A/N: Who's ready to see Azula get hers? *raises hand*I don't like Azula, and since I don't like her, I promise I will not be doing anything nice to her. If you like Azula I'm sorry..:)
CONTENT WARNING: This chapter contains a small amount of descriptive injuries and a little bit of torture, but don't worry, it's totally deserved!
It's nothing I haven't done before, even if the intent behind it was different..;)
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender.
Daichi and Hisaki did not converse as they quickly moved through their elements West; Hisaki grudgingly allowing Daichi to do the leading as his element was the one the traveling humans were coming into contact with.
Their chase was short, and soon Daichi sent a signal to Hisaki using the earth connected to the fire spirit's lava and tossed the time sphere directly into the middle between the two large beasts. The sphere impacted the ground and exploded with bright light, flash-blinding the humans who were awake, and putting them into a state of sleep, so their minds could not gather any information subconsciously.
Around both komodo rhinos and humans the time-stopping sphere grew until it completely surrounded them. The massive tri-horned beasts stood in suspended animation, as if they would suddenly take another step at any time.
Hisaki erupted from the ground once the sphere had done its work and floated around unhelpfully as Daichi formed a cocoon of earth for each the two humans to be brought back, and attached them together for easy transportation. "Mind their heads you idiot!" shouted the fire spirit who'd unofficially named himself supervisor. "The last thing we need is for their necks to snap on the way and Hayashi to do something horrible to us."
The earth spirit grumbled under his breath but formed a bit of earth under and around the tops of their heads so they could breathe, yet would physically be safe. "Who made you the boss anyway hothead?" he growled as he balanced the two earth-wrapped humans precariously on a spire of rock.
The fire spirit grinned "I'm better looking than you stone face, and I can melt you." More grumbling came from the earth spirit, something about vain fire spirits with fried brains, but he didn't attempt to continue the discussion.
Using his heat and fire, Hisaki helped levitate and then propelled the cocooned humans at almost recklessly high speed; however, thanks to the element of fire's warning words, they remained safe in their pods of earth.
Umi had knelt next to Zuko's motionless form to wait for the two spirits to return. She was still there when they arrived, the time having gone far more quickly than she realized.
The large chunk of earth containing the humans was placed more or less gently onto the ground and Daichi allowed all but the dirt that cradled their bodies to fall away until they both lay nestled into the earth that held them.
"Thank you both for bringing them so swiftly and safely" the forest spirit directed at Hisaki and Daichi. "It is now time to administer punishment." Just as before with Umi, Hayashi requested that everyone hold hands around her tree, effectively connecting them to her, then she extended two limbs to each human; however, for Iroh, she simply allowed the branches that grew to connect to various points over his body from head to toe, those branches growing a sharp needle wherever she planned an insertion point.
With Azula, however, Hayashi requested that Daichi maneuver his earthen structure so that the deformed girl's back and neck were exposed from underneath. The two limbs and branches that grew around her had needles in readiness at points in the back of her head, neck and back, the same chakra points as Umi has suffered through the loss of her bending.
Once she was ready, Hayashi grew one last limb and once again produced another time sphere with the intent to drop it directly onto the two unconscious humans in order to ensure they did not awake during the process. When Tenkuu saw the sphere she questioned the tree spirit.
"Do you really have to? You can just put Iroh to sleep but I think that evil girl should feel the same pain Umi felt!" The air spirit said vehemently. "I'm sure you can find a way to allow her to feel the pain but not wake up. It's only fair…" her voice trailed off as she looked away. Umi's heart warmed at the obvious care in Tenkuu's quiet words and she gave her a small smile.
The other spirits quickly voiced their agreement and Hayashi was forced to silence them. There were several moments before Hayashi spoke. "I would not be needlessly cruel; however, seeing as all are in agreement and I don't see the harm as it is part of the punishment, I will do as you ask."
"I just thought of something" Daichi piped up. "If she gets ten minutes of complete lucidity once every twenty-four hours, what's to keep her from tearing things up? Not that I'm much on firebenders, but she's crazy strong."
"Another valid point." There was silence until the tree spirit spoke once more. "I propose that her bending be partially blocked and the time of her mental acuity be very precise, say, at high noon each day; in that fashion, those tending her will be ready for any attacks that may come given the regularity of them."
Umi nodded quietly and the other spirits similarly acquiesced. It would be done. The time stop bubble was shrunk to only cover Iroh's body and, since Azula would be feeling an immense amount of pain, Hayashi requested that Daichi replace the packed dirt in the exact same fashion he had for the trip there, completely covering her body and holding her head in place.
As she found what she was about to do rather distasteful, despite her agreement, Hayashi chose to deal with the girl first. As such, she plunged needles into the base of her neck and the back of her head, giving the human what her mind required to be awake enough to sense and understand pain. Then, she quickly inserted the remaining needles down the girl's spine and began the process once again.
Unlike with Umi, Hayashi chose not to share the human girl's pain, and blocked it from herself, forcing the cruel human to suffer through it alone.
The instant the needles pierced her skin the hideously deformed human girl began screaming hoarsely, her throat still damaged from the heat of the inferno sphere. As the obviously excruciating pain continued the girl attempted to thrash and struggle, but was held fast by the cocoon of Daichi's earth.
As the desperate screams continued, Umi placed her hands over her ears in a failed attempt to block out the sounds. Everyone there knew exactly what the girl was going through, and although they had all agreed to the punishment, each elemental spirit once again felt a ghost of the remembered pain, their minds supplying unbidden the memory of the torment they'd shared.
After what seemed like hours, but was, in fact, only minutes, it was done. Hayashi extended the time stop bubble once more to envelop the girl who had been allowed to lapse back into unconsciousness once her punishment was complete, and quickly went to work on the one called Iroh.
It took less than a minute to fully heal and restore him, and as she retracted the limbs and branches and needles she'd created Hayashi felt a great exhaustion begin to weigh on her like a heavy snow.
In a clearly tired voice, the tree spirit requested that Daichi and Hisaki return the humans to the time stop bubble and place them back on the beasts in their previous positions, as if they'd never been moved. Before the two could even respond to the request, Umi leaped to her feet and spoke up.
"Please leave Iroh here. I know Zuko will…" she hesitated and her voice broke a little "he will need some help, and he will need his new father." She hesitated, then said quietly "he may not want to see me, once he learns…" her voice trailed off.
"That is fine Umi" Hayashi responded "the human soldiers will most likely believe he somehow awoke and escaped. I do not think they will go after him."
Umi smiled broadly "thank you Hayashi!"
Daichi allowed the earth of the girl's cocoon to detach from Iroh's and he and Hisaki took off to return her to the soldiers. "This man Iroh will wake up as soon as I remove the bubble from him. I will do so only after we have dealt with your Zuko." She spoke directly to Umi this time. "Once those two have returned we will commence."
Umi nodded and settled down to wait. She began to think about what had transpired in the last hour and an idea began forming in her mind. As she thought about it, the idea became clearer in her mind until she couldn't seem to think of anything else at all. It had to work, it just had to.
It wasn't long before the two elemental spirits returned empty handed and Hayashi requested that Zuko be moved closer so that she could more easily access him. "Hayashi, I need to say something first." Umi interrupted.
Everyone seemed surprised, and even the tree spirit projected a little surprise at the water spirits' interruption. "What is it Umi?"
"I believe..well, that is..you see I.." she stammered, irritated with her inability to speak her mind. "I believe in Zuko!" She finally spoke, nearly shouting. "I know he will get through this, and I know he will be great." Her voice steadied as she gained confidence in the words she spoke. "I believe he has a destiny to fulfill and that he will be a great man some day, and I think he needs to be able to meet his destiny whole."
Hayashi was the first to respond. "I do not dispute your words, but the agreement was that he is allowed to live, not that he is healed."
"The agreement can be changed!" the water spirit interjected vehemently. "It has already been changed! It was changed for Iroh and it can be changed for Zuko too!"
Her voice quieted. "I love him, no matter what. I just want to see him live life to the fullest and achieve the great things I know he is capable of. I have heard the two of them speaking when they thought I was not there, they've spoken of the fire nation and how the Fire Lord is trying to take over the world. If he is defeated, who will reign in his place? Iroh is already well on in years and has no blood children and Azula cannot possibly rule."
Hisaki slowly nodded. "What you speak is true, without a Fire Lord the fire nation would fall into chaos, which would in turn cause chaos all over the world. It is also true that the fire nation would never respect a…" his voice trailed off and he glanced over at the burned and mangled body of Zuko "..a..physically challenged ruler." He finished diplomatically, much to Hayashi's surprise, as diplomacy was never his strong suit.
"I disagree!" came the quick response from Daichi and Tenkuu glared at him. "You would!" she almost shouted. "You just don't want Umi to be with him, so you think if you keep him from being whole she'll leave hi m for you. Well I have news for you, you big blockhead, she's not that shallow!"
Still upset that he had disagreed, Umi was about to speak herself when the air spirit had defended her. She almost smiled at the words; Tenkuu was right on. "That's exactly right; I couldn't have said it better myself."
"This is not impossible, however, as before, Umi, what would you be willing to sacrifice? Something must be sacrificed in order to gain something as you well know, and this is far bigger than simply changing a death sentence."
"Hey, am I invisible here?!" Daichi cut in, "I said no!" He ground his rock fists against one another in anger as he shouted.
"I am inclined to agree with Tenkuu seeing as your previous agreement with Umi was highly inappropriate and in disagreement with our code. You are not invisible; however, your word has been outweighed." Hayashi said with some measure of displeasure.
The disgruntled earth spirit grumbled and rumbled but didn't add anything else to the discussion.
"Umi? Have you decided?" Hayashi spoke once again.
Umi nodded her head. "I have." She stated calmly. "There is only one thing left to give, and I don't know if this is possible…" she hesitated. "I will give up my elemental spirit status and become a normal mortal human."
Gasps came from each elemental spirit as they absorbed her words. "Umi you can't!" Tenkuu cried passionately and rushed to hold Umi's hands in hers "you've already given up your bending, if you were mortal, you'd eventually…die!" she shuddered at the thought and the air around her seemed to almost vibrate with worry.
Umi smiled at Tenkuu sadly and gently squeezed her hands. "Thank you Tenkuu, but it is my choice, and it's all I have to give. If that's the price for Zuko to be whole, I will gladly pay it."
Tears escaped from Tenkuu's eyes, and even Hisaki and Daichi were quiet. After some moments had passed, Hayashi finally broke the silence. "Umi, this is normally something that would be beyond even my ability to achieve, however, given that we are all here, we should be able to accomplish this feat."
The tree spirit focused on Umi. "Are you sure you are prepared for the fate you have chosen for yourself?" She asked gently. "In my existence I've never known such a thing to happen. You would be completely mortal, human, unable to disperse or communicate with water, and you would be susceptible to every mortal illness, pain, and even death."
Umi nodded. "I understand the gravity of what I'm proposing; I accept full responsibility and all the consequences that will come with my choice. Zuko is worth any sacrifice, no matter the cost."
"If that is truly your wish, we will start the process as quickly as possible. Since we do need your presence as a water spirit for the boy Zuko's healing, we will do this in the opposite order from which I would normally do things." Hayashi stated. "Please take the same positions surrounding me as before, linking hands."
All four quietly complied, and as they moved into position Hayashi was sending out limbs that again sprouted branches which wrapped carefully around their necks as they had when they shared Umi's pain. "Do not worry, these will not administer pain, they are meant to simply assist me by tapping your power. I am tiring quickly, my power is not limitless and I need your assistance."
No one spoke as the preparations were completed. Tenkuu released the hyperbaric bubble protecting Zuko, and then Hayashi grew limbs which sent branches that extended all over Zuko's body. A few of them went down to what was left of his legs and grew several needles each, others grew over his torso and grew more needles, the same with every area of his body that was damaged.
"Please lend me your power." They were the only words she said before every needle simultaneously pierced their necks and Zuko's body. Umi shuddered at the sight but didn't look away, these needles would not hurt him; they would heal him.
Umi watched, transfixed, as out of the stumps of both legs suddenly grew new, white bone, each bone connecting to its neighbor to create a shin bone, ankle, then a foot, then toes for one, then just the foot and toes for the other. They looked rather disturbing coming out of flesh, and she had to remind herself what was happening was for Zuko's good.
After the bones grew in cartilage and sinew, muscles, veins and nerve tissue grew and wrapped around the bones each in their own order. Afterwards the first and second layers of skin grew over the newly grown limbs, looking almost too perfect to belong to a body that was so damaged.
That was about to change, however, because once the severe damage was healed, the internal damage was dealt with in a similar fashion, working from the inside out. In mere minutes, the charred rags he wore were the only indications that he had ever been injured.
Somehow, she was sure it was Hayashi's doing, Zuko's..she nearly blushed…his privacy her mind supplied, had been salvaged, as the raggedy animal skins were covering enough for him to retain decency.
"There is one last thing, Umi." Hayashi said as she paused in the healing process. "The large scar on the left side of his face, it is not from the accident that happened near my forest or in the fight on this soil. I am able to heal it; however, not knowing its origin I hesitate."
Umi nodded and was silent for a few moments. She, too, had no idea the origin of the scar, however, she remembered what Iroh had said to her the day they'd had that wonderful tea. She felt somehow that the scar was important, and was conflicted.
"I think the scar is a personal thing, and that we shouldn't remove it without permission. I would, however, like to heal him in every way I can." She glanced over at Hayashi's tree. "Do you think we could simply ensure that his sight and hearing are perfect, while leaving the majority of the scar intact?"
"I believe that is quite simple, and a good choice." Umi looked back to Zuko and watched as Hayashi worked; the scar seemed to soften and shrink slightly, the skin re-molding itself to give him a true eyelid and eyelashes, and re-growing his ear while leaving most of the scar still intact.
It no longer looked so bright, the heavy marbling of the skin was not as pronounced and the bright red was no longer almost angry in color and look. The scar was still there, but now his features had re-asserted themselves, giving his face an almost boyish look.
Umi felt her heart constrict, wondering what his reaction would be to all these changes. How would he react to her, once he found out? Her heart asked. She almost feared the answer.
Exhausted but unwilling to leave anything unfinished for long; with the healing completed, she extended the time stop bubble to admit Zuko and they moved on to the final task of the day. Umi's last sacrifice.
Once again Hayashi requested they form a circle around her tree, hands connecting them, but this time she extended limbs that sprouted branches which wrapped around each set of linked hands and wrists.
Once the connections were complete, she spoke once again. "We must be in agreement. If there is even one who disagrees we will be forced to stay here and wait until we are in complete unity." Everyone looked at Daichi and he glared ill-temperedly at them.
"Fine, fine, I know when I'm beat." He finally muttered. "I am in agreement."
"Very good. It is time." The tree spirit created a shimmering bubble of protection that would hide them, even Zuko and Iroh, from view and protect them from harm should anyone stumble upon them. "Everyone except Umi, assume your natural elemental spirit form. My branches will keep you connected."
In a few moments there were four very different beings almost unrealistically linked by the branches of an evergreen pine tree. It was a fantastic sight; the swirling air, not creating a gusting breeze, the fire, not burning anything, the earth changing little, and the water..the water in the form of a beautiful human woman.
At Hayashi's signal, all elements released their grip on the physical world and were instantly transported into the spirit world. As in the physical, they were still linked around a pine tree, but this one, this pine tree, was massive, so tall the top of it couldn't be seen. They were nowhere near each other any longer, but they were linked by branches that spanned between each elemental spirit.
Once again Hayashi spoke. "This is my true form in the spirit world" she began, "my link to the physical world." Daichi spoke up and through Hayashi's link everyone could hear. "Wow, now that's a tree! You can put your roots down into my earth anytime!" Hisaki mentally rolled his eyes, but Tenkuu and Umi were silent.
"That will do Daichi!" reprimanded Hayashi, "your foul mouth does not become you. I would thank you to keep your thoughts to yourself from here on!" The earth spirit grumbled again but kept, mostly, silent.
Hayashi focused on Umi. "Spirit of Water, Umi, here, in this place, we will remove your very nature and your eternity and return your consciousness to your body as a mortal human. When you are ready, we will begin."
Umi took a deep breath and nodded to no one in particular, realizing there was no one to see her nod, she spoke her agreement. "I'm ready."
"We will remove your immortality first, then, we will return to the physical realm and allow the remainder of your water spirit nature to fall into the ground, washing and sanctifying it from the blood that was spilled." She focused on Daichi momentarily, "that should satisfy your request for vengeance for the sacred earth."
Without giving him time to speak she continued on "It is time." As she spoke those words she sent waves of serenity to Umi before explaining that they needn't do anything but simply be there, as the four elements, and stay connected to her.
All at once her tree began to glow. It almost appeared to be insubstantial; a soft, glowing greenish light, that felt like pure life. As the tree began to change, the elements were pulled into the light, straight up until they were merely four points of different colored light around the glowing tree.
It seemed like forever, yet it was mere moments. Every element coalesced into a single swirling pillar of pure light, radiating and pulsing with the colors contained within. The pillar of light began to move, slowly at first, then faster as it tracked straight towards Umi. Her eyes widened and she couldn't help herself as she began to pull back slightly from the oncoming light.
Suddenly she remembered Zuko, and her mind quieted. She no longer pulled against the hold of the glowing branches; instead, she stood her ground and waited calmly for the massive pillar of light to reach her.
For mere fractions of a second she knew an agony that made the loss of her waterbending seem like nothing more than a scratch. Her mouth opened in a silent scream as she felt herself weakening, once again she felt like she were being pulled apart, only this time, she felt as if she were dying, her life force being sucked out of her.
Then, it was over. The pillar passed all the way through her and completely disappeared. Hayashi's tree ceased its glowing and Umi was left in a heap on the ground, her spirit form unconscious.
As they were all still connected, Hayashi wearily transported everyone back to the physical world. Once they were safely back in their physical forms she removed her branches from them and Tenkuu re-formed her body and quickly dropped to Umi's side.
"Umi, we're back, you can wake up now!" Tenkuu said softly near her ear. Before she could reach out and touch her, water began to pour off her body, as if she had simply stepped out of the ocean, only it continued to pour off her and spread until the entire area that had seen battle was damp with it.
At last, the water ceased flowing. Once again, the air spirit attempted to awaken Umi, but there was no response, and she looked over at Hayashi for assistance. "She will sleep for awhile, her body is new and far weaker than before, and she needs a little rest." The tree spirit advised, and Tenkuu hung her head a little, but moved away from her.
"She is mortal now, and as such, she will no longer be able to communicate with any of us in the way we are capable of. You must not contact her or speak with her. She has chosen this path and we must abide by her wishes."
"I didn't even get to say goodbye…" Tenkuu quietly cried, and whirled into her air form, quickly spiraling up into the sky and disappearing from sight. It didn't take long for Daichi to allow the cocoons he'd created for the humans to slowly flatten out to a slight hump of dirt beneath them before his rocky form crumbled into the earth.
Hisaki chose the same time to melt back down deep into the earth where his favorite lava flowed freely. In moments Hayashi was all alone with the three humans.
She was more than exhausted, but felt a great satisfaction for time well spent. Her only regret was that Umi had been forced to give up so much. She would never have asked it of her had it not been absolutely necessary. She sighed.
For the last time she glanced around her, and then allowed her tree to slowly sink back into the ground and pull away, back to her forest. Behind her, before she left one last gift, she remove the time stop bubble from Zuko and Iroh.
By doing so, she allowed them to awaken immediately, together, and placed a small blanket of sleep into Umi's mind, so that she would sleep slightly heavier than normal, to give the newly rejuvenated adopted father and son a chance to reconnect and process what had happened to them.
In the final moments before she left them entirely she left a small message in Umi's mind that she would remember upon awakening; telling her that she was allowed to give them a small hint of how things had come to change so much, yet nothing in specific was to be said. She knew Umi would heed her direction.
Before she had even returned her consciousness fully to her own forest, Zuko and Iroh were already stirring from their enforced slumber.
A/N: Oops, I did it again! I played with your minds, got lost in the story.. *ahem* Ok ok, enough of that. Wonder if anyone will actually get that reference..Ah well.
So, who's ready for our lovely men to FINALLY wake up?! I know I am, I miss them! I considered completely healing Zuko's scar, but I decided it really is part of him; hopefully he won't mind that I altered it slightly…