Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar or anything associated with it except my fanfictions

First, a moment of silence for the devastation and destruction of 9/11.

I'm finally back... I'm so sorry everyone. It's been especially busy since July, and I've been working on two pieces, Kataang Week 2020 and Shedding of Blood. The first is explanatory, the second is a sad excuse of a conspiracy theory I've been thinking about since learning about Suyin and all those Tokka theories...

Other than that, everything's fine. Still busy, but not as much as before. I promise I will do my best to update this story once every one or two weeks, and I will do the same for The Burned Prince and the Frozen Avatar. The Horrors of an Impromptu Journey I'm putting on hold - three stories is too much for me, both timewise and story-orienting wise.

Azula strode into the room, her patience wearing thin. Several hours had passed since the dirty peasant had been captured, and she was done with waiting. It had already been too long since she had been imprisoned, and it had been ages since she had escaped. Patience was a virtue, but too much of it made for poor planning and execution. After all, steel could not be forged if it was not struck while hot. She was not going to wait any longer. "Has the peasant been trained yet?" she barked.

Xi smiled. "Katara..."

"Yes?" Katara murmured, sitting rigidly on the chair, arms on the armrests. Only now did Azula see the blank look on the peasant's face. It was as though everything Azula had hated about the girl was taken away. The fiery personality unbecoming watertribe filth doused out. The compassion replaced with a cold apathy. The headstrong mind no longer there. She liked it. Take away her dark skin, and maybe, just maybe, she could be converted to a loyal Fire Lord's servant...

Xi gestured towards Azula. "This is Fire Lord Azula. Show the royal ruler her proper respect."

Katara stood up meekly, and curtsied low. "Fire Lord," she simply stated, eyes completely empty of any emotion that would have formerly betrayed her absolute despisement of the words she had just said. Azula smiled cautiously. It appeared as though her indoctrination had succeeded. Even despite hearing stories about the iron grip the Dai Li held over its people and their minds - some of them simply incredible, almost on par with the great feats of the old Fire Nation - she was still not entirely convinced that this plan would work. No matter. Not only did she have multiple backup plans and improvisations should the need for the them arise, but it appeared as though her initial plan, her first and largest gambit in her mission of vengeance, had been completed flawlessly. Her plans were progressing beyond her wildest dreams. She smiled inwardly at all the sadistic things she would force the watertribe girl to do... such a perfect revenge...

But first... "Pathetic peasant. You curtsied. Only noblewomen are allowed to do that. You are far, far below that honor. You... you must kneel before me." It was such a simple test, but so effective. Before Azula knew it, the peasant prostrated herself submissively towards her master, arms supplicated in mindless obedience. Azula grinned. "That's more like it." She turned to Xi. "We need to discuss our next course of action."

"Stand up, peasant," Xi called out. Katara obediently stood up. "Back to the chair." Xi walked up to Katara and pressed his thumb on her forehead. Katara's eyes rolled up, twitching furiously, before she sank back down in the chair, head leaning to one side, unconscious. "The most satisfying part about this, Fire Lord Azula," Xi said, "is appreciating the irony that stronger wills make it nigh impossible to break through the barriers the mind sets when it is indoctrinated."

Azula smiled. "Very well. This... this is admittedly impressive. We are now unstoppable. Nothing will stand in the way of our plans for taking over the world. Which brings me to my next objective... to reveal ourselves."

The two Dai Li Agents started. Azula sighed, knowing well their hesitation. "What?" She asked, feigning innocence. But she knew exactly why the two agents would be... hesitant over her plan.

"Uh... Fire Lord... with all due respect, we are concerned for your mental welfare. Surely you must know that we are weak right now, and are at large. Drawing attention to ourselves -"

"Will draw public attention and attract the support we need," Azula interrupted. "I know there are very many people dissatisfied with the world right now, and many disillusioned people will attempt to join us in a desperate bid to reroll their sticks and shoot for a better life." She studied her fingernails. "I appreciate your concern over your leader, but I have thought this through very well. Besides, I want the Avatar to chase me down, and then I'll be able to give him a very, very nasty surprise. Furthermore, my revealing will create chaos, which will make it only all too easy to execute our actions and carry out our plans." She paused menacingly. "Or you can back out, in which case I'll execute you myself."

The reassured and very much cowed Dai Li Agents bowed deeply. "Very well. We understand what you are talking about, being exasperated with the inexperienced, terrible reigns of both King Kuei and faux Fire Lord Zuko. We shall topple their empires, and you shall rule in the way Long Feng desired for himself - and what we now desire for you."

Azula nodded slowly. "Very good," she purred. "Everything is going as it should. Soon... soon, I will have my revenge." she laughed softly, crescendoing into a howl of triumph that echoed throughout the hallways of the chamber they were in.

And all the while, Katara sat inert in her chair, eyes void of life, limbs and mind not her own, only awaiting her next order.


Aang was getting antsy. And jumpy. Both of those things actually.

It had been ages and ages since Katara had went to go shopping. Long enough that Sokka had finally quit torturing Aang with White Lotus stuff over his oogies at his sister being with the Avatar. Seriously, they had played the code at least fifty times before officially losing count, and after that, Sokka had went out to practice his "swordbending," as he called his weapons training, and Aang had went to practice some earthbending forms he was a little rusty on. But Aang had finished training, and so did Sokka, and the Sun was starting on its way down, and so Sokka had went in to play with Momo, and Aang now stood at the front of their home, anxiously waiting for Katara. He couldn't help but fear that something had gone horribly wrong... what if those boys had followed her? What if she had gotten lost? What if... what if... what if... as guilt and regret wracked his mind, he couldn't help but wonder if he should have let her go alone. And as the time passed by, he became more and more convinced that he should have been there to protect her. His heart clenched at letting her go so easily. But then again, it was impossible for him to refuse her, especially when her smiles and kisses wiped away any counterarguments he might have formed to convince her contrary to what she wanted - but at the same time, it hurt him not knowing what had happened to his love, not knowing if something horrible had happened, and that he wasn't there for her when she needed him...

There. A speck of blue came rushing towards their home, enlarging until Aang could make out a beautiful face flushed with running, a basket laden with much-needed food. Katara was running home as quickly as she could, being hindered by the burden of her basket and the limitations of her dress.

Without a hesitation, she flung herself into Aang's arms. "I'm back. Sorry for being so late," Katara murmured into his neck.

"Yeah. Sokka and I were starting to get really worried. Where were you?" Aang asked.

Katara blinked and shook her head. "I was... at the market. There were so many people, it was really difficult to navigate through the foot traffic. And then some boys tried to hit on me. They're stuck against the walls right now, but that definitely took some of the time away..."

Aang groaned. "Sweetie..."

Katara playfully pushed him. "Don't you get started on your jealousy spiel! At least I know what's flirting and what's not. And besides, they're already taken care of. You honestly need to trust me more Aang," she said, breaking out of the hug and staring into his eyes. Aang forgot what he was going to say, losing himself in the blue of her eyes.

"So... whatcha staring at, sweetie?" Katara asked slyly, and Aang turned fifty shades of red in the span of two seconds.

"I... uh... you're beautiful," Aang stammered, at a loss for words.

This time, it was Katara's turn to blush. She smiled coyly at him, and tossed her hair back. It seemed as though time had slowed down, and that the world had shrunk to only the airbender and the waterbender in love with each other. "Well, I'm glad I still get that reaction from you. You're really cute when you blush," she said through half-lidded eyes. Aang was entranced by her, and slowly started leaning in closer, lips slightly puckering for the kiss that was about to follow...

"Guys! Guys! Really big and really bad news I have to share with y- OOGIES!" Sokka screamed, careening wildly into the side of their house. Aang and Katara shot daggers at the bumbling watertribe boy as he spluttered and cursed. "I haven't even gotten over before! Can't you guys get a grip?" Sokka cried. "Like spirits, I get lovey-dovey affection, I really do, but can you please not do it in public? No one wants to see two lovebirds making out right in front of them."

"Sokka, grow up!" Katara yelled, finger pointed accusingly at her brother. "You always have the worst timing in the world. For La's sake, couldn't you have waited for us to finish here? We've been starved of each other's company for an entire day, and is what you had to do important to disrupt our together time?"

"Oogies, stop aggravating me," Sokka muttered agitatively, before clearing his throat. "As a matter of fact, yes I do, Katara. Because someone just tried to assassinate Earth King Kuei."

The mood of their home changed dramatically. "What?" Aang bellowed, sending Sokka's warrior's wolftail into disarray.

"Dude!" Sokka wailed. "I spent an entire morning trying to fix my wolftail!"

"Ponytail," Katara interjected.

"Same difference! I mean, wait!" Aang and Katara snickered. Sokka fumed. "I'll get you for that later! But what's important right now, is that someone made an attempt on Kuei's life!" The laughing stopped.

Katara's face had suddenly changed. Whereas before, it was an ocean of life and energy and compassion, now it was only filled with dead, emotionless coldness of ice. But, as Aang surveyed Katara more and more, he came to the shocking realization that throughout their entire exchange since her return, not one emotion had truly reached the waterbender's eye. What exactly was the problem? "Oh really, Sokka?" Katara said. "Pray do tell us who is at large for the assassination of Kuei."

Sokka looked at her strangely, also beginning to catch on to something different about her. "Sis," he said cautiously. "Is everything alright-"

"Obviously not, as the Earth King has been attacked," Katara said dryly. "But enough of that. Details? Who did it? When? Where? Any motive?" her eyes fixed on Sokka as the boy was caught completely off guard by this sudden change in Katara. While she had always had a certain air of authority about her, now it seemed as though she had become more analytical, more cold, more merciless. As thus, he was confused as to forgetting how to open his mouths to talk."Well? Sokka? Answer us! The Earth King's life could depend on us, and yet here you are just staring at Aang and me, not trying to say anything, not even trying to do something, anything about what you've just delivered to us in such abrupt and sloppy fashion."

Aang and Sokka shared a furtive look with one another. Though they weren't sure what, they knew something had changed about Katara... something strange and dark. And they were concerned for her wellbeing.

"Um, sis..." Sokka said meekly. "... is everything alright? I mean, with you, not with anything else? Because -"

The coldest, evillest glare Aang had ever saw come from Katara made Sokka cower with fear. "I. Am. All. Right." she said, emphasizing every syllable she spoke. "Nothing is wrong with me. But clearly, something's got to be wrong with you, because you come bursting in our privacy yelling that there's been an assassination attempt on the Earth King's life, and then you go on about my perfectly fine condition and gripe about my very happy relationship with Aang, and after ten whole minutes that could dictate life or death for a monarch, you still haven't told us anything else that might be and most likely is vital to the wellbeing of the Earth King." She stalked menacingly towards Sokka, and he held up his hands, fearful of rebuke. "What gall you have to accuse me of anything wrong? What a filthy hypocrite you are. I swear, sometimes I even wonder if we're related. First you don't care about mother enough to be angry about her being ripped away from us when we were children. And then there was Yue who you couldn't protect in the end. And now an entire kingdom - and maybe the world - is at large, and yet you're choosing to yammer about me and Aang hugging each other -"

"Katara!" Even Aang himself was shocked at the sharp tone his words took on. But his chastisement was not without good reason. What in the world was going on with Katara? Not only were her harsh words a stark counterpoint to her usually compassionate demeanor, but she herself contradicted her own sayings by calling for action and not acting herself. "You're going too far! Why are you dragging things of the past into a conversation of now when clearly the matter of discussion of the present is vital to the balance of the world? Now, Sokka I can understand, being the... Sokka... he is," Aang added to lighten the mood, and although the look on Sokka's face clearly signaled that Aang was going to be in for much worse than White Lotus code later, at the very least Katara's mouth wasn't as firm in its pursed frown as before. "But you... you might be angry at him for something or other. Don't know what, or how, but you gotta set that aside. We're wasting precious time as it is arguing over trivial things when an Earth King's life is in danger. Guys. Keep it together. Please, Sweetie," he pleaded with Katara.

"Oogies," Sokka muttered.

Katara was not happy about this. She put her hands on her hips. "Oh, so you're going to blame me for the stuff I'm doing, which Sokka has practically been doing all his life?"

"Well..." Aang rubbed his hand and pointed at Sokka, who was currently admiring his reflection in his swordblade. Aang leaned over conspiratorially to his girlfriend, cupped his hand to her ear, and whispered, "I think we all know by this point that your brother's a lost cause..."

The unexpected laugh that came from Katara was a welcome sound to hear, a ringing of pure unadulterated amusement and joy Aang would never tire to hear, especially during a time so tense. Her laugh was infectious, and soon it had spread to Aang as well. Even Sokka offered a very reluctant smile despite his indignance at being insulted and attacked on all sides. "See? At the very least, we don't have to be angry with each other. Now, can we please return to the attempt on King Kuei? I'd rather not have an attempt become a reality, if you know what I mean."

Sokka sighed. "Well... I'm not sure how to say this... but you guys aren't going to like this. Apparently we didn't do a good job of containing our war criminals, because Kuei saw Azula leading the Dai Li in an attempt to kill him. He got out, fortunately, but the assassination attempt itself isn't what's concerning. It's the fact that Azula somehow broke out of her mental institution and is on the loose."

"Woah, woah, hold up a second," Aang said, holding his hands up. He took a deep breath to prepare himself to do what he was about to do. He composed himself into a cool, apathetic Avatar ready to save the world. Then he immediately yanked Sokka by the collar and started shaking him back and forth - hard. In this unintended and arbitrary way, his bending training really paid off. "WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY? AZULA'S BACK?" Spittle flew out of his mouth as Sokka was jostled to the point where he couldn't clarify himself to save his life. "AZULA'S BACK? AS IN, THE AZULA THAT'S THE DAUGHTER OF OZAI? AS IN, THE SISTER OF ZUKO, WHO'S SUPPOSED TO HAVE CONTAINED HER? AS IN, THE MAD PRINCESS WHO CHASED US ALL OVER THE WORLD AND THWARTED US EVERY STEP AND BISON HAIR OF THE WAY? THE PERSON WHO ALMOST KILLED ME, AND IT'S ONLY THANKS TO YOUR SISTER THAT I'M STANDING HERE RIGHT NOW? THE GIRL WHO SINGLEHANDEDLY TOOK DOWN BA SING SE? THE GIRL WHO'S BACK AGAIN? SHE'S THE ONE HERE WHO TRIED TO KILL KING KUEI?" Aang yelled, and Sokka's head could only flop up and down in response as he was brutally rocked back and forth by the thoroughly disturbed and terrified Avatar."

"Avatar Aang! Get ahold of yourself!" Aang stopped throttling a nigh-unconscious Sokka, and turned uncomprehending to an irate Katara. "You're the Avatar, for Yue's Sake! You're the master of four elements, ender of the Hundred Years' War, usurper of the Firelord Ozai, bridge between the Spirit and physical worlds, most powerful bender in all of the Four Nations. Surely you can handle an uprising by some hag with half her marbles missing and a few earthbending men that were so easily dispatched of in the first place," she said sternly, although the glint in her eye showed that above all, she at least attempted to nurture Aang's self confidence.

It worked, to an extent. Aang sighed mournfully. "I guess you're right. I've done a lot of things, but -" he gestured towards empty air, and due to his current state of being and his shaky control over his anxiety, a puff of wind tugged at Katara's loose strands of hair, and for a moment, it was lit up by the setting sun's soft glow. Whatever was on Aang's mind was quickly wiped away as he studied Katara, entranced by her natural beauty which she seemed so ignorant of, and enthralled by the compassion, understanding, and support she gave to him. To him.

But even despite her caring and support, something still nagged on Aang's mind. "Well, we did beat Azula... eventually... but that was way after the damage had been done, and even then, in her diminished state, it still took multiple people and huge sacrifice to bring her down." Katara's lips turned downwards at the reminder that it was with her company that a boy she cared for was struck down by lightning - one to the back, and one to the chest. Both times were from her inattention, and despite many reassurances that Katara had done the best she could, and furthermore, brought the two boys from the brink of death, she still blamed herself for letting them reach that precarious point in the first place. "Sorry..."

"Don't be. At least you're still here," said Katara. "But that's not the only thing on your mind, I think..."

"Azula's been locked inside a mental institute. And now there are reports of her in Ba Sing Se. That meant she somehow managed to bust out of her high-security prison, sneak across to Ba Sing Se, locate and free the Dai Li, and infiltrate the city's walls. Not to mention she's probably not in her right mind now..." he trailed off. "She could be unpredictable... and doubly dangerous. Who knows what she has in stock for us."

For a moment, it was as though Katara had been possessed. It was as though there was something foreign and feral in her eyes, something inhuman and evil. But when Aang blinked and shook his head to clear his eyes and mind, the strange light had dissipated, and Aang simply wondered if it was a trick of the light. Katara smiled and said, "Ah. But we don't even know for sure that it's really Azula and the Dai Li. They could just be lookalikes, or the people that saw them could have been tricked by the light or something. But even if it really was her, you're forgetting that it was because of Azula's instability that we were able to take her down in the first place. Not to mention, you aren't alone. Sokka, despite his... silliness," she spared an unsympathetic glance towards the unconscious heap where Sokka had collapsed stunned at the ferocity of Aang. "He's still very capable, and smarter than I give him credit for... sometimes." they shared a snicker. "And then there's me. I was the one who took Azula down, and trust me when I say I will never let her hurt you ever again." She said this last part with such sincerity and passion that Aang somehow found himself falling in love once again with the girl who freed him from an iceberg, and brought him to life once more.

"And besides, you have me with you," she said, tilting her head slightly in a way that completely melted Aang's heart. He couldn't help but break into a smile as Katara did likewise, and when she did smile, Aang forgot everything in the world except the stunning watertribe girl who had saved him countless times, the girl he loved, and together, they mirrored each other's movements as they began to lean in, closer and closer, lips almost touching...

Sokka groaned, opened his eyes, and took stock of the imminent situation in front of himself. "Oi! Like it or not, now's not the time to do that!" Sokka yelled, and Aang and Katara hopped away from each other - especially Aang, who ended up nearly on par with the roof of their home - as Sokka groaned and put his hands to his head. "We're so, so immature still when it comes to these things. And you'd think we'd grow up after everything that's happened to us during the Hundred Years' War!" he sighed dramatically as he shook his head. "Well, we should probably go to the Earth King. I don't know much about the case either. A messenger was sent to us, asking -" he blinked and sagged against the wall. "... to get there as soon as possible," he grumbled.

Katara rolled her eyes. "Blame yourself for that." And before Sokka could retaliate in turn, she strode away briskly. "Well? No time to lose! We've got to go now!" She quickly croseed over a bridge and disappeared out of sight.

Aang and Sokka stared at each other. "Um..." said Aang.

"Interesting," finished Sokka. "Well, what were you saying about not wanting to leave Katara alone?" Sokka deadpanned.

It took Aang only a second to start heading in the same direction his girlfriend had traveled in.

"Yo! Wait for me! Aang! AANG!" Sokka raised his hand in vain as yet another of his friends quickly vanished from view. He hung his head and started running. "Man, I wish I could bend..."


Katara had rushed ahead, careful to put as much distance between the Avatar and the peasant that was her brother before stopping to recollect her thoughts. Although there seemed to be a small part of her that seemed conflicted with the rest of her, it was easily squashed out by the overwhelming power which controlled her and her mind.

She was in shock. But not at the assassination attempt of Azula and her agents at the Earth King's life. No, quite the contrary, it was only a matter of time before the bumbling fool and his bear would be properly taken care of. She curled her lip in derision at the incompetence of that fool. No matter. Her master would see to it that the world would fall.

Playing the loyal spy was certainly a difficult task. When Katara had received the orders to act as an agent for the Firelord, she had not anticipated the intricacies and deceit a spy had to weave in order to serve their client - or in her case, her master. But she had played her tiles well, and she was certain that the Avatar and his friend did not suspect a thing, all the while lulling them into a false sense of security and slowly weaving an elaborate trap that she hoped would lead to their downfall and please her master.

But Katara remembered, through all the indiscernible memories and past thoughts in her brain, that she was given a task to carry out, and try though she might, she had failed.

That utterly horrible, disgusting, stupid watertribe filth...

And under her sleeve, she felt the ever present, ever reminding weight and coldness of the poisoned knife that she had intended to stab Aang with after seducing him, wondering exactly how to inform Firelord Azula that her own attempt to assassinate her own target was thwarted by the filthy, misguided watertribe warrior she once called brother.

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