Book Four: Air, Part Two

Zuko listened carefully to the man. He could not help but smile a little. This is EXACTLY what he was looking for! He stood and bowed low to the man, "I am eternally grateful! Thank you, sir." He took out a bag of gold and handed it to the man. "I fear this is the only way I can repay your bravery." He turned to Aang and Katara, "Let's go."

Akemi listened to the conversation, her eyes widening at the man's words. She had to do something to stop the Fire Lord and his friends from finding the rebels, but she wasn't sure what. The firebender pondered various ways to make the man seem like a liar, but what she came up with was a bit dangerous. Still she couldn't let the rebels be found so easily.

Standing, Akemi had herself waver. She put a hand to her head and her other onto the back of her chair as if to steady herself. Finally she let out a groan and fell to the floor, knocking over her drink.

Aang blinked, hearing someone fall to the floor. Being the boyscout he was, he walked over to the girl and spoke, "Hey, Katara? This girl just collapsed!"

IC: Katara

"Oh!" Katara rushed over to Aang, who knelt beside the fallen girl. She crouched beside them and touched the young lady's forehead. "Hey... Can you hear me?" she whispered, trying to see if the girl was unconscious or not.

***

IC: Toph

She nodded and took up the dice. Toph knew that, no matter what, she would come out the winner in this. She rolled the dice and, after a moment or two, said, "Five flames."

IC: Jerrel

"Hey punk! You don't know who yer messsin' wiff!" Said the drunk angrily, him and his friends standing to their feet.

"Of course I do." Jerrel said taking step back, readying himself for a fight. "A bunch of drunken idiotic assholes."

Eventually, Toph had soundly beaten the other players and Sokka couldn't help but smirk. He had learned long ago that Toph always won at any sort of game or competition.

"No fair! You cheated!" one of the gamblers shouted.

Zuko ran over to the girl and knelt down next to Katara. "Is she alright?" He asked her. The girl seemed to be knocked out cold. Too much to drink perhaps? Anyway, they just couldn't leave her there. "Do what you can, Katara. We're taking her with us."

IC: Katara

She nodded, but she frowned too. She honestly didn't know what was wrong with the girl. "There should be a healer in town, Zuko," she said, slowly. "They might be able to help."

***

IC: Toph

She snorted. "Don't start crying like a baby just 'cause I beat you," said Toph. "I didn't cheat. If anything, you cheated. I'm just too good, and can't be cheated. Now, you gave us your word. Tell us what you know, and maybe I won't take everything I won off you."

Akemi fluttered her eyslids, trying to appear weak. She moaned and opened her eyes slowly, blinking serval times before looking at the people above her in feign confusion.

"Huh. Who are you guys?" Akemi rubbed her forehead and sat up, blushing slightly. "Oh I'm sorry. I guess I drank too much so that when I stood I must of fell." She smiled up at them. "I'm sorry to make you worried."

Zuko smiled warmly at her, "It is fine. We are glad you are alright." He helped her onto her feet. "I am Zuko and these are my friends Aang and Katara"

Akemi resisted the urge to flinch or shudder as Zuko touched her. Instead she smiled at him again.

"Thanks. It's so nice to meet you guys. Most people here wouldn't care if some woman got drunk and fell to the ground. I am Akemi by the way."

"It is nice to make your acquaintance, Akemi. Sadly not many people feel need to help a person in need anymore. It is quite a shame." Zuko smiled and took a step back, bowing. "I am sorry, but we cannot stay long. There is something very important we must do" Mai's face flashed through his mind, "There is someone extremely important I must find."

"We'll leave you with the town healer, just be safe," Aang suggested with a kind smile, "Don't strain yourself."

*

"Fine... The crew of the ship is styaing in the Screaming Dragon Inn. Its captain, a Water Tribe guy, is staying in the rich part of town," the sailor murmured.

"Zuko? Oh!" Akemi wasn't about to let the group out of her sight. She just hoped her plan worked. "You're the Fire Lord aren't you? Oh I heard that your wi-Those rebels had no right in taking her."

Akemi sighed and looked like she really was sorry for Zuko. She was, but not for him. She was sorry that Mai had to suffer for her husband's mistakes.

"Wait does this mean you're going after them?"

IC: Katara

She nodded. "Yes, we are. We can't let them continue to terrorize innocent people," said Katara. "They need to be stopped."

***

IC: Toph

She grinned. "Thanks, buddy. You're a real peach." Toph stood and dusted off her pants. "Go ahead and keep your gold pieces," she said. "That's all we needed to know."

Toph left the gamblers behind and headed down the street with Sokka. Now all they had to do was track down this Screaming Dragon Inn. Hahn's cronies were bound to know just where he was staying in the rich part of town.

"Toph, did I ever tell you how awesome you are?" Sokk asked his girlfriend with a laugh as he followed her with a grin, "The looks on their faces were priceless!"

*

"Too many lives have been lost already. I was hoping that with the War over, everyone would just accept it," Aang said sadly.

IC: Toph

She smiled, blushing a little. "You just did," she said. "And thanks. Glad to know you enjoyed the show." A more somber note entered her voice. "Now, though... We have to be careful. I've got a feeling things are gonna be rough."

Zuko frowned, "Right....That is why I am trying to get her back." He looked at her, "We will find these rebels. You can come along, if you wish. Lords know I need all the help I can get."

Sokka smiled back grimly and took her hand, "Just stick by me. Soon enough, we'll have Hahn behind bars."

"Really? I can come with you," Akemi said shocked. And she wasn't faking it either. She didn't except the Fire Lord to openly invite her to help her taken down the people she was with. It almost made her laugh. Almost. "That would be great. I too have a problem that is driving me." Not mentioning that the problem was with Zuko and not the rebels.

IC: Suki

Suki stepped back, her mind was racing, she could have taken these guys out 5 times over already, but she was trying to keep her cover. He mind snapped back to reality when she saw one of the drunks lunge toward Jerrel. "Look out!" Suki found herself yelling actually concerned.

***

IC: Jerrel

Heard Suki scream and noticed the drunk into time to spin out of the way, while doing so the second one charged forward trying to punch Jerrel. Jerrel leaned back, the second drunk's fist barely missing his face. As the drunk pulled back to swing his hand Jerrel was already in his face hitting him with a 1-2-3 combo. Everyone in the Inn began to go wild cheering on the drunks and Jerrel as they fought one another, this was apparently normal in this Inn.

IC: Toph

She smiled. "I should be the one telling you that. You're the one this guy wants to maim, or whatever." Toph did not let go of his hand, though; she did give it a reassuring squeeze. "So, yeah. Let's just stick together."

They finally arrived at the Screaming Dragon Inn.

***

IC: Katara

She looked at Zuko in surprised. "Zuko!" she said. "Are you sure. It... It is going to be dangerous!"

Akemi raised an eyebrow at Katara as she voiced her concern for the firebender.

"Excuse me-Katara, I think-but I can handle myself. I am older than you, so there's no need for you to worry about me," Akemi said a little too harshly. But not wanting to have any of them disliking her (which could lead to distrust), Akemi spoke quickly. "Still it's kind of you to look out for me."

IC: Jerrel

Jerrel came sliding backwards out of the Inn the main drunk and his two remaining coharts exited shortly after.

"You're going down!" Cried the leader.

"I'm still standing loser." Jerrel smirked. He spun around and axe kicked one of the other men in the head as he tried to circle behind him and catch him off guard. "Only two of you left, shall we go ahead and finish this?" He asked waving for them to act at the same time.

***

IC: Suki

Suki folled the men outside followed by a few customers, while the others ran to the nearest window so they could continue watching the fight. She was slowly being captivated by Jerre'ls fight when she noticed that Sokka and Toph heading their way.

IC: Katara

She frowned at the girl. She had noticed the harsh outburst, and it did not sit well with her. "You are a civilian," said Katara. "We can't involve you in this. We shouldn't, I mean..." She looked at Aang and Zuko. "We can't put her in danger."

***

IC: Toph

Across the way from the inn, there was a tavern. Toph could hear the sounds of a brawl spilling out into the streets. She almost grinned, because she liked "watching" those sorts of things, but she didn't.

Instead, she gasped.

"Suki!?"