Wow 6 Reviews! BTW I own Nothing just the idea. As the title would imply SOMEONE is back, but I'm not going to say whom because it would give away the surprise. Enjoy.
Chapter 3: He's Back!
It was the day of the annual report in Ba Sing Se everyone was there except two people. Since Sokka's death no one from Omashu had wanted to take his place but Haru did go to the town himself, and Ozai had quit the day Sokka died and there was some debate on who was taking over the territory. As usual after everyone took their seat Haru asked how things were and there were more positives as the years passed. Haru was impressed with how things were going so as they adjourned he said, "In the 12 years since Sokka's death everyone has gone the extra mile into keeping the peace and not causing trouble. His belief in what we stand for makes it so that as long as we stay strong he will not have died in vain."
Suddenly the doors burst open and a young woman came running through. Swiftly and silently placed the guards as well as the Dai Lee agents in a sleep lock where they were rendered unconscious. She slowly made her way to the king and he slowly reached for Bashkim only to have his arm sliced and the sword stolen. Iroh and Zhao regained consciousness and ran to the king.
"Sire are you alright?" Zhao asked
"The wound is not too deep and can easily be fixed my Lord." Iroh stated
"Nevermind me get Bumi, wake the others and FIND BASHKIM!" Haru yelled clearly frustrated with the fact that he let a young woman best him in his own palace which most men would. Outside the Royal Earthbenders were trying to apprehend the girl but were failing. One of the men called to the tower, "Send word throughout the provinces Bashkim's been stolen all men are needed to aid in the search. Meanwhile and old man wearing green robes stood atop the palace saying, " Dear Lady of the Lake watch over the sword and bring it back.
The young girl was making great time, she was using her firebending through her feet to make her fly. That is until a dart came flying out of nowhere she turned and looked be hind her. Coming straight for her was what looked like a Kyoshi warrior the only difference was this one was wearing a dark green skirt, a tunic style shirt over it and the face paint with the gloves and guards.
"I didn't think they'd send reinforcements so quickly."
"Exactly you didn't think."
"What are you supposed to be a Kyoshi Warrior?"
"No I'm Lady Laogai.'"
"Your named after Lake Laogai? That's almost funny, tell me were you made fun of as a child."
"No because I am the Spirit of Lake Laogai."
Azula was beginning to get a tiny bit scared, 'She can't be real. There's no way, it's impossible.' But Lady Laogai had all but confirmed it. They continued to fight Lady Laogai leaving more cuts, and bruises then Azula was. Every time Azula went to attack Lady Laogai would deflect it by either turning invisible to diverting somewhere else. Sometime during the struggle Bashkim was flung out of Azula's hands and She said, "Well now we'll see who get there first won't we?"
"Yes we will."
So they raced downward Azula would be ahead for a second, then Lady Laogai, but in the end the earth formed a crater in which the sword fell and was soon lost. Lady Laogai smirked, "Now you will never find it my mission was a complete failure."
"What do you mean by a complete failure?"
"I succeeded in stopping you from taking the sword, however I failed in being able to return it."
Without another word both separated and while Azula fled to her master, Lady Laogai returned to Lake Laogai and told Bumi who summoned her, "I'm sorry I failed in bringing Bashkim, but the thief did not take it to her master. Now old one the rest is up to you mortals, summon me if you need my services again."
"Actually Mai if you would please tend to the wounded, you are the only one who can heal them quickly."
"No I'm not, have your healers do what they can I will return with my twin Yue."
True to her word Mai returned with her sister Yue and together the healed most of the wounded and gave them back their strength. They could not do the same for Haru as they had used up most of their magic, and if they used what little there was left then they would cease to exsist what they could do was heal his arm which they did. He understood that the spirits could only do so much.
"Thank you for helping my people." ,He said
"I only wish we could do more King Haru." Yue said a little disappointed that they couldn't do anything more.
"I agree dear sister but now we must leave it to the mortals, remember we only guide and interfere when called upon or else the balance in utter chaos and then it will be the end of everything." Mai reminded her sister.
"Yes I know thank you." She replied
"We ask your leave to go sire so that we may rest." They asked at the same time.
"Yes, by all means you have my leave to go, Bumi will take you as far as Lake Laogai. Bumi if you would please."
"Certainly Sire."
Once they reached the lake Yue gave Bumi a hug and told him to summon her if he needed her, she hugged Mai and told her good job, and she did her best, as well as goodnight and goodbye. Her body turned into a white light and rose into the sky and into the moon. Mai repeated her statement from earlier, "summon me if you need my services again old one, and I'm sorry I failed to bring the sword back."
"Now as your sister said you did what you could and as you said before it's up to us mortals now, but I will call on you should the need arise. For now regain you strength and brush up on you antidotes they be needed in the future as well as you."
"I will do as you ask, but you should leave the fortune telling to my sister. I shall be in my other form trying to find the sword, I know where it fell and I know who can help me find it. Tell Haru he must not go looking for it, and to leave it to the people. ", with that said her body turned to water and she sunk into the lake.
Throughout the night the alarm was sounded and army units were dispatched, and sent everywhere. But so far none had found Bashkim, and Haru was fearing the people were losing hope, but for now had said nothing about it. Which Bumi thought was relieved as he did not have to say anything yet. As the sun rose in the sky people all over the Earth Kingdom had heard the alarm and saw the great bison of Bumi's flying high in the sky. Every available man set out to find the sword leaving the women and children to tend to the house. Except one household in Omashu, Katara was on her way home from the market having closed her stall for the afternoon was planning to do her chores until she heard the alarm. She ran home as fast as she could, and told her mother what had happened and that she was going to help the men out.
"NO, absolutely not it's mans work."
"But mama Bashkim's been stolen the King needs everyone to help."
"The Dai Lee and the Earth Kingdom Army will find the sword and will use teamwork to achieve it."
"While I do farmwork, Mama you know I'm capable of being in the Dai Lee as much as anyone else."
"Yes you do but one day you understand what the king needs. Until that day comes you'll stay here at home."
Katara said nothing but went outside to start her chores, while Suki went to Sokka's grave before going back home as she wasn't needed at the inn tonight so she decided to follow Katara's example and talk to Sokka.
"It's been what seems like forever since we've been together, but it's only been 12 years. I don't know what to do about Katara, she wants to join the Dai Lee. I wish you were here to help me figure out what to do about it, part of me wants to let her, but the other part doesn't want her to because that's how I lost you and she's all I have left. I guess I'll know when the time comes. I love you."
She left his grave and made her way home, Katara meanwhile was doing her chores. First she watered the plants, she picked some ripe fruit and put them in the shed to take to market the next day and then picked and stored some for the house. She went to the log pile and moved some over to the fireplaces in the house, she then went to milk the ostrich goat, groom the Camelephants and was beginning to gather the eggs for market and home and was muttering to herself, " How am I ever going to prove myself to Papa if I never leave this place?" she felt someone watching her she turned around and was knocked out.
When Suki came home she first noticed nothing out of the ordinary. She set about cleaning the house, she started to worry about Katara when it was sunset until the windows broke and the table was set on fire. She shielded her eyes and when she heard the voice she immediately realized what was going on.
"Knock, Knock." A lone figure stepped in to the house but the flames parted as though they were from him.
"Who is what do you want with me?"
The figure removed his helmet and looked at her with a small sneer and it all clicked, "Ozai!"
"Suki just passing through the area and thought I'd drop in. How about a little kiss, I heard you're still single."
"Not on your life MURDERER!"
"I'll take that as a no."
"Get out of my house traitor!"
"How rude and I came all this way, just to see you."
"What do you want?"
"Ba Sing Se, peace is not for everyone so I'm doing something about it."
"If the wars were to return the world would be out of balance and cease to exsist."
"Balance has nothing to do with what I've got planned. It's nothing but simply replacing the leaders with Fire Nation regents."
"THAT WILL THROW THE WORLD OUT OF BALANCE! YOU'RE INSANE!" she yelled
"Oh you've just now noticed I've been practicing it for years." He replied with heavy sarcasm. By now some of his followers had entered the house and Suki was beginning to get nervous as Katara had not come inside part of her was glad so she wouldn't get caught up in what was about to unfurl. Suki however was confused as to how she fit into his plan. He just smirked and simply said, "You're going to help me by doing exactly what I say."
"I'd rather die than help you."
"We can arrange that, only it won't be you."
He motioned to the doorway where two men came in with Katara in between, and each man had a hold of one of her arms. Suki gasped as her worst fear was realized, and was now trying to figure out how to get Katara out of this mess. Ozai quickly looked Katara over and turned back to Suki.
"You hurt her and I'll kill you!"
"Do exactly as I say and no harm will come to her."
Ozai himself took hold of Suki while the men who held Katara went out side the house and started to raid the wagons and carts they had. one of the men holding Katara joined them. Suki was angry beyond words, what started out as a quiet peaceful day ended up being a hostage situation. She dared not speak out for fear of what could happen to Katara, and she motioned to Katara to do the same. Katara got the message, but didn't know what was going on. Suki was waiting for just the right moment to make her move.
"Your part of the plan is simple take me to Ba Sing Se, wait until I say so then you both can leave. If you leave before I say or warn anyone of what's going to happen I will not hesitate to kill you and your daughter. My men will hide in the wagons and you will act as though you are there for market day.", Suki merely nodded her head but was waiting for the right moment, she had to find away for Katara to get out of here. The other man stupidly let go of Katara. Ozai had disappeared and Suki chose this moment to act so, she pulled Katara aside but made sure that they did not look suspicious, she then whispered to Katara, " Katara listen to me and do as I ask, go to Ba Sing Se warn Haru. Take your father's Eel Hound it will get you there the fastest."
"I can't leave you here to fend for yourself, Papa wouldn't neither will I." She whispered back.
"No but Ozai won't be in the capital in about a week I'll stall as long as I can by taking the trader's route so you should have plenty of time as long as you tell Elise where to go she will take the route your father took. Now please do this for me Little Kat.", when Suki called her 'Little Kat' she agreed because she was only called that nowadays to be persuaded into doing something. It didn't help when that was what Sokka would call her when she was little. As she left she heard her mother whisper, 'Be careful', and 'I love you.'
Katara made her way to the stable and as she did she heard voices, "My faithful daughter, was your mission successful?"
"I was successful in taking it from the king but not successful in bringing it back."
"I see what caused you to fail?"
"Lady Laogai caused me to drop the sword as we fought for it she left her marks on me and deflected mine."
"This not you fault, completely, however this has now altered the plan a bit. Now where did the sword?"
"A place that's forbidden, The Thieves Passage. I can't remember exactly but I know the area it should not be too hard to find."
After hearing this Katara formed a slightly altered plan, she was going to try to find Bashkim and return it to Haru and warn him about Ozai's plan and her mother's capture. She quickly ran to the stable and grabbed Elsie Sokka's Eel Hound and made a break for the city gates. Once she was past the gates and making her way to Full Moon Bay which is where the Thieves Passage began Ozai noticed she was gone and sent the Yu Yan Archers led by Captain Vachir and the Rough Rhinos led by Colonel Mongke to catch her and bring her back he also sent one of his deadly assassins with them. Her name was Ty Lee and she was popular in the forces as she could block someone's chi, if she did this to a bender, it temporarily stopped the bender form bending, which is why she was sent. While Azula and himself went to look for Bashkim, and he told the rest of his men to stay with Suki and head out to Ba Sing Se.
Suki meanwhile sent a prayer to Sokka asking him to watch over their Little Waterbender, 'Sokka I don't know if you can hear me, or if you're even here, but if you are, please hear me and keep Katara safe and give her strength when she's scared, hope when she's in doubt, show her the way when she's lost, protect her when she's weak, protect her from the Yu Yan Archers and the Rough Rhinos make sure they don't get her and hurt her. Please if you can hear me see to it she stays alive and warns Haru. He needs you now more than ever, if you were still alive you could probably handle Ozai while someone went to get Haru. I love you more than words can say.'
Katara meanwhile had just passed the Labyrinth and was about to pass the Plains on her way to Full Moon Bay. She turned her head quickly to see if anyone was following her, and was surprised to see the Yu Yan Archers, the Rough Rhinos and someone else following her. She urged Elise to go faster, but it only gained little speed, as she passed the Plains and neared Jibade the archers began shooting, the first few shots they missed her and Elise. However on the next round they missed her and got Elise in the front left flank, and the rear right flank, she turned to head to Full Moon Bay and was halfway there when they fired yet another round missing Katara, and hit Elise in the chest and the neck making her stumble and fall, thus throwing Katara off and was still. Katara quickly noticed that she was at Full Moon Bay now she just had to find out where the Great Divide was. Katara then quickly ran back to check Elise, but had to leave her as she had to find shelter from the shower of arrows that were now shot at her. In the midst of the arrows Katara stumbled on a rock and rolled down the side of the hill and landed in the water. She broke the surface coughing and sputtering, and noticed her hair came out of the braid sometime during her run in with the arrows. She swam to the shallows when she heard a small splash, and a voice call out in an irritated tone, "Whoever's there I warn you I can not only firebend but I have Dual Dao that are two swords that are very strong."
I Know cruel to end it that way but I was unsure of where to end it and how to start the next chapter so this is where it was decided plus cliffhanger to keep you wanting more.
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