Before anything else, I own nothing but the original characters, and content therein related to them. Avatar: The Last Airbender is owned by Nickelodeon, and any mentioned creator's work belongs to them, and them alone.
Well it's official, this story has more favorites and followers than my first and much longer RWBY fanfic, so I'm posting this chapter a week early in celebration.
Chapter 6 Meet The Team.
As the week at sea dragged on, Azula in her quest to find both her brother and the Avatar, was advised by both Lo and Li to travel lighter. The Royal pressession was far too bloated with personnel to move quickly through the Earth Kingdom. She still however needed to gather a team.
"You what?" Connor asked, after she broke the news to him.
"You heard me. I want you to accompany me on a smaller team into Earth Kingdom Territory, because of your innate skills with firearms and natural strength. The Royal Precession is far too large. We'll be taking a steam powered wagon provided by the colony's Army garrison across the country, and make a few stops to pick up old friends of mine. You should feel honored that I decided to bring you along." Azula said, before dawning a small smirk. "Unless you believe you are not up to the task?"
"You can move a wagon with steam?" Connor asked, still seeming confused.
"That's what you're hung up on?" Azula asked in return, her smirk vanishing.
"I get changing into a smaller group, It means we'll be faster, quieter, more precise... But… Steam can move a wagon?" He asked once more.
"For the last time, yes. It's really not that complicated. Now re-pack your things, we're going to the circus." Azula said with a small smile.
The steam powered wagon was, as Connor expected, a large iron machine of which he hardly understood the inner workings of, made in the Fire Nation, sent to the colonies, and ultimately commendired by the princess, along with four creatures called mongoose lizards, which were packed away in the rear car. The steam wagon had three carriages with wheels encircled by caterpillar tracks. One of the carriages was the steam engine itself, which was outfitted with a plow.
It was the most uncomfortable, and yet exhilarating thing he had ridden in his life. Uncomfortable in that his body protested moving at such speeds without a saddle and stirrups, but exhilarating in that the machine was capable of such a feat as if it were magic. They'd only spent about two hours in the ironclad wagon, before the engineers in the front carriage stopped the machine, and Connor found himself in a field just outside of a circus tent at midday.
"Sure beats a horse." Connor said, as he stepped off the carriage behind Azula.
"You mean an ostrich-horse?" Azula asked.
"No, just… Horse?" Connor asked more than answered. Come to think of it, he hadn't seen any non-freak of nature animal combinations since his arrival.
"Come along." Azula said, waving for Connor to follow her.
After a few minutes of Azula looking around, she smirked, and approached a girl performing a handstand… On only two fingers.
"Ty Lee, could that possibly be you?" Azula asked.
"baɪ ɡɒd, ʃiːz drɛst laɪk ə hɔː." Connor muttered to himself, surprised at her athleticism, and exposed midriff.
"Azula?!" Ty Lee said in excitement as she cartwheeled to her feet, spun, which flung her braided hair about, and then bowed, before sumersalting to her feet once more and hugging the Princess.
"It is so good to see you." She said, letting her friend go.
"Please don't let me interrupt… Whatever it is you were doing." Azula said, before Ty Lee spun a full rotation once and faced Connor.
"Who's the big guy?" Ty Lee asked with a grin, before she gasped. "Did you finally get a boyfriend?"
Azula and Connor looked at each other and as Azula pinched her nose, Connor giggled. "No, Ty Lee. This is Connor, one of my servants." Azula said with an eye roll.
"Campbell, at your command." Connor said, giving a small nod with a grin. Ty Lee giggled.
"We're here because I'm on a mission… You remember my old uncle Iroh?" Azula asked, checking her nails.
"Oh yeah, he was so funny." Ty Lee said, as she rolled onto her chest, and then held her feet over her head with ease.
"Well, he's a traitor. Zuko's with him as well, and once we capture them, we're off to hunt down the Avatar… I was wondering if you'd be willing to join me?" Azula asked.
"Oh, gee… I'd love to help Azula, but I'm really happy here. My aura has never been so pink." Ty Lee said, seemingly flexing into a standing position.
"I'll take your word for it… Well, I wouldn't want to impose…" Azula said, walking away, Connor turning to follow her. "Of course I'll be sticking around to watch your performance tonight." Azula said, turning back for just a moment.
Ty Lee shook a little as she attempted to balance on one leg. "Oh… Of course. Thank you Azula. See ya around Cahnor." She said, waving at the redhead with a smile.
Azula turned to walk away once more, and Conner quickened his pace to catch up to her. "Well… She's… Flexible." Connor said with a nod.
"Oh, get your mind out of the gutter." Azula said with an eye roll.
"I'm just saying, she looks like a woman of the town." Conner added.
"Ty Lee is a flirt, an attention seeker, and if I'm to assume something of a floozy. Which is exactly why I'm forbidding you now from even thinking about attempting to romance, or otherwise woo her." Azula said, as she and Connor reached the steam wagon.
"I was joking." Connor said.
Azula sighed. "It's for your own good anyway. She doesn't realize what she does to boys, and manipulates them without even thinking about it." Azula said.
"Is that why you want her on this team? She's the one who seduces men for their secrets?" Connor asked.
"I want Ty Lee on my team because she's the descendant of the only air bender who became part of Fire Nation nobility, and is not only as agile as one, but can knock a man down and out, who's twice her size." Azula argued.
"Doubtful." Connor said, crossing his arms.
"Then perhaps, you'd like to spar with her once she's joined us?" Azula asked.
"She didn't exactly accept your offer, princess." Conner said, and for some reason Azula didn't like the way that Connor sounded.
"Oh believe me… She'll reconsider." Azula said with a smirk.
"It was a lovely performance." Azula said, smiling lightly as Ty Lee wasn't paying attention to her. Azula spoke the truth, after setting the net on fire, and having a few animals let out of their cages, Ty Lee had in fact performed extraordinarily well under the stress. "It's a shame I'm going to miss the next one."
"There won't be a next performance." Ty Lee said, taking off a portion of her costume from the show.
"Oh?" Azula asked, knowingly.
"The universe is sending me strong signs that it's time for a career change, I'd be honored to join you on your mission…" Ty Lee said. Azula couldn't help but smirk. "That, and I can't wait to get to know Cahnor better." And like that Azula's smirk disappeared, and she rolled her eyes.
Conner wasn't invited to the actual performance that night, but he did however hear the sounds of several animals coming from within the tent, and not an hour after the show had closed, Azula returned to the steam wagon with Ty Lee by her side.
Connor stopped sharpening his cutlass, and stuck it in its sheath, as he stood and the duo approached. "Heya Cahnor." Ty Lee said, hugging him, as she mispronounced his name.
"So you're joining us after all?" Conner asked, not so much returning the hug, as he did pat Ty Lee on the top of the head.
"Yup." Ty Lee broke the hug, and nodded at him with a smile. "Soooooo… Is your hair color natural?"
Azula had to sit and listen to Ty Lee's constant conversing with Connor for the whole two days it took the steam wagon to get to Omashu. It was almost nauseating how she practically stuck to him, asking question after question, about his hair, and his skin, and where he was from, and on and on and on, with every answer being so readily believed by the spiritual girl. Connor hadn't even lied to her once so far as Azula knew, yet his stories were taken at face value, ridiculous as they sounded. The most notable, and arguably impossible one, being about a man named J P Jones, from the war Connor's country had fought last.
Ty Lee naturally took everything as confirmation of her beliefs in a whole assortment of other theories. Granted Connor was thrust unto the world by spirits, as all logic dictated... But it didn't mean that "fairies" were real, or that Azula had a "hazy aura." Whatever that meant.
Thankfully once the three had arrived at the mountain city, Ty Lee had significantly calmed down and Connor stopped telling his tall tails.
As Azula approached her old friend Mai, with Connor and Ty Lee at her flanks, the governor's daughter gave a small bow before she spoke. "Please tell me you're here to kill me." After what seemed like a moment of seriousness, Mai gave a small smile, and both she and Azula chuckled, before Ty Lee hugged her friend.
"It's great to see you Mai." Azula said.
"I thought you joined the circus, Ty Lee? You said it was your calling." Mai questioned, as Ty Lee broke her hug.
"Well, Azula called a little louder…" Ty Lee said, before leaning in to whisper to her friend, cupping a hand to her mouth. "That, and her servant is like, super cute." Ty Lee said, before lightly waving to Connor, who was occupied scratching a scab on his knuckle.
"Bleg." Mai said, cringing at the sight of the strange looking young man. "Your taste in boy's hasn't changed."
Azula rolled her eyes endearingly at Ty Lee, before speaking to Mai. "I'm on a mission, Mai, and I need your help."
Without another word Mai gave her commitment with what sounded like enthusiasm from the dull girl. "Count me in, anything to get me out of this place."
"Why Mai, you sound like you aren't enjoying your solitude away from Fire Nation court politics." Azula said jokingly.
"It's not that." Mai said with a small glare out towards the mountains in the distance.
Connor did not sit during the meeting. He stood beside the two Imperial Guard that Azual brought with her from the procession, and watched, as Azula practically beat the governor with words. After all it took to capture the city, (all 300 some cannon balls,) and the governor had simply let the resistance out of the city, and allowed his son to be kidnapped from under him by the same group.
Conner hadn't the faintest idea of the politics of Omashu, but he'd sort of figured that the governor was a prick if he couldn't manage his citizens without a rebellion only a month after he'd been appointed. Not that he agreed with the idea of appointing anyone into a position of power, but it wasn't his country to run.
In any event, there was a hostage exchange taking place at noon, as the resistance was offered their former king in exchange for the kidnapped child, and Azula took charge of it, worrying the governor would fail. Naturally she requested Ty Lee, Mai, and Connor to accompany her.
Azula and her company climbed to the peak of the city where the statue of her father was being built, and on the wooden platform, she found three people, roughly her own age, and Mai's infant brother in their care. Suspended from a crane in an iron casket above them was King Bumi, his face exposed. Bumi was lowered down to the same level as everyone else, and Mai stepped forward a pace. "You've brought my brother?" She asked plainly.
"He's here. We're ready to trade." The shortest of the three opposing them said.
"I'm sorry, but a thought just occurred to me… Do you mind?" Azula asked.
"Of course not, princess." Mai said.
"We're trading a two year old for a king… Powerful earthbending king?" Azula asked, and Bumi nodded his exposed head beside her and Conner. "It just doesn't seem like a fair trade does it?"
Mai narrowed her eyes at the three in front of them, and understood the point Azula was trying to make. They could cancel the deal, and have the rebels followed. Tomtom could be retrieved in the night without the loss of a valuable prisoner.
"Now hold on." Conner said, speaking out of turn. "Those bastards took a child." Connor pointed to the three people in front of him. "This man is how old?" Connor asked King Bumi.
"One hundred and twelve." Bumi said with a smile.
"One hundred and…" Connor was near slack jawed in shock at the man. "You look amazing for your age. My point stands. He could keel over and die in a month's time, powerful bender or not. I say if we're giving up an old man for a young lad, we are winning that trade in the cost of years." Connor said. Mai considered the option as well. Her brother had his whole life ahead of him, and the king was nearing the end of his, far safer not to risk the child's life in stealing him back.
"Connor…" Azula said threateningly. "This isn't your decision to make."
"Alright, calm down, princess… Mai, it's your brother." Connor said, stepping back.
Mai glanced to her left and right. She was surprised that Azula's servant was so bold to speak to her of all people in such a tone, and as much as Mai agreed with him, she had known Azula longer and trusted her judgment. "The deal's off."
As the king's iron coffin began to rise with the crane lifting it into the sky, the shortest of the three teens in front of Connor took off sprinting at them. Azula acted quickly, and blasted him with a gout of blue fire, however the boy jumped clear over the flames, and with a display of acrobatic ability, kicked off a section of scaffolding at full speed.
From the staff he carried, wings sprouted, and the boy took off into the air. "The Avatar." Azula said to herself, before turning to see Mai, Ty Lee and Connor looking up at the spectacle of the flying boy.
"Wɛl aɪl biː dæmd, hiːz ˈflaɪɪŋ!" Conner said in his native tongue, as he watched in amazement.
"You three, deal with the peasants and get the child… The Avatar is mine." Azula said, before taking off deeper into the construction site to gain the high ground.
Connor, snapping out of his stupor, heard Azula's orders. Seeing a girl of Azula's height with an Indian's complexion, and a boy of the same skin tone who was not much larger, Connor simply began marching over to the two, hoping his size would intimidate them. "Hand the kid over." He said, not bothering to raise his musket. "I won't say it twice."
The boy backed up, blowing on a broken whistle keeping the toddler safe in his free arm, while the younger girl approached him. She drew water from a pouch with her bending, and whipped Conner to the side with it as she drew. Landing on his back, Connor groaned, not expecting the water to hit so hard, or the girl to have had bending powers. "ˈfʌkɪŋ ˈmæʤɪk." Connor muttered.
Mai filled his place, throwing three knives at the waterbending girl, though the tribal woman broke off sections off the wooden platform they were standing on, the planks being torn from the ground by a slash from the water, creating shields for her, all three of which were slapped in Mai's direction after they'd blocked the thrown knives. Mai ducked under the wooden slats, as Conner rolled to his feet, and cocked his musket.
Katara's eyes went wide, recognizing the weapon that the red haired man wielded as the same Sokka was given by Master Paku. The same weapon responsible for creating the grizzly injuries she aided in treating after the Northern Invasion. Reflexively Katara created a barrier between her and Conner with what water she had, as Connor aimed and fired.
The lead ball rocketed into the ice, sending shards of frozen water and mist everywhere as the much softer lead disintegrated on impact, sufficiently shocking the girl into taking a step closer to the boy who had backed up towards the edge of the platform.
From behind, Ty Lee sprung up to the platform, and struck the darker skinned girl three times, before backing away, the water being held by the girl in blue dropping to the floor. Slightly unimpressed, Conner drew his pistol. "kæn leɪ ə mæn twaɪs hɜː saɪz daʊn, maɪ æs." Conner said, before from the sky above them, a giant six legged white bison appeared, landing between the two groups, teeth barred in a growl at Conner, Mai and Ty Lee. With a frightful shout, Conner let off his pistol at the beast, seeming only to agitate it. The bison turned, and with its massive and flat tail, created a gust of wind which threw Azula's companions back nearly twenty feet. By the time they'd recovered from their tumble, the creature, the two teens, and Tomtom with them were heading off into the sky.
"So… The Avatar has returned." Mai said, as she walked in lock step with Azula, Ty Lee and Connor, having regrouped deeper in the city.
"Yes, he has. We were quite fortunate to have encountered him here today. It will be far easier to follow his trail without having to start at his last known sighting." Azula commented as the team made it's way to the city gate.
"I'm sorry I couldn't get your brother, Mai." Connor said, looking up to the sky. "That giant beast was far too large for my gun."
"Is that what those things are called?" Mai asked, arching an eyebrow as she looked down to Connor's belt where the weapon was stowed.
"Well, technically this is a pistol, but you could call it a hand cannon, flintlock, or the specific ˈpɪstl məʊd ˈsɛvnˈtiːn ˈsɪksti θriː." Connor said, speaking his native English for the last second.
"Oh, I love it when Cahnor speaks like that. I can't understand anything he says but it sounds like music." Ty Lee said, practically giddy to hear Connor speak his mother tongue.
"It's pronounced, Connor." He corrected, for what felt like the twentieth time to Ty Lee, sighing slightly. "I have an accent, even in ˈɪŋglɪʃ."
"He's so exotic." Ty Lee said in a half whisper to Mai, who rolled her eyes, as the team of four exited the city, and headed off for the steam wagon.
Late into the night, after returning Tomtom to his parents under cover of darkness, Aang rejoined his friends at the resistance camp outside of the city, before the trio took off further south on Appa.
Sokka cleared his throat. "So are we just going to pretend that wasn't the most dangerous bunch of thugs we've run into?" He asked.
"They weren't that bad. Remember the pirates?" Aang asked.
"Aang, that girl had crazy blue fire." Sokka said.
"I think Sokka has a point, Aang. If it wasn't for Appa, I don't think we could have taken them. The one girl... She took away my bending or something." Katara said.
"What? That's impossible. You can't just take away someone's bending." Aang said, having never seen of heard of any such power.
"I think you can, actually. When I was learning healing in the North, we had a training mannequin that had all of the body's chi paths carved into it. And there were a bunch of, I don't know, focal points on it. That girl hit me in a few of them... And if that blocked my chi flow, I wouldn't be able to bend until the block cleared itself." Katara said, remembering her few lessons in the healing hut.
"Forget bending blockages, Katara." Sokka interjected. "That mutant freak had two thundersticks with him. TWO. We both could have died. I think that in the future we need be ready to run into these sorts of people." Sokka said, pulling his own Thunderstick from Appa's saddle pack. "I for one, am going to start keeping this thing with me from now on."
"We could just stick with running. That's worked so far." Aang said.
"I wish it were always that simple." Sokka said with a sigh.