Wow, I really don't mind my dad's music, in fact I actually like most of it. But I've decided that you can only take so much Cajun polka and Johnny Cash before the overwhelming need arises to lock yourself in a room and blast the speakers out with Metallica. And I've come to a realization that I'm a total geek. This realization came when I was watching Teen Titans for the first time in several months. I can't remember what the episodes name is, but the villain was that Control Freak guy. Everything that guy was doing I could totally recognize and relate to. But the real geek realization came when he pulls out a light saber and begins waving it around, even slipping on a coat at one point. I doubt anybody else but a computer geek could catch something like that, but for those who don't know there is this famous web video that this kid made where he web cammed himself waving a stick around, then later he CGI'd a lightsaber in so he really looked like he was fighting the jedi or whatever. I feel the need to cry now.

Also, I was alone last night and bored out of my mind and there was nothing on tv. So I decided to watch a few anime shows just to see if my views on them have changed. I think Bobobo bo bo bobo was a bad choice. But I admit, that show was whacked out enough that I actually really enjoyed it. Even though I felt myself growing dumber and I still have no idea what it was that I had just watched. Anyways, that's just me blathering, let's continue, shall we?

As always, thank you everyone that reviewed!

Zula was seething as she sat next to the cave entrance. She was a princess of the most powerful nation in the world, she should not be posted on sentry duty to make sure a peasant's dirty work was done. She began feeling rebellious, and with that rebellion she began forming a plan to ruin Aika's plot. If he wanted this avatar to die so badly, she would just have to interfere. How hard could it be to turn a man's wrath on another target? And so she waited, picking through her mind the words to tell Lu to get him to hunt down Aika instead of the facestealer. She was snapped out of her musings by the sound of rustling in the brush. A man stepped forward with a black mask covering his face. Clever one. Zula thought to herself. She stood up and began easing forward to intercept the man when a strong pair of arms latched around her, one around her waist and arms, one covering her mouth. The arms held her pinioned no matter how hard she struggled until the avatar had disappeared into the black hole. Then she was released. Zula spun on her heels and crouched, ready to fight…Iroh.

"What do you think you're doing? I thought you were all about protecting the avatar." Zula growled.

"That is precisely what I'm doing." Iroh said. Zula lunged towards him and their dangerous dance began.

Lu held the axe before him and tried to peer through the thin material into the darkness. He could see nothing so he relied on touch, on feeling the paths the air took and tasting the amount of energy surrounding him. He knew the face stealer was here, he could feel the creature slowly encircling him. He could feel it as it crept up behind him and breathed on the back of his neck.

"I told you we would meet again." A seductive voice whispered. Lu whirled and swung the axe as hard as he could, but Koh had already retreated back.

"Or rather, I will." The voice rumbled in the darkness.

"What are you talking about? I've never seen you before in my life!" Lu growled.

"Oh, but you will. A few times in fact. Time is really an interesting thing, isn't it?" the voice never stopped moving, it was always out of reach, "I can spend centuries at a time thinking about it and all its complexities; how one little thing can change the entire outcome of the future."

"What are you blundering about? STAND STILL AND FACE ME!" Lu yelled.

"I'm blundering about time. I can see it all, past and future, what things might have happened differently if your young reincarnation hadn't come here and done what was needed to ensure your death."

"You make no sense, spirit."

"Oh, don't I? Sometimes things have to happen. Spring has to turn into summer, the sun has to rise, and you have to die."

"Your threats don't scare me!" Lu said. He felt something brush his sleeve and he brought the axe down. It pinged off the stone floor and shot a reverberating shock through his wrists.

"It's not a threat, it's a fact. If the airbender hadn't come to you, I never would have taken your love. If you hadn't come down to this cave, you would have lived. You would have gone and killed Aika before he could have children." Lu felt him again and swung the axe. Koh caught it, wrenched it out of his grasp and tossed it into the darkness before continuing. "If Aika hadn't had children, then two water tribe youth in the future never would have existed to bring a future avatar from hibernation. The entire world, and spirit world would have been lost."

"Why are you telling me this?" Lu asked. Something tugged lightly on his mask, pulling it easily from his head and the face of Maki peered down at him.

"I thought you would like to know who those three children were before you died. And don't worry, Aika will never take his control over the world. In fact he will be burned to death in four years. Something he won't like at all." The hole gaped open, and closed over Lu's head.

"I think I understand what this is about." Zula panted as she kicked at Iroh's head. "It's about that dear son of yours. You want that man to kill the creature so that he will never have died."

"I only wish it were so, princess." Iroh said, grabbing her foot and shooting a flame at her face. Zula dropped to the ground and lashed out with her other foot, knocking Iroh's grip loose. Zula jumped back and crouched behind a bush. She grinned at Iroh before standing back up. In her hands were her bow and arrow. With the speed of a viper, she had an arrow notched and lit. Before Iroh could even comprehend what was happening, the arrow had released and buried into his heart. Iroh collapsed against a boulder and looked up at Zula. There was no surprise or pain on his facewhen he looked at her. He only nodded, then was gone.

"It's done." Aang said quietly. They had been sitting in Lu's house, waiting. They didn't know what for, or rather they did but didn't want to admit it. They didn't wonder how Aang knew this, and none wanted to think about what to do next. Aang sat down on Iroh's bed and sighed. He leaned backwards on his hands and felt something cool and hard beneath his fingertips. He picked it up and stared down ata round pai sho tile. Carved and painted on the surface was a blooming lotus flower. Aang gripped it tightly, then slid it into his shirt.

"Alright, let us get dis over den." They all looked up as the monkey appeared before them, clutching the small water basin in his hand. A portal from a water droplet appeared before them and they wordlessly filtered through. The monkey disappeared and reappeared a fraction of a second later at the entrance of the cave where Zula was gazing down at the still form of her uncle with triumph.

"And you as well." The monkey told her, opening another portal for her to pass through. She glared at him and grabbed Iroh's topknot. With one swift movement, she cut the hair with a small knife and stowed it as a trophy into her pocket.

"I don't have all day!" The monkey said irritably. Zula tossed away the knife and stepped through.

It was two weeks later when Aang, Sokka and Katara finally found Appa and came to restock in a small earthkingdom town. They decided that they had deserved a small rest and sacrificed a few copper pieces to escape from the heat and get some cool refreshment at a small inn. It was there that Aang spotted prince Zuko. The young man was almost unrecognizeable. His hair had grown out and he had aged much more than he should have in the short span of time. His golden eyes were dull and bloodshot, barely comprehending anything beyond the glass clutched in his fist. Aang froze at the sight of him, but stepped forward purposely next to his small table. Zuko glared down at his drink for a moment before finally meeting the gaze of the avatar.

"Do you like what you see?" He hissed. Aang's breath caught in his throat. Finally, he reached into his shirt and pulled out the lotus tile. He placed it on the table and slid it towards the prince. Zuko stared at it for a moment, then tenderly picked it up.

"He wanted me to tell you that…he loves you." Aang said awkwardly. Zuko nodded and blinked back a tear. His fingers closed over the ivory and he clutched it to his heart.

"He…never underestimated its value…or mine." Zuko whispered. Several tears slid unbidden from his eyes. Aang turned to leave, but stopped himself.

"Will you come with us?" He asked. Zuko gazed down at the lotus tile and, after a moment, nodded. Aang nodded as well and went back to where Sokka and Katara were sitting. He liked to believe that the worse was now behind him. But there was still that one looming obstacle in his future. Aang gazed around at the faces of his friends and then to where Zuko sat, his frame shaking with repressed grief. At least he wouldn't have to face it alone.

The end. I was going to do an epilogue, but I think it wrapped up pretty nicely by itself. Holy crap, that was a depressing story! I need to go work on Mmm, Spoofy! now.