"I can't believe it. I know the war has spread far, but Omashu always seemed..." Aang pauses, turning to face his friends, all of whom are looking at the war torn country with disdain.

"Untouchable." Asha finishes for him, staring at the once great city.

"Up until now it was.  Now Ba-Sing-Se is the only great Earth Kingdom stronghold left."  Sokka walks up to Asha, the girl still looking to the broken city. One of his hands rests on her shoulders, offering comfort in the only way he knows how.

"This is horrible, but we have to move on." Katara tries with Aang, knowing if she can get him, Asha will follow. 

"No. I'm going to find Bumi."  Aang is firm, looking to the ground, dashing Katara's hopes. 

"Bumi's here?" Asha finally turns, her lips twitching into a small, hopeful smile. 

"Aang, stop. Don't get her going. We don't even know if Bumi's still..." Sokka pauses. Asha's face falling and Aang furrowing his brows. The Avatar turns to the warrior, eyes narrowing.

"What? If he's still what?" He steps forward, shoulders squaring as his expression hardens.

"Around..." Sokka avoids his gaze. 

"I know you had your heart set on Bumi, but there are other people around who can teach you Earth bending." Katara speaks softly, scared of setting off the Avatar.

"I don't think this isn't about finding a teacher anymore." Asha looks to the two, walking away from Sokka to stand beside Aang. 

"It's about finding a friend." Aang finishes, looking over to the city. 

___

"A secret passage?"  Sokka turns to the pipe, the glancing at the air benders trying to open it. They hit the latch respectively, hoping to break it free from the rust keeping it close.

"Why didn't we use this last time?" Sokka's question answers itself as the cap pops off, a huge gout of sewage washing over him. 

"Does that answer your question?" Aang smirks at Sokka. 

"You guys came here without me?" Asha looks at Aang with mocking hurt.

"In my defense, I didn't know you were still alive..." He sticks his tongue out at her, jumping down. Rolling her eyes, Asha follows. 

Slowly, they crawl in, Aang leading, then Asha, Katara and finally Sokka. The three benders bend the sewage out of their way, leaving poor Sokka to tread through it.  Asha has to bite down laughs at Sokka's misfortune. 

Using a gust of wind, Aang pops off the manhole cover for  a second, letting it settle before pushing it open and peering out. Deciding it clear, he pushes it open before turning to help Asha out, the girl looks around in disbelief.

"That wasn't as bad as I thought." Katara dusts herself off as she gets out. Looking back only to muffle a scream at her brother. 

Sokka groans as he comes out, the sewage dripping off, making him look like some sort of monster.  Asha widens her eyes, turning to a nearby barrel. Bending the water, she splashes it onto Sokka, washing away the sewage as Aang uses air bending to dry him. 

"Nice bending," Katara walks next to Asha, patting her shoulder. It wasn't often the girl used water bending, so watching her do it was another phenomenon of its own.

The girls look over at Sokka as he lets out a yell. The boy currently trying to pry an octupus like creature from his cheek, only for it to slap back.

"They won't let go! Help!" Sokka yells, Aang quickly pouncing on him, pinning him to a nearby wall to get to boy to shut his trap, which works.  Allowing Sokka to sit on a crate, Aang backs up as Asha walks forward. 

"Stop making so much noise. It's just a purple pentapus." Aang says as Asha closes in on Sokka. 

Crouching next to Sokka, Asha smiles and raises her hand. Giggling, Asha tickles the pulsating creatures, which raise their tentacles, separating without further fuss. Throwing the pentapus into the nearby barrel, she looks back as Sokka repeats her steps, pulling off the pentapus just as Asha did. Aang walking around to get the one off the back of Sokka's neck. 

"Hey!" The four look down the street, a fire nation guard standing there. Thinking fast, Asha runs over to a nearby booth, grabbing a hat and slamming it on Aang's head; then pulling her shirt up higher to cover her own arrows, Asha walking so she's behind Aang. 

"What are you kids doing past curfew?" The man yells at them, approaching.

"Sorry. We were just on our way home." Katara steps in, hiding the two air benders behind her. Turning away, the kids walk slowly, Asha grabbing Aang's hand quickly averting his gaze. Sokka turns, bringing up the rear as the guard watched them.

"Wait! What's the matter with him?"  The guard yells, Katara quickly turning and putting a hand on her brothers shoulders. 

"Uh... he has pentapox, sir." Katara lies, trying to give a convincing smile. 

As the guard walks forward, hand outreached to touch the spots left by the pentapus, Asha jumps forwards, hands raised defensively. "It's highly contagious!" Taking the hint, the boy raises an arm, draping it around Asha, moaning. 

"It's so awful...I'm dyiiiing..." He groans out, pulling on Asha, who staggers before balancing herself.

"And deadly..." Katara smiles at the guard, more guards coming up behind the one. 

"Not yet it isn't." Aang mumbles, glaring at Sokka, Katara elbowing him in the side.

Letting go of Asha, Sokka lurches forward, the guards stepping back trying to avoid contact. 

"Wait, I think I've heard of pentapox. Didn't your cousin Chang die of it?" A guard turns behind him.

"We'd better go wash our hands...and burn our clothes!" The guards turn and run.  

Letting out a sigh, Sokka turns to his friends. Aang smiling and holding a pentapus as Asha pats it's head. 

"Thank you, sewer friend!" Asha preens.

___

Standing at the bottom of a mail chute, the two air benders look up in horror as a boulder falls towards a family with a teen girl older than themselves and a mother holding a small baby. Raising his staff, Aang destroys the rock quickly, turning it into pebbles and dust.  As the group look up after the dust settles, they look to the family they just saved. The older female looks to them in disgust as her presumable mom holds the small baby close.

"The resistance!" The wife points to them, the group looking back in shock. The teen girl smiles at them, fanning out her arms; releasing a hail of small arrows; Asha quickly using her own staff to blow them away, glaring back at the teen who smirks. The girl nearly trips as Aang grabs her arm, pulling her away from the intense staring contest, and out of reach from the pursuing Fire nation soldiers. Katara stopping to use a water whip to knock them off their ladders.

The teen girl from earlier runs to them, her arms spread and more weapons at her side. Throwing them at Katara, she's momentarily shocked as Asha steps in front, bending them away from herself and Katara. Sending another wave of air towards the teen, Asha turns with Katara, running to the awaiting boys. As the assailant approaches, Aang breaks a nearby  scaffolding, forcing it to collapse. Turning, Aang doesn't realize the ninja star whirling at him. He snaps his head around though as Asha blocks the star with her staff.  With the dust clearing, the teen girl throws another wave of arrows, missing as the group of kids disappear down a trap door that closes right behind them.  

The group scream as they fall down the tunnel. The boys fall first, rubbing their heads as they look up. Katara falls with a thump beside her brother and Aang stands to catch Asha, the girl clutching him with heavy breaths as he does. 

"You're okay. We're all okay." He holds her close, looking around at the cave,  a bearded man appearing only to start gesturing for them to follow. Letting Asha down gently, the girl clutching his hand with quick movements, he leads them behind the man.

As the group follows the man, they look around at the hundreds of Earth kingdom resistance fighters. The sight nerve wracking and disheartening all at the same time.

"So, is King Bumi with you guys? Is he leading the resistance?" Aang asks the bearded man who looks back with disgust.

"Of course not! The day of the invasion, we readied ourselves for battle. We were prepared to defend our city...to fight for our lives and for our freedom. But before we even had a chance, King Bumi surrendered." 

Asha looks to Aang with furrowed brows, the boy before her quickly becoming disconcerted as his brows furrow.

"The day of the invasion, I asked King Bumi what he wanted to do. He looked me in the eye and said nothing. " The man looks ahead, grumbling angrily.

"That can't be right, that doesn't sound like Bumi." Asha looks up to Aang, who says nothing. 

"Doesn't matter now. Fighting the Fire nation is the only path to freedom. And freedom is worth dying for." 

"Actually, there's another path to freedom. You could leave Omashu. You're directing all your energy to fight the fire nation." Aang starts, looking to the man. "But you're outnumbered. You can't win. Now's the time to retreat." 

"Retreat isn't something to be ashamed off, it's living to fight another day!" Asha smiles as she talks and turns to the crowd before them. She hopes she can portray the false sense of hope she's trying to force upon herself.

"You don't understand. They've taken our home, and we have to fight them at any cost!" The leader turns to them, his hands making forceful gestures. 

"I don't know, living to fight another day is starting to sound pretty good to me." A fighter speaks up.

"Yeah, I'm with the kids!" 

The leader turns to his army, all mumbling their agreements and opinions. 

"Fine. But there's thousands of citizens that need to leave. How're we going to get them all out?" 

"Suckers!" 

___

Asha furrows her brow as she watches Sokka places Pentapi on the fighters, taking them off and reapplying them.  Zulu and Momo sit before her, churring and chattering away. Standing up, she walks to Aang, whose trying to apply more of the creatures to the arm of a small boy.  Yet, every time Aang got close, the boy would yank his arm away, whimpering.

Crouching down, Asha looks to the boy, Aang turning to the girl. 

"Are you okay?" She speaks softly, almost with experience.  The boy looks to her, watching as she gives him a soft smile.

"W-w-what if they won't come off? He said they would, but what if he's wrong?" The boy whimpers, allowing Asha to wipe off the stray tear.  Whistling over Zulu and placing the raptor on the boy's lap, who hugs the raptor like a comfort blanket-- not that the attention hungry raptor cared much, as she preened at the attention.

"Well, I can tell you a story if you want if you let Aang put the pentapi on."  The boy lights up at the proposition, easily agreeing as Asha sits on the ground beside them. 

"Now, have you heard of the Avatar?" Asha begins, Aang giving her a side glance.

"Yea, and the Avatar has an Onsra, right?" The boy laughs. 

"That's right. Your jumping ahead already. So, our story begins in a powerful, sky city..." Asha starts, the boy bouncing in his seat as she does. 

In very little time, Aang finishes with the pentapox and sits listening to Asha's story as it comes to a close. 

"Wait, so did the boy get to be with the girl?" The boy leaned forward, Aang smiling at Asha. 

"Yea, Ash. Did he get the girl?" Aang smirks, said girl rolling her eyes. 

"They lived happily ever after." Asha laughed at her own sarcastic comment. The small boy smiling as he missed the sarcasm.  Zulu hopped down, passing behind the benders towards Momo in the meantime leaving the humans to do their own thing.

"Look, now your all done!" The girl exclaims with over exaggerated enthusiasm. The boy glances over before smiling brightly, bouncing up to hug Asha.

"Thanks Onsra Ash-Oops." The boy looks away from the shocked glances of the two teens before them. 

"It's quite alright, isn't it Avatar Aang?" Standing, Asha smiles to Aang, nodding over to the child. 

"It is, Onsra Asha." Aang smiles back, the boy looking up in wonder and astonishment at the two.  

"But, he might have to keep it a secret. We're on a top secret mission, can you do that?" Asha bends down again. The boy eagerly nods and turns to run off, now successfully pentapox-ed 

"You really have a way with kids, don't ya?" 

"I have to, I deal with you all day."

___

Air bending themselves through the city, Asha and Aang scan the streets and alleys with careful eyes, looking for any sign of Bumi.  The rest of the citizens were using their spots to their advantage, causing enough havoc for the soldiers to be distracted enough for said air benders to do their looking. They were getting out and Asha and Aang were getting the chance to have a general look, an overall win-win for the Earth kingdom and them is she does say so herself. 

Stopping suddenly, Aang pulls Asha to another roof, directing her attention to a large, rabbit like creature.

"What is that thing?" Asha asks in wonder. Her amazement falling short as the creature lets out a loud, agony filled, groan, pushing a large turnstile.  Ignoring her question, Aang quickly jumps down, Asha following with little hesitance.

"Flospsie!"  Aang yells out, the creature stopping and looking to him. The boy holds his arms out wide but is let down as Flopsie gets pulled back by the chain around it's neck.  

Jumping onto the top of the turnstile, Asha watches as Aang bends some water, which he quickly turns to ice, onto the chain, allowing the brunette to break the ice, and consequently the chain, with her staff. The creature thanks them with hugs and kisses, both laughing in response.

After their let down, Aang grabs Asha by the hand and climbs on top of Flopsie, settling her in front of him as he holds on to her tightly.

"Come on, Flopsie. You gotta help us find Bumi. Yip yip!" Aang calls, pausing a second.

"I don't think it works with him." Asha looks down from her spot, patting in between Flopsie's ears.

"Let's go then!" With that, the bunny like creature runs off at high speed, Asha quickly leaning back onto Aang; who blushes at the contact with a small smile

___

"We looked everywhere. No Bumi." Aang huffed as the two water tribe siblings crept closer, helping Asha off of Flopsie. She seemed just as down as him though the large rabbit-goat looked worse then all of them, Flopsie getting his hugs from Sokka because of it. 

All four-- five if you count Flopsie-- look up as the rebellion leader walks up to them.

"We've got a problem. We just did a head count." 

"Oh no. Did someone get left behind?" Katara worried, already prepping herself to go back in if need be.

"No, we have an extra." 

Asha furrows her brows, following the direction the man pointed at, the teens gasping at the sight they were met with. Poor Momo getting nearly strangling by a laughing baby, their grubby little hands prying at the Lemur's fur. The brunette approaches the lemur, who churs at her desperately, before she picks up the baby, allowing their hands to pull at her hair and cheeks. 

"This is the Governor's son." Aang huffs, approaching the two as well, eyes carefully watching the laughing child in Asha's arms.

___

Pacing around the campfire, occasionally looking over to the child who was under the watchful eye of Katara and Sokka, Asha lets out a long, tired groan.  Dragging her hands down her face before stretching her muscles, she glances over again as Sokka yells.

"No! Bad fire nation baby!" 

Asha hears crying, then a smack, and then a muttering from Sokka, followed by happy giggles from the baby. Asha ambles over to where Gumi and Zulu lay, flopping onto her dragon who makes grunts (almost like a chuckle) at the girl. Raising a hand Asha gently smacks the dragon, playfully, who grunts more.

"Ooh, you're so cute! Mmm." Katara laughs out, presumably holding the baby.

"Sure, he's cute now, but when he's older, he'll join the fire nation. You won't think he's so cute then. He'll be a killer!"  The resistance leader barks.

Lifting her head, Asha laughs. "Right. Because that is the face of a killer." 

The leader gives her a grave look. Their attention quickly be redirected however, as a messenger hawk lets out a squawk; Aang already walking over to it. 

Pulling out the scroll, Aang furrows his brow at the message. "It's from the fire nation governor. He thinks we kidnapped his son. So... he wants to make a trade. His son..."  His eyes widen as he reads further. 

"For King Bumi."

___

"Do you think it's a trap?" Asha whispers as she adjusts Aang's hat; Sokka and Katara standing behind them withSokka holding the baby.  

"I'm not sure, but it's worth a try. Bumi would've done the same for us." Aang looks down as Asha steps away, grabbing her hand before she can get too far. 

The group of four stood, stone faced looking ahead of them, defiance stricken faces. They watched as three females came into view, Bumi laughing in the background as a crane lowers a metal coffin, Bumi trapped inside. His face was the only part visible and it was obvious that the man did not age well. He snorted as he laughed; Asha almost smiling but keept a stern face.

"Hi, everybody!" King Bumi looks at the group.

"You brought my brother?" The raven from before was firm, glaring at Asha; who glared back.

"He's here. We're ready to trade." Aang stepped forward, matching her tone.

"I'm sorry, but a thought just occurred to me. Do you mind?" A new raven spoke up, turning to the other.

"Of course not, Princess Azula." The raven got a wicked smirk as she turned to Azula. 

"We're trading a two year old for a king. A powerful, Earth bending King."  Azula looks back to Bumi, who nods.  "It doesn't seem like a fair trade, does it?"  

The unknown raven looks to her brother in Sokka's arms, who currently is drooling and cooing. "You're right. The deals off." She raises her hand raising Bumi off the ground. 

"Whoa! See you all later!" He snorts again, "Bye Asha!"  

The girl watches as the king is hoisted away, her and Aang both quickly running after him. Both pull their staffs out quickly before plumes of bright blue fire flies towards them, splitting them up as they dodge.

Deflecting another hit, Asha watches as Aang goes after Bumi, using his glider, his hat flying off showing his arrow proudly. He attempts to catch it with his mouth, but it's too late.

"The Avatar! My lucky day." Looking down to Asha, whose stepping back towards Katara and Sokka. She smiles wickedly.  "You two stay here, I'll go after the Avatar." Azula barked, turning to the elevator. 

The two girls smirk at the trio, Asha quickly standing in front, with her staff at the ready.

"Sokka, you got that whistle? We have to get the baby out of here, Katara and I will cover you." Asha watches the Raven extend her hand. 

"Way ahead of ya!" Sokka smiles, Asha quickly turning and smiling back. 

Turning back, Asha uses her staff to block an incoming wave of throwing knives. The three back up, Sokka and Katara running as Asha sends off a wave of air.  It's as she turns she watches Sokka fly, a fist appearing from under him; Sokka artfully turns though, landing on his back protecting the baby.

Jumping up and over the brunette that popped up, Asha blocked yet another wave of throwing knives-- this time with a plank of wood she kicked into her hands. Throwing it into the air, she uses her staff like a bat and hits it towards the raven. Using a water whip, Katara runs next to Asha and uses said whip to catch the brunettes ankle, dragging her down. Taking the distraction, Sokka runs down a ladder with the baby. 

Twirling her staff, Asha throws a small orb of wind toward the raven, who artfully dodges causing a small explosion behind her. Asha, however, doesn't notice the blade that was flung from a device around her ankle. Thinking fast, Katara blocks it with a wall of ice, Asha thanking her with a breathless nod. Unfreezing the wall Katara left, Asha freezes the running ravens arm to the wall beside her with ice. The girl trying to break free but failing.

Hearing a thump, the air bender turns to watch Katara fall after her pressure points are hit. Katara tries to bend, but nothing happens. Looking back to the raven still struggling, Asha shakes her head and runs to Katara, blocking another jab at a pressure point. The brunette tries to jab the same pressure points, but between her staff and other hand, Asha blocks each jab, loosing concentration on the ice holding the raven.  The two close in, both smirking as Asha stumbles over Katara falling to her butt as Katara steps in front of the poor girl.  

"How are you gonna fight without your bending?" The raven taunts as she pulls out a star like weapon, not noticing the boomerang rounding behind her until it knocks the weapon out of her hand.

"I seem to manage!" Sokka stands proud on top of Appa, who lands between the pairs of girls, his tail knocking down and creating a large hole. Gumi lands behind them, using his tail to throw them in.  

Grinning, Asha jumps to her feet and runs to Gumi, Zulu squeaking in the saddle at her.   As the two animals take flight, Katara looks to the city, pointing over. 

"There's Aang!" 

"We can catch him!" Sokka lowers Appa, Asha staying higher up.  She watches as Aang launches the coffin Bumi is in, overshooting the jump.  Asha quickly takes her glider and jumps to the coffin, blocking a string of fire as the coffin breaks through the ramp.  

Bumi screams as the fall, crashing through another two ramps. Finally landing right, the coffin slides again, Azula still following.  Throwing another string of fire, Asha blocks it, Aang behind her trying to break the coffin.  Pushing her hands together, Azula creates a saw blade out of blue fire throwing it to the coffin. 

"Aang?!" Asha widens her eyes, the wind she throws not affecting it in the slightest. 

"Just a second!" He yells back, only giving a weird look to Bumi who furrows his brows and twitches his lip.  

The girl only watches as a pillar of Earth pops up, absorbing the blast as well as stopping Azula's cart. Letting out a soft laugh, slowly trying to calm her breathing, Asha turns to Aang who looks dumbstruck. 

The two air benders quickly jump off as the coffin slows, reaching the bottom. 

"You could Earth bend all along?!" Aang shrieks. 

"Well, they didn't cover my face. Hello Asha." Bumi smiles, the girl returning it with a nod. Straining against his bonds, Bumi uses rocks to stand up the coffin.

"I don't understand." Aang starts pacing, his anger becoming evident. "Why didn't you free yourself? Why did you surrender when Omashu was invaded? What's the matter with you, Bumi?!" He rapid fires questions as he paces. 

"Listen to me, Aang. There are options in fighting, called Jin. It's a choice of how you direct you energy." Bumi is calm when he speaks. 

"I know! There's positive Jin when you're attacking, and negative Jin when you're retreating." Aang holds up his fingers, emphasizing his point.

"And neutral Jin when you do nothing!" 

"There are three Jins?!" Aang looks to his hand, holding up another finger. Looking to Asha, who shrugs with widened eyes, Aang rubs a hand down his face.

"Well, technically there are eighty five. But let's just focus on the third.  Neutral Jin is the key to Earth bending. It involves listening and waiting for the right moment to strike. " 

"That's why you surrendered, isn't it?" Asha walks up to Bumi, her eyes focused on his. 

"Yes, and it's why I can't leave now." 

Aang looks down, Asha quickly wrapping an arm around his shoulder. He leans into her, groaning lowly.

"I guess we need to find someone else to teach us Earth bending."

"Your teacher will be someone who has mastered neutral Jin. You need to find someone who waits and listens before striking."   Bumi continues, watching the duo with soft eyes. 

Aang looks down, Momo soaring in and landing on Aang's unoccupied shoulder, purring as he nuzzles into the boy's head.

"Hey, Momo."  Aang greets, smiling softly.

"Momo's mastered a few Jins himself!" Bumi snorting with a laugh. 

"Goodbye, Aang, Asha. I'll see you when the time is right."  

The two watch, Bumi using Earth bending to drive his coffin back up the chute. Both watch as their old friend disappears from view.

___

Asha watches in the shadows as Aang slowly crawls from the roof, placing the baby on the ground before jumping back. He sits, the baby toddling over to his parents before he departs as silently as he came. 

She smirks as Aang passes her, completely unaware of her presence. "You really have a way with kids, don't ya?" She laughs as the boy jumps three feet in the air, whipping his head over to her holding a hand to his chest. 

"Jeez, Asha. You scared me."  He laughs, walking over to her. 

"Yea, that was the point." She laughs with him. As the two settle down, she watches a frown set onto Aang's face. 

"Hey, maybe it was meant to be. You know I'll be there for you; We'll find someone." Asha hums,  wrapping her arms around Aang's neck and pulling him close to her. 

Resting his head on hers, Aang wraps his arms around her waist, silently crying into her hair. She doesn't pull away though, if anything tightening her hold on the boy.

And there the two stood, in each others arms as the moon shines brightly above them. The air benders seeming untouchable.