Avatar: New Airbenders

by Clayton Overstreet

A little add on to the happy ending.

I don't own these characters or profit from them.

Avatar: The New Air Benders

By, Clayton Overstreet

Aang gently broke the kiss with Katara and smiled at her. "So, was that the right time?"

"Definitely…" Katara began.

Behind them Sokka said, "Actually the right time was about six months ago but you two were so hung up…" Katara and Aang turned to see all of their friends standing there and smiling brightly.

"Were you spying on us?"

"I didn't see a thing," Toph said.

Suki elbowed Sokka in the ribs. He grinned and put his arm over her shoulder. Then when she wasn't looking he rubbed his side. She looked back and he stopped. Zuko and Mai just smirked and Iroh took a sip of his tea.

Aang and Katara looked at each other and then at the others. "Well?"

"Well what? It's not like we didn't see this coming," Sokka said.

"What I want to know," Toph said. "Is now that we've officially saved the world, what are we going to do next?"

Everyone groaned. Sokka said, "Come on! We just beat the fire kingdom losers into the ground…" He glanced to the side at Zuko and Mai. "No offense." They shrugged. "Now you want to do something else?"

"Well what am I supposed to do?" She asked. "They shut down the fights when the fire nation took over the kingdom. I already went and saw my parents and heard about how proud they were of me and how sorry they were about how they treated me. Then my dad tried to make me come back and be all proper again so I can't go back there again for a while." She smirked. "Not after what I did to the living room."

"We were there," Suki said, looking a little ill. "And I still can't believe what you did to those curtains."

Sokka said, "Please. I'm still trying to block it out. Even Momo doesn't do things like that." Momo flew to Sokka's shoulder, a piece of paper in his paws. "What's this?"

Suki looked. "It's a remarkably good drawing of all of us."

"Oh hah! Very funny." Momo chattered happily and Suki passed it around to everyone's approval. "I still say mine was better."

Zuko said, "Well after this I have to go on a trip." Mai elbowed him. "I mean we have to go on a trip."

"Where to?" Katara asked.

He said softly, "To find my mother. I got the location of where my father has been keeping her for the past few years." Mai took his hand and he smiled. "I'm going to go bring her back and tell her that the war is over."

"I could come along," Toph said.

"Actually," Iroh said. "I have a message from King Boomi. He wishes to speak to you."

"He does?"

"I was going to tell you after the party."

Aang said, "To tell you the truth, I have something I need to do too."

Katara looked at him. "What is it?"

"I need to restore the balance of the world," he said. "Remember, I'm the last air bender. I need to fix that."

Katara blushed. "I kind of thought that would take a while… at least until we were a little older. I mean I love you and all Aang but…"

"What?" He asked. She looked at him. "Oh!" Everyone else laughed and Aang blushed red, waving his hands. "No! I mean not that I wouldn't want to… but… I mean…"

Katara smiled and said, "So what did you mean?"

Aang let out a breath of relief. "I mean that I need to use my powers to restore the powers to people. When I was preparing to fight Ozai I communed with the souls of the past Avatars and when the giant Lion Turtle I talked to touched me I sensed the source of the elements. I think that if I go to the spirit world I can find the air element and bring back to the power of air bending to the remaining air nomads."

"There are air nomads left?" Toph asked. "I thought they were all wiped out."

"The air benders were wiped out," Zuko said. "But like with the water tribe, once their benders were gone my grandfather decided they posed no real threat."

"Our friends at the Eastern Air temple are descended from them," Aang said. "And there are hundreds wandering around the countryside, some hiding among other people and others just trying to keep moving and unfound like the sand benders." He smiled at Katara. "I think that if I do it right I can give at least some of them air bending powers. Then all I have to do is teach them like the monks taught me." He winked. "Though I liked your idea too."

Katara stamped on his foot. "Not funny." She watched Aang hop around.

Toph said, "Wait a minute Aang." Aang stopped and looked into her eyes. "There's something you're not telling us."

Aang looked away quickly. "What do you mean?"

"Come on Aang," Sokka said. "Since when is it that easy? Every time we go after something you need to save the world there's always something in the way."

"Well…"

"Aang," Katara said.

"It's no big deal. I mean it's not like I haven't face him before."

"Faced who before?"

Aang sighed. "The face stealer."

"The face stealer? You mean that thing you told us about that'll steal your face and doom your soul for all eternity?" Sokka asked.

"No! I mean yes, but only if I show any emotion. As long as I don't do that I'll be fine. It'll be easy."

"Aang, you barely made it back last time," Katara said.

"Yeah. If you need someone to show absolutely no emotion we should send Mai and Zuko," Sokka said. Both fire benders glared at him. "Okay, maybe not."

"Guys I have to do this." He smiled nervously. "I'm sure I'll be fine."

"Then I am going with you," Katara said firmly.

"You can't…"

"Not to the spirit realm," she said quickly. "I know I can't do that. But I can watch your body while you're gone. You'll need someone to do that."

"I'd like to help too," Sokka said. "But my father and I have to meet up on Fire Island prison. Now that we're on the same side the warden wants us to help make the prison even harder to break out of."

"Since we're the only ones to ever break out," Suki said. Then she leaned in to Iroh and Toph. "If you haven't heard from us in three weeks I want you two to come by and break us out. I am not going back into that prison without backup."

"I thought the place was already nearly inescapable," Aang said.

"Yeah, but they got a new prisoner and they want to make sure."

"A new prisoner." Zuko and Mai shared a look. "Oh."

"So I guess we're splitting up…" Toph said.

"Guess so," Aang said.

"Aw!" They all said at once and went into a group hug.

Mai sneered and tried to wriggle free. "What are you doing?"

Zuko sighed. "They do this a lot. It's a rule. If you're part of the group you are part of the group hugs. I find it's best if you just get it over with, preferably before Appa shows up and tries to join in." He hugged Mai who rolled her eyes, but let a small smile tug at the corners of her mouth.

Iroh said, "But first let us continue to enjoy our party."

As the hug broke up, Toph turned to Iroh and said, "You know, there's something I always wanted to know. Why are you the only member of your family that has that accent?"

Iroh said, "When I was young my father sent me to a boarding school."

"Oh well that makes sense."

Katara and Aang arrived at Ember Island and quietly made their way to Zuko's summer home. "It was nice of Zuko to let us come back here."

Aang nodded. "It's nice and quiet, but easily defended too. And nobody knows we're here so we won't be bothered." He glanced at Katara. "You know, you don't have to do this. If you want you can go into town and do some shopping or something." He smiled. "And now you don't have to just buy fire bender clothes."

"I look good in red," she said. "Anyway I'm not going anywhere until you get back Aang." She took his hand. "I'll be here every step of the way."

"Thanks Katara," Aang said.

"Aang, what's wrong?"

"It's nothing it's just…" He sighed. "In a past life the face stealer apparently took the face of someone the current Avatar really cared for."

"But he's in the spirit world… right?"

"Like that panda spirit?" Aang said.

Katara frowned. "I'm sure it'll be fine. We've done harder things than this."

"You're right. But just in case…"

"Right." She closed her eyes and extended a hand towards the nearby ocean. Tendrils of water slowly rose like living things and flowed into a nearby clay urn. "Do you need anything before we get started?"

"No. It's better to do this on a fast."

Katara smiled and reached out to touch his cheek. "So this is our life now? One crisis after another?"

"I think so," Aang said. "Katara if you don't think it's the kind of life you want then-"

Katara kissed him. Aang was surprised, but quickly recovered and kissed her back enjoying the feel of her long hair brushing his face. When they broke apart she told him, "Aang, I will always be with you. No matter what kind of crazy adventures we end up having to go through." She smiled and sat back. "Just promise me that you'll come back for me."

"I promise," he said. Sitting down with his legs crossed he gave her one more quick smile and then closed his eyes. A second later his tattoos began to glow and his whole body went still.

Katara watched Aang for any sign of movement, but there was nothing. For a moment she thought she felt something brush her face, but couldn't see anything. "Aang, be careful."

Toph and Iroh walked into the castle of the Earth King. Boomi has stayed in Ba Sing Sei while he and the other king worked on a plan to find the refugees and let them know what had happened. A lot of people were still in hiding and would remain so rather than risk being captured by the fire kingdom.

Iroh and Toph were led right to them, where they were bent over a map on the table. When they entered the room both kings looked up and smiled. Behind the Bosco let out a loud roar.

Boomi looked down. "You know, you're supposed to wipe your feet before you enter the palace."

"Right," Toph said. Walking over to the table she pulled out a chair, sat down, and put her feet up on the table. She left dirt marks on the map. "I don't do that."

"And just who do you think you are?" Boomi asked.

"I happen to be the greatest Earth bender in the world," Toph said proudly.

Boomi extended his hand and the dirt was sucked off the map and Toph's feet. "Really?"

Toph frowned. "Hey! I don't like my feet being too clean!" She stood up and waved her arms. All the dirt and dust in the room suddenly moved to her in a huge cloud and covered her body. She slapped her hands against herself and sent a wave of dirt in every direction. "Ah! Much better."

"You are an incredibly rude little girl."

"And you're an incredibly old man!" She snarled back.

Boomi grinned. "Think you can take me kid?"

Bring it on grandpa!"

The Earth King said, "Maybe you should take this out-" He didn't get to finish. Toph used her bending to summon one of the huge stone blocks from the floor and sent it flying at Boomi. Boomi blocked it with his chest, ripping the robes away from his sculpted muscles. The rocks flew past him directly at the Earth King. Iroh managed to jump forward and knock him to the ground just in time.

"I think we should get out of the room until they're done playing."

"Good call. Come Bosco!" They took off running.

"Now that the audience is out of the way," Boomi said. "We can get serious.

Toph cracked her knuckles. "Fine by me. I just hope you can keep up."

Zuko and Mai arrived by ship on the coast of the Fire Nation, almost exactly on the opposite end of the continent from the palace Zuko had grown up in. The guards saluted them as they stepped onto the dock and walked past them. On the small island was a house, not too much unlike the one they kept on Ember Island.

"It's better than the prison they kept me in," Mai said.

Zuko shook his head. "Father could never let it be said that he didn't take care of his wife." He glanced at the general who accompanied him. "She's in here?"

"Yes sir. But according to the reports she… doesn't enjoy talking. Your father used to come here at least once a year. He never stayed long."

"Maybe we can do something to cheer her up."

Mai nodded and in her usual deadpan voice she said, "I'm a barrel of laughs."

"Mai, is it okay if I go first?"

Mai leaned in and kissed his cheek. "Of course Zuko. But I'll be right behind you." She stepped back and Zuko started towards the house.

When he got to the door Zuko's mouth went dry. He knocked on it, but there was no response. Looking over his shoulder he saw Mai and she nodded. Taking a deep breath he reached out and opened the door. The inside of the building was dark and there were cobwebs everywhere.

The General whispered, "She sent the servants away a week after she got here and refused to clean anything up."

Zuko stepped into the door, casting his silhouette into the room. He saw a figure sitting in an old chair in the darkness. "Back again Ozai? And in full dress robes and with the fire symbol in your hair." Zuko recognized the voice and felt tears in the corners of his eyes. She obviously couldn't see him very well. "Did you come to take me to a party? Want me to appear in public with my loving husband."

"Actually," Zuko said, extending his hand and bringing up some fire. "I was hoping you would attend a party mother. We're celebrating the fall of the fire kingdom and the crowning of a new fire lord."

Zuko's mother stared in shock, her eyes adjusting to the sudden light. "Zuko?"

"Hello mother."

Jumping from the chair she ran into the light. Her clothes were ragged, her face plain and slightly wrinkled. There were streaks of gray in her hair now. But she was definitely Zuko's mother. She threw her arms around Zuko and he let the fire go out so he could hug her.

Sokka met his father at the gondola and they hugged before they turned to look at the warden. He glared back at them.

"Uh hi." Sokka said.

"So, you're the young man who broke my perfect record."

"Yeah…" Sokka rubbed the back of his head. "No hard feelings?"

"Well, since technically Zuko won and pardoned everyone you helped to escape, my record is back in tact."

Sokka looked down. "So why are there still so many prisoners?"

"Not everyone is here because they talked back to the fire lord," his dad said. "Zuko freed the war prisoners, petty thieves, and rebels, but there are still a lot of crazy people out in the world."

"A lot of them are also major supporters of the former fire lord," the warden added.

"And you're not?"

He shrugged. "I just run the prison. If I keep to that, then I don't have to worry about politics."

"Good plan," Sokka admitted. "So what are we here for?"

"I want to keep my record in place this time," he said. "And since most of my prisoners are actually dangerous people now and we want to keep them in the cells. Particularly our main prisoner." He cleared his throat. "Though, so far, she hasn't expressed any interest in escaping or even going out into the yard. Would you like to see her?"

"Not if I can help it," Zuko said. He looked at his dad. "So, should we get started?"

"What's first?"

"Well, first I'd start with the uniforms," Sokka said. "Do you know how many times we managed to invade a secure fire nation facility because of those face concealing helmets?"

"You mean the ones designed to block the blasts of fire prisoners sometimes send at our faces?"

"Oh, right."

The warden smiled nastily. "I've noticed that flaw myself. Look, how about we discuss what you did to break in and out of here and go from there?"

Aang made his way through the spirit world keeping a careful look out for anything dangerous. Aside from the face stealer there were other dangers. He casually ran his fingers over the glowing line that led back to his body, assuring himself it was there.

"I'm glad Katara is safe, but times like this is kind of stinks that I have to do this stuff alone."

He wandered through the forest and worked in keeping his face straight. If he showed even a flicker of emotion the face stealer would take him.

Something broke through the bushes to his right and Aang moved into a fighting stance. Whatever it was, it looked like a large red human. It had on a large coat and pants of a style Aang didn't recognize, hooves for feet and a long red tail. On its head was a pair of horns that looked like they'd been filed down to stumps and its right hand was made of rock. The thing's hair looked like a popular style among the people of the four nations and it had huge blocky white teeth.

It looked at him and frowned. "This isn't Pittsburgh, is it?"

"Uh, no. This is the spirit world."

"Damn," he said. "Abe! Liz! You two around here?" There was no answer. "Kid, take my advice. Never step through a glowing portal in the back of an old sausage factory." He turned and walked back into the bushes.

"Weird," Aang said and continued on his way.

Zuko smiled and led his mother outside into the sunlight. She blinked, letting her eyes adjust. "So your father named you fire lord?"

"No, he names Azula his successor while he went out to use the power of Sozen's Comet to try to take over the world. The Avatar defeated… what?"

His mother was staring at him in shock. "Your face. What happened to your face?"

Zuko reached up and touched his scars. "It happened a long time ago. In a duel."

She noticed something and said, "With your father?"

Zuko nodded. "But I'd rather not talk about that right now."

His mother nodded and wiped a teach from her eye. "So you said something about the Avatar?"

"Yeah," Zuko said. "He is… a friend of mine."

"It's been so long since anyone has seen him. Tell me, what does he look like? He must be a very distinguished man."

"Uh…"

"Did you know Avatar Roku is an ancestor of mine?"

"I heard something about that."

She smiled and brushed some hair away from her face. "I'm sorry son. I must look horrible. I just didn't want your father to get the idea that I was trying for him."

"You look beautiful mother," he said. Someone cleared her throat and Zuko smiled. "And I'd like you to meet the other most beautiful girl in the world."

She looked and said, "Aren't you Azula's little friend Mai?"

"Not… exactly," she said. Bowing Mai said, "But it is good to see you again."

The older woman smiled. "No need for that my dear. After all, since when do fire nation queens not have equal rank?"

Mai blinked. "I… uh… hadn't thought of that."

Zuko blinked and looked away. "Anyway mother, if you want we can go back to the city. We are in the middle of some major changes and we could use your help."

"Sounds good," she said. "When we get there will we see your sister? I'd like to talk to her too."

"About Azula," Zuko said. "She isn't at the palace."

"Then where is she?" Nobody answered. "Zuko, where is your sister?"

Aang found his way to the face stealer's lair and took a deep breath as a faceless badger wandered by. Keeping total control over his muscles he took a step forward.

The face stealer's insect body rose up in front of him and it leaned down into his face instantly, almost startling him into making a face. "Welcome back young Avatar. Have you come to bring me your face?"

"No," he said. "I am here to restore the air benders to the four nations."

"I knew one day you would come here again. That is why I made my home in this very tree." It moved aside and Aang could see a deep tunnel leading into the tree the face stealer called home. "Go on in, if you can get past me."

Aang almost frowned. The face stealer was being awfully kind. Something in him told him that it was a trick, but he couldn't see how… unless he was trapped inside the tree when it attacked. But as long as he controlled himself he would be fine.

Walking carefully around the monster he headed into the tree. Behind him it said, "Be careful of what you seek young Avatar. You may not like what you find."

Aang ignored him, keeping control over himself. He walked forward into the tree. Around him he felt amazing power and his tattoos pulsed with an otherworldly light.

Toph and Boomi traded blows back and forth, shaking the ground for miles around. Rocks and dirt flew back and forth, reshaping itself and being crushed against the earth benders' bodies. Boomi cackled and Toph giggled as they fought nonstop for hours.

Then Boomi was shocked as Toph grabbed a pair of decorative swords from the wall and crumpled them in her hands. Before he could respond she wrapped one around his wrist and tripped him so he fell back. Then before he could react she tied up his feet too.

"Ha!"

Boomi smirked. "Congratulations, you just beat a one hundred and ten year old man."

"Yeah, like I'm going to show you any sympathy," said the blind girl. "I'm blind, not stupid. Aang told me all about the little test you gave him when he went to your kingdom. And with my bending I can see how many muscles you have."

Boomi laughed loudly. "Good going girl. Well I have to say I am impressed. I haven't ever met an Earth Bender who could actually bend metal." He winked. "Let me up and I'll give you your prize."

Toph frowned, thinking it over. Knowing Boomi he probably had another trick. "Ah, what the heck." She reached down and ripped off the metal bands.

Katara watched Aang's body, as she absently made shaped with a bit of water, shaping it and then freezing it into place. When Aang had defeated Ozai they had gone back to the water tribe and Katara had shown Pakku how far she had come with her bending. She had demonstrated on the old fire nation ship she and Aang had almost been killed on when they first met, slicing through the metal plates of the hull. Pakku and her grandmother had been impressed.

But where Toph had left her home again because her parents refused to change, she and Sokka had left again because they had. It was a slow realization, but after a week with the tribe, watching their old friends play in the snow and prepare the hunting parties, it had dawned on both of them that they couldn't stay there.

Sokka had learned too much. Where he had been interested in nothing but learning how to fight before, she now caught him using a stick in the snow to sketch out plans for complex machines. Suki hadn't done too well in the cold weather either. She had been raised in an area with at least moderate warmth and spent the last few months in the fire nation, most of it inside an actual volcano.

As for Katara, she had been through way too much and most of it she couldn't even talk with them about. Everything from fighting the fire nation and Jet to blood bending and monsters. What could she talk to her old friends about without giving them nightmares? Even her grandmother and Pakku… how do you tell people you love that you're now used to being in mortal danger all the time?

So they had spent some time there and then left, on the excuse that they had to help rebuild the world. Like they had some plan to do that. "Why couldn't I just tell them?" And now here she was. Katara knew she was never going to go home again. "I wonder… will I ever even see grandma again?" Or would she just wait and exchange letters until someone told her that her grandmother had passed away? "What kind of person am I?"

Something moved by the glowing body. "Aang? Aang is that you?" She saw him sitting there still unmoving. But his shadow was another matter. It rose up into the air behind him and it grinned at her.

Zuko, Mai, and his mother landed on the edge of Fire Island prison in a refurbished war balloon. His mother had enjoyed the ride, but he could tell that she was troubled. When they got out she asked, "Where is your father being kept?"

"In the palace dungeons," Zuko said. "Uncle visits him sometimes so they can talk."

"Not here?"

"This prison is mostly designed for fire benders and Aang took away father's bending when they fought." He smiled. "It was that or kill him and Aang refused to take his life."

Mai nodded. "I understand the fight was very impressive."

"I have to admit that the Avatar state is just amazing. I've been on the wrong end of it a few times," Zuko admitted. On the trip he had filled his mother in on what happened. Unfortunately she had found a poster for the play the Ember Island Players had made of the whole thing and made Zuko promise to take her to see it soon. He did, but only after they made certain changes to the script that Aang and the others had insisted on. Especially the end.

On their way in to the prison they passed by some men loading crates into one of the gondolas. They bowed low to Zuko and the women and his mother asked, "What are you loading here?"

"We bought a lot of cabbages to make some soup for the prisoners," one guard said. She looked at Zuko and smiled.

"Don't I know you?" He asked.

"Yes sir. You um, tried to incapacitate me just before we had you arrested."

"Ah, right," he said. "Well… um… good work."

"Thank you sir." She nervously looked away and continued loading the cabbages.

Off to one side a guard slipped and a crate fell over the edge of the cliff and into the boiling lake. A middle-aged man in civilian clothes shouted, "My cabbages!" Zuko ignored it and helped the girls onto the gondola.

When they got to the top the warden, Sokka, and Sokka's father met them. Sokka and Zuko shook hands. "Hey Zuko it's been a while How's the new fire lord doing?"

"Just fine. Sokka I'd like you to meet my mother," Zuko said and stepped aside.

Sokka bowed. "Ma'am."

"You must be the young boy Zuko told me about," she said. "I want to thank you for all the help you were to my son."

"It was no problem. I mean I also his him with my boomerang a few times and he launched flaming balls of death at me and our other friends so it's all even."

"Sokka," his father said. Sokka noticed the woman's frown and looked down. "I apologize for my son. Sometimes his mouth runs away with him."

"It's alright," she assured him.

Meanwhile Mai and her Uncle looked at one another. "Uncle."

"Mai."

They bother stood there quietly after that.

"Please, don't mind us. Show your bountiful and unbridled emotion at seeing each other again," Sokka said. His father elbowed him. "Ow."

"We are here to see Azula," Zuko said.

Follow me," the warden said. He glanced at the former fire queen. "But I have to warn you, it's not pretty. We have an excellent psychiatric staff that helps with anger control issues," Zuko and his dad exchanged a look. "But she hasn't really taken to it."

"I still need to see her."

They wandered through the halls and Zuko said to Sokka, "It's kind of weird being here and not having to sneak around."

"Tell me about it. Suki actually went back to the Earth Kingdom a little while ago."

"You two broke up?"

"No!" He frowned. "She just didn't have much to do here but keep me company and dad and I are almost done with the improvements to the prison anyway. Now there's no way for anybody to sneak in or out of here you know."

"It's a good thing you're on our side then."

They arrived at the cell and Zuko's mother touched the wall. "It's so cold."

"We designed it so that the walls absorb heat without freezing or over heating everything inside," Sokka said. "It's powered by steam from the lake."

Zuko cleared his throat and the warden nodded to two guards. Carefully they opened the door for him. Inside Azula sat against one wall, her leg attached to a thick chain. Looking up she smirked. "Well, if it isn't fire lord Zuzu? Come to grace me with your presence dear brother?" She didn't look well. Her hair was shaved off and from the smell coming off her shed done it with fire. She had dark circles under her eyes and bruises on her wrists from having to be restrained. "And Mai! It's so nice to get visits from my old friends."

Mai nodded. "Azula."

"Traitor!" Azula hissed.

Mai shook her head. "I never betrayed you Azula. To betray you have to have been loyal in the first place. I was just too afraid not to do what you wanted."

"Not afraid enough," she snarled.

"Azula, this isn't why we're here."

"Then why are you here dear brother? You've already locked me away, taken everything away from me. You and father and everyone else. All of you working hard to set me up and betray me." She was babbling now but whether she realized that or not, she didn't stop. "Sending me all over the world after you and the Avatar with traitors at my back, plotting against me. Making me think I had really conquered the Earth Kingdom when they all really just waited to stab me in the back. Father even made me the new fire lord as a joke! A joke while he planned to rule the whole world far away from those traitors in the palace who tried to poison me and choke me with cherry pits!"

"Azula!" Zuko snapped. "Stop feeling sorry for yourself. You're in prison. Nobody is out to get you any more. And I brought someone who wants to talk to you."

"Who? Who would want to talk to me? I have no friends and my family all tried to get me killed!"

"Not all," a soft voice said and Zuko stepped aside. Azula's mouth dropped open as her mother stepped into the cell. She smiled at her daughter and said, "I've missed you."

"Mommy?" Azula said. "But… but you're dead. Daddy killed… he killed you for betraying him."

"No," she said. "He just sent me away."

"You can't… you can't be real." Azula said, backing up to the edge of her cell. "You're another mirage. You're just in my head!"

Her mother rushed forward and wrapped her arms around her daughter, holding her tightly. "I'm real baby. Please believe me."

"You can't be real," Azula screamed, crying and trying to pull away. "You can't!" She couldn't escape and finally she wrapped her arms around her mother's shoulder. "Mom! Mommy! Please don't be real! If you're real you'll just turn on me. You'll hate me like everybody else!"

"Azula," she said, pulling back far enough to look into her daughter's eyes. "I love you! You're my daughter. I always loved you."

"No! You always loved Zuko. You hated me. You and daddy both just used me."

"I love you both sweetheart," she said. Reaching up she caressed Azula's cheek. "You've always been so good at reading people. My little fire angel. You know I'm not lying."

"I…" She looked over the woman's shoulder at Mai. "I can't…"

"It's okay Azula."

Azula looked at her mother. "Are you going to let me out?"

"Honey, I can't do that," she said.

"Why not?"

The woman shrugged. "Well, mostly because from what I've heard and can see… you've kind of gone a little crazy."

Azula giggled as more tears fell, landing on her mother's lap. "Maybe a little." She sniffed and added, "But everyone plots against me."

"The plots are over sweetie. Nobody wants to hurt you any more." Sokka and Zuko opened their mouths, but Mai stamped down on their feet. "And when you're better… I think I know a place we can go. Just you and me. And maybe your brother will come visit us. It's a little island, a long way away from pretty much everybody else."

"That sounds nice," Azula said softly. "You promise?"

"I'll promise to try if you will Azula," she said.

Azula sighed. "I was so close mother. I had the whole fire nation, I almost killed the Avatar, and I even had Zuko, Mai, and Ty Lee with me. Everything was going to be so perfect."

"Perfect for you," Zuko said.

His mother sighed. "He's right you know." She touched Azula's face. "It's something your father never understood. To have loyalty and love you have to give it first. Extend trust and care about other people. Otherwise they'll never do it for you."

"But nobody ever did that for me…" Azula began, but stopped. "They did. Mai and Ty Lee tried. Zuko tried." She looked up at her brother. "You did try."

"I did," he said.

"I…"

"Azula, don't say you're sorry," Zuko said firmly. "I wouldn't believe you right now anyway."

"Sorry is just a word honey," her mother said. "You know that."

The warden cleared his throat. "I hate to interrupt, but it's almost time for lockdown your majesty."

"Do you have to leave?" Azula asked.

Her mother nodded. "Yes honey. I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Azula said. She smiled nervously, a crazed look in her eyes. "Come see me again soon." She turned away and didn't look back as everyone stepped out of the cell. The door closed with a loud clang that echoed through the prison.

"It's so sad, seeing her like that," the fire queen said.

Sokka, his father, Mai, and Zuko all shared a look and began nervously saying. "Oh yeah. Real sad. Hate to see that happen. Hope she gets well soon. Terrible shame, really." The woman stared at them. Sokka said, "So dad are we done here?"

"As good as can be expected." He glanced at the warden. "Think you can run this place without us?"

The man frowned at them. "Just get off my island."

Aang stood in front of four lights deep within the tree. One red, one green, one blue and one white. Reaching out, the tattoos on his arm glowing, he grabbed the white one and felt the power of air flowing through him. Around him images began to appear, forms of the other Avatars. More appeared by the second as the power began to flow through him.

Suddenly Kuruk appeared and grabbed Aang by the shoulder. "Turn back now! Take the air power! Don't waste any more time!"

"What? But I only just made it here!"

"You don't understand. It's the face stealer!" Aang turned to look for the monster. "No! It's how he stole my love from me! The Avatar is a conduit between the real and the spirit world. A long time ago many of the water benders were wiped out by a plague and I came here to restore balance to the world. My love watched my body as I traveled the spirit path. But while I was here the face stealer followed my path back to the real world and…" Aang realized what he was saying. Kuruk extended his hand. "Go!" A blast of win hit Aang, sending him flying with incredible speed.

"Ah!"

Katara dodged another attack by the face stealer and sent more shards of ice flying towards it. When it first appeared it had tried taunting her, but she had easily ignored it. She had been through too much battling Azula to fall for that. But despite herself she hadn't been able to control her face and the thing had lunged at her.

The fight had gone on longer than the face stealer had expected. Changing faces at random it had tried to get to Katara, but she was very quick and had plenty of water to use to defend herself. She had even used some of it to make a mask made of ice that she wore over her face.

"Give up little girl. It's a better life, in here with us."

"Not a chance!" She said, sending a tendril of water out to lash at it like a whip. "Go back where you came from!"

"Give up now… or I'll crush your little friend Aang." It winked at her with a woman's face. "I'll regret not getting his face, but I can easily kill him."

"You wouldn't dare!"

"Try me."

Katara hesitated and suddenly it was on her. One of its sharp legs shot out and scraped her cheek, ripping the ice from her face. There was a cut on her cheek and blood started dripping down the side of her face. "Mine!"

"No!" Katara thought she had said it, but realized the voice had come from behind the monster. "Get away from her!"

The face stealer turned. "Ah, if it isn't the Avatar. And it seems he's lost control of himself."

Aang's face was twisted with rage. "I won't let you hurt Katara."

As if I am afraid of you. You wouldn't even kill the fire lord!" It rose up like a snake and the face sank into its body, leaving a gaping hole ringed by wiggling sharp teeth. "Die!" It leapt at Aang.

"Aang, run!" Katara said.

Eyes and tattoos still glowing Aang said, "No!" He extended his hand and a white ball appeared there. While Katara looked on a blue shape appeared, over lapping Aang. This new for glowed too, but it was dressed as a water bender. "You will never take a loved one from anyone again."

The face stealer paused. "You can't stop me."

"Watch me." Aang extended his hand and the light shot up into the sky. Katara's eyes followed it and at first it looked like nothing happened, until the sun suddenly blinked out as clouds moved in front of it. Swirling into a vortex the clouds were sucked in, directly over their heads.

Wind whipped through the building, dragging tiles from the roof and making Katara's hair whip around her. From the sky a twisting vortex of wind dropped down into Aang's hand and he stared into the face of the monster.

"No!" It started to back away. "You can not do this."

"Your time is at an end," Aang said. Suddenly the tail of the twister moved away from Aang and struck out at the face stealer, jamming itself down the beast's throat. Looking through her hair and the dust, Katara thought she saw face after face ripped from inside it and as it went the monster shrank, getting smaller and smaller.

Suddenly the light flashed again and the clouds were blown away in circles. The light shot out into the world and Katara felt something ripple in the air.

The face stealer, now less than a foot long, tried to run. Katara saw it and extended her hand. A wave of water hit it and surrounded the little monster. She made a fist and it froze in place.

Aang slumped forward, landing hard on the ground. Katara ran to his side. "Aang!"

He smiled as she pulled him into her lap. "Sorry I took so long."

Katara, tears in her eyes, kissed him on the head. "I was doing just fine."

"I know," he said.

"So, did you do it?"

Aang nodded. "People should be feeling it soon. It was amazing Katara. I touched the power behind nature."

"What was it like?"

"It kind of tickled," he admitted. Looking over at the face stealer, he asked, "What do we do with that? I released all of the souls trapped inside it but…"

"Aang, I know you're totally against killing anything." Katara said. "But that thing just tried to kill me." She extended her hand and suddenly the ice shattered… along with its occupant.

"You know, that wasn't very enlightened," Aang said.

"Sue me."

Aang arrived back at the Earth Kingdom just as Zuko and the others were exiting the war balloon. Appa walking along behind them they exchanged stories.

"So you almost got eaten by another giant monster?" Sokka asked them.

"Yep," Aang said. He smiled at Zuko's mother. "It's nice to meet you."

"It is an honor to meet you, Avatar Aang." She bowed to him.

Katara asked, "So how is Azula doing?"

"When she's not foaming at the mouth she's fairly coherent," Sokka said.

"I feel sorry for her," Aang said.

Zuko said. "You actually forgive her for everything she did?"

"Of course," Aang said. "After all, it's not her fault. That girl is nuts!" He glanced at the fire queen. "No offense."

"None taken. My daughter needs serious counseling. But I'll see her again in a few days. For now I am looking forward to meeting the Earth Kings."

"It's kind of weird," Sokka said. "There are two Earth kings, two Water tribes, and there were two air temples. But only one fire lord."

"Like Ozai would leave any competition?" Mai asked.

They made their way into the palace and looked around. Sokka said, "Wow… this place is so…clean." The entire place looked brand new.

"Well we had a bit of a fight and then had to rebuild the place," Boomi said.

The Earth King rolled his eyes. "Only after I insisted that you rebuild my palace! They tore the place apart!"

"They?" Aang asked.

Toph stepped out and said, "Hey guys, guess who Boomi made the next in line to rule his city?" She adjusted Boomi's crown on her head.

Aang looked at Boomi. "You did?"

He shrugged. "She kicked my butt. First time in ninety years." He glared. "But I'm keeping my pet Flopsy!"

"Fine, but I get the rock candy," she said.

"How are your plans to find the refugees going?" Zuko interrupted.

"Oh that," Toph said. "We hired that girl and her weasel thing to help. For enough money and a house in the Ba Sing Sei she agreed to help us. Most of them are back already."

"Cool," Aang said. "We swung by the Eastern air temple on the way here and everyone there was already using the monk's old scrolls to study air bending." He rubbed the back of his head. "It turned out they really didn't need me. Though I did teach them how to play a few fun games."

Katara said, "Aang, you're the Avatar. You brought back the air benders. That's the sort of thing you're supposed to do."

"She's got a point," Sokka said. "I mean you know we've met some pretty bad guys on our trips and not all of them were fire nation. And a few were but weren't working for Ozai."

"An Avatar's work is never done," Katara said.

Aang sighed. "I really miss my days back in the old air temple with the monks."

Katara said, "You know Aang, you still have us."

"Yeah," Toph said. "We'll help out however we can. We're your friends right?"

"Right," Zuko said.

Aang smiled. "You guys are great. But right now I'm looking forward to a nice long rest."

Suddenly the whole castle began to shake. Everyone looked around startled. There was the sound of footsteps and they turned to see Suki and Ty Lee running into the room in full Kyoshi armor and makeup.

"Your majesties, we have a major problem!" Suki said.

Ty Lee nodded. "There's this big…" The walls shook again. "You'd better come see for yourself."

Aang sighed. "Well, I guess we'll have to wait on that rest. Ready to go guys."

"Lead the way," Sokka said.

Together they turned and ran down the hallway, directly into whatever was happening.

Author's Note

What can I say? I got this idea when I saw the last episode of Avatar… and right after that Cartoon Network was showing Hellboy animated movies. I wonder if that influenced anything in my fic here. Anyway I hope you liked it. Tell me what you think at my usual email