A/N:

Back with another chapter! I know I said I would be in Hiatus with Second Chance and I will but I forgot that I already finished this chapter and felt I should just go ahead and update first. So enjoy!

Chapter 40:

Ozai walked out of the Chieftain's chambers to alert the servants that the Arnook had passed. His eyes wide with shock, grief, or a snicker of hope. None could tell for sure. She's alive? A tear spilled from his eye as he stood in the doorway, frozen in time as the servant's ran past him. You're still here, waterbender? Never in his life had he felt such a sudden rush of relief. As more tears began to fall from his eyes, Ozai covered one side of his face with his hand as a smile pulled to his lips. Agni, he felt like his crippling world had all been a joke. This whole time as he had been falling apart, Katara was still here. That hopelessness that had consumed him, the bitterness of existence that clawed at his chest and the constant need for release from this world...was all faded away like fleeting petals from a cherry blossom tree. He was utterly overcome with joy and so much of it that he fell weak on his knees. His hand went to his chest as he broke out in a fit of laughter, clenching his chest. You haven't left me yet, waterbender.

As the Phoenix King looked to have lost his last bit of sanity, an elder cautiously approached him and eyed him carefully. Bringing his fist to his mouth and clearing his throat, the elder watched as Ozai's gaze lifted to him, visibly looking like the happiest man he had ever seen.

Bowing his head, "Phoenix King Ozai." The elder greeted him as more elders came approaching from behind him.

Still feeling the best he had ever felt, Ozai smiled at the man as he was getting back to his feet to stand. Seeing the Phoenix King was willing to hear what they wanted to say, the elder looked over his shoulders to the others and gestured for them to bring something or someone over.

Soon Ozai saw a little girl step forward with her head hung as her blue eyes looked up at him. As he began to calm from his high, the Phoenix King eyed the girl before looking to the elders.

"This is Mailan. The, now, Late Chieftain's daughter." the elder placed his hands on both sides of the girl's shoulders as she continued to stare up at Ozai. "She's also the daughter that Lady Katara had given birth to while serving her sentence in prison."

Furrowing his brows at the little girl, Ozai had already seen right away that this was Katara's daughter. She looked exactly like how he pictured her to be as a child.

Stepping towards the pale skinned man, Mailan tilted her head back to stare him in his eyes. "Are you going to be my new daddy?"

Ozai's eyes immediately looked back at the elders as they all bowed onto their knees.

"Please, your majesty, if you had truly loved Lady Katara, you'll take her daughter and help her reunite with the mother she never got the chance to meet." They pleaded.

One elder shook his head as he was most regretful, "Mailan will not be safe here. She will be seen as her mother's child and despised now that her father has passed on. Please spare her that fate."

Returning his gaze to the little girl and seeing that her big blue eyes were wet with tears. Her father had just died and her mother, whom she never met, was falsely claimed to be dead. This girl would be alone if he left her here. But from the moment he laid eyes on her, he had no intention of leaving her here. She was his.

Crouching down to the girl's level, Ozai knelt on one knee to look her over and see that she had barely been looked after. Her hair was tangled. Clothes were disheveled. She smelt. Not to mention her cheek looked bruised. He didn't know who was in charge of caring for the girl but they clearly didn't care.

Lifting his gaze to the elders, Ozai gazed scornfully. "I wouldn't leave her here even if you hadn't asked me to take her." He said standing up. He offered his hand to the little girl.

Mailan looked at the pale skinned man's large hands and her eyes lifted back to his silver ones that turned gold. She immediately was curious about this man.

"I'm taking you home." Ozai told her. "To your real home."

…..

Zuko wasn't surprised when he saw his father had returned from the North Pole so soon. He had heard Arnook had been just barely hanging on. It was likely his father had news of Arnook's death as well as information about who was truly responsible for Katara's death.

As he stood in the courtyard where his father had left him just a few hours ago, Zuko saw the man descend from the clouds to the ground a few feet in front of him. The black flames that formed around his father disbursed and to Zuko's surprise, his father was holding a child in his arms.

Stepping towards his father with his arms in his sleeves, Zuko eyed his father with question as he got closer and saw the child was of Water Tribe descent. Her eyes were shut as she was nuzzled in the bend of his father's arms. Upon his father, Zuko's eyes only widened more as he studied the child's features.

"Is this-"

"Mailan. Katara's daughter." Ozai told him as he, too, looked at the sleeping girl. "Arnook is dead and the Northerners want her gone, none of them have been taking care of her. So I'm adopting her."

Furrowing his brows in sorrow, Zuko continued to look at the child as his father told him that she's almost five but smaller than she should be due to the lack of care she was given. They did this to a child because of who her mother was. It filled him with hate towards those people. They were savages to do this to her.

"Bring her in. Let's wash her up and feed her something." Zuko said as he turned to lead his father inside.

Letting the servants take Mailan to get her cleaned and clothed, Zuko sat with his father in his office to discuss the plans he was currently working out. Seemed he was quite excited about it and hoped the other nations would agree to take part in it. Ozai listened to him describe the project his son was going to be taking on and he could see how it could gain a lot of support in this post-war era. This was a new age now. It was time they all put aside their differences and try for a world, a society that included everyone from everywhere.

"If you can convince the other nations, I'll throw in my support." Ozai told his son. "It would be a great way to start integrating some of my technological advances outside of the Phoenix Empire."

Pleased to hear his father was on board, Zuko went over more of his plans just before the servants returned with Mailan and Ryu accompanied her.

"Daddy! Daddy! I found this pretty Water Tribe girl! Can I marry her?" Ryu said gleefully.

Zuko saw his father giving him a look as he sighed and shook his head.

"No, Ryu, she's your sister."

"My sister?" Ryu's eyes widened.

Mailan's did too. "I have a brother?"

"Yes, you have a sister and two brothers." Ozai told the girl as he went over to her and took her hands, leading her away from Ryu.

Ryu followed them and went over to his father, "Mama had more babies before she died?" he tilted his head.

"My mom's not dead!" Mailan shouted at Ryu.

Getting scared of the Water Tribe girl, Ryu hid behind his father as his father eyed his grandfather.

"They didn't tell her?" Zuko furrowed his brows.

Ozai sighed and shook his head. As much as he knew hearing Katara was alive would make Zuko's day, he wouldn't tell him. Right now, his son was onto something great with his project and Ozai knew this would disturb the focus of Zuko. He couldn't have that happen. Besides, Ozai didn't know if he was going to find her alive still. There was no telling and he wouldn't give Zuko false hope. He'd keep this to himself and find her first. Once he did, he'd tell him all what really happened to her and bring her home.

….

Katara splashed water in her face to hopefully wake herself up. She needed to start getting ready for another day of training. Atsou himself was overseeing her development for the next few weeks. He figured it wouldn't take long for her to cultivate into what he wanted her to be. Most of her training was just for getting her in better shape and helping her get better control of her siren abilities. He seemed to know her exact specialities from Hama having told him when she once worked for him and Lao.

Wrapping her fists in the white cloth and rustled her hair that reached the tip of her ears, Katara made her way to Atsou's manor before the dawning sun even rose over the mounts in the distance. Getting there, she was escorted in by his soldiers and taken to his personal suite. She was told to sit at his low table while he was getting up and usually that didn't take long due to the fact that Atsou never took too much time getting himself together in the morning. Total opposite of his twin brother, Ozai.

Waltzing in with his silver hair draped loosely over one shoulder, Atsou yawned as his kimono was open, showing off his bare chest and his black trousers. Katara averted her eyes as a servant also entered with breakfast. La, she hated how he never seemed to have it together in the morning. This was the most dressed she had seen him this early. Usually he had no kimono on or was completely naked which scarred her. He and Ozai were identical twins but not down there. Ozai was much more groomed than Atsou. Just a small patch of hair. But Atsou had an entire forest and she really didn't need to see that. Why was the hair black there?

"Morning, mean one." He said as the servant poured his tea and he sprinkled some herbs into it before picking it up to sip.

Katara drank hers with a little sugar and mumbled backa greeting.

Setting his tea down, Atsou rolled his shoulder, "You nearly pulled my arm out of its socket yesterday. Hasn't got much better since."

"I apologize." She said simply, refusing to look at him.

Noticing this, Atsou smirk. "Need me to put on my mask?"

"If you would be so kind." She bit out bitterly.

"After we're done eating, I'll put it on. Deal?"

"Thank you."

The rest of breakfast was silent and as promised, Atsou retrieved his mask to wear for the sake of Katara's sanity. She never did like looking at him. He figured at first that it was because she missed Ozai but he soon learned her reason was for that night the two of them first met face to face. Her gaze finally lifted to him and she stared at him as impassively as always.

"Your training has progressed." Atsou informed her. "It's too soon to send you out on a mission but I'd like you to observe one in progress. You'll have to pull your own weight and serve as an aid for those carrying out the mission. Think you can do that?"

"I don't have much of a choice." Katara stated.

Smirking behind his mask as he tilted his head, Atsou eyed the woman and wondered what she was thinking in that head of hers. Katara had been very quiet as of late. After she discovered he was very much mortal in the fact that he had only but so much time left on this earth, he told her what he planned to do in order to stop that vicious time clock. He needed Ozai back on a lab table and be further examined as he had been when he was under the guise of being dead. Ozai would survive as there was no sure way of killing him right now. But the examinations and experiments would be excruciating and could take years before anything was discovered to cure Atsou of his mortality. Katara agreed to help him if it meant she could return to her children and that Ozai would not die. Seemed she wasn't all that caring when it came to his suffering. Atsou deduced that she probably felt some resentment towards Ozai enough to be indifferent. That or she was weighing out the consequences of not going along with this plan.

"Azula, Daikoku, and a few others are going to the Earth Kingdom. A region far south of Bei Seng Sei. There's a meeting between the Earth Kingdom and the Phoenix Empire taking place there. The mission is to assassinate every member attending. You will learn from how this mission is carried out and obey any and all orders given to you while there."

Katara nodded her head.

"That means if they want you to kill, you kill. No questions asked." Atsou informed her as he folded his arms. "Or you will be killed."

"Kill or be killed." She replied as she sent him an icy stare.

"They leave in a few days. Start talking with Daikoku and Azula about what to prepare for. They're in charge."

Leaving the manor, Katara walked outside to see everyone going about their day as they always did. Whether it was gardening, harvesting, fishing, weaving, threading, doing laundry, or training and whatever else that was required. Everyone functioned the same everyday, all day. The routine was easy to get into and honestly, she liked the structure. Everyone played their parts and when the day was done or they finished their work before the day ended, they were free to do as they pleased.

Deciding to go see Azula about the mission, Katara headed to the training grounds and saw her posted against the wood pillar watching a few sparring. The former Fire Princess eyed her and smirked as she approached.

"You look annoyed." Azula mused.

Katara rolled her eyes and stood beside her to watch the sparring take place. "I'm going on that mission with you in a few days. I'm your aid."

"So you're my servant. Perfect. Just what I needed." She said sarcastically.

Somehow it sounded as if Azula didn't want her tagging along.

"Don't mind me. I just see through my uncle." Azula scoffed and folded her arms. "He's testing you. Testing me. Testing both of us."

Raising a brow, "Why?"

"He wants to see if you're worth putting the effort in to make you into his prized possession and to see if I'll give you the opportunity."

Katara didn't understand what she meant by prized possession but she had heard Ursa and Atsou mention something similar. It made her curious as to what exactly he was trying to turn her into. What was he trying to turn her into?

The waterbender stood there listening to Azula tell her the specific details of the mission and what the goal was. It was all politics related and to cause distrust but at the same time it was to show both sides that there was another faction involved. Show them that there was chaos brewing quietly and unseen that they were all vulnerable to. Atsou wanted to frighten the world powers.

Shaking her head, "I really don't know which of them is the evil twin." Katara sighed.

"It would depend on your own moral compass." Azula explained. "If you can say abusing your children can be excused because my father had a rough childhood and that he's not totally destructive like he can be, then my father is the good one. Or if you believe that for a good cause, sometimes we have to get our hands dirty, then my uncle is good. But if you ask me, I think they are both full of shit."

Katara agreed with that. At the end of the day, while finding out Ozai was not responsible for that night she believed he betrayed her, she did still have differences with Ozai. But there wasn't much she was upset with him about, to be honest. Sometimes she felt she was just looking for things to be upset about as if she hadn't already looked past those things before. La, she wished there was some way she could contact Ozai while here.

This place was not anywhere on a map or anywhere that could be physically stumbled upon. It was literally an island that existed in a mirror glass sunken at the bottom of some pond. Atsou could see everything in the world outside of this mirror glass but within it, he was blind. As for her abilities as a siren to check on her family, Katara wasn't able to see anything outside this realm. But there was so much she needed to tell Ozai. She needed to find a way to contact him.

Azula flicked the waterbender in the head as she noticed her space out, "What are you thinking over there?"

The waterbender shook her head. She couldn't tell Azula that she was thinking of Ozai and how to contact him. She couldn't tell anyone that. But maybe…if on her mission she could find a way to get in contact with him. But that all depended on…

"So where exactly is this mission taking place?" Katara tried not to sound too interested.

"Tai-Yung Bay, thirty miles from the Phoenix Kingdom border. Good geographical location to hold this meeting. Easy for them all to retreat if need be." Azula told her as she glances at her nails. "Not like it'll do them any good."

Thirty miles from the Phoenix Empire. Katara thought to herself. But how far was the border from Omashu? She didn't know where the border was in relation to Omashu. I'll have to get a map. If it was close enough, she could do a quick run and drop a letter off then get back before anyone noticed. Only issue was getting out of sight of Atsou's watchful gaze. She'd have to perform this at night without candle-light which made this seem a little more easier than she originally thought. But she could never be too careful. She didn't know the abilities of everyone else here and if he had another siren, he'd catch her in a heartbeat. So she had to be extremely careful.

…..

A few days went by and everyone that was on the mission was waiting outside with their backpacks slung over their shoulders. They were all gathered by the banks where Atsou and a woman that looked like a Water Tribe woman stood. Katara eyed her and knew right a way that she was a siren. So he does have another siren. Didn't matter if it was one of nine hundred. Another siren was a problem for her. She'd have to maneuver around the blind spots of a siren which made this extremely difficult.

The Water Tribe woman opened a portal at the banks and little by little everyone entered the portal. As it got time for her to go through, Atsou stopped her and introduced her to the water siren.

"Katara this is Lora." Atsou waved his hand in gesture to the woman.

Katara watched the woman smile and stick out her hand to her.

"It is a pleasure to meet another siren like myself." Lora said.

Shaking her hand, "Likewise." Katara mentally swore. Was Atsou on to her? Did he know what she was planning or thinking? Could he read her thoughts like Ozai could? No, I'm just being paranoid. If Atsou knew, he wouldn't be allowing her to go or he'd have killed her.

"Lora, here, will be doing training on awakening your true capabilities as a siren." Atsou informed Katara. "Be ready for your lessons when you return."

Katara nodded before quickly thrusting herself into the portal and finding herself in Tai-Yung Bay. A bustling town with many streets to confuse and get lost in. She believed she had come here once when traveling the world as a young teen but most of the towns in the Earth Kingdom were like this. So, it was hard to tell.

Seeing where her group was, Katara hurried over to them and was soon greeted with a hand slapping the back of her head.

"Put your hood on!" Azula hissed at her. "Father's men will be here and many followed him from the Fire Nation and will recognize you right away!"

Pulling her hood on, Katara's eyes searched around. That was right. Ozai's men were here. Maybe she could get one of them to deliver a mes- Shit! We're supposed to kill them all! Fuck, this wasn't going to be easy. La, she was doubting she could even pull this off. Maybe some other time. She told herself as a cloud hung over her head.

Arriving at their inn, everyone was split off into pairs for their rooms but Katara was bunked with two others due to the odd number. Azula and Daikoku. Somehow she knew this was not a coincidence.

"Daikoku likes men. It's basically like having another girl in the room." Azula told Katara.

Daikoku glared at her as Katara sat down on the bed and tried to get a feel for how soft the bed was.

"I don't mind him. I know that even if Daikoku liked women, he'd handle himself well." Katara told Azula.

"Thank you, Katara." Daikoku said as he shoved past Azula to his bed.

Azula scoffed as she placed her hands on her hips, "How about you two share a bed then?"

Both of them shrugged.

"We both slept with the same man." Daikoku said as he started taking his boots off.

Rustling up her hair, Katara moved from Azula's bed to the one she was sharing with Daikoku. Azula watched as the two of them started getting settled. Honestly, the former princess was happy to have Katara on the trip. She knew Katara wasn't cut out for the gory things of life but the woman did have the capabilities for becoming a real monster if she let go of that sense of morality. As bad as it was, she wanted to see Katara become bloodthirsty. She had no doubt that Katara would be a force to reckon with.

Grinning to herself at the thought, Azula started underdressing and didn't bother caring that her two roommates were eyeing her funny as she did. She was down to just her panties and took her hair down to cascade over her breasts.

"I'm gonna get washed up and take a nap." Azula informed them as she pranced over to the bathroom.

Daikoku snorted and shook his head, "Agni, I don't want to be sharing a room with her."

"Well, at least I know I'll be entertained." Katara said sarcastically.

….

Waking up in the middle of the night, Katara sat up in bed and rubbed her forehead. La, she couldn't sleep. Daikoku snored worse than Ozai and it was giving her a headache. Plus, he wasn't facing away from her, so his snores were going directly into her ear.

The waterbender made her way to the bathroom and stood in front of the mirror, eyeing herself for the first time in a very long time. She looked awful. While her hair was growing back and the curls shaped her face nicely, her eyes were lacking their usual sparkle but it wasn't like she felt very sparkly. She felt like a wreck. Honestly, even if she got in contact with Ozai what good would that do? He made fun of her before for how messed up she looked and she was a bit too fragile right now to hear something like that again. Sure, she had gotten her weight and her body into healthy shape. But her eyes told the entire story of what's happened to her in the last five, nearly six years. He'd see she was the plaything for everyone in the ice palace and how Arnook used her to give him a child he didn't care anything about. She wasn't who she was before. She was all used up and played out.

Sniffling, Katara rubbed her tears from her cheek and shook her head as she looked away from herself in the mirror. "No, no, no, no." she whispered to herself as the grim thoughts of suicide surfaced her mind. "You're still worth it."

Once she got herself together, Katara drug her feet back to bed and laid down. Not noticing that Daikoku's snoring had stopped.

In the morning, both her roommates looked refreshed and ready for the day. Daikoku was already dressed and going through his case of weapons while Azula was standing in the bathroom mirror brushing her teeth with a towel wrapped around her. Katara sat up and stretched. Her body was so stiff. La, she missed living in a palace.

"Mind going with me into the market to get us some breakfast?" Daikoku asked her.

Katara nodded. Remembering that Atsou told her to be an aid to them.

Azula stepped aside for Katara to get in the small bathroom and undress. She eyed the waterbender as she got into the shower and turned the water on. Last night, she heard Katara get up in the night to look at herself in the mirror and cry. Like Daikoku, Azula pretended she didn't notice it. But maybe Daikoku would call her out while they went to fetch breakfast.

"Here." Azula took her towel off and handed it to the waterbender as she stepped out the shower.

Katara looked from Azula to the towel and waved her hand to remove the water from her skin.

Dropping the towel on the floor in annoyance, "Oh, I just thought I was being helpful. Thought you have a problem with Daikoku seeing you naked."

"Told you, Daikoku isn't like that." Katara said in a drewry voice.

Azula looked Katara up and down and then scoffed. "Whatever you say."

Katara walked over to her backpack with little regard for her nudity as Daikoku didn't even bother looking up at her. As he sat on his side of the bed with his back to her, the waterbender changed into a green button up dress trimmed in a soft pink before draping her cloak over her and pulling the hood over her head.

"You ready?" Daikoku asked.

Walking towards the door, "Yup."

Out on the busy streets of Tai-Yung Bay, Katara walked close to Daikoku as they looked around for a place to grab food.

"You were thinking about him last night, weren't you?" Daikoku asked as they bumped shoulders in the crowd.

Katara glanced up at him, "How did y-"

"You talk in your sleep."

And you snore but I didn't bring you along in a crowded street to tell you that.

"Sounded like it might have been a memory you were dreaming about. Want to talk about it?" He asked her.

Did she? Not like anyone ever asked her to talk about anything like that before but she kind of wanted to. Her eyes looked down at her feet and the feet of others as she decided to tell him what she had dreamed about.

"It wasn't much of a memory. Just me imagining what would have happened had things not gone the way they had." Katara pulled her curl behind her ear. "Ozai used to poke him in the nose with his quill when I was dozing off on work I had to do as Fire Lady. So Last night, I dreamed…" That she was sitting in their office going over plans for their trip away from the palace. They had a bunch of children running in and out of the office disturbing them and all they could hope for was getting some time alone from them. "We finally get away for a week and everything seems to go well but then…" She goes looking for Ozai and when she finds him, he sets her on fire. "I literally felt every inch of me was burning but I couldn't scream, I didn't even try to. I just stared at him as I died."

Daikoku glanced down at her and sighed as he patted the top of her head, rustling her hair from over her hood. "That's an off dream cause Ozai wouldn't kill you that way."

"What makes you say that?"

"Because you're someone that got very close to him. It would be personal. He won't use his bending on you. He'd use his bare hands."

Katara wondered how Daikoku knew this but she didn't ask. "I guess tonight I'll dream of him strangling me."

"I bet it'll come in the form of a kinky dream."

"Last thing I need is a kinky dream." Katara scoffed.

Shrugging, Daikoku lived for dreams like those. Since his sex life was sort of intermittent. Only ever getting laid when he was on long missions with a few of the male agents that didn't want to be discovered. Despite Atsou having a 'I don't care about your personal life' policy, some of the men were still very much in the closet and this made Daikoku's love life difficult.

Finding food, the two got back to the inn room and ate with Azula. Seemed they all enjoy the sweet meat buns. They were cheap and they were able to acquire plenty to fill their bellies. When done, Azula stretched and then went looking under her bed to pull out a trunk she managed to stow away without either of them noticing before. Daikoku's eyes lit up.

Katara watched Daikoku go over to the trunk Azula pulled out and opened it. To her surprise it was some metal contraption. Narrow like a pipe or tube. It had a strange look to it. Something she had never witnessed before. As Daikoku pulled piece after piece out, lying each of them on the bed, Katara became curious.

"What is it?"

Smirking as he started to assemble it, "Master Astou is quite imaginative. He created a weapon that shoots a tiny led bullet with so much speed and force, that it'll kill a target immediately."

Furrowing her brows, "Why would he create something like this?"

"Didn't ask. I just know it's the most efficient way to assassinate a target without getting caught. Plus, there's not been a single survivor." Daikoku said as he continued putting the device together.

"And no one knows what's taken place when it happens. The victim just collapses and everyone squirms." Azula chuckled.

Katara looked between them and could tell they were both too into this business of killing. Well, with Azula it made sense. She had been killing since she was a teenager. Wasn't necessarily her fault in the beginning. Her father did do that to her. But Daikoku, she was surprised by. He always seemed cool, calm, and collected. For him to be looking at that weapon like a child stared at a toy. It was unlike him.

"So we're going to kill our targets using this?" Katara raised a brow as she tried studying the weapon.

"Some." Azula and Daikoku said in unison.

"Okay." Katara could see they were very custom to this weapon as it seemed they were working to put it together.

As the two started discussing strategy and plans for taking their kills out, Katara sat there listening. Atsou said she was to observe and be of help and that's what she was sort of doing now. Just observing. Despite this thing being a weapon to kill, she was curious if she was ever going to see it in action.

"I'll scope out the area west of the meeting hall. There's a tower there tall enough to see over the courtyard." Daikoku said.

Nodding as she looked to Katara, "Take the newbie with you. I'm sure seeing this thing in action will interest her."

Daikoku looked to Katara and told her to carry a few things with them as they would be posted at the top of the tower all day waiting for targets.

….

Fifteen. Fifteen heads she watched be blown off. And of those fifteen. She knew seven of them. They were ministers that served under Ozai. They were men from the Fire Nation that were loyal enough to him, to move all this way and then come here to these meetings to represent him. She watched their heads blow right off.

Katara sat with her back to the ledge as she stared wide-eyed up at the clouds. She jumped as she heard the loud combustion from the weapon fire off like a firework right in her ear before Daikoku clicked back the metal piece for the next 'bullet' as he called it to shoot off from the barrel.

Chuckling as he cocked back his weapon and eyed his next victim from the scope piece of the weapon. "Something wrong, Katara?"

Shaking her head, "No." She lied.

Blowing off his next victim's head, Daikoku watched the waterbender jump again but this time covered her ears.

"I would have thought someone who had seen the battlefield would understand what death looks like."

Holding her hands to her ears as she clenched her teeth upon him firing off the weapon again, "People's heads don't blow up like that in war."

"No." Striking down another target. "But one day soon this will be how human's fight their wars. You'll live to see that day. So be prepared."

Katara had a hard enough time accepting the present and the past. The future was too frightening to even consider right now. She just tried her best to stay calm as more died.

"Come, Katara, try it." Daikoku said as he moved a little to invite her over.

Her wide blue eyes fell on him and she stared at him with horror.

"You'll be killing your fair share soon enough. You need to get in the habit now." He told her.

But she didn't want to kill anyone. Not unless her life was in immediate danger and she had no other choice.

Daikoku narrowed his eyes at her as he saw her resisting, "Atsou gave us all specific instructions, Katara. If you disobey any order, we have to kill you immediately."

Swallowing hard, "But-"

"As soon as you die, we're told to go after your children." He informed her.

Katara's trembling hand fell over her mouth and she gasped, shaking her head while also inching towards the weapon. Taking her arm and yanking her to the weapon, Daikoku helped her get in the right position and instructed her with what to specifically do to strike her target on sight.

"Aim for above their head."

Seeing an Earth Kingdom minister fearfully trying to make an escape, Katara's hands shook as Daikoku held some of his weight over her. La, these people looked so frightened and there were so many frightened people below screaming and running around the area. She couldn't imagine a world with weapons like these being used. It would be a slaughter on both sides.

"Try not to think too much of this guy." Daikoku whispered in her ear. "He's one of the Earth Kingdom ministers that threw a celebration when it was announced that you had died."

What? Why?

"These bastards have wanted you dead since you first married Ozai. You gave them exactly what they wanted." Daikoku sighed. "All you tried to do was save the world and end the war. Same with every other decision you make. You always think of everyone else. And look where that's landed you."

I don't get why they don't ever understand my intentions? I've always tried to do what was right! I even help Ozai change his path but I never get credit for that!

"I don't even understand why you try to care. They're always going to resent you. Hell, they even brought their snotty little princess to try and seduce your hus-"

The trigger was pulled and Daikoku saw their target get his head blown right off. Just when he was about to say something else, Katara pulled the lever back and locked it, looking for the next bastard before blowing his head off too. Another three victims fell to the waterbender before it was time to load the weapon again.

Panting as she let go of the weapon and moved away from it to her feet, Katara's brows were furrowed. "I didn't kill that bitch but I wanted to!" She clenched her teeth and pulled her hair. "Tui and La, I've wanted to kill so many people and I never did! I never did! I was always the good person! The one that turned their cheek! The one that sucked it up and dealt with the consequences!"

Turning to look at Katara as she seemed to have snapped, Daikoku got up and went to pull her to him.

"They beat and raped me and I- I-" Katara squeezed her eyes closed as she cried. "I keep trying to be a good person but I don't want to be anymore! I don't care!"

Daikoku rubbed her back, "You don't have to stop being good. It's your nature to do right by people but you've got to be merciless just like your enemies." He held her away from him for a moment so he could look her in the eyes. "No more bending over and taking it, Katara! No more playing second fiddle! No more being walked over! You're too damn powerful to let people have their way with you! Even him!"

Katara nodded her head.

"Ozai didn't betray you that night but he had ever done to lessen your burden?" Daikoku furrowed his brows as he wiped her tears away. "You can forgive him, love him, whatever, but you and I both know that bastard only cares about what he wants. When has he ever cared about what you wanted?"

Honestly, she never remembered Ozai caring about what she wanted. Everything had been his way even when it was at her own expense. The only time he ever cared about her desires was when it came to marrying Arnook and then the asshole changed his mind. La, she didn't hate him. Not anymore but she did want to punch him in his face the next time she saw him. She wondered if Atsou would allow that?

"We've got two more kills. Both Earth Kingdom bastards that hate your guts. You want them or…?"

The waterbender got back down with the weapon and took both marks out.

Back at the inn, Katara was wrapping Azula's arm after healing the bleeding while Daikoku was putting the weapon away. Seemed Azula and the others were taking out the guards and entourage members were met with some resistance.

"So all the members are dead, what next? Mission complete or…?"

"We deliver the bodies of the members to their prospective nations and leave a letter written by Master Atsou."

Azula smirked as she looked at Katara, "I'm heading to the Phoenix Empire, want to come along?"

Katara's eyes widened. Go to the Phoenix Empire? La, did Azula even need to ask? Of course, she was going!

"Perfect. Just need you to remember that we are there to deliver bodies and I don't want you getting sidetracked, okay?" Azula smiled wickedly at Katara after she finished her arm.

Katara nodded her head.

"But...if you wanted to sneak a peek at my father or your bratty litter that might be hanging around him, feel free. Just don't get caught." Azula poked the waterbender in the face.

Kya held the little girl so tight as she teared up and stared up at her father. She was so happy to know he brought Mailan back with him. Spirits, her heart felt so much warmer at the sight of her little sister. This was her first time meeting her but Kya felt nothing but love for Mailan. She always wanted another sister.

"You smell pretty." Mailan said as she was hugging her sister back. She hadn't been hugged before but her new dad hugged her and even her new brother and now her new sister. Mailan liked hugging. She didn't know why no one hugged her before.

Pulling a part to look the little girl over, Kya looked over her little sister and smiled. "You smell pretty too."

Ozai patted Kya's shoulder and told her to follow him, he had some news for her. Kya took Mailan's hand and pulled her along with her as they followed their father to his office. There, Mailan sat in Kya's lap, clinging to her as she really didn't want to let go. Fortunately for her, Kya wasn't wanting to let go either.

"Arnook told me something that was very disturbing surrounding your mother's death." Ozai's tone was grave and Kya tensed up at the mention of her mother. "The fox mask you found from all those years ago. It belonged to a man named Atsou Matsumo. He's a phoenix like me and even more...he's my brother… Identical twin brother."

Kya's eyes widened in disbelief.

"He's been pulling the strings behind your mother and I for years now. Lao only works for him." Ozai continued. "And after your mother jumped from the balcony, Atsou was able to bring her back to life. Arnook says he watched Katara come back to life. Your mother is not dead but instead, with Atsou."

Kya was rendered absolutely speechless. How was this possible? Was her mother truly alive?

"The elders confirmed Arnook's last words. He wasn't just talking out of madness. What he said was true."

Furrowing her brows as she shut her eyes and breathed in deeply. Kya felt both relieved and overwhelmed. If her mother was truly alive then they needed to find her. But something told her that it would not be easy. If Zhiar could make himself invisible to her ability to track someone down then no doubt, her mother and father's twin brother would be just as difficult if not more.

Exhaling, Kya opened her eyes. "Who else knows about this?"

"Just the elders in the North Pole, you two, and me." Ozai replied. "I was tempted to tell Zuko but he doesn't need anything distracting him from what he's doing right now. Besides, this works better with just us."

"Agreed." Kya told her father she would go ahead and begin the search for her mother.

Ozai allowed it. With her duties at court suspended for the time being, Kya would be able to dedicate time into finding her mother.

"In the meantime, I say we allow Uhara in on this. He will be a great support to you."

Kya eyed her father, "And why do you say that?"

Shrugging as he tried to play stupid, "Don't know, just figured with you spending so much time with him that-"

"Dad," Kya pinched her brows, "please don't play match-maker. It's uncomfortable."

"What? I think I did a good job! You and Uhara are still friends and now that you're of age it's only a matter of time before-"

"LALALALA!" Kya put her fingers in her ears and sang over his voice as he continued on with his rant about her getting married and so on.

Mailan laughed as her sister got up and started heading for the door.

"LALALA, I CAN'T HEAR YOU! LALALA!" Kya repeated as she left the office, slamming the door behind her.

Ozai sighed and shook his head as he looked over to Mailan. "Your sister is a piece of work. You won't give me any trouble like this when you're older, will you?

Giggling, "Only if I can marry someone nice."

"Only the best." He told her.

"Then I'll listen to whatever you say, daddy!" She smiled brightly.

Returning to the villa that she now sort of lived with Uhara, Kya saw him having the servants do some dusting of the entryway and walked up to him. She tapped his shoulder and waited for him to turn around before jumping to hug him. He was caught off guard a little as she hugged him tight with her arms around her necks but he eventually settled into the spontaneous hug and hugged her back.

When Kya finally lifted her head to look up at him, she smiled happily with tears in her eyes. His hands went to both sides of her face as he became concerned.

"Princess, what's wro-"

Shaking her head, "Nothing. But come." She took his hand and started pulling him inside.

In her suites, Uhara sat beside her in her sitting area and waited for her to tell him what was going on.

"My father went to the North Pole and learned from my mother's ex-husband that she is still alive." Kya smiled as tears welled up in her eyes.

Uhara's eyes widened as he, too, smiled. "That is great news, Kya! Oh Agni, this is amazing! Where is she? Did he bring her back here?"

Sniffling, Kya shook her head. "No. Someone took her and is hiding her right now, so we have to find her." her gaze fell. "I have to find her."

Understanding what she was saying, Uhara nodded and wiped her tears away with his thumb as he caressed her face. "Then go find her."

"I will." Kya took his wrist in her hand and nuzzled her face into his hand as she closed her eyes. "I don't leave for a few days but I'd like to stay at the palace until then so I can spend time with my little sister. Do you mind coming to stay with me?"

Uhara moved his hand from her face to her head and ran it down over her hair before pulling a strand, "Your father okay with that?"

Blushing as she looked away from him, "I think my father is obsessed with you being my husband someday. So I'd said he'd bug us about it the entire time you're there." She chuckled nervously.

Chuckling with her, Uhara agreed to come stay at the palace with her. Seemed she was very happy by this and gleefully took his hand to stand him, pulling him to the door so they could leave. He tried to remind her he needed to pack some clothes but Kya told him her father had somehow gotten his measurements a while ago and had a tailor make a wardrobe for him. Only now did Uhara understand why Kya used the word obsessed when she mentioned her father wanting them to be together.

…..

Giving Mailan a grand tour of her new home, Ozai answered all the questions that the little girl had for him. Most of which pertain to how often she was going to see him and her sister and if she was allowed to make friends. He figured she was worried about her being lonely again like she had been in the North Pole. So, he assured Mailan that she would be able to see him and her sister whenever she liked. As for friends, he told her simply that if she made any that was fine but for the most part they weren't important to make.

Nodding her head as she held her father's hand, Mailan looked around at all the servants and guards passing by and saw them bowing to them. She then turned her head to look up at her father. If he was a king, did that make her a princess?

"I'll show you to your new chambers." Ozai told her.

"Yay!" She cheered as she bounced up and down.

Mailan was twirling around in her new chambers as she saw how big and beautiful they were. She couldn't believe all this was hers.

"And this is Hama." Ozai gestured his hand to the woman he sensed walk up behind him. "She's your grandmother from your mother's side."

Mailan stopped twirling as she looked to see a woman appear from her father's side and stare at her with wide eyes. She stared back and tilted her head. But soon the woman rushed to her and picked her up, twirling around with her embraced in her arms.

"Tui and La, she looks just like Katara!" Hama cried as she held the child to her breasts and looked to Ozai. "How is she-"

"Arnook is dead and the elders allowed me to adopt her. She's my daughter now." Ozai said in a grim tone. Hama mouthed a 'thank you' to him as she went to peck the little girl on the cheek so much that the little girl couldn't help but laugh and giggle.

While Ozai let the two have their fun, his older daughter walked in and was accompanied by Uhara. He was immediately delighted at the sight of the man and greeted him.

"Lord Totomi, it's a pleasure seeing you back at court." Ozai grinned, shooting Kya a look.

Kya tried not wanting to roll her eyes at how obvious it was her father was being.

Seeing this, Uhara chuckled and replied back with the same sentiments before Kya took his arm, trying to pull him away before her father made things awkward with his need to mention them as a couple and what not.

"So, Uhara is staying here till I leave. I was just letting you know. So, we'll go and I'll have a servant prepare chambers for him."

"Nonsense! He can share chambers with you." Ozai told her.

Kya's eyes widened.

"Your majesty, I thi-"

"Please, call me 'father'. You're practically family now." Ozai smiled as he placed his arm around the nobleman and started pulling him away from Kya. "Listen, I know it's not exactly proper but she's stayed at your villa for months. I don't think it would be much different than that."

Uhara cleared his throat into his fist and tried not to feel so intimidated by the Phoenix King's approval of him but the man was coming on strong when Kya had already expressed to him that she wasn't sure of her feelings for him yet. So, he didn't want to put up the high hopes of the Phoenix King or aid in making Kya uncomfortable.

"I just want to be respectful of Kya's image." Uhara explained.

Scoffing as he looked over his shoulder at Kya, who had her arms folded over her chest, staring at him funny, Ozai leaned close to the nobleman's ear. "Between you and me, I've been reading her thoughts for the last few months and she's only holding out because she knows I know that she knows she wants to be with you. And Kya hates when I'm right. Some rebellious part of her is still lingering around."

Uhara was confused.

Chuckling as he pulled away and slapped Uhara on the back before turning to his daughter. "You have a spare room in your chambers. You'll share them with Uhara. I need to leave my other guest chambers available for other possible guests. So," Ozai smirked as he could see he was annoying his daughter. "Go get him settled in."

Kya rolled her eyes and shoved him out of her way, "You get under my skin."

"Love you too, sweetheart." He said as Kya took Uhara and practically dragged him out the room.

When Kya was gone, Ozai turned his attention back on Mailan and Hama.

"Katara's not dead. She's alive." Ozai saw Hama stiffen immediately.

Mailan tilted her head up at the woman that was playing with her and then looked to her father.

"Our enemies took her and have her captive somewhere. I don't know where but Kya plans on going after her."

Hama furrowed her brows as she turned to give Ozai a grave look, "Arnook told you this?"

"Yes."

Sighing as she shut her eyes, "Is that all?"

Raising his brow as he placed his hands in his sleeve, "Like what?"

"About who exactly we're up against."

"So you know?"

Hama opened her eyes, "Atsou, he got in my head during that time. I didn't want to tell you because-"

"So you showed up all those years ago to awaken my dormant power because of him?" Ozai furrowed his brows.

Hama looked down at Mailan and told her to go play in her bedroom and that she would be right there. The little girl was going to resist but Hama used her siren ability to make the girl obey. And soon she frolicked away to go play in her room.

"Atsou isn't a full phoenix but you can't kill him and he can do things that you'd never imagine. He has a time clock. He won't age but he will die of old age. He only wanted me to restore your power as a phoenix so he could one day take it from you. After that, my purpose was served. He let me go."

Furrowing his brows, Ozai clenched his fists. "Then what does Atsou want with Katara?"

Hama shrugged, "All I know was he saw her first and figured he'd pair her up with you. For what reason, I never knew but he always said it would take someone like Katara to bring someone as prideful and selfish as you to your knees."

"What?! Katara would nev-" Ozai suddenly remembered what Arnook told him before he died. That Katara was always meant to be a weapon against him. It was for that reason Katara tried to take her life.

Sighing, "Ozai, Katara wasn't that kind of person. She isn't."

He knew that. Katara couldn't even kill him when that was her purpose for marrying him in the first place. She wouldn't even let him kill her enemies for her. And she had rather died than be used to his disadvantage. The woman wasn't a coldblooded killer. Even if that's what his brother would try to turn her into.

"We find Katara first and then we deal with whatever Atsou is planning." He told Hama.

"So you're not going to strangle me for not telling you?" Hama asked.

Ozai eyed her. Maybe he should but he sort of needed her help with the whole parenting thing again, so he'd leave her alone for now.

….

"Oww! My foot!" Azula hissed at Katara as the woman dropped the dead corpse on her foot.

"Sorry!" Katara whispered as she picked the corpse back up and they shuffled to where they'd dropped the body into the lake.

Once there, Katara opened the portal and took Azula's hand rushing her along. It was very clear that the waterbender was eager to get to Omashu. Azula told her she would take care of the bodies while she went to go see her family real quick. They'd keep this between just them and Daikoku. He figured with Katara's kills today that she deserved as much. Neither of them would inform Master Atsou.

Merging out of a pond in the palace garden, Katara and Azula gasped for air. Katara managed to jump three different lakes at once and she didn't realize they'd be out of breath by the time they finally got here.

"Okay, you go and I'll take care of the rest." Azula said as they climbed out of the pond.

"You sure?"

Nodding her head, Azula whipped her wet hair behind her and waved her hand around for Katara to get going. They didn't have long and they couldn't get caught. So, she needed to be quick.

Katara bended the water out of her clothes and immediately dashed into the palace. Her heart raced in her chest. La, she couldn't believe after almost six years she was back here again and that her children were somewhere around here. She had to tell herself to calm down. The adrenaline would mess her up but she couldn't help the feeling in her gut that she got from being so close.

Using the dark of night and the barely visible moon, Katara hid herself behind the pillar and sculptures to keep from being seen. There were quite a few guards here patrolling the night shift. Katara never knew there to be so many before. Was there a reason for that?

As she got closer and closer to the rooms that she stayed in while here, Katara figured she'd stop by her old chambers to possibly get something she left there. Like a mento or something to hold onto. She remembered Ozai gave her a necklace with black flames in its vile as one of many gifts he gave her while here. He said the necklace would allow him to find her wherever she was if anything happened to separate them. Maybe he could find her if she found it. But where? Where did she leave it? Was it even still there?

Arriving at the chambers, the waterbender cracked the door open and slithered herself into the crack, quietly shutting the door behind her. Her eyes roamed around the lobby way of the chambers and then to the halls that lead to the different rooms. Where is it? Tip toeing her way to the study where she last remembered having the necklace, Katara searched all the desk drawers and finally found it in the very bottom drawer.

Quickly shoving it into her pocket, Katara started tip-toeing back to the chamber doors so she could go deliver the letter she had written to Ozai's desk but then...

"Night night, daddy!" She heard and Katara froze.

"I'll see you in the morning, okay?"

Her heart skipped a beat at that voice. Sure, Atsou had that same voice but this was different. This one, this exact voice, it belonged to Ozai. Without thinking, Katara made her way to the door that was slightly cracked with light coming from it. Her breath hitched as she peeked inside and saw the man sitting on the edge of the bed where a little girl was lying in. Her blue eyes wide as she covered her mouth. Did he- did he have another-

"Daddy?"

"Yes?"

"Are you really going to find my mommy?"

Ozai nodded and caressed her hair, "Of course."

"So my mommy is not really dead?"

"No." He shook his head. "Bad people have her."

"So you're going to save her?"

"Yes."

"Okay, daddy." Mailan smiled as her father leaned down to kiss her forehead and stand to leave.

Katara, using quick thinking, bended water from thin air to the wall above the door frame and jumped to grab the icicle. Her eyes watched Ozai close the door but instead of leaving, he stood there. Quickly placing her hand over her mouth. Did he notice? Pulling the mask of her tunic up to her nose, Katara prepared to attack him if he looked up. She didn't want to but Ozai was too keen for his own good sometimes.

"Who's there?" He called.

Fuck! Katara let go of the icicle and landed very quietly behind him. He turned around and she shifted with him to avoid being seen. Oh my fuck!?I'm so screwed. Ozai was not an idiot. He'd play this game with a shadow for the fun of it but eventually, he'd make a move that she wouldn't be able to predict and she'd be screwed.

And so he played his parts. Walking away only to abruptly stop and turn. She moved with his movements. Trying to anticipate them. But Katara didn't want to play this game with him. It was his game and she wasn't good at it. He would outsmart her and while she always regarded herself for being an intelligent woman, Katara knew she couldn't compete with Ozai.

"Okay, I'm done playing." Katara saw white flame circle around them and she jumped backwards, landing herself in the flame to scream out in agony. Fortunately, she only burnt her leg and was able to get away from the flames.

"A woman?" Ozai spotted her but with her face mask up and her very short hair, he couldn't recognize her.

Katara's eyes widened.

"What do you want, woman?" He growled as his eyes turned red and he was very likely about to attack her.

Raising her hands up in surrender, Katara decided not to speak. He'd recognize her then. So she gestured to her breast pocket which confused him for a moment.

"What?" Ozai tilted his head. "You have something for me?"

Nodding her head, Katara slowly slipped her hand into her breast pocket and took out a letter. She carefully placed it down on the floor and backed away.

Ozai glared at the woman and stepped forward, opening the flames so that he could grab the letter. "Don't you move or I'll strike you down." he warned.

Just get the letter will you!

Snatching the letter off the floor, Ozai scowled at the woman as he read the front of it. "Don't read in the light? Well, how am I supposed to read it?"

Damn it! I should have thought of something!

"Useless." Ozai was about to burn the letter.

"NO!" She blurted out before she could stop herself.

Ozai's eyes widened. "Kat-"

"This isn't what we agreed to, Katara." A shadow dropped down behind Katara and chopped her in the neck with their hand.

Ozai watched the waterbender fall to the ground and he quickly shoved the letter in his pocket before making a move to attack the other shadow person. However; it was another woman and she moved with a speed he hadn't anticipated. Knocking his hand away as he was about to strike her with lightning and then shoved her hand into his gut, striking him with her own.

Gasping as he fell on his knees, coughing up blood, Ozai saw the woman pick an unconscious Katara off the ground and place her over her shoulder.

"Sorry, father, but she's with us now. Understood?"

"Azula!" He snarled as he held his middle.

"Daddy?"

The two of them turned to see a little girl rubbing her eyes as she opened the door.

Scowling as she looked back to her father, "So you can care for a child that's not yours but completely forget about a daughter that belonged to you?"

"Leave her alone!" Ozai saw Azula's fingers spark. "Mailan, go back in your room!"

Mailan? Katara's eyes slowly began to open as she was coming back to. Her eyes caught sight of the little girl that Ozai had tucked in. Mailan? Was that her dau- Katara's eyes noticed the spark in Azula's hand and acted quickly. Throwing her fists hard into the woman's back, the waterbender caused Azula to fall on her knees.

"Damn it, Katara! What are you-"

Kicking Azula in the mouth as she got to her feet, Katara, then, grabbed her and threw her into the wall. "You leave my daughter alone!" She hissed before punching Azula in the face.

"Fuck! You're going to botch the mission! And then they're all dead!" Azula spit blood into Katara's face as she growled.

Katara panted as she looked from Mailan, who was terrified and ran to Ozai instead of going in her room. Her eyes went from the girl to Ozai, who was staring at her in confusion. Shutting her eyes as she panted and then screamed.

"Fuck!" She let go of Azula. "Let's get out of here!"

Bending a blue flame, Azula grabbed Katara and shoved her into the flame before glaring at her father and shaking her head. "Keep an eye on your little brats. This night could result in repercussions."

…...

Getting back to the inn, Azula backhanded Katara into the wall as Daikoku stood by shaking his head. This was not acceptable. They agreed that Katara could see her family but from afar. She was in no way supposed to make contact with any of them. And worst of all, she made contact with Ozai. Now that bastard knew she was alive.

"He already knows!" Katara told Azula as the woman slapped her again. "Besides, do you really think I can get past him?!"

Azula snatched Katara by her hair and drugged her to the boots of Daikoku, "You tell me, do you think we should tell Master Atsou?"

"If he knows then he knows." Daikoku shrugged. "If he doesn't, then he doesn't. It's not like she betrayed her task or anything. So I say leave it."

Throwing Katara's head to the side, Azula kicked her in the stomach, causing her to curl up and cringe.

"Leave her." Daikoku told Azula.

Scoffing, "Why are you taking up for her?! She almost got-"

"Almost doesn't cut it. Now, leave her." Daikoku sent Azula a warning glare.

The former fire princess groaned in annoyance and left the room. When she was gone, Daikoku helped Katara onto the bed and sat her up straight. She was holding her middle but she didn't look too bad.

"You shouldn't have done that."

"I was trying to find the vile. I didn't know he'd be in those rooms."

"I understand that but we both know Ozai isn't someone you can sneak up on." Daikoku looked her over for any other injuries and noticed her left leg looked pretty bad. Pulling out his knife, the former nobleman cut her leg of her tights and heard her suck through her teeth. "Looks like he got you."

Wincing as Daikoku went to get a supply kit from his bag to treat her burns, "I guess my dream was warning me."

Snorting as he applied some cream to the burns, "Hopefully, you don't dream of Atsou tonight. Agni, help you if he finds out about this."

"What if Azula tells him?"

Shaking his head, "She won't. Despite her wanting to beat the shit out of you. Her true concern is the danger you put your children in."

Katara still didn't quite understand why Azula was upset about something like that. She had no reason to care. So did she?

"There was this guy once, don't remember his name but Azula liked him. A bastard of the Earth King with inhuman traits from his mother's side." Supposedly, Azula and this guy liked each other a lot because they were sharing beds together. Katara never knew Azula to have been romantically interested in anyone. But it seemed she did and the two were expecting. "Had a pretty little girl. Cutest baby I had ever seen. But her mate disobeyed some orders and got a dozen of our people killed. Atsou gave him the choice to hang for his crimes or drown his own daughter."

Gasping as her eyes widened and Daikoku shook his head.

"Bastard drowned that little girl and died anyways when Azula found out."

Now it made sense.

"Your children's lives are in your hands, Katara, and we understand you want your old life back and maybe one day you'll get it back but until then, don't drown them to save your own skin because you'll be just as dead as them."

Finishing up her leg, Daikoku wrapped it and patted it to see if she had any feeling in it still. And she did. Kicking him in the chest as she cried out in pain. He chuckled and stood up.

"We leave in the morning. If Atsou has found out, I'll try asking for a lesser punishment for you."

Nodding her head as she looked up at him in gratitude. "Thank you, Daikoku."

Cracking a grin, "Just don't do that again or I'm afraid I'll have to be the one slapping you next time."

Chuckling, Katara nodded.

…..

Sitting in her father's office with Hama and Mailan, Kya waited to hear what he called them all here for. He seemed deeply upset and disturbed by something. So much so that he was emitting heat like never before. Did something happen? Had to. Mailan was sitting in his lap patting his chest with a worried look on her face.

Fanning herself off as she pulled at the collar of her dress, Hama groaned. "Ozai, can you just tell us what's going on here so we can leave this furnace you've turned your office into?"

Ozai pulled out of his sleeve, a letter with writing on the front of it and held it up for them both to see.

Both women struggled to read it.

"Don't re- re-" Hama tried.

Kya couldn't begin to read that awful handwriting. Where did he get that from?

"It says 'don't read in the light'."

Snorting, "Then how are you supposed to read it?" Hama laughed.

"Whose awful handwriting is that? Are you bullying the servants again?" Kya eyed her father.

Slamming the letter down so hard it startled all of them.

Ozai shut his eyes and tried to get himself together, "It's your mother's handwriting. She has the worst penmanship I've seen in all my life but it is from her."

Hama's and Kya's eyes widened.

"Ho-How did you get that letter?!" Kya asked.

Opening his eyes, "She was here. Last night. Dressed up like a spy or assassin or something. Her lower face was covered and her hair was short. I didn't even recognize her until I nearly burned the letter and she told me not to."

Furrowing her brows, "She was dressed like an assassin?"

Ozai went on to tell them both how last night played out and how he acquired the letter. Seemed Katara was here last night for something but he didn't know what it was until this morning. She was trying to get him this letter before she left without him knowing it was her. He knew for a fact from the dialogue between Katara and Azula as well as the discovery his guards made this morning that Katara worked for Atsou now. However; she spared enough time to get him this letter, telling him not to read it in the light. So he didn't even bother opening it in case there was a specific reason for him not to read the letter in the light. He didn't know what was going on but he knew she did.

"You think Katara killed them?" Hama couldn't believe this.

Kya held her hand over her mouth as she was in shock. Was her mother really working as an assassin for the enemy?

Clenching his fists, "All of their heads were somehow blown off. No signs of force from the outside causing it. Their heads were blown up from within."

"Damn it!" Hama hissed. "The woman's lost her marbles! Do you know how much energy and focus it takes to blow someone's head off with bloodbending?! I never even tried because it's a waste of time! What the hell is wrong with her?!"

Shaking her head, "There has to be some other-"

"This letter is the only answer to anything right now. Somehow I need to read it without exposing it to light." Ozai was seriously at a loss here and things were starting down a dark and confusing path already. He only just learned Katara was alive and not even a few days after returning from Arnook does he run into her, creeping around the palace with dead officials laid out in the courtyard. Looking down at the letter, Damn it, Katara! Are we back to being enemies now?!

…..

"Ah! You're back! How wonderful!" Atsou ran up to Katara and hugged her after her group showed back up.

Going stiff as the man hugged her, Katara's eyes roamed to Azula and Daikoku. They both seemed as confused as her as the master finally let go and smiled down at her.

"I'm glad you're back. I worried." Atsou said as he ran his fingers over her short hair. "But I knew you'd be wise and come back with no problems." His eyes then shifted to the group's leaders. "There 'were' no problems, right?"

Azula nodded as Daikoku informed their master that Katara used his invention to take out five targets.

Pleased by this, Atsou looked back down at Katara and ran his hands over her shoulders. "Wonderful."

Katara tried not to look at him as he wasn't wearing his mask and his touchiness was making her very uncomfortable. She wanted him to get his hands off of her before she snapped one of his fingers back as a warning. Atsou knew she hated his guts. That would never change. She was just doing any of this to protect her children. This wasn't for him or his cause because to hell with all of it.

Atsou went on to dismiss everyone as he wanted to be alone with Katara for a moment. Daikoku and Azula exchanged looks before leaving. When the sliding doors shut, Katara found herself being shoved down to the floor and Atsou climbing on top of her. She tried to sit up but he grabbed her neck and forced her down.

"Look me in my eyes, Katara." He ordered.

Forcing herself to look at him, Katara clenched her teeth.

"I have the same face as him and yet, you won't even look me in the eyes without showing how obvious it is that you want to kill me." Atsou's eyes looked her over as she was under him. "But don't worry, I have a way of dealing with that."

Sliding his free hand down to pull her dress up, Atsou's eyes stayed on her as she didn't even flinch. He smirked and moved his hand from her neck to pin both her wrists above her head.

"Not resisting?" He whispered in her ear.

"I've been through this enough to know where this is going." Katara simply stared at the ceiling.

Sucking his teeth as he let go of her wrists and got off of her, "That definitely killed the mood, mean one."

Rolling her eyes as she sat up and straightened her dress out. So, he didn't want her if he had to force himself on her. Good to know. At least, he had some decency to him.

As they were both standing up, Atsou looked her over and told her that she was his woman now. No one here was allowed to touch her. Man or woman. So, if she was in need, she'd have to come to him.

Staring at the floor, "I'm fairly capable of tending to myself, thank you."

"Oh, I know." Atsou smirked as he tapped his lips with his fingertip. "But I'll get you to warm up to me."

"May I leave now?" She decided to cut to the chase. "Or is there something else?"

"You're free to leave, Katara."

"9437, you're back. Excellent. The girls have been requesting you to have kitchen duty this week." Ursa said as Katara was only just walking into the squad house.

Nodding her head, "I need to wash and I'll get started with dinner right away."

Ursa folded her arms and eyed the woman as she drug her feet up the stairs.

Once Katara was clean, she went straight to the kitchen and kicked everyone out. She preferred being alone during chores or house work. And they didn't complain. Just let her have her space and do all their tasks for them without fail.

Washing the veggies and slicing them up, the waterbender hummed to herself as she prepared dinner. Last night, when she saw Ozai with that little girl, she thought it was a child he had with someone else. That maybe he had moved on in her absence but it was her child, Mailan. Skinning the potatoes, Katara smiled at what Ozai told the little girl. So you're going to save me, are you? Placing the skinned potato into the basket with the others, the waterbender touched the necklace she had stowed in her pocket. She'd wear it but Atsou had them wearing white crystals around their necks to protect them from death. So, she kept the necklace in her pocket for safe keepings and prayed this would be enough for Ozai to find her. I'll be waiting.

"So, 2782 told me you saw our ex last night." Ursa slipped into the kitchen and slid the door shut behind her.

Katara glanced up at her, "Who?"

Taking a chair, "My daughter." Ursa sat in it backwards and rested her chin on the back of it as she seemed to be in a good mood. "So what happened?"

"Nothing much." Katara carved the potato. "He caught me, burned me, and Azula showed up."

Groaning, "Oh come on, there has to be more. Don't do this to me. I don't get to go out much anymore, so I live for this sort of thing."

Honestly, Katara didn't know what the woman wanted to hear. There wasn't much that happened. But… "Looks like he's adopted my daughter, Mailan. She's with him."

"Ah! Ozai would be the kind to groom the little girl and then have her fill in as your replacement." Ursa thought aloud.

Katara dropped the potato and the knife and looked at the woman. "What?"

Shrugging, "Just a thought."

"A fucked up thought is what that was. Why would you even say that?" Katara tried regaining herself as she picked her knife and potato back up.

"I mean, he's not really her father. She's your one child that he's not related to so *shrugging* it could happen."

Shaking her head as she didn't want to believe that, "No, No, Ozai isn't-"

"Ozai isn't what?" Ursa chuckled as she tilted her head. "Fucked up? A horny bastard? Into incest?" Snorting in laughter. "Ha! Darling, please, Ozai used to watch me and his sister go at like two bitches in heat."

Katara's mouth as agaped.

Seeing how disturbed the waterbender was, "I'm just kidding! No need to look like that! I'm thinking of a different Ozai. You got the better one. Plus, I don't think he'd do that. She's his daughter now and even he-"

"Hama raised him, she was his adoptive mother but he still slept with her." Katara became nervous.

Well, shit.

"I was seriously just kidding, 9437. Don't take me seriously." Ursa said as she looked at one of the potatoes and grabbed it.

Trying to focus back on her potato, "I was just happy to see her and see she was with him. Mailan wasn't treated well in the North Pole. Besides, Ozai may have his faults but he'd still be a better father to her than her own was."

"See? She's in good hands."

Katara nodded. Yes, Ozai would be good to her. She could tell just from last night.

"You know," Ursa eyed Katara funny. "There is a way to get around Atsou's gaze while out there so you can do as you like but..."

Lifting her gaze to Ursa as if to ask her with her eyes what this work around was.

Smirking, "I can't tell you right now but I will once you've carried out a few missions."

"Useless." Katara scoffed.

"There's a reason for everything, 9437." Ursa stood up. "Just know darkness is not Atsou's only blindspot."

Seemed Hama knew the reason why Katara wrote for him not to read the letter in the light. Atsou had the ability to monitor everything under the sun and the light of flame. It was how he kept tabs on them. However; the only flames Atsou couldn't use to see were flames from another phoenix which worked in Ozai's favor. He immediately had him and Kya change all the candles in the palace out with their own flames to secure the palace. That way, only in the day were they vulnerable. They all agreed only to discuss matters related to Katara and Atsou at night. That way Atsou wouldn't discover anything.

As night fell again, Ozai tucked Mailan in bed and stationed two guards outside her bedroom door and then two more outside her chamber doors as well as the balcony. He wasn't taking any chances. Azula gave him warning enough to figure that they were all to be more cautious than before.

"All the candles in the palace are changed?" Ozai asked as Kya and Hama met him in his office.

They both nodded their heads.

"Good."

"Now, let's see whatever it is Katara wrote in there." Hama stood over Ozai's shoulder as he sat at his desk.

Kya stood over his other shoulder, "Mom's handwriting is awful. So, it might take me a minute to understand it."

Opening the later, the three narrowed their eyes to read the words.

Dear Ozai,

I know last we spoke we weren't on good turns but I learned the truth and it was much more than I could take which is why I thought the only thing I could do was to end my life. Perhaps, that was my first mistake in all of this. But I'm writing to you because you and I agreed that we wouldn't learn our enemy unless I was taken by them. And while I've learned a few major things that you can use to your advantage, understand that this is all I know at this very moment.

Katara writes of Atsou, Ozai's twin brother, who had the abilities of a phoenix but with a human lifespan. She explains what Atsou wants with him and what his plans are, though she states she felt there was more. They read of Atsou's known abilities and how he can see everything under the light of day and fire.

Ursa, Azula, and Daikoku are all members here. They each looked after me since I've been here and I plan to learn more from them about what is going on here. Unfortunately, this place we are at is not physical and no one knows where exactly we are. We are only allowed passage by way of Atsou's siren. So I can't tell you our location.

As for the men left dead in the courtyard, they were all a part of a plan that Atsou has to stir chaos between your nation and the Earth Kingdom as everyone attending the meeting was killed. The weapon used is unlike anything I've ever seen but Atsou designed it himself. It uses the powder from fireworks and something to cause instant combustion to send a small metal ball at its victim. Killing them on impact depending on where it strikes. I admit, I took down five men with this weapon but all were men from the Earth Kingdom. I took no pleasure in murder or any of this but I do what I must because their lives mean nothing to me in comparison to my children's lives. So don't think less of me as time goes on and if you ever witness me committing these violent acts.

I do not know if I'll be able to write to you again or if we'll be in contact anytime soon but if there is ever an opportunity, I know where to find you.

Sincerely,

Katara

Ozai burned the letter after reading it to ensure the wrong eyes never saw as Hama and Kya sighed.

"Welp, sounds like Katara is an assassin." Hama shook her head.

"But she's not our enemy." Ozai stated.

"The lines are blurred but I understand her reason for participation. Atsou must be threatening us." Kya gazed at the burnt ashes of the letter.

"Doesn't matter her reasoning or if she wrote this letter, Atsou has plans for us all and I'm talking bigger than our little family. Katara won't be hurting us directly but indirectly depending on what Atsou orders her to do, it could affect us on a grand scale. Katara has to be stopped." Hama stated.

Both Kya and Ozai shifted glares at her.

"Stopped?" Kya folded her arms. "What exactly do you mean by stopped?"

Hama wasn't phased. "Your mother is better off dead like she intended than going around killing people."

Ozai stood up towered over Hama. "If you even think about killing her, I will break your neck!" He bit out.

"So we don't kill her." Hama narrowed her eyes. "And her hair turns white as the siren inside her grows powerful from the increasing number of people she's killed. Then you're not dealing with Katara anymore. You're dealing with her siren. What then? You don't know how dangerous Katara really is! She doesn't even know herself! There was a reason Atsou wanted Katara all this time! You're too stupid to see that even you aren't a match for her! She was right to try and kill herself! This letter makes everything clear! Katara will be your undo-"

Kya had heard enough and silenced the woman with a charm over her neck, You've said enough. Her eyes glowing blue.

Hama glared at Kya as the younger woman held her hand to her neck and she was rendered speechless.

Folding his arms over his chest, "I'm not afraid of Katara or her siren. If it comes to that, I'll deal with her myself but we're not killing her, got it?"

The old siren didn't say anything, not like she could, she averted her eyes.

"Weren't you the one that wanted her alive?"

That was before I realized what he wants her for.

"And that is?"

You obviously don't care what I have to say. You'll deal with it, won't you?

"Kya, take her to Mailan's chambers and put wards in place to keep her there."

When Kya took Hama out of the room, Ozai sat back down trying to think of a way to find Katara or communicate with her. He had been so close last night. Damn it, he was so close. But this wouldn't be the last time Katara was sent to kill. He needed to pay attention to any large gatherings or political events that would play into his brother's hands for causing chaos. If Katara was going to be Atsou's weapon, then she'd no doubt be present wherever calamity fell. Next time, I'll be the one to make contact first.

…..

A/N:

Just a heads up for people that don't like a violent Katara. I know. I understand. I get it. But for this story it fits and she's not going to be totally cruel and heartless, that's just not her but family first.