Authors note: I'm sorry for not updating in so long, I've been really busy. Well I hope you all enjoy. Please review.

Chapter Thirty-Seven

The Start

"So…I guess this is it."

Aang glanced around his company. Katara smiled his way as did Sokka. Toph gave a playful smirk and Uncle Iroh bowed. Ty Lee and Suki grinned to encourage him and Zuko...Zuko nodded.

"I'm ready…" he murmured.

Slowly Aang pulled the reins on Appa as the bison ascended to the air.

"Hey Aang…" Katara murmured, sitting next to Aang at the front of Appa, "How are you doing?"

"I'm scared…" he whispered, "if that's what you mean."

Katara smiled as Aang looked down.

"I don't know if I can do it Katara…"

"Aang, of course you can. You've mastered all the elements."

"But that's not all I need…I need courage, I need help…I need the Avatar State."

"Aang…I hate seeing you in the Avatar State…it scares me. You're stronger than it, you can win."

Aang glanced at Katara and grinned slightly, "Really, you think so?"

"I think…I'm sure. Come on, you've got courage, you've got help. You're more ready than you ever needed to be. You're going to do great, without the Avatar State."

"Maybe your right…I will."

Katara began to stand up but Aang quickly pulled her back down. She scanned over his face for a moment, wondering what he wanted.

"Katara…"

"Yes Aang?"

"There's something I need to tell you…"

"What is it?"

"Well, on this whole journey, going to the Northern Water Tribe, to Ba Sing Se, to this…there are some things I have noticed…between you and me."

Katara shrugged, "What?"

"Well…the thing is…I-I've grown to-I love you."

Katara gasped as her eyes when wide. A measly little crush was all she thought it was…finding out it was more…was more than she had ever expected

"Aang…I don't know what to say."

"I didn't think you would…"

"That's-that's not what I mean. It's just…I didn't expect-"

Her eyes grew even wider as her lips touched his. Katara had completely forgotten they were about to stop the war at all.

Departing from her Aang smiled with red cheeks as did Katara.

"I didn't either…" he whispered.

Katara smiled as Aang pulled at the reins as their trip grew closer and closer to the palace.

The two hadn't noticed Zuko's piercing eyes staring them down. He smiled for a moment put soon turned away. The love between the two only made him pain for her more.

Where was Mai? Had she been killed trying to stop her curse? Zuko didn't even know what to feel and his heart was beginning to fade away.

"Are you ready Nephew?"

Zuko quickly glanced up at his uncle as he sat beside him.

"As ready as I can."

"What does that mean?"

"It means I'm ready…"

"You miss her, don't you?"

Zuko just nodded as Uncle Iroh sighed.

"You know, when I was a little boy of about eight I wanted the rare Kanuso Cookie made for my mother's party. She said if I wanted one I would have to wait until the dinner party we were having that night. So I waited, my stomach pained for that cookie all day. When the party had finally started, I quickly grabbed the cookie and ran outside so my mother couldn't stop me. Well, just as I was about to eat the cookie, a little girl walked by. She was really skinny and she looked very hungry. I thought for a moment, seeing as this was the only Kanuso Cookie I was going to get for the night. After a few minutes, I slowly handed the cookie to the girl. She smiled for one moment and then ran away."

Zuko made a queer and awkward look at his uncle as he finished the story.

"Uncle, I have to ask…what does that have to do with me?"

Uncle Iroh grinned and then spoke softly.

"All day, all I could think was about that cookie. I thought of how I would eat it slowly and save some of it for the next day. But instead, instead of everything I thought would happen, I gave my cookie away and didn't have another Kanuso Cookie until I was ten."

"…I still don't get it."

"For awhile Zuko, my destiny was to eat that cookie. Yet in the next moment, my destiny suddenly changed. You've already seen destiny change in a minute…"

Zuko looked down in shame.

"You don't know if hers will change as well…you never know how much destiny can surprise and sometimes turn into something you wanted even more. I'm glad I didn't eat that cookie…I never would've known how much things can change for the better."

Uncle Iroh smiled as he walked away. Zuko watched the retired general return to Toph's side.

"Changing destiny for the better," he thought as the Fire Nation Palace came into view.

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Running corridor from corridor, Mai's black eyes killed those in her way. She knew exactly where she was going. When she walked through the door her arrival wasn't a surprise.

"Hello Mai," Azula said with an evil grin.

"Azula…"

"So you've come, have you, curse?"

"You have to stop."

"Stop what? I haven't done anything."

"Why did you stop searching for Zuko?"

"There were more important things at hand…stopping the Avatar's stupid invasion is one of them, oh and stopping you also."

"You can't stop me, you never could and you never will."

"Oh Mai, I'm the prophecy. My whole existence revolves around stopping you…as does the Fire Lords."

Mai looked down with a devilish grin as she span a dagger in her hand.

"Azula, you've worked your entire life to always have the upper hand. I can't believe you were so foolish."

"What do you mean?"

Mai smirked, her smile becoming more evil.

"Oh, you don't know. You and your father aren't the prophecy."

"Of course we are," Azula hastily replied, "The scroll from the catacombs clearly states that two royal Fire Nation heirs in this generation are to be the prophecies. If we stop you, the curse, we will win the war. Destiny has already said it Mai, it's beyond you now."

"Yes, it is beyond me…but did you ever stop to notice that you and the Fire Lord aren't the only people apart of the royal family."

"What?"

"Zuko and your mother…there the prophecy's…they have to stop me to stop war. It seems you and your father have misread the scrolls and now there is no more time. You've been wasting all of it trying to catch Zuko when persuading him was the thing you should have been doing all along. Are you sure you can stop this invasion? The Avatar is coming, trained in every element and your only hope, stopping me…is gone."

Azula eyes went wide and her smile disappeared. Mai beamed in the dark and her eyes slowly turned back.

"You foolish, foolish girl," she mocked, "You've planned out everyone else's destiny but your own. I'm beginning to think your losing your shine Azula…are you getting nervous now? You might want to get a few guards ready; the Avatar will be here any minute."

Azula breathed in deeply as Mai's black eyes turned to her.

"Zuko will stop you…" Azula whispered, "Besides, I'm far more trained than you. I can take you by my self."

"Oh…are you so sure about that?"

Mai stirred a single finger and Azula watched every single window in the room shatter to the ground. The princess began to breathe even harder as Mai moved another finger. With that, every single object cracked in two.

"Take me by yourself?" Mai teased, "I could kill you with one finger you insolent being. You've underestimated me too long. This war will stop and I will die…but not before you breathe your last breath!"

Mai lifted her hands to the air and she soared up to the air. In a matter of seconds she glided over to Azula, catching her in her arms. Mai pinned her against the wall, her eyes black with hatred.

"Finally…everything you've done will be justified."

To Mai's surprised though Azula didn't look scared. She was actually smiling.

"I don't think so…"

"Ah!"

Slowly Mai landed to the ground, falling in front of Fire Lord Ozai who's arm was in the air, still hot from the burning lightening.

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Authors note: Hmm…interesting. Well, please review.