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The Last Five Minutes	By : lightstep Category: Avatar - The Last Airbender > Het - Male/Female > Katara/Zuko Views: 16368 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: TLA. All rights reserved to Nickelodeon and respectful owners and creators. I do not make any profit from any content within this story.

Chapter List
- 4
- 5
- 6
Author's Note:
Wait. What? Jet? Yes. Jet. Another one of my "what if?" instances. Although Toph (at the last time you see Jet) says he's lieing when he (Jet) said everything will be okay, and in the episode with the play, Sokka says, "Well it was really unclear." when Zuko asks about it.. My argument is that Lake Laogai made people damn good liars. Although everyone knows Jet's a shady character, maybe he really didn't die? You also never see Smellerbee and Longshot again either.
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The bodyguard sat on top of the rhino on watch in the street whilst Katara and Zuko gathered tailors from the nearby shops to talk to them en mass. He made sure the people on the street kept walking, as there were people who did not approve of the young ruler and others who still wanted the war to be waged. Barking out occasionally at children and parents who wandered too close, only a few times did he dismount to exercise his power as the personal escort of the Fire Lord. A few thugs tried to bully their way to the young Lord. Zuko himself shot a fireball in their direction. It burned a moment on the ground at their feet. They scattered, screaming. The guard crossed his arms over his chest with a smile. The crowd soon dispersed. It was not common to see the Fire Lord down here. Everyone was curious.
A young mother with twins in her arms approached the guard. "Sir.. please. I hear that the Lady Katara of the Southern Water Tribe is here. My children.. Please let me see her?" Her face was dirty and hair a mess. She was obviously tired. The bags under her eyes shown deep. Black soot and red dirt stained her tan kimono. "Please, sir. She may be able to save them. My children.." tears ran down her eyes as the guard shook his head, standing firm. The children began crying and she sank to her knees, sobbing. "They do not eat. They hardly sleep."
"Back away, ma'am. I will have you arrested if you do not vacate the area." The guards' deep voice rose above the crying of the two infants. "Fire Lord Zuko is too busy to bother with slop like yourself." He pointed in the direction of the poor district. "Doctors should be down that way. Go have them see to your twins."
She shook her head. "I have no money, sir. Please.. the Lady Ka-"
"Enough!" He rose his hand to her balled in a fist. A hand closed over his wrist and he stopped.
Zuko looked sternly at the guard. "Enough is right." The guard backed away, bowing. The lady bowed her head to Zuko, not wanting to look up to him with her dirty face. He turned around where Katara and the shop owners were talking still as she instructed them. "Katara." Their conversation ceased. Zuko stepped aside to show Katara the woman with the two infants. Their voices now lost from how much crying they had been doing. She was rocking them in her arms lightly. "ssshhh.. please.. shh." Sobbing softly to herself.
Katara's kimono softly brushed the ground as she walked to the woman. She placed a hand on her shaking shoulder and the lady looked up in surprise to Katara's smiling face. Taking one of the children as it cried, Zuko smiled to himself. The child looked good in her arms. Standing, cradling the child in her left arm, she smiled to it. "Lily, please." It's mother begged the child. "Stop crying. It's going to be alright." Katara waved her right hand in the air.
People around them gasped as she drew water directly from the air around them. It floated above her fingertips then slid down her slender fingers. She closed her eyes as she placed her fingertips on the child's chest and her hand began glowing. Tracing her hand in small circles around the infant's core, then up to the collar bone, neck and head, Lily's sobs softened and the woman smiled. Along the opposite side of the head and then back down to the stomach, Lily suddenly cried. Katara opened her eyes. "Zuko." He turned to her. She held the baby to him. He looked bewildered by this but held his hands out regardless. The crowd gasped as he held the child clumsily. Both her hands worked at the stomach now in small slow circles. He cringed as the child vomited and a small plastic object floated in some water that Katara held. Katara smiled and giggled at Zuko. She took the child and held it close to her, patting her back. Lily burped and then giggled.
Bending down, Katara traded infants with the woman. She smiled widely and cried in joy as the child smiled back to her. Katara offered the new child to Zuko. He raised an eyebrow. "You're kidding, right?" Grabbing his wrist one by one, the second child was soon in his arms and he sighed out loud.
"Take the child and like it, Zuko." Katara stuck her tongue out at him. "I'm not sensing anything wrong with this one. Maybe she's just reacting to her sister." The woman bowed as she stood. "The other one.. Lily." Her tear-streaked face looked up to Katara and she nodded. "Be careful with her. They're not ill. But do watch them." Zuko cleared his throat and indicated the child in his hands. It had shifted from it's back on his open hands to being held with his hands wrapped around the chest and under the arms. His eyebrow rose as Katara muffled a laugh at him. He was holding it as though it were a dirty piece of clothing; away from his body. The crowd laughed as the child began squirming in his grip.
Fumbling with the giggling and wriggling child, he brought it back to his chest so he didn't drop her. Katara advanced to him and he offered again the child to her. She shook her head and pushed her back into him. "Like this." She adjusted his hands around. The baby's back sat against his chest, his right hand supporting the bottom, one leg in between his fingers, the other hand under her arms across the chest. Stepping back, she nodded. "Yes. Just like that." Her lips twitched into a smile she was trying to hide that soon turned into a muffled laugh.
Zuko stiffly looked at the tiny bundle in his arms. She squirmed and looked up to him. A wide smile spread across her face as broken giggles sounded up from her. The crowd, "aww" 'd together as she then took her tiny fingers and pulled at his. She wrapped her hand around the finger she'd caught. He smiled faintly at the girl. Turning his gaze to the woman. "Do your best to raise them." She bowed to him.
"Thank you so much, my Lord. Lady Katara." Before she could take the baby from Zuko, she watched as the child bent it's head and started to gum at Zuko's finger. Katara burst into laughter as Zuko's face turned to surprised disgust at the feeling. "I-I'm so sorry, my Lord!" The woman hurriedly grabbed up the child into her free arm.
He took out a small cloth from his sash. "It's... quite alright.." She backed away slowly in a deep bow. "You're dismissed." One last bow from her and she disappeared into the crowd. "You on the other hand.." He turned to the still laughing Katara. He strode up to her and she tried to stifle the giggling. "I'll deal with you later." He eyed down her kimono and smiled, bending to her ear so that only she could hear him. "Don't make me get revenge now.." His eyes darted to the ground. Was that a hawk shadow? Straightening up, Katara's giggling ceased as he looked up to the sky. A hawk slowly descended in a circle above them. He gestured to the guard. "See what it has. We're not done here yet." The two turned back to the merchants and began to converse with them again.
Giving out a sharp whistle and holding up his arm, the guard waited for the bird to land on his forearm. With the armor he had, it truly was a better idea for him to catch the hawk. The birds' sharp talons would ruin the robes the Fire Lord was wearing and most certainly would cause a few scratches on his skin. The black ribbon fell into place across it's back as it landed on him. He gasped and reached up to take the letter. It screeched in defiance and bit at him. He jerked his hand back before the pointed beak could come in contact with his fingers. Holding up his other arm, the bird obeyed the silent command and switched arms. This time his back to the hand, the guard slowly reached up a second time. The bird flapped it's large wings and screeched out again at him.
Zuko turned to the man and avian. "What's going on?" He demanded. The guard again tried to retrieve the letter and again it attacked him. "Oh for the love of.." He stalked up to the hawk sitting on the man's arm and snatched the letter up with no problems. "Black?" Zuko looked confused. He stepped away with the letter in his hand. He felt his robes ruffle as the hawk flapped it's wings. Turning back to the guard, the man shrugged. The hawk relieved itself on the man's arm and then took to the air, returning to it's send-off location. "Get the civilians out of here. Katara, we're done. Let's go." His orders short and voice gruff, no one protested. The merchants bowed and departed, their orders soon to be written down and carried out. Katara climbed up the stairs and sat down on one of the pillows. Zuko soon followed.
Breaking the wax seal where the ribbon was attached, he carefully read the contents of the letter to him. Rolling it up quickly before Katara could see it, Zuko shouted to the guard. "Let's go. Quickly. I need to get back. Take the short road." Zuko indicated a different road than they had arrived. The man saluted and shouted to the public to clear the road as he mounted up on the rhino.
Katara blinked. "Short road?" Looking up to Zuko with questioning eyes. His face was unreadable. The letter firmly in his grasp. "What's going on, Zuko? Is everything okay?"
"Everything's fine." His short, sharp response made Katara jump. She fell silent. "By the way." He turned to her. "I do not approve of what happened back there. Fire Lords do not make trips to the lower levels. Making a scene like that was not on the agenda."
"Then maybe you should have gone in disguise?" Katara gruffly stated.
"Don't let it happen again." He turned away from her. She blew a raspberry at him. "Katara." He said, annoyed now. She 'hmf' 'd at him and adjusted her seating for her back away from him. Katara sighed as she looked out to the trees passing by them. They glowed with the sun as it began to dip in the sky, turning the blue into a pale yellow and orange. Within a small amount of time, the trees were parted and small statues in the shape of the fire nation symbol were placed in the spaces. Katara blinked. It had taken several hours to get down the mountain and into the village from the palace. Were they already there?
"Zuko, did you purposefully take the long route to the village on the way down?" She turned around to see the smirk on his face. "I can't believe you would do that!" His eye darted to her. There was a hint of amusement in it. "Don't think it will happen again." Crossing her arms, she glared up at him.
He chuckled. "Don't think it won't, you mean. You enjoyed that and you know it." Katara simply turned away. She couldn't hide her smiling blush in time. He caught it on the edge before her face disappeared. "Oh well. I was going to invite you to my bed chambers." He said with a shrug. Katara wheeled around and he caught her hand before the slap could land on his face. "Tsk tsk. I suppose one of the concubines will have to sing to me as I do the paper work tonight then." He let out a forlorn sigh and she grumbled, yanking her hand from his grip and turning away from him again.
"I'd much rather walk. Guard!" She shouted up to the man. "Stop. I want to walk."
The rhino halted and she stood up. Zuko grabbed her arm. "The night is dangerous around here unlike in your lands. You won't be back before sun down."
She shrugged him off and slid herself out of his grip. "I'll be fine. It's a full moon." He shivered, remembering what she could do on a full moon. He watched her face disappear as the guard whipped at the rhino to continue when she was clear. Zuko sighed and shook his head.
Katara sighed. How long was she, herself, planning on staying?
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Toph's blind walk took her to the docks. Though blind, she knew she was turning heads. Her body had filled out nicely. Momo sat on her shoulder, chirping and purring as he did. She reached a hand up to scratch behind his ear. Several people approached her to ask if she needed help but she always declined them. They did not know who she was and she expected it. It was a Fire Nation colony, after all. Looking up and stopping her stride, Momo took off from her shoulder. She listened for a moment to what was around her and smelled the air. Fruit. Of course, Momo. A moment later, a merchant started to yell at Momo. Shaking her head, she walked by and grabbed his tail to yank him away from the merchant. "You should keep a leash on that thing!" The older man scolded her. She didn't look to him. "I am talking to you, lady!" Some people in the street stopped.
Her blank expression began to unnerve him. "Momo.." He looked up to her from where his tail was still in her grip. "I told you to stay with me. Don't make me leash you." His ears drooped with a sad chattering. "What was he trying to eat?" She still didn't look to the man.
"Can you not see-" Toph looked in his direction. He fell silent and wiped his hands on his apron.
"No, I cannot. Momo, what did you try to eat?" The man silenced as she let go of Momo. His small paws picked up a half a watermelon and she followed his tail to it. "Ah. I see." Digging into her pocket, she tossed the man some coins and grabbed up the fruit. "Let's go Momo. We have a boat to catch." He happily sat up on her shoulder as she fed him bits of the melon. The merchant grumbled as Toph walked away.
Munching on the melon, Toph dodged the people walking about with ease. Either moving them for her own amusement or just moving aside, she was able to navigate the area easily. "Momo. Which way to the ships to the Fire Nation? I can't tell." He jumped to the ground and walked in front of her. She followed him silently. Toph heard whistles and shouts. "I won't miss it!" She ran after Momo. Though, really, how did he know which one was the one she wanted? An idea struck her. Looking around, she found what she wanted. A guard. He'd help her.. Deviating, she started to shout. "Momo! Momo where are you?" This drew the guards' attention and he walked to her. She stumbled as she walked closer to him. When they were close enough, Toph faked a sob and bumped into him. Gasping, she felt the chest plate of the guard. "Are you on duty here? Please! I can't find my lemur and I need to get to the boat that's departing for Sozun soon. Zuko is expecting me."
"Watch your mouth!" The female shouted. "It's Fire Lord Zuko. Show some respect. As for your lemur," she turned Toph in the direction of Momo who sat on the ground, pawing at some birds over some bread crumbs. "And the boat is that way." Toph didn't move. "Are you blind?"
"Yes." Toph's short answer made her stutter. It was so amusing to her that she could use this to her advantage.
"Oh. Apologies." She murmured. "I'll take you to the boat. Get your lemur." Toph tapped the ground and Momo shot up into the sky, landing in Toph's arm. She smiled as the guard turned and led her to a ship. "Make sure this lady gets to Sozun." She leaned in to talk to the man standing at the dock for the boat. "Says the Fire Lord is expecting her. Better send a hawk up before you dock." Saluting each other, the woman walked away, her spear slung over her shoulder.
"Let's go! Helmsman!" A man with a deep voice shouted over Toph's head as he led her to the deck. Three people stepped up behind Toph. Momo screeched and hissed, jumping to the shoulder opposite of them. "Momo.." Toph spoke silently to him. Her hand touched the rail and she led herself along it to find a seat. Metal was too hard and dense. Toph still could not see with it as she did the dirt and paid no mind to Momo's reaction to the people that had boarded after her.
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Smellerbee sighed. "That lemur remembers us. We better be careful, Jet." Her hair was long now. Pulled back in a ponytail at the base of her neck, covering a strap full of daggers. Jet nodded. Longshot moved in to hug her and Jet simply looked over the railing.
"This will be fun." He whispered to them. "I wonder if his martial arts is any better than before." His and Longshot's cloaks whipped behind them. Jet's hooked swords flashed in the evening sun and the feathers of arrows made the wind whistle as it passed through them in their quiver on Longshot's back. Jet looked up to the full moon as it rose up in front of the boat near the destination of Sozun. They would be there within a few hours. This man who had paid for them to do this was taking a big risk. To kill the Fire Lord? His contractor was obviously in high ranks to promise a pound of gold coins to get it done. Of course, the three would need that money in order to disappear after the job was completed.
Jet eyed Toph, brushing a few fingers through his thickening chin hair. He'd grown it out a little, as he'd been getting contracts lately. His eyes watched as her curved body drew his attention, a sway to her hips made him smile. Even if the lemur remembered him, would she? They had only met once or twice that he could remember. Maybe if he tried to disguise his voice and gave her one of his aliases, he could get to know her better. His hand touched his chin in thought. "Don't." He heard Smellerbee's voice tell him softly. "If that animal remembered us, it might raise an alarm to her." Jet continued to eye Toph. Later he promised himself.
An old man approached Toph. "Ma'am will you sign this, please? It is a list of our passengers and how long they desire to stay in the Fire Nation." Toph nodded and raised her hand up for the quill. Katara had helped her to memorize at least how to write her name if it were needed. The man placed the quil in her fingers and held up the paper. "On the line, if you.. oh. My appologies." Her blank eyes looked in his direction. He placed his hand on hers and lead the quill down to where to start her writing. It was sloppy and none of the letters were the same size, even tilting down and then back up. "Aah. Miss Be Fong. I will send notice to the Fire Lord that you are on your way, if you desire."
Toph nodded, "yes, please if you would. Lady Katara is there already. I am just arriving a few days late." She felt a body behind her. Jet towered over her by a few feet.
He placed a hand on her small framed shoulder and then hugged her. Momo angrily chirped out and flew away, circling them. "I'm so glad I found you!" She stiffened. His voice was familiar. Her hand bent the railing she was holding onto. "Sir, thank you. Name's Mars. Mars Lu Feng. Been looking for her for a while now. Distant cousins, we are." Jet placed a slight slang to his voice and tried to slur some of his words. It was obvious it was fake but he kept at it regardless. "This here is my sister and her husband." Jet motioned to Smellerbee and Longshot. "Liina and Nuroh Sparrow." They waved to him. Smellerbee blushed. They hadn't married. They just enjoyed each others' company.
Longshot placed a soft kiss on her temple. The rail bent more and snapped off next to her hand. "If you know what's good for you; you'll let me go and back off. If you don't, you'll have another hole to breathe out of." She promised. Jet promptly let her go and jumped back. Toph silently bent the metal back to where it was and crunched it together where it had snapped off, then smoothed it to look like nothing had happened. "Might want to have some one weld this together. It might hurt some one." The man promptly departed. Toph turned to Jet and grabbed the collar of his shirt. She yanked him down to her level. "Who the hell are you and how long have you been following me?" Grabbing the railing again, it broke off completely. "Don't lie to me, either. I may not be able to see, but I can still tell." She waived the metal in his face.
Jet eyed it with disinterest. "You notice he didn't ask anyone else for their names? Just so you know, he wasn't holding a document for peoples' names. He also carried with him a red ribbon for a messenger hawk. You managed to get some one's eye on you and now your name will be taken to the Fire Lord's palace. Claiming you know him is pretty big."
Her eyes narrowed at him. "Maybe because it's true that I know him. We both taught the Avatar." Shoving Jet away from her, she tied the metal in a knot around the railing. "I know he's sending a messenger hawk. I don't care. Once I get on land, it's not like anything can be a danger to me anyway." He stumbled and fell to his butt. She kicked his foot. "I know you're not who you say you are. I never forget a voice. Stay away from me." Momo joined her shoulder again and she walked away. Jet smiled.
"Thanks a lot, Mars." Smellerbee glared down at him. Jet smirked. Standing, he walked away from his companions, assessing the ship. He watched as a hawk flew off from the ship ahead of them, a red ribbon trailing behind it in the winds.
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Toph stumbled as the ship docked. Catching herself on the railing, she listened to the sounds around her. Crickets and cat-owls sang, indicating that it was night time. Unsteadily, she walked down the steps to the wooden planks that made the extended docks. Slowly, she made her way to the opposite end of the area. She knew the stranger that she'd encountered earlier had been watching her. Toph prayed that he hadn't seen her in the small crowd of people exiting off the boat. Her feet came into contact with the dirt and she sighed in relief as the world around her came to life, her unseeing eyes looking around as people hustled from one place to the next carrying items or coaxing their pack-animals with them. She giggled to herself as she watched a platypus-bear destroy a cart full of cabbages, then proceded to eat the contents. An elderly man just stood by, his head hung and she could feel his feelings of rejection.
She looked deeper and further into the ground as Momo chattered into her ear softly. Her hand patted him on the head as she found the road for her destination and she set off. Even with people being everywhere, she still noticed she was being followed. The group of three wasn't hard to miss. Unfortunately, Toph couldn't Earth Bend in the area as it was jam packed with fire nation patrons. They could easily get hurt. She would have to wait it out until she could get to a more open area.
Jet, Smellerbee and Longshot followed. They acted as though they were tourists and looked around, noting some of the shops and what the places had for sale. All the while, keeping an eye on Toph. She was their ticket into the palace. Though if the three needed, breaking into it wouldn't be a problem or hard.
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Toph finally broke through the throngs of people and houses. She would be free to earth bend herself up the road if she wanted to. The crisping air stirred slightly from a breeze, bringing to her nose the faint smell of the fire lilies and lavender strewn about the island. Roasting turtle-duck on spits with shishcabob sides of various vegetables tantalized Toph's senses and her stomach growled. Momo chirped in response. "It's okay Momo. We'll get something to eat after we meet up with Katara." Her feet padded against the surface of the hard-packed ground as she slowly walked the road toward the Fire Palace.
She didn't get far before noticing her followers had disappeared. Perhaps she was wrong in thinking that she knew them. I must have been wrong about them. Her mind trailed off in thought as she walked. Momo circled around her shoulder a moment and then lept from her to fly off, his chattering echoing on the trees. Moving aside, Toph let a passing by cart take the lead up the road. Her sight told her it was being pulled by a smaller rhino. But the contents of the cart hid the three mercenaries. Jet smirked as they passed by her.
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Zuko paced his war room. Dey-Wa and Lee could not be found. After the letter had been delivered to him in the market, he had returned to the palace with the thought that maybe the men had stayed to defend the claim against them. Upon entering the doors, he ordered every room searched and the men brought to him. No word yet had been brought to him and he was growing anxious. His breath came out in a steady rhythm, black smoke escaping and then disappearing as he walked past it. He ran a hand over the top of his head and sighed. Katara could be in danger and no one had found her just yet.
The door to the chamber opened and he jumped. Turning and regaining his composure, he looked solemn when the two guards approached him and bowed. "My Lord, the palaces' northern wing has been searched. Neither of the men in question have been found. Also their bed chambers looks to have been cleaned of anything important. We believe they must have fled to the docks." The guards' gruff voice echoed in Zuko's ears. This wasn't the news he wanted to hear. "Lady Katara has yet to be found as well. We are still searching." He produced a scroll from his belt loop. "Also a messenger hawk carried this." He looked up and Zuko nodded, his hands folded behind his back. The two guards straightened and the first one read the contents of the scroll.
"Ah.. Toph. Find her immediately. She's blind and will most likely be on guard. Tell her I would like her assistance." The guards looked at him and each other questioningly. "Toph is a very powerful earth bender. Don't toy with her temper. It's worse than mine." He turned his head almost as though he were ashamed to admit the last part. "Dismissed." Waving them away, they saluted him and turned to run out the door. Zuko's brow furrowed and he sighed heavily. "Where are you?" It came out in a whisper as he walked to the door himself. "Some fresh air will help clear my mind."
Zuko stepped out into the open royal gardens. Serene sounds filled his ears. The few koi fish that were housed in the pond with a smaller stream running into and out of it kept the water clean. Water trickled down several steps that had been made of rocks into smaller connecting ponds for a total of four before it disappeared into the mountain again. Bamboo shoots spotted the area with taller grass surrounding them stood and seemingly reached to the sky up past the second story and the roof. Pink and purple flowers accented the red lilies around the middle tree and dotted it's roots. The cherry blossoms glowed in the early evening light.
The hallways around him bustling with servants and armed men, searching rooms or delivering news to the other tenants of a cleared wing. The palace was large and it would take a while for the men in question to be found. Every able-bodied staff member was in on the search. The Fire Lord had even dismissed his own trusted body guards to the search. He lifted his head to look up to the moon. It's light shining down on him like a lamp in the darkness. "Yue, help us. Protect Katara." No sooner than he'd murmured the words to himself, a gray-robed man hustled up to him. In a deep bow, he huffed.
"My Lord-" his breath caught in his throat and he coughed.
Zuko's robes shimmered lightly in the moon's light as he turned to the man. "If it's not about Katara or Dey-Wa and Lee, I don't want to hear it." Odd. Zuko thought to himself as he inspected the man. I do not remember this man's face. He also looks too robust for a servant. "You." He walked up to his bowing form and inspected him. "Stand up straight. Name. And which department do you work in? Particularly who is your benefactor in my Palace?" He walked a slow circle around the man as he straightened. Coming back around to his front side, Zuko inspected his eyes. His face was terribly familiar. The hair on his face didn't help. "You are obviously not from inside the palace. My servants do not wear white robes," he rose his hand and a flame lit, hovering over his palm.
His eyes widened a bit as Jet sneered at him. In a solid movement, his hands disappeared into the robes and he drew forth his hooked swords. Zuko responded by arching flames up from his feet in a kick that missed it's mark but successfully put a few yards between the two men. "Guard! Your swords!" Zuko called out as he landed. His hands quickly untied the sash on his yukata and he tossed it at Jet as he charged Zuko. Slashing the hooked blades as the cloth was tossed to him, Jet let out a loud roar. Two guards unsheathed their swords and tossed them to Zuko one at a time. Spinning to catch one, flames spout from his toes to block another attack. He caught the other sword to land one knee on the ground. Metal met metal as Jet's attack was blocked. "He's mine." Zuko growled out as more guards became aware of the scuffle. The swords flashed brightly from the moon's light and the small pond by their feet.
Jet smiled at Zuko. "Ah so you remember me? That's good. Just so you know, I've been paid to kill you. I intend not to make my benefactor disappointed." He shoved Zuko away from him. He took a moment as Zuko recovered to remove his robe. More weapons shone on harnesses strapped across his body. The men circled each other, swords at the ready.
Zuko charged him, his booted feet rushing past the pond, startling the koi fish swimming idlely around. Jet blocked his advancing attack, his feet sliding on the ground. "I won't go down without a fight, Jet. I may be Fire Lord, but I assure you that I have not stopped training my body." He displayed his words by locking the handles to their swords together in cross shapes and pushing Jet backwards. His vision tunneled and all he saw was his attacker. The guards lining the halls and their shouting, rooting for Zuko, vanished. Being brought back to the world from Jet's smirk made Zuko realize that something was wrong. His eyes fell on their crossed swords, shadowed by something.
Jumping back, an arrow cut his pants at the knee and he looked up. Longshot.. Jet charged Zuko again as Longshot reached behind him for another arrow. Zuko summoned up fire to follow his blades. The flames licking at Jet's ponytail that flowed as he moved around to dodge the attacks. Jet started to laugh as their swords clashed. Spinning around, it was as though only the two of them existed. An occasional arrow flew by Zuko's arms and legs, barely nipping him for a cut or scrape on his skin. The metal on metal clashing and the occasional arrow thumping dully into the ground or piercing a bamboo shoot echoed into the hallways of the palace. Even if the assassins succeed in killing or wounding Zuko, getting out of the palace was not going to be an easy job.
Fighting in a circle with slight deviations to the outside, the two men fought each other. Landing small blows and cuts on their opponent and neither showing signs of tiring out, Zuko's fire bending gave him the upper hand. A solid thunk and a yelp, Zuko dropped his swords. His left arm limp, an arrow protruding from it. He leaped back and clutched his arm near the shoulder where he'd been pierced. Taking hold of the arrow shaft, he yanked it from his arm and set it on fire. He tossed the burning object aside and took up his stance. Legs parted, one in front of the other, his torso turned to the side and right hand raised whilst his left hand stayed chambered by his body. Blood dripped from his bent elbow and down onto the grass.
As Jet charged at Zuko, he transferred his swords to the same hand. Passing by arrows, he picked them up and threw them up to Longshot. Zuko followed his movements, sending out fire balls to the wooden sticks jutting up from the ground. Their swords clashed again, sparks flying from the metal meeting each other with the force of both men trying to hold their ground. Their bodies coated with a light layer of sweat, bare chests heaving and Zuko bleeding from his shoulder, Jet grinned widely. "You're about done. Just give up and I'll make it quick." Zuko replied by taking a large breath and throwing a flame out at Jet's face. The man stumbled back and ducked to get out of its range. A loud thud sounded as one of Zuko's swords pierced one of the wooden pillars surrounding the garden. Jet screamed out, his swords dropping to the ground, and gripping his forearm. His arm was torn open from Zuko's thrown weapon, exposing the muscle and bones deep inside. The blade dripped with Jet's blood and Zuko returned the grin to Jet.
"Not without a fight." He repeated himself simply before taking a few steps toward Jet. He stopped short when a dagger pierced his boot, barely missing his toes. Jet stood and stumbled back a few steps. Zuko looked up. Longshot readied an arrow to his left but his eyes widened as they fell upon Smellerbee.
Katara struggled in the woman's grip. Her arms bound by a rope above her elbows, wrists bound by rope and cloth covering her fingers, the rope reaching down to her ankles and then strewn up to tie around her neck. The slip-knot adjusted tighter when Smellerbee pushed Katara foreword. Her gagged mouth tried to shriek as Smellerbee caught her just as the rope became taut around her neck. "Enough of this." She stated simply and held a dagger point to Katara's jaw line. It poked her skin and Katara flinched. Zuko took a step foreword. "Ah-ah." Smellerbee said, disapprovingly to him as she inched the dagger closer to Katara's skin. Katara's eyes widened and then glared at the other woman. "A simple deal, Zuko. You die peacefully and I won't hurt her more. You best hurry though. The poison doesn't take long to get into the blood stream."
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Toph climbed the final step to the palace. Her foot tapping the rock lightly and her expression darkened. "That cart.." She walked up to it and she frowned. "Something isn't right." She looked deep into the ground. Inviting herself into the palace as there was no one standing at the doors, Toph followed the hallways. The earth mapped out the palace to her. It wasn't long before her ears heard the ringing of metal on metal. "Definitely out of place." Her hand trailed the hallway walls until her sight brought her to the courtyard garden where Zuko and Jet fought. Jet's anguished scream pierced her ears. "So that's who you are." Toph stalked foreword, pushing guards out of her way. She stopped when everything in the room stilled. Something made Zuko stop and his heart race. Hearing Smellerbee's voice and the proposal, Toph frowned. Pushing the last few people aside, her foot slammed onto the ground and she rose her arms in the air.
The ground rumbled a moment. Zuko shot straight up into the air as it rose from beneath him. He leaned down and pulled the dagger from his boot and threw it at the surprised Longshot. He yelped out as it sank into his shoulder, the hand releasing the arrow on an off course. Air rushed past Zuko as he flew up and then came back down. Toph stomped the ground again, curled her hands into tight fists and threw them to Jet. He tried to scramble out of the way as stones flew at him, scurrying to his feet and dancing as the ground moved in waves and stones flying in every which direction to him.
Landing on the ground, Zuko fired balls of light to Jet as well. His damaged shoulder bleeding out more of his life as he moved. His breathing became shallow and slow. Stumbling and struggling to see, his relentless attack became fruitless as he paused to catch his breath and clasp his hand onto his wound. A flash of light blinded him as Jet's hooked sword came flying at Zuko's chest. Rising his feet up to kick it out of the way, his foot slipped and he fell to the ground. Katara's muffled cry of his name brought his gaze up to the balcony above. Smellerbee shoved Katara down off the perch as a splash of blood and Zuko's cry of pain filled her eyes and ears.
Toph stopped her attack as guards poured into the garden to seize Jet up. Katara's body landed on the ground with a sickening crack as she struggled with her bonds. She let out a muffled cry of pain as a guard cut the ropes binding her neck. This loosened the other strands against her arms and she wriggled about, her hands twisting against the tight knots. The moment the ropes on her hands were free, she reached down and freed her feet in a hurry. Pushing through the crowd now gathered around Zuko, Katara removed the tight gag around her head and she let out a sob as her eyes fell upon him, his body falling to the ground. She eyed the dagger that had plunged into his stomach, the vial on top of it slowly emptying the green liquid down a shaft on the short blade embedded into Zuko's body.
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The Last Five Minutes