"So," I said as we walked, "News of the Avatar?" I had my voice cold and high on purpose, trying to sound as Fire Nation-like as possible.
"Right. The last news of the Avatar was that he was in Ba Sing Se." the earthbender informed me.
I froze. "Ba Sing Se?"
"Right. Ba Sing Se," the second man said, raising his eyebrows. "And he probably is still there."
"Are you sure?" I asked.
"Not really . . ." the first man said, scratching the back of his head.
"What's the fastest way there?" I asked, holding back my excitement, trying to keep it in. "I need to . . . capture . . . the arrowheaded fool," I stuttered, and then cleared my throat.
They looked at each other again, and nodded, then looked at me. "Ship. The fastest way is by ship."
🔥 🌊 🔥
After miles of walking through a darkening forest, we reached the ocean.
"Why did we have to walk to this side when there was water where we met?" I asked, and he answered like it was so obvious that I felt stupid.
"Because our ship is here."
I looked up and squinted through the darkness, the only light coming from the moon. It wasn't a full moon yet, so I didn't feel the power yet.
"Where's the ship?" I asked, confused, peering through the darkness, trying to find the ship.
"It's right in front of you."
When he said that, I saw it. It was black and big; made of metal. As I looked closer, I noticed something odd about the ship. I turned to the first man. "Why is there a Fire Nation emblem on the ship?" I bit my lip as things slowly began to add up. The weird looks they give each other, the hesitation in all the answers . . . Suddenly, I noticed that the second man was nowhere to be seen. "Hey, where's—" I began, but something hard smashed into the back of my head and I literally felt my eyes roll up into my head as my body went limp. The last thing I saw was the ground rushing up to meet my face.
🔥 🌊 🔥
I woke up to a hard jerk and a loud rattling sound.
"What happened?" I mumbled, unable to open my eyes. I felt coldness under me, and I realized I was scrunched up in a ball. "Where am I?" It took a lot of my strength to open my eyes and my head felt numb and heavy. I reached up to feel the back of my head and felt a giant welt forming there. Groaning, I pushed myself up as I tried to remember what happened. My head was aching and it felt heavy. Suddenly, I realized where I was —surrounded by bars. I looked through the bars to find other little boxed cells hanging from the ceilings, above the ground. Horror dawned upon me as I realized I'd been tricked. I was such an idiot for actually thinking they fell for my lies.
I'd been captured.
By the Fire Nation.
I grabbed the bars of my cell, my heart beating ten times faster. I shook the bars. "Let me out!" I yelled. "Let me out! I haven't done anything! I've been cheated!" I yelled until my voice went hoarse and I lay back against the bars of my little cramped, hanging cell.
♋ ♋ ♋
(A/N: These symbols mean third person view)
"Who is she?" Admiral Zhao asked, pacing the room.
"She says she is a friend of Princess Azula's, and that she wants to know the whereabouts of the Avatar," one of the earthbenders' that had led the girl to the Fire Nation ship explained fearfully.
"She does, doesn't she?" the admiral said with a smirk. "She's a liar. The princess only has two friends that she trusts. Tai Lee, and Mai. None other. Did she tell you anything else?"
"No, sir," The other earthbender replied.
"You may leave," the admiral nodded, beckoning them to leave his presence.
The earthbenders hesitated, exchanging glances, and Zhao seemed to notice that.
"What," Zhao said with a sneer, "Do you expect something in return? You all are nothing but filthy traitors to your own kind. Get out!" Zhao yelled, and they ran without a second glance back.
Zhao paced the room, thinking. Who was she, and what ties did she have with the Avatar? He must know her somehow, and she was his ticket to finding the Avatar before the banished prince could get to him. He lip curled up into a sneer. He was going to find the Avatar.
