"So this is how it ends, huh?" Zuko already having resolved himself to become food for his sister could do nothing more than watch as she leapt at him with a murderous intent engulfing her expression. It was far more animalistic than Kyojuro described to them.
Before she could make contact with him, Ty Lee had tackled the girl before could seriously harm him.
"Azula! What's going on? Calm down, ok!" Ty Lee tried to restrain her, but Azula forced the girl off with a swift kick to the stomach.
"Mai, help me out here!"
Mai threw a few knives at the girl hoping that she'd regain some sort of control and stop acting so weird, but instead of that, she stood there and took the attack head on. The knives pierced her flesh and blood trickled out causing Ty Lee to become angry.
"That's not what I meant! Why would you do that!"
Mai never took her eyes off of Azula and simply pointed her finger at her, "Just shut up and look you idiot."
The knives fell out and her wounds started to close leaving Ty Lee stunned.
"You all need to get out of here now! It is far too dangerous for you to be here right now!" Kyojuro had regained his bodily control and rushed over to Azula, punching her away from them. She collided into a wall with a sickening thud.
The girl stood back up with no issues at all. If anything, it only served to make things worse.
"What's going on? Why is she like that?" Ty Lee panicked.
Kyojuro snatched his sword from off the ground and unsheathed it as flames danced around it once again. He looked over at Zuko who was still standing there, just blankly staring.
"Zuko, I understand you must be confused and distraught, but the being in front of us…is no longer the sister you once knew," Kyojuro stated with seriousness in his voice.
"No…you can't be serious…" Zuko watched as she glared at him with eyes like a predator and his heart began to buckle.
"I'm so so sorry, Zuko," Kyojuro took his stance and prepared himself for what needed to be done. He couldn't risk a Demon running around where innocent people were located. They would become food for her if he didn't do something.
Zuko could immediately tell his intentions and grabbed hold of his arm before he could follow through with his intentions.
"I promise, it will be quick and she won't feel a thing, but I absolutely cannot allow her to run around in the state she's in!"
Zuko refused to let him go, "You're not killing, Azula! She's my sister!"
"Kill?" Ty Lee's eyes went wide at the mention of lethal force. Why do they want to kill Azula? Sure she's a little different now, but surely that's going too far.
She rushed over to Kyojuro who was still standing there looking at Zuko conflicted with what he needed to do. "You are not killing her," Ty Lee gave the man a death stare which resembled the same one Mitsuri used to give him whenever he ate her sweets.
"Will somebody please tell me what's wrong with her?" Mai interjected.
Kyojuro stood as he was soon surrounded by all three of them with intentions quite clear.
Killing Azula is not an option.
Azula lunged at them once more, ready to dive into a fresh new meal, but was cut off by Ty Lee chi blocking her before she could get remotely close to them. Azula dropped to the ground and no longer was in control of her own body.
"There, see, you don't need to kill!" Ty Lee argued. "I was able to stop her from moving, so why don't you tell us what Admiral Zhao just did to my friend." Ty Lee was furious and Kyojuro knew he could not get around not explaining what just happened.
"Your friend has become what is known as a Demon and as one of these creatures, she now has an innate urge to consume human flesh. Her physical abilities most likely aren't at their peak yet since she hasn't even tasted human flesh yet, but the moment she does, she'd most likely be able to kill each and every last one of you with minimal effort."
"And I know that Zuko of all people understands just how much devastation they can do if left to their own devices."
Zuko just glared back even harder, "I know and I don't care. You are not going to harm Azula. She may be a pain in my ass and we aren't the closest, but…nobody deserves this."
"I understand your feelings for your sister, Zuko! I really do! But what other option do we have other than this? Demons cannot be convinced to not eat humans as it's within their very nature to consume," Kyojuro gripped his sword even tighter, "There is no exception to this rule-"
"Azula! If you're in there, you can fight this, you hear me!" Ty Lee was yelling things at the still struggling Demoness on the ground, but it didn't make much of a difference. The girl still clawed at the dirt in front of them, still hungering for flesh to calm herself.
Kyojuro knew this would end in heartbreak and disaster as he's seen many families torn apart by one that has become Demonized. Killing and slaughtering their own family as if it meant nothing.
Mai continued to watch as Azula struggled to regain control of her bodily functions and for the first time in a long time, she was…scared. As crazy as Azula could be, she'd never seen the girl like this before.
She turned towards Kyojuro, "So what you're saying is the Azula we know is gone and this is all that's left of her?"
Kyojuro nodded to her, "I'm afraid so."
""That's bullshit. Azula's a lot of things, but a man eating monster isn't one of them. She wouldn't actually hurt us," Mai looked back at the girl and balled her fists in annoyance.
"Don't listen to this idiot. I don't really get it, but hurry up and get a grip before you do something you regret, princess," Mai leaned down and poked Azula as the girl growled in anger, "Aw did I hurt your feelings?"
"Do not antagonize her! She is dangerous and you all need to get away before something happens!" Kyojuro boomed with authority in his voice.
All three of them refused to back down.
"We aren't letting you hurt her!" Ty Lee snapped. Mai turned as she had never heard her sound this upset. Sure she'd seen the girl sad or even a little angry, but never like this. It just made the whole situation all the more weird.
"I do not have time for this! You will move and leave the matter to me!" Kyojuro still felt hesitant. He could easily incapacitate them and dispatch of the girl before her sins grow even larger than they already are, but he just couldn't shake the feeling that he was making the wrong call.
Azula still had no control of her limbs and she was still clawing at the ground around her with mindless anger, but…that spark that he saw in Zuko, he could still see in her as well. For the life of him he couldn't understand why that was, but Agni did say the girl was special. Perhaps it'd be better if he gave them a chance to prove something to him.
Sheathing his sword, he looked at them with growing anxiousness, but decided he'd give them the chance to see if she could be salvaged.
He turned to Zuko and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder, "As you know, I am a Demon Slayer who doesn't hesitate to annihilate any and all Demons I come across in this world! However! The tenacity you and your friends are showing me has caused me to stop dead in my tracks and contemplate something!"
Kyojuro pointed to Azula, "Your sister has become a Demon, this is an undeniable fact! But! She hasn't killed anyone nor tasted flesh, so I wish to test a hypothesis of mine out. You three are the closest to her and I want to see if, somehow, you are able to reach her heart! Her sense of self may not be as lost as I originally thought."
"There is only one Demon I have met that has never consumed flesh of any kind and to say that she's an outlier is an understatement! If you can prove, here and now, that the girl in front of me will not pose a threat to anyone, I will allow her to live!"
"Failure, however…" They all understood the unspoken threat of execution and nodded swifty.
"You all do what you can for her. I'm going to make sure Katara and the others are alright!" Heading over to the still unconscious Katara, the remaining three were left looking at Azula still squirming on the ground like an animal ensnared in a trap.
"So…what do we do now?" Mai lamented.
"Simple. We force whatever this is to go away and give back the old Azula," Ty Lee said.
"I don't know if you've heard him clearly, but it's not as easy as talking to her anymore. Unless we do something that can snap her out of it…" Zuko didn't need to finish the sentence. Failure meant death for her.
"This is still so confusing. Why did he target her and when exactly did these Demons start showing up exactly? Why is Zhao one? How does he know that man? What if we can't-"
"Ty Lee, please shut up and let me think! I get it, you're scared! Don't you think this is crazy enough already without all your badgering questions?"
"Oh, well EXCUSE ME for having feelings and showing emotions every once in a while! It's not every day an admiral from our nation shows up and turns your best friend into a monster!"
Both girls were eye to eye at this point and Zuko stepped in to seperate them before the argument grew worse.
"Guys relax and focus on the goal at hand! If we can't figure out a way to show him that Azula won't be a threat, Kyojuro will end her life without a second thought. Luckily she can't move, but as of now we have very little time and need to figure out a temporary solution," Zuko gave them both a sympathetic look as if to say he understands that they are scared. So is he, but they need to figure out what to do about her before they can let their emotions run wild.
"Are we good?" Zuko looked back and forth at the girls
"Yeah…" Mai trailed off.
"Sorry, Mai. I didn't mean to yell at you. It's just…Azula…"
Mai placed a hand on the girl's shoulder and gave her a reassuring smile, "You don't have to explain anything to me. It's ok."
Now that the argument was squashed before it could get out of hand, they now had a fledgling Demon that needed to be calmed down. Putting their heads together, all three of them began trying to come up with something deeply important to the girl that may be able to reach the deepest portion of her mind, hoping that it'd be enough to snap her out of this trance.
"Young man, can you hear me?" Sokka opened and closed his eyes before shooting up far too quickly. That explosion from earlier definitely took a lot out of him even if Kyojuro shielded them from most of it. With the way his head was feeling, it probably would've killed him had he not been too careful.
Sitting up again, Sokka gripped his head in pain as it felt like someone had split his head in two. Gathering his bearings he immediately looked around for anyone else and found nothing.
He was being tended to by an old woman and a few other nurses who were in the area.
"You and your friend flew over here after a giant explosion near one of the entrances. I'm surprised you don't have more injuries with how hard you hit the ground."
"How long have I been out?" Sokka asked.
"No more than ten minutes, thank goodness, but…" Sokka could see some hesitation in the older woman's eyes.
"What? What is it?"
"It's concerning your friend."
"Aang!" Sokka looked over and saw the young boy in a meditative state with his tattoos glowing.
"We don't know what's wrong with him, but by the time we got over here, he was already like this. Any time we try to move him, he just reverts back to this meditative pose, so we figured it's best to leave him like this."
"The Avatar State," Sokka tried to move over to where Aang was, but could barely move much. Man he really really hated Zhao.
"You should probably lay back down until your friend comes and gets you. You don't have many injuries on the surface level, but you definitely have some internal bruising that needs to be looked at immediately."
Seeing no argument there and now being unable to move much, Sokka layed back down as the woman began bandaging him up. He looked over at Aang and could only wonder what exactly was going on inside his head.
Aang remembers this place. Or rather he should remember it. Past lives and connected memories were always really tricky to understand. He was standing in a blooming garden with the most colorful array of flowers he had ever seen.
"Aang." He turned around to see Avatar Roku standing before him and although this was the first official time they had met, it was somehow like he was staring into a mirror.
"Avatar Roku? I'm so sorry I didn't contact you before the solstice ended! There was this whole thing with Demons, and then the only Fire Sage left in the world was killed, and then we had to deal with Zhao and-"
Roku placed a hand on the boy's shoulder and smiled, "I understand. The circumstances did not allow you to contact me via the statue, so I had to expedite the process and drag you here for a meeting. I'm afraid there is much to inform you of and none of it is very good."
Aang sat down in a lotus position while Roku kneeled down comfortably before starting. Aang could already tell that from the look on his face that this was going to be crucial information, but he couldn't help, but smile at his past life.
"So in my previous life, I was from the Fire Nation? That's kind of ironic seeing as I kinda am an enemy of the nation," The monk rubbed the back of head hoping that he could ease the tension and awkwardness somehow. Suffice to say, Roku was in no mood for games.
"Now is not the time, Aang. We do not have all the time in the world and there is so much chaos in the world as of now it has begun to make many of us restless."
"Who's restless?" Aang asked.
"Your past lives and the entirety of the Spirit World. I cannot pinpoint the exact time that it happened, but these…Demons that have begun to ravish the world is not a natural occurrence as you already can guess. We have had Avatars that have fought spirits, Avatars that have stood side by side with them, We have even had a few that have ignored them altogether, but a matter like this is one that takes priority over anything else, including the Fire Nation."
"Kyojuro said that people like him have hunted them throughout the ages. It is weird that I haven't heard of them even from back at the temple, but maybe they were really good at their jobs and because of the Hundred Year War, the balance has shifted and now the Demons have gained the upper hand."
"Curses, is that what he told you?" Roku seemed agitated hearing Aang's explanation.
"Did I say something wrong?"
"No, Aang, you did not, but…" Roku looked conflicted about something, "Nevermind that."
"Before I get to the main point of me bringing you here, I need to inform you of the coming Comet and how it is intertwined with the Firelord and this Demon phenomenon that has damaged our world."
"During the coming Summer there will be a Comet that will enhance every Firebender's bending to a level that no one besides the Avatar can match. If I had to describe it, it would be amplifying their abilities with the power of a hundred suns. The ability to use Firebending unrestricted and with guidance even a small flame can bring an entire village to cinder and ash. A flame as large as a fireball can level forests."
"Normally this wouldn't be an issue as the comet would come and go without much issue besides a few who would get power hungry not realizing the effects weren't permanent, but the last time the comet showed up, it was used in the eradication of any and all Air Nomads around the world."
Aang felt sick to his stomach. He'd always wondered how they managed to eliminate so many Airbenders in such a short timeframe.
"Of course this is not the way the comet is meant to be used, but Firelord Sozin had other ideas in mind for it. My failure to stop him one hundred years ago has now caused the death and destruction of so much that it will forever be a shame that I can never erase from myself. Instead, I have to leave it all to you, Aang."
"So…what's gonna happen if the comet comes around this time?"
"Devastation on a scale this world has never seen before. Now this brings me to my main point of talking with you. These Demons as they are called have brought nothing, but chaos, death and misery ever since they've appeared and it is up to you and-"
"Kyojuro Rengoku."
Both men turned to see a strange man standing to the side of them simply watching. He was a tall man who sported Hanafuda earrings and long hair that sported red tips at the end of it. He wielded a sword and his expression was calm and relaxed while almost being surrounded by a soothing aura as well. If he wasn't looking, he would barely even know there was a person standing there. That wasn't all, he had a flaming mark alongside his forehead which was extremely odd. Overall, Aang would have to say that he looks like a samurai.
He also reminded him of Kyojuro in a way.
"Um…hello there," Aang called out to the strange man. The man said nothing as he continued to stand there as if he was searching for something. Aang couldn't help but be drawn into his gaze.
"Ignore him, Aang. That man comes and goes as he pleases and rarely talks if at all. The first time he showed up here, we were initially confused since this is supposed to be a place reserved for Avatars and the spirits themselves, he not only showed up out of nowhere, but was very attuned to the Spirit World. It's as if he is constantly aware of everything and nothing all at once."
Roku decided to focus back on the matter at hand, "The growing calamity at hand is somehow Firelord Ozai has managed to become one of these monsters and his power has grown at an exponential rate. The spirits whisper and from what we have been able to gather, he is almost unstoppable as of now. That's where you come in. You must step in and defeat the Firelord before the comet arrives, because if you fail to reach the deadline that is the comet's arrival then the world as you know it will be destroyed and turned to cinder under his hand."
"Under no circumstances can this man be allowed to reach Sozin's comet. Aang, it is imperative that you master all four elements before the comet which should allow you enough time to track him down and end this wretched war."
"But…I haven't even started learning Waterbending yet. It's been a busy few weeks-"
"And therein lies the issues at hand. Instead of focusing on training and learning Waterbending from that girl, you have been getting wrapped up in issues and problems that are not your own. Hanging around that man will bring you nothing but problems and I feel it'd be best if you separated from him before things become worse."
"What!?" Aang shot up from the ground, completely shocked that Roku would even suggest such a thing. "Kyojuro is a nice person and he's helped me so much over these past couple of months! I won't leave him behind just because you think I've been slacking on my training."
"You misunderstand me, Aang. I'm not just saying this because I think you are slacking on your training, I'm asking this of you because the problems that this man faces are not your own. It would be in your best interest to leave him be as this is partly his fault in the first place."
Aang opened his mouth to comment, but Roku cut him off, "And if it was within my authority as your spirit guide then I would explain what I mean, but spirits far powerful than my own have forbidden me from divulging this information to you," He pointed over to the strange man beside them, "People like him shouldn't be here."
Aang looked over to see the strange man's face barely react to the comment, but his eyes told a different story. Shame, Sadness, Self loathing, Misery, Despair all shone through and made the young monk upset that Roku would try and pin the blame of all this chaos on a random spirit.
"You aren't making any sense. How is it his or Kyojuro's fault anyway? They can't control Demons running around eating people and they can't save everyone!"
"Actually young man…He's completely right." The strange man walked over to them and set his blade before kneeling in front of both of them, "Someone like me who has been dead for such a long time should not be able to exist here."
"I don't understand. This is all so confusing," Aang's confusion did gain a small hollow chuckle out of the man followed by more radiating waves of self loathing.
"You have every right to be confused, young Avatar as the responsibility of eradicating Demons was something not meant for your shoulders to bear. Instead it was the only reason someone as worthless as me was born into the world, but even someone as powerful as I failed to kill the Demon King once known as Muzan and because of my carelessness, more people died then and more people will die now. I had one task before me and yet, I came up short when it mattered most."
"Because of my failure to end that man's life back then, he went into hiding, never to be seen again during my lifetime. In that same lifetime, I watched as thousands upon thousands of people eventually met their end due to these creatures and even…"
Aang could see the inner turmoil come crashing through his subdued and calm expression, "My wife and unborn child fell victim to them as well."
"Once I grew old enough and was at the end of my life, I chased down my older brother who had become a Demon in his pursuit of power. We clashed, but my body while powerful was still that of an old man and my life ended before I could end his. Although if I'm honest…I doubt I'd have taken my older brother's life. I loved him more than anything in the world and seeing him in such a state saddened me."
The strange man kneeled down as tears trickled down, "Everything that is happening to this world, it's people…even you, Avatar is my fault. My birth should have been the end of the Demon uprising and instead it just brought more powerful foes and allies to their side while slowly whittling away what little we did have in comparison. So many lives lost and I could do nothing but watch as many hopeful sparks were extinguished. From the deepest corner of my heart, I apologize for this mess."
Aang couldn't help but feel moved seeing the emotions this man was displaying and tears of his own trickled down as well.
"Please, raise your head. Nobody blames you for something out of your control. You probably did the best you could and if you are anything like Kyojuro then you definitely gave everything you had and then some. Don't feel ashamed for that."
The strange man lifted his head and his gaze met Aang's once again. It was hard for the young monk to describe, but he could tell that this man was carrying some heavy burdens on his back very similar to his own.
"If you don't mind me asking…what's your name?" Aang desperately had to know the name of this kind soul.
The strange man took a moment to compose himself before answering, "My name…"
When was the last time anyone asked for his name? It was so long since he was kicked out of the Demon Hunters for failing to kill Muzan. He traveled for decades, wandering from town to town slaying demon after demon while still coming up short when it actually mattered. Anytime he retold this story during his travels he could tell some people would look upon him with pity, some with anger for failing to do his job like he should've, but this child was different.
Instead of any underlying emotions, he simply wanted to make sure he was ok and wished to know his name.
That made the man's heart swirl in joy even if technically he was already dead.
"My name is Yoriichi Tsugikuni and it is my pleasure to meet you, Avatar Aang."
"Nice to meet you too, Yoriichi! I do have a lot of questions, but somehow…I get the feeling that we were destined to meet! Dunno why that is but I am sure of it!"
Sitting up completely, Yoriichi could only marvel at the kind child before him, "I believe you may be right. There may be a light within the darkness that can answer why this is happening to your world."
"My world? What do you mean? Isn't this our world?" Aang asked.
Yoriichi gave him a small smile before giving Roku a solemn glance. Aang could tell there was something they were not telling him.
"It seems like I may have said too much already. Although I haven't spoken to Roku much, I have interacted with many of your other past lives, Aang, and…let's just say that there are some things that are best heard from the source itself."
"What do you mean? Why won't anyone just explain themselves properly?" Aang groaned as he leaned back on the ground below him and stared up at the sun.
"I think the proper term for the spirit is…Agni?" Yoriichi gauged. "That spirit has apparently sworn the rest of your past lives to secrecy about the subject matter. Why that is, is something you'd have to ask her should the two of you meet, but what I am absolutely certain of is Kyojuro must come clean about everything."
"Come clean…" Aang took a moment to think about what else Kyojuro was hiding from them, "Oh! You must mean that last really big secret Kyojuro's saving for when he's ready!"
Yoriichi smiled at the young man again, feeling happy to just be around such positive energy, "Yes that would most likely be the one. If I was able, I'd talk to the young man myself and allow him to understand the consequences of hiding such a thing, but as I am already dead, I can only exist within this space of yours. Kyojuro is a bright young man who has the same kind heart as others who have come before him, but…"
"He needs to come clean about all of this…if he doesn't things could only become worse for everyone involved."
Aang rubbed his face in exasperation hearing Yoriichi's explanation. Just what on earth was so important that not even his past lives could explain it to him?
"So basically nobody can tell me anything until Kyojuro himself spills the beans right?"
Both men nodded in agreement.
"Well it looks like we will have to have a talk once I wake up, huh."
"I look forward to seeing the path both of you walk down, young man," Yoriichi said with another kind and somber smile.
Roku couldn't stand this anymore. Neither could the rest of his past lives.
"Enough! I understand how kind you are Aang, but Kyojuro, Yoriichi and these Demons have upset the balance far too much for us to just ignore. We need to speak with the man immediately and I apologize in advance for this."
Roku gave the boy a sympathetic look before standing up, "This man has to understand the devastating effect he has had on this world and if you continue to follow him, you'll forever be in constant danger. As your guide, I have to do my best to make sure we do not lose an Avatar before peace and balance has been restored."
Roku's eyes began to glow and he began to float inside an air bubble as earth, water and fire all wrapped around it in a very similar way that Aang's own state resembled
"Roku, what's going on?" Aang yelled, but it did him no good. Roku was dead set on delivering this message and there was absolutely nothing Aang could do to stop him. There was simply too much at stake
"I'm sorry Aang. This has to be done before it's too late."
Sokka watched as air began to circulate around Aang as his body floated up off the ground.
"Aang, wake up! What are you doing!?" Sokka shouted as he was blown back by the massive winds.
Aang made his way over to where Kyojuro and the others were located and he could already tell this wasn't going to end well.
"Oh boy…" He groaned while cobbling himself together. The other healers had left by this point so it was only him that got blown away.
He hurried after the monk, hoping that an already bad situation wasn't going to become even worse.
"Any luck?" Zuko asked.
"None," Ty Lee groaned. "I don't understand what we are doing wrong! I've had to chi block her seven times now after we let her up and she keeps trying to maul us."
"I don't wanna say it seems hopeless so I won't…but…" Mai saw the look Ty Lee gave her and immediately stopped following up on her comment.
"Azula's not a lost cause! There has to be something we can do to get through to her!" Ty Lee squatted down near the still paralyzed girl and frowned, "She's not supposed to be like this. Azula is strong, cunning, brave, stubborn and most of all prideful. What are we missing here?"
A light bulb in Zuko's head lit up upon hearing something peculiar, "That's it! I know how we can snap her out of this!"
"How?" Ty Lee asked him.
"Pride!" Zuko answered.
"Pride?" She asked, still confused.
"Zuko, I know you must be extra hot with so much hair on your head and maybe your brain is getting scrambled, but please explain how Pride is gonna help her regain her senses and not eat us," Mai retorted.
Zuko scowled at the girl, but let the comment slide since she was somewhat accurate. He had grown a lot of hair since having it cut off in the South Pole by Kyojuro, but the brain scrambling part was just rude.
She was lucky he'd had a crush on her for so long.
"I was getting to that," Zuko said. "Azula has been many things to each of us, but the two things that stand out the most have to be her Pride and Talent. She was always far more gifted than me and I…I hated that growing up. Deep down though, I respected the fact that she could do anything she put her mind to and worked doubly hard to try and catch up to her."
"Is there a point you're trying to make here?" Mai interrupted.
"You didn't let me finish."
"Maybe…if we could get her to understand that eating people would make her like every other Demon then maybe Azula would be able to just…I don't know, resist the urge to do it out of sheer spite and pride of being the only Demon that doesn't eat people."
He looked to Ty Lee and Mai to gauge their reactions.
"Zuko…that's genius!" The girl all but pounced, giving him a hug realizing the idea was genius. Why didn't she think of that?
Mai's expression remained monotone, but given how her eyes lit up towards the end of his speech, Zuko knew she thought it was a really good idea.
"Ok, but how do we actually get a reaction out of her?" Mai wondered.
Zuko already knew the answer to that as well, "Leave that to me. I'm gonna rile her up as much as possible and when I give the signal, I want you two to untie her and don't stop her when she comes for me."
"How do you know she'll come straight for you when she regains control of her body? We'd be sitting ducks," Mai said.
Zuko already had that figured out too. He called over to where the others were located, "Kyojuro, how are you and Katara doing?"
Kyojuro was still tending to Katara, but other than a few scratches, the girl was relatively unharmed. Sokka really was the unlucky one of the group.
"She is fine! A few scratches here and there, but nothing to worry about!" Kyojuro gave the boy a thumbs up finishing his answer.
"Is this really a good idea? I mean…she's one of those creatures now," Katara reasoned.
"And I know she's Zuko's sister, but she did just try and kill you not even an hour ago. What if this doesn't work and she hurts someone?"
"Hahaha! Katara you worry too much! I have faith in Zuko and quite frankly so should you! Sure this young woman is forever changed by the power of Demon's, but…he asked me for a chance to show that she won't be a threat and I promised I'd give him one!"
"However!"
"Should he fail, I will not hesitate to separate her head from her shoulders. Even if Zuko will resent me for it, I cannot make a mistake this unsettling when things are already uneasy."
Katara nodded and leaned her body back along the wall as her and Kyojuro began to watch whatever Zuko had cooked up for this girl. Deep down, Kyojuro silently prayed to Agni that this plan was going to work. He didn't want to take a young child's life because for yet another time in recent memory, he was caught off guard and an unrelated stranger paid the price for it.
Zuko kneeled down in front of Azula who was still tied up and struggling to move. He smirked at her before starting, "Really Azula? This is pathetic even for you. Squirming along the ground like a worm when you yourself claimed to be this cunning genius who could do anything. Ha! Yeah right."
He flicked her forehead, "How lowly can you become now? Drooling for a tiny speck of blood like a dog smelling bits of scrap out of the garbage. And this is supposed to be the Firenation's next in line! Don't make me laugh," Zuko followed this up by scruffing up her hair even more causing the girl to fly into a rage.
"See! You can't even handle getting touched anymore without freaking out. There's no way someone as weak willed as you will be able to lead a nation like ours! Maybe father was wrong. Maybe you weren't the prodigy destined to replace him like he thought you were. Such a shame."
Azula watched as this man…her brother continued to mock her saying she was weak and other preposterous ideas that made her blood boil. She was hungry and wanted nothing more than to consume him for even mentioning her and weakness within the same breath, but…
She really just wanted to make him shut up.
Zuko signaled for Ty Lee and Mai to stand back as he was going to give the girl time to completely focus on him.
"Are you really on the same tier as other mindless Demons that consume in order to gain power? I figured someone like you was strong enough to where you didn't need any cheap fixes to get stronger, but I guess I was wrong. You aren't different. You aren't this hidden, once in a lifetime genius level talent who can do anything she sets her mind too. No, in fact, I'd have to say this is your true self."
"Someone who causes misery-"
"Stop it," Azula thought as her mind began to race as her limbs gained control little by little
"Someone who is only good at seeding mistrust and displeasure-"
"I said stop it," Azula slowly lifted herself off the ground and grabbed her head. All she wanted to do was shut him up by consuming him down to the last bone and yet…something deep down was almost screaming at her to refuse.
"Someone who has to rely on handouts in order to get what she wants-"
She began to focus on her brother who had taken one of the throwing knives Mai had and sliced his palm open as blood poured down it. Her eyes went wide and her mouth opened in anticipation, but her mind was almost screaming at her to stop.
He smirked at her one last time knowing that this would be the straw that broke the camel's back, "This is the reason why Mother never loved you."
That was it. She would not stand her and listen to this load of garbage any longer.
Azula roared as her flames surrounded her body as she made a mad dash towards Zuko who stuck his palm outward as if to entice her to eat away to her heart's content.
"Kyojuro, don't you dare stop her!" Zuko shouted as the girl leapt onto him with fury in her eyes and venom in her throat. He placed his bleeding hand in front of her face as if to dare her to take it. Azula didn't even have time to wonder whether or not he was insane for doing such a thing. She'd make him pay for his misguided attempts to reach her.
All she had to do was consume him and she'd be unstoppable.
Just one bite to start things off.
One little bite.
Zuko watched intently as instead of tearing into him, Azula looked as if she was struggling with something internally. Her face contorted as she remained atop of him with the hunger still visible in her face, but she still had yet to take a bite out of him. She eyed the blood dripping down in front of her and her mouth watered. She still had yet to move any closer to it.
"Cmon, Azula. You're better than this. Show us why even among Demons you should be regarded as special!"
The girl felt herself wavering and struggled to process his words along with the meaning behind them. She found it hard and the hunger in her heart remained.
She hates it.
The hunger made her feel inferior to Zuko even if she was miles better than him everywhere else.
Just looking at her brother's face causes her to be disgusted and angry, but she still doesn't move forward and eat. Why? Not even Azula understood why she had just stopped. She continued to look at him as they entered a stalemate and nobody around them said anything. Kyojuro had his sword locked and loaded should the girl go any further with her attack, but the fact that she hadn't eaten him yet spoke volumes about the girl's willpower. It was definitely befitting of a prodigy such as herself.
"Azula, you can do this! Don't give up! Fight it!" Azula turned to see Ty Lee cheering her on over towards the sideline and yet more worthless emotions flooded her brain. Just why was the girl so bright and cheery anyway?
"Hurry up and kick whatever this is ass already so we can see the real you again, princess. Unless you really aren't the person we thought you were," Mai shot at her. Azula didn't like the tone she took when speaking to her, but on some levels Azula understood what she was saying. Struggling like this is far beneath her.
She racked her brain trying to figure out how to subjugate the hunger and found no immediate solutions. The blood in front of her looks so good though. Just one little taste shouldn't hurt-
"NO!" She shouted as Zuko watched her face twist in pain and contemplation. She was fighting against her very nature and it was hurting her. Even still, the girl refused to go through with her original intentions.
Tears slowly trickled down her face as they fell onto Zuko who felt his heartstrings being pulled at. Sure she tormented him growing up, but she was still his little sister and seeing her so vulnerable wasn't fun.
"Don't eat him, don't taste it, don't eat him, don't taste it, don't eat him, don't taste it," Repeated in her mind as veins popped up around her head, neck and arms, signifying just how much it pained her to stop in her tracks. The grip she held on him relaxed ever so slightly and Zuko tried to reach out.
"Azula, if you can understand me, please listen! I know this isn't easy and…" Zuko swallowed knowing these next few words were going to either make or break the progress he'd made, "You are not weak for struggling like you are. I assure you, Zhao will pay for what he has done to you and I cannot promise you, things will ever go back to normal, but-"
Ty Lee ran over to them both while dragging Mai along with her, "We will always be here for you, Azula. Just let us help you"
"She's right. Then again, if you left something like this take you out, were you ever really as strong as you thought you were? The sooner you overcome this, the sooner we can go kick Zhao's ass," Mai said with fierceness not even she knew she had.
These people…even after what she had become, they still wanted to help her. She treated Zuko horribly and yet here he was underneath her, completely defenseless and not once did she see any hesitation or worry in his face. The other two were the same way. Azula couldn't understand. Maybe she doesn't want to understand, but everything is happening too fast for her to process and it's making her heart feel weird.
She tried to hold her tears back once again to no avail as they finally fell unrestricted. The hunger remained, but her mind slowly forced itself through and her determination and willpower to not consume him or her friends gained substance over this cursed hunger she now possessed.
"Fight it, fight it, fight it, fight it, fight it, fight it, fight it," She let her thoughts reverberate in her head as she continued to force the hunger down again, "I don't need it, I don't need it, I don't need it, I don't need it, I don't need it, I don't need it, I don't need it, I don't need it, I don't-"
"Please, do not fret any longer. You have done an outstanding job fighting this for as long as you have."
Azula looked up and saw a strange man looking over her. The man in question had fair skin and shoulder length black hair while also possessing these strange purple marks that covered the entire top half of his head. It made his otherwise beautiful face look like it was rotting away. His lavender eyes bore into the girl and brought her mind at ease.
"I cannot say for certain why I have been placed with you, but even though my time surely has ended, I will do everything in my power to help restrain this Demon sickness you now possess," The man smiled at Azula who felt her body slowly and slowly relax even further, feeling soothed by his words somehow.
He kneeled down and placed a hand on her forehead, "My name is Kaguya Ubuyashiki and I hope that we are able to become more acquainted down the road young lady. Your friends won't be able to interact nor see me, but you and I will be connected of sorts until further notice," He glanced over at Kyojuro, "It seems like you'll be in good hands with someone as kind and persistent as him. Your friends who have stuck beside you also deserve praise knowing the damage you could do to them."
"This world's people brings me joy that humanity even after being plagued by an aching long standing war has been able to preserve humanity's best attributes. I will calm your hunger and ease your mind into submission. This should allow you to remain amongst your friends without the need of eating them. This is only temporary and eventually you will have to use your own power to overcome this completely."
"I will impart the little knowledge I possess of the one who was able to walk amongst us without ever consuming a single human. Although your personalities differ, the resemblance between the two of you is quite uncanny."
Kaguya gave the girl one last smile before beginning to help her understand the nature of her abilities. Although it seemed like hours on end, in reality time had slowed for the girl only and she soon collapsed atop of Zuko. Her body also shrunk down in size considerably thanks to Kaguya helping her understand how it worked. He had temporarily put her to sleep so he could speak with her more without worry of her consuming anyone, but this left the others stunned at the development.
"Is she-" Mai tried to ask.
"She's alive," Zuko replied. "I don't really understand what just happened, but I think…I think everything's good for now."
"I have made my decision!" Kyojuro walked over to them with an expression hovering on cautiousness and relieved, "Your sister proved that she can handle being around us without having the need to consume human flesh! Therefore! I will allow her and her friends to join us on this journey to the North Pole as long as they consent to becoming my pupils!"
"Pupils? As in becoming your apprentices? You have got to be joking," Mai answered.
"On the contrary, I am pretty bad at telling jokes! Katara has even stated Sokka is funnier than me!"
"Can we just slow down a minute-"
"Elaborate please," Ty Lee interrupted. Things were still hectic, but from the small amount of time she has been here, this man seemed pretty knowledgeable about this kind of stuff.
"Allow me! Both of you fight with such ferocity and skill that I would be a fool to let your potential whittle away when I could instead mold you into diamonds myself! As you can see first hand, Demons have plagued this world for quite some time now and it stands to reason that unless you wish to end up killed and eaten, you must learn to defend yourselves properly!"
"That…makes sense somewhat," Mai thought about how easily and viscously Zhao handled Azula and knew that neither her nor Ty Lee stood a chance if more of him were out there.
"Suppose we really follow you, how on earth do you plan on sneaking us into the North Pole when we are very clearly from the Fire Nation?"
"Don't you worry about that! Let me do all the talking when we get there and I'm sure things will turn out fine!" Kyojuro gave her a look that made Mai wonder whether or not he was sane in the head.
She looked at Ty Lee who simply nodded her head as she was still tending to Azula. Ty Lee just wanted to be someplace where Azula would be safe and sound. If that was near Kyojuro then so be it.
Mai sighed before answering, "It looks like you've got a deal."
"Hahahaha! I look forward to working with the two of you! We have a lot to do if we are going to whip you into Demon fighting shape!"
Katara watched as the chaos unfolded and wondered just how Kyojuro always managed to make things feel like they were ok when they really really weren't. She heard a faint sound behind her that almost sounded like a tornado from really far away that soon grew closer and closer. She looked up and saw Aang flying towards Kyojuro while in the Avatar state and knew something was wrong.
"Aang, can you hear me?" She shouted to no avail. The monk wasn't the one in the driver's seat. Roku had something to impart to Kyojuro and he'd be damned if anyone or anything got in his way.
Sokka chased after him, but soon became winded and stopped near his sister to catch his breath, "I don't know what's wrong with him! He was already like this when I woke up, but after that he just zoomed over to where you guys were without saying anything!"
"Aang! I am glad to see you and Sokka are unharmed! Things have taken quite the turn, but I'm sure you'll understand better once I explain it to you!"
"No! We do not have time for your games. We came here to speak to you. Nothing more and nothing less."
Kyojuro immediately tensed up hearing Aang's distorted and overlapping voice. He knew the person here was not his pupil.
"So…you must be one of his past lives I've heard so much about. What is so important that you felt the need to hijack my pupil's body so forcefully?"
"You! Everything that's happening in this world, the chaos that has lingered and will remain, the countless amount of deaths and devastation that has plundered this land with the same intensity of the Hundred Year War-" He lifted himself off the ground so he could see the man eye to eye, "All of it revolves around you. You being around Aang puts him in danger which would spell disaster for this world. The fact that you foolishly believe that one man can protect everyone from these creatures is laughable and impossible to even achieve considering the fact that they shouldn't be here in the first place."
"I know about you and your people. I also know about the true nature of everything that has happened to this world. I cannot come out and say it due to powerful spirits forbidding me to do so, but if you do not enlighten them to everything that entails your very existence then should anything happen to the Avatar or his friends, the blame falls squarely on your shoulders."
Kyojuro froze. How did his past lives no he wasn't originally from this world, but Aang doesn't? He wasn't ready for his secret to become unraveled just yet. He just needed a little more time to get everything situated.
"If you truly care for the boy and his friends…let them go. Things like this can only end one way and it will not be pleasant."
The glowing faded on and off before disappearing leaving only Aang remaining as he dropped to his feet clutching his head. He looked up at Kyojuro and didn't say anything. They didn't need words in order to understand what the other was thinking. Aang needed answers and suffice to say, Kyojuro's time on eluding the truth had run out.
"Aang, I-"
"Whatever it is you are keeping from me, from us, it has to come out." Aang reached out to touch Kyojuro, but he yanked away from his touch.
"I completely understand the ramifications of my actions! Do not worry, young Avatar! I just need a little more time to get everything situated before I explain things-"
Katara and Sokka walked over to them as well, "Kyojuro, I know you told us that you would tell us your big secret eventually, but with everything that's happened, maybe it would be a good idea to tell us now-"
"And I told everyone that when the time is right then I would explain it! Do you not trust me? Do you not have faith in my capabilities to protect you?" He looked around to see if anyone had something to say. They did not.
"Well then, maybe it would be best if you stopped questioning my judgement and prepared to head out again. We've made quite the mess over in this temple and seeing as Aang was able to come into contact with Avatar Roku, we no longer need to stay here," Kyojuro turned to board Appa and he could feel every last one of them staring holes through him.
Everyone, although tired and confused, boarded Appa and took off once again. It was quite the ordeal, but the next time they stopped, it would be in the Northern Water Tribe. Kyojuro remained especially quiet and barely interacted with the now crowded saddle which had gained three new comrades in Mai, Ty Lee and Azula.
The journey had been long and filled with heartaches, mystery, adventure and so on and so forth, but as the glaciers they had been surrounded by grew bigger and longer, they soon realized that they were only mere moments from entering the domain that is the Northern Water Tribe. Finally after everything they'd been through, they could finally get started on teaching Aang Waterbending on a master level and hopefully gain some sort of understanding about Kyojuro's secret.
Nobody said much as the tension was still thick in the air from Roku berating Kyojuro for keeping it from them and they couldn't understand why, but something was telling them that for better or worse, once they enter this place, things would change drastically. Whether Kyojuro liked it or not, change was coming and no one was ready for whatever he was keeping from them to come to light.
"Keep your eyes peeled for any signs of Waterbenders. If they spot us without clarifying who we are, they won't hesitate to try and shoot us down," Mai informed them. "There's a reason the Firenation hasn't been able to conquer this place yet."
Everyone nodded as they continued to edge closer and closer towards their destination. Sokka was currently blowing into his specially made gourd that Kyojuro had crafted before they left the Northern Air Temple. While they were waiting to determine how to help Azula, the man enlisted the help of Katara to shape it while he used his flame breathing to solidify it. It was taxing, but Kyojuro promised that if he wanted to go to the next step of Total Concentration Breathing, this was necessary.
Zuko, Mai and Ty Lee had remained vigilant over Azula who while still small had yet to wake up from her extended slumber. Kyojuro managed to craft a small wooden box with straps on it that would allow Zuko to carry the girl around until she was able to move on her own. It wasn't ideal, but seeing as she was still in her miniature state, it would have to do for now.
Katara was in the oddest place as she had already made up her mind with letting Kyojuro wait to tell them everything, so she continued on and simply was eager to find a Waterbending teacher for Aang and herself. Aang on the other hand was worrying about the ominous message Roku passed onto him and Kyojuro before relinquishing control. What was so important that he felt the need to do that in the first place and why has Kyojuro been avoiding speaking with them this past week? For now though, Aang would have to push it to the back of his mind if he wanted to have any hope of learning and mastering Waterbending while they were here.
"We're here," Aang called out.
"Wow, it looks so beautiful. I wonder what kind of person your Waterbending teacher will be," Katara wondered.
"Whoever he is, I'm sure he's gonna have a great time training the both of us."
"He's right, Katara! All we need to do now is make ourselves known that we are traveling with the Avatar and we will be fine!" Kyojuro stood up from his position and focused ahead in order to see if any danger lurked ahead. Surprisingly enough, they managed to make it all the way to the entrance completely unbothered and it almost seemed like there was nobody there.
"Something's wrong here. They should have stopped us by now with guards or ice or…anything," Mai stated.
"She's right," Zuko added.
They eventually made it onto solid ice and began to get off when Kyojuro felt a disturbance in the air, "This was too easy! Almost surprisingly so! Be on high alert, because I've got the feeling that they've been expecting us!"
"You can say that again." Two old men and a large number of guards had been expecting them and were waiting in front of the entrance for them to arrive.
"What is this, the baby sitting brigade? You should've let me capture them for interrogation," The older man argued.
"I understand, but there is value in patience, Pakku," Iroh answered. "It would be wise to not deter them from trusting us when we maybe need them now more than ever."
"Uncle?" Zuko went wide-eyed seeing the man standing completely unguarded next to Water Tribe soldiers.
Iroh smiled brightly seeing his nephew again and with a much healthier aura surrounding him, "It has been quite a while, Zuko. I hope you have been well."
"What are you doing here!? How did they capture you? " Zuko asked.
Iroh made eye contact with Kyojuro and frowned, "It seems like we all need to have a talk with your…acquaintance. Bumi insisted that we all meet him here before things can grow any worse than they already are."
Pakku sneered in disgust, "I'm surprised you haven't gotten them all killed knowing the company you attract. Irresponsibility at its finest."
He was the first to turn and leave, "Men, make sure these children find refuge in their quarters. They'll be staying there until we finish speaking to…" He looked at Kyojuro who continued to gaze at him as if the world wasn't collapsing around him and that made him sick, "Him." Kyojuro didn't miss the venom his name was said with.
Iroh bowed towards them, "Please follow me so I can get you situated."
He motioned over to the city with a worried expression on his face that was heavily favored towards Kyojuro, "Our talk with you is of the utmost importance and we simply cannot wait any longer. This entire city may fall if we do not act and we need your help in order to protect everyone here."
Kyojuro could feel dread creeping into his bones that somehow…another crisis was along the horizon. Little did he know that a crisis wouldn't even begin to scratch the surface of how bad things would soon get for them.
Having finally completed his list of assasination missions from a few weeks earlier, Jet smirked to himself realizing that he was finally ready to join Zhao and co. in the Northern Water Tribe so they could wreak havoc on these insignificant creatures. Of course that's what he would've said had a certain someone who had recently made himself known within his mind stopped trying to read him the riot act over the senseless violence he was causing.
"I don't know how many times I've gotta say it! Piss off already, I've got more fun stuff to get into and I don't need a negative know it all dragging me down."
"And I would stop pestering you if you would just stop and think about the repercussions of your actions here. This will inevitably come back to haunt you when you regain your memories."
Jet spat on the ground in annoyance, "Give it a rest already man. This invasion is happening whether you like it or not, so either sit back and enjoy the show or get the hell outta my head!"
The voice in his head didn't respond to that knowing Jet wasn't going to change his mind so easily. He didn't exactly know when or why this was happening, but ever since departing for this mission, this strange man had been berating him for his choices and seemingly saddened by the state Jet was currently in.
"You know you remind me of myself when I was still a fledgling Demon. Young, brash, arrogant and without a single care in the world. I didn't care who I hurt as long as I became stronger and stronger than the day previous…things like this do not last and are only temporary. If I could knock some sense into that thick skull of yours I would, but I really don't understand all of this either."
The first time he met the man was after an assasination of a Firenation family who was on their way to Omashu when Jet ambushed and killed the husband, wife and infant son. The eldest daughter was missing, but Ozai assured him that she would also die in due time. Something about teaching his worthless son a lesson, but it all sounded like boredom to him. It wasn't the thrill he was hoping for, but he got the experience he needed from it and that's all that mattered to him.
The strange man appeared as if he was a ghost that only Jet could see and hear. His plain black hair heavily contrasted from his odd colored pink hair, pink eye lashes and pale blue eyes.
"You said your name was…Hakuji right? I get you that you believe that you should be dead and...in hell? Sorry to disappoint you, but it seems like you're stuck with me for the time being. You may be able to communicate with me, but I'm running the show here! So sit back and kick your feet up while I become the strongest Demon around!" Jet could feel his blood pumping and his urge to kill grew once again.
Hakuji could only shake his head in disappointment and sadness knowing that whenever Jet does regain his memories and it eventually comes crashing into him that he has killed everyone he has ever cared for, his mind could shatter. Maybe that's why he was sent to this strange land that most definitely was not his own. Helping this lost soul, that heavily resembled his Demon state before his death.
He couldn't be sure, but he had the feeling that he would not be able to rest with his beloved Koyuki until he helped this child attain peace.
Ozai stood atop of a mountain overlooking Omashu and breathed a sigh of relief. It took weeks and his cursed weakness of not being able to walk under the moon, but he had finally reached his destination.
"Omashu…such a grandiose city that will inevitably fall under my heel. If only they had heeded my earlier warnings. Oh well, no use crying over the past."
He gazed at the sun, reaffirming his strength and made sure his body was at its peak. Smiling, he readied himself for the bloodbath that was about to ensue and the full course meal he was going to thoroughly enjoy.
"The King of Omashu for the main course as well. After that nobody will be able to stand in the way of my invasion."
"Nobody…" And with that, he started to make his way down the mountain and towards the city where he could cause as much chaos as he wanted and finally eliminate this last pitfall in his glorious plans.
Three Days Before Kyojuro and co. entered the North Pole
"Hama?"
"What is it, Kanna?" The woman asked her dearest friend. They sat side by side as the full moon shone down upon them giving them peace of mind.
"Do you really think this was the best idea coming here? We look like such outsiders," Kanna worried.
Hama placed her hand atop of Kanna's, "You worry too much," She smiled at Kanna who felt at ease once again, "I told you that I would handle everything and make sure nothing bad happens to you and I meant that."
"I may be old, but I'm still a quite capable old woman," Hama joked.
"I always forgot how feisty you could be when you put your mind to something," Kanna giggled back.
Hama stood up from the spot they were stargazing at, "I've got one last errand to take care of before I head to bed. You can go on ahead back to the tents. I'll join you shortly."
Kanna stood up as well and hugged the older woman, "Be careful. I don't know where you disappear too so often, but I also know you can take care of yourself. I'll see you soon."
"Right," Hama hugged Kanna and watched as she made her way back to their tents.
Hama began her path to her destination and slicked throughout the city while dodging the guards that were stationed about. She couldn't let an opportunity like this elude her. It was far too important to let pass under a full moon.
Stopping in front of an alleyway, she spotted the man who she had been looking for since she got here. He was such an integral part of her plan that if he wasn't so greedy for power, this would never work.
"Do you have the goods?"
Hama pulled out a large bag of money and tossed it to the man. He smiled in return.
"This is…exactly what I wanted! So much money and I barely had to do anything," His happiness soon turned to confusion, "I don't get it. You've been sending me messages ever since you got here, but why me? I don't understand why you're just giving me random bags of money."
Hama smiled as she placed her hands upward, "Oh, in due time you will."
"Why don't you just expl-"
She began bloodbending the man mid sentence as his body contorted at unnatural angles. Everything hurt, but she continued on until he could no longer cry out for help.
"What- you…shouldn't be able…t-to do this!" He forced out.
She walked forward as he was placed on his knees and she smiled. PLacing a hand along his face, she felt genuine joy for the first time in a long time.
"You don't understand how long I've waited to meet you! I know you can feel it, the same as I do! The way your Waterbending feels absolutely more potent under a full moon and that same effect doesn't leave you once it ends! What I'm doing to you is called Bloodbending, but-"
The man felt his heart drop upon realizing he couldn't just break out of it.
"You already knew that, right?"
"Yakone."
"Still such a young man fighting to protect his home when in reality, you are rotten to the core hiding a power like yours. Could you imagine how the war would've turned out if more people knew about this power over Blood we both possess?"
Yakone could see the woman turn bitter, "Of course, things don't always end up like we want them too."
"However my young friend, there is something I am peculiar about seeing first hand. You have the ability to control people with your mind, am I right? It's still in its infant stages, but you are hiding it until you can leave the North and rule over others weaker than yourself, correct?
"Psychic Bloodbending is what that's called and you are the only one in the world who can show me how it's done. I'll turn you into a Demon and learn all I can from you, but once I have mastered this technique of yours, I'll send you to a better place."
"It will be painless and you won't feel a thing, I promise," Hama stated with no emotion at all which terrified the man, but no matter how much he struggled he couldn't elude the grasp she held over him.
Before continuing, Hama thought of Kanna and what the woman would think if she could see her now. She brushed it off. Things like this were beyond her old friend's comprehension and if the Invasion was to go off without a hitch, this ability needed to be learned.
"H-how do you know about this? I've never told a soul I could do it!" Yakone cried.
Hama simply watched, still showing zero emotion towards the man's plight and terror.
"I…" She stopped herself before she said something she'd regret.
"I watched. That is all."
She proceeded to Demonize him and follow through with her plan. It wouldn't be long before Kyojuro and the Avatar showed up to this place and…
Deep down, she wanted to return back to Kanna and enjoy the small time they had left together before things came crashing down. This invasion was a necessary evil for them and for better or worse, Hama would see it through to the end.
She had no other option.
Tui and La she wished she did though.