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Chapter Text

...

The life of this city has always had a lot to say, during the day it is a utopia for masters and non-benders, but at night it is a different story and that is something that can be seen in a building from which sounds of a fight could be heard, where a group of boys were facing a radical group.

But outside that building a Patrol stopped in front of that building.

-This girl knows how to get attention - says an older man from the Fire Nation with a scar on his left eye while looking at the building in front that looked somewhat damaged, which he was observing from a patrol car of the Republic City Police

Beside him a woman with black armor gray hair and green eyes who was at the wheel looks at the building as well and decides that she will not leave things like that - I have the Avatar in my sights...

She quickly gets out of her patrol car and prepares to run into action.

-Lin I don't doubt that you can't... but don't you want some support?? -asked the older man still sitting, waiting for Lin to wait, but she only shook her head respectfully.

-Calm down Lord Zuko, I can deal with things like this

...

Did you think the stories were over??

...

Sokka gave a heavy sigh, mentally preparing himself for what he was about to do, reminding himself why he was here and why it was necessary to recruit this person, but if he was honest with himself, there is a part of him that does not want to let it out, but there is an even smaller one that hopes that this will help her change.

So without further ado, he looks at one of the guards who seeing that Sokka is going to continue with this, nods and proceeds to open the prison door, which Sokka crosses and it is as he gets closer that he can see the figure that is behind the cell sitting.

Katara.

...

Well, you thought wrong, this is just the beginning.

...

In a remote village, an old man dressed as a commoner of the Earth Kingdom walked through the streets of the village while covering his air nomad tattoos, he had to be cautious and be aware of everything, after all, Gyatso knows that now he must hide to survive...

...

I didn't think about making a sequel... at least at first.

...

Inside his estate, Master Piandao was doing calligraphy, when suddenly he heard one of his vassals enter, but apparently, he was not alone.

-Master, we have a couple of very intriguing visitors.

Piandao looks up and saying that he was intrigued was an understatement, seeing the pair of women standing in front of him.

Ursa and Kya.

...

Things have changed...

...

Admiral Zhao smiled maliciously as he looked at the spiritual oasis and proceeded to try to take one of the Koi fish.

Only for a fire attack to stop him.

...

In the multiverse...

...

Jet watched from a safe distance and well hidden by the forest the Pouhai fortress, it was time to start the attack, then he looked at the people next to him, one of them was the Blind Bandit, while the other was another of the Freedom Fighters, Longshot who had his bow with an arrow ready to shoot.

-It's time, Longshot shoots.

...

From his aircraft, Prince Zuko was watching his target, and although it was within his reach he couldn't stop wondering how he had accepted this, how he had even considered it, but it seemed that he no longer had an alternative. He quickly stops looking ahead and looks back to give orders.

-The target is within range... shoot!

The crew under the command of the son of Fire Lord Ozai quickly takes offensive maneuvers and prepares to begin the attack.

...

Team Avatar could face many things and had come out unscathed, but certainly, when they expected to reach Ba sing they believed they would be able to talk about invasion plans and discover Appa's whereabouts, but instead, they were now fleeing to escape.

However, they were now surrounded, the agents and the controlled citizens of Long Feng had cornered them.

Aang was nervous about not knowing what they could do to get out of this but then a large flare of fire blocked the enemy's path, surprising Team Avatar, and when they turned to see what had happened, they found none other than Zuko who had saved them.

-Come with me if you want to live.

...

Finding that there was a kind of chi blockers inside the warehouse was something very unexpected and even more so when these non-benders reacted hostilely to them, luckily the adults had arrived, but the younger ones were not going to flee.

The young 14-year-old Avatar Korra is ready to start the fight, at her side, the brothers Mako and Bolin join her to support her, after what they had been through in the last few hours they would not abandon this girl.

Meanwhile, from above the warehouse, Tenzin was unable to believe that Korra was disobeying him...

...

Katara frowned as she looked at the group her brother had gathered, although she was happy to see old friends, she was not at all happy with several new additions, Sokka noticed this and said- If you want to help then you will have to accept this, you cannot object to who I decide to recruit.

Katara looked at Sokka to let out a sigh and then nod.

...

Ursa panted from exhaustion while Kya continued to hold her weapon to face her, she looked at her with a look of determination that she had begun to recognize from her new friend, she knew that she should not be left behind.

That was why she stood up once again to continue the fight, she raised her weapon and with it, she challenged Kya to continue attacking.

...

Gyatso turned around a little frustrated by how things had taken a turn that he had not expected, he looked in disbelief that this girl was an Airbender and that she would show it in an exhibition that could give her away, even worse she had done it in front of the whole village.

The villagers now looked at her somewhat incredulously and surprised, but Gyasto could read the fear and dread, as well as the ambition and greed of some to have in their hands a possible reward for giving notice to the Fire Nation, a warning that the girl was a survivor of the genocide.

He would not let that happen.

...

Getting off Oggi and being in an open field, Katara and Korra get off and get ready for battle, Katara uncovers her waterskin and takes out the water it contains while preparing a water whip, Korra prepares her staff in a defensive position.

Then the airship arrived with a squadron of Red Lotus soldiers descending and in front of them Zaheer looked at the two of them.

...

The fight between Zuko and Katara had taken a new turn, Dawn had arrived and with the arrival of the sun, Zuko's firebending became stronger, that was why it was very easy for him to melt the ice, he gave a scream as he did so, alerting Katara, who summoned more water to face him, but Zuko was faster and launched himself to face her, launching a burst of fire at her, but Katara was not far behind, she created a fragment of ice that she launched at Zuko, the two attacks hit their respective targets, launching each one to a part of the pool of the spirit oasis.

...

The Red Lotus was on the warpath, he wasn't going to back down and they were going to capture the Avatar.

...

The Blind Bandit pushes himself off with a column of earth and avoids the Fire Nation soldiers who were charging at him, managing to fall in the middle of several of them, in doing so he created a great impact on the ground, making a great landslide on the ground and knocking down all of his enemies.

...

Zaheer looked at the young water bender who had been sent to fight him, he couldn't believe that they sent a girl to face him.

-I don't know what you were thinking, but looking at you well I can see that you are a water bender, which has no water around it, I won't hurt you, girl, just go quietly.

The waterbender narrowed her eyes as she looked at him- And let you get to Korra?? Yes, of course, I'm not going to let you pass... and by the way, my name is Katara and I'm not going to let you pass.

-And how will you do it, you don't have water with you.

Katara smiled at what he said- Who said that I was going to stop you with water?

Before Zaheer could say anything else Katara picks up a fragment of earth and throws it at Zaheer followed by a burst of fire.

...

-My name is Bumi and I am the son of Avatar Aang in my universe... Xiànshí, he sent me for you

-Why??

-I wouldn't do it if I didn't think we needed you, there has been an escape of very dangerous prisoners and we need your help to deal with them

...

Be careful...

...

Aang was badly injured and he should know how he ended up in that place, he had to find his friends quickly, but when he leaves the room something hinders his escape because he soon falls to the ground and is bewildered, then he raises his head and panic takes over his face when he sees a hooded figure in front of him with a malicious smile.

...

I don't think you can handle what might happen...

...

Avatar: What if... ?? - Book Two

...

Chapter Text

It's a quiet night, the sky made up of thousands of stars and the moon seen from above... but there's something else, from above in the sky in the darkness of the night, you can also see a red light, the representation of a comet, but this comet is not like any other, it is the Great Comet, the one that only passes through the world every hundred years.

Today is the day that it has finally returned and more importantly, it is the day when the entire world is about to change forever.

Then from the earth, in a terrain of mountains and forest, a large and robust figure is flying in a hurry, because it seeks to reach its home and hopes that what it saw is not a possibility.

With this figure, there was also an old man, dressed in orange and yellow robes, typical of a nomadic air monk. His clothing also came with a hood that covered his face and partially prevented him from seeing, but he did not let that stop him. On top of the head of his flying bison, he gave him instructions on which path to take. The flying bison does so as quickly as possible, a flying bison called Lola, who knows the feelings of her human quickens her pace.

-Quick Lola, faster, we have to get there as soon as possible - says the monk, worried about being able to get there.

The bison hears her human's plea gives a grunt in response and tries to speed up her pace. She knows she must do it and that she must be faster. She may not be as young as she used to be, but her old bones can still do this, so she tried to speed up as much as she could.

The monk was relieved by his bison's response, but his relief didn't last long because he remembered that the danger he had seen had come to his home, the speed at which Lola was traveling made the air more intense, to the point that the hood that kept the monk's face covered fell and he finally knew who it was.

Well, it was none other than the monk Gyatso.

One of the leaders of the council of elders of the Southern Air Temple, who was also the teacher and guardian of the next Avatar, but now none of that mattered, not when he saw that his home and all who inhabit it were in danger, he doesn't know how it was possible or how no one could have anticipated it, the only thing he knows is that he has to return as soon as possible.

But he wasn't prepared for what he saw.

His home, the Southern Air Temple, was surrounded by flames and largely destroyed.

...

Time

Space

Reality

It's more than a linear path... It's a prism of unlimited possibilities, where a single choice can split into infinite realities and create worlds different from the ones you already know. I am Xiànshí, the spirit of reality, I am your guide in these new and vast realities, follow me and consider the question... What if...??

The search for redemption begins in the darkness and for Gyatso that is no different... in another universe, unable to find his young pupil, the monk Gyatso worried about Aang's well-being sets out on his search to see him, unfortunately, war spares no one, after Gyatso left, Fire Lord Sozin launched a major attack against the air nomads leading them to a massive genocide with very few survivors.

By the time Gyatso realized what had happened, he decided to return to the Southern Air Temple, only it was too late. Devastated and feeling guilty for having abandoned his people, Gyatso exiled himself and escaped from his former home.

A few years later, the former Grand Master of Air lives as a hermit in search of redemption, hoping to atone for his actions and still punishing himself for the decisions he made, or so he hopes...

...

Earth Kingdom.

A village in the Earth Kingdom was having a day like any other. The villagers went out to do their daily activities, the merchants opened their stalls to sell their products, and the farmers went out to sell the produce of their crops.

Some people went out to talk or go to places to do other activities. A calm and peaceful feeling could be read, the children played while a couple of children played at passing a rock with earth bending.

One boy in particular creates a large rock structure that sends the rock flying a great distance.

One of the boys goes for it and can continue with the game when suddenly he hears the sound of something approaching, he can feel the ground vibrating at the sound of large footsteps, he quickly raises his head and opens his eyes in horror at the sound of such a thing. With no time to waste, he starts running backward, straight to anyone who can hear him and screams.

-Fire Nation! The Fire Nation is coming!!

Disbelief takes some people by surprise, they look in the direction where the boy came from and discover that the Fire Nation is indeed here. Several worried people start running to get to safety, and several run to various parts just at the moment when cavalry soldiers arrive and start throwing fire at the exits, causing more panic among the villagers, who try to escape but soon infantry soldiers begin to cover the streets and begin to surround the people, beginning to group them in the main square.

The crowd around was worried, these invaders had them grouped while they were ordered in various places, and they felt restless.

The stories they heard filled them with fear and worry.

The Fire Nation was invading the Earth Kingdom, a war was taking place and despite the efforts, after several years no one can say that they are safe, not when the Fire Nation goes deeper and deeper into the Earth Kingdom.

From the main street a small group of Komodo Rhinos was entering the main square, one of the villagers stepped forward, and despite his fear he decided to step forward, determined to face them, something told him that the leader of this attack on his village was there.

His assumptions turned out to be correct because soon the contingent stopped at a certain distance and proceeded to get off.

On the mainland, there was a soldier without a helmet unlike the rest of the soldiers and his armor was different from the others, in addition to his smug smile that implied that he was in charge of the situation.

That must be the commander, because behind him two others got off with him followed by what seemed to be elite soldiers, who advanced to different parts of the square, observing and verifying.

The commander only advanced until he reached the villager who stepped forward, at a distance that could ensure that he could hear him- You must be the mayor of this village... can you understand who we are??

The mayor with a frown nodded, letting it be known that he did know who they were talking about- Fire Nation.

The commander, seeing that the mayor had gotten his answer right, gave a crooked smile as he stepped forward and then asked- And you know what we're doing??

The mayor just stared at him without changing his expression, but inside he was very worried, he knew the answer to that he feared that this day would come sooner or later, and the only thing he could answer was a single word that could sum up all the atrocious actions that the Fire Nation had done during the last years- War.

The commander at that answer only gave another smile to the mayor- War... yes you could say that, but in reality, we are spreading a message, a vision... -to make his point clearer he took his eyes off the mayor and looked at the crowd to make his point clear- the vision of Fire Lord Sozin, a world united under the order of the Fire Nation, our world cannot avoid chaos, disorder, just as it cannot avoid pain and suffering but only under our light, the light of our leadership will be able to achieve it... -he said all that while walking around the center of the square before the gaze of the villagers as well as the mayor and the Fire Nation soldiers who were with him- but I do have another mission ordered by the Fire Lord himself, I hunt airbenders.

A momentary silence appeared followed by some murmurs of disbelief from the villagers at that statement, while the mayor sweated coldly as he exclaimed a nervous laugh and then said.

-Airbenders? There are no more airbenders, they haven't been seen in years.

This a subtle answer to a well-known truth, everyone knew what he was referring to in truth, airbenders were hardly seen anymore after what happened years ago, the day the Fire Nation started the war and did so using genocide.

The commander, on the other hand, was not affected by his words, he only nodded in agreement while he continued walking more carefully- Yes that is true, not since the beginning of this war -then he quickly turned to the mayor and dangerously approached him- but I assure you that there are still some and I am hunting them... do you know how to hunt air benders friend?? -the commander stood in front of the mayor waiting for an answer, but he did not respond, because he did not know how to respond to that and because of the nerves he had about the direction this interrogation was taking- It is patience.

A tense silence filled the air, it could be felt everywhere, the commander simply walked away from the mayor and continued as if he didn't notice the tension.

-Airbenders can't help what they are, their compassion leaves a mark... for example, in my line of work you can hear it Rumors are spreading fast, this one has reached me recently, it is about an Airbender, hiding here in your charming village... perhaps we are dealing with a nomad who travels constantly or perhaps he seeks out others like him, arriving at this place and then finding you, a man in need of help... the needs of war must cost much and consume this village... and then what would an Air Nomad do? Help you and risk discovery? Or would he move on? If he were smart, he would ignore this and continue on his way but his morals and his teachings prevent him, like the itch he cannot help himself and so he steps in and helps your people!... You offer him a place to hide, food, and shelter, but the stories begin and travel quickly, his compassion has been your downfall.

When she stepped aside, the captain who came with him got into an attack position and fired a fire attack at the mayor intending to kill her, who upon seeing the danger closed his eyes, trembling in fear and waiting for the impact of the attack, only that it did not come when a gust of air appeared from one side, blocking the path of the attack and dissolving the fire.

The mayor, noticing that he was not suffering pain from burns or any pain, opened his eyes to see that nothing was heading towards him anymore.

But the commander and the captain also noticed it, the captain could see where the air had come from and quickly looked in that direction and noticed a small hidden figure that was hidden by the crowd, but when he saw it well, he could see that its robes and hood were orange and he could faintly see some yellow, in addition to the fact that he was standing in a position that gave away a teacher.

Smiling at the prospect, he turned and pointed to the spot in the crowd- There it is.

The Airbender seemed to realize that he had fallen into a trap, especially when the people around him who were covering him stepped aside in panic as Fire Nation soldiers moved in to capture him, he quickly created a gust of air to push two who were in front of him away and pushed himself with his air bending to get out of there as quickly as possible.

A pair of spearmen, seeing what he was trying to do, quickly began to attack to block his way, the Airbender stopped dead and pushed himself back.

He tried to go in the opposite direction, but when the captain appeared behind him and grabbed him by the hood, alarmed by this perception the airbender ran to get away but the captain reinforced his grip on him, the captain then uncovered his head to reveal the airbender.

A girl who looked no older than fifteen, with brown hair and grey eyes, childhood features still present, clearly a girl.

The commander quickly approached to stand in front of the girl and then said.

-Prepare her for interrogation...

The Airbender took a deep breath as panic took hold of her, looking everywhere for a possible exit.

But then a rock fragment is thrown from the side and the captain is knocked down, taking several by surprise, including those who had the Airbender trapped, but then two people appear who grab them from behind, knocking them down and starting to struggle, so that while they were dealing with their attackers, the soldiers lost sight of the Airbender who had fallen to the ground, shocked by what had happened.

-Run!

The mayor's shout took her by surprise, she looked in his direction and saw that he was looking at her with a mixture of desperation and concern, one that reached her deep down and she wanted to refuse, she wanted to help him, the man as well as several other kind people had welcomed and protected her, and right now they were risking themselves for her, it didn't seem fair that they were sacrificing themselves for her.

But then she noticed the commander approaching her with anger and fury filling her with fear of what that man could do, she looked back at the mayor, and with great regret, she had to listen to him. She quickly stood up and with her air bending she pushed herself to be able to get out, dodging some soldiers, shooting air bursts to avoid them or to get them out of her way, the young Airbender proceeded to hide among villagers to facilitate her escape, the soldiers followed her but then several villagers finding a little courage got in their way so that they couldn't get to her.

Meanwhile, the soldiers who had the aAirbendercaptive finished freeing themselves, and the captain recovered from the attack, while the commander looked with a frown at the crowd that prevented them from successfully capturing the now fugitive.

However, a woman unhappy with the treatment they were receiving decided to step forward and make an important point known.

-The Fire Nation has no authority here, this is The Earth Kingdom, and what they did, will not remain...

Before he could finish, the captain threw a fireball at the lady, who, upon seeing it, tried to cover herself but was not fast enough and ended up hitting her in the face and burning part of her face. Several captives were left between astonished, horrified, and scared, some tried to help the lady who was now on the ground enduring the pain of her burns, but several soldiers of the Fire Nation soon prevented it.

The commander only shook his head as he turned his attention to the mayor who now had an expression of fear- That was a big mistake... -without saying anything else he turned around to leave, he walked straight to his mount that was already waiting for him, but before leaving he gave one last order to his soldiers- burn this place and everyone here!

The soldiers nodded without a change and began to throw fire wherever and whoever.

The captain for his part stood next to his commander waiting for orders.

The commander for his part knew what the captain was doing, so he didn't turn to look at him or anything, he just said- When we're done here, search the surroundings, but find that Airbender, I don't care how you do it, bring her to me.

The captain nodded as the commander climbed onto his mount as did a few more soldiers and proceeded to leave.

Leaving behind the chaos and destruction.

...

In a remote village, an old man dressed as an Earth Kingdom commoner walked through the village streets, the village itself showed more activity than on other days, but it was becoming a common sight to see, meanwhile he covered his air nomad tattoos with the help of a hat, at most it made him look like a wandering traveler that you wouldn't stop to look at twice, but even so he had to be very cautious and be aware of everything, after all, Gyatso knows that now he must hide to survive.

-This is a war! The Fire Nation will not stop unless we stop them, everyone who can fight must enlist in the Earth King's army, we must protect the Earth Kingdom!

He stopped to look at a part of the central plaza, finding in the center, an Earth Kingdom officer, dressed in a green battle suit, a scroll in hand, and speaking to everyone who would listen, managing to draw the attention of several people, Gyatso could tell that the guy was a recruiter, coming to get more troops for the Earth Kingdom to fight in the war.

He frowned at the thought of war, he heard a lot about it in every city he passed by, the damn war of Fire Lord Sozin, expanding every time in the Earth Kingdom and leaving nothing but ashes and destruction. He could see how several enlisted as volunteers, but honestly, Gyatso simply looked away and continued on his way, he was going to the markets, and he needed supplies for his trip, while it is true that it is better to avoid large cities or even smaller towns, there are things he needs to do to fulfill his mission.

Meanwhile, he continued walking until he reached a stall that looked like it contained what he needed. He stopped in front of the stall owner and then took out some money that he was carrying with him.

-I need supplies, I'm not asking for much, just water and something to eat.

The owner nodded, taking the money and entering his store to look for what Gyatso had asked for, meanwhile, the old monk was waiting when he heard the sound of footsteps behind him, drawing his attention, he looked back to see who it was, showing two Earth Kingdom soldiers with the same recruiter who had been in the square.

They entered marking their steps, making their presence known, he came to stand next to Gyatso waiting for the owner, who soon returned with some of the supplies that Gyatso had requested.

-This is what I can give you for what you gave - said the owner looking at Gyatso and putting the supplies on the counter, Gyatso nodded as he took out a sack he had with him and began to put the supplies in one by one, then the owner focused on the recruiter, who soon said the reason for having come.

-The army needs supplies, food, nourishment, medicine, and everything you have that could be needed.

-They have the means to pay for them

The recruiter frowned as he took the owner by the collar of his tunic and brought him closer to his face to say seriously- I think protecting your village, establishment and your life could be enough payment, don't you think? There's a war out there, my friend. The resources must be necessary to supply the armies that fight against the Fire Nation -without further ado, he said to the owner who fixed his tunic frowning at the recruiter who now gave him a crooked smile- if we don't have them we can't guarantee the permanence of soldiers to protect this place and if we're not... well, I wouldn't like to think about what could happen to them if we're not there.

The owner frowned as he nodded at the recruiter's threat. Without further ado he opened a door near his counter, gesturing to the soldiers who were with the recruiter to accompany him. The recruiter gave an order to his soldiers who soon entered the warehouse and began to take various things.

The recruiter, meanwhile, stayed there, looked away,y and noticed that Gyatso was looking at him out of the corner of his eye.

-Do you have something to say? -The recruiter asked in an intimidating way, challenging Gyatso to try something or show himself against his authority.

Gyatso knew what he wanted to do, he wanted to provoke him, he wanted Gyatso to simply stay out of his business or else he would learn a lesson, the guy himself was a bully, one who only abused his authority to gain benefits or get what he wanted.

If there was something that Gyatso did not like, it was injustices like this, war brought out the worst in people, but as much as he wanted to intervene, he knew he could not do it, he could take care of this matter, find a way to fix the conflict or mediate between the owner and the recruiter.

But the moment he thought about it, he knew he should not, the man who did that long ago understood that doing so would be a death sentence, Knowing that as much as he disliked it, the path of the air nomads would only bring problems for him, he could not allow himself to use their teachings with the risk of being discovered.

-No.

He looked away and took his things again, put them on his shoulder, and proceeded to leave the place, while walking to the exit he heard the recruiter speak to him.

-It seems that you are smart, do you want some advice? I do not recommend traveling, the roads are full of bandits and with the Fire Nation roaming around here... however, we could escort you, of course with a generous contribution in exchange.

Gyatso stopped to process what the recruiter had just told him, a kind of deal as long as he paid for him to receive a kind of escort, he simply moved his head to look at the recruiter out of the corner of his eye, being able to see the same crooked smile that he was giving the owner as long as he accepted.

-Although I appreciate your generosity, I will have to refuse, I am fine as I am.

The recruiter frowned at Gyatso's refusal, he was about to insist again, although more harshly, but then he heard a call from his men, requesting to speak with him, he turned to see Gyatso when he noticed that he had already left.

...

With the sunset in the sky and slowing down towards the outskirts of the city, Gyatso kept his eyes forward, but he remained alert in case someone was following him. More than once he had found people who were preparing to follow him with such intentions, something common every time he went to a populated place, possible bandits believing that since he was an old man without weapons, they could take advantage of him and steal his belongings either in a good way or in any other way.

He often had to resort to his air bending in a rather discreet way, because he knows of the dangers that lurk for air benders, mercenaries looking for possible rewards, and soldiers of the fire nation hunting, it was best that he did not use air bending under any circumstances, but it was his best tool which he used as a last resort, Gyatso has had to do things that he is not proud of and that he would like to change somewhat, but he knows that this sacrifice will be worth it in the end when he can succeed in his mission, when he finally finds it.

Meanwhile, he knows he must continue, so he continues walking until he is far enough away from the village so that the relief of the field can be distinguished, the vegetation that leads to the forest where he makes a couple of turns, moves a couple of branches and enters a small clearing where Lola, his bison is eating a couple of fruits from a bush.

The bison hears the footsteps of someone approaching, stands in front, and recognizes his companion who has returned, approaches him to greet him, caressing his head with his body, Gyatso at the affectionate gesture laughs lightly, rubbing his bison's head with his hand.

-Yes, I missed you too, but I told you I wouldn't be long - he said in a soft tone to convince Lola that he was fine.

After getting her to calm down, Gyatso entered a part of the clearing where he had set up a small camp, he left the bag of his supplies nearby as he proceeded to approach a preparation for dinner, with what he brought from the village plus a few rations he had saved, it would be enough for a couple of days, so in the meantime he had to make sure to establish the next course of action.

...

At nightfall he prepared everything so he could allow himself to rest, he gathered food for Lola, and Lual lay down so he could eat, he prepared something for her and allowed himself a moment of tranquility, allowing himself to eat, once he finished he simply decided to sit down and rest.

As he sat down, Gyatso allowed himself to stare into the fire of his campfire for a moment before letting out a deep sigh. He immediately reached for a nearby saddlebag, opening it and pulling out a large scroll followed by a piece of charcoal. He unrolled the scroll, revealing it to be a map of the Earth Kingdom. One that itself was quite scribbled on. There were route lines as well as several crossed-out dots as a sign to discard them. But what stood out the most was that of those marks, they were the ones that stood out the most on the map. Gyatso simply used the charcoal to mark the village he had just visited where he was on the map. Examining it once more, he saw that he had almost covered a large portion of the continent.

-There are few places left to search... at this rate, there will be no other choice but to start going further south, possibly even go straight to the Southern Water Tribe - Gyatso said as he looked up to see Lola who was in front of the fire, the bison upon hearing that they would possibly have to go further south, grunted annoyance.

-I know, I know, you don't like that option very much, neither do I, if what is said is true, then it is not good to go there if the Fire Nation has the Water Tribes as its target... let's not lose faith, Aang may still be somewhere, there are places in this part of the Earth Kingdom that we have not searched yet - he said with new determination to convince his bison.

The bison, faced with the determination of her companion, simply responded by eating a couple of fruits that Gyatso had gathered for her.

Gyatso gave her a smile - In the meantime, we will have to rest, we will continue tomorrow.

...

The next day...

When the sun rose, Gyatso began to pack his entire camp on Lola's saddle, which after a last breakfast, renewed energy to undertake the new trip, following Gyatso's instructions took flight, but at a higher altitude to avoid being seen, the flying bison although they offered an effective means of transport could become quite noticeable, the great heights helped to maintain discretion, the large banks of clouds were also a great ally for that task, flying near them offered a window that made that if someone had suspicions of seeing something in the sky in the end they would end up confusing it with a bird.

However, the prolonged flight was not a very advisable option, because Lola is not a young bison, she is old enough to need rests for certain periods of time. One of those breaks led Lola to descend to a small hill in the middle of a pasture, Gyatso got off his mount and took a couple of fruits from the forest that he had collected from his last stop, which was what he fed her with.

-When you finish rest a little, we will be here for a while and then continue -Lola was about to answer when she saw something in the distance, she growled at Gyatso, who for his part was disconcerted when he saw that Lola had stopped eating- What's wrong?

Lola for her part continued to growl while she raised her head upwards so that Gyatso would turn around, who upon seeing better what she was doing understood what she wanted, so he did so and fixed his gaze on where the bison was looking, being shocked to see a large column of gray smoke coming out in the distance, indicative of a fire or an attack by the Fire Nation.

Which meant that the Fire Nation wasn't far away.

"That's not good, I know I promised you a break but we have to move," he said to Lola who grunted accepting that fact, she quickly finished her food and Gyatso climbed on her head to get out of there as soon as possible, however as Lola rose Gyatso couldn't take his eyes off that column of smoke, whatever was there, it was because of an attack by the Fire Nation and as much as he wanted to help, he had to give up having to do so.

He simply sighed as Lola began to fly away from that place, not realizing that someone had noticed them.

...

Later...

Managing to keep distance between the old place and them, Gyatso decided that they could take a break from having to fly, so at an appropriate time, Gyatso gave Lola the order to descend so she could rest, arriving at a valley full of vegetation so that Lola could look for food, Gyatso for his part lowered his cape, as well as his things and Lola's saddle so that the bison could rest properly, today she had demanded more than usual and she had earned it.

Luckily this valley was in the middle of nowhere and it would be enough to be able to sneak through for the time being.

Gyatso set up his camp while he prepared everything, he was so wrapped up in what he was doing that he didn't notice that a strange figure with a stick in his hand had arrived at the valley, he stayed watching Gyatso for a moment, then diverted his attention to Lola who was not far away, she was near a river drinking some water.

Cautiously he approached her so as not to alarm her.

But instead, he didn't notice that Gyatso had taken out the bisque fruits that Lola had eaten earlier, he was taking them away when he noticed the strange figure that was near his bison.

Alarmed, Gyatso rushed to protect Lola, launching a gust of air that caught the hooded person off guard, sending her to the ground and causing her to drop her staff, alerting Lola who backed away and became hostile towards the strange figure.

Gyatso stood in front of his bison to find out who it was, it could be a spy, a hunter, or someone from the Fire Nation, whoever it was he couldn't allow it to leave and give them away, he slowly approached the figure.

The person, recovering from the surprise attack, was surprised by the speed and how she was knocked down. It was using airbending. She did not know how it was possible, but then she noticed that the old man she had seen before was approaching her in a hostile manner. Alarmed, the person raised her hands to stop him.

-Wait! - a childish voice caught Gyatso's attention, which made him lower his guard. Meanwhile, the hooded figure, seeing what had made him stop, lowered his hands, still nervous.

While doing so, Gyatso studied the figure, or rather what he could see when he saw that his clothes were hiding this unknown person. However, he soon put that aside when he noticed that this person himself had an orange hood. In addition, the person proceeded to lift it and when he did so he saw that he had orange and yellow robes.

The colors of the air nomads.

As she stood up, the person removed the hood revealing a girl who looked no older than fifteen, with brown hair and gray eyes, childhood features still present, clearly a girl.

She turned to see Lola and said in amazement- A flying bison, I knew it was a flying bison - she happily approached the bison while leaving Gyatso in disbelief at seeing that girl.

Lola was also bewildered by seeing that girl, although she soon forgot about that when that girl approached to give her hugs, which Lola gladly accepted- You are beautiful! I never thought I would see one here, you must have been through a lot but I don't understand how you are here alone, where is your partner??

-You are in front of him - Gyatso's voice caught the girl's attention.

Having recovered from the surprise, Gyatso slowly advanced while removing his hat as he revealed his arrow tattooed apart from his hair, the girl gasped in surprise at seeing that arrow, looking at the old man who had it was what surprised her even more.

-You are an air nomad... you are like me.

Gyatso nodded as he looked at the girl somewhat curiously- Nice to meet you, my name is Gyatso... and who are you, girl??

The girl opened her eyes at the old man's name, she had heard that name before, in her days at the Eastern Air Temple, according to what they said Gyatso was the name of one of the greatest nomadic air monks there ever was and now he was here in front of her, asking her name, maybe it would be a good idea to tell her instead of being speechless from the impression.

-My name is Malu

...

Chapter Text

...

Within his office in a nearby barracks, the commander received reports from informants who sent notice of the discovery of the air benders.

Some of the soldiers of the Fire Nation, but more in most people in the Earth Kingdom, the commander was fun for what he saw, as people in times of war managed to change, ethics disappeared for many, and they decided to see for themselves, clearly slag that only seeks to benefit.

With greater reason, he supports why the Lord of Fire is doing this war, only the world will improve properly once the Fire Nation is in command.

But so far, they first have to make that.

Meanwhile, he had to remain fixed on his mission, hunt the last lags air benders who escaped the attack, but more especially, locate and eliminate the greatest threat to the triumph of the fire nation.

The avatar.

An air nomad that somehow eludes the attack on the Air Temples and that somehow continues to elude them. He has received many reports, many who do not come to the case, and that is only to collect the reward, others that are more perceptive and that give the expected results, air benders but not the one who is looking for.

The commander frowned as he remembered the girl they had discovered not long ago, an air bender, A teenager to be precise and very skilled if I manage to escape from their captors, the profile in it is the most appropriate and ensures that it arrives To be the avatar.

If so, capturing it and getting out of doubt must be the highest priority now.

Just when the commander thought that his captain had entered his store, reverence and announcing to get the attention of the commander. Which looked up from the reports and looked at him with a frown.

-And well, you found it ??

The captain has with his head and shakes his head- no commander, he escaped ...

The captain snorts and shoots the papers of the reports to the desktop- How is it possible to escape? We have hunted air benders these years, we know how to track them, and we fight against air benders who resisted ... tell me, captain, how did they fail ??

The Captain kept looking at the ground to say- This girl is not like the others, she is ready and too skilled, no doubt powerful, commander ...

-Capturing it is too important, I should not remind you, but if it can be the one who I think is, I have sent a notice to the Lord of the Fire giving registration of my results ...

-And that's why I came here.

The commander and his captain turned to see the direction in which the voice originated; they saw that from the entrance, A middle-aged man who wore air nomad robes as well as a long bar with gray strands.

The captain quickly became alert, but the commander stopped him from doing anything, he knew who this monk was because, during his audiences with the Lord of Fire, that monk was also present.

-The traitorous monk ...

The monk only smiled with a little mockery; his facial expressions did not show if he was angry at the name that the commander gave him, finally hummed and then said- my name is Afiko, commander, and address me as I am, an Advisor of the Lord of Fire Sozin.

The commander snorted before that perspective, no matter how much he did not like it was true, somehow that he did not understand, that monk Afiko remained close to the circle of trust of the Lord of Fire.

-And what is done here, counselor??

Afiko looked at the captain with a crooked smile that showed arrogance, and then saw the commander again- the Lord of Fire Sozin sent me ... he is curious to know about the air bender they discovered, according to his commander's report, he assures that it is of the main objective.

The commander nodded as he got up from his chair, putting his hands on his desk- so is, about one of the villages of the Earth Kingdom, a report came to us about an air bender present, we found a girl who coincides with the age that the avatar should have.

-And where is it now?? -Afiko decided not to walk around and went to the point of the report.

The commander then looked down to say angrily and helplessly- She escaped... the villagers interposed and achieved in the middle of everything.

-Then tells me that they had the greatest threat of the Fire Nation in their hands, and some common villagers and currents prevented them from capturing it. -Afiko released the question with a condescending tone and mocking that marked the comment more as a statement than a question.

The commander of the eyes with fury in the face of Afiko but could not refute that argument, the only thing he could do was raise a solution.

-We are taking action, mobilizing resources to search for it, I know the level of priority that means to capture it ... -Sharge your attention to the captain who was observing the Airbender with so much suspicion- Captain, what do you have to report?

The captain is surprised to be included in the conversation and is speechless for a moment- eh ... yes, one of our explorers confirmed to have seen the girl - I recovered as fast as I could notify the progress they had achieved- She was following something, we do not know exactly that it is but if he went away from here, heading east.

The commander frowned- I thought you had said that they could not follow the trail.

The captain nodded- It was because he was flying in that direction, he was not subtle when hiding it.

Afiko took his hand to his beard and said, "He must use a glider cane, then. The air nomads use them to fly. It will not go far; it only allows you to travel not-so-long distances."

The commander frowned and began to think about something that his commander had said so subtly- makes sense, the report that gave us notice of her spoke perfectly of someone performing air control in full view, is someone very unconscious who does not think good things.

Afiko listened to the perception of the commander, and then a malicious smile put on his face.

-If it is like that, then maybe it is time to stop looking for her, it is time for her to come to us -Miro at the pair of fire benders to then say- we must leave as soon as possible, I have an idea to catch the girl and if everything goes out Well then this girl will be given voluntarily ...

Without more to say, he went to the exit without waiting for anyone, but before he could leave, the commander spoke once more.

-Do you know... I am curious: what led you to collaborate with us?

Afiko only stands in place, with a frown while remembering his life from years ago, life in the southern air temple, the life of a respected monk and everything that entails, the sacrifices, his views and points of view, and His disagreement with the positions of people, which led to distance themselves and resent their nation and all culminated when that happened.

-My reasons are mine, and they are private, they would not understand.

Without more to say, Afiko retired while leaving behind the commander with his captain, leaving both of them intrigued and confused by the way of being of the air bender.

...

Elsewhere...

In a valley full of vegetation, the great tranquility of the night filled the air, giving a feeling of peace, the stars and the moon illuminated the sky, while on Earth, it was a different thing, a small campfire illuminated a small camp where two people and a bison flying were near the campfire, the two people were the Monk Gyatso and the young woman known as Malú.

Right now, Gyatso had finished preparing his dinner and that of his new guest, which Malú received with pleasure and began to eat, for his part, Gyatso studied and contemplated the young woman who was with him, by his appetite, it was clear that she had not eaten anything for a while, but of course, it seemed that she had not forgotten that she was not alone, because soon she took some food from her plate and gave it to Lola, who gave a happy grunt for receiving food.

Gyatso allowed himself a slight smile at the girl's kindness and attention, and it was good to see that in times like these. They continued in a shared silence as they continued eating, enjoying the calm and the presence of the other, as Gyatso recognized that it was good to be in the presence of another air nomad after a long time.

"I grew up in the Eastern Air Temple," Malu said when she had finished eating while looking at her empty plate. "When the Fire Nation attacked that night when the comet passed... my mother hid me in a cave so that the firebenders wouldn't find me and to keep me safe... I didn't hear anything from my parents after that."

Gyatso nodded and looked at the girl with pity and understanding at the vague way she ended her story. He shouldn't say more since it must have happened to her parents, but there was still something Gyatso didn't understand. "Why did you come out of hiding then?" I don't think it's wise to do so. The Fire Nation is looking for the survivors who escaped the genocide of our race.

Malú nodded in agreement with that, remembering what happened in the village and how the villagers protected her as well as sacrificed themselves so she could escape. She closed her eyes sadly as she thought about what could have happened to them.

She put her plate aside, grabbed her legs with her hands, and looked straight into nothing.

-I know... -she said with a soft voice that marked sadness and distress, Gyatso could only look at her with empathy at what that girl could have seen, who knows how long she has been alone and being persecuted by the Fire Nation- I have seen what the Fire Nation has been doing, people who suffer and are terrified, I hid in a village with people who sheltered me when... they arrived...

Tears came out of Malú's eyes when she remembered that whole situation, at that moment, Gyatso got up from where he was to stand next to Malú and put a hand on her back as a sign of support, letting the young woman go through the pain that must have been accompanying her for a while.

After a moment, Malú was able to compose herself so she could continue her story. “I managed to escape, and I was adrift nearby… fearing that the firebenders would find me… but then in the distance, I saw you and Lola, not far away. I was amazed to see a flying bison. I didn’t know what to do, but when I saw it, I knew I had to follow it until I got here, where I found you too…”

The story itself was surprising for Gyatso because of the ending, so he was able to get an idea of ​​where he could have seen it, in that place that looked like a big fire, where the village that Malú described must have been. He was surprised by how close they were to meeting each other and how they managed to do it.

“What about you? How did you get here?” -Gyatso then turned his gaze to Malú, who suddenly began to add nervously- but of course, you are one of the greatest masters that the Air Nomads have, clearly if someone could escape, it must have been you, I'm just asking...

Gyatso just shook his head while giving her a reassuring laugh- Okay, I understand what you meant, but I'm curious, how do you know who I am, by the way??

At that, Malú calmed down and began to answer her question- Sister Lio, I often heard her talk about some monks from the other temples and many times, she mentioned you as one of the best she had ever met.

Gyatso tried to locate the person that Malú mentioned, and when he did,d he smiled- Yes, I remember Lio, she and I agreed on many things besides the fact that she was the one who helped my pupil get his bison.

The mention of Aang and how excited he was to have a bison of his own, as well as how happy he had seen him when Appa came into his life, filled him with warmth.

-Your pupil?? He's not alone?? Where is he??

Malú's questions gave a new turn to the conversation, and it was something that Gyatso didn't know if he could answer, it took him a moment before he could give a correct answer.

-I... I don't know; we got separated when the Fire Nation attacked the Southern Air Temple, and ever since then, I've been looking for him all over the Earth Kingdom in the hopes of finding him.

Malú nodded although she felt there was something else- This... he is sure he achieved...

Gyatso nodded and answered before he finished what he was going to say- Yes, I am sure he left before the attack, and I know he must have been far away when they attacked us... since then, I have been looking for him all over the Earth Kingdom...

Malú nodded now understanding- Oh, that is why he wears those clothes and not the robes of the air nomads.

Gyatso nodded- In times like these, wearing those colors is not the best, I also wear a hat to cover the arrow on my head, in addition to avoiding cities and villages...

Malú, upon hearing him, saw him processing what he had said and then saying- So... where are you going now??

Gyatso sighed. "Well, I was supposed to go in the opposite direction to where we are, but seeing the presence of the Fire Nation caused me to deviate... it will take me a while to find a safe route, which should be long, and I will need more supplies than I have now..."

"Well... not far from her,e I saw a town that has not yet fallen into the hands of the Fire Nation, it may have what we need for the trip, in Flying Bison, it won't take long."

Gyatso raised an eyebrow as he looked at Malu out of the corner of his eye. "Us?"

Malu realized what she had said and immediately began to say. "Well, if you allow me to accompany you, of course, it's just that... I don't have anywhere to go and... I would feel safer not traveling alone."

Gyatso, seeing that she was getting nervous, said- I say this because I didn't expect you to decide to accompany me. You are welcome to accompany Lola and me - he said, making a gesture with his head to his bison that was now sleeping- although,h, of course, we will have to make a couple of things clear, Lola must stay hidden here, it is not safe for her to remain visible to other people, it could be a risk.

Malú wanted to say something, but seeing how calm Lola was to be here, then she thought that would be the best, so without complaining, she nodded.

- Well, the other thing would be that if you are going to travel with us, you will have to go unnoticed, which means that we will have to find something more discreet for you.

Malú at that looked confused- Hum, Discreet how??

...

The next day...

This was something new and strange for Malú.

Walking through the streets of this town in Earth Kingdom clothes, it was strange to wear clothes that were not from the Air Nomads or even the colors. They had arrived early, and before anyone could notice the presence of any of them, the monk Gyatso took her to a kind of laundry where they had to steal clothes, she did not feel very comfortable doing that.

Right now, she was walking dressed in a dark green tunic that was a little big on her, although it was the only one they found in her size, although she kept a bit of her original clothes that would not be very noticeable, she still felt uncomfortable wearing someone else's clothes.

-I know you must not be comfortable, but in order not to be recognized, we must avoid attracting attention, and for that, we must learn to blend in.

Malú nodded in understanding- I understand... but it is still not right to do this.

Gyatso didn't refute that, so she just added- At least you don't have to use this hat to hide an arrow tattoo... there are things we might not like to do, but in times like these, things won't be easy.

Malú let out a sigh but couldn't find a way to argue; she just stared at Monk Gyatso. He might agree with her, but he didn't look upset like she did, he looked resigned, as if it wasn't the first time he had to do something like steal clothes.

-Maybe it doesn't affect him because it's not something worse he's had to do - she thought to herself, a little uneasy at the perception of the great airbender having to commit dishonest acts.

She shook her head, trying to get those ideas out, but she knew they would be bothering her for a while.

Continuing on her way, Malú saw several people passing by on the streets, who didn't pay attention to them more than an occasional glance. Indeed, the disguises worked, so she could at least admit that it was true that doing this was for a good cause.

They turned a corner where market stalls were starting to appear, where they could surely find supplies.

"By the way, take this," Gyatso said as he took something out of his tunic and handed it to Malú.

Malú took the object and looked at it curiously, opening her eyes in surprise when she realized that the object looked a lot like a flying bison.

"It's a whistle to call Lola if we find ourselves in very serious trouble. Blow it with all your strength, and she will hear it and come to us."

Malú was impressed, she examined the whistle in amazement, soon looking at Gyatso, grateful for having entrusted her with something of great value and also to ask.

-When will I know that I can do it??

Gyatso began to think of an answer to that, questioning scenarios where a rescue of his bison might be necessary or even those that could be avoided, so all he did was say.

-Only in cases of extreme urgency, where you can't find a way out anywhere, only in that case.

Malú nodded at the answer, carefully putting Lola's whistle away in her tunic.

After that, they proceeded to enter the market, which was full of various people, as well as smells, sounds, fruits, and various products that were offered.

Malú watched, fascinated by everything she saw, even if she had been in a village before, certainly, this town was busier if there were things like those that were sold, she approached several steps without moving far from Gyatso, who walked more cautiously, looking for what to buy and what not, only those that were indispensable.

As she watched people walk and shop as if nothing was wrong, without looking upset or worried, without a doubt still not feeling the weight of the war, it was lucky that the Fire Nation was not yet reaching places like these.

Seeing these people, Malú couldn't help but think about how things were in the Eastern Air Temple before things changed as they had.

-So you were here! I told you I would find you!

The violent voice took Malú by surprise, who, intrigued, went to where something seemed to be happening; some people were also paying attention to the sight of a guy who was harassing a lady.

-I already told you that I just need time, Rinshi... when I can...

-Oh no, of course not, Yen, you already owe me a lot of money -she grabbed the lady by the arm to say angrily- and if you think I'm going to keep listening to your excuses, then...

-Leave her alone!

Malú's voice took Rinshi by surprise, who, confused by the voice that seemed to protest, turned to see her from a close distance and snorted mockingly after turning his gaze on Yen.

-Go girl, if you know what's good for you, then don't get involved... -without anything else to say, he approached Yen to say- now you're going to pay me or...

However, before he could say anything, a gust of air pushed him towards a stand, crashing it and leaving him unsteady

The lady looked shocked at what had just happened, as did several others when they saw what was airbending.

This was done by Malú, who was in a defensive position and with a determined look on her face. She could feel proud of it, but for another person, that was not the case.

Gyatso turned around, a little frustrated by how things had taken a turn that he did not expect, he did not expect Malú to decide to do something like that, he looked in disbelief that this girl was an Airbender and that she would demonstrate it in an exhibition that could give her away, even worse she had done it in front of the entire village.

She looked around and began to see him. Some of the villagers were now looking at her somewhat incredulously and surprised, but Gyasto could read the fear and dread, as well as the ambition and greed of some to have in their hands a possible reward for giving notice to the Fire Nation, a warning that the girl was a survivor of the genocide.

He would not allow that to happen.

He quickly grabbed her wrist and pulled her out of there, and they had to get out of there before someone decided to follow them.

-Monk Gyatso, what are you doing?? -Malu asked, trying to get Gyatso to let go of her.

-Not now - said Gyatso with a worried but also sharp tone as he took Malú out of the market and proceeded to enter the streets of the town, while looking behind, in search of someone who could be following them, he saw out of the corner of his eye someone who seemed to be coming in his direction, so he went into an alley, bringing Malú with him and then continuing until he reached the next street, he continued until he entered a new alley and stopped.

Only when he did that did he release Malú and then face her.

-What did you do? Did you ree airbending on that guy??

-It was for a good cause... he was taking advantage of the merchants and also that lady... something had to be done.

Gyatso let out a sigh - And it occurred to you that the best way to do it was with airbending? Malú, you can't do that in places like this, we can't let anyone know about us...

-But the nuns...

-You're not with the nuns anymore, not even in the Eastern Air Temple, and much less in the times before the war, you must understand that doing things like the ones you did can be a death sentence...

-Although I appreciate your little help...

A female voice was heard behind Gyatso and Malú, at which Gyatso became alert, he became defensive against whoever was there.

However, he found the same lady that Malú had helped, who was carrying the supplies that Gyatso had left behind to get Malú out of the market, which he now showed her as a sign of security.

-They left them behind when they left in a hurry - he made a gesture for them to take them, at which Gyatso, skeptical, took them carefully.

-Thank you...

The lady just shook her head- It's nothing... your friend helped me with that thug, it's the least I could do, I could repay them by getting them out of the town, I'm afraid several people have started looking for them.

Gyatso tensed at that prospect; they had to get out of there as soon as someone found them, if that lady did, then it was just a matter of time.

-We're fine...

-Thank you very much your help would be good, ma'am...- said Malú as she began to walk to the lady.

Who smiled and smiled kindly at Malú- Yen, my name is Yen... follow me, please.

With a gesture with her hand, she indicated that they should follow her, to which Malú nodded as Yen began to walk; however, Malu grabbed her shoulder to stop her- Wait... we must be careful, we don't know anything about her and we don't know what intentions she has.

-But I helped her, it's obvious that she wants to help us, not all people are bad; I know there can be bad people, but we can't distrust everyone.

After saying that, Malú seemed to catch up with Yen in the hope that the Earth Kingdom woman would get them out of the village without being caught, but Gyatso stayed behind, still wary of the sudden help, he wasn't sure about many things anymore, war changes people, some change more than others, while others take advantage of it to benefit from others, he has seen many cases like that and it's one of the reasons why he doesn't visit villages except when the situation warrants it.

But it seems that he won't have another choice, he just hopes that this stranger wants to help them in good faith and isn't leading them into a trap, at least they had Lola to back them up and escape if things got too difficult.

With a sigh of resignation, Gyatso loaded up his supplies as he followed the pair who were already heading out of the village.

...

-I didn't think I knew an airbender... -Yen said as she led them near the exit- it's certainly not common to see one of you anymore, but I appreciate that you helped me.

Malu smiled a little embarrassed- It was nothing, I couldn't let that guy attack you like that...

Yen smiled softly at that answer as she handed Malu a lid from a large vase- Here, use this to cover the vases, while you stay hidden, I'll move the cart, and when it's safe, then I'll hit the vase so you can come out.

Malu nodded as she took the lid from the vase and got inside while covering the vase from the inside, Gyatso was at her side looking skeptically at the plan, Yen soon looked at him and handed him the other lid from the other vase, although she had her reservations, she could hardly find another way to get out without ending up in a fight.

Without further ado, he took the lid and got into the jar, hoping that this wasn't a bad idea.

...

Yen gave a couple of knocks to the jars to indicate that it was safe to leave, the moment that happened, Malú rushed out, moving the lid and pushing herself with air bending to get out, Gyatso was a little slower and cautiously left, waiting for anything, however, when he left he saw that they were in an open field.

The help had been genuine, he took his bag of supplies and pushed himself to jump and get out of the jar with his air bending and landing softly, more than Malú showed, Yen was amazed when she saw him.

-So they are two airbenders, well that is a big surprise.

Gyatso blinked and then said- We appreciate your help back there. It was going to be difficult for us to achieve it, but thanks to you, we avoided any conflict.

Malú nodded with a smile.

Yen shook his head- You don't have to thank me; it's good to help the airbenders to escape safely, the more of you manage to be safe, the better for everyone...

Gyatso raised an eyebrow, intrigued, but it was Malú who asked.

-More??, have you seen more airbenders??

Yen shook his head- Not from me, but I know that several camps near the mountains there -he pointed in the direction where it seemed that Lola was not far away- no one from the town would go there, that place is full of spirits; honestly I don't believe it, I've been there before, and I've seen people there who constantly seem to be doing air bending.

-Seriously...

-It sounds interesting, but we should go now, thank you very much... - said Gyatso without the opportunity to continue the conversation and took out Malú, who was confused - we should go quickly, our friend must surely be waiting for us, she doesn't like us to leave her alone for a long time.

The comment seemed to convince Malú, who immediately nodded and hurried back, without looking back and rushing out of there, leaving Yen with a smile as she said goodbye to them.

The argument of returning with Lola was to stop Malú's optimism; there was something strange with that, and it would be better to let her know.

-When we finish loading the supplies, we will leave... we will go directly to get away from here.

-Wait, what?? -Malú stopped- but, if what Yen said is true... then we could find more of our people, we have to go...

Gyatso shook his head- I wouldn't trust that we better take the route we already had...

-Monk Gyatso, it's about our people!... yes, if they can be there, then we must...

-No... I have to find Aang; I can't abandon my mission - said Gyatso to make Malú understand his point of view- besides, I don't trust what that lady said, it could be a trap.

-Yen helped us get out; she's clearly a good person, and if there could be airbenders, then they could be hurt or scared, we can't leave them alone!

-You don't understand, this is something I have to do, I'm supposed to find him, if not, we can have a future, our nation, all those who died...

Malú looked at him with pity when she saw that Gyatso was succumbing to despair. She clearly couldn't understand him, and she knew she had to let him know, to say something that he possibly hadn't realized, but that was necessary for him to hear- Do you think that? How can you say something like that? Monk Gyatso, please think about it... you and I, two surviving members of a decimated nation who didn't know where the other was in this immense world, coincidentally managed to meet and get to know each other? This is a miracle! Don't you think this could be destiny?

Gyatso, upon hearing her mention that, raised his head and looked at Malú, he didn't know how to respond because it was true, what possibility could there be that the two of them had gotten to know each other? As if this reckless girl could still be alive with demonstrations like the ones she made.

It was a part that he understood and even less so when he related everything to one thing.

-Destiny??

Malu nodded at that with a smile on her face to say the following- That's right if fate led me to survive until now, then was it fate that brought you to where I was hiding and made me come out??

Gyatso, at this new perspective, didn't know what to say, he was somewhere between confusion and disbelief- Do you think this is fate??

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Flashback...

Southern Air Temple.

In the meeting room of the Council of Elders, Gyatso was not alone, next to him, the monk Tashi was at his side in this small meeting, and in front of the two was Monk Pasang, leader of the Council of Elders of the Southern Air Temple, who was in his seat, listening to the arguments that his two companions had come to discuss with him.

A matter that concerned the Avatar that Gyatso was in charge of.

-Aang needs to be free and have fun, he needs to grow up like a normal child.

Tashi snorted in amusement at his argument- You can't keep protecting him from his destiny.

Gyatso frowned at Tashi's insistence, regularly in his insistence that Aang put everything aside and be deprived of his childhood, the two had clashed in their points of view.

Although, of course, they hadn't reached this point before, he hoped to gain an understanding of his intentions from the monk Pasang and get him to keep Tashi at bay.

-Gyatso -the voice of the monk Pasang brought Gyatso out of his thoughts- your intentions are good, but you are letting your feelings for the child cloud your judgment.

The comment of the monk Pasang was certainly not what Gyatso expected; he was disappointed to find himself cornered that he couldn't protect Aang from this. Yes, it may be like that, but it's about more than that.

"I just want what's best for him," Gyatso said sincerely, making it clear that that's the only thing he wanted for Aang.

The monk Pasang nodded at his comment but still gave his verdict- But what matters more is what is best for the world... you and Aang must be separated, the Avatar must be sent to the Eastern Air Temple to be trained... - Gyatso was surprised by the verdict by what Pasang had ordered, helpless Gyatso could only lower his head with regret as he accepted the verdict with regret, Tashi nodded in agreement satisfied and went to leave with what was established while Pasang noticing Gyatso's sadness decided to say something else- the role of the Avatar is a great responsibility, which is not for a child and it is not up to us to decide who carries that burden, the only thing we can do is prepare him and prepare for the future...

End Flashback...

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Malú, who was not aware that Gyatso was remembering an old conversation, did not stop saying what she thought,t and her tone changed from one of joy to one of joy. - But then you insisted on looking for someone who hasn't been seen since this whole war started, he's likely even dead, but you refuse to believe that, and therefore, you're ignoring everything and everyone on a mission that you won't be able to complete, you simply turned your back on the world and everyone!

Gyatso shook his head as he carried the bag on his shoulder- This is important; it's something I have to do, and I'm not going to leave it behind for something that isn't true.

Gyatso's answer was blunt, leaving Malú dismayed, seeing that the Airbender didn't even want to investigate and that he didn't want to help his people, walking away, she saw how he simply continued on his way, making his decision.

She frowned, nodding to herself, if he didn't want to go where his people were hiding, then she would go and make sure to help them.

...

The next day...

She got up carefully, with the aim of not waking either Monk Gyatso or Lola, then she quickly took her glider and took to the skies straight to the mountains, where survivors like her were hiding.

Although she felt bad for leaving Monk Gyatso and Lola behind, clearly he was only focused on finding this Aang, whoever he was, he was so determined to find him that he dismissed the prospect of him being with the others in the mountains.

Well, she would let him see it, she would go, ask for someone named Aang, and if she found him, then she would return to tell Monk Gyatso.

As she flew through the mountain territory she managed to distinguish something, she was intrigued and decided to descend to see what it was, then when she saw it, she was surprised- It's a stupa! She was right, they are here!

He looked ahead and saw a kind of clearing where a little light could be seen,

With joy, Malú ran in that direction- It must be there - using her airbending, she hurried to get to where the light was, not noticing that someone was following her- There are things from air nomads all over the place, they must have brought them with them... Hello?!... Hey, excuse me, are you...??

But then she felt a tug on her sleeve that made her stop, Malú then turned to see who had grabbed her to find Gyatso looking at her a little angry- Girl, what are you doing? I told you not to go away, it's not safe that...

-About them!!!

The voice that was heard kept Gyatso and Malú alert, who turned to warn the air nomad of the possible danger but saw that the air nomad uncovered his face to reveal that he was not an air nomad, it was the Earth Kingdom woman who had helped and who now looked at her with malice, implying that he had tricked her to lure her into a trap.

The ropes and nets began to be launched at them, and Gyatso created a rotating gust of air to block them, at the same time, soldiers of the Fire Nation appeared from parts of the sanctuary and began to launch fire attacks, Malú pushed herself with her air bending to avoid them, while Gyatso dodged some with mastery while launching air gusts in the direction of several soldiers to knock them down.

One of the soldiers who looked different charged a burst of fire against Gyatso, to which he created a dome of air to stop his attack, instantly propelling himself upwards with air bending and concentrating a powerful burst that hit the soldier, sending him far away.

Malú, for her part, propelled herself with her bending to confuse the soldiers she came across, appearing near them but instantly moving in another direction, confusing them and using air bursts to throw them away.

The fight was going in favor of Gyatso and Malú when a great gale arose from one side and pushed Gyatso and Malú, taking them to a corner, stunned, which gave the soldiers who were still standing time to throw nets and catch them.

Gyatso, recovering from the attack, was surprised by the attack that had knocked them down.

-An air attack?? That's impossible unless...

-Make sure they're well secured, especially the old man, he's the biggest threat.

The voice sounded very familiar to Gyatso, one that belonged to a person he knew years ago; he looked up to where he heard it, and that's when he saw him, along with a couple of Fire Nation soldiers, along with what seemed to be a commander of the Fire Nation Army, that's when he saw an air nomad entering the trap site and giving orders without being threatened by the firebenders.

-It can't be... Afiko

The aforementioned heard his name and turned to see who had said it, where the two captured airbenders were, and opened his eyes in surprise at who the trapped person was- Monk Gyatso, who would say that our paths would cross again? -She smiled haughtily when she could recognize the Great Airbender they had captured- although,h of course, she expected you to have someone else with you.

-Hey, I already did my job, they said they would pay me if I brought air benders here. -The lady, Yen, hurried to stand next to Afiko and began to demand the payment that had been promised to her.

Faced with the demands of the lady, Afiko only rolled her eyes in annoyance at the interruption- You complied with what was agreed, and you will be rewarded, the soldiers will give you what was promised... what's wrong, Gyatso?? Surprised to see me alive??

Gyatso only frowned to say- I just don't understand... the Fire Nation is supposed to have destroyed our nation and is chasing the survivors that remain... what are you doing with them??

-What do you think Gyatso looks like?? I'm working for the Fire Lord, helping him hunt down survivors with this technique I used on you and the girl. Survivors become difficult to catch, but with my knowledge, I've managed to capture them and exploit their weaknesses... after all, how do you think the Fire Nation knew how to attack the Temples in the first place??

Gyatso and Malu were stunned and shocked by Afiko's revelation, especially Gyatso, who had a perception of who Afiko was and the place he held. He was a respected master and monk at the Southern Air Temple, and he may have been a bit controversial, but still.

-You... you caused... it was all because... - Gyatso tried to find a way to say it while digesting Afiko's betrayal.

Although Malu took less time than him because she didn't take long to say what she thought.

-You're a damn traitor!!! -Malú shouted angrily in the direction of Afiko- you killed my parents and my friends! All of them!!!

-Enough of this, we have what we were looking for - the voice of the commander who was with Afiko caught Malú's attention, and she opened her eyes in alarm when she recognized the commander who had located her in the village where he found her, the one who now looked at her with a wicked smile- finally, after all these years, the Avatar is in our power...

That certainly unsettled Malú, she the Avatar??, but that couldn't be, on the other hand, she felt the monk Gyatso stand up at the moment the commander mentioned the Avatar, while Afiko only smiled haughtily and then responded.

-You have misunderstood, commander, that girl is not the Avatar.

The commander, as well as the Fire Nation soldiers nearby, looked at the traitor monk in disbelief at what he said.

-What?! How can you... -the commander couldn't believe it, how could Afiko be so sure, but then, seeing his posture in his confidence, and the confidence he showed that he understood- you, you knew that she wasn't the Avatar from the beginning! All this time, you kept us blind!

-Of course, I knew, in the time I spent at the Southern Air Temple, I applied to be the Avatar's Airbending Master, and I was close to getting it if it weren't for him - he raised his hand and pointed at Gyatso who looked at him with a frown, one that Afiko soon returned as he walked forward with an angry expression on his face - him and the foolish council of Elders that denied me the right, do you remember that Gyatso??

Gyatso, for his part, did remember it, he remembered that day very well, the day that Afiko requested before the council to be Aang's tutor, they permitted him, given his great reputation in the Temple being considered one of the best masters that the Southern Air Temple had to offer, but before he could begin training Aang, the elders requested a test of what Afiko would teach Aang.

Gyatso would not forget that day for what he witnessed from Afiko.

-And we did so with good reason, what you wanted to teach were violent and sinister techniques that went against everything that our culture meant and represented Afiko, after what the elders and I witnessed that day... all those bison and lemurs you killed...

Gyatso couldn't finish thinking about a perspective that came to him, of how after Afiko's permission was withdrawn, they then gave it to him as Aang's tutor and guardian in every sense, he doesn't want to imagine what would have happened to Aang if he had had Afiko as his teacher and to what extent it could have changed him from the child he raised.

-Yes, yes, we already understood his story; it was very sad and all that, but I'm not interested in hearing any of that -in that,t the commander's gaze went from Gyatso and Malú to Afiko- if that girl is not the Avatar then these two are of no use to us.

-And now what?? So now you will kill us?? -Gyatso asks questioningly about what they plan for him and Malú.

While Malú is worried about the possible answer, she quickly holds the bison whistle that Gyatso had given her and squeezes it tightly.

The commander, faced with these questions, simply stares at Gyatso with a mocking smile at his question.

However, faced with these questions, Afiko only shakes his head while smiling maliciously and decides to speak before the commander does- Of course not, believe it or not, you are vital enough, Gyatso -with confident steps, Afiko walks until he gets as close to where Gyatso was trapped and crouches down so that both of their eyes meet- at least for the moment, after all, you were the child's guardian, what was his name? Ah, of course, Aang, the Avatar, if anyone should know where he is, it should be you.

Gyatso stared at him without changing his expression, but inside, he had many emotions pent up: fear because Afiko had revealed that crucial information, relief at the perception that the Fire Nation had not yet reached Aang, but also dread at having an idea of ​​what Afiko could plan.

It was clear to him that he did not know where Aang was; clearly, he must remain hidden, and that was a great relief, but the bad thing was that he did not know where he could find him.

-Wait, so this old man knows where the Avatar might be??, very well, old man, now you will tell us where the Avatar is, or if you don't, we will kill this girl.

Malú, alarmed, took the whistle and blew it hard, hoping that Lola would appear, she blew it several times as the commander approached, Gyatso noticed the girl's concern and instantly stood up "You want me as a hostage, you threaten Malú, a simple girl to achieve your goals... there is no doubt that war brings out the worst in people, no matter what nation they are from."

She said it calmly as she faced Afiko, however, behind him, she noticed something and decided to prolong the conversation.

Afiko just snorted- The old ways are over, Gyatso, this is survival, if you don't understand it, then you won't survive in this world.

Gyatso just smiled enigmatically- Oh, but I understand, I understand very well, as much as I want to defend my position as an air nomad, I know there are moments to be conciliatory and when to go on the offensive... I learned that from an old friend of mine, Avatar Roku.

Malú and some Fire Nation soldiers were shocked that the old Airbender mentioned the Fire Avatar, but Afiko just narrowed her eyes. "Well, he's not here, and you have no choice but to cooperate with us."

"That's where you're wrong."

A powerful gust of air came from behind, pushing Afiko and the rest to various parts of the sanctuary, but Gyatso protected himself and Malú by creating a dome of air, quickly freeing himself and then Malú, the latter looked ahead and was surprised to see Lola who growled loudly making her presence known.

-Get on his back and stay at a safe distance... I'll take care of it from here - Gyatso said, urging Malú to escape, who wanted to refuse, but when she saw Gyatso, she realized that it was not up for discussion, she nodded as she turned to Lola.

The soldiers, as well as Afiko, recovered from the attack and got up in surprise, but when they did, they noticed that Gyatso was standing in front of them while Malú escaped with a flying bison.

-Something else... when they attacked the Southern Air Temple, soldiers from the Fire Nation intercepted me... but to escape, I had to show a side of myself that I didn't want to show again... but now...

Before I could do anything, a great gale pushed everyone while air currents surrounded Gyats,o who made movements with his hands, starting to levitate and generating a whirlwind of air that was becoming more violent.

And then all hell broke loose...

...

-We can't leave it behind, Lola, we have to go back! -Malu said to the Bison, hoping to convince her.

The bison gave a grunt of agreement and turned around to go back for her companion, however, when they turned around, where the Sanctuary was, a great explosion of air-filled it, expelling a large amount of dirt and wind to the surroundings, Lola dodged it by rising, while Malú observed in amazement the level of technique that must have been required to do something like that.

Soon, she saw something emerge and head towards where she and Lola were, she opened her eyes and smiled with joy when she saw that it was the monk Gyatso rising in a glider to where they were and gracefully landing on Lola's mount.

-Lola, get us out of here, it's time to go -Gyatso said calmly while the Bison did that.

Malú, for her part, went to hug the older man. “I was worried, but seeing him and what he did... it was incredible…”

Gyatso shook his head. “It wasn't one of my best moments, but it was something that had to be done…” He then looked in the direction where they had escaped with luck, luck that Lola had appeared.

But maybe others weren't so lucky.

He was preparing a trap for airbenders, who clearly must have been attracted. Who knows how many survivors were already captured while he was still there, doing nothing? Guilt filled Gyatso as he thought about that prospect. He looked at Malú and then looked at the sky.

-I guess he was right, I can't spend the rest of my life chasing Aang to find him and ignore what's going on in the world, especially when survivors of our nation are still out there, wounded and afraid...

Gyatso lowers his head in shame, recognizing for the first time that his mission may be a lost cause, even though his desire to find Aang fills him with determination, maybe it's time to consider that Aang is no longer in this world.

But then he remembers what happened before, how even if he's alive or not, the Fire Nation will continue to search for an Avatar, no matter who it is and where they find him.

Maybe he won't meet Aang again in this life, and he'll have to wait to see his young pupil again in the next, he knows that one day he will see him again, but in the meantime, he's still here, and he knows that he has to do something to protect his people.

He turned his attention to Malú, who was still in her speech about why he was being delusional for continuing on his mission when he approached her.

-If this is what our life is supposed to be like now, then I don't see the point of remaining neutral.

-You're right.

-Of course, I'm right... wait, am I right??

-You're right... we can't continue as we are, if we can ever have the chance of a future,e then we can't continue like this before the Fire Nation attacked the Air Temples, we elders knew that the danger was imminent, a war was near, but we never foresaw that it was one of our own who gave them the way to destroy our nation, Afiko betrayed us because he didn't agree with our way of seeing things, but as much as it was our way of being, in times of war it won't be of much help to us, the old ways are over, we can only adapt and survive...

-So that means...

Gyatso nodded- If we are going to look for other survivors, then we have to do it right; they are out there, but if we want to find them, then we have to start seeing things in new ways...

Malú nodded as a smile graced her face, at the same ti, the Sun began to rise, starting the day.

Meanwhile, from the sky, Xiànshí watched as Gyatso and Malú, along with Lola, flew towards the horizon.

...

Many journeys in search of redemption begin in the dark, but with a little courage and a little faith, above all, with someone to accompany you on the way, you can find the path to the light...

It may take years, decades, or even more than a hundred years, but the fate of the air nomads will continue to be debated as they make more essential decisions for their future to restore their nation...

But that is another story...

...

Chapter Text

Republic City - Dragon District.

The life of this city has always had a lot to say. During the day, it is a utopia for benders and non-benders, but at night, it is a different story. This can be seen in a building from which the sounds of a fight were heard, where a group of boys were facing a radical group.

Watch out! The cry of a boy caught the attention of the crowd as he performed a kata, launching a stream of fire in the direction of a man dressed in civilian clothes but wearing a black balaclava with a symbol.

The stranger stepped back and dodged the attack with great mastery, landing on his feet and running towards the boy.

For his part, the young man with golden eyes, a firebender with a red scarf, tried to keep his distance, moving backward, not noticing that another attacker was behind.

-Watch out, Mako!

A large block of stone came out of the ground, impacting against the attacker and crashing him against the wall, the boy Mako turned around at a possible attack but saw a fourteen-year-old boy dressed in green and gray who was now running towards him, picking up a rock and throwing it at the attacker Mako, who returning to his fight, charged a fire attack enough to hit his attacker and hit the target.

-It was close, thanks Bolin.

Bolin nodded with a smile - Don't worry...

Returning to the fight, they saw more enemies with balaclavas heading towards them.

Mako narrowed his eyes, watching them approach while he got into position - More are coming... - Bolin, at that perspective, also prepared himself by lifting a fragment of earth from the ground, while Mako turned back - Hey, have you regained your bending? We could use some help!

His comment was made near a wall that a fourteen-year-old girl was leaning on. The girl had characteristic Water Tribe clothing and long hair tied back, frowning as she looked at the boy who had said that to her. Nodding, she walked over to the two boys who were already waiting for her.

-I swear that when I have the one who did this to me...

-Be careful, Amon's chi blockers don't mess around - Mako said as she looked at the chi blockers, who soon began their counterattack. They launched themselves into spins to land in different parts around the trio of teenagers. Mako, Bolin, and the Water Tribe girl went on the defensive when the fight started again.

However, oblivious to everyone who was involved in the fight, outside that building,g a polar bear dog and a Republic City Police patrol car stopped in front of it, with two people who watched the scene impressed.

-This girl sure knows how to get attention- says an older man from the Fire Nation with a scar on his left eye as he looks at the building in front that looked somewhat damaged, which he was observing from a patrol car of the Republic City Police.

But then Xiànshí appears in the distance in her intangible form while she observes the same building that the same subject was observing, the older man was not alone, as a woman with black armor, gray hair, and green eyes was at her side.

...

This is not just any girl, this is 14-year-old Avatar Korra, whose search for a master has led her to leave the White Lotus Complex in the Southern Water Tribe and finally reveal herself as the new Avatar...

...

Time

Space

Reality

It is more than a linear path... it is a prism of unlimited possibilities... where a single choice can split into infinite realities and create alternate worlds to the ones you already know... I am Xiànshí, the spirit of reality; I am your guide in these new and vast realities...follow me and consider the question... what would happen if??

A few days before that day, in the year 167 AG, Fire Lord Zuko abdicated the throne, giving it to his daughter Izumi, traveling the world to become an ambassador of peace and follow in the footsteps of his uncle and the teachings of his friend Avatar Aang... that's how the story normally goes. Still, in this universe, Zuko had an unexpected idea that led him to an unexpected visit to the South Pole, where his friend Katara and a young Korra were in training to master the element of firebending.

...

White Lotus Complex at the South Pole.

Zuko pulls his cloak tighter as he dismounts his dragon Druk and walks with some difficulty through the snow towards the secure compound.

The guards at the main gate, recognizing the person approaching, bow deeply and quickly gesture for the large metal door to open. Even after days of having abdicated, Zuko still doesn't feel like this is real and that he is now retired. All he does is nod in response to the guards as he enters the complex, followed by his dragon following him. The door closes with a creak, and he takes in his surroundings: the large platform, the wooden pavilions, the small igloos, and the healing hut, that's where he decides to go because he knows that's where they will be.

As he reached the huts, he noticed that the door was not completely closed, he was about to open it when some noises caught his attention, he turned his head and ended up contemplating the scene in front of him, he could see in the distance a larger figure of an animal, as well as someone else who is on top of it, dressed in blue, according to what Katara has told him in the letters she sends him is that he can get an idea of ​​who it is.

A polar bear dog ran at full speed, jumping the obstacles, dodging them in zigzags as he advanced towards a row of jump fences, above the polar bear dog, a young fourteen-year-old Korra looked at the new obstacle and with a determined look, she reinforced the grip on her mount.

-Come on, Naga, let's get over this track!

The polar dog growled in agreement and set off running towards the hurdles, determined to get over them.

Oblivious to the audience they had drawn, Korra and Naga ran through the hurdles, leaping over them with great efficiency while Zuko watched on in awe.

"She can't be more than fourteen," Zuko thinks and is surprised at how much older she is than the last time he saw her. The look of intense concentration on her face, in such contrast to her round eyes filled with youthful excitement, makes his lips twitch in amusement.

So this was the new Avatar. The one they had tried to protect almost ten years ago and nearly failed, he thinks sadly. The one he had come to see for the first time in a long time.

The clearing of a throat at the door caught his attention then, Zuko turned to see the person who had opened the door and was now in front of him.

-Kya - He reacted as soon as he noticed the Water Tribe woman looking at him with a smile.

The Water Tribe woman smiled happily, the spitting image of her mother in her younger years- Lord Zuko... you are older, old man.

At that response, he let out a falsely offended grimace but then looked at her with a smile- And every day, you look more like your mother.

He laughed at the falsely offended smile she returned and leaned forward to hug him.

- You should have let us know before that you were coming, and then we would have received you better.

-It was a last-minute decision. I was planning to meet my grandson in Republic City, but seeing that he was nearby, I decided to come and make a surprise visit -He looked at the surroundings of the complex where, in the distance, she could see the same figures as before, now going to a kind of stable, when they left her field of vision she soon returned her gaze to Kya to continue talking- All this recent change since the abdication has certainly left me with a lot of free time, I just hope that Izumi is doing well in this new chapter of her life.

Kya laughed- I'll make sure she doesn't throw herself into the ocean before you return when I go to visit her -She put a hand on her arm and then said- You must be exhausted. Let me take you to...

- I hope you don't expect me to bow down.

Zuko rolled his eyes as an irrepressible smile spread across his face as he looked ahead and squinted at the older Water Tribe woman in front of him.

-Katara -he said warmly- Did I ever expect you to bow down?

-Because you’re not even the Fire Lord anymore -Katara said, ignoring him and crossing her arms- You’re just an old man.

-What does that make you? -Zuko asked with a raised eyebrow.

Katara, for her part, didn’t even flinch- Someone who’s two years younger.

-Mom, aren’t you even going to let him in before you start arguing? He might be cold -Kya said as she gently nudged her mother and crossed the threshold.

-He’s not cold -Katara said dismissively- He’s using that old fire breath trick; he always does that every time he comes to the South Pole.

Zuko chuckled and exhaled a thin wisp of fire.

-Then you two should visit the Fire Nation this summer and show off your ice breath, and we'll be even... -he said as he walked past Kya and faced Katara- while I won't make the same mistake again. You made too much fun of me in the end, and I've decided I'll never return to this wasteland.

-And I hope I never see you again -Katara's face soon lit up with a smile- Oh, come here already, you big idiot.

The two old friends greeted each other with a warm hug as Kya returned inside the healing huts, then Katara and Zuko separated and also decided to enter.

Katara then quickly heads to one of the doors that leads to another part of the hut and then addresses her daughter- Kya, dear, why don't you take care of the hut for a moment while I take a break? Zuko and I need to catch up... I'll join you as soon as possible.

They watch as Kya nods, and then both Katara and Zuko proceed to enter the back of the cabin, the part that is Katara and Kya's home and where both old friends are set to catch up.- I saw Korra as I was heading to your healing hut -Zuko smiled as he remembered Korra's look when he saw her riding, and he knew how to recognize the determination in her eyes- She seemed to be a very energetic girl.

Katara shakes her head- Yes, she is, but she's also very stubborn... She's like a ball of enthusiasm and boundless energy, and she refuses to listen to me when I try to tell her not to overdo it or when I try to correct her -she said as he went to his kitchen and proceeded to drink a couple of cups of tea- She's talented; I just don't want her brashness to get in the way of her greatness.

Zuko arches an eyebrow- It's funny. I once met this young waterbender. She was impulsive and stubborn. But Agni was brave, very brave. -She avoids his gaze, but he doesn't miss the smile that forms on her mouth- Everyone told her that she wouldn't amount to much, but she refused to listen to them. She worked hard, very hard, until she became one of the most formidable masters of our time.

-Zuko -Katara only said his name as she returned to where he was sitting, put down the cups, took a teapot that she had already prepared, and proceeded to serve the tea.

While Zuko shrugs his shoulders and decides to continue- Sure, now, however, she seems more like a meek old woman, but still... Ouch! -He laughs when Katara punches him in the arm after serving the tea- Well, not so meek! -He playfully rubs the place on his arm where she hit him.

-You're an idiot, you know that? -Katara tells him without any enthusiasm.

-And yet... -he begins to say as he puts a hand on her shoulder- Under your guidance, she'll be fine, Katara.

Katara then allows herself a smile at that comment- Thank you, Zuko, you know Korra's firebending training is about to begin right now... you should see it.

...

-She does very well -Zuko said, watching as Korra practiced the basics of firebending. Her instructor, Master Yim, stood to the side and quickly corrected her movements when they weren't up to par.

While he acknowledged that Master Yim's methods were effective, Zuko still wished that one of his grandchildren would teach Korra when he found out she was transitioning to the element of fire, but between the Fire Nation duties Ursa had begun to take on and his grandson Iroh rising higher in the United Nations military, there were too many conflicts of interest and time to accomplish that.

-She's adapted to the element almost better than water -Katara replied as she watched Korra throw a punch that erupted into flames- The White Lotus was surprised, but at this rate, I think Korra would transition to air within a couple of years... As long as her "master" confirms that she has mastered the element.

Katara's emphasis on the word master brought a mocking smile to Zuko's lips, something that was also related to the idea of ​​the complex, even though he and Sokka had once been the most supportive of the idea.

As he watched Korra's movements, he could see that something was missing; Korra may have learned the techniques, but there was no passion or life to the movements.

Aang, on the other hand, knew the elements he could bend at his base far more than he knew their methods. Aang was never the strongest firebender, but he had a fluidity that Korra wouldn't learn here.

-She should have traveled -Zuko commented- Trained in water bending with you before joining one of Toph's daughters... she could learn something from Lin in Republic City... and my family would have welcomed her easily, Iroh would be a good choice, he would have had a much easier time teaching her there in Republic City than here.

-No offense to Iroh -Katara said in a serious tone, but Zuko could sense a flash of humor in what she was going to say next- but your grandson, while a grown man, is just like his grandfather in many ways, and he and Korra are the type to get into trouble together.

-How so? -Zuko asked, sounding a little annoyed by that.

-I'm not sure about that -Katara said with a shrug- But I can see them both messing with each other's pride just as easily as I can see them encouraging each other to do reckless and dangerous feats.

Suddenly, Zuko was reminded of the crazy adventures his grandson had gotten into with that infamous fleet of Northern Water Tribe ships, and then there was Korra's last escape from the complex due to a landslide that Katara had told him about when they were heading to the balcony. Maybe it was best that the two of them didn't spend too much time together.

-Although -Katara continued in a melancholic tone of voice- the reckless antics were sometimes the best parts, like that time Aang and I once blew up a factory together.

-I agree, I'm afraid they'll get into that kind of stuff, Korra and Iroh -Zuko replied- Aang and I went exploring ruins and discovered a lost civilization.

-And they danced -Katara said, a glint in her eyes as a smile graced her face.

Zuko sighed- And we danced -he repeated resignedly as they watched Korra bow to her master- Then again, I wonder if maybe we've been too protective of Korra.

-It's nothing that hasn't been done before -Katara said- Even Monk Gyatso wanted Aang to be a child before he was the Avatar.

-I suppose -Zuko muttered as an idea occurred to him- Do you think he'd adapt well to lightning?

-She's a lot like you -Katara replied as she looked at Korra, who became angry when she saw that she wasn't producing the fire that should have come out with the technique- I don't think lightning suits her well. She's skilled in many areas, but she has too much heart to reach the necessary mentality, at least at this stage of life.

Zuko nodded- I still want her to learn how to redirect, if possible, it could save her life, especially considering how common the art has become due to how more firebenders know how to take advantage of the use of lightning.

Katara's gaze fell on his chest, at the place where his scar was, which triggered the memory of how he had gotten it and what he did. Katara looked at him but quickly looked away when their eyes met. It seemed that they were both remembering that night.

-You should be the one to teach him -Katara murmured quickly, drawing Zuko's attention- Who better to teach the new Avatar than the old one's firebending master?

-Katara -Zuko said, his voice breaking as her attention focused on him- I... I don't know if I can teach him...

It wasn't what he meant, and the sadness settled in Katara's eyes, It wasn't what she wanted to hear from him. However, neither could say anything when a new voice caught both of their attention.

-Lord Zuko!

Both Zuko and Katara turned to Korra, who approached with a smile as she bowed respectfully to Zuko and looked at him without erasing her smile, interrupting the lesson that Master Yim was trying to teach Korra because the young woman as soon as she noticed the older man from the Fire Nation in the company of Katara was happy to see him.

She remembered him from a vague visit she had made many years ago. Maybe she can't remember much from that time, but she can remember him, either from the stories that Katara told her about her time with Avatar Aang or from some comments that came from Master Yim, something inside her knew who he was, and she was happy to see him again.

Zuko, on the other hand, upon seeing the young woman, got off the balcony and stood next to Korra, bowing respectfully to the young woman- I'm glad to see you again, Avatar Korra, just as I'm glad of the incredible progress you're showing in your training. I do not doubt that you'll become a great Avatar...

A clearing of the throat caught the attention of the trio, who turned to see Master Yim approaching- Of course, first, he has to properly master the element of fire -Stopping near Korra, he looked at Zuko and saluted- Lord Zuko what an honor to have you here..."

Zuko returned Yim's salute, a little reluctant to do so- It's also good to see you again, Master Yim. I hope Korra's training is progressing well...

Yim glanced sideways at Korra, who narrowed her eyes, but Yim just let out a sigh- Although he lacks discipline, he certainly shows progress. I just wish he would take a more serious approach to taking her classes that way, it would allow her to perform the advanced techniques better.

Zuko nodded without saying anything, although, of course, from what he could see, he clearly couldn't agree, it was clear that Korra performed several katas with good precision for someone her age, it was something else.

-It could be, but maybe it's something else that causes Korra to not generate the amount of fire that is expected -he turned to face Korra to ask- do you know the basic principles of firebending??

Korra nodded with annoyance- Firebending comes from breathing and self-control.

Zuko nodded with a smile- But also from your will -what he said caught Korra's attention- to do Firebending correctly, one must have "inner fire."

-Inner fire??

Zuko then remembered an old experience he had many years ago and said the following- Fire is the element of power, it is will and energy, it is what drives you to get what you want, it is what drives you, Korra...

Korra blinked in surprise as she turned towards the platform, she took a deep breath and thought about what drives her, what motivates her, she motivates her to prove that she is worthy of being Aang's successor, she motivates her to prove that she is the new Avatar, she motivates her to prove that she is ready to go out into the world.

Performing the same kata she was practicing before, Korra performs it effectively, and the result is a powerful and large stream of fire seeing it Korra is amazed by the result, she turns to see the trio of elders, Katara looks at her with a proud smile, Master Yim nods in approval, and Zuko looks at him with a slight smile at the sight of reliving an old memory.

Korra returned the smile that soon grew wider at the best idea he could come up with.

-Lord Zuko... would you stay and teach me Firebending??

...

"Why can't you teach me Firebending?! I mean, you're not the Fire Lord anymore, you could move to the South Pole and teach me," Korra exclaimed incredulously at the older man's refusal.

After he let loose his proposal, which had caused a scandal, Master Yim, leaving his stoic expression, was incredulous and outraged at the perception that the Avatar wanted to dismiss him so easily.

Katara looked surprised but then smiled silently, agreeing with the idea.

Zuko... was in shock at Korra's request, he just wanted to give Korra some advice that would help her in her training. He wasn't applying to replace his master, but despite his refusal, Korra was insistent until dinner time came, when everyone had gathered for dinner and to receive the guest of honor, but when dinner began, Korra brought up the matter.

The entire table had fallen silent while the elders of the White Lotus stared at Korra's sudden claim in surprise, Zuko cleared his throat to be able to answer.

-Although I have more time now that I have retired, I have some things in mind, I have thought about traveling the world trying to spread the message of peace.

Korra, who had gotten up from her seat, opened her eyes in surprise, not considering that the old man had other plans, she sat back down, a little embarrassed of her reaction but still didn't want to give up.- I just didn't understand, you could do it being my firebending master...

Zuko let out a sigh to answer- Korra, you already have a master, Master Yim is one of the best firebending masters in the world -from one side of the table, Yim nodded in agreement- you may not see it now, but in the long run you will be able to have a better perception of how effective his training is.

Korra snorted, not being convinced of that- But you are better than him, say it's not for nothing that they say that the Fire Lord is the most powerful Firebender in the world.

Zuko grimaced at that perception- Well... that's debatable...

Korra, seeing that she wasn't going to convince him by flattering him, decided to try something else- But, you trained Aang, and thanks to that, he was able to end the Hundred Years War... -she hoped that could convince him, but from what she saw it wasn't going to be like that, he would have to leave and then- wait, I already have it, if you say that you will travel the world spreading peace, then I can accompany you... it's perfect!

Korra responded with joy at the solution, of course, it was perfect if she could get Lord Zuko to agree to train her; it would certainly be good, but if she could get them to let her out of the complex, it would be even better.

-Of course not! You're not ready to go out into the world yet, and Avatar Aang ordered us to keep you safe until you mastered the four elements -The leader of the White Lotus, Buthi, quickly objected to the idea, hitting the table at the end to make his position clear.

Korra simply rolled her eyes in annoyance at the refusal- I understand, but I think keeping me locked up here as a prisoner is what he had in mind.

But Buthi looked at Zuko for help in convincing Korra that going out was not the best thing, to which Zuko resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

- It may not be the best thing... but there is always a time for everything Korra, just as a master does not show up until the student is ready, the time for you to reveal yourself to the world will come, but what we want is to make sure that you are ready to face your destiny...

I hope that with that, Korra could give up and accept that this was the best thing for her, although it was true that she did not like the idea of ​​keeping her locked up here, they did not know what could be waiting for her outside and that Korra may not be ready to face it.

Some people might want Korra for purposes unknown to them, dangerous people who would stop at nothing to get what they want, like the same four criminals who tried to capture a four-year-old Korra ten years ago.

Korra lowered her head, disappointed that Zuko refused, and disappointedly got up from the table and left without further ado.

...

The next day.

Packing his things on his mount, Zuko prepared everything for his trip to Republic City. He had spoken to Iroh yesterday, and his grandson got a free pass from the United Forces to receive his grandfather; hopefully, he would arrive in Republic City tomorrow morning.

Finishing packing his things, he proceeded to climb onto Druk, who was already ready to leave, he looked ahead and saw Katara and Kya, who were there to see him off, although he hoped Korra was there too; clearly, she was still disappointed that he had refused to be her firebending master, but she couldn't, even if she had taught Aang in the past, she had already done everything possible, the White Lotus can give Korra the masters she needs and she knows that with his help she will be better.

Without further ado, he tells Druk to rise to the skies and proceed to head to Republic City.

However, she didn't notice that, from a distance, near a cliff, Korra, with Naga behind her, was watching Zuko leave, possibly not to see him for who knows how long. She was sitting with her arms crossed, upset that Zuko couldn't teach her. He had given her a better lesson than any Yim had ever given her. He was even patient with her and knew what fire represented.

But he also had a more open perspective than Yim, clearly one that was due to the great knowledge of the world he had.

That also made her angry, not being able to go out into the world, staying locked in this place until the White Lotus decides that she is ready to reveal herself as the Avatar.

But then she remembered something...

...there is always a time for everything, Korra, just as a master doesn't show up until the student is ready, the time for you to reveal yourself to the world will come, but what we want is to make sure you are ready to face your destiny...

She looked out at the horizon, determined that she was the student, then she was ready, ready for the master, and Zuko had presented himself before her, ready to teach her, if this wasn't the time, then when would it be? Why should other people determine it? She is the Avatar, and she is ready to choose who she wants as her master, ready to go out into the world, and she is ready to face her destiny...

...

Later...

Without a doubt, Korra knows that she must be fast right now the guards of the White Lotus must think that she is asleep, without a doubt, no one will expect her not to be in her bed resting, sneaking through the complex, she walks until she reaches the stables, going down them is how she enters quickly before anyone can discover her.

Naga reacted, getting up from where she was sleeping. She woke up to the person who had appeared, reassured that it was Korra, but Korra didn't waste any time, the moment she stopped, she took Naga's mount and put it on her friend's back.

-Excellent night to escape, don't you think??

Korra tensed up when she heard Katara's voice behind her, she turned slowly to see her water-bending sifu watching her from the exit; it seemed that he guessed what she was going to do and came to make her reconsider and stay in the complex, but she can't do it, she has to let him know her decision.

-I have to do it... -Korra begins to say with determination as she advances determinedly toward Katara- I must find my path as Avatar

Katara closes her eyes with regret but then opens them once more with a smile on her face- I know you do... -Korra smiled when she saw that she understood and was grateful that Katara agreed- Aang's time is over, my brother and many of my friends are no longer here. Zuko is one of the few I have left, but I know that he will be the best to teach you firebending and can give you wise advice just as he gave it to Aang when he needed it... it is time for you and your generation to take charge of maintaining peace and balance in the world, and I think that you will be a great Avatar

Korra, happy to have Katara's support, rushes to hug her- Thank you.

Katara hugs her back, hoping and believing that Korra will be able to find her way- Goodbye, Korra...

...

At her parents' house, Korra was saying goodbye to the. She had arrived in the middle of the night, taking them by surprise, but then she revealed her decision to leave.

- Mom, Dad... I'll miss you.

Both Senna and Tonraq (although more Tonraq) had to accept their daughter's decision, even though she had wanted to leave the complex earlier, they knew that this was different. Korra was willing to pursue her destiny as Avatar, and whether they wanted it or not, she would do it with or without their permission- We love you so much, Korra...

Korra nodded with a smile to her parents as she turned around to get on Naga.

Senna looked into his gaze and squeezed his shoulder, to which Tonraq sighed and nodded to say goodbye properly- Please be careful and take good care of yourself... and remember that if we you need to do not hesitate to call us.

Korra looked at her father and nodded, once done, he threw Naga's reins, so she knew it was time to leave.

So, both began their journey toward Republic City.

...

Several days later - Republic City

The sound of a ship docking woke a sleepy Korra, who was leaning on Appa while they slept in a corner of a cargo ship's warehouse.

To obtain a free pass, but above all, to avoid being discovered by the White Lotus, Korra opted for an unconventional method of transportation, she could have used a Water Tribe ship, but it was not the best if the White Lotus were to discover her.

Luckily, ships came and went from the Southern Water Tribe to various parts of the world, and this one would take her to her destination, Republic City, from what she could deduce, they had already arrived.

-Naga, we're here! - she stood up excitedly as she prepared to leave. Now came the next part of the plan; they had boarded the ship, but they hadn't made their presence known, so they were stowaways to avoid any reprimand, leaving as soon as possible was the best.

Korra ran until she reached the boarding gate, which went down and showed the rays of the sun, she showed Korra the door to a whole new world, one that she was ready to discover, so getting on Naga, they headed at full speed to appreciate something new than anything she had seen before.

...

-Wow... look at this place - Korra said, amazed by the view of the metropolis in front of her, large buildings that adorned the city, aircraft flying over the city,y and many futuristic vehicles - I had never seen so many Satomobiles.

Naga continued moving forward until she reached the edge of the bay, and Korra could see it: a large statue of an air nomad with a staff with a symbol of the Air Nomads, with a guiding posture toward a better world.

The statue of Avatar Aang.

Korra looked at it with amazement and fascination, the sight of the monument of her past life, a great reminder of the great legacy that Aang left in this world and of the many achievements he achieved, which she would soon have to defend and preserve now.

She continued looking beyond the ba,y, and it was then that she saw something else, an Air Temple located on nothing more and nothing less than an Island.

-The Island of the Air Temple, that's where Tenzin lives - of course, she knew who lived there, Tenzin, the youngest son of Aang and Katara, as well as the person who would teach him Airbending once his Firebending training was finished.

Speaking of Firebending training.

-We're here, which means it's time to look for Lord Zuko... are you ready, friend?? -she said, looking at Naga, who began to sniff something to eat, which caught her attention, and she went straight to look for her- Ok... well, first food, then we look for Lord Zuko... it shouldn't be difficult...

...

Air Temple Island -A few hours later...

-Lord Zuko, it's a pleasure that you decided to visit us...

Zuko bowed to the family in front of him, a family from the Air Nation, headed by Aang's youngest son, Tenzin, who, upon learning that he was visiting the City, extended an invitation for him to come and visit the Temple.

For his part, Zuko had accepted, he had heard from Katara how the youngest of his children had just had his third son, an Airbender according to the words of his old friend and from what he could see on the tired face of Tenzin's wife, Pema, it seemed that she had been right.

-Thank you for inviting me, Tenzin -he bowed his head respectfully while smiling- I enjoy the visits I make to the Temple when I visit Republic City -he said, looking around the Island- your father would undoubtedly be proud to see how well you take care of this Temple.

Tenzin smiled gratefully at the words of the person who was his father's best friend. He was about to say something when a small streak of air passed by him and soon began to surround Zuko. A little girl was looking at the older man as she asked.

"Who are you? How do you know my father? How old are you and do you know my Gran Gran? Because she is very, very, very old like you. Are you a firebender? Are you dressed like one, so can you do firebending?"

Letting out a tired sigh, Tenzin approached the girl and stopped her from her hyperactive interrogation- Ikki, I've already told you about him, he's Lord Zuko, he was a good friend of my parents, your grandparents... please excuse him, he's always like this when we have visitors...

Zuko instead laughed lightly- He reminds me a bit of your brother Tenzin... he used to be like that at that age, too...

Tenzin simply rolled his eyes thinking about his brother Bumi, and at that perception, he could agree that his brother would be like that.

-Master Tenzin...

The voice of one of the air acolytes caught the attention of the three adults who turned to see the newcomer- What's wrong, Zhang??...

Zhang quickly decided to notify, a little nervous- A call from the Police Department... they say it's very urgent...

Tenzin raised an eyebrow, intrigued by that. Lin didn't usually call hi, he hadn't called him for years, not since... since the breakup, so it had to be something important- Oh really??, everything is very urgent with them...

Pema put a hand on her husband's shoulder to say- Dear, would it be better if you went to see what it's about?? It must be something very serious from the council...

Tenzin, although reluctant, had to agree, he just hoped it wasn't something too serious, things in Republic City were starting to get very tense lately, between the triads and the growing influence of the equalitarians, he knew everything was piling up.

-I just hope it doesn't take too long...

Pema smiled at him- I'll go with you; it helps so I can leave Meelo in his crib, and he can rest - she emphasized the baby she had in her arms, which she held carefully for fear that he would wake up.

Tenzin nodded and turned to his guest, who was entertaining himself with Ikki, when he noticed Tenzin approaching.

- Is there a problem??

- No, it shouldn't be anything serious. Don't worry, Lord Zuko, it will just take me a while to resolve whatever it is that you need me for, stay as long as you want, you're welcome... - Tenzin quickly went to discover what was so important that Lin had decided to call him.

Zuko, meanwhile, was confused and somewhat bewildered, although perhaps he was worrying too much, although Tenzin invited him to say hello, it didn't mean that he wasn't a councilor on the Republic City council.

However, that didn't take away the feeling that he was missing out on something else. It was a bit annoying, but he decided he would ask once Tenzin returned.

He let out a sigh as he proceeded to enter the Temple again.

When he then met one of Tenzin's daughters, Jinora, if he remembered correctly, taking him by surprise as he hadn't heard her arrive, and she looked at him with a kind smile while bowing.

-Lord Zuko, I have read and heard of many of your adventures, and I am dying to ask, what happened to your sister Azula??

Zuko at the quest, just sighed as he looked at little Jinora, who looked at him with an obvious illusion in her eyes so that he could tell the story, he looked at her again with a smile while saying- Well, you see, that is a very incredible story... it all started...

...

Chapter Text

...

The interrogation room she's escorted to immediately upon arrival is dark and clean, with a single light shining on the table. She's seated in a chair with shackles on her wrists. Generally, it's not Korra's favorite situation to find herself in. She'd broken the rules, and she'd broken some at the White Lotus Compound, but it'd never ended like this.

"Let's see..." a woman's voice sounded behind her. It belonged to one of the officers who had arrested her. She had come in recently and stared at him for a while before looking at something she had with her. "Multiple destruction of private and city property, not to mention resisting arrest... you're definitely in trouble, young lady." She slammed the table hard as she glared at Korra.

"But some thugs wanted to burn down the lord's house, and I just..."

This certainly wasn't going the way Korra would have liked. Being arrested after she stopped those Triple Threat men, one would expect her arrival in Republic City to be simple. She had only come to find Lord Zuko and see the city while she could, but things had gotten so complicated.

Naga's search for food led her to a food stand, and she realized that she didn't have any money to pay, so she had to look elsewhere. She searched a nearby park, which led to a disconcerting conversation with a homeless man in a bush, and then she had to flee from the police.

After that, the non-bender mentioned a group known as the Equalists and unfairly accused her of being a bender, and somehow, people supported him. She then wandered the streets, realizing she was lost and looking for directions, and then a group of thugs appeared in a Satomobile.

Terrifying some poor guy, and she, as the Avatar, couldn't let things like that happen. She immediately rushed to confront them. After underestimating her, the "Triple Threat" gang, as they called themselves, ended up running away like cowards before her, and she stopped them.

But then the police arrived to arrest them, and Korra couldn't understand why. She caught them and prevented them from escaping. The officer didn't seem to understand, so he tried to arrest her as well. Then she and Naga escaped, which led to another chase until they were caught, and it ended here.

"Silence!... You should have called the police and stayed away." The officer silenced her, dismissing her argument.

"But I couldn't just stand there and do nothing. I must help people!" With a tired sigh, Korra decided she had to tell the officer who she was.- "Look, I'm the Avatar."

"Oh," the officer said in an almost bored tone. "I know exactly who you are, and your title of Avatar might impress some, but not me."

Ugh, great. That didn't work. Time to try something else. Maybe she could request to speak to someone else... someone who might be willing to listen."

With a sigh, Korra looked at the officer with a determined look. "Okay, fine. Then I want to speak to whoever's in charge."

"You're talking to him... I'm Chief Beifong."

The mention of his last name took Korra by surprise, as she knew it well. "Wait... Beifong??! Lin Beifong??!!! You're Toph's daughter!" she exclaimed excitedly.

"What's up with that?" Lin crossed her arms, still unimpressed.

"Because he's treating me like a criminal. Avatar Aang and his mother were friends and saved the world together." She hoped that mentioning Aang would help her get out of there.

Lin dismissed Korra's comment with a wave of her hand. "That's ancient history... it has nothing to do with the mess you made. You can't just come here and dish out justice like you own the place."

Before Korra could say anything else, a hatch in the door opened, and the face of a metalbender appeared. "Chief, Councilman Tenzin is here..."

Korra's eyes widened in disbelief and alarm upon hearing that Tenzin had just arrived. He couldn't possibly have known she was in the city, could he? Things were getting more complicated.

Lin, for her part, rolled her eyes. "Uhg, let him in..."

She stood up from her seat while she waited for the aforementioned to decide to appear.

The metal door opened, and as it did, the figure of a tall, elderly man dressed in air nomad robes, with a long gray beard and a frown, appeared. He turned to Korra. Korra gulped, knowing who it was.

"Tenzin... listen, I'm sorry. I can explain..."

However, the aforementioned man took a deep breath, trying to control his anger, so he turned to Lin. "Lin, you look radiant as always..."

"Save your compliments, Tenzin. Why is the Avatar in Republic City? Shouldn't she be at the South Pole with her mother until she completes her training?

While Lin waited for an answer, Tenzin turned his gaze on Korra, giving her a look that told the latter she was in a lot of trouble.

"I don't know. It took me as much by surprise as it did you when I found out, but I'm already taking measures... The Avatar will return immediately to the South Pole where she will remain..."

Korra's eyes widened at what Tenzin had said; they wanted to send her back. "But..."

Tenzin and Lin, for the time being, ignored her as they exchanged glances again, while Tenzin said, "If you would be so kind as to drop all charges against Korra, I will take full responsibility for the events that occurred today and pay for all damages..."

"Ugh, all right, just get her out of my city." With a wave of his hands, the shackles on Korra's hands came loose and fell off. Relieved by this, Korra rubbed her wrists.

Tenzin sighed in relief at being able to convince her. "A pleasure as always, Lin... it's time to go, Korra..."

Without further ado, he left without even saying anything. Korra, as much as she didn't want to, had to get up and follow Tenzin, resigned. As they passed Lin, she turned to look at her. Before Korra left, she made a sign with her fingers that she would be watching her. Korra, offended by this, returned the gesture before crossing the door and leaving.

Lin, seeing this, was confused by Korra's senseless insinuation.

...

"Tenzin, please don't send me home," Korra said, hoping Tenzin wouldn't do what he had said he would.

He didn't want to return to the South Pole after leaving. How could he even return after everything he'd seen, after everything he'd experienced? Maybe things hadn't gone well since he arrived in the city, but it was real. Some things needed to be resolved, but after today, he couldn't return to the South Pole.

Even less so when he hadn't even achieved what he came for in the first place.

Tenzin, for his part, shook his head. "You disobeyed the White Lotus's orders, all because... what are you doing here in the first place?"

Tenzin still couldn't understand it. After the call he received from the police saying Korra had been arrested, he received a call from the White Lotus saying Korra had escaped from the South Pole and somehow made it to Republic City.

But aside from that, they still don't know why she did it in the first place. Korra had tried to leave the Compound before and succeeded several times, but nothing like this had ever happened before.

"Katara wanted me to come. She said my destiny was here, and..."

"Don't bring my mother into this!"

Seeing how upset Korra was, she decided to start over to make her point. "Listen, I came to find Lord Zuko. I want him to teach me. I know you wanted Master Yim to teach me, but he's not the master I need."

Tenzin, however, shook his head. "Lord Zuko is too busy right now, Korra. Besides, he agreed that Master Yim was the best option for your firebending training... and now that you mention it, he's upset about your act of rebellion. Do you have any idea how upset the entire South Pole is about you disappearing?!... you..."

"It's more than just that! I can't stay locked away and isolated from the world until I complete my training. That won't help me become a better Avatar. I know they want to prepare me to be that, but with Lord Zuko, I learned more about firebending in one lesson than I did with Yim after going over the same kata all day. If that's true, imagine what I could accomplish if he were my master and helped with things in the City. I've seen what happens, and things are getting out of control. They need me here to solve that."

Tenzin sighed, tired of Korra's insistence. He didn't understand why Korra couldn't just accept Yim and focus on training. If she's that stubborn, he doesn't want to think about what things will be like when it's time for her to move on to airbending, and now he, as the only airbender there is, has to be her master.

"Is this your Polar Bear Dog, Miss?" The voice of an animal control officer caught Korra and Tenzin's attention. They turned to see a young man who had Naga with him. The young man's hair was disheveled because of Naga.

Seeing it as an opportunity, Tenzin decided to end the conversation. "Stay here, don't move while I fill out the paperwork."

...

-...and while we were trying to get out of there, out of the blue, her grandfather Sokka decided to propose to Suki, all while we were trying to save the village from that typhoon...

Finishing his story, Zuko looked at the audience, which included Tenzin's daughters, Jinora and Ikki, a pair of Air Acolytes who had decided to listen to the stories the former Fire Lord had of his days with Avatar Aang.

Jinora opened her eyes in surprise, while Ikki listened to everything with his mouth agape, after hearing Azula's story, Ikki asked for a story about Grandpa Sokka as he had heard his father mention him once and wanted to know something about him, Zuko gladly told them about his old friend and what a great warrior and strategist he was, though he certainly doesn't regret telling them this story and how it was going to end once he told the denouement, regarding how Sokka's proposal went.

For the time being, Zuko was happy to remember all those adventures he lived decades ago. Although he couldn't always participate due to his job as the Fire Lord, he certainly helped do his part and is proud of the achievements that have been achieved.

Now that he has decided to retire, he can continue helping the world in other ways. People his age may decide to spend their time living their retirement, either by moving to other places or taking a well-deserved vacation, but Zuko will not get to that point yet. He had decided to move to live on Ember Island, but that does not mean that he will retire from public life. He can still be of help; there may always be something that they need him for.

You could do it by being my firebending master...

The memory of Korra's request crossed his mind, but he shook his head trying to dismiss it, she didn't need it, she already had all the help she needed, she would be fine, Korra needs to find her way to become the Avatar she is destined to be, Aang went through the same thing and exceeded expectations leading the world to an era of peace, and he did it by following his path, he learned during his journey everything he needed to be one, from the people he met he learned, he learned from Katara, from Sokka, from Toph...

-From me too - thought Zuko while reflecting - and I learned from him, and I still do...

But then the sound of a ship caught everyone's attention there. Zuko got up from his seat and looked through the railing at a ship that belonged to the Order of the White Lotus.

That certainly piqued his interest at his sudden appearance. As far as he knew, the White Lotus had nothing to do here. In the distance, he saw a couple of White Lotus sentries get off the ship and wait at the dock, he frowned at that.

"Lord Zuko?" the aforementioned turned in the direction of Pema, who was carrying her youngest son while looking at the old firebender with concern- I need to tell you something...

...

Sitting in a chair, Korra snorted, annoyed as she waited for Tenzin to leave, and once he returned, they would go straight to Air Temple Island where they would take her back to the South Pole.

Frowning, Korra was determined not to go back, she had to think of something to avoid that.

And then one of the metal doors opened, and a metalbender stepped out. "You're lucky you're not adults, boys, or else we'd have to put you in with the rest of your friends..."

With that, two young men close to Korra's age came out of the room. A young man with golden eyes with a red scarf tied around his neck, and dressed in grey and red, there was also a fourteen-year-old boy dressed in green and grey.

The officer put them in some chairs in front of where Korra was, The two boys sat down resignedly while the officer proceeded to walk down a hallway. "Wait here while I look for Child Protection. Don't move from here..."

Without further ado, the officer left while the two boys sat waiting. The youngest of the two, the one dressed in green, soon seemed to get bored and started looking at everything he could see in the room until he noticed Korra.

"Wait... It's you!" He gasped in amazement as he pointed at Korra. He quickly turned to the other boy and pulled his sleeve to say- Mako, you see? That's the girl who faced Viper, Two-Toed Ping, and Mushi.

The aforementioned paid attention to what he was saying and fixed his gaze on Korra. The girl gave him a sweet smile, but that only made Mako frown- Of course I remember her, Bolin; thanks to her we were arrested too...

Korra's smile twisted as she remembered that, of course those two boys were with the group of thugs and of course the firebender boy remembered her, because he had tried to stop her but then things took an unexpected turn, when he ended up kicking her ass with a water whip.

-That was quite a demonstration you did... I don't know how you did it without waterbending, because from what I could see, you're a waterbender, but you managed to crash Viper's Satomobile like it was nothing...

Korra smiled arrogantly as she crossed her arms- It wasn't a big deal, I'm an earthbender...

Mako opened her eyes slightly while Bolin was confused and hummed, trying to find an explanation for that. "Sorry then, now I'm confused. I thought I saw you doing waterbending because you're someone from the Water Tribe."

Mako then sighed as he lowered his head in shame- You're the Avatar, and I'm an idiot...

Korra hummed. "That's true."

Bolin stared at Korra in disbelief, stunned. "No... tell me..." He quickly turned to Mako, who looked unimpressed and frowned at her, making her feel like this was real. "The Avatar..."

Mako simply rolled her eyes. "Yes, the Avatar, and now, thanks to her, we're trapped here, including her..."

Korra frowned at the boy's stubbornness. However, a part of her couldn't help but agree. It was because of her that she ended up locked up in the first place. Now, she'd have to return to the South Pole unless she did something. Maybe run away, but she couldn't do that if she had nowhere else to go. She didn't know the city, and if she got out, it would only be a matter of time before they found her again. She needed a way to get around the city.

Then she saw the two boys in front of her and had a great idea.

"Listen, I'll make you a deal. If I get us out of here, then you'll help me on my mission..."

"After you got us arrested, why would we trust you?!"

Korra grimaced at the way he said it but wouldn't back down. "Well, you have a point, but from what I see, your friends will be here for a long time, so I don't think you have much of a choice."

Mako, however, wasn't going to listen any further. "Forget it..."

However, Bolin put a hand on her shoulder and said, "Mako, maybe we should listen to him."

Mako opened her eyes and looked at her brother. "What? Bolin, did you hit your head hard during the escape?"

The aforementioned shook his head. "No... well, maybe a little, but she's right. Zolt won't come for us or send someone to look after us, and we don't know where they'll take us after this... Besides, he's the Avatar. Do you think they'd dare go after us if we helped the Avatar?"

That might not be entirely true. They didn't know they wanted to send her back to the South Pole, so helping her might make things worse for them... but it wasn't something they needed to know. After all, it was for a good cause, and they managed to hide her long enough to avoid the police. They didn't want Tenzin to send her to the South Pole, and if he managed to find Lord Zuko, then everything would be better.

Mako thought about it for a moment, grunting and sighing in resignation. "Okay, okay... let's assume we accept your deal. How do you plan to escape? We're in a place surrounded by metalbenders; running away will be very difficult."

"Not if we have a means of escape fast enough..."

She said that last bit as she looked at Naga, who was nearby, being guarded by the same officer who looked like he wanted to be anywhere but there.

...

In a luxurious Satomobile, a young woman with green eyes and Fire Nation features was staring out the window, looking out at the streets of Republic City. She was being taken home. Although bored, she planned to spend the day with her father after he had time. However, he canceled at the last minute, saying that an associate of his wanted to talk about a private project he was working on.

And while she could understand that her father was busy, she couldn't help but feel disappointed.

At least he promised to make it up to her later, and she could hold on to that.

Her car was about to continue moving when suddenly, a large white beast appeared out of nowhere in the middle of the street, taking her car and others by surprise. Her driver and the other drivers quickly braked as the beast, which appeared to have three people on top of it, sped away.

The moment it left, police sirens began to wail, and she noticed a couple of patrol cars following the beast. The girl opened her eyes in surprise at the apparent pursuit.

...

"Is this your idea for escaping?!" Mako shouted angrily as he looked at the police cars approaching behind them.

Korra, hearing this, rolled her eyes. "Excuse me. If you had another idea, you could have said it..."

Mako frowned. "How was I supposed to think of anything? You didn't give us time to do anything. You hit the guy who was guarding your Polar Bear Dog, you got on him, and then the officers reacted..."

"Mako, we could discuss this after losing the officers!" Bolin, who was behind his brother, shouted as he pointed behind him where the police cars were speeding toward them. Although Naga, thanks to the training Korra had given her, had good endurance, the police vehicles were certainly a new challenge, and she couldn't avoid them forever.

Mako looked from Korra to the Patrols and nodded in agreement. She took in their surroundings and got an idea of ​​where they were and where they might go to hide. She fixed her gaze on a busy street that could block the Patrols' path and said, "Turn here. If we continue this way, we could lose them in Dragon District. Their patrols won't be able to follow us."

Korra looked straight ahead at Mako. Seeing a possible exit, she nodded and gave instructions to Naga. Her friend roared in agreement and veered into the street, catching several people by surprise. They stepped aside to avoid the Polar Bear Dog running wildly.

The police stopped at the obstacle. Some went to possible exits to intercept the boys, others ventured to walk along the route they had chosen.

Korra's group, meanwhile, continued down the street. Even so, the street wasn't that long, and their detour would soon end. However, Mako knew this, but there was still a way out of this, and she soon saw it when they were not far from it.

"Get into that alley. If we go in there, it'll be impossible for them to reach us."

Korra nodded. "Come on, Naga, straight to that alley!"

The aforementioned responded with a bark and headed for the alley, which looked like it had obstacles that wouldn't be a problem for her. She was skilled at getting around obstacles, effectively dodging, jumping, or climbing over them. Naga made her way through the alley until she soon found herself exiting it and arriving at a new part of Republic City, where no police officers were seen following them; they had been left behind.

"They're not following us anymore," Bolin exclaimed in confirmation.

Mako nodded with a smile upon seeing that they had escaped. He looked at Korra, who also looked at him with a triumphant smile. However, they both soon realize that they weren't friends but rather means to an end. They put aside the emerging sense of camaraderie and returned to the situation.

"Dragon District is up ahead. If we go there, there will be some places to hide," Mako said with some seriousness.

Korra nodded with the same seriousness and gave instructions to Naga, who soon headed there.

...

They found possible refuge in a theragon Ward Library. Besides being a very common sight, it was nighttime and locked. Korra instructed Naga to hide nearby while Korra, Mako, and Bolin took shelter inside. Korra and Mako aid so. Bolin suddenly said he had something to do and left before anyone could do anything.

Mako instantly growled in annoyance at the thought of where his brother would go. That left Korra and Mako in the Library wondering where to go after all this happened. And also as a chance to get to know each other better.

"Come to think of it, what are a couple of kids like you doing with people like the Triple Threat? Where are your parents?" Korra asked curiously.

Mako looked skeptically at Korra, not knowing if he could trust her. Although she had done her part in getting them out of there, in a way, revealing that part of his past was another matter. He looked briefly and saw no malice in her eyes, but rather genuine curiosity, the kind that was interested in him and his brother. He didn't know if it was because of that or something else, but he decided to say it. "Bolin and I have been orphans for years. Since then, we've wandered the streets and had to work for the Triple Threat to survive."

Korra opened her eyes in surprise. "I'm sorry, that must have been hard... Can I ask what happened to your parents?"

Mako then remembered what had happened, and sadness and pain filled him as he said, "They were attacked by a firebender... They were killed right in front of me. I was eight years old."

"Mako..." Korra reached out and squeezed Mako's shoulder in a sign of support, trying to build confidence so she could continue.

That worked, as Mako soon continued, "Bolin is the only family I have left. I'll do whatever it takes to keep him safe and to keep us from being separated..."

Korra nodded while she sighed. "I... didn't grow up here. I was raised in the Southern Water Tribe." Mako turned her attention as Korra told her story. "However, I didn't get to live a normal childhood. Being the Avatar means I already had a set destiny. I grew up far from everything, focusing solely on learning the four elements... I'm not complaining. They took care of me and I lived a good life... but I couldn't go out, I couldn't do other things... I felt trapped there."

Mako nodded at that prospect. "It couldn't have been easy."

Korra sighed but didn't deny it. "Right now, I'm in training to become a firebender, but... the teacher who's supposed to teach me isn't what I need; it must be someone else. I came here to find him so I can finally get out of the South Pole."

Mako raised an eyebrow at that. "Well, I don't know who you could find here for that, unless you're looking for a pro-bending player..."

Korra perked up, hearing this. "That would sound good. I've always wanted to see a Pro-Bending match."

Mako smiled at her. "Yeah, they're pretty good, but it would be even better to compete in one... Bolin and I want to enter one. We decided to skip the Triple Threat and do just that..."

Korra grimaced at this, then made a guilty face. "And then I showed up and complicated everything, right?"

Mako exhaled but shook her head. "Maybe... but we knew the consequences of joining the Triple Threat, and even now, you got us out of Police Headquarters. We've come this far, and even though we haven't gotten what we wanted yet, that doesn't stop us from continuing to fight for it."

Korra smiled in agreement. Just because she hadn't gotten it didn't mean she should give up. It was nice to identify with someone who, despite having a tough time, decided not to give up.

"How about we start over?" Korra turned to Mako and extended her hand in greeting. "Nice to meet you, Korra."

Mako looked at her in surprise but instantly smiled and extended his hand in return. "Mako."

Then they heard the sounds of footsteps, someone just arriving. They both became alert, getting up from where they were and standing near one of the bookshelves. Something was walking toward them. They were both ready for anything. They didn't know who it could be, so when they heard it near the shelf where they were hiding, they quickly ran out, taking it by surprise.

It was Bolin, who yelled in surprise, as did the thing he was carrying.

Mako and Korra, recognizing him, dropped their fighting stance.

"Bolin? What's wrong with you? We almost attacked you!" Mako scolded him, frowning.

Korra nodded. "He's right, anyway. Where did you go?"

Bolin cheered up at that and took the Fire Ferret he had with him and showed it to him. "I couldn't leave this little one alone for too long. Pabu needed to know he was okay, and since we don't know how long we'll be on the run, I decided to bring him with us."

"You brought that Fire Ferret?" Mako said, frustrated. "It's one thing to let you keep him, but going after him is risky, Bolin. They're looking for us, and we don't know how long it will take them to find us."

Bolin nodded nonchalantly. "Relax. The two guys who came in didn't notice us. They continued on their way as if nothing had happened and went through the basement."

"Wait... two guys what??" Both Korra and Mako ran in the direction Bolin had mentioned, seeing the problems those two guys Bolin mentioned could cause if they had noticed them without being noticed."

...

Finding a group of chi blockers inside a warehouse beneath the library was unexpected. The only sounds were the muffled thuds of chi blocking practiced on mannequins and the trainers' grunts of affirmation.

The kids watching from the half-closed door took in everyone involved as well as the warehouse's decor. There were banners with symbols and a larger banner of a masked man.

"They're chi blockers. They're Amon's henchmen," Mako whispered as she watched.

Korra opened her eyes and looked at Mako. "Amon? The anti-bending guy, is that him?"

She'd heard Amon's name from the guy at the library but hadn't gotten a good look at him until now.

Mako nodded. "Yes, he's the leader of the Equalists, and it looks like we've entered one of their headquarters..."

He said as they watched an Equalist recruit harshly hit a training dummy.

The trainer at his side nodded. "Very well, but it's not just random force; it's directed force, Ping. Concentrate it in the direction of the body's points. A Master will never expect that, and they will be vulnerable."

The aforementioned Ping nodded and repeated the exercise more harshly.

Seeing this, Mako decided they didn't need to see any more. "It's not safe to stay here... we have to go..."

"But..."

"What are you doing here? This is not a place for children!"

Someone caught them from behind and grabbed Bolin's shoulder, to which they reacted instinctively. Bolin tried to break free, but the guy's grip tightened. Korra jumped over him, throwing a rock from the wall while Mako grabbed her brother and knocked the guy down. However, the noises alerted the others to the boys' presence. They opened the door, and the three stood still for a moment before the guy who surprised them pushed them into the warehouse, surrounded by all the Equalists present.

"Those kids are benders!"

And then all hell broke loose.

...

Tenzin couldn't believe Korra was disobeying him.

Arriving with Oggi at the last place they'd seen her, Tenzin got out and headed to where Lin, accompanied by a couple of officers, were searching the scene while simultaneously determining routes they could have gone and others they couldn't.

"Any news?" he said, drawing the attention of Lin and her officers, ordering them to continue searching. They quickly nodded and left, leaving the two Masters behind.

Lin shook her head in frustration. "Nothing. Somehow, that girl slipped under the radar. My officers are subtly scouring the streets as we speak."

Tenzin certainly appreciated that. The last thing he needed was for people to start finding out Korra was in the City. There are certainly people who would take advantage of the Avatar's decision to reveal herself, and the last thing Tenzin needed right now was dealing with people like Tarrlok who would only complicate things.

"How did she get so far? Korra's never been to Republic City before. She doesn't know her way around here enough for us to lose sight of her."

Lin then sighed in frustration. "She wasn't alone. A couple of Triple Threat guys were with her. If anyone knows how to navigate the City, it would be them."

Tenzin, hearing this, was incredulous. Incredulous that Korra had decided to leave with two gangsters. What was wrong with that girl? Didn't she understand the risk?

"This just complicates things even more..."

"I guess it's good she's here, then."

Lin and Tenzin turned to face the person who had arrived, watching Zuko's figure slowly approaching. The metalbending officers, observing him, moved away, murmuring among themselves at the sudden appearance of the now former Fire Lord.

"Lord Zuko, what are you doing here?" Tenzin took a step forward, confused as to why the old firebender had decided to come.

"I came because I'm worried about Korra, which you were hiding from me, Tenzin," Zuko said in a serious tone as he looked at Tenzin. "Luckily, your wife, who was very worried, alerted me of the situation, and I came as soon as I could."

"Lord Zuko, the situation is under control. You don't have..."

"And it's good that I came. You need my help finding her," Zuko continued, ignoring Tenzin and advancing toward the duo, who stepped aside while Zuko stood in front of them. "Lin, would you be kind enough to tell me what you have so far about Korra?"

Lin, regaining her formality, nodded as she said, "Apparently, that girl and two others with her, a firebender and an earthbender belonging to the Triple Threat Triad, caused a disturbance here and then fled..."

"So you did, and why did they run away in the first place?"

Tenzin sighed and said, "I'm afraid it was because of Korra. She's determined not to return to the South Pole and convince him that she's not going to return to the South Pole that you teach her firebending."

Zuko's good eye widened in surprise at what Tenzin had said. He hadn't expected Korra to go through with it, though his persistence had been notable, but he hoped he'd convinced her. It seemed Korra was more stubborn than he'd thought.

"If Uncle Iroh were here right now, he'd tell me this feels very familiar to him," Zuko thought reluctantly.

"I see. So if Korra is hell-bent on this, we'll have to do everything we can to find her."

Tenzin sighed in agreement. "But how will we do it?" Republic City is very big, they could be anywhere right now...

Lin nodded in agreement. "Even more so if we only consider nearby places, but if we go further, there are the docks, the central station, the lower districts..." With a tired sigh, she said, "This could take a long time..."

"Kids, you're talking to someone who has experience searching for the Avatar. This isn't new to me. Your parents got into worse trouble when they were Korra's age, otherwise, I'd know," Zuko said as if he were telling a funny anecdote. He soon raised his hand to his beard and began stroking it while he thought. "This is easily solved. If there's one thing I know for sure, it's that Aang tended to get into trouble involving dangerous people. You say Korra was with two members of this Triad. One possibility is them, but my intuition tells me Korra won't be there, but will want to get away from them, which leads me to ask... where else?" Can Korra go and cause even more problems?

Lin and Tenzin, upon hearing her reasoning, don't think twice and come to the same conclusion. There's only one answer to that, and it's not at all favorable.

The Equalists.

...

Later...

"This girl sure knows how to attract attention," Zuko said, impressed by what he saw as he looked at the building across the street, which looked somewhat damaged. It may also bring back a bit of nostalgia, remembering how he had to get Aang out of the Pouhai Fortress many decades ago, watching from a Republic City Police patrol car.

After it was determined that Korra might be heading into territory where the Equalists were present, Lin mobilized her officers to search for the young Avatar. Zuko volunteered, deciding to accompany Lin on her patrol while Tenzin kept an eye on things by air with Oggi.

They were searching Dragon District when they noticed Korra's Polar Bear Dog. Noticing the danger to her friend and the new friends she had made, she ran off in search of someone who could help her.

Fortunately, she was able to find Zuko, who recognized her as Korra's guide animal. They followed her until they reached their current location.

Beside her, Lin, who was driving, placed a hand on the bridge of his nose as he growled in frustration. He looked at the building again and decided not to let things be. "I've got the Avatar in my sights..."

He quickly got out of his patrol car and prepared to rush into action.

"Lin, I don't doubt you can... but don't you want some backup?" asked the older man, still seated, hoping Lin would wait, but she just shook her head respectfully.

"Calm down, Lord Zuko. I know how to deal with things like this."

Without further ado, he ran straight to the building.

Zuko sighed, slightly disappointed. However, Tenzin's Bison soon jumped out, and then Tenzin himself jumped out and headed for the fight as well.

Lin immediately opened the wall inward, sending bricks flying all over the Equalists' training room, taking them and Korra's group by surprise. Lin soon descended, alarming the Equalists upon seeing the Police Chief. Some brave souls rushed to try and stop her, but Lin was faster. Two metal whips emerged from her armor, which she quickly entangled with some, raising rock fragments that she then directed at others.

Some of the Equalists, seeing that they couldn't confront Lin, decided to escape. Signals were sent, and then several threw canisters that began to release tear gas to ensure their escape. However, the gas was dissolved by bursts of air. Tenzin had also joined the conflict, quickly sending bursts of air in the direction of the Equalists to prevent them from escaping.

Korra's eyes widened in surprise as she saw the new direction of the fight and how the Equalists were trying to escape. She looked to the side and saw a pair fleeing through another exit.

"Oh, no! They won't!"

She immediately went in pursuit of those two, much to the siblings' surprise.

"Korra!"

Mako and Bolin went straight to accompany her; it wasn't wise to chase them, not knowing what surprises and traps might await them in an Equalists' lodge.

Korra crossed the door and saw that the stairs she, Mako, and Bolin had descended led them to the Library above. They would surely want to escape that way, not if she had anything to say about it. Climbing up to the Library, she ran through the various stacks, hoping to find them and return the favor for the confrontation she had received. However, the further she ran, the more she couldn't find them. Soon, she reached the entrance of the Library, unable to find them.

Mako and Bolin arrived at her side, panting from the long run, though they also remained defensive about whatever might be coming, but nothing could be heard inside the Library.

"They shouldn't be far. They're probably still in here," Korra said as she began to continue searching, but then Mako stopped her.

"Listen, I don't think..."

She couldn't finish because the sound of a Satomobile starting up caught her attention, as well as Korra and Bolin's. They looked outside and saw a Satomobile starting up at full speed, trying to escape.

The kids immediately went outside and saw the two Equalists they were chasing in the Satomobile.

"How are we going to catch them now?"

Korra smiled at the thought, and soon, with a whistle, she found herself calling out to Naga, her faithful friend. She heard the call from where she was standing, next to Zuko, listening to everything. Taking the old firebender by surprise, the Polar Bear Dog's sudden actions took the old firebender by surprise. Naga excitedly began running toward Korra, heading toward the entrance of the Library and standing in front of her and her friends. Korra, happy to see her, climbed onto her back and prepared to chase the Equalists.

However, Mako and Bolin soon jumped on as well, much to Korra's surprise.

"Wait, you didn't say..."

Mako didn't let her-"Let's leave that for later. We have a couple of Equalists to stop."

"Let's go!" Bolin shouted excitedly.

He soon reached Korra, nodding and signaling Naga to advance. Her friend began running straight to intercept the Equalists. However, the boys didn't know that someone else was also watching them.

...

Driving through the city, Ping and his brother were escaping the raid. It had started as simple as that. Ping took his brother's advice to join the Equalists' cause. After the treatment they received from the Masters, it was clear it was time to act. He believed in Amon, and he was sure he would bring equality to Republic City.

But thanks to that trio of kids, the police found one of their training rooms, and now they're escaping for their lives. At least they left them behind.

Or so he thought until he heard the sounds of an animal trying to catch up with them. He looked back and saw the same boys who were responsible for everything. They were riding a Water Tribe beast, from what he could see. But honestly, that didn't matter to him. He wanted to get even for what they did. He looked at his brother, and he thought the same thing. They nodded, and soon his brother drove to take them to a nearby alley.

The boys followed them, but they had the advantage here. They quickly jumped out of their vehicle and prepared to attack. The boys, though skilled, were no problem. They approached quickly, taking them out one by one until all three fell beyond their control.

They quickly tied them up with a rope they had.

This was perfect; they could undress the children, leave them here, or take them to Amon; the possibilities were endless.

But then the sounds of police sirens were heard. The two Equalists reacted to the arriving patrol car, from which Zuko jumped out as he ran toward them.

The two Equalists, seeing that it was only an old man in the patrol car, decided to get rid of him quickly. It would be an easy task that only one of them could handle. The one dressed in green ran to confront him.

Zuko quickly parried and prepared a fire attack to stop him. The Equalist masterfully dodged the attack, leaping forward and managing to get close to Zuko, ready to block his chi.

However, Zuko had grown up and trained with Ty Lee many times to know how to react to attacks like this. He quickly stepped back, positioning himself at range, and charged a powerful and large blast of fire that the Equalist couldn't dodge.

The other Equalist and the three children watching the fight widened their eyes in surprise at the old firebender's agility and how he could get ahead of the chi block.

Zuko, for his part, smiled. "You think I don't know that technique? Compared to Ty Lee, you're no match."

Following that, he prepared a stream of fire that he launched directly at the second Equalist, who jumped to the side and ran at full speed, determined to knock the old firebender down. However, that allowed Korra and her friends to free themselves.

"We have to get out of here and help Lord Zuko," Korra said, trying to free herself from the ropes that had her tied up.

Bolin, who was standing in awe, watching the fight, soon heard the familiar sounds of Pabu. He turned his head and saw that Pabu was approaching them, and something occurred to him.

"Pabu!" The fire ferret sat down behind Bolin to listen intently. "Listen, friend."

He made chewing sounds with his teeth as he looked at Pabu with a smile, while Korra and Mako looked at him in disbelief.

"Stop messing around, Bolin," Mako said, angry that Bolin didn't see the seriousness of the situation.

Bolin looked at his brother and Korra, hoping to convince them. "Don't you see? I'm trying to get us out." He turned his attention back to Pabu and repeated the same gesture.

It seems Pabu understood this because he soon began chewing on the ropes.

Zuko, for his part, took charge of keeping the Equalist at a distance with a fire whip. Its long range prevented the Equalist from advancing, as the moment he dodged it, the attack followed him. However, there was still a chance to win. His partner soon recovered and joined the fight. Zuko had noticed this, too, but that was fine. He may not have his old skill and dexterity, but he more than made up for it with a wealth of experience.

He got rid of the whip and let the Equalists advance, these two ran at full speed to incapacitate the old firebender when he decided to end this, creating swirling bursts of fire around him causing the Equalists to not be able to get close, so he soon joined his hands, concentrating the bursts of fire and then separated them, causing the streams of fire to expand, taking the Equalists by surprise who tried to dodge them, but the expansion of fire in the dome made it nowhere to go to avoid them, hitting the two full on, knocking them down and leaving them defeated.

Just at that moment, Korra, Mako, and Bolin were able to free themselves. The Equalists were recovering from the defeat, they noticed Zuko's scar and that was when they realize who was fighting them, they soon saw the boys approaching. If they stayed, the fight wouldn't go in their favor, especially if the former Fire Lord was there. They looked at each other for a moment and nodded. They got up and proceeded to escape. They got into their vehicle and fled.

By the time they did, the three boys had arrived and saw their escape.

"That's it, you better run!" Korra said, confident that they fled because they saw she was free.

Mako nodded at her side. "We got them to leave, so we're safe."

Bolin nodded in agreement, but then he noticed Zuko, and his mouth fell open. "It can't be... It's Lord Zuko! It's unbelievable!"

Mako quickly pulled away and looked at Zuko with an embarrassed expression. "Mmm, excuse my brother... It's a true honor to meet you, sir." After saying that, both he and Bolin respectfully greeted Zuko, bowing to him.

Zuko smiled and bowed to them, returning the greeting. "It's a pleasure to meet you too..."

Zuko looked at the group of children while he decided what to do. He knew the next decision he made would be very important, and he didn't know if he'd regret it or be glad he made it. It would probably be the latter.

"Lord Zuko... are you there?"

The sound of the radio caught the four of their attention. Zuko looked at the children and then at the patrol car's radio. He headed to the patrol car and grabbed the radio. He hurried to answer, "I'm here, Tenzin. Korra is with me, and she's safe."

Tenzin, from the other side, sighed in relief as he said, "Stay there. We'll be right there. After that, we'll send Korra straight to the South Pole. We shouldn't drag it out any longer."

Korra, Mako, and Bolin also listened, which saddened Korra and made both Mako and Bolin look at her with pity. Even though they had a rough start, they had grown to like each other and also made a good team, kicking Equalist ass. It was a shame it all had to end like this.

Zuko, for his part, looked at Korra and then at the two boys. He was impressed by the camaraderie he'd come to notice between them, a feeling that reminded him of his days at the Western Air Temple when he'd first joined his friends. These boys were building something similar, and it was a shame to have to end it now.

Although it didn't have to be that way.

Coming out of his thoughts, Zuko returned his attention to the conversation he was having with Tenzin over the radio. "Tenzin, there's been a change of plans... Korra needs a severe punishment for running away... and as I recall, your father considered my firebending training very harsh..."

Korra opened her eyes, as did Mako and Bolin, and Tenzin himself on the other end of the line.

"Lord Zuko..."

"I've decided that Korra needs to start her firebending training from scratch. I think a training trip would be right for her," he said with a smile as he looked at Korra, who also began to smile.

"What?" Tenzin, on the other end of the line, was incredulous at Zuko's sudden decision. "But... she must continue her training at the South Pole like you..."

"Her firebending training and how it will be will be decided by her firebending sifu, which is me. Once she transitions to air bending, you'll have your chance to decide." He spoke every word with the same seriousness he had when he was Fire Lord, but Korra, Mako, and Bolin could all see the mischievous glint in Zuko's eyes, which caused smiles and light laughter among the three of them. "Besides, this will be a great experience for her and will help her become a better Avatar... Or do you differ on that goal?"

Tenzin didn't know how to respond to that, so all he could do was sigh heavily as he thought about what to say. "I'll contact my mother and let her know your plans for Korra's training."

Zuko nodded. "Fine, but from what I understand, your mother already knows... she knew all along what Korra was planning and still let her go."

Tenzin couldn't find a way to refute that, so with a sigh of resignation, he agreed. "At least let them notify us where you're supposed to be going during your training."

Zuko heard her plea and concern and decided to at least grant her that much. "Fine, I'll contact you to arrange that. In the meantime, I want the charges against the boys traveling with Korra dropped. I'll plead their case if necessary, but they won't be locked up again."

Tenzin nodded at that concession. "I'll contact Lin and let her know about your request."

Zuko smiled at that. "Fine, now we'll head to Air Temple Island. We should continue planning the details there."

Tenzin nodded. "I'll finish up here and join you there then. Just don't take too long."

"Don't worry, I'll see you there, Tenzin." Ending the conversation, Zuko put down his radio while he prepared for what was coming.

"That was incredible," Bolin said as he ran toward Zuko.

Zuko laughed softly at the boy's hyperactivity, while Mako and Korra approached him as well.

"I agree," Mako said, approaching his brother and trying to calm him down while they continued to stare at Zuko.

Korra then said, "Will you be my firebending master?"

Zuko stared at her and nodded. "I suppose you were right. I can still be of help by helping you become the great Avatar I know you will become one day. I just wanted you to do it by forging your path and forging your destiny."

Korra smiled at Zuko's response. "Well, you know what they say. Isn't destiny a funny thing?"

The phrase made Zuko very nostalgic, remembering who had said it to him first. "You're right. It seems my responsibility to the Avatar isn't over, and if my destiny is still tied to helping him, then I will help you on your journey."

With that, he bowed respectfully to Korra in the Fire Nation style. Korra returned the gesture, accepting her new master.

"I suppose this is goodbye, then..."

Returning to the present, Korra noticed Mako and Bolin, who were nearby but now seemed to be saying goodbye. Then Korra realized that now that the adventure was over and she had achieved what she wanted, they no longer had to continue accompanying her.

She couldn't help but feel disappointed that they must now part ways after what they had experienced in the last few hours.

"I have no problem with your friends joining us, Korra," Zuko said, drawing the attention of the three, who remained hopeful that this wasn't the end of their new friendship. "After all, Aang had a Team Avatar who accompanied him on all his adventures, and it seems you've found yours."

"So... Team Avatar?" Korra looked at the pair of siblings, who looked at her with a smile.

"After today? How could anyone refuse?"

"Oh yeah!" Bolin cheered as he hugged Korra and Mako. "The new Team Avatar has arrived. Watch out, Republic City. Who knows what new adventures await us now!"

"I would advise you to rest," Zuko said in a serious tone as he looked at Korra. "If you're learning from me, you'll get used to waking up with the sun," Zuko said, crouching in her space, trying to sound firm. "Firebenders rise with the sun, so you should too... especially tomorrow. We'll start early with a trip to the Fire Nation... if you're going to start over in firebending, you'll learn from the source like Aang and I did..." He said the last part with a smile, as memories of how he and his old friend went together to the ruins of the Sun Warriors on a trip that changed both of their lives began to creep back into his memory. It seems he'll be taking that same path again with an Avatar...

Meanwhile, Xiànshí watched from the sky, satisfied with the outcome...

...

With a new path to follow, the life of an old hero has crossed and joined with a new generation of heroes, and together they will create a new course of possibilities to discover...

...

Unknown location...

Inside an Equalist base, a man with a pair of Kali staffs on his back was entering a room where several high-ranking figures from the Equalist group were discussing new recruitment plans and expanding their ranks.

Among them was a hooded man watching from the center. He noticed the man who had entered and looked at him curiously. He crossed the room, drawing everyone's attention when he began to tell them what he had to report. The hooded man's eyes widened in surprise at the story.

"Amon, how do you expect to handle this?" The man with the Kali staff stared at his leader for an answer.

However, Amon turned to a map of Republic City while he considered this new problem.

"So, the Avatar arrived much earlier than expected. We must speed up our plans..."

...

However, that's another story...

Chapter Text

Time

Space

Reality

It's more than a linear path... it's a prism of unlimited possibilities... where a single choice can divide into infinite realities and create alternate worlds to those you already know... I am Xiànshi, the spirit of reality. I am your guide to these vast new realities. Follow me and consider the question... what if?

Ba Sing Se is considered a city of walls and secrets, as well as an impenetrable bastion. During the final year of the Hundred Year War, Team Avatar arrived in the city from a new attack by the Fire Nation, saving it from imminent danger and holding out hope of finding what they were looking for there... but what they found was nothing like what they expected...

...

Walking through the streets of the Middle Ring, a group of Water Tribe men walked through the quiet streets. It was early in the morning, and it was understandable that no one would get up so early to see a contingent bringing foreign allies.

Alongside them, a group of Earth King soldiers walked with them. Although they had tried to engage them in conversation, the soldiers weren't interested in them and simply continued walking.

One of the Water Tribe warriors approached another who was leading the others.

"Hakoda, this is a little strange," a man said to his leader, although he said it in a low voice.

Hakoda looked at him for a moment and nodded in agreement. "You don't have to tell me, Bato. I don't like all of this at all. I have the feeling something else is going on... whatever it is..."

"Welcome, warriors of the Water Tribe." A familiar voice interrupted Hakoda and Bato's conversation. They both turned to look and saw a boy dressed in the armor of a non-bender soldier of the Earth Kingdom, but his face was unmistakable to the duo, especially Hakoda.

"Sokka?? Sokka!" Without thinking twice, Hakoda ran to hug his son. The Water Tribe warriors approached, happy to be greeted by a familiar face. They approached to greet Hakoda's son, who only looked at them indifferently.

"Chief Hakoda, it's good to see you've decided to join Long Feng's army," Sokka said in a monotone that disconcerted Hakoda and caused him to break away from the hug he was holding his son.

"What? Sokka, what are you talking about? We came here to ally, but I didn't expect to find you here. I'm happy to see you here, son," he said with a smile, hoping Sokka would see the joy in him, but Sokka continued to look at him indifferently, causing Hakoda's smile to falter.

"It's good that you decided to cede your fleet to Long Feng's army. Thanks to your help, my Lord will emerge victorious in this war..."

This further disconcerted Hakoda, who soon said cautiously, "Sokka, I will not relinquish my leadership of the fleet. Besides, we are people of the Water Tribe, not the Earth Kingdom. I came to meet with the Earth King..."

"You and yours will serve Long Feng and the Dai Li... in one way or another." Sokka then drew a sword and began attacking his father, to the complete surprise of his father and the other Water Tribe warriors. But they were unable to do anything when the Earth King's soldiers soon joined the confrontation, attacking them from behind.

It was like a fight.

Hakoda was trying to avoid his son's attacks while looking for a way not to hurt him.

"Sokka, stop! It's me! I'm your father!"

"I live to fight for Long Feng and the Dai Li," Sokka replied, ignoring his father's words.

Hakoda drew his weapon and blocked his son's attack. He looked around, trying to find something he couldn't harm his son with. As he did, he noticed the Earth King's soldiers confronting his men, and more arriving too quickly to capture them.

"No!"

Bato, who was standing near him, was fighting an earthbender who quickly knocked him down with a shard of earth and was about to take him with him, when a blast of fire appeared out of nowhere and struck the earthbender.

Hakoda was speechless when a young man dressed in brown robes, with white skin and a scar on the left side of his face that covered much of that side, appeared with a pair of swords and launched blasts of fire from the same swords.

"What... A firebender?!"

Before anything else could happen, a small figure appeared, tackling Sokka and throwing him away. The figure stood up and stepped back as Sokka got up, but an arrow flew past and pierced his clothing, sending him tumbling into a wall.

"Quick! He needs to come with us!" said the person who had tackled her son, while a boy dressed in blue with a wide-brimmed hat and a bow stood next to her and shot arrows to stop the soldiers from advancing while backing up the firebender.

Bato, seeing what was happening, quickly stood up and went on the defensive. "How can this be... how is a firebender here?!"

The firebender deflected his attention from the fight to Bato and frowned. "I may be a firebender, but I'm one of those who still have a mind of my own."

"We have to leave quickly!" A new voice made an appearance, causing Hakoda to turn around and see a young woman from the Earth Kingdom running toward him. "More of them are coming, and if we don't leave, they'll capture us!"

"I'm not going to leave my son and my men!" Hakoda said, returning to the fight.

But the girl stopped him, saying, "Right now, your son isn't your son. He's under mind control, and he doesn't recognize you." She pointed to where Sokka was trying to break free and gave Hakoda a look of fury and rage as he tried to break free. "And we can't reach your men. If you want to save them, then you must come with us..."

"But..."

"Hakoda is right!" "Bato said, approaching, as did the others who were retreating as reinforcements from the Earth King's soldiers arrived, including the Dai Li. "I don't like it as much as you do, but if we want to save them, then we must retreat and come up with a plan."

Hakoda grunted to himself as he watched all his men being taken to who knows where, and then his son, who looked at him as if he were his enemy. He didn't know what was happening, but he would find out and make whoever did this pay.

He nodded, accepting the retreat, and so the entire group fled in the direction of the Lower Ring.

Meanwhile, Xiànshí watched them leave from the sky.
...

As is often the case with many great challenges, it all begins with a noble purpose... in the universe they know, upon Team Avatar's arrival in Ba Sing Se City, Long Feng, the leader of the Dai Li, threatened Team Avatar to avoid causing trouble in his city, dismissing their arguments about a chance to end the Hundred Year War... but in this universe, the Grand Secretary made another decision and began a terrible plan to create a new great army based on the Dai Li's mind-control techniques, turning hundreds of refugees into mindless beings who only answer to him...

...

The cold of the room pierced Joo Dee's hands as she watched, terrified, from her chair. She tried to fight the rock fragments holding her down. In front of her, a Dai Li agent stood, his face covered by a hat as the light he used for mind control began to spin.

"You wish to serve Long Feng."

Joo Dee shook his head, unsure.

"You believe the Dai Li should be your leaders."

Why did that sound wrong? It was getting harder and harder to resist, to the point where he couldn't even find reasons to do so anymore.

"You will live to serve Long Feng and the Dai Li."

Nodding to the Dai Li agent, Joo Dee repeated, "I live to serve Long Feng and the Dai Li."

...

Something disturbing... A month later, Long Feng presented himself to Team Avatar and demanded the invasion plans as well as the Avatar's loyalty to his cause. When they refused, Long Feng decided to take both by force...

...

Team Avatar could face many things and had emerged unscathed, but certainly, when they were hoping to reach Ba Sing, they thought they could discuss the invasion plans and discover Appa's whereabouts, but instead, they were now on the run to escape.

However, they were now surrounded, cornered by agents and the controlled citizens of Long Feng.

Aang was nervous about not knowing what they could do to get out of this, but then a large burst of fire blocked the enemy's path, surprising Team Avatar. When they turned to see what had happened, they found none other than Zuko, who had saved them.

"Come with me if you want to live."

Aang opened his eyes in surprise and was about to do so, but then a water attack was launched at Zuko.

He was barely able to dodge it and was thrown backward.

Aang opened his eyes in disbelief and turned his head to see Katara, who didn't regret having done that.

"What? Katara!

However, Sokka shook his head. "We don't have time for this, Aang. I don't know how Zuko got in, but now we have to find a way out of here!"

"Hey, you guys can decide what to do about the little prince later. Right now, more of Long Feng's henchmen are after us."

Toph pointed to a group of Dai Li soldiers running in their direction.

Toph quickly erected a rock wall to block their way.

"That'll slow them down, but we have to do something now!" Toph shouted to the others, waiting for them to decide.

Sokka looked at the wall where their pursuers were on the other side, and in the direction of those nearby, running to capture them. Katara kept them at bay with the water she had with her, while the advancing earthbenders were stopped by Aang, who used airbending or earthbending to stop the rocks they threw.

And then he looked at where Katara had sent Zuko, and that's where he made his final decision.

"We must move!"

Without further ado, the four of them walked away, pursued by the crowd of people and Dai Li agents. Unaware that Zuko had regained consciousness and was watching them leave, he tried to follow them, but then he saw how some Dai Li agents noticed him and rushed to capture him. Faced with this situation, he had to turn back and try to reach the Avatar and his friends another way.

Except that the next time he saw them would be when they were captured.

...

Ironically, Team Avatar's distrust sealed Long Feng's imminent victory. Once they were captured, the Ba Sing Se army prepared to sally forth and launch a counteroffensive that, rather than ending the war, sought to achieve conquest.

Unless, of course, someone was there to stop them...

...

"Ba Sing Se, the capital of the Earth Kingdom, the city of great walls, home of the Earth King, and now a city of mindless zombies!" a girl dressed in a simple Earth Kingdom robe said as a group consisting of herself, Hakoda, Bato, and the three others who rescued them ran through the Lower Ring. "If you survive here, you can survive anywhere, but don't let them catch you..."

Before they turned a corner, Jin stopped and, with one hand, ordered the others to halt. The firebender remained watching the rear while the archer kept watch over the buildings.

"Step one, always look before you advance. You never know what might be on the other side," the girl said in a low voice as a group of guards ran past, followed by a pair of Dai Li agents, running until they crossed near them. The girl signaled them, and taking it as an opportunity, the firebender drew his swords and rushed to confront them. The archer shot arrows at the guards, causing them to crash into a wall. The firebender, along with the other girl, faced off against the Dai Li. "Those guys watch the streets, and you never know when they might appear and take you by surprise."

The firebender combined the use of his swords with his firebending to end the fight quickly and get rid of the two Dai Li agents.

The girl narrating looked at him with a satisfied smile. "If you run into them, don't drag out the fight. They'll keep him busy until they call in more to catch him at the end... Okay, let's continue."

The girl quickly ran, grabbing the firebender's wrist, hoping to have him close if necessary. The other two, along with Hakoda and Bato, decided to follow them.

As they made their way through the streets of the lower ring, the girl saw something resembling a bell on a nearby table. As she passed by, she picked it up and soon saw a large pot. She threw the bell toward it, causing a loud noise that would draw the attention of anyone nearby.

"Step 2: Since the streets are empty, the noises you make will be louder. It's best to be stealthy wherever you decide to go." She quickly crossed another path while everyone followed her. Before accompanying them, Bato looked back and saw several of their pursuers begin to appear, trying to locate the noise. Determined not to be left behind, he hurried to join the group.

The group was approaching another street when suddenly, the girl stopped, turned, and went down another path, stopping near a couple of buildings. She climbed some stairs. The group accompanied her until they reached a house that looked like it had been covered with boards, making it look abandoned, except for a door, which the girl knocked on a couple of times.

Then they heard something moving from the other side. Then the door opened, and the group took advantage of it to quickly enter, then closed it again and blocked it.

"Step three, always have a hiding place nearby if necessary. Remember where you have it. The Lower Ring is very large and it's easy to get lost..."

"I'd appreciate it if you would keep quiet, child..." The voice of the person who had let them in caught the attention of the girl, as well as Hakoda and Bato. They turned to see an older man dressed as an Earth Kingdom general.

"I'm sorry, General, I just wanted to give the newcomers some guidance on how to survive..."

The man just let out a tired sigh as he walked up to Hakoda and Bato, extending his hand. "I am General How, leader of the Earth King's Council of Five, the highest-ranking generals in His Majesty's service. I'm also the only one who remains clear-headed. I formally welcome you to Ba Sing Se."

Hakoda looked at his hand and then at How's face, then decided to reciprocate with a forearm salute, typical of members of the Water Tribe. "I am Chief Hakoda of Wolf Cove, of the Southern Water Tribe. With me is Bato, my second-in-command... This is surely a welcome, General. What's going on here?"

He said the last thing wanting to know how the situation is regarding... regarding everything, he had expected something different when he and his men had arrived to the city, but today, an ambush where his son whom he hadn't seen in three years was part of it, his supposed allies turned against them and took all his men and, fortunately or by a kick of fate, he and Bato managed to escape thanks to a firebender who brought them to a hideout where they discovered a conspiracy.

How frowned as he answered, saying the following: "In short, the Grand Councilor of the Earth King Kuei, turned against him and created a large army using brainwashing techniques..." Then, with a nod, he indicated to everyone in the room. "Those of us here are the only ones in the entire city who managed to escape that torturous fate."

After that, with another gesture of his hand, he indicated for them to follow him. Hakoda and Bato looked at each other for a moment, then followed How as How led them to a middle-aged man who was drinking tea in a chair.

"The man here is Mr. Pao. From what I understand, he had a tea shop in the Lower Ring of Ba Sing Se..."

Seeing that he was being introduced, Pao stood up from his chair and said, "Not just any tea shop! The Pao Family Tea House. Not to brag, but my shop has the best tea in town," he said with a look of pride, though it soon faded. "At least, until a couple of weeks ago, when the Dai Li arrived and everything turned upside down."

How patted him a couple of times, seeking to show his support. "That's how it started. Before all this, it was forbidden to talk about the war in the City. The Dai Li would take anyone who even mentioned the subject."

How continued walking while Hakoda and Bato left Pao aside to follow How, who then stopped with two other individuals. "But then, out of nowhere, they started taking anyone for any reason. Within a few days, many refugees and citizens had disappeared, only to return as if nothing had happened, trying to convince others to join them. This is the case with these two boys. Their names are Smallerbee and Longshot. They are part of a children's guerrilla group from the Western Earth Kingdom.

"Not just any group. We're members of the Freedom Fighters," Smallerbee said with a frown, while Longshot nodded at his side. "When the Fire Nation destroyed our home, we came here hoping to start over. But instead, the Dai Li took our friend Jet. Days later, he returned as if nothing had happened and was trying to take us to a place called Lake Laogai."

How nodded at that statement. "That's been the case on several occasions, and that only increased the death toll. When Long Feng and the Dai Li had enough troops on their side, they launched systematic offensives against the other Rings as well as all of the city's government officials, eventually deposing the Earth King from his position as de facto leader..."

"But what about the Avatar? What happened to him? And the children who accompanied him?" Hakoda asked with concern. Although he had an idea of ​​his children's fate after seeing Sokka apparently on the side of the Dai Li, he hoped his children had managed to escape. He hadn't seen Katara during the ambush, so there was a possibility that his daughter had managed to escape and was here or somewhere in Ba Sing Se, but safe.

How saw the man's concern, but had to shake his head. "Honestly, I don't know. Chief Hakoda. The last person to see them was Lee, the firebender who helped them escape the ambush." ​​How looked toward "Lee," who was in a corner sharpening his swords, frowning, not noticing how How, Hakoda, and Bato were now staring at him.

Bato frowned as he looked at the General. "By the way, how did a firebender manage to sneak into Ba Sing Se? I thought it was the Impenetrable City because of its high walls."

"And it is," How said flatly. "That's why we've managed to resist the Fire Nation all this time, but how did the boy get through?" I assume it was by posing as a refugee. We have ferries that transport refugees in Full Moon Bay, although now that I think about it, if they let a couple of firebenders through, then we need to improve our security."

Hakoda frowned at How's last statement. "Wait... are there more firebenders in the city?"

How nodded, though noticing the concern in the Water Tribe men, he said, "It's just the boy and an old firebender who, as far as I know, is Lee's uncle, so at most they must be deserters. The old man disappeared, trying to save him." He pointed at Lee with his hand. "He put on an incredible display of fire. As you can imagine, it caused great panic and chaos, but the old man got what he wanted, and no one has heard from him since."

"And you trust that firebender? How do we know he's trustworthy? He could be allied with Long Feng and his Dai Li," Bato said, arms crossed.

How neither confirmed nor denied Bato's assumptions. All he said was, "I hold him in high regard, but after all this chaos, I can't afford to be distrustful. He may be a firebender, but the fear the Fire Nation instills has proven beneficial in some ways." He said the last part dryly, showing how much he disliked that statement. "He's helping us by creating chaos, and we promised to help him find his uncle. We may not like each other's coexistence, but our goals are aligned, and whether we like it or not, neither of us will achieve what we want without the other's help."

Hakoda crossed his arms with a frown. From what he could see on How's face, the general was resigned to that decision, and from what he saw from the other members of the group, they were all on the same page. It seems he'll have to agree to collaborate with "Lee" until he knows what to do.

"How long have you been resisting here?"

"A week since Long Feng officially took over the city, we've been holding out as best we can, but we don't know how long we can hold out. The Dai Li have been searching for us exhaustively..."

"Although we can have hope," said the same girl as before, standing next to How, "when we heard that a group of Water Tribe members were coming to the city, we knew we had to act quickly."

How nodded, placing a hand on the girl's shoulder. "This is Jin, a refugee herself, and the one who helps us with supplies. Thanks to her, we've been able to survive without having to go out as much."

Jin looked at How with a smile. "I'm just doing what I can, General. I'm not a warrior, but I found a way to be of help, but with you here, I know we might have a chance."

Hakoda looked at the two, curious about what they had to say. "And how could that be?"

Jin then took out a piece of paper he had been carrying and showed it to the three adults. "With this."

What he showed left Hakoda and Bato somewhat intrigued as they looked at a wanted poster for Appa, Aang's flying bison.

...

Jin placed the wanted poster on a table while everyone else in the group stood around it. While everyone was waiting to find out what it was, General How began to speak.

"A few days ago, we obtained valuable information: that your fleet was heading for Ba Sing Se, Chief Hakoda, and that Long Feng had the Avatar's bison imprisoned in Ba Sing Se, along with the Avatar himself..."

Hakoda crossed his arms as he looked at How. "How did you even find out about this in the first place?"

"Thank the Dai Li for giving us all the information," Lee said seriously, his eyes still fixed on Appa's image. "The day all this happened, the Avatar unleashed these all over Ba Sing Se. I don't know what happened next, but he soon appeared here in the Lower Ring, and that's when the chaos began."

Smellerbee and Longshot nodded. "After that, no one knew what was happening. Their families, neighbors, and acquaintances turned against them, and by the time we realized it, the only thing we could do was hide. The Dai Li roam the streets looking for any stragglers not yet under their control. We captured one and got him to talk."

Bato looked at Appa's poster and then looked at Smellerbee, somewhat skeptically. "Couldn't he be deceiving them?"

"We had to use unconventional methods to get him to talk."

The hint quickly caught the interest of the two Water Tribe men, who, upon seeing the faces of the young Freedom Fighters and "Lee," which quickly turned dark, formed some ideas about what they must have done to make the Dai Li agent they had captured and possibly eliminated to prevent him from speaking to his superiors.

Jin noticed the somber atmosphere and decided to return to the main topic. "The important thing here is that after that day, they took the Avatar to Lake Laogai, hoping to convert him to Long Feng's cause."

Hakoda looked at Jin, understanding what he wanted to do, something he decided to help with by asking, "And why wouldn't they be at Lake Laogai anymore?"

How now responded, "According to our source, the Dai Li compound was destroyed by overwhelming power. The Bison escaped, but the Avatar was taken to the Catacombs beneath Ba Sing Se Palace."

"Then we should be able to sneak there, right under their noses, and rescue him," Bato said, analyzing the situation.

"That's easily said," How said, shaking his head. "Whatever happened, going to the Upper Ring is a terrible idea. We'd have to get past the Lower and Middle Rings, which will be guarded by dozens of soldiers under Long Feng's control. It will be impossible to get there on foot."

Hakoda and Bato nodded, now having a better understanding of what they wanted. "From what I see, then we should go after the Bison first. He should be hiding somewhere outside the city, staying close."

Jin nodded in agreement. "Yes, according to our source, Long Feng has been searching for him for weeks, but they haven't been able to find him."

"Once we find him, we must convince him to take us to the Royal Palace. There, he'll lead us to the catacombs, where the Avatar must be hiding. We'll get him out, and then we can retake Ba Sing Se." How made a fist and hit it with the palm of his hand to make his point.

Bato looked at the group and then at Appa's poster, analyzing the plan as a good one, but based on mere assumptions that gave rise to hopes that could turn out to be false. "I don't want to say this... but how do we know Aang isn't under Long Feng's control? This could all be a trap."

"Because whatever happened at Lake Laogai, the Avatar was the one who caused it because he managed to resist the brainwashing, "Lee said in a forceful tone. "This plan is the only one we have, and continuing here is not an option."

How nodded in agreement. "The boy's right, it may not be the best, but we're not in a position to be demanding. We'll leave at dawn..."

"I don't want to bring up the obvious, but how do we get out of the city in the first place?" said Pao, who was pouring herself another cup of tea in the distance.

"We've already covered that."

...

Ba Sing Se Royal Palace

"Still no progress?"

Frowning slightly, the Grand Secretariat leaned back a little, its greenish fire crackling happily in the background. This was unusual. While it was true that the reconditioning process could extend from hours to days or even weeks, depending on the complexity of the programming required, thousands of subjects, over decades of work, had allowed the Dai Li to develop hypnotism into a science. They had successfully reconditioned thousands who were now serving to the best of their ability, their army was successfully preparing, but somehow one child was still not under their control.

Was it because he was the Avatar? Long Feng had to admit, if only to himself, that, considering the abilities of that legendary being, it was difficult to know if their current methods would ever be effective.

"Efforts have continued according to the usual procedure for high-priority matters," the agent who had come to give him the report noted. "Twenty hours a day."

Long Feng nodded once. That was as it should be. "But they have not succeeded in making the Avatar submit."

"What would you have us do instead, sir?" the agent asked with the icy calm one would expect from him. "Our reprogramming efforts have proved fruitless so far, and it is possible that some of them even caused the disaster at Lake Laogai."

True, what happened at Lake Laogai caused him to lose many valuable assets as well as Dai Li agents. The place served as his main center of operations. After that, he had to move everything to the palace to oversee it himself. But at least it helped him avoid having to move the still-unreconditioned prisoners he had in custody and risk the rebels freeing them, as was the case with General How.

Speaking of them, he has to deal with them once and for all. How's the rebel issue going? Do you have any leads on them yet?

The Dai Li agent stood still as silence filled the place. Only the green flames could be heard, and the only thing that could be perceived was the tension of news that Long Feng wouldn't like at all.

"They were seen during the arrival of the Water Tribe Fleet," the agent commented cautiously. "They got involved while we were detaining the newcomers, escaped, and took their leader with them."

Lon Feng twisted his mouth in disgust. With this, the rebels had taken two potentially valuable assets, first General How, and now a potential naval commander for his forces once he had refitted him.

"The rebels are becoming a hindrance; we need to get rid of them once and for all."

The agent nodded. "What do we do about the Avatar? Do you think we should continue at this level? Over time, it might be enough to wear down the Avatar's mind. However, Agent Huan requests permission to begin implementing more intensive procedures."

The Grand Secretariat considered this for a moment. He was not an impatient man, but still. Instilling the proper values ​​and training him to a certain level of earthbending mastery would likely take weeks, even in the best-case scenario. But reviewing previous plans, the eclipse would arrive in a few months, and the sooner I can have the Avatar working for the best, the better to run the smallest possible risk.

"We can't repeat what happened here at the Palace. I suggest practicing new methods before applying them to the Avatar."

The agent nodded again and then added, "We have a new group of subjects who recently arrived in the City, the men of the Water Tribe, as well as a more 'special' case of subjects than we could experiment on."

Long Feng smiled with satisfaction. "Then go ahead. It doesn't matter how you do it, but I want the Avatar under my control."

...

Lower Ring of Ba Sing Se

A pair of Dai Li Agents walked in front of a group of Earth Kingdom soldiers who had been controlled. They patrolled the streets in search of rebel stragglers who were hidden within these walls. Since the rebels attacked one of their convoys and freed General How from the Council of Five, they had intensified the search for those not yet under their control.

After the arrival of the Water Tribe men, the search had doubled.

Walking and then turning down another street, the Dai Li didn't notice how a figure emerged from the shadows of an alleyway and then walked forward, revealing himself as "Lee," or better known as Zuko, the banished prince of the Fire Nation.

Zuko, who was making sure it was safe for the group to leave, looked both ways, waiting for any sign that someone might be coming, but when he didn't notice anyone, he turned back to the alley and spoke.

"It's safe."

With that, General How left, followed by Hakoda, who remained just as cautious, followed by Pao, Jin, Smellerbee, Bato, and Longshot.

With a gesture of his hand, Zuko indicated that they should follow him cautiously. He had studied the path as best he could during his days before all this had started, trying to find an escape from the life he had been living with his uncle since arriving in this city.

His uncle.

Thinking about him brought him mixed feelings. Remembering how he had sacrificed himself to save him, and he had done nothing to come for him, he groaned to himself, remembering that moment. He had wanted to look for him and do something, but in the confusion, he soon lost sight of him, and pushing his way through the crowd to find him wouldn't be of any help when they began attacking those closest to him. The resulting chaos prevented him from moving forward. He had to do things he hadn't thought he would do until that day. The Dai Li's control over the city had gone too far, and he had no desire to become a mindless servant, and he wouldn't let his uncle face that fate either. So, if he has to ally himself with potential enemies to survive, fine, he will. If he has to risk his life trying to get out of the city, then he will. Even if he has to put aside the fact that his chance to redeem himself in the eyes of his father and his Nation and finally return home may be within reach, then he will do just that... at least until all this is over.

The hand on his shoulder pulled him from his thoughts. When he turned his head, he saw Jin's smiling face.

"Don't worry, Lee. I know your uncle must be somewhere outside the walls."

True, that's another reason why he had agreed to the plan, even though it wasn't the best. According to the Dai Li agent from whom they got their information, an old firebender was also captured the day the Avatar and her friends were captured, but for some mysterious reason, he had disappeared.

If he hadn't been seen in any of the rings and hadn't been captured again, then that means Iroh must have managed to get out of the City. He's possibly waiting for him outside, probably with a cup of tea in his hand. Zuko believes this; after all, that old man loves tea. But he also does not doubt that Iroh would have managed to escape. If anyone could have done it, it would have been Uncle Iroh.

Zuko sighed and nodded, thanking Jin for his willingness in all of this. Although when it was revealed that he was a firebender, he did notice a change in his treatment of him. He's glad to know that the girl can get over what happened.

As he returned to the present, he noticed they had reached the place that could help them get out of here: the Ba Sing Se Monorail.

"The monorail is a vast public transportation network that spans the entire city. After the Dai Li took over the city, they used it to transport valuable prisoners, like the Dai Li and Long Feng themselves."

Hakoda frowned, remembering that the Dai Li had put him and his men there as a faster way to get to the palace, all apparently with the nefarious intention of including them in their twisted goals.

The team moved until they entered the monorail station and found it completely abandoned; the only thing visible was the unused monorail. The silence that prevailed was both unsettling and hostile.

"We can use it as our way out of the city," How said, leading the group to the monorail.

Inspecting it, Bato realized something. "How do we move this thing?" "It doesn't have an engine or anything to make it move."

"This transport is powered by two earthbenders at the end of the vehicle, who push it along the tracks... I can push it enough to get us moving," How said, confident in his strength.

However, Hakoda shook his head. "Excuse me, General, I don't doubt it's the one I'm trying to do strong enough to move it alone, but if so, you'd have to be outside moving it while it's vulnerable to surprise attacks, and if they get rid of you, none of us can move it, and it'll all be for nothing.

How to analyze what Hakoda said, but he shook his head. "It's all we have, unless we get some kind of giant spring to propel the cars."

Hakoda sighed, shaking his head at the thought of nothing. He looked around the station, searching for an idea that might help them. When he looked at the station columns, he looked at the cars with a raised eyebrow, and that's when something occurred to him.

"Those columns, how much weight can they support?" he asked someone in the group, waiting for an answer.

How frowned at the question. "Together, they support the weight of the station roof, so I'd say they could support anything lighter than that."

Hakoda smiled at that insight and then said, "We may not have a spring, but the columns can give us the boost we need. If we use bands connecting the columns from one end, they would be able to propel the cars enough to get out of here."

Bato's eyes widened at what Hakoda was planning. "Of course, if someone pushed the cars in the direction we placed the bands, then that would generate the momentum that would launch the cars with great force, without the need for an earthbender to constantly push."

How frowned at the suggestion. "And where would we get those bands to achieve this?"

Bato started to think when he came up with an idea. "We can use silk. Surely with enough, we could make many bands that would help us propel the cars better?"

"But where would we find enough silk?" Zuko asked, arms crossed.

"There are silk workshops near here," Jin said suddenly. "I know where they are, and they should have what we need."

How looked at everyone in the group, then sighed and nodded. "Okay, it's decided. Lee, Smellerbee, and Jin, you'll go for the silk. Bring all the silk you need. No matter how many twists and turns you take, we'll need a lot." The trio nodded at the orders, then How looked at the rest. "The rest of us will stay and keep watch."

Longshot nodded as he took his bow and pulled an arrow from his quiver.

...

Several hours later...

"This is the last one," Jin said as he handed over the last of the silk they had collected from the workshop.

Hakoda nodded as he went to tie the last end of the bands. After the children went to collect the needed silk, the adults quickly got to work creating enough bands to help them pull the wagons. Right now, Hakoda, Bato, and Zuko, who had joined them, were finishing up the work. Jin watched from a distance. How was up front, watching for anything, while Pao had decided to get into one of the wagons. Smellerbee and Longshot were guarding the entrance.

Smellerbee was looking down, searching for anything that might come, when he suddenly let out a sigh and said, "What do you think, Longshot? Do you think it'll work?"

The aforementioned man, who had an arrow to shoot, turned his attention to his companion. He gave her a look that quickly told Smellerbee what he had in mind, to which she nodded in agreement.

But then the sound of something emerged from the entrance they were guarding. The two Freedom Fighters became alert for whatever was about to emerge. Smellerbee readied her sword and pointed it forward, ready to confront whatever was there. Could it be Dai Li? Controlled soldiers? Armed civilians?

Luckily, it wasn't either of those cases. Rather, it was a small flying lemur running up the station stairs. When it noticed Smellerbee and Longshot, it stopped to study them and see if they were a threat to it.

Smellerbee lowered her weapon and knelt to examine the flying lemur. "Hey, you look familiar..." She reached out to pet it and calm it down. The flying lemur growled at her, causing Smellerbee to pause for a moment. "Calm down, you don't have to worry, I'm not with them..."

She tried to reach out again, and the lemur seemed to trust her this time, allowing herself to be petted, causing Smellerbee to smile. Longshot quickly looked at her. "Just look, how do you think it got here?"

Longshot looked at her, lowering his bow. However, he didn't notice when a hand made of rock fragments suddenly reached out and destroyed his bow. Another hand grabbed him by his tunic and carried him flying toward the entrance.

Smellerbee opened her eyes in surprise and alarm. "Longshot!"

He tried to go down to rescue him, but before disappearing, Longshot gave him one last look that told him not to do it, Smellerbee, as much as he didn't want to, did what he said, for that reason and because soon another hand of a swarm of earth appeared, trying to grab her as well, so she jumped back to avoid it. The lemur squealed at the threat and ran into the station. Smellerbee quickly followed, shouting, "They're here! The Dai Li are here!"

The others, hearing her, were soon alarmed by what she said. Someone then emerged, leaping into the station and creating a crater in the ground. How quickly he rushed to face whatever had arrived, only to find himself staring at a familiar face, wearing the same uniform as him.

-General Sung

The aforementioned man got up from where he was and prepared to fight. How, knowing what he had to do, did he get ready to fight?

Zuko, along with Hakoda, ran to the entrance while Bato stayed behind to guard the monorail cars.

Upon arriving, the two saw Smellerbee running toward them and then behind them, while the lemur passed between them, heading for the safest place, in this case, the wagons.

Soon, the Dai Li appeared, accompanied by a group of soldiers behind them, who quickly advanced at full speed, carrying weapons like swords and spears. They were not masters, except for one shorter one, who was determined to keep his distance.

Immediately, Zuko drew his swords at the same time that Hakoda drew his weapon and prepared to confront them. The trio advanced to confront the group, and the fight began.

Hakoda faced two at the same time, while Smellerbee faced one as best he could, and Zuko faced one using his firebending. While he blocked the attack of one, the other came at him from behind, right in a blind spot. He was only able to stop it narrowly, pushing his attacker away with his weapon and stopping the surprise attacker.

The attack made him visible to his attacker, and it was at that moment that Hakoda was surprised to see the face of his comrade Gilak, who no longer proudly wore his Water Tribe warrior attire or carried the weapons of his people. When he saw his gaze, he didn't see the familiar look of his comrade; it was a blank, emotionless look.

He quickly pulled him away and saw the other soldiers, and that's when he realized: these weren't Earth Kingdom soldiers, these were his men, men of the Water Tribe.

Gripping his weapon furiously, determined to stop this, Hakoda launched a swift counterattack, knocking Gilak down and rushing to help his comrades.

"We can't waste any more time, we must go!"

Zuko and Smellerbee nodded as they ran toward the train cars. The last soldier, seeing them fleeing, acted and threw knives to stop them. Zuko acted quickly, stopping them just as one passed near his face. He created a large wall of fire to impede the advance of their pursuers. Without wasting time, the three ran toward the train cars where they also saw How throw General Sung from the building, who turned around to see what was happening.

"They're almost there. We have to go now."

How nodded as he pointed at the train cars. "Get in there, I'll start pushing!"

Everyone else nodded as they entered the cars, and How began pushing them. However, he didn't notice when a new presence leaped gracefully, landing before running at full speed. However, Bato could see it.

"General How, watch out!"

How turned to see someone approaching. He quickly threw a rock fragment from the ground and threw it at his attacker, but the attacker dodged it masterfully by performing a flip. He resumed his attack and ran again. General How launched more attacks, but whoever it was dodged them. He soon jumped, ready to reach them. When Bato appeared, he grabbed the attacker in midair and knocked him off course. They both fell to the ground. The impact hit the attacker, leaving him stunned. Bato quickly took out a blue band and tied his hands, then used another to tie his feet.

"That will do for now, General How. Hurry," Bato nodded as he forcefully pushed the cars. In doing so, he pushed through the rails, straining them to the point that Hakoda's plan began to take shape.

"Just a little more..." How said with difficulty as he tried to keep the cars from losing control and sending them flying, while simultaneously pushing them further. "You must... You must get on! When I let go, they'll shoot out..."

Bato nodded when he suddenly heard the shouts of soldiers arriving at the station. It seemed the wall of fire could no longer repel them. Bato looked at the cars as well as the soldiers. If they stayed to face them, then they wouldn't get out of here, and their chance to recapture Ba Sing Se would be lost. He knew what he had to do.

"General How, leave! I'll keep you busy to ensure your escape..."

"What?! No way!"

Bato shook his head. "It's the only way!"

Without further ado, Bato moved forward to ensure success from the mission. General How looked and groaned to himself, not believing this was happening, but knowing that Bato's sacrifice would help achieve his goals, he made a promise not to stop until he fulfilled and honored the Water Tribe man's sacrifice. He quickly jumped onto the train cars, letting go of them at the same time, causing them to fly out of the station.

Hakoda looked at what had happened and closed his eyes as his head hit the wall of the train car. How took the opportunity to enter the car where Hakoda, Jin, and Zuko were, hanging his head in shame before the Chief. "I'm so sorry, it's my fault."

...

Pao watched from the back car as they left the station and allowed herself a sigh of relief that the danger had passed. She decided to join the others. She turned to leave the car when the sounds of footsteps were heard from the roof, causing Pao to stop in fear of whatever it was. Then, someone came down through one of the windows and attacked Pao.

Smellerbee, who was in the middle car, was walking to the front car when she heard Pao's screams, stopping before she could move to the next car. "Pao??..."

"No! Please no!"

Smellerbee opened her eyes in alarm, running to the car where Pao was being attacked. "Pao!"

As he opened the car door to enter, he saw that on the other side of the car, Pao was being thrown out by a strange figure. Given the speed they were going, he did not doubt that Pao might not survive the fall, and as much as he wanted to go after him, he knew there was nothing they could do now, especially since they now had a stowaway to take care of.

Studying him, Smellerbee got an idea of ​​who it was.

Smellerbee frowned. "I think that's enough, Jet."

The figure moved, now looking at Smellerbee as he drew his hook swords. Jet advanced toward his former friend, allowing her to see what he was wearing now. He had left his Freedom Fighter attire behind and was now dressed as a non-bender guard from Ba Sing Se.

"By the authority of Long Feng, all rebels must be detained," Jet said in a monotonous, emotionless voice.

Smellerbee said nothing, just preparing for the fight he knew was coming. He drew his sword while Jet swung his own, using his usual technique. They quickly ran at each other in an attempt to subdue the other.

Jet leaped at the last second, thrusting their swords in a downward attack. Smellerbee halted his advance by using his sword to block Jet's. As he fell, Jet separated and slashed to remove the Freedom Fighter's sword. Smellerbee blocked his attack and quickly slashed at Jet with his sword. Jet took a step back. He then parried Smellerbee's sword with his hook swords, then swung them in a direction that caused Smellerbee's body to spin backward. Jet quickly kicked him in the back and to the end of the wagon.

Smellerbee groaned in pain from Jet's attack. She tried to get up quickly, only to see Jet running toward her. She jumped again, this time trying to impale her with his swords. With the wall of the train in front of her, Smellerbee moved forward, managing to avoid Jet's attack. As she got back to her feet, Jet began attacking her from a distance, causing Smellerbee to retreat further and further toward the exit where Jet had taken Pao.

When she ran out of space, Smellerbee realized that Jet only needed one last blow to get her out of the train. She opened her eyes worriedly as Jet moved forward, determined to throw her out.

"Hey!"

The new voice that emerged caught the attention of Smellerbee and Jet, who quickly turned to see that it was "Lee." Upon hearing Pao's screams after the fight that had broken out, he ran as fast as he could, unsheathed the dao swords strapped to his waist, and with them quickly ran toward Jet, who, upon seeing the new opponent, rushed to face him.

Swords clashed, and a new duel began. "Lee" was fierce in his advance. He had experience fighting with Jet before and clearly remembered that Jet was skilled with hook swords. However, although he may be very competent with the sword, he trained from a young age with the best sword master he could find.

Jet tried a familiar move he had tried before with "Lee" he used his two swords to try to knock him to the ground, "Lee" quickly stopped his advance with a sword, seeing that his trick didn't work Jet tried to use the sword he still had in his hand, but "Lee" was faster and rushed to make a circular slash that Jet barely dodged by ducking enough, but that was the moment that "Lee" used to kick him and make him retreat.

Smellerbee, seeing an opportunity, ducked, making Jet, who was trying to recover, think Smellerbee was trying to make him fall, but it was too late. Falling backward, he went straight for the exit of the moving car, only saving himself by using his sword to stay on board. But then Smellerbee rushed forward and threw something that hit Jet in the face, causing him to miss seeing his former comrade grab his sword and pull it out of the car, sending Jet flying, unable to do anything to avoid it.

"I'm sorry, Jet, but I know you'd understand..." Smellerbee said as he watched his former leader and comrade fall through the monorail tracks, then turned around and returned to the mission.

As he walked back, he noticed "Lee" still there. He sheathed his swords. Soon, Hakoda and Jin entered the car, watching everything with concern.

"What happened?" Hakoda asked after seeing what were signs of a fight, especially when he noticed a gun on the floor and the open car door.

Smellerbee was about to answer when "Lee" got in first.

"Your friend who was captured snuck in, clearly to prevent us from reaching our destination."

Smellerbee nodded. "He also managed to get Pao out of the car. I don't know where he is, but we won't be able to go back for him," he said with a touch of sadness, a feeling Hakoda and Jin soon shared, aware they had lost another member.

"Lee" tried to remain indifferent, but he couldn't help but feel a little sorry for Pao. Despite everything, he had given his uncle and him a job that his uncle enjoyed very much, and while he didn't like serving tea, he was a decent guy when he could.

Hakoda looked at the scene again and deduced that both "Lee" and Smellerbee got rid of him despite him being an acquaintance of the Freedom Fighter.

"I'm so sorry. I know he was your friend..." he said with a compassionate tone, understanding what the girl must be feeling.

However, Smellerbee looked at them for a moment before letting out a sigh. "I should feel sad for him, but deep down, I don't feel that way at all. He deserved it for not listening to me from the beginning..."

...

Chapter Text

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Flashback...

The chaos in the city was absolute. The Lower Ring had fallen.

People were running everywhere, trying to escape. Some were fleeing from people they knew who were out to get them, others were trying to stop them, while others didn't know what was happening. But whatever it was, no one was safe.

Zuko and his uncle ran through the streets of Ba Sing Se, dodging anyone who crossed their path.

The screams of the people around them kept Zuko on guard against anyone who might turn their attention to the two of them and confront them.

It had happened a couple of times before; a citizen of Ba Sing Se or a refugee would appear, rushing to knock them down and subdue them. However, despite living as fugitives for a time, Zuko still could confront them without the need to use firebending, in addition to his Dao swords strapped to his back.

Despite that, it was becoming increasingly difficult, as Earth Kingdom soldiers soon began to arrive. It seemed they had appeared to restore order. Although Zuko soon realized this wasn't the case, as the soldiers joined in capturing the people trying to escape and unaware of what was happening, one of them even confronted him.

Seeing that this man, trained to fight, was a greater challenge than an untrained civilian, he needed to win another way. He drew his swords and went on the defensive. The soldier took an earthbender stance and picked up rocks from the ground, which he quickly threw at Zuko. Zuko blocked them with his swords. He quickly advanced toward the soldier. As he did, he noticed his pupils were larger. Any emotion he might have had wasn't visible. He was simply fighting for the sake of fighting. There was nothing else. It was as if he had no purpose, as if he had only the order to fight and nothing else.

Zuko opened his eyes at this prospect, focused on quickly taking him down with his swords. He stared at the man for a moment before looking elsewhere, squinting at anyone, and he could see it.

The people running without knowing what was happening had genuine expressions, but the others, as well as the soldiers, didn't. It was as if they were unaware of what they were doing and simply couldn't stop it; something had taken over their minds.

Iroh grabbed Zuko's shoulder, taking him by surprise, but before he could say anything, Iroh pulled him closer while pointing forward.

Where there was a group of Dai Li agents, they didn't seem perturbed by what was happening. Their leader was saying something, and some of the controlled soldiers obeyed his orders, acting with submission and respect, as if they were a feudal lord or the Earth King himself. Whatever was happening, the Dai Li were deeply involved.

"Go away! Save yourself!"

Zuko looked at Iroh, not quite understanding what he meant. When Iroh pushed him aside, removing him from the view of the Dai Li or any controlled soldier or citizen, Zuko was shocked by his uncle's actions. But Iroh soon looked forward to saying, "For the Fire Nation!" With a motion of his arms, he launched two large streams of fire into the air, catching everyone's attention.

An action with a long-awaited consequence.

Many people from the Lower Ring came to the city hoping to escape the war, but more specifically, the Fire Nation. The revelation of a firebender caused many to run away in terror. Some of those controlled, upon seeing Iroh's display of power, recalled the strong emotions they had experienced outside the walls, allowing them to break out of their mind control and try to flee.

The soldiers were shocked, as were the Dai Li. When Iroh decided he had had enough, he ended his spectacle and stared at the soldiers and Dai Li furiously, challenging them to face him. Upon seeing him, they quickly set out to capture him.

Iroh, seeing that he had caught his attention, prepared to leave by another path. He ran without looking back, as Zuko looked on in shock at what Iroh had done. He had sacrificed himself for him, just so he could escape and leave the city, even if it meant they would never see each other again.

Iroh had already lost a son for this city; he wouldn't lose another if he could do something to prevent it.

However, he isn't the only one who has lost someone in this city. Zuko lost his cousin. He wouldn't lose his uncle; he would go after him and save him.

As he watched the Dai Li and their entourage leave the way Iroh had gone, he left his hiding place, ready to go straight to his uncle's. After a moment, he decided to stop. As much as he wanted to, he wouldn't be able to do much if he were captured, too. If he wanted to have a chance of finding him, then he needed to think things through if he was going to do this. He took a step back and headed in the opposite direction, struggling to get out of the streets without being caught by someone loyal to the Dai Li. At the same time, he was thinking of a plan to find his uncle. While he was thinking about something, he didn't notice someone approaching behind him. It wasn't until a hand touched his shoulder that Zuko turned around, ready for anything. He drew his swords and pointed them forward. He then found Jin looking at him with a nervous expression. Not far away, Smellerbee and Longshot were trying to fend off a Jet with hook swords in their hands who was trying to catch them...

End of Flashback...

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Present Time...

Zuko opened his eyes, recovering from where he was lying and remembering where he was, lying on one of the seats in the train car. He had decided to get some sleep while they continued their journey to the lake. Laogai, to regain the strength he would need later.

After Jet's unexpected attack, they needed to reorganize now that they were out of the city. They might have evaded the Dai Li, but they shouldn't let their guard down. That's why, when the momentum of their departure ended, General How had to push the wagons himself, with someone nearby watching to prevent anyone from arriving unexpectedly. Hakoda volunteered as the first while letting the trio of young people rest in the meantime.

Remembering he wasn't alone, he looked to the other side of the wagon. At one end was Smellerbee, lying down, also asleep. After losing Longshot and what happened with Jet, she had withdrawn a bit, clearly affected by the pent-up emotions that had taken their toll on her. All he could hope was that she could learn to overcome it soon and not let it break her down.

Looking away, he saw Jin leaning back in a seat, taking a nap while holding something in her hands. From what he could see, it was a map of Ba Sing Se. She must have been reading it for a while until tiredness overtook her as well. Looking out Jin's window, he saw that dusk was already approaching and nightfall wasn't far off.

Suddenly, the monorail doors opened, taking Zuko by surprise. The force and abruptness with which they opened woke Smellerbee and Jin up and alerted them, who quickly stood up, ready to fight or flee.

General How and Hakoda quickly entered. Upon seeing them, the young men could see that they both looked anxious and worried.

"We have good news and bad news," Hakoda said, looking at the three young men with a tense smile. "We're near Lake Laogai..."

Hearing this, Jin and Smellerbee allowed themselves to sigh in relief, while Zuko narrowed his eyes and asked, "What are you doing here?"

"How long will it take us to get there..."

Hakoda took a moment to answer, trying to find a way to summarize what needed to be done. "Just get out of here and cross the countryside so we can continue with the plan."

General How, was the one who said, "Well, that's the simple way of putting it... because to get there, we'll have to cross that..."

He pointed to the right of the monorail, where the lake was close, but nearby was the scene of what had been a great battle, with craters, large fragments of rock shattered in several places, and the lake seemed to be more spread out than it had originally been.

"I didn't think it would be this bad," Jin said, staring in amazement at the trail of destruction.

"And that's not the bad news. We'll have to be quick to avoid that..." Hakoda pointed out the right window of the train car, where a large shadow could be seen passing in the distance, confusing the young people. Zuko approached the window as Hakoda handed him his spyglass. As Zuko took it, he looked through it and saw, in disbelief, what he saw.

It was the great Long Feng Army and the Dai Li approaching them.

"It seems the Dai Li are serious now."

He handed the spyglass to Jin so he could see what was coming. He took it, and when he did, he gasped in horror.

"All those people... all controlled and coerced... it can't be..." Jin said, unable to believe what he was seeing.

Smellerbee took the opportunity to see what was coming toward them, while Zuko placed a hand on Jin's shoulder and squeezed it for comfort.

"Impossible... but how did they track us so quickly?" Smellerbee said, incredulous at what she was seeing.

General Fong stepped forward as he turned his attention to the others, saying, "That doesn't matter now. We must rush the plan as quickly as possible."

"To do that, we must first get down from here, and we're several meters above the ground. How do we get down before they get here?" Zuko said as he looked at the two adults.

"There's a solution for that... I suggest you grab onto something," How said as he went to open the side of the car and stomped hard on the track structure. As he did this, the track began to shake as it began to destabilize and fragment.

Zuko, having an idea, snorted. "I can't believe this..."

"Everyone, grab onto something!" Hakoda shouted as he grabbed onto a metal pipe. The others quickly followed suit as the track began to crumble, its pieces falling along with the monorail.

The group screamed at the rapid fall as well as the collision, causing them to grip their positions even tightly.

In the distance, the great army saw the destruction of the track, causing the controlled general at the head to give the order to advance faster. The cavalry, mounted on ostrich horses, was leading the advance.

Recovering from the impact of the fall, Hakoda carefully recovered, checking that he was okay, then turned to look at the others.

"Everyone's okay!"

The others groaned in pain but recovered successfully and nodded in confirmation.

"I can't believe you did that," Smellerbee said, still holding onto the monorail bar.

"Really? Was it the best you guys could come up with?! What if someone didn't make it out alive?! Or if the debris hurt us?!" Zuko said angrily about what they had just been through.

"It was the only option. Getting down any other way with the resources we have would have required more time, which we don't have," How said forcefully.

Jin, advancing slowly, said, "At least the cars held up..."

Zuko snorted at that.

Hakoda, on the other hand, decided to return to the matter at hand. "We mustn't lose sight of the objective, we have to move!"

He quickly headed to the monorail doors and began to forcefully open them. They moved only slightly due to being stuck. Zuko soon went to help him, as did How. With effort, they managed to open them a little, but enough for them to get out, only to notice that their exit was blocked by debris.

At that realization, How cracked his knuckles. "I'll take it here."

Wasting no time, he placed his hands firmly on the debris and pressed down. As he did so, the debris began to move from the outside, going in different directions, allowing an exit to begin to form. They waited for a moment that seemed eternal. The Dai Li forces were very close, and every second lost went to their pursuers.

When How finished, the exit was clear. Wasting no time, General How exited first, followed by Hakoda, Smellerbee, and then Zuko. Before leaving, he turned to see Jin, who was searching the car for something.

"Jin, we have to go!"

Jin heard him say, "I can't leave yet..." he said while searching the seats, until he soon found a bag he was carrying and pulled it out, "not without this."

He quickly ran to the exit and passed Zuko. "Let's go quickly!"

Without further ado, he left the car in front of Zuko, who just shook his head and left as well.

...

"Run!"

Hakoda didn't know who said that, but what he did know was that it wasn't something to think twice about. The moment they began to leave the destroyed cars, the Dai Li army arrived behind them.

Cavalry soldiers soon began to climb, earthbenders descended, and began creating paths that facilitated the pursuit.

The group sped down the path of destruction leading to Lake Laogai. As they did, "Lee" and How threw fire and rocks to stop the soldiers.

Some attacks were effective, while others were dodged by their enemies. Soon, some of the ostrich horses began to overtake them and soon began to surround them. The group formed a defensive circle, ready to fight.

Jin, seeing that they were cornered, pulled out a handgun from his pouch and approached his companions.

He may not have much fighting experience, but at least he knows the basics.

The cavalry soldiers soon began to prepare their spears to attack the group, and the earthbenders took up positions to attack.

But then a huge landslide came out of nowhere, destabilizing the ground against the soldiers but avoiding the group at the center of it all. It sent all the soldiers to the ground, much to the group's disbelief.

They turned to see what had happened as the soldiers began to get up, and what they saw was nothing they expected.

It was a little girl wearing green and yellow clothes, a green headband, her hair covering her face, and she was in an earthbender position.

The girl pointed at the soldiers and then shouted, "Now you're in huge trouble!"

Several soldiers frowned and prepared to attack again when a large burst of fire passed between them, causing a huge commotion, even more so when it dissolved to reveal another figure that several people recognized.

"No... it can't be..." How said, his eyes wide open, not knowing what to say.

"It's impossible," Hakoda said, astonished.

"Uncle!" Zuko said, recognizing the figure of Uncle Iroh, who was frowning at the soldiers of the great army.

With great speed, he launched powerful fire attacks that knocked down several soldiers.

The earthbender girl quickly leaped forward, burying her hands in the ground when she landed. In doing so, she created plumes of earth that pushed several soldiers back.

Some earthbenders reacted and began to counterattack, throwing large rock fragments.

But the girl created a rock dome around her, Uncle Iroh, and the others, which kept them safe from the multiple impacts.

Inside the dome, Zuko created a small flame so he could see, and that's how he was able to see and recognize the girl.

"Wait... I recognize you. You were with the Avatar's group the last time I saw him."

Hakoda, as well as Smellerbee, How, and Jin, reacted with surprise at Zuko's statement.

The girl turned to look at him and replied, "Yes, I remember you, too, Sparky. And by the way, my name is Toph, the greatest earthbender in the world, just so you know..."

Zuko frowned at the way she referred to him. "Sparky? That doesn't matter. How are you here?" As far as I knew, your entire group was captured and brainwashed.

Toph hummed in amusement. "It's one of the benefits of being blind. I can't see what they use to brainwash people..."

"Although this is a very unexpected reunion, I suggest we continue this conversation as soon as we get out of here," Iroh said calmly to everyone present.

However, General How had something to say. "I can't believe it... You of all people, are you Lee's uncle?!"

The attacks on the dome caused loud impacts that made it difficult to hear certain things, but the last one was something everyone heard.

Iroh glanced at General How, specifically to say, "I understand why you think that, but right now we have more important things to attend to."

Jin nodded, taking a step forward. "General How is right. Besides, if he's Lee's uncle, he must be someone trustworthy, even if he's a firebender."

General How snorted at that argument. "That old man isn't just any firebender. He's the Fire Lord's brother. The man who once besieged this city for 600 days. He's General Iroh, the Dragon of the West."

The girls, especially Jin Smellerbee, were stunned by what they had heard. Smellerbee, in particular, couldn't believe that this man was such a threat. Although Jet had been right in his paranoia. If he had known who Lee's uncle was, his friend would have been taken to a whole new level with his obsession.

Jin was speechless when he saw Iroh and then the man he considered "Lee." Because if the older man was the Fire Lord's brother, that would mean the boy in front of her...

"Are you the Fire Lord's son?" Jin said, looking at "Lee," waiting for an answer.

Zuko heard his question and could see the pain of deception in Jin's eyes. He looked away, not wanting to admit the truth.

"I..."

"Although this took an interesting turn, we have to get out of here before anything else!" Toph shouted, undoing the dome and preparing to continue fighting.

When she did, they saw that they were even more surrounded than before. However, Toph made the same move as before in a specific part of the battle, leaving a space through which to escape.

"Let's go!"

With a gesture, she signaled everyone to follow her. Iroh soon followed, followed by Hakoda, who, seeing his options, didn't think twice. General How, much to his dismay, also began to run, followed by Smellerbee, Zuko, and Jin.

They ran in the direction of one of the mountains near Lake Laogai. Once they were a safe distance away, Toph lifted a large piece of rock from the ground and climbed onto it.

"Get on!"

The others realized what she wanted to do, so they climbed onto the makeshift platform, and Toph led them up the hill more quickly.

Zuko and Iroh took charge of the rear guard in case anything came out of nowhere, General Hoe decided to help Toph move the platform.

If Toph was grateful for their help, she didn't say so; she simply shouted, "When we get to the cliff, we'll stop, understood!"

General How nodded in agreement. Right now, if they could get them out of here, then he hoped whatever they had in mind would work.

When they reached the edge of the hill, they stopped the platform. Toph was the first to jump off and run straight for the cliff.

"Come on, stop wasting time." 

The confused group did so, not knowing what to expect, but also because the Dai Li soldiers were close behind them. Luckily, they could escape with whatever was waiting for them. As soon as they noticed what was there, the entire group, except for Iroh and Toph, was shocked.

"I can't believe it! It's been with you this whole time."

Toph smiled with satisfaction at that comment as she pulled something from her robes and brought it to her mouth. It was a whistle, which she blew loudly.

"All right, it's time to go. Jump!"

They didn't have to tell anyone twice; they all followed the order and jumped into the void before the soldiers' eyes. They soon stopped in pursuit, seeing what they had done.

But then, from where they had jumped, the figure of a flying bison took to the skies, taking the rebel group with it.

...

Hakoda opened his eyes as he moved closer to get a better look at Toph, and saw that the girl was indeed blind. "I see, so that's how you've managed to keep your mind on it..."

In the safety of the skies, the group sat on Appa's back, leading the bison. Iroh led the bison, speaking softly to him, while Appa happily responded to the old firebender's attention.

Toph nodded. "Yes, after Long Feng captured my friends and me, he tried to brainwash me, but since I couldn't use him for myself, he discovered I could be more useful to him if he held me hostage so my parents would fund his plans..."

"Your parents? Who are your parents?"

Toph was reluctant to answer the question, the look of discomfort on her face clearly defining it. "My parents are from Gaoling. I'm part of the Beifong family."

General How widened his eyes in surprise, but after thinking about it, he finally understood. "It makes sense. The Beifong Family is one of the richest families in the entire Earth Kingdom... but it still doesn't explain how he managed to escape. Earthbenders are locked in metal containers to prevent us from escaping."

Toph smiled mockingly, hearing him say that. "Yeah, well, that's because I'm the greatest earthbender in the world. I'm not someone you can just lock up and expect to stay there."

"Anyway, after I broke free, I knew I had to find a way to escape. When that happened, I found someone who helped me get out."

"My uncle..."

Even though he couldn't see it all, Zuko could imagine the smile on Uncle Iroh's face as he watched him nod, his back turned, his eyes still fixed on the front of his head. "Indeed, nephew. After we parted, I lasted as long as I could, but the Dai Li took me too. Then I was taken to their fortress at Lake Laogai, trying to convert me to their cause. Luckily, before that happened, Miss Beifong rescued me."

Toph smiled as she said, "I couldn't leave you there, Grandpa, especially after how you helped me..."

Upon hearing the story, Jin couldn't help but ask, "But... how did you escape from the Dai Li's lair?"

"That's because of Twinkle Toes... whatever they did to him caused him to enter the Avatar State and cause chaos." While listening to her story, How and Hakoda deduced that Twinkle Toes was the Avatar. "While we were searching for a way out, we found Appa chained up to keep him from leaving. Fortunately, I was able to free him, and after that, we left before the Dai Li base began to flood."

Irph hummed in agreement. "After that, the Dai Li sent search parties to find survivors. Although they don't know how the Bison Appa managed to free himself, they have no idea that we escaped with him. That's helped us go unnoticed these past few days while we search for more survivors."

"So... have they found anyone else?" Hakoda asked cautiously, holding out hope that his daughter might be nearby.

Hearing this, Toph tilted her head in his direction, then shook her head sadly. "No, we've been searching for days, mainly for my friends, two boys who were with Twinkle Toes and me..."

"Sokka and Katara," Hakoda said, catching Toph's attention, surprised that one of the strangers knew their names. "I'm their father, Hakoda of the Southern Water Tribe..."

Toph blinked in surprise at this. "I can't believe this... What are you doing here? You shouldn't be... I don't know, somewhere in the ocean leading a fleet of ships or something. Sokka told me you did that."

Hearing her say that, she couldn't help but smile bittersweetly. "Yes, that's what it was supposed to be, but a few days ago we received an invitation from the Earth King for me to join my men in an alliance to fight in the war, but when I arrived, it wasn't about that... I think you can guess how that ended."

Toph grunted in agreement, waiting for him to continue counting.

"They took almost all of my men before they rescued me and my friend Bato. By the time I saw them again, they didn't recognize me and were no longer themselves. And to get out, my friend Bato sacrificed himself to let us escape."

The group fell silent as they let Hakoda express his grief over what had happened. They had all lost someone in Ba Sing Se, but now they were here, and if it was any help, maybe they could do something for them and try to get them back.

General How, faced with that prospect, was encouraged to complete his plan.

"But there is hope. We may have lost several, but we're still here and we can still fight," he said seriously as he looked at the group. "But if we want to have a chance, then we must free the Avatar."

Toph, hearing him say that, opened her eyes in disbelief. "Do you know where he is?"

Although he couldn't see it, Zuko nodded, "It's hidden beneath the Ba Sing Se catacombs, beneath the Palace, that's why we're looking for the bison of the Avatar, so they could reach him undetected and free him.

Hearing Zuko, Iroh quickly began to think, "If that's so, then we must be as fast as possible to get through..."

Smellerbee's eyes widened as he said, "Are you saying...???"

Iroh looked from the front to look at the group, and as he did, the cheerful man he normally was took a moment to reveal to the Dragon of the West that they were facing what would be a mission of no return.

"To get through, we'll make a frontal assault on the Royal Palace."

Appa, hearing him say this, let out a ferocious roar and, in agreement with Iroh, without a second thought, launched himself straight forward. He had heard enough to know that Aang was within range, and after all the time they had been separated, he wouldn't wait another minute.

Everyone held on tightly to the bison as it sped off to lead an assault on the Royal Palace. However, unbeknownst to anyone, someone dropped a piece of paper, which fell into the Lower Ring of Ba Sing Se, which they were just crossing, and which contained valuable information about the group.

...

Ba Sing Se Royal Palace.

"We're making progress, my Lord. I've seen him; he's weakening," said a Dai Li agent who was kneeling, giving his report to Long Feng.

Who nodded, but still wasn't entirely satisfied. While it was good to know that the Avatar could succumb and that they would manage to convert him to their cause, that didn't say how long it would take.

While that was happening, he knew he had to gather more resources to continue expanding his army.

And talking about that particular topic.

"Tell me what they've done to resolve the rebel issue..."

The Dai Li nodded from his position. "We've taken care of some members; some are already undergoing reconditioning... but the rest managed to escape..."

Long Feng grimaced in disgust but didn't interrupt Agent Dai Li.

"However, our infiltrator has been very helpful in setting a trap for them. We sent a regiment near Lake Laogai, where they were planning to search for the Avatar Bison... we're just waiting for news of the rebels' capture."

Long Feng hummed as he analyzed what had been said. While it might be intriguing how the rebels found out about the flying bison, there was nothing to worry about, as long as they could track their every move.

"By the way, how did the test subjects take the results of the new reconditioning methods?"

"In a good way, sir. They tried to resist, but after a while, they've assimilated... they'll be nothing but loyal to our cause."

Long Feng nodded, hoping these new methods would be effective on the Avatar. He needed them to be if he planned to succeed.

"Sir..." A Dai Li agent entered his study. Long Feng turned his attention to him and saw concern on his face. "We're under attack..."

...

General How launched himself off Appa, landing on the ground and creating a massive impact that shook the area around him, knocking everyone nearby to the ground. Appa landed, and the rest of the team jumped off without wasting any time.

They all ran toward the Royal Palace while the Dai Li soldiers, as well as some Dai Li agents, noticed their presence. Several quickly rushed to confront them. The earthbenders raised fragments of earth and threw them in the direction of the rebels, several at a time.

Toph and General How then set about blocking the attacks. Toph lifted the cobblestones from the ground quite precisely, which she used to block the incoming attacks. General How destroyed the attacks with his fists, blocking some and catching others and returning them with force.

Behind them, Iroh and Zuko launched streams of fire in the direction of the earthbenders to knock them out. From the rear, a pair of Dai Li agents arrived with more soldiers to take the rebels by surprise. However, Smellerbee, who was fighting with an earthbender near Appa, saw something out of the corner of his eye and widened his eyes at what he saw.

"Watch out for the back!"

Appa was the one who reacted before anyone else could. He raised his large tail and slammed it into the ground, creating a great gust of air that sent the Dai Li and their troops flying. He turned to face whatever was coming from behind, when large nets began to surround him. Alarmed, Appa tried to dodge them, but some caught him. When he realized this, he saw that several non-benders were now surrounding him, forcing him to escape their trap.

Appa growled in annoyance and moved to free himself, but more soldiers had arrived to help prevent him from escaping. But then Hakoda appeared, knocking down those at one end, knocking down one who managed to stun the others. But it gave Hakoda time to grab a sword from one of the soldiers and cut the rope they were holding. The soldiers fell, and Hakoda took advantage to cut the other side. When an arrow flew past his head and stuck in the ground, alarmed, Hakoda went on the defensive against his new attacker. There, he saw a small archer taking another arrow to aim at him. Next to him were two other figures a little taller than him, but looking at them up close, they looked feminine. He remained cautious of the next move. When the archer fired the arrow, Hakoda dodged it, but one of the figures reacted by throwing something. Hakoda used his sword to block most of it, but he couldn't get past some, and it grazed parts of his skin.

With one hand, he covered a wound and discovered that the girl must have thrown knives. He should have been more alert then.

The archer fired again, and Hakoda dodged again. The girl threw knives at him, and Hakoda ducked to avoid them. But then the other girl somersaulted at him, and before he could do anything, she struck him in the arm where he held his sword, and he fell as if unresponsive. Hakoda opened his eyes and quickly dodged, but the girl was faster and jumped behind him, but a surprise fire attack hit her before she could, sending her sprawling to the ground.

The archer and the other girl reacted when Smellerbee rushed forward and knocked down the archer, and Jin did his best to knock the girl down and try to subdue her. Smellerbee tried to knock out the archer, recognizing Longshot's face; he had seen the way he shot and recognized him.

Longshot frowned at her, not recognizing her. He grabbed his bow from nearby and used it to throw Smellerbee off him. The girl stepped away, drew her weapon, and prepared for battle.

Besides Hakoda, he saw what had happened and allowed himself a sigh of relief. He heard footsteps and turned his attention to whoever was coming. He watched as Zuko, swords drawn, approached his side.

"Are you okay?"

Hakoda nodded as he tried to get his arm working. "That girl blocked my chi. That's not what I expected. Although, thanks to the other knife-throwing girl, it was easier for her."

Zuko listened to her description and turned to look at the girl. As he looked at her, he analyzed what Hakoda had said, and an idea came to his mind. He approached cautiously, hoping he was wrong. It couldn't be possible. It had been years since he last saw her. Of all places, here in this city, on this side of the world. That's impossible. When he reached the girl, he turned her around and stepped back in shock.

It was Ty Lee.

The acrobat girl who had been his sister's friend, the one who liked to perform tricks and block her chi for Azula's amusement, the one who didn't have an ounce of evil inside her, and liked to live in ignorance. That girl lay unconscious on the ground.

Zuko gripped his swords as he stood up furiously. He looked across to where Jin was subduing the other girl, but Jin was struggling to regain control of the fight, as the girl had turned him around too quickly.

Wasting no time, Zuko walked over and grabbed the girl from behind, pulling her away from Jin. The surprised girl was slow to act until Zuko turned her around to face her and saw her, the same girl he had a childhood crush on.

"Mai."

The girl didn't respond, nor did she show any emotion at the sight. She just took the opportunity to throw a surprise knife at him. Zuko used a sword and blocked it. He quickly swung it so that the handle of the sword would hit her. It struck her in the head, instantly knocking her unconscious. Before he could do so, Zuko caught her and gently placed her on the ground.

"What happened?" "You know her." Jin approached him and saw how Zuko treated the girl.

Zuko, for his part, nodded. "She was a childhood friend."

Zuko wasted no time getting up and returning to the fight. He had already taken care of finishing off Appa's release. Now the bison was covering them. He headed to where Smellerbee was with Longshot, and when the archer's guard was down, he knocked him out.

Smellerbee opened her eyes and looked at him in surprise.

"We're taking too long, we should hurry!"

He said to everyone and hurried forward again. The others didn't question him and started moving, but Zuko was still disturbed by what had happened. Two people he knew, Mai and Ty Lee, were here, two noble girls from the Fire Nation. What were they doing here in the first place? There was only one way for that to happen, and he didn't like the idea that they might not just be facing the Dai Li right now.

...

Lifting and reversing the position of the ground where the soldiers were standing, Toph trapped a large number of soldiers, leaving the entrance unguarded.

Behind her, Iroh paused for a moment and began a series of arm movements, which generated a lightning bolt that then launched them straight into the palace stairs, destroying the steps and knocking down the soldiers who were beginning to exit the palace to confront them.

General How, for his part, stomped on the ground, which quickly turned into quicksand, and began trapping a Dai Li agent. Before he could bury him, he stopped so that the agent was half-buried and unable to free himself.

He stood next to Iroh and said, "I can't believe this... after 100 years of war between our nations, today we fight on the same side."

Iroh, hearing this, only gave him an enigmatic smile. "Well, General, fate is always a curious thing..."

He quickly created a large fire whip from his hand, which he used to knock down the soldiers on the other side of a bridge. Nearby, a group of earthbenders stood in front of two enormous badger mole statues. Together, they lifted both statues and directed them at the trio.

"Look out!" How shouted as he ran forward to create a wall to stop them, but at that moment, Toph stepped forward and created a dome from the ground above their heads, protecting them from the statues' impact.

Soon, the others arrived at the same time that Toph opened the dome and erected more structures to create walls around everyone, thus barricading themselves in.

Hakoda stepped forward and said, "Okay, here's the plan. We're beneath the Catacombs, so we should split into two groups. One will go to free the Avatar, and everyone else they can find. The rest of us should stay and be a distraction so the Dai Li don't interfere with the rescue."

Toph nodded to herself and said, "I'll go get Twinkle Toes. My seismic sense helps me see underground better than anyone else. I'll be able to find him faster."

Hakoda looked at Toph. He could see from her facial expressions that she wouldn't back down from what she'd said. "Okay, but you're not going alone. We don't know what might be waiting for us down there, so I'll come too..."

He looked around to see who would dare challenge him. He had his reasons for going. Bato could be down there, and with luck, he could find Sokka and Katara. Either way, he had to find out. Judging by the look on Iroh's and General How's faces, no one would object. Neither would the kids, which he appreciated.

"I'll go too..." Zuko said, taking a step forward, surprising everyone, including his uncle.

"Nephew..." Iroh said cautiously.

"Wait, what??" Jin couldn't believe it.

But Zuko ignored them, staring at Hakoda, who was standing with his arms crossed, considering.

"Are you sure? You'd be better off here."

But Zuko shook his head. "You said it yourself, we don't know what might be waiting for us down below, but after something I saw today, I think I have an idea of ​​what might be waiting for us or what we might face..."

"Listen, whoever's going, you better hurry, the Dai Li army is regrouping," said Smellerbee, who had climbed onto Appa to get a better look at what was happening outside.

Outside, the Dai Li were arriving with reinforcements, armed and earthbenders, mounted on ostrich horses, and beginning to take up positions.

General How, hearing her, agreed. "Okay, Lee, you'll go too. The rest of us won't stay behind, and we'll do everything we can to buy them time. Failing here isn't an option."

The trio of Toph, Hakoda, and Zuko nodded determinedly. Toph then took a step forward, focused her attention on the ground, extended her hands, and as she did so, she opened the earth downwards, forming a tunnel that led directly to the catacombs.

"Let's go!"

Without wasting time, she entered, followed by Hakoda and Zuko. The latter created a flame with his hand to offer him and Hakoda light to see by.

Meanwhile, General How addressed the others who had stayed behind. "We may not all make it out of this, but if we go down, then we'll go down fighting." Appa roared in response as he took to the sky with Smellerbee still on top of him. The girl held on tightly as Appa landed in front of the Dai Li army and began to create intense gusts of air with his tail, knocking down many soldiers.

...

In one of the chambers within the Catacombs of Ba Sing Se, a pair of Dai Li agents were standing guard. They were there for a purpose, following Long Feng's orders. They were watching that specific area to protect their comrade who was ahead with the Avatar.

But then the ceiling opened and three figures emerged. The Dai Li were taken by surprise. Fire rained down upon them as they tried to take cover, while columns of rock erupted from the ground and struck them before they could do anything.

When the dust cleared, the figures of Toph, Hakoda, and Zuko appeared.

"How long until Toph arrives?" Hakoda asked as he looked at the pair of Dai Li on the ground.

The girl walked while searching. "I don't think it's long, but... I feel like there's someone else here."

She turned in the direction where she felt the presence, behind a large rock. She became defensive, as did the pair behind her. Toph moved the rock from the ground to face whoever was behind it, and then they found someone.

"What? What happened? Toph... is that you?"

The familiar voice took Toph by surprise, as did Hakoda, who opened his eyes and was speechless.

"Katara?" he asked softly to get a better look, and that's when he saw her.

His daughter, wearing the colors of her tribe, her clothes somewhat torn, but the same ones that belonged to her mother when she was his age, allowed him to observe her. She had grown; she was no longer a child. Now, she was a young woman, a waterbender, a warrior in her own right, but despite that, she was still his little girl.

"Dad! Is that you?!" "Katara's voice was filled with joy. She stood up and rushed to hug him. Hakoda, without a second thought, ran to hug her too.

"I can't believe it. You're here, after so long."

Hakoda nodded as he broke away from the hug and looked at his daughter. "Yes, but I'm here now, and I'm happy to be here. I can't believe how far you and your brother have come. I'm so proud of both of you, Katara."

Katara looked at him and smiled, but then her smile disappeared. "Wait, where's Sokka... he's not with you." She looked back, seeing who was with her father. She saw Toph, but when she saw someone else, she panicked. "What's he doing here?"

Katara pointed her finger at Zuko, who looked closely and saw the fear on the waterbender's face, something that left him very puzzled.

Hakoda saw his daughter's reaction and decided to calm her down. "Calm down, Katara. He's on our side. He'll help us find your brother..."

"Dad, I don't know," Katara said carefully, avoiding eye contact with Zuko, who saw her cautious behavior; something wasn't right.

Hakoda squeezed her as he helped Toph and Zuko walk. "Trust me. We'll find your brother, and everything will be back to normal."

Katara nodded, unconvinced. They glanced briefly at Zuko, and she instantly looked away, as if she were afraid of him. Seeing that, Zuko acted instinctively.

He raised his fist in Katara's direction. "You're not moving from there!"

"Sparky, what's wrong with you?" Toph asked, uncomprehendingly.

But Zuko didn't budge. "That girl isn't the peasant."

Hakoda was incredulous at what she said. "What are you talking about?! She's my daughter, Katara."

"Do you even know her daughter?! She's a very powerful waterbender, and we've fought before. She can't be afraid of me!"

It took Hakoda a while to understand what she meant. He opened his eyes as he looked at Katara and slowly stepped back, taking in his daughter's features, but especially her eyes, and then he understood.

As much as he didn't want to, Zuko was right. She may have been his daughter, but she wasn't quite hers. He could see it in her eyes. There wasn't the glimmer of determination he saw in his little girl, the one he saw when she tried to waterbend. There wasn't that brave look when she attended her mother's funeral.

There wasn't that glimmer of hope. This wasn't his daughter; she was another of Long Feng's puppets.

"Dad, that's a lie, it's me." Katara began to move forward, raising a hand to try to hold her father's, her voice sounding hurt by Hakoda's rejection.

Something that struck Hakoda deep inside, but he had to resist. He had to be strong to avoid falling into the trap. Luckily, Toph was there too.

Immediately, Toph formed rock bars around Katara, imprisoning her so she couldn't move forward and wouldn't be hurt.

"Don't waste time, Sugar Queen. We're not going to fall for your trick," Toph exclaimed, determined, going on the defensive.

Katara looked at Toph, then at Zuko, and finally at her father, and it was then that Hakoda couldn't deny it anymore, as Katara's terrified gaze turned into one of rage similar to her brother's when she confronted him.

"They're smarter than we imagined, but it doesn't matter. They'll serve Long Feng sooner or later, just as their friends did."

The mere hint struck Hakoda, reminding him of how not only his sons, but all his men, had been killed Having fallen under the Dai Li's control, he clenched his fists tightly, helplessness filling him at being unable to do anything and not having Long Feng face him to make him pay for what he had done.

"Katara, I don't know how, but I promise you I will free you and your brother from the evil done to you," Hakoda said gently to his daughter.

But Katara only laughed in response. "You're a fool! I serve Long Feng and the Dai Li with joy and pride! They are the answer to everything! Even the Avatar will join them!"

"Aang will never join this cause, Katara!" Toph shouted with unbridled fury. "Not while we're here to stop him."

Katara now looked at Toph, narrowing her eyes. "I still don't believe you're still alive. I thought you drowned and wouldn't be a nuisance to my leaders anymore. Either you're someone lucky or you're hard to get rid of."

At what Toph had said, she smirked. "That's because I'm the greatest earthbender of all time." To make her point, she moved her hand upward, forming two columns of earth around Katara that held her up, lifting her off the ground and leaving her hanging as she tried to free herself.

Seeing what had happened, Katara gasped and began to move erratically, trying to free herself.

Toph, seeing her, crossed her arms, amused. "Relax, will you? It's just a demonstration of what I can do, just as I know Twinkle Toes is crossing that way -Katara opened her eyes and moved more than before, trying to free herself to stop them, but the way Toph had trapped her made it difficult.

Zuko, seeing where they were going, said, "If she's there, then let's not waste time. It's time to end this once and for all."

Toph fixed her attention on him and nodded. She headed to where she had pointed and began to open a tunnel in that direction. Zuko followed her as soon as he could. Hakoda, meanwhile, stared sadly at his daughter, not wanting to leave her there, but unfortunately, it was something he had to do if he wanted to save her.

"Don't be afraid, Katara, we'll return..."

Without further ado, he left his daughter, who screamed in helplessness at the sight of her failure in her mission.

...

The fight was reaching its climax. General How slammed his fist into the ground, creating a massive landslide that knocked down several enemies. Appa flew, distracting others who were throwing rocks to bring him down. But as they were distracted, it gave Iroh time to act and launch streams of fire to bring them down.

But no matter how many soldiers they brought down, twice as many arrived to replace them.

General How saw this and said, "If we continue like this, we won't hold out much longer."

Iroh nodded at her side. "But we must, or it will all be for nothing."

Nearby, Smellerbee used her sword to bring down a soldier at his feet. She panted tiredly. She kept up her pace, but the constant effort was taking its toll. Who knows how much longer she'd hold out?

"Jin, I know you're not a warrior, but after today, you might want to consider it."

She waited for a response from the girl, but got none. Puzzled by this, Smellerbee turned to look for her, but saw no one, but heard the sound of footsteps from the side where the tunnel was.

"Jin, are you there?"

She jumped inside to look for the girl, but couldn't find her. She tried searching the tunnel, in case she had decided to hide at the entrance. She looked through the tunnel entrance to see if she could find her.

Only for an earth glove to grab her by her armor and pull her toward the tunnel entrance. Smellerbee screamed, hoping they would hear her, because she had been captured.

Iroh heard her and turned his attention to the tunnel. "Something happened. We need to see if the girls are okay."

General How nodded and started to leave, but two long metal manacles grabbed his hands, taking him by surprise, even more so when he saw who they belonged to.

"No... no!"

Chains embedded themselves in his feet and waist. He tried to prevent them from taking him by force, but the Dai Li who had him were too many for him, and he ended up being taken. He screamed in helplessness, hoping to alert Iroh, who turned to see what had happened. Some chains flew toward him, but he created a wall of fire to block them.

"This isn't good."

From behind him, Dai Li agents jumped in to surprise him, but Appa arrived and pushed them with his body, sending them away. He stood next to Iroh, ready to help him, but the Dai Li were already surrounding them.

...

Aang was tired.

That was the word he could use to describe everything that had happened since he was captured.

Ever since he and his friends arrived in Ba Sing Se, he hoped to find Appa, tell the Earth King about the invasion plans, and be able to train in elemental bending without being pursued by the Fire Nation.

But since they arrived in the city, nothing went as expected. First, his refusal to see the Earth King, Long Feng's threat that they wouldn't find Appa, and the constant surveillance he placed on them by the Dai Li.

But above all, what happened that day, that he had pursued and captured them to force them to join his army of controlled soldiers. He doesn't want to imagine what happened to Katara, Sokka, and Toph. When they captured them, they took them away, and he didn't know what became of them. They had taken them to a place called Lake Laogai, and ever since that day, they had tried to convert him to their cause.

Perhaps it's something that comes with being the Avatar, but the Dai Li haven't been able to reach him no matter how hard they tried. Despite his moral weakening, despite feeding him little, or even with the extreme methods they had implemented, they still couldn't control him.

"Your stubbornness is pointless," declared the Dai Li agent in front of him, his voice low and inevitable, like the roar of an approaching avalanche.

For him, maybe not, but for Aang, it made sense. He couldn't give up, he wouldn't. His friends must be outside, waiting for him to stay put. He couldn't let them down, he wouldn't. He just had to find a way, something to help him get out of where he was. Even though he was chained up, there must be a way out.

Then he soon heard it: the sound of glass breaking, rocks flying everywhere, like a wall destroyed by a huge impact. Something, or rather, someone, had appeared.

The Dai Li agent also noticed, turning around in alarm at what had arrived. A person crossed through the tunnel, and the Dai Li agent acted on instinct. He threw one of his rock gauntlets, but the man drew a pair of swords and destroyed them. Next to him, a small figure appeared, sending up a column of earth that hit the Dai Li agent and sent him sprawling to the ground.

Aang opened his eyes upon seeing the figure that had arrived. Upon seeing her clearly, he recognized her and shouted in joy, "Toph! I'm glad to see you're okay."

Toph rushed over to him to grab her chains, and to the surprise of both Aang and Zuko and Hakoda, who had arrived, they watched as Toph broke them as if nothing had happened.

"You broke... You broke the chains? But how?"

Toph crossed her arms and then explained, "Something I developed when I was captured. I learned to control the fragments of earth within metals... I call it metalbending."

Hakoda opened his eyes in understanding. "So how were you able to escape then... You manipulated the metal they had you in..."

Toph turned to where he was and nodded with a smile. Meanwhile, Aang looked at the duo accompanying his friend.

"You look familiar," Aang said, studying the Water Tribe man's face. There were similarities between the two people he knew well, and that's when he knew it. "He's Katara and Sokka's father!"

Hakoda smiled as he raised his forearm to greet Aang. "It's a pleasure, Avatar Aang. I'm Hakoda of the Southern Water Tribe..."

Aang smiled as he returned the greeting in the Water Tribe style. "The pleasure is mine, sir..."

When he finished, he saw the last person there, and he simply said, "Thank you, Zuko..."

The aforementioned man opened his eyes in surprise. "I..."

"But what a touching encounter..." A female voice appeared out of nowhere, with a tone of sweetness but also cynicism, but disturbingly familiar to Zuko. He turned, swords ready, to the entrance, and that's when he saw her.

"Azula!"

The others were on guard, especially Aang and Toph, recognizing the Princess of the Fire Nation.

She wasn't alone, as a group of Dai Li agents appeared behind her and surrounded the group.

"You know the Dai Li. They may be earthbenders, but they have a similar killer instinct to firebenders. I like it."

Zuko growled but couldn't help but ask, "How are you in Ba Sing-se? The Dai Li takes everyone..."

Azula looked at him mockingly and then casually looked at her nails. "Yeah, well, the Dai Li and I agreed, and as long as we collaborate, then we'll get what we want..."

"One that will be beneficial for the future."

Another voice appeared, one Aang and Toph knew well. Taking slow steps, a figure dressed in black and green entered Aang's cell, grinning maliciously at the group.

Long Feng

"Avatar Aang and company, although your reunion was touching, I would like you to surrender peacefully. Do so, and I promise you that you will live."

Zuko frowned. "So you can turn us into more of your mindless lackeys? That won't happen."

Long Feng simply smiled. "Why not? Your friends did it with pleasure..."

Hakoda, hearing this, growled furiously. "What did you do to my children and my men?!"

Long Feng, observing him, clicked his tongue. "Chief Hakoda, you must understand that it was necessary. Only united under one leadership can we win this war, under my leadership..."

"You don't want to win in the name of peace; you want to control everyone!

Long Feng simply looked at Toph and said, "I don't see the problem with that. It's clear that with me leading this city, we've managed to become a perfect utopia, the last on the planet. Your friend saw it, and that's why she helped me intercept them and prevent them from damaging my plans... isn't that right, Jin?"

The girl's name shocked Zuko, Hakoda, and Toph, who watched in horror as Jin appeared and stood next to Long Feng, then looked at him and knelt before him. "I live to serve Long Feng and the Dai Li..."

"Jin... no..." Zuko said in shock. Jin looked at him, and Zuko witnessed the blank stare of a mindless person. Jin was under Long Feng's orders. "You... were under his orders from the beginning..."

Hakoda looked at him in disbelief. Toph was even more surprised, while Aange was confused by what was happening.

Long Feng smirked, confirming what Zuko had said.

Azula, on the other hand, rolled her eyes. "As much as one would like to see this, it's time to finish what we came here to do."

Without wasting time, she launched a blast of blue fire in her brother's direction. Zuko narrowly dodged it, while Toph wasted no time in raising a rock wall in front of them.

"We have to get out of here!"

Instantly, holes formed in Toph's wall, where Dai Li agents appeared. Hakoda drew his weapon at the same time Zuko threw himself to confront them.

Toph, for her part, turned to Aang. "Twinkle Toes, can you move?"

Aang nodded with difficulty. "A little, but it's enough."

Toph nodded determinedly. "Help me create a tunnel, we'll get out up."

"Toph... before anything else, where are the others?" "Aang asked Toph, even though it wasn't the moment he needed to know.

The girl just sighed and said, "They're on Long Feng's side now. Katara and Sokka obey him now."

Aang lowered his head sadly at that knowledge.

"But all is not lost. Aang, I found Appa," Toph said, causing Aang to open his eyes and look at her with hope. "He's out there, above ground, helping the others who are with us."

Aang, upon discovering that, felt a spark of hope. Appa was within reach. He was waiting for him. After so long, he was finally close.

"Wait for me, Appa. I'm coming right now."

He could feel an immense strength surging through him. He only knew he had to get up there quickly. He didn't care how; he just had to do it. He looked up as his eyes and his arrows shone brightly. The earth in the catacombs moved violently, as if everything inside was moving upwards. The fighting stopped as everyone held onto something from the incredible force exerted throughout the space.

Aang was lifting the entire cavern.

...

Iroh panted wearily. He'd used so much energy he didn't know how long he could hold out. They were surrounded.

They were outnumbered on all sides and had been pushed back from the tunnel, from which several soldiers began to enter. There was no way to warn the others that their exit was compromised.

And they wouldn't be able to get out of here. The only one still putting up a fight was Appa, who growled to keep the Dai Li from getting any closer, but it wouldn't last forever.

Who knows how long they could hold out?

"It's over, surrender," said one of the Dai Li agents, approaching with a mocking smile.

Iroh frowned, not moving. He wasn't going down without a fight.

But then, the ground began to shake, an earthquake. Something was moving the Earth on a massive scale. It couldn't be something natural; only a great earthbender could do it, but given the circumstances, only one specific earthbender was capable of such a feat.

The ground collapsed at the same time as the floor of the Ba Sing Se catacombs emerged from the ground, stalactites and glowing crystals illuminating the night sky.

Iroh covered his eyes to prevent the dust from reaching his eyes. When everything calmed down, he uncovered them and watched in amazement as a whole new surface appeared on the ground, knocking down many of his enemies, but more shockingly, with other people who had emerged.

"Appa!" Aang's shout attracted the Flying Bison, who ran toward his human's voice.

Aang, with all the strength he had left after such a display of power, ran and airbent himself onto the head of his bison, grabbing him with all his might, tears in his eyes. "I missed you, friend."

Appa closed his eyes, reciprocating the sentiment.

While Iroh ran toward his nephew, who had soon appeared, coughing, the force of the hug nearly knocked Zuko over, but he struggled to stay on his feet.

"Wow, when Twinkle Toes decides to exit, she does it in a big way," Toph said, helping Hakoda up. Hakoda nodded at what Aang had done.

For his part, Zuko just sighed and rolled his eyes. "My day is getting better... from capturing the Avatar to rescuing him from an impenetrable place again."

His statement intrigued Toph, as did the rest of the group, as Aang climbed off Appa and joined the conversation.

"Have you rescued Twinkle Toes before?"

Zuko nodded. "Yeah, I got him out of Pouhai Fortress once, one that was supposed to be very secure, it wasn't that hard to get in."

Aang, hearing him say that, smiled slightly as he hummed. "Yeah, I remember. I can't believe it either, but I thank you for what you've done, and that's why I want to ask you again, after everything that happened here, if the war hadn't happened... do you think you and I would have been friends?"

Zuko didn't know what to say as everyone looked at him, wanting to know the answer...

Just like Xianshi, who watched intrigued from behind...

...

Even though we see our world broken, we can always find help in the most unexpected places, no matter if it's a friend or a stranger...

...

Beneath the catacombs, Katara and Jin, along with several Dai Li, knelt before the Figure of Long Feng that stood before them. He was angry after the Avatar's actions. He might have bought himself time, but he wasn't defeated. He was going to go up and end this, but first, he would gather his forces with him.

Walking slowly, Azula made her way through Long Feng's lackeys with a sly smile on her face and stood in front of the Grand Secretary.

"This won't stay like this, Princess Azula. You know what you must do."

Azula smiled as she tilted her head and closed her eyes, then opened them again, revealing a blank look in her eyes as she looked at Long Feng and knelt before him.

"I live to serve Long Feng and the Dai Li."

...

But that's another story...

Chapter Text

Wolf Cove - Southern Water Tribe

Seals were quacking in the distance under the sunlight in the village of Wolf Cove, creating a beautiful melody that filled the air.

Two young children, a boy and a girl, moved toward the center of the village. Both looked at each other with childish smiles. The boy dove to his right in a feint before ducking and throwing snow at his sister. The girl mimicked his movement and began throwing snowballs back. Soon, the two were running and throwing snow.

Sokka ran faster and looked for cover. Without wasting any time, he grabbed some snow from the ground and came out of his hiding place to throw it at the girl, who was faster than him, throwing her snowball, hitting her in the face.

The girl brought her hands to her mouth as she laughed at her brother's incredulous look. The annoyed boy brushed the snow off his face, scooped up a lot of it, and formed a large ball that he was going to throw at his sister.

But then ash began to fall from the sky. The two children watched as the ash steadily fell, as did everyone else around them. For the people of the Water Tribe, this wasn't a common occurrence; it was a harbinger of the tragedy that was coming for them.

The Fire Nation was near.

The girl felt the fear of what was to come, so she did the only thing she could: she looked at her brother and then said,

"I'm going to find Mom."

Wasting no time, she ran as fast as she could in search of her mother. Seeing her brother's worried gaze, he looked ahead of the village, heading toward the icy waters of the South Pole. He saw large warships docking. Firebenders emerged from them and formed an attack formation. The Water Tribe warriors wasted no time, grabbing their weapons and preparing to confront them.

The girl, for her part, ran with all her might, searching for her mother among all the people who were running, either to help fight the Fire Nation or to seek shelter, but the girl couldn't find the person she was looking for.

But the catapult attacks impacted all over the village, destroying several places where people were running for shelter, causing chaos and making the girl even more worried and afraid.

"Mom!"

...

A woman's heart skipped an unexpected leap; something was happening, she could feel it from within. She looked toward the exit. She was at the Tribe's meeting place. An instinct or a feeling had reached her, but a call had reached her. She turned toward the exit to look for him.

But that's when he appeared, entering without asking permission and aggressively.

A man wearing black and red armor and a helmet advanced with a confident and intimidating stride. The woman stepped back, alert and fearful of the invader. Upon seeing her, he smiled maliciously. He created a flame from his hand, throwing it to the ground at the woman's feet. Terrified, she jumped and fell to the ground, much to the firebender's amusement.

Without wasting time, she cautiously got up. The firebender just stared.

"What are you looking for here?" the woman asked the firebender cautiously, but she sensed why he would be there and hoped it wasn't what she imagined and feared at the same time..

The firebender just smiled cruelly. "Don't play the fool, you wild Water Tribe girl. You know what I want. Tell me where it is? Where's the waterbender?"

He looked up, revealing himself as Kya, staring defiantly at the firebender, but inside, she felt worried and alarmed. The firebender wasn't just looking for a waterbender; he was looking for something she would never give up for anything in the world, even if her life depended on it.

"Mom!"

Kya's heart stopped beating instantly as she recognized that voice, as well as the person it belonged to, the little girl who had come looking for her, who was entering the igloo. She froze at the sight of her mother at the mercy of a firebender.

Katara.

The firebender noticed her too, quickly turning his attention to the little girl. Kya then acted before anyone else could.

"If you let her go, I'll give you the information you want!"

Katara stared at her mother, wanting to reach her and protect her, but then the firebender's gaze stopped her, frowning at her.

"You heard your mother, now get out of here!"

But Katara didn't want to leave. She didn't want to leave her mother with that monster. She looked from the firebender to Kya, searching for what to do. Helplessly, the girl burst into tears. "Mom! I'm scared..."

Seeing her daughter's scared face was too much for Kya. She wanted nothing more than to run and hug her tightly, tell her she would be safe and not to be afraid, but she couldn't do it. Who knows how the firebender would respond? And Kya could not risk him doing something to her little girl.

The only thing she could do was give her a smile that might convince her. "Go get your father, Katara. I'll be fine..."

Katara looked from her mother to the monster, who stared at her in annoyance and annoyance at seeing the little girl still there. Katara didn't want to leave her mother, but as much as she didn't want to, she knew there wasn't much she could do. But maybe her father could. If she ran as fast as she could, she could reach him so he could take care of her.

As she ran, Xiànshi appeared intangible, watching her from the sky...

_________________________________________________________________________

During the Hundred Year War, the Southern Water Tribe suffered Fire Nation raids, seeking to capture all the waterbenders. One by one, they were captured until the last Southern waterbender was found. The last of these raids took place in the year 94 AG.

_________________________________________________________________________

The commander advanced threateningly toward Kya. "Now you'll tell me once and for all... Tell me, who is it? Who is the waterbender?"

Now that Katara was gone, Kya could breathe easy, even if only a little, because now she had to solve this. "There are no more waterbenders left. The Fire Nation took them all a long time ago!"

"Don't lie. My sources tell me there's a waterbender in the Southern Water Tribe, and we won't leave until we find him..."

Kya's heart filled with fear upon hearing that. If they stayed any longer, she wasn't sure how long the Tribe's warriors could hold out. They didn't have enough strength to repel the Fire Nation. It would only be a matter of time before they started searching the village.

And if they find Katara and discover she's the one they're looking for, Kya doesn't want to imagine it.

She doesn't want these monsters to reach her little girl. They shouldn't. She won't allow it. She will protect her little girl at any cost.

"If I tell you, you'll leave the rest of the village alone..." she said in a soft voice, but one that showed she would comply if the firebender agreed. She lowered her head in submission so he would know she meant it.

Yon Rha, seeing Kya's act of humiliation, nodded, pleased that the Water Tribe savage accepted so easily.

"It's me." Kya opened her eyes and looked at the firebender with a defiant look. "I am the last waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe."

_________________________________________________________________________

Desperate to protect her daughter, Kya lied and claimed she was the last waterbender. When she declared she was ready to be taken as his prisoner, Yon Rha told her she shouldn't take prisoners, and he killed her instead.

But in this universe, the decision she had made brought unexpected events...

_________________________________________________________________________

Running as fast as she could, Katara reached the outskirts of the village, where the Tribe warriors were facing the firebenders. Climbing a large expanse of snow, Katara searched for her father amid the battle, searching hurriedly, hoping to find him.

It seemed luck was on her side, as her father was at the front of her, fighting a firebender.

"Dad! Dad! Come on, Mom's in trouble! There's a man in our house!"

As he slammed the firebender into the snow, Hakoda heard his daughter's panicked screams, causing him to react instantly.

"Kya!"

Wasting no time, he ran home with his daughter while leaving the others in the middle of the battle, which was just beginning to end. Soon, the firebenders moved toward the center while protecting their leader, who walked with Kya tied up, victorious and proud, strutting while the warriors watched in horror as Kya's captured figure appeared.

Many quickly rushed to her aid, but the firebenders soon came out to stop them, launching fire attacks or engaging them hand-to-hand.

But someone else had noticed, a little boy who, upon seeing his mother being taken away, ran without a second thought, grabbed a boomerang he found in the snow, keeping his eyes on his mother and the person taking her.

"Mom!"

Kya stopped dead in her tracks when she heard her son Sokka's voice. She turned to see her little boy approaching with an expression determined to save her, but Kya was now only worried.

"Sokka, no!" she shouted, hoping to stop him.

But it was too late. The firebender holding her captive noticed what was happening and cruelly glared at Kya with mockery as he grabbed her and threw her to the ground. He charged a massive fire blast and directed it at Sokka, who stopped in fear, unable to move.

"No!" Kya's heart stopped beating as she watched in horror, her son about to be consumed by fire.

Sokka closed his eyes, waiting for the impact, but something lunged at him, knocking him off his feet.

Hakoda, who had just arrived, did everything he could to save his son. He glared at the firebender who had dared to harm his family; he wouldn't let it end.

Running toward him, Hakoda had his sights on him, but despite that, many firebenders tried to stop him, but he knocked them all down. The leader only looked amused. All he did was pick Kya up, pull a dagger from his armor, and hold it near the Tribe woman's throat.

Hakoda stopped the moment he saw that, but it was enough for his and Kya's gazes to meet. Many words had been spoken in those moments: pleas to stop, promises to rescue, to protect their children, promises of love, and desires to resist as long as they could until they saw each other again.

Promises that would not be kept when an arrow pierced Hakoda's heart, and he soon slowly fell to the ground until he breathed his last.

_________________________________________________________________________

Time

Space

Reality

It is more than a linear path... it is a prism of unlimited possibilities... where a single choice can split into infinite realities and create alternate worlds beyond those you already know... I am Xiànshi, the spirit of reality. I am your guide in these vast new realities. Follow me and consider the question... what if?

Sacrifice is often used from different perspectives in the practice of giving up something in pursuit of a greater goal, but in a multiverse of possibilities, that practice can lead you to new paths you never thought you would travel...

_________________________________________________________________________

West Sea - Several months later...

The sound of the ocean can be comforting, sometimes calming, but after a while, you learn it can be the only pleasant companion in a hostile space.

Kya can hear it through the metal walls of the Fire Nation ship, a reminder that a waterbender is close yet so far from their element that they can't escape. Her cell isn't just to prevent escape, it's also a reminder that they can't access their element. If she were a waterbender, she could undoubtedly imagine how devastating that perception would be. Luckily, she's not a waterbender.

The only things that didn't suit her were the complete lack of moisture and the chains she was tied to, which clinked at how thin her wrists were now.

The lack of food was certainly taking its toll, but that hadn't been a priority for her, not since that day.

But at least she had a window, where she could watch the sky transition from day to night, many times, watching the days turn into weeks and then months until she lost count.

It may have been months since she was taken prisoner, but the memory of what happened still feels like it happened yesterday: seeing Hakoda's lifeless body as they dragged her to the ship, seeing Sokka's face devastated by what he had seen, and she could imagine how Katara would feel after that.

Thinking about them was the only thing that still kept her alive; they were the only reason she still allowed herself to live.

They were safe. As long as the lie that she was the last waterbender of the South remained, the Fire Nation would never return to the South Pole, and her children would be safe.

Just then, she heard a sound behind the cell door. She heard someone open it and enter. It was two Fire Nation guards bringing food and water for her.

"Your dinner."

A plate of stale bread was left on the floor of her cell. She approached slowly. Kya took a little, but not too much. The rations were controlled, not enough to give her energy, but enough to keep her alive. After eating, they offered her water through a small container, handed to her with a long stick.

Once she finished, she looked at her guards, who were looking at her mockingly.

"That's how I like it. I must admit you're more docile than other waterbenders we've had here." One of the guards approached the cell. "Besides being an exotic beauty, it's a shame we have to leave you in a cell when this is over."

The guard's comment made Kya frown.

Her companion just laughed. "Relax, buddy. Don't demean yourself with a savage. Try to maintain your dignity. You know how the commander feels about that. We must keep her in good condition until we reach the Fire Nation."

But the first soldier then smiled evilly. "Yes, we must hand her over alive and whole, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't discipline her first..." With his left hand, he slowly touched a whip he carried with him while looking at Kya. "We must take off her shirt."

The guard ordered his companion as he took the leather whip he had with him. His companion smiled amusedly and accepted with gusto. Kya then gulped as she saw the two guards enter her cell. They stood behind her while trying to remove her shirt. Kya tried to force the shackles, but it was useless; she wasn't strong enough.

But the universe always seemed to act unexpectedly. How did she know? The ship began to rock violently. The guards stumbled while Kya held her position with the chains, but the ship's movement continued. Something had happened. She began to hear soldiers and guards shouting, as if in a panic.

But soon she began to hear it again. There were creaking sounds and the violent crashing of ocean waves against the side of the ship. Were they in a storm, or was the sea itself acting against the Fire Nation ship?

"What's going on?!" one of the guards in his cell shouted, stunned.

"I don't know!" another shouted, as they both rushed to the deck, ignoring the fact that they had left the door open. It seemed the commotion and the sudden action of the ocean had made them forget she was still there.

Or maybe they did, because she soon noticed her window beginning to crack as water also began to leak from some parts.

"HELP!!! UNTIE ME!!! PLEASE!!!" Kya screamed in panic, but no one could hear her.

No one was going to save her.

So this was the end. Her small window filled the cell floor with its cold salt water. Despite that, she smiled. At least she wouldn't spend the rest of her life caged like an animal.

She took one last deep breath as the salt water finally filled her entire cell. She closed her eyes, resigned to whatever was coming, and everything turned dark.

...

Shuhon Island.

"We're near Fire Fountain City, my Lady. Would you like us to dock there?" asked a middle-aged man with a kasa hat covering his face, who was rowing a luxurious Fire Nation boat.

She hovered along the shores of Shuhon Island, where the hills that closely hid the nearby city could be seen, but the man wasn't the only one on board. Sitting on a bench on the deck, a hooded figure stared ahead.

She stared ahead and at the same time at nothing in itself. She could only try to focus on the direction she was taking, trying not to think about the decisions she had made, about what had happened a couple of days ago, and that had changed her life once again.

But she heard what the man in her service had asked her, turned her head slightly, directing her attention to that man, and then shook her head. She wasn't interested in stopping in a place where someone might notice that a Fire Nation noblewoman, and more importantly, a member of the Royal Family, had suddenly appeared. She didn't trust that if someone saw her, they would decide to notify the Palace.

That happening would be the worst thing that could happen.

The man sighed and nodded, took his oar, and soon used it to move the boat in the opposite direction, leaving the Island and resuming the course toward the noblewoman's destination.

She soon looked back ahead, grateful for not having to insist, but more specifically, so she could continue the journey to her destination, her home.

Home.

It's been a long time since she'd thought of that place as home. For a long time, it was the place she'd been taken from, the place where her old life was left behind, where nothing would ever be the same again.

All she could do was return after everything that had happened, hoping her parents could be there after all these years. Surely they're still in their old house, and although a part of her longs to return home, the other part doesn't know if she wants to.

She hopes to return and find everything as it was before, hoping everything will be the same as when she left, but would it be? A long time had passed, and maybe everything had changed; after all, she's no longer the young woman who left so long ago.

She's a different person now. She experienced many things in the Fire Nation Royal Palace that she would like to forget, but despite that, there's one truth about who she is that she would never leave behind. She's a mother now, a mother who has had to make a great sacrifice for the two children she left behind.

"Zuko... Azula... please, be strong. I know I left you, but it was the only way..." the noblewoman thought as tears began to form in her eyes. These days, it was something that happened frequently whenever she remembered.

With the sleeve of her robe, she wiped her eyes as she stood up and headed to the bow of the boat, thinking about what could have been, how if she could have been stronger, maybe she could have found a way to get her children with her and take them far away, wherever, where they could be safe.

She clenched her hands into fists out of helplessness, out of fear, out of being too weak to do anything, out of not being stronger.

But then, a dull thud hit her boat.

That caught her attention. It had come out of nowhere. They were out in the open sea. There shouldn't be anything that could hit a boat of that size at that distance. Curious and intrigued, she walked up to the deck of the boat to discover what was down there.

That's when she noticed that she had gasped in surprise.

A metal plate, from what must have belonged to a Fire Nation warship, was floating in the water, but that wasn't the surprising thing; what was surprising was a dying Kya, clinging to the plate with all her remaining strength.

...

"Kya... Kya..." A soft, familiar voice was heard by a sleepy Kya, "wake up, my love, you have to wake up..."

The voice calling her caused confusion and annoyance in Kya, who wanted to sleep; she felt comfortable there, and there was peace, tranquility.

"Kya, I need you to wake up," the voice became more insistent, to the point that Kya could hear it whispering in her ear.

She sighed in resignation as she slowly opened her eyes. Looking around, she saw that she was back at the South Pole. She was wearing her blue parka, but something was strange about her: she was outside in the snow.

When she noticed it, she quickly got up.

"Kya..." She turned to see who was calling her, and when she did, she was speechless and shocked.

"Hakoda... you're here," her husband, who was also wearing the same parka and looked just like the last day she'd seen him, the day of the raid, the day she was captured and he was killed, "how is that possible? You... died! I saw it... does that mean I'm dead?" Hakoda, seeing Kya trying to understand, smiled slightly as he walked to stand in front of her and take her hands. "No, my love, it's not time for us to be together again. I'm no longer alive, and I can no longer protect our family... but you, you can. You have to live, Kya. You have to come back. Come back to protect Sokka and Katara. They need you, they need you to come back to them..."

Hakoda's request left Kya surprised, but also incomprehensible. "I... but how? I don't know how to come back, and I don't know if I can..."

Hakoda strengthened his grip to convey confidence. "You'll find a way. I know you will..."

Kya looked at his hands, as well as hers, her gaze filled with anguish and sadness. "But I'll be alone in lands I don't know. I can't do this alone..."

"And you won't be..." Hakoda's voice sounded confident, causing Kya to look at him again. "I'll always be with you." Just as our children are with you too... but if you open your mind, you may find help where you least expect it...

"Hakoda..." Despite wanting to say something else, the look her husband gave her was enough to calm her, filling her with courage, because she knew he was right. She would keep them in her heart, and with that, she would do everything in her power, even face the spirits themselves if necessary. "I swear, I will find a way back home, I will return to our children..."

"I know you will..." Without wasting any time, Hakoda took her in his arms as he proceeded to kiss her, an act that Kya reciprocated, depositing the love they had always had for each other in life, and that even though one was no longer alive, that love would not disappear. When they separated, Hakoda whispered, "And now it's time for you to wake up, Kya..."

...

Gasping for air, Kya opened her eyes suddenly. Getting up quickly, as she took a breath, as her vision adjusted, she noticed she was no longer on the Fire Nation warship. Instead, she was greeted by daylight, blinding her for a moment as she adjusted back to the sunlight. It had been a long time since she'd seen anything other than metal walls, which took time for her to tolerate.

"Amazing, you're awake!" a female voice caught her attention. She turned in the direction she'd heard it when hands took her shoulders and laid her down on what appeared to be where they'd put her. "You should rest. I don't know how long you were adrift, but you must rest to regain your strength."

Looking up, Kya adjusted her vision to see a wooden roof covering her. She looked to the sides to see that she was indeed on something made of wood. She could feel them moving through the water, then realized they were on a boat.

She didn't see a hooded figure crouch near her, taking a cup like a teapot and pouring water into it. "This will help you recover. It's a mixture that will help your condition better."

He handed her the cup while trying to help her drink. Kya fixed her gaze on the hooded figure, watching her suspiciously. She didn't know who this person was or what his intentions might be. He could be giving her something that could be bad for her, and she wouldn't even realize it.

The hooded woman must have realized this because she quickly looked at her and said, "If you think it might be poisonous, then you're wrong. This is a mixture of herbs that will help your health." Hoping to convince her, the hooded woman took the cup and drank it without further ado, only to grimace in disgust after drinking it. "It just tastes horrible, but I don't have anything to lessen it."

She poured more of the medicine into the cup and then gave it to Kya. After observing how the hooded woman had drunk it and nothing had happened to her, she took the cup with suspicion and began to drink it. As she did, she felt disgusted by the bad taste. The hooded woman wasn't lying about that, so she would have to settle for that.

Meanwhile, still drinking the medicine, Kya observed her apparent savior. The hood covered her head, but not so closely. She could see that her savior seemed to be her age. She looked young and beautiful, with delicate features and makeup. Her hair was tied back, and her complexion was pale. But what she could distinguish most of all was the amber color in her eyes, eyes that belonged only to people of the Fire Nation.

Once she finished drinking, she set the cup aside as she got out of bed once more.

The hooded woman saw that despite her warnings, the stranger she saved was stubborn. Clearly, despite having been through a shipwreck, she didn't believe she should recover.

"Well, if you don't want to rest, I can ask a few questions. How did you end up adrift?"

Kya narrowed her eyes suspiciously. Even if that stranger had saved her, that doesn't mean she trusted her.

"Forgive me, my lady, but while it's true that I managed to help this peasant recover," another voice made an appearance, and she saw someone further back, rowing with a pole, "she should receive better treatment..."

The Fire Maiden frowned, rising from her seat and looking at her boatman. "I told you, we won't be disembarking in Fire Fountain City. With what I have here, I'm capable of helping her recover."

Ozai may have banished her, but at least he allowed her to take a few things with her, things she cherished from her old life, like her herbalist's tools and a couple of plant samples she wanted to bring with her.

She had certainly made the right decision to take those if she could use them now to save a life.

Ignoring the conversation, Kya looked around and saw that she was indeed no longer on the metal boat, and it was no longer nighttime; it was daytime, and she was somewhere out at sea. She looked again at the Fire Nation woman who was still arguing with the man rowing. Studying her closely, she noticed the cloak covering her body. There was something strange about her. It almost seemed as if she wanted to hide behind it. Her expression, her sharp tone, and her refusal to go to a city gave it away.

"We'll discuss that later. For now, I'll focus on ensuring the woman we rescued receives the necessary treatment," the noblewoman said, frowning at the boatman.

"But..."

"That's my last word!" The noblewoman said in a determined tone, saying the topic wasn't going to be up for discussion. She turned around, walked over to her patient, and sat down where she had been before. As she did, she looked at Kya with a frown, urging her to challenge her. Seeing that she was serious, Kya was convinced it would be a better idea to let her treat her.

Ursa turned her attention back to the empty cup, poured more of its healing contents into it, and handed it to Kya.

"This remedy will help you feel better, but it will put you to sleep for a couple of hours, until you wake up and feel recovered..."

Kya nodded as she drank the contents of the cup, ignoring the horrible taste. After she finished, she handed the cup to the noblewoman, who took it and, thankfully, didn't make her another cup.

However, the effects of fatigue took their toll, as Kya soon felt the need to close her eyes for a while. She tried to settle down on the wooden bench she'd been lying on. The noblewoman helped her settle in even as Kya's eyelids grew heavy.

"When you wake up, you'll feel better, and then we'll be able to talk more effectively... now just rest..."

Those words were the last Kya heard as she drifted off into the world of dreams.

...

Several hours later...

Kya blinked as she regained consciousness. It had been a satisfying nap. She'd dreamed of the tundra, frozen surfaces, her village, and family waiting for her. In her dreams, she told them they were waiting for her, that she would find a way back.

For now, she returned to the real world. As she stood up, she saw that hours had passed since sleep had taken hold of her. Now dusk was about to fall, and from what she could see, nightfall was near.

"But... Princess, please reconsider..."

The conversation caught Kya's attention. She turned cautiously and saw that behind her were the ferryman and her savior, apparently arguing, as the Fire Nation woman stood with her arms crossed while shaking her head.

"I've already told you, we only make stops in remote places on the Islands. We won't go to the cities, and you agreed when I hired you for my trip, so now we'll continue as before, understood?"

The ferryman seemed unsure as he looked away, then nodded resignedly and bowed respectfully to the woman.

"As you command, Princess Ursa."

Kya opened her mouth in disbelief, looking at the ferryman and then at her savior, who sighed and said thank you, lowering her hood to reveal her face and hair, which was all tied up in an elegant bun, but more specifically, with a fiery crown, worn only by those belonging to the Fire Nation Royal Family.

Kya quickly stood up, catching the Princess's attention and causing her to head over to where she was, looking at her in surprise that she had already stood up.

"Hey, calm down. What's wrong with you?" asked the Princess, confused by her behavior.

She took a step, but Kya took another step back, defensive and ready to defend herself if necessary. She may not have known how to fight, but she would fight tooth and nail if necessary.

"You're... you're a Princess of the Fire Nation." Kya narrowed her eyes, glaring at the woman who belonged to the Fire Royal Family, who looked at her without reacting.

There was a moment of silence between the two, waiting for the Princess to answer Kya's question.

"That's right," the woman said, without any malice or arrogance in her voice, just a voice that betrayed nothing of the statement. "My name is Ursa, Wife of the Prince... not really of Fire Lord Ozai, if I'm not mistaken." She said the last part with her eyes rolled back, showing how much she disliked the idea.

But Kya ignored that. Instead, she opened her eyes and stared in shock at this Ursa, the wife of the Fire Lord, the leader of the Nation, who attacked her home, her people, who killed Hakoda, and who sent her away...

"You... you are, you are the wife of the Fire Lord," she said emotionlessly, as she continued to process what was happening.

"And you're not from here," Ursa said with a raised eyebrow and her arms crossed. "I know many who live here very well, but you're certainly not from the Fire Nation if you couldn't recognize me. You're not from the Colonies either. So, where are you from?"

At that, a cruel laugh came from Kya, causing Ursa to look at her in bewilderment. "Don't you know? You don't know who I am, or what you Ash Makers did?" Don't you know I was taken from my home for being a "waterbender"?!

Kya shouted the last thing furiously as she looked at Ursa, who widened her eyes in surprise.

"You... you're a waterbender? Are you from the Water Tribe?"

Kya snorted, surprised by the woman's reaction. "Oh, right, excuse me, Your Majesty." She said the last thing in an acidic tone that shocked Ursa. "Do you not resent my presence? Don't you like seeing what your actions have done to me?"

Ursa gulped at the hostility and reprimand she was hearing. She didn't know what that Water Tribe woman was doing there. Of course, she learned some things about the Fire Nation campaigns, but she wasn't as involved in those things as her brother-in-law, Iroh.

"I... I don't know anything... I swear, I don't participate in the Fire Nation's warlike affairs..."

However, Kya refused to give in. "If that's so, then what are you doing here? What could a woman like you be doing here?"

Ursa wanted to say something, but she soon thought better of it and decided to remain silent. She had very different reasons from Kya's thoughts, but her silence was enough to convince her that the noblewoman had come with ill intentions.

"Listen..." Ursa raised her hands, trying to reassure the Water Tribe woman. "I'm not here for what you think... and I'm sorry they took you from your home. Who knows how much you must have been through..."

"You have no idea what's happened to me, or what this war has done to me!" - Kya screamed in a forceful and pained tone that caught Ursa's full attention - I'm the only one who knows... The Fire Nation took everything from me! My home, my family, to the love of my life, to... my children.

Kya, unable to contain her tears, lets them flow as her legs give way and she falls to the ground, crying as Ursa sees her. She can see the Water Tribe woman's pain, and she looks at her with pity and sympathy.

Well, the memory of everything she had to leave behind comes back to her.

"I'm so sorry... I guess that's something we have in common."

Hearing this, Kya raises her head in disbelief at what she just heard. She then looks at Ursa to see that she, too, was starting to have tears in her eyes.

"My... husband, I didn't choose him because I loved him. It was arranged. I was taken from my home when I was young to marry a cruel man... I could never return home and... I had to leave the man I loved... but not everything in my new life was so bad. I gained two children who became my world and the light in the darkness I lived in." At that, the memory of Zuko and Azula also came back to her, from their birth to all the moments she shared with them, until she reached that day.

Kya opened her eyes in surprise at what he was telling her. She didn't know what she could say, but what she could be sure of was the pain Ursa felt. She could see it in her eyes, the pain a mother feels when she's taken from her children.

She understands that pain, but still, there's something she doesn't understand.

"If that's so, then why aren't you with them?" Kya asked slowly, but her tone no longer held any hostility or fury; there was only intrigue to know what had happened for Ursa to be here now.

The memory of what she had to do returned to Ursa, causing her to frown and look at Kya. "I left to protect you. My husband is cruel, but he's also ambitious, and all he wants is power, and he'll stop at nothing to get it, not even if he has to..." She gulped, remembering what her husband, Ozai, had decided to do until she stopped him, "even if he has to kill his firstborn for a throne."

The revelation of that shocked Kya. She looked at Ursa to see if there was anything that would tell her it wasn't true, but seeing Ursa's look told her it was the truth, and that made her feel confused and incredulous. How would a father try to kill his son? She doesn't even think it's possible. She could never think of hurting Sokka and Katara. She knew Hakoda wouldn't be able to do it, and she would never have allowed him to. None of her acquaintances in Wolf Cove would have.

"That... that's horrible."

"Yes, it is..." Ursa nodded, remembering what she had to do and sacrifice to achieve what she wanted. "I couldn't allow that to happen, so I made a deal with my husband so that he would get what he wanted and not kill my son... Killing Fire Lord Azulon is a very serious crime that comes at a very high price, but it's something I would do again if it meant ensuring the safety of my children... even if it meant never seeing him again."

Kya opened her eyes and was in shock. The Fire Nation Princess's revelation left her completely speechless, but at the same time, it astonished her. Somehow, she had achieved what kings dreamed of doing, what armies would have begged the spirits for, what nations torn apart by decades of war had suffered to keep fighting.

"But," Ursa continued, clutching her legs in her hands and looking away, "now that I think about it, was it a good idea to do it? Without me there, there's no one left to protect them. Ozai can now choose what to do with them, and no one can tell him anything, and no one can be there... I'm not there... and they might believe..."

Fear and anxiety flooded Ursa as she reflected and realized what she had done and the consequences it could bring, causing many scenarios to run through her head, each one worse than the last.

She didn't know what to do. She couldn't return to the palace now, and if she did, Ozai might make good on his threat. He might even twist the truth so she'd never see them again. And even if she could get Zuko and Azula out of the palace, she had no resources or allies to keep them safe.

She was completely alone.

But soon, she felt a hand squeeze hers, like a reminder that she wasn't alone at that moment. Ursa looked from her hand to Kya, who had reached out to take hers.

"It's not. You did it because you believed it was the right thing to do, and you can't erase what's already been done... but what you can do is find a way to keep fighting. You said it yourself. You'd do anything to protect them, and if there's one thing I know, it's that I would do everything in my power to protect my children, even if the odds were against me..."

Ursa wiped away her tears as she watched the Water Tribe woman encouraging her not to give up, even though her Nation had been taken from her all, she saw that Ursa wasn't her enemy, but just another victim like her of evil people who had separated her from what she loved most. Despite that, they were both still here, refusing to give up.

Ursa smiled at her as she covered Kya's hand with her other hand and squeezed it gently, thanking her for her words and for reminding her that despite what had happened, even in the face of everything against her, she couldn't fall apart, not when her children still needed her.

...

Something had changed; Ursa was sure of that.

Hours had passed since she and her new friend, Kya, as the Water Tribe woman had told her her name, had opened up about their identities.

Maybe it was because they saw that the other had gone through the same thing, or maybe now that neither of them has a clue what to do, they've decided to trust each other.

But she's sure of one thing: they're both united because they know they carry the same burden.

They're mothers who only want their children to be well.

And speaking of which...

"By the way, you never told me... your children... what are they like?"

Kya looked up from across the boat where she was sitting, eating something. Despite having lost her things, Kya knew a thing or two about how to start a fire on a boat and manage to prepare something for the two of them to eat, her and the ferryman rowing in the distance, while Ursa had a good supply of food for the journey they were on.

But the question had caught her completely off guard. She stared at Ursa, who seemed genuinely curious to know, and despite that, Kya allowed herself to smile. After the moment they shared, she knew that despite all the circumstances, as well as the whole war and the poor relationship between their nations, she could trust her.

"They're... incredible. There are two of them, a boy and a girl. The boy is the oldest, his name is Sokka... he's energetic and optimistic. He admires his father and wants to become a warrior when he grows up. He's a bit like me in character, he's intelligent and brave. I have no doubt he'll be a great man someday." Then there's my daughter, Katara, a very sweet and gentle girl... although she inherited a bit of my character and her father's mixed, she's kind and has a smile that could light up the darkest cave. She loves her culture and always enjoys hearing the tribe's stories.

Every time she spoke about them, Ursa could see the joy in Kya's smile and eyes, which left her with no doubt that the tribal woman undoubtedly has fond memories of them.

"I can see that," Ursa said with a smile, one that only grew as she thought of her children. "Well, my children are a little different from yours... My oldest son, Zuko, is the most passionate boy. We always sat by the turtle-duck pond feeding them. He's kind and has a good heart." Kya looked at Ursa's happy face as she thought of them, but soon noticed how that happiness diminished as she looked away. "And my other daughter, Azula, is... a firebending prodigy, and that caught her father's attention more than I'd like... She adopted a lot of his behavior and personality, making her a child that I fear will one day become her father... But I have hope that there may still be goodness in her. I want to believe I haven't lost it completely."

She couldn't help but sigh and look at Ursa with pity. "Why do you say that?"

Ursa frowned as she recalled how much her daughter had changed over the years. "Azula grew up very self-assured. Ever since she began to show signs of becoming a firebender, a great rift had formed between her and me, but everything worsened when both she and Zuko began to be pitted against each other by Ozai. He always favored Azula and distanced himself from my son. I wanted to do something, but in the end, I only caused Azula to distance herself from me... and now I'm not there, and I don't know what will become of her or Zuko now that I'm gone, and I'm afraid of what Ozai might do..."

Kya frowned as she learned more about how Ursa's husband, Fire Lord Ozai, seemed to become more and more evident, at least to her, that he was a terrible person. She was very convinced that Ursa felt the same way, especially after discovering the man's lack of scruples in doing atrocious things to his children.

However, she understood Ursa's concern.

"I'm just like you... When the Nation..." she paused for a moment to correct herself, "when those soldiers attacked my home, they did it to take a waterbender. They discovered one remained in my tribe, and they attacked us to take him."

Ursa nodded. "You, aren't you?"

Kya was about to nod, but then, seeing how honest Ursa had been with her, she had to reciprocate that sincerity. "No, I'm not the last waterbender. I lied so I could save the last waterbender of the South... my daughter Katara." She watched as Ursa opened her eyes and was speechless. "After that, their leader took me to his ship in full view of my entire tribe, my son, who tried to do something, and my husband, who tried to save me... but... but then he was killed..." Kya closed her eyes, holding back the tears that wanted to escape her eyes as she remembered what had happened.

Ursa looked down as she clenched her fists, unable to believe how people of her Nation had done such atrocious things, she can't blame Kya for reacting the way she did. If she were in her position, she would have reacted the same or worse.

After a moment, Kya recovered and spoke again. "After that, I was taken by ship to a prison here in the Fire Nation, but then some guards were about to do their thing when a storm hit... whatever happened next, I don't know. I was unconscious until I woke up on your ship..."

When she finished, Ursa stared at her, marveling at the journey she'd made, all the pain and suffering she must have gone through. But despite that, despite almost dying, she was still here, not giving up.

"You were very brave..."

Kya smiled at what she said and looked at her. "Just like you," Ursa smiled back. "Even here, I know you understand that staying here is impossible for me. I don't know how, but I will return to the South Pole to find my children. I know they are there waiting for me."

Ursa did not doubt that Kya was serious because she couldn't stay there either. After hearing what she had been through, she couldn't let herself be defeated so easily. If there was even a small chance, she would use it. She wouldn't leave her children with Ozai forever. She would return for them. Ozai may have exiled her, but now she could start planning what to do to get Zuko and Azula back.

Leaving her resting place, Ursa walked directly to the ferryman, clearing her throat to get his attention, and he looked at her intently.

"You know what... I've made a decision. We won't be going straight to our final destination anymore; we'll make an early stop."

The ferryman allowed himself to sigh in relief, letting it be known how much he appreciated Ursa's decision, but he quickly composed himself and nodded.

"And where will we go, My Lady?" We left Fire Fountain City a long time ago and are getting closer to the Eastern Isles.

Ursa placed a hand on her jaw and began to think. If they were going to find a way to protect their children, they would have to prepare for it. As much as she wanted to, she knew she didn't have the condition or the skill to fight, and from the slight glance she gave Kya, she could tell with certainty that neither did she. On one hand, she liked knowing they were on equal footing in that regard, but on the other, they needed training if they wanted to achieve what they wanted.

But the question would be, with whom? It had to be someone who would agree to train them and who they could trust wouldn't betray them. If what Kya told her was true, then it wasn't a good idea to bring her to the city, and she couldn't just show up all of a sudden. If someone recognized her, it was obvious they'd report it to the capital and Ozai.

There had to be someone who could help them, someone trustworthy, someone who wasn't blindly loyal to the Fire Lord, someone she wouldn't suspect, someone competent in battle and possessing great skills...

Ursa opened her eyes in disbelief. Why hadn't she thought of that before?! There was someone who didn't live far away and who would surely agree to help them if she asked, at least she hoped so.

"Shujing... take us to Shujing."

...

Shujing

The green hills of Shujing were undoubtedly a beautiful sight. Kya had never seen so much greenery in her life. Compared to the South Pole, this place seemed like something out of a dream. The Fire Nation may have caused suffering to the world with war, but it's fair to say it has incredible landscapes.

"I wish Hakoda and the children could see this," Kya thought sadly, thinking of her family, her husband, who was no longer in this world, and her two children at the South Pole, waiting for her. "But if I can have a chance to return for them, I'll take it."

"I haven't been to Shujing in a long time, but it's always made me happy every time I leave the Palace," Ursa said at her side.

The two of them walked along the paths of Shujing, heading for a safe place. According to Ursa, after arriving in Shujing, Ursa was determined to come here, although she had previously been convinced they should keep a low profile.

And now here they were, after getting new clothes from Fire Nation people, acquiring a few accessories from the region, and, most importantly, getting some money from Ursa's possessions, they soon left the city for a new location, leaving behind the boat that had brought them.

Speaking of which.

"Are you sure it's safe to let the ferryman leave? What happens if he gives us away?" Kya asked as they walked along the path, showing concern for that detail.

Ursa looked at Kya, dressed in Fire Nation attire, leaving behind the prison clothes that would make her look like a fugitive. Instead, she wore ordinary shoes, a pair of white pants, and a red silk dress tied with a red sash around her waist. She had lost her necklace since the raid on the South Pole, so Ursa insisted she wear a new one, as well as a hairpin, which Ursa herself styled and which had turned out similar to her daughter Azula's; it certainly suited her.

But remembering her question, she said, "If he knows what's best for him, he won't say anything. He knows he runs more risk by saying he's lost sight of us than by staying silent. Besides, I paid him for his silence, and he accepted. I know he won't say anything."

Kya raised an unconvinced eyebrow as she looked at Ursa, who was wearing a layered pink and white dress and her accessories, replacing her old hairpins with more common ones that wouldn't be recognizable to a noblewoman. However, it was too late to do anything for now, so she just had to trust Ursa's judgment.

"Fine, I'll grant you that, but you still haven't told me where we're going."

Ursa sighed as she nodded. "I took what you said seriously. We can't do much here. I don't have any power or allies now. I'm not a warrior, and from what I can guess, neither are you." Kya wanted to object, but after a moment, she nodded resignedly. "So we need to remedy that. If we want to have a chance, we must prepare properly."

Kya reflected on what he was saying and nodded in agreement. "It's true, we must train as warriors if we want to do anything... but how will we do it? It's not like we'll find someone willing to train an escaped prisoner and a missing princess."

Ursa then smirked. "I know someone who would be willing to help us." She stopped to point ahead, where a large castle stood not far from where they were.

...

Inside his estate, Master Piandao was doing calligraphy when he suddenly heard one of his retainers, Fat, enter. His butler was walking in front, but not alone.

"Master, we have a very intriguing pair of visitors."

Piandao looked up, and to say he was intrigued was an understatement, seeing the pair of women standing in front of him.

...

Chapter Text

"Master Piandao," Ursa said with a smile as she approached the Sword Master's table, who soon stood up to bow respectfully. "That's not necessary, although it's a pleasure to see you again."

Despite Ursa's denial, Piandao said, "You are still a member of the royal family, Lady Ursa, despite the peculiar circumstances you've found yourself in over the past few days."

The mere hint caused Ursa to smile mirthlessly. "So my disappearance is already news? Ozai doesn't like wasting time, then..."

Piandao composed himself as he nodded. He soon turned his attention to Kya and narrowed his eyes for a moment. Kya noticed this and was cautious about what he might do. She didn't know the man at all. He had only come because Ursa thought it was a good idea, but she wasn't so sure.

However, her gaze soon shifted from Kya to her butler standing behind her. "Fat, prepare two seats at the table. Lady Ursa and her companion, I imagine, will be staying for dinner," she said, looking at Ursa.

Ursa nodded with a smile. "It would be an honor."

Fat nodded as he bowed, first to Ursa, then to Piandao, and finally to Kya, before leaving and exiting through the front door. Kya, for her part, crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow at Ursa.

Ursa noticed this and sighed. "Piandao, although I know this is unusual, I need my presence and that of my friend to remain secret. It is of the utmost importance that no one find out we are here."

Piandao seemed intrigued by this but didn't reply. "Consider it done. As long as you are here, no one will say anything."

...

A couple of hours later...

Fire Nation food certainly didn't resemble anything from the Southern Water Tribe. Kya was used to Five Flavor Soup, often Prune Stew, Pickled Fish, or Ashuna's Seal Jerky. There was also the fact that, due to the arid land they live in, the people of her tribe get most of their food from the ocean, except for some land-based crops during the warmer seasons.

Dinner was held in a large hall. However, the food wasn't copious or unnecessarily heavy, something Kya liked. She could also see that the table was laden with various foods. Not only did she see some that contained meat, but some also looked like they were from the ocean.

She found one that caught her eye, asked Ursa what it was called, and she told her it was called a Smoky Sea Slug.

Upon tasting it, she was amazed by its flavor, so much so that she shed a few tears. Perhaps it was because this was her first real meal in a long time, or perhaps it was because of the spicy flavors in her dish. Something told her it was the latter.

She quickly picked up her glass and downed it, hoping the spiciness would go away.

Ursa, who was sitting next to her, was eating a plate of Komodo chicken. Her gaze fell on the plate, and she had an idea why Kya had reacted that way. She smiled in amusement as she let out a small laugh.

When Kya recovered from the spicy effect, she looked away and frowned at Ursa.

"Many Fire Nation dishes have spices and hot peppers. I imagine your palate isn't used to that." From the expression on her friend's face, Ursa found her answer.

"Do all their dishes have to be spicy?" Kya asked sarcastically.

"Not all of them," Ursa, on the other hand, rolled her eyes in amusement, then fixed her gaze on a plate of dumplings and passed them to Kya. "These, for example, are full of vegetables or meat. You can bathe them in sauce to give them flavor, but you'll certainly be able to tolerate them."

Kya rolled her eyes in annoyance as she took the plate of dumplings and proceeded to eat.

In front of them, Piandao watched their interaction, very intrigued, while sipping a cup of tea, careful not to spill any. Despite eating, he also studied his guests.

He knew Lady Ursa; he often saw her when she attended the Palace to teach her son, Prince Zuko, the art of the sword, or even when they came here for a couple of lessons. But despite that, and from what he had heard from Fat when he came to the City, there is much he can't understand about everything that has to do with the one who is now the Fire Lady.

Somehow, Fire Lord Azulon had passed away. Afterward, his youngest son, Prince Ozai, had been crowned Fire Lord. Lady Ursa had since disappeared, only to appear on his doorstep with someone who, from what he could see from her features and lack of tolerance for spicy food, was a Water Tribe woman.

He didn't know what could have happened. Even with the help of the Order of the White Lotus's information network, they hadn't been able to uncover the mystery. But now, he might be able to get answers.

After finishing his tea, he left his cup on his table as he cleared his throat at the two women to get their attention. It seemed he had interrupted them in the middle of their conversation, as they seemed to be discussing something when they realized he was also at the table.

"While it's a pleasure to have your company, my lady, as well as that of your friend," he said in a formal tone so she could begin to get answers, "I can't leave aside a very specific question: What are you doing here?"

None of them said anything for a moment. Only Kya looked again at Ursa, who quickly returned her gaze. She then looked at Piandao and said, "This is a long one to explain... We've both been through a lot to get here. Kya here is still wary of you, but I know you can help us..."

Piandao raised an eyebrow, not fully understanding. "What do you need my help with?"

"We want you to teach us how to fight," Kya said with a determined look on her face. "Ursa said you're a great warrior and that you could teach us..."

Piandao was surprised and taken aback by the request, as well as by the casual way he called the Fire Lady by name, something the latter didn't seem to mind. He looked at Ursa, hoping to learn more, and saw the same look he had seen on Kya's face.

Ursa nodded at the request. "That's right, Piandao... you trained my son in the art of the sword and gave him battle lessons. I also know that you are recognized as the greatest sword master in all of the Fire Nation..."

Piandao nodded as he sipped his tea slowly, processing what he was hearing. Something like this wasn't something that happened often, but at the same time, he could see it as something he was already used to.

Many times, many swordsmen came to his home hoping to learn from him, many proclaiming themselves to be the best in their villages, and now wanting to learn from the master. It was always the same story. Fat, his butler, originally came to him with the same purpose, and it wasn't until he proved his worth that he agreed to train him, and he remained in his service ever since.

But this was something he didn't expect. Of course, he was training Prince Zuko. He should have been on his way to the Palace to continue with that, but due to the mourning period, it was decided to cancel it until that passed.

But the Prince's mother came to him seeking training. He had to know why.

"Why do they need me to train them?" he asked calmly. "Why do you think I should train them in the ways of the sword to begin with?"

Two simple questions to determine if this request for instruction was worth it. He wanted to know what made the two women in front of him deserving of his training.

"It's more than just learning to fight," Ursa said with a determined tone in her voice. "We want to learn to protect what we love most, Piandao..." She then took Kya's hand and squeezed it tightly. "We are both mothers, mothers who would do anything to protect their children, but as long as we continue like this, we won't be able to."

Kya was grateful for Ursa's words. She looked at Ursa and smiled, then looked at Piandao. "The Fire Nation took me from my home, killed my husband, and took me away from my children... but despite that, here I am, still standing and still alive, and I will fight tooth and nail if necessary to get back to where I belong. If you can be able to help, then please help us..."

When they had said everything they had to say, they stared at Piandao, waiting for his answer. He stared at them for a moment that seemed eternal, where whatever the Fire Nation master decides, the sword will be the opportunity or the denial of their mission.

Ursa mentally prayed that Piandao would accept, while Kya began to resign herself to the latter's refusal. She was about to say something when Piandao finally spoke.

"So that's why you want to learn, that's what gives you the strength to continue..." she said with a smile as she stood up from her seat. "Very well, then we'll have to figure out how to use that strength... I'll train you."

Ursa smiled gratefully upon hearing this. Kya, for her part, was surprised by what she had said, but she couldn't help but be glad that he agreed to train her. Before the raid, she would never have thought of training as a warrior in her tribe; she didn't see it as something that interested her, but now, she wouldn't pass up this opportunity.

"Thank you very much," she bowed her head gratefully.

...

The next day.

Training began early. Piandao urged them to rest so they could begin with renewed energy. Now, in what looked like a training arena in front of the castle, the sword master stood before them with a sheathed sword in his hand.

"The first thing you must learn is that your weapon is an extension of your body." He drew his sword and began to wield it, making movements and slashes around it. "You must consider it as another part of your body."

Ursa, now dressed in a training robe, nodded, while Kya, who was dressed the same way next to her, processed what Piandao was saying, looking at her body and deciding which other limb could represent a weapon.

"The sword is a simple tool, but in the hands of a master, it is the most versatile weapon of all." When he finished, Piandao sheathed his sword again. "And just as the imagination has no limits, the sword has endless possibilities."

Ursa and Kya stood expectant and excited, waiting to see what the first lesson Piandao would give them in their warrior training would be.

...

"Warriors practice many arts to keep their minds sharp and alive," Piandao said as he took two blank scrolls and spread them out on the table. "The first thing you will learn is calligraphy, write your name."

When he finished with the scrolls, he handed them two brushes to write on the parchment. Ursa and Kya took them, both equally confused and not understanding how they got to where they were now.

"Piandao, I don't mean to belittle your methods, but what does writing our name have to do with you not teaching us how to fight?" Ursa asked calmly, raising an eyebrow at the brush.

Kya, for her part, looked at the brush, unsure if it contained a message or something to be written on, but then Piandao took his brush and gave it to her so she could hold it properly.

"When you write your name, you stamp your identity on the paper. You must learn to use your weapons to stamp your name on the battlefield."

Each of them nodded as they looked down at their respective papers. First, Kya and then Ursa dipped their brushes in ink to begin writing. "But remember, you mustn't withdraw a single stroke, just like with a sword."

Ursa nodded to herself as she dipped more ink into her brush and, with delicacy and precision, wrote her name on the parchment, as well as the name of the clan to which she belonged. When she finished, she looked at Piandao, who nodded approvingly at her work.

Kya, for her part, grew nervous, concentrating on not failing. She could even feel the sweat dripping down her forehead, hoping she could do it right. She started with a simple brushstroke, but saw that it wasn't coming out as well as Ursa's; it looked more asymmetrical compared to the well-done one her friend had been. She mentally scolded herself for what she was doing.

"Don't overthink it," Ursa's voice caught her attention. "Don't look at me, concentrate on the paper, don't think about how it should look, just focus on not hesitating when doing it."

Her words, upon hearing them, relaxed Kya, who nodded and continued, trying to do it as literally as Piandao had said, putting her identity on paper. In the end, it didn't come out as elegant as Ursa's, but narrower and more legible.

Ursa examined it and smiled nostalgically. "It looks a lot like my son's, if you ask me. He's always preferred that style of writing."

Piandao nodded in agreement with Ursa's statement, while Kya looked at her own identity written on the paper.

...

Wearing more practical training clothes, armor on, and wooden swords in hand, Kya was the first to stand to face Fat, who would be the one testing them for this type of training. They looked at each other as they raised their swords to face each other. Kya looked determined, but inside, she was nervous; this would be her first battle.

She saw Fat take an attack stance, one she soon tried to imitate, either from seeing how Fat stood or from what she had seen from Hakoda or some other Tribe member who fought. In the end, she opted for one she felt comfortable with. She saw Fat looking at her, waiting and wondering when they were going to start.

Embarrassed by this, Kya grunted and then ran forward, sword in hand, determined to fight.

Only for Fat to knock her sword away with a blow, knocking her away and leaving her disarmed. This left her with only one option: Kya ran back, hoping to escape Fat, who soon began chasing her, to the astonished gazes of Ursa and Piandao.

...

Walking with blindfolds on, Ursa and Kya walked carefully along the path Piandao had led them on. Whatever it was, they just hoped it was better than the fights they had had when they faced Fat.

"Painting a landscape teaches a warrior to keep the image of the battlefield in their mind."

As he continued to lead them, Ursa wondered what he was going with this, then Piandao suddenly stopped and turned them, turning them so they were facing one way. "In battle, you only have your instinct to defend yourself."

Without further ado, he quickly removed the blindfolds from each of them, first Kya's and then Ursa's. They rubbed their eyes in the light, hoping to get used to it again. They soon saw a magnificent sight.

A valley with a large waterfall, mountains, and a blue sky. What they were seeing was beautiful. For a moment, Ursa imagined all the times she could have brought Zuko to appreciate the view when they came here. She imagined Azula could have appreciated this in her way. She was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't notice when Piandao stood beside her and turned her to the opposite side.

"Now paint it." Ursa snapped out of her reverie to see ink and paper waiting for her below. Ursa looked up in disbelief, looking back to examine what she had to paint, but then Piandao stepped in, without looking.

Ursa then turned her gaze back to the paper, but as she picked up the brush, she felt panic begin to take hold of her. How could she paint something she'd only seen for a moment? She became so distracted that she couldn't capture a complete image in her mind. She looked at Kya, who had already begun to work on every aspect of the landscape very well.

She groaned inwardly.

"Do you understand that for this, you must be focused?" Kya said, still staring at her painting. "Don't waste time thinking about other things when you should be in the here and now. Even though you were distracted, you should have had a vague idea of ​​what you should do. Now don't think, just do it."

Ursa stared at her with a frown. She took a moment, then sighed in resignation as she picked up her brush and began to paint.

...

Fighting against Fat, Ursa blocked his attacks as best she could. Despite her opponent's strength, she had managed to prevent him from taking her sword from her. She held onto it tightly, and as long as she kept up that pace, she hoped it would be enough to keep her going.

When she saw that Fat was stalling, she began to use her sword to counterattack, raising it so she could deliver a powerful blow.

"Lady Ursa, do I need you to explain something to me?"

Piandao's voice took her by surprise. She turned to see what he meant, but she didn't see Fat block her attack, move backward, and knock her down, putting his foot down to trip her.

Distiriously, she saw that she had been knocked down. She looked at Fat, who smiled at her, then at Kya, who was laughing slightly, and then at Piandao, who frowned at her. "Focus on what you're doing."

Ursa frowned when she saw Kya laughing at her again, seeing that she was still easily distracted.

...

"Knowing their reliefs teaches them to understand their surroundings and how to manipulate them to their advantage." As they walked through the Piandao gardens, he explained their next lesson.

"Manipulate it to our advantage, interesting." Kya placed a hand on her chin as she thought of a way. She looked around for ideas on what to do. Going down the stairs, she examined what was there. There was grass, rocks, some moss, and a couple of statues. She heard Ursa coming down, too. She looked at the moss and smiled at an idea.

Quickly, she took the moss and rolled it into a ball. "Think fast!"

She tossed the ball to Ursa, who quickly dodged it, jumping to the side of the lawn. She looked at Kya in disbelief, but soon smiled at her, accepting the challenge. She found some moss where it lay, made her missiles, and tossed them to Kya, who soon began to move to avoid them, doing flips and ducking whenever she could.

She caught some of the moss balls as she threw them back to Ursa, who dodged them by stepping to the side. She grabbed a large layer of moss that was nearby and used it to move the balls out of her way.

Despite what they were doing, they were finding it fun; they felt at peace, like children playing, a new sensation they hadn't felt before.

From where they stood, Piandao watched with a smile as the lesson unfolded. They somehow found a way to use their resources to their advantage, Kya for offense, and Ursa for defense.

As Fat walked toward his teacher, he noticed activity in the garden, and then gasped in horror as he saw that the garden was now dirty and covered in rocks, dirt, and moss.

"When you're done, they'd like something to drink, Fat, give mine a slice of lemon, please," Piandao said to his butler, who looked at him in astonishment at everything that had happened, but resigned himself when he saw that he would have to serve drinks and then clean under his head.

...

"I'm impressed by the progress you've made these past few days," said Piandao, sitting in the combat arena. Ursa and Kya were also sitting in front of him, watching intently.

Kya smiled happily at his comment. "Even if we didn't do it the way it should have been?"

Piandao just shook his head. "But you did it in a very special way, and from what I've seen, you're ready to use real swords."

Ursa and Kya were encouraged by his words. "Aren't you going to give up some of your weapons?"

"No," Piandao said seriously, causing the spirits of the pair in front of him to fade. "Your weapons must be extensions of yourselves, and that's why tomorrow you will forge your swords."

The two were speechless at what he had said.

...

Later...

Upon being told that they would be making their swords the next day, Piandao had decided to finish the lessons for that day, leaving Ursa and Kya to spend the rest of the day wandering around Piandao's castle and seeing what else was there besides the training areas.

Kya wandered through the halls looking for Ursa. She hadn't seen her in a while and wanted to see what she was doing. She noticed a room she hadn't entered yet. When she did, she saw a large collection of books on shelves. She stared, fascinated, at the library Piandao had with him. She had never seen anything like it. She looked at the books as well as the shelves as she wandered through the library. She reached the center and saw a couple of tables in the middle, and Ursa was reading a book that seemed very interesting.

"What are you reading?" Kya asked as she sat at the opposite end of the table, interested in what Ursa was holding.

Kya, seeing that she wasn't alone, looked up from her book and saw Kya smiling. "It's called Love Between Dragons. It's a very popular play here in the Fire Nation, and it's my favorite."

Kya, seeing this, was intrigued. "I didn't know you were a theater girl."

Ursa rolled her eyes in amusement. "If you could call me that, I've participated in plays in my hometown of Hira'a since I was young. In those plays, they liked to wear masks to act and represent the characters in the story, which is about the Dragon Emperor who is cursed by the Spirit of Dark Water to live in mortal human form."

Kya, hearing that last part, became even more intrigued. "Spirit of Dark Water?"

Ursa, hearing her tone, couldn't help but give a nervous smile. Yes, it's not well described in the play. The story features the Dragon Emperor, bound to a mortal form by the Dark Water Spirit and forced to adopt the alias Noren. This humbling experience results in Noren falling in love with a mortal, and through this love, he can free himself from his curse. The play concludes with Noren defeating the Dark Water Spirit and embracing his mortal bride, who turns out to be the Dragon Empress.

Listening to the story, Kya reflects on the Spirit's seemingly unfortunate role. "It doesn't sound like a role one would want to take on if they're supposed to be the villain of the story."

Ursa agreed. "Yes, that's something my son thought too. When they were younger, Zuko and Azula used to reenact the play's final duel when we visited Ember Island. I remember him always getting frustrated at having to play that role... although if you ask me, he doesn't necessarily have to be a villain."

Kya raised an eyebrow. “Why do you say that?” "Well..." Ursa began her answer. "We don't know what reasons the Spirit had for doing that to the Dragon Emperor. Maybe he wanted to teach him something, or protect something, or he could simply have believed it was the right thing to do. You never know. But what I do know is that the Dark Water Spirit, despite having everything against him, and even if he lost in the end, would continue fighting with determination and wouldn't stop until he achieved what he wanted... He reminds me a bit of you in that sense..."

Kya looked at Ursa, not knowing what to say. She wanted to see those qualities in herself in a character from a work. She made her look at the pages of the work, especially the part of the final fight, where the Dark Water Spirit wanted to punish the Dragon Emperor for his actions. That part caught her attention. Maybe Ursa could be right. If she were like that Spirit, she would undoubtedly like to do justice, punish those who wanted to harm the innocent, guarantee justice for those who need it, and protect those she cared about.

He smiled as he read more of the story.

...

The Next Day...

In the armory that also served as a blacksmith's shop, Piandao had placed several rock bricks on a table. Ursa and Kya were facing the bricks while Piandao stood on the other side.

"Choosing the right material is the most important step in forging a sword. You must trust your life to that material, and you must choose wisely."

Seeing the large amount of materials she had with her, Kya picked up several of the bricks, examining them carefully, trying to find the one that would be ideal for her. Ursa was doing the same next to her. She soon spotted one a little further away and picked it up, which sparked the Piandao's interest.

"That was the same material Prince Zuko used to forge his swords. I remember him choosing it after distinguishing it from all the others."

Ursa smiled at that prospect. Seeing that specific material, she decided. "Then I'll choose this one, and this too." From her robes, she pulled out a small object that revealed it to be her still-intact crown of fire, one of the few things she kept and brought here.

Piandao nodded in confirmation. She quickly looked at Kya to see if she had already chosen, but she was still staring at the blocks of materials.

"I have a question," Kya said after looking at the blocks for a while. "What material does the Fire Nation Army use?"

Her question took Piandao and Ursa by surprise. The former nonetheless pointed to three blocks near her.

"Normally, those three are used for weapons and armor for the Army in general. More specialized units, as well as some officers, use more specific materials."

Kya nodded as she asked something else. "Do you know of a unit that has the Sea Ravens as its flag?"

Piandao stared at her longer than necessary at this information, beginning to piece together the details of who Kya could be and her relationship with Ursa, but he decided to keep that information to himself, at least for the moment, until the pair decided to tell him all the details they hadn't revealed.

"I only know of one group that uses that flag, the Southern Raiders." Then, with her sword, she pointed to a more specific block. "And I know this is the material their armor and weapons are made of."

Kya looked at that block and picked it up. She glanced at Ursa out of the corner of her eye to say, "You said I looked like that Dark Water Spirit. If so, then I will use the metal they imprisoned me in to bring justice and protect those I love..."

Seeing that both had already chosen, Piandao began preparations. She told Fat to prepare the forge. She urged Ursa and Kya to start shoveling the coal to melt the material to create their swords.

The process was long and took hours to reach the required temperature. They had to spend several hours maintaining the fire at just the right temperature to achieve the desired result, but at a certain point, they achieved their goal. With the molten material, they moved on to the next stage of the process: pouring the material into molds to form the swords, which were chosen by each individual.

After shaping them, Piandao cooled the metal and sharpened the blades before adding a handle.

...

In the Main Hall, Ursa and Kya sat as they looked at Piandao standing before them.

"Lady Ursa and Lady Kya... when you arrived here, you asked me to teach you the art of the sword so you could protect what you hold most dear. And when you did, you showed me something I saw immediately. I saw what a mother is capable of for her children, and as we trained," I turned to look at Fat, who was holding a sheathed sword shaped like a jian, with the symbol of Ursa's fiery crown on the hilt. Piandao took it and turned to bow to Ursa and hand it to her. "It wasn't your skill that impressed me, it was your determination and your support for each other."

Ursa gratefully took her sword as she allowed herself to appreciate it. Piandao then stood up and returned to Fat, who had another sword with him, with a hilt that wasn't Fire Nation style, but did have Water Tribe characteristics. He took it and walked over to Kya to give it to her. The two of them joined together, pushing each other to overcome any obstacle... Humility, Adaptability, and Confidence, qualities of the greatest warriors, are qualities that belong to both of them.

Kya smiled gratefully as she took her Dao-shaped sword. When she handed it to her, Piandao stood up and observed them both with their swords.

"And that's why I do not doubt that, whether they are united or separated, they will become an unstoppable force that whoever faces them will be unable to stop."

Both Ursa and Kya smiled at his words. They both looked at their swords closely, studying the engravings they were decorated with. However, Kya soon noticed that her sword, aside from being a Dao, had symbols and engravings that were very familiar to her. Looking at them closely, she was able to discover why she knew them.

"I think the style of that sword would be better suited for someone from the Water Tribe," Piandao said with a slight smile on his face.

Kya opened her eyes in shock and looked up at Piandao, who was staring at her, unaffected by her words. Ursa was also shocked by his response.

"How did you know?" Ursa asked softly but worriedly.

Piandao just shrugged. "I've had years of experience, and you learn things. When I heard Lady Kya's name, I knew she was from the Water Tribe. Although I suggest you find a pseudonym if you're staying in the Fire Nation for a while..."

Kya was embarrassed that she hadn't considered that before. She gripped her sword, as there was still something she couldn't understand. "But I don't understand... why did you want to train me if you know I'm a member of the Water Tribe?"

Then Piandao looked at Fat, who quickly nodded as he left. Then she looked at both of them, frowning. "The art of the sword doesn't belong to any of the nations; the knowledge of the art belongs to everyone... but I also know that after what you've shown me these past few days, it was something you needed. Your desire to protect is something that will take you far. You'll have to continue your training alone. I don't know what your future holds, but at least I can help you by giving you something to start with."

Both of them were confused by what Piandao meant by that. Fat then re-entered, carrying two scrolls in his hand. He hurriedly handed them to Piandao, grateful. Piandao looked at them both as he handed a scroll to Kya. Kya, looking at him in confusion, put her sword aside to take the scroll.

One of them, who had it, proceeded to open it and read it, and when she did, she was speechless. "I... this... is this even possible?"

Ursa, intrigued, stood beside him to see what the scroll said. "An intelligence report states that an unexpected storm caused the death of the last waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe, killing the crew of the ship she was on. Therefore, the mission of the Southern Invaders Special Unit has been declared complete. Report to the docks of the Southern Colonies awaiting orders."

Piandao nodded at what he said. "This came from a group of my friends. It's an order from the Fire Lord himself for Commander Yon Rha of the Southern Invaders. Whatever is happening that has diverted the Southern Invaders there specifically must not present any good results."

Kya heard him, but as she did, she clutched the scroll with a tight grip and barely suppressed anger. She had heard that name before.

Yon Rha

The man who captured her at Wolf Cove, the man who humiliated her by parading across the battlefield, the man who was after Katara, the man who almost killed Sokka, and the man who ordered Hakoda's death—and now, here he was, within her reach. She knew where he was, and she could get justice. She could make him pay.

Before, that would have been impossible, or at most a distant dream, but now, it was different. Now she could fight. She had the weapons and training to do so, she would do whatever was necessary to ensure that a monster like him paid for what he had done.

She looked up with a determined gaze and a desire for revenge. At her side, Ursa noticed this and showed concern for what Kya was about to decide.

"I need a way to get to that place, now!"

...

Ursa was worried. After the news Piandao gave them, it had changed Kya. Her friend was filled with hatred and a desire for revenge, she could see that.

Piandao agreed to Kya's demands, assuring her of a way to travel to the port where the meeting would take place. Ursa decided to accompany her to help her and to help her discern her twisted goal.

They left the Fire Nation for the Colonies in a couple of days. Ursa could tell she was surprised by the extent of Piandao's influence to do such clandestine things like this. It made her wonder what group Piandao belonged to, to do things like this secretly, so no one would notice.

That was something for another time; now she had to focus on what was at hand.

A couple of days later, they were soon disembarking at the dock where the meeting would be held. Thanks to Piandao, they managed to get a place to sleep for a few days, and he gave them supplies for this mission, including money for anything, some tools like daggers, knives, smoke bombs, and some armor parts. But the one Ursa understood the least was a White Lotus tile for a game of Pai Sho.

Another thing to sort out later.

Meanwhile, Ursa offered to take a tour to find out everything she could about where the meeting would be held. While doing so, she got to know the town, which was nothing compared to what she had seen before. Hira'a was nothing like this place. She could see dangerous people wandering around everywhere, merchants dressed in different colors, but the more she saw, the more she realized that the greatest danger could be at the docks.

As she knew, she saw a colorful group of merchant sailors, some objects she saw that seemed of dubious origin, and one she saw with a flying reptile.

"Pirates," she whispered, hoping no one would hear her. She could see them from all directions. Determined to keep a low profile, she adjusted the hat she had with her so no one would notice her. She continued walking along the docks, observing the various ships and boats there. As she continued walking, she saw what she was looking for: metal ships equipped for battle, Fire Nation warships.

Seeing that she had found them, Ursa stopped and changed direction, returning the way she had come. She glanced at the ship and noticed a couple of Fire Nation soldiers guarding their vessels nearby.

"Then that must be where the meeting will be."

Finishing her walk, she headed back to her hiding place, passing a vendor who had products that caught Ursa's attention the moment she saw them. She stopped to look at them and smiled, having an idea.

...

Kya was growing impatient. Ursa had been gone for a while, and the longer she waited, the more time she was losing.

She had to do something, she had to act now. She was tempted to grab her weapon and go find Yon Rha. When she heard the door open, she turned to see Ursa coming in, holding something.

"Sorry, I'm late. I had something to do before coming," she said as she dropped her bag on her bed. "But I found you. You're here."

Kya was annoyed by Ursa's delay, but at least she was comforted to discover they were nearby...

"Good, then let's not waste time," she said as she went to grab her weapon.

"About that... I think we need to talk about... all of this," Ursa said carefully, hoping to make Kya see reason. "Before you say anything, listen to me. Think carefully about what you're doing, Kya. You're about to throw yourself into the lion's den..."

Kya stopped, sighing heavily, trying to control her anger. "No matter what you tell me, you're not going to stop me, Ursa..."

Ursa nodded pitifully. "I know... I know if I were you and had Ozai within my reach, I'd act just like you... But..."

"If you understand, I don't understand why you're getting in the way!" You said it yourself, if you were me, you'd do the same thing. Right now, the monster that took everything from me is within my reach, and I'm not going to let it go...

"Then don't do it," Ursa interrupted, taking her by surprise. "I just want you to seek justice when you face him, not revenge." She quickly took her arm so Kya could look at her. "Revenge can consume you, Kya, and I don't want to see you like this. Remember what you're fighting for, who you're fighting for..."

Ursa's words resonated in Kya, recalling the events of that day, what happened, what she lost, what she had to live through in captivity... but she also remembered why it happened in the first place, why she decided to make that huge sacrifice. "You're right... I'm doing it for Sokka and Katara..." At that prospect, Kya smiled at the thought of them, but she also remembered something important. "But I'm also doing it for myself. When that guy attacked my village, I did everything I could to... Protect those I love, but despite that, I felt a great helplessness for not being able to do more... If I want to be able to return to my children, then I must face it first, to prove to myself that I can protect them...

Ursa smiled happily for her, without doubting that Kya was capable of that and more. "And I will help you..."

Hearing her say that, Kya stared at her, impressed. "But... Ursa, no, you don't have to do it..."

Ursa, for her part, shook her head. "That's right, I don't have any, but I choose to..."

"But... your children, what will happen to them?"

Ursa closed her eyes as she thought about them. As much as she wanted to go after them, she knew it wasn't time yet, not while Ozai continued to consolidate his power. She didn't know what she could have done to bring the Southern Raiders to this place, but she was going to find out.

"Right now, I can't let you face this alone. We don't know what we might find, and I know you shouldn't face it alone... besides, out of the two of us, I'm the only one who knows how to treat wounds, and you need my help more than you're letting on..."

Kya raised an amused eyebrow at the last comment. "Really? Well, let's see if you don't get too distracted and can keep up with me..."

Ursa, hearing the challenge, smiled arrogantly. "Challenge accepted... but if you ask me, it'll be better if no one recognizes us when we walk in there."

"What did you have in mind?" Kya asked, crossing her arms.

Ursa just turned around and walked to her bed, where she kept her things. There, she took out a bag she had brought from her tour of Harbor Town. She opened it and took out a blue mask, sparking Kya's interest.

"When I was coming here, I saw this mask at a stall, and when I saw it, I knew it had to be for you." Walking with the mask, he showed it to Kya, who took it curiously and examined it. The mask was that of a grinning blue demon, with eyes as black as night and a terrifying appearance.

As she looked at it, Kya had a vague idea of ​​what the mask could mean. "The Spirit of Dark Water, right? You are a theater girl... but I think it's perfect. If they were looking to capture waterbenders, then let them know the fury of a water spirit in return..."

...

"If there was one way to describe the meeting place, it would only be one: a Seedy Merchants pier," Ursa thought as she ran, dressed in black robes that helped camouflage her in the darkness. Strapped to her back was her sword, Jian. But what stood out most was the mask covering her face. It was painted white with red stripes painted on various parts of the mask. Kya had suggested it would be useful for Ursa.

"I need to find out why she thought that," Ursa reminded herself, as if it were a future mission.

Running through the empty city streets, Ursa could see how effective the night was for this. It was a good decision to wait until this time to infiltrate. Before moving to the next street, she stopped and hid in the porch of a nearby establishment, waiting for it to be safe before continuing. She heard footsteps and waited.

She saw three men. They looked dirty, their clothes were torn, she saw scars, and they were armed.

"Hurry up, will you? We're already late," said one of the people in front of the other two.

Another grunted, indicating his annoyance. "I don't understand why you have to drag us out of the tavern. I was enjoying a good drink, you know?"

The one in front snorted in annoyance. "Kangana was precise in her order that she wanted us there, after all. Given the person who summoned us there, we can't let our guard down."

The third guy rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Oh, come on, what risk could we take? If he thinks he can do something to us, then the Fire Lord..." He couldn't finish when the first guy turned around to punch him in the face and approached him with a frown.

"Shut your mouth, Raldri. We don't know who could be listening to what we're saying. You're acting like a rookie..."

The Raldri man growled as he angrily pushed the one who hit him away. "Don't provoke me, Fern. Just because you're a First Officer doesn't mean I'll tolerate your attitude."

This Fern frowned as he recovered from the provocation. "It's not my problem whether you like me or not, but I remind you that as a member of the Howlers, and more importantly, of the Crimson Sails Armada, you must follow your captain's orders unless you want to be expelled and banished."

Raldri said nothing, just frowned, glaring at Fern, but implying that he would follow orders. Satisfied with that, the trio resumed their journey directly to their secret meeting.

Ursa waited for them to leave her hiding place. When she finally couldn't hear the voices anymore, she went outside and began to process what she had heard.

...

-A meeting with the Fire Lord, is Ozai here?? - Ursa asked herself trying to figure out what was going on - no, it can't be, Ozai would never do something like this, "lowering himself to come to a place like this was something unbecoming of a Prince of the Fire Nation", but then what is it about? Does it have something to do with the Southern Raiders? I have to talk to Kya about this.

Although speaking of Kya, she was right behind her, covering her rear, after a moment, Kya made an appearance, running toward her. Kya stopped, revealing a black outfit similar to Ursa's, her sword strapped to her back, and wearing the mask of the Dark Water Spirit Ursa had given her.

With a sign, Kya urged her to join her, then began to run toward the docks. Ursa wasted no time in catching up with her. They ran through several streets until they reached the docks.

They weren't very active. You could see that they were empty in many places, just a few sailboats and other ships nearby. But if you looked closely, you could make out a small group of ships. Some were Earth Kingdom ships with bright colors. They weren't that big, but they looked equipped to withstand naval battles. But the one that stood out the most was one, painted in dull colors to move discreetly and wouldn't stand out among other ships of the same make, except for its banner, a skull in front of a full moon.

The other ships were more familiar, Fire Nation warships, smaller than the more traditional ones, but more effective at attacking coastal villages. Their smaller size and greater maneuverability allowed them to get close to the coast and surprise the enemy. But Kya could see that they were raising a bright red flag, one that had a sea raven as its symbol.

"There are the Southern Raiders," Kya said in a whisper that only she and Ursa could hear.

Ursa nodded in agreement, but couldn't help but notice what she had discovered earlier. "But this is more than we expected... Kya, the Southern Raiders aren't alone, there are pirates here too," she said, looking ahead and making out some faces she had seen during her tour of the place. "I heard some people say that the Fire Lord sent them here..."

The last thing Ursa said caught Kya's attention, and she frowned, trying to understand. "Dealing with pirates? Why would the Fire Lord be making deals with pirates? It doesn't make sense."

However, Ursa, recalling something from the conversation, discovered something important: "They're more than just pirates; they belong to the Crimson Sails Armada."

"Crimson Sails Armada?"

Ursa nodded. "They're a coalition of pirates, many of them disgraced officers or rebels against Fire Lord Azulon's government. But I know they're not limited to Fire Nation members. There are people from other nations among their ranks. Azulon didn't tolerate them; he fought them for years..."

Kya hummed, guessing what she would say next. "But then your ex-father-in-law died, and now your ex is making deals with them... Ursa, can't your husband sink any lower?"

"In fact, at this point, I'm not surprised Ozai is doing things like this," Ursa said calmly. "No matter, we have to go in and find out what they're planning..."

"And stop them once and for all," Kya added, her voice implying that was her priority.

Ursa, hearing her, only nodded in response, secretly hoping Kya would remember their earlier conversation. "Now we just have to figure out how to do it."

Looking around, Kya saw a group of Southern Raiders disembarking their ship, while some pirates gathered around the ship. At the head of the pirates was a woman wearing a hat and clothing that suggested she was the ship's captain. Leading the group of Southern Raiders was a soldier wearing black armor, a bird-shaped helmet, and a haughty smile.

Kya looked at him and recognized him; it was Yon Rha.

She frowned at the sight of him, gathering with his men and a group of pirates, all near a ship that was near the water at night. Thinking about that prospect, Kya had an idea.

"I've got it... But for my plan to work, we need a couple more things."

...

"So the Fire Lord now wants to make a deal with us," Captain Kangana replied, repeating what she had said in the letter that had arrived on her island.

They were at a safe distance from their ships. She didn't trust the Fire Nation not to try something if they let their guard down, and they didn't trust her crew to do the same. They were smart, and that's what they would do if they had the chance.

The commander in front of her nodded seriously. "I understand your concerns about this, given your... relationship with Fire Lord Azulon, but Fire Lord Ozai is more open than his father. He wants to ensure peace between the Fire Nation and your group, Captain. He's willing to pay them to stop their illicit activities."

That certainly caught Kangana's attention, as well as that of her other men, even more so when they saw a group of soldiers arrive with large trunks. They placed them in front of them. When they opened them, they found several coins that guaranteed payment. Her men wasted no time and rushed to get them, but then Kangana raised her arm and stopped them.

"Although money is good, it's not much use if it can't be used. You understand that we would still have to leave our island for that, right?"

The commander grunted in annoyance at seeing more demands from the pirates. He just wanted to leave that horrible place as soon as possible. "Food, goods, and tools to repair your ships will also be given to you in exchange for staying away from Fire Nation ships, understood?"

Kangana smiled, satisfied at that. "Then we have a friendly deal."

Under his arm was an indication that the pirates should rush to collect the money. Before the commander's eyes, he could see Fern smile gratefully, making him chuckle, although he doubted it would be the only thing he would give them. Luckily, he expected a large payment for the entire Navy; they would drink to it tonight.

While everyone was wrapped up in their own business, they didn't notice someone coming from behind, a hooded man who threw a rock into the water near where the pirates were. One of them was confused by what had happened. He walked to where he heard the rock splash. Approaching the shore, he looked at the water, looking for what had made the noise, but saw nothing. Then, seeing that it couldn't be anything important, he turned around to leave, only for a pair of hands to grab him by his ankles and pull him to the ground. The pirate took the blow, but fear grew in him as he was dragged into the water.

"Captain, help!" He shouted, hoping Kangana would save him. However, he was dragged under before that happened.

Kangana's crew, for their part, heard their companion, as did the others.

"Raldri!" They ran to his aid. When they reached the shore, they saw that there was no trace of their friend; he had disappeared. "Captain Raldri is gone!"

Hearing them, Kangana drew her weapons and pointed them at the soldiers and her other men. "I should have known this was too good to be true! We were tricked!"

The indignant commander urged his men to act if necessary. "I didn't do any such thing, pirate, but if you want a fight, you'll find one."

To make his point, he extended his palm, creating a flame; some of his men did the same.

But then, something caught a couple of them. They didn't know what it was, but when it grabbed them, it lifted them. It was so thin you couldn't see it in the darkness, making it look like they had been lifted off the ground. Yon Rha, seeing his shoulders, shouted something, only for no one to pay attention as a fog began to cover them all. It was everywhere, so no one could see what it was.

Nor could they see the figures who had entered and quickly drew their daggers to attack the soldiers and pirates, stabbing them in the back, weakening them so they couldn't put up much resistance.

Fern, who saw everything nervously, heard the scream of one of her companions. Wasting no time, she ran to help him, only to see him lying on top of a spirit who was still holding him. The spirit soon noticed Fern and saw him with his smiling blue mask. It dropped the pirate's body and advanced toward him. Fern, frightened, took a step back and then proceeded to flee.

"They're spirits! The spirits are coming for us!"

Kangana heard her first officer's scream when something passed near her. She grabbed her weapons and aimed in that direction, but found nothing. That something ran after her again and now aimed where she had heard it. She aimed, but it wasn't there either. Worry and fear began to take hold of her, believing a spirit was there.

"Appear at once! I'm not afraid of you!" -he shouted, hoping to convince himself of that and anyone who was nearby. He stepped back with a gun in his hands, ready to fight, pointing towards a part that he didn't notice that there was something behind her, causing her to stumble, fall to the ground, and drop her weapon.

While she was recovering, Kangana saw a spirit with a white face and red marks appear in front of her. It was so close that it frightened her that she hadn't seen it before. Her face turned white with fear, the dark look it gave her telling her the fate that awaited her.

"Do you want to live?" The whispered question was difficult to hear, and Kangana didn't hear it. The spirit, annoyed by the repeated words, said again in a more threatening voice. "I said, do you want to live?"

Kangana nodded silently and forcefully.

"Then I'll let you go. You'll take your men and leave here. You'll never appear in this place again, because if I find out, I won't be lenient again... understood!"

Kangana heard and understood. She wouldn't come back here.

Satisfied with that, the spirit rose and proceeded to disappear into the smoke. Kangana, seeing her disappear, sighed with relief at the sight of her safety. She quickly grabbed her weapon and sheathed it. "Howlers! We're out of here!"

The Howlers, hearing her, wasted no time. Those remaining quickly ran to the ships and climbed aboard, wanting to put distance between themselves and the spirits.

Yon Rha, still in the fog, heard Tangana and was incredulous. "Where are you going? Don't you dare leave!"

The pirates didn't hear him as they ran to the ships. Soon, he heard the sound of the bacos setting sail. Knowing he had failed, Yon Rha growled in annoyance and anger, clenching his fists.

One of his men nervously stood by him. "Commander, we should leave, too. If it's the spirits..."

"The spirits can't stand against us!" Yon Rha shouted into the mist. "We are Fire Nation soldiers, we are the Southern Invaders! No one can stand against us!"

With that, a portion of the mist dispersed, revealing a spirit with a grinning, demonic face staring at Yon Rha. Upon seeing the spirit, he quickly created a flame in his hand.

"And I'll prove it." He created a fire attack and threw it at the spirit. Upon seeing it, the spirit reared up and jumped. Skillfully dodging it, he soon ran toward Yon Rha, who, seeing that it didn't hit him, created more fire attacks.

But then the spirit drew his sword, an opaque Dao sword that he used to repel some attacks while dodging others. He stopped to dodge one, and when more mist began to cover it, Yon Rha launched a charged fire attack that dissipated that part, but the spirit was no longer there.

Yon Rha, seeing him, smiled with satisfaction and laughed. "I told you, Xu, those spirits have no idea..."

He turned to look at his subordinate, but he was no longer there; he had disappeared, and he hadn't heard him. "Xu! Where are you?!"

Soon, a helmet fell from above in front of him. Yon Rha picked it up and held it up to examine it. Upon doing so, he saw that it was Xu's helmet. He opened his eyes in disbelief, quickly letting go as he stood on guard. He couldn't see, but at least he could hear if someone was coming, if he could hear his other men... that hit him like a bucket of cold water when he realized that nothing could be heard anymore. There was absolute silence. None of his men could hear each other, no one screamed, and there were no sounds of fighting or cries of fear.

Either his men fled like cowards, or they were dead; it didn't matter; now he was alone.

Paranoia grew in Yon Rha. He didn't know what was happening. He had finished with the spirit, it was gone! It meant this was over. But then he heard a sound of something behind him. He turned to prepare a fiery attack when he felt something piercing his abdomen.

Dismayed, he lowered his hand as he watched the spirit he thought he had destroyed standing before him, a sword piercing him. He fell to his knees, weakened, feeling his strength and life draining away.

"No... It's not possible. I... I killed you... I burned you," Yon Rha said weakly, trying to understand.

The spirit nodded in agreement. "You did it, you killed me, and for a moment I believed it too... but I have been reborn."

The spirit removed its hood and mask, revealing its face, one Yon Rha knew well: the face of the waterbender he had captured, the last waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe, the one who was supposed to be dead.

"How... how is that possible?" he said weakly, reaching out to reach her, but then Kya buried her sword deeper, piercing more organs and making it more difficult for him.

"You thought the storm and the ocean would kill me, but they allowed me to live. I have been reborn as someone new, someone who will not hesitate to punish men like you for the atrocities they have committed. You thought you had finished off the last waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe, but that is not the case. She is further out of your reach than you will ever believe, and I will make sure you do not return for her..."

Yon Rha gasped, trying to cling to life. She looked at Kya with fury. "There are... others, there will be... others..."

"It is not like that," Another voice approached. The spirit of the Painted Face stopped nearby. "Those who fled will never know the truth, and those who stayed were silenced by the Dark Water Spirit..."

"And the Painted Lady let go of those she chose to forgive," Kya whispered earnestly. "But you won't be so lucky..."

Yon Rha gasped, trying to beg for mercy when Kya withdrew her sword, causing Yon Rha to begin bleeding out. He fell to the ground of the dock, trying to do something, anything, to try to live, but that soon became impossible as he took his last breath.

Seeing that he wasn't moving anymore, Kya sighed in relief that it was over. He succeeded. Hakoda and all those who died were avenged. She had ensured her daughter's identity remained anonymous. They wouldn't attack the Southern Water Tribe, and if they did, she had to say something about it.

"I'm glad you chose justice in the end," the Painted Lady said as she removed her mask, and Ursa smiled at her.

Kya smiled back. "You were right. I shouldn't let revenge consume me. Once I could let that go, I could see what had to be done." She looked at Yon Rha's lifeless body as the fog began to dissipate, revealing all the bodies of the Southern Raiders as well as some of the pirates. "It certainly helped to use their greatest weapon against him."

Ursa looked at the bodies on the ground. While she was responsible for several, she knew full well that Kya was the one who did most of it. "I wish there had been another way, but it's too late to regret it now. At least I'm content knowing you didn't do it out of revenge... by the way, the mask you gave me, the Painted Lady."

Hearing this, Kya remembered where she got it from. "A guardian spirit of a fishing village near Shujing. I found a book about him in the Piandao Library. You're not the only one who came in to read something. The Painted Lady is a guardian spirit, always willing to protect and heal those close to her. She was the guardian of the Jang Hui River, and being the way you are, you reminded me of her."

Ursa found this amusing, remembering what he'd said about how he saw her as similar to the dark water spirit, but after remembering how things had gone, she couldn't help but disagree.

"Well, even so, you know that having done this, there will be much to do. We don't know what consequences there may be for the future..."

Kya sighed, knowing she was right. "Yes, I know, but we knew what we were getting into by doing this. I won't back down, but I won't give up on my children either..."

Ursa sighed. "You know I won't either. Ozai won't stay with them forever. I'll come back for Zuko and Azula..."

Kya smiled and nodded, reaching over to grab Ursa's shoulder. "Then you won't do it alone. You helped me here, now I'll help you. And if you're going to infiltrate the capital to get your children back, then I'll be there."

Ursa was grateful to Kya. "Yes, although if you allow me, I doubt your only intentions are to help me. Who's to say you won't try to kill Ozai?"

Kya smiled amusedly but didn't deny the possibility. "If you could do it, who's to say I couldn't?"

Ursa just shook her head. "Fine, but that's a topic for tomorrow. We'll resolve it in time." She took Kya's hand in her own and squeezed it back.

From behind, Xianshi watched everything...

_________________________________________________________________________

There, in a place destined for a pact of corruption and malice, two women from nations torn apart by war, two mothers with a simple purpose, allied to protect their children and those they love, and at the same time built a legend, a legend that would be remembered as proof that the most powerful thing you can find is a mother's love, and how no sacrifice is too small for those who matter most...

However... that's another story.

Chapter Text

Time

Space

Reality

It's more than a linear path... It's a prism of limitless possibilities... where a single choice can split into infinite realities and create alternate worlds beyond those you already know... I am Xiànshí, the spirit of reality. I am your guide in these vast new realities. Follow me and consider the question... what if?

Team Avatar of the multiverse, heroes drawn from different universes to protect the destiny of them all... but we still don't know the story of one of its members. From rebellious young girl to multiversal heroine, Toph Beifong would find her path to greatness in another's cause so she could write her own story.

_________________________________________________________________________

Gaipan Forest

The reddish forest outside Gaipan could be peaceful in many cases; however, in times of war, that couldn't be a consideration. You never know when you might run into a Fire Nation soldier.

That was what a Water Tribe boy thought. He was sitting on the ground next to his sister, behind a Flying Bison, and in front of them, a small Air Nomad. They were currently resting from their journey. Hours of traveling exhaust anyone, and this stop was necessary, but the Water Tribe boy wished they could do it somewhere they wouldn't be easily attacked.

However, they soon heard the cry of an animal pleading for help.

This caused the three of them to look around, searching for where it could have come from, but only one of them, the Air Nomad boy, recognized the cry and asked the question.

"Where's Momo?"

They hear more cries for help from Momo, prompting the boy to go in search of his furry friend. The two Water Tribe brothers get up and hurry after him. At the head, the air nomad searches the surroundings, noticing how incredibly tall the trees are, in addition to being very sturdy. No doubt, one could find Momo there.

Looking up, he soon finds a couple of animal traps high in the trees. He begins to run slower to see who might be trapped there, but then he hears Momo's screams again and soon discovers him.

"Wait, Momo!" Propelling himself upward with airbending, the airbender gains altitude until he reaches the trap mechanism. He sits on a branch and begins to lower his furry friend from the trap.

"Get him out now!"

The Water Tribe boys saw what was happening, ran to where Momo was descending, and when they were close enough, they grabbed the trap and opened it to let Momo out. Upon exiting, he went straight to eat the fruit they had caught him with in the first place, much to the annoyance of the Water Tribe boy.

However, they soon heard the sound of other trapped animals. Seeing them there, the Water Tribe boy decided to help them too.

"Okay, here I go."

Seeing that he was about to climb up, the Water Tribe boy sighed in annoyance. "This will take a long time."

Wasting no time, he pulled out his boomerang and threw it upward, cutting the trap ropes and sending them and the animals to the ground, much to the Air Nomad's surprise.

"Good idea."

As the traps fell, they opened, and the trapped animals ran into the forest.

As the air nomad climbed down the tree, the Water Tribe boy became intrigued by how the animals were captured. He approached to examine them and became concerned.

"Fire Nation traps. They work with metal. It's best not to continue camping here."

Wasting no time, the small group headed to pack up their camp, carrying everything to the Flying Bison's mount, rushing to finish as quickly as possible so they could fly away as soon as possible.

"No, without flying this time," said the Water Tribe boy.

The air nomad was confused by this. "What? Why can't we fly?"

The Water Tribe boy sighed. "Think about it, Prince Zuko and the Fire Nation keep finding us. It's because they can locate Appa. He's very easy to see."

"What? Appa isn't very easy to see," the Water Tribe girl said to her brother.

Her brother just rolled his eyes at her naiveté. "It's a giant, hairy monster with an arrow in its head. It's not that hard to spot." As he said this, he pointed at the bison, who grunted in disagreement at the description.

The air nomad, on Appa's head, sought to defend his bison. "Sokka is just jealous because he doesn't have an arrow."

Sokka, for his part, snorted mockingly because he wasn't jealous, but he put it aside for what was important. "I know everyone wants to fly, but something tells me it's safer to walk this time."

However, his sister approached, putting her hands on her hips and looking at him amused. "And who told you you were the boss?"

Sokka frowned at her as he pointed. "I didn't say that, Katara. I said I'm the leader."

But Katara chuckled, amused by what her brother had said. "Are you the leader?" And with that high-pitched voice?

The mention of his voice caused Sokka's cheeks to tinge with embarrassment. Annoyed by the comment, he retorted, "I'm the Elder, and I'm a warrior. I'm the leader," he said, deepening his voice to Katara's amusement.

"If anyone's a leader, it's Aang. Remember, he's the Avatar," he said, looking at Aang.

But Sokka disagreed with that statement. "Are you kidding? He's just a clumsy kid."

Making his point, he pointed to where Aang was, headfirst on one of Appa's horns, his hands holding it. "It's true."

Katara couldn't argue with that, so she crossed her arms in exasperation. "Why do boys always think there has to be a leader?" As she said this, she saw her brother ignoring her while he put his things on his back, preparing to walk. Seeing that he was ignoring her, she decided to keep pushing. "You wouldn't be so rude if you'd kissed a girl."

Hearing her say that, Sokka tried to defend himself. "I've kissed girls! It's just... You haven't met them yet."

Laughing, convinced that her brother was lying, she said, "Who? Gran Gran? I know her."

"No, someone else..." Seeing that they were getting distracted, she said, "Listen, my instincts tell me that no one will swim against us if we go on foot, and a leader follows his instincts."

Katara rolled her eyes in annoyance, but faced with Sokka's logic, she couldn't help but agree, so she'd give him the benefit of the doubt. "Okay, we'll do as you say, great wise leader."

She didn't know why, but something told her she'd regret that decision.

"It could be fun," Aang said, joining the conversation, already carrying his share of things.

So they began their journey through the forest, unaware that someone was watching them from behind a tree. There were two people. One was stocky and short, dressed in light armor and a thick cloth cloak wrapped around his body. His hair was tied in a bun, and he had a hairpin in his bun.

The other was even shorter than him, dressed in light and dark green tunics, and wore leather bracelets typical of an Earth Kingdom soldier. A worn jacket covered his body, and a battle hat covered his face, hiding the white eyes characteristic of a blind person.

The latter frowned at what she had witnessed and at the group's naiveté in trusting that Sokka boy while crossing a forest filled with Fire Nation soldiers.

"Sneers, I need you to go with the others. Those fools are going to a Fire Nation camp."

Sneers frowned at that prospect. "And what will you do, Bandit?" Remember what Jet said? We were supposed to keep an eye on this part of the forest during our patrols."

The Bandit nodded in agreement, but she was sure Jet would understand why this had to be done. "Just do it. If what I heard is true, then we need to get that trio of idiots out of their foolish decision."

Sneers looked at her for a moment before nodding and starting to move. Meanwhile, the Bandit would follow them closely, waiting for the right moment to act.

...

Katara was right; she would regret listening to Sokka's instincts.

After walking for a long time, they ended up tired, grumpy, and in front of a Fire Nation camp, where all the soldiers saw them the moment Sokka moved the bushes that were still hiding them.

Katara had a couple of things to say to her brother when they got out of this.

In the meantime, she would find a way out of this.

The soldiers attacked instantly, breathing fire, attacking them with their spears and swords. The fire blocked their path, and they couldn't escape. Sokka's sleeve also caught fire. Katara uncovered her waterskin and drew water to put out the fire on her brother's clothes.

When she covered it with water, the fire went out. Sighing in relief, she returned the water to her waterskin, but they had been distracted and didn't realize they were now surrounded. They quickly went on the defensive.

The soldiers stepped aside, allowing their captain to take the lead.

Sokka, seeing the situation, stepped forward. "If you don't let us go, we won't hurt you!"

Katara, incredulous at what her brother had said, whispered in alarm, "What are you doing?!"

Sokka looked at her and said, "I want to trick them."

But the captain just laughed, amused by what he'd said. "You promise not to hurt us?!"

I seriously couldn't believe the boy thought he had the situation in his favor when there were more of them, they were surrounded, and they had nowhere to go.

But then, out of nowhere, a huge landslide took them by surprise, coming from behind. The surprise attack knocked down all the soldiers and the captain, stopping near Aang, Sokka, and Katara, who stared in disbelief at what had happened.

"Well done, Sokka. How did you do it?" Aang asked, believing that Sokka had done it all.

"Instinct?" Sokka, for his part, didn't know how to respond since he hadn't been the one who did it, so he said it in a tone that wasn't entirely sure of his answer.

But Katara noticed something behind them and pointed at the person who had saved them.

"Look!"

Behind the soldiers who were getting up, the Bandit was in an earthbending stance, smiling arrogantly as she waited for the soldiers to notice her presence. The captain and his soldiers noticed her as they stood up, and several of them quickly charged at her. One of them was the captain, but as he did so, he didn't notice something hit him on the head and caused him to fall to the ground, knocked out.

The Bandit smiled at that, knowing Jet was nearby.

Jet, for his part, was perched on a tree branch, watching everything. He drew his hook swords and used them to swing from the branch and kick down two nearby firebenders. Upon landing, he pointed his swords forward and ran toward two other soldiers. He flipped forward and caught the soldiers by their feet with his swords, sending them tumbling with him and slamming them to the ground, catching them off guard.

In doing so, he landed on his feet, ready to continue. Three down.

The Bandit was amused to see Jet bragging about the trio of idiots he had saved, so much so that he almost didn't see the sword-wielding soldier approaching him. But the Bandit did. With a flick of her wrist, she raised a column of earth against the soldier, sending him flying and knocking him out.

Jet noticed this and looked at her with a grateful smile. "Thanks, Bandit, but I already had it."

The aforementioned woman crossed her arms without losing her smile. "Yeah, sure you did."

The remaining soldiers raised their weapons, ready and alarmed by the surprise attackers. One of them looked in the direction Jet had appeared and saw someone else coming.

"They're in the trees!" Then a small boy fell on his head, blurring his vision with his helmet, disorienting him and causing him to struggle for balance due to his poor eyesight, much to the boy's amusement.

The soldiers watching him were confused by this, but when they did, they didn't see the arrows hitting their weapons, sending them to the ground, and disarming them. In another tree, there was an archer shooting to disarm all the enemy soldiers. Some soldiers, seeing this, ran for cover. Others tried to continue fighting despite no longer having their weapons. But then Sneers jumped down from a tree and started fighting too. He used his body to knock down a soldier while moving nimbly to dodge him and then throwing him away.

Nearby, someone else had jumped down. It was a girl with short hair, war paint on her face, holding a dagger, going to confront more soldiers.

Aang and Katara, seeing how the fight had turned in their favor, joined the fray. Katara uncovered her waterskin and drew the water inside, using it as a wave that sent several soldiers flying. Aang created gusts of air that sent several soldiers flying. His movements caught Jet's attention, who was impressed by his skills.

Sokka, for his part, didn't want to be left out of the fight. He pulled out his boomerang to attack, shouting a battle cry at a soldier who was approaching to attack him. But then the Bandit acted. She moved a small rock to trip the soldier and then created a pillar in front of him that made him crash in front of her, knocking him down before he reached Sokka.

"Hey! I had him!" Sokka said, annoyed to see that the Bandit, the earthbender, had taken care of the soldier.

But the Bandit smirked. "Then you should have been faster."

On the other side of the fight, two soldiers were falling back, overwhelmed, when someone larger than Sneers landed behind them. The impact made them jump involuntarily. They turned to see a giant holding a large tree trunk. The trunk hit their swords, bending them and rendering them useless for fighting. Terrified, the two ran.

Jet, who was nearby, saw this and smiled, amused to see them running. But then he saw a spearman trying to attack him from behind. He jumped to dodge the attack, stopping the spear with their sword. The spearman and Jet began to exert force on the spear. Jet, seeing the stalemate he had reached, removed one of his swords and spun around to knock down the spearman. In doing so, the spear hit him and he flew, knocking down another soldier fighting with Sokka.

"Please!" "Sokka shouted angrily because someone else had knocked down another of his opponents instead of him again."

Jet smiled in amusement at what had happened when another lancer tried to attack him. He narrowly dodged the attack, his sword hilt deflecting the spear's tip. He quickly closed the gap to finish it off. The lancer braced himself and charged at Jet, who caught the lancer with his swords, knocking it to the ground. He wasted no time climbing it and jumping, kicking the lancer and knocking him out. He landed on his feet as he ran, trying to regain his balance, toward Katara, who was impressed by Jet's skill. Jet stopped very close to her, staring straight at her.

"Hi," Jet said to Katara, looking at her with a smile.

Katara smiled back. "Hi."

The two looked ahead, watching as the camp began to be secured by the others. The remaining Fire Nation soldiers fled as quickly as they could, finding themselves overwhelmed.

"You took longer than expected," the Bandit said, leaning over to Jet and Katara while adjusting her bracelets.

Jet looked at her and said, "We would have gotten here sooner, but I thought you might want a little fun before we got going."

The Bandit, hearing this, fully agreed. "Yes, that's true."

Aang ran up to the group, looked from Jet to the Bandit, and said with a smile, "You took down an entire army by yourself with one move."

The Bandit crossed her arms and hummed, but then Sokka snorted.

"Army? It wasn't more than 20 men!"

The Bandit noticed Sokka's annoyance and found it amusing. "That was a lot more than you took down, and you didn't even manage that."

Her comment angered Sokka, and if Sokka had firebent with his eyes, the Bandit would already be dead.

Jet, for his part, walked forward and turned to Aang, Sokka, and Katara to introduce himself and his friends. "My name is Jet, and these are my Freedom Fighters." He extended his hand and directed it to each of those who had joined the fight. "Sneers, Longshot, Smellerbee, The Duke, and Pipsqueak."

Aang, upon hearing the last name, couldn't help but laugh as he approached the aforementioned. "Pipsqueak? What a funny name."

He said this, looking at the boy, who ignored him. However, the tallest one, the one carrying the log, looked at him with a frown as he crouched down to Aang's level to face him. "Do you think my name is funny?"

Aang gulped when he saw who was named Pipsqueak and gave a nervous smile. "Rather creepy."

Pipsqueak laughed amusedly after hearing this, followed by Aang and the boy who could now identify him as the Duke. Pipsqueak slapped Aang's sword hard, but his strength, unmeasured, ended up knocking Aang down.

From where they were, the Bandit cleared her throat to remind Jet, who, upon hearing her, decided to continue. "Right, and she's the Bandit..."

"More important than my name, I'm the best Earthbender in the entire world," the Bandit interrupted Jet before he could finish, pointing at herself arrogantly.

"She's also modest and humble," Jet jokes lightly.

"Don't lie to the poor Jet, I'm neither," the Bandit responds.

From the top of the trees, Xiànshí watched everything happen with a raised eyebrow.

_________________________________________________________________________

It's incredible to see how many of the decisions made in a multiverse of possibilities take us to unexpected places, but at the same time shift our entire focus on key events that are essential to our lives.

In the Universe they know, Toph Beifong wouldn't know the calling to a new life until Avatar Aang arrived at Gaoling in search of an earthbender to teach him earthbending and take a step closer to becoming the Avatar he was destined to be. But in this universe, an argument changed all that...

_________________________________________________________________________

Gaoling - Year 97 AG - Three Years Ago

"Dad, this isn't fair!" a little 9-year-old girl shouted, dressed in a fine white and green dress, her hair perfectly combed, and frowning at the man in front of her.

The man in front of him simply sighed wearily at this. "This isn't up for discussion, Toph! You shouldn't have left here. We didn't know where you'd gone. Do you have any idea how worried we were?!"

Hearing him say that, Toph's anger dissipated a little, but it wasn't yet present. She was upset by her father's next words.

"You don't understand the dangers of the world. Being born blind, you are more vulnerable to the dangers of the world. You don't have the strength to face it, and if you do it alone, then the danger is greater," her father said, like a prayer he was used to saying.

But for Toph, that phrase was the worst thing that could exist. Her parents had that perception of her, and she hated it. She hated how limited they were.

Her father, Lao Beifong, simply sighed wearily. "You'll stay here. Think about what you did, and I hope this act of rebellion never happens again."

Without further ado, he turned around and headed straight for the exit of his daughter's room without looking back. He quickly glanced at the guards stationed at the corners of her door. The one on her left nodded to Mr. Beifong as he closed Toph's door. He and his partner swore to watch over their daughter to prevent anything like what had happened from happening again.

Meanwhile, she stood up from where she was sitting, growling as she paced back and forth, tempted to destroy the room in anger. Stopping and standing where she was, Toph snorted, hating the situation she found herself in.

She hated the way her parents treated her, hated that they considered her fragile and helpless, hated that they didn't understand her, treating her like something she wasn't. She couldn't stand it, she couldn't take it anymore. She longed to go back to the Badgermole cave. She was happy there. The badger moles were amazing, and they didn't care that she was blind. They were blind too, but despite that, they let her act freely.

Maybe she should go back to them and never come back to this place.

Considering this, the idea became more appealing to Toph. She quickly walked straight to a nearby trunk, walked perfectly without tripping, opened it, and found a bag inside, something to pack her things in. She took it out and began to put a couple of clothes inside, while at the same time taking off the absurd dress they had dressed her in. She changed her hairstyle, opting to use a headband to tie her hair back, and put on more practical clothes for an earthbender.

When she was ready, she grabbed her things and headed to a corner. She adopted an earthbending stance and, without much effort, smiled with satisfaction. Her time with the badgermoles had helped her incredibly, as the original earthbenders had taught her earthbending so well.

Now she's able to use earthbending, not as a martial art, but now it's an extension of her senses. Even now, thanks to them, she's begun to see thanks to her element. It's not very developed, but she does not doubt that she can go further. But nothing is stopping her.

However, before taking the step toward a new life, she stopped, looked back, and thought about what she was leaving behind. She was leaving behind her life, her childhood, everything she'd ever known, and her parents. She couldn't help but feel remorseful for leaving them behind.

But then she remembered what had happened and tried to convince herself that she had to do this; she wasn't going to back down.

Wasting no time, she went through the hole and left the Beifong Mansion. She crossed the large gardens, avoiding the guards and employees nearby, until she reached the wall surrounding the property. She easily placed her hands in the hard rock and opened it with her hands, just enough space for her to get out. As she did, she crossed the wall and ran towards the city.

...

Present Time

Walking through the forest, the Freedom Fighters, accompanied by Team Avatar, soon stopped near a large tree.

"This is it," Jet told the group as he continued walking in front.

Sokka, seeing how vague the response was, took a step forward. "Where to? I don't see anything."

Jet nodded in agreement. "Stay there."

After saying that, he quickly began to call out with his hands and his bird-like lips. Aang and Katara looked at him in awe, while Sokka rolled his eyes in annoyance.

Then two more boys came down from the tree.

"Jet, you're back!" said one of the ones who came down, taking a step forward to stand in front of Jet.

"You know it," Jet looked from the duo to the others behind him. "Our base is in the trees. The Fire Nation can't find us up there."

"They'd love to find you, though, wouldn't they, Jet?" Smellerbee said with a smile.

Jet simply shrugged. "That won't happen, Smellerbee."

Hearing him say that, Katara couldn't help but ask, "Why is the Fire Nation looking for you, Jet?"

Jet looked at Katara while chewing on a piece of grass. "You could say I've caused them some trouble. You see, they took over an Earth Kingdom village."

Pipsquak nodded in agreement. "We've been raiding their troops, starving them of supplies, and doing everything we can to harm them."

Jet nodded in agreement. "But despite that, our efforts aren't enough. We need to do more to achieve that goal..."

"They're very brave," Katara said, placing a hand on Jet's shoulder and giving him a shy smile.

"Yeah, nothing's braver than a boy living in a tree," a sarcastic Sokka responded behind her.

At her brother's words, Katara frowned, annoyed by Sokka's attitude. "Don't pay attention to my brother."

But Jet, unaffected, shook his head.

"It doesn't matter. We'll fix this anyway." Saying this caught the attention of Team Avatar, who didn't understand what he meant. "The supplies we stole aren't for us. We'll leave them for a group of Freedom Fighters who will stay here. The rest of us will leave soon."

"Where are they going?" Katara asked, intrigued by the departure of several members of the Freedom Fighters, including Jet.

"We have a mission, Sugar Queen..." the Bandit said with her arms crossed, but Katara looked at her without understanding the way she had called her. "As Jet said, our efforts here are not enough. We need more people in the surrounding area to join the fight."

"And we can only do that if we show them that it's possible to defeat the Fire Nation... there's a Fire Nation fortress east of here, its name is Pohuai Fortress..."

Sokka raised an eyebrow, not understanding what she was getting at with that. "What's so special about that fortress?"

Smellerbee stepped forward to explain. "Pohuai Fortress is impenetrable. Many armies have tried to attack it and failed. It's constant proof of the Fire Nation's power in the region."

"And we're going to take it," Jet said with a smile and crossing his arms. "We'll assault the fortress, and in doing so, we'll send a message. The fall of the fortress can symbolize the power we have to challenge and defeat the Fire Nation..."

Several Freedom Fighters, hearing this, raised their fists and shouted in agreement.

Sokka, hearing this, widened his eyes at her audacity. "That's crazy. If that fortress is as secure as you say it is, doing so would be suicidal. How do you intend to do it? You're just a group of three children!"

Jet, hearing this, frowned. "We've managed to hold out here, but if we want our efforts to have a greater impact, then we must do it..."

Katara was moved by Jet's ideals and his commitment. She quickly decided she couldn't let him go alone. "You don't have to do it alone! Let us help you..."

Katara's response left Sokka incredulous. "What?! Katara, we don't have time for that!"

"Sokka, you heard them. We can't leave them alone. If they head for that fortress, they'll need all the help they can get."

Aang nodded in agreement. "Katara's right. We must help them."

Sokka looked angrily at Aang for not taking his side, and seeing that he would have no choice because he was alone in his decision to leave, he had to reluctantly agree.

Jet, seeing that they had decided to help them, smiled gratefully. "Thank you, it means a lot."

Katara looked at Jet, smiling, but then the Bandit decided to interrupt. "Yeah, yeah, very well, now we better stop wasting time and get going. We have to meet up with those who have already left."

Jet nodded in agreement. "The Bandit is right, it is a long journey that will take days."

"Not if Appa takes us," Aang said, smiling as he ran to his Bison. Appa, for his part, roared in agreement, ready to help as well. Aang soon jumped, propelling himself with airbending to land on Appa's head.

The Bandit, feeling Aang jumping, was impressed, remembering something he'd heard from the group when he found them, he decided to begin his interrogation. "Somebody´s a little light on his feet."

He turned, frowning at Aang and Appa. The former laughed nervously, not knowing what to say.

"Well, you see..."

Jet approached and placed a hand on the Bandit's shoulder. "Calm down, okay?" I know you like to keep to yourself, Bandit, but I know they're trustworthy.

The Bandit just crossed her arms, but given Jet's confidence, she decided not to argue. "Fine, but don't think I'll let it go."

...

A couple of hours later... Despite the option of Appa giving them a ride, he couldn't take many people, so they only had Jet, the Bandit, Smellerbee, and Longshot with them.

Although the others couldn't go, they urged their companions to continue while they defended the forest. Jet, for his part, swore to them that he would defeat a couple of soldiers in their name. That had been a few hours ago. While they were on the saddle, Smellerbee sharpened his sword while Longshot checked his arrows. Jet was lying on the bank, but the Bandit was looking down, trying to avoid the dizziness she felt.

"Seriously, flying is the worst."

Aang, who was next to her, looked at her with a frown. "Flying isn't that bad; in fact, it's a great experience. Besides, Appa is the best when it comes to flying," she said with a smile.

The Bandit snorted, clearly expressing her opinion. Seeing that she had no choice but to continue enduring the journey, she sat down and proceeded to remove the hat covering her face. In doing so, she revealed her hair, held back by a headband, exposing her face and revealing her white eyes, much to Aang and Katara's surprise.

Aang, seeing her, quickly moved forward from his spot and stared at her in disbelief. "Oh, wow... You are..."

The Bandit, hearing him, deduced that he was referring to her, so she hummed, "Blind?? Yeah, of course I am..."

Aang, hearing her, quickly became embarrassed by how it must have sounded. "Excuse me for that... I..."

However, the Bandit, with a wave of her hand, dismissed it. "It's fine, it's not something that affects me, it's not even something that matters to me."

Aang nodded, relieved that he hadn't offended her, but Katara couldn't help but feel curious. "But I don't understand. If you can't see, how were you able to fight like you did back in the forest?"

"Even though I was born blind, I had no trouble seeing. I see through earthbending. It's like I can see with my feet. I feel the vibrations of the earth, and I can see where things are, like you, the trees, and even the ants."

Aang, Katara, and even Sokka couldn't help but be amazed by what he had said.

"That's incredible," Aang said with a smile.

Katara nodded in agreement. "It is. I'm a waterbender, and we've met a few earthbenders before, but I never would have imagined using my waterbending to do something like that. You're an exceptional teacher."

The Bandit smiled gratefully at the compliment. "Now you understand why I don't like heights. Up here I can't see anything; I'm completely blind."

Katara nodded, imagining how uncomfortable the Bandit must feel then. Luckily, they would be going down to camp; she wouldn't be spending all day with Appa flying in the sky. Meanwhile, she gave Team Avatar and the Freedom Fighters a chance to get to know each other, so she decided to start the conversation.

"So everyone lives in that forest?" she asked, looking at Jet. The question was for all the Freedom Fighters, who dropped what they were doing upon hearing her question.

Jet, lying down, heard Katara's question and stood up to better answer her. "That's right. Unfortunately, many of us have nowhere else to go. The Fire Nation burned my friend Longshot's village. Smellerbee was separated from his family while fleeing from a group of firebenders. He hasn't seen them since."

"What about you?" Katara asked carefully.

Hearing her ask about him, Jet's expression changed. It was clear from his posture and his gaze that he felt pained as he remembered what had happened. But being in a circle of trust, he allowed himself to open up. "The Fire Nation killed my parents. I was only eight years old, but that day changed me forever."

Katara felt saddened by Jet's story, for she understood that pain very well. "Sokka and I lost our mother the same way."

"I'm so sorry, Katara."

The others fell silent after hearing that. Sokka, listening to Katara, looked down, remembering that day as well, and everything that had happened. Aang felt bad for them, for he understood that too. Seeing the remains of Monk Gyatso when they went to the Southern Air Temple was too much for him.

However, upon hearing the loss of Jet's family and the others, the Bandit couldn't help but feel bad because, unlike them, her parents are still alive, but she hasn't heard from them in years.

...

Three years ago...

Walking through the streets of Gaoling, Toph was careful, trying not to let people notice the sight of a little girl carrying a bag, who was also blind, walking alone. That would attract a lot of attention. She may be nine years old, but if living in a place where she was considered weak and fragile served her any good, it was that being blind meant everyone else would see her that way.

Although with luck, that shouldn't matter to her any longer. Thanks to her earthbending, she could better see who was near her and be able to avoid them.

Proof of that was that she could make out a pair of guards walking across the street. She stopped quickly and prepared to hide. However, there was almost nothing to hide behind. Panicking, Toph could make out something, but she didn't know how feasible it would be. It was a pair of barrels nearby. But that or the guards might see her. So, without thinking about the consequences, she jumped into the barrel while she waited for the guards to leave.

She heard footsteps approaching, but after a moment they became fainter, indicating that the guards had left. She sighed in relief, then stood up to leave. When something solid was above her head, as she touched it, she realized it was wood.

"Is the shipment ready?" she heard a voice nearby.

"Yes, I swear, getting this to Harbour Town is big business."

She said as something lifted the barrel Toph was in. She soon heard something being put inside her.

"Well, I hope so, because this investment is worth a lot."

She hoped that when they were distracted, she could get out of there, but then something was placed on top of the barrel on top of her. Alarmed, Toph tried to push it away, but she didn't have enough strength to move it. She tried to find another way out, but found a small hole nearby. So, despite not wanting to, she tried to get attention.

"Hey! I'm here!"

However, no one heard her. She could only feel wherever they had put her starting to move, while she heard the honking of an ostrich horse.

...

Present...

After hours, with the sunset and the moon rising, it was decided it was best to camp and rest, so Appa could recharge his batteries and so the Bandit could feel relieved to be back on solid ground again.

"Oh yeah, it's great to be back on solid ground," the Bandit said as she lay down near the campfire.

Sokka sat down next to her, carrying a plate of food. "Well, it's lucky we found this place far from any Fire Nation people, considering how close we are to their colonies. We shouldn't stay long."

However, the Bandit dismissed his concerns. "Relax, Captain Boomerang. Thanks to my earthbending, or as I like to call it, Seismic Sense, I can tell who's approaching from that mountain over there." With one hand, she pointed directly at a mountain that looked far away from Sokka's perception.

"She's right, don't worry, Sokka. With the Bandit here, we'll be able to sleep peacefully today," he said, walking toward a place to sit with a plate of food.

Sokka grunted, annoyed that no one wanted to take this seriously. They were already close to Fire Nation territory; what they were doing was dangerous! But no, everyone agreed to follow Jet and his suicidal plan.

Speaking of Jet, he, accompanied by Katara, approached and sat in another part of the campfire. "Getting as much rest as we can is the best thing. Tomorrow we should head toward where the other members of the team are, which is north of here. From there, as Sokka said, we should be careful. The Fire Nation surely has outposts that will report our presence if they see us."

The others nodded at Sokka's incredulous look as he watched everyone ignore the fact that he'd said the same thing, but took it seriously when it came from Jet. He couldn't help but grunt in annoyance.

But despite the day's events, Aang still had another question to ask. "And where exactly are we going?"

Smellerbee stopped what he was doing to answer. "An abandoned city. It's been that way for many years. The Fire Nation attacked it but never claimed it, so no one would think we're hiding there..."

Jet nodded with a smile. "Now, the Fire Nation thinks it shouldn't have to worry about a bunch of kids hiding in a tree, but that will change when we take the Fortress."

The Bandit hummed in agreement. "Especially if we have the help of an exceptional teacher that we've heard about lately," she said the last part with an innocent smile as Aang directed it at her.

Aang, as well as Katara and Sokka, looked at her nervously at the insinuation, as well as at the way her smile widened, revealing that she knew their secret.

Jet didn't understand what she meant, so he simply added, "She's right. You and Aang are impressive; you showed great mastery of the elements."

He said the last thing, looking at Katara.

Katara could feel her cheeks blushing, causing her to respond nervously, "Well... Aang's great. He's the Avatar, and I have a lot to learn."

After saying that, the Freedom Fighters were surprised, so much so that they looked at Aang, not believing that this boy was the powerful master of all four elements. The Bandit raised her eyebrow, curious about this. Sugar Queen had just said it like that, much to her chagrin. She would have enjoyed having fun extorting them with that information.

She groaned inwardly, seeing that it wouldn't turn out the way she wanted.

"The Avatar, that's great," Jet said, shifting his gaze from Katara to Aang with an impressed smile.

Aang smiled at what the Freedom Fighter had said. "Thanks, Jet."

"Then it's a great thing you came with us. You and Aang can help us here if we manage to take the fortress."

Hearing him say that, Sokka couldn't help but frown. "Unfortunately, we can't stay long. We'll only help them with the assault and nothing more. After we help them take the fortress, we'll leave..."

He said it seriously to make it clear that he wasn't going to change his mind on the matter, and he had enough reason for Aang, and more importantly, Katara, to try to stay and join a boy who lives in a tree.

However, Jet seemed unwilling to let them go so easily. "Sokka, please don't say that. Besides, there are many things to take care of before we get to Pohuai. For example, I need you for an important mission tomorrow."

Jet's saying that caught Sokka's attention. "What mission?"

Seeing that he had caught his attention, Jet smiled. "We need to check how heavily guarded these parts of the Earth Kingdom are. Right now, the Fire Nation has sentinels in various places. We should send some scouts so they can't notice Appa as he flies."

Sokka looked at him for a moment before nodding in agreement with that idea. "Fine, then I'll go."

Jet smiled happily at Sokka's initiative.

However, Sokka wasn't going for whatever reasons he believed; he could be called crazy or paranoid, but there was something he didn't like about Jet. Aside from the way he seemed to have Katara enchanted him or the way he seemed to get everyone to follow him, his instinct told him he couldn't completely trust Jet. So it would be best to keep an eye on him for as long as possible until the whole Pohuai Keep thing was over.

...

The next day.

The mountains and their forests were undoubtedly perfect places to hide outposts. The strong resonance that can be obtained from these places means that if someone from the Fire Nation were to discover an Earth Kingdom army or contingent, it would render any surprise attack ineffective.

Not only that, the fact that this place is close to occupied Fire Nation territory meant that some scout troopers could be found, which would make this mission more stealthy. So, for the most part, going on the ground was not an option, which also made traveling through tree branches the preferred method of travel.

"Good luck for the kids who live in trees," Sokka thought as he ran to jump over a tree branch, only to slip while trying to jump, almost falling to the ground. He could only save himself by holding on to the branch tightly, using all the strength he had to avoid falling and climb back up.

With difficulty, he managed to level out again, making him sigh in relief, only to see that he was now farther behind. Jet, Smellerbee, and Longshot were ahead, jumping and landing safely in the trees without nearly falling.

Sokka snorted in annoyance at the skill of those boys and seeing that he had a long way to go to catch up. He spent the next few minutes jumping as best he could, trying not to fall, holding on tightly to the branches, until he finally caught up with the group.

As they drew near, he saw Jet signaling to Smellerbee and Longshot to go ahead to see if anyone was coming. They both nodded and set off, while Sokka decided to try something he learned from his father and the warriors of his Tribe: he drew his weapon and buried the blade in the tree.

The sound caught Jet's attention, and he quickly turned to see what Sokka was doing. "What are you doing?" Sokka simply silenced him as he placed his ear near the grip of the weapon. "It amplified the vibrations."

Jet smiled, impressed by Sokka's idea. "Good trick, it's very similar to what the Bandit does."

Although he could identify the compliment, Sokka didn't let it affect him. He still thought Jet was hiding something. He didn't know what it was yet, but he would figure it out. In the meantime, he would make sure to finish here and return safely to Aang and Katara.

"It's nothing," he said as he continued to focus on the vibrations he could hear. He closed his eyes, trying to concentrate harder, until he could soon make them out.

He opened his eyes and looked at Jet. "Wait, someone's coming."

Jet then turned his attention to that. "How many are there?"

Sokka listened again to the vibrations, trying to guess how many there could be, until he was able to figure it out. "I think it's only one."

Jet nodded, looking ahead as he signaled Smellerbee and Longshot to stay alert. "Well done, Sokka, ready your weapon."

Sokka did so and prepared for the battle about to begin. He mentally pondered what it could be: a soldier, a scout, a messenger, an officer, or maybe it could be Zuko, but who knows in the end?

Only to be greeted by the sight of a young man on an ostrich horse, standing alone. Upon closer inspection, Sokka could make out that the attire was ordinary light armor. He carried no visible weapon. The boy clearly showed no evidence of being a warrior or someone trained. At most, he could be a messenger.

"Must be a messenger, false alarm," Sokka said, stopping Jet, hoping the Freedom Fighter would stop whatever he might do. It would be best to stay out of the way and let the messenger continue on his way.

But instead, Jet launched himself from the tree, leaping until he was between the messenger and his ostrich horse.

The latter soon stopped when he saw someone had appeared.

"Who are you?" said the messenger, but then an arrow fell near his mount's feet, which began to unsettle him. The messenger tried to calm him down, but Jet then ran to the side and then knocked the messenger from the left side, sending him to the ground. The agitated ostrich horse ran away, out of sight.

The messenger recovered, regaining consciousness to see Jet pointing his sword at him.

"What are you doing here, leech?!" said Jet loudly, expressing his displeasure at seeing the messenger there.

He quickly became nervous. "Calm down, please. I'm just a traveler..."

Seeing that Jet wasn't convinced, he tried to get up, but Jet kicked him back to the ground. The frightened traveler began to back away, but a pair of arrows behind him made themselves felt, stopping him. He turned to see where they had come from and saw Longshot, accompanied by Smellerbee, coming down from the tree and approaching him.

Terrified by the sight of three armed boys, the traveler thought they were robbers who wanted to rob him and maybe kill him.

"You like destroying towns?! You like destroying families?! Right?!" Jet shouted angrily, reprimanding the traveler.

But the traveler had no idea what he was talking about. He was just the son of a merchant from the Colonies. He was supposed to be heading to Gaipan with his grandfather, who had left a few days ago. He had gone to visit his family who lived there. He was only going to accompany him after discovering that his grandfather had decided to go alone. It was a risk, not knowing what he might encounter on the roads. It seems that he had to face that prospect in front of those robbers.

"Please, have mercy, I... I've never done those things..."

But Jet just mocked the traveler's pleas. He didn't care, why should he? The guy was Fire Nation. He could see it in his red and gray clothes, distinctive to Fire Nation people. No, this guy was one of them, and therefore the enemy. "Do Fire Nation people have mercy?! Do they have mercy?!"

He raised his foot to continue punishing him. When Sokka finally decided he'd had enough, he'd seen everything that had happened, and when he saw that Jet was no longer acting like he used to and was beginning to reveal his thuggish nature, he decided to intervene.

"Jet, he's just a harmless kid!" He raised his machete to stop Jet's foot. Jet struggled to keep his balance. When Sokka let go, he put his foot back on the ground and was able to recover. In doing so, he processed Sokka's words, and when he did, he was outraged by what he heard.

"He's Fire Nation." He approached Sokka to make his point.

However, Sokka didn't back down. "But it's not a threat."

Jet frowned at the simplicity with which Sokka categorized things. "Did you forget that his people killed his mother?! Remember why you fight!"

Sokka, listening to him speak, of course, remembered that. He remembers that day well, how the Fire Nation attacked his home and killed his mother. That's a day he doesn't like to remember, but he also remembers why he fights. He fights to help Aang save the world, to end this war, to free the oppressed people, and to ensure that this kind of violence never happens again. But this, this wasn't what he was fighting for.

"He's just a kid, Jet. He barely looks older than us. He doesn't even look like he's picked up a gun in his life!" He pointed at the boy, who, seeing what they had said about him, nodded in agreement with everything he said, especially the fact that he didn't know how to fight.

But Jet immediately dismissed it. "Even if that's the case, nothing's stopping him from joining the rest of his people and being like the rest of them."

Sokka, despite himself, couldn't help but agree that it was a possibility, something he bothered to consider.

"We have his things," Smellerbee said to Jet and Sokka, who were still arguing. While they were at it, she and Longshot began to go through the traveler's things to see what he had with him.

Hearing what Smellerbee said and hearing no replies from Sokka, Jet decided to end this.

"Take whatever you think is important and let's get out of here," Jet said as he left and continued the rest of the mission.

But Sokka got in his way. "This isn't right."

Seeing that Sokka continued to interfere, he pushed him aside. "This is what I have to do. It's necessary if we want to survive. Now let's get out of here."

Without further ado, he continued on his way, accompanied by Smellerbee and Longshot. Sokka was incredulous at what had happened. He took one last look at the traveling boy, who stared at him in fear, afraid that he would do something to him. Sokka didn't like that feeling. For a long time, the Fire Nation had intimidated his tribe, always being in the position he was in now. But seeing that he was now standing while someone else was on the ground, he realized he wasn't acting any better.

That made him consider many things.