A/N: Here we are, one year after I started this story on a whim. Looking back, a lot did not go as planned. Some ideas were made as this story progressed, others had to be dropped in favor of better ones. Let's just hope this story can be completed before the two year mark.
Chapter 23: The Betrayal
Two weeks after first arriving in Ba Sing Se, Aang was ready to try reaching the Earth King again. Despite the warning from Long Feng, Aang needed the Earth King's army to help win the war. Throwing stealth out the window Aang and his friends rode on Appa straight to the palace. In the middle of the day Appa could be seen flying from across the upper ring, and the people in the saddle had a clear view of the palace.
"Are you sure this is a smart idea?" Katara asked.
"If you have something better, I'm all ears," Aang said.
"Too late!" Suki yelled. She pointed towards the ground in front of the palace, where guards were earthbending projectiles at Appa.
Massive chunks of rock bent by multiple earthbenders were hurled through the air towards Appa. The sky bison weaved through the sky dodging rock. Looking back Aang could see the thrown rocks falling towards the buildings of the upper ring. Aang was about to turn Appa around to do something about the collateral damage the guards were causing, but then he saw earthbenders on the ground diverting the falling rocks away from civilians and property.
"Faster Appa, yip yip," Aang said.
Flying as fast as he could go Appa headed towards the palace entrance. In front of the entrance were hundreds of steps filled with palace guards. Appa landed at the top of the stairs while Aang and Haru leaped out of the saddle. Both of them hit the ground at the same time, bending the stone steps into a steep ramp. The guards on the steps slid to the bottom, holding them at bay until they could get some earthbenders to restore the steps.
Guards that were still above the ramp bent stone blocks out of the ground and threw them at Aang and his friends. Aang and Haru blocked the attacks with walls of earth while Katara and Suki struck back. Katara took out the guards on the group's left with waterwhips while Suki fought the ones on the right with her metal fans.
"Sorry about this," Katara said as she took out the guards.
Everyone entered the palace, keeping Appa behind to guard the rear. Aang and Haru took the lead, using earthbending to knock down doors in the search for the Earth King. Rather than trying to figure out which room the king was in they simply hit every room. They felt like idiots when they found the big fancy doors at the end of the main hallway. Taking one door each Aang and Haru broke the hinges with earthbending and knocked down the doors.
Inside the throne room were fifty of Dai Li agents, waiting for the Avatar. The throne itself was empty, the Earth King nowhere in sight. Instead Long Feng stood in front of the throne, and standing at his right hand was a young girl. Wearing a Dai Li uniform modified to fit her small size, Agent Bei Fong recognized one of the intruders. Despite the different outfit, Haru recognized the eyes of Ba Sing Se's earthbending champion.
"Oh you have got to be kidding me," Haru muttered, the memory of defeat still fresh in his mind.
"Where is the Earth King?" Aang demanded, wielding his staff in both hands.
Katara bent water around her arms, ready to fight at any moment. "Um, Aang, we're kind of outnumbered."
"Since when has that stopped us?" Suki asked, wielding her war fans.
Long Feng observed the Avatar and his friends, considering how to let events play out. He had the Earth King safely kept away in his teahouse, entertained by a mute teamaker. For the moment Long Feng believed that now was the best opportunity to test his newest recruit. "Agent Toph, take them into custody."
"You got it boss," Toph said, cracking her knuckles beneath rock gloves. She threw her hands forward, bending her gloves and the gloves of all the agents in front of her. The other agents were surprised to find their rock gloves launching on their own, all at once.
Aang and Haru bent the stone floor into a wall, just in time to hear a hundred impacts on the other side. Then they broke the wall into pieces and bent them at the agents, hitting half a dozen of them. Katara whipped her water immediately after the earthbending, taking out four more. Following the strike was Suki, striking two more.
The remaining agents bent more stone from the floor and threw it at Aang and the others. Aang started blasting fire at the bent stone, breaking them into clouds of dust and smoke. With airbending Aang formed a smokescreen and spread it over the Dai Li. The trick didn't fool Toph, but it was enough for Aang and his friends to bring down a dozen agents before the smokescreen cleared.
Toph shook her head as the agents fell too easily. "Do I have to do everything myself?" she muttered. A wave of a hand bent the floor in front of her, moving agents on it out of her way. Forming a small mound of rock beneath her feet Toph rode on it into the battle, heading straight for Haru. The two earthbenders collided, Toph's momentum carrying them out of the throne room as they clashed.
With one member of the team out of the larger battle, Aang and the others grouped closer together to focus their efforts. Katara used her water to catch and block incoming earthbending while Aang attacked with earth and firebending. Suki covered gaps in Katara's defenses and hit agents that got too close with her fans. One by one the agents fell, leaving piles of unconscious bodies around the Avatar and two friends.
"Impressive teamwork," Long Feng commented after the last agent fell. He could hear the sound of earthbending coming from the hallway, showing that Toph was still occupied with Haru. "It's a shame you've chosen to get on my bad side."
"It ends here Long Feng!" Aang shouted.
"Yes, but not in the way you're expecting," Long Feng said. His gaze settled on Katara, who was holding water in a whip in front of her. "Katara, the Earth King has invited you to Lake Laogai."
Water splashed on the floor as Katara abruptly lost her focus. Her pupils dilated and her sense of self vanished. "I am honored to accept his invitation."
Bending the spilled water off the floor Katara threw it at Aang, catching him by surprise. The water wrapped around Aang and pushed him into a wall, then froze into ice binding him. Aang was speechless, the thought of Katara betraying him simply didn't work in his mind. Suki nearly dropped her fans in shock, leaving herself vulnerable to a punch in the face from Katara's fist. The blow knocked out Suki, and the pain in Katara's hand snapped her out of Long Feng's brainwashing.
"What the…" Katara muttered, shaking pain out of her hand. She saw Suki on the floor and Aang stuck to a wall, horrified at what she had just done.
Long Feng shook his head, remembering that Katara's mindbending had to be rushed to get her back to her friends without being missed. The mindbenders only had enough time to suppress the memory of the mindbending and plant two simple commands, one to make her attack the Avatar and one to make her passive. "Katara, the Earth King had invited you for tea time."
Immediately Katara's arms went limp and she dropped to her knees, staring into open space.
"What have you done to her?" Aang demanded, trying to free himself from the ice. He couldn't move any arms or legs to bend with.
"You should be more worried about what I'm going to do to you," Long Feng said. He walked over to Aang, bent some stone around his fist and struck the side of Aang's head. Instantly the Avatar was out cold, ready to be taken to Lake Laogai.
Just when Long Feng felt that he had everything wrapped up he heard Toph walk back into the throne room, dragging an unconscious Haru behind her. "I win again," Toph bragged.
A few Dai Li agents entered the throne room behind Toph. "Sir, there's no sign of the sky bison outside."
"What!" Long Feng shouted. "How does a ten ton beast just disappear?"
That afternoon Azula was in the middle ring heading for the University. She claimed to be interested in enrolling at the University, specifically in the desert cultures courses. In reality Azula was trying to reach the Dai Li archivist Sokka, who lived at the University with one of the professors. Azula's patience with the charade as a refugee was wearing thin, forcing her to act now.
Conventional methods to infiltrate Ba Sing Se from the lower ring had all failed. Refuges had no power in the city, no representation in their government. Everything was controlled by the Dai Li, even the Earth King was just a puppet. While the people of the city hated and feared the cultural police, they lacked the courage to fight back. The only way to bring down Ba Sing Se from the inside was to get inside the Dai Li.
All Azula needed to find Sokka was to ask a few students if they had seen a Water Tribe boy living on campus. Very few people from the Water Tribe lived in Ba Sing Se, and even less enrolled at the University. Students directed Azula to the housing section of the campus, identical rows of houses identified by names written on mailboxes. At the end of one row was the home of Professor Zei, and Azula walked up to the front door and knocked on it.
When the door opened Azula found Professor Zei answering. "Hello, is Sokka home?" Azula asked.
"Hang on," Zei said. He walked inside and called for Sokka, and a few seconds later Azula heard him walking towards the door.
Sokka saw Azula on the other side of the opened door. "Li Mei, what brings you here?" Sokka asked.
"May I come in?" Azula asked.
"Sure," Sokka said. He welcomed Azula into the house, leading her into a living room that was the same size as her whole apartment in the lower ring.
Finding a couch in the room Azula took a seat on it. Sokka sat down on the other end of the couch, facing Azula. "So Sokka, am I still being suspected by the Dai Li?" Azula asked.
Sokka shrugged. "They took me off your case for breaking protocol."
Azula laughed a bit. "I suppose Long Feng doesn't want his people getting too close to suspects."
"Probably," Sokka said, snickering for a moment.
"Is your agent friend here?" Azula asked.
"No, I haven't seen Toph all day," Sokka answered. "But I'm certain she's alright."
"How can you be so sure?" Azula asked.
Sokka started counting on his fingers. "First, she can kick pretty much anyone's butt. Second, she can tell when people are lying. Third, she can see everything on the ground within at least thirty feet in every direction. Fourth, I think Long Feng might be setting up Toph as the heir to his whole conspiracy."
"What?" Azula questioned, not expecting the last one.
"Well Long Feng isn't getting any younger," Sokka said. He pushed his hair back, trying to mimic Long Feng's receding hairline. "He's got to retire at some point and let someone else take over."
"But why pick your friend?" Azula asked. "Didn't Long Feng only just hire her?"
"True," Sokka said. "But ten years from now, after Toph grows up and Long Feng grows old, who knows?"
As far as Azula wanted, neither of them would be around in ten years to find out. "Do you have an idea when Toph will get back?"
"I don't have a clue what she's doing…" Sokka was interrupted by a distant roar from outside. "What the…"
Azula was already getting off the couch and heading for the door. Outside she heard the roar again, from nearly directly above. Looking up Azula saw a sky bison circling the sky, slowly descending towards the University. It seemed to be searching for something, but lacked a guide to find it. "What is that thing doing here?"
"What thing?" Sokka asked, getting out the front door. Then he spotted the bison flying towards the ground. "It's the Avatar's bison." Sokka's face lit up with joy. "Katara's here!"
Where have I heard that name before? Azula wondered. "Who's Katara?"
Before Sokka could answer the question the sky bison landed in the University. It sniffed the air and wandered in between the rows of houses. Azula couldn't see anyone in the bison's saddle, and it seemed to be relying on its nose instead of its eyes. The bison wandered towards Sokka, sniffed the air again, then started running towards him.
"Whoa there," Sokka said, too late to stop Appa from pouncing on him and licking Sokka's face. "Where's your buddy?"
Appa got off Sokka, faced the upper ring and started growling. Nearby students and professors backed away, either heading into their homes or leaving the University altogether.
"That can't be good news," Azula said. She kept her distance from Appa, just in case he recognized her.
"Is Aang in danger?" Sokka asked. When Appa growled louder towards the upper ring Sokka's worry only grew. "Is Katara in danger?" Appa roared again and stomped a foot into the ground. Then he turned and tilted his saddle towards Sokka, as if asking him to get in. Sokka climbed into the saddle, then looked at Azula. "Are you coming?"
Azula hesitated, then slowly stepped towards Appa. She expected the bison to attack at any moment, but he didn't recognize her. The closest Azula had ever gotten to Appa was in the stronghold she tried to hold the Avatar captive, and she didn't fight the bison there. "I've never flown before," Azula admitted as she climbed into the saddle behind Sokka.
"Me neither," Sokka admitted. He leaned over the front of the saddle towards Appa's head. "Alright, take us to Katara."
Suddenly Appa took to the air, prompting both of his riders to scream. The bison flew straight for the upper ring, past the fancy homes and heading for the palace. When Appa reached the center of the ring he flew high above the palace and circled it, keeping his distance from Dai Li on the ground. Sokka and Azula peered over the sides of Appa's saddle.
Sokka whistled when he saw hundreds of Dai Li swarming the palace grounds. "Those are not good odds."
Azula pointed at the entrance to the palace. "Do you see that?" She spotted four groups of five agents carrying an unconscious Avatar and his friends. "The Dai Li have the Avatar."
"And Katara," Sokka said, barely recognizing her from the air. "Appa, go down."
"Are you nuts?" Azula yelled. "We'd never get to them."
"Do you have any better ideas?" Sokka asked.
"Give me a minute," Azula answered. While she liked the thought of the Avatar rotting in a Dai Li prison, this was an opportunity to make Sokka help her get inside the Dai Li. "They must have some kind of prison. Maybe we can sneak inside?"
"Not with hundreds of agents watching," Sokka argued.
"Hundreds watching the Avatar," Azula corrected. "But what if we followed them after arresting someone else?" She knew just the person to take the fall for her plan.
In the evening Zuko was taking inventory at the weapons shop he and Mai worked at for their charade. He was planning to sneak into the upper ring in the middle of the night for reconnaissance, to try and find a possible flaw in the palace security. Mai was stocking up on throwing knives, storing them in dozens of hidden pockets in addition to the launchers she hid in her sleeves.
When Zuko finished with the inventory he took a few minutes to sharpen a pair of dao swords on a whetstone, then sheathed them on his hip. Zuko donned a hooded black jacket and pulled the hood over his head. Though the appearance would look suspicious in public, everyone that lived nearby knew that many suspicious looking people acquired their weapons at this shop. Until Zuko could reach a dark alley to slip into the shadows he would be hiding in plain sight.
"Ready?" Zuko asked, looking at Mai.
"Yes," Mai answered, pulling her own hood over her head.
Zuko walked to the front of the shop and opened the door. Instead of finding an empty street on the other side, Zuko found a few dozen Dai Li agents waiting. "Something I can do for you?" Zuko asked.
One agent stepped ahead of the others. "Come with us Lee."
With his hand drifting to his swords Zuko prepared for a fight. "What's this about?"
"You're under arrest," the agent answered. The other agents took steps towards Zuko. "You can make this easier for yourself by coming quietly."
"No," Zuko said. He drew his swords and slashed the front agent's chest. As the first agent fell the others started throwing rock gloves at him. Zuko stepped back inside the shop and slammed the door shut, seeing dents appear as the rock gloves slammed into it.
"What's going on out there?" Mai asked, drawing one of her knives.
"Cover's blown," Zuko answered, shoving a table to the door. "Get out through the back."
Instead of following orders Mai stepped beside Zuko. "I'm not leaving you behind."
"Stay and we'll both be caught," Zuko argued. Even though the door was starting to fall apart Zuko still took the time to steal a quick kiss. "Get into the shadows and follow these guys."
Mai nodded and hurried to the back of the shop. She heard the door break down as she leaped out a window into an alley. Outside she threw a knife back through the window, hitting the first agent through the door in the forehead. Mai ran through the dark alley, trying to find a place to hide and watch the agents.
While Zuko knew he would eventually be overpowered by sheer numbers, he wasn't going to give up without a fight. Bending heat through his hands into the swords Zuko heated them up, burning agents that he struck with the swords. Blade wounds that could have been stitched whole became untreatable as the heated blades cauterized the flesh. One by one agents fell screaming as they burned inside the shop.
After the doorway was clogged with bodies agents outside started bending the ground in front of the store. Ripping the ground out the agents tore the entire front wall down. Agents swarmed into the shop, forming new stone gloves to seize Zuko. While the prince dodged and blocked many of the gloves, he couldn't stop them all. A few stone gloves grabbed Zuko and brought him down long enough for an agent to slap handcuffs on Zuko.
Immediately the agents started forcing Zuko out of the shop, also promising an enraged shopkeeper that he would be compensated for the damage to the building. Another agent gagged Zuko and blindfolded him. Dragging Zuko down the street the agents brought him to a cart and threw him inside. The cart was pulled away from the shop, where to Zuko didn't know.
Meanwhile on a nearby roof, Azula watched her brother being arrested. She wore a black suit that covered all of her skin and a hood to hide her hair. Her face was hidden behind a blue oni mask, one that was burned around the mouth and had a nick in the forehead. Behind the mask Azula smiled, taking pleasure in seeing Zuko beaten. While she could have set up anyone as bait for the Dai Li, choosing Zuko guaranteed inside help.
A/N: I must thank Daveshan for inspiring the Appa disappearing plot device, and subsequent reappearing elsewhere. His satire What SHOULD Have Happened In ATLA showed just how often Appa disappears during action scenes, which made me ask where does Appa go when that happens.