Chapter 13: Lesson Learned

(A/N: Shitty fight scene incoming. Be warned.)

Azula jumps off her mongoose lizard, bringing her legs forward, sending a blast of fire to my head.

I earthbend a wall to cover me, then let out series of punches, sending pieces of the wall flying to Azula.

Azula kicks and dodges the rocks, quickly making her way towards me.

I give up on the rest of the wall and launch the remains to her.

Azula easily fire axe kicks the incoming wall in half, then blasts me with her blue fire.

The blast hit my chest, but I was ready and rooted my feet to the ground.

I slid back a few meters, feeling the heat on my chest.

The quartzite chest piece was still intact, but it was red hot. I remember her fire blasts being able to break rocks. Good thing I hardened my armor.

I bring my arms up and earthbend a few pillars but Azula kicks them in half just before it hits

We are now just a few inches away from each other as we trade blows, defending and attacking, as I push her back.

Maybe that was a mistake.

Azula takes the chance and starts producing lightning from her fingers.

I quickly bring up a high wall in front of me.

She blasts a hike in the wall and quickly jumps through after.

Already knowing that she was gonna jump through using earthbending to see, I attempt to detain her by using my hand armor.

One was deflected by her kick, the other caught her arm, sending her back to the half-destroyed wall, and attaching itself to it.

"Ah!"

Azula grunts as her back hit the wall, hard.

I use that opening to completely encase her in rock except for her head.

"I think I've won this battle."

Azula struggles to free herself, but seeing that she can't, she gives up.

Or at least she appears to.

Azula superheats the rock restraining her, weakening it, and breaks free.

"Oh, really?"

Still, a few meters away from me, she produces lighting again, as I try to block it once more.

My earthbending was too slow for something as fast as lightning, so I raise my arms in an attempt to block it.

Lightning strikes the side of my head and right arm, shattering a part of my armor.

"Agh-AaaAh-?!"

I let out a weird sound as I'm slightly electrocuted.

I must've made another mistake.

Earthbending some armor this close to a river might've caused some small pieces of metal or salt to be in the rocks I used.

Metal or salt is a conductor.

(A/N: Table salt is an insulator, sea salt is a conductor. Rivers carry a lot of salt, and other minerals, to the ocean, but since it flows it doesn't mix with the river water, that's why the river doesn't taste salty.)

Not only was I slightly electrocuted, but the strike had also blasted me into the river.

As I remove my armor in order not to sink, I momentarily see Azula getting on her lizard and moving along Aang's trail.

Since the river is deeper than expected, I get dragged downstream.

I feel slightly light-headed. I was hit on the head.

I try using earthbending to get myself out of the river, but it's throwing me off balance. That, with the fact that I've been possibly concussed, makes it hard for me to do so.

I give up earthbending and struggle to swim my way to the edge of the raging river.

"Guh- Damn. Lightning is definitely faster in real life than what they showed in the cartoon."

I grab my head in pain and see my shaking right arm that blocked a portion of the lightning.

My arm has a skinny blackish-red patch of skin stretching from my wrist to my elbow and covering half the circumference of my forearm.

The right side of my head was struck too. I wonder if I have a scar there too.

My arm feels numb, but it might be fractured. The force of Azula's attack was enough to launch me to the river.

What a terrible loss.

I didn't let my guard down, but I made two mistakes.

Lesson learned. Don't use earth armor that was next to a river to protect against lightning, and don't give distance to Azula.

I guess I shouldn't slack in training so much from now on.

I get up slowly, my legs stumbling.

I don't know where I am, but I can just follow the river upstream.

I earthbend a cast on my arm and take off my wet shirt to use as an arm sling.

After an intense fight like that, I'm not even tired. Just in pain.

I slowly make my way upriver, using earthbending to get a feel of my surroundings.

----------

After walking for a few hours, I feel a presence in front of me.

I earthbend the presence in order to reveal it.

"Ow! That hurt my tailbone."

It's... Iroh!

"An... old man? ... Sorry about that."

Iroh gets up while rubbing his butt. I walk up and help him up.

"No, it is alright. Thank you."

Iroh looks up at my figure. He sees my injured arm and head.

"You're hurt! Please, allow me to help you, young one."

I nod my head. Iroh is probably the most trustworthy character in ATLA.

Iroh takes me to the side of the path I was on and begins to treat my injuries. Since it's not really an external injury, he can't do much, but he tries.

I look at the pot of water Iroh collected to wash my wound.

I have a thin burn scar, similar in color to Zuko's, just above my right eyebrow, stretching to the side of my head. It's not very big and can be hidden by my hair if I style it right.

"... Your scar reminds me of my nephew. He was attacked by a Fire Nation... soldier. I suspect you had the same experience."

"...Yeah. I fought back, but due to my lack of actual combat outside of training, I barely made it out alive."

(A/N: The fight with the wrestlers didn't really count, since they weren't soldiers trying to kill him. Azula, on the other hand...)

Iroh looks down; a sad look in his eyes.

Then he looks up with a smile like nothing happened.

"Would you like some tea?"

"Sure."

Iroh starts preparing the tea over a small fire.

"Is your nephew alright? You said he was attacked..."

Iroh looks up at me and shows a faint smile.

"Oh, that was a long time ago. He is fine now, but I've been tracking him, trying to find him."

"Is he lost?"

"A little bit. His life has changed and he's going through difficult times. He is trying to find who he is, that is why he went away."

"And he didn't want you around to help him?"

"My nephew can be very stubborn at times. He may not want me around to help, but even so, if he needs me, I'll be there for him."

"Well, your nephew is lucky to have someone like you. Even if he doesn't realize it."

I get up to leave.

"Thanks for the tea, Mister. I need to get going, I also have to find my friends."

"No problem. Sharing tea with an interesting stranger is one of life's many delights. Just be careful out there, young man."

"Thanks for your concern. Oh, and you should probably tell your nephew that you need him too."

Iroh just sits there, sipping tea, as I continue down the pathway.

----------

I remove my shoes and focus on the earth, trying to find the deserted town Aang went to, while using earthbending to travel faster.

A few more minutes later, I come across a rocky desert field. I can see a dilapidated town in the distance, and smoke coming from a few of the buildings.

I make my way into a corner of the town, and I see Aang fighting Azula, and Zuko knocked on the ground.

"Mhggrrrrr!"

I look up to see Appa appear in the sky with Sokka Katara and Toph on top.

(A/N: I have no idea how to put Appa's growls into letters lol.)

He lands and Katara, Toph, and Sokka run to where they see Aang.

I see that Azula seems a little more tired than in the show. I guess I did a number on her as well.

Katara uses her water whip to stop Azula from using her lightning on Aang.

She turns her head to face Katara and sees a rock being launched at her.

She kicks the rock away and notices Toph behind Katara.

I notice Iroh had caught up in the meantime, helping Zuko to stand up.

After seeing everyone appear first, I show myself as well.

"Need some help guys?"

When we all show ourselves to Azula and take a stance against her.

"Well, well, well. Enemies and traitors, all working together. I know when I'm beaten. I surrender."

At the same time, Azula and I make a move.

I wasn't gonna wait for her to hurt Iroh, so I immediately attempt to earthbend to restrain her. My action causing everyone else to follow suit.

Azula, on the other hand, not wanting to be backed up to the wall, uses her firebending to attempt an escape.

The combined elements colliding with each other caused an explosion, just like in the show, and Azula uses it to escape.

Well, she escaped, but at least Iroh didn't get injured.

Seeing that Azula is nowhere to be found, everyone relaxes.

Then Zuko and the others, namely Aang, Katara, and Sokka, take a fighting stance while facing each other.

"Zuko, wait! We are outmatched and outnumbered. We should leave, now."

Iroh, being as wise as he is, advises Zuko to not fight the Avatar.

Zuko looks down in frustration, still in his stance.

Aang looks at Zuko with mixed feelings.

"Listen to your uncle, Zuko. He's right."

Zuko looks away angrily and turns away.

Iroh thanks us silently by bowing slightly, then he follows after Zuko.

Sokka watches as Zuko and Iroh leave.

"I think we could've taken them."

"Sokka, everyone's tired from lack of sleep, and Zuko and Iroh looked rested. No way we could've fought without some of us getting injured..."

Katara turns her head to me and exclaims out in worry.

"Your hurt!"

"I-it isn't as bad as it looks, really."

Toph, not noticing my injuries since she can't see, reacts to Katara's statement.

"You're hurt?!"

Toph runs up to me and touches my upper body everywhere and stops at the right earthen cast on my arm.

She can probably feel the vibrations of my fractured bones grinding against each other. It's still numb to me.

She tightens her grip on my arm sling slightly and her body starts to shake.

"This is why I'd didn't want you to go. I told you if something were to happen-"

I cut her off.

"And nothing of what you were thinking of happened, Toph. I'm just a little hurt. Don't worry."

Toph looks down and I see a few tears drop to the ground.

The rest of Team Avatar leave the two of us alone for a moment and started to ready Appa for flight.

"Come on, Toph let's go-"

Toph takes hold of my collar and brings me into a long kiss.

After what felt like a minute, Toph let go of my arm, then holds my head with both of her hands.

"I'm never letting you out of my sight ever again, got it?"

I smile wide and crack a joke.

"But you can't see."

In response, she smiles and gently hits the top of my head.

"I don't care."

Toph grabs my hand and leads me to Appa.

I link my fingers with her's while we walk.

Toph sticks herself closer to me and smiles while remaining silent.

Everyone gets on Appa and we fly to our next destination.

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So, I'm gonna change the release schedule again, sorry.

I'm currently overweight, and I decided to take better care of myself.

I will focus on my life more than this shitty fanfic, and so, I will be releasing 3 chapters a week.

There will be chapters Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

I'm sorry for changing the schedule again, but I really want to focus on losing weight.

Hopefully, I'll lose the weight within 3 months and start building muscle.

Maybe then I'll get some bitches, eh?

Once again, I apologize for changing the schedule again.