Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN THE RIGHTS FOR BEN 10 OR AVATAR THE LAST AIRBENDER. THEY BELONG TO THEIR RIGHTFUL OWNERS.

XXXVII: Breaking Barriers

Zs'Skarion twirled in the air and zipped through the blue fiery beam like a bullet through water and smashed his massive, bony fist straight at Azula's face forcing her to scrunch up and her teeth to explode from her mouth. Zs'Skarion slammed a powerful kick to her chest knocking wind and a chip of her lung out of her air; the initial blow blew her through the wall like candy. A very pissed off Zs'Skarion stormed towards her. Azula, not willing to give up got back up wanted to send a double shockwave of electricity down his throat only to discover that her bending was now weak.

"Struck you at your vulnerable spot where your chi is more concentrated at!" He through another punch to her head fracturing her skull, an uppercut towards her lower jaw, grabbed her from the ankles in midair and smashed her body through concrete leaving a gaping hole. Azula tried to escape but Zs'Skarion just kept beating her and beating her until she was nothing but a bloody pulp. Finally, he threw her back to the throne room through a concrete wall.

Azula was on the floor bleeding immensely. The pain she felt was unbearable. It was unimaginable and retarded. Her bones were broken, her bruises developed bruises—her own blood has now become her tattoos. Getting up was next to impossible.

"GET UP!" he screamed to the top of his voice, shaking and wanting to lash out more pain to her. He damaged every part of her body all except for her stomach which adds more to her pain.

"Yes sir," Azula shook trying to stand but her body won't let her. Zs'Skarion grabbed her by the shoulder causing her to cry out in agony.

"No one strikes me. NO ONE strikes me. You understand," he said.

"Please don't hurt me…don't kill me," Azula pleaded. Zs'Skarion mocked her plea.

"I want to kill you. But I can't. You are so important," he said with a fatherly smile caressing her cheeks as his body shrunk down to normal, "I thought you said that you will die for this man. Turns out that I was wrong. You don't love him. You HATE him. The same kind of hate that I share for the twat that kept me imprison here all of my life!" he growled, squeezing her chin, "I can make the pain go away. Those dark inducing memories, those confusing emotions you had. I can eradicate them all."

"They…were…they…were…not horrible," she said, "I-I-I was. I was wrong. He taught me things. Showed me things. You're wrong."

"Oh and what has he brought to you that you have not sent yourself?" he asked.

"Hope," she said.

"Hope? Okay. Did hope save your friend from being crisped? Did hope save you from my wrath? Did hope feed you? Clothed you? Secured you in any kind of way from me? Matter a fact how do you know Ben is coming for you? How do you know? Is your precious Hope God going to come to Ben threaten him at gunpoint and say, 'Go to Azula or else I will put one in your head?' Because if that is that hope you are wishing for then that means you are doing more harm to him then you ever have. And going back to the whole I will die for him bullshit, hm? You just begged me not to kill you even though you said that and I quote, "You will die for him". Hypocrisy what's that, princess? Because clearly you are the queen of hypocrisy? Clearly you are. You don't love him. You HATE him. And I admire you."

"I do love him."

"Oh do you now?" he asked, "Then why is he out there and you are still here suffering? He can transform into JetRay and come here anytime he wants to. He knows where we are! Where is he now? Possibly home taking a swig at a pub somewhere with his buddies watching the tele while on the bog pissing at your face with his wee wanker. You love him but…does he love you?"

"He does love me."

"Prove it. Where is he?"

She said nothing.

"Tell me. Where is he?"

"He's not here," tears streaming down her face.

"Of course he's not," he said, "Because he told you to go fuck yourself huh? After that lie and the cost of the life of his beloved. He loved Ty Lee more than you."

"Stop it. Please," Azula cried.

"But don't cry. I can make it better," he said.

"Leave me alone."

"I won't leave you alone. You are my queen. And together we shall rule the Earth. You will rule as my queen and you may do as you wish. That is my exchange to you. All you have to do for me is to submit."

"I-I-I…I will follow you whatever you need…my King," she said.

"Good Girl," he said.

Azula was in the bathhouse as the King's guards suspended her two feet from the bath, her arms and legs spread in two columns in chains. It was as if she was being crucified. In fact it was like she was being crucified. The bathhouse was dark only lit up by a few candles. The guards left leaving a suspended Azula, naked to bare the elements.

It was a trying afternoon inside the giant green plane of the Rustbucket III. The Avatar Gang, still enthused on the contraption's design and technology quickly adapted to the conditions – all except for Aang who could not cope with all of this. He and Gwen however shared a sibling bond with each other. Gwen told Aang that she was just as spiritual as him and also told him her adventures with her cousin and boyfriend. Aang was enthused that she could open a portal to the Spirit World on her own – and yet confused. Gwen had no idea what the Spirit World was or even looked like.

"I could show you some of the books I had in the Southern Airtemple if you like…well after this whole war and such," he said earning Gwen's smile.

"Hey, we will win. You see," she reassured earning Aang's small smile.

As Gwen and Aang continued meditating together, Ben sat by the window watching the clouds pass by him. Ty Lee who was done wrestling with Kevin saw a sad Ben looking outside.

"Ben?"

Ben ignored her. She pouted and suddenly had an enthralling idea…annoying him!

Ty Lee sat next to him making imitations of a drum while patting his head. Her idea of annoying was working! It was actually annoying him! But her goal was for him to laugh not to get angry. He angrily swept her hand from his head.

"I'm not in the mood," Ben said.

"Aww come on! Don't tell me that…"

"Tell you what?" Ben asked, "It's because of me that everything came out the way it is. You almost lost your life and Azula…I don't know."

"But I'm alive aren't I?" Ty Lee asked.

"Well yeah but…"

"Nothing is your fault, Ben," she said, "You were just in a crossfire that's all. Now the Ben I know won't sit there while his friends watch Toph and to Kevin get at it – again…mainly Kevin. Toph was annoying him to no end," she chuckled, "We will win this war, Ben. Rather you participate in this fight or not, we will still fight. Not just for balance and peace…but for freedom. Ben, besides the Avatar, you brought back hope for the Fire Nation. Rather you give it up or not, I will still hold on to that hope. The Ben I know won't sit there and watch some clouds twirl in the air while he is here in woe. I know about Julie and even she won't like to see you like this. You are stronger than he is…all you have to do is prove it," Ty Lee said upping Ben's spirits.

Ben smiled and hugged her tightly with just as much force she had on him hours back, "Choking…not breathing!"

Ben opened his eyes and flushed.

"Sorry," he said, "But you are right. Enough with the moping. I started this fight and now I'm ending it."

"What you say? I want to hear again!" Ty Lee yelled.

"I started this fight and now I am ending it!" Ben yelled standing up, "I am Ben 10! – the barer of the Ultimatrix, the one who stopped the Hybreed Invasion, and stopped Vilgax: the Conqueror of Worlds! You are right Ty Lee! It's time for me to take back what's mine!" Ben yelled in pride once more with Ship in his arms.

"Now that's the hero I know!" Ty Lee yelled.

"Hey! Ben 10!" Kevin yelled.

"Yeah Kev?" Ben asked.

"Give me a butter stick!" Kevin demanded.

"Wait what?" Ben was confused.

"Why can't you get your own butter stick? Matter a fact why can't you get your own butter stick?" Ty Lee asked.

"Well Ms. Supergirl 2.0, I would like to let you answer your own goddamn question!" Kevin said while being laughed at by the entire crew as Toph had literally glued him to the floor as she resumed kissing him nonstop.

The Rustbucket Three finally arrived to the once famed city known for its patriotic freedom and seat of the free world. They passed the tilting, vine-infested Washington monument as they approached the rusted green, breast-shaped hill over yonder passed the swampy mall, "The U.S Capitol". Beyond that was a stone arch hovering below a system of large white ships.

The Avatar Gang awed at its sight, they can't believe that they never heard of this place before. This was what its left after 200,000 years.

"Welcome to the Home of the Brave – or for what's left," Kevin said piloting the plane lower as they got closer to the capitol.

"What is this place?" Aang asked.

"Washington DC," Gwen said, "After 200,000 years."

…

They landed at the camp nearest to the formerly abandoened building. The Camp, "Base 9" was populated by the remaining force of the Water Tribe and Earth Kingdom refugees as well as some extraterrestrial counterparts, particularly the Hybreed and the Galvan helping the humans build a jump gate to Ben's Earth.

The Gaang were in awe for what they saw. They never seen a place like this before. Vines were everywhere, rivers and lakes reclaimed their territories. It was a swamp with all its pond, streaming beauty.

"Kids!" Balto said making Katara and Sokka to run to their dad and cry in his arms. Suddenly, men wearing white garb led by an unusual old man with green eyes who was crazy in the face. And a surprising guest.

"Haha! Aang how's it to you?" Bumi yelled.

"Bumi!" Aang and Bumi shared a hug.

"Ben?" Ty Lee said trying to wake him up from the excitement he was getting. Ty Lee turned around to see what he was seeing that was so enthralling. Was it the city? No. Was it the Jump Gate? Not really. It was someone special.

Walking towards him was an old man wearing a black and white bodysuit with a rifle sheathed on his back. He was in his late sixties and was slightly bigger than what he once was. His smile was an all sorts of welcoming.

"Hi there, Ben!" Max greeted in his soft voice.