Hm, I had a cool dream the other night. I think I'll use it to make write a story for sci-fi. It was really weird though, like one of the main parts was this lady told me my aura was really funky. So i asked her if that was good and she said it was very good, but it would lead to a conflict between me and her son (who's a friend of mine) and it was a conflict I would win. She was baking cookies, so I pulled a tray of them out of the oven and dropped them on the ground. So she started reading my fortune from the broken cookies. But the fortunes were just things like "the future of one of your white shoelaces looks bleak." apparently you can only tell mini fortunes from cookies. Then we all got whisked away to some fantasy world where my guy friend was supposed to become prince and I had to marry him. But he became suddenly rich so I was okay with it. Anyways. 'Nuther fun story. I was at my church for our weekly activity and I could hear someone playing the piano down the hall, so I went to investigate and it turned out to be this somewhat cute guy in my ward. So I waved and gave him a thumbs up and turned to leave the room but this really annoying girl had followed me and shut the door behind me and she was holding it shut. Luckily i'm muchos stronger than her so I just yanked it open enought to slip back out, but my elbow hit the lightswitch and turned the light off so I felt like a total dip. Okay, moving on now.

Zukoscute2: Do what?

Titan09: I promise that I'm not a 40 year old creepy stalker dude. But it's good to be safe, right? Ferrets rock! I've had two in my lifetime. One's name was Lucy and my second one was named Taz. He would just roam free in my bedroom. At night he would sleep on my feet and then start biting my toes. Then I would kick him. And I'm not a fiend! I'm a heathen.

Elf of Rohan: Sorry, but I just have to kill Zuko. JK! JK!

Plutobaby494: Hmm, I don't really know yet why Zula was with Zhao. I'll think about it and write it down in the next chapter.

Lovergal1227: Zula's just a twit.

Khazia: Glad you liked the nut song and snuggling. I enjoyed writing it.

Evangline Angel: I hope this chapter is a bit more gripping, but truth be told I'm just not the best at writing action. Don't worry. We're all fangirls deep down. And there ain't gonna be a sequel. I would go insane if I even attempted it.

Athenera: I'm trying to figure out what Zhao and Zula's relationship is.I'll get back to ya on that in the next chapter. I'm just making this up as I go.

O-dragon: My lips are sealed. I'm afraid you'll just have to read on to find out.

Serori: AH! DON'T DIE! Here's the next chapter, just don't go towards the light!

Katara183: I'm sorry you're sick! I'll try and use my ESP to make you feel better, but it didn't work for Khazia so I don't know if it will help any. I'll try anyways (closes eyes and hums).

Sesshomaru's woman: I'm totally willing to listen to problems and give what advice I can. But I'm afraid I'm not all to sure about how good my skills are. I think I might have offended Zukopunk/Punk17 with the advice I gave them. They haven't reviewed since.

Randomwriter88: Woot! Ten points! You show them bystanders!

Kay, I'm gonna copy something Khazia said in her story. If there's anyone out there who has any fan art from this fic posted, could you let me know where it is because I would feel all bubbly and happy to see it and I'll link it to my profile page. I have some fanart myself, but no way to post it. How sad. Kay, read now.

There was a flash of silver and the flying dagger was hit off course. Zhao stood there stunned for half a second before whirling to face the one who had thwarted him. It was Zula.

"He's mine Zhao!" She yelled angrily, running past him. But when they both looked up, Zuko was gone, completely unaware of his brush with death.

"Now do you see what you've done!" Zhao growled.

"You are a coward and a weakling!" Zula said and stalked off in search of her brother.

Katie couldn't take it anymore. Her mind was buzzing, she needed to be down there. She pulled the two swords from their sheath on her back and sprinted from the helm room. She didn't pay any attention to the fact that she was now two times faster and stronger than normal, when she started clashing steel against the first opponent she saw she became lost in the euphoria of battle. She hacked and slashed her way through soldier after soldier, barely having the presence of mind to not hurt her own men. She didn't notice the few wayward blows that struck her arms and legs. She just wanted to feel more of this jubilation she felt from pushing her body to its physical limit and causing pain in the process.

Zula stalked around the ship in search of Zuko. His men were leery to harm her because of her gender. Zula ignored them, occasionally she would cut one of them down, but her mind was focused. She rounded a corner and scanned the swarm of fighting and bleeding men. One person stood out from the rest of them. One person whose body was moving with a fluid grace while at the same time jabbing and cutting harshly. It was Zuko's wench. Hatred rushed through Zula's body. This girl had taken Zula's crown and had won the affection of her father without any effort. She had made Zula look like a fool in front of the entire palace and had forced her to live a life of dishonor when she could have had a chance to redeem it. Zula gave her swords a testy spin and began slinking forward, a new target in her sights.

"You're mine Zuko!" Zhao yelled. Zuko knocked out the man in front of him and turned to face the voice.

"Zhao! You are a fool! What is to be gained from leading so many men to death!" Zuko yelled angrily waving at the carnage before him. Zhao continued walking towards the firelord, a sword in one hand and a mace in the other.

"Personal satisfaction." Zhao cried and ran at Zuko.

Katie saw Zula coming towards her but didn't really think much of it. She was currently surrounded by people that were trying to take her down, Zula would just have to wait her turn. Katie had become an unstoppable force. She had seven years of intense training from various masters under her belt now as well as her elemental sensitivity. Her flesh began to itch as though she were now covered in ants. The itching lessened the faster she moved. She raised her sword to bring it down on one soldier when she felt it yanked from her hand. It barely fazed Katie, she kicked the man in the jaw instead, causing his head to jerk roughly and he fell to the ground unconscious. Katie turned to face the next one. Zula stood in front of her with the missing blade in her left hand and a hooked long sword in the other which she had used to snatch Katie's weapon out of the air.

"Nice work, you-" Zula began, but Katie didn't care what her sister-in-law had to say, she barely acknowledged that it was even Zula. Katie just needed to keep moving, had to keep the blood flowing. Zula barely got the two swords up in time to block Katie's first strike. The force behind the blow was staggering and it took Zula off guard. She looked into Katie's face in confusion expecting to see the face she remembered from seven years ago, but the eyes in this woman's head weren't the ones she remembered. They glowed an electric blue and the face was contorted in what could only be explained as a grimace, yet it was a grimace of pleasure if that makes any sense. Katie raised her sword back up with inhuman speed and brought it back down against Zula once more.

"Zhao, I'm giving you one last chance to retreat and spare a few lives, including your own." Zuko said, raising his sword easily to block on of Zhao's blows.

"What's the matter? Palace life got you soft?" Zhao said, whirling and bringing his blade back down towards Zuko's neck. Zuko blocked this as well and shoved Zhao's blade away.

"Yes, it has. I could kill you so easily right now it isn't funny. But I'm giving you this last chance to turn back."

"You're a fool Zuko! You're the worst thing that ever happened to this nation!" Zhao yelled bringing his sword up and hacking it at Zuko again and again.

Zula finally managed to start getting in a few attacks of her own. She soon found that she was unable to match Katie physically, so she resorted to bending. She shot a powerful gust of the hottest flame she could conjure straight at Katie's face. Since they stood only a few feet apart from each other, Zula had expected the flame to hit Katie full force without any problem whatsoever. But the second Zula released the flame, it split and arced back at her, hitting her with staggering force in the chest. Zula looked up into Katie's face with horror. Katie stood over Zula and raised her sword.

"I told you I would see you executed someday Zuko. And when you're gone, maybe I'll have a little fun with your queen before I kill her as well." Zhao said, trying to mask the exhaustion beginning to edge his body.

"You're horrible at bluffing Zhao." Zuko said taking a chance and wiping his rain-soaked bangs from his eyes. He was beginning to curse his long hair.

"There's no bluff about it. You're only moments away from hell's gates." Zhao said, taking Zuko's brief lapse as an opening. He swung the sword around but Zuko caught it with his own. Zhao swung his mace at Zuko's vulnerable stomach, but Zuko managed to dodge enough that it only ripped his shirt. "Then again, it looks like you've already had a brush with hell." Zhao said nodding to the now visible scorch mark on Zuko's chest. Zuko seemed to actually notice for the first time that it was raining. He shoved Zhao away from him and quickly turned to glance up at the window to the helm room. He had last seen Katie firing arrows from there, but now she was gone.

Katie saw Zula's eyes through her clouded mind and paused. The two yellow orbs stared up at Katie in pure terror. Those eyes that were so much like Zuko's. Katie lowered her sword slowly and looked around her at the gory scenery. Men lay dead or dying all around her. She had done this. She had destroyed these people. The rain began coming down even harder. Rivulets of water stained scarlet began flowing all around her, pooling at her feet. The entire deck took on the look of a sea of blood. Katie could smell it, she could taste it in her mouth. She wanted to puke. She lowered her sword and looked down at herself. She was also covered in it. Her knees buckled beneath her and she collapsed to the ground where she tried to choke back her sobs and the vomit rising in her throat. From the corner of her eye she saw Zula slowly rise to her feet and pick up a fallen sword. Katie was too distraught to do anything about it, but a flash of lightening took over her body and senses once more. As Zula raised her sword, Katie was on her feet again and her hand was tight around Zula's throat. In a flash of an instant they were both nearly a hundred yards away from where they had been previously fighting. Katie had Zula pinned to an iron wall. The sword fell from Zula's hand with a deafening clang and she began clawing at Katie's hand. Katie glowered at her sister-in-law, sparks arced from her hand into the tender flesh of Zula's neck. Zula was protected to some degree by her firebending, but the constant current caused her body to spasm. Katie fought with herself internally until she was once more the dominating force in her own body. She let Zula go with a cry and backed away. NO! This is my body! Her mind screamed. She clutched at her hair and sunk to her knees, trying to steady her breathing. The battle raged on around her while the thunder rolled and the lightening struck.

Zhao raised his mace and wrenched it towards Zuko's back. Zucko side-stepped at the last second and caught the handle of the weapon in his hand.

"I haven't got time for this Zhou! Call your men back now!" Zuko said. Without another word he took off, his eyes scanning the faces around him.

"GET BACK HERE YOU COWARD!" Zhao yelled and dashed after his prey. Zuko ignored him and continued his search. He ran to a railing that overlooked a deck below and leaned over hastily. There right below him was Katie. She was kneeling on the ground, her hands tangled in her hair as though forcing back a migraine. Only a few feet away was Zula who appeared to be paralyzed with terror.

"KATIE!" Zuko yelled down to her. He needed to know if she was all right, if she was in control. Slowly, her head raised and she looked straight at him. Zuko nearly cried out in relief, but as he watched her, her eyes took on a transformation. A white/blue glow spread from her pupils to her irises until her entire eyes were glowing. Everything seemed to slow down for a brief moment. Zuko could feel it coming, but there was no way to stop it in time. A bolt of lightening came down from the sky and touched Katie's forehead as though it were a finger caressing a child. It all happened in a flash, but the look on her face was burned into Zuko's memory. She wasn't a look of fear or of pain. It was of understanding. It was content. It took Zuko a few seconds for his eyes to readjust after the blinding flash. The thunder from the thing caused the entire ship to quiver and groan, nearly knocking him off his feet. But when he could finally see Katie once more she was no longer beneath him. She was across the ship, staring around serenely at the carnage. She held a hand over a fallen soldier that was lying at her feet. An orange bolt of energy flowed from her hand into his still body. The man glowed for a second and then his injuries seemed to knit themselves back together. He let in a tremendous gasp of air and opened his eyes. His body began to shake as he became readjusted to life. Everyone on the ship had frozen and were watching Katie as, in a flash, she was standing over the next man and the process began all over again. Or at least everyone had frozen except for one. Zhao seemed oblivious to anything but Zuko's rigid back. The pale neck before him was almost intoxicatingly exposed. Zhao wanted more than anything to introduce his sword to Zuko's neck. He wanted so badly to see that scarred face mounted on the wall when Zhao took Zuko's throne. Zhao raised his sword, but at the same time Katie raised her hand. From across the ship the bolt of white hot energy shot from her hand and struck him in the chest. He fell dead, a triumphant grin on his face.

Everything was bright white, but her eyes were closed. Katie opened her eyes with a groan. Surrounding her were dark shapes set against the blindingly white background. Katie lifted her hand, trying to shield her eyes, but then she realized that the light was coming from behind her eyes. She finally became aware that she was being cradled against a strong chest. Katie shook her head and tried to turn to look up at the owner of the chest. She could feel someone touching her cheek but there were no noises. There was an eerie silence all around her. All she could hear was the faint pounding of her own heartbeat. After what seemed an eternity the sounds began to come in, they were muffled at first, but over more time they became louder and clearer.

"Please Katie, please snap out of it! Agni! I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

Stop blaming yourself you doof. Katie tried to say, but she couldn't move her lips to form the words. All she could seem to really move was her right arm. She lifted it up and touched Zuko's face reassuringly. Zuko let out a choked sort of gasp of relief and pressed his forehead against hers. When he finally found the strength he stood up with her held bridal style in his arms. He carried her down to their room and laid her down on the bed where she fell thankfully into a deep sleep.

A small pink tongue darted out and licked Katie's face persistently until she opened her eyes. She had to close them quickly though as her overjoyed little Kokishin moved his licking to them. It had been waiting for nearly an our for some sign on movement. Katie let out a groan and rubbed her right hand over her face. What a crazy dream. She thought to herself. But when she tried to sit up her entire body felt strangely numb and heavy. Rado climbed onto her chest and began licking every part of her face he could reach. Katie let out a muffled laugh and tried to fight the creature away.

"Leave her alone you stupid beast." A deep voice said from her side. The weight of Rado's body was immediately removed. Katie looked up and saw him squirming in Zuko's arms.

"What happened?" Katie asked once she found her voice.

"Nothing you need to worry about right now. Just get more rest." Zuko said, placing a hand on her cheek. Katie ran her dream over in her mind and would have sat up straight if she had the strength to do so.

"The battle! What happened?" she demanded. Zuko bit his lip trying to think of what to tell her. You turned in to some sort of goddess and brought every man back to life that had died just didn't seem subtle enough.

"Just don't worry about it. Everyone made it out okay." He said as he leaned down to kiss her forehead. Tears began coursing down Katie's cheeks.

"Don't lie to me. I remember the blood. My god, I killed those men." She sobbed. This isn't going well. Zuko thought to himself.

"Katie, I promise you that the only one that died yesterday was Zhao. I can't explain it, but everyone is fine." Zuko said, wiping her tears away with his thumb.

"I saw them Zuko. I saw those dead men. I remember killing them. And I enjoyed it! What is wrong with me!" Her eyes were wide with fear. She felt a wave of nausea wash over her and it took everything to keep from tossing her cookies all over Zuko and Rado.

"Katie, last night…you…um." Zuko struggled to find the right thing to say. He just wasn't good at stuff like this. "You…resurrected them."

"I what?" Katie asked with a hiccup.

"You were struck by lightening. It did something to you and…you brought all of those men back to life." Katie stared into Zuko's face, silently begging him to stop saying this. Hoping that he would break out a grin and have it turn out to all be a cruel joke that she could beat him about later. But he was completely serious. She tried anyways.

"Zuko, stop messing around."

"I'm not messing anything. Katie, what happened to you?" he asked. He was looking down at her with something in his eyes which she had never seen before. It was fear.

"I think I'm gonna hurl." Katie said faintly. Zuko barely managed to grab a bedpan to put under her chin as she did just that. He held her hair out of her face as she emptied the few contents of her stomach into the china bowl. He cursed at himself internally for telling her right off. When Katie had finished she wiped a shaking hand over her mouth and leaned backwards with a groan. "What now?" She asked shakily.

"For right now, you need to sleep. We'll figure it out later." Zuko said placing a comforting hand on the side of her face. He leaned down and kissed her forehead, then put Rado down next to her side. Rado immediately burrowed up against her and fell asleep. Katie clutched him to her, trying to soak in the animal's warmth. She was so cold. Zuko sat beside her on the bed, continuously stroking her cheek until she fell asleep.

While writing this chapter yesterday I was eating a pumpkin pie that was rotten. It was nasty, but I'm a person that doesn't like to waste anything and I didn't realize at the time that it was rotten, so I forced myself to eat half of it before I had my mom try it. She tossed it and I was expecting to hurl or get food poisoning or something. But I'm perfectly fine which kinda makes me sad because that means I have to go to school. That's the curse of my family. We all have stomachs of iron. I could probably eat paintchips and my tummy would just say "yum"

Please review. You would be making a difference in my life. DON'T YOU WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN MY LIFE? Huh? HUH?