Sky would protect Kang from the Avatar for the next four years, The Giant paying him in hefty sacks of gold every month whilst the bunker soon turned into Kang's Lab. Zu made an extension for him, creating a giant cave-like room for the Mad Inventor, and whenever asked why, Kang would simply reply that he 'had something big planned'.
Kang spent every day inventing and designing whilst Sky played his tunes through his flute. Aang remained vigilant over the city, seemingly losing interest in Kang, but his body had begun to visibly falter, breath ragged, limbs aching, and heart murmuring.
Sky and Kang sat in Zu and Li's house, chatting with the two whilst Kang shared stories about his inventing.
"And then it blew up!" Kang told them, as Zu shook his head, the sun peering in through the windows.
"Timekeepers aren't supposed to explode, buddy!" Zu told him, Li's foot tapping as Sky, Zu and Kang looked to him.
"You alright, Li?" Sky asked, the water-bender letting out a heavy sigh.
"It's just... been really quiet lately," Li replied as the three raised an eyebrow to him.
"How so?" Zu asked as he put his meaty fingertips together.
"You know, with the Avatar, I haven't seen or heard about him in months," Li replied as Sky, Zu and Kang looked to each other.
"Want to go investigate?" Kang asked as Zu nodded, standing up from his couch.
"Yeah... I'm getting an odd vibe about the whole thing," Zu replied as The Boys and Sky left the house, marching out of the Derelict Estate and into the city.
The Boys and Sky strode by the bakery, an idea popping into Zu's mind.
"Boys! Follow me!" Zu told them as he marched over to the Bakery, popping his head through the doorway.
"Hey! Baker!" Zu shouted as the baker perked his head up, looking to the Giant with a raised bemused eyebrow.
"What are you not coming in?" The baker asked as he crossed his arms, staring at Zu.
"I actually wanted to ask... have you heard anything about the Avatar lately?" Zu asked as the baker let out a heavy sigh.
"He's at the Southern Spirit Hospital, Chief says he isn't looking too good," The baker sombrely replied as Zu lightly gasped.
"Right... thanks," Zu replied, closing the door and looking to The Boys and Sky.
"Let's go to the Southern Spirit!" Zu told them, leading the march towards the Hospital.
The Boys and Sky sneaked around the perimeter of the hospital, the Giant planting his feet firmly on the ground as he sensed the vibrations within the building, detecting Toph, Katara, Sokka, Zuko, Suki and four others near the top.
"They're near the top floor," Zu whispered as he punched an earthen column up, stopping at the Window as The Boys and Sky peered in, seeing Aang on a hospital bed surrounded by his friends and people dressed in blue and white robes.
Aang looked around at his friends as they all heavily gazed at him. The Avatar turned his attention to the White Lotus, wearily raising a hand to them.
"I need you to find... the next Avatar," Aang told them his arms quaking as the White Lotus members all quizzically looked to each other, one of them stepping forward, master air-bender tattoos adorning his bald head whilst a short goatee covered his chin, the White Lotus member turning his grey eyes to Aang.
"Do you know where we should start, Father?" The White Lotus member asked as Aang lightly clasped his hand.
"I don't know where they'll be born... but I know, the Shadows are stirring... and a Strange wind is blowing," Aang breathlessly told him, the Avatar's friends sceptically looking to each other, "I know you'll do me proud, Tenzin, you're the only one who can teach them Air-bending," Aang told the White Lotus member, patting his hand as he wearily smiled.
"I'll do my best, father," Tenzin replied as Aang turned to Katara, the Water-bender lightly throwing herself onto Aang as he hugged her, patting her back as Katara wept.
"And if you're there to meet them, I'm sure I'll see you again, Katara," Aang told her as Katara nodded, lifting herself off Aang. The Avatar slowly turned to Zuko and Sokka, smiling at them as they sorrowfully smiled back.
"I'm sure we'll meet again one day buddy, it's been an honour to know you," Sokka told him, a tear streaking from his eye as he and Aang lightly clasped each other's arms.
"I'm glad I met you, Aang, without you I don't think I'd be the person I am today," Zuko told him as Aang lightly chuckled.
"Oh, you've got that right," Aang jested, his chuckles turning to coughs as he wearily turned to Suki.
"Look after Sokka, and make sure you raise that Kyoshi Warrior well!" Aang told her as Suki sombrely smiled.
"I'll make sure she's strong enough to stand up to an Avatar!" Suki proclaimed as Aang weakly smiled and nodded, finally turning to Toph.
"Toph..." Aang spoke as the Chief turned her blind eyes to Aang, "I know our friendship's been a bit rocky over the years... but even so, I'm glad we were still friends to the end," Aang told her, a lump growing in the Chief's throat as a tear streaked from her eye.
"I'm glad too, Twinkle Toes," Toph replied, her lips quivering as Aang looked up to the ceiling, a black wind invisible to his friends swirled around him. Death appearing before Aang.
"Are you done with your goodbyes, Avatar?" Death asked as Aang smirked, his spirit sitting up from his body.
"I am," Aang sombrely replied as a white and black spiritual essence fluttered around him, the two flying out of the window and off into the horizon.
"Then it's time, the cycle will continue, and you will be there to assist Claire in her quest," Death told him, Aang's spiritual eyebrow raising.
"Claire? That doesn't sound very... water tribe-y," Aang replied as Death briefly chuckled.
"Tis an Aaravosian name, Avatar," Death nonchalantly replied, outstretching its hand to Aang as he grasped Death's hand, the Black-hooded figure leading leading him into the Spirit World, leaving his body behind, Aang's heart stopping as he breathed his last breath.
"He's... gone," Toph informed, her voice shaking them as everyone let out a heavy sigh, The Boys and Sky watching from the window before turning to each other.
"Wow... he really just kicked the bucket," Zu quietly exclaimed as The Boys and Sky sat on the Earthen Column, each letting out a heavy sigh.
"Sixteen years with no Avatar..." Li muttered as The other three affirmatively grumbled, slowly nodding their heads.
"Or longer," Sky added as Zu pushed the Earthen Column down, The Boys and Sky striding off into the Afternoon illuminated city.
"Well, I suppose..." Sky spoke aloud, stepping in front of The Boys as they quizzically gazed at him, "with Aang now a baby in some far off part of the world, you won't be needing a bodyguard?" Sky asked Kang, the Mad Inventor letting out a heavy sigh.
"I suppose I won't," Kang replied, smiling at Sky as he smiled back.
"Well Kang, this has got to be the longest, and the most well-paid jobs I've had," Sky told him, striding up to The Mad Inventor, "It's been a bash," Sky added, outstretching his hand as The Mercenary and Kang firmly gripped each other's hands, shaking them as they both smiled.
"Perhaps I'll see you again one day," Kang eagerly told him as Sky lightly scoffed.
"Do you plan on aggravating the next Avatar too?" Sky jested as The Boys chuckled.
"No, No, I don't think I'll get the opportunity to meet them again," Kang replied as the two released their hands from each other.
Sky took a brief bow, sauntering off into the city to begin his next adventure. The Boys stood around the streets, the wind rustling through their hair as Zu looked to Kang.
"Say, Kang... what time is it?" Zu asked as Kang pulled out his Timekeeper.
"It's eleven forty-five," Kang replied as Zu ominously chuckled.
"Wanna pull another bank Heist?" Zu eagerly asked, Li and Kang perking up at the sound of it.
"Let's do it!" Kang enthusiastically replied.
The Boys sprinted back home, diving into their basement and shuffling down the tunnel.
"You'd think after four years they would've found this by now," Kang muttered as Li chuckled.
"It's a big city Kang, a lot of things go ignored for a long time," Li explained.
The Boys reached the end of the tunnel, The Giant punching through the ceiling and into the Bank Vault.
"You know the drill! Two-hundred a fifty Gold pieces each!" Zu told them as Kang and Li each pulled out a sack.
"Just like old times," Li replied, the Giant and Mad Inventor smirking as they raced around, gathering the gold in their sacks before returning to each other.
"Now last time The Chief showed up... but with recent events, and Kuvira off in Zaofu, I think we're good," Zu told them, but the metal door swung open, slamming against the wall as The Boys flinched and grimaced.
"That so, Zu?" A familiar voice called out to him, The Giant gazing into the distance with an unimpressed glare.
"I Jinxed it," Zu muttered, turning around to see a woman with shoulder-length black hair and pale green eyes adorned in a Black button-up shirt, grey pants and black knee-high boots, The Giant lightly gasping as he looked at her, "Lin?" Zu asked as the woman nodded.
"The one and only," Lin confidently replied whilst Kang gazed at her, his heart racing as his eyes gleamed under his goggles.
"I see the Chief took you under her wing," Zu nervously told her as Lin nodded.
"You got that right," Lin told him, striding into the room as Zu swung his hands at the metal door, intending to close it on Lin, but The Police Officer punched into the door, prying it from the hinges and throwing it at Zu, striking the Giant in the gut and knocking him down.
"Good one!" Zu groaned as he rolled on the floor.
Kang and Li nervously looked to Zu then Lin, but in their time of worry, Lin wrench a piece of the metal flooring up from the floor, wrapping it around Li, restraining the Water-bender.
"Wait a minute, I recognise you!" Lin exclaimed as she pointed to Kang, but the Mad Inventor simply ogled at her, his vision focusing on nothing but Lin, her words dampening against his ears as his heart pounded, catching Zu's attention as he looked to his friend.
"He's got a thing for the Chief's daughter... That I didn't see coming," Zu muttered as Kang threw himself at Lin, kneeling down on one knee as he outstretched his wrists to her.
"Take me with you, oh sweet enchantress," Kang suavely told her, taking aback Lin as she leaned away from the Mad Inventor, gazing upon his eager grin.
"Alright then..." Lin muttered as Li looked over to him, seeing Lin restrain Kang's wrists.
"Oh, you've got to be kidding me," Li muttered as Lin marched over to Zu, leaving the enthralled Mad Inventor by the door.
Lin restrained Zu's meaty arms with the metal door, bending the metal around The Boys and carrying them out of the Vault. Toph stood by the Vault doorway, giggling to herself.
"That has got to be the easiest arrest I've seen, Lin," Toph commented as she looked at the spaced out Kang, his enthralled grin cloaking his face.
"I didn't see it coming, and judging by the reactions of Zu and Li, neither did they," Lin replied as she hauled The Boys off to the Police Station.
"Hi, Chief," Zu greeted Toph, waving his massive hand through the restraints.
"Hi, Big Softy," Toph replied, smirking at the Giant, watching them leave the Bank before letting out a heavy sigh.
"Well... I think this City will be in good hands with Lin around," Toph muttered to herself, sombrely marching out of the Bank and into the City.
Lin arrived at the Police Station, striding through into the illuminated reception. Police Officers gazed at Lin as she hauled The Boys down to the Prisons.
"Finally got caught did you, Zu?" A Police Officer jokingly asked as Zu nodded.
"Got me good with the Vault door," Zu replied, the Police Officers chuckling at him as they watched them leave.
"Do you think we should tell her?" A Police Officer muttered to one of his Co-workers.
"Chief said to let her work things out on her own," The Co-worker replied, sipping his tea as they looked to the prisons.
Lin strode over to a large prison cell, opening it up and gently placing The Boys inside, unwrapping their metal binds before proudly standing before them and locking the cell's door with a heavy metal clang.
"Only took several years, but you finally lost Zu," Lin smugly told the Giant as he mockingly wept.
"Yes! I have been bested by none other than the Chief's daughter! Oh, the shame!" Zu exclaimed as Kang and Li quizzically looked to him.
"See you in several years, Zu," Lin jested as she left, her footsteps receding as Zu watched her leave.
"Alright, Boys, let's go home," Zu whispered, grasping the metal bars and pulling them apart, stepping through, followed by Kang and Li.
"She doesn't know you're a metal-bender?" Kang asked as Zu chuckled.
"She should, but I think it's slipped her mind," Zu replied, The Boys striding out of the Prison Cells whilst their would-be inmates grumbled at them.
"Hey! Can you let me out of here?" A prisoner asked as Zu scoffed.
"You're in here for a reason!" Zu snapped back before returning to his departure.
"So were you!" The Prisoner shouted, their words falling on deaf ears as The Boys strode up into the reception, to the surprise of no one.
"Didn't take you long, Zu," A Police Officer told him as Zu smugly nodded.
"Call it a learning experience!" Zu jested as he and Li made way for the exit, but Kang looked over to a Police Officer drawing out a sketch, curiously hopping over to them.
"Hey, can I have that?" Kang asked, seeing the Police Officer had drawn a sketch of the Mad Inventor himself.
"Sure," The Sketching Police Officer replied, handing Kang the sketch. Kang grasped it, pocketing the sketch into his pouch.
"Thank you," Kang told him, sauntering off with Zu and Li as they strode off into the city, the Sun setting in the horizon.