The Smell of Hotness

Nine: Warnings

Previously on Avatar: -"Nothing's going on, Mai— you should know me better than—" Zuko stopped in the middle of his sentence as Mai's facial expression changed. "Mai?" Zuko has a questionable look upon his face as Mai grew a big smile. Mai took a few steps toward Zuko.

"Zuko, I could never be mad at you!" Mai suddenly grasped onto Zuko in a tight hug, while Ty Lee snuggled against his back.

"Get off!" Zuko shouted as he shook both of them off. They both fell on their butts beside him. "What's wrong with you two? You've been acting funny lately, and I DEMAND to know what's going on!" Zuko became furious, because he had no idea what was going on exactly.

-"What's this?" Lee began, "An air bender? The air temple was wiped out— which can only mean… the Avatar lives, still, for time and definite." Lee smirked; "A battle with the Avatar should be honoring, and yet overwhelming. Let me just warn you boy," Lee stood up to his feet like it was nothing, "I'm not as frail as I may look." He smirked mischievously. Lee came rushing towards Aang…

- "— She can't be trusted."

Kiame almost seemed hurt by her words.

"Why not? She's done nothing but be nice to us!" Sokka tried to reason.

"Yeah, and she's lied to us, Sokka. Everyone in this village has. There's something you don't know… and Aang's in trouble. So ask yourself, Sokka, what's more important— Aang, or some girl you just met?" Katara asked him.

Sokka looked up at Kiame's beautiful crystal green eyes, and frowned. He dropped her hand and stepped forward. Kiame held the side of her arm with her hand and stared at Sokka with frowning eyes.

"I'm… I'm sorry." Sokka stated. Kiame looked down and then looked back up at Sokka.

"Let me go with you." She stated.

"I have some things to do…" he said and took off running. Aang blinked as he watched him run. It was funny because he ran almost like a coward, but fought valiantly as a solider.

"Okay…" Aang scratched the back of his head.

-"What's going on?" Aang whispered. Then, the aura stopped. As the aura stopped, Kiame's old, raggedy dress turned to a long, clean, white robe. And then…

¤ ¤ ¤

"What's this?" Azula asked one of her servants as they handed her a rolled up piece of paper.

"It's an urgent message from General Carper." They stated.

"Hmm… really?" Azula smiled as she unrolled the letter and began to read it, "— Well, it looks like my plan's about to go underway… servant, ready some of my soldiers… we're about to head off." Azula smiled mischievously.

¤ ¤ ¤

Kiame's old, raggedy dress turned to a long, clean, white robe. Then, her beautiful, frictionless, brown hair began to fade to gray. Kiame lifted up her head from staring at the ground and looked at Aang and the others.

"Oh my…" Katara gasped.

"Oh my god! That old hag ate Kiame!" Sokka jumped behind Toph.

"Sokka… I am Kiame…" Kiame's gentle, pale face had turned to ashy, semi-dark skin. Her crystal green eyes had turned to gray, almost matching her hair. Her hand looked frail and shriveled.

"Uh…" Sokka fainted onto the ground…

"How are you Kiame— I mean, what happened to you?" Katara walked up to her and gently placed her hand onto her cheek. Kiame grasped her hand with slight compassion.

"My dear…" she bellowed, "— I am of exactly eighty years… I am not the young woman you met me as. That— was merely an illusion of the eyes."

"An illusion?" Aang stepped forward.

"Well," Kiame bowed her head as she held her hands together against her stomach, "Do you remember that old, tall building around the center of the town?"

"Yeah, it had that weird rock in there." Aang said.

"Yes… that rock is what our civilization relies on. It provides power and protection… it also gives us the element of surprise… because— it gives off the essence of illusion. And morosely, the fire nation is the only people who knows about it other than us." Kiame's tone grew deep and joy was a thing of the past within her.

"Why does the fire nation know about it?" Toph asked while holding Sokka's head off the ground.

"Well— because Azula has part of it…" Kiame stated. Everyone gasped.

"What can she do with it?" Aang asked eagerly.

"I'm not too sure… I just know that it's been said that, when used properly, the rock can have many powers. It's main attribute, is illusion. It deceives many… the only way to avoid it's power to have it close to your body, or to get away from it— approximately one hundred or more yards…" she explained, "Be warned… Lee is probably already in contact with Princess Azula. You must get as far away as possible!"

¤ ¤ ¤

"Oh Zu-zu!" Azula called throughout the halls, "I know you're around here brother." Azula smirked as she walked with her head held high and shear confidence beaming by her presence.

"Azula!" she heard an irritated voice call her name.

"Yes?" she turned around with a raised eyebrow to face Zuko standing before her; "Where did you come from?" she folded her arms.

"That's none of your business!" he firmly pushed his first finger against her stomach with accusation set in his eyes.

"Whoa, Zu-zu. What's your problem?" she asked as if she was completely clueless.

"There's something going on here, and I know you're behind it!" he shouted.

"Behind what?" she held up her arms in the air while her eyes were shut, "I don't know what you're talking about brother…" she opened her eyes and placed her arms back down by her sides.

"Stop acting like you don't know! Every time I come within FEET of a girl, she's all over me! Including Mai and Ty Lee!" he continued to yell.

"What's wrong with that? You'd think a guy would be happy… and isn't Mia your girlfriend anyway?" Azula smirked as she placed her hands on her hips in a girlish stance. "Besides, we don't have time for this Zu-zu… I got a call… we're needed in the far west. I want you to come with me." She said.

"What for?" he questioned with caution.

"Why? Don't you want to come? It's a pretty important mission… but I guess if you don't want—"

"I'll go." Zuko interrupted Azula's statement as he calmly agreed to go with her…

¤ ¤ ¤

"Huh, what?" Sokka blinked his eyes to the openness of the surroundings; "Whoa… I just had the weirdest dream…" Sokka felt his forehead with his right hand as he sat up from the clutches of Toph's hand.

"What's that Sokka?" Toph smirked as she played along.

"Well, I dreamed I met this beautiful girl and then she turned into an old lady!" Sokka started to laugh a little.

"Hello Sokka. Are you feeling better?" Kiame bent over and smiled at Sokka.

"Oh my god! Pinch me! Wake me up!" Sokka jumped and hid behind Toph.

"Get out form behind me you big baby." Toph crossed her arms.

"Come on Aang. We have to get away from here, fast." Katara said.

"You know what Katara? I'm not going to run… I'm gonna face Azula and whatever army she brings. She's always been trying to track me down, and she's finally going to catch me… I'm gonna beat her and then I'll go after the fire lord." Aang clenched his fists with seriousness.

"Are you sure Aang?" Katara asked.

"Yes." He nodded firmly.

"Be careful Aang. We don't know what she has up her sleeve… it could be anything; especially since she has part of the rock." Kiame warned.

"So, are you saying we're going to have to fight the fire nation?" Sokka peeped up from behind Toph with his first finger in the air.

"That's exactly what he's saying." Katara stated.

"Okay, I'm out." Sokka stood up and began to walk away.

"Sokka!" Katara yelled.

"Fine! But, I'm not gonna be the one to die okay?" Sokka crossed his arms. Kiame smiled at him. "Ah!" Sokka jumped back behind Toph; Toph rolled her eyes.

"Kiame?" Aang asked.

"Yes?" Kiame faced him.

"Is there any way to counteract the stone if Azula's using it?" he asked. Kiame stood there a moment without a reply.

"Actually— there is one," she began, "the only way to defeat the power of the rock, is to use it against itself…"

"Like, get another part of the rock?" Katara asked. Kiame nodded at her correct question.

"Well, let's go get that rock!" Aang smiled.

Aang ran back towards the city along with the others…

¤ ¤ ¤

"Are the weapons ready?" Azula asked with proxy sustained within her voice.

"Yes ma'am." A couple soldiers acknowledged her in unison with a salute.

"Okay… then I guess it's time to head off." Azula smiled as she folded her arms.

"Where are we going exactly?" Zuko asked while climbing down the ladder and into the steel, moving, vehicle where Azula was.

"You'll see when we arrive brother." She smirked mischievously.

A few men closed the hatches and jumped in the seats of a rounded number of ten vehicles— each containing about ten men. Azula seemed confident with her number of soldiers as they headed off towards their destination in the far west…

Please review!!! The action is headed up your way! This also means the ending's coming very soon as well...