Redemption of the Dark kind

Chapter 9: Ambush and acceptance.

6th January 2900

Royal Palace, Fire Nation Capital, 1200 light years from Sol.

Alex watched Zuko and Aang firebend, the former helping the Avatar fully master the element, as he had only become suitably adept at it when facing Ozai two years ago.

Two weeks had passed since Alex's arrival, and progress on both of his areas on this world were going smoothly. The island base was well established, and it was only the defensive infrastructure, such as satellites, base shielding and turrets, that needed construction now. Also critically, Alex's order for a robotic partner, a deputy administrator and second in command, were well under way. The body would take only a day, but the software and processing hardware was what was difficult about creating this super intelligent robotic being. The robot needed to be able to think as fast as a human, and when combined with its more efficient method of thinking and learning, would be able to out think Alex easily. To counter any fears, he had ordered a remote off switch be installed when completed, in case he became 'unruly'. He would prefer not to do such an act of repression to one he wished to treat as a partner and friend and pupil, but Alex was careful not to take any risks.

On a more personal note, Alex had been getting on well with the so called Gaang, as Sokka called it. During his week stay with them, he found himself dragged into peace meetings and trade disputes, which he found interesting compared to the how the others viewed them.

At least that's what they thought, as Alex kept trying to find ways of how to sleep with his eyes open during the meetings, with little success.

Still, he did feel sorry for Zuko and Aang, who as Firelord and Avatar respectively, actually had to take an active part of the meetings, which unfortunately involved:

"Avatar Aang! Are you listening?" The Earth Kingdom official asked, her brows furrowing in annoyance at the 15 year old boys lack of concentration.

Aang snapped to attention, saying: "Yes ma'am!"

"What is your verdict on the recent trade proposal?"

"Er, which one would that be again?"

Seated beside him, Zuko fought down the urge to facepalm.

Up in the audience stands, Alex grimaced as he watched one of his new friends making a fool of himself, in a board room no less. Once again, Sokka had fallen asleep, and Suki and Toph were struggling to stay awake. Katara was staring dazedly at Aang, probably picturing him and her on an upcoming date, or perhaps on a more dirty possibility, Aang naked.

As he tried once again to sleep with eyes open, Alex remembered when Katara told him of how marriage customs on this world were that 16 was the minimum age, and that she was technically of marrying age. He had choked on his drink that day.

He turned his attention back to the court, where Aang spoke against the trade proposal, backing up Zuko.

"The taxes on the Fire Nation for importing goods from the Earth Kingdom are too high! They need a fairer rate!"

"That may be, but we need the money to rebuild our kingdom after the war two years ago, which is still ongoing as I may remind you."

Finally, Alex gave up staying awake, and closed his eyes.

As the group exited the courtroom, Sokka yawned, and said: "Man that was a good batch of politics."

Alex retorted to him: "You spent the entire session asleep. Two minutes in and your snoring like a foghorn." Sokka opened his mouth to retort: "Don't pull the fact that I fell asleep too on me, because I only fell asleep three quarters of the way through it! Besides, little actual decisions seemed to be made anyway!"

Sokka slumped dejectedly, as he had discovered on Alex's week long stay that he was almost impossible to win an argument with in his case.

Toph laughed at Sokka's loss of yet another dispute, and said: "You'd make a good politician Snoozles, you're just as hopeless at arguing good cases as they are."

"Hey, I am not useless at arguing!"

Suki, ignoring Sokka's whining, then asked Toph: "Hey, we all have nicknames from you, I just realized that Alex doesn't have one."

Alex proudly said: "Maybe I'm hard to pin down personality-wise."

Toph then punched Alex in the shoulder, proclaiming: "No, I just waited until now to say it." As Alex nursed his shoulder, surprised that her hitting his mechanical arm would still hurt his organic shoulder remnant somehow, Suki and Sokka asked: "Oh, so what are you calling him?"

"Dimwit. He's witty and he uses darkness, or dimness."

Alex looked her, and asked: "You won't call me that in public will you?"

"I will now since you're complaining."

Alex's face fell in defeat, and he uttered a single curse:"Shit."

Sokka now laughed at Alex, who sheepishly followed them to meet Aang, Zuko and Katara, the latter having rushed ahead to meet Aang.

Later, at in the afternoon, at about 3:00pm according to Alex's clock, Aang and Zuko were practising their firebending in the palace courtyard. Zuko was continuing to teach Aang firebending, as it was the last element he needed to fully master before his avatar training was fully complete.

As Aang deflected another fireball, he caught sight of Katara waterbending at a nearby fountain. Momentarily distracted, he only barely dodged the next fireball:

"Look at your girlfriend in your own time!" Zuko wished to command Aang's full attention whenever he trained him. Whenever Katara was nearby, Aang always seemed slightly distracted. Not that he was complaining of course, because if he got hurt, it meant he could spend time with Katara in a healing session.

Nearby, Toph practised her metalbending on some spare metal plating had brought from a scrapyard. As she bent the metal, she moved very fluidly within a set of full body armour she had created form it, bending the relatively poor quality metal with her body as she moved.

Off to the edge, Alex admired her ability to bend Earth in such a unique way, while also making sure he kept his limbs well clear of her whenever she did. It was then that she called him over:

"Alex, can you come here a second?"

"Oh, er, alright." Alex ran over to Toph, who had now peeled off her armour like a set of metal clothing. As he arrived, she roughly grabbed him and held him in place, and placed a finger against his neck. A few seconds passed, before Alex asked: "Uh, what are you doing?"

"Checking to see if you really have no heartbeat."

OH FUCK! He had forgotten this. Had he had a proper heart in this situation, it would have been hammering. Toph then stepped backwards from Alex, which was when he realized how short she was compared to him.

While Aang and Sokka matched height at 5 foot 10 inches, Zuko at 6 foot, Katara and Suki at 5 foot 8 inches, Toph was the shortest among them at 5 foot 7 inches. Compared to her, Alex's 6 foot 6 inch body towered above her. And yet, she was still intimidating.

Toph looked up at him, and said: "I know you have no heartbeat, but I'm not going to question how you're alive. It's like people not fully understanding that being blind is not a disadvantage to me."

Alex, seeing she wasn't going to blab on him, decided to expand for her: "Alright, you got me. I just don't want to be seen as unnatural okay? I already use powers not used by anyone else, and I was born like this. I have a heart, but it's just different to other peoples' hearts. I don't know how, but it doesn't beat, it just constantly pushes blood around my body, so no beats can be felt by you."

Toph looked at Alex again, and said: "Okay you big dimwit, I won't tell anyone, although Aang probably knows too, so I'll tell him to not blab if that's the case."

Alex sighed in relief, and placed his hands on her shoulders in a thanking gesture: "Thank you so much. I won't complain about you calling me dimwit now or ever again."

"Sure thing."

After Alex lowered his arms from her shoulders, she punched him hard in the shoulder, the same one as before today. He winced in pain, and asked: "Hey, why do you always punch people in the shoulder?"

"Its how I show affection."

"I've heard of tough love, but you make it literal."

Toph laughed at the joke, and commented as she walked off: "You're much better at jokes than Snoozles is. You just need to loosen up a bit more at times. See ya."

As she walked off, Alex found himself mesmerized by her, her small body swaying side to side in a slightly seductive manner.

Alex mentally slapped himself: You're 18, she's 15, she's not even a legal adult yet!

A small part of his mind did say: But she will be in just under a year.

At the palace gates, the front guards halted a delivery carriage chain. The armoured royal guards walked up the driver:

"State your business."

"Food delivery for the royal kitchens."

"Got any forms to prove it."

The driver dug into his pockets, and found the form. He handed it to the guard, who checked it, and then signalled to the other guards to let the carriage chain through. Thanking the guards, the driver signalled to the chain to move, and the ostrich horses began to pull forwards.

Inside, the rebels planned their next move, now clear of the first obstacle.

The training session had now ended, and the Gaang had retired into the main palace sitting area for some tea and rest. Aang and Katara were cuddling on the couch, while Sokka became interested in the snacks that had been brought by the servants. Off to the side, Suki was swapping funny life stories with Ursa, and Zuko was lying on the couch, his head being stroked by Mai as they lay in each other's embrace.

The group was short of only 3 people. Iroh was now living full time in Ba Sing Se, overseeing his tea shop. Toph and Alex were still outside, both of them having gone off to do their own thing.

All of a sudden, the windows were slammed shut as men swarmed the sitting room, also running through the doors. Before they could even respond, the men had seized Aang, Zuko and Katara, and began to quickly bind and gag them. Quick to respond, Mai unsheathed her knives and began throwing them at the intruders, pinning two to the walls before she too was grabbed from behind.

Sokka moved in front of Suki and Ursa, using his long sword to fight off one intruder, only to be grabbed from the side. As this happened, Suki and Ursa were bound also.

Within 3 minutes the entire Gaang had been immobilized, their bending now useless against their restraints, as well as any other weapons they had.

From the main doors, the Commander stepped into view, and slammed the doors shut behind him, locking them thoroughly. He then walked over to his captured prey. As he stopped in front of them, his thick black sideburns and beard dominated his face, and his fierce yellow eyes, iconic of the fire nation, gleamed with malicious intent. By his side, two long axes hung, their heads sharpened very recently.

From their positions, all of the Gaang looked up at the commander, recognizing him as the leader of the fire rebels from the posters they frequently dropped. He then spoke to them, addressing Aang, Katara and Zuko more so than the others:

"Well, well, what have I found here? A group of full blown traitors and enemies to the great Phoenix King and his daughter, the true rulers of the fire nation and the world."

He then spoke to them in a harsh whisper: "I believe we have some business we must attend to. Let us begin."

Outside, Toph had been walking around the gardens, feeling her surroundings and the buildings. Then, she sensed that her friends had been ambushed, and were now in peril.

Looking for help, Toph detected Alex's non-beating signal, and she rushed over to him, in a courtyard opposite. She ran into him, and grabbed his shoulder while pointing to the palace:

"Alex, the Gaang's in trouble, they've been ambushed in the palace sitting room!"

Alex whirled around, shocked at this development: "What! Are you sure?"

"Yes! C'mon!" Toph then yanked on Alex's arm, and half dragged him towards the palace.

When they got near to the windows, Alex quickly stopped, keeping Toph back. He then pulled a hand over her mouth, silencing her. He then ducked them into a bush, and whispered to her: "If we charge in there now, they may just kill them there and then. We need to be subtle in our approach."

Toph yanked his hand away, and said: "Oh, OK. Got any bright ideas?"

Alex looked up at the roof, and asked: "Aside from the doors and windows, is there any other way to get into that room?"

Toph stayed silent for a moment, and then answered: "There's a small vent on the roof, big enough for us to jump right into the room."

Alex looked up: "That'll be a good 50 foot drop. I can get through undetected, but you'll be seen and heard instantly. I'll go ahead and get in, get their attention."

"Where does that leave me?"

"You get some guards that you know are loyal to Zuko, and bring them here for backup. We need to ensure none of them escape. After that, if I'm still busy, come and help me."

"Alright, get going then." Toph shoved him out the bush, and with a slight grumble, Alex began to climb the building, using his dark matter to form a floating platform to fly onto the roof with. As he rose, he saw Toph silently run towards the main gates, where the nearest guards were stood.

He dismissed his platform, landing silently on the roof. He looked at the vent, and saw that it was an open one. Thanking his luck that he didn't have to cut through anything, Alex made himself invisible, the dark matter engulfing him and then cloaking. Under this veil, he summoned some invisible tendrils to lower him down into the room silently, latching them onto the vent edge as he lowered himself into the sitting room.

As he descended, he looked around. He saw that all of the doors and windows were shut and obscured, and only the fire from the torches and some of the intruders' hands lit the room in a dim glow. After 10 seconds descent, he touched down on the wooden floor, and dismissed the cloaked tendril ropes. Upon hearing the conversation, Alex silently moved to the edge of the room, backing against a wall so as to scan each enemy.

He counted 14 men in the room, and one of them was talking to the gang now. As Alex prepared for his strike, he summoned all of the dark matter he had, having increased his carrying capacity since his arrival. By secret air deliveries from his base, Alex had gained access to more supply of his special 'element' from the supply he could manufacture at his base. In his bag that he always had on him, he still hid his foldable combat helmet, where he hid the excess stores of dark matter. Drawing his helmet, still fully under cloaking, he silently unfolded it, and the dark matter stored there fell under his power. He then placed the helmet on his head, ready to use its equipment to end this fight quickly.

During all this, he listened to the apparent leader of the intruders talk:

"You're crimes against the true leadership of our beloved nation have come to an end this day, as we shall slay you and your friends, and restore Phoenix King Ozai and Fire Lord Azula to their rightful places of power!"

Aang, having had his gag removed, snapped back: "All you'll be doing is creating more pain and suffering in the world. Ozai was a tyrant, and-" He was cut off by a sharp punch in the face, which earned the commander a verbal assault from and also de-gagged Katara: "You monster! Aang saved the world from the Firelord, and Ozai deserves to rot in prison!"

"Shut your mouth! It was by you hand and Ozai's treacherous son here-" he pointed violently at Zuko: "That Princess Azula lost her throne, and you drove her to insanity by doing just that!"

"You won't get away with this! Your kind of people never do!" Exclaimed Sokka, who had no bending, had not been given a gag like Aang, Katara and Zuko had. The commander turned to him, and said: "Well then, perhaps I should break that tradition by actually succeeding."

He snapped to his men, and as he walked towards the door, he said: "When I leave, I shall spread word of this in the town, declaring our victory against the treacherous leaders you are. And within 2 minutes of me leaving, my men shall execute you. Goodbye."

He unblocked the door, and stepped out into the hallway, donning a royal guard disguise as he went. Then the door shut, and the room became as dim as before.

Off to the side, Alex moved in unseen, as two minutes was plenty of time.

Toph ran with a set of Royal guards to the palace, having gathered a dozen or so loyal ones to help her rescue her friends. Even from nearly half a kilometre away, she could feel what was going on in the palace. She felt that no one had died yet, and her friends, the troopers and Alex were all in the room.

Then she felt one of them leave, one of the intruders.

She ordered to the guards: "One of them is escaping out the south exit, get him!"

"But miss, how do you-"

"JUST DO IT!"

"R-Right away! You two, follow me, the rest stay with Ms. Bei Fong!"

As the three guards took off in pursuit of the escapee, or the commander, Toph ran faster towards the palace, making sure her approach and that of the guards was silent but quick.

As she neared the courtyards, she felt Alex suddenly move, and then one of the intruders keeled over, his heart no longer beating.

Inside, the troopers watched the prisoners, eager to get going with the executions. Just 1 more minute and they would be free to kill these traitors.

As they watched, their vision was suddenly blackened, as something, not the wind, extinguished the torch fires and the fires in their hands. They gave out cries of surprise:

"What's going on?"

"The Avatar and his friends are bound, they couldn't do it!"

"Get a fire up now-ugh!"

The last guard stuttered, as the sound of something stabbing him echoed through the completely dark hall. Apparently not hearing it, the soldiers lit another fire in their palms. As the room lit, they saw one of their troopers hit the floor, blood beginning to pool from the sword hole made in his heart.

In their gags, the group recoiled, screaming in surprise, and the troopers jumped away from their ally's body in shock, unsure of what just happened.

Above the body, Alex smirked under his mask, still invisible to the eyes, even undetected by Aang, whose feet were covered by his boots now. He reformed the dark matter back into his hand, the sharp spear he generated working brilliantly. He looked at the nearest soldier, and focused his dark matter into his index and middle finger. Then, he brought its aim to bare, and launched it like a bullet.

As the soldier stepped towards the body, a spray of blood erupted from the back of his head, as something tore through his skull like a point blank arrow. He too keeled over, falling backwards from the force of the hit.

In panic, the troopers launched fire in random directions in the room, which only narrowly avoided the Gaang. As they set the room alight, they saw the room begin to darken, as some unseen force extinguished the flames.

Alex covered the flames in a seal of dark matter, starving them of oxygen to burn. He then saw that this was taking too long, and decided to drop the play acting. He deactivated his cloaking field, quickly drew his twin swords, and leapt towards the furthest guard, letting out a yell as he went, made into a demonic roar as he coated himself in dark matter, and launched towards him like a cannonball.

As the last flames were extinguished, a dark shape materialized in the dim lit room, like a shadow come to life. Before they could respond, it drew two long swords, and rocketed towards the door soldier in a dark meteor charge. The soldier screamed in fear, as he was slashed by the outstretched sword and the whip-like dark tendrils as the figure flashed by. He crumpled to the floor, almost cut on half at the waist.

With a quick stop on the wall, the figure spun to face the other guards, and slashed his swords in midair, sending an X-shaped blast towards them. The closer 4 guards broke multiple ribs from the impact before landing on their backs, and the luckier remaining ones merely were blown against the opposite wall. Then, the figure raised one of his swords, and plunged it into the floor. As the blade punctured the wooden floor, four columns of dark, fiery mass slammed into the four broken guards, winding them as they were driven into the ceiling hard by the rising columns, killing them from the impact.

As the columns disappeared, and the dead bodies began to fall, the figure quickly sheathed its two swords, and raised its hands towards the six remaining guards. From his fingers, just barely visible in the dim lighting, which grew dimmer as more soldiers were slaughtered, leaving less to light the room with firebending, four small dark darts launched at a blinding speed towards four of the guards. Each one found its mark, as each guard slumped against the opposite wall with fresh holes in their skulls. The figure then drew back the darts, converting them into a dark smoke as he did.

Only two guards remained, and their fates would be different. Alex singled out the elder one, the second in command after the departed leader, and he fired a large dark ball at him. As it engulfed the man, he screamed as he was shoved against the wall, the dark mass engulfing him like a net, pinning his arms and legs under it, like a spider's web. Beside him, the younger man paled, as he saw the figure step towards him from the darkness, only barely visible by the lone light from his open flame in his hand.

In panic, the soldier threw himself to the floor, and extinguished his flame, crying: "Please, don't kill me! I'll talk, I'll talk!"

In the pitch black, Alex's night vision made him the only person able to see, and as he looked at the cowering soldier, he felt a twinge of pity:

He isn't as devoted if he's giving up like this. I can't kill him if he's submitted.

From the darkness, the figure spoke in a demonic, yet understanding tone:

"You made the right choice. As you surrendered, I will not kill you, but you will also reveal your rebel secrets as your superior I spared also will."

In the darkness, the young man cried, and thanked the stranger: "Thank you, thank you! How can I demonstrate my gratitude for you sparing me?"

"As I said, reveal us rebel information in time with your superior. Oh, and also, open the windows so we can see. If you do try anything, I need only remind you that I only need one person for interrogation."

In fear, the younger soldier, ignited another flame, and headed to the sitting room windows, where he quickly opened the blinds and barring panels to flood the room with light again.

As the young man came back, he saw his superior officer still trapped in the dark cocoon, a purplish-black colour, and only allowed him to move his head. The figure it seemed was wearing a black and red lined outfit, a coloured tunic, pants, boots and jacket made to be the same colour. On his head rested a smooth black helmet, with a dark grey jaw structure beneath it. The figure pointed to the bound Gaang, and said in the same demonic voice: "Untie and un-gag them now." The man quickly obeyed, and set to work untying them. As each one was freed, they slowly rose to their feet, hugging each other in comfort at their ordeal, and at the sheer sight of seeing 11 men on the floor, horribly disfigured or resting in a pool of blood.

As the man untied Zuko, the last of the Gaang, he was enveloped in a dark tentacle, and roughly placed beside his officer on the wall, to be encased inside a similar dark cocoon next to him. His work done, the figure began to change. The Black and Red trimming of his outfit changed to black boots, brown pants and tunic and a green and yellow lined vest jacket. The helmet remained unchanged though, but was lifted off the figure's head, to reveal a brown haired youth, 18 years old, and to the Gaang, sporting a familiar cut on the left cheek and ruby red eyes.

As Alex folded up his helmet and bagged it, the doors to the sitting room burst open. Toph stormed into the room, followed by a handful of royal guards. Alex then announced: "Impeccable timing, Toph. We've 2 for the interrogators, and 11 for the morgue." At this, Alex carefully stepped towards the Gaang, avoiding a puddle of blood on the now ruined carpeting and floorboards. As the guards approached the two trapped men, Alex snapped his fingers, dismissing the cocoon, causing the men to fall to the floor, only to be seized by the guards. As they left, the head guard remained behind, and said: "We'll take them to a holding cell for interrogation." As he turned to leave, the other 3 guards met them at the door: "Sir, one of the intruders escaped, he disappeared into the city crowds."

"Damn." The head guard exclaimed. Aang then spoke to them: "We can find out who he was from those two." He nodded towards the two rebels, as they were dragged out of the room. Nodding, the head guard left the room, his men picking up the dead bodies before leaving to line them up outside in the courtyard.

When the guards left, Alex looked at the group, and became worried at their expressions. They were shooting him mixed looks, some of disgust, fear or gratitude. However, he feared rejection again for his harsh methods, and became fearful that he had just ruined his new found friendship after just two weeks. He ran out into the courtyard, away from the room.

After Alex had left, Aang had collapsed onto the floor, gasping at what he had just seen him do: "How could he do such a thing?" Sokka recoiled from the blood stains, and said: "C'mon Aang, you can't say that after he saved all of us." Suki added: "Sokka's right, cruel or not he did save our lives."

Aang shook his head, and said quietly: "I know, but the way he struck them down, it was brutal. They didn't deserve it." Katara grabbed his shoulders, and pulled him up, saying: "Aang, you lived with monks who valued life, but he saved us by taking them out. And if anything, he looked hurt on the inside before he ran off, like he had no other choice."

Ursa then spoke up: "If I may, I can relate to Alex. I committed a villainous act for a noble purpose, he just did the same. Methods aside, we owe him our lives." They all nodded at this, and Zuko asked Toph: "Where is he now?" Feeling briefly, she said: "He's stopped in a nearby courtyard, with a little pond and a tree." Ursa then got up, and began to walk to the door, but not before gesturing to them all: "We should go and thank him, before he begins to think wrongly of us."

Alex sat under the shade of a cherry-blossom tree, the turtle duck pond off to his left side. He silently traced the long scar on his left cheek with his left hand, and held his reshaped helmet in his other hand. He sat deep in thought, sadness overcoming him as he began to silently mutter:

"I disgust them now. I brutally murdered 11 men in front of them. Why can't I now ever commit acts of good without committing vile deeds anymore?"

Silently, he placed the helmet over his head, his tunic, trousers, jacket and boots also reverting to their dark matter coated black and red colours. As the world became visible through the visor, Alex became submerged in his own dark thoughts and memories, the mask helping to hide his pained face.

Whenever he wore his mask and any outfit that went with it, he felt powerful, in control, and the comfort of his own power. He felt naked, weak and sad outside of it, as the world could view him as a monster for just being him, not for becoming a monster in order to protect them, sacrificing his own image to protect them.

In his mask, he felt safe, free from pain, sorrow and anguish.

Ursa led the group towards a nostalgic spot, where she and Zuko would often spend afternoons feeding the turtleducks during his childhood. As she approached, she caught sight of a black boot from around the other side of the tree, right beside the pond.

Approaching him slowly, Ursa rounded the tree, and found herself staring at not the normal Alex, but the black and red masked person he had become in combat. Although now, instead of standing strong, proud and intimidating, he was slumped over, one leg drawn up to his chest, his helmet resting against it. He breathed in very shallow breaths, and took barely any notice of her as she approached. As the rest of them rounded the tree, they were surprised to see him back in his combat suit again.

As Ursa gently reached a hand out to him, she retracted it slightly as his shoulder began to shimmer with some of the dark aura he so wielded. Slowly, his masked head tilted up to look dead ahead, and he said in the same demonic voice, though with sadness laced in its tone: "You despise me now don't you? Because I acted like a monster and slaughtered those men?"

As he finished, Katara stepped forwards and tried to consolidate him: "No, we just want to-" Alex stood up slowly, and said as he rose: "Don't say it. I don't want to hear the words I've heard so many times now. I try to help people, I save lives, protect people by using my own, apparently brutal ways, and they reject me. They reject me because I'm an inhuman monster in their eyes, one who bends the shadows and is thus cast into the shadows in disgrace. They take my help, and then they hate me for how I went about giving them help." As Alex recollected, he was telling the truth of his thoughts, as he felt exactly the same about those people he helped in the UIP and the Alliance in both lives, before he was manipulated into doing less favourable missions.

Suki then stepped forwards, and said to him: "It sound like you have at least one thing in common with us then. You wish to help people, protect them right?"

Alex nodded stiffly, still focused on the grass beneath him, his mask obscuring the pain in his eyes. Sokka then finished for Suki:

"If you want to help people as best you can, then go for it. Don't let what people think of you stop you from doing what's right. You just saved all of us back there, when we would have probably died. You're definitely not a monster to me."

Aang then stepped forwards, an apologetic tone in his voice: "I'd like to say I'm sorry. I was raised by monks to cherish all life. But it is my lifestyle, and I won't force it on anyone else. If your way of dealing with enemies like those you just killed saved us, then I'm forever grateful to you."

As if he was sighing in relief, Alex's clothes reverted to their original brown, green and yellow state. He then carefully removed his helmet, and folded it up into his pocket bag. He then turned around to the group and got on his knees: "You have no idea what this means to me. You are the first people to accept me for who I am and what I do. Please, if you will, let me help you in keeping peace."

Zuko placed a hand on his shoulder, and said: "I would be honoured to have you to help us keep peace."

For the next half hour, Alex and the group relaxed in the same courtyard. Zuko had invited Mai over to the turtleduck pond, where he sat with his her and his mother with a small loaf of bread in his hands.

"I see why you two spent so much time here. It really is peaceful." Said Mai, as she fed a small turtleduck baby a piece of bread.

"Yep, just like old times." Zuko said, as Ursa wrapped an arm around his shoulders, feeding another turtleduck with her other hand.

In another area of the courtyard, Sokka and Suki sat under another tree, holding each other close. Suki said to her boyfriend: "That was a really sweet thing for you to say to Alex. He really looked like he needed it."

Sokka then kissed Suki on the lips, and said: "I'm just being the nice guy that I am."

Suki blushed as she looked into his blue eyes: "Yes, you are my nice guy."

It was then Sokka pulled away, and said: "Suki, I wanted to do this earlier, but the attack really caught me off guard. So I just wanted to ask if you would let me, er, well, here."

He dug a necklace out of his pocket, a blue ribbon with a single round stone, carved with marking of ocean waves, the symbol of the water tribe, and an overlaying set of two fans, the symbol of Kyoshi Island. Suki began to tear up, and asked: "Sokka, is this-?"

"Suki, I've known you for two years now, and I've never met any other girl like you before that I've loved as much, and I want to be yours forever. Will you marry me?"

A few seconds passed, and the Suki slowly took the necklace from Sokka's hand, and said in an increasing voice: "Yes, yes, YES!"

Hearing Suki's joyful screams, Aang and Katara broke apart from their comfortable position on the grass, and Zuko, Mai and Ursa looked over at the happy couple in surprise.

Finally, Toph roughly nudged Alex awake, hitting him in the chest, the latter having fallen asleep under the sun. He bolted upright, and jerked to look at Sokka and Suki, who by now had tackled her boyfriend in a passionate kiss. Katara asked excitedly: "What happened?" Suki broke the kiss, and said: "SOKKA PROPOSED TO ME!"

Katara squealed in excitement, and Aang joined her in running over to congratulate the newly betrothed couple. Zuko and Mai rose up, glad that there was one other wedding besides their own on the way now, and Ursa looked on like anyone would, beaming at the sight of new love fully blooming.

Toph had too ran up to Sokka, and said: "Alright Sokka, about time you did it!"

Alex rolled over and jumped up, walking over to join in the celebration, happy for the new couple, and silently hoping that he could be in Sokka's position one day.

A mere half hour ago, he had been embroiled in fears of being abandoned again due to his brutality. But he had been proven wrong, now knowing he had now fully established himself. And now, he was privileged to experience one of life's greater joys, the emergence of new love into the world.