A/N: Sorry for the delay. Real Life hit me hard these last few weeks. Hopefully this is worth the wait.
Chapter 10: Returns and Reminders
After spending two days traveling on Appa, Aang and Katara returned to Chameleon Bay. They barely recognized it, since Toph had earthbended several rows of walls around the Water Tribe camp. She had also created a roof for the camp, using her recently acquired metalbending to shape it out of scrap metal. The sand on the beach had been bended into sandstone, removing the flaw in Toph's earthsense on loose materials.
Appa landed directly on the metal roof, slightly denting it under all six of Appa's feet. Everyone inside heard the landing and saw the dents, immediately determining that Aang was back. Katara saw several slits in the metal to let sunlight in, and spotted one of them being widened with bending. When the hole was big enough Toph pulled herself up and through it, and then stood on the metal.
"About time you two got back" Toph complained.
Jumping off Appa, Aang landed next to Toph. "Miss us?" he asked.
"A little" Toph said. "Anyway, Sokka wants to plan stuff."
"He always wants to plan stuff" Katara said.
All three of them jumped through the hole Toph had made in the roof, landing on the sandstone below. Several torches were lit inside to supplement the limited sunlight that came in through the slits in the roof. The tents were still set up inside, being used as individual rooms rather than shelter now. Toph led the way to Hakoda's tent.
Once inside the tent, Katara saw Hakoda, Sokka, Suki, and Zuko standing around a map on a table. "Did anything interesting happen while we were gone?" Aang asked.
"Azula escaped" Zuko stated.
"What! How?" Katara asked.
"She got up and walked away in the middle of the night" Suki explained.
"Then we have to go after her" Katara said.
"We tried, but Zuko screwed up" Sokka said.
"How many times do I have to apologize for that?" Zuko asked.
"A lot" Sokka said. "Anyway, we need to decide what our next move is."
"Shouldn't we go after Azula now that Aang's mastered the Avatar State?" Katara asked. "He's kind of unstoppable now."
"Yeah" Aang said, making his tattoos and eyes glow, then making them flash on and off repeatedly.
"Stop that!" Sokka yelled, and Aang complied.
"You gave me a headache" Suki complained, placing her fingers at her temples.
"Sorry" Aang said.
"Anyway, we have other problems than Azula right now" Sokka said.
"Which would be…?" Katara said.
"We're running out of time" Hakoda said. "It's going to take at least a month to get everything in position for the solar eclipse. We don't have time to chase down Azula."
"But if we don't go after Azula she'll ruin everything" Katara said. "She knows about the invasion and can tell the Fire Nation when we're coming."
"That's why we won't rely on the invasion plan" Sokka said.
"Come again?" Aang asked.
"I say we let Azula tip off the Fire Nation" Sokka said. "While my dad and the others keep the army busy, we can use a different plan to bring down the Fire Lord."
"What crazy scheme do you have this time?" Katara asked.
"We let Zuko 'capture' Aang, then he and Katara can let him out right before the eclipse starts" Sokka said. "While the Fire Lord is focusing on the invasion Aang can glow it up and take him out from behind."
"You still want me to keep up this stupid charade as Azula?" Katara asked.
"Well if Zuko were to capture Aang and you don't show up, the plan falls apart" Sokka said. "I know you don't like it, but it's the best I got."
"Does everyone else agree with Sokka?" Katara asked. She saw Zuko, Suki, Toph, and Hakoda nod. "Fine, let's just get it over with"
"There's just one problem" Zuko said. "Azula's mission was to bring in my uncle, and he's still in Ba Sing Se. We'd also need to find Ty Lee and Mai, since Azula wouldn't return to the Fire Nation without them."
"Who are currently prisoners of Long Feng" Katara said. "Great, so it's back to Ba Sing Se. And let me guess, I'll have to do this on my own?"
"No, I'm coming along" Toph said. "You'll need an earthbender just to get inside Ba Sing Se."
"But won't that give Katara away?" Suki asked.
"Maybe, if I actually met those two girls up close" Toph said. "Seriously, have I ever met them face to face?"
"What about the time Appa was shedding and they followed us to that one mountain?" Sokka asked.
"Wasn't it night? They wouldn't have seen me clearly" Toph said.
"We saw them again when they tried drilling into Ba Sing Se" Aang said.
"Which I stayed outside of the entire time" Toph said. "I didn't even know they were there until you guys told me about it later."
"Then we were in Ba Sing Se… where we never saw those two at all" Sokka said. Thinking it over, Sokka realized that Toph had a point. "Okay so Toph goes with Katara to rescue two of the dangerous ladies and Angry Jerk's uncle."
"Stop calling me that" Zuko complained.
"What will the rest of us do while Katara and Toph are in Ba Sing Se?" Suki asked.
"Zuko needs to teach me firebending" Aang said.
"While you two do that, the rest of us will pack up camp so we can head for the Fire Nation" Sokka said. "Katara can 'chase' us part of the way there, giving Aang more time to learn firebending."
"Okay then, let's get started" Katara said.
OOOOOOOOOO
Outside Tian, Azula watched Lee and his family leave. Lee had wanted Azula to go with them, desperate for a friend to fill the void left by his older brother. While she had refused to travel with them, Azula agreed to see them off.
While Gansu and Sela packed the last of their new supplies onto the wagon. They had to trade a few of their farm animals, but got enough supplies to last until they could reach one of the backwater towns in the southeastern Earth Kingdom. After loading the last thing small enough for him, Lee ran over to Azula.
"Please come with us" Lee asked, trying to make his face look as sad as possible.
"I can't" Azula said, ignoring Lee's attempt to guilt her into coming along. "My path is the other way."
"Oh fine" Lee said. "I'll miss you."
Suddenly Lee threw his arms around Azula's legs, catching her by surprise. Okay, this is awkward Azula thought. She rubbed Lee's hair, trying to make him let go without resorting to hurting him. "Don't make your parents wait."
"Okay, goodbye" Lee said as he let go of Azula. She watched Lee climb into the wagon. Gansu pulled on the reins for the ostrich-horses, making them pull the wagon down the road.
Once the wagon was out of sight, Azula walked back into Tian. She walked straight for Ursa's house, ignoring everyone around her. Aside from a random merchant having his produce destroyed, there was nothing going on that caught Azula's attention. Ursa was the only reason Azula was still in Tian at all.
Inside the house, Azula didn't see Ursa in the front room. The door to the next room was open and a lamp was lit inside, letting Azula know Ursa was still there. Azula quietly walked over to the door, eavesdropping on her mother. Peering through the doorway, Azula saw Ursa turned away. Ursa was holding something that Azula couldn't see, and was slowly crying.
"What's wrong mo…" Azula asked, barely stopping herself from saying mom.
Startled, Ursa quickly shoved what she was holding into a desk drawer and locked it. Wiping the tears from her eyes, she turned towards Azula. "Something personal" Ursa answered. "I thought you'd have left by now."
"I need to decide where to go next before I leave" Azula said. "Zuko is still after my head."
"Yes, Zuko" Ursa said. "Do you know him?"
All too well… Azula thought. "I know he'll come after me sooner or later, and I need to figure out where to go before he does."
"I've heard rumors about him" Ursa said. "They say his face is horribly scarred."
"That part is true, though only with part of his face" Azula said.
"I see…" Ursa said. "If you don't mind, I'd like to be alone." Ursa put her green oni mask on and walked out of the house, leaving Azula alone.
Curious, Azula walked over to the desk in the room. She tried to open the drawer, but found it locked. To get around that problem, she bent a large drop of water from a waterskin and forced it into the lock. Carefully freezing the water into ice, Azula made her own key that fit the lock. Unlocking the drawer, Azula opened it to see what Ursa had put in it.
Inside was a small painting in a frame, which was a copy of a much larger original. In it was the Fire Nation royal family, from ten years ago. The old Fire Lord Azulon was in the back with Iroh, Ozai, and Ursa sitting in front of him. Kneeling in front of Iroh was a teenaged Lu Ten, who Azula barely knew. Sitting on Ozai's lap was a six year old Zuko, and Ursa was holding a four year old Azula in her arms.
The painting brought back old memories Azula had, of when her family could actually be considered normal. At the time she had hated staying still for hours to let the original painting be made, wanting to play on the beach of Ember Island. Things had been so simple back then, before Iroh and Lu Ten went off to siege Ba Sing Se and everything else went to hell.
She still cares about us Azula thought, bringing a tear to her eye. If Ursa had been caught with the painting it would have exposed her as Fire Nation, and likely would have gotten her killed by the locals. It was a big risk to take for a keepsake, but it was clear that Ursa didn't want to forget about her family.
Azula put the painting away, making certain it was exactly as she found it. She relocked the drawer and extinguished the lamp in the room. Walking out of the house, Azula looked around for Ursa, wondering where she had gone to. Ursa couldn't have gone far, and Azula was certain she could catch up with her.
OOOOOOOOOO
It didn't take long for Katara and Toph to reach Ba Sing Se. Toph was able to earthbend the ground into a speeding mound of dirt, which was just as fast as Appa could fly. Getting through the wall had been easy as well, with Toph earthbending a tunnel through it. The soldiers patrolling the wall had never known they were even there.
Once inside the Outer Wall, Toph brought Katara to a lake between the Outer and Inner Walls. Along the way Toph explained how the Dai Li had a hidden base underneath it. It was on the way to the Inner Wall, and Toph figured they might as well check it out first.
"So where's this hidden base?" Katara asked when they arrived at Lake Laogai.
"Close" Toph said, walking along the edge of the water. Heading for where she knew the entrance was, she stopped when she felt a change in the vibrations. The entrance had been moved away from the spot Toph remembered, but she could still fell its vibrations coming from further down the beach.
"Is something wrong?" Katara asked.
"For anyone else, yes" Toph said. "The Dai Li moved the entrance, but didn't account for the way I see."
Taking a few minutes to walk down the beach, they reached the entrance. With earthbending Toph created a stone pier with a hatch at the end. Katara opened the hatch and climbed down the ladder inside, with Toph right behind her. Once Toph set foot on the floor inside the base, Katara could see a look of surprise on her face.
"It's all different" Toph said.
"What do you mean?" Katara asked. Looking around she saw three wide corridors branching away from the ladder, all brightly lit by green crystals on the ceiling.
"They completely rebuilt this place" Toph explained. "This may take a while to search."
"Then we better get started" Katara said. She picked a direction and walked down it with Toph.
Every five minutes a Dai Li agent came down the corridor on patrol. Toph was able to sense the agents coming, and earthbended hiding places in the walls, literally disappearing into them. Avoiding the agents slowed them down, but in half an hour of searching they found a metal door that appeared to be the entrance to the prison.
"Okay Toph, do your thing" Katara said.
Placing her hands on the metal door, Toph crushed it with metalbending and threw the twisted metal into the prison. A pair of Dai Li agents were on the other side, caught unprepared for an attack. Before the agents could respond Katara threw two blue fireblasts at them, one for each agent and took them down immediately.
With the prison secure, Katara looked around. There were a dozen prison cells and storage lockers lining the walls. Each cell had a tiny barred window for the guards to keep an eye on the prisoners. Looking through each cell's window, Katara found most of them empty. Only one cell had a prisoner inside it, who was asleep.
"Over here" Katara said. Toph walked over and metalbended the door open, letting Katara enter it. Katara walked up to the prisoner, finding that it was Ty Lee. Kneeling beside her, Katara gently shook her to wake her up.
Ty Lee's eyes opened, and she looked at Katara. Immediately she threw her arms around Katara and cried into her shoulder. "You came back!" Ty Lee cried out. "You're Alive!"
"Are you alright?" Katara asked.
"They tried to make me give them my chi blocking skills" Ty Lee said, wiping away her tears. "I didn't let them break me, just like you would."
"I'm glad" Katara said. "Do you have any idea where Mai is?"
Ty Lee shook her head. "They kept us separated from each other and your uncle."
"I'd hate to interrupt, but we have to move!" Toph shouted.
"Right" Katara said. Helping Ty Lee stand, she asked "Can you walk?"
"I think so" Ty Lee said, stretching her arms and legs. "Who's the new girl? She seems kind of familiar."
"We'll do the introductions later" Katara said. "Mai's waiting for us."
OOOOOOOOOO
Back in Tian, it didn't take long for Azula to find Ursa's trail. A merchant bemoaning his lot in life had seen her walking towards the forest and Azula found a path going through it. The path led deep into the woods, and narrowed as it led through a large outcropping of rock. On the other side was a meadow, hidden on the ground but still exposed to the sky.
Inside the meadow was Ursa, not wearing her mask. She was practicing her firebending, trying to keep her fire close to the ground but not close enough to ignite the grass. Azula watched Ursa practice from the entrance to the meadow, wishing that she could still do the same. After a few minutes of watching, Azula saw Ursa stop practicing.
"That's a big risk you're taking" Azula said while walking into the meadow. "Firebending around here."
"I've got to keep my skills sharp somehow" Ursa said. "If I'm ever discovered I'll need them."
"Hope for the best, prepare for the worst" Azula said. "It's something my mother would have said."
"Then I think we'd have gotten along well" Ursa noted. "I tried to teach my children that."
"Do you want to talk about them?" Azula asked.
"I don't want to bore you" Ursa said.
"I have time" Azula said.
Sighing, Ursa sat down on the grass, and Azula sat down in front of her. "I didn't want to leave my children behind, but I didn't have a choice."
"What happened?" Azula asked, wondering how things happened from Ursa's perspective.
"My father in law asked my husband to do the unthinkable" Ursa said. "At first I thought it was just a test, and that the old man never expected my husband to go through with it."
Even though Ursa was avoiding the details, Azula could tell that she was referring to the night Ursa disappeared. Azula remembered eavesdropping on Azulon's order for Ozai to kill Zuko. She remembered tormenting Zuko about it, preparing to celebrate becoming an only child.
"What did you do about it?" Azula asked. This was the part she didn't get to see happen.
"I stopped my husband, and his father" Ursa answered. "I had to kill the old man."
So it was true Azula thought. She had long suspected that Ursa had to be the person that got rid of Azulon. She knew the old Fire Lord would have anticipated any assassination attempts coming from Ozai, but not from gentle Ursa.
"Were you caught?" Azula asked.
"My husband knew what I did" Ursa said. "The law would have had me executed for my crime, but he covered it up. Instead I was banished, condemned to wander the world away from home."
"You're not the only one banished from the Fire Nation" Azula said. "Prince Zuko's been banished for three years now."
"Yes, and he's nearly turned the world upside down on his quest" Ursa said.
"Why didn't you seek him out, having similar fates?" Azula asked.
"I can't" Ursa said, tears running down her face. "I can't face him yet. Not after what I've done."
That must be why she wears the mask, in case Zuko ever stumbled across her by accident Azula thought. "He misses you" she said. "Both of your kids do."
"Wait a minute, I never told you Zuko is my son" Ursa said.
"You didn't have to" Azula said. "Mom."
OOOOOOOOOO
After getting Ty Lee out of the cell, Toph threw the two unconscious Dai Li into it and metalbended the cell shut. But before the three girls could leave the prison, an alarm was sounded throughout the base. Immediately Toph felt the vibrations of several dozen agents marching through the base, and everyone prepared for a fight.
"Here they come" Toph alerted the others.
Katara and Ty Lee watched the door, waiting for the Dai Li to arrive. They could hear the agents coming towards the entrance… and run past it.
"Hey, where are they going?" Toph muttered.
"Maybe you're just lucky today?" Ty Lee wondered.
"I don't think so" Katara said. "We better see what's going on."
Following the Dai Li deeper into the base, it became clear that something else had triggered the alarm. After several twists and turns they found a section heavily damaged. The walls and floor had been broken apart by earthbending, leaving pieces of rock everywhere. Nearly a dozen agents were lying unconscious, abandoned by the others that had run by.
"Okay what is…" Katara started saying when the ground shook for a second.
"Oh you have got to be kidding me" Toph complained. She took off down the corridor, Katara and Ty Lee trying to keep up. Taking another left turn they found several Dai Li fighting three earthbenders, two of which Toph recognized.
"The Boulder could use some assistance!" he shouted, barely holding off three agents on his own. Immediately he was helped by another earthbender, one with a lot more fat and a lot less hair.
"Hippo gladly oblige!" he said, throwing several chunks of rock at the agents, taking them out of the fight.
The third earthbender was a woman, in her twenties with short brown hair. She was about to defeat another three agents, but was interrupted by Toph attacking them first and burying them in rock. "Hey, those were mine!" she shouted.
"Got to be quicker than that" Toph said, getting the attention of the other earthbenders.
"Hippo happy to see Blind Bandit" he said.
"You guys here for a rematch?" Toph asked.
"Negatory, The Boulder and The Hippo no longer fight for others' entertainment" he answered. "Today we fight for our Kingdom!"
"Sweet" Toph said.
"Um, why are you here then?" Katara asked.
"The Usurper has our King imprisoned here" the woman stated. "We're here to free him."
"And who would you be?" Toph asked. "You were never at Earth Rumble Six."
"You're looking at Ba Sing Se's earthbending champion, the Tectonic Titan."
"Never heard of you" Toph said.
Katara could see a fight about to break out between Toph and Titan, and interrupted to defuse the situation. "We need to get moving before more Dai Li arrive."
"Um, is there a reason you three just happened to be here when Azula arrived?" Ty Lee asked.
The Boulder just shrugged. "No idea, but The Boulder is willing to roll with this."
"Okay, so which way do you think the king is held?" Katara asked.
"Down here" Titan said. She led the way down another corridor and to another prison. When they arrived Titan was going to use a set of keys to unlock the door, when Toph metalbended it off its hinges.
"How in the world did you bend metal?" Titan asked.
"Oh I'm just awesome that way" Toph bragged, tossing the bent door off the side.
Toph, Katara, and The Boulder entered the prison, leaving Ty Lee, The Hippo, and the Tectonic Titan outside to guard the entrance. Like the first prison, most of the cells were empty, but two adjacent cells were occupied. Toph metalbended the doors off both cells at once, revealing King Kuei and Iroh.
"What took you so long?" Iroh asked.
OOOOOOOOOO
For nearly a minute, Ursa was speechless. Azula's confession didn't make any sense. Why would a stranger call her Mom? And yet, she could hear the sincerity in that simple statement. Then it clicked in her mind, this had to be her daughter.
"Azula? How?" Ursa asked.
"Somewhere, I think a spirit is having fun at my expense" Azula guessed. "I'm stuck in a waterbender's body, while she is in mine."
"Does Zuko know?" Ursa asked.
"Yes, and it's why he's after me" Azula said.
"Of course, sibling rivalry" Ursa said. "Are you… angry at me? For what I did?"
"I really don't know anymore" Azula said. "I used to think you hated me. That you thought I was a monster."
"I love you Azula, I always have" Ursa said. "But I was worried you would turn out like your father."
"And you pretty much confirmed that when you left us" Azula said.
"I'm sorry, for everything" Ursa said.
"You could have made it look like an accident, you didn't have to leave us!" Azula shouted.
"Of all people, you should know that wouldn't have worked in our family" Ursa said. "Someone had to take the fall."
"And you volunteered for Zuko's sake" Azula said. "You always favored him more than me."
"You didn't need special attention" Ursa said. "Your father neglected Zuko, resenting his father's preference for the first born. He favored you over Zuko, seeing an aspect of his past that he always wanted to change."
"Not anymore, I doubt he'd even look at me now" Azula said. "To him I'm just some filthy waterbending peasant, and he'd never accept that for a daughter."
"You don't know that" Ursa said.
"Yes I do" Azula said, standing up in front of Ursa. "He'd sooner believe my imposter than accept a waterbender." Then she turned and walked away from Ursa.
"Wait" Ursa said, standing up to follow Azula.
"I don't want to hear it" Azula said. "I'm leaving, whether you like it or not."
OOOOOOOOOO
After a brief explanation to King Kuei, The Boulder helped him out of his cell. Toph watched the earthbenders and Ty Lee, standing in between them and Katara next to Iroh. They had to quickly explain the plan to Iroh, before Ty Lee could overhear and get suspicious.
"Once we're out of here you need to get to Zuko" Katara whispered. "Travel with him and Aang towards the Fire Nation. Somewhere along the way I'll 'catch' you, and bring us to the capital."
"And when the eclipse comes we'll break out and defeat my brother" Iroh whispered back.
"You know about that?" Katara asked.
"I overheard the guards talking about it" Iroh answered.
"What's taking so long in there?" The Hippo asked.
"Coming!" Katara shouted. She walked with Iroh out of the cell and rejoined the others outside the prison.
"The Boulder believes it is time to roll out of here!" he shouted.
"I'm not leaving without Bosco" Kuei stated.
"We don't have time to find your bear" Toph said.
"If we see it, we'll bring it. If not, then we leave without it" Katara compromised. "We still need to find Mai."
"There should be another prison further down the hallway" Iroh said. "They moved us around a lot here during the reconstruction of this base."
"Okay, we'll head there next" Katara said. "Toph, go with Iroh and the others and keep the Dai Li off our tail."
"Got it" Toph said.
"Come on Ty Lee" Katara said.
The two girls ran through the base while Toph and the others went the other way. Toph's group caused merry havoc on their way, drawing the Dai Li's attention and allowing Katara and Ty Lee to move unnoticed.
It only took ten minutes to reach the next prison area. Katara used a focused blue fireblast to melt through the door's hinges, and then kicked in the door. A single Dai Li agent was on the other side, immediately raising his hands in surrender. Taking no chances, Ty Lee immediately struck his pressure points and paralyzed the agent.
"Mai, are you in here?" Ty Lee asked.
"Shut up and open this stupid door" Mai said while hitting the door to her cell.
"Okay, step away from it. It's going to get a little hot in there" Katara said, preparing to melt through its hinges.
"Or we could just use these" Ty Lee said, pulling a set of keys off the paralyzed agent.
"That works too" Katara said, letting Ty Lee unlock the cell door.
"Finally something exciting happens around here" Mai said as she walked out of the cell.
"Well we better get going before more Dai Li decide to crash the party" Katara said.
"I need my gear" Mai said. Taking the keys from Ty Lee she walked over the lockers in the prison. Checking each of them one at a time, she found her knives and the launchers for them. Taking a few minutes to arm herself, Mai was ready to take on the Dai Li.
"Are we forgetting anything?" Katara asked.
"I don't think so" Ty Lee said.
"Good, let's get out of here" Katara ordered.
OOOOOOOOOO
After leaving Ursa in that meadow, Azula returned to Tian and started packing for her journey. She found a stash of money in Ursa's house and used it to buy supplies. For food she bought mostly meat jerky and vegetables, stuff that didn't need to be cooked. Once Azula had everything she needed, she witnessed an amusing accident involving a merchant's produce being destroyed… again.
Azula wasn't certain exactly what she was going to do next. For once in her life there was no plan, no grand scheme manipulating others to do her work. Just head for the Fire Nation and find some way to warn the capital about the impending invasion on the solar eclipse. She could only trust herself, and use whatever came across her path.
Taking an ostrich-horse and loading it with as many supplies as it could hold, Azula rode it out of Tian. She rode west, not looking back at the town that gave her refuge like her mother before her. Thinking about the place brought up feelings Azula felt were better off buried in the past. So she pressed forward, trying to outrun everything.
As the sun started to set Azula made camp next to a small stream. It took her half an hour to make a fire with spark rocks and twigs, wondering how people could stomach doing it without firebending. Despite having useful waterbending for healing, it just didn't compare to the practical uses of fire.
This is going to be a long journey Azula thought while sitting next to her campfire. By herself it would take weeks to reach the western shore of the Earth Kingdom, and then she would have to find a boat to reach the Fire Nation. One thing at a time.
When the last of the sun's rays vanished beneath the horizon, Azula heard something approaching from the east. Bending water from the stream, Azula prepared to defend herself. With a water whip ready to use, Azula watched an ostrich-horse and its rider appear in the light of the campfire. Looking at the rider, Azula saw the green oni mask on the face.
"What are you doing here?" Azula asked, putting the water away.
Ursa dismounted from the ostrich-horse and pulled the mask off her face. "I left my children once. I won't make that mistake again" Ursa said.
"You do realize that I'm going back to the Fire Nation?" Azula asked. "If you go there you'll be imprisoned for treason, if not executed immediately."
"Then I won't get caught" Ursa said.
"Everyone says that before it happens" Azula argued.
"Azula, you can't do this on your own" Ursa said. "I'm willing to accept the risk to help you."
"I don't need your help" Azula said.
"You're a good liar, but we both know better" Ursa said. "You need help. Let me be there for you, to make up for the years we've lost."
Before she could respond, Azula was interrupted by a strong breeze. The wind extinguished the campfire, leaving only embers for dim lighting. Looking at the embers, Azula realized that she simply couldn't afford to refuse her mother's help.
"Fine, Mom" Azula said. "We'll travel together."
Ursa nodded in agreement, and led her ostrich-horse over to Azula's. Then with a small fireblast she reignited Azula's campfire, providing light again.
OOOOOOOOOO
With Ty Lee and Mai freed and ready to escape Lake Laogai, Katara backtracked through the base to find the way out. It was easy to find the route that Toph and Iroh had taken with the earthbenders, visibly marked with rubble and unconscious agents wrapped in bent metal. Agents that were recovering in the debris let the three girls pass by, clearly unfit for a second fight.
"So who were your new friends?" Mai asked.
"Just some earthbenders I bumped into trying to find this place" Katara answered. "They should have the way cleared out by now."
"Good, I never want to see this place again" Mai said.
It only took them a few minutes to reach the exit of the base. It was clearly marked by a wide hole in the ceiling with moonlight shining onto piles of rubble beneath it. Steep steps had been bent from the wall next to the hole in the ceiling. Katara would have recognized the damage as Toph's work, except that the way was blocked by a single man. Long Feng.
"Princess Azula of the Fire Nation" Long Feng stated. "So you're the mastermind behind this breakout."
"Yes, and we're leaving" Katara said.
"I don't think so" Long Feng said. "No, you're going to be a very valuable bargaining chip with Fire Lord Ozai. Once you're in my custody I'll be able to force your father into a ceasefire in exchange for your safe return."
Katara couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of Long Feng's intentions. "Oh please, the Fire Lord wouldn't bother dealing with you. Besides, you're outnumbered and outmatched."
"Am I?" Long Feng said. Before continuing, a sinister smile spread across his face. "Mai, the Prime Minister has invited you to Lake Laogai."
"I am honored to accept his invitation" Mai coldly said, the pupils in her eyes dilating. Immediately she turned towards Katara and threw a knife at her. Katara just barely saw it in time to pull her head back, the knife coming close enough to cut a few strands of hair off her bangs.
"MAI!" Ty Lee screamed. "What's The Matter With You!"
Saying nothing in response, Mai instead threw two knives at Ty Lee. She ducked and the knives missed, hitting a wall behind Ty Lee. Unwilling to fight her friend, Ty Lee merely dodged when Mai threw more knives at her and Katara.
"Now what were you saying about me being outmatched?" Long Feng mocked.
Immediately Katara threw a blue fireblast at Long Feng, which be blocked by earthbending a stone wall in front of him. Before Katara could attack again she had to dodge another thrown knife from Mai. "Ty Lee, take them both down, we'll sort it out later" Katara ordered.
Overcoming her reluctance, Ty Lee moved into strike Mai's pressure points. But she couldn't land a hit, since Mai was able to block and deflect Ty Lee's hands. Keeping Mai occupied, Ty Lee was able to let Katara focus on fighting Long Feng.
Throwing one blue fireblast after another, Katara tried to hit Long Feng. He blocked with walls of earth thick enough to absorb the flames and heat, and would throw the heated rock at Katara. Dodging the earthbending, Katara wasn't able to break the stalemate. Being surrounded by earth and little room for firebending, Katara realized that Long Feng could simply wait until she was exhausted.
"You can't beat me here" Long Feng taunted. "Not with your friends fighting each other."
Taking a glance at Ty Lee and Mai, Katara could see that fight in deadlock as well. "Then I'll have to end this fight right now!" Katara yelled.
Instead of attacking with fire, Katara moved her arms in a circular motion. Long Feng didn't recognize the motions, and raised another earth wall to block more fire. Creating lightning, Katara fired it straight into the earth wall, exploding on contact. The earth wall was shattered in the blast, showering Long Feng with rubble. The pieces of earth bruised and battered Long Feng, and a hard rock to the head knocked him out.
With one opponent out of the fight, Katara turned to help Ty Lee. She ran up to Mai from behind and tackled her, bringing both of them to the ground. While Katara held Mai down, Ty Lee could safely hit the pressure points to paralyze Mai's limbs.
"Sorry Mai" Ty Lee said after hitting the last pressure point, still getting no response from her.
"Help me get her out of here" Katara ordered.
Each taking one arm over their shoulder, Katara and Ty Lee lifted Mai up. Dragging Mai over to the exit, they hauled her up steps and out of the base. Once outside Katara looked around for Toph, but she and the others were already gone. However, the unconscious bodies of more Dai Li agents nearby told Katara that she didn't have to worry about her friend.
A/N: Anyone recognise the OC in this chapter? If yes, you're awesome. If no, you can be certain she won't be a Mary Sue. Simply because she won't be around often enough to take over the story.