The Crossroads of Destiny: Alternate Ending
(A/N: I hope you all like this, because this is what I was expecting to see at the end of CoD.)
Zuko stood there watching Azula and the Dai Li agents fight against the Water Tribe peasant and the Avatar. Uncle Iroh was stuck to the wall via the Dai Li's manipulation of the crystals so abundant in the catacomb. He was currently struggling with himself.
I have to help Azula.
No, you must help the Avatar.
Azula is family, and my honor is at stake!
What family!? What honor?! Uncle is a traitor, you are a weakling, and Azula is a two-timing, merciless bitch.
But Father will love and forgive me if I stop the Avatar here, and if I help Azula take control of Ba Sing Se, my honor will be restored and I can surely get Uncle some sort of pardon.
By the Gods, you can't be that naïve! Just face the truth, Zuko: The only two people in your whole damned family who love you are your mother and uncle, and your mother is dead! And do you know why she is dead?!
SHUT UP!!! JUST, SHUT UP!!!!!
Your mother, Fire-Lady Ursa, is dead because of your beloved "father."
We don't know that. There's no proof!!
You were supposed to die because Ozai tried to usurp Iroh's place as Fire-Lord heir apparent! And Ursa died because she gave up herself in your place! AND NOW YOU WOULD SHAME HER BLESSED SOUL FOR A MAN WHO'S LOVE YOU WILL NEVER EARN!!?? If this is how it is to be, Zuko Ozaison, then you aren't worth the force it takes a pillar to ram you into Hell!
. . . What must I do?
You know what you must do, Zu-Zu.
In that span of time that this conversation took place within him, Zuko realized what must be done. "I HAVE CHOSEN MY PATH," roared Zuko, causing every head in the underground city to turn and stare. Azula gave one of her characteristically curt smiles, certain that Zuko had made the right choice. And indeed, he had.
Zuko opened his mouth wide, took a deep breath, and let loose his Breath of Fire. Right into Azula's face. "AAAAHHHH!!" screamed the Fire-Princess as she clutched her seared face. She screamed even louder when she felt for her eyes. They had been melted out of her head! As Azula tried to get her bearings, Zuko struck again with lightning fast precision, using a flame-whip to dice her hands off and a flame-sword to cut her legs off at the knee.
Aang and Katara, who had been watching, at first could not believe what they had just seen. Zuko had just mangled his sister and was now dropping to his knees and holding her in his arms. "By the gods," whispered Aang, thoroughly shaken by the violent show.
Without thinking, Katara rushed over to Azula, covered her hands with water, and vainly attempted to heal the charred, bloody stumps where Azula had once had hands and legs. Then, she attended to Azula's face, and managed to return her picturesque looks, though she could not restore her eyes.
"Azula," said Zuko as he held his baby sister against his chest, "I'm sorry it had to be this way. I'm sorry that all this every happened. I'm so sorry." He stopped and began to cry.
"Zu-Zu?" said Azula weakly in a soft, gentle voice that no one had ever heard her use before. Zuko looked at her as if for the first time. With her eyes closed, she felt with her wrists up his arms until she could wrap her arms around his neck and pull herself to face him.
"I forgive you, Zu-Zu," she said in an almost musing tone, "I am blind now, but I can see more clearly than ever before. I'm going to die soon, and in death, all answers become clear. I've been wrong, and father is wrong, and the whole Fire Nation's campaign is wrong. My biggest regret is that I wasn't the daughter mom wanted me to be, and that I wasn't the little sister you deserved to have. Please, fight with the Earth Kingdom and stop the war."
With these final words, Azula died. Laying her body down gently, Zuko stood. Turning around to look at the Dai Li, he said, "Release my uncle." They quickly complied. Iroh went and stood next to Zuko. Aang walked up to Zuko and put his hand on his shoulder, saying, "I'm sorry." Zuko shook his head and said, "Dai Li, free the Earth King and imprison Mai and Ty Lee. Bring the Council of 5 out of house arrest. The Day of Black Sun is coming, and we have to gear up for war."
After a few days, everything was restored to normal. Aang, accompanied by Appa and Momo, returned to Guru Pathik to finish his training. Sokka went to aid the Southern Water Tribesmen in their resistance against the Fire Nation navy. Toph returned home to make peace with her parents. Long Feng had committed suicide upon losing everything, so Zuko became the new Grand Secretariat of Ba Sing Se. Uncle Iroh, while remaining the proprietor of the Jasmine Dragon, agreed to lend his vast experience to the Earth Kingdom army whenever necessary. As for Katara, she elected to stay in Ba Sing Se and became Grand Secretariat Zuko's aide.
Years later, after the 100 Years War had been won and the Balance restored, rumors flared throughout Ba Sing Se of a possible love affair between the Grand Secretariat and his aide, although these rumors would remain, at least for a time, unfounded. Aang would eventually start a new order of Airbender monks and nuns, to ensure that the Cycle would continue. Sokka, after becoming chieftain of the Southern Water Tribe, opened up lines of trade and communication with their sister tribe to the North. Toph eventually married Sokka and started an Earthbending school of her own, while maintaining the tradition of Earth Rumble competitions.
Fire-Lord Ozai had completely disappeared following the war. The Fire Nation's heir apparent, Zuko, abdicated the throne, and instead appointed one of the noble families to rule in his stead. Iroh died peacefully in his sleep, and was interred at a massive funeral attended by many admirers, friends, and what family he had left. For the first time in 110 years, the world was at peace.
(A/N: I know it's a bit short, but I think this is pretty good for my first Avatar fic.)
THE END.