A/N: CONTENT WARNING: More spice but not as much as last time. Now I'm the villain in your history. Love and be loved. Read… and review!

The Faceless Demon

[Winter/Spring 110 AG]

The black expanse of the forest emerges into view. Blemished not with the fires and greasy smoke of the battle raging all around them. The flames in the distance cast a low, orange glow over the trees which she had often traversed with Ty Lee and all the others. The birthplace of her many adventures, the origins of her belief, the bedrock of her childhood. Happy memories, filling her heart with a pleasant warmth.

They are here, sullying the beautiful woodland of her homeland with their malevolence.

Kyoshi Island is under siege. Rain pours down relentlessly from above as the sirens across the islands blare to alert villagers to seek shelter and fighters to the front lines. The pirates and raiders had come again by night and Suki's girls had not been prepared this time. Thunder booms and lightning illuminates the dark as Suki surges through the woods to the shores of the island.

When she finally arrives she watches in the distance of the South Sea as a large pirate ship awaits escaping, smaller row boats. She mutters curses under her breath, knowing she had been too late. The thunderstorm and fog had provided a perfect cover for them. Suki watches as a smaller island burns, black smoke billowing upwards. She wonders how much more they can take.

"Suki," a voice approaches from behind.

She turns around to face one of her fellow warriors. They are solemn but look determined.

"We got one."

Somehow a few warriors from a smaller island had managed to isolate and subdue one of the raiders. Suki had commanded them to bring him to the mainland and rough him up. She's let him stew for a good long while now and plans to show him some 'grace.' She enters what is traditionally their dojo and finds him chained to a wall, sitting on the ground, dried blood on his face and clothes. She grabs a chair from the corner of the room and walks it up to him.

"Here, let's get you off the ground."

She places the chair beside him. He looks up at it cautiously and then back to her. He worries about this kindness but doesn't want to sit on the floor anymore either. Worriedly he moves into the chair and sits. Suki takes a slug of fresh water from her waterskin. When she's done she offers it to him. Concerned and confused, the man does not reject the offer. He takes it from her and greedily gulps down the little bit that Suki had filled up.

"That's good, right?"

He stops trying to suck it dry and looks at her with confusion.

"I can get you more," she leans in. "Just tell me what I want to know."

He huffs through his nostrils. The small, portly, bearded man with dark skin and darker eyes tells her, "Nothing to say to you."

"You're our prisoner. We're not just going to let you go. Not without getting a little bit out of you first, anyway. That can be done the easy way, or the not easy way. It's for you to decide."

He doesn't say anything. Suki snaps her fingers. One of the warriors runs in and hands her a paper cup and a pitcher of water. "How's about this," she says once they depart. "You answer one of my questions, and I'll pour you a drink."

He doesn't blink. She pours a cup. "Let's start with your name. I'm Suki. What about you?"

He stares blankly at her. Suki gives him a few moments to say something. When he doesn't answer, she tips the cup over and spills it out into the floor in front of him. He watches it go, visibly shaken. She pours another cup.

"Let's try another one. Why our villages?"

Licking his lips, he's less determined this time but still remains quiet. Suki let's another moment pass in silence before she tips it over again and pours out the drink.

"When will they come back?"

More of the same. He looks distraught, but stands his ground. Suki pours more water out. Seeing that he won't answer she pivots.

"Let's try this another way. I'll tell you what we already know about your group. You tell me more of what I want to know and maybe we can work something out to make you more comfortable."

He blinks back at her. She pushes forward.

"We know you call yourselves 'Koh's Disciples.' We know that your endgame is to 'cover the world in faceless people.'"

He doesn't respond.

"I've buried a lot of dead over the last two months. It's not something I enjoy doing," the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors leans in, her anger building. "You all cut the faces off everyone you kill as some kind of offering to your namesake. Something like that, right?"

"Something like that," he finally replies.

"So you do have something to say to me then, hm?"

"If you're going to speak on Koh then you better be correct."

"Koh is an interesting choice. It's a specific choice. One that is devoted to ancient beliefs. Rigid structure. Conservatism. A devotion to life without emotion. Am I right about all of that?"

He returns to giving her the silent treatment. Suki grows frustrated and rolls her eyes.

"Playing shy again? Yeah, well, that's alright. Our namesake could destroy yours. Avatar Kyoshi is one of the greatest legends to ever walk the Earth. You should fear her."

"We fear no Avatar. We fear nothing."

"Hmm? I don't think that's true. I've heard you fear something very much."

He looks doubtful at her. He doesn't believe her. Suki shows her hand.

"The Faceless Demon? Ever heard of him?"

The prisoner leans back and physically tries to create distance between them. He shakes his head. He mutters quietly. So quiet that Suki almost doesn't hear.

"Not a 'him.'"

A soft, single braided ponytail bounces against her back as she practically skips through the massive lobby. The brunette approaches the front desk, a small bag around her shoulder. The manager smiles at the twenty-something year old woman who approaches.

"Welcome to the Grand Botou City Inn! How may we serve you today?"

"Hello!" She warmly greets him. "I have a reservation for Room #3. It should be under the name 'Ty Lee.'"

The dark hair, golden eyed man briefly inspects the logbook in front of him before finding it. "Ah yes, Ms. Lee, there you are!"

He retrieves the keys from behind the desk, "And here these are. Your husband arrived not long ago!"

"Wonderful. It's been so long since I've seen him. Thank you so much." She hums.

"Excellent, well, enjoy your stay with us!" He says.

She smiles as she turns around. Before walking away though she turns back to him. "I just wanted to say, you have a fantastic aura! So bright and bubbly!"

The man isn't quite sure how to take this. He looks into her golden eyes and says, "Thank you, Ms. Lee. I hope you're still saying that by the end of your stay with us!"

She smiles cheerfully and finally walks away. She smiles deviously as she makes her way for Room 3. As she does she makes sure to greet every staff member she sees, waves to anyone she crosses, and smiles broadly for the whole world. She catches the eye of all who pass her from her bright pink, tight fitting outfit. She has thick lipstick on and heavy eyeshadow. Her cinnamon perfume is thick and wafts through the hallways. She finds the room and keys in.

As she enters she finds a man in an ornate outfit. The golden eyed brunette asks him, "Are you Asanok?"

"Yes I am," he says, a villainous smile spreading across his lips. He moves towards her. "And you must be Ty Lee?"

She approaches him, putting her bag down, pulling on her ponytail. "Please, call me 'Azula.'"

"'Azula?' Isn't that the disgraced sister of the Fire Lord?"

She stops in front of him and fiddles with the collar of his outfit. "Exactly. It's a Royalty kink."

He becomes hot and bothered. "That's fine with me, Azula."

He reaches down and grabs her between the legs. She coos in his ear, "Is it true what they say about you?"

He reaches his other hand down and grabs her backside. "What do they say about me?"

He pulls her towards the bed but before they can reach it she pushes him with full force and he falls backwards onto it. She climbs up and straddles him. "They say you're an absolute savage."

She pulls a cloth belt off of her waist. She lies down on him, pulls his hands up, and quickly ties him to the bed posts. "They say you're a ruthless businessman."

His mouth salivates as she rises up and towers over him. "They say you need to be punished."

"Oh yes, Azula," he begs her. She begins tying his legs down as well. "Please punish me. I've been very bad."

She smirks down at him, ponytail trailing between her flat chest. In one fluid motion she pulls her shirt up over her head. When she does he notices a massive scar in her lower abdomen. Alarmed at the sight he drops the charade and asks her a question. "Uh, um, did another man give you that?"

She looks down at the three-year old scar and smiles at the memory. She says, "A woman."

Incredulous, he replies, "A woman? But women don't stab people. That's ridiculous."

She smiles warmly as she reminisces on it. She tells him, "I know. It surprised me too. But she did it to show me how much she loves me."

The man chuckles a little and shakes his head from down on the mattress. "That's insane."

Head snapping down at him, her eyes shoot flames at him. "No, it's not."

His eyes grow wide in surprise. She continues, "Sometimes when you love someone you will do crazy things for them."

Her head lazily returns to staring out into space and daydreaming. She posits, "I know her better than anyone. Better than she knows herself."

She looks down at the monster under her. She balls her shirt up and stuffs it down his throat. He looks on with wanting eyes as she smiles down at him. Quirkily she says, "Oh! I almost forgot! I brought you a gift."

Mouth filled, arms and legs tied, he can't say or do anything. She stands up, walks to the bag she'd brought with her. He can't see as she pulls out a sharp blade. Azula walks back to the man, concealing the blade. When she reveals it his screams are drowned out by the shirt in his throat. His squirming goes nowhere. She reaches up to her scalp and carefully removes the heavy wig, letting it fall to the floor. She smiles down at him.

"You said it yourself, Asanok. You've been very bad," she points the tip of the blade into his crotch.

"And you need to be punished."

Suki sits in the makeshift "war room" and reviews the mess of papers spread out before her. Lomin enters the poorly lit room, which normally functions as lounge space for the girls, and hands Suki a scroll.

"Just in from Omashu."

Suki unravels the parchment and reads the update. She doesn't show any emotion as she goes through it. Towards the end she chuckles at one note regarding the matter. She shakes her head and looks back at Lomin, "At least this is well timed."

"So you're really gonna try to go through with it then?"

There are two quick, successive knocks on the door and then it opens. A small grouping of girls come in. She whispers to Lomin, "I've already sent the Messenger Hawk."

She lifts a finger up to her mouth to indicate that this be kept quiet. Lomin nods her bushel of black hair. The room fills with Kyoshi Warriors until there are 8 of them cramped in the tiny room. Finally, the ninth and final girl, with brown hair and grey eyes, wanders in at last and takes a seat where she can find it by the door.

Suki looks around the room before looking back down at her papers. Closing her eyes, she takes a deep breath in through the nose and then exhales.

"This will be all of us today. Neken and Kare are with Zuko in Cranefish Town or whatever the fuck they're calling it now. They sent word earlier today that he will not be sending any Fire Nation troops."

There is a group reaction to this, all of which being furious. Talking over the council, Suki continues. "We also will not be receiving any help from the Earth Kingdom or the Southern Water Tribe."

"What's the fucking point of you fucking their leader if they won't help us when we fucking need it most?" One girl interjects.

Turning her attention to the girl, Suki says, "Mavanag, I know things are tense and we're all stretched thin right now, but if you take that tone with me again I will excommunicate you without another word. I don't care if we'll have even less people. I'd rather have loyal, fewer people than that shit."

"I'm sorry, Suki," she apologizes, head bowed. "I spoke out of turn, you're right, I just-"

"You're frustrated. I'm frustrated. Zuko nor Sokka can send troops across sovereign borders without it being seen as an act of war. Things are… precarious right now. King Kuei isn't putting up with their shit while they build that damn city and he doesn't like being told how to govern his own kingdom. It's a fucked situation."

"What about the Avatar?" Wiya asks.

"Aang is busy with the city too and can't just permanently relocate here. Especially given the fact that he's got a newborn that isn't even two yet. He wrote me himself saying as soon as he can come-"

"But if he waits any longer then Kyoshi Island will fall." Someone interrupts her and the group grows loud again.

All throughout this Ty Lee remains silent, observing, thinking. Suki looks across the room at her, their eyes finally meeting. Suki narrows them as she makes a face. Ty Lee doesn't understand what she's trying to say with her body language. She presses harder to read it but still can't.

"Have we gotten anything from the prisoner?" Hoyo asks.

"We have," Lomin answers. "We learned more about the enemy of Koh's Disciples."

"The Faceless Demon?" Wiya asks.

"Indeed," Suki replies. She finally looks away from Ty Lee, "The enemy of my enemy is my friend. So we are going to recruit the Faceless Demon to help us against them."

"Oh sure," Hoyo says. "Yeah, we can totally do that. Should've thought of that sooner."

"How, Suki?" Mavanag asks, exasperated. "How will we convince this Faceless Demon thing to fight for us? Do we even know who or what it is?"

"We do," Suki replies, stealing another quick glance at the girl with grey eyes. "But we know her by a different name."

This silences the group. Eyes quickly scan one another looking for answers. They dart all about before finally returning to Suki. She closes her eyes and sighs loudly. She opens them again and looks directly at Ty Lee.

"The Dragon Empress." Suki says.

"Oh my Agni."

"Kyoshi help us."

"What the shit."

"Not this bitch again."

"How is that even possible?"

"Her? Her! Why her?"

"Is Faceless Demon one of her titles? I hadn't heard that before?"

Suki raises a single fist into the air and all grow quiet. She speaks, "I have an idea. Not all of you are going to like it."

Speaking for the first time, Ty Lee says clearly and loudly, "Absolutely not."

The group again becomes silent as all eyes fall on the girl who hunted her down. Suki clears her throat and says, "Ladies, please give us the room."

Mumbling their discontent, the few chairs in the room scrape backwards as everyone except Ty Lee, Suki, and Lomin file out of the room. When they are all gone, Lomin tries to start.

"Ty, please, just-"

"Shut up, Lomin." Ty Lee tells the girl with black hair and red eyes.

Suki tells her, "This is the perfect answer to our predicament, Ty Lee."

"Getting in bed with a terrorist? That's our perfect answer?"

"Our friends can not help us. The politics at play, the timing, the manner in which we're being assaulted, the sort of enemy, the unavailability of Aang. It's the perfect storm."

"So we do what we always do and we figure it out."

"Azula doesn't operate within any of these rules that are restricting us right now. She doesn't adhere to rules, or laws, or international borders. She's a free agent with an army we all estimate to be larger than the Southern Water Tribe's at her disposal."

"This is ludicrous. Worse, it's suicide."

"These guys are terrified of her, Ty. For whatever reason. You should've seen that Disciple we captured. It was like he'd seen a damn spirit walking," she tries to impress. Ty Lee rolls her eyes and looks away. Suki forges on, "And most importantly, we have an ace in the hole."

Crossing her arms Ty Lee looks at Suki. "What's that?"

"You. You two are obsessed with each other."

Ty Lee looks away. Suki turns to Lomin, "Show her the scroll."

Lomin slides the scroll from Omashu across the 'war table' towards the acrobat. Ty Lee reluctantly leans forward and grabs it. When she unfurls it she reads about how a woman named Ty Lee, with a brown, single braided ponytail, and wearing all-pink, had arrived at an Inn and murdered a businessman just outside of Omashu last night. She shakes her head.

"That's not even the first time!" Lomin stresses. "It's the third. All across the Earth Kingdom. She's using your name and likeness to send a message."

"Well, that's too bad," Ty Lee tells them. "Because it's been three years and she'll probably kill me on sight. And how are we just going to brush aside that this Asanok guy is dead."

Suki rolls her eyes. "Ty please. He was under investigation by the Earth Kingdom for sex-trafficking young women and girls. Plus, she exposed him as an adultress. He thought he was meeting a prostitute and instead his dick met with her cold, sharp steel. Honestly, it sounds like she did the world a favor."

"How can you say that?" Ty Lee shouts. "No one should be okay with killing! All life is precious."

"All of life is about perspective, Ty Lee. Avatar Kyoshi was not above killing those who deserved it."

"So what? So now we just hire her to do the killing for us? Can't beat 'em, so join 'em?"

"Lee," Lomin interjects.

"If you hadn't noticed," Suki says, growing hostile. "We are being slaughtered by Koh's Disciples. Our people are dying. We are in need and the people who have helped us for the last ten years are mired in a geopolitical battle that has enveloped them like quicksand."

Ty Lee knows she's lost now. When Suki gets on a roll like this, it tends to snowball. She presses on, "I am the leader of these Warriors, Ty Lee. You may have adopted Kyoshi Island as your new home, but this Island adopted me. These people raised me and made me who I am. And every time Koh's Disciples come knocking, we lose more people. And I bury more friends and neighbors who raised me. What would you have me do? We are losing, Ty Lee. We are going to lose. Unless something major comes along and changes that."

She pauses to cool off for a second, but she's not done. "The Faceless Demon. That's our 'something major.'"

There's no reply given after this. Ty Lee takes it all and then let's her rest for a few seconds. Finally she sighs and says, "Okay. Okay. So where do we go from here?"

"I sent the Messenger Hawk already requesting an audience. Given that she was in Omashu last night, I'm hoping we hear back soon. Before Koh's Disciples come back around."

Ty Lee stands and looks out the window at the early morning light. "I hate this but it's not my call to make. You're in charge, Suki."

"I'm glad you can put aside your personal feelings and see the thought process," Suki replies. She stands and walks to be beside her. "Because you're going to be the key to getting her on board and saving Kyoshi Island."

A/N: This chapter's OST is "It's Time for War" by LL Cool J.

Love always. Tyzula forever.

Notorious