AtLA Rewritten: Edition 1

Chapter 35

Athlea opened her eyes, facing down for a moment. She blinked, wiggling and realizing that she was tied to a chair. Dai was in front of her, eyes closed, tied to a chair of her own. "Dai!" Athlea called. "Dai, wake up!" She glanced around the room. It was mostly empty.

Dai blinked her eyes open. She had been walking and then... looking at the rocks.... She lifted her heavy head. Athlea was calling to her. Dai flexed her fingers around her staff and--it was gone. Suddenly she was wide awake. She jerked against the restraints on her ankles and wrists. "Where's my staff?" she snapped. Athlea blinked. She jerked her wrists from side to side, looking up at Athlea with wide eyes. "I need my staff!" she yelled, her voice tight with anxiety and rage.

The firebender frowned. "Dai, calm down," she said calmly. "We'll get out of here and get your staff back. Just..calm down."

Dai tensed, her hands in fists. "I need my staff," she said hoarsely. The room they were in was entirely stone. Dai narrowed her eyes. "Can you burn your way out?" She grabbed at air, breathing heavily. "I need my staff," she whispered again.

Her blue eyes glanced over her shoulder and down. She faced forward again, sighing. "Okay, I'll free myself and get to you. We'll get your staff and search for the others." She faced down, the ropes glowing orange around her wrists.

Dai took a deep breath, nearly hyperventilating at this point. She nodded, waiting eagerly. She watched impatiently as she started to burn the ropes, but didn't say anything. She was still squirming.

Athlea raised her head to look at Dai, a frown on her face. "Dai!" She shouted at her.

Dai's head snapped toward Athlea. "I need my staff!" she screamed.

"Calm down, okay? I'll get us out of here. Breath with me." Breathe in..." she started, herself taking a deep breath. "Breathe out..." she continued, letting out a soft breath out. "Come on, we'll do it together. Breathe in, and then out." Dai blinked at Athlea for a moment before slamming herself back into her chair, breathing and glaring around the room.

Finally, the rope was burned and Athlea's eyes shone. "Yes..." she muttered. With her hands free, she burned the rope off of her hands, then stood up.

Dai started tugging at the ropes again as Athlea freed herself. "Let me out let me out let me out," she blurted.

Athlea rushed to Dai and burned the rope, untying her with her arms wrapping around the girl in an embrace. "Please... Calm down, we'll get your staff back," she whispered before pulling away with a soft smile. Dai blinked, surprised.

"My staff," she whispered. She took a deep breath, closing her hands into fists. Water clung to the walls of the cave; she pulled as much toward her as she could, holding it to her chest between both hands.

Athlea blew flames out of both hands toward the door, leaning forward, her feet planted on the ground.

Dai waited for a moment, then flinched back. "Thea, stop! You're gonna bake us alive. The heat has nowhere to escape." Her eyes quickly lit up while Athlea stopped, taking a step back. "It's already hot; if I freeze it it'll get brittle and I can break it with some ice." She froze the door, the door cracking from the sudden dramatic temperature change. Athlea nodded, glancing at Dai. She used the same water to make an ice ball, sending it crashing through the door. Dai leaped through, then waited for Athlea.

"There," Athlea said with a nod, following Dai.

"We're geniuses," Dai hissed playfully, but her eyes still reflected her stress. Athlea gave her a soft smile before looking forward again.

Athlea looked around cautiously. "We need to be careful," she said calmly, walking forward slowly. "They must have taken everybody else's weapons and stored them somewhere." she said calmly.

"Right," Dai murmured. She reformed the ice into water and held it to her chest. "Should we try to find Toph? She can sense guards before us."

"We can try..." Athlea said with worry plastered over her face. Suddenly her hand moved to the cave and she stopped for a second, facing down, eyes closed. After a moment, she opened her eyes again. "I'm alright... I'm alright." She sighed.

Dai frowned, linking her arm with Athlea's. Athlea smiled softly. "You should've stayed home," she muttered. Then she smiled. "But where would that leave me, right? Come on."

"I'm alright. I can fight just fine," Athlea responded calmly. She glanced forward. Looking ahead, they could see two guards around a door, their backs to each other, facing down two separate paths that crossed the hall the women themselves were in. "...Can you freeze them, or should I cook them?" Athlea asked, half joking.

Dai smirked, then glanced at Athlea. "You shouldn't fight unless you need to. And I've always found ice prettier than flame." Athlea giggled. Dai used the little water she had and froze the guards ankles and wrists. "Ha! How's it feel, bitches?!"

"Idiots," Athlea said, rolling her eyes. She rushed forward with Dai at her side, opening the door.

***

A/N I LOVE DAI AND ATHLEA AS A TEAM