AUTHOR'S NOTE: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER. I ONLY OWN Rui, HAY LIN, THEIR JOURNEY COMPANIONS AND THE FIRE RAIDERS. AVATAR BELONGS TO ITS RIGHTFUL OWNERS.


Once the doors were open, I immediately arched my back so Hay Lin could zip out behind me, taking out the back men. I leaped over the old man and doubled back, punching his chi points.

The man fell with an 'oof' and I set after the boy. His feet stomped the ground and a rock spike shot towards me. I back flipped away from it and called over to Hay Lin "They're earth benders!"

"Got it!"

I shot my foot out, followed by the other and created a stream of flames headed for the boy. He dodged easily but made it too easy for me to hit his arms and chest. I looked down at him and looked at Hay Lin; my jaw fell to the ground.

"Hay Lin! Stop playing with your enemy!" I growled, running over and grabbing her arm as she spun her staff in a circular motion, creating a tornado.

"But it's fun!"

"I don't care, come on!" I snapped, tugging her off and jumping over the fallen bodies. I hopped over the boy I got and pushed open my door, racing down the hall. I still gripped Hay Lin's hand as we ran towards the balcony that overlooked the entrance of the castle.

Fire and rock flew off in every direction and I looked down. I saw Mom and Dad, along with Aang and Katara. They looked like they were doing well until I saw a gray haired man join in the fight. He knocked down several men with a fire blast and turned his head, revealing a familiar face. "Uncle!"

Though Uncle Iroh was old, he still had the energy of a teenager. God I love that guy.

"Where do you think Rikku is?" I asked, looking at Hay Lin.

"I don't know, she's your fire fox," she shrugged, making me narrow my eyes blankly. "You're lucky we're in the middle of a raid. Or else I would just take your staff and hit you with it."

A loud roar boomed from behind me and my fire fox, Rikku, shot out from the hallway and out over us, sending our hair flying forward. She was a light orange/ beige color with black swirls around the tips of her tails and around her paws. Her paws themselves were black and, with her tails, well all three of them, had wisps of fire coming from them.

"Hey, I found Rikku," Hay Lin announced as she pointed at the flying cat that was larger than a platypus bear. I looked at her and hit her head with my fist. "Ow!"

"Yeah well, you kind of deserved that." I told her as I ran forward and jumped off the ledge of the balcony.

"Rikku!" I called, making her roar and shoot down towards me. I landed on her back, grabbing hold of the fur on the back of her neck as we flew down towards the battle below. Hay Lin joined us beside on her glider. "Go meet up with your dad, I'll go help Uncle Iroh."

"But he doesn't look like he needs help," Hay Lin insisted, looking down at my great uncle with his little effort needed. "True as that may be, my father would rather me be there than somewhere else." We nodded to one another and she broke away, heading off towards her parents.

"Uncle!" I called as Rikku's paws landed on the ground and she raced across the rock. Racing forward, she knocked several earth benders out of our way and slid against the rock, making it so I can hop off her back and sand back to back with Uncle.

"Rui, what are you doing out here? Your father said you and your friend were to stay in the safe room." He scolded, shooting an earth bender with fire.

"Well the safe room isn't so safe anymore. It was raided by some of the earth benders." I informed, kicking up some sparks at the one near me. "Rikku must have known I was in trouble because she came from the stables."

"Why was she in the stables? Why wasn't she with you like you always is?"

"Sometimes she spends the night out in the stables with some of the rhinos. I think she likes the flame in them." I mocked, getting a growl from Rikku before she tackled a bender to the ground.

Once all of the benders around us were down, the three of us ran towards my parents. Mom shot daggers from her sleeve towards an earth bender in front of her and stabbed him against the wall.

"Mom!"

"Rui, what are you doing out here?"

"Long story short, the safe room is no longer that safe." I said quickly. I gasped. "Duck!" I jumped and pulled my mom's head down as a boulder flew over our heads and knocked another earth bender to the ground.

"Thank you." Mom said as she pinned the man to the wall with his friend.

"Well, I try," I said coolly as I back kicked a bender in the mouth. "Where's Dad?"

"He's fighting with one of the leaders of this stupid raid group."

"Well, it can't be that stupid since you look like you're having fun." I told her with a small smile which she returned it. "True."

We continued on knocking down men and some women when a zip went past the back of my head and my hair fell to my sides and down my back. The crown danced against the ground as I looked over at the boy that was inside my room. How did he recover so quickly from those puncture jabs?

"I've got him," I told her, racing off towards the boy. He slammed his fists over the ground below him and a large rock flew open and headed towards me. I jumped and flipped over it and continued running at him when I landed.

"Why are you here? Who are you?" I demanded as I found with him at hand to hand combat.

"My name is Kona. My family's men were forced into this gang." He said as I ducked down and spun against his feet, knocking him down.

"What is the gang called?"

"The Fire Raiders." He said as he looked up at my fist aimed at his face.

"That seems ironic since you all are earth benders." I told him as I kept my fist at him.

"Our leaders are fire benders, that's why we're called that." He said as he stomped his foot against the ground and rock came to the side of my head. I ducked down as Kona jumped up onto his feet, throwing more rocks and chunks.

"Who are your leaders?"

"I don't know. I never met them. All I know is that one was once a noble of the Fire Nation and the other was a general or something in your army 15 years ago." Kona said as I kicked up with both my legs, shooting blazes at him. He easily dodged.

"STOP!" I heard Aang's voice over all the sound. A gust sounded throughout the battlefield and sent everyone around me flying, including Kona. I stumbled forward, my hair whipping about my face as I clutched my eyes shut. I practically flew into a tall person and opened my eyes to the dark red robes of the Fire Lord.

I looked up at my father who scowled down at me. Oh crap. I held up my arms in defense as I stepped back one. "Okay, before you start, let me just say that the safe room was raided, okay? Hay Lin and I had no choice but to use the tunnel!"

"Tunnel?" Dad asked as he raised his eyebrow. I blinked several times before I giggled nervously. "Y-yeah... a tunnel.. that... that... that the earth benders created that led from my bedroom's wall up towards the safe room!" I continued to giggle as I scratched my cheek with my nail, looking away from my father.

"We'll talk later." Dad growled, making me flinch a little. Oh I am so getting it when this was all over.

Mom joined the two of us, including Uncle and Rikku. Hay Lin stood with Katara as we looked up at Aang standing on the balcony above us.

"Leave the Fire Nation before I throw you out. Leave with your leaders and never return." He announced, his voice booming. Before we could contain ourselves, Hay Lin and I cheered and threw our fists up in the air. "Yeah, you tell 'em!"

Katara hit her daughter's head and Dad hit mine, making us two shut up and smile innocently. "Sorry." We grumbled, laughing a little.

"What if we don't want to leave?" a female voice said as I heard Dad gasp. Mom mumbled something but it sounded something like "oh no."

"What?" I asked as I turned around myself and looked at the woman walking towards us. She had black hair that fell just below her shoulders in layers and caramel gold eyes. Her eyes were narrowed but they seemed like they looked comfortable like that. She wore a Fire Nation military uniform and she walked with her arms behind her back.

Dad put his arm out in front of me, making me look at him then at the woman.

"It's been so long, ZuZu." The woman said, making me raise an eyebrow.

"ZuZu? Who the heck is ZuZu?" I asked, looking at Mom. "It's a nickname we gave your father when we were kids."

"'We?' Then that means..." I began, looking at the woman who was a couple dozen feet from us. "That means you know her? Who is she?"

"Later," Mom hushed me, making me look at her with narrowed eyes. They weren't narrowed with anger, but more like worry.

"I find that rude not to tell her who I am, Mai. I thought we were friends." The strange woman mused.

"You're right. We were," Mom stretched out 'were' as her eyes narrowed.

"And you, Zuko. I find it not very nice for you to not tell your daughter who her aunt is. I find it distasteful." She continued on, seeming to mock Dad.

"It's none of your business how I raise my daughter!" Dad snapped

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, WHOA," I said, throwing my arms out everywhere. "You mean she's my aunt? Dad has a sister?" I exclaimed, pointing to the woman in front of me, who smiled. "That's correct, little Rui. I am your Aunt. It's very nice to finally meet you." Azula said, holding her hand out towards me. Dad wrapped his arms around me, pressing me against his back. "You were banished for a reason, Azula."

Banished?

"Yes, Zuko, I was. But don't you think you could have at least brought her to see me in prison? I mean, she probably hasn't even met our father yet." Azula chuckled darkly. I wish I could see what was going on but all I can see is Dad's stupid back in my face!

"Father? I thought you said he died?" I looked at Mom, who looked down. Aang flew down behind me and walked up to Dad's side, putting a hand on his shoulder. Dad looked at him and sighed.

"Well, I supposed I'll just have to educate her myself," Azula said as there was a crackling sound. Mom and Dad gasped, along with Aang and Katara as she raced away with Hay Lin on a wave of water.

"Hay Lin!" I called, trying to free my arm to reach out to her. "Rui!" She copied my movements as Aang grabbed me and took off to the skies as lightning was shot at my father. I gasped as sudden tears welled from my face and I struggled against Aang. All the while, I was yelling "daddy."

I saw the lightning shoot towards Dad as his hand absorbed the shock and sent his hair flying in all directions. The lightning was shot back with his other hand as Azula jumped from its hit.

"Rui, stop! You need to calm down or you'll fall!"

"Let me go, Aang!"

"No!"

"But Daddy-!"

"He'll be fine! He knows what he's doing!"

"But Mom-!"

"Got away safely."

I looked down at the lightning battle below me as I was flown to the balcony where Hay Lin stood with Katara. Once her father set me down, her arms snaked around my neck and she sighed in relief. "Oh thank goodness, you're okay."

I didn't take my eyes off my dad. I watched as his orange, red, and yellow fire hit it off with her blue fire.

Hay Lin wiped my face and followed my gaze. "He'll be okay," she assured me.

"I know. But I'm his daughter. It's part of my job description to worry, right?" I laughed weakly, getting a smile from her.

"Rui," Mom sighed as she ran up along the balcony towards me and embraced me. I hugged her back. "Mom..."

I pulled away quickly and crossed my arms over my chest and pushed out my hip. I started tapping my foot against the ground and my finger tapped my arm as I raised an eyebrow. "Okay, Mom. It's later."

She narrowed her eyes slowly before sighing.

"Why does Azula hate Dad so much? And why did you and him apparently lie about Grandpa being dead? Tell me, I deserve to know!" I ordered.

"You're father will explain. He should since it also involves him." Mom told me, looking down at the love of her life. I followed her gaze and saw Dad knock Azula down.

"Tell me, Princess Rui," Uncle said as he walked up behind me and looked at me. "Do you know how to redirect lightning?" I blinked and looked over at him slightly before looking back at Dad.

"A little. I watch Aang and Dad do it all the time out in the training grounds. Dad says you invented it by watching water benders. 'If you let the energy in your body flow then the lightning will have no choice but to follow'. It was something like that, right?" I quoted as Uncle nodded.

"I just wanted to make sure you knew the basics of it."

Mom gasped as I saw Dad on the ground. Azula began forming lightning and Dad was having difficulties getting to his feet.

"She'll kill him!" I heard Mom gasp as she cupped her mouth.

No! I internally yelled as I raced off the ledge.

"Rui!"I heard from several people but I heard my mother's voice the loudest. Tears streamed from my eyes as they flew up above me and began to fall like rain as I barely landed safely on the ground. I stammered and began running as fast as I could towards Dad. He looked at me and his eyes grew wide as he reached him arm out. I know he was saying for me to go back but I knew I couldn't.

I'm not letting him die if I can do something to stop it! I yelled at myself as I leaped over Dad and watched as the lightning come towards me. I stopped in my tracks, copying Dad's stance when Aang shot the lightning towards him.

The lightning made contact with my two fingers and was sent through my body, sending my hair out above me as I felt the shock go through my body. My body was slid back from the amount of pressure. If you let the energy in your body flow, the lightning will have to follow, I heard in my head. I took a low breath and growled, shooting straight back at a shocked but impressed Azula. Ha, take that, you Fire Nation reject!

The blast sent Azula back as smoke blew up from my fingers, a small smirk coming across my face.

"Rui," Dad exhaled as the earth shook, sending me back on my butt and the earth benders that had just watched the ordeal flew onto the ships. My eye caught Kona's as he stared at me with shock. Hasn't he ever seen a girl shoot lightning back at her aunt before?

The ships retreated, making the soldiers around us cheer as I turned around and lunged at my father, crying into his robe. His arms wrapped around me and hugged me to him, his hand petting my hair gently.

"Daddy..." I sobbed, hiccups coming.

Mom joined us soon, Dad opening his arms so Mom could come and hug us as well.

Dad pulled away, Mom still with her hands on my shoulders as he wiped my face and looked at me with a smile. "I'm so proud of you, Rui. How did you know how to redirect lightning?" I laughed with my dry thought and smiled back. "I have window with a perfect view of the training grounds."

"But the training grounds are over three dozen miles again," Dad protested, raising his eyebrow.

"Yeah, well, I've got a fox that can fly and a best friend who can create cover in the shape of a weird looking cloud." I laughed as Dad smirked at me. "Now, if you all don't mind, I think I'm going to pass out now."

"Rui!"

Then I blacked out.