Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar or anything associated with it except my fanfiction.

Toph and Iroh came in. "Sugar Queen, Snoozles, Twinkletoes, it's been forever!" and "It is good to see you all again." emanated throughout the room.

While Aang, Sokka, Suki, and especially Ty Lee eagerly rushed to hug the arrival of their friends, Katara simply smiled. "Yeah, it's good to see you Toph. And you too Iroh."

Both Toph and Iroh were giving hugs - well, Toph was at least bearing them - when they heard Katara speak. They froze, and before anyone could say "flying bison" they shook off the arms of Sokka and Aang, and Toph promptly bended Katara to the wall with earth shackles while Iroh held two fire whips at her throat.

Katara screamed. "What are you doing? What have I even done? What is wrong with you Toph-"

Toph earthbended a gag and stuffed it into Katara's mouth. "Shut up," Toph snarled. "I can see right through you - and I'm blind! Seriously, with what gall can you ask us what's wrong with us when clearly the one who's off is you?"

"Hey, uh... Toph. Tea Guru. What exactly is going on here?" Sokka bravely brought up through Katara's muffled grunts and withering glare.

Toph snorted. "She was lying when she said it was good to see me and Iroh. I didn't believe it at first, but I don't think her reaction to or reunion was genuine. And also, I detected something pointy and made of metal hiding on her body."

Iroh agreed. "Her body language is not what it usually is. It is like a different person has taken her mind. As to the concealed something, here." Iroh held up a tainted knife while Katara glowered at them all. "This is a knife tinted with the deadly Red Jade poison, perfect for swiftly assassinating its victim. My father consumed a similar poison to this when he died. Based on the fading color, I would guess that she has been meaning to use it for a long time."

Ty Lee was taken aback. "I mean... that would explain why her aura's been so weird lately," she admitted.

Sokka widened his eyes. "Wait. That doesn't make any sense at all. Katara would never do that. She'd never want to hurt or kill anyone, especially when she's in full control of herself. And she'd never spontaneously change her 'aura' with her own free will. Did the Dai Li..." he was too scared to finish his question.

"Yes, Snoozles," Toph said. "Sugar Queen's been brainwashed."

"Since when?" Aang asked.

"Well, I'd assume some time when she wasn't with you guys and got unlucky and got caught. When was that?" Toph asked, removing the gag from Katara's mouth.

"But... that was ages ago... she went out on her own to the market..." Aang widened at the implication of what he was saying. "So all those intimate moments we almost had... those were attempts of her...?"

"Intimate moments? Jeez Twinkletoes, way to drag your life's oogies for us to experience!" Toph ribbed sarcastically, then said "Sorry. I couldn't hold it in," after everyone glared at her for joking when something so serious was happening. "What were you doing, Katara?" Toph said with uncharacteristic softness. "Were you trying?..."

"To kill that worthless Avatar," Katara sneered, shooting daggers at was supposed to be her boyfriend. "And I would've done it a hundred times by now, if it wasn't for that watertribe filth over there!" She jerked her head angrily at Sokka.

"Technically, someone can only die once, so scientifically that's impossible. Actually wait. The Avatar has multiple reincarnations, so maybe it is possible to kill Aang a hundred times..." Sokka rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"Silence!" Katara glared at her brother.

Suki finally overcame her shock and said something. "Oh Spirits, Katara... what has Azula done to you?"

"Shown me the true path, my true calling," Katara snarled. "And that is to support her rise in power and to crush any who oppose her, especially the Avatar!"

Sokka was cowed by his brainwashed sister's outburst. "Y'know, Aang... after this, I... don't think... I'll leave you alone with her... anymore, if only for... your safety."

"And I don't think I can protest that, Sokka," Aang said meekly.

Toph's reaction was to simply slap Katara on the face, and everyone flinched at the loud sound the contact made. "Shut up, Sugar Queen! That's not you talking! At least now we have definite proof that Azula's implicated in this. I mean, who else calls Sokka and normal Katara 'watertribe filth?'"

Katara widened her eyes at giving this information away, and then sagged in resignation. When she looked up again, however, her eyes were filled with determination. "You are all fools. Azula has very kindly and thoughtfully shown me the truth, a truth I hated but have come to accept. She is my master, and soon will be yours, and she will reclaim her place as the rightful Firelord!"

Sokka cleared his throat, and everyone turned to face him. "Umm... about that Firelord thing... isn't it supposed to be Fire...'Lady?'"

Katara narrowed her eyes. "You better take care to shut your trap, trash, or maybe I won't put in a good word with Firelord Azula after she has burned the world to ashes." Her eyes widened at this further slip.

Sokka sighed. "Azula must have really done a number on you, sis. You've never acted this way to me, not even if you were angry at me! We're watertribe siblings, family is important! And you've forgotten all of that! By the way, we already kind of figured out everything behind your back, because we stopped completely trusting you after a while."

Toph punched Sokka. "You even found out the brainwashing part?"

"YES! I mean, er... NO!" Sokka yelped as Toph looked threateningly at him with unseeing eyes.

Katara sneered and spat at Sokka. "Filth. I am higher than you, more worthier than you, because I have found my place in the world and my true calling as the Firelady's slave. You trash - all of you unworthy scum - don't even deserve to speak to."

"Firelady," Iroh pointed out softly. "You said 'Firelady.'"

Katara blinked, and everyone, save Katara, all shared a furtive, hopeful look. They'd finally revealed a small crack in the impenetrable dam of Katara's indoctrination. Aang finally walked up to Katara. "Katara... you don't remember us?"

"How could I forget you all?" Katara snapped. "Fools who attempted to stop the inevitable destiny of my master. Scum that-"

"You were on our side when we did that, Katara," Aang said softly, and Katara shut her mouth in confusion and derision. "Do you really not remember anything we did together? The kisses?-"

"That I rejected?" she shot back.

"The jokes?-"

"That I hated?"

"The memories?-"

"That are fake?"

"-Not even the moment when I died?"

Katara, despite her growing hesitation in her responses, had maintained a despicable glare at Aang until his mention of the time he had died. Suddenly, without warning, she blinked and then her eyes widened, and she stiffened into a straight position. Everyone backed out of shock except for a knowing Iroh and a grinning Toph. "Looks like Sugar Queen's back in business, guys," Toph said. "Who knew she loved Aang so much?" she ribbed sarcastically, but no one laughed, and she hung her head. "Sorry guys, I know. Not the right time."

"-Aaahhh!" Katara finally cried out. Then she blinked and took in her surroundings. "W-where... am I? Why am I stuck to the wall? And why is Iroh holding firewhips at my throat?"

Everyone looked at each other in shock, except for the calm and composed Iroh.

"You are in Omashu, fair lady," began Iroh, "And we are waging war with Azula."