Okay so I've been working long and hard on this chapter to update as soon as possible so I enjoy.
There was a knocking heard at the door and Toph went towards it but Sakura spoke "Wait don't open it!"
"Why not?" asked Sokka
"Has anything good ever come from us opening that door?!" Sakura whispered-yelled; Aang and Sokka seemed to be thinking and realised Sakura had a point but Toph continued heading towards the door.
"Actually I know who it is. It's an old friend of mine" Toph said before opening the door and greeting the figure "Glad to see you're okay."
Everyone was shocked (for different reasons) when they saw Iroh standing there with a serious expression on his face "I need your help."
In reaction to Iroh's appearance Sakura's mouth was nearly on the ground, Sokka's arms were up in the air and Aang nearly fell over his own feet.
Aang pointed at Toph and Iroh "YOU GUYS KNOW EACHOTHER?"
Sakura jumped "That's what I wanted to say!"
"I met him in the woods once and knocked him down then he gave me tea and some very good advice." Toph explained smiling.
"May I come in?" asked Iroh
Toph nodded and watched while everyone sceptically; including Sakura who was wondering what exactly was happening.
"Princess Azula is here in Ba Sing Se."
"She must have Katara!" gasped Aang
"She has captured my nephew as well."
Sakura gasped though she still kept quiet; why in the world would 'Lee' be captured by the Fire Nation princess? None of this was making any sense!
"Then we'll work together to fight Azula and save Katara and Zuko."
Sokka stepped in "Whoa, whoa, whoa; you lost me at Zuko!"
"Zuko..." Sakura trained before her eyes widened in fright 'Don't tell me...'
Though it took some time before she recognised the name Sakura finally remembered where she had heard it from not too long ago.
"All hail fire lord Zuko!"
Iroh looked at the gang "I know how you must feel about my nephew but believe me when I tell you that there is good inside him."
"Good inside him isn't enough" Sokka exclaimed "Why don't you come back when it's outside him too."
"Katara's in trouble all of Ba Sing Se is in trouble; working together is our best chance." Said Aang
"Wait-wait-wait" Sakura said in confusion finally overcoming the shock of everything and finding her voice "What the heck is going on?"
"I was unaware that you were friends with the avatar Sakura." Iroh said looking at the pinkette with a kind smile.
"Um-okay now I'm really confused." Sakura said nervously "Who are you exactly?"
"Wait Sakura, how do you know him?" asked Aang
Iroh took a breath "I have not been completely honest with you." He said "My real name is Iroh and I am from the Fire nation and my nephew's name is Zuko prince of the Fire Nation."
It didn't take long for Sakura to put two and two together; so that was how they knew Mush-Iroh and Zuko who she previously thought was named Lee; they were enemies and she...
Sakura fell on the ground as her knees gave in and gripped her hair tightly, disbelief and shock written all over her face.
"Oh my god!"
Everyone watched Sakura with curious faces.
"What's going on exactly? Sakura, how do you know Iroh?" asked Aang cautiously as the pinkette looked like she was about to have a nervous breakdown.
"Uh...I-I-I-"
"She's been dating my nephew" Iroh interjected in a sing song voice
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
"SAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYY WHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTTT" they all screamed.
Sakura bowed her head.
"So you've been dating the guy who's been hunting us?" asked Sokka in disbelief "Zuko!? The Zuko!? I-I can't believe- how could you-when did you-I-I can't even!"
"It's not like I knew it was him!" Sakura argued blushing deeply
Aang slapped his forehead "Oh Sakura..."
She turned to Aang "Don't give me that condescending tone!"
Toph let out a snort "Wow; small world...To think that the guy you've been so smitten with was actually-
"TOPH!" Sakura exclaimed waving her arms around "I didn't know! Besides he didn't seem like a bad guy to me!"
"Because you haven't known him long enough young lady!" Sokka scolded her
Sakura sighed rubbing her head "Can we just deal with the main problem at hand?"
To be honest she just wanted the attention off of her and was feeling very overwhelmed at the moment.
Aang nodded serious again "She's right, we've gotta go rescue Katara."
"We don't even know where they are!" Toph said
"I brought someone along who can help" Iroh lead them outside where there was a Dai Li agent tied up and gagged. Sakura didn't bother to correct Iroh for being reckless enough to leave someone tied up on their front porch for anyone to catch them!
Toph used earthbending to bring the man up straight; Iroh them removed the cloth around the Dai Li agent's mouth.
"Azula and Long Feng are plotting a coup; they're going to over throw the earth king." he said; a nervous sweat dripping down his face.
Sokka pointed his weapon at the agent "My sister! Where are they keeping Katara!?"
"In the crystal catacombs of old Ba Sing Se; deep under the palace"
Aang's eyes hardened "Everyone get on Appa!"
"So you he was the one you went on all those dates with!?"
Sakura sighed "Yes Sokka."
"And he was the one who got you that bouquet?"
"Yes Sokka..."
"And he was the you one who-
Sakura lost it
"DAMMIT SOKKA WILL YOU STOP ASKING ME OBVIOUS QUESTIONS YOU ALREADY KNOW THE ASNWER TO?"
Everyone moved as far as they could from Sakura while making sure to avoid the edge of the bison. The pinkette threw herself to the back landing on Appa's fluffy back (a saddle was being made for him but they took off before it was complete); Sakura covered her eyes with her arm.
"I didn't know okay?"
"All hail fire lord Zuko!"
"I didn't know, I didn't know, I didn't know..." she murmured softly
Iroh spoke up "I am actually quite glad that my nephew went out with you; he began changing for the better."
Sakura stiffened; she didn't know what to say to that. Those images of the future were still very clear in her mind and they scared her, what's worse it frightened her even more to think that the person she was falling for was the enemy.
"Sokka cut it out." Aang said "Sakura hadn't ever met Zuko."
"Neither have I." Toph pointed out
"Yeah but at least you didn't end up dating him." Sokka said crossing his arms
Toph and Aang rolled their eyes at the water tribe boy.
"I don't understand something though." Sakura said sitting up and looking at Iroh
"Let me guess, you want to know how it came to be that my nephew and I were living in Ba Sing Se as refugees?"
Sakura nodded softly
Iroh began telling Sakura about 'Lee' actual name Zuko (she secretly thought it suited him better); he told her that Zuko was born a prince of the Fire Nation but Iroh's brother and Zuko's father banished Zuko from his home and ordered him to capture the avatar in order for him to return. So after Aang had appeared Zuko started hunting him and his friends down.
"So he literally chased you guys all over the world..."
Sokka nodded "Yeah! It's was like the worst game of tag ever! Then you want to add onto it; his sister decides to join in!"
Iroh sighed "Zuko and Azula may be siblings but there is a great difference between the two. Zuko has a good heart and has chosen to follow a different path." Iroh turned to Sakura "Actually the reason partly for that was you; I believe."
Sakura blushed a little "He sounds like he's had a really difficult life. Being cast out by his own family."
"Since his father banished him Zuko has endure a scar that runs far deeper than the one on his face."
Sakura felt her heart give a painful clench; she always expected Zuko had a difficult past but she didn't think it was this bad. He acted the way he did because of it.
Then another thought occurred to her.
'Do I have a type?'
It wasn't really the best time for her to be asking that question but when she compared Sasuke and Zuko; both had a past that caused them great pain and had shaped their lives and way of thinking. Sakura shook her head.
'Maybe I should re-evaluate my choice in men.'
Finally they arrived at the earth kings palace, there were no guards around like last time and it was actually eerily quiet. Toph wasted no time in finding the underground city for them; she was crouched down, her hand on the ground.
"Well what do you know, there is an underground city down there but it's deep."
"We should split up" suggested Sokka "Aang and Sakura you guys go with Iroh to look for Katara and the angry jerk-no offense."
Iroh shrugged "None taken."
"Some taken," Sakura said pouting
"And I'll go with Toph to warn the earth king about Azula's coup"
With that everyone was off; Aang began earthbending them through towards the lost city while Iroh provided them with light; Sakura stared at the flame in awe.
"Something the matter?" Iroh asked her
Sakura shook her head "Just the first time I get to see firebending this close without having to duck."
Iroh laughed softly with Sakura.
"So Toph thinks you give pretty good advice and great tea." Aang said rubbing the back of his head
"The key to both is proper aging; what's on your mind?" asked Iroh looking at the young avatar
When Iroh and Aang started talking Sakura couldn't help thinking that it was strange to believe that they were enemies or that Iroh was a Fire bender-or part of the royal family of the Fire Nation-the ones who the rest of the world was at war with and the ones who would be responsible for the end of this world...those visions; she knew she couldn't let them come true. Chronos had shown her that for a reason and she was determined to fix this worlds fate.
'What a tangled web we weave.' Sakura thought
"Well I met with this guru who was supposed to help me master the avatar state and to control this great power but to do it I had to let go of someone I love and I just couldn't"
"Protection and power are overrated I think you were very wise to choose happiness and love." Iroh told him.
Aang continued to earth bend them deeper into the ground "What happens if I can't save everyone and beat Azula...without the avatar state...what if I'm not powerful enough."
"I don't know the answer sometimes life is like this dark tunnel; sometimes you cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel but if you just keep moving you will come to a better place."
Sakura and Aang stared at awe with the sight in front of them.
"Wow"
The crystallised caverns with an open view and small pools of water it was unlike anything has seen by far in this world; it was truly a sight to behold however there was still no sign of Katara or Zuko. Sakura; Aang and Iroh looked around carefully.
"They have to be here somewhere." Sakura said pointing to a wall "Aang let's keep moving."
Sokka and Toph had gone back to the earth kings throne room to warn king Kuei about Azula plotting a coup but little did they know that the Kyoshi worriers that were there in the room with them was actually Mei and Tylee; Azula had appeared shortly after they had begun fighting and then captured them with the help of the Dai Li agents sending all of them to the cells. Luckily they had Toph's metal bending...
"I still don't get what you were thinking lying to them like that Aang." Sakura pointed out
"You heard Iroh, I was right to choose love." Aang said as he continued to earth bend them deeper through the tunnel.
"But; you have to remember that you have a duty." Sakura pointed before looking at Iroh in apology "I don't exactly disagree with your statement but still. It's one thing if you're an ordinary person perusing your own happiness but as the avatar you also have a responsibility to the world he can't abandon."
"I understand where you are coming from though I'm not sure I would personally agree with that. I think it is better to choose what's best for you." Iroh said
"That's not how I see it. I'm glad I let go." Sakura looked at Aang "Listen Aang, if you can't let it go it's not worth holding onto."
With that Aang broke through the final layer of earth before coming to another part of the underground city. There they found Zuko and Katara standing side by side. Sakura thought that for so called enemies they sure weren't acting like it.
"Aang, Sakura!" Katara rushed over to them; throwing her arms around them while Iroh ran over to Zuko. Aang and Zuko glared at one another from the distance. Zuko's eyes then landed on Sakura; he gasped.
"Are you okay?" Sakura asked Katara looking over her checking for injuries
"I'm alright." Katara said reassured her before frowning "Listen, Azula, Mei and Tylee are here; they're disguised as Kyoshi worriers!"
Sakura and Aang looked at each other.
"Toph and Sokka don't know that!" Sakura exclaimed "They're going to be ambushed!"
"Sakura?" Zuko asked warily as he pulled back from his uncle
"Le-Zuko!" she corrected rushing over to him and hugging him; to which he returned the hug tightly before pulling back.
"What's going on?" Zuko asked looking at her and then his uncle and then Aang.
Katara looked at the two in confusion and shock as she pointed at them "How the heck do you two know each other?"
"Well..." Aang started rubbing the back of his head "Long story short, you know that boyfriend that Sakura's been telling us about?"
Katara nearly fell over and spluttered as she quickly put the pieces together "SHE'S BEEN DATING HIM?!"
Sakura rolled her eyes "That reactions old right now."
Zuko looked at Iroh as Sakura stepped back a little with Zuko's arms still wrapped around her waist "Uncle; Sakura I don't understand; what are you doing with the avatar?"
"Saving you that's what." Said Aang glaring at Zuko who looked like he was about to attack him if Sakura hadn't pulled him back.
"No don't Zuko." Sakura said
Zuko then realised that she had used his real name "You...you said my name?"
Sakura nodded before giving a small smile "I gotta say it suites you way better than Lee."
"But...why are you here with the avatar?"
Sakura pointed to Aang and Katara "Remember those friends I mentioned?"
Zuko looked at her in disbelief "You're with them?"
"Destiny's really funny sometimes huh?" Sakura asked before muttering "Fate's worse than karma."
'And karma's a bitch'
"Zuko; it's time we talked" Iroh said before looking back at the two "Go help your friends; we'll catch up."
Katara and Aang went to take their leave; Sakura pulled away from Zuko as he looked down at her holding onto her hand. "You're going too?"
Sakura smiled and kissed his on his cheek "I have to. They're my friends."
Moving away from him she followed after Katara and Aang.
Zuko had a saddened expression on his face as Sakura left; she saw this but she had to go. She would do whatever she had to protect her friends. It didn't look like that one line of destiny was going to be coming true; she just hoped things were going as well as she thought they were.
Zuko's eyes averted from Sakura as she left; he couldn't believe what he had just discovered...in such a short space of time he had found something that brought him peace and bliss and now-the avatar had taken that away from him.
"Uncle why?"
"You're not the man you use to be Zuko. You are stronger and wiser and freer than you have ever been and now you have come to the cross roads of your destiny. It's time for you to choose; it's time for you to choose good."
Before Zuko couldn't even give it any thought he was stopped by crystals coming forth and entrapping his uncle. He turned and saw Azula standing there with Dai Li agents; after capturing Toph and Sokka it wasn't hard for her to figure out that the avatar would be coming down to rescue his friend.
"I expected this kind of treachery from uncle but Zuko-prince Zuko; you're a lot of things but you're not a traitor. Are you?"
"Release him immediately!" Zuko said dangerously glaring at his sister.
"It's not too late for you Zuko; you can still redeem yourself.
"The kind of redemption she offers is not for you!" Iroh said trying to coax his precious nephew away from Azula's influence.
"Why don't you let him decide uncle?" Azula said before turning to Zuko "I need you Zuko; I've plotted every move of this day; this glorious day in Fire Nation history and the only way we win is together. At the end of this day you will have your honour back; you will have fathers love; you will have everything you want."
Everything he wanted...
"Zuko; I'm begging you-look into your heart and decide what it is you truly want."
"You're free to choose." Azula said holding up her hand for the Dai Li to cease and leave.
Zuko was in turmoil with himself once more and this time; he didn't have Sakura's voice of reason to bring him back.
"Thanks..." Zuko muttered
Sakura waved her hand "No problem although the reason you got hurt is kind of my fault. So thank you-I owe you one."
She smiled at him and Zuko felt his heart skip a beat; it had been so long since anyone has looked at him with such a genuine expression besides his uncle. He didn't think it was possible for anyone to look at him like that anymore.
"You're welcome." he said turning away "Pinkie"
"But I don't want to go out with you!" Sakura snapped
"The feelings mutual." Zuko replied "Look it's just one night and then you and I will never have to see each other again."
"Why should I agree to this anyway?" Sakura asked
"Because you owe me one?" Zuko said with a slight smirk "So I'm gonna collect."
"Fine...it's a date."
"My life hasn't started until I achieve my goal." Zuko said offhandedly
"Actually I think that's where your life ends." Sakura told him "You may rush through things never making time for anything else because you want to achieve your goal but you never think that there's more to life than just reaching for that goal."
"If the goal is almost impossible to reach; then what can you do but commit one hundred percent of your effort?" asked Zuko
"You could always take time to stop; it's not like that goal will ever slip away. It'll always be there." Sakura said "No matter what you may think; it's your goal and no one can take it away from you."
Zuko fell silent; all this talk about goals reminded him of how he had been hunting the avatar for so long and yet somehow he's now ended up in Ba Sing Se. He was a refugee; what happened to his goal to capturing the avatar? Was that all off the table now since his sister labelled him a traitor?
"Wanna know something though?" Sakura said as she finished her food "Even if it seems like stopping will make you fall short of your goals; you may just be reaching the half way point."
"And if your goals become unattainable?"
"A goal is never unattainable but there are no rules about not being allowed to make a new goal for yourself." Sakura shrugged
"Then again I've always struggled" Sakura said making Zuko turn to her "Nothing ever came easy but I always believed that that's what made me strong."
"I know what you mean." Zuko said in a soft tone; he understood exactly what she meant. "To struggle; to suffer; to deal with the pain of being unable to reach your goals; yet...I've never thought that it was possible to change your goals."
Sakura smiled "It's always possible to do that because they are your goals; yet sometimes you feel obligated to do them and you don't even realise that you weren't the one who set those goals. You never really give up on your goals either; not if you create a new one to strive towards."
No longer gazing at the stars the two began to stare at each other; neither one breaking eye contact. The amorous atmosphere had been set around them without realising it as they leaned in towards each other. Eyes gently closing; losing sight of each other only to feel the softness of each other's lips
"I know my own destiny uncle!" Zuko argued
"Is it your own destiny? Or is it a destiny someone else has tried to force on you?"
Zuko turned away from him "Stop it uncle, I have to do this!"
"I'm begging you prince Zuko! It's time for you to look inward and begin asking yourself the big questions. Who are you? And what do you want?"
Images of a certain pink haired girl clouded his thoughts, her smile, her emerald green eyes looking up at him...he threw down his swords.
Sakura smiled wider "How are you feeling?"
"Huh?" was his turn to ask
"You always look so frustrated and upset because you're holding back all of your feelings all the time; it's not fair." Sakura murmured softly "If you do that all the time eventually you'll end up exploding. I think it's better for you to just let them out."
Let them out?
How could he do that?
"Well, something's happened and I'm not going to be here for a little while." Sakura started starring at her hands nervously "I-I'm leaving the city with a friend and I'm not too sure how long I'm going to be gone for. I'm leaving first thing in the morning."
Zuko felt something inside of him twist painfully but he did his best not to show any emotions.
"You're leaving?"
Sakura nodded before reaching out and taking one of Zuko's hands in both of hers; he didn't look her in the eye though. There was always something about the way Sakura looked at him that stirred something within him, he couldn't place whether it was understanding or pity but he didn't quite like it. It was as if he made her tread on egg shells around him.
"Yes, I didn't want to just leave without saying anything so..."
Sakura wasn't sure what else to say other than that. It wasn't as if she was expecting anything from him by telling him this but she did feel that it wouldn't be right of her to just pick up and vanish without a trace leaving him wondering where she was.
"When are you coming back?" Zuko asked suddenly snapping her out of her thoughts.
"I'm not sure," Sakura said "My friends all have something they need to do so we're splitting up for the time being but we defiantly have to return at some point."
It angered him; thinking that she would leave him so easily for her friends but he couldn't tell her that.
"You're going too?"
Sakura smiled and kissed his on his cheek "I have to. They're my friends."
He made his choice...
"So you were dating him this entire time?" Katara asked in disbelief
"Okay can we please let that go?" Sakura begged "We've got more important things to worry about like finding Sokka and Toph before that crazy fire nation princess does!"
Just then blue fire came at them and Aang quickly shielded them by earthbending a wall; they saw Azula standing there posed in an attack stance.
"Yeah I think we're too late." Katara said
Then Katara went in for an attack bending the water from the stream towards Azula would use her fire to stop it creating steam. She emerged out of the steam and started shooting fists of fire at them. Aang and Katara created a water barrier before Sakura leapt into the air and smashed the boulder that Azula had landed on forcing her to disperse and return to the ground. She held up her hands; pointing at Katara and Aang while Sakura was in front of her.
"Give it up; you're trapped." Sakura said
At least that's what they thought.
Then there was a blast of flames that came in the direction of the entrance of the caverns; everyone turned and saw Zuko standing with his fist out in a fighting stance. Sakura's eyes widened in disbelief; he didn't even look at her before he started attacking Aang which left Sakura and Katara to take on Azula.
Zuko attacked Aang with such ferocity; his anger fuelling him. This was his purpose; this was his goal; this was...
'My destiny.'
He blasted an attack at the young airbender who had landed on a cluster of crystals; the huge blast of flames broke through the crystals that Aang had used as a shield and then he landed on a rock but then Zuko began to attack with two fire whips coming from his hands.
Azula ran towards the two girls but Katara sent a wave of water her way that stopped her; then Sakura rushed forward to attacking her. She was beyond enraged right now for a number of reasons; being dragged into a war of a world she didn't belong to; this feeling of familiar betrayal eating away at her.
She was really mad and an angry Sakura was never a good thing.
She wasn't going to hold back anymore. Azula continued to shoot fire at Katara and Sakura but Katara blocked her.
"You wanna see fire!?" Sakura yelled as she formed a few hand signs from behind Katara "Fine!"
Moving to the front she drew in her breath; feeling her chakra gather and turn hot "FIRE STYLE; FIRE BALL JUTSU"
She then breathed out a gust of fire at Azula who raised her hands to create her own fire to stop Sakura's flames.
"Are you a fire bender?" Azula asked Sakura
Sakura glared at her as her flames died down "Of course not. I'm just one pissed off kunoichi!"
Zuko grunted as his back hit a crystal; it was difficult to fight the avatar now that he was capable of using three elements. He looked up and saw that his sister wasn't faring to well herself with the two girls fighting her. They had coordinated their attacks with Katara using her water bending to defend and Sakura using her strength to attack. Sakura's abilities were something unlike anything Zuko had ever seen before yet he knew that there was something about them; he began to think back hard...
Then it hit him.
Katara had entrapped Azula in her water and was just about to end things when Zuko's flames cut through releasing his sister. Taking it as a time to tag out Azula went to attack Aang while Zuko now dealt with Sakura and Katara.
Sakura glared at Zuko "Why are you doing this!?"
"That's not your business!"
"And why's that!?"
"BECAUSE YOU'RE JUST A STRANGER."
Zuko started using his fire whips to counter Katara's water whips.
"I thought you had changed!" Katara snapped at him
"I have changed" he replied calmly before he continued his assault.
Sakura clenched her fists before jumping in the air as Katara and Zuko continued to fight. She came down and delivered a powerful blow to the ground Zuko was standing on; the earth beneath his feet crumbled and everything was covered in a cloud of dust.
"Sakura..." Katara trailed as the pinkette started looking around for any signs of Zuko.
She then saw his form appear amongst the rubble; he looked like he was out cold. Sakura felt her heart give a painful clench as she reached out to him.
"Zuko..."
Then his eyes snapped open and gold met emerald before Sakura felt a sharp jab at the base of her neck by her collar bone and then at the top of her chest above her heart...her eyes went wide in shock and realisation.
'My chakra!'
Zuko moved away from her "Seems like I was right."
"W-What, ho-how did you-
"Annoying."
Aang went flying into the stone ruins of the old Ba Sing Se; Azula had proven to be more difficult for him to defeat on his own and without the avatar state under control or accessible at this time he wasn't sure if they were going to be able to win.
Sakura and Katara continued to fight against Zuko but with Sakura's chakra temporarily blocked for the next few minutes they were going to have to hold out until then. However Azula entered the mix as well and became too much for Katara to handle. The two girls were sent flying back until they both hit a heap of crystals. Sakura twisted them around so that she would take the full blow instead of Katara but nevertheless they were both immobilised.
Aang emerged and started heading toward Azula and Zuko; ready to fight again but then the surface which he was earthbending and using to make his way over to the two Fire Nation siblings was undone when Dai Li started to emerged and a lot of them as well.
Aang; Sakura and Katara were then surrounded by Dai Li; Sakura was unable to use her chakra for about another three minutes; Katara and Aang were worn out from this battle as well.
'Damn it' Sakura cursed as she forced herself up with Katara 'Of all the times I've been useless in a fight this is the worst timing of all.'
"Sakura get behind me!" Katara said as she surrounded them with water that created tentacles like an octopus.
"I'm sorry Katara" Sakura said in a soft voice
Aang stood up in a stance but his face deterred as he looked around him; taking in the depth of the situation; they were outnumbered and outmatched at this rate they were all going to...
'The only way is to let her go' the guru's voice rang in her head
Aang closed his eyes tightly "I'm sorry Katara"
He sat down crossed leg and encased himself in the crystals as he began his journey through to the final stage of opening the chakra gates. As Aang finally reached the state; his eyes opened with bright light.
Sakura looked to her side and saw the crystal shell Aang was in beginning to glow and she smirked; he did it...he finally did it. There was hope again.
Aang emerged from the crystal; his form floating into the air; eyes and tattoos glowing brightly; she knew he was in the avatar state. Sakura and Katara smiled in relief but that was quickly washed away when Sakura saw Azula heading for Aang; she was going to...
Aang in the avatar state getting struck by lightning.
Everything was beginning to unfold right before her eyes.
'I have to stop her!'
She quickly moved across away from Katara and towards Azula.
"Sakura what are you doing?" Katara yelled getting everyone's attention including Zuko who saw his sister coming from behind where the avatar was.
Zuko remembered that he had blocked her chakra; she wouldn't stand a chance against his sister the way she was.
'What is she thinking!?' he asked clenching his teeth and fists
"I'm not letting you do that!" Sakura screamed heading towards Azula
Azula was about to aim her flames at Sakura when the pinkette was knocked to the side; her body smashing into the rocks and rolling; the right side of the upper half of her back from her shoulder blade and a part of her neck was burned.
By Zuko's flames.
Zuko looked on wide eyed and gaping as he glanced down at his own hands wondering what exactly he just did.
Sakura hissed painfully; she had felt the sensation of a blade cutting through her flesh many; many times before; she knew the pain that came when you were lightly grazed by kunai; the press of coarse rope and whips on your skin that left marks for days; the sharp sting from getting hit with needles-she even knew the feeling of being run straight through with a sword. She had smiled when that happened to her for she was able to protect someone.
Yet she had never been burned before; this was an entirely new sensation and she couldn't take it! It was as if that entire part of her flesh was being ripped apart; the sharp constant sting when the air touched that part of her skin; she was painfully aware of that injury and she was known to have endurance. But this was...unbearable.
She screamed; a loud ear piercing; heart wrenching scream "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH"
"SAKURA" Katara screamed; worried etched into her face.
To make matters worse Azula had hit Aang head on with lightning; enough to kill. Sakura opened her force filled with tears as she watched Aang fall.
'NO'
Katara had rushed over to Aang waterbending everyone out of her way and grabbing him before he fell; Sakura forced her scorched form to Katara's side.
Azula and Zuko began making their way towards them but then another fire of flames stopped them in their tracks. Iroh appeared in front of the girls.
"You've got to get out of here; I'll hold them off as long as I can!"
Katara and Sakura made their escape; over to a stream of waterfall where Katara water bent them out.
When the girls made it out their friends found them instantly and they made their escape on Appa; Toph and Sokka had escaped after being captured by Azula and left with the earth king and his bear now they were all leaving the city of Ba Sing Se for its fate was obvious.
"Sakura are you okay?" Sokka asked worried looking at the pinkette's burn injury
Sakura nodded determinedly biting back all of the pain she felt from the wound; she wouldn't let her friends down again; they needed her now more than anything to make matter looked at Aang and then Katara with determined eyes.
"If we work together we can save him!" Sakura said strongly; she couldn't let him die, she wouldn't.
Katara unwrapped the small vile of water that she had told Sakura was spirit water from the Oasis. Sakura coated her hands with chakra now that the time period of her gate block was finished and she was able to use it again.
Sakura placed her hand under Katara's; the water in Katara's hand became a lightly tinged green; they placed it over Aang's back where they saw a burn mark. The water absorbed into his skin as well as Sakura's chakra.
Sakura and Katara looked at Aang and saw his eyes open; Katara hugged him as soon as she saw this and realised he would live.
"He's alive Sakura, he's-Sakura!?"
Katara looked at her friend with worry "Let me just find some water and I'll heal you-
"Don't worry..." Sakura said in a soft voice, a small smile on her face "I'll be okay..."
Sakura on the other hand was now completely exhausted. She closed her eyes; still feeling the painful sensation of the burn on her but she couldn't keep her eyes open any longer and she knew after using that jutsu she was going to be asleep for a really long time.
'And when I wake up; I'm going to fix this.'
"The earth kingdom has fallen."
TADA, TAHT'S THE END OF THAT EVERYONE. HOPE YOU LIKED IT AND HOPE YOU'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT CHAPTER.
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