Legal necessities: What was the first thing I said? Well whatever it was, that.
Chapter 8: The Chase
"So, Toph, usually when we set up camp, we try to divide up the work." Katara said, glancing over at the blind Earthbender.
"Hey, don't worry about me, I'm good to go."
"Well, actually, what I'm trying to say is, uh, some of us might fetch water while someone else might set up the fire pit or put up the tent." Momo flew down dropping nuts into Katara's hand before fluttering away. "Even Momo does his fair share."
"Katara, I'm fine. I can carry my own weight. I don't need a fire, I've already collected my own food, and look," Toph quickly used her earthbending to create a stone tent, "my tent's all set up."
"Well that's great for you but-" Katara was silenced when Kana grabbed her shoulder, and shook her head once in order to get her to be quiet. She pulled her away from the others near the trees before speaking.
"Toph is a very complicated girl," she started, "she needs some time to feel independent, which means she needs you to be the same."
"Oh, okay. I guess that's fine." Kana just nodded, and walked away to help set up camp. They all settled down after a quick camp set up, but Kana decided to have a talk with Toph before settling down to rest. She knocked on a side of the rock tent, crouching down to peer at the resting Earthbender.
"Ugh, I was just about to fall asleep, Water Mama." She complained, flipping over to offer a blind glare.
"There's plenty of time for sleep, Toph, I-"
"Actually there's not." She said, jumping to her feet as the rock walls went back into the earth. "There's something coming towards us!"
"What is it?" Aang asked groggily, rubbing his eyes, as the two Water Tribe siblings emerged from a tent next to Appa.
"It feels like an avalanche…" Toph answered, brow scrunching in confusion. "But also, not like an avalanche."
"Your powers of perception are frightening." Sokka drawled, earning a quick thwack to the head from Kana.
"Should we leave?" Katara asked, ignoring them.
"Better safe than sorry." Quickly, everyone piled everything back onto the flying bison, and without incident the giant creature lifted up into the sky. As they look back over the trees, Kana saw a huge machine kicking up dust on an open area of ground. It's a large train-like tank, smoke pouring out of it like a dragon. It has two large compartments connected to it, trailing behind, and all of them have large treads. Whatever it is, it's moving very quick for its size.
"What is that?" Katara whispered, causing Kana to purse her lips.
"Trouble." She said.
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It didn't matter. Wherever they went, Azula and her lackeys where behind them. Kana had tried to talk with Toph, but she quickly realized that everyone was to tired to be rational, including her. But she woke up, a burst of adrenaline pumping through her blood when lighting shot out of Azula's fingers. Yet what caught her attention was the blue fire.
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"Both of you shut up!" Kana screamed, shocking everyone into silence. "I am sick and tired of you two arguing, take a moment and think before you go around pointing fingers and blaming people!" She snarled, stomping on the ground, making the earth fracture beneath her foot.
"I never asked for didly doo da, I carry my own weight!" Toph shouted, "Besides, if there's anyone to blame, it's sheddy over here."
"What? You're blaming Appa?" Aang gasped, appalled.
"Yeah! You wanna know how they keep finding us?" She growled, grabbing a bunch of hair from Appa's side, then letting it blow away in the breeze. "He's leaving a trail everywhere we go!"
"How dare you blame Appa! He saved your life three times today! If there's anyone to blame, it's you! You're always talking about how you carry your own weight, but you're not! He is! Appa's carrying your weight! He never had a problem flying when-" Kana slapped a hand over Aang's mouth to keep him from saying anymore, but the damage was done. Toph just stared blankly at him for a moment before turning on her heel, and walking away.
"I'm outta here." She said dryly.
"Toph, wait!" Kana pleaded, placing a hand on the Earthbender's shoulder only for her to rip it away. Everyone watched as she disappeared into the trees, not saying anything until Aang let out a frustrated yell.
"What did I just do? I can't believe I just yelled at my Earthbending teacher, now she's gone!"
"So we're just going to have to find her," Kana snapped, "and both of you are going to apologize."
"I'm all for that," Sokka piped up, "but what are we suppose to do about the tank full of dangerous ladies?"
"I have a plan." Aang replied determinedly. "Everyone, it's time to give Appa a bath!" And that's exactly what they did. They made sure to get all the loose fur off of him until he was clean enough to enter a pageant.
"Toph was right, Appa's fur was leading a trail right to us. But now that he's clean, no more trail!"
"Are you sure that he's okay to fly?" Katara asked, making Kana nod.
"So long as we leave everything here, he should be able to get us to a new, safer location." She said, turning to peer at Aang, who was gathering up bunches of fur. "What are you doing?"
"I'm going to use Appa's fur to make a false trail, and lead the tank off course." Kana snatched up her metal glider from the saddle, and popped it open.
"Count me in, then. I'll need a little boost to get air born though." She grinned.
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"The trail goes this way." Mai said blankly, staring down at the tuffs of fur littering the ground.
"The Avatar is trying to give us the slip." Azula hissed pointing at broken tree tops. "You two head in that direction and keep your eye out for the bison. I'll follow the trail."
"Be careful, Azula!" Ty Lee laughed, hoping onto her ride.
"I don't need to be careful, Ty Lee, I'm better than the Airbender."
"I don't mean you silly! I meant be careful not to hurt him too much, your father wants him alive right?"
"Oh, I guess." Azula smirked.
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Kana watched Aang from the second story window of an abandoned building. She watched as the Fire Princess rode into the main rode of the town, and dismounted her lizard, a hiss escaping Kana's lips. She wanted to attack now, but patients was key. "Alright, you've caught up with me. Now who are you and what do you want?"
"You mean you haven't guessed? You don't see the family resemblance? Here's a hint." Kana snarled when Azula covered her eye in a poor imitation of Zuko. "I must find the Avatar to restore my honor."Aang didn't react. "It's okay. You can laugh. It's funny. "
"So what now?"
"Now... Now it's over. You're tired and you have no place to go. You can run, but I'll catch you."
"I'm not running." Aang stated firmly. A cruel smile spread over Azula's face as the breeze blew a strand of her hair.
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Toph laughed, "So, where is your nephew?"
"I've been tracking him, actually."
"Is he lost?"
"Yes, a little bit. His life has recently changed and he's going through very difficult times. He is trying to figure out who he is and he went away." Iroh murmured sadly.
"So... now you're following him."
"I know he doesn't want me around right now, but, if he needs me, I'll be there."
"Your nephew is very lucky, even if he doesn't know it." Toph said standing up. "You remind me a lot of a girl I know. Thank you."
"My pleasure. Sharing tea with a fascinating stranger is one of life's true delights." Iroh chuckled.
"No, thank you for what you said. It helped me."
"I'm glad." Toph picked up her bag and began to leave, but turned back briefly.
"Oh, and about your nephew? Maybe you should tell him that you need him too."
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"Do you really want to fight me?" Azula sneered. Suddenly Zuko burst into sight from an alley between Aang and his sister. He tumbled off the ostrich horse he was riding, and landed in a crouching position.
"Yes," he stood and threw his straw hat away. "I really do."
"Zuko!" Kana hissed, teeth clenching in aggravation.
"I was wondering when you'd show up, Zuzu." Azula smirked, making Aang laugh.
"Zuzu?" Zuko stepped into a Firebending stance, facing Azula, his arms outstretched both towards her and towards Aang on his other side. It looked like Kana was going to have to bump up her plans. Without a word, she propelled herself out of the window she watched the scene at, aiming for the princess.
Before anyone could see what was happening, Kana's feet rammed right into Azula's side, knocking them both to the ground. A burst of flame ignited, aiming right at Aang. The assaulting Waterbender leapt to her feet stopping the fire from scorching her tired friend with a jet of her own fire, allowing Aang to take off on his glider.
Azula twirled on her hips, knocking Kana's feet out from under her. Without a break in her form, she turned, sending an enormous whip of blue fire at the Airbender, knocking him from the sky. Both the Waterbender and two Firebender's raced to where he had fallen, tossing flames at each other.
Aang lifted himself off the ground, hurtling the prince and princess away with a burst of air. "Kana, take my hand!" he shouted, and without hesitation, she did what he said. Not a second later Aang spun her out of the way of a stream of blue fire.
Kana offered no resistance as her friend yanked, and flung, and guided her away from blasts of blue fire. She noticed jets of orange, but none of them were angled at her, and if they were, it was only because she was holding Aang's hand. She only had time to blink once as she was thrown into an alley, away from the fight.
When she looked back up, Azula was chasing after Aang, and Zuko had run to her side. He pulled her up by the arm, pinning her to the wall when the building across the street fell. "Kana, don't bend anything but fire in Azula's presence." He hissed, "She doesn't know you're the Avatar, and she won't if you don't let her."
With that he tried to run back into the fight, but Kana caught his ankle with a water whip, effectively tripping him. "Sorry, Zuzu, but this is a fight." She kicked at the ground with her toes causing a pillar of earth to fling Zuko into the air. Throwing out a fist, a burst of light erupted from her hand, slamming her opponent into a pillar, and knocking him out. "Sorry again." She called, running back into the fight, which Sokka and Katara had joined.
"I thought you guys could use a little help." Toph grinned, tripping Azula. The princess snarled before making a run for it. Everyone followed after her, skidding to a halt when Iroh pushed her back with his gut. Kana gave a coy smirk to a disgruntled Zuko as they all closed in on their common enemy.
"Well look at this, enemies and traitors, all working together." Azula sneered, before frowning. "I'm done. You got me. A princess surrenders with honor."
"Girls like us don't have honor, Azula." Kana growled, making the Firebender grin.
"I guess you're right." She twirled on her heel, sending out a jet of fire that hit Iroh right in the chest, spinning around. Kana let out a cry, rushing to his side, completely forgetting about the battle. There was an explosion, but she didn't care, she could only see his kind old face contorted in pain, even when unconscious. She felt a lump form in her throat when Zuko tore her away from him, taking her spot.
"Get away from us!" he screamed, glaring right at Kana, "You abandoned us!"
"Please, Zuko, let me help!" she begged, face crumpling.
"Leave!" he shouted, flinging a wave of flame at her, and the others who had gathered behind her. The light from the fire was so bright he didn't see her step through them, grab a handful of hair, and deliver a resounding slap across his face.
"Don't you dare allow your anger at me, cost him his life." She snarled between gritted teeth. Kana flung him aside, pulling water from her flask into her hands. With a deep breath, it began to glow, and she set her palms gently against Iroh's scorched skin. She felt around the edges of his wounds with her Waterbending, and choked back a sob. He was going to be all right. Iroh was going to be all right.
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You guys have no idea how much I suffered over this chapter up until the end. The ending was fun, but the rest. The rest was just dreadful to write, this is the chapter that out of all of them, has made me decide to quit. Yes it's over; you will never know how this ends, or what happens after this…
NAH I'M JUST KIDDING NEAHAHAHAHAHA. Bet you believed me for a second there XD I'm so mean.
No Character Questions.