He had liked Ba Sing Se up until now. Spending his days shadowing the palace pharmacist, nights spent alone with Azula in the tiny apartment on the Lower Ring. They pretended to be other people that had nothing better to do but sit and chat. It was a game. Just a diversion to pass the time until Azula gained control of the Dai Li. Now he waited at the top of the Crystal Catacombs, a clear view of the cave that held the prisoners.
Teo had been surprised to see Zuko here. He'd long given up the thought of the banished prince. Despite his relationship with Azula, Teo hadn't had much contact with the former crowned prince. He couldn't really recall anything bad about the older boy, just that Azula took it very hard when he was banished. He curled his fingers around one of his grenades. He would be ready for the Avatar.
A slight rumble in the cave. The sound of the crystal shaking and earth moving pinpointed the rescue party's location. Teo stood on the edge of the cave in the cliff face and let himself fall forward. He only had one good shot, since there was no wind in the underground caverns. His glider unfurled behind him and he dove towards the familiar shape of the young Avatar Aang. Teo deftly pulled the pin in three grenades and threw tossed them. There's no way he could get rid of them all in time.
Artificial wind from the airbender pushed him up again. Teo used his mass to turn and go in for another sweep. The explosion was deafening. The cave shook, shards of sharp crystal fell, but somehow Teo had flown past. The dust swirled as the airbender prepared for another attack.
Teo was suddenly out of control. Spinning wildly in an artificial vortex. He slammed hard against the cavern floor, gasping for air. The edges of his vision turned dark. He couldn't tell if his glider was broken, or his back. He supposed it didn't matter too much. He was down. Pain shot through him when he tried to move.
"You're an abomination. Nothing but a derivative of my people. Are you the only one? Or are there more of you?"
Teo cracked his eyes open, peering up at the Avatar through dusty goggles. "More of what?" he rasped out, coughing with the dust.
"Those like you! Gliding pretenders!" A staff came down, dangerously close to breaking his nose.
"There's only me," Teo fought to breathe as the dust settled. He grunted as he used his arms to push himself off the ground. "Only ever been me. But why do you care, Avatar? The Air Nomads had no say over the sky, just like the Earth Kingdom doesn't own all the dirt."
"He does have a point, young Avatar," a familiar voice came out of the dust. Teo had trouble distinguishing it from the ringing in his ears.
"No! You can't just kill all of my people and then steal their ways!" The Avatar shouted.
Teo tried to push himself to his feet, but could only get so far. The brace on his right leg was broken. He wouldn't be surprised if his leg was as well. He reached behind him and grabbed the shaft of his glider, using it as a crutch. "Spare me, Avatar. You want to lecture me?" He pulled off his goggles to look down at the bald boy.
"I'm the last of my people!"
"And I'm a crippled slave. The only freedom I have is in the air," he was amazed that his two opponents had let him get to his feet. Though he saw the Avatar's companion. General Iroh had always been kind to him.
His head pounded. His voice sounded so loud.
"Y-you're... that's horrible," the Avatar looked at him with pity. Regret.
"This ends now Avatar. I know you can bend and all, but can you save yourself, General Iroh and your friends?" Teo pulled a grenade and leaned back against the wall. Below him he could see Zuko and the Avatar's companion through the top of the old prison cell. "Don't come any closer. Or I'll blow up your girlfriend."
"Teo, please," the General was on his knees, much to the confusion of the Avatar.
"General... My task is to keep the Avatar away from the waterbender. You should leave, General. Before Azula comes," he grabbed his belt, if one of the grenades went off, the rest of them would. The cavern may not be affected as a whole, but it would be a blow against the Avatar.
"Teo... there are things that you do not know," the General continued to plead.
"The Avatar turns himself in. Into... into the hole," Teo's vision blackened again.
"I'll do it. Please. Nobody has to die today," the Air Nomad set bowed, peacefully sitting beside the Dragon of the West.
"Just... wait. Wait for Azula," he felt himself slipping. Hands grabbed at him, taking away the grenade he had been threatening to activate.
A deep, gravelly voice whispered to him as he fell asleep.
"Is he?"
"No, Aang, he is just unconscious. I believe he hit his head during his fall," Iroh said as he lay the young man in a more comfortable position.
"We'll take him with us," the Avatar started.
"No. He must stay where he is. Now is not his time," Iroh looked sadly on the boy. For a moment, he saw another face. Another young man that didn't deserve his fate. "Come, we must rescue my nephew and your friend!"
The Avatar left the sleeping young man and bent a doorway into the crystal cell.
~ Edited due to me not removing my silly summary. Thanks. I'm still looking for a beta reader, if anyone would like to volunteer.~