Ch39

Seven years. It took my father seven years to eventually learn exactly how the rift worked. Aang kept his promise. For the entirety of those years, he worked day and night, digging into as much of the Fire Nation's buried and limited military intelligence had managed to scavenge. Whatever remained of what Zhao had learned, what of it still existed, the avatar studied over and over again. He would travel far and wide, sometimes alone and in secret to the eldest and wisest of scholars from all four nations to seek their input as to what the disintegrating scrolls and records kept secret. Never did he stop trying to help send these two other worldly powers back to where they came from; the only thing they both mutually wished for at that point.

The Americans and Japanese initially reluctantly gave in to Aang's demands, but the following months would bring impatience and frustration mutually across the force. It would be a lie, to imagine that no one within the tens of thousands of their ranks thought of putting a bullet through him and calling it a day, but for each other, they went along with the only person who stood as a small, but present, hope that they may one day return to familiar waters.

After finishing the voyage to the Fire Nation, the massive warships of the combined fleet weighed anchor in port for the first time in decades as allies, even if temporary. The destruction the Fire Nation homeland was in came as a shock to Team Avatar, and as a point of sorrow for Zuko seeing what ruin his people had endured. The war was finally over, but it came to a conclusion with much more collateral damage than initially anticipated. Houses and shops were still burned to ash, the wreckage of bombed tundra tanks still sat about in the streets, wreckage of a downed airship, shot down during the initial in-fighting when Azula seized power, still blanketed an entire section of the lower towns.

In the far east, at the Earth Kingdom Capital of Ba Sing Se, the White Lotus, under the direction of Iroh, successfully managed to liberate the city of Ba Sing Se while the intense naval battle raged on in Fire Nation Waters. Despite the mass mobilization by Azula as a final attempt to gain the upper hand during the comet, the Fire Nation's military forces were starting to suffer from the loss in roster, and many troops and mechanized units were recalled from Ba Sing Se's occupation forces to fight on the home front.

The world lay in ruins, and needed a leading force to guide it back to normalcy. The world needed hope, and a message that the fighting was done and it was time to rebuild.

Amassed in the remains of the Fire Nation's coronation grounds at the base of the palace, the men of the USN, IJN, Water Tribe, Earth Kingdom, and Fire Nation stood in formation to welcome the coronation of the Fire Nation's newest and rightful Fire Lord: Fire Lord Zuko. His speech of a new world- a unified world, together joined through the inevitably challenging times ahead, and ushering in a new world of love and peace, were met with the cheers and hopes of all present and all who would read about it in the days that followed. The roar of aircraft, Zeros and American hellcats, buzzed overhead, with Appa at the center. Hopes and motivation were high, and the IJN and US Navy would be at the forefront, now agreeing to help rebuild and guide this world to a more favorable future.


Although in ruin, with its effective forces nearly halved and its leadership in shambles, the Fire Nation still remained the most mobile and technologically capable world power present and served as the base of operations for everything. Its fleet of naval and air ships were soon, once again, deployed in mass to all corners of the world, but this time bearing aid and support for all the destruction they had caused.

Yamato, South Dakota, and the remaining aircraft carriers, were still the largest and heaviest ships to sail the seas, but rather than level cities, they served as the heaviest lifting cargo vessels, transports, and supply ships. They ferried refugees, workers, and medical aid. And when the mission called for it, the ships served as floating hospitals and shelters. Entire decimated towns and villages could be relocated and ferried within one ship, with room to spare, and the help of both the Japanese and American navies was greatly appreciated by all, the avatar and the people at whom the weapons they carried were once leveled against.

Initially met with despise and anger, through their service and their aid, the two navies managed to rekindle the support and favor with the communities they had destroyed. And conversely, although starting from a point where each officer and sailor worked only through obligation, the feelings of aid and sympathy became mutual as the years went by. Slowly, all the people and personnel involved started to learn more about each other. Fire Flakes became a stable snack aboard warships, and curry and hamburgers soon became a favorite food among coastal towns where the ships and sailors went. Baseball and tea ceremonies soon also became more widespread.

In the upper ranks, within the admiralty and the upper tier officers, which worked hand in hand with Aang, Zuko, and the leading officials for each government at a town which exemplified a new united world, Cranefish Town, set in play the ideas of democracy, constitution, centralized currency, a national education systems, and greater infrastructure. Aang and the leadership of the four nations gained a more in depth insight into the world where the IJN and USN had come from. The learned more about the technology, governing systems, and principles- they learned about much more than mere weapons and engineering, which would help propel the world into a sudden leap ahead. And they remained and fostered this sense of mutual respect all the way up until the day when both fleets could finally be sent back finally came.


A blast of fire eviscerated a wooden target posted on the stump of a down tree. Small wooden fragments flew from the impact, and the applause of spectators nearby could be heard in approval.

Akiko looked to one of her instructors for feedback.

"That's really good!" Zuko exclaimed. He was now clad in the royal robes fit for a Fire Lord, standing on the shore which overlooked the anchored but ready battleships and carriers of the US and Japan. "Your fire bending has really improved over the years."

Akiko bowed in acknowledgement of his praise. She no longer required the use of her sword as a means of projecting fire, and was more adept of fire bending with just her hands. She maintained her knowledge of armed and unarmed martial arts, and even delved into marksmanship with both rifle and bow during her time here; something not easily done or even available back home in Japan. Her service as a medic, advisor, and friend, were deserving of their own merits though, and she had played many influential roles in the rebuilding of this bending realm. She had also shed the naval uniform that was issued to her in favor of more localized clothing that resembled average civilian wear in Japan. She had felt the buttoned-up and strict-looking military image was not one that suited her so well, especially now.

"Don't listen to him!" a sharp voice called out, paving over Zuko's compliments. Pushing through a crowd of Japanese and American personnel came Azula, Akiko's second instructor. "There could be more force in your form."

"What are you talking about?" Zuko questioned, "That was perfect!" Zuko turned to Akiko. "Firebending comes from the breath, not sheer force of will," Zuko reminded Akiko, who was beginning to laugh at the siblings' banter.

"Yes, yes, yes," Azula cut off, "From the breath and is a force of life not pain, but some force and energy in your form wouldn't hurt. Again!"

"Which one of us learned from the original masters?" Zuko reminded.

"Which one of us was the best fire bender at the Royal Fire Academy, can bend lighting, and has killed the avatar?" Azula loudly recalled.

"What do you mean 'killed?' The avatar is right there!" Zuko exclaimed, now pointing to Aang who stood next to Katara with a goofy smile on his face, rubbing the back of his bald head chuckling awkwardly.

"He died in the moment, and was revived by some rare magic spirit water stuff," Azula boasted, "But he still died. Anyway," she shifted back to Akiko and the target, "It should look more like this!"

Lieutenants Stevenson and Takeda were off to the side trying to hustle their men back from the blast zone. "Alright, let's move back a bit, guys," they said just as a powerful blast of blue flame rocketed by and detonated what remained of the wooden base. More rocks and splinters flew from the impact.

"Still as competitive and as imposing as ever," Mai sighed, watching from the sidelines.

"But much, much, better as a friend," Ty Lee reminded her. "Akiko really was able to strike a cord with her over the years hasn't she.

"It's a miracle she was able to make this change within seven years," Mai said. "But I'm also glad."


"Takeda," Joe approached his axis counterpart, as he observed the entourage of long boats approaching the shore.

Lieutenant Takeda turned to meet the American. "Today is the day, isn't it?"

"Finally, at that too," Joe replied. "We'll be back on our respective ships soon, won't we?"

"Yes, we will, for the passage back," Takeda confirmed.

The two officers had been pretty much joined together for all tasks they were given during the past years, and their views of the other had greatly improved as the time marched on; from antagonistic origins to mutual respect.

"Look," Joe extended, "I don't know what's gonna be waiting for us on the other side. When those ships go under, what kind of world we'll be resurfacing to, or even if we resurface at all, I really don't know. Truth be told, Five years ago I was convinced one of us would be slitting the other's throat. But…time really does change a lot don't it?"

"That it does," the Japanese officer replied.

"Whatever happens. Be it, our countries are still at war and we need to go right back into killing each other; or we don't make it out at all and this is the end," Joe paused, "You have my respects, Captain." The American lieutenant extended his hand.

"Hm," Takeda smirked, "Naval and army ranks are a bit confusing aren't they," he said referring to the fact that him being a lieutenant in the navy meant he was a captain if going by the equivalent army rank. "You have my respect too," he acknowledged, shaking Joe's hand. "Not so much of a barbarian as I was led to believe."

Joe chuckled at his remarks. "The feeling's mutual," he said.

"Don't get me wrong, you still are to a degree," Takeda corrected, jokingly, "Just not as much."

The two officers laughed. Joe, in his high spirits, looked back toward Akiko who stood between Zuko and Azula, still bickering over fire bending form.

"Shame, she's not coming back with us," Joe commented.

"She said there was still a greater calling and impact for her here," Takeda added. "Much to learn, and many many more to help. The former Fire Lord and re-instated princess, especially."

"She was inspiring," Joe sighed.

Takeda shifted to look at Joe. "You've taken a liking to her haven't you?"

"Hah! Maybe I have," Joe teased, "How's that idea for you? An American possibly getting with one of your people?"

"Hm, it would never happen," Takeda smirked. "Take a number and get in line. You and the entire crew of Yamato. And other ships as well…You think you were the only one? And you're just a soldier. Others in that group of suitors could fly planes, some were aces."

"If we were here for another year," Joe further teased, "I'd prove you wrong," he said walking off.

"Don't you have a girlfriend back home?" Takeda called, following the brash American lieutenant.

"Seven years is a long time," Joe called back. "Probably thinks I'm dead."

"Even if she did come back, you wouldn't even be able to speak with her. You think this deal of universally being able to understand foreign language is going to apply back in our world?" Takeda chased down.


"When we pass through the rift," Yamamoto discussed, "What awaits us remains uncertain. We may very well still be at war."

"Aye," Admiral Spruance acknowledged, "We could very well still be enemies."

"How should we handle this?" Admiral Yamaguchi asked his superior.

The admirals looked to Aang, the youngest person in this huddle of top officers. The avatar had no answer, for this was now a world which he was very unfamiliar with.

"If they are still fighting," Yamamoto reluctantly began, "I guess we have no choice but to reignite the fires of war."

"It will be mutual and total demise," Spruance remarked.

"Yes, sadly it would be," Yamamoto ascertained.

"But what if one side has claimed victory?" the American admiral questioned.

"Then, the other side agrees to surrender with no further conflict," Aang interjected.

The ranking admirals looked among their respective staff officers and then at each other, all weighing in what the avatar's scenario would mean. At this point, an axis victory or an allied victory was a very real possibility, and there would be a losing side; one which would simply have to accept the terms of defeat, should they go through with it. Eventually they nodded in agreement. Truthfully, they were all exhausted and willing to throw in the towel.

"It will be a different world," Yamamoto remarked. "One which will not believe where we went and what we've done and accomplished."

"And I will be there to help explain," Aang announced.

More shock and disbelief. The avatar would accompany them?! Aang was joined by Sokka, Katara, Toph, Suki, and Zuko.

"You will transit the rift with us?" Yamamoto questioned.

"Yes," Aang confidently asserted. "You helped bring peace to my world. You helped us in our time of need. And now I want to do the same for you."

"Aang," Admiral Spruance interrupted, "It's not that simple. Where we come from, peace is not something that one person can just advocate for, even an all powerful force of nature such as you can stand up to the almighty forces of our world called government and bureaucracy."

"We know it will be hard," Aang stood firm, "But I have to try. It may not end with me, but I feel like it's my duty, now that I have learned about other worlds, as the avatar, to sustain peace throughout. Even if it takes multiple lifetimes."

"And we're going too," Sokka jumped in. "You stood with us in the trenches here, now it's time we return the favor."

The men looked to Zuko, literally a monarch of a country that was once militarily charged. "It may be a while, if ever that you can return here," Yamamoto asked the young man. "Who will watch the Fire Nation while you are away?"

"My uncle is more than capable of continuing for peace while I am away. Even if he bores the aggression out of people through his long and drawn out tea meetings."

With the order to all to return to their respective ships and begin preparing to raise anchor in this world for the final time, the men dispersed. Buy Yamamoto pulled Aang aside once more for a one-on-one chat.

"Avatar," he began, "We are humbled that you are wanting to join us. And we won't stop you if this is what you truly want. But war…war does not change. Our nations and our world will not change. I fear, not even you, can truly bring peace there."

"I understand your concerns, Admiral," Aang replied. "But I need to try. I've seen visions of what can happen, and I know now those visions included glimpses of your world; not just mine. If the scope of this 'world war' you mention is this bad, and even more intense than this past hundred year war, whatever I can do to end it or prevent it from happening again…I will dedicate myself to that."

"Avatar, if you open the bridge between our worlds," Yamamoto began to take on a more grim tone, "It will be yours that suffers."

Aang blinked at this statement.

"If I were you, avatar," the officer continued. "It would be in your best interest, and your world's best interest, that we never return to this realm. It will only cause you greater suffering, above whatever technological or commercial gain that could come. This peace…as long overdue as it is..will not be permanent. Maybe not during your lifetime, maybe not even during the next, but someday another war will come. One that will shake the very core and fabric of both worlds. If I were you, it wouldn't be the Fire Nation I would be concerned of for the next war, rather, either or both the Water Tribe and Earth Kingdom will initiate military aggression in the future. It's an inevitable never ending cycle. For there cannot be peace, without war to serve as a clear reminder of what peace is not."

"I appreciate your concerns, Admiral," Aang said with a humble smile. "But it will be different this time, going forward. I am certain of it."


Yamato had been returned to her former, pre-damaged, glory. Her Second gun turret, which had been jammed facing off the starboard, had been repaired enough to have the guns oriented forward towards the bow with the turret coming to its natural position of rest. The rust and the damage had been repaired and the ship repainted as best to match the original gray. The deck had been mended as well with new wood. Bulkheads were reinforced, and water-tightness was checked. Yamato's staple ornament, the large golden chrysanthemum seal of the Imperial Family, affixed to her bow, was polished to a high shine once more and glistened in the evening sun. Before she was refloated and returned to the sea from dry dock, the crew as well as volunteers from the Fire Nation's naval yards worked tirelessly to scrape the barnacles off her hull; a freakishly large amount of surface area covered within a single day. Apart from damage to her mechanisms and systems internally, visually the pride of the Japanese navy had been restored to near ceremonial appearance, as were all the capital ships of the IJN fleet. Similar, but less grandiose repairs were made to the US Navy's ships of the line prior to the transit of the rift.

In the distance from what the posted crews could see all the way from their vessels off-shore, there was a bright flash of light and the sound of thunder. A rush of spiritual energy could be felt as well, as the Avatar and help once again tried the very site and system which brought the US and Japan here in the first place. A large ball of pure energy was forming, and the men quickly returned to their stations below decks as they rigged the ships to be submerged.

The condensed force of energy rocketed towards the fleet and plunged into the waters at the center of the ships, diving deep into the dark blue of the Crescent Isle. The orders from the command bridge to the engine room rang out through the ship's internal telegraph system: All Ahead Flank.

Yamato shook and roared to life, a blast of thick black smoke erupted from her exhaust funnel as the large propellers beneath the surface spun into action. All ships in unison similarly started to move to flank speed, and ordered a turn to port. The many ships, large and small followed a circular course around the center of where the energy had dove, anticipating the large maelstrom which would ensue and inevitably consume the massive leviathans.

Soaring in on his glider, Aang approached the fleet as fast as he could. He covered the long distance from the ancient sight to the moving flight deck of the USS Enterprise with remarkable haste. The acceleration of all these vessels took a few solid moments, but soon enough they were up to speed. And the waters below, by that point, began to swirl in an ever increasing torment. Around and around they current went, in a counter clockwise direction, and at the center of the currents and off the circle of ships the water level began to sink lower and lower into the depths. Although they fleet had set positions upon embarking, the differences in speed and the influences of each ship's position began to become more apparent. The destroyers started off faster and had the greatest forward speed, passing beside the larger battleships, carriers, and cruisers. And although Yamato lead the column, the greater speed advantage of the faster moving US Aircraft Carriers could seen be observed, as the Yorktown-Class ships USS Enterprise and USS Hornet soon started to pass the Japanese super battleship, being helped even further as the flat-tops cut across the faster waters closer to the center of the maelstrom.

Team Avatar watched off the starboard side, now reunited and once again safe below decks of the aircraft carrier, as Enterprise slowly but surely began to pass Yamato and take the lead. They would surely end up passing through the rift first at this rate. They were now moving unnaturally fast, especially given the size and displacement of such a vessel. And the carrier now took on a much more noticeable list to port. Items within their compartment were now sliding across the room towards the door. Through the metal, they could hear the faint but sharp sound of snapping metal cables coming from the hangar deck above. A deep bang was heard, followed by the cringe-inducing screech of what had to be a plane sliding collapsed across the metal deck. Aang could faintly hear Appa roar in concern, only stopping when they could hear the lost aircraft sliding off the open sections in the port side and splashing into the water beneath.

The ship's horn could be heard blasting, surely to warn of imminent collision with other ships caught in the whirlpool. The experience, especially for Aang and his friends, who were experiencing this for the very first time, was terrifying. The tilt to port grew steeper and steeper, and the forward speed became faster and faster.

"This can't be survivable," Katara exclaimed.

"We're going to roll over!" Sokka shouted in concern, grabbing on to nearby railings.

The vessel shook violently, rocking in the waves and continuing to roll to port. An announcement on the ship's 1MC came through the loud speakers. "All hands! Attention all hands! Brace! Brace! Brace! Secure all hatches! Secure all hatches! Damage control crews to standby! Brace! Brace! Brace!"

The klaxon alarms rang loudly, until they didn't. The flashing red lights flashed, until they didn't.

"Hold on!" Aang called.

The massive carrier finally rolled all the way over and capsized to port. The left side corner of the flight deck crashed into the water. At the same time, the bow smashed into the walls at the base of the maelstrom. Suddenly the ship's forward speed was instantaneously dampened as they now entered the torrent and the ship was sucked downward into the blackness of the deep. The gang was thrown against the forward wall in their compartment, violently. Simultaneous growns and screeches were heard ship-wide, but remarkably, supernaturally, the ship held together and did not break apart.

As they recovered and regained their footing, Team Avatar now experienced the same odd experiences that the US sailors and marines had went through years back. Their sense of up and down was corrupted. Outside the porthole was pitch black, they couldn't see anything beyond the ship but could hear the sound of rushing water. The lights soon flickered and died out, engulfing the ship in complete darkness. For several, seemingly eternal moments, it was dead silent. Knowing that several other massive warships would follow the same fate, there was no sign of any other ship of similar unmissable size or magnitude nearby, either ahead or behind them. It would seem like they were alone. Just the sound of creaking and groaning metal filled the silence as the carrier transited the rift.

Finally, they felt as though the carrier was accelerating. It seemed as though the ship was now being pushed upward now, being shot through the water by its buoyancy. A bright flash momentarily could be seen outside the porthole. Aang blinked and rubbed his eyes, trying to make sense of what he was seeing. Beyond the flash, the blackness was starting to change more and more into a deep dark ocean blue. Aang could swear he saw what could be identified as a whale in the distance. The dark blue started to become brighter and brighter, as the carrier climbed higher and higher out of the depths, accelerating even faster.

"Are we surfacing?" Sokka questioned, looking out the porthole and seeing what he believed, somehow, was the surface of the ocean.

"Yes," Zuko confirmed. "Yes we are!"

"Everyone hold on to something!" Suki called.

An intense boom and splash was heard as the bow smashed through the surface of the ocean, rising violently into the evening sun! Once again, the ship shook violently. Soon their compartment as well passed into the air over the water, continuing to climb skyward. There was a brief moment of floating felt, before they now suddenly felt their bodies falling as the ship's bow began to fall back to the surface and level the ship out; having passed out of the water enough.

The carrier crashed its keel back into the waves beneath with a thunderous splash. The waves it kicked up were enough to almost capsize the nearby destroyers which had only just resurfaced ahead of them. Team Avatar landed on the deck of their compartment with a loud thud, as the ship then bobbed up and down before finally settling once more.

Aang looked out the window once again. Water could be seen pouring over the sides of the decks above, and the weather decks of the surrounding vessels, as each ship was drained off all the water that had accumulated. Salt water flowed over the reinforced glass window, but through the flowing water Aang watched as Yamato broke and plowed through the surface in a similar fashion, akin to Appa bashing through a stone wall by brute force alone. The waves sent off, from their resurfacing, rocked Enterprise violently, causing the carrier to sway side to side. Aang ran to the flight deck to observe the events, ready to jump at a moment's notice in case his help was needed. His friends followed closely behind. First thing was first however, he wanted to check on his bison.


The crew of Yamato scrambled aboard the supership. Men rushed to stations, munitions were hauled as fast as they realistically could given what the ship had just gone through. Artillery officers observed the draining off the main guns, and were awaiting for the moment that the Type 94 naval rifles could be feasibly loaded and readied to fire.

Atop the ship's superstructure, the command staff and communications officers sprung into action. From a level of droning silence and anticipation the volume in the quarters had risen significantly as officers barked orders, and radio men relayed those orders via intercoms to different areas of the battleship.

"Communications!" Yamamoto boomed above the chaos, "Get me a line to Tokyo!"

"Still working on that. No response yet, sir!"

"Simultaneously, try contacting Kure, Okinawa, Singapore…Any of our naval headquarters! Now!"


"Admiral Spruance!" a sailor reported, aboard the Enterprise, "Reports are coming through. It is believed the Japanese battleships are loading their main guns!"

"I knew it! Relay orders to South Dakota and any and all capable gun ships!"

"Aye, sir!" the sailor acknowledged, running to the intercoms.

"Radios! How are we doing, boys?" the US Admiral shouted.

"Sir! Radios are still down! Damage control is working on it, but its unlikely to come online soon, sir!"

"What's wrong with them?!" Spruance demanded.

"The radio took a hit at Kyoshi Island, it's been fried since!"

"You mean to tell me those bastards are the only ones with a functioning radio!?"

"Regrettably, sir!"

"Son of a gun!" Spruance expressed with frustration.

He looked off the starboard side at Yamato. Smoke now poured from their smokestack, and he could see the crews scrambling to bring those imposing eighteen-inch guns to life, and hear the alarms ringing.

"I really hope they are indeed, men of honor."


"Admiral Yamamoto," an officer reported, "We are still unable to contact naval headquarters. Neither Kure nor Tokyo is responding."

At this point it had been a painfully tense hour. Everyone was on edge. No one more so than Aang and company.

"Have we asked the Americans?" he asked.

"We can no longer understand them. Our supernatural ability to understand English ended as soon as we passed through the rift."

At this point, there wasn't even any confirmation that they were even back in their world. What was to signal that they weren't instead in some other bizarre world? The only potential hint was that their radios were connecting to familiar channels.

Amid the uncertainty, Yamamoto was certain they were floating in the familiar blues of the Pacific. Something about it just felt like the waters of home.

"What about US activity?" he asked, reluctantly.

"The US warships have also loaded their guns and are likely ready to fire at a moment's notice-"

"No. Not that, what about American radio channels?" Yamamoto asked. "Try searching for those."

The officer paused for a moment, realizing what was being asked, before acknowledging the order.


"It's been hours," Joe observed, bored. He and a lance corporal watched the neighboring Japanese battleship's activity amidst the entirety of US personnel being put on high alert. "If they were going to hit us, I feel like they'd have done it by now."

"Can't get too complacent, sir," the enlisted Marine remarked.

"Yeah," Joe simply replied, tossing his cigarette into the sea. Covering his nose and having endured the smell of tobacco for the past few cigarettes now, Sokka silently stood with the two US Marines.

"What are your thoughts, corporal?" the LT asked. "Glad to be back?"

"I got mixed thoughts, sir."

"How'd ya mean?" Joe further inquired.

"On one hand, potentially seeing family again is nice," the young man answered. "On the other, part of me wished I was still back in that other world. Life was simpler."

"I guess I see that point," Joe acknowledged.

The corporal, dead eyed, stared straight out over the seas and ships in front of him. "Really wish Shan could have come with."

"Shan?" Joe asked.

"Girl I got close with back there," the young man admitted. "We've only been apart for a few hours at this point. But we are literally worlds apart, you know?"

Sokka and Joe raised their eyebrows at this. The fraternization element between service members and the civilian populace was to be expected, but it was largely put on the back burner in terms of matters to observe and record.

"Yeah..I guess I can relate to that," Joe admitted.

Sokka's eye brow couldn't raise any higher, and he now turned his head to give his look to the lieutenant.

"Well at this rate, corporal. If the Avatar somehow finds his way, I have a feeling it really won't be too long until Uncle Sam is back setting a naval base and a railroad in the Earth Kingdom," the Lieutenant assured.

"Too bad, still," the enlisted man continued. "Would have loved to take her to this world. Shan was very curious and intrigued."

"You do know, corporal, that there is a medium sized group of denizens of the Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation currently transiting aboard Hornet, right?"

"There is?!"

"The top brass couldn't find it in them to say no to all of those that wished to come aboard and see this new world. Bringing back a good group from these far off lands would also add repertoire to the admiralty, so even though it's technically prohibited, the top, top, brass kind of just, y'know, looked the other way," Joe admitted. "Regulations had become kinda lax over the last seven years."

"I wasn't told of this!"

"You either didn't ask the right questions, or didn't ask the right people," Joe shrugged as he walked off, leaving the corporal and Sokka to mellow on the reveal. "You'll be back soon enough anyway. I wouldn't fret about it."


"Admiral Yamamoto," one of the observation officers called out, "A report from Hiryu! Admiral Yamaguchi reports an inbound aircraft from our east! Closing in fast and low! Observation planes are saying it is likely an American bomber!"

The surrounding staff and crew were put on high alert at this news. A large airplane was now zooming towards their exact location. The confirmed presence of technology was reassuring, but the IJN was now reminded of their wartime instincts.

The alert was sounded, and the still-on-edge crews once again took to their stations. Anti-aircraft guns were reoriented in the direction of the oncoming aircraft in anticipation of the order to fire. All the while, the US, still in the dark, watched anxiously.

"Tell the crews to hold their fire," Yamamoto ordered. Once again, we will wait for them to reveal their intentions; his words harkened back to when they first made contact with the Northern Watertribe, and waited for the enemy to make the first move. But this time it wasn't a rag tag team of waterbenders in boats, it was an American heavy bomber!

"They will sink us!" some men remarked in opposition and concern.

"And we may undo any peace that may exist since we disappeared," the Admiral responded, firmly. "We have been missing and have no grasp of the current state of the world. We must observe."

The entire fleet watched as the large, silver, four-engined bomber drew closer and closer, passing low and fast over the outer ships of the formation heading for the center. The plane flew alone.

"Admiral! We are receiving a radio transmission," a crewmember reported, projecting his radio to broadcast for the entire command deck to hear.

"Admiral Yamamoto, or the surviving command staff of the Battleship Yamato and the Midway Combined Fleet. Please confirm reception of this message," a Japanese voice read.

"We can hear you," Yamamoto responded. "This is Admiral Yamamoto. Please identify."

"I am Asano, Hiroyuki, former Lieutenant Commander of the Imperial Navy of Japan. I am so relieved that you have returned and are well, Admiral. I am to ask, what is the sailing status of your ships? Including the American vessels, if possible."

"Our ships are fully fueled and are sea worthy. The American ships as well should share similar operational capability. Why do you ask of them, though?"

"Admiral Yamamoto. Regrettably, I have been tasked with informing you of the current status of the war. The current year is now 1949. The Pacific War concluded 4 years ago at the end of 1945, with Japan surrendering to the US and Allied forces, following a long and brutal war." the former IJN officer reported.

"No way! Japan would never surrender!" The listening crewmen voiced out in disbelief. "Defeat?!" They questioned. "Surely this must be propaganda! It's coming from an American plane!" Some even turned their anger and disbelief at the broadcaster. "If he is truly one of our officers, he is a traitor! If we are really defeated, then he should have died fighting!" But the overarching questions above all else was simply, "That's it? It's over? We lost?"

"The army, navy, and air forces have been long disbanded. Many ships, tanks, and planes, long destroyed or dismantled. The government of Japan has been reformed under allied supervision. And Japan is now under US occupation. We thought we had lost all of you. But it was a surprise when the American occupying forces suddenly intercepted radio transmissions trying to contact old IJN naval headquarters."

The glistening chrome of the four-engine Boeing B-29 super fortress reflected brightly in the evening sun, as the heavy bomber roared over the bow of the super battleship. For Team Avatar, as well as other passengers from the bending world, the B-29 took the title for the largest plane they had seen; dwarfing the size of the single engined carrier-based planes. The landing and strobe lights at the wing and belly of the bomber flashed the a message in morse code to the US ships: "War is over. 4 years. US victory." Cheers erupted from the US warships' crews as they caught the message.

"Japan and its people, more than anything, are waiting anxiously for its warriors to return home. If able, the orders I am relaying from the US Naval Command are for you to return to Japan and make port in the waters of Osaka and Kobe," the former commander read. "I repeat. Your orders issued from the US Pacific Naval Command are to return to Japan with no further combat activities. Come home."

The transmission ended and the B-29 banked away after making one final pass over the fleet, returning to its point of origin. The road of its engines in the distance being the last to be heard as the aircraft long disappeared into the clouds. The crew turned to their admiral.

"Orders, sir?" they asked, urgently. Should they return, or should they fight to the end. The room was split.

"We agreed prior to departure that we could accept whatever outcome of the war, if it had ended already when we resurfaced! Are you lacking your honor and resolve?! You want to get everyone else killed?!"

"My honor?! How about yours?! That was that! This is this! It is our duty to the Emperor to fight until the end! We are to die fighting before we ever surrender!"

"Forget this war! And this 'honor' I just want to go home!"

"ENOUGH!" the Admiral shouted. His volume plummeted back down to a somber and calm tone once everyone stopped bickering, waiting for the order. "It ends here. We're done. This war is over. We were too late."

His words resonated deeply with the crew. It was being broadcast over the ship's intercom system to the rest of the battleship. Despair, defeat, grief, shame, and relief, were the feelings felt ship-wide. Some were glad their ordeal was coming to an end. Others felt they had let their country down.

"Signal the fleet, and make ready for departure. We're going home," Yamamoto concluded, quietly retiring to his quarters. "I am going to rest," he said, closing the wooden door and leaving the command bridge in still silence.


From the Enterprise, the crews watched as the neighboring Battleship Yamato slowly and quietly raised a white banner of surrender to the top of the mast. For the first time since commissioning, the Rising Sun and the Hinomaru, the national ensign of Japan, were lowered in defeat; a somber sign for the Japanese sailors, and a point of relief and celebration for the US sailors watching.

As the battle flags aboard the IJN's warships came down one after the other, Aang sighed in relief. Finally, after over one hundred years he did not need to worry about the onslaught of war and modern combat. It was finally over.


The sunny skies of the Mid-Pacific during their return quickly degraded into dreary and cloudy weather. The fleet was underway for a few more days as the remnants of the IJN combined fleet in 1942, and the US responding carrier task force sailed towards Japan. With the main island of Honshu now just off the port side, the crews looked unto their home with longing and shame. Shame that they returned in defeat. For all intents and purposes, they had let their empire down.

It was a particularly foggy and grey overcast morning, and Yamato, trailing behind the South Dakota and other lead US line-ships, found itself a giant amid the light fog. The crew had gathered on the main deck all around to watch the familiar coastlines of home slowly pass. They had sailed by Kyushu a little over an hour prior, and the battleship had now passed through the mouth of the Seto Inland Sea; now it was the final stretch before they would drop anchor in the port of call: Osaka. Amid the fog and with the calm seas, the ships seemed to float, almost etherically; gray ghosts of the past. Joining in the mass of huddled crew, clad in their winter coats, Aang took in his first sights of foreign land. He'd never been here before, but yet it also seemed familiar to him, as if he had seen this area before…perhaps in a dream. He could tell, the land and its inhabitants had been through a lot.

""Where is it?!" one of the sailors questioned, slightly worried, slightly frustrated.

"Maybe you're confused."

"No it should be right there," the man pointed off the port side.

"There's nothing there."

"No, he's right," an older sounding voice of an officer chimed in, "There's no mistake. It should be there. Hiroshima City."

Aang looked out from the ship toward the shore, squinting. Now he remembered where he had seen these mountains from. He did indeed see them in a dream- or rather, a nightmare.

"The fog is too thick, that's probably why we can't see the city."

"It's a big city though. This fog shouldn't be able to hide it that easily."

Aang's heart sank, as the ship continued its procession east. Okayama prefecture was up and coming and then they would be in the waters of Kobe and eventually Osaka.


The sailors of the IJN, finally had completely disembarked their ships and were formed in mass by ship throughout the Port of Osaka. For the first time in nearly a decade, their warships were completely void of any IJN personnel; American sailors of the occupational force had replaced the Japanese crews in watching over the WW2 vessels.

Thousands upon thousands had flocked and gathered in Osaka to witness what otherwise would have been unbelievable: a fleet of US and Japanese warships which had disappeared to God knows where over seven years ago, had seemingly reappeared from the depths of the sea. The city and port was swarming with US occupational forces, Japanese citizens, and former Japanese military service members. Needless to say, there were many mixed views on the men who returned. Even Emperor Showa, known by his actual name of Hirohito to the US, had come to Osaka to welcome his sailors home after so many years of being presumed lost at sea. No one really noticed the presence of Aang, his group, or those that transferred worlds.

Thousands of armed US military police and shore patrols stood over the formed IJN sailors. They had their rifles just in case, but rather than being there to keep the former IJN in order, they mainly acted as crowd control for all those that had come to lay eyes on these men and ships.

Upon arrival to shore, Yamamoto and Yamaguchi, the two surviving IJN fleet admirals in charge of the combined fleet were taken into custody and immediately driven away with US military police personnel. This left the remaining crews in the hands of the remaining line officers of the Imperial Navy.

Standing before a large formation of his sailors, Lieutenant Takeda readied to dismiss his troops for the last time.

"It has been a long many years since we have last touched our home lands here in Japan. Many things, even beyond what I understand have changed drastically, and this will, without a doubt, be a challenging time for us. Regardless of what others think or say, you were all victims of chance and circumstance and fought valiantly until the end. You followed all orders diligently and performed courageously even under stress and uncertainty, and for that I can say I was most honored to lead such a fine, honorable, and courageous group of men into battle and then into service. It is to be a bittersweet return home, but what matters the most is that we have returned home, to our country, our friends, our families, and our loved ones, alive.

Regardless of the sentiment we fostered and held at the beginning of the war, I want you all to be just as diligent and as adaptive as you were in combat, to set those feelings aside, and abide by the orders of our American occupational forces. Return to your communities, when finally released, with the intent to help rebuild, rather than reignite old feelings of antagonism. The world has moved on, and so must we.

I could not have asked for a better and more dedicated and loyal group of crew, and am proud to have been your commanding officer," Takeda finally concluded, bowing deeply to his subordinates first. His block of men mutually returned the gesture, many with tears forming in their eyes.

"Now, go! Find your families. Find your loved ones. It will be some time before the US forces release you from quarantine and questioning, but for now you have been allotted today to reconvene with those we had left behind," he announced. "Sailors and personnel with hometowns or ties to Hiroshima and Nagasaki, are to follow both IJN and US military officers' guidance to a separate facility for a further debriefing. DISMISSED!"

With that, he, now a former lieutenant of the IJN, stepped down from his small wooden stage, and turned to face his captor. As his formation of sailors now dispersed, running into the crowds of visitors to meet those who had come to find their sons and fathers, Takeda was met by First Lieutenant Joseph Stevenson of the US Marine Corps; his counterpart for the past seven years in the bending realm.

Takeda stood straight at attention, his face expressionless, and detached his Type 14 Nambu handgun and holster from his tunic's belt. He glanced at his weapon one last time, moving only his eyes, before handing it to the American LT who promptly took the sidearm. Only once the weapon was relinquished did Takeda look Joe directly in the eye. "This is my formal surrender to you, lieutenant."

"And I accept that surrender," Joe replied, a slight smirk on his face. Truthfully he had no clue what Takeda was saying as it was in Japanese. Like everyone else, the ability to supernaturally understand any language stopped the moment they fully passed through the rift, but the gesture, especially with how exaggerated each movement was, made it easy for Joe to understand the man's intentions.

Takeda scoffed quietly, before nodding to the American officer. He removed his white gloves and tucked them neatly into his belt, ridding his hands of the burden of command for the last time. He then doffed his peaked cap, and his facial expressions lightened.

Clipping the Japanese sidearm to his duty belt, Joe finally remarked, with a smile, "To make your life easier, I went ahead and found something special of yours. It took a lot of effort. Just letting you know, given the crowd, and all the noise, and the fact that I can't speak Japanese but…ah- hell, you can't understand me neither anyway." He stepped out of the way revealing a clear view of a woman clad in her finest kimono.

Takeda's eyes widened at the realization. After nearly a decade he was finally reunited with his wife. "Nanami!" he exclaimed as she rushed over to him.

"Hiroaki!" she called, through tears and restrained sobs as she finally latched onto him in a tight embrace. "You came back to me."

"I promised you I would," the former officer said, assuredly holding back his own tears. "It has been many years away from you. And with every second of every day, for those nine years, it was thoughts of you which kept me going…kept me fighting…kept me living with the hope that I would once again see you."

"His name is Hiroaki?" Joe thought as he left the couple to reunite, still confused with the cultural differences. "I've been calling him Takeda for seven years and his name is Hiroaki?"

As for Joe. It was a night of drinking in the wonderful city of Osaka tonight, finally having a proper 20th century shore leave for the first time in seven years.


Admiral Spruance and Staff, accompanied by Nimtiz and Halsey were met by the supreme commander of the occupational forces; General Douglas MacArthur, who was tasked not only with managing the occupation but also with rebuilding Japan in the aftermath of the war. The Admirals accompanied Aang, Katara, Sokka, Toph, Suki, and Zuko; the six oddities among the sea of civilians and servicemen from this world.

"Raymond," MacArthur remarked, extending a hand.

"Doug," Spruance returned the gesture.

"Where the hell have you boys been?" the general asked.

"You wouldn't believe it, if it came from my mouth. These two barely did," he answered while referring to Halsey and Nimitz. "Otherworldly stuff."

"And who might these young men and ladies be?" MacArthur inquired, referring to Aang and company.

"These guys, with the exception of the lady samurai and the young man with the sword, are prominent figures in whatever the hell world we were in for the last seven years was," the Admiral explained. "They can, have the supernatural, I guess, God-given..if you will, -ability to manipulate or 'bend', as they call it, the elements, you see."

"Excuse me?" MacArthur asked, trying to make sense of the testimony.

Before Spruance needed to try another angle of explanation though.

"Nice to make your acquaintance, General MacArthur," Aang slid his way into the conversation. "My name is Aang. In my world, I am known as an Avatar. A bridge between this world and that of the spirits, guarantor of peace and harmony, and a master of the four elemental bending arts."

"You're going to have to make that into much, much, more simple," the general remarked. "How old are you anyway, son?"

"Nineteen sir," Aang replied. "Maybe–.. Maybe it'd be best to show you."

With his hand, Aang lifted the pebbles and small stones surrounding the group into the air at knee-height, before setting them down. In an open palm, he ignited a small flame which danced above the skin just before he extinguished it. And from Katara's pouch of water, he bent the water out and around the group before carefully putting it back in gently. And finally from his palm, he caught and juggled a pair of leaves which fell from a nearby tree, keeping them suspended and aloft with several light gusts of wind. The whole demonstration, the stoic General MacArthur watched quietly, visually appearing unimpressed, but truly being speechless and the sorcery he was being exposed to.

"And he's capable of a lot more than that, Douglas," Spruance reported. "This young man, he was twelve years old when we first met him, but he has sunk battleships, rocked entire fleets, and blew planes and zeppelins out of the sky, to name a few."

"I see," MacArthur remarked, removing his pipe and sunglasses. "And these friends of his- and I assume, a decent amount of those passengers you ferried back here with you are capable of similar feats?"

"Not all," Sokka chimed in, "Only Aang here can bend all four elements. Other benders can only do one of the four. Not everyone in our world is a bender also."

"I see. And guarantor of peace and harmony, you said?"

"Yes, general," Aang affirmed, "Your men helped my world, and I promised that as the Avatar, I would do my best to return the favor and help this one. To put an end to all wars and fighting here, and maybe bring about some lasting peace. Here as well."

MacArthur scoffed and chuckled slightly at this overly ambitious remark. He had seen many wars, and he could already see the ones that were likely coming. "Yeah, I see. What, with those communists over in the Soviet Union and China, I personally don't see that happening anytime soon, sadly. But you'd be more than welcome to try," MacArthur responded. "But first, you've got some questions to answer." He turned to address the admirals, "I've been given orders from Washington that this group, and the people ferried over are to be sent to the United States for quarantine, examination, and questioning in the coming weeks."

He then returned to address the group. "You'll be shipping out by ship with the USS Enterprise in the coming weeks to San Francisco. For now though, relax and enjoy Japan. Just, don't cause any problems with your powers and try to lay low."

And with that, General MacArthur departed, after giving his regards to the fleet admirals, returning to his office in Tokyo to continue with his duties. Already, Aang and company, from that short excerpt, could get an idea of the amount of rank, file, and bureaucracy they would have to go through to get anywhere near close to achieving what Aang wanted to achieve. The gang looked at each other. Regardless of the hurdles they faced, they were resolute and held the conviction. Aang was determined to bring about mutual peace between the worlds, and establish a stronger connection and sense of unity between the two worlds, regardless of the costs.


And so conclude's my father's impact in connecting the world of the mechanized, as their world had come to be referred to as, and the bending realm. His life was one which would evolve into one of trial, turmoil, and great challenge, but also one which would benefit and grow the connections between the nations.

In his time off world, he travelled the major and minor countries, meeting many world leaders along the way and learning many differing views and cultures. He had come to see just how industrially capable and mechanized the nations surrounding Japan and the United States were, and how valuable such techniques and technological advances in mechanization would greatly benefit his own people back home.

He saw the death camps in Germany, the internment camp at Manzanar, he gulags in the Soviet Union's frigid cold, and the brutal massacre grounds in China and Korea. During his time in the mechanized world, my father would be both amazed and astounded, and horrified and disgusted; he saw and witnessed things that would make anyone question whether or not humanity was capable of peace or were even inherently good. But never did he stop trying to see the good in people, regardless of their past. He stuck with his believe to view things independently and never generalized the actions of the few as an indication as to what the whole would be like. He always kept with his saying to view things in the light of what they could become, rather than focus on what they were at present.

Sadly though, my father would never achieve what he dedicated a large portion of his life in the pursuit of. He witnessed several more wars, including the Korean War in the years that immediately followed his transit between worlds. The forces of government, especially on that scale were too much for him as a solo Avatar to overcome, and he had little success in preventing war and violence and ensuring long lasting peace. But never did he cease his efforts, and never did he turn his back on the matter.

Aang was the authority of inner worldly transit, and it was during his lifetime that he decreed that the worlds be open to travel freely. The Avatar promoted and pushed for constant communication between the worlds endlessly and encouraged each to learn as much as they could, in order to understand the other. The following decades were indicative of this strong emphasis on travel and connection. After the years it took for Aang to figure a way to transit back to the bending world, albeit passage relied solely on his direct agency as the avatar for the longest time, he willfully allowed ships, and later planes, to pass in between worlds.

The first ships to return to the waters of the Bending World were once again warships, more from the US Navy. Eventually other nations of the allies, later becoming NATO, passed through with the Royal Navy of Great Britain being the first. And as much backlash and pushback as my father received, Aang also allowed the ships of the Soviet Union to pass into the Bending World as well, citing that he needed to be fair and impartial; under the condition that no wars were to arise for control of the Rift.

Commercial entities, companies from all across the Mechanized World poured through and brought about a surge of technology into the Bending World. Cities rose, seemingly overnight along coastlines and rivers. Railroads began stretching across the expanses of the Earth Kingdom, originally managed and built by either Japan National Railways, or the Union Pacific Railroad. Maritime shipping lines, ocean liners and freighters began to operate between the Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation, and Northern Water Tribe.

Commerce, travel, tourism, and economic growth grew, seemingly overnight. Fishing villages and port towns became bustling metropolises within years of being touched by the rapid mechanized advance driven by commercial and military operations. The notable example being Cranefish Town, which rapidly grew into the inter-worldly united hub we now recognize as Republic City.

The late 1950s, within a decade of the US and Japan's WW2 Midway Fleets returning to Japan saw the first commercial flight between worlds. A milestone celebrated with grandeur and lots of pomp and circumstance, Pan-Am Airways became the first airline to navigate the rift via flight. Until then transiting between worlds had become cemented and relatively safe to do via ship alone. The carrier took a bold leap and with the, still new, Boeing 707 jetliner, Pan-Am commissioned the revolutionary route from Honolulu, Hawai'i to Ba Sing Se International in the summer of 1959; completing the flight with a wheels-up-to-wheels-down time of just ten hours with the plane 'flashing in' over the Crescent Isle in the Western Earth Kingdom. The next airline to try this and succeed would be Japan Airlines in 1964, with a flight from Tokyo to Honolulu, and then the transit from Hawai'i to Ba Sing Se.

More direct and faster travel was just the beginning. Communication between the worlds notably lagged. Newspapers arriving in Republic City would be days, weeks..even months late. But this would change in the 1970s. Work on more current, potentially live communication, first by radio, then by television, never stopped since the first passages between worlds. But nonetheless, engineers and scientists eventually found a way after much persevering. And in 1973, at his concert, Aloha from Hawai'i, live in Honolulu, the golden voice of the King, Elvis Presely, not only became the first concert heard around the world…rather, his powerful singing reached around both worlds and became the first live public broadcast in both. American Trilogy and Can't Help Falling in Love became big hits in Republic City, Ba Sing Se, Omashu, and the Fire Nation capital, riding along the movies and music which would pour through the rift in the following decades.

It was far from perfect, and as either navy's admirals had warned, the world did not come close to the 'overly ambitious' ideas my father had had in mind when he sought to unite the realms. But the effects of all his efforts allowed both worlds to grow and develop into the modernized and advanced world we reside in today, and will continue to be a subject valuable to study, for centuries to come. The never ending push to realize the perfect world that can be.


The sound of jackhammers, cranes, and the backup chimes of heavy trucks brought the young airbender back to reality, finally getting him to set his pencil down on the desk. The temple would shake and rattle every now and then, which would also rock the desk at which he wrote. This was the last page of this report, a retelling of the past events of when the Japanese and Americans rocked the world with the pounding of their guns and the roar of their engines. Before him, just ahead of the page, was a stack of papers which rivaled the thickness of any encyclopedia.

The sound and feelings of heavy concrete and stone slabs being lifted and placed by teams of skilled earthbenders joined in the symphony of heavy machinery; a contrast to the noise and mechanical power.

"Tenzin," the piercing voice of Pema called, being able to be heard despite the noise, "Whenever you can take a break from your memoir, I could use some help tending to Jinora!"

Louder and sharper than the construction, the renovation of Air Temple Island, and his wife's orders for help, he could hear the screaming of his newly born daughter's crying. "Coming dear," he obediently replied, neatly setting the papers in a stack, pushing the chair in, and running down the steps. He would be submitting this retelling to the Department of International Studies as well as the Department of Cultural Studies at Republic City University later that evening. It was to be reviewed and potentially published by head professors at both Ba Sing Se University, and the Royal Fire Academy.

He removed the needle from the record player in his study and turned off the radio before killing the lights, leaving the papers in the stillness of a now dark room. Overhead, departing from Republic City International Airport, the roar and thunder from two GE-90 jet turbines, the largest and newest jet engines mounted on an airliner, echoed in the skies throughout Republic City. Bearing the blue and white livery of All Nippon Airways, the Boeing 777-300ER, the newest variation of the successful jumbo-jet, and the longest commercial plane to date, climbed into the skies departing for its direct return flight to Narita Airport. Never ending construction, never ending ships entering and exiting the harbor, and a main runway which sends departing jumbo jets over the bay and near Republic City, Air Temple Island was far from as quiet and tranquil as originally intended. But despite that, it was a very stark contrast from the lights and jazz of the Downtown Republic City areas. It was to be some very loud and energetic years to come for the bending realm.


A/N: It has been a very very long path up until now. This series, now a little over a year in running, finally comes to a conclusion here. I'd like to express my gratitude to all supporters who have followed the story until this point and have read along to the very end. Your reviews and feedback have been a big motivating force to keep me going. And for that, I cannot express gratitude enough. I have been excited to finally bring this story to a conclusion, and I hope you have enjoyed the development and the alternate world building up until this point. I was hoping to depict the Avatar world as to what it could look like if influences, in this case primarily military in origin, from our world were to manifest in their world. You can see from the abundance of very specific details in this story that I have read and listened to a decent degree about the weapons and militaries and history of the 2nd World War. And although inevitable, I didn't want to portray either side as 100% good or bad; rather I wanted to try showing that both had good and bad sides to them. Though admittedly, I am pretty sure most of the story telling seemed to be more told on one side than the other; one faction definitely had more fleshed out characters looking back and more significant dialogue, and at times, even to me, it seemed the opposite side was mainly along for the ride or was there simply to drive the story to the next chapter. Story writing is hard…

Anyways, it's been clawing at the back of my mind for months now. I have been eagerly, and at times, impatiently, wanting to start what to do next. A few have asked, and to those I gave answers hinting at what is to develop following. And I hope the ambiguity and the teasing of where the Avatar world is now, semi-caught up to just before the Legend of Korra begins was enough to instigate some intrigue. From here, from the end of a brutal war of circumstance, leaves the potential for a lot of different events from 1949 to the present day which was the last time setting for the last few paragraphs (roughly 2003 AD in our time by my calculations basing off of characters ages and other information I was able to find looking into LoK's cast's ages.) This is not the end, and you will soon hear of these characters..or their descendants…in a sequel series I am now excited to begin writing. Stay tuned!

Once again, thank you for completing this series. I look forward to your interest and support in coming series.

-AnUnknownInkStain