A long time ago, Avatar Kalkin disappeared without a trace, and with the absence of any successor, the world was gradually thrown into chaos. Governments became unbalanced, spiritual and natural disasters spread, and war sprang everywhere.

In the face of this unprecedented crisis, Fire Lord Kuni declared that he would assemble a party to search for this Avatar, but the Earth Kingdom feared this as a prelude to more aggressive actions, and moved to subdue this threat. Amidst the chaos, two young women managed to escape, and with their allies, embarked on a long journey that would hopefully lead them to the new Avatar, the only one who could restore order to the world…

AVATAR

The Celestial Sailors

BOOK ONE: CHAOS

16: Ignition

"Tsukino's alive?!"

"Yes, Sifu. She, the fire priestess, and your daughter are all fine, but they've been imprisoned by General Kunzite."

"WHAT?!" Kinsei's bellowing shook the entire room. He bolted upright, shouting, "Let me at him, the dog! Air-benders should never treat each other so disrespectfully! Where is this prison of Kunzite's?"

"In the heart of Ba Sing Se, Sifu."

"Then that's where we're going! Call out the air-bisons, all hands on deck! It's time for a good old-fashioned jailbreak!" Tai and Yam gave each other a concerned look.

"Blie thought that it would take about fifty or so of us to break them out..."

"Fifty?! Pah! A paltry number! We've got seventy good air-benders ready to roll out! We'll show that Kunzite who the true air-benders are around here! Forward, my brethren! West to the Earth Kingdom! The last one there has to clean my bed sheets for a month!" Kinsei laughed as he bounded onto his air-bison; in no time at all the skies above the temple were overrun.

…...

The executioner's blade fell, severing the ropes binding Fire Lord Kuni. He burst free with a flourish, astonishing everyone gathered around the block, and shot columns of flame at anyone lacking the good sense to run for their lives. Immediately earth-benders surged after him, ripping up stones; the executioner swung his axe and cleaved a large slab in half, then removed his hood and stood by the king.

"That went better than I had hoped, your highness! I'm just glad my aim was true!"

"So am I," the king smirked. "Though I must admit, I was a little nervous. On your right!" The executioner ducked and swung his axe, batting away another rain of boulders just as Fire Lord Kuni scorched three water-benders. Together, they were a force to be reckoned with, but were hopelessly outnumbered; a score of earth-benders surrounded them, each pulling out huge slabs from the ground (two had taken the execution block). Water-benders stood by to douse any flames the Fire Lord could conjure. The Earth Kingdom officer overseeing the execution recovered from the initial blow, dusting himself off indignantly.

"Very impressive ruse, your highness, but it won't do you any good. One way or another, you will die todaGGKT!" He was cut off as a bolt of fire knocked him down; countless more rained on the crowd, throwing them into confusion. The distraction was enough for Kuni and the executioner to retaliate and send their enemies scattering or collapsing. Kuni's face beamed as he saw his savior.

"No one will lay a hand on my lord but me!"

"Iku..." They smiled at each other; she rushed to him; they embraced passionately. Upon separating, Kuni took a moment to gaze at her in awe. "I married a great woman."

"And I a great man. Is everything going according to plan?"

"So far. Now we must rescue our children, and our people." Iku gave him a confident smirk.

"I wouldn't worry too much about them."

…...

Old man Oboro grunted as he noticed a peculiar change in the guard approaching their cell. He was armed and grim-faced, but there was something unusual about him, something he couldn't quite place... The answer came to him as the guard collapsed, revealing another man standing behind him with a cudgel.

"Bah, that was more difficult than it needed to be. Ah, and here's where all the reprobates and troublemakers are kept! Well met, Oboro." The mysterious man smiled and opened the cell door with a set of keys he had "borrowed" from the downed guard. Oboro laughed and clasped the other man's arm.

"Well met indeed, Shigure! I thought I spotted you loitering around here the other day. That's quite the inside job you pulled."

"It's not just me, Bor: Jaedite's got more moles in here than a garden! Oh, help yourself to this guy's weapons and armor; he won't need them."

"Jaedite, eh?" Oboro shuffled through the guard's possessions, taking a spear and breastplate for himself. Salamander was already looting the rest, but at least saved a short sword for the prince. Ittou approached the newcomer, puzzled.

"What are you saying, sir, ah..."

"Shigure, your highness," the man said, bowing briefly.

"Shigure, what did you mean when you said that Jaedite has moles around here?"

"Not just here, sire: every jail, prison, and dungeon from here to Ba Sing Se. If a single citizen of the Fire Nation was locked up, the General has someone there to watch over him. Or her," he added, tipping his helmet to Salamander, Kartti, and Ku Sheng.

"Wait, I'm confused," Kartti said. "Are you saying that Jaedite planted people like you in every prison, just so he could watch over everyone?"

"Yes ma'am, and break them out when the time was right."

"Break them out? You mean he's not a traitor?" A loud commotion broke out; Shigure turned around to investigate.

"I don't have time to explain right now. Here, take these keys and free as many of our people as you can!"

"I'm way ahead of you there!" Salamander cackled. She grabbed the keys and scurried off, laughing maniacally.

"Sal, wait!" Lark cried. He sighed, then looked at Ittou. "Well, prince, it looks like all that planning is going to pay off soon. I'm yours to command."

"I'm with you too, your highness," Kartti said. "Just give me a sword and a foe to use it on!"

"If y'think I can help, I'd be more'n happy t' go long' with ya," Ku Sheng pointed. Oboro smiled.

"This old man and his spear are with you as well, prince. Where to first?" Ittou looked at all the people gathered around him, drew in a deep breath, and steeled his resolve.

"First, we find my mother and sister. Then, we make our way up to the surface and do what we can for my father. If he's alive, we save him; if not, we avenge him."

"I like this plan," Shigure grinned. "I'm going to go hunt down another set of keys. We can't use our bending because of those blasted gems, but we can sure bloody some noses." Everyone cheered and followed Ittou as he ran after Salamander. They came across several jail cells she had already opened, all empty (save for one or two that had guards tied up inside), and finally found her wrestling with one of the guards, biting and clawing like a wild animal. Her attack was so ferocious that he was screaming for mercy; Ittou ordered her to stand down and helped the frightened man to his feet.

"I have you in my power, my good man," he announced boldly. "Unless you'd like to take your chances with my friend over there, you'll tell me where my mother and sister are."

"Y-yes sir, yes sir, just...please, don't let that vicious animal near me again!"

"Fine words coming from one of the people who attacked us without provocation!" she snarled.

"Stand down, Salamander," Ittou called. "If he's willing to cooperate, we'll let him go. Now, show me where they are." The guard kowtowed and frightfully skittered away, keeping as far away from Salamander (who leered at him hungrily) as he could. Introducing himself as Movull ("rhymes with shovel", he added), he explained that he had no idea where Fire Lady Iku was, nor did he know anyone that would—but Kotono's cell was close by. They found it and approached; Kotono bolted upright and let out a cry of joy; the two siblings attempted to embrace through the bars; Salamander quickly went to work, and they embraced again. After briefly catching his sister up on the situation, Kotono decided it would be best for the group to split up: she and her brother would take Oboro and Kartti to the surface, while everyone else searched for their mother. Ittou and Lark smiled at each other and shook hands before leaving; Salamander forced her "prey" to cough up a sword, and gave it to Kartti. She gave it a few practice swings before sheathing it.

"It'll do for now. What about him?" She pointed at Movull; Salamander licked her lips anxiously. Ittou gave a faint but devious smile.

"He's going to help you find mother. Once that's taken care of, you're to let him go. Don't give him any more grief than he deserves, Sal."

"Aw, phooey." She snorted as the prince and princess ran off with Oboro and Kartti, then gave Movull a glare that would send chills down a dragon's spine. "I've got my eyes on you, mister! One false move, and it's suppertime for the Salamander!"

"Y-yes ma'am! I'll be on my best behavior, m-ma'am! R-r-right this way, ma'am!"

"Hee hee, good boy!" she cackled, skipping after him. Ittou watched them disappear behind a corner, then forced his anxieties away as Oboro led them out of the prison and up to the surface. Whatever resistance they met was either cut down or chased off, save for six guards who had been posted at the exit. Oboro whirled his spear over his head in challenge; Kartti drew her sword, glaring daggers. Before any blood could be shed, though, Kotono strode between the two forces, as tall, regal, and foreboding as a true princess of the Fire Nation.

"Think carefully on your next move, gentlemen. You stand against three champions of the Fire Lord's tournament, and a princess whose indignation rivals that of any dragon! Hundreds of oppressed souls are even now being freed from their cells, and are heading this way. Your superiors are either dead, imprisoned, or have abandoned you. If you value your lives at all, then let us pass—otherwise, your last moments will be spent in pain and regret!" The six guards, not used to such bold words, stared at each other nervously before shuffling aside. Kotono relaxed and thanked them, then turned to smirk at the others.

"See? A little diplomacy goes a long way."

"That's diplomacy?" Ittou grumbled. Kotono laughed.

"According to mom and dad it is."

"Then I gotta start paying more attention." The glare of the midday sun was powerful, but it was overpowered by the presence of the Fire Lord—unharmed—and their mother, completely in her right mind, simply standing there, enjoying the day. Another man stood off to the side, mopping his forehead with a rag; the ground was ripped apart and scorched, evidence of a ferocious battle. Ittou and Kotono gawked at everything in awe before their parents noticed them; both forces rushed at each other, hugging and crying.

The words they exchanged in that moment were meant for their own ears, but two details needed explaining: first, Lady Iku had only been feigning her condition. The attack on the tournament and the fall of her husband had been devastating, no mistake, but she had been taught strength and fortitude her entire life, and she had willpower to spare. However, she reasoned it might give her some advantage to appear debilitated and mindless—and sure enough, on more than one occasion, scraps of information slipped through her ears when they otherwise might not.

"People are surprisingly open when they believe you to be harmless," she said to her children. "I am sorry if I worried you, or made you suffer needlessly, but I learned a great deal in exchange. It would seem that Beryl's attack had more to do with conquest than self-preservation...and furthermore, she had her eyes set on Omashu. King Motoki is in very grave danger."

"Beryl certainly has a lot to answer for," Kotono growled, "and so does Jaedite." She felt her father's firm hand on her shoulder; his face was sorrowful and grim.

"That's the other matter we need to explain. General Jaedite was, in many ways, the only thing that preserved the Fire Nation during this time."

"What?!"

"Beryl's attack was definitely a surprise, and a tragedy, but it could have gone much worse if Jaedite hadn't gotten involved. He let me in on his plan right from the start, when I was taken to the clinic for my injuries. I admit I didn't know what to do or say, or even to expect, when I saw him enter my part of the ward. He explained that he would be acting as a double agent, and although he would be working with Beryl, his loyalty to the Fire Nation and the throne was unshakable. Well, what could I do but listen after hearing him say that?

"He informed me that most of the forces that attacked us that day were under orders from Generals Kunzite and Zoicite, while the earth-benders were from Beryl. Originally, everyone who was taken prisoner would be shipped off to Beryl's dungeon, but Jaedite convinced her that putting too many of us in one place would be disastrous, so he suggested splitting us up: some would go to Beryl's dungeons, some placed in various Earth Kingdom jails, while others would be kept under close guard here at home. Jaedite presented it as a way to dilute our strength, but in reality, he had always planned to release us after a certain time—and when he did, there's be citizens of the Fire Nation all over the world. We could fight back from every angle, turning one big fire into countless smaller ones, stretching our enemy's resources well past their breaking point.

"He kept me separated from you so that he could communicate with me easier; he then got into the habit of rotating and transferring prisoners, partly to keep Beryl's forces busy but mostly to spread information around. We were not to disclose anything to persons of high rank, instead choosing the common folk, as they would be less suspicious and less likely to be interrogated. I asked him to make one exception with you, Ittou and Kotono, and to obfuscate it as best he could, in case he was overheard. I assume you got his message?"

Kotono stiffly nodded her head. The knot in the pit of her stomach tightened as she recalled how venomously she had spoken to Jaedite—how she had called him traitor to his face, and how passively he had reacted. Not understanding her inner anguish, the king relaxed.

"Good. Forgive my long-winded speeches, but I needed to be clear on that matter. Jaedite is no more a traitor than I am, you can be sure of it. Ah, Oboro! Patient as ever, I see."

"You always did know how to keep people riveted, Kuni," he smiled. The two laughed and embraced each other; Kartti bowed as the Fire Lord approached her.

"You were at the tournament, correct?"

"Yes, sire! Kartti, at your service."

"I understand there were several other participants imprisoned with you."

"Yes," Ittou said, "but most of them are already freed. I sent them to look for mother."

"Then bring them all up here!" Kuni commanded. "I want every citizen of the Fire Nation to feel the sun and the wind once more! Once we are gathered, we'll form a full assault on Beryl's palace! If it's a fight she wants, it's a fight she'll get."

"We should avoid a war at all costs, my lord," Iku reminded him patiently. "The last thing I want is to justify her actions. If we're to commit to anything, we must be prudent about it." She sighed and added, "But yes, I'd like to personally break that awful nose of hers. When do we leave?"

"As soon as enough boats are procured. The Fire Nation sails west!" A sparkle formed in Kuni's eye as a thought occurred to him. "And I know just the boatman to lead the way."

There was a pause.

"Suo. I...I'm talking about Suo. He's...a good boatswain. We talked. Nice guy."

Someone coughed quietly.

…...

Usagi was idly browsing through the nearby market one morning when a strong breeze picked up, whipping her long pigtails everywhere. The crowd around her gasped and parted as a large man with a bold blue arrow decorating an otherwise bald head descended on a glider, followed by fifteen others. The man laughed as he recognized Usagi, slapped his belly, and approached her.

"Hahaha, well, if it isn't our prisoner-turned guest, Miss Tsukino herself!" Terrified at first, Usagi backed away.

"Uh, who are you and how...wait, now I remember! You're the guy we met at the Western Air Temple—Mina's father! Um, Sifu Kisu, was it?" The man laughed uproariously.

"That's Kinsei, my dear lady! You'd do well to remember the names of your allies!"

"Right, sorry! So, uh, I guess you got our message, huh?"

"We did indeed!" Kinsei exclaimed, puffing himself up even more. "I'm to understand my little Minako and her brave Artemis have been captured by that blackguard Kunzite! Bah, the effrontery of it all boils my blood!"

"Um, yes," she replied sheepishly, "but, uh, they're in this fortress, see, and, uh, we should really wait for Bless You to—"

"Bah! One who hesitates is one who's lost! How else do you think I made it here so quickly?! Come with me, Tsukino, there'll be no lollygagging today! It's all or nothing this fine morning, my brave air-benders!" Kinsei grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her along; Usagi screamed; the market exploded as the air-benders took to the skies once more, issuing a gust of wind as they leaped off. None of the market stalls were ruined, but one man's produce...

"Gah! MY RAAAH-HAAH-HAAAH-HAADISHESSSS..."

Well, you know.

Kunzite's fortress was put on alert status as soon as the first wave of air-benders were sighted. Since Kunzite's own people would not be returning until later, this naturally caused some concern; concern turned to outright panic as the unknown visitors bombarded the fortress with gusts of wind and slashes of air. At least ten were attacking directly, but more came in from all sides, until the fortress was nearly overrun. Any resistance that could be mustered fell back before it had a chance to make a stand as Kinsei blasted them away (Usagi collapsing as she dismounted his kite). Eventually the fortress's defenses marshaled, as at least forty benders and just as many armed soldiers stormed out. Kinsei took account of the situation and rallied his troops.

"All right, my people, time to play defensively! Ao Zhu, find your sister in the mission and bring her here! Tai, Yam, take ten volunteers and look for those bison stables! The rest of you are with me! Tsukino, now's your chance! It looks like we've flushed out the bulk of their defenses, so it should be easier to find Minako and the others. Once you're all safe, head out to to the rear and send out a flare. There's a huge ravine there, so we'll all hook up once we've freed the bisons." Usagi shook herself and went to it, shoving past one unfortunate soldier along the way. She had no idea where to start searching, but in the heat of the moment, it didn't matter.

Rei Hino had been meditating until a loud disturbance broke her out of it. Even though she was secluded in the fortress cistern, she could tell that a great ruckus had broken out—and if there was ever a time for her to make her escape, now was that time! Drawing forth all of her energy, she pressed herself against her cell door, as far away from her damp surroundings as she could, and focused everything she had on her index fingers. Joining them as if in prayer, she called the brightest, hottest fire she could, and swiped, searing off the door hinges in a single stroke. Rei took a moment to catch her breath before taking a few steps back and ramming against the door with all her might. It toppled over with a terrible crash; she ran out, jubilant, nearly bowling Usagi over!

"WHOA!" they both screamed. Realization took over; Rei beamed for joy and threw her arms around the other girl. "Usagi! Thank the spirits, you're alive!"

"I know, it's crazy! I'll tell you all about it later! How are you, by the way?"

"Who, me? Never better! What about you?"

"Can't complain. Do you know where the others are?"

"No, but...behind you!" Usagi jerked around and shrieked as two soldiers charged her way; Rei shot a huge bolt of fire their way, smiling as her powers returned to her. "That felt good," she exclaimed.

"I'm sure there's more where that came from," Usagi said, so they began to search with more haste. "Mina's dad and his people are distracting the majority of the guards, so we need to hurry."

"So that's what that noise was about! Did you orchestrate all of that?"

"Nah, I can't take the credit. Remember Bless You? I ran into her when she pulled me out from that rubble. Wait, Rei, over here!" Usagi pointed out an occupied cell. They didn't have any keys, but with Rei's fire back in full force, they didn't really need any. The cell door fell as she melted the hinges off, but there were only a few regular prisoners inside. Usagi was still glad to see them free, figuring they could at least help with the distraction.

"Plus," Rei smirked as she worked on another door, "it'll really stick it to that warden when he learns all these prisoners escaped from his fortress. What I wouldn't give to see his face..."

Ami Mizuno had heard the disturbance as well, and knew that now was the time to strike back. The enormous cloud she had been accumulating these past few days went directly to her hand; she reached out the slot of her cell, guided the droplets onto the lock, froze them, and willed them to contract. The ice squeezed against the metal casing until it burst; then, it was a simple matter of walking out. A team of eight guards was running through the prisoner's ward to ensure that none of them were taking advantage of the bedlam; Ami kept her head, called out the little ice block, and wrapped it around one of the guards' legs, causing him to stumble. This held the others long enough for Ami to turn tail; she skidded to a halt as she came across a small drinking fountain. Her smile broadened as she summoned up a surge of water, and all the guards who were pursuing her soon...weren't.

"Well," she sighed, dusting her hands off, "that's that. Now to go free the others." Not knowing where to start, Ami called out a large sphere of water from the fountain and held onto it as she checked every cell on her level, freeing anyone she came across. One of them, a great stone cage, contained a ferocious-looking brunette engaged in some serious shadow-boxing. Ami beamed, wishing she had time to watch, but decided it would be better to let her out.

"Makoto!" The girl turned around from her exercises and grinned.

"Ami! How did you get out?"

"Let me show you," she announced confidently. Makoto's lock shattered faster than her own, and Ami was tempted to hug her once she stepped out. Instead she settled for, "Are you all right?"

"Yeah, just some wounded pride. Heh, imagine, a proud citizen of the Earth Kingdom, locked up in a stone cage with dirt floors!" Ami was about to assure her she had no reason to feel ashamed when six guards marched in from the opposite side, all armed with spears.

"Hey, they're trying to escape! Get them!"

"Trying?" Makoto grinned. "I'd say we've succeeded!" She moved into a defensive stance, but the guards weren't impressed.

"Heh, don't worry, men: the big one can't do any earth-bending." They slowly closed in on her, but Makoto kept her confident smirk. As two charged, she moved to grasp the wooden shafts of their spears, upending them until they smacked the guards in their faces. She immediately took possession of the spears and whipped them with such ferocity that the guards' armor dented. The other four looked on in awe, hesitated, and finally charged; Makoto swiped at them, robbing them of their weapons with a single flourish, then knocked one back with a gut-busting palm to the solar plexis. Before any of them could regain their senses, she lifted one right off the ground and threw him into his remaining friends. With that settled, she dusted her hands off and reveled in her victory.

"Looks like you're right, fellas: I can't earth-bend for beans. You definitely had nothing to worry about. Ah, I'll be taking these!" She bent over and scooped up as many spears as she could carry, even giving one to Ami.

"That was wonderful," she whispered in awe. Makoto winked.

"I have my moments. Now let's hurry up and find the others." The girls all managed to reunite around the ward where Minako was kept; after some hugs and light banter, Rei and Ami got her door open but were stymied by the pit of spikes. They were all made of metal, so Makoto couldn't rip them out, but she had a more elegant solution. Taking her spears, she thrust them until they formed a perilously thin bridge over the spikes, then casually walked over it until she was directly underneath the net that held their friend. Rei focused her aim and sent a small fire arrow to burn the rope; it fell, cushioned by a blast from Minako, into Makoto's arms. She then casually returned over the bridge where Minako could free herself in safety.

"Thanks!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around Makoto's neck. "My hero. Good to see you alive, Usagi. Well, looks like the gang's back together again."

"Not quite," Usagi murmured pensively. "There's still Mamoru. Do any of you know what happened to him?" They explained his fate as far as they knew, but since Yuniro had seen to it that all of his letters were confiscated or destroyed, they had no idea what had happened after Nephrite summoned him. The girls decided to keep checking all of the cells, and freed as many prisoners as they could; with their combined abilities, they were able to open ten more doors before finally coming across Yuniro's office. It was locked, but not for long; Zoicite was inside, as wild as a cornered animal. He went absolutely livid when he spotted Usagi and Makoto.

"YOU! You're responsible for this, aren't y—" He was cut short as Makoto slammed a large wooden cabinet into him, pinning him against the wall.

"Sorry, we'll be out of your hair in a moment," Minako quipped. Everyone split up to search the room while Makoto kept Zoicite occupied; Ami found the confiscated stack of Mamoru's letters in the very cabinet Makoto was using, and read them aloud.

"That answers that question," Rei said. She glanced outside, noticing that the chaos was dying down. "We need to leave now, out the back way."

"What about him?" Makoto said, pointing to Zoicite. Rei looked to Usagi and Ami. As much as they wanted to exact their revenge on him, now wasn't the time.

"Just make sure he doesn't follow us." Makoto grinned viciously and surrounded Zoicite with all the other cabinets in the room, effectively burying him. Rei sealed the door shut by melting the steel around it, then it was a mad dash for the rear exit. None of the girls knew where that might be, except in the opposite direction of all the clamor and confusion. Luckily, one of the prisoners they freed had been out there before, and told them where to head.

In the centuries that passed between the time of Kalkin and the time of Aang, the great ravine that had become a defense against invaders and a training ground for the northern air-benders would fill in with earth and water, creating a rather impressive lake that the city would use for its pleasure—but now it was a massive hole in the ground, the remnant of an ancient battle between Lu Junyi, the first King of Ba Sing Se, and a foe whose name history has forgotten. A long natural bridge connected Kunzite's fortress with the rest of the city, but it was a perilous march even in the best of times. The girls took a moment to gaze at the marvel, and to catch their breath.

"All right," Rei said, "I'm going to send out the signal now." She took a few steps forward to give herself a clear shot, but as she raised her arm to launch the flare, she spotted something falling at them from the sky. She froze in place as Kunzite descended, the air billowing from his impact. His face was radiating with fury.

"I have only been gone for three days," he snarled, "and what do I find upon my return but my entire fortress overrun! Air-benders from the west causing a disruption, freeing my prisoners, throwing everything into anarchy...and behind it all, the five of you." He burst with a storm force wind, battering the girls back until they were pinned against the fortress. Even Minako could barely weather his attack.

"Kunzite, how could you work for a monster like Beryl? Do you have any idea what she's d—"

"SILENCE!" Minako was thrown back; the bridge itself trembled under his wrath. "Do not speak to me of things you do not understand. When all the world turned upside-down following Kalkin's disappearance, it was Beryl who stomped out the fires, Beryl who quashed resistances, Beryl who saved the Northern Air Temple from being sacked and ruined! She brought the chaos of that dark time to heel, and I will not have some ignorant spoiled backwater child say any different!" He blasted the group again, and again, until they were on their knees. Kunzite walked towards them, and his eyes widened as he recognized Usagi.

"You," he growled. "The girl with gold pigtails. Zoicite has told me all about you—about how you interfered with his work, how you spoiled Beryl's plans, how you caused him so much undue torment and humiliation!" He clenched his hand into a claw, whirling the air around Usagi until she was lifted up. She struggled, flailing and choking; the other girls tried to help but were rebuked by a powerful wave.

"All of that damage," Kunzite intoned, "from a single, stupid little girl, neither a bender nor a warrior—just some faceless insignificant flea! Well, Zoicite, this is how I deal with your nuisance!"

Kunzite whipped his arm out to the side, throwing Usagi away from the bridge and into the abyss.

Her scream was the stuff of nightmares even as it faded away.

Rei's scream was no less chilling.

She cursed wildly and hurled herself at Kunzite, calling out the largest, most devastating blaze she had ever produced. Kunzite held it back with a piercing blast, splitting the single beam in two. His attack then intensified, pushing the fire away, then negating it, knocking Rei back. Makoto threw her spears, Ami shot a stream of water, Minako tried her own gust; they were all batted away. A huge pressurized concentration of air flattened the four girls, nearly crumbling the bridge underneath them; a second blast loosened some stones. A third would destroy it entirely.

"Our nation did not prosper by allowing vermin like you to chew away at its foundation," Kunzite announced, as he powered himself up for the final blow. "Whatever harm you may have inflicted will easily be undone with your demise, and it will serve as a warning to the rest of the nations that Beryl is insurmountable, and Ba Sing Se is eternal! Prepare to join your friend in the..."

Kunzite stopped himself as he noticed the girls were no longer writhing in pain, or even afraid, but were staring up at something in awe, mouths hanging open. Feeling his skin crawl, Kunzite slowly turned around to see what the disturbance was.

It was a figure: floating, radiant with light, eyes white and fierce as the midday sun.

Her golden pigtails waved majestically in the breeze.

"No way," Rei whispered.

"IMPOSSIBLE!" Kunzite roared. The creature once known as Usagi gestured, shooting fire, setting Kunzite's hair and clothes ablaze. Before he could mount an offensive, water burst from her other hand, hitting him square in the face, suffocating and blinding him. With little more than a wave, a blast of air sent him hurling off the bridge, slamming him into the canyon wall, and a prison of solid rock covered him from toe to mouth.

Slowly, Usagi descended onto the bridge...and promptly fainted.

"Usagi!" The girls all rushed after her, astonished and terrified. Rei was the first to reach her; she cradled the unconscious girl in her arms.

"Usagi! Usagi, wake up! Usagi!"

"Let me see," Ami said. She knelt down and checked her pulse and breath. After a tense moment of silence, relief washed over her. "She's all right. Her pulse is erratic, but considering what we just saw..."

"No kidding," Makoto gasped. She took a step back, barely able to comprehend it. "You know what this means? Usagi's the Avatar."

"Wow," Minako whispered in awe. "Just when you think you know someone..."

The end of "Ignition"

Next time: "Malice at the Palace"