The Half of Me | Zuko

Chapter Twenty Four: Return to Omashu [P1]

Ryoko couldn't take her eyes off the banner. The way the blood red cloth shook in the breeze sent shivers to her spine. The smoke that emerged from the city and rose towards the bright sky only filled Ryoko with a darkness. Being so close to her nation was just like the night of the attack on the northern water tribe and yet now she was facing it head on. She was no longer her father's soldier. Yet the way she couldn't take her eyes off of the fire nation emblem brought her right back to the time where she was, the time where she was a young girl begging for her father's love and approval.

Ryoko though, didn't have the same sentiments to the city before them as her friends did. As she was being faced by her own fears and consciousness, the three with her stared at Omashu with grief and disbelief.

"I can't believe it," Aang says without taking his eyes off of Omashu, "I know the war has spread far, but Omashu always seemed... untouchable."

Ryoko steps forward, her arm going around the young Avatar as she tries her best to give a comforting smile. Apart of her felt guilt where she knew most from her nation would feel no guilt. Most likely at the moment someone was taking charge of Omashu in the stead of the one who was no longer in charge, King Bumi, the man who was supposed to teach Aang.

"Up until now it was. Now, Ba Sing Se is the only great Earth kingdom stronghold left."

"This is horrible," Katara states as she moves closer to Aang and Ryoko. "But we have to move on." She was right, Ryoko thought. Staying there any longer with the fire nation steps away was only dangerous for Aang.

"No." Aang removes himself from under Ryoko's arm as he steps forward towards the edge. "I'm going in to find Bumi." Ryoko had only been told so much about this Bumi, Aang's friend before he went into the ice. She knew how much he meant to Aang and now was being faced with losing another person he held dearest from his life 100 years ago.

"Aang stop! We don't even know if Bumi's still..." Sokka trails off not wanting to say what they were all thinking. He could have been possibly dead. Ryoko knew if he truly fought back with whatever he could, then it might have been his end.

Aang turns around, a minor glare covering his face, but the worry was overwhelming. "What? If he's still what?"

"Around."

Ryoko takes a step forward, trying to find the right words. Obviously the only thing on his mind was finding Bumi. "I know you had your heart set on Bumi, but there are other people who can teach you Earthbending," Katara tells him. Aang turns to look at the city, a stern look in his eyes.

"This isn't about finding a teacher. This is about finding my friend."

"Okay," Ryoko agrees nodding her head. "How are we going to get in though?"

Aang stares back at the city, silent in thought. Then his eyes lower. "I have an idea."

Everyone gets on Appa, the thoughts raiding through everyone's minds that they are too late. There was the chance that Bumi would be gone and the fire nation had completely taken over one of the largest cities in the Earth Kingdom. Ryoko watched Aang from the saddle, only seeing the back of his head, but it was enough to worry her. She hadn't been around Aang long enough to see him at a low point. She didn't know what he'd do if Bumi was gone.

Appa soared down lower than the city, sinking further under until they were surrounded by the earth. Appa lowers himself to the point where the four of them can jump off and stand on the small cliff that held a passage.

"A secret passage? Why didn't we just use this last time?" Sokka asks Aang who was using his staff to open the cover. With a thud, the cover crashes down and a foul smelling liquid pours out near Sokka, Katara, and Ryoko. "Ugh!"