Disclaimer- Nope. Sorry. I don't own our beloved Avatar. Just this story plot.
AN: The weekend Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows came out, I was reading. I was reading it slow on purpose because I knew that I'd be sad when it was over. You know, being the 7th and last book of my favorite series. I was actually crying right when I finished. I really couldn't believe it. I hate it you know, when a great story ends. C'mon. You guys probably know how I feel. There has probably been some great tale out there, or series that made you extremely sad when it was over, when the whole thing was over. And that's how I'll feel when Avatar is over, probably crying. I actually can't believe I'm writing this, but I feel the urge to do so.

So for those fellow Harry Potter fans, or supporters of The Boy Who Lived against Lord Voldemort, I present to you my short fanfic, called After the End. I'll tell you when I post it under the Harry Potter section of fanfiction. Thank you for taking the time to read this.

I CAN'T WAIT FOR SEAON THREE! THE TRAILER ROCKS!!!


Previously, on Avatar…

"I will teach you how to control fire. Although you know how to, this is different. You can make the flames move from out of you and shoot fire from your fingertips. Now learn to actually control it within the palm of your hand. Create it, move it, make it grow, and finally dim it out," All the fighting among Katara, Toph and Sokka ceased. They gained interest. "Be cautious, young one. For this may sound simple enough, but is actually one of the hardest steps to becoming a master firebender."

Aang nodded slowly, "Anything."

"Let us begin. Assume stance."

-cut to Sokka and Katara talking on Appa-

Sokka's smile faded when he knew he wouldn't get a response. He just nodded at her and looked away toward the moon, Appa's fur rubbing against his clothing as they soared ever so high.

"…You can tell me, Katara, when you are ready. Just remember, we all want to know what happened to our best friend and all we know is that Azula did something with lightning to him, but not really much. Katara, this may be hard for you, but you need to get this off your chest somehow. Aang doesn't even know."

-cut to inside Aang's thoughts with his and Roku's conversation-

"Aang. This danger is more than just of the one that is in you and your friends' path, it is one of your own and of us. You were hit down, in the Avatar State. You do know what this means. But you were healed by the young waterbender traveling with you."

"Katara."

"Yes, but you have to understand. Even though you were struck in the Avatar State, you were indeed saved. But because of the seriousness of the injury, you will not be able to enter the state till you have to. And when I say this, more of forced to."

-cut to the gang asleep on Appa-

"Avatar…Iroh, So pleased to meet you once again. And what a lovely evening it is for a reunion."


The sudden sleepiness that engulfed the team was sucked out of them by the surprise appearance. Katara was the first to awaken from her slumber.

"Azula," she whispered, getting up into a fighting stance.

It was near dawn and the sky was loosing its darkness. The sun was rising. One by one, the rest of the gang arose and prepared for the intense battle that was to come, for behind the princess appeared Mai and Ty Lee.

A sly smirk formed across Azula's face. "Do you really think that you can escape me that easily? Flying just above the mountains and sleeping on the ledges? That is a good plan, I admit, but not good enough."

Sokka turned to Toph, "Yea, nice going! My plan for the Crawler's Pass was better!"

"Yea?" Toph whispered heavily in reply, "Well at least mine didn't involve fighting a giant canyon crawler or a serpent that could've almost drowned us!"

"SILENCE!" The crowd looked surprised when the two stopped their bickering all at once.

Azula began to pace around the camp with her hands clasped behind her and her back straight.

In a slender but manufactured tone, she spoke. "I don't think you fully understand the gravity of your situation. Your lives are at stake here, but you see? There's always a price to letting your guard down."

"What do you want Azula?" Katara shouted with a stern tone.

Aang held onto his staff even tighter now. He knew there was something that was wrong, but he couldn't put his finger on it.

She narrowed her eyes. "Look, I don't have time for your questions, girl. But I do have a proposal."

There was a pause as the minds of all of who just heard the princess speak. Their minds were swimming with every possible idea they could think of.

"Give me Iroh and I'll be off. I will completely avoid you."

Everyone could feel the air picking up.

"THAT'S A LIE!" Aang held his staff more forward for emphasis as he yelled his loudest; knowing perfectly well that was he said was true.

She turned to the airbender, hands still behind her back and smiled. "Now, there is no reason to lie. Hand over my uncle and all will be over."

"Never."

Katara shot a glance at her brother and he nodded in his friend's defense. The effect rippled to Toph and his sister, all knowing that they couldn't let Iroh go. Their stances became steadier and they readied themselves for battle.

"I don't think that we'll let you have him easily Azula," Aang widened his front stance, "…because if we did, well, then I suppose we'd be on your side then."

"Is that a threat, Avatar?"

"No. It's a proposal."

"Erah," she growled. The evil firebender was even angrier now as she shot a blue fire bolt at her opponent.

Realization struck the rest of the team. They sprung into action, fighting their way through every corner in defense. Katara and Sokka bumped into each other's back as they each threw out some sort of punch.

Sokka quickly glanced at his sister, "What do you think about what Aang meant by 'proposal?'"

He flung his boomerang at Ty Lee's wrist as she was about to hit Toph.

"What do you mean?" Katara used the water whip on every one of Mai's flying weapons aimed at her.

"Just thinking," catching his club in one arm, he swung underneath to Ty Lee's legs and tripped her with it. "Do you think he meant 'proposal' as in 'I'm going to marry you,' sort of thing?"

Katara was almost tempted to slap her forehead at his stupid comment but kept on deflecting the girl's attacks. When she finally saw an opening, she formed ice around Mai's arm and flipped her over hard.

With a loud noise, she dropped on her back as Katara was just finishing bending the water back into her pouch.

-

Meanwhile, Toph and Iroh were almost in sync with each other's moves. The elder man with his unusually muscular arms skidded sideways and he looked as if he was a windmill when he shot flames out of his clenched wrists.

With each strike she made, Toph became more aware of her stomping rocks from side to side. Poking her fists in toward the sky, she felt Ty Lee's vibrations come to her. And a swing of a boulder flew to her face and seemed to knock her off her feet.

Clearly satisfied with her work, Toph created a smirk that shone across her dirtied face. "Have a nice trip! See you next fall!" The blind girl shouted with a grin still plastered on and her eyes looked blankly into those of Ty Lee's.

"But it's not even fall!"

Katara actually smacked her forehead when her ears caught the odd conversation between the two enemies.

"No duh!"

The overly happy girl that seemed discombobulated at the outburst. "…So how can you see me next fall if it's not even fall? It makes no sense! I mean, it's obviously summer outside, so it's definitely not this autumn weather you keep talking about. I'm confused."

"Well obviously," Toph responded.

"So explain!"

"I'm not explaining a thing! There's nothing to explain! It's a cleverly thought out joke! DON'T YOU GET IT?!" Toph yelled at the top of her lungs.

"Um," Ty Lee faltered a bit, "Uh, no."

Sokka barged in to their colloquy with a bash of boomerang at Ty Lee's arm. "Wait, Toph. How is that a 'cleverly well thought of joke' if it was already in the joke book for practically FOREVER!"

Another thud occurred when the girl cart wheeled herself of the ground. Rain was beginning to cascade to the ground as the conflict ensued.

"That's why the joke is so awesome." Toph almost back-flipped when Katara ran seemingly close to her to shoot a water whip at Mai.

The Water Tribe warrior was now crashing to the ground after a series of undoubtedly weakening punches hit his good boomerang elbow from the likes of Ty Lee. "Right, Toph. And I'm a horrible fighter." He replied sarcastically with a quick fall to the ground.

"Yea," she smirked, "You pretty much are."

The battle raged on and more blows were thrown at every which way, but no one seemed to pay attention to what was happening between Azula and Aang.

-

He was pointing his staff threateningly at the Fire Nation Princess. Aang was in a steadier horse stance than the beginning and kept his face stern. He had just narrowly avoided getting hit by yet another bolt of lightning that was life threatening and was breathing faster than his normal pace. The bandages underneath his tattered clothing seemed to rattle with horrible recognition from the battle the lied under Ba Sing Se.

"There is no stopping me once I've started, Avatar. I will have what I came for and there's nothing you can do to stop me." Azula had her two fingers pointed at Aang.

"What do you want with Iroh?"

There was a dramatic pause, possibly to gather anticipation, she did not respond right away to his question.

"What more is there to know? He is a wanted fugitive of the Fire Nation and a criminal of treason against the Firelord."

Aang's eyebrows knitted tightly together. "You didn't answer my question."

"Let's just say, father needs him in order to…keep him out of harms way."

"Oh you LIAR!" He stepped forward a little more but it was like he shook the earth beneath them when he stood.

Azula found her manufactured smile across her face and turned effectively with a strong force to him and shot a blue flame right to his head.

Aang blocked this assault using his staff and turning it in a rapid motion. Flipping over her head, she swiveled to her back and blasted a strong gust of wind. With her toppling forward, he took his chance to use earthbending to shield himself with a stone tent.

Azula caught herself before she fell all the way over and stood to see the Avatar protecting himself. Aang pushed his arms forward with a flick of his wrist and rock began to soar to her.

She wasn't hit at all. Still with a sickening smile on her face, Azula burst from the tips of two of her fingers, a zigzagging lightning bolt at what was left of the earthen structure and the blow sent him flying into a lone boulder.

A loud, thundering crash was heard all across the small battle field and all who were there seemed to turn their heads to what was amidst them.

Sokka was getting worn out by all the punches Ty Lee kept throwing at him and eventually fell to the floor, exhausted from getting hit so much.

Toph was knocked to the side of the fight, forced to stay put or she'll fall off the cliff if she moved or even fought or earthbended more. It was that, or get knocked unconscious by Ty Lee's chi-blocking moves. She was trapped.

Katara was pinned to the side of a nearby tree by some of Mai's weapons with her wrist bands hooked and unable to bend any water to save her life.

All seemed hopeless and lost. Everyone was down. The rain was growing stronger by the second, thrashing itself upon the scorched ground. Everything was still and every person was watching to see what might occur next.

Kuei, who was clearly being ignored, stood there behind his bear, Bosco and had a look of fear smothered across his face. He and his pet were very near Appa and all had wide eyes at what had just occurred. Iroh was standing still, not daring to move a muscle or even flinch. He knew hat the battle was seemingly lost but had a feeling that it was not over.
Thunder flashed across the sky but the flames of the fight were still lit and burning on the nearby trees.

Aang slowly stood up, shaken from the sudden blast toward him from Azula.

"You've lost, Avatar. You are sleep deprived and weak. There is no way any of you can defeat us. You might as well give up now and hand over my uncle." The princess looked at him with a terrible glare that seemed to pierce right through to his thoughts.
He made an angry expression appear in his face, staff out of hold, he calmly picked it up from the floor beside his feet. "This battle isn't over."

"That is where you are wrong."

She blasted a hot blue flame at him and he began to dodge. As he landed on his side with his left fist stuck in the ground due to some of his advanced earthbending, he caught himself with his other hand when he flicked his left wrist at Azula and rocks began to avalanche themselves unnaturally.

Thrown off into a thick fallen tree branch, she gasped when the blow made contact.

Ty Lee moved to help her companion and struggled to pull Azula upright. Just then, Toph realized that she was no longer trapped on the cliff and moved forward to help Aang.

Azula growled in frustration when the earthbender charged to her.

"Ty Lee, make up for your actions and disarm the girl," the princess straightened, "I will take care of the Avatar."

The chi-blocker nodded forcibly at her and her face transformed from slightly happy that what one should be, into a fierce scowl.

Although she could not see it, Toph could feel Ty Lee running towards her with fists raised and ready to punch her off balance. But before her opponent could even throw something at her, Toph struck with all her willpower and pushed one of her feet onto the ground, sinking Ty Lee like the hard floor was quicksand until all that was left showing was her head.

She began to squirm with fear when the rest of her body was stuck in the ground, she couldn't move. Toph just smirked at her face one last time before she felt Azula throw a bolt of lightning at no one in particular. She felt it as her chance to free the others while she could and got to work as soon as possible.

Through all the blasts of fire and air, she managed to get through to Katara, whom he decided to rescue first because she was the first bender she could think of that could help.

As Aang shot a fire ball at Azula, the princess flipped in midair.

"So, my fuddy-duddy uncle has actually taught you something. I thought that he was too much of a coward to teach anyone, let alone the Avatar to fight with my family's native element. I suppose he's taught you how to sit there and do nothing but move it?" Azula's determined expression shone through the firelight as if it hit Aang in the face.

He swiped out air with his staff at her and turned in at the spot. "He has a good reason for it. Why do you care anyway? You can't learn discipline to save your life!"

"Are you calling me uncouth, Avatar? Do you think I'm stupid? A firebending prodigy, they call me. So why are you trying so hard to break me to pieces?"

At this, Aang was getting infuriated at Azula. "Look what you've done, Azula. Destroying the Earth Kingdom, out searching to get rid of your own family! Tell me now how all of what I've just said is discipline."

"The Fire Nation triumphs even with you as the head of the other elements…and to put things in their place, you are the one who failed. In the long run, you are weak, powerless, and defenseless. But what am I? I am-"

"-A sick coward. You run away from weakness. What good is a leader if they don't have weaknesses, Azula? It is you who is weak, not me."

She kicked a light blue cluster of fire to his face.

-

Frantically prying the metal weapons off of Katara's wristbands, Toph was almost tempted to earthbend at the tree she was stuck to. She had just recently knocked Mai out of the way and was in the process of freeing her friends.

With one final tug, Katara was set free and she rubbed her wrists and thanked Toph. She followed her to Sokka who was lying on the ground nearby and they both knelt down.

Toph was pulling at his arms to try and get him to stand up. "C'mon Snoozles! Twinkle Toes might need our help and we won't be much assistance with you lying around. Get your big butt up or I'll earthbend you to Earth Rumble Six!"

He stood up with some difficulty, but by this time, his sister Katara had already healed his numerous punched spots.

"Gee Toph. I didn't know you had such a temper." Sarcasm was oozing out of his voice as Sokka said it.

Toph punched him in his arm.

"OW! Hey Katara just healed that!"

"Too bad, I was sort of savoring the moment. Want me to punch you again? Kick you? Or maybe shoot a boulder up your nose?"

BOOM. Another intimidating sound rang in their ears.

Katara was getting worried for Aang. Her voice quavered a little, and then she said, "Quit it you guys. We've got to hurry up. Let's get Iroh."

The three of them quietly raced themselves to face the old man and the earth king, both of whom were standing next to Appa. They had absolutely no difficulty whatsoever to try to convince him to come, because the instant he saw them coming, he burst forward in a fighting stance and they swiftly followed him.

"HEY! What about me?" Kuei was sprinting into the fray as quickly as his pampered feet could take him and dragged Bosco by the ear along with him.

-

Aang was thrown back by a blast of fire at his chest, but he managed to block the most of it with a quick reflex of breaking his opponent's root in firebending.

Standing farther back, her let out a deep breath and jumped into the air, pushing his legs off along with the rest of his body as be fiercely kicked an attack of flames from both his feet.

Azula deflected the assault with his forearms.

Loud noises could be heard in their background and people were clearly coming into view. Azula let out a sort of exasperated grunt when she saw that it was that was coming towards them and became more or less infuriated.

Katara, Toph, Sokka, Iroh and the earth king came swiftly in their wake as the rain kept flowing from the gray skies.

Aang smirked at his enemy. It showed clearer and clearer by the second that she was getting angry at the persistence of his friends and himself.

She turned to him in a fast motion, not stopping to throw another blow at him. Aang reeled back while he ducked underneath it and brought a disturbance in the ground using earthbending to knock Azula off balance. And knock her it did, for she was seen awkwardly toppling off to the side as Katara instinctively water whipped the princess's cascading arm into a trapped orb of water so that she could not firebend with it. Katara flipped her, but Azula broke the fall with a firebending blast that blew Katara of her feet and the water came falling down to the ground.

Aang used his chance, eyes wide at what his opponent just completed doing; he stared at Katara who only nodded at him. He nodded back and waterbended the fallen liquid to make it float in midair. Aang controlled it to hit Azula's aiming hand constantly and he grabbed her by the ankle using it, but she only let herself free.

Through all the crashes and thuds, Katara watched he fight over her shoulder as she stood up, her hair soaked. She turned to see Toph, who was fruiously battling Mai and Sokka who was tugging at the earth king's robes to help him move faster to he scene.

Suddenly, a terrible electric noise coursed through the air, like a powerful crunch when it made contact.
The Avatar lay unconcious upon the ground.

Eyes widening, those who could see saw a terrible sight.
Toph turned her head toward the sound. "What the EFF was that?!" Realizing what just happend, mostly because of Katara's and Sokka's yells ("AANG!"), she almost slapped herself. She felt the vibrations on the ground...didn't she? Struck hard with realization, she ran to the spot in full speed only to be ferociously grabbed by the arms by an unknown figure.

"That lightning must of been a flare! A signal to the rest of the soldiers!" Iroh was in a fighting stance once again, arms up in front of his face.

Azula's attack not only signaled the rest of her cronies, but also was used to make an assault on Aang, who was still sprawled out on the floor with is arms spread-eagled in and odd angle. Soon, the mountain ridge was stampeded with crunching sounds from the feet of Fire Nation Soldiers. They were surrounded and trapped...again.

"Uh!" Sokka was then in the process in being pulled back by a couple of hands then his arms were being tied in difficult knots behind his back. "Great," he said in an exasperated tone of voice. He tilted his head to the side to see a bound up earthbender. He sighed. "This is sure to be wonderful."
He then saw his sister and Iroh getting knotted, their legs and arms were tied possibly because they were both benders.

Azula smiled a sort of rotten sneer. She turned her body to the unconcious Avatar who obviously couldn't hear her. "I told you, Avatar. You've lost. How many times do I have to say it?" At that very moment, Aang opened his eyes and stood up, once again readying himself with his staff in hand. He stared at her. Aang looked around him and saw his friends bound to themselves, but he didn't bother giving up. Although he was somewhat terrified at the dreadful scene, he did not flinch, his facial expression remaining the same serious state it was in.

He aimed his staff at her. Fire Nation Soldiers pointed their fists at him along with Mai and Ty Lee, who was recently dug out of the ground by a couple more soldiers. Sokka, Katara and Toph were squirming in their binds and the earth king contained a shocked expression upon his face while he was silently being bound also. Iroh gasped. They were aout to shoot fire out at Aang when-
"Don't bother," Azula said still with that disgusting smrik, "Shoot at the Avatar's companions."

Aang's expression went from seriousness to a scared look. "NO!" he yelled on top of his lungs. Azula almost laughed at his misery, but stopped as soon as she got a hold of herslef. Aang didn't bother to shoot because if he did, he knew that his friends would pay the price. What good would that do? I don't want to loose them.

He lowered his eyes to look at the scorched ground beneath his feet. Distantly he could here the muffled cries of his friends who told him not to give up. ("No Aang! Don't do it!") The Avatar made his decision. His eyes flikered with defeat even though he reluctantly ignored their screams.
"Fine," he said, "I surrender." He clearly saw that his friends shook their head frantically. This coudn't be happening. Aang dropped his staff onto the ground with a soft thud and then Azula's face seemed to be a ghastly type of happy. "Then show your defeat. You have lost and you will pay the ultimate price for your actions against the Fire Nation."

His head still bowed, Aang nodded in an understanding fashion.

"Fight, Avatar. Your defeat cannot be confirmed without you having at least a couple scratches on you."
Aang clearly heard the terrifying sarcasm and knew that he wouldn't get of of this without almost dying. He nodded once again in a feeble way, staring at his friends who were still attempting to help him, but all in vain.

"And so it begins..." She shot blue fire at him like so many time before while he earthbended a shield in front of him, knocking heavy rock at Azula. She kicked them from side to side but at least he was lucky that one hit her. She fell backward but got up only to spiral into the air and destroy the earth shield. He was forced backward.

Aang blasted a strong flame at her, but she blocked it easily. She kept knocking him down and he knew he was loosing, until the point where he couldn't get up anymore.

Toph screamed, "Come on! You can do it Twinkle Toes!" Then her mouth was quickly coverd by hand.

The world seemed black to Aang. He heard his friends cry out to him. He knew he shouldn't give up...not again. He felt Azula grabbing him by the shoulders and forcibly pushing him against a lone burned tree on the mountain ridge. She held a powerful cerulean flame in the palm of her hand, she smirked ever still.
His hazy vision was clearing and he saw this, but he was too dazed to do anything about it.

No. No. I have to fight. I can't, but I have to. What did Roku say?
He vaguely remembered, but then he thought of the people he loved that were about to witness him being pelt by a fireball. He thought of them being hurt. He needed a way to do this. He needed a way to defeat her. If he didn't, she would win...the whole world would loose and his friends would pay the price for even knowing him.

Forcing himself to try anf remember, he finally heard a sort of ringing of voices inside his head.

"Yes, but you have to understand. Even though you were struck in the Avatar State, you were indeed saved. But because of the seriousness of the injury, you will not be able to enter the state till you have to. And when I say this, more of forced to."

He finally understood what he had to do. He was being forced into the Avatar State. Aang closed his eyes in a tight frustration as Azula's fireball neared his face and he was bracing himself for impact. And it did make contact. KABOOM.

Aang's eyes were aglow, his newly grown hair was ruffling in the wind and his arrow glowed eerily. Azula was blasted backward. The flame that was supposed to attack him was forcibly pushed aside by the air he was swiftly surrounding his body with. He actually knew what he was doing. He felt the fire burning up within him. Bursting it out in all directions, fire blew and it burned the ropes off his friends.

"RETREAT!" The Fire Nation soldiers had given up.

By the time all of their enimies were making a run for it, Azula was still there, a bit battered but standing. Aang's eyes lost their glow. He fell to the ground and Katara ran to catch him. "Uhh..." Aang made a weak sound exit. He stood slowly and they did he same. Azula looked at him.

"This is not over. But for now, Avatar enjoy your defeat." Oddly, she jumped off the cliff, landing on a ledge and meeting up with Mai and Ty Lee.
-
"Are you okay?" Sokka, Katara and Toph were hovering over him with Appa flying and Iroh steering and the earth king sitting in the far back. He nodded. "I-I'm fine." He smiled.

Katara hugged him and Toph playfully slapped him on the back.

"OUCH!" She had hit the lightning strike bruise.

She looked a little nervous. "Oh," Toph said with a weak smile, "Heh heh. Sorry about that Twinkle Toes." They turned into the sunset. It had been a long day and the rays of sunshine penetrated the clouds which had recently lost their gray tinge.

Sokka turned to the rest of the group, a happy expression on his face. "I guess it's smooth sailing to Omashu now."
-
Zuko was walking to the gate made of earth in Omashu. He made a slight smirk appear on his face. His plan was about to ensue. He had just heard the news that the Avatar was headed here from a couple of Dai Li agents who just came back with news.


AN: Sorry it took like A MONTH to update, but here you go anyways. I hoped you liked it! R&R!
The next chapter is...drum roll please...
Chapter 6- The Resistance