder five times his size at the Avatar.

Mai observed the spectacle of the Avatar desperately using a gust of air to get him and his companions out of the way, and found it entertaining.

Kori had never liked riding, it was just not something she was ever comfortable with, not to mention there was something about ostrich-horses that unnerved her.

Her Majesty however was thrilled as they raced down the streets. "Weeeeeeeeeeeeeee!"

They turned a sharp corner and Kori's stomach did a flip. "Oh Agni I am going to die

She had no idea where they going and at this speed she had no idea where she was in this city. "Princess, are you sure we need to travel this fast?"

"Totally!" Princess Ty Lee steered them towards a low wall and had the animal jump it, Kori screamed in terror.

"Look Kori were almost there"

"Almost where!"

"Where Mai and Arky are, with all the smoke and flying rocks."

Kori did indeed see very large boulders being tossed around, they were riding towards what might very well be a warzone.

"Oh oh I see Mai, here take the reins."

"What!"

For what is was worth Mai did enjoy a show, watching that big brute attack the Avatar instead of her was a welcome change. Watching an Air Bender fight, or run more accurately, was enlightening, he was like a feather wafting in the breeze.

Why he was being attacked by that bulging mass of muscle she had no idea but this worked out for her, Mai only had about half a dozen knives she could use and was in no condition to fight against someone she, to her chagrin, could not win against anyway.

The Avatar was not having a much better time than she had, he was backing up constantly as the brute kept on him, smashing rocks, piles of wood and unfortunate Omashu soldiers out of the way. The Fire Nation troops had backed off and had formed a semicircle circle around the battle, none seemed ready to get in between the Avatar and the raging Earth Bender.

The Avatar's water tribe friends however did get in the way, though not too much effect, Bu easily swatted the boys boomerang out of the air and the girls water bending was countered with waves of pulverized rock.

The fighting was greatly agitating Arkrez but Mai kept a hand on his head and that kept him still at least, after all she had been put through Mai thought she deserved to see someone get smacked around.

Mai heard a scream and all of a sudden an ostrich-horse burst into the clearing with the squealing colony girl hanging onto its neck and a pink clad girl standing in the saddle.

"Hi Mai!" Ty Lee actually waved at her as the animal charged towards Bu, who looked annoyed at being interrupted.

"Princess I can't stop this thing!" Kori shouted as the massive Earth Bender winded his stance and cocked back his fist.

Mai wondered if he was really going to do what she thought he might, then watched in amusement as he punched the charging animal in the side of the face. The ostrich-horse lost its footing and tumbled to the ground, the colony girl going with it.

Ty Lee on the other hand leapt off and landed behind the towering man, she turned to him with what Mai guessed was her angry face. "Hey! You can't just hit Zoozle in the face, what's wrong with you." Ty Lee looked as livid as she could.

"Bu has no time for interference." He swung a massive arm at Ty Lee and hit air as she bent at the waist ninety degrees. He looked surprised as Ty Lee straightened up and shot forward, she landed half a dozen blows on his abdomen before his other arm came down. It also struck air as she leapt up and over his head, landing a series of fast pokes to his neck and shoulders.

She landed behind him once again and the man named Bu stood still for a moment, started to jerk and tremble then collapsed like a sack.

Mai's jaw actually dropped a bit, she had something resembling pride in her abilities and to see that monster go down because of some perky, air-headed, circus wannabe, well… hurt.

"Wow this guy is really big, and a big jerk." Ty Lee huffed then rushed over to the dazed, but walking, ostrich horse and the still clinging colony girl who looked on the verge of puking.

"Are you all right Kori? You and Zoozle went down really hard."

"D-do not worry Princess, I am fine." Kori got off the ostrich-horse and promptly fell on her behind.

"You should probably stay sitting, I got really dizzy once and then stood up so fast I passed out and fell into a pie." Ty Lee looked in Mai's direction, and waved again. "Mai we've come to rescue you, come over here"

Mai was not sure how moving towards the nervous mass of rebels, who Ty lee seemed to ignore, could be considered a good plan but then remembered Ty Lee did not think things out ten minutes from now.

Arkrez growled and Mai saw the Avatar's group approach Ty Lee. "Wonderful."

Ty Lee turned around and saw the most adorable bald person ever, before he could open his mouth she was enthralled. "Wow that's such a cool tattoo! If I rub your head will it bring me luck? Why is it an arrow though that's weird? Who are you by the way?" Ty Lee loved meeting new people and this guy was so unique.

"Uhhhh, I'm Aang."

"Ok, and what's an Aang."

The boy looked confused and Ty Lee was to, until she saw the boy's friend.

"Aang she's messing with you, you saw what she did to Slab over there, don't let her in your head." The tall, dark skinned hunk was talking with his boomerang, which was adorable, drawn but Ty lee did not care.

"Hi there cutie, what's your name?" Ty Lee batted her eyelashes and the boy seemed even more anxious. "Guys this girl is freaking me out, Katara do something!"

Ty Lee looked over and her eyes widened, then roamed the supple body of the water tribe babe. "Jackpot!"

Ty Lee loved Azula, mind, soul and perfect body but there something inside her that demanded she notice others and Ty Lee always had a thing for Water Tribe people.

"Sokka don't be rude, she saved us from that… that..." The dark skinned beauty must have noticed Ty Lee's gaze, and Ty lee realized she was slowly twirling her braid the way she did when she wanted Azula's attention.

"Keep talking, your voice is nice too." The blue-eyed hot-cake looked extremely unnerved. "Aang, Sokka we should leave, now!"

Ty Lee giggled, just like Azula this girl was cuter when she was angry. She stropped giggling when something hit her in the back of the head and caused her to yelp. "Ow!"

"Ty Lee stop hitting on the simpletons." Mai walked up beside her and lowered the hand that had just hit her upside the head.

"Oh come on just a little longer, I think they like me."

"No"

"But Maaaiii"

"You can look at me with those doe eyes until they pop out of your head, it's still no."

Ty Lee pouted, as always Mai was like a rock, a big, grey, stubborn rock.

Mai looked at the three uncomfortable looking… actually Ty lee had no idea who they were.

"Why are you twerps still here? Don't you have navies to sink and temples to burn?" Mai seemed irritable.

That shocked Ty Lee, just who were these people? She looked really hard and came up with… squat.

"We will not abandon our friends." The bald boy was talking.

"Fine." Mai shrugged and looked at Ty Lee. "So, are you going to rescue me now?"

Ty Lee blinked. "We're… you're, going to let them go, even with all the burning and ship sinking."

"Yes." It was a simple answer but Ty Lee had no idea what to say, she still had no idea who these people were.

Ty Lee glanced at the three strangers, they were on guard though that was probably because she was now in Arkrez's pacing shadow.

Kori groaned and finally stood up, she took one look at the three strangers and nearly jumped, before unhooking the ball and chain from her belt.

"Well it seems the Kori knows who they are, she should get a medal." Mai was looking at her nails and frowning.

"Princess! You must get away, these people are evil." Kori spun the ball and chain until they were a blur, Ty Lee was mesmerized for a second before snapping out of it.

Kori swung the flail at the bald boy, he yelped and deflected the ball away with his staff but was caught off guard when ball dipped unnaturally and came right back at him.

"That is so cool!" Ty Lee almost forgot the ball was a big rock, the ball raced towards the Avatars head but was swatted away by a floating stream of water.

The dreamy Water Tribe girl was also a Water Bender apparently, her movements were all smooth and… fluid. "Ha ha… fluid."

Amused by her own joke Ty like almost did not notice that the large group of, what would Azula call them… miscreants? malcontents? The people who kidnapped Mai in any case, were running away.

"Finally, a professional rescue party." Mai seemed relived, in her own way at least.

Coming down the road was a large column of soldiers riding komodo-rhinos, with the handsome General at the front.

Kori did not seem to notice and was spinning her ball and chain for another attack, Ty Lee poked her in the shoulder, the girl yelped and let go of the chain causing the ball to fly towards the boomerang boy.

He blocked with his weapon but the force smacked the boomerang into his head, causing him stumble and fall flat on his back.

"Wow, good shot Kori."

"T-thank you Princess."

"So, we should probably get out of the way, komodo-rhinos aren't good at stopping."

The cavalry was picking up speed and seemed headed for the bald boy, who had taken out a strange wooden object and with a deep breath blew into it. Arkrez immediately whined and covered his head with his paws.

"Arkrez!" Ty Lee knelt down and tried to see what was wrong, her big lug was hissing and appeared in pain, the charging herd of komodo-rhinos were also affected, stumbling and crashing into each other.

A bellow that sounded like something between and bad horn player and old man snore came from above, Ty Lee looked up and saw white, fluffy, six-legged… thing, which was adorable none the less.

It was also enormous and when it landed it sent up a wall of air and dust that forced Ty Lee to cover her face. By the time the dust had settled the creature was already climbing into the air, with the three strangers on its back.

Ty Lee suddenly realized who the bald guy must have been and everything made a lot more sense.

"Mai did you kno-. " Ty Lee shut her mouth as she got a good look at Mai, the big fluffy white thing must have stirred up some dirt and standing water as Mai was covered in mud, or at least Ty Lee hoped it was mud.

Mai wiped her eyes and mouth clear. "Yes, I did know who they were, and I am not a fan."

"Yeeeah, they were cute though!"

Mai gave her a look and Ty Lee decided to change the subject. "So, we kind of rescued you, thanks for coming with me Kori, that was fun!"

"You show me too much gratitude Princess, I did what anyone would do."

Ty Lee smiled as the General and his troops entered the clearing. "My my Princess, you certainly dive into matters head first, and my dear Lady Mai you look… mmmmm, refreshed, can I offer you a steed back to the Palace?"

"Agni yes." Mai shook her hands out and flung globs of mud onto the street, then started towards an unoccupied komodo-rhino.

"Now Princess we should return, her Majesty will undoubtedly adore the news that the Avatar is here and that you have not met a grisly end."

"Oh… oops, she's probably worried." Ty Lee took a step and nearly fell into a giant hole in the ground, where she swore that realty big guy had been laying a moment ago.