(1) Augmentum | Zuko

Chapter Twenty-Two

Zuko lays back on his bed, he's dry now, and has changed into something simpler to spend his evening. He's not taking dinner to Rana, simply because of her little trick with water. He's sure she did it on purpose. To humiliate him in front of his crew. He lets out a harsh breath and then finds himself frowning. He sits up to survey the room. Something is different. Something is wrong with what he's looking at. Something is wrong with his quarters. His eyes scan around, looking for just what it is. A sword stand that he knows he placed Rana's sword on. Only the sword is now gone. He scrambles to his feet and rushes out of the room.

......

Zuko hurries onto the deck before he slows, eyes finding Rana. She's standing on the edge of the ship, staring down into the water, her sword strapped to her back. He makes his way towards her, slow, cautious. She lets out a breath and turns to face him. He looks a little angry. A lot angry with her for doing this. It was smart. Getting them to let their guard down around her. Let her roam about the ship without question. He won't be making that mistake again.

"Going somewhere?" He asks, she hums and shifts on her feet.

"Thought I'd take you up on that escape offer" She answers.

"Really?" He asks her, she shrugs and then whistles sharply. Noivern bursts out of the clouds and flies downward towards them at some speed.

"I just had to get close enough to call for him" She admits.

"Which means I'm close to the Avatar" Zuko adds, she shrugs.

"No close enough" She argues and readies her stance. "I'll have speed on my side, I'll get to him first...."

"We'll see" He counters and then charges her. Noivern lets out a sonic blast, throwing Zuko back, Rana looks momentarily concerned for him when he lands rather hard but shakes her head to clear it. Noivern lands on the deck, claws digging into the wood as he skids to a stop. Rana runs towards him, Pichu clutching to her tail. "Don't let her escape" Zuko orders his soldiers who instantly run towards Rana. Pichu releases her tail and jumps down onto the deck. Rana pulls herself to a stop, reaching for him.

"Pi...Chu!!!" Lightning erupts from Pichu and hires towards the approaching soldiers who scurry and run out of the way. Pichu whimpers a little as it stops, the effects of it hitting him too. Rana scoops it up and then climbs up onto Noivern's back, settling in the saddle.

"Let's go, Noi!" She orders, cradling Pichu in her arm as she grabs Noivern's reins. Noivern makes a noise of agreement and then pushes himself up into the sky with a blastwave of air from his wings. Pichu waves down at Zuko who watches them fly away, disappearing into the clouds. Zuko lets out a cry of anger, fire bursting from his hands. He lets out a harsh breath through his nose.

.............

Rana lets out a relieved breath once Noivern settles into the clouds. They offer him a bit of cover, hiding him against the night sky. Rana leans forward and hugs Noivern's neck. She has missed him. Missed all of them.

"Let's go find our friends," Rana tells him, Noivern roars and pushes onward. He knows where he is going.

......

Katara sleeps on a mat laid out upon a Fire Nation prison rig. Pretending to be an earth-bender just to get here, which probably isn't her best plan. Just to save someone she unintentionally got into trouble. They'd stopped in a village to try and figure out what to do about Rana, her pokemon were getting increasingly distressed about her being gone. They had no idea where she was. If she even got out of the village. But Aang assured them that the pokemon would be more upset and would have likely left them if they truly felt that Rana was in danger. A small figure waddles towards where Katara is sleeping, ears flickering and twitching, listening for any sign it's been spotted. Wartortle. He moves to Katara.

"Wartortle" He states and then blasts some water into her face, waking her up, she starts to cry out but silences herself when she recognises Wartortle looming over her. The two of them share a look before she nods and she stands, following after him as he waddles away.

.........

Wartortle leads Katara to the edge of the rig's main platform where Appa, Aang, and Sokka are waiting with Rockruff and Vulpix. Katara notes that Noivern isn't in sight but assumes he's on the lookout.

"Your 12 hours are up, where's Haru?" Sokka tells her. "We've got to get out of here" Wartortle hops off the platform and onto Appa. Sokka holds his arm out to Katara.

"I can't" She argues.

"Vulpix" Vulpix complains and Aang nods, despite having absolutely no idea what she is saying to him.

"We don't have much time, there are guards everywhere. Get on." Sokka argues with Katara who looks conflicted about leaving.

"Katara, what's wrong?" Aang asks.

"I'm not leaving. I'm not giving up on these people" Katara tells them and motions behind her. Sokka and Aang climb from Appa to talk with Katara better.

"What do you mean you're not leaving!?" Sokka scolds her.

"We can't abandon these people. There has to be a way to help them" Katara tells him.

"Maybe she's right. What do you say, Sokka?" Aang asks looking at Sokka.

"I say you're both crazy!" A searchlight comes close by and they hunker down until it passes. "Last chance, we need to leave – now!"

"No" Katara argues firmly. She's not moving on this.

"I hate when you get like this" Sokka complains. Another searchlight shines across, almost hitting them and alerting the Fire Nation to their presence. "Come on, we better hide."