Chapter 70

We continued casually traveling for about a week. Stopping early so that Toph had an opportunity to train. Everything was going great until I noticed the hair on Appa begin to shed. Knowing that we are long overdue for a confrontation with the fire nation, I collect Appa's loose hair. During the early days of his shedding, I collect it all. Then once I have enough I ask Sokka if there are any nearby abandoned towns. I'm in luck, and I tell Sokka to start directing us toward it. During the travels, I start releasing even more of Appa's hair to leave a trail and draw out an early confrontation.

As dusk begins we set down in a desperate town. Filled with rundown wooden buildings and lacking anything of any value.

"So why did you want us to set down here?" Sokka asks taking in the desolate surroundings.

"Change of scenery. Get Aang some experience earth bending near stuff he shouldn't destroy."

"What happened to you letting me teach him however I want?" Toph pointed out.

"It's not exclusive to earth bending."

"Fine, it sounds fun. Maybe work in destroying some buildings too. That's always fun. Wait! I feel something coming toward us!" She yells out and points her hand out toward the direction we came from.

"It's fire nation I can see the smoke from here we need to pack up and move!" Sokka orders. We move to pack up but the fire nation forces are close and by the time we've finished packing those with eyesight can see them.

"Time to go," Aang says jumping onto Appa

"You guys go," I tell them.

"What!?" "What!?" "Not a good time for jokes"

"They'll keep chasing us and eventually we won't be able to run away. I'll stay and take care of it"

"Fine, you want to stay and fight let's stay and fight" Toph declares getting ready to dismount Appa.

"Toph it's fine. I don't need help I'll take care of it. Aang, Katara benders never stop getting better but consider yourselves graduated. Sokka your the brains of the group make sure no one does anything too bad. Toph the group is only big enough for one blind badass. When you get away make a pit stop to clean Appa. His shedding is creating a trail. Now Appa YIPP YIPP!" and with that, I send them off in Appa's back as five tanks enter my field of vision. I ready myself as they stop and release over fifty men and three teenage girls.

"Well Well Well we were tracking the avatar, but finding the Blind Butcher the scourge of the fire nation might be even better." The lead girl announces to me and her soldiers. She has a haughty voice and every word comes out well-rehearsed. I can only assume that this is Princess Azula of the fire nation. Wait, Blind Butcher? Scourge of the Fire Nation? I guess I am supposed to be hunted by the fire nation, but honestly, I kind of forgot about it. Every time I've run into fire nation troops they've been after Aang.

"I'm sorry. This is literally the first I've heard any of this. Is the fire nation supposed to be after me or something, because I've never been tracked down before."

"Can we get on with this. Who cares let's just capture him and move back to chasing the avatar."

"Oh, but it so fun seeing someone so mean and scary acting so confused" The two other girls next to the princess chime in. The first a moody girl who has a monotone voice probably Mai. The second a hyper upbeat girl probably Ty Lee.

"You're a wanderer going where you want and leaving destruction whenever you leave. Randomly causing chaos across the world." The might be a little harsh, but they've only tracked down Aang and a handful of times. Aang is easier to follow because of his notoriety and is probably a higher priority target no wonder I haven't run into any hunting me.

"Since I'm now suitably flattered by all the effort everyone has put into catching me, can we start this already. I've never fought this many people at once before and honestly, I'm getting a little excited." After a moment the princess makes a gesture with her hand and the soldiers who had exited the tanks began to charge me.

A portion of the men charge and the rest of them spread out trying to encircle me. The princess and her attendants backup allowing the soldiers to have the first attempt. The first group stops a distance away then let loose a combined wall of fire. It seems like all of these men are fire benders. I back away from the incoming fire and move to my left cutting off the group trying to encircle me. I catch the first man with a surprise haymaker dropping him. Now up close I discreetly use blood bending to create openings that I take advantage of. Subtly shifting their block so that I can deliver a punch straight to their masked face.

I'm surprised when the soldiers on the right stop advancing toward me. I notice another man wielding a sword and wearing a trench coat. A trench coat? Who the hell wears a trench coat? Then it clicked that it's a mysterious stranger. Which is cool. I didn't really need the help, but he should speed this up. The original charging force split in half. One half ran toward me and the other toward him. With some of the pressure taken off, I increase my pace knocking out more and more soldiers as some try to engage up close and other fire bending at a distance. Most of them fight like less talented Bakugou, so as long as I'm careful there isn't much danger.

"ENOUGH! YOU ALL ARE CLEARLY NO MATCH FOR HIM. SOLDIERS FACING THE BUTCHER, START GOING AFTER HIS MYSTERIOUS ACCOMPLICE." The princess orders. I take a moment to notice that while I have been knocking out soldier after soldier, the mysterious stranger has been mostly on the defense only occasionally striking at an opponent. The men intending to attack me retreat carefully joining their comrade attacking the stranger. Azula, Ty Lee, and Mai slowly walk toward me.

"I get the royal attention I see"

"You know what they say about getting things done right and doing them yourself." Man the princess is kind of cool. It's a shame he loses her mind. Always felt she got a raw deal. Hmm, I'm done traveling with Aang for now and I'm already the Fire Nation's most wanted criminal. I think I've got a plan or at least a quarter of a plan.

Our brief pleasantries are over Mai steps back launching throwing knives at me, Tai-Lee lives to get in close, and Azula keeps her distance supporting with her blue flames. As much fun as this, now that the stranger is the sole focus of the guards I only face 3 people. Facing fifty warriors what I was about to do wouldn't be possible, but only facing 3 it is now trivial. I extend my hand forcing my chi into their bodies. I grab ahold of their blood and squeeze. They stop dead in their tracks frozen as I now control their bodies. They don't even have time to realize what is happening before they lost all control. I take a firmer grip and squeeze harder, stopping their breathing and blood flow. Not long enough for real damage, but long enough to render the three unconscious.