…Rage Of The Black Dragon…

Warnings: This chapter contains:- cursing, a little bit of sadness, crying, mental health issues, possessiveness, mental breakdown, fluff, more lore about the Spirits being dropped, Zuko and Aang having a few moments, and the Cave of the Two Lovers! All reviews are appreciated.

P.P.S.: This is an Omegaverse story as in Alpha/Beta/Omega dynamic, with Alpha Aang and Omega Zuko, so you have been warned! And it is also a time travel one! The titles that would be used for the Omegaverse dynamic in this story are from the Chinese fandom (As the story would have many customs and cultures from southern and eastern Asia, China specifically):-

Alpha - Qianyuan

Omega - Kunze

Beta – Zhongyong

P.P.P.S: This is a dark (and I mean really dark!) story that takes place in the ALTA's timeline (the original show, not the live adaptation, but who knows, maybe I will add a pointer or two from the NATLA after I watch it?) to some extent but with many major changes, such as Aang being aged up to sixteen and Zuko being OOC; this story is also the first part of the series that would follow the first chapter but diverge after a certain point.


Chapter 14


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(Azula ran away

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It was madness and hurt; confusion and pain. It was delusion, and hurt, and everything in between. It was the fact that she saw her mother staring at her after so many years, smiling at her gently (Her mother never smiled at her, only frowned, scowled, and sighed in annoyance every time she saw her), caressing her cheek and brushing her hair aside (Her mother never did that… she never did that, because Azula was a monster, and monsters didn't get kind smiles, or had their hair brushed by gentle hands, or be told that they 'Had a pretty hair', or anything of that like).

It was confusion and hurt, and hurt and pain. It was madness and delusion and everything in between. It was Azula trying to make sense of what she saw that day in the north, trying to make her mind understand if the person she saw was her mother, or was her brother; something that every time Azula thought about it, everything became muddled and confusing to the point even she didn't understand anymore.

It was Mom, it was Mom, it was Mom! …Chanted in her head day and night as she remembered those painted lips, that makeup, the Huadian her Mom always painted during important events, and the hair that was pulled in the half-up, half-down style that her mother adored… No! It was Zuko! Zuko! …Another voice shrieked inside of her head, trying to snap her out of the spiral of madness that Azula had all but thrown herself into, reminding her about the scar that took half of the boy's face, the voice that was low and rough and held nothing of the gentleness of a woman, and the scent of sandalwood and spice that was not her mother's.

It was confusion, and hurt, and pain, and hurt; madness, and hate, and… Azula felt lost, unmoored, and like madness had overcome her once more. She wondered if this was it, and she had lost it in earnest; maybe she had died, and this was her purgatory and punishment? Azula didn't know, nor did she care; all she cared about was the fact that she saw her mother once more.

How long had it been since Azula saw her mother? How long had it been since she last saw her brother? How long had it been since…? Azula didn't know anymore; all that she knew was that she had seen her mother (Zuko! It was Zuko! Not her mother, but Zuko!) once more. This time, her mother was kind, she was soft, she smiled at Azula and didn't scowl and look away in shame or fear; Azula saw her mother, and she thought that things would be alright once more, that if she had found her mother than it meant she would find Zuko, and when she do, then Azula, she… she wouldn't be so alone anymore

It was madness, and madness, and confusion and hurt. It was pain and betrayal and hate all in one. It was yearning, and hope, and want, and need; it was Azula crying and screaming and throwing herself at metal doors trying to find her mother once more. Once more, her mother had left her, once more she had taken Zuko and left her; once more, Azula was thrown to the side unwanted, while her mother took away her brother and escaped the hell on earth that was Caldera, leaving her there without ever looking back, not even once.

All of Azula's life, she had spent it as the one who was born lucky (Or at least, that's what was used to be said before everything went down and Azula lost everyone and everything that fateful Agni Kai), but for Azula, she felt like she was born a curse bond to be hated by the only people she had ever thought she would love. Azula loved her mother, and she loved her brother, and she felt scared of her father when she was young. But her mother hated her and called her a monster, her brother left her and didn't even look back, and her father… he was the only one there for her, so did that mean she was the one in the wrong for becoming what he wanted her to become?

It was tears and sobs, and sobs and wails; it was sitting in the corner as everything finally sank. It was feeling her heart being shredded and ripped out of her chest when the ship went farther and farther away from the North Pole, taking her away from her mother, who was there. Her mother, who was kind to her, smiled at her; brushed her hair, and told her she… but that was wrong, wasn't it? Her mother never did any of that to her, her mother was all harsh edges and scowls when she saw her before she turned around and left Azula, even when she was hurt. It was Zuko… it was always Zuko… the one who took care of her, smiled at her, and always made the hurt go away, and pushed her behind him when Ozai always came storming into their room mad about something or the other… it was always Zuko

She could only sit there and stare at the metal wall in front of her, trying to make sense of what she saw and what she felt. She was trying to separate things into boxes in the hope of not overwhelming herself and losing it once more. Her mother hated her and called her a monster (But her Mom was kind to her back then, and even when she scowled and said mean words, she apologized in her own way, right? If she didn't, then why would her Mom say that 'She always liked her hair' and pull Azula's hands gently from her hair?), her Mom never once looked at Azula favorably, always seeing her as a second Ozai, that's why she always turned away when she saw her (But her Mom didn't do that this time, she didn't look away, and her eyes were gentle, and she even complimented her bending and told her she was proud… right?), her Mom ran away years and years ago, leaving Azula and Zuko in this house of madness without even trying to take Azula and Zuko with her or protect them (…But Azula found her Mom, she found her Mom… and her Mom ran to be with another man… right? It was why she and the Avatar were kissing, right? Her Mom ran away to be with the Avatar to start a new life, that's why she didn't want her and Zuko… but… Zuko! This was Zuko! Not Mom, it was Zuko, Zuko, Zuko! Zuko was the one who ran away to start another life with the Avatar without even looking back!).

It was delusion, and madness, and insanity all in one. It was trying to understand things that twisted and twisted and turned and twisted until they formed a noose around her neck; it was trying to separate two entities that meshed and mixed and mixed until they formed one being. It was trying to separate the first, the second, and the last, but still failed. It was trying to force her mind to understand that the person she saw was her brother, and not her mother, because of the scar, the scene, the gender, and the voice, but even then, her mind failed to separate the two of them and insisted that they were one and the same. Over and over and over again, until Azula felt like her mind would explode any minute now.

"My name is Azula, daughter of Ozai, daughter of Ursa, sister of Zuko." She repeated over and over and over again, her head between her knees while her hands covered her ears. "Today is the fifteenth day of the second month, one hundred years AG. I am on a ship heading back to Caldera after losing a fight against Mo… Zuko. Zuko. It was Zuko!" Azula hissed, tightening her grip on her head, hoping the pain would banish the mental turmoil she was feeling. Once more, Azula repeated this mantra over and over again, just like she saw Ty Lee do once upon a time, when she had a panic attack and tried to ground herself (Back then Azula had laughed and laughed and pointed at how weak Ty Lee was, that she needed stupid tricks like this not to spiral down, but now? Now no one was laughing, especially not Azula, not when tricks like this were her last resort and the only thing that kept her grounded ever since Zuko left her alone).

It was delusion, and madness, and fear, and hate; it was insanity, and craziness, and loathe and pain. It was Azula looking at Ozai and seeing nothing but a monster who raged, and raged, and burned everything down after being told by General Huazo, who laughed and cackled, and told him of what was seen. It was Ozai sprinting from his seat to attack, only to be flung back as the windows shattered and a shadow flew through and stole General Huazo away; her cackling echoing through the walls of the Fire Palace, and with it, spreading chaos and terror in its wake.

It was Azula hiding in Zuko's room that night (Always his room, never anywhere else, always his room in the closet, something she had done since young when she noticed how her mother always spent her time here with Zuko, but never with Azula. That's why Azula used to hide in the closet to see what her mother and Zuko used to do -Playing, bedtime stories, her mother holding her masks in her hand while making Zuko act with her- always feeling jealousy and envy when she saw her mother laughing and smiling and being so gentle to her brother, but never to Azula… because Azula was a monster, and her mother believed that monsters didn't deserve love… but Zuko was differentZuko was always different… and he never once called Azula a monster even when everyone around her did…), knowing that this was the only place she was safe because no one ever came here, even to clean. It was the sound of the door clicking open that made Azula's breath freeze in her chest, terror choking her and fear forming a lump in her throat. She didn't dare make a sound, putting both of her hands on her mouth and nose, and looking through the closet door, feeling terrified because who would dare to come here when no one but her made this place a haven after Zuko left her and disappeared?

It was disbelief, and hate, pain, and fear; it was madness, and loathe, and grief. It was Azula's breath trapped in her chest as she saw her father through the cracked door; his shadows nothing but a monster of nightmares with his signature scowl. It was Azula feeling her world unraveling the longer she listened to her father go on and on, unaware of the audience hiding in the shadows, hearing his every word.

"She was just like you…" Azula heard Ozai say in the empty room, and she didn't even need to think to know who the 'She' his father was referring to. "Rebellious, stubborn, Kunze. She never listened to reason, even when she should have known her place. I was her mate, her Qianyuan, but still, even then, she chose another." Rage, loath, and hate, saturated Zuko's room; her father's scent of blood and ash all but choked Azula, even as she pressed her hands to her nose and mouth to stop herself from gagging. "Even when I killed that annoying pest, she called beloved; she still didn't listen to reason, she still chose another, even when I forgave her again and again, promising to give her whatever she wanted again and again if she just listened." Azula shook, curling into a tight ball in the back of her brother's closet, wanting desperately to put her hands on her ears and block her father's voice, but in doing so, her breathing would be heard, her sniffles, and gasps would be heard; so, Azula hide away behind the tiny robes that were once her brother's, beside the dust and forgotten relics, and hoping that this all would end soon.

"You are just like her…" Azula's head couldn't help but shoot up hearing this, her heart pounding loudly in her chest, and against her will, she couldn't help but hang on to every word the monster of her nightmare and real life said. "No matter how many chances I gave, no matter how many times I let your antics slide, you never listen, always the stubborn child who never knew his place… the Kunze who refused to know his place." There was an edge of threat to her father's voice that made all the hair on Azula's body stand on its ends, and made her scalp tingle as her fight or flight instinct blared at her, telling her that something very, very wrong and dangerous was taking place. "You chose another, and even when I try to kill him and bring you to my side, you still chose the Avatar." A snarl was heard, and Azula couldn't help but flinch. Azula couldn't help but shake like a leaf in the face of a storm when her father's scent intensified and coated everything with rage, and loathe, and hate, and anger. "But that doesn't matter; I will find you; I will bring you back here… and this time… I will make sure you choose right… even if it meant doing what I should have done when you presented as a Kunze… this time as soon as you come home, you will be marked…" And Azula, hearing this, froze; her body shaking and terror all but seized her heart…

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She knew what her father meant by his words.

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It was sickness, and madness, and horror and terror; it was Azula trying to hold back from throwing up and exposing her place. It was her mind flicking through her memories at a rapid speed, trying to make sense of what was said by her father, and the actions that were implied. It was sickness and bile rising in her throat as she realized that all along… it was tears running down her face, madness cloaking her like a second skin, and terror that all but consumed her as she wondered, were things always like this?

It was Azula staying rooted in her place, not daring to move or make a sound, waiting until the monster left before finally daring to crawl out. It was Azula looking around, in terror and fear, tears running down her face as she shook and shook and bit her lower lip bloody. It was the lump in her throat, and the shivers of terror and disgust rocked her body as she finally realized what was always there.

"I… I have to save, Mom… I have…. Zuko… I have to save him… I have…" Azula could only mumble like mad as she wiped her tears, her mind scrambling itself into a mess unseen before as Ozai's words replied in her mind, over and over and over again, making faces overlaps, and making her suspect how much of her life was a lie and how much was the madness and delusions. "Zuko… I need…. Where would Mom hide… Zuko was always good at hiding, but where would he hide…" Azula could only mutter as she crawled out of her brother's (Mother's?) room, stumbling to her room on shaky legs that were weaker than a newborn faun.

Zuko and Ursa, Ursa and Zuko; a mother and a son, a son and a mother. But for Azula, who had not seen her mother since she was young, for Azula, who was hated by one and loved by the other; for Azula, who knew the one she saw at the North Pole was two people made one… she knew that it didn't matter anymore who was who, and what label was used anymore… just as she knew that Ozai stopped caring about who was who a long time ago and started looking at Zuko like he was Ursa, trying to shape him into what their mother should have always been and failed day in and day out until he decided to burn his failed project down. Something not to Azula's surprise, her father failed to do so, too.

Zuko was Ursa, and Ursa was Zuko… That was the conclusion that two insane individuals had reached. One monster wanted to covet him and turn him into a substitute and a replacement of what should have been, while the other monster (While having not reached that level of derangement yet) just wanted love and connection that was never given to them, but they yearned for desperately.

That was what Azula's last sane thought, as she scrambled to her room, putting what she would need and what she would use, and everything that she could ever want, in backpacks and pouches. She needed to get out of here, and she needed to do it fast. Before her father, or the guards, or anyone of importance noticed that she was gone and started a search. Azula needed to get out of her and fast, find Mai and Ty Lee, and search for Mom (Zuko) before Ozai realized she wasn't there and would end up searching for her and tracking her down; no doubt planning on using her one final time before discarding her into the abyss.

Azula needed to find Zuko, she needed to find her Mom. She needed to warn him, save him, and talk to him. She didn't know what she would do upon seeing him again; maybe they would fight, maybe Zuko would welcome her back, or maybe she would chase him to the end of earth and back and still not find him, no matter how much she searched. It didn't matter, it never mattered though; it never mattered if it meant she could find Zuko before Ozai made his move and took her brother away from her by force this time.

Azula always lies… that's what Azula knew everyone hissed and spat at her every time they saw her; it was a mark that she was branded with since young, thanks to her mother, who hated her (But her mother cared about her now, right?). A mark that she hoped wouldn't make Zuko distrust her and back away from her, as much as Zuko was annoyed by her actions and bullying when they were young, he never outright called her that to her face; Zuko was one of the few people who still believed Azula had some goodness in her even when Iroh himself had washed his hands off her… Azula hoped that her Mom could see this, see that Azula had come to help him (If not, then her hair that she cut and left in her room would serve as the ultimate truth because hadn't her Mom just told her she always loved her hair but Azula cut it off to tell the world that she was no longer affiliated with Ozai) holding the last thread of sanity that kept her grounded to this world as to not escape, when any minute now, she felt like she was going to float, and sink, and sink, and float with no way to know where was up or where was down…

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Azula ran away that night…)…

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"Fight!" The order rang loud and clear near the small body of water they had set their camp near yesterday. Aang who heard Sokka let shouted the start of the duel, tensed his body and snapped his fans opened, evading and dispelling attacks one after the other using the fans gifted to him by Avatar Kyoshi that one day, weeks ago; a gift that Aang tried to Master using and dueling with to honor Avatar Kyoshi and the connection the two of them had shared that night when Aang made a life changing choice.

Dealing with Katara and her Water Bending was as easy as breathing; Aang moved fluidly and used the water from the body of water not that far behind to attack and defend, not giving the girl a chance to win against him or take some ground. Aang, who was paces ahead of Katara (Thanks to Tui and La taking over training him with Water Bending from scratch), managed to glide past the girl and trap her with ice, bending her hands and stopping her from making her next move for the unforeseeable future, until either Katara managed to free herself or Aang finished his duels and came to free her.

As soon as Katara was down, Suki descended on him, like a wraith, not a second later, her fans brandished in her hands. Aang, who had been training to use Kyoshi's gift to him for weeks now, managed to stay toe to toe with Suki (All thanks to Lady Yukari teaching him how to use war fans to fight, and later entrusted Suki to continue teaching him through their journey); feeling his heart pounding in his chest with every clash of metal against metal and every swipe of fan powered by Air Bending. In the end, like Katara, Suki was thrown out of the fighting arena by a strong gust of wind that made her skid outside and roll around until she finally got back to her feet, but by that time, she was eliminated and had lost her right to continue the fight.

But Aang's joy in his victory against Suki didn't last long, not when Aang had to move fast to dispel a Fire Blast sent his way by Zuko, who had a playful grin on his face as he jumped into the fray, attacking with both bending and Ninjutsu to incapacitate Aang, not giving the Qianyuan a chance to pull his next breath as he continued to show skills far beyond his age.

"What's the matter, pretty boy? Tired already?" Zuko cooed to him with a smug look on his face, his smile widening even more as his attacks and hits pushed Aang to the edge of the arena, almost throwing him out if Aang didn't managed to evade his kick and jump over Zuko, brandishing his fan to dispel another Fire Blast sent his way.

The cheering coming from their friends as they screamed Zuko's name and cheered for him to win made Aang turn and stick his tongue at the traitors, receiving an amused snicker from Zuko, who looked too delighted by what was taking place. To make things even more insulting, Zuko didn't even look winded or tired; not even a hair out of place, instead, the Kunze looked like he could go on and on forever, and no one could even stop him.

"Me, tired? Pssht! As if, Princess," Aang's lips quirked up in a smile, waiting, tensing his body slightly as he prepared for Zuko's next move, not wanting to be caught unaware when Zuko decided that he had had enough of this silly spar, and wanted it to be over. "I am just enjoying how you are toying with me, is all; definitely, not me rethinking my life choices." Aang joked around, his words receiving a happy chuckle from Zuko, who looked far too delighted even when he attacked.

It continued like this for a while, Zuko toying with him and striking when he saw Aang's defenses were getting weak, while Aang evaded and dispelled and tried to think of a plan to win against Zuko, who was really a warrior through and through with talents unmatched by anyone. No matter how many times the two of them sparred and dueled, Aang was always left stunned and panting like he ran from the Southern to the Northern Pole after every fight.

Truly, Zuko was a vision to behold in a battle. With a sharp mind that came with winning strategies unmatched, and a lithe and nimble body that held within it a monstrous strength, contrasted to his nature, no wonder he won and continued to win every battle he participated in. Even Aang, no matter how much he gave it his all in every spar with Zuko, the best thing Aang could achieve was a tie at best, having the ground wiped with his face at worst; thankfully, Zuko, no matter how angry he was, and how competitive he could be, didn't unleash his all on Aang, and was content teasing and toying with him most of the time.

"Come on, Zuko!" Suki's loud cheering could be heard from the sidelines as she all but shouted herself hoarse. "Wipe the ground with his face! Avenge me! Avenge me!" Suki's screech was backed by Katara (Who finally freed herself from the ice and was cheering with Suki as if her life depended on it), and Sokka (Who was cheering Zuko for the sake of cheering and getting on Suki's good side).

Aang, hearing this, could only let out a tired sigh in resignation and had half a mind to withdraw from the spar, but knowing Zuko, Aang knew the Kunze would pull his ears in retaliation if he dared to do something like this. So, they fought, Zuko's cheerful laughter resonated around the clearing, making Aang's lips twitch into a smile, although he was played as the mouse, seeing Zuko happy like now was worth it, even if it meant he would have the ground wiped with his face sooner or later.

"Come on, pretty boy, hit harder! You won't be able to defeat the Ozai by pulling your punches like this!" Zuko ordered as he all but danced around Aang and all but trapped him in the corner, looking so amused and delighted as he pushed and pulled Aang around and made his head spin the longer they fought. Aang, knowing that this was a losing fight no matter how much he prolonged it, continued to give it his all, hoping that if not losing, he could at least get a tie this time.

After that, it was a battle of endurance of who could last longer. Zuko with his Dao Swords, and Aang with Kyoshi's fans, both of them meeting again and again in a clash of metal and sparks cut by Fire Blasts or gusts of wind. Aang, knew if he had his staff with him, he would have at least been able to easily match Zuko strike for strike, a long-range weapon that would help him navigate and push the Kunze away; a weapon he was trained to use and wield since he was nothing but a child who came into the Southern Air Temple. However, Aang needed to Master fighting with Kyoshi's fans, he needed to learn a different fighting style to compensate for what was possibly lost that night weeks ago when Aang decided to cut his spiritual connections if it meant not letting go. So Aang needed to relearn, no matter how much he lost, no matter how much his hands strained and hurt, and no matter how much it was awkward and difficult for him to get used to fighting with fans instead of staff, Aang needed to learn, one way or the other; Aang would learn.

Weeks… that was how long it had been since that night in Kyoshi Island, where Aang met with Avatar Kyoshi and had that life-changing talk with her. A talk that resulted in Aang doing something he had never in his life thought he would do to get rid of dangers unknown to anyone in this land. A danger that if they succeeded in doing what they wanted to do, then the fate of the world and the fate of everyone in it would be doomed to suffering and death. Suffering and death that Aang knew he would deliver with his own hands, and with that becoming a danger unseen before and undefeated; a danger that would have been worse than Avatar Norran and his madness, and would have been worse than Avatar Kyoshi and the rigid views she forced upon herself to sit boundaries and protect the innocent from the madness that brewed within her and was almost freed.

Weeks… that was how long since Aang crashed down after what felt like decades of nightmare and turmoil, tortured to mental exhaustion until every thread of energy he had snapped one after the other, and with the snap of the last thread, Aang ended up passing out for three days straight. Something that Aang managed to pass as exhaustion from the trials he had undergone in the Old Temple of Kyoshi, a rite of passage of some sort; something that, when said, Aang noticed how Zuko didn't look convinced, not even for a second, but ended up holding his suspicion back and allowed Aang to save face by not speaking about it until after everyone left the two of them were alone. To say that Zuko all but roasted him alive to get the answers wanted or needed would be an understatement of what happened; by the end, Aang could only pull Zuko in his arms and kiss him all over the face in hope of distracting him, knowing that this would come and bite Aang in the nose later, but for now, he begged Zuko silently to drop the subject.

Weeks… that was how long since Aang had done the unspeakable, something that if his kin had heard him do, they would have shunned and cursed him day and night, always looking at him with side eyes while whispering how deranged and a fool he was. Not that Aang cared about it, nor would he have cared about what they would have said or done; if it was for Zuko, Aang knew he would have done something even crazier and deranged and given himself fully to the man, regardless of what they would have said and done. After waking up, Aang expected many things after the warnings Kyoshi had imparted to him before he started his trials; from his Air Bending abilities to vanish completely to them weakening until they were nothing but a wisp of what they used to be, to them being unaffected, Aang had prepared himself to face the consequences of his choice with his head held high with pride and no fear. What Aang did not expect, though, was for his Air Bending to become unstable, not in the way that would largely affect him or diminish his power, no; but instead, it was as if all the restraints he had put on his power had vanished one after the other, leaving his Air Bending to become a bit on the explosive side, holding with it power and ferocity that Aang had learned to suppress because of the possible danger it could cause. Powerful attacks become even more powerful and a hazard to be around; instead of causing divergence to escape, they could become deadly and cause injuries that could kill. Less powerful attacks had a force behind them that shouldn't exist, a force that could harm and explode all around him if he wasn't careful. It was just like back then when he was twelve and learned that he was the Avatar, when his Air Bending became explosive, and everyone around him tried to retrain him once more to curb his wild side. Aang, from that day on, had to retrain himself in the basics of Air Bending once more, hoping that even if Kyoshi's words were true and that the spiritual connections Aang severed couldn't be back, at least they could be recreated once more if he returned to basics and restarted everything again.

Weeks… that was how long it took Aang to recover fully after the ordeal, even when Aang forced himself to stand up and continue his duties, even when it was excruciating most of the time. Aang had gotten a gift from Avatar Kyoshi herself, and Aang, knowing what he knew now, needed to retrain himself from the start, and learn how to use the gift given to him and offer his respect to Kyoshi for everything she had done for him. It was why Aang had gone to Lady Yukari, begging her to teach him the way Kyoshi Warriors are taught to fight with fans, not only because of the possibility of his Air Bending being affected and in need of a spiritual tool that would enhance it, but also, to offer his respect and thanks to Avatar Kyoshi for what she had done, even when anyone in her place would have ordered Aang to let go and Master the Avatar State. Then and there, Aang promised that he would honor Avatar Kyoshi, not only by learning her art of Tessenjutsu, but also uphold his honor and work hard to restore balance like Avatar Kyoshi did. So, Aang learned the basics of Tessenjutsu from Lady Yukari, training day and night with the Kyoshi Warriors to be able to stand toe to toe with him, and after Lady Yukari, Suki, her daughter, took the position of his Sifu and started teaching him when they left Kyoshi Island and restarted their journey.

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Weeks… and finally, here they were… on their way to Omashu…

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"Aren't you tired, Princess?" Aang teased, as he and Zuko stood opposed to one another, both panting and looking at the other, not willing to back down even after an hour had passed since their duel started. Aang could admit then and there, that this was the longest that he had managed to stay standing against Zuko in a spar, part of him was wondering if Zuko was toying with him and allowing him the illusion of winning, or that this fight meant that Aang managed to improve his direct combat skills enough to be able to get a tie… really, evading and running away, as much as it was the style of fight that every Air Bender used when confronting someone, was lacking in many regards when the Air Bender in question was cornered and was forced to fight hand to hand; it showed that even the fighting styles and art they were taught to protect themselves, were lacking because of how rusty they were because the Air Nomads being unwilling to fight.

"Tired? Pretty boy, are you begging me to teach you something?" Zuko raised his eyebrow at Aang's teasing words. Hearing this, their group let out an 'OOOHHHHHH!' Looking way excited and invested in their fight, even when they had long ago relocated to sit beside General Iroh, instead of standing around the makeshift arena, tea in their hands and excited looks on their faces like they were seeing an entertaining play.

Suddenly, before any of them could start their next attack or Aang could tease Zuko once more, music blared out not that far in the distance, making everyone flinch and turn to the source of the noise, and everyone (Sane General Iroh who looked surprised and started humming) prepared their weapons just in case. Instead, they were greeted by a group of people playing music and singing, making Aang and Zuko look at one another before they agreed nonverbally to postpone their spar to a later date and see what this group was up to.

"Da, da, da. Don't fall in love with the traveling girl. She'll leave you broke and brokenhearted!" That was what Aang and the rest of his friends managed to hear when the people got closer and closer to their camp; a catchy song really, if the way General Iroh started humming happily was an indication. The group of musicians, seeing their small camp, stood there before what looked like the leader blinked his eyes before pointing at them and shouting joyfully. "Hey, fire people!" Making Aang blink in confusion, and turned to look at Zuko, who was raising his eyebrow in confusion.

"Uh… We are not fire people." Katara, who was the first one to recover, pointed out, looking at the group of strangers before looking at them, a look of confusion on her face that was mirrored by everyone around and increased when the stranger tilted his head in confusion, a puzzled look on his face.

"You are not? Well then, what kind of people are you?" That more than ever was the question that made even General Iroh raise his eyebrows so high, that Aang thought they would fly high in the sky from how shocked and confused he was at the question spewed then and there by the man not that far away.

"Just… people." Aang, who finally decided that these people weren't a danger to him or his friends (But weren't sane either, if the way the man blinked at Aang's answer like it was a novelty, was anything to go by) walked closer to Zuko, and stood beside the Kunze, feeling how Zuko relaxed then and there and leaned on Aang.

"Aren't we all, brother?" The man laughed, strumming his lute, looking happy and content, his answer, though, made Zuko and Aang look at one another, both of them wondering if the man's crown was crooked or something, because just how easy could the man say an outrageous thing and then act like nothing was wrong or amiss… Was he on something? …Aang couldn't help but wonder, looking at the man closely just to make sure.

Sokka, who finally snapped out of his daze, stood up and walked toward the man and his companion, his eyes narrowed as he put his hands on his waist and questioned harshly. "Who are you?" With an accusing tone, looking like he wouldn't hesitate to get his boomerang and deal with them if they prove themselves to be dangerous.

"I'm Chong, and this is my wife, Lily." The man smiled happily as he introduced himself before pointing at his wife. "We are nomads, happy to go wherever the wind takes us!" The man said, suddenly, crazily strumming his lute-like instrument with too much gusto.

Aang, after he heard that these people were nomads, couldn't help but perk up a bit, feeling a bit apprehension and delight (And part of him remembering that crazy Lady's words about Air Nomads surviving) couldn't help the excited tone of his voice when he said. "You guys are nomads? That's great! I'm a nomad!" Excitement coursing through him at the thought that maybe… just maybe

"Hey, me too!" The excitement Aang felt all but wiped away at such an excited reply from the man on the other side; Zuko, hearing such reply, let out a loud 'Pfft!' that got louder at the stupefied expression that made its home on Aang's face, and that was what snapped Aang out of his stupefaction enough to pinch Zuko's side in retaliation, which made the Kunze let out a squeak and jump away, not without sending a harsh glare directed at Aang.

"I know… You just said that." That was Aang's blank reply, feeling stupid for getting his hopes up, because of course, Air Nomads wouldn't be the only wondering nomadic group, not in the past and certainly not now… He is definitely on something… Aang reached his final conclusion as he saw the man blink in surprise and let out an 'Oh', not even seeming aware of what was said or done not a few seconds ago.

Somehow, things went this way and that way; some words were said, and Uncle Iroh, being Uncle Iroh. The nomadic group and their friends ended up lounging near Appa, whose fur was being braided by one of the women, while Lily was braiding Katara's hair, and chatting happily with Suki; Chong, as he introduced himself, was strumming on his lute with no care in the world as he told General Iroh stories about their travel.

Aang, not knowing how or why, ended up with a wreath of pink flowers on his head (Thanks to Lily who put one over his head and tried to drag Zuko to braid his hair… not so surprisingly, the Kunze bristled and almost bit the woman's head off, something that Katara and Suki noticed immediately so they moved quickly and pulled Lily who didn't notice anything amiss away), sitting with the Zuko in front of him (No doubt using Aang as a shield from another surprise attack), while Zuko leaning his back on Aang's chest, looking like a cat that would start hissing and snapping its claws at anyone coming near (Still angry and hissy at the thought that someone had dared to almost touched his hair, which was something that other than a selected few -Family, spouses, and children- wasn't allowed in the Fire Nation and would have been considered a grave insult to a Kunze; something that people no matter who they were would have been punished for). Aang could only let out a nervous chuckle when Zuko bristled even more when Lily, decorating Katara's hair with flowers, turned to Zuko and questioned him once more if he was sure he didn't want his hair braided.

Aang, noticing that Zuko was going to lose it at Lily if she continued asking, snuck his arms around Zuko's middle, stunning the Kunze enough to be able to answer for him and stopping him from ripping the woman apart with harsh words. "Don't worry, Ma'am; just leave it to me." Aang tried to give a charming smile, his words made Zuko roll his eyes, but his lips twitched up into a smile, so Aang considered this a win situation. "So, want me to do your hair, Princess?" Aang teased, calling Zuko by that annoying nickname he started using to tease his betrothed because of how fussy the Kunze had become since Aang fell sick all those weeks ago.

"Oh? Think you can do a better job than her, pretty boy?" Zuko retorted not even a second later, making Aang hum, and an amused smile painted his face when he saw Zuko turn to glance at Suki and Katara in contemplation before he raised his hand and pulled his hair crown. "Then do your worst." Zuko teased, making Aang snicker in delight, but nonetheless, did as Zuko ordered and pulled back a bit to work on the Kunze's hair.

Taking the hair, separating it into sections, braiding, and decorating it with flowers, Aang did his work diligently and made sure to create the most elegant updo he could think of for Zuko. A smile couldn't help but widen on Aang's face, and he continued to wave the strands of hair around and adding a flower here and there, feeling so proud of his work that he almost puffed his chest in pride.

"Wow! Aang, how are you doing this?" The one who asked that question was none other than Suki (Who pushed Sokka away to the side… poor Sokka was sitting with Momo in his lap, a huge pout on his face, as he was being ignored once more by Suki who was chatting happily with the nomads), making Aang, who had a flower between his lips, hum and braid the last few strands before taking the flower out and pin it to Zuko's hair before securing the hairdo with the hairpin from Zuko's crown.

After that, Aang turned and offered Suki a smile, almost letting it slip out that the reason that Aang was well-versed in doing such elaborate hairdos was because of his friend Kuzon (Kuzon, back before presenting, had the obsession of always styling his hair in every fashionable hairdo there was, and so he had forced Aang to learn how to do any hairstyle with the threat of pulling his ears off… a scary threat really especially knowing that Kuzon doesn't joke when it came to his hair so Aang ended up learning… which to his surprise made him very populate between the nuns during Yangchen's Festival after he mastered the art of hairdressing), but in the last second Aang changed his mind, feeling that if he was stupid and let Kuzon's name slip, he would really get the earth wiped with his face, especially after the display of jealousy Zuko had shown in the Northern Pole. "I picked the skill during Yangchen's Festival." Aang ended up chirping, looking at Zuko, who was delicately touching his hair with a surprised look, a delighted smile on his face as he looked at Aang, and that more than ever told Aang he did the right thing.

With that, his friends asked him about Yangchen's Festival; no doubt, this was the first time they had heard about this holiday. Aang, hearing his friends, was more than happy to talk about one of the Air Nomads' holidays, while answering every question they asked about and telling them everything they wanted to know in detail. He promised his friends that after the war, they could recreate the festival if they wished, considering that the festival fell on the day of the autumn equinox, which his friends seemed to be happy about.

"Zuko, you should hear some of these stories." Uncle Iroh chuckled, looking delighted with his talk with Chong. "These gentlemen have been everywhere." Zuko rolled his eyes hearing this, and Aang knew deep down the Kunze wanted to give a huffy retort to his uncle, but ended up holding back and allowing Iroh the time to shine.

Chong, who stopped playing his instrument, turned to them to say. "Well, not everywhere, Uncle. But where we haven't been, we've heard about through stories and songs." The man waved his hand to emphasize before he started playing once more on his lute. Aang, hearing the conversation, couldn't help but let out a nervous laugh when Zuko hissed and bristled when General Iroh had this brilliant idea of going with the nomads to see a giant night crawler, to which Sokka sprinted from his seat and started arguing with the nomads about going to Omashu.

The back and forth between the two groups, and the way the nomads proved to Aang with every word that left Chong's mouth that they were really high on something, made Aang sigh tiredly and look at Zuko, who was glaring daggers at General Iroh, telling him silently to stop this charade of his or else. One thing led to another, and then Chong went to tell them about the old story of a secret pass through the mountain, something about a 'Real Legend'; just when Aang didn't think things could get even more weird than they already were, Chong and his group of nomads started playing and dancing around.

"Two lovers, forbidden from one another, the war divides their people and the mountain divides them apart! Built a path to be together!" Aang could only glance to the side, feeling so awkward all of a sudden because especially when he saw the blank look on Zuko's face as he looked at General Iroh, who was singing with the group and clapping his hands, looking so happy with the free show they were getting. "Yeah, I forget the next couple of lines, but then it goes… Secret tunnel! Secret tunnel! Through the mountains, secret, secret, secret, secret tunnel! Yeah!" Aang, hearing this, the first thought that came into his mind when hearing the forgetting line was 'And die', which immediately made a shiver of discomfort run down his spine.

Still, Aang could only give a smile to the group's offer, even as he held Zuko's hands and stopped him from facepalming so hard that a red mark would be left on his forehead. "I swear Air Nomads weren't like this." Aang only whispered when Zuko sent him a look that pointed at him and then at the group, something that seemed to bring Zuko satisfaction if the way he relaxed was an indication.

"Zuko, what do you say about going with these gentlemen to see the tunnel?" Count on General Iroh to be the one asking this question, looking as excited as a child when he turned to Zuko with sparkling eyes, making his nephew's eye twitch. Aang, who knew Zuko, wanted them to go to at least go to one village before going to Omashu (A detour that Aang noticed, even when the other didn't seem to put much stock into the fact that such detour would add a week into their travels, but Aang noticing how excited Zuko was every time they got close to the destination, kept his mouth shut and allowed Zuko to direct them to Gaoling Town), understood that using the tunnel the nomads talked about would take them immediately to Omashu without the possibility of going to Zuko's destination first.

"Zuko, secret love cave! Let's go!" Suki chirped, looking so happy and excited for her first ever adventure after coming with them on their journey. Zuko, when he saw the excited look on Suki's face, he seemed to falter for a bit, but Aang knew of Zuko's desire to go to Gaoling Town before Omashu, could only furrow his brows in wonder, wanting to know why Zuko was desperate to go to Gaoling instead of straight to Omashu… did it have something to do with the divine vision Kyoshi talked about?

"Zuko…" Aang whispered, directing the Kunze's attention to him. "We could go to Gaoling after passing the tunnel, I knew a shortcut there through the forest near Omashu," Aang told the Kunze, watching how Zuko's eyes widened a bit in surprise, but seemed to relax several degrees at Aang's reassurance. Seeing how he had made the right decision, Aang let out a contented hum, knowing that Bumi might have it out for him for sidetracking and going to Gaoling first when Omashu was right in front of him, but well, what Zuko wanted, Zuko would have, especially when Zuko was bestowed with divine visions by Agni; there must have been something important in Gaoling Town for the Kunze to subtly direct the group there instead of Omashu. That was how everyone ended there, with the band of the nomads directing them to the tunnels, walking along a wide street surrounded by the familiar ruins of a temple… ruins that were so familiar that Aang couldn't help but wonder if he had come here in the past or something.

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"How far are we from the tunnel?"

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"Actually, it's not just one tunnel. The lovers didn't want anyone to find out about their love, so they built a whole labyrinth!"

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"Oh, a Labyrinth?"

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"Yes, and… but don't worry, I am sure we will figure it out."

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"All you need to do is trust in love… according to the curse."

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"Curse?!"

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"Hey-hey! We are here!"

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"What exactly is this curse?"

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His friends talked with the nomadic group, every one of them looked interested in the prospect of a secret tunnel turned into a labyrinth; General Iroh was his good-natured nature easy-going self, Suki and Katara seemed excited about the prospect, while Sokka was the one who all but dragged them away hearing the word 'Cure', as for Aang and Zuko? Zuko just rolled his eyes and looked around the place with interest, while Aang followed him around, as he wondered if he had one of the memories from the future of him coming into this place… did he come here with Zuko once upon a time too? Aang couldn't help but ponder as he glanced at the Kunze with excitement and anticipation.

"The curse says that only those who trust in love can make it through the caves. Otherwise, you'll be trapped in them forever." Chong explained the curse when Sokka continued to pester him about it, and then Lily raised her finger to point to her husband 'And die'. "Oh yeah, and die." Chong seemed to brighten then and there. "Hey, I just remembered the rest of that song!" The man chirped happily as he stood in front of the entrance and started strumming his lute while singing in an ominous low voice. "And die!" Aang, hearing that line, became surer and surer of his conclusion. He had come here in the future/past with his friends and Zuko no doubt!

"That's it! There's no way we're going through some cursed hole!" Sokka squeaked as he heard this, all but whirling around and running away if it wasn't for Suki (Who was looking too excited at the prospect of going through some cursed hole) grabbing him and giving him a threatening look that ordered him to man up.

"Oh, come on, Sokka." Suki cooed, tightening her hand dangerously on Sokka's arm. "They said we needed to trust in true love, right? We have two love birds who trust plenty." Aang let out a nervous chuckle when all eyes fell on him and Zuko, and General Iroh, as if reminded of them, narrowed his eyes, looking as if he was contemplating backtracking and using Appa to fly to Omashu instead of using the tunnels.

Zuko, hearing this, couldn't help but perk up, a devilish smile stretched his lips wide, and Aang could only sweat seeing this, knowing that Suki had just giving the Kunze a new ammo to use, and one that would more than ever make General Iroh keep an eye on every move Aang dared to do or think of doing. "You know what? Suddenly, I feel excited to go in." Zuko let out a dark chuckle as he looked at his uncle, and Aang could only sigh as he knew what was going to happen next.

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"Zuko! Put Aang down!"

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With that, they went inside the tunnels…

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(She went to Ty Lee first… it took time; it took a lot of time for Azula's comfort to escape from the Fire Nation and go find Ty Lee, who had up and disappeared, running away from home to join a circus of all things. It took time, and took time and resources that Azula didn't have anymore, considering that now, she, herself, was nothing but a runaway and a fugitive, no doubt hunted by both the Fire Nation and the Fire Lord.

Azula went to Ty Lee first, knowing that if she wanted an ally to back her up, then Ty Lee would be the one to do so, not only because of the girl's bleeding heart and tendency to be soft, but also because Ty Lee was possibly the only one who could convince Mai to come with them on their quest and in doing so betray the Fire Nation.

Azula always lies… that was what everyone believed in ever since she was young, even when she said the truth, even when she said half the truth, even if she dared and lied… from the day she was born to the day she would die, Azula always knew that everyone considered her nothing but a liar point blank, without ever giving her the benefit of doubt (But not Zuko, never Zuko; Zuko even when he scrunched his nose in disbelieved didn't call her a liar, and would have believed her, he always believed her, even when she lied, especially when she lied… but he didn't believe her that one time when she told him the truth about what their grandfather ordered their father to do… who would though? Zuko was always a softy, he was always scared, and deep down, Azula knew that Zuko believed in what she said wholeheartedly because he had always known that Ozai hated him for one thing or the other).

Azula always lies… even Mai and Ty Lee believed so, even when they just nodded to what Azula said and went on with their lives, even when Azula told them nothing but the truth. Azula knew that Mai had never once believed her, not even when Azula told her truths that would later become known, but Ty Lee? Ty Lee, even if she didn't believe, she would always give Azula the benefit of the doubt, and that's what Azula needed right now, she needed Ty Lee to be on her side so she could convince Mai to come with them… and if that didn't work? Azula wouldn't hesitate to use intimidation and fear as her last resort in order to make the two of them listen and follow… if that didn't work… then Azula needed no one and she would find her mother herself.

So Azula walked, and she traveled, and she hid, and did anything she was capable of doing to reach where she knew Ty Lee was hiding. She used her brains, her power, and her youthful looks to trick people; she cried like a lost child when needed, making the mothers and fathers' hearts soften to her, and she crushed anyone who looked at her strangely before offering her nasty smiles disguised with soft looks. Azula was thirteen, but she wasn't stupid, and she knew that she could succeed in doing what she desperately wanted. Zuko was twelve when he stood up to people bigger and more dangerous than him, and he was twelve when he stood up to Ozai and cut ties with him after insulting him and his court, so why would Azula shy away when she was thirteen and she could do just like her mother (Just like Zuko) did?

It was painful, it was tiring, and at the same time, scary, because there was no protection and everyone around had no doubt known about her defecting from the Fire Nation and was searching for her (She knew that as soon as Ozai's hands fell on her, what she would suffer would be way worse than she ever thought she could feel; her father hated her, he despised her, and he no doubt regretted creating another monster in his image that would be just a liability to him in his quest of chaining Zuko to himself and only himself). Azula was tired, and she was weary, and she just wanted to sleep (And preferably never wake up), but she persisted, knowing that Ty Lee would be her ticket to Mai, and after that, they would finally go and find her Mom.

A journey that would have taken a week or so at best, given the Fire Nation's resources, took Azula weeks to finish and finally stand in the tent that she knew Ty Lee was practicing in. Azula's hands shook; she was tired, starved, weary, and so many things that not even she knew what, but in the end, she persisted.

The only thing that kept her sane and moving forward until now was the thought of finding her mother once more, reunite with Zuko, and tell him about what Ozai was planning, hoping that by doing so, Zuko wouldn't leave her and she once more would have a chance to be by her mother's side, even if it meant that her mother had chosen another man (That Zuko had chosen another man, the Avatar no less) to start his life with.

So, Azula entered the tent, a scowl on her face that scared all who were stupid enough to look at her or tried to stop her. Azula had no time for anyone or anything, she just wanted to find Ty Lee and end this charade once and for all. In the end, it wasn't hard to find Ty Lee, nor was it hard for the girl to recognize her, as Ty Lee immediately froze in her place when her eyes fell on Azula, horror clear on her face as her eyes traced the haggard look and the short hair that was shorn like a boy…

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"Ty Lee, I need help; it's Zuko…")…

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They traveled through the tunnels; Aang in the far back with Appa while Zuko in the front (Thanks to General Iroh who separated the two of them after Zuko's last debacle; General Iroh couldn't help but throw nasty looks, Aang's way every now and then, as if he was the one who had dared to pick Zuko like a doll and run away with him… sigh… Aang's life was really pitiful, and he was wrongly accused…). Aang, having stayed in the back and studied the tunnel, couldn't help but furrow his brows, feeling that something was off almost immediately after they sat a foot inside, but not knowing why.

It was a few paces in that Aang finally realized what was off… The tunnels were changing… Aang narrowed his eyes as he looked around the place, becoming surer and surer of his conclusion the longer he stared at the walls around him. "Everyone." Aang, before he even managed to say another word, the tunnels began to shake, causing a wave of surprise to pass over everyone as they scrambled around the place trying to find their footing.

"The tunnels, they're a-changin'. It must be the curse!" Chong screeched frantically, all but running around like a headless chicken, looking too terrified and out of it, which infected his group of nomads, and also made Sokka snap at them to be quiet, something that went ignored by the group as they ran around and screeched their heads off.

"Everyone, be quiet," Zuko ordered with a snarl, his anger finally shutting everyone down, and some even flinched and backed away to avoid the angry glare sent their way. "Listen." Zuko hissed, tilting his head as he gazed at the dark tunnel not that far away. Aang, seeing the look on Zuko's face, couldn't help his hand from clutching his staff tightly, preparing for any sudden attack.

The attack came, and it was in the form of a snarling Wolfbat that screeched and snarled and flew at them, causing Sokka to squeak and try to swat at the creature with his lit torch. "Sokka, stop!" Aang could only cry out, feeling a sort of déjà vu that made him wince, especially when Appa yelped and started running around the tunnel and slamming into the walls, causing debris to fall on them.

Aang, to protect everyone from the falling rocks, Air Bent them out of the way while racing toward Appa to stop him from thrashing and causing more rocks to fall on them. "Aang, look out!" A shout was heard before Aang was pushed out of the way of a falling rock and debris, making him squeak as he rolled around out of the way of crystals that almost smushed him and the person who pushed him out.

That was how (Not much to Aang's surprise, and he even facepalm so hard after the dust had settled) Aang and Zuko ended up alone in one of the tunnels, while their friends were with the nomadic group in the other tunnels. "This is all uncle's fault!" Zuko hissed like an offended cat, looking like he was going to start spitting fires then and there at the dilemma they found themselves in.

"Somehow… I don't even have the will to argue with that." Aang sighed, gazing at the ceiling with resignation, wondering why he had allowed his curiosity and stupidity to guide him down this tunnel when he knew that he had possibly been here once upon a time… Ah, curse Aang who thought that maybe things had gone right in the past while he was here with Zuko. Aang could only gaze at the ceiling from his place, still lying down and refusing to go, puffing his cheeks in a silent protest, even when it ended up doing him no favors other than causing Zuko to pinch his cheeks in punishment and order him to get up.

That's how it ended up with Aang and Zuko walking through the tunnels on their own (With Appa, who seemed to be on edge, and ignoring all Aang's attempts to calm him down), trying to find the exit or find their friends. One or the other, Aang really didn't care; he just wanted to get out of this place and then give General Iroh and Suki a dirty look for being the reason the two of them ended up in this situation when they could have avoided it by flying on Appa.

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Often….

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Aang froze then and there, looking around with furrowed brows, tilting his head to the side and trying to make sense of what he was hearing. "Aang…?" Zuko questioned, and Aang didn't help but shush the Kunze, looking around and tilting his head because he swore he was hearing a faint sound of humming not that far away. Zuko seemed to sense that something was amiss, if the way he came to stand beside Aang was anything to go by, and Aang noticed how the fires in Zuko's hands darkened slightly, as if preparing to unleash Agni's fires if things got messy.

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I smile or grin…

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"There is someone… singing…?" Aang furrowed his eyebrows, trying to listen more, but was only able to listen to bits and pieces of the song, words that were disjointed and made no sense to Aang, but still, he tilted his head to hear more of the humming and the singing, wanting to know where the person this song originated from was.

"…Aang… I don't hear a thing. Are you sure? It's just silence." Zuko furrowed his brows, looking concerned and worried by the second, to the point one of his hands took hold of Aang's, making the Qianyuan snap out of it, and seeing how worried Zuko was, he gave the Kunze's hand a soft squeeze.

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Relishing in…

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"Zuko…" Aang breathed out, looking around as he heard the singing in the distance. "I… I think this is the Spirits' work?" Aang concluded that this was how and why Zuko wasn't able to hear the singing when Aang could hear it loud and clear, as if someone was singing in the next room; this made Zuko nervous, and he couldn't help but look around with apprehension, making Aang put his hand on the Kunze's shoulder and give him a soft smile. "Do you trust me?" Aang couldn't help but ask, because the next word said would determine their next steps. Zuko blinked in surprise before smiling and nodding, causing the weight that almost crushed him to lift, and Aang let out a sigh of relief. "Then I will protect you, don't worry, I don't feel any malicious intent coming from this place," Aang reassured his beloved, and after a brief discussion, it was agreed that they would follow the singing and find the source.

With that, Aang gently guided Zuko toward the source of the voice. At times, the singing grew louder, allowing Aang to catch more than a couple of words, while at other times it was so faint that he thought they might lose it entirely. Nonetheless, Aang was the only one able to hear the singing, as Zuko and Appa didn't seem to notice anything amiss and counted on Aang to guide them out of here.

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As I dance about…

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"There!" Aang pointed toward the solid rock door in the distance, where the singing voice was coming from. Aang, at the sight of the round door, could only feel his heart pound loudly in his chest, feeling pride at the thought of being able to find the exit of this labyrinth. So the two of them went to the door, trying to push it open and struggling to do so, causing Zuko to growl and hiss in frustration as he slapped the door.

"Why won't it open?!" Zuko hissed in irritation, and Aang could only lean down to inspect the door, furrowing his eyebrows as he noticed what looked like a seal on the door. Before Aang pointed it out, he could feel the earth rumble under him, and Appa bellowing behind him, causing both Zuko and Aang to squeak as they jumped out of the way, watching how Appa forced the door open.

"Appa!" Aang screeched as he saw the doors crack open and then rolled inside the room, causing Aang's jaw to drop because great, just great! Appa had broken the seal on whatever existed in this room without allowing Aang to determine if what was sealed was malicious or not! What had gotten into Appa all of a sudden?

"Agni above! Aang, are you alright?" Zuko questioned when he saw Aang refuse to stand from his sprawled position, no doubt thinking that Aang was hurt or something, when in fact it was far from it, and he was just lying on the ground because he was done and tired and wanted to sit in the corner and cry.

"Zuko…" Aang looked at the Kunze, who kneeled beside him and looked frantic, and in a bout of childishness, Aang just pulled Zuko into a tight hug and puffed his cheeks in annoyance while lying down. "Zuko, it's decided, let's elope; right here, right now, as a punishment for this shitty adventure, General Iroh and Suki suggested… we are not inviting any of them to our wedding," Aang grumbled to himself, tightening his hold on Zuko while returning to his lying position on the ground, feeling so frustrated and exhausted, and the day wasn't even over!

A long period of silence passed before a loud 'Pfft!' resonated in the cave as Zuko lost it and started laughing in earnest, shaking in Aang's hold as he tried to control himself but failed to do so. "Agni above! Aang! you worried me, you ass, I thought something happened to you!" Zuko hit Aang's shoulder several times, finally calming down from his laughing fit, and just remained lying atop Aang, a giggle every now and then leaving him before he finally let out a sigh as he relaxed. "I won't mind you know… here, with you; I don't mind." Aang let out a hum, hearing this, his hand running over Zuko's back before kissing the top of his head.

Yes, I know… Aang smiled, tightening his hold on Zuko and allowing all the negativity to seep out of him. "Ember Island," Zuko let out a confused noise, and he pulled away a bit to gaze at Aang. "Every time you talked about eloping… I could only think about Ember Island; I don't know why…" But now I do… Aang wanted to say the last part, but he held back. "But… the thought of hearing the waves while we make our bows; it's all I can think of." Zuko's face softened hearing this, before leaning down and kissing Aang, a kiss that the Qianyuan was more happy to return and deepen.

"Well then… we just had to make sure to head to Ember Island after Gaoling." Zuko laughed after pulling away, looking as if something that weighed him down was finally removed from his shoulders. "Now, come, pretty boy, let's see where Appa had disappeared to." Aang, after that, followed Zuko's lead, both of them entering the room, not without caution on both of their sides, especially when Aang informed the Kunze that the place was quiet… too quiet… when before Appa had charged through, Aang could only hear the sound of singing echoing from within.

"…This is… a tomb…" Aang finally let his guard down as he looked around, gazing down the stage Zuko and he stood on, taking in the place that was all shining crystals and mural paintings on every wall, and when Aang looked in the middle of the large room, his eyes fell on two large sarcophagi on a stage that had pictographs engraved on it. "This must be the two lovers from the legend…" Aang frowned as he tilted his head, something in this felt too familiar to the point it almost choked him and made him buzz around with nervous energy… the word was on the tip of his tongue, but it refused to manifest!

"Maybe these murals would help us figure things around." Zuko hummed, going to the first mural that depicted the image of a mountain. "They met on top of the mountain that divided their two villages…" Zuko's hand touched the mural that showed the two figures, one a man dressed in blue while the other a woman in red, meeting atop the mountain.

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Often when I go outside…

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Aang, finally hearing the song loud and clear resonating in the tomb, couldn't help but flinch and look around, feeling his heart beat picking up, as he finally managed to hear the complete song, word for word. Aang looked around, furrowing his brows when not finding anything in the room, and even Appa didn't seem agitated anymore; no malicious intent was felt, and Aang decided then and there to give the Spirit singing this song the benefit of doubt, even if it meant that Aang would stand on his complete guard near Zuko… just in case… he would observe, let the singer continue singing, and see to what end they wanted to go. "The villages were enemies, so they could not be together…" Zuko's breath hitched reaching that line, and he closed his eyes before forcing them open to continue. "…But their love was strong and they found a way." That sentence, too, struck something inside Aang, and he could only shift closer to Zuko and take the Kunze's hand in his. "The two lovers learned Earth Bending from the Badgermoles; they became the first Earth Benders…" Aang couldn't help but gasp. Finally, it struck him what this place was, and what was nagging him all along about this place.

"Oma and Shu!" Aang cried out, startling Zuko, who scowled at Aang; a scowl that was wiped away when Aang gave him a sheepish smile. "This must have been Oma and Shu's resting place." Aang's eyes once more trailed over the tomb, taking in the crystals that shone in every color and the murals that painted the wall, and then his eyes trailed to the sarcophagi in the middle.

"…What? But isn't that a bit far-fetched?" Zuko's words trailed off as his eyes trailed off to the sarcophagi with a confused frown. "They are Gods… and Gods don't…" Zuko tried once more, still his words failed him, and that resulted in a pout painted on the Kunze's face. Aang, if he hadn't been put through the ranger by both Tui and La, he would have had the same thought as Zuko, but he knew the truth, and he knew how ascending into a Spirit worked, and he now knew whose resting place this was.

"To ascend is to massacre…" Aang stated, his mind drifting toward Tui and La and what they had told him in the Northern Pole that fateful day, weeks ago. "…It means to die…" Aang turned to the mural that depicted the woman weeping over her beloved's grave. "…That's what Tui and La told me." Aang walked toward the mural that had the woman standing on top of a mountain between the two villages. "She lost her beloved. She was devastated… she couldn't live without him… just like Tui couldn't survive La's death and vice versa… just like Agni unleashed death and fire on the world after losing Taiyou… Oma… she…" Aang's breath hitched as the picture finally formed in his mind, so different from the murals painted on the walls… it was then that Aang noticed the singing had stopped

"She massacred…" Zuko filled in the blank, his eyes widened in surprise, but no hint of fear or weariness in his gaze, just intrigue and maybe… respect? …Aang didn't know, but that was what he could feel oozing from his beloved. "…It must have been painful… excruciating… to be left alone and pregnant by the person you love…" Zuko breathed out, referring to the fact that Oma and Shu were known to have two children, twins, a daughter and a son, and reading through the story from these murals, Aang could piece together the facts glaring at him in the eye. But something was off… when Zuko said the last part, he seemed to be off, as if he was referring to something more than just Oma and Shu's situation. "…She did the right thing." Aang was stunned hearing this, but in the end, he could only glance at the two deities' resting place with contemplation and deep thoughts, reviewing everything he knew, and everything he thought he knew before…

I would have done the same thing if I were in her place… That was the conclusion, Aang managed to reach, and he could only let out a choked 'Oh' at the realization that yes, if Aang was in Oma's place and Zuko was taken away from him, then Aang would have done the same as the woman turn deity in question. Aang would have massacred, and if ascended or not, Aang wouldn't have cared because Zuko was taking away from him… deep inside, in the darkest part of his mind, he didn't know how or why, but it suddenly struck him and rang true inside of him… Zuko would have (Had… something sinister whispered inside, that Aang shook before it even manifested) done the same as Oma without even a spec of hesitation, because that was how Zuko was…

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You both understand…

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The voice from before resonated across the tomb, but this time, no singing followed, and Zuko heard it if the way he flinched and shifted closer to Aang was anything to go by. Aang blinked in shock, his jaw dropping slightly as things began to make sense in a way they hadn't before… Wait, that voice- could it be…? Aang didn't finish this train of thought as the torches in the tomb ignited one after another, flooding the room with light, forcing both Zuko and Aang to shield their eyes to avoid being blinded by the brightness.

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Tui and La were right… You two are different…

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You understand… Good.

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Aang finally opened his eyes, after the last word rang in his and Zuko's ears, and he couldn't help his breath from leaving him as his eyes fell on the two statues in the far wall, depicting Oma and Shu kneeling and kissing one another; between the statues, there was an inscription written boldly on the relief in the wall 'Love is brightest in the dark'. A sentence that as soon as Aang read, he felt his heart skip several beats, and his hand went to hold Zuko's unconsciously.

"Oh…" Zuko whispered beside Aang, his hand momentarily tightened around Aang's, seeming as stunned as the Qianyuan was before the Kunze recovered and pointed somewhere. "Aang, look!" That snapped the Qianyuan out of his daze, and he looked at where Zuko was pointing, his eyes widening when he saw an opening (That wasn't even there a second ago!) beside the statue of Oma; the sound of the outside world, and the sunlight coming from the opening made both men look at one another then at the statues with shock; but no more than the shock they felt when Appa ran through the opening and out, forcing them to follow.

Lo and behold, they found the exit… Aang could only turn to the statues, before he bowed deeply, followed by Zuko, who mirrored him; respect and gratitude coursed through them as they stood up and looked at the deities one last time before they went outside. As soon as both Zuko and Aang were outside, the earth shook, and the exit once more was closed, leaving Zuko and Aang looking at each other nervously before a silent promise of never speaking of this again was made then and there.

Three hours later, their friends finally found their way out (After Aang and Zuko sat their camp near the exit and waited for them, and agreed that, no, they would not dare step another foot inside these tunnels after what happened in what looked like Oma and Shu's temple. The two of them were content waiting for their friends here, even if it meant getting startled out of their nap where they dozed against one another by their friends barging into the outside world on top of Badgermoles), leaving Aang and Zuko stunned and confused as they saw everyone riding Badgermoles. Sokka and Katara looked exhausted and pissed off, while Suki and uncle Iroh only let out nervous laughter at the glare sent their way, as for the nomadic group? They were as crazy as ever… Then and there, by the collective agreement of everyone present… it was stated in loud and bold letters…

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It was all Suki and General Iroh's fault…

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(The found Mai later, this time in one of the colonies, not that far from Omashu. From what Ty Lee told her, after Azula disregarded Ozai's orders to lead the siege on Omashu, and went to the north instead. The siege, not to everyone's surprise, was a failure through and through, and no one managed to even breach the outer walls of Omashu; every attack was countered, and every soldier sent out returned injured, and after the news of Prince Zuko holding Agni's blessing and fires? The army was now in disarray as it divided itself into two factions. One faction wanted to continue Ozai's orders to the bitter end and enjoy the fruit of what Ozai promised them, while the other faction was those believers in Agni and his will, wanting to stop the war and appoint Prince Zuko as the new Fire Lord… needless to say, the last weeks were nightmares through and through.

Good… that was the only thing Azula could think or feel, not even having the will to feel furious at the loss or guilty at the fact she abandoned her only chance of making a name for herself and returning to Ozai's grace once more. What happens to the Fire Nation and Caldera from now on was Ozai's responsibility and fault, and Azula, even if she could, would never help that man no matter how he huffed and puffed, especially not after… Azula could only feel a shiver of terror and disgust running down her spine.

Azula didn't care about Omashu, she didn't care about this stupid war, and she didn't care about anything that wasn't finding her brother (Mother?) and protecting him from Ozai, who wanted him harmed. Azula didn't know if Zuko would welcome her back after their fight in Agna Qel'a, and she didn't know if he would soften to her, but she hoped that if he saw her hair and then saw Ty Lee and Mai with her, he would be convinced that she meant him well… she just needed Zuko to take her with him was all… she just needed him to not abandon her like he did once when they were children and the other when he stood up to Ozai…

So, Azula and Ty Lee journeyed until they found where Mai and her family stayed. Azula was waiting in the shadows for Ty Lee to bring Mai, feeling antsy and cautious as she looked over her shoulder; weary that Ozai or one of his people would have found her and sent her back to Caldera without her being able to see Zuko.

As expected, Ty Lee was back with Mai not long after they departed, nervous as she pushed Mai deep inside her and Azula's hidden place, while Mai was scowling harshly, no doubt furious at the thought of meeting Azula once more when Azula had abandoned the Omashu Siege and left to the north, resulting in her father getting injured gravely by the Earth Benders. Whatever Mai wanted to spit out when seeing her, she didn't manage to utter even a single word as she froze with her eyes on Azula's botched hair.

"What happened to you?" That was the only thing Mai managed to choke out after opening and closing her mouth several times, looking confused and unbalanced as she looked at Ty Lee and then back to Azula, and then to Ty Lee once more, as if trying to make sense of what was going on and confirm if what was seen was true or not…

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Azula breathed out, and told her tale…)…

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They arrived at Omashu that night after their crazy adventure through the caves of the two lovers. Aang, by then, was too exhausted, both mentally, physically, and emotionally, still trying to process what had happened to him and Zuko inside these caves and wondering if he and the Kunze had dreamed it all… right? Aang didn't really know, but what he had heard and what both of them heard after the exit manifested before them was enough for Aang to scramble desperately to push everything behind him.

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"Eh? EHHHHHHHHHHHHH? You went into the caves?! But those caves are cursed, everyone knew it's forbidden to go in unless you are willing to forfeit your life! How could you be so stupid to do so?! Everyone who went in never got out!"

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That was Bumi's shocked exclamation during dinner after everyone told him of their crazy time in those caves, and when they saw Bumi make the sign of slicing his throat to indicate death, everyone turned to Suki and General Iroh automatically, scowls on their faces as every face blamed those two for the madness they suffered.

Not that surprisingly, Suki and General Iroh just laughed and turned away, not daring to look anyone in the eyes after such crazy adventure that almost resulted in most of their friends getting trapped in the caves, while Zuko and Aang all but met Oma and Shu in the flesh and get strike with lightning because of Appa breaking the seal on their tombs and resting place, but thankfully, the Gods seemed to not want them harm and weren't furious at the disrespect, so they were let go.

That night, Aang could only sigh tiredly, slumping on the rails of his balcony and feeling so tired and out of it like he had aged decades in the span of the few hours spent in those caves… Nightmare inducing for sure… Aang agreed with a pout on his face, wondering what he was going to do from now on after such an adventure. Part of Aang couldn't help but wonder if he would ever meet Oma and Shu face to face like he had met Tui and La, a thought that made Aang furrow his eyebrows in deep thought and hum, something to ponder on in the future.

"I promised Zuko we will go straight ahead to Gaoling after getting out…" Aang sighed tiredly, raising his hand and pinching the bridge of his nose as he remembered how everyone had rolled that out and demanded that they go straight to Omashu; something that made Zuko furious to the point he remained silent the whole journey, which everyone attributed to General Iroh and Suki. "I wonder what's so important there…" Aang could only mumble to himself, gazing at the garden from his balcony, trying to come up with a plausible reason for Zuko's desperation to go to Gaoling when they were safe in Omashu, where Aang could learn Earth Bending…

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"…What? Already forgetting about me, Twinkletoes? Bo-ho! You made me sad!"

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Aang was snapped out of his daze by the sound of manic laughter, and he turned around to see who said such a thing… Only to find his room empty… "What the…?" Aang could only mumble, frowning a bit because he swore he heard a childish voice in his room. "…Twinkletoes…" Aang's eyebrows furrowed at the name that was so familiar, hearing it had brought many emotions bubbling to the surface. "…Was there… was there another person that should be with us?" Aang questioned the empty room, and for his effort, he heard the giggling of a girl behind him, causing Aang to whirl around and look at the balcony… nothing… "I am losing it…" Aang concluded while shaking his head, agreeing to just go to sleep and forget about all this madness so that tomorrow he would be ready to start his lessons with Bumi…

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Wrong… that was the first thought Aang had the next morning as he started training in the basics of Earth Bending with Bumi… This is wrong… Aang could only feel hysterical when Bumi once more moaned in annoyance and corrected his stance for the umpteenth time… This is wrong, this is not how Earth Bending is! …Aang wanted to snap at Bumi when he complained that Aang's Earth Bending moves were too this and too that, as if he was trying to compensate for something not there and had adapted.

Don't you dare! …Aang all but snarled then and there when he heard Bumi sigh tiredly, stating he had to retrain him in the basics until he kicked out the strange flare and anomaly Aang seemed to have adopted in his style of Earth Bending, until he was taught how to Earth Bend like everyone else… Everyone else?! I was trained by the Greatest Earth Bender alive, how could you…?!

It was that thought that froze Aang in his place, and finally, realization slammed into him with strength that was stronger than a boulder descending on him from the sky. "Oh…" Aang could only breathe out, remembering yesterday's events, and finally managed to make the connection to why Zuko was desperate to go to Gaoling instead of coming to Omashu. "…You were never meant to be my Earth Bending Sifu…" Aang whispered, finally remembering the giggling from yesterday, and the words spoken…

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"…There you go, Twinkletoes!"

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Aang let out a tired chuckle as he shook his head, watching how Bumi tilted his head in confusion and curiosity. "Bumi… I am about to tell you something crazy…" Aang let out a wry laugh, taking a seat beside his best friend and telling him what was said and done on Kyoshi Island weeks ago, knowing that his friend would keep his secret and would never tell anyone what the two of them shared in confidence, even if it was important to all those involved.

"Hooo. That explains your strange stances and strange… everything. Especially your aura, it's different from what it was months ago when you came here." Bumi hummed and crossed his arms over his chest, studying Aang more before giving a nod of confirmation. "Your Earth Bending Master must have been someone who mastered Neutral Jin to its fullest and exceeded the limits. Someone who created a new way of bending only suited for them and nothing else, and had let you in on the secret." Bumi, after saying this, let out a cackle as he sprawled out on the ground and pointed at Aang. "What are you doing here? Go and find your Earth Bending Master, and bring them here! Dilly-dallying won't help you do so!" Aang, hearing what Bumi said, couldn't help but let out a relieved laugh, feeling the weight of the world being removed from his shoulders then and there.

"Thank you, Bumi." Aang smiled, bowing to his friend before straightening himself and running toward Zuko's room, feeling excited with every step taken because he knew that soon enough, the missing member of their group would finally show up once more. "Zuko!" Aang called out as he knocked on the Kunze's room, pouncing on his toes as he waited for the Kunze to open the door. "Zuko, let's go to Gaoling!" Aang and all but bombarded the Kunze when the door was finally opened, causing his betrothed to blink in surprise that tapered into a happy look when Aang repeated the request once more.

As expected, their friends were confused and reluctant to leave Omashu, and they all but had a big fight as they huffed and puffed and asked Aang about the reason why they should leave and find someone to teach him when his teacher was right there! Aang, feeling a bit guilty for lying, told his friends that it was an Avatar Vision and spiritual connections, and many other nonsense like this, knowing that this would be the only way to convince his friends to come with him to Gaoling and find his Earth Bending Master and bring them to Omashu.

Not that Aang wouldn't have minded going there by himself, but from what Aang observed, Zuko was the only one who had the vision of who his Master was, and to find them, Aang needed Zuko to come with him. Zuko coming with Aang meant Iroh coming too (As the man didn't trust him and always gave him nasty looks as if suspecting he would do something), plus Suki (Who seemed to want nothing but to go on a grand adventure and cause chaos), and if Suki went, then Sokka would go to (Lovestruck at its finest), which would leave Katara who would come with them just to stop Sokka from being an embarrassment. In the end, it was agreed, and Zuko and Aang got what they desired, and a new Earth Bending Master was appointed to Aang by Bumi's blessing, who threatened Aang to bring the Earth Bender to Omashu so Bumi could duel them and see how strong they truly were…

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The next day, they headed to Gaoling Town…

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("Are you sure about this?" Mai asked her that night, looking apprehensive and confused, her eyes still lingering on Azula's hair, and many emotions flitted across her face in such speed that Azula was having a hard time catching on to them. "If we do this… There is no going back." Mai was stressed out, Azula could see that, watching how Mai shifted from foot to foot as she bit her lower lip harshly.

"I am sure." That was Azula's only reply, no need to say any other words than these three; she was sure of her decision, and she knew long before she dared to do the unspeakable and cut her hair, that there was no going back, not to Ozai, not to Caldera, not anywhere after. Her end goal was Zuko and Zuko alone, and in the end, if he rejected her and drove her away then… "Mai." Azula rampaged through her pouch before getting out a poisonous dagger, handing it to the girl.

"What's… this?" Mai questioned, furrowing her brows, but taking the dagger from her hand to inspect it. It was a simple thing really, a relic that Azula never managed to get rid of, the dagger that Iroh had given to Zuko as a present a long time ago, while sending Azula a stupid doll; Azula destroyed the doll and took the dagger, and that was the last thing she remembered having of her brother before everything went bad, and Ozai tried to kill Zuko the first time, which led to their mother disappearing from home. "Why are you giving me this?" Mai questioned, irritation clear in her face and distrust was hidden deep within her eyes, but in the end, Azula managed to see it loud and clear, because it was directed at Azula… everyone gave that look to Azula, everyone but… Azula, in the end, didn't even muster the strength to be offended or hurt, just accept the fact that this was her lot in life, want it or not.

"It's for me." Azula finally admitted in a whisper, watching how Mai inhaled harshly, letting go of the dagger as if it had burned her hand; Azula knelt and picked up the dagger once more, offering it to Mai. "Use it on me, if you saw me turn into a second Ozai; never hesitate, Mai…. Use it…" Azula ordered, offering the dagger once more to Mai and forcing the girl to take it regardless of her feelings on the matter.

Azula was slipping… that she knew, that was what she always knew, and that was what would end up happening in the end. She was slipping, and she knew it, and she was terrified of the possibility that when this happened, then a second Ozai would spurt out and destroy everything and anything in its way. An Ozai, who was even more mad than the current madman that was planning on doing something so monstrous to his own son.

Azula was slipping… she knew that, she had always known that, and she knew that she was holding tightly to her sanity by a tattered thread that could snap at any moment due to the smallest thing that could provoke her… but before that happened, Azula needed to make sure that there was a failsafe that could stop her from going too far to the point a second Ozai would end up staring her Mom in the eyes and demanding what refused to be given.

"Why me?" Mai ended up asking, probably having reached the same conclusion as Azula, because that was what Mai was, sharp and smart when it came to such things, even when she acted uncaring and laid back most of the time. "Why not Ty Lee?" Mai questioned, no doubt pointing out Azula and Ty Lee's close relationship in comparison to Azula and Mai's lukewarm one.

"…Ty Lee is useless… she always believed in second chances and people," Azula stated, looking away from Mai, who was all but burning a hole through her head with her stare. "But you… You always do the right thing, even when you know it's wrong… You are just like Zuko in that regard." Mai took a harsh inhale before closing her eyes, trying to center herself once more.

"I understand…" Mai ended up nodding her head, hiding the dagger in her flowy sleeves and accepting the impossible mission forced upon her by the last sane part that wasn't completely snuffed out within Azula. "Tonight, I will return with as much money and supplies as I could smuggle out; tomorrow, we will start the search." With that, Mai left, leaving Azula staring through the window at the night sky… everything was set and tomorrow…

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Tomorrow, they would start the chase…)…

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So, what do you think?

Finally, an update!

Yes, Omashu in here wasn't captured, thanks to Azula not leading the siege on it, so that's that.

Writing this chapter, I still didn't know where to go with Azula, only that her descent into madness would begin from her with every rejection she suffered by Zuko. But did she cut her hair and ties with Ozai? Yes, she did, and she became the talk of the Fire Nation as Ozai lost his mind that not just one of his children left, but now it was two.

The Cave of the Two Lovers is here, and it's made into Zukaang, finally!

So, I had a dark intake about Oma and Shu's backstory. I remember writing a small one horror shot for my collection of tiny horror stories about it, and I planned on expanding it later into a full fic. I am still mapping out the details, but hopefully, by the end of Chapter Two: 'Earth', I will have the full story to post, but the gist of it was…

Oma lost it after her beloved died and went on a rampage to kill those involved in her lover's demise (Instead of declaring the war over), and she later built Omashu as a safe place for her and her children, where she taught them Earth Bending (The children later taught it to the world). Oma's rampage didn't stop even after building Omashu, so everyone in the Earth Kingdom (With the help of Oma and Shu's children because they saw how their mother descended into madness) lured her into these caves (Using her lover's remains, and how the children build this tomb as a monument for their parents love) before killing and sealing her off from the real world so she would never take more lives than she already did. The Badgermoles found in the caves are nothing but guardians who guided the people out and made sure the soul of Oma would remain sealed in (But you know, giant creatures scared people, so they weren't effective in guiding people out).

So yes, when Appa broke the door, he broke the seal and in doing so released Oma and Shu's Spirits to the world… to know more about the notes I planned for this, read the one horror shot I wrote about the caves of the two lover, it would have more insight about how Oma's soul haunted those caves, trapping those who dared to enter and managed to hear her song, which was Aang in this case, but thankfully, instead of being trapped, Oma let him go after a little chat with Tui and La.

Next chapter? The Foggy Swamp, a little treat, and we will meet Toph!

Read and Review

And tell me what you think…

Nazaki-Sama