Return to Omashu

Azira felt an odd sense of unease and guilt building in a low pit in her stomach. Hugging one of her arms, she lowered her head slightly. "I didn't know they had taken Omashu yet. This must be recent."

Immediately, three heads swiveled in her direction. "You didn't know Aang said quietly.

"Doesn't mean I'm not sorry" Azira murmured.

"Omashu always seemed. untouchable." Aang admitted, finally turning to fully face everyone.

"Up until now, it was." Sokka reassured the boy. "Now, Ba Sing Se is the only great Earth Kingdom stronghold left.

Azira's expression darkened. "Which means they'll be focusing efforts there."

Staring at the smoke billowing from the city of Omashu and the garish red flags that bore the insignia of the Fire Nation, it was easy for all of them to feel the despair and hopelessness of the situation.

"This is horrible" Katara started, taking a step towards Aang. "But we have to move on."

Now that, Azira could get behind and agree with. It wasn't smart, marching into there and surely Aang would-

"No." Aang said firmly.

Azira blinked, once then twice. "I'm sorry, did you just disagree?" A sharp jab to the ribs from Sokka's elbow made her let out a deep sigh. "It's just that it's very stupid to just waltz in there."

"I have to go in there. Aang insisted. "I need to find Bumi."

"We don't even know if Bumi's still-" Sokka started in a gentle tone.

"What, around?" Aang questioned, gaze narrowing. "This isn't about finding a teacher. This is about finding my friend."

Azira wished that she didn't understand where Aang was coming from. But she did. The simple fact of the matter was that she knew what it was like to be far from home, to want to return to the people that she knew.

She knew that if it were her-if there was even a chance-she would want to see them too.

"No, we can't possibly. It's too dangerous." Sokka insisted with a firm nod. This time, his sister was on his side, giving a solemn nod of approval.

But when Azira said nothing to back them up, everyone's heads swiveled back towards her. "Azira?" Aang asked in a small, yet hopeful tone.

Azira gave a sigh, tension flooding out of her shoulders. "I think we should listen to Aang."

Sokka and Katara's jaws dropped. But it was already decided.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Aang stood atop a large metal sewage pipe. Azira could sense the liquid within, and it honestly made her want to vomit. If the smell wasn't bad enough, even the distinct vibe of the water certainly was.

"A secret passageway?" Sokka questioned, jaw dropping. "Why didn't we use this last time?" He demanded.

"Because of the--" Aang started.

Almost immediately, the top of the pipe burst, and the disgusting gray water spilled out. Pinching his nose slightly, Aang just gave a nod. "Does that answer your question?"

Climbing inside was even more gross than she had anticipated. But luckily for Azira, it wasn't the most disqusting or unhygienic thing she had ever done.

Once, she had snuck through the latrines in a Fire Nation prison to get intel on Air Nomads.

That was truly disgusting.

If she could make it through that, she could make it through this. And that was the mantra she chanted in her mind as they climbed the sewers of Omashu.

Azira followed closely behind Aang, maneuvering the water around them. It was not going to touch them so long as she was in the tunnel. It safely moved on the walls around them, bypassing every inch of them.

"This smell is going to linger." Azira stated in disgust.

"You don't say" Sokka snarked.

By the time that they made it to the main shaft of the tunnel, light had long since disappeared. Dusk had just begun and finding the sweet non-sewer air to be most delightsome, Azira inhaled deeply as they exited the sewers.

"That wasn't as bad as I thought" Katara breathed out, also happy to see the light of night.

"Speak for yourself. I've got these-" Sokka shrieked at the sight of a small purple creature attached to his arm and cheek

"Shh!" Aang shushed, shoving the older boy backwards. "It's just a Purple Pentapus Aang leaned forward, gently rubbing the face of the creature. Almost immediately, the suction popped off of Sokka's face.

"Big baby. Azira teased softly.

Sokka gave a huff. They could have been dangerous."

"Hey!" A new voice entered the conversation and Azira immediately tensed up, eyes shooting over to the oncoming group of Fire Nation soldiers. She felt like an animal caught in broad daylight.

"What are you kids doing out past curfew?" The soldier demanded.

Azira just painted on her best smile. An almost too-wide smile crossed her features as she batted her eyelashes and gave a respectful nod. "We're just on our way home."

They gave a nod, but just as the group turned to leave, the soldiers called out for them to stop. As they came to a screeching halt, Azira and Sokka locked eyes, a silent understanding passing through the two of them.

They'd fight. They'd win. They'd be ready if needed.

"What's the matter with him?" The soldier questioned, peering at Sokka suspiciously.

"Uh-He has Pentapox, sir!" Katara blurted.

Azira could have cackled. Not only did it sound suspiciously like a certain Fire Nation sickness that had ravaged the land when she was a child, it was certain to freak these soldiers out.

"its highly contagious." Azira added in a deadpan. "And deadly."

"Oh l'm dying-" Sokka moaned in pain.

With that, the soldiers took off running in fear. Azira just gave a fond sigh, appreciative of the lying skills. "Gotta love plagues."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Of all the war crimes Azira assumed she would be committing, creating a whole fake plague seemed on another level.

However, with Bumi surrendered and held captive somewhere, and the people of Omashu suffering, they had to do something and fast.

It was relatively simple, getting people to be covered in Pentapus marks. With all of them creating a sick formation, it was even easier getting the guards to open the doors and let everyone out.

With everyone safely hidden away up in the mountains and dusk soon approaching, Azira wondered if they were really home free yet. It was too easy, too simple for them to just let them go like that.

"You've got that face on again." Katara said, staring at her from across the campfire.

Azira twitched, eyes finally resuming focus. "What face?"

"The one that says you're worried about something." Sokka pointed out.

"I don't have a face for that" Azira insisted, scowling and crossing her arms.

"Oh yes you do" Both siblings chorused at the same time.

"it just seems a bit easy, that's all' Azira responded in a defensive manner.

"Aang should be getting back soon and I'm just worried about getting these people to safety"

"Well-" Katara didn't finish her sentence. Aang had arrived at the site, a glum look on his face.

Almost immediately, he was met with a comforting hug from Katara. Azira rose to her feet, sympathy etched on he face. Before she could even say a comforting word to Aang, one of the Omashu soldiers huried up to them.

"We have a problem."

She straightened up, eyes narrowing.

"What is it?"

"We did a headcount. We have an extra." The soldier glanced down in disgust at a toddler who was crawling around in the dirt.

If it was possible, Azira stiffened even more. It wasn't that she didn't like babies or children or anything-it was justbthat she had never been around them. They seemed fragile and kinda gross, at least in her opinion.

"Well watch him!" Katara offered, beaming and scooping down the small little boy.

Azira kept her distance as they rejoined the campfire, eyes focused on the kid.

He was cute, sure. But with those dark

curls and familiar eyes, he almost reminded her of-

That was impossible.

"You really don't want to hold him?" Katara asked, giggling as the toddler found its way to Sokka's boomerang.

"No, I'm good." Azira stated, hugging her knees to her chest. *You're awfully cheery about the random baby we may have kidnapped."

"Well he's just so cute! And I used to help Gran-Gran deliver all the babies in the South Pole. Haven't you ever held one?" Katara asked, tilting her head at Azira.

"No, Azira tilted her chin up. "And I don't really want to."

Sokka tugged the boomerang from the toddler, causing immediate tears to burst. "No! Bad Fire Nation Baby!"

"Oh just give it to him." Azira elbowed Sokka harshly.

Sokka grumbled, but handed the boomerang to the baby. There was a screech from above and Aang glanced up, eyes focusing on a hawk. Moments later, he held the scroll in his hands.

"It's from the Fire Nation Governor. He thinks we kidnapped his son. te wants to make a trade. His son for King Bumi" Aang read off, eyes going wide.

"Now that sounds like the best deal I've heard all day:" Azira said in slight relief.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The meetup site was to be the building area of Ozai's statue. It seemed simple enough, the baby for King Bumi. Azira stood defensively next to Sokka, eyes set on the horizon. Sokka held onto the baby, worried for what was coming.

A baby for a king-it made sense. But it would be foolish. Sentimental. And the Fire Nation was not sentimental.

Footsteps sounded in the distance and as the emissaries approached them, Azira felt her blood turn to ice. It wasn't possible, couldn't be-

But there they were.

Mai at the center, with Azula and Ty Lee on either side of her. She was right. The baby was Mai's brother.

Her mouth suddenly felt incredibly dry and she was unable to breathe or swallow, grateful for the fact that her hood covered her face. If Azula recognized her, it was Keep your eyes focused on Mai.

Anyone but Azula. Anywhere but Azula.

Laughter sounded from above as King Bumi was lowered in a metal casing down towards them. It just sounded very very far away to Azira.

There was a buzz in her ears, a panic that had stricken her.

"You brought my brother?"

Sozin-even the sound of Mai's voice stung against Azira's choices.

"He's here. We're ready to trade."

Aang called to them.

Then it came-the expected, at least with Azula. "I'm sorry, but a thought just occurred to me. Do you mind?"

"Of course not, Princess Azula." Mai said, eyes ripping off of her brother and onto her friend.

"We're trading a two year old for a king" Azula said lightly. "A powerful Earthbending King. It just doesn't seem like a fair trade, does it?

"You're right." Mai responded in an enmotionless tone. "The deal's off" she said, turning back to the group.

Bumi began to be hoisted back into the air and Aang sprinted forward before Azira could even grab hold of him. Blue flames licked at Aang's feet, but he just leapt above it all. As he caught onto the wind, his headband slipped off, revealing his tattoos.

Azira moved faster than anyone could anticipate; she slid forward, water rushing from her waterskin and pushing Azula backwards. Azula's eyes went wide and she leapt to the side, catching onto a reel and shoving upwards.

Her eyes flicked to the side, where Ty Lee and Mai were sprinting forwards. Mai always carried concealed knives, but Ty Lee was a threat in and of herself. She watched as Ty Lee slid under the wooden floorboards and Azira moved quickly.

They had trained together when they were younger. She knew their body language. She knew them.

Just as Ty Lee went to punch at Sokka's feet, ice covered over where the hole in the wood was. Ty Lee's eyes went wide and Sokka continued sprinting forward. Ty Lee flipped up through the floorboards, eyes landing on the hooded Azira.

Azira just grinned, slamming her fist forward. A water whip attached itself around Ty Lee's ankle, and she flung the girl backwards.

it was all over. She was a wanted fugitive and a dead give-away that Aang was the avatar.

"Sokka, get the baby out of here!"

"Working on it!" Sokka called.

Ty Lee lunged at Azira, who did a dive-roll, coming up on her feet. Azira narrowly managed to block a hit to the face, only for her hood to go flying off. That was just enough of a distraction.

Giving a large gasp and gray eyes widening, Ty Lee never even got a chance to say her name. Azira slammed her leg upwards, colliding with Ty Lee's face.

The girl gave a shriek of pain and fell backwards.

Mai's gaze flew past Katara and landed on Azira, now fully able to tell who exactly it was. Her gaze narrowed and rage surged within her. She knew she was a traitor, but to be facing off against her?

Unforgivable.

Before Azira could even lunge forward, Ty Lee had done a somersault, coming up next to Katara. Her hits were rapid paced, and the water that Katara had been bending immediately dropped back down, inanimate.

Katara's eyes went wide-her bending, it was gone!

"How are you going to fight without your bending?" Mai taunted.

"How do you think?" Azira snapped, rushing forward and sliding the water around Mai's feet.

Mai's eyes went wide at the usage of water being used against her, but she was barely givena reprieve as the water slammed her to the ground. Ty Lee blocked a hit to Mai's head from Azira's fists.

The girl on the ground kicked upwards, and Azira stumbled back. Mai's hand went to the largest knife hidden in her sleeve. Just as she was about to release it, a boomerang came flying, knocking it out of her hands.

"I seem to manage!" Sokka called, a smirk on his face.

Appa landed unceremoniously on the wooden planks, tail slapping both Mai and Ty Lee to the ground. Azira and Katara didn't waste any time in climbing aboard Appa and flying to Aang's side-he was currently sliding down the mail chutes atop Bumi's metal prison.

Blue fire shot outwards, only to be met with a wall of ice. And when Azula came to a screeching stop, her stare was met with Azira's icy one.

The message was clear. This was not over. Not by a long shot.