Fight17: When the masks slip

A red messenger hawk was flying through the night to the Pohuai Stronghold. This Fire Nation fortress was located in the northwestern Earth Kingdom. It was an imposing structure made up of three rings of defense, consisting of high walls connecting turrets and surrounding a massive pagoda tower in the center of the base. It housed its own prisons and was a major supply depot for the Fire Nation armies where soldiers and firebenders trained before they were deployed into battle and notably to the Earth Kingdom Capital, Ba Sing Se. All turrets were manned and had fires burning at their top. The fortress was built against a mountain and was flanked by a sea inlet were Fire Nation ships were moored.

It was in this stronghold that fierce looking archers, their faces painted, were training, or demonstrating their all too impressive skills to their commanding officer Colonel Shinu's guest. They released volley after volley of arrows which all hit their range targets dead center. Successive arrows split the one already occupying the bullseye right down the middle of its shaft.

"Absolutely not. The Yu Yan archers stay here. Your request is denied Commander Zhao." The Colonel Shinu asserted firmly. Zhao asked him to reconsider. Their precision was legendary. They could pin a fly to a tree from a hundred yards away without killing it. Using them as mere security guards was wasting their talent! This plea fell on deaf ears, however, as the stronghold's master was VERY possessive of his archers.

"But my search for the Avatar is-"

"-Is nothing but a vanity project! We're fighting a real war here and I need every man I've got, Commander." At this, Zhao tried to protest again, but the Colonel would not hear any of it... until a red messenger hawk landed on his arm. It was a message from Fire Lord Ozai. He read it with horror before handing it to the Commander who had approached from behind.

"It appears I've been promoted to Admiral. My request... is now an order." He smiled smugly as Shinu reluctantly bowed and left while he stayed to continue watching the archers' prowesses... unaware that his conversation had been overhead by a figure with a blue mask sitting atop the tower and now leaving stealthily.

A hillside strewn with broken boulders... dawn was approaching, but the sky was cloudy so it was still quite dark. And lightly uphill were the ruins of the once great city of Taku. Prior to the Hundred Year War, the city had been an important center of commerce; however, it was destroyed by the Fire Nation during the first wave of attacks due to its strategic location and importance to the Earth Kingdom. Now it was just a ghost town with overgrown vegetation. It was there that the Avatar and his companions had chosen to rest... especially because they had a sick person. Sokka was in his sleeping bag (looking very much like a giant blue caterpillar) propped against Appa's warm body. The boy was coughing, sweating, shivering, and highly feverish. Chenlian had hastily made a fire and left with Aang to look for anything that could heal him. Her remedies had only managed to temporarily alleviate the symptoms. Usually it was enough since she took medicine at the first appearance of the symptoms. However, sokka had decided to act strong and refused her help, saying his sturdy self wouldn't lose to the like of a little cough... hence this result. Meantime Katara was wiping her brother's forehead with a wet cloth, saying this should bring his fever down. Momo was with her.

"You know what I love about Appa the most? His sense of humor." Sokka hallucinated.

"That's nice. I'll tell him." His baby sis replied compliantly. Appa grunted in response.

"Classic Appa." The patient laughed. Aang walked over, asking how he was doing. And as the waterbender said, he was not so good. Being out in that storm had really done a number on him. The Water Tribe warrior snorted back his runny nose. The Avatar had not been able to find any ginger root (widely believed to relieve the symptoms of the common cold, flu, and headaches) for the tea but he had found a map showing the location of an herbalist institute that was on a nearby mountain. They might have a cure for Sokka in there. It was then that Chenlian came back. She did not have any more luck. That said, Sokka was in no condition to travel. Katara thought he just needed some rest and would be back on his feet the next day but Aang and Chenlian doubted it. And then the waterbender began to cough too...

"Not you too!"

"Relax, it was just a little cough. I'm fine-" Katara cut herself off with more coughing; forcing the monk to shield himself with his arms from her violent fit. The mahogany-haired girl did not shield herself but had already arranged her scarf to cover her nose and mouth like a mask.

"That's how Sokka started yesterday. Now look at him he thinks he's an earthbender!" Aang argued, gesturing at Sokka who was swinging at something that wasn't there and saying "Take that, you rock!". A few more hours and Katara would be talking nonsense too. There was no choice left but to go find medicine. The airbender opened his glider but changed his mind after a flash of lightning illuminated the sky.

"Aang, you're fastest one on foot so I'm leaving it to you but be careful." Chenlian took the glider he had handed her, a faint worried edge in her tone and eyes.

"Okay. I'm leaving them to you but be careful too. I don't want to be the only sane one left."

"That would be the most worrisome situation indeed." The firebender agreed, half joking, half serious.

"Hey, that's mean! But true. Well, I'm going. Take care!"

"You too!" Chenlian yelled back. Appa grunted his agreement, and Sokka laughed and made another delirious comment. Aang turned and launched himself into the air, landing far down the hill the temple sits on before zooming away at high speed, using his airbending to accelerate his running speed.

While in the exiled prince's ship, Zuko and Jee were studying a map... They hadn't been able to pick up the Avatar's trail since the storm. But, if they continued heading northeast... He let his finger trail on the map to the territory of the Northern Water Tribe. Behind them, Iroh and some crewman were playing Pai Sho. Suddenly, the light was blocked by a huge shadow. A massive hulking Fire Navy ship had stopped at their flank.

"What do they want?" Zuko stared at the boat, annoyed.

"Perhaps a sporting game of Pai Sho!" His uncle suggested wisely and hopefully. But unfortunately it was not. The herald had come to show the sour prince a wanted poster of the last airbender. The hunt for the Avatar had been given prime importance, and all information regarding him must be reported directly to Admiral Zhao. Iroh was happy for Zhao. But there was something else. The Fire Lord had issued another search order. The traitor Chenlian had escaped from prison and was to be recaptured alive at all costs. Again, all information regarding her must be reported directly to Admiral Zhao.

"I've got nothing to report to Zhao. Now get off my ship and let us pass." Zuko replied sullenly and disrespectfully. The herald notified them that Admiral Zhao was not allowing ships in or out of this area.

"Off my ship!" The prince stormed angrily. The herald and his two guards left. Iroh smiled. He had won the game and the pot... and so he flattered (tricked) his opponents into another game. He just wanted to have fun...

In a lookout hidden at the top of a tree by a winding mountain path, two sentries were discussing, one reading the Avatar's wanted poster and the other watching through a telescope. The first one was pretty impressed as it read that the Avatar could create tornados and run faster than the wind. His colleague dismissed it as a bunch of Fire Lord propaganda. There was no way that was true. But just as he returned to his instrument, he saw a cloud of dust rocket through the bend farthest away, then the next and the third, with a bald boy in orange cloths running ahead past the lookout itself. The rush of wind and dust was tremendous. The sentinels blinked and one blew his horn to the sky.

It wasn't long before Aang arrived at the Herbalist Institute. It was once a thriving establishment... until the settlement was deserted. Its medicines were once sent all across the world. The location of the institute was important because its climate ideal for growing a variety of herbs needed to make medicines. It was in the greenhouse attached to the structure, (and holding what seemed to be an endless supply of flora, some of which considered to be the rarest in the world) that the airbender found the octogenary herbalist.

"Hello! I'm sorry to barge in like this, but I need some medicine for my friends. They have fevers and they've been coughing and-" Aang began very fast before being interrupted by the old woman who was mixing something in a bowl on the table in front of her.

"Settle down, young man. Your friends are going to be fine." She walked over to where a white persian cat was sitting. "I've been up here for over forty years you know, used to be others, but they all left years ago." She petted the cat who purred in response. "Now it's just me and Miyuki."

"That's nice." Aang raised an eyebrow.

"Wounded Earth Kingdom troops still come by now and again, brave boys, and thanks to my remedies they always leave in better shape they when they arrive."

"That's nice. Are you almost done?"

"Hold on, I just need to add one last ingredient." The herbalist walked amongst the shrubbery, looking around and muttering to herself, walking away from an obviously very exasperated and impatient Avatar.

The sunset was in its last stages. Zuko was practicing firebending on the foredeck of his ship when his uncle came in, worried, asking if everything was okay. It had been almost an hour and he hadn't given the men an order.

"I don't care what they do." Zuko lied, looking away.

"Don't give up hope yet. You can still find the Avatar before Zhao."

"How, Uncle? With Zhao's resources it's just a matter of time before he captures the Avatar... and... Chenlian too..." Zuko turned to Iroh, desperation and fear on his face. "My honor, my throne, my country, I'm about to lose them all." He whispered, turning back to face the sea.

"Really? I don't think Chenlian is the type to make the same mistake twice. And you should know it too. And you should know what happens when she's serious. She's with the Avatar, right? Then trust her. She will protect him, she will protect them all."

"Yeah..." Zuko muttered, still unhappy and desperate. His uncle put a comforting hand on his shoulder and left. Chenlian... Why, in a corner of his heart, was he reassured that she was with the Avatar? Even now, there would be this spark of happiness and relief each time he would see her. She was well, she was fine, she was free, and indeed, if she was with the Avatar, he probably had little to fear for him. But that was also the source of his despair, his misery, and bitterness. Her place was not at the Avatar's side! And the Avatar was not the one she should be protecting either! Then why?! Why wasn't she at his side!? Why wasn't she protecting him!? Why wasn't she fulfilling her promise to him?! Why had she betrayed him twice?! And why, even though he resented her so much could he not bring himself to hate her? Why would he still care so much about her safety... even though she should be the enemy? Why should he have those thoughts and be all worked up because of her every single day...?

"Here's what I was looking for! Plum blossom!" The herbalist took one flower and put it into the wooden bowl.

"Finally! Thanks for all your help!" Aang grabbed the bowl from the woman's hands who hit his wrist with a spoon, knocking loose his grip on the recipient.

"Hands off! What do you think you're doing?!"

"Taking the cure to my friends!" He justified himself, frightened and abashed, holding his sore wrist. Reassured, the herbalist laughed. This wasn't a cure, but Miyuki's dinner. She placed the bowl on the table in front of the cat that began to eat and purr as she petted it before explaining that plum blossom was her favorite. The Avatar asked about his friends. "Well, all they need is some frozen wood frogs. There're plenty of them down in the valley swamp."

"What am I supposed to do with frozen frogs?" The cluesless airbender questionned.

"Why, suck on them of course!" The herb doctor laughed again.

"Suck on them!?" Aang exclaimed, his right eye twitching in a stunned and disgusted expression. The old woman informed him that the frog's skin excreted a substance that would cure his friends, but he had to make sure he got plenty because once those little critters thawed out, they were useless. A few moments passed in silence.

"You're insane aren't you?" The boy stated his discovery.

"Thaaat's riiiiiight." She agreed in a singing voice. "Well, don't stand there all day. Go!" She whipped her spoon at Aang, who ended up with a sort of dark drab green viscous mixture on his face.

The Avatar wiped the slime away and ran out of the building. Suddenly arrows flew at him. Two landed to his immediate right and left, pinning his clothes to the ground. He looked around the windblown grass field when he saw a huge number of arrows arching toward him. Aang airbended a shell of wind around him, knocking all the projectiles aside. He pulled one out and offered it to someone.

"Uhh, I think you dropped this." He timidly said to the Yu Yan archers crouching on the branches of surrounding trees. His expression turned fearful when he saw them arming their bows again and struggled to free himself from the second arrow. He yanked it back just in time as the archers fired another volley that embedded themselves where he had been. He barely avoided another four arrows by leaning forward and regaining his footing. He ran towards the gate he had entered through, but it was blocked by archers. They fired, but he evaded and ran in the opposite direction, avoiding hails of arrows, and jumped off the cliff at the back of the institute. The archers jumped off the cliff after him.

The airbender let his hood billow a bit to slow him down until he hit the tree canopy beneath. But he was still falling, repeatedly beaten by the brush rapidly flying by. In mid fall, the bowmen shot anchor ropes into the nearby trees and safely swung themselves into the forest where they let go and leapt from branch to branch in the Avatar's pursuit. Eventually Aang came out of the forest, still barely sidestepping the arrows, and into a swamp. He fell into the half frozen murky water and emerged with a white, frozen frog which was a second later knocked out of his hand by an arrow. He tried to run through the water, picking and putting frogs in his clothes along the way. Arrows were falling all around. He got to a dead tree leaning almost parallel to the water. An arrow pinned his right arm to it, soon joined by several more. The archers fired another volley, but the monk waterbended a wall of ice in front of him. The arrows all hit the exact same point, each cutting through the previous one and thrusting deeper through the previously made hole until the ice shattered. They shot another volley, pinning his left arm, followed by a net that covered his upper body. He, the Avatar, had been caught.

Aang was now standing his arms and legs stretched out, his face downcast, in a dark room, only lightly lit by the fires burning at the top of the two stone pillars bearing the Fire Nation crest against which he was chained. He was in an underground prison chamber of the Pohuai Stronghold. He raised eyes of defiance and struggled against his bonds. The door opened and Zhao entered and walked to him, his hands clasped behind his back.

"So this is the great Avatar? Master of all the elements. I don't know how you've managed to elude the Fire Nation for a hundred years, but your little game of hide and seek is over." The admiral taunted, pacing around him.

"I've never hidden from you. Untie me and I'll fight you right now!" The Avatar challenged back. But Zhao wasn't fooled.

"Uhh, no. Tell me, how does it feel to be the only airbender left?" He put his face up to Aang's. "Do you miss your people?" At this, the boy's look of defiance melted and he dropped his head. That was a truth he could not deny. That man knew which string to tug to hurt people. "Oh, don't worry, you won't be killed like they were." The last airbender looked up again in anger. "See, if you die you'll just be reborn and the Fire Nation will have to begin its search for the Avatar all over again. So, I'll keep you alive but just barely." Zhao turned to leave, still smirking. Aang breathed in as much air as he could with his mouth and released a strong gale, knocking the admiral until he crashed into the wall where he collapsed in a disgraceful heap. Because of his anger and frustration, the child had used his bending in an aggressive way, unlike his usual gentle disposition and peaceful philosophy as an airbender monk. The admiral shook his head to clear his vision and stood up. "Blow all the wind you want! Your situation is futile. There is no escaping this fortress and no one is coming to rescue you." Zhao slammed the door behind him.

Katara and Sokka were snuggled up in their sleeping bags which lay between Appa's feet. Sokka had a coughing fit and asked his sister for water, but her skin was empty. A certain time ago, worried about Aang, Chenlian had meditated, and then her complexion had changed. She had smiled and said it was nothing, before putting water and food at their side. And then she had told them she was going out for a bit and left after taking some of her stuff and telling Momo to guard them well. But everything was already empty and as only the Lemur could move, Katara gestured for him to take her waterskin, go to the river and fill it and bring it back to them. Momo took the animal skin and left.

Hidden behind a tree in the forest beyond the fortress, Chenlian was intently watching the walls and the gate. She made a move when she heard a rustle in the bushes. She drew her sword but her wrist was caught, just like her other wrist. She was face to face with a white and blue mask, ressembling a demon or a spirit. It was a mask she knew well. Although of course only a human could be underneath that mask, a human with a very familiar built and height and 'feeling' and scent, a human who knew her exceedingly well, and was used to her fighting style and habits... and not many humans fitted that description... and these dual dao swords... She stared for a time, her expression unreadable, until she asked what he was doing, and without talking, he let her go made her understand he was there to help, confirming the inkling she had had. The girl told him her plan to barge in, create a diversion by destroying things like in a vengeance, allowing him to go ahead and then she would disappear in the fire to be free to search with him. She was going to jump and do just as she had said when he stopped her, one hand grabbing her left arm while he slid the other around her waist, and they fell down together, careful not to make too much noise. She cursed under her breath. He helped her back up but held her securely in place while he rummaged through her bag for what he knew would be there. The man let her go and held out her own mask and outfit. That person really knew her too well. But that did not matter now. Chenlian looked at the pieces of clothing in his gloved hand before looking up with an expression very unlike her usual self. She had the eyes of an unreasonable child as she stared back unblinkingly, protestingly as the masked figure...

She knew what he wanted her to do... but that was so unlike her! It went against her aesthetics! Bursting through the front door or flying straight in their midst and fighting everyone head on was much more Chenlian-like...! But someone like her was also unable to completely ignore what reason commanded in such cases, which was why she had brought those things with her. No matter how you thought about it, the best course of action was the stealthy one. But that was so unlike her! However, there was no way around it, and she knew he would not back down either. She hung her head, heaved a resigned sigh, and took the clothes. When she was done, he took her hand and led her away.

On the forest surrounded road leading to the fortress, a wagon was making its way toward the gate. When it passed before them, two figures quickly got under it and held onto the underside of the carriage. First a female with a half dragon mask and pressed against her back, a male with a white and blue mask. The wagon crossed a barren, ashen area, meant to give to a clear view of anything going in or out of the stronghold, and stopped before the gate. A guard said "All clear." and examined the carriage. When he checked the underside, no one was there. He got back up and gave the permission to go on in, unaware of the two mysterious individuals hidden inside the wagon. It passed the three open gates to the foot of the massive central tower where Aang was held prisoner. The boxes were unloaded into the courtyard. The two intruders ran from them and ducked into the shadows and through an open door, unseen. On an ornate balcony Admiral Zhao appeared in ceremonial dress flanked by attendants. Before him, the innermost courtyard was full of fire nation soldiers standing at attention.

"We are the sons and daughters of fire! The superior element! Until today, only one thing stood in our path to victory. The Avatar! I am here to tell you that he is now my prisoner!" He began grandly. The soldiers cheered. "This is the year Sozin's comet returns to grant us its power! This is the year the Fire Nation breaks through the walls of Ba-Sing-Se and burns the city to the ground!" As Zhao spoke, the two masked infiltrators steadily and stealthily made their way deeper and deeper into the fortress, passing behind guards too busy listening to their superior's victory speech to notice anything.

In his prison chamber, Aang was still struggling fruitlessly against his chains. He finally stopped, breathing heavily. Suddenly, frogs started leaping out of his shirt and hood.

"What? No! Don't leave frogs! My friends are sick and they need you! Please go back to being frozen!" He begged, as if it could be possible without Katara's waterbending. He began to struggle again as the still half-frozen frogs dragged themselves away towards the door. His own body heat as he strained against the chains, coupled with the heat from the fires had contributed to an early and unwanted thawing of the animals... The four guards standing outside the chamber were perplexed when they heard croaking. They looked down to see the half frozen frogs coming from underneath the door and crawling between their booted feet. Suddenly a Fire Nation soldier's helmet came bouncing down the corridor towards them. One of the guards walked up the corridor and turned right at the first junction, disappearing from view. A gout of flame erupted from the cross hallway as well as the sound of a brief scuffle. Two more guards went up and turned right, firebending stances at the ready, only to see the first guard hanging from the ceiling, tied up with chains. They didn't remark the two invaders holding themselves against the ceiling just above them. They dropped down on them and it was over in an instant. The last warden grabbed the alarm horn next to him, but a dagger knocked it out of his hand. The jailer unleashed a plume of flame at the masked man who was lunging at him, but the intruder extinguished the blast with a bucket of water before sweeping feet out from under him with the empty bucket. The female retrieved her dagger and finished knocking out the guard.

In the chamber, Aang stopped struggling after hearing the noises of violence coming from beyond the door. These stopped abruptly, replaced by the sound of the lock turning in the door. It opened and the two mysterious beings entered. The blue mask brandished two curved swords and charged at Aang, who screamed in fear. Two sword cuts were heard. The boy pulled his arms back, surprised to discover that his chains had been cut. He looked at his liberator in wonder. Suddenly the other one put their left hand on the man's shoulder and slid their own mask, revealing their face.

"Aang, Aang, it's me, don't worry."

"Che-...?!" But before he could finish, the female clamped a hand on this mouth.

"Not so loud. And don't say my name here."

"What are you doing here? How did you know? And what are these masks? And who's that?" The Avatar asked, lowering his voice and looking at the male again.

"Someone who came to get you out of here, just like me. The rest later. We don't have time." Chenlian put her mask on again and sliced the shackles on her friend's wrists while her ally cut the ones on his ankles. They started to leave when the airbender stopped them again.

"Wait! Have you seen frogs on the way?"

"Frogs?" Chenlian repeated.

"Sokka and Katara need to suck on them to be cured!"

"What?!" She exclaimed in a 'how-dared-you-let-those-frogs-escape?!' tone. They quickly passed the gagged and tied guard at the door and hearing the croaking, crouched down and tried to get the amphibians back.

"My frogs! Come back! And stop thawing out!" The Avatar begged again. The Blue Spirit came back, picked them both up by the collar and carried them out.

"Wait! Our friends need to suck on those frogs!" Both Aang and Chenlian cried in the same time, although the boy was more imploring and the girl more menacing. But nothing did.

Beginning with a dead mouse that especially disgusted Katara, Momo had succeeded in piling up mountains of junk around the waterbender... but no water. The lemur returned again with a very pretty diadem he placed on her head.

"How many times do I have to tell you, Momo? We need water. Wa-ter. Oh forget it. Aang, Chenlian, please, hurry." She pleaded with a weak sickly voice.

"Who are these Aang and Chenlian kids you keep talking about, Your Highness?" Sokka asked in his delirium. His sister's right eyebrow twitched in annoyance.

Meantime, Aang, Chenlian and the blue mask were walking silently in the sewer system underneath the fortress, careful to remain against the wall. Soldiers walk back and forth above them. They hopped out of a grate and into one of the courtyards.

Zhao was walking in one of the torch-lit corridors of the fortress, followed by some sort of scribe. He wanted a full transcription of his speech sent to the Fire Lord, along with glowing testimonials from all of the ranking officers present, and... he could not finish. He had heard a moan. They went to investigate and saw his guards still tied up. Obviously upset, he slammed the door to Aang's prison cell open. Naturally, it was empty, except for a single frog which ribbited at him from the floor. The admiral turned in anger and left, the scribe in tow.

"Sir, should I hold off sending that speech to the Fire Lord?"

The three would-be escapees were now scaling a rope on the innermost wall of the fortress. However, they were spotted and a soldier warned everyone of their presence and another appeared at the top of the battlements. He cut the rope and the trio fell down. Aang screamed before airbending them to a soft landing. When the dust cleared, the two masked fighters unsheathed their swords and they all ran towards a gate.

"The Avatar has escaped! Close all the gates immediately!" Zhao shouted from the ornate balcony.

The Avatar passed the Blue Spirit and told him and his friend to stay close to him. The gate was closing in front of them, as were the two beyond it. And it was blocked by many soldiers. Aang airbended a blast of air, blowing them out of the way. He made it to the gate, but the masked man was blocked by soldiers and the time the girl turned around to make sure he was faring well, she was blocked too. Aang turned to see his liberators in trouble. He grabbed a spear from a guard near him that almost impaled him and bended him out of the way. He broke the head of the spear and launched back into battle to save his friends. The gate closed behind him. He had certainly not even thought of the facility or difficulty with which he could have escaped alone or what would happen if he was to be captured again. It was just that he could not leave them behind.

The two masked individuals were surrounded, but fighting magnificently well together until Aang simply airbended all enemies out of the way. He then catapulted his rescuers to the top of the first wall they had originally failed to climb using his new staff to channel his airbending. They were instantly encircled again, but the Avatar appeared utilizing his staff as a helicopter blade. He wanted them to hold onto his legs so he could take them away. The Dragon Empress said nothing and jumped down on her own and used her firebending at the last second to land safely. She would not hold them back! She immediately started fighting again. Clasping his legs around the Blue Spirit's torso, Aang flew away, struggling to keep them aloft while the masked man used his swords and legs to knock away the spears and arrows sent up at them by the guards... guards who were easily dispached by Chenlian as she danced and slashed her way through the courtyard to the next wall.

They barely reached the top of the next wall where they crashed unceremoniously onto the battlement. Aang's staff went spinning away, guards instantly rushed at them. The airbender ran for his staff, but a soldier stopped him, taking several swings at him with his sword. The Blue Spirit threw the guard over the wall. The female with Dragon Empress mask landed at their side after a firebending-enhanced jump. She and the Avatar blasted the other sentinels off the wall. But while they were fighting more soldiers had brought ladders. The three runaways knocked them off as they reached the top. Each depopulated one ladder before Aang brought over his and Chenlian's and stepped onto the one the masked man had just emptied. He handed him one ladder.

"Here, take this. Jump on my back!"

The Blue Spirit complied, the female jumped just below them, and Aang began to use the ladders as massive stilts, casting one each time a step was time Chenlian was the one stopping the projectiles. The sky was brightening, dawn was coming.

"Gimme the next one!"

The Blue Spirit obeyed again. At the bottom of their final stilt, a bender sent fire billowing up the ladder. The Dragon Empress extinguished the flames with her own firebending, although all the time she – with Guang's help – had been careful to control it so the flames could not be seen or would be hidden by the soldiers' own flames. Her friends jumped from the last stilt, and she did a second later. They just managed to grab the edge of the final wall but were unable to hold on, however, and they fell to the ground. The masked man drew his swords again. He and his fellow masked fighter were standing protectively in front of Aang. Four firebenders unleashed their flame on them, but the Avatar put them behind him and airbended the flames away.

"Hold your fire! The Avatar must be captured alive!" Zhao ordered. The Blue Spirit instantly came up behind Aang and crossed his swords in front of the monk's throat while the Dragon empress stepped up in front of her friends again. "Open the gate." He commanded again through gritted teeth, glaring at the implacable blue mask.

"Admiral, what are you doing?" Colonel Shinu asked incredulously.

"Let them out, now!" The admiral repeated. The gate opened and the Blue Spirit backed out with his hostage, swords still at his throat, closely followed by the female, who seemed to be ready, at a moment notice, to knock away any weapon, whether the movement had been before her or behind her.

"How could you let them go?" Shinu questioned again.

"A situation like this requires... precision." His superior answered, his scowl turning into a smirk.

The Blue Spirit continued backing away from the stronghold, occasionally checking behind him but otherwise fixed onto the fortress. Zhao was now looking on from the top of the main gate as a Yu Yan Archer strung an arrow on his bow.

"Do you have a clear shot?" The admiral asked. The bowman didn't respond, but lowered his head in preparation for his shot. "The mask of the Dragon Empress, huh? Is that little girl trying to mock the Fire Nation? Well, whatever. Now the first arrow will definitely be fended off by that little creeper. Immediately knock out the thief with the blue mask with the second arrow before taking care of the other. I'll deliver them to the Fire Lord along with the Avatar."

The archer released his arrow, which was indeed diverted by the female's sword. However, exactly as predicted, the woman was half a second too late to parry the other that rebounded on the demon mask but whose impact was strong enough to render its wearer unconscious. Aang and Chenlian turned and watched in horror as the man collapsed. From the corner of her eyes, or maybe because she had heard the now familiar whistle, unless it was her survival instinct taking over, the girl swung just in time to avoid the same fate. This seemed to make Aang recover. He turned around and airbended up a huge cloud of dust around them. Zhao shouted the order to quickly recover the Avatar.

A crowd of Fire Nation soldiers emerged from the main gate and ran toward the dust cloud. Inside, Chenlian was already taking the white and blue mask off to make sure its user was alright. Aang gave a start and fell backward on the ground from the shock when he recognized Prince Zuko. The young woman told him to leave quickly. He started to run away, but then turned to see that Chenlian, who he had noticed had not been the least bit surprised that it was Zuko behind the mask, had helped the prince up, putting his right arm around her shoulders and her left arm around his waist. She was now picking his swords. He saw the way she looked at the scarred young man, and her expression when she would look at him. It was true that she was aiding the enemy, and maybe that was something she should not be doing. It wasn't rational. And for that she apologised if it went against his wishes and interest. But she was nonetheless incapable of leaving Zuko like this. And for that she was not going to apologise. She was going to help Zuko no matter what. And then his eyes turned to the fallen prince, still out cold, and only supported by Chenlian, and his eyes were filled with compassion. The Fire Nation soldiers were getting close. He hesitated...

But when the dust cleared, the soldiers found nothing. The crossroad where Zuko had fallen was now empty. Zhao gritted his teeth and clenched his fists, looking insanely angry. A frog hopped up onto the railing, ribbited, and hopped off.

"Are you sure, Aang? He will attack you again. I will stay with him anyway so there's no need for you to..."

"It's fine. I will stay until he wakes up. Besides, even if he attacks me you will protect me." Aang replied with a weak smile. They were in the forest. They had installed Zuko on a bed of leaves, although his head rested on Chenlian's lap.

"Well, that's true but..."

"I told you it's fine. But what about you? Will you really come back to us?" The Avatar asked again. He did not doubt her loyalty to him, Katara, and Sokka (and Appa and Momo) or how much she cared about them. Not in the slightest. She would really put her life on the line for them. But the way she looked at the prince was special. The way she cared for him was not the way she cared for them. There was a soft and tender warmth in her eyes, a concern, a sad and wistful longing, an affection that you would not expect from her and whose sheer quality would make a number of men want to kill the object of that affection to take its place... which made Aang wonder whether she was really okay with staying with them and not him regardless of their current circumstances...

"Of course I will go back to you... and as soon as I've spoken a bit with him. Right now my place is with you. And I think, or maybe I just want to believe that it is also his place. But he's not ready. And now all I can do is speak with him. I doubt my words or feelings will reach him, but maybe one day..."

It was morning when Zuko groggily woke up to the sun filtering through the high canopy. His vision slowly cleared and he saw Aang's forlorn form sitting on a nearby root.

"You know what the worst part about being born over a hundred years ago is?" The little monk began. "I miss all the friends I used to hang out with. Before the war started, I used to always my friend Kuzan. The two of us, we'd get in and out of so much trouble together. He was one of the best friends I ever had..." He turned to face Zuko. "...and he was from the Fire Nation, just like you. If we knew each other back then, do you think we could have been friends too?" His expression became hopeful. After a pause, the prince let loose a huge flame at him that missed its target because of someone's interference. Chenlian had moved his arm just before the release. Aang cast him a last sad look and flew away on a current of air. He hopped away from tree branch to tree branch and out of sight. The prince instantly grabbed the front of the girl's clothes and pinned her down, immobilizing her.

"Why do you keep getting in my way, Chenlian?! Tell me! You know why I'm doing this, don't you?!" He yelled, glaring down at her. She said nothing and studied him again, taking in his face, his scent, everything he had endured these past years, and who he had become. His hold did not have its usual sharpness. If she really wanted to, she could easily escape. It was like he was confused, hesitating. He was looking straight at her but his eyes, although as pure and clear as before, were like clouded by a film of anger and pain and tears that he could not show her. He was looking at her but was not really seeing her. He seemed to try but was too scared.

"For your father, and for yourself, because you believe this is the only chance you have at regaining your status and your place at his side."

"Then why aren't you helping me?! Why do you keep betraying me? This is also a chance for you to redeem yourself! It's not too late, if you capture the Avatar with me, then surely..."

"You really ask the strangest questions. Aside from stealth, have you not learnt anything during your travels? Like how much people suffer because of us or how much they hate us and despise us murderers, thieves, destroyers, ash-makers? And yet I love our country. And believe me or not, my family and I never once plotted to overthrow anyone, and I never tried to kill any member of your family. However, your father is not the man you think he is. I know things about him that you don't. I discovered the real reason behind my imprisonment and the false accusations against my parents that led them to their death... That's why I'd rather die than obey your father. And since that time, I've wanted to end him. But it's the one thing I want to do and the one thing I must never do. That is why I've entrusted all my hopes and dreams to the Avatar. I am confident he will end this war and bring peace to the world. The four nations will be four and whole again. I know he will save the Fire Nation from itself. And although many things and the people that were lost can never be brought back, at least the truth and order will be restored."

"What truth are you talking about?! What reasons?!" He bellowed.

"That..." Chenlian closed her eyes, a small smile on her lips. Suddenly she opened them again and a plume of fire left her mouth. Surprised, Zuko recoiled. The girl took advantage of it to pin him to the ground. "...I'm sorry but I can't tell you now. Say, Zuko, if I told you what's really going on, if I told you everything, what really happened and who I've become, would you see me differently?" She asked, as much to herself as to him. Some strands of her mahogany hair had escaped her ponytail and were brushing the young man's cheek. "If only you'd believe me, there's so much I would like to say... and you don't know how much I want to... but if I told you now, you'd certainly reject everything that I am without a second thought and with every fibre of your being because that'd go against everything you've lived for until now, and you cannot accept a truth that you do not want. And that is the thing I least want to happen...You... you saved Aang only because you wouldn't allow Zhao to steal him from you, right?" She asked bluntly. It was the prince's turn to keep quiet. "Well, I guess that was only to be expected... But what about me? Since you can't make me do as you wish, will you try to capture me? And if you ever manage that, would you keep me to yourself to try and convince me? Would you hand me over? Or would you give me the benefit of the doubt and let me free? Would you be able to trust me inconditionally and help me?" There was another long and heavy silence. She looked so hopeful and yet so scared. And again, Zuko could not answer. He didn't know what he would do when each possibility repulsed or frightened him more than the other.

Another moment passed in silence. She was smiling, and on his cheeks he could feel the soft brushing of her hair and hands, but in her eyes he could see things he was not used to. The sadness she felt yearning for something she deemed impossible to obtain, her insecurities, her fears, her hope, her sincerity, her concern and great care and the simple truth of her words that could not be denied. It was like he was swallowing something incredibly sweet and yet chokingly bitter that could be poison as well as medicine. When he saw such side of her he was not used to, he did not know what to do, nor could he do anything. She held people down. She let her limbs slide and simply lay there on top of him, her head against his chest, as if listening to his heart, and her hands against his shoulders. She held him down. Not with her physical strength, not with her unbreakable fortitude and convictions... and yet more surely than any chains. When she was baring her heart to him and showing him her weaker sides, when she looked at him without any mask of pride, without acting tough, he felt stripped of his own mask and act. When Chenlian who always appeared so strong, so brave, so steadfast, so indomitable, almost to the point of unreachability and invincibility... was there sounding and looking so fragile, he would feel the need, the strong urge to tightly hold her in his arms and comfort her... even more so since he felt that this fearful girl was actually her true self. He was so confused it was killing him. He wanted to leave and he wanted to stay. He knew it was wrong but it felt so right. His mind tried to fight but his body and heart would not listen. He remained there, unable to say a single word, or move a single inch. It was not good. The feelings he thought he had buried completely were starting to resurface. They were growing more intense every time he would see her. He was starting to realize and remember things he did not want to. How important she had been to him, how he had missed her, just how much he still cared about her... Then the young woman slowly raised herself to sit up on him. Her eyes had regained their determination and were glowing like a shining dawn.

"Zuko, no matter how difficult it may be, I want to protect all those I care about with my own hands, you, the Avatar, everyone. Someday, you will open your eyes. And even if it is impossible now, I won't give up, I won't lose hope that we can all be together again under the sun." And with that she gave one last hopeful and encouraging smile and left, using jets of fire to propel herself through the air. He looked until he could no longer see her.

Aang had gone to the swamp to collect frozen frogs once again while Chenlian had stopped at a river to wash her face with the ice cold water and change back into less suspicious clothes. On the way back, she found Katara's water pouch lying there. How could that be?

On Zuko's ship, the crew was reeling in the cutter vessel back into the mother ship. The prince looked rather sullen as he walked past his uncle on the main deck. The old man had been practicing with the Tsungi horn he had bought from the high-risk traders. At his side the (creepy) bejeweled monkey statue he had got from those same people was sitting on a low table.

"Where have you been, Prince Zuko? You missed music night! Lieutenant Jee sang a stirring love song."

"I'm going to bed. No disturbances." The teen eluded while walking away. He did sound tired. Iroh began to blow his horn again.

Aang and Chenlian returned at almost the same time, both downcast and heavy hearted. The Avatar put frozen frogs in his friends' mouths and told them to suck on those. They would make them feel better. The female firebender had filled and brought back Katara's waterskin she handed back to her. Aang collapsed onto Appa's beaver like tail with a sigh while Chenlian started preparing a quick meal, rather uncommunicatively...

"Aang, how was your trip? Did you make any new friends?" Sokka asked, his speech impaired by the amphibian oral obstruction. Chenlian looked so tightlipped, he felt he better not ask her anything.

"No, I don't think I did." The child answered softly with a hint of regrets. The firebender poked the fire a little too vigorously. The lights and shadows were dancing on her closed face. Aang stared at her for a time then rolled over.

"Mmmm! This is tasty! Mmm!" Sokka appraised after a time with a happy expression. But then the frog in his mouth thawed out and began moving around and croaking. He realized with horror what it was and spat it out in disgust. His sister suffered a similar fate. She cried out and it hopped out of her mouth. And the siblings started spitting and coughing.

In his own chamber, Prince Zuko was lying awake, lost in thought. He looked at the Fire Nation symbol hanging on his wall, and then at the ceiling. "a stirring love song"... his heart had been stirred enough as it was. Chenlian... she really had not changed, ready to jump into the worst danger for a loved one's sake, regardless of what was left behind or depended on her, or anything else for that matter, seeing only the truth... she still had that dignity and confidence in herself but after all, her freedom and radiance were different. Something had changed. And what was she talking about? Just what had happened to her?!

Author's note: ding ding ding! we have a winner... Gadget boy who almost perfectly guessed the content of this chapter! Although it had only been mentioned as a wish lol. Congratulation! And the prize is... no idea lol. Would you even like one? Anyway, I'm writing chapters 27/28 on word (episodes 3/4 of 2nd season) but I make sure to always stay 8 chapters ahead and I'd like to at least post the whole 1st season (that ends at ch24) and waiting before deciding what to do.