Ch.7 Confrontations
"They can't do that!" Zuko and Mai had listened intently for the last hour as Aang described the situation to them. As Aang spoke, Zuko's anger began building. When he mentioned the council's threat to strip him of his status as the Avatar, Zuko's anger reached its peak. Without thinking, his fists became encircled in fire. Aang put a comforting hand on Zuko's shoulder. "I'm not worried about them taking my status," he said slowly. He hesitated. He hadn't yet told them who the four girls they picked were. "Well do you know who the girls are?" Mai asked. Aang nodded slowly. "They picked Katara, Suki, Toph and..." Aang was well aware of the friendship between Ty Lee and Mai. "And who?" Zuko asked.
"Ty Lee," Aang replied. At hearing this, a blade suddenly flew past the Fire Lord, landing on a map of the Four Kingdoms that hung on the wall. The dagger landed on Ba Sing Ce's exact location. A sliver of Zuko's hair fell to the ground. He eyed his wife with a mixture of annoyance and fear. "I'm going to kill all of them," she said. There was no emotion whatsoever in her voice, and that fact scared Zuko more than her almost taking his head off. "Honey, let's think about this for a second," Zuko replied. Mai sent Zuko a glare that could destroy a mountain. "What is there to think about?" she asked. "They have Ty Lee. We're going."
Aang tried his luck. "We need a plan before we can do anything," he said. Zuko thought for the briefest of moments. "Well, the first thing we should do is rescue the girls," he said. "Who's married to whom?" he questioned. He couldn't help notice Aang look at the floor. "I have no idea. I left before the ceremony." Mai placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "It's alright," she said softly. Aang's eyes began glowing. "It's not alright!" his voice boomed. "I should have stayed, but I couldn't see Katara married off..." he fumbled for words. "To someone else?" Zuko supplied. Aang nodded. "It's all my fault."
A loud bang was heard as he said this. "You're wrong, Twinkle-Toes!" Aang jumped for joy at the sound. "Toph? Where did you? How did you?" Toph rushed to him. She took her former student in a bone crushing hug. "I thought you'd be madder than an angry platypus-bear," Aang said. There was a tinge of fear in his voice. Toph smiled. "Oh, I was. But I thought about it. I saw the look on your face when they threatend to strip your Avatar state. I don't think I've ever seen you that scared." Zuko looked at the door to his palace. It had been torn from it's hinges. "Toph, you destroyed my palace!" he yelled.
"Chill out, Sparky. I'll buy you a new door." Zuko looked directly at her. "Yes, you will," he said with a smile. Aang looked at Toph. "You can help us," he said with a laugh. Toph grinned. If it involved beating the stuffing out of the council that forced her into marriage, she was too happy to help. "What do you need?" she asked. "We need to know who you and the others were married to," Mai said. Toph shuddered, recalling that fateful event. "Let me think. Suki was married to Long Feng, I was married to General Fong, and I didn't recognize who Katara and Ty Lee were married to." Aang's jaw dropped. Suki was married to Long Feng?
"I thought Long Feng was in prison," he said. "He obviously found a way out," Zuko said. Aang thought for a moment. "The guy Katara's married to, he had a certain arrogance about him," Toph said. Aang heard all he needed to know. "It's Hahn. They gave Katara to Hahn."
"Subdue her, now!" The soldiers surrounding Katara seemed to hesitate. Unfortunately for them, Katara did not. With a single movement of her hands, four of Hahn's soldiers found themselves flying off the ship. The remaining three attempted to find an opening in her defense, to no avail. As one of them charged, one of the tentacles grabbed his leg. Katara slammed him into unconsciousness with no delay. She was so concerned with the soldiers that she did not notice Hahn jump behind her. As she continued focusing on the two soldiers still standing, Hahn struck a fierce blow with his club. Katara fell to the deck, the ocean water she was bending splashing around her.
"Take her below," Hahn instructed. The two soldiers chained her arms behind her back, her limp form offering no resistance. He clutched her necklace in his hand. She would learn respect. Without a second thought, he tossed the necklace overboard, and smiled as it sank to the bottom of the ocean. The ship continued on it's course, the captain increasing speed at Hahn's orders.
Zuko made a few practice swings with his broadswords. The razor-sharp blades seemed to cut the air itself. Mai was gathering her best daggers. As they prepared to depart, they began to hear a loud noise. It just got louder as they listened. Toph took a stance, the stone floor cracking as she did so. "It's them," she said. As the group readied themselves, General Fong entered with a cadre of earth benders. "Fire Lord Zuko, my apologies for showing up like this," he said. There was a tinge of arrogance in his voice that infuriated Zuko. Aang glared at him. "Get out of here," he demanded. The walls shook at the sound of his voice. Fong smiled.
"Certainly, young Avatar, as soon as I retrieve my wife." Toph's face contorted in anger. "You are a fool to think I'd go anywhere with you," she replied. "You heard her," Zuko interjected. Fong lost his temper. "This is none of your business, young Fire Lord," he said angrily. Zuko looked directly at him. "If you want her, you'll have to come through us," he said. The general laughed. "I intend to. Men, bring me my wife." As they rushed to attack, Mai reacted with blinding speed.
Three of them found themselves stuck to walls, unable to move. Two more were taken out by Zuko before they could hope to bend. Aang was busy with two more, which left husband and wife. "You're coming with me, one way or another," Fong said. Toph smiled grimly. "The only way I'm leaving with you is over my dead body," she said in response. The general attempted to bend a prison of rock around Toph, but as soon as he moved, she was on him.
Her left foot made contact with the ground, and a pillar of earth formed at just the right angle in front of his legs. The general soon found himself flying out of the palace, accompanied by his soldiers as Aang blasted them with air. "The council will hear of this!" he yelled as the four flew off on Appa.