21- S16 : Crashers
Inside the adults were also dispersing. Toph and Sokka had snuck out of the party over an hour earlier and made their way to their room in the guest wing. Aang and Kyu's father, General Kimoshi had gotten into some long drawn out conversation about politics in the courtyard while Katara and Kimoshi's wife, Ling, shook their heads and talked about how their husbands always did this. Zuko was still in the ballroom, talking to Jin.
"I'm surprised you remember the lights, I'm surprised you remember my days as Lee."
"No girl forgets her first kiss," Jin smiled, "especially when she finds out later that it was with a prince."
Zuko smiled and rubbed the back of his neck, "Yeah, I'm sorry I lied to you, both times."
"Oh yes, your circus friend! I see she's doing well."
Zuko smiled a bit, "I suppose so."
"Your daughter is absolutely beautiful. She must look like her mother." Zuko's face contracted a bit, "Oh, no, that's not how I meant it." she said flustered, "I mean you're handsome, but she doesn't look like you, only her eyes."
Zuko smiled, "I know what you meant. She does look just like Suki." there was a bit of silence, and then, "So you think I'm handsome?"
She smiled, "I always have."
.~.
Kya saw the quick flash of fear that crossed Ursa's face, but then the Crown Princess put on a brave face. Without turning around she said, "Hello Grandfather. I thought the Avatar told you not to speak to me that way."
Kya looked at Ursa in confusion, then she looked at the outline of the man standing in the shadows. "Ozai?" she said in a hardened whisper.
"You say that as if I care what that simpering oaf has to say." Ozai bit back.
Ursa held on to her cool expression for dear life and turned around, "Grandfather, how is the Boiling Rock? I hear it's beautiful this time of year."
Ozai let out a sinister laugh, "Ah, but aren't you a smart mouthed one Little Bastard. Perhaps you are somewhat better than that concubine you had for a mother."
The young fire benders fear was replaced by a burning rage, "My mother was no man's whore! My father loved her! He still loves her!"
"Ah, the dreams of a child. Sadly the truth is that your precious mother was passed from the Water Tribe savage to my son. The Avatar may have had his turn if it wasn't for the water witch."
"That's not true!" both girls yelled as Kya moved to her friend's side.
Ozai noticed the symbols at Kya's hips, "Ah, one of the Avatar's bastards is here too. I suppose birds of a feather do flock together."
.~.
Kyu had the younger children halfway to the guest quarters when Lin stopped short, "Oh no." she said, holding one hand to her ear, "I dropped one of Grammy's earrings. I have to go back and get it."
"Okay," Kyu said, "Let's go back and find Lin's earring."
Tenzin groaned and Bumi rolled his eyes, "You don't have to," Lin said, "Kya and Ursa are still in the garden, they can help me."
Lin made her way back up the corridor and to the doorway leading to the garden. She slowed down when she heard a man's voice say, "birds of a feather do flock together." She noticed her friends standing in a defensive stance and she rushed to the door, when Kya saw her. She moved her hand ever so slightly and Lin caught the signal and stopped, before Lin could say anything Kya said, calmly, "Hello little girl. It's late. Why don't you go find your parents, I'm sure they're looking for you."
Catching on to Kya's hint Lin turned and walked calmly until she was out of sight, then she took off running. She crashed right into the boys who had turned around on Kyu's insistences.
.~.
"..I'm sure they're looking for you." Kya said to Lin
"Wise choice, "Ozai said, "Why put the blood of some poor little child on my hands just because she was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I only have to kill two tonight."
"Ozai, you won't be killing anyone tonight!" Kya yelled as she stepped forward.
"Ah, you're as spirited as your father, and beautiful. If I wasn't already spoken for I'd take you with me."
This time Ursa stepped forward, "You'll do no such thing!" she said as she formed a pair of broad swords of blue flame in her hands.
Her grandfather let out a huge, amused laugh, "You are a special little mutt, aren't you. You've inherited the blue flame. So you only look like that whore you call a mother, everything else is pure Fire Nation."
Ozai had pushed her trigger button again, Ursa charged at him while Kya drew water from a nearby fountain. Kya felt three fast jabs at her side as she fell, dropping her water. Before she could hit the ground she saw a blur of flying black hair and red cloth rush past her and do the same to Ursa, her swords disappearing as she dropped.
.~.
"What's wrong Lin?" Kyu asked as he helped the little girl up.
"There's a man, in the garden. Something's wrong because Kya pretended she didn't know me and she told me to go find my parents."
A cold feeling came over the young man, "It can't be." he said out loud, "Tenzin, go with Lin and tell every adult you see to come to the garden, Bumi, come with me."
.~.
The girls were unable to move as the stared up in amazement at Lady Mai, "It's a good thing I learned a little something from that ditz Ty lee, isn't it honey." she said, then she kissed Ozai.
Ursa pushed weakly off of the ground, "And you call my mother a whore?" she tried to send a ball of fire their way, but nothing came out, "Wh-What did you do to me?"
"I just blocked your chi so you can't bend for a little while. It's only temporary, but it will last long enough for us to take you out."
Ozai turned to Mai, "Dear, the little one is beautiful, couldn't we take her with us?"
Just then a blast of fire came out of the door and surrounded the girls. Bumi jumped through the flames, brandishing his swords, "Don't you DARE touch my sister you old perv!"
The flames died down and Ozai and Mai saw Kyu helping Ursa to her feet with Kya standing behind them.
"Well well, if it isn't the Rat. This is just a regular little reunion." he turned to Bumi, "and you must be another one of the Avatar's mutts."
"We're not mutts," the preteen smirked, "I prefer to think of us as a new breed," and he charged the couple.
As Bumi ran towards then, Mai flashed past him and headed straight to Kyu. "Kyu, don't let her get near you, she knows chi blocking." Kya warned.
He shot quick burst of flames at Mai and jumped backwards. Mai was so busy concentrating on catching Kyu that she didn't notice Ursa jump up. She punched the woman, knocking her out of midair. As soon as the princess's feet hit the ground, Mai threw her stilettos, pinning the tail of Ursa's dress to the ground. She ran up to the birthday girl and held one of the knives to her throat, "If Ozai didn't insist on killing you himself, I'd do it right now."
Ursa pushed Mai's hand away and shoved her to the ground. A wall of flame came up between them. She ripped the edge of her gown, pulling away from the knives and charged back at Mai.
On the other side of the yard Ozai had his hands full with the siblings from Air Temple Island. As agile as he was for a man of his age, he could not dodge the children. It took all the energy he had to back away from the blades that he took quite a few blows from the young lady he found so beautiful.
.~.
"We need to get back out there before anyone starts looking for us." Toph said with a smile as she rolled out from under Sokka's arms. She pulled her dress from the headboard where she'd put it to keep it from wrinkling. She pulled it over her head.
"Aw, come on, who'd be looking for us tonight?" he asked. She smiled and slid down off of the bed. Her expression changed as soon as her feet touched the ground. "What's wrong?" Sokka asked sitting straight up.
"Something's wrong," she answered, "Lin and Tenzin are running this way, and they're upset. And something's going on in the garden, I just can't quite tell what." With that, she ran into the hall to meet the children.
"What's going on?" she asked.
"Mom, there's a man, in the garden. I think he's a bad guy because Kya pretended that she didn't know me."
Then Tenzin spoke, "Kyu and Bumi went to help. Kyu told us to bring help, but you're the first person we found."
Sokka slid out of the room just in time to see Toph lift her foot and plant it firmly on the floor.
"Oh no," she said and turned to Sokka, "The kids are fighting Ozai ads Mai." Sokka's mouth flew open, "Tenzin, your folks are in the courtyard, go get them now, Lin, go get Zuko from the ballroom."
The kids obeyed immediately and Toph and Sokka headed down the long hall toward the garden.
.~.
Katara saw her youngest run into the courtyard, "Ten? Tenzin, what's wrong?" Aang, the general and his wife turned their attention to the boy.
"Mother, there's a man. Aunt Toph said it's Ozai."
"Ozai?" Aang stepped up, "Where is he son?"
"In the garden."
The four instantly ran into the palace, Aang and Tenzin using air bending to speed ahead of the group.
.~.
"Uncle Zuko!" Lin said as she burst into the ballroom, "Ozai's in the garden." She was in such a panic she didn't notice that Jin was in Zuko's arms.
Zuko ran out of the room without a word, Lin and Jin on his heels.
.~.
The battle in the garden was coming to an end. Bumi, growing tired of the former Fire Lord's constant remarks towards his sister and insults about their parents and their mixed race decided to end things.
"Shut up old man!" he yelled as he flipped over Ozai's head, landing on one knee behind him. Before Ozai could react the young man drew his sword across the back of the man's ankle, cutting his Achilles tendon.
"Ahhhhh!" Ozai screamed as the pain surged through his body and he fell to the ground. Mai, hearing her lover's cry, turned to where he was and motioned to draw more knives, but before she could move a stump of earth came up around her.
Toph and Sokka arrived just in time to stop Mai and survey the aftermath. The garden was almost destroyed and the four young ones who grew up in a time of peace had held their own against two adults who were raised on war.
"Kids, are you all okay?" Sokka asked, scanning them all.
"We're fine Uncle Sokka." Bumi said, "a little scratched up, but fine."
As Ozai lay grasping at his wound and bleeding, Kya, Bumi and Ursa sought comfort in Sokka and Toph's arms. They had trained all their lives to do so, but they had never really had to fight. "You kids did good." Toph assured them.
Aang and Tenzin were the next to come on the scene. The Avatar's children ran into his arms and he looked at them to ensure that they were okay. Kyu's parents and Katara were the next out of the door, the general and his wife running see about their son who, until then was standing to the side, watching the reunions with a smile. A few seconds behind them was Zuko.
Ursa ran to him, "Daddy, oh Daddy, I was so afraid." she said into his chest.
"It's okay, I'm here now," Zuko spoke into the top of his daughter's head, "Did he hurt you?"
"He said things, horrible lies about Mom."
Ozai hissed out his bitter words, still in pain, "I didn't lie. My idiot son married his Earth Kingdom harlot and now he's trying to give our kingdom to a half-breed bastard."
"Shut your mouth Ozai!" Zuko yelled, "how did you get away from the Boiling Rock?"
Ozai laughed, "You fool, for as long as I live there will be Fire Nation citizens who are loyal to me and the old ways. Isn't that right darling?"
"Darling?" Zuko said, then he focused on the woman trapped in the earth, "Mai? What the hell?"
Toph silently gagged a little and Sokka was openly disgusted.
"You helped him do this Mai? What could you have possibly gained from this?"
"I don't need to gain anything. Ozai is all I need."
Zuko gave Mai a pitying look, "Mai, don't you understand that he doesn't love anyone! He didn't love his own children! Don't you see that he's using you?!" He turned to his father, "So that's how you got in, you used her!"
"Yes, it was a rather ingenious plan if I do say so myself." Ozai gloated.
"What did you say?" Mai croaked, shooting Ozai nasty look.
Ursa spoke up, "Can't you hear! He used you!"
Ozai, still holding on to his smug demeanor, continued to taunt the young woman, "No matter where they send me, no matter what they do to me, I'll always come back. I will never let the child of a non-bending Kyoshi slut sit on my throne."
"Ozai! Don't you say another word against my daughter of my wife!"
"And what will you do if I do? You and the Avatar could've killed me long ago, but you didn't, and you won't now."
"Rrrrrahhh!" Zuko roared and sent a massive wall of fire to surround his father. Ozai just laughed.
"You're still a weakling! You could never hurt me!" he spoke through the flamed, "You'll never do anything to me and I'll keep coming back until I kill your little bastard and then you. I'll die an old happy man and my only regret will be that nature killed your bitch before I had a chance to."
That was the last straw, before anyone could react Ursa snatched Bumi's swords from his hands and leapt through the flames, "No! You die tonight!"
Zuko and Aang lowered the flames and they all gasped as they saw Ursa, standing behind Ozai with Bumi's swords crossed in front of his throat, tears of anger dripping from her face, "If you so much as breathe I'll cut your head off."
"Ursa," Zuko said as calmly as he could, reaching his hand out to his daughter, "don't do this. Don't let him take you to his level. You're better than that."
"No Daddy," she cried, "you heard him, he'll never leave me alone. He'll never leave us alone."
Kya stepped up, "Sister, no, please. Please don't do this. You'll be free of him, but you'll have to live with the knowledge that you killed someone and every birthday you have will be a reminder."
"I love you Kya, you know I do. You are my sister in all but blood so you know that I am not an Air Nomad. I am a Kyoshi, and Fire Nation, and THIS is how we handle things." she tightened her grip on Ozai's neck , breaking the skin, "This is how we settle things, isn't it Grandfather?"
Aang stepped cautiously toward Ursa, "Don't do this. We'll make sure that he'll never get away again, I promise, just don't do this Ursa. Please don't so this."
"Uncle Aang, I can't let him go."
"Please Ursa," Zuko said, also stepping forward, "Listen to us. We know what we're talking about. He'll never come after you again."
The two men stood on either side of the young woman, being careful not to force her hand because they knew that the slighted slip would result in his jugular being cut. "Give me swords," Aang said gently.
"Honey," her father said, "Listen to Aang. Give him the swords."
Everyone was so busy concentrating on Ursa, no one noticed Mai was chipping her way free.
"Let him go." Zuko whispered, gently cradling her in his arms. "Give then to Aang."
She lessened her grip in the swords and Aang quickly took them from her. She fell back into Zuko's arms, crying.
Before Ozai could complete his sigh of relief a stiletto buried itself into his head. He fell forwards without even gasping for air.
Everyone looked and saw that Mai had dug herself just free enough to throw a single stiletto. Tenzin and Lin buried their heads to their mothers as everyone else stood in shock. Jin looked only at Zuko who was holding on to his sobbing daughter and looked tearfully at his father.
"It's over now baby," he said, holding her tighter, "It's all over now."
.~.
Poor Ursa had a hell of a birthday night, didn't she...I wanted to make Ozai the nastiest scum there was, I hope I came close
most characters by Bryke
Kyu and his parents by Mary Kate