Avatar the Last Airbender: Final Destination

Chapter 17: Ten Days

Avatar, 

I have something of yours that seems to be of importance to you. You have something of importance to me as well. I want my throne and my country. In exchange, you will receive your friend back alive. If she still wants to go with you. We'll see you in 10 days in the old crystal catacombs of Ba Sing Se. Do bring my brother. We have unfinished business.

-Azula

Aang shut his eyes tightly. Azula did have Katara after all. What was she doing to her? Was Katara okay right now? No one knew. He was the avatar. He was supposed to stop things like this from happening in the first place. He couldn't let Azula have the throne she was after, it would corrupt everything he had dedicated his life to fixing since he woke out of the iceberg to Katara.

It had been two days since Katara had disappeared. He had to show Zuko the letter so they could figure out what needed to be done. Surely he would have some idea as to what to do. Aang walked to Zuko's drawing room and took a deep breath before opening the door. Much to his surprise, Iroh was sitting across from Zuko having a cup of Jasmine tea. 

"Good to see you, young avatar," Iroh said with a broad smile.

"You as well, General Iroh," Aang replied.

"I am sad to hear about your missing friend, but I am here to help in whatever way that I can," he stated.

"Thank you, but she's not missing," he said turning to Zuko. "I just got this letter about Katara.'

Zuko took the letter from Aang and scanned over it. His brows furrowed in frustration as he set the letter down on the table.

"Any ideas?" he asked. 

"Well we obviously can't let Azula have what she wants but we have to get Katara back. There's no telling what we're walking into though. She wants to meet in Ba Sing Se so we have to get traveling soon," Aang responded.

"What about the throne? I can't leave my nation unattended to go chase Azula," Zuko sighed.

"Don't worry about that," Iroh said. "I'll see what I can do."

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"How does it feel to know that no one wants you?" Azula spat at Katara.

Katara looked up from the floor. Her bruised eyes squinted at the other female, "It feels great."

Azula squinted at the waterbender, seeming to read her thoughts. With a smirk, blue flames shot through her hands and into Katara's leg. Her good leg. Her other leg had already been burned. With minimal water she could barely heal it. Her hands had been untied because both of her arms sustained enough injuries to keep her from bending. She had been in captivity for five days now. 

"You know, your friend didn't seem to enjoy my company either. She was ecstatic when the avatar rescued her," Azula said. 

Katara looked up. Maya had been rescued? Aang had left her here? No. He wouldn't do that. Who was she kidding? She was pregnant with his child. 

"How long ago?" she asked.

"Oh, you don't remember? He was here three days ago. You must've been asleep. He saw you while he was here. He still hasn't been back," she responded. 

Katara felt the salty liquid run down her cheeks as she listened to Azula speak. Aang had rescued Maya and left her here. He had used her.

Azula's sinister laugh rang out in the cell. Katara looked up with as much hatred as she could muster through the hurt. 

"Obviously you're upset with the avatar. He never wanted you, foolish girl. You can get back at the both of them if you really wanted to," she smirked.

"I will never help you," Katara spat out.

"I figured you'd say that. So I've decided to make it more interesting. Your brother and his pregnant girlfriend are being held in the Ba Sing Se catacombs. Unless you help me bring down the avatar, they will be killed. If you tell the airbender about this, they will be killed," Azula lectured, bringing her face inches from Katara's.

Katara felt her heart drop as the world began to spin.

"I'll let you think about that," Azula said. The door slammed shut behind her.