TLF - The Last Firebender

by Carrotine Clara

When all hope is lost, Aang is ripped from a dystopian world, only to find himself in a sick, distorted reality, forced to fight his friends alongside his foe. But can he really trust them? Trust people that destroyed his life? Trust those that don't even exist in his world? Against his own instincts, he may need to put his trust in one person above all: Azula, the last firebender.

40. Episode 20: Crossroad of Worlds Part 2

Avatar: The Last Firebender

Based on Distorted Reality by Ogro

Written by Carrotine Clara

---

Book 2: Earth

Episode 20

Crossroad of Worlds Part 2:

One and the same

---

Act I. – Storm of Destiny

---

Aang stares with dead eyes into the water ahead. His mind wanders through the cosmos as he desperately tries to make sense of all of this. It felt like he had the puzzle figured out back with the guru. But now it all falls apart in his mind, starting with his heartbreak over Azula.

KENORA: Mornin'.

With crossed arms, a wavy blue outfit, and a cautiously optimistic expression Kenora starts to remind Aang of Katara.

KENORA: Ready for your first real waterbending lesson?

While the girl still closes herself off from the airbender, she can't help but to try and appear at least somewhat nice. The cold, shut-off, intimidating captain that she once was didn't really work out in the long run. Not for her, and not for anyone else either. And so, Aang dares to smile back, despite the weight of it all.

AANG: Technically I had waterbending lessons once before. Master Pakku taught me in the swamp.

She raises one eyebrow at his statement.

KENORA: Was he... grumpy old guy with long hair and the frowny face?

Aang finds himself amused.

AANG: Yes.

KENORA: Great. Well, you know the basics then, right?

He stares to his right, a massive river cutting the Earth Kingdom in half, the other shore so far away that it's barely visible. Deciding to try and be more relaxed about everything, Aang goes with his gut answer.

AANG: I'm not sure. I think so. What would you say are the basics?

The girl reacts with pleasant surprise to his rebuttal, placing her hands on her hips as she scoffs out some fresh morning air.

KENORA: To tell you the truth, I was never formerly trained, so this is what I cobbled together myself...

The Avatar is visible taken aback by her bluntly communicating major information.

KENORA: From what I know-

AANG: You never had a teacher?

The girl appears suddenly a bit embarrassed by his reaction, reminding her of when Zorak heard about it. Luckily, this time there's no demon princess to get jealous over her.

KENORA: Um... yeah, I guess I never did. I taught myself a bit of stuff before meeting Sokka, after that I practiced on my own all the time. Didn't see the point in ever getting a teacher.

She shrugs as he ponders loudly.

KENORA: What?

AANG: Just that it reminds me of my airbending lessons. Most of the time I never needed any. The monks said that I was born a master, and that the element came naturally to me.

At that moment he begins to go back to his big question from the Eastern Air Temple.

KENORA: Hm. Aren't we two peas in a pod?

What Aang failed to mention is that it's not unusual for an Avatar to learn the birth element on their own. In fact, most Avatars were able to proficiently use their primary bending by the time they reached the age of sixteen.

Kenora is currently fifteen.

He gives her a strange look as the waterbending prodigy clears her throat.

KENORA: Okidoki. Now, the basics for waterbending...

Putting his thoughts on pause, he tries to concentrate on her next words.

KENORA: ...the thing about bending water is... that you have to be fluent.

As he gives her a comedic frown, she rolls her eyes.

KENORA: I know that sounds silly but... I mean it.

The girl demonstrates her abilities as if she had been refining them for years. A bubble of water is pulled into a string, floating around her at Kenora's command.

KENORA: You're not forcing your will on it. At least not in a straightforward way.

Briefly pausing, she collects the body of liquid in front of her, letting it hover between her palms as Aang can't help himself but to feel enchanted.

KENORA: Water is... weird. It's stubborn and brutal. It washes over you without a second thought.

After staring at it for a bit more, her eyes finally wander over to Aang.

KENORA: You have to give up control, to some degree. If you try and force your way through, it will simply collapse, fall apart, or devour you.

Eventually, with some more wavy hand motions, she lets the ball float towards Aang, the boy imitating her stance as he loosens his posture.

Instead of hastily grabbing onto it, he waits patiently for the liquid to arrive at his disposal, at which point he takes it over from Kenora, letting it hover between his palms as well.

KENORA: You have to let go. Water bends you as much as you bend it. Only when you allow yourself to give up full control, is when it listens to you. It's symmetric.

Now the boy raises his brow as he keeps the liquid steady.

AANG: Don't you mean "synergetic"?

Kenora rolls her eyes as she realizes her faux pas.

KENORA: Whatever. You know what I mean.

Pleased by his quick mastery of the element he hasn't bent since his Pakku adventure, he lets out a happy grin before letting the bubble soar around a bit, adapting to the input of the element as much is it does to his.

AANG: It's interesting. I've never had waterbending explained to me like this. It's also the total opposite of firebending.

Kenora crosses her arms while she observes his apparent skill.

KENORA: Is it?

AANG: Yeah. Fire is the element of power. Zuko and Jeong Jeong both taught me about control, about how a lack of it makes it dangerous.

Briefly baffled at his statement, Kenora realizes quickly that he is referring to the Zuko of his world.

KENORA: Toss it back.

He listens politely, the two engaging in a familiar exercise, shoving the water bubble back and forth between each other in a continuous, rhythmic motion. It feels quite harmonious, more than bending any other element has felt so far. In that moment Aang makes the strange realization that he had missed water.

KENORA: If that's what they taught you, fine by me. But from what I've seen, fire bends its user as much as the other way around. I don't think the two are that much different.

Strange words of wisdom from someone Aang considered an enemy not too long ago. Remembering Guru Pathik's words, the boy smirks.

AANG: "The greatest illusion is the illusion of separation."

Kenora meanwhile frowns at his spiritual mumbo jumbo.

KENORA: Right...

With a raised eyebrow, her mind continues to race with questions as their exercise continues onward.

KENORA: So... Zuko taught you in the other world then?

Aang nods calmly.

KENORA: I see. So... just cause the phrase gets thrown around a lot, I have to ask - who was on Team Avatar in your world?

Recalling the memories, the boy's aura fills up with love.

AANG: Katara and Sokka found me in the iceberg first, so they're the original members.

KENORA: Iceberg? Oh, cause Fire Nation - volcano, Water Tribe - iceberg. Got it.

A faint smile indicates just how long he's come in accepting the strange circumstances of his journey into another reality.

AANG: Toph joined us in the Earth Kingdom.

KENORA: Toph? Who's that?

AANG: Oh, right - it's what Bandit is called over there.

The boy is forced to pause for a second, a pain still present in his chest when thinking of her recent betrayal.

KENORA: Okay, so Toph. Cool.

AANG: She's blind in my world. Uses earthbending to see. She's pretty formidable, actually.

Kenora considers herself impressed.

KENORA: Wow. Sounds like it.

Feeling the tempo of their water orb increasing, Kenora forces it to slow down again, Aang following suit.

AANG: Zuko joined us after a failed invasion of the Fire Nation. He and Sokka went off to free Suki, who also joined us.

The Pirate Princess appears satisfied, though her expression tells him that she is missing something.

KENORA: And... I... really don't exist there?

He scans his brain for any information on the topic, coming to a disappointed-sounding sigh.

AANG: Maybe you're a random girl in the South Pole who lived outside of Katara's and Sokka's village. I don't know if Hama ever had children before getting captured.

A horrifying thing to hear about your parallel dimension grandma.

AANG: If you do exist... I'm sure you're happy. You probably have a much different life though.

KENORA: Eh, I'm fine with not existing. Means I have some kind of purpose here, right?

This is when he thinks back to his question, the cosmic vision of a shadow he needs to decipher, the possibility of the Avatar Cycle getting corrupted.

As his early morning training progresses, for the first time, Aang begins to seriously ponder if meeting Kenora in this world might not have been a coincidence after all.

---

"Could You Be Loved" by Bob Marley & The Wailers begins to play.

Their return to Ba Sing Se is one of many days on the back of Appa, the bison close to being overworked during the uneventfully journey.

Kenora had spent the first night healing everyone's wounds and scars on a basic level, night two reserved for further treatment. Aang wonders why she isn't properly healing the wound on her cheek. The waterbender wonders if she could heal whatever damage is hidden beneath Ty Lee's eyepatch.

Of course the Avatar would continue his waterbending training with the Pirate Princess. Days would be spend travelling, nights would be spend practicing and resting. In their travels north-east, Ty Lee would keep her distance from both of them, all of them except for Zuko, in fact. Aang is weirdly reminded of his journey to the North Pole, which he had undergone with a waterbender girl, Sokka, and a flying lemur. It feels familiar. It feels right.

On one occasion, the acrobat gets absolutely, unreasonably furious that their bison had begun to rest before sundown and, while Zuko attempts to calm her, Aang and Kenora sneak off to a nearby water spot, wherein the girl would start showing him how to utilize his legs, a technique he had never learned before from Pakku or Katara.

Avoiding Water Tribe troops, the gang takes a brief detour, forcing them to camp out at the edge of the Si Wong Desert. At first, Kenora tried teaching Aang to draw water from the air and plants, which the boy tried desperately, though he ends up accidentally shoving a blast of air into Sokka's face instead, making all three of them howl with joy. That night the prince tells some heartfelt memories and tales of his sister, and even Suki, whom the boy had never mentioned before in that context. At the end of his story, Sokka breaks down completely, the waterbender and the airbender offering him comfort.

The entire time, when he wasn't practicing or flying quietly with the rest, Aang would meditate. Letting the cosmic energy radiate in his body, the boy tried to focus on her energy. This waterbending master who taught herself, who always seems to be involved in their adventures despite not showing up in his original reality.

Kenora of the South, what is your purpose?

The song crescendos to its end as images of everything flash in front of his inner eye. Waking up on the volcano, his travels with the Fire Nation siblings, their encounters with Sokka and Kenora, the Battle of Dibuang, Ba Sing Se, Bandit and the Vultures, Katara, Goldmouth, Gaoling, Omashu, the Guru-

The vision stops abruptly as he snaps his eyes open again, finally convinced that he found her.

---

On their final night, the gang would camp out in a forest very close to Ba Sing Se. They would reach the city at dawn and, while Ty Lee and Zuko remain close to the bison, Sokka, Kenora, and Aang set up their camp on a nearby hill. Despite this, the Avatar still sought some privacy a bit removed from the others, meditating on a ledge in front of a stone tunnel, the one he was found in by his friends after first meeting this world's Katara. It feels insignificantly long ago to him now.

KENORA: Can't sleep?

In the middle of the night, she wanders onto his secluded location, the embers of his campfire still casting a dim light onto both of them. Still seated in a lotus position, he smiles.

AANG: Looks like I'm not the only one.

She rolls her eyes at his weird mentor-ish manner of speaking, seating herself down across from him with her legs crossed.

KENORA: So. Ba Sing Se is coming up tomorrow. Excited?

He quietly plays his response out on the inside.

AANG: I don't know if "excited" is the right word for it.

Nodding casually, the girl starts stroking the soft grass with her fingers.

AANG: But I think it will be my last mission.

Weirdly cryptic comments like this could get anyone's attention.

KENORA: Your last? What? You're gonna retire?

AANG: No. But I think I will return afterwards.

Understanding what he is telling her with this, Kenora snaps forward pretty quickly.

KENORA: You mean your world?

Aang nods, a sense of peace starting to settle within him.

KENORA: And... after being stranded in this world, you think you'll be able to return because...

He takes a deep breath before continuing.

AANG: Ba Sing Se is where it all went wrong. It's when the Earth Kingdom fell. When Azula killed me.

Kenora skips a beat at that.

AANG: After that night, the war was lost. We were always on the run. Then the invasion failed without troops from the Earth Kingdom, after which we continued to run away again. Sozin's Comet came and went and I wasn't able to do anything about it.

The sorrow in his heart is adequately woven into his words. The waterbender sitting across from him shudders a bit, trying to shift back to a serious tone.

KENORA: Right. But that's what I don't get. Wouldn't it make more sense to stay until Ogro's return? That's this world's equivalent of Sozin's Comet, is it not?

In the past few days of travelling Kenora has also been caught up on literally everything regarding the other world. At this point the girl just blindly accepted it.

AANG: That's true. But I don't think I will be needed after saving Ba Sing Se. With the Earth Kingdom intact, you guys will have all the resources you'll need to mount an invasion.

KENORA: No?

She reacts oddly insulted at his apparent goodbye.

KENORA: We won't have an Avatar. Unless the Aang you're currently "borrowing" is going to emerge as a pro right away. I mean, why am I teaching you waterbending if you're just going to disappear?

There is one thing Aang hasn't told Kenora yet.

AANG: Actually... Aang is not the Avatar here.

Had she been standing, this is about when she would've needed to sit down.

KENORA: Oh. Okay. I mean... that's not too farfetched, I guess. You're the Avatar in another world. You came here with your own powers... to... save Ba Sing Se? And then... you'll leave afterwards. Does that make sense?

Aang chuckles mildly.

AANG: I don't know for sure. But it seems like it. I mean, Team Avatar has proven more than once that it works without me.

KENORA: Well, we're still gonna have Aang on it. Don't think that we'll let that boy run away so easily.

Now he laughs more openly, making Kenora smile. At least for a moment.

KENORA: I don't know why I'm saying that. I'm not even on Team Avatar. Or was it the Dream Team?

AANG: If it were up to me you'd be allowed to join. I mean... you have to be on it.

Her features form a frown at his weird emphasis on "have".

KENORA: If you say so. I appreciate it.

For a moment, she stares silently into the embers, trying to wrangle with all of this new information.

KENORA: So... we save Ba Sing Se, however long that will take, then sometime after that... you'll go home and... the other Avatar gets their powers back. Correct?

He shrugs politely.

AANG: Again, I don't know for sure. But I think so.

The girl reacts with an ounce of frustration at the vague nature of the conversation.

KENORA: O...kay. And... who is it? Who is the Avatar in this world?

At first, there is no response. Kenora grows impatient at his lack of answers, as Aang just stares her down, raising his eyebrows...

That's when it dawns on her, the shock escaping via a loud sigh.

KENORA (quietly): No...

AANG: Do I know it for sure? No.

She gets up in a hasty panic, turning his back towards him for a second before moving back around.

KENORA (nervous): Can you... give just one straight answer?!

AANG: Kenora, think about it.

He too gets up, meeting her not quite at eye level, since she is taller than him.

AANG: It's not unusual for an Avatar to learn their primary element on their own. I did it with airbending.

Stress grows inside her as she starts to consider it.

KENORA: No...

AANG: Everything in this world is a repeat of events from mine.

KENORA: Aang...

AANG: It's not a perfect match, but it's essentially the same. Only some small differences, some people that I never met at home playing small parts.

KENORA: This...

AANG: Except you. I thought you're this world's Azula for a long time. But you're not. You're not like... anyone from my world - from my story. You're the one factor that I haven't been able to figure out. Until now.

No more words of protest are uttered as her breath begins to stabilize, her face however still depicting the gravity of the situation.

AANG: Don't you think you have a bigger role to play? That you're not just some random girl doomed to live a boring life? That you're destined for something important?

Aaand that's when it finally, truly clicks for her.

KENORA: I ran away from home. I thought because I wanted to see mom but...

Her gaze frozen on the ground, she switches back to Aang again.

KENORA: I don't... really have a reason. I just... did it. It's like I... had a feeling like I had to.

And with that, Aang nods, taking on a calmly serious tone as she stares out into the stars.

AANG: Once I'm gone, it's on you. You will have to help end this war. You will have to guide the world into an age of peace, like I was never able to.

He puts his hand on her shoulder, which neither comforts her nor makes it worse.

AANG: And I know you can do it. You have come so far already.

Still scared and uncertain of... everything, Kenora nods regardless. If it is the truth, then it's a burden she'll have to carry. For Aang, for everyone else, for the world.

And most of all - for Azula.

---

Sokka snores loudly in his tent, snuggled up against Sabachi, who does much the same.

---

Far away from this, inside a tent set up between the woodwork, Zuko returns inside, taking off his boots as he does.

ZUKO: Appa's asleep. I gave him some extra litchis as a treat. He looked so happy.

Hugging her own legs on the floor, Ty Lee quietly nods. Zuko sighs as he gets down on his knees.

ZUKO: I know you said you don't want to talk about it, but...

She remains silent, telling him that he's allowed to continue.

ZUKO: I think you do. But... you don't want to talk with me about it.

The girl turns around in an instant, the pain practically molded onto her head.

TY LEE: Zuko... no. That's not what it is.

Trying to hold back his frustration unsuccessfully, he lets out at least some of it.

ZUKO (frustrated): Then why won't you talk to me? Azula getting captured is stressing me out as much as everyone else around here. We could help you - but instead you're keeping it all bottled up inside of you. You know that's not healthy!

TY LEE (teary): I know it isn't. I just... I can't...

ZUKO (frustrated): Why can't you?! Why can't you forgive Aang? Why can't you trust Kenora? Why don't you-

He lets out a grunt as the tears start to flow.

ZUKO (teary and frustrated): Why don't you trust ME?!

Zuko hides his face in shame as he begins to sobb.

TY LEE (teary): Zuko...

ZUKO (teary): No.

TY LEE (teary): Zuko, you know I love you...

ZUKO (teary): And I love you too.

He finally shows his face again, neither of the two able to come closer towards the other.

ZUKO (teary): And I'm scared of losing you. I'm scared that you'll get consumed by that darkness. The one that made you thrash Akari. The one that you're feeling right now for Kenora.

Few things can break your heart as much as seeing the person you love trying to hear you out but just... not being able to. As she avoids his gaze, he lets out a sigh, wiping away his tears.

ZUKO: I love you more than anything in the world, Ty Lee. But... if you won't let me help you... then this is something you'll have to work through alone.

As he gets up to grab his boots, her breaths become gasps.

TY LEE (teary): Zuko... don't go...

ZUKO: I'm not breaking up with you. I will wait for you to work through this, no matter if it's days, or years. But I will be there for you at the end of the line.

She crawls closer towards him, practically begging.

TY LEE (teary): Please don't leave me here...

He kisses her on the cheek before closing off the tent behind him. Outside, he begins to cry on his own as he walks over to the fireplace.

Inside, Ty Lee breaks down completely. The future she envisioned with Zuko starting to feel like it won't happen.

---

A dark and dingy corner of a circular room serves as a makeshift prison for two certain girls. The green brick walls would indicate that they're still down below in the sewers, though something tells Mai that it's not the case.

A cough from Yue gets her attention.

MAI: Oh no.

Having been given merely a dirty mattress, the princess is resting against the wall sat upon it, her breathing having turned worse and worse over the past few days. Mai grunts angrily.

MAI: Can anyone hear us?! Hello!? We need an inhaler here!

The girl grunts very uncharacteristically, both in distain of her inability to do anything as well as the pain in her hip, which has slowly been getting better, though still hurts like hell.

YUE (out of breath): I'm... fine... don't... worry... about me...

MAI: You sound anything but fine. What use are you as a hostage if they will just let you-

The Crescent Warrior stops herself from finishing her sentence.

YUE (out of breath): It's okay... I can... hold on for... another day... or two...

MAI: You were never one to make jokes, Yue. Don't start now.

A small gasp masquerading as a laugh seems counterproductive to their efforts.

YUE (out of breath): Just... in case anything... happens... tell Shahar... I love her... I love her too... and-

MAI: Please stop talking. You're wasting your breath.

Yue nods, feeling ashamed for not coming to that conclusion herself. Mai meanwhile scratches her messy hair as she tries coming up with a solution just... anything to help her.

Though it ultimately feels in vain.

MAI (under her breath): Dammit Shahar, where are you?

---

Heavy grey clouds wander onto the continent from the seas. As the bison flies over the outer wall, passing by the hundreds of fields, Ba Sing Se seems rather normal.

It's only when Appa flies into the lower ring that things seem wrong. Occasional fires and looting run rampant, some parts of town looking completely abandoned, while others are swarmed by gangs of earthbenders fighting each other. Aang's brow furrows as he gazes upon the chaos.

ZUKO: I guess when all the troops are fighting each other over control, the common people feel left behind.

Kenora spots a destroyed part of town under construction, probably still from when she led an attack against the city. Even if Katara was pulling the strings in the back, it was still her that supported it. The girl gulps quietly as the bison lands in a less hectic part of town, the nearest shop on fire far enough away to give them the impression like it's safe...ish.

The kids get off one by one, each in a unique way - Aang floating, Zuko jumping, Ty Lee climbing silently, Sokka slipping and falling, and Kenora landing in a show-off fashion, Sabachi remaining on the girl's shoulder for now.

AANG: Alright. The palace is probably heavily guarded. We need to find the Kimono Society first.

ZUKO: And the Crescent Warriors. They can probably help us.

Kenora crosses her arm as she turns to them.

KENORA: Not a bad plan. Just... uh... how do we find them?

AANG: Well... they were stationed all over the city. We should probably find a hideout and start looking for-

A rumbling alerts them as the gang gets ready. Then, very suddenly and without warming, a square portion of the ground gets flipped by 180 degrees, swallowing the pack plus bison before completing its 360 spin. One of the bison's footprints is left in a dirt puddle.

---

They all splash into a sewage pool below, at least not getting hurt in the fall, though they do all scream like in a cartoon (which this is technically is). Kenora proceeds to spit out some muddy water, which of course got in her mouth.

KENORA (angry): Why do I always get covered in gross stuff?!

Zuko wipes some mud from his face before responding.

ZUKO: It could be a trap. The Liberation Forces might've seen Appa.

AANG: Then let's go.

They hop onto a nearby ledge, allowing them to stay dry while Appa is, unfortunately, forced to remain in the waters.

KENORA: Everyone stay still.

While they think it's tactical advice, in actually, the girl takes the time to bend the gross liquid from all of their clothes one after the other. Eventually, Ty Lee is the only one-

TY LEE (cold): Don't bother.

The acrobat instead opts to do her fists-pressed-together-air-dome-trick which, while it does dry her successfully, also splashes all of the water onto Kenora.

KENORA (dry): Glad you don't need me.

SOKKA: I think I'm hearing something.

Everyone gets ready, Aang without a staff, Zuko drawing his swords, Ty Lee spinning her staff, Sokka drawing his blade, Kenora... still bending poo water from her person.

KENORA (quietly): Eugh.

SHAHAR: I can't believe it.

They turn the other way to find a certain kimono girl back in her red and lime green uniform, some band-aids and a bandage on her wrist telling of her ongoing recovery.

Despite being in a dark cavern, all of the kids light up.

AANG: Shahar!

Excited, the earthbender rushes to hug them, Aang first, then Zuko, Ty Lee, until she arrives at a hesitant Sokka.

SOKKA: Uh... hi. I'm... still with them.

SHAHAR: And no longer a prisoner, I see.

Giving off the wrong impression at first, a smile from Shahar finally tells Sokka to relax. The two exchange a warm hug.

Upon separating, Shahar spots the fifth person, lemur flying over to Aang for now. The earthbender crosses her arms with a frown.

SHAHAR (cold): What is she doing here?

KENORA: Uh... do I know her?

Looking for reassuring look, Kenora receives but mere shrugs.

SHAHAR: Perhaps I should refresh your memory a bit...

A quick jab from her arms later and a (what else) smooth, square pillar shoots directly into Kenora's face. The girl makes a pained noise before stumbling backwards, falling into sewage water again.

KENORA (in pain, holding her face): Yup. Now I remember.

A flick from Shahar's brow and the matter appears resolved. Switching to a chipper tone, the girl looks back to the others.

SHAHAR: Where's Azula?

Bleak looks follow.

ZUKO: She was captured by the Crown Princess. We're looking for her in the city.

KENORA (in pain): It's why I'm here!

Shahar is taken aback.

SHAHAR: Alright, I will ask for clarification later. Well, you picked a great time to show up. We could really use an Avatar about now.

At that, Aang gifts a brief smirk to Kenora, who rolls her eyes.

SOKKA: What about Mai? Where's she?

SHAHAR: Captured as well. She's being kept alongside Yue.

SOKKA: Yue?

KENORA: Yue?!

The waterbender climbs back onto the ledge, beginning the process of removing the mud from her clothes (again).

KENORA: Yue is still in the city?

SHAHAR: Where else would she be after you abandoned her?

The sharp rebuttal finally shuts Kenora up.

SHAHAR: Regardless, we'll need all the helping hands we can get. And we already have a few.

A weird smile makes them all express curiosity.

AANG: Who else is here?

ADITHYA: Hey everyone.

Heads turn once again towards a timid princess clad in red and blue.

Aang in particular reacts very positively to seeing her.

ZUKO: Adithya?!

ADITHYA: I didn't want to ruin your reunion with Shahar, so-

Second round of hugs, babey - though only Zuko and Ty Lee for now. This time Sokka is greeted with a bit more caution.

ADITHYA: So... no longer a prisoner?

ZUKO: He's our friend now. And I wouldn't trade it for the world.

With the swordfighter putting his arm around him, the princess warms up a bit.

ADITHYA: Stranger things have happened, I guess.

Her expression hardens a bit more when spotting Kenora. The waterbender, in that moment, realizes comically that she is bleeding from her nose, covering it up quickly.

ADITHYA: You guys have some strange choices for companions.

Keeping everyone on edge for this long, the girl finally arrives at a quiet Aang.

AANG: Hey.

ADITHYA: Hey.

Zuko and Sokka share a suspicious look at the Heys. Aang finds himself unexpectedly out of words.

AANG: Um... what are you doing here?

ADITHYA: Well, I was actually hoping to get some information on where you guys are. I was planning on joining you but... I found Ba Sing Se... well, like this.

SHAHAR: Trapped her and her bison down below here just like you.

Adithya chuckles. Then... a few seconds of silence. Even Kenora catches on to the awkwardness.

AANG: Well... we're happy to have you. Help us, I mean.

ADITHYA: And I couldn't've picked a better time. Seems like the Avatar needs me now more than ever.

Alas, Kenora shares her weird look with Zuko and Sokka, who seem to read into it the same way. Shahar, starting to have some doubts as well, clears her throat.

SHAHAR: So... you guys wanna come to our base?

Aang and the princess turn around simultaneously, acting as if Shahar had just now manifested into existence.

AANG: Sure.

Adithya gifts him another smile as she follows the earthbender. While the convoy starts moving, Aang begins to have doubts.

If this is really his last mission... then why is he feeling this way now?

---

The jingling of ceramic and porcelain echoes through the tiny apartment. The sound of thunder is also heard by the kids, though for now they are too distracted by the strange interior design, which seems to mostly consist of self-made art spread all around, weird carpets with brash browns and yellows hanging from seemingly random parts of the walls.

SUN-YAT: Now, I'm always happy to have friends of Chiang with us, although it would be nicer if you would let us know beforehand.

At the sight of the timber man with a bun, all of Team Avatar looks severely confused. Kenora takes a sip from her custom-made mug, eyeing the situation closely. Fong finally clears his throat.

FONG: I suppose the Avatar's return was rather sudden. But we're more than happy to have you back, Aang.

He, Zuko, and Sokka all share a couch that is just too small for them.

AANG: Yes. I'm... glad to see you again too, General.

FONG: No need for formalities. Just call me Fong.

SUN-YAT: That is still quite formal, honey.

Fong smiles back at his flirtatious input as the two share a kiss, Sun-Yat disappearing briefly into the kitchen again. A moment of silence overcomes them all.

ZUKO: Ohhhhh.

They all turn to the swordfighter.

ZUKO: I mean... cause...

His finger drags back and forth between Fong and Sun-Yat, everyone nodding affirmatively.

KENORA: Called it.

She takes another slurp as the General crosses his arms.

FONG: And why exactly is this... waterbender with us?

KENORA: Here to help!

Her strangely chipper tone finds no footing, Shahar shaking her head as Adithya and Aang share a glance.

FONG: How can we trust her? Wasn't she the girl that infiltrated our city? Who says she didn't know of the sewer plan from the start?

It only dawns on Kenora now that her connection to Ba Sing Se's sewers and Katara's plan does seem... inconvenient.

KENORA: Um... because...

TY LEE (cold): She's telling the truth. She's here to help.

Ty Lee, in comparison, is leaned against a wall somewhere else in the living room. The reaffirming comment looks like it was rather hard to utter. In general the girl had been looking miserable all day. Zuko swallows the pain as he shares a look with her, one which she denies him.

KENORA: Plus I'm also here to rescue Azula, who is my girlfriend. I think that should count for something.

SHAHAR: Really? You and Azula?

KENORA: Yeah. Is that so weird?

SHAHAR: I don't know. Seems like you two are kind of opposites.

KENORA: Oh yeah? Well at least I have a girlfriend.

SHAHAR: I have one too.

KENORA: Mhm. And who is your supposed girlfriend?

SHAHAR: Yue.

Kenora's blood freezes as her hair stands up.

KENORA (nervous): Oh. Uh... congrats. I'm... happy for you.

SHAHAR: Yup. And she has told me a looot about you.

The frightened waterbender hides behind her teacup as the rest of the room looks distraught. Shahar meanwhile smirks victoriously.

ZUKO: So uh... back to the plan...

FONG: Right.

He gestures for Shahar to bend up a square block, on which Fong hangs a stitched map of Ba Sing Se.

SUN-YAT (from elsewhere): Be sure to bend the floor back when you're done!

SHAHAR (shouting back): Yes!

Fong clears his throat uncomfortably. He then proceeds to point to relevant points on the map.

FONG: The LF led by Vaas have completely taken over the palace and some important strategic points in the upper circle. With their troops still fighting some leftover Earth Kingdom guards, they have left the outer walls completely vulnerable.

Shahar proceeds to point to the part of the city in which the lower ring wall and the outer wall merge, right at the coast.

SHAHAR: The Water Tribe troops from the sewers have taken control of this outpost. With the incoming change in whether we suspect that they will use the opportunity to invade, which they would have an easy time with when the outer wall is controlled by their fellow men.

AANG: They would just let them flood into the city.

SHAHAR: Correct. We need a strike team to take out the wall while another deals with Vaas.

SOKKA: We already have a bunch of muscle in this room alone. Shouldn't be too hard then, right?

CARAMAN: Yup.

Everyone turns their head to a Crescent Warrior with greaser hair and a snack bowl.

KENORA: Who's that?

CARAMAN: I'm Caraman. I'm a Crescent Warrior. Did Shahar not tell you about me yet?

The earthbender shakes her head in shame.

CARAMAN: Oh.

KENORA: Has... he been standing here the whole time?

Fong clears his throat yet another time, much louder now.

KENORA: Right. Sorry.

SHAHAR: There is a third target.

She points to a location very close by, in the lower ring.

SHAHAR: This is the sewage treatment facility. There's a tower here where they hold Mai and Yue.

Kenora's eyes flash up at that.

AANG: We should go rescue them first.

SHAHAR: You... probably shouldn't go Aang. We don't want to give away that you're in the city.

KENORA: I'll go.

She rises to the occasion, placing her teacup on the living room table.

ZUKO: Wouldn't Kenora be spotted too?

KENORA: Nah, doubt it. I'm no Avatar.

She chokes up at her own words before continuing.

KENORA: Aang, Zuko, Ty Lee, and Sokka stay here. Maybe you can go on a scouting mission to see if you spot Katara.

Everyone but Ty Lee seems on board.

KENORA: Kimono, Fire Princess, and me will go to that sewage tower. That's more than enough raw strength to deal with that.

ADITHYA (annoyed): I have a name.

SHAHAR: I... am not on board with this.

AANG: I am. Kenora's pretty powerful, and so are you two.

He briefly exchanges smiles with them all, Adithya the longest, while Kenora reacts with discomfort again, as the boy appears to be shoving his responsibility onto her again.

KENORA: Okay, seems like we're all settled. Do we need anyone else?

CARAMAN (with a foul mouth): Did you tell 'em about the prisoners yet?

Shahar gasps inaudibly as she turns to Caraman.

SHAHAR: Right! I totally forgot about them!

Kenora frowns.

KENORA: Prisoners?

---

The surprises keep coming, as do the temporary guests, much to Sun-Yat's dislike. Presented to the room are two girls, tied up and muzzled.

Akari and Suki seem both relieved but also extremely uncomfortable.

SOKKA: No way.

Kenora immediately rushes towards Akari.

SHAHAR: Caught them snooping around last night.

The earthbender seems rather unhappy about Akari's muzzle being removed. The waterbender forces a hug on the athlete before she lets her talk.

AKARI: Thank you. That was getting tiring.

ZUKO: If you caught them last night, that means Katara is in the city.

KENORA: Which means Azula is in the city!

Akari lets out a snort.

AKARI: I guess that means you two are official now.

The airbender shares a smile with an embarrassed waterbender. Sokka is next to get up, freeing Suki from her muzzle as well.

SOKKA: Tell us where Katara is.

SUKI (cold): We don't know.

AKARI (to Sokka): Go easy on her. We deserted.

As the room exchanges looks they all telepathically utter the word "Huh?".

SUKI: That thing that's controlling her needs to be killed. We want to save Katara.

Overcome with relief, Sokka gifts Suki a brief hug.

SOKKA: Me too. I want my sister back.

Suki smirks a bit as the room seems to warm up to them.

KENORA: Alright. Let's free 'em!

FONG: Are you crazy?!

SHAHAR: GET BACK FROM THEM!

Kenora throws up her hands in a gesture of defeat.

KENORA: O...kay? No then?

AANG: I trust them.

It seems that once Aang rises, the others quietly accept the idea of letting two Water Tribe agents go.

AANG: Kenora and Sokka used to be our enemies, now they're our allies. If they trust Akari and Suki, then so do I.

As he looks to his friends and his... friends' friends, the ties are finally cut. Everyone gets up as Sun-Yat quietly sighs in the back.

SUN-YAT: I'll see if I can find two more guest mattresses...

A weird constellation as everyone gets up, Zuko still seated, enjoying his tea.

KENORA: That's actually super-duper helpful. Suki can help with the scouting mission and Akari can help us with the sewage tower.

AKARI: Sewage what?

SHAHAR: No!

ADITHYA: Absolutely not!

KENORA: Why not? Come on, gals!

Akari is not a huge fan of Overly Optimistic Kenora. The Pirate Princess starts pointing at Adithya...

KENORA: Fire!

...then Shahar...

KENORA: Earth!

...then herself...

KENORA: Water!

...then Akari.

KENORA: And air! All four elements! We're literally unstoppable!

While Shahar keeps her arms firmly crossed, the princess shares a quick look with Aang. He understands her aversion, though his smile and his shrug tell Adithya that it's okay. The girl smiles before focusing back on Kenora.

ADITHYA: Fine. Let's do it.

KENORA: Yes!

SHAHAR: No...

AKARI: What are we doing?

KENORA: Saving Mai and Yue.

Akari nods with a casual pout.

AKARI: I'm all up for saving Yue. We owe it to her.

Finally, and with gravel in her breath, the earthbender lets out a very long grunt.

SHAHAR: Fine. But I'm in charge.

KENORA: We can talk about it on the way. Okay - let's go!

---

Act II. - The Thunder of Guns

---

Above them and above the city, the puffy horizon gives off the impression like raindrops are about to burst at any second. In the distance, thunder rumbles once again.

The Four Elements are hiding on a rooftop, overlooking the decently sized building complex. Watching through a spyglass, Adithya spots two soldiers dressed like LF members.

ADITHYA: Well, they're definitely there.

SHAHAR: Right. And if Katara is in the city then she might visit them soon to get Yue back. We need to act now before that happens.

Akari raises an eyebrow at this.

AKARI: Not that I trust Katara but... why aren't we letting Yue go with her? Wouldn't she just let her go home and be safe?

SHAHAR: Yue doesn't want to return home. She wants to remain in the city.

Akari snorts provocatively, making Shahar furious.

AKARI: How do you know that? You're her girlfriend or something?

Kenora gives her a comedic nod as Shahar frowns. Akari's arrogance very quickly dissolves.

AKARI: Oh. Sorry.

SHAHAR: Our best chance is to go stealthy. Infiltrate it slowly from the underground and-

KENORA: Nah. Pass.

Adithya shakes her head as she correctly anticipates the incoming argument.

SHAHAR: You can't just... pass up my orders. I'm the leader here.

KENORA: First of all, I didn't agree to that. Second of all, stealth is a bad idea. Think about it.

Shahar keeps her arms crossed and her lips pouty.

KENORA: We're trying to infiltrate a building protected by earthbenders. We can't think like earthbenders when we do that. Digging up from below? Trying to be all stealthy? They're gonna expect that.

ADITHYA: I think she's actually right.

The earthbender seems very disappointed at this.

ADITHYA: Sorry, but she has a point. I think the whole four elements strategy is not a bad idea. Maybe we should do something more... overt.

KENORA: Like storming the thing, guns blazing.

Shahar exhales with disgust.

SHAHAR: Since when do you trust her?

Adithya shrugs, a faint bit of color on her face.

ADITHYA: I don't know. Aang trusts her...

Akari furrows her brow as the earthbender appears more convinced.

KENORA: So... are like Aang and her a thing?

As the firebender flushes with even more red, Akari hits the waterbender.

KENORA: Ow! What?! Aang talked very nicely about Adithya when he told me about her!

A glimmer of hope as the firebender seems to lighten up.

ADITHYA (emotional): Really?

Receiving no answer, Shahar manages to get their attention back as she quietly crosses her arms and says nothing. The girl lets out a long sigh, one that reeks of tobacco.

SHAHAR (calm): We will not... go in... "guns blazing". But we can do something else.

AKARI: Why not both?

They turn to the airbender, who seems the most reasonable right now.

AKARI: We can pin 'em from all sides. Shahar and Adithya sneak in from below, I go in from above, Kenora takes the main door. How does that sound?

SHAHAR (while rubbing her chin): Hit multiple points, weaken the opponent, then finish it off with a final blow.

Surprisingly, the earthbender nods her head.

SHAHAR: That... sounds like it could actually work.

KENORA: Told ya.

The waterbender briefly wipes her nose, a huge band-aid running across it again thanks to Shahar. The girl in question still doesn't seem very open yet though.

SHAHAR: I said "could". We'll need to be careful. And subtle.

KENORA: Yup. Trust me. I can do subtle.

---

Above the city the clouds have finally succumb to their weight, massive amounts of water washing over everything.

A metallic knock on the front door. The LF soldier inside opens, glaring at his compatriot.

LF SOLDIER 1: No, you can't come inside. I don't care if it's raining.

LF SOLDIER 2: That's not it. There's someone out here. She claims to be... the Crown Princess?

The two soldiers exchange weird looks. At their main entrance stands the Pirate Princess crossing her arms confidentially, two lightning bolts striking behind her.

---

Meanwhile, in the tower's dark cellar leading down into the sewers, a few guards holding lanterns find their sources of light suddenly extinguished, as if the flames manually overheat. In pitch black darkness, as they shout orders, an orange flame suddenly strikes one of them, briefly illuminating the room. The other men get ready as the flame returns, precise and sharp in its handling, able to knock the men over quickly and efficiently, without the girl producing them putting too much strength into it.

---

In the facility's outside area, where the actual sewage treatment machinery is placed, soldiers are finding themselves mysteriously knocked out one after the other, small rock cubes the culprit behind the attack. When one man tries to alert the tower, the metal platform behind him suddenly gives in, the soldier hit by an earth chunk right as he hits the ground.

---

Like holding in a sneeze, Kenora desperately tries not to bend the water from her person as she enters the building soaking wet. The tower's inside is laced with green bricks and contains mostly office space, some occasional machinery meant to support the process outside. Also there's a few windows on every level, which the Four Elements obviously accounted for.

LF SOLDIER 1: We didn't expect you yet, princess. We uh... we were told you would show up tomorrow.

KENORA (trying her best Katara impression): Well, tomorrow would hardly be sensible when I have already arrived. May I see Yue now?

The few soldiers present exchange skeptical looks.

LF SOLDIER 1: We'll bring you to her shortly, we just have a few more questions.

KENORA (Katara voice): Can't you ask these on our way up?

Nervous glances give her the necessary answers.

KENORA (Katara voice): Oh? Highest level then? Hm. Interesting.

LF SOLDIER 1: That's not information we're allowed to disclose yet. How about you wait here until we've gotten word back from headquarters that you're the real Crown Princess?

KENORA (Katara voice): That will hardly be necessary. I already have the information. Now all I'm waiting for is the signal.

The soldiers appear startled by this.

LF SOLDIER 1: The... signal?

With a comical scream and even more comical timing, an LF soldier drops from above, his fall visible through one of the windows.

KENORA: Oh. There it is.

Within seconds her soaking wet person acts as a perfect waterbending medium, the liquid she collected outside removed as she aggressively directs it against her opponents. The main soldier she was talking to tries to bend a chunk of earth towards her, Kenora dodging with an aqua jet on her feet before flicking the water into his face. Two more men get knocked over by the wall behind them collapsing as Shahar knocks out a third with a brick blast. Kenora freezes over one guy's face as Adithya emerges from below, an impressive mid-air-kick-punch neutralizing the last men standing.

KENORA: There we go.

The girls climb up a metal staircase as the hatch above them is quickly shut.

ADITHYA: So much for stealth...

SHAHAR: Akari is still up there causing havoc, that should give us some time.

---

At a much higher level, Akari takes on way too many guys on her own, though as she is outside, constantly switching from ledge to ledge, she remains protected. Occasionally the girl picks out an unfortunate soul trying to attack her through a window, pulling him outside with her bending and making him drop into a treatment container. The athlete actually came up with a game here - double the points for all the goons she can toss into the poo water tank.

---

KENORA: That metal hatch looks pretty tight. Could Adithya maybe-

Bluntly, with no grace, but with much force, Shahar starts to awkwardly punch upwards, each jab bending the metallic material a little more. Kenora and the fire princess exchange brief looks of confusion at this.

With the last screech causing goosebumps, the hatch opens, the girls entering a storage room with only a handful of opponents. The waterbender immediately takes on the largest one while Adithya holds her own against a mean earthbender trying to rip the ground from her feet. As Shahar scans the room, she finds the ladder leading to the next floor missing.

SHAHAR: Shit.

A bubble of liquid shoots over Kenora's opponent, specifically his hand. After the girl breaks it, making him howl, she knocks him out with an ice-covered backhand.

KENORA: What?

SHAHAR I'll have to bend a hole in the ground above and launch you upwards.

Adithya ducks under an incoming brick. Swiping both her hands across from her, two bursts of fire trip the man over, a drop kick from above knocking his lights out as the flame that followed it disperses the moment the hit is secured.

ADITHYA: I'll go in first. My fire will give you the necessary cover.

No one disagrees. Shahar proceeds to rip open a hole on the wall, Adithya placing herself under it right away before a smooth pillar pushes her upwards like a spring.

KENORA: Why is all of your earthbending so... square-y?

Shahar smirks as the waterbender gets ready.

SHAHAR: It's how I was taught.

KENORA: And you were taught that way because... it looks cool?

SHAHAR: Because it looks cool.

The girls... actually exchange a smile before Kenora gets jolted upwards. Right after, Shahar launches herself, the two briefly staring in awe at the situation.

Despite looking like a petite little princess, Adithya successfully manages to conjure up a massive dragon-shaped fire, chasing after hopeless LF soldiers that appear to be scared shitless. They scream comically as the sounds of the burning flame howl through the tower.

SHAHAR: You know what? You were right. We have more than enough firepower.

KENORA: Watch out!

Two buff soldiers, both with hammers and who have been able to avoid the princess' fire, attack the two girls as they defend themselves. The one that attacks Shahar gets all of his swings blocked by her precise bending shields. Once he tries to lift up some rocks of his own, the kimono girl dashes around him quickly, a move she shamelessly copied from Mai and Caraman. After squeezing the man's metal bracelet makes him drop one of his hammers, his second one, flying towards her face, gets punched by the girl instead, turning the material into dust. A stone pillar lifted with both of her arms finally drops the man to the floor for good.

Kenora's one-on-one acts out like a boxing match, one in which the large man uses hammers while the girl forms a thick coat of ice on her right fist. In the end, it's a one-hit-k.o., shattering her frozen knuckle in the process. As the last soldier is defeated by Adithya's fire, the girls all collect in one spot. This is when Akari drops in from a nearby window.

AKARI: Uh... I have some bad news.

KENORA: What? Don't tell me there's more.

Not a second later, men start bursting in from above, the ceiling gaining several holes as the small army emerges. Akari joins the others as the girls get ready. Despite how spacey the inside of this tower is, it can get pretty crowded with more than a dozen LF soldiers.

LF SOLDIER 3: Surrender now! We have you surrounded!

AKARI: Um... any escape plans?

ADITHYA: We can't give up now!

Through this whole process, as the soldiers kept pummeling in, Kenora had been holding up her arms in defeat.

SHAHAR: Can you please lower your hands? You're embarrassing us.

Shahar gets a completely different impression as the waterbender smirks.

KENORA: Just a few more seconds...

Unbeknownst to the soldiers across from them, a massive body of water collects right outside, the rain held in place by a certain Pirate Princess.

LF SOLDIER 3: So... you surrender or not?

Shahar crosses her arms as she shrugs.

SHAHAR: Nah.

Like a typhoon, the wave crashes inside, washing over their opponents as Kenora freezes most of them to the ground.

One earthbender tries tossing some stone towards Shahar, the girl smashing his attack as she knocks him out with a rock pillar from the side.

Another earthbender, before being able to attack, is hit by a series of quick baton strikes from Akari, the airbending blast that follows tossing the man across the entire room.

Adithya slides under a brick chunk, kicking up her foot, the fire that follows stunning the man, before a combined blast from her palms drops him unconscious.

SHAHAR: Alright, let's go, people!

KENORA: Whatever you say, leader.

They all share unexpected smiles as Shahar creates a ledge leading outside. Akari manages to launch Adithya first, the girl holding onto a windowsill two levels above, a gust of wind pushing her inside. Kenora is catapulted next, almost missing her rendezvous spot as she produces a whip of water to pull herself inside. Shahar, bending her platform like a paddle, manages to launch herself, punching into the stone wall before pulling herself inside. Akari, as the last one, simply manages to bend some currents to her advantage, her airbending feeling more powerful than ever.

As the athlete finally enters, the girls find a room full of machinery, four LF soldiers across from them.

LF SOLDIER 4: Stop right there!

The Four Elements share some amused glances.

SHAHAR: Really? You're not going to let us pass?

LF SOLDIER 4: Never! We'd rather fight!

The kimono girl and the Pirate Princess share a satisfied grin.

KENORA: We were hoping you would say that.

Kenora cracks her knuckles, Shahar takes on a sturdy stance, Adithya takes a quick breath, and Akari clicks her batons back together, spinning her staff.

---

Stealth, elsewhere. Stealthwhere? Never mind.

Aang peaks impatiently through a telescope, watching the entry of the Earth King's palace, or rather its courtyard. The outskirts of the estate are marked by massive red wall, gold used to mark the rooftops. When the gang left Ba Sing Se, there was also the symbol of the Earth Kingdom chiseled into the stone. It has now been replaced by the stars of the Liberation Forces. The boy grunts as he hands the telescope over to Zuko.

SOKKA: Nothing?

AANG: Nothing yet.

Ty Lee came along too, though she sulks quietly in a croner, making the others feel a bit uncomfortable. The gang is situated in the second floor of an empty building, one very close by the palace grounds.

SOKKA: Wouldn't anyone find us in here?

CARAMAN: Nah, don't worry about it.

The Crescent Warrior shoves snacks into his mouth as the others react with appropriate skepticism. There's also a sixth person that came along.

SUKI: And how do you know that?

CARAMAN (with a full mouth): Simple.

A crude swallow later and Caraman elaborates.

CARAMAN: There's a bunch of buildings like these in the city. Fake ones that look normal from the outside. Us and the Kimono Society used it for intelligence.

As he tosses more food into his jaw, the others frown a bit.

AANG: So... everyone in the city is constantly being spied on?

CARAMAN (with a full mouth): Not constantly but, y'know.

Once again, the food entering down his gullet looks like it's choking him.

CARAMAN: At least we're not the Dai Li.

Aang and Sokka share a distasteful look, even Zuko briefly joins before going back to spyglass duty.

CARAMAN: Hey, is that a Kyoshi Warrior fan?

Suki flinches slightly as he utters the question. Indeed, the metal item in her possession hangs on her belt, opposite of the katana.

SUKI: What? Uh... yeah. How do you know?

CARAMAN: Oh, I... read a lot about the Kyoshi Warriors. I mean, the Crescent Warrior were kind of inspired by you guys. Only that we allowed both men and women. It's a shame they were pretty much wiped out.

Aang turns his head quickly at that.

AANG: They were?

The two boys wait patiently, seeing as this is clearly a difficult topic for Suki. The girl takes a breath before responding.

SUKI: Yes, they were. I was taken as a warden by the Tribe. I never learned anything about my home though.

Very apparent pain in her voice makes Aang back off with a sympathetic smile.

CARAMAN: Want a snack?

She smiles at his strangely blunt nature, which doesn't seem to lack any empathy.

SUKI: Sure.

The girl takes a handful of flakes before Zuko emits a strange hissing sound.

ZUKO: I see something!

They all duck a little... except Caraman.

SUKI (quietly): Aren't we supposed to get down?

CARAMAN: Not at all. Those windows are soundproof and one-way mirrored. No one can spot us from out there.

Looks of relief are shared as they stand back up. Even Ty Lee dares to walk a little closer.

Through the circular shape of his spying item, Zuko spots a cavern forming underground, a blue figure walking out of it.

ZUKO: It's Katara.

Both Sokka and Suki skip a beat.

AANG: What is she doing?

The distant spot of Crown Princess emerges from below as a few earthbenders close the ground again. She is then greeted by some LF soldiers, who lead her inside the palace grounds.

ZUKO: She... came up from a hole in the ground. She's walking towards the palace.

CARAMAN: Hole in the ground? That's got to be-

AANG: It's the crystal catacombs beneath the palace. That's where she must be holding Azula.

This is the most Ty Lee has shown a reaction yet.

SOKKA: Great. So when we storm the palace, you go underground with your earthbending.

SUKI: Wouldn't be very smart. We need the Avatar to punch through their defenses.

AANG: If only I could tell where exactly they're holding her.

CARAMAN: Oh, that's easy.

They turn to the Crescent Warrior again, who was just about to toss more crunchy stuff into his mouth.

CARAMAN: There's a trap door in the throne room. Leads right to the prison complex. I accidentally fell in once.

The boy allows himself to devour more food as he finishes. Suki quietly gestures that she wants some as well, Caraman politely handing his bag over.

TY LEE: So we storm the palace, get to the throne room, and head inside?

Hearing her speak almost feels like a ghostly presence. Zuko hands the spyglass over to Sokka as he turns to his girlfriend.

ZUKO: I think it's best if only Aang goes. Maybe one other person.

TY LEE: Good. I want to go.

Her harsh words are followed by awkward silence, minus the chewing noises from Caraman and Suki.

AANG: I guess it's not that important who comes along. As long as we can beat Katara.

Ty Lee pouts a bit at that. The Avatar allows himself to emit a sigh. He has a very keen suspicion how his encounter with Katara in the crystal catacombs may play out.

AANG: I hope Kenora and the others are doing okay.

---

A violent burst from below as Kenora enters, hitting two guards mid-air with her streams of water. As she lands, she grabs the first guy's leg, shoving him against a wall before bending her stream onto the other, pulling his head against the stone floor, leading to an obvious knock-out. A third guard emerges, the girl dodging his rock throw as she kicks her stream in a circle, it flying against him from the side, freezing him against a wall. Finally, a powerful regular kick punches his lights out.

The other girls start flooding in from below as Shahar gasps.

SHAHAR: Yue!

In the corner of the circular room, a makeshift prison holds the two captive. A blunt twist of her arm and the stone bars shatter. Mai only barely registers her presence, completely focused on the northern princess.

SHAHAR: Mai?

MAI: She's not doing well.

Below her, Yue practically chokes, her attempts to circulate her lungs with air turning more and more feeble, her eyes long closed. Shahar drops to her knees as she spots her.

SHAHAR: Yue. Yue honey, it's okay. I'm here.

As Yue continues to gasp, it becomes apparent that she isn't even able to hear her.

SHAHAR: Where's her inhaler?

Her desperate gaze wanders over to the other three.

SHAHAR: We need her inhaler!

Kenora freezes on the spot as she watches her ex-girlfriend close to... losing to her weak lungs.

MAI: I have some of her herbs stashed on me. Maybe we can fashion an inhaler ourselves.

The Pirate Princess runs towards a nearby table used by guards, grabbing an empty tin cup that she subsequently fills with bending water. She carries it over to Shahar who, after, putting the herbal medicine inside, shapes the material into a crude replica of an actual inhaler. Next, Adithya creates a small flame, heating up the liquid until it almost reaches its boiling point. Shahar's breath worsens herself as she places the device against Yue's mouth and nose.

SHAHAR (quietly): You have to breath. Breathe it in, Yue. Please.

Unfortunately, her pleading isn't enough to help. Tears start showing on the earthbender's face.

KENORA: Her breathing it's... it's too weak. She can't breath it in. What do we do?

AKARI: Maybe I can help.

The athlete leans her staff against a wall as she walks closer, getting on one knee. Carefully and gently, she bends the steam into Yue's nostrils, proceeding to stabilize the girl's weak breath alongside it. The oxygen exchange continues for a few seconds as Akari slowly begins to weaken her input. Finally, Yue is able to breath somewhat normally on her own, the inhaler medicine entering her lungs at her own volition. As the airbender and Mai step out of the cell, the princess barely opens her eyes.

YUE (weak breath): Sha... Shahar...

The kimono girl's tears turn to joyous once as Yue musters up the strength to place her hand on Shahar's cheek. She takes a few more breaths from her inhaler before continuing.

YUE (weak breath): You... you came back...

The earthbender holds the inhaler with one hand while her other grabs Yue's, the girl giving her lots of relief kisses on it.

SHAHAR (teary): Of course I came back. I wouldn't let you rot in prison again.

The princess finds an ounce of her strength returning, using it up to gift her a smile.

YUE (weak breath): I love you... I love you too... by the way...

More tears stream from Shahar as the procedure continues.

In the back, Kenora's heart starts aching for Azula as Adithya ponders on her own romantic intentions.

MAI: So... you guys are with Shahar?

With crossed arms, the Crescent Warrior closely eyes the other three.

ADITHYA: I'm Princess Adithya of Dibuang. You might know it as the Golden City.

MAI: I know what Dibuang is. And I know you. Sokka told me about you.

The firebender smiles uncomfortably as the assassin's expression remains stone cold. She turns to Kenora next.

KENORA: I'm-

MAI: I already know who you are. Shahar made sketches of you.

The waterbender nods awkwardly. Akari is next.

MAI: Who are you?

AKARI: Akari.

MAI: Nothing else?

AKARI: What else is there?

MAI: Alright.

AKARI: Cool.

MAI: Cool.

Both Kenora and Adithya react with comedic beffudlement.

---

Back at the apartment. Rainfall has softened a bit, though the streets are still covered in puddles and the sound of droplets tapping the building persist. The lack of any light also indicates that the sun has set, though no one in Ba Sing Se has actually seen the celestial ruler today.

Shahar softly shuts the guest room door as she enters the living room, where everyone but Fong, Kenora, and Ty Lee are seated, most of them on the floor.

KENORA: And?

SHAHAR: Doing better, much better. She's resting now.

Reactions of relief. For now the kimono girl sits down next to Mai, Kenora and Fong acting as presenters, the stone slab between them once again holding a stich of the city.

KENORA: Well guys, I'd say today was pretty succesful.

About half of the crowd frowns, including the general.

FONG: Why is she up here and not someone important? Like the Avatar?

Kenora reacts with somethng akin to insult.

AANG: Let her stay there. She's doing a good job.

The waterbender reacts with discomfort as the airbender is using another opportunity to remind her of her supposed future duties.

FONG: Anyways, tomorrow, we strike.

He slams the stone wall pretty hard, though it shatters not.

FONG: Two targets, two strike teams.

KENORA: And we're split pretty evenly among ourselves.

ZUKO: Don't we have any more manpower? What about the other Kimono Agents and Crescent Warriors?

SHAHAR: They were all captured from what I can tell.

MAI: And some of my warriors might've fled...

CARAMAN: I'm still here!

No one cares and Kenora continues.

KENORA: Right. The strike teams...

They all look in excitement at incoming information that they already pretty much know already.

KENORA: Team A will be led by Aang. Pretty much Team Avatar plus Mai and myself.

MAI: You'll need someone with experience to help you navigate through the palace. Otherwise you'll get lost.

She flips one of her knifes in an impressive, yet intimidating fashion.

FONG: Team B will be led by me. Shahar, Caraman, Adithya, and our two Water Tribe deserters will accompany them.

SHAHAR: Don't we have any concerns about these two fighting the Water Tribe? No offense.

Akari rolls her eyes, as she did take offense.

AKARI: We're already enemies of the state. And we're also pretty fed up.

SUKI: Neither of us are even really Water Tribe.

AKARI: Plus we don't want to face Katara after betraying her. The Avatar and Kenora are welcome to do that.

A provocative wink from the athlete and Kenora shakes her head.

FONG: We'll strike at noon, when most of their troops will be on lunch break. After Vaas has been taken prisoner we can reinstate some kind of interrim government to figure out where to continue.

KENORA: They'll never know what hit 'em!

Overly excited, Kenora forms a dagger of ice with which she impales the middle of the stitched map, the palace to be exact. Fong very openly frowns at her.

FONG (angry): Sun-Yat made that for me.

The dagger melts as the girl turns pale.

---

Later that night, in the kitchen...

FONG: Sorry about the stitch, honey. I'll get it fixed.

Sun-Yat lets out a very reserved sigh as he washes everyone's dishes.

SUN-YAT: It's fine. I've always wanted children. Just never teenagers. And not twelve of them at once.

The earthbender lets out a chuckle as Sun-Yat tosses a cautious smile.

SUN-YAT: You know, after this is all over...

The hulking man doesn't quite know how to react here.

FONG: Adoption is only ever allowed between regular couples. And stinking rich ones at that.

SUN-YAT: You know, the King is gone.

Fong's brow furrows.

SUN-YAT: It's tragic, yes. But... he has no heirs. I don't agree with Vaas but... the Earth Kingdom could use some change. Some improvements. For people like us for example.

The general agrees with an animalistic grunt.

FONG: Maybe. Whoever is gonna be in charge needs to be more open to negotiating. Work with the New Culture Movement. Listen to some LF demands before they start organizing again.

SUN-YAT: "Whoever" is gonna be in charge?

A suggestive gaze later and Fong almost slips off the kitchen counter.

FONG: Duh- no. Sun-Yat...

SUN-YAT: I don't want you as our dictator. But... you are the only part of the old government that's left. With some help from others, you could lead the Earth Kingdom into a new age.

Flattered and stunned, the general merely scoffs. His husband dries his hands before putting them on Fong's.

SUN-YAT: Chiang... you're a good man. You've always been a good man. A little impatient sometimes, but you've held your course.

Fong smiles, even blushes a bit.

FONG (blushing): Only because you've helped me keep my course. Without you, I'd be lost in this world.

SUN-YAT (blushing): And without you I'd have no purpose.

Smooches close off the political discussion, as should be the standard.

---

Elsewhere that night...

Shahar quietly closes the door to Yue's room again, wearing her night kimono now.

AKARI: Is she alright?

The earthbender flinches.

AKARI: Oh, sorry. Didn't mean to.

SHAHAR: It's fine. I'm a little tired.

A lean against the wall next to her door turns to Shahar sinking to the ground. Akari follows suit, seated with her legs crossed.

SHAHAR: She's asleep. Sorry if you wanted to speak to her.

AKARI: Oh, it's okay. I'm happy to hear that she's fine.

Shahar's face forms a thin smile as her eyes briefly shut.

AKARI: So how did it happen?

The kimono girl turns her head with a curious expression attached.

AKARI: You and Yue. I'm just... curious. I thought she'd be a prisoner in Ba Sing Se.

Shahar lets out a humored chuckle.

SHAHAR: Well, she was.

The girl allows herself to walk down memory lane for a second.

SHAHAR: Mai trusted her from the start. I didn't. But... I felt bad for her. She didn't have that much intel and... we kept her locked in the city against her will.

AKARI: Must've been pretty lonely.

The earthbender nods.

SHAHAR: It was. I really didn't talk to her until the Earth Ball happened. Out of guilt I offered to buy her a dress and...

A treacherous smile starts to form, the athlete simply nodding.

SHAHAR: That night was pretty stressful. But... afterwards we just... danced. All night. We also got pretty drunk.

Several seconds pass before she continues.

SHAHAR: I started visiting her after that. At first, just to check in on her, see if she needed company. Then one night, I stayed a little longer, one thing led to another...

AKARI: It's really sweet.

Shahar shakes her head at the irony of hating sweet foods.

AKARI: Seems like Yue really found a place to call home here. Didn't think she could.

Her strangely somber tone lets the earthbender figure out some stuff as well.

SHAHAR: You're looking for a place to call home as well?

Akari exhales, ashamed to have been caught this easily.

AKARI: I guess so. Haven't really able to call anything my home. After leaving my parents, I've only ever went from place to place, wherever the wind carries me.

Shahar gifts her an empathetic smirk.

SHAHAR: I'm sure one day you'll find a home.

Akari nods, still acting a bit reserved as she gets up and stretches.

AKARI: Oh well. For now the only thing I need to find is a bathroom and my mattress.

SHAHAR: Yours... is in the bathroom.

The athlete briefly stops and groans.

AKARI (matt): Great.

As she walks away, Shahar gets back up.

SHAHAR: Good night!

AKARI: Night.

After this, Shahar opens the guest room door once more. Closing it again, the kimono girl smiles.

Of course Yue was given the only other real bed in the house. Lying on it, the princess smiles back with an impish expression.

SHAHAR: Where you spying on us?

As the earthbender approaches, the girl reacts with a shrug.

YUE: Maybe.

Shahar kneels down, their faces only inches apart.

YUE (blushing): I am dating a spy, so I might've picked up on some stuff.

The earthbender shakes her head as she turns red. Once again, a conversation is closed off by smooching.

---

Outside, the apartment complex's hallway leading to a road. Suki is quietly hiding under the staircase going up to Sun-Yat's, shielded from the rain. She watches the droplets fall quietly, attempting to calm her mind without resorting to shutting it all in.

CARAMAN: Oh there you are.

His plump demeanor seems like a welcome change of pace for the swordfighter.

As he casually climbs over, he wipes some of the rain from his hair.

CARAMAN: Is it okay if I-

SUKI: Sure.

Her quiet tone seems intriguing. Though, and the boy told this to himself in the mirror earlier, he would not seek out Suki with any romantic intentions. She... moreso seemed like she needed company.

CARAMAN: You doing okay?

His head hangs down the side like that of a curious animal. The girl calmly collects her thoughts first.

SUKI: I'm not sure. I feel kind of... nothing at the moment.

A few seconds pass with only the rain making any sound.

SUKI: Not... because of you.

CARAMAN: Huh? Oh, I didn't read your answer like that.

He snorts weirdly as she gives him a cold look.

CARAMAN: I'm not here to do anything or try anything. I just saw you leave and... I don't know. I figured maybe you'd wanna talk.

Scratching the back of his head, Suki takes a deep breath.

SUKI: I don't trust people. I grew up as a foreigner kept by the royal family. The only friend I ever knew was Katara.

CARAMAN: Really? No other friends?

A somber aura overcomes her as she shakes her head.

SUKI: Who'd wanna be friends with the weird Earth Kingdom girl?

Once again, raindrops fall as both ponder on her words.

CARAMAN: I'm not very popular back home either.

Suki frowns with curiosity.

CARAMAN: Yeah, I was always very loud and very direct and I talked a lot and I had weird hobbies and interests and I couldn't pay attention during school...

He comes to grinding halt as he sighs.

CARAMAN: My parents always said that I'm stupid. But I don't think I am. I did some cool stuff here in the city. I think I worked it out pretty well.

Raised to be a warrior, Suki finds herself strangely warming up to him.

SUKI: You're... unlike any boy I've ever met.

CARAMAN: Thanks. I get that a lot.

Letting out a jolly exhale, the girl can feel the heat rising inside of her.

SUKI (blushing): You know I've... never... talked with a boy for that long. Not in... that... way.

CARAMAN: You mean like romantic?

She nods, breathing through her mouth.

CARAMAN: Yeah, me neither. I'm more into girls myself.

At his complete and apparent, utterly pure obliviousness, Suki starts to chuckle heartly. Caraman reacts with unnerve.

CARAMAN: Did I do something funny? Did I say something wrong?

The girl simply shakes her head. As the raindrops continue to fall and enchant with their smell and sound, Suki's hand slowly reaches for Caraman's. Confused at first, he calmly accepts it, figuring that the girl probably doesn't feel comfortable going any further than this.

No smooches here, but that's okay.

---

Meanhwile, in the broom closet...

SOKKA: There - all set!

Despite being so far in, the harsh weather is still heard inside the dry room, some brooms, cleaning utensils, and food stored in between other nonsense, mostly more art objects that supposedly didn't find any space anywhere else in the apartment.

MAI: That's nice.

Sokka nods, lying down across from her, the two teens a foot or so away, as their sleeping option did not provide any more space. Mai lies back as well, feeling a bit self-confident about someone seeing her without make-up and with her hair not done. Especially when that someone is Sokka.

MAI: You know, this is only slightly better than the prison cell.

The boy, his hair now at a relatively adequate length (still ultimately short) ponders what to say in response.

SOKKA: I guess it could be worse. I'm not dying for example.

MAI: At least not yet.

Though she doesn't see it, he actually smirks at her morbid comment, resting his head on his hands as he stares up against the ceiling.

MAI: That was... a bit bleak. Sorry.

SOKKA: No-no, it's okay. I think it's pretty cool that you say stuff like that.

The Crescent Warrior allows a smirk to form on her as well. She could ask him about his hair now or... some other meaningless question. In reality, it has been on her mind for a while now, at least since talking to Yue about it. Sokka, similarly, finds this whole set-up awkward too, though not so much "uncomofortable-awkward" and more so... "what's gonna happen next?-awkward".

SOKKA: Hey uh... it's not a problem if we share a room, right?

The girl briefly throws a glance at him, Sokka still resting on his hands.

MAI: Why?

SOKKA: I don't know. I guess cause we don't know each other that well.

Mai lets out a deep sigh.

MAI: Shahar is sharing with Yue so that cuts down my options by a lot. I don't think I'd wanna share a room with Ty Lee either...

The boy raises his eyebrows at this.

SOKKA: What? Why? I mean... I know she's been a bit grumpy, but-

MAI: I used to have a crush on Zuko.

A part of Sokka shatters upon hearing this. With a disappointed tone, his arms move down again.

SOKKA: Oh, really? That's... good to know.

Suspecting that she made some kind of mistake, Mai corrects herself.

MAI: I used to. Not anymore. I... like someone else now.

Her pale face takes on a mild red tone.

Sokka immediately gets up to glare.

SOKKA: Who is this guy? Is he taller than me?

MAI: Your exact height.

SOKKA: Is he better-looking?

MAI: No, you moron.

Probably shouldn't use that word in this conversation, but oh well. Embarrassed, Mai gets up too.

MAI: It's you, Sokka. I... like you. And that doesn't happen a lot. I hate most things.

The prince struggles to swallow this for a moment, though the feeling in his stomach does turn warmer and warmer by the second. Mai meanwhile grunts, unhappy at her fidgety state of conduct.

MAI: Listen, I'm sorry for making it awkward. It's just that we had such a nice time together, and I thought about you a lot while you were gone, and I got carried away-

Before she can finish Sokka follows the correct impulse, cutting her off by pressing his lips against hers, the dour girl feeling a luminous sense of joy within her body.

SOKKA: You talk too much.

She scoffs loudly while blushing.

SOKKA: Listen, I'm not trying to be super pessimistic about tomorrow. Buuut if you want to spend our possible last night ever making out then-

The roles are switched as she now presses her mouth against his, forcing the boy back down with it.

More smooches close off this one.

---

How all of these people are stored properly withing Sun-Yat's apartment remains elusive to Kenora. For now the girl feels like getting a breather in between a bunch of other people sleeping in the living room, Adithya being given the luxury of having the couch, although the spot is strangely empty now. The waterbender thinks for a second about taking it, but then goes with her original plan regardless.

The only empty room beside the kitchen remains Sun-Yat's office, a small little chamber with a modest bookshelf and an even more modest desk. What exactly this guy does for a living, who knows? Must not pay that bad though, as this place, the whole complex for a matter, is relatively luxurious compared to most other housing in the lower ring. The girl shuts the door and-

ZUKO (sleepy): Who's there?

Kenora jolts against the table, almost knocking down a ceramic-based tower... thingy.

KENORA: Sedni! You almost scared me to death!

Both talk in a relatively quiet tone as not to wake the others, though you can't really call it whisper. Zuko rubs his eyes as he sits upright in his sleeping bag.

KENORA: Why are you even in here? Aren't you sleeping outside next to Ty Lee?

The boy scratches the back of his scalp, clearly hiding something.

KENORA: You okay?

She decides to place herself on a brash carpet as the swordfighter sighs.

ZUKO: Not really. Ty Lee is going through some stuff and... it's kind of having a negative effect on our relationship.

Regret befalls him like a rockslide.

ZUKO: I shouldn't be telling you this.

His grumpy follow-up does provoke her a bit, though the girl can manage the still upkept distance.

KENORA: Probably. I care about you guys but... I probably shouldn't get involved in that sort of stuff.

Zuko's arms get crossed, though the waterbender suspects that his frustrations stem from the situation at hand and are not directed towards her specifically.

KENORA: Hey, speaking of Ty Lee though, I have been meaning to ask her something. Maybe I should ask you first.

He raises one eyebrow as he tries to keep something of a distance.

KENORA: You see, months ago, back before we attacked the Go- I mean, Dibuang, Kanna gave me this little vial of spirit oasis water.

As she progresses his curiosity increases.

KENORA: I'm not a miracle healer by any chance and, if anything, Kanna should try doing it, but, if it's spirit water, and it's able to do super amazing healing stuff...

She hopes for him to finish, though he doesn't.

KENORA: ...then... maybe I could heal her eye.

The girl shrugs as he considers it. Ultimately, after a very short thinking period, Zuko shakes his head.

ZUKO: No. I don't think that's a good idea.

Kenora doesn't feel like giving in yet.

KENORA: I don't want to give her the impression like it will work 100 percent. But... I don't know, if Ty Lee doesn't like me very much yet... I just...

Much like the swordfighter usually does, the waterbender grunt-sighs.

KENORA: I want to show her that I care. That she can trust me - that I'm not this... bad person anymore that attacks her and calls her mean things. Please. I want her to like me.

Zuko clenches his nose ridge, clearly struggling with his opposition.

ZUKO: Look Kenora... we all believe in your... transformation. But you and I both know you've struggled with doing the right thing in the past. I can overlook it, but Ty Lee... simply can't. At least not yet.

Recalling the girl's mistakes like this very abundantly gives her the chills.

ZUKO: I think for now it's best that you ought to stay back a bit. I don't dislike you. I don't want Ty Lee to mistrust you forever. But as long as she does... I need to stay away from you as well a bit.

A knot forms in her chest as her breath sounds audibly distressed.

KENORA: That's not fair, Zuko. I... I want to be with Azula. Am I not going to because of Ty Lee?

Spite runs through his veins as his head turns a final time.

ZUKO (frustrated): Well I want to be with Ty Lee. We'll have to figure something out.

His raspy voice gives her the rest, and acts as a cue to get up.

KENORA: This is what I was scared most of when I switched sides.

ZUKO (frustrated): What? That we might not welcome you with open arms right away?

KENORA: That it was too late.

This last response makes Zuko uneasy too as she leaves the office again. As Zuko lies down on his side, he continues to occupy his mind with the current situation acting as a puzzle.

It remains unsolvable for now.

---

They continue to crash by the hundreds into the earth below. Rain soothes Aang. Back home, it meant that whatever scorched earth violence the Fire Nation engaged in, the element would come to their aid and extinguish it. It always acted as a sign of hope. A sign of life.

The window quietly opens as someone else joins him on the short balcony.

ADITHYA: Hey there.

His eyes snap open as he hears her voice, a humble smile following it.

ADITHYA: May I join you? It's a bit... stuffy in there.

Aang nods politely as she sits down next to him, very close next to him in fact, though he doesn't quite mind.

AANG: Back with the monks, we used to have sleepovers all the time. Whenever it got stuffy, I would always bend in some fresh air for everyone.

The princess finds his anectode quite amusing. With a bittersweet aftertaste.

ADITHYA: That must feel like a lifetime ago. With everything that happened since.

A mere nod confirms her suspicions. For moment they let the sound of droplets calm their souls.

ADITHYA: I don't quite trust Kenora yet. But you seem to. Why is that?

He seriously considers spilling the beans about his Avatar theory. But... he should... wait...

Why shouldn't he? This might be the last night he'd see her, the passionate, animal-loving, firebender princess. What a strange twist of fate that the two girls he ended up liking in this world are firebenders. But... Azula is already seeing someone, already happy.

And Adithya is right here.

AANG: I'm not... the real Avatar.

The girl's mind sufficiently shatters at his declaration.

AANG: I am in my world. But here... Aang wasn't supposed to be. Someone else is.

As the information enters her brain, the firebender thinks rather hard on it.

ADITHYA: And you think it's Kenora?

Once again he nods.

AANG: I'm not sure. But... I think so.

She hums a thoughtful note as he admires her.

ADITHYA: Weird. If the real airbending Avatar... survived for a while, somehow, and then died only a few years ago... wouldn't the Avatar be a firebender?

AANG: Well... the cycle is different in my world. Water comes after air. But also... who knows what happened?

Surprising him, the princess smirks.

ADITHYA: Shouldn't you know?

He finds himself embarrassed in a matter he enjoys.

AANG: I don't know. Shouldn't the... Princess of Dibuang be in her palace?

Adithya makes a gag noise as Aang grins like a dork.

ADITHYA: No thank you. I blame you for that. You put these funny little ideas in my head about doing what I like.

The two finally stop moving their heads around and lock in on each other. Gold meets grey.

AANG: So you ran away to find the Avatar?

ADITHYA (blushing): I ran away to find you.

The heat rising within him as well, the two close in on each other.

An inch away, Aang pulls back.

AANG: I... can't do this.

Despite looking like a rejection, Adithya does not let the fire inside her fade.

ADITHYA: Why? Because I'm not from your world?

AANG: Because I'm leaving soon.

Shock breaks onto her expression.

ADITHYA: What?

AANG: Ba Sing Se is my crossroads. It's where I failed my world. We'll save the city together tomorrow, I'm sure of it. But... afterwards...

He dares to look at her again with sorrowful eyes.

AANG: I... I think I'm going back home.

As the words simmer, Adithya starts to shake her head.

ADITHYA: No. That's not it.

Aang sighs.

AANG: Adithya...

She holds up his head with her hands.

ADITHYA (quietly): I don't think that's you backed down. I don't think it's because you... may go back home. I think it's because you think it's too late for you.

For a long time he'd been holding on to that pain. In that moment, he starts to feel it loosen just a bit.

ADITHYA (quietly): I can't possibly imagine what you've gone through, Aang. But it doesn't mean that you don't deserve any love. Or that you can't be loved.

He gently pushes down her arms as both begin to show some tears.

ADITHYA (teary): I think you want to leave tomorrow. You want this to be over. And I get it.

As they snivel, Adithya wipes the tears off her face.

ADITHYA (quietly): But don't leave because you think no one loves you here.

She scoffs at herself, and her corny speech. But it looks like it's just the thing Aang needs. He gets up again, also wiping away his tears as Adithya follows suit.

AANG: I don't want to leave you like this. With a... kiss from someone you'll never see again.

ADITHYA: It wouldn't be.

They move in closer as her hand wanders up to his cheek again, this time the boy allowing it. Both flush with color once more.

ADITHYA (blushing): It would be a kiss from someone I'm glad to have met.

And that works. Letting go of his fear, letting go of Azula, at least in that way, Aang tries something he hasn't done in years. Allow himself to feel happiness. Allow himself to feel love.

And he feels all of that as they close the distance between each other. A sensation unlike any he ever felt before.

The kiss fizzles out softly as they open their eyes again. The sound of rain echoes as both smile.

ADITHYA (soft): Well... if that was a goodbye then... I hope it was nice.

A mere smile appears, the boy's cheeks firmly shaded in red. She moves in to give him one last peck before letting go of his hands.

ADITHYA (whispering): Good night.

It takes him a second to work through it.

AANG (whispering): Good night.

She disappears through the window back inside, Aang remaining on the balcony for quite a while.

Whatever may happen tomorrow, he sincerely hopes not to regret this moment. Ever.

---

Goodbyes are exchanged swiftly and efficiently. Aang suspects that no one is doubting the mission or themselves, yet a strange aura of unnerve persists regardless.

The Avatar thanks Shahar earnestly for having done so much in the city while he and the others were gone. He also expresses his condolences, which the earthbender appreciates with a tired nod. She gives Mai a warm hug before returning to her squad.

Kenora exchanges oddly quaint good luck wishes with Akari and Suki, the latter of which actually expresses something that resembles a smile, surprising the Pirate Princess greatly. Akari, after a long-lasting hug, thanks Kenora for not giving up.

Caraman bluntly thanks Mai for letting him join the Crescent Warriors, for which he expects no reaction whatsoever. In an entirely shocking scene, Mai actually folds to a hug, thanking the boy for his unwavering optimism. That last part was a lie, she just calls him an idiot and moves on.

Fong also can't help himself but to express his gratitude towards Aang, promising that, after today, he will do everything in his power to stop the Water Tribe once and for all. The airbender briefly recalls the Fong of his world again, shaking his head at the two wildly different men.

Lastly, Suki has the guts to walk up to Ty Lee, still a hefty distance between the girls.

SUKI: I'm... sorry. About your eye. I wasn't aiming for it. Really.

The acrobat raises her head, bags under her eyes and a pale expression, filled with nothing but hatred.

In that moment, when she meets the gaze of a timid warrior girl shedding her facade, a strange thing occurs. She could let it out on Suki, fuel that flame of hatred within her soul, shout at the swordsman for having ruined her face, or coldly ignoring her plead for forgiveness.

Instead, Ty Lee finds herself crumbling. The expression, her shifting green aura, everything. It is as if all the hate and bitter and cold, the unstoppable force of her shame, met the immovable object in front of her. The airbender sees nothing but a hurt girl. One that lost everything and is now desperately trying to find anything. A family.

Just like her.

TY LEE: It's okay. I'm much more precise now, actually.

Suki's heart skips a beat. Not wanting to encroach any further, the girl intends to-

TY LEE: Your name is Suki, right?

At her quietly inquisitive tone, the swordfighter nods.

TY LEE: Well... nice to meet you. I'm Ty Lee.

Not needing to manage her emotions around a strange people that despise her, Suki's mouth breaks into a smile, one which Ty Lee reciprocates. As the girl finally does leave, her aura changes slightly as she joins Caraman, who is currently retelling some kind of event about the Earth Ball to an uninterested crowd.

The acrobat briefly looks over to Kenora and wonders if the waterbender would've gotten a smile from her too now.

Finally, Aang shares a very short hug with Adithya, both of them trying their best to hide it. Yet, despite this, it felt intimate nonetheless. The last airbender takes a deep breath as he watches her walk off. He'll always remember that smile, he thinks to himself.

---

For some bizarre reason, despite the skies being covered in thick clouds, no raindrops fall. It is as if the world itself starts to get behind our heroes. A cold, grey-ish shadow lingers over the Dream Team.

Appa's deep howl sounds through the air as the bison approaches the palace grounds.

SOKKA: There it is. That whole thing is the palace.

MAI: The Earth Kingdom's chamber is in the center.

ZUKO: We have to be careful. The Liberation Forces might be expecting us.

KENORA: Why would you assume that? I thought we had the element of surprise.

SOKKA: Why are you the least worried out of all of us? Aren't we currently rescuing your girlfriend?

KENORA: Of course I'm worried, but if I let that get to me, I'll be useless. Azula's a tough nut. She can take whatever Katara has in store for her.

Aang lingers on her words, wondering himself what exactly she has in store for him.

KENORA: If you ask me, I think we're just gonna sail right in and - ARGH!

With a terrifying screech, the first rock projectile flies their way, Appa dodging it just slightly.

ZUKO: What was that?

SOKKA: Surface-to-air-rocks!

AANG: More incoming!

The airbender at the helm begins the difficult process of dodging the blasts, all of which are fired by LF soldiers on the ground, each stone leaving a trail of dust behind it, through which Appa emerges with a grunt. One projectile in particular is launched at the bison head directly, Sabachi cowering in fear on Kenora's shoulder as Aang, without turning his head, destroys and therefore neutralizes the rock with one hand, a cloud of powdered earth wandering over them.

They begin their descent downwards as another chunk tries to block their path, Aang slicing it in half without the use of his staff, seeing as it remains indefinitely broken. It's not a huge loss, although this world's Aang will need a new one soon.

On the grounds leading up to the palace a whole platoon of LF soldiers, led by someone in armor on an ostrich horse, gets ready to engage in battle with Team Avatar. To their misfortune, Aang, hanging onto Appa's horn first, suddenly plunges downwards, using his airbending to soften the fall and his earthbending to shatter the force of his descent below, transferring it into the ground and heaving up a stack of brick-like pillars that shoot up in a domino fashion, destroying the soldiers in a quick, wave-like process, the attack producing the sound of repeated smacking. The flying beast lands, scaring off the superior officer, leading to the man falling off his ride as the strange bird runs off. All of Team Avatar jumps off the saddle, joining Aang as they begin to rush towards the massive staircase.

---

Similarly, Adithya is heading her bison through a barrage of ice chunks tossed towards Flumau and everyone on her.

FONG: Land on the far-east side! We can push them from there!

SHAHAR: Watch out!

A particularly massive and fast frozen block finds itself almost smacking the beast, as it is luckily forced to shatter by a mighty swing from Akari's staff. Flumau growls as she finally reaches the wall.

FONG: Alright everyone - be careful when you-

Liquid tendrils very suddenly grab onto the animal's legs, making it stop mid-air as almost everyone falls off and onto the mighty wall overlooking the ocean.

Caraman grunts as he lands, softening his fall only slightly by him rolling over. Up here the massive structure just seems like any old regular street in Ba Sing Se. Only that this particular avenue is stacked with dozens of water barrels, and dozens of soldiers engaging in street brawls with Team Avatar B. One waterbender howls weirdly as he tosses streams towards the Crescent Warrior, the attacks plunging into nothing as the boy dodges, pinning his opponent against the wall's edge. Another utilizes his club to hurl heaps of ice towards him, Caraman successfully managing to avoid his opponent's swings and landing a few jabs before a kick knocks him out. He smirks briefly before a massive arm grabs him, throwing him into an assortment of water containers. Caraman recovers slowly, blood streaming from his lip as the water below him slowly crawls over to his massive, muscular attacker. The man smiles as the forms ice-

SWISH!

A very sudden scream from the same man later and he is down to one knee, his leg bleeding as his daggers drop to the ground. Then, a hit to the back of the head with the hilt of a sword. Suki runs over to the Crescent Warrior, who looks at her with big eyes.

SUKI: Are you okay? Can you hear me?

It takes him an astounding four seconds to cough up a response.

CARAMAN: Um... I think you're attractive.

Somehow a blush mixes with Suki's stern expression.

SUKI: That's very sweet but we should talk about it after the battle.

The boy finally jolts back up again.

CARAMAN: Yes. Of course.

---

Rows of soldiers corner the A Team on both sides, giving Aang a strange deja vu feeling of something he can't quite remember now. Regardless, the men lift up sizeable chunks of earth from the ground, tossing them towards the kids in a sustained fire.

Aang makes use of his own earthbending skills when defending, occasionally creating walls to block, though mostly punching the bricks to dust. They really could've used Bandit for this...

Zuko hacks and slashes with the fury of a wild beast, the fire on his blades burning as brightly as the rage in his heart.

Ty Lee is meanwhile on the offense, ducking and dodging while blasting bursts of air against a dwindling number of attackers.

Sokka hacks as if his life depended on it, which in some ways it does. He also finds himself in charge of defending Appa from any projectiles, a long way from when he was forced to pick up his droppings back on the Zhangjiajie Path.

Mai is mostly forced to dodge as well, keeping close to Sokka as they have each other's backs, quick smiles exchanged every once in a while before Mai launches her throwing weapons with equally terrifying precision and hissing sounds.

Lastly, Kenora is the only one purely attacking, a massive water whip conducted by her arms and/or legs to slap away the rock throwers, always a couple at a time.

The sideline platoon defeated, another batch of soldiers charges them, Ty Lee stepping forth, dragging her staff across the ground before a shockwave of air catapults them back with the force of a jet engine. The gang approaches an artificial river as they briefly halt.

Up the stairs, two absolutely massive statues depicting the badger mole are heaved up by LF troops, then subsequently tossed towards the bison plus kids. Aang quickly shields them all with a curved blanket made from the ground below, though the force of the attacks does weigh down on his strength a lot.

---

A hint of fury burns in Adithya's flame as it frees Flumau. Shortly after, the soldiers responsible for the move get buried in rock as Fong slams his arms into the surface below with the ferocity of a chimp.

Shahar takes on some troops of her own, her slower, more precise style of bending used to lure unsuspecting opponents into a false sense of security, their brash strikes always failing and the pillar of retaliation always reeking of pain. One guy, trying to smack her with his club, finds his metallic weapon bend by the hand of a mere kimono girl, before a set of quick swipes from two batons knocks him over. The earthbender girl collects Suki and Caraman from a short distance as Akari takes on two more soldiers, overwhelming them with her agility and skill. Finally, all six plus bison are back as one, the main command chamber now the only obstacle left.

---

Kenora dashes through the dust, her arms ready and her water pouches popped open. A quick swing from her bandaged hands and the stream of liquid forms an ice ramp, the girl sliding across it as she pulls up a massive stream of water from the canal she just launched herself over. The soldiers on the opposite side, now behind Kenora, fail to react in time as her landing turns capoeira kick, the force of the water catapulted by her move hurling them down with frightened screams. The earthbenders from before still above on a higher staircase level get grabbed quickly and frantically, Kenora flinging them into the canal as well, where they find themselves suddenly frozen as Aang solidifies the waters below, the other Dream Team members plus their animal companions making their way over the bridge and towards the massive staircase.

More chunks of rock hailing from the skies make them stop once more. They look up with uneasy expressions as another sheer endless stream of troops charges down the stairs and towards them.

SOKKA: That's not good...

The lemur lands on the prince's shoulder as it chirps naively.

KENORA: Aang... didn't you say you stormed the palace once already?

AANG: Yeah?

KENORA: Well... how did you get past this part?

The airbender scratches the back of his head as he looks to find his anxious friends.

AANG: Uh... well, we had Toph...

Before the charade can be continued any further, Ty Lee steps forward, taking a deep breath as she closes her eye and starts spinning her staff.

ZUKO: Ty Lee, what are-

TY LEE: Everyone, get on Appa.

They comply and, with Sokka at the helm, the bison rises a short distance into the air. Her staff now spinning at impossibly fast speeds, sounding like an industrial fan while it's doing so, Ty Lee finally performs a massive pulling motion towards herself, utilizing the tool while she's at it. Within a few seconds, an invisible wave very suddenly crashes against the large number of LF soldiers headed their way. As a result of the shockingly powerful air stream, all of them drop, crashing down the staircase, with not a single soldier able to slow his descent or hold on to something. Right as the first few soldiers pummel towards them, Ty Lee hops back onto the bison saddle, Appa beginning its descent up above the stairs and towards the palace proper. The few men who do manage to slow their fall are quickly knocked over by either Aang or Zuko blasting them with fire balls.

The beast grunts yet another time as it finally reaches the entrance. Two flocks of earthbenders try to charge them from two sides but are easily shoved aside when both Aang and Ty Lee perform more impressive airbending maneuvers. Team Avatar can now finally enter the palace itself.

MAI: I'll show you the way. Everyone get ready.

Aang takes a deep breath as he looks to Kenora, an uneasy frown forming on the waterbender.

---

Crashing sounds of earthbending echo across the wall as Fong and Shahar's combined strength burst open the command chamber, leaving the blue insides vulnerable and exposed. Adithya lets a stream of fire surge across their water barrels as the soldiers are helpless to defend themselves. Akari, her batons now a staff again, meanwhile disrupts any attempts for the opposing benders to react, while Caraman and Suki mostly take on non-bending soldiers.

Acting as the last stand, a waterbending commander with burn marks on his face launches a stream from his water pouch, Fong erecting a wall as Shahar flings up a sharp pillar in a forty-five-degree-angle, knocking the man backwards and out for sure.

With the dust settling, the kids and adult man gather at the main desk, Suki wandering over to a set of pillars acting like massive window blinders.

SHAHAR: Alright. Wow, I didn't expect that. I owe Kenora an apology - this whole "guns blazing" thing works like a charm.

SUKI: It's not over yet.

A brief collective beat skip later and the B Team spots a massive Water Tribe fleet approaching.

FONG: We need to mount the city's defenses. I'll try to signal the other command centers across the outer wall.

SHAHAR: The others need to scatter and find out where they placed all that blasting jelly. If we can at least take out the fuse, it's already half the job done.

CARAMAN: Why aren't they attacking yet?

As his seemingly absent-minded question is uttered, Suki drops her sword with an unbearably loud clank.

SUKI: She knew it.

The girl turns to everyone else, making them halt in their tracks right away.

SUKI: Katara knew. She knew that we were going to attack today.

AKARI: What are you saying?

Fong, being a... general and all, realizes next.

FONG: She wanted Aang to take out the LF in the palace. They're probably attacking them right now. With the palace in control-

SHAHAR: If the palace is under their control, it doesn't matter whether the blasting jelly destroys a wall or not. They win either way.

Panic wanders from one set of eyes to the other. Adithya is the first to snap out of it.

ADITHYA: I'm going back to help him.

Deliberate choice to say "him" and not "them".

SHAHAR: I'm going too-

FONG: No.

The kids turn to a tensed-up earthbender.

FONG: All of you go. I already signaled the other command stations. They'll help me reinforce this one.

CARAMAN: But if the Tribe attacks-

FONG: If the Navy starts to attack, we can defend the city. Trust me.

An unsure smile as the change of plans is quietly accepted by everyone.

FONG: I know you kids don't know me, and I don't really know you that well. But... I... have to say I'm proud of you. All of you. Without you, this war would already have been lost. The world can count itself lucky to have each and every one of you.

As all are overwhelmed by his words of kindness, Shahar, knowing the general the closest, launches for a tight hug. Strangely, the girl feels as if hugging a parent.

FONG: Be careful.

They all nod as they get onto Flumau.

ADITHYA: Yip-yip.

---

The massive, gold-crested portals to the Earth King's throne room burst open at Aang's command.

With a dash, he enters first, his friends rushing in right after. Yet, strangely...

AANG: No.

A mighty throne, a badger mole behind it made from gold.

No one on it. No one in the room at all.

AANG: Where is Vaas?

Right away, his eyes wander over to Mai, who frowns in unease.

MAI: How should I know? This is the most important room in the Earth Kingdom. Where else would he be?

ZUKO: Maybe somewhere more modest? Since he doesn't like royalty and all.

Aang begins to have another strange deja vu feeling, this time taking him back to the failed Black Sun Invasion.

SOKKA: What about the War Council room?

MAI: That was blown to bits. I doubt he'd be there.

SOKKA: Well then, why isn't he here?

Kenora gasps just slightly as her eyes widen in shock.

KENORA: Oh no. Oh no-no-no...

She grabs her head as the rest of the team looks over to her.

SOKKA: What?

KENORA: It's a trap. Katara let the LF have the palace so we would do their dirty work. Vaas is probably gone or dead.

AANG: That's why she took Azula. She knew we would try to rescue her and clean up this mess so that the Water Tribe can take over.

Just as his this is expressed, the sounds of dozens of boots echoes from outside. With the help of airbending and Appa, the doors are shut again. Just as they are, bison, Sokka, Zuko, and Mai all press against it in unison, attacks from the outside making the door shake and rumble with the sound of a literal horde trying to storm them.

AANG: We need to go. If we don't save Azula now, who knows what Katara will do with her.

KENORA: Not all of us can go. I'll stay here and-

TY LEE: You two go.

Kenora is speechless as Ty Lee turns her attention to the main door.

AANG: I thought you wanted to.

The acrobat turns around a final time.

TY LEE: I lost in my fight against Katara. You two can take her. You're the Avatar.

Haha, "you" is plural.

TY LEE (to Kenora): And you are the most powerful bender I've come across. Plus... it's your girlfriend. You should go.

For a moment the Pirate Princess is taken back the Magnetic Palace, looking into the eye of a much different airbender than who she encountered down there. A quick few nods later and Ty Lee returns to the others while Aang and Kenora run towards the throne proper.

KENORA: Mai said the trap door is somewhere here, right?

A jab into the floor and Aang can make out from the vibrations where the massive vertical tunnel is. Some strikes from his wrists later and the stone shatters, rock breaking into bits as if it were glass. The chunks fall down a deep cavern, disappearing into the void.

KENORA: Huh. Sometimes I wish I was born an eartbender. Seems very practical.

The airbender gives Kenora half a smirk as she jumps down first, trying to hold onto at least one of the walls as she does, slowing down her fall.

A struggle behind him, his friends and animal companions engaging in a pushing competition, even Sabachi trying to do her part. He lets out a bittersweet smile, saying goodbye to all of them in his head.

Then, Aang jumps down as well, down the shaft and into the unknown.

Into darkness.

---

Act III. - Through Windows and Lightning

---

He lands on a soft cloud, standing his ground right after. He finds himself at the head of a hallway, down to his left a corridor with prison cells, dark metals illuminated by shining, green lights.

Finally, Aang spots Kenora down on one knee.

AANG: Everything okay?

The waterbender gets up, her mouth a thin line and her body quivering with pure, unfiltered anger.

From her hand hangs Azula's nazar necklace.

KENORA: Well, we know they're here now.

Quickly stacking it in her pocket, the two go ahead down the dark hallway in which she found the item. A shiver runs down Aang's spine in that moment.

---

The sensation only worsens once they enter a massive room, scattered literally everywhere with a strange, emerald crystal, growing over this abandoned hall as if it were invasive fungi.

Of course he's here again. The same exact room - massive pillars, tunnels on higher levels, that uninterrupted, oppressive green shimmer glowing everywhere. Even the same bodies of water, with a waterfall giving this place the illusion of being some place beautiful.

And then, right there by the pool of water, something dressed in pink and crimson.

KENORA (emotional): Azula!

The waterbender almost stumbles as she rushes over to her, a few random crystal formations almost... surrounding them, as if they really were creatures, and the two of them had just walked into their nest.

Kenora lets out a cry as she turns the girl around.

KENORA (emotional): Azula baby, can you hear me? It's me.

A few seconds of gentle face rubbing and it starts to be clear that something is wrong.

Aang, throughout all of this, for some reason, kept his distance. He didn't know how he would react when seeing her again. Within the course of a few days he went from wanting to be with her, to resenting her again, to fearing for her safety. Then of course, there's that kiss that... made all of that seem almost trivial.

Yet, in that moment, none of his thoughts dwell on his emotional reaction. He instead perceives a horrid, painful sensation in his stomach, a kind of primal fear that he has never felt like this before - not since the war, and not since Ozai. It's the same room, a constellation of four people. Of course, one remains absent.

KATARA: Don't worry about her, she's going to be just fine.

Quiet steps as the Crown Princess emerges from behind a crystal, her outfit almost exactly the same Aang's Katara wore all the time. He stands there frozen as Kenora clenches her fists.

KENORA (angry): What have you done to her?

KATARA: I haven't done anything. At least not yet.

KENORA (angry): You're a liar. You've always been a liar.

Katara shrugs it off.

KATARA: Definitely with you, yes.

AANG: Which Katara are we speaking to right now?

His sharp, precise words, force her to stumble over her own a bit.

KATARA: Which Kata-

She scoffs nervously.

KATARA: Aang, why would you ask such a silly...

Over the course of a few nightmarish seconds, she just... stops. Stops talking, stops emoting, stops moving. Her facial features briefly melt before the blinking of her eyes announces that something turned back on.

KATARA: This is much better.

Despite her voice remaining the same, Aang and Kenora can still tell that there is seriously something wrong.

KATARA: Makes this next part much easier. Katara is too... diplomatic. She loves the sound of her own voice.

Genuine fear sounds from Kenora.

KENORA: Who is this?

KATARA: Well, some humans have started calling me the Blue Spirit, so you may go ahead and use that.

AANG: You're an Onryō.

A haunting smile, as it is produced by a body, but not a person.

KATARA: Smart. You kids are way smarter than you look.

KENORA (angry): WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER?!

Aang guesses that this is the precise moment that all of Kenora's fears she had been holding back for the past few days burst out at once.

KATARA: Oh, easy there. I'll answer-

AANG: You're trying to infect her. Take over her body again.

Kenora grabs her girlfriend's head in horror, hoping that her concern alone would somehow stop the process.

KATARA: Third time's the charm. But, it's not my main plan either way. More of a... back-up.

AANG: And what's your main plan?

Finally the boy's brow furrows and he takes on a bending stance in an attempt to intimidate the spirit masquerading with someone's flesh.

KATARA: It's an offer. For you, Avatar. Or... just... Aang. You're not the Avatar of this world after all...

Both he and Kenora try to keep it quiet, though the Blue Spirit seems disinterested in their reactions regardless as she turns to a nearby crystal pile almost twice as tall as her.

Aang scoffs in protest.

AANG: And you think there's anything you could give to me? Anything that would make me abandon my friends?

KATARA: I can send you back home.

He almost literally freezes on the spot.

KATARA: Yes. I too can use the windows that connect our worlds. I have been for millennia. Always fascinated by all the differences and similarities alike...

Her... no - its finger tracing the crystal for a few seconds, it looks over its shoulder, spotting a scared expression plastered onto the Pirate Princess still holding Azula in her arms.

KATARA: Oh, little Kenora. You have simply no idea what the cosmos has to offer. You have only experienced one. Pitty...

It turns around a final time, stepping aside as the reflection on the crystal seem to morph into something else.

KATARA: Especially when there are this many...

Acting like a window, the images on the crystal finally become sharp like its edges.

---

Long ago the four nations lived together in harmony. Then, everything changed when the Heavenly Kingdom of Earth attacked...

---

Tears of the Kingdom

Based on Avatar: The Last Airbender

---

KATARA (voiceover): Stories of rivalry...

The exact same room, down to almost every detail, maybe a few crystals grow differently.

Another Aang, back in his old airbender uniform, dodging incoming rock blasts. Toph, wearing a military uniform, shoves more dirt in his way as the boy tries to strike back, air seemingly the only effective tool against the Blind Terror.

Next to her, also rocking a military uniform, stands Haru, having lost his second rock to a blue fire blast. Azula continues her barrage. As she hurls more fire, a rocky avalanche launches her across the room, a sliding Toph behind it. The two girls get ready as Aang faces down Haru.

TOPH: Come on, prissy! You and I still haven't figured out who won that last fight!

Azula gnashes her teeth as she gets back up.

AZULA: Then let's figure it out. Right here. Right now.

Blue fire smacks enormous stone as the vision fades to the next.

---

Long ago the four nations lived together in harmony. Then, everything changed when the Air Union attacked...

---

Sky is the Limit

Based on Avatar: The Last Airbender

---

KATARA (voiceover): ...inner conflict...

Same scene, now with other people.

A struggling Katara and a furious Azula work hand in hand as blasts of air try to knock them over for good. They are faced against an airbender girl and Aang, both in simplistic uniforms, supposedly airbending military.

The girl finally lands a hit on Azula, tossing her into the pool in the background. Aang meanwhile redirects Katara's water stream, knocking the girl over as she howls with a pained grunt. As Aang looks down at her, raising his fists, he hesitates.

EWA: Come on Aang! What are you waiting for?

Katara winces with pain as she grabs her leg. A film of tears appears on her face as she stares up at the Avatar sent to kill her.

EWA: You're the Avatar. You were given a second chance when you came back. Now the world needs you. The Air Union needs you.

Judging by the trembling in her voice, Ewa, the airbender girl, appears to struggle with this as well.

EWA: Aang - you have to. We were sent here for this! If we don't stop them-

AANG: I can't kill her.

Tears stream from him as well as he stares back at the waterbender.

AANG (teary): Please don't make me do this...

Ewa breathes heavily as all parties hesitate, no one sure how this will end.

---

Almost a hundred years passed and the new Avatar was revealed - Yue. Princess of the North Pole. And although her waterbending skills are great, she has a lot to learn before she's ready to save anyone.

---

Crystal Crossings

Based on Avatar: The Last Airbender

---

KATARA (voiceover): ...hope...

A fiercely determined Katara is dueling one Admiral Zhao who, in his lack of skill, requires two more firebenders to help him out with the waterbender girl.

Somewhere in the same room, Princess Yue fights off a very strange Azula, one with a burning scar across her face. Most of Yue's attacks are defensive, the girl utilizing all but one element, as an airbending teacher hasn't been found yet.

YUE: Azula, listen to me...

The raven-haired girl hurls more red flames as the Avatar pleads.

YUE: I know you don't want this. I know that you're doing this because you are scared.

An especially nasty fireball is blocked by an earth wall.

YUE: But you don't have to. You don't have to be scared. I saw that you're more, I-

With tears in her eyes, Azula fights the Avatar as much as she fights off the part of herself that is telling her to give in. Some more attacks stopped by water, Yue begins to cry, much like her counterpart.

YUE (teary): I see that in you now. I see that you are so much more. You're so beautiful and smart and kind and funny...

With her fists raised, Azula's breath becomes frantic. Carefully, and slowly, Yue walks up to her. Finally, the northern princess puts her hand on the fire princess' cheek.

YUE (emotional): You're not that monster, Azula. Please...

Before a response is uttered, it fades over to the next one.

---

30 years passed and I discovered the new Avatar, an airbender named Aang.

---

Narrow Hearts and Little Minds

Based on Avatar: The Last Airbender

---

KATARA (voiceover): ...sacrifice...

Same room, again. Two Fire Nation characters, two boys around sixteen. No one that looks familiar to Aang. Kenora meanwhile skips a beat, as someone very familiar appears.

HAMA: Aang, listen to me...

Both Hama and Aang seem tired and injured.

HAMA: There's no more time left. If we don't stop the Fire Lord now, the war is lost.

A fire blast is bounced back quickly by Hama's waterbending and their attackers are stopped in their tracks.

HAMA: I'll stay here and keep 'em busy, you go up and end this.

AANG: But you can never win against both of them.

HAMA: I know. But I can buy you some time.

This other Aang shudders.

AANG: No... no! Hama! I can't leave you like that! Not after everything!

He grabs her hand as she hesitates to leave.

HAMA: We both lost our homes already. Let's at least try and save this one.

As she tries to pull away, he grabs on tighter.

AANG: We're a home now, Hama. And I won't leave you. Ever.

Hesitation in her eyes as the crystal image blurs once more.

---

Distorted Reality

By Ogro

---

KATARA (voiceover): ...even love...

"Aang, I can't stop", she said, her voice high. "Can't you... can't you go Avatar State or something?"

He couldn't look away from her eyes. "I'm sorry", he said. He strained against the invisible force holding him as Katara separated the two by a dozen paces. Reasoning with her would be impossible, just as pointless as fighting her bloodbending. "I can't. Not anymore."

Azula pulled back and gripped the blade with two hands, point aimed at his chest. Tears threatened to fall but she blinked them away. "I'm sorry too", she said, and at that moment a million things he wanted to say flashed through his mind but they didn't make their way to his lips in time. Azula's words, however, didn't linger in hers, and she whispered a reminder and a promise. "I love you."

KATARA (voiceover): How tragic. But anyways, I saved my favorite one for last...

---

Avatar: The Last Airbender

created by

Michael Dante DiMartino

and

Bryan Konietzko

---

AANG: I'm sorry Katara.

Closing his eyes, he turns away from Azula and Zuko and earthbends a crystal shelter tent. Aang starts meditating. Inside Aang's mind, a giant version of himself in the Avatar State, the Avatar Spirit, holds an airbending sphere with a normal-sized version of himself in the Avatar State. Back in the crystal shelter, Aang enters the Avatar State and the crystal shelter starts glowing, alerting those outside. Inside the shelter, Aang opens his glowing eyes and breaks the crystal above him. The camera shows Katara looking up to Aang, now rising in to the air, with hope. But before Aang can let Katara go and control the Avatar State, a bolt of lightning strikes him in the back. Cut to Azula's eyeball watching Aang getting struck, before it zooms out to show her smiling menacingly in a lightning summoning position with her fingers smoking. The Avatar Spirit lets go of Aang and falls out of the plane of existence. As Aang falls down, Katara, tears now falling down her face, creates a wave to catch Aang. The wave knocks down the Dai Li agents and Zuko. She looks down at Aang's lifeless body and back up with tears in her eyes.

---

And with that final window being closed, the crystal starts reflecting normal light again.

Aang and Kenora take a moment to let all of that sink in, both on their own. Kenora mainly feels weird other-worldly jealousy for Azula and Yue, while also being starkly reminded that, minus skin tone, freckles, and hair, she really does just look exactly like her grandmother.

The airbender felt a strange kind of phantom pain as he had to watch himself die again and the hands of the girl he's currently trying to save. A weirdly stark reminder to how far he has come. Back then, the comparison was done automatically in his head. Now he thinks of these two Azulas and how one could not be more different from the other.

KATARA: I envy your world. Your Azula is the... perfect host body.

It touches the crystal a final time, allowing it to play some images of Princess, now Fire Lord, Azula.

KATARA: So... fierce, so determined. Nothing gets in her way.

As Katara's hand is removed, the emerald crystal is allowed to act normal once again.

KATARA: Don't get me wrong, this Katara is great. It just isn't... quite for me.

AANG: Then why don't you go to my world and take her?

Katara chuckles, a gross echo that sounds through these halls that both Aang and Kenora have now seen multiple times in multiple worlds.

KATARA: If I could, we wouldn't be speaking. No, I can't travel to these worlds, I can only spectate. You however, can, which brings me back to my proposal...

For a moment the Pirate Princess wonders if Aang is really thinking it over or just stalling the Blue Spirit.

KATARA: On the condition that you leave right now and stop interfering with my business, I can send you back home. In fact, I can send you anywhere. How about a world where Zuko betrays Azula in this room? Or how about Omashu never gets conquered by the Fire Nation? Oh - how about this - Sozin dies of a heart attack when he's 30. No war at all. You're born as the next Avatar after Roku passes, and you get to live in a world of peace. How does that sound?

Aang genuinely considers it. For about two seconds.

AANG: You judge me wrong if you think I would abandon everyone I love here for this. Not until my job here is done.

The Blue Spirit scoffs pretentiously.

KATARA: Really? You don't even know if you can ever go home, kid. This might be your only opportunity. Are you sure?

One strangely optimistic look to Kenora later and Aang raises his hands again.

AANG: I guess you wouldn't understand as a spirit.

It seems offended by this as it rolls his eyes. Shortly after, Katara's body passes out, the Crown Princess falling over as Aang hesitates. A few seconds pass until Katara reawakens with a pained grunt.

KENORA: Guessing you're back now, huh?

It seems the girl is not quite happy about having lost control of her body there for a moment.

KATARA: Real shame.

AANG: I wouldn't be too happy about someone else pulling my strings either.

Katara scoffs again, this one a lot more tired and human.

KATARA: No, not because of that.

They await for her to continue.

KATARA: It's because this means plan B.

She snaps her fingers and Azula's eyes snap open.

A blue fire ball immediately follows, almost burning Kenora's face off as Aang acts quickly - dragging the waterbender away as the firebender slowly rises.

Black goo engulfs her body, changing it ever so slightly, removing the pink for black and her casual shirt for the scaly armor for the Fire Nation. Finally, her hair magically regrows as it is bound together by the headpiece of the Crown Princess.

KATARA: Yeah, we lied about earlier. We turned her last night.

Both she and Azula get ready, any love or kindness that Aang had seen before now indefinitely gone. He feels shame for a moment, for ever having conflated these two girls.

KENORA: Azula?

The waterbender's voice reeks of fear, so much that it infects Aang alongside it.

KATARA: Oh, don't worry. She's in capable hands now.

As all four get ready, the first blast is exchanged, Azula's blue fire bouncing off Kenora's wave as Aang produces a massive boulder to launch at Katara, the girl spinning in the air while jumping over it, an array of tendrils behind her ready to engulf the boy. To her surprise, Aang bends the water himself, making it burst before blasting the princess with a gout of flame that she can counter barely with a wave.

Kenora meanwhile unleashes a barrage of little aquatic blasts all coordinated via kicks, Azula easily blocking and dodging all of it. The two begin to exchange more attacks, more swipes and jabs and kicks and punches. Either the attack itself or the attack carrying blue with it. Kenora is reminded and subsequently horrified of their fight in Dibuang.

Have they come this far only to end up back like this?

While Aang produces a funnel of air that Katara can counter with an ice shield, her eyes wander over to the Kezula fight.

Deal with her. Have him fight her. She matches his power.

Katara nods and, after a few ice shards force Aang on the defensive, the girl creates a massive tidal wave on which she surfs over to the clash of blue.

Azula, sensing the incoming attack, steps back as Kenora gets washed over. As Aang tries to intervene, azure flames try to devour him on the spot. A strangely familiar smirk appears on the raven-haired girl's face as she challenges Aang.

Chime!

AANG: Azula... you don't have to do this. It's not you - it's something controlling you!

His words meet a brick wall as more fire washes over the room, Aang creating an earthen shield before punching up some incredibly strong flames of his own. He can finally disrupt her balance via bending a stream of water from the side, a move that seems to unsettle the girl quite a bit.

AANG: You're not that monster, Azula. Please...

His mind shatters at the realization. Picturing Yue, he... remembers it. Remembers the girl using the exact same words as if they were his own.

In that moment of weakness, the firebender kicks up more heat, a skillful jump ending in a deadly arch of fire, all of which Aang tries desperately to avoid. As she erects her fingers and attempts more firebending, her hand gets quickly engulfed by water, Aang freezing it before hitting her with a dangerously strong burst of wind, launching her a few feet across the room.

---

Kenora, recovering from Katara's attack, looks to this with horror.

KENORA: Don't hurt her, Aang!

KATARA: That's just adorable.

More terrifying than a glare, Kenora keeps a calmly collected expression as she turns around.

KATARA: I really admire your change of heart. The fact that you want to save us even after everything? Sweet.

Kenora chuckles before cracking her neck.

KENORA: That only counts for her, sweetheart. As far as you're concerned...

She takes off her expensive gloves, showcasing her massive arms. Finally, that cold stare morphs into a hateful grimace.

KENORA: I will break every bone in your body.

Katara smirks, though with a hint of-

A loud bang as a puddle of water is immediately conjured at Kenora's will. More blasts follow, water shattering all around the Crown Princess at a speed she can't possibly keep up with.

While she's distracted, Kenora collects enough water to form the most massive orb she has ever bended, launching it upwards where it explodes into a hailstorm of ice projectiles, all following Katara like homing missiles. With a frown the Crown Princess tries surfing away on a wave, disrupting all of the deadly little darts as they try slicing her open. Passing by a crystal-

A hard smack to the face. Kenora's sliding technique being superior, she quickly caught up and, as the aqua meteor attack subsides, she gets down and unleashes absolute hell in the form of simple water streams led by her dance-like capoeira style. Half the hits Katara can block or avoid. The other half manages to hit her. Over and over again. And every time, in the face.

Katara lets out an angry grunt as she freezes her opponent's streams, opting to pull up a massive wave of water while Kenora does some kind of weird wrist movement, her left arm concerned with avoiding the Crown Princess' liquid blasts. Kenora forms a shield as Katara freezes a pile of water into smooth ice, beginning to shove sharp disks off it and towards Kenora, the girl's frozen shield serving as adequate protection.

Eventually, Kenora smoothly transitions into sliding across the floor again, coming closer to Katara who produces a series of deadly spikes that-

SMACK!

KATARA (in pain): AAAARRRRGGGGHHHH!

So, remember Kenora's weird wrist movement? Turns out she was charging up one of her water slings, a move she perfected very early on, and a move that she now used to knock the underside of Katara's left elbow, twisting her arm in the opposite direction with a horrifically crunchy sound. Wanting to shout again, Kenora's hand forms a Dai Li glove, one that stars choking the Crown Princess quickly as tendrils of water engulf her in a spiral motion. Stuck in place, Kenora punches her in the face as hard as she can. Then again. Then again. Then, she collects water around her arm forming an ice glove before smacking Katara in the face, again, another eleven times. Before strike number 12 can connect, Katara's right arm shots up suddenly and unnaturally to block it. The girl's face, covered in blood, turns to her with a strange stare as her eyes turn black and her hair turns floaty. Somehow this allows the Crown Princess to free herself of Kenora's tendrils, blasting them against the girl as she stumbles backwards. Kenora cackles as she looks at the blood on her ice glove.

KENORA: Can't win a fight without your lap dog?

Kenora rises to the occasion as the black goo snaps Katara's arm back to normal, leaving her face bruised and bleeding.

KENORA: What a joke. You heard what Zorak said. I'm the best waterbender in the world. Do you think you can beat me just cause...

Her voice subsides.

Katara's body twitches back and forth like a puppet being jolted around incorrectly. The black goo engulfing her arm moves to the back, latching onto her shoulders as four spider legs grow from it, the dark appendages raising Katara a foot above the ground as her hair now hangs down, covering her face. As Arachno-Katara stabilizes and readies itself, Kenora lets out a short gasp.

---

In all their time spend training together, Azula's fire never was never this hot. Never this furious. Never this deadly. It is as if the goal to kill is literally transformed into energy, which is then hurled towards Aang as he uses all four elements to counter her attacks. It's a tricky situation, really, as he is fighting a powerful opponent part spirit, whom he doesn't wish to harm. But... if their lives are really on the line...

If Kenora's life is on the line. Is it really worth risking the safety of this world's Avatar for his personal feelings? Would his guilt be washed away if he did this one good deed?

His internal conflict is rudely interrupted as Azula summons a fiery spiral, one which Aang avoids via jumping in its center, before using an air dome to extinguish the flames. A spark of hope shines within the boy as he sees Azula with heaping gasps, her breath and therefore bending fueled only by rage, and not her usual finesse. That's something she adapted so long ago that it shouldn't be a problem.

Maybe... she's still in there.

AANG: Azula... please listen to me...

Before he can continue, her onslaught is continued, strange punches and jabs and forms he hasn't seen on her before producing fiery projectiles meant to burn him to a crisp. As he starts dodging, he begins to descent the rocks around him, slowly climbing further and further up as he tries earthbending chunks to disrupt her offensive, a strategy that shows hardly any success. He finally spots the enormous crystal growing from the ceiling like a flower, having penetrated the rock over the course of decades. Dodging another blue flame, he dashes onto it, dragging his fist in a circle around the structure, ripping its roots off in the process. Having done enough damage to destroy the crystal's integrity, he crudely presses down on it, a small piece of it remaining stuck as the ginormous body begins its drop. As it crashes into the ground, Azula is forced to find cover, the massive shockwave rocking across the room as it destroys several crystals close by. He hops off of it right away, two fire kicks and one fire punch later producing orange flames meant to-

In the corner of his eye he spots something blue, enough of a warning to save his face. A quick duck and the azure flame misses his head by an inch, the incoming few attacks produced by fingers and fists Aang manages to block via slapping her arms away with the help of airbending, finally shoving the girl backwards with a funnel as she barely manages to keep her balance.

Shortly after, Kenora comes, literally, crashing in on a wave, shielding him from some retaliation attempts from the raven-haired girl.

AANG: Do you wanna switch?

KENORA: YUP!

She quickly disappears to fight Azula as Aang is met with something absolutely horrific.

Katara appears as a possessed corpse, dangling above the ground as she moves her arms to summon streams of water, the black spider legs keeping her in place. Too frightened to speak, Katara opens her mouth instead.

ARACHNO-KATARA: NYA-HYA-HYA-HYA-HYA-HYA-HYA!

---

In a different part of the crystal catacombs, Kenora's stomach turns as she is tossed back into the abandoned mill fight, the fight in Ba Sing Se - their duel in Dibuang. the exchange of blue fire and blue flames seems all too familiar, yet it remains completely different.

As another round of bolts is tossed, Kenora remembers something else. Well, basically everything after that. Their kiss, her letters, their hunt for the Blue Spirit, the prison cell...

KENORA: Azula... it's enough.

She says this as another round of unbeliveably dangerous heat balls are catapulted towards her, the waterbender masterfully blocking all of it, although it'd be a lie to say that this was easy.

KENORA: Come on... talk to me. I know you can hear me.

Azula lets out a grunt as she kicks an impressively bright blast, an ice shield acting as Kenora's defense here.

KENORA: At least give me some... messed up Blue Spirit response. I need to hear your voice.

A flamethrower is produced by her palm as Kenora surfs across the room to the other side of her.

KENORA: Come on - work with me, woman!

Finally, Azula lets out a long grunt.

AZULA: You talk too much. Always did.

There. It sounded nothing like she would usually speak, but it was still her. An ounce of doubt chipped off, Kenora intends to unleash a barrage of water kicks, slowly but surely neutralizing an unprepared firebender, before her entire person is captured in a massive body of water, then subsequently frozen against the wall behind her. Kenora bends herself up to her head, which remains the only thing free.

KENORA: That's enough for me. I'll be back in a flash.

Crazy as she is, Kenora pecks Azula on the cheek, being forced to dodge flames from her mouth before freezing it over.

In a perfect world, her beautiful girlfriend would remain here like this. Though, as she runs towards Aang and Katara, she suspects this will not be the case at all.

---

Aang meanwhile is forced to deal with this inhuman enemy, the likes of which he has never been forced to face before in his life, let alone his own world. In fact, he's not sure anything like this remotely exists anywhere.

He is not intend on killing Katara, but once again, like with Azula, he internally struggles to justify letting someone live intend to kill this reality's Avatar. He can't take that away from this world, not after everything.

The actual battle against Arachno-Katara shows to be a rather blunt affair, as the strange puppet awkwardly shoves forward an array of water attacks, varying in size, strength, and complexity, all of which Aang dodges via simple earth walls, retaliating with his air and fire blasts. He makes the eventual guess that his only chance at winning the crawler brawl is to aim for Katara's spider legs. Creating a cover of dust, he jumps behind a crystal, taking some much-needed breaths before creating a fire between his palms. If he could strike one of the lower legs, then-

His arms start shaking, frozen on the spot. As soon as the flame dies, so does the rest of his body succumb to the numbness. The invisible force pulls him from behind the crystal, dragging him in front of Arachno-Katara, the Katara part moving her arms in janky motions, her bloodbending skills still appearing far behind what Aang knew from his world.

ARACHNO-KATARA: I have had enough of you, Avatar.

Aang winces in pain as his body floats up in a crucified motion. That eerie, uncanny quality of the Blue Spirit speaking through Katara is now gone completely.

ARACHNO-KATARA: You have been disrupting and bothering my plans since the start. If you will not cooperate, then you shall perish.

Slowly but surely, water collects below her (it?) to form a massive ice spear, this time nothing in Aang's power to stop it-

The creature howls in a pained grunt as it twitches downwards slightly. Having punched one spider leg pretty hard, Kenora decides to just simply create a smooth film of sharp ice, something she usually doesn't specialize in, with which she then slices off the black goo from Katara's shoulders and back. As Arachno-Katara roars yet again, Kenora, like pulling out weeds, removes the Onryō part with a janky motion, flinging it far away across the hall into some corner. Katara dropping down below, the girl takes a moment to readjust, wiping off the stream of blood from her face as she looks up. Aang has, during all of this, performed a complicated airbending move, in which he finally bursts out a blast of air that slams against the Crown Princess like a golf club.

She flies several feet through the room, bouncing against the floor a few times before finally slamming against a giant crystal, not quite knocked out yet.

Aang and Kenora share a brief smile of relief, the boy-

Now it is the Pirate Princess who howls in pain, dropping to the floor as the massive blue flame that just hit her back forces her to drop below. Aang takes on a firebending stance as Azula approaches him menacingly.

AZULA: I'm sorry it has to end this way, Aang.

The airbender looks with frightened concern to his injured ally. He takes a deep breath as he gets ready to take on what is, in almost every sense of the word, his Azula.

AANG: No you're not.

---

Another set of doors slam as Team Avatar escapes into another part of the palace, the destroyed War Council chamber for a fact. As they look around amidst the rubble and Appa helps blocking the door with the two boys, Mai spots something gut wrenching.

Apparently whatever the LF considered its leadership was taken care of already, an array of bodies sprinkled across like decorations. Everyone's stomach turns as they focus on their defenses.

Ty Lee, sensing a familiar aura, is the first one to spot him.

Lying on the floor, bleeding from his mouth, she finds a dying Vaas.

Mai, hearing his pained cough, joins her immediately, blade drawn.

VAAS (dying): No nee' for that, doll. Oi'm alrea'y on the cusp...

He cackles as he spits up blood.

MAI: Why did you do it? Look at all the chaos you've caused!

She wants him to feel the hurt, wants him to experience the pain that so many feel now because of him.

Yet this emotional damage has no effect on his, as most of his body feels numb already.

VAAS (dying): Roight. Well... Oi was just tryin' to make the worl' a be''er place. For everyone. Plus Oi didn' knouw the Crown Princess is a blo''y deamon.

He manages to raise his head just a bit, meeting a frowning Mai at eye level.

VAAS (dying): You kids are the future. Make the world be''er for all of us, okay?

She finds his words somehow strangely touching, causing her to hide her blade in a pocket again.

A howl from a bison disrupts their little discourse as Flumau approaches, crashing through earth pillars as she lands in the rubble. Brief gestures of reunion are exchanged, though for the most part everyone but Shahar rushes to help keep the door shut.

SHAHAR: Fong is staying back to defend the wall. We came to help you guys.

Mai smirks as she nods. An indicative glance from Ty Lee later and the earthbender looks down below.

SHAHAR: Is that...

Her anger boiling instantly, she finds it fading away just as fast.

As they look down at Vaas, his eyes remain open as his body lay still.

---

The dark chamber only illuminated by green crystals flashes up at quick intervals in orange and blue. Aang has been forced down to his knees, relying on his firebending only as switching back and forth seems too complicated now. Not when Azula is like this.

Not when it's the Other Azula.

As they toss their flames back and forth it almost seems futile. Neither lands a hit. Neither is capable of injuring their opponent. It matters little how impressive their punches, their forms, kicks, strategies, Dancing Dragons, and combining airbending with it. To Aang, it feels like all that this world stands for, all that he wishes to protect, is dying piece by piece.

It is as if he had never left his world, never stopped fighting Fire Lord Azula. She has followed him here now as well, a path of destruction that will never be stopped.

As the raven-haired girl attempts to conjure another deluge, she is hit in the stomach by a stream of water. Aang is quick to adapt - he and his waterbending teacher heaving the girl up in a wave as she plunges into a pool of water.

KENORA: Aang, listen to me...

He almost gasps as he sees the massive, gaping burn wound across her shoulder. The girl shivers with pain, but speaks clearly regardless.

KENORA: There's no more time left. If we don't stop Katara now, the war is lost.

Aang didn't even react to when he saw Katara run away earlier, although lump away is more accurate. He was too focused on his fight with...

Both he and the waterbender realize it at the same time. What Kenora just spokes echoes through his mind like a bizarre deja vu, as if it were something he experienced clearly in a dream and is now hearing in the real world.

AANG: But you can never win against her. Not like this.

The Pirate Princess scoffs in disbelief as she bluntly accepts the strange parallel.

KENORA: I know. But I can buy you some time.

As she nods, he intends to rebuttal but... can't. He trusts her with this for now. He only needs to capture Katara, then it's over. It's back to his world with no guilt about this one.

The boy rushes to climb up a rock wall leading to a tunnel, his clear intention being to dig himself upwards. As he scales the rock, his mind is still constricted by doubt.

Is this worth it?

---

Azula meanwhile emerges soaking wet, aiming her fingers at the climbing Avatar.

KENORA: Azula!

Her confidence shatters as she perceives the voice.

---

If Kenora is the Avatar, isn't her safety more important?

---

KENORA: Come on! I want a rematch! I know you do too!

Azula grunts as she tries to ignore her, or rather as the Blue Dragon tells her to focus on Aang. One blue fire dart is dodged easily as Aang finally reaches the edge.

---

I can't put my personal feelings above the fate of this world. I did it in mine and it led to destruction.

---

The firebender still focused on Aang, Kenora opts to use one last trick up her sleeve, remembering the first vision she saw in the crystal.

KENORA: Come on, prissy! You and I still haven't figured out who won that last fight!

---

Aang looks back down with hesitation.

---

Not quite getting her over the edge and almost fainting from the pain, Kenora recalls one final thing.

KENORA: You didn't even use your lightning on me yet!

This finally makes Azula turn around...

...and snap.

AZULA: I'LL SHOW YOU LIGHTNING!

The crackling noise from her fingers sends a million shivers down Aang's spine, the noise alone triggering just about every bad memory from his life. As Azula's movement persists and her sparks don't fade, Kenora drops her body of water. She meant to use it as a defense but... to what end?

She can't win. And she can't hurt her. Not after hurting her so much. Not after she realized what Azula truly means to her. And now, it might be the last chance she'll get.

With tears in her eyes, Kenora quietly accepts her death.

KENORA (teary): I love you.

Giving no response and with cold accuracy, Azula gets into position.

CHIME!

Time slows down as her arm launches forward, directly aimed towards the girl. Kenora closes her eyes as she tries to remember their first kiss.

It should've struck her by now and so she opens them again, spotting a strange sight.

Aang never forgot about the technique Zuko taught him. After all, he was forced to use lightning redirection a few times against Azula already. As he is a waterbender here now too, he manages to pull it off. The energy passes through his arm and through his stomach right into the other. But where should he...

Eyes devoid of love. It is as if it were the same Azula staring right at him. It all clicks very fast, much too fast for his liking. It makes sense and it scares him. He can choose his personal feelings and take away this world's Avatar, or actually save it.

With a reluctant grimace, he aims his arm forward, releasing the energy.

It hits her like a sting, right into her chest as she drops quickly.

Even more tears stream down Kenora's face.

---

It took many blade swings, many earth pillars, many darts and knives, blasts of wind, staff swings, boomerang throws, fire swipes, katana slashes, and much more. But, after a brief period, the Water Tribe, with the help of two massive bison, is beaten back, a small number of soldiers running off as most of them are knocked out somewhere in and/or around the palace.

Team Avatar begins to howl and cheer, not believing their achievement, not believing that they have won, that they saved the day.

Shahar hugs both Mai and Caraman, before the boy receives a kiss on the cheek from Suki, the swordfighter then getting picked up by Akari. Zuko and Sokka share a brotherly hug as they exchange their disbelief, Sabachi landing on Zuko's head as she starts wildly screeching, almost as if panicked.

Ty Lee is the only one who notices, and the only one startled in this moment of victory.

---

KENORA (in tears): No-no-no-no-no-no-no... no... no...

The girl begins to sob as she picks up Azula's body, unable to feel a pulse.

KENORA (sobbing): What did you do?

Aang tries to work through the pain but is unable to blink away his own tears.

AANG (teary): I had to. She was too dangerous. And you're more important.

Her grief cannot be contained as Aang approaches her slowly.

AANG (teary): Kenora... I didn't want to-

KENORA (sobbing): Just. Leave.

She turns her head with a hint of anger woven into her state of despair.

KENORA (sobbing): Leave and never come back.

Respecting her wishes, he halts, turning around again. Taking a breather to deal with it, he tries connecting to his cosmic energy. Sensing the Avatar Spirit close to him, he sighs with relief, although it cannot be called joy.

It's time to finish it now.

The massive surge of energy befalls him quickly, overtaking his body within a flash. His tattoos and eyes glowing, he can sense the power returning to his person once again, not having felt it since merging with the Shishi.

Kenora stares in disbelief as, in the Avatar State, Aang summons a pillar of earth from below, which transports him upwards like an elevator, the boy smashing through the ceiling above as he begins his ascent.

Having disappeared for good, quiet returns. Slowly but surely the false appearance of Azula vanishes, turning to dust first, then to nothing. What remains is a gaping wound on the chest of a girl that Kenora once saw as a target to hunt down. Now, she takes out her mother's necklace as she tries to wrestle with the events unfolding.

KENORA (sobbing): I... I have your necklace...

She debates whether or not it's even worth putting on. Pulling herself together at least a bit, she summons water from a nearby puddle, trying to treat the scar with her healing skills.

Nothing changes. Surely if she only tried a bit harder then... maybe. But that's on... living beings. Azula is...

The image of a dangling necklace flashes in front of her inner eye.

---

She holds up a small amulet decorated with the Water Tribes crescent moon.

KENORA: What is it?

She takes the amulet, briefly admiring it.

KANNA: It contains water from this very spirit oasis. It's supposed to contain special properties.

---

And then it returns to her. That strength she felt in Goldmouth, that spirit of determination, that strangely idiotic shimmer of hope.

She lifts up Azula's body, letting out a pained wince, before deciding that scaling the waterfall is her fastest option.

KENORA (in pain): Stay with me.

---

The princess emerges above the surface, grunting in pain as she shuts the secret entrance by the palace. Blood still streams from her nose, lingering on her mouth and face like a mark of shame. Katara turns back around, finding her soldiers running away in small numbers, telling her everything she needs to know.

You are a disappointment.

Katara scoffs, attempting to ignore the voice as she hoists up her backpack from a bush, having it stashed here just in case.

This could've been our crowning achievement. Instead, you've made it your crowning failure...

KATARA: I only ever did what you told me to do. And I performed everything you expected of me - so don't come at me.

She starts running away from the palace as she hears the distant echo of bison-

A horrific rumble accompanied by a crashing sound. Katara is too slow to react, as the Avatar encloses her leg in a layer of rock, breaking her ankle as she drops, her backpack falling off.

It slides a foot or two, the blue mask falling out of it.

The dust settles and Aang, the power still surging through his body, spots it.

ZUKO: Aang!

Slowly but surely, they all start piling in. His friends that he had sad goodbye to. His friends that would never forgive him for what he did.

As he looks to them, Katara quietly gags, a shadow from her body slowly dripping off, a blob finally leaving her person as it wanders over to the blue mask.

For the first time in years, the waterbender feels like her breaths are her own again. She looks to Aang, whose fist is engulfed in fire. Knowing what the Blue Spirit has in store, she panics.

KATARA: Aang - NO!

And with a quick burst it is over. The wood shatters into a dozen pieces and the flame surges across the ground.

---

...

And yet... Aang remains. The pieces remain scattered and... Katara remains captured. It is done. This should be it.

The energy leaves him and his eyes become normal again, staring in horror at the former Blue Mask.

By now, all of his friends are here, staring at him in weird disbelief as they surround Katara.

ZUKO: What happened? Where's Kenora? And where's Azula?

No... please... let me leave now... not like this...

While the boy cannot possibly respond, Ty Lee doesn't need an answer. It is the grief first, then the anger, the tears a mix of both. Clenching onto her staff, she slowly approaches Aang with the express intend to kill.

YOU DID WELL, AANG.

All of the kids fall silent at the weird voice. Katara shudders for she knows who it belongs to.

THE VENEGEANCE YOU HAD BEEN CARRYING FOR ALL THIS TIME WAS FINALLY DELIVERED. I DIDN'T EXPECT THAT YOU COULD TAKE HER OUT, BUT YOU DID. CALL ME IMPRESSED.

Half the crowd goes silent as the other begins to suspect something very, very bad. A cold breeze blows past them for a moment.

ZUKO: Aang... where is Azula?

TY LEE (murderous): You killed her.

They all look to the airbender girl, except for Aang, who momentarily regrets just about every decision he's ever made, starting with him running away from the Air Temple.

Soon, the others turn on him too with angry faces and drawn weapons. Even Adithya looks at him with disgust.

AANG: I... I had to. I'm sorry.

OH, DON'T BE. IT WILL ALL BE GOOD FROM HERE ON OUT.

With a hateful howl, Ty Lee charges first, but is caught in the air by the very sudden appearance if a black tentacle sprawling from the ground.

All the pieces of blue mask wood turn black before melting into the floor. Slowly, a heap of goo much like Zuko and the others have seen before grows larger and larger, Ty Lee still in its grasp as it even towers above the bison, an undefinable shape casting a shadow across them all. A lot of Team Avatar steps back. Others are not as smart.

SUKI (furious): You DEMON!

As Suki's sword slashes one tentacle, another latches onto her, pulling her inside alongside Ty Lee, who has long since stopped struggling. The goo acting more and more like a single-celled organism, it extends its arms into all different directions.

Shahar pushes Mai aside, getting caught along with Caraman, who in all fairness tried to dodge.

Adithya, too scared to run, has her legs picked up from below, screeching with fear as... it pulls her closer.

All five get slowly absorbed as the goo begins to shrink into the ground again.

THANK YOU, AANG. YOU HAVE PERFORMED A GREAT SERVICE - AH-HA-HA-HA-HA!

As the Blue Spirit disappears, Aang runs for it, no direction in mind, hoping that this whole reality is a nightmare world after all.

The Onryō is now gone completely. It left no trace of itself, the destroyed mask, or any of the five people it absorbed.

Zuko falls to his knees and starts sobbing as everyone else is just... done.

---

Rushing down the apartment stairs, Kenora is very much happy that Sun-Yat wasn't home. She has not intention of seeing him again. Or... anyone else for now.

She drops to her knees as Azula lies in the wet grass, the waterbender removing the little vial's crescent top, tossing it aside like a bottle cap. Removing the water from it, it has a strange, transcendent energy to it, as if it wasn't even water at all.

Taking a deep breath and powering through her immense pain, she lets the bubble surge in a fast circle, hovering over Azula's chest injury as she allows it to enter. It does...

...nothing.

Kenora didn't think that she'd have the tears or the strength left to break down sobbing again. But it's here she realizes that the girlfriend she loves is irreversibly...

A quick twitch. Kenora removes her hands from her face as she looks at Azula's still body. She must've imagined-

Another twitch, her leg now. Then a few more. As Kenora begins to find hope again, Azula's eyes very suddenly shoot open.

Divine, white light emits from it, brighter than anything the Pirate Princess has ever seen before. It illuminates the firebender and everything around her, casting a blinding spectacle as her body stops flailing around on its own. Azula's eyes finally close again and the light show subsides.

ENYA: Thank you, Kenora.

The waterbender is thankfully on the ground already, gasping quietly as she turns around.

An old woman, clad like an airbender, though with long hair and no arrows. Enya gifts her a warm smile with her hands folded. It takes the dizzy girl a second too long to recognize the figure's semi-transparency and ghostly, otherworldly appearance.

KENORA: Who... who are you?

ENYA: Thank you, for saving my life.

With a quick message delivered, Enya fades into nothing again.

The second the old woman is gone Kenora turns around once again, hearing Azula make her first breath. The girl holds her in her arms as she smiles and cries with the same level of intensity. Azula opens her eyes very briefly, the faintest hint of happiness expressed as she spots Kenora.

KENORA (crying of relief): I... have your necklace with me. You... you lost it...

Her breath short and rapid and exclusively done by her mouth, the waterbender shares a very happy look with the girl she loves. After this, the firebender falls unconscious again, thankfully alive. Overwhelmed and overjoyed, the Pirate Princess embraces her in a hug, remaining a painful maneuver with her now-burned shoulder. She lets the whole thing sink in for a second, the pure ecstasy of the moment dwindling slightly as the questions start to rise.

The moment it comes together is all in all very short and very blunt. It doesn't seem like a surprise at all, moreso something she could've figured out on her own, even without the otherworldly ghost lady.

A sense of unease mixes into her relief as it dawns on her now fully.

Meeting Azula first, it was Kenora's mission to hunt down her and Aang.

Never could she have expected this. How could she have?

How could she have known that the Avatar, and the last firebender...

...are one and the same?

---

Cue "Space Oddity" by David Bowie.

---

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Writing these thoughts down the moment I finished this chapter, so this is raw as it can get.

So uh... I got you, huh? Tricked ya'll for three years about what the purpose/point of this fic was, you know, other than "it's fun and I like doing it, shut up". Extraordinary feeling to have put this part of the story to the page more than 2 years after I thought of it. Catharsis doesn't even come close to describing how I'm feeling.

I don't know what else to add, honestly. I've been planning this twist for...ever and I am very excited to see people's reaction. Anything else will remove the cliffhanger-iness of this finale so... that's it.

Some important questions you may have:

Will this fanfiction continue?

Well, yeah. Not gonna stop here, now that things have taken such a drastic turn.

Will you be taking a break for a bit?

Yup. Partially for recharging my batteries, partially for doing some ironing out, but ALSO... because I will be working on 2 other projects, or rather will start as soon as these two parts are finally uploaded. One is a remake of an old Harry Potter fanfic of mine, so I'm gonna be doing that, the OTHER thing...

What's the other thing? Don't keep me waiting.

Right. The other thing I want to start working on is an audiobook version of TLF. Don't know exactly how I'm gonna do it, but... I have been meaning to do it for a while now so... yeah, that's coming at some point.

When is Book 3 gonna drop then if you're so gosh darn busy?

(Wow, very rude questions today) I don't know. I wouldn't expect it soon, but I also wouldn't expect it to take longer than one year to rekindle my flame of passion. I wanna keep that one open for now, as it feels like the most healthy and productive way of continuing. I'd rather get started on Book 3 feeling fresh and excited than exhausted and with no interest because of some deadline. Just keep your heads up and read some other great stuff in the meantime!

What can I expect from Book 3: Water?

Yeah, not answering that one lmao.

Finally, the obligatory THANK YOU TO LITERALLY EVERY SINGLE PERSON READING THIS - ALL OF YOU ARE SO FUCKING AWESOME AND SPECIAL AND THE FACT THAT YOU SPENT YOUR PRECIOUS TIME ON THIS EARTH READING A STORY AS PERSONAL TO ME AS IT CAN GET MEANS EVERYTHING!

Also thanks to the kind folks over at the Distorted Reality Discord, all of you are very nice and helpful^^

If you have any questions or demands or... threats(?) feel free to DM me, although this is not a promise to answer all of them.

Okay, I'll give you one more thing...

Is there really nothing you'll tell me about the next Book?

Okay, one thing: Be sure to look forward to...

Book 3: Water, Episode 1 - Ozai.