Chapter 52: Kind Outburst (2)

Chapter 52: Kind Outburst (2)Chapter 52: Kind Outburst (2)

"What do you mean?" Ukano frowned as Michi's phrasing gave him a sense of unease. The look in her eyes seemed a little discontented. But Mai felt more than that. Her hand was tightly held by Michi as if she was still nervous and in need of comfort but hearing her father's words, Mai's mother hissed, "You imprisoned me! Don't act innocent, Ukano. I remember!"

"Mom, what's going on?" Tom-Tom nervously shrunk his neck and Michi instantly comforted the boy with a gentle smile, "Nothing, sweety. Just stay close to your sister, alright? Hold her hand."

Even if Tom-Tom would have hesitated, Mai didn't give the boy any time to think as she held his hand. Though not revealing it, Mai began to feel a bit nervous, too. It was only natural when the confrontation between one's parents is out in the open.

"Imprisoned you?" Ukano narrowed his eyes, "I don't recall such an event, darling. It's not sensible to make such whimsical comments in presence of our children. Kai, go on, take Mai and others—"

"I'm staying. For once, in this boring palace, something interesting is happening," Mai narrowed her eyes, masking her worry with apathy— as usual— and she stated firmly, "I'm staying."

"Honey," Kai smiled, more than willing to still continue Ukano's order when Michi shrieked, scaring Kai until he almost fell back, "Didn't you hear what my daughter just said? She stays!"

And her glare bore into Ukano, "You imprisoned me. And yet, I don't even remember all of it. You heartless monster! You left me not only in that cold and silent dungeon but also set me aside for no fault of my own!

Was Juhi good? Hmm? Say, Kai, are your maids good, too?"

"Enough," Ukano slammed his palm on the table with a gloomy expression but by now it was clear to the family members aside from Tom-Tom that Michi was imprisoned yet the other allegations were somewhat weird.

"What is going on?" Mai squeezed her mother's hand and Michi couldn't help but reign her anger in slightly.

"Will you tell them or should I?" Michi glanced at her husband. She didn't feel righteous at all because, at the end of the day, both of them had ended up failing their marriage. Ukano pursed his lips, teeth grounding as he kept his silence. There was no one else in the dining room so Michi didn't fear any external reaction as she began, "I still don't remember things well but your father imprisoned me in a dungeon under the basement of the orphans... no, I think that there was something going on back then regarding the orphans. I found that out and Ukano did something to me... I only found this out a few days ago and my memories are still... jumbled. Tell me that you didn't do the same to our children!" She glared at Ukano fiercely as he bit back, shouting, "Never! Are you out of your mind?!"

"And how can I ever trust you?" Michi shouted, too.

"Listen," Ukano heaved deeply, "Once this is all over, I will tell you everything. All of this is done for the will of the Phoenix King. He knows that duty demands personal sacrifice and if I—"

Before he could finish, Michi stood up, "For three years, Ukano. Three years... Phoenix King this, Phoenix King that... he may have granted you the city, but aren't you a father, too? You follow a man whose family left him, and now, you will not tell me why and what you did to me back then. You won't even come to our room nowadays," she puckered her lips with a sadness flashing through her eyes, "I'm leaving... before I do, I want you to know that what I did these last few days... I felt that it was your fault but really, my actions couldn't be excused."

"What are you saying?" Ukano frowned as Michi took a shuddering breath, "We are done."

"Done with what?" he narrowed his eyes while the boy next to Mai couldn't help but hold his sister's hand tighter.

"Don't play a fool. I'm leaving. Come on, Mai. Tom-Tom," Michi snorted as she turned to move only for Ukano to stand up with a furious expression.

"Wait, damn it!" he growled, "I did everything for the sake of the family. For us! With my merits, Tom-Tom will have a greater position. Mai and Kai will have more re to govern than they could possibly imagine! You and I could have everything if you just..." he grew silent.

"Just tell me what you did to me," Michi stopped for a moment but seeing her husband silent, she, too, left the dining room.

Once the trio left, Kai couldn't help but speak up, "Father-in-law..." but before he could even continue, Ukano snapped his fingers three times in quick succession and Kai entered a period of daze.

Meanwhile, the trio returned to Mai's room since it was the closest to the dining room. Once they entered, Michi fell weakly on her daughter's bed. This time, Mai's period of silence stemmed from her sensibility than her indifference but Tom-Tom could only voice his confusion, "What is going on?"

"Isn't it already simple?" Mai eyed her younger brother, "Aang is the avatar. His distant relatives are probably his allies. They are caught. Mom and father had a falling out because he did something unsavory and now we're probably going to leave."

Mai glanced at their mother, intentionally leaving out a particular confession from Michi before she left.

She stated the facts as Michi sighed as her head lowered in defeat, "Your father... he did something to my mind. I'm sure of it. This has something to do with the orphans we were supposed to assist but Ukano is doing something very dangerous and wrong. Sorry, Mai... Tom-Tom, but I want you to come with me. Back to the fire nation."

"I don't want to leave!" Tom-Tom instantly hissed, "And Aang, where is he? Mai, help me find him please!"

"It's Elder Sister for you," Mai frowned before sinking in silence.

"Tom," Michi forced a smile.

"And I don't want to leave father! And what about my academy?" He continued with an angry expression only for Michi's tears to finally trickle down silently all the while her shoulders shuddered.

"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry. If only I hadn't," Michi whimpered, pulling Tom-Tom into a hug as Mai sat a bit away only to be pulled in, too.

"Sigh... it's going to be ok..." Mai muttered. Words of comfort from her sounded wrong to Michi and Tom-Tom but Michi took it, feeling greatly relieved for some reason. Even Tom-Tom began to cry finally, pouring out his indignations in a better way when compared to shouting— crying.

The trio remained as such for quite a few minutes until--

*Drrrrrrr*

"Whoa!"

"Agh!"

"Hey, hold on Nik!"

'Not again,' Nik whined internally as the group was sent over to the opposite wall. Their breath was stolen by the impact for the moment with all four of them only able to gaze at Aang helplessly. The sheer pressure of the wind was already astounding and seeing the glowing boy turn his head in their direction, they fell silent to not incur and surprise attack. Aang wasn't in his control. His mind was overcome with rage and strength beyond his ability to guide and it simply caused damage to others.

*Vsssh*

*Vsssh*

*Vsssh*

Aang's clothes whipped and he silently stared at the four of them for a few seconds. He was surrounded by a visible ball of wind and dust and the chunk of wall he launched finally landed far in the distance.

Nik's gaze momentarily fell on the pair of fans in Aang's hands.

"Aang, you have to stop this!" Katara finally called out loudly.

"Aaaghhhhhhhh!"

All Katara got in response was an angered roar. Flames emerged from his mouth as Aang abruptly waved his fans in their direction. The wall above the group's head was sliced off cleanly before falling backward onto the only garden of the palace as Aang finally moved away. More like, flew away.

"Word of advice... never tell someone in power what to do... doesn't end well most of the time..." Nik coughed as the group fell on the ground.

"He looked... so much in pain," Katara bit her lip, "What power? He was asking for our help. He needs our help!"

"And he has my fan. But... I could loan him for now," Suki was more sensible in this regard.

"At least, let's get on the ground... it's more dangerous up here," Sokka noted as the wall behind and in front of them was torn open. Anyone would fall off due to bad footing.

"We could use Appa right about now," Nik chuckled bitterly as Suki took the role of carrying his weight.

'Today clearly isn't mine... getting smashed against the wall so many times already,' Nik counted with a sigh.

They soon rushed down the stairs and by now, the palace was mostly emptied but the signs of destruction couldn't be clearer. They moved cautiously but as they came out from the palace, what they saw was something that none of them had in mind.

Aang battled a joint troop of firebenders and earthbenders.

"They are being controlled..." Nik remarked the moment he observed the sluggish movement of the Earthbenders, their dazed expressions, and Ukano leading them word by word with an expressionless Kai standing next to him. Zhao, meanwhile, coordinated with the remaining firebenders.

"Sokka, you have to take another step away from us," Suki frowned instantly. She was a little scared by such a troublesome aspect of mind control.

"Hey, enough!" Katara scowled, "He's already doing the best he can. Just because of one mistake, you're being so—"

"No, she's right... I'm dangerous," Sokka stepped back instantly. His heart felt a similar chill when he saw the situation. The entirety of Omashu was sent in an uproar by the floating Avatar bending pieces of Palace as he attacked the two bending troops in front of him.

Katara's expression turned even more bitter with this but she could not speak up for her brother unnecessarily.

They weren't exactly standing in the middle of the entrance and had used broken pillars to keep a cover and not let themselves get known. They had yet to make a decision what to do because even assisting Aang wasn't a sensible choice. He may as well attack them out of nowhere and with such a force that would only prove fatal.

"Any idea how to get out of the palace?" Suki inquired.

"Without losing a dead weight," Nik added.

"No, maybe without the dead weight, too," Suki smiled, "Who knows, we might need it."

"I'm hugging you right now... want me to fall and take you down?" Nik scoffed.

"*Khnnk* How about helping Aang? He is about to be done, hahaha!"

The four of them instantly screamed with an iron casket seemingly drilling from the ground behind them.