Hello everyone!

I CANNOT tell you how much I enjoyed writing this chapter! I hope it's as exciting to read as it was to write! We're approaching the climax/end of this story arc, and I've enjoyed it indefinitely.

As always, comments are very much appreciated! I hope you enjoy!

-Aleviah

"Why is this so important?" Kiyi grumbled.

Zuko stared at her. "...Why?" He asked, astonished. "Kiyi, chi is how we live, how we bend - learning to understand it and be in tune with it is an important part of being a firebender."

Kiyi sighed, plopping down on the deck of the ship. They only had an hour left of traveling, if Zuko's calculations were right, and she was getting restless. "I still don't think you can teach me much." She huffed. "I'm a good firebender, I don't need your help."

Zuko tried not to be offended and sat down next to her. "Who's that earthbender on your team?"

Kiyi looked up, frowning. "Monuk?" She asked. "What about him?"

"Have you ever paid attention to his bending?"

Kiyi snorted. "No, why would I?"

"Because," Zuko folded his arms. "We can learn from other bending styles."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Zuko took a breath, willing himself patience. "You remember that move I taught you last night? The stance to redirect lightning?"

"Of course."

"Well, my uncle learned that from studying waterbenders."

Kiyi perked up. "Really?"

Zuko nodded. "We can use stances from other bending styles, too. It makes us more flexible. Watch-" He stood up, creating a flame in each hand that extended outward. He lashed the fire around like two whips that cracked over the side of the ship. Careful not to set the boat on fire, Zuko extinguished his spectacle and turned back to his sister, whose eyes were wide.

"Whoa, what was that!" She pointed, a grin spreading across her face. "Was...was that a waterbending move?"

Zuko folded his arms, smirking. "It sure was."

"Show me another one!"

"No," Zuko leaned against the side of the ship. "I want you to try. Think of another bending style, stances and moves you've seen people like Monuk use. Try to imitate them with your firebending."

Kiyi thought for a moment before bending her knees, getting into a low, grounded stance. She was about to conjure a flame when Zuko held up his hand. "One more thing," He advised. "Don't get frustrated if it doesn't go as planned…"

Kiyi paused, straightening back up. "What? Why?"

"Because it won't go as planned." Zuko bit back a smile. "That's part of the process."

o0o0o

Aang's eyebrows furrowed in concern as Monuk returned. "Did he-"

"He hasn't seen any of them." Monuk cut him off, expressionless. "They left to investigate a nearby abandoned building and he hasn't seen them since."

Sokka cursed, resuming his pacing in the corner of the room. Mai took a deep breath, standing up. "I think it's time I tried again with Nyla."

Everyone stopped to stare at her. "But…" Nasoki frowned. "You said she was too scared to do any tracking, you tried to get her to track Utana at least three times, how -"

"She's more settled in, now." Mai interrupted. "More used to things. She's much calmer than she was when we found her, and I haven't tried in almost three days." She steeled herself. "We have to try."

She walked out of the small alley confidently. Aang turned to Ty Lee, who shrugged. "Hey, at least we travelled with Nyla," She pointed out. "It would have been a pain to go all the way back to Bhang Chi."

"We don't have time for this." Sokka pushed between Nasoki and Ty Lee, following Mai. "Let's go."

Mai had apparently thought ahead while packing for this mission, and by the time they reached her, she was already holding three articles of clothing in front of Nyla, as well as a staff. Utana's staff, Aang realized. He had completely forgotten.

It was hard to keep up with the creature as it sniffed, roaming through the streets. Aang had warned the others that such an obvious display could invite a fight, but none of them really cared anymore. If he was honest with himself, Aang knew that he really didn't care, either.

They reached the exit of an abandoned building, where Nyla halted abruptly, whining. She pawed at her nose, shaking it back and forth. Mai hopped off as the rest of the group caught up, panting.

"What…" Sokka blinked at Nyla's behavior. "What's wrong with her?"

"She's confused." Mai clenched her jaw. "They must have split up at some point. Whether by choice or by force, we don't know."

Nasoki stepped forward. "Well, we should search this building for clues, right?" She asked, glancing up at Sokka. "Jinuk said that they went into a big, abandoned building, and the trail led us straight to one."

"She's right." Monuk stepped forward. "We need to go in there." He wiggled the handle, which was locked, and growled.

Sokka groaned. "Great, just when we need a metal bender and Toph isn't he-"

Monuk slammed his hand into the stone next to the door, crumbling it into the building. The others stepped back in shock, watching as the earthbender tore the stone away from the door in small amounts until the metal frame began to creak. It fell with a loud CLANG into what seemed to be a very long hallway, the stones crackling under the weight.

"Shit, the whole wall might come down." Sokka gestured at the group. "We have to move, now!"

"Ty Lee, stay with me." Mai called, and the Kyoshi Warrior turned around. "We need to have lookouts."

"Got it!" Ty Lee grinned, jogging back over to her and Nyla.

Mai looked into the dusty, jagged opening, making eye contact with Sokka, who nodded grimly. She returned the gesture before he ran after the rest of their group, and only moments after he did, the wall began to fold and crumble, filling up the gaping hole.

o0o0o

"Jet, you have to wake up. Something's happening out there."

Dammit, Sen, why do you have to be so loud? Jet opened his eyes, but before he even registered any of his surroundings he felt his head throb in deep, agonizing pain. He cried out, reaching his hands to hold his head, but they were still bound in front of him. The light in the room peaked into his vision, which made the throbbing of his head more intense. Jet rolled over as a wave of nausea hit him.

"Jet!" Sen rushed to his side, struggling with his hands and feet still bound. "Jet, are you awake? Please, say something, I can't tell what they did to you -"

I'm fine, just give me a second-

Distant yelling brought Jet to the present moment. He and Sen were being held captive. He had been interrogated, and they must have knocked him out. And there was...SOMETHING happening outside their holding cell.

Their holding cell was one of the only rooms in this Agni-forsaken building that only had one door, and their captors kept it barred at all times. Sen and Jet had given up on trying to escape - it was unlikely they would be leaving here alive. Even if they did give up information.

A crash, sounding closer this time, made Jet force himself to sit up. Sen held up his bound hands to Jet's shoulder, eyes wide with terror. "Jet, are you okay?"

He managed a small smile to his friend. I'm fine, Sen. What's going on?

Sen stared at him expectantly, and Jet blinked the blurriness of his vision away, trying to focus through the pain. Sen, I said I'm fine. What's that noise?

Sen squeezed his shoulder tighter. "Jet, please - just say something."

What do you mean? I'm -

Jet stopped, and suddenly he felt much more aware than he had been. I… Jet looked at Sen, confused. I am talking to you. I am, right?

Sen's expression didn't change, and as the commotion outside grew closer, Jet felt a growing sense of panic, grabbing onto Sen's other arm with both of his hands. Sen, what's happening - what...what happened to me?

Sen pulled back at the terror in Jet's eyes. "Jet, what's wrong? Why won't you-"

Jet pulled his hands up to his mouth, as if trying to check if it was still there. It was, of course, and Jet tried again. Can you hear me?

His lips made a few movements, but no sound came out. Jet felt his anxiety heighten. Why couldn't he-

The door clanged and Sen moved in front of Jet protectively. Jet was too terrified to do anything other than stare in shock as the door burst open, and the two prisoners cringed away from the sudden movement.

"Shit - guys, I found them!"

Jet opened his eyes, which he had clenched shut in fear. A flood of relief almost crippled his body as he saw Sokka rush over to them, and Monuk quickly followed. Jet didn't think he'd ever been so relieved to see the scrawny, sniveling Earthbender in his life.

"Oh, thank Agni-" Sen tried to stand up, but his binds were too tight. "Thank all the great spirits, Monuk - Monuk, something is wrong with Jet-"

A few more people piled into the room, and Jet felt as if he were about to cripple with pain, but the nearly week's worth of tension was beginning to leave his body. Sokka was cutting Sen free, and Mai rushed over to Jet and whipped out a knife.

"You guys look like hell," Monuk knelt next to Jet as Sen stood. "What happened?"

Jet tried to speak, but he knew now that the effort was futile. They interrogated us...they hurt us…

Monuk frowned. "Why are you mumbling?"

Jet growled in frustration. Rubbing his wrists, he grabbed Mai's hand as she began to pull away. They did something to me, he tried, but to no avail. He could hear faint, incoherent mumbling from himself, but that was it.

Mai stared at him strangely, reaching down to pull him up onto his feet. Jet obliged, but the moment he rose he stumbled, slamming his back against the wall and clutching his head. His stomach heaved with nausea as the throbbing grew unbearable, his eyesight glazing over.

Jet somehow kept his balance, which he realized was thanks to Mai, who had grabbed him by the arms. Aang spoke from the doorway. "Is he falling unconscious?"

"No, he's awake." Mai pulled Jet's arm over her shoulders to support him, and normally Jet would have protested, but he was too exhausted. And protesting would have done no good, anyway. "'He's alert, but he's not speaking."

Sokka grimaced, looking at Jet in what seemed to be a visual examination. "Jet," he finally said. "Try to say something."

I've been trying! Jet's lips flabbered a bit, and the meaningless mumbling made him scowl in frustration, clenching his fists. I've been trying this whole time!

Sokka turned to the rest of the group, all crowded in the small holding room. "I think he hit his head." He explained, then paused. "Well...I'm assuming THEY hit his head. His brain must be bleeding somewhere and it's impeding his ability to speak.

They stood in silence for a few moments before Mai resumed her authoritative stature. "We need to leave and go back to Bhang Chi as quickly as possible, we need to get out of here -"

"No." Aang stepped forward. "If Jet's brain is bleeding, we need to get him to Katara as fast as we can. The longer we wait, the more damage it'll cause, and she might not be able to fix it."

Mai glanced at Sokka, who nodded grimly. "This is a coastal town," he reminded her. "We could buy a boat and head to the Northern Water Tribe, we'd be there in a few days."

Monuk held the door open and they filed out. They exited the building through a gaping hole in the wall, which was only a few feet away from what seemed to be the remains of another piece of the structure. Assuming their previous entrance had caved in, Jet anxiously limped his way through the opening as quickly as possible.

Nasoki frowned as they reached outside, where Ty Lee stood with Nyla. "Wait," She turned to Mai. "Weren't you going to wait out here with Ty Lee?"

"I heard commotion." Mai shrugged. "I got in through a ventilation shaft in the ceiling."

Monuk stared at her. "How did you get on the roof?"

"That's not important right now." Mai held onto Jet as he swayed. "We shouldn't all go to the North Pole, that's not necessary and people need to stay here." She turned to Aang. "Can you take Nasoki, Ty Lee, Monuk, and Sen back to Bhang Chi and continue to run things there? I'll go with Sokka and Jet to the North Pole."

"Why us?" Monuk glared, folding his arms. "Why can't I go to the North Pole?"

"Because we need an intermediary between us and Utana's agents." Mai met his frown with a level, sturdy stare. "Sen is going to need at least a few weeks of recovery, so we can't expect him to do that. Aang, Nasoki, and Ty Lee will be able to run things, and that way they can continue their research in the meantime."

Aang's eyes widened in surprise. "...thank you, Mai."

"No need to thank me." Mai nodded to Sokka, who grabbed their bags from Nyla's back. "I'll rent a boat and we'll stop by Ember Island to get supplies for the trip. We need to get out of this town as soon as possible. You guys take Nyla and go back to Bhang Chi manor."

Ty Lee glanced wearily up at Nyla. "I don't think she'll listen to us very well, Mai."

The Governess frowned for a moment, then handed Jet over to Sokka for support. She pulled off her cloak. "Wear this," She handed the clothing to Ty Lee. "She's practically blind, so if you smell like me, she should respond better."

Ty Lee nodded, and Nasoki helped Sen up onto Nyla's back. The younger sister turned back to Mai. "Be safe."

Sokka grabbed Aang's hand in a shake of farewell, but as Aang began to pull away, Sokka kept his grip tight. "We'll be back as soon as we can," He promised. "Keep an eye out for any information about Utana, but lie low. We don't want an attack on the district government because we got involved in her kidnapping."

Aang nodded in understanding. Mai hoisted their bags over her shoulder and gestured with her head to Sokka. "This way," She told him, and Sokka followed with Jet. "Let's get a boat."

o0o0o

"When can we leave?"

Suki sighed, a knot of frustration tightening in her stomach. "I know you want to leave," She said slowly. "So do I - believe me, I do. But until I have more information, I can't bring you back into that district. It's too dangerous. My priority is your safety."

Utana huffed. "You make it sound like a chore."

"I'm sorry," Suki winced. "I...I'm just used to working, that's all. But I promise you -" She turned to Utana. "I chose to do this. It's not a part of my job." Suki thought for a moment. "Yet."

Utana didn't seem to catch that last bit, staring off into the distance with furrowed eyebrows. "Suki," she asked slowly. "How...how did you know how to find this place?"

Suki blinked. She was still unloading the supplies and food she had bought from the markets, and Utana sat on the steps next to her wearily. It's wearing her out, just waiting here. Suki thought, but what better choice do we have?

"How did I know how to get to Ember Island?" She asked, confused.

"No," Utana turned to her. "How did you know how to get to this mansion? It belongs to the Fire Nation royal family."

"Oh." Suki smiled to herself as she began making herself a snack. "We stayed here for a while when we were preparing for our last stand against the Fire Nation."

Utana's eyes widened. "We?"

"Yeah!" Suki met the woman's eyes. "Me, Sokka, Aang, Katara, Zuko, and Toph."

"You…" Utana looked away. "You know the Fire Lord?"

She doesn't know, Suki realized, settling down next to the older woman on the steps. She offered Utana some grapes, but she declined. "Utana," She replied gently. "I know you're Ursa."

Her head whipped back toward Suki, and she cringed away as if she had been slapped. "You…" She whispered, "You know? Who else knows?"

Suki clenched her jaw. "Utana, you don't have to be afraid of the Fire Nation anymore," she promised.

"How do you know?" Utana repeated harshly.

Suki sighed. "You knew we were in town with Zuko, right?" The woman nodded. "Well, the next day, Jet took Zuko and Katara to personally say thank you, and they found your house...well, they saw that you were gone." Suki popped a grape in her mouth. "Zuko saw a picture of you. Jet and the others were determined enough to find you, but Zuko was just as passionate." She glanced up at Utana. "He thought you were dead."

"Of course he did," She whispered, shaking. "If I ever had contact with him again, he would have killed both of us. I couldn't -" she stopped herself, closing her eyes and taking a deep, measured breath. "You're right." She finally said. "I don't have to hide anymore. Habits are...hard to break. Especially paranoid habits."

Suki nodded. "I understand."

They sat in silence for a few moments before Utana continued. "Can…" She paused, hesitating. "Can you tell me about him? And his friends...your friends?"

Suki smiled. "Absolutely."

So, she did. They sat there until the sun reached dusk and Suki told stories and stories. Utana was horrified when Suki explained how she had first met Zuko - attacking the avatar and setting her village on fire. But Suki continued to assure her that, despite Zuko's misguided attempts to win the affections of his father, that he had more than made up for his past.

"He…" Utana's eyes widened. "He broke into Boiling Rock? That's impossible!"
Suki grinned. "Well, he had Sokka's help…" She reminded her, swelling with pride. "But he came to help Sokka break his father out, and they found me there, too. We all broke out together."

"It seems like he worked hard to atone for his mistakes." Utana nodded in affirmation, as if congratulating Zuko. "And he did much for the Earth Kingdom colonies in the beginning, though there have been little to no reports about his political efforts in the last few years."

"Yeah, that's…" Suki sighed. "That's something Zuko should explain."

The Kyoshi Warrior continued, telling story after story after story. She felt sorry when she recounted the events of his Agni Kai with Azula (as best as she remembered the story, of course - she hadn't been there). Utana's face paled as Suki told her of Zuko's sacrifice, taking lightning to the chest. She left out the details for now, and she rested her hand on Utana's. "Katara managed to contain Azula and reached Zuko in time to heal him." She reassured him. "The only lasting impact was a scar."

Utana looked upward. "This...Katara girl." she said, watching the first stars begin to blink into view. "They're friends?"

Suki snorted, and Utana frowned. "Sorry," Suki composed herself. "Yes, they're...very close."

Utana narrowed her eyes at Suki. "What?" She questioned, studying Suki's face. "What's so funny?"

"I…" Suki turned away. Was it bad to talk about this in front of Zuko's mother? Many of the Kyoshi Warriors were orphans, and she wasn't sure what was appropriate when talking to your friend's parents. Suki decided to risk it - she had been desperate to talk about it with someone, after all. Her excitement clearly was showing. "I think they have feelings for each other," Suki confessed, failing to keep a grin off of her face. "But nothing official has happened between them and they haven't talked to me about it, so I'm not certain."

Utana smiled warmly, eyes crinkling. "Do you think they would work well?"

"I think you can decide that for yourself when you see them." Suki followed Utana's gaze up into the night sky. "Soon."

There was a clambering at the gate and Suki jumped up, standing in front of Utana protectively. "I can fight too, you know." Utana reminded her, humor in her voice.

"Well, that's a last resort." Suki whispered, staring at the far end of the courtyard. She tensed as a few figures trudged up the walkway.

"I remember there being some supplies in here, so we can save what little money we have by raiding this place before we go to the market."

Suki's eyes widened. "Sokka?" she called questioningly, not wanting to believe it.

The shadowy figures stopped, and a tentative, familiar voice replied, "...Suki?"

"Sokka!" Suki abandoned all pretense and ran toward them, and the group walked into the light just before she reached them. She threw her arms around him, burying her face into his neck. She had been more terrified than she realized.

Sokka returned the embrace but pulled away quicker than Suki wished. She immediately saw why, however, when she turned to Mai and saw someone's arm thrown across her shoulders, leaning on her for support. "By the spirits," Suki whispered, heart dropping into her stomach. "Jet?"

He looked...terrible. Worse than terrible. Suki was a tough woman and could stomach a lot of sights many others could not, but looking at Jet made her stomach roll. What did they do to him? She thought to herself, a wave of fear washing over her as a more selfish thought intruded her mind. What would they have done to ME?

Suki drew herself back in. Focus. She would be grateful later - right now, they needed help. "Come on," She gestured them forward. "Let's get him inside. I have some supplies we can use to bandage his wounds."

As they approached the stairs, Utana gasped. She ran toward them, holding her hands out as if she wanted to grab Jet, but was afraid she would break him. "What did they do…" She whispered. "Agni save me…"

Jet opened his eyes at her voice, and they lit up slightly. He seemed to mumble something, but it was too slurred to be coherent.

"He sustained brain damage and isn't able to speak," Mai kept walking, moving up the stairs slowly. "We need to grab some supplies and get back to the boat. We're heading to the North Pole so he can see Katara."

Utana's eyes widened at Katara's name, but she didn't say anything and rushed ahead into the manor. She rummaged around in a few cupboards as they lay Jet on a couch, and she returned hurriedly with first aid supplies. Suki frowned at a vile she placed on the table with the bandages. "What's that?" She pointed.

"It's a salve." Utana had already returned to the kitchen to find a bowl, which she filled with water. "For wounds. It should help with the pain and help speed up the healing process."

Sokka glanced down at the salve. "Is…" He paused. "Is spirit water used for this?"

"Yes, that is one of the ingredients." Utana set the bowl next to Suki, who didn't waste any time beginning to wash his wounds. "Why?"

"Nothing." Sokka turned back to Jet. "We can explain later."

"Where is everyone else?" Suki asked, still focused on cleaning and dressing Jet's wounds. She tried to distract herself from the sheer amount of them, the gashes and bruises and split skin.

"They took Sen back to Bhang Chi and are going to keep running things there." Mai explained, helping Suki clean Jet's cuts. "The three of us are heading to the North Pole, like Sokka said. Thank the spirits Sokka remembered this place, or we would have never found you."

Suki felt relief flood her body as it finally sunk in. "Utana, is our stuff ready to go?" She asked. "We need to travel with them to the North Pole. Why...why is Katara at the North Pole?"

Sokka grimaced. "The Sages executed a successful coup. They were able to rescue Azula, but they're staying in the Northern Water Tribe under political asylum." Utana tensed at the sound of her daughter's name, and Suki didn't blame her. "The whole group is there."

"Perfect." Suki nodded as she finished dressing the wounds on the right side of Jet's body. He groaned, trying to sit up, but Suki pushed him back down.

"I should have never let you kids put yourselves in danger like this," Utana stared at Jet. He looked much better now that he was cleaned up, but the bandages and bruises were still more than a sore sight. The herbalist was pale as if sick. "How could I let this happen?" She whispered to herself.

"This isn't your fault.." Mai assured her. "We knew it might be a trap, but rescuing you was first priority."

"But-" Utana began. Mai cut her off.

"This isn't just about you," she continued, although blatantly. "We need you alive and with us because there's something bigger happening - too many coincidences have been happening and we think many of these problems are interconnected. Part of a larger plot. We need your help - no one else has the access than you do."

Utana stared wordlessly at Mai before nodding stiffly. Her internal struggle was visible in her eyes. Then she blinked, frowning. "...Mai?"

"Yes?"

Utana took a step forward. "By the spirits," She whispered, "I didn't recognize you."

"It's been a long time." Mai smiled slightly in an attempt to ease the anxious woman. "We may not know you as well anymore, but we've been working with some of your closer allies, thanks to Jet."

Utana's eyes widened. "Who?"

"Monuk, Sen, Okami, and Kiyi." Sokka recited, helping Suki clean up the rest of the bandages. Utana took a step back, eyes widening.

"Where are they now?" She demanded. They all looked up in surprise at the shift in her tone.

"They're...split up." Sokka continued hesitantly. "Monuk and our other friends took Sen back to Bhang Chi to recover, and Okami and Kiyi went with Zuko, Katara, and Toph. And Azula, now, since they rescued her from the palace. We're going to meet them in the Northern Water Tribe."

Utana's eyes seemed to widen even further. Sokka, Mai, and Suki glanced at each other in confusion. "...Utana," Suki said slowly, helping Jet sit up on the couch. "Is everything okay?"

"I...I suppose so," She whispered. "I just didn't want it to happen this way."

Suki frowned, looking at the others again. Utana exchanged a knowing look with Jet, who looked solemn, and he nodded. "Kiyi…" She took a large breath. "Kiyi is my daughter."

Mai's eyes widened and Sokka took a step back. Suki slapped herself in the forehead. "THAT'S why she was acting so strange!" She exclaimed.

"I gave Okami orders to keep my relation to Kiyi a secret from anyone from the Fire Nation." Utana grimaced, sitting next to Jet and gingerly putting her arm around him. He leaned into her in relief and exhaustion. "I know Okami - she's going to take that order to her grave. But I also know Kiyi, and if she's found out who I...who I was, she'll want to tell them."

"Maybe you can get there before that happens." Sokka stood, grabbing their bags. "We only have about a day and a half left of travel, and if we get going, we can get there midday. That's our best chance of not catching them while sleeping."

Utana stood, helping Jet, and grabbed the sack next to her. She swung it over her shoulder. "Let's go, then."

As they left the Ember Island manor, none of them missed the staff Utana casually grabbed on their way out.

o0o0o

Okami still barely wrapped her mind around how Azula had come from a paralytic, sedated state to practically normal. But Katara wasn't surprised. Their healing sessions combined with the sedation drugs finally rinsing out of Azula's system, she was returning to herself for the first time in years.

The princess sighed, picking at her fingernails as she answered Toph's question. Much to Okami's horror, the Earthbender had asked 'why Azula wasn't mean anymore'. Whatever gave Toph the impression that a question of that sort was a good idea was lost on Okami, but thankfully, Azula seemed fine with the query. "I couldn't do anything for a long time." She finally said, still staring upwards. "I couldn't move and I couldn't speak. It felt...it felt like such distinct pain. But not physical pain. It wasn't emotional pain, either. It was...in between. Sometimes it got so bad that I broke out of the paralysis, but all I could do was scream because the pain was..." She trailed off, eyes crinkling slightly before she looked down at her hands, which sat in her lap. "I thought I had died. Even before my body wouldn't move, I just wanted to fall asleep and never wake up. But…" She looked up at Okami. "But Zuko still cared for me. He was still kind to me, even though I was never kind to him. He gave me food and made sure I felt safe, and when the pain would get really bad, he would come and calm me down. And I would always think about why." She sighed, fiddling with her blanket. "I had forever to think about why - why he wanted me to feel better." She paused, the blanket still held in her fingers, and she sat still for a moment before clenching the blanket in her fists. "I hated being like that."

Okami looked up at Azula at her sudden shift in tone, bold and angry. "I hated being in that room all the time, I hated just laying there." She hissed. "I hated it. I had to think all the time. And do you know what I thought about?" She made intense eye-contact with Okami, who didn't flinch. "All the things I had done. The things that had led me to that moment, that place where I was laying, helpless. I had done all of those things for nothing - everything I had ever done had been pointless. He LIED to me!" Azula slammed her fist down on the bed next to her, her voice rising. "He lied to me." She turned away, lips curling into a snarl. "I did just like he said and people still left me, they left me. And you know what? They SHOULD have left me. I was a shit person - everything I did was to hold onto power that, in the end, I never had in the first place. Father wanted me to turn out like him and we both failed, and I failed because of HIM. Because he told me what I had to do in order to be successful, and I did everything right. I always listened. And I lost everything anyway."

"I'm sorry, Azula." Okami sat forward. It was a good thing Ozai had been killed in prison, or Okami might just have done the job herself. "I'm glad you're free of that now."

"But am I?" Azula met her eyes, which shone - not with tears, but with bitterness. "I'll never be free of the things I've done. I'm not like Zuko - I didn't change my ways or have a moral awakening. I had to be imprisoned, alone, for two years before I even began to realize I was in the wrong, and I only realized it because of Zuko." She shook her head. "I don't know how…" she whispered, "how he can still bear to look at me. After I tried to kill his friends, even after I almost killed him, he's kind to me. He still cares about me." She looked back up at Okami, whose gaze hadn't moved.. "I tried so hard, I did exactly what father told me to do...but there was a simple answer the whole time. Why couldn't I learn to be like THAT instead?"

"You didn't get the chance to learn." Okami leaned forward, grabbing Azula's hand. A faint voice in the back of her mind warned her about the possible danger this presented, but she brushed it off. Azula clearly wasn't a danger anymore, right? "But when you were stuck in that room with nothing to do except think, you realized these things. Now you have the chance to be better."

Azula stared at her hand within Okami's for a few moments before pulling away. "I don't know how." She laughed bitterly. "Agni, I'm barely human."

Okami felt a wave of anger flush through her. "You're just as human as we are, Azula." She said firmly, eyebrows furrowing. "You just weren't allowed to act like a human, and that's not your fault. It was Ozai's - you said it yourself."

"Well, how am I supposed to learn now?" Azula huffed. "I'm, what, eighteen?"

"Don't sweat it." Toph assured her. "You can learn. We'll help you. Besides, you've already gotten a lot better already."

Azula nodded, but she didn't seem convinced. She opened and closed her fists. "I'm still not used to moving." she commented. "To talking." She had a small, sharp intake of breath, and her eyes widened in realization. She stared at the wall as if it had spoken of revelations, and just as Okami was about to cautiously ask what had happened, Azula asked, "What did the Avatar do to my father?"

Toph blinked. "What?"

"What did the Avat-"

"I heard you, I'm just surprised you asked." Toph waved her off. "Aang took away dear old Ozai's bending."

Azula nodded, narrowing her eyes. She sat for a few moments, eyes flitting about as if she were deep in thought. She spoke again. "Do you think he could do that for me?"

Toph glanced up at Azula with a shocked expression, the slightest hint of horror flickering behind her eyes. "You want to…" She trailed off. "You want to get rid of your bending?"

Azula nodded slowly, then set her jaw and continued more decisively. "I...I don't trust myself to stay calm if I get angry. Or upset. And if I want to learn how to be better, I can't hurt people anymore." She laughed humorlessly. "I may not know much about how to be a decent person, but I've guessed that much." She sighed, continuing. "If I keep going this way, but without my Firebending, I can work on getting better and it won't be as dangerous for others."

Okami glanced at Toph, who was still staring in Azula's direction in shock. "That sounds like a very kind idea, Azula." Okami replied slowly. "It's very selfless, you thinking about others' safety that way."

Azula frowned. "Self less?"

"Selfless." Okami repeated. "It means you were thinking about others instead of thinking about yourself. It's a very brave and kind thing to do."

"Oh." Azula tapped her fingers on her knees. "So, that's good?"

Toph nodded slowly. "Yes," she replied. "But, Azula, are you sure? Bending is a part of who we are, getting rid of it is a big deal and-"

"I've been allowed to think for myself." Azula interrupted. "Katara said I couldn't move or talk for over two years, and now I can both think for myself and move for myself. I don't need bending to feel like me. And I definitely don't need it to feel free - I've never felt this free." She stopped, contemplating something before continuing, "I don't know if I could be the person I was, anyways." She said softly. "I don't think that Azula can exist without Father, and I don't think I want to be that Azula anymore."

"Well, you have a while to think about it before we see Aang." Okami nodded to her. "So keep thinking about it, in case you change your mind."

"I won't." Azula replied, a hint of a smile on her face. "But thanks, Okami."

Toph crossed her arms. "How do you know you won't change your mind?"

"Why are you so convinced that I will?" Azula shot back. Toph rolled her eyes.

"Just answer the question, Princess."

Azula opened her mouth to respond, but nothing came out. She looked away. "I just am." She replied. "I don't know why. I don't...I don't know who I am anymore. I don't know anything anymore." She took a deep breath before looking back up at Toph. "I do know one thing - I don't want to be that person anymore."

"You've changed a lot."

They all turned to look at Katara leaning against the doorframe. "If I didn't recognize your face, I would never guess you were the same Azula we knew four years ago." She continued, sitting on the foot of Azula's bed. "You've come a long way. You should be proud of yourself."

Azula looked away with a huff. "Well, I've had four years to think since then." She replied bitterly. "That's all I did for the last two years, and if there's one thing I realized, it's that I can't continue the way I was." Azula sighed, leaning back against the wall. "Father told me I had no other choice - that I had to be that way. And look where it got me." She laughed coldly, closing her eyes.

"So," Katara sat down in Okami's vacated chair. "You think the time alone in the last few years is what helped you get better? The time and space to think?"

"No, not just that. That part comes second." Azula said tonelessly. Okami and Katara exchanged a confused glance before she continued. "I only had that space because you stopped my father. If he had stayed, I don't think I would have ever realized…"

The room fell silent, and Katara looked away as if to give Azula privacy. The Princess put her face in her hands.

"You know," She mumbled into them, a false sense of humor lacing her words. "I don't think I ever knew who I was. I just knew who I was supposed to be." She let her hands fall to her lap, her crestfallen face staring at her lap. "And I was too afraid to be anything else."

o0o0o

Aang looked up quickly as a soft knock came from the door. He stood, setting the file on his nightstand. "Come in."

Nasoki peaked her head inside. "Can I come in?" She asked.

Aang blinked. "I...I just said to come in?" He said, more like a question than an answer.

Nasoki paused for a moment, nodded, and stepped into the room. She closed the door gently before making her way over to him, sitting on the foot of his bed. She stared at him expectantly, and Aang cleared his throat. "U-um," he stammered, "Is there something that we - that you, wanted to talk about? Or ask me? About?"

"Are you doing okay?"

The question caught Aang off guard, and he stared at her for more than a reasonable amount of time. He only jumped into action when she raised her eyebrows, nodding his head vigorously. "Yes!" He said quickly. "Yes, I'm doing fine! Why do you ask?"

"You shut yourself in here ever since we found that file." Nasoki pointed to the papers on his nightstand, and a mix of emotions flooded through Aang's body. "I figured I should come check on you."

"Uh...yeah." Aang scratched the back of his head, sitting next to her on the bed. "So, um…" he cleared his throat. "How is Sen doing?"

"His fever is going down." Nasoki sighed, falling backwards onto the blankets and staring up at the ceiling. "Monuk is watching after him. Ty Lee is running the place - she needs the distraction."

"And you?" Aang asked.

"I'm here to check on you," She glared at him pointedly. "Which you are purposefully avoiding by asking me questions about Sen."

Aang looked away from her, cheeks flushing. "I just…" He took a deep breath. "I didn't want things to be this way. Everything is going all wrong, and I feel so useless just sitting here going through papers while there's a coup going on, and people are getting hurt, and -"

"Aang." Nasoki sat up, laying a hand on his own. He stopped, looking down at it. "You know that's all a load of Appa's shit. Zuko and the others need to try and figure this out first - the Avatar card is a last resort."

"But I'm not just the Avatar!" He snapped. "I'm their friend!"

Nasoki sighed. "You're right." she said. "You are their friend, and they trust you. So put some trust in them, and respect the fact that they CHOSE to do these things without you - not just because it's their problem, not just because they think they can handle it without you, but because they know this-" She pointed at the file, "is important. Not only to you, but to the world."

Aang stared at the file. He didn't have a good answer, so he didn't try to give one. Instead, he asked a question. "Why don't you spend more time with the other Kyoshi warriors?"

Nasoki frowned. "What do you mean? I've lived with them for years, they're practically my sisters."

"I mean, here. Now."

"Because I want to get to know you."

Aang turned to look at her and she met his eyes steadily. "I already know them," She shrugged. "So why would I waste this opportunity?" She squeezed his hand, and Aang broke their eye contact to look down at their hands again before squeezing it back. "Aang." His eyes returned to hers. "Promise me," She continued seriously, "That you'll always treat me as an equal."

Aang blinked. "What? Of course I'll -"

"Not like that." Nasoki pulled her hand away, and Aang felt as if a blanket had been yanked away from him in a frigid night. "You're the Avatar, and I'm a non-bender. I know it might be...natural for you to think of others as people you need to protect. But I want you to promise me that you won't pity me like that."

Aang's hand still sat between them where Nasoki had left it. "It's...it's not like that," He protested. "It's not pity, it's-"

"I'm NOT your responsibility, Aang."

The Avatar pulled back, blinking in surprise at the sudden bite to Nasoki's tone. He opened his mouth to reply, or ask what was wrong, or just...say something, but no words came out. Nasoki seemed to realize what she had done and the intensity in her face fell as she turned away. "Nasoki," he finally managed. "What-"

"A few years ago, someone I loved very much died."

Aang immediately tensed at the sudden trembling in Nasoki's voice. She still faced away from him. "Her name was Jali. We had been dating for over a year, and I loved her more than anything." Nasoki didn't turn to face Aang, but she did look down at her lap. "She traveled with the Kyoshi Warriors a lot. She was an Earthbender, so she couldn't join our group. But she could fight just as well as we could, even without her Earthbending. And she was smart - like Sokka, but actually funny, you know? Not puns - real wit and humor. She cared so much about people."

Nasoki's hands clenched into fists at her sides, and before Aang thought about what he was doing, he had reached out and grasped the one closest to him. She tensed momentarily before opening her hand to hold his. "She saved me," Nasoki whispered, eyes haunted. "From a tribe of bandits. They were firebenders, and Jali and I had split from the rest of the Kyoshi Warriors to return an important object to its owner. We had just finished the job as a whole group, but there was a lot of collateral damage, so the rest of the Kyoshi Warriors stayed behind to clean things up while Jali and I returned the subject. It should have gone smoothly - we had eliminated the threat. But the bandits showed up and there were too many of them, and I wanted to stay and fight them off, but Jali insisted I go on. She…" Nasoki took a shaky breath. Then another. One more. "She unhooked a cart from a nearby ostrich-horse and shoved me in it with the object and pushed me down the hill. I couldn't get out, it was going too fast. I got to the bottom of the hill, it was such a big hill, and by the time I got back to the top she had leveled everything. Everyone was dead." Nasoki's hands trembled. "Everyone…" She whispered, "Everyone was dead…"

"Nasoki, I'm…" Aang trailed off. Agni, what was he supposed to say. "I'm so sorry, I-"

"Don't you see?" Nasoki pushed him away as she turned to him, eyes blazing. Aang fell back. "I don't need protecting! If I die, then I die! I don't want anyone to die for me! I can't keep loving people and losing them because they don't believe in me!"

Aang stared at her, repeating her words in his head. His slow reaction gave her enough time for her own words to catch up to her, and Nasoki straightened up, paling. "I…" She stood up quickly. "I'm sorry, I have to go, I'll see you tomorrow. Goodnight."

It was only when the door was closing behind her that Aang's eyes finally widened with realization.

...Oh.

He leapt up, reaching toward the door as if to call her back. He could still feel the phantom grip of her hand around his as he lowered it back to his side.

...Oh, Agni.

o0o0o

"What are we going to tell them?"

"Um, the truth?" Zuko snorted, wiping his hands on a towel. The ropes of the ship were...not clean, to put it lightly. "What are you going to tell them? You have to tell Okami something."

Kiyi rolled her eyes. "I'll tell her the truth," She sniffed. "And she probably won't believe me. I mean, who would?"

"Aang will," Zuko chuckled, sitting down next to her. "He and I did that together when he was about your age."

"But…" Kiyi shook her head. "I still can't believe there are dragons still alive."

Zuko grinned at her. "I knew you'd love to see them!" He boasted. "You can barely put down that dragon book of yours!"

"Yeah, well," Kiyi sighed, putting the encyclopedia in her bag. "It doesn't compare to the real thing." She tied the bag closed before meeting her brother's eyes. "Thank you, Zuko," She finally said. "This was really cool. No wonder you know so much about firebending."

"We." Zuko corrected, punching her playfully in the shoulder. "No wonder we know so much about firebending."

Katara answered the door when they finally found the right stone establishment. It wasn't their fault everything looked the same! Everywhere they looked was snow and stone, it was practically impossible to remember which way you had come from. Thankfully, it had only taken eleven tries to find their temporary abode.

"Zuko!" Katara threw her arms around him immediately, startling him. "I'm so glad you're back! There's so much that happened while you were away!"

Kiyi pushed them inside and closed the door behind them, setting her bag on the counter. Zuko did the same after returning Katara's hug, resting his bag gently next to Kiyi's. "What's going on?" He asked, looking up at the rest of the room. He stopped short, eyes widening as another figure stood up.

Azula stared at him with equal shock, and neither of them seemed able to move or speak. Finally a cough from the corner of the room broke Zuko out of his stupor, and he stammered, "A-Azula! Agni, you look so much better! How are you feeling?"

She didn't move. She didn't answer either. Her tense posture didn't crack - her shocked, almost scared expression was frozen on her face. Just as Zuko was about to ask her another question, however, she leapt forward. Zuko held his hands up and closed his eyes, wincing, and Kiyi gasped in horror. Zuko stumbled back as she threw her arms around him and buried her face into his neck.

Zuko looked at Katara, dumbfounded, and she simply beamed at him. Zuko slowly wrapped his arms around Azula before fully realizing the situation, and he held her closely, as if afraid she would melt away.

"Do you think he would look that happy if I ran up and tackled him like that?"

Zuko huffed, pulling away from Azula to stare at Sokka. "If you want a hug, just say you want a hug, you little-" Zuko stopped short, his eyes bugging out of his skull. "SOKKA? What are you doing here?"

Sokka shrugged. "I'm just chilling."

"Suki!" A voice called from a neighboring room. "I need some clean bandages, could you bring them to me, I think they're with my things!"

Zuko's mouth fell open wider and he turned to Toph, who was snickering in the nearest corner. "Is everyone here?"

Katara resisted a smile. "Not quite…"

"Suki?" The voice grew louder, and everyone turned as an older woman walked into the room. "Jet's starting to speak and he keeps mumbling about pain from the cuts in his side, we need to redress those wounds and clean the -"

Zuko felt as if he weighed nothing, and when he made eye contact with his mother, she froze in place as well. "Zuko…" She whispered. Her eyes welled with tears, and she stepped toward him, as if she couldn't believe it. "Agni…" She reached for him, and Zuko blinked as she reached for his face, sliding her hand down his scar and resting her fingers on his cheek. "Zuko, I am so sorry…"

He threw his arms around her, and she hugged him back with just as much ferocity. "It's okay," he laughed, tears staining her shirt. "Everything is okay…"

The reunion was tearful, and after a few minutes, they finally pulled away. Their timing was perfect, as Suki walked into the room. "I heard you yelling for me?" She held out some bandages. "Sorry, I was in the bathroom, I didn't - oh, hi Zuko! Great to see you! You too, Kiyi! Anyways, here's the bandages you were asking for."

"Thank you, Suki." Utana smiled warmly, her hands still resting on her son's shoulders. She finally stepped back from him, taking a deep breath.

Toph whistled. "This has been quite a show!" She applauded mockingly, and Utana laughed, though Zuko glared at the earthbender. "Though, I think we're missing something…"

"Well, I think we're almost out of surprises. What do you two have to tell us?"

Zuko was almost caught off guard by Mai speaking from the opposite corner of the room, shrouded in shadow, but he wouldn't be surprised if the majority of his friends were packed in the building at this point. "Well," Kiyi began excitedly, running over to their bags and gently picking up Zuko's. "There IS something, but I'm not allowed to tell you, Zuko made me promise that he could tell everyone because it's his and not mine."

"Shh!" Zuko hissed. Kiyi rolled her eyes as she handed him the bag, which he took gingerly. The others exchanged questioning glances, shrugging. Katara and Utana stepped back so that the others could see as Zuko untied the bag, taking a breath, and reached inside. "Kiyi, can you pull the bag away?" He asked softly. His sister eagerly reached over and grabbed the bottom of the bag, pulling it away, empty, and leaving it's contents in Zuko's hands.

An eerie, metallic orb shimmered in Zuko's arms. It was larger than his head, and he held it firmly, as it was not light. Everyone's eyes widened. The room was silent and gold almost glowed in his hands.

"What…" Sokka whispered, "What is that?"

Zuko beamed, looking down at the mesmerizing globe with pride. "This," he explained, a fire lit behind his eyes, "is a dragon egg."