Homeplot, Part Two: Journey to the Capital City

[irisewiththesun]

It's still a little surreal, having four people from the island there with Zuko as he heads into days that could change everything for the world he knows, and for his nation. It’s surreal just being home again, even though he knows that it’s not real - it feels real, not like a dream at all, and that makes Zuko want to keep from screwing anything

Comments

Re: Azula's Attack

[thethirdwonder]

Appa was still in the air when Cassie looked down and saw the group of Fire Nation soldiers attacking the group on the ground. This had occurred a few times during their trek through the Fire Nation, but this time there was something different about this group. Or more, about the women flanking them who was definitely different then the soldiers and the fire bending she used was much different then Zuko's.

As she combed through her memories of conversations with Zuko, she realized this had to be his sister. Azula.

And if they attempted to land Appa near the attack, they were a huge target. Cassie ran through a few scenarios in her head before turning to Aang. "Hey, Aang! Can you use your bending to fly?" When the Avatar nodded, Cassie stood up and gripped Oathkeeper tightly. "Then help me to the ground before finding a safe place to land for the rest of you." And with that, she jumped, much to the cringe of the other people in the saddle.

Thanks to her own experience with flying, both with her powers and the hang gliders on the island, and tree combat training with Dick she'd done on the island, Cassie knew how to use the wind Aang gave her to her advantage until she landed with a hard roll just behind Azula's position. She was up a moment later, Oathkeeper at the ready. "Surprise, Princess."

[irisewiththesun]

He's there before his sister can finish her sentence, springing between her and Cassie and blocking Azula's flame with a sweeping chop with both hands. Anger flares up in him, hot and bright, at her mention of Mai, but he fights to keep himself in check, knowing he can't afford to lose control.

"Don't call me that," he growls, sending a flame back at Azula with a 360 degree spin and a sweeping kick of one leg. "You're after me, Azula. Leave them out of this."

[thethirdwonder]

Cassie had retort ready and waiting when she recovered from ducking neatly out of the way of the fire, as any good super hero would, but she choked on it when Zuko appeared in front of her. Oh, she didn't like the implication of this, him protecting her when she was perfectly capable of protecting herself, but she would yell at him later.

Ducking the second bout of flame shot at her, Cassie, used the opportunity to flip around Azula and take out a Fire Nation solider who had been coming to back her up with a few pointed strikes of Oathekeeper. "I can fight and I'm more then capable of handling you and your soldiers.

[irisewiththesun]

"Stay out of this, Cassie!" Zuko yells, throwing out an arm in a blocking gesture as the other sends another ball of flame towards his sister. "You don't know what Azula's capable of." He's got to protect her and the others he brought with them, because even though all of them are good fighters, Azula's something else entirely.

[thethirdwonder]

Cassie rolled her eyes at Zuko, but she couldn't take on Azula again anyway as more soldiers popped up. "Fine. You deal with sis and I'll keep them busy!" She flipped over two of them, letting them hit each other with their swords while she engaged a third.

[irisewiththesun]

Zuko wants Azula's focus on him, away from the others, and he fires a quick succession of fireballs in her direction the instant he's blocked the one she's sent his way. He swings a foot around, doing a barrel jump and ending it with a razor-like line of flame that licks along the ground towards Azula.

[thethirdwonder]

The third guard she engaged tried to push her into the wheel of flame coming at her but Cassie was quick. She used the key end of Oathkeeper to hook the guard's sword, sending it flying and then she hooked his armor, using it to turn him into the flame instead. She knew the armor would protect him so it was better him then her.

Cassie saw the others engaging what guards were left. "Zuko, we need to end this!"

[irisewiththesun]

"I couldn't agree more," Zuko says as he blocks Azula's attack with a blast of his own, and the force of their flames hitting together sends them both skidding backwards. Zuko digs in his heels, flipping away as soon as he can, then uses the nearby trees to get a height advantage, jumping upward and then flying out from the branches and kicking out flames from his feet.

[thethirdwonder]

Cassie takes out another guard and clears the way for them to get back to the others. "Zuko, come on!"

[irisewiththesun]

"Back off, Azula!" Zuko shouts, kicking up into a standing backflip and shooting another long blast with his feet. He keeps backing up, heading in Cassie's direction, sweeping his hands in a circular motion in front of him as he goes and building up a giant hoop of fire that he then sends out towards Azula. It extends into a long tunnel of flame, one that blocks his sister from them and will hopefully buy them enough time to get out of there. "Right behind you," he says to Cassie, and he's still facing away from her, facing Azula as he keeps the fire tunnel going, but he's right there.