Avatar: The Fang Of The South and The Fire Princess Of The West (AZULAXOC)

Chapter 24

As Team Avatar stood on a hill overlooking Omashu, Aang's face held distraught.

"I can't believe it," he began, "I know the war has spread far, but...Omashu always seemed--"

"Untouchable?" Kaiyo finished for him and Aang nodded whilst walking towards Kaiyo and placing his head on the water bender's chest.

Kaiyo placed his hand on Aang's head as Sokka spoke, "Up until now it was...seems Ba-Sing-Se is the only Earth Kingdom stronghold left now."

Oka whined, prompting Aang to look down to the wolf and smile, "Yeah, I'll be alright boy."

The monk petted the wolf and Kaiyo sighed, "This is what senseless violence does to nations Airhead. As hard as it may seem, the Avatar needs to understand this...war only begets misery."

Aang nodded as Kaiyo now placed a hand on his shoulder briefly.

"This is horrible," Katara stepped up to Aang and Kaiyo, "...but we have to move on, Aang."

Aang closed his eyes for a brief moment before opening them again, "...No. I'm going in to find Bumi."

"Aang, stop!" Sokka stepped forward now, "We don't even know if Bumi's still--Mmph!"

Kaiyo snaked his arms around Sokka's face, blocking his mouth.

"What, if he's still what, Sokka?" Aang turned around and glared slightly.

"...If he's still alive, Aang," Kaiyo sighed, "As tough as it may be to take in...you need to understand that Bumi could have gone down--"

"Look, we know you had your heart set on Bumi, but there are other people that can teach you Earthbending," Katara tried to steer away from the truth.

"This isn't about finding a teacher," Aang craned his neck to look back at the once great city, "This is about finding my friend. Bumi would've been a valuable asset to the Fire Nation, you've always told me to look at the two sides of the same coin, Kaiyo...this is that other side."

"Hey, that's not how you're supposed to play this game," Kaiyo scratched his neck, "But...I guess you could be right." 

"And so the student becomes the master, huh," Sokka playfully tapped Kaiyo's chest to which the white haired teen suddenly remembered...

"You are free, Kaiyo...to teach Aang the ways of the waterbenders..."

Kaiyo looked on to Aang, whom was busy gazing at Omashu with a fire in his eyes. 'Soon Eyatso...soon...'

"We'll get some rest for a bit and then look for an entrance we can use," Kaiyo went over to Appa's saddle and began rummaging through one of the carry-on compartments, "When we find a way in we can--"

"I know a way in," Aang suddenly said as he went to Kaiyo, whom had just  handed Sokka and Katara their cloaks.

"Do you now?" Kaiyo asked as he took out a cloak for Aang and began putting it on for him.

"Yeah," Aang said as he adjusted his neck for Kaiyo to clip it on properly, "When I used to come here there was an old sewer tract that ran from the capital to outside the city."

"You sure it wouldn't be closed up by now?" Kaiyo asked as he got his dual blades and pouches of water out.

"Only one way to find out," Aang said as Kaiyo returned to his usual height.

"Well, alright then," Kaiyo pulled the hood of the cloak over Aang's head, "Let's sneak into a city, shall we?"

Kaiyo smiled when he heard Aang chuckle from pulling the hood over his head, "Yeah, operation save Bumi is a go!"