Chapter Five: Divided
Ursa took the news of what Azula had done probably the harder than anyone else. She blamed herself.
"If only I had had the courage to come back", Ursa wept, "Maybe she would not have turned out this way. If I haven't married that monster of a man… I am so sorry Zuko! I truly am!"
"I don't blame you", Zuko said numbly, "Azula choose her own path in life". Zuko tried his hardest to conceal the worst of the pain from her. There was no need for her to share in the agony that he felt every time he thought of Mai.
In truth, Ursa was not at fault. Her marriage had been purely political and she had had little choice in the matter. The marriage between the Fire Lord and the granddaughter of the Avatar had brought unity to the Fire Nation. In addition, Lord Ozai had wanted his children to be powerful firebenders. Though Ursa's bending was weak at best, in her blood flowed the potential for greatness.
"I can't bear to think of the pain this must have caused you", Ursa whispered. Zuko's throat tightened and he couldn't speak. Sometimes he thought that the only thing keeping him alive was the promise of revenge. Mai's death would not go unpunished.
"I have to go after her", Zuko said quietly, "You know that don't you". Ursa sobbed harder but said nothing. Zuko knew that the knowledge was tearing her up inside. His mother knew that when he found Azula only one of them would come back alive.
"When are you leaving?" she whispered.
"Soon", was his answer.
...
Toph and Suki arrived back the next day. They were shocked and saddened by the news the awaited them. When Katara had told Ty lee, she had refused to believe it.
"No! It can't be!" she shouted, "You must be lying".
"I know this must be hard for you", Katara said as tears welled up in her own eyes, "The three of you used to be friends. I can't imagine how betrayed you must feel right now.
"You don't know what you are talking about", Ty lee sobbed, still not letting anyone near her.
"We only knew Mai for a short time", Katara admitted, "but please believe me we I say that we all feel your pain".
"I can't believe I wasn't here to protect her!" Ty lee cried. Katara quickly stepped forward and embraced her as she broke down crying.
"You didn't know", Katara comforted, "You had no way of knowing."
"But that doesn't change anything", she sobbed, "Mai is still gone". Katara didn't say anything. Nothing, except for time, would heal Ty lee's hurt. The rest of the gang stood back with their heads bowed respectfully.
"Where is Zuko?" Ty lee finally asked, "How is he taking it?" Katara hesitated.
"Not well", she answered, "He has been avoiding everyone since it happened. I think he is going after Azula".
"I can't believe this is happening", Ty lee whispered, "When does he leave".
"Are you going after Azula too?", Aang asked. Ty lee thought for a moment, biting her lips.
"No", she finally whispered, "I can't ….Not even after what she has done"
"I understand", Aang assured, "You're doing the right thing."
...
"Zuko", Aang said calmly, "I've thought it over, and I want to come with you to help you catch Azula".
"No", Zuko answered without pausing
"Why not!" Aang protested, "You're going to need all the help you can get Zuko. Please listen. I'm the Avatar. My job is to restore balance. Right now Azula is out there gathering a small army! Don't you see? We need to work together ".
"Here our destinies go their separate ways", Zuko said calmly, "Your task now is to find the air nomads. That's why Avatar Roku sent you that vision. My destiny has always been to defeat Azula. If I had only gone after her when I heard she escaped…. It's my fault Mai is dead. That something I will always have to live with. Now I need to end this once and for all". Zuko turned away and refused to look at any of them.
"He's right, Aang", Toph said. Aang thought for a moment.
"Fine", Aang sighed, "I'll miss you Zuko. I hope our destinies cross again someday".
The members of the gang trickled out of the room one by one, nodding their goodbyes
"Aren't you coming, Katara?" Aang asked, noticing that she was hanging back while everyone left.
"You go ahead, Aang", Katara replied, "I just need to say something first". Aang looked back and forth between Zuko and Katara, suspicion in his eyes, but he finally relented.
"Alright", he answered, "I'll be waiting outside". Katara nodded her thanks while Aang walked out of the room. She waited for the sound of the door closing behind him before making her move.
"Zuko", Katara said hesitantly, stepping forward, "What if I went with you.?"
"What!", Zuko exclaimed.
"You're going to be in a lot more danger than Aang will be", Katara continued, "I'll be able to help."
"No", Zuko answered, "I need to do this on my own"
"You didn't feel that way back in the Fire Nation capital on the day of Sozin's Comet ", Katara said indignantly, "Remember-"
"I SAID NO!", Zuko yelled. Katara stepped back with a hurt expression on her face. He had never yelled at her before. She quickly concealed her feelings.
"Fine", she said meekly, "I'll leave with Aang tomorrow. I guess this is goodbye, Zuko." She left the room quickly without looking back.
...
The next morning Zuko left the city with a battalion of troops. They were heading south in a war balloon to begin following Azula's trail.
"Take care of her", he told his uncle.
"Ursa is safe in my hands", Iroh assured his nephew.
...
A little later in the day the gang also left the city. Trying his best to remember everything he could about his vision, Aang decided that a good place to start searching would be the territory north of the Fire Nation. Together, with Katara, Sokka, Toph, and Suki, Aang set out on Appa. Ty Lee, however, had not come with them. She was still having trouble dealing with her friend's death and preferred to stay and comfort Ursa. The other Kyoshi warriors were left behind to help guard the Earth King and to rebuild.
"Yip, yip", Aang coaxed. Yawning loudly, Appa slapped his tail against the air and took off. Within seconds all the houses of the city had shrunk down to the size of toys. At the edge of the horizon, Aang could just barely make out the outer wall.
"Haaawwhhh" Toph yawned, "Just when I had gotten use to solid ground again. Hey Aang, when do you think we're going to stop for the night?"
"Toph, we haven't even been flying for ten minutes", Sokka pointed.
Aang listened, content to let them bicker. It felt good to be in the air again. Just then he notice Katara out of the corner of his eye. She rested with her chin against the side of Appa's saddle, looking sadly at the countryside below.
"Katara, what is it?" Aang asked, "Is something wrong?"
Katara paused for a moment and looked like she was going to say something, but then decided not to. "It's nothing, Aang", Katara answered softly, "Don't worry about me" Aang resolved to ask Sokka about it later, but for the time being let it slide.
By the end of the day they had made it to the outer wall. They stayed the night and spent a few hours longer than necessary so Katara and Sokka could see their father, before they set out into the wilderness.
...
Zuko and his men had been tracking Azula for over twenty-four hours already and Zuko felt like they still weren't any closer to finding her. He paced back and forth along the large deck of the war balloon, glaring at the horizon every few minutes.
"Give me a progress report" Zuko told one of his generals.
"Sire, there still has been no sign of her", general Chau answered, saluting.
"Has this entire day been a waste of time", Zuko growled, "Or are we any closer".
"Your Highness" Chau apologized, "You have my word that you will be alerted the moment anything comes up"
"I don't want to wait that long!" Zuko shouted, "We may not even be going in the right direction! Send scouts down to the next town we pass. Have them question all the villagers and report everything to me. Until then, we land the balloon and wait."
"Yes Sir" Chau saluted and began bellowing out orders. Zuko stormed off in the main cabin and shut the doors behind him. Finally he could be alone. He walked over and picked up the small portrait of Mai he had brought with him. He looked at it and his eyes hardened. She had risked her life to save him back at the Boiling Rock, and he hadn't been there for her. If he had only not gone to see his uncle that night…….He hated himself for what he let happen.
...
Miles away, the gang made camp for the night.
"It feels good to be out camping out again like this", Aang smiled, "I almost like old times. Isn't it?"
"Speak for yourself", Sokka groaned, "It's back to sleeping on rocks and laying in mud. I'll miss my bed."
"Cheer up, Sokka", Suki said tapping him on the arm, "It'll be good for you. We don't want you to get soft from being pampered all the time".
"Hey!", Sokka protested.
"I'll start getting firewood so I can start on dinner", Katara announced, "I'll be back in a little bit". Katara turned and started up towards the line of trees.
"Wait a minute", Toph shouted. Katara paused as Toph ran to catch up. "I'll come and help if you want", Toph offered.
"Sure", Katara said indifferently. They walked in silence for a while, collecting dead twigs here and there. Finally, Toph spoke.
"Is something the matter?", she asked, "You have been acting a little funny all day".
"Nothing's the matter", Katara started to say.
"I can tell that your l-" Toph countered
"Fine", Katara interrupted, "I guess something is wrong". Katara dropped her handful of stick and sat down on a rotting log.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Toph asked, sitting down beside her.
"It's just that", Katara began, "Before we left, I offered to go with Zuko. I thought that since I was a healer, I would be a lot more useful helping track down Azula then I would be here".
"Did Aang know about this? Toph asked.
"Well, no", Katara admitted, "But I am sure he wouldn't have minded". Toph gave her an odd look, but Katara ignored it and continued her story. "It didn't matter anyway", Katara sighed, "He turned me down. Not only that, he yelled at me too. I think he is angry at me".
"Why would Zuko be angry with you?" Toph asked.
"I've been thinking about it the whole time flying here", Katara answered slowly, "And I've realized something". Katara's eyes looked redder "When Sokka and I saw Azula's lightning, I ran back to tell Zuko, while Sokka went ahead to alert the guards. For a while I didn't think about it, but now I am starting to wonder. If I had been the one to run to the palace, would I have gotten there in time to heal Mai? Would she still be alive today? "
"No, Katara", Toph gasped, "You can't think like that".
"I can't help it", Katara said putting her head down on her knees, "And now I am afraid that that is why Zuko is mad at me. Maybe he blames me somehow." Toph didn't know what to say, so she just awkwardly put one arm around Katara. Katara quickly turned and hugged Toph back.
"Thanks for listening", Katara said, "Just please don't tell the others. I don't want anyone worrying about me." Toph nodded silently and they both picked up their piles of sticks and headed back toward camp. When they emerged from the trees they saw Aang had already gotten a fire going. Katara and Toph dumped their sticks in a pile by the fire to use for later that night.
"Thank goodness you guys are back", Suki laughed, "I was beginning to get bored of listening to those two fighting over how to set up their tent". Suki gestured over to where Aang and Sokka trying to pitch a green tent.
"Sokka, just let me do it", Aang reasoned, "I'll be a lot quicker".
"No, we're following the directions", Sokka said as he looked at the manual from Ba Sing Se, "I don't want the whole thing to collapse in the middle of the night and leave us vulnerable to an animal attack".
"Like it would make a difference", Toph shouted over. Katara listened to the exchange as she started to make soup.
"I already set ours up a while ago", Suki told Katara, "Toph, are you sure that you don't want to sleep in our tent?"
"No", Toph replied, "three people is too crowded for me. I'll be fine making my own shelter." Suki shrugged.
Toph went over to a flat area of ground and stomped her foot. When she did, two slabs of earth rose for the ground and made a tent.
The evening passed and they all ate dinner around the campfire as the sun set. Later on that night, they all lay in their tents trying to catch some sleep.
"What is it, Sokka?", Aang asked, "Why won't you stop moving and go to sleep already".
"It's just that", Sokka complained, "I have this rock in my back that's there no matter which way I move".
"I told you he was getting soft", Suki whispered to Katara in their tent. They both broke out laughing.
...
Meanwhile, Zuko waited silently in the war balloon cabin. After sometime of sitting there, he hear the scouts arrive back. They came straight into his room to report.
"Sire", they bowed, "There is news. Several witnesses from the town report seeing a Fire Nation war balloon pass overhead half a day ago. We have good reason to believe it was Azula".
Zuko smiled to himself. " Set a course following it. I want this balloon running on double speed", Zuko ordered. "Soon, Azula, soon."
I already have the first page of the next page written already. I might be a little late getting the next chapter up because I am going on a trip for the weekend. I hope i get it done before then. :)