Instinct's Info: After completing Book Three and Six and having no respond to my request on what to do next I've done the stupid thing again: try to juggle both. The updates for this are going to slower so sorry for the one or two die hard fans I have. Anyone that just happened to see this: search Book Three: Fire Instincts because you won't know what's going at all. As it stands though, anyone reading this please review it! I give a review to you for everyone you give me that isn't spam. Okay, enough of my blather. Let the story commence!

Disclaimer: Don't own avatar or anything associated with it. Rayk on the other hand is mine. Hands off!

Chapter One: Family Reunion

One Year After Book Three

One more try at the seemingly impossible. Trying to reverse the fanaticism of Lanorit's following was like trying to turn Sokka into a vegetarian. Nevertheless, Aang found himself with Rayk in a little Earth Kingdom village trying to do just that. Arguing them away from the racism directed at the Fire Nation openly was hard enough, but even mentioning another view of things put you under the spotlight of suspicion. Something that Aang and Rayk couldn't have. They were dressed to avoid it as well. Aang with hood over his face and Rayk with a straw hat throwing shadows over his face.

Their regular strategy for attempting this didn't actually involve a whole lot of talking. It was mostly observing and watching for signs of weakness. They'd try to detect any little bit of doubt anyone had on Lanorit's views then would try to widen them by a little visit in a dream.

Most of the time it didn't do anything and when they succeeded the person was almost expelled from their village immediately. There had been some success though when people where cautious and didn't shout their beliefs to the heavens. Because of their efforts a few seeds of doubt had been planted right at Lanorit's feet.

Not that this was their only hope. Sokka, Toph and Ty-Lee had been working together since the end of the invasion to become a thorn in Lanorit's side. Toph had become one of Lanorit's favourites as she spit out inventions of Sokka's design that were really quite useless in the long run. Lanorit liked them though and continued to let Toph siphon off large chunks of his sect's income.

Katara had been just as busy in the year since she'd taken up residence in the Northern Water Tribe. She'd founded a spiritual front that was supposedly making strides towards communing with the Lord spirit that led the sect. Her only real goal for this group was to be able to leave her body so she could visit Aang more frequently. The group had the added bonus of anyone actually attaining the ability to leave their body at will found that there was multiple spirits meaning that Lanorit's doctrines were a steamy pile moose-bull crap. Because of this there were mutterings of slight unrest in the Northern Water Tribe about its religious views.

Zuko, Azula, and Mai were hiding in Kenji's village, Yaiki, where there was no chance of them being found. Zuko had been working on learning to control his new power since the invasion had ended and was making headway. Azula had been doing the opposite, learning not how to produce but to take. She could draw other's fire into herself and had even started to be able to work just with heat by itself.


As Aang and Rayk walked down the main street of the town, taking up half of it as they did, they looked left and right for a sign that someone wasn't totally convinced of what they believed in. It was on one such sweep that Rayk spotted the last person he'd thought he would. Jericho was standing with a group of people that were all looking at him intently, listening to every word he said.

Rayk's eyes stayed on him for a moment to long. Jericho saw him staring and recognized him. His eyes narrowed as he continued speaking and started to think of how to get rid of Rayk and whoever the other guy he was travelling was.

Rayk was tugging at Aang's sleeve insistently, muttering the whole time, "Aang, we should get out of here. Agni's about to break loose." Aang turned his head in the direction Rayk was gesturing and spotted Jericho.

Never having seen him before he only noticed a resemblance to Rayk, "Who, the guy that looks like you?"

"That's my dad." Rayk muttered the fear in his voice finally tipping Aang off to the man's intentions.

No sooner had they turned to go, "Wait friends! Come join us! Lanorit's offering a new position in his sect and anyone can apply. Come learn about a bright future!" Jericho smiled warmly at them and Rayk knew from experience that it was a bad sign for them. Rayk started to spew off excuses to his father and each was brushed aside easily. Without any choice remaining they walked towards the group like a pair on the way to the gallows. As the approached and the eyes of the group focused on them Jericho's smile grew malevolent. He reached out a hand to shake towards Aang. Aang shook it hesitantly as their eyes locked. Jericho's hand slipped upwards once it was done and brushed the top of Aang's hood. Rayk watched from the side in horror and it slid back, light streaming onto Aang's shaved head.

Jericho didn't need to do anything else but conceal his grin, which he barely did. The crowd did the rest, "It's the Avatar!" The shout bounced around the village and took a moment to sink in. A moment later there were angry shouts everywhere and people grabbed the sharpest implement near them. Aang and Rayk backed away from the crowd slowly, not bothering with excuses. There was no way to talk out of this situation. A moment later the glanced at each other for confirmation and bolted up the street as fast as they could. The mob of people came after them a second later, its number growing the whole time.

"Split up and regroup at Yaiki. Let things cool down." Rayk told Aang as they dodged around another small group that had formed in front of them. Aang nodded his understanding and shot off down one of the town's few side streets.

The tight confines of the alley stopped him from picking up much speed, but the same could be said for the group that was chasing him and he doubted they were in as good shape as he was. He rounded the corner at the end of the alley and saw it was blocked by a cabbage merchant. He shot off towards the cart in hopes of it slowing down the mob behind him.

He was about to jump through the gap between the carts roof and the cabbage filling it when another group appeared on the other side of it. He was already in the air and sent a blast of air out his feet to slow himself and sunk his hands into the earthen walls on either side of him, leaving a tear through both walls. He skidded to a stop and landed on his feet as the first mob rounded the corner of the alley behind him. Without any other choice he jumped up and grabbed one of the roofs above him and swung onto it. He was more visible up hear, but far harder to catch. Without the walls impeding him he could also move faster. He made the hurricane force winds around his feet and shot out of the village, barely a glimmer in the eye of anyone who saw him.

He landed a few kilometres out of the town in a thicket of wood. He leaned against a tree, catching his breath. He stayed like that for a minute peering out of the trees to see if Rayk would make it out of the town as well. Then he went rigid as a branch creaked above his head.

He looked up and saw two people from Jericho's crowd sitting on branches above him, "Hello Avatar, welcome home."


Rayk watched Aang shoot off, not doubting his ability to escape at all. He might have more of a problem though. He'd need to be less straightforward then Aang. He looked beside him at the stalls with fruit and vegetables and other farm produce in them. The stalls stopped farther ahead and were replaced by a few shops.

He timed his entry and darted into the first stores door and glanced around quickly. It was empty, probably because the owner was already chasing him. He kicked the back door open and turned and jumped through a side window. He was now lying in the alley between the shops. He rolled out of the view of the window and jumped from each wall, easily finding purchase on the rough walls and landed deftly seconds later on the roof of the store next to the he'd gone into.

He lay there until he heard the mob pile through the store and out the back door and into the alley, now chasing non-existent prey. He waited for a moment, listening to see if his hunch was right. Jericho couldn't have sat out of the mob without looking suspicious and would have gone after Rayk since he'd be easier to catch. Sure enough he heard someone rummaging through the store down below.

Rayk moved to the other side of the roof as quietly as he could and lay there, waiting for the sound of Jericho moving up to check the roof. He saw the hand appear over the edge of the roof and rolled off. He threw out his hands and legs, stopping his fall by bracing himself against the walls of the alley.

He hear Jericho check above on the roof drop back down and look through the store then leave with a disappointed huff. Rayk dropped down into the alley quieter than a cat and stuck his head around the corner, watching Jericho's retreating back. Others drifted out of the alleys as he walked towards the end of the town. None of them said a word and followed without question.

Rayk snuck out of the alley and kept in the shadows as he started to trail Jericho and the band of men that followed him like they were on leashes.

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Instinct's Info: I know, a bit shorter than normal. I can't change that though. Leave a review and I'll check out one of your stories. If you have any question don't hesitate to ask.