Eclipse (Avatar the Last Airbender)

Chapter 22: Totality

Miyuki glanced at the door curiously as she pinned the floral hairpiece to her hair. Someone had just knocked, but she'd never had visitors that would come unannounced. She put on a pair of small, star-shaped earrings with a small moon and star dangling from it before she opened the door.

She found Iroh waiting for her and before she could greet him, he said, "I need your help."

It hadn't been too long since the last time she heard him speak so gravely, and her mind couldn't help but jump to the worst and shuffle through them. Then she remembered the key piece of information she had forgotten all about. "It's happened already, hasn't it? I heard whispers that your niece was trying to enter Ba Sing Se, but with all that's happened in the last few days, it slipped my mind."
The old general nodded. "She's here in Ba Sing Se, and she has Zuko."

Her mind shifted gears in an instant. "Then let's get going. You can fill me in on the way."

"I appreciate your enthusiasm, Miyuki, but there are some other people that I'd like to collect first."

She nodded, picked her weapons up at the door, and stepped out. She glanced at the gagged and restrained Dai Li agent by her door who looked up at her with wide, panicked eyes. She smiled sweetly as holstered her knives. "Oh, I see you brought a helpful friend."

·:*¨༺ ★ ༻¨*:·.

They walked quickly to a large apartment in the upper ring and Iroh knocked on the door. A blind Earth Kingdom girl opened it and greeted, "Glad to see you're okay."

"I need your help," Iroh said as the Earth Kingdom girl smiled and waved while the Southern water tribe boy and the Avatar let out a surprised exclamation.

The Avatar exclaimed, "You guys know each other?"

"I met him in the woods once and I knocked him down. Then he gave me tea and some very good advice," the girl replied.

"You too, Miyuki! How do you know him?" the Avatar asked.

Miyuki smiled and shrugged at the boy in response. "I have a way of getting around. Comes with the trade." She glanced at the Earth Kingdom girl. "But I don't believe that we've met before."

"I'm Toph."

"Miyuki. It's nice to meet you, Toph."

"Same. I like the way you walk. Nice and firm. Nothing like Twinkle Toes over there." She jabbed a thumb in Aang's direction and Miyuki chuckled.

"I like your choice in nicknames," Miyuki replied, "But before we get into it, there are more important things to discuss right now."

Iroh bowed a little at them. "Miyuki is right. May we come in?"

Toph nodded and let them in.

"Hey I remember you!" the Southern Tribe boy exclaimed, his finger directed at Miyuki. "You're the Northern Tribe girl that kicked Fire Nation butt during the siege!"
"And you're the Southern Tribe boy with the ideas," she replied coolly, deciding to leave out his thing with Princess Yue. "Sokka, right?" He gave her an awestruck look and she shrugged at him. "Word gets around. We should chat sometime, but again, not now. General?"

Iroh nodded at her. "Princess Azula is here in Ba Sing Se."

"She must have Katara!" Aang exclaimed.

"She has captured my nephew as well."

"Then we'll work together to fight Azula," Aang replied grudgingly as he folded his arms, "And save Katara and Zuko."