Meanwhile, Zuko and Iroh begin walking toward the palace.
"Many times I imagined myself here, at the threshold of the palace. But I always thought I would be here as a conqueror. Instead, we are the Earth King's personal guests, here to serve him tea. Destiny is a funny thing."
"It sure is, Uncle." Zuko said. His thoughts wandered to Avery. Where was she?
I grunted in pain as the Dai Li threw Katara and I into a Crystal Catacombs. They closed the exit, at the same time letting me free. I huffed and sat up.
"Damn cheater!" I yelled. I rubbed at my hip wound that had been jostled in my fall.
"You're Avery, right?" Katara asked. I nodded.
"And you're Katara, the avatar's girlfriend." I said. She blushed.
"I'm not his girlfriend."
"Yet." I said with a smirk. "He likes you."
"R-really?... wait, why should I trust you? You're with Zuko."
"True, very true. But I'm not a liar." I said, standing. "I mean, not all people from the Fire Nation are evil. I'm not even Fire Nation. I'm from the Earth Kingdom."
"You are?" She asked. I nodded. "Then why are you..."
"With Zuko and Iroh? Because, they're my friends. The Fire Nation isn't made of all monsters. And the other nations aren't innocent either."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, Tui and La killed Zhao, even though he deserved it. I was abused by an Earth Kingdom woman. I was saved by a Fire Nation man. I was attacked by an Earth Kingdom citizen... See my point?" I said.
"Who attacked you?"
"A guy named Jet..." I said. Katara's eyes widened, then filled with sadness.
"Jet died a week or two ago." Katara said. I sighed. "Who saved you?"
"Zuko, Iroh, and the old crew." I said. "I wonder what Jee's up to..."
"What's taking so long?" Zuko wondered.
"Maybe the Earth King overslept." Iroh said with a shrug as he poured a cup. Dai Li agents began to circle around the two.
"Something's not right." Zuko said. Azula walked past the Dai Li and came in front of her brother outside the circle of Dai Li agents.
"It's tea time!" Azula said. He quickly stood up.
"Azula!" Zuko said.
"Have you met the Dai Li? They're earthbenders, but they have a killer instinct that's so firebender. I just love it." Azula said.
"Did I ever tell you how I got the nickname 'the Dragon of the West'?" Iroh said casually.
"I'm not interested in a lengthy anecdote, Uncle." Azula said.
"It's more of a demonstration, really." Iroh said. Iroh began drinking his tea. Zuko looked over at him and smirked before going behind him. Iroh began breathing fire.
"So..." I said.
"Are you and Zuko actually with each other?" Katara asked. I pursed my lips in thought.
"Ya know, I'm not sure." I said. I sighed at Katara's look. "Zuko is a complicated guy."
"More like insane." Katara scoffed. I frowned.
"He's been exposed to a lot of cruelty, Katara." I said. Katara began pacing back and forth. She stopped pacing upon hearing a hole open up above. The gloves were on me yet again and I huffed in frustration.
"You've got company." The Dai Li called. Katara and I exchanged looks as another person was thrown in. I gasped.
"Zuko!" I said. Katara's shocked face became an angry one as Zuko sat up and the hole closed behind him, the cuffs dropping yet again. I stood and rushed over to Zuko, hugging him.
"I was so worried." Zuko said. I smiled.
"I'm fine. It was nice talking to a girl for once." I said. "I'm going to look for an exit."
"Oh..." Zuko said, glancing at the fuming Katara. "Okay..."
I turned and headed farther into the Catacombs, looking around. I heard Katara begin yelling at Zuko and made a u-turn back.
"Why did they throw you in here?" Zuko said nothing. "Oh, wait, let me guess. It's a trap. So that when Aang shows up to help me, you can finally have him in your little Fire Nation clutches!"
"You're a terrible person! You know that? Always following us! Hunting the Avatar! Trying to capture the world's last hope for peace! But what do you care? You're the Fire Lord's son. Spreading war and violence and hatred is in your blood!"
"You don't know what you're talking about!" Zuko yelled back. I stopped and glared at Katara as she snapped.
"I don't? How dare you! You have no idea what this war has put me through! Me personally!" She sat down and touched her necklace, beginning to cry. "The Fire Nation took my mother away from me."
Zuko turned around to face Katara.
"I'm sorry." He paused. "That's something we have in common."
Katara looked back surprised and wiped away the tears from her eyes.
"I'm sorry." She said. Zuko grunted and kept his eyes trained on the floor.
"I'm sorry I yelled at you before." Katara said.
"It doesn't matter." Zuko said, standing and brushing off the dirt.
"It's just that for so long now, whenever I would imagine the face of the enemy, it was your face." Katara admitted. I cringed. Wrong word choice.
"My face? I see." He touched his scar.
"No, no, that's-that's not what I mean." She approached Zuko. I frowned. What was she doing?
"It's okay. I used to think this scar marked me. The mark of the banished prince, cursed to chase the Avatar forever. But lately, I've realized I'm free to determine my own destiny, even if I'll never be free of my mark." Zuko said.
"Maybe you could be free of it." Katara said.
"What?" Zuko said.
"I have healing abilities."
"It's a scar, it can't be healed." Zuko said. Katara held up a vial.
"This is water from the Spirit Oasis at the North Pole. It has special properties, so I've been saving it for something important. She moved in front of Zuko. "I don't know if it would work, but..."
Katara put one hand on Zuko's scar. I frowned. I cleared my throat loudly and they turned, apparently not having noticed my presence.
"Avery... she can heal me..." Zuko said.
"You're perfect the way you are." I said firmly.
"But-"
"Zuko, the scar is what you make it to be. To you, it's shameful. To girls like Jin, it's mysterious. To your father, it's a lesson. To your sister, it's a joke. To girls like Katara, it's a blemish. But to me, it marks you as a survivor, a champion, someone who doesn't take bullshit from life. To me, it makes you, you." I said. Zuko and Katara looked at me in surprise.
"Avery..."
"Zuko, scars aren't imperfections. They are memories. I should know, I wear my childhood on my shoulder." I said, shifting my shirt. Katara gasped, but I ignored her. I walked forward and poked Zuko in the chest. "Scars tell your story without words. So who cares that you have a memory across your eye? You're still you, you're still Zuko. Removing that scar is removing part of yourself."
"Avery..." Zuko repeated. His lips quirked and he nodded. I placed a hand on his shoulder with a smile and nodded back in silent agreement. Suddenly, the wall exploded.
"Aang!" Katara exclaimed gleefully. Aang looked surprised as Katara hugged him, but then Aang looked over Katara's shoulder to glare at Zuko. Zuko, who got a hug from Iroh, glared back. I rolled my eyes and the exchange.
"Aang, I knew you would come."
"Uncle, I don't understand. What are you doing with the Avatar?" Zuko asked, pointing at Aang.
"Saving you, that's what." Aang snapped. Zuko took one step in Aang's direction, but Iroh stopped him.
"I swear, if someone starts another argument, I'm kicking all of your asses to the Spirit World, where you can then deal with my dad." I warned, pissed at the amount of drama.
"Zuko, it's time we talked." To Aang and Katara, Iroh said, "Go help you other friends. We'll catch up with you."
They walked away, Katara looking back at Zuko before moving on. I glared at her retreating form.
"Why, Uncle?" Zuko said.
"You're not the man you used to be, Zuko. You are stronger and wiser and freer than you have ever been. And now you have come to the crossroads of your destiny. It's time for you to choose. It's time for you to choose good."
Zuko yelled as crystals grew to encase Iroh. He assumed a fighting position to prepare for the intruders. Azula, along with two Dai Li agents, slid down from the sides of the chamber. I snarled.
"I expected this kind of treachery from Uncle. But Zuko, Prince Zuko, you're a lot of things, but you're not a traitor, are you?" Azula said.
"Release him immediately." Zuko said.
"It's not too late for you, Zuko. You can still redeem yourself."
"The kind of redemption she offers is not for you." Iroh said.
"Why don't you let him decide, Uncle? I need you, Zuko. I've plotted every move of this day, this glorious day in Fire Nation history, and the only way we win is together. At the end of this day, you will have your honor back. You will have Father's love. You will have everything you want."
"Zuko, I am begging you. Look into your heart and see what it is that you truly want." Iroh said.
"You are free to choose." Azula said.
She gestured at the two Dai Li agents to leave, who earthbent themselves out. Zuko contemplated his choice as Azula left to follow Aang and Katara.
"Shut up, you stupid blue dragon!" I yelled after she left.
"'blue dragon'?" Zuko said. I sighed.
"You don't remember? I went into your dream to save you, and she was a blue dragon trying to kill you." I said.
"You went into my dream?" Zuko said, almost with anger.
"You would've died!" I reasoned loudly. He held his head in his hands and let out an exasperated groan. He looked up, into my eyes. "Then you meant-"
"Yes, Zuko. I said it, and I meant it." I said. He looked away again, then back to me.
"Then... you'd... you'd be okay with whatever choice I made?" He said. I didn't like the look on his face.
I watched Zuko stop Azula from attacking. C'mon, Pouty, make it easier to see the good in you!
Aang gasped once he realized Zuko was about to attack him and Aang used airbending to jump away from the blast. Azula started dueling with Katara, and Zuko threw multiple fire blasts at Aang.
Zuko and Aang fought on and I sighed. Damn it Zuko. Aang airbent the air currents around him to make a human-shaped gust of air at Zuko, knocking him down. Aang attacked Zuko with more airbending, but Zuko maneuvered around the attacks and got back up on his feet. He fired more blasts at Aang who was clinging on to a rock pillar. Aang jumped onto a clump of crystals to avoid the attack. Furious, Zuko summoned a greater blast of fire. Aang earthbent some crystals to protect him, but the crystals shattered, sending Aang flying to another clump of crystals. Zuko used fire whips to attack Aang once again, but Aang jumped to another patch of crystals and Zuko kept attacking.
Azula was running away from Katara, who sent a wave of water that cut her hair.
Back to Zuko, who was still using his fire whips to attack Aang, who was now jumping along the cave's ceiling. Aang kicked down a stalactite and followed it, using earthbending to increase its impact and sending Zuko flying. I grabbed his arm and pulled him up.
Katara encased herself in water and used it to stop Azula's firebending attacks. One water tentacle captured Azula's hand and another one captured her foot. Zuko freed his sister using firebending to break the tentacles. Azula looked toward the crater Aang had created with the stalactite. Aang crawled out, exhausted. Azula ran toward Aang. Zuko and Katara began to fight. Katara still had water whips on her hands and Zuko started using his fire whips.
"I thought you had changed!" Katara said.
"I have changed!" Zuko said. Zuko fired another blast.
Azula and Aang stood opposite of each other. Azula and Aang prepared to fight. Azula used firebending to charge at Aang. Aang earthbent crystals around him into a crystal encased armor and charged at Azula. Azula stopped, and used her firebending to break Aang's crystal armor and send him flying back into an old building.
Zuko and Azula both were fighting Katara. Hopelessly outnumbered, Katara was knocked down. Aang jumped from the old building and earth surfed toward Zuko and Azula to stop them from attacking Katara. A Dai Li agent broke Aang's surf, knocking him down. More Dai Li agents gathered behind Zuko and Azula. Katara started regaining her focus and Dai Li agents surrounded her. Katara used the octopus form to defend herself. Aang stood up and surveyed the scene. I closed my eyes as time seemed to slow down. I raised my arms and the ground rose with them, making pillars on my left and right. I then sucked in a breath and kicked them forward. They rocketed forward and Katara gasped, raising two waves to knock down my pillars. Zuko looked to me in surprise and I nodded to him. He smiled a bit. I then jumped forward, slamming down and causing a earthquake like ripple across the floor. The Dai Li sent me appraising looks, much to my surprise. Was I that good already? I looked to Aang, now that I had proved I was on the Fire Nation's side.
Closing his eyes, Aang turned away from Azula and Zuko and earthbent a crystal shelter tent. The crystal shelter started glowing, alerting us outside. Aang broke the crystal above him. Katara looked up to Aang, now rising in to the air, with hope. But before Aang could attack, a bolt of lightning struck him in the back. Azula... she was in her lightning summoning position with her fingers smoking. Aang fell down. Katara, tears now falling down her face, created a wave to catch Aang. The wave knocked down the Dai Li agents. She looked down at Aang and back up with tears in her eyes. Zuko and Azula prepared to attack Aang and Katara, but a blast of fire stopped them. Iroh jumped down from the wall of the cave and shielded Aang and Katara from Zuko and Azula. I smiled sadly and nodded to him, sending a silent message with my eyes. He nodded in return.
"You've got to get out of here! I'll hold them off as long as I can!" Iroh fired some blasts at Zuko and Azula. I rose a wall in front of them, deflecting the blasts. Katara walked away slowly with Aang's body to a waterfall, and she then used waterbending to lift her and Aang up its path. Iroh held off the Dai Li agents until after Aang and Katara leave. Then he submitted to the Dai Li, who used earthbending to encase him in crystals. Zuko looked at Iroh and Iroh closed his eyes and turned away.
We sat in the Earth King's throne room with Azula sitting down at the throne with Zuko at her left, I at his side.
"We've done it, Zuko. It's taken a hundred years, but the Fire Nation has conquered Ba Sing Se." Azula said.
"I betrayed Uncle." Zuko said.
"No, he betrayed you." She stood up from the throne. "Zuko, when you return home, Father will welcome you as a war hero."
"But I don't have the Avatar. What if Father doesn't restore my honor?" Zuko asked. I tried my hardest not to facepalm.
"He doesn't need to, Zuko." She put a hand on Zuko's shoulder. "Today, you restored your own honor."
Zuko turned away, uncertain of himself.
"And I, princess? I attacked you and your friends earlier, but aided you in this battle." I said politely. She smirked.
"If you stay out of trouble, you'll be fine. And you can drop the polite act, I know you aren't."
"It's a matter of respect. Earlier, I was ready to throw a rock at your head. But now... I dunno, I learned once not to mess with a lightning prodigy." I said. She nodded in a 'damn-straight' attitude.
"You're aren't bad... for a savage." She said. I laughed.
"Not bad yourself, Royal Pain." I said. She actually smiled.
"Well, there are some things to smooth out with the Dai Li. I'll see you in a bit." She said, heading for the door. I looked to Zuko and sighed.
"You're regretting your choice?" I asked.
"No, it isn't that... not entirely..." Zuko said. I quirked an eyebrow. "You could have made a new start. But... you stuck by me and now we're headed for the Fire Nation, far from your home."
"Hey, a promise is a promise." I said, nudging him with my shoulder. He smiled a bit.
"Yeah..."
So? What'd you think? I was really conflicted about what to do about Avery: should she go with Zuko, with Aang and crew, or defend Aang and go with Iroh, allowing herself to be captured. Thing is, are you happy with the ending?
So, it seems Azula and Avery are getting along... kinda...
Disclaimer:You know.