Welcome to Republic City...
The twenty-seven year-old woman ran down the central street, extending her arms out in semicircles and bringing them back down before pushing them straight forward. The resulting twin bolts of lightning hissed and arched in front of the group of criminals in front of her, blowing up the pavement. Screams and shouts could be heard, and a blind woman caught up to them, splaying her hands and jerking them up. The pavement rumbled and trapped the five wide-eyed firebenders in a tight space, restraining any movement.
"That's the last of them." Sokka said, dragging his own prisoners—two waterbenders—over with disgust on his face.
"No. There's another group down the road. Earthbenders." Toph pointed down a road intersecting with the one they were currently on.
"Alright, Toph, you take care of these. Azula, let's go!" Sokka said. As they ran towards the direction Toph pointed in, Azula spoke to Sokka.
"Why are we doing this? I thought councilmen and women weren't supposed to actively deal with the criminals." Azula said. "I mean, I'm not complaining—anything is better than staying in a boring office, but if we're doing this what are the metalbenders doing?"
"I don't know. I don't care either." Sokka said. "It's Toph's job to take care of her forces. I just know that as a founder of the city and someone with an adventurous spirit, I won't just stand by and do nothing."
Azula snorted. "Well-said, water peasant." She teased. Over the years, 'water peasant' has become an endearment rather than an insult, and Sokka was fine with it.
"There!" Sokka threw his boomerang with precision, and the weapon flew around the three men, scaring them, before it returned to Sokka's waiting hand. Azula immediately let loose blasts of blue fire tinged with white, forcing the firebenders to go on the defensive. The waterbender shot water whips at her, but she deflected them with jabs like the time she deflected Aang's strikes on top of the drill at the outer walls of Ba Sing Se. The earth rumbled and trapped Azula, but she smirked and launched off the ground by using the rocket technique. She flew above them, and as the waterbender tried to extinguish her jets of fire, she countered it with a superheated blast that turned their surroundings into steam.
However, the waterbender was smart and manipulated the steam, clearing the area. Azula scowled.
"We can't beat them!" Sokka shouted. "They're one of the elite teams consisting of one of each bender!"
"Then stay back!" Azula shouted, diving into the midst of the three of them. She dodged their attacks and paralyzed the earthbender first with a few well-placed jabs. Then she flipped out of the way of an incoming fireball and subdued the firebender with the same technique, and finally she chi-blocked the waterbenders as well.
"Thank you Ty Lee." Azula said, smiling with satisfaction as she stared down at her defeated opponents.
"That was some serious kickassery, Azure." Sokka said. This nickname stemmed from the fact that Azula's fire was blue, and it also sounded like her name anyways.
"I know." Azula said with a crooked smile. Toph chose this moment to come over, snapping handcuffs over the chi-blocked gang members.
"Great job with these three. Now that's the last of them." Toph said. She motioned her officers forward. "Take them back to the station." She said.
"Yes ma'am." The metalbenders dragged the men away.
"Those are only the active members. Now the triad will be out for blood." Aang said, swooping down on his glider. He landed, snapping it shut with a spinning move. "As I flew over the city I saw that the streets were abandoned." He said worriedly. "We don't give the fear factor enough credit."
"Oh, I know exactly how fear works." Azula said. "At this stage, it's better to wait it out. The leader will make a move soon when he catches wind of what just happened." She said. "He will make a public appearance soon." Her eyes narrowed. "For now, we should retreat to Air Temple Island."
"You've got an idea as to what they're planning, don't you?" Toph asked, pointing a finger at her accusingly.
"For everyone's sake, I hope I'm wrong." Azula said, repeating the words she said the day before she left Caldera City.
Aang blew Appa's whistle, and the four of them climbed on. They arrived back at Air Temple Island and went into the living room, everyone except for Azula collapsing on the couch. She went straight to the radio and turned the volume up.
"Turn it off." Toph said irritatedly. Azula came to sit next to her.
"Just listen." She said intently. A few minutes later, the advertisements for traditional Fire Nation furniture ended and an official message from the police headquarters.
"Today all active members of the Triple Threat Triad have been captured by Chief Toph Beifong, Councilman Sokka, and Councilwoman Azula. The triad members consist of seven waterbenders, eleven firebenders, and five earthbenders. Their trials will be held tomorrow publically in front of the City Hall." The voice crackled over the radio. "That will be all." The radio buzzed.
"Next up, we have the president of the Cabbage Co—" Azula snapped the radio off.
"There. You heard that, right?" She asked. "I'm willing to bet anything that tomorrow during the trials the mysterious leader of the triad will make a public appearance and screw everything over." She said in a frank tone.
"So that's what you didn't want to tell us?"
"Yes." Azula lied. Toph gave no indication to show that she knew, because she really couldn't tell with the princess. "I didn't want to sound like a fool, but that announcement just secured my suspicions." She said.
"Very well. We will deal with it…in which case I will have to stay overnight at Headquarters."
"I'll go with you." Azula said. "We need to organize undercover forces all around the City Hall and look out for anything suspicious." She stood, and the two ladies made their way to the door.
"Wait, we'll come too." Sokka said, standing. "I'm not letting all my hard work go to waste."
"I'll be there, too." Aang stood as well. Azula smiled.
"Then what are we waiting for? We've got a big fish to catch."
Sokka grinned. "I'll really catch a big fish for us to eat if we succeed."
"Oh we can." Toph cracked her knuckles.
"Let's do this." Aang said firmly.
You can do it and review too! XD