Azula stood alone, staring up at the darkened sky. Same as she had been for the past hour. Two hours? Maybe three. Hard to tell at this point. At least since Katara had delivered that dreadful news, however long ago that was. Still she stared, as though she would find some kind of answer written in the stars. Doubtful that would ever happen, and yet she kept searching. She had to do something to keep her mind busy. Otherwise, she might very well lose herself.

Of all the times to be pregnant, why did it have to be now? Why like this, with Annie and Kanna gone? What terrible timing to be burdened with a child. Burdened. What an awful thought. At any other time, she would not think of having a child with Annie as a burden. She should be happy, and yet right now her stomach churned with that knowledge. How could she be a mother to this child when she couldn't be a proper one to Kanna? When she had failed at being a lover to Annie? When they had suffered for her sins?

How did she deserve that kind of gift?

"Azula?"

The voice tore her away from her thoughts. When she turned around, the figure she saw standing there brought a grumble into her throat. Just what she needed: more feigned sincerity. "What do you want?"

Kuvira came closer, taking a step next to her. "Just thought I'd come see how you're doing. I heard about the news."

Azula turned her head and looked away. "And what about it?"

"Well, normally I'd congratulate you, but something tells me you're not in the mood for that."

"How very perceptive." Her words oozed with biting sarcasm, yet they did little to deter the other woman. Azula did respect Kuvira, and considered her one of the few real friends she had, but she had little patience right now to be consoled. She wanted only to be left alone to her thoughts.

Kuvira leaned close and held a hand to her shoulder. Azula made an attempt to shrug away, but the touch remained firm. "Look, I get this is terrible timing to be having a child, and I know you probably want to go after Sen now more than ever, but you don't have to. Now that you have a baby on the way…" She turned Azula, enough so they could look each other in the eyes. "It might be better for you to stay back."

Azula frowned, eyes narrowed. "Is that why you're here? To try and talk me into sitting out while the rest of you go after Sen? Did Zuzu put you up to it?"

"It's just that Sen is bent on tearing you down," Kuvira insisted. "He's already taken Anraq and Kanna, but if he found out you're pregnant…"

The meaning of Kuvira's words sank into Azula's mind with raw, painful understanding. Sen would do anything to make her suffer. He had already shown as much. He had taken Annie from her, taken Kanna, and would take each and every one of her friends before finally ending her. If he discovered there was another thing she cared about, another child, what would he do then? Would he keep her alive long enough to have the baby, only to make her watch as he destroyed it? Would he rip the baby out of her and let her die? She could think of any number of horrible things, none of which were beyond Sen's cruelty.

Kuvira's grip tightened with reassurance. "It's not just your own safety you have to worry about now, that's all I'm saying."

Azula fell quiet a long while before answering, as her focus shifted towards the ground. As disgruntled and irritable as she'd been moments ago, she found herself wavering, hesitating. "I know. I do, believe me, but I can't just sit back. I can't have a baby like this. With Annie gone, with Kanna gone… I need them to be here. I need this child to have its father, and sister. I can't do this without them."

Her heart seized as she spoke the words. The thought of raising this child alone, the thought of trying to move forward after losing so much—it terrified her. For better or worse, Annie and Kanna had become her rock. The two people above all else who kept her moving forward, who gave her a reason to change. The people who had helped alter her destiny, and made her life worthwhile. Above all else, Anraq and Kanna were the ones she needed in her life, no matter what.

She would do whatever it took to get them back.

"I think you'd be more capable than you're giving yourself credit for," Kuvira said, with a stern nod, "but I understand what you mean. I can't tell you what to do. None of us can. It's still your decision."

Azula returned the nod, maintaining her resolve. "I'm going to help you stop Sen. Whatever happens, I will be there to fight him, same as I would without carrying a child. Besides, if we fail to stop him, it wouldn't even matter. We'll all be dead anyway."

"In that case, we should head back to the others. We're trying to figure out our next move."

"I already know our next move."

Kuvira raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"I've been thinking, while I've been out here, about how to stop Sen," Azula explained. "You, the Avatar, everyone—you all seem dismayed that only the Mother of Faces or Raava could have challenged him, but they aren't the only ancient spirits out there."

"What other ancient spirits are there?" Kuvira asked, giving a curious stare.

"I spent decades in the Spirit World. I know a few." Azula folded her arms across her chest and narrowed a thoughtful gaze. "One in particular may even know a way to free our friends of Sen's influence. Of course, this will require a little trip to the Spirit World."

Kuvira blinked away her surprise, allowing a relieved smile to curl across her face. "That's great. We need anything we can get right now. I'll go tell the others. You coming?"

"Maybe in a little while." Azula turned away, lifting her attention again to the night sky. "I think I need a few more minutes."

"Alright, but we'll need to hurry. We're running out of time."

"I know. I'll be there soon." Azula blinked, and briefly glanced back. "And Kuvira?"

The former Great Uniter turned to meet her gaze. "Yes?"

"Thank you. For your concern, and all that."

Kuvira merely smiled, and gave a friendly nod. Then, she was gone.


"There we go, one helping of genuine sea prune stew." Megumi smiled, sliding the bowl across the counter towards her daughter.

Kanna stared down at the bowl for a long while before finally picking up her spoon and prodding at the stew. She stirred it a few times, lifted a mouthful to her lips, and swallowed. Immediately after, she huffed a sigh and frowned.

"What's wrong?" Megumi's lips wavered ever so slightly, but she forcibly held her tentative smile. She had been at this for over two hours now, trying to get the dinner right. No matter what she tried, Kanna didn't seem to like it. Sea prune stew was Megumi's specialty, the best dish she knew how to cook, and yet her daughter rejected every batch. "That's your favorite, isn't it?"

With a simple shrug, Kanna set her spoon down next to the bowl. She didn't look up, maintaining a distant, defeated stare down at the bowl. "I like the way Daddy makes it better."

Megumi's eye twitched, as a scowl creased across her face. "Well your father isn't here right now. I am." The words bit out more sharply than she had intended. She forcibly calmed herself. Couldn't go losing her temper, not in front of her daughter. With a deep breath, her demeanor warmed again, and the loving smile returned. "Just eat up, sweetie. You need your strength."

Kanna blinked at the bowl, but her expression didn't change. She simply grabbed her spoon and slowly, reluctantly, began to eat. A loud thud—more of a crash, really—boomed from outside, but still she didn't look up. Megumi, on the other hand, snapped her attention towards the front door. A second crash followed, prompting her to stand and head towards the door to investigate.

"Just stay right here," she said, giving her daughter a quick glance. "Mommy will be right back."

When Megumi opened the door and disappeared outside, Kanna's frown deepened. She let the spoon fall again, and muttered with disdain under her breath, "You're not my Mommy…"


Megumi scanned the hill beneath her, eyes darting back and forth. No sign of what had caused the crash just yet. She glanced towards the beach, but saw only sand and ocean. Her focus shifted towards the rest of town. Nothing but empty and silent streets. The nighttime darkness didn't help matters, shrouding half her vision with inky black shadows. The crash came again, behind her this time. She spun around and looked up to see a large figure crawling over the back of the house, framed by dozens of spindly, insectoid legs

The massive figure leaped into the air and landed in front of her, shaking the ground upon impact. It appeared to be a giant gejigeji bug, but the face that stared down at her with beady black eyes was not that of an insect. Rather, the face was disturbingly humanoid, puffy and rounded like a child's. The sight of it cracked a terrified chill down Megumi's spine. That chill soon vanished when she realized what—or rather who—this was, a revelation aided by the sight of Unalaq approaching up the path that led to the house.

"Sen," she uttered, with a relieved breath. "You have emerged in your true form at last."

"Oh yes, I have." The spirit's voice was deep and silky smooth, carrying a faint echo with it. "The Avatar is to thank, for surrendering the essence of the Light Spirit within her. I haven't felt this much power in tens of thousands of years."

Megumi bowed her head. "And what is next? What would you have us do?"

"Next?" A rumbling cackle surged from Sen's throat. "Next, I spread across this world like a plague and rid it of the pests called humans. When the last of them have perished, I will be free to take this world and do with it as I see fit. And this time, there is no one left to stand in my way."

Megumi paused, mulling over the spirit's words. She eyed him with a curious stare. "Do you mean… all humans?"

"But of course, my dear." Sen skittered across the ground, watching Megumi closely with his tiny black eyes, as he coiled around her. A grin spread across his child-like face. "Yes, that means you and your daughter, eventually. For now, you still have your use. Those who I control, I'll save for last, so you at least have some time to enjoy with your precious child before you leave this world forever."

Noxious dread skipped into Megumi's heart. She stared back at the spirit, meeting his horrific eyes with her own. Her entire body trembled. She saw nothing in those eyes. There was only emptiness, like a black void that pulled in and consumed everything in its gaze. "You… you can't do that."

"Oh but I can. I am Sen, the Spirit of a Thousand Faces, and I own you. Your essence is tied to me. You do what I say." His grin spread wider, turning into a wicked sneer. "You don't have any choice in the matter."

"But… but you…"

"If you think you can resist me, by all means, try." Sen moved in closer, bringing his face only inches from Megumi's. "Rebel against my hold. Try to stop me."

Megumi said nothing, did nothing. She couldn't. Fear paralyzed her, as though an icy spike had skewered through her heart and pinned her to the ground. This was nothing like what she had been promised, nothing at all like when she had been brought back into the living world. This was not joyful. This was not wonderful. This was not any kind of opportunity.

This was terrifying.

Sen chuckled, offering a delighted grin as Megumi made no action. "As I thought. Those moments I felt of you resisting me were nothing to fear, simple lapses in my power. Now, my power is absolute. Ready yourself to leave by tomorrow. I plan to make my first strike soon." With another cackling laugh, the giant gejigeji spirit skittered away and left his two remaining minions alone.

"It is a tragic thing, humans controlled by spirits." Unalaq stepped next to her, his posture straight and poised. "When I was alive, I controlled spirits. Now, here I am being used by one, powerless to resist. You could call that karma."

"He won't do it…" Megumi uttered, with a slow shake of her head. "He can't. Not to Kanna."

"Oh, he will," Unalaq replied. "You know it, I know it. We are but puppets to his will, and there is nothing we can do otherwise. Take solace in the fact that at least he is not forcing you to be cruel to your daughter, as I was to my children. Enjoy your time with her."

With no further words, Unalaq left her alone. Megumi stood upright for as long as she could manage, but soon her trembling legs turned to jelly. She crumpled to her knees and wrapped her arms around herself. Despite her best efforts to retain any amount of dignity, she could not stop the tears from flowing. They surged, fierce and uncontrolled, as she broke down and succumbed at last to her emotions.

Dear spirits, when would she awaken from this nightmare?


Katara stepped in front of the earthen hut and sucked in a deep breath. Toph had created this hut and another one like it earlier, each holding two of their friends. Friends, and prisoners. This one held Sokka and Suki, while the other held Mai and Ty lee. Katara's heart fluttered at the thought of speaking to her brother. Such a conversation would be pointless in all likelihood, and yet a deep desire compelled her to enter. Whether under the effects of a dark spirit or not, he was her brother. She had to look out for him, no matter what.

When she entered through the doorway, a tight knot lifted into her throat. Sokka sat at the far side of the space, his arms and legs bound with stone restraints. Suki sat behind him, her back to his, facing in the opposite direction. Katara hesitated only a moment before forcing herself to approach. Now wasn't the time to falter.

"Sokka," she said, her voice cracking out in a pale whisper. She knelt in front of him, so they were eye-to-eye. "How are you doing?"

"Oh, just dandy," Sokka replied, with a firm nod. "Yup, nothing better than being held prisoner by your own pea-brained sister."

Katara sighed, letting her gaze drift to the side. "You know it has to be this way."

"Oh sure, can't have me and the others running around unchecked, I get it. Pretty smart, actually, since you know we'd stop you otherwise." Sokka shifted his posture and hardened a glare at his sister. "You can't win, you know that. Sen's already regained his full power. There's no stopping him at this point. Your entire world is doomed."

"Maybe, but we're not giving up." Katara returned her focus to her brother. She locked her eyes onto his, and she didn't flinch away. She let him witness her resolve. "Not on stopping Sen, and not on any of you. We will help you, Sokka. You, Suki, Mai, Ty Lee, and everyone else Sen hurt. We'll free you."

"You say that like we want to be freed. I, for one, have never felt better. I don't need your help." Sokka shifted his posture again, straightening out his legs. "You're wasting your time, to be honest. You, the Avatar—oh, sorry, former Avatar—and all the rest of your band of hopeless idiots."

"That's Sen talking, not you," Katara insisted. "You don't mean that."

"Don't I? You were always naïve, Katara, ever since we were kids. That's going to get you killed one of these days, young again or not."

Before she could answer, a new voice interrupted them from the doorway. "It's a waste of your time, trying to talk to him."

Katara turned around, squinting at the shadowed figure silhouetted against the moonlight beyond the entrance. When her eyes adjusted, she recognized the familiar topknot hairstyle. "Azula?"

"Sen has him," Azula said, as she strode into the earthen hut. "Whatever you're talking to right now, it's not your brother. He won't be, not until he's freed. You're better off ignoring him."

"Ah, if it isn't the prissy little Fire Princess, come down off her high ostrich horse to join the rest of us peasants," Sokka replied, with a chuckle. "Been a while, hasn't it?"

Azula frowned, crossing her arms over her chest. "Hmph, even under Sen's influence you're a buffoon."

"So, that really is Azula?" The question came from Suki, who now craned her head to look behind herself, barely able to see over Sokka's shoulder. " I remember you. Do you remember me?"

"Of course I do," Azula shot back. "I've beaten you and your band of fangirls before. Speaking of which, I do hope you've trained them better over these past decades. You really were pathetic."

"Let me out of here and you'll find out firsthand," Suki said, in a challenging tone.

Azula rolled her eyes. "I'd say that was a nice try, but I'd be lying. That's something I'm trying to do less of these days."

Katara stood up and wandered away from the pair bound on the floor, instead approaching Azula. Best to guide the subject away from hostilities, before things got out of hand. "Is everything alright?"

"Just fine, Katara, but you really should come back and rejoin the others. As I said, you're wasting your time talking to them right now. They won't listen."

Azula was right, of course. Katara had known that since before she even entered. Still, she would remain strong. Glancing back over her shoulder, she offered her brother a tender gaze. "I will help you, Sokka. I promise."

He snorted out a laugh. "Ha, you can try."

With one final look, Katara eased a sigh and followed Azula out of the hut, back into the open night air. As they made their way towards the campfire where the others sat, she gave the other woman a curious glance. "Is that why you haven't spoken to Mai and Ty Lee yet? Because it's 'a waste of time'?"

"Of course. There's no point in facing them and telling them everything will be alright or that I'll do what I can to help them, or any of that nonsense. Not while they're under the influence of a dark spirit." In spite of her words, Azula stopped walking and gave a long look towards the hut that contained Mai and Ty Lee. She stared only briefly before shaking out of her daze and continuing on towards the fire. "Now come on, we're coming up with a plan."

When they had all gathered around the fire, Korra leaned forward and focused on Azula. "So, Kuvira tells me you have an idea?"

"Don't get me wrong, I have no idea if it will work, or if they'll even help us," Azula said, with a quick shrug, "but it's the only thing I can think of."

Korra nodded. "At this point, we'll take anything."

"Well, I figure since Sen is such an ancient, powerful spirit, we'll need the help of another ancient spirit, one who might know a way to stop him. There are two in particular I have in mind. The first is Koh the Face Stealer, Sen's brother. From my understanding, he holds no love for his brother and might be willing to help us stop him. The other is Wan Shi Tong, he who knows ten thousand things. If there's anyone who might have the knowledge on another way to rip out Sen's essence, it's him. He may even know how to free our friends of Sen's influence. The only problem with that…" Azula exhaled a deep sigh and stared into the flickering flames of the campfire. "Well, let's just say we didn't part on the best of terms the last time we met, and he isn't very fond of humans in general."

Korra raised a hand to her chin, carefully thinking over Azula's words. "That might actually work."

"It's our best option," Katara said. "Our only option."

"We'll need to go to the Spirit World," Zuko added, glancing towards both Korra and Kuvira. "You two can meditate there, correct?"

Kuvira nodded. "That's right."

Korra flinched, and bowed her head in shame. "Actually, I've been trying to meditate to the Spirit World since I lost Raava, but…"

Toph sat upright with a throaty groan. "Oh don't tell me you can't meditate there anymore."

"I'm sorry, but I've lost my spiritual connection," she affirmed.

"Well I can't go by myself," Kuvira said. "I don't know my way around."

Azula pursed her lips in thought. "Then it looks like we're going to have to go there physically."

"We don't have that kind of time." Korra closed her eyes and eased a brief sigh. Even so, they were out of options. "I guess there's no other choice."

"We can still save some time if we split up," Azula suggested. "I can seek out Koh by myself. I'm the only one immune to his face stealing ability anyway, so it's probably for the best."

Korra nodded, and reached out to hold Kuvira's hand. "We can head to the Spirit Library. Jinora told me how to get there years ago, if I ever needed to."

"I'll go with you," Katara said, with an eager look. Her gaze shifted towards the earthen huts again. "I have to."

"Well, you all go on ahead," Toph declared, pressing her hands to her knees in earnest. "I'm staying right here."

"Are you sure?" Korra asked.

"Sure I'm sure," she replied, pointing her thumb in the direction of the prisoner huts. "Someone's gotta stay and watch them. Besides, I much prefer to keep my feet planted in reality. Not a fan of the Spirit World."

"I should stay behind, as well," Zuko said. "Someone has to warn people about Sen."

Kuvira looked east, focusing on the horizon. "The closest spirit portal is in Republic City. We need to hurry. Every second is precious."

"Alright then, we know our plan." Korra punched a fist into her opposite palm, as a hardened glare steeled across her face. "We're going to the Spirit World, and we're going to find a way to stop Sen once and for all. Let's move."