Woot! Thanks go out to Res Nullius for being my first (online) reviewer! I don't like to update until after a few days/reviews, whatever comes first, but I noticed my fic was farther down the list and I want to keep it near the top due to my "newness" on fanfic. This chapter is longer, as promised, and the only other one that isn't over three thousand words. I've been told my later chapters can be rather beastly in length...enough rambling! I'm glad you like my OC, here's chapter two, enjoy!

A frown flitted across the boy's face as he wiped the blood off his finger.

"I knew it would happen, but I didn't expect it so soon. What happened exactly?"

"Azula happened, that's what." Sokka was not happy.

The boy raised an eyebrow. "Princess Azula?"

"Yeah, but how do you know about her?"

The boy laughed, "Who doesn't know of her? She's ruined at least one area of most people's lives. Anyway, let's go find this Avatar, if he's as bad as you say, we'll need to hurry."

The three began to run down the hill, with Katara explaining the situation as they went.

"Um...what's your name?" She asked.

"My name?" He sounded puzzled, as if it had never occurred to him to tell them his name. "It's Aisu."

As they neared the bottom they saw Toph hopping off of Appa to come and find them and then stop as soon as her feet hit the ground.

"It took you long enough, so where's this guru I keep hearing so much about?"

Aisu jumped up onto Appa's back as he replied, "Sorry, no guru here, but I probably can help."

He walked over to Aang and felt his leg and examined the wounds on his foot and back.

"His leg has been broken here, here, here...and here." Katara said as she joined in his examination. "And I'm not sure if I can heal him with normal water. The only reason he's alive right now is because of the water I had been carrying with me ever since we visited the Spirit Oasis in the North Pole."

Aisu looked quizzically at the sleeping Basco and then turned his attention back to Aang.

"Yes, there is a place in the Eastern Air temple like that, it's called the Shrine of Original Wind. At least, that's what I call it."

He picked up the unconscious Avatar and began taking another path around the mountain, one that wound into the mountain instead of up it. As the group went deeper and deeper the wind began to pick up. By the time they reached the exit, it was so loud that they had to shout to one another. They were surrounded by walls, but there was no ceiling, allowing them all to see the stars of the night sky. Further in, there was a shrine made of bamboo in the center of a very small, very shallow lake. In fact, if the wind hadn't been blowing so hard, Katara would have sworn she was back at the North Pole. Aisu walked up to the shrine and set Aang on a long table in the center, and as if the Avatar commanded respect even while on the brink of death, the wind changed to low whisper.

"There. Now try it."

Katara looked at the water gently swirling around her feet and began to feel the familiar sense of calm that enveloped her while healing. She bent as much water as she could onto her hands and began with the lengthy process of tending to his wounds. As she went, she could see his leg slowly begin to reform, which was odd. She had assumed the bones would have to heal on their own and she would only heal the surface. She looked up from her work to see the others had formed a ring around the outside of the shrine, all eyes fixed in Aang. As she looked at Aisu, she felt that he looked strangely familiar.

"He looks like...like..."

"Katara..."

It was Aang. She looked down to see his eyes half open and examining the faces around him.

"Oh Aang," She gave him a hug, "we thought you were gone. How do you feel?"

"My leg hurts."

"Yeah, I thought that I wouldn't get all of it, it was broken in four different places."

Aang blinked. "Oh. In that case, it feels great. Thanks Katara."

"Actually you should thank Aisu, he's the one who saved you-"

As she looked up to point to Aisu, she did a double take.

"His eyes...they look just like Aang's."

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Old Be Sing Se

Zuko paced before the door, going over his options. He could kill Uncle, but then again, that wasn't an option if he really thought about it. So that left him with one, kill the three Di Lee agents and deal with Azula when she came to check on him. However, she would probably anticipate this move and come with back up. His eyes shifted to the three agents. Either way, they were going to die.

"Sir, awaiting your order."

Zuko walked over to the table.

"Alright, I want you to start with his feet and move slowly up."

"When sir?"

Zuko took a deep breath and exhaled.

"In firebending, power comes from the breath."

"NOW!"

Zuko shoved Uncle's table out of the way and turned on the three agents. They didn't look too surprised, they were probably told he'd do this. Zuko blasted a wall of fire at them, which they blocked with an earthen shield. As they shot their gloves at him he dodged four , but the other two wrapped around his legs. Zuko needed to break out fast, they had done this to him before, but normal fire bending wouldn't get him out of this. He needed lighting!

"Can I do lightning?"

"No you can't, but Azula can."

Zuko glared at the soldiers and began to make the small half-circle movements Uncle had taught him for lightning. The soldiers cowered.

"Men, on the defense! I've seen that Fire Nation wench do this before!"

The agents pulled up a huge wall and waited for the blast.

Zuko's eyes narrowed as he ceased with the ridiculous waving of his arms and sprinted around the wall they had erected.

"There isn't going to be a blast you fools. You panicked and now you're dead!"

As Zuko rounded their protective wall he saw their eyes widen just before they were devoured in a maelstrom of flames.

"Know your enemy better than you know yourself!"

The agents would never understand what mistake they had made. As their ashes fell to decorate the cave floor, Zuko turned to see what he could do about those chains on his Uncle.

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Eastern Air Temple

"I don't like him."

"Oh, come on Sokka, just because he had you flat on the ground faster than the Kiyoshi warriors and took your weapon, it doesn't mean he's a bad guy."

Toph looked in the direction of the two, arguing over whether or not they should bring Aisu along with them on their journeys. Aisu had gone back to wherever he lived in the temple and the group was sitting around the campfire discussing what to do next.

"I still don't like him," Sokka continued, "there something weird about him. And what's with that sword he had?"

True, Aisu had never taken it out of its sheath, but it was strange looking. It was longer than Sokka's machete and slightly curved, but not nearly as curved a pair of twin broad swords, and it was much thinner on the flat of the blade.

"So he has a sword we've never seen before," said Katara, "I vote we take him, if he'll come."

"Sorry Snoozles, but I'm with Katara on this one, besides, even Appa liked him, he wouldn't sit anywhere unless it was next to Aang or Aisu."

Sokka threw his arms up in the air.

"Here we are with the Fire Nation probably on our tails, running all over creation, and you want to take the next nice stranger we find with us! If we weren't so trusting, Ba Sing Se wouldn't be in the hands of Azula in the first place! Oh, I'm sorry, they've probably named it Sozen City by now!"

Toph laughed, "That's a good one Sokka, I'll have to keep that one in mind."

"No it's not, I'm being serious!"

"We're taking him."

It was Aang. Katara got up and walked over to him.

"Aang, you shouldn't be up and walking. Your leg is supposed to be healing."

"I'm the Avatar. If I can't muscle past a little pain, it wouldn't put my name in a very good light." said Aang, flashing them all a big grin. "Besides, we'll need all the help we can get. We're going back to Ba Sing Se."

They all turned to look at him.

"Aang, are you crazy! That's place is crawling with firebenders!" Sokka yelled.

"I know, including the two we need to rescue."

Katara looked up with surprise.

"Aang! Zuko almost got you killed!"

"But he and Iroh are the only one's who would be willing to teach me more firebending. Actually, it's probably just Iroh, but with Iroh comes Zuko."

Everyone looked like they thought this was nuts, but they knew he was right. They had lost precious time while fleeing from the city, and Aang still had to master firebending before the end of the summer.

"Fine we'll bring him," said Sokka, "but I won't like it.

"I'll go get him." Aang said with a smile.

"No need, I'm already here."

It was Aisu. As he rounded the bend in the mountain path he had a small bag and his sword.

"You heard?"

"Just the ending part, but even if you weren't planning to ask me to come to Ba Sing Se, I would have gone alone anyway."

They all stared at him, mouths open.

"Alone!"

Aisu smiled, "Yes, alone."

"See Katara, I told you there was something weird about him, I just didn't know that it was that he'd lost his mind!"

Aisu threw his bag up onto Appa's back. Aang walked up to him.

"Are you sure you want to come?"

Aisu grinned, "Of course, I have business with Princess Azula."

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Old Ba Sing Se

Zuko struggled with Uncles chains. He had no idea how to get them off.

"Don't worry Zuko, I'll be fine." Uncle said calmly.

"Not chained to a table, and I won't be able to handle Azula by myself."

"Are you sure? You handled those three quite nicely."

"Yes Uncle I'm sure, I can't even do lightning."

"Oh, I wouldn't be so sure Zuko, you have changed quite a bit since you last tried. Do you remember what I told you?"

"Yes, you said that I had to let go of my feelings of shame. Until I did that, I would never be able to do lightning. But Uncle, right now that doesn't matter, what are we going to do about Azula?"

Uncle's brow furrowed at the thought of his deranged niece.

"Yes...Azula will not just let us walk out of here as we please. It's too bad you completely incinerated those three, we could have used a decoy."

Zuko kicked the table leg in frustration, "These stupid chains! They won't come off!"

Uncle laughed. "Oh, these things? I could have gotten out quite a while ago, it's just that this table is actually quite comfortable."

Zuko massaged his forehead with one hand and sighed. It figured his Uncle was one step ahead of everyone.

"Stop looking so pleased with yourself and get out so you can help me."

Iroh sat up and the chains seemed to just fall off of his arms. He then proceeded to remove them from his legs.

"Zuko, like I said before, Azula is crazy and needs to go down. It's going to have to end here, one way or the other."

Zuko looked at his Uncle. Even if it was possible, killing his twin sister would not be a pleasant experience.

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Just West of Ba Sing Se

Everyone was quite as Appa sailed silently towards the city they had just a day ago tried so desperately to flee from. Toph sighed, she was tired of not being able to see anything.

"Sokka, where are we ?"

Sokka looked off at the horizon.

"Actually I think I can see something, we must be close and-Aang! Bring Appa down right now!"

"What? Why Sokka?"

Katara gazed in the direction that Sokka was looking and gasped.

"Aang just do it now!"

"Okay, Okay."

As he brought Appa lower to the ground Toph began to get annoyed.

"Guys, what is going on?"

Everyone just ignored her and kept up with their frantic talking. As Appa hit the ground Sokka jumped off and pointed a finger at Aang.

"See I told you this was nuts! We are turning around right now!"

"Why, all I saw were firebenders heading toward the city."

"Firebenders! Those weren't just firebenders! Or didn't you notice the white and gold armor? Those were members of the Fire Nation Imperial Vanguard!"

"So," said Aang, "we've dealt with troops before."

"Those aren't normal troops! They're-"

"EVERYONE JUST SHUT UP!"

The Earth rumbled as Toph stomped her foot.

"Someone tell me what the heck is going on!"

Aisu stepped forward to explain. As Katara looked at his face she was shocked. It had changed from his usually smiling face to the one he held, if only for an instant, when they first met him. His face held no emotion and his eyes were narrowed, all light had left them. They no longer reminded her of Aang.

"The Imperial Vanguard are the most elite benders in the Fire Nation. All of them are required to be able to use lightning, and they are set apart by their white and gold armor."

Toph frowned, "I thought white was reserved for Fire Nation funerals?"

"Indeed. Whenever the Imperial Vanguard is used, a funeral is sure to follow."

Toph's frown deepened. She didn't like this.

"And that's why we are leaving!" said Sokka, pointing in the opposite direction.

"No. We need to find Aang a teacher, and I have business to see to. I will take care of the Vanguard."

"Weren't you listening to yourself! That's the Imperial Vanguard!"

"No, now that they have come between me and my objective, they have become something else."

"Oh, that makes perfect sense!" said Sokka. "Just out of curiosity, what are they now?"

"Dead men," Aisu said, unsheathing his sword, "who have yet to be shown their graves."

Pleas don't hate me for cliff hangers! They're common in my story, but that's why it's listed as suspense, right? Oh, by the way, if you couldn't tell, Aisu's sword is a katana. I've never seen anyone in Avatar use a katana besides Suki, and she never said what it was called, so I assumed that they wouldn't know what it was. I'm not too sure about Azula and Zuko being twins either, but they look the same age. The story gets a bit more fast paced in chapter three, so watch for it. Please R&R!!!

Yet to be shown my grave,

Twilight Rurouni