I do not own PJO or A:TLA

Chapter 32

So the Fire Lord wasn't dead after all.

After Percy had landed the giant airship, they all trouped out to a much different Aang than before. He looked older, and at peace. His grey eyes filled with hope and wisdom with the fallen Fire Lord at his feet.

"Did you... you know, finish the job?" Suki asked weakly, pointing at the Fire Lord.

"I'm still alive..." He growled, turning to scowl at her.

"I took his bending away. For good." Aang said calmly.

Percy was impressed. He didn't even know people could do that.

"Maybe we should call you Lord of the LOSERS!" Sokka gloated over the fallen king.

Percy walked up beside Aang, both of their shirts had been lost during the fight. The two boys looked on at the landscape that had been their battlefield and home to war.

"You doin' okay?" Percy asked him.

Aang looked at him strangely. His eyes were so big and calm. "Yeah, I think I am."

"War is scary, man... I understand how you feel, I don't know how you're even standing right now."

Aang shook his head and stood tall. "I feel like... I had a chance to avenge my people. The Fire Nation killed them, slaughtered them because they didn't have a military and taught peace and mercy. But I couldn't. I thought that made me weak, everyone was telling me I had to become like them and kill Ozai. But now I realize... I think that made me stronger. I know what kind of Avatar I am and I think it was the right way to start of this new era of peace."

Percy reached out and threw his arm around Aang's shoulders. "You did good, buddy. I'm proud of you."

"Thanks... I also unlocked my last chakra and made contact with my Avatar spirit. I have control of it now."

"So... what does that mean?"

"Well, I can go into the Spirit World and find the spirit wall, no problem. They have to listen to me now, and I don't have to worry about taking time away because the comet is gone."

"Oh..." Percy suddenly felt shy. He had been trying to go home since he got here but he didn't realize how attached he had become, not only to the people but to the world. He liked Momo and Appa, the food, the weird clothes, the culture and the bending. It made home in New York just seem so unorganized and boring, monsters and all. "We don't have to do that now. There's still a lot of work to be done. Shouldn't we go find Zuko anyways?"

Aang nodded, understanding in his eyes.

They secured Ozai, because even without his bending his was still a full grown man with considerable strength and agility, and loaded him into the warship.

Sokka and Toph both hugged Aang tightly as soon as the ship had taken off.

"You scared us, when you disappeared." Sokka muttered. "We're glad you're okay."

"Yeah, Twinkle Toes. You really know how to make the end of the world even more dramatic."

When they landed, Sokka limped to Katara while leaning on Suki and hugged her tightly. "You're okay! How did you guys beat Azula?"

The daughter of the fallen Fire Lord was chained to the floor, tears streaked her open-mouthed sobbing face.

"Zuko challenged her to an Agni-kai!"

"You did WHAT?" Sokka rounded on him. "And WON?"

Katara nodded and slipped her arms under Sokka to help support him. "Yes, he was doing so well. I've never seen fire bending like it before, but then Azula shot lightning at me and-"

"Azula did what now?" Aang demanded, stepping forward angrily, his whole face darkening.

"Aang, it's okay. Zuko jumped in front of it and saved me. He took the lightning for me." She held out the arm that wasn't supporting Sokka to Aang while Zuko blushed in the background.

He went up and hugged her fiercely.

"I'm glad you came back, Aang."

"I'm glad you didn't get shot by lightning."

He looked up at Zuko and nodded, and everything he wanted to say was understood. Zuko nodded back and clutched his damaged chest.

He looked back at the burning city and the dark red palace that now belonged to him. He looked at his broken kingdom and sighed.

Like him, the kingdom was scared and angry and in disgrace. But he saw redemption in it's future, just like Iroh had seen in him.

"We've won... we've really won."

He guys! Sorry it's so short again! We're almost done here. Few more chapters.

I think, after this, I'm going to write a Tokka story... Because, idk, THAT'S MY SHIP.

Peace out, homies.