After Ozai: Book Two (Kataang FanFic)

Chapter Eight: Desperate

She could barely look at him anymore. The monster that he had turned into was far beyond the usual, joyful Airbender that she had come to know and cherish since she joined Team Avatar. Following the final battle, Suki had begun to really know Aang, his mannerisms, his general thoughts, she attributed it to spending so much time with Sokka and his friends but she genuinely enjoyed spending time with the Avatar. Now... now she wanted to get away from him. If it was up to Suki, she'd be on the other side of the world right now, guarding the king's palace, like she was originally set out to do during the war. Instead, she was leading herself and Aang throughout the wilderness of the Fire Nation towards the capital. However, the overall plan that she and Aang once set out was in complete ruins by this point. For starters, Aang needed to be fully healthy for the plan to work, an obstacle that Suki hadn't seen previously until now. Even so, Aang's physical health wasn't at the forefront of Suki's mind, rather his deteriorating mental health took its place. Since Aang's last... episode... the duo traveled deep into the volcano ranges just west of the capital. From where they were standing, Suki could look down and scour the entirety of the city below. Once she began to navigate her sight throughout the city, Suki picked up on a few specific benders near the royal palace, signifying their fears. Observing them closely, Suki noted that the benders had the same armor as the Fire Nation soldiers, however, they were moving the earth around them with ease.

"Do they honestly think that by just switching their uniforms that we wouldn't notice them? They aren't even hiding the fact that they're earthbenders." Suki continued to study them keenly, however, the sound of a stirring soul behind her caused her to focus her attention elsewhere.

"Aang?" Slowly, he struggled his way to his feet, gasping in a deep gulp of air as he finally made it upright. Urgently, she raced towards him, putting one hand on both his chest and his back, keeping his upright position in place.

"Hey, you need to take it easy. None of your injuries will be able to heal properly if we continue to run around like lunatics."

"And we won't be able to find Zuko and stop Azula if we sit around and wait for me to heal. Look, I know you're trying to help, but I don't need you to baby me!" Sighing, Suki dropped the conversation and heeded to Aang's demands.

"As you wish, I just hope that you know what you're doing." Realizing his undeserving tone, Aang turned and gave her a small smile.

"I'm-... I'm sorry. I just have a lot on my mind right now." Suki nodded, acknowledging the obvious as she laid a hand on his shoulder, allowing him to stand upright on his own.

"We'll find him, and there isn't a doubt in my mind that we'll stop Azula. But, for right now, we need to make sure that we stay out of eyesight from those benders down there. Something tells me that they aren't who they are dressed as." Confused, Aang looked down towards where Suki was pointing, however, no one was within the vicinity of her pointing.

"May I ask who you are talking about? There isn't anyone down there." Shocked, Suki turned her body urgently back towards where she saw the benders, and to her amazement, they were truthfully gone as if they vanished into thin air. Nervously, Suki began to chuckle as she began to tug on Aang's tunic, nonverbally asking him to move.

"What's going on? What's gotten into you?"

"I-... I just want to get away from here. Come on." Giving no time for Aang to respond, Suki grabbed onto Aang's arm and began to pull, forcing him to trudge up the steep volcano with her. As time passed on, Aang kept a confused look across his face. He didn't know why, but the way Suki was acting seemed off. Continuously throughout their steep climb, Suki would periodically look back behind the two as if she were looking for something.