Sorry my life got a bit complicated. I'm trying to get into a schedule and when I do updates will come quicker.
Again I own nothing in this story. Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto and Avatar the Last Airbender toMichael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko.
Tracking is an interesting job. It is both easier and harder to track than be tracked as when tracking you only have to focus on what the target is doing whereas they on the other hand have to focus on you and where to go next. The downside of this is that you are always one step behind as you continually have to react to their movements as they are dictating the flow of the chase. As such chasing is hardly ever a simple event and it was not helped in this instance as not only one group was chasing the same target, but two. Interestingly enough both groups consisted of teams of three who had astounding similarities between them although at this point both were completely oblivious to this. Of course one group were not by themselves, the actual combatants numbed more, but the true team consisted of three individuals who lead the convoy of tanks on a destructive rampage towards their target.
The other team preferred a more eco-friendly approach to the chase, taking the trees. Not only was this a great form of exercise and stamina training it also kept you awake and was much harder to spot.
Tree hopping was a great way to travel. It was stealthy, quick and helped train stamina and reflexes. It was always a thrill for a young genin to first try it as the exhilarating trip was unforgettable. Watching the trees turn into blurs as you hopped past was entertaining as was slowing down and taking in the scenery before continuing. Even some of the older ninja relished the chance to travel through the trees some doing it for fun or sport. The great thing about it was you never stopped being able to do it. Much like a civilian would learn to ride a bike a shinobi would learn to tree jump and it would be something that would stay with them for life as an invaluable skill for work or pleasure and, just like a bicycle, you could improve at it and perfect it into an art form. Of course most tracking jobs involved traps left behind by the enemy and spotting them in the thick undergrowth could be a challenge. Which is why team Gai found trailing in this world ridiculously easy.
"I know flying increases their speed, but it just screams 'here I am feel free to shoot me down'!" Tenten cried looking upwards at the physics defying bison.
"I don't know who's worse here." Neji responded elegantly flipping from one branch to another leaving, but a few leaves fluttering or a shaking branch to tell of his presence. "The avatar on his bison which signifies him and makes him a clear target or the other group who started tailing recently. They are both painfully obvious."
"At least the Avatar can be slightly stealthy and with his powers he can defend in the air it should be his specialty after all." Lee said grabbing a branch and swinging around it to flip to a higher branch in the adjacent tree. "The bison does not make nearly as much noise as the metal constructions the other group has and flying would be a most youthful method of transportation!"
"That maybe so" Neji replied. "But that other group has no excuse. Those metal constructs create far too much noise and are tearing through trees and spitting out smoke. They have to be the most obvious trackers ever."
"What's the plan?" Tenten asked.
"We should investigate these new players as any unknown quantities could prove lethal given the right circumstances." Neji replied changing course.
"Come on we need to set an ambush." Neji yelled heading off towards the metal vehicles.
***
The armoured column rumbled on. They were making good time on the avatar, but still Azula was impatient.
"Why haven't we caught up yet?" she commanded from her throne towards the back of the command deck. Even in the hard metal environment of the tank the princess still had her creature comforts softening the area with cushions and felts and padding to make the princess comfortable.
"We're sorry princess, but the avatar can fly directly whereas we sometimes have to make slight deviations from our path." The chief engineer spoke up. After seeing the stormy look on Azula's face he quickly added "But don't worry your highness as time passes the avatar and his bison will tire and slow down because of fatigue. Then we will easily be able to catch up to him."
"For your sake that better be soon." Azula commented idly reclining back in her throne and brushing back one of the bangs hanging down from her top knot. For what it's worth this comment could be considered an empty threat, a statement said with no real backing. However as this was the princess of the Fire Nation saying it, even lightly, it was taken deadly seriously.
The convoy continued on its journey, now in stony silence with not even the ever energetic Ty Lee interjecting an optimistic comment. Unfortunately for the Fire Nation inhabitants the Land of Fire's shinobi team had taken an interest in them and unknown to them lay in wait. The first clue to something being wrong was when there was a slight shudder and the tank lurched to the left before crashing through several trees and rolling to a stop.
"P.. Princess Azula ma'am" a timed voice spoke up. "I'm afraid that something has taken out our wheels. The chassis is under heavy strain and we are going to have to stop for repairs."
"Ahh" screamed Azula slamming her fist down onto the armrest of her throne. In her rage she used her firebending and the armrest started melting into molten slag.
"Ugh now we have to walk." Muttered Mai from her slouching position.
"It could be fun!" bubbled Ty Lee "Come on let's go exploring maybe we can find some interesting places around here."
"I doubt it" Mai rebutted. "The Earth Kingdom is so boring."
"It might not be a bad idea to carry on though." Azula said under her breath. "Right you get this tank up and running whilst me, Mai and Ty Lee will explore ahead. You must catch up to us as soon as possible as you surely don't expect your princess to walk."
"Yes ma'am" the engineers cried hurrying to their workstations. Azula and her cohorts left the tank convoy in a bustle of activity with engineers dashing round holding schematics and hammers trying to quickly get the convoy operational again.
"C'mon girls" Azula said. "You give me too little credit." She announced walking to one of the derailed tanks. She reached up and smashed her palm into the door making it slide down onto the ground. When the dented metal fully hit the floor Azula walked in and soon rode out on a lizard.
"Saddle up girls. This looks like a trap and I fully intend to meet the idiots brave enough to try to spring a trap on me!" She cried and not waiting for her friends she rode off along the dirt path.
Harsh sunlight poured down onto the ground, covering the hard dirt path. Clouds of dust rose from the steps of the Mongoose Dragon partially obscuring the three figures riding them. They had been following the trail as Azula had spotted a shadow moving through the trees at the scene of the crash and two more shadows appeared from time to time, enticing the three girls and leading them further down the path. The trees swayed in the breeze offering cover to those who would seek refuge in them and the shadows they cast. Small tufts of grass poked themselves out around the path and wild flowers and weeds overtook any space left. Long vines hung from trees and leaves fluttered in the gentle caress of the wind. A small flash of light erupted from one of the shadows and ended with a kunai quivering in the ground before the Mongoose Dragons, startling them, but the three Fire Nation girls reigned in their mounts with practised ease.
"Who goes there?!" Azula questioned. "Who dare attacks the fire princess?" she addressed the shadows. Her questions were awarded with a figure slinking their way through the trees to jump down and land in front of the path.
"I'm talking to royalty... I'm honoured." He said his long brown hair blowing lightly around him. Azula was stunned. She must have looked right at him several times and never seen him, still she had to keep her face up in front of other people so the only emotion that crossed her mildly pretty features was one of annoyance.
"State your name stranger. You must know I am the fire bending prodigy." She coldly stated looking down from her dragon. She glanced at Mai and Ty Lee. Mai's face hadn't changed, no surprise there, but Ty Lee was looking at his white robe clad form like Zuko would look at someone offering his honour. That thought Azula found mildly amusing, but turned her attention back to the stranger before her.
"Yes I've heard of you." He said motioning with his hands. "But what I would like to know is why you are chasing the avatar."
"Ohhh your cute!" Ty Lee giggled causing the stranger to look startled for a second before a grimace briefly covered his features.
"I've had enough of your bravado! I'll teach you to mock me!" Azula almost screeched finally tired of the farce her interrogation seemed to have devolved into. She struck out with her right hand causing blue flames to appear and engulf the stranger or at least she thought they did.
"You are impatient aren't you?" The stranger said again appearing unscathed from the flames. "Fine my name is Neji"
"You must be blind not to realise who you're really talking to" Mai muttered idly flicking her own throwing knife up and down in the air.
"Yes you stupid blind... peasant." Azula spoke. "Now I demand you tell me where you come from and if you are an enemy you will surrender or you will die."
Neji smirked at this.
"I come" he said "from the Land of Fire."
"Land of Fire... is that slang for the Fire Nation?" Ty Lee questioned looking towards Azula and Mai.
"Not that I've heard of." Came her reply from Mai.
"Regardless what is your purpose, setting a trap for me is punishable by death, but I'm curious why are you tracking the avatar?" Azula commanded.
"I need to ask a favour of him." Came the reply. "Why are you after him."
"Because he is a threat to our great nation." Came Azula's response. "And you appear to be a traitor so I'm going to have to kill you!" Azula cried readying her bending which caused Mai and Ty Lee to adopt battle stances whilst mounted.
"If you fight well enough we'll just capture you ok!" Ty Lee chipped in.
"Fighting me would be unwise." Neji said.
"Oh and why's that." Azula responded. "I'm a genius firebender who can make blue flames. Ty Lee has her acrobatic style that is unbeatable and Mai is an expert weapon user. We have you out numbered and out manoeuvred."
"I wouldn't say that." Neji replied.
"Oh and why is that" Azula condescendingly replied.
"Because you naively assumed I was alone.
"So?"
"I'm not" Neji said motioning with his hands again.
"I wish to fight the genius to prove that with hard effort I can beat a natural genius!" said a Green clad teenager leaning against a tree.
"Neji I wish to fight this Azula genius now."
"If you wish Lee I'll take the Ty Lee girl."
"So what about Mai?" Azula said still confident that she had the upper hand. "She'll pincushion you before we even have to bother with you."
"Tenten?" Neji asked.
"A weapon master huh?" A new voice spoke up, this time it was a female. "I think I can match that." Azula and her friends looked up to see a girl with her brown hair tied up in two buns squatting on a tree branch on the opposite side of the path to Lee.
"Three on three seems fair" Neji commented. "Our teams seem to match quite well don't you think?"
"Ugh" Azula said forward flipping off her Dragon. She extended one leg out and ignited a fire stream after it to form a wheel of fire before she came spinning down in an axe kick. Neji quickly leapt backwards to avoid the attack as the fire speed up her attack as well as providing more power to it. Before Azula could try to attack again Lee jumped forwards a launched a spin kick at her head forcing her to duck under his leg. Neji on the other hand advanced on Ty Lee leaping up and throwing a couple of shuriken throwing stars at her which were in turn deflected by Mai's kunai. Mai sent more throwing knives arcing towards Neji in aid of her friend, but senbon needles impacted on them in the air throwing them off course. Tenten flipped off her branch whilst taking more senbon needles out and flinging them at Mai causing her to take drop off her dragon and slide round so the projectiles whizzed harmlessly over her head to embed themselves in the tree situated behind Mai.
"Alright I will defeat you to show that with hard effort I can beat a natural genius!" Lee exclaimed feinting a right roundhouse kick only to send a left punch lashing round to target Azula's face. Azula ducked in retaliation and did a back flip again igniting the area around her to make a circle of fire as she flipped. Lee leapt back onto his hands and then onto his feet to avoid the blow before leaping up onto a nearby tree and pushing off it to gain momentum causing the area where he stood to splinter and shatter as he took off making it rain bark down onto the soft grass and mud below.
"Leaf Rising Gale!" Lee yelled sending all his velocity into one kick catching Azula square in the chest sending her flying back to crash into a shadowed tree. Lee sprinted after her flying body and as he disappeared amongst the trees blasts of blue fire erupted from out of the forest illuminating his silhouette before he disappeared again.
"I hope Lee will be alright... he can get carried away." Neji mused.
"You don't have time to worry about him cutie!" Ty Lee cooed launching a barrage of strikes towards Neji's chakra points. Neji however recognised the style and easier dodged and weaved his way out of the landslide of attacks.
"What?! How are you predicting my moves?" Ty Lee asked as Neji's hand brushed past the side of her head as she hastily pulled away to the side.
"Because I know your fighting style!" Neji replied. Dropping down to deliver a sweeping kick to Ty Lee's legs brushing them aside as she tried to jump over the attack too late. Neji then proceeded to aim and deliver a strike to her stomach with his right hand.
"Eight trigrams empty palm!" Neji yelled pulling off the attack at close range to deliver maximum devastation.
Ty Lee yelled in pain as the attack travelled straight through her blasting her into the dirt road causing dust and debris to fly up from the powerful strike. As the dust settled Ty Lee lay writhing in agony gasping and forcing out choked coughs.
"W...what power!" She hacked out rolling over and getting to her knees. "Now I defiantly want to keep you!"
"It's a shame I already have problems with being caged then." Neji replied readying a stance.
"Well like it or not I will cage you." Ty Lee replied oblivious to the circumstances sending more of her attacks towards Neji.
"You just don't get it do you? I can read your every attack! Since you're persistent Eight Trigrams Sixty Four Palms!" Neji yelled spinning and weaving delivering blows to Ty Lees chakra points. Since Ty Lee fights with the same objectives in mind she managed to divert some of the attacks, but even with her efforts she could only minimize the damage dealt at best and still took the brunt of the attack.
"Ty Lee!" Mai yelled glancing at her friend before she had to duck out the way of a kunai and roll to avoid the senbon follow up attack.
"I don't have time for this!" She exclaimed flinging her own kunai in retaliation only to have then sniped out of the sky by Tenten's return blows. Tenten landed o a branch and reached behind her pulling out a ring with four blades lined up in a puff of smoke. Calmly holding it in front of her she swung the blades round to form a giant shuriken.
"Demon wind shuriken windmill of shadow." Tenten cried leaping off her branch to deliver her attack with extra force. The shuriken flew straight down towards Mai causing her to fling herself hastily to the side. The demon wind shuriken impacted with a loud thud into the ground where Mai soon grabbed it and with a bit of effort pulled it out. With one sweeping motion Mai drew and cast the shuriken back at Tenten who lazily caught the shuriken out of the sky along with the three kunai Mai sent up in its wake for insurance spinning them around her fingers.
"Is that the best you can do?" Tenten questioned hopping down onto the ground. Mai threw more kunai at Tenten as Ty Lee got back up and started running forward albeit stumbling slightly towards Tenten.
"Our teamwork is impressive, we'll take you down together!" They cried Ty Lee cart wheeling round to deliver two kicks with the back of her heels which Neji caught in his palms appearing in front of Tenten in a split second.
"You're not the only team!" He said throwing her back before leaping into a tree to avoid a barrage of shuriken stars. Ty Lee leapt forward again only to get caught on Tenten's staff and sent flying towards the ground where Mai rushed to catch her.
"I'll get you, you stupid commoner!" Came from the trees as Lee darted out of them. Azula breathed out to ready herself before stepping forward and punching with both hands letting out a stream of fire incinerating the trees around her on its destructive path to Rock Lee causing the other four combatants to scatter.. Lee jumped up at the last second and appeared squatting in mid air over the gout of flame.
"You can't escape!" Azula yelled twisting her hands round and opening her fists. This time the fire spread out into the column and even the air where Lee had taken refuge wasn't safe anymore. Although Lee had already vacated the spot and was rushing towards Azula bouncing off trees and appearing only as a blur with destroyed bark marking his presence. Lee ended up appearing behind Azula and delivered a flying, spinning round kick to the back of her head causing her to stumble forward and the great wall of blue flames was extinguished. Lee looked slightly worse for wear as slight burn marks could be seen on his jacket and his hair was slightly ruffled. Azula however looked a bit worse for wear as she stumbled to her feet again back on the dirt road after Lee's kick.
"Ugh!" she screamed sending off another column of fire around her which her teammates skilfully avoided knowing it was coming. The ninja jumped back to clear the distance and a slight rumbling could be heard in the distance. Tenten and Mai threw more weapons at the opposing groups as Lee rushed to Azula and attempted to leg sweep her. Ty Lee leapt and grabbed onto Neji's shoulders before swinging around them to deliver blows to the back of Neji's legs making her stumble and fall down. Ty Lee capitalized her chance with a quick blow to the head before Neji could counter and then she back flipped over three kunai that would have struck her in the back of her head had she not moved. Time seemed to move in slow motion as the kunai swept under Ty Lee's body in mid air, passing under her arcing back before time resumed its normal course and the kunai embed themselves deep in a tree. Mai took this as an opportunity to close the distance between herself and Tenten and used her kunai at close range causing a few glancing blows in the sudden rush. The rumbling was louder know and the three groups stopped to look as the first tank came crashing down the path towards them.
"Princess Azula!" A fire nation captain cried from the top of the tank. "We'll help you!"
"Hmph time to leave." Neji stated jumping up into a tree. "Don't think you've won we'll meet again!" he cried leaving to seek shelter in the shadowy depths of the forest with Tenten soon following him..
"We know when we must retreat" Lee said. "The odds are now against us so we must part ways here, you have been a most youthful opponent." And having said this Lee followed Neji and Tenten into the shadows.
"You idiots!" Azula cried at the tank. "The fight interrupted by my own ignorant underlings." She ranted before storming back into the tank and ordering the crews to hurry up the search for the avatar. Not to mention that she wanted information about the three mysterious players in this massive real time game of chess.
***
In a clearing only a few miles down the road the three ninja had gathered to reassess their plans.
"Neji what will we do?" Tenten asked. "We obviously do not share the same allegiances despite us both coming from a country of fire."
"Fire Nation and Land of Fire..." Neji said scratching out diagrams on the earth. "We will follow them" He said looking up. "We will adopt the third position in this chase and follow them so we can keep an eye on not only the avatar, but these Fire Nation warriors."
"A good plan Neji." Lee said.
"Yes so we should head out as soon as we can to follow through with the plan. This chase will reach a climax soon and we need to be there when it happens."
"Let's go then." Tenten said leaping into the tree tops. Neji and Lee followed speeding along following the path of the Fire Nation tanks.
***
The sun started to rise over the distant mountains bathing the land in shadow. Four groups however were up and moving in a desperate chase situation. Three groups chasing the fourth a lone rider and two trios. Azula and her two cohorts had split up from the tank convoy enabling them to traverse ground quicker with their nimbler mounts they were now also less obvious to spot. Even stealthier however was the other trio who never stayed in the same place long enough for anyone to get more than a glimpse of them as the continued their fast paced trip through the trees. The last member of the chasers rode alone which helped him travel unnoticed, but would count against him in a combat situation.
Zuko rode alone, he had split up from his uncle Iroh a while back as he had been holding him back with his conscientious objector views regarding Azula. A rustle caught his attention to the left of his peripheral vision. Wasting no time Zuko sent a blast arcing out towards it only for it to explode into the tree to reveal nothing. The next thing Zuko knew was several wires spreading out from a tree to his right creating a spider web around him and blocking off his movement. A girl appeared from the tree clothed in white and red robes.
"So you're the other pursuer." She stated.
"Who the hell are you!?" Zuko demanded not put off by the thin steel wires surrounding him.
"I would not be asking questions if I was in your position." A different voice this time, deeper , stronger, to the right. Zuko's head whipped round to see a green clothed individual walk out onto the path from the trees.
"Why are you chasing the avatar? From your clothes I'd guess you're Fire Nation, but you're on a parallel path to your precious princess." The girl said.
"I am prince Zuko heir to the throne. I am chasing the avatar to regain my honour." Zuko claimed. "Know tell me who you are."
"We are shinobi... from the Land of Fire." The girl said. "And if you're after the avatar to capture him that makes us enemies, but I must wonder why you aren't with your sister. Did you fall out?"
"Ugh... If you must know I was banished." Zuko ground out.
"That explains it then. It all comes down to honour." A new voice spoke this time coming from behind. Zuko turned to see a white robed individual with the longest hair Zuko had ever seen... on a guy.
A great crashing sound could be heard emanating from up ahead.
"Shit we need the avatar." The latest arrival cursed and to Zuko's amazement veins began to stand out around his eyes.
"We'll have to deal with you later. Lee! Tenten! We need to go now! Azula's catching up because of the avatar's bison leaving a trail." The robed man said leaping over Zuko and then dashin off at a speed not even a mongoose dragon could emulate.
"Wait my eternal rival!" Came the response from Lee as he followed moving even quicker than the first if that was even possible.
"Ugh I wish those two would wait for me..." The girl, Tenten complained easily pulling back her wire like a master fisherman would pull in his line and she too departed.
***
Neji landed gracefully at what looked like a battlefield. He observed the fur laying peacefully on the ground blowing amiably in the wind contrasted against the wrecked trees that scattered bark and logs onto the ground.
"They've split up" he said as Tenten glided down to land next to Neji.
"What should we do Neji? Who's split up and where have they gone?"
"I'm not sure, but what I can tell is that the avatar has gone that way and he has been followed by one of those three girls, probably Azula their leader." Neji said pointing towards the trail of fur.
"Then the destroyed trees?" Lee asked.
"The bison has gone that way, only it could cause that level of destruction at that height." Neji said.
"Lee, Tenten pursue the bison and help the other members of 'Team Avatar' I'll handle the avatar and his pursuer."
"Got it Neji" came two responses as Lee and Tenten jumped onto and over the wreckage in pursuit.
"And so we reach end game..." Neji said dashing off after the avatar.
A rider approached the clearing after team Gai's disappearance.
"So that's the avatars location."
***
A blast of wind cut through the clearing hurling Ty Lee and Mai into the freezing cold waters of the river.
"Thanks Appa. I don't know what we'd do without you." Sokka said gratefully receiving a giant lick in return. Meanwhile in the river Ty Lee and Mai were dragging themselves out of the river to flop down on the bank.
"Was it just me, or was that guy kinda cute" Ty Lee said squeezing water out of her braid whilst turning to face Mai.
"You fancy every half decent boy we might." Came Mai's response.
"Maybe..." Ty Lee replied putting her hand under her chin in a thoughtful pose. "Still we should go back to face them again, Azula won't be pleased if we don't."
"Ugh fine..." Mai said slowly rising to her feet to follow the ever energetic Ty Lee back towards the Avatar's two friends.
"Hi!" Ty Lee announced cheerfully to them. "You're not getting rid of us that easily."
"Oh crud! Not again, we can't beat them!" Katara moaned as Mai trapped Appa within the trees and her throwing weapons.
"We're doomed!" Sokka wailed.
"Don't be so climatic." Ty Lee chided reaching forward to tap Katara's chakra points to take away her bending again. Whilst she did this Mai readied and threw several kunai at Sokka to incapacitate him. They never hit their target. Several kunai came raining down repelling all of Mai's kunai and sending them spinning away.
"What!?" Mai questioned. "Wait is it her again?"
As Ty Lee was about to hit Katara's first chakra point and disable her a blur impacted onto her arm in a kick forcing her attack off target. The blur then proceeded to flip over Ty Lee's head to land standing behind her. The next thing Ty Lee knew was a heel coming towards the side of her face in a backwards free style round kick. The kick landed square in her jaw sending her flying into Mai and casting them back into the river.
"YOU!" four people yelled at once as Katara, Sokka, Mai and Ty Lee all stared in shock at the two figures standing in front of them. The male clothed in all green and the female dropping down from the trees.
"Did you miss us?" Tenten questioned. "We never did get to finish our fight."
"Come Tenten we must finish this quickly so we can hurry to Neji's aid!" Lee yelled dashing towards the river.
"Ugh Lee wait!" Tenten let out in an exasperated sigh. She turned to face Katara and Sokka. "Sorry he's always like this... we'll explain later." She said to Sokka and Katara's questioning looks.
To Sokka and Katara's shock when Lee got to the river he didn't hit the water and go flying through, but he started going over it.
"What on earth are they?" Katara asked her brother.
"I don't know..." Sokka replied. "But they seem to be our allies for the moment."
Tenten stood on the water whilst Mai stood in the river with water washing around her ankles, the current making it hard for her to stand.
"You again huh?" Mai asked. "You were enough of a pain last time, but now you're just getting in the way."
"Maybe, but I think that this time I should just nip this fight in the bud since we honestly have no time to waste and you're already weakened."
"You think you can?" Mai questioned flinging her throwing weapons out.
"I know I can because I always hit my target!" Tenten announced reaching behind her to pull out two small scrolls.
"No need to go full out just yet." Tenten muttered whilst placing her scrolls on top of the water which miraculously stayed dry.
"Twin Rising Dragons" She yelled flying upwards as her two scrolls expanded upwards in two trails of smoke that looked like dragons, this sent her flying high above Mai's attacks and Mai was forced to quickly reassess her trajectory.
"You won't escape me!" She said throwing weapons up and Tenten. Unfortunately for Mai she was massively outgunned as Tenten produced several hundred weapons from her scrolls flinging her steel avalanche at Mai bombarding her with a rain of weapons. Mai brought her arms up to protect her face, but still received many cuts which started leaking blood into the river, which wasn't helped by the fact that the impact of the weapons made her lose her balance and she stumbled over and fell backwards into the river.
"MAI!" Ty Lee yelled appearing seemingly from nowhere. She picked up Mai and carried her to the shore. Water was being blasted up from down the river as Lee sprinted towards Ty Lee.
A scream of what sounded vaguely like 'Youth' was heard as Lee caught up with Ty Lee disappearing behind her to back kick her over the river. Lee then dashed around her to deliver a kick from a crouch to launch Ty Lee into the air. Lee landed onto all fours before launching himself up after Ty Lee.
"Shadow of the Dancing Leaf!" Lee cried from under Ty Lee.
"Lee you're not going to use that are you?" Tenten questioned, slightly panicky Sokka and Katara noticed.
"Do not worry youthful Tenten and Ty Lee I will not perform that technique in this battle!" Lee replied. Instead he grabbed Ty Lee's arms and legs with his and began to spin round in the air before he let go allowing her to fly down to land in a cloud of earth next to Mai. Lee then proceeded to land next to Tenten.
"You were a most youthful opponent, but I am afraid that I could not lose." He said whilst Tenten made her way back to shore.
"Hi" she said looking at Katara and Sokka. "Where's the other one?" she asked.
"What do you mean?" Katara asked trying desperately to get into some semblance of a defensive stance.
"You know" Lee said walking towards the group. "When we last saw you there was that other girl... did she go with the avatar somehow?"
"She can't have Lee we didn't see any more tracks and the bison is over there." Tenten pointed out.
"She has... temporarily left our group." Sokka said looking down.
"Ah" Tenten acknowledged. "Anyway our leader sent us here to find and help you."
"Why... why are you helping us. Toph said you broke in and were against us." Katara countered. To which Tenten face palmed.
"Ah yes well we were going to try to warn you about Xin Fu and those other Earth Rumble people, but we kinda failed." She said scratching the b ack of her head and laughing lightly.
"Anyway" Lee said. "We now need to head back to help the avatar. Our leader went after him to help him with Azula."
"But how do we know you're trustworthy?" Sokka questioned.
"There's no time" Tenten said.
"Bu..."
"Look I know you're curious, but we'll explain later when both our groups and fully gathered."
"Fine temporally truce then" Katara said. "C'mon let's get going. Climb onto Appa everyone!"
"Katara you can't just trust them like that... they're probably with the Fire Nation or something!"
"Sokka shut up!" Katara yelled at her brother. "Finding and helping Aang takes precedence right now."
"Fine, but don't blame me if we die mid-flight." Sokka said as he gave up and started walking towards Appa. Lee was already on having easily vaulted up whilst Tenten climbed up with Katara.
"Yip yip" Katara said taking the reins.
***
The wind blew through the abandoned desert town ruffling the avatar's clothes as he stood determined facing the entryway to the town where Azula mounted on her mongoose dragon approached.
"Alright, you've caught up with me. Now who are you and what do you want?" Aang asked.
"You mean you haven't guessed? You don't see the family resemblance? Here's a hint.I must find the Avatar to restore my honour." Azula replied imitating Zuko's voice whilst sweeping her hair to the side with her hand to cover one eye. The avatar's response was subpar as he just stared blankly back at Azula.
"It's okay. You can laugh. It's funny." Azula said.
"So what now" Aang asked.
"Now… Now it's over. You're tired and you have no place to go. You can run, but I'll catch you." Azula replied.
"I'm not running." Aang replied getting ready for battle.
Aang and Azula faced each other down along the long road leading through the ghost town.
"Do you really want to fight me?" Azula asked.
"Yes!" Zuko yelled charging from an ally way to land in-between Azula and Aang. He dismounted his ostrich horse and threw away his straw hat. "I really do."
"Zuko!" Aang yelled in return.
"I was wondering when you'd show up Zuzu." Azula said.
"Zuzu" The avatar chuckled.
"I met some very interesting people on my way here Azula. They sounded like they had a bone to pick with you." Zuko claimed.
"Ah too bad. When they turn up I'll have the avatar in captivity so I won't be in the mood to chat." Azula replied.
"Back off Azula he's mine!" Zuko yelled as the three got into fighting stances point one arm at the avatar and Azula respectively.
"I'm not going anywhere." Azula replied as the three started staring each other down, trying to psyche each other out. They stood still sizing each other up, trying to decide whether to strike first or bide their time. To strike first could gain an advantage, but should it fail the other two could easily strike back. Eventually it was Azula who tired of the wait first so he shot out a blast of blue fire at Zuko who returned in kind with a wall of his fire. The flame wall absorbed most of the impact, but Zuko was still thrown to the ground by the attack. Aang jumped up, using his airbending to try and gain the upper ground in the air, but Azula shot him out of the sky with a well-aimed fire wave. As Aang fell he rotated his staff round like a helicopter to keep airborne longer as well as to clear his landing zone. Whilst he was doing this Azula had blasted her way up a nearby building with her firebending and once at the top she leapt off igniting like a comet to come crashing down at the avatar. Aang jumped backwards and spun his staff around in front of him to block the fire balls sent his way by both Fire Nation royalties. The blasts eventually knocked him over and Azula grinned as she sent out a finishing blow. Aang grimaced as his end approached. He knew that even though it was Azula she wouldn't kill him, but bring him back as a trophy.
"Eight Trigrams Palms Heavenly Spin!" echoed out around the buildings as a forth combatant entered the fight. The wall of protective blue chakra whipped around the newcomer and Aang as the fire lapped around the defensive shell.
"Sorry, but I don't feel like chatting either." The new man said standing up.
"You... why did you protect me? I thought you wanted to kill me." Aang asked as Azula's expression flickered between shock and disgust.
"I never wanted to kill you in the first place avatar Aang." Neji replied. "Me and my friends wish to speak with you. My name is Neji, but introductions will have to wait." Neji looked up at Azula.
"Why are you here peasant?!" Azula demanded of Neji.
"So you had met before." Zuko said. "But it doesn't change the fact that I'm going to get the avatar!" Whilst the three had been trading words Aang had gotten up and ran into one of the nearby buildings.
"You can't escape avatar!" Azula cried running after him as Zuko and Neji clashed in a fierce melee behind her. Azula ran up the old, crumbling stone steps to follow the avatar only to almost fall down as when she reached the avatars location the floor was destroyed. Azula's arms flailed as she tried to regains her balance as the avatar sat on an air scooter on the opposite side of the room waving at her. Azula managed to regain her balance and looked up triumphant as to her and Aang's surprise Zuko came dashing in. However he didn't possess Azula's luck so he did plummet down the destroyed floor. Neji was the last to run in. He slipped in bit upon entry and Azula quickly pushed him down.
"How the idiots have fallen." She said before noticing the avatar's shocked face.
"What? I can be funny to." She said before she looked down to see Neji standing sideways on the wall.
"You're beginning to get almost annoying." He said climbing back up onto the ledge.
"I knew it!" Azula screeched. "You have to be some kind of airbender. The Fire Nation scribes who said that only the avatar was left got it wrong. Not that I'm surprised by their stupidity."
"I'm not an airbender" Neji said. "Why don't you Fire Nation people realise this?"
"You can't fool me airbender!" Azula cried launching a barrage of attacks at both supposed airbenders. Neji merely jumped down to land gracefully at the bottom of the building as Aang dissipated his air scooter a bit to fall under the trajectory of the attacks. He then leapt off the air with his air scooter completely disappearing to land on the ledge next to Azula where he proceeded to knock her off. Azula managed to land gracefully next to Neji who she then tried to freestyle round kick. Neji ducked under it before dealing an open palmed attack to Azula's chest sending her flying back into a wall. Azula recovered quickly flinging herself back into the fray and firing off more fireballs.
"Eight Trigrams Empty Palm!" Neji yelled sending his own projectile attack off which cancelled out Azula's forcing her to duck as it blasted a hole in the wall behind her making the wall even more crumbled as sizeable pieces of stone and masonry began to fall down. Aang fled down the steps to arrive back in the street only for a fire blast to knock Zuko flying out of the side of the building. Azula followed soon after with a fiery aura dissipating from around her. A blast of air rocketed past Azula to announce Neji's appearance. As he too climbed out of the rubble. Azula wasted no time in re-initiating her attack on the avatar sending more fire projectiles out towards him causing Aang to jump into an alleyway and then proceed to jump up between the two buildings. Azula kept up the pressure and when the avatar had almost reached the top she sent out a blade of fire to slice the corner off making the avatar stumble and fall although he did managed to grab onto the roof of the building. He was not s lucky the next time as Azula's attack took out more of the building causing the avatar to fall in as the roof collapsed under the strain with rock and timber falling inwards alongside the avatar. Neji rushed to help, but was kept at bay as Azula ignited a fire wall to separate them.
"Damn!" Neji cursed before looking up to see a faint object coming their way... flying to be precise.
"Looks like the cavalry has arrived."
Aang landed hard on the floor in the now ruined building as rubble fell around him. A support beam landed on top of his hand pinning him in place. Azula entered triumphant as she readied her blow to take out the avatar. At the last moment before the strike could be fired a whip made of water coiled itself around Azula's wrist pulling her way.
"Today just isn't my day." Azula muttered landing on the floor as the water whip cracked again this time splitting the beam entombing the avatar.
"Katara!" Aang yelled joyfully as his face went from shock to excitement. Azula fired off blasts at Katara forcing her to retreat with Azula in pursuit and Aang following close behind her. The chase was short lived as Sokka ambushed Azula from an alleyway swinging his club, but hitting only the air. Azula however was forced to stop her pursuit and reassess her situation as Aang, Sokka and Katara formed an arc around her and began to push her back. Azula initiated a fighting retreating sending out blasts of fire and defending with occasional walls of fire. The avatar and his friends responded with their own attacks and guards with a climax being reached as Azula charged Aang breaking the encirclement as Aang jumped out of the way. Azula began to back out of the alleyway now realising that his was a fight she could not hope to win as she was outnumbered and outgunned. As she retreated she was slammed to the ground by a blast of earth.
"I thought you could use a little help." Toph said appearing on the battlefield.
"Thanks!" Katara exclaimed with a full smile on her face.
"It looks like the tables have turned." Neji said as Azula stumbled to her feet only to look down the other way of the main road to see the fully assembled team Gai standing there.
"I take it Mai and Ty Lee lost then." She shouted before turning and entered a rout pulling back from the road into an alleyway.
"Crud not those guys again!" Toph yelled getting ready to attack team Gai.
"We'll explain later!" Aang and Katara said looking at each other shocked as the spoke simultaneously. "For now those guys are on our side."
Aang and Katara lead the charge quickly followed by team Gai.
"Hey I don't trust them either." Sokka said shrugging his shoulders. "But we can get them later."
The battle then entered the alleyway with walls of fire appearing increasingly regularly as less offensive fire based moves were used. As Azula fled out the end she bounced back from someone's belly and as she backed away she realised that it was Iroh's with Zuko standing behind him. She backed away again this time with nine people bearing down on her. She was forced to back away into a ruined corner of a burnt out building.
"Well, look at this. Enemies and traitors all working together. I'm done." Azula said raising her hands in the universal gesture of surrender. "I know when I'm beaten. You got me. A princess surrenders with honour."
Lady luck however had other plans for the combatants as Iroh looked down the line to see Toph standing with the Avatar's group. Azula noticed this and took the opportunity to fire off a blast of blue flames at Iroh hitting him square in the chest knocking him back to the ground. Zuko screamed as he sent off his own attack at Azula with Aang, Katara and Toph also launching their own bending attacks. Neji sent in his own blast of air mixed with chakra whilst Sokka threw his boomerang. Lee and Tenten stayed their attacks knowing that it was pointless to try as without bending or some other elemental power their attacks wouldn't hit in the maelstrom of elements. Azula raised a blue shield of fire to block and the resulting impact shook the town with a terrible explosion and flaming debris rained down from the sky. As the smoke cleared it was revealed the Azula had somehow managed to flee. Zuko ran to his uncle and kneeled down at his side. The members of team avatar approached only for Zuko to turn and yell.
"Get away from us!"
Toph's eyes watered as Katara extended her and.
"Zuko I can help!" Katara said.
Zuko however retaliated with a wave of fire crying.
"Leave!"
"C'mon lets go." Neji said approaching the avatar. "He doesn't want our help so we should leave. Unless we want to make relationships worse we should retreat for now."
"Fine" Aang said hanging his head and leading the group of seven over to Appa. They flew away leaving the smoking ghost town behind them.
"We'll set up camp and rest for the night, you've helped us and we owe you that much." Aang said. "But in the morning we're going to need a full explanation."
"Are you mad Aang! They'll attack us in our sleep!" Sokka cried.
"Sokka if they wanted us dead they would have killed or captured us earlier when they had the chance. After all the help they've given us we owe them a bit of trust." Aang steered his bison towards a nearby mountain where they set up camp.
"Finally" Sokka said flopping down. "I get to sleep."
Bonus - (This is not really important.)
"Welcome to question corner! I am your youthful host Rock Lee!"
"And I'm Tenten this is going to appear sporadically as a bonus much like in the anime of Naruto."
"The question today is 'if ninjas are supposed to show no emotions and effectively have no emotions how come most of them preach about how friendship makes them stronger?"
"That.... that is a hard question. Neji what do you think? What's the answer."
"No comment"
"Well we will have to investigate this further as this does seem to be contradictory."
Unanswered.