Hey heres the new chapter and i said i'd put in profiles for Rae and Beat in this chapter so here they are without further ado(also sorry about the shortness of this chapter i got a bit fed up and rushed it out for you guys out of a mixture of guilt and frustration)

Name: Hayden "Beat" Shepard
Age:14
Height: 5 foot 7
Eyes: Grey
Hair: White
Bending: None as of now
Fighting Styles: Drunken Fist and a Freeform brawling style made from a hodge podge of different moves, and an as yet unrevealed third style

Name: Rae Shepard
Age: 20
Height: 5 foot 6
Eyes: Violet
Hair: Brown
Bending: Revealed in this chapter
Fighting Style: Capoeira

Drunken Bender Ch.7

Pain.

Darkness.

Those two things were his entire world. His whole body was throbbing and he couldn't see out of his left eye. He looked up and peered into darkness with his remaining working eye. He could see nothing, hear nothing but the steady dripping of water hitting the floor. He tried to move and gasped as pain the likes of which he had never felt slammed into him. He heard a clank and turned his head slowly ignoring the blaring protests of his neck. He could vaguely make out the shape of chains around his wrists. They were bolted into the stone floor of the room. He stood slowly his vision wavered as his body threatened to shutdown to protect itself. He limped forward where a thin beam of light shone through a crack in front of him. The chains scraped against the floor as he struggled forward and light illuminated a single steel grey eye. He reached for the light and realized it was filtering through the hinge of a heavy iron door. His vision blinked out for a moment and he stumbled back disoriented and slammed into the stone wall of the room. His back erupted in pain as he slid down into a sitting position the wall propping him up. He felt his chest tightening as his body started to shut down. He could feel his heartbeat in his chest.

Thump-Thump…

He could smell and taste copper and realized it wasn't water dripping but his own blood. Blackness encroached on the edge of his vision. His vital organs struggled to keep him alive as he lost more and more blood. He tipped to the side and landed with a wet squelching sound. His vision tunneled even more as he felt his mind go fuzzy.

Thump-Thump……

It was getting hard to concentrate when light burst into the room and a person was outlined in the doorway. It was a girl…she was screaming something but he couldn't quite make out what it was. She rushed forward and dropped to her knees next to him.

Thump-Thump…….

His eyes slid up to her face…she was crying and screaming still…but his ears weren't working anymore. Something wet hit his face and he saw she was crying. Her brunette hair disheveled and her dress had rips in it. Her violet eyes looked him over frantically as she tried to stem the blood flow.

I know her…, He thought as things started to lose focus, I wish I could remember from where.

Thump-Thump……..

His eyes slid closed as darkness encroached even further to claim him.

Thump…………………

5-hours Earlier

Aang and the others rushed into the underground base of the Dai Li. Toph was leading the charge since she could see everywhere pretty much all at once. Suddenly she shot her arm out and screeched to a halt the others stopping as well.

"Hang on…" Toph said as she crouched and laid her palm on the ground so she could see better. "Something's not right here, there are way too many people down here…even for an organization as large as the Dai Li."
"What do you mean Toph?" Katara asked a bit perplexed by the statement.

"I mean that there can't be this many Dai Li…if there was then you'd see them all over the place secrecy would be impossible" Toph replied as she stood up.

"Maybe they brought in reinforcements since you and Beat thrashed that squad sent to get you?" Sokka offered as he scratched his neck.

"Maybe…we need to be extra careful though this isn't going to be as easy as we thought." Beat muttered as he walked past Toph his hand falling on her shoulder. He gave it a soft squeeze to which Toph smiled softly and he continued on. Coming to a turn in the tunnel they stopped and pressed themselves against the wall.

Beat peeked out around the corner and swept his eyes around the hallway quickly.

"I see two guards at the end of the hallway, Toph can you see anything else?" Beat asked to which Toph shook her head.

"So they're the entrance guards then…hmm...stay here a moment yeah?" Beat said as he slipped around the corner and snuck up to the guards who were chatting away.

Once he got close enough he slammed the knife edge of his hand into the back of the neck of one guard knocking him out instantly. Before the man could fall though he used his body as a springboard and leapt off his back. Shaking off the initial shock the second guard shot a spire of earth at Beat who twisted in the air avoiding it by mere centimeters. As he fell he grabbed the man by the face and slammed his head into the ground knocking him out as well. Dusting his hands off he signaled for his friends to come forward then ,with some quick earth bending by Aang and Toph, they propped the guards up. Just in case any patrols came to check on the guards when they failed to check in. They'd be discovered unconscious without a doubt but it would buy them a couple extra seconds.

As they continued on deeper into the complex Beat skidded to a stop outside what looked to be a storage room. Cocking an eyebrow he stepped inside before sticking his head back out and calling to the others.

"Guys we may have a problem!" Beat called out to the others who looked back at him.

"What do you mean Beat?" Katara asked as she started over to him.

Ducking back inside for a moment he reappeared holding a very familiar looking helmet.

"But that's a Fire Nation helmet," Sokka said as he grabbed it turning it over in his hands to examine it.

"That's not the worst part though," Beat muttered as he tossed a helmet to Katara, Aang and Toph, who fumbled around before catching it.

"What does this mean?" Katara murmured as she fingered the helmet softly as she looked at it.

"I think this means there may be more down here than we thought…or the Earth Nation is stockpiling Fire Nation armor for some reason." Beat said as he stepped out of the room.

"Should we keep going?" Toph asked , "This is bigger than we thought it was."

"We need to find Appa!" Aang said resolutely as he tossed the helmet back into the room and turned on his heel. "We press on and damn the consequences!"

The others stood there for a moment before looking back at Beat who had a slight grin on his face.

"Damn when that kid's balls drop its like THUNDER!" He crowed before jogging off to catch up with Aang the others shaking their heads and following as well.

Scene Break: Back at the house with Rae

Having opted to stay at the house in case Ju-Dee came by Rae was lounging around bored. Stifling a yawn she stretched out on her bedroll and pondered on what to do. After a bit of thinking she rolled to her feet and headed into the backyard. On her way she grabbed a small watering can she had left filled from earlier and stepped outside. Taking a deep breathe of fresh air she walked over to a small bed of flowers that had been grown by some previous tenants. She assumed they had been maintained by someone over time since they were still blooming nicely. She stopped short of the flowers and took another deep breathe inhaling the sweet scent of the blooms. She smiled softly before she tossed the watering can up into the air, lifting her arms out from her sides she caught the can and rolled it across her shoulders like one would a basketball. Catching the handle she let the water fall from the can to the flowers, but with a subtle motion from her other hand the water stretched out into a thin stream falling like a miniature rain storm over the flower bed. Smiling serenely as she bent the water she was unaware of another person in the backyard. Having seen her do all this new person cleared their throat startling Rae. Whipping around quickly Rae lost her grip on the can and by some strange stroke of luck it flew through the air and slammed into the persons face with a dull clang. Said person dropped like a sack of bricks and Rae rushed over worried as she checked on the young man who she noticed had a strange scar over his left eye.

Back Under Lake Laogai

The group had traveled deep into the complex and still had yet to find Appa anywhere. Finally they came to a large iron door that seemed to lead to a large room. Toph quickly ripped the door open and they all rushed in only to find empty chains and a couple tufts of fur.

Aang stepped forward slowly and dropped to his knees and grabbed a small bit of what was obviously Appa's fur.

"We were too late…he was here but we missed him," Aang said forlornly.

"Aw, come on buddy cheer up! Maybe they just moved him to a different cell or-" Beat began but Aang rounded on him and cut him off.

"Enough! He's gone alright!? He was here, but we took too long and now he could be anywhere!" Aang yelled jabbing Beat in the chest.

Beat simply stared down at the younger boy and let him yell. He knew that Aang wasn't really mad at him but with himself. Aang let his hand drop and rubbed his face with his palm, he knew it wasn't Beat's fault either. He made the choice to follow Beat's plan it was just as much his fault as anyone's. Beat sighed and walked over to the cell wall and laid his hand on it his face blank as his thoughts raced. Toph scratched the back of her head as the silence stretched on before she cleared her throat.

"So, what do we do now?" Toph asked

"I don't know Toph." Aang replied as he looked back at the large empty chains.

"I know exactly what your going to do." A voice behind them answered.

Whipping around the companions looked behind them and saw that Azula and a tall, regal looking man with a long braid were standing in the room. The group tensed for battle but Azula raised a hand a sneer on her face.

"Don't bother we have you surrounded." Azula said haughtily as the walls beside the door slide down and a group of Dai Li and Fire Nation troops swarmed into the room.

"Fire Nation!?" Sokka said in shock as he pulled out his club.

"How did they get through the wall!?!" Katara cried out as she bent water around her from her canteen.

The regal looking man smiled, if one could call it that the action looked vile and treacherous on his face. He stepped forward and flipped his braid over his shoulder.

"Children I am Long Feng, Leader of the Dai Li." Long Feng began. "I congratulate you on getting this far into my complex but your adventure ends here and now."

"How could you betray the Earth King Long Feng!?" Toph growled out as she felt around trying to identify how many people were around them.

"Foolish girl," Azula hissed out as she crossed her arms. "The Earth King is dead!"

The companions froze as the news hit them like a sledgehammer to the gut. If the Earth King truly was dead…that means Ba Sing Se was all but lost.

"Y-You LIE!!" Aang roared as air swirled around his arms.

"Oh I do?" Azula said. "How then was I able to smuggle so many of my troops into the city so easily if he was not dead?"

Long Feng smirked as he eyed the group in front of him before his eyes came to rest on Beat who was leaning back against the wall his hands behind him. Long Feng eyed the boy for a moment with great interest, his abilities were powerful and he wanted them for himself.

"Here is what shall happen now." Azula said, "You will surrender to me, we will topple the last feeble resistance this city has to offer. Long Feng will assume command of the fallen Ba Sing Se in the name of the Fire Nation. Then I will take the Avatar back to my father and present him to him and become the new Fire Lord when his reign ends."

"King Long Feng." Long Feng mused. "I like it."

"Mind yourself worm you only get this position because I will it to be so." Azula spat at the man.

"Of course my princess I live to serve." Long Feng bowed to her.

Beat looked over the crowd around him with calculating eyes an idea was slowly forming in his mind but it all hinged on Toph. Moving his fingers slowly he began to rub gently at the wall, and looked at Toph out of the corner of his eye. Seeing her twitch he suppressed a grin and continued his actions.

Toph meanwhile was 'seeing' what Beat was doing, a smile twitched at her lips as she realized he was spelling out a message to her against the wall. As the movements stopped and the message came through Toph gave the smallest of nods and Beat waited for the troops to start closing in on the group. He rubbed one more word into the wall for Toph.

NOW!!

Toph slammed her heel into the ground and a group of mid-sized rocks flew up in front of Beat. With a flurry of punches Beat sent the rocks flying at the troops and knocked a few over causing them to hit their companions and knock even more people over.

"RUSH'EM!!" Beat roared and charged towards the downed enemies fist cocked back. Following suit Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Toph leapt into the fray and the fight was on.

Scene Break: Back at the House.

Rae was fussing over the unconscious teen as she wrung her hands. She hoped she hadn't hurt him badly, after the blow to the head she had taken him inside and laid him on a bed roll. Just as she thought he may have some sort of concussion the teen groaned and opened his eyes.

"Oh thank goodness your alright." Rae sighed as she pushed a lock of hair behind her ear.

The teen flushed lightly as he looked at Rae but shook it off quickly and cleared his throat.

"Is this where I can find Beat?" He asked. " My name is L…Zuko and he helped me and my uncle a couple days ago and I wanted to thank him."

"Oh well that's sweet of you but he's not here right now but you can wait for him if you want." Rae said with a smile.

Zuko nodded and sat up rubbing the small lump on his forehead where the watering can struck him.

"Oh my that's going to bruise hang on let me get you some ice." Rae said before she got to her feet and hurried off to get some ice for him.

Coming back a moment later she handed Zuko a lump of ice wrapped in some clothe and he gladly accepted it and put it against the bump.

"So what is your name if you don't mind me asking?" Zuko asked.

"Ah how rude of me," Rae mumbled, "My brother must be rubbing off on me already. My name is Rae Shepard, Beat's big sister."

"Sister?" Zuko echoed, "I didn't know he had a sister."

Rae giggled and smoothed her dress a bit.

"I only just caught up with him recently." Rae explained and Zuko nodded in understanding.

Scene Break: With the others.

Beat, Aang, Sokka, Katara, and Toph ran through the tunnels of the Dai Li complex like mad men. They had managed to fight their way out of the ambush but they had been hurt too badly to risk a prolonged fight. Especially against the entirety of the Dai Li and what ever Fire Nation troops Azula still had waiting in the wings. As they raced through the tunnels they heard the footsteps of people behind them growing louder, a sure sign that Long Feng and Azula were mustering every resource to try to keep them from escaping.

Coming to a stop at the entrance of the complex Toph and Aang ripped the door open with Earth Bending and they rushed through but Beat stayed inside. Noticing they were a person short Toph turned around and shouted.

"COME ON WE NEED TO MOVE!!" Toph screamed

"Its not going to work babe." Beat answered and pulled his mp3 player out and rubbed at the back of it.

"What do you mean Beat?" Toph asked urgency in her voice as the footsteps grew closer.
Beat didn't answer and instead threw the mp3 player at Aang who caught it.

"Give it to my sister," Beat said as he turned around and walked back into the tunnel, "She'll know what to do with it."

"Wait Beat NO!!" Toph screamed as the tunnel slammed shut the Dai Li having got close enough to close it again.

Toph tried with all her might to pry the tunnel open again but it seemed that the Dai Li were holding it closed and her attempts were thwarted. Toph started to punch the rock her knuckles splitting open tears prickling at the corner of her eyes.

"You bastard." Toph choked out as she pounded away at the stone stopping after a moment Sokka laid a hand on her shoulder.

"Toph we need to go." Sokka said.

"NO!!" Toph screamed "What about Beat!? We have to get him out of there!"

"Toph you know we can't" Aang whispered. "All we can do is get help and save him as soon as we can."

She stood up and turned on her heel and ran back towards the house as fast as she could, snatching the player from Aang as she went, her desperation giving her feet wings. The others followed her as best they could but Toph burst through the door a good five minutes before the others did.

"Toph!?" Rae said shocked as she took in the girls ragged appearance cuts and gashes marring her normally flawless skin.

"Beat they got him you have to help he's in trouble we need to go-" Toph began as she started to tug on Rae's wrist.

"Toph calm down who has Beat?" Rae said trying to calm the distraught girl.

"Azula and the Dai Li have him she said they killed the Earth King and the complex was full of Fire Benders and Long Feng will rule Ba Sing Se for the Fire Nation and Beat stayed behind to buy us time but he gave us this!" Toph gushed before she pushed the mp3 player into Rae's hands.

Rae's heart clenched as she slowly turned the player over and saw four words that Beat had written with his blood.

Time to Fight Sister

Rae sighed softly and stood up just as the others burst in gasping for breath.

"THE AVATAR!!" Zuko yelled as he got to his feet.

"ZUKO!?" Aang said causing the others, minus Rae, to look over at Zuko.

Before anyone could start fighting Rae cleared her throat.

"Zuko you said you wanted to thank my brother correct?" Rae asked.

"Y-Yeah I did so?" Zuko replied eyeing the group warily.

"Well it seems my brother is in a bit of trouble would you please help us get him back?" Rae asked sweetly.

There was a moment of silence before everyone erupted at the same time trying to dissuade Rae and denying they would ever work with Zuko. Rae's icy voice though quiet cut through the rest like a knife through butter.

"This Azula has my baby brother." Rae said her tone even though anger bubbled just below the surface. "And from what Toph told me he's not in the best of condition. Now you can stand here arguing about it but I for one think we need all the help we can get to storm a palace."

The others fell silent and looked at each other before Aang sighed and walked over to Zuko. Standing in front of the slightly older boy he looked up at Zuko's face. After a couple tense moments Aang extended a hand and after another moments hesitation Zuko shook it.

"Good…now lets get my brother back." Rae said as she walked out the door, "And god help Azula if she's hurt him."

The others followed the busty girl quickly most feeling almost sorry for Azula and the wrath she was bringing upon herself.

AN

This chapter was a bitch to write i wrote it like 50 times and i swear i still don't really like how it turned out. Anyway enjoy the chapter but don't expect the next one for a while i need to sort through ideas for it still sorry. As always review and stuff leave me ideas if you want i may use them who knows. Also check out my new story that i put out The Titan of FLCL. it was because i got that idea out of my brain that i was able to finish this finally.

Ja

Soul Nin