Jin and Li stared off into the distance, their eyes captivated by the bright flashes of Bending which came from Aang's elemental duel with the Fire Lord. Suki stood behind them, her eyes similarly captivated, and she didn't say a word. A loud crash from above drew their attention, followed by another, and then another. Following the series of noises, the three members of Team Avatar saw an Airship with its rudder bent at an unnatural angle.
"That must be Sokka and Toph!" Suki exclaimed, and the brothers nodded in agreement. They then saw two small shapes moving across the top of the Airship, quickly followed by several blasts of Firebending. "We need to get to them! Can you two drive this thing?"
Jin and Li looked up at her and bore wide grins in response. The Kyoshi Warrior nodded before making her way to the top of the Airship, while the Earthbenders went to work. Now possessing a passing aptitude with the controls, they drove forward, speeding over to the other Airship. The tip of their vessel soon came to slice across the bottom of the other, and Jin and Li could only hope that they were in time to catch their companions.
As I landed, I slid across the ground, just barely managing to find cover behind a pillar just as a blue firestorm struck it. I stood straight as a post as flames shot past me on either side, with the pillar absorbing most of them. The air was so, very hot, and I felt the pillar getting hotter and hotter as Azula continued her assault.
Eventually, and mercifully, the flames stopped, and I tensed, ready for anything. "Zuzu, you don't look so good!" the utterly insane teenager called from a nearby roof. Eyes widening with fear, I peered out from behind the pillar at Zuko, who still lay slumped in a pile on the ground. I looked up just as Azula thrust her arms forward, shooting a massive bolt of lightning at me. Reacting instinctively, I leaped from where I stood, rolling as I landed and coming to stand behind another pillar as the previous one exploded.
My heart thundering in my chest, I charged from behind the pillar, throwing one of my swords at Azula. The blade whirled through the air before striking the exact spot where the insane teenager had been standing, the blade partially imbedding itself into the roof.
My smile disappeared as I saw that she was no longer where she had been just a moment ago. Hearing a mad cackle coming from behind me, I didn't bother turning around. Charging forward, I threw my other sword straight into a nearby pillar, about halfway between the ground and the roof. Leaping into the air, I landed on the black blade of my sword. Pushing off, I flipped onto the roof just as blue flames struck the pillar. Never breaking stride, I ran over to my first sword, pulling it out of the roof as I made my way over to the edge.
Azula was in hot pursuit, shrieking and growling like an animal. Arriving at the edge of the roof, I jumped, spinning backwards in the same motion. I aimed a downward slice at Azula just as she came in close, her fist wreathed in blue flames. The shock on her face registered mere heartbeats before the tip of my blade sliced her shoulder, knocking her intended strike off-course and sending her tumbling down onto the ground.
She landed with a hard thud, rolling for several feet before coming to a stop. Landing with cat-like grace, I aimed a kick at her head as she started to stand, and smiled with great satisfaction as I heard her grunt in pain. Not wanting to push my luck, I turned around and ran. As I neared the sword I had thrown into the pillar, I spun, retrieving the weapon and never breaking stride as I ran over to the grates beneath the roof I had just jumped off of. In the furious first moves of the battle, I had noticed that there appeared to be water beneath the ground, possibly as part of some sort of sewer system. It would have to save me, because I was running out of tricks.
When I was close to the grate, I ducked and slid across the ground just as a lightning bolt shot past where my head used to be with blinding speed. From behind me, Azula growled in frustration, and I stood back up once I stopped sliding. I stabbed my swords downwards, the black meteor blades piercing the metal grating with the ease of cutting through silk. I then spun in a circle, slicing an opening just as Azula lunged for me.
I fell downwards, crashing into the water below. Immediately diving further, I glanced back up as a blinding blue light enveloped my vision. The water provided a temporary barrier between the fire and me, but it was getting really warm really fast. Looking around, I saw that this particular channel went further to the right. Swimming as best as I could with my twin swords in hand, I soon found my surroundings being bathed by the orange glow from Sozin's Comet. Surfacing as quietly as I could, I listened.
I could make out several repeated fire blasts, but none of them seemed to be aimed directly at me, so Azula probably didn't see that I had swam away. Sheathing my swords, I climbed up to the grating, opening it without any noticeable sound. To my right, the insane teenager punched her fists down into the hole that I had made in a furious, staccato sequence. "WHY. WON'T. YOU. DIE?! FILTHY. PEASANT!" she screamed, her normally cool voice replaced by a mad, nearly unintelligible shriek.
Hiding behind a pillar, I made sure that she didn't notice me before moving onto another, and then another, until I was finally standing not six feet away from my opponent. Reacting on instinct, I charged from behind the pillar, shouting at the top of my lungs. Azula turned around just in time for our eyes to meet.
That's when the blade of my sword pierced her stomach.
She grunted, mostly from surprise, I imagined. Her crazed eyes glanced down at my sword, her mouth open in shock. "Filthy… peasant" she croaked as I withdrew my sword. She then collapsed onto the ground.
"My name is Takara!" With her taken care of, I sheathed my sword before running over to Zuko, who groaned as he started to move. "Zuko!" I cried, kneeling beside him and gently rolling him onto his back. He grimaced in pain, and it was then that I saw the dark, burned flesh in the centre of his chest. Taking the Bison whistle out, I blew on it, blowing it a second and third time for good measure. A few moments passed, and I fidgeted nervously just as the familiar growl reached my ears. I turned and saw Appa coming in to land beside us, shaking the ground as he did so. Running over to him, I rubbed his head and said "Hey, buddy. Good timing".
Climbing onto his saddle, I started rummaging through one of the bags we had taken when we had set out to face Azula. Finally finding what I was looking for, I slid down Appa's side before returning to Zuko. I applied the poultice to his wound, thoroughly rubbing the foul-smelling substance onto his chest as I coughed and choked from the rancid odour. Iroh had assured us that this would help heal burns, and I could only hope that he was right.
Zuko soon became more relaxed, and he opened his eyes a little and looked up at me. "Thank you Takara" he rasped, his lips curled into a slight smile.
I smiled in turn. "I think I should be thanking you". I then helped him to stand, wrapping an arm around my shoulder in order to support him. Azula, from where she was lying, panted from exertion and rage. She tilted her head upwards and breathed out a torrent of blue flames, wailing and crying out in protest. She gripped her stomach, wailing and thrashing about as she breathed several flames at the air and at the ground at her feet. She soon rolled onto her back, and ceased the flow of flames as she started wailing in agony.
I stood there, supporting Zuko, looking down at Azula. For so long, I hated her, for everything she put me through, for trying to end the world, everything. I wanted to slice her into chunks and make her suffer, but now…
All I felt was pity for this poor, unfortunate soul. She was, deep down, beneath all the cool control and haughty derision, pathetic and forever scarred from her upbringing.
I still couldn't believe it.
My whole life, the world had been at war; the Fire Nation was poised to conquer all who stood against it, and the actions of Fire Lord Sozin all those years ago would come full circle. Now, however, after the intervention of a group of kids, a Kyoshi Warrior, and a turncoat officer, the Great War, had, at last, come to an end. It was something I had hoped for my entire life, something I had fought and bled for, but now that it was actually here, I couldn't believe it.
I stepped into the modest-sized home, steeling myself for what I was about to encounter. Glancing about, I saw that it was more or less like I remembered it, with the familiar furnishings and various types of greenery dotting the interior. The plants themselves were all withered and dead, of course, but I could still see a woman with striking features and long, black hair tending to them, with a little boy eager to assist her.
I smiled, continuing to walk through my old home. I hadn't set foot here for almost a decade, as I had been away during my years of service, and then I had traveled with Aang and the others. I ran my hand across a windowsill, my mind filled with old memories, memories of a time when my mother and father were still there for me, loving me in their own ways. Coming to my parents' old room, I smiled as I looked at the portrait that hung on the wall across from the bed. It depicted my family when I had been seven, shortly before my mother's death. The copy which I had brought along on my ship had been lost during the Siege of the North Pole, and I was glad that this one was still here.
I blew some of the dust off of it, carefully wiping off the rest with my hand. My hand lingered there, for a moment, my fingers running over the faces of my parents. I felt my eyes water with tears as I said "I love you".
Hearing someone approach, I turned, and saw Takara standing in the doorway. She was dressed in the familiar green kimono, with her twin meteor swords slung across her back and her hair tied into a bun with chopsticks. However, she did not wear the Kyoshi Warrior face paint, leaving me to appreciate her alabaster skin and the alluring green and blue eyes I had fallen in love with. She smiled as she walked up to me, kissing me on the lips and wrapping her arms around my neck. "Are you ready?"
Appraising the family portrait before looking back down at her, I said "Definitely".
After making our way to the square in front of the Royal Palace, we made our way through the throngs of people, reuniting with old friends and allies alike. After embracing Hakoda and his two children, I turned and saw Suki and the other Kyoshi Warriors, garbed in their full battle regalia. "There's my favourite warriors!" Sokka exclaimed happily as he leaned on a crutch. "I have to admit: I kind of missed the face paint. What about you, Takara? How come you're not wearing any?"
I looked over at the woman I loved, along with her fellow Warriors. "I've decided that I'm not supposed to be a Kyoshi Warrior". At the unspoken questions, she explained "I was horrible at it; I messed up all the time, I nearly hurt my friends and those I cared about, and I generally sucked at it. I've learned more and done more in this past year than I ever have, and I know in my heart that I'm not supposed to be a Kyoshi Warrior".
"Where will you go?" Suki asked.
Takara took my hand, interlocking our fingers and staring into my eyes. "Wherever my heart leads".
I smiled, feeling empowered by her presence as Sokka asked "Well, then who's gonna take the missing spot?"
"I will!" a high-pitched, bubbly voice replied. A sixth warrior made her way to the front, smiling happily. My eyes widened with realization, and Takara and I exchanged shocked glances.
Sokka quickly limped over to Suki, standing in front of her as he pointed his crutch at the other girl. "Careful, Suki" he warned. "Ty Lee's pretending to be a Kyoshi Warrior again".
"It's okay" Suki soothed, placing hands on Sokka's shoulders. "She's one of us now". The Water Tribe boy cried out in shock, shifting his gaze between Azula's former companion and his girlfriend.
"Yeah, the girls and I really bonded in prison" Ty Lee explained. "And after a few Chi Blocking lessons, they said I could join their group! We're gonna be best friends forever!" She drew two warriors so close that their faces were touching, and her wide grin was blinding. I exchanged an amused glance with Takara, spotting Jin and Li standing next to Toph. The blind girl looked as if she was talking a storm, with my sons forced to listen.
Somehow, I suspected they didn't mind.
Suddenly, and without warning, Toph gave each of the twins a quick peck on the cheek. The motion was almost too quick to see, and I shook my head. The boys' faces instantly went pale with shock, and they stood there, still as stone, until Toph punched them in the shoulders hard enough to knock them to the ground. "Takara", Suki said, drawing my gaze back to the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors, "there's someone I think you'll be happy to see".
Takara's hand gripped mine tightly as the warriors parted, revealing a short, old man with a bushy, grey beard. He was thinner than I remembered, and more haggard looking compared to the fire he had shown during our first and last meeting. "Father!" she exclaimed before running over to him. She slammed into his small body with almost enough force to knock him over, wrapping her arms so tightly around him that I feared he might not be able to breathe.
"Oh, my sweet girl" he said, choking on the tears of joyful reunion. "I thought I would never see you again".
"I missed you so much" Takara choked, unable to hold back her tears. I smiled as I crossed my arms; even though my parents were gone, she still had her father, and I was so happy that she was reunited with him. Eventually, they broke the embrace, and Takara wiped her cheeks before turning to me and saying "Father, this is Shan We".
I stepped over to the older man, bowing deeply in respect as I said "Please accept my most sincere apologies for any harm I..." I was cut off as I felt a sharp pain in my face that sent my staggering back. Grunting from both pain and surprise, I held my nose, which throbbed in pain. Examining my fingers, I saw blood, then turned to look at Takara's father, who glared at me as the knuckles of his right hand were lightly smeared in blood from when he had surely broken my nose.
"That was for stealing her away!" he shouted, pointing an accusatory finger at me.
Groaning slightly as I held my nose, I muttered to myself "I always knew that my future father-in-law would hate me".
A short time later, everyone in the square was gathered according to their respective nations: Earth Kingdom, Water Tribes, and Fire Nation. I stood, next to several generals and admirals and dressed in my White Lotus robes, as the Fire Sages rang a gong. Zuko then stepped onto the top of the stairs, dressed in royal robes and with his hair tied into a top-knot, much like my own; we had both finally reclaimed our honour. The crowd started cheering, but the scarred teenager held up a hand and said "Please. The real hero is the Avatar".
He then moved out of the way as Aang stepped into view. He looked nothing like the playful Airbender boy I had encountered a year ago. Now, he wore full Air Nomad robes, with his neck adorned by prayer beads. He had become a fully realized Avatar, and he had saved the world from untold destruction.
The crowd cheered once more, and Zuko projected "Today, this war is finally over! I promised my uncle that I would restore the honour of the Fire Nation, and I will. The road ahead of us is challenging: a hundred years of fighting has left the world scarred and divided. But with the Avatar's help, we can get it back on the right path and begin a new era of love and peace".
He looked over at me, and I nodded, knowing that he was becoming everything his uncle and I had hoped for. He then knelt down as one of the Fire Sages was handed the crown piece. "All hail Fire Lord Zuko!" he declared as he slid it into the teenager's top-knot. The crowd burst into vigorous applause as Fire Lord Zuko and Avatar Aang stood beside each other.
I held Shan We's arm as we climbed the steps that led to the entrance of the Jasmine Dragon, the twins walking beside us. Our family entered to see Zuko passing around cups of warm tea to everyone as Iroh serenaded them with his beautiful Tsungi horn song. He stopped playing as we came to stand in the entrance, and everyone looked over at us. "May we join you?" Shan We asked. The others nodded, and we took our places, sitting amongst our friends as Iroh resumed playing.
Zuko approached and gave each of us a cup of hot tea. As I took a sip from mine, feeling the comforting warmth of jasmine running down my throat, I saw Zuko and my tea-loving Firebender exchanging nods. "Zuko, stop moving!" Sokka suddenly cried. We looked over to where he was sitting as he added "I'm trying to capture the moment! I wanted to do a painting, so we always remember the good times together".
We all stood and gathered around him. "That's very thoughtful of you, Sokka" Katara said. Her eyes suddenly narrowed as she looked at the painting. "Wait, why did you give me Momo's ears?"
"Those are your hair-loopies" Sokka replied.
"At least you don't look like a boar-q-pine!" Zuko protested. "My hair's not that spiky!"
"I look like a man" Mai noted.
"And why did you paint me Firebending?" Suki asked.
"I thought it looked more exciting that way" Sokka explained.
I leaned in close and asked "Wait, why do my arms look like swords?"
"And why am I scowling so much?" Shan We added.
Momo chose that moment to hop onto the desk, chattering away. "Oh, you think you can do a better job, Momo?" he demanded.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Aang stepping outside as Iroh said "Hey, my belly's not that big anymore! I really trimmed down".
"Well, I think you all look perfect!" Toph exclaimed, causing the rest of us to laugh heartily. This was what we had all fought so hard for: the chance to sit back and enjoy the peace and comfort of family and companionship in a world at peace. Shan We and I embraced, pouring all of our love into a kiss that signaled the end of a journey, an end where we could live our lives, peaceful and happy.
Well, there you have it: the end has finally come.
It seems like forever since I first thought of writing this story. I started back in March, burning through it with abandon as I eagerly explored my own characters interacting in such an amazing world. When school ended, and I started my full-time job, this story was stretched far past when it should have ended, and it's been trying, these last few months. Not only was I barely able to write anything during the summer, but I was also forced to finish a story that lasted for so long. Now, I feel an overwhelming sense of joy, because I have brought this tale to an end.
Again, I want to thank all of you from the bottom of my heart. Your views and positive reviews are why I kept this thing rolling, and I want to thank you for being such great readers.
I've also come to an important decision: I won't be doing fanfiction, at least not for a while. I've written several stories, and I'm glad that I did, but it's high past time that I move on. I do intend on writing the Legend of Korra fic (which will be the sequel to this), as well as potentially others, but for now, I'm going to work on my own projects that I could conceivably try to get published someday. I owe it to myself to work on them, and I feel that now is the time to give fanfiction a break.
Thank you all for sticking with me to the end, and may you all play Pai Sho every day.
The end.