"Please… don't -"

"How about this," the clown-faced phantom grinned at the restrained Firelord while a helpless Katara watched, tied to a chair across from him. "If you can refrain from screaming while we play a little game… I'll let you go."

Seeing no other means of escape, the firebender weakly nodded.

The clown grinned further, "Excellent."

Without preamble, he broke Zuko's thumb, laughing maniacally when the Firelord whimpered and bit his tongue to stop from screaming in pain.

"Aang! Stop!" Cried the waterbender.

"Nine more to go…"

After the agonising cracks, Katara finally spoke in the midst of her tears, unable to look at the way Zuko's fingers were bent backwards.

"Hmmmm, I guess I'm the world's first... finger-bender... AHAHAHHHAHAHAAHAHAHAAA..."

"Okay… he played your little game. Now, let him go!" Demanded the waterbender.

The clown simply grinned as he summoned water onto his hands and healed the Firelord's fingers. Katara thought he'd keep his promise…

"That was fun… let's play another round," the clown broke Zuko's recently healed fingers again.

The chamber, afterwards, echoed with the firebender's screams, the waterbender's cries, and the clown's laughter - neither of them could comprehend the monster they'd unknowingly created.