Xiaodan sighed and rubbed her neck as she leaned against the back wall of the Jasmine Dragon after emptyingF the basin of dirty water. It wasn't even noon and already she'd had to wash a pile of teacups and teapots. She straightened with a quiet groan and turned to reenter the teashop when something suddenly slammed into the back of her neck and she stumbled forward, just barely keeping herself from falling by putting a hand against the wall. Rapid chittering reached her ears and Xiaodan turned her head, her orange eyes meeting the large, frightened brown eyes of a familiar lemur.

"Momo?"

Momo chittered and jumped up, flapping his wings while tugging on the collar of her tunic. The white-haired girl turned and grabbed the lemur out of the air, holding him in front of her face with a confused expression.

"Momo, what's wrong?" She asked urgently, "What happened?"

Momo hissed and chittered again, struggling against her grasp until Xiaodan let him go again. She watched as he sat on the ground in front of her and he squeaked and chattered at her while waving his arms around urgently at her.

"Alright, alright!" Xiaodan exclaimed with wide-eyes, "I'll follow you, just give me a second, okay?"

Momo chittered again and climbed up her leg, diving into her tunic. Xiaodan cradled his little body to her, frowning when she felt him begin to tremble then she walked back into the teashop, heading towards the back.

"Iroh?" Xiaodan called out softly and the older man turned to look at her with a happy smile.

"What is it Xiaodan?"

"Um..." She faltered for a moment, "I have to go do something real quick. I'm sorry, I know you asked me to come with you and Zuko to help serve tea to the Earth King, but-"

She was suddenly cut off by Momo crawling out of her tunic and onto her shoulder, impatiently tugging on her hair. Iroh's eyes widened as he recognized the Avatar's pet lemur and he looked at Xiaodan in shock then understanding.

"Go," He instructed softly, "It will be fine."

Xiaodan gave him a grateful smile and she quickly grabbed her glider from where she had stashed it in a corner of the backroom then slipped out the back entrance of the shop, biting her lip at the slight guilt she felt at leaving Zuko, even if it was just temporary.

"Alright, Momo, what did you want to show me?" She asked and Momo instantly leapt out of tunic, taking flight a moment later.

Xiaodan snapped her glider open and jumped into the air, flying after the lemur as he headed towards the Earth King's palace. Her heart suddenly felt heavy in her chest and she frowned.

"So, what kind of trouble is Katara in?" Sokka asked as Appa flew back towards Ba Sing Se.

"I don't know." Aang replied with a helpless shrug, "In my vision, I just knew she needed help."

"It would be nice if your Avatar powers could be just a little more specific from time to time." Sokka sighed and he looked at the ground below them, frowning slightly when he saw a moving mound of earth passing nearby as it headed towards the Outer Wall, "What is that?"

Aang shrugged and directed Appa towards the mound of earth, lowering Appa until they were flying alongside the earth mound. The two boys blinked in surprise hwen they saw it was Toph using Earthbending to earth surf.

"Need a ride?" Sokka called out, startling the blind girl and causing her to fall backwards off the mound of earth with a surprised shout.

Aang and Sokka cringed and glanced at each other.

"The Earth King and the Council of Five do not trust the Dai Li. They imprisoned your leader, Long Feng." Azula stated firmly as she passed pack and forth in front of the Dai Li agents in their main underground headquarters under the palace, "Soon they will turn on all of you and eliminate you. Seizing power today is a matter of life and death. This coup must be swift and decisive. The Earth King and each of the five generals must be taken out simultaneously. Long Feng has placed you in my command while we overthrow the government."

The Fire Nation princess paused in front of one of the agents, staring him down while he sweated nervously in front of her.

"If I sense any disloyalty, any hesitation, any weaknesses at all, I will snuff it out." She glared at the agent then she walked over to where Mai and Ty Lee were standing beside a table with a teapot and cups on it, "That is all."

"Nice speech, Azula." Ty Lee complimented her friend as the Dai Li agents left and she handed Azula a cup of tea, "It was pretty and poetic, but also scary in a good way."

"Yeah." Mai agreed with a small amused chuckle, "I thought you were going to make that one guy pee his pants."

"There are still a few loose ends." Azula commented and she took a sip of tea as her eyes narrowed, "The Avatar, and my brother and uncle."

Zuko smiled as and his uncle stepped out of the carriage that had brought them to the Palace and they walked towards it together.

"Many times I imagined myself here, at the threshold of the palace." Iroh commented as he held the basket of his tea supplies, "But I always thought I would be here as a conqueror. Instead, we are the Earth King's personal guests, here to serve him tea. Destiny is a funny thing."

"It sure is, Uncle." Zuko agreed with a slight smile, "I just wish Xia was here to share the moment with us."

Iroh shifted the basket to one arm and patted his nephew on the shoulder, "I know, my nephew. But she needed to do something important."

Zuko nodded in understanding and they entered the palace.

"So, how did go with the guru?" Toph asked as she, Aang, and Sokka flew towards the Palace on Appa, "Did you master the Avatar State?"

"Uh..." Aang stuttered and he looked off to the side, thinking about what Guru Pathik told him before he left.

"Aang, are you okay?" Sokka asked, pulling the younger boy out of his thoughts.

"I'm great! It went great with the guru. I completely mastered the Avatar State." Aang replied with forced cheerfulness and he laughed nervously, "Yeah..."

Xiaodan ran up the stairs of the palace, her mind whirling as she tried to figure out why there weren't any guards coming to stop her. She held her staff up defensively as she looked around, Momo chittering quietly on her shoulder as she walked inside the palace. She walked down several corridors before she rounded a corner, catching sight of a Dai Li agent that had his back turned as he walked in the opposite direction from her and she swung her staff low, knocking the agent's legs out from under him with a crescent of air. The white-haired girl ran down the hall and leapt forward, standing above the downed agent just as he rolled onto his back with her staff pressed threateningly to his throat.

"Well, hello again." Xiaodan commented in mild surprise as she looked down at the young Dai Li agent she had accosted back at Lake Laogai not to long ago and she tilted her head down to glare at him, "Where's the Water Tribe girl?"

The young Dai Li agent swallowed thickly and dropped his head against the floor, his expression defeated. Momo chittered and suddenly took off back down the hall, Xiaodan briefly glancing back at him before focusing on the Dai Li agent at her feet.

"Take me to the Water Tribe girl." She instructed lowly, her tone as threatening as she could make it, and she stepped away from the agent but she kept her staff pointed at him.

"This way." The young Dai Li agent muttered as he got to his feet and walked down the hall stiffly, the tip of Xiaodan's staff pressed against the middle of his shoulder blades.

Xiaodan frowned slightly as her heart clenched in her chest and something nagged her at the back of her mind, but she pushed both feelings away and followed after the Dai Li agents, intent on helping Katara.

Zuko sat quietly beside his uncle as he poured a cup of tea in the King's meeting room.

"What's taking so long?" The scarred teen asked warily.

"Maybe the Earth King overslept?" Iroh suggested, his brow furrowing when several Dai Li agents came into the room and stood in front and behind him and his nephew.

"Something's not right." Zuko whispered to his uncle.

Azula suddenly stepped into the room and she walked past the Dai Li agents, coming to standing in front of her brother just outside the ring of agents.

"It's tea time!"

Zuko jumped to his feet in surprise and anger, "Azula!"

"Have you met the Dai Li?" Azula asked lightly as she smirked, "They're Earthbenders, but they have a killer instinct that's so Firebender. I just love it."

Iroh calmly picked up his cup of tea, "Did I ever tell you how I got the nickname 'the Dragon of the West'?"

Azula rolled her eyes at her uncle, "I'm not interested in a lengthy anecdote, Uncle."

"It's more of a demonstration, really." Iroh replied and he took a sip of the tea

Zuko glanced over at his uncle in surprise then he smirked slightly and spun behind Iroh, just as the older man jumped to his feet and began breathing fire, scattering the Dai Li agents. Zuko quickly ran and kicked a fire blast at the wall, blasting a hole in it as Iroh continued to breathe fire as he walked backwards, then he ran down the hallway after his nephew.

Iroh ran in front of Zuko and threw his hand out, blasting another hole in the wall at the end of the corridor with a lightning bolt then he jumped out of the hole, landing in the bushes below.

"Come on!" Iroh shouted up when he saw Zuko had stopped at the edge of the hole, "You'll be fine!"

"No! I'm tired of running!" Zuko shouted back and he turned slightly to glare down the hall with a determined expression, "It's time I faced Azula."

Iroh smacked his head in exasperation as his nephew turned and walked back down the hall, then he quickly ran away to get some help.

"You're so dramatic." Azula sighed mockingly as she stopped between several Dai Li agents in front of her brother, "What? Are you going to challenge me to an Agni Kai?"

"Yes!" Zuko snapped back and he shifted into a bending stance, "I challenge you!"

"No, thanks." Azula replied haughtily and she smirked at her brother.

Zuko growled and shot a fire blast at her, but two Dai Li agents intervened and deflected the blast by pulling up a section of the floor, creating a wall. The agents dropped the wall then shot their rock gloves at Zuko's feet, causing him to lose his balance and place one hand on the ground, which was quickly trapped by another rock glove. Azula smiled cruelly at her brother and turned around as the Dai Li agents captured him.

"Katara's fine." King Kuei said with a smile as he sat in his throne in front of Aang, Sokka, and Toph, "You have nothing to worry about."

Aang frowned and looked down slightly, "But, in my vision, I felt so sure she was in trouble."

"Well, she met with the Council of Generals to plan the invasion, and since then, she's been off with your friends, the Kyoshi Warriors."

"See, Aang." Sokka said and he smiled reassuringly at Aang, "She's with Suki. They're probably back at the apartment right now talking about makeup or something."

"Okay..." Aang agreed hesitantly, still unable to shake the feeling that something was wrong, "Maybe your right."

"Believe me, if there was any danger at all, Bosco's animal instincts would sense it." King Kuei said with a grin and Bosco lifted his head up, yawning widely at the three.

Katara scowled as she paced back and forth inside the Crystal Catacombs, stopping a moment later when she heard the hole above her open up.

"You've got company." A Dai Li agent stated then he threw someone down the hole and the person rolled forward until he landed in front of Katara.

"Zuko!" Katara gasped and her eyes widened in shock before they narrowed in anger when the scarred teen looked up at her just as the hole closed above them.

Aang landed Appa in front of their house, the side Toph had destroyed still being repaired and they jumped off Appa, running inside to see if Katara was there.

"Momo!" Aang said in surprise as the lemur ran up to him with a chatter and he climbed onto Aang's shoulder.

Toph took a few steps forward and turned her head from side to side, "There's no one else here."

"Katara is in trouble!" Aang exclaimed, "I knew it!"

"Oh, no!" Sokka gasped in dismay.

"Wait! Someone's at the door." Toph snapped and a moment later, someone knocked on the door, "Actually, I know who it is. It's an old friend of mine and Xia's."

The blind girl walked towards the door and opened, revealing that it was Iroh standing on the other side.

"Glad to see you're okay."

"I need your help."

Aang and Sokka yelped and looked at the older man with angry and shocked expressions as they got both got into a fighting stance. Toph smiled calmly and waved at Iroh, Momo chittering and flying over to land on Toph's shoulder when he saw him.

"You guys know each other?" Aang demanded as he stared suspiciously at the old man.

"I met him in the woods that one time I left and Xia came to bring me back. I knocked him down." Toph explained with a slight smile, "Then he gave me some tea and some very good advice."

"May I come in?" Iroh asked politely, stepping inside the house when Toph nodded then he turned to look at the three, "Princess Azula is here in Ba Sing Se."

Aang's expression became angry and he clenched his fist, "She must have Katara."

"She has captured my nephew as well." Iroh stated quietly and he looked Aang in the eye, "And, I fear, your sister Xiaodan."

"What? How?" Aang asked then he shook his head, "Never mind, it's doesn't matter. We'll have to work together to fight Azula, and save Katara, Xia, and Zuko."

"Whoa there!" Sokka exclaimed and he walked over to Aang, pointing at him with wide eyes, "You lost me at 'Zuko'."

"I know how you must feel about my nephew." Iroh stated slowly and he walked forward, putting his hands on Sokka's shoulders, "But believe me when I tell you that there is good inside him."

Sokka pushed Iroh away and took a few steps back, "'Good inside him' isn't enough! Why don't you come back when it's outside him too, okay?"

"Katara and Xia are in trouble. All of Ba Sing Se is in trouble." Aang remarked sharply as he glared slightly at the older boy, "Working together is our best chance."

Sokka hesitated a moment then nodded in understanding. Iroh smiled faintly and walked back toward the door.

"I brought someone along who might help us." He said and the four walked outside.

Toph quickly put up a couple earth pillars around a tied and gagged Dai Li agent, forcing him to stand up. Iroh walked over to him and pulled the gag down, the man talking instantly.

"Azula and Long Feng are plotting a coup! They're going to overthrow the Earth King!"

"My sister!" Sokka demanded as he stepped threateningly towards the agent, "Where are they keeping Katara?"

"And Xiaodan?" Aang demanded a moment later.

"There isn't anyone named Xiaodan being held prisoner." The agent hurriedly answered, "But their keeping Katara in the Crystal Catacombs of Old Ba Sing Se, deep beneath the palace."

"Xia must be trying to help Katara." Aang commented as he and the others ran away from the house, back towards the palace.

"The movements of the Earth King and all the generals have been plotted out step-by-step." The head of the Dai Li said as he stood in front of Long Feng's cell.

"Good." Long Feng replied calmly as he meditated in his cell, "And the Fire Nation princess is cooperating?"

"Oh, yes. More than cooperating." The agent said and his tone became slightly awed, "She's really taken charge. She's terrifying and inspirational at the same time. It's hard to explain."

Long Feng opened his eyes and stared at the wall narrowly as the agent walked away.

"Why did they throw you in here?!" Katara shouted angrily as she paced back and forth behind Zuko, who had his back turned to her with his head bowed forward, "Oh, wait, let me guess. It's a trap. So that when Aang shows up to help me, you can finally have him in your little Fire Nation clutches!"

Zuko turned his head slightly to glance at her over his shoulder then he looked back at the ground again.

Katara scowled and continued berating the silent teen, "You're a terrible person! You know that? Always following us! Hunting the Avatar! Trying to capture the world's last hope for peace and taking Aang's sister away! But what do you care? You're the Fire Lord's son. Spreading war and violence and hatred is in your blood!"

Zuko tensed and he turned his head slightly, "You don't know what you're talking about!"

"I don't?! How dare you!" Katara shouted angrily as she whirled around to glare at his back, "You have no idea what this war has put me through. Me personally!"

The Waterbender turned back around and sat down on the ground, her hand coming up to touch her necklace as she began to cry quietly, "The Fire Nation took my mother away from me."

Zuko turned around to look at Katara's back, his brow furrowing slightly at her words.

"I'm sorry." He apologized quietly then he paused and looked down, "That's something we have in common."

Katara turned her head and looked at him in surprise, sniffing quietly and wiping the tears away from her eyes as she looked at him.

"This leads to the Crystal Catacombs?" Xiaodan asked slowly as she looked at the dark hole the Dai Li agent she had accosted had just Earthbended a rock from in front of after leading her throw the palace, "And that's where they're keeping Katara?"

The Dai Li agent nodded wearily in confirmation and Xiaodan inclined her head to him in sincere gratitude, then she flashed an apologetic smile.

"Thanks...And sorry for this."

Before he could do anything, Xiaodan twirled her staff around and cracked him upside the head with her staff, knocking him unconscious. She dropped her staff and caught him before he hit the ground, leaning him against the wall just like she did back in the secret Dai Li headquarters under Lake Laogai.

"You really should think about a career change, young man." The white-haired Airbender muttered as she picked up her staff and walked into the dark hole.

"Well, what'd ya know?" Toph quipped in mild surprise as she kneeled and pressed her hand to the ground, "There is an ancient city down there. But it's deep."

The blind Earthbender stood and formed a tunnel through the ground, beginning to form a way to the catacombs.

"We should split up." Sokka said after a moment of thought, "Aang, you go with Iroh to look for Katara and the angry jerk, no offense.

"None taken." Iroh replied easily.

"And I'll go with Toph to warn the Earth King of Azula's coup." Sokka continued, "If Xia did try and find Katara, she might be at the palace. Toph and I will keep an eye out for her."

Aang nodded then he and Iroh walked to the start of the tunnel Toph had created, Aang easily beginning to Earthbend the rest of the way down while Iroh bended a small fire in the palm of his hand for light as they went deeper into the tunnel.

"So...Toph thinks you give pretty good advice," Aang commented after they had walked in silence for a few minutes, "And great tea!"

"The key to both is proper aging." Iroh replied lightly, "What's on your mind."

"Well, I met with his guru who was supposed to help me master the Avatar State and control this greatpower, but to do it, I had to let go of someone I love." Aang explained and he stopped Earthbending for a moment, hanging his head slightly, "And I just couldn't do it."

"Perfection and power are overrated." Iroh said wisely, "I think you were very wise to choose happiness and love."

Aang started Earthbending again, "What happens if we can't save anyone and beat Azula? Without the Avatar State, what if I'm not powerful enough?"

"I don't know the answer." Iroh responded carefully after a moment of thought, "Sometimes, life is like this dark tunnel. You can't always see the light at the end of the tunnel, but if you keep moving..."

Iroh smiled when Aang Earthbended the rocks in front of them away one last time, blowing out the fire in his hand and revealing the glowing, crystal filled chamber with a beautiful waterfall before them.

"You will come to a better place."

Toph and Sokka quickly climbed the stairs of the palace with Momo flying behind them.

"There's General How!" Sokka said as he pointed towards the general then he put his arm out in front of Toph and yanked her behind a pillar when he got a bad feeling.

He watched with narrowed eyes as General How continued walking towards the stairs before he was suddenly ambushed by several Dai Li agents that had been hiding behind pillars, metal cuffs attaching to his wrists and bringing him to his knees.

"What's going on here?" The general demanded angrily as he glared up at the Dai Li agent that had dropped down in front of him.

"You're under house arrest." The agent replied coldly.

"The coup is happening right now!" Sokka hissed as he watched the Dai Li take General How away, "We've gotta warn the Earth King!"

Sokka grabbed Toph's wrist and pulled her after him as he ran to the throne room.

"Thank goodness we're in time!" Sokka exclaimed as he and Toph burst into the throne room where the king and two of the Kyoshi Warriors were sitting.

"In time for what?" King Kuei asked in confusion, his brow furrowing slightly as he looked at the Water Tribe boy.

"Yeah. What are you in time for, cutie?" One of the girls asked as she cartwheeled over to Sokka, a flirty smile on her face.

Sokka leaned away from her and gave her a strange look, "Uh, I'm kinda involved with Suki."

"Who?" The girl asked, gasping a moment later when Toph knocked her away from Sokka with Earthbending and she flipped through the air, landing on the large badgermole statue behind the king's throne.

"They're not the real Kyoshi Warriors." Toph shouted as she shifted into a bending stance and King Kuei gasped in shock.

"Sorry to disappoint you." Mai drawled with a smirk as she fired some daggers at Toph.

The blind girl quickly brought up an earth shield then she kicked the earth shield back at Mai, who jumped over it with a scowl. Toph quickly Earthbended a rock pillar, knocking the girl off her feet.

Sokka grinned when he saw Toph take care of Mai then he gasped when Ty Lee suddenly appeared beside him, giggling cutely. She started jabbing at him in an attempt to hit his pressure points, but Sokka ducked and evaded the jabs as he backed away over to Toph.

"Oooh," Ty Lee cooed with a smile, "It's like we're dancing together!"

"The fight is over."

Sokka and Toph spun around, staring in shock as Azula stood behind the Earth King with a small flame held to his head. Sokka glared and raised his arms above his head with Toph, Ty Lee hopping over and blocking their chi. Momo chittered as he tried to fly away, but he was grabbed midair by a Dai Li agent's rock gloves.

"Get them out of my sight." Azula barked as she shoved King Kuei away, watching with a malicious smirk as Sokka and Toph were dragged out of the room by Mai, Ty Lee, and one of the Dai Li agents, the Earth King and his bear trailing after them.

Azula tilted her head and her smirk widened when Long Feng walked into the room with several Dai Li agents and they stopped a few feet in front of the dais she was standing on.

"Now comes the part where I double cross you." Long Feng said smugly, "Dai Li, arrest the Fire Nation Princess!"

The Dai Li didn't move and Long Feng tensed, his expression morphing into a scowl.

"I said arrest her!" He shouted again, but they still didn't move, "What is wrong with you?!"

"It's because they haven't made up their minds." Azula remarked with a smirk as she regarded the man in front of her, "They're waiting to see how this is going to end."

"What are you talking about?" Long Feng demanded furiously.

"I can see your whole history in your eyes." Azula stated coolly in reply, "You were born with nothing, so you've had to struggle, and connive, and claw your way to power. But true power, the divine right to rule, is something you're born with. The fact is, they don't know which one of us is going to be sitting on that throne, and which one is going to be bowing down."

"But I know, and you know." She continued and she sat down on the throne, crossing her legs primly as she smiled maliciously at the worried look that appeared on Long Feng's face, "Well?"

Long Feng stared at her for a moment then he walked forward and dropped to his knees before the throne, his head bowed in defeat.

"You've beaten me at my own game."

"Don't flatter yourself." Azula scoffed with a cruel smirk, "You were never even a player."

Katara shifted and clasped her hands behind her back as she stared at the ground abashedly.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you before." She apologized quietly and she scuffed her foot against the ground.

Zuko looked off the side with his head slightly bowed, "It doesn't matter."

"It's just that," Katara started to say as she looked at the banished prince from the corner of her eye, "For so long now, whenever I would imagine the face of the enemy, it was your face."

"My face?" Zuko questioned quietly then he touched his scar, "I see."

"No, no, that's-that's not what I meant." Katara said hurriedly and she walked towards him slowly, unsurely.

"It's okay." Zuko replied, his voice still quiet, but not angry and he thought about his uncle and about Xia as he spoke, "I used to think this scar marked me. The mark of the banished prince, cursed to chase the Avatar forever. But lately, I've realized I'm free to determine my own destiny, even if I'll never be free of my mark."

"Maybe you could be free of it." Katara said suddenly as an idea came to her.

"What?"

The Waterbender put her hand on her chest, "I have healing abilities."

Zuko looked way from her and slightly hunched his shoulders, "It's a scar, it can't be healed."

"This is water from the Spirit Oasis at the North Pole. It has special properties, so I've been saving it for something important." Katara explained as she showed him the vial then she walked forward until she was standing in front of him, "I don't know if it would work, but..."

Zuko closed his eyes as she reached out one hand and put it on his scar, causing him to flinch slightly at the contact. Zuko couldn't help but notice how different her hand felt from Xiaodan's own when she touched his scar. Suddenly, a loud crash filled the air and the two spun around, staring in surprise at Aang and Iroh standing in front of a large hole in the wall of the cavern.

"Aang!" Katara shouted happily and she rushed forward, hugging the bald boy tightly.

Aang smiled then glared at Zuko over Katara's shoulder, his eyes narrowed slightly in annoyance and distrust. Zuko glared back at him over his uncle's shoulder as Iroh embraced him.

"Aang, I knew you would come." Katara said and she hugged Aang again.

"Uncle, I don't understand." Zuko said in confusion as he looked from the Avatar to Iroh then he pointed at Aang, "What are you doing with the Avatar?"

"Saving you, that's what." Aang replied snidely and Zuko growled, taking a threatening step towards him, but Iroh stopped him.

"Zuko, it's time we talked." Iroh said lowly then he looked at Aang and Katara, "Go help your other friends, we still don't know where Xia is and you need to find her before Azula or her allies do. We'll catch up with you."

"Xia's in trouble?" Zuko demanded and he turned to look at his uncle after Katara and Aang walked out of the chamber, Katara glancing back at him briefly, "We have to go get her!"

"We must talk first. Xia's friends will find her and keep her save." Iroh replied soothingly and Zuko scowled his fists clenching and unclenching at his sides.

"Why, Uncle?"

"You're not the man you used to be, Zuko. You are stronger and wiser and freer than you've ever been." Iroh stated seriously as he looked at his nephew, "And now you have come to a crossroads of your destiny. It's time for you to choose. It's time for you to choose good."

Zuko stared at his uncle quietly for a moment and was about to nod in agreement when Iroh was suddenly encased in crystal, dust clouding his vision and he shouted in surprise. He quickly spun around and shifted into a bending stance, his eyes narrowing when he saw two Dai Li agents and Azula jump into the cavern.

"I expected this kind of treachery from Uncle." Azula commented drily then she tsk'd, "But Zuko, PrinceZuko, you're a lot of things, but you're not a traitor, are you?"

"Release him immediately." Zuko snapped in reply.

"It's not too late for you, Zuko." Azula continued persuasively, "You can still redeem yourself."

"The kind of redemption she offers is not for you." Iroh said firmly as he looked at his nephew.

"Why don't you let him decided, Uncle?" Azula barked then she looked at Zuko imploringly, "I need you, Zuko. I've plotted every move of this day, this glorious day in Fire Nation history, and the only way we win is together. At the end of this day, you will have your honor back. You will have Father's love. You will have everything you want."

"Zuko, I'm begging you." Iroh pleaded from where he was trapped by the crystals and Zuko looked at him, "Look into your hear and see what it is that you truly want.'

Azula gestured at the two Dai Li agents, who then Earthbended themselves out of the chamber while Zuko contemplated his choice.

"You are free to choose." Azula stated with a small smirk and she turned, following after Aang and Katara.

"We've got to find Sokka and Toph." Katara said as she and Aang ran through the crystal cavern with the waterfall.

"And Xia." Aang added then he gasped and whirled around, blocking the bolt of lightning that Azula shot at them from behind.

Katara ran out from behind the short wall of earth and Waterbended a wave from a small channel beside her, catching a second bolt of lightning before swirling the water around her and sending it crashing towards the Fire Nation princess.

Azula narrowed her eyes and lifted her hands in the air then she brought them down and stomped one foot, creating a small wall of blue fire that vaporized the water and turned it into mist.

Aang walked over to stand beside Katara and the two looked around warily, the cloud of mist slowly dispersing in front of them. Suddenly, Azula ran up a large piece of crystal and leapt out of the mist, shooting two blue fireballs from her fists. Aang and Katara quickly brought up an arch of water to stop the blast from hitting them while Azula landed in a crouch on a nearby stone pillar. Aang gritted his teeth and shot his hands outward before pulling them back to his chest, Earthbending the pillar Azula was standing on into rubble.

Azula gasped quietly and jumped off the crumbling pillar quickly, landing between Aang and Katara with her middle and pointer fingers of both hands pointed at the two threateningly. The princess looked between the two with narrowed eyes, which widened slightly when a powerful blast of fire burst in front of her, stopping her from attacking Aang or Katara. The smoke from the blast cleared and the three turned, staring in surprise at Zuko.

Zuko to a few steps forward, his hands still raised in a Firebending position, and he looked at his sister then at the Avatar.

Aang gasped and his eyes widened slightly just before Zuko punched a fire blast at him. Aang quickly swung his arms around his body, bending a protective arc of air in front of his body that dispersed the fire and sent him backwards a few feet. Azula smirked at her brother then abruptly twisted her body around, shooting a blast of blue fire at a distracted Katara, who hurriedly protected herself from the fire with a globule of water. While Azula dueled Katara, Zuko gritted his teeth and shot multiple fire blasts at Aang, who jumped and spun to avoid them.

Sokka peered out of the small, barred window in the metal prison cell he, Toph, King Kuei, and Momo had been locked in.

"See any Dai Li agents nearby?" Toph whispered from where she was leaning against the wall.

"Nope." Sokka replied after a moment and he stepped away from the door, "All clear."

Toph cracked her knuckles and stretched her arms over her head as she straightened then she walked over to the door. She put her hands against the door and clenched them, causing the door to crumble inward then she shoved the door away.

"Let's go!" Sokka ordered as Toph ran out of the cell, Momo flying after her.

"I'm not leaving without Bosco!" The king exclaimed as Sokka dragged him out of the cell after the blind girl and lemur.

Xiaodan frowned and she stopped walking, turning her head from side to side, but the darkness of the tunnel prevented her from seeing any more than a few inches in front of her face. After a moment she sat down cross-legged on the ground, her staff lying across her legs and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath then exhaling slowly as she cleared her mind. Once her thoughts were completely cleared and there was nothing but darkness in her mind, Xiaodan breathed deeply and slowly, settling more firmly into her meditation. Suddenly a thin cord of energy appeared in the darkness of her mind, glowing with a faint golden light as it ran straight through the darkness. Xiaodan slowly opened her eyes and smiled into the darkness of the tunnel.

"Everything is connected." The white-haired girl murmured she remembered Aang saying when they had been in the Foggy Swamp and she jumped to feet, walking in the direction the thread had indicated with her staff in hand.

Aang gasped quietly as he dodged another fire blast and he quickly bended the air currents around him then he thrusted his chest out, sending a human-shaped gust of air at Zuko. Zuko's eyes widened and he grunted when the gust slammed into him, knocking him onto his back. Aang leapt towards the Fire Nation prince, attacking him with another gust of air but Zuko rolled out of the way and sent a fire blast at Aang's feet. The young Airbender quickly jumped over the blast and away from Zuko, who jumped to his feet and began firing more blasts at Aang, who had been clinging to a pillar

Aang pushed off the side of a rock pillar, landing in a crouch on a protruding crystal high on the wall of the chamber. Zuko glared furiously up at him and Firebended a stronger blast, launching a stream of flames at the Avatar. Aang's eyes widened and he straightened, Earthbending the cluster of crystals in front of him to protect him, but the crystals shattered as soon as the fire blast hit them and Aang was sent flying into another clump of crystals.

Zuko pulled his arms back, fire still dancing around his fists which he bended into dual fire whips. He swung the fire whips around then lashed out at the crystals Aang had gotten stuck between. Aang yelped and shoved himself out of the way just in time to avoid the fire whips and he leapt back, landing on a rock that was surrounded by more crystals. Zuko lashed out with the fire whips again and again, but Aang kept dodging, leaping from rock pillars and crystal clumps erratically.

On the other side of the chamber, Azula landed on the ground after jumping away from one of Katara's attacks before she charged at the Waterbender again. Katara narrowed her eyes and sent a wave of water at Azula, who managed to twist to the side to avoid it, but the wave sliced through one of her bangs. Azula's eyes narrowed and a snarl curled her lips as she turned to face Katara again.

Zuko lashed out with the fire whips again, destroying the stalactite Aang had been clinging too on the ceiling of the chamber. Aang quickly leapt to another stalactite, kicking the tip off and clinging to the side before flipping himself around to follow the tip. He growled slightly as he used Airbending to push himself against the flat end of the stalactite tip then he used Earthbending to increase the impact when the tip hit the ground. The resulting impact sent Zuko flying, where he hit the ground then bounced and slammed into a large crystal.

Katara breathed heavily as she sent a blast of water at Azula, knocking her to the ground. While Azula was getting to her feet, Katara began encasing herself in water all the way up to her shoulders. Quickly, the dark-haired Waterbender brought her arms up and swung them forward, the water tentacles on her arms following the movements and hitting Azula just as the princess was about to shoot another fire blast. One of the tentacles encased Azula's arm and when she went to kick blast of fire at Katara, the Waterbender lashed out and caught her foot with the other tentacle. Katara grunted as she lifted Azula up, preparing to throw her, but before she could Zuko suddenly kicked a blade of fire at the two tentacles, freeing his sister.

Azula smirked over at her brother before she glanced over at the crater Aang had created with the stalactite tip, just as an exhausted Aang was crawling out of it. Azula's smirk widened and she ran towards him. Katara scowled and lashed out with two water whips, blocking the fire blasts Zuko shot at her.

"I thought you had changed!" Katara shouted as she lashed out with the water whips again.

Zuko blocked her attack with his fire whips, causing both water and fire whips to dissipate, then he shifted into a bending stance.

"I have changed." Zuko retorted coldly and he punched a fire blast at her.

On the other side of the chamber, Azula and Aang stood opposite each other. Aang stared at the princess with wide eyes before he scowled, his brow furrowing in anger and determination. Azula suddenly swung her arms up then back, blue flames shooting from her hands which she used to propel herself towards him while blue fire shooting from her feet allowed her to slide across the ground.

Aang stared in surprise then he scowled again, bringing his arms up and Earthbending the crystals on either side of him around his body to create a makeshift armor. He thrusted his hands forward, using Earthbending to charge at the princess. Azula's eyes narrowed and she abruptly stopped, leaping forward and shooting a powerful blue fire blast at Aang, Aang brought his crystal encased arms protectively in front of his face, but the fire blast shattered the crystals and sent him flying backwards into an old, stone building that had been built into the wall of the chamber

Ty Lee smiled encouragingly as she stood in front of the Earth King's bear in the throne room, Mai lounging boredly on the steps of the dais.

"Come on, it's easy. You just walk on your front paws instead of your rear ones." Ty Lee explained cheerfully and she shifted into a handstand and began walking on her hands, "Like this."

Suddenly, the floor shot up and encased Ty Lee's hands, causing her to feet to tip forward and forcing her into a backbend then the floor shot up again and trapped her feet. Bosco rumbled happily and began clapping as Ty Lee looked at Toph, Sokka, and the King standing a few feet in front of her.

"That's a nice trick." Toph commented sarcastically, her hands still raised from when she Earthbended Ty Lee's hands and feet to the floor.

Sokka unsheathed his boomerang and Toph Earthbended a large block of ground in preparation to fight, but Mai merely sighed and flicked her wrist dismissively.

"Just take the bear." She mumbled disinterestedly and the king ran towards bear.

"Bosco!" Kuei exclaimed as he embraced the animal happily.

Katara quickly swung her water tentacle, blocking the fire blast Zuko had just sent at her. She whirled around and brought up her second water tentacle when Azula suddenly kicked a fire blast at her as she jumped off a nearby cluster of crystals. Katara breathed heavily and brought up a shield of water when Zuko punched another fire ball at her, gasping when she was thrown into a clump of crystals by the blast Azula fired at her. The dark-haired Waterbender slumped to the side, her clothes steaming from the blast she had only just managed to block and her hair falling loose.

The ground suddenly began to rumble, Zuko turning to stare in shock while Azula glanced in the same direction just as Aang leapt out of the old stone building. Aang growled furiously as he landed, Earthbending the ground around him and he began earth surfing towards Azula and Aang with a furious expression.

Zuko stared in surprise for a moment before scowling as he and his sister turned to face Aang, their arms raised in identical bending stances. Aang narrowed his eyes and clenched his teeth as he glared at the siblings intently then his eyes widened slightly when a Dai Li agent suddenly jumped in front of him and disrupted the earth surf, sending him flying over Azula and Zuko. Aang grunted as he hit the ground and slid forward, creating a deep trench with his body. He pushed himself up to his knees and stared in alarm as more Dai Li agents began to appear.

Katara groaned quietly as she regained consciousness and she glanced around in dismay, she quickly pushed herself to her feet when several agents landed in front of her and she quickly bended more water around in the octopus form as several more landed behind her.

Aang stood up and shifted into a defensive Airbending stance, looking first at Azula and Zuko standing side-by-side in their own bending stances with numerous Dai Li agents standing behind them.

"There's too many." Aang whispered as he looked over at Katara using the octopus form and surround by more of the Dai Li.

'The only way is to let her go.'

Aang swallowed thickly as Pathik's voice filled his head and realization hit him.

"I'm sorry, Katara." Aang whispered then he closed his eyes and turned away from Azula and Zuko, Earthbending a crystal tent around him.

Aang sat lotus-style in the middle of the tent and began meditating to unlock the seventh chakra. In his mind, a giant version of himself in the Avatar State, the Avatar Spirit, hovered in the darkness with an Airbending sphere floating between his hands. In the middle of the air sphere floated a normal-sized Aang in the Avatar State. Inside the crystal tent, Aang's tattoos began to glow white as he accessed the Avatar State.

Xiaodan walked down the dark tunnel for what felt like hours when her chest suddenly tightened so abruptly she stumbled with gasp, clutching the wall of the tunnel with her free hand while the other tightened around her staff. She shut her eyes tightly before snapping them open a moment later when she felt a faint feeling of sorrow and regret fill her mind, realizing a moment later that the feelings weren't her own, but her little brother's.

"Aang!" Xiaodan gasped and she quickly slipped her staff onto her back, racing down the dark tunnel as she followed the invisible string that connected her and Aang.

She ran through the tunnels of the Catacombs as fast as she could, Airbending herself to run faster as she allowed her instincts to guide her to her brother. She suddenly saw a light up ahead and Xiaodan pushed herself faster, skidding to a stop a moment later as she came ran out onto a ledge that overlooked a massive chamber of glowing green crystals.

"AANG! NO!"

Zuko lowered his arms and stepped back with the Dai Li as tent of crystals the Avatar had trapped himself in began to glow brightly, the Avatar's silhouette easily visible.

Inside the crystal tent, Aang's eyes suddenly snapped open and the top of the crystal tent suddenly shattered. Zuko and the Dai Li recoiled slightly, all of them bringing their arms up to shield their eyes from the brilliant light. Katara looked up at Aang in the Avatar State as he rose up into the air with a hopeful expression on her face.

Suddenly, Aang's body arched in pain and his mouth fell open as he spasmed, lightning crackling around body. Behind him, Azula smirked as she remained in the lightning summoning position, the tips of her fingers smoking.

'Inside Aang's mind, the Avatar Spirit's hands suddenly went slack, dropping Aang. The Avatar Spirit's eyes drifted closed as it slumped to the side and disappeared from the plane of existence, Aang's mental-self plummeting into darkness.'

Katara watched with horror and tear-filled eyes as Aang's limp body plummeted towards the ground. She twisted her arms and kneeled, pulling the eight tentacles of water around her body into a protective bubble then she burst forward with her arms flung outwards, Waterbending a giant wave beneath her. The wave she was riding knocked down the Dai Li agents and Zuko as she passed over them on her way to Aang and she caught him just before he hit the ground, the wave dispersing as she kneeled with him in her arms. Zuko an Azula moved closer to Katara as she clutched Aang to her, corner them and preparing to attack.

"AANG! NO!"

The feral, pain-filled scream wrenched through the air and Katara whipped her head up, staring in shock as blindingly white fire shot out in front of her before it faded to a brilliant orange. The dark-haired Waterbender felt her jaw drop and her eyes widened further when she saw Xiaodan standing in front of her and Aang's body with her arms outstretched protectively, her long white hair being whipped around by the flaming air that swirled around her body in a violent tornado.

Zuko and Azula stumbled back a step at the intense heat that was radiating off the white-haired girl standing before him and his sister, their arms raised to protect their eyes from the light of the blaze.

"Xia?" Zuko rasped in shock and her eyes suddenly flashed over to him, the molten orange depth burning with such pain and betrayal, it made his heart clench in his chest.

Beside her stupefied brother, Azula scowled and lunged forward, kicking a blast of fire at the distracted white-haired girl. Xiaodan snapped her gaze away from Zuko and she crossed her arms diagonally in front of her chest then she flung them down to the side a moment later, two crescents of white fire slamming into Azula's fire blast and dispersing it in a shower of flames.

The pain and betrayal Xiaodan had felt at seeing Zuko standing beside his sister, helping her attack Aang morphed into a burning rage and she bared her teeth at the two Fire Nation siblings. Instinct and anger guided her movements as attacked them violently with a combination of fire and air. Her attacks were so erratic and violent that Azula and Zuko were forced onto the defensive, dodging and deflecting as many of the attacks while trying to get their own hits in.

Katara stared in morbid fascination as Xiaodan, sweet, playful, sisterly Xiaodan who Aang loved dearly, attacked Azula and Zuko with an anger and violence that Katara thought she was incapable of and with Firebending, no less. Katara was trying to wrap her mind around the fact that Xiaodan, a Master Airbender, was currently Firebending. It shouldn't be possible and yet it was happening right in front of her. Katara swallowed and looked down at Aang, her heart stuttering in her chest as she held his limp body in her arms. She needed to get him out of and she would need Xiaodan's help.

"Xia!" The dark-haired Waterbender called out desperately as she stood, struggling slightly under Aang's deadweight, "Please, Aang needs your help! Please!"

Xiaodan froze and turned around, the fire flaring around her fists dying down as she looked at Aang's unresponsive form in Katara's arm. She stepped towards her friend and brother, turning her back on Azula and Zuko and that was when Azula sprung. The Fire Nation princess jumped up and kicked both of her feet towards the white-haired girl, Firebending a powerful blast of blue fire at her.

"No!" Zuko shouted as he rolled to his feet after being knocked down, his eyes widened as he watched in horror as Xiaodan turned around, her own eyes going wide in shock as she swung her arms to create an air shield to protect herself from the blast.

Suddenly, a burst of orange fire flashed in front of Xiaodan, shielding her from Azula's fire blast. Katara, Xiaodan, Zuko, and Azula all turned to stare in surprise as Iroh leapt off a ledge on the chamber's wall, landing in front of the white-haired girl protectively.

"You've got to get out of here!" Iroh shouted at Xiaodan and he nodded towards Katara, who was struggling to carry Aang to the waterfall, "I'll hold them off as long as I can!"

Xiaodan hesitated a moment, her orange eyes flickering from Iroh to Zuko and Azula, "But, Iroh-"

"GO!" Iroh roared and he sent some fire blasts at Zuko and Azula, keeping both back when they had started forward.

Xiaodan backed away from him, her eyes meeting Zuko's and the pain that she had pushed aside flared up inside her again as she looked at them. She swallowed back the tears that gathered in her eyes then she spun around and raced towards Katara, scooping Aang easily into her arms when she reached the dark-haired girl. Iroh quickly began fending off the Dai Li, his nephew, and his niece while the three made their escape.

"Come on!" Xiaodan cried out as she ran towards the waterfall with Katara on her heels.

Xiaodan ran into the water and stood at the base of the waterfall where she crouched then leapt, propelling herself upward with a powerful gust of air as she held Aang tightly in her arms. Katara quickly bended the water around her body and lifted herself up its path, following Xiaodan up to the surface.

Iroh glanced behind him and nodded once in satisfaction when he saw that Xiaodan had gotten the other two out of the chamber safely then he turned back around, lowering his hands. Instantly, the Dai Li used Earthbending to encase him in crystals. Iroh caught Zuko looking at him and Iroh closed his eyes, turning his head to the side.

Tears ran down Xiaodan's face as she held her brother close to her, his back leaning against her chest and his head resting in the crook of her neck. Katara sat in front of her on Appa's head as the sky bison flew away from Ba Sing Se, a somber Sokka, Toph, King Kuei and his bear sitting on Appa's back.

Xiaodan lifted her head and looked at Katara desperately and the dark-haired girl nodded, lifting the string the vial of Spirit Oasis water was hanging on. The white-haired girl carefully shifted Aang in her arms so he was turned on his side, the angry wound on his back exposed. A choked noise escaped Xiaodan and she hung her head as her tears fell faster at the sight of the wound.

Katara opened the vial and bended the water from it, leaning forward and pressing the glowing water to his would, using it to heal him. The water disappeared as soon as it touched his back and Katara sobbed quietly when it seemed like nothing happened. Xiaodan shifted him in her arms so he was in his original position, silent sobs shaking her body as she hung her head.

Aang's tattooed glowed briefly and he groaned quietly, startling both Katara and Xiaodan. The two girls looked at him hopefully, watching as he opened his eyes and smiled a little. Xiaodan smiled back weakly then she shifted him towards Katara, who hugged him tightly to her as he slipped back into unconsciousness. Slowly, Katara released Aang and moved him so he was lying on Appa neck between her and Xiaodan, both girls holding him and each other tightly.

"We've done it, Zuko." Azula said gleefully as she sat on the Earth Kingdom throne, Zuko standing quietly to her left, "It's taken a hundred years, but the Fire Nation has conquered Ba Sing Se."

"I betrayed Uncle." Zuko commented quietly as he stared at the ground blankly.

'I betrayed Xia...' He added silently, his heart clenching when he remembered the pained look in her eyes as she stared him.

"No, he betrayed you." Azula replied coolly as she stood and she turned to look at her brother, "Zuko, when you return home, Father will welcome you as a war hero."

"But I don't have the Avatar." Zuko stated in confusion and he glanced at his sister skeptically, "What if Father doesn't restore my honor?"

"He doesn't need to, Zuko." Azula said in almost nice tone and she put her hand on Zuko's shoulder, "Today, you restored your own honor."

Zuko looked away from her, his lips pursed wh uncertainty.

Kuei looked over his shoulder at the city of Ba Sing Se as Appa flew farther and farther away from the palace.

"The Earth Kingdom...has fallen." The former king said softly and he closed his eyes, bowing his head.

Xiaodan and Katara looked at each other over Aang's head, then Katara looked up with a sad expression on her face as Appa flew over the walls of Ba Sing Se.