Epilogue: Cycles

"We're part of a story, part of a tale.

We're all on this journey, no one's to stay.

Where ever it's going, what is the way?

We're part of a story, part of a tale.

Sometimes beautiful and something insane.

No one remembers how it began."

From the Song "Never-Ending Story" by Within Temptation

15 years later...

Zuko couldn't help but sigh in frustration at the problem before him. He'd ordered, yelled, threatened, and had even caved and tried offering treats. Nothing would get this girl to go to her history lessons!

Thankfully whenever the five year old went missing it was easy enough to find her. She'd either be with her Grandpa Iroh demanding story after story or down at the beach.

Having spotted her playing in the waves Zuko sighed. If he hadn't trusted Katara about the swimming lessons she'd given their daughter he would've panicked about her being down here by herself. The little girl just seem to love water though.

"Aanja Mari!" He said as sternly as he could. He would get through to her this time, he told himself as he crossed his arms over his chest and did his best to look displeased.

It was hard to to when the one you were trying to frown at just had to blink big blue eyes at you to make you her slave though.

Aanja stood up straight and kept her arms hiding behind her looking guilty. "Hi Daddy."

Zuko did his best to glare. "Aren't you suppose to be in a history lesson right now?"

It never failed to amuse him when she made faces he'd seen in the mirror years ago. It crumbled his resolve to be firm and disciplinary with her.

"Your lucky I was coming to cancel your lesson since we have visitors."

Aanja brightened in an instant. "Uncle Sokka and Auntie Toph?" She asked hopefully.

Zuko grinned. "And your Auntie Mari."

Aanja cheered and grabbed her father's hand. "Come on Daddy let's go!"

Zuko shook his head and got tugged along. It sometimes marveled him how much having a child changed someone's life.

Life had certainly changed in the last fifteen years. The old Fire Palace had been demolished on his orders. People had been whispering that an Avatar dying there caused it to be cursed. Reality was not far as Zuko did not wish to live in a place with so many bad memories.

So they had built a new Palace. It was smaller but as Katara had stated time and again, there was little sense in a large building with lots of empty rooms. They had built it near the water so Katara would feel a bit more at home with the ocean nearby.

Aanja's happy shrieking pulled him from his thoughts as he watched her charge at Sokka. The water warrior gave a huge smile and scooped the little girl onto his shoulders.

"Auntie Toph isn't my cousin ready to come out yet?" Aanja was asking as Zuko got to them.

Toph grinned at her. "I think they're scared to come out. They know what a tough mommy they're going to have."

"I think they're more scared of having Sokka for a father." Zuko stated.

"Hey I'll be a great father!" Sokka yelled.

"Don't worry I'm whipping him into shape." Toph stated with a smile completely ignoring Sokka's remark.

Zuko grinned at the pair. It had taken time for Toph to convince Sokka that she was the best thing to happen to him but Zuko was glad the pair was finally getting settled. He had been needing fresh ammunition to use on Sokka for awhile now.

As Sokka started listing the reasons he would make such a good dad Zuko spied Mari talking with Katara and cooing over their latest edition who was currently yanking on his mother's hair.

"Silly Haroh." Zuko said taking him from Katara's arms carefully. "No pulling Mommy's hair out." He told the little bundle of joy, who proceeded to gurgle happily at him with amber eyes and attempt to latch onto the firebender's hair.

Katara smiled at him as they headed for the garden. Aanja lead the way chattering happily.

Zuko smiled as they stepped in. This was the only place he had decided to keep from the old palace. It wasn't a perfect replica but Ursa had still don't wonders. Of course he still occasionally had issues with the turtle-ducks but seeing Aanja feeding them made him tolerate them.

Iroh was sitting under a tree when they came in and smiled. "Let me see my grand child there!" He said and raised his arms.

"You had him most of the day yesterday." Zuko said with a glare.

Iroh simply chuckled. "But you have guests to speak to and entertain."

Zuko simply gave a long suffering sigh and handed Hakoh over. "Your gonna spoil him as rotten as Aanja you know."

Iroh got an evil grin on his face and proceeded to bounce the baby happily on his knee.

"Grandpa Iroh tell me a story." Aanja said sitting down with him. "I want to hear the pirate one again!"

"Pirate one?" Katara said giving Iroh a look.

Iroh reddened and gave a nervous smile, mothers were a fearsome bunch and he really didn't want Katara to be after him. "Maybe we'll save the story for later Aanja."

"We'll talk later." Katara said with a threatening glare before turning and following Zuko back to the others.

"...no sign then." Zuko was saying when she got there.

Sokka shook his head. "Not even a bit. The Sages keep saying that the kids picking the toy out of the pile is the best way but I seriously am starting to wonder."

"Well Sen did say it would be a while till the Avatar returned." Toph stated.

"Yeah, we're lucky you found that relic in the first place Mari. Pity the rest were destroyed." Katara said.

Mari simply shrugged and grinned. "Who would've though a clay turtle flute would be so important huh?

"I don't know. Aanja thinks the world of hers." Zuko stated. "Have to pry it out of her hands in order to get her to go to bed."

Everyone chuckled at the mental picture of little Aanja having to be pinned and robbed by Zuko and Katara.

"You know you'd probably have an easier time getting it away from her if Sweetness stopped teaching her waterbending moves." Toph said.

Zuko blinked and looked at Katara but looked as confused as he was.

"Toph I haven't been teaching Aanja waterbending." She said.

Toph now blinked in confusion. "What do you mean? She's doing some right now by Iroh. Hakoh is cackling about it."

Everyone suddenly looked at each other wide eyed.

"No way." Sokka said in disbelief.

The cycle will pick up where it left off. The next Avatar will be a waterbender Katara, no need to fret.

Each of them could just hear Sen's words as they all went back to Iroh and the children.

As Toph had stated Aanja was waterbending. She'd made tiny balls of ice and was making them float just out of Hakoh's reach. Her tongue stuck out in concentration.

Iroh looked over at the sudden arrivals. "Zuko why didn't you tell me Aanja was a waterbender."

The little girl's concentration broke and the small chucks of ice turned back into water and splattered against Iroh and Hakoh.

"I did nothing!" She said and pulled her hand behind her in a guilty gesture.

"No no sweetie." Katara said kneeling down so she could look her daughter in the eyes through her tears. "It's not a bad thing. It was beautiful. Why didn't you tell us about this?"

Aanja looked at the ground and dug her toe into the dirt a bit. "Tomi from across the street said that if your not a fire bender your not suppose to be in the Fire Nation."

Katara scowled angrily. People would simply always hide behind their walls of separation it seemed.

Zuko crouched down as he snorted. "Well Tomi is an idiot. Your mother lives here and she's a waterbender. Shows how much Tomi knows."

Aanja seem to mentally chew on this as if still unsure.

"You want to know something else?" Katara added. "Everyone is really part of one nation. We all live on this world together, even if some people think we're separate."

Zuko wrapped a hand in Katara's. "We're all connected Aanja."

Aanja chewed a bit more then nodded. "Tomi is pretty stupid..."

Zuko couldn't help but chuckle at her simple logic. "Now how about you show us what all you've learned hmm?"

When Sokka, Toph, and Mari left that night Zuko made it a point to send out some messenger hawks to the Earth King and the Northern tribes.

The Avatar had returned.

Note from the Author:

Holy cow! It's all there!?

I should probably tell you guys. This is the first actual written tale I've actually finished. Normally I get like half way through and wind up stopping for whatever reason. The story stays in my head but I never write any more.

I feel all accomplished!

I'm kicking around the idea of writting and posting what I call my Avatar: Origins story line. It would be set centuries before the actual show and would be the tale of Kane, Zairia, and Sen. Sadly there wouldn't be any of our favorite characters in it though and it occurs to me though that people might not really want to read it then. Even if I do write it.

What do you guys think? Should I put it up here or leave it in the archives? Let me know!