Writer's Note: Yet another Slayers/ATLA crossover. Fearlessfirefly wanted to know what kind of firebending teacher Lina would be for Aang, and this is what came out. No, I don't know, either.

Honestly? It had seemed like a good idea at the time. Aang had to learn firebending eventually, and the only solution was to hire someone to teach him who could also be bribed to keep quiet.

It took some time, involved a lot of dead ends, and eventually became contingent on rumours, but in the end, they managed to find a person suitable for the job.

Although, Katara thought with a frown, her eyes narrowed and watching teacher and student in session, 'suitable' is probably a term best used loosely...

"Look," the teacher, who only identified herself as Lina and who warned that her bending was 'abnormal', "you're pussyfooting around. You can't do that in the face of the enemy."

Aang sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Okay, I understand what you're saying," he admitted slowly. Katara could hear the frustration in his voice, that edge that meant he was moments away from snapping. "But I don't think I can adapt to how you bend."

Lina crossed her arms over her chest, her eyes going cold and narrow. She was barely taller than Aang, and yet she seemed to tower over him. "Oh?" she responded. "Didn't I warn you that my methods were unusual? And didn't you say that it was fine, Avatar?"

Katara flinched - that was Lina's subtle way of reminding them that she knew their secret.

Aang gritted his teeth. "Yes," he agreed, hearing it, too. "But I don't think screaming out, 'DIE, YOU BASTARDS' while throwing my arms around will do anything!"

"Look, buddy," Lina leaned over him and bared her teeth. "I'm not exactly from around here, but I've had to make due! The least you can do is not be a dick about it and keep it to yourself!"

Aang snapped. Katara wasn't surprised.

"I don't know who you think you are, or what kind of bender you think yourself to be, but I'm the Avatar, and you can't just go around talking to me that way!" he snarled, getting right up into her face. "We're paying you way more than you're worth, and all you've taught me is how to recite poetry about the element I want to bend!"

"Poetry?" Lina shouted back, undeterred. "Those are spells, little boy, spells older than you and any of your kin combined!"

"I'm a hundred and twelve!"

Lina started, her expression instantly going bemused. She leaned in closer, eyeing Aang suspiciously. "What, are you a Mazoku or something?"

Now Aang was confused. "Mazoku? Isn't that the archaic word for demon?"

Lina nodded slowly, now seeming to lose her anger. "That's a good word for them," she agreed. "Where I come from, they're everywhere."

Aang tapped his lips with his finger. "Well, a hundred years ago they weren't around, and I know they aren't now," he replied. "But then, maybe Koh was one?"

Lina blinked. "Koh? Who's that?"

Aang sat down, instantly in story-telling mode. Lina followed suit without question, to Katara's surprise. "Someone I met in the Spirit World."

"What, is that like the Astral Plain?"

Katara sighed and walked away. She had a feeling that this teacher wouldn't last very long, despite the academic value.