A/N: This chapter didn't tun out the way I wanted it to
Virgil walked out of the bath sporting a loose fitting, pale green outfit. he wandered through the crowd searching for Lei.
"Virgil!" came a familiar voice
Virgil turned around looking for the voice.
"Behind you,"
Virgil turned around to face Lei.
"You know you don't look like a peasant boy someone fished out of the gutters anymore," Lei commented
"Gee, thanks," Virgil replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm
Lei gave a small chuckle before speaking.
"Come on, Yung wants to talk to you,"
Lei led Virgil through the bustling crowd to a large stone slope with Yung standing on the top looking over the large crowd.
"I didn't notice that before," Virgil commented nonchalantly
Lei beckoned Virgil to follow him up the large stone slope.
"Ah, Virgil," Yung said, giving Virgil a smile, which changed to a look of confusion when he saw the clothes Virgil was wearing. "Where did you get those clothes?"
"What does it matter? So long as I'm wearing clothes," Virgil replied indifferently
Yung took a deep breath and massaged the bridge of his nose.
"We can sort this out later," Lei added hastily
Yung sighed again and opened his mouth to speak, only to have Virgil interrupt him.
"Yeah, I know what you're going to ask me, you're going to ask me to do something that is of benefit to the resistance." Virgil began, "But do you mind if I take some time off? I want to go see if my family are alright"
"Where are your family?" Lei asked
"I don't know, that's why I want to go and look for them"
"How are you going to get past the guards?"
"I've still go a few tricks up my sleeve,"
"How are you going to get out?"
"Same way the Fire Nation got in,"
Yung gave Virgil an unsure look.
"Come on," pleaded Virgil
Yung gave Virgil another unsure look.
"Please,"
Virgil gave Yun his best puppy dog look.
"Very well," Yung said, giving in to Virgil's begging
"Great!" Virgil exclaimed with a huge smile
Virgil dashed down the slope and disappeared into the crowd.
A figure dashed under the moon, casting a flickering shadow on the streets of Omashu. Virgil quickly leaped off a stone building and landed with cat like grace on another identical stone building.
"Right, I'm lost," Virgil muttered
Virgil removed the bundle which was tied to his neck and slumped down onto the stone. Virgil was contemplating what to do next when a slight sound from below caught his attention. Virgil peered over the edge of the building to see two Fire Nation guards walking down a narrow alley.
"Interesting," Virgil said to himself
Virgil quickly scooped up the small bundle and followed the guards from the rooftops.
Virgil followed the two guards through the snaking alleys until they led him to the front gate.
"What luck," Virgil said to himself as he watched the two guards that he followed conversing with two other guards that were guarding the front gate from the top of another stone building.
"Now, how to do this?" Virgil asked himself
Virgil contemplated for a moment before speaking again.
"I have to separate those guards, but how?"
A smile broke across Virgil's face.
"I'll toss a stone into the alley, that ought to get their attention."
Virgil waited until the two guards that were previously guarding the gate left before he sprung into action. Virgil kicked the edge of the stone building hoping to dislodge a piece of stone, but the only thing Virgil managed to do was bring immense pain upon himself. Virgil managed to hold back the stream of curse words that would have flowed from his mouth under normal circumstances, but he could not help but hop about in pain.
"What was that?" a guard called out
Virgil froze, and quick as a flash he hid in the shadows, careful not to even breathe in case it alerted the guards.
"It's probably nothing," the other guard said
Virgil let go of the breath he was holding inside and stepped out of the shadows and examined the spot where he kicked, only to find there wasn't a single crack in the stone.
"Dammit," Virgil whispered in frustration
Virgil took a deep breath and contemplated what to do next, when something caught his eye. Another guard was climbing down a long ladder to meet the two other guards, Virgil's eyes followed the long steel ladder attached to the wall to see the tiny outline of a lever mechanism on the top of a watchtower.
"Interesting,"
Virgil peered over the edge of the stone building that he was perched upon, seeing that it wasn't that far down.
"Screw tossing a rock, I'll just make weird sounds to get their attention. And who am I talking to?"
Virgil leaped off the building and landed silently on the ground. Just as another guard was about to climb up the ladder, a horrible gobbling sound emitted from the alleyway in which Virgil had hidden himself. Two of the guards ran into the alleyway only to meet a swift but hard strike to a familiar pressure point on their necks, causing them to black out. Virgil after dragging the unconscious bodies into the shadows, made another horrible gobbling sound. The final guard went to examine the sound as well, only to meet another precise strike to the same pressure point on his neck.
"That was easier than expected," Virgil said casually, walking out of the alleyway dusting his hands.
Virgil stared at the huge ladder that he had to climb.
"Aw man," Virgil groaned
Virgil gripped the first rung and prepared himself for the long climb up the ladder.
After several minutes of climbing, Virgil finally dragged himself to the top rung and peered over to see a large lever mechanism.
"Man," Virgil panted, "They have to find a more efficient way of getting up here."
Virgil dragged the rest of his body up into the watchtower and collapsed onto the ground in exhaustion. Virgil, after a moment's rest, reluctantly pulled himself up, dragged his feet towards the lever and coiled his fingers around the metal rod, Virgil pulled with what little energy he had left and the lever slowly began to move and the huge gates shifted ever so slightly with it.
"God dammit," Virgil muttered in frustration, "Move!"
Virgil's arms screamed out in protest as he edged the lever closer to him, one excruciating centimetre at a time. Several minutes later, Virgil finally opened the gates.
"Finally," Virgil sighed in relief
Virgil took a deep breath and prepared himself for the long climb down the ladder.
Both Virgil's legs and arms were screaming in even louder protest as he struggled to make his way down the ludicrously long ladder.
"For a advanced imperialistic nation," panted Virgil, stopping for a moment, "They could have at least thought of a more efficient way of traversing up huge towers."
Virgil inhaled deeply and continued down the absurdly long ladder, careful not to look down.
Virgil hopped off the last few rungs of the ladder and breathed a sigh of relief when he landed on sold ground. Virgil turned around, ready to leave, only to see a broadsword poised only centimetres away from his head.
"Remove your bundle and drop it on the ground," the guard said slowly
Virgil complied and slowly untied the bundle around his neck and let it fall to the ground.
"Good, now put your hands up,"
Virgil slowly raised his hands up, struggling to keep them elevated as his muscles didn't get a chance to rest. One of the guards walked up to the watchtower and placed his hand on a small notch on the stone, he took a deep breath and exhaled loudly, smoke shot from under his palm and a slab of stone fell backwards and slid to the left, revealing an elevator. Virgil's arms and jaw dropped in disbelief.
"There was an elevator!?" Virgil asked, outraged, "Why didn't the other guy use it?!"
"Hands up!," the guard with the broadsword barked
Virgil whipped his hands up, struggling to keep them elevated once again. His expression swiftly changing from outraged to impassive. The guard with the broadsword out jerked his head in the direction of Virgil's feet, the last guard cautiously moved towards Virgil, his eyes never leaving his hands, in case he struck his neck again. Virgil heard the deep grinding of stone against stone behind him and his eyes widened to the size of dinner plates.
"Not good," Virgil muttered to himself
Virgil darted his head from side to side desperately, his gaze fell to the guard that was slowly backing away from Virgil, his bundle, under the crook of the guard's arm, the guard's gaze was still locked on Virgil's hands. Virgil performed a swift kick, his heavy combat boot meeting with the guard's crotch, the guard dropped like a sack of bricks. Virgil scooped up his bundle and darted towards the huge gates. The remaining guard threw his broadsword aside and with a loud cry, sent a huge stream of flame from his fist. Virgil, just as he was squeezing through the miniscule space between gates, was hit square in the back with the intense flame, a bloodcurdling scream of agony exploded from his lips as he was blasted forwards a few meters, collapsing in the dirt road. A hiss of pain escaped his lips as he picked himself up from the dirt road, a huge charred patch covered most of his back.
"Open the gates!" cried the voice of the guard that gave Virgil the burn.
"Not good," Virgil muttered painfully under his breath
Virgil gritted his teeth and forced himself to stand, scooping up his bundle again, he ran down a thin rock strip, every step caused Virgil great pain.
"Great out of the frying pan and into the freezer," Virgil muttered to himself through gritted teeth as the cries and shouts of the guards grew louder.
Virgil let out another agonizing scream of pain as he dragged his feet onto the mainland, he turned around to face the guards that were slowly closing in on him, fighting the urge to collapse on the ground he brought his hands out in front of him, fanned his fingers and brought his index finger and thumb together, forming a triangle. Letting out a loud cry, a huge jet of flame shot out from the space between his thumb and index fingers. The two guards that were chasing Virgil stared at the incoming jet of flame before coming to their senses and dove for cover but one guard dove too far and toppled over the narrow strip of rock, he only just managed to grapple onto the ledge. The final guard hesitated for a moment, not sure whether to save his comrade or to go after the escaped prisoner who just revealed himself to be a Firebender.
"Hold on," the guard said
"Hurry, I'm slipping," the other guard replied desperately
The guard reached out to his comrade, the guard that was hanging from the narrow stone strip by his fingertips reached out to grab his comrade's hand but the other guard hesitated for a moment.
"What are you doing?" the guard asked desperately
Only one thought ran through Virgil's head: Run. He tried his best to ignore the tremendous pain that was shooting throughout his body. A feeling of upmost horror filled Virgil when he heard the faint, horrifying scream of the guard finally losing his grip, but the fact that his comrade didn't bother to help him was far more horrifiying.
A/N: I so jumped the shark here