96 - Meeting Azula Again!!!

Omashu

“No! What happened here,” Aang exclaimed as Omashu came into view, Fire nation banners and buildings lining all sides of it as chimney smoke rose into the air.

“How could this happen, and what about Bumi, we need to save them,” said Aang in panic as he held the reins and was going to fly Appa into Omashu before he was stopped by Levi holding his arm.

“Bumi is a strong bender, one of the strongest there is, he won’t be taken out that easily, I am sure he is fine,” said Levi trying to calm Aang down.

“We can’t do much in the current situation, let me go and scout first,” said Levi.

He waited for a confirmation from Aang and the other two that they weren’t going to follow before he jumped off Appa, water condensed around him in a ball before it dispersed and Levi was nowhere to be seen.

“How did he do that?” asked Aang in wonder.

“I…I don’t know alright, I stopped trying to figure him out a while ago,” replied Katara in frustration.

Even with everything she had learned in the northern water tribe and her constant training and improvement she still couldn’t do half the things Levi does with water, and worst of all he always makes it seem so effortless.

***

Inside Omashu

Levi appeared in the middle of a random alleyway. Looking outside he could see people coming and going, but unlike the last time he was here their expressions were anything but bright and lively.

They held their heads down as they walked forward not meeting each other's eyes, Levi could feel that the air he was breathing was way heavier than the last time he was here, it was almost suffocating, and it had nothing to do with the new fire nation buildings dumping out fumes all over the place, it was a different kind of suffocation.

Getting out onto the main street he finally saw the faces of the people clearly, their eyes were blank and hollow as if life was drained from them, they seemed more like corpses walking than actual people.

Sigh

Sighing, Levi looked at the palace to the north, standing high and overlooking all of Omashu, except this time it had a giant fire nation banner hung from it, a constant reminder that Omashu had fallen.

Bumi should be somewhere up there, thought Levi as he started stealthy heading in that direction, walking directly past two Fire Nation guards, but they couldn’t even spot him, they kept chatting not even sparing him a glance.

***

Hung in a metal cage on the highest point of Omashu, Bumi had a smile on his face as he looked at what he could see from his city and hummed a soft tone.

“Oh hello there birds, it’s a nice day isn’t it,” said Bumi with a smile at two birds who landed on his cage.

“Yeah it sure is,” said a voice from below.

“AHHHH?” screamed Bumi as he looked below him before relaxing, “I swear you’re going to be the end of me.” 

“You’re one hundred-plus years old, You don’t need my help with that old man,” said Levi as he came to a stop in front of the cage.

“You …you, well I guess you’re right,” said Bumi reluctantly before he eyed Levi suspiciously, “What are you doing here anyway?”

“I came with Aang in hopes you would teach him earth bending, and you can imagine our surprise when we saw Fire Nation banners lining up your city walls, Aang was ready to rush in guns blazing if I didn’t stop him,” said Levi.

“Guns?” Bumi asked, his tone inquisitive.

“Ah…it's just a saying, forget about it, you want me to help you get rid of the fire nation?” asked Levi.

Bumi seemed to be seriously considering it for a second before he replied, “Naah, I am just chilling for a bit, I’ll get rid of them myself when the time is right,” said Bumi as he tried to stretch but couldn’t.

“Well suit yourself, although it seems that I have stayed for too long and now I doubt our friends will let me get away,” said Levi as he turned behind him and saw Azula come upstairs, her eyes staring blankly at him for a second before widening in realization.

To her left and right were two other girls looking to be polar opposites of one another, the one on the left had a big happy smile on her face as she looked at Levi curiously, and the other one looked more like a depressed emo than anything.

Mai and Ty Lee, thought Levi as he looked at them before turning his gaze towards Azula.

“YOU!” said Azula vehemently, her face turning bright red, her hands clenched, her tone a mix of shock, fear, anger, and even a little excitement.

“You know him, Azula?” asked Ty Lee curiously from the side.

“Stay close to me, no matter what happens do.not.underestimate.him,” said Azula emphasizing every word. 

Levi raised his eyebrow in surprise. He thought she would have rushed at him in anger by now, but she seemed more concerned about her friend's life than about attacking him.

“Azula, fancy seeing you here, where is Ronan? We really should stop meeting under such circumstances,” said Levi, spreading his hands outward.

“She’s your woman?” Asked Bumi all of a sudden from behind him.

Levi could see Ty Lee holding her laughter from the corner of his eye.

For some reason Azula’s face went even more red than it was before as she heard that, she felt both anger and embarrassment bubbling up inside of her, “SHUT UP,” she screamed as she launched a fireball at Bumi and Levi.

“Hey not fair, I can’t move,” shouted Bumi but he made no effort to block the attack, Levi appeared in front of him and slashed the attack into nothing using an ice spear.

“Spread out and surround him,” said Azula, and to Mai and Ty lee credit they didn’t question her at all as they spread out on each side surrounding Levi in the middle of a triangle formation.

“Azula, listen, how about we talk things first, when has this ever ended good for you, how about this, let me go, and let's forget all of this ever happened, I don’t even know who this old guy is,” said Levi pointing at Bumi behind him.

“Hey!” said Bumi, his tone hurt.

Azula actually found herself thinking it over for a second before dismissing the thought, making her even angrier, “Shut the hell up, do you think I am the same kid from years ago? I’ve prepared for you.” 

She said as she rushed and engaged Levi in close combat with fire and water launched everywhere.

Mai and Ty Lee looked at each other in shock, they had seen Azula mad and angry before but never like this, this was something different, that made them take a closer look at Levi.

With quick movements, Levi dismantled Azula’s guard and delivered fast jabs to her solar plexus and liver making her lose her breath, but he found himself holding back for some reason. Do I feel sorry for her? Or is it because we had fought three times by now and I don’t view her as an enemy? He couldn’t help but think.

“AZULA!” shouted Ty Lee in worry as she rushed towards Azula and Levi, Mai took out three throwing knives and threw them with amazing accuracy toward Levi, reaching him before Ty Lee could.

The sound of them piercing his flesh or at least getting swatted to the side didn’t reach her as Levi waved his hands and caught all three of her knives between his fingers, and for the first time ever since the fight started Mai’s stoic and unbothered expression changed.

Whistle

Bumi’s whistle echoed from the side, Levi had to curb the urge to give him a bow like the one performers give on a stage.

“Ty Lee, be careful,” Mai shouted after her friend before her eyes widened.

She saw Levi wave his hands and her own knives were thrown back at her with perfect accuracy as she scrambled to dodge.

Even though Ty Lee saw what had just happened she was still confident in her martial arts, reaching Levi she delivered three fast jabs to precise points in his body before backing away with a smirk on her face.

Levi who let himself get hit to experience the feeling of it could feel his Chi slowing down significantly,  and even his body was slower, although he wasn’t completely incapacitated it would still affect him if he didn’t have a way to deal with it.

Purification

The numbness and the Chi blockage in his body immediately disappeared as if it was never there as he started rotating his hands and jumping in place from side to side to make sure purification got rid of all of it.

“How?” Ty Lee's shocked voice reached him from the side, “My Chi blocking didn’t work? I didn’t miss, I never miss, so how.” her incredulous voice sounded all around them.

“I’ve got to admit, this is an amazing skill you have there, against anybody else you would have won, sadly for you, you met me,” said Levi with a smirk as he dashed at Ty Lee.

Levi tried to imitate her movements, hitting only precise body parts with precise hand gestures, his maxed hand-to-hand combat skill making sure he was doing it perfectly, sadly, even though he hit her he didn’t seem to have hit critical points to block her Chi.

Did I miss it? Or should I apply more force, he thought as he rushed back at her, this time applying more force behind his jabs.

Azula was still gasping for breath, while Mai couldn’t risk throwing her knives for fear of hitting Ty Lee.

Still doesn't work, is it the speed I should deliver the attack at? Thought Levi as he started adjusting his speed and strength, trying every combination he could think of and following the faint feeling he had, most likely from his maxed hand-to-hand combat skill, soon it happened.

Thud Thud Thud

With the sound of three quick jabs connecting Ty Lee fell to the ground paralyzed with wide eyes staring at Levi in fear, even Azula and Mai had the same expression.

“W…what kind of monster are you?” asked Mai, gritting her teeth to not turn away and run.

They had seen the scene that had transpired before them from beginning to end, better than Ty Lee had.

They had seen Levi trying to imitate Ty Lee's martial arts and failing, again and again, they couldn’t help but scoff at him, they had also tried doing the same with no success, it takes years of dedication and practice to reach Ty Lee’s level.

So seeing this Mai decided not to attack and give Azula time to recover, but before it could happen the impossible happened, Ty Lee fell to the ground paralyzed! By her own martial arts no less!

What they thought would be an impossible feat happened before their very eyes, shattering their view of the world.

“Well this is rude,” said Levi with a smirk but inwardly he couldn’t help but remember something Orionis said to him a while back. The most terrifying thing about you is your ability to learn and adapt.

It was something close to that if I remember correctly, it doesn't matter anyhow, he is dead now, he’s not here to say otherwise.

“M…Mai,” Said Azula, struggling to get the word out as she regained her breath, barely forty seconds had passed since Levi hit her solar plexus and liver incapacitating her, barely a minute, but her entire team was already dismantled, she couldn’t help but feel helpless again, the feeling she only felt when facing him.

Why? Why, why, no matter how hard I train, no matter how I prepare I can never defeat you, why? She screamed repeatedly in her head.

“Mai, let me take care of him, take Ty Lee and go,” said Azula, shocking Mai.

“You can’t take him alone,” said Mai.

“I…I know,” said Azula, feeling her pride shattering as she uttered those words and holding back tears that threatened to fall, “Just take her and go now, it's an order,” 

Mai seemed to be hesitating before closing her eyes and opening them again with a determined look in them, circling around Levi she grabbed Ty Lee and put her on her shoulder, Levi just kept staring at Azula and didn’t stop her.

“I’ll bring back help,” said Mai before she dashed down the stairs with Ty Lee on her shoulder.

“Since you know you’re no match for me, why not run with them, why stay behind,” asked Levi, he was genuinely curious.

“I…” Azula wanted to say that she wanted to stop him from chasing after them and hold him back, but she found that a different answer came in her mind, he won’t hurt me, she thought.

It was an irrational thought, it made no sense, they were sworn enemies, but deep down that’s what she believed.

“Shut up and let's fight,” she said with an angry tone as she rushed at Levi.

She’s different from the show, thought Levi, he didn’t know what it was but he was sure she was different, Is it because of me? Have I actually managed to change something in this world? Or is this not considered a major event and is not protected like the others? He couldn’t help but wonder as he blocked Azula’s fire attacks.