The Next Part of Our Mission

Ai was hiding in the shadows of the young Fire Lords chamber. The trio had been there a week now and now the two Aztecs were starting to get bored. Her hair was starting to loose shine and it hardly stood in its trademark Mohawk anymore. Everyone else was asleep, but Ai still needed to stay on guard to make sure that they missed nothing. A tiring and mostly dull duty, but an important one all the same. Katara awoke suddenly with Zuko still at her side fast asleep. She looked up to the moon and walked over to the corner that Ai hid in.

"How much longer is this going to take?" Ai whispered. Katara just shrugged. "I'm going to check outside. Either go back to bed or do some bending. Don't let anything happen" Ai sounded irritated. With a swish, she darted across the wall of the room as an inconspicuous shadow.

Outside of the room was a narrow corridor. It was completely abandoned. Ai, for her own energy's sake, turned off her shadow potion and stretched herself. She had been still for the best part of six hours and her whole body was killing her. She was too busy with her own problem that she didn't notice the approaching footsteps. Just at the right moment, she turned and came face-to-face with KaiSai. She pulled and handful of sleep out of her bag and blew it into his hansom face. He fell back without pain into a deep sleep. She took a moment to get her breath back and then began to set him up to look like he fell asleep on his feet. As she leaned over his face and took his hansom appeal in. His skin was pale and his face narrow like a typical fire nation person and his shoulders wide. He had the slightest stubble over his chin and short-cut black hair. Beneath his closed lids were the most amazing wood-coloured eyes that Ai had ever known. She brushed the back of her hand tentatively across his cheek.

"You love him, don't you?" Asked Tec, stepping out of her own shadows. Ai let out a sad sigh and closed her eyes briefly. She wouldn't bother lying.

"Yes, I think I might." He pulled him in a sitting position against the wall and ran her eyes over him again. "But it would never work. I must stay loyal to my duty. I do not have the freedom of the others." She bit her bottom lip sadly and stepped away from the hansom man. She shook her head and reactivated her shadow spell. "Come on, Tec. Nothing else is going to happen tonight" They then headed back to their camp in a forgotten plot of land in the heart of the palace.

I will do this today! Swore Katara running her hand through the messed up braid that reached to her spine. I will and I must. Ai and Tec are getting inpatient now. You heard what she was like last night. Crabby and bossy. You need to cut them a break and get this over with. Katara shook out the last of her braid and redid it. Much better. She then sneaked out into the garden and snuck up the tree. She spoke the message that Ai had been teaching her.

"Ai! I am ready. Bring me the potion." She spoke it loudly, but knew only the Aztecs could hear it clearly.

"All right. No need to shout." Replied Ai, appearing near her. She pulled from her bag a small dart. The potion-filled needle part was sharp and the main body was wider. It was designed to be impossible to strike too deeply, even if it was struck on the victim with supernatural force. "When you are close enough to him, strike this in his arm or leg. The sleeping potion in this will not only knock him out for over a day, but make him light enough for even a child to carry. Hopefully, he will not cry out and we can escape quickly." Katara nodded at her, and took the dart from her hands. She then jumped from the tree and readied herself. As if on cue, the Fire Lord emerged from his room.

"Katara? What are you doing out here?" Zuko asked, walking towards the beautiful maiden. She just smiled at him half seductively and turned away; using the walk that Ai had taught her. Katara leant on the tree and giggled playfully. Only half catching on, Zuko prowled closer to her. Above them, Ai shuffled around on the tree to get a better view. The Fire Lord then reached towards Katara, willing for a kiss, but before he could, a sharp dark dug into his leg. He cried out in pain before he collapsed.

"Damn!" Cussed Ai as he shouted.

KaiSai was back at his post when he heard the Lords cry. He jumped into his room and looked around quickly. No sign of Fire Lord Zuko. The garden. He crept towards the crept towards the door and peered around the corner. There, huddled on the floor, was the unconscious form of his Lord. The scarcely dressed water bender was leaning over him, readying herself for something unknown. He took the briefest moment to prepare himself, and then began to creep towards the waterbender. Whatever she was up to, he didn't like it. He got a mere arm span away when she noticed him. She looked up, her brilliant blue eyes locking onto his wood ones, and gasped. A very soft thump sounded behind him a something stabbed into his leg. KaiSai the began to fall to the other side. Before sweet oblivion claimed him, he saw an angelically beautiful face framed with green hair and with hypnotic white eyes locking down at him with a tiny look of worry and a miniscule hint of a smile on that corner of her lips.
"Damn. This is really, really damned." cursed Ai with the unconscious man on her shoulder. "We were only to return with the Fire Lord. No one else!" The trio were running in the woodland area behind the Fire Palace.

"Why'd you bring him then?" Katara asked with an innocent tip of her head. She was the only one not carrying anyone as she was by far not as strong as the Whych or the succubus. Ai quickly came up with a reply.

"Because he would have told someone or killed us. The plan would have been ruened!" To the other side of Katara, Tec just shook her head.

"Sure, Ai. Whatever you say, Ai." She said with a light laugh. "There is a village up there. We might be able to bargain a nights stay there if we can find a war-hater." Ai nodded at her.

The trio really stuck upon a good luck-bad luck place. The tiny village was once Earth Kingdom until it was over run. Now it was shabby and decaying. None of them got a proper look until morning and the sun had risen. KaiSai's head was throbbing. He had felt like a fling bison had jumped on it repetitively. With a groan, he began to creak open his eyes. Leaning over him was the figure from that previous day.

"Good morning Tin Solder. You've woken early from the spell." She noted. His vision returned to normal and his tongue returned to him.

"Who are you, and where are we?"

"My name is Ai, and I am a Whych. Not a witch, a Whych, like a priestess. And I have no idea where we are, I haven't gone outside since we got here. Oh and by the way, don't bother trying to escape." She pulled an odd looking doll with a lock of his hair made into a heart sewn on it. "This is a voodoo doll. If you try and escape, the connection between you and it will cause your demise. The same goes with your Lord." She then pulled another out, it was similar, but with a heart of Zuko's hair and a crude recreation of his scar on one side of its face. She turned the doll to look her in the eyes and snorted lightly. "You know, one tiny slip, and I could kill you both, no sign of the killer either. Frightening thought, isn't it?" She put the dolls back into her bag and smiled down to him. "I feel for like a walk, care to join us?" What she meant by 'us', KaiSai wasn't to sure, but he nodded anyways, and swung his legs over the edge of the bed he was on. His eyes met with those of the water woman sitting across from him, she couldn't have been anymore than fifteen, but her eyes seemed so much older. Beside her the fire lord was sitting upright and ready.

"Are they joining us?" The bodyguard asked. Ai nodded. "Her to?" He asked again as the succubus walked out from another area in the house they were in.

"Yup, not going to miss any of the action!" Smiled the yellow eyed woman. Her age was not clear on her form. "She then passed a cape to both Ai and Katara. "Name's Tec, by the way, and that's Katara. And what do we simple maidens have the honor of calling you?"

"KaiSai, my name is KaiSai." She then smiled at all of them and took another elongated step towards the door. The others then followed in her lead, and left the best building in the entire sad village.

Ai was furious and extremely saddened by the state of the village. After a slow examining of the whole village, a sad song blossomed from her lips.

(No Bravery. Ai)

Just on the edge of the city, a group of children stood in prayer. All of the varying from only two to late teens.

"There are children standing here,
Arms outstretched into the sky,
Tears drying on their face.
He has been here."

Ai's eyes flashed over to Zuko's face then back at the children. Just in front of them was an un-grown field. Ai clearly could see the unmarked graves that couldn't have been more than a foot deep. Her eyes focused on the nearest grave, a pitiful tear forming in the white depths.
"Brothers lie in shallow graves.
Fathers lost without a trace.
A nation blind to their disgrace,
Since he's been here."

She looked up to the gloomy heavens and sung out loudly.
"And I see no bravery,
No bravery in your eyes anymore.
Only sadness".

The young Whych then stormed down the streets fling looking around with pure malice and anger.
"Houses burnt beyond repair.
The smell of death is in the air." Katara's hand goes over her mouth as she smothers a gag whilst Ai led them into one of the more distraught buildings. In the far corner, a woman is huddled in tears.
"A woman weeping in despair says,
He has been here." The next house is near abandoned. Ai watches uselessly as a younger woman coughs and breathes her last breaths. With more tears in her eyes, Ai closes her eyes and tips her head towards the burned roof.
"Tracer lighting up the sky.
It's another families‚ turn to die." Something suddenly catches her attention. A small boy, barly three, was huddled behind a broken crate. Ai kneels down besides him, and gives him a well needed-hug.
"A child afraid to even cry out says,
He has been here." Yet again, Ai looks up to Zuko, the child still hugged to her bust, and then closes her eyes and whispers into the childs ear.

"And I see no bravery,
No bravery in your eyes anymore.
Only sadness."

They then are dragged outside again. Ai grabbed the Fire Lords wrist with one hand and with the other points angrily at the children again.
"There are children standing here,
Arms outstretched into the sky,
But no one asks the question why," She drops Zuko's arm and points at him accusingly.
"He has been here." She points in another direction at a old man, who was similar to Iroh, as he slowly dies.
"Old men kneel and accept their fate." She waved her arms angrily about taking a furious step back
"Wives and daughters cut and raped.
A generation drenched in hate.
Yes, he has been here." Again she points at Zuko. She then takes a bold step towards him and towers in his scarred face. With a light smirk she continues her song.

"And I see no bravery,
No bravery in your eyes anymore.
Only sadness." When she finished, she fell into silence and walked away from the group. They only stand there in pure shock. They had never seen Ai in such a state. The small boy who had curled hidden behind the crate walked towards Ai and took her hand. For the tiniest moment, Ai just looked at the boy. She suddenly swooped down and hugged him again in a protective manor. "I'll come back for you, all of you, and take you to a better place, even if my queen dislikes it. You need it more than any other people in the world. I'll save you. I promise." The small boy simply whimpered in her ear in a sad form of thanks.

The group had left the distraught village sooner then they had realised. Ai walked slightly ahead in silence. She hadn't spoken since the oath to the small boy. The speed of her pace and the light autumn breeze makes her skirt flutter about her knees and her hair bounce off of her back. Behind her was Tec walking alone with her head eyes partially closed as if she was listening to music in her head. Katara and Zuko were a few feet behind her. They spoke in hushed whispers, but none seem interested in their conversation. KaiSai was at the very back, looking over the shoulders of the others to Ai in curiosity. No one had ever seen her that angry, it was almost frightening. He cleared his thought, and skimmed to Ai's side at the head of the group.

"Ai? Why aren't you speaking? Silence won't do you any good." He asks somewhat innocently. Without looking at him, Ai grunt angrily. "You can speak with me, Whych Ai" Her amazing white eyes switched from the blank area in front of them to his face. An expression of sheer anger was painted in her elegant features.

"Monsters are what wrong with me. Monsters like most of the damned fire nation!" She snapped at him. He was stunned into silence as Ai increased her pace again and charged off, her hair and skirt flying out behind her. At that moment it begins to rain again, it was a heavy thunder storm. KaiSai tipped his face into the sky and let the rain fall off of his face as he thought of his next choice.

"Rain. It always comes completely at the wrong time." He mumbled.

Fzzzzzzzzzzzzzzb, Fzzzzzzzzzzzzzzb. The rain ran over Ai's barely covered body as she listened to the steady sound of her yo-yo whist it cut through the cold air. The temperature never bothered Ai, she had gone through all sorts of weather in her thin clothes, adjusting body temperature was a part of her nature. Her weapon and tool always managed to calm her down. That and the rain. But this time it wasn't as effective, so she walked on a little more. By the thinning of the trees, she could tell that she had come to a clearing. In the middle was a pool. It was the one that had the serpent. They had found a quicker way back, oddly. Suddenly the huge beast rose from the water and remained there for a moment. Huge red eyes were locked into brilliant white ones. With a nod, Ai shows she means no harm, and the creature relaxes back into the depths. After a final flick of the yo-yo, she dropped it in her hip-bag and ran her fingers through her flattened hair. Sadly and playfully she looked into a sheltered pool, the surface was flat as no breeze broke it, and pulled the wet Mohawk over her left eye. She then pulled tiny spikes out of the rest of the hair. This was similar to her sisters style, her name was Acqua. A sudden ripple in the water caused Ai to jump. Her face was shattered like glass as it did, she didn't notice it changing. However, when the ripples subsided she saw. Her hair was no longer green, but brown, and was really in a pixie cut style. Her eyes was now a light water tribe blue, but her skin was still the same. She reached for her face, but the reflection didn't do the same. Realisation hit her like a tital wave.

"Acqua?" She barely croaked out. The reflection smiled and began to turn away. "No, don't go, sis! Please don't go!" Ai reached foolishly into the shallow puddle, but her hand just hit the surface. The ripples subsided naturally this time. The minature pool again reflected her own face. Ai simply just looked into the shallow depth for what felt like forever when tiny waves desturbed the silvery surface. It took her a moment before she realised that they were casued by her falling tears.

Where are you, Ai? KaiSai pondered as he jogged in the direction that the beautiful Aztec maden darted off in. His mind flashed brifly back to that emotive moment. The more he thought of it, the more he began to ponder; did he get a glips of that firm rear end? no, he was imagining it...Wasn't he? with a flick of his head, he chaised away those sinful thoughts before they became more erotic and unwanted. The gentle sobs in the near distance caught him partually off guard. When the person began to croak out a name, he worked out who was crying. He genly pushed out into the clearing and peered into the thick rain. Sure enough, over in the far corner of it was a huddled for of Ai. Her shoulders were shrugging and her head hidden beneath a overhanging bush. Gingerly he crept forward, not wanting to do anything stupid. He knelt down beside her and placed a hand on her freezing cold shoulder. She wrapped her arms around his waist in a needed hug. KaiSai was compleatly shocked at first, but then he wrapped his strong arms around her shoulders had pulled her head to his heart. She sadly listened to his rythemic heartbeat and, oddly, was soothed by it.

"It's ok, Ai, it's ok." He whispered into her wet hair. It had the lulling smell of herbs, peppermint oil and a calming smell he had never smelt before. He swallowed a lump in his thought and spoke again. "We better get back, or the others will get worried." Ai nodded against his chest and they got to their feet.

It was only a few more days until they reached the Aztec's boat's drop-off point. Tec had flown off a few hours before hand to tell the sailors that they were ready. Before the young men knew what hit them, they were being dragged up the narrow plank of a earth kingdom style ship and sailing away from the land into places unknown.
A/N: No Bravery is by James Blunt, I love that song, it's a beautiful song. Anywho's, things are starting to heat up between KaiSai and Ai, isn't it? It might just get hotter later, if I'm feeling brave enough.

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