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chapter xxii

Word Count: 3,857 words

CHAPTER XXII: 鳥なき里の蝙蝠

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After Natsuko's outburst, the Dai Li hadn't returned to her trail and they didn't ask her about that day or days after where she would just fly away and come back very late. They suspected; well, Sokka did; that she was building her own army to fight against the Dai Li and the King and then let them fight for the Fire Nation during the Day of the Black Sun. Everyone knows Sokka and how he is, he dreamt about it, just with the dream he had about people-eating vegetable and others. But not everyone knew what Natsuko has been keeping secret of all this time, meeting up with Zuko and was better now that Dai Li wasn't there to get her.

Maybe it was a good thing that she did what she had to do, maybe not. But it would be better if they'd find Appa first.

That's it!

She told them that instead of waiting for King Kuei, they'd find Appa. So they looked for printing shops and someone who would be able to draw Appa, entrusting the unrewarding deed to Sokka who has been diligently working his hands and brains off to fully capture the essence of Appa in his masterpieces, only to find out that they already had a picture of Appa and has printed the posters.

"Come on! Let's get busy!" Aang took out the papers and everyone one, with him and Natsuko taking off to the sky, taking the Lower Ring while Aang takes the Middle Ring and the rest being patient in whatever game they were playing. She was happier using her usual clothes, keeping some tops from the King. It felt better flying without the fear of falling or something else weighing her down, who knew that clothes were designed to be that heavy?

She dropped the last of her leaflets, unknowingly tracing the lines to the place Zuko and Uncle were passing by the tea shop they worked in. Before she even tried to come down to have some tea, Aang glided by her and told her that he was finished as well, the two of them flying back to the house. After a few seconds of waiting, a knock come to the door. When Aang opened the door, excited as to whom has seen Appa, he was greeted by Joo Dee who went inside the house without any hesitation, greeting them by the door. The rest of them walked towards her, with a hint of concern, after she left them and was replaced by another person named Joo Dee as well.

No one was really content with Joo Dee had to say, Aang especially after his outburst to the woman and Toph who earthbended the left side of their home as a first step to breaking the rules of the city. They pressed on with putting up posters by the Lower Ring. They all head different directions, Natsuko taking the East side in attempt to be done with putting up the posters, knowing that doing this wouldn't let them find Appa because of the order Long Feng has kept within the walls.

"I should've known that the Avatar was also here in Ba Sing Se." she turned around and saw Zuko with a very familiar expression on his face.

"You didn't ask." she deadpanned and sighed, "I know what you're thinking about."

"Why do you keep on helping him?" his patience wore thin after days itching to ask about the Avatar.

"Why do you keep on looking for him?" his patience wore thin after every question was another one.

"Stop doing and just tell me why!" his patience wore thin after being fooled again and again.

"You don't know who I truly am." she cut him off, hearing Katara grunting in the distance and waterbending somewhere near, "I'll leave you with your thoughts, Zuko, please think all of this through."

She ran towards them before she could hear what he had to say. Her concern right now is finding Appa and helping the Avatar, what happens afterward was just a surprised how close to each other they were and saw them all cornering a man, his body pinned against the wall by ice daggers and his hand was holding something at his back. Sokka was the first to ask, "Katara, what happened?"