Chapter 11:

Destiny

Today was the day. The day she would perform in front of the whole Fire Nation. They were going to stage a mock fight between her and Zuko, Katara, Toph and Aang. She was to fight one by one, fighting them with their natural bending. She wasn't worried about fire, earth or water, but thinking about having to bend air when it was the one that gave her the most trouble made her worry she would make a fool out of herself in front of the whole Nation.

She kept telling herself that no matter what, Zuko loved her, and they were going to marry even if the people here didn't want them to. She would be with him, her crush on him when she was little didn't fade during the years apart, if anything it made her more fond of him when they met up again. She saw him in a different light now. A softer light, one that made him glow in happiness. She never saw him smile like he does now, and he looked amazing.

Staring down at her normal Fire Nation wear that her mother had given her, she couldn't help but think about all the time she spent almost cursing this outfit for all the wrong it did in her life. But, after Katara and patched it up and she had gone through so much, it felt only reasonable that she would wear it today. She preferred this as her fighting outfit, it was free flowing, and they couldn't really guess where her arms were, so they had to focus on her body.

She was stalling. She knew she was trying any way to bide her time before she would have to be out there, in front of so many people. She was excited to actually spar against Zuko. While they had trained together, they never shot at each other and she wanted to know who needed the most work on their Firebending. The smile that covered her face stayed there as she walked to the stage in which she would fight the four Nations.

Zuko stood at one end, he had just finished announcing how he was going to prove that the girl he was engaged to was none other than Avatar Aloria. She was surprised to see that there were people of all Nations here. Hakoda and Bato, King Bumi, her father, Master Pakku, and so many others waved happily at her as she took her stance at the other end of the stage.

They bowed to each other, and moved forward, till they met in the middle. Circling each other they sized up each other like an actual battle. They took note of places they didn't defend well, or how their feet were placed. What move could throw them off, or what move would make them gain the upper hand. Suddenly, she smiled and that egged Zuko on. He made the first move.

His flame shot past her head, and she quickly attacked, not using bending. She tripped his feet out from under him, and within second, she was sailing through the air backwards. His foot print was plain to see in the middle of her chest. Using her Firebending, she regained her balance in mid-air and landed on her feet. She smirked, and charged him.

Old habits die hard, she clothes line him with her right arm. When he stood, she blasted him and he went flying almost off the stage. Using his fire with his feet he quickly tackled her to the ground. She gained upper hand and jumped backwards off him. Suddenly it was like a dance between two fires, one blue and one red. They mixed and exploded often as they shot fire for fire.

Finally, she got up close and personal with her fire, using a technique no one had seen before. Her body danced in blue flame, as she ran the flame looked like a dragon swirling around her. When she got close, the flame centered on her left hand and she palmed him right in the chest.

Stunned silence was everywhere. She had just won and probably really hurt Fire Lord Zuko.

She simply smiled, cocked her head to the side, "I'll have to teach you that one."

"Yeah," Zuko nodded dumbly at having been beaten without any real serious wounds, "Could that attack actually…"

"It could kill you, or even me, if I wasn't properly in control. I've been master the move for years, so there was nothing to worry about."

Zuko still shocked left the floor, and Katara stepped up to the plate. Water suddenly splashed and covered the stage which both girls promptly froze to keep it there to use it. The whole stage was like one big ice rink. Aloria sized her up. She had never fought Katara, and it would be fun to see what it's like to fight someone who had put up a good fight against Master Pakku with almost no training.

Neither wanted to be the first to make a move, but when Aloria's eyes became hooded and she smiled seductively at Aang, Katara couldn't help the anger and she attacked first. This fight was harder to see, as they used the ice to move around, and gain ground. There were places where they would completely disappear and reappear somewhere else. Katara used all she had, spikes, water whip, everything but she seemed to know the counter attack for everything.

A smirk came to Aloria's face, she unfroze the water, and in seconds it was gone, before Katara could freeze it back in place.

"Let's see how good of a water bender you are without water around," Aloria chuckled.

Aloria knew that all the benders relied too much on their bending, so her best way of winning was to get up close. They would get nervous and back down, or she would get the upper hand because fighting up close is what she was taught to do all her life, even when she was a true Firebender from the Fire Nation. Water surrounded Aloria, but she wasn't concerned, she would be able to break it if she wanted to.

Suddenly she sprung from her cage and attacked Katara head on. She didn't have time to bring up a defense, so when Aloria's hand pushed her chest hard and made her fall backwards she wasn't ready for it. The fight was over before it had even really begun. At least Zuko had gotten more than five minutes time with her. Frowning at her lack of skills in up close combat, she promised herself she would at least take lessons from Sokka if she had to.

Before Toph came down to fight, they placed as much earth on the stage as possible, besides, the fight would be pointless if Toph couldn't see because the stage is wood. Toph using her feet to see was more in tuned with her up close attacks. She knew which way she was coming from and could do the proper thing to stop her. It was entertaining.

Aloria tried to refrain from using Earthbending as much as possible. Toph could see that just as well as looking at the ground, so it was best for her to use the earth to toss her in the air, and not go as high or as far as the moments of the ground would suggest to throw Toph off. Finally after thirty minutes of none stop prancing and dodging, Aloria found her opening, and used the ground to jump.

She landed right on Toph, who was too shocked to do much of anything beside blink.

"I'm sorry, did I hurt you," Aloria asked helping Toph up.

"Not at all, just shocked me really," Toph smiled.

The earth was removed and Aang and Aloria stood face to face in the middle of the wooden stage. Aloria and Aang smiled at each other, and nodded like they were actually talking without moving their lips, and in a way they were. They knew that no matter who came out the victor, they would be happy to still be friends, even if it would kinda sting at getting one's butt kicked.

It started off slow, a little bit of Airbending here, and there, pushing each other around the stage without any intentions of trying to win. Neither seemed in a rush to try attacking harder, but when they got into close quarters, Aloria took her chance and attacked Aang. Her hand smashed hard into his right cheek, and that's when it got serious.

He began to air punch at her; he landed a few hits, driving her backwards. Skidding to a stop, she used her air feet and quickly charged at him once more. They were like a blur; all people could hear was the sound of a fist making contact with flesh, over and over again. Finally they stopped staring each other down. He was by far the strongest she had fought, but it wasn't going to stop her from trying.

Water froze around her fist moments before it connected with his chest, knocking the wind out of him. He recoiled, but he still got her with fire. The wound was healed in seconds, and she charged him again. This time, it was personal. She stopped about a foot away and lifted her hands. Suddenly blue lightning was all around her, and she pushed it towards Aang who gladly shot it right back. Not making it in time, it slammed hard into her chest tossing her all the way to the other end of the stage.

She didn't move, or make a sound, as she laid there on the stage, her eyes closed. Aang raced forward and checked to see if she was hurt, and indeed she was. Her whole stomach was scorched badly, right where the blade had entered her side. He could see the faint scar that was left from the whole ordeal. The frown on his face only grew bigger. He never expected the upper cut straight to his chin.

He flew backwards and landed on his back, his head dizzy at such a hard punch. Aloria sat up cringing; while holding her side, but she couldn't help by laugh even though it caused the pain to almost triple. Her laughter caused tears to spill down her face.

"I told Sokka the same thing. Number one rule in fighting, you never drop your guard, no matter who you're fighting."

The gaang laughed loudly as Aang sat up, a goofy grin on his face. He was just bested by the oldest trick in the book, and he was still happy. Now, hopefully the Fire Nation would accept that she is Aloria, and Zuko wasn't denying himself the time to grieve because he had her right there, and he could love her again.

Katara ran over and began healing right away, but she knew it would take a long time before it would heal. It was on such a bad spot, and the pain probably wasn't going to get much better, no matter how she tried. She frowned, wishing Aloria wouldn't have played with lightning, or Aang would have directed it at the sky instead of her, but it was their fight, and Aloria never complained about being hurt.

Using a lot of strength Aloria stood up and walked to Zuko's side, who was smiling proudly at her. She stood her ground and proved to the Fire Nation who she was and she didn't nervously back down, or try to run away. She faced it with pride and smiled happily at him. His smile faded when he noticed the burn, and where it was.

"Don't worry, I'll be okay."

"I came to you on the day of my coronation and I spoke of Aloria's death. We had believed her to be dead, but surprisingly enough the spirit water had actually worked. While she lost her memories, and it took her a great deal of time to find them again. She is here with us."

The year pasted quickly, and soon Zuko and Aloria were wed. Shortly after Aang and Katara, and Sokka and Suki had wed as well. Their lives were quiet. Zuko agreed that as often as he could, he and Aloria would travel to Ba Sing Se to spend time at Iroh's tea shop.

It was years later and Aloria had given him two children, a boy and a girl. Aang and Katara had also had children; they had three, two boys and a girl. Sokka and Suki on the other hand were trying their hardest not to have children yet, they were still exploring the world.

It was a quiet day in Ba Sing Se, when suddenly a rebellion of Fire Nation solders that had once fought on Ozai's side, attacked. When the battle was over, Aloria was devastated to find Aang and Katara had both been murdered.

It would eight months later, when Aloria birthed another daughter, and found that this child was the new Avatar on Aang's side. She and Zuko were already raising their first two, along with Aang and Katara's three, now they had the added weight on their shoulder's to teach the new Avatar that ways of bending.

Luck seemed to be on their side, because the only teacher their child would need was Aloria.

The End

A/N: This story was one of the best to write! I finally rid myself of my writers block and I completed my first ever story. I might write a sequel, but for now I'm focusing on Unbelievably Thinkable, a story about Draco and Ginny & Bella and Blaise. I started it eight long months ago and I think its due time that I finally finished it! I thank everyone who read this story and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I loved writing it!