With Ying ready to further her journey, the group set off once again, only this time, minus Aang. Asha took to walking beside the new mother, acting as a crutch, as the rest led the way, desperately using the weight on her shoulder to distract herself from Aang's absence. Zulu was currently perched in Raiko's arm, the blonde talking to Sokka as Katara ignores the boys.
"We truly can't thank you enough, Onsra Asha." Than speaks for his family, looking to the small girl.
"It's not a problem, really." She smiles at the family before looking away, her brow furrowing as an object comes into view. As it comes close, she can identify it as Aang and Momo, furthering her confusion. Than seems to recognize this, switching places with the brunette quickly.
"Aang, what are you doing here? I thought you were looking for Appa and Gumi?" Asha questions, approaching him as he lands while Momo purrs into her cheek. She pats his head before allowing him to return to Aang, the teen looking worried at whatever he saw.
"I was, but something stopped me. Something big." He looks to the girl, both air benders continuing to walk to the wall as he explains.
As they approach the wall, Aang and Toph bend a platform up the wall as Asha keeps watch.
"Now what's so big that Appa and Gumi have to wait?" Sokka questions, his and Raiko's conversation on hold.
"That." Aang gestures his head to further down the wall, a large metal cylinder approaching it, the fire insignia perched proudly on it's back. Fire tanks ride beside, eight on the side facing the group.
"Is that a drill?" Asha walks further down the wall as they get to the top, her brows furrowed in worry.
"We made it to Ba-Sing-Se, and we're still not safe. No one is." Ying cries, her family huddling together.
"What are you people doing here? Civilians aren't allowed on the wall." A guard approaches the group, Aang quickly pulling Asha closer to him.
"I'm the Avatar, this is my Onsra. Take us to whoever's in charge." Aang demands, Asha giving a nervous wave to the guard.
___
"I've decided that I hate Earth kingdom generals. Not the Earth kingdom, just their stupid, stupid, generals. " Asha grumbles as the general currently pissing her off looks through a telescope.
The general had determined that he did not need their help, they had it perfectly under control, and could beat a 100-ton drill without the Avatar or Onsra. The thought made Asha laugh. The general explained that his 'elite' team of Earth benders, The Terra Team, were perfectly capable; just the name distracting Sokka and Raiko from the problem at hand. The two determined to now find a team name for them.
"Be nice." Aang holds her close, his voice a whisper. He only gets a huff in reply, making him roll his eyes in amusement.
The group is shocked into attack positions as the general shoots up, shouting about how they're doomed, his arms flailing. Sokka takes the opportunity to slap the man, Asha letting out a whine ('Why couldn't I do it? I'm the Onsra!' 'You can have the next hit-' 'No more hitting!') at the action, Aang, once again, having to intervene.
Which was to be expected as he balance her, just as much as she balance him.
"Get a hold of yourself man!" Sokka cries as the man continues rubbing his cheek.
"You're right. I'm sorry."
"Maybe you'd like their help now?" Toph smirks, gesturing to the air benders.
The general meekly approaches them, looking down with a timid look. "Yes, please. "
"With that settled, the only problem is, how is are we gonna stop that thing?" Asha says, looking over the wall, the others following; only to advert their gaze to Sokka.
"Why are you all looking at me?" Sokka looks back to the others.
"You're literally the idea guy." Raiko deadpans from beside Asha; Aang on the other side, both watching Sokka carefully.
"So I'm the only one who can ever come up with a plan? That's a lot of pressure." Sokka complains, Asha leaning her head on her hand as he does.
"And also the complaining guy." Katara grumbles, looking to her brother.
"That part I don't mind."
___
Sitting back to back, Katara and Asha bend water around their hands, allowing the water to glow a bright blue as they each heal a member of the Terra team.
"What's wrong with him? He doesn't look injured." The general, general Sung, asks as he watches the two.
"His Chi is blocked, temporarily paralyzing his bending and limbs." Asha explains as she dissipates the energy, Katara copying.
"Who did this to you?" The water bender asks the soldier, his arm gripping the air slowly.
"Two girls ambushed us, one of them hit me with bunch of quick jabs, and suddenly I couldn't Earth bend, and I could barely move... and then she cart wheeled away." The soldier moans out, recognition dawning on the girls' eyes.
"Ty Lee." Asha growls, standing as she holds a hand to Katara.
"She doesn't look dangerous, but she knows the human body and it's weak points. It's like she takes you down from the inside." Katara adds, taking the offered hand as she stands. Sokka cheering behind them as he gestures wildly.
"Yes?" His sister acknowledges the boy.
"What you just said, that's how we're gonna take down the drill! The same way Ty lee took down all these big Earth benders!" Sokka explains, turning to Raiko (the boy holding a finger to his chin).
"By hitting it's pressure points!" Raiko turns to Sokka as well, his hand leaving his chin in an 'a-ha!' moment.
"We'll take it down from the inside!" Aang says looking to the drill from a window.
"Nerds." Asha whispers to Toph, the other girl laughing.
___
"Once I whip up some cover, you're not gonna be able to see, so stay close to me." Toph instructs before jumping out of the trench the group sits in.
Aang reaches over and grabs his counterparts hand, watching as Toph sends a blast of dust towards the drill. As she does, she yells for them to run, the group following closely behind the blind girl. They eventually come face to face with the drill, Toph creating a hole in the ground for the group to jump into.
"It's so dark down her, I can't see a thing." Sokka groans.
"Oh no, what a nightmare." Toph feigns horror, inevitably rolling her eyes as he mutters an apology, Asha laughing.
"I'm so glad we kept her." Asha says, Aang still holding a tight grip on her.
"Wait- Asha, you still remember how to fight, right?" Aang looks to her, not that she would know, the boy remembering back when they first reconnected. How she literally busted him out of jail.
"Yeah? You kinda don't forget something like that." Asha furrows her brows.
"Good. We might need it."
___
Sokka leads the air benders and his sister through a red-lit room, pipes and valves littering everywhere they look. Toph and Raiko (along with Zulu) stayed outside, trying to slow the drill down.
"I need a plan of this machine. Some schematics that show what the inside looks like. Then we can find it's weak points." Sokka says studying the pipes.
"Where are we gonna get something like that- What are you doing?!" Aang cuts himself off as Sokka abruptly chops a steam valve clean off. "Someone's gonna hear us!"
"That's the point. I figure a machine this big needs engineers to run it, and when something breaks..." Sokka trails off, hoping someone will fill the blanks.
"They come to fix it!" Asha cheers, quieting down as footsteps approach. "I got it, just stay down." Asha looks back to the group, the three nodding back.
Crouching, Asha slowly approaches the large engineer. She waits for his back to turn before pouncing. Wrapping her legs around his neck, she holds a cloth from her satchel to his mouth; jumping off as he falls onto the pipes above her, hooking her legs around it and leaning back to hang upside down. Sokka quickly picks up the schematics while Katara bends an icy prison for the guard, Aang nervously watching as Asha flips to her feet.
"You make me so nervous sometimes." He shudders, Asha laughing before Sokka points to several things on the schematics.
"Thanks to Asha, we have the drills schematics. It looks like the drill is made up of two main structures. There's the inner mechanism, where we are now, and the outer shell. The inner part and the outer part are connected by these braces. If we cut through them, the entire thing will collapse. " Sokka explains before looking to his spectators, who all nod before running off.
___
"Wow, it looks a lot thicker in person than it does in the plans. We're going to have to work pretty hard to cut through that. Asha, go see how many of these braces there are." Sokka points, the girl bounding away with air bending, taking out her glider as she does.
"What's this we stuff? Between Aang, Asha and I, we're going to have to do all the work." Katara snarks, crossing her arms.
"Look, I'm the plan guy, you three are the 'cut stuff up with water bending' guys. Together, when Asha comes back, we're Team Avatar!"
Asha comes back a few minutes later, folding her glider with a spin. "About 23 in total, including this one." She looks to Katara and Aang, both passing water back and fourth between them, cutting the metal pole between them. It's about halfway done before the two bend over in exhaustion.
"C'mon team, don't quit now, we're- "Sokka is cut off by a growl from his sister. "I mean, you're almost there. Look, Asha's back, she can tag out!" Sokka quickly hides behind the smaller girl, away from the wrath of his sister.
"You want me to step in?" She asks, the other two waving her off as they continue bending the water between them.
The two eventually cut through the thick pipe, Sokka watching in anticipation as it slides a few inches before coming to a full, disappointing stop.
"At this rate, we won't do enough damage before the drill reaches the wall." Katara slumps, clearly exhausted.
"I don't know how many more of those I have in me." Aang (now on his butt) is cut off by an ominous shudder, a low moan passing down the drill.
"Do you hear that, we took it down!" Sokka cheers as Asha runs past to go help Aang. "We better get out of here fast!"
Asha helps Aang to his feet, the two running to the siblings who wait at the door. Their stopped at the doorway as a voice comes from an overhead speaking tube.
"Congratulations crew, the drill has made contact with the wall of Ba-Sing- Se. Start the countdown to victory!"
"Aw, shit."
___
"C'mon brace, budge!" Sokka grunts, trying to push the severed brace only for it stay in place.
"This is bad, really bad." Katara speaks next, watching her brother.
"We're putting everything we've got into busting these braces, but it's taking too long!" Sokka groans again, Asha perking up.
"Maybe we don't need to cut all the way through. Look, Toph has been teaching Aang and I that we shouldn't give 100% of our energy in any one strike. Aang, take a fighting stance." Asha looks to her counterpart, the boy using air bending to help him to his feet; complying with the girls demand. "Even when fighting along side the blue spirit, I learned you've gotta be quick and accurate. Hit a series of points, and break your opponent's stance. And when's reeling back, you deliver the final blow."
Asha demonstrates with Aang, a few pretend punches and jabs to emphasize. With her 'final blow' , she bonks Aang lightly on the head, the boy pretending to fall forward; right onto Asha; the girl pushing him off with a laugh. "His own weight becomes his downfall. Literally."
"So we just need to weaken the braces, instead of cut all the way through." Katara looks to Asha, who nods.
"Then Asha and I will go to the top of this thing, and deliver the final blow." Aang points up, wrapping an arm around Asha's shoulder.
"And boom, it all comes crashing down!" Sokka raises his arms, only for them to come sweeping down.
"Everyone inside that wall, the whole world, is counting on us." Aang looks to Asha, then to the other two.
"The whole world, minus the fire nation that is." Sokka offers.
"Ignoring what Sokka just said, let's do this!" Asha cheers, moving to the next brace with the others in tow.
___
On the final brace, Aang and Asha work quickly with each other, expertly passing the water between them as groans and creaks echo around them.
"Good work Team Avatar. Now, you two just need to- Duck!" Sokka starts encouragingly before glancing up, ducking just as a blast of blue flames explodes above him. The two air benders narrowly avoid another blast as they look to who it is; not that they couldn't guess.
"Wow Azula, you were right, it is the Avatar! And friends..."Ty lee smiles at Sokka seductively, the boy letting out a vacant smile as he waves. He's quickly dragged off by Asha as she runs past, Katara close behind as Aang throws a wave of air towards Ty Lee; only to join the others.
They skid to a stop as they approach a T-section.
"You two get out of here, Asha your with me. We know what to do." Aang demands, Asha stepping beside him with an urgent nod.
"Wait! You two will need this water more than I do!" Katara says, throwing her water flask to Aang, who catches it with one hand.
___
The two reemerge from an opening in the drill's upper hulls, quickly running over to the front of the drill- which currently is stuck in the wall of Ba-Sing-Se.
"This looks like a good spot." Aang looks to his counterpart, Momo perched on her shoulder. He's quick to jump out of the way, Asha doing the same, as a large boulder bounces off where he was standing.
"General Sung, tell your soldiers to stop shooting rocks down here!" Asha calls up to the general, groaning as more rocks fall.
" I hate Earth Kingdom generals!" She snaps before turning to the Avatar. "Never mind! Aang do your thing, I got your back!" The girl turns, destroying another boulder as Aang begins to use water bending to destroy a hole in the metal.
"What I'd give to be a metal bender." Aang groans, obviously winded. Momo moves to Aang's shoulder, only to give a warning cry as Asha deflects a fury of blue fire with a twirl of her staff. Waving off the lemur, Aang turns to help Asha, the girl currently facing off with Azula. Azula has a look of steady confidence while the air benders look to each other, not nearly as confident.
Taking the initiative, Azula fires a ball of fire to the two, forcing them to separate while launching attacks of their own; Aang going with an arc of wind while Asha fires a rock towards her. Azula jumps over both, but is forced to counter a rapid series of water whips from Aang. With a jump into the air, the princess delivers a pair of fire bending kicks that dissolve the water Aang was using. One of the kick sends Aang flying back, while Asha successfully blocks the other with her staff. Asha tries to ready herself to attack, Azula doing the same, but both are stopped by a barrage of boulders from above. Catching one of the boulders with Earth bending, Asha launches one towards Azula, who dodges as Asha runs back to Aang. The air bending boy creating a protective wall that the girl jumps over, taking refuge behind it. Allowing Asha to take a breather, Aang launches rocks from their barrier towards the fire princess, who kicks them away from her; the older teen jumping into the air while launching another fire blast towards the air benders; destroying their wall and throwing the two backwards.
The two slam against the wall, slumping to the ground. Asha is the first to shakily get to her feet, standing in front of Aang as Azula approaches. Both girls are jarred by the sudden movement forward, signaling the breakthrough completely. Asha is quick to pull Aang further out (not allowing him to fall under the wall further) Azula grabbing the conscious girl by her collar; slamming her against the wall, forcing her to drop Aang. Asha grunts at the impact, her head banging the wall as Aang begins to rouse. Acting quickly, Aang slams a hand against the wall of Ba-Sing-Se, his hand surrounding itself with a mitt of broken rock as Azula rears up a hand, fire encasing it. Catching Azula's hand mid strike, the girl's face morphing into one of horror, Aang shoves the princess far back; forcing Azula to drop Asha. Bending down to his fellow air bender, mitt still encasing his hand, Aang helps the girl to her feet, allowing her to lean against the wall. Aang covers for Asha with a defiant Earth bending stance, Azula charging towards him; the two colliding.
With a hand to her head, the other on the wall, Asha furrow her brows as slurry drips onto her hand before she has a lightbulb moment. With a quick air bending jump, she quickly avoids the sudden blast of slurry that erupts from where the drill meets the wall; the other two not so lucky as it crashes into them, sending both sliding off the drill, luckily on opposite sides.
Throwing her glider, Asha grabs onto it quickly, soaring towards the falling boy. With a flip, she's back to riding her surfboard style, grabbing Aang as she passes. They land with ease, back onto the drill, Asha twirling her staff closed soon after. She's shocked by Aang wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her into a muddy, messy hug.
"I owe you one, Ash." He smiles, the girl rolling her eyes as she tries to pull away.
"Yeah, yeah. Now, get off! You're muddy!" She laughs as they separate.
The two walk towards the area Aang was previously working on, an 'X' cut in the plating of the drill.
"Now, all we need is a-" Aang is cut off by a boulder crashing behind the air benders, startling the two. "Actually, that's what we need for once.
With a look to Asha, the two start carving the boulder only stopping when they're left with a spike type rock. Stepping back, Asha watches as Aang uses an air ball to climb the wall before them, only turning as a blast of blue fire, once again, passes her.
To be honest, she was getting really sick of the fire nation's shit.
With a wave of air leaving Asha's place as she turns, Azula is forced to dodge as Aang falls to the spike. With another spinning kick, Azula fires a blast to Asha, the girl bending it away from her and into the drill as Aang strikes the spike, sending both girls back. Azula is full on launched as Asha takes a knee, keeping herself on the drill as slurry drenches the two air benders; the drill stopping with a shudder beneath them.
With a cough, Asha slowly sits up, her face covered in the gross mixture as her eyes remained tightly shut. With a mud covered hand, she tries wiping her face, only to end up shaking her head free of the slurry. Looking up, Asha can see Aang in front of her, slurry dripping off of his own clothes and face, but a giant grin is on his face as he holds a hand out to her. With a laugh, the girl takes it, Aang pulling her into a tight hug with a laugh of his own.
___
"I just want to say, good effort out there today Team Avatar." Sokka cheers enthusiastically, the group now free of slurry, standing on the wall watching the sunset.
"Enough with the Team Avatar stuff. No matter how many times you say it, it's not gonna catch on." Katara groans, slightly annoyed.
"How about... the 'Boomerang Squad'! See it's good because it's got 'Aang' in it." Sokka smirks at the air bender.
"I kinda like that one." Aang leans against the wall, Asha beside him; perched on the ledge of the wall.
"You would, boomer- Aang." Asha laughs, kicking her feet.
"Let's talk about this on our way into the city." Katara groans, walking away.
Jumping down, Asha and Aang follow. Raiko and Toph doing the same.
"The Aang gang?" Sokka tries again.
"Sokka."
"The fearsome foursome?" Sokka tries again.
"There's six of us buddy." Raiko looks to the water tribe boy.
"Not if we don't include you and Asha." Sokka smirks, the two benders quickly glaring at them.
"Hey!"