Trance-like. That was the only way to describe the state Aang was in. Led by the first Avatar, he was able to keep swimming away from Ember Island, only stopping when he reached something solid in the water. The boy swam up to what he assumed was a land mass. Going further, he started to reach the front. This was when the trance ended. Aang's eyes widened when he saw a giant face looking back at me.

"Young Avatar," the creature said.

"You're…the lion turtle?" Aang asked, awed. "And talk?"

The animal seemed amused by his surprise. "Knowledge of my kind is uncommon."

"Avatar Wan told me. He said lion turtles are the wisest beings in the world."

There was a slight pause from the animal, then he spoke. "We were called the ancient ones. This world used to have many. Our current rareness is where you and I are the same."

The airbender's mouth curved down sadly. In more surprise, Aang felt as the animal's paw went under his feet. It lifted him up so that he did not have to keep treading water.

"I was told that you could help me," the boy said. "I have someone I need to defeat in a fight, but I don't want to kill him. I don't even want to hurt him if I don't have to. The problem is that he's really dangerous and won't stop on his own, so I have to do something. Everyone else is expecting me to take his life. What should I do?"

After a brief silence, the creature gave his response. "The war between good and evil may never end. In spite of that, one constant between them is energy. It must exist in both. A pure heart and spirit can overcome any cruelty."

Aang continued listening to the lion turtle's words, eyes filling with more wonder. As he was given the answer to his question, Sokka was near Hakoda. He kept following the chief around while the warriors prepared for battle. The boy kept thinking of what his friend had said. Maybe he could share his plan with his father, but there was no reason for anyone to listen. Still, if Zuko thought that the plan was something that the others would agree to, then Sokka believed him.

"Dad," he said, getting the man's attention.

Hakoda turned to him curiously. "Is something wrong?"

"No, but…I have a plan that I'm pretty sure could work." Nervousness hit the boy and he began reconsidering his words. "But I get it if you'd rather go with one of yours or if Chief Arnook or King Bumi have a better idea."

The father shook his head. "I want to hear what your plan is."

Confidence bubbled up in the Water Tribe boy and his eyes twinkled as he spoke. More and more, Hakoda looked impressed. He had a hand to his chin thoughtfully, nodding from time to time.

"And what about the Earthbenders from Gaoling?" he asked.

"They can help provide cover," Sokka said. "Even Zuko admitted it. It's not easy for fire to get through earth. It takes less of that than it does for water to defend everybody."

"It sounds like you've got a great plan. You should tell the others."

Sokka's eyes widened slightly. "Me? I thought that maybe you would if you even liked it in the first place. You're all commanding and stuff like that."

Hakoda put a hand on his son's shoulder. "And it's your plan, Sokka. Be confident in it. No one can describe your idea better than you can. In battle, people need to be inspired. I'm never more inspired than I am when I hear a strategy from the person who made it."

The boy still felt anxious, but these feelings were lessening as he saw the warm smile on Hakoda's face. Two people had full faith in him. He was sure that if Gran Gran were there or if he asked Katara, they would have been the same. Slowly, the boy took a breath and nodded.

"Okay, I'll tell them."

He started to go towards the group. Pausing, he noticed Katara giving Aang a relieved hug.

"What happened?" Sokka asked, eyebrow lifting. "You went for a swim with all your clothes on?"

"Kinda, but I also found out how I'm going to defeat the fire lord."

Both siblings' eyes widened.

"Are you going to…" Katara trailed off, then saw Aang shake his head. "Really?"

"General Iroh was right," Aang told her happily. "There's always another way. I just had to keep looking for it."

"I'm glad you found a solution," Sokka said, feeling relieved as well. "With that figured out, the last thing is to tell everyone the strategy."

Katara started to smile, noticing a slight change in him. "You're going to be our strategist?"

"Yep."

Sokka winced when he felt a punch on his arm. Turning, he saw Toph grinning.

"Ow! When did you come over?"

"I was trying to find out where Twinkle Toes went, then heard about the fun news," she said. "Go knock 'em dead."

Sokka started to smile in spite of his sore arm. "Thanks."

"You can use Appa," Aang offered. "Standing on his saddle will help everyone see you."

"Good idea."

Pushing down some returning feelings of anxiety, Sokka went to the sky bison. He climbed up to reach the saddle. Once he was there, he stopped. The boy had not thought of how to attract attention. He tried clearing his throat, but it did nothing. The people just kept talking. Coming up with a solution, Toph made the earth under everyone turn into a small wave. The warriors yelped and landed again, but they stopped talking.

"Uh, thanks," Sokka said, rubbing his neck.

Toph gave him a proud grin and he took another breath. He kept expecting that to make him feel more ready to talk, but it was not doing much. Now, everyone's attention was on him. It was terrifying. Sokka had never seen so many people looking to him for guidance. He was about to ask them to put their lives in his hands. If the plan failed, it would be no one's fault but his own. The world could even be taken over by a tyrant.

"I-I…have a plan," he struggled to say.

What if they all died? His father and sister, his friends and new companions. The boy's eyes moved around the crowd, seeing who all he would be responsible for. Then they landed on his friend. Zuko had a determined look on his face and a reassuring smile. He mouthed: go on. Sokka was not sure how he could have so much trust in him. He was one of the few present who knew the extent of the fire lord's cruelty from personal experience. The prince knew exactly what they were up against…and he still had faith in Sokka. As this realization dawned on the boy, he began to share that faith. Sokka blinked as a more certain expression appeared in his eyes.

"While Aang's fighting the fire lord, most of us are going to be fighting the soldiers," he stated confidently. "The Fire Nation military has been able to do so much because of its size. Wherever they go, they have an advantage in numbers, but they won't this time. Fire Lord Ozai is in Ba Sing Se, but we won't let him take another city. We know the fire lord wouldn't have gone there alone, so as Aang takes down the main threat, we'll handle the rest."

"What about the soldiers in the Fire Nation?" Bato asked. "There are probably more who stayed behind."

"I agree, but it's riskier to split up. Besides, this really isn't about taking over the Fire Nation. It's just about stopping them from taking over the world. Their leader is in Ba Sing Se. Once we have him, we have leverage." He looked at the group. "Our fire Nation allies will need to get as many people to safety as possible. I don't know how many are still alive, but if any are, we don't want them caught in the crossfire and you'd be able to blend in the best without drawing unwanted attention." Next, the boy turned to the Underground fighters. "King Bumi, Toph, could you and the fighters from the Underground provide us with cover when we enter? Your bending will be able to defend against fire better than anything else we have and those soldiers will be throwing everything at us. If you work on defense, the Water Tribes and Kyoshi Warriors can stay on the offensive."

Sokka saw some salutes in the crowd, feeling a swell of pride. He glanced towards his father.

"There's another threat," he added. "Outside of the fire lord and the soldiers, there's the princess."

Hearing this, Hakoda started to tense up. He sensed something almost apologetic in Sokka's gaze.

"Zuko and I are going to battle her," the boy stated, internally cringing at his family's response.

Like he thought, Hakoda looked horrified and Katara was the same. Still, neither said anything until the group of warriors was fully aware of their part of the plan. Sokka got off the saddle and immediately was approached by his father and sister.

"You can't do that," Katara said. "Why not join us in the offensive fight?"

"I have to help Zuko. He thinks there's a chance for her."

Hakoda's frown remained on his face. "She's dangerous. We don't know what she'll do."

"Yeah, I know," Sokka admitted.

Katara started looking scared. "I won't be close enough to heal either of you."

"I know that too, but we'll be fine."

"How can you be sure?"

"I can't," the boy admitted nervously. "But we've somehow survived this long. I promise that if we die, you're free to kill me."

Katara whacked his shoulder, then hugged him. "I'll hold you to that."

When the embrace ended, the children looked at their father. It was asking a lot of him. They always seemed to do that. How much could Hakoda let go while still feeling like he was not abdicating his duty as a parent?

"I need to do this, Dad," Sokka assured him. "Zuko's my best friend. I can't let him go alone. She might kill him. We can keep each other safe at least."

As much as the man wanted to deny the request, he understood the reason. He thought of the other Water Tribe warriors. If any of them needed him, he would fight with them too, regardless of the danger.

"Keep your guard up," he advised, putting a hand on the boy's head lovingly. "Watch her eyes to see what her next move will be."

Sokka nodded, somehow seeming more sure of himself than he did prior to the speech. The fighters kept preparing as in Ba Sing Se, Azula's mind raced. She was going to take over the Fire Nation. That was a good thing. That was something that she thought would make her smile in the mirror look more sincere. So what if no one was around to celebrate with her? Ty Lee and Mai were not real friends. They had proven that by choosing Zuko over her. Forget Zuko as well. Azula always knew he would never celebrate any of her successes. Given their differences in opinions, she doubted he would even view what made her happy as a success at all. That did not matter. She knew what she could do. Zuko never had the heart to lead. It was why he had the shortest time as crowned royal of anyone in their family. Fate first deemed Lu Ten worthy, then Azula. There was no place for the disgraced prince.

Azula imagined what it would be like to see him again. The boy was still alive. Most likely, there would be a reunion. Maybe he would be in chains and she would finally get to prove to Ozai that she could kill him. She would have the last time had she not been so horribly outnumbered. His new Avatar friend and their uncle never would have allowed that. Sparing his life was a tactical decision. Not shooting him with lightning when he pursued her allowed for a faster retreat from the real threats. So, she would see him in chains once more and revel in his misery as she basked in her own glory. Azula did not need his joy. She did not need Iroh's either. His words were foolish about them being family. That was nothing she enjoyed remembering. It was just a way that destiny spited her. It did not do that very often, but it did when it came to family–outside of her father of course. He would celebrate with her even if he was not there at the moment.

Azula was not entirely sure where Ozai was, but she had an idea. He was enjoying the new kingdom and palace. Craftsmen quickly made him a new throne befitting his bloodline. So, he was in the throne room. There was not a smaller seat for Azula which was fine. Soon enough, that throne Ozai sat on would be hers. There would be no point in making another one that would serve no purpose in mere days. That meant that for the time being, she would just genuflect near him when she was summoned. That summoning was not coming as quickly as she expected, but it made sense. Ozai was busy after all. He was getting ready to take over the world. The man could not spend every moment with her. She was not some child who required constant attention. She was a princess, soon to be a ruler on her own. It was even possible that Ozai would celebrate her success from afar. When he became the Phoenix King, he would travel over the world. Azula did not know when she might see him again. They could write at least. In a way, it was almost amusing. Azula always thought the letters Zuko, Iroh, and Lu Ten exchanged were superfluous. What silly things to treasure. She would see Zuko's face light up whenever a messenger brought one to him. It was as if all the joy in his world was contained in those little scrolls. Well, maybe she would feel the same when that was her sole method of communication with her father. Time would tell.

Ozai did not feel as worried as his daughter. His mind was filled with peace. He was about to have everything he ever wanted. It would not be long before the entire nation recognized him as the best ruler in the history of the world. Who else could do what he did? The world had no singular leader. That was about to change and he was so proud of himself. If his foolish father had been a wiser man, he would have made him the crowned prince. It was not so difficult to dismiss tradition. It was not for Ozai. He leapt at the chance to put the better suited heir in power. This was when mild doubt entered his thoughts. Azula was so young. Maybe she was not ready for the pressure of leadership. She could not even secure the loyalty of two children. Would she be able to handle a nation? Did it matter? Possibly not. With Ozai in charge of the world, it was the same as him ruling the nation and putting her in charge of the kitchen hands in the palace. The worst that could happen was that a few people got burned. There would not be any real consequences. He would still be in control of everything, so nothing could go wrong. The more Azula observed Ozai's leadership, the more she would learn. One day, she might even be half the ruler that he was. He expected nothing less from his favored child. Part of him wished he could feel that way about them both.

Ozai still blamed his father for his arranged marriage. If he had been allowed to pick his own bride, he would have found a woman who understood the importance of raising strong children. As things were, his chance to have two warriors went up in more smoke than any of his fire could cause. Ozai could not save Zuko from Ursa's overbearing warmth. It weakened him bit by bit until he was nothing like what a royal prince should be. Yet, Ozai still had his daughter. She was all he had in fact. That was why she had to become a worthy successor. It was why he did not summon her. He would give her time alone to think over her mistakes. Time alone was good for the mind and could lead to clarity. Ozai needed her to be clear-headed. She might be young, but she was brilliant. He just needed her to remember that. The time in her chambers would lead to that happening. Then she could make a good mark in the Fire Nation while he tended to larger matters. Father and daughter. Phoenix King and Fire Lord. The world could consist of just them and mindless blobs ready to be ruled. That would be enough for Ozai. He lit a fire in his palms, feeling its warmth. That would spread over the world until he was bathed in the fires of rebirth. It was nothing short of perfect.

As Ozai imagined the world to come, Zuko was thinking about him and Azula. He worried about Sokka's involvement in the fight. The boy had no idea if they were going to return alive. Guilt hit him as he thought of Sokka's determined expression when he assured him that they would go together. At the same time, it was nice to have such a loyal friend. That was something Zuko never thought was in the stars for him. A warm smile crossed his face when he saw the siblings and Hakoda talking. There was a time when mild envy would have entered him, but that was so long ago. Now, he was just glad that his friends had such love and support in their lives. Zuko turned his head when he sensed someone approaching. His smile widened and he turned fully. Mai was standing next to him, but her expression was worried.

"Are you really going to fight Azula?"

The boy nodded. "I don't want her to die or for her to kill anyone else. I'm not sure if this'll work, but I'm also not sure what else to do."

"But…"

Mai trailed off, frowning. She knew what she wanted to say. It was just that she did not want the words out there. Merely saying them might make that future more likely to happen.

"It really means a lot that you're here," Zuko told her. "I know leaving wasn't easy."

"It wasn't as difficult as you think." Mai's voice got quieter as her cheeks warmed up. "It's also nice to be here with you."

Zuko started to blush as well, but he reached out and held her hand. The girl looked at him in surprise. He had a promise in his eyes–one that he would return alive. His heart started to beat faster until that was the only thing he heard. Suddenly, he leaned over and kissed her right cheek. Mai's face burned hot, but when Zuko started to move away, she held onto his hand to let him know it could last longer.

"Zuko," Sokka called, on Appa's back and oblivious to what had happened. "We're about to set out."

The firebender nodded. "I'll be right there." He turned back to Mai and gave her a smile. "Be safe."

"You too," she said, returning the expression.

A happy flutter entered Zuko's chest and he went over to join Sokka and Aang on Appa's back.

"Appa, yip yip!"

The bison took off with his passengers. As he did, the others also started going off in their groups. They were all mentally preparing to fight, prepared to die if necessary for the greater good. The City of Walls was about to have another battle, but this would be different. It would decide the fate of the world.