Unexpected Reunions

...

…Azula and Ty Lee came to a great Earth city. Azula recognized it from the time she conquered so long ago.

"Let's try the slides." Ty Lee said excitedly, pointing upward.

"Huh." Azula whispered as she looked at where Ty Lee pointed. She saw great stone slides on a building where different people were riding them on stone sleds.

"Up there, Azula." Ty Lee said excitedly. "It will be fun, let's go."

"Yes, Master." Azula said politely.

As Azula followed her Master, Ty Lee grew very excited. "This will be fun, Azula." She said excitedly. "I have not been on this ride for years." She suddenly grew grave.

Azula notice the graveness in her master. "You miss them, don't you?" She asked kindly.

"Yes." Ty Lee said. "Well now we can do it together. Do you have a means to pay?"

Azula took out a pouch from her belt. She took out several gems. "Good for trade, don't you think?" She asked sarcastically.

Ty Lee smiled. "Perfect."

...

Both women exited the stone slide. Ty Lee was grinning like a happy child while Azula blinked, perplexed by the sensation.

"Wasn't that great?" Ty Lee asked happily.

"Uh yeah." Azula conceded. Then another stone cart came down another slide not far from them.

Azula glance over and froze in shock.

The occupant was a brown haired woman. It was Rena, the genie she met a hundred years ago. The former Genie turned and blinked in surprise. She recognized Azula immediately.

"Well this is a surprise." Rena commented.

Azula glared murder at Rena. "Azula, are you alright?" Ty Lee asked, noticing the tension.

"I take it your Azula's master?" Rena asked.

Ty Lee froze. "How did you know that?" She asked.

Rena glanced around nervously. "Let's go somewhere private." She said. "Maybe my place."

Ty Lee glanced at Azula. "Let's go." Azula conceded. "It's not like she has-"

"Not here." Rena cut her off. "There are people.

Azula scowled, but relented.

"Yes, let's go to your place." Ty Lee agreed.

...

Entering an apartment room, Ty Lee and Azula looked around. It was very simple and basic.

"Nice place." Azula commented sourly.

"At least it's not a bottle." Rena countered.

Azula glared at Rena, Ty Lee touched Azula's shoulder. "Now come." She said slowly. She looked at Rena. "So how did you know about us?"

"Azula and I met a hundred years ago." Rena said.

"You were the Genie Azula found?" Ty Lee exclaimed.

"So Azula told you?" Rena guessed.

"Only that she found a genie bottle and choice her words wrong." Ty Lee explained.

"Yeah, she wasn't in her right mind when she wished for my powers." Rena said, eying Azula. "You've come a long way since we last met."

Azula huffed.

"So how are you still around?" Ty Lee said.

"Pardon?" Rena asked.

"If Azula got your powers, shouldn't you have grown old?" Ty Lee explained.

"Oh that." Rena realized. "I may have lost my powers, but I am not human like you. I retain my youth and little more than that while I remain in your world."

"Good for you?" Azula growled.

"What do you mean while you remain in your world?" Ty Lee asked.

"First tell me what do you know about Genies?" Rena asked.

"Only what Azula told me." Ty Lee explained. "They're a type of spirit who grants wishes to humans and the rules against certain wishes."

"So you don't know why spirits like me become Genies?" Rena asked.

Ty Lee shook her head.

"Punishment." Rena explained. "When a spirit defiles the Spirit World, some are sentenced to the human world to be imprisoned and to serve humans who find them. I was sentenced to five hundred years to your world."

"What did you do?" Ty Lee asked.

Rena's expression cold. "It's not for you a human to know what misdeeds a Spirit does." She said indignantly.

"Sorry." Ty Lee apologized.

"I spent the first three hundred years imprison in my bottle till...she found me." Rena glanced at Azula. "I have to say, I didn't know what to expect."

Azula frowned.

"Anyway," Rena continued, "Azula got my powers and my imprisonment. But since my term wasn't up, I had to live in your world it up." She smirked. "I guess the masters of the Spirit World didn't expect a human to wish for my fate."

"Very funny." Azula growled.

"So how long do you have?" Ty Lee asked.

"About one hundred years." Rena explained. "Then I can rejoin the Spirit World."

Azula eyed her surroundings. "So how is life as a mortal treating you?" She asked.

"Better than life as a genie." Rena said. "I do experience pain, hunger and such, even though I can't die. But at least I'm free. I've been a caretaker, an entertainer and a gardener. I still have a spark of my old powers."

Azula scowled. She had power, but what good was it if she couldn't use it for herself? As lowly as Rena was, she had it better than she did.

"Rena, question." Ty Lee started. "If I wished to free Azula, would you become a genie again?"

"No." Rena said. "My old powers would return to the Spirit World, waiting my return."

Azula eyed Ty Lee hopefully. Would she grant her freedom after all?

"You plan on freeing Azula?" Rena asked.

Azula tried to be impassive, but couldn't hide it.

"I am considering it." Ty Lee said. "I just wanted to make sure you won't suffer for it."

"Thanks." Rena said. "Very considerate for a human."

"Shall we be going master?" Azula asked, barely hiding her irritation.

"Where will you be staying?" Rena asked.

"I don't know yet." Ty Lee confessed.

"Well the landlord receives new tenants." She said. Noticing Azula's glare, she added. "Of course there are other places to stay."

"I think a new place is a good idea." Azula said stiffly.

"OK." Ty Lee said. "Nice meeting you, Rena."

"You too." Rena said.

Both women turned to leave.

...…

…At a simple apartment building, Ty Lee and Azula were examining their new room.

The room wasn't all that impressive. There were two beds, a stand, a table and an pantry. It was basic and simple.

Ty Lee smiled while Azula didn't seem all that impressed.

Ty Lee noticed Azula's scowl. Azula composed herself. "Anything I can do for you, Master?" She asked.

"Well I was wondering something." Ty Lee said. "Why don't you like Rena?"

Azula scowled. "She turned me into a genie." She said, her eyes narrowed.

"She was only granting your wish." Ty Lee countered.

Azula groaned. "I know." She growled. "I just…"

"She's a bad memory?" Ty Lee guessed.

"How do you know?" Azula demanded.

"I may be a teenager again, but I have decades of experience." Ty Lee reminded her. "Wisdom comes with age."

Azula pouted. "Is it alright if I explore the city, Master?" She asked, bowing her head.

"Of course you can." Ty Lee said kindly. "Just don't cause trouble."

"As you wish." Azula said as she exited the room.

…...

The sun had set. The City was largely deserted. A figure entered the city. Chari's eyes narrowed as she eyed her relic.

"It's here." She whispered, following the mystic vibrations in it. She then headed through streets, past various houses. Then she came to one in particular building.

She came to the door and magically unlocked it. She then walk through the main hall and into the main hall. She headed for the staircase, passing the a few doors and stopped at one. She waved her hand at the door and it unlocked. Silently entering the small room, she looked around. In a bed lay a teenage girl fast a sleep. Using the relic, she went over to some stuff and looked through it. Then she found the bottle.

Smiling wickedly, she took a bottle in her hands.

Across from her, Ty Lee stirred and suddenly awoke. Chari turned and noticed Ty Lee beginning to awaken. With a gust of wind, Chari ran out of the room and down the stairs.

Ty Lee awoke with a start. "What?" She gasped. She noticed the open door, and grew afraid. "What happened?" She then noticed that the genie bottle was missing. "Oh no." She whispered.

…

…Azula was sitting on a hill outside the city, looking around. She was in a semblance of peace when suddenly she felt…dreadful…as if something terrible had happen.

"Something's happened." She murmured uneasily. Then she felt her magic stir. "Ty Lee is calling me." She said, as turned into a mist and flew across the land faster than the wind. She reappeared in an open area. "Ty Lee why are-" Azula stopped in mid-sentence, her eyes wide with shock.

"Hello genie." Chari said mockingly. "Didn't expect to see me again, did you?"

"Where's Ty Lee?" Azula demanded. "What have you done to her."

"Silence." Chari snapped. "I'm your master and you are my slave. Understand?"

Azula froze reluctantly. She had no choice. She could only serve the one who held the bottle. "Yes, master." She said, choking on her words.

"Good." Chari said approvingly. "As for your old master, she is alive and well. But she better not get in my way."

Azula winched. Chari had the ruthlessness of a firebender. And it was scary.

...

Ty Lee was running through the town, she had to find Azula. Suddenly Rena came up.

"Ty Lee." She said.

"Rena." Ty Lee gasped. "someone stole my bottle and has Azula."

"Yes, I know." Reni said grimly. "I sensed something bad had happened and knew what had to be done."

"What do we do?" Ty Lee said.

"I can find her." Rena said. "All spiritual stuff emanated mystical auras. I can track hers." She closed her eyes and focused. "This way."

Both women took off.

...…

…Chari walked down a pathway, her mind churning. The Avatar was far away. All she had to do was get to her destination, lure the Avatar into a deserted area and make her wish. Then she could conceal her away, fulfilling her agreement and enjoy all the advantages her new genie would give.

Chari went to a stump where her bag was. She took out a stick with a button. Pressing the button, the stick turned into a glider.

Suddenly she heard a sound. She turned and saw two women running towards her.

"That's her." Rena shouted.

Ty Lee ran towards Chari with the agility of a deer. Chari airbended, causing her glider and herself to rise into the air.

Ty Lee grabbed a rock as she ran and threw it at Chari, it stuck her left hand, causing her to lose control and to crash.

Ty Lee ran at the fallen Airbender. Chari snarled as he swung her fist, pushing Ty Lee back with a great wind.

Rena ran at Chari who generated a burst of wind at Ren who swerved out of the way, getting closer to the savage airbender. Chari jumped twenty feet in the air, dodging Rena's attack.

Ty Lee reached the fallen glider and smashed it. Chari eyes widen in shock followed by hatred.

She rubbed the bottle and Azula appeared, her face tense.

"Destroy them!" Chari demanded.

Azula froze in horror and to her surprise, didn't obey. Then she smiled.

"Destroy them!" Chari said.

"I can't master." Azula sneered. "I am not allowed to kill."

Ty Lee acrobatically leaped at Chari and chi-blocked her, causing the airbender to fell to the ground disorientated.

"Azula, are you alright?" Ty Lee asked.

"I'm fine, master." Azula assured the young woman.

"Please just call me Ty Lee." Ty Lee told the fire bending genie.

Rena went over to Ty Lee and looked down at Chari. "There is dark art at work." She said, going over to Chari and pulled out of her person a wand.

"What is it?" Ty Lee asked.

"It's a mystic charm." Azula said frowning. "Meant to track me. That's how she found me. She got it from the dark spirits."

"Dark spirits?" Ty Lee asked.

"You know, demons." Rena said. "They like to ruin things in your world and the Spirit World. They are usually imprisoned, but have ways of escaping and causing havoc."

"Obviously this peasant made a deal with them." Azula added. "She wanted me to serve her."

Ty Lee eyed the immobilized airbender at her feet. Suddenly she struck her again. "She was recovering from my strikes." Ty Lee said desperately.

"You think that will stop me." Chari snarled, barely standing. "I have powers you don't. I will get your genie no matter where you'll hide."

"Azula, I wish she will never find us." Ty Lee shouted.

Azula felt inhibited. "I can't do that." She said. "Her power comes from the Spirit World. She will always find us."

Suddenly a gust of wind knocked Ty Lee down.

"The bottle is mine!" Chari shouted as she struggled to her feet..

On the ground, Ty Lee struggled to her feet. "No you won't." She said, holding the bottle close to her. "Azula, I wish you were free of the bottle."

"What?" Azula said, not believing what she was hearing.

"NOOOO!" Chari said, struggling to stand and attack Ty Lee.

"Azula, you are free." Ty Lee repeated.

Azula felt magic surge through her as she glowed with a red light. Ty Lee and Rena stared in awe while Chari stared in pure horror.

The flow stopped and Azula examined her hands. Frowning, she conjured up a ball of fire, but nothing else. "I don't have magic anymore." She exclaimed. "I'm free."

"NO" Chari shouted, her face full of fear. "You've ruined everything. Every-"

THA-BOOOM! A portal appeared and generated a shockwave that struck everyone. A mist as black as ink came out of the portal and several dark entities flew out of the portal, howling.

The dark spirits began to circle Chari like flying snakes. "Please, please." She begged. "Mercy."

A demonic mask appeared before her. "Mercy?" It asked darkly. "I have no understanding of mercy."

A dark hand appeared under the Mask. It gestured and suddenly the black mist zoomed at Chari, wrapping her in its darkness. The airbender screamed in terror as the black mist carried her to the portal.

Ty Lee ran at the dark spirits.

"Ty Lee, NO!" Rena shouted.

A dark figure struck at Ty Lee, knocking her down. "Stay back." the spirit snarled. "This is none of your affair."

"Ty Lee, don't interfere." Rena said grimly. "She sold her soul to them. We can't interfere."

"Please, help me." Chari pleaded, struggling against the darkness holding her.

"We can't just let them take her." Ty Lee protested.

"I'm sorry, Ty Lee." Rena said grimly. "the deal she made with them is binding and unbreakable. She is beyond saving."

Ty Lee looked like she wanted to argue, but couldn't. Chari screamed as the spirits pulled her into the portal. Her final screamed echoed as the portal closed and the dark mist cleared.

Ty Lee stared in horror at the place the portal was. Rena just stood there with grim disgust. Across from them, Azula swallowed. She knew what awaited Chari in the Spirit World.

Rena was the first to speak. "Well that's that." She said awkwardly. "So what do you two plan on doing now?"

Azula examined her hands. Ty Lee looked at her. "Azula, are you alright?" She asked.

"I don't know." Azula confessed. "Ever since I got stuck in that lamp all those years ago, I wanted to be free. Now I don't know what to do."

Ty Lee touched Azula's arm encouragingly. "We'll start over." She said. "Suki, Sokka, and the others are gone. You're all I have left."

Azula smiled, touched by the sentiment.

"Well I'll be leaving you, kids." Rena said. "I doubt I can handle this much sentiment."

Azula frowned, while Ty Lee smiled.

...

To Be Continued

Author's Note. I thought it would be interesting to see Rena again.

Chari's fate was largely inspired by the fate of Rasputin in the film Anastasia and the Shadow Man from Disney's the Frog Princess.

I am thinking that my story plot is faulty and should be redone. But for now, I'm leaving it the way it is and continuing. Maybe one day I'll take it down and make a new improved version of the story.