Disclaimer : I don't own ATLA, just Avery.
Ooo, I put the disclaimer at the beginning...
"Avery, wake up. Avery... Avery?"
"Hmm?"
"We have to move." Zuko said. I opened my eyes and yawned.
"Fine, but I'm sleeping." I said, allowing Zuko to pull me up. I mounted in front of Zuko and hugged the ostrich horses neck. Zuko mounted behind me and grabbed the reins.
"Avery, you might want to sit up. These things will choke you." Zuko said, gesturing the reins to demonstrate how they'd tighten on my neck. I grumbled and Zuko sighed. "You can use me as a pillow, we just have to move."
"Fine." I said. I sat up, shifted forward, and leaned back against Zuko's chest. He was really warm. I felt the ostrich horse begin to move, but kept my eyes closed. It was peaceful sitting there, the wind brushing past, hearing the beating of Zuko's heart. I eventually fell asleep.
"Avery, wake up." Zuko said. My eyes snapped up and I looked up to see Zuko's face.
"What?" I asked.
"I need you to do me a favor." He said. I sat up and stretched, yawning yet again.
"Sure. What's up?"
"I need you to track a scent for me." He said. I glanced at him over my shoulder.
"Who?"
"Not exactly who, more of what." He said. And that's when I noticed the large tracks on the ground. My eyebrows rose. "Wow, okay, this should be simple."
"So..." I sneezed.
"It smells horrible." I announced.
"Then it's what I think it is." Zuko said.
"And that'd be...?"
"My sister." He said. I frowned.
"I don't trust Azula." I said.
"I don't either. Let's go." He said. The ostrich horse took off, following the tracks.
"Wait, you just agreed with me, why are we following her?" I asked.
"Because she's after the avatar."
"Zuko, how ar-"
"I'm making her back off until I can catch him." Zuko said.
"Hey, how come we're slowing down?" Zuko wondered aloud.
"He needs to rest." I said, placing a hand on our mounts head. Zuko swore and I gave him an amused look.
"Don't worry, he'll follow us." I said, jumping off our mount. I shifted into a shirshu and allowed Zuko to climb on. I grunted, and he took the hint that it meant 'hold on'. I took off like a shot, rocketing over the ground. Zuko held on to my fur for dear life and the ostrich horse trotted behind, following at a slow pace. Suddenly, the scents shifted and I began following a filthy mustard gold scent that I knew to be Azula's. I heard her speaking to someone, saying 'Do you really want to fight me?', and busted into the small town, Zuko jumping off my back.
"Yes, I really do." Zuko said.
"Zuko!" Aang yelped in shock. I shifted to my spirit human form and winked at Aang.
"How's it going, Aang?" I said casually.
"Avery?" He said. I nodded.
"Yeah, I learned a few things and tricks since we last met."
"I was wondering when you'd show up, Zuzu." Azula said.
"'Zuzu'?" Aang asked, hiding a snicker.
"Back off, Azula! He's ours!" Zuko said. I waved and prepared to protect Zuko in case.
"I'm not going anywhere." Azula said, assuming a fighting stance. We stood in tense silence, everyone's eyes darting from person to person. Azula had a smug smirk on her, Zuko was determined, and Aang looked confused and frightened. Azula was the first to move.
Azula moved her arm forward, firing a blast of blue fire at Zuko, who conjured up a fire shield to deflect it. He fells backward onto a front porch. Aang, upon seeing this, expressed horror and attempted to flee the town on his glider. He began soaring toward the back end of Tu Zin. Azula swung her arm downward, sending a stream of fire at Aang, who turned over mid-air and closed his glider, twirling the object to deflect the flames. He landed on the ground, still deflecting the flames. He stopped twirling his glider. Azula ran along the beam of a rooftop, prepared to strike him. Aang rolled over, grabbing hold of his glider just as Azula landed nimbly on the ground, sweeping around, sending a stream of fire his way. Azula rose and turned around. I grabbed Zuko's hand and pulled him to his feet. Aang leapt landed on the ground, in between the other Zuko and Azula. Zuko fired a blast at Aang who stepped to the side, managing to avoid the attack. Azula fired at the Avatar and missed.
After the three perform several unsuccessful attempts to land a blow, Aang ran past Azula, who sent another sweep of fire his way. Aang tried to escape toward the back end of town, Azula turning to face him and Zuko firing blasts of his own. Aang rounded a bend and ran past Azula once more, this time heading toward the front of town. Azula fired another blast at him, only to miss. Azula fired several more blows, one of which Zuko managed to deflect. He fired a shot at Azula and missed.
Azula swung her arms about, sending attacks at her opponents. The three of them continued to battle each other. Zuko leapt into the air directly behind her and struck the ground, unleashing a firebending attack in the process. The two siblings as two walls of fire, one blue and one orange were created as a result of the impact. Azula fired a blast at Zuko, who ducked and attempted to knock her off her feet. He fired a blast her only for the princess to duck. She swept her arm upward, sending a stream of fire his way. Zuko leapt into the air to avoid the attack. Azula then turned around and fired at Aang. The Avatar leapt into the air and landed onto an upper outdoors level of a nearby building.
Azula ran up the stairwell leading to the upper level, forcing Aang to run through the open doorway. Azula followed, and Zuko followed her. I headed for the lower level at the same time Zuko fell with a yell, sending up a cloud of dust. I cringed. The air ball Aang was riding suddenly began to dissipate. Azula nimbly sent a blast of fire at him. Aang leapt out of the way just as the air ball was terminated. He ran along the edges along the thin floor paneling and knocked Azula onto the first floor in the process.
Azula landed nimbly onto the ground near us. I pulled Zuko up and sent Azula a dark look. She smirked at me and sent a blast at my face. I backbended under the blast, then jumping out of the way as she fired again. I ran forward and lashed out with my nails, catching her shoulder. My claws ripped through her shirt and cut into her skin, causing her to yelp. She shot at me and I flipped over her, swinging out in the process. She was kicked forward and she sent me a dirty look before running forward. She smashed through the wall in a blast of fire. She ended up causing Zuko and I to fly out of the building. Zuko landed on the ground unconscious. I was able to slip into a somersault. I kneeled on one leg and looked to Azula and Aang. Aang looked at Zuko and I before turning around and seeing Azula heading straight toward him. He fled and leapt out of the way just as Azula sent another blast at him. Aang began alternately jumping between two buildings, with Azula firing blasts at each spot he landed on. Aang finally reaches the rooftop of the left building and scrambled to prop himself up.
Azula sent a blast of fire, slicing a portion of the rooftop off. Aang leapt off the crumbling portion onto another spot on the roof, only for Azula to repeat the same action. Aang scrambled to prop himself up only for the ceiling to cave in. He landed on the ground inside the building, trapped beneath a pile of wooden planks. Azula entered the building through the doorway and sent two streams of fire along the sides of the wall. The blue fire spreaded around the perimeter of the room and turned an orange hue. Aang looked horrified and attempted to break free. I swore and jumped up, running in.
Azula, back to me, held up one hand, two fingers pointing outward, her typical lightning generation pose. Katara suddenly appeared next to me and sent a water whip at Azula, guiding her hand off course. Katara bent the stream of water around her and sliced the wooden planks, thus freeing Aang.
"Katara!" Aang exclaimed in joy. Azula swiftly turned around and fired a blast at the waterbender, who I pushed out of the building along the porch and closely followed.
"Who are you?" Katara asked.
"Later. I'm on your side... and Zuko's..." I said. Azula followed us in hot pursuit, only to be halted by Sokka, who emerged from another doorway and swung his machete her way. Katara ran off, while Azula was forced to duck. Sokka then began chasing her. Azula was now being cornered by him, Katara and Aang.
Aang ran straight toward Azula. He leapt over her just as Azula fired a blast at him. She turned around and blocked a water whip Katara sent at her. She fired a blast at Sokka and swung her arm outward to prolong the blast. Aang appeared behind her. She turned around and nearly managed to strike him with another blast. Azula swung her arm outward, sending an arched fire blast at the three. Azula stood, poised for attack. She suddenly fell over to the side; A young girl appeared from an alleyway, having just shifted the ground beneath her feet.
"I thought you guys could use a little help." She said. Katara smiled at her.
"Thanks, Toph." She said. Toph, huh. I liked her already. Azula rose to her feet and began running away. Azula ran through an alley. She leapt over some crates and tried to escape, however, Iroh intervened, using his round belly to knock her off her feet. Zuko appeared next to him and he nodded to me. Aang, Katara, Sokka, Toph, Zuko, Iroh, and I all cornered Azula against the ruins of a stone wall. Coolly, Azula backed up as her enemies surround her.
"Well, look at this. Enemies and traitors, all working together. I'm done." She raised her hands in surrender. "I know when I'm beaten. You got me. A princess surrenders with honor."
Iroh, who averts his gaze toward the other members, who remain on high alert. Azula smirked. Then she smiled and took a step forward, firing a blast at Iroh. Time seemed to slow down. I gasped as the flame flew towards Iroh, his eyes widening. I then moved and leapt, pushing Iroh out of the way, and putting myself in the way. The crash caused Iroh to yelp. And then it hit me. I screamed and fell.
-3rd person-
Zuko cried out in surprise as his friend fell in pain, having shoved his uncle out of the way.
The remaining five turned to face Azula, four of them bending their respective elements and Sokka throwing his boomerang straight for her. The impact of the elements created a minor explosion, sending a thick cloud of smoke everywhere. The buildings in the town were now set alight, burning embers falling from the sky. Aang looked from his defensive position at the effect. The smoke clearing to reveal that Azula had vanished from the scene without a trace. Iroh stood at his nephew's shoulder as Zuko kneeled before his friend, dismayed at the turn of events.
"Ugggh!" Zuko groaned angrily. He looked at Team Avatar. "Get away from us!"
Toph showed signs that she could detect vibrations using seismic sense. Avery was still breathing, indicating that she was still alive. But her breathing was ragged, showing she was in pain. Katara approached Zuko.
"Zuko, I can help." Katara said. Zuko turned and blasted an arc of fire.
"Leave!" He cried, voice shaking. The Team tensed, ready to run, but Iroh raised his hand telling them to wait a moment. They watched in silence as the watched their enemy break down before their eyes, Toph only able to sense the waves of his shaking shoulders. Suddenly, Avery's hand twitched, then moved to rest on Zuko's knee. She coughed once as Zuko looked to her in watery-eyed surprise.
"Z-Zuko?" She said softly, weakly.
"Avery?" Zuko gasped, taking her shaking hand.
"Is Iroh... is he..."
"I'm right here, Avery." Iroh said. Avery smiled, eyes unable to lock anything.
"Good." She said. "Zuko?"
"Yes, Avery?" Zuko asked.
"Do... do you think I'll get to see my parents again?" She asked in a whisper. Her breathing slowed to a near stop and her eyes closed. Zuko stared in surprise eyes watering.
"Avery?" no response. "Avery..." she remained quiet. "Avery!"
"Zuko, let them help." Iroh said calmly, though his eyes showed worry. Zuko continued to hold his limp friend, sobbing into her scarred shoulder. "Avery might survive with her healing."
"Help her." Zuko said. Katara kneeled on Avery's opposite side and uncapped her water pouch, the water flowing around her hands. She placed her hands to Avery's wound and the water began to glow...
And I'm evil enough to leave it there. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!