Author's notes: Sorry for the delay and shortness of this chapter. I'm enjoying the holiday season with the fam and it's hard to get ahold of a computer for any extended length of time around here. Thanks again to all those leaving me such wonderful comments...I feel like doing a jig every time I spot a new review :D Must be all that coffee I drink. Anyhoo...till the next update!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - -- - -- - - - - - - -- - - - - - - -- - - - - - - -- - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - -

The sun had already set by the time our plan was put in to action.

The Fire Nation soldiers, posed in their Earth Kingdom attire, had easily entered the city. I'll admit I was a little surprised, even with the knowledge that Long Feng practically owned Ba Sing Se, as well as its protectors' wills. His orders were followed without question, and his new allegiance to the Fire Nation assured that Azula's orders were treated the same, even if they were masked as the Earth King's like I suspect.

Were these people so numb to reality that they couldn't recognize Fire Nation when they saw them? I suppose not.

They've never known a time without a wall between them and the outside world. Soldiers sat high and pretty, protecting their city without ever having to engage another fighter. They were safe in their towers, both from harm and the truth: the truth that many miles away from them, innocent people were persecuted and killed, for no good reason at all.

I hate Long Feng. The more I think about it, the more I do. I know there's no way to prove it, but I'm positive the tide of this war could have turned long ago with the aid of Ba Sing Se's forces. Instead people like Long Feng have blinded the city's citizens for one hundred years, holing up in this safe haven while the rest of us suffered.

It's appropriate that he aligns himself with Azula now. As far as I'm concerned, they're both cut from the same scummy cloth.

After we passed the wall, it was simply a matter of time before our carriage was forced to stop at a crossroads for other travelers. Toph pulled apart a hole in the floor then, sealing it after we all jumped through.

I'd love to see the look on these posers' faces when they open their prison hold to find no one in it. Hopefully, they'll think we were ghosts: it'd be awesome to haunt someone else's dreams for once.

It was a busy intersection with little room for the many pedestrians milling about to walk around the bulky metal cage. We slipped into the crowd undetected easily.

Our weapons would be a little bit trickier to recover. The outer ring is a sketchy district and the Fire Nation soldiers are watching their carriages intently to ward off thieves. We need a distraction…

…which comes in the form of an old, decaying building. I note the soldiers' gazes gravitating to it as one. I don't waste the opportunity. A split second later I'm lifting the canvas and stealthily reclaiming our belongings. I don't waste time to really inspect our capturers' cargo, but my nose catches the familiar smell of blasting jelly. They're transporting explosives. I don't know why, but I can't really afford to ask either.

As our trio walks away, I hear a cat call. Turning my head to the source, I discover several scantily clad women hanging out of the windows of the building the soldiers had passed…or should I say brothel?

No wonder those jerks were so interested.

I blow them a kiss for their assistance…and then trip as Suki's foot unexpectedly catches my own.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - -- - -- - - - - - - -- - - - - - - -- - - - - - - -- - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - -

It didn't take Toph long to tunnel us down to the underground city from a deserted alley.

I estimate that we began walking through the caverns about an hour ago…surely the palace is close.

I feel like we're growing more and more nervous the further we walk, though I'm too macho, and Toph's too tough, and Suki's too professional, to admit as much. But it's there, in my twitching left eye, and Toph's fidgeting fingers, and Suki's occasional shiver. This task is huge. It would mean a lot to bring Aang a firebending sifu.

I clasp Suki's hand.

"Don't be scared."

She smiles at the gesture, and I can tell she's pretending not to notice the way my left eye twitches or the slight tremble in my fingers.

How kind of her to preserve my ego.

Gently, she squeezes my hand in return…I must be going soft, but I can't deny how wonderful her fingers feel in mine.

This wonderful feeling suddenly ceases when my free hand is suddenly occupied.

"Hellooo...you're leavin' a girl hangin' here."

I really wish I could slap my forehead. Toph only grins.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - -- - -- - - - - - - -- - - - - - - -- - - - - - - -- - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Stop," Toph's whisper breaks the silence, "It's right above us."

The trio packs in close as Toph slowly bends us upwards on a small plateau of earth. Upon reaching the ceiling of the green-lit cavern, she presses her palm to its surface, while Suki and I watch in silence, allowing our friend to concentrate.

A few minutes later, "There are a couple dungeon floors...all metal. We're directly beneath one of the hallways."

"Do you see Iroh?"

Toph screws her brows together, "It's so fuzzy...I don't think so."

"Don't think?"

"Well, let's put it this way...none of the prisoners on the bottom floor have Iroh's...larger than life presence."

"They're all skinny," I clarify.

"Yep."

"He must be on the second floor then."

I curse. It would have been easier if Iroh was right above us.

"No worries, Snoozles. There's only one guard on this floor and he's walking this way now."

Before I can question her meaning, Toph punches through the rock to the metal foundation. Suki covers her ears in surprise.

"Toph!"

My eyes are surely bulging. What in the world is she doing?

She ignores my exclamation, and places her hands upon the metal. I realize too late that she's waiting for the guard to walk right above us, and my reaction is too slow…

"Don't-!"

Her tiny hands tear a hole in an amazing display, right underneath the guard's feet.

Even more amazing...and quite terrifying...is the fact that the person Toph had fuzzily seen through the metal is not a guard.

Instead of falling into a vulnerable heap like Toph had surely anticipated, the figure expertly lands in a crouch in the middle of our group. Her bewildered gaze darts between us for a split second before a deadly smirk stretches across her features.

"Just when things were getting boring again."

And Mai sends her concealed daggers flying.