Disclaimer: I do not own A:TLA or any of it's characters. The only thing I own is my OC.

The Six Rules:

Rule Number One: Alec won't warn the Gaang about things in advance or solve their problems for them, with a few rare exceptions.

Rule Number Two: Only Alec has the right to tell people his true origins, and he will mostly limit this to group members. He will tell new group members his secret as soon as they join the Gaang.

Rule Number Three: There are some changes Alec wants to make, and he will use his knowledge of the future to make those changes.

Rule Number Four: Sometimes, to make a change, Alec will act in a way that doesn't make sense. If that's necessary, he'll tell the Gaang "I need you to absolutely trust me." After he says that, the Gaang has to either do whatever he asks or leave him to do what he needs to do.

Rule Number Five: After a change happens, Alec will tell the Gaang what happened in the original story, in the interest of transparency.

Rule Number Six: If a major change happens that Alec doesn't expect, the Gaang will have a meeting ASAP. In this meeting, Alec will break Rule One and tell them all relevant information that will help them figure out how to respond to the change.

Chapter 34:

The Father, the Guru and the Coup

Ty Lee POV

We packed Appa with a few supplies for our journey. The Earth King was generous enough to give us all new sleeping bags and tents. We left Mai and Toph at the house with Druk and Momo, and the rest of us flew to the palace to drop off Zuko and Iroh with the Earth King. Ved was flat in the saddle to avoid being seen. I was a little sore from last night.

While we were in the saddle, Katara turned to me. "I noticed you limping a little when we packed." She said, opening her water pouch. "I can heal you, if you want." She offered.

I smiled and nodded. "Sure, that would be nice."

Katara put her glowing hand on my inner thigh. I felt warm relief relax my sore muscles. After a few seconds, she pulled back and put the water back in her pouch. "Does that feel better?"

I flexed her leg and smiled. "All better. Thanks!"

Katara gave me a questioning look. "How did that happen, anyway?" She asked. "Did you pull a muscle when we were fighting yesterday?"

Alec and I glanced at each other and blushed. Katara saw it, but didn't connect the dots. "What?" She asked.

Suki smirked. "Isn't it obvious, Katara? She got that limp from a different kind of activity. It seems like Alec and Ty Lee took their relationship to the next level."

Iroh suddenly found the clouds above us very interesting, as did Zuko. Sokka chuckled. Aang pretended not to hear us, but his entire head was turning red. Katara blushed. "Were you careful?" She asked, not looking us in the eye.

I nodded. "I got some Moon Tea from Suki."

Katara nodded. "Well, that's good."

Suki smirked. "How was the dirty talk? I doubt you two did better than me." She challenged.

Alec and I blushed even harder. Katara groaned. "I really don't want to hear this." Iroh and Zuko covered their ears. They didn't want to hear it either.

I wanted to get back at Suki. I locked eyes with Alec. He smirked and gave me a nod. I beckoned Suki over. I cupped my hand over her ear. "When we started, he said the thing he wanted most in the world was to make me hot and wet and keep me that way until I was satisfied." I whispered.

Suki gasped lightly and a blush somehow showed through her Kyoshi Warrior makeup. She looked at Alec and shook her head. "Dammit, you win." She admitted.

Alec grinned and leaned back in the saddle, pleased with himself.


Alec POV

We dropped Iroh and Zuko off at the palace. King Kuei stood outside, waiting for us. "I wish you a good journey." He said. "Ba Sing Se owes you its thanks. We look forward to your safe return." We all bowed.

Six people and a dragon took off, headed for Chameleon Bay. I was nervous. Ty Lee noticed immediately. "What's wrong?" She asked gently.

I shook my head. "I don't know if Hakoda will accept me." I admitted, petting Ved to calm my nerves. "It's just that, my parents died, then I was all alone for ten years before I ended up in this world. Now I might have a parent again, and I'm afraid of being rejected."

"I think he'll accept you." Katara said with a warm smile. "You've proven yourself time and time again. You could have just stayed behind in the South Pole, but you came with us to help us."

"Yeah!" Sokka agreed with a nod. "Dad told the Northern Water Tribe to treat you as if you were his son. He'll accept you. I know he will."

I smiled at my family. "Thanks, guys."


We flew for a few hours, passing the walls of Ba Sing Se. At about midday, we saw a small camp on the shore below us. It had several Water Tribe ships, and a large group of tents. Most were blue, but a few were green. I figured those tents belonged to the Kyoshi Warriors. We landed on a cliff near the camp. We unpacked our camping supplies, and I put Ved in my bag.

Katara raised an eyebrow. "Why are you hiding Ved?" She asked.

I smiled. "I don't want to overwhelm everyone with all the things we're going to tell him." I said. "I'll show him after he decides whether or not to accept me."

Katara nodded. "Okay."

Aang smiled at Katara and Sokka. "You two haven't seen your dad in over two years. You must be so excited!"

Katara nodded, but Sokka looked green. "I know I should be, but I just feel sick to my stomach." He held his hands over his stomach while Suki rubbed a hand on his back.

"How do you think I feel?" I grumbled. Aang didn't hear me.

"Don't be nervous." Aang assured Sokka. "He's going to be so happy to see you!" Sokka smiled at that.

Suki grinned. "It'll be great to see my Warriors again."

Katara gave Aang a supportive smile. "Are you ready to meet this guru?" She asked.

"Yes." Aang said with a determined nod. "I'm ready to master the Avatar State. I'll do whatever it takes." He gave Katara a kiss. "I'll see you in a week." He said to her.

He went to climb back on Appa. "Aang, wait!" I called.

Aang stopped and turned. "What is it?"

I gave him a serious look. "There's something I need to tell you. Alone." I said. I turned to the group. "Give us a second."

Everyone nodded as Aang and I walked into a forest about a dozen feet away for some privacy. "What is it?" He asked.

I looked him in the eye. "I need you to absolutely trust me." I said to him. He nodded. "There's something I need you to remember: Letting go for now doesn't mean letting go forever."

Aang tilted his head in confusion. "What does that mean?" He inquired.

"You'll know when the time comes." I said vaguely. "I need you to remember it, though. Say it back to me."

"Letting go for now doesn't mean letting go forever." He repeated.

I nodded. "Good. Now, you have a guru to meet. Good luck."

He smiled. "Good luck to you, too."


Aang and I returned from the forest. Aang climbed back aboard Appa. "See you in a week." He told us with a smile. He cracked the reins. "Yip yip!" Appa took flight, and began flying east. I hoped my theory about the Avatar State was right.

We turned towards the camp. I took a deep breath, and we began walking towards it. After about five minutes of walking, we reached it. We saw a bunch of adult male Water Tribe warriors sitting around, as well as some Kyoshi Warriors intermingled with them.

They noticed our presence. The Water Tribe warriors smiled silently. One stepped forward and extended a hand towards Sokka. Sokka took it. That broke the spell. A bunch of the warriors surrounded him and Katara, smiling and laughing. "Sokka, Katara, it's good to see you!" One said warmly. The warriors gushed at how much those two had grown up. Ty Lee and I hung back. They deserved this moment.

"Suki!" A voice shouted happily. Suki almost got tackled to the ground in a fierce hug by a Kyoshi warrior with black hair. "It's good to see you, Tani!" Suki replied warmly, returning the hug.

After a bunch of greetings, both groups of warriors parted, revealing a large command tent in the center of camp. Sokka, Katara, Suki, Ty Lee, and I slowly walked towards the tent. Sokka went to open the flap. I gulped. It was time.


We all entered the tent. There was a group of seven men sitting in a semicircle, studying a map. I recognized one of the men as Bato. He wasn't wearing bandages anymore. Instead, most of his left arm was a burn scar. Bato looked up and noticed us. He smiled and nudged the man sitting to his left. The man had medium length brown hair, with part of it pulled into a warrior's wolf-tail. He had a short beard on his weathered face. He wasn't jacked, but he was well-built and lean. He looked up at us and gasped. He smiled warmly. "Sokka, Katara."

My siblings smiled. "Hi, Dad." They said together.

Hakoda stood up and walked quickly to his natural children, embracing them in a hug. Ty Lee took my hand comfortingly. Suki smiled at the scene. Hakoda broke the hug after a few seconds. "Dad, there are some things we need to tell you, and some people we want you to meet." Katara said.

Hakoda's eyes swept over the group. They landed on me. I felt very small all of a sudden. Hakoda's face turned neutral for a few seconds, then he smiled. "You must be Alec." He said kindly. "I've heard a lot about you from Bato and from messages from the Northern Water Tribe."

I glanced at Bato, who gave me a reassuring smile. "What did you hear, sir?" I asked.

Hakoda grinned. "I heard that you blew up a rock during the ice-dodging trial, making everyone else's trial look boring by comparison. I heard that you fought on the front lines against the Fire Nation. I heard that you personally stopped Admiral Zhao from killing the Moon Spirit."

"I got lucky with that one, sir." I mumbled. "I caught him mid-monologue."

Hakoda stepped forward. "We received copies of those firebending scrolls of yours from the Northern Water Tribe." He continued. "We all owe you our thanks. It's a lot easier for us to fight firebenders now."

"I was just trying to do the right thing, sir." I replied, barely keeping myself from shaking.

Hakoda smiled. "You don't need to call me sir." He said warmly. "After everything I've heard about you, I'd be honored if you called me dad."

My breath caught in my throat. "Just like that?" I asked, not daring to hope. "How can you accept me into your family so easily?"

Hakoda put a hand on my shoulder and smiled. "You've been a part of our family ever since Sokka and Katara decided to adopt you." I felt myself tearing up, and Hakoda wrapped me in a hug, which I eagerly returned.

"I haven't had a father for ten years." I mumbled, trying to keep it together.

"You have one now." Hakoda ("Dad, now" I reminded myself) replied warmly. I felt Sokka and Katara join us in the hug. Something must have irritated Ved, because I felt him move in my bag.

Dad noticed this and stiffened. He pulled back from the hug and gave me a questioning look. "Did your bag just move?" He asked.

I guess it was time for the other reveal. I dried my eyes and opened my bag. Ved flew out and perched on my right shoulder. Dad's eyes widened, and the other warriors' jaws dropped. He pointed. "Is that…a dragon?" He whispered. "I thought they were extinct!"

I smiled. "Not quite." I said. "We just don't want the Fire Nation to find out about him. We need to keep him a secret from them. I'll tell you how I got him later."

Hakoda nodded. "Okay." He turned his gaze over to Suki. "Are you Suki?" He asked. "Tani told me that their leader was traveling with the Avatar."

Suki nodded. "Yes, I am." She said. "It's an honor to meet you, Chief Hakoda."

Dad smiled and extended his hand to her, shaking her hand as he would a fellow warrior. "The honor is mine." He said. He turned to Ty Lee. "And, may I ask who you are?"

Ty Lee gave a nervous smile. "My name's Ty Lee. I'm a defector from the Fire Nation."

Hakoda raised an eyebrow. "Are you now?" He asked, his voice neutral. "May I ask why you defected?"

Ty Lee found her resolve and looked him in the eye. "I learned the truth about the war." She answered. "In school, I was taught that the Air Nomads were planning to attack the Fire Nation, and that's why Sozin started the war. Recently I learned the truth: Sozin wanted to conquer the world, and he wanted the Avatar out of the way, so he wiped out the Air Nomads." She shook her head. "I couldn't fight for the Fire Nation anymore. So I defected, and joined the Avatar." She glanced at me and smiled, then she laced her fingers together with mine. "And then I fell in love with Alec." She finished warmly.

Dad looked thoughtful for a few moments. He turned to Katara and Sokka. "I can tell Alec trusts her, but do you?" He asked seriously.

Katara gave Ty Lee a warm smile. "With our lives." She answered. Sokka nodded.

Dad turned to Ty Lee and smiled. "Very well. I will trust you as well." He shook his head. "I'm surprised that you all convinced someone from the Fire Nation to defect." He mused.

I smirked. "More like four someones."

Dad cocked his head. "What are you talking about?" He asked.

Sokka took a deep breath. "Dad, we have a lot of things to tell you." He said seriously.

Dad looked him in the eye and nodded. "I can tell you're serious about this." He said. He noticed our group was missing someone. "Is the Avatar not with you?" He asked.

Katara shook her head. "Aang dropped us off here, then he flew to the Eastern Air Temple to train."


Aang POV

By late afternoon, Appa and I saw the Eastern Air Temple. It was in ruins. Holes had been blasted in the walls, and plants grew through the cracks in the stone. It made me sad to see Appa's birthplace in such a state. I saw a man sitting on a platform in a meditative pose. I flew to the platform and landed on a level just below it. I got a closer look at the man. He was bald, and had a long white beard and dark skin. He seemed to be very old, but he still looked to be in decent shape. He wore a simple yellow tunic with only one shoulder. He didn't open his eyes.

"Um, hello?" I greeted hesitantly. He didn't respond. I jumped off of Appa and climbed up to the platform. "You're Guru Pathik, right?" I asked. "The person who sent the letter?"

He opened his eyes and smiled. "Indeed." He said. "I was a spiritual brother of your people and a personal friend of Monk Gyatso."

I was shocked to hear my mentor's name. How old was this guy? I walked forward and sat down in front of Guru Pathik. "In your note, you said you could teach me how to gain control of the Avatar State. How?" I asked.

"You must gain balance within yourself, before you can bring balance to the world." Pathik replied. He pulled out a cup of some yellowish liquid from behind him. "And the first step to gaining balance begins with this." He handed me the cup. "Drink up!" He instructed cheerfully.

I took the cup from him and took a sip. I spat it out almost immediately. "Uggh! This tastes like onion and banana juice!" I complained.

"That's because it is!" Pathik replied. He pulled out another bowl from behind his back, and downed it in one gulp. "Yum yum!"

I blinked in disbelief. I hoped I knew what I was getting into.


Pathik led me to a series of small pools connected by tiny creeks. "In order to master the Avatar State, you must open all the chakras." He said. He turned to me. "Aang, tell me everything you know about chakras."

I was a little embarrassed. I didn't know about them. I knew about chi and pressure points because of Ty Lee, but I'd never heard of chakras. "What are chakras?" I asked.

Pathik's face fell with slight disappointment. "Oh, I see." He said. "I guess we'll start with the basics." He picked up a long stick and turned to the pools. "The water flows through this creek much like the energy flows through your body. As you see, there are several pools where the water swirls around before flowing on. These pools are like our chakras."

"So, chakras are pools of spiraling energy in our bodies?" I asked.

"Exactly." Pathik confirmed. "If nothing else were around, this creek would flow pure and clear." I noticed algae and moss swirling around on the water's surface. "However, life is messy, and things tend to fall in the creek. And then what happens?" He prompted.

"The creek can't flow?" I guessed.

"Yes." Pathik replied. "But, if we open the ponds between the pools…" He poked his stick into the creek, removing the moss that blocked the creek. The flow increased immediately, and the gunk in the creek began to flow out quickly, leaving the water clear.

"The energy flows!" I realized. Pathik smiled and nodded.


Pathik led me to a cavern and we sat down to meditate. "There are seven chakras that go up the body. Each pool of energy has a purpose, and can be blocked by a specific kind of emotional muck." He gave me a serious look. "Be warned, opening the chakras is an intense experience, and once you begin the process, you cannot stop until all seven are open. Are you ready?"

I looked down for a moment and took a deep breath. I looked at Pathik with determination. "I'll do whatever it takes."


Alec POV

That night, everyone at camp ate dinner around a massive bonfire. Our group sat near Dad. Ty Lee sat next to me, and Ved sat on my shoulder. Everyone who didn't know was shocked to see Ved. Katara and Sokka sat on either side of Dad, and Suki sat between Sokka and Tani. Suki grabbed Sokka's hand at one point. Dad noticed this. "Are you two together?" He asked. Sokka seemed nervous, but Suki smiled and nodded.

Dad grinned at Sokka. "A good choice, son. Tani told me what happened when you two first met." Sokka blushed and looked down, embarrassed with his previous attitude about girls. Katara and I barely kept from laughing. Suki gave Sokka's hand a reassuring squeeze. Tani and the other Kyoshi Warriors shared knowing grins.

"I'm so proud of you, Sokka." Dad said kindly. "You've become a fine young man, and according to the Northern Water Tribe, a fine strategist."

Sokka looked up and smiled under the praise. Dad turned to Katara. "And you, Katara. Master Pakku sent me a letter telling me you are the finest student he's ever trained, a true prodigy."

Katara glowed. Dad shook his head. "Next thing I know, you'll be telling me you have a boyfriend." He joked.

Katara's smile faded slightly and she blushed. Dad noticed. "Katara." He prodded. "Do you have something to tell me?"

She looked him in the eye. "I'm…kinda…with…Aang." She said, barely audible above the roaring fire.

Dad's eyes widened briefly. "I see." He said. He turned to Sokka and me. "Is he good enough for her?"

I nodded. As did Sokka. "Dad, Aang's the only guy I would trust her with." Sokka said firmly.

Dad nodded. "I'll have to meet him myself, of course." His expression changed, as if he were remembering something important. He turned to me. "You said you convinced four people from the Fire Nation to defect. Who are the others?"

Ty Lee took a deep breath. "One of them is my best friend, Mai." She said. "Princess Azula recruited both of us to help her hunt down some people for the Fire Nation, including the Avatar and Alec. She defected when I did, for similar reasons."

"Are you two fighters?" Tani asked.

Suki grinned. "They are, and they're good. When I spar against either of them, it's a pretty even match."

Tani gave Ty Lee an appraising look. "I wouldn't guess by looking at her, but if you say so."

Dad kept looking at me. "Who are the other two you convinced?"

I shared a look with the rest of the group. This would take some convincing. "Have you ever heard of Prince Zuko and General Iroh?" I asked.

"I know of them, yes." Dad replied. "I assume you convinced two of their subordinates to defect?"

I shook my head. "No, we convinced Zuko and Iroh themselves."

All talk around the bonfire stopped. All eyes were on me. Dad's mouth dropped open in shock. Then he closed it and started to laugh. He turned to Sokka. "Bato didn't tell me your new brother has a sense of humor!" He got out between laughs.

Sokka looked at Dad seriously, as did Katara, Suki, and Ty Lee. Dad's laughter slowly died, and his eyes widened again. "Are you serious?" He asked sharply. "Do you not know what those two have done? I don't know much about Prince Zuko, but General Iroh trampled across the Earth Kingdom for years! He held Ba Sing Se under siege for six hundred days! How did you possibly convince them to join you?"

Tani turned to Suki. "Wasn't Zuko the one who burned down our village?" She asked with narrowed eyes.

Suki nodded. "He was. I was reluctant to trust him, but he's sincere."

Tani jumped up. "Have you lost it?!" She shouted.

"Tani." Suki said firmly. "Sit. Down." Damn, Suki could be intimidating when she had to be. Tani's eyes widened and she sat back down.

I looked Dad in the eye. "We can trust both of them because of Toph, Aang's earthbending teacher." I explained. "She can sense people's heart rates and breathing with earthbending. When people lie, those things change. She knows they're telling the truth."

Dad narrowed his eyes. "But why would they help us? Isn't the Fire Lord Zuko's father and Iroh's brother?"

"There are some things you need to know about them." I said calmly.


A Few Minutes Later

I told everyone an abridged version of Zuko's and Iroh's backstories. I told them how Iroh stopped believing in the war after Lu Ten's death. I told them about Zuko's scar, and his banishment. I didn't tell them about Ursa, because there was no way I could make an excuse for how I knew about that.

I did have to lie a little. I told them that after we patched up Iroh, Zuko's conscience told him that he was fighting for the wrong side. I said that he and Iroh sought us out in Ba Sing Se, instead of the reverse.

After I was finished, nobody said a word for a long time. Dad looked down and shook his head. "That poor boy has suffered so much, and for trying to do the right thing." He said sadly. "I can see why you let him join you. Someone with intimate knowledge of the Fire Nation will be a big help."

"There's another reason." I said. "The Fire Nation will need a new Fire Lord after we win the war. We're going to put Zuko on the throne."

Dad nodded. "I see." He turned serious. "The Northern Water Tribe told us about the comet coming at the end of the summer. Do you think Aang will be ready by then?"

Sokka nodded. "Yes, and we found out something else recently: There's a solar eclipse coming in a few months. During the eclipse, firebenders will lose their powers. Zuko and Iroh are making plans with the Earth King to launch an invasion of the Fire Nation on that day, so Aang can defeat the Fire Lord and end the war. We were hoping you would help."

"I'm in." Dad agreed immediately. "I'll help however I can."

"There's another thing." Katara added. "Zuko wants to meet the rest of the world leaders before he takes the throne. He wants to show everyone that he's serious about wanting peace. Earth King Kuei agreed already, and we sent a messenger hawk to the Northern Water Tribe last night to ask Chief Arnook to meet us here."

Dad nodded. "I'll meet him. I want to get the measure of him myself."

I nodded. "Hopefully, Chief Arnook agrees."

We heard the screech of a bird overhead and looked up. A messenger hawk flew down and landed right in front of Dad. He opened the scroll tube on the back, pulled out a scroll, and read it.

"What does it say?" I asked.


Earlier That Day, Zuko POV

Uncle and I met the Council of Five in the Earth King's War Room. I was nervous. The last war meeting I attended didn't end well for me. Thankfully, they seemed to be willing to listen to me. I did notice a few of them glare at Uncle when they thought I wasn't looking. Uncle and I told them everything we knew about the Fire Nation's defenses, especially the Capital.

After several hours, General How spoke to conclude the meeting. "General Fong's base will serve as the launching point for the attack. In exactly three months, the army and navy will invade the Fire Nation on the Day of Black Sun." He sent a scroll across the table to me. "All we need is the Earth King's seal in order to execute the plan."

Uncle and I bowed politely. "Thank you General How." I said. "I'll get these scrolls to him right away."

Uncle and I left the War Room.


We met the Earth King in the Throne Room. The Earth King had a desk set up in front of his throne, and was doing paperwork. The Earth King smiled at us and dismissed his guards when we arrived. "Prince Zuko, General Iroh!" He greeted us happily. "How did the war meeting go?"

I nodded. "We came up with an invasion plan." I said. "All it needs is your seal of approval."

The Earth King nodded. He rose from his throne and approached us. I handed the plan to him. He opened it and read through it. He asked a few questions about troop formations, but Uncle and I were able to answer all his questions to his satisfaction. He walked back to his desk, and grabbed his royal seal from it. He poured a dab of hot wax on the invasion plan and stamped it with his seal. "It's done." He said. "While you're here, I received something this morning that you'll find interesting."

He rifled through a stack of papers on his desk and pulled out a piece of parchment. "I received a response from the Northern Water Tribe. The Chief and his wife have agreed to meet us at Chameleon Bay in a week." He said.

I was surprised by that. "How can they get from the North Pole to Chameleon Bay in one week?" I asked.

"Apparently, their waterbenders can push their ships and make them sail much faster than other ships." King Kuei replied.

"That is good news." Uncle said with a smile. "We should send a message to the others at Chameleon Bay."

King Kuei nodded. "I'll draft it and send it personally. The last thing we want is for the Fire Nation to learn that all the other world leaders are at the same place at the same time. That's why I dismissed my guards before I told you. Can't be too careful."

I nodded. "Thank you, Your Majesty."


Back to Present Time, Alec POV

"So, they'll be here in a week?" I asked for confirmation.

Dad nodded. "Yes, the Earth King just needs you to pick him up and fly him here for the meeting." He frowned. "Hopefully, Avatar Aang will be done with whatever training he's doing before then."

I smiled. "I think he will."


Third Person POV

Back in the prison below the Earth King's palace, Long Feng was scheming and plotting in his cell. Hopefully, the Fire Lord would agree to his plans. Then, once the Avatar and his friends had been dealt with, he and the Dai Li could expel the Fire Lord's forces from Ba Sing Se, leaving him in charge.

While he thought about this, a Dai Li agent approached his cell door and slipped a scroll under the door. Long Feng picked it up and opened it.

"Long Feng,

I must admit I was surprised to receive your letter. I never would have expected Ba Sing Se to surrender willingly. I was planning to wait until my fleet of airships was ready to fly over the walls of your city and rain fire and death upon it, but it appears that won't be necessary. I accept your terms. I will instruct my daughter, Princess Azula, to meet with your agents at a location of your choosing. If you let her into the city, she will aid you against the Avatar and his friends. Send a message to her ship in the Western Lake with the appointed time and place. I would prefer if you captured the Avatar and his friends alive, but kill them if you must. After you have regained control of Ba Sing Se, you will bring down the walls and let my troops in as a show of good faith. You will still be allowed to rule Ba Sing Se as my governor, just think of my troops as an insurance policy.

-Fire Lord Ozai.

Postscript: I have a task I need you to accomplish as a show of loyalty. I need you to…"

Long Feng read the letter multiple times to confirm the instructions. He found another piece of parchment attached to the letter. It was a schematic of some kind of ship, but this one flew in the air, instead of sailing through the water. Long Feng knew what Fire Lord Ozai intended by sending that. He meant to show him that he wasn't bluffing about the airships. Long Feng realized that he had to abandon his plans to betray the Fire Lord. He had miscalculated, but it was too late for him to back down now.

And the task that Ozai asked of him. He had to read it multiple times to make sure he was reading it correctly. Long Feng didn't expect to be asked to do something like that. But, if it meant regaining control of Ba Sing Se, even under the command of another, he was going to do it.

He looked up and locked eyes with the Dai Li agent. "Bring me a scroll and inkbrush." He ordered.


Azula POV

The last month hadn't been good for me. I was furious. The Avatar and his friends were in Ba Sing Se, but that was out of my reach. Not only that, but Mai and Ty Lee had betrayed me for them! How could they do that to me?! I stayed on my ship in the Western Lake, training every day to near-exhaustion, trying to keep it out of my mind.

I was in my quarters, looking at myself in the mirror. I hadn't been sleeping well. Dark circles had formed under my eyes, and my makeup wasn't hiding them anymore.

"You don't look well." A voice behind me noted. I saw my mother appear in the reflection.

I knew she wasn't real, but part of me was so lonely, I talked to her anyway. "What are you doing here?" I asked.

She smiled at me. "It's a mother's job to check in on her daughter."

I bristled with anger. "Don't pretend to act concerned, I know what you really think of me." I spat. "You think I'm a monster." It hurt to say that, but even worse was how it felt to know it was true.

"I think you're confused." She replied. "You're asking yourself why Mai and Ty Lee left you."

I glared at the reflection. "Well, if you're so clever, why don't you tell me?" I demanded.

She smiled. "I'm not certain, but the Avatar and his friends trust and love each other. You've always used fear to control people. Maybe that's what persuaded Mai and Ty Lee to leave."

"Well, what choice do I have?" I asked sharply. "Trust is for fools, fear is the only reliable way." I narrowed my eyes at her. "Even you fear me."

She shook her head. "No." She said sincerely. "I love you, Azula. I do."

So many feelings stirred up inside me. I wanted to believe it was true, but I knew she was just an illusion. My real mother didn't love me. She didn't! I couldn't look at her face anymore. I picked up a hairbrush and threw it at the mirror, shattering it.

I heard a knock at the door. "Princess Azula, a message has arrived from the Fire Lord."

I composed myself. "Enter." I ordered.

The messenger opened the door and bowed. He handed me a sealed scroll and took his leave. I opened the scroll and read it.

"Azula,

I have been contacted by a man named Long Feng. He claims to be the head of the secret police in Ba Sing Se. He's proposed a plan to dethrone the Earth King and capture or kill the Avatar, along with Zuko and Iroh. I have instructed him to contact you and only you to accomplish this task. You are the only one I trust to succeed. Long Feng will contact you soon with a time and place to meet with his men, who will let you into the city. I am proud of you, my daughter. I know you can do this.

Your Father,

Fire Lord Ozai"

I felt a rush of warmth and relief that I'd never felt before. Father told me he was proud of me! And, to make it even better, the voice that haunted me was silent for the first time in weeks. I would accomplish this task.

I slept better that night than I had in weeks.


Alec POV

The next day, Sokka, Katara, and I helped Dad and Bato prepare some kind of mine to catch Fire Navy ships before they entered the bay. Ty Lee and Suki were sparring with the Kyoshi Warriors. Ved was perched on my shoulder.

Dad looked at Ved. "How did you get a dragon?" He asked.

I smiled. "It's kind of a long story." I replied. "Zuko was trying to teach Aang firebending, but they were both having trouble. They didn't have enough anger. Iroh told us about a place in the Fire Nation that could teach us the true meaning of firebending. We found some people there, and two really old firebending masters, who taught us that real firebending is about energy and life, not anger and hate. The masters gave me and Zuko two of the only three dragon eggs in existence."

Dad's eyes widened. "Zuko has a dragon, too?"

I nodded. "Yep, his name is Druk. He's red." I looked at the Kyoshi Warriors sparring with Suki and Ty Lee. "How did the Kyoshi Warriors join up with you?" I asked.

Dad and Bato chuckled. "It's a funny story." Dad said. "We had spotted a Fire Nation camp in the forest not too far from here about three weeks ago. One night, Bato and I were spying on them, trying to come up with a plan of attack, when we saw the Kyoshi Warriors drop in on them from the trees. Before we knew what happened, they had taken them all out. We approached them and introduced ourselves, and they told us they were friends with you. I asked them if they would work together with us, and they agreed."

I smiled. "Yeah, the Kyoshi Warriors got the drop on us when we showed up to their island." I said. "Took us all down in less than ten seconds."

Sokka stopped tying the knot he was working on and looked at Dad. "What exactly are these things?" He asked, pointing at the mine.

"Those are tangle mines, Sokka." Dad explained. "This bay leads directly to the outskirts of Ba Sing Se. We've been using these tangle mines to stop the Fire Nation ships from getting through."

Bato filled up a mine with seaweed and some kind of fish and moved away. "Your father invented them himself."

Katara moved closer to one of them and immediately held her nose. "They smell terrible!" She complained.

Dad smirked. "Very perceptive. The mines are filled with skunk fish and seaweed. When a ship detonates the mine, the seaweed tangles up the propeller and the foul smell forces people to abandon the ship. I call it the 'stink and sink'."

Sokka laughed. "Good one, Dad!" Katara and I rolled our eyes and groaned.

Bato looked at Sokka, unamused. "You're definitely your father's son."

One of the other Water Tribe warriors approached. "Hakoda, our scouts have spotted a Fire Nation ship!" He reported.

Dad stood up. "Bato, get these mines loaded up. The rest of you fighters, prepare for battle!" He ordered.

"Sir, a thunderstorm is also coming!" The warrior added.

Dad muttered something that sounded like a curse. "Belay that order, Bato. We need to move camp into the forest for cover."

That confused me. "Dad, am I missing something?" I asked.

Dad nodded. "It's too dangerous to get into a ship battle against the Fire Nation during a thunderstorm." He explained. "Our ships can't stand up to storms as well as theirs can. We have to hide in the forest so they won't find our camp, and take all our ships apart and move them, too." He pinched the bridge of his nose. "It's a hassle."

Sokka's eyes brightened. "Dad, I know how we can take out the Fire Nation ship, and we won't have to move camp!"

Dad seemed interested. "I'm listening."

"We just need Katara, Alec, and a rowboat." Sokka said with a smile. He locked eyes with me. I could tell he had a plan, but I didn't know what it was.


Sokka POV

I huddled with Alec and Katara and told them my idea. Alec nodded in approval, but Katara seemed a little uncertain. She looked at Alec. "Are you sure you can hit a target like that while moving?" She asked.

Alec nodded and smiled. "Something that big? Easy!" He assured us.

Alec left Ved with Ty Lee. She was the only other person that dragon would listen to. He and Katara took a small rowboat. They left the oars behind. Katara didn't need them to move the boat. The rest of the camp moved up to the cliff to watch the show. I didn't tell Dad what was going to happen. I didn't want to spoil the surprise. Ty Lee, Suki, Dad, and I lay prone on the cliff, holding telescopes to watch things happen. Ved perched on Ty Lee's shoulder.

Alec and Katara sailed out of the mouth of Chameleon Bay. The sky had turned dark and a few raindrops hit us. Dad looked at the boat and back to me. "Sokka, what are you planning?" He asked. "Are you sure they'll be okay?"

I nodded and grinned. "Trust me, Dad." I said. "Just watch."

We saw them approach the ship. Luckily, the boat was so small it went unnoticed. They passed the ship and doubled back, sailing directly behind it. The storm was intense where they were. We heard several rumbles of thunder, and we could barely see through all the rain.

Then, they made their move. A massive wave made by Katara lifted the boat high above the Fire Nation ship, positioning them above the smokestacks. I saw Alec move his arms in an arc, and then he pointed straight down the smokestack of the ship.

KABOOOOOOOOOOOM!

Lightning flew from Alec's fingertips and shot into the smokestack. The back third of the ship exploded, tearing a massive hole through the hull. It began taking on water and sinking. The wave holding up Alec and Katara's boat dropped, then the boat sped off, heading back to camp.

I put away my telescope and turned to see Dad's shocked face. "How was that?" I asked.


Alec POV

That night, after the storm passed, we had dinner around the bonfire. The other warriors were praising Katara and me. And Sokka, for coming up with the plan. "I had no idea firebenders could make lightning." Dad said with awe in his voice.

"It's a rare ability." I admitted. "I only know of four people who can, including me."

Dad turned to Katara. "And that wave was amazing!" He praised. "I still remember when you could barely bend snowballs. You've come so far." Katara smiled.

Finally, he turned to Sokka. "That was a brilliant plan." He said. "Sneaking up on the ship and shooting lightning to destroy the engine. They won't suspect a thing, they'll just think it was the storm!"

Sokka nodded and smirked. "Exactly."

Dad shook his head. "If that's what only three of you are capable of, I'd hate to be the Fire Nation when all ten of you are fighting at once." He said with a smile. He raised his drink. "To the young heroes!" He toasted.

Everyone else raised their mugs in our honor. I noticed that Katara's smile was a bit muted. "Something wrong?" I asked.

She shook her head. "I'm just worried about Aang." She admitted. "I hope he's alright."

I nodded. "I hope so, too." This was one of the changes that I was making that I didn't know if it would work. Only time would tell.


Aang POV

The chakra-opening process had been emotionally draining, but satisfying. Over the past day and a half, I confronted all my emotional baggage. I had let go of my fears, the guilt and shame I felt for running away one hundred years ago, the grief I felt because of it. I also let go of the lie I told myself that I could run away from being the Avatar. I am the Avatar, and I have a duty to end this war. I realized that the separation of the four nations was an illusion. I had opened six chakras now.

Pathik led me to the peak of the tallest tower in the temple. We sat down under the starry night sky. "This is the last chakra, isn't it?" I asked.

"Yes." Pathik replied. "Once you open this chakra, you will be able to go in and out of the Avatar State at will. And when you are in the Avatar State, you will have complete control and awareness of all your actions."

I smiled. "Let's do this."

Pathik nodded. "The Thought Chakra is located at the crown of the head. It deals with pure cosmic energy, and is blocked by earthly attachment. Meditate on what attaches you to this world." He instructed.

I closed my eyes. Only one person flashed through my mind. Katara. The woman I loved more than anything.

"Now, let all of those attachments go." Pathik said. "Let them flow down the river, forgotten."

My eyes snapped open in shock. "What?" I exclaimed. "Why would I let go of Katara? I love her!"

"Learn to let her go." Pathik said calmly. "Or you cannot let the pure cosmic energy flow in from the universe."

I threw my hands up. "Why would I choose pure cosmic energy over Katara? How can it be a bad thing that I feel an attachment to her?" I remembered when I opened the Air Chakra. "Three chakras ago that was a good thing!"

Pathik was unfazed. "You must learn to let go." He said.

I was about to say something else, when a memory flashed through my head. I remembered what Alec said to me the other day.

"Letting go for now doesn't mean letting go forever."

This is what he meant! Everything became clear. I knew what I had to do. "Okay." I said. "I'll do it."

I meditated and saw myself letting her go. For now. An image of her faded away from me. I found myself floating up in the stars. I was standing on a small purple bridge that led to a massive version of me, glowing with the white light of the Avatar State, and holding a ball of energy between his hands. I walked along the path, and entered the ball. I felt a huge influx of power, and knowledge. I could see all the fighting and bending techniques of my past lives. I felt all their power rushing through me. I felt possibilities. Feats of bending that I could never have thought of on my own.

I opened my eyes, and I knew I had done it. I still felt the same power. I looked at my arms. Sure enough, they were glowing. I was in the Avatar State, but I was still me.

Pathik smiled. "You have done well, Aang." He said. "You can now enter the Avatar State at will."

I frowned. Okay, I knew how to get in the Avatar State, but how do I get out? An idea occurred to me. I searched within myself for those feelings that I felt for Katara. How much I love her. How much she means to me. I felt the power fade away, and my tattoos returned to normal.

"You have completed your training." Pathik said. "There is nothing more I can teach you."

I stood up and bowed. "Thank you." I said. "I have to get back to my friends."


Alec POV

The next morning, just after breakfast, we heard a familiar groan in the sky. One of the Water Tribe warriors looked up. "What is that?!" He exclaimed.

I grinned. "That's Appa."

Katara beamed at the sky. "Aang's back!"

Sure enough, the big furball himself landed just outside camp about a minute later. Aang jumped down from Appa's head. He locked eyes with Katara. He ran up and wrapped her in a tight hug, which she eagerly returned. "I missed you." He said.

"I missed you, too." She replied.

Aang pulled back and tried to move in for a kiss, but Katara put a finger to his lips and stopped him. "Not while my dad's right over there." She said, nodding her head to her left.

Aang followed her nod, and saw Dad giving him a pointed look. I hadn't seen Aang that scared since the dragons stared us down. Dad walked forward. "So, you must be Avatar Aang." He said in a neutral tone. "I've heard a lot about you."

Aang gulped. Dad gave Aang an appraising look. "I've also heard that you're dating my daughter." He looked Aang in the eye. "Tell me, are you treating her well?"

Aang looked Dad in the eye. "Sir, I love her more than I can describe." He said firmly, his voice unwavering. "I will never hurt her."

Hakoda nodded and smiled. "I'll hold you to that." He said. "It's an honor to finally meet you." He extended his hand. Aang shook it.

"Did you have to go with the old, 'try to scare the boyfriend' routine, Dad?" I asked with a grin.

Aang looked at me, then he smiled. "I knew he'd accept you." He said.

Dad grinned. "It's something you have to do as a father." He said. "It's a tradition that's older than the four nations." I laughed. Dad made a joke that was actually funny. Maybe there was hope for Sokka.


All present members of Team Avatar gathered in the tent that Earth King Kuei gave us to have a discussion. We sat in a circle on the tent floor. I looked at Aang. "Do you have control of the Avatar State?" I asked. He nodded. "Can you show us?" I prompted. I had to make sure.

He gave Katara a guilty look, but then he closed his eyes. For a few seconds, nothing happened. Then his tattoos began glowing with white light. He opened his eyes and they also glowed. Ty Lee gasped. I guess this had to be doing something interesting to his aura. I nodded. "Is that still you, Aang?" I asked.

"Yes, it's still me." He said. His voice sounded like a thousand different people speaking through one body. "I'm in control." He closed his eyes and turned it off.

Sokka nodded. "That's great!" He said. "How did you learn to do it?"

"You opened your chakras, didn't you?" Ty Lee said with wide eyes.

All of us turned to her. "How did you know?" Aang asked.

Ty Lee looked at him. "I can see more than auras." She said. "I can also see pressure points and chakras. I could see all of yours were open in the Avatar State. The Thought Chakra is closed now, though."

Suki cocked her head. "What are chakras?" She asked.

"You know how everyone has pressure points?" Ty Lee asked. Suki nodded. Ty Lee continued. "Chakras are special pressure points where the most chi is concentrated. I read about them when I found out that I could see auras. There are seven in total, and you can open them by meditating. Some people do that to achieve enlightenment." She shook her head. "The Thought Chakra is the hardest one to open."

"Why?" Sokka asked.

"You have to let go of your earthly attachments." I said. "The things that you love that tie you to the world."

Aang looked down sadly. Katara's eyes widened and she turned to Aang. "Aang?" She whispered. "Are you breaking up with me?"

Aang's neck snapped up so fast I thought he would get whiplash. "No!" He said firmly, looking her in the eye.

"But, you had to let me go." Katara said, confused.

Aang looked me in the eye. "Letting go for now doesn't mean letting go forever."

I nodded. "That's what I told him before he left." I said. "It looks like I was right."

Everyone turned to me. "You mean, you didn't know?" Aang asked, thunderstruck. "You were guessing?"

I rubbed the back of my head sheepishly. "Yes, but I had a very good reason to guess." I admitted.

Katara gave me a look. "I think you owe us an explanation."

I nodded. "Okay."


"One of the biggest mysteries about the story was how to control the Avatar State." I started. "Now, from the story, I know that opening the chakras works, but there's more information to consider."

Aang tilted his head curiously. "What information?" He asked.

"Avatar Kuruk, Avatar Kyoshi, and Avatar Roku all had lovers." I said. "And yet, they also had full control over the Avatar State. How could they control the Avatar State if the Thought Chakra was closed?" I asked.

A round of shrugs went up around the room. "There was also something else." I said. "Avatar Yangchen once said that while many wise and great Air Nomads have detached themselves from the world and become enlightened, that was something the Avatar couldn't do, because the Avatar's duty is to the world. I figured the guru had to be wrong about something." I said. "And I came up with a theory."

"What theory?" Katara asked.

"I figured that the Avatar could open the first six chakras, and use the seventh as a sort of trigger for the Avatar State." I said. "Set their attachments aside to enter the Avatar State, and embrace them again to leave it."

Aang looked at me and nodded. "That's what I did." He confirmed.

Katara looked at him sadly. "So, you have to let me go every time you use it?" She asked.

I smiled at her. "Katara, the only reason he can control it is because he loves you so much." I said kindly. "He does have to let you go temporarily to use it, but he has to remember how much he loves you to come back."

Katara smiled at Aang. He returned the smile. Sokka coughed pointedly and brought them back to Earth. "Aang, we learned that the Northern Water Tribe has agreed to the summit. They'll be here in five days. We need to fly the Earth King here for the meeting before then."

Aang turned his attention to Sokka and nodded. "I can get us back to Ba Sing Se, we can spend a few days there, then we can pick up the Earth King and fly here."


Four Days Later, Third Person POV

The Dai Li subdued the guards in the prison and released Long Feng from his cell. He stood up and walked out. He turned to his agent. "What is the status of the Earth King and the Avatar?" He asked.

"The Avatar and his friends are in Ba Sing Se." The agent reported. "The Earth King has invited them to a dinner in the throne room tonight. He's giving his guards the night off."

Long Feng nodded. "And those war plans you told me about?" He inquired.

"They've been approved and sealed by the Earth King." The agent replied.

"I see. And Princess Azula?" Long Feng asked.

"We let her into the city by earthbending a tunnel from the ancient sewers beneath the Lower Ring." The agent answered. "She should be here soon."

"Good. Our best opportunity is tonight." Long Feng said.


Alec POV

When we made it back to Ba Sing Se, the Earth King invited us to have dinner with him in the throne room before we left for Chameleon Bay the following morning. He assured us that after the servants served the food, all guards and servants would be excused for the evening so that Ved and Druk could eat with us. That was nice of him. We packed Appa with all our supplies before we left for the palace. That way, we could pick up King Kuei tomorrow morning immediately after breakfast.

An elaborate dining table had been set up in the throne room. All of us sat in exquisitely crafted chairs. The food was the nicest food we'd ever eaten. I felt kind of bad for Toph, though. The chairs were a little too high for her feet to touch the ground. She pawed around the table blindly for a few minutes. Finally, she gave up and slouched in the chair, so her feet could touch the ground.

As soon as they did, her eyes widened.

"Someone's coming!" She exclaimed. "It's Long Feng! And I think Azula's with him!"

My blood ran cold. This was my nightmare scenario. I'd done everything in my power to keep Azula out of Ba Sing Se. What had I missed?!

I snapped out of it, and opened my bag. "Ved, Druk, in the bag, now!" I shouted. Thank the spirits dragons are smart. They flew in the bag without protest. Just as I closed the bag, the doors to the throne room burst open off their hinges. Everyone leapt up and took stances. Well, the fighters took stances. King Kuei, Bosco, and Momo hid behind us.

"Why do they always break down the door?" King Kuei muttered.

Long Feng and Azula strode into the room, side by side. A large amount of Dai Li agents flooded in behind them and began surrounding us. I noticed Toph seemed nervous. "Toph, is that all of them?" I muttered.

"No." She replied quietly. "There are more. Hundreds more. I can't count them all."

This was bad! Azula locked eyes with Zuko and smirked. "Well, well. If I didn't see it with my own eyes, I wouldn't believe it." She mused. "I never expected you to join forces with the enemy and try to overthrow our father, Zuzu."

Zuko narrowed his eyes at her, but didn't respond. "Though I suppose I should thank you." Azula continued. "Now, I can get rid of all my problems at once."

I locked eyes with Long Feng. "I have to admit, I didn't expect this." I said to him, barely keeping my voice from shaking. "What inspired you to join forces with the Fire Nation?"

Long Feng gave a sinister smile. "You did." He said. "I was inspired by how you turned Prince Zuko and the Dragon of the West into your allies, and I decided to follow suit. Fire Lord Ozai agreed to let me rule Ba Sing Se as his governor, and all I have to do is bring down the walls for him."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Let me guess: you're just going to try to take us out, and then you won't bring the walls down when Ozai tells you to."

Long Feng smiled. "I have no intention of backing down on this deal I've made. I also told him about your little invasion plan."

"He's telling the truth." Toph muttered so only Team Avatar could hear. That was another unwelcome surprise. What did Ozai have that made Long Feng unwilling to betray him?

Long Feng took a stance. "Fire Lord Ozai only had one condition to accept my proposal." He said. "And I will fulfill that condition now."

Azula took a stance, facing us. Long Feng stomped and brought up a rock in front of him. But, right before he launched it at us, he turned and launched it at another direction.

Towards Azula.

Azula noticed and barely dodged in time. Everyone's jaw dropped. What the fuck was going on now?! Did Long Feng fool Toph's senses?!

Azula snarled at Long Feng. "You betrayed the Earth Kingdom, and now you're betraying the Fire Nation?!"

Long Feng smirked. "Quite the contrary." He said. "When Fire Lord Ozai accepted my proposal, he gave me a condition."

I started putting the pieces together in my head. No fucking way! Azula's eyes widened.

"Apparently, he's tired of your failures, Princess Azula." Long Feng said. "You failed on multiple occasions to capture the Avatar or Iroh and Zuko. You couldn't even keep your friends from defecting. Fire Lord Ozai believes that you would be much more useful as a martyr. You see, it's quite tragic. You and I were negotiating for months to hand Ba Sing Se over to him, and just when the deal had been finalized, the Avatar caught wind of it, swooped in, and murdered you. I managed to survive and escape, of course, and pledged myself to Fire Lord Ozai. Princess Azula then becomes a martyr for the Fire Nation, a symbol for the people to rally behind and inspire them to win the war."

I felt sick to my stomach. I didn't want to believe it. "Toph?" I muttered. "Did Ozai really order this?"

"He's telling the truth." She breathed, her voice barely above a whisper. Holy fucking shit.

"So, why don't you do as your father commands, and die?" Long Feng taunted. He launched a much bigger rock at Azula.

Under normal circumstances, Azula would have dodged that rock. But, hearing of her father's betrayal made her hesitate. The rock hit her so hard in the chest that it knocked her hairpiece out of her hair and sent her crashing into a column next to the table we'd been eating at. She slumped to the ground. She didn't look like she was breathing.

I locked eyes with Long Feng. "King Kuei, I apologize." I said evenly.

"For what?" The King asked.

"Because after I'm done with this piece of shit and his men, you won't ever get the stains out of this throne room." I growled.

I moved my arms in an arc and shot a bolt of lightning at Long Feng. The Dai Li managed to make a rock wall in time to block it. Then the fight began in earnest. Zuko, Iroh, and I shot fireballs at everyone that wasn't one of us. Suki drew a katana and it wasn't long before it was stained red. Toph threw boulders so hard and so fast that the Dai Li couldn't block them. I'm pretty sure Katara's water whips caved in people's chests. Mai was throwing knives. Unlike most fights, she wasn't aiming for clothing. This time, she was aiming for throats, and she never missed her mark. Ty Lee was a blur on the battlefield, moving so fast and disabling so many agents that I couldn't keep track. Sokka's boomerang flew and cut at least one throat for every throw. Aang was bringing down his staff, throwing agents into walls with airbending.

We were fighting well, but there were two problems. For one, Long Feng retreated after the lightning bolt. He kept so many men between us and him that there was no way we could take him down. And for another thing, every time an agent fell, another one took his place.

I turned to Aang while blasting down agents with blazing arcs and fireballs. "Can you go into the Avatar State and take this place down?" I asked.

"Too risky!" He shouted. "The servants and guards also live in the palace. If we bring it down, it would hurt them, too!"

Dammit! A thought occurred to me. "What if you blew a hole in the roof and whistled for Appa?"

Aang nodded. "Maybe, but we need to get Appa some cover!"

"I'll do it." Iroh suggested. "With my wall of flames, I can hold them off for long enough, but I need an opening to do it, and I will have to stay behind."

"But Uncle, you'll be killed!" Zuko protested, throwing another fireball.

"I don't think so." Uncle said. "These agents are trying to wear us down and capture us alive. But you all must escape. I will be fine!"

Aang aimed above us and sent the biggest blast of air I'd ever seen in my life above us. It blew off most of the roof of the throne room, exposing the night sky.

"Okay, we've got the hole!" Aang shouted. "But we need that opening!"

"I've got an idea!" I said. "Everyone, duck in three, two, one, NOW!"

Everyone in Team Avatar hit the floor. I made the strongest, biggest fire blade I could, held my arm out, and spun in a complete circle. I heard horrible noises. Most of the Dai Li's heads had been cut off. A few of the taller ones were cut from about the mid shoulder. A few of the shorter ones heads had been cut in half. A few of them had ducked, including Long Feng, unfortunately.

"IROH, NOW!" I screamed. Iroh jumped up and made a massive wall of flame around us. Aang wasted no time and whistled for Appa. The bison flew in a few seconds later and landed in front of us. Everyone but Iroh started to climb in the saddle.

Ty Lee and I were about to climb in when we heard a strangled cough coming from behind us. We turned and saw Azula. She was unconscious, and struggling to breathe, but she was still alive! Ty Lee and I locked eyes, and nodded. We ran over to the unconscious princess and picked her up. We ran back over to Appa and climbed up his tail. Sokka and Katara looked at us like we were crazy. "What the fuck are you doing?!" Sokka screamed.

"No time!" I shouted. "Take off! NOW!"

"Appa, yip yip!" Aang cracked the reins. Appa soared into the sky. We didn't dare look back.


We made it above the clouds. Now we could fly in any direction and Long Feng wouldn't know which way to pursue. I turned to the unconscious and barely-breathing Azula. "Katara, please heal her." I said.

She narrowed her eyes. "Why?" She almost spat.

Ty Lee turned to her pleadingly. "Katara, please!" She begged. "Nobody deserves to die like this!"

Luckily, Ty Lee's puppy-dog eyes worked on everyone. Katara reluctantly pulled some water out of her pouch and tried to heal Azula. After a few seconds she shook her head. "It's not working." She said. "She has too many injuries. All her ribs are broken, her sternum is cracked, and her lungs and heart are badly damaged."

I don't know what sort of pity compelled me in that moment, but I knew what had to be done. "Katara." I said. "Use the Spirit Water."

Katara looked at me. "Are you sure?"

I locked eyes with her. "I need you to absolutely trust me." I said.

Katara's eyes widened. She nodded, and pulled the vial out from her dress. She opened it, and bent the glowing water over Azula's chest. A few seconds later, Katara's eyes widened. "It's working!" She said. A few seconds later, Azula gasped and opened her eyes, before quickly passing out again.

"She'll make it." Katara reported.

Well, some good news came today, at least.

Earth King Kuei looked over the back of the saddle at his city, heartbroken. "The Earth Kingdom has fallen." He said sadly.


Hours Later, Third Person POV

A knock on his bedroom door woke Fire Lord Ozai from his slumber. He quickly composed himself. It wouldn't do to look tired in front of anyone, even in the middle of the night. "Enter." He commanded.

A messenger walked in and prostrated himself. "Sire, a message for you from the Earth Kingdom."

Ozai nodded. "Give it to me."

The messenger complied. Ozai opened up the scroll. Azula's three-pronged hairpiece fell out. He read the letter.

"Fire Lord Ozai,

Princess Azula is dead. I managed to capture General Iroh, but the Avatar and the rest of his companions escaped on their bison. I know not where they went. I am bringing down the walls of the city to let in your troops.

-Long Feng."

So, the Avatar escaped, did he? No matter. With the right spin, he would rally the entire Fire Nation into a frenzy against him. He looked at the messenger. "Send for Propaganda Minister Soruk." He ordered. "At once."

AN: And that's the end of Book Two. I'll start work on Book Three immediately.