Responses to Reviews:

Matheus Bezerra de Lima: Indeed, it's hard to have deep philosophical conversations when someone is trying to kill you.

RonaldM40196867: There's certainly an overlap.

As Always, Please Review, and we pick up our story just as Team Avatar deals with the mother of all home invasions...

The rest of the group watched as Sokka was dragged away by Suki, and then turned her attention towards the door.

"Do we have a plan, then?" She asked.

Aang opened his mouth, only for Zuko to round on him. "Don't even think about suggesting giving yourself up."

Aang closed his mouth again.

"The only way we're going to survive this is by beating them in a straight fight," Mai mused. "And the only way we're going to be able to do that is by taking out those two bloodbenders first."

"As plans go, it's not the most developed one."

"It's the only one we've got," Aang said grimly, peering out of the window. "Here she comes again!"

At this, Mai and Zuko both pulled out their weapons. Aang did the same, pulling out a sword and tapping a gauntlet on his left wrist. It suddenly expanded, as a large golden disk emerged, the traditional shield of the Kyoshi Warriors.

Meanwhile, Sarnai shouted with exertion as she thrust her arms forward once again, willing her battering ram onward. It crashed into the door with a huge bang, and this time the door gave way, collapsing inwards. Nothing happened for a second, and then a great shout went up from the men outside.

Just as they began to charge in, Sokka and Suki returned, Sokka drawing Space Sword and his club and Suki deploying her own shield.

The first thug through the door lasted all of one second before Aang swung his shield into his face, knocking him over, but there were too many of them to hold there. The second man in managed to parry his sword blow, and Aang was forced to back up. He was followed by others, but one was attached to a wall by a hail of Mai's knives and another recieved a club to the helmet, which made a satisfying bong noise as he went down.

Soon, the battle had devolved into two sections; Mai and Zuko trying to protect Toph at one corner of the room, and Sokka, Suki and Aang at the other.

A man in red with a polearm rushed towards Aang. He didn't know how his opponent could move that thing in there, but he managed to knock it aside with his shield and spun out of the way as Suki knocked him out with her fan. As he did so, he got a good look at Suki for the first time.

"Congratulations, by the way!" He called, as Sokka knocked someone out. "I thought you said you were going to leave it though?"

"Well, plans change," Suki swept someone's legs out from under them. "I didn't know if we were out of time."

"Wait, you knew about this?" Sokka asked.

"Of course!" Aang jumped out of the way of a punch. "Suki told me all about it on our recon mission."

Their conversation was cut short, however, when a new figure entered the room; Tulimaq. He took a look around, giving himself a few seconds for his eyes to acclimatise.

On the other side of the room, Mai was the first to notice him and let fly with a knife. Tulimaq easily sidestepped and extended his arms. Mai immediately went stiff and her feet left the floor, as she moved involuntarily towards the bloodbender.

"Mai!" Zuko shouted in horror.

"Please surrender!" Tulimaq boomed. "You can't win, none of you are even benders."

"Or what?" Mai grunted.

"I think you know what," Tulimaq tightened his grip on her and pulled her close to him. "You wouldn't like it."

Mai only gave a slight smirk. "Neither would you."

With all of her willpower, she aimed her arm downwards and in front of her and flexed her wrist, activating the spring-loaded knife launcher hidden in her sleeve.

Gravity did the rest.

Tulimaq yelled in pain as Mai's knife found its target: his foot. He dropped to his knees, and his hold on Mai was released, dropping her back onto the floor.

"Father!"

Her victory did not last long, though, as Yakone burst in. He regarded Mai with rage.

"You'll pay for that, you..."

He seemingly couldn't think of a harsh enough insult, so he settled for bloodbending her and throwing her head first into a wall. She fell to the ground and didn't move.

"Mai!" Zuko shouted again, all thoughts of protecting Toph immediately forgotten. He ran over to her, but before he got there, he was clubbed over the head by one of Tulimaq's henchmen. He collapsed, landing neatly next to Mai.

"Zuko? Mai!" Toph called uncertainly.

"Don't worry, little girl, we'll deal with them, and you, soon enough," Yakone smirked, as he turned towards Aang.

"Who are you calling little? I'm about the same age as you!" Toph replied hotly. Yakone ignored her, advancing slowly towards the Avatar.

Immediately, Sokka and Suki interposed themselves, stepping in front of him.

"If you want him, you'll have to get through us," Sokka snarled.

Yakone only sighed, and lifted his arms. Immediately, they were both lifted into the air, limbs trembling, and they dropped their weapons.

"When will you people learn?" He asked, as Sarnai finally entered the building behind him, stepping over Tulimaq who was still hunched over on the floor. "It's never a good idea to mess with a bloodbender!"

"Remember our arrangement," Sarnai warned him. Yakone rolled his eyes.

"Fine, yes I know!" He shouted over his shoulder, and then looked back at them.

"Oh, by the way, congratulations on your engagement. That is a betrothal necklace, isn't it?"

Suki just spat at him.

"Alright, message received. Screw you too."

Yakone twisted his wrists, and bashed Sokka and Suki's heads together, hard, before dropping them. The last of Aang's friends crashed to the floor, groaning and out of it.

Finally, with the exception of Toph, Aang was alone.

"Yakone, if you would do the honours?" Sarnai asked, wading through the pile of unconscious bodies.

On cue, Aang felt his limbs leave his control, as Yakone began to bloodbend him.

"So," Sarnai began. "Where were we?"

"You were about to apologise and turn yourselves in?"

"No, as I recall you were going to do a great service to the four nations. The greatest service you can still hope to do."

"Really."

"Yes. Dying," Sarnai pulled the same knife from the desert out of her belt and advanced towards him.

Aang struggled against Yakone's control, but he found he had no answer to it; he could only watch as Sarnai strolled leisurely towards him, knowing that she had him at her mercy.

And then a water whip sailed across the room and smacked Yakone across the face, causing him to drop Aang. Immediately, everyone swivelled towards the doorway, where they saw-

"Katara!" Aang almost shouted with joy.