Avatar The Last Airbender Fan Fiction ❯ Ainoko ❯ Chapter Four ( Chapter 4 )

Ainoko

Chapter Four

Kyoui did not tell Aang what she had seen, and he did not seem to notice her downcast disposition. She went about feeding him as if nothing had happened.

Azula, however, knew something had.

“Your attacks are weak,” she noted as they sparred, “Something's distracting you.”

“Nothing,” she answered monotonously. Or, it would've been if she hadn't hurled a fireball at her.

“You lie. No matter. Push everything aside and fight.”

Help.

The snake inside lifted its head.

Help me battle.

It crawled through her. It had grown longer. Its head stroked her heart; its body filled her.

You're angry. Deep down inside I can feel it.

Her arms and legs began to move on their own accord. With a huff of effort, she flew a fireball at Azula, knocking her off her feet. Quickly she moved in for the kill, stopping an inch above her face.

She had won.

“Very good,” Azula said, a low growl in her voice, “Hopefully you can do the same tomorrow. You may leave.”

Kyoui took a moment to calm herself. The snake had disappeared, hidden itself inside her. And she was victorious.

But she had a very good idea that the beast inside Azula would rear its head soon enough.

◦◦◦

Aang had had a dream. He couldn't remember much of it, but he did remember Katara had been telling him something. He'd woken up angry and confused.

Something bad was coming.

Kyoui entered, her face unusually distressed.

“Something wrong?” he asked.

She shook her head. “I'm just tired.”

He opened his mouth to say something and quickly closed it, thinking better of it. Something had shifted in the past few days, and since then she'd been… distracted. Perhaps it was her lessons, wearing her down.

She did not speak as she set down his food. She sat down in front of him, staring intently.

“What?” he asked.

“You're the Avatar,” she sated as if he hadn't known. Much like the monks had said it, but she ignored the dramatic flair.

“Yeah… I'd noticed…”

“You're the Avatar,” she repeated as if it were finally sinking in. She sounded too much like Katara. “You're this,” she threw her arms out, “big huge worshipped symbol of ultimate balance and peace, and you're just sitting here,” her arms flailed out again, “Like a prisoner or something!”

He decided not to point out that he was a prisoner or something.

“I mean, the Fire Nation just decides to overthrow the basic balance of things? Are we complete idiots?”

Quite possibly.

She sighed and hugged her knees. “There's gotta be…something…”

What was she on about?

“You can't have one ultimate element; there's no order. Nature would collapse into itself.”

She looked at him for a moment as if expecting an answer. He merely stared back, asking for an explanation with his gaze.

“Never mind,” she stood up with a yawn. “I'm tired. I'll try and come tomorrow morning.”

She left with a wave and another yawn. But Aang sensed neither of them would get much sleep that night.

◦◦◦

Azula tapped her fingers together and gazed into the flames. Things were not turning out as she had planned, or perhaps better, she wasn't really sure. Perhaps she'd expected it. She'd suspected it, of course, but she'd hoped it wouldn't come to this. But she had to. All traces of her brother must be destroyed, and this was one more thing.

The flames grew and she calmed down.

“Good evening,” Kyoui said behind her. Azula stood up and turned to face her.

“We're going to learn something new today,” Azula said, “Sit down.

Kyoui nodded and sat. Instantly she was suspicious. Azula was in much too good a mood.

“I told you I had no idea who your parents were, correct?”

Kyoui nodded apprehensively.

“Hm… It seems I've lied to you Kyoui. I have a very clear idea of whose child you are, and it's only becoming more obvious.”

Kyoui started. She'd never really wondered too much about her heritage; she knew what she needed to know. But she was curious. Still, this seemed like a `if I tell you I'm going to have to kill you' kind of thing. Her chances were pretty good on that.

“I'm sorry to say this, my dear miracle child, but you seem to be a direct descendent of my idiot brother.”

For a brief moment her world stopped. This could go two ways, she realized: one, she was recognized as the child of nonexistent prince and possibly be killed for being associated with him, or two, Azula could kill her right here and now, leaving out all the dirty work. Hell, she was a servant girl. Only two people would miss her, one of them a servant girl just as easily silenced, and the other a prisoner with a tongue that wouldn't be too hard to cut out.

She would have to play her cards carefully.

“Are-are you sure?” she stuttered. The closest example she would ever have was the Fire Lord, and she wasn't even sure how accurate that was. For all she knew, she had all her attributes or none at all.

“I do apologize for this,” Azula stated, “But you see, all traces of my brother must be extinguished. I simply cannot allow his memory to live.”

Kyoui felt the snake inside lift its head.

If there was ever a time I needed help, now is it.

“I am truly sorry this must be done. You were a wonderful student.”

The next thing Kyoui saw were flames.

◦◦◦

Kyoui scrambled into the corridor. She'd barely missed that fireball; her hair was singed! Pushing aside two guards she made a sharp turn, nearly skidding the wrong way.

“STOP HER!”

She heard the frightful shout of the Fire Lord and, despite her situation, grinned. This was turning out to be messier than Azula wanted.

Three guards blocked the entrance to Aang's prison. She ran straight into one, sliding on the slippery floor.

Water nearby. Good.

“Hi,” she said to the guard she'd run into, yanking his sword out of its sheath, “Can I borrow this?”

They instantly turned to her. Quickly she made a sliding motion with her hands and the water on the floor welled around their feet. As they scrambled after her, they slipped and fell, knocking into one another. Kyoui dodged into the Avatar's keep.

“Kyoui! What's-”

She sliced through his restraints and he fell backwards. Technically, he'd been standing on his feet for the last fifteen years of his life, and he wasn't exactly the steadiest walker.

“No time to explain,” she said quickly, “Bunches of guards chasing me. I know where the flying bison are. Follow me.”

“Um…” Aang was confused, even more so when she hurried to the wall behind them. A few boxes graced its presence, but for the most part it was bare.

“What are you doing?” he asked, “I thought the exit was-”

“First of all, that exit, not an option. Secondly, there's an opening back here somewhere. I've been feeling a draft in here, and you don't have any windows.”

For the first time Aang noticed it too. A soft wind brushing his ankles; there had to be an opening somewhere.

“Yes!” she cried, pushing aside a box, “Found it!”

The hole was not large, and the drop looked steep. But as the shouts grew louder on the other side of the door, they had little choice.

Kyoui motioned sheepishly. “You first then.”

◦◦◦

The hole was not large, but large enough. Aang was thin enough to fit through (a happy day in his malnutritioned lifestyle), and Kyoui slid through easily after him. They managed to stop their fall halfway though by landing on a roof beneath them. They quickly climbed down, and Kyoui led him to the animal houses.

“Are you sure this is the right way?” he asked uncertainly. Yes, he was finally escaping. He'd gotten farther with Kyoui than he had in his last two hundreds times. But they were hardly in the clear yet, and snooping around the palace did not sound smart to him.

“No,” she answered, dodging between pens. “But we're with animals, so it can't be too far off.”

There was a slow moan, and she smiled, motioning for him to follow. Peeking around the corner, she stepped out, presenting Aang with a not-so-white bison. Judging by the arrows on his head, there was a good chance that he could fly.

Aang's face brightened. It was not Appa (he was probably dead by now), but it was a flying bison. He stepped forward to pat the dirty creature and tripped. The bison looked up curiously and so did Aang.

A metal chain clamped tightly around the bison's leg, holding it down. Kyoui frowned and held up the chain.

“I can't cut through it.”

The animal rolled over, tugging on the chain. It rattled and Aang realized something.

The chain was being held down by a wooden stake.

Quickly he and Kyoui tugged at the wooden spike with all the strength they could muster and fell back as it came loose. Yes, it was still around the bison's leg, but at least it could get away.

Aang hurried to the bison's side, urging the animal to stand upright. Once it did, he climbed on, helping Kyoui to do the same.

“Come on boy,” Aang urged the creature, “Let's go.”

The animal nodded its head and kicked off the ground, rising into the air. Kyoui held onto Aang they took off; she'd never flown before. But Aang let out a wild whoop and the creature sped off, shaking off years of captivity.

The Avatar was free again.

Author(ess) Notes:

He he! Aang's free! But the story's not over yet. I've got a few surprises up my sleeve!