Flames of Destiny

9. THE DRILL PART 2 - PERCY: I'M SORRY IF I MADE YOU PEE YOUR PANTS?

The Earth Kingdom soldiers were able to slowly and carefully lay the stiff body of their comrade from the Terra Team onto one of the beds prepared in the infirmary, Aang nodding his silent thanks to them and the others who helped him and his friends carry or escort the injured Terra Team back to the safety behind Ba Sing Se's Outer Wall as Katara quickly began tending to the soldier right in front of her.

They wouldn't have been able to pull off such a quick rescue for two dozen overly huge and heavy earthbenders without the Fire Nation soldiers being preoccupied with a certain 'distraction'.

Percy.

The Avatar narrowed his eyes at the thought of their mysterious travel-companion-cum-battle-ally. Right before the earth shook, he felt an unknown force overwhelm him. It was unlike the time he hosted La in the North Pole. But contrary to the feeling of unadulterated rage he experienced when the Ocean Spirit tore through the Fire Nation Army, it seemed that whatever that caused the earthquake was measured. As if the earth was unwilling to cause too much damage.

Could Percy really be someone who bends two elements?

But that wasn't the only thing worrying him. When they were escorting the Terra Team back, Aang caught a glimpse of the fight that Percy had drawn the Fire Nation soldiers into, and was very certain he heard a maniacal laugh which sent a slight shiver down his back.

"What's wrong with him? He does not look injured."

General Sung's question to Katara caught Aang's attention as she attempted to heal the soldier lying in front of her with water bending. The senior was not wrong to voice his curiosity, and Aang noticed that there were no physical wounds on the soldier.

In fact, all the soldiers that were lying in the packed infirmary did not spot a single cut, gash or wound on them to explain the unexplainable condition they were in.

Katara wore a frown on her face as the glowing water wrapped around her palms reached the man's shoulder. She had an uneasy feeling at the back of her head, and it was beginning to form on her chest as she continued examining the soldier's condition. Something was being cut off inside the soldier, and she was all too familiar with it.

"His chi is blocked," she explained, trying to keep her voice level. With chi being blocked, this is beyond Katara's abilities to help, but it's not entirely bad news. She turned to General Sung. "They won't be able to bend for a while, but as time passes they will be fine."

Upon seeing the General nod, she turned back to the Terra Team member, the question on the tip of her tongue as she was certain of the identity of the culprit but confirmation was still needed. "Who did this to you?"

"Two girls ambushed us," he answered with a hint of unease in his voice, probably embarrassed to have been so easily defeated by 'two girls'. "One of them hit me with a bunch of quick jabs and suddenly I couldn't earthbend anymore and I could barely move. Then she cartwheeled away."

"Ty Lee," Katara's eyes narrowed as the name of the chi-blocker sounded like it was spat out by the young waterbender. "She doesn't look dangerous, but she knows the human body and its weak points. It's like she takes you down from the inside."

Sokka's sudden exclamation in excitement had her turning her head around to her brother as she stood up while raising an eyebrow at the sight of his equally excited face. "Yes?"

"What you just said!" Sokka said like it explained everything, but continued when he saw the confused looks on everyone's faces, his excitement not even dampened the slightest. "That's how we're going to take down the drill! The same way Ty Lee took down all those big earthbenders!