This is the third installment in the Diamond series. Recommended to go and read the others first, but this book is fine as a stand along. Revisions will be applied as soon as possible. Enjoy.

Chapter I

There was fire surrounding him, its tendrils seeking to come in and burn him with their touch. Wave upon wave of heat cascaded over him as he huddled within an earthen shell. He was desperate to flee, but he could not move, there was nowhere to go. Burning earth encased him, slowly melting around him. Fear fell upon him like a snake, constricting his chest and cutting his breath short. He was suffocating, he would either have to remove himself from his shell, or choke to death on the waves of smoke that began to pour in through the cracks. This was the end, this was defeat. Tears sprung to his eyes as the smoke stung them. He peered through the cracks for one last look, one last glimpse of daylight, but it was obscured by one image, a sneering face with black eyes. Ozai.

Aang awoke with a start, grabbing his chest as he struggled for air. He cried out, swinging an arm in self-defense. A blast of air shot a dark mantle into the wall, making it splinter alongside several other pieces of furniture, some also damaged while the others still in one piece. A fire-nation banner on the wall tore as the wood crashed into it, the golden thread and black emblem falling down in a heap on the ground.

Shaking his head, Aang looked at himself, his tattoos fading back to their normal blue hue as he calmed himself down. Confused, he looked around himself, trying to pinpoint where in the world he was. His feet slapped against cold white marble as he stood up, sending a shiver up his spine. Putting on his robes, he walked over to the wall, running his hand along a golden banner, the old air-nomad emblem emblazoned on it in blue sapphires. Expensive. He shook his head. There was something he was forgetting here.

Aang smacked his head. Of course, they had won the war!

The memories rushed through his head; Zuko being crowned Fire-Lord, him defeating Ozai and reacquiring the avatar state, Sokka's idea for the Harmony Restoration Movement, and the kiss with Katara, right outside Iroh's tea shop. The past few months had been rather crazy, and there was still a lot in store.

He let out a sigh, feeling his heart relax once more. The nightmare had been so real. He could feel the heat biting into his flesh, beads of sweat trickling down to the base of his spine from the sensation. His hands were still shacking and he felt woozy. Just because you were the avatar did not mean that you got a free pass on nightmares, they had been haunting him since the end of the war, getting worse and worse as they moved further into peace. It almost felt like a bad omen.

A noise brought Aang out of his thoughts, bringing him back to the room. A soft cooing had begun at the base of the door, calling out to him. A furry paw shot underneath the base of the stone door, the gold trim shining next to the white and black of the creature's arm. He smiled, walking over to the door and opening it, knowing what he was going to see.

"You miss me buddy?" He asked, holding out his arm. Momo sat before him, his furry body shifting quickly as he leapt unto Aang's arm, scurrying up to Aang's neck, making a comfortable perch around his bald head. Momo began to chatter, taking a second to lick Aang's ear, making him laugh at the sensation. He returned the lick with a pat on the head.

"I missed you too Momo." He said, looking out into the hall. "Come on, let's go find the others." He said, walking out. Momo began chattering, staring about with that naturally curios gaze that is common to his kind.

Aang walked down the white marbled hall, red pillars with bases of gold flanking him on either side. He looked outside, watching the golden leaves sway in the breeze, red roses and purple lilacs slowly wilting away with the coming cold. The sound of his feet echoed throughout the hall, accompanied by Momo's incessant chirping, bringing a smile to his face. The fear from his nightmare slowly trickled away as the daylight greeted him.

Aang strolled down the hall, looking from side to side to see if the others were coming out. Usually he was the first one awake, but today it seemed that he had slept longer than normal, being entrapped by his ghoulish nightmare, but that was behind him now. Eventually he came to the dining hall, where a perpetual aroma of delightful scents continually flowed out, beckoning to each passerby that they should come and sate their desire on succulent dishes, or at least that was what the head chef said, to him it just smelled really good outside the door.

As he approached two guards appeared, clad in black armor, with purple cloaks clasped to their shoulders with golden brooches designed in the form of the fire-nation emblem. A new design that Jack thought made a more intimidating force. Aang had to admit, he liked the purple.

They stepped from their positions at the base of the two pillars to open the door for him, their black armor clinking, swords strapped to their sides. They were firebenders, but Jack believed that proper weapon's instruction was key for any guardsman, bender or not. That way, the next time a day of black sun came, the guards would still be able to perform their duties.

He gave both a wide grin and a bow, thanking them for their kindness. The guards responded in kind and returned to their posts, letting the massive double doors slam shut behind him.

The delectable smell of food was even stronger now that he had entered the room, and just as he had expected his friends were all there, sitting at the grand wooden table, golden trim outlined against a dark wooden stain. His friends sat scattered about the table, separating into their normal clicks.

Zuko was at the head of the table, as was his position, Mai sitting by his side. They sat there chatting, exchanging small talk in a manner that Aang had not thought possible for either of them. Suki and Sokka sat more towards the middle of the table on the left side, across from Katara and Toph, arguing in low, hushed tones. Hands flew about as Sokka tried to make some point or another, but Suki merely shook her head, causing an enraged huff from Sokka as he turned back to his food, ignoring her comments.

Aang rolled his eyes; ever since the end of the war those two had not been able to keep out of each other's mugs. They always seemed to find something new to argue about, whether it was favorite dishes, personal clothing, or just opinions on the day. They always disagreed, which had already resulted in more than one altercation, none of them, thankfully, ending in blows, but he feared that it was only a matter of time before one of them snapped.

Shifting his gaze, Aang looked over at Toph and Katara, a merrier couple, or at least Katara was. Toph sat slouched in her seat, picking at a bowl of rice. Her hair sat about in her normal shaggy style she preferred, being adorned in her favorable earth kingdom wear. The only thing out of place, aside from her forlorn attitude, was the golden necklace she wore about her neck, a green diamond shining in the center. It clinked as she moved, a present from Jack that she was loath to be departed from. Aang noticed that her meteorite bracelet was missing. Strange.

Shaking off the thoughts, he turned his attention to his favorite person in the room, looking at Katara. Katara was her normal, radiant self. Her hair was let down today, having been meticulously combed in such a manner to imitate a flowing river of silk. Her blue eyes sparkled in the company of her mother's betrothal necklace, an item she was rarely seen without. Her blue dress with white accents was simple, yet elegant, complementing her sinuous body. She was gorgeous; however, to him, Katara looked beautiful in anything. She could be wearing a sack and he would still find her the most beautiful person in the world. They said that love was blind.

He walked down towards the table, stopping to give Katara a kiss on the check as he took his seat beside her, delighted that he could now do that almost anytime he wanted.

"How are you doing this morning?" He asked. Katara blushed at having been kissed, but quickly recovered.

"I'm doing great." She said. "I'm so excited for tonight, the festival is going to be great!" He smiled even more.

"I know, I can't wait." He said.

"Well, I hope you wait long enough to try my cooking, it would really break my heart if I slaved away for nothing." Aang turned in his seat to see the burly form of Jack striding towards them, white apron on and steaming dishes in hand. His massive forearms barely wavered underneath the platter of dishes as he skillfully maneuvered across the floor, setting the platter down in front of him.

"Steamed rice, vegetables, and honey noodles, my own concoction." Said the man, a wide grin on his face. Aang looked dubiously at the bowl of noodles that sat before him, unsure of their potency. They sat in a simmering, golden broth, and did indeed seem enticing. A scrumptiously sweet odor rose out of it, inviting him to try it, but Aang knew better.

While Jack was a great bender, friend, and cook, whenever he tried to introduce a new dish made from the confines of his imagination it seemed that they all got sick. Once when he thought that sugar-cane and rice could be combined with cherries the result was two days of unrelenting stomach cramps and a lot of unpleasant words towards Jack, who himself did not try any. Toph had gotten the worst of it, developing a fever and becoming delirious, revealing more than one embarrassing secret that they all swore never to reveal, especially to her.

So, with that thought in mind, he looked over at Sokka, who was currently munching down on his breakfast with a substantial amount of contempt. Since he could not establish eye contact with Sokka, he turned to Katara and gave her a raised eyebrow. She smiled at him and gave him a thumbs up, showing him an empty bowl of what must have been Jack's noodles. No adverse side effects yet. Jack gave him a hardy smack on the back.

"Don't worry Aang, I tried them before dolling them out this time. There's nothing wrong with them, as far as I can tell." Said Jack, turning back towards the kitchen, stopping to look back at Aang for a second. "Can I interest you in some orange-mango juice?" He asked. Aang, already consumed with his rice and vegetables, gave Jack a thumbs up. Jack laughed.

"Alright then, just give me a few seconds." He disappeared through a door leading to the kitchen, the sound of bustling pans and simmering dishes emanating from the open door.

Aang watched as his friend disappeared into the kitchen, thinking back to the events leading to him being here. The last time he had seen Jack was when they were underneath Ba Sin Sey in the old capital, fighting Azula. Jack had dropped in on them, surprising them all. Confronting Azula he had sounded enraged and set on killing her, something totally out of character for Jack, or at least he thought it was. Admittedly he did not know the man that well. He had tried to talk him down but something had happened while Jack was out and about by himself that had changed him, something terrible.

In the end Jack had not been reasonable and refused to listen to what Aang and Katara had to say. Against their wishes Jack had moved to kill Azula, who was trapped in his grasp. That was when Zuko had entered the scene. Zuko had nailed Jack straight in the back with a fireball, taking him out. As Jack's body fell to the ground Aang had been certain that he was dead, and as the days past afterwards when he regained consciousness that view was only reinforced by what the others said.

However, as it turned out, Jack was not dead. Aang had learned from Zuko that Jack had survived and was taken back with the royals to the capital, where he was promptly tossed in jail. Apparently Azula had assigned the top doctors in the fire-nation to take care of him and eventually Jack regained his health, only to be prodded at by Azula. It was scary the measures that Azula would take just to torture somebody.

Zuko said that on the day of black sun he went back to the prison to try and rescue his uncle, but Iroh had already broken out. Aang had asked him if he had checked Jack's cell as well, he had. And, as it so happened, it was empty as well. How Jack escaped, where he had gone, and what he did up to the final battle was all a mystery, and one that Jack was not willing to enlighten them about, as he staunchly opposed any and all questions about that time period. He told them he would tell them when he was ready. That was a month ago, apparently he was still not ready.

When Jack had first returned to them, three days after the final battle, he and Zuko had been at ends. Eventually they settled things though; by settle things Aang meant that they had duked it out with fists and bending until both of them was a bloody pulp. Toph had said it was some masculinity thing, but he didn't get it, all he knew was that afterwards the two were best friends. Apparently getting stabbed in the back was not that big of a deal.

Shanking off his thoughts of Jack, Aang returned his focus to those at the table with him, smiling at the thought of them all here with him, happy and safe. A long, drawn out sigh from Toph attracted his attention. Well, some of them were happy.

Toph let out another sigh, blowing her hair away from her eyes in a flaccid manner, though it did not do her any good. He turned to her, his mouth full of rice and surprisingly non-sickening noodles.

"What's the matter Toph?" He asked, trying to keep all his food in his mouth. Toph chased a few grains of rice around in her bowl with a set of chopsticks.

"I don't know, I guess I'm just feeling a bit down today, it's been rather slow lately." She gazed into her bowl, her unseeing eyes staring into a perpetual sea of darkness, doomed to the assiduous blackness that enveloped her in every waking moment. Aang looked at her with pity; something had been bugging her the last few days; she had not been her usual self. She seemed gloomy and forlorn, two epithets not usually used to describe the blind earth-bender. He set down his bowl, letting it clink against the table.

"You want to come with us tonight for the festival?" He asked, coming up with the idea out of the blue. Katara choked on something behind him.

Toph did not bother looking up. "Naw, I think that I would just be a burden on you guys." She said. Aang persisted.

"No you wouldn't, we've always have a good time together, come on, it will be great! There's going to be traditional food, a lot of meat I would guess, and parades and floats and games and shows; it's going to be so much fun! We can go see the…" At this Aang trailed off, having used one of the forbidden verbs. Toph hardly seemed to notice, consumed with her melancholy.

"Thanks, but no thanks twinkle-toes. I think I'll find my own way of amusing myself for tonight if that's all right with you." Aang was disappointed, but he knew when Toph would not budge.

"Alright." He said. A relieved sigh emanated from behind him. He turned and glared at Katara. She blushed, then hurriedly returned her attention to her breakfast.

Jack reentered the room, bringing Aang the promised glass of juice. He set it down before Aang, stopping to give his attention to Toph. He came over to her, squatting down to be at her level as she slouched in her chair. He exchanged a few soft whispers with her, obviously concerned. Toph responded in kind, turning her head just so slightly so as not to let anyone over hear. Jack laid his hand on her shoulder in a reassuring manner, then stood and walked over to Zuko. Leaning over, he whispered in his ear, nodding over towards Toph. Zuko took a pause with Mai to look over at his little friend. He listened intently as Jack spoke to him, his tone hushed and impossible to hear over the din of noises in the room.

Aang looked at them curiously, wondering what it was that they were discussing. Soon Jack continued on, shaking hands with Zuko briefly before he left the dining hall through the front door. Zuko looked up at Toph once more, then turned his attention back to Mai, but not with the same ardent focus he had demonstrated just a few moments ago. Aang's curiosity was piqued; what had been exchanged in that brief conversation?

This curiosity persisted throughout the rest of breakfast. However, as they began to finish their meals, he found himself consumed once again with Katara, and the possibilities of their future together. His thoughts sped away and soon Toph was nothing but a remote concern.

Slowly people began to leave, eventually leaving only Toph and Zuko in the room. Silence dominated, the only sound that of the hurried feet of the servants across the marbled floor, retrieving dishes followed by the clang of pots and pans being scrubbed. Toph let out a sigh, looking blankly at the table, obviously in a blue mood.

Zuko sat still, stroking his chin and trying to dismiss the butterflies in his stomach. Eventually Toph arose, silent. She began to move to the door, apparently ready to drag her depression to another room. Zuko looked up, coming out of his stupor. He raised a hand, meaning to stop Toph, only realizing afterwards that a raise hand was not going to do anything.

"Toph." He said, his voice scratchy and faint. She stopped, not bothering to turn.

"Ya?" She replied tacitly. Zuko cleared his throat, tugging at his collar with a nervous hand.

"Please, sit down, I want to talk to you." He said. Toph blew a strand of hair away from her face, a sign that she was not at all pleased with the current situation.

"You couldn't talk to me when I was already sitting?" She said, annoyance sinking into her voice. Zuko laughed, embarrassed, hoping that she wasn't going to hurt him.

"Sorry, I was just thinking of the right things to say."

Toph sighed and came over, plopping herself down in her seat, three chairs down from the head of the table. Zuko knew better than to push his luck with Toph, especially when she was in one of her vitriolic moods. She was likely to bite his head off at the slightest misconstrued phrase or action, especially if it had to deal with seeing anything.

He stood up and walked over to the chair on Toph's right, grabbing the smooth wood and pulling it back, sitting down a bit too hurriedly. He rubbed his sweaty palms together before he started.

"What's up Sparky?" Asked Toph, taking a second to pick her teeth. Zuko stammered, searching for the right words.

"Well, uhmm, I really don't know how to start this." He said, the words still failing him. A panicked expression shot across Toph's face.

"You're not trying to express some undying love for me are you?" She asked. Zuko sat back, his cheeks turning bright red.

"What? No… no, I'm not trying to hit on you." He said, flustered. Toph blushed as well, turning away from Zuko.

"Good, because, no offense or anything, but you aren't really my type." Zuko gave a nervous chuckle.

"No, that's not it, I have Mai."

"And she is lovely." Replied Toph.

"Thanks." Responded Zuko, rubbing the back of his neck. Real smooth wise guy.

"No, uhmm, what I want to talk to you about has to do with that fieldtrip you wanted to go on." He said, hoping this did not sound like a secret date or something. Toph looked perplexed.

"Fieldtrip, what fieldtrip?"

"You know, the one on the beach, when Aang disappeared right before Sozin's comet?" It was Toph's turn to blush.

"Ohh, that one." She said, letting her hair cover more of her face.

"Ya, that one." He said, rubbing his hands nervously. "I just thought that since everyone already has plans for the big autumn festival tonight that we could, you know, go on a little adventure."

He watched as Toph mulled things over for a moment. Her milky green eyes sparked with thoughts, her face conveying an argument in her head. She sucked at the side of her cheek, taking a second to spit out a stray grain of rice. Zuko hoped that it was a good sign.

"Will there be any fighting?" She asked. Zuko felt his heart leap, diverting his eyes down to his feet, loath to say it to her face.

"More than likely." He said. A thought came to Toph.

"Why are you doing this Sparky? Is it because you think I need cheering up?" She said. Zuko knew that the blind-earthbender hated it when people did things out of pity for her, but took a risk and decided to be honest.

"Yes, I think you do need to be cheered up. You've been gloomy lately, and I think that you've been cooped up too long. It's time that you got out, and I think that it will do us some good to have some quality time together." Toph still looked skeptical. Zuko wanted to smack himself. Quality time? Why had he said that?

"But what about Mai?" She asked. Zuko felt relief rush through him, his blunder in wording being dismissed.

"She understands, I think she's making plans with Ty-Lee anyways." Toph still did not look convinced though, her face conveying doubt. She still wanted a way out.

"What about your Fire-Lord duties? Surely they aren't just going to let you go tramping around the country side when you've got big-wig things to take care of?"

"I'm the Fire-Lord, they better let me do as I please" Said Zuko, then on a more serious note. "Besides my Uncle is here for the festival, I'm sure that he wouldn't mind taking over for a day or two." Toph raised a suspicious eyebrow.

"A day or two, where exactly are we going?" She asked. A sly grin cracked across Zuko's face. He had her suckered in.

"Well now, that would be telling."


The dank stone covered in moss dripped water, being neglected and forlorn from any form of care for who knows how long. A fetid stench rose up from the ground, permeating the air and creating a light green mist. Ghoulish screams of insanity, mindless mumbling, and horrific eyes, large, unrelenting, and dejected sat on the walls and on every corner. And through this hellish landscape strode a single figure.

The eyes stared through bars and windows, following the figures every step, their nervous twitching creating the sensation of movement, yet they rested still, unblinking, and unseeing. They stared, but they did not see, merely noticing the shade passing through their turbulent reality. The dissolution of the mind is a terrible thing.

The dark figure continued his journey through the sea of ambivalence, clothed in a black hood and cape. Heavy boots clunked across the stone, a dull light shining out from an old lantern, cracked and splintered. He walked cautiously, staying exactly in the middle of the hall. Rotten hands accompanied by distorted cries shot out from the bars, reaching for him. He avoided them, however, moving on and staying out of their reach, squashing the urge to stop and try to help these poor souls. He knew that no matter what he did they would still be lost in a world that he would never know, in a universe that he could not understand, and in a peril that he could not face for them.

The figure continued down to the end of the hall, pulling up in front of a solid steel door. Black scorch marks burst out from the cracks, marking the walls and running along the floor; someone had been trying to blast their way out.

The figure took a golden key from his pocket, inserting it into the lock. It turned it slowly, the gears grinding at the motion, refusing to be budged, but they clicked open none the less. A steady hand reached out and grasped the handle, turning it with only the slightest pause. The door opened with a noisy creak, char falling off the hinges. The figure stepped in, bringing the door almost completely shut, leaving only a slight crack behind him.

The cell, unlike the other putrid filth piles, was actually well furbished, or at least it had been. It had drapes, chairs, a table and desk, and even a queen sized bed, adorned with silk sheets. Everything, however, was tossed about. The drapes were burnt, the chairs shattered; the desk and table scorched. The walls, once painted and clean, now resembled that of a battlefield, fire burnt across in every conceivable angle, cracks running along the entire room. The only thing that remained completely intact was the bed. The red silk sheets sat perfectly folded, not a speck of dust resting on them. The pillows remained fluffed and in their proper positions. The wood frame was spared the fury that had stricken the rest of the room like some crazed carouse. Its bronze lacquer shone dimly in the light of a candle that sat in the middle of the room, burning with a low blue flame.

"Come to see the animal again?" Hissed a voice, sadistic and cold. A figure moved slowly from the corner, rising into the cold light.

Azula stood at the edge of the candlelight, smiling with a condescending grin, even within her cage. Her calm demeanor was accompanied with perfect apparel. A red dress, emblazoned with gold thread, ran down to her ankles, clinging tightly to her, revealing her sinuous body. A dragon swirled about her chest, emerald eyes peering out of the gloom. Long sleeves covered her hands, exposing only her nails, which shone with an ardent red polish that was more dastardly than soothing on her. Her hair, as usual, was perpetual perfection, rivaling that of no one. She wore it brushed down, straight and smooth with a golden flower sitting in it, rubies sparkling harshly in the petals. Her face was bare of any makeup save that of her lips, which shined bright with a deep crimson hue, contrasting her brilliant golden eyes. She stood elegant and proud, not letting her surroundings bring down her prestigious aura. She may have been a prisoner, but she was the queen of prisoners.

The guest lowered his hood, revealing Jack's face, calm yet sad. Azula laughed, a caustic and harsh noise.

"You never cease to amaze me, street rat. Even now you come to nibble at my majesty. Well, come on, have your fill." Azula shot a bolt of blue flame at the candle, brightening the room further. She stepped up, lifting her hands in a delicate manner. She turned slowly, allowing Jack to see every sumptuous curve of her body, daring him, goading him. Jack stared without blinking, a mélange of hatred and sorrow stricken across his face. Her amorous behavior was not new to him, but this was something else.

Never before had she been so tempting, so ardent, so divine. Yet even with her fey appearance, surpassing that of the goddesses of old, she could not take away her insidious personality that daunted her with every step. Every action was a plot, every movement a ploy. Always she schemed, always she manipulated, and always she competed, trying to dominate all who she came into contact with, and even those she did not.

"You look enchanting, as always." Said Jack, being honest. A smug smile spread across Azula's face.

"Of course I do." She said, setting herself delicately on her bed, crossing her legs. "Just because my brother stuck me in the nut-house doesn't mean that I can't stay dignified. I will not sacrifice my high-society status, even while in prison." Jack rolled his eyes.

"As pretentious as always as well, I see." He said, sitting down cross-legged and leaning up against the wall. Azula frowned.

"It's not being pretentious if it's true." She said. "That's what you said." She continued, a sneer on her face. Jack shook his head.

"I was referring to the Creator. There's a big difference between you and the Creator, Azula. He has all power, you do not. Right now I would even say that you wield no power." He said, knowing he was going to get a reaction. Azula's eyes grew wide, the pupils expanding to cover the whole of the iris.

"I did control everything!" She spat, standing up. "Everything was beneath my fingertips, the world was mine to command." Blue flames began to grow along her finger tips as her anger rose.

"Then Zuko came with his merry band of fools and ruined everything! I had everything, everything I could have dreamed of; power, servants, wealth, and an army to do my biding. The world was mine for the taking! But now, now it's all gone, all because Zuko betrayed me!" Her eyes narrowed and zeroed in on Jack. "You betrayed me." She hissed menacingly.

Within those few simple moments Azula had totally transformed from the dignified yet pernicious royal to a crazed and hackneyed inmate. Her eyes bounced around, not taking a moment to rest. Her dress, which before had seemed regal and elegant, now seem dull and ragged, a mockery to true apparel. Her face, which before was radiant, was now mottled and crazed, revealing one who lacked sufficient control. She shook with tremors, her whole body desiring to attack. The flames that had started as small tendrils now burst into bloom, engulfing her hands and singeing her dress.

She had revealed her true self; the calm and prestigious façade had fallen away to show the wretched and villainess persona beneath, the one whom many feared, but few loved. Jack shook his head slowly, wishing he could take back his words. He always had a knack for setting her off, and now, with her in such a fragile state, it seemed sadistic and cruel to do it to her, reducing her to such a shell of her former self. But still there was something about it that he enjoyed.

Jack sat and watched as she began ragging about her cell, casting fire all around her. Blue fireballs shattered against the walls, cascading to the floor in a shower of sparks. She yelled and stomped, hitting everything in the cell save two things; her bed, and him. There were no bars or walls to shield him from her furry, and there were no guards in wait to spring into action and subdue her if she should turn her wrath on him. It could have been totally possible that she would strike at him, overpower him, and escape out of her cell.

However, even if she did it would be futile. There were so many locked doors and barred ways that none could get through them. Each one had a different key and a different guard standing at the post. If the guard should be overcome somehow by one of the inmates the prisoner would merely find themselves locked in with nowhere to go but towards the heart of the prison, which ended at Azula's cell.

Jack could not say whether it was because she knew of this fact or that she did not want to harm him anymore that she did not attempt to assail him. He liked to think it was the later.

He sat, calmly and patiently, waiting for Azula's furry to subside. Eventually she began to regain control; her anger abated her and she stood still, her back to Jack. Her shoulders rose and fell softly, her body wearied from her outburst.

She took in a deep breath, straightening her dress. She returned to her seat, sitting down and crossing her legs.

"Sorry about that, just a temporary thing." She said, without a trace of insanity, as if it had just been a fit of coughs. Jack smiled.

"Don't worry about it, I know what it's like to be crazy." He said.

"Yes, so it would seem." Replied Azula, brushing her hair back behind her head.

"So, tell me darling, why is it you choose to come here, after everything that has transpired between us. If I remember right the last time we met outside caged walls you were holding a knife to my throat." She said. Jack nodded his head.

"Ya, sorry about that. I wasn't…me." He said. Azula raised an eyebrow.

"You weren't you, well then who were you, the avatar?" She said, grinning smugly. Jack shook his head.

"You know what I mean Azula. You had broken me, you won. I wasn't anything like I used to be, and we both knew it, but I'm back now, and I'm not going to give up again." He said. Azula looked at a painted nail.

"Is that so, and what exactly are you not going to give up this time?"

"You." He replied simply. Azula laughed.

"Really, is that your play? Trying to reclaim the past are we? Well then, by all means go ahead, do your best. But just to warn you, sometimes the past is best left good and dead. There are some things back there I would rather leave, if you know what I mean"


Aang paced about the halls, seeking for anything to occupy his mind. Katara had disappeared into her room right after lunch, leaving him to entertain himself until the festival. When he asked her why it was she was locking herself in her room she merely responded that it was a surprise. He had responded back by saying that he did not like surprises; Katara had shut the door in his face.

He had spent the first half an hour or so trying to peek through the lock in the door or the crack at the bottom of it, but that attempt was soon thwarted when Suki walked up, in a foul mood, and gave him a kick to the ribs, telling him to stop being such a pervert. Deciding that it was wise to listen to her warning he had quickly abandoned the area of the palace, loath to incur her wrath again, lest he receive another blow.

His first thought was to go and see Sokka, but since the cause of Suki's foul mood was more than likely Sokka he decided not to go and find him, as he blamed Sokka for his now bruised ribs. His next thought was to go and find Toph, but as he searched throughout the grounds it quickly became apparent that she was not around either.

He then tried to see if Mai or Ty-Lee wanted to do something, but they had to prepare their big circus act they had tonight, so that idea was shot down. Even Momo had disappeared, flying off who knows where. He now wondered about the halls in desperation, seeking anything to palliate his boredom.

While pacing about, hands in pockets, he ran into Sokka, literally. Sokka was sprinting down the hall, trying to get away from something. He rounded the corner, and crashed directly into Aang while he was walking over towards the library, figuring he could try reading a book, as boring as they were.

The two fell down in a mass of tangled arms and legs. Sliding across the marble floor. Aang grunted, pushing Sokka away from him.

"Sokka, what in the world are you doing?!" He demanded. Sokka stood up hurriedly, got his foot stuck under Aang's leg, and fell over again. Aang shot Sokka away with a blast of airbending, sending him sliding across the floor to the wall. He stood up, wiping away the imaginary dust that had accumulated on his clothing, as the palace was kept so clean that the average life span of a piece of dust was about two and a half seconds.

"What in heaven's name are you doing Sokka?" He asked as Sokka stood up again, looking over his shoulder to where he had come. Aang froze as a tiger-lion roared through the air. Toph in rage.

"Who's the bozo that took my necklace?!" Aang looked back down the hall, terror swallowing him whole. He had encountered Toph on one too many occasions when she was ticked off, he did not relish the idea of adding another to the list.

Sokka came over and pushed something into his hands, turning and taking off down the hall, his feet a blinding flurry. Aang felt his heart stop as the sound of metal clinked in his hands. He looked slowly down to the thing that Sokka had left in his hands; Toph's gold necklace.

The only thing that was missing was the green diamond that usually sat in the center, an inscription running around it reading, Toph Bei Fong, Best Earthbender Ever!

Aang's eye twitched as he realized what Sokka had done. He had taken the diamond and left him with just the necklace. Now if Toph caught him with only the necklace she would beat the pulp out of him for not having the diamond. Then again she might just beat him up anyways, to the sound of his pleas and cries of innocence. He had to admit, it was a good setup.

Toph rounded the corner, her hair dripping wet and a towel thrown around her; apparently she had been taking a bath when Sokka had stolen the necklace. Good plan, must have made too much noise though.

Her unseeing eyes turned on Aang as her feet came into effect, freezing him to the spot.

"Twinkle-toes." She hissed between her gritted teeth. "I should have known better." She began marching over to him, the earth beneath him quaking with every step. He quickly decided, probably against better judgment, that his best option was to run for it.

Turning, he fled down the hall as quickly as his feet and airbending could take him, leaving a fuming Toph to follow in hot pursuit. Boulders began to wiz past his head as he ran down the straightest hall he had ever seen. He bobbed and weaved from side to side, allowing Toph to catch up but presenting her with a more difficult target. He had almost gotten away when he felt something snag at his foot.

He fell to the ground with a cry, tumbling and letting the necklace slide out of his grasp and across the floor, going all the way to the end of the hall where it stopped. He shook his dazed head, trying to focus. He looked back at the gaining Toph, then over to where the necklace was. A grinning face met his glance as Sokka bent over and picked up the golden chain, quickly fleeing down the hall.

Aang looked back down the hall; a wire was set up low so that he would trip. Sokka had set him up again! What this was all accomplishing he had no idea but it certainly was working, Toph was gaining fast.

Aang closed his eyes, bracing himself for the end, but it never came. Toph cried out and fell to the ground with a thunderous crash, sliding up to where he was laying. She had tripped over the wire too. Her cheeks turned fiery red as she looked over at him.

"YOU…Are going…to DIE…Twinkle-toes." Aang could not tell whether she was pausing for the dramatic effect or because she was trying to regain lost oxygen but he did not stick around to find out. He quickly leapt to his feet and shot away from Toph's death-grip.

Aang looked back to see Toph rolling to her feet, setting after him at a dead sprint. A thought suddenly occurred to him. Why was Toph taking a bath? She never takes baths. Another thought popped in his head. Wow, that towel is really staying on.

His thoughts were interrupted as a rock clipped him in the ear. He spun, fell to the ground, rolled, and got back to his feet, barely losing a step. He sped as fast as he could, but even with airbending he could hardly keep his ground with Toph behind him.

As the next endless straight hallway came to an end Aang looked around for another trip wire, but this time there was none. He figured that his best bet was to go for the garden, then make a round out into the streets, hopefully Toph would be self-conscious enough not to go out while only wearing a towel. A boulder zipped past his head. Hopefully, but not likely.

Aang reached the door and leapt straight out, flying through the doorway. Something whirled through the air and when he hit the ground his ankles were caught and tied together. He fell to the ground for the third time in as many minutes, landing this time not on some hard slab of stone, but rather a nice soft, slurpy pool of mud.

He landed with a splosh, mud covering his face as he went in head first. He slowly pushed himself up out of the mud, his head snapping back as the mud relinquished its oozing hold. The thick liquid slowly dripped down his face, cool and slimy. He scraped it away from around his eyes, knowing what he would see.

Sokka stood behind a rose-bush, laughing so hard that he was crying. Aang tried standing up, but he lost his balance and fell on his back. He stared at the sky, his will to fight quickly abating. He would just lie here and die.

The sound of Toph's angered cry, however, reinvigorated him to move like the wind. He reached down and tried to untangle the weighted ropes about his ankles, but it was too late. Toph was charging straight through the door in a blind furry, and she was on a direct collision course with him. He reached up a hand, forgetting at the moment it would not do any good.

"Toph wait, don't…!" It was too late. Toph launched herself into the air at Aang, extending her arms to grab him with a howl of rage, a predator coming in for the kill. She crashed into him like an angry komodo-rhino, sending them back into the mud with an explosion that would have made a firebender amped up on Sozin's comet ashamed. Mud flew in every direction, splattering the pathway and back into the palace, right across the marble floor, where it lasted about three seconds before a servant cleaned it up. Sokka hid behind his rose-bush until the mud had ceased flying through the air, then he peaked out and started rolling on the ground with laughter.

Toph was currently pounding Aang into the mud with her bare hands, not even bothering to use her bending. Aang flailed about, trying to escape her grasp, but every time he almost crawled out she would grab him and drag him screaming back into the mud. The towel kept its vivacious grip.

"Stay still and take your beating like an earthbender." Growled Toph as she wailed on Aang.

"It wasn't me Toph! I swear it wasn't me!" Said Aang, trying to fend off the blows. Toph grabbed him by the collar and jerked him up to her face.

"Then who was it Twinkle-toes?" Snarled Toph. Aang about passed out from right then and there. He pointed a shaky hand over at Sokka, who was currently rolling on the ground holding his stomach, howling with laughter.

Toph turned her to where Sokka rolled around. Sokka realized that Toph had paused, and so carefully opened an eye, looking over at the mud hole. What he saw just put him back into more fits of laughter.

Toph and Aang stood in the mud ankle deep, well at least Toph. Aang floated just above the puddle, Toph holding him up with just one arm. A look of absolute fear could be seen through the thick layer of mud plastered on his face as he pointed over to the culprit. Toph now looked over at him, her once clean body now covered completely in a dark layer of mud. Sokka knew that he was in for it but he did not care, he would enjoy his triumph before his beating. He had played that perfectly.

Originally his whole plan was just to steal Toph's necklace and lead her on a wild goose-horse chase around the palace, using what traps he needed to slow her down until he could reach outside where she would have fallen into the mud hole, allowing him to make his getaway into town. Running into Aang, however, put an entirely new spin on his plan. He could now pin the blame on Aang, as he would leave Aang and Toph to fight it out it in the mud while he slipped into Aang's room to leave the necklace on his bed. The later part of his plan, however, did not come into fruition, as he got too caught up with the ebullient joy of seeing his plan carried out with such success that he just rolled on the ground laughing, leaving himself fully exposed to the wrath of Toph, something he was already too acquainted with.

Toph dropped Aang in the mud with a cry, stalking over to where Sokka was. He crawled back on all fours, taking a pause to hold up his hands.

"Now Toph, you can't prove that it was me who did that." He started. The sound of her necklace jingling in his hand, however, reminded him of how absurd that argument was. He kept backing up while Toph came at him, her frustration producing waves that rolled off her. She cracked her knuckles, the mud flying off of her. He bumped up against a cherry tree, resting his back against it. This was the end.

"You got to admit, it was funny." He said, smiling and cringing at the same time. He held out the necklace, which Toph promptly snatched out of his hand. She turned around and started walking away, not so much as giving him a slap to the face.

Sokka laid his head back and let out a sigh of relief. He had gotten off scot clean.

A pillar of earth shot out of the ground, sending him flying into the mud hole. Three earthen ribs came up and cinched tight, holding him in the mud. He wiggled and tried to get free but it was no use. Aang plopped by him, his feet sloaking through the mud. Sokka looked up at him with his best smile.

"Hey Aang, how about you be a friend and help me out huh?" Aang looked at him for a second and thought about it. He decided it would be funnier to throw mud in his face, so he bent all of the mud off of himself and into Sokka's face.

He walked inside with a smile on his face as Sokka groaned and whined, spitting mud out of his mouth. Toph as well, though the target of Sokka's scheme, walked back to the bath house with a grin on her face, towel still attached. It was nice having morons for friends, they kept you on your toes.