Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the series I use. I'm not making any money off of this story and all.
"What the hell is this?" Virgil said in wonder as he stared at the girl in this glowing crystal sphere, he was quick to notice the blood running down her arm in her frozen state and place a hand on the crystal only for his eye to widen even more.
"This crystal... it crystallize energy." Virgil whispered then jump a bit when the ghost appeared behind him again.
"Her name is Malu... she is the last female Airbending in the world." Virgil turn around and look at the painted ghost woman.
"Long ago when the war had just began, this child. Malu. She was born to two Airbending monks and raised in the Easter Air Temple." turning back to the crystallize girl and listening to what the ghost had to say.
"When the Fire Nation attacked the Air Nomads during the passing of Sozin's Comet, her mother hid her away in a cave in order to keep her save. As such, Malu survived the raid, though sadly her parents were among the first casualties in this horrible war.
"For years, Malu lived a solitary existence, teaching herself Airbending. Despite lacking a teacher, she quickly mastered the art, which helped her to survive. It was not until 10 AG that she came out of hiding and began attacking Fire Nation soldiers. She became a legend in the Earth Kingdom as an enigmatic beauty who supposedly controlled the spirits and could appear and vanish at will."
"However truth be told Malu simply befriended spirits and they came to her aid of their own free will, doing times which she needed help." the ghost continue and somehow Virgil knew without even asking that this story was about to get dark and go down hill for the girl.
"However the spirits turn out to be both her strongest friends and the key to her undoing. For there was one spirits who she mat nearly cause her demise." Virgil gulp at the venom he heard from the ghost voice. "Koh. the Face Stealer!"
You really expect me to believe this?" Azula ask looking down at the soldier in front of her who kept his head down to hide his nervousness.
"I know how this must sound but please believe me when I say we are telling the truth!" he replied as strongly as he could, and Azule sigh, (Leave it to the Rockies to be so scary of the Avatar that they start seeing things in mid battle.) Azule thought in dismay as she take notice of Hotstreak walking into the room.
"Fine, give me a detailed description of him and I'll be on the look out." Azule said in a bore tone.
"Yes my lady, he-"
"He has dark skin, and is wearing a blue coat with black pants and a black shirt that has a yellow lighting bolt on it." Hotstreak cut in as all eyes turn to him.
"He's also keeps his hair done up in dreadlocks and has a pair of blue shads on his head... am I right?" Hotstreak ask, many of the soldiers look at him in surprise.
"Yes, you know him?" the lead soldier ask and Hotstreak smirk as his eye begain to glow yellow, "Oh yeah, you could say he's a... old friend of mine, HAHAHAH!" his cackling sent chills up their back as a thought ran through Mai's mind, (Could it be the one who the water bender take back then?) Mai wonder.
"Koh, the Face Stealer?" Virgil asked while keeping his eyes lock on the girl.
"Yes one of the most ancient and knowledgeable spirits in all of the Spirit World. Malu having lost everything she love, in her loneliness began making friends with spirits after learning how to enter our world on her own."
"Doing her time of loneliness she began entering the Spirit World as an escaped from the real world and began traveling it." Virgil simply kept quite as the spirit went on. "Doing one of her travels she happen upon the realm of Koh, the Face Stealer."
"I'm going to go on a long shot and say he failed to steal her face?" Virgil ask seeing the girl clearly still had her face.
"When face with this Spirit one must never express emotion or he will steal their face, Malu did not have this knowledge but even though she was so young she had already master entering the Spirit world to the point she was even able to to keep her Airbending."
"As such, it just as you said, Koh tried to steal her face but fail, Koh chase her all the way to the edge of his realm but he never caught her, she escape." turning to the face painted ghost Virgil raise an eye brow at her story.
"Why do I get the feeling he didn't like that." Virgil said and the ghost nodded.
"Indeed, the fact that a young girl escaped his gasp cause much dismay for Malu and Koh can be very vindictive when he wants to be." Virgil gave her his full attention she he knew this was getting to the part that cause Malu to be lock in the crystal.
"The one who instigator this war that has lasted for a hundred years was the Fire Lord of her age, Sozin."
"Sozin knew the Avatar was an Airbender, Koh entered Sozin's dream and while he didn't give a clear answer to her location, he gave enough hint's that lead him to finding her."
"So he thought she was this Avatar person who I'm going go off on a limb and say is Aang, and when Sozin found her, he attack her." Virgil said rubbing his chin.
"Yes, though Sozin quickly realize she was not, he thought she might know where the true Avatar might be and hunted her relentless, ultimately chasing her here to this swamp where she was injure and corner."
"Upon understanding she had no knowledge of the Avatar's location he order that she be killed anyway but many of the Spirit she befriend came to her aid one last time and used their own body's to seal her here."
"And here she remain for nearly a hundred years waiting to be freed." she finally finish.
"Well damn, that sucks but why didn't you bring Aang down here if you wanted to free her?" Virgil asked.
"The Spirit's that sealed her are called Dragonfly Bunny Spirit, harmless Spirits really but they can form unbreakable seals with their body's." the ghost answer.
"It is beyond the Avatar's power to break... but an energy controlling out worlder? I wonder." Virgil couldn't help but chuckle at hearing this, his main power was controlling electricity and could only sense other energy's, (So she lured me here hoping I could free this girl?) Virgil gulp and place his hands on the crystal sphere.
"Here goes nothing." Virgil mutter closing his eyes and began sensing out the crystallize energy sphere, after a moment or two his eyes snapped open in a arch, "This thing is a cluster of different energy mash together." Virgil whispered.
"But there are small fissure's where the energy are not perfectly mixed, if I can focus on breaking them there, then maybe." Virgil mutter narrowing his eyes in concentration lines of while light lite up across the crystal sphere before it finally blasted apart! Virgil was blind for a moment by the light but once he open his eye's he was speechless at the site before him.
"Whoa...!" he whispered at seeing the floating, glowing female Airbending, the Dragonfly Bunny Spirit having turn back to normal hover around for a moment before happy hopping in mid air at seeing Malu free from they're seal, the light then van ish from her body and Malu fall into Virgil's waiting arms.
"Wow... I can't believe that actually work." Virgil gasp looking down at the girl, however he then frown when he got a good look at her arm which was badly burn and still bleeding now that she was free. An odd sound reach his ear causing Virgil to look up and see that the Dragonfly Bunny Spirit now seem to be fading away as they look down at Malu in worry but then turn their attention to him and if Virgil didn't know any better he swear they were saying thank you before disappearing all together.
"What happen, did they go back to that Spirit world place?" Virgil asked looking up at the Mask ghost who sigh sadly.
"No. The formation of the seal and how long it was in place use up all their life force... once you undid the seal, they pass away." Virgil's eye's widen at the ghost words.
"Do not lament, they foresaw this out come then they first form the seal, you gave them final peace at knowing Malu was now free and safe." Virgil simply look down at the girl.
"I-I see, now what happen?" Virgil asked looking at Malu unsure of what to do with her, but for once no answer came turning around Virgil groan when he realize he was once again alone... no that wasn't right, he still had the injure girl with him. "This is going to be a long day."
'SHAAASSSSSSHHHHHH' "... Yep, just like that." Hotstreak said as he watch Azula fire off a Lighting bolt, when told her his 'old friend' could use lighting too he wanted she gave a quick show to make sure they were talking about that same thing.
"So an all Lighting Bender eh, kukuku when he meet I'll have to teach him a thing or two about Lighting Bending." Azule grinned, "HAHAHAHA! You teach him? About Lighting? Oh man, girl do you crack me up!" Hotstreak cackle getting a glare from Azula.
"What!? You think this guy is better then me?" she growled but Hotstreak just smirked.
"Take it from me, if someone like you fought him with that weak ass Light, you'll be the one with a foot buried into your ass!" he laugh before walking out as she snarled at his back.
Aang, Katara, and Sokka sitting around a fire in the swamp-dwellers' camp. Aang and Katara continue to wonder about the swamp, Katara since her breaks down after seeing a vision of her mother, Aang who spotted a young laughing girl and a flying boar in the swamp; he does not recognize the girl but from what their new friend said it seem that he would meet her in the coming days. Sokka is steadfast that there is nothing out of the ordinary, even after his envisions of Yue in spirit form.
"Aang how much longer?" Katara asked wanting to take her mind off of her mother as she pet Appa, they had ran found him after Aang had touch the tree in the center of the swamp that was connecting the swamp around them. Far away, he saw Appa and Momo being chased. Aang, Katara, and Sokka promptly rush to the animals' aid. When they finally arrive, Aang and Katara use waterbending against another pair of waterbender's name Due and Tho, the swamp-dwellers use waterbending themselves to fight back. Upon this discovery, the fighting stops. Tho and Due unite with Huu who they met before hand, who had followed the gang, showing the waterbenders know each other.
"He should be showing up soon." Aang replied as they waited for Virgil to show, Sokka was still a bit on the fence about their new friend mainly before he used Lighting which was a power found in the Firebending group.
"So this is where everyone is." Virgil called making everyone look up, "Well I'll be, he really can fly!" Tho said with a look of astonishments Virgil hover over.
"Virgil! There you are were getting worry because he couldn't find you and- wait a minute, who that." Katara noticing he was holding some cover in his coat, Virgil quickly landed and Momo flew on his shoulder to get a better look as Aang, Katara, and Sokka walk towards him.
"You guy will not believe everything that happen to me." Virgil sigh as they came up to him and got a better look at the young brown haired girl he set on a large log.
"She gorgeous, but who is she?" Katara asked.
"I guess to start off with, her name is Malu and remember that whole matter of Aang being the last Airbender?" Virgil open up his coat around her causing Aang, Katara, and Sokka to gasp in shock at what they saw.
"Well Aang, meet the last female Airbending." Virgil said with a dry grin as they stare at the girl in shock unable to believe what they were seeing. "Virgil... how?" Katana asked the question running through there minds, Virgil sigh, "Take a a seat guys, your in for a long story." he replied.
Two hour's later after Katara had stop the bleeding and bandage Malu up, Virgil had explain everything that had happened, from his meeting with the ghost lady and how she lead her to Malu, they were stun when he told them what he knew of her past and felt truly sorry for the girl.
"She had to go through all that alone, knowing all her friends and family were dead then being hunted by an entire nation by herself." Katara whisper looking down at the girl in sadness.
"Yep, let not forget her only friends, the Spirits. They die after I broke the seal." Virgil mutter not happy at all at having a hand in their deaths, Aang who had come down from his shock just quietly stare at the girl before sweeping her hair at aside to get a better look at her peaceful face.
"Well their not her only friends anymore, we'll make she no longer alone, right guys?" Aang said, Katara and Virgil nodded while Sokka just sigh.
"Yeah sure but this complicate things, not only do we have a outworlder to help out but now we got to look after a wounded Airbender as well." Sokka stated causing Virgil to raise an eye brow.
"I can take care of myself, beside from what I heard from the ghost la... eh Spirit lady It seems this war is really bad If their willing to hunt down little girls. So before I began looking for away home I think it best to help you guys end this war." Virgil spoke getting a smile from Aang and Katara.
"Well that cool, lord knows we could use the help, but it her I'm mostly worry about, if she was hunted in the past for just being a Airbender then chances are that just what going to happen again." Sokka stated but that just harden Aangs resolve.
"True but she was alone then, now she has us." Aang counter getting a groan from Sokka.
"Your missing the point, I think-"
"Ya know what I think?" Katara chim in cutting her brother off, "I think she starting to wake up!" Katara pointed out cause the three boys to turn to Malu who was indeed growning as her eyes started flickering before they finally open and with a moan.
"Ohhhh, I feel so bad right now. " Malu grunt then look at the group surrounding her in surprised. "...hello?"
In the Spirit world a very please Spirit known as the Painted Lady smile at the scene she was watching, pleased that things had gone as smoothly like they did. Malu was now free as many had wish for after such a long time and was with friends.
"I pry that you live a long and fulfilling life, young Airbender." the Painted Lady whisper... then her expression soured and became scourful. Her eye were almost burning with hate as she slowly turn around with a face of one void of all emotions. Crawling shadow was head her way, gliding across the ground like a snake before stopping right in front of her, a enormous centipede-like creature a appear out of the shadows and wearing the face of a female Noh mask, a white face with red lips and gray eye marking.
"Koh..." She said coldly as the Noh mask face centipede smirk and turn away, "Painted Lady...lady of the arts, it been far to long." Koh said with a chuckle, "HOW DARE YOU FREE THAT GIRL!" Koh screamed appearing just a inch I away from her wearing the face of a bearded and mustached man's face.
"What do you want Koh?" The Painted Lady asked by no mean frighten, he merely laugh and back way.
"It not like you to out of your way to help a human when it has nothing to do with you at all." Koh said crawling few feet away from her moving around her.
"I could say the same for you, leading the Old Fire Lord to hunt down a mere girl, she not the first you fail at stealing a face from so why so much hate for Malu?" she ask, Koh appear above her, looking at the female spirit upside down while using the face of one of his more well known victims, Ummi, a Southern Water Tribe woman with long wavy brown hair and brown eyes, a innocent woman whose life he stole just for being the fiancée of Avatar Kuruk. The Painted Lady's lip twitch ever so slight at the face, it wasn't enough to get her face stolen but she would need to becareful.
"Why indeed though truth be told, the girl should be thankful to me, if I hadn't did what I did, sooner or later she would have die." Koh stated with a evil grin on Ummi's face.
"But now she has live to meet the Avatar and even make impact on the war." If it were not for the need to show no emotions The Painted Lady would have roll her eyes at his words.
"Nearly being killed and frozen in the body of her friends for most a hundred years is hardly is something to be thankful for." She replied evenly, annoyed he kept wearing Ummi's face.
"Even so don't you think your stacking thing to much into the Avatar's favor?" he ask, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath then exhaling The Painted Lady open them and look at him while on the inside wondering why his words getting to her this badly.
"I hardly call him gaining two more ally's in a fight against a entire nation, stacking the odds." She replied the turn away, "Also you have yet to answer my first question, if your just going to avoid telling me then I'll take my leave." she said and began floating away.
"It too bad she woke up in a age were the Fire Nation is even more powerful then in her time," The Painted stop in her track at that, "I wonder when she dies, do you think it will be quick and painless? Or agonizingly slow?" She turn to him her face just barely holing back her anger.
"Let hope it not the former, though with her luck-" "Scum!" and there it was! A flash of anger! At lightning speed he rush at the Painted Lady finally able to steal her face 'BBBBBRRRRHHHHH' only to stop when what look like a giant black wall slam down blocking his path.
"WHAT!" Koh shouted as both he and the Painted Lady look up and saw the wall was in fact a hand, a hand belonging to a six-legged, black-and-white monster, "Hei Bai?" The Painted Lady said with a note of surprise at seeing the normally docile and very friendly panda in his monster forum, "GRRŔRRRR!" Hei Bei roared sending a powerful sonic scream that blasted Koh away several meters. Koh was knock on it back but quickly rolled over and look up at the monster spirit the was towering over him.
"Hei Bai... now what could you be doing here?" Koh ask still using Ummi face and smiling warily at the monster panda that was growing at him, clearly it was enraged, normally that was an open invitation to get your face take by Koh but seeing as he was currently dealing with one of the more powerful spirits that was at it most dangerous state he thought it best to first find out why it was so anger at him. The Painted Lady suddenly gain an enlightened look on her face.
"Ah, it been so long but now I remember, Malu once visited your forest and played with you, she even protected it from several bandits that cause harm to your home. You were rather fond of that girl weren't you Hei Bai..." The Painted Lady said with a small smile but then she frown and her eyes narrowed.
"However somehow Fire Nations soldiers found her hiding out there, if I remember right that burned a good part of your home away and chases her off. They chased her, all the way to a certain swamp where she would remain for a very long time." the smile that plaster it way on Ummi's face was not a happy, Koh hadn't known the whole story of how Hei Bai forest was burn down, he knew it was by humans but never care to know why they did it.
"Oh dear it seems I've over stay my welcome, we meet again, Painted Lady, Hei Bai." Koh said before melting back into the shadows crawling back to the ancient tree he live under. The Painted Lady and Hai Bei glare at him as he left. muttering a single word. "Koh."
To Be continue.
Notes: Malu is a characters from the Avatar: The Last Airbender Trading Card Game, commonly referred to as the "ghost witch of the mountain", you can look her up on the Wiki for more information.
