Chapter 42

"So no one is in the town?" I asked as Aang and I flew back to the battle ground. 

"No, no one" he sighed as we flew. Luckily as he was flying back to the battleground, he found me and picked me up. 

"I'm sorry Aang, let's just find the others" I sighed as the battle came into view. All of our tanks were in a U shape while the Fire Nation bombed us with fire.

Suddenly fireballs shot into the air around us, causing Aang to move to the sides harshly, causing me to hang on tightly. Luckily we landed and the tanks protected us from the fire.

Once we landed, there stood a worried Katara, Hakoda, Toph and Sokka.

"Sokka!" I called before wrapping my arms around him. He seemed okay, but Hakoda was bleeding. "Oh thank the spirits" Sokka mumbled before pulling away, but his hand stayed on my hip.

"Please tell me you're here because the Fire Lord turned out to be a big wimp and you didn't even need the eclipse to take him down." Sokka sighed looking at Aang who was frowning. " He wasn't home. No one was. The entire palace city is abandoned." Aang explained.

"The prison and the guard were still there though" I spoke grimly before feeling the emotion of my talk with Long Feng wash over me. I pushed it away, I couldn't break down, not now, not again.

Sokka's eyes widened "They knew."

"It's over. The Fire Lord is probably long-gone; far away on some remote island where he'll be safe during the eclipse." Aang groaned looking pained. Sokka for once seemed positive "No. My instincts tell me he wouldn't go too far. He would have a secret bunker; somewhere he could go and be safe during the siege but still be close enough to lead his nation."

"If it's an underground secret bunker we're looking for" Toph starts before pointing to herseld "I'm just the girl to find it." Nodding his head, Sokka pulled out a device "The mechanist gave me this timing device. It looks like we've got about ten minutes until the full eclipse. Ten minutes to find the Fire Lord."

"We can still do this. We can still win the day." Aang smiled weakly.

"Wait! If they knew we were coming it could all be a trap. Maybe we should use the time we have left to make sure we all get out of here safely." Katara spoke, her eyes wide with worry. And she had a point, maybe we SHOULD get out before it's too late.

"Everyone who's here today came prepared to risk everything for this mission. They know what's at stake. If there's still a chance and there's still hope, I think they would want Aang to go for it." Hakoda spoke gripping his side.

"What do you think? You're the one that has to face the Fire Lord. Whatever you decide, I'm with you." Sokka spoke before pulling me closer to him. "I've gotta try" Aang spoke before turning and leading Toph to Appa.

"Mika" Sokka whispered, pulling on me to make me face him. "I want you-, no I need you to come with Aang, Toph and I, I don't want you anywhere but at my side." he plead, his blue eyes gazing into mine.

"I wouldn't have it any other way" I smiled.

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"Do you feel anything down there?" Aang asks once we land.

Toph puts her hand on the ground "Yep. There are natural tunnels criss-crossing through the inside of the volcano.". Anything else? Is there a structure somewhere?" Aang asks, causing Toph to put another hand onto the earth.

"There is something big, dense and made of metal deep in the heart of the volcano." she reported before pulling her hands from the earth.

"Sounds like a secret bunker to me." Sokka cheered before looking at me with a smile. Moving forward, Toph shot her hands out, causing the earth to go into the volcano, and a large dust cloud rose.

"Hang on" I spoke before raising my hands and shooting them down, causing the cloud to slam into the ground, making it not as easy to see.

We entered the tunnel.

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After trying to fly over magma, and getting answers from a Fire Nation man, we stood at two large metal doors.

"Only thirty seconds until the total eclipse." Sokka reported as we looked up at the door. "I'm ready. I'm ready to face the Fire Lord." Aang spoke confidently as Sokka takes my hand.

Aang slams his glider onto the ground, causing air to knock down the door.

"So, you are alive after all. I had a hunch that you survived. But it doesn't matter. I've known about the invasion for months." Azula smirks proudly before her eyes land onto me.

"And I see you also survived, pity" 

I clenched my fist together, anger swimming through me.

"Where is he? Where's the Fire Lord?" Aang demands, his eyes hard and cold.

"You mean I'm not good enough for you? You're hurting my feelings." Azula asks, sounding hurt as she rises from the throne she was sitting in. 

"Stop wasting our time and give us the information. You're powerless right now, so you're in no position to refuse." Sokka demands, his voice deep and almost scary. "And stick to the truth. I'll be able to tell if you're lying." Toph adds.

"Are you sure? I'm a pretty good liar. I am a four-hundred foot tall purple platypus bear with pink horns and silver wings." The princess lies calmly, making Toph's eyes widen. "Okay, you're good, I admit it. But you ought to consider telling the truth anyway!" she hisses before trapping the girl in earth.

Suddenly, the earth breaks, making us all look at her in shock. "When I left Ba Sing Se I brought home some souvenirs: Dai Li agents!" she cackled as Dai Li agents fell from the ceiling and began their attack.