Burnt Out - Zuko x OC

Being Handled

Season 2, Episode 13

Kai's head emerged from the lake and she scaled the wall, running along it's ledge in the direction a Dai Li guard instructed her. She could hear a loud cranking and felt the wall weakening beneath her feet. When she looked down, "Hey, Aang!"

Aang was dodging flashes of blue lightening and balls of fire right below her. His eyes scaled the wall and met with hers, the chipper teenager responded just as cheerily as ever, "Kai! A little help?"

Kai free fell down the side with her arms out like a sparrowkeet and landed behind the girl Aang was fighting, his limbs now covered in earth gauntlets. He dodged her lightning strikes, eyes looking past Azula to Kai and begging for her help.

"Gross, what is this?" Kai bent down and touched the slurry that painted the sides of the drill, "Mud? Hm.. that'll work." She moved her arms briefly and following them was a wave of the thick, slippery mess. It knocked Azula and Aang right off their feet, sending them sliding down opposite sides of the metal monster. Momo caught Aang midair but Azula continued down, her steel shoes sparking against the surface as she struggled for a grip. Kai slid down after her, resting on the edge of one of the windows.

While Aang was carving a boulder into the wedge that they needed to finish their plans, Kai was blocking further strikes from Azula. Walls of mud absorbed the lightening and Kai found entertainment in watching the girl's face explode with anger, taunting her.

"You're a very capable fire bender! May I ask where you trained?"

"The Royal Fire Academy for Girls." She responded, followed by another grunt and flash of blue heat. Kai formed a mold of clay around Azula's free hand, leaving her dangling by just the skin on her fingers. She took a good look at the girl, recognizing her strong brow and honey colored eyes.

"I'm in the presence of royalty, aren't I? You're Princess Azula!" Azula smirked at the recognition, "Not to be rude, but your brother is much more welcoming."

Kai's playful, nonchalant attitude reminded Azula far too much of her weak uncle and childish friend, Ty Lee. And she didn't like the thought of anyone preferring her disgrace of a sibling over her. She felt flames warming up her throat, "My brother is a criminal and a weak limb in our family's tree. And you — you, my dear, will pay for ever comparing the two of us!"

Her lips parted and Kai could smell the fire that was about to be cast upon her, like charcoal burning on an already hot summer day. She summoned another small wave of slurry to snuff out the girl's flame, but smiled at her willfulness.

While Azula was coughing up mud and water and dirt, Kai could feel that the entire rig was about to blow thanks to Aang's wedge. She stood from her resting place and looked down on the princess, "I told a man earlier that there was no need for us to make a mess today, but I think that was a lie."

Azula cast one more bolt of lightening from her palm toward Aang, who was racing down the side of the wall. It sent her free falling and she missed her target, the force of the wedge knocked Kai off of the drill but she caught herself and somersaulted to the tall, stone platform that Katara, Toph and Sokka now watched from.

"Perfect timing!" Toph yelled over the sound of rushing slush waves.

"Come on, if we hurry we can still catch the next train to Ba Sing Se."

*****

The five of them boarded an almost empty tram to the inner city. They looked out the windows around them, taking in the vast change of culture. Kai's eyes scanned the faces below even though they were all just a blur from this high up.