The Monsters We Create

by Orca2015

Summary:

The Fire Lord is defeated. The war is over. But a hundred years of conflict has taken its toll. As the world takes its first tentative steps to peace, ancient things have begun to awaken to wreak their vengeance. For the Avatar, the war is won. For the Princess of the Fire Nation, the war is lost. Both are now faced with things they could not believe. A world ruled by monsters.

Notes:

Avatar: The Last Airbender and all associated characters are owned by Paramount Global. Godzilla and all associated characters are owned by Toho Studios. Please support the official release.

Chapter 1: Up From the Depths

Adolescents are not monsters. They are just people trying to learn how to make it among the adults in the world, who are probably not so sure themselves.

-Virginia Satir

 

We make our own monsters, then fear them for what they show us about ourselves.

- Mike Carrey

 

Monsters are tragic beings. They are born too tall, too strong, too heavy. They are not evil by choice. That is their tragedy. They do not attack people because they want to, but because of their size and strength, mankind has no other choice but to defend himself. After several stories such as this, people end up having a kind of affection for the monsters. They end up caring about them.

- Ishirō Honda

 

---

 

Aboard Fire Nation Prisoner Transport Ship

Somewhere in the sea separating the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom

A deep moan through the hull of the ship awoke Azula.

 

It was low, muffled by the thick steel of her cell. Ordinarily, she would’ve dismissed it as a rogue wave or the roar of the engine as it was filled with more coal. But she’d been chained up here long enough to recognize if they’d hit rough waters. Or when the engine was fueled up to keep the fires powering this forsaken vessel her dear brother had shoved her into afloat.

 

…or maybe it was the engine. And her mind was playing tricks on her.

 

Again.

 

Almost on cue, she saw the red robes and sad face of her mother watching her from the darkened corner of her cell. My love. I…I never wanted this to happen .

 

Azula would’ve blasted the phantom if her hands were free instead of bound by chains. “Don’t give me that,” she hissed. “I bet you were laughing your heart out when that peasant tied me down in chains and when your dear Zuzu locked me away in an asylum while he stole a crown he never deserved.”

 

I wasn’t laughing, Azula. If there was anything I could’ve done to prevent this from happening, I would’ve done it a long time ago .

 

“More like made sure I was out of the picture so the traitor gets the throne,” the girl muttered under her breath. She wondered if Mother would be saying these things if she knew that the oh-so-benevolent Fire Lord was in the process of gutting his own country and groveling before the Avatar to keep the crown.

 

All those lives (including their own cousin’s) sacrificed to see their destiny through…now made worthless cause the weak link was in charge.

 

And who’s the one who LET the weak link take the throne I entrusted to you?

 

Azula went pale, now seeing the ghostly image of her father in the other corner, all done up in the resplendent robes of the Phoenix King. He has been appearing more and more ever since her shameful performance during the Comet. A constant reminder of her absolute failure and why she was the one in chains.

 

Losing to the failure AND a peasant. Now being carted off to the Earth Kingdom to be judged along with how many of her countrymen. This was a just punishment for being worthless.

 

Her lack of response only served to fuel her father’s anger. Even now, you STILL won’t defend yourself?! Even when you know the traitor is going to ruin everything we have strived for?!? Pathetic.

 

Pathetic. That was the only word Azula had for herself.

 

You can still escape, you know. Run when the time is right. The guards can’t keep their eyes on you forever.

 

And then there were…those voices. Azula thought it was her brother at first. Or maybe Ty Lee or Mai. Yet she never saw them manifest like Father or Mother did. And they almost always said the same thing. Three voices speaking with the mind of one. Sometimes at the same time like Lo and Li did sometimes. Great. Her mind was fragmenting so much that voices of her past were beginning to mix.

 

“What’s the point?” she asked them. “I couldn’t even beat Zuko. And he has the Avatar on his side.”

 

But you beat them before once. Didn’t you? Mai’s voice answered. You can beat them again. No one is invincible. You just need to tear them apart , the sing-song tone of Ty Lee joined almost cheerfully.

 

“Shu…shut up.”

 

Or you can just sit here to rot. Your choice , Zuko’s newfound word of authority declared. The three began to say the same things they always did. Escape. Fight. Punish those that put her there. Azula tried to block them out, rightfully knowing that these were the words of madness. And yet…she couldn’t ignore them completely. Not when they seemed like the only things keeping her soul alive.

 

Another moan silenced them all though, bringing Azula back into the coldness of reality.

 

Her senses were brought to bear. This time it didn’t sound like an engine.

 

It sounded louder.

 

And almost…alive…

 

Before her mind could betray her further with some nightmare lurking in the depths, the world suddenly lurched. Azula’s stomach almost hurled the prison-grade food up, though the groaning of the metal would have drowned out any sick noises she ordinarily would’ve made. Quite frankly the only thing keeping her on two feet was the chains holding her arms and legs to the steel wall behind her.

 

Through the walls, she could hear the intercom crackle to life as the ship’s captain barked out, “Alert! We are under attack! All personnel are to man their battle stations!”

 

Almost on cue, she heard a stampede of armored boots race past her cell door. Her mind raced as fast as they did, trying to figure out what was going on. An attack? From whom? The prison ship was being guarded by a squadron of battleships armed to the teeth. Granted she had heard rumors of whole groups of the army threatening to go rogue due to the new Fire Lord’s policies, but she never imagined they’d be bold enough to launch an attack like this. Especially if they risked the wrath of the Avatar and his cronies.

 

Quite frankly though, it didn’t matter. As the voice said, her time had come.

 

Already she brought up a thin blade of blue fire to her palm, eating away at the metal. Ironically, Zuko had rejected the use of needles to block her chi points or any sort of medicine to keep her “subdued”. Said that it wouldn’t be humane or necessary given her worn-out demeanor ever since the Agni Kai. Azula inwardly called him an idiot, since he of all people should’ve known when she was putting up an act. Or at least played up what she truly was feeling at the time…

 

She also wondered what part of shipping her off to the territory of their enemy was considered “humane” to begin with. Typical. All talk. No willingness to back it up.

 

Azula decided to focus on getting herself free without the heated metal burning her hands first. There’d always be time to tear Zuko’s “era of love and peace” rhetoric apart with what she had seen.

 

She managed to get the first of the bonds free, putting just enough power into her palm to blast the metal away before it could scorch her skin. Right now she was in the process of wrenching her arm free and working on the second chain before she heard a voice from outside. “You two stay here and check on the prisoner. Make sure she stays put.”

 

Right then. No time for finesse. She thrust out her fingers, letting forth a concentrated blue fireball blast into the chain restraining her other arm. The bindings melted, releasing her second arm, but the chain still dangled off her wrist. Quite frankly she was just glad her aim hadn’t deteriorated with her mind.

 

Before she could move on to her legs though, the door burst open, and the armored forms of the two elite firebenders assigned to watch her came rushing in. Seeing she was loose, the first one thrust out his fist and let out a blast of orange flame right at her. Instincts kicked in seeing her element charging at her, drawing out both of her arms and redirecting the fire to smash into the chains restraining her right leg.

 

Cinders and flame separated her from the guards, giving her cover to thrust out her palm and free her last leg with one more burst of blue flame.

 

“SHE’S FREE!!!” one of them yelled, causing the both of them to let out a pair of fire bursts at once. Azula jumped up against the wall and above the flames, letting her body hang there for the only second the steel would allow her. Not wanting to let Ty Lee’s training go to waste, she pushed herself off the wall and tackled the first guard to the ground.

 

Before the second could let out a cry, Azula used the momentum of her leap, rolling herself back up and maneuvering behind the guard. Turns out that wearing prison garb meant you were a lot more agile than heavy armor. Something she took full advantage of as she wrapped the remains of her chain around the guard’s neck and pulled.

 

Adrenaline and survival ruled her senses. A teenager weakened from imprisonment wouldn’t be able to strangle the life from a full-grown man after all. But that wasn’t the point as the first guard wobbled to his feet. Azula jumped up again and kicked out, letting blue fire out from her feet to smash the second guard into the first.

 

The two were crumpled down and trying to untangle themselves when Azula made a break for it into the hallways, slicing away the last remnants of her restraints.

 

Her break for it didn’t last long though as she came face to face with a whole line of soldiers rushing down the hallway. They all stopped to gawk at the escaped prisoner for a moment or two before somebody shouted “GRAB HER!” , prompting them all to either bring up their weapons or get into their stances.

 

Azula got into her own stance. Looks like she was going to fight her way out.

 

A blue light illuminated the hallway as…

 

-wait a minute.

 

Azula blinked. She hadn’t released any fire yet. Something that dawned on the soldiers as they looked just as dumbstruck as she was. Her eyes were drawn to the portholes lining the length of the hallway. All she saw was stormy skies and rough seas, yet the light certainly didn’t seem like any kind of lightning…

 

What she did see, or rather feel, was a massive wave crashing into the side of the ship. Her whole world turned sideways as the ship was pushed sideways, the sudden movement taking everyone off guard and scrambling for balance.

 

Azula found hers a bit quicker. Just one more testament to her discipline. The soldiers on the other hand weren’t as elegant. Their heavy armor and forward momentum caused them to stumble, some just barely managing to avoid tumbling on their face.

 

Well, time to show them the difference between guarding prisoners and being the Phoenix King’s chosen successor. Using the tilted ship to her advantage, Azula lept and ran along the wall. She couldn’t help but smirk as she breezed past the clumsy guards. Zuzu honestly should’ve stationed better help if he wanted her to stay in her cell.

 

Pushing herself off the wall, she twirled in the air and kicked out an arc of flame at the cluttered mess behind her to keep them off balance. Nodding to herself, she turned to make a beeline toward where the exit should be-

 

-only to swing her fist around to bat aside a fire blast from a firebender in elite armor standing in front of her. The first of a whole squad.

 

Azula snarled as she took a defensive stance. Behind her, the guards were scrambling onto their feet while the squad in front of her began to get in position. To her frustration, she also felt her legs wobble a little. A testament to how out of practice she’d gotten in that cursed asylum.

 

No matter. She’d fight her way out or die trying. Azula wouldn’t give her brother the pleasure to serve her up to the Earth Kingdom on a silver platter.

 

Before anyone could throw the first fireball though, something slammed into the ship once more with a loud clang. It was followed by a metallic tearing noise. The Princess turned her head in the direction of the sound. Maybe they hit a coral reef or something.

 

Her thoughts were dashed when she saw the soldiers coming right at her. Or rather away from whatever that awful sound was with fear overcoming any need to apprehend her.

 

Once she saw the hull of the ship being torn through, Azula promptly started running too.

 

Any illusions of sides or order were gone as she sprinted down the hallway. It wasn’t like any of the firebenders were going to stop her. Once they saw the chaos coming their way, they started running too. The screams of the soldiers behind her only quickened her pace, bobbing and weaving between the armored bodies in a mad dash to the stairway. She could see it! Just ahead! Not too much farther.

 

So close in fact that she made the mistake of looking behind her to see the bodies being flung by what looked like gigantic hooks, tearing right through their armor. And hear the screams of horror were joined by screams of agony.

 

She jerked away, just getting to the staircase in time. Azula climbed the first few steps before she felt somebody run up after her. Looking behind, she saw one of the elite firebenders with their helmet off clambering after her. The elite was a woman, something that was pretty rare. Rather than trying to catch her though, the soldier thrust out her hand trying to reach for Azula’s. “HELP ME! PLEASE!” she yelled.

 

And for a moment…Azula paused. This woman would’ve locked her up just a few days prior. A thousand scenarios passed through her mind. Was this a trap? Was it worth it? If she reached out her hand, would she find herself being flung in the way of the oncoming chaos? That couldn’t be right. The soldier was clearly terrified, and she felt a nagging need to take that hand.

 

Unfortunately, a moment was all it took until the woman was carried off by the oncoming hooks. Her screams for help were replaced with terror, joining the din of tearing metal and chaos.

 

Azula could barely hold herself up, before adrenaline kicked in and propelled her up the stairs. There was one thing that was etched in her mind though.

 

Those massive hooks didn’t look like metal. Metal wasn’t ivory white.

 

The closest thing her mind could conjure up was claws.

 

And that moaning sound through the metal above her was sounding less like the hull being battered by waves and more like the sounds of-

 

She didn’t want to think about it. There was a time to run and there was a time to think. And right now she needed to run.

 

Up and up she climbed through the levels of the ship. Everywhere she looked, chaos reigned. Soldiers were either running to their stations or just running. Some prisoners like her had managed to break free and were making a break for it. A few guards took shots at her, but panic ruled the majority. No more metal was torn nor did more claws pierce the ship, but she did hear and feel something tossing the ship around. Not enough to capsize, but enough to rock a military-class transport ship.

 

What little she could see from outside didn’t help matters. She saw orange flashes of fireballs and catapults being fired at…something through the stormy outside. And she saw more of those blue flashes, followed by what sounded like explosions and the ship being thrown about. Not enough for her to make any clear image in her mind of what was going on.

 

A time to think, a time to run , her mind kept repeating to her.

 

After…she didn’t know how many levels, Azula could finally see the stairway that led to the deck of the ship. Climbing up the stairs, her hands gripping the railing, she kicked the door open to the outside. The first thing she was hit by was the wind and the rain, the deck of the ship being drenched in a torrent. The second thing was who she suspected was the captain, barking orders to the crew up top. A catapult was flinging its payload into the stormy night, but Azula didn’t bother to see what they were aiming at. What she was most concerned about was trying to find a lifeboat.

 

Quite frankly, the need to get off a boat under attack by who knows what was a more pressing matter than what IT was. She’d have time to figure out a plan once she got out to sea.

 

“THERE’S THE PRINCESS! APPREHEND HER!!!”

 

Scratch that. The first imperative was not getting herself killed. By instinct, Azula lunged towards a crewman who had his back to her, just about to turn around before she kicked his calf to bring him to his knees. Before he could shout, she wrapped an arm around his chest and brought up a dagger of blue fire to his neck.

 

“NOBODY MOVE OR HE GETS IT!” The captain and crew stopped dead in their tracks, seeing her take the hostage. Inwardly her stomach churned. The man at her mercy, no matter who his allegiance was to at the moment, was still Fire Nation. Wasn’t his fault their current Fire Lord was a weakling and a traitor. Hopefully, she got the message across the raging tempest and the crew wouldn’t bring harm to one of their own.

 

Azula dragged her hostage up, hoisting him in front of her as she began to look for the lifeboats.

 

“Azula! I have orders from your brother to bring you to the Earth Kingdom to stand trial, and I mean to honor them!” the captain shouted. Great. So he must’ve bought into the stories about her so-called “crimes”.

 

“This is stupid! You’re gonna try and capture me when the ship is under attack?!?” Zuzu must’ve put this idiot in charge. Made sense. They both have the same amount of self-preservation.

 

Said idiot and his men were taking up their stances regardless of her threat, trying to maneuver their way into a flanking position. Azula backed up, hostage in hand, making sure her dagger of blue flame was visible to all. Her eyes were torn between trying to look for a lifeboat and keeping her would-be assailants in check. “Just point me to the lifeboats and nobody has to get hurt!” she demanded, deciding to kill two birds with one stone.

 

The guard she held was breathing rapidly. She grimaced, realizing who she held may be an older teen. Probably got assigned here as some favor to one of the clan heads. Certainly wasn’t for experience given how fidgety he was. “Captain! Please-!” he choked out.

 

“It’s okay son. Just…hold still and don’t do anything rash,” the captain consoled. His fist on the other hand began to heat up, heralding a blast of flame. Azula paled. He couldn’t risk a strike without harming his subordinate. Granted she understood that sometimes sacrifices needed to be made, but for the love of- THE SHIP WAS UNDER ATTACK! Was capturing her their biggest priority at the moment?

 

Didn’t help that her hostage was getting more panicked, begging the captain to not do anything stupid. The regretful look on the older man’s face though was enough for Azula to realize that duty was more important to him than common sense.

 

Behind the captain, the catapult’s crew launched their bombardment into the night. And she decided she wasn’t going to wait for somebody else to screw up. She kicked the teen to the ground and dove out of the way of a fireball. Rolling up on the rain battered onto her feet, she brought her fist up to launch another blast of fire in retaliation.

 

She didn’t need to though. A set of massive claws smashed into the catapult, crushing both it and the crew and almost causing everyone to lose their balance. Another set of claws emerged from the stormy darkness, gripping the bridge of the ship.

 

Azula stopped, seeing the great powerful arms clad in gray scales that the claws belonged…and looked up. She couldn’t see much in the tempest, but she could just make out a powerful chest with tons of seawater pouring down the reptilian-looking hide.

 

She heard its breathing and a contemptuous snarl.

 

She saw a blue glow faintly come to life from behind the…the thing…

 

And fear took over.

 

Without thinking, she sprinted to the side of the ship. Nobody tried to stop her. They were focused on throwing pitiful-looking blasts of fire against the rocky skin. She didn’t look back, not when the glow kept getting brighter. And certainly not when she leaped over the side.

 

Azula quickly straightened herself as she plummeted, feet held directly to the surface of the water. She pierced the surface like a missile, her body coming under assault by the sheer cold of the seawater. As bad as it was, at least she could move her arms and legs around rather than being encased in ice.

 

The cold suddenly didn’t become a problem when a muffled explosion along with a burst of blue light behind her heated her back. Looking around, she saw the huge ship, clad in hardened Fire Nation steel sink into the depths in flames.

 

So spellbound was she that she almost didn’t notice her body beginning to be sucked down along with what was once her prison. Panic gave way to control, an inner determination to not die here. A Princess of the Fire Nation would not drown at sea. Azula brought forth every last ounce of strength to her fists and feet, channeling a furious amount of blue flame to propel her through the water. It took everything to escape the ship’s pull.

 

The effort needed for such a maneuver though was taxing. Along with everything else that had transpired, Azula could feel her consciousness fade, her vision blurred just as she was about to reach the surface.

 

No…she…she couldn’t…

 

Father…Mother…somebody…please…

 

Just as her strength failed her, she saw the ghostly image of her mother hovering above the water, looking at her with sadness in her eyes.

 

…no…no! She wouldn’t die here!

 

Calling upon the last of her reserves, Azula burst herself through the surface of the water, coughing and gasping for air. Her arms and legs worked overtime to keep her afloat, while her head swiveled in all directions to find something, anything to grab onto.

 

All she found was a torn sheet of metal. Wasn’t much, but it would have to do.

 

Weakly, Azula swam herself over to the piece of debris and latched onto it as if it were the only thing between life and death. She breathed a sigh of life as it remained buoyant. Exhausted, she coughed up sea water as she clung to the metal in the stormy sea. Thankfully it seemed to be calming down, but it felt like the whole world was spinning.

 

It didn’t matter though. Azula was alive. Every breath she took was a testament to that.

 

And more importantly, she was free.

 

A fact that calmed her strained mind as her eyes drooped, fatigue beginning to set in.

 

The great tail rising from the water and slamming down opened them back up.

 

Azula’s attention was drawn to the carnage surrounding her, and reality began to set in. Burning wreckages of what were once Fire Nation ships dotted the sea. Charred corpses coughing out the last bits of blackened air before being claimed by the dark water, their fires being smothered by the rain.

 

Not too far away from her was where the massive prison ship was. All that was left was the ruined hulk of the wreckage.

 

As well as the mountain rising from the sea.

 

One of the things Father had taught her was that she was a monster. It surprised her at first, but in some way it gave her…she wouldn’t say comfort, but stability. She’d describe it as one of the great truths of her life. A fact as cold and hard as her lightning. That there were people out there who naturally brought fear. The only three she knew of to be truly monstrous were herself, Father, and the Avatar.

 

This…this thing on the other hand…its titanic body soared high up into the angry heavens above, with charcoal scales covering a powerful torso and covering powerful arms. A row of great dorsal spines ran down its back, each one resembled a raging inferno captured in a sheath of bone. And at the top rested a saurian face, growling at the devastation it had wrought.

 

Those eyes though…they almost seemed to be reflecting the fires the beast had caused.

 

Reflecting nothing but rage.

 

Azula thought she knew monsters. For she was one herself. But the great reptile standing amidst the dying storm had just rewritten the definition.

 

A fact made clear to her as lightning struck and danced along its dorsal spines while the monster reared back and let out the same sound she had heard in her cell. Now erupting into the violent air as if announcing its arrival to the surface. What was once a moan had now become a roar. A promise that this was only the beginning.

 

SKEEEEEEEROOOOOOOOONK!!!!!!!!!!!

Chapter 2: Relics from a Lost World

Summary:

Having survived her harrowing encounter amongst the waves, Azula finds herself amongst strangers on a small island. Lost and with no allies, the Princess is forced to rely on a curious teenage girl is she wants any answers. Meanwhile, Team Avatar is on the hunt, searching for the lost Princess amongst the wreckages of the ships. A harrowing encounter though completely turns the search on its heads, as things become more complicated and a lot more dangerous than they seem.

Notes:

Avatar: The Last Airbender and all associated characters are owned by Paramount Global. Godzilla and all associated characters are owned by Toho Studios. Please support the official release.

???

 

…

 

“…she’s breathing. She’s still…”

 

…

 

“...what are we gonna do? If we try to…”

 

…

 

“Shut up! I think she’s coming!”

 

The sudden steadiness of the sea and the voice of a stranger was what fished Azula up from the realm of unconsciousness. She blinked her eyes from the harsh sun, smelling the stench of seawater upon her skin. A groan left her lips, feeling the ache of her body. How…how long was she out for? Didn’t feel like a long time.

 

The first thing her eyes saw once they’d adjusted themselves to the sun was the girl looming over her.

 

Panic shot through her veins, but there wasn’t a whole lot her exhausted body could do about it. All she was able to manage was to quicken her breath and at least try to move her limbs in some pitiful attempt to escape. Clearly, she was making her distress known though, for the girl gently placed her arms on the Princess’s shoulders. “Hey! Relax! You’re not in any danger. You’re safe.”

 

Azula sized up the girl trying to console her. She didn’t seem much older than the dazed Princess. Short black hair made her think of Mai, but it was a bit frazzled and unkempt. Only a single small braid on the left side of her face was the only evidence it was cared for. The pale skin and soft amber eyes made Azula realize she was Fire Nation in descent. At least she hadn’t been picked up by any Water Tribe savages or those snakes from the Earth Kingdom.

 

Everything else though was less reassuring. Her rather loose simple garments of red and gold didn’t exactly seem to resemble anything near the home islands. Given how her shoulders and arms were bare, she’d almost wager the girl was a native of one of the outlying islands dotting the farthest edges of the Fire Nation. The tattoos under her eyes were especially odd. Three under each eye in the shape of lightning bolts; each one colored either red, black, or gold.

 

Then there was that medallion around her neck. It was simple, looking like a bit of stone. Yet the symbol…a cross with what looked like rays emanating from it…she wasn’t sure why, but it seemed to stand out more than it should.

 

“I…where am I?! Who are you?!”

 

“Relax. My name’s Maina and we’re nearing Odo Island,” the girl reassured, though how that was supposed to calm Azula’s fears was anyone’s guess. Maina? What kind of name was that?! It certainly didn’t sound like anything from the Capital or the surrounding islands! And where was Odo Island?!

 

Hang on. Odo Island…why did that name sound familiar?

 

“Speaking of which, we need to figure out what we’re gonna do with her,” another voice said. Looking over across the small boat, she saw two young men rowing the boat. “She’s the Princess, and the soldiers aren’t just gonna let us take her into the village.”

 

Azula felt her skin go cold at the peasant’s assessment. They knew who she was. Who wouldn’t know the Mad Princess by this point? Of course, they were going to turn her in. Surely, the news of the prison ship sinking would’ve reached her brother by now, and he would’ve put out a nice fat bounty for whoever captured the mad princess. If she knew lowlives like him, they’d be frothing for the chance for some easy riches.

 

“We can’t just hand her over to the guards either! She’s not much older than I am!” Maina spoke out.

 

…Azula blinked, her anxiety about the whole thing not going away. Why would somebody stick up for her?

 

“Not like we have much of a choice!” the second peasant said, a bit shorter and scrawnier than the other. They began to argue with one another, Azula just sitting there trying to figure it out. The two men obviously wanted her gone to be praised by the Fire Lord himself or something. This Maina on the other hand. What did the girl gain by having somebody like her around? It couldn’t be a status thing since nobody would want anything to do with a disgraced failure like her. Could it be that she wanted the glory to bring the monster in chains herself? Why?!

 

She could hear her father laughing right next to her. Oh, this is rich! I entrusted the throne to you, and now you’re letting these vultures fight over you! As if you couldn’t sink even further…

 

Her mother on the other hand had other words. Don’t listen to him, Azula. You don’t even know who this girl is! She could be trying to help!

 

“Shut…shut up!” she snarled, covering her ears to try and block out the voices in her head. Azula couldn’t take it. It was too loud. Too many voices between all the shouting and the yelling and the screaming…

 

The screaming…

 

Maina looked over and saw the haunted look on her face. Great. Now she was exposing her broken self to strangers. Felt like all she could do was screw up these days.

 

“Princess…could I ask you a question?”

 

Azula looked up, surprised at hearing her title for the first time since…she couldn’t recall. Numbly, she nodded her head.

 

The strange girl took a deep breath. “Did you see what sank those ships?”

 

What sank those ships. Flashes of lightning and an earth-shattering roar flashed through Azula’s mind.

 

“...yes. I couldn’t forget it.”

 

Silence descended upon the boat. Maina and the two other peasants exchanged looks, no one daring to say a word. It was an aura that Azula was all too familiar with. Dread. Dread of something they knew all too well.

 

They knew what was out there.

 

“We need to get her to Elder Yamane in the Dragon’s Cave. He needs to know what’s going on out here.”

 

“Wouldn’t that just bring attention to ourselves? I mean, we already have a sign from the debris she came in on,” the taller man responded to Maina, pointing to a bucket in the boat. Azula’s mind was brought down to earth and away from the nightmare. Old instincts kicked in as she tried to figure out the situation. What was the “Dragon’s Cave”? It didn’t sound like something they wanted to draw attention to. Smugglers maybe?

 

Maina held her ground though. “Look, she’s the only survivor that’s been brought in who’s seen what’s caused this that isn’t delirious or scorched half to death. If what we think is true, she’s our best shot of confirming it!” So this was a rescue boat. And apparently, other survivors had been rescued. That didn’t ease Azula’s mind at all. Were they holding any prisoners captive so they could get paid in royal gold? Surely whoever secured the sacrifices to the Earth Kingdom would be paid handsomely.

 

“Besides, do either of you really want to ship off a teenager like me to be tried for war crimes?” the strange girl finished, giving both of the men a glare as if daring them to respond.

 

Both of the other peasants paused and looked at each other. “...no. No, we don’t,” the shorter one said. The taller one sighed and punched his partner in the arm, muttering something about “Don’t come crying to me when the Fire Lord comes knocking”.

 

Maina smirked with satisfaction before returning to the stunned Azula. “You’re gonna be okay. Yamane and I aren’t gonna let you fall into custody again.”

 

“I…” Azula wasn’t sure what to say. She tried listening for the lie, the telltale hint, but she never got it. All she got was the other girl placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. Why? Why was this peasant helping her?

 

Probably wasn’t wise to question it now though. It was either this Maina or the guards, and at least the other teen didn’t seem interested in turning her in just yet. Her best interest would be to play along until she knew what was going on. The smart thing would be to play dumb and wait for an opening to get away if nothing else.

 

With that in mind, Azula turned to the sea, planning how she was going to get out of this one.

 

…the planning didn’t last long before she stared into the dark depths of the ocean, wondering just what it had unleashed last night upon the world.

 

---

 

“Hey, Sokka! How close are we to the site?!”

 

“According to the map that communications officer gave us…we should be coming up on it very shortly!?

 

Aang strained his eyes, trying to find the exact portion of ocean designated out of the…endless ocean Appa was currently flying over. “Uh…any particular landmarks?”

 

“It’s in the middle of the ocean! What kind of ‘landmarks’ would be out in the middle of an ocean?!” the brains of Team Avatar exclaimed exasperatedly. “Just keep an eye out for debris or something. Anything that looks like survivors could be clinging onto.” Sokka proceeded to fish out a telescope and began to scan the waters.

 

“Boomerang, you do know that they probably rescued whoever was down there already, right? I mean you did say it didn’t happen too far off the island.”

 

“Well, better safe than sorry. No harm in doing a quick scan in case anybody’s left out there,” Katara told Toph, a bit annoyed that the blind earthbender wasn’t taking what was essentially a rescue mission all too seriously.

“Okay. I just don’t understand why I have to come along with you guys instead of dropping me off at Odo Island. It’s not like I can be much help if Azula’s out here since…you know, can’t exactly bend a whole lot of earth out here,” the little girl pointed out.

 

“You still got that meteorite fragment?” Sokka asked.

 

“Yeah. Duh!”

 

“Then bend that! Besides, if we do find Azula, we’re gonna need all the help we can get.”

 

Aang’s eyebrows furrowed. When they heard of the transport ship sinking from Zuko, the first thing they thought of was Azula escaping. Quite frankly, none of them wanted to deal with her on the loose. As for why the ships sank in the first place was anybody’s guess. Zuko’s advisors believed it could’ve been one of those renegade military groups that went rogue following his coronation 4 months ago that tried to spring the former Princess out of custody.

 

So far though, nobody’s seen any Fire Nation ships in the area outside of those assigned to Odo Island. Nor had there been any sightings of ships coming in or out during the time following the raid, so chances were Azula was still in the area. Best the team could do for the moment was to confirm whether or not Azula was among the survivors, or sunk down with the rest of the ship.

 

The Avatar wasn’t sure what bothered him more. The possibility of Azula hiding among survivors and escaping, or her drowning in the depths of the sea. He knew what it was like to be forced under the waves, and he couldn’t wish that fate on anyone. Not even somebody who shot lightning through him.

 

“I hope she’s still alive…” Aang muttered.

 

Toph on the other hand had a very different reaction. “Me too! I’ve been wanting to go another round with her ever since the eclipse!”

 

“I just hope we can take her in before anyone gets hurt,” Katara responded with a somewhat distant look, gazing out over the sea. Aang understood. She told him about what happened after she chained Azula up. It…wasn’t pretty.

 

And Aang dreaded what the firebender’s state was following 4 months in an asylum. Zuko told them it was for her own good, but if the Avatar knew a thing or two about Fire Nation captivity, it wasn’t the most pleasant thing in the world. He just hoped her brother made sure she was safe.

 

“Hey! Down there! Survivors!” Sokka shouted looking through his telescope, pointing to a spot down below. Aang followed where Sokka was pointing and nodded, steering Appa down to the blue waters of the sea. The metal hull of the debris stood out, the three sailors hollering, cheering, and letting out flames of fire to mark where they were.

 

Aang let out a sigh of relief, gently lowering the flying bison down to the sailors’ impromptu liferaft. Looked like they stumbled across some survivors after all-

 

-an explosion of water erupted, throwing the metal and survivors into the air. Before anyone could react, a large crocodilian head snapped down on one of the sailors and dragged him screaming back into the sea.

 

Appa bellowed with surprise at the newcomer, getting sprayed as water was sprayed from its retreat back to the depths. Everyone just sat there gobsmacked before one of the sailors hollered, “HELP US OUT OF HERE BEFORE HE COMES BACK!!!”

 

“What’s going on down there?! Is it Azula?!?” Toph yelled, unable to see what was going on, but was able to hear both the screaming and feel Appa rapidly pulling up.

 

Sokka shook his head. “No! Some kind of sea monster! Aang! See if you can lure him away! I’ll take Appa and get them out of the water! Katara! Hold back till we can get them out so they don’t get caught in the crossfire!” Aang and Katara nodded, both prepping themselves as Sokka took command like he usually did.

 

Already the airbender could see a shadow begin to ascend through the depths, aiming right at one of the sailors. Standing up, he got the wings out of the glider Teo had gifted him and lept off Appa. He used the momentum from the leap and aimed his trajectory right at the sailor, hoping to get the timing right.

 

At the last moment, he snapped up his glider and swooshed a gust of air that got the sailor out of harm’s way, before swinging it around and pushing another gust to propel him away from the water.

 

Just in time too as the water exploded and a sleek, reptilian body jumped out with its maw wide open. His first thoughts were an Unagi from the streamlined frame and dark body. But the neck was far too short, and its head looked less like an eel and more like some kind of lizard. It wasn’t nearly as big either, along with having four paddle-like fins against its body.

 

Whatever it was, its eyes were trained on him as it snapped its jaw shut and plummeted back to the water below.

 

Well, the good news was that it had its attention on him. Aang opened his air glider once more and flew off away from Appa and the others, keeping himself low to the surface so the predator wouldn’t lose interest. Sure enough, he heard a burst of water from behind, prompting him to turn his glider in the nick of time to avoid getting devoured by the hungry maw crashing back into the sea. Nobody could say he didn’t know how to get out of the trouble he found himself in.

 

He sped up by bending air behind him, hoping to put at least a little bit of distance between whatever this thing was and himself. Aang looked behind to make sure that he was being followed, only to see the calm waters of the sea surrounding him. Far behind, Sokka was throwing down the ropes off of Appa to haul the sailors out of the water. The thing was, he didn’t see any shadows or disturbances that betrayed the reptile possibly moving in that direction.

 

So on the one hand, the predator wasn’t interested in his friends. On the other, where was it? Didn’t seem too likely for a carnivore of that size to just give up easily.

 

Aang slowed down to get his bearings when he saw the bubbles and foam right in front of him. He snapped his glider shut and pushed some air to cut off his momentum, just as the hunter burst out of the water once more.

 

This time though, the beast’s body was angled in such a way that it was gonna fall right on top of him. Panicking, Aang dove to the side to avoid getting crushed. Yet before he could snap his staff open to save himself, the water was pushed upwards as the beast hit the surface and crashed over his body. On instinct, Aang bent a sphere of air around him as he was forced under the water.

 

The old lessons about controlling one’s breath took over, bringing a sense of calm over Aang to wash over the panic. That and to maintain the bubble of air that separated the waters of the ocean from him.

 

A low growl penetrated the shield and brought his attention to the great monster before him. Getting a better look, Aang saw that its torso was a lot bulkier than he imagined. Its whole body seemed to be powered by rippling muscles just underneath the scaly hide. Despite having him at a temporary disadvantage, the predator held back, carefully circling the boy and eyeing him. It wasn’t used to prey that could bend air around itself underwater.

 

Now, Aang knew animals. He knew sea animals. After all, he did enjoy riding Elephant Koi, managed to handle an Unagi the one time, and even defeated a sea serpent. So he could confidently say that he had no idea just what this particular animal was. All he did know was that it was some kind of reptile, and it was really hungry.

 

Hopefully, his being able to bend air beneath the surface would surprise it enough for it to back off. The rule of thumb was that predators didn’t like to be startled by an unknown factor and might have second thoughts if presented with one.

 

Which seemed to have given this predator some thought as it turned away, probably to head back out to sea. Aang let out a sigh of relief.

 

Before going right back to panicking as it snapped its long paddle-like tail against his air shield. The hunter sprung into action, with its lithe body coiling and rushing right at the surprised airbender with its toothy maw.

 

A good thing then that Aang didn’t just have air at his disposal.

 

Reaching out into the sea surrounding him with his fingers, he froze the immediate water around the air shield to form a thick icy encasing. The monster’s jaws snapped against the ice, but it was thick enough to hold the rather sharp-looking teeth at bay.

 

For the moment anyway with the ice cracking and the teeth beginning to sink in. Not wanting to give the beast a chance, Aang brought his limbs together and prepared to let out a burst of air and got ready to shatter the ice to throw his assailant off of him. That was the plan before the predator suddenly lurched down and threw itself out of the water with the encasing still in its jaw.

 

One did have to admire the reptile in one respect. It certainly was smarter than it looked to recognize it could smash the encasing against the surface of the sea with little effort. Aang probably could appreciate it more if he weren’t currently trapped in its jaws.

 

Not for long though. Aang pushed out, bursting the sphere of ice outward and pushing out with a massive burst of air. The beast grunted in surprise as its jaw was forcibly pried open, allowing Aang to open his glider and fly to safety.

 

Or tried to as the predator tried to snap its jaws shut again. At least it would’ve, if a massive wave from nowhere had swept the reptile aside, forcing it down back into the sea.

 

Luckily for the boy, he had a powerful waterbender for a friend.

 

“Come on Aang! We got the survivors!” Katara shouted from Appa’s back. Aang didn’t need to be told twice, gliding over to safety and landing on the bison’s back. He suddenly found himself being embraced as Katara gave him a massive hug.

 

“Don’t do anything stupid like that again. Okay?” she ordered with a lot of worry.

 

“It’s okay, Katara. Thanks for saving me out there,” Aang said, embracing her back, and giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. He was cutting it close back there. At least he knew he had people to watch his back.

 

Somebody else was considerably less understanding. Momo landed on his shoulder and started chittering angrily like somehow he could put his fury into words. Aang just chuckled nervously, patting his pet lemur on the head reassuredly that he WON’T try to bait a huge sea monster like that again.

 

Speaking of which.

 

Aang looked out to see and saw the retreating form of the predator swimming back to the depths. Guess it didn’t want to try its luck any further. Good. He wouldn’t want to get on Katara’s bad side either.

 

“Hey, lovebirds! Mind telling me just what was out there?!?” Toph snapped out. Both Katara and Aang let go of their embrace, a little embarrassed they got caught in the act.

 

Before either of them could answer, one of the survivors answered. “I’m telling you, it’s a mosasaur! Just like the one I read about from that scroll back home!”

 

“Oh for the love of-we’re just happy you rescued us from that thing Avatar,” the other soldier interrupted, no doubt wanting to stop his comrade from embarrassing himself. Something that didn’t escape Toph’s notice, her brow furrowing in a moment of deep thought. Now Toph and “deep thought” normally went together as well as Aang and meat, so it caught the airbender’s attention almost immediately.

 

“Sorry about your friend back there,” Sokka apologized, not seeing Toph’s change in demeanor due to currently flying Appa. “Are there any other survivors we might need to pick up in case that thing comes back?”

 

“No. We’re the last two. Boats from the nearby island took the rest, and somebody was supposed to come back for us. That… thing and others like it were picking us off all night once the boats sunk.”

 

Katara leaned in and got the duo’s attention. “Listen. Was Azula among the survivors that were taken?”

 

The first sailor rubbed his chin. “I…don’t think we saw her. I mean there were a few of us, but I’d think we’d notice if the Princess was among them.”

 

Aang felt his spirits dim a bit. Don’t get him wrong, he didn’t like the girl who almost killed him and conquered Ba Sing Se. Yet it didn’t seem right to wish for her death either. After all, what separated her from the countless soldiers who’d tried to kill them over the last year? These soldiers sitting across from him. They would’ve been enemies if they had met just a few months sooner.

 

He guessed the only difference was that Azula succeeded where so many failed. Admittedly, that would paint a target on anybody’s back regardless of what else she did.

 

“I wouldn’t count her out yet though,” the second sailor warned. “I once heard she managed to survive being thrown off her own sloop by the Dragon of the West. If anybody could survive whatever attacked us, she could.”

 

Everyone remained silent, letting the implications sink in. Azula could still be alive. There were…a lot of conflicted feelings floating about. Aang and Katara shared a look. Neither of them wanted somebody about as old as them to die, but they didn’t exactly want the Princess of the Fire Nation running around loose either. Toph didn’t say a word, probably still mulling over what the first sailor said about the monster. Sokka…everyone knew his thoughts on the matter. He went with whatever Aang and Katara thought but also made it clear he didn’t think the main attack dog of the old Fire Lord should be given too much leniency.

 

Things were complicated these days. Sure Aang was happy that not everyone in the Fire Nation was actively trying to kill them anymore. Now it was a matter of who was going to be punished. Sure there were a lot of higher-ups and warmongers that needed to be dealt with at the summit. Yet the other nations were practically begging the entire Fire Nation army to be disbanded and put behind bars.

 

Aang understood that part. But looking at the men before him, it made him wonder who was truly heinous amongst them, and who were just caught up in the war machine…

 

“Look, could you tell us what happened last night?”

 

Both sailors looked at each other a bit nervously at Aang’s question. “Well…we didn’t exactly see who we were fighting. It was too stormy and the ship sunk before we could even get up to the deck.”

 

“Just tell me what you remember then,” the Avatar reassured, leaning forward and hoping to catch as much detail as possible. It was gonna take them a while to get to Odo Island and speak to the rest of the survivors, so he figured they’d make do with what they had.

 

Sokka probably would say they hit a reef or something and the prisoners made a break for it, causing the ships to sink in the confusion due to misfire under the mistaken belief they were under attack. Aang and Katara reserved judgment as they heard the sailor’s story. Chances were, the worst they’d have to deal with was Azula again. And they dealt with her in the past.

 

In short, nothing they hadn’t handled before.

 

---

 

Odo Island

 

They pulled into a small harbor hidden by huge, jagged shards of stone jutting out from the water. The cave itself was nestled beneath a rocky outcropping, with the harbor and wooden docks connected to a small landing. Further back, Azula could see tunnels reaching back into the walls, lit by torches.

 

The smell was the first thing that hit her when she took her first uneasy steps onto dry land. Air-drying fish had that unmistakable stench. She had to cover her nose to not take the foul aroma in.

 

Maina and the two other peasants didn’t seem too affected by it. Figures. You grow up in filth, you get used to filth. The two men stayed behind to check their boat while Maina picked up the bucket and a wooden staff to lead Azula into the so-called “Dragon’s Cave”. What exactly made this poor establishment worthy of the name was a mystery. All around her, she saw smelly-looking fishermen unloading their catches, peasants cleaning and hanging up their catches to fill the whole space with their stench…

 

Ugh, it almost made her want to hurl. So much so that she stumbled a bit on the steady earth.

 

The bruises and injection points she saw on her arms though told her the real reason. Her once milky white skin was riddled where they drugged her up and where the restraints for the damned straitjacket were fastened. It made her sick to her stomach. The one good thing about the ship was that the drugs and jacket were gone. Probably because her dear brother probably didn’t want anyone asking questions about why she looked this way and thus tarnish his new squeaky clean image.

 

Even still, she could feel the remnants of her drugs and the straitjacket gnaw at her legs, causing her to wobble around. The adrenaline from her escape was gone, now replaced by the sadly familiar sense of vertigo. Gravity did the rest, bringing her to her knees on the cold hard ground.

 

“Woah! You okay?” Maina asked, leaning down to help, but Azula brushed her away.

 

“I don’t need your help, peasant. I can get up just fine.” She did it before, after all. Yet when she tried to muster the strength to pick herself up…

 

Maina knelt to her level. “Look. I can find you a doctor if you-”

 

“No doctors,” she growled. The last thing she needed was for more so-called care workers to say how they were here to help before lashing her restraints on.

 

The other girl gave a frustrated sigh. “Listen. I don’t know what they taught you in the Capital, but I’m not gonna chop you to pieces and serve you for dinner.”

 

“That’s oddly specific.”

 

“A lot of people think that of us. But that’s not the point! Like it or not, I’m your best shot right now. And trust me, I’d rather not have to deal with somebody like you any longer than I should.”

 

“Then why not turn me in then?” Azula snapped back. Here it was. The same speech she’d heard for the last few months. She was a horrible person. A monster. Basically, everything she knew to be true was thrown back in her face. What did this girl have that she hadn’t heard before?

 

“Because I DO care about whether or not a girl like me is gonna be okay and not get herself sick from just walking.”

 

Maina sighed, collecting herself. “I know you don’t trust me. I get it. But you have to trust me when I say I want to help. Where I’m from, we’ve never been known to turn a cold shoulder to somebody in need.”

 

Azula’s eyes met hers, looking for the lie. All she saw was honesty. Nothing about the girl screamed a warning sign. And deep down, Azula wanted to believe her. When everyone seemed to have a fist full of fire to your face, she needed any sort of ally the world would throw at her.

 

…yet the memories of daggers and paralysis also told her that she didn’t know people as well as she wanted to believe. 

 

“...alright. Just…give me a minute though.” Maina stood back, allowing Azula to slowly get back on her shaky legs. It pained her to show even a single moment of weakness to who was effectively a stranger, but she couldn’t rely entirely on trust alone right now. It’s like Father said: sometimes the only person you can rely on is yourself.

 

She took one uneasy step. Another step. She felt her feet steady themselves, keeping her legs stable. Satisfied that she was back in control, she nodded to Maina, allowing the girl to lead her further into the cave. Taking a moment to look around her, she noticed that it didn’t seem entirely like a natural carving. It kind of reminded her of the emergency tunnels beneath the Royal Palace, only a lot smoother.

 

It made her wonder what they were built for. Smuggling perhaps. They seemed to be hoarding a lot of supplies down here. Fish in particular, though how exactly that qualified as something valuable to be sold off was anyone’s guess.

 

Eventually, they came across an old man in rather drab-looking clothes giving out orders to a group of peasants carrying crates of supplies. Despite his age and his rather earthly looks, he carried out an aura of authority that practically announced himself as the elder they were looking for. Didn’t compare to anyone from the military or even Fire Nation leadership, but it was respectable enough as far as Azula was concerned.

 

“Elder Yamane,” Maina greeted while giving a polite bow, elbowing the Princess to do the same. Naturally, bowing down before a peasant of all people almost made her throw up (or was it the lingering drugs?), but quite frankly her pride has been smashed to pieces as of late. Besides, she hadn’t been drilled to be impolite.

 

The old man turned and gave a bow in return with a smile. “Maina! It’s so good to see you! I’ve heard that the Hōnengyo have been prowling the waters, and I was afraid-”

 

“Don’t worry. We didn’t run into any on the way back. Though, I did find a bit more than what we bargained for out there.” She stepped aside, showing Azula to the village elder.

 

“The…the Princess Azula!” Elder Yamane gasped, before looking rather surprised at Maina. “Why did you bring her here? She could put us all-”

 

“She was barely awake when we found her and she’s in no condition to go to the guards,” the native girl clarified. “Besides…we’re already in enough danger as it is.”

 

With that, she passed the bucket she was holding to the elder, inviting him to look inside. Yamane obliged, and his face almost whitened to ash. Curious, Azula peeked inside to see what there was so much fuss about.

 

It was…an odd-looking crustacean. The first thing Azula thought of was a horseshoe crab, an ancient sort of sea creature she read about in a scroll once. This thing on the other hand was something else. For one, the thorax was a bit longer and segmented. And the head seemed oddly shaped as well. More like the crescent of the moon than a helmet.

 

“A…trilobite…a Herald from the Deep,” Yamane whispered, looking Maina dead in the eye. “Where did you find it?”

 

“I found it clinging to the piece of metal Princess Azula was floating on.”

 

“...wait, that thing was with me the whole time?”

 

“With all due respect, trilobites are one of the most harmless things in the world. You’ve got better chances of getting pecked to death by a messenger hawk,” Maina snarked to the now freaked-out Princess. Indeed, looking inside the bucket, Azula saw that the “trilobite” was just placidly milling about.

 

Feeling that she had gotten freaked out over what effectively was a harmless animal, her mind caught up to her. She remembered that in a visit to a General’s estate, he showed off his collection of trophies he had won from his campaign in the Earth Kingdom. Among them were fossils, the remains of ancient creatures that had long died out which were studied abroad. One thing stuck out to her though…

 

“Aren’t these things supposed to be extinct?” she asked. The more she looked at it, this felt like the equivalent of finding a living dragon.

 

The elder’s gaze seemed to go distant, his words coming to life as if dragged out of a daze. “Well…yes. But there are places in the world where ancient species like these survive. The shores off of Odo are one of them. Yet trilobites are different. They only live in the deepest recesses of the ocean, where the sun cannot reach. There’s no way this one could’ve crawled from the depths. It had to have hitched a ride on…something…”

 

Yamane looked Azula in the eye, with an intensity that seemed unreal for one of his background. “Princess. What did you see out there?”

 

…

 

She sighed and told her story. Of her imprisonment, about her escape.

 

And the…monster she had seen. Looking back, she thought the beast was another hallucination. One more sign of her fracturing mind brought upon by adrenaline and stress. There was no way a creature like that could possibly exist after all.

 

When she finished her story, she expected them to look at her and think her mad. They all did.

 

What she saw were faces of horror. All around them, the bustle of work seemed to stop, the peasants slowing to hear her account. Dread descended upon the cave, her words echoing in the space.

 

Her skin chilled with understanding.

 

They believed her.

 

Shaking out of his stupor, Yamane grabbed one of the peasants and started giving orders, and all at once, the work began again with renewed vigor. He talked to a few more workers before turning to them both. “Princess, Maina. Come with me. I need to show you something.”

 

“Wait…you believe me?” Azula managed to choke out.

 

“Let’s just say there’s a reason these tunnels were dug out in the first place,” Yamane said, beginning to lead them out of the caves.

 

Surprised at the revelation, Azula followed both him and the girl beside her. She threw caution into the wind as something else urged her on. That thing, that monster…it was no hallucination. It was real. And now she wanted answers.

 

Even still, deep down…a part of her was nervous about what she was going to find.

 

---

 

“Hang on…you’re telling me those things are supposed to be extinct ?!?”

 

Toph shrugged. “Hey. I’m just telling you what I heard from my parents, Twinkletoes.” They were standing outside of the common building that was being repurposed as a temporary field hospital on the island they had just arrived on. Practically all of the survivors weren’t in any condition to talk, either being in too much pain or just too out of it to tell them what had happened. The blind girl took the opportunity to tell Aang what was on her mind.

 

According to her, she heard the name “mosasaur” from a visit her family had made to a friend of theirs. A scholar to be precise. And he had a collection of fossils that he had a habit of showing off to visitors. Among them were the bones of a great marine lizard that was called a mosasaur by the circles of scientific minds who studied such remains. He described it as the apex predator of a long-lost ecosystem.

 

Not long-lost though considering they just ran into one offshore. “Well, maybe some of them managed to survive being hunted by the Fire Nation,” Aang reasoned. It wasn’t like extinct species didn’t have a habit of not being extinct after all. Appa and Momo were examples of that. Ran and Shaw were examples of that. Technically, Aang himself was an example of that.

 

The earthbender just shook her head. “We’re not talking about being hunted into extinction. The rock layers some of these fossils were found were millions of years old! Probably even far older than we’ve been around! How could something manage to survive for that long?”

 

“Well, if they’re sea creatures, maybe they just adapted to live in the deep sea,” Sokka reasoned. Aang and Toph looked at him a little funny, causing the warrior to shrug. “Hey, Suki knows a little about sea monsters.

 

“If that’s the case, what I want to know is what exactly forced them up to the surface? Animals don’t just leave their habitat unless they’ve got a really good reason,” Aang wondered aloud, his mind already trying to put the clues together. They figured pretty early on that the mosasaurs couldn’t have been responsible for the sinkings. Vicious as they were, they didn’t seem big enough like a sea serpent to destroy Fire Nation ships. At best, they were following in the wake of something to pick off whatever scraps it left behind.

 

The question now is what exactly were they following?

 

“You think it might be an angry spirit, Aang?” Sokka asked, noticing the airbender’s concentrating face.

 

“Could be. Wouldn’t be the first time a spirit got angry and attacked the Fire Nation.” He shuddered, knowing the full extent of how wrathful an enraged being could be when pushed too far. The question is, what exactly is making it upset? Usually environmental damage was enough to set a spirit off, but the area of Odo Island looked pretty serene. Sure there was a naval base on the island, but it wasn’t polluting the waters like the factory at the Jang Hui River.

 

They’d have to do some more digging. And that meant asking questions. The best way to do that was by asking those who saw it firsthand.

 

Speaking of, Katara stuck her head out of the hospital door. “Hey. Someone’s coming but…they’re not gonna last much longer.”

 

Everyone looked at each other, with grave expressions painted on all. They knew this was a possibility. Some of the state the sailors were in was…well, it wasn’t good. A fact clear as day when they followed Katara into the field hospital.

 

All around them were wounded men and women. Nurses did what they could to replace bandages, apply medicines, and make them as comfortable as possible. The burns though…they weren't pretty severe. They made Zuko’s scar look pleasant by comparison.

 

Luckily the worst of them were covered up by bandages, but from what little they could see…it would be a miracle if the most hurt could pull through.

 

“I know Azula’s messed up…but this is insane,” Sokka murmured. Aang had to agree. Being one of the most powerful firebenders alive, they all figured only she would be capable of something like this.

 

The only one who didn’t seem so sure was Katara, but even she couldn’t deny the evidence around them. There weren’t just injuries from a shipwreck. Somebody had burned them badly. And there was a single name that floated in everyone’s minds.

 

They came to the man that Katara had mentioned. Heavily bandaged, but alive. For now at least. The waterbender unhooked her sealskin container and began applying the healing waters to the covered areas, letting them seep beneath the fabrics and to the flesh beneath. The sailor sighed, content for now at least. “I’m doing my best to keep him comfortable. I’ve been trying to get him to talk, but he seems out of it.”

 

Aang sighed. This man’s last moments on earth would’ve been an interrogation. At least they were trying their best to make him relaxed. Besides, they just needed to ask the one. Looking at him though was discouraging. His eyes were unfocused, his mouth repeating the same phrase over and over again.

 

“...fire…blue…blue fire…it…it got us…monster…”

 

Monster. Blue fire. To the team, that meant only one thing.

 

Azula.

 

Still, they needed confirmation, but Aang wasn’t sure how to reach him. It was then that Sokka elbowed him. “Hey. Try to see if you can do something to help him focus,” he whispered.

 

His words sparked something in Aang’s mind. This sailor was from the Fire Nation. Fire was their element.

 

Gently reaching out his hand, he conjured to life a small flicker of flame, not unlike something you’d find on a candle. At once, the sailor’s eyes focused, drawn to both it and the boy behind it. “The…the Avatar…” he whispered in awe.

 

It felt odd that the element Aang most feared now brought him the reverence of one. Gently, he knelt by the man’s side, making sure the flame was visible.

 

“Who did this to you?” he asked. And mentally he knew the answer.

 

The answer that was visible on the man’s face, stricken by an all too familiar fear. His lips parted, and everyone waited to hear that all-too-familiar name.

 

“...Gojira…”

 

…Team Avatar looked at themselves, not sure what to make of what they just heard. He spoke clearly, but the name was foreign to their ears.

 

At least…most of them…

 

A feeling of dread washed over Aang. As if somehow, he heard the name before.

 

And it brought something resembling as sheer a terror in his heart as it was in the man’s last words.

 

“Gojira…he’s coming…he won’t forgive us…Gojira…won’t forgive…”

 

---

 

Gojira.

 

That was the name that was given to Azula. The name they gave to the one lurking offshore. A beast the natives were familiar with ever since they were children. Something straight from their nightmares, a being they used to tell kids to fear if they misbehaved but never imagined would exist.

 

Until now.

 

It had come all so fast, that she was still processing what she was hearing. She asked so many questions as she followed Elder Yamane and Maina through the jungle to the beast’s shrine. Though the way they referred to it, it seemed more like some mere beast.

 

“Is it a spirit or-?”

 

“He’s no spirit, Princess. No spirit has dared to infringe on his territory for more than an age. Gojira hunts trespassing spirits.”

 

“Well, what is he then? You make it sound like he’s a god or something.”

 

“Gojira practically is a god,” Maina elaborated, picking up for the elder. “He’s a God of Chaos, Destruction, and War. Guardian and destroyer. King of the Monsters. He’s a lot of things, but above all, he’s not someone you should cross.”

 

King of the Monsters . There was that familiarity again, just like Odo Island. She was remembering something, the pieces beginning to fall into place. Somehow, she’d heard of this before.

 

Perhaps the answers were just ahead at the end of the path. Stepping out into a clearing, Azula could see a rather small and conservative-looking building. The age was evident, the paint of the wood having long been faded. Honestly, she had to blink twice to think it was some kind of shrine. It looked nothing at all like the elaborate shrines to Agni back in the Capital.

 

She did notice the dragons though. Two ran down the railings of the stairway to the shrine’s entrance, and small carvings appeared everywhere along the fringes of the temple. Whether they be along the rooftops or engraved on the wall, dragon imagery was everywhere.

 

Azula couldn’t help but be drawn to one of the dragon statues on the railing. Ever since her traitorous Uncle slaughtered the last one, this was the closest she could ever get to seeing a real one. A fact she still bitterly held whenever she thought of his smiling face. Oh, what she would’ve given to be born in another time when the original firebenders were still alive and thriving. Filling the earth with their vitality. The knowledge she could’ve learned…

 

Course she would’ve had to trade her father and the march of progress in exchange for such a chance. And that was something she couldn’t fathom. Sacrifices had to be made in all things after all.

 

Looking at the dragon before her though, she…couldn’t help but sense a feeling of familiarity. It lacked wings, and the scales were charcoal in color. And the spikes were elongated, with the blue paint on them faded.

 

“It’s him,” she muttered. “But…he’s not-”

 

“Actually according to legend, dragons belong to the same family as Gojira. Not closely related, but certainly enough for him to consider them kindred,” a strange feminine voice said.

 

Azula was a bit startled to see a young woman with long black hair in rather elaborate red and white clothes standing before her. Chuckling, the stranger gave a respectful bow. “Forgive me, Princess. I am Nami, the priestess of this shrine.”

 

…wait. Priestess? Her mind was screaming that Fire Lord Sozin outlawed any religious practices that weren’t overseen by the Fire Sages. Looking around, she realized she was standing in what was effectively a spit in the face of the Fire Lord’s authority. And why wouldn’t it be here? They were on the fringes of Fire Nation society as a whole. Who knew what kind of fringe religions were still practiced undetected?

 

Thankfully, she managed to keep her shock down. She’d be willing to overlook this affront if it meant she got answers.

 

Not noticing her forced attempt at being calm, Nami turned to Yamane. “Do you want me to begin the preparations for the exorcism ceremony tonight?”

 

And there came the vertigo again. An exorcism ceremony ? How long has this been going on?

 

“Relax Princess. It’s not like we’re gonna be sacrificing a virgin or anything,” Maina playfully said.

 

Her words managed to get something through to Azula, who nodded to herself. Great. She was overreacting to some backwater ritual. Didn’t realize how paranoid her mind had become these past few months.

 

Shaking her head, Azula listened attentively as Nami and Yamene approached them both. “I already have the altar prepared if you wish to see it, Princess Azula,” the priestess informed her.

 

Taking a deep breath to collect herself, the firebender gave a nod, following the priestess as she led them inside the shrine. Stepping out from the sunlight into the warm interior, Azula took a moment to look around her. Candles were lit all around the interior, illuminating the walls around them.

 

And the creatures upon them.

 

Some of them looked familiar. Fishermen going about their day’s work. Huge fish that Azula knew to be Elephant Koi. Undoubtedly this was a depiction of the seas around Odo Island.

 

Then there were others. Huge animals she couldn’t identify. Most of them were reptilian in appearance. Some of them had long necks with small heads filled with teeth with the bodies of seals. Others seemed like a cross between a crocodile and a serpent, slithering through the water. Fishermen seemed to fear these monsters the most, evident as some of them were depicted devouring men and smashing boats.

 

“What…are they?”

 

“These are the Hōnengyo. Ancient species that have dwelled in these waters far longer than man has lived on the earth,” Nami informed her. “They come from the same world Gojira had come from, one that’s been preserved in only a few places on our world.”

 

“I actually come from one of them myself,” Maina added. “Creatures like the Hōnengyo are connected with Gojira. They’re a sign of his presence. Like the trilobite I found with you.”

 

“Thing is, we’ve been seeing a lot of Hōnengyo lately. Particularly ever since those Fire Nation ships were sunk this year.”

 

Azula’s ears perked as the final pieces of the puzzle were given to her by the Elder. She looked with understanding.

 

“Admiral Koga…they were sent to investigate patrol boats disappearing. None of his group returned. Was…was-”

 

“Godzilla responsible? Yes.”

 

“...Godzilla?”

 

“That’s another name for Gojira. I hear those near the mainland call him by that name,” Nami clarified as she began to open a pair of doors near the back of the room. 

 

This must’ve been the altar she was talking about , Azula realized. She watched as the priestess opened the doors with reverence.

 

“If…he’s been around for so long, why’s he only now appearing?”

 

“I cannot say,” Nami admitted. “But if I were to guess…I suspect the Avatar’s return had something to do with it.”

 

“...the Avatar?”

 

“Yes. You see, Gojira is the guardian of these waters, but he brings great destruction and death wherever he goes. It’s why he only rises from the depths when he is needed most. Ever since the Avatar took the duties of the world on their shoulders, he had only risen a few times since then.”

 

Azula watched the doors open as the priestess spoke, seeing the candle flames flicker on the images behind.

 

“He must’ve waited a long time for the Avatar to return the balance. But with all the violence in the world having accumulated over a century, and with the return of Sozin’s Comet…I fear his patience has been pushed to its limit.”

 

The Princess felt her skin chill at the mention of that day. It was supposed to be the day the Earth Kingdom fell. Her finest hour when she ascended the throne. Where…everything had gone wrong.

 

Nami stepped back, allowing Azula a full view of the painting. “I fear that if his rage is not quelled, more destruction than what we have seen will engulf us all.”

 

Maina and Yamane stepped back, allowing Azula to approach the painting in full. Her eyes took in every detail. Things were different. The style of the Earth Kingdom ships seemed to fit more with the time of Fire Lord Zoryu than the war.

 

But the great tail causing ships to splinter and waves to drown men. The charcoal mountain rising from the depths with water spilling all over its thick hide. Dorsal fins like fire framing the destruction of all around it. The reptilian face snarling and roaring to the heavens.

 

It was him.

 

Gojira. Godzilla. It didn’t matter the name. It was him again in all his terrible glory.

 

What leapt from his maw was what caught Azula’s attention the most.

 

She brought up her hand, allowing a small flame to appear in her palm. Looking back and forth from her hand to the maw, her eyes took it all in.

 

Fire spewed from Godzilla’s maw, incinerating all in his path.

 

…and it was blue. Just like hers.

Notes:

A/N: …in my defense for the delay, life happened.

Anyways, Happy Early Halloween everyone! To celebrate, here’s our first “proper” chapter.

Maina is…well, I wouldn’t say she’s entirely an OC since the name and some of her attire are based off a character from the Godzilla franchise. I won’t say anymore here (cause she’s kind of a big hint for what’s to come) other than she’s gonna be a big character for Azula’s arc.

Similar to how in the series there were parallel arcs between Team Avatar and Zuko’s plotlines, there’s going to be a similar setup here with Azula and Team Avatar. Mainly being opposed but having similar experiences which causes the two “sides” to cross and interact with one another. In this case, the ship sinking and the Gaang hunting Azula (think of it as a bit of a role reversal where she and/or Zuko hunted after them). Course things are going to get more complicated with a kaiju in the mix.

As for Godzilla, he and many staples of the kaiju genre originated from works like The Lost World or King Kong, being prehistoric animals that survived extinction and survived into the present day. I wanted to harken back to those roots by having some surviving species associated with them. The mosasaur was something I came up with since it was a real-life marine apex predator, but the trilobite harkens back to the very first Godzilla film where Professor Yamane discovers one in Goji’s footprint (yes, his name was the basis for the character of Elder Yamane).

Speaking of references, I will admit that Aang getting the sailor to focus and tell him what attacked them was a shout-out from the 1998 Godzilla remake. Say what you will about the film, but that was a legitimately good scene, and thought it would be a nice way of introducing Godzilla’s name to the characters.

And as some may have guessed, yes, Godzilla’s blue fire is going to play a big role for Azula.

Anyways, thank you all for reading and I hoped you enjoyed. Make sure to leave a review with your thoughts and follow and favorite if you want to see more and show your support. Thank you all again, and have a great day!

Chapter 3: More Than Just a Legend

Summary:

Storm clouds gather on Odo Island. Azula discovers the conflict the islanders face while Team Avatar begins their hunt for her in earnest. All are unaware of the oncoming chaos that is fast approaching.

Notes:

Avatar: The Last Airbender and all associated characters are owned by Paramount Global. Godzilla and all associated characters are owned by Toho Studios. Please support the official release.

Odo Island

"So…Azula and Godzilla."

Team Avatar convened outside of the shrine they were directed towards after the wounded sailor died. The island Elder told them everything about the name "Gojira". It turned out it was the name of a sea monster that called the waters around the island home, with the title "Godzilla" being a more commonly used version that was used to describe the same creature.

Whatever its name was, now they knew the identity of the shipwrecker. The problem was that now they had two problems running around.

"How do we know Azula is even on the island?" Katara threw out, furrowing her brow to try and put the pieces together. "You'd figure somebody would've told us about a member of the Royal Family hiding amongst villagers."

"Technically, the Elder already did."

Aang, Sokka, and Katara quizzically looked towards Toph. "Remember when we asked the Elder if he saw Azula? He was lying when he said he didn't see her."

"Wait a minute, how can-ooooooh…right." Sokka resisted the urge to slap his senses back. Sometimes he forgot they had a living lie detector on the team.

"I don't get it. Why would he lie to us though?" Aang wondered. It didn't seem right. Azula was one of Ozai's most loyal supporters. They'd all seen how the Fire Nation treated its citizens, particularly those at the bottom rung of society. Granted he did get how some nobles could still respect her (Spirits knows the amount of hardliners he had to deal with in Fire Nation court these days), but the peasants?

"It's like you said about those kids at the school, Twinkletoes," Toph nonchalantly stated. "Ozai probably taught everyone that he was the next thing to the Avatar and how practically everyone revolved around him. Chances are that everyone in the Fire Nation thinks that way about nobles like him.

"...what? It's like how my parents handled things back home," she added feeling the rather conspicuous silence towards her insight on how nobility operated.

Katara sighed. "Guess that makes our job harder if she's weaseled her way among them. Maybe we should focus on solving our sea monster problem then. At least wait for her to make some kind of mistake."

"Actually, I think Azula's our biggest concern right now."

Aang looked at Sokka like he grew a second head, prompting the Water Tribe boy to launch into his reasoning. "Look, it sounds to me like this Godzilla is just an animal. Chances are that the ships crossed into his territory, and he reacted accordingly. Not saying we shouldn't deal with him eventually, but at least we can just let Zuko know not to send any more ships into this area. That should keep Godzilla happy until we can get to him.

"Azula on the other hand…we all know what she's like. The longer she walks free, the more time she has to get to one of those rogue army groups, and then we'll have even more problems. Plus we know she's not right in the head, so tracking and taking her in won't be too hard with all of us on board."

"Yeah, but what if Godzilla's attacks start affecting the islanders in some way?" Katara asked.

Her brother just shrugged. "Again. I think he's just another sea monster. We've faced those before. And the only way I see him causing any more problems is if he just started walking on land and smashing stuff. Considering how that would probably cause him to be crushed under his own body weight, I'm not betting he's gonna be an issue right now."

His logic was pretty sound. Aang did notice that the largest animals they encountered were sea creatures like the Unagi, the Sea Serpent, and especially the Lion Turtle. Personally, he didn't like leaving a problem like this feature, but it's not like he could be everywhere at once.

"So, we go after Zuko's crazy sister, then we go monster hunting? Sounds like a plan to me," Toph summed up. Katara wasn't exactly amused by the "crazy" comment nor was she entirely convinced, but she also knew her brother was the mind behind the Black Sun Invasion. If anybody could assess the bigger threat, it was him.

"Alright. I'm gonna go send a message to Zuko to stop ships from entering this area. You guys find the commander in charge of things around here and talk with him. I'll meet up with you later?"

"Sure thing Sokka!" Aang cheerfully said as they set out on their tasks. Momo glided from a nearby tree to hitch a ride on Sokka's head, eliciting a rather frustrated sigh from the brains of the group.

Beneath all the cheeriness though, they were all on guard. Azula wasn't exactly one you should have your guard down around, and knowing her, she could be anywhere on the island. Hopefully, they could drag her out of her hole before she was able to poison the whole island against them.

---

Azula wished that she could personally poison whoever thought digging the hole she was hiding in counted as some kind of cave.

Besides, it's not like they would've helped to hide her from the Avatar. She tried to tell Elder Yamane that they had an earthbender that could sense underground features like a painfully obvious tunnel system. This would be the first place they'd look. Or barring that, the Avatar could bring down the tunnel system on top of them, burying them alive. Probably would chalk it up as rooting out a smuggler's den.

Too bad the only thing being stored here was the amount of fish they were harboring which reeks. Either that or it was the remnants of seawater that had dried out. Maina had graciously given her some replacement clothes to get herself out of. It was a simple red and salmon-colored traveler's robe. A far cry from what she was used to, but at least it wasn't prison garb.

She also offered to do the Princess's hair into her signature topknot, but Azula wouldn't let her lay a finger on it. As much as it pained her to walk around with her hair all disheveled as it was during the Comet, she didn't trust the stranger enough to handle her looks.

Not that she looked like much anyway. Without the topknot or her lipstick, she looked like every other peasant walking through these tunnels. It pained her. Made her feel weak. And the last thing you wanted to feel when being hunted was weak.

The best she could do was busy herself by scoping the area out. Not much more to look at though. None of the peasants struck her as too out of the ordinary and all they were harboring was racks of fish…

"What's with all the fish?" she wondered out loud to nobody in particular. It didn't seem like they were suffering from a famine.

"Commander Maoso's stealing all the fish we've been catching. Or what little's out there nowadays. Keeps saying 'We need to stock up for the reinforcements that are coming.' Easy for him to say. So we've been stockpiling food so we don't starve. Especially if things are about to get real bad," an older man told her, cleaning what looked like a rather toothy herring.

Azula looked at him rather quizzically. "Reinforcements? Why's the island being reinforced when the war's over?"

All she got was an exasperated shrug. "I don't know. Something's going down with the colonies or whatever. All I know is I'm staying out of it. Had enough fill of bloodshed during my service." He chopped the herring's head off as he said this, causing juice to spurt out.

He looked a bit sheepishly at Azula. "Eh, sorry if it's not a pretty sight."

Azula didn't respond. Conflict? Involving the Fire Nation's colonies in the Earth Kingdom? A pit opened up in her stomach. Several of the major clans had put a lot of their wealth and resources into the colonies. If something was happening there…

…hang on a minute.

"You served in the Fire Nation army?" she asked, not exactly looking impressed by his rather laidback demeanor. Nothing screamed "I was a proud member of the strongest military force in the world" at her with his hunched shoulders and weathered apron.

"Yeah. I'm…not exactly the picture of manliness aren't I?" he jokingly said. "See…my leg was crippled during a push towards Omashu. Higher-ups said I wasn't fit for duty and just sent me home. Heh. So much for being the soldier the Fire Lord wanted me to be."

You only get pride once you've earned it, Ozai bitterly spat out. Azula couldn't agree more. You were supposed to lay down your life for your country and people. Not just get sent back home because you broke your leg. And what was that nonsense about having "enough fill of bloodshed"? The way he talked, it sounded like he enjoyed being dishonorably discharged.

He was lucky Azula, her mother's voice told her. Lu Ten and those on the boat weren't.

For once, Ursa's words snapped her back to reality. It was then she noticed the crutches by the man's feet. Guess she must've missed those. Still, she wanted to say something about how…content he seemed having his destiny taken from him. How could he be so…so…

Her mind flashed with screaming and an outreached hand…and all at once Azula wondered if he'd been just a bit unluckier, they wouldn't be having this conversation.

…

She walked away, unable to look him in the eye. He was a mediocre man. Plain and simple. She didn't need luck. She never needed luck. Everything she was, she accomplished on her own. Nobody could argue otherwise.

Still…looking around her, she wondered just how many of these men were amongst these people. How many duties left unfinished because of fate? Now doomed to live like everyone else because of their failure? Left to rot and be abandoned?

Just like you? the three voices that were not her parents asked.

"...no." Azula knew her duty, and right now it was to find out what was going on. Now with purpose in her mind, she walked towards the exit of the caves, where she exited with the old man and Maina to visit the temple.

Speaking of, she felt a hand on her shoulder and a voice in her ear. "Look, if you're gonna go out, take this."

Turning around, Azula saw a heavy dark red cloak being offered by the native girl. Quizzically, she took the robe and fastened it on her shoulders, letting the cape fall to the earth. The weight was…comfortable. It didn't compare to her royal armor, but it was a start.

All she had to ask though is, "...aren't you gonna stop me?"

Maina shrugged. "If I did, I wouldn't be able to. But I'm not letting you walk out in broad daylight alone." She lifted her staff on her shoulders as if it were some kind of weapon.

Azula coyly smirked. "You know, for somebody who doesn't like me, you're doing a lot to keep me out of trouble."

"Let's just say it's an old saying back on my island. Now come on. I'll take you to the harbor. Chances are the Commander's down there like he always is trying to take these people's fish."

Realizing she wasn't going to get rid of her newfound "friend" any time soon and not really in the mood for an argument, Azula followed Maina out of the caves. Having someone who knew these islands could be useful after all.

---

Odo Island was…rather appealing. Of course, it didn't compare to the beauty of Ember Island or any of the abodes doting the waters around Caldera's influence, but the Princess supposed it was pretty for an offbeat, underdeveloped locale. The village was quaint, populated by wooden huts surrounded by dense jungles and sparkling sapphire waters. Too bad there wasn't a beach here, though she supposed the natives could just leap off the docks and cool off in the waters of the shore.

Quite frankly, the only thing telling her this was Fire Nation was the naval yard towards the other side of the island. In the distance, she could see the imposing fort, with the frames of large ships being docked in the military-controlled portion of the bay. Drifts of smoke climbed into the air, marking where no doubt the local foundry was producing steel. Probably just enough to patch up the ships as opposed to one of the more industrialized shipyards back toward the capital. It stood out in contrast with the rustic feel of the village, blackened steel interrupting the jungle landscape.

Azula did vaguely recall that her father ordered a small base be constructed here. Officially it was to bolster their defenses to repel a probable counterattack from the savages of the North following Zhao's disastrous siege. Unofficially, given what she'd seen, she began to wonder if they were also here to keep an eye on more…local threats.

The garrison here wasn't afraid of throwing their weight around, that's for sure. Azula and Maina had to bob and weave from dirt road to dirt road, dodging frequent guard patrols. Naturally, her mind wondered if they were looking for her, but that didn't make too much sense. After all, she only just got here and nobody aside from those in the Dragon's Caves knew she was here. Still, she wasn't ready to judge just how much of her uncle's lies these men and women were willing to buy up.

She snarled. As much as she despised her brother currently, it wouldn't surprise her if her dear beloved Uncle Fatso had something more to do with her being shoved into an asylum for…how long has it been? 4, 5 months maybe? Long enough for her to become a bit skinnier than she remembered going in, something she was painfully aware of when trying to keep up with a concerned Maina.

The all-too-familiar aching in her muscles didn't exactly help matters either. Guess it was going to take them a little bit of time to get used to freedom.

Maina at least was a little help in that regard, always stopping and going slow to make sure the Princess could keep up. If only Zuko could see her skulking around in the alleys being outpaced by a peasant. She'd never be able to live that down. Add it to the pile of indignities she's had to suffer this year.

Didn't make it any less painful when they arrived at the docks. Or rather, Maina pulled Azula out of the sunshine and the two crept behind in the shadows of some of the stalls amidst the now thoroughly aggravating stench of fish. Granted it was to avoid the crowd of commoners and soldiers making their way amidst the food stalls, but still.

They stopped at the corner of a stall, looking around the corner to see a…well Azula wouldn't say well-to-do but certainly less dirty-looking than the other fisherman. Must've been the harbormaster. The other though had the unmistakable armor of a commander surrounded by a few firebenders and what she guessed was a lieutenant. This must've been this Commander Maoso she had heard about.

"You're short on your quota. Again," he threatened, a bit of a growl in his voice. He did seem especially tall with an impatient weathered face. Azula pegged him as a longtime veteran. Made her wonder why somebody like him was doing here.

The harbormaster shrugged. "And again, there's not enough fish in the sea! Something down there's either scaring them off or eating them! I can't exactly give you any more fish without causing our people to starve!" he fired back, shaking a fish net that wasn't particularly full to get the point across.

Course anybody who spent any time with the military knew it was a phenomenally stupid idea to talk back to an official. Especially one backed up by a whole squadron of firebenders. Something that Maoso understood completely as he stalked forward, practically pushing the harbormaster to the wall of the stall. "We have a lot more issues than a few people going hungry. We're standing on the brink of war with the Earth Kingdom AND we have rebel armies patrolling these waters. Do you want protection? You better start coughing up the fish. Otherwise…well I can't exactly station more troops here without the food to support them."

He let out a small flicker of flame from his knuckles to illustrate the point, before nodding to his forces to let the harbormaster go. The native scowled, but didn't challenge his better in the face of violence, only muttering under his breath, "Armies are the least of your problems right now…"

Azula wasn't impressed by Maoso's display. If she were in his shoes, she would've pointed out how the harbormaster wasn't exactly in a position to bargain, maybe casually saying something about feeding him to whatever's down there so it could chew on him and not the fish. Not wave fire around his face. Often it was the more implicit threat of violence that worked wonders. That way once you started throwing fire around when you needed to, that would terrify people since they weren't used to it.

Though to be honest, the idea of throwing the harbormaster to the sea monster was…not particularly pleasant at the moment.

Her face darkened. People died all the time in the war. Why was she so hung up about some guards dying in front of her eyes then? She almost killed the Avatar, so what was the difference?

"Commander Maoso?"

Speaking of…

Azula and Maina ducked behind the stall when she heard the infuriatingly cheerful greeting that could've come from the Avatar. Suddenly the Commander's demeanor changed in an instant, going from dark to something approaching pleasant. He gave an order to his lieutenant, a Kazuma from the sound of things, to continue his patrol around the village. Not wanting to stick around any longer, both the girls nodded to one another and made a stealthy retreat out of the docks.

Well, THIS complicates things, Azula silently mused to herself. She didn't expect the Avatar and his friends to arrive so quickly. No doubt sent by her brother to chain her back up again. Her mind still shivered with the memories, as well as her body from the sheer cold she felt that moment and the lack of air from being frozen…

"You okay?" Maina whispered.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Let's…let's just head back," Azula responded, not wanting to stay around too much longer, following her lead and slinking back into the alleys.

"It's the Avatar, isn't it?" the other girl correctly deduced.

"Yeah, I'd rather not deal with them right now." And that was true. Azula didn't tell Maina that she wasn't confident she could take them in a fight. She wasn't exactly at her 100%, and she wasn't exactly allowed to practice at the asylum. A fight with the whole team would put her at a huge disadvantage. Right now she needed to get away, maybe bide her time and figure out her next move.

Maina on the other hand, looked her straight in the eye and gravely asked, "Do you really believe that? With…you know…him out there?"

Azula…couldn't answer that. On the one hand, she knew the Avatar and what he and his friends were capable of. Stripping a man of his bending, exploiting their enemies' weakness, stooping to any low to get an advantage. They were capable of a lot.

…she wondered though how much that would compare to what something like Godzilla was capable of.

---

Aang had relocated with the Commander to a nearby hut used to store netting and boat supplies to explain their concerns. Or rather, Sokka who had just arrived from the rookery to prevent him from blurting out how they think the crazy princess was on the island for practically everyone in the dock to hear relocated them. He also muttered something about "I turn my back for one minute," while herding them into the small shed.

Good thing then that the rest of Team Avatar spent some time asking at the fort about where Commander Maoso was. Otherwise, they'd fall into that old trap of doing stuff without thinking it through.

As for Maoso himself, he seemed a little annoyed about having effectively been shoved around. Even gave Sokka a death glare as the tribesman shoved him into a rickety building.

Annoyance gave way to concern though when Aang and the others told their story. "So…the Princess could be on the island," he mused, furrowing his brow into deep thought. "And how can you be so sure she's here and not out in the ocean."

"Well…we just figured if she was still alive, she'd end up here. We can't say for certain, but at the very least you should be made aware of the possibility."

The Commander closed his eyes to process the information a bit. Nervously, Aang and Katara shared a bit of a glance. They hadn't seen his face before, but by now everyone knew his type. And indeed, it did feel a little surreal being…while not casual with him, but at the very least in a conversation with him without the fear of getting captured or killed.

"Alright. I'll let my troops know to keep an eye out," Maoso concluded. "If it's anything, we've been having a bit of a supply issue around here. I don't think the villagers are being especially truthful about a few things, and I aim to get to the bottom of it. I'll let you know if I find anything."

"Sure thing Commander Maoso," Aang said. They exchanged bows with the Fire Nation leader before stepping aside to let him out of the admittedly rather crowded shed.

As his armored footsteps faded, Toph coughed. "Okay. I didn't even need to check your heart rate to tell you were keeping something, Twinkletoes."

Aang chuckled a little nervously. "Look Toph. We managed to get him on board so-"

"Why not tell him what the Elder told us about Azula? You know, that way if she's using these people as a shield we can just get Maoso to force them to cough her up."

"Toph, think about what you're saying," Katara carefully said. "I've been looking around and those soldiers don't seem like the ones we should sic on the villagers. We do that, and we could just be making things worse."

"Plus, I…don't think he's somebody we should trust. I mean, what are the chances he served under Ozai? Or how he's different from every other Fire Nation army leader we've faced in the past?" Aang pointed out.

"I hate to be that guy, but Zuko's in charge now. I don't think this Maoso would pull anything without him hearing about it. I mean he did promise to restructure the military so a lot of old warmongerers get booted out."

Sokka…did have a point admittedly. The whole point of Zuko being Fire Lord was to make sure the Fire Nation could change for the better.

"Well…yeah. But I don't exactly want to put the villagers on the spot just because Azula's using them. There's got to be another way."

The blind girl just sighed. "Look Twinkletoes. You can't make everyone happy. These guys are harboring Zuko's crazy sister and I don't think they're gonna give her up without a fight. Remember what I said about standing your ground and what you believe in? Well, this is one of those times."

A creeping realization crept up Aang's back. Toph, blunt as she was, wasn't entirely wrong either. Either they make the villagers unhappy, or they let Azula walk free. And the latter was just too big of a threat to leave unattended for long.

It's just…going up against villagers? They were the ones the Avatar was supposed to protect. Not give the Fire Nation a go-ahead to begin checking their houses for fugitives. Stuff like that was supposed to end with the war.

"Well, how about we go to that exorcism ritual Elder Yamane mentioned?" Katara suggested, catching everyone's attention. "I mean maybe if we make an appearance and get to know the people, they'll be able to trust us a bit better. Maybe they'll give us a hint to where she's hiding so we can take her on our own. She just got here so it's not like she's gotten to them too deeply already."

"That's…a good idea actually," Sokka admitted, feeling more than a little embarrassed that his sister just came up with a better plan than he had at the moment. Toph shrugged, which was about as much approval as you could get from her.

Aang was just thankful that the waterbender was able to bail him out like that. Though he also knew what was on her mind. The last thing Katara wanted was for Fire Nation soldiers to begin stomping around the village looking for somebody. Nobody should have to go through that. Not again…

He made a point to talk to her when they had the time. Right now though, Team Avatar made their way out of the shack. Off in the distance, the sun was inching closer to the west, casting its golden rays on the horizon.

Night was coming soon, and everyone needed to be ready. There's no telling what Azula was up to being left to her own devices.

---

The sun was beginning to descend from the sky as Azula and Maina returned to the Dragon's Cave deep within a patch of jungle, hidden from the rest of the village. Thick trees and brush obscured the cave entrance, which itself would probably look like any other natural tunnel that sometimes dotted remote islands such as Oda.

Of course, any other ordinary tunnel wouldn't have a few people milling about the entrance, no doubt keeping an eye on the trail for any incoming soldiers. Azula saw a few men lounging about, their stances and semi-professional demeanor reminding her of what you would've expected from the military. Probably more disgraces that carry themselves like they were something since why were they here instead of the military?

Then there was Elder Yamane talking to a man in Fire Nation armor-

Azula ducked to the side and grabbed Maina, hoping the guard hadn't noticed them come up. Peeking out from the side, she could see that he was alone. Chances were he was just a stray patrol that noticed the people surrounding the cave entrance. Great. Now her hiding spot was compromised since a guard here only meant-

"Relax, Princess. He's one of us," Maina gently said, managing to slip her way rather easily out of Azula's grip and walking right up to the guard. For a moment Azula got Ty Lee flashbacks given how slippery she proved to be, but she just chalked it up to her weakened muscles making life more difficult for her.

Before she could yank the native from revealing her position, Maina politely bowed before the soldier. Azula noticed that he was the lieutenant from the docks, a young man from the looks of things. Maybe barely out of his teens. Not old enough to have seen any action. Probably got stationed here as a favor from whatever noble house he came from. What was his name again? Kazuma?

"Nice to see you again Maina," he greeted cheerfully, giving a respectful bow in return. This honestly astounded Azula since any self-respecting soldier knew you shouldn't make yourself look as weak as the commoners you were supposed to protect and rule over. Otherwise, how were you going to be respected by those who were your lessers? "I was just bringing some people here who wanted to take shelter. Patrols are getting more intense so I figured I'd escort them so old Maoso wouldn't expect anything else but an interrogation."

Indeed, Azula's attention was drawn to a group of peasants who were making their way inside the cave. Admittedly the lieutenant's cover was…well she wouldn't say clever since what was the point of hiding out in a cave when the local commander was already dressing people down for supposedly stealing fish? Still, it was a respectable effort.

"Ah! Greetings Princess Azula! Elder Yamane told me about you!"

…and she needed to relearn how to be a bit more discreet when you're taking notice of the situation.

Maina and Kazuma gave each other one more bow before the former wandered off into the brush, probably going to do whatever commoners did whenever they had too much free time on their hands. As for Azula, she cautiously emerged from her hiding space, giving the nearby Yamane a bit of a death glare. "I had to, Your Highness. Kazuma here is a liaison between us and the garrison. He's probably the only higher-up there that treats us with any sort of respect."

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Princess," Kazuma greeted, giving a formal bow to her presence. Azula just stared. She inwardly admitted that at least these people were consistently giving her some respect as befitting of a member of the Royal Family. Guess the news about her…"incident" hadn't reached the ears this far out into Fire Nation territory.

Still, the opportunity allowed her to fall into her usual routine. "Lieutenant. How come these people want to hide out inside these caves?" Wasn't sure how much authority she truly had nowadays, but that didn't mean she wasn't going to demand some form of respect.

Kazuma looked a little sheepishly, obviously not knowing how to respond. "Well you see…they're all concerned about Godzilla, Your Highness. Word travels fast around here and a lot of people have been wanting to get to safety. I've been doing what I can to help them out."

There was that name again. Godzilla. Given the use of the more common form, Azula pegged him as not being from the island, but he did seem familiar with the beast. Makes sense. A monster like anything that she had seen probably would have more than a few legends about it throughout the islands.

Still, Azula had to ask. "Why? It's a sea monster. Surely it wouldn't be able to crawl onto land." Sure it was terrifying, but anyone with a cursory knowledge of how marine animals operated should know it would be difficult for a creature of that size to be able to transition onto land.

Yamane and Kazuma exchanged glances before the older man spoke. "Trust us. Gojira is not one you should underestimate. The old legends say that once he's chased the fish and evildoers from the sea, he will follow them on land to finish the job. Nobody wants to be in his way when that happens."

"Well, in that case, the garrison should be able to take care of him. Shouldn't they?" Azula wasn't sure if she was asking them this, or herself. As terrible as the carnage from the previous night was, that was just a naval patrol. Surely a garrison would be able to subdue any animal that could come on to land.

At least she hoped she sounded convincing to herself. Given what she saw though…she wasn't sure.

Elder Yamane though had seen right through her. "I think we both know the answer to that Princess Azula. If I were you, I'd make shelter here in the caves with us."

Honestly, she did want to argue that no matter who they followed right now, the Fire Nation military was unstoppable. They were the strongest military might in the world.

She couldn't though. Something in her gut prevented her from launching into a defense of what she knew. And when her emotions superseded what she knew to be right…that never sat well with her.

Nodding to herself, she turned away from the cave entrance and away from Yamane and Kazuma, who went about the business of getting the newcomers settled into their current abode for the foreseeable future. She needed to clear her head. Maybe get some alone time or a bit of space to calm her racing thoughts. It was bad enough that the Avatar was on the island looking for her. Bad enough that somehow she needed to get off this island and get back out there. Possibly try to take back the throne that was stolen from her so that things couldn't get much worse.

Then there was this monster thrown into the mix of things. Great. Just one more thing to worry about.

Not much she could do now though aside from strolling a bit in the nearby trees. She felt her cape snag on a bush or two, but at least it kept her focused on something that wasn't her mind. It…admittedly wasn't too bad out here. Apart from the distant bustle of the peasants back at the entrance of the Dragon's Cave, there wasn't a whole lot of noise. Just the chirping of birds and the buzzing of insects.

Then she heard a girl's voice. More importantly, she heard the words dancing in the air.

"Of forgotten kindness

And ruined spirits

We pray for the people's spirit"

She didn't catch the rest of it, but it sounded almost like a prayer. Coming out of the brush, she saw Maina kneeling under the branches of a tree resting on a hill. Down below, you could see the distant huts of the village and the steely walls of the fortress. Farther out to sea, the sun was sinking further into the sea.

Azula also saw lights at the shrine high up on the hills of the island. That's where they must've been preparing the exorcism ceremony. Admittedly, a part of her was a bit curious as to how such a ritual would be played out, but she also knew that the Avatar and his cronies would probably be there looking for her. Maybe if she watched from a distance, she would get the gist of it…

Speaking of rituals, her attention was drawn to the swaying branches above Maina's head. The native girl had her eyes closed, her hands clasped around that strange stony amulet that hung around her neck. She almost seemed to be in a trance. And if Azula didn't know any better, it almost seemed like a soft breeze was swirling around her. Could've just been the light playing tricks on her though.

"You know, prayers aren't going to be much help out here," Azula stated rather bluntly.

Maina sighed a bit from being rudely interrupted. "Maybe if you tried praying, you wouldn't be looking over your shoulder again and again."

"Hey, if it keeps me safe, that's what I'm gonna do," the Princess replied, sitting right next to the girl and staring out into the sunset. Quite frankly, her muscles needed the rest and a good view would be a nice bonus.

They sat in silence a bit, neither one not knowing how to speak. When…when was the last time Azula just sat with somebody? Not a doctor or a guard or anything. Just…something a bit more casual. Or approaching casual if nothing else. The native certainly had every opportunity to expose her to the Avatar or betray her to the guards. Neither was she particularly intimidated by the Princess if she was brave enough to bite back like that.

It didn't calm her nerves either way. Mai was like that, and look how well that ended up.

Maybe it's not a question of when she'll betray you and more of IF she'll betray you. It was only a matter of time before Mai and Ty Lee wouldn't take how you treated them after all, Mother said.

"No…not again…not ever again…"

"What was that?"

"Nothing!" Azula quickly snapped. Not that it helped since she could feel Maina's worried expression judging the threat level. Great. Now she knew she was crazy as well.

"...look, if you need to talk, I'm a-"

"I can take care of myself, thank you," she lied. The last thing she needed was for some peasant to start pitying her. No. Pity led to sympathy and sympathy led to letting your guard down and letting your guard down…

"Alright. Jeeze. Just…if you need to talk, I'm right here," Maina offered.

Right. Like you need any advice from some backwater native, Father sneered. And he was right. If Azula was going to figure things out, she was gonna have to do it on her own. Like she always had. Otherwise, that meant putting your trust in others. And the more you put faith in the goodness of others, the more you were asking to be betrayed.

Still…

"...what was that prayer?" she asked curiously. She didn't care too much about what it was about, but at least if she could feign interest she could get some kind of positivity out of this.

Maina seemed a little surprised but didn't hesitate to answer. "It's a prayer of peace from my island. They say that whenever there is to be a battle or a conflict, we should pray for both ourselves and our enemies. So when the fighting ended, we can search for understanding and hope that things would never come to pass that way again."

Sentimentality. Perfect. She and the Avatar would be best friends. Chances are wherever this island was, it must've been pretty sheltered from the war to believe that drivel.

Not like you. You know what it means to fight, Ty Lee snickered.

She might as well lay down and die right now. Let's see her talk all about peace once the fighting reaches her island, Mai mused.

You either die for peace or survive to fight another day. That's how the world works. Isn't that right, Sister? Zuko commented, using a title she hadn't heard in so long.

As much as it pained her though, they were right. Maina was too weak to believe in that sort of nonsense. Weak enough to believe that peace was possible. Azula knew the truth though. Just beyond the horizon in the Earth Kingdom, she could just imagine that Earth King marching his armies right up to the colonies, waiting to undo everything so many had died to achieve.

Still…she didn't say anything outside of, "That's awfully optimistic of you."

Maina shrugged. "Well, I'm an optimistic person. There's good in everyone after all."

Azula almost snickered. The fool wouldn't be saying that if she knew the Princess at all.

She kept her thoughts to herself though. Honestly, she was too tired to argue anymore. She just watched the sunset, already making plans to go see the ritual from a distance.

All the while, Maina resumed her prayer.

"If we were to call for help

Over time

Over sea

Like a wave

You'd come

Our guardian angel"

---

It was right before the ceremony was to start that Aang peeled away from the team with Katara. They found a spot secluded among the trees, hidden from peering eyes. Now that they were alone, they had some time to talk.

"Aang…are we doing the right thing with?" Katara asked, her voice hushed so nobody could hear.

"I mean, we can't exactly let Azula walk free."

"That's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about working with this Maoso guy and the military. Are we really going to let them push the villagers around if she's hiding amongst them?"

A sigh left Aang's lips. "Well, I don't like it either but…"

"...but what?"

"I don't know. All I know is that the world needs a moment or two to catch its breath, and it can't do that when people like Azula walk free," Aang told both his partner and himself.

Katara didn't seem entirely convinced, and he understood why. After all, it wasn't the first time they were faced with the possibility of the Fire Nation marching through the streets and threatening to set everything on fire…

"We'll handle it ourselves," Aang said firmly. "We're gonna have to hand her over to Maoso eventually, but we'll try to do it ourselves first."

"No, I mean, what about us?"

Her blue eyes captured the Avatar's focus, filled with what he knew was worry. "I get Zuko's in charge now and he's changed, but that doesn't mean everyone in the Fire Nation has changed too. How many generals are we going to have to work with who did who knows what during the war? We can't just let them do whatever they want now that the war's over."

"And we won't. We're going to give the territory they stole back to the Earth Kingdom, and Zuko's going to restructure the army. It's not like we're letting them act like they won."

"Yet the peace talks with Kuei and the others keep falling into fighting. Arnook won't even talk with Zuko in charge before these trials, and…I knew things weren't going to be easy. But it feels like everywhere we look, there's going to be more fighting. I just…"

She looked away. "I just don't know if I can forgive them. If they won't change, then what's the point of trying to make peace?"

Realization dawned on him, causing him to wrap an arm around her shoulders. "It's okay. Just…trust me on this. I don't think either of us wants to be fighting the Fire Nation for the rest of our lives. The monks always told me that seeing the good in our enemies is one of the toughest challenges in the world. Sometimes it doesn't necessarily mean forgiveness. It just means when you know when to stop fighting."

"Heh. I'll take your word for it. I think I'm just a little worn out from everything. Honestly, I'm just a bit eager for some more alone time between just us, you know?" she said with a flirtatious smirk, causing Aang to blush.

Turns out that saving the world made you a bit more fortunate for those who cared that deeply about you. And made those private moments all the more sweeter when they got away from everything. "Don't worry. The whole world's not enough to keep us apart." He kissed her on the cheek to drive the point home, much to her enjoyment.

"HEY LOVEBIRDS! If you two are done, we've got a ceremony you want to see. Which I might add, you two wanted to see."

And with that, their romantic moment was interrupted by the blind girl who they swore made it a profession to keep them from going too lovey-dovey. Mind you, they didn't try to be obnoxious about it, but they swore Toph had some kind of secret sense she was keeping from them that let her know when they were getting close. Katara had to remind Sokka one of these days to keep the earthbender in check. Not that it would do any good since chances were her brother was encouraging this sort of behavior.

Regardless, Aang and Katara sheepishly followed Toph into the gathering crowd outside of the temple. Torches ringed the outside of the courtyard, all awaiting eyes being drawn towards the doors. There was a sizable…thing that somebody had wheeled at the footsteps of the stairs, but it was draped over with leather. Must've been some kind of figurine for an occasion like this. Before it were two braziers, each with some kind of special powder.

The two lovers and Toph joined Sokka where he was sitting among a few villagers close to the front. He gave his sister an annoyed look, but Katara just shrugged nonchalantly. Who was going to stop her from having a moment for herself and her boyfriend?

Aang was just relieved to be sitting amongst the villagers who didn't seem too bothered that the most important person in the world was amongst them. Granted there WAS a bit of formality when they first arrived, but when word spread about what was going on in the seas, everyone started to loosen up and relax around him a bit. Looking around, nobody seemed to do a double take seeing the arrow on his forehead. Suited him just fine to be part of the crowd for once. Honestly, he wished he had more opportunities like this.

Leaning back, he watched as the doors opened, the shrine maiden Nami walking forward and standing in front of the covered figure.

"People of Odo Island," she began. "I come forward before you today for a solemn occasion. The great beast, Gojira, has awoken from his slumber once more."

A silent hush fell upon the crowd. Team Avatar felt a cold chill run down their spines. That name. Every time they heard it, it seemed as though the world stopped turning, almost afraid to move forward to avoid some terrible fate. There were a few names that they knew of that held this sort of power. Ozai and Azula were two. Now there was this Gojira that almost seemed to rule this island from the mere mention of its name alone.

Gojira. Godzilla. How many names did he have? Aang felt certain he knew of at least a few. The names Gigantis or Koshira came to mind, but he didn't know how he knew them. Well no, he was certain that he heard them in one of his past lives thanks to the Avatar Cycle. What he did know was that every time it was uttered, it carried with it the weight of familiarity. He made a note to remind himself to try and speak with Roku or the other Avatars about what they knew about them.

"In times past, the people of Odo performed this sacred exorcism ceremony to quell his anger and bring safety to our people." As she said this, a group of robed men wearing masks of stylized human faces walked onto the courtyard and took their positions.

Nami raised her arms and looked to the sky, speaking to some unseen deity high in the heavens. "Oh, Gojira, Last of the Dragons. God of Destruction. Wielder of the Sapphire Flame. We hope that in humbling ourselves before you and showing our respect for the old ways that many have forgotten, you may stay your wrath and spare our people. Let us be joined in prayer, in hopes that out of the darkness, a new and brighter world for all will arise from the chaos."

As she said this, one of the men removed the robes and unveiled the figurine. It was made of straw and a little crude. But its image was unmistakable. Especially as another man lifted his arms and lit the braziers with firebending.

Aang, Katara, and Sokka flinched as blue fires roared to life, the memories of the mad Princess resurfacing. The powders must've made the fire blue, illuminating the straw figure. It stood on two legs, with a tapering tail trailing behind it. Sharpened stones ran down its back and tipped its arms and feet, creating dorsal spines and claws.

It was him.

Gojira.

Godzilla.

And so the ceremony began. Natives with instruments began playing a ritualistic song as the robed men danced both in silence and in synchrony. The blue flames caused the shadows to dance off of the figurine's body, making it almost seem alive.

Team Avatar couldn't help but exchange glances. They knew Azula was the reason they were here…but this spirit…no, this god made its presence unmistakable.

Hopefully, they can find her quickly so they can return and lay this legend to rest.

---

From the trees, Azula watched the almost hypnotic dance. She saw the villagers watch. There were so many as if the whole village were here. Made her wonder if this ceremony served as a cover for the rest to evacuate to the caves without Maoso noticing.

She spotted the Avatar and his friends of course. Probably came here looking for her.

More importantly, she saw the straw Godzilla, bathed in blue fire.

Her fire.

"Don't see anything like this back home, don't you?" Maina silently commented, watching the ritual play out. The Princess couldn't argue against this. Rituals like this were supposed to be outlawed, particularly if they weren't sanctioned by the Fire Sages. To think these peasants held just as much stock in a beast as they did the Fire Lord almost seemed blasphemous.

Then again, what she saw was more than worthy of respect.

She was going to say that they shouldn't rely on prayers alone. Only Fire Nation steel could stop this beast. And yet, she remembered the screaming. The carnage…

Her mind began to weigh the odds. There was a garrison here to be sure, but things were coming back to her now. Odo Island. Didn't Father say he was going to set up an observation base here following the disappearance of Admiral Koga? And if this Godzilla was responsible for Koga's death, then that meant Maoso likely was here for it as well as secure their borders. Or at least to figure out what was going on here.

A thought occurred to her, seeing the snarling visage of the monster down below. A naval battle group couldn't stop it…

…so what chance did a garrison have?

At once, Azula nodded and turned back, making her way back into the trees. "Princess? What are you doing?" Maina harshly whispered, trying to keep up with Azula's newfound stride.

"I need to warn Maoso. Get him to pull his forces back to the interior. If what you said was true, there's no way they can stop it," Azula bluntly said.

Suddenly, she felt herself being yanked around and staring into the concerned eyes of Maina. "Hang on! You go to the fort, you're going to get arrested! The Avatar will know you're here and-"

"You didn't see him. I did," Azula shot back. "So if you'll excuse me, I'm going to prevent this commander from making a huge mistake." She wrenched herself free, falling back into her stride as she marched into the woods.

"And do you honestly believe that they're going to listen to you? You're not exactly on the Fire Nation's most respected list anymore if you haven't noticed!"

"So what's your idea? Hide out cowering in a cave waiting for the monster at the door to go away? No. That's not how we do things. In case you haven't noticed, I don't wait for the problem to show up. If you want to hide amongst smelly peasants, that's fine with me. It suits you. I on the other hand am a Princess. And I'm going to do what Father trained me to do. If people want to stop me? Fine. Let them try."

With that, Azula stomped off, not listening anymore to Maina's protests. Forget whatever this ignorant peasant tried to tell her. She didn't know what it meant to lead. And right now, she needed to warn the Commander, even if it killed her.

Her purpose was clear, and it filled her with long-lost strength. She marched forward into the empty village and towards the fort. These soldiers wanted her so bad? Fine. They were going to get her.

Hopefully, they had enough sense to see that there was something a lot bigger on the horizon than just a girl like her.

---

Momo yawned from his usual spot on top of Appa's head. Ever since Aang had let them down on the cliff overlooking the sea this morning, there wasn't much to do except eat fruit, lounge about, or maybe kill some time air surfing the waves down below.

Not that he minded though. Honestly, he felt both he and the Sky Bison deserved a break from that little stunt the airbender pulled today with the…whatever that thing in the water was. Seriously. Would it kill him not to be a hero every waking second? It felt like they were babysitting him at this point.

Course Appa was a bit more relaxed than he was with the whole ordeal. Figures. You end up in an iceberg and spend an extended period by yourself and suddenly you realize that danger and your partner go hand in hand. Guess that's what you get when you were practically grown up together.

The lemur looked out to see and away from the island. Maybe if he just watched the waves and not thought about the boy who kept trying to get himself killed, he could doze off. Yeah…watching the waves was-

A sudden jerk from Appa ruined Momo's concentration and any chance of an easy night's sleep. The lemur was about to jitter in annoyance, maybe screeching into the bison's ear to make him how it feels to not sleep for once when he heard a panicked bellow erupt from the larger animal's maw.

The first thought Momo had was Azula. He knew the female that his friends had so much trouble with was on the island. But when he smelt the air, looking for her awfully familiar scent, he didn't smell anything.

Well, no. He did smell something, but it most assuredly wasn't the Princess.

It was…old. Drenched in seawater, yet the lingering scents seemed to mix up together. It almost smelled like an island. Almost like…like the Lion Turtle! That's it.

But…far older…

And…there was power behind it…

Looking out to sea, Momo got a feeling of dread. And he wasn't alone either. Flocks of birds were disturbed from the roosts, and Appa couldn't settle down.

Something was coming.

Something…big.

---

Mosasaurs, like all sea animals, had an innate understanding of the waters of the ocean. Probably far better than most humans. So when the old buck found a relatively slow area of water to rest for the night, he was more than happy to let himself drift in the still, peaceful gloom.

Course it wasn't true sleep. He had to keep a little bit of himself awake of course. Yet his eyes were unfocused, his muscles relaxed. It was as close to sleep as a mosasaur could get. He floated close to the surface so he could just pop his head up and get a gulp of air before resuming his rest. The dark waters below stretched out, but he wasn't worried. Experience told him the only things down there could easily make for a nice meal. And if another predator entered the area…well there was a reason an animal like him got old.

For now, though, he was happy to rest and let his belly digest the meal from today. Inwardly he wondered when he would have to move on with the others. He had to follow his primary source of food in the plesiosaurs. But the recent influx of food from the wreckage meant he was more than happy to just lounge around and let himself rest for a bit. Maybe in the morning, he would make the trip.

Silently, his eyes drifted off into the gloom, the sea reptile allowing himself to relax…

…the mountain peaks drifting through the water though caused his muscles to work into overdrive. His powerful tail propelled him through the sea, and away from what he knew to be the true apex predator of these waters. To challenge it would be suicide.

Not that the apex was interested in him of course. Like all sea animals, the giant had an innate understanding of the waters of the ocean. Probably far better than most humans. So when it sensed the ashes of a nearby foundry, it got its attention.

Its attention was further piqued the more it swam closer to the source. And with it…his anger grew.

He knew the smell. He knew the signs of disturbed waters of Fire Nation boats. And he knew they were in the area. Once more he had to expand his patrol area, not wanting to take one more chance. The last time he allowed himself to relax, the moon nearly died and the world with it.

Not this time.

The Comet came and went, yet the remnants of huge ships plowing through the waters still remained. It only meant the Fire Nation still was here in force. And if they were here in force, then the Avatar failed in his duty.

At the surface, the tips of his dorsal fins breached the surface, before diving back as he saw the approaching island.

A rage that was once kept in check for a hundred years began to boil over. Humanity had failed to keep the balance.

So it was up to the King of the Monsters to return and enact the wrath of a scarred world.

Notes:

Author's Note: …I apologize for the delay. Again. Turns out Azula in the Spirit Temple took a lot out of me emotionally and now here we are.

A bit more character development for Team Avatar this chapter. I'd figured they'd go after an enemy that was more familiar to them first before going after a more unknown threat. Besides, they are kids and some of them (Sokka and Aang) do have reasons to be more wary of Azula. Not saying they're necessarily in the right since…well the other threat is Godzilla, but it's not like this logic is coming from nowhere.

Just too bad that "unable to come on land" was brought up in Shin Godzilla…only for them to be proven wrong.

For the Fire Nation characters, Azula still is a bit of a villain and she's still in that imperialistic mindset, so it would seem fair to me that she's dismissive of Maina and the others initially. It's going to take more than one encounter with the incredible to dissuade her. I mean given how militaristic the Fire Nation is, would you expect any of them to assume there isn't something they can't overcome with military might? Sure there was Koizilla, but that was a spirit and not something that is, in their minds, an animal.

Maina is the only one who knows, but she's pretty out there as an outlier in terms of Fire Nation. And that's only becoming clearer in this chapter. Needless to say, the prayer is from the Godzilla series and should be a pretty big indicator of who she's affiliated with.

The ritual itself is a call back to the first Godzilla movie where a similar one was performed by the villagers to safeguard themselves from fear of Godzilla coming ashore according to their legends. It didn't work.

All in all, I'd describe this chapter as being a setup for the next one where…uh…let's just say all hell breaks loose if you couldn't tell by the ending.

Anyway, thank you for reading, sorry again for the delay, and feel free to leave your thoughts in a review. Make sure to favorite and follow if you want to see more, and have a great day. Hopefully, the next chapter comes out a lot more smoothly since…well, it's going to be a big one.

Chapter 4: God of Destruction

Summary:

Her back against the wall, Azula is faced against the strength of Team Avatar with her only ally revealing secrets that could shatter her trust. Yet all of this pales in comparison to what is making its way to shore...

Notes:

Avatar: The Last Airbender and all associated characters are owned by Paramount Global. Godzilla and all associated characters are owned by Toho Studios. Please support the official release.

Odo Island

They shoved her roughly into the office, her arms bound behind her back in chains to prevent any form of resistance. Chained once more. It almost made her want to throw up.

Not that she had expected anything less when she arrived at the island fort, demanding to speak to the one in charge. Proper Fire Nation protocol demanded that any threat be neutralized by any means necessary before even thinking of negotiations. She knew that going in right down to her bones, so at least the dent to her pride was a depressingly familiar pain.

As such, she let two of the three guards kick her legs, forcing her to kneel before the desk of Commander Maoso, who didn't even deign to give her a glance from the other side of his war table.

"So…the runaway princess has decided to turn herself in…" he drawled, overlooking what she guessed was a map of the whole region. "And here I was thinking I'd have to burn down a few huts to smoke you out."

Typical. A thug after all. His type Azula knew how to handle. One of the misfortunes of being a part of her father's inner circle was running into a depressing amount of these thickheads. Must have been one of the things that was carried over despite the regime change.

"Very well. If you don't want to know what's coming, then who am I to stop you all from marching to your deaths." A pair of weathered eyes looked up from the table right at her. Good. It had taken a while to get the voice of casual disinterest down perfectly.

Rising to his full height, Maoso folded his arms across his armored torso. "You were on the prison boat last night, weren't you?"

"I was."

"That means you can tell me what's running around my waters."

"I can."

The Commander walked around the table, never breaking eye contact. He stopped right in front of the kneeling Princess, looking down at her humbled state. "Very well. Let's hear it."

Azula looked back at him directly in the eye. Just because she was beaten didn't mean she was going to sacrifice her last ounce of dignity to someone who got posted here because they couldn't cut it on the front. He had a weathered look but that seemed mostly from age Maoso was middle-aged, but had no scars or any signs of having seen combat. Made himself look big and threatening when in reality he probably was so low on the totem pole that Father probably wouldn't have known his name.

Yeah. Azula knew his type well. So she spoke of what she saw that night. Of things far beyond his comprehension and control.

Of something far bigger and meaner than he ever could hope to be.

And looking at him, she wondered if she got to him. That threat of an overwhelming force you couldn't hope to fight. It was a fear they all knew as soon as they were enrolled into whatever academy you proved worthy of. Something that was cemented every time they looked upon a statue of Phoenix King Ozai or any of the Fire Lords of old.

"You can't fight this on your own. Your only chance of survival, your only way is to retreat. Pull out your forces from Odo Island so you can kill it with the entire Fire Nation army at your back."

Azula let the words hang in the air, challenging the Commander to prove her wrong. The people of Odo could survive in their caves. If the military was going to fight this monster, they'd do it as their forefathers would've wanted.

"...you don't think I don't know anything about this Godzilla?"

Her ears perked up. He knew?

"Yes I know," he said, reading her mind. "That thing's the reason I got assigned to this rock. I know all about the legend. Godzilla is just an animal that the locals were so intimidated by that they decided to make up legends about him. There's nothing special or unique about it, it's just one of those backwater myths they embellished."

"But I saw-"

"You were locked away in an asylum. How exactly am I supposed to trust the judgment of a woman who lost her mind?"

Maoso leaned down to glare at her right in the eye. "You're not Ozai's favorite pet anymore. And I'm not risking this critical position just for some delusions those natives decided to form into reality. Even if it decided to crawl out of the sea right now, we'll show it why we're known as dragonslayers.

"As for you…"

With a single gesture, he motioned the guards to drag Azula into the middle of the room, her mind stunned at how she had lost control so quickly. The Commander began to walk out of the room but stopped right as he was about to leave.

"I believe your brother sent the Avatar here to fetch you. He'll be pleased to know that you're in my custody. And if you get any funny ideas of escape…"

He made a cutting motion with his neck, signaling for the third guard to draw his sword and hold it precariously close to Azula's exposed throat. With that, Maoso strolled out of the room as two more guards shut the door behind him.

Azula sighed. She had a feeling this would happen but didn't realize that the Commander was so stupid as to regard what she saw as just another delusion. No matter. She took a controlled breath, eyeing the guards around her.

It would take some time for the Avatar to get here. Plenty to formulate a plan of escape. She just hoped she had enough time to get a headstart before the chase began in earnest.

---

Aang took a steady breath, feeling the weight of the staff on his shoulders. They were hot on the trail. When the ritual ended, they started asking around, getting to know several of the villagers. Yet when asked if they saw anybody strange in the area, they just said "Not counting the ones we fished out of the sea, no".

Good thing then that they had a pretty skilled lie detector on their team. Toph had a pretty smug look on her face once she told them she'd sensed quite a number of liars amongst those they'd asked. This meant that there was a stranger unaccounted for on the island. And chances were, that stranger was a certain firebender they'd been looking for.

Now the question was where exactly she was hiding. Sokka had it figured out seeing the crowd of people heading away from the village. It was a good portion of the village, including many families, children, and the wounded that were able to survive the morning. He guessed from the shrine maiden's invitation to a place called "The Dragon's Cave", that there was some kind of shelter that the military base wasn't aware of. A perfect hiding place.

The Avatar didn't like it. Azula had used hostages in the past, and there was no telling what someone like her would pull when cornered. Particularly in the mental state she was in, if Katara's warnings were any indication.

They were all prepped up for an ugly fight ahead. So when they heard rapid footsteps behind them, everyone turned, with weapons and elements at the ready.

"WOAH! I'M JUST A MESSENGER!"

Seeing the…rather panicked-looking lieutenant, everyone relaxed. Straightening himself up and taking as dignified a posture as he could, the young man bowed respectfully. "Commander Maoso has just apprehended Azula and is keeping her in the fort as we speak."

Everyone stood gobsmacked. "She's…she's caught?" Sokka mouthed, flabbergasted.

"Yes. She came to us with a message and that's when we captured her."

All eyes turned towards Katara. "Hey, don't look at me. I didn't think she'd be crazy enough to do something that stupid."

Toph shrugged. "Hey, it makes our job a bit easier."

Her optimism didn't ease Aang's anxiety as he snapped his glider open. "I'm going to go scout ahead and figure out what's going on. I'll let you guys know if it's some kind of trap."

"And we'll follow you from a distance in case you get ambushed," Sokka added before turning to the lieutenant. "Do you know anything about what the message was?"

The young man thought for a moment. "She said something about warning the Commander to recall the forces here because she thought Godzilla was coming. I didn't catch the whole of it though."

"She must be getting them to abandon this island so one of those rogue army groups can take over!"

"Well, she won't get the chance!" Aang declared to Katara as he leaped into the air and bent a gust of wind to push him toward the army base. The rest of Team Avatar followed in pursuit, not willing to give the Princess any breathing room.

They left Lieutenant Kazuma in the dust, running after them, yelling frantically. "WAIT! I THINK SHE'S TELLING THE TRUTH! HE'S COMING!"

---

Okay, this was taking a little longer than Azula thought. There were three guards in the room and at least two more outside the door. While she was confident she could take a few of them, there was no way she could fight her way through a whole base.

She looked out the window. The building wasn't exactly that high up from the ground. Maybe she could jump out, run along the rooftops, then jet her way over the fort walls. Would keep her…well, not safe from the guards, but would at least let her avoid the majority of them.

Course now the problem was getting out of this predicament. All eyes were on her, waiting for the slightest twitch of movement. She also felt the sharp edge of the blade against her neck. If she was going to do something, she'd have to make it snappy.

Still, she found it odd. Zuzu wanted her alive, and now they stood ready to slit her throat at the first sign of trouble. If only he could see what his precious new future looked like right now.

CRASH!

Her thoughts were interrupted when a huge gust of wind smashed through the window, knocking everyone down to the ground. Azula hit the floor hard, causing her to see white.

When she came to though, she saw Maina knocking the dropped sword away from a downed guard with one end of her staff and smashing the other end right into his face. She proceeded to bring the staff around and swipe the guard off his feet before slamming it right down onto his armored chest.

It was then that another guard got back up onto his feet, a fist of fire aiming right at the distracted native. Instinct kicked in, and Azula breathed a blast of blue fire from her mouth, cutting the guard off from her would-be savior. She then sprung from her kneeling position and slammed the guard right into the wall.

The final guard came at her with a fire blade, most likely not wanting to hit his companion. As he slashed down though, Azula arched her back in such a way that-

SNAP!

She felt heat graze past her now free hands as the blade sliced through her chains.

Her assailant probably had about half a second to realize her mistake before Azula performed a roundhouse kick to the side of his head. As he spun around from the impact, she quickly turned and fired a small blast of blue fire into his back, sending him plummeting to the wooden floor. Without even needing to think about it, she turned once more and kneed the last guard in the groin.

Azula didn't give him any pity as he leaned against the wall in agony before she slammed another kick into his helmet, causing him to join the rest of his group in both shock and pain.

Maina proceeded to thrust her staff under the war table and knocked against the door, Azula quickly shoving it to keep the entrance barred and the guards outside. She…did find it odd that a girl was able to flip a heavy piece of furniture like that so easily.

What she found even more odd is why on earth she was here in the first place. The Princess looked at Maina, unable to put the pieces together. "Why did you-?"

"Cause even a filthy peasant knows you shouldn't do something as stupid as walking into a military camp. Now come on!"

The native didn't give her a moment to rest, but for once Azula wasn't complaining. She promptly followed her savior out of the room and into the cool night.

They ran along the rooftops, keeping out of sight of the guards below. Azula had to admit that her agility was…impressive. She lept easily from rooftop to rooftop, almost reminding her of Ty Lee. The thought alone almost made her send a blade of fire toward Maina's legs. After all, you didn't just break a high-value prisoner out of a military base unless you were going to get something pretty good from it. Maybe the girl wanted the glory of handing the Princess to her brother herself.

Well, it was either somebody who might hand her over to Zuko or the guards who would hand her over to Zuko. For the moment, she was comfortable with the former.

The two of them made good progress across the base, only stopping in a large area in front of the wall. This must've been the mustering area, and it was too big for them to just leap across. Azula would have to jet both herself and Maina across. Hopefully, her muscles were up to the task. They were already starting to ache from the sudden burst of energy. Oh well. She could complain about the bad shape she was in once they were safely away from this island.

She was about to take Maina in her arms when she spotted something in the sky. An awfully familiar winged figure who just closed his glider and sent a blade of air right towards her.

Before Azula could bring up her own hands to return fire though, she felt herself being shoved to the side by Maina. The girl whirled her staff in an arc and slammed on the rooftop, causing a wave of wind to come from nowhere and collide with the blade, smashing through and sending the Avatar spiraling. He managed to regain his focus though and summoned an airball beneath him, letting him land gently on the other side of the rooftop.

Azula's eyes went wide though.

Maina had summoned air.

"You're…you're an-"

"We'll talk about it later! I'll hold him off!" the stranger and stranger-seeming girl cut off, bringing her staff up to face the Avatar. Coming to her senses, Azula nodded and leaped off the rooftop to jet her way across the expanse. The airbender…the airbender she'd known about just stood there just as shocked as she was.

It was impossible! The Air Nomads were extinct! How could an airbender other than the Avatar possibly still be alive?! True, she didn't look like an Air Nomad, but Azula's ancestors had made sure to take every possible measure to wipe out every last airbender off the face of the earth, Air Nomad or not.

What was going on?!

---

Aang stood gobsmacked, gawking at the strange girl across the rooftop.

Another airbender.

"But…how?"

The girl just took a stance and glared back. "Let's just say the one I serve wouldn't allow her people to be wiped out."

Her people? She wasn't an Air Nomad, and her stance didn't look like any of the traditional airbending styles. Of course, Aang knew there were other airbenders aside from his people, but nothing he knew of indicated that any were still alive.

He had so many questions. The first one being, "Why…why are you helping Azula?!"

She shrugged. "I'm not exactly one to stand by and let someone who's unwell be taken by the Fire Lord."

The Avatar was going to snap back, saying that Zuko was different. About how he was going to restore the Fire Nation's honor. There were so many things that might get her to stand down from a confrontation. Whoever she was, Aang wasn't going to fight the first airbender he had seen since before he went into the glacier.

There were so many things he could've said, but a familiar shriek interrupted him before he did.. From above their heads swooped the familiar form of Momo, who landed on Aang's shoulder, chittering hysterically.

"I know! Azula's here and there's another airbender, but we're not gonna let her stop us!" he told the frantic animal. It didn't do too much good as Momo kept panicking, jerking his head towards the ocean again and again. No matter what Aang said, though, the lemur wouldn't calm down. He'd never seen Momo this freaked out before.

"He's not panicking about Azula…"

Aang could almost hear the color draining from the strange girl's face. Indeed, she looked positively afraid after hearing the lemur's shrieks. "I think he's sensing something else coming."

Now that the Avatar thought about it, Momo's panicking did seem at least a little familiar. He knew animals, and the frantic pitch of the lemur's screams suggested that he sensed some kind of predator on the prowl…

Before the realization could hit him, he heard the familiar sound of an earthen wall being bent from the ground. Looking towards the village, he saw the ongoing chase and snapped open his glider to join in. He took to the air, telling Momo to go hide in the jungle till this was all over. The lemur willingly obliged.

Leaving behind the other airbender in his wake.

…another airbender…

---

Azula's mind was torn in two directions. The first, seeking an answer to the burning question, "How in the hell had an airbender managed to survive Sozin's hunts?" It was unreal. Sure, the Avatar managed to survive, but he was the Avatar. Being the most powerful person on the entire planet meant that unless you found their body, you never could quite count out the possibility of them surviving.

The second direction was putting as much distance between her and the fort as possible. She felt a strange pain about leaving Maina behind to face whatever the Avatar had planned, but it wasn't like either one of them could take him on. Especially not with Azula in her current weakened state.

For now, the best chance she had was running. Perfect. This must've been what Zuzu felt when he was on the run in the Earth Kingdom. At least she was going to build up her strength and recover from whatever that asylum did to her, instead of cowering with her tail between her legs. Every humiliation she endured, she'd pay back tenfold.

She'd make them pay. She'd make everyone pay…

Her thoughts ran as fast as her legs carried her through the streets, turning from corner to corner. The village was virtually empty, with signs of evacuation all over the place. Typical peasants. First sign of trouble and they head for the hills.

Almost as if in response to her thoughts, a massive wall of earth shot up from the street in front of her, cutting off her escape route. Snarling, she blasted a jet of flame behind her, launching herself just clear of the rocky formation. Seemed the rest of the Avatar's cronies had caught up with her.

Once she landed on the other side, she cut through a side alley, hoping to shake her pursuers. That didn't work too well for her either; her sharp ears picked up the sound of something being unsheathed. Instinct caused her to jump in mid-air and perform a fiery kick, knocking the incoming boomerang back toward its wielder, beaning him on the head.

Azula couldn't help but smirk a little as she turned the corner. At least her precision hadn't dulled in her time locked up.

Naturally, fate decided to wipe that smirk off her face. he was about to hit the docks, when she saw a huge wave of seawater rise to meet her. Not wanting to deal with getting frozen again, she thrust out her arm and sent forth an enlarged fire blast to rip the wave apart.

Azula then dug in her heels and wheeled around to kick a blade of fire through the air and at her assailants, causing her pursuers to stop and backpedal lest they avoid getting scorched. Taking a defensive stance, she counted three: the blind earthbender, that Water Tribe boy who was the brains of the group, and the waterbending girl.

Three. Where was-?

Almost on cue, a fireball came right at her from the sky, forcing her to bat it away and return a blast of fire of her own at the airborne Avatar. The momentary distraction allowed the earthbender (Toph if she remembered correctly) to launch a boulder at her, forcing her to duck to the side.

Rolling up to her feet, she was about to launch into another assault before that boomerang and some sharpened ice came right at her feet, forcing her back. She glanced behind her and She kicked herself for not seeing the trap she'd fallen into. There was a whole bay of water behind her, plenty for the waterbending peasant (Katara, that name she knew) to freeze her solid. A chill went down her spine at the memory of the chill and inescapable grasp of those smothering tentacles.

To make matters worse, a Fire Nation cruiser had blocked the only way out of the harbor and off the island. Honestly, now that she thought about it, she didn't have much of a plan outside of "escape the fort".

"Give it up Azula! You're surrounded!" Boomerang Boy hollered out; the others along with the now-landed Avatar began to close in. Azula could feel her options slip away from her as well as her stance. She felt her legs and arms begin to shake from all the exertion, the dull pain from where she was restrained making her body feel heavier and heavier.

No. She wasn't going back in chains. And if she couldn't fight her way out, at least she could take some of them down with her.

Defiantly, she thrust out her arm, only for Katara to bring up one of those water tentacles that nearly had her back in Ba Sing Se. Unfortunately, exhaustion and lack of practice had dulled Azula's reflexes; the tendril lashed out faster than she could summon up her fire.

Suddenly, a blade of air cut the water tentacle in two, before a gale of wind knocked everyone back. Into the melee rushed Maina, who got in between both parties and faced the Avatar with her staff out. "I am Maina. High Priestess of Infant Island, and the Princess of the Fire Nation is under my protection. Come no further or suffer the consequences," she demanded in a steely voice.

"...High Priestess…anything else I need to know about you?"

"What part of 'can we discuss this later' do you not get?" Once more, Azula was half-tempted to put a fire-blade to the girl's neck. First, she was an airbender. Now she was some kind of priestess from…wherever this "Infant Island" was. What's next? She'd reveal that she's some spirit incarnate? At this point, she wouldn't be too surprised if she was some assassin her mother had hired to kill her. And what did she mean under her protection?

Thankfully Boomerang Boy (or Sokka or whatever) began to ask the questions first. "Hang on! You're an airbender?!"

"Yes, I am. It's a long story but-"

The heavy rumble of tank treads rumbling their way through the village cut their conversation short. Each tank was accompanied by a squadron of soldiers, all of them converging on the docks and reinforcing the Avatar. No doubt they, along with the ship out in the harbor, were mobilized by Commander Maoso. Azula did recall a group of them having mobilized already when she came forward to the base. Guess they really were expecting some kind of attack from hostile forces.

Well, there goes our last escape route, Azula bitterly noted. Even with someone else at her side, there was no way the two of them could possibly win against such overwhelming force.

Maina didn't seem too bothered. "Look. I understand the Princess has done some pretty bad things-"

"That's the understatement of the century," Katara spat out.

"But you're taking this too far! I mean, she can barely walk or fight for spirits' sake!"

"Well, it's not like we can just let her go free either! What's your big idea then?" Sokka snapped. Maina though stood her ground.

"I'll take her with me to Infant Island. She won't harm anyone and-"

"THAT'S IT!"

Everyone looked surprised at Azula's outburst, even herself for that matter. But between all that had been going on, she'd had it up to here with this so-called "friend" of hers. "You've been keeping a lot of secrets from me, and now you're saying you're going to take me to some island I've never heard of? Forget it. I've put up with you for a while now, but this is where I draw the line," Azula spat at Maina, the rest of Team Avatar forgotten.

"Look, you have to trust me on this," Maina stammered out. "I can help-"

"I don't want your help. Why would I want help from somebody who I can't trust? You keep dangling my condition over my head like I'm some kind of lost pet that can't take care of herself. I know how you see me. Like I'm something broken that needs fixing. Well, I have had enough of people trying to fix me." Azula let all the stress of the last day spill out in a stream of bitterness, caustic and burning hot as any fire breath.

"And I've had enough of people treating me like I'm some animal that needs to be chained up or tossed in a hole or whatever you're planning on doing with me!" she continued, directing her ire towards the Avatar and his cronies. "I'm done. I'd rather die on my feet than groveling before you and your flunkies. And if this is where I'm to die, then so be it."

With that, she brought her fingers together and went through the motions to split the positive and negative energies within her body. Feeling the charge generate and spark to life, waiting to be born. Her very last nightmare she had to offer the world. She was…oddly at peace. For once, she was in control. For here was her final stand. And that gave her a shred of comfort. That and the panicked expressions on everyone's faces at seeing her determination to meet her end.

Finally. People feared her again.

But at that exact moment, she heard an enormous explosion.

---

The ship's captain looked through his spyglass at the commotion at the docks. Honestly, he wasn't sure why he and his crew were needed since it wasn't like the mad princess could get too far out to sea without going even madder from starvation and dehydration.

"Seems like the Avatar has everything under control," his first mate mused. "Glad thing he's on our side." Inwardly, the captain was a little relieved. Quite frankly, the last thing anyone wanted to deal with was Ozai's daughter. Especially if any of the stories were true.

"...sir?"

Lowering the scope for a moment, he turned toward the man who wanted his attention. "What is it, Private?"

His crewman didn't say anything. He just pointed out to the dark seas.

At the huge swell in the water heading straight for the fort.

Honed training kicked in as he gave the order. "Trebuchet crew! Aim for that rogue wave before it swamps our ships!" He wasn't exactly sure what it was, but wave or not, something of that size could easily scuttle or damage the ships they had in the harbor. And he knew well enough that a well-placed shot could disperse or at least weaken it.

His crew got to work, quickly lowering the trebuchet, loading it with a boulder covered in oil, and the attached firebender setting it alight. And with the snap of a rope, the weapon fired, flinging its fiery payload right into the path of the swell.

A cheer erupted from everyone as the boulder hit its mark right on the money. The captain was a bit reserved because he knew he had to face the commander to address why they had just fired into the sea for no reason. But at least his men had something to do other than man the fort all day.

The cheers stopped when the swell suddenly changed direction, barreling right towards them. Behind it, the captain could just make the shape of something lashing out of the water and generating waves as it did.

He swiftly ordered his men to ready another shot, but the swell that he wasn't even sure was a swell was coming too fast. Some of the crew knew this and started to blast bursts of fire at the incoming wave.

Any hope that this was a wave though vanished as the tops of jagged formations began to jut out from the water, aiming right at them.

Frozen in fear, the captain faced the oncoming doom with an awful realization. One that was crystalized when he heard an awful moaning sound coming from beneath the waters.

---

The lightning died before it could leave her fingertips. Turning behind, she saw the Fire Nation ship go up in flames. Azula watched as the vessel, its silhouette the same one she'd seen countless times as an enduring symbol of her nation's pride, was cleaved in two.

All at once, the color drained from her face. Flashes of screaming and death raced through her mind. And for a moment…she couldn't move.

Especially not when the swell charged from the wreckage, its emerging spines cutting through the water as it headed straight for the harbor.

Her frozen state was shattered when the tanks from behind fired their ordinance, all aiming at the incoming mass. She could hear the boulders detonate upon hitting their target, each one powerful enough to set a whole village ablaze.

But not one of them did anything except illuminate the huge mass charging right towards them. In fact, it almost seemed to quicken in pace as its thrashing propelled it faster and faster.

All with that all-too-familiar moaning.

The next one to spring into action was Sokka. "IT'S GONNA BEACH ITSELF! AANG! KATARA! FREEZE IT IN THE HARBOR!"

Coming out of their own stupor, Aang and Katara rushed to the docks and began to get to work. The thing was big and fast, and one bender alone probably wouldn't be able to generate enough ice to freeze it in place. Two benders on the other hand…

Both of them went through the motions in sync, feeling the power of the moon strengthen their connection to the harbor. At once, a thick sheet of ice began to spread from the docks and started to encompass the surrounding waters. The spines, though, just kept coming, practically slamming into the ice sheet and cutting their way through. Aang and Katara strained with all their might, focusing all of their energies on not only freezing the waters surrounding the thing but thickening it so it was trapped. Sweat formed on their brows, but they didn't stop. They couldn't stop. Too many lives were at stake.

Just when they thought they couldn't hold the thing back anymore, the approach of the spines began to slow down. The ice surrounding them began to solidify, making it more difficult for the charging being to continue. Eventually, its progress stopped entirely, with Aang and Katara solidifying the ice around it.

The two let out a breath of both exhaustion and relief. Another second, and the…whatever it was, it would've beached itself and crushed both it and everyone under its weight.

"Sokka…it was close enough with Azula…" Katara panted out.

Aang on the other hand shot a cheeky smile. "Hey, it worked. Didn't it?" He flinched a little when the waterbender shot him an annoyed look, but it wasn't like he was wrong either.

"Well, that's one problem dealt with. Time for the other," Toph declared, turning towards Azula and Maina. The rest of Team Avatar once more got into positions, remembering just why they were there.

CRACK!

Everyone stopped as they heard the ice behind the spines began to split apart.

And their hearts dropped when a massive gray tail rose from its frozen prison high into the air. It hung there thrashing for a moment, before plummeting back down into the ice sheet. The impact caused great fractures in the ice to form, each one with a bone-chillingly loud crack.

In the center, the jagged spines wretched themselves back and forth, splitting apart their confinements as they, too rose high into the air.

Higher.

And higher.

The full body of the beast arose inexorably from the vaunted trap with great chunks of ice clinging to its back. It was everything Azula remembered. Tons of seawater spilled over charcoal grey scales. Great arms and claws slashed themselves free.

With great effort, the monster brought its leg up clear of the water…

Maina tackled the dumbstruck Azula to the side and out of the way. Team Avatar followed suit, but even they couldn't stay on their legs as the reptilian foot came slamming down. The giant foot pressed down, cracking the earth and splintering the docks. The very force of its impact caused the houses in the nearby village to collapse into shattered piles of rubble.

For a moment, everything remained still.

Then it lifted its other foot, slamming it to the ground and forcing everyone once again to fall to their knees before its awesome might.

Slowly…very slowly…Azula looked up at the mountain shaking its back, sending huge chunks of ice to falling into the village below.

She looked around. Maina. The Avatar. His friends. Everyone. They all saw it. This was no delusion.

This was real.

They all watched as the titan reared its head back, throwing off the last chunk of ice and revealing a saurian face twisted with fury.

With a sound that could only be described as pure, primal rage, Godzilla roared to the heavens, announcing his return.

SKEEEEEEEROOOOOOOOONK!

Everyone had to cover their ears and crouch. That roar was practically a wall of solid sound, buffeting their senses. Azula had to fight the primal instinct to curl up into a ball, to do anything that would keep that sound from ringing in her skull and rendering her deaf.

It seemed to last an agonizingly long time, but eventually, another sound joined it. The more familiar roar of Fire Nation fury.

The tanks unleashed a disciplined wave of projectiles slamming missile after missile into his rocky hide. Shakily pulling herself back up to her feet, Azula watched the bombardment. Her only exposure to the crescendo that brought terror and awe to all the world had been through stories her father and uncle told her. By the time she joined the war, it was practically over and she preferred to fight behind the lines. So the sight of flaming projectiles sailing through the air was…it was something else.

Her awe of the display crashed along with the bombardment as it did absolutely nothing. The charcoal scales remained unscathed, the smoke and embers falling harmlessly as all they accomplished was to create an ostentatious but useless show for any hapless onlookers.

High above, Godzilla snarled in contempt and lifted its massive foot once more. The closest tank and squadron had maybe a few seconds to return fire in some last-ditch effort at resistance before the monster brought it down. Steel and men were crushed under its massive weight as effortlessly as a man steps on a twig.

The screams…Azula froze as she heard the screams and…how quickly they were silenced…

They didn't stand a chance…

Something that wasn't made clear to the other tanks when they began to hurriedly backpedal, yet still kept firing all the same. It could've been considered admirable if they had an actual chance of doing something substantial. But all they succeeded in doing was drawing the ire of the monster, who snorted at the pitiful act of defiance.

It lunged forward, far faster than Azula would've imagined an animal of its size to move. Far faster than one of the tank crews expected before their war machine was seized in Godzilla's powerful jaws. It moved that huge mouth to trap the tank comfortably in its jaws, before crunching down. Fire Nation steel turned out to be little defense against powerful fangs each the size of a person.

It wouldn't be long, though, before the wreckage of the tank was virtually flung into the air with a quick jerk of Godzilla's head. The sight of a Fire Nation tank being tossed around like a toy was almost surreal, even more so when it collided with another tank. Such a collision caused the two of them to disappear in a fiery explosion, ignited by the onboard munitions suddenly being smashed against one another. A plume of flame incinerated all that stood near it, men and buildings alike.

In a matter of mere moments, the tank force was gutted and the docks were reduced to rubble. The last two tanks began to retreat into the village, firing as they pulled back. This in turn further enraged the great reptile, its heavy feet forming craters, and trampling huts with every step in its charge. Behind, its gigantic tail smashed apart any wooden structures still standing, and kicking up plumes of dust and fire in its wake.

Azula, Maina, and Team Avatar staggered to their feet amidst the rubble, standing in awe at the sheer amount of destruction. Amidst the wreckage, they could see the bodies of both soldiers and a few villagers who were brave enough to stay behind. Nobody wanted to imagine the state they were in.

Now, the Princess was no stranger to death and destruction. She killed the Avatar. She knew that sometimes you needed to tear something down to build something better. Yet this…this was something else. This was death on an unimaginable scale. And Azula could just barely keep herself up under the sheer weight of it.

Someone else though managed to bounce back with a surprising amount of authority. "Katara! See what you can do to put out those fires!" The waterbender leaped to action from her brother's leadership, already moving to get into position to try and douse the fires with seawater. "Aang! Get those soldiers out of there! Toph, see if you can slow that thing down!" The Avatar and his earthbending master nodded, already running to their objectives.

She wasn't sure what came over her, but Azula started running after the Avatar towards the two remaining tank crews. Granted she fell a bit behind both due to the amount of rubble and the aching in her muscles. But something seemed to suppress it, as if somehow she had gotten her second wind.

And she wasn't alone either. Maina had joined Katara, trying to keep the fires from spreading with her airbending. From a distance, Azula could tell it wasn't quite up to par from what she saw from the Avatar, but the native certainly knew enough to at least redirect the air to prevent it from fueling the flames.

Katara for her part wasn't too bothered with the strange girl's appearance. She just gave orders on where the fire should be directed while bending large amounts of water from the harbor and onto the burning ruins. Just because she was winded didn't mean she didn't have enough strength to stem the tide of destruction.

As for Toph, she was having significantly less luck trying to slow down a multi-metric ton giant. Finding it with her earthbending was easy enough. And her usual method of sinking the earth around its feet was a tried-and-true maneuver. Every time she tried to entrap those feet though, the monster just crashed right on through. She broke out into a sweat from the sheer force she needed to even put any form of resistance against it. Stopping that drill back at Ba Sing Se was hardly any effort when compared to just trying to slow this thing down.

Up on the roofs, Azula and Aang were running as hard as they could to the nearest tank crew. Agni bless them, they were still firing, but a part of Azula wanted to scream at them to just stop since all they were doing was making Godzilla angrier and angrier.

Not that it would do her any good as the monster swiped its clawed hand at the tank, cleaving it in two with a single strike. She and the Avatar stopped, watching the surviving crew scramble for cover, as the cloven wreckage was thrown into a wooden hut.

That left one tank and squadron left. Luckily for them, they were farther away than the others and had realized the real fact that they may as well have been throwing pebbles rather than bombarding the beast with explosives.

Aang and Azula looked at one another, before nodding and racing towards the final tank. Enemies they may have been, but both understood that those men needed their help. As they ran, they started shouting, "GET OUT OF THE TANK AND OFF THE STREETS!" The squadron seemed to get the message as the tank stopped, everyone scrambling to get the crew outside as fast as possible.

Behind them, Godzilla glared down as it brought its body and massive tail around, trailing debris as it did.

The two unlikely allies used their respective elements to boost forward towards the crew. Aang with his air, Azula with her fire. Rapidly, they closed the distance just as the last of the crew abandoned the tank. Aang swung his staff forward and created a gentle push of air to get one-half of the crew away. Azula broke into a sprint and grabbed a soldier who had fallen while barking out "Move like you've got a purpose!" to the others, which did wonders in getting them to run as fast as possible.

She and Aang had just gotten a good distance away from the tank when the great tail came crashing down, utterly flattening both the machine and everything around it from the impact.

Azula grunted with effort to get the soldier back up on his feet. "I…thank you…Princess…" he stammered.

"Don't thank me! Just get out of here!" she urged, pushing him towards his squadmates who promptly took their comrade and ran. Her chest heaved from effort, trying to regain her breath. It almost felt like she was going to collapse from all the strain.

Heavy footsteps from behind shattered any respite she might have had as Godzilla thundered past, trampling everything in its path under a cloud of dust and flame. Azula looked ahead at where his path of destruction would take him and had her breath snatched away from her. Up ahead was the fort, all decked out in the flag and regalia of the Fire Nation. She could see that it was manned, no doubt the commander standing on the battlements in some futile show of bravado.

A whole lot that did when the rampaging giant monster was charging straight for you.

"I…thanks Azula…" she heard the Avatar say when he landed right next to her.

Before she could give some snarky reply about how they weren't through the woods yet, Toph ran straight up to the Avatar's side. "I can't slow him down on my own. I'm gonna need you to help me out with this one Aang!"

Aang wiped some of the dirt off his face, racing alongside Toph in the air as she surfed on a ridge of earth to get in front of Godzilla's way. Up ahead, fiery boulders and missiles raced through the sky, slamming into the monster's hide. A roar erupted in response, for the beast's new target had just made themselves known.

It charged forward, bringing with it the wave of destruction that had come to consume the entire village. For anyone else, it would've been suicidal to get in its way. For Aang and the world's self-proclaimed strongest earthbender, it was a job only they were cut out for.

Both of them stomped the earth in a horse stance, feeling the very rock and soil bend before their will. The ground in front of the charging monster opened forth a crack, deep enough to easily swallow even its gigantic foot. Godzilla bellowed with surprise as he stepped into the crevice. Not wasting a moment, Toph and Aang thrust out their arms and closed the crevice around the foot, trapping the monster in its place.

With the great beast immobilized, Aang snapped his glider open. This monster was unlike anything he'd ever seen, wading through bombardment after bombardment like it was nothing.

Bitter memories of La bubbled up in his mind as he looked upon the raging beast. Would…he need to go into the Avatar State? It wasn't like the situation could get any worse than it already was.

A crack interrupted his thoughts as Godzilla smashed his foot through the earth, freeing himself from imprisonment and continuing his charge. Aang and Toph were right in his path.

It wasn't long though before a familiar bellow reverberated through the sky, and the form of Appa flew in front of them both. Aang promptly grabbed Toph by the arm and bent a gust of air beneath them to get on the Flying Bison's back. Just in time too as Godzilla thundered right where they were standing.

Aang let out a sigh of relief right before he felt a weight on his shoulders and Momo frantically nuzzling his face. "Hey, it's okay buddy! I'm alright!" he reassured. Honestly, he was just grateful to see a friendly face.

Relief turned to panic though as a mighty crash could be heard. Turning around, Aang saw that Godzilla had smashed his way through into the fort, crushing all in its path. Screams of terror were drowned out by his furious roars. All semblance of order and cohesion were lost as soldiers were either buried under falling debris or trampled in its wake.

Those who still had enough sense fled to the boats, hoping to escape the wrath of the monster. Within the fort, fires and smoke raged out of control as Godzilla smashed the foundry, the castle that housed the officers, and anything that was standing. Those furious roars echoed all over the island, the ghostly image of the feared god standing amidst the smoldering ruins and rubble of the Fire Nation's hold on the island.

Down below, Azula ran through the crashed gates, seeing far too many bodies all along the way. No doubt Maoso was among them, but she didn't have the stomach to look.

Rather, her focus was on the great monster in front of her, trampling everything to the ground. This…this wasn't an animal acting out of instinct. The look in its eyes…there was an intelligence behind it.

Godzilla bellowed with anger, almost as if even this destruction would not sate its fury. It turned its head, towards the boats beginning to leave the dock, and sneered. Claws flexed, for its new target had been found.

Azula watched the monster begin to move…and her hands seemed to move on their own.

She'd seen too much death…too much devastation…she couldn't take it anymore.

So she wouldn't allow it to continue.

At peace with her purpose and her fate, she split the negative and positive energies within herself and brought lightning to her fingertips. Getting into the familiar stance, she shot a bolt of lightning right at the dorsal spines of the monster. An expression of her precision, and focus.

All it did was spark futilely against the towering dragon. So insignificant, that Godzilla didn't even turn to notice.

Something in Azula snapped. Who was she to defy a god its quarry? It was as if fate decided to take the choice away from her. To make her watch more death being thrown in her face.

She…she couldn't take it.

Azula ran behind the monster, just out of the range of its thrashing tail…and screamed.

A brilliant blue breath of fire erupted from her mouth and high into the air. Any sense of restraint and control was lost. The only thing she wanted right now was for the thing to look at her.

…and suddenly, it stopped.

"COME ON! WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!" she screamed, breathing every last ounce of power into her fiery breath.

Slowly…very slowly…Godzilla turned and looked right at her.

Her heart was pounded, her energy nearly spent, and yet…she couldn't turn away from the beast. It stood there. Almost as if sizing her up.

A realization came to her as she thrust her fist in the air and let out a plume of blue fire.

High above, Godzilla watched her generate the blue fire. What was going on in that mind of it, she couldn't tell. By all regards, she felt like prey. She was being examined by the largest thing she had ever seen. And yet…she couldn't turn away. Not now.

Defiantly, she glared back into the eyes of the beast.

Godzilla growled...and his back dorsal spines seemed to flash with blue light.

Azula's skin crawled, watching the display. Inwardly, she felt as though a great fire was being exerted from the monster's breath. A display of power not unlike her own.

The blue light flashed several times…before dimming entirely. Godzilla almost seemed to nod, as if satisfied before turning back the way it came.

Azula stood there amidst the rubble and bodies of the fort, seeing the beast trudge back to the sea through the ruined remains of what was once the village of Odo Island. She fell to her knees, in awe of the power. All of this destruction it had caused almost effortlessly. And nothing, nobody had anything that could stand against it.

Above, she saw the Avatar and the friends he picked up on the Flying Bison observe as Godzilla made its way to the bay.

She heard a shuffling as Maina staggered to her side, spent and barely able to keep herself up.

All anyone could do was watch Godzilla dove into the harbor, its great mass sinking beneath the waves as it swam out to the ocean beyond.

Seeing the great dorsal spines disappear beneath the dark waters, Azula only had one thought.

This wasn't the end. Not by a long shot.

Notes:

A/N: He has arrived.

To begin, Maina being an airbender. I would personally like to put out an open season for me IF she starts becoming too Mary Sue-ish. Just notify me in advance so I can give this fic to somebody else. As for why she's an airbender, I actually based her character off of another of the same name from the Godzilla anime trilogy that acted as one of the twins who worshipped the kaiju Mothra. Who in turn, are part of a series of successive characters who serve basically the same role and have had mystical powers and abilities.

Long story short, I am going somewhere with this. Nor am I going to try and invalidate Aang's status as the last Air Nomad here. She's part of a different culture that practices airbending so she doesn't necessarily hold the same beliefs. After all, there have been various bending cultures in the series that aren't technically part of the four nations like the Foggy Swamp Tribe or the Sun Warriors.

Another one of the big challenges for this chapter was writing the conflict between Azula and the Gaang. She's at the very very start of her redemption arc so she's still technically a villain. Yet I didn't want her to be entirely in the wrong either. The Gaang don't know what she went through at the asylum and…they are kids so it's not like they're going to be all-knowing gurus here. Basically, I didn't want either side to be entirely in the right or in the wrong if that makes any sense.

And at last…Godzilla has made his grand entrance.

He's one of the most iconic characters in media and has made regular appearances for nearly 70 years. I wanted to give him the gravitas he deserved and the level of destruction worthy of his name. Obviously, he's not going to appear in every chapter from here on out, but I want every moment he shows up (or any kaiju that shows up) to feel like an event. I can only pray I did him justice.

Thank you all for reading. This chapter is one I've been excited to write down. I'd also like to take this opportunity to thank my beta reader Selpharia. She has been a big help with this one. Make sure to leave a comment to give some feedback. Make sure to favorite and follow if you want to see more. And I'll see you all next time.

Chapter 5: Upon the Ruins

Summary:

Azula, Maina, and Team Avatar arrive at Yu Dao. Aang and his friends are there to warn Zuko of the threat of Godzilla, while Azula is faced with the true cost the Fire Nation inflicted upon the world.

Notes:

Avatar: The Last Airbender and all associated characters are owned by Paramount Global. Godzilla and all associated characters are owned by Toho Studios. Please support the official release.

  Odo Island

 

Gone…it was all gone.

 

Odo Island. A quaint little village, spared the worst the war had to offer…was trampled in under an hour.

 

Villagers milled around the ruins of what was their homes, digging through the rubble. Salvaging whatever they had to leave behind. Hoping beyond hope that their loved ones or friends who stayed behind wouldn’t be…

 

It was too much. Aang’s legs buckled from all the weight. Try as he might, he couldn’t help but let a few tears fall. On one shoulder, Momo meekly tried to lick his face dry. On the other, he felt another weight press down as Katara rested her head.

 

Ordinarily, it would’ve been comforting. Knowing that he wasn’t alone and that there was something in this world that kept him grounded. A steady rock against the ever-changing tides.

 

Yet tears fell from her eyes too. The smoldering wreckages and distant cries were all too distressingly familiar.

 

“...we couldn’t even slow it down…” Sokka muttered. Toph tried to put a reassuring hand on his shoulder, but even that was half-hearted. What else was there to say? What could even be said?

 

Other than that they failed.

 

They failed to apprehend Azula. They failed to stop Godzilla. They failed these people. Everyone was counting on him yet again, and again he-

 

“Aang? You okay?”

 

Her voice brought him down to earth, making him aware of the dirt between his fingers. Slowly, he felt the air coming in and out of his lungs, centering him back to reality. In…out. In…out.

 

“Ye-...no. No, I’m not,” he said in a hollow voice. He couldn’t lie to himself, or anybody else. It wouldn’t change anything. All he could do was wrap his arm around Katara so they could both support one another.

 

The crunching of armored boots almost caused Aang to try and dust himself off, to make himself a little presentable. Sokka on the other hand wouldn’t have any of it, stepping in front of the Fire Nation soldier without hesitation. “He…needs a moment. You can talk with me.”

 

A man who looked to be in his mid-thirties, this soldier was the most senior officer following Maoso’s death. Nobody tried to think too much about what remained of his body. “We’re…we’re too undermanned to rebuild or even man the fort. Our casualties were…far too many.” He took a moment to collect himself, before steeling himself with a salute. “The rest of us will ship out with the boats. Not much we can do.”

Sokka let his hands fall to his hips in exhaustion and disbelief. His father told him that the Fire Nation’s brutality was matched only by the bravery of their warriors. When one tells you they’ve given up, you know that things have truly gone bad.

 

“That will not be necessary,” an aged voice spoke up. All eyes turned to Elder Yamane with the shrine maiden Nami at his side, both almost ethereal specters amidst the ruins. “We…have a place you can rest and station yourselves. It’s well dug in, and we’ve already stockpiled enough food for the foreseeable future.”

 

If the newly-minted officer gave any sign that he recognized this clear tip-off as to the identities of the “smugglers” Maoso had been after, it was masked by a look of relief and a grateful bow. However, anyone who had gone through the night they had endured could easily be forgiven for not remembering what was truly important in the moment.

 

Hearing the elder’s voice brought Aang up to his feet, using his staff to drag himself from the dirt. Katara was naturally at his side, but the Avatar took a few steady strides towards the one he’d failed. “Are you sure you don’t need any help from us?” he asked, taking the reins from Sokka and letting the warrior take his own rest beside Toph. Momo glided over to the boy, letting Aang face the leaders by himself.

 

“We’ll be okay. It’ll take some time to rebuild, but we’ve prepared for something like this for months now. You worry about yourselves, you hear?” Yamane reassured, giving a weary smile to the tired boy.

 

Not that it was much comfort. The islanders knew who the real threat was, but all they were doing was hunting Azula. If they focused on Godzilla from the start, maybe they could’ve stopped this from happening. Maybe they could’ve…

 

Aang sighed, knowing that dwelling on might-have-beens wouldn’t help now. “I’ll let Fire Lord Zuko know what’s going on so he can send support. I’ll make things right. I promise.”

 

To that, Nami placed a hand on his shoulder and looked him in the eye. “It’s okay. Gojira has not been seen for ages. Nobody could’ve known he would emerge.”

 

He knew she was trying to comfort him, but it didn’t make it any less painful how badly he’d misjudged this whole thing. Right now though, his mind was set on what needed to be done.

 

Aang gave a respectful bow to both of Odo’s leaders before turning towards a waiting Appa a good distance away, with the rest of the team falling in behind his newfound purpose. “Where to, Twinkletoes?” Toph asked.

 

They all knew the answer before the Avatar even said it. “The colonies. We need to warn Zuko before anybody else dies.”

 

---

 

  Fire Nation Ship Cargo Hold

 

Deep within the dark hold of a Fire Nation ship, Azula stared at the impossible girl across from her.

 

Lieutenant Kazuma’s offer to smuggle them to the colonies to warn the Fire Lord was an obvious choice. It gave them some breathing room away from the Avatar and some time to plan out their next move. Or rather, time for Azula to dissuade herself from the absolutely stupid idea she did have.

 

That wasn’t happening right now, so perhaps she figured she’d get some much-needed answers when she had a chance.

 

To that end, she rose to her full height, and crossed her arms. Her eyes were blazing, practically pinning Maina to the hull of the ship. The image would’ve been more powerful if she were in full armor, but she’d have to make do with the robes and cloak she had.

 

“Start talking. How many of you are there?”

 

“Not too many of us. We’re just a small tribe with a few settlements, but we rarely leave our island. I’m the first in…well since the war started I think.”

 

“And how exactly did a small tribe of airbenders manage to escape one of the largest operations in military history?”

 

Maina sighed, slumping herself down to the dirty floor. She offered Azula an open spot beside her, but the Princess just leaned on a crate behind her. If they were going to be here a while, she wanted to make it clear who was in charge here.

 

“None of us had any idea of what Sozin was going to do at the time of the Comet. I mean, all of us knew that the Fire Nation was becoming more radicalized and were looking for the Avatar, and we knew he had been born to the Air Nomads. We just didn’t know who he was at the time. Nobody did. And…nobody imagined what lengths the Fire Lord would go to get him out of the picture.”

 

“You mean make a pre-emptive strike on the Air Nomads’ forces before they had a chance to unleash their army and the Avatar on us, right?”

 

“What the- They were monks! Why would they have an army, of all things?!?” The outburst didn’t have too much effect on Azula. She supposed growing up listening to the lies of this girl’s ancestors would blind her to the truth. Couldn’t exactly blame her for that.

 

Maina took a deep breath, collecting herself. “They didn’t have an army…so when the Fire Nation wiped them all out, they couldn’t do much to defend themselves. Neither could we. It all happened so fast. When we learned about what had happened, it was too late for any of us to help.

 

“The Fire Nation was pretty efficient in hunting down the last Nomads. And one of the things they did was rob them of places to hide. They knew we were allies and could easily harbor refugees, so they came after us next. Had a whole fleet and a squadron of dragon riders to wipe us out just so not a single Nomad survived. Who…who does that? Who wipes out an entire culture?”

 

Sometimes sacrifices need to be made for the greater good , Azula told herself. It was war. War didn’t care about morality or what was lost. It only cared about who was left standing. Especially if the enemy would stoop to any low to kill them all. Either us or them. Plain and simple.

 

“Then how did you survive when no one else did?” Azula asked.

 

“...Mothra saved us.”

 

“Mothra?”

 

“Yes. She’s the Goddess I pray to,” Maina elaborated, holding up the stone necklace with an engraved cross. “And this is her symbol. She’s a deity of peace, love, life, and harmony.”

 

“Sounds like she and the Avatar would get along just fine then,” Azula snarked.

 

“Yeah. The Fire Nation underestimated her then too. But she’s real. Just like Godzilla is real. And when the navy came for us, she whipped the winds into an impassable hurricane. Ships were sunk. The dragons went mad and threw their riders off their backs. Within an hour, the whole force was sent to the abyss of the sea. And with her strength, she kept the storms raging for many decades until she had spent the last of her power. Even then, nobody came after us since no one was sure if Mothra was alive or not.”

 

“...so…Mothra is dead?”

 

“Sort of. She’s a Goddess of life but also of death. Think of it as an unbreakable cycle. One dies but can be reborn in a new life. That’s what Mothra’s like. Right now, she’s dormant. But I don’t doubt she’ll awaken soon enough. She always does.”

 

“Sounds a bit like the Avatar.”

 

“Something like that,” Maina conceded.

 

“...is she a monster like Godzilla then?” Azula hesitantly asked. The parallels seemed a bit too similar for it to be a coincidence. Armies and soldiers being sent to their graves by some kind of unassailable force akin to a god. A pattern she’d been picking up as of late.

 

“Kaiju. That’s what we call her, Godzilla, and others like them. We don’t call them monsters, and especially not Mothra. Sure, there are some bad ones out there, but they’re not all like that.”

 

“...others…”

 

“I mean. That’s what I’ve heard,” Maina quickly added, but it was enough for Azula to push herself off the crate and walk a bit in a daze.

 

There were others.

 

She didn’t know if it was the ship rocking or the revelation, but she needed to lean on a crate for support once she had walked out of sight. Kaiju. Monsters. It didn’t matter what you called them. The possibility of there being more of those things out there almost brought bile to her throat.

 

We’ll overcome these threats. Just as we’ve always done , the ghost of the Phoenix King told her.

 

“Just like at Odo Island then, Father?” she hissed. Whatever strength she had fled her, causing her to slump down to the floor with her back against the crate. Even talking back to an image of her father was enough for her to flinch. How else could she possibly react? Honestly, she expected a sharp scolding from him whenever she spoke out like that.

 

Instead, she got the aggravatingly soothing voice of her mother. My love, maybe it is not as bad as we thought. This Mothra does not sound so horrible. Maybe this Maina could help you understand them.

 

“Her? Mother, I didn’t even know she could bend air and she wanted to take me to a place I never even heard of. How could I possibly trust her?”

 

I suppose you’re right. After all, you can’t trust people these days. Too many unknowns. It’s good for you to stay on your toes.

 

So why stick your neck out for those who are so unworthy?

 

Zuko, Mai, and Ty Lee’s voices sounded so fake, that Azula almost laughed. That was rich coming from them. No. She needed to look out for herself. And if this Maina had any ill intent-

 

“Everything okay?”

 

Azula snapped out of her musings when Maina rounded the corner, looking at her with concern.

 

“I’m fine ,” she said, biting her lip, hoping she made herself sound convincing.

 

Maina just looked at her in that aggravatingly concerned way and sat across from her. “It’s just, I heard you talking and…” She trailed off, not wanting to push it any further already. “Look, I’m sorry I kept things from you. It’s just when you’re far from home, you…don’t want people to know who you are.”

 

Azula drily chuckled. “Finally. Something we can both agree on.”

 

“But the offer still stands. Infant Island can help. It’s a place of healing and wisdom. If anyone can help, it’s Mothra.”

 

And that sounded too good for Azula to believe. Why would anyone help a monster like her out? She was insane. She talked to people who weren’t there and banished her friends and servants on a whim. Who would ever give her the time of day?

 

“She doesn’t know me then,” she spat out.

 

To her surprise, Maina leaned over and gave her a reassuring pat on her shoulder. “When I said Mothra is a Goddess of Life and Death, I don’t just mean the physical way. She’s the embodiment of renewal and new beginnings. That anyone can begin to change their ways if they’re brave enough to take those first few steps.”

 

…

 

“...it’s too late for me then.”

 

Maina looked at her as if she had grown a second head, before leaning back and letting the silence descend on them both. Good. It left Azula some time to think of her next move. Which distressingly was the same as the first idea she thought of.

 

But how exactly do you warn your brother against doing something stupid when he hates your guts?

 

---

 

Yu Dao

 

From high above, on Appa’s back, Yu Dao looked like any other Fire Nation settlement. Situated comfortably along the seaside, the roofline was dominated by the typical crimson pagodas and towers. Great naval ships docked in the harbor, with the proud flame of their nation fluttering in the breeze on red flags everywhere.

 

You’d have to be told that this settlement was sitting on what, centuries before, had been Earth Kingdom territory. 

 

Outside the city was the thing that caught everyone’s attention. A large military camp had been set up, with massive war balloons and tanks lined up to be deployed at a moment’s notice. It was enough to house a sizable army. 

 

Aang, Toph, Katara, and Sokka were silent. They all knew that talks with King Kuei about the oldest colonies were breaking down. They knew he was arriving with his own army for the next summit. Zuko assured them that the armed forces here were a deterrent or a precaution for a worst-case scenario should fighting break out. Nobody was in the mood for restarting the whole war all over again.

 

They just hoped that this wasn’t a dry field waiting for a single spark to set it all ablaze.

 

Appa groaned as he descended, not having gotten quite used to landing in a war camp full of Fire Nation soldiers. The soldiers standing at attention didn’t help his nerves much. Regardless, Aang gently patted his oldest friend on the head in reassurance. They weren’t being fired at this time, so that was a start.

 

His other animal partner wasn’t so keen on taking him at his word. Momo proceeded to curl up underneath one of Sokka’s blankets, his green eyes peeking out from the fabric.

 

Well, not like that was going to stop him. Aang and his friends leaped down to the dusty earth below. Right away, the few closest Fire Nation soldiers exchanged nervous glances before bowing in respect. “Avatar Aang! We…weren’t expecting you. If we had known you were coming-”

 

“We’re here to speak with Fire Lord Zuko. It’s an urgent matter,” Aang interrupted.

 

“Ah…yes. See, the Fire Lord is currently in the middle of a meeting with his advisors-”

 

“And will cut some time out so he can see his friends.”

 

That voice got the soldiers to jump and immediately part ways, giving a respectful bow to the young man striding through their ranks. Aang on the other hand had about as much respect as you could expect a kid of his age. None. He practically zoomed forward on the wind and gave Zuko a big hug with a huge smile plastered on his face.

 

Zuko, to his credit, took the breach of protocol in stride and hugged his friend back. “Oh thank Agni you’re here,” he said. “If I had to hear another advisor talking my ear off, I thought I was going to lose it.”

 

“Good to see you again too buddy. You look great!” Indeed, Zuko was decked out in the resplendent crimson, gold, and black robes befitting of the young Fire Lord. A cape cascaded down from his shoulder plates while the crown he had fought for sat rightfully on his topknot.

 

“Thanks. I, uh, wish we could’ve met under better circumstances.”

 

“Doesn’t mean we can’t make the best of a bad situation though,” a much older voice chimed in. From behind, the familiar stout figure of Iroh strode in amidst the reunion. This brought a smile to the faces of Team Avatar at seeing Zuko’s old uncle…and a little confusion.

 

“Wait, what are you doing here instead of the Jasmine Dragon?” Toph asked.

 

Iroh just gave a cheeky grin. “Well my nephew here wanted my help regarding the situation with the colonies, and it’s not like I could say no to that. Why don’t you come join us for some tea? I’ve got the kettle on.”

 

Figuring they could take the tea master at his word, Aang, Zuko, and the rest followed Iroh through the camp. All around, they could see soldiers training, cleaning their gear, and making sure all was in tip-top shape. It was almost surreal that they weren’t being chased by everyone present this time around. Then again, six months since the war ended was a pretty long time.

 

They all followed Iroh into Zuko’s tent, a regal abode guarded by elite firebenders outside, and furnished with all the ornate trappings of home inside. The smell of tea wafted in the air, prompting them to take their seats and allow Iroh to serve their drinks.

 

“Now then. Let’s get down to business.” Almost instantly, the tension in the room rose as Zuko looked Aang dead in the eye. “Tell me about what happened on Odo Island.”

 

And so the Avatar did. He told him everything. Every detail they could remember. While the tea was warm and delicious, it didn’t quite drown out the grizzly images from the night before. The others piped in now and again to tell the Fire Lord and the Grand Lotus some detail Aang might’ve missed.

 

Especially about Godzilla.

 

Zuko soaked it in, letting the others talk. When they were done, he took a sip of his tea and closed his eyes while taking a breath.

 

“What about Azula?”

 

A chill descended on the air. Everyone looked at each other before Katara said, “She got away. We couldn’t find her among the dead or the survivors.”

 

The Fire Lord took another deep breath. “So she’s still out there running loose…”

 

“No offense Zuko, but we’ve got bigger problems than Azula,” Sokka sheepishly said. “This Godzilla just took out an entire village and almost wiped out a whole garrison. We all know Azula’s a problem, but I think this monster should be our biggest priority.”

 

“And what do you believe we should do then?” Iroh asked.

 

Aang fidgeted a little bit, not sure if he was going to like the response. “Godzilla’s tough. Nothing we had was even able to put a scratch on it.”

 

“Do you even know why it attacked in the first place?” Zuko asked.

 

“...not exactly. But I think it was angered by the Fire Nation prison ships moving through its territory.”

 

“Godzilla seems to have some kind of beef with anything Fire Nation,” Sokka picked up. “Once it got finished out at sea, it made a beeline to the fort on Odo Island. Maybe it figured that’s where the ships came from and decided to attack the source.”

 

“It also seems to go after anything that attacks it in retaliation. Once those tanks fired on it, Godzilla went crazy and practically tore them to shreds. We guess that whatever it sees as a threat, it goes after, ” Katara finished up. It still amazed Team Avatar how anything could rip solid steel to shreds. Aside from Toph of course, but even she had to invent metalbending to do that.

 

Aang straightened himself up to make himself clear. “I’m going to commune with the past Avatar spirits to see if I can’t find out more, but until then, I’d recommend you stay away from the waters around Odo Island. The last thing we need is to give him any more reasons to go on a rampage.”

 

Whatever cordiality was there had been replaced by the gravity of their news. They all waited a bit nervously for Zuko’s assessment. These were his people after all, and there was no telling what anyone would do when faced with such a threat. After all, Team Avatar didn’t initially believe that the monster would be more than some local sea beast before it rose and destroyed Odo.

 

“...my sister’s escaped her trial, Kuei’s breathing down my neck, and now this ‘Godzilla’ is going around threatening my nation…”

 

“I…know it sounds bad, but all we can do about Azula is wait for her to make her move-”

 

“No, that’s exactly why this is so bad!” Zuko snapped at Aang. It took him a moment for him to register what he did before he slowed his breathing. “Sorry. It’s just…between all the stuff I’ve been dealing with in regards to Kuei and this…I know my sister. She’s going to take advantage of this somehow.”

 

“And put the peace we’ve all fought so hard for in jeopardy,” Iroh mused gravely.

 

“Uh, hello? We just told you about a huge lizard that destroyed a village and you think that Princess Sparky’s our biggest problem?!”

 

Everyone just stared at Toph for a moment. “What? Princess Sparky? For her lightning?”

 

“...okay, that’s kind of amusing,” Iroh admitted, chuckling to himself.

 

“That’s beside the point. Didn’t you say that Godzilla could be pacified by avoiding his territory?” Zuko asked.

 

Aang rubbed the back of his head. “I didn’t say that. I just said to avoid those waters for now and avoid engaging him. We still don’t know what angered him, which is why I’m consulting the past Avatars. That way I can find a way to actually calm him down.

 

“Zuko, we know that Azula’s a problem, but there’s not a whole lot we can do about her right now. We’ll get to her, but right now our biggest concern is this Godzilla. What’s going to be more of a threat? Azula, who everyone knows, will be on the lookout for, and is someone we’ve beaten before? Or something we weren’t able to hurt and seems to hate the Fire Nation?”

 

“...Uncle. What do you think?”

 

Iroh furrowed his brow. “Azula is a problem. But this monster, this ‘Godzilla’...sometimes you need to save one problem for another time when a crisis of this magnitude is staring us in the face.”

 

The old man proceeded to shrug. “Who knows? Often solving one problem will lead to the solution of another.”

 

“Alright, I’ll need to talk with my advisors to get them on board,” Zuko declared. “There’s an old shrine nearby that I think you’ll be able to pray at, Aang. That should help you get the information you need.”

 

“I’ll work with the other White Lotus members to see if there’s anything we can dig up about this ‘Godzilla’,” Iroh added, already moving to grab a parchment and a quill to contact his “Pai Sho buddies”.

 

“Thanks Zuko. And don’t worry about Azula. We’ll find her eventually.” Aang bowed in respect as he said this. He wouldn’t let the young monarch down. Not this time.

 

Zuko bowed in return. “I know you will,” he said. Yet…Katara couldn’t help but notice a look of concern on his face. Something was hidden beneath the surface but still visible if you had known the Fire Lord long enough. She had known him for a while. After all, she was the first one he opened up to back in Ba Sing Se.

 

So when she saw Zuko being worried and him talking about Azula, it didn’t take too much thinking to put two and two together.

 

---

 

“Okay, so walk me through your thinking process here. You want to warn the guy who put you in an asylum about Godzilla?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Yet you also know that the Avatar and his friends probably beat us to him, so they probably already warned him about Godzilla.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“So…why exactly are we still trying to warn him? Especially what happened after the last time you tried to warn somebody about Godzilla?”

 

“Ugh. For the love of- you stow away on a boat and try to think up a better idea next time, okay?” Azula exasperatedly said. Honestly, this Maina was just as pushy as Mai was.

 

They wandered through the crowded streets of Yu Dao, Azula wearing a cowl to obscure her face. Maina didn’t have the entire Fire Nation army looking for her, so she could at least blend in easily with the crowd. Honestly, it might’ve been safer to find someplace for Azula to hide out and let her…she wouldn’t say “friend”, but perhaps her “acquaintance” scout the city out.

 

But that would also mean putting her safety in the hands of a stranger AND being cooped up in yet another hideout for the time being. No, she wanted to stretch her legs. Besides, with so many people around, it would be easier for her to disappear than on an island.

 

Even if it did mean having to walk amongst more peasants.

 

“Hey, I do have a plan. Go to Infant Island like I said,” Maina snarked. The Princess did have to admit, being stuck with somebody who could stand up to her was a refreshing change of pace. 

 

“Look, I know what I’m doing. Sometimes, the best course of action is to see your surroundings and make use of what is given to you. Often the way forward will present itself. It’s how I conquered Ba Sing Se after all,” Azula confidently said. She made a note to write that down somewhere. Iroh wasn’t the only one with “wise” remarks after all. Of course, hers were better since they actually worked.

 

And almost on cue, the two of them heard the shouting of a crowd ahead. Azula gave a smarmy smirk before leading a rather annoyed Maina to what she guessed was the entrance to the noble distract.

 

They snaked their way into the crowd seeing a…rather confused mixture of what looked to be Fire Nation citizens and…Earth Kingdom peasants protesting together? Azula raised an eyebrow at all of this. She hadn’t spent much time in the colonies herself, but she definitely knew that these two groups did not mix.

 

Up ahead were a few annoyed Fire Nation guards who had the unlucky fortune of being assigned to “keep the peace”. So far, none in the crowd made a move, but it wasn’t like things were calming down anytime soon.

 

Intrigued, Azula turned to a teenage girl with brown hair who wore the garb of Fire Nation nobility in amongst the crowd. “Excuse me. What exactly is going on here?” she asked.

 

The girl took a break from chanting “YOU DON’T BELONG HERE!” to answer Azula’s question. “What’s it look like we’re doing? We’re protesting against the war profiteers that our ‘oh-so-benevolent’ Fire Lord is letting stay here!”

 

Azula and Maina looked at each other. “Uh…we just arrived so we’re kind of out of the loop here. Who’s profiteering from whom?”

 

“Oh. OH!” The protestor’s demeanor changed in an instant. “Forgive my attitude. I didn’t realize you weren’t from around here.”

 

The Princess looked the stranger up and down. Her stance and shift in mood betrayed a drilled-in sense of politeness and poise. Things you needed when growing up with a noble background. Particularly a Fire Nation one. “What’s your name?”

 

“I am Kori Morishita.”

 

Morishita…she recognized that name. Morishita was the name of the mayor assigned to Yu Dao. Father taught her that when she learned all of the important names in the colonies. This Kori then must’ve been his daughter.

 

That made her wonder why the mayor’s daughter was here amongst this rabble and not in the mayor’s house. Did somebody just decide that the whole world was to lose its mind instead of just her?

 

The answer decided to make itself known when one of the guards fired a short burst of flame in front of the crowd. “Citizens of Yu Dao, this is your last warning,” he commanded. “Go back to your homes, or we’ll be forced to start arrests for civil disobedience.” Whatever fire the crowd had was snuffed out by the threat of being scorched, their chantings extinguished with it. The Earth Kingdom citizens seemed to shrink away the most, much to the few staunch members trying to rally them all back.

 

Azula furrowed her eyebrows. A threat was one thing. Sometimes you need to frighten those you ruled to instill order. But there was a difference between dangling a grisly fate over one who you were pretty certain was a collaborator and would be more deserving of such punishment and threatening a whole crowd of citizens who got swept up in the hysteria. You couldn’t just start arresting people left and right after all, lest you be left with nobody. A lesson she was…all too familiar with.

 

Didn’t seem the grunts got the obvious message though. They started advancing with fire in their hands and weapons drawn. The Princess’s ire was raised, almost stepping forward to prevent what she saw was an incoming slaughter. Kori, on the other hand, put an arm out to stop her. “Don’t. You’re just going to make things worse. Let me handle this.”

 

Turning around, the noble girl proceeded to spread the word amongst the rabble, saying “It’s not worth getting killed over” and “We did what we could” to a few people. She simply told a few people, who in turn started talking to others. It wasn’t long before the message got across to everyone, even the few more fervent members. In time, the crowd dispersed. With just a few words, they backed down faster than what the grunts would’ve been able to make them with violence.

 

Kori sighed. “This…happens all the time. We get a crowd, they start throwing fire around,” she said while gesturing to the grunts who stood down, “and we disperse 'cause we can’t fight against something like that.”

 

“...so you’re hoping to get yourself loud enough so people who can stand against those grunts listen and back you up?”

 

“Yeah, something like that,” Kori replied to the Princess. “...that’s…actually on point. How did you-?”

 

Her eyes went wide once she saw who exactly was under the hood. “You’re-!”

 

“A friend!” Maina hurriedly said with a nervous smile. “A bit confused, a little lost, and she can be a pain, but she’s a friend. And definitely someone who doesn’t deserve to be thrown away to rot like some people would want to do with her. Trust me on this.” Azula gave a bit of a glare at the “lost” description, but she wasn’t in the mood to get into an argument right now.

 

It helped that Kori seemed to calm down a bit, trusting in the stranger’s judgment and…giving the Princess another one of those maddeningly sympathetic looks she’s been getting a lot recently.

 

“Then…what are you doing here? I heard you were lost out at sea near Odo Island.”

 

“It’s…a long story. Just know that I need to warn my brother against doing something stupid that could kill us all.”

 

“Or we could be on our way to a certain island right now…” Azula elbowed Maina in the arm, not really in the mood to get lectured about how she needed “help” at that particular moment.

 

Thankfully the priest’s little aside went right over Kori’s head. “Trust me. Your brother is causing enough problems as it is.”

 

“What do you mean? Fire Lord Zuko said he was going to bring honor back to the Fire Nation, didn’t he?”

 

“Look, it…probably would be better if I just showed you,” Kori told Maina, waving for them both to follow her. The two girls exchanged a confused look before falling in step.

 

The noble teen led them through what looked like the marketplace, with business owners and customers mulling about. “Notice anything off?” Kori asked. Azula’s eyes took a moment to spot what she was talking about. Granted it was hard to spot, but once she noticed the first signs, she started seeing it everywhere.

 

Shops that were owned and manned by Fire Nation merchants were more ornate and flashy when put next to their Earth Kingdom counterparts. Sure the former wasn’t entirely new for Azula. She’d seen plenty of business owners flaunting their wealth back at Caldera. Yet the contrast was stark between those shops and the less well-kept stores manned by Earth Kingdom citizens.

 

It wasn’t just in store decor either. All around, she saw the typical crimson and flowing robes of Fire Nation nobles, symbols of wealth and success. Yet compared to the more drab and subdued Earth Kingdom shoppers, the gap was hard to ignore. Sure there were quite a few Fire Nation peasants who looked a bit on the poor side, but Earth Kingdom nobles were nonexistent.

 

Looking all around, Azula almost stopped when she saw a shoe-shining booth where an Earth Kingdom worker was shining the shoes of a Fire Nation noble. The noble’s grey hair meant he had probably lived here awhile. Could’ve easily had ties with some of the old blood that conquered these lands.

 

Azula blinked. It wasn’t the dynamics here at work that gave her pause. It made sense that the Fire Nation would be on top since they had succeeded in taking the land. Obviously, the Earth Kingdom didn’t deserve it since they couldn’t defend their land and citizens properly.

 

What got her though was…Zuko promised that things were going to get better. That there would be peace and understanding and no more conflict. So…why was somebody who got here through conquest still on top?

 

“Yeah. I thought he was telling the truth as well. The thing is, they’re kicking all of the Fire Nation nobles out of the other colonies, but not here. I’m hearing it’s the same story with the other old territories,” Kori bitterly explained.

 

A thought just occurred to Azula. “Hang on. You’re a noble. Why’s it you’re protesting your father being here?”

 

“My father’s Fire Nation. My mother’s Earth Kingdom. I’ve…got roots in both places.”

 

Ah. A mixed marriage , Azula thought to herself. It wasn’t unheard of out here in the colonies for the two to mix, but it wasn’t exactly smiled upon back home. Sometimes they did it for political reasons to keep the peace with the natives. Sometimes it was for love. While she didn’t understand it herself, she wasn’t exactly one to look down on those who made such choices. It was an unavoidable consequence when cultures interact.

 

“Okay. I get that part. But why would you side with those who’d want you and your father gone? He’s the reason you have a decent upbringing instead of being with the rabble after all,” Azula pointed out. Turning against one’s father was downright alien to her. After all, they were the ones who shed their blood for the Fire Nation. It was their duty to uphold their honor.

 

She would know. Father was the reason she was such a great firebender, and made a name for herself.

 

Kori on the other hand had a different opinion. “I’d rather side with rabble than those who have the guards in their pockets. And I’d rather call here home than go back to a country that almost killed us all during Sozin’s Comet,” she bitterly spat out. Azula’s ears picked out how…rehearsed this was. Clearly, it wasn’t the first time she’d given this speech.

 

Thought it was what she also said that got Azula’s attention. “Hang on. Sozin’s Comet?! Why would the Phoenix King want you dead? You were loyal!”

 

Both Maina and Kori stopped dead in their tracks and looked her in the eye. “You…you don’t know?” Maina asked.

 

“Well…I wasn’t with the fleet. I had…issues of my own. But I do know that the plan was to position the ships in the areas with the most resistance and put on a display of force to burn any hope they had to the ground.” She should know. It was her idea after all. She even detailed the areas where they could make the most impact within the time given to them with the least amount of effort.

 

Kori and Maina exchanged glances. “You really don’t know?” Kori asked.

 

“I…admittedly wasn’t in a position to hear.”

 

…

 

“Come with me, you need to see something.” With that, Kori walked on, leaving Azula befuddled. The Princess looked to Maina for some explanation, but she just shrugged before following the rebel. However, there was something in her eyes that told Azula that she knew something she didn’t.

 

Curious, Azula fell in behind both. A part of her felt like she needed to see what they knew.

 

---

 

Outside of Yu Dao

 

It was a bit of a hike, but they got to where Kori wanted to bring her during the early afternoon.

 

Azula stopped in her tracks and gawked at the scorched earth before her.

 

There were burnt trees and the hollowed husks of housings as far as the eye could see. Where there were fields were just dead fields of burnt ash. Nothing seemed to be living out here.

 

“What…how…this…Father did this?” Azula asked no one in particular. Maina and Kori just gave solemn nods in response. “We…we were supposed to burn down the Earth Kingdom’s hope…”

 

“Did he say ‘hope’ or just ‘burn down the Earth Kingdom’?” Kori pointedly asked.

 

Azula felt…uneasy. Yes. He did say that. And she didn’t think much of it at the time. Even if he was serious, there had to have been some reason to escalate to this level. Sure it meant scorching loyal citizens but…

 

For some reason, her mind flashbacked to the destruction of Odo Island, seeing an entire village reduced to rubble and good Fire Nation men and women getting crushed. Now it occurred to her that her father wanted to do the exact same thing, but now to an entire continent .

 

It made her feel…uneasy.

 

“I can’t go back to that legacy. And I don’t care what the new Fire Lord said. He decided to take the mantle of Fire Lord, so he gets the legacy behind that title. Wouldn’t be the first time his line decided to butcher everyone around here after all.”

 

Yes. The initial invasion into the Earth Kingdom territories spearheaded by Fire Lord Sozin himself. Azula knew the history. She still didn’t understand why Kori would place her mother’s country before of her father’s…but she did understand why she wouldn’t be fond of her brother. Odd that they’d find common ground in that fact.

 

And it made her more uneasy when she realized that there was a chance that this could happen again.

 

“Well, there’s a chance he might get everyone killed here,” Azula murmured.

 

Now it was Kori’s turn to ask, “What are you talking about?”

 

Looking at each other, Maina and Azula told Kori everything that had transpired at Odo Island. The pain, the amount of death. And of the great beast responsible for it all.

 

“Godzilla? …I thought he was just a legend.”

 

“So did a lot of others,” Maina sadly mused. What caught Azula’s attention though was Kori’s apparent familiarity with the name given how casually she said it.

 

Her look of confusion was caught by the rebel. “There’s a depiction of him at our local temple. Did you want to see it?”

 

“Yes.” Azula let the local lead the way. That name. Her mind kept saying it over and over again. It wasn’t just the chaos from Odo that was practically painted in her head, thought that had a lot to do with it. For some reason, she felt like she needed to know more. More about something that seemed to defy any known logic and threw everything she knew about the world upside down.

 

And the blue fire…she couldn’t forget what she saw both in the shrine and during the monster’s rampage. What did they mean by the “Wielder of the Sapphire Flame”? She had a lot of questions. And when Princess Azula wanted answers, she got them. Sooner or later.

Notes:

A/N: Happy late Thanksgiving! Sorry I couldn’t post this sooner since holidays kept us busy, you know? I’d like to thank Selpharia again for beta reading.

Now, for the chapter. A key aspect of a few Godzilla movies is that we often see the carnage and the aftermath left behind by a rampage. After the excitement and awe-inspiring destruction is down, we see the actual damage and death toll. Granted it’s not universal since a lot of the later movies. And since the effects of war and conflict are a key aspect of Avatar: the Last Airbender, I figured this would be one aspect that would have some synergy.

Also, I hope my Kataang moment did the ship and both characters some justice.

Anyways, we finally get Maina’s backstory. As I hinted before, I took her basic character beats from the Godzilla anime trilogy as one of Mothra’s priestesses (who WILL be appearing later on if you couldn’t tell). I wanted to give some plausible reason for why there would still be airbenders around, but also make it clear that the Air Nomads are wiped out. And they’re a small population, so it’s not like they’re ready to leap onto the world stage. I wanted to make sure that the events of Sozin’s Comet still had some weight to them.

Naturally Azula’s resistant to Maina’s suggestion cause at this point she’s still in denial about having a problem. It’s something she struggled with in the series since she still kept pursuing Ozai’s affection when there are hints that she knows his love is hollow. If there’s anything she’s good at, it’s lying to herself.

Then we get to Yu Dao…now this and Kori I lifted from the comics (although the geography is a little different). How the plotline regarding the colonialists was handled in The Promise really bothered me a lot. Particularly since it felt like it fell under the “oh we brought prosperity to the natives” that so many colonialists used. And that scene of the Earth Kingdom citizen shining the Fire Nation man’s shoes? That’s adapted straight from the comic, which in turn was based on Hong Kong Chinese citizens shining white men’s shoes.

This is stuff I’m going to be tackling and sort of deconstructing in this leg of the story.

Which brings us…to Zuko.

I’ll admit, I’m not a huge fan of Zuko. I felt that he was completely butchered in the comics and was turned into a wannabe tyrant without being called out on it. It’s why I so hesitant on writing this fic cause I DON’T want to turn this into a Zuko-bashing thing. Especially since he’s the one saying that “things are so much better that the Fire Nation is here” during The Promise and manhandled Katara from attacking colonialists who WERE keeping the natives down. Basically, he was Gene Yang’s author avatar and…I did say this was comic-critical. I’m gonna try and keep his portrayal somewhat nuanced, but he’s…not going to be seen in the best light for the next few chapters. Just warning everyone ahead of time.

Finally, we get Azula’s reaction to Ozai’s scorched earth plan. I think she would go along with it since it’s Ozai calling the shots and it would be inconceivable for her to turn against him, but I don’t think she would be affected by the mass deaths. Especially not after Odo or the prison ship. Think of this as her first wake-up call.

Anyways, thank you all for reading. Make sure to leave a comment to share your thoughts. Favorite and follow if you want to see more. And as always, have a great day and hope to see you next time where we get to see what Kori was talking about and what exactly Zuko has planned for Godzilla. Take care for now!

Chapter 6: Dragon Slayers

Summary:

Aang communes with his past lives to discover what he must do to save them all, only to find out his advice might go unheeded. Meanwhile, Azula confronts a bitter truth within the temple of Yu Dao which could spell doom for them all.

Notes:

Avatar: The Last Airbender and all associated characters are owned by Paramount Global. Godzilla and all associated characters are owned by Toho Studios. Please support the official release.

Outside of Yu Dao

All that remained of the shrine was a simple stone monument sitting on top of a cliff, overlooking the turbulent oceans below. There had to have been more to it once upon a time, but scorch marks on the stone told Aang that whatever was there had been burned to the ground.

What was legible among the fractures and chipped stone on the monument read:

Here reigns the old beings and spirits of the earth and sea.

May their memory be honored forever.

Obviously, the ones who carved it never accounted for what 100 years of war could do to a people.

Aang took a deep breath, knowing all too well what was lost to time. Sure, some things had managed to endure its ravages The spirits themselves, for example, would always be linked to the world. Even if they weren't there in person, it didn't mean they were any less intrinsic to the fabric of reality. Still…he'd give anything for those blissful times back.

He exhaled, feeling the air leave his body and making him light. He couldn't turn back the clock and pretend things didn't happen. What he could do now was move forward. And for that, he needed the advice of the past.

Sitting down amongst the grass and feeling the breeze bring about the salt from the sea, Aang could feel the spiritual power here. His isolation made it all the easier to recognize them. The rest of his friends knew that, and were waiting back at the Fire Nation camp for his return. Hopefully, he wouldn't have to linger here too long. All he was looking for was advice after all.

Closing his eyes, he sent his mind into the past, feeling the constant elements of the world that were there before and would be here long after he had joined the cycle. And with him, he asked his past lives a single question.

Does anyone know anything about Godzilla?

It didn't take long for him to get an answer.

He opened his eyes, seeing the tall woman sitting in front of the monument facing him. The earthy emerald and golden robes. The distinctive makeup. Aang knew her well.

Kyoshi opened her eyes, gazing upon her reincarnation. "You want to know about this Godzilla?"

The airbender blinked, not expecting her to appear. "Uh, I just want to say I'm sorry for-"

His past life just held up her hand and chuckled warmly. "Don't worry about Ozai, Aang. You managed to defeat him and bring him to proper justice. Removing his bending was the best way to do that. The world's seen enough bloodshed as it is, and you can't exactly usher in a world of peace with one more body. Trust me. I know from experience."

Aang let out a sigh of relief. Honestly, a lot of people wondered why on earth he let Ozai live after what he did. Zuko and a lot of the Fire Nation amongst them. It did feel good for a past Avatar to see his point of view though. "Thanks. I mean it.

"But back to my question…"

"Right. You want to know about Godzilla," Kyoshi reiterated. "It happened during Chin's conquest of the Earth Kingdom. His lust for power was insatiable and didn't stop at the Kingdom's borders alone. He saw the Fire Nation across the sea and saw Fire Lord Zoryu's ascension to power and sundering of the clans as a sign of weakness. So he sent a fleet to take a few of the islands within Fire Nation territory, to gauge their strength.

"They never came back. I wasn't able to respond at the time because I was taking care of refugees and doing what I could to stem Chin's advance so I only learned about what happened after Chin died. I found out from Zoryu, who was a little miffed I couldn't be in two places at once. Can't say I blame him.

"Anyways, he wanted me to find out what happened to the fleet since they never gained a foothold on any Fire Nation island. He did know where the fleet disappeared."

"Odo Island," Aang realized.

Kyoshi nodded. "Yes. That's where they told me about the legend of Godzilla."

Aang's vision flashed to an image of Avatar Kyoshi standing on top of a great pillar of stone that jutted out from the raging waters below. Her steely gaze was fixed on the dark waters below, watching as a massive swell came rushing towards her.

"Like you, I assumed he was some kind of monster that needed to be dealt with. So I challenged him directly, figuring he wouldn't ignore another being infringing on his territory."

That great form arose from the sea, blotting out the sun and casting Kyoshi's pillar in shadow. Despite this, she stood stalwart, gazing up at the titan almost asking for it to make the first move.

"Thing was…I was wrong."

To Aang's surprise, Godzilla did not attack. He just leaned down and locked eyes with Kyoshi, the two of them sizing each other up. Moments passed, and somehow…Aang felt the tension in the air ease up. Kyoshi's muscles relaxed as she gazed into the eyes of the dragon.

"He didn't attack. And looking into his eyes…I understood. I wasn't dealing with some rampaging animal. This was an intelligent being. Chin drew his rage because his forces dared to ransack and pillage through his dominion. As such, it was something he couldn't allow."

The last image Aang saw coming back to reality was Kyoshi watching as Godzilla descended back into the waves, its great tail thrashing in the surf.

"Godzilla knew I was the Avatar, and I knew that if it weren't for him, more people would've suffered. So we parted ways as equals."

As reality came back into focus, Aang began to understand what Kyoshi wanted to show him. "Here's my advice to you. Godzilla can be destructive, but he's an inhabitant of this world just like you and I. And I think he and kaiju like him play a vital role in maintaining the balance. After all, the Avatar can't be everywhere at once. And like the Avatar, he can be both a menace and a protector. You just need to find that common ground between you both."

A question still nagged at the back of his mind though. "Wait. If Godzilla is a guardian…how come he's going berserk now and not when the war started?"

"I…can't answer that. There might be something bigger going on that neither one of us fully understands. My best guess is that the war was something beyond what a single being like him could stop. It's like what you were so worried about. You can't end a war by simply adding to the piles of bodies. There needs to be common ground. An Avatar could find that common ground, but a kaiju might not be able to.

"As for why he's going berserk now…I'm guessing the Fire Nation hasn't changed enough for him to be satisfied."

"But the Fire Nation IS changing! …isn't it?" Aang wasn't sure himself. He knew that Zuko was having a lot of problems in court with the other nobles and the various clans that ruled the home islands. And he also knew that there were problems with the Fire Lord relinquishing the colonies. Everyone knew that it wasn't going to be easy to change overnight.

Then again, he could understand what usually followed when Fire Nation ships sailed through your waters…

That left with him only a single option. It was crazy, maybe even suicidal. But if the alternative was that kaiju (is that what Kyoshi called it?) going on another rampage, it was a risk he needed to take. "Alright. I'll talk to Zuko to see if I can't get him to let me try to calm Godzilla down myself."

"Good luck," Kyoshi said, her image beginning to fade. "Uh…one last thing. About Azula."

The Princess's name caught Aang off guard. "What about her?"

"...she reminds me of somebody I knew when I was still alive. And…I don't think she's unreachable. I know it's a lot to ask, but could you please make sure she doesn't end up rotting in some cell somewhere?"

He wasn't sure what to say. Sure he didn't have anything against the daughter of Fire Lord Ozai, but he didn't particularly LIKE the girl who almost killed him. Going off of what Zuko and Iroh said seemed more appropriate since they knew her better. So maybe they'd know how to handle her better.

Yet the way Kyoshi talked about this somebody… gave Aang pause. There was a sort of regret and concern in that voice. And for some reason, an image of a young Earth Kingdom man flashed through his mind. Someone vaguely familiar…

"...I'll try," Aang promised.

"Thank you, Aang," Kyoshi said with a smile, her image beginning to fade from reality as the world began to come back into focus. All at once, the Avatar felt the presence of his past life vanish, leaving him alone on the cliffside.

Though not without leaving him with a sense of purpose. Now he just needed to convince Zuko of his insane idea of trying and reasoning with a giant rampaging monster. He was going to have his work cut out for him.

---

Yu Dao

Once Kori had confirmed that there was nobody in the temple aside from them, Azula threw off her hood and strode through the empty halls.

It was a modest building, the light of the setting sun beginning to cast long shadows against the walls and pillars. Up ahead was the typical shrine dedicated to the glory of the Fire Nation, the great flame emblazoned on the tapestry overlooking the altar. At the foot were candles surrounding a small statue made in the likeness of her grandfather, Fire Lord Sozin. It made sense to her that he who tamed these lands would be honored among the oldest of his colonies.

Yet her attention was drawn to the walls of the shrine. More specifically, the skulls mounted on them.

They certainly weren't dragon skulls, but they were certainly reptilian in appearance. Almost crocodilian in appearance, each one was about a meter in length. To anyone who wasn't part of the nobility, they would've looked ferocious and strange. To Azula, they were merely a reminder of the time she had seen one back home as a small child when visiting a returning general's house. A war trophy, he'd called it.

These were mosasaur skulls. And if you had asked her earlier this year, she would've told you they were extinct. Yet these same creatures were depicted in the shrine amongst various other sea animals dedicated to Godzilla. Certainly, none of these resembled fossils…

"They used to be common around here," Kori explained. "Young men who wanted to prove themselves would hunt them for glory and prestige."

"Guess they were the closest thing to dragons…" Azula mused. Each one had a plaque, commemorating the slayer and how it was conquered. Here was one dedicated to a Yozom, who speared a mosasaur through the heart. Over there was a skull taken by Rimo, who drove a sword through the monster's brain. Sometimes there was a small tapestry illustrating how the young men killed the beast, often shown in grisly detail.

This shrine wasn't just dedicated to the Fire Nation. It was dedicated to slaughter. Something that…didn't sit well with Azula. If there was one thing she wasn't proud of, it was dragon slaying. And these beasts, with their depictions stylized to include small whiskers and horns, painted an uncomfortably familiar image.

Their deaths were not the only ones to be depicted around the temple of course. All around, there were engravings, tapestries, and paintings dedicated to those early days of the war. Most of them were recognizable as feats performed by Sozin. Azula gazed upon one that depicted a story she and all other Fire Nation girls grew up learning about in the academy. Sozin and his armies descending onto the shores of the Earth Kingdom with his soldiers in an assault from the sea, fists unleashing a wave of flames against the endless barbarous hordes.

She remembered the lessons well. About how he moved swiftly and established the beachhead for the rest of the war. It wasn't meant to be overly aggressive, just enough to set up some forts and even some settlements so the rest of their forces could roll into the rest of the continent unmolested. Helped that those forts and settlements proved to be more than resilient against the first counterattacks from the Earth King.

"This is nothing but butchery and lies," Maina muttered, looking at a tapestry. Azula could see that it depicted an army of dragon riders descending on one of the Air Nomad temples with Sozin's Comet high in the sky. Arrows flew out to meet the riders, with Air Nomads carrying hook swords readying to rip the brave warriors to shreds. All of which didn't stand a chance against the blazing inferno of the dragons.

Seeing the great winged beasts, Azula felt a pang of remorse. She knew the reasons for the hunt of course. They went mad shortly after Sozin's Comet and attacked anything Fire Nation. Sozin's own dragon turned on her master when the war began and was butchered for her defiance. That's when the hunts started. If the dragons would not give their fire for the cause, at least they could surrender their flame to their conquerors.

Yet…she felt grief and rage when Iroh slew the last one. She never forgave him for what he did. A world without those magnificent reptiles, the very sources of fire, just wasn't the same.

Azula wondered if this was what Maina felt about the Air Nomads being killed off. For that, Azula couldn't blame her. Still, one couldn't live under one's delusions forever…

"Here! I found it!"

Azula and Maina followed the sound of Kori's voice and found her standing in front of a large painting. Here, Azula saw the familiar image of Sozin standing triumphantly upon his flagship, his fingers pointing as he directed his forces at sea.

What they were directed at was the familiar giant, rising out of the sea and blotting out the sun with blue flames erupting from its maw. Sure, it wasn't a complete resemblance. His maw was redrawn to look more draconic and had the familiar horns and whiskers of the dragon. Likely they were some artistic flourishes to make the kaiju resemble the more familiar dragons back home.

And all around its body were massive flaming chains. They were wrapped around its arms and back, digging into its flesh. Several were wrapped around its maw, as if they were trying to silence the azure fire erupting from its maw in a roar of defiance.

Faintly she felt the chains around her arms, being hogtied down to that grate. Azula…had to turn away. It was…too much.

Maina on the other hand had another reaction. "Hang on. Sozin never attacked Godzilla. If he did, I'm pretty certain there would've been something about it back on Odo Island."

To this, Kori looked in surprise. "Really? Cause my father always told me about how Sozin conquered the great sea beast and freed the Earth Kingdom of its tyranny."

"You're shocked that Sozin would just make something up to make himself look good to the natives?"

"...no. I guess not," the rebel whispered. Their discussion though didn't go unnoticed. Dragging her mind back to the walls of the temple, Azula was going to snap about how Sozin wouldn't lie about this. And she probably would've, if she hadn't seen Godzilla in the flesh and didn't know full well what he was capable of.

Even still…Sozin lying about something this big? Sure she lied to Father about Zuko killing the Avatar, but even that was something that was plausible. This, on the other hand, would be the equivalent of her claiming she tamed a hurricane. Not to mention that this story didn't appear anywhere in the history books back home. And she doubted he would've been capable of forging great chains before Azulon had perfected the method of using metal chains to capture escaping Water Tribe boats. Even if he did, that still wouldn't be enough to "conquer" the kaiju.

So if he lied about that…

"Can…I have a moment to meditate? Alone?"

The answer to her was silence, with Kori and Maina thinking for a moment before stepping out through the entrance of the temple. Leaving Azula alone for the first time since…well, she couldn't recall. Alone with the flickering candles and the fading sunlight filtering in through an opening in the ceiling right in front of the altar.

It was here that she took her place, kneeling in front of the idol of Fire Lord Sozin. For even in death, his achievements commanded respect. Taking a meditative pose, she closed her eyes, reaching out to feel the flickering candles illuminating this place of glory. Their warmth filled her heart, the embers coursing through her very veins. This was a practice she had leaned on ever since she was a child. A way for her to see her purpose, her true path through her toughest times.

Everyone lied, but not the flames.

And yet, as she took that dignified posture, that poise that came so naturally to her…she felt her breath catch. Her muscles beginning to seize up from paralysis. Her hair loose and tangled from the lack of upkeep. She almost felt the flames being smothered, the aches of chains and a straitjacket around her limbs. The dull pain of where they injected her with medicine began to ache.

All at once, the memories came flooding back. She was humiliated by her brother and a mere peasant. Her weakness and failings were laid bare for all to see. And she could almost feel the icy chill and the tears streaming down her face on that awful day.

Her eyes snapped open, unable to take it anymore. Azula felt drained and cold. That had never happened to her before. Desperate for some meaning or comfort, she looked upon the scowling face of Fire Lord Sozin, trying to figure out where she went wrong.

Yet her eyes wandered to the painting of the chained-up Godzilla, howling and thrashing against the burning restraints.

She gazed upon the skulls and trophies of slain mosasaurs, whose only crime was being reptilian enough to resemble dragons.

And she thought of the dragons, who her nation slew to become men…

It was then that Azula knew that the Fire Nation had not changed. If it had, why would those who conquered this place still be on top despite her brother promising that things would change? And if they hadn't changed, then that meant that at their core, the Fire Nation were still dragonslayers.

And if they were still dragonslayers…oh Agni.

Last of the Dragons. One of the titles Nami gave to Godzilla during the ritual.

Your brother's going to die, the three voices in her head gleefully taunted in perfect unison, so much so she couldn't tell Ty Lee apart from Mai or Zuko. Worst of all, Azula knew they were right.

Zuko was going to get himself killed, and there was nothing she could do to stop him. He wouldn't even listen to her.

…but maybe somebody else could get him to…

---

Azula and Maina crouched down behind the rocks overlooking Zuko's camp down below. Night had fallen, and they could see the fires of the various guards patrolling up and down the city of tents. They could see behind them, the tanks and war balloons standing at the ready for any sort of violence about to break out.

"I don't know, Azula. We're taking a pretty big risk asking the Avatar to help us out," the airbending girl observed. "We don't know what tent he's in and we definitely don't know when we'll be able to get that message you wrote to him."

She was referring to the message Azula had written by candlelight, asking for the Avatar to meet her outside of the camp in parley. "Good thing then that we're going to be up bright and early for when he does move out. You seriously think I wouldn't have thought this out?"

"The least you can do is be a little less smug about it."

"When you conquer Ba Sing Se from the inside out-"

"Yadda yadda yadda. Next thing you'll tell me is that you knocked the Southern Water Tribe out of the war when you were a toddler."

"No, that would be stupid. Toddlers can't lead armies. Besides, we all know my grandfather took care of them." Most of them at least. Others could say what they will, but you had to admire the will of their chieftain and his children for continuing to fight against the odds. Despite her experiences with Katara, she did admit her waterbending counterpart was a talented bender in her own right. Not that she'd ever say it out loud of course.

"So when we know where he's staying and when he'll be there, I'll sneak this message into his tent while you cover me. It's foolproof."

"Alright. What's my job then?"

Both girls looked behind them and saw Kori striding up to them garbed up in black, snug clothing with a quiver of arrows on her back and a bow in her hand.

"...what? I wanted to be a hunter once I graduated from the academy."

Azula composed herself a little, not quite expecting the noble girl to be experienced in some form of combat. "Alright. I guess you could cover me as well."

Instead of nodding and understanding her role though, Kori lowered herself to the ground and crawled up to the cliff overlooking the camp. "I could probably sneak in there myself and shoot your message into the tent or something. Would mean less ground to cover for me."

"Alright. Since when were you an expert in stealth?"

"Well, you can't just walk out of your home under your father's watch with the intent to help out with the 'rabble'. Right, Your Highness?" Azula felt her respect for her fellow noble grow more and more. She understood the need to know your home inside and out so you could sneak into places you weren't supposed to be. Now if only Kori could put those talents to good use instead of aiding a bunch of anarchist ruffians…

Whatever. Azula wouldn't turn down help when she needed it. Right now, she needed all the help she could get. With their plan in place, the trio of girls looked over the great army below them. The fact that this would've been the biggest Fire Nation military presence here since Ozai's fleet was not a fact lost on any of them. If they had been on better terms, Azula would've admired Zuko for putting his foot down and protecting their interests. There was no way the Earth King would let them just keep all the victories their country achieved over the years.

No. What bothered her was what her hotheaded brother would do with said army when there was a nearly indestructible monster on the loose. Who could say how many of these tents would be empty by the week's end? How many lanterns illuminating the inside of them would be snuffed out?

"Here's my question Kori: you hate Zuko, but now you want to save him?" she asked.

Kori just sneered. "I don't hate your brother. I just hate what he stands for. And I'm not trying to save him. I'm just saying if Zuko provokes Godzilla, that means Yu Dao is right in its path. I'd rather not have my home get trampled on by a monster."

"Hey, if it means saving people, that's alright in my book," Maina whispered, patting the new member of their "team" on the back. "Often saving others can mean saving yourself."

"You always do that? Spouting proverbs?"

"I mean, I am a priestess. It's kind of my job."

"Eh. Can't complain. We've got a bunch of slogans for our campaign so I get wanting to win people over with words. Feel free to pitch some if you think of any."

Azula let the two chit-chat, as long as they kept their voices down. It almost reminded her of when she, Ty Lee, and Mai-

…no. She couldn't go there. That bridge burned a long time ago. She didn't need any more reminders of how badly she ruined that relationship. Especially when she was bound to run into more than a few more facing her brother again.

"What about you Azula? How come you want to save your brother?"

"Not him specifically. If he engages Godzilla, he's going to get a lot of men killed who can help protect our colonies from the Earth King. That and help shore our defenses against anyone else who wants to take a swing at us," she lied to Kori. If she were honest, she would admit that she had no idea why she wanted to help Zuko, who made a habit of backstabbing her every time she helped. She gave him a ship and wanted him home, he stabbed her in the back, betrayed Father, and ruined her life. Why would she be charitable to her brother?

No, the more pragmatic reason was acceptable. Not that Kori seemed to care since she just sneered at the answer. She didn't like the cold hard truth? Fine. That's what life is, and the sooner you get on board, the better.

Besides, it's not like she was talking about letting everyone die again…

…

"You alright? You seem a bit quiet."

"I'm fine, Maina," Azula lied again, hoping everyone would stop talking so they wouldn't be caught because of all this chattering. She wouldn't let her emotions and guilt get the better of her this time.

Besides, it was going to be a long night. The Princess needed the peace of mind for what was to come. Or at least to try to get some peace of mind.

Aang yawned as he walked through the camp, a drowsy Momo on his shoulder trying to get a few more winks of sleep. It had been a restless night, with an aura of tension as though they were getting ready for battle. Even the late morning couldn't burn away sleeplessness. But that was natural, given who he was sharing this camp with. The army was going through their drills, making sure they were in top shape in case they were needed.

Especially since yesterday, Godzilla had been sighted late afternoon.

The scout war balloons that Zuko had deployed reported seeing the beast patrolling the waters of Odo Island. Sokka determined that it hadn't moved out of its territory, which was a good thing. Still, it didn't mean that they couldn't stand idle. While Aang had been busy communing with Kyoshi, Sokka had also been busy drawing up a battle plan with Zuko in case Godzilla decided to show up on the shore.

Naturally, Aang wasn't sure whether or not any plan would be good enough to stop a monster like what they had seen. Still, Zuko assured him that they needed some plan to ease the fears of the military leaders present. Made sense.

Walking through the tent with Katara and Toph, the Avatar met with Sokka, who had gotten up early, and was collaborating with Zuko and his generals over a battle map. "Morning Zuko. How goes the plan?"

"Good. The plan remains the same." It was something that the young Fire Lord had cooked up with some additions from Sokka. Their lighter tanks and airships led by Zuko himself would engage Godzilla once it made landfall, then rapidly pull back to the bulk of their forces. Naturally, the aggressive titan would chase after them as he went after anything that attacked him on Odo. Which was the point of course. He would be so enraged, that the rest of Zuko's forces would easily surround him at one of the ash fields left over from Ozai's attack. Then, all at once, he'd face the full might of the army of the Fire Nation.

A plan all laid out on the battle map, with models standing in for where the units would be positioned and would attack. Godzilla himself was represented by a small gold statue of a dragon.

"Any advice your past lives were able to give us?" Zuko asked. All eyes were on him, putting Aang on the spot. Particularly were the Fire Nation generals, sizing him up and likely wondering if this boy had anything to offer.

He did. "I spoke with Avatar Kyoshi and she told me that we shouldn't engage Godzilla directly unless we need to. If he's still in his territory, I might be able to confront him myself. It's…complicated. She said he's a part of this world just like all of us. And that he can be reasoned with. As for how I'll be able to calm down an angry monster, it sounds like he's a lot like Hei Bei. I'll just tell him that the Fire Nation is trying to change and that he doesn't need to be angry anymore. I just need you to give me some time and space for me to talk."

After all, you couldn't be angry all of your life. Aang understood that. If he could offer a way out, convince Godzilla that things weren't as bad as the monster thought, then maybe, just maybe, he'd stand down. He hoped.

Nobody said a word once he'd finished sharing his intentions. Some of the silent faces looked…rather familiar. One of them was the War Minister they had met during the Day of the Black Sun, standing right beside the Fire Lord. It surprised him to see one of Ozai's men being here.

The silence dragged on. Aang looked over to Iroh, who stood to the side, hoping to get some indication of what everyone was thinking. Oddly, the old man didn't look him in the face.

The voice of the War Minister spelled out why. "You said it wasn't a spirit."

"...yes?" Aang answered cautiously.

"So there's a chance it can be killed."

"I mean…I suppose. It would be difficult but…"

"...then the plan stays in motion. We'll be able to muster our forces by mid-afternoon, Fire Lord."

All at once, the Fire Nation generals clustered around the map, detailing how their plan would be seen to fruition. Aang stood there surprised, staring at Zuko for some kind of explanation. The young Fire Lord couldn't meet him in the eye, turning away right before he met his gaze

"Hang on! Aang just said he'd calm down Godzilla himself! There's no need for there to be a battle!" Katara exclaimed, waking Momo up. Aang didn't notice his lemur chittering with annoyance, feeling the air begin to tense up.

"Aang…" Zuko took a deep breath and looked upon the rest of Team Avatar with a steely gaze. "I ordered the scouts to fire upon Godzilla as soon they saw it. It's coming our way."

"WHAT?!"

"Hang on! We agreed that this would be a last resort!" Sokka yelled.

"I don't know if you've noticed, but this monster just wiped out an entire Fire Nation village and is threatening our people. We can't just let it rampage again."

"Uh, did everyone just fall asleep at the part of our story where an entire garrison wasn't able to even scorch it?!" Toph shot back at the general.

The War Minister just shook his head. "No. Yet there's a big difference between a garrison and an army. We have enough firepower to lay waste to multiple cities. One beast shouldn't be much of a challenge."

"Not to mention, we need to make a show of force if we are to maintain control of the Yu Dao and the oldest colonies. Once the Earth King has seen what we're capable of, he and his forces will back off. We'll avoid war, and we can maintain our economic stability here," another general explained.

…

"Zuko…we agreed that the colonies would return to the control of the Earth Kingdom," Aang quietly said.

"You will address him as Fire Lor-"

Zuko held up a hand, silencing his generals. "I know what I said Aang. And we are returning land to the Earth King. The problem is, the clans and a lot of our wealth are tied up in the economy and resources that the colonies offer. We're already facing a crisis given all the spending Father did during the tail end of the war with projects like the drill or the Comet fleet. Relinquishing control of the colonies would just make things worse for everyone.

"Besides, everything has been better here ever since the Fire Nations stepped in. That's one of the reasons why it's one of the richest cities in the world."

This raised Katara's ire as she stepped forward. "Zuko, I took a stroll through Yu Dao and it doesn't seem like the Fire Nation citizens and the Earth Kingdom citizens share equally in that wealth."

"It's not perfect, Katara, but all the city's people, including the Earth Kingdom people, are better off now than they were a hundred years ago."

"I think they'd be a bit better off if they weren't living under the people who conquered them in the first place," Katara snapped back.

Aang began to sweat a bit. This wasn't right! The Fire Nation couldn't stay here. Was this what this was all about?! They were trying to fight what basically amounted to a god just so they didn't have to give up their colonies?

"Look, what do you think the whole point of the tribunal was?!" Zuko fired, the air in the room suddenly becoming a lot hotter. "Those prisoners were supposed to be put on trial so Kuei would get off our back. But ever since Azula escaped and this Godzilla showed up, we need another way to legitimize our claim! Killing it is the best way we can do that!"

"That's assuming you can even do that without getting yourself killed!" Sokka shouted back. Suddenly, the generals around the table started to argue with the Avatar's companions, trying to justify why this needed to happen.

Aang didn't see it as he looked Zuko dead in the eye, stepping up in the role that was given to him. "Zuko, this isn't the way! The Fire Nation needs to move past this! And you're risking the lives of everyone here!"

For once, Zuko…paused. A flash of what could've only been regret crossed his face…before he slammed his fists down and shouted "ENOUGH!" The flames around the tent flared up, promptly silencing the din.

Rising to his full height, Fire Lord Zuko put on the mask and glared at the Avatar. "The decision has been made. I won't risk the interests of our nation and the safety of my people just for a chance this monster can be calmed down. I understand your concern, but the plan I've come up with was detailed to make sure as few of my men's lives are put at risk as possible.

"And if the Avatar and his companions have a problem with it, I have no choice but to request that they remain in their tent until the situation has been dealt with." He snapped his fingers as he said this, summoning a squadron of elite firebenders that surrounded the dumbfounded Team Avatar.

Before anyone could even contemplate a course of action, Aang raised his hands. "Alright. But Zuko…you're making a huge mistake." It pained him to say that, to take up the mantle of Avatar and treat the teen who had changed so much like this. When the alternative was certain death though, it was a sacrifice he had to make.

So the Avatar nodded to the others, causing them to stand down and let the soldiers escort them to their tent. Nobody said a word at the turn of events. Of how the whole world seemed to turn upside down.

No one noticed the grimace of anguish that flashed across Zuko's face.

---

Zuko let out the breath he had been holding during that entire meeting, feeling the weight of the crown and his robes heavy on his shoulders.

That had to have been one of the worst things he's done since taking office. The looks on his friends' faces when they were escorted out of the tent. They were going to haunt him for a good while.

He took a sip of Iroh's tea, letting himself sink into the cushions of his private tent. Anything to ease his nerves. Yet still he could see the looks of betrayal. It's not like he had much choice in the matter. The clans and rogue warlords were looking for any sign of weakness. Ever since they learned about the various circumstances surrounding his Agni Kai with Azula, there have been nonstop questions about his legitimacy. Whether or not he'd be strong enough to hold on to the crown his forefathers had sacrificed so much to keep.

Slaying a monster like this Godzilla would be more than enough to silence his rivals. Right?

Uncle sat across from him, not saying a word. He knew why Zuko had done it. Knew the pressures the young monarch was under. Didn't make it any easier when it happened, though. Hopefully, something could be salvaged from this once the day was through.

Finally, Zuko's nerves got to him. "Uncle…I'm doing the right thing by doing this. Yes?"

Iroh sighed, taking a sip from his tea. "Nephew, sometimes you need to do something less savory to maintain order and stability. It's the burden of the crown, and it's a choice that you're going to be faced with time and time again throughout your reign. Either to be good or to ensure peace by dirtying your hands."

"Yeah, but we're supposed to be restoring our honor. We can't do that through betrayal."

"It's not betrayal. Aang and his friends just need to see that sometimes you need to bear steep costs to maintain peace amongst all of our people. One can't exactly bring back harmony while letting a monster go around killing innocents. And you have restored your honor. You took the throne and became a man. The whole of the Fire Nation and the world couldn't be more grateful for what you did following the end of the Comet."

But I didn't defeat Azula. Katara did, Zuko thought to himself. Didn't matter if he was winning. He let his pride get to him and gave his sister an opening. Of course, she'd do something so underhanded! And because of that, he nearly died. How anyone could be proud of such behavior was unreal to him.

"You showed that you had stronger character and morals that day," Iroh said, almost reading his mind. "Your sister gave into her insanity and thus tore herself apart. You stood firm. That's the difference. I understand that it wasn't pleasant, but she had too much of her father in her. A woman like her shouldn't lead a country with her mind warped."

Then why couldn't Zuko believe in that? As much as he hated Azula, seeing her bawling her eyes out chained to that grate, the look as he condemned her to the asylum…

This Godzilla on the other hand. That was a monster. That was a remorseless killing machine. If he could overcome it, it would solidify in his mind that he had changed. That Fire Lord Zuko was somebody worth admiring. Then he would put his mind at rest, knowing he did something worthwhile. Finally, he would have a deed to his name worthy of honor..

"Could you talk to Aang and tell him what's really going on? Try to get him on board?" Zuko asked.

Iroh smiled and put a hand on his shoulder. "Of course, Nephew. Once he understands what needs to be done, he'll come around to our side." With that, the old soldier put down his tea and walked out of the tent with his purpose clear.

Leaving Zuko alone. The Fire Lord began his routine of breathing in and out, to control the breath and the fire within. He'd need it sooner than later. Reports said that Godzilla would be landing when the sun began to set this day.

When it did, he'd be ready.

---

Team Avatar had been returned to their tent, where the question on everyone's lips was, "When did Zuko completely lose his mind?"

"I don't know Toph," Katara said exasperatedly, pacing the carpeted floor as if that would somehow will the spirits to change Zuko's mind. "I mean, it's been a while since we've last seen him. We were busy escorting those Fire Nation nobles back to the ships from the newer settlements."

"The pressure from Kuei's gotta be immense. I don't think I could blame Zuko all that much for making sure the ports remain under Fire Nation control to discourage a counterattack from the Earth King. Making a bid to retain the colonies though? You might as well be asking for the whole war to restart!"

That was a bitter truth they were all exposed to when they restored the Earth King to his throne following the Liberation of Ba Sing Se. Kuei had told them all what he had seen in his travels among the common folk. About how deeply the Fire Nation had hurt them, the scarred veterans from the war, and all the graveyards that were filled by Fire Lord Ozai's hands. When he heard that Ozai's son would ascend the throne, he promised that he'd give him a chance, but he wouldn't forget Zuko's role in the fall of his kingdom.

The tensions had been immense on both sides, with armed forces from both countries reluctantly cooperating to get the Fire Nation nobles out of the Kingdom. When it came to places like Yu Dao though, it seemed certain that there would be conflict. Even so, nobody could've imagined that Kuei would escalate things to the point of marching his army to Zuko's doorstep.

"Yeah, but Zuko just showed up with an entire army instead of letting us talk it out!" Toph argued back, nursing her head so she could keep track of those stupid arguments the Fire Nation generals made. "I bet you 5 gold pieces that those generals got to him! He's not much older than us so it's not like he fully knows what he's doing! That's a prime opportunity for them to get their claws into him!"

"I don't think so, Toph. I mean, I saw what it was like back at the academy. They practically worshipped military might. Chances are they probably are doing what they think is right. The thing is, they just got taught that the right way is through a show of force."

"You'd be correct in that assumption, Avatar."

The seasoned voice of Iroh calmed everyone's tempers. He made a respectful bow before walking amongst them. "I'm sorry for my nephew's attitude, but unfortunately…this is something he needs to do. His position on the throne is precarious as it is. The clans have been whispering about his legitimacy given the circumstances of the Agni Kai with Azula. If nothing is done, we could have a coup on our hands, or perhaps a full-blown civil war."

"Civil war". That was a term that everyone in the tent was familiar with, but could never conceive. Countrymen turning on one another was something unheard of when your allegiance was to your nation on pain of certain death. Just the idea of such a conflict within the Fire Nation's borders was enough to give one pause. Particularly since the breakout of civil war could delay the reparations Zuko would make for Ozai's war by years. Nobody wanted to wait that long.

"In times like this, a leader must show his strength to his people. To assure that he is right where he belongs. Zuko must do this here with Godzilla. This is not some wayward warlord. This is a rampaging monster that kills without reason. Letting it kill any more people would be a sign of weakness on the Fire Lord's part."

So what about me? Aang asked himself. He fused with La and wiped out a whole fleet out of rage. Did…that make him a monster? Of course not. They were threatening the Northern Water Tribe. He understood it. Katara understood it. Yet it was something that still ate at him.

Still. "Iroh. We can't underestimate Godzilla and put our needs first. If Zuko won't let me talk to him, at least let me fight with him. I know I haven't used the Avatar State since Sozin's Comet, but it's better than letting Zuko face this monster alone."

"Aang…" Iroh put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "As the Grand Lotus, it is my duty to advise you on the best course of action. And Zuko needs to face this alone so he can prove his worth to the rest of the Fire Nation. I understand how badly you want things to change, but we need to accept things for what they are now. And right now, they respect strength. You need to give him that chance to show he is strong."

Grand Lotus. That title furrowed Aang's brow, but he knew better than to speak his problems with the ones who were supposed to have helped him out loud. Sure the reveal of the White Lotus was a pleasant surprise to everyone when they needed them the most, but he'd talked to his friends and they all privately admitted that they weren't sure they could trust an organization that worked from the shadows. Especially since they had passed up so many opportunities to reveal themselves before now, for their own inscrutable reasons.

"Besides. The Avatar State can cause a lot of damage in itself. No one in the Fire Nation has forgotten that. It might be best if you hold back on it lest you burn through what trust is left."

Katara narrowed her eyes at Iroh's assessment of the Avatar State, but it wasn't not like he was wrong. Especially for Aang, since he knew full well how destructive the state could be when tossed around without a care.

"...alright," Aang declared firmly. "But the moment Zuko gets into trouble-"

"Then you can help. I want a lot of things, but my nephew being put in unnecessary danger is not one of them."

The warmth in his voice put everyone at ease. If there was anyone who could point out the light in things, it was Iroh. "I'll brew some tea for all of you once he's finished."

"I guess we'll hold you to that," Toph teased, hoping to break the ice a bit further.

Iroh chuckled. "Well, I wouldn't want to displease my most favorite guests after all."

With that, the old master left the tent, saying hello to the guards out front as he did. Aang tried to let himself relax a little. If Uncle Iroh said that things would be okay, then maybe they would. After all, it wasn't like he had much of an argument against what had just been told.

It's like the monks said: sometimes you need to listen to a more seasoned voice to guide you through the tempest.

"I…still don't like it," Katara muttered. "Something about this feels wrong. Since when did Zuko listen to his generals instead of us?"

"Katara…we're not exactly officials here. Maybe we should let them do the talking for once."

"You mean let a bunch of Fire Nation generals do what they've been doing for the last hundred years?"

For once, Sokka didn't have an answer for that. Nobody did. And they all sat in silence unsure of what they should do.

That was until they heard something fly through the open window of their tent and lodge itself into the ground before them. Everyone cried out with surprise, causing the two guards to charge in to see what the alarm was about. "You kids alright?" one of them asked.

"I-somebody just fired an arrow in here! What do you think?!" Sokka yelled.

Aang bent down towards the embedded arrow, seeing something attached to the shaft. It was a scroll wrapped with a piece of string. Curious, he undid the string and unfurled the scroll, holding it up for the rest of his friends to see.

It was a letter. Elegantly handwritten and penned with immaculate precision. The signed name was what gave everyone pause.

"...guards. Could you escort us to the foot of the hill overlooking the camp?"

Confused, the guards decided that if it were something to get the Avatar's attention, it probably warranted a quick trip. Stepping aside, they let Aang and his friends file out of the tent and began to escort them out of the camp.

One thing was on Team Avatar's mind: what did Princess Azula want with them?

---

Azula and Maina watched as the guards escorted the Avatar and his friends to the base of the hill. This was it. They either were able to get through to them, or they could fight with their hands. The Princess wasn't exactly sure if this would be a fight they could win if it came to that, but she certainly had a few tricks up her sleeves if worse came to worst. Never go into a confrontation with your enemies expecting things to work out.

Behind them, they heard Kori scrambling up the cliff, panting and trying to catch their breath. "They…got the message…whew…"

"Are…you okay?"

"I'm fine, Maina. Just…don't get as out as…I should."

"Look, you need to not exert yourself all in one go. Try to space out your energy next so you don't get worn out."

"Duly noted…Your Worshipfulness…"

Azula let the nickname go. Kori did her role and she did it admirably. That's all that was asked of her. She made a mental note to recommend her to one of those espionage guilds if she ever came across one. Talents like hers shouldn't go to waste.

Thankfully the noble straightened herself up as the Avatar came up the cliff with the waterbender right beside him. Down below, Azula could see that Sokka and the blind girl hung back. Probably didn't want to provoke a fight with their full team being there.

Azula crossed her arms, seeing the two of them stop a distance away from them. High above, the late afternoon sun shined down on them all, setting the stage. "Alright. We got your message. What do you want?" Aang demanded.

Good. Seemed like he was growing a bit of a spine. "Let me get straight to the point, Avatar. I want you to take me to my brother."

"Okay. And why on earth would we ever do that?" Katara asked, steel in her voice and water floating in her hands.

The Princess gave a well-timed shrug. "I don't know. Why would I? Why would I want to dissuade my dear brother from trying to attack a gigantic monster that we all know can single-handedly crush an entire village? You know, something you were unable to do."

Aang and Katara stood hilariously slack-jawed. "Wait, how did you-?"

"Lucky guess." She told the truth. Inwardly she knew that Zuko would've been stupid enough to try something like this. And she knew that his new friends wouldn't be able to sway him from something once he put his mind to it. Her on the other hand…

"Listen. I've known Zuko longer than any of you. If you can get me to him, I'll try to see if I can talk him down. That way you can have your puppet try to negotiate peace with the Earth King. If Zuko dies…well, I can't guarantee that the Earth King isn't going to try and raze Yu Dao to the ground.

"So what'll it be Avatar? You know as well as I do that Zuko isn't an easy person to dissuade. And it's not like you have any other options left."

The Avatar just stared back, telling her everything. No doubt he was wrestling inward about whether or not to trust her. Weighing his chances. He wondered if he could rush her right now and risk her capture at the cost of her being unable to warn his puppet. His choice.

After a moment, Aang sighed. "First off, Zuko is NOT a puppet. Second…" He looked towards Katara, the two nodding in unison. "We'll take you to him. But don't try anything, or we'll take you in. Got it?"

"Fully understood," Azula said, letting the two lead her on. She felt a spark come to life in her soul, especially from seeing Maina and Kori watch her do her magic. The trick was knowing that the Avatar was human, and any human would want to see their friend stay alive and their ambitions fulfilled.

Now if only Zuko had as much self-preservation…

---

It was late afternoon when they found him standing before his airship, letting his servants put his armor on. Azula almost got deja vu, seeing them lower the phoenix-styled helmet on his head. All of a sudden, she wasn't so sure if she was up to this. You couldn't just walk up to your estranged brother and try to convince him not to go fight a monster. Especially when he looked so much like…

Curiosity took over and drew her eyes over to the Avatar, who had the same nervous look on his face. Guess that was something they could both agree on.

One of the guards marched forward and gave the customary bow of respect. "My Lord. The Avatar has come with…well, see for yourself."

"Aang? What are you-" Zuko's surprised expression hardened into a stone-cold mask upon seeing her. "Azula."

The Princess figured that dripping contempt was all the proper greetings that she was going to get. "Zuko, listen. You can't-"

"No. I don't want to hear it."

"If you'll just-"

"I said that's enough," he snarled, his composure cracking for just a minute. "It's bad enough that I have a monster to deal with, and then you show up. Let me guess. You're here to watch me die?"

"I'm here to save your life!" Azula snapped. "Zuko, this isn't a fight you can win! This thing, it's nothing like you've ever seen!"

"Yeah, you've told me that all my life…"

"For the love of-this isn't about you for once! You attack that thing, you're putting your men and all of Yu Dao in danger!"

"Oh, now you care about other people?!" Zuko snapped. "Or, let me guess, this is just some scheme to let that thing kill more of my citizens so you can pin it on me! Wouldn't be the first time you played with the lives of an entire nation."

"I swear, I didn't know what Father was doing!"

"But would you have stopped him from burning the Earth Kingdom thanks to your idea?"

"..."

"...wait. Didn't you say it was Ozai's plan?" Aang asked the Fire Lord. Azula just stood silent, the last of the pieces falling into place. She…did suggest burning their land and their hope to the ground. The need to defend herself, to argue that that was before she knew full well just how bad the carnage got. What it was like to see countless people die.

Yet she couldn't. She just let Zuko wave off Aang's question. "Does it matter? This is just like her! She messes everything up, and tries to make things work out for her!"

"That's not fair!" Maina shouted. "I've been with her this whole time, and I know she's telling the truth!"

"You expect me to believe that?! After she's lied to me all my life? Well, not this time. Her luck's run out. And as soon as I get back, I'm going to make sure she gets dragged before the tribunal in chains."

The fires on the torches surrounding them grew as Zuko stalked over to Azula. "You won't get the satisfaction of watching me die," he hissed. "I'm going to do what you never could, and all you can do is watch. You won't get the last laugh this time. This time…I'm going to prove that I'm better than you."

Azula just glared back. "This is about more than your petty grudge, Zuko. Godzilla won't give a crap either way."

They both just stood there, glaring at the other to get one to back down. Then Zuko just turned and strode to his airship. His honor guard fell into step behind him.

Azula, Maina, Kori, and Team Avatar could just watch as the guards held them at bay. Watch as the airships began to take off and the tanks started their engines. Zuko stood at the bow of his flagship, his face unreadable. Deep down, he felt a tinge of regret for his words. About how he was handling this. Yet that was consumed by the fire that was his duty. For he knew destiny was calling.

All Azula could think of seeing her brother was that this could be the last time she ever saw him. And how badly she messed this up.

---

Somewhere off the shore of the Earth Kingdom, the waves swayed in the wind. High above, the scout ships were rushing back to the rendezvous point.

Down below, the great mass swam furiously through the water. Its focus was entirely on the flaming symbol of the Fire Nation.

They hadn't changed. They were still the same butchers that slaughtered its kindred all those years ago. And now…they'd pay.

All of them would pay.

Notes:

A/N: This will not end well.

I apologize for the delay. We've been having some personal issues that sort of messed things up in the writing process. Life is quirky like that sometimes. Anyways, thanks again to Selpharia for beta reading this. Your advice is appreciated as always.

For the backstory of Godzilla wreaking Qin's fleet, I based it on a real historical event where Kublai Khan (grandson of Genghis Khan, Khagan of the Mongol Empire who fashioned himself an Emperor of China) sent a fleet to Japan to expand his empire. Naturally, while they conquered a few islands and made a beachhead, they were repelled and forced back to their ships. They also had the bad misfortune of showing up during typhoon season and their fleet got wrecked.

Japanese legend has it that Ryujin, Dragon God of the seas sent forth this hurricane to wreck the ships. I do like drawing on history and real-world events for inspiration so an incident that is attributed to a massive sea dragon seems like a natural fit. Plus this wouldn't be the only time that Godzilla was attributed to the fleet sinking since Godzilla: Rage Against Time had a similar scenario play out.

Also we get a cameo from Kyoshi, who is admittedly my favorite past Avatar (both from the series and her books which you should definitely read). I wanted to have a balance between what we saw in the series and what was told to us in the books while busting the myth of her being some bloodthirsty maniac the fandom likes to joke about her sometimes.

In a sort of parallel to this scene, we have Azula in the Fire Temple. Again, I wanted to do some worldbuilding that contextualizes her struggles and makes it feel more grounded. In this case, I created a more localized version of the Dragon Hunts with the mosasaurs. Sort of like how some expansionist empires will distort myths in order to placate the locals while "molding" them to be more like them, what once was sacred and respected had become the object of slaughter.

We also get some banter between the girls. I…do know that Kori isn't necessarily an archer in the comics, but I didn't really want her to be a Mai knockoff given her role as an assassin.

Next up is the meeting where…yeah. Personally, I don't feel like Zuko's character arc was finished by the series end and I am open to the idea of him "regressing" a bit once he takes the throne that he is unprepared for. I even lifted some actual dialogue from the comics in order to demonstrate my point. Naturally, it's a little reframed here, and he most certainly isn't in the right for saying this.

Same thing with Iroh. He's not a saint and I don't think he necessarily broke out of his general mindset yet. Originally his dialogue was supposed to be more militaristic with him praising Zuko defeating his sister as a sign of being a man. Again, lifted from the Legacy of the Fire Nation book. Thankfully Selpharia stepped in and…yeah. That wasn't a very charitable view of the guy. I don't really like Iroh or Zuko, but I'm not going to turn them into monsters.

Finally, we get Azula's confrontation with her brother. I didn't really want either to be entirely in the right or wrong…but considering how a lot of my issues with Zuko stem from his treatment of Azula (particularly in the comics which was…horrific), I do apologize if I leaned more into Azula's side. I also hoped to explain his rationale here with wanting to fight Godzilla, something he distressingly had a habit of doing in the series by rushing into suicide situations without thinking.

Which lays down the groundwork for the next chapter. As I said before…things won't end well.

Thank you all for reading. Make sure to leave a comment to leave your thoughts. Follow and favorite if you want to see more. And as always, have a great day and hope to see you next time where…uh…the hurting starts. Take care for now!

Chapter 7: Wrath

Summary:

The battlefield has been chosen and readied. Fire Lord Zuko and his army prepare for battle against what could be their greatest enemy yet. All Azula, Aang, and the rest can do is watch as Godzilla rises from the sea, bringing hell with it.

Notes:

Avatar: The Last Airbender and all associated characters are owned by Paramount Global. Godzilla and all associated characters are owned by Toho Studios. Please support the official release.

In honor of Kenpachiro Satsuma, suit actor for Godzilla in the Hesei series who passed away yesterday.

Outside of Yu Dao

Fire Lord Zuko felt the rays of the setting sun fill his body with strength and the winds of the skies blowing through his hair. Down below, the land descended into a gentle shoreline covered by a battalion of light tanks and artillery. Beyond the beach were the gentle dark waters of the ocean, concealing all that dwelled within.

The setting sun cast its light upon this ocean, the shining glare dancing upon the surface. Now the stage was set, and his destiny would soon be upon him.

Funny. Zuko thought fate would've been kind to him once he had defeated his crazy sister and ascended the throne, thus ending the war. Yet he'd faced setback after setback on the road to peace. Now the only thing that could bring an end to things was one more display of violence. The irony wasn't lost on him.

He kept the mask of regality on, but inwardly he was trembling. Wasn't he supposed to be different? To be better than his father? Then why did he just brush off his friends and muster a whole army here today?

It was because of that monster, he told himself. If everyone just stopped being so difficult, he wouldn't have had to do this. But his hand had been forced once more. First with Azula. Now Godzilla. Fine. Did they intend to push him to this? They were going to see he wouldn't let his throne and destiny slip away from him.

"Sujo," he asked the guard standing behind him on the bow of his ship. "You think this battle will bring about peace in this land?"

The royal guard turned and looked at the rest of the forward airships beside Zuko's flagship, waiting for the scouts to appear. "With you at the helm, I can't doubt it. We just need to see this through, Fire Lord."

"Good. Hope you're looking forward to returning home a hero." Zuko let himself smile a bit. It wouldn't be fitting for the new era if every one of his soldiers couldn't share in the glory.

His smile fell back into the stern mask as the scout ships came into view out of the glare of the shining sea. Everyone held their breath, to keep the simmering flames at the ready. As the airships approached, the Fire Lord let himself gaze down to the dark waters below, ready for any sort of disturbance on the surface.

He wasn't disappointed. A gigantic swell disgorged itself from the surface, charging straight for the shore at surprising speed. As it traveled, a row of what looked to be massive spines sliced through the waters. Zuko had to do a double take, making sure an island wasn't rising from the sea to collide with the mainland.

"Everyone hold their fire until it lands!" He ordered, hearing as his words were carried down the ship by his crew. No doubt they reached the comms man where they would be relayed to the rest of the advance group through radio. To ensure the message got across, firebenders at each side of the airship signaled to their counterparts on the other ships beside them. They, in turn, would signal the others both aside and below. In no time, everyone knew the Fire Lord's had commanded them to hold their ground and wait for it to get into range.

Something that became rather difficult to do when the spines rose from the sea, unveiling a massive form that almost blocked out the setting sun. Godzilla snarled, its tail thrashing behind it as it marched to shore.

Zuko held his face, even as he could feel his men begin to sweat a bit and their fires waver. Truth be to Agni, he was just as intimidated. It was massive. No words could've done it justice. The only thing he could find comparable was if the manifestation of La was encased in layers of scarred, charcoal scales and muscle.

Yet it was no La. It was of flesh and bone. That meant it could be killed. Zuko breathed deeply, feeling the gift of the dragons flow through his veins. He took down Azula. Put her in her place. If he could do that, then this monster would be put down as well.

He held his breath, watching as the monster stomped its way onto shore. Each step created craters in the sand with an impact as loud as an exploding bomb. It came to a halt, lifting its saurian head to glare directly at the Fire Lord standing at the end of the bow. Those reptilian eyes sized him up, waiting for Zuko to make the first move.

The young monarch wouldn't disappoint him. From his mouth, Zuko shouted and let out a massive burst of fire burst from his mouth. It was a technique that Iroh taught him. Dragon Breath. Said to be taught by Ran and Shaw themselves. A pure sign of how far he had come.

Zuko snorted the last of his breath through his nose, his eyes glaring right back at the monster.

Godzilla just stood there for a moment. Its face was unreadable for the briefest of moments. Then it twisted into an image of unbridled fury before a great roar erupted from its maw.

---

In the distance, Azula, Kori, Maina, and Team Avatar stood with the rest of the generals at the scene. The princess's heart nearly leaped into her throat seeing the great beast rise from the sea, staring her brother down.

"That's Godzilla?!" Kori exclaimed. "He's…a lot bigger than I imagined."

"Yeah. We thought the same thing when we first saw him," Sokka mused.

Then Zuko breathed a massive burst of fire from his mouth, eliciting a wave of awe and admiration from the generals and the troops defending the camp. She could almost feel Iroh beam with pride, seeing the same technique he used against her so grandly performed by his favored child.

"Oh no…"

Maina on the other hand seemed to be filled with dread. Enough to catch Azula's attention. "Maina. What's going on?"

The priestess turned with a practically drained face. "I know that technique. You can only learn that from dragons. And the only way to do that is…"

"...kill them…"

Azula looked in the distance with both fury and fear. Fury for learning that somehow, a dragon had survived the hunts. And Zuko…he slaughtered it just so he could gain its power to overcome her. She couldn't believe it. For his talk of honor, to think he'd sink so low to do something that unspeakably horrible. How much is your grudge worth, brother? she snarled silently.

Her fury though was replaced with fear at what she knew was coming. Something that was confirmed as Godzilla roared with undiluted rage. Even far away, she could feel its impact. What's more, this roar was deeper and fuller than any she had heard before.

Now everything made sense to her. Whether consciously or not, Zuko just declared he was a slayer of dragons.

To the last of their kind.

…her brother had just made himself a dead man walking.

---

Zuko broke his composure and had to cover his ears from the sheer force of the roar. His guards had even less grit and crouched in some vain attempt to block it out. Any fire that his soldiers had conjured was blown into the winds from their loss of focus, silenced by the sheer fury the monster had brought to bear.

And what a fury it was. The noise was indescribable and overpowering. It was a rage that seemed to drag itself out of the primordial abyss to show the entire world what the meaning of anger was. Anger was something Zuko understood deeply. He'd known it all his life. How all-consuming it was, twisting the soul into something it wasn't. If somebody were to ask him, the roar was both horrifying and distressingly familiar.

The roar seemed to last forever before it finally petered out. Replaced by earth-shattering stomps booming from Godzilla's enraged charge.

It certainly moved faster than what a beast of its size seemed capable of, but its charge was something Zuko counted on. "NOW!" he ordered, though it wasn't necessary as his men fired away. The forward cannons on his ships thundered to life, throwing bombs into the air. They were joined from below by the booming report of his artillery. A brilliant storm of explosive might all come crashing into the charging beast.

Godzilla, though, merely snarled as the projectiles exploded harmlessly against its hide. They only seemed to make it angrier, prompting it to charge faster towards the lines. Which was the whole point. As the missile launchers fell silent, they pulled back to let their tank counterparts behind them unleash their payload into the charging beast. The light tanks in turn would pull back once they fired, allowing their tanks to cover their retreat now that they have reloaded. All the while, the airships from above covered their retreat with cannon fire.

A line would fire, then retreat so the next line could cover them. They in turn would cover the ones in front once they reloaded. Given the light composition of their build, they were able to outpace the monster while still keeping in range. Zuko kept his composure, but inwardly he smiled. The plan was working, drawing Godzilla further onto land and to the edge of the ash field. He could see the bulk of his forces coming up on them, the trap about to close.

Of course, the risk of his forces being overrun increased the angrier the giant became. And it was indeed becoming angrier and angrier. Godzilla snarled, quickening its pace. The Fire Lord's eyes widened as he realized that his forward lines were suddenly in serious danger of that thing crushing its way right through him.

He wouldn't allow it. "Bring us close to its face to give it something to chase!" he ordered.

Sujo seemed to pause for a minute. "But my lord. That would bring us-"

"I'm not going to let men needlessly die on my watch. Do you understand?"

Zuko's steely voice snapped his bodyguard to action, spurring him to bark the orders to the rest of the ship. Before long, the airship lost altitude and began a countercharge right at the raging Godzilla.

Not a moment too soon either. Its gargantuan head seemed right in front of Zuko as those maws opened up, about to bear down on a retreating tank.

The Fire Lord thrust out his fist and unleashed a fire bomb right into the open maw of the beast. It wasn't anything like Ozai could've unleashed during Sozin's Comet, but it certainly got the job done. His bomb exploded right in the mouth of Godzilla, causing it to lean back up and flinch from the impact.

So it had a weak point after all. "Aim for the eyes and mouth and pull us back!" Zuko ordered, bending another fire bomb into the monster's open mouth. The cannons on his airship fired away at its head, and for once, the assault seemed to work. Godzilla slowed down its pace, growling at the defiant airship. Let's give you something a little faster to chase, Zuko taunted internally.

Back the airship pulled, but not too far away to lose Godzilla's interest. Soon they found themselves hovering over the ash fields where the main attack was to take place. It was working. Everything was falling into place!

Naturally, Godzilla decided that, at that moment, it didn't want to get blasted in the face by fire anymore. It lunged forward through the smoke, its mouth wide open to devour Zuko. He felt his skin crawl as its hot breath washed over him.

A crescendo of renewed fire smashed into the monster's face from below, lines of heavy tanks and artillery pieces unloading into Godzilla's eyes and mouth.

Godzilla bellowed with fury but was stopped entirely by all the fire directed at its face. With its head lowered trying to take down this airship, it left itself vulnerable to the full fury of a Fire Nation assault. The air reverberated as salvo after salvo slammed into the great dragon's head.

Zuko's airship decided not to take any more chances as it ascended from the assault to join the gathering airships up above.

But before it could do so, Godzilla lunged through the smoke, attempting to devour the Fire Lord one last time. Zuko just let forth another fire bomb into the monster's maw, causing it to flinch for just a second.

That second was all they needed before the ships above unleashed their payload of bombs, all dropping onto Godzilla's head and into his gaping jaws.

For the first time, the monster cried out in surprise, and was forced down from the assault. Zuko's ship took a position with the others as it too opened the bomb doors and unleashed its payload on Godzilla. With their fellow airships and comrades below, it was a thunderous display of pure might.

Zuko let himself smirk, confidence filling his heart. The plan worked. He knew that anger was could be power, but could also be a weakness that blinded one to danger. His sister had been consumed by it, and he had overcame it. Now he would do so again. Sure this beast was tough, but it was predictable.

And now it was being consumed in a hailstorm of fire and smoke.

It almost seemed to last forever, that assault. Eventually, though, Godzilla slowed to a halt, lowering its head and leaning down. The assault petered out, noticing its sluggish movements. A single question rippled through the assembled forces. Was it enough? They had brought more ammo to spare, but…had they inflicted a mortal wound?

"Bring us down close," Zuko ordered. Filled with bravado due to the display, the crew obliged. It seemed sensible enough. Somebody had to go down there and make sure it was hurt. And it didn't seem to be moving as much, so they could easily pull back up out of reach. If it were truly at death's door, Zuko had one last fire bomb to put it down.

They descended into the smoke, getting closer to its head. Zuko could feel it in his bones. The end was near. One last effort, and he'd have done it. He would've proved it to everyone. His destiny was the throne. The crown deserved to be on his head, and he'd done something no one else had done. Brought low a monster that threatened his people. This would be a story they would tell for generations.

…Too late, he saw the tail rising through the smoke.

And the blue light climbing up the spines from the tip of the tail.

It was an all too familiar blue, causing dread to creep up Zuko's spine. That dread only intensified as the light continued to travel up the jagged spines, and as the monster rose. Godzilla snorted in contempt, blowing the ash off his face. He then opened his maw and took a breath, sucking the ash and air in.

His maw opened, giving Zuko a good look into the deep throat, and the blue light traveling up it. The airship tried to pull back, but it was too late.

All this happened in a few seconds, but it felt like an eternity to Zuko. Enough for the realization to sink in that he just doomed them all.

And then, in a split second…the whole world went blue.

A great, thunderous burst of flame erupted from Godzilla's maw and smashed into the balloon of the airship. The fire caused the compressed air to explode, incinerating anyone who was standing anywhere nearby.

Zuko just stood there, taking it in. He felt the airship tilt down to the earth…

And he saw the great clawed hand rise from the smoke.

In an instant, he felt a shove behind him, and he was pushed into the air. The Fire Lord felt himself plummet, causing instinct to kick in as he desperately brought fire to his hands and feet in an attempt to slow himself down.

What little focus he had shattered when Godzilla clawed off the bow of the ship and smashed its other hand into the vessel. Another explosion occurred as it ruptured the fuel line, the impact of the force smashing into Zuko and cutting off his fire.

The last thing he saw before he hit the ground and blacked out was his flagship in flames. Admittedly, Zuko should've counted himself lucky. He managed to slow his descent to a point where he was certainly bruised and banged up, but still alive. Being clad in the armor of the Fire Lord certainly helped.

That's not what the rest of the army saw. They saw the flagship of the Fire Lord, Chosen of Agni Herself, be consumed by an azure inferno. They didn't see Zuko fall. Only what little of the ship that crashed into the earth could be seen.

And amidst the fiery wreckage, stood a mad god with its spines glowing blue once more.

---

Nobody said a word as they watched the airship go down. Who could? It all happened so fast that it took a moment to register what had happened.

Azula fell to her knees, seeing her brother being batted aside. This was something that…she'd be the first to admit, had wanted to see for a long time. Finally. After lording over her for so long, after shoving her into that asylum, after causing her so much pain, finally, he had that self-righteous attitude blow up in his face. Good. If he was still alive, he could watch as he saw everything taken from him. Just like he did to her, he'd see how it felt to lose everything. Let HIM know what it's like to be on the wrong side of fate.

…yet…she couldn't believe it. Her brother…just like that? She hadn't expected much, but still, she figured if anyone could go down swinging…

All around, she felt the same story play on everyone's faces. Iroh fell to his knees, barely keeping his tears in. She felt like shooting some snide remark about how he got another son killed but…she just didn't have the energy. Sweet Agni, what this was going to do to Mai when she found out. And the Avatar and his friends…she couldn't bear to look them in the eye.

That was one thing she felt. The other was astonishment at what she had seen. She heard the stories but...blue fire.

Godzilla breathed blue fire. Just like her. And the sheer power. She almost felt the need to look up into the sky to see if Sozin's Comet had made some miraculous return. What's more, she felt that fire. In some ways, it felt so familiar. Maybe the power behind it made it easier to read even from a distance.

The pain and anger that fueled it she knew deep in her bones.

…then she realized that the dorsal spines did not dim. For its rampage was not done.

In the distance, the army pulled back, their morale broken seeing their Fire Lord being swatted aside like a toy. Godzilla didn't care. He opened his maw and let out another burst of fire, swinging his head to bring the flames around in an arc, completely melting down everything they touched. Tanks, launchers. Screaming soldiers. As his fire breath passed, it left a wall of intense flame behind. Those vehicles that weren't able to pull out in time were suddenly cut off from their escape route.

Fortunately for them, but unfortunately for the airships above, the monster's attention changed targets. Godzilla's glare fell on them as he let forth another burst of fire. It streaked through the sky, blasting through a good portion of the airships and setting them ablaze. The crew didn't even have time to scream before a fiery inferno consumed them. What few airships were left began to rapidly pull back.

Azula could feel the fire change and become more focused and more precise. It wasn't quite as precise as, but it amazed her how the dragon could shift its fire to such a degree.

Beyond the flames, she could see the escaping tanks and launchers heading for the hills, wanting to be anywhere except in this nightmare. Godzilla just snorted, breathing deep and flexing his claws. On his back, the blue light reached an apex before he let forth one more stream of blue fire.

This concentrated blast carved its way through the flames and impacted the earth, pulverizing whatever it struck.

Then in the blink of an eye, the fires exploded, consuming everything that was within the blast radius.

It was so bright that everyone had to cove their eyes. Whoever was left standing was forced to their knees by the sheer kinetic force of the explosion. Even from this distance, everyone felt its weight.

Nervously, Azula lowered her hands.

The ash fields were the scene of an apocalypse. Wrecks of Fire Nation machinery were everywhere. Fires raged over the battlefield, the ashes being brought back to life. In the middle of it all was a huge mushroom cloud, reaching the heavens above.

Godzilla observed the ascending monument to his power and roared in fury. The blue light in his dorsal spines was gone, but his anger remained. It was as if he were declaring war against the heavens themselves.

For now, he had to settle for the survivors. Tanks, launchers, and men scrambled for whatever cover they could. His teeth barred, the monster lunged forward and charged into the chaos, crushing anyone in his path with foot and tail. Azula could only watch the shattering of the image of the indomitable Fire Nation. Brave warriors destined to rule the world, now reduced to ants to be crushed.

…she couldn't take it anymore.

Azula rushed forward, scrambling down the hillside and ignoring Maina's and Kori's pleas to stop. All her focus was on the burning remains of the airship. She made every effort to keep her eyes on that wreckage. Not the corpses or charred vehicles she rushed by. The air was filled with smoke and ash, forcing her to hold her breath when she plunged through especially bad patches.

In the distance, she saw the huge ghostly image of the kaiju rampaging and destroying his way through the remnants. Despite the heat, she felt herself go cold when she realized that Yu Dao would be next. There was no way a rage that burned this fiercely would be smothered by the ruins of an army.

The only thing she could do was push forward through a cloud of smoke and emerge in front of what remained of the burning airship. A small crater had formed around it where it impacted, the rim funneling the worst of the choking fumes up into the air.

Laying there unconscious,a short distance from the crater was Zuko, amidst a cloud of smoke and ash.

But closer to her was the glimmering shine of the crown.

The Princess felt her heart seize up. This was what she had been waiting for. Zuko had humiliated himself in front of his generals and the world. There would be a fallout from this. No doubt his enemies would be salivating to carve out pieces of his empire. The Fire Nation was…it was doomed.

…but not with her in charge.

Azula reached out for the crown. She could fix things. She'd draw a line in the sand. Build up the armed forces. Make another bid for the colonies so they would have a beachhead to restart-

She hesitated.

Finally, she saw the carnage around her. The bodies. The wreckage. She wondered how many voices were filling the air with their screams. It wasn't like she could hear them from the hill overlooking the fields. Was this a scene that was common during the war?

How many soldiers screamed for their lives? How many men returned crippled only to be discarded like her? How many had their lives and selves shattered by the true horror of war?

…she lowered her hand and turned towards Zuko. Away from the crown. She didn't know why, but her stomach churned at the idea of wearing it at the moment. Perhaps the odds were too high with the Avatar against her. Maybe what they needed was a leader that wasn't insane.

Maybe…she wasn't worthy of wearing it.

Yet. Maybe she could let Zuko wear it and humiliate himself more so that when she could make a play, her country would welcome her back with open arms. That's what she told herself at least.

First things first was dragging Zuko away from the choking air next to the airship. She held her breath and heaved, only to realize he was too heavy to drag. Bending down, Azula unhooked and discarded his Fire Lord armor and robes, leaving his simple tunic and robes underneath. That cape of his was so ragged that it practically burned away in the wind when she undid it.

Now that her brother wasn't buried under layer upon layer of armor and robes, Azula picked up his arms and dragged him back. Her back was still strained, but at least she could move him. Honestly, she hoped he'd appreciate the thing she was doing for him.

Once she had managed to get him out of the cloud of ash, Azula let out a gasp, her lungs breathing in clean air. She fell back from the effort, landing on her elbows on the charred ground. Her breath hacked and wheezed, trying to get itself clear of obstruction.

It wasn't long before her struggle for air roused her brother from his comatose state. Wearily he raised his head and coughed a little himself. Zuko looked up in astonishment at Azula, and the two siblings just sat there and stared. Neither knew what to say.

Suddenly Azula's eyes fell upon the crown which was about a foot away from her hand.

Oh no.

"Zuko! Wait it's not what you-"

She got cut off by a fist to the face and a kick to the gut. Instinct kicked in as she rolled with the blows, lashing out with her foot and knocking Zuko off his feet. Weakly she pulled herself up, feeling the agony of being out of shape and the smoke inhalation sapping her strength. Zuko on the other hand, while a bit bloodied from his fall, took a firebending stance in perfect poise.

"I don't believe it. Of all the things you've done to me, this is right on top of the list!"

"I WAS TRYING TO SAVE YOU-

"I DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT!"

Zuko lashed out with his fist and summoned a massive fireball to hurl at her. Azula hurriedly batted it aside and snap-fired a weak burst of blue fire from her palm right at her brother's feet. The Fire Lord just leaped forward and swung both of his arms in an arc, sending two blades of fire that ripped Azula's apart and sent her crashing into the ash.

He snarled as he brought forth more fire, the rage inside of his heart taking hold of his mind. So much so that it forgot something important.

That something turned from its rampage to look behind it at the dueling siblings.

---

Godzilla first sensed the usage of blue fire, something so rare that its mere appearance gave him pause. Enough to turn away from his rampage and gaze at what normally would've been a menial duel between two humans.

He recognized the girl's azure flame even through the smoke and ash. It couldn't possibly be hidden. And he could sense she was desperately trying to fend off an attacker. Her flame was weaker than usual, but he certainly admired an attempt at resistance.

What gave him pause was the other fire.

He knew that style. The Dancing Dragon. The one used by the Fire Lord.

The kin slayer.

Godzilla wheeled around, a growl leaving his maw before charging back the way he came and right at the duel. Luck had saved this spawn of the Fire Nation for just a few more minutes.

He'd ensure that all this murderous princeling had left on this earth was a few minutes.

---

Azula let out a desperate burst of fire before getting swept off her feet and sent crashing to the ground. Her arms and legs cried out in agony, and her lungs were desperately trying to keep the ash from her mouth. Try as she might, she wasn't in form and this Agni forsaken smoke wasn't helping any.

Still, she woozily got to her knees. "Look, I get you're upset, but you have to believe-"

"NO!"

She felt a rough hand grab her ankle and slam her back to the ground. Hard, which caused the taste of iron to flood her mouth.

"FROM THE DAY YOU WERE BORN, YOU PUT ME THROUGH SO MUCH!"

Before she could even respond, Zuko grabbed her by the collar and practically dragged her to the edge of the crater. She was too dazed from the impact and surprised to put up much resistance.

By the time her vision came back, she saw the glaring eyes of her brother trying to roast her alive with the power of the very sun itself.

"WHY, AZULA?! WHY DOES OUR RELATIONSHIP HAVE TO BE LIKE THIS?!"

Azula would've responded…if she hadn't noticed the flames licking at her feet. She then made the mistake of looking down and seeing the burning wreckage of the airship below.

Zuko was dangling her over a pile of burning wreckage.

"I…"

"What? No taunts now?! Well, guess what? Your little gambit failed. I'm still alive. And you know what?"

His free hand curled into a fist and brought forth fire dangerously close to her face.

"I'm going to do what I should've done back during Sozin's Comet."

Her eyes went wide. He…he was really going to do it.

And that face, so twisted with rage…

"...I'm…I'm so sorry Father…"

…her words caused Zuko's face to soften and his fist to unclench. The fire burning behind his eyes dimmed, causing him to see what he was doing.

"Azula…I…"

He was interrupted by the sounds of a massive foot smashing into what remained of the airship, knocking Zuko off his feet from the tremors and dropping Azula straight to the ground.

Both siblings looked up, hearing the growling of the titan high above. Godzilla leaned dangerously down, never taking his attention off the Fire Lord. Zuko felt himself go pale. Azula just lay there, looking into the blazing eyes of hatred.

Without thinking, Zuko let forth a fire bomb from his arm to smash uselessly into Godzilla's snout. Azula proceeded to grimace and cover her ears, practically seeing what was coming next.

Whatever composure the monster had was lost with that futile fireball. Godzilla roared with fury at the young monarch before bringing his fist down. Zuko quickly got out of the way of the incoming hand, but not without tumbling to the earth from the very impact. Instinct forced him back up to his feet in a roll, forcing him to gaze into those enraged eyes. All pretense of bravery was finally set aside for self-preservation, causing him to sprint away from the titan to get some breathing room.

Godzilla snarled as he stomped past Azula in pursuit. The Princess dove for cover, getting behind a tank as the massive tail dragged along the ground and kicking up a cloud of cinders. She began to hyperventilate, hoping beyond hope that she wouldn't hear those steps turn around.

Zuko on the other hand wasn't so lucky. He turned back to fire off a series of flame bursts, all of which were about as useful as one could've expected when taking on a giant monster one-on-one. Godzilla roared as he brought his foot down, causing the earth to crack under his stomp and practically causing a mini-earthquake that forced the Fire Lord from his feet. His fury refusing to let up, he swung his hand and dragged his claws through the earth.

Panic strained Zuko's legs as he got himself up and ran for his life. He didn't turn back. The awful sound of massive talons scraping the earth coming ever closer was enough to keep him moving just ahead of death. When he heard the claws being lifted, he ground to a halt and got back into a firebending position. If he was going to die, he was going to go out swinging.

He almost never got the chance when he saw the massive tail being lifted from the ash and hanging precariously over his head.

Zuko dove to the side, just barely avoiding being crushed by the several metric ton appendage. Before he could even entertain getting himself up though, the tail swept his direction and kicked up a huge wave of cinders and dirt. He didn't even need to get hit, the wave just flung him through the air.

Godzilla had turned by the time the Fire Lord landed in an unceremonious heap. The kaiju loomed over the downed monarch, snarling in sheer hatred.

Suddenly, Zuko pushed himself up from the dirt and raced right towards the titan. If there was one thing that Uncle taught him, it was never to go down without a fight.

And he wouldn't. Not when he slammed fireball after fireball into the foot of the beast. He poured everything he had. Passion. His drive. Knowing that to sit on the throne and to wear the crown was his destiny. Fury that this thing would stand in his way.

He was taught by the masters of Firebending. He was destined to bring about a new age for the Fire Nation. Nothing had stopped him so far. And he wasn't going to let this abomination decide when and where he was going to die.

…Still, his flames began to peter out when he saw that all his assault was lashing aimlessly against the dark hide.

Zuko snarled, yelling as he threw flame after flame, yet each result was the same. He got even more desperate when he felt his fire begin to peter out. No. This couldn't be right! He was better than this! He'd changed! Why was his fire dying?!

His ragged breathing told him the answer. Exhaustion and fatigue finally forced him to stumble back. He tried desperately to regain his focus, but the lack of any damage caused his vision to blur and his breath to catch. It didn't help that the air wasn't exactly getting better in all of the inferno.

The Fire Lord looked up. Godzilla had been staring at him throughout his assault, not even moving.

Something snapped as Zuko roared, a brilliant burst of fire coming from his mouth.

Godzilla just roared back, the very air his bellow forced out extinguishing the paltry fire and slamming Zuko into the ground.

For a moment…Zuko just lay there. He urged his muscles to drag himself up, but…he just couldn't do it.

It was then he began to notice himself. His royal robes were completely covered in soot and ash. The armor and cape that identified him as Fire Lord was gone. The crown? Gone. He looked and felt as though he were back in the Earth Kingdom begging for food.

And he just noticed all the carnage around him. The burning wrecks and bodies…

They'd followed him.

His plan.

He looked on the ridge where he knew his Uncle, his generals, and his friends were watching. Somewhere, he knew his sister was watching. Not that he could do much given the bridge he had just razed to the ground. Zuko…just let out a sigh of defeat, knowing he had let everyone down.

All that honor he wanted so badly was gone. This was his humiliation.

Zuko just stared lifelessly as Godzilla reared back up, the blue light dancing upon his dorsal spines and his maw beginning to spew fire once more. At this point, death would've been a mercy.

Just as Godzilla was about to fire, a gigantic boulder the size of a mountain peak slammed into his face with a loud crack.

The boulder shattered into a thousand pieces upon smashing against the great beast. For the first time since landing, Godzilla stumbled to the side from the force that was literally hurled at him. He shook his head and forced the fire down to face the interloper who wanted the upstart monarch to live just a bit longer.

Said interloper slammed into his chest, bringing with him the four elements and all the power of the Avatar State had to bear. Comparatively, Aang was still tiny compared to the kaiju. Yet his eyes glowed with an ancient power passed down from generation to generation, and the elements swirled around him at his command. He forced the massive reptile back through the sheer power he had at his disposal, the elements pushing Godzilla away from Zuko step by step.

Naturally moving a twenty thousand ton monster was not an easy feat. Godzilla managed to regain his stability after just a few steps, but the intent was clear. Aang rose in the air to meetthose raging eyes face to face. His glider hung over his shoulder, not needed as the air lifted him higher and higher. Godzilla hinged his dislocated jaw back into place, a bloody tooth falling from his mouth.

Yet for a moment…he hesitated. Monster and Avatar just stared at one another, neither giving an inch. Down below, Zuko took the chance and scrambled as far away as he could. He had his shot. Now it was time for the savior of the world to try.

"Godzilla," Aang spoke with the voice of his past lives. "You have just slaughtered thousands and now threaten the people of Yu Dao. Stand down and return to the sea, or I'll have no choice but to put you down."

---

Up on the ridge, Sokka was cheering and hollering at the sight of his friend tapping into the power that ended the war.

"WOOOOO! GO AANG! SHOW THAT LIZARD YOU MEAN BUSINESS!"

Nobody wanted to stop him. Honestly after all the carnage, they needed some kind of stress relief.

"What do you think, Maina? Think the Avatar State will be enough to get him to stand down?" Katara asked. The priestess seemed to know more about Godzilla than anyone here. Certainly knew the danger far before any of them did. Now if it were up to Katara, she had no doubts. Time and again, Aang had come through for the world. She'd seen him calm down rampaging spirits and use his power to humble entire armies. Surely that would be enough.

"...I don't think so," Maina nervously said. "The legends said once Godzilla gets worked up…"

The kaiju took the words out of her mouth, his glower easily visible from a distance. He turned to face the Avatar at his full height and slammed his tail on the ground. A great roar erupted from his maw as his claws flexed out, issuing the challenge.

"...it's nearly impossible to take him down."

---

"So be it."

Aang rocketed through the air towards the kaiju, his natural element propelling him at breakneck speed. Godzilla lashed out his claws, but the airbender saw it coming a mile away. He dodged nimbly to the side and slashed at the outreached arm with a blade of air. The sharpened air did little aside from kicking up a layer of ash that settled on Godzilla's limb, but it certainly got his attention.

The great tail swung around to crush the irritant. Speed and maneuverability were second nature to the monk, letting him easily fly over the incoming mass of flesh. Having cleared the monster's reach, Aang landed on the earth and thrust his fists into the air. In front, he forced another massive boulder from the ground before punching it toward the giant.

Godzilla just slammed his tail into the projectile, not falling for that a second time. Roaring with fury, he stampeded forward with intent to crush the Avatar beneath his bulk. Aang, though, just stamped the ground and created great spears of jagged stone to get in the kaiju's way. The titan just charged right through them unimpeded.

His rage was so great that he failed to see what Aang's goal was. Adopting a looser stance, Aang summoned up the groundwater flowing deep beneath their feet through one of the cracks created by his earthbending. A tendril of water lashed onto Godzilla's shoulder, causing the kaiju to snarl in annoyance. The Avatar then used the momentary distraction to rocket back up into the earth and glide along the water that he further focused on the shoulder. Flexing his fingers, he froze the water, encasing the area in ice.

He then drew upon the final element. Taking a deep breath, Aang breathed a burst of fire from his mouth and bathed the ice in fire. The rapid exposure to sheer cold immediately followed by sheer heat caused the patch to practically explode with the mixture of elements. Godzilla snarled with pain, reaching over to cover the affected area to prevent any more damage from being done.

Aang strafed the beast, his eyes already on the thrashing tail for another dodge. So much so that he didn't see Godzilla jerk to the side before the mountain of charcoal hide and flesh was impossible to ignore. Stopping in mid-air, the monk created a cushion of air before him and pushed himself off it, rocketing away.

Right into the path of the incoming tail.

His eyes widened as he called upon the earth below, summoning a suit of rock and stone to encase him just as the tail made contact. He covered his body with his arms to absorb the worst, but even then Godzilla's massive appendage smashed his protection apart.

The Avatar saw stars from the force. It was…immeasurable. And he knew it was about to get worse as he saw a blue light beginning to hum to life…

Shaking his head clear, he bent air around his body and controlled his trajectory, flying high into the air. And not a moment before Godzilla unleashed his fiery breath in pursuit. Higher and higher Aang climbed, looking back to make sure the burst of blue flame was right behind him. At the last possible moment, Aang quickly changed direction groundward and slammed himself back onto the earth.

The impact was more than just avoiding the inferno. He forced the earth to come apart and create a massive crack that swallowed Godzilla's foot. Again, he called forth the deep ground waters to submerge the leg, and again he froze the water. The foot was effectively frozen in ice, immobilizing the giant. Godzilla fired out the remainder of his fire breath into the air before he began struggling to free himself.

It would not take long, but Aang would not pass up the opportunity he created for himself. Surrounding himself in a furious, swirling shield of the four elements, Aang charged through the air and slammed into Godzilla's chest. The power of the Avatar was unleashed upon impact, bathing the monster in near hurricane-speed winds, blazing streams of fire, great boulders, and the swirling waters of a tempest.

This time though, Godzilla braced himself and took the attack full force. Aang felt a bead of sweat as he pushed more and more, hoping to take as much energy out of the beast as possible. So focused was he that the great clawed hand came out of nowhere. His shield of elements protected him from the blow, but he still found himself being thrown to the ground.

Aang cried out as he hit the earth. He felt the air being knocked out of his lungs and his poise shattered. The rest of his senses, though, went into high alert when he heard Godzilla pry his foot free from the trap and raise it precariously over his head.

His sense of duty was overwhelmed by the need to survive. Reaching out to the earth beneath him, he tunneled himself deep below and brought together the rocks above him to create a massive shield. By all accounts, it should've been impenetrable. Such a defense from the Avatar State should've been enough to stop any assault.

Godzilla stomped on the earth and nearly shattered through the shield in a single blow.

The Avatar paused with fear at being buried under who knew how many tons of earth. He could feel the impact nearly crush his barrier and bring his defense crashing down on top of him. One more stomp and…

On the surface, Godzilla lifted his foot one more time…

---

Azula dragged herself across the ruined battlefield. She saw the shattered earth, the chunks of ice, and the burning fires. A wind had swept up, carrying embers and soot through the air. Admittedly the air quality had improved marginally. Which meant she could catch her breath for once.

She didn't know where Zuko was, and right now she didn't care. Azula just watched the titans clash. The Princess had heard stories of the power of the Avatar. Everyone had after the Siege of the North. Seeing it unfold was another experience. Watching him hurl the elements around like they were toys. It made her feel…small. Very small. And people wondered why she shot the so-called "Savior of the World" in the back when he was fully capable and willing to do this sort of damage.

For all practical purposes, the Avatar was an equal to the kaiju. Two forces of nature vying for supremacy.

Ultimately though it was the larger one that took the advantage. She watched as Godzilla pummeled the Avatar into the earth, crushing the rocky shield under his full weight. Seeing such a display was both gratifying and terrifying. Gratifying to see the Avatar get a taste of his own medicine. Terrifying in that she wouldn't wish for even her worst enemy to be thrown in the path of such a beast.

Azula felt the carnage surround her. If the Avatar died…this wasn't going to stop. The monster's rage would consume Yu Dao, and her nation would send army after army against it. Didn't matter who led them, the result would be the same. And every time, Godzilla's rage would increase, before it consumed all in his path.

Before her, she was looking at the doom of the Fire Nation. A nightmare of their own making. What the Avatar had failed to do, Godzilla would finish.

…and she couldn't let that happen.

Her purpose clear, she brought her mind into an almost surreal state of peace. She tore apart the positive and negative energies in herself before bringing lightning to her fingertips. Her body fell into the motions, letting the lightning discharge and snake through the air, striking the dorsal spines just as Godzilla was about to bring his foot down on the stricken Avatar.

As before, the impact was small against such a mountain. In his enraged state though, Godzilla did pause for a moment, bringing his foot down away from the battered shield. He turned and glared at Azula.

Tired and bruised, she ran forward and fired a blue burst of flame at the monster's foot. Seeing the fire shared between the two being used against him was the final straw. Godzilla bellowed in rage, smashing his fist onto the ground with all intent to crush the Princess. She dodged to the side, going prone as the cloud of ash washed over her.

Adrenaline forced her back up on her feet and raced her along the ruined earth. Azula leaped in the air and let out a jet of blue fire behind her, grabbing onto one of the kaiju's hand as it was being raised back into the air. She clambered onto the scaly knuckle, pulling herself up to her feet. Godzilla raised his hand to glare at the impudent teen who dared to challenge him.

Azula just glared back, thrusting her fist out and letting out a stream of flame right at the beast.

Godzilla snorted, raising his other hand to crush the Princess.

In the process, once more his attention was diverted. A crack from the earth was all the warning he got before Aang threw another huge boulder at the side of his head. Godzilla roared with surprise, forgetting the girl entirely to deal with the Avatar flying past him. He snapped his jaws in thin air, giving Azula enough time to clamber up the huge arm.

It was an effort climbing a thrashing colossus. Azula latched onto any scale or hold she could get, sometimes rocketing herself higher up. Naturally, Godzilla didn't ignore her for long, reaching over to crush her yet again under his hand. And again, Aang swooped by the monster's leg and slashed at it with flame and air. Godzilla cried out with surprise as he stumbled, before turning back towards the Avatar with fire in both his eyes and jaws. He let forth a burst of blue flame in pursuit, which scorched everything in its path in his mad pursuit of his quarry.

Azula straightened herself out as she jetted the last of the distance to the top of Godzilla's shoulder. As he craned his neck trying to incinerate the Avatar, she ran across the now-horizontal neck.

She stopped right as Godzilla turned to look at her, giving her an opening to stop and split her energies once more. Azula jabbed her fingertips and fired a lightning bolt right into Godzilla's eye. This elicited a shriek of pain as the kaiju reached over and covered his now wounded face.

This gave Azula the time she needed to boost herself the last of the distance and stopping right on top of his snout. Looking around, she saw to her surprise that there were several wounds and burnt patches from Zuko's aerial assault. They didn't look deep, but they were at least openings she could exploit.

The Princess grabbed on for dear life and started pouring as much fire as she could into one of the larger wounds. More and more she poured, doing her best to fry it open and torch the flesh. To her surprise though, it proved to be more difficult than merely trying to cut through tons of flesh and skin. It almost seemed as if the wounds were repairing themselves, the burns being replaced with scar tissue.

That just caused her to increase her assault, hoping to cause as much pain as possible.

And in that, she succeeded. Godzilla roared in madness as he thrashed around, trying to throw off the painful hitchhiker. As he did, he fired fire breath after fire breath, incinerating everything around him in a blaze Azula could scarcely begin to describe. It didn't seem like he was even aiming at anything anymore. This looked like he wanted to just burn the whole world.

A feeling she recognized all too easily.

The streams of fire breath only ended when, on either side of the beast, huge formations of earth that could best be described as mountains slammed together. Godzilla found himself effectively encased in a stony prison. Looking around madly, he spotted the perpetrator high above in the sky.

On his back, the spines began to glow brightly once more…

Hovering from above, Aang bent the elements around him before firing a huge wave of all the elements heading straight for the imprisoned kaiju. This combined assault, this huge demonstration of what the Avatar was capable of, was the same attack he used in his battle with Ozai. Before, he'd managed to cut it off before it took the Fire Lord's life. This time though…he was going to need all the force he could muster.

Godzilla on the other hand would not sit idle. Taking a deep breath, the monster roared before unleashing his powered-up fiery breath, meeting Aang's assault right in the air.

Upon impact, the kaiju's breath detonated, creating a huge explosion of light. Everyone felt the impact. Azula clung desperately for dear life, trying to avoid being flung off and plummeting to her doom. High above, Aang covered his eyes and felt himself be knocked from the air. Godzilla snarled as he took the attack full on, being bathed in the energy.

For a moment, amidst the chaos…all was still.

High above, Aang plummeted. His thoughts were of Katara and his friends, no doubt looking on in horror at what must've been his doom. He felt the power of the Avatar State fade, the glow from his eyes and arrow dimming.

Looking down though…Aang felt he wouldn't need it.

Reaching around, he grabbed his glider and snapped it open, allowing the wind to gently bring him lower to the earth.

Down below, Godzilla smashed his way through the mountains surrounding him, stumbling out from the confines. The light from his spines faded as he paused, his chest heaving in and out from exhaustion. Azula clambered to a notch right in front of his eye, her energy utterly spent.

Aang glided to land in front of the other eye, taking a moment to catch his breath as well. All three combatants just sat there, trying to compose themselves.

It was then that the Avatar exhaled before looking behind him into Godzilla's eye.

"You were waiting for me all that time. Weren't you?"

Godzilla just stared back at him, glaring at the boy with that familiar intensity. Yet he did not lash out. He only growled in response.

"Yeah. That's what I thought." Aang sighed as he looked down at his feet, the realization settling in. "Everyone was counting on me to stop the Fire Nation. And…you were waiting for me because you knew something like this would happen. Didn't you?"

Again, he got a growl in response. Though at least the monster wasn't trying to kill him. That was a start.

With that in mind, he looked out at the carnage surrounding them. The devastation was vast. It seemed inconceivable that any creature was capable of so much destruction. Even still, it was all too familiar. "I understand you. And I understand why you're upset. Believe me, I…I hated the Fire Nation for what they did. They killed my people when we didn't even have an army and I…wanted to make them pay for what they did. I know people say that La was the one in control but honestly…deep down I wanted them to suffer."

It pained him to say that, but it was the truth. Something that didn't escape Azula as she listened in. The Avatar…regretted what he did in the North? And he said his people didn't have an army? It was one thing for Maina to say such a thing believing in some lie, but it was another for somebody who was there during the Comet's first passing to turn her world upside down.

No. It couldn't be right. Her great-grandfather wouldn't lie about that.

My daughter. Lies run deep in our family. This wouldn't be the first time, her mother told her. Azula wanted to argue back but given what she had seen and learned, she just couldn't find the words.

Aang continued. "I wanted to end Ozai's life so. Badly. But…I couldn't. Because you can't end a war with even one more death. We need to draw the line somewhere.

"...I'm guessing you get that too? Don't you?" Godzilla snarled in response, glaring out around them at the ruined army.

"Trust me. I get it. The Fire Nation needs to change and they have a long way to go. But we can't do that if we go around killing every last one of them," Aang declared. He turned around and gazed right into Godzilla's eye. "I've seen good in them. All of them. Zuko. Iroh. Azula. They can change for the better. I have to believe in that if we truly want to bring peace. I understand you can't forgive them for what they did. I'm not asking you to. What I'm asking is that you give them a chance to learn. Trying to kill them won't do that. And if you do kill them, you'll deny them redemption. Do you really want that?"

Azula blinked as she heard the Avatar's words. He…believed she could change?

Godzilla on the other hand just stared silently. Aang didn't waver in his gaze. "Trust me, I know your anger. But I can't let you kill any more people. Cause it won't make things better for you or anyone else. And if you still don't believe me…then I won't let you take any more lives. Not today."

With that, Aang just sat there, waiting for the monster's response.

…his response came in the spines glowing blue.

Reflexively, both Aang and Azula leaped off the monster's face. The latter realized that unlike the former, she couldn't bend air. Her stomach almost plummeted seeing the drop beneath her.

The panic subsided though when she felt Aang grab her robes as he swooped over on his glider. "Nice catch, Avatar," she snarked exhaustedly.

"We need to stop meeting like this," Aang jokily replied.

He went quiet though as Godzilla reared his head back and fired a focused fire breath straight into the skies above. A roar of pure rage erupted from his maw, fueling his fury into the breath and pouring everything he had into the heavens above.

Azula could almost feel the chains on her arms and legs, seeing him rage in such a way. In some strange way, she felt a kinship with the monster. After all, she understood what it meant to have everything taken from you.

Beneath them, she saw the Avatar's bison fly up to them, letting Aang gently land both of them on his back. "Good boy Appa," he exhaustedly said, patting his old friend's head. Naturally, his other animal friend landed on his shoulder and began frantically licking his face and making sure he was okay. Aang chuckled, letting himself let the tension and energy out.

Azula just watched from Appa's back as Godzilla fired his blue inferno into the heavens, raging and roaring. Watched as the fire petered out and Godzilla's roars continued to echo upon the winds. Heard as each bellow became weaker and more exhausted, gradually replaced by the kaiju gasping for air and taking heavier and heavier breaths.

Eventually, he stopped roaring entirely, before he lowered his head and looked with tired eyes over the battlefield. For a moment…Azula felt like she truly understood him. That this was the true Godzilla, buried beneath all the rage and fury.

After gazing out over the ashfields for what seemed like an eternity…Godzilla slowly turned back towards the sea.

---

Zuko kneeled among the ashes, watching as his friends and Iroh approached. The first thing he did was hug his Uncle, desperately clinging to him with tears in his eyes, and saying he was sorry over and over.

The Dragon of the West embraced him back, ruffling his hair, telling him that he was just as much to blame. For he almost lost another son today.

Aang and the rest of Team Avatar stood by, letting the two have this moment. Nobody could say a thing. While Sokka had told them a few of the battalions had managed to escape, the carnage wrought by Godzilla was immeasurable. It seemed like a miracle that the young monarch was still alive.

What seemed less like a miracle was Zuko's generals approaching. All of them eyed the sobbing young man with disappointment. Katara just got between them and the Fire Lord with a stern "He's had enough for one day". None of them really wanted to challenge the master waterbender on those grounds.

Managing to collect himself for a moment, Zuko waved Sokka over. "I need you to send a message to the Earth King and the rest of the Tribunal leaders," he said. "I'm going to hold a summit…discussing the return of the colonies." The Water Tribe boy solemnly nodded, knowing that what happened here was going to have serious repercussions for the rest of the world.

For now, though, Aang knelt by Zuko's side and wrapped his arm around the monarch's shoulders. There would be a time and place for the consequences to play out. No one wanted to face them right now amidst the carnage.

---

Down by the coast, Azula, Maina, and Kori had slipped away from the rest to watch Godzilla trudge towards the sea. His head was held low, and his breathing was heavy. Seeing the titan in such a state was…something else.

"I never imagined he was real," Kori whispered, barely keeping herself together from the sheer level of death she had witnessed.

Maina gently held the noble's shoulder to calm her down. Then she knelt to the earth, inviting both of the other girls to join her in a prayer. Distraught, Kori knelt beside her, letting the words from Infant Island wash over them both. If nothing else, they could give the departed some comfort.

Azula, on the other hand, stood. She wasn't sure if she could give comfort to anyone. It had been…too much for her. She wrapped her arms around herself to keep her steady. The same question kept echoing through her head. One she was too afraid to speak.

Was…she like Godzilla? Capable of nothing but destruction? The beast's rage was too familiar, and if that were the case…who was she to deserve anyone's sympathy? After all, she only knew how to hurt people. How was that so different?

After all, they were both monsters.

She felt a gentle hand hold her shoulder. "Sometimes, beings like Godzilla show a window into our soul. That doesn't necessarily mean it's a bad thing. Sometimes we need to see the truth if we're to change."

Azula didn't know exactly what Maina meant though. How can one change their very nature? One can't change who they were simply by being told they were horrible. All the Princess knew was that what happened today would've happened during Sozin's Comet if her plan had succeeded. The thought made her sick.

All three girls were shaken out of their musings when Godzilla turned to look at them. Azula in particular. Girl and Kaiju looked at one another, wondering what the other was thinking. If nothing else, she did feel something knowing that there was another like her out there.

Seeing him turn towards the sea, beginning to wade in the shallows before making his way to the open ocean, she knew she had to chase him. For good or ill, her destiny would be tied to his. Whether that offered salvation or damnation though…that was yet to be decided.

---

On a distant hillside, overlooking the destruction and watching Godzilla wade to sea, a rather pale man in peasant's clothes saw everything.

And he was disappointed. He was hoping the Fire Lord and the Avatar would be slain, but he supposed some things did pan out well. The Fire Nation's army was gutted, and he knew there would be a reckoning everywhere. He could sense that Godzilla's awakening was only the beginning.

He knew the General was stirring from his slumber thanks to the Fire Nation's depredations, and that in turn would awaken the Guardian Beast. Deep below, he sensed the Lord of the Earth was stirring, something the Goddess couldn't ignore. Through it all, the Storm King would no doubt take advantage of this, hoping to rebuild his kingdom.

A mirthless chuckle from his lips carried on the wind. So much chaos was on the horizon. Something that made his deep blue eyes sparkle with anticipation. Too long he had waited for this. Too long he had watched the signs. And if there was any hope for them all, the world first needed to burn.

Ozai did get one thing right, he admitted. Sometimes you needed to build a new empire on the ruins of the old.

His though…his would last.

Notes:

A/N: …well that ended about as well as you'd expect.

Once again I'd like to give a big thanks to Selpharia for beta reading.

I…admittedly have had issues with Zuko's character for a while. Mainly that I felt his arc wasn't done yet. In this regard, I sort of wanted to deconstruct the "the Last Agni Kai" being the finale for his character and him "becoming a man" like Iroh said despite doing the same thing his father did to get the throne. It backfired because he tried to apply the same logic with Azula to a gigantic monster who gets more dangerous the more he's enraged.

And how angry he was. Godzilla has had issues with those that killed his own family such as in Godzilla vs Destroyah, the Anime Trilogy, and the 98 film (one of the few things that film got right). Particularly in the Kiryu duology where humanity resurrected one of his own as an anti-Godzilla weapon and sent him in a frenzy. Now we know Zuko didn't kill either of Ran or Shaw, but Godzilla sure doesn't know that. So he's not exactly going to be merciful to those who killed his kin.

Now his atomic breath (or fire breath here) is his most famous ability, and I wanted to give it the gravitas and respect it deserves. I also wanted to get a bit more creative since his breath is a very derived form of firebending. We have the more traditional flame spewing breath, the more focused blast with the airships, and the explosive kind not too dissimilar to combustion bending. All three are actually forms of his atomic breath he's used throughout the years (his breath started out fiery in the beginning before it became more focused in later installments, while his most powerful form was used in Minus One).

Thing is, despite the Fire Nation being the bad guys for the show, I didn't want to make this seem like a triumph when they got wrecked. We're talking thousands of people dying after all, and I didn't want to sugercoat that. The apocalyptic feel in the aftermath I actually got some inspiration from the original Godzilla film, Godzilla Returns once he destroys the Super-X, and 2000 with his assault on Nemuro.

Now for Zuko's assault on Azula…this was taken from The Search where his treatment of her was abysmal. Like I understand he doesn't like her, but he DID say those lines word for word and he DID dangle her over a cliff. Though whereas in that comic he was supposed to be sympathetic, I wanted to take the protagonist rug from underneath him and how horrible he behaved. Especially since…well, let's just say that scene and his behavior really did unnerve me.

Plus I felt that his rivalry with Azula (in which he blames everything on her and not his abusive father) wasn't really addressed in the show. Here I wanted to give some indirect consequences for pursuing that grudge to unhealthy lengths since he puts himself back into Godzilla's warpath.

Of course Aang's going to bail him out. Once the shock's been shaken off, there's no way he's going to let more people die. Even if he has to dip into the Avatar State to stand a chance. Then we have Azula ironically save him since she's feeling the character development disease settling in.

Now for Aang talking Godzilla down, it has been demonstrated time and again that nonviolent works the best in dealing with Godzilla. Mothra larvae were able to painlessly subdue him by wrapping him in silk in Mothra vs Godzilla and Godzilla: Tokyo SOS, and he HAS been known to stop rampages, even temporarily such as in Godzilla vs Biollante where they used telepathy or in Godzilla: Final Wars where Minilla convinced him to let go of his grudge against mankind. I also figured it would be more fitting for the themes I wanted to explore if Aang could calm him down. Wouldn't be the first time he'd been able to calm a raging monster whether in canon or in the comics.

Anyways, thank you all so much for the support you've shown the fic. I…didn't expect it to blow up so much to be frank. I'm going to slow down a little since we've come out of the introductory arc, but rest assured I will be getting back to work when I'm able to. Thanks again for reading. Make sure to leave a comment to leave your thoughts. Favorite and follow if you want to see more. And as always, I'll see you next time where we start to slow things down a bit. Happy Holidays, and have a great day!

Chapter 8: Omens of Disaster

Summary:

Aang, Zuko, and the rest of the Nations' leaders convene to discuss the disastrous attempt at killing Godzilla and the fragile peace the monster threatens. Dark secrets are let out, threatening the stability they have built up. Meanwhile, Azula is given the opportunity to make a play for the throne, putting her newfound friendships on the line. All the while, terrifying rumors surround them all as something becomes abundantly clear: Godzilla is not the only monster to have been awakened.

Notes:

Avatar: The Last Airbender and all associated characters are owned by Paramount Global. Godzilla and all associated characters are owned by Toho Studios. Please support the official release.

Yu Dao, Mayor's House

"Uh, sorry if it's a bit dusty down here," Kori whispered.

Azula just rolled her eyes, blowing a cobweb out of her face to make her thoughts known. Still being cooped up in a crummy crawlspace was a lot better than just waiting what this summit was about. Everyone in the city knew that the heads of the three Nations were meeting today on neutral ground. Neither was it a secret about what the big issue was going to be discussed.

Now Azula was many things, but she wasn't someone who could stomach not being in the know about what could be one of the biggest meetings in these so-called "peace talks." So when Kori told them that she knew of a crawlspace she used frequently right under the meeting room, it was an opportunity she couldn't pass up.

Granted it was a little cramped with three girls smushed in there instead of one, but Azula could manage. Maina on the other hand…

"Stop jabbing your elbow into my gut, Kori!"

"Sorry," the noble dutifully said.

"I have to say, you keep impressing me minute by minute," Azula mused, hoping to bring her newfound companion's spirits up. "Does your father know about you sneaking in here?"

Kori just snorted. "Him? He's got his nose too far up the Fire Lord's butt to care. Besides, if he knew I was here to check on the weekly guard routes to find out where we can organize protests, he'd throw a fit."

"All these talents wasted for the most menial of causes…"

"Hey, at least I'm doing something about things here."

The Princess let the jab slide. Quite frankly, she was not in the mood to start an argument. That and if they started to get into one, they'd be caught sooner than she could come up with a good excuse of why they were eavesdropping on a big meeting like this. Right now the only ones she had were "Well Kori wanted to show us where she played when she was a child" or "Somebody's got to clean down here. Figured we'd give the servants a break for once".

…okay maybe not that last one. She didn't want to think about what happened to her servants after she banished them. Or anything regarding that awful day to begin with…

"Sush! It sounds like they're coming in!"

All three clammed up as they heard footsteps above them. Azula in particular kept still, her ears craning to hear anything from the other side. Inwardly she wondered how her brother would handle something like this. It wasn't like he was in the best state the last she saw him.

Good. Let him see what it's like to be a leader for once.

---

Aang adjusted his heavier ceremonial robes. To be perfectly honest, he felt he wasn't cut out for diplomatic appearances like this. But at least it was getting easier with each summit.

More so than he could say about his companion. Zuko had changed into the heavier garb that he wore during his coronation. Although he was the more ornately dressed of the two, he was the one who seemed to be the more nervous. "I feel like I'm getting ready for my execution," he murmured.

There wasn't much Aang could say that would dissuade him. On the other side of those doors were the leaders of the other nations and his generals. None of them were very fond of the one who helped bring down Ba Sing Se, raided the South looking for the Avatar, and spearheaded a military disaster that crippled the Fire Nation's holdings in the Earth Kingdom. The last one especially got to Zuko the hardest.

Fire Lord Zuko was supposed to be better, and he led so many men and women to their deaths. It was just like that minister back during that fateful war meeting that left him branded. Who was he to appear before so many with so much blood on his hands?

The Avatar just put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Look: Katara, Sokka, and Toph are going to be there right beside us. And we have Iroh and the rest of the White Lotus speaking on your behalf. You're not facing this alone."

"I just hope I don't drag you guys down with me," the older boy murmured. The look on his face screamed that he understood just how much he had screwed this whole thing up. Still, the only way for any of them was forward. There wasn't much they could do except face the storm together.

Taking a deep breath, both Avatar and Fire Lord walked through the doors and into the ornate meeting room.

Yu Dao's Mayor Morishita was delighted to have his estate chosen for the summit. Granted it wasn't due to any favoritism on the part of Zuko, but rather the city being as best a neutral ground as could be managed. And considering that this was contested territory, they figured it would be fitting to hold the meeting in the largest and most influential of the cities.

Neither Aang nor Zuko could see Morishita's so-called "neutrality"; the mayor was chatting amongst the Fire Nation generals, the War Minister, and some of the most influential nobles and family heads who had managed to secure invitations. Figures. They probably wanted to have their say in their financial futures.

Opposite to them across the huge table set up for this were the leaders of the other nations. King Kuei and his Council of Five were already en route to Yu Dao, so they were able to arrive here fairly quickly. The chiefs of the Water Tribes had been staying at the embassy established in the colonies shortly after the end of the war, so Chiefs Arnook and Hakoda managed to get here on time as well.

Sokka and Katara in particular were taking the opportunity to hug and greet their father. Seeing the Chieftain of the South embrace his children, Zuko gave a nod to Aang, allowing the Avatar to join his friends. "Aang! It's so good to see you again!" Hakoda greeted, placing a warm hand on the airbender's shoulder.

"Nice to see you too, Hakoda," Aang politely returned, resisting the tendency to give the mediator a big hug. Rough as it was, there needed to be some sense of order amidst nations that historically have never been on the best of terms. Especially since one waged a century-long war against the others. While Hakoda couldn't exactly be called a neutral party, he was the only one in the room who hadn't had as much experience with the newly-crowned Fire Lord before he became associated with the Avatar.

The only other option was the White Lotus, the secret allies of the Avatar who had revealed themselves during the Liberation of Ba Sing Se. Needless to say, no one was willing to entertain the opportunity of letting the Grand Lotus turn this into a blanket defense for his nephew like he usually did. Neither were they eager to let high-ranking members from throughout the world steer the discussions when they'd been out of the picture for so long.

This tension could easily be observed simply by looking across the table. Jeong Jeong and Piadao were near their representatives of their homeland, but neither they nor the Fire Nation representatives were mingling with each other. A similar story could be seen with Master Pakku regarding Chief Arnook, the latter of whom wasn't engaging with the former like you'd expect two old friends would. Only Iroh seemed to be the only one who was close to his Nation's leaders. And King Bumi…

"Eh let's not stand on ceremony here old buddy!" the "eccentric" king of Omashu greeted as he walked over and caught Aang in a bearhug that was far stronger than you'd expect an old man to be capable of. "Greet old friends when you know crap is about to hit the fan! That's what I always say!"

"Thanks…you can…let me down now…"

Bumi willingly obliged, setting Aang down so he could catch his breath. Course that didn't stop a certain blind earthbender from snickering.

"You sure you don't want to join us Toph? We can pull an extra seat for you," Katara snarked.

The little girl just shrugged. "Eh. I'm just here for the yelling."

Right. This…was going to get ugly, Aang thought to himself. He could almost feel the burning gazes that Zuko was getting from Arnook and Kuei from their respective places at the table. Out of everyone, they were the hardest to convince that Zuko had changed. Though given what had happened just a few days ago, he couldn't say he blamed them.

Still, Zuko was his friend. And he was going to stick by him as much as he reasonably could. Or try to anyway. Truth be told, even the monk felt a bit of trepidation about defending the Fire Lord right now. After all, there wasn't a lot he could do to make "not listening to the Avatar's advice and getting a whole army slaughtered" sound good.

Sensing the tension in the room, another Southern Water Tribe man who could've only been Bato leaned to his friend's ear and spelled out the obvious. "Alright. Since everyone is here, we should begin this summit meeting at once," Hakoda said in a loud voice. Everyone proceeded to settle down and get into their chairs, with Aang joined by Katara and Sokka.

Once everyone had gotten settled, Hakoda stood up. "Since Fire Lord Zuko was the one who called this meeting, I feel it would be wise for him to start." He then gave the go-ahead for the young monarch to begin before taking his own seat.

Zuko rose to his full height, feeling all eyes on him. "Thank you Chieftain Hakoda. I'd like to begin with an explanation for my actions. I know there have been some rumors, but I would like to confirm that…I was making a bid for the colonies. I felt that the economic stability they provided would've prevented civil unrest and better secured my position on the throne. And with a better position on the throne, I would've been able to better secure reparations for what my people did in the war. In the process though, I led thousands of men to their deaths and put Yu Dao in danger. I…played with the lives of countless people for my own glory, just as my forefathers did.

"So in the wake of my failure, I personally retract any and all claims I would have on the colonies and will continue to ensure that they return to the hands of Earth King Kuei and the people of the Earth Kingdom. Their rightful owners.

"Additionally, I'd also like to open the floor to any discussion in regards to the threat Godzilla poses to us all. While the Avatar has assured me that the kaiju will not pose a current threat, we both agree that there needs to be a counter-strategy if and when it appears again."

With that, the Fire Lord sat down back in his seat. Aang felt a little conflicted. He knew that any renewed hostility towards Godzilla would risk setting the whole mess in motion all over again, but he also knew that the people needed some response they could rely on in case the monster went back on the rampage. Especially since given the current state of the world, it did seem like a certainty.

Still, Zuko was able to deliver his opening without somebody pointing fingers and shouting. That was a step in the right direction. Across the table, Kuei lifted a hand, signifying that he wanted to speak. A chill ran down Team Avatar's spine. Now Kuei was a good man, and everyone knew that he did have the interests of his people in mind before all things. The problem was that…Zuko did help Azula in a coup d'etat against him, on top of the mess the young Fire Lord had created.

So this could go either very well, or very poorly. They just had to wait and see if Hakoda gave the go-ahead for Kuei to speak his peace. "I just want to say that I do appreciate Fire Lord Zuko's withdrawal from his bid on Yu Dao and the rest of the colonies. They are sitting on Earth Kingdom territory after all, and the Fire Nation retaining any gains made through the conquest of my people would render any and all attempts at peace pointless."

His comment ignited a few murmurs from Zuko's supporters, earning him a few nasty glances from the nobles. Zuko felt some of the heat being directed his way, particularly from Mayor Morishita. He just stared at them back. If they wanted to jeopardize the fragile peace and risk civil war, that was on them.

"However, I can't ignore that the Fire Lord only has offered to withdraw his troops after they were destroyed following the attack by Godzilla. This leads me to wonder if he would've been so understanding if the kaiju hadn't shown up. Or rather, it makes me wonder how I can be sure that the Fire Nation isn't just withdrawing so my forces will have to deal with a rampaging monster while the Fire Nation regroup and make another bid through superior military force." His glare across the table made it clear that he knew full well what he was saying and did not shy away from the implied accusation. The approving nods from the Council of Five made clear where he got this train of thought from.

Hakoda stood up. "King Kuei, the Avatar has ensured that as long as there's no hostile action taken towards Godzilla, it won't be a threat. I'd also like to remind the Earth King that the withdrawal of all Fire Nation forces AND the return of the contested territories were part of the initial peace talks."

"So were the upcoming trials," Kuei shot back, ignoring Hakoda entirely and glaring right at Zuko. "Yet I see before me that none of the individuals we had submitted to be put on trial are in custody. War Minister Qin is standing right there and he tried to burst a Drill through my city walls AND was a member of Ozai's inner circle!"

Before Hakoda could stop him, Fire Lord Zuko stood up and returned Kuei's glare. "You try dealing with the threat of civil war and convicting prominent clan members. Besides, the prisoners I sent on the prison ships were guilty of war crimes. Including my own sister! You know, the one who orchestrated your city's downfall?"

Kuei snorted. "Right. Last I checked, she wasn't on the list. If she were, you'd be on the list as well. And don't talk to me about setting up your own family to be tried. Your Uncle was on top of the list, and that butcher is right there sitting next to you!"

Aang got up, seeing that the situation was spiraling out of Hakoda's control. "Iroh's changed! We know he laid siege to your city-"

"Did you also know about the heads of our emissaries he delivered to us when we tried to negotiate a cease-fire to get food to our civilians? Which resulted in one of the worst famines our city had ever endured?" General How shot back.

…

Aang, Zuko, and the rest of Team Avatar slowly turned towards Iroh, the little tidbit having hit them harder than a charging Moose Lion. "Uncle…did you-?"

Iroh sagged a little bit. "There were a lot of things I didn't tell you, nephew. None of which I was especially proud of."

"With all due respect, Grand Lotus, there's a difference between shady dealings and decapitating ambassadors on a peace mission while drawing out a protracted siege that starved my people. Or am I to assume that all the people I talked to were making up the entirety of the 600 Days? Honestly, I was being merciful when I exiled you from my city instead of being held prisoner right off the bat," Kuei snarled.

"To be fair, we DID liberate Ba Sing Se during Sozin's Comet. That's got to earn us a little respect," Bumi pointed out.

"Right. When the Fire Lord could've so very easily recalled his troops once he was on the throne if that coup of yours worked, which would have definitely resulted in no loss of life at all. You know, attacking what could ostensibly be called a military objective by your own plan. Tell me, was the only reason you attacked and killed so many of our troops and YOUR countrymen just so you could burn down a flag?" Qin snapped sarcastically, pointing towards Iroh with that last quip.

Hakoda nursed a headache as things were spiraling out of control. "Gentlemen, the purpose of this meeting isn't to-"

"I guess robbing the enemy of a stronghold they could retreat to and putting civilians at risk doesn't count as a strategic maneuver in your mind? Or did we just have to assume that all your armies would magically stand down when Fire Lord Zuko ended the war you've been waging for how many years?!"

"My question is, how come none of the White Lotus did anything to de-escalate the war?!" Kuei said, cutting off a rather offended-looking Pakku. "Bumi, had it occurred to you to coordinate with your allies in the Fire Nation to check their advances? Or maybe call in support to relieve that siege?!"

"Right. Maybe I'll send support if-oh yeah! I did! Except the Dai Li intercepted them and claimed that they threatened the peace in Ba Sing Se!" the now-furious King of Omashu fired back.

"That still doesn't excuse the fact that you aided a known warmonger! Just like you, Pakku!" Arnook joined in, blindsiding the now surprised master waterbender. "Tell me, were you buddies with Iroh when he was helping coordinate the Siege of the North that resulted in the Moon Spirit dying? Give me one good reason why I shouldn't execute you as a traitor."

"Chief Arnook, my Uncle wasn't in charge of the Siege! That was Zhao!" Zuko roared.

"Oh right! So I'm just going to ignore your uncle not doing anything to stop that maniac when he was literally sipping tea on his ship? In fact, who are you to talk? If you didn't kidnap the Avatar and drag him halfway across the tundra, he could've been able to defend the Moon Spirit from Zhao and my daughter would be here right now!"

By now, the whole table was erupting in arguments, drowning out Hakoda's impassioned demands for order. This wasn't the first time the talks had degenerated into fighting, but never before had it reached this level. Accusations of "Oh NOW you care about the edges of your Kingdom," and "You just sat there and did nothing," were being tossed around. Aang and his friends got a little worried that soon those words would be joined by the elements.

Zuko just glared at Kuei for causing this whole meeting to degenerate into such an argument. "I just want to give the colonies back! Is that not enough for you?!"

"Well, maybe I wouldn't mind so much if ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE MONSTERS WASN'T RUNNING AROUND MY KINGDOM!"

With that, the whole room went silent. Team Avatar just stared gobsmacked at each other.

There was another?

King Kuei took a deep breath. "There have been sightings of a great reptilian beast in the jungles surrounding Cranefish Town. It hasn't become violent yet, but considering the damage wrought by Godzilla, I can't exactly dedicate my army to occupying Yu Dao and the surrounding provinces without stretching them too thin lest the worst come to pass."

The name "Cranefish Town" furrowed Toph's eyebrows a little. Something about that seemed familiar…

"I already have the Kyoshi Warriors keeping an eye on things, but I'd rather not risk abandoning it until the danger has passed. Until then, I'm open to any suggestions on how to prepare for an attack."

Aang stood up at the ready. "I'll head to Cranefish Town and see what I can do about it. Until then, don't have any of your troops attack it. I don't want a repeat of Yu Dao."

"As for the defense, the people of Odo Island seem to have experience with this sort of thing. They built a series of tunnels that let them withstand Godzilla's attack," Sokka chimed in. "As for actually hurting one of these things…I can't say for certain. At least we'll have some kind of defense though until we know more about them."

One of the generals from the Council of Five chimed in, the conversation moving in that direction and letting Aang rest a little. And let the gravity of the situation sink in. The first was Iroh. Looking across the table, he could see the old man looking pretty withdrawn with guilt written on his face. That was enough to take the breath out of the airbender. He knew Iroh was a famous general, but he certainly didn't expect that out of his ally.

The other was the news about the kaiju. There was another one out there. Which made him ask the chilling question: exactly how many of them were there?

---

"I don't know," Maina admitted. "I mean I know of a few, but it's not like we've kept tabs on every single one."

Kori sighed, taking a sip from her tea. For once, Azula understood her frustration. First, her home was threatened by one of these beasts. Then it turns out there could be another out there. It had to have been a lot to take in. Well, all of that meeting was a lot to take in. Which was why the noble had taken them to a teahouse she frequented.

It wasn't the most opulent of establishments, being a bit plain compared to the beautiful teahouses Azula was familiar with back in the capital. But it probably was a bit more comfortable for Kori, which the Princess couldn't judge her all that much for. It helped that there was a fairly even mix of Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom peasants milling about. They all seemed to be in the same class too, if you could believe it.

Guess all the wealth wasn't distributed evenly to those who were supposed to make the most of it, Azula mused to herself. Sure, she knew that not everyone was going to be the next major clan the moment they set foot here. It did make her wonder though about what promises these families were fed to come so far from home, only to find out there that not too many things changed in terms of status. It wasn't like she was unfamiliar with some of those lies herself, after all. All nobles, including the Royal Family, needed to tell a few lies if the peasants were to serve them properly.

"Well, do you know anything about this one?" she asked Maina, hoping for a bit of a distraction from her thoughts.

The priestess thought to herself for a moment. "I'm not exactly familiar with kaiju outside of the Fire Nation. But if this one's set up territory around the edge of the colonies…it sounds a bit like Anguirus. I'm hoping, at least."

Azula and Kori blinked a few times, wondering how one could hope a particular giant monster was in the area. Maina saw their glances and decided to explain herself. "Trust me. Anguirus isn't one of the violent ones. If the stories are true, he mostly keeps to himself. He only gets vicious if you throw the first punch."

"Like Godzilla," Kori pointed out.

"...okay, yeah. Trust me though. They call him the Guardian Beast for a reason. I haven't heard of him going on big rampages like Godzilla."

"So he's a bit more like Mothra then?"

"I mean, not exactly, but somewhere in that realm, yeah," Maina told the Princess.

Right. Her. Ever since they watched Godzilla submerge back to the depths of the ocean, the Priestess had told Azula over and over again that they needed to go to this "Infant Island". Something that still didn't exactly sit well with her. Maina kept saying that Mothra would be able to help, but help with what? Help her brother see sense, and realize that abandoning the colonies to the Earth King was a bad idea?

Zuzu's poor performance made her question again why on earth she even saved him in the first place. If she were in his shoes, she wouldn't rescind the claims. She'd make peace with those rogue army groups plaguing her borders so she could free up the reserve forces and draw a line in the sand. Of course, she wouldn't do something so stupid as antagonize Godzilla, but didn't her brother know that giving the colonies back meant opening themselves up for invasion?

All those questions kept repeating in her head as she asked herself again and again: why save him? She saw the same look in his eye when he dangled her over a burning wreckage during the Agni Kai. He was ready to kill her. So why? Why save him?

In fact, what did this Mothra even have to offer? The way Maina described her was of a Goddess that offered compassion and wisdom. Well, compassion had almost got Azula killed many times over. Every time she stuck her neck out for Zuko, he stabbed her in the back. This priestess didn't know what she was talking about. If she went to Infant Island right now, all she'd get is a lesson on how horrible she is and how she should be a good girl and meekly keep her neck steady when the executioner's axe fell.

Azula took a sip of her tea, hoping to calm her racing mind. Nothing was decided yet, but the boat that Maina claimed could be convinced to take them to the island was coming soon. She needed to make a decision now. Yet…how could she? Either stay here and risk getting killed now, or go to an island to prepare to be killed later. Both options ended up with her dead. It seemed a matter of choosing which way she was going to go out.

"Azula. You alright?"

"...he was going to kill me."

Her companions shared an annoying look of concern, but she didn't have the stomach to snip that she didn't need sympathy. "He was going to burn my face off and drop me like a piece of garbage. Who…what brother does that?" She would be the first to admit that she wasn't exactly the portrait of a dutiful sister like Uncle and Mother wanted her to be, and yeah she had tried to kill him a few times in the past.

She never recalled being so enraged that she was willing to mutilate Zuzu. Not even during her breakdown was she willing to do that. And especially not throw him to rot in an asylum and then drag her halfway across the world just so he could bail out Uncle Fatso. Who as it turns out, was NOT the wise old man act that he used to poison Zuko's mind.

"He was willing to put my neck on the block just so his Uncle could walk free. And…I knew a lot of those men on his council. They were all of Father's cronies. By Agni-I was betrothed to War Minister Qin and he was right there!" She didn't get it. Sure she'd be able to stomach putting up with some of those yellow-bellied yes-men if it meant stuff got done Father's power was maintained. But Zuko said he was going to be better than Father. So why was he cozying up with those people?

"You got betrothed…oh, I'm so sorry Azula," Kori tried to console her. "It's…I read somewhere that people change when they get so much power. Suddenly they don't care about people like us anymore. We just get reduced to tiles on a Pai Sho board."

Azula shot a nasty glare at her fellow noble, causing Kori to sheepishly back off. What did she know? She wasn't some "tile". Father said she was special. A prodigy meant for great things! Not something he could toss aside like-

YOU CAN'T TREAT ME LIKE ZUKO! she heard herself shout, remembering that last moment before it all fell apart. Before she severed the last and most important relationship she ever had. How badly she wanted to grovel and beg forgiveness. Even now, maybe if she kept her head. If she had been ruthless and arrested Zuko back at Ba Sing Se, maybe she'd be the one sitting on the throne.

…though…was that even something she wanted? Honestly, the thought never occurred to her before the day of the Comet. She was never meant for the throne, only to serve the crown. But now that crown just cut her loose while those with far more blood on their hands sat on his council. Is that what the crown does? Make one ruthless enough to betray their own family?

But if she didn't want the throne…what did she want…?

"Pardon me, Princess Azula. Do you mind if I join you?"

Azula's internal musings were rudely interrupted by a middle-aged man striding to their table. His robes were voluminous with a deep crimson. The garishness of his fashion choice made clear that, whoever he was, he certainly wasn't like the rest of the rabble here.

His face though was familiar both from the meeting turned shouting match and from memory. "Lord Jozain?"

The head of Clan Saowon nodded, giving a respectful bow to the Princess. His clan's stone camellia emblem was displayed with a small pin on his robes. Azula remembered the days when that accursed symbol would've been displayed proudly on banners instead of the flaming sigil of the Fire Nation. Clan Saowon, along with the rest of the once-powerful clans, was disgraced and sundered by Fire Lord Zoryu following the mess caused by the False Avatar to make way for an empowered Royal Family. Some of the clans did regain some of their prestige in the war through valor and devotion. Others, like Saowon, tied their wealth to the colonies and achieved fair amounts of riches and influence.

Still, none of them ever reached the heights they enjoyed during their heyday. Her forefathers made sure that whatever successes the clans enjoyed were on their terms. That way, when the Fire Lord wanted to throw his weight around or make abundantly clear who sat on the throne, no amount of riches or battlefield glories would give them the divine right to rule.

Still, there were two other people who this man just ignored. Azula glanced over to Kori and Maina who, after warily taking in the newcomer, gave their go-ahead. "Of course. We'd be honored to have you join us."

Jozain chuckled, taking a seat at the table. Since he decided to address her by her title, Azula shot him a bit of a nasty glare. Noble or not, he'd show proper respect towards her companions. If he didn't, this would be a very short conversation.

"I had heard you were in Yu Dao from your brother. It must've been terrifying facing down that monster all by yourself."

"Well, you can thank my father for that. He knew what it meant to face down incredible odds," Azula jabbed. Who was he saying she was scared? He was probably locked up in his mansion and making preparations to evacuate as soon as he heard Godzilla was on the way. It's not like this man had any experience in war or any idea of being in the court of Phoenix King Ozai.

Luckily it seemed like she wasn't the only one who wasn't impressed by this man. Kori kept a neutral face, but no doubt the rebellious youth was steaming about this cushy noble who was probably paying the guards to keep an iron fist on his investments. At least she had some restraint though compared to Maina who just scoffed and leaned back in her seat.

"Indeed. Forgive me. It's just with news of your…" He cleared his throat awkwardly when Azula just glared twin suns right at him. "And your brother's failure against that monster, there's not really a whole lot of faith in the Royal Family these days."

That and your brother wants to kick me out, Azula internally finished for him. "Look, let's cut to the chase. Is there a reason you wanted to see me?"

"Ah. A woman of action. That's what I always admired about you," Jozain complimented, trying to get on her good side. He failed. "I was…"

The head of Clan Saowon looked around nervously before leaning in. "I was sent here on behalf of Admiral Ryuui of the Fiery Raptors in regards to a plan he has about our monster problem."

"Admiral Ryuui?" Kori whispered back. "Last I checked, he was Commander of the Fiery Raptors."

"Not since he refused to recognize Zuko as Fire Lord. Said his fleet was the last remaining loyal servants of the Phoenix King on the seas."

Ah. So this "Admiral" Ryuui was the leader of one of those rebel armies that Azula had been hearing so much about. On the one hand, having an issue with her brother was something she could relate to. On the other, he certainly had a lot of nerve to call himself "admiral" without proper recognition from her father. And there was no way he could be the last naval force that swore fealty to the true Fire Nation.

"Okay. So what does this 'admiral' want with me?"

"Easy. He wants you on the throne, Princess Azula."

"...you're kidding. Right? In case you haven't noticed, my brother's got the Avatar on his side," Azula had to spell out. "And last I checked, I don't exactly have a whole lot of support."

"Actually, you do," Jozain said with a smile. "Maybe not amongst the nobles right now, but the peasantry and rebel armies? They want a strong Fire Lord who won't let her people be displaced by foreigners or slaughtered by monsters."

Now Azula just scoffed at that. "Right. And they want a 'mad princess' leading them back to glory. Listen, even if I wanted to, I can't exactly take the throne unless I win over the nobles. I'd have to do something pretty impressive to do that."

"Well, what if we knew of a way to kill Godzilla?"

A harsh laugh erupted from Azula's mouth at the ridiculousness of that. "Woah. Didn't realize you had a death wish. May I remind you that Zuko tried to do that and nearly got killed?"

"That's because he tried to kill this monster by himself. We know of another way. Godzilla has a rival."

The table went silent. "...what did you just say?" Maina asked.

Jozain shrugged something that Azula had to infuriatingly give credit for. "That's all I can say. Do you want to know more? The admiral has a mooring down on the shore. He can tell you more."

With that, the noble stood up, bowed in respect, and left. All three girls sat there in astonishment.

Another kaiju.

One that could kill Godzilla?

"Azula…I know how you feel but…remember that we need to go to Infant Island. Right?" Maina asked, a bit nervously.

The Princess, though, didn't hear Maina's advice. Her thoughts were whipped up into a storm. A path to the throne AND a possibility that they could rid themselves of Godzilla? It was something to consider. Whatever her thoughts were about the throne right now, somebody had to step up if her brother wouldn't. And if a noble was willing to risk treason, then things back home must've been worse than she feared.

She didn't want to say it, but the term "civil war" danced on her tongue. Violence was coming whether she liked it or not.

It seemed like she was going to have to choose where she was going to die after all.

---

"Well…that could've gone better," Sokka said not so tactfully.

For once, Aang couldn't help but agree. Following the nearly disastrous summit, Team Avatar decided that the best thing to do was just get away as far from the Mayor's house as fast as they could. In this case, that meant hanging out with Appa who was grazing on some grass on the rolling hills outside of Yu Dao. Zuko decided to tag along, needing a moment to let the news sink in.

Another one, Aang kept thinking to himself. He had met with Kuei in private to get the details. All the Earth King knew was that the monster hadn't shown any signs of aggression aside from lingering a bit too close to town, but considering what happened with Godzilla, he didn't want to take any chances.

He also apologized profusely for his being hard on the young Fire Lord. The argument he used and one Aang couldn't refute was "When he took the crown of his forefathers, he took their sins with him. Until he does something spectacular, I need to treat him as such."

After how Zuko handled Godzilla with…well landing a bunch of Fire Nation forces on Earth Kingdom shores and all the tact of his forefathers while having several Ozai's supporters on his council, Aang couldn't rush to his defense as he would've normally.

Seeing Zuko's crestfallen face as they rested beside Appa, the boy couldn't help but beat himself up. He let his friend down, and he wasn't sure how to pick him back up.

Hakoda put a reassuring hand on Aang's shoulder, having taken the opportunity to spend some much-needed time with his kids. Bato decided to take one for the team and stayed behind to wrap anything up that needed to be dealt with. "Things like this…they're going to take time," he consoled.

The Avatar wished that he could smile and say that Hakoda was right, which he was. It's just…well there was a lot to take in.

"I'm just concerned about this new monster of yours. You sure you two are up to this?" the Chieftain asked his two children.

"We'll be fine, Dad," Katara reassured, hugging her father. "Trust me. We've been able to take care of ourselves so far."

"Well I know, I just…" Hakoda sighed, seeing his children grow up right before his eyes. Katara and Sokka looked so much like Kya, it hurt a little inside seeing them go off into danger again. He'd go as well, but right now he needed to work with Arnook about getting relief down to the Southern Water Tribes.

"I just don't want to see either of you getting hurt."

"Don't worry. I'll keep Sokka out of trouble," Katara snidely said, causing her brother to cry out "HEY!"

Now, normally, this would've been followed by Toph's laughing breaking the peace. All everyone got was empty air. Instead, she was just lounging in the grass with her pale eyes looking up to the sky. Momo was right there picking out bugs from her hair and giving an occasional lick to make sure she was okay.

"You okay Toph?" Katara asked.

"Uh, yeah! I'm just…I swear I've heard 'Cranefish Town' somewhere before…" she murmured before going back to her thinking. The waterbender made a mental note to check up on her later on down the line.

"Ah! I thought I would've found you here!" a familiar voice greeted, heralding Iroh coming up the hill with a nervous chuckle. For once, nobody was willing to say hello.

Instead, Zuko took a deep breath and rose to his feet. Katara shifted a little uncomfortably, seeing the conflicting emotions boiling up inside the teen. He'd been silent ever since they'd left the meeting, and they'd known Zuko long enough to know that he didn't exactly have the best control of what he felt deep down.

Standing across from his uncle though, seeing the guilt written on the old man's face, he only had one question.

"Uncle…why didn't you tell me?"

Iroh broke their gaze. "Nephew…when I said you had more honor than most in the Fire Nation, I meant it. The problem is that…well, it's hard to be honorable and be a leader. Sometimes you do things that are difficult yet seem right, but in retrospect, they…come back to haunt you."

"With all due respect Iroh, there's a big difference between doing something difficult and lopping people's heads off while starving innocents," Sokka bluntly snipped. Aang wanted to pipe up and talk the warrior down, but his own shock at Iroh's crimes sapped the wind out of his voice. Toph put a knowing hand on the airbender's shoulder, realizing this was one fight he couldn't win.

"My son's right. A little blunt, but did you think we wouldn't figure out what you did?" Hakoda asked, leaving Iroh no room to maneuver. For once, the Dragon of the West seemed to sweat a little at having been cornered.

"I…I have no excuse. I knew what Zuko needed and he didn't need a butcher guiding him. And…I didn't want to lose another son."

"Maybe you should've thought of that before keeping me in the dark," Zuko bit, before taking another deep breath. "I get it. We did a lot of bad things, but I'd rather have learned about this in private instead of somebody dragging it out in the open."

"I know. And I'm sorry." Iroh gave an apologetic bow, yet it didn't quell the raging inferno inside Zuko's heart. Before he could snap again though, he turned and walked off a bit to blow off some steam. Appa looked a bit worriedly after the boy, yet understood that this was a lot to take in.

The bison and Momo's attention was then drawn to Aang, who got up and walked before Iroh. He took a deep breath, collecting himself. Momo silently glided over and perched on his shoulder, letting the boy know he wasn't alone in this. Giving his companion a reassuring scratch, Aang looked Iroh dead in the eye.

"Iroh. I need to know if there's anything else you've been keeping from us."

"I swear, that's the worst I did during my campaign-"

"No. I meant as Grand Lotus," Aang corrected. "I didn't know they existed before Sozin's Comet, and I can't exactly trust a group that's kept me in the dark. So I need to know: outside of Ba Sing Se, what have you done with them?"

"Not much. We were so lost without the Avatar and…I can't say it was our most admirable period," Iroh admitted in defeat, before wincing a little. He needed to tell the whole truth. "That and we were involved with selecting who was going to be put on trial. Including Azula."

The air died down. Nobody was neither surprised nor pleased. "Wait. So you're the one who wanted to try a bunch of grunts and not the officers who actually lead?" Sokka reiterated.

"You need to understand. Those on the list are prominent government members and clan heads. My nephew's position is tenuous as it is and we couldn't risk-"

"Civil war. Make everyone happy. Yadda yadda yadda. Did it ever occur to you that you couldn't make everyone happy?" Toph snapped, causing a wave of surprise to ripple throughout the group. "You can't exactly make a bunch of warmongers happy without starting the war all over again! Eventually, you need to decide who you're going to side with. A bunch of warmongers, or the people who got hurt the most by the war?"

It hurt her to say it, but it's not like she could sit by and let Iroh do something that stupid. Sometimes one needed to give a little tough love. So if it had to be her to give the harsh truth, then so be it.

"My question is why was Azula singled out? I mean she's not exactly a good person, but I can name a few people right off the bat who deserve to be put on the block more than she did," Katara asked.

"Because she's Ozai's loyal weapon! It's not my fault, she made her own choices!" Iroh fired back, grasping at this last line. "If she's allowed to walk free with her bending, who knows how many of those rogue army groups she could rally behind her! We need to set an example, and she's in the best position to be made an example of!"

"...hang on. What did you mean 'walk free with her bending'?" Aang asked. Momo fidgeted a little from his intensity. The Avatar walked right up to Iroh, who stared him straight in the eye back. "Iroh…answer me this. Would you have me remove Azula's bending?"

"...sometimes we need to do bad things for the right reasons. And since she abused her gift-"

SMACK!

His speech was interrupted when Katara smacked her hand across his cheek. Everyone just stood there in shock, both from the shock and from the sudden rage in the waterbender's eyes.

"Ozai's one thing. Azula's another," she snarled not bothering to hide her contempt. "Try removing your arms and see if you're the same person."

With that, the waterbender stomped off. No one tried to stop her. Aang least of all. He just looked at Iroh in horror. It was bad enough that he'd done it once, he didn't want to do it again if it wasn't justified.

And if the Grand Lotus thought that removing one's bending was acceptable for someone he admitted was a mere lieutenant, all for the sake of appearances.

Aang made a mental note to talk to a friend. He needed to know what the White Lotus was up to. Somehow he knew that Iroh wasn't telling the whole story.

---

Flagship of "Admiral" Ryuui

They had to travel a ways in order to reach Ryuui's ship. Obviously, the wanted rogue commander wouldn't want to make port anywhere near Yu Dao. Instead, he docked in an isolated cove flanked by large rocky cliffs that was only accessible via a rowboat at a nearby beach. Smart, Azula thought. Clearly this "Admiral" knew well enough to keep a low profile.

He was also smart enough to know that a noble from Yu Dao and a priestess from some far-flung island could pose a security risk. Azula vouched for both of them. They'd stuck with her so far, so she figured they deserved to stick with her for a little while longer. Though how long, she wasn't sure. Her father's voice reminded her that she would need to cut them off at some point. Less knives pointed at her back and all.

Seeing the Imperial-class battleship docked, she wondered with trepidation if that point was coming up sooner than she could've imagined.

Her attention was thankfully drawn to the side of the ship. Along the side was the painted image of a fiery bird. It was instantly recognizable as that of the Phoenix, the creature that her father had modeled himself after on that fateful day of the Comet. It brought her comfort, knowing that these men were loyal to the true leader of their nation, and trepidation from all the bad memories involved.

However, something about this Phoenix was…different. Why were its flight feathers pressed against each other instead of fully spread out in splendor? With its wings opened like that, it looked more like an albatross or seagull. Even the plumage was a bit off. Sure, the feathers were fiery, but they were restricted to the wings, the head, and the tail. The rest of its limbs were bare, almost like a dragon's.

Maina took a long look at it but didn't say anything.

When they were let on board, the soldiers bowed as she passed. Finally, some respect. Already these men had some manners. Jozain led them through the bowels of the ship before coming to the planning room. There, an older man with the armor of a commander was presiding over a stone tablet on the table.

"Greetings, Princess Azula. So good of you to meet with us," the so-called Admiral Ryuui said with a bow. His age and stylized greying hair spoke of experience. Azula did recall seeing him a few times at the war meetings she was allowed in, though always was referred to as Commander. She decided it would be in her best interests to refer to him as such.

Naturally, she decided to do the polite thing and bow. "The pleasure is all mine," Azula courteously greeted, looking back to make sure that her companions were doing the same. Once she saw that they indeed showed decorum in front of their superiors, she stood up straight. "Let's cut to the chase. Jozain over there said there was something out there that could kill Godzilla."

The naval leader promptly pushed the stone tablet in front of Azula. "Following Ozai's defeat on the day of the Comet, I went to the island of Kitamtasu on pilgrimage seeking…penance for our failure. The sages gifted me this tablet from their temple in exchange for protection from the Fire Lord. Anything on the stone seem familiar?"

Kitamatsu? Wasn't that the home of the Phoenix Cult? Azula knew that well. They were one of the religious offshoots of the mainland Fire Sage organization that were brought under the fold following Fire Lord Zoryu's reformations. In fact, they had a pretty strong influence in recognizing the Fire Lords as the rightful rulers of the earth. Their belief that the world was destined to be cleansed in fire aligned perfectly with their destiny of global domination. She also recalled her father talked a lot about the Cult in the days leading up to his coronation as Phoenix King. Didn't take a genius to put two and two together.

She also now knew that this Ryuui was indeed a zealous follower of Ozai. If he was devout enough to go on some kind of pilgrimage, then chances were they were on the same side. At least he wouldn't try anything stupid openly.

Having gotten a pretty good read on this "admiral", Azula looked down at the tablet.

Her breath nearly caught in her throat.

There, engraved in stone, was a stylized beast rising from the sea. There were the dorsal spines. The thrashing tail. And the flames erupting from his maw.

Godzilla.

The other though…that's what caught Azula's attention.

At first, she thought it was the Phoenix. It wasn't like anyone could blame her. A huge bird with flaming wings descending from the sun, the very incarnation of Agni herself? That was an image familiar to everyone. She remembered stories about the Phoenix. About how when it reached the end of its lifecycle, it burst into flames and fertilized the earth. Ensuring a bright future for them all before being reincarnated more powerful and beautiful than ever.

Well, there were the wings. The flames wreathing the bird. The outstretched claws and fires aimed right at the rising sea monster.

Except…there was something different. This Phoenix didn't have any feathers. Instead, the wings were depicted as being leathery in nature almost like a bat. The dual-crested feathers were replaced by a pair of dragon horns. She wasn't even sure if this was a bird or something else.

"This is the original Phoenix," Ryuui explained. "The one all the other images were derived from. What a lot of people don't know is, the natives gave it another name."

"Rodan."

"I…yes. Precisely."

"Forgive me, Admiral. Where I'm from, legends like these are pretty well known," Maina admitted. Knowing the priestess for long enough, Azula knew that she didn't say where she was from. Indeed, her companion didn't exactly look too fond of the commander.

"If what I heard was true, the One Born of Fire isn't to be trifled with."

"We don't have much of a choice. With this Godzilla on the loose, we need a solution. Neither the Fire Lord nor the Avatar are going to save us, so we need to think outside of the box. Now this tablet shows these two fighting. Fire of the Sky against the Fire of the Sea. Don't you see?"

"You plan on luring Godzilla to this island, waking Rodan up, and then getting the two to fight?" Azula said with a dawning realization.

Ryuui nodded. "That's the plan exactly. We'll provide support to tip the odds in Rodan's favor. He is the Phoenix after all. If we show fealty to him, we can redeem our failure during the Comet, and he will save us all."

The Princess wasn't sure of all that, but waking up one giant monster to kill another was better than any idea she had.

Looking at Jozain on the other hand, she had to ask. "Okay. We get Rodan to kill Godzilla. What do you need me for?"

"Easy. What better way to make a claim on the throne than by helping awaken the one who killed Godzilla?" Jozain explained in no uncertain terms.

…well there's an idea. Admittedly Azula felt like this was going to head in that direction inevitably, but now there was confirmation. Finally. A way to the throne! She could fix things! Keep Zuko from screwing things up even more than they already were!

And yet…the idea of going up against Godzilla once more…

She looked across the room. Ryuui and Jozain were certainly enthusiastic about the idea. Kori seemed neutral, or put on a mask of neutrality if nothing else. Maina couldn't even hide her doubts about the plan.

"I…I'm going to need some time to think about this. How about I give you my answer by this evening?" Azula admitted.

"No problem. The ship is free for you to explore if you need space to think," Ryuui offered. Right. Like she needed the authority of some wannabe leader to go where she pleased.

Still, it was good to know she wouldn't have to be escorted wherever she went. That was a step in the right direction. Azula bowed once more before leaving the room, Kori and Maina in tow. Right now, she needed to weigh the odds and…calm her thoughts.

And there was only one way to do that.

---

She felt the rays of the setting sun fill her veins, guiding her through her stances. Azula shifted from maneuver to maneuver, generating blue flames that danced across the deck of the ship. The guards had left her alone, leaving her some needed privacy to train and to think.

What she thought right now, what she agonized over was how sloppy she had gotten. Granted she wasn't stumbling over herself and falling flat on her face as she was before. But there still was a delay to her maneuvers. The crisp and fluid gestures were a bit sluggish. It might've been serviceable if she went up against bandits or grunts. Against her brother and the Avatar though? She wouldn't stand a chance.

You should've killed him when you had the chance, her Father's voice chastised, throwing off her focus. You could've eliminated one of your enemies, maybe even claimed the throne for yourself! And he nearly killed you when you spared him! Why did you do it?

"I don't know," Azula growled, trying to get her attention back on track. Her father's words, though, hung in the air, echoing with the sensation of fingers gripping her collar. Furiously she tried to regain her poise and flow back into her stances, but it wasn't working.

My love, give yourself a rest. Your strength will return to you in time, her mother's voice cooed, which only pricked Azula's evaporating patience.

"Don't pull that. Both you and I know you were practically rooting for Zuko to kill me."

No, I wasn't! she lied. Azula, why would I ever want to see my children trying to kill each other? And don't beat yourself up for saving him. You did the right thing.

"And I nearly died for it," Azula growled, having given up trying to train with the raging voices arguing over each other. "I've helped him how many times, and he's stabbed me in the back time and time again! I'm sorry, but I won't just let him kill me!"

Then you know what you need to do, the last three voices told her. Honestly, she couldn't tell one voice from another, or even who they were. Ty Lee? Mai? Zuzu? They seemed all the same and yet now she was hearing Iroh and Azulon in there as well. It was as if everyone she had ever known was telling her the same thing over and over again.

Ready yourself. Make your play for the throne. Kill your brother and scorch everyone in your path.

"SHUT UP!"

Azula practically roared from all the voices in her head, breathing a burst of blue fire from her mouth into the air above. Breathing in deep to compose herself, she snorted embers as the dying cinders from her breath gently landed on her face. Her fingers flexed, feeling the fury channeling through her veins.

She couldn't take it. Time and again, fate seemed to kick her down. As much as Father would've told her to control her emotions though, she couldn't help but feel rage towards…towards everything. Her family. The world. Azula couldn't deny it.

Nor could she deny the decision she had made. The only path her fracturing state had made clear.

"I know what you're going to say," she told the two pairs of eyes who had been silently staring at her poor performance.

Maina flinched a little from Azula's cold tone but didn't hesitate to step up. "Azula, you need help. This isn't healthy. Mothra can-"

"Why would Mothra want with someone like me?" the Princess snapped, cutting Maina off before she could go into another spiel. "It'll be the same thing again. I'll be told I'm horrible, that I'm a monster, and I deserve everything I had coming to me. Trust me, I've had enough of that."

"Hang on, nobody's calling you a monster-"

"But they DID cage me up like one Kori," she pointed out, not wanting to hear the whole spiel her doctors or her voices tried to tell her time and again. "Zuzu tried to kill me or send me off to die just so his butcher of an uncle could live. I've turned everyone away, I nearly suffocated in ice and got chained to a grate. That's not how a human is treated."

"Okay, that's enough!" Maina said, her own patience having run out. "First off, Mothra isn't going to condemn you or treat you like some monster. Especially since she's a kaiju herself! Second, take a good look at yourself. Do you honestly believe that going with this Ryuui will help you?"

"Maybe some time with him could do me some good. Hanging out with you two seems to have softened me far too much. I can't have that when the Fire Lord and his cronies come knocking."

"That's not the point! I'm trying to say that I care about you! I made a promise to your mothe-"

She stopped, but the damage was done. Azula just turned to her "friend" with a pale look on her face. "...what did you say?"

Maina fidgeted, realizing she had been found out. "Look. About 5 years ago, a Fire Nation noblewoman came to our island looking for shelter. She said she married into the Royal Family and…that her name was Ursa…"

Her words trailed off, but the damage was done. Azula glared daggers right into the priestess, intensifying as she stalked closer.

"My mother thought I was a monster. She took one look at everything I had accomplished, what my father taught me to be, and decided I would never be good enough. Whatever she told you was a lie. She never wanted me. All she cared about was her precious son. That's even assuming you aren't telling some lie."

"Azula-"

"Don't. I'm not going with you. In fact, I'm going to give you an out. Everyone I've known has stabbed me in the back or left me. I drove them off, but I'm going to let you leave. Free of obligation. You can go back to your island, you can go back to your colony. I can handle things by myself from now on. Got it?"

Her coldness and the steely calm in her voice were somehow more terrifying and paralyzing than any shouting she could've done. Maina and Kori didn't know what to say. Good. Azula didn't want any arguments. While it might've been somewhat pleasant to have companions by her side, it was clear they were beginning to wear out their welcome.

After all, where she was going, facing certain death…she didn't want to get them killed either.

Notes:

A/N: HAPPY NEW YEAR AND WE ARE BACK!

I'll admit that the last chapter did take a lot out of me emotionally on top of the holidays, so I do apologize for the break. Either way, we are back in business with everyone's favorite topic: POLITICS!

…

…

…

(cue the cricket chirping…until Kamacuras spears it and munches it)

Thank you. Anyways, here we see the obvious fallout of Zuko's stunt from the last chapter. I tried to make it as interesting as possible and not be removed from anything we've seen so far, which is how I feel politics in any media should be done. Trust me, I tried to make sure this wasn't the senate scene from Episode I: The Phantom Menace and hopefully I succeeded. Somewhat.

Especially since we have several revelations. The first being that Iroh was NOT as merciful or as saintly as some people would have him as. He was responsible for a 600 day siege and encircled the inner ring of Ba Sing Se, thus cutting off soldiers AND civilians from their source of food from the agriculture section. Given that he was high on the Fire Nation kool-aid, I can't imagine him being especially merciful. Particularly if he was Azulon's favored. His execution of peace emissaries felt like a natural extension of that. Even if he's changed, it's not like the Earth Kingdom is just going to forget that happened. Which means he doesn't get to retire in the Jasmine Dragon.

It also means the rest of the White Lotus gets put on the spot for letting somebody like him run things on top of them not doing a whole lot to deescalate the war. We're going to get more into them later, but rest assured they're not coming out of this thing clean either.

Which brings us to Anguirus. For those not familiar with Godzilla, Anguirus is the very first monster he's ever fought. It felt right that he'd be introduced fairly early. And I am excited to be writing him since he's one of my favorite "underrated" kaiju in the series. Also kudos for people who called it.

Last thing for Aang's side of the story, I can't imagine Katara would be too pleased on the idea of removing Azula's bending. It's a very popular fanfic plot point that I hate. The idea of removing somebody's bending was deconstructed both in The Legend of Korra and in the comic Imbalance, so I can't imagine it being used regularly unless absolutely necessary.

Now for Azula's side: the poor thing just got threatened by Zuko. I can't imagine she'd be able to bounce back from that. And this is on top of nearly getting killed by Godzilla a few times by now and being surrounded by death. That can weigh a lot on somebody like her. Unfortunately, the disease of character development is a scary thing indeed, which is why she's sort of leaning back on what she knows best. That compassion is a weakness and needs to be stamped out. I mean Zuko stumbled how many times on his redemption arc, so why not her?

Which leads us to Admiral Ryuui. I took his name from Captain Ryuui, the number two of the Red Bamboo from Ebirah: Horror from the Deep since the leader didn't have his name mentioned from what I looked up. We finally get to see one of those rogue army groups and how they operate, especially since they're going to be a big part of the upcoming arc.

Finally, that leaves us to Rodan. One of Toho's earliest creations, one of the Big Five, and the final part of Godzilla's…I guess you could say posse of regular allies. Whenever he's not trying to kill Godzilla. I'm going to get more into him later, but I am excited for it since he's another favorite both for myself and among G-fans. Especially since his solo film is one of my favorite non-Godzilla kaiju films.

Anyway, thank you all for reading. Thank you once again to Selpharia for beta reading. I hope to see you all next time as our heroes (plus Azula) set off on their next adventure. Make sure to leave your thoughts in a comment. Favorite and follow if you want to see more. And as always, I'll see you all next time! Thank you again and have a great day!

Chapter 9: Farewells and Greetings

Summary:

Team Avatar make their farewells to Yu Dao and arrive at Cranefish Town for some reunions both pleasant and disagreeable. Meanwhile, Team Azula splits up. While Kori and Maina make their plans to follow the wayward Princess, Azula uncovers a dark secret that could jeopardize everything.

Notes:

Avatar: The Last Airbender and all associated characters are owned by Paramount Global. Godzilla and all associated characters are owned by Toho Studios. Please support the official release.

 

 On Ryuui's Flagship

To say that last night was hectic would be like saying Azula was struggling to contain her emotions. She couldn't deny it, but it wasn't like she'd admit it face-to-face with anyone. Including herself for that matter.

The Princess just kept telling herself that it wasn't as bad as her days in the asylum. For one, Admiral Ryuuki had managed to secure her favorite comb from Caldera. It was nice seeing the golden shining gleam run through her hair. Finally, she was able to address her tangled hair which had become disheveled both from her time in captivity and trying not to get killed by family members or monsters.

She let herself feel a bit more comfortable as she reapplied her lipstick and got her hairdo into her signature topknot once again after so long. It was a lot easier to do knowing that she had a whole ship watching her back and without an upcoming coronation fraying her nerves.

Satisfied to herself that she looked her best, it was time to put on her finest attire. She walked over to the wardrobe and opened it up-

Her breath was taken away when she saw her polished black, golden, and red armor.

Azula didn't know what to say. When the guards stripped her of that armor, she felt so vulnerable. So defiled. How Ryuuki got it was beyond her, though she did recall that a number of daring rogue commanders smuggled weapons and supplies out of the mother islands. He must've risked a lot getting this.

Rapidly, she grabbed her armor and rapidly put it on. She felt the heavy pauldrons rest comfortably on her shoulders. The red leather hugged her skin, the cuirass securing her organs. She took a few steps in her armored boots, getting herself comfortable for the first time since…she couldn't remember.

Taking a deep breath, Azula felt herself relax under the reassuring weight. Honestly, she didn't realize how much she needed her armor after so much. How vulnerable she felt without it.

The golden gleam of her crown in the wardrobe caught her eye.

Azula tenderly took the hairpiece in her fingers. She had to admit, they risked a lot managing to get this. Old habits would've caused her to place the crown in her topknot where it belonged. She would be overjoyed to brazenly defy Zuzu's schemes to disinherit her from the royal line.

Still…she put it snugly in a satchel on her belt. Putting it on now didn't feel right.

Now that she was presentable, Azula took a deep breath and readied herself as she looked in the mirror that was set up for her.

She looked…she didn't know what to think. The girl looking back at her looked better than the beast she'd seen on the day of the Comet. Her bangs had grown back for one. And the armor looked right.

Still…her skin wasn't as full as it used to have been. Bags were under her eyes and her bangs were a bit lopsided. It almost made her stomach lurch. She was getting there, but she wasn't quite there yet.

Almost isn't good enough, her father would've told her.

It's good enough for now, her mother told her. Azula grimaced, seeing her reflection in the mirror.

"I know what you're going to say. That I shouldn't go. That I should go crying into your arms and throw myself at this Mothra begging forgiveness."

No. Honey…you need time. Everyone needs time. You'll get there eventually. You just need to figure out what you need to do in the meantime, Ursa consoled.

The girl grimaced, but her mother wasn't entirely wrong. She couldn't face Mothra. Not looking like this. Not knowing who she was deep down. No. She was where she needed to be and where she could do the most good.

And right now, she needed to say some goodbyes.

---

Early in the morning, Kori and Maina had risen up to say their farewells at the place where they were picked up by sailors from Ryuui's flagship. Azula asked them to be there the night before, if nothing else but to cement that this was indeed where they would part ways. Maina would go back to her island. Kori would slink back to engage in pointless protests. And Azula would meet her destiny at Aso Island, the resting place of Rodan.

Given the argument they had last night, she was surprised they actually bothered to show up. Yet there they were in the distance, standing on the quiet beach framed by gently rolling hills. They looked so small. So vulnerable. It was enough to reinforce Azula's decision to leave them. They wouldn't survive with a rogue army group like the Fiery Raptors. Maina was an islander on the fringes of society, and Kori was a noted daughter of the colonies. Not exactly people who could take being associated with rebel groups.

Azula could. She didn't have much to lose after all. Still, she felt her arguments and self-assurance fade as the boat got closer, letting her see the neutral expressions on her companions' faces. At least show some kind of emotion, Azula pleaded. Rage. Hatred. Something.

Instead…nothing. Nothing as she lept out the boat, her boots hitting the wet sand, and striding towards them both.

"I guess…this is goodbye then?" Maina asked.

The crisp answer on Azula's tongue was doused, leaving her with little to say except for a dim, "Yes. I…I suppose."

"Look, if you ever change your mind-"

"I can't. I…just can't," Azula admitted. It wasn't often that she let anyone get a glimpse of her self-admittedly broken soul. Especially when it garnered her undeserved looks of pity that the girls were giving her right now.

She cleared her throat. "I'm the one who came up with the plan to burn down the Earth Kingdom. Believe me, there isn't a place for me at Infant Island. This is the best for everyone…" Azula wasn't sure what was worse. The infuriating look of sympathy that Maina gave her, or how her arguments were simply not as powerful, as they had been in the past, even to herself.

Kori just huffed and turned away. "Just…go. Do what you need to do," she spat out, not wanting to look Azula in the face. The Princess couldn't see her face, but no doubt the rebel was scowling in frustration.

Sighing to herself, having burned the bridges she needed to burn, Azula turned and walked back to the boat. Not before stopping in her tracks and saying, "If nothing else…I do appreciate the time we shared together." They deserved that.

Not looking back, she gave the signal for the sailor to take her back to the ship. She kept her eyes on the horizon, knowing that somewhere out there was an island where her destiny lay. Certainly, not so she could risk a look back and see her companions waving her goodbye.

And she most certainly ignored the tears that pricked at the corners of her eyes.

---

Maina and Kori watched the ship sail off into the distance. Both of them wondered if the Princess was looking back at them. It was impossible to tell.

With one hand gripping her staff, and another caressing the medallion on her neck, Maina's eyes did not waver.

"We're going after her. Right?" Kori bluntly asked, her eyes similarly in a fixed gaze.

The answer was obvious and crisp. "Did you need to ask?" Maina made a promise to look after the Fire Lady's daughter. And a worshipper of Mothra would sooner toss themselves into the sea rather than go back on their duty to help those in need.

And if anyone was in need, Azula was that person.

---

Outside of Yu Dao

It was a bright new day, and Sokka insisted on taking stock of their supplies before they headed out to Cranefish Town. Zuko had decided to stay behind to help stabilize a sense of order to Yu Dao and to help with any evacuations in the wake of a giant monster ravaging the countryside.

"I don't know, Sokka. Are you sure he'll be able to handle something like this without fire being thrown around?" Katara asked, taking inventory of their food stores so Sokka wouldn't have to bellyache about running low on their meat stocks.

Her brother just patted her on the back and kept marking down what they had and what they needed to make a quick run into town for. "He'll be fine. I think. Maybe. Look, if something happens, we can just always swing back."

She wasn't exactly so sure. Katara knew Zuko a little better than the other members. And she knew how he had a nasty habit of doing something stupid when pushed too far. Between that and their little spat with Iroh…but still, she didn't want to say he was a powder keg waiting to blow up since she had to trust him to do the right thing after all.

Besides, it wasn't Zuko that had her worried the most. Looking out over the buildings of Yu Dao, seeing the Fire Nation architecture dominate the city, she also knew that others in his circle might be more intent on extreme measures. They didn't take this land by asking nicely after all.

Looking farther out and seeing the clouds of smoke and ash rising up from the ruined battlefield where the scorched wreckages of tanks lay, it was clear that the Fire Nation hadn't exactly changed overnight either.

Still, the Avatar couldn't be every at once. Katara supposed that was the White Lotus's job…but even she wasn't sure about them considering that they considered the removal of one's bending to be an acceptable punishment for being on the wrong side of the war. Or consider letting someone like Iroh into their ranks. Whatever benefit of the doubt she would've given the old man had been swept away upon hearing what he was willing to do both in the past and in the present.

Speaking of White Lotus and old men, Katara looked over the edge of Appa's saddle and saw Aang talking to Bumi, his ancient friend. It still boggled the girl's mind about how anyone could survive for so long, but Toph told her that it was some kind of earthbending technique that helps with longevity if you manage to get it down right.

"Relax, Sugar Queen," Toph reassured, almost sensing Katara's hesitancy over Aang talking with a member of the White Lotus despite resting alongside Appa's great bulk. "Aang knows Bumi. I don't think the old coot's going to ask him to smash anyone's faces in."

"Okay, one: people change. Two: Bumi captured and threatened us. Three: he's part of some kind of organization that we just learned was a thing. And four: did I mention the part when he captured and threatened us?"

Toph just shrugged. "I mean if the Mad King of Omashu wanted you dead, he would've been able to make it happen. Besides, you know how many of your friends tried to kill you?"

"I mean there's Suki. She threatened to have us fed to a giant eel. Then there's Zuko who chased us all over the world. The Duke and Pipsqueak tried to kill us with Jet…"

Appa rumbled, basically confirming Sokka's assessment of their "enemies to friends" habit. Katara did find it a bit depressing to consider how often that seemed to happen to them. "Alright, alright. Fair point. I'm surprised you even remembered Suki's name," she teased.

Sokka flushed bright red. "Hey, you run all over the world trying to not die and see if YOU are able to keep track of everyone you meet."

"Didn't realize your girlfriend ranked that low," Toph said with a smug grin.

Katara reflexively covered her ears before Sokka predictably roared, "IT'S CALLED A LONG-DISTANCE RELATIONSHIP!"

---

"Huh. See, that's why I never got into relationships. Too complicated even for me," Bumi joked. Aang couldn't help but snicker a little at Sokka's very loud outburst. It was like he was telling the countryside "Hey! I'm having problems staying in contact with my girlfriend!"

"I mean, nobody's stopping him from leaving the team for a little bit. We're not exactly at war anymore."

"Does he know that?"

"I did tell him. Multiple times. Then he says 'Not my fault every time I look back, you guys muck things up'. Then we get into an argument, tire ourselves out, and then we don't bring it up again till he starts bellyaching."

"And they call me crazy," Bumi said with a chuckle, patting his old friend on the back. Aang just smiled back and laughed. It felt good just to cut loose, even just for a moment, and get back with an old friend. Like somehow there was still one last holdout in this world from before a century of war.

He gripped his glider, rubbing his fingers up and down the gift that Teo had given him when Aang lost his old one. Some things hadn't changed, but some things had. And he needed to know how much.

"Look, Bumi…I need you to tell me everything you know about the White Lotus."

"Whu-?! You telling me this isn't some invitation to Ember Island where we can ogle the ladies?!" Aang's blank stare was all the dignity he was going to give for an answer.

Bumi sighed. "Yeah, I figured you'd ask something like that. What do you need to know?"

"Everything. Why didn't they do anything over the course of the war? What aren't they telling me? Can I trust them?"

"Right. Believe me, those are questions I've been asking for the past 100 years," the old king answered, looking out over the rolling hills towards Yu Dao, wracking his mind. "The White Lotus is…very secretive. I've heard that there have been Avatars that didn't even know of their existence until they were forced out into the open; they were that clandestine. Think of them like the Dai Li. They take care of things where you are unable to."

"That doesn't sound too good," Aang murmured. Anything that even resembled the Dai Li was cause for concern.

"That's the whole point. The Avatar is supposed to be the hope of the world and the glue that holds it together. You can't exactly have somebody like that doing things like removing people's bending or making them disappear. It's…part of the reason we haven't been active. We needed to operate in the shadows cast by the light of the Avatar That way the Avatar alone doesn't bear the weight of doing all that must be done."

"Sounds like you needed a face to hide behind while you do your work."

For the first time, Bumi let his shoulders sag, the years weighing down on him. "Yes. Believe me. I tried to get the others to act, sent how many letters, but the old Grand Lotus wouldn't have it. I joined believing that I was doing what my friend would've wanted. All we did was waste a whole century and who knows how many lives. This went beyond neutral jing. This was complacency."

Aang blinked, letting the old king's words solidify. He had so many questions. Was the White Lotus worth trusting? Bumi at least seemed to be pretty uneasy with what they had done and what they had failed to do. He needed to know more.

"Bumi, I need you to let me know what the White Lotus is doing. As much as you are able to. Keep me in the loop and make sure they aren't hiding anything from me."

The king of Omashu gasped. "You want me to spy on my fellow members of the White Lotus? Avatar, I must protest-okay."

His bait and switch took a moment for Aang's mind to slow down and register that yes, his friend just said that. Now this caused Bumi to cackle that old, dry laugh of his. "Trust me, I've been waiting to do something like this for years! Somebody needs to keep tabs on those youngsters! I'll let you know everything I learn, alright?"

"...alright." The airbender let himself feel a bit lighter. His old friend was going to watch his back and make sure the White Lotus didn't go behind his back without him knowing. Granted, their attention would probably be focused on finding any information about these kaiju, but he still wanted to make sure they wouldn't try any drastic measures.

Speaking of drastic measures. "One last thing, Bumi. Iroh mentioned he pushed for Azula's bending to be removed. Do you know anything else the White Lotus would want with her?"

This time, the old man's cheer fell completely. "No. I have heard rumors that Iroh wanted her to be held…somewhere after she was captured, but he never told me where. What I do know is that Piandao and I were the only ones who didn't want her bending removed. That's something I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy."

Aang felt a breeze send goosebumps down his skin. If the White Lotus was serious about that, then he had good reason to worry about what they might pull. And what was that Bumi said about Azula being held someplace? The fact that Iroh didn't tell any of them was reason to worry enough.

He'd have to pursue that avenue further if this was the same man who thought removing one's bending to make them an example was acceptable.

---

Yu Dao

The harbor was packed with refugees trying to cram themselves on any ship they could. Most of them were Fire Nation, some nobles, others lower class. All had their belongings and families on hand while negotiating passage. Needless to say, one rampaging kaiju and news of another one was enough to spook anybody.

It also made it pretty difficult for two teenage girls to find passage themselves without their parents.

"Your dads aren't sending you off to your distant relatives?" the tired bookkeeper asked.

"No."

"Not trying to smuggle you in some cargo hold?"

"No."

"Not trying to disguise yourselves as nobles so you get premium seating on the next pleasure cruiser?"

"No! We just want to know if there are any boats inbound for Aso Island!" Maina snapped, groaning in frustration. Kori just smacked the palm of her hand on her forehead. It feels like they've been stuck haggling with this guy for hours!

The bookkeeper didn't exactly look too impressed with Maina's outburst. "Listen, unless you have some money or connections or whatever, I can't exactly let you on. Now could you move along for the next passenger please?"

Kori huffed, having about enough of this. She politely pushed Maina out of the way before putting on a face that her mother had taught her when she needed to be polite to men a lot stuffier and more powerful than this windbag was. "Look, we'll be willing to join a crew for passage. Any job works for us."

"...well, if you're willing to work, I think there's a merchant vessel that's still hiring. Course we're talking about some pretty heavy work. You sure you two are up to it?"

"We're in!" the priestess exclaimed, almost as if she could prompt the bored man to write down their names through her voice alone. Not that she needed it since the bookkeeper began to write down their names anyway. He droned on about where they would find their boat, but by that point, they would've gone for the dingiest rowboat imaginable.

Their friend was out there, and she was marching right into trouble.

---

On Ryuui's Flagship

Azula let a held-up sigh escape her lips. They were on their way, but she couldn't tie down this feeling of tension in the pit of her stomach. Maybe it was the crisp way everyone walked, the well-trained way they saluted her as she went past. Not that she didn't appreciate the respect, but she always remembered the lively chats and camaraderie she had encountered in her surprisingly brief time with the armed forces during the war. Well, before she strode into the room and promptly shut everyone up through her presence alone.

Here? Nothing. Not even a whisper. The only time she had heard such dead silence was when news about the Avatar's rampage in the North had reached Caldera's streets. Suddenly, everyone became painfully aware of how vulnerable they were behind the walls of the volcano. Knowing what destructive forces awaited them outside, and what they would somehow have to overcome.

They all turned towards the Fire Lord in those days. Now the Fire Lord had abandoned them, and she felt those eyes turn towards her instead. And for once, she didn't know what to say. Their cause was pure, but how do you manage to convince men to walk towards not one walking cataclysm, but two?

Her mind was so focused on having to stare death in the face once again that she almost didn't hear the hushed whispers within the admiral's room.

"I know she's a liability, but I assure you that I can handle a teenager."

The Princess quietly pressed herself against the wall, her old habits of spying on war meetings kicking into effect. That sounded like the so-called admiral, though his tone was considerably less grandiose and befitting a loyal subject of the crown.

It was his voice that caught her attention. The other voice protested in hushed tones. "You heard the rumors. She's crazy! I don't want to have my family's chance at regaining our glory go to waste just because some psycho is chasing after ghosts!"

Azula felt her lips curl in a snarl, barely restraining herself from barging in and telling Lord Jozain that this "psycho" had her own say in things around here. She wouldn't simply suffer the whims of just some stuffy nobles who didn't know what they were talking about.

She heard a sigh from the other conspirator. "Please listen! You need Azula's hand in marriage in order to get yourself in the royal succession. Once she produces an heir, you can get rid of her. It's not like she has much support among those sycophants back in Caldera trying to kiss up to Fire Lord Zuko or any of the other clan heads. Even then, if she acts up, you can cut her off and take the throne yourself!"

And there it was. Azula felt as though a knife had been slid between her ribs and gone straight for the heart. She was a means to an end. She should've known. This warlord sounded too good to be true from the outset. Who'd associate themselves with a wretch like her unless they could get something out of the deal?

Deep down, she felt her mother wonder just how many times she was going to go through the same story.

"Alright, fine. I just want to know what you are getting out of this?"

"I'm doing what is necessary to both remove a threat to the Fire Nation and get someone competent on the Throne. That should be the duty of any dedicated soldier. If I need to play this game you nobles love to play, then so be it."

Or you're setting the Saowon up to fail while YOU wait in the shadows, waiting for your moment, Azula inwardly snarled. She knew his type. The so-called "honor-bound" reluctant leader willing to march his men to their deaths just so he can get the glory. Iroh and Zhao were like that. Zuko was like that.

Silently, she slunk back the way she came, already going through what she learned in her head. She wasn't an idiot. There was always a chance she was going to be stabbed in the back. That was an unfortunate reality she had to put up with for all her life.

And she already had plans of her own, as she had ever since she agreed to join with Ryuui. She couldn't let anyone else know of course, but she was going to come out of this thing on top, and she'd do it on her terms.

---

Toph hated flying. Even if it was on Appa's back and thus probably one of the safest ways to fly in the world, she hated not being able to sense anything through her feet. Sure she could hear, but it still meant she was deprived of one of her most critical senses she needed to…well, envision the world.

She did hear Katara and Sokka's father coming to say goodbye, making Sugar Queen promise to keep Boomeraang in line. She did hear Aang say "YIP YIP!" and snapping the leathery reins to bring Appa aloft. So it's not like she was completely blind…well, blinder should've been the better word.

Still, she leaned back and tried hard not to think how agonizingly high they were in comparison to the earth. She would've just earth-surfed her way to Cranefish Town if it wasn't going to take until tomorrow for them to reach it.

Cranefish Town…she HAD heard that somewhere before.

"You okay Toph? You've been, well, quiet. Do you have any idea how scary that is?"

"Uh, yeah! Sorry," she apologized to Sokka's voice. "It's just…well, I know Cranefish Town. My dad had some holdings there."

Well, there it was. "Oh boy. Does that mean…?"

"Yeah. That's what I'm afraid of too," she told the concerned voice of Katara, causing the blind girl to sink further on her back. Her…dad…that was a meeting she had NOT been looking forward to. Of course, she knew it had to happen. It's not like she could just keep running away from her problems all her life. She wasn't Twinkle Toes after all.

Didn't mean she had to look forward to it.

Speaking of Twinkle Toes, "Hey, maybe your father heard about what you did to the fleet with Sokka and changed his mind?"

"Yeah, no. If he didn't think my stint with Earth Rumble was impressive, nothing would change his mind."

"People can change, Toph. Do you really want to just brush your parents if we see him again?"

"...no." Toph rolled to the side, hoping that Katara wouldn't see her face. "I'm just worried that he's going to brush me aside as some helpless little doll. Again."

She felt a gentle hand touch her shoulder tenderly caressing it. For once, the little blind girl didn't bat it away. As much as she hated to admit it, she needed every little bit of help she could get.

Funny. They just found out that giant monsters existed, and it was meeting her parents that had her scared to death. Talk about having her priorities straight.

---

Ryuui's Flagship

As the sun set, Azula set in motion the first part of her plan. Step one was mainly sitting in the mess hall with the other sailors. Nobody ever expected a Princess to mingle with grunts, so that was bound to raise a few eyebrows.

She didn't speak to anybody as she plopped herself down and examined one of the scrolls that Ryuui had given her. Now the scroll she brought was so she could have an excuse to not have to begin a conversation with the grunts. Her presence there was attention-grabbing enough.

Besides, Azula did have a practical reason to be reading the scroll. It was a gift from the Phoenix cult on Aso detailing some of the various legends on Rodan. If she were to face death, she'd very much like to know what it looked like. The accounts were varied. One legend held that the draconic bird once saved Aso from a volcanic eruption by carving deep grooves in the island with his talons to redirect the lava flow. Others claimed that Rodan wanted to preserve his territory and that saving the people there was incidental.

The ways Rodan was described conveyed a mixture of awe and fear. That certainly befitted the Phoenix that found itself emblazoned on her father's banners, though part of her wondered how the kaiju would've felt about its image being used for genocide. If Godzilla was riled up by Zuko using the fire of his kindred as a tool to slay him, she couldn't imagine Rodan would just sit idly by.

Still, Rodan was the Phoenix, and that was enough for every soldier on this ship to revere it. Probably where they got the name "Fiery Raptors" from too.

Speaking of soldiers, it didn't take too long before two of the younger grunts came by and sat across from her. She let the breach of protocol slide since they fell for the bait. And that they seemed to look at her with a sense of wonder.

"So…" one of the grunts nervously said, not sure how to act in front of the Conqueror of Ba Sing Se. Finally, she managed to force out, "You faced Godzilla twice now. Right?"

"Three times actually," Azula said flippantly, passing off her distressing near-death experiences as just another day in the life of a Princess. "He attacked the prison ship I was 'held' on."

The other grunt, a boy, whistled with astonishment. "Could…I ask what it was like? I mean we are going to be taking him on for ourselves and all."

Azula suppressed a smirk, the script she envisioned in her head going perfectly. "Trust me, facing a giant monster isn't exactly for the faint of heart. Course I made it out okay. It's me we're talking about. Pity everyone else though. All those poor souls being trampled, ripped apart…or burned. We're not talking about facing some soldier you can kill. We're talking a force of nature. I don't even think the Avatar is as nightmarish as that thing is.

"And to be perfectly honest, I can't imagine too many people in this room getting out of this alive," she casually said, letting a blanket of fear fall down on the grunts' shoulders. And it worked; she saw their faces turn pale from the implications. After all, if the Avatar Slayer admitted that this thing was even scarier than the boy who wiped out Zhao's fleet, what hope did they have?

All of this was setting them up for what she really wanted to say. Azula leaned forward, looking around her to make sure nobody was listening so she could whisper, "I wouldn't blame you if you wanted to abandon ship as soon as Godzilla appears in the bay of Aso. Sometimes the best thing to do is escape with your life to fight another day. After all, there should be enough lifeboats for everyone on board. I think the Admiral would be a bit understanding."

The grunts said nothing, only backing away and heading back to their seats. Azula kept an eye on them, seeing them discuss what they'd just been told with their friends at their table. Who in turn would discuss it with friends they knew. They kept it hush hush of course, for the mere idea of cowardice was enough to earn harsh punishment by the admiral.

But if it was an idea that could save their lives from a pointless death, then Azula was all for it. She made a mental note to start lingering in areas where the sailors loitered the most often. A rumor here. A story there. She knew how to spread her words all throughout a ship with as little effort as possible. And all under the nose of the Admiral at that.

As for why she was doing this…she wasn't sure. Maybe it was to build a powerbase for herself if Ryuui or Jozain tried to cross her. She'd certainly done that before. Certainly, a mutiny to have her gain complete control of the ship and possibly the rest of this faction had its benefits.

That required time though, and they'd be arriving at Aso by mid-afternoon tomorrow. No, it would've been better to create a possible lifeline for herself when things went wrong. Can't exactly lead anyone when your only claim to power was a few embittered soldiers.

Are you sure that's what you want? her mother's voice asked.

"I…I don't know," Azula replied, turning her attention back to the scroll. Maybe reading about who she was to face could ease her mind.

All she saw was an outstretched hand, screaming, destruction, and a voice that kept asking the same question.

Do you really want to let that happen again?

---

Cranefish Town

The first sign of Cranefish Town that Team Avatar (minus Toph) spied was the ugly clouds of smoke ascending into the blue morning sky. It was a bit of a contrast between the dense jungles on one border and the shining waters of the ocean on the other. Flying closer on Appa, it became clear that the largest of these smoke clouds was emanating from a huge refinery on the jungle border. The steel walls and red roofs made it clear who had brought this unsightly thing to these lands.

If Yu Dao was the shining jewel of the colonies, then this was the dirty coal that the Fire Nation probably wouldn't want people associating with them.

Aang and Katara exchanged glances. They knew firsthand what these sorts of refineries were capable of doing to the local populace, both human and otherwise. If there was indeed a kaiju here, then chances were that its attention would be drawn there.

The rest of the town was a bit more uniform. Fire Nation architecture dominated, though with none of the opulence or radiance from Yu Dao. Whatever mansions were there seemed pretty conservative and almost blended into the rest of the residencies. They were only marked by being a bit better-kept and having a few small gardens that none of the other houses could afford. In general, the houses were maintained to show who was in charge, but not enough that any reasonable noble would be actually seen there.

Aside from the unsightly village, there was a small island just offshore. Descending from the sky, Aang could spy a large statue of a woman on the island's highest cliff overlooking the sea. The stone it was carved from didn't seem like the bronze colossi he saw back in the Fire Nation, so he wondered who it was. They seemed…familiar…

That would have to be a question for another time though, with Appa descending into the jungle just outside the settlement. Colorful birds were disturbed by their roosts from the bison's landing. Granted there wasn't any reason for safety that they landed on the outskirts, but Aang figured that Appa wouldn't exactly want to be in the middle of an industrial complex smogging up the air. The airbender certainly didn't want to.

Still, duty called. Aang leaped out of the saddle and landed gracefully on the forest floor, with Momo following after him, landing on his shoulder. The others followed in turn, Toph being the last as she very slowly clambered down Appa's back. Everyone knew better to assume she was being careful due to her blindness.

With everyone in tow, Team Avatar joined the main road to lead up to Cranefish's entrance. Waiting for them at the stony entrance was a group of armored girls, their leader rushing towards them. Sokka just pushed his way past Aang and embraced Suki, giving her a massive hug. "By the spirits, it's so good to see you again! They kept teasing me about our long-distance relationship which isn't a problem thank you!" the warrior exclaimed, calling back to his "friends" that yes, he did remember Suki.

"Pleasure's all mine! And sorry for not joining you at those stuffy meetings of yours. Wouldn't be caught dead in those shouting matches," the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors admitted.

"Yeah, can't say I blame you for not coming. Honestly, you have it easy rounding up some of those rogue Fire Nation grunts."

"Hey, can't say I don't enjoy it. Invitation's open if you want to crack some heads together like old times. You know, spend some personal time together, keep count of thugs we take out, maybe get a spar in here or two…"

"Sorry, Suki. According to my brother, keeping us from not being late for the meeting on who's to distribute grain for the reparations apparently ranks higher on the list than you," Katara snarked.

This had the expected effect. Mainly turning Sokka's cheeks bright red and steam practically coming out of his ears. "Well maybe if you, oh I don't know, actually used those schedules I cooked up, I could have some time for myself for once!"

Aang snickered a little bit, loving just how much the brains of their group lost his cool the moment somebody dared consider that maybe he dial it back a bit. "It's nice to see you too, Suki. I just wish it was under better circumstances."

"Right. You're here about that kaiju." Suki took on a more professional tone, befitting the duty and status that came with being a leader. The two of them walked alongside each other into town, much to Sokka's disappointment that he couldn't be informal for just a little bit longer. The rest of their retinue followed them into town, though Aang couldn't help but notice that a certain acrobatic member wasn't amongst them.

"Ty Lee's acting as our representative to Fire Lord Zuko. She hasn't had time to continue our training in chi-blocking, what with all the reconstruction efforts," Suki explained. The name brought shivers to Katara's spine. Even if she'd "changed", something about a girl that rendered you helpless with a cheery smile on her face was still pretty disturbing. Besides, it didn't seem like she was the only one either. Several of the Kyoshi Warriors seemed a bit more relaxed with Ty Lee's absence.

Back to the task at hand though. "What about this kaiju? Has anyone seen it?" Katara asked.

"No. We were chasing a group just outside of town when we heard the reports. Nobody's seen it since…and nobody's exactly too keen on wanting to go chasing after a giant monster. I've sent some scouts looking for it, but it seems to have retreated deeper into the jungle. We did see a lot of clearings with smashed trees though, so we do know it's out there."

Well, it's not being aggressive. That's a good sign, Aang thought to himself.

"Know anything else about it? Anything helps."

"Not really, Aang. But ever since that thing's been sighted, we've met somebody who seems to know a lot more about it than anyone else here. I'm taking you to her right now."

And so they made their way through the crowded streets, seeing the populace milling about. There wasn't much stratification between the people here. Mainly, everyone seemed to be equally on the lower end of society. What shops were here didn't offer much in the way of luxury goods, instead offering plain clothes and basic foods. Usually, that meant just grains and dried meats instead of anything that looked fresh.

They didn't seem to be suffering from pollution problems like Jang Hui once did, but they didn't seem well off either.

Which made their contact stand out a bit more…and caused Aang to reflexively grip his staff. Behind him Katara and Sokka also stiffened, seeing the familiar girl running towards them.

There was the loose garments of red and gold. The short, frazzled, black hair. The tattoos under her eyes. Already Aang was on the lookout for an ambush, before asking, "What are you doing here?" to the airbender that hung out with Azula.

Suki just looked at him in surprise. "Uh…Aang. This is our contact. Miana."

"...huh?"

"Pleasure to meet you Avatar," the girl said with a polite bow.

"Woah woah woah. Don't you 'pleasure to meet you' US after you sided with Azula of all people, missy!" Sokka shouted, getting between his friends and the girl.

'Miana' just looked in confusion. "I'm…sorry. I've never met you before. Did I do something to offend you?"

"You were there on Odo Island and bailed Azula out!" Katara exclaimed, wondering what game she was playing.

"Odo Island…ooooooh. You must be referring to my sister, Maina! She said she was heading that way. I came here when I heard news of Anguirus's appearance in the jungles beyond."

"...sister?"

"Yes! I am Miana, High Priestess of Infant Island along with my twin sister. Although you can just call me Imana. That's what we did back home," she exclaimed with another bow.

Now that Aang got a good look at her now, there were a few differences between this girl and her sister. For one, her clothes seemed a bit more conservative and restrictive. Another was the braid on her right being brushed to the right instead of the left. Finally there were the tattoos. They were painted orange, blue, and white. And they certainly weren't the jagged bolts of red, yellow, and black on Maina's face.

"Twinkle Toes, I can't see but even I can tell this Miana, or Imana or whatever, isn't our airbender."

Aang brought himself back to reality. He smacked himself in the head. "Oh! I'm so sorry! We thought… never mind. Accept our humblest apologies." With that, he gave a respectful bow, prompting the others to bow along with him.

"It's okay! People who met Maina before me would probably think we're both stubborn sticks in the mud."

"Ah, Avatar Aang! So good of you to join us!" an aristocratic voice called out. It belonged to a large man in the red and white robes of a Fire Nation noble who came toward them.

"This is Loban. He's the owner of the Earthen Fire Refinery," Suki introduced. Aang and Katara exchanged glances. The balding man looked friendly enough, but they also knew that you didn't get far in Fire Nation society by being nice.

Still, pleasantries are pleasantries. "The pleasure is ours. We heard this…'Anguirus' was causing problems."

"Yes, it has. Nasty brute. The workers have refused to come back to work unless that thing is dealt with. Hopefully, we can get this situation resolved as soon as possible so we can get back on schedule."

Katara did her best to keep her eyes from rolling. Of course somebody like him would put productivity over safety. "We heard that the refinery is where the beast was sighted. I could imagine that nobody would want to work that close to a huge monster."

"Not that it has done any good for our town. Productivity is down, and the rest of the colonies are depending on the materials we provide," another voice reiterated. This one put everyone on edge, especially when the man to whom the voice belonged strode into view.

Loban didn't seem to notice as he said, "And this is my business partner, Lao Beifong! Without the finances from his family, we wouldn't have been able to set up as quickly as we have!"

---

Toph just stared, unable to comprehend what she was hearing.

The only thing she could mutter out was, "...hey…Dad."

She heard that maddening silence that came before her parents decided that they had given her too much freedom and decided to keep her imprisoned in their family compound.

"Toph…it's been a while."

"Oh! This must be the young girl you've been trying to rescue from those vagabonds. Funny. I didn't think she'd end up in the company of the Avatar…"

"Young lady, I've heard a lot of stories about you recently," Dad said with obvious disapproval, cutting off whatever pleasantries Loban had to offer. "Do you have any idea what your mother and I were going through when you left? Especially when we heard you've been going off fighting the Fire Nation and monsters?"

"Whu-what I was doing?! You sent a bounty hunter after me! And when was THIS a thing?! Investing in a Fire Nation refinery?!"

"Well to be fair, I came to the Beifong estate with an offer a few years ago. I didn't want the natives to feel left out of the bounty my refinery would've provided."

"Right. Tell me, what exactly did this refinery produce before the war ended?" Katara's voice asked Loban, promptly shutting him up. It didn't take a genius for anyone to realize just what an industrial complex would've been used for in Fire Nation territory.

Toph felt like a giant hole was threatening to swallow her up. Did her father…?

She heard him sigh. "Toph, I know how you feel. But you need to understand. The war was lost and I had a family to think of. It's why I was so insistent on wanting you back! Someone as fragile as you wouldn't survive in a world run by them on your own. Sometimes you need to make difficult decisions to protect what you have."

But she didn't want to hear him. "Right. And I guess working with the Fire Nation was somehow okay. You know, the same pricks that almost burned our home to the ground."

"Toph, wait a minute-"

The blind girl just walked away, unable to accept that her father would stoop this low. "You know, I was willing to give you a chance. I really was. But this? …I don't even know where to begin with this."

Before anyone could stop her, Toph ran off, trying and failing to keep the tears out of her eyes.

---

On Ryuui's Flagship

The Princess rose with the sun, hoping to get the first glimpse of the island. She wasn't disappointed.

In the distance, she saw the tropical island dominated by a low and massive volcano. Azula had heard of islands like these. Shield volcanoes they were called, creating islands from the land that arose from cooling lava. No doubt the plants here were fed by the rich, volcanic soils deposited.

"Fascinating really. How something that is capable of such great destruction can generate such great beauty," Ryuui commented, looking upon the island. Azula eyed him warily, looking for what was truth and what was more lies. For now, she couldn't tell, but she did have ways of prying a little deeper without being noticed.

"Forgive me Admiral, but what do you wish to gain from all of this? You're putting a lot on the line to aid someone like me."

"I only wish to place someone on the throne who cares," the warlord confessed. "I've seen too much bloodshed in my day just for some boy to render all of our sacrifices null and void. How many sons and daughters had to pay the ultimate price, just for their nation to turn their backs on them? I couldn't just submit to the rule of a traitor. Someone needs to make their deaths count."

"That's rather…noble of you," Azula admitted. There was no deception. No trick of the voice betraying a lie. He believed in what he was doing. That the only way for him to do his duty was to play a game where most soldiers wouldn't even think of making the first move.

Duty. The word weighed down on her like her armor. It gave clarity, but to carry it out was anything but easy. She played this game because she had to. Just like him. And just like him, she had played with a lot of lives. Back then it was easy to do. It was war and people were suffering anyway, so the chance for order and peace outweighed the heavy price.

Now though, having been on the battlefield…she wasn't sure if she could be so ironclad in her conviction. She could admire that about Ryuui at least.

"No regrets then, Admiral?" she asked.

"...none. Godzilla, Zuko, the Avatar. They're threats to us all. And they have the advantage. Well, I won't play by their rules. Sometimes, you need to fight dirty so others can rule with a clean hand."

Azula used to think that way too. And she knew she had to brush up on her skills in that area if her own plans were to pan out. After all, it's what Father would've wanted. Her mother's voice though said otherwise. About how this was wrong and how going down this path would destroy her. Their arguing voices were just as hard to block out as they were on the day of her coronation. The Princess wouldn't let it happen a second time.

"And if I am to pay for my trespasses with my life, then so be it. Let me be the last to die," the Admiral finished. Azula didn't have much of a response to that, just staring into the water.

She never needed to rely on luck, but now it seemed to be the only thing keeping her alive these days. Who knew when it was going to run out?

Her attention was diverted when she saw something dive into the water out of the corner of her eye. Looking to the sea, she saw a strange flying creature emerge from the water with a fish in its sharp beak, and leathery wings. It wasn't a bird, but it wasn't any reptile she knew of.

"Pterosaurs," Ryuui explained. "Ancient hunters. Around here, they're harbingers of Rodan's presence."

Right. More of those extinct monsters that Azula had been hearing so much about. And if they were anything like those sea monsters on the murals or the trilobite she saw back on Odo, this was kaiju territory.

Azula looked at the volcano in the distance. Somehow, she could just envision the phoenix slumbering within its fiery depths, wings red with fire.

Waiting to awaken.

Notes:

A/N: A bit of a short one today. This chapter mainly serves as a bit of an intermission period as we shift settings a bit: Team Avatar heading to Cranefish Village and Team Azula heading to Aso Island.

First off with Team Avatar: I promise that we aren't going to linger too much on the White Lotus stuff. They're just going to be an element that shows up from time to time. And I'm not having Iroh be this overarching human villain, mainly cause we already have a bunch of kaiju on the loose that's giving us enough problems right now as they are. I just wanted to emphasize that Iroh isn't some saint.

Now Cranefish Village. This is the setting of The Rift, the comic trilogy that features Toph in a starring role. It's considered to be one of the better ones, and I'm hoping to showcase some other sides of the Fire Nation occupation. The stuff about the refinery being used to fuel the war effort though I did add, but I figured it would be a natural extension of the Fire Nation's warmongering attitude we've seen in the series.

Which means things are going to be messy with Toph's father. I don't think his association with Fire Nation is addressed in the comics, especially since they just got out of a century-long war. I'm going to delve into this a bit more as the arc progresses, but the first thing I'm going to say is I can see some Earth Kingdom nobles wanting to aid the Fire Nation so they don't get stomped on. A bit self-serving, but considering that the Fire Nation was on the verge of victory, I could see this as a possibility.

Now we come to Miana, or Imana. Miana is another character from the Godzilla anime trilogy where she forms the other half of the Mothra twins that have appeared time and again throughout the franchise. Since it's pretty difficult to tell the names Maina and Miana apart though, Selpharia and I (thanks again for the help) figured it would be best that she get a nickname so people don't get confused. Imana IS an anagram for Miana, so it could work.

Shifting gears to Team Azula: of course they're not going to abandon her. This is something that sort of bothered me about the new Azula comic, and I didn't want that to happen here. Helps that Azula isn't exactly their commander and never really bossed them around like she did with Mai, Ty Lee, or the Fire Warriors.

I was a bit torn about the plot to betray Azula though. On the one hand, we just met Ryuui and Jozain so it's not like the punch is that hard-hitting. On the other, I felt this would be the most logical opportunity for them to reveal the betrayal. We'll get some more development for them later and I did try to flesh out Ryuui a bit with his final speech. Either way, Azula's not going to let this lying down and she already has a plan cooked up.

Finally, there's Aso Island. Aso was the mining village where Rodan's nest was uncovered in the original movie, so I wanted to pay homage to that. The pterosaur sort of acts like Godzilla's mosasaurs or trilobites in the last arc who serves as a sign of Rodan's presence. That and it's a bit of a nod to his more Pteranodon-esque appearance in Singular Point.

Thank you all for reading. Make sure to leave your thoughts in a comment, and follow/favorite if you want to see more. Take care, have a great day, thanks again to Selpharia for beta reading, and see you all in the next chapter!

Chapter 10: Of Spirits and Monsters

Summary:

Aang and Azula both arrive at the spiritual centers on their journeys. For Aang, he discovers a conclave of strangers wearing the robes of his ancestors. For Azula, she is confronted with a reverent populace unaware of the danger slumbering within the volcano. Both are propelled towards their own respective encounters with mighty beasts capable of both awesome power, and terrible destruction.

Notes:

Avatar: The Last Airbender and all associated characters are owned by Paramount Global. Godzilla and all associated characters are owned by Toho Studios. Please support the official release.

 

Merchant Vessel

"Earth Kingdom silks?"

"Check."

"Tea?"

"Check."

"Porcelain?"

"Check. Looks like everything's here Captain," Kori stated, managing to go through everything on the checklist yet again. What was he expecting? It's not like some thief was going to pitch everything on the ship and leave smackdab in the middle of the night. She swore he was just keeping her and Maina cooped up in the stuffy cargo hold of the ironclad ship so nobody questioned why there were two teenage girls walking around as part of the crew.

The captain nodded, no doubt satisfied that he managed to keep them busy and out of sight for a few more hours. "Alright. You two stand by till I find something else for you to do." He then turned and left them behind to go bark orders to whatever poor sap happened to be strolling by.

That was most certainly fine by Kori, who took a breather and leaned on one of the crates. She swore she was going to see that cargo list in her nightmares. "This has to be the dullest 24 hours I've had to put myself through."

"Hang on, you throw yourself at Fire Nation guards and this is painful?"

"Hey, at least we were doing something productive…somewhat productive anyways," the rebel sheepishly added.

Maina wasn't exactly impressed, and gave her a blank stare while leaning on a crate across from her. "Look, chances are there's going to be some veterans or ex-soldiers on Aso! Maybe I could convince them to join our cause or spread the word around if nothing else. You know, so we don't get creamed in the demonstrations."

"I mean, fair enough I suppose. Though that can't be the only reason you're coming along, right?"

Having been cornered forced a sigh from Kori's lips. "What do you want me to say? You heard Azula. She was the one who came up with that plan to burn the Earth Kingdom and my home!"

"...and?"

"And she hasn't exactly been the most amicable person in the world-"

"And?"

"Hey! I'm just following your lead, alright? Honestly, the only reason I hadn't blown my top sooner is because you're the one who keeps giving her the benefit of the doubt! She doesn't want us around, and if she wants to go run off with a bunch of lunatics that's fine by me!"

She readjusted her quiver of arrows, feeling the weight settle down in a more comfortable spot. "Besides, what's bringing her to Infant Island going to do anyway? You heard her! Do you really think seeing a mother who didn't care about her is going to help matters?"

"First off, I made a promise in case I ever ran into either of Lady Ursa's kids. Second, she told me she loved Azula despite everything!"

"Uh-huh. She loves Azula, but do you think Azula knows it? I've been around noble kids long enough to know when one of them isn't exactly on good terms with their parents."

"I mean…fair," Maina admitted in defeat. She leaned on her staff, gripping it rather tensely.

Seeing that the priestess was not at all satisfied, Kori just crossed her arms. "Look, sometimes you need to draw a line in the sand. There's just no reasoning with some people. I mean her brother is the Fire Lord. Hardheadedness probably runs in the family."

"Says the person who's still organizing protests despite said Fire Lord withdrawing from the colonies," Maina said a little snidely.

Kori threw her arms up at this. "Look, I heard a lot of horror stories about what the Earth Kingdom does to Fire Nation folk once they get their hands on them. That and I can't imagine the Earth King is going to be too gentle if he thinks marching an army into the colonies was a good idea. There's got to be some people willing to push back if his thugs start getting bright ideas."

Her speech trailed off, letting the words die in the air between them. To take her mind off of things, she started examining the string on her bow, making sure it was in good condition. "It's just…somebody's got to do something. Yu Dao's my home, and I don't want to see any more soldiers messing things up."

"Fair. It couldn't have been easy growing up under Fire Lord Ozai."

"Oh, like you wouldn't believe. Always had to show up at parades with my father, seeing who I was supposed to be and admire. Couldn't say anything about the few you knew were pushing around your countrymen. My dad just saw the promise they brought, and ignored the people they trampled."

"Huh. Never thought I'd see a Fire Nation noble admit the war wasn't righteous," Maina commented.

"Well, I am born of two nations. No one talkd about how much you're torn between both when they're at war and you need to choose one. Especially when you grow up and things just aren't easy anymore."

Her words trailed off, remembering the fights her parents used to have all the time before they got divorced. Now that was a nightmare. Especially the tearful goodbye Kori had with her mother before she was cast out into the countryside.

"What about you? Azula's not going to want to go to Infant Island now even if we find her."

Maina just gave one of those magnetically genuine smiles. "Well everyone's got to have somebody looking out for them. Even if they can be a pain in the ass."

A chuckle erupted from Kori's lips. Satisfied, she pushed herself off the crate and began to make her rounds so they wouldn't be caught slacking off too much. She wondered if the priestess was talking about watching her back as much as she was watching the Princess's. It was refreshing to have somebody that honest. No lies or anything.

And it made her wonder why this goodwill was wasted on Azula of all people. Must've been a thing on Infant Island or something.

---

Aso Island

Princess Azula settled on the saddle of her Mongoose Dragon, graciously provided to her by Admiral Ryuui. The reptile was in great shape, with a few scars along her sides. Flame Runner was her name, and the Princess was told she was stalwart and dependable.

That was assuming that wasn't just another lie the "Admiral" told her. She eyed the back of his head as their group made their way through the jungle. He was riding a much less elegant Komodo Rhino, making himself appear less ornate than the Princess. His words from on the ship weren't wrong, but she couldn't get that meeting with Lord Jozain (who was riding behind them on an Ostrich Horse, no doubt a prize taken back in the Earth Kingdom) out of her head either. There were only so much goodwill that gifts like her armor and her mount could only buy him a bit of fleeting goodwill. True loyalty would not be so easily bought.

She looked around at their escort, wondering how loyal they were to him right now. They had their eyes on the jungle, looking for any threats. Not just disgruntled locals, mind you. From what the Admiral told her, there were far worse things than some rebels out here…

A flutter of feathers and a crunch drew her attention to a branch above. There sat what might've been the strangest bird she had ever seen, its toothed beak snapping and tearing apart a large insect. It had red feathers, but its tail was too long, and its clawed hands were not the talons of a bird. Even its wings weren't as large or powerful looking as you'd expect from a bird. They looked better suited to gliding than flying.

The bird looked back at Azula, cocking its head in curiosity at the newcomer.

This left it distracted as a truly massive dragonfly burst from nowhere, spearing the bird in the back and beginning to tear into its flesh.

Azula watched, not used to seeing a bird being on the receiving end of the usual predator-prey dynamic. What kind of place was this island if bugs devoured birds?

Her thoughts were turned towards more familiar matters when the forest gave way to farmland. In the distance awaited Aso Village, where the First Temple of the Firebird awaited. She could see the ornate flames from the distance, though it was nowhere near the opulence of the Great Temple back at Caldera.

Around the temple sprawled the small village, and from its outskirts the vast rice fields and terraces their escort marched through. Farmers soaked in sweat stood up and watched in awe at the procession. Most of the eyes were drawn towards her, reminding her of the position she once had. They bowed in reverence, no one batting an eye at her somewhat disheveled appearance.

Azula just looked back, not sure how genuine the sudden looks of awe and respect being directed her way truly were. From all appearances, though, either these people never heard about her downfall, or they didn't care. She wasn't sure what answer she wanted to hear.

The procession made their way through the rice fields and into the village proper. Around them were simple dwellings, but each had some motif of flame to them. Whether it was a simple wooden symbol or an engraving of a fiery bird on their door, the Phoenix's presence was everywhere.

So too were the posters. To Azula's surprise, they were propaganda posters from the war, all depicting both her AND her father leading their people under the watchful eyes of the fiery bird from the heavens. The posters with her stood out the most. There she stood on the familiar ringed walls of Ba Sing Se, clad in full armor and proudly holding the banner of her fatherland. Beneath her regal image was the following phrase in Fire Nation script.

Glory to those who do Agni's will!

May they live in our hearts for eternity!

"You really pulled out all the stops for me, didn't you? Not too many people have the guts to display my face with my brother in charge," she mused.

Admiral Ryuui shrugged. "We wanted a proper welcome for the true Fire Lord. Good thing we kept some of those posters from the war, eh?"

"The true Fire Lord." Azula settled in her saddle, the words setting something alight in her heart. Those were the last orders her father ever gave to her. To take the throne and become the Fire Lord. She was so stunned by this sudden turn of events, that she was blinded both by the weight of a country and the shock of abandonment by the Phoenix King. So much so that she failed when everyone needed her the most.

Neither did she tell anyone that she failed to take the crown again when it was lying in the ash in front of her. Maybe if she had taken the crown right then and there, and finished her brother off while she was at it, Aso wouldn't need to be dragged into this campaign against an unstoppable force.

And the people that came out in droves to meet her, cheering her name, calling her "Conqueror of Ba Sing Se"...they wouldn't have needed to worry about death. To think that she had come to save them all by awakening the one who slumbered in the distant volcano. The one they had lived with all their lives and whose adorned their buildings.

She tried not to think about how the fires surrounding the great wings of Rodan could so easily consume them once he was awakened.

The procession finally arrived in the shadows of the temple at the beating heart of Aso. Azula squinted her eyes, seeing the rays of the sun filter through the ornate flames and figures dancing along the rooftops. She recognized more than a few of the statues. Dragons. Qilin. Shishi.

Perched on every corner, with wings spread and flames spewing from its beak was the Phoenix. Or Rodan rather. She noted that they also carried the flaming feathers that the altered image carried. Certainly, they didn't resemble the strange bat-lizard bird…thing that Ryuui's tablet depicted. No doubt there were some "revisions" made to better fit what Fire Lord Sozin had envisioned the avatar of Agni to be.

Before the gates were the temple priests. They were garbed in the stuffy, overdone robes of the Fire Sages, with some additional flourishes resembling bird feathers. "Greetings, Princess Azula!" the head monk called out, giving an acknowledging bow to Azula's station. "We see that Admiral Ryuui was successful in his expedition to bring you here to our humble abode."

"The pleasure's all mine," Azula greeted politely, not exactly knowing what part of any of this te priests thought could be called 'humble'. She swung herself off of Flame Runner's back and let her armored boots hit the flagstones of the stone courtyard. Behind her, Admiral Ryuui motioned for a group of soldiers to march past with a crate.

"We've brought back your treasures, just as you've requested." The head monk smiled in gratitude, motioning for his servants to take the crate back into the temple. Azula had to admit that whatever he was in private, Ryuui certainly knew how to play to a person's preferences and disposition. No wonder he managed to get this far.

Turning around on his rhino, he looked out over the crowd that had followed them to the foot of the temple. It almost seemed like the entire village was crammed together to see the parade, and to see her in particular. Azula felt herself stiffen from all the eyes holding her in their gaze. She adopted the formal stance, swinging her arms behind her and looking regal and aloof. Letting them all know where they lay in the social order.

"My fellow countrymen!" Admiral Ryuui began. "Today is a great day for us! For Princess Azula, daughter of Phoenix King Ozai and heir to the throne has graced us all with her presence this day! At long last, a descendant of Fire Lord Sozin has come to your village in search of Rodan, the great Phoenix himself! Truly, we have been blessed by Agni herself!"

The peasants erupted in cheers. For her. Given all the indignities she had been subjected to, something even resembling admiration seemed straight out of a dream. At first, she wondered if this was some kind of hallucination, but the stones beneath her feet were real enough. The Admiral and priests were real enough. She let herself revel in it.

When the crowd died down, Ryuui stood back and beckoned the Princess to walk forward. Blinking, Azula walked forward and stared out over the crowd, seeing the stares of awe and wonder. She also looked to see the soldiers standing before the peasants, half of them looking back at her wondering what she was going to say.

A small smirk crept on her crimson lips. She already had her speech planned.

"People of Aso Village. I am honored that you would receive me as your humble guest. But I do not come here solely on pilgrimage. I am here on a mission that will determine the survival of us all. As you know, Godzilla, the 'Fire from the Depths' as you call him, has awakened and laid ruin to my brother's army. I've seen with my own eyes what this monster can do. It nearly killed not only my brother but myself and the Avatar. The very same Avatar that took down my father, the strongest firebender in the world, was almost crushed under its might.

"No mere man can stand up against this creature. Luckily, the Admiral Ryuui has introduced me to the true Phoenix. The very same bird that adorned my father's armor on the day of the Comet. According to legend, Rodan is very much Godzilla's equal, and did battle with him once in the past. If we are to have any chance of survival, any way out of this nightmare that is plaguing our Nation, I must awaken the 'Fire from the Sky' to do battle on our behalf. And only someone that has been chosen by Agni, one of royal blood, is capable of doing this. My brother is too weak-willed to do what needs to be done.

"I know that undertaking such an endeavor will not be easy for any of us. I've seen just what one kaiju is capable of. A battle between two of them has the potential to destroy us all. But this is a risk we must take. And one I will willingly face. For this is not the first time I've put my life on the line for the sake of our country. For I understand sacrifice. Something that our people have forgotten when they set the crown on my brother's head. As Rodan's priests have put it, there can be no salvation without sacrifice. And our sacrifice will be remembered for all time!"

Once more, the crowd cheered with ecstasy. Even more so than with the Admiral's speech. On some level, it both amused and disturbed her a little about how easily she was able to sway them. She wondered if Zuko said the same thing to convince his own men to die for his honor.

But the important bit was the looks on the soldiers' faces. She hit the right notes, seeing the faces of dread.

Azula let herself smirk once more at the crowd's adulations. Ryuui thought of himself as a player since he knows how to play a group of monks. She'll show him how to play a group of soldiers.

---

Cranefish Town

Aang stepped out of the rowboat, turning back to make sure that Toph was able to get off all right. She looked sick, though whether it was because she was on a piece of wood where she couldn't see or her little run-in with her father, he wasn't sure.

"I'm fine, Twinkle Toes!" she barked, showing that she was NOT in fact fine.

The airbender shared a knowing glance with Momo, who was sitting on his shoulder. This was basically the reason why he wanted her to come with them instead of surveying the refinery with Katara, Sokka, and Suki. Besides, Miana (or Imana, spirits he was going to have to get used to that) said that there was a temple on this island with depictions of Anguirus. That way he would know what he was dealing with.

Besides, everything about this place seemed…familiar. In fact, he thought he even knew which Avatar had visited this palace before him.

As they walked up the steps of the grassy hill towards the great statue, Aang had to ask. "Imana. Did Yangchen visit here?"

"As a matter of fact, yes," the priestess confirmed. "She was the last Avatar to have come in contact with Anguirus. They have quite the history with this place."

With that out of the way, Aang had to ask the obvious. "Are you an airbender too?! How many of you are there?! How did you survive-?!"

"Easy. One question at a time," Toph said, managing to rein him in a little.

Imana didn't really give any indication that she minded all the questions. "Yes. I am an airbender, though my skills are…pretty rudimentary. Outside of the tribe back home though, I haven't heard of any others…"

Aang swallowed, knowing that was a possibility. He guessed it was a miracle that one airbending society survived the purge.

With that, Imana told him the story of how they survived. Mainly how their deity saved them from destruction at the Fire Nation's hands. It left Aang with a little hope. Maybe…somehow…

That hope seemed to grow as they ascended the last of the steps. Aang felt his heart rate begin to soar. There, in front of the statue, was a group of men and women dressed in familiar robes. Momo cried out with surprise at the sight, causing their leader, a young girl, to turn towards them.

"Greetings Avatar Aang!" she said, bowing in respect. "I am Hei Wan, leader of the Air Acolytes!" The others joined her in a bow that resembled the Air Nomad way.

Aang just looked at Imana. "Are…are they…?"

His hopes were dashed when she looked, a bit apologetically. "I'm sorry Avatar. They…aren't descendants of Air Nomads. I know, I've talked with them myself."

Hei Wan straightened herself up. "Forgive me, Avatar. Ever since you've returned, we were inspired to take up the ways of your people. We've done everything we could to abide by your ways though! Avatar Yangchen wrote extensively on her people in the tomes stored in her temple!" she added cheerfully as if somehow that could make things a bit better.

For the last Air Nomad though, he felt himself go a bit lightheaded. He had hoped, prayed beyond hope that somehow some of his people had survived. All he found was another reminder.

He was the last Air Nomad.

"...Aang. You okay?"

"Yeah just…I'm honored to have made your acquaintance. Though your bows need a little work," Aang said to Toph. He swallowed down his disappointment a bit. It wasn't their fault that they weren't Air Nomads by blood. And these Acolytes looked like they genuinely wanted to adopt his people's ways. Even if they could use some work.

Not wanting to hover around such a touchy subject for too long, he turned his attention to the statue of the woman overlooking the bay. "Who's she?" he asked. It was a genuine question since nothing about the attire she was depicted wearing seemed to be from any of the Four Nations. They seemed pretty regal and whoever built this statue obviously held her in high regard.

The question did perk Hei Wan up. "This is a statue of Lady Tienhai. According to legend, she was once a spirit who helped set up a city not too far from here."

"A spirit?"

"Yes, though she took human form in order to live amongst us. Unfortunately…something happened. It's detailed in the temple proper. Follow us!"

Aang let Hei Wan and the acolytes lead them away from the statue. His mind wandered instantly to the refinery. A spirit used to reside here? Then this had to have been spirit territory long ago. Just like Jang Hui River as a matter of fact! Looking over Cranefish Town, he saw the ugly plumes of smoke drifting from the refinery. This was starting to sound more and more like a repeat.

They came to a grove of trees, where a small temple made of stone stood. Aang recognized it as Air Nomad masonry, though without the grandeur of the great Air Temples where he grew up. Their footsteps rang inside, the history of the place came rushing forward. Thick tree roots pushed through the stone, and small plants grew where sunlight beamed down from holes in the roof.

"How did this manage to survive for so long?" Aang wondered.

"We believe it's because it was so small that the Fire Nation overlooked it. Nobody really worshipped Lady Tienhai before Cranefish Town was erected either, so the statue was left alone," Hei Wan explained, coming to the first mural. Here, carved in stone was Lady Tienhai overlooking the construction of a city with a man by her side. A mortal human. Aang felt himself remember the Moon and Ocean Spirits, and how they took mortal forms in order to better interact with mankind. This spirit must've taken things to the next level.

"She must've loved humans," he wondered.

"Unfortunately, some humans didn't love her back," another acolyte explained. "They saw her as an aberration, never really one of us. And so, in the dead of night, they assassinated her for fear of what she was capable of."

Aang got a bad feeling as they moved on to the next mural on the opposite side, illuminated by sunlight. It showcased two massive figures standing over the ruins of a city.

"This act of violence enraged an old friend of Lady Tienhai. His name was General Old Iron, and he vowed to destroy the city and everyone who lived within it for their treachery," Hei Wan elaborated, pointing to the figure on the left. It was a gargantuan figure, clad in stony-looking armor befitting an ancient warrior, with his huge fists raised before him. He wore a scowling mask that covered his face, along with a large helmet.

"But he was not unopposed."

Imana's words drew him to the other figure on the mural. This one was far more beastial. At first he thought it was a dragon from its crocodilian maw and snarling fangs of a boar. Yet it lacked wings or the serpentine body of the ones he saw. Instead, its body was bulky, with what looked to be some kind of shell on its back lined with jagged spikes. A long tail thrashed behind it, also covered in thorny spikes. On the front, a large horn sat on its snout while a row of smaller ones sat on the crown of its head.

Aang knew at once what this thing was.

"This is Anguirus," Imana confirmed. "The Guardian Beast. Some have even called him the Dragon of the Earth. He arose from his slumber and challenged General Old Iron, hoping to buy the people enough time to evacuate."

"Wait…so we have one giant monster fighting another one?" Toph asked, suddenly now interested. Indeed, the mural depicted both figures facing one another, ready for battle.

"I wouldn't be too excited. While Anguirus was able to hold General Old Iron off, their out-of-control fighting threatened the civilians."

"Oh. I mean, yeah. I guess nobody's really safe when two really big guys go at it," the blind girl quickly added upon hearing Imana's words. Though Aang knew for a fact that Toph still would've given everything to be there to witness such a titanic battle, regardless of safety.

He understood the destruction such a conflict would've wrought. It was so easy for him to hurt people in the Avatar State alone. What would happen when two extremely powerful forces went at each other?

"There was hope, however," Hei Wan continued, going to the final mural at the back of the temple. Here was a very familiar figure with long flowing robes and a prominent arrow tattooed on her forehead.

"Yangchen."

"Indeed, Avatar. Your predecessor Yangchen arrived and succeeded in calming the warring titans down. They came to an agreement that the ruins of Tienhai's city were to be deemed the territory of the local spirits. It's said that the site of her grave still resides there to this day. According to legend, if this territory were to be disturbed by human influences, then General Old Iron would reawaken and wreak havoc once more on the countryside."

"And Anguirus would once more return to face him," Imana finished off for the acolyte. On the mural, Aang saw the one they called General Old Iron and Anguirus kneeling and bowing in reverence to Yangchen.

Aang stood spellbound, all the memories beginning to come rushing back. The refinery. Anguirus. This story about spirits. It all began to come back to him, but he needed to make sure.

He looked again upon Yangchen's visage. And he knew that he had to talk with her. "Could you guys stand outside for a second? I need a moment."

Imana and the Air Acolytes dutifully nodded and made their way out of the temple. Toph followed along with, though not before pausing. Aang understood, not even knowing that he didn't need to see the blind girl's face to know her concern. A lot had just been thrown in his face and honestly, he needed a little help trying to digest it all.

Maybe the previous Avatar of the Air Nomads could give him guidance.

---

Aso Island

The inside of the temple was just as grand and ornate as the outside. Okay, maybe "ornate" was a bit of a stretch since it still didn't compare to the majesty of the Great Temple back home, but it definitely was a step above what she would've expected from a bunch of island yokels.

Not that she'd say that of course. She just busied herself examining some of the tapestries and iconography around her. Over and over again, she saw Rodan's image engraved in the very foundation of this place. Emerging from a volcano in a painting. A gold statue of him overlooking the altar.

Yet it all felt fake. All images resembled the Phoenix she had grown up with, not the old tablet of what she knew had to have been the real deal. She wouldn't mind so much except everyone here seemed to revere it. Which was fair enough. The Phoenix was the embodiment of everything that a good citizen of the Fire Nation should aspire to be.

But at the planning table the monks had set up where Admiral Ryuui had a map spread out of the island? He wasn't talking about a symbol. He was talking about something that Azula knew was capable of wiping them all out. Didn't matter if it would kill Godzilla or not, it had the potential to eradicate everyone in its way. Did she really want to take a gamble that big?

Sometimes, sacrifices are necessary for the greater good, her father's voice whispered. She almost had to bite her own tongue to keep from asking whether she was one of those sacrifices.

Sighing to herself, she turned to meet with her "allies" at the impromptu war table. Ryuui was at the head of the table, obviously. By his side was Jozain overlooking the map, which was a bit interesting in itself. She never pegged him as somebody who'd be interested in the planning process. All around them were the Admiral's staff, the officers and the captains who kept the Fiery Raptors running.

Their attention was drawn to the map of Aso before them. On the area designated as the bay, somebody had put out several ship pieces surrounding a statuette of a dragon, which was supposed to be Godzilla. On the top of the volcano sat a Phoenix figure, a stand-in for Rodan.

"Alright, here's the plan," began Ryuui. "We already have several scout ships patrolling the waters between Odo Island and the shores of Yu Dao. Right now, we're waiting for a message via messenger hawk to confirm that they've made contact with Godzilla. Once we do, we're going to make our way up to the mountain where Rodan is roosting via a series of old abandoned mines while our scouts lure Godzilla to the bay. We already have a number of barrels full of explosives and black powder at the heart of the mine waiting to be detonated so the Phoenix will be awakened. Now we're going to have to time this right so we wake Rodan up just as Godzilla enters the bay, which is why we're waiting for the signal."

With a plotter rod, the admiral pushed the Phoenix towards the dragon in the bay. "Once he's awake, he's going to make a beeline for Godzilla. We'll have our ships on standby to provide any support and exploit any wounds inflicted. Princess, since you're the only one among us who's had any experience with this beast, we could use any advice you have to offer."

Azula stroked her chin, seeing the plan play out in her mind. Already she'd deduced some of the problems. "Well for starters, Godzilla's already going to be enraged. That means he's going to attack the closest thing that has a Fire Nation symbol on it. I've seen what this thing can do to ships firsthand, so we should hold our ships in reserve and only engage when Rodan has gotten his attention. And only aim for wounds when you're absolutely sure you can hit them. His hide's too thick and anyone who draws his ire is a dead man walking. So make every shot count.

"I'd also recommend luring Godzilla here." She picked up a rod before her and pushed the ships and Godzilla's figure toward the northwestern waters surrounding the island. "If you lure Godzilla too close to the village, Rodan's going to come right over us. Head sage, is it true that his wingbeats whip up winds as strong as a hurricane?"

"I…yes. Indeed," the sage said with a dawning realization. Good. He was starting to understand the magnitude of the forthcoming clash. Hopefully, some of the others around the table would begin to see what the Princess saw.

"If we lure Godzilla here in the northwest," Azula continued, "we can minimize the risk to the village. I'd also recommend setting up some shelters away from the village, because if things go south and Rodan loses, we can weather Godzilla's rampage and safeguard ourselves."

"That's a lot of concern for civilian life. Shouldn't we focus more on killing Godzilla?" one of the officers asked.

"Aso is going to be where we make our stand if Rodan loses and Godzilla's still strong enough to put up a fight. You can't face Godzilla head-to-head like my brother. It's best to keep your head down and wait till he leaves. Everyone knows you need a plan in case things go south," Azula explained, wondering if she was the only one who had bothered to envision what a worst-case scenario would be like. "Besides, I'd rather we end this thing with some troops rather than no troops at all."

"Good point, Princess Azula. If we're to recapture the throne, we're going to need as many men as we can spare." Azula blinked about Lord Jozain agreeing with her, but if she could get him on her side for now, then she could cover her backside on that front.

Ryuui, on the other hand, didn't seem so convinced. "Forgive me Princess, but we need to commit our forces if we have a chance. As you said, we need to be in range at all times to take advantage of any injuries. While I do respect your concern for the civilians, the best chance for them is if we take Godzilla down as fast as possible with all the fury we can muster."

His officers nodded in agreement. Azula didn't back down though. She just stared him right in the eye. "My brother said the same thing, and he nearly died. I don't know about you, but if we want to actually accomplish something, we need to be smart about this. When Zuko catches wind of what we're doing, he's going to come after us. And trust me, I know full well what his 'mercy' is like. This isn't just about one battle. It's about the one after that. Believe me, I know this is our best chance at taking Godzilla down. And everything we're gambling on is going to rely on our success here.

"But Godzilla isn't something you can just throw fire at. Admiral…don't make the same mistake my uncle and father did."

She looked straight at Ryuui, daring him to challenge her on this. That was her trump card. Azula dared him to learn from the mistakes of others and throw away everything that they were all taught back at the Academy about how to win a campaign. Was he daring enough to throw out the rulebook and risk everything for what could be his finest hour?

The admiral looked back…and sighed. "Very well. Your counsel is noted, Princess Azula. I'll see what I can do about sparing some men to put a few shelters up."

Azula smirked. She couldn't tell what the others were thinking, but she'd gotten both of her chief rivals to see her way. It almost made her want to gloat about how she was back after all this time.

However, she also remembered a key rule from Uncle as well. Never celebrate too early lest you squander it all. And seeing the unreadable faces of the officers around her, she was going to need to stay on top of things to get out ahead. Their underlings may have been easy, but could she influence his most fervent supporters?

That was a question she'd have to answer when the time came.

---

Temple of Yangchen

Time almost seemed to stop, and the world came to a halt as Aang sat in a meditative pose calling to the past.

The past responded. When he opened his eyes, he saw the humble yet elegant form of an Air Nomad sitting across from him, her body glowing a blue light.

"Avatar Yangchen. It's an honor to speak with you again," Aang greeted.

"The pleasure's all mine. And you can let go of the formalities Aang. I mean it's not like we haven't spoken with each other before," Yangchen said with a smile.

Aang felt his anxiety blow away from the breezy aura his predecessor possessed. "Thanks. I swear, I don't know how you managed to do the 'keep the delicate balance of the world' thing without going insane."

"It gets easier. Just make sure you leave some time to yourself. Besides, between you and me…I think some people could use a little bit of time to goof off every now and then." Both airbenders shared a small laugh, the pressures of the world a distant tempest here in this humble place.

"Though I'm guessing you haven't just come here to chat with an old Avatar, have you?"

With that, the brief respite was over. Aang took a deep breath. "It's just a lot has happened in the past few days. First another kaiju appears, then I find out that these…acolytes are trying to adopt our way of life. Then it turns out there's another spirit I have to worry about. In between all that, I found out there are other airbenders that managed to survive!"

"Yes. I could imagine that's a lot to take in."

"I was just…I was hopeful. You know? That some Air Nomads could've survived. But these acolytes, these other airbenders…they're not Nomads. I mean, I understand wanting to adopt our ways, but they didn't grow up with our ideals. And this tribe…"

"You got your hopes up. Just try not to be too hard on them. They're not Nomads, but that doesn't mean they can learn to be like us. What they need is guidance. And if you can teach a whole class of Fire Nation children to have fun, I think you can teach these acolytes. They're willing to learn, they just need a teacher."

"I know. I just hope I'm up to it," Aang admitted.

Yanghcen just placed a hand on his shoulder. "You will. Trust me. And I'll be here if you need any help."

"Thank you. Now then." Aang took a deep breath and felt the fresh air fill his lungs. "I need to know about what I'm walking into."

"Very well."

Images flashed before Aang, shifting the scenery. The temple had crumbled away to a burning city. Above them, two great figures battled amidst the flames. Their blows sounded like crumbling mountains, and their cries of rage were a storm.

"When I arrived in Tienhaishi, the city was in ruins. The screams of the innocent rang in the air, only drowned out by the roars of the titans. General Old Iron had come to wreak his vengeance, and Anguirus rose to meet him. Both threatened to ravage the land and the survivors."

Aang watched as Anguirus's tail lashed out, smashing through buildings and tearing up forests. General Old Iron met in kind, his great feet destroying the landscape and trampling all who got in his way. The spirit's destruction made sense; the Avatar knew just how monstrous spirits could be when they were enraged.

It was Anguirus's actions that shocked him most. "Hang on. Wasn't Anguirus trying to save the city's people?"

"He was, but Anguirus is also a being of great destruction. His very size threatens anyone who comes too close. Battles like these ravage the countryside, and it takes more than a kaiju to bring peace."

A familiar light appeared, and Aang bore witness to Yangchen floating between the two in the Avatar State. Both stared at her, neither one making a move.

"Together though, Anguirus and I were able to quell General Old Iron's wrath. He wore him down. I calmed his spirit. I told him that the ruins could remain in the domain of the spirits, for it was their land first and they should have a say in who lives there."

A wind shifted the scene, showing the armored spirit marching his way back into the territory of the spirits. Anguirus returned to the jungle, leaving Yangchen to watch as both of them returned to their rest.

"And so the conflict ended. As long as the boundaries of the spirits are respected, General Old Iron would return to his vigil. Anguirus would be the first to warn the people if something was done to disrespect the spirits. And I, or one of my future lives, would return to maintain the peace."

Around them, the temple was built up once more. "That is your duty, Aang," Yangchen advised. "Quell the coming chaos and restore the delicate balance between man, spirit, and beast. Only then will peace once again reign."

Aang nodded, feeling the present catch back up to him and Yangchen's visage faded back into the mural. When he opened his eyes and came out of his meditative state, he knew what must be done.

And he needed to talk to everyone about how insane his plan was.

---

Cranefish Town,

Earthen Fire Refinery

To say that Katara was initially unimpressed with Loban was the equivalent of saying water was wet. One knew it was an old proverb, but the result was so obvious, how could anyone expect differently? This was, after all, a guy who thought installing a refinery was a good thing for the populace.

Their tour of the refinery didn't exactly do a whole lot to calm her nerves. All around her, she could see various safety hazards and signs that screamed: "I'M POISONING THE ENVIRONMENT". Even if it was closed down thanks to the kaiju, she could still see improper ventilation there. Creaky catwalks and rusting steel frames there. And the mines where they harvested the raw material for the refinery looked like they were about to collapse with a single shift.

It depressed her to know what shoddy infrastructure looked like given that she practically became a master waterbender by tearing such shoddy edifices down. It stung even more to think that this was the best the people who nearly conquered the world could do. Well, nobody said that the Fire Nation was the best at keeping their people safe.

She wanted to talk with Suki about how in the world somebody like Lao Beifong could get roped into such a project, but the Kyoshi Warrior was busy talking with Sokka filling him in on the situation. Apparently right before the war ended, the patriarch of the Beifong family had indeed made an investment in the refinery in an attempt to curry favor with their newfound rulers. No wonder Toph was upset.

Especially since said patriarch was now strutting around with Loban up ahead, who was giving them a charming tour of the rickety mines. Like they were something to be shown off. "It's these mines which funnel wealth and opportunity to the people of Cranefish," he went on. "Every man who carries a pickaxe or carves out a tunnel with his earthbending comes out a richer man."

"It's impressive how much work you've put into this place," Katara breezily said. She didn't mean that, but honestly, it was taking all of her effort not to just storm. "I bet your workers must really look up to you."

"You'd think that, wouldn't you?" Loban erupted in laughter at his little jest. "But, everyone's a bit too concerned with that monster of yours to come back to work. I understand that you want to stay away from danger, but we have quotas to fill, and we're certainly not keeping what breathes life into this town flowing."

Before her patience ran out, Sokka thankfully ran in front of her and walked alongside Loban. "Actually, we were wondering about that. If this kaiju's been lurking around the refinery, maybe there's something it's doing that's causing it to get upset. Like, maybe a leaky pipeline or something."

"I've already had an inspection team look over the facility," Lao chipped in. "It follows all up-to-date safety standards and shouldn't pose an immediate threat to the surrounding areas. We wouldn't have people living here if we were spewing toxic waste into the bay, now would we?"

Katara had to hang back lest she explode from all this posturing. What did they know about health standards and caring about people? She saw what Cranefish was like. The people weren't living in filth but they weren't exactly the healthiest either. Some of them were far too pallid to be considered anything near healthy. And here they were talking about how they were above the bar.

Her frustration didn't go unnoticed. Sokka looked back at her with concern, but Suki waved him off to keep the two owners talking about what other "successes" they had under their belts. "You okay, Katara?" the Kyoshi Warrior asked.

"...no. I'm not."

"Look, I know it seems bad but-"

"Bad? Suki, I look around and I'm just seeing that factory all over again. How can they stand there and justify putting their own people through this nightmare? And we're supposed to be defending them?"

Her outburst left her feeling drained, and she slumped against the wall of the mine. "I don't get it. We used to blow up places like this during the war. Now we're taking tours through them like it's just another day."

Suki looked at her, watching as she took a few deep breaths to calm herself down. "I'm sorry. I just-"

"No. I get it," the warrior interrupted. "It's all happening so fast, and now we're just trying to catch up. To be perfectly honest, I came out here with the rest of the Kyoshi Warriors 'cause fighting Fire Nation and protecting people is what we know how to do best."

"Really?" Katara asked. She knew that Suki had been chasing after rogue army groups, but she didn't think this was the reason why.

The young leader just nodded her head. "Yeah. We're not really good with peace talks or whatever. So we do what we do best. And trust me, I got a little stir-crazy too having to work with Loban. But he's not as bad as he looks. I'd almost wager that Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation citizens are a bit more equal here in some places like Yu Dao."

Katara blinked. She did have to admit she hadn't noticed a real difference in terms of wealth between the two peoples here. Granted, neither really seemed to have much to begin with, but it was a stark difference when compared to Yu Dao.

"I've done everything I could to alleviate some of the issues the people have here." The voice of Loban interrupted their little conversation, who with Sokka and Lao Beifong had wheeled around to check up on them. His demeanor though was…different. His suddenly somber tone caught Katara off guard.

Loban sighed. "I know my refinery isn't the safest place to work. But the Fire Nation's standards during the war were low. Particularly if one were to work with earthbenders like I did. And they were already looking for reasons to get me out so somebody else could come in and exploit the workers in the name of better results'."

Katara almost expected him to spit on the ground just to get the word out of his mouth. Not that she blamed him. She knew what the Fire Nation considered to be 'better results'.

The owner continued. "Quite frankly, a lot of us didn't have much, and bought into the promises of a better life. It took us some time to realize that we weren't any richer than we were back home. I tried to make things work as best I could. Even if that meant supporting the war machine. If we stopped producing...well, none of us wanted to stop to find out."

A shiver ran down Katara's spine. She knew well what happened to earthbenders who were captured in Fire Nation lands.

"I understand if you don't forgive me for what I've done. I can't forgive myself. But please understand, I am trying to make things better. I just…I don't know how anymore," Loban completed with a forlorn look on his face.

Seeing that his partner was done, Lao stepped forward. "It's why I joined up with him. He had some sympathy for us, which is more than what I can say for some other Fire Nation nobles. Now if my daughter could understand…"

Both Water Tribe siblings exchanged a glance. Before either could say a thing, Suki stepped forward. "She's one of the bravest people I've ever met. And honestly, you should be proud of her."

"Proud?" Lao started. "This war turned her into a rebel is what it did. She used to be so sweet. Now, I don't even know her anymore. Do you know what that's like?!"

"Or maybe you never really got to know her in the first place," Katara said coldly. "And you know what? Despite everything, she still cares about you. Tell me, who sounds like the weaker one here?"

Lao just glared before turning away to continue on down the mines. "We should probably continue this at another time then," Loban stated, reading the room like an open book.

All three teens just stared at Lao, silently agreeing that maybe it was best to leave the tour aside. They had found what they were looking for. And a lot more.

---

Twinkle Toes had been silent ever since they returned from the island.

It wasn't like he had nothing to say. Toph could sense through her earthbending that his heart was racing and his steps were slow and methodical. Not exactly the happy-go-lucky goofball she knew him to be.

They were making their way through the streets of Cranefish. The sheer amount of footsteps and chatter told her that. She thought she heard some Fire Nation dialect intermixed with Earth Kingdom here and there, but it didn't really matter to her all that much. Not like she could actually see anyone. They were all just footsteps, voices, and heartbeats to her.

The two of them stopped by what she sensed to be a quiet corner. A woosh of wings and the chittering of Momo told her that he had perched himself on the roof. No doubt going to preen himself or something.

As for Toph, she flicked a pebble at the wall of a house with her foot. "I know what you're going to say. That I need to get along with my dad-"

"No. I get it."

She stopped in her tracks when she felt his hand pat her shoulder. "I…thanks Aang."

"No problem!" said the chipper voice. "It's just, I get the history between you two. And you're not alone in having a few unpleasant surprises being thrust on you."

"Right. The Air Acolytes."

"Yeah. I mean, I do understand what they're trying to do and I DO appreciate that some people want to adopt my culture."

"It's just you think they're treating it like a toy. Just like that Mechanist guy at the temple. Right?"

"Basically." Aang had told her all about what had happened at one of the temples of the Air Nomads. Now, she wasn't the spiritual type, and she wouldn't say she knew what it was like to have your home ravaged. That being said, she did understand what it was like to have someone disrespect who you were and where you came from.

"I don't think these people are like that, Twinkle Toes. Doesn't mean you're not wrong, but try not to be angry with them," she reassured.

A sigh was heard. "I know. I know. Heck, you've got more of a reason to be mad at your dad right now."

Toph snorted. "Ain't that the truth? It's like you barely know the guy. You think he can't stoop any lower, but then he does."

"Guess we BOTH have a lot on our plates right now."

"To be fair, what you're suggesting is probably the stupidest thing I've ever heard in my life."

She heard him slump against the wall of the house. "Well, somebody's got to go out there and find him. The problem is trying to convince everyone that talking to a giant spiky dragon is a good idea."

Toph couldn't argue against him with that. The blind earthbender just joined him leaning against the wall. Odd. Somehow even that idea didn't sound so bad as facing her father again. Then again, if somebody could face down the Fire Lord, armies, and a kaiju, then who's to say she couldn't face her own problems in the same way?

After all, she couldn't let the Avatar have the most guts on the team, now could she?

---

Aso Island

Breathe in. Breathe out.

Azula sat seated on the soft floor of the bedroom that was graciously lent to her in the mayor's house. Certainly a step up from sleeping on a creaking boat, that's for sure. It felt good knowing that she finally had a bed that wouldn't rock with the tides.

Or a bed at all.

Honestly, she should've felt content. Finally, after all this time, after being pushed around and treated like some kind of rabid animal, finally she had some respect. She had a foolproof plan in place that would guarantee that she didn't have to watch her back in the immediate future. And she was doing what she was born to do: serve her country.

Then…why couldn't she meditate in peace?

She breathed in and out, feeling the flame at her heart wax and wane. Yet still a question kept being asked to her over and over. One that she simply didn't have an answer for.

Is this what you truly want?

Azula sighed in defeat at her mother's voice. Looking up, she saw the tall and regal figure of Fire Lady Ursa standing before her. Only it wasn't her. The Princess knew that her real mother wouldn't have that look of pity in her eyes.

"I know what I'm doing. I'm not an idiot, Mother," she almost barked out, though she kept it to a low hiss so nobody would hear her and call her mad.

My love, I understand. But you know none of these men truly want to help you. Why else are you still wearing your armor this late? And are you really going to throw yourself into danger just to prove yourself?

"I'm not Zuzu, Mother. Of course I know what I'm getting into." If Father's spectre were here, he would've smiled with pride. For now though, he remained absent.

Her mother's eyes narrowed. Azula, I don't think you do. You know what just one of these things are capable of. It's what you've been telling everyone. Why don't you take your own advice and not go through with this?

"Oh, now you're concerned?" Azula snapped. "Last I checked, you just stood by and watched me lose my own mind! Why on earth should I listen to you when you just left me to rot?"

I couldn't do anything then. I…wasn't strong enough. And I'm sorry. But for once in your life, LISTEN to me. Don't throw your life away because of some duty. Nothing is worth that!

The flame within flared up, causing Azula to get up on her feet and return the iron gaze Ursa was giving her right now. "You were never there for me. Ever. You thought I was nothing but a monster, and you only had room in your heart for one child. The easy one. Well, guess what? If I'm going to die, I want you to watch, knowing that at the end of the day, you're just a spineless coward who wouldn't lift a finger to help either of her children when they needed you. That way when Zuzu bawls his eyes out at my death, you won't be there to comfort him. Because deep down, you'll know what a complete failure you've been."

That should've been enough to shut her up, to make her go away for good. Instead, Ursa just placed a hand on her cheek. No matter what happens, I just want you to know that I love you Azula. I always have and always will. And you have a lot more to offer this world than just your life.

Azula felt a tear roll down her cheek despite her best effort, overcome the desperate desire for that hand to be real. "I know. I just don't know how."

The strength in her legs failed her as she imagined her mother embracing her in a hug that would never come.

For the tears wouldn't stop…and neither would the other voices in her head saying the same thing over and over again.

At first they started out as "Glory to the Phoenix King and he who sits on the throne," in the voices of Ty Lee, Mai, and the voices she could identify as human.

Until they started degenerating into inhuman growls, with a chant that reeked of absolute hatred.

"Death to Godzilla. Death to Godzilla."

---

The Jungles Outside of Cranefish Town

They were huddled around a campfire as the sun fell, weapons at their sides and rhinos tied up on the trees surrounding them. The smell of cooked meat permeated through the air, making some of those assigned to keep watch turn their heads eagerly.

Colonel Mongke just shot them a glare as he distributed dinner to his officers, not really in the mood to get into yet another argument about food rations.

It was pitiful. Once the Rough Rhinos were feared warriors. Freelancers whose ties with the Fire Lords of old were well respected. The very name used to strike fear in the hearts of the Earth Kingdom. And their pockets were full of loot and plunder.

Now all they had left were a few coins. Ever since that boy Zuko took the throne, they were on the run. All attempts to hire themselves out for mercenary work fell short. Turns out that once you've burned down a number of villages, people see you as a bunch of murderous thugs. Right now, all they were focused on was trying to stay ahead of the Kyoshi Warriors for a few more days.

Well, they wouldn't be on the run for much longer. Already they could hear the snorting of a Komodo Rhino charging its way through the brush. The face paint of its rider marked him out as Vachir, their former Yuyan archer. "Report", Mongke barked out.

"Bad news, Colonel. I spotted the Avatar's Bison just outside of town." A wave of apprehension and frustration infected the group. Cranefish Town. One of the Fire Nation's key refineries during the war, it was said to be unguarded following the downsizing of the army. It would've been ripe for them to march on it, demand protection money, and set up shop there for the foreseeable future.

With the Avatar in town though, they had a big problem. They had run into him before, and they didn't want a repeat of Chin Village.

One of their newest members, Utor just threw up his hands and said, "Well, there goes that plan. Want me to get the rhinos ready so we can beat it?"

"Woah woah woah. Nobody said we're leaving just yet," Ogodei, one of Mongke's oldest members. "And besides, did you forget about that giant thing in the jungle you idiot?! I don't want to become monster food! Colonel's orders. We're staying put and waiting for that thing to go back to sleep."

"We can't just stay here either!" somebody pointed out. "The Avatar's gonna find us in no time and we can't outrun a bison!"

Mongke grimaced as he stood up, bringing the arguing in the camp to a crawl. "If we move now, they're certain to spot us. The best we can do now is hunker down and wait for this to blow over. I don't like it either, but we're trapped between a rock and a hard place."

"And what if someone were to tell you there was a way out of this predicament."

Everyone got up and drew their weapons while Mongke brought fire to his fist at the stranger who had just stepped out of the bushes. He gave a nasty glare to the lookout guards for managing to miss an intruder, but they just gave him a pathetic shrug. The Colonel made a mental note to give them a dressing down for managing to miss a cloaked figure when they had the most obvious routes of approach covered.

As for the cloaked figure, there was something…odd about him. He had pale skin, but it seemed a bit too pale even for Fire Nation. Especially not with those deep blue eyes of his. A hood obscured the rest of his features, but those blue eyes just stared at him.

"Okay, who are you and what exactly do you want with us?" He motioned for Ogodei and Kahchi to come behind him, readying their weapons for the slightest hint of treachery.

If the stranger gave any indication of being threatened, he certainly hid it well. "I am willing to offer you a chance to get your people to safety, Colonel Mongke. One that not only will deal with the Avatar, but also your little problem with the Guardian Beast."

Mongke stared at him, not sure of his angle. "Fine. Speak, but if you so much as suggest turning ourselves in-"

"That will not be necessary," the stranger assured. "Long story short, there is a grave at the heart of this jungle. It lies within an ancient city and is considered sacred territory by the spirits. If someone were to disturb this site, that would unleash its guardian upon the people of Cranefish Town and he would do battle with the Beast. Which, in turn, would open for you a way to escape."

The Rough Rhinos looked at each other, not sure whether or not to believe his words. They were willing to do a lot of things, but angering a spirit? Admiral Zhao did that, and look where it got him.

"And what's in it for you? Why help us out?" Mongke asked.

Those blue eyes just stared at him from beneath the hood. "We have a common enemy, Colonel. And I want to see him dead. Nothing more. Besides, you face death or imprisonment either way. What more do you have left to lose?"

Cautiously, Mongke motioned for his men to lower their weapons, but keep them to hand. He didn't like the aura around this guy, but neither did he have any ideas for a way out of their problem.

"Alright. What did you have in mind?"

Notes:

A/N: I'm back. Life happens.

Like I've said before, a lot of the elements from Aang's story here were taken from The Rift trilogy. This includes the Air Acolytes. Now originally they were more of a fan club for Aang, but I wanted to ground them a bit more. I could foresee some people wanting to take up the Air Nomad ways considering Aang's return AND the history that Yangchen has with Cranefish Town.

It's going to be of a recurring theme with Aang's arc, but I wanted to reiterate that he is indeed the last Air Nomad. Sure he's not technically the last airbender, but he's the last one to have grown up in the ways of his people. Him dealing with the Acolytes and Imana's tribe is going to be something he has to grapple with.

Now for Yangchen. I haven't admittedly read the novel featuring her yet, so forgive me if my depiction isn't accurate. I'm going off what was shown to us in the series. Her vision and story with General Old Iron and Anguirus though is something that dates a bit back to Godzilla Raids Again or Godzilla (2014). Simply put, giant monster battles while awe-inspiring, can also wreak so much destruction. Something that I want to emphasize here, even though Anguirus is technically a good guy. He's a giant ankylosaur, that alone is going to cause some damage.

His status as the Guardian Beast also is a reference to his original role in GMK before he got replaced. It's going to be expanded on his portrayal in the coming chapters, but he's not going to be as violent as Godzilla.

General Old Iron is another thing taken from the comics. Simply put, he's a giant stone warrior who serves as the guardian of the spiritual territory surrounding Cranefish. I'd almost compare him to Daimajin, only less of a slasher villain.

Back to Cranefish, I'll admit that I originally intended Loban to be more of a clear-cut villain. Then I realized that we could explore a bit more of Fire Nation colonialization. Instead of those who came over and benefited, the people here basically are in the same position they were when they left home. Except now they're in foreign territory. It's something I want to explore, about how the common man who wasn't a soldier fared under the Fire Nation.

We'll be focusing a bit on Aang's side of the story and the stuff with Anguirus before swinging over to Azula's side. Not saying she's going to have some scenes. I just wanted for the climax of her arc to stand out.

Speaking of our…protagonist (I wouldn't say "heroine" at this point), I gave her a monologue with Ursa which Hallucination!Ozai wasn't a part of. I didn't want this to be a carbon copy of the mirror scene, mainly just to get her motivations across and humanize her. Well, more than I already have. Plus it's a way to see what she really feels behind the closed doors and out of view of the Fiery Raptors.

As for Aso Island, that's a reference to the original Rodan film, the home of our protagonist and where the mine that unwittingly unleashed Rodan onto the world is located. The temple itself was actually based on a real-world location: Lungshan Temple in Japan which has some phoenix imagery in its architecture. Obviously, it's not a complete parallel since I wouldn't imagine it would be used for battle preparations, but I used it as a bit of a framework for how a temple dedicated to Rodan would look like.

The bird that Azula encounters is also related to a few-Rodan-like characters and themes: his original concept as a prehistoric bird, the Firebird from the Hanna Barbara cartoon, and Quetzalcoatl from the Tri-Star cartoon. The dragonfly that kills it and eats it is also a reference to a real-world animal that existed during the Carboniferous Period: the Meganuera.

That should probably be a warning for what's in story for Azula. Particularly for anyone who watched the original film.

Anyways, thank you all for waiting and a big thanks to Selpharia for proofreading. Hopefully, I can get the next chapter out before the Netflix ATLA series comes out (kind of on the fence about that one). Feel free to leave a comment to share your thoughts. Follow and favorite if you want to see more. And as always, have a great day and see you next time!

Also congrats to Godzilla: Minus One for the Oscar nominations.

Chapter 11: The Guardian Beast

Summary:

Team Avatar ventures into the jungles outside of Cranefish Town in search of the legendary Anguirus. Meanwhile, Azula discovers a truth of what's lurking within the depths of the volcano.

Notes:

Avatar: The Last Airbender and all associated characters are owned by Paramount Global. Godzilla and all associated characters are owned by Toho Studios. Please support the official release.

 

 

Yu Dao

 

Zuko watched as the soldiers paraded off the naval ship he requisitioned as the sun set in the west. The display was certainly impressive, but compared to the amount of troops they needed to replace those that were lost, it was a paltry force

 

Following the disastrous attack on Godzilla, the army camp was left practically vacant. The surviving troops were redeployed to the garrison who could handle the few troops they had. Hopefully, these new arrivals could bolster their forces and make the camp actually inhabited for once.

 

Not that he hadn’t been to the camp lately. All he saw were the vacant tents and smoldering campfires. It didn’t feel right for him to appear unscathed when he had sent so many to his deaths.

 

“It’s all we could afford to spare, Fire Lord. Until we get those rogue naval groups under control…”

 

“I understand. You did well,” he told the ship’s captain. Another headache. First, there were the few holdouts who didn’t get the message that the war was over, then the Earth King marched on the colonies. And then a giant monster showed up in the middle of all this turmoil. Could this get any worse?

 

“Hey, I wouldn't call ‘going through drills every day for raids’ grounds for a job well done. You figured we were going into battle or something.”

 

A rare smile crept on his face when he saw the most important passenger make her thoughts well known. She glided along the road, her milky white face an impassive mask with her hands in her sleeves. No doubt she was counting the number of knives she had up her wrists.

 

Zuko chuckled. “Sorry, Mai. At least you weren’t cooped up with them for 3 years.”

 

Mai didn’t look impressed at his attempt at a joke. Instead, she cut straight to the point as usual. “You. In private. Now.”

 

---

 

SLAP!

 

A sharp pain hit Zuko’s good side from Mai’s slap. He didn’t say anything though. All he said was, “Yeah. I deserved that.”

 

“You bet you did,” Mai snarled. “Do you have any idea what I’ve been through these past few days? I kept hearing that the Fire Lord died from my father. Then I found out you were stupid enough to take on a giant monster. I mean, you were there when La killed Zhao. Right?”

 

“In my defense, I didn’t think it would be anything like La,” Zuko retorted, though he didn’t have the stomach to raise his voice at his fiancee. 

 

Not that it made any difference as her usually passive face got even angrier. “Okay, let me rephrase the question: did you honestly believe that fighting something that the Avatar was concerned enough about to tell you to stay away from was a good idea?”

 

He felt something ignite, though he did what he could to keep it under control. “I’ve been sending too many letters to too many families! I know I screwed up! What do you want from me?!”

 

“Maybe stop risking your life so you don’t scare your girlfriend to death for once.”

 

…the Fire Lord felt his rage simmer down to guilt. He couldn’t look Mai in the eye, so he glanced around the room that the mayor had given him for his stay. It was certainly opulent, filled with iconography of the Fire Nation along with trophies of war from the Earth Kingdom. Though it couldn’t hide the desk where so many letters sat ready to be sent, and those he still needed to pen.

 

“I’m sorry Mai. I just-”

 

“It’s okay. I’m…I’m sorry for slapping you. What I need to know is what exactly was going through your head that day before it all went down?”

 

Zuko took a deep breath, knowing that this was something he needed to do. “I listened to what Iroh and my advisors suggested. I had to. Like, what else was I supposed to do given the circumstances? I had to prove myself.”

 

“Prove yourself to who?”

 

“To my Uncle? To the Fire Nation? Mai, we’re facing civil war. If you can’t accept that-”

 

“You’re doing it again.”

 

“Doing what?”

 

“Making your problem everyone else’s problem.” With that, the fire was taken out of his words. Zuko wondered how it was that Mai was able to cut through the roaring inferno as efficiently as she wielded her cold steel knives.

 

“Well, I wasn’t…was I?”

 

“Yeah, you were,” Mai just flatly laid out. “I know you want to keep the Fire Nation together. Don’t get me wrong. I also know that you’re kind of bad when it comes to handling your own problems. So I’m going to ask again: who were you trying to prove yourself to?”

 

A sigh was forced out from him. “...Azula. Alright?”

 

She raised an eyebrow upon hearing her former friend’s name. “She was there. Wasn’t she?”

 

“Yeah. She was.” Zuko explained what Azula had been up to, at least as far as he knew. How she survived. How she escaped custody on Odo Island. How she appeared in Yu Dao, and what she did during the battle against Godzilla.

 

Mai listened impassively, her face unreadable. The Fire Lord knew better than anyone about his girlfriend’s testy relationship with his sister. He only heard about what happened at the Boiling Rock from guards and the prison’s warden. Personally, he beat himself up for leaving her behind, but he kept telling himself there wasn’t anything he could do. Luck was the only thing that saved Mai from Azula’s wrath.

 

The only thing he didn’t say was what he did that day. To do so would be to admit that he had come dangerously close to becoming exactly like his father. That couldn’t be true! It was a lapse in judgment! He lost his temper! If only he could apologize, and explain why he did it to her. Then maybe, just maybe things could be only so much easier if she just listened-

 

“Zuko, I’m going to say this cause I love you: you need to stop trying to outdo your sister.”

 

The words coming from her mouth seemed like another slap to the face, leaving him dumbfounded. All he could ask was, “What?”

 

Mai let out an exasperated sigh, massaging her temples. “You did the same thing during Sozin’s Comet. You followed your ego and got a scar for it. I don’t think it's a coincidence that right after Azula escaped, you decided to try and do something she never could. Remember how you tried to hold your swordsmanship over her head?”

 

“I do.” It wasn’t one of his most pleasant memories. He had spent countless hours mastering the art of dual swordsmanship to best Azula in one area. He was so proud when he had successfully demonstrated a complex display that even she hadn’t been able to manage. 

 

But instead of being impressed, she just shot an arrow right above his head with a bow, saying that fancy displays and posturing didn’t amount to much on the battlefield. At least know what your opponent is capable of before making a fool of yourself.

 

“It’s the same thing. You get a confidence boost. You try to humiliate Azula. It blows up in your face. And I have to stand here saying for the umpteenth time to stop wasting your time on her. When exactly did this rivalry of yours do you any good?”

 

“It prevented her from becoming Fire Lord,” Zuko retorted.

 

“No, it almost got you killed and left Katara to prevent her from becoming Fire Lord.”

 

“Well maybe if she wasn’t so difficult, I wouldn’t even have to put her in her place!”

 

“Right. And I’m guessing she somehow woke this Godzilla up from inside a prison ship and sicced him on you. Really showed her there.”

 

Zuko’s fire fizzled out. He hated to admit it, but Azula hadn’t really done a whole lot this time around. Outside of resisting arrest of course. Still, he had one ace up his sleeve. “Did you forget the part where she tried to take the crown?!”

 

“I remember the part where she saved your ass,” Mai shot back. “Look, I’m not Azula’s biggest fan, but even I know that she doesn’t hate you enough to want to see you die in a fire.”

 

“She’s my sister, Mai. I know her.”

 

“And I was her former friend who kept in close contact with her. I know her better.”

 

Both teens just glared at each other, before they let out a collective sigh. Honestly, both weren’t in the mood for a drawn-out argument. Especially since they were trying to actually get back together. It wasn’t a secret that Zuko and Mai’s arranged marriage was being threatened by their own personal hurdles. Didn’t stop them from trying to rekindle what they had though.

 

“Did you at least talk to Uncle Iroh about this?” Mai asked, wanting to maneuver this discussion into a more productive direction. Zuko knew this. And ordinarily, he would’ve given one of Iroh’s nuggets of wisdom.

 

Tonight though was different. “We’re…not on speaking terms right now.”

 

Mai’s eyes widened. For the first time, her voice went soft. “What happened? Is he okay?”

 

“Yeah. He’s fine. It’s just…I found out some things he did during the Siege.”

 

The Fire Lord took a breath. It was going to be a challenge to find the words to tell Mai about the latest skeletons he’d found in Iroh’s closet.

 

---

 

Aso Island

 

Azula found the graves right outside of the village in the shadow of the temple. 

 

They were simple. Seven names were carved into seven headstones, with the remnants of incense burnings and offerings smoldering before them. Pieces of armour and weapons were placed before them in respect. One of them had the skulled mask of a firebender.

 

Behind it was the name Goro.

 

Her eyes darted between the headstones and the temple where the Admiral was reviewing his plans. She never recalled him mentioning anyone dying on the island. Indeed, she initially believed that these statues were tributes to men that died during the war.

 

The characters on the headstones told her otherwise.

 

Fallen in the line of duty on Aso Island

 

She was so wrapped up looking at these graves that she didn’t hear or see the man coming up behind her. “They didn’t say a whole lot. Just brought the bodies into town.”

 

Now the Princess of the Fire Nation never forgot a voice. It was a critical tool she learned amidst the cutthroat court of Fire Lord Ozai. So she was surprised because the last time that voice graced her ears was back on Odo Island.

 

“Lieutenant Kazuma? What are you doing here?”

 

The teen shrugged, his familiar face looking all the more out of place all the way out here. “Commander Ryuui came to Odo Island shortly after you left, looking for people to join the Fiery Raptors and for any information on Aso. Well, this is my home, so I figured I’d step up.”

 

His words caused her to cock her head. She hadn’t known him for long, but she never pegged him as one to get caught up with potential traitors.

 

Kazuma almost seemed to read her mind. “I…wasn’t sure if I could fight for a Fire Lord that got so many of us killed.”

 

Right. Zuko’s attack on Godzilla. While she knew his little stunt that day would have huge repercussions amongst the entirety of his people, she didn’t think somebody she knew would ever consider turning his back on him. Let alone a grunt.

 

Just another reminder of how tenuous his position was. And that she could exploit it to her advantage if she wanted to.

 

If she wanted to . Ozai’s last order was to defend their homeland. One of the greatest honors that a scion of the royal family could be asked to do. It was something she trained for during her time in the academy. And finally, she had a chance to live up to that promise.

 

Yet here she was, wondering if this was something she wanted. Behind her was the temple, the resplendent phoenix on the corners of the roof. Rising amidst the flames that would’ve redeemed any and all failures.

 

Before her though, were simple graves of men having died deaths that didn’t warrant even a mention in the eyes of Admiral Ryuui.

 

And she had to know. “You know anything about what killed them?”

 

Kazuma shrugged his shoulders. “I can’t tell you. Nobody knows for sure. All I can say is that they came into town under bloody sheets. They were sent to scout out the old tunnels leading into the mountain. The guys who came to retrieve them when they failed to report in…they just said they found cut up pieces.”

 

Azula blinked, feeling the volcano’s presence loom in the distance. “Rodan?” she asked.

 

“No. Otherwise, that volcano would’ve erupted already. There’s something else up there. Something vicious.”

 

His words gave Azula pause. What was so horrific that could rip Fire Nation soldiers, people who devoted their lives in honing themselves to serve their glorious cause, to pieces? As brutal as the Avatar could’ve been, as destructive as Godzilla was, their destructive potential and power were enough to kill people without effort.

 

These men, on the other hand were butchered, not pulverized. Including a firebender not unlike her. Maybe they had been a bit inexperienced, but the thought of it still caused a shiver to run up her spine. And it made her wonder: what exactly was she dealing with?

 

---

 

Cranefish Town,

Loban’s Office

 

“You want to do WHAT now?”

 

Aang let Loban’s shock wash over him. He simply back, refusing to move in the face of the man’s outrage. “I want to find Anguirus and try to speak with him. Yangchen said that he’s not as vicious as he seems, and I want to see if he can be reasoned with. Maybe I can figure out what’s going on.”

 

“Indeed. While he might be brutal, Anguirus does mean well. That’s what the scrolls that Yangchen wrote down told us at least,” Hei Wan added.

 

Loban just looked at her in disbelief. “And what exactly makes you an expert? You never saw it! And you just picked up these ‘teachings’ of yours only a few months ago!”

 

“She’s here on my permission,” the Avatar calmly said, letting the steel creep in his voice. Granted, he wasn’t sure himself if Hei Wan knew what she was talking about. But she and the Acolytes were the only ones in Cranefish Town that had studied Yangchen’s scrolls extensively. Sure, Imana knew plenty of legends about Anguirus, but not one as detailed as the one they were discussing.

 

They were crowded in Loban’s office. It was a bit less ornate than some of the noble offices that they were used to, with a mixture of Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation artifacts. None of them were placed in a position of superiority to one another.

 

Team Avatar, Imana, Hei Wan, Suki, and the two owners of the Earthen Fire Refinery decided here was where they’d discuss Aang’s plan.

 

He’d already discussed it with his friends. Toph already knew. Katara was naturally a bit worried, but promised to watch his back. Sokka thought he was crazy, but admitted he didn’t have any better ideas at the moment. And Suki followed everyone else. She was an ally, but she never really considered herself a close member of the team. So she went with everyone that knew Aang best.

 

Loban and Lao didn’t know him best. Not that Aang could blame them for being incredulous. He was a bit nervous himself considering the last time he faced down a giant monster. Still, it was their best shot.

 

“He’s right. Hei Wan knows this story the best, and has first-hand experience,” Katara said, supporting her boyfriend. Aang smiled, knowing that she’d back him up. Even though the look she gave the head of the Acolytes was still a bit wary.

 

The head of the refinery looked at them both for a moment, before sighing and sinking into his seat. “I’m sorry. It’s just, if things go south, Cranefish is going to be the first place that thing is going to go. I can’t risk the safety of my people, or take the chance that a monster might to kill them all.”

 

“What about the mines?” Toph suggested.

 

“Toph, we took a look at the mines ourselves. It’s a miracle any of them are still standing in their condition,” Suki commented. Loban let her assessment go, knowing full well the risk those mines posed.

 

The blind earthbender held her ground though. “Hey, you’re talking to the best earthbender in the world. Give me a few local earthbenders to back me up, we can easily fortify those mines in case Anguirus goes berserk.”

 

“Just like Odo Island!” Sokka exclaimed with realization. “Toph, I don’t say this about you too often, but you’re a genius!”

 

“...I mean, I wasn’t thinking of them, but I’ll take the credit.”

 

Her father though was not amused. “Absolutely not. Toph, I forbid you from going anywhere near those mines. We’ll get some earthbenders to go in your place-”

 

“I don’t recall asking for your permission, Dad.”

 

Katara got in between the two Beifongs before rocks and words started to fly. “With all due respect Mr. Beifong, Toph’s one of the best earthbenders I know of.”

 

“Darn straight!”

 

“Shh!” Katara hushed. “What I’m trying to say is, she’s probably the best person to help stabilize the mines.”

 

“Young lady, she’s 12,” Lao just flatly said, refusing to back down. “And I’m not going to allow a few bouts of luck to get into her head.”

 

“LUCK?” Now both Katara and Sokka had to hold back the comparatively tiny Toph from doing anything even more stupid. “You call becoming a master earthbender by herself and stopping a giant drill getting by on LUCK?!”

 

In a rather obvious attempt at defusing the situation, Aang stepped up in front of Loban’s desk. “Can you get some earthbenders on standby in case things go south? Toph will be there to help shore things up.”

 

His appeasement earned a smug look from Toph and a furious “DON’T GIVE HER ANY BRIGHT IDEAS!” from Lao. Poor Imana and Hei Wan were just trying to make themselves small in the corner and hide from all of this arguing.

 

Loban kept a surprisingly cool facade, bridging his fingers in contemplation. “Alright. I’m going to need the Kyoshi Warriors to help organize things though.”

 

“I’ll give the orders to stand by right away,” Suki declared. “If you have any questions while I’m gone, take it up with my second in command.”

 

“...wait, you’re not-”

 

“You’re really going to argue with me on this, Sokka?” Suki said, turning around and sizing him up. That was enough to shut the boy up, knowing full well what had happened the last time he tried to question Suki’s credentials.

 

“Right then! Looks like we’re all set!” Aang declared with a smile, already moving to the door both to get this day a move on, and to get out of the stuffy room. They had a kaiju to go find.

 

That had sounded a lot better the day before, come to think of it.

 

“You guys go ahead and get Appa ready. I’ll be with you in a minute.”

 

---

 

 

Toph felt everyone hesitate, but she remained firm in the arms of what was only Sokka and Katara. She’d been with them long enough to recognize their skin textures.

 

“You sure about this Toph?” Katara’s voice asked in one ear.

 

“Yeah. I’m sure.” The blind girl felt the arms slacken their grip and let go of her entirely. Everyone was silent, even the refinery owner. All she could hear was the awkward shuffling of feet as they filed their way out of the room.

 

Leaving her behind with her father, his breathing as familiar as his voice. “Young lady-”

 

“What is it going to take?” Toph asked. “I helped save the Earth Kingdom. I taught the Avatar. I even took on Godzilla. How long are you going to keep chalking up everything I managed to accomplish to luck ?”

 

“Toph, I…” He sighed, the wooden floors creaking as he paced back and forth. “You can’t keep throwing yourself into danger like this. Do you know how your mother and I felt when you ran away? We were scared to death, knowing that our little girl was out there alone when there was a war going on.”

 

“I’m not your little girl anymore, Dad,” Toph flatly shot back. “And believe me, I never intended to hurt either of you.”

 

“So why did you run away then?”

 

“To get away from this.”

 

Silence permeated the room. She couldn’t see his eyes, but there was no doubt they were riveted right at her face.

“I’m sick of it. Sick of being told I’m some frail, helpless little girl who can’t fend for herself. I’m sick of having everything taken from me just so you can play pretend with whatever imaginary family you have in your head. I don’t know if you care, but I have friends who do care about me. They don’t care if I can’t see. They like me for me. Why can’t you?”

 

Toph made the challenge. Back in the ring, it was an old promotion trick to hype up the big match. Now though, the battle was much more serious than a brawl with some muscle-bound thug.

 

So she waited for the response. The acceptance of the challenge. Something, anything she could sink her teeth into. Maybe, even that sliver of hope she was waiting for.

 

Instead, she heard her dad sigh and say, “It’s like you said. You’re not the girl you should’ve been.”

 

With that, the boards creaked as he walked out of the room, and Toph was left alone. 

She didn’t say anything in the silence. The wet tears she felt drip down her cheeks were more than enough.

 

---

 

Outside Cranefish Town

 

Appa flew over the dense jungles, with Momo flying wide circles around them. All around them was an unbroken carpet of foliage. The further they flew away from the refinery, the more the trees grew. Sickly foliage from pollution was replaced by healthy, endless green.

 

Well, almost. There were a few clearings within the trees here and there. Normally they wouldn’t have meant much. Everyone knew that there were natural clearings in every forest.

 

Natural clearings, though, weren't filled with crushed trees. And they certainly weren’t regularly recurring.

 

“Looks like we’re dealing with some kind of quadruped from the way those footprints are splayed out,” Sokka mused.

 

“That is how he’s portrayed in the ruins,” Hei Wan said cheerfully. “Well, whenever he’s not rearing up of course.”

 

Aang began to put more and more of the pieces together, turning towards Imana who had sat by his side. “You think Anguirus is angry about the refinery despoiling the forest?”

 

The priestess thought to herself. “Possibly. Those barren trees from earlier are a sign of human interference. This is both his territory and the territory of the spirits, so he’s got a pretty good reason to be upset.”

 

Can’t say I blame him , Aang thought to himself. No matter what Loban’s thoughts on what good the refinery brought, it didn’t wipe away the damage it caused to the forests surrounding Cranefish. Those trees they saw on the flight out were stripped of vegetation. Hei Wan mentioned that it had to have been the influence of the refinery, but how exactly she wasn’t sure.

 

Both Aang and Katara had to agree with her. Wherever the Fire Nation decided to set up shop, environmental damage was soon to follow.

 

Out here though? It was dense and full of life. The trees were filled with birdsong joining the chorus of unseen animals. Maybe the whole of the forest could be like this one day if they played their cards right.

 

They couldn’t dwell too much on the future though. Right now they needed to find Tienhaishi, the city that Tienhai helped found. Hei Wan said it should be around here somewhere, though where exactly-

 

“THERE IT IS!” the Acolyte exclaimed, pointing to a small clearing in the forest. Following her directions, Appa flew down to the break in the trees. Gently, the bison set himself down, letting his passengers down onto the earth.

 

Or rather the overgrown stone road. Any doubt that this was the city vanished at the sight of the surrounding buildings, broken down to their foundations. Great trees pushed up through the ruins, while grasses and bushes reclaimed what was once theirs, grasping through cracks in the ancient pavement.

 

“I can’t believe how overgrown this place is,” Suki spoke for everyone as she lightly leapt down from Appa’s back.

 

Sokka on the other hand didn’t seem so surprised. “It has been abandoned for a long time. I remember that back home it usually took only a few weeks for an empty village to be buried completely by snow.”

 

“Guys…”

 

Aang looked around, his mind flashing with old memories of what must’ve been the old glory days of this place. “This city was thriving. So many people must’ve lived here.”

 

“That’s the kaiju for you,” Imana reminded him. “Such is their power to destroy. Now you know why most remain dormant until necessary.”

 

“Guys?”

 

“I never thought I would be standing where the great Yangchen once stood,” Hei Wan looked dreamily. Katara just rolled her eyes, not all that impressed by the Acolyte’s almost obsessive hero worship.

 

“GUYS! WE’VE GOT COMPANY!”

 

By the time Toph shouted, everyone looked back towards her. The blind girl was pointing towards an opening in the trees. Appa was the second to sense them, roaring in alarm as a group of Komodo Rhinos came marching through the trees.

 

Everyone got into battle positions. Old experience told them that Komodo Rhinos were bad news.

 

Except…they weren’t Komodo Rhinos.

 

They looked like them. Two great horns on the brow of the head, and a long nasal horn on the snout. A tail covered in scales thrashed behind them while four great pillar-like legs kept them above the ground.

 

But Aang was pretty sure Komodo Rhinos didn’t have shields coming from the back of their heads.

 

The more they looked at the strange reptiles, the less they resembled the cavalry of the Fire Nation. Their legs were more erect. That shield of theirs was ringed with spikes, with additional dorsal spines running down their armored backs.

 

Not that it gave them any comfort. The largest of these reptiles snorted and growled from its beaked mouth, approaching aggressively. Appa growled in response while the rest of the team either got out their weapons or brought their elements to bear.

 

“Nobody make a move,” Aang warned. “I don’t want to spook them.”

 

A snort from the big one cut off his thoughts, along with a deep roar and the stamping of its feet.

 

“Aang, I think he’s spooked already!” Sokka warned. Appa roared back, his huge size normally being enough to ward off an attack. The rest of the herd, though, got riled up, throwing their heads back and forth to shake their shields.

 

Before anyone could make a move, Imana walked forward. Unafraid, she fished out a stone medallion from her robes, one carved in the shape of a circle. Within, a cross sat etched with rays emanating from it. Aang was about to stop her when the lead-horned beast looked at the medallion.

 

Warily, it sniffed both her and the medallion, that sharp beak coming distressingly close to her outstretched arm. It looked back and forth from Imana to Aang to the rest of the party, almost as if it were asking for an explanation.

 

Imana motioned for Aang to say something. “Uh…I’m the Avatar and these are my friends.” He watched the breathing in and out of its chest began to slow down. The airbender watched the reptile’s legs begin to relax, a universal sign that an animal was calming down.

 

Mustering his confidence and knowing that he shouldn’t back down, Aang stood up straight and lowered his staff. “We come seeking the counsel of Anguirus. Will you lead us to him?” He wasn’t sure what to say to a herd of huge horned reptiles, but it seemed right.

 

The leader looked at them all, giving one more sniff of the air, before turning around and walking back to the herd. He (Aang assumed it was a male) walked through the others before he looked behind him. Almost like he was expecting them to follow.

 

Aang gave a confused look to the rest of his team before following the herd. They walked behind a good distance from the great beasts, giving them a wide berth in case they got in a bad mood again.

 

“They’re the Horned Ones. Great guardians of the forest. Servants and heralds of Anguirus,” Imana explained. Aang decided not to question it. The “Horned Ones” seemed to know where they were going. And from the vastness of the ruins, it was probably better to follow them instead of wandering around aimlessly.

 

After walking for who knows how long, the herd had led them to a great opening in the jungle. Up ahead seemed to be some kind of courtyard, surrounded by great ruins. There were more Horned Ones grazing on some of the foliage, though some of them were much smaller with reduced horns and larger eyes.

 

“They were protecting their family,” Aang realized. This must’ve been where the young of their kind were raised. Good thing, then, that they managed to calm things down before somebody decided to get violent.

 

“And all the more reason we should give them some space,” Sokka warned. Aang agreed. While some of those babies were certainly cute, he didn’t exactly want to annoy their giant parents. No, he was content to watch from a distance.

 

He just sat on a broken pillar, eager for a quick break. Looking across the clearing, he saw a small statue of a woman right in the middle. It was surrounded by white flowers, and the light of the sun almost seemed to shine down right on it.

 

Hei Wan saw it as well, standing beside the Avatar and looking in awe. “The grave of Tienhai. They’re guarding it.” Even from this distance, she fell to her knees. “All this time, they…never forgot.”

 

She bowed in reverence, which to Aang’s surprise, matched the proper posture of the Air Nomads perfectly. “Thank you for bringing me to this place Avatar. Even out here, in the shadow of the Fire Nation, there’s still a thing of unspoiled beauty.”

 

Aang blinked. This wasn’t just words she picked up or a posture she adopted. This felt real. Like she really knew what it meant. He wondered about her for a moment. Back before the war, there were always a few nonbenders or people of other nations who would take pilgrimages to the temples. They weren’t Nomads, but they resonated with their teachings all the same.

 

He remembered the Lion Turtle saying that long ago, the Nations were once one. That the benders and people blended together. No matter who they were, there were things that brought them together. In all corners of the world, there would be people who would believe in the wisdom of a faith they never grew up in. They just needed to find it.

 

Was that the case with Hei Wan? Clumsy as she and the Acolytes were, they were genuine. They wanted to learn. Just like he did so long ago.

 

“You’re welcome, Hei Wan,” Aang warmly said, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Sometimes, you just need to find the beauty buried deep beneath the ashes.”

 

Behind them, he could feel Katara smile with affection. No doubt she understood what he was talking about. 

 

Perhaps, even if the Air Nomads were gone, someone could preserve and pass down their teachings…

 

Their tender moment was broken when the adult Horned Ones bellowed to the sky. Sokka and Suki shifted into position, years of training taking over. “Okay, what are they doing now?” the Kyoshi Warrior asked waringly.

 

“I…don’t think they’re roaring at us this time,” Aang said.

 

Just as he said that, the entire forest was silenced by a response.

 

GAAAAAAAAAAAAAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Everyone was silent.

 

Nervously, Aang and the rest of Team Avatar, along with Appa and Momo, walked into the clearing, the Horned Ones giving them a wide berth.

 

They heard something crash through the trees.

 

Then another.

 

And then another.

 

Then, the sun itself was blotted out as a great shadow towered over the trees, its crocodilian maw tipped with a nasal horn sniffing the air. Rays filtered through the spikey crown on great beast’s head, its massive fangs gleaming. It was carried upon four enormous legs, each the size of a building. The chest was powerful, its shelled carapace like the crest of a jagged mountain. Behind it, a long, spiny tail swung lazily over the tops of the trees.

 

Mustering up his courage, Aang stepped forward, giving a respectful bow to the Guardian Beast.

 

Angurius.

 

The huge saurian looked down at him, lowering its snout to his level. It sniffed him, each whiff exhaling a huge gust of air that almost took him off his feet. He remained still though. Solid as a rock.

 

Seemingly satisfied, Anguirus nodded its head. Almost as if it were returning the bow.

 

Aang felt a wave of relief, confident that he could make his inquiry to the massive reptile. “Lord Anguirus. I’ve come to your home because you are scaring the people of Cranefish Town. Evidently, you’ve been coming close to their refinery.”

 

A snort rumbled from the kaiju’s throat, making Aang flinch a little bit. Benevolent or not, an animal this size could cause untold havoc if angered. He’d have to play this cautiously. “Now I understand that the refinery has been causing damage to the fringes of the jungle. Is that why you have appeared?”

 

Slowly, Anguirus nodded before looking in the direction of the town. The jaws snapped a few times, each releasing a loud bony clang with the impact.

 

“Uh…we’re willing to negotiate on behalf of Cranefish Town! That’s why I’ve come,” he said hurriedly, wanting to keep the kaiju’s attention towards him and not towards the settlement. Thankfully, Anguirus turned back towards him. Those eyes looked over him up and down, sizing him up.

 

Well, he got its attention. Aang nervously waved Sokka over to approach slowly. Suki naturally came with him, feeling Angurius’s gaze shift towards them. They bowed respectfully to the beast. After a few sniffs that nearly barreled them over, Anguirus dipped its head in response. A bit more shallow than with Aang, but enough to show a sign of respect.

 

Seeing that the huge reptile was NOT about to eat him, Sokka cleared his throat. “Forgive me, Lord Anguirus. But the refinery is vital to the economy and wellbeing of Cranefish’s citizens. Granted, it could use a bit of work in a few places, but destroying it would cause everyone there to become destitute.”

 

He cringed, almost expecting the kaiju to snort or roar in fury. Wouldn’t be the first time he was on the receiving end of an angry guardian beast after all.

 

Instead, Anguirus just gazed at him, its intentions unreadable. Neither Aang nor Sokka were sure if that meant it to be a good thing, or some prelude to violence. The Avatar decided to take it as a good thing. A giant monster that wasn’t raging was a giant monster that could be reasoned with.

 

So he decided to push further. “We understand that you’re concerned about General Old Iron retaliating for his home being despoiled. Believe me, I don’t think anybody wants a refinery ruining their home. That’s why we’re willing to take a look and see if we can’t make some improvements to minimize or reverse the impact. Your territory will be restored. The spirits will have their home. And the people can have their livelihood secure. We’ll also be willing to respect and uphold the boundaries agreed upon by my predecessor. Is this acceptable?”

 

Aang let the rehearsed proposal spill from his lips. Everyone would have something to gain from this, and nobody would be given preference over the others. All in all, he managed to hit all the key points. He patted himself on the back for keeping himself awake while listening to some of the monks’ treatise on balance and harmony all those years ago.

 

Anguirus on the other hand wasn’t a monk. The scars on its snout hinted that a peaceful resolution was a rarity in its long existence. If what Imana said was right, it was far older than even the war itself. So the question remained: could a creature such as this be reasoned with if its past was forged in violence?

 

There was only one way to find out. Aang and Sokka watched nervously, with Suki standing by to drag both of them away if the kaiju decided it didn’t like the terms. After all, there wasn’t much anybody on the team outside of the Avatar that could stop a rampaging monster such as this.

 

The saurian just looked back for an agonizingly long time. Then, it nodded.

 

A loud “Whew!” escaped Aang’s mouth despite his best efforts. “Thank you, Lord Anguirus! We’ll bring your approval to Foreman Loban right away,” he said with a bow.

 

Anguirus snorted, flexing its legs before turning its attention once more to the smallest of their team. Toph remained locked in place, not moving as the titan lowered its snout and sniffed the earthbender curiously.

 

Aang felt the earth around Toph harden and compact. She didn’t look up, just clenching her fists as the kaiju exhaled huge bursts of air at her.

 

Finally, Anguirus bowed one last time before raising its head back into the heavens and turning away from the clearing. The long, spiny tail lashed over them as the beast lumbered back into the wilderness. Its footsteps faded away, each causing the forest trees to shake.

 

“Okay, what was that about?” Suki asked, looking at Toph.

 

The blind girl just shrugged. “Guess he knows a good earthbender when he sees one.”

 

-

 

Nearby, just out of view, a trio of Komodo Rhinos bore riders who watched the whole thing. None of them made a move, watching the great beast stomp away. The Rough Rhinos had seen this thing at least once. It didn’t mean that the sight was any less intimidating.

 

Yet that wasn’t what they were here for. Their eyes were riveted by the grave in the center of the ruins. There it was, just as that odd stranger had told them. Sure, the Avatar was an unexpected factor that prevented them from acting right away, but now they knew where it lay.

 

And its guardians. A whole herd of monsters snorting, thrashing, and each one large enough to give one of their rhinos a fight if they decided to make a move. Even with their whole force, they’d be outnumbered.

 

The objective wouldn’t be to fight the things though. Their leader made a movement, causing them to ride back into the shadows. All they needed to do was defile that grave, and they wouldn’t need to worry about those things. Nor the Avatar. Nor that huge freak of nature.

 

They’d be in some bar, laughing in relief as they slipped out of the trap they were in.

 

---

 

Sea Between the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom

 

“SIR! THERE HE IS!”

 

The captain brought his spyglass where his subordinate was pointing. There, in the waves, was the back of a large reptile slicing through the water

 

A smooth back, with its snakelike head coming up to take a breath of air before its four flippers plunged it back into the depths below.

 

“That’s a plesiosaur, lieutenant,” the captain exasperatedly said, recognizing the beast from fossils he’d seen from an admiral’s house at some party. Not the monster they were looking for. Quite frankly, they’ve been seeing all kinds of strange creatures prowling around out here. It meant they were in the right area according to Admiral Ryuui, but it also meant everyone on both this ship and the small group of scout ships around them were a bit jumpy.

 

“I…sorry sir.” The lieutenant said with a bow. It wasn’t exactly something to blow his gasket over, so the captain waved him off. Though his fear wasn’t unfounded. They all knew a full scale assault on their target was a fool’s errand. At most, they had a few benders on hand as well as the mines they were trailing behind their boats. Still, the plan wasn’t to engage, it was just to catch the target’s attention so they could lure it back to Aso.

 

Hopefully, their light ships could outrun the beast that trashed the false Fire Lord’s forces. Nobody wanted to stick around to get a taste of such power.

 

His thoughts were shattered when an explosion erupted a plume of water behind their ship.

 

Everyone rushed to the stern to see what had hit them. Most of the animals had been avoiding their ships like the plague, so it seemed odd one of them would run into the mine just haphazardly.

 

The explosion threw a huge amount of water in the air, but that was nothing compared to the massive swell rising from the sea charging right at them.

 

At the apex of the swell, the tips of dorsal spines could be seen…

 

The captain turned around and gave orders to head to Aso Island at full speed. “Send word to the admiral we’ve engaged the target!” he roared to his communications officer, hoping the messenger hawk would arrive swiftly. With hope, they’d arrive with the great Phoenix emerging to save them.

 

Behind them though, the only thought behind the glaring eyes of Godzilla was of making these foolish humans pay for their arrogance.

 

And there would be no Avatar to save them this time.

Notes:

A/N: …in my defense, my beta reader had some things to attend to.

Anyways, thank you once again to Selpharia for doing the proofreading.

I’ll be honest, I was really looking forward to writing Mai. She was one of my favorites from the show and I was happy to take a swing at her. Hopefully, I did her justice.

We also catch up with what Zuko’s been doing. Not really much to say here except addressing the elephant in the room about his toxic rivalry with Azula. It wasn’t quite addressed in either the series or the comic books, and I’m hoping to deconstruct that a little. Mainly showcase how it’s not healthy for either of them.

Before anyone asks, yes the story with Azula and the bow was a reference to her getting archery skills in the Netflix series.

Not a whole lot of Azula content this time around, but we do get a familiar face with Kazuma. His name I actually took from the main character of Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla II who’s a self-processed pterosaur enthusiast. Figured it would be fitting he’d come from the island where Rodan is basically a god to the people.

And we also get some more foreshadowing for what lies in the mine. See, the name Goro and the seven soldiers being killed are a reference to the original Rodan film. Goro was one of the first people to die and the seven casualties come from the first few monster attacks that we see on screen.

For anyone who knows what I’m talking about, that’s evidence alone to be a bit concerned for what’s waiting for our Princess in the volcano…

With Team Avatar, we get a bit more character development for Toph and we meet the Horned Ones. Keeping with the themes of prehistoric creatures and lost world themes, I based them off of ceratopsians. Specifically, Agathaumas, a ceratopsian that was described by Edward Drinker Cope during the Bone Wars before being determined to be a nomem dubium (doesn’t exist). That being said, it did appear in the 1925 classic The Lost World which was a predecessor of the kaiju genre. And its appearance can best be described as a hybrid between Triceratops and Styracosaurus. So we have a hybrid animal on top of that.

Finally, we get to the main star of the chapter: Anguirus. As with Godzilla, I wanted to give him a bit of gravitas with his appearance. Like Mai, I wanted to give him the justice he deserved befitting one of Godzilla’s earliest rivals and eventual allies. I also aimed to find a balance between his more benevolent portrayals, and the fact that he’s a giant kaiju and could easily kill you if angered properly.

Anyways, thank you all for waiting and sorry for the delay. Hopefully, the next one won’t be much of a wait. We get more Azula content the next time around as we see the inevitable reaction to Godzilla’s appearance. And what waits for our protagonist in the dark of the volcano. As always, make sure to leave a comment to leave your thoughts. Leave a favorite and follow if you want to see more. And as always, have a great day and see you all next time!

Chapter 12: Into the Nest

Summary:

When news of Godzilla's appearance reaches Aso Island, Azula follows Admiral Ryuui and his entourage to the looming volcano, where Rodan is said to rest. Despite the pleadings of familiar faces not to go, she's determined to meet her destiny. Though what waits for her in the dark may be more than she bargained for.

Notes:

Avatar: The Last Airbender and all associated characters are owned by Paramount Global. Godzilla and all associated characters are owned by Toho Studios. Please support the official release.

(Warning: the following chapter contains scenes with giant insects. Reader discretion is advised.)

Yu Dao

"You sure you want to do this?

Zuko calmed his breathing down, feeling the delicate hand of Mai on his shoulder. It certainly felt a lot more soothing when he wasn't garbed in the heavy robes of the Fire Lord. The last thing he wanted to do when meeting with Uncle was try to make himself bigger than he was. It wouldn't be necessary.

The crown and garb not being required was the only other comfort that was given to him. Before him were the doors to Iroh's room. No doubt Uncle was in there practicing his Pai Sho over a cup of tea. Such a sight probably would've put him at ease.

Now though, knowing what he had done, he wasn't sure if he was ready to face him.

Still, it was either this or waiting for things to boil over in the worst way possible. Zuko knew what happened when he decided to wait. "I'm sure."

Steeling up his courage, he pushed the doors open. The duo walked into a small but regal and opulent room. At the low table was Iroh, brewing some tea and looking over some documents. A Pai Sho board was in his reach with a few pieces in place.

"Ah! Fire Lord Zuko! I'll be honest, if I knew you were coming, I would've put your favorite brew on the kettle," Iroh greeted cheerfully.

Respectfully, Zuko and Mai bowed before him. "Don't worry, Uncle. I just wanted to check up on you."

"Ah. I see. You must be referring to our delving into all matters regarding the kaiju." Iroh presented the documents in his hand to show his point. "I have to say, there's a lot on the subject. There are legends of gigantic creatures all over the nations. Some of them even seem to be different iterations of the same one."

The old man stroked his beard, going through some of the papers. "The most referenced is Godzilla oddly enough. He must've been quite important back in the day."

Zuko shivered upon hearing the name. Not as much as when he thought of his father or Azula, but what other reaction does one have thinking of the mad titan that almost killed him? Nobody had seen or heard the monster since, thank Agni. But that didn't put the young monarch at ease. A monster unaccounted for could be anywhere.

"Look, Uncle, I'm grateful for what the White Lotus is doing, but that's not what I'm here for."

The tired shoulders of Iroh sagged, and he suddenly looked a lot older than he actually was. "I understand. I had a feeling this wouldn't be a social meeting." He set aside his papers and turned down the burner on his kettle. Those old eyes looked up at Zuko, waiting for him to begin.

Zuko wasn't sure what to say. He thought he knew Uncle. Then he found out he's been working with some kind of secret organization of all things. And THEN he discovered just what it was he was up to during the war. It was a lot to take in over the course of a few months. Now it looked like his mentor was another person entirely.

Which is why he had to ask, "Why'd you do it?"

Those old eyes looked away, making Zuko a bit afraid that Iroh wouldn't spill the beans. Then the Dragon of the West took his own breath to steady himself.

"It was a grueling campaign," he began. "The Earth King's forces fought us every step of the way. Streets were blocked with impenetrable walls of stone. My forces were funneled into death traps. Every gain we made was paid for in blood. And they knew it. They began to display captured helmets or banners to infuriate us into acting rashly. Some of my younger men bought them. Seemed as though the only thing that could win us Ba Sing Se was putting down every last one of them."

A haunted look came across his face, causing Zuko to blink. He knew the siege must've been brutal, but he'd never imagine the sort of horrors Iroh's forces would've faced.

"Then we received an envoy of peace. An armed envoy. They wanted to petition for food to be distributed to the civilians. Believe me, I knew the people were starving, and I would've relieved them. But back then, Fire Nation doctrine said that all inhabitants of a city under siege were to be considered enemies. And my subordinates and men wanted to pay them back for all the losses they'd taken. All the stains on their honor. Besides, there was no guarantee they weren't lying and planning to distribute the food to their own forces.

"So I said the only way for the people to get their food was to surrender. The guards got in earthbending stances, but I ordered the soldiers I had lying in wait to strike first. None of the envoys survived. And we sent the heads to shock the Earth King's forces. Maybe scare them by showing what would happen if we met resistance.

"It didn't work. They just dug in further, and the battle continued. You know the rest."

He took a sip from his tea, trying to rest his nerves. Zuko almost felt vertigo. It wasn't a secret to him that Iroh blamed himself for Lu Ten's death, but he never realized just how deep it went. Maybe that was just the last thing one could stomach after a campaign full of death and chaos. The idea that Iroh helped cause that meatgrinder… was difficult to accept

Zuko wasn't sure what to say. Chastise his Uncle for what he did? No. He already paid too much for what he did. Maybe he was still paying for it now. The bags under Iroh's eyes didn't seem like he was sleeping all that well. In all honesty, he couldn't even say anything looking at the stricken face of the once proud Dragon of the West.

Maybe it was his place to say something, maybe it wasn't. Now wasn't the time.

"...can I just ask something, if you'll allow me?" Mai commented, stepping forward. Iroh shook himself out of his trance.

Uncle forced a smile on his lips. "Sure thing, Lady Mai. Don't let this old man's war stories bring down the mood."

Mai's face was impassive as usual, though the upcoming question had a tinge of foreboding in it. "Is it true that you wanted Azula's bending to be removed?"

Both Iroh and Zuko grimaced. They knew they'd have to cross this bridge eventually, but it didn't exactly make it all the more pleasant. Quite frankly, Zuko was shocked that Iroh would even consider the idea. He knew Azula was a threat, but not even she warranted such a hardline stance.

"Believe me, it's a difficult decision. To strip one of one's bending is a fate I wouldn't wish on anyone. But Azula…her fire is corrupting her."

"Wait, corrupting her?" Mai asked.

The Grand Lotus nodded grimly. "Blue fire is something unheard of. It has only occurred a few times, but it's unnatural and was always in service to forces that threatened the stability of the world. Azula stumbled on that flame, and it consumed her. If she's allowed to keep her bending, she'll just keep burning up on the inside because of it. She'll end up ruled by hatred just like Godzilla was. I hoped admitting her to the asylum would help her, but evidently, it hasn't.

"Zuko. Mai." He looked up with utmost sincerity. "I want to help Azula, and the only way to do that is to remove her bending. Only then will she come to her senses, and only then will she see clearly."

"I…I don't-"

Zuko never finished his sentence. For Mai just stormed out of the room. Both he and Uncle looked a bit confused at the sudden outburst. Sensing her distress, Zuko chased after her. Leaving Iroh behind, who decided that his nephew would be best to handle this.

He found her overlooking the setting sun at the window, her shoulders slumped. "Is…everything okay?" Zuko asked.

Mai sighed. "He's wrong. Your Uncle is wrong. I don't know anything about this blue fire of hers, but removing Azula's bending would destroy her."

"How can you be so sure?" Zuko asked. He was confused. Normally, he'd agree with Iroh. Maybe this could be his chance to get his baby sister back. Perhaps…they didn't have to fight anymore.

On the other hand, Mai told him why he was in doubt. "I know her."

Aso Island

"And make nobody else sees this aside from the captain. Do I make myself clear?"

Azula's glare to the grunt made it clear that the answer would be, "Yes, Princess Azula." He gave a quick bow before scurrying off to go grab a Mongoose Dragon. The letter that she had written was stowed in a knapsack at his hip.

Perfect, she mused to herself. Everything was falling into place, letting her rest on the pillar of the temple's entrance. The darkness of the morning was perfect to cover her movements. Nobody suspected a thing for all she knew, but she wasn't one to risk showing her hand before the time was right.

It's also why she jumped a little when she saw the Admiral and his personal staff march up the dirt road from their campsite. She quickly slid into the shadows, slipping behind one of the potted trees. Azula controlled her breathing. There was no way Admiral Ryuui could've seen her from that distance.

Sure enough, she heard a parade of armored boots walk right past her hiding spot. She couldn't breathe easy though. It wasn't like any well-to-do Fire Nation commander to rise before the sun came up. Her ears were on high alert, trying to hear what exactly had caused this break in schedule.

Her answer came in Ryuui's hushed voice, "We've received word from our scouts. They've made contact with Godzilla."

Azula's heart leaped. That meant only one thing.

Godzilla was on the way.

Her anxiety was relaxed by discipline. Carefully, she counted to herself the minutes that it took her to get to the temple from the mayor's house. She added a bit of time to make it seem like she had gotten out of her robes and into her armor. If she had "arrived" too early, that would've drawn attention to herself. No, that wouldn't do at all. Her best bet was to play it safe and make it seem like she just woke up.

Granted, she just did, but getting into character was imperative when dealing with nobles. Azula went through her story, briefly considered the fact that the Admiral would've sent a messenger to wake her, threw it out with the cover story, and basically made herself the picture of an annoyed Princess roused from her sleep. It was one of the things she had to give her mother credit for after dragging her to how many dreadful plays at Ember Island.

Once she got the character down, Azula slipped out from behind the tree and rubbed her eyes. Groggily stumbling into the planning room, she gave an annoyed glare at the staff. "There had better be a good reason why you decided to wake me up at this ungodly hour."

"We got the message," Admiral Ryuui explained, telling her what she already knew. Still, it was easy to play up her surprise and dread. Indeed, that's what she felt deep down. Suddenly, all of Aso Island was in danger. Granted, the Fiery Raptors had managed to set up a few trenches and wooden shelters for the civilians, but she had hoped they would've had a little more time.

Ryuui didn't give her any. He just said, "We'll be heading up the mountain to awaken Rodan as we've planned." It was simple: they would've made the hike on Mongoose Dragons riding at full speed before making their way through the lava tubes into the chamber under Rodan's nest. She'd heard it many times before, along with the reassurances that they'd be back in the village by the time the explosives went off.

She wasn't convinced. "Okay, but what about these mystery assailants of yours? I saw the graves, and I want to know what we're dealing with in those tunnels."

A shiver went through the staff. "We've already secured the tunnels, Princess," Ryuui reassured. "It is true that we've had some problems with the…inhabitants. But we've cleared them out as best we could. Even have some troops stationed there already keeping an eye on the tunnel entrance and they did regular patrols. We'll have a clear shot to the explosives."

Azula wasn't entirely convinced. Yet, now was not the time to question him directly. That meant breaking character. So, she gave a facetious nod and listened to him ramble on about his plans. She took the opportunity to look across the room. Where there would've been looks of determination and duty, there was fear and hesitation.

Good. If there was anything she was good at, it was making people afraid.

With their plans laid out, now it was a matter of getting ready for the trek upward. A squadron of 6 troops, comprised of 3 footmen and 3 of Ryuui's most elite firebenders, would be accompanying them. Their Mongoose Dragons were already brought forth to the front of the temple by servants.

All was falling into place. Azula strode out, petting Flame Runner on the snout. She was about to climb onto her saddle when a familiar voice cried out, "AZULA! STOP!"

She looked around with genuine surprise when a duo right out of her wildest imagination ran up to her. Maina and Kori stopped a few feet from her, with Kazuma coming up behind them. "Sorry Princess! I tried to stop them but-"

"Listen Azula. You can't wake up the One Born of Fire," Maina interrupted. "You'll be putting yourself and the entire village in danger!"

"Silence, peasant!" Ryuui commanded, pulling up on his Mongoose Dragon. Maina clammed up, but her glare did not waver from the so-called "Admiral". "Godzilla is on his way, and Rodan's our best shot at killing him. You'd do best to remember your place."

"Godzilla's coming?" Kori paled.

"Indeed. Which is why I need to go up there," Azula calmly said, striding forward so she'd take the reigns of this situation. "While I do appreciate your willingness to help, you should keep yourself safe. A Princess doesn't need help from peasants."

"Oh for the love of-we came all this way to save your life! Are you honestly going to throw it away just for a chance at that stupid crown?!" Kori shouted.

Azula just coldly stared at the rebel, not batting an eye. "This is my duty, Morishita. And I'm going to do what every child of fire should do for their country. If I have to lay down my life, then so be it."

Her steely words shocked both Maina and Kori into silence, saving them any further wrath from Ryuui. Feeling satisfied that they were out of the fire, Azula leaned in close. "Get the civilians to safety. There are a bunch of shelters already in place to safeguard the people."

"And what about you?" Maina asked. "You don't have to do this."

"I know. But if I back down now, then I'll never be able to face my brother," Azula said, hoping to break her obnoxiously concerned friend. Her face was shocked and her limbs went slack, but the Princess wondered what she expected from somebody like her. "What you don't understand is, I lost my mind because I was soft. There. I said it. I cared too much. I won't be making the same mistake twice, even if I have to tear it out of my body. You served your purpose and you served it admirably. So if anyone is to die today, let it be someone who's ready to face it."

"...Azula…I…"

Maina's words suggested sympathy, but her eyes were filled with outrage and frustration. Maybe finally she'd stop following the Princess around and filling her head with the same sort of soft thoughts that brought her down to begin with.

Nodding to herself, Azula swung herself on Flame Runner's saddle and didn't look back. She rode to the head of the column and rode off into the mountains.

There wasn't any nobility in it. Saving the peasants just meant there'd be someone still alive to tell the people how she awakened Rodan and saved the island. Cutting ties with her allies meant less baggage. Everything was falling back under control once again.

And she knew it. She'd been brought low to the point a filthy peasant got the better of her. Well then. They'd all see what happens when you humiliate a Princess of the Fire Nation and treat her like an animal.

The first rays of the sun began to illuminate the trail leading up the mountain, contrasting with the ashy fields spreading out from the volcano. Up ahead, the volcano remained silent. Azula though was remained on edge. She felt the fire deep at the heart of the mountain just waiting to be ignited.

Yet the fires had not left only ash and destruction. Hardy bushes grew from the ash, rich in minerals thrown up from the eruption. Azula had learned when she was younger that volcanoes gave life-giving soil which accelerated plant growth. It was why places like Ember Island were so rich in spectacular jungles and vistas. Maybe one day these fields would give rise to more thick forest like the one in the distance. Certainly, it gave the islanders in the treeless grasslands plenty of rich farming areas.

Hard to believe that such destruction could bring such life. Yet if the legends were true, that is precisely what Rodan did. During his last awakening, he carved deep grooves in the earth to redirect the lava flows to minimize the damage while allowing the rich soil to form. Supposedly, that was the origin of those great gashes in the earth surrounding them.

Azula didn't say anything. If that were so, the creator of those crevices would've had to possess both enormous size and tremendous power

Shaking her head clear, the Princess hurried Flame Runner along. Higher they climbed the volcano until they came upon a small opening in the mountainside guarded by two soldiers wearing the firebender's skull masks. Ryuui gave a silent signal, prompting everyone to pull up and dismount their Mongoose Dragons. Nobody said a word, as if they didn't want to awaken the sleeping giant at the volcano's heart.

Or whatever lay in wait within those tunnels.

The Princess plopped down into the ash when she felt a nudge from her mount. Azula stroked Flame Runner's snout, a bit surprised at the reptile's sudden affection. "I'll be fine," she reassured.

Flame Runner's eyes just darted from the entrance of the cave to her. Her legs were tense and kicking up the ash. If she understood Azula's words, then her response could be plainly translated as "Turn back."

For Azula though, the reptile's worries went unheeded. She knew there was danger here, but she also knew that danger was coming. Beyond the ashfields, beyond the farms, beyond the jungles was the blue ocean. And beyond their shores, a monster approached.

Their answer lay in the mountains.

Giving the Mongoose Dragon's snout one last stroke, Azula marched up the fields along with Admiral Ryuui and the squad (along with the two guards which brought their number up to ten). She shivered as the warmth of the distant rising sun was replaced by the cool dampness of the cave. There was no turning back.

Cranefish Town

Her nerves got her up in the morning far earlier than anyone else. Well, almost everyone else. When she realized that one set of breaths was missing, her instincts brought Toph to the beach.

She felt the sand sink beneath her toes. Normally, she'd be out of her element and blinder than normal. But she just listened to the waves to tell her how far from shore she was. And she heard the gentle, graceful dancing in the sand along with the unmistakable swishing of waterbending.

"Couldn't sleep either, Toph?" Katara's voice asked.

The blind girl just shrugged, plopping herself on the beach. "Eh. You know how it is. You see your dad, he doesn't like who you are, and there's some oversized lizard out there running amok. All in all, a pretty hectic weekend if I do say so myself."

"You're telling me," Katara's voice replied, coming closer. While Toph wasn't a sandbender, she did feel the Water Tribe girl sitting in the sand next to her. "I'm just wrapping my head around how we're helping a Fire Nation noble. That and there's these Air Acolytes in the middle of this."

"Huh. Didn't think you had beef with Aang's fan club, Sugar Queen."

"I don't have beef with them. It's…well, imagine if a firebender were to copy and adopt some waterbending techniques from the South. Sure he's respectful enough to study our ways, but he wasn't born in them. And he certainly wouldn't be using what he learned the way the bending was intended to be."

Toph shrugged. "Hey, I don't see them trying to kill Aang or being a bunch of thugs. They were pretty genuine in what they were saying."

"I get that, but don't you think it's wrong for them to just appropriate what they like? Particularly if they didn't put in any work to master them in their original form?"

The blind girl sighed, wondering who died, and made her the voice of reason. "I get what you're saying, Katara. Thing is, the Air Nomads outside of Twinkle Toes are extinct. There's not a guide that says 'do this first' or 'save this for later'. It's not their fault something about their teachings spoke to them. They just don't have a lot to work with."

"I mean…you're right," Katara's voice admitted. Toph let herself be a bit smug. Wasn't too often the self-proclaimed mother of the team took a few words of wisdom from her. She'd note it for later to tease Katara about. Her little relationship with Aang was just giving her too much material to work with.

"What about you Toph? How do you feel about your father?"

"...I'll just do what I need to do and that's it." She crossed her arms to make it clear that she wasn't in the mood to argue about it. And to Katara's credit, she didn't raise a fuss about it.

All she said was, "We do appreciate you sticking with us through all of this, Toph. I wouldn't know where we'd be without you."

With that, the earthbender let herself smile. A more genuine one, filled with a warmth Toph had long been looking for.

They sat in silence, Toph just listening to the waves crash against the sand. Their little peace though was broken when they heard armored boots run behind them.

Toph and Katara got up on their feet. The blind girl heard the panting of a girl, telling her their interloper was a Kyoshi Warrior.

"We need you at the front of Cranefish Town! There's a situation!"

Aso Island

Their way through the darkness was illuminated only by their fire. Azula kept hers out in front of her, watching as it created dancing shadows on the walls of the lava tube.

The blue flame was the only thing keeping her warm in the cold cave, far from the sun rising in the east. Igneous rock enclosed them all, carved out from ancient lava flows that melted their way to the surface. Grooves illuminated by her flame showed where the molten rock flowed, scouring the walls smooth. She wondered what it was like when these caves were filled. What the sight would've been like for the natives who lived in the shadows of the volcano.

She got a good idea when her blue flame illuminated a cave painting not too far down the tube. The others stopped in their tracks when they saw the primitive mural of what could've only been the volcano erupting. Down its slope were stick figures of people running for cover, fleeing from the flowing lava cascading down the mountainside.

Others were knelt down in prayer, no doubt asking for deliverance. The object of their worship was depicted emerging from the volcano, its great wings spread in full glory. Rodan. The real Rodan. For the embellishments made by the Fire Nation of a birdlike Phoenix were gone from the more reptilian beast declaring its emergence to the world.

Some of the soldiers let out gasps seeing this simple but foreboding depiction of their target. Azula's attention, though, was drawn to the things crawling from the volcano. They looked like bugs for lack of a better term, but huge ones unlike any she was familiar with. Bigger than a person, they crawled in pursuit of the fleeing humans, clutching anyone unlucky enough to fall behind in massive pincers.

"These were the things we encountered further down the tunnel," one of the guards stationed at the tube's mouth explained. Admiral Ryuui gave an acknowledging nod before leading his men further down into the earth. His fading light prompted Azula and the others to follow, but not before the Princess took one last look at the huge insects.

These had to have been the mystery killers. And it made her wonder if any of them were still alive deep down below. Quite frankly, she wasn't sure what was worse: a massive bird-like kaiju that could kill them all with little effort, or creatures that seemed to actively hunt humans.

It was a question for when she wasn't in their lair, she decided. Gathering herself, she followed them down further into the earth. She lost track of time, wondering just how deep they were going down. While she hadn't been privy to any geological surveys, she was familiar with the lava tubes buried underneath the Capital. Those were a convoluted maze of tunnels, false bunkers, and fortifications. She had received a lesson in the intricacies of their architecture when she planned the defense for her father during the Invasion of the Black Sun. One could've easily gotten lost in such a dizzying complex.

Such a conundrum was something that Ryuui's men had thought of. The guards led Ryuui deeper, following splashes of yellow paint that marked the path. It was of little reassurance to Azula given the dark gloom, but at least they knew where they were going.

That oppressive gloom only got even heavier the more they ventured down. It felt like they were entering another world, far deeper than any man had any right to venture. Their fires only got them so far in the dark. Far from the comfort of the sun, this was alien territory.

Azula's eyes peered into the darkness, wondering if there were eyes looking back at her.

Her flame though illuminated one almost right in front of her face.

The Princess jumped a little, her nerves already high from being in such a foreign place. Didn't matter that the creature was dead, its appearance alone was a shock. It was one of those gigantic bugs that was depicted on the wall, though the crude painting did the true thing little justice. A large head with green eyes and vicious-looking mandibles dominated its head. Behind the head was a huge, segmented body adorned with brown chitin. Three pairs of insectoid legs sprouted underneath it while spikey arms carried huge pincers. Deep scorch marks lined the body, determining the cause of death.

Nobody said a word while looking at the great invertebrate. Only one of the guards said something along the lines of, "There's more where they came from."

And indeed, they came across more remains the further they ventured into the dark. Some were severed body parts. Others were whole carcasses. The guards reiterated that they had made sure to be thorough when their extermination squads made their sweep. Still, the dark corners were far away, and Azula couldn't let her guard down. In a vast maze like this, there's no way they could've eradicated every last one.

But the dread was replaced with another type of anticipation. Azula kept watching the back of the Admiral's head, weighing her options. She needed to wait for the opportune moment when she was closest to Ryuui. There were eight other men with them, and she didn't want to take any chances. Particularly with the swagger of the older man as he marched onward. Swagger that increased when they got deeper and closer to their goal.

If she learned anything from Zuzu, it was that overconfidence could kill.

At long last, they had arrived at the chamber they were looking for. It was a large intersection between various lava tubes. Lying at the center was a massive pile of explosives. Bombs, oil pots, anything that could blow things up. Such an amount would've easily leveled the room. Luckily for everyone, a fuse was prepared a good distance away. It gave them enough time to evacuate and get a good way back to the village once it was lit.

Everyone's attention was drawn away from the explosives when they heard something. A low sound stopped them in their tracks, their ears on high alert. Azula's senses were on high alert, the noise filling her ears. It wasn't overpowering, but it was loud enough to be heard through rock and stone. A soft, rhythmic in and out, which sounded just like…

Breathing.

Azula looked above at the ceiling, the lavacicles staring back at her.

Rodan was right above them.

She took a deep breath. The admiral caught her eye, waving her over to the end of the fuse. Mustering an aura of dignity, Azula strode over to Ryuui.

"It's all yours, Your Majesty," Ryuui said with a bow. He stepped away, leaving Azula with the fuse that would awaken the kaiju.

It was so easy. And how badly she wanted to believe it to be easy. She'd light the fuse, they'd retreat to the village, Rodan would awaken, and they'd kill Godzilla. Didn't matter who would get caught in the crossfire. Azula would be on the road to the throne, and she could save what could be saved. At long last, she could redeem herself. Uphold the last order.

…if only it were that easy.

"Thank you, Admiral," Azula thanked breezily. "Now if you would be so kind as to surrender yourself to me, you'd serve your true Fire Lord well."

…

…

"...I'm sorry. What did you just say?"

Azula brought a blue flame to her palm, glaring at Ryuui. "I said your services are no longer required, Commander. Don't make me repeat myself."

Realizing what was going on, Ryuui stood up straight. "I demand to know what on earth is going on!" The other men exchanged glances, more confused than enraged like their so-called "Admiral" was.

His outrage caused Azula to laugh mirthlessly. "You honestly believe you could just marry me off to some clan lord while you muscle your way to power? I'm insulted. I thought a wily leader such as yourself would have a bit more sense."

"Without me, you're just a madwoman with no allies. Do you think anybody would support you after your little 'incident'? You need me. Without my men-"

"-that you put in the way of a monster." She turned towards the men, looking them all in the eye and further enraging Ryuui. "You all heard me. Godzilla crushed everyone who tried to stand against him. Your beloved leader just brought death to you all. And before you think Rodan can help, I want you all to listen closely."

Azula pointed towards the ceiling, letting the heavy breathing fill the void. Ryuui's men paled, realizing just how truly close to the source, and how massive an animal needed to be for its breathing to be heard through solid stone…

"That's just it breathing. Do you have any idea what kind of power you'd be unleashing if you woke him up? Everyone on this island would be dead, and you would've traded one monster for another."

"May I remind the Princess that Godzilla is on his way as we speak?" Ryuui barked, his fury rising by the second.

His fury went unnoticed. Let him stew in his anger, Azula thought to herself. She could handle angry men. And she doubted he'd do something so stupid as starting a fight right underneath a slumbering monster.

"There is a way," she told his men. "Call off the ships and order them not to engage. Godzilla attacks anything that attacks him. If we hold our forces back though, he'll return to sea and leave us alone. We'd live to fight another day, and we could begin getting others to join our cause. Does Zuko want to waste his time playing hero for the enemy? We'll be what he failed to be. We'll protect the Fire Nation. And if the Avatar or Zuko want to challenge my claim to the throne, we'll remind them what it is to be sons and daughters of Agni."

The confusion began to subside into understanding. Around her, the men began to nod and lower their flames and weapons. Azula smiled with satisfaction. No one outplayed the Princess at her own game.

That's why she gasped when a boot kicked her in the shin and a strong arm latched around her chest. A flame dagger was held to her neck.

Evidently, he was that stupid.

"Apologies, Princess. I won't let some insane failure tear down everything I've built up. I am a TRUE son of the Phoenix! And I WILL restore order, even if I have to take the throne myself!"

Ryuui's ranting caused the men to raise their stances once more. Seeing that she was between him and a whole squadron she wasn't sure she could entirely trust, Azula tried to squirm her way out. But his grip was strong, and her muscles ached still from her time in the asylum.

She looked around, already searching for anything that would let her get out of this predicament and regain control.

So she was the first to see a pair of giant claws lash out of the darkness and drag a soldier down a tunnel.

Ryuui dropped her as he rushed forward, joining his squadron as they let forth a volley of fireballs in the direction of the soldier. So focused were they that they almost didn't see the other shadow creeping up on their flank and beginning to menace another. Azula shot forth a flame right in front of the creature, the burst of blue fire causing it to shriek in surprise before retreating back into the dark.

Her flame briefly illuminated the attacker. It was quick, but she knew that it was one of the monstrous bugs they had seen earlier. This one was alive. And her ears picked up more chittering and the scraping of claws and talons against stone all around them.

The shrill screams of the man dragged off into the dark could also be heard. Before they were cut off abruptly. Azula shivered, joining Ryuui and his men in a tight circle. Whatever his schemes and loyalty, these creatures didn't care.

They were food to them all the same.

One of the hunters rushed Azula, but she lashed out with her foot and conjured an arc of flame. It pulled back behind a rock, letting the flames splash against the stone. Another insect rushed forward before a man to her left threw a fireball at it.

It pulled back before impact, retreating back into the tunnel it came from. All around her, Azula heard the same story being played out. One of the things would make a rush before being repelled back into the tubes.

Clever was the only word she could use to describe these animals. They kept to the shadows, using the tubes and rocks as cover. Meanwhile, she and the others couldn't make a push outwards lest they risk getting slashed to pieces while in close quarters. It was a standoff, but there were a lot more of those things than there were men. All it would take was one of them breaking, and they'd be overrun.

Thinking quickly, Azula turned to the tube where she had the clearest shot. She began to split her positive and negative energies. Maybe a bolt of lightning could spook the bugs, and they could follow up with a barrage of fireballs to push their way out.

That was the plan, anyway, before something in the earth erupted behind her.

Azula cried out as she felt pincers grab around her, dragging her into the hole the thing had made. Shrieks and mass chittering told her the others had begun to attack as well. There were shouts and bursts of flame, but she could almost feel more tunneling their way behind them.

Her thoughts went wild as she was dragged into the dark, unable to see. What she felt were the strong claws restraining her, and the mandibles preparing for the feast.

Cranefish Town

By the time the whole of Team Avatar was assembled at the gates of Cranefish, there was a whole crowd assembled. The local guards were holding them back while the Kyoshi Warriors were surrounding a man who had stumbled his way through the forest.

A little bit behind him was a Komodo Rhino, snorting and looking back in panic towards the jungle.

"What's going on?" Suki asked, striding forth to the lead Warrior in charge of the stranger.

"We found him stumbling into town. Says his name is Utor of the Rough Rhinos," the Warrior explained.

Aang and his friends fought their way through the crowd, stumbling into the firelight of the entrance. "The Rough Rhinos?!" he asked.

"We've been tracking them in the countryside when we got redirected by the Earth King to Cranefish," Suki explained. "They're wanted for a lot of war crimes."

"Yeah, no kidding!" Katara exclaimed, the brutal attack on Chin Village and what she saw in Jet's mind still fresh.

"Well fat chance of finding the rest of them! They're all dead!"

Kneeling down to his level, Sokka looked the man in the eye. Heavily built with a chiseled face, the warrior swore he would've recognized him with the rest of the Rhinos. Seeing that his face didn't ring a bell, meaning he must've been a newer member. "What do you mean they're all dead?" he asked.

Utor took a few breaths, seeing the eyes of the village lie on him. "Alright. Do you want to know the whole story? Cause we're all dead anyways."

The attack came at midnight. Striking from the shadows, Mongke and his warriors with the heaviest weapons charged the Horned Ones. Their ambush took the reptiles off guard, only the biggest ones getting up enough to buffet the charge. Behind them, the juveniles were corralled by the adolescents and weaker adults to form a last line of defense.

Snorts and roars filled the air. Horns were interlocked, with both sides trying to gain an inch. For the first time though, the Komodo Rhinos found themselves pushed back by the larger Horned Ones. The heavy weapons of their riders only bounced off the armored frills of the strange reptiles. Those with firebending and lighter weapons maneuvered around to attack the unguarded flanks.

A few creatures from the Horned Ones' second lines rushed forward to shore up their comrades' defenses, stamping and snorting against the feoricity of the former Fire Nation soldiers. Those who remained behind to guard the young clustered together to form a stronger defense.

When Mongke drove his Rhino against the alpha, he saw what was occurring…and smiled.

"NOW!"

At his order, Kahchi broke off from his Horned One, being covered by Vachir's fire arrows before the reptile could pursue. Now free, Kahchi aimed the blade of the Guan Dao right at the grave of Tienhai.

With a single slice, Fire Nation steel sliced apart the grave.

All was still. The wind halted, and the insects stopped chirping. Hearing the stone clatter to the earth in pieces, the Horned Ones looked on in horror. All at once they retreated from the Rough Rhinos, taking their young and themselves as far from the courtyard as possible.

The Rough Rhinos braced themselves, bringing up their weapons and fire. Dread began to descend upon the group. As if they had just disturbed something that should've been left well enough alone. This sort of silence as the strange reptiles thundered off was unnerving…

Mongke on the other hand felt satisfaction run through his veins, ignoring the ominous signs around him. "Good, now let's get out of here before-"

A bright flash of light interrupted him, blinding them all.

Their vision came when they heard Kahchi scream in horror before he and his rhino were crushed by a massive stone foot.

It was followed by a great hand smashing down right where Ogodei stood.

All at once, the Rhinos were broken as the mysterious giant strode amongst them, crushing and smashing everyone and anything it could reach.

The last thing that Utor saw before he fled into the forest on his rhino was the scowling mask of the spirit as it crushed one of his comrades in its hand.

---

"AND NOW IT'S COMING TO KILL US ALL!"

Utor broke down, the brawny man losing himself to the horrors he had experienced. Aang and Katara couldn't help but look on in pity and dread. What on earth would be terrible enough to strike fear in the heart of a hardened Fire Nation soldier?

Remembering his conversation with Yangchen, Aang had a pretty good idea. He looked behind him, seeing that Loban and Lao Beifong had arrived.

"Get everyone to the mines," the Avatar ordered. "An angry spirit's on the way."

And he knew that a kaiju would rise up to face it.

Notes:

A/N: First off, I am SO sorry for the delay. School's in season so we haven't had much time to work on the fic as much as we could.

Second, we get the unveiling of the mystery assailants I've been hinting at. They're the Meganulon, basically Toho's answer to Them! and the first major threat in the original Rodan film. Think dragonfly nymphs except larger and more hungry. They're not really a regularly recurring presence like some of the more popular monsters, but I'd figure they should get some exposure for once.

That and I'm a lore nut and have to incorporate as many elements from the Godzilla franchise as possible.

We also come to the crux of Azula's attempted usurpation. It's basically one big call back to her takeover of the Dai Li in the Ba Sing Se arc of Book 2. Course in this case, Fire Nation soldiers are ruled more by emotions than common sense, so Ryuui decides to pull a fast one before the bugs show up.

With Team Avatar, we get some character development with Katara and Toph. Katara did have a problem with Aang's "fan club" in the original comic, but I wanted to tone that down a bit and ground it to something that fits in a bit more with her general character. That and she's speaking from experience being the last Southern waterbender and all outside of Hama. I'd like to think of it as an extension of "The Blind Bandit" where we get this dynamic with her and Toph.

Finally, we get to the end of the Rough Rhinos, who get a more fatal end here than they did in the comic. General Old Iron has awakened, and he's on his way to go after those that have despoiled his forest. Which means that Anguirus is going to try and stop him.

And that also means that next chapter, we're in for a titanic showdown between two juggernauts. Thank you all for reading and for your patience. Thank you once again Selpharia for proofreading. Be sure to leave your thoughts below, and make sure to favorite and follow if you want to see more. As always, have a great day, and see you all next time!

Also, GODZILLA MINUS ONE WON AN OSCAR!

Chapter 13: Clash of the Titans

Summary:

Anguirus and General Old Iron do battle for the fate of Cranefish Town, while Aang and Toph do their best to safeguard the people who are threatened by the fighting giants. Meanwhile, Azula fights for her life in the depths of Mount Aso against a marauding horde of ferocious insects, all while an ancient being below them begins to stir...

Notes:

Avatar: The Last Airbender and all associated characters are owned by Paramount Global. Godzilla and all associated characters are owned by Toho Studios. Please support the official release.

(Warning: the end of the chapter contains giant insects. Viewer discretion is advised.)

---

Cranefish Town,

The Mines

To say that it had been a hectic morning would be the understatement of every understatement. When Twinkle Toes gave the word that there was a seriously ticked-off spirit on the way, Toph heard all the deafening chaos surrounding her. One didn't even need to see the feel the fear and panic begin to spread through the populace.

The only thing that kept things from descending into anarchy was the foreman Loban, her father, and the Kyoshi Warriors stepping up to handle the evacuation. Course she had to help out as well. Wasn't like her to just sit on the sidelines and let everyone else do the job for her. Besides, Sokka was right about one thing. Somebody had to take charge of the mines from collapsing. They wanted it done? Better call in the best earthbender in the whole world.

And woah, they needed her. Just grazing her fingers against the battered mine wall was enough to tell her the people who dug these tunnels didn't exactly employ earthbenders to make sure it wasn't going to collapse. Or hired any to make sure it was structurally sound. There were cracks and numerous stress points all over the system, with the only thing keeping things together were old rotten beams, rusty supports, and a prayer.

"Everyone alright sir?" a voice asked, looking to her for leadership. If the circumstances were any different, she would've reveled in the authority given to her by the town's earthbenders.

Right now though, she had a job to do. "Spread yourselves out and keep tabs on the supports." Her voice sent a stampede of feet scurrying to their positions detailed out by Team Avatar's strategist. Sokka's plan was to focus most of their efforts on the western tunnels. If the fighting above was going to be at the edge of town, that's where the most stress would be put. No civilians were put there, but given the rickety nature of the mines, he didn't want to take the chance that one collapsed tunnel could have a cascade effect and weaken the others.

A whole lot of innocent lives were counting on her, including Suki (who would do her best to keep calm amongst the civilians along with her warriors), and Katara (who, despite her concerns about Aang, was needed in case they had a cave-in and they needed a healer). All the more reason to make like a rock and stand her ground.

Out there, she knew that there was a huge spirit on the way. And there was an equally gargantuan kaiju that would rise to face it. Neither one of them was going to take a single life today.

A brush of robes brought her attention from the earth. "So…I guess I can't convince you to join me with the civilians."

"Nope," she bluntly told her father's voice.

"And you're certain-"

"That I'm the only one who can keep tabs on the mines since I'm the best earthbender here? Yeah. I'm certain."

"Is that what I'll have to tell your mother if you get yourself killed?"

"Well, you can tell her I died standing my ground saving people. Tell her that despite everything that came between us, I still loved her. That I knew who I was, and how I didn't need to prove that to anyone else. Not to you or anyone else."

A pause. It couldn't have been more than a second or two, but Toph felt it drag out. Why didn't he say anything? No more words about how he was disappointed in her? How her selfishness would destroy them both? That she wasn't thinking clearly? Oh, she had a response for each question. And she simply didn't have the time for any of them.

Instead, she just heard a slow trodding away from her, the robes brushing against the stony floor. Her father's departure let her breathe a little, letting her focus on the earth. She didn't want to think about how this could be the last time they talked.

Toph stomped her foot into the earth to keep tabs on the surface above. Turns out she didn't need to. The mines shook as heavy tremors shook the walls. One after the other. Footsteps. Even from far away, they were causing tremors.

That wasn't the only thing she felt though. Her stomp revealed all the surrounding earth. The mines, the people in the mines.

And the massive thing tunneling its way toward the footsteps.

It was time.

---

From the east the sun rose, bathing all of Cranefish Town in its glow. Aang felt its rays fill his soul, the breeze flowing past his robes, the ocean from behind, and the earth beneath his feet. Appa waited beside him, waiting for his rider to get on his back and take to the air.

That time was coming soon as General Old Iron cast his shadow upon the town.

Even from a distance, he was enormous. A towering figure, clad in stony armor. Heavy fists swung by his sides, and boots the size of boulders stomped their way through the jungle. His head was clad in a large helmet, with a threatening glare. And in the middle of his forehead was a glowing orb, possibly an eye.

Momo chittered in concern, seeing the titan lumber towards them in the distance. Chuckling, Aang reached over and brushed his lemur's ears. If nothing else, the lemur sitting on his shoulder was a reassuring weight.

Old Iron was still a distance away when the earth began to tremble. The trees shook before a great mass pushed itself through the earth. Great spines stabbed into the sky, great legs pulling the being from the earthen cradle. And behind it thrashed a long and spiky tail.

Anguirus shook the dirt and earth from his back, growling at the incoming spirit. His presence was enough for Old Iron to stop, silently gazing at the ancient dragon.

"There's our cue!" Aang declared, knowing there was no turning back. Appa grumbled as the airbender clambered onto his back, but both of them knew that Aang was the best person to handle a situation like this. One "yip yip!" and they were off, the bison flying through the air towards the two living mountains. Momo glided alongside, his eyes glued at the awe-inspiring sight.

Two beings, so big that they boggled the imagination. They almost resembled sculpted mountains or monuments amidst the vegetation. The eye of Anguirus focusing on Appa as he flew by was no illusion though.

Aang nodded at the great kaiju. They had one chance to resolve this peacefully. If the spirit was willing to listen to anyone, it was the Avatar.

Cautiously, Appa flew in the great expanse between them right up to General Old Iron. The spirit looked down at the airbender and his mount. Both of them felt small against that massive stony chest plate.

"Avatar," a voice rumbled.

Pulling himself up to his full height, Aang stared back at the giant. "General Old Iron."

"The sacred pact has been violated. Humans have defiled the grave of Lady Tienhai and lay claim to territory that belongs to the spirits. I cannot allow this crime to go unpunished."

"You already got your justice when you killed the Rough Rhinos," Aang said steely. Inwardly, he kicked himself for not being there to stop them from killing themselves. But he supposed there was little he could've done given the fact that he didn't know they were there. "There is no reason to wreak destruction on the people of Cranefish. They had nothing to do with them."

"No. But their refinery has poisoned the forest at its edges with its foul air. I cannot simply ignore such a threat. How long before more humans arrive to drive their borders further into our land? How many more refineries? How much more destruction until this land is no longer sacred? Is it not my right to defend one of the oldest forests in the world?"

"It's in your right, General. But we are trying to fix things too. We have a priestess and acolytes who have dedicated themselves to the teaching of the Air Nomads. They're willing to work with the refinery owner to mitigate the damage, and they have no intention of expanding their borders. The people will honor the ancient boundaries that have existed since the time of my predecessor."

Deep within the black voids where the eyes would've been, the giant stared blankly at the Avatar. "These people ravage you want to protect everything they touch. I cannot ignore that. And I won't let neither Avatar nor beast stand in my way once more."

A low growl thundered from Anguirus's maw. Behind him, the tail swiped across a swathe of the forest, clipping the tallest trees. Its swiftness was surprising considering its massive size.

Aang sighed. He was afraid things would come to this. "So be it." With that, he pulled Appa back into the sky. Way back.

Leaving the two titans to glare each other down.

Both stood, sizing the other up. Weighing whether or not this was a battle they wanted. It had been a long time since their last confrontation, but the memories were still fresh.

Then, out of the stillness, Anguirus reared up and let forth a high-pitched roar from his crocodilian maw.

In response, General Old Iron rushed the beast, stomping his way through the thick jungle towards his rival. He would not be disappointed, for Anguirus practically flung himself from his position and charged right at the incoming spirit. Boar-like snorts and snarls were heard as the earth dragon trampled through the trees like they were grass.

The two titans barrelled toward each other, leaving flung trees and clouds of dust in their wake.

When they collided, one could've sworn a mountain had collapsed as several metric tons of flesh met reinforced stone armor.

General Old Iron planted his feet down and swiveled himself to the side, letting Anguirus's momentum carry the reptile past. What he didn't see was the whip-like tail lashed out and rake his armored torso, chipping the outermost layer. With a speed that seemed so alien for his size, Anguirus wheeled around and aimed his teeth right at the spirit's shoulder.

What he bit down on instead was the heavy stone gauntlet of the warrior's forearm. Sharp as though his tusks were, they couldn't pierce through the thick armor. Old Iron kept the snapping jaws at bay while readying his other fist to smash into the unguarded belly of his rival. Anguirus's arms lashed forward and caught the fist with his arms.

Both giants pushed against one another, throwing their full force into their struggle. Looking above, Aang couldn't help but marvel at the sight. It was like something out of one of the legends the monks told. Of times when spirits and ancient gods vied with one another for supremacy.

It honestly made him wonder if there was even anything he could do in the wake of such power. Sure he was the Avatar, but fighting just one of these things nearly killed him. How was he supposed to handle two of them? It's not like he could just tap into the Avatar State without risking yet more civilian lives deep in the mines beneath their feet.

Down below, the General smashed his trapped forearm into Anguirus's muzzle. Rolling with the momentum, the great beast sharply turned his head with the fist. In turn, he showed his heavily spiked back to the spirit. Before Old Iron could even think, Anguirus threw himself backwards by pushing himself behind with his hind legs.

Great spikes smashed into the armored warrior's face. General Old Iron toppled with a heavy thud to the earth, crushed under Anguirus's full body weight. The fall of such a colossal being caused cracks to form in the earth, and the very ground trembled with the power. It almost seemed an earthquake was about to rock the battlefield.

And that was Aang's cue. Snapping out his glider, he leaped from Appa and dove to the ground. Falling gracefully to the earth and a good distance away from the battle, he stamped his feet into the earth and braced himself for the impact.

Being hit by an earthshattering tremor from two giants wrestling was about as pleasant as one could expect. It took every bit of his willpower to keep himself steady. Not something easy to do when he could see the earth and trees being torn from the battle up ahead.

So he envisioned everyone counting on him in his mind. Katara. Sokka. Toph. Suki. Everyone from Cranefish would be crushed under rubble if he didn't stand his ground. A mountain against the rumbling earth. And hold he did. Digging his heels in, he reached out and strengthened the earth beneath him. The tremors met an earthen shield, colliding against it. Right behind him would be the mines, who hopefully would only get a few shakes at best.

If only Toph could see me now, Aang thought to himself. It was a simple maneuver, but being the Avatar meant he just had to pour some of the power given to him into the ground.

Up ahead, General Old Iron shoved Anguirus's bulk off his body. He pushed himself up on his feet right as the saurian rolled back up and lunged at his shoulder. All those teeth would bite down on would be another massive stony fist. The Guardian Beast found itself dazed from the impact, leaving himself open for Old Iron to launch into a renewed assault.

Before he could lower himself back down, Anguirus was pummeled over and over again. His unprotected belly became a place for the spirit to unleash his wrath. Each punch forced out a pained grunt from that reptilian maw, forcing the kaiju back further and further.

Not too far back behind him was the airbender. Aang's eyes widened, seeing that the battle was getting closer to him. He had to get them away. Waving his arms alongside him, he conjured a gust of wind to propel him towards the warring beasts. The winds also came in handy in keeping him on his feet, letting him dodge the incoming flying trees and foliage uprooted from the battle.

Right as he was about to reach the point where Anguirus was thrashing his tail, he leaped into the air. He used the winds to propel him up high before crashing down with his feet. The increased altitude let him force up a great ridge before him.

Both of Anguirus's back feet pressed up against the ridge. In the grand scheme of things, it could've only slowed his retreat down. But what they did give the kaiju was some temporary stability. Using the ridge as a bit of, he pushed himself right at Old Iron, smashing his horn right into the spirit's mask.

With the momentum behind him, Anguirus lunged forward and sunk his fangs into a gap in Old Iron's armor: the shoulder. The General let out a grunt of pain and tried to shake off the monster, pounding his fists into that armored back. Anguirus held on like a rabid dog, turning with the spirit to keep his fangs embedded within the spirit's flesh.

The violence of their struggle resulted in that massive tail of Anguirus whipping around and kicking up another torrent of trees right at Aang. He snapped open his glider and took to the air, just barely avoiding the trees.

…only to run into Anguirus's thrashing tail.

Aang bent a defense ball of air before him to cushion the impact, but he still felt the wind being knocked out of him. Desperately, he grabbed onto one of the huge spikes and hung on for dear life. He heard a distressed roar from Appa, but there was little the bison could do without getting dangerously close to the warring titans.

Their struggle came to an end when Old Iron curled his fist and landed a huge uppercut right into the kaiju's jaw. Anguirus cried out in pain, the momentum of the punch sending him plummeting to the earth. Seeing the world getting dangerously close, Aang pushed himself off of Anguirus's tail and snapped open his glider, trying to get as much distance as possible.

A resounding THUD could be heard throughout the forest as Anguirus landed on his back, blood running down his maw. The Avatar couldn't help but squint, knowing such an impact was going to shake up the mines down below.

---

Everyone in the mine held their breath as they heard a massive impact from above, with dust and pebbles being dislodged from the wall. Katara sweated a little, both from her concern about Aang and the ever-present danger of those walls collapsing all around them.

At her feet though, the hurt earthbender groaned in fear. She gingerly brought out her healing water and helped soothe the nasty bruising he received from deeper in the mines. There wasn't a failure in the supports yet, though he got hit by a couple of large rocks if his companion was accurate. He certainly couldn't walk under his own power.

"It's okay. It'll be alright," Katara tried to reassure, cleaning the blood from a cut on his arm. Though she wasn't sure if she believed her lie. The wounds looked far more serious than she was willing to admit.

Looking around, everyone was working overtime. Suki, her warriors, and the Air Acolytes were doing what they could to reassure people that things were alright. That the Avatar was doing everything he could to keep the fighting away. Sokka was keeping tabs on the earthbenders by having some of the fastest runners relay messages between here and the deeper tunnels. Even Loban was doing what he could by cleaning people's faces from dirt. Most surprisingly, he came to check on some of the wounded earthbenders, particularly those that didn't seem long for this world. Katara had to give him credit, he certainly knew when to get his hands dirty.

The crying and moans of the wounded were a lot for her to take in. Such enormity weighed down on Katara, who wasn't quite used to carnage of such scale since…well, best not to think on that right now.

Her attention was drawn to one of the tunnels, hearing one of the runners come through the entrance. Sokka ran up to him, waiting for him to catch his breath. "We had a few rocks being dislodged. Nobody got hurt, but it was a bit of a close call. Toph's ordered the earthbenders back to the next stretch."

"What about her?" Sokka asked.

"She…said she was going to hang back and hold up the ceiling as much as she could."

"WHAT?!" Lao cried. The patriarch of the Beifong family pushed his way through the civilians to the mine entrance. "LET ME THROUGH! I NEED TO GET MY LITTLE GIRL OUT OF THERE!"

Suki and Sokka had to hold onto his arms to prevent him from rushing into the shaking mines. "With all due respect sir, but you've got a death wish if you want to go down there!" the Kyoshi Warrior snapped.

Lao struggled even more violently, forcing both of them to strain with effort keeping him still. "I WON'T LOSE HER AGAIN! SHE CAN'T HOLD THOSE WHOLE COMPLEX TOGETHER BY HERSELF!"

"Yes, she can!" Katara retorted, marching right up to the noble. "Toph's not just one of the best benders I've ever seen. She's also one of the bravest people I've ever met."

"But she's-"

"A pain in the ass?! Yeah, I know! But she's not helpless! And trust me, the last thing she would want is to hear about how her father got himself killed trying to save her!"

Their argument was caught off as more tremors ripped through the mines, causing more dust and pebbles to rain down on them.

Hopefully, she doesn't kill herself trying to impress you, Katara silently shot at Lao. Not out loud since quite frankly, an argument was the last thing anyone needed. She swore that the more she spent time with this man, the more she understood why Toph wanted to get away as far as possible from this family.

Though whatever familial problems her friend had paled in comparison to the chaos going on above.

---

Up above, General Old Iron slammed fist after fist into Anguirus's soft underbelly. The saurian cried out with each blow, but his assailant's patience had run out. In desperation, he lunged forward with his jaws open wide. He got a mountain of rock driven right in his face.

For but a moment, the assault petered out. He coughed out blood, forced up from what had to have been a few broken bones in his chest. Every breath came out with effort and pain. Despite it all, Anguirus glared up at General Old Iron who loomed ominously over his broken body.

A growl left the reptile's maw. One last act of defiance in the snarling masked face of destruction. In response, the General clenched his fist and raised it to smash his wounded opponent.

Before he could end this fight once and for all, a fireball exploded on his mask. Growling in frustration, the spirit's face tracked the passing form of Appa pulling up to his face. Aang stood firm on his bison's head, his stance falling into that of the Dancing Dragon.

"THERE'S PEOPLE BENEATH US!" he shouted. "You keep going like this, and you'll kill them all!"

"Then maybe they should've thought of that before despoiling this sacred place!" Old Iron swung ponderously at the comparatively small target. Appa glid just out of range, roaring as if to tell the spirit to stop and listen.

"You're doing a pretty good job of destroying this place yourself, Old Iron!" Aang gestured around them, showcasing the ruined earth and the smashed forest all around them. "For somebody who's supposed to protect this place, you're causing more damage than that refinery has ever caused!"

Old Iron stomped toward him, his booming footsteps drowning out Aang's words. "The forest WILL grow back. You on the other hand don't see the big picture. They will cause more damage to this place in the long run if they keep on their destructive ways. This is but a small sacrifice to the desolation they will bring."

"They'll learn!"

"And how much you will sacrifice until they do so Avatar? Until they destroy this whole world?!" The General reached out to crush the Avatar with his gigantic hand, the shadow falling over Appa.

Aang gave no fear though, despite how badly he wanted to run. "It won't come to that. Cause we won't allow it."

It was then that Old Iron wondered why this child was so calm in the face of certain death. The answer came to him in the rumbling of the earth.

While the Avatar was busy trying to talk the General down, Anguirus regained his breath and dragged himself to his feet. Shaking his head clear, he spotted the unguarded flank of Old Iron. His instincts caused him to lunge forward, and with surprising dexterity for an animal of his size, curled himself up into a ball. The lunge caused him to roll forward, a gigantic spiky boulder bearing down on the distracted spirit.

All General Old Iron saw before impact was a wall of spikes and pure muscle. A strong BOOM! resounded across the ruined fields from their contact. Old Iron himself cried out in surprise as he plummeted to the ground on his back. Anguirus landed on all fours, baring and fangs and roaring that he was not out of the fight just yet.

The spirit dragged himself up, shaking pieces of broken armor off his body. Seeing the cracks in his defenses, Old Iron quickly brought himself up on his knees to face the charging kaiju. Anguirus snarled, sensing the chinks in the spirit's defense as well. Old Iron tried to swing his fist in retaliation, but the saurian ducked his head under the incoming blow before bringing both it and his nasal horn right into the spirit's chest.

Old Iron found himself crashing to the earth again, but this time, he managed to use the momentum of his fall to roll back up onto his feet. So when Anguirus tried to press the advantage, he was able to plant a heavy boot in the kaiju's face.

A being as old as the Guardian Beast was not some mindless animal though. Like Old Iron, he turned with the impact and brought his lashing tail around to rake the mask of the spirit. He managed to chip a few more pieces of armor as the giant backpedaled, trying to get some breathing space.

Appa flew forward, carrying Aang as he blasted gusts of air at the stricken spirit to keep him off balance. Every step that Old Iron took backward was more space and hope that the people of Cranefish Town had.

---

Behind, Anguirus felt the pain sap his strength and drain his burst of adrenaline. Curling one of his forefeet into a fist, he smashed it into the ground. It wasn't just out of frustration with how violent this battle was becoming. A beast of the earth had to have been in tune with the element he drew strength from.

His eyes widened sensing the collapsed tunnels beneath him. They were right on the edge of the mines, and their fighting had caused the furthest-reaching shafts to crumble. This was all turning into a repeat of their previous conflict.

Just as bad, the fighting was taking its toll on the surrounding forest. This used to have been an untouched wilderness for countless generations. Now their fighting had ruined it in just a day. If this dragged on, the damage would spread even more and threaten the future of this region for both man and beast. What little they would've been fighting to protect would've been destroyed with their war.

They needed help to end this quickly. Luckily, Anguirus had sensed it.

Down below, he sensed a powerful earthbender holding up a crumbling portion of the mines by themselves. He had felt such power only a day before. Seeing the damaged but still thick stone armor of Old Iron, Anguirus understood that the earthbender would be more than well-suited for the job.

Wheeling around, Anguirus dug through the earth where he knew his ally would be. He cried out, hoping that she got his message through the ground below.

If anybody knew how to finish this battle, it would be one who understood and could see the earth as he did.

---

Toph was soaked in sweat from both the strain and the screams.

She heard the last few earthbenders who tried to escape from the deeper tunnels cry out as they were buried. Being somebody who saw the world through the dirt, she also felt their struggles cease as they were crushed.

Her stance hardened though, knowing that many more lives would be lost if she didn't hold this tunnel back. The warring titans above and the destabilized tunnels made that job more difficult. It was as Sokka said. A few collapsed shafts threatened a chain reaction.

Even for her, it was a losing battle. Running wasn't an option. If there was a chance she could stabilize this collapse, she had to take it. But it was like back with the drill. Alone, this was too much for her. Toph began to wonder if these mines would be her grave. If that's the case then…

She choked out a sob. All she'd done was to find and earn validation for her condition. To find people who loved her for who she was. Yet despite how much she saw Aang and the others as family…it didn't fill that empty hole her mother and father dug.

"I'm sorry…" she whispered, knowing it was just a matter of time before she was overcome by the angry earth.

A huge obstruction fell right in front of her.

And suddenly…the collapse stopped. The obstruction not only halted the tremors, but it allowed the earth to pile up and prevent the system failure from spreading by forming a buffer. It had to have taken some serious earthbending to pull off if it was earthbending she was sensing.

Letting her muscles relax, Toph reached out with her hand and touched the obstruction. It didn't feel like a fallen portion of the mine.

Certainly didn't feel like earth either. She would've sensed a big chunk of rock landing in front of her.

In fact, it almost felt like bone.

Reaching around, she felt the scaly skin of the toe, and the warmth of blood coursing through its veins. High above, a familiar cry was heard through the earth.

Toph smiled, knowing then and there who her savior was. More importantly, she knew where she was needed.

---

Appa roared with surprise, narrowly avoiding the massive stony fist coming right at him. Try as Aang might, the spirit managed to stabilize his backpedaling. Turns out that when one's the size of a mountain, it's pretty hard to keep them on the defensive for too long. Granted, it was a fact he learned fighting Godzilla, but at least his diversion bought Anguirus a little bit more time to recover.

Didn't do him too much good though. Aang pulled on the reigns, bringing Appa back further from the swinging fists of General Old Iron. Plumes of dirt kicked up from the spirit's charge, his shadow swallowing both bison and rider.

Aang was about to pull the panicking Appa to the side when a massive boulder came flying into the General's face. The impact stopped Old Iron right in his tracks, allowing the two airbenders to escape to a safe distance. Who in turn, got out of the way of a charging Anguirus who smashed his armored body into the spirit's chest. Once more, the spirit was pushed back from a renewed assault.

The save from Anguirus was appreciated, but Aang was still surprised by the boulder. It was pretty small for something a kaiju would just fling across the battlefield.

"HEY TWINKLE TOES! DOWN HERE!" he heard a familiar voice cry out. Aang did a double take as he landed Appa to confirm that yes, Toph was calling him down. Granted, she was yelling in the wrong direction, but it was the thought that counts.

He leaped off of Appa and ran over to the blind girl. "Toph? What are you doing here?!"

"Big guy over there needed my help, so he dug me out of the mines," she said, pointing directly at the grappling titans. Aang didn't bother to ask how she was able to sense them and not him. Probably easier to see giant monsters than somebody who was naturally light on his feet.

"But what about-?"

"He plugged the shaft up with some earth and stabilized the collapse. As long as we keep those guys away, everyone down there should be okay." Toph proceeded to walk over to a huge stony structure that had embedded itself in the earth. She ran her fingers across its surface in puzzlement. "What's this thing?" she asked.

Aang recognized it right away. "It's a piece of Old Iron's armor. He's completely covered in it, so we haven't been able to wear him down too much."

"And it's completely made of stone…"

Toph got a wicked smirk on her face. The same realization hit Aang.

They knew then how to beat General Old Iron.

Meanwhile, General Old Iron was close to breaking Anguirus's back.

The second wind had caught the spirit off guard, but Anguirus's own injuries had sapped him quite a bit of his strength. Granted, the point was to get Old Iron farther away from the mines. And that was something he knew how to do.

So he stood his ground, stomping into the earth. Lowering himself to the ground, the kaiju once more curled himself up into a ball. Anguirus exposed his armored shell towards the raging Old Iron, feeling the heavy impact of those massive fists raining down on his back. He grit his teeth, the earth shaking beneath him with each punch.

His armor held out before his body was broken though, when two great ridges of earth slammed into the legs of Old Iron. The spirit cried out with surprise as he was forced back. Down below, Aang and Toph simultaneously raised a block of earth in front of them on the ridge before kicking the blocks right at the General's knees.

Old Iron stumbled back a bit, before rapidly bringing his arms in front of him to block a ram from Anguirus, springing out of his curl into a lunge. The spirit grunted, being forced further back. A crack had formed on his mask, accentuating his glare towards the benders and monster that defied him.

The sight made him roar with rage, smashing his fists towards the ground. Such an impact ripped cracks in the earth. Both Toph and Aang stood their ground, hardening the ground underneath them to buffet the tremors (and to shield the mines behind them). Anguirus just went low, taking the earthquake head-on and letting it crash against his body.

Not content with just shattering the earth, Old Iron swiped through the cracks in front of him and threw up a hail of boulders in the air. Aang and Toph just kicked back at the boulders, both of them being more than capable of taking on such a barrage. The former added in a few fire bombs to his counterattack, adding more projectiles for the spirit to deal with.

Once more, Old Iron was forced back, and once more Anguirus lunged to push him back further. He pummeled him with fists, denting and chipping the armor. This time though, the spirit was ready. With one massive fist, he backhanded the kaiju. Unfortunately for him, when one was held back, another picked up the assault. Aang took to the air on his glider and threw another fire bomb in the General's face. Distracted by the explosion and the fire, he didn't see Anguirus clamp his fangs down on his shoulder.

The bite was shallow though, letting Old Iron easily punch the kaiju in the face to get him off. Anguirus crouched to the earth, coughing up blood and glaring at the General looming over him.

And the earthbender on the spirit's chest currently ripping apart the armor.

While the tremors slammed into Anguirus, he allowed Toph to clamber onto his arm, letting her leap from him to the spirit during his pummeling. Truth be told, the blind earthbender panicked a little jumping into the air, but her confidence was restored feeling the stony armor of the spirit. This she could work with.

Reaching forward, she began bending piece after piece off, tearing it to shreds. Being the best earthbender in the world had its advantages, and that meant she got the spirit's chest exposed in no time. Beneath the stone, she would've seen a huge swirling core of white energy. If she was able to see of course.

She also didn't see Old Iron notice his armor being ruined, and swing his arm to squash the irritant…

What she did feel though was Aang grabbing her collar and yanking her away before hearing the fist smash where she was. "Cutting it a bit close there, Twinkle Toes!" she called out, realizing she just avoided being a bloody smear.

Aang would've smiled if Old Iron's rage hadn't reached a peak and reached out with a crushing hand.

He didn't get far. Anguirus had curled himself up once more and rolled himself into Old Iron's exposed chest. Now stripped of his armor, the spirit cried out as 30,000 metric tons slammed into the energy within his chest.

The once proud General Old Iron plummeted to the earth with a heavy thud. Anguirus proceeded to slam both of his arms on the spirit's hands, pinning them down. A roar erupted from that crocodilian maw, practically ordering his rival to stand down.

Aang and Toph landed a good distance away from the titans, falling into their stances in case Old Iron decided to drag this out any longer. If not, then the fangs of Anguirus hovered dangerously close to the spirit's exposed core. The Avatar recalled there being a curse against those who killed spirits, but he wasn't sure if that worked against one such as the Guardian Beast.

General Old Iron looked Anguirus in the eye, before sighing.

"I…yield…"

At once, the spirit's body began to glow with an unearthly light, blinding anyone who looked at it. When it faded, the great stone soldier had vanished from under Anguirus's pillar-like feet. Instead, a figure twice the size of a man stood before the Avatar. He wore a lighter set of armor, and his skin was as red as blood. A black beard and mustache gave him a dignified look, while his glowing white eyes (including the third one on his forehead) only hammered in the fact that this being was not of this world.

Spirit and Avatar held this gaze, an almost otherworldly peace amidst all the chaos and destruction. They both took a moment to gaze at such destruction, the jungles and earth turned to ruin all around them. Even Anguirus took a moment to take it all the destruction in.

"I…have failed in my duty to keep this place sacred," Old Iron lamented. "I've failed Lady Tienhai. And in doing so, I've let this place come under the thrall of humanity."

Indeed, Cranefish Town stood untouched far behind Aang and Toph. Down below, they knew that the mines had held out as best they could. The people were safe.

They also knew that it was sorry comfort for Old Iron. Behind the spirit, Aang could see the unspoiled jungle that survived the battle. Somewhere in there, the old ruins lay untouched. For how long though? Around them was destruction. And if he knew people well, it wouldn't take long for others to come along and take advantage of this.

"We'll honor the old agreement. The jungles will remain under the protection of you and Anguirus when it grows back. The people of Cranefish will keep to theirs as best they can," Aang firmly declared.

The spirit though shook his head. "There will be more. Already, humans have built a settlement on my borders. It won't be long before they encroach on this place."

Behind him, Aang saw many people emerging from the mines. They must've heard that the tremors above had stopped and wanted to see what was going on. Didn't take too long before he was embraced by two pairs of arms.

"Aang, if you're going to be fighting giant monsters from now on, please let me watch your back," Katara playfully chastised. It was at that moment that Momo decided to land on Aang's head and barking at him. Evidently, the lemur wanted to let him know how worried sick they all were about his safety.

Appa on the other hand just landed with a heavy thud and affectionately licked his rider. Aang let out a warm laugh despite (or maybe because of) the heavy saliva running down his clothing. Leave it to the bison to have good spirits despite nearly getting crushed.

All Sokka had to say was, "Good work, buddy! We managed to save the majority of Cranefish!"

"...not all of them though?" Toph asked.

The water tribe siblings' cheer was dimmed a bit from her question. It took a few moments of nervous silence and trying to muster up the courage to give the news before Suki stepped in. "We lost some people during the collapse. Maybe some of them are still alive, but…it was pretty bad."

"They'll be honored as heroes regardless. I'll make sure of that," Loban announced, his tone being a bit more somber than usual. The other owner of the refinery stood a distance away, unwilling to look Toph in the eye.

Hei Wan and Imana on the other hand, rushed forward and knelt in reverence at the towering figure of Anguirus, who stood quite a ways from the gathering. "Thank you Anguirus!" Imana thanked. "Without you, more lives would've been lost."

The kaiju breathed heavily in and out, licking the blood off his maw and attending to his wounds. Right now, he wasn't exactly in the mood for reverence. Aside from his two unexpected worshippers, nobody wanted to get too close to a bloodied and bruised monster.

His rival looked more sorrowful at the swelling crowd. "It seems my time here has ended."

Aang broke from the hug at the spirit's words. "Wait a minute! Old Iron, this is your home too! Don't you want to stay?"

The spirit just shook his head sadly. "This will no longer be a forest unspoiled by humans. Its purity has been lost, and now they who ravaged this world are in control. I have nothing to offer."

"I wouldn't say that! Look at Hei Wan and her acolytes!" Aang pointed out. The leader of the Air Acolytes looked up at the mention of her name, causing her to rush over. "Despite everything, they managed to keep the teachings of Yanghcen alive," the Avatar continued. "Sure, they might not know everything there is to know about the Air Nomads. But that doesn't mean they can't learn."

"I…thank you. Avatar." Hei Wan gave a grateful bow to the last nomad.

"If people are willing to take up the old ways, even if they weren't born into it, maybe that means the villagers of Cranefish can learn too," Aang explained. "Maybe you can teach them! You know, maybe get them to help the forest heal!"

"Teach…humans?" Old Iron's eyes widened from the implication, the stoic demeanor faltering. "Avatar, I cannot teach those I had sworn to destroy. And I cannot certainly teach those who do not know where they failed."

"I am willing to learn." To Aang's surprise, Loban strode right up to the spirit. Reverently, the foreman knelt before Old Iron and bowed deeply before him. "All this destruction, all of this despoiled wilderness. It all happened because I came here with my refinery and workers. I wanted to make things better for my people, but their safety was my responsibility. I had failed. I tested your wrath and failed to properly protect them from the dangers of my mines. If you will impart your wisdom on one such as myself, I'll honor your name and adopt your teachings."

"And we'll help," Hei Wan declared, also giving a reverent bow. "We'll teach Cranefish all we know. Teach them how to improve their ways and ensure the safety and prosperity of all. Spirit, human, and beast alike."

Imana joined them as well. "The denizens of Infant Island are willing to help. We may not be Air Nomads, but we've lived in harmony with nature for all our lives."

"Looks like there's people willing to learn, Old Iron," Aang observed. "Will you have them?"

The General looked between the Avatar and the people. What thoughts were churning behind his eyes? He held himself like the warrior he was, yet his brow was furrowed. "I…don't know what to say. I cannot call myself a teacher."

In time though, he allowed his shoulders to relax. "But they do deserve the chance if they want to learn. I will teach what I know. If this will ensure the survival of the forest, then I shall stay."

Team Avatar watched as more people of Cranefish gathered before Old Iron, ready to hear the spirit's first words. It was a surreal sight. One who once would've been their doom had offered to guide them. But they were willing to follow.

Aang wondered how long it had been since spirit and humans had come together like this since the war started. Too long, a voice answered. And for a moment, a vision of an ethereal woman flashed before his eyes. A woman he had seen before in the form of a great statue.

"I'll make sure things will turn out okay," Aang told Lady Tienhai. The vision smiled before dissipating.

With that, Aang turned towards Anguirus. "Thank you. I know we haven't been the best stewards of the world as of late, but it's good to know that one of your kind hasn't given up on us yet."

Anguirus looked upon Aang and Toph, leaning down and bathing them in his breath. He bowed his massive head towards them both, before turning to the jungle. Slowly he lumbered away, leaving the heroes of Cranefish behind to celebrate.

One thought emerged in Aang's mind though: Anguirus was benevolent, or at least as benevolent as a kaiju could be. Yet they all couldn't be like that. Godzilla certainly proved that.

How many less benevolent kaiju were out there?

---

Colonel Mongke gasped for air as he ran deeper into the woods. He'd lost his rhino to some nightmarish creatures in the panic, and he was just trying to get as far away from the ruined city as possible.

It had gone all wrong. Old Iron had killed most of his men. When he sounded the retreat, the rest of them were overcome by many of the jungle's most savage beasts. Not just the Horned Ones, but giant predators and other herbivores that proved to be just as brutal. It was as if the entire forest had come alive to strike them down.

There came a point where he simply couldn't run anymore. He fell to his knees and panted. He had never imagined a time would come when he would be the last of the Rough Rhinos. It had to have been a sick joke.

"How sad…" a familiar and infuriating voice from the trees mocked. "The once proud Rough Rhinos now reduced to a scared and pathetic man. I expected better from you."

"SHUT UP!" Mongke screamed, getting into a firebending stance. He looked around him, trying to find out where the voice came from. "You knew this would happen. You KNEW that spirit would come after us!"

"You should've seen it coming," the voice taunted. Mongke spun around, but it seemed to come from everywhere. "A band of war criminals lost in the realm of spirits and ancient beasts? Your time was numbered the moment you set foot in this land."

"You bastard. You'll pay for butchering my people."

A shrill laugh pierced the air. Mongke froze. That laugh didn't sound human.

"I'M the monster? Typical Fire Nation. You incinerated and slaughtered innocents over a century, yet the moment the tables are turned, you call your betters 'savages'. Face it. This was a long time coming. And if you cannot fathom what you've wrought, then you have no place in this world."

"Come out and FIGHT!" Mongke screamed, desperately trying to find those blue eyes.

"I'm right…here…"

He turned around…

The last thing he saw was blue eyes, a gaping maw line with teeth, and a deathly pale body with sharp dorsal spines running down the back.

Colonel Mongke couldn't even scream before he knew no more.

---

Mt. Aso,

Aso Island

Azula fought her captor the whole way.

She couldn't see her assailant in the tunnel, but she could certainly blast bursts of blue fire at it. The predator simply hissed in frustration. Its angle meant she couldn't get a good shot, neither could she risk bending too much fire lest she suffocate herself in the tight space.

Didn't mean she struggled and kicked its face over and over again. By the time she felt the tunnel space out and she was dragged into a more spacious area, the insect's annoyance with her reached a peak. It abandoned all common sense and lunged at her with a massive claw aimed at her head.

Azula threw a fireball at its face, scorching one of its eyes. A shrill hiss erupted from its maw, pulling back to avoid another eye being ruined. She hurriedly scrambled up to her feet in the meantime, holding a fire in her hands to light the room.

What she saw was a whole swarm of those bugs looking back.

They didn't attack at first, eyeing her waringly. Some of them didn't even pay attention to her. Instead, they were more focused on devouring the soldiers they had killed, their mandibles and claws making short work of their armor. The massive insects that sized her up held back, no one wanting to be the first to get their faces burned. It wasn't like it for prey to last this long.

Not that it calmed her nerves. The chittering and waving of claws made her feel…small. She was trapped amidst a whole horde of predators clad in powerful chitin capable of tearing a man to pieces. She looked all around her, trying to find a way out. There were a few larger tunnels, but those lay far behind the insects.

One of whom decided to test its luck and charged at her, knocking her over with its massive head with her attention towards the tunnels. It raised one of those massive claws to pierce her through, its maw already salivating at a potential meal.

Azula saw red. Roaring, she lunged up and drove a fist of blue fire right into the insect's eye. It shrieked and struggled in agony, but the Princess was out of mercy. She thrust her other fist forward and drove it into the thing's throat, incinerating it from the inside out.

Her assailant fell over dying, twitching from its burns. Landing on her feet, she breathed fire from her nostrils and glared at the other foul things around her. They all backed away nervously, seeing that this prey still had some fight left in her.

"COME ON!" she roared, bringing fire to her hands, daring them to make another move.

Their stalemate ended when a dull explosion was heard from below, shaking the earth. Azula's thoughts first went to the explosives. Somebody must've survived and set them off.

Her thoughts then wandered to the insects rushing her, their nerves breaking. Their numbers helped embolden their charge. Azula stood her ground, dodging to the side and driving a fire dagger into the thorax of the first bug. She then rolled across its back before kicking a blade of flame into another on her right. A hiss caused her to lash out at her left, driving a fist full of flame into its open mandibles.

The bug shrieked, stumbling back. Azula took the initiative and rammed her body against it, knocking it to the ground with her on top. She let forth blast after blast into the soft underbelly of the vermin, before driving a fist of fire into the underside of its jaw.

Leaping off the dying creature, she opened her mouth and let forth a huge burst of blue fire. The insects back off, for such rage in their prey was alien to them. Truth be told, Azula was surprised by her sudden burst of adrenaline and strength, but that wasn't the most pressing matter on her mind.

What did press on her mind was the desire to not be food for mere beasts. She was a Princess of the Fire Nation. She REFUSED to be devoured.

The insects backed away nervously, realizing that two of their kin were dead and more were injured. They were weighing the odds, and before long, some of them made a run for the tunnels.

It was a start, but some of them were still stunned by her display. Azula snarled. Looks like she'd have to fight her way out.

Then one of them was plucked from above. It screamed, dragging its claws into the earth in a futile attempt to save itself. The others just watched as it was hoisted up…before they all ran for cover.

Azula dove to the earth to avoid being trampled by one of the insects, before it too was plucked by something. All around her, the foul things scrambled for safety, either being snatched up or being crushed by massive claws. The survivors retreated to their tunnels, sounding the alarm as they descended.

Rolling up on her back, Azula looked up.

And up.

Before her was a massive drop-off into the mountain's heart. Down below, the red glow of lava rumbled as the volcano came alive. From it rose a massive chest, lined with spikes. Those claws clutched the walls of the chamber, while an avian head crunched through the chitin of its captured prey with a massive beak. That beak was lined with gnashing teeth, while a pair of horns sprouted from its scaly head.

Azula knew what this was. And so did something else. Deep down in her soul, the three voices came together and proclaimed, My old servant…

At once, Rodan snapped its head down, glaring at Azula.

She shivered. Did…it hear the voices too?

Her answer came in the form of a piercing scream from the great phoenix. Azula had to cover her ears, the fury of the monster was so great.

For she was in Rodan's sights. And now, she was its next target.

Notes:

A/N: Okay, truth be told I did have this chapter in the pipeworks, but my proofreader had other obligations. I also proofread this one myself so forgive me if it's not up to the standards you guys are used to.

Anyways, the big fight. First big fight of this arc anyways. This sort of scene did play out in The Rift where Aang constructed a giant rock golem in order to fight General Old Iron, but I wanted to give Anguirus the spotlight here. Plus I can't imagine anyone in-universe would want THREE giant beings fighting if they could avoid it.

I also wanted to make sure that Anguirus was viewed as an equal to Old Iron. During the later Showa films, he had a bit of a tendency to get beaten up by the newest monster of the week. I wanted to harken back to his first outing where it was established he could easily go toe to toe with Godzilla. Or make it seem like this is a being that could draw blood from King Ghidorah while hanging on to his neck. Hopefully, I did him justice.

I also didn't want to make the fight too over the top either. The stuff I had with the mines was to show that people could potentially get hurt. The most I did was have Anguirus use a variation of his spike ball move from Final Wars and the Pipeworks Trilogy, but have it more subdued. Basically, I wanted this battle to feel brutal and lay the groundwork for future clashes.

The conclusion I had for Old Iron here is a bit of a departure from the comic where he did leave entirely. Here, I wanted to give Cranefish Town a better chance of reforming and striving for a brighter future. It was hinted at in the original comic, but I wanted to give more of a concrete way forward for them. Plus I didn't exactly want Old Iron to be like the spirits from Legend of Korra and absolutely despising humanity yet being in the right for it.

Now for Azula. There was no way in hell she was going to die this easily. Doesn't mean she didn't have to fight for her life though. Again, I sort of took this scene from the original Rodan where the hero gets trapped in a cavern full of the Meganulons.

It's also the scene where Rodan hatches and devours the bugs. Which we see here. We'll be seeing more of him in the next chapter, but hopefully, his introduction here is a good appetizer.

So once again, thank you all for reading. Make sure to leave your thoughts in a comment. Follow and favorite if you want to see more. And as always, have a great day and I'll see you all next time for the finale of the arc.

…also I haven't watched the live-action Netflix ATLA. Still working up to that.

Chapter 14: Let Them Fight

Summary:

Rodan emerges from his roost and does battle with Godzilla, with the fate of all hanging in the balance. In the chaos, Azula moves to deal with Ryuui once and for all, but finds herself in a conflict far beyond her control.

Notes:

Avatar: The Last Airbender and all associated characters are owned by Paramount Global. Godzilla and all associated characters are owned by Toho Studios. Please support the official release.

Mount Aso,

Aso Island

Princess Azula was well acquainted with staring Death in the face. Often it came in the visage of the greatest threats the Fire Nation ever faced, both from without and within their ranks. Some of them emerged closer to home than she would've hoped and did…"break" her if they wanted to call it that.

Yet the one thing that brought them all together was what she reassured herself every time she wielded her deadly, blue flame: she could fight this. She could stand her ground, take what they brought, and pay it back tenfold. It was a rule she had always abided by since she was little. And even now, she had not lost faith in it.

Looking upon those blazing eyes amidst the fiery smoke of an active volcano though…this was one thing she couldn't fight.

All that she could do was run. And run she did, breaking under Rodan's furious shriek. Azula made a beeline for one of those tunnels, not caring if any of those foul insects were hiding in the shadows. She didn't make it far before one of the oversized pterosaur's hands slammed into the ground right in her path.

Behind her, she heard the other clawed hand cut off the other tunnels. Leaving her penned at Rodan's mercy. The kaiju had none to spare, hacking downwards with his beak aimed right at the Princess.

Azula made a running dive towards the back of the room, barely avoiding being skewered. The thrown rocks from the impact kept her down, lest she get her neck broken by a jagged stone. Hurriedly she picked herself up from the black stone before diving once more to the side, avoiding another jab.

It only bought her some time and she knew it. Trapped between the arms of a kaiju and the ground being ruined with every strike, it would only be a matter of time before she'd find her bones being crunched and flesh torn by those sharp teeth. Yet it wasn't like she could power her way through those giant claws either. She needed to buy herself more time to figure out a plan.

A thought occurred to her. Rolling herself up, she let out a massive burst of blue flame from her fingers. In any other circumstance, it would've been an impressive display by her standards. Here within the heart of a volcano though, it was a mere blue flicker amidst the angry smoke and fire below.

However, it didn't go unnoticed. Rodan paused for but a moment, watching the azure fire burn through the air. Seeing that her gamble was working, Azula held out her palm and brought forth a ball of her flame, holding it high for the titan to see. The One Born of Fire (that's what Maina called him, didn't she?, wondered Azula) observed the display, his muscles slightly relaxing.

She would've smiled if she hadn't known better. Her fire would've held the kaiju at bay for but a moment. It was a calculated risk, but it seemed that these creatures were drawn to her fire if Godzilla was any indication. As for what it meant, she wasn't sure, and she didn't exactly want to hang around for too long lest she find out.

Azula weighed her options. She could've launched a fireball against Rodan's snout, maybe startle him enough to briefly open a way out of the cavern. It was the only idea outside of engaging the monster directly, but that was suicide on her own.

Her mind was about to be made up before the blue fire raged out of control, reaching heights not seen since the comet. Azula's eyes widened. She hadn't paid the fire any less attention than normal. No, it was as if it was taken from her. That her fire responded to the presence of another.

That presence made himself known through the walls of the volcano, a muffled roar that still sent chills down her spine. Rodan knew it as well, looking up high into the overhead funnel of the volcano where it echoed into the chamber.

At once, his attention was drawn to the intruder, digging his claws into the walls of the volcano and beginning to climb himself up. Beneath him, the lava began to ooze from the mountain's heart, rising in his wake.

Hurriedly, Azula darted her way down through the nearest tunnel. She wasn't about to let this chance go. Letting forth bursts of fire from her hands, the Princess propelled herself through the lava tubes. The glow of the coming lava served as a warning to keep moving forward. So she did, rocketing where she figured the surface was. Mainly any tunnel that wasn't being illuminated.

It made things a bit easier, that was for certain. Before long, she burst from the tunnels. Azula felt her breath go wild, but still, she sprinted down the mountain. Better that she made as much distance as possible than wait for her to get her breath back after expending so much fire.

Looking around her, she saw some of those insects emerge from the ground and scramble for the high hills. Clearly, they had the right idea, but her legs began to ache. Azula cursed her tired muscles slowing her down. Of all the times her fatigue had to kick in…

A sharp cry to her right brought her attention to a sight she couldn't believe. Running down the slope towards her was the familiar shape of Flame Runner. Shocked that her Mongoose Dragon had stayed behind, she hurriedly launched herself with one final burst of blue fire into the air aimed toward her mount.

Flame Runner slowed down, allowing the Princess to land on her back. The reptile gave an annoyed look at the rider before sprinting down the side of the mountain. Not a moment too soon either. Lava erupted from the tunnels, cascading down the volcano. It ran down fluidly, though slow enough for the Mongoose Dragon to keep ahead of it.

They were some time into the grassy plains when they saw the sea monster rise from the depths out off the shores of the island. Azula pulled Flame Runner's reigns, taking in the sight.

It was him again.

Even from this distance, Godzilla was enormous. Great torrents of water fell down his scales to the sea below. A good distance away from him, the scout ships hightailed it to safety. Already the kaiju was charging towards the ships that were hanging back a distance away from him.

That awful roar of hatred left his maw, thundering all across the island to hear.

And from the volcano, a shriek answered.

Turning in her saddle, Azula watched as the phoenix pulled himself out of the erupting volcano. His claws gripped the sides of the vent, rivers of lava ran down his reddish brown hide, and Rodan hauled himself free. Perching on the ledge, he looked at his counterpart from the sea, tilting his head in curiosity.

Azula suddenly felt very small. The sight of one kaiju was enough to boggle the mind. Two seemed to be something right out of a nightmare. Who would've thought that things like these were just lurking in the darkest corners of the world, and how out of their depth humanity would've been if they decided to wake up? In the corner of her eye was the village in the distance, looking downright fragile amongst the great beasts.

The titan from the mountain let out a series of clicks and calls towards the one from the sea. If their presence shook Azula's constitution, the sounds Rodan was making riveted her in place. They weren't the emanations of some enraged brute. There was a pattern.

For some reason, she recalled an old passage she read in a scroll once. How the dragons of old used to have a language of sorts and were more intelligent than any would-be slayer gave them credit for. Could Rodan's cries be some kind of dialect shared amongst these things? Godzilla was certainly intelligent enough to understand the Avatar and go after specific targets after all.

Whatever he was saying, Godzilla just snarled in response. Another roar left his maw, shutting the other titan up. His intent was clear to Azula. The God of Destruction wanted war.

Rodan paused, before nodding to himself and letting out a war cry of his own. He spread his wings out to their full spread. They were huge. Sure, they were suitably enormous for a creature of that size. But that wingspan had to have been bigger than the rim of the volcano. And the edges of the wings were aglow with lava. With them at full spread, Rodan's spread was cast all over the slope of the volcano.

At once, Azula kicked Flame Runner, urging her onto the shore. With any luck, Maina, Kori, and Kazuma would've gotten everyone to safety. And if she knew men like Ryuui, she also had a good feeling where he'd be. A place where he could see this oncoming battle directly, maybe somewhere he could direct the ships offshore.

She'd have to be quick about it. Both to get to the Commander fast and to get as faaaaar away from the volcano as possible. Sure enough, Rodan snapped his wings and dove from his perch flying straight towards the shore. His wings were so massive, they kicked up a tempest of dust and lava in their wake. Azula was almost torn from her saddle when the kaiju flew over, let alone Flame Runner who had to dig her claws into the earth.

Behind them, the avalanche of dust and lava came right them. Even still, they weren't any match for a Mongoose Dragon at full speed. Evidently, Azula didn't exactly need to urge her any further with such a massive factor right behind her.

The Princess didn't envy the people on the boats though. Hopefully, her orders got through. If they tried anything reckless, things would go from bad to even worse than they already are.

---

On one of the ships, a captain oversaw the incoming Rodan fly down the mountain. He and his crew couldn't believe it. The Great Phoenix himself. They'd all heard the stories of course, but to behold his appearance was as if Agni herself was blessing them all with her servant.

Didn't mean the sight was any less intimidating. Those great wings dripping with lava, the volcano erupting in the distance. And of course, the opposing dragon wading its way toward them.

"Sir! On the shore! The Admiral's giving the signal!" Following where his subordinate was pointing, the captain did see the signaling flare from one of Admiral Ryuui's adjutants. Ordinarily, this would've been the moment where their own offensive would've begun. His firebenders were manning the catapults, ready to aid their god against Godzilla. Such an honor would've propelled them to the same status of the besiegers of Ba Sing Se. Assuming they also didn't share their fate.

Instead, the captain held out his hand. "Princess's orders. We're to wait until Rodan inflicts a wound or to assist when absolutely needed." Acknowledging his orders, the soldiers relaxed a little. And more than one man felt a little relief. Even from this distance, Godzilla was immense, and that massive tail thrashed through the water. Truth be told, nobody wanted to be on the receiving end of that thing's rage if any of Azula's stories had any truth to them.

Nor did anyone really want to get in the way of Rodan, who skirted the surface of the sea. His mighty wings kicked up plumes and waves of seawater with his passing, his beak releasing one more warcry.

Claws outstretched, Rodan snapped his wings in front of him, creating a huge wave with the air pushed out in front of him. The tempest of water and air slammed into Godzilla, who stood still and took it head-on. With so much seawater displaced, it gave Rodan cover to collide right into the sea monster, his claws pushing into those powerful shoulders.

Godzilla snarled, feeling himself being pushed back from the ram. He lunged forward with his teeth barred, hoping to sink them in one of the pterosaur's wings. Rodan pushed back just in time, launching himself out of the way of those sharp teeth. That sharp beak raked at the side of Godzilla's neck, dislodging a few scales but not doing any lasting damage.

Maneuvering himself to Godzilla's left side, Rodan rammed into his flank, stabbing and tearing at that same spot with both claw and beak. Latching on to the side of a thrashing kaiju though was NOT easy. It didn't take too long before Godzilla suddenly lurched forward and threw the pterosaur off his back.

Rodan twisted himself in mid-air and spread his wings, regaining control of his trajectory. He then snapped his wings and propelled himself higher into the air back towards Godzilla. The crew manning one of the Fire Nation ships found themselves buffeted by high-speed winds from the whiplash. They braced themselves by hanging on to whatever they could, lest they be blown off and sent careening to the waters below.

Those who kept on their feet witnessed Rodan climb high into the air before diving right onto Godzilla's head. The pterosaur moved so fast, there was no way for his larger opponent to respond before impact. Rodan's dive forced Godzilla's head down, while his claws raked those hateful eyes.

With the larger kaiju disoriented, Rodan once more aimed downward and attacked the same spot on Godzilla's neck. Every strike chipped more scales and skin off, each one hoping to draw blood.

Godzilla's rage though intensified. He roared before jerking his torso backward, smashing his skull into Rodan. The phoenix found himself thrown off once more. Before he could attempt to regain control, Godzilla's tail lashed up and smashed into his chest, forcing him beneath the sea.

The God of Destruction whipped around and reached out with his claws, curling around Rodan's neck to throttle the life out of him. His strength was so much, that it forced blood up from his rival's beak. He didn't stop there though. His fury reached a new peak, causing his dorsal spines to flash blue, heralding an azure inferno.

Right as fire gathered at the back of his throat, Rodan lunged upward and stabbed his beak into Godzilla's neck right at the weak point he created. The dragon roared with pain, feeling the beak dig into his neck and pierce his throat. Rapidly he forced the fire down, not wanting to take any chances.

Yanking Rodan's bloody beak out of his neck, Godzilla roared in the pterosaur's face and crunched down on one of those huge wings. Now it was Rodan's turn to shriek in agony, feeling those teeth threaten to break his bones and rob him of his biggest advantage. He lashed out with his claws and scored home, raking one of Godzilla's eyes. The great titan roared with fury, freeing Rodan's wing and letting him backpedal.

The two titans tussled with one another, both trying to inflict another injury. Rodan came in again and again at Godzilla's wound but wasn't able to score any direct hits. His flight was hampered by his own injury, meaning he couldn't maneuver as well as he could. And every moment counted. Already he could see Godzilla's wound begin to heal itself. His gambit to nullify that fiery breath would soon be rendered null and void.

Snarling, Rodan backed off and flew back to Mount Aso. Godzilla bellowed in fury, demanding that the Phoenix return to finish the fight. That was until he was abruptly cut off by a barrage to his wound. A number of Fire Nation ships had maneuvered themselves to get a clear shot at the wound and took the chance to open it further.

Godzilla growled with fury, turning toward the ships, intent on dealing with the ones that dared to strike him. Those who incited the rage of the king would feel his wrath.

---

When she had ridden through the chaotic jungle (it seemed that Rodan's soaring from above had disturbed many of the inhabitants), Azula's eyes widened at the scene.

Godzilla and Rodan were locked in brutal combat, the two trading blows and causing the entire coast to churn with raging, white water. The sight was both astonishing and terrifying at the same time. Not only to think that such mighty beasts walked the earth but at the sheer scale of it. She could see the ships being tossed around like toys even from such a distance away by the waves. Azula had to thank Agni that both sense and her orders kept those sailors from moving head first into certain death.

For the moment anyways. Rodan had retreated with a bloody gash on his shoulder, leaving Godzilla alone in the harbor. The ships began to fire, aiming at a wound gouged into the monster's neck. It was just as she had planned, though she still paled when she saw Godzilla's attention turn towards the ships. Yes, her orders were to exploit any wounds, but not push the assault too far lest his rage would be turned from Rodan to them.

Thankfully the firing ships got the message, maneuvering to get some distance and to get into a better position at Godzilla's wound. What's more, she saw several furious bursts of fire coming from the beach. That could've only been the Commander (she refused to call him "Admiral" anymore) trying to get the situation back on track.

Not if she had anything to say about it. Azula snapped Flame Runner's reigns, urging the Mongoose Dragon to race towards the beach. As she closed in on the men, the Princess heard Ryuui roar, "What are they doing?! Get ALL those ships firing away immediately!"

"I wouldn't bother, Commander," Azula bit out, capturing the attention of the astonished men. Her boots hit the sand, marching right up to Ryuui. "I gave them orders not to engage unless they had an opening. You know, what a competent leader would've done without putting his men at risk."

"Whu-how did-? Well because of YOU, our ships are exposed! If they supported Rodan-"

"Would've had the same result. You honestly believe that your ordinance can hurt that?" Azula cut off, pointing to the raging sea monster. "All you would've done was piss it off even more! Be thankful that Rodan was able to get away with a single bite instead of getting his wings torn off!

"Also, I thank you for your concern for my safety, Ryuui. I am more than capable of handling myself around giant bugs." She flicked away one of her bangs just to punctuate her sarcasm.

Ryuui gaped for a moment, before pointing at her. "Somebody restrain her! She attempted to prevent Rodan's awakening AND confessed to changing the orders! That's treason!"

"...you want us to arrest the Princess sir?" one of his adjutants asked. Indeed, the rest of his personal guard seemed a bit confused.

"Oh for the love of-she's the reason your comrades are in danger!" Ryuii roared, his composure rapidly deteriorating with his loss of control over the whole situation. Again, nobody made a move.

That's when Azula made her play. "What I did was save them. He would've marched you all to your deaths if he could. Which he did with your comrades by the way. I know you have friends on those ships. Are you willing to stand by and let this man who would've thrown their lives away order you around?"

The officers and guard looked around both at each other and the ships out at sea. Azula kept her face passive, but she knew from experience what people would do when their friends and loved ones were in danger. The hard way, but at least she learned.

In the silence, Azula heard a piercing shriek from behind. Reflexively she ducked, avoiding the gust of wind that was kicked up as Rodan soared above, returning to the fight. The Commander and his officers weren't so lucky, with some of them being barreled over by the wall of air.

Rodan drove his claws into Godzilla's face, clawing and stabbing at both the saurian's eyes and wounded neck. Looking closely, Azula saw that a layer of lava had been applied to the wound on the pterosaur's shoulder. Clever, she thought. And she was impressed further by the kaiju focusing in on that gash in Godzilla's neck.

In fact, now that she thought of it, wouldn't Godzilla have breathed fire by now? Looking at that wound, she wondered if that was one more measure Rodan had taken to tip the balance of power in his favor. Well, there was a weak point if it ever needed to be exploited.

And a potential bargaining chip, Azula realized. What her brother would give to know a chink in Godzilla's armor.

She'd have to cross that bridge once she got there. Right now, she had other priorities. Pulling herself up, Azula shot a quick burst of flame at the staggering Ryuui. It was only a light strike, the flames not even burning through the outermost layer of his armor. What it did achieve was knocking him down.

Azula raced forward, the other officers either not knowing what to do or still pulling themselves up. She aimed her fist at the downed Ryuui, effectively giving him a warning to stand down. As much as she wanted him to pay for leaving her behind, she knew he would've been more valuable as leverage. Perhaps giving Zuko a prisoner who actually was a high-profile rogue army leader could get him off her back.

Naturally, Ryuui had no intention of being a prisoner. He lashed out, kicking a wheel of flame in Azula's direction. The Princess batted away his attack before having to back off from the burst of flames being thrown in her direction. Azula knew his form was pretty standard for somebody of his rank, and ordinarily would've been able to break his center in no time. If it only weren't for her less-than-desirable condition between having to fight through a horde of insects on top of what she sustained from the asylum.

What she could do was draw his attacks. Block, parry, do anything to goad him into making a mistake. So the two firebenders dueled alongside the warring titans. Ryuui went on the offensive, throwing flame after flame at the one he was supposed to have led to glory. Azula just held her ground, unwilling to lose one more duel. Meanwhile, Godzilla was busy fending off Rodan's strikes, defending his wound and looking to land another punishing blow.

Their warring shadows did not go unnoticed by Azula. Indeed, she tried to pull back towards the jungle, hoping to get herself and everyone else away from the beach. Didn't help that the shadows lengthened as the battle thundered ever closer.

None of this was even acknowledged by Ryuui, who just kept pushing forward with his furious offensive. Azula had to give him credit, it took a certain amount of idiotic bravery to ignore the giant monsters fighting behind him. She, on the other hand, would not give him a duel he craved. One of the things she learned a long time ago was that to play by another's rules was to court failure. Princess Azula was no stranger to failure, but she also knew never to play to your opponent's advantage.

And she read Ryuui like an open book. A man such as him would've craved a glorious victory, something he would tell his fellow nobles about. Why else would he pull together such a suicidal plan to take on Godzilla? It was a trait more than a few would be "war heroes" shared. The best way to beat a man like this would be to deny what he wanted.

Another thing a self-proclaimed "Admiral" wanted would be obedience. That she took care of already. His men watched both their fight and the duel between the titans, unsure of what to do. Finally, Ryuui turned around and snapped "What are you doing?! Somebody take her down!"

Thus, the opening was created. Azula rushed forward, firing a burst of flame right at Ryuui's face. The commander hastily batted away her fire burst, but wasn't able to prevent Azula from lashing out her leg and swiping his foot out from underneath him. Suddenly off balance, Ryuui tried to let forth a fire blast right in the Princess's face.

The Princess just batted his fist aside, letting the flame blast harmlessly past her, before slamming a weak force of fire into the older man's chest. It wasn't enough to burn through his armor, but it was enough to take down the already off-center Commander. Ryuui plummeted onto his back into the sand.

Azula then backed out of the range of his legs, taking a firebending stance. Her body posture made herself clear: stay down or risk getting incinerated.

Ryuui glared both at the Princess and his disobedient officers, who were beginning to back away from him. "You…you'll NEVER get the throne without me," he snarled.

"And you'll never be seen anything more than as a failure, Commander Ryuui. Hope you can live with that," Azula spat back.

She was about to order the adjutants aside her to take him into custody before an enraged roar thundered across the beach. Out in the bay, Rodan had clambered onto Godzilla's head and had his claws dug into the dragon's face. His wings were spread out, practically dragging the larger monster towards the beach.

"GET EVERYONE BACK TO THE VILLAGE! NOW!" Azula ordered, her voice trying to make itself heard over the din of the fighting monsters. She got the message across though. The men scrambled for their Mongoose Dragons, who were tied up to the tree line behind them. Their mounts in turn were panicking from the oncoming titans, who were coming dangerously close to the beach.

Azula was about to call for Flame Runner before she heard the shifting sand behind her. Her reflexes kicked in, elbowing Ryuui who attempted to make one last strike before jumping into the air and lashing out a blade of blue fire behind her.

Ryuui cried out as he was knocked back, while Azula ran for cover, running as far to the side as she could.

The so-called "Admiral" Ryuui's last thoughts were that of the towering shadow from above. Looking up, he went pale as Rodan let go of Godzilla's head, causing the titan to plummet. All that could've been heard was a bloodcurdling scream before it was crushed by the enormous reptile.

Azula ducked, feeling the sand wash over her from the impact. It all happened so fast, but that scream still played out in her mind. Truth be told, a part of her still wanted to believe Ryuui's promise. Or maybe that was the part that couldn't help but shudder at being crushed by a titanic beast such as Godzilla. All in all, she couldn't help but feel empty at Ryuui's death.

Her attention turned to the giant monster pulling himself to his feet. Specifically, how close Azula was. She backed away slowly, hoping not to catch Godzilla's attention with rapid movement. To keep herself reasonably collected, the Princess focused on that ragged wound on the right side of his neck. Once again, she noticed how the flesh was regenerating, trying to cover over and heal the wound.

It was such an ability to heal without the use of waterbending. How could any creature be capable of such power? A strange sensation of warmth coming from the wound gave her a hint. Azula blinked, feeling what could only be described as fire running through the monster's powerful veins, being funneled into the wound. She didn't understand it. Did the same fire Godzilla wielded also heal his wounds?

If she got out of this alive, it would have to be something to look into. For now, a tremor from Rodan landing some distance away caused Azula to involuntarily freeze. She now found herself close to TWO massive kaiju. Luckily, Rodan seemed more interested in giving off a series of calls and clicks, but she didn't count on having this reprieve for too long.

She couldn't help but listen. Now that she was close, she heard that the calls, bizarrely enough, didn't seem too aggressive. High pitched and frantic, sure, but it didn't sound inherently threatening. Rodan choosing not to take the opportunity to attack and letting Godzilla drag himself up confused her more. What was that oversized bird trying to achieve? Get himself killed?

It certainly seemed to be the case as Godzilla rose to his full height and roared with fury. His rival seemed to take the hint, with Rodan charging forward. Shaken out of her stupor from seeing those massive talons dig into the sand, Azula sprinted away just as Godzilla lashed out with one of his arms. Rodan stopped midway, the claws of the dragon meeting nothing but air. That massive beak of the One Born of Fire stabbed forward, aiming right for Godzilla's wound.

What Rodan got was the other powerful arm smashing into his head, batting him away. Before Godzilla could lunge forward to crunch his teeth into that injured arm though, the pterosaur launched himself backward using the momentum of the strike. His great wings let forth huge gusts of wind with each wingbeat. They were so powerful, it was enough to hold back even the mighty God of Destruction.

As such, Azula didn't have much chance out in the open. She felt herself being blown away by the gale, her arms and legs flailing helplessly in the tempest. The Princess panicked, almost envisioning her limbs being held by watery tendrils, or being frozen. Didn't help the ocean lay right behind her.

All of a sudden, she felt herself crash into the sand, the gusts suddenly cut off. Looking up, she saw Godzilla marching against the wind. His left leg must've stomped in front of her, inadvertently providing a shield. Against all reason, Azula got up to her feet and followed with the massive leg.

Peering through her fingers, she saw the jungle right ahead. If she could only just reach it…

Her hopes got dashed when Rodan suddenly dove right at Godzilla. This time though, the dragon was ready. He grabbed his counterpart in mid-air, crunching down on Rodan's throat. With one swift motion, Godzilla whipped around and threw the pterosaur out to the sea.

He also dragged his massive tail along, with Azula right in its path. Despite her muscles' protests, the Princess sprinted up the beach and headed for the cover of the trees. She reached the treeline just in time for Godzilla's tail to breach the jungle. Azula got lucky that a thrown-up log sent her sprawling to the ground instead of being crushed.

Groggily pulling herself up against a tree, Azula was about to limp further into the forest before the sound of a barrage caught her attention. Looking back out into the bay, she saw several Fiery Raptor ships unload their payload against the mountain. Godzilla roared with anger, his ire being drawn towards the soldiers who'd dared to raise their fire against him.

The barrage also gave Rodan cover, allowing him to right his flight path over the bay. He made another charge at Godzilla, this time his claws digging into the sea monster's scaly hide. The larger kaiju stood his ground, the thick scales preventing the talons from sinking in too deep. Snarling with nothing less but contempt, Godzilla grabbed Rodan's foot and hurled him to the ground. Interestingly, Azula noticed that he turned his body to the right during his toss, preventing the ships from getting a shot at his wound.

Then she realized that she was in the middle of a literal war zone. Azula grit her teeth and tried to power her way through the ruined jungle by sheer force alone. It got her a few steps before she collapsed into the foliage. The pain from getting hit by that log was too much. All she could manage was crawl behind the broken stump of a tree and watch the warring giants not too far away.

Rodan was sprawled on the ground, watching as Godzilla stomped towards him. He took a deep breath, rising just as his opponent lifted a massive foot to crush his skull. At the very last moment, the pterosaur breathed out a massive funnel of wind right in Godzilla's face. The winds rivaled that of a tornado, something that even the mighty dragon found himself blinded by.

It was exactly the opening the pterosaur was looking for. Spreading his wings, Rodan took to the air, slamming his spiked chest into Godzilla's head on the way up.

Azula's eyes went wide as dinner plates upon seeing Godzilla stumbling back towards her. Thankfully for her, the kaiju stopped himself before he got too close, but she started to sweat a bit. So much for running to safety. Her exhaustion and injury would've made it difficult for her to make a clean getaway without getting stepped on or blown to pieces by the high winds.

While looking for some way out of this, she noticed the wound on Godzilla's neck. Or rather, the glow that was coming from it. At first, it almost seemed to be the same glow that came from that waterbender's bending when she healed her brother. Yet she also sensed a fire behind the glow. She wondered if Godzilla was trying to breathe fire once more, but his dorsal spines remained dull.

At the same time, the healing around the wound was being accelerated. Was…was Godzilla using his fire to speed up the healing? How was that even possible?

She made a mental note to think about this once she wasn't in immediate danger. Azula looked at the two combatants, trying to figure out which presented the most imminent threat. Godzilla seemed to be staggering from the sudden counterattack. Rodan on the other hand was soaring to the far side of the beach. He had his wings spread out and took aim at Godzilla's now-exposed wound. Racing right above the treeline, Rodan kicked up a hurricane of sand, dirt, and trees as he passed over.

Azula decided that the incoming hurricane was the most immediate threat. More distressingly, she couldn't outrun winds those fast even without already being hobbled. The Princess gathered her wits and sprinted as fast as her hurt legs could carry her. It throbbed with each step, but at least nothing was broken. Thank Agni she had her armor back.

Unfortunately for her, the only cover in sight was Godzilla. Grimacing, Azula hobbled over by the staggering titan, praying that he wouldn't step right on top of her. At least she had a chance of surviving in cover rather than out in the open against a huge windstorm.

Said windstorm howled louder as it closed in, Rodan letting out a ferocious warcry to add to the din.

Godzilla just snorted at the crescendo. At the very last moment, the dragon snapped his body around and brought his massive tail swinging right at Rodan. Azula realized that he had deliberately exposed his wound to bring the faster kaiju in. No doubt he played up his staggered state to make the opening even more tempting.

The trap was sprung so suddenly, that the Princess was practically waiting for that titanic tail to come crashing down and break Rodan's back. Instead, the pterosaur flapped his wings and pulled up high at the last possible moment, letting the tail clobber nothing but empty air. Before Godzilla could react, the heavy winds slammed into his body, causing him to stagger. Azula had to dive to the sand away from the kaiju before one of his heavy feet came crashing down where she once took shelter.

A thunderous shaking of the earth kept her down. For the tail had come crashing down and sent shockwaves throughout the beach. Clouds of sand washed over her prone form, both her body and mind reeling from Rodan's gambit.

She was not the only one staggering. Buffeted by the high winds, Godzilla was now truly stunned. What's worse for him, his wound was exposed to the other side. Right in view of Rodan who was making a banking turn out at sea and turning back right towards the dragon. Once more, he glided along the beach, kicking up another hurricane of sand and wind.

Azula was just able to propel herself into the cover using her firebending behind the beleaguered kaiju before the winds howled past. This time, however, the great tail lay motionless. All Godzilla was able to do was thrust out his arm and bat away Rodan's sharp beak. Even then though, the Phoenix tasted flesh, bringing out a spurt of blood from the wound as he flew past.

Buffeted from both sides by high winds and his wound opened back up, Godzilla had trouble keeping his balance. He teetered dangerously, his shaky legs having problems keeping that massive bulk up. Azula saw what was coming and sprinted into the jungle as hard as she could. She wasn't able to make it to the treeline before exhaustion took over, bringing her crashing to the sand.

Just as Godzilla plummeted to the earth himself, collapsing on the ruined sand. Azula struggled to stay conscious amidst the turmoil, for the force of the impact was that great. The only thing that kept her somewhat awake was her mother's voice, screaming for her daughter's safety.

By the time Azula shook herself awake and clambered to her unsteady feet, the beach had turned into a warzone. Trees were strewn all over the place with their roots exposed to the air. Sand had been disheveled, with sea water pooling in to fill empty holes.

And Godzilla, God of Destruction, had fallen. Motionless.

Azula struggled to regain her breath, keeping herself on her two feet through sheer willpower. Looking around at the devastation, she realized how lucky she was to be alive. Nothing that Father had ever taught prepared her for such carnage. At least there were no strewn corpses this time. She couldn't even see Ryuui's body, which must've been crushed into oblivion amidst the fighting. It was a small comfort, knowing that more people had been able to survive.

Not that it brought her relief. Rodan descended from above, kicking up sand and blowing the unsteady Princess over from his descent. Cautiously walking over, the pterosaur observed the motionless kaiju. Only the steady rhythm of Godzilla's chest rising and falling was the only sign of life.

Still, Rodan placed a foot on Godzilla's neck, his claws pinning it down. He made a series of chirps and calls to the fallen titan, which suited Azula just fine. She scrambled for safety, not counting on the brief lull in combat to last. Once Rodan saw her, she doubted she'd be able to pull another stunt to save her a couple more precious seconds.

Turns out, she wouldn't need to.

For Godzilla's eyes snapped open, his dorsal spines coming to life with blue light.

Before Rodan could pull back from the ominous glow, Godzilla's tail shot from the sand and slammed him in the back. This forced the pterosaur to lunge forward, right as Godzilla swung his head around and opened his maw.

A torrent of azure flame was unleashed, washing over and consuming the Phoenix. Rodan was forced back from the sheer force, allowing Godzilla to rise up and tower over the beach. Beneath the torrents of sand that were cascading down the kaiju's hide, the wound that before had prevented him from unleashing his fiery breath had fully healed.

The sight of all his efforts having gone in vain caused Rodan to backpedal, but not enough for him to back down. He shrieked in defiance at the charging sea monster. While his hide was scorched, it didn't suffer any serious burns. A testament to the One Born of Fire's affinity with the flame.

Godzilla didn't care though. He unleashed another fiery breath, wanting nothing more to reduce Rodan to cinders. The pterosaur simply spread out his wings and took to the air, dodging the flames and charging right towards the other kaiju. Yet Godzilla had become well aware of this now desperate maneuver. He reached out with his arms and clutched the talons of Rodan with his claws, before spinning around and slamming them into the jungle.

Rodan landed hard on his back, yet he didn't cry out. He simply took a deep breath as he crawled away, hoping to get away from the raging mad monster. Godzilla though just whipped around and slammed his tail right into the spiked chest, forcing the built-up air right out of Rodan's beak.

With blood dripping down his beak, the Phoenix crawled onto his belly and tried to take to the air. Panic had set in, with the battle spiraling out of his control. Great swathes of jungle had been flattened by their war, leaving Aso Village visible amongst the ruined vegetation.

Hunkering down by a fallen log, the cowering Princess Azula cursed her luck seeing the village. So close, and yet so far. Granted, nowhere was safe at this point, but she'd rather hunker down in one of the shelters than be in the middle of all this chaos. At least she would've have a sliver of a chance.

Now she just watched as Rodan took to the air, only for Godzilla to lunge forward to crunch down on his foot. The firebird cried out in shock as he was dragged to the earth, then cried out again in pain when Godzilla stomped on his back. Reaching down, the dragon mercilessly pulled on one of Rodan's wings before a very audible SNAP! was heard.

The wing of the once mighty Rodan fell limply at his side, dislocated and useless. Godzilla's rage was not sated by just crippling his rival. He reached down and yanked Rodan up with his arms, curling his claws around the throat of the thrashing pterosaur. Even with the odds against him, the One Born of Fire refused to give up, trying to skewer one of Godzilla's eyes out.

A crescendo of firebombs would come to his aid. From the bay, the ships fired their payload into the air with a thunderous boom. Godzilla just turned around and held Rodan in front of him almost like a shield. All that firepower was able to accomplish was bombarding the one they were supposed to help.

Amidst the chaos, Godzilla and Rodan locked eyes once last time. Down below, Azula saw what she could've only described as a pleading look in the Phoenix's eyes.

Godzilla had no mercy though. His dorsal spines burning blue, he crunched down on Rodan's throat. Flames erupted from his mouth, threatening to scorch right through even the hardened skin. Rodan struggled, raking deep, bloody scratches in Godzilla's hide, and tried to pierce one of those hateful eyes.

There was little he could do though. All he could do was choke out the last few breaths before the air in his throat was consumed by fire.

Azula couldn't watch. The carnage and screams were horrible. She tried to cover her ears to block out the choking and the burning. It was all too familiar…

And suddenly…it was over.

Nervously, Azula drew her gaze upward, expecting to see the charred corpse of Rodan plummeting to the ground.

She did see the bird fall to the sand, with a nasty burn on his throat. Yet to her surprise, Rodan weakly crawled away. Beyond all reason, he was still alive. Wounded and visibly shaken, but still alive.

The Princess couldn't understand it. When she looked towards Godzilla, all she saw was the fire on his dorsal spines dying out. His eyes were wide, and his claws shook. He took a few steps backward, his breath coming out rapidly.

Slowly, Rodan crawled up to his feet, gazing at the other kaiju. Both didn't make a move. They just watched one another. Once it was clear that Godzilla wouldn't go back on the attack, the Phoenix's muscles relaxed a little. Reaching over to his dislocated wing, Rodan cried out in pain as he snapped it back into position.

Still, Godzilla did not move. Azula looked between the two, wondering what was happening. Since when did this remorseless monster spare somebody? The Avatar was one thing, but even he talked Godzilla out of his rage. She figured he would've torn another monster to pieces.

Instead, when he had Rodan at his mercy…she didn't understand what was going on.

A revelation alighted in her mind. Turning around, she hurriedly fired the signal for STOP! to the ships offshore. She didn't know what was going on, but neither did she want the sailors to potentially restart this conflict all over again if it could be avoided.

Looking out to sea, she saw the ships' catapults begin to go into an idle stance. The firebenders stood down, for her message came in loud and clear. Azula let herself breathe in relief, fatigue finally beginning to settle in.

Before it rose in panic she turned around to see Rodan and Godzilla staring at her. Some primal instinct buried deep down flared up once again seeing two gigantic creatures giving her their full attention. Rodan was the first to move towards her, but Godzilla gave a short snort, causing the bird to halt. Turning around, he let out a series of clicks and calls to the other kaiju.

Azula felt her blood run cold when Godzilla turned towards her with an intense look. At first, she thought she was dead. And yet…something about that gaze didn't seem to be directed at her.

Indeed, she felt another presence at the back of her mind glare back. It made her head pound, feeling as though she was found in the middle of some much greater conflict. The pressure was enough to make her hold her head.

She would've chalked it up to her madness if she didn't know that Rodan was able to hear the voices as well.

Godzilla growled menacingly at her, or rather at the presence looking through her. And suddenly, the pressure receded. The pain in Azula's head vanished, leaving her alone with the two kaiju. Both the monsters turned towards each other and gave a look that screamed they had some idea of what that presence was.

At once, Rodan nodded before spreading his wings. The Phoenix took to the air, leaving a gust of air in his wake. Azula rose her arm to keep the sand from getting into her eyes, watching as the kaiju rose into the sky and flew away into the eastern skies.

With the sun alighting his red hide, Rodan called out once last time before soaring into the clouds and out of sight.

Leaving Godzilla and Azula on the beach. The sea monster leaned down towards her, his breath nearly causing her to barrel over. Instinct kicked in, with Azula falling into a firebending stance. With her exhaustion and pain, a fight like this could go only one way.

Yet Godzilla just stared at her. "Come on. What are you waiting for?" Azula hissed, waiting for the dragon to reach out and try to crush her.

Instead…nothing. Godzilla just nodded and rose back up. He took a thunderous step past her, all thoughts and notions of the Princess fading with his lack of interest. All at once, Azula toppled over. Exhaustion, pain, and shock finally took their toll.

The last thing she saw before going under was Godzilla wading back out to sea, knowing that somehow, she'd have to chase after him. What other choice did she have?

Notes:

A/N: Hehe. Sorry for the hiatus. Life's a pain sometimes you know? Also in other unrelated news, started the Live Action series and dropped it. Wasn't worth the trouble.

Thanks again to Selpharia for proofreading.

So we come to the climax of the second arc and roughly the midpoint of our fic. Again, Rodan is one of the most popular monsters in the series, so I hope I did him justice here.

I sort of based his strength off both the Monsterverse AND the Showa era where he could go toe to toe with Godzilla himself. Even managed to tank his atomic breath in Ghidorah the Three-Headed Monster.

Now his funnel breath, that was actually taken from his original debut film. Rodan actually breathed a funnel of wind that blew away several tanks and leveled a number of blocks. It never showed up again, though a fiery variant was brought back for Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla II. Naturally, I wanted to bring it back here as one more nod to that film which you should totally watch by this point if my writing is any hint.

Speaking of Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla II, I based Godzilla's strangling of Rodan off of their fight from that film where he did basically the same thing Homer Simpson-style. For Godzilla, I wanted to showcase his intelligence a bit. His baiting of Rodan with his wound came directly from Godzilla 2014 where he did the same thing with the male MUTO. And his playing possum multiple times comes from the Kiryu duology where he blindsided Kiyru a few times by feigning being knocked out. The plot point of a neck wound also came from GMK where him breathing fire through a wound in his neck caused his death. Naturally, he doesn't do so here.

Finally, I sort of leaned into the early Showa films with Rodan's and Godzilla's intelligence and being able to communicate with one another. In Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster, it was revealed that the two were more sentient by having a conversation with Mothra, both of them having their own motives for hating humans. Which is something that's a recurring thing in the films overall with the monsters being more intelligent than they appear, even back to the first film given that Godzilla goes out of his way to wreak havoc on Tokyo as opposed to some mindless animal. Even Godzilla sparing Rodan was a reference to them becoming allies multiple times throughout the series, and the scene in Godzilla: Final Wars where he spares Rodan, Anguirus, and King Caesar.

With that out of the way, here comes Azula's role in the chapter. Poor thing's basically caught in the middle of two warring kaiju. That being said, her plan comes to fruition, effectively wrestling control from Ryuui and preventing any needless deaths. I wouldn't call it entirely altruistic as we'll see in the next chapter, but it's certainly a lot better than sending them all to their deaths. Plus the disease of character development is kicking in.

And we get more development of what her firebending is capable of with Godzilla's usage of healing. His regenerative abilities in the films were tied with his radioactivity along with his atomic breath, so I wanted to tie those in with each other. It's also to give Azula some ideas in regard to her own firebending…

Anyways, thank you all for being so patient. Next chapter, we deal with the aftermath of the battle. Feel free to leave a comment and share your thoughts. Leave a like and follow if you want to see more. And as always, I'll see you all next time. Apologies again for the delay, and have a great day!

Chapter 15: Healing Old Wounds

Summary:

In the aftermath of the battle between Godzilla and Rodan, Azula takes charge and begins to explore what her blue fire can truly do. Meanwhile, Zuko and Aang make some unsettling discoveries about the asylum the Princess was admitted to, shaking their faith in their allies.

Notes:

Avatar: The Last Airbender and all associated characters are owned by Paramount Global. Godzilla and all associated characters are owned by Toho Studios. Please support the official release.

Aso Village,

Aso Island

It was a short ride back to the village, but for Azula, it felt like a lifetime. Her whole body ached from what had to have been a whole day of fighting for her life. Realistically, it would've only lasted maybe a few hours. Yet her vision going in and out made her worry that her broken body would collapse before her mind.

Truth be told, it was the steady undulation of Flame Runner's stride that kept her awake. Against all odds, the Mongoose Dragon had managed to weather through the carnage, taking shelter in the jungle. Or at least the parts that weren't trampled or burned down. Once the fighting was over, the Princess had found herself staring into the concerned slitted eyes of her mount.

A sheer force of will dragged her up from the sand and onto the reptile's back, making a slow journey to safety and through the ruined foliage. Trees were either trampled, blown over, or scorched. The sheer scale of the carnage never sunk into Azula. Inwardly, she wondered if her numbness towards the devastation was something to be concerned about.

Right now though, her only focus was the village ahead. In contrast to the devastation of the jungle she emerged from, the farmlands and buildings survived intact. Maybe a few trampled crops and some discarded farm tools from what had to have been the panic to get away from the incoming conflict, but those were the only signs of chaos.

The same story was told in the village. Stores were shuttered and houses were locked. Not a single soul was in sight, with the only sign of life being flocks of birds circling above. No doubt they were driven from their nests by the raging titans.

Lowering her focus, Azula road past the empty houses, taking a moment to look at some of the posters that clung to the buildings. Looking at the pristine image of her standing triumphant over Ba Sing Se, she couldn't help but wonder how messed up she was. A trickle of blood went down her lip, and she swore she felt a few bruises dot her face. And that wasn't counting her aching back.

She was alive at least, which seemed nothing less than a miracle. Numbly, she rode Flame Runner out of the village and towards a few wooden huts, trenches, and barricades. There, the people of Aso Village emerged from their hiding spaces, gazing at the sight of their Princess returning to them at long last. Already, soldiers were lining up and giving respectful bows as she rode past.

Once she reached the peasantry, Azula shakily dismounted Flame Runner and mustered the will to try and look dignified as she limped forward. It wasn't the most convincing show of strength, but she shot a nasty glare at a grunt who offered an arm. Quite frankly, she wasn't in the mood right now.

Especially with the head of the Saowon striding toward her. "What happened? How'd you let that monster get away?! Where's the Admiral?!"

"Dead," Azula snapped, shutting Jozain up. "And so would everyone else if I hadn't gotten the ships to stand down."

"You…I knew trusting you was a fool's errand! Guards! Arrest her!"

A silence rippled throughout the inhabitants of Aso Village. The men and women of the Fiery Raptors looked at each other in confusion, clearly not knowing whether obeying some propped-up noble was a good idea.

So Azula decided to answer for them. She stood up tall, looking each and every one of the soldiers in the eye. "Arrest me, and you'll just be another slave. Jozain and Ryuui would've sacrificed you all for glory. Just as my brother did. Forgive me for stating the obvious, but isn't our 'benefactor' sounding a bit too much like that traitor who sits on the throne?"

Murmurs went through both the soldiers and the villagers. Emboldened, Azula began striding amongst the ranks of the soldiers. "You all would've been handed over to the Earth Kingdom if Zuko had his say. He would've allowed people like Jozain to walk free if it meant keeping the 'peace'. Why else is the Dragon of the West not behind bars or on trial? As far as the nobles or your so-called commanders are concerned, you're just meat to keep the monsters off their doorsteps.

"After all, what's stopping Lord Jozain from turning all of you in to curry favor with the Avatar's puppet?" she crisply asked, staring Jozain down. The Clan head glared back, though his previous bluster had simmered down a little.

Looking from side to side, she saw several soldiers steadily begin to take her side. Nodding to herself, she went on the attack. "Sons and daughters of the true Fire Lord. Once, I used to be in line for the throne. Now though, I was thrown out of my own family in a blatant power grab. As fate would have it, we're all in the same boat. We're strangers to our own land, unable to go home and against countless enemies. Zuko. The White Lotus. The Avatar. Godzilla, and who knows what else is out there. In times like this, we need to be united more than ever. For if no one will stand by us, what chance would we have against the whole world?

"That means we have no place for the like of sycophants and spineless worms." She snapped her fingers, and at once, two firebenders marched forward and grabbed Lord Jozain by his arms.

"You're making a big mistake, Princess," the head of Clan Saowon hissed.

Azula shrugged. "And you're just the head of a dishonored clan. Figures you never learned from your family history. Failures never learn."

She jerked her head, signaling the soldiers to get this trash out of her sight. Lord Jozain protested and made how many threats, but his guards did nothing. They just shoved him along, heading to the village. Nodding that this particular business was dealt with, Azula turned to the rest of the Fiery Raptors. All at once, they began kneeling to her, showing her the respect she so long craved.

Nodding to herself that her plan had come to its climax, she motioned over Kazuma, who was standing nearby. "I want you to send word to any rogue army groups we have contact with," she ordered. "Tell them that the one true Fire Lord has returned. And tell them all that there is to be no engagements against Zuko, enemy forces, the Avatar, Godzilla or any other kaiju without my consent. Also, inform their leaders that I'll be keeping an eye on them. If I hear even one word about any half-brained schemes for glory, remind them of what happened today when somebody tries to be wise."

Kazuma bowed before rushing off to his duties. Satisfied, Azula looked towards both the Fiery Raptors and the villagers of Aso. "People of the Fire Nation. I've faced down impossible odds before. I conquered the unconquerable. I delivered us out of our darkest hour. And I will do so again and restore glory to our besieged people!"

All at once, the peasants and soldiers began to cheer her name, declaring her as the true successor to the throne. Azula felt a smile come on her lips. Finally, something was going her way. Her brother would've called it luck. She called it being what her people needed.

What she needed though…she needed some time to herself.

Azula strode into town at the head of the people. After watching them all opening their shops and unlocking their doors, she tiredly turned towards the village temple.

That was until she got hugged by a pair of arms. Before she could reprimand Ty Lee for not realizing what personal space was, she heard the much less fake voice of Maina in her ears. "Please don't do anything stupid like that again!" the priestess asked.

Her concern caused Azula to blink a few times in confusion, before awkwardly pushing the native girl off. "I was able to take care of myself just fine, but thank you."

"Right. And the fact you're literally about to collapse quantifies as 'being able to take care of yourself?'" Kori snarked, folding her arms as she looked skeptically at the Princess's admittedly battered form.

Azula shrugged. "It's nothing some sleep and a good meditation can't handle. Which I was going to do before I got so rudely interrupted."

She was about to turn and proceed to the temple for said meditation before Maina's soft hand snatched her wrist. "Azula, wait. Are you sure this is a good idea? Throwing our lot in with rogue soldiers? The Fire Lord's not going to take this lying down."

"Zuzu is coming after us anyways," Azula retorted, too tired to really put any bite into it. "Once he finds out where I am, he's going to come after me. And I don't know if you've noticed, but he has the Avatar on his side. Right now, we need as many allies as we can get, and I can't afford to be too picky. Wouldn't be the first time he went on some wild goose chase after all."

"...you've got a point there," Kori admitted, much to Maina's frustration.

"Alright, fair. But we can't exactly make a stand here. I don't want to get the civilians caught in the crossfire."

"We won't, Maina. As for where…that part I haven't thought out yet." The Princess admitted that her game plan didn't extend too far outside of the immediate aftermath of the battle between Rodan and Godzilla. On the other hand, it probably was the best idea when one was on the run, allying with untrustworthy characters, and being on a collision course with two kaiju.

All the more reason to clear her head and think of a good course of action. Something the priestess silently admitted as she let go of Azula's hand. Seeing that two members of their trio had their plans solidified, Kori declared, "Well, I'm going to go see if I can't find anybody that can come to Yu Dao and help with the protests. There's got to be a few people out here who don't think fondly of our Fire Lord."

"Try asking some of the Fiery Raptors. They'd probably be willing to lend a hand. I'll give them leave if they want to go," Azula commented.

"Uh…sure. I'll keep that in mind," Kori commented. She studied the Princess for a moment before turning to go find some people.

"Offering up soldiers to help out with the protests. That's pretty noble of you," Maina remarked.

Azula shrugged. "Nothing noble about it. Yu Dao is where a lot of pressure is being placed on my brother. If we can get those protests to work and humiliate his guard, his image is going to take a few hits."

"Right. And I'm guessing saving a whole village from a kaiju attack was just pure pragmatism. Yes?"

For once, the Princess didn't have an answer. Silently, she turned towards the Temple of the Firebird, unwilling to look Maina in the eye. The other girl followed from a distance, putting her ill at ease. Of course, it was logical to save the village. She needed a good image in order to make her play for the throne after all. And if she could win back the populace, that's what she was going to do.

It's not like she didn't want anybody else to needlessly die on account of her actions. That would be what Zuko would preach. No, she knew what she was doing, and she had to be cold-blooded for that.

Right?

---

Fire Temple,

Yu Dao

Zuko breathed in and out. His fire was there. He felt it respond to the flames in the Temple. But it was weak. Far weaker than he would've liked. The last time it had been this weak was when he joined Aang.

Which didn't make sense to him. He rediscovered the true meaning of firebending, didn't he? Even in this temple dedicated to his element though, he was finding it hard to find any passion. Any connection to that which gives the world life. It was getting him more frustrated the more he meditated on it. What was it? What was causing this blockage?

"Food for thought: maybe you really shouldn't meditate before the guy who started the war."

Mai's voice brought him out of his musings, confirming that yes, he was kneeling before a small statue of his great-grandfather. The sight forced out a small chuckle from his heart. "Yeah, that probably would be a good idea." He brought himself up and gave a small bow to the symbol of his nation on the tapestry, not the man who led them all to destruction. And if he wanted to get connected with the fire that Ran and Shaw gave him, he probably shouldn't have meditated to the great Dragon Slayer himself to begin with.

Still, it was hard to get away from what Sozin used to have been to him. He was that figure that Zuko and all boys wanted to be outside of his father. The man who slew the Avatar and set the Fire Nation on the path of righteousness. Seeing all the depredations they made in the Earth Kingdom and a world without the hope Aang brought forced the then-Prince to realize just what path he was walking on.

Yet looking around the temple, he wondered if he had escaped that fate. Not the part where he'd wage war on the whole world, but the part where he came close to repeating what his ancestor had done. All along the walls were the skulls of sea monsters, bloody trophies taken in the same vein of the old dragon hunts.

And there, hanging on the wall, was a painting of Sozin leading a massive army against one of them. Yet the dragon depicted was a haunting image. The jagged spines. The gargantuan size. The blue fire spilling out of its maw. That was the beast he had tried to kill himself. All he accomplished though was slaughtering his own people. Just like the Fire Lords of old.

He could still hear the screams. They'd haunt him to the end of his days…

"Is that what Azula looked like on the day of the Comet?"

Zuko blinked, seeing that Mai had glid over to his side. It was scary how easily she could sneak up on people. Her eyes though were riveted on the raging Godzilla depicted in the painting. More specifically, the chains wrapped around its body and maw.

It was an image all too familiar to the monarch. "Yeah. That's what she looked like."

Mai was silent. Now Zuko was under no delusions that his girlfriend had forgiven Azula for nearly killing him. When she heard the details of the Agni Kai in the days following the end of the war, however, she didn't say a word. Which was especially bothering. She was the first to voice her frustrations with how Azula treated her and Ty Lee following their reunion in Omashu. No, it was more concerning when she said nothing about his sister's descent into madness.

It's not like he had much choice. He had to take her down. If Azula were Fire Lord, she would've done the same thing her father and every Fire Lord would've done. And the last thing he wanted was for her to turn into another Ozai. The least he could do was send her to a mental institution and give her some space. That's what Uncle said both of them needed.

So why did he still have this feeling of regret whenever he saw that struggling image? He couldn't get it out of his head. Zuko had done everything for her. Right? Wasn't his fault she chose the wrong side and had to pay for what she did.

Or was that the same Uncle who didn't let him in on what truly happened at the Siege of Ba Sing Se talking? After all, he was the one who insisted on her going on trial. And insisted on having her bending taken. Honestly, Zuko still wasn't sure about that. Ozai was one thing, but his sister? Was that really warranted?

That image of Godzilla struggling against the flaming chains though, that's what Iroh warned that Azula could turn into if she had her bending. If the strongest firebender in the world knew what was going to happen in terms of firebending, he had to be right as always. And it's not like he wanted to put her in chains again. Mai made her position on the matter clear though, but Zuko still wasn't sure of what action to take.

It's why he needed a second opinion.

"Hey guys! You wanted to see me?"

That was Mai's only warning before Ty Lee proceeded to glomp her. She struggled to pry the acrobat off, not wanting to get any Kyoshi Warrior makeup on her robes. Zuko chuckled a little bit at the sight, before shutting up from one of his girlfriend's signature glares.

"Ty Lee? I thought you were supposed to be with the Kyoshi Warriors," Mai asked. Sure enough, the perky girl was all decked out in the emerald robes and armor of the ones they had disguised themselves while still serving with Azula. Zuko still couldn't figure out how they let her in, though he had a sneaking suspicion that it was more out of pragmatism thanks to her chi-blocking skills. Didn't Suki say something about having to be better than benders after all?

"Zuko said he needed me here both as a bodyguard and as a liaison with the Warriors." Ty Lee's bright smile was a tip-off that there was more going on. The Fire Lord had been around her long enough to know when she was pulling an act. And if he were to guess, not a lot of the Warriors wanted her around. At least not right away. Couldn't say he blamed them. None of them exactly gave them a first good impression when they first encountered the dedicated servants of a previous Avatar.

Even barring that, he certainly was a bit off put by her cheeriness a lot of the time. It was hard to tell how genuine a good amount of it was. Especially as she bounced over to him. "So, you wanted to talk?" she asked.

Realizing why he was there, he cleared his throat. "Ty Lee, Iroh has been considering to have Azula's bending…removed."

With that, the mask fell. "Wait, he said what now?! Why would he want that?"

"According to Iroh, something about Azula's bending is hurting her. Like how blue fire is something unnatural, and that he doesn't want her to end up like Godzilla," Mai clarified.

"Which is why I asked both of you to come. Now, I know Azula gained her blue fire while I was away for three years. Do either of you know how she managed to get it?"

Both girls looked a bit unsure at the Fire Lord, turning towards each other for a moment. "Well…this was a bit after we started to drift apart, Zuko. I know I left to join the circus, and Mai was called to her parents' estate. Neither of us really knew how she did it. I heard from some noble at the circus that she got it from almost killing an opponent in her rage."

"No way. I know Azula was having some issues in those days, but she'd never get that angry," Mai speculated. Zuko and Ty Lee couldn't help but agree. Despite whatever their issues with Azula were at the moment, that sounded more like what Zuko would do. And he'd be the first person to admit that he'd hurt one of his crew during his years in exile.

"I do remember some letters she wrote to me though," Ty Lee picked up. "Apparently, she was training harder than ever while you were away. Then she stopped writing to me entirely when news came that you found the Avatar."

"She kept in contact with us both, but stopped sending letters to me at the same time she did with Ty Lee. Guess she really intensified her training during then. If I would to bet, that's when she achieved her blue firebending."

Zuko sighed, hearing both Mai and Ty Lee's testimonies. Honestly, he almost expected as much. The only other idea was tracking down the banished Lo and Li. The thing was, Father assigned them as Azula's tutors personally. If they had any ties or loyalty to the old Fire Lord, he didn't want to risk either one of them finding out about the energybending plan. He wasn't sure who to trust these days.

One thing was clear to him though. "Even when I was gone, she was trying to take me down," he mused. Made sense. With him gone, the throne would've been ripe for Azula to inherit. Of course, she wanted to make herself look like the obvious successor. It seemed everything she did was to ruin his life.

No. Nonono. He couldn't think like that. He had to believe there was still good in her. Yet if she based herself so much around taking him down, it's not like that blue fire was doing her any good. Maybe if he made so that she couldn't compete with him anymore…

"Zuko…do you really want Azula's bending removed?"

"Huh?"

Ty Lee seemed a bit nervous. "I know how you wanted Azula to be better, but losing her bending isn't going to help matters. I think it would make her hate you more."

"Hate me more-Ty Lee, she already hates me! It seems like everything she does is to tear me down!"

"Zuko, you know that's not true."

"Of course, it's true, Mai! And even if it isn't, we can't sit here and do nothing while she runs free! It's not healthy for her!"

His frustration caused him to pace back and forth. "I try to give her the benefit of the doubt. I give her space. I admitted her to the best mental hospital in the nation to get her help, I was even going to speak up for her at her trial! And what does she do? Runs off to who knows where while we're in a delicate situation with Kuei and a bunch of giant monsters are running around. She's going to get herself killed at this rate!"

The fire in his heart was doused a little when he didn't hear either of the girls interrupt him. That was his first clue that something was wrong. His second was the rather stricken looks on their faces. Ty Lee's was obvious, but even Mai's eyes widened. And if Mai was bothered by something, then that was bad news.

"What is it? Did I say anything wrong?" Zuko asked with concern.

"...Zuko…where did you send Azula?" Ty Lee answered nervously.

"To the asylum where all the nobles send their family members. Why?" Zuko could almost feel the chill in the temple descending upon them all, the fires of the altar feeling far away.

Mai was the first to speak. "...there's a good reason why nobody wants to talk about that place. Anybody who gets sent there…changes."

"For the better?"

"Not always," the acrobat clarified. "Every noble girl in the Fire Nation knows about that place. It's where they get sent if they…misbehave…"

"Or aren't some quiet decoration. Where do you think my parents threatened to send me if I wasn't the dutiful daughter? I'd rather put up with Azula than be sent there," Mai finished. Zuko went pale seeing the looks on their faces. They were "friends" with Azula. If either of them feared the asylum more than her of all people…

---

Cranef ish Village

"...by the spirits, what did they put her through?"

Appa grunted, asking if Aang was okay. The airbender massaged his partner's snout, trying to steady himself. "Yeah, I'm fine," he lied, reading the message he received from Bumi.

It didn't start out too good. The White Lotus had been hard at work trying to find every scrap of information regarding the kaiju and anything even resembling them. Thing was, trying to separate fact from fiction regarding beings that could reshape the entirety of the world was a difficult process.

What they did know was that legends of gigantic creatures came from all around the world. It seemed that every culture and nation had a menagerie of monsters attached to them. Whether how many of them were pure fantasy and what others were based in reality, that was the tricky question. Realistically, the Ancient Ice Dragon or the Walking Volcano had as much basis in reality as the Air Nomads having an army.

That being said, there was a pattern. Some of the legends were attached to areas that had been avoided heavily by Fire Nation troops during the war. The shores off Odo Island were one of them. Going off of that, they decided to try and cross reference further sites such as these to find more. The amount of areas they found so far wasn't encouraging.

Neither was Bumi's personal investigation concerning Iroh's involvement with Azula. Considering she was the most high-profile prisoner to be put on trial, Aang wanted to see what the Grand Lotus had in mind. It wasn't easy. As Bumi himself put it, "I'm crazy enough to try spying on the secret organization, but a king from the Earth Kingdom asking about a Fire Nation Princess? That's bound to raise a few eyebrows."

Instead, he asked somebody who could ask around the Fire Nation without cause for alarm. For that, Bumi turned to Piandao. Piandao had been one of the few who protested Azula being put on trial to begin with, so the ancient earthbender figured it would be a good idea to let him in on the drill. The swordmaster, being an esteemed member of Fire Nation society, had a lot of friends in high places there.

That's how they learned about the asylum. And what they knew happened to the "patients".

Aang thought he was going to throw up. He had so many questions. Did Iroh know about this? Was there any way they could shut that place down? How had it escaped Zuko's notice? It made his head hurt just thinking about it.

His distress must've been pretty evident since Momo glided down and tenderly licked Aang's cheek. "Thanks, buddy," the Avatar told his lemur, putting away the message for now. He knew he had to tell his friends eventually, but not before he had a moment to process it all. It seemed surreal, and all the more evident that he needed to keep tabs on the White Lotus as a whole if stuff like this was allowed.

"Hey, Aang! What's up?"

Aang hurriedly stuffed the letter away in his robes, trying to compose himself. "Nothing Suki," he said to the approaching Kyoshi Warrior. "Just got a letter from Bumi is all. Kind of was expecting it."

Suki crossed her arms a bit, making Aang a bit nervous. But she didn't exactly give off the impression that she could read minds. "Oh. It's just you kind of ran off in a hurry when you got that letter and the others wanted to make sure you were okay. I mean, Sokka and Katara figured you'd be fine but-"

"No, I get it. It's just, I had Bumi look into a few things and…" Aang trailed off. How could he even begin to explain what he had just read? This was Suki after all. She and Azula didn't exactly have the best history, so who knew what her opinion would be in this matter?

So after a brief pause with Suki patiently waiting for his answer, Aang decided to try something. "Say, Suki. When you were threatening to feed us to the Unagi when we first met, were you…you know. Actually going to do it?"

The Kyoshi Warrior blinked. "Forgive me, but where did that come from?"

"Let's just say, I'm having some issues with how friends of mine are doing things that I don't exactly see eye to eye with. Not any of you, but somebody else that I'm a little concerned about."

He wasn't sure if Suki got the whole meaning, but she did seem to nod for a minute. "You have to understand, we genuinely thought that you were going to lead the Fire Nation to our door. We'd been able to keep out of the war and our people safe by dealing harshly with anyone who presented a threat. And like it or not, you didn't exactly show up the proper way most visitors did and the Fire Nation was known for using locals to spy on us.

"So…yeah. We were planning on feeding you to the Unagi. That's how paranoid we were back then."

"Oh. Well, uh…at least we got that matter all sorted out." Aang let out an awkward laugh to try and play that little incident off, but Suki didn't exactly look too thrilled. Her eyes fell down to the earth, unable to look him in the eye.

"Hey. You did what you thought was right to protect your people. Can't blame you for that," he tried to reassure her.

Suki though just stepped back. "But that's just a reminder of how much things have changed. First, we became friends. Then the war ended. Now a bunch of giant monsters have shown up. All this in a little over a year when for the last century we were wondering when the war was going to show up at our doorstep."

She turned away, gazing across Cranefish Town and the ruined battlefield of the jungle beyond. "I've trained to become a Kyoshi Warrior for the sake of my people. Yet nothing in my training had ever prepared me for this. Now we're being asked to bring peace and fight giants when all we've been trained for is war and fighting soldiers. How do you handle something that nobody thought was possible?"

For once, Aang couldn't argue with her. He walked beside her, looking out at the village. Things had calmed down there below, but they were still getting everyone out of the tunnels and coping with the fact they were in the middle of an impossible battle. Giants. Kaiju. Even the monks thought those were just stories told to help acolytes respect the overwhelming forces of nature.

Yet here they were. "Aang, if it's anything, I think your friends are in the same boat as we are. What the whole world is in right now," Suki continued. "We're doing what we think is right, and finding out that everything we knew was wrong. It's one of the things Kyoshi passed down to us: that we need to live with the mistakes we made, and that we have a duty to right those wrongs. Otherwise, how else can we learn to be better?"

"It's why the Avatar always comes back. Their duty is never done, even after death."

"...okay. That sounded exactly like Kyoshi," Suki teased.

Aang shrugged. "Well, I sort of have a direct link with her. Guess some of her rubbed off on me."

"Fair point."

They turned again to the village below, Aang silently ruminating over what Suki had said. It was a lesson that was all too familiar to him. Roku after all failed to deal with Sozin, and the whole world had to pay for his mistakes. His only hope was that he could catch his before they became a problem for the next Avatar.

Yet, is trusting Iroh and the White Lotus as a whole one of them? The more he rolled it over in his mind, the more he felt disconcerted. Sure, he could trust Iroh the tea brewer, and Iroh the uncle to Zuko. Iroh the Grand Lotus though? Add onto the fact that they apparently had no problems with doing things behind his back, and suddenly he had one more problem to deal with on top of de-escalating from the war and the kaiju.

The last thing he wanted future Avatars to deal with was an organization that acted in their name yet didn't bat an eye about putting a teenager into a nightmare of an asylum…

---

First Temple of the Firebird,

Aso Island

Breathe in, breathe out.

Father always taught her that the breath was the source of all fire. Focus on your breathing and you could unleash a blazing inferno that consumed all that stood in your way. That was the nature of things, and that was why fire was the superior element.

The places where they jabbed the needles into her veins, the bruises from the straitjacket, and the marks where she was hogtied and chained were a reminder of what happens when you don't use your fire properly. Scars that for so long have haunted her mind. Even now, she could feel the dull ache where they bound her. The haziness of the drugs still lingered in her system.

Once, the idea of being hampered by such things was preposterous. Now though, only luck seemed to be the reason she was still breathing. For what would be coming, she'd need to be in top form. Or as close as she could get to her top form anyway.

Which was why she came here. The Sages had cleared out the table and plans, leaving behind the fiery altar in silence. Here, candles and torches blazed with reverence to the Phoenix, unaltered in its glory. Having seen Rodan for herself though, even this mural of the bird rising from the volcano with flames upon its leathery wings was just a pale comparison to the real deal.

All around it were symbols and images coming from the flames, each a familiar iconography to anyone born of the Fire Nation. Their nation's symbol. The various battles the Fire Lords have wrought over the years. Dragons, the ones who taught them the secrets of fire. Here, they were all products of Rodan's brilliance. As if somehow, the Phoenix was blessing them all with his life and vitality.

For Azula, it was a place where she could feel and reach out to the flames surrounding her. More importantly, she was able to focus on the fire in her soul. That blue inferno kept her alive. Against all odds, it was still there. Simmering. Waiting for her to reach out and embrace it.

Breathe in. Breathe out.

And reach out she did. She envisioned her hands tenderly caressing the flames, letting them travel up her arms. As she did, she felt the fire flow through her veins, clearing her mind. Without fear, she allowed the azure cinders to graze her bruises, and the marks from the syringes. Anyone else would've been afraid to let such a destructive element come into contact with her wounds.

That was before she saw that same fire heal the torn flesh of Godzilla. It still amazed her. And it amazed her still when she felt the ache and pain from those scars the asylum marked her begin to fade. The fire seemed to breathe new life into her body, reversing and undoing the damage that was done to her. For once, she allowed herself to relax and let her flame do its work.

Breathe in. Breathe out. As she did, she let blue embers leave her mouth and dance upon the air.

How sentimental. The broken girl thinks she can pull herself together, only so she can be broken all over again.

Azula grimaced, her head pounding. It was that voice from the volcano. Not her mother, not her father (she hadn't heard him for a while). This was that trio of voices, speaking as one.

The one Rodan was able to hear as well.

Her eyes opened and wandered to a snarling dragon on the wall. For some reason, that mocking tone that carried Ty Lee's voice seemed clearer when she focused in on there. "I don't know who you think you are, but I was able to beat the odds before. That's what I've been doing ever since I escaped that ship."

Was it your skill or luck alone? You're not even a shadow of your former self, and all luck is bound to run out. As you should've learned a long time ago, the voice mocked. That snarl on the dragon's snout almost looked like a deranged smile.

"I didn't conquer Ba Sing Se purely on luck," Azula snapped back, getting up and turning away from the altar. "And I'm getting tired of people insinuating that I got this far just on luck. 'Born lucky'? That's only an excuse losers use."

Yet you don't exactly have a plan for when you face your brother. And even if you regain your former strength, you don't stand a chance against the Avatar's cronies. So I'm going to ask again,  what has saved you outside of luck so far?

Her head pounded, causing her to gasp in pain. The voice seemed to come from an engraved dragon coiling around one of the pillars in the room. Azula glared at the reptilian eyes, feeling the presence coming from there. "I'm making do with what I have. Not the best, but this is the only way I see getting out of this alive."

Ah, yes. And I'm assuming your newfound concern for innocent lives has nothing to do with it.

Azula glowered. "If I allowed those ships to fire, we all would've been slaughtered. I think you're mistaking self-preservation for altruism."

She heard a snarl from the dragon's frozen maw, tinged with Mai's disapproval. Keep telling yourself that, but we both know the truth. You didn't want anybody to needlessly die on your hands. You could've done your duty and died there on the beach like your father would've wanted, but you didn't. You could've attempted an attack on Godzilla, aiding Rodan and maybe, just MAYBE you could've done what your brother failed to do. You had so many options, but you chose the one where almost nobody dies.

And we both know what happens when you go soft. How long before these Fiery Raptors betray you? How long before this whole island deems you a pariah?

The Princess went silent, turning away from the engraving. They…had a point. She couldn't rely on the Fiery Raptors forever after all. That would mean going soft. And every time she went soft, things went worse and worse for her. For what's coming, she couldn't afford that.

Neither could she have this voice in her head either. "Shut up. I know what I'm doing. And if you think you can confuse me-"

A pang of sharp pain reverberated through Azula's mind, causing her to cry out and fall to her knees. Her breath was taken from her, and her eyes unfocused. Out of nowhere, they saw a massive fireball descending from the heavens for all the world to see.

That is what happens when you think you know better than I, the voice said. Azula's focus was drawn to a painting of a dragon along the wall, Zuko's authority keeping her bowed. This mind is just as much mine as it is yours. I suggest you get used to it, and take whatever wisdom I deem is fitting for a failure such as yourself.

"I…understand." Azula's voice shook, much to her surprise. That didn't happen lest she had displeased Father in some way. Yet it felt so natural before this voice. But to show such respect to another was inconceivable.

That very thought brought a sharper pain, forcing her to bow her head on the floor. She stifled a cry, feeling that if she didn't show proper respect, the voice would've had much more intended.

"Azula? Azula! Are you okay?!"

"I'm…fine…" Azula lied. She should've known Maina would've followed her in here. It was so like the native to just flat out disobey orders like that. So much like-

"You are not okay! Look at yourself!" Maina exclaimed, grabbing Azula's shoulders and looking the Princess straight in the eye. The gesture of concern put her on edge, wondering if it was yet another trap. As if there was some kind of knife hidden within those robes of her.

Then she realized that this was the priestess she was thinking poorly of. Azula sighed in defeat. "I…I hear voices. Okay? Is that what you want to know?"

"Voices? …how long?"

Azula blinked. "Since before my coronation. Why?"

"Who have you been hearing?"

"Why do you care?"

"Because I didn't travel across an ocean just to see my friend either die or drive herself insane."

"Friend". The word seemed so foreign, yet it sounded so natural coming from Maina's lips. Being labeled a friend was another thing. Azula felt a pang of guilt, having roped both her and Kori on this wild goose chase. She tried to cut them off before, but now it looks like they're going to follow her to the ends of the earth.

If that's the case then…"I hear and see my mother sometimes. Father too. And sometimes, I just hear the voices of everyone I've ever met and hurt. Is that what you want to know?"

She wanted so badly for Maina to just stand up and run away. To cut their thread early. Azula knew there was no way a girl like her would ever put up with somebody so broken. Preemptively, she hugged herself and broke eye contact. "Well now you know. So just save yourself the trouble and leave."

What she got instead was a tight hug. For a moment, Azula was frozen like a statue, feeling Maina wrap her arms around her armored shoulders. She wasn't sure what to say. Hesitantly, she lightly returned the hug.

The priestess didn't pull back. She just said, "It's okay. I'm not going anywhere."

Azula felt a few tears leak out of her eyes, impulsively tightening her embrace. And there they sat with one another alone in the temple. The weight those voices had pressed down on her dissipated.

Instead, deep down, she felt something ignite in her soul.

They found Kori outside the village practicing her archery. Practice arrows stuck out of the trunk of a tree, with pieces of bark lying at its base. Kori was in the process of removing the arrows when Azula and Maina came over the rise.

The noble girl turned, probably to say something snippy before seeing the worn-out look on Azula's face. "Everything okay up there in the temple?" she asked.

"...no," Azula admitted, rubbing her arm. Eager to change the subject, the Princess asked, "You find the people you were looking for?"

"As a matter of fact, yes." Kori crouched as she restrung her bow, making sure everything was in working order. "Found a couple of ex-soldiers willing to lend a hand, and there were a few Raptors who wanted to take a whack at the Fire Lord." Satisfied, Kori raised her bow and took aim at the tree. "Here's my question: where are we off to next?"

"...that's it?"

"What's what?" Kori asked.

"No more 'how could you leave both of us behind' or 'you weren't just going to throw your life away'?"

Kori let forth her string, firing the arrow and watched it drive deep into the bark. "I mean, yeah. I think both of us are still a bit angry at that, but time and place for everything. You know? What's done is done. Now if you were stupid enough to try this stunt again-"

"Duly noted."

"Then we've got nothing to discuss." Kori lowered her bow before giving the other two girls her full attention. "So, where are we going next?"

"Depends," Azula said, pacing back and forth. "Zuko's coming after us, so we need to deal with him. We also need to find out more about these kaiju. First it was Godzilla. Then…what was that one in the Earth Kingdom?"

"Anguirus."

"Anguirus. Thanks, Maina. Then Rodan, and this Mothra you keep telling me about. That's four, and if I were to bet, there's a lot more out there. Now, I'm planning on writing a letter to Zuko, offering Lord Jozain up for arrest in exchange for some space."

"Isn't that pretty risky?" Kori pointed out.

"Yes, but he's coming after us either way. If we can control where we meet and throw in a bargaining chip, we could avoid a fight altogether. I'd rather not fight Zuzu if I can avoid it."

"Why not Infant Island?" Maina asked.

Both Azula and Kori turned to the priestess. "Maina, I really don't want to bring your people into-"

"No, listen to me Azula. Infant Island has a strict law that forbids all conflict. Within reason, obviously, but if we meet Zuko there, he'd be honor-bound to uphold it. And he is supposed to restore honor to the Fire Nation. Right?" she pointed out.

"We're talking about the same guy who took advantage of me at my lowest just to get an edge."

Maina shrugged. "Either way, my people aren't defenseless either. Trust me. And you'll be able to learn more about Godzilla and the rest of the kaiju. We'd be killing two birds with a single stone."

Azula folded her arms, pondering her options. She knew better that Maina was doing this out of pure pragmatism. But the more she thought about it, the more she found herself won over by the reasoning. They did need a way to make sure that Zuko didn't try to pull a fast one on them.

There was just one thing. "Maina. Just…promise me that you won't take me to my mother. I don't think I'm ready for that yet."

Maina nodded in understanding. Kori didn't say anything, but she placed a hand on Azula's shoulder, showing that she wasn't alone in this. That gesture brought a smile to the Princess's lips. She still felt uneasy to be among people like this, but at least it was better than being alone.

"It's settled then. We're heading to Infant Island. You two get ready. I've got a letter to write," Azula declared, marching off to set about her duties. Her two companions also wandered off to get their things together for the coming journey.

Well, you got your wish, Azula silently told Maina. Still, if it were a choice between seeing her mother again and trying to talk to her brother who hates her, she'd go with something she'd have some more familiarity.

She just hoped that Zuko would see reason. And barring that, if Infant Island was prepared if worse came to worse.

---

Infant Island

Amidst a moss-covered cavern, where sunlight filtered in from an opening above, a great egg rested.

The blue and yellow stripes zigzagged across its shell gently painted with soft white specks here and there. All around it, soft bedding kept it secure and safe from the elements.

For many years, she had laid dormant in its solitude. The being inside was not ignorant of the conflict that roared on all around it, but it could do little in her weakened state. All she could do was wait for the time to come.

Through her servants, she had seen the world. The carnage the Fire Nation had wrought. Now it seemed that the conflict would be coming onto her shores. For there was no telling what her honored guest would do.

Time was against them though. For the One Born of Fire had awakened, and was sent off to awaken the Lord of the Earth. These were the signs she was waiting for, that more would awaken. And in these dangerous times, a single disaster could spread to consume the world.

The Avatar was ready. Yet he needed help. The Princess who had inherited the primordial flame could aid him if she were given proper guidance. For all needed to be ready for what was to come

These thoughts stirred the being from her slumber. The egg gently rocked for the first time in ages.

Her return was soon at hand.

Notes:

A/N: I’m not dead!

Yeah, sorry for the delay. I was in Michigan and kind of got burned out a little. At least I think I did. Hopefully, this chapter makes up for it a little.

I have to admit, trying to balance Azula out here in terms of altruism and her old pragmatic self was a bit of a challenge. Nor did I want to make it seem like she was entirely in the right here. While it is understandable that she would want to see justice done against Jozain for stabbing her in the back and being in control again, we’re going to see that this is going to have some pretty major repercussions down the line.

She’s getting there, but she’s not there yet is what I’m trying to say. I’m going to delve into that a bit more in the next chapter.

Conversely, I’ll also admit that I’m trying to balance out Zuko’s portrayal here as well. This next arc is going to feature him prominently, so I wanted to find that sweet spot again. He doesn’t want to be like his forefathers, but when that’s all you were raised on, it’s going to be difficult to change. It was something I felt wasn’t really addressed in the series proper as a matter of fact.

Which brings us to Ty Lee. I’ll admit, she’s…not my favorite member of Azula’s posse. I won’t try to bash her or anything though. At worst, I might try to highlight flaws that the fandom has a habit of overlooking. Same with everyone really. Let me know if I go a bit too far in some areas.

As for the asylum, that’s going to be a big thing coming up. That bit about Fire Nation girls being institutionalized there for not being on their best behavior was established in Azula in the Spirit Temple. We’ll delve more into it (particularly Iroh’s role in getting Zuko to admit Azula there), but for now, just know that it’s not going to be pretty.

I also want to try and give Suki some development for this coming arc. Particularly since she didn’t really have much to work with in the series proper once she joined Team Avatar.

We also get those voices in Azula’s head, who most assuredly AREN’T hallucinations. Some people probably have already guessed, but I want to slow-burn the reveal. They’re not hateable enough at the moment.

Finally, we’re heading to Infant Island to meet Mothra. The last scene is a bit of an appetizer for what I have intended.

Anyway, thank you all for being so patient. Sorry to make everyone wait and hopefully updates come out more steadily in the coming weeks. Thanks again to Selpharia for some pointers. Thank you all for your support, and make sure to leave a comment to share your thoughts. Fave and follow if you want to see more, and I’ll see you all next time! Take care for now!

Chapter 16: Embers in the Wind

Summary:

With business having concluded on Aso Island, Azula and her allies set voyage for Infant Island. Meanwhile, the appearance of Rodan has causes a stir for Team Avatar, leaving them scrambling to deal with the new threat along with the Princess's machinations.

Notes:

Avatar: The Last Airbender and all associated characters are owned by Paramount Global. Godzilla and all associated characters are owned by Toho Studios. Please support the official release.

 

Aso Village,

Aso Island

 

Azula took a long hard look at the prisoners kneeling before her. Behind them, armed men and women kept a careful watch. Once, these captives would’ve been their commanding officers. But after Azula’s orders to root out anyone that had any say in that suicidal plan of the Commander’s to kill Godzilla, they had been apprehended. She wanted to make sure they didn’t try to pull a fast one.

 

And give Zuzu some actual war criminals to try , Azula thought to herself. While the Fiery Raptors didn’t exactly have the infamous reputation of the Southern Raiders, Father taught her that you didn’t get anywhere in this army by being merciful or “honorable”. Indeed, some of the faces of their guards spoke that their subordinates were more than eager to get rid of them.

 

A whole day had passed since the battle between Godzilla and Rodan. It was early morning, and Azula had woken up refreshed and renewed. Her meditations were helping to heal her wounds from yesterday, and she was ready to face whatever the day would bring about. Right now, it was the business of overseeing their captives.

 

“Are these all?” The Princess asked Kazuma, who was standing dutifully nearby.

 

“Yes, Princess Azula,” the young officer confirmed. “Some of them surrendered on the spot, though. Said they expected the Fire Lord to treat them with dignity once they arrived at Yu Dao.”

 

The idea made Azula sneer. If it were up to Zuko, it would be her, Kazuma, and the rest of the grunts in chains. Not that she couldn’t blame him. A lot of these officers came from some pretty prominent families back home. Anything that happened to them was certain to ruffle some feathers. 

 

Something that the Princess was prepared to take advantage of. Give the Earth King some people who actually were guilty of war crimes, and cause an uproar back home. Were the nobles not going to back her? Fine. Let’s see them and Zuko go at each other’s throats.

Either way, the fallout would give her and her newfound followers some breathing room. Besides, dear Zuzu did want to grovel before their enemies to make amends. Did he want the crown so bad? Well, he got it and all the responsibility that goes with it.

 

“Make sure they’re locked up somewhere safe to be moved out. Dismissed.” At her crisp command, the soldiers got up and corraled the last remnants of Ryuui’s command to the makeshift prison they had in the shelters outside of town. She didn’t want to risk them harming the civilians if they got a chance. If her only support would be coming from peasants, she’d have to make sure they were on her side. Couldn’t do that with any would-be “heroes” running around trying to get themselves and everyone else killed. Furthermore, these were the same people Zuko and the Avatar wanted to serve. To see the look on their faces when they chose the Mad Princess over them. She couldn’t pass that up.

 

Satisfied, she proceeded to present Kazuma with a scroll she had written. “Make sure this gets to Yu Dao. Fire Lord’s eyes only.” The teen obediently nodded before taking the scroll and scurrying off to his duties. 

 

Out of anyone’s view though, Azula fidgeted with one of her bangs. Well, the time was fast approaching, and she needed to be ready. Looking out at the village, the Princess had to admit that Aso had a certain rustic charm to it. And anybody who grew up in the shadow of the Fire Lords would’ve given anything to fully study the birthplace of the Phoenix cult. If she had a choice, maybe she could’ve delved deeper here to find out more about these kaiju. Any bit of knowledge was worth it.

 

But Zuko wouldn’t give her the opportunity. None of them would. And she wondered if her newfound allies would truly be up to the task of facing off against both the new Fire Lord AND his Avatar master. On top of whatever else is out there.

 

As if the universe read her thoughts, Maina and Kori approached her from the village. “I got a ship to take us home. Should arrive at Infant Island sometime during the early afternoon,” the native girl announced.

 

Azula felt herself tense again but took a deep breath. There was no going back. “Very well. Let’s not keep Mothra waiting.”

 

---

 

Earth Kingdom Western Coast

 

Aang couldn’t help but let his triumph soar as high as they were flying. Once they had gotten the word that the Earth King was going to relieve the Fire Nation of their occupation of Yu Dao thanks to the situation in Cranefish being resolved, they were all the more closer to defusing the whole situation. Sure there had to be a few more things that had to be formalized of course, but now the Earth Kingdom was all the more closer to regaining their former territory.

 

For once, they had taken steps in the right direction. So naturally he was going to take it a little easy on the ride back. They were all hoping to get some downtime en route to Yu Dao. Katara and Toph were snoozing together while Imana was staring in amazement at the view from so high up. “I never thought I’d be able to ride on the back of a Flying Bison,” she had exclaimed.

 

It wasn’t just all for fun though. Imana wanted to come along since she wanted to share what she knew about the kaiju on the ride. Already, she was telling Sokka and Suki the basics. “Think of kaiju as having a similar role to the Avatar, though to a smaller degree. Each has its own dominion that it needs to maintain. Some are subordinate to others, but their duty is almost universal. They do what they can to protect the world as best they can. Within their abilities of course,” the priestess added.

 

Suki leaned back, rolling the information in her head. “Sounds like the Unagi back at my island. Do what they can to protect their territories, but not to the point they start destroying everything in the process.”

 

“That about sums it up,” Imana said cheerfully.

 

“Okay, but how many of them are there? And how many of them are as benevolent as Anguirus was?” Sokka pressed. It was a question that lay heavy on everyone’s mind.

 

Imana paused. “Well…quite a number of them. Each of the nations has a good amount of kaiju. Some are a bit more dormant than others, but they’re still there. As for aggression, it depends on what kaiju you’re talking about. Some can be as benevolent as Mothra or Anguirus. Others are more destructive like Godzilla when they’re pushed. And… there are a few that are just ferocious in general.”

 

Suki and Sokka looked at one another before sinking into their seats. It was as they feared. They were lucky enough to be dealing with a few of them at a time. Neither wanted to think too much about if a lot of them decided to wake up all at once. Just one was enough to wipe out an army. Who knows what many of them were capable of?

 

And Imana’s word about particularly dangerous kaiju was just as heavy. More ferocious than Godzilla? They didn’t want to think too much about that. 

 

At that moment, Appa bellowed in surprise. “What’s the matter boy?” Aang asked, right as Momo started hollering and screeching.

 

Everybody sitting on Appa’s back was either reflexively holding onto the saddle in case the bison started going wild, or covering their ears trying to block out the lemur’s hollering. Sokka in particular was cringing. “Momo, I love you buddy, but SHUT- AANG BANK LEFT NOW!!!!”

 

Hearing Sokka’s panicked cry, Aang yanked Appa down to the left. The bison did not complain as his partner sent him downward.

 

And away from the gigantic thing flying right at them.

 

In the blink of an eye, Aang turned to see the incoming object when they dove past. A golden reptilian eye looked back at him.

 

That was all he could see before a huge wall of wind threw Appa off course. The bison bellowed in surprise, spiraling out of control. On his back, everyone was now desperately either hanging on for dear life or screaming. Aang was so busy trying to wrestle with the reigns to get his friend back under control, but the gale was buffeting.

 

Instinct kicked in as he leaped off Appa’s back and snapped out his glider. Spinning around and bending a funnel of air around him, Aang swiftly flew in and out of the gust of wind. Strong it might have been, the funnel was able to divert some of the winds away from the bison. Just enough for Appa to start righting himself.

 

A panicked scream pierced through the winds though. Probably the least comfortable with flying, Toph was plucked up by the powerful gale. The strong and comforting leather of Appa’s saddle was replaced with near nothingness. No earth to stabilize herself on or see. Not even any sensation in her feet outside of furious winds.

 

Her peril had not lasted long though. She felt two strong pairs of arms catch her and hold her back down to the saddle. “You’re going to be okay Toph!” Sokka’s voice yelled, his calloused hands pressing down on her shoulders.

 

“What did we fly into?! A tornado?!?” Toph shouted. The blind girl fought down the panic that was building up in her chest, hoping her barb would defuse her terror.

 

“I don’t know! It looked like some kind of giant bird!” Suki’s voice responded, the owner of the arms holding her feet down. Not that the answer did anything to reassure her.

 

Eventually, Toph felt her world begin to calm down, with Appa regaining his flight path and steadying himself. Aang glid over to back to the bison’s head and took the reigns. “Everybody okay?!” he asked.

 

Everyone gave a tired “no” from almost being thrown into the winds. Toph in particular was trying to catch her breath, with both Sokka and Suki trying to calm her down with reassurances and a few pats on the shoulder. “Thanks, but I think I’d be a bit safer if we were on the ground,” the earrthbender bluntly stated.

 

“Well, Yu Dao shouldn’t be too far. It’s right up the coast,” Aang said, trying to make some small talk. Which was kind of difficult to do when you almost just spiraled out of the sky.

 

And when a giant crimson bird began gliding a good distance away from you.

 

Everyone gawked at the massive avian (those who could gawk anyways), though it certainly looked like no bird they had ever seen. No feathers were on those massive wings. Instead, a leathery flap connected the wingtip to its body. Indeed, the whole hide was scaly. It looked as though somebody decided to crossbreed a dragon and a bird. The fiery hue made it look like it had emerged from the mouth of a volcano.

 

A small name came from Imana’s mouth.

 

“Rodan.”

 

“Rodan?” Aang asked. The priestess nodded, though said no more as she continued to stare at the massive creature. Not that the Avatar could blame her. That thing came at them so fast that only Appa and Momo catch its approach. It earned both the lemur and the bison a few pats on the head, but Aang still couldn’t believe how something that big could soar through the air so fast.

 

This “Rodan” stared back, gazing at the airbender in particular before veering off and heading north. It let out a cackling cry as it soared into the distance, right in the direction they were heading.

 

Aang just got a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach.

 

Another kaiju had just appeared. And by the looks of things, all of Yu Dao was going to be able to see this new one on its way north.

 

Zuko was not going to be in a good mood when they arrived.

 

---

 

En Route to Infant Island

 

Deep within a spare room on a merchant vessel, the Princess of the Fire Nation meditated in silence.

 

Maina had managed to flag down a small vessel for them to hitch a ride on. The voyage was short enough and Azula had already paid for their passage, so they didn’t have to work to earn their keep. Royalty and her companions wouldn’t work like meager servants just for a quick ride.

The destination wasn’t unknown to the sailors, but it was hardly an island they went out of their way to visit. All in all, the inhabitants had been pretty apt to stay out of the trading business giving the fact they were…well, their kind was supposed to be extinct. It had almost become a legend told by sailors who spent far too long at sea.

 

Ever since the war ended though, more ships were reporting that the inhabitants were seen sailing great outrigging canoes, brimming with goods. Clearly, the island was interested in getting back into the world with the new Fire Lord in charge and the Avatar returned. It was slow going since almost nobody knew they existed, but it was a start.

 

That’s what Azula got from the sailors anyway. Woe to those who went into uncharted waters and all that. Knowing that they had little to fear from some kind of waterborne attack from the islanders (and the fact she made it clear that no rogue Fire Nation ship was to harass civilian vessels), it should be a smooth voyage.

 

Smooth enough for her to take some time to herself and continue her meditation. She managed to find a nice empty storage room that the sailors didn’t use.

 

And with that, she began.

 

Azula breathed in, and breathed out, feeling the fire within grow and recede. As before, she felt her signature blue flames caress and massage the bruises and sores she received from the asylum. And every time they receded, the nagging pain faded more and more. It was like her muscles were being renewed with every breath.

 

Indeed, her muscles felt lighter. Her veins began to feel clearer. And gradually, inch by inch, she began to feel her strength return. Perhaps she was still a shadow of her former self, but the fight was coming back. If Zuzu expected her to be drugged up and weakened when he arrived to Infant Island, he was going to be in for a surprise.

 

Feeling her thoughts wander to her brother, Azula concentrated back on the familiar blue flame. The steady crackling and the azure glow within her soul rejuvenating her body. And sure enough, she felt sapphire embers leave her lips.

 

Of course, a certain presence had to make herself known just at that moment. You appear to be getting stronger by the day, my love.

 

“Surprised, or disappointed?” Azula bitterly asked the image of her mother.

 

The specter shifted a little bit, looking unsure as how to answer. Good. After a moment, Ursa answered, Proud. And you should be too. You always loved your firebending when you were younger.

 

A snort came from the Princess’s throat. “Right. Well, I’m sorry I never turned out to be the perfect daughter you always wanted. Too bad that asylum didn’t break me like Zuzu wanted.”

 

Azula, you know that Zuko never wanted you to suffer like you did.

 

“Just…don’t. Alright? Even if he didn’t, how come he never visited me?”

 

That was enough to shut the mirage up. A small victory, but one Azula relished in. After all, why should the Fire Lord visit the failure of a sister? She screwed up. She deserved it. Everyone knew that. What aggravated her was how Zuko proceeded to say he was “changed”. That he was going to be better and that he wasn’t the same Prince that left the Fire Nation in disgrace.

 

Easy for him to say since he got everything he ever wanted. Which was all he was good at to be honest. Talking. Making promises. Then things miraculously ended up in his favor. Rinse and repeat. What bothered her was that now everyone was eating it up. Maybe not the world leaders, but the Avatar? For somebody who claimed to be the guardian of the world, they certainly made her wonder what their priorities for safety were. Especially if they were willing to hang out with the Dragon of the West.

 

Or somebody who was willing to treat their sister like an animal. If one was going to be vile, at least don’t dress it up like you were benevolent. She certainly didn’t lie to herself or anybody else about being a monster.

 

“You should be lucky I’m giving him a chance,” Azula threw at her mother. “If he cares about me, this is going to be his chance to prove it. No threats. No coercions. And if he so much as throws one fireball at me, he’s got nobody to blame but himself for what’s going to happen.”

 

My love, you know that you don’t want this thing to drag on.

 

“No, but maybe if he actually faced the consequences of his actions instead of throwing me into the fire again and again, I’d MIGHT show him a bit more clemency.” Figuring she wasn’t getting any more meditations in at this time, the Princess got up and began to stretch her arms. Anything to take her mind off of her frustration with her brother.

 

The more she thought of it, the more angry she got. Truth be told, she was amazed that Zuzu was still in power following his disaster at Yu Dao. But, of course, the Avatar was backing him, and those sycophants of the Fire Nation feared power more than they wanted to uphold the dignity of their countrymen. What, did the universe decide to buck all the consequences of his actions on her? Guess the next thing to be blamed for was torching Kyoshi Village or killing the Moon Spirit.

 

Azula sighed, trying to get her rage under control. She wasn’t Zuko, and she sure wasn’t that thing she turned into during Sozin’s Comet. The last thing she wanted was to lash out again. If he just didn’t seem so obsessed with sending her over the edge. What’s next? Right her out of the line of succession out of spite? Not even Ozai did that with Iroh, but somehow it wouldn’t surprise her if Zuko hated her that much that he’d do something that underhanded.

 

Azula, why don’t you spend some time with your friends? Being cooped up down here isn’t healthy , Ursa suggested.

 

For once, Azula couldn’t argue. The more time she spent by herself right now was more time getting herself worked up. But that meant facing the prospect of facing her allies. Right after leaving them behind.

 

“Just like what everyone did to me…” she whispered silently.

 

At that moment, the Princess decided enough was enough. The mirage vanished as she marched out of the room and made her way up towards the deck. Unlike her brother, she’d face the consequences of her choices head-on.

 

Didn’t mean they were going to be pleasant though. But that seems to be par the course for anything these days.

---

 

Dear Zuzu,

 

I hope this letter reaches you on swift wings. Though chances are, you already know a little bit about what happened on Aso Island.

 

That huge firebird you no doubt already know is flying around? His name’s Rodan, and he’s another kaiju. A rogue naval group calling themselves the Fiery Raptors woke him up to kill Godzilla. It didn’t work. In fact, I think they’re “allies” now if you can call them that. Don’t bother trying to put a hit out for Commander Ryuui though. He’s currently a bloody smear on the beach.

 

Though the dearly departed Commander did give me a proposition: an alliance so I could reclaim the throne. And you’re probably wondering why I would tell you this. Let’s just say that whatever Uncle Fatso told you, I’m not interested in the moment. That being said, I’m now in command of the Fiery Raptors who most assuredly do want me on the throne. And I’m currently getting into contact with any rogue army groups that will give their loyalty to me.

 

Before you go chasing after me, I have a compromise. I have Jozain, head of the Saowon Clan in my custody. I’d be more than willing to hand him over as well as any other high-ranking officials the Earth King has on his list. Course you’d want to “talk” about it or might not even believe me. So I’m heading to Infant Island. Do you want to do business? Meet me there.

 

Come alone. There’s no need for this to balloon out of hand. I could easily take care of your rogue army problem. After all, I’ve already gave an order not to engage with any of your forces without my permission. And don’t get any bright ideas of challenging me to an Agni Kai. Infant Island has a pretty strict law against violence of any kind. If you value your honor as much as you say you do, you’d probably want to give this some consideration.

 

Consider this to be an armistice. I’ll keep up my end, and I expect you to do the same. Fail to do so…well we don’t want a civil war on our hands. Do we?

 

Yours Truly,

Princess Azula

 

---

 

Yu Dao

 

Zuko wanted to throw up. First, he’d called an emergency meeting in order to address the crisis they were now in.

 

Specifically the fact that there was in fact another kaiju on the loose.

 

How could everyone miss it? One minute, Zuko, Mai, and Ty Lee were being escorted to the mayor’s house. The next, a huge shadow comes flying over their head and a loud cry reverberates throughout the city. As if that wasn’t bad enough, panic began to break loose. Civilians were pouring out of their houses, wanting to know if they were under attack.

 

The Fire Lord stopped the entourage whenever they could in order to reassure the masses. Not that it did much good since they were riled up already. In fact, just seeing him made some civilians begin to launch into impromptu protests. Zuko had to restrain himself from throwing a fireball over their heads. What? Were they seriously going to blame this kaiju on him too?

 

It was decided that now was not the time to appear in public. Promptly, Zuko sent a message to redirect themselves to the army camp just outside the city (outside of Mai and Ty Lee who did NOT want to be part of the summons). Both to prevent the mobs from converging on the mayor’s house, and so he could more easily meet his advisors to deal with this new threat. He sent his best runner to get everyone ready.

 

By the time he arrived at the planning tent, his staff were already there. Iroh was sitting where he usually sat at Zuko’s side while the other officials were milling about. Before them was a table set out and a map of Yu Dao along with the surrounding areas. The Fire Lord had to give them credit, they certainly knew when to move when needed.

 

That would be all he’d give them. His eyes and ears were on high alert, waiting for the slightest bit of treachery. Iroh was alert too. He was sipping his tea, but the Grand Lotus was keeping a careful eye on their circle. The advisors hushed up as soon as the Fire Lord entered, but he could see those eyes sizing him up. Only one pair seemed to be relaxed. Mak, one of the younger generals and put primarily in charge of the armed forces themselves. A bit inexperienced, but he served Zuko faithfully enough. Perhaps too faithfully for the teen’s liking. Everyone else though was a wild card.

 

Zuko wondered which one of them would be the first to openly challenge him. Maybe not in an Agni Kai since tradition had it that almost nobody challenged the absolute Fire Lord. The challenge would come in the form of behind-the-scenes. Withheld information. Pushing for a military response. Anything to undermine his mission of restoring peace without actually declaring it.

 

Though given what he and Uncle learned, chances were that challenge had already been made. He had just been so wrapped up in the peace talks to realize it.

 

That was the second major headache. And sitting down on the throne they had set for them, he felt the scroll that was the third press lightly against his side. He took a deep breathe, knowing that this would be the time to spring this new bit of information.

 

But he’d have to time it just right though. Otherwise, they’d accuse him of prioritizing his own problems with the good of the nation.

 

Exhaling, Zuko looked at his staff. “Alright. What do we know about this new kaiju?”

 

“The Firebird was last seen heading in this direction,” War Minister Qin said pointing to the phoenix figurine they used to represent the new kaiju to an area on the borders of Yu Dao’s territory. “Godzilla was last sighted swimming towards Aso Island. And Anguirus awoke here near Cranefish.” Indeed, the dragon and the Lion Turtle were placed where their respective kaiju were sighted.

 

Zuko felt himself sag looking at the phoenix though. One more kaiju. That makes three ever since Odo Island. And they are all clustered around the colonies. Further complicating matters were the pieces representing the last caravan of nobles that needed to be evacuated outside of the encircled Yu Dao.

 

“We can’t get them anywhere near those kaiju, and even if we did, Godzilla’s still patrolling offshore. Looks like we’re trapped between a rock and a hard place.” The Fire Lord couldn’t help but sigh in frustration. They finally got the Earth King to send his forces to the colonies, but neither could they pull out till the nobles were evacuated. And that wasn’t happening with all the kaiju running around.

 

That meant the nobles and refugees were stuck here in Yu Dao. This meant tensions were already going to be even higher with that many Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom people in the city. And with Earth Kingdom troops coming expecting to relieve the Fire Nation…

 

“We’re sitting on a powder keg,” Mak bluntly summed up. Zuko just numbly nodded, trying to find some kind of way out of this mess. His eyes were riveted on the map. If they could at least get the nobles here where there’s some protection instead of being out in the middle of enemy territory, they could stand a chance.

 

It was there that he saw it. A patch of territory not marked by a kaiju. From the looks of it, it appeared to be a large swathe of mountainous jungles. They certainly didn’t appear too high to be a problem.

 

“Why not move them through here?” Zuko suggested, pointing to the territory. “We’d be able to avoid Anguirus and whatever this new kaiju is. It’d be a bit of a hike, but we’d get them to safety.”

 

Zuko blinked when he heard nothing from the other leaders. He looked around, with all eyes drilling right into him. Raising himself up and making his crown clearly visible, he remained as impassive as he could. “Is there a problem?”

 

“...that range is considered to be a Territory of Unique Risk,” Qin explained. “It’s a term used to refer to areas where Fire Nation military advances had been stalled due to unforeseen hazards. It’s a closely guarded secret known only to the Fire Lords, so I didn’t expect the new one to know what they were right away. After all, if people knew we had encountered significant losses, they’d lose faith in our soldiers.”

 

At that moment, Zuko shared a knowing glance with Iroh. Territory of Unique Risk. During Iroh’s probing into any matters related to kaiju, it was discovered that several areas around the world had been deemed too dangerous for any real military operation. The newest one was declared sometime right before the invasion of the North.

 

Specifically, the incident regarding the disappearance of Admiral Koga prompted its establishment.

 

The zone was established around Odo Island.

 

Needless to say, Iroh had a sneaking suspicion that these “unique risks” were more than just local resistance or rough terrain. The young monarch made a mental note to have his uncle look into this mountain range to see if there were any legends associated with the area.

 

Qin seemed to glean a little bit of what the Fire Lord was thinking. “Sometime after Sozin’s initial landing, an advance group disappeared scouting the mountains. When we attempted to regain contact, our messengers and relief groups also vanished. Since then, we’ve avoided deploying any forces in that area. None of us figured it was worth the effort to keep it.”

 

“If it’s anything though, we’ve heard that the Earth Kingdom lost men in those hills as well,” General Shinu added. While his addendum certainly piqued Zuko’s interest, something also occupied his thoughts. He looked around at the generals seated before him, trying to peer through those faces.

 

This wasn’t the first time he had heard of “Territories of Unique Risk”. Iroh had brought it up, having discovered it via scholars he had comb through the Dragonbone Archives for anything even remotely related to the kaiju and Godzilla. Turns out, there were quite a number of these areas scattered all over the world. Odo Island was one of the areas identified.

 

He felt the letter weighing heavy within his robes. As much as he wanted to deny it, he couldn’t ignore the possibility of these “advisors” having withheld this information beforehand. Not one of them brought it up before he sent the prison ship through those dangerous waters. Now that the truth was out in the air, they were trying to pin the blame on him for being inexperienced.

 

Zuko made a mental note to keep tabs on Qin and Shinu. As much as he needed them on his council, he couldn’t overlook such an oversight. Looking to his side, he saw that Iroh was making the same conclusion. How much of this old guard can they trust?

 

“We could have the Avatar escort the nobles through the territory,” Mak suggested. “If he’s able to calm Godzilla down and work with this ‘Anguirus’, he might have better luck dealing with whatever’s skulking around there. I mean, he’s already on his way here since the matter in Cranefish is dealt with.” A few murmurs and agreements from the other leaders rumbled around the room.

 

Taking a deep breath, Zuko cleared his throat. “Actually, we need to take care of something before we can get the Avatar to help out the nobles.” With that, he pulled out the letter and relayed the contents for everyone to hear.

 

He had to resist sneering at his sister’s words when he said them out loud. Of all the times-OBVIOUSLY she’d take advantage of the precarious situation they were all in. What was this to her? Another one of those mind games she used to play back in the Palace? When was she going to learn that there were real lives at stake here?

 

This though? This took the cake. Here he was trying to give her the benefit of the doubt, and she throws her lot in with rebels. The same people that backed Ozai in burning the Earth Kingdom as a matter of fact! It was bad enough he had to put her on the line to keep the nobles happy. Now she pulls this . She had to have known he’d have to go after her. It took all the restraint he had to stop himself from burning the letter to ash.

 

It was a relief when he put the letter down and got back to the matter at hand. His advisors looked at one another, their faces a blank slate. Iroh’s brow furrowed though. That was enough indication to the young monarch that his uncle must’ve sensed something amiss.

 

Admiral Chan was the first that cleared his throat. “Forgive me Fire Lord. Ever since the death of Admiral Zhao, the navy hadn’t been able to bounce back to its full capabilities. This splinter fleet falls under our jurisdiction. As one of its highest-ranking leaders, I will do my best to see that these traitors are brought to justice.”

 

His declaration brought no arguments from the other leaders. Now Zuko had to lean back and furrow his brow. That was awfully quick and with no prompting from the Fire Lord. He wouldn’t mind so much except Admiral Chan was one of the few naval leaders left over that he could afford to keep around. His family was old and well-respected (even though Zuko knew from first hand that his son was a bit of a meathead). And being old and respected in the Fire Nation was enough to ring some alarm bells.

 

“I concur. Furthermore, it’s my recommendation that we send a group to recapture Azula. If she has the backing of one of these army groups, she’s more dangerous than ever,” General Shugo suggested. His response was expected. Ozai had placed him in charge of overseeing war prisoners and enforced labor. That included that oil rig where Zuko knew Katara helped inspire a rebellion by the captive earthbenders.

 

This time though, Zuko held his ground. “I’m not sending Fire Nation ships to a neutral island.”

 

“My Lord, but Infant Island is hardly neutral. It does lie within our borders-”

 

“Let me rephrase: I’m not sending Fire Nation ships to an island where we don’t have any presence. Or do you want to rile up the border islands even more than they already are?”

 

Admiral Chan promptly clammed up. Zuko was painfully aware of Odo Island’s issues regarding the late Commander Maoso’s actions regarding how he raided their food supply. Turns out, Godzilla’s rampage put them on the map and gave them a voice that they otherwise wouldn’t have had. One of their demands for restitution was the removal of Fire Nation personnel stationed on the island. A sentiment that was shared amongst the other border islands where they had military bases set up.

 

That just gave Zuko more headaches. He had to keep those bases there cause his advisors said they needed some eyes on their borders with the Earth Kingdom. Especially since the Earth Kingdom just reclaimed the last of the colonies, thus making the risk of an invasion a real possibility. And that’s without the threat of the rebels stirring up trouble. Or Godzilla himself who was still prowling who knows where.

 

Suddenly, he felt the headpiece of the Fire Lord being heavier than it actually was. Every turn seemed to lead directly to violence.

 

“Alright. Then the matter with Azula is settled. Mak, I want you to send one of our reconnaissance squads in the direction of where that Firebird is heading. I want to know why it’s here and if it’s a threat. And make sure to pull them out the moment they spot any danger.”

 

Mak dutifully bowed, but Shinu interjected. “Sir, those forces would be better spent screening the Earth King’s advance. Wouldn’t it be better if we sent one of our more expendable squads to scout where this thing is heading?”

 

…

 

There it was.

 

Inwardly, Zuko challenged him to an Agni Kai right then and there. He would’ve had the authority to, and nobody would’ve stopped him. Even Iroh seemed a bit worried, for the heat started to get intolerably hot.

 

Outwardly, Zuko glared at Shinu before taking a deep breathe in and out. “I’m not risking any more men until we know what we’re dealing with. Men we don’t have too many of at the moment. Do I make myself clear?”

 

“...yes. My Lord. Forgive my intrusion.”

 

“Then it’s settled. You have all your duties, and I expect you all to maintain the peace with the Earth King when he arrives. Does anyone else wish to add to the discussion?”

 

A suffocating silence was the answer to the obvious rhetorical question. Satisfied for the moment, Zuko called for the meeting to be adjourned. He swiftly got from his chair and stalked out of the tent. Iroh ran up alongside him, patting him on the shoulder.

 

“Well down nephew! I thought you were going to throw a fireball just back then.”

 

Zuko waited a moment before they were well out of earshot from the tent. “They’re hiding something from us. That place where the Firebird went? That’s one of those areas Father had marked. They didn’t say anything.”

 

“Indeed. I’ll look into it right away,” Iroh grimly declared before walking away. Zuko felt his headache return. First the Firebird. Then his advisors. Then Azula.

 

And now there might be another kaiju out there somewhere about to wake up. By this point, he wondered if his sister would’ve laughed at his predicament.

 

---

 

En Route to Infant Island

 

The sun was high in the sky when Azula came out to the fresh air on the deck. Down further was Kori and Maina, leaning against the taffrail, gazing out at the shining blue waters of the sea.

 

It was just the three of them on deck. The rest of the crew was down below checking their wares. Good. Azula took a deep breath as she walked up to her allies, watching the light of the sun dance upon the ocean surface.

 

Sighing, Azula turned to her side to see Kori leaning there. The girl didn’t seem too bothered with her presence, though there was a certain tension in the air.

 

Time for it to come out before it gets worse later, Azula silently decided.

 

“So, you two enjoying the fresh air up here?” she asked.

 

Kori shrugged, not paying too much attention to her. “Well, we’re not heaving supplies around this time, so it’s a step up.”

 

“You guys are going to love Infant Island! The air is so clear. We’ve got some of the best food throughout the border islands. And I can’t wait to show you some of the Carnoraptors that are hanging around with us!”

 

“...plus she won’t shut up about home, so I got something to listen to.”

 

A sharp “HEY!” came from Maina, but Azula didn’t pay too much attention. The thing that drew her attention was the word “Carnoraptors”. She knew “raptor”, which was another word for a bird of prey. What the first part of the name meant though, she had no idea. From the way Maina spoke of them, it seemed that as though they were some kind of animal that was domesticated. Not too dissimilar to Mongoose Dragons or Komodo Rhinos.

 

She made a mental note to go feed Flame Runner who was relaxing in the hold down below. 

 

Shaking her head free of the distraction, Azula thrummed her nails on the guardrail. “I just hope that your people are accepting of somebody like me. They’re not going to be happy once they find out I brought the Fire Lord and the Avatar to their home.”

 

Maina shrugged without a care in the world. “Believe me, we’re not the sort to hold something like that against people. They’ll understand once I clear a few things up with them. Besides…” She played with that sacred medallion around her neck. “You’re the sort of person that Mothra is looking for. If she accepts people like you, we won’t have a problem.”

 

The reassurance did nothing to temper Azula’s frustration. Realizing she wouldn’t get anywhere with the priestess, she decided to go for broke and turn towards Kori.

 

“Doesn’t any of this seem wrong to you?” A flash of confusion played out on Kori’s face, further irritating the Princess. In exasperation, she groaned and spat out, “I’m the one who wanted to put your home to the torch. Surely you have some feelings about that.”

 

The noble girl narrowed her eyes, trying to see what game Azula was playing at. “Yeah. I haven’t exactly forgotten that.”

 

“And I’m the one who just took control of an army that wants to see the Fire Lord deposed. You know, the one who wants world peace?”

 

“I already know this-”

 

“And if it weren’t for me, you’d be able to go home right now. That’s what I was trying to warn you about! By associating with me, Zuko probably has a detachment waiting to arrest you the minute you step one foot home.”

 

“Look, what do you want me to say?!”

 

“Say that I’m going too far! Or that you’re dying to get back home so you can liberate Yu Dao for the Earth King! Or just, I don’t know, get mad at me! I know you want to. I can see that fire behind your eyes. Well, now’s your chance. I don’t have any soldiers with me. Nobody’s around us. And I won’t even put you down. It’s not like I have any more feelings that are hurting. So go ahead! Say what you want to say!”

 

Kori looked straight into Azula’s soul, gripping her hands on the taffrail. Good , the Princess thought. And that fire in the noble girl’s eyes was blazing white hot. Inwardly, Azula braced herself.

 

“Okay. Do you want to know how I feel? I’m pissed you just left us behind like trash! We were willing to follow you because we had the gall to care! I looked at you, and I saw a little bit of myself! As much as I hate what you tried to pull, I’m not sure I’d do any different under the same circumstances if I grew up on the home islands! And trust me, you’re far from the only person I have a chip on my shoulder with, so don’t act like you’re somehow entitled to get special treatment!

 

“Because why? Why do you want us to hate you so much?! Why do you want to cut us out, and don’t say because it’s for our own safety! Maina was able to handle herself when Godzilla attacked Oda for Agni’s sake! If you don’t have enough faith in us to take care of ourselves, you don’t have to worry. We’re doing a better job of it than you are! Who gives you the right to keep trying to get yourself killed?! You didn’t have to go to Aso, but you did anyways!

 

“So what’s the reason? Do you honestly think yourself a monster so badly that you just like pushing people away to convince yourself you are one?! Cause you’re doing a pretty bad job of it! Monsters don’t save entire villages like you did at Aso, or try to bring war criminals to justice! But no! I guess you just want to cling to your lie so badly, that you don’t want to see people for who they are! Especially yourself!

 

“So yeah, you’re stuck with us because we care! Even if we have to tie ourselves to your backside and follow you halfway across the world! So don’t give me the “I’m a monster” crap, cause it’s going to get really old fast and I’m not in the mood to make you feel like one.”

 

With that, Kori huffed and leaned against the railing. Azula just stared dumbly into the distance, for once having nothing to say. Briefly, she gazed at Maina, who looked at her guiltily before turning away. Clearly, the feeling was mutual between the two of them, but only one had the courage to speak up. She didn’t hold it against the priestess though. It wasn’t easy even for the bravest soul to explode against the so-called “Mad Princess”.

 

So her eyes wandered into the distance, not focusing on anything. The words roared in her head again and again, drowning out any voices that may have lingered. The longer the silence dragged on, the more that Azula realized she simply had nothing to say. No threats. No condemnations. Just the cold truth laid bare as the sea below.

 

“Am I making you feel guilty?” Kori asked.

 

“...a little.”

 

“Good.”

 

A sharp chuckle erupted from Azula’s mouth. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a tiny smile creep on Kori’s face. The Princess decided to let the noble girl have this small victory against her pride. She certainly was asking for it. Maybe even literally.

 

Even still, she felt herself be a bit disappointed. Not in Kori or Maina, but in herself. Again, those two latched to her, even when she made it clear that it was a fool’s errand. Fool her once, shame on them. Fool her twice, shame on her. She wondered what it was that she was doing wrong. Threats didn’t work. Leaving them behind didn’t work. So what was going to open their eyes and see the big picture? Ty Lee and Mai at least knew when to call it quits. These two were persistent to the point of obsession in her eyes.

 

Azula sighed once more, this time in defeat. “And here I was thinking I was a masochist.”

 

“Well, when you know how to deal with rock heads pretty quick growing up in politics.”

 

The Princess’s chuckle came back with a vengeance. “I hear you there.”

 

It felt odd, just hanging out and sharing a few crude laughs. Almost, it felt like out of a long-forgotten dream. One of a time when she actually felt…happy? Was she feeling happy? When was the last time she felt that? Probably during Ember Island she supposed.

 

Maina just alighted herself on the railing, unaware or not caring about the waters below. Must be an airbender thing , Azula thought.

 

“Hey, at least you two know what it’s like to deal with hardheads. Back home, my parents always told me I was the bullheaded one between my sister and I,” Maina declared.

 

“I didn’t know you had a sister.”

 

“I do. Miana can be a bit of a pushover, but she’s sweet. She should be there on Infant Island waiting for us when we arrive.”

 

The two other girls just stared at the priestess. “...Miana? Really?” Kori asked.

 

Maina shrugged. “It’s a traditional thing. Everyone calls her Imana so we don’t get confused. As if that’s the only thing they can get confused about us.”

 

“Ah. Makes sense. I know a friend who has seven sisters if it makes you feel better. Her parents can’t even tell them apart!”

 

The priestess and Kori snickered a bit at Azula’s little jab. “I think I’d go crazy if I had that many siblings!” Maina declared.

 

Azula let out a good-natured laugh before they talked a bit more about family, childhood, and basically, all the stuff that only friends could be comfortable divulging. It felt good to indulge in this. No Zuzu to tell her she was so perfect that stuff like this wouldn’t faze her. No guards. Just…three friends relaxing and shooting the breeze.

 

Friends.

 

That word felt so foreign and yet so right for this moment. It made Azula feel lighter than by any right she had. For once, she felt glad that these two had stuck it out with her.

 

Making her feel all the more guilty for trying to leave them behind.

 

The wind provided a blissful distraction, blowing in from the west in a pleasantly warm gale. Azula closed her eyes and embraced it all. It was a brief moment, but it was one she relished.

 

Then, out in the distance, an island rose into view. A verdant green place, with pristine white sandy beaches and blue waters. The girls looked out at the land emerging from the horizon, almost as if it were conjured out of a tale their mothers used to read.

 

“Is that Infant Island?” Azula asked.

 

Maina had a huge smile on her face. “Yeah. That’s home.”

 

A mix of emotions churned in Azula’s stomach. It looked pristine, but she knew this was where she’d have to face her brother again.

 

And her mother if luck decided not to be on her side. She knew that Maina promised to keep Ursa away from her, but the fates haven’t exactly been kindly to her as of yet.

 

Finally, she knew that somewhere in that tropical paradise was the Goddess, Mothra. A kaiju that she had been so adamant on avoiding was now in her future.

 

Well, no use in delaying the inevitable. Azula rose up and said to herself, “There’s no turning back.”

 

---

 

Northwest of Yu Dao

 

Deep within an ancient cavern, far from the surface, a gigantic worm has been roused.

 

From above and through the layers of rock and stone, a piercing cry had disturbed his slumber. Ever since Sozin’s Comet, the being’s black and red body had coiled and flexed. While the Avatar had vanquished the threat the Fire Nation posed, there was still something that kept the Lord of the Earth awake. A deep rumbling in the earth, as if he were far from the only one who had been roused from their dormancy.

 

It was Rodan’s cries from above that stirred the black guardian from his rest. Yet it was his sister’s awakening from across the sea that drove him to action.

 

Thrusting his golden horn through the dark earth, the worm began to tunnel his way to the surface. From above, one could feel earthquakes and tremors reverberate throughout the land. Down below though, a pair of glowing red eyes illuminated his way through his dark tunnels.

 

The dark being chittered to himself. He had sensed that conflict was brewing upon the coast, and it was his duty to investigate. It was certain Mothra would meet him as she did before, but violence was not on his mind this time. If the humans were prepared to face the oncoming threat together, then they had nothing to fear.

 

If their petty differences and hatred won over though, then they would find no comfort. For that was not the way of the Black Mothra.

 

Notes:

A/N: Whelp. There you have it. Battra confirmed. I’ll go into detail once we see more of him, but I knew he had to be here balance is a big theme in ATLA. Know then that Battra is the Yin to Mothra’s Yang.

But that’s getting ahead of myself. For Azula’s story here, I wanted to play around with how she was seen by the masses. A lot of fans, myself included, believe that she’s the Fire Nation’s equivalent of the Avatar. Mainly the big hero that saved the day, destroyed the “evil” Avatar, and ended the War. I’d point out some more parallels between her and Aang, but I think that having somebody who is basically using Team Avatar’s process of inspiring the people against them would be an interesting turn about. Particularly since Azula basically is in the same position Aang was, being on the run and trying to become a better bender.

Something that she explores in this chapter. I know that fire being used to heal is kind of a recurring theme in fics, but in this case, I wanted it to be exclusive to Azula’s blue fire. It’s almost the same power as Godzilla, so it’s not much of a stretch to assume that she could adopt some of his abilities. After all, Godzilla’s ability to self-regenerate was said to be a result of his mutations caused by the H-bomb testing. And his atomic breath was an extension of that power he got doused with. So I wanted to tie in his blue fire and healing in this fic, which I wanted to extend to Azula.

Not to the point she can regenerate lost body limbs and she’s indestructible, but something that would make it easier for her to bounce back from injury a bit easier.

Something she’s going to need since Team Avatar is going to be rejoining. The thing with the caravan is going to be their plot for when the time comes this arc, but for now they have to deal with Azula. I also wanted to explore how Zuko’s cabinet operated. How they keep trying to poke and prode him into doing something that could destroy him. They wouldn’t get away with this stuff with Ozai in power. But with Zuko, who’s not that popular at the moment? It’s open season.

Finally, we see Kori blow up at Azula. I didn’t want to make her seem overly hostile and tear Azula down, but I felt she still needed to call out our “heroine” for what she did. And make it clear that they’re not going away all that too easy. Both of which, Azula probably needs.

Thank you all for reading! Next time we head to Infant Island while the Gaang sets up to prepare. Feel free to leave a review and favorite/follow if you want to see more. Have a great day, and I’ll see you all next time!

Chapter 17: Infant Island

Summary:

Azula and her allies arrive at Infant Island, where the Princess gets a crash course in the ways of a lost people. Meanwhile, Team Avatar returns to Yu Dao, only to find a city divided and Zuko at his wits end.

Notes:

Avatar: The Last Airbender and all associated characters are owned by Paramount Global. Godzilla and all associated characters are owned by Toho Studios. Please support the official release.

Infant Island

 

Not too long ago, Azula never knew that a place like Infant Island could have existed undiscovered. The distant mountains and lush, unspoiled jungle spoke of a sizeable landmass. Maybe not as big as home, but still quite a respectable scale for being on the fringes of Fire Nation society.

 

As their ship coasted closer, she could hear the strange calls of animals echoing in the dark foliage. The wall of green put her on edge. With a place like Aso, one knew that eventually, the unknown terrain ended into the more familiar meadows and grasslands fed by ancient volcanic runoff. Here though, there seemed no end to the trees, vines, and leaves harboring whatever was lying in wait.

 

Again in a rather distressing short amount of time, Azula felt tiny. Not helped knowing that somewhere in the dark waters below, there were shipwrecks of the last people who tried to tame this savage land.

 

There were people here though. Along a stretch of beach, Azula saw a number of large canoes resting. Proud sails patterned with that strange symbol Maina wore around her neck fluttered in the breeze. No doubt these were the boats belonging to the priestess’s people, descendants of this island’s first settlers.

 

Those descendants were waiting for them further along the beach. Azula and Kori held their breath as they descended onto a rowboat, and taken to the shore. As they got closer, they could see that the natives had various tattoos painted over their bodies. Spears, swords, and shields lay at their side, ready to be used at a moment’s notice.

 

What caught Azula’s attention though were the strange birdlike reptiles some of the warriors were riding. They were a bit bigger than a man with a body held horizontally, with a tapering tail that supported their balance. Their heads were held proudly, with a pair of horns sprouting from their cranium. No doubt their heavy jaws were filled with equally large teeth. Their long arms had sharp claws on their hands, and their powerful legs had vicious talons on their feet. One talon on each foot was larger than the others, held in a position to strike.

 

“Those the Carnoraptors?” Azula asked, observing the animals. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Flame Runner fidget nervously on her separate boat at the sight of the predators.

 

Maina on the other hand didn’t seem too bothered with the vicious reptiles. “Yep. We actually call them Shaconnes. Carnoraptors is the term a lot of outsiders use.”

 

Neither name seemed to put Azula at ease. Especially as the rowboats deposited them and Flame Runner on the beach and rowed away in a rather hurried fashion. Leaving them alone with the natives on that strange beach. Oh, THEY’RE the ones who leave me? Azula silently exclaimed.

 

She fought down her instinct to go into a firebending stance when one of the warband’s party dismounted from his Carnoraptor. His headpiece was adorned with bright feathers, no doubt signifying his status as leader. Not that his tall figure and large build made him any less intimidating. His mount stalked behind him, those reptilian eyes sizing up the newcomers.

 

Flame Runner snarled nervously to Azula’s left. Kori fidgeted with her bow nervously on her right.

 

And Maina…

 

“FATHER!”

 

Maina zoomed forward on a gust of wind into the outstretched arms of the overjoyed man, who embraced her in a tight hug. “Maimai! Mother, Swiftclaw, and I were wondering when you would get back!” The Carnoraptor affectionately licked the girl’s shoulders, obviously being the “Swiftclaw” in question.

 

Leaving Azula and Kori to just stand there a bit gobsmacked.

 

“...Maimai?” Kori managed to jokingly ask.

 

“It’s…a nickname my parents gave me,” Maina explained sheepishly.

 

The two noble girls just stood there, before snickering uncontrollably. “Hey, I bet your parents gave you nicknames growing up!” Maina’s father teased.

 

I was the one giving nicknames, thank you , Azula silently snarked. Though she did remember that delightful time when Zuzu kept trying to call her “Lala”. Surprisingly, that was one of the few times both Father and Mother got mad at him. Knowing what she knew about that term now, she probably would’ve been just as offended as they were.

 

Her inner delight was then interrupted when the chieftain rose up again to his full height. Suddenly, Azula became aware that he had gotten his first proper look at her. And when one is so recognizable as her, it was pretty hard to just go unnoticed. Particularly when you were wearing armor that was only meant for royals.

 

“Maina. Is that-?”

 

“She needs Mothra’s help, Father. And we didn’t have any other options.” Maina then proceeded to tell her father the whole story surrounding their impromptu “visit”. Particularly the point about where the Fire Lord was coming with the Avatar, most likely via either airship or flying bison. Her story was enough to give the chieftain pause.

 

Something that didn’t go unnoticed by the rest of his entourage. The natives’ fists clenched around their weapons, while the Carnoraptors began to view Azula with suspicion. Flame Runner growled at the reptiles, but the Princess wasn’t sure how long a single Mongoose Dragon could hold off several of them.

 

The tension though was cooled when the chieftain held up a hand at his entourage. All at once, they began to calm down. With their weapons lowered and their mounts at bay, they watched their leader stride forth to look Azula in the eye.

 

“Forgive us, Princess. We didn’t have much warning to arrange a proper welcome. I am Chieftain Amimoto,” he said with a bow. Though his words were friendly, he spoke in a clipped tone, as if gauging her reaction.

 

Azula dutifully returned the bow, not forgetting her manners. “The pleasure’s all mine. And I’d like to extend my own apology. We do not typically appear on such short notice.” Falling into her habits she perfected during her days at court was akin to putting on a freshly made set of clothes. Refreshing, familiar, and easy to slip into.

 

“And forgive our welcoming party. We’ve heard stories about army groups roaming about and we wanted to be prepared,” the Chief explained. His entourage stood at attention, their eyes never leaving either of the newcomers. Swiftclaw didn’t even bother with pleasantries as they kept their teeth barred at the Princess.

 

“I wouldn’t worry too much about them. After all, I did just tell them to stand down and all.” She threw out her new position out into the air. Honesty was the best policy when dealing with potential allies after all, and she hoped her breezy way of breaking the news would’ve made it sink in easier.

 

It didn’t. Once again, the natives clutched their weapons. Even Amimoto seemed a bit taken aback by her brazeness. Suddenly it occurred to Azula that announcing yourself as the leader of a rogue army group probably was NOT the best idea in the world. She had to mentally kick herself for that slip up. Been a while since she was undercover. And had an official position to back up her words.

 

Thankfully, she had somebody watching her back. “What my friend meant to say is that the Fiery Raptors won’t be a problem anymore. They’ve been ordered to stand down,” Kori added.

 

Murmurs went amongst the welcoming party, leaving the three girls wondering if they botched up their chance at a refuge. 

 

Chief Amimoto cleared his throat. “Well, it cannot be said that Infant Island is not an unwelcoming place. As long as you leave your conflicts on the seashore, we shouldn’t have a problem. Besides, it wouldn’t be our place to turn away a teenager looking for help.”

 

The girls’ tenseness faded away with the declaration. Azula in particular let herself breathe a little. Another moment and she thought they would’ve had to fight their way to safety. She wouldn’t know where that would be with their ship sailing away, but the Princess figured she’d find out a solution amidst the chaos. Still, it was good knowing they had one place to stay against all the odds.

 

Satisfied, Amimoto clasped his hands together. “So! I guess you all are hungry after a day’s worth of travel. Am I right?” 

 

---

 

 

Azula and Kori stared as Amimoto’s wife (Daiyo was her name apparently) served a plate of sliced raw fish seasoned with sea salt, yam, and a few kinds of fruit they couldn’t identify. Neither one of them took up their chopsticks to eat, not even when Maina and her parents began to dig into the prepared feast.

 

Their hesitancy didn’t go unnoticed for long. “Come on. You really think we’d poison our guests?” Maina asked.

 

“Well…truth be told, I was half expecting that you were going to serve us cooked human meat or something,” Kori sheepishly admitted.

 

This elicited a rather hearty laugh from Daiyo, causing her husband and daughter to look a little embarrassed at her outburst. “Wow! Is that what the mainland thinks of us? Good thing you didn’t wait another decade to see us or you would’ve thought we sacrificed our children to some spider god!”

 

“Yeah. That would be kind of ridiculous,” Azula played off, still feeling a little embarrassed knowing that there probably were some nobles back home that thought that way.

 

Quite frankly, the brief hike to Maina’s village was an eye-opener. All her life, Azula believed that anybody who chose the wilderness over the safety of a fortified city was a backward savage. Probably scrawny and living in their own filth. Not that she’d say this in front of her hosts of course, no Princess worth her salt would be so crass.

 

Still, her eyes went wide when she saw how utterly different things seemed to be. For one, the villagers were healthy and fit. Maybe even healthier than some of the nobles or peasants that lived in the shadow of the Capital. For another, their village, while not especially ornate, was well-maintained and pristine. Sure it wasn’t a resort such as those you’d find at Ember Island, but it was a far cry from the hovel she expected.

 

What’s more, they didn’t even seem to be particularly industrious. They had a few farms here and there, but they were typically small and were grown in amongst the trees rather than in clearings. From what she could gather, the natives didn’t practice much in the way of clearcutting and prioritizing staple crops. Rather, they seemed to rotate their diet to whatever was available at the time. Fruits were picked in season. Their livestock (which mostly consisted of parrot-beaked bipedal lizards about the size of a good-sized cat) milled about close to home, feeding on whatever was picked. The rest of their meat came from fishing and the occasional hunting of big game.

 

The later was helped by those Carnoraptors, or Shaconnes as they were called (Azula made a mental note to remember that). Bizarrely, they were kept outside of the village rather than in pens. She guessed somehow they were trained to avoid preying on unattended parrot-lizards, but it seemed odd that everyone was comfortable with having a pack of hungry predators living on their borders.

 

Not that it seemed to bother Amimoto before he let Swiftclaw join the raptors lingering on the borders. Flame Runner stayed safely within the village leaning by the hut they were eating at, though not without keeping a wary eye on the hunters milling about somewhere in the foliage.

 

Azula, on the other hand, was more wary of the food. She prodded at it with her chopsticks, feeling rather foolish that she was being intimidated by a plate of… “What did you say this was?” she asked.

 

“Armored fish caught this morning,” Daiyo answered cheerfully, like that was supposed to make Azula feel better. Still, she didn’t want to appear rude and since Maina was clearly enjoying it…

 

She took a bite.

 

“...wow. This is really good actually.” For once, it wasn’t a lie. Seeing that the food was royalty approved, Kori took a few bites of her own fish.

 

Her reaction was substantially less subdued. “By Agni! This is great!”

 

Azula rolled her eyes, but tucked into her lunch regardless. They ate for a moment, savoring the foreign dish and filling their bellies. Truth be told if Azula was more inclined, she would’ve proclaimed this was better than the slop they served at the asylum any day. Not that she wanted to bring down the mood.

 

Once their bellies were properly filled, the Princess decided it would be time to cut to the chase. “I thank you again for letting us have our little meeting here on your island. Is there anywhere in particular you would wish for us to conduct business?”

 

Swallowing his bite, Amimoto cleared his throat. “Best place to do that would be at Mothra’s shrine high up in the mountain. She’s the one who enforces the Law of Peace.”

 

Maina blinked. “Father, Mothra’s dormant. Right?”

 

“Actually, we believe she’s about to wake up,” Daiyo corrected, causing everyone’s attention to be drawn to her. “Swarms of moths have been seen fluttering up the mountain side. We think she’s calling to them and giving us a sign.”

 

The mountain in question lay visible outside the hut’s window. Towering high up, it was far from the fire scorched volcano of Aso. Dense vegetation flourished down its slopes. An unbroken carpet of green that spoke of times before coal and steel powered their Nation’s heart. That seemed to be a recurring sign of these kaiju. Unspoiled habitats with people that clung to old ways.

 

Still, Azula wondered what this Mothra really was. It seemed very room for doubt that she would indeed meet the Goddess she had heard so much about. Yet her anticipation was only coupled with dread. No doubt this was yet one more kaiju. Not Godzilla or Rodan from what she heard of course, but the idea of meeting such a powerful being such as this one gave her pause.

 

“Mothra awakening and my lifetime…if only Miana were here to see it…”

 

Shaking her head clear, Azula had to ask. “Why are you letting me stay? You know who I am and what I’ve done. And I’m posing a big threat to your people. Why take the risk?”

 

Amimoto and Daiyo looked at one another, obviously not expecting such a question to be lobbied at them. After a moment, it was the lady of the household that deigned to answer. “We understand that our ways might not exactly be seen as traditional by the standards of the Fire Nation. But we believe that everyone in existence has a place and part to play. Even those who might seem lost or shunned by the world. This island is for them. After all, we’re practically exiles everywhere else.”

 

The Princess understood. All around the village, she had seen airbenders. Children playing with gusts of wind. Farmers spreading their seed upon the breeze. It seemed right out of a dream. Sure it was nothing compared to what the Avatar was capable of, but this people still seemed like a lost relic regardless. To think that a society of airbenders survived still boggled her mind every time she saw it.

 

Azula need only look to the mountain to know why they had survived. Even from this distance, she could feel some kind of…presence, watching down over all.

 

“Besides, there is a reason your path ended up here. Do you mind if we see your fire for a moment?”

 

Amimoto’s request seemed pretty innocuous. No doubt these people had heard of her blue flame and wanted a demonstration. But deciding to keep it simple for now, Azula just shrugged, opened her hand, and willed to life a shimmering azure fire. It crackled and flickered in the air, with her fingertips gently making sure that no embers accidentally left her palm and set the hut on fire. Not that it bothered Kori or Maina that much, since they’d been with her enough to get used to the unusual color.

 

The chieftain and his wife had a very different reaction though. Their eyes were drawn to the flame, the azure glow reflecting in their eyes. All at once, it felt as if the life in the room stood still to hold its breath.

 

Now Azula had been used to people stopping to gawk at her fire. Ever since she’d first mastered it all those years ago, it felt as though the whole palace held her up as a gift from Agni. Father certainly saw it as a triumphant example of her progress. Certainly made all her work training in empty dojos worth it. Finally, she had something to be truly proud of.

 

Here though, Amimoto and Daiyo seemed to regard it with a sort of reverence mixed in with awe. Azula was more than willing to oblige of course, but it still made her think back to the ritual on Odo Island. How blue fire was revered as highly as the legendary fire of dragons. It only deepened her interest.

 

With a snap of her wrist, she snuffed the fire out of her palm. That broke the natives out of their trance. “Forgive us. It has been many generations since any of Infant Island has seen the blue flame.”

 

“You know about it Daiyo?” Azula asked, setting out the line. Now it was a matter of who would take the bite.

 

The older woman didn’t hesitate to take it. “Why of course. Everyone who lives in the shadow of kaiju knows of the blue flame. Legend has it that they who mastered it was given sanction by Gojira himself.”

 

And there he was again. Godzilla seemed to dog her step even when he wasn’t around. Everywhere she turned, somebody had some legend or story connected with him. Still, she remained composed. “I figured it out all on my own. Though there do seem to be a few things it’s capable of that I wasn’t aware of before.”

 

“All the more reason to go to Mothra’s shrine then. We have little knowledge of the blue fire, but there might be something our ancestors might have recorded,” Daiyo suggested. “Besides: we always say that mastering your element will help bring peace to those in need.”

 

That, Azula wasn’t so sure about. Fire was passion and will given form, obviously. Everybody in the Fire Nation was taught that from an early age. A s for helping her with her problems…well unless she could set herself on fire and become Agni’s vengeance herself, she didn’t see how it could help.

 

“I’m just here to meet with my brother and the Avatar. That’s it,” Azula stated. Her declaration caused Maina to exhale the breath she was holding in. Didn’t matter too much to the Princess. If she wanted to keep deluding herself into thinking she could be saved, that was her loss.

 

Amimoto on the other hand seemed to come out of a deep thought that he had. “Actually Princess, there was something we could have your help with. We can deal with it up on the way to the shrine.”

 

Now this was something that piqued Azula’s interest. Normally she wouldn’t even bother with a request from somebody literally on the boundaries of civilization. But if she wanted to make friends with those who were going to help enforce the “no violence” part of what was certainly going to be a decidedly hectic talk, it was best to have your angles covered.

 

So, the Princess tucked into what remained of her lunch and gave the Chieftain his full, undivided attention. “Alright. What exactly did you want from the Princess of the Fire Nation?”

---

 

Yu Dao

 

The first bad news that Team Avatar learned when they landed outside in the camp was that there was a major riot happening in the marketplace of the city. The second bad news was that for the first time, Fire Lord Zuko had appeared to address it.

 

So many thoughts ran through Aang’s mind as he and his friends snaked their way through the bustling crowds. They all knew there were protests when they first arrived. Why wouldn’t there be? But a full-blown riot was another level entirely. That meant blood could be spilled. And when you spilled blood in an occupied town…

 

Nobody wanted to think about it. Not when the crowds got more packed. Not when the din of the usual hustle and bustle was replaced with angry shouting and threats being thrown. And not when they emerged into the bazaar.

 

In times of peace, it would’ve been a colorful menagerie of stalls and tents. Merchants would’ve advertised their wares as from either coming across the sea or beyond the deserts of the east. Buyers would’ve been taken in by the exotic goods, regardless over whether or not they got a good deal. And a steady flow of money would’ve made Yu Dao a place of plenty. 

 

Now, a crowd of protestors had gathered in the heart of the marketplace. Opposing them was a division of guards. And behind them, resplendent in the robes of the Fire Lord was Zuko, trying his best to keep the peace. Given the way the crowd kept getting riled up by virtually every word he said, it was a losing battle.

 

“We came as fast we could! What’s going on?” Aang quickly asked, he and his friends taking their place beside the young monarch.

 

Zuko rolled his eyes. “Please tell me you didn’t miss the giant bird that just flew overhead.”

 

“Miss? We nearly flew into that oversized buzzardwasp!” Sokka exclaimed.

 

“Well, that whipped the people up into a panic, and now somebody thought to bend a rock at one of our guard’s head,” the Fire Lord explained. He pointed to the offender in question, a young man wearing the green garb of the Earth Kingdom. His stance was that of a bender, though not an experienced one from his shaky legs. Opposite of him was a fully armored, skull-masked firebender with a flame in his fist.

 

“Bent a rock- he’s the one who threw a fireball at us!” the earthbender yelled. “This was supposed to be a peaceful protest because we didn’t exactly want any more Fire Nation soldiers in our city! Then this thug decides the best way to deal with us was bending fire at us!”

 

“And I told you , that the Fire Lord decreed that the city be considered under siege until we determine what threat that monster poses to us!” the guard shot back. “Who’s going to protect you when we’re gone?!”

 

“Oh, you mean the same people who got themselves killed when going up against the last monster?!”

 

“Know you place you little-”

 

“EVERYBODY CALM DOWN!” the head of the guard yelled, his more ornate armor denoting his station amongst the soldiers. Not that it did any good, since the crowd just shouted back “Easy for you firebenders to say!”, “You’re going to piss off this one too and get us all killed?!”, and “We’ll calm down when you get out of here!”.

 

Sokka took a look at the scene around them. There did seem to be pretty substantial scorch marks where fire was clearly thrown around. And there was only a single patch of road that was upended from where earth could’ve been bent. “I think that earthbender’s telling the truth,” the warrior told Zuko.

 

“I know, but I don’t exactly want to escalate this whole thing further,” the Fire Lord answered. To this, the monarch bravely walked past his guards and held up his arms. “People of Yu Dao! I understand your concerns about the garrison we have placed here and the threat posed by this new kaiju. However, we need to stand united in face of this threat. I promise that justice will be dealt with, but until then-”

 

“What are you going to do about your goon then?!” somebody from the crowd yelled.

 

“He will face disciplinary action. But I can’t ignore that not only have you been disturbing the peace, but one of your own has just lobbed a rock and nearly killed one of my people! As such, this earthbender needs to be placed under arrest and put under our jurisdiction.”

 

Zuko practically winced from the renewed wave of outrage as his captain spoke for him. Already, Katara was muscling her way through the guards to say, “Zuko, we can’t just arrest him for defending himself!”

 

Indeed, the young man paled as a group of guards began advancing towards him. “There’s not much I can do,” Zuko said, not liking how this was going either. “I can’t just ignore that he assaulted a Fire Nation guard!”

 

“So you’re just going to throw him into a Fire Nation cell?” Katara asked in disbelief.

 

The earthbender nervously got into a shaky stance. “Stay away from me,” he whispered.

 

“Just for a day or two till this clears over. I’ll make sure he’s not hurt,” Zuko reassured. Indeed, that was the very same thing that one of the older guards was telling the protestor. 

 

The young man just backed further away. “I warn you. Stay back.”

 

“Wait a minute, let me talk to him,” Aang piped up, squirming his way to Zuko in front of the crowd. “He’s scared, and your men aren’t helping matters. Give me a chance to calm him down.”

 

“STAY BACK!!!!”

 

Before Zuko could even think about giving Aang the go-ahead to try (which he no doubt would’ve), the earthbender bent up a good-sized stone and kicked it into one of the approaching guards. A pained grunt came from the soldier as he collapsed into the dirt, his arm hanging dislocated from his shoulder.

 

With that, any hope of this ending peacefully was drowned out in a crescendo of uproar. The other guards rushed forward to try and apprehend the now panicking earthbender. What they got was a storm of stones and rocks being hurled in their faces. To the further astonishment of everyone, a few blasts of fire also came from the protestors, forcing the guards back further. Meanwhile, the protestor was taken back by the crowd. His fellow citizens physically put themselves between him and his would-be captors.

 

All the while, the roars from the crowd only increased. Shouts of “You call THIS bringing peace?!” and “Put that captain behind bars!” drowned out any attempts made by Zuko, Team Avatar, or really anybody trying to restore order. Only the aforementioned captain was able to form some kind of response. Which was to grimly motion for his forces to begin advancing upon the protestors. The sight of armored soldiers advancing on the crowd caused several individuals to begin bringing their elements to bare, whether it be earth or fire.

 

Behind the benders was, much to Team Avatar’s horror, a crowd of now thoroughly terrified civilians. Many of them seemed to be of Earth Kingdom descent. And Katara didn’t ignore that many of the civilians were wearing bandages one would use to cover burns.

 

Her blue eyes bored into Zuko. “For the love of Tui and La, put a stop to this or somebody’s going to get killed!”

 

The Fire Lord was finally brought out of his trance, shaking his head and getting himself in front of the advancing guard. “As your Fire Lord, I command you to stand down and-”

 

“DEATH TO THE TYRANT’S SON!!!”

 

Before anybody could even begin to react, a man clad in fairly typical Fire Nation peasant’s robes came rushing out of the panicking crowd. His bland appearance belied the sheen of a knife being pulled from its sheathe hidden in his sleeve. And between the chaos of the fiery riot, the only warning anybody had was his warcry.

 

It certainly wasn’t enough warning for the young monarch, who tried to bring up his fists to defend himself. Yet his muscles seemed to move in slow motion compared to the assailant practically flying across the expanse.

 

A flurry of fists though put a halt to the assassin’s dark ambitions. He collapsed to the earth into a heap, his nerves paralyzed. Above his prone body was a Kyoshi Warrior, her disarmingly soft face being the other indicator that it was indeed Ty Lee.

 

Even still, Zuko stood just as paralyzed as his assailant. Not even the crowd panicking and running in all directions brought him out of the daze. With the sovereign leader of the Fire Nation being stunned into silence, the Captain gave out the orders to drag the would-be assassin to whatever holding cell could fit him.

 

It was only then that the Fire Lord was able to shake himself out of his shock. “Let’s…we need to get out of here.”

 

Luckily, somebody was already planning farther than his mind was at. “You heard the man! Let’s get to the Mayor’s palace people!” Sokka ordered the Fire Nation soldiers. Despite being a boy from the so-called “barbarous” Water Tribe, the guards recognized authority when they heard it. Already they formed an escort around their entourage, hustling their way towards the safest place in the city they knew of.

 

Aang and Katara on the other hand were more focused on the dispersing crowds around them. Especially the looks of terror. If they didn’t know any better, the two would’ve assumed they were back in the days of the war.

 

Today certainly seemed like a harsh reminder of those dark times.

 

---

 

Mayor Morishita’s Mansion

 

“Okay. Could somebody please tell me why we’re having assassins in broad daylight now? ” Sokka sarcastically asked the mayor.

 

Team Avatar and the Fire Lord’s entourage were able to safely retreat to the mansion without much incident. The only thing they had to endure was the occasional noble calling Zuko a “coward” for backing off in the face of a peasant revolt. As for the wounded guard, he had been escorted to the garrison’s apothecary. Katara offered to heal him herself, but she was turned down on the basis of being a “backwards savage that would sooner drown him than help him”. She politely said that it wouldn’t be her fault that he’d be in agony for a few days rather than a few minutes.

 

And now here they were in the Mayor’s common room. Iroh had brewed up some tea, but even that wasn’t enough to assuage the simmering tensions. No due in small part to the Mayor Morishita had decided to make an appearance. He was a large man wearing the resplendent black and red robes of his station. Middle-aged with his sideburns still black, he had made several apologies already on behalf of his men’s behavior.

 

Until a certain swordsman brought up how they were dealing with armed assassins now. “It’s certainly not my fault the rabble has started hiring cutthroats. We try to protect them from these monsters and THIS is how they repay us? I’m surprised you haven’t pushed for an arrest warrant for that ruffian who started this whole mess!”

 

“What? You mean the guy who was acting in self-defense? We saw the scorch marks! We know it was your people who shot first! And even then, how does that justify cornering him when we could’ve talked him down?” Katara fired back, not at all deterred by the bluster and accusations this pomped-up noble was throwing at civilians.

 

Aang took a deep breath, stepping forward and trying to get his emotions under check. “With all due respect Mayor, if a whole army wasn’t able to stop Godzilla, what good would your garrison do? All they seem to be doing is making the people more panicked.”

 

Before Morishita could launch into another furious rant, Zuko cleared his throat and stepped in. “We can’t pull out. There are still nobles we need to escort and protect. And even then, Godzilla has made landfall not too far from here. I’m not risking sending any more Fire Nation ships to take us home with that thing still prowling around.”

 

“Wait…Godzilla attacked somewhere again?” Sokka asked, speaking for the petrified Team Avatar.

 

Taking a deep breath, Zuko launched into sharing everything that was known about Aso Island. About how one of the rogue armies baited Godzilla into a trap and tried to kill him by awakening the firebird. And how Azula was there, told him this via letter, and had “invited” him to a place called Infant Island for some kind of negotiations.

 

“So as you can see, we’ve got a lot on our plate at the moment. That’s why I want to ask all of you to accompany me to Infant Island. At least if we capture Azula, we can get something done,” Zuko finished.

 

Imana didn’t say anything at first. She simply withdrew into the background. “Maina must’ve taken her there…” she muttered, trying to put together the pieces in her head.

 

Aang on the other hand was not as convinced. “Zuko, you sure you’re not letting her get into your head? Like, what if she’s telling the truth? I don’t want you to escalate things with her again.”

 

The Fire Lord just scoffed. “Aang, when has Azula ever been truthful? She wouldn’t just give me an invitation to arrest her. And even then, she’s in control of the Fiery Raptors. That practically makes her a war lord right now! I’m sorry, but I’m not taking any chances with her.”

 

“Okay, let me ask you this: why do you think this is going to help us? We have Azula in custody. Great! How’s that going to help us deal with Godzilla? Or the escorts? Or this ‘siege’ you keep talking about?” Suki asked, getting a bit frustrated with how all this talk just kept them going in circles.

 

To that, Iroh cleared his throat. “Azula represents a way for all of these men to get back into power. If we were to capture her now, they’d be cowed. And if they are cowed, they can be dealt with at our leisure.”

 

“I don’t know Iroh. I think a bunch of monsters are a bit more of a threat than some guys who think the war hasn’t ended. I mean the Rough Rhinos were one of those groups, but they got slaughtered by Old Iron,” Sokka contended.

 

“Then it’s imperative that we go to Infant Island.”

 

Everyone’s heads turned to Imana, who strode forth amongst them. Zuko blinked, wondering if this was the airbender that was traveling with Azula, before Katara clarified that she was actually the airbender’s twin sister.

 

“Twins. Great…wait. That girl was an airbender?!”

 

Another explanation from Team Avatar and Imana, and Zuko was beginning to question how his country managed to almost conquer the world if they weren’t able to wipe out an island full of airbenders.

 

Surprisingly, Ty Lee just shrugged. “I mean some airbenders survived pretty late into the war. But why do you think capturing Azula will be good for us?”

 

“I never said capture. I said we need to go to Infant Island. We practically have more legends and lore on kaiju there than any other place in the world! Our Goddess Mothra is one after all! If she wakes up, she’ll be willing to fight for us if Godzilla or Rodan becomes a threat!”

 

“Just like Anguirus,” Aang said with realization.

 

Zuko and Iroh just felt a pang of worry shoot through their hearts. “Another kaiju…” the Fire Lord muttered.

 

“How exactly is waking up another of those things going to help us?! We might as well designate the entirety of our colonies as prime monster territory at this rate!” Needless to say, Mayor Morishita was considerably less tactful.

 

Still, Aang was undeterred. “I believe her. And honestly, I don’t think we should pass this opportunity up. Any information on these kaiju is better than nothing.”

 

“I concur,” Iroh added. “I’ve been having the White Lotus working as hard as they can, but these creatures have been awakening far faster than we’ve been able to find answers. If the Avatar wishes for us to go to Infant Island, then we should all go. That way we can also deal with Azula at the same time.”

 

Zuko smiled at his uncle backing him up, though he was surprised when Aang just gave the old man a rather neutral stare. The airbender kept his thoughts to himself, but Katara had a pretty good idea of what was on his mind. After all, he had come out about his messages with Bumi with the rest of the team. As for what he found out, he wouldn’t say just yet.

 

Yet she knew when something was bothering him. And when that something was a man they all thought they knew.

 

“Then it’s settled. We’re going on vacation to an island full of monsters. Yay. I’ll go pack my bags,” Mai snarked, gliding out of the room.

 

With that settled, everybody started to discuss what exactly they were going to do once they got to the island. Most of them were anyway. Aang kept looking at Morishita. Kaiju or not, he hadn’t forgotten that it was the mayor’s men who escalated that riot. Neither could he forget how many of the protestors had burns of their own. As hard as it was for him to swallow, he couldn’t ignore that the noble was practically asking for a repeat of the war to happen on his streets.

 

Zuko’s thoughts were also divided. The first was on the assassin. He wasn’t an expert, but he knew that no amateur could use a riot as a cover or move that fast. That’s plenty of reason for the man to be interrogated while he was gone.

 

His other thoughts were on Azula. What game was she playing at? If this was some play for the crown, she picked the worst time to do so. And here he was trying to give her the benefit of the doubt. How was he supposed to give her a chance when she threw her lot in with war criminals?

 

Well, she overstepped her boundaries this time. Armistice or no, he’d be taking her back to the palace. With or without chains.

 

---

 

Infant Island

 

Azula swatted a fly that was annoying her. She swore she had her fill of stomping through jungles to last a lifetime.

 

Then again, this whole excursion seemed beneath her. Don’t get her wrong. Getting a headstart on a trek that was estimated to take at least until sunset to reach their destination was great. Even more so when one knew that their enemies had access to airships and a flying bison.

 

No, it was the Chieftain’s request that bothered her. Apparently, a wild Shaconne was spotted with a nasty gash in its leg and they needed to help. Not that Azula cared, but she wondered why exactly they had to go out of their way to assist an animal that wasn’t domesticated.

 

Oh sure, Amimoto did. He went on and on about the balance of nature that Azula only paid half attention to. The only thing she could remember him saying was, “Our raptors aren’t domesticated in the traditional sense. We let them roam free with their brethren whenever they’re feeling worn out or tired. It helps us maintain the bonds we have with both each other and the species as a whole. Around here, we look out for one another.” Or something to that extent.

 

Now Azula could’ve mentioned that associating with wild predators was a bad idea. She was comfortable sitting on Flame Runner’s back on this trek since she knew the Mongoose Dragon had been around humans all her life. Why would they place trust in mounts that go feral and are just as home in the wild as they are at what she considered civilization?

 

Not that she said anything of course. That would be impolite. Instead, she leaned over to Kori who was walking by her mount’s side and whispered,  “You getting any of this?”

 

“Yeah. They live side by side with them in some kind of symbiosis. Each provides something for the other and everyone benefits as a whole.”

 

“...you understood that?”

 

“Why do you think I’ve been quiet?” Kori asked back. Before they could talk any further, Maina turned back and gave both of them a harsh shush while her father and some of his companions led them along the trail. Azula just rested on her saddle. Truth be told, getting to know the customs of the home islands was practically required to maintain good relations with the various houses and guilds. Not some of these border societies where you might only stop to make repairs on your ship before heading to war in the Earth Kingdom.

 

The Princess supposed that Kori was just more used to getting to know natives. After all this island wasn’t too far from Yu Dao.

 

It still seemed like some kind of mirage or dream, however. The jungles here were thick with foliage. All around her were massive trees and walls of bushes and other low-lying plants. Granted, it wasn’t completely stifling since there was just enough space between the branches to allow fresh air to fill her lungs. Yet this was far beyond the forests of Aso, and more primeval than any in the Earth Kingdom.

 

This is an old forest , her mother’s voice whispered. For once, Azula couldn’t help but agree with her. Though “old” was putting it lightly. This seemed to be a place from a world lost to time. In the distance, the air was filled with a chorus of deep bellows of great beasts, the calls of small animals in the underbrush, and the occasional snap of a branch in the far distance. This wasn’t just an old forest. It felt primeval.

 

Azula felt small. Sure she had spent some survival courses back at the academy thanks to her father’s urgings, but even she wasn’t sure she could manage such a savage place.

 

Luckily for her, people who were more at home in these jungles were leading the way. Amimoto, Swiftclaw, and their friends led the way, snaking along some invisible route. Maybe there was some kind of sign unknown to the Princess they were using. They were certainly at ease, picking their way as though this was a local garden instead of a dangerous lair.

 

Danger certainly found them first when a high-pitched cry pierced through the foliage above. Their party stopped, crouching low to the ground. “Everybody get down!” Amimoto ordered, bowing his head. Everyone followed his command. First his followers, then Maina, and then Kori. Azula was the last to do so, but the growls from ahead convinced her it was probably a good idea to jump off of Flame Runner and bow as well.

 

From the brush, several animals emerged. They looked like Swiftclaw, though they had no saddle or markings. Wild Carnoraptors , Azula realized. And fine specimens by the looks of them. Powerful muscles covered in scaly skin, with ivory teeth on snapping jaws.

 

Two of them, one with larger horns and a more colorful skin pattern and one with smaller horns and duller colors, stepped forward. They flexed their claws, sniffing the party warily. Azula felt their breaths wash over her, as they paused to scope her out. It felt so wrong to bow before animals, and she wanted to look them in the eye. Warning them that a single claw that wandered too close was their last mistake.

 

By the way they were growling, they probably were thinking the same thing about her. Flame Runner hissed protectively, but she didn’t dare make a move when a whole pack surrounded them. It was all the more reason for Azula to remain composed as best she could. The last thing she wanted was to be dinner to a pack of these carnivores.

 

At long last, the pair moved away and approached Swiftclaw. In a complete reversal of their reception towards Azula, they cooed and nuzzled the Shaconne with their snouts. Swiftclaw looked them in the eye and returned the gesture, the trio sniffing and licking one another affectionately. It was then that the Princess recognized the familiarity between the younger raptor and the older ones. They must’ve been Swiftclaw’s mother and father.

 

The rest of the pack stalked over and greeted Amimoto’s raptor in the same way. There was something oddly…human about the display. Azula suddenly remembered with guilt about how she greeted Mai and Ty Lee in the same way when she recruited them. Yet there wasn’t any coercion here. This was a family that was greeting a long-lost member. Even odder was that their ferocious exterior melted away to a warmness that was so foreign to the Princess. Seeing the claws relaxing and toothed snouts nuzzling with each other left her a little floored.

 

In time, the alphas relaxed and nodded towards Amimoto and the rest of his party. Bowing once more, the Chieftain led them past the pack and further into the forest. Azula looked upon the raptors as she road past, knowing that while they had been accepted into their territory, they weren’t given a free pass. Those claws still lay at the ready in case the humans tried anything. Now though, it felt as though it were a formality. Something that was to these creatures in the same vein as breathing.

 

The message was still clear though. Especially to the Princess at the pack watched her in particular. She dared not to look any of them in the eye.

 

---

 

 

They found her lounging on a muddy bank along the side of a sizeable stream. Azula watched the Carnoraptor from the bushes, noting the leg they were resting against the mud.

 

“Is that where the injury is?” she asked.

 

Amimoto nodded. “Looks like she’s trying to keep it covered to prevent infection.”

 

Clever , the Princess thought. Though not clever enough to know that covering a gash in your leg won’t sterilize and clean it properly. Or numb the pain. Or really anything that was outside the range of an animal’s comprehension.

 

Course her train of thought made her realize yet again what a stupid idea this was. When she heard that her “something” was to aid an injured wild animal, she balked. In fact, Azula made it clear that they were going to get themselves killed. Everybody knew that an injured predator was one of the most dangerous things in the world. The best thing would be to put it out of its misery.

 

Maina and Amimoto were insistent, however. Apparently, this one’s injury hadn’t progressed far enough to necessitate such a “drastic” course of action. If they could disinfect it in time and bind the wound, they should prevent it from driving the beast to madness. And this was something they’ve done before. Countless times. One of the benefits the Shaconnes got from the islanders was that they could receive medical aid, and typically, they were receptive to it. It was part of that “symbosis” mumbo jumbo they kept droning on about.

 

This one was different though. Azula was told she was young and not used to humans. What’s more, she was what one would consider “prideful”, and wasn’t all that sociable around the other members of her pack. It was, in Daiyo’s words, “A very unpleasant combination.”

 

Now Azula wasn’t sure how one could call an animal “proud”, but she did note that the raptor kept their head up high and scanned the surrounding areas despite lying in the mud.

 

Still, she didn’t like the looks of it. “Maina. Are you sure about this?” she asked the priestess, who was holding a basket full of meat.

 

“Positive. I’ve lived around Shaconnes all my life,” Maina calmly responded, slowly stepping out of the bushes. The plan was a simple one. Or that’s how it was described. First Maina would lure the raptor into an appropriate position. And the best way to do that was through meat. An injured animal couldn’t hunt properly, and so would likely be more receptive to food given to it.

 

Azula was doubtful. A hungry animal was a desperate animal. And she heard Kori holding her breath, behind her. No doubt she was readying an arrow as Maina got closer to the predator.

 

All of this seemed like a bad idea. Even if it worked, the Carnoraptor probably would just associate humans with food and go after them. Amimoto reassured her that Maina would be wearing gloves to not get her scent all over the pieces of meat. And even then, they could always drive her off if she got too comfortable with the villagers. Like THAT is going to change things , Azula bitterly thought.

 

Her nerves rose as Maina laid down a piece of meat a little bit away from the bird-like reptile. Those reptilian eyes sized the native up, narrowing as she began placing piece by piece leading away from the mudhole.

 

It wasn’t long before a harsh growl left its maw. Azula almost jumped, but the Chieftain put a reassuring hand on her pauldron. “Just watch,” he told her, pointing to Maina gently lowering her basket and dumping the rest of the meat on the ground. Then she slowly backed away, never taking her eyes off the predator who continued to watch her.

 

Silently, the priestess knelt back into the bushes, causing the tension held by both noble girls to dissipate a little. “Told you it was easy,” she claimed, taking off her gloves. Azula just rolled her eyes, wondering how desensitized one needed to be in order to consider THIS easy.

 

With Maina out of the picture, the Shaconne warily rose from the mud and stalked towards the first piece of meat. After sniffing it carefully for a moment, the raptor took the piece of meat in her jaws and snarfed it down. Then she went to the next piece and snarfed it down a bit quicker than the first. Every bite made her more confident. So by the time she reached the pile of meat, she was greedily chomping piece after piece. In the end, hunger won out over caution.

 

It was then that Azula could clearly see the streaks of blood running down her leg. While the mud covered the worst of it up, there was still a rather nasty looking gash in her flank. And it caused the Shaconne a great deal of pain. Every step she took with that leg was a limp. For an animal built for action, such an injury could sink any chance of hunting if it got worse. Forcing her to go after easier prey…

 

That’s what her lessons at school taught her anyway. Even now, she felt her fingers flex, ready to summon lightning and put the poor thing out of its misery. And she probably would have, if Amimoto weren’t there and gave a silent signal.

 

From the foliage looking directly at the river, a gust of wind washed over the feasting carnivore. While not a particularly strong wind, it was enough to topple a surprised Carnoraptor who was already on shaky legs. “NOW!” Amimoto shouted. And all at once, he and his companions lept from the bushes. They were guided by currents of air behind them, letting them to land on top of their startled quarry.

 

In such cohesion that you would almost see from a trained military unit, the hunters dogpiled down on the predator and began binding her legs and arms against her thrashing body with rope. The Chieftain himself lassoed a rope around that snarling maw. He said it was both for their safety and the raptor’s, that way she wouldn’t hurt them or hurt herself in the thrashing.

 

Even still, she had a lot of energy and rage from being hog-tied down. Her body bucked, and even with several men on top of her, it took every ounce of strength to hold her down.

 

Now according to Maina and her father, this would’ve been the time where they would’ve tried calming the Shaconne down to apply the balm. Some kind of technique that the Avatar would’ve understood. Even Azula knew enough that he had some mastery or domain over animals.

 

For this occasion though, the Chieftain motioned for Azula to come forward. Dutifully, the Princess knelt down by the raptor’s head so those orange eyes could glare hatefully at her.

 

Then she held out her palm and brought to life a flickering ball of blue fire.

 

All at once, the predator slumped to the ground. The muscles slackened, and those eyes were riveted at the azure light. Hurriedly, Maina came forward to help clean the wound and apply the balm. Hisses of pain came from the Carnoraptor as they went about their work, but her focus was solely on Azula.

 

“Easy girl…” the firebender found herself saying, seeing her fire reflected in those reptilian eyes. All at once, a memory came rushing back of a darkened dojo in the dead of night. Where everyone had left her to her training.

 

When orange became blue.

 

“I don’t get it,” Azula muttered. “How come all these things seem attracted to my fire?” For Godzilla it made sense, their fire was the same after all. Yet it was also enough to give Rodan pause, and now this. What was it that she was missing?

 

Amimoto shrugged. “I cannot answer that. There hasn’t been a wielder of the blue flame for generations. All we know is that it seems to resonate with the oldest in the world. Those that can trace their lineages back down to times older than legend. The kaiju are among them, as are ancient species like Shaconnes. Maybe they sense something. Like they know royalty walks amongst them.”

 

“Royalty, huh? Sounds like they know their betters.”

 

“Probably not the same royalty you’re thinking of. With all due respect of course.”

 

Azula wondered what the Chieftain meant, but she supposed that could be delved into later. For now, the bandage around the wound was set and the natives were beginning to undo the bindings. Carefully, Amimoto sliced open the rope around those powerful jaws and backed away. Everyone gave the Shaconne a wide berth as she staggered back onto her feet.

 

Shaking her head clear, the predator glared at them all before turning back to examine her now bandaged wound. She took a few exploratory steps, each one significantly less painful-looking than before. Still, the Shaconne snarled at them, but not as harshly as before.

 

Her eyes fell upon Azula, and the ferocity fell. After cocking her head curiously, the raptor ran off into the jungle. Leaving the party behind as they watched her run off without difficulty.

 

Azula felt strange. She hadn’t gained anything from this act, but neither did she feel bad about it either. When that predatory gaze fell on her, she almost felt a sense of…gratitude. Is that what it feels like?

 

Whatever it was, it felt…nice.

 

“Is she going to be okay?” Kori asked.

 

“In a couple days, yeah. You’d be surprise how fast they can bounce back from a properly tended to injury like that. We’ll keep an eye on her though,” Amimoto said with satisfaction. Then he turned to Maina. “You think you can take our guests from here?”

 

“Yes Father,” the priestess declared.

 

Nodding, the Chieftain of Infant Island turned towards his guest. “Well, I’ll leave you in the capable hands of my daughter. She’ll lead you the rest of the way to the temple. My people and I will wait at the village for the Avatar and his friends. Give them a proper welcome.”

 

Out of gratitude, both Azula and Kori bowed. “We’re honored that you would have us as our guests.” Again, it felt wrong to show respect to a backwater savage. But the Princess couldn’t deny she did feel out of her element on this island. She had to give them respect for eking out an existence here amongst such predators.

 

Amimoto returned the bow. “You’re more than welcome. And I definitely think you’ve earned our hospitality.” With one final gaze, he walked off into the jungle with his entourage in tow. Swiftclaw followed, having hidden in the foliage this whole time, but not giving a last look at Azula. Then she turned, leaving the girls alone in the unknown jungle.

 

That didn’t mean they were entirely lost. “Now ladies. Shall we?” Maina teased, leading the way deeper into the heart of the island. Azula and Kori followed, unsure of what lay ahead.

 

They certainly knew who was coming from behind though. And that kept them moving.

 

---

 

Somewhere off the Earth Kingdom Coast

 

Team Avatar ended up taking Appa and a small airship. When you had a grand total of 10 people (hopefully 11 by the time they were done), it was probably best if you split them up. Sure the flying bison was strong, but Aang didn’t want him becoming laden with too many people on his back. No, it made better sense to break them up in teams of five for the journey over.

 

Still, Aang leaned on the airship looking at Appa flying beside them. Granted, Sokka had learned to steer the so-called “fluffy snot monster” pretty well. It was just out of habit more than anything. Seeing how graceful the bison was in the air though, he felt splitting them and sacrificing speed so the airship could keep up was a good trade-off.

 

Besides, he did NOT want Azula on Appa whatsoever.

 

Satisfied with their arrangement, he turned towards the people on their small airship. Zuko was manning the burner that kept the balloon afloat, Mai was just staring into the distance to keep herself busy, while Katara was keeping as far away from Ty Lee as possible. Granted, Aang didn’t understand why the master waterbender was that fidgety around an acrobat since they were now allies. But old habits died hard. Especially when said acrobat could paralyze you and cut off your bending.

 

Speaking of bending…

 

“Zuko. Could we talk for a moment?”

 

The young monarch looked over and gave a nod of approval before tending the fire. Aang took a deep breath. “I know you want Azula’s bending to be removed-”

 

“Aang, that’s going to be a last resort. If she doesn’t give us any other choice,” Zuko cut off. All eyes were turned towards him. Katara in particular, given that her stance on the issue was as well known. There was a reason she elected to give Iroh some space after all.

 

“I know, but what if we’re going about this the wrong way?” Aang asked carefully. “We keep backing her into a corner, she’s going to get more desperate. And if she gets more desperate, things are just going to keep getting worse.”

 

“Oh, and I suppose you know more about my sister than I? I know her, Aang.”

 

“And I know what happens when you feel robbed of options. It’s how I felt about potentially killing your father. I’m just saying we should give her the chance to surrender.”

 

“Last time we did that, she shot Uncle!”

 

“To be fair, I’d probably do the same if I got surrounded by people I thought were going to tear my limbs off,” Mai said nonchalantly.

 

Now everyone was staring at her. She shrugged. “Look, I’ve heard stories. Alright?”

 

“You thought we’d do something like that?” Katara asked with a bit of horror in her eyes.

 

Ty Lee fidgeted a little bit. “Well, everybody on the home islands did. You sink a fleet, you kind of get that reputation. No offense.” Aang went a bit pale at what the Kyoshi Warrior brought up but nodded with understanding. That day certainly wasn’t his proudest moment. 

 

“Besides,” Ty Lee continued. “We…heard stories about what the enemy did with prisoners. They didn’t call everyone around us ‘savages’ for no reason. Especially those who aid them. At least with the former, you knew they were an enemy. With the latter, you didn’t know when they’d stick a knife in your back.

 

“Again, no offense,” she sheepishly apologized, realizing she was talking about everyone on the war balloon aside from her and Mai. Katara and Aang just looked at each other. They both got flashbacks to a certain boy wielding hook blades and an elderly waterbender. People like those just galvanized the Fire Nation into fighting harder, creating this never-ending cycle that lasted for a century.

 

Still, Zuko just scoffed. “Okay. I guess we’ll just try to be nice to Azula and let her shoot us all in the back.”

 

“Zuko, nobody’s saying that-”

 

“That’s what she does, Aang!” Zuko snapped. “Even when she’s nice, it’s just so she can get some sick pleasure out of it! She brings me home? I get blackmailed. Tries to get everybody to express themselves? Makes fun of us for having feelings.”

 

“I mean, you kind of did that with me, but whatever,” Mai deadpanned, taking the wind out of Zuko’s rantings.

 

“...okay. Fair. But you get my point! We give her a chance, and she’ll turn on us. It’s what she always does.” With that, Zuko huffed and leaned on the railing of the war balloon to sulk.

 

“So…why don’t you? Give her a chance I mean?” Aang asked, joining him.

 

“I just told you-”

 

“Zuko, it seems like you’re the one not giving her a chance. Like I get you need us, but think about this for a moment.”

 

“Everything she does is to tear me down. If I don’t beat her-”

 

“That’s the same kind of thinking that almost got you killed. Twice . Or are we just going to pretend that you didn’t goad her into shooting lightning at that Agni Kai. Or tried to pick a fight with Godzilla to prove a point. You know, the monster we all told you fighting was a bad idea? We get you have a grudge and all, but is this with her worth it so much that you’re willing to put yourself and everyone in danger just to carry it out?” Katara bluntly asked.

 

For once, the Fire Lord fell silent. All his bluster had been drained out of him. Leaving only behind a smoldering pile of embers.

 

He sighed. “Believe me. I want to give her a chance. More than anything. But…how can I trust her? Seems like every time we meet, I need to one-up her lest I get thrown to the wolves.” Zuko put his head in his hands, replaying all the worst moments in his mind.

 

Especially, when Azula called him Father.

 

A hand was placed on his shoulder. “We need to be brave enough to take that leap,” Aang said. “Who knows? You bury this thing with her, you might come out all the better for it. Do you want  this thing to keep on going forever?”

 

“...no,” Zuko admitted.

 

“Then let us do the talking. We give her a chance, and who knows? She could come around.”

 

“And if she doesn’t?”

 

“We’ll cross that bridge when we get there,” Katara stated, leaning back and watching the clouds pass by. Zuko sighed and decided to go back to the balloon and check the coal. The tension in the air lessened, but it was still there. Aang certainly could feel it but from the most unlikely of places.

 

Ty Lee and Mai were looking at each other, a bit unsure of what Zuko was talking about. Somehow, the Avatar had a feeling that there was something else going on behind the scenes. Truth be told, Aang wasn’t sure if he even wanted to capture Azula from what he read from that letter.

 

The airbender looked across at Appa, seeing Iroh in some kind of discussion with Suki. He wondered if the Grand Lotus knew what lay in wait for the Princess if she was captured. Maybe if they gave her the chance, they could avoid that.

 

If not, then it made him worry about Zuko. About Iroh. About everyone in the Fire Nation. How could they possibly make a new start for the world if they couldn’t learn?

 

---

 

 

Suki kept looking across at Iroh, seeing the old man meditate. The Kyoshi Warrior shifted a bit uncomfortably, feeling the weight of her robes and armor weighing down on her. Truth be told, she was accustomed to being dignified and being professional when the situation called for it. She didn’t earn her golden headband for being a hothead.

 

Still, something about Iroh made her uneasy.

 

She looked around. Toph was sitting closely to Imana, trying her best not to appear freaked out from being in the air again. Sokka was sitting on Appa’s head while Momo was rummaging in their supplies looking for something to eat.

 

Her eyes fell especially on Toph and Sokka. Something gnawed inside her. Both of them had accepted their elderly companion, and she wanted to trust their judgement. Yet something about that letter Aang got rubbed her the wrong way. That and she couldn’t forget that he stood by and watched his nephew burn down her village. Only reason she chose Appa was she was even more uncomfortable around the person who actually did it.

 

Still, she said nothing. It wouldn’t be proper and she didn’t want to cause problems before they faced Azula.

 

“You look a little tense, Suki.”

 

“Whu-I’m fine Imana,” she lied. “Just a lot on my plate is all.”

 

“You want to talk about it? We still have some time before we reached Infant Island,” Sokka asked, turning around.

 

The Kyoshi Warrior sighed. Well, if they insisted, might as well tell them a truth. “I just feel…small is all. Ever since I left my island, the world just got a whole lot bigger. Then I find out monsters exist. It’s like, what do you even do?”

 

Toph shrugged. “Fight em. I was able to take on Old Iron with Twinkletoes-oh.”

 

“Yeah. I can’t bend.”

 

“Well neither can I, but I was pretty good at organizing strategies against them,” Sokka pointed out. “And you’re leader of the Kyoshi Warriors, some of the best fighters in the world!”

 

“A lot of good fans and swords are going to do against thick scales and claws,” Suki deadpanned. She saw Anguirus. And she knew there was nothing in her arsenal that could compete against such power.

 

“My friend Bumi said that sometimes, it’s a matter of patience. Wait a while and look for your moment,” Iroh suggested, having opened his eyes.

 

“Right. That neutral jing thing. Do nothing and wait.” She hadn’t meant it to be bitter, but she still spat it out of her mouth. When she first heard that was Bumi’s excuse for not doing anything to resist the Fire Nation occupation and get his forces out of the city, she balked. Doing nothing was what kept Kyoshi Island out of the war for so long, and look how well that panned out. People were accusing her and her warriors of being treasonous cowards when they finally joined the fighting.

 

Waiting for an opportunity is one thing. Sitting by and watching others suffer is another. How does one explain that to those they watched struggle?

 

Iroh stroked his beard. “I wouldn’t say that exactly. Sometimes, you just need to step back and take a moment to observe the situation. Even if it seems cold-blooded, you can do more to help in the future without revealing your strategy.”

 

Suki sighed in frustration. “Well I can’t just do nothing either. What’s the point of being a warrior if you can’t do anything to help?”

 

“Then maybe it’s time to reevaluate your priorities. Sure, you may not be able to help, but that’s a burden for others to carry. Perhaps you should step back and focus on what you can do and what’s truly important. Like helping the innocent or…” a sly smirk crept on the old man’s face. “Maybe consider settling down with a boy who is dear that has been waiting.”

 

Both Suki and Sokka snapped their heads to Iroh. “What?” they asked at the same time.

 

It was then that the Dragon of the West realized he might’ve just overstepped his boundaries. He chuckled a bit nervously and scratched the back of his head. “Forgive me. It’s been a while since I’ve been in the dating game.”

 

“Obviously,” the Kyoshi Warrior observed, turning her head and trying her best not to look anymore offended. Even Sokka seemed a bit taken aback by Iroh’s bluntness. Which was fine in Suki’s book. Certainly it was a step up from the disrespect he showed her all the way back at Kyoshi Island.

 

Looking back, she never really held it against him. It was one thing if one was a confused boy in a Tribe ravaged by war talking about things he didn’t understand. It was another when one was an old man and was trying to give advice.

 

Iroh sighed. “Listen. I’m sorry. It’s just back home, female fighters of high standing stayed behind to tend the household in case we were ever invaded.”

 

“You have female soldiers on the field,” Suki pointed out.

 

“Not with the same autonomy you and your Warriors have. And those who survive in the field usually go back home to guard their families, which was the whole point. It’s very rare in our society for a woman to get a position of power,” Iroh explained.

 

Before he silently said, “If only Azula understood that…”

 

Suki just gawked at him. She had no love for the Princess herself, but she knew Azula from the frequent visits she made at the Boiling Rock. Ruthless, sure. But proud and bound by duty. Almost like her in a few ways. And if she was anything like the Kyoshi Warrior, she wouldn’t stand by and let her strength be torn down in such a matter.

 

All this served to make her more frustrated. Suki sighed and turned around to stare at the clouds, as if somehow she could just scream her issues into a cloud where nobody would hear. She could talk with Sokka, but it seemed everybody in his team looked up to Iroh. How could she get across that he was making her uncomfortable?

 

So wound up in her own thoughts, she didn’t hear Imana scooch closer to her. “Maybe it would be better to say, do what you can now but wait for your moment. You never know when destiny will call upon you.”

 

“...yeah. You’re right. Thanks Imana.” Suki’s words sounded good in her head, but they still rang hollow. She did appreciate the words of the priestess, and there was some truth in it.

 

It’s just what could she even do now, when the whole world seemed teetering on the brink of chaos?  When if all else fails, nobody would remember her and her deeds. Or even if her deeds would make a difference in the long run.

 

This feeling of insignificance weighed down on Suki’s shoulders just as much as her armor. Some had their destinies revealed to them. What was hers?

 

---

 

Northeast of Yu Dao

 

Finding the Iron Maws was easy. One just had to find the tank fire in the fading daylight.

 

Mustering up the courage to speak with one of the more notorious renegade armies and risk treason…now that was a heavier task.

 

Still, the three men on the backs of their Mongoose Dragons ventured forward into the camp. They were stopped at the borders by blade tip, questioned why on earth the Fire Lord would send such a paltry force. Sergeant Zo simply told them the Fire Lord didn’t send them, granting them passage.

 

To be fair, the Fire Lord did send them this way, but not to scout against the Maws. No, it was what they found out here that caused them to seek them out. All of them were in agreement that if their choices were to either be branded traitor and end up in some jail or let Yu Dao burn, they’d choose the former in a heartbeat.

 

So they came. All around them, rows upon rows of tanks stood silent, waiting for their drivers to hop into their cockpits and bring the deadly war machines to life. Yet they also found piles of assorted metal loot lying around. There had been a lot of reports of the Maws raiding caravans and taking whatever metal they could find in order to create ammo for their tanks. Seemed that in the absence of a stable source of ammunition, the rumors were true.

 

Seemed a surprise then to find the captain ordering his tanks to fire upon a landslide not too far from camp. Granted, Captain Nojon was working with his adjucants to find the best places to fire for maximum effect in order to save ammunition. It was only the approach of the intruders that brought his attention up from the map at his table.

 

“So…what does that brat want with the Iron Maws?” he asked. He was a rather heavyset man. Not obese, but more heavily built. For his squat body was less fat and more muscle. And he had a rather impressive beard and sideburns to match.

 

“We’re not actually here on behalf of the Fire Lord,” Zo said carefully, dismounting along with his companions. “I’m certain you’re aware of the local seismic disturbances.”

 

“The earthquakes? Yeah. My boys are trying to blast their way through a landslide that got in our path an hour ago right now. That way’s our best way to the roads leading into Yu Dao, and I’m not going to let a pile of dirt stand between us and supplies.” If anything could be said of Nojon, it wasn’t his subtlety.

 

Still, that was something Zo picked up on. “Okay. Have you noticed how the tremors seem to be moving?”

 

“...as a matter of fact, yes,” the Captain mused, realizing what Zo was implying.

 

“Well we have reason to believe that these tremors aren’t just some kind of local earthquake. You remember that firebird that flew past a few hours ago? We’ve been dispatched to find it, but the area we’ve been investigating has been subject to earthquakes. A lot of earthquakes. And they appear to be slowly moving towards Yu Dao. As if-”

 

“-something is moving underground.”

 

The realization settled down on everyone. Only one word was on their minds.

 

Monster.

 

“Listen. If the Fire Lord hears about this, we’re going to be deployed against it. And if that happens, it’s just going to be a repeat of his screw up against Godzilla. Long story short, if we sit by and do nothing, Yu Dao’s going to be a crater.”

 

“And what makes you think we have a better shot of it than Zuko does?” Nojon demanded.

 

With that, Sergeant Zo took a deep breath. “Azula has taken command of the Fiery Raptors and is rallying rogue armies to her cause. Zuko means to capture her, but if we can move on Yu Dao, we might be able to force the Fire Lord to release her. She seems to know more about these things than anyone, so we might have a chance if she’s allowed to give the orders.

 

“It’s not a coup. We just want Zuko and his sycophants as far away from the army as possible.”

 

Nojon walked back and forth, contemplating his options and leaving the envoy in doubt. Finally, he turned and looked the Sergeant dead in the eye. “You’ve got guts, I’ll grant you that. Give us a few days and we’ll be able to move on Yu Dao at a moment’s notice. Just give us a signal. Don’t want dragging my boys into a bloodbath until you’re sure what’s going on with the Princess.”

 

“We will! Thank you sir!” Zo gave a bow of respect before he and his companions mounted on their dragons and sprinted away. Less time spent in the company of rebels, the better.

 

What neither of them realized was that two pairs of eyes watched them from the bushes not too far away. With the gravity of the situation settling in, they grabbed their weapons and slinked back into the bushes. Yu Dao needed to be warned and right away.

 

Neither one wanted a repeat of Ba Sing Se.

 

---

 

Infant Island

 

The western horizon was ablaze with the sun’s last rays when they reached the temple.

 

Azula and Kori gawked at the scale of the structure. A pair of mighty stone pillars marked the equally grand entrance. Stepping inside from the setting sun, they could almost feel the years begin to turn back. Grasses, vines, and flowers took roots wherever they could. Though it wasn’t a case of them bursting through the carved stone. It was more like they were allowed to grow, adding to the otherworldly aura of the temple.

 

“Welcome to the Temple of Mothra,” Maina announced, giving a flourish as if to emphasize the grandeur of the place. 

 

“This place is…”

 

“Huge. I know. According to legend, the whole of the mountain serves as a fortress for this place. I don’t even think Miana and I explored every last inch its so big.”

 

The Princess felt the words being taken out of her mouth. Yet despite the scale, there was something oddly welcoming here. When the Fire Nation built great temples, it was to both inspire awe and fear. Here though, there was simply awe. Natural greens and earthly browns replaced deep crimson and ebony black. Flame Runner trodded over to a soft looking patch of moss and plopped herself down for a hard-earned rest. All in all, the vegetation simply added to the sense of tranquility.

 

As well as the moths fluttering about here and there from flower to flower. These weren’t those disgusting brown vermin that ate unattended robes back home. They were fluffy and cream colored, with some of them circling around the newcomers. Maina didn’t seem to mind the insects, even caressing one that landed on her shoulder.

 

The noble girls on the other hand were a bit taken aback by their strange hosts. Particularly Azula since quite a number of them were hovering around her head, causing Kori to chuckle a little. “Don’t you dare…” Azula growled at the rebel, though it was kind of hard to look threatening when one of those fluffy moths settled on her bang.

 

“They’re just saying hello,” Maina teased.

 

Azula said hello back by blowing the moth out of her hair. After a moment, the insects took to the air and swirled around to an engraving overlooking a passage deeper into the temple.

 

All three girls paused and looked at the carving. A great moth was depicted, its mighty wings spread out in full glory, emanating rays that shone on a group of worshippers. The people were depicted on their knees, praying in reverence. Above the moth, a familiar cross symbol appeared. Maina caressed her necklace that held the same symbol.

 

The Princess had to ask, “Is that her?”

 

Maina nodded in awe. “Yes. That is Mothra.”

 

Upon the name leaving her mouth, several moths broke off from the main group and fluttering down the passage way. The priestess certainly took it as a sign, waving her comrades to follow her. Azula took one last look at the carving of Mothra, feeling as though somehow she was being watched back.

 

Then she descended into the temple. The moths took them deeper, always waiting ahead to make sure they could keep up. Azula wondered if they were leading them somewhere. All the while, trepidation and anticipation began to build in equal measures. Every step they took was another into some great unknown. This didn’t feel like the otherworldliness of a spirit’s domain (at least that’s what the Princess assumed a spirit’s domain would be like). It almost seemed born from the earth itself.

 

After what seemed like hours, the girls emerged into a great chamber. They all stopped at the sight before them.

 

At the heart of the chamber, nestled in a bed of foliage was an egg. A great egg the size of a building.

 

And deep within the painted shell, they could almost sense the being beginning to stir.

Notes:

A/N: At long last, we have reached Infant Island.

For those not in the know, Infant Island serves as the home for Mothra throughout the Godzilla franchise. It’s gone over many names over the years, but the concept remains the same. I went with the earliest depictions of the Infant Island during the Showa era. Particularly with the presence of a native population.

I basically tried my best to portray them with as much dignity and respect as I could. Didn’t exactly want a repeat of the original Skull Island inhabitants. Helps that they were portrayed pretty sympathetically in the films they appeared in. They’re also where I got the names “Amimoto” and “Daiyo” from. Amimoto was the chieftain in Mothra vs Godzilla, while Daiyo was the principal native featured in Ebirah, Horror from the Deep.

Now for the Carnoraptors, I was going for a combination of a dromeaosaur (or raptor) and a tyrannosaur. Think of a raptor with the bone crunching capabilities of a hyena and you’re on the right track. It’s where I got the idea of the horns from since a lot of early raptor-like tyrannosaurs like Guanlong had crests. Course halfway I realized that the description actually sounded a lot like another fictional dinosaur from another kaiju film: the Shaconnes from D-War (great premise, BAAAAD execution). The Shaconnes were basically these miniature allosaur-raptor hybrids that served as riders for the villainous Atrox Army. Figured it would serve as a shout out to another film with giant monsters.

Moving on to Team Avatar’s side of the story, things are heating up in Yu Dao. Literally. Again, I didn’t want Zuko to be too draconian. It’s just when you take up the mantle of a system that’s built on oppression and conquest as your foundation, there is going to be a LOT of growing pains. I didn’t want the Fire Nation to just go from “bad to good” just because he’s in charge. Stuff that is going to come to a head in the coming chapters. I’m also trying to avoid a Game of Thrones style when it comes to politics. Mainly because the sort of cutthroat stuff they get up to there is a bit inappropriate for this type of story. What I’m going for is the painful transition from a brutal regime to a…considerablly less brutal government.

Which is reflected with the debate on Azula and what should be done with her. I’ll get more into detail later, but the crux of it is whether or not removing her bending and putting her in an asylum is a suitable solution, or just an extension of the cruelty based system the Fire Nation’s run on for literally more than a century.

Plus we get some more development for Suki. I can’t imagine her just forgetting that Zuko and Iroh were responsible for burning down her village. Think of it as their consequences starting to catch up to them.

We also get an update with the rogue army subplot. I do apologize for not featuring them a bit more, and I’ll try to shine a spotlight on them in the coming arc. The whole “riots in Yu Dao” and the assassination attempt are going to be pretty deeply tied with them. The scene of the Iron Maws blasting through the landslide was also taken from GMK, where the military tries blasting through a collapsed tunnel that Baragon made.

Finally, we get Mothra’s temple. I wanted to show a place that shows a harmony between the man made, and nature. To that end, I actually got some inspiration from Team ICO’s games, Shadow of the Colossus, and The Last Guardian. Both of which had various ruins that were overgrown by nature as a recurring locale. I also took elements from the MonsterVerse’s portrayal of Mothra’s temple as being welcoming. The moths themselves are taken from the miniature Mothras that appeared in Godzilla vs SpaceGodzilla and the Rebirth of Mothra trilogy. Basically these Fairy Mothras that act as liaisons or mounts for the Shobijin. Plus a version of them does appear in Godzilla: King of the Monsters within Mothra’s temple. They got shocked when the later was put in a containment field.

Anyways, that’s enough rambling from me. Stay tuned for next time when Teams Avatar and Azula finally meet up, and the subsequent fallout. Thank you all for reading. Make sure to leave a comment. Follow and favorite if you want to see more. And as always, have a great day and I’ll see you all next time.

Pro tip: make sure you have your favorite rendition of “Mothra’s Song” cued up for the next chapter.

Chapter 18: Mothra

Summary:

Teams Avatar and Azula confront each other in Mothra's Temple, awakening the slumbering giant at its heart...

Notes:

Avatar: The Last Airbender and all associated characters are owned by Paramount Global. Godzilla and all associated characters are owned by Toho Studios. Please support the official release.

Warning: the following chapter contains Mothra, a bug kaiju. Those with a phobia of bugs be advised.

Infant Island

Mothra's Temple

The fading sunlight of the day cascaded through a large opening from above down on the great egg resting within the chamber. To say it was enormous would've been an understatement. Azula felt puny against its scale.

And yet, it wasn't an oppressive presence either. The egg was cream-colored, with soft bands of blue enwrapping the shell. Spots of white speckled across the shell, creating a pleasant mixture that resembled the dawn of a new day. All around it, the moths that guided them to this place fluttered and rested on the shell.

It looks so peaceful, Azula thought, feeling drawn to the egg. Her armored boots echoed in the chamber. Yet somehow, she felt welcomed here. As if the being within that painted shell didn't mind a fearsome warrior such as her being here.

Maina certainly didn't seem too bothered. In fact, the priestess walked right alongside the Princess, all while saying a prayer under her breath. The third member of their party hung back a little, her hand wandering to the bow on her back. Yet the tranquil aura spoke to Kori as well, beckoning her further.

There they stood right up to the great form of the egg, gazing up at its majesty. Eventually, the Princess had to break the silence to ask, "Who laid this?"

"The previous Mothra," Maina explained. "Before she died, she laid this egg so the cycle would not be broken. That way in times of hardship, she would come back to us. Even in death, the Goddess would never abandon us."

"To think something this big and powerful would ever stick its neck out for people like us," Kori muttered. The rebel fell to her knees, just taking it all in. Maina also knelt, bowing her head in reverence.

Azula? She outstretched her hand, feeling something within calling to her. Gently, she grazed the shell, and all the voices in her head and all the pounding simply ceased to be.

"She's…calling to me," the Princess muttered.

"Get away from the egg, Azula."

The harsh voice caused all three girls to turn around, bearing witness to a whole company of people coming in through the gate. Azula glowered at their leader.

Her brother. Zuko.

"I see you didn't exactly listen to my instructions about 'coming alone'," she almost growled. Of course he'd try to pull a fast one on her. When had he ever played things straight? This time it wasn't just the waterbender either. Her "friends". Uncle Fatso. The Avatar and his sycophants. If they weren't blocking the only way out, she would've made a break for it right then and there. Only one other way led out of the chamber, which went down further into the temple. And even with Maina's help, she didn't want to risk getting lost.

The waterbender rolled her eyes. "Right. Like you played fair before in the past," she spat out.

Azula shrugged. "Doesn't change the fact I asked you to come alone. And last I checked, that's twice you decided to stack the odds in your favor Zuzu. Or did dear old Uncle tell you that taking me in was a lot more important than your so-called 'honor'?"

Her brother's fist clenched. Sure she could see him taking deep breaths in to relax himself, but she could see the fire in his eyes all the same. "We beat you before Azula, and that was just Katara and I. So either come with us now, or-"

"MAINA!"

"MIANA!"

The threat fell on two pairs of deaf ears, as Maina rushed forward on a gust of wind, grabbing and hugging an identical girl from Zuko's party. Azula blinked. Right. The priestess said she had a twin sister. And indeed, they looked almost exactly alike. The core difference was "Miana"'s hairstyle which mirrored Maina, and the colored tattoos around her eyes. They were warmer colors of blue, orange, and white. Quite a far cry from Maina's red, yellow, and black.

"By the Goddess, I've missed you! You know how difficult it was dealing with these two for how long?! I almost got to thinking Mothra had sent me some test of character!"

"You're telling me! Listen, Maina. You're not going to believe this! I was at Cranefish Town, and-"

Azula cleared her throat, causing both twins to swivel around and stare at her. "Oh. Forgive me. This is Miana, my sister! She's the other priestess of Infant Island."

"You could just call me Imana though. Makes it easier for everyone."

"...Imana. Right." The Princess wisely decided to just roll with it. "Very well. I'm guessing you all know why I called you here?"

"Yeah. You said you had this 'Lord Jozain' guy in custody, and you wanted to give him to us," the blind earthbender summed up. "Toph" was her name if Azula remembered correctly.

"Precisely. Like I said, he's part of the reason Rodan woke up and nearly threatened the entirety of Aso Island. Now I don't know about you, but I could imagine you'd have more than a few questions for a noble such as him. I'd be willing to part with him, some of his allies, along with any war criminals the Fiery Raptors and I have come across. Actual war criminals. Not those grunts you tried to put on trial. You know, the people who actually burned down villages like dear old Uncle over there accused me of doing."

Iroh bristled at her barb, which brought a smile to her face. With her proposal set, she confidently held out her arms. "So what do you say, brother? You said you wanted to restore the Fire Nation's honor. I'm giving you the means to do so. All I ask is for some space to do my work."

She held her gaze on Zuko, making sure he saw her. Nobody else, just her. Azula had no idea what lies Iroh had been feeding him, but this had to be his decision. Deep down, he had to realize she was right. Why wouldn't he? This was what he wanted after all.

And for a moment, she swore she saw the light in his eye soften before it blazed again. "Not this time Azula. You're not going to trick me like you did in Ba Sing Se. And what's this 'work' you're up to?"

"Zuzu, last I checked, you made that decision yourself-"

"Raise up a rebellion so you can take my throne? Don't think I'm stupid! You're a warlord now! Even if I wanted to let you go, how am I going to ignore you commanding an entire rogue army group?"

Before Azula could bite back, Kori stepped up. "That's not fair! Didn't you listen to your sister? We got rid of the war criminals in the Raptors! AND she gave an order to not engage with any loyalist forces!"

"You don't take command of an entire army group and not use them!" Sokka pointed out. "Like what's she going to do? Just wait and gather even more of Ozai's psychos to her cause?"

"I think you mean loyal subjects who don't want a hundred years' worth of sacrifices to be for nothing. Or did Lu Ten's death mean nothing to any of you?!" Azula couldn't believe it. All that death. All that misery. Everything she had gone through for Father, just so some savage can call her a psycho?

"ENOUGH!" Iroh roared, causing everyone to go quiet. "You go too far this time, Azula. I remember you used to love Lu Ten like a brother. But using his death just to make a point?! Do you know how many Lu Tens you'll create if you keep going like this?"

His eyes bored into Azula's, the fire in his stomach churning. Azula just glared back. Granted, even she was a bit taken aback by her admittedly crass comment, but that wasn't the point now. She remembered how this old man had no compunctions with sending countless to their deaths. "Oh! So suddenly now you give a damn about life?! You lose Lu Ten and suddenly you have the gall to call all of us criminals?"

"When did YOU start caring about who you hurt?! Last I checked, the whole burning the Earth Kingdom plan was your idea!" Zuko shouted back. "I'm trying to stop a civil war here, and you're just playing games like you always do!"

"Fat load coming from the one who sent thousands to their deaths."

All at once, their arguing ground to a halt. Azula didn't care though. The fire in her heart was growing stronger. Already she could remember it all. Charred bodies. Ruined villages. A terrified woman reaching for her hand. Too much she remembered. All it served was to bring fire to her mouth.

"You accuse me of not caring about people. Yet you did the same thing I stand accused of. What's more, you actually got your own people killed. For what? Just to make a point against me? Proving that you're better? Cause all you're doing is proving why you don't deserve to wear that crown."

"That's enough-!"

"And don't think I forgot you're the one who helped him with that battle plan of his. Oh yeah. I know it was you, Sokka. Who else could do it? Certainly not my idiot brother, but most assuredly the one who seems to be the brains of your little band. Did you even think what was going to happen when you told the Fire Nation that you had a plan to deal with Godzilla?"

Sokka fell silent, but Katara stepped in and brought her sealskin to her hand. "Enough! I'll put you in your place, Azula. Just like I did before. And then I'm going to tie you in chains, and drag you back to that asylum-"

The Princess just yanked one of her vambraces off her arm and yanked down the sleeve.

Letting them all get a good look at the scars.

"This is what you did to me," Azula snarled, pointing to each and every one. "Here's the bruises where they bound me in a straitjacket and chains. Here's where they stuck needles into my arm day in and out, drugging me up, and leaving me alone with the voices in my head. And here's where they came close to breaking my arms when they slammed me against the wall whenever I lost control. You accuse me of being some monster for killing? Then what kind of mercy is this?!"

Tears welled up in her eyes, but she just continued to glare at them all. Everyone was silent. Zuko. The Avatar. Mai and Ty Lee. Even Iroh. All just had wide eyes and pale faces.

It was Zuko that spoke up. "Azula…I…I'm so sorry-"

"SAVE IT!" Azula roared, her breath bringing flames of blue fire with each one. "You just want to make me your drugged-up pet, don't you? Well, guess what? Hate me all you want, but I won't forget that Father threatened to kill me if you stepped out of line. Nearly did so when I failed to recapture you. The only reason he didn't was because he had more important things to do."

She started laughing at the absurdity of it all. "I bring you home, you ruin everything. You put me in chains, dangled me over a cliff, threatened to burn my face off, forced me to work with traitors, and I'm the bad sibling?! And before you say you didn't know, did you even bother to check up on me to make sure I was okay?!"

Iroh stepped in, his hands reaching out. "Azula, we're trying to help you. This blue fire, it's not healthy-"

"You have no idea what blue fire is, don't you?"

To the old man's surprise, Imana got between him and Azula. "Blue fire is a gift. One of the most sacred gifts. To rob one of such a gift is an affront to nature."

"Imana, blue fire is chaos and destruction."

"And sometimes you need to tear something down for something better to be built up again," the priestess snapped back, her soft demeanor hardening.

Azula just snorted with laughter. "Oh, that's rich! If that's the case, why doesn't the Avatar just strip everyone in the Fire Nation of firebending right now? They did the same thing I did, especially since the person he's supposed to be stopping is standing right there!"

She glared at Zuko with such a degree of intensity she didn't think possible. And she felt her fire surging through her veins. "You want to know why I'm doing this? You're putting your nation in danger. You keep putting petty issues like your pathetic grudge or this civil war of yours in front of the REAL issue. Godzilla. Rodan. Anguirus. And who knows what else is out there! They're the real threat. They're the ones killing people. If you refuse to wake up and see these monsters for what they are, then stay out of my way. Maybe you can go die on your throne if it means so much to you. With how you're handling things, there won't be a Fire Nation when the decade is out."

With that, Azula went silent. Waiting for his response.

She wasn't disappointed. Zuko's eyes teared up, but he turned to his cronies and said, "Take her down."

Crack

"Gladly. It's about time!" Mai said, getting her knives out.

"You're right, Zuko, it is enough! We've tried to put up with her, but she's too dangerous!" Ty Lee declared. Azula felt the floor drop out beneath her. Her muscles seized up.

Crack

To her shock though, several people lept to her aid. "Wait a minute! Let's calm down!" shouted the Avatar (of all people). "We don't have to do this!"

"Look at her Aang! She's crazy and she needs to go down!" Iroh shouted back.

CRACK

"You'll have to go through us if you want to get to her!" Maina declared as she, Kori, and Imana rushed to her side with air and bow at the ready. Across the chamber, the Avatar, the waterbender (oddly enough) and the Kyoshi Warrior were trying to argue against their friends. But Sokka, Zuko, Iroh, Mai, and Ty Lee wouldn't hear any of it. The blind earthbender just stood to the side watching it all and unsure of what to do.

CRACK

Azula snorted, bringing fire to her palms. "Alright then. You want me? COME AND GET ME!"

CRACK!

The cracking noise overpowered their fighting. All eyes turned to the egg.

Cracks were forming at the top.

And they were getting larger.

Hurriedly, both Maina and Miana ran to the foot of the egg and knelt down in reverence. Azula and Kori stepped back, watching as they bowed their heads before raising their arms to the heavens above.

Then they began to sing.

"Mosuraya Mosura,

Dungan kasakuyan

Indumū,

Rusuto wirādwa

Hanba hanbamuyan

Randa banunradan

Tunjukanrā,

Kasakuyānmu!"

As they sang, a massive brown form broke through, with yolk and eggshell sliding down its lumpy body. It arched back, wiggling back and forth to free itself from its confinement. Until a great head burst through the front of the egg.

Azula gasped. A great worm shook its body free, before rearing back to gaze at them all with small, baby-blue eyes. Dark-colored tusks and mandibles formed its mouth, and a spiked tail came crashing from its other end.

And yet, as it slowly wiggled from its nest and looked at them all, the Princess didn't feel any malice or intimidation. Just a sense of awe and…peace.

Gently, Mothra chirped at her priestess, resting her mandibles in front of them. Shocked at seeing their Goddess reborn, Maina and Miana had tears in their eyes and a great smile on their lips. They stroked the kaiju, before giving her a great bow. Mothra bowed in return.

The worm turned towards Zuko and the Avatar, staring at them. After a moment of comprehension, Aang bowed in respect. The Fire Lord and the rest of the entourage did so in turn, if a bit more stiffly than the airbender. Again, Mothra bowed.

At last, she turned towards Kori and Azula. Overcome by the kaiju's presence, the girl from Yu Dao bowed as well.

After a moment, Azula followed suit. Incredibly, the kaiju bowed before them both, before inching right in front of the Princess. She softly chittered, those gentle eyes gazing down at the tiny human before inching a little closer.

Azula…reached out her hand and petted Mothra's beak. The tears in her eyes couldn't be held back before her legs collapsed. Instead of hard rock, she fell on the beak, which was moved to support her.

There she lay for a moment or two. Didn't matter if people were watching. She smiled regardless as she rubbed Mothra's mandible down. In return, the kaiju's tusks stroked her back. And for that briefest of instances, Azula felt something she had never felt in years.

Safe.

Then the moment passed. Mothra gently backed away and pointed her head towards the gate at the back of the chamber. Despite not saying a single word, Azula understood the larva completely. Her legs took her across the stony floor, each footstep echoing in the space. Alongside, Mothra slipped into a large body of water. Everybody must've missed that between all the fighting and the egg.

The kaiju slipped beneath the cool waters, and Azula followed a group of moths guiding her through the dark. Nobody stopped her, though some footfalls seemed to follow after her before being stopped. She could faintly hear the Avatar's voice saying, "Don't. I think she needs this time to herself."

It seemed so foreign. Was the enemy sticking up for her of all people? How could somebody so capable of destruction could show such kindness? Such a notion was something Azula couldn't wrap her head around. Everyone knew power and might means an inherent need to dominate.

So why show mercy to her? Why did Mothra or Godzilla? She had to know.

---

She didn't know how far the tunnel went. It could've been either a few minutes or a few hours. What little she saw illuminated by the flame in her hand didn't tell her much either. Only old brick, stone, and roots stared back at her. The Princess didn't even know where she was going. Certainly, the moths up ahead did as they expertly navigated the corridor, their wings shining from the light of her fire.

Azula had to fight down the nervousness in her heart. Kept telling herself that Mothra didn't mean her any harm. It was one of the few things she could cling to in the heart of this alien world. Even still, alarm bells kept ringing, telling her to turn back. To take her chances against her brother and the Avatar. That whatever they had intended couldn't be much worse than what this "deity" had in mind.

After all, who was she to be here? The prodigy of the Fire Nation in a place dedicated to peace? Her very soul must've corrupted the purity built into the very walls surrounding her. Especially after almost lashing out against her own flesh and blood. Yet again.

Yet she fought to remain calm. To turn back down would mean risking a bloodbath. She couldn't drag Maina and Kori into that. No. She had to press on

And press on she did, until she could see a light up ahead. Her heart picked up as well as her feet, eager to get out of this darkness. Out she burst into another large chamber. Not nearly as huge as the nest, but sizeable enough to give her pause. Once more, a gentle light filtered from above, though a bit dimmer. It seemed the sun was beginning its descent from the night sky.

It was still light enough for Azula to see the great wall before her, carved from top to bottom with intricate images. Her breath was snatched from her, seeing the great work of art. Whoever built this place must've been skilled craftsmen. Certainly a lot more than what she reckoned what the current inhabitants were capable of. She assumed at least.

The Princess walked up to one image on the wall. Each carving seemed to tell some kind of story. This one drew her attention due to the moths fluttering around it. Coming closer, she saw once more the great moth she saw at the temple's entrance. Painted in delicate light and warm colors, she had a group of worshippers praying beneath her.

But across from her was a different moth. One painted in black, dark colors. And carved with jagged edges. Beneath it were skulls and ruined buildings. None of the kindness of the first was present. In fact, the two seemed to be opposed to one another, locked in combat.

Azula tilted her head. She had seen the colors of the dark moth before. Black. Red. Golden. Those were the colors of Maina's tattoos. Why would such a menacing creature be honored here? Especially if it opposed what she assumed to be a rendition of Mothra?

Just as the question entered her mind, the moths gathered before another image. Azula followed them and beheld a greater depiction. Upon it was a battle of titanic proportions. Great beasts were locked in combat with one another, as people ran for cover amidst their fighting. All above, there seemed to be a comet flying through the sky. The Princess felt a throbbing when she looked upon it.

Somehow it felt familiar. Sozin's Comet? No, that couldn't be right. This felt older and…wrong…

Her musings were interrupted when she saw several of the kaiju depicted fighting. One she first thought was a lion turtle, but the long tail and crocodilian snout were not that of those legendary creatures. It resembled Maina's description of Anguirus. Another was a great bird in the sky, aloft on leathery wings of fire. Rodan. Alongside him was Mothra, fending off some attacker she didn't recognize.

And below them, right aside by Anguirus, was the unmistakable jagged dorsal spines of Godzilla, spewing his blue fire at another unfamiliar kaiju. All four seemed to be grouped with one another, almost as if they were allies. That would explain why Godzilla seemed so hesitant on killing Rodan back at Aso Island.

Once more, the moths gathered around a third image. This one was not as grand, but just as impactful. There were several of the titans being worshipped by humans. And the titans in turn were bowing towards one in the middle. One that the Princess was all too familiar with.

Azula grazed the image of Godzilla with her fingers, unable to understand why. What was he to them? Some kind of ruler? She did know that in all ecosystems there was a top predator that maintained order. It was one of Father's chief lessons. Yet those alphas were meant to be feared. All of these kaiju seemed to be showing respect for the mighty dragon. Was it out of fear or admiration though? The ones who carved this place certainly thought Godzilla was important enough to give him some kind of respect.

Yet he was a monster. Why was a monster revered? Azula didn't understand, and she had a feeling that she wouldn't get any answers by just looking at carvings such as these alone.

Again, the moths fluttered away, this time down a passageway leading further still into the temple. A cool, crisp wind came through it, refreshing the Princess. She still had more questions than answers. But this was a riddle she was determined to unravel.

So once again, Azula set forth further into the depths. Hungrier than ever for why she was brought here.

---

The birthing chamber was silent following Azula's departure, for nobody wanted to say a word. Too much had just transpired in too little time, and everyone was just soaking it all in. And even when one was close to comprehending it, they didn't want to be the first one to speak out lest they say the wrong thing. There seemed to be a lot of that going around these days.

Aang least of all especially. He sat a little away from everyone, trying to make sense of his turmoil. What he saw before him was simply too much for him to handle. The boy wasn't even sure if he could look either Zuko or Iroh in the eye. Indeed, everyone outside of Mai was giving them a bit of distance.

Those scars on Azula's wrist was on everyone's mind. Even more so than the fact she even got her old armor back (granted Zuko did ask something about how that happened, but he quickly shut up when it was clear nobody else was in the mood). Deep down, Aang wanted to believe she was lying. That she created those scars herself. Bumi's letter, on the other hand, THAT dispelled any doubt that she was telling the truth.

No wonder she got worked up so badly, Aang thought. What bothered him more was that he wasn't even sure anything could be DONE at this point. Enemy or not, that was abominable. At least they made sure Ozai was safely inside of a cell.

It made his head hurt, and so he turned to something he could talk about. The temple itself. "Imana. Who built this place?"

Both priestesses walked up to him, gazing at the architecture surrounding them. "Our ancestors. We think," Maina explained. "Some of us believe it was from a far older culture than either our people OR the Air Nomads. Maybe they were the people we used to be before they split up."

"I can see that. It definitely looks a lot like Air Nomad work, but different." Aang remembered what the Lion Turtle said about energy bending. Of how once, all were a single people before they diversified and spread out across the globe. Maybe this was the same here. He did mention how many of the various airbending cultures around the world came from the same tribe long ago. They even said those who chose to split off from the Nomad way of life were worthy of the same dignity and respect as a proper monk.

Back then, it didn't make much sense to Aang. It did so now. All it did was make him feel so…alone.

Something Imana picked up on. "Listen, I know you're disappointed that we're not the people you expected. But if it helps, a lot of us are hoping that some of the others-"

"They're all gone," Aang admitted glumly. "It wasn't just the Nomads. The Fire Nation came after everyone who bent air. Your people had Mothra on your side. Mine? …they didn't have any of that." He couldn't help but feel bitter. Why? Why was it that they got lucky? They couldn't even bend air all that well. Why didn't Mothra save the Nomads too? He knew she was apparently old and weakened when Sozin's Comet hit the first time, but if she just held out a bit longer…

He fell to his knees. Between the acolytes and here, he never felt more alone since the days of the war. It was like the universe was telling him that the Nomads were gone. Forever. And he should just get used to it.

A warm hand was placed on his shoulders. He looked up into the blue eyes of Katara, and the two embraced. "It's okay," she reassured. "I…I sometimes ask why the Northern Water Tribe wasn't hit as badly. Or even the Foggy Swamp Tribe. Why us?" Aang just hugged her tighter, feeling that this was something she had to get out too. Painful as it was, it did bind them together.

So did two pairs of arms that joined the hug fest. "You know you're just as much a part of our family as our parents are. Right, Aang?" Sokka asked.

"...yeah," the airbender mumbled.

The second pair of arms just hugged him tighter. "You're honestly the best brother I could ask for, Twinkletoes. You saw me for me. Not just some charity case." Aang smiled, feeling the rare softness in Toph's otherwise gruff tone.

"We'll get through this together. Alright?"

"...alright," he said to Katara, hugging them all. What he would've done without him, he didn't dare to ask. They weren't Air Nomads, but they were exactly what he needed right now in these days. And he felt that empty hole in the pit of his soul fill just a little bit more.

Imana, Maina, Ty Lee, Suki, and Mai watched their little group hug, feeling it wasn't their place to get involved. Suki especially. She loved Sokka and his friends, but she hadn't known them all for as long as he had. No, this was their moment.

As for Zuko and Iroh, they just stood apart from them all, looking sadly at the display of affection. Aang wanted the teen to join them, yet he still stood apart. Looking as troubled as ever.

The Avatar knew it was a conversation that had to come sooner than later. He just wasn't sure how to express the gravity of what Azula accused them of. And if she told the truth about her treatment in the asylum, what else was she true about? Did Zuko really dangle her over a cliff and threaten her?

That couldn't be right. Zuko had changed for the better.

Had he?, Aang wondered.

---

Further Azula trekked into the temple's depths. Again, only her blue flame illuminated the tunnel around her. That being said, her eyes were beginning to get used to the dark. It wasn't like she hadn't spent most of her childhood sneaking through the palace's hidden passageways to get to places she wasn't allowed to be. Mother called her prying. Father called her clever.

Prying or clever, it did feel good getting some distance away from Zuzu. She remembered her brother used to be scared of the dark growing up. Now she was half-convinced he'd throw himself onto a pyre just to get at her. Did Amimoto just not tell him that a kaiju enforced their law of peace? Or was he that eager to get even with her?

Funny. Azula swore he "proved his point" during that sham of an Agni Kai and shoving her into a cell to rot. Guess he still had a sore ego over being proven wrong with the mess that was Yu Dao. Why take it out on her though? If he was so much better now, wouldn't he recognize that she wasn't the one who wiped out his army?

The thought made her fidget with one of her bangs as she pressed herself onward. Wherever those moths up ahead were leading her had to have been better than what Zuko had intended.

Through the dark, they brought her to another opening. The archway of the tunnel gave way to a massive cavern ahead. Yet moonlight filtered in from an expansive opening high above, meaning it was bright enough for Azula to extinguish her flame. Judging from the black rocks that made up the cavern wall, she bet that this used to have been the heart of some extinct volcano. When one lives on an island chain formed by volcanos, one had to learn quite a bit about them.

The lava had receded a long time ago, however. At the cavern's heart where there would've been a molten lake during its active years was a sizeable, pristine lake. Most likely groundwater that had seeped up from below ground. There has to have be some massive underground system to connect all of these bodies of water, Azula reasoned. She remembered that much from her geology lessons.

This much water could've explained how the grasses and trees around her must've taken root. Along with the opening from above to provide sunlight during the day, there was a great deal of vegetation in a place that used to have been the heart of a destructive engine. Mosses climbed up walls scorched by lava, adding to the almost surreal atmosphere.

Vegetation wasn't the only thing the Princess found here. All around her, she could hear the calls of birds amidst the trees. Along her path, more of those parrot lizards like the ones back at the village scurried about, feeding on the nuts and berries of the low-lying plants. Yet none of them seemed to be frightened of her. Just staring at her with those large eyes of theirs.

She moved on, feeling called beyond the trees and foliage. Even still, she took note of the animals she came across. What any of the biologists her Father used to entertain by showing off the Royal Family's collection of dragon bones would give to see this place. A young part of her actually hoped that around the corner, one of the original firebenders would be there waiting. The older part bitterly told her that her uncle and nephew killed the last of them. How else would they have mastered the bending of dragons otherwise?

Azula was so wrapped up, that she almost didn't see the boulder with a bloody gash in its shell, laying alongside the trail.

…she backed up to get another look.

It wasn't a boulder, but rather a huge tortoise resting amidst the grasses. The shell was far spikier than any turtleduck shell she was familiar with. And it certainly looked more menacing as it raised its head and examined her. That beak was serrated, with fangs at the back.

Yet it only spared a glance before going back to its slumber. Around the bloody gash in its shell were a number of those strange birds that resembled the ones on Aso Island. They hopped here and there, licking up the blood of the shell. It seemed gruesome, but the tortoise didn't seem to mind. Maybe the birds' feeding helped clean the wound?

The Princess shook her head, continuing on. It seemed odd that such a peaceful place would have such a scene. Still, maybe that was why it came here. Perhaps it was some kind of refuge? This cave obviously would make a good refuge for whoever was passing through.

Refuge. That was an apt word. All here was as tranquil as the surface of the lake she arrived at. Before it was a stone altar, overgrown with mosses and flowers. Here the moths fluttered as if telling her to come here. Drawn further to the lake, Azula went up the steps of the altar and took a seat in the center. Here, a soft bed of flowers and moss served as a cushion, further easing her nerves.

It was odd. Zuko. Father. The whole world seemed so far away. As if here, all her troubles melted away.

Here, she was safe.

Safe. A word so odd. Father always told her that feeling safe was an invitation for disaster. That she should always be on her guard, no matter what. Seeing the cutthroat politics of the Fire Nation court firsthand, she knew what he was talking about.

Still, that seemed so distant.

Gingerly, she began to breathe in and out. In and out.

And from the lake, the brown form of Mothra swam towards her. Water was gently pushed from the kaiju's path as she came close. When she arrived right at the altar, the worm rose her head and looked down at Azula with those baby blue eyes.

Azula stared back and saw no malice. Only a wisdom that belied the kaiju's almost infantile appearance.

Mothra chittered, and deep down in Azula's heart, a soothing voice offered her to meditate.

In and out. Azula felt the blue fire that was her soul rise and fall in a steady motion. And willingly, she obliged.

---

Aang took a deep breath as he saw the wall in front of him.

There were more of those things he could imagine.

They had followed the tunnel Azula went down, feeling drawn further into the temple's depths. Not right away of course. Nobody wanted to be hot on the heels of a firebender that almost went berserk not too long ago. Particularly Katara or Zuko who knew the last time they had to face an enraged Azula. Whatever was down there, it almost had to have been better than that.

As it turned out, "almost" was the appropriate word. They came across a great wall displaying a menagerie of kaiju. The priestesses said that this was where each and every kaiju they knew of was marked down.

Some of them were familiar of course. The images of Godzilla and Anguirus were recognizable. He could see what was supposed to be the great firebird they saw. "Rodan" if Imana told them correctly. And that brightly colored moth had to have been Mothra.

Yet there were so many others. Monsters that straddled the line between what was natural and what wasn't. Oversized insects. Fearsome sea monsters. And horrors he couldn't even begin to describe.

"We can't fight against these many."

Aang nodded as Zuko voiced his thoughts. Ozai and politics were one thing. This just made him feel small. Avatar or not, if all these monsters decided to awaken and go berserk all at the same time…

"Azula must've gone down this passage! If we can move now, we'll be able to catch her!"

Abruptly, the young monarch made his way towards a dark tunnel. He didn't get far before Aang quickly leaped into the air and landed in front of him. To the astonishment of everyone, the Avatar got into an airbending position.

"Aang. Get out of the way." The boy stood firm though, feeling the firm earth beneath his toes. He didn't make a move to attack, but he made it clear that he wasn't going to step aside either.

Iroh stepped alongside Zuko, holding out his hands in a reassuring manner. "Avatar, as Grand Lotus, I must tell you that we need to apprehend Azula-"

Aang just shook his head. "And as Zuko's friend, I'm telling both of you this is a big mistake. Azula's not a threat right now! If I can talk with her, maybe I can convince her to come with us peacefully."

"I hate to point this out, but Azula was literally breathing fire not too long ago. Do you honestly believe you can talk down somebody like that?" Ty Lee asked.

Kori, who was watching from the sidelines, sighed. "Okay, then let me rephrase the Avatar's question: what's your problem with her? I mean I get not liking her due to your childhood and all, and I don't think she was the best of friends. Hell, I know firsthand. But are you telling me that's grounds to put her into that asylum?"

Mai groaned with exasperation. "Not my fault her father got her claws into her. And she is Ozai's number one fan."

Before Aang could say another word, the two other airbenders (he still had to get used to that) came up behind him. "Last I checked, she's not the one who's putting literally thousands in people of danger right now. Or did we just forget the wall put up detailing an entire army of monsters right now?" Maina asked.

"So answer the Avatar's question: why is it that Azula is such a huge priority that you're willing to overlook Godzilla?" Imana reiterated.

"How can you be so sure Azula is telling the truth? She could've mutilated herself to give her those scars," Iroh pointed out.

When he uttered those words, Toph, Sokka, Suki, Kori, and Katara joined Aang's side. This is what the Avatar hinted at concerning his letter from Bumi. He didn't say what it was exactly, but it was something to put him on edge around Iroh of all people. Now that everyone realized what that was, their hearts were set. "I understand your concerns Grand Lotus, but I have a feeling Azula's telling the truth this time."

Katara joined her boyfriend's side. "He's got a point. I don't like her, but I don't think she's crazy enough to scar herself just to prove a lie. And even if she was lying, it still doesn't make any of you look good if you keep backing her into a corner like this."

A wave of shock was painted on Iroh's face. Truth be told, even Aang was a little surprised about how he coldly referred to the firebending master as "the Grand Lotus". He knew that Iroh didn't like people being that formal around him if it wasn't for a good reason.

Yet the biggest change came over Azula's former friends. Mai and Ty Lee suddenly stepped back a moment and looked aghast both at Iroh and, oddly enough, themselves. It was as if the two were brought out of some kind of spell. Something that Toph didn't miss. "You two knew about that place? Then why would you even think of throwing Azula in there if you knew it was so bad?!"

"I…I don't know. Something just came over me and…" Mai walked away, hugging herself for support. Just the sight of the usually stoic noble was enough to chill anyone's blood.

Zuko on the other hand was fired up enough already. "Okay? Sokka also wanted to take her down and nobody's yelling at him!"

More than one pair of eyes turned towards the warrior, who chuckled nervously. "In my defense…she was breathing fire, everything moved really fast, and did I mention she was breathing fire and looked scary?"

"Fair point," Aang admitted.

"So this is your last warning, Avatar. Stand aside, or I'm going to fight my way through." To emphasize his threat, Zuko got into his own bending stance, further causing everyone to have their blood drain from their faces.

Aang remained calm though. "Zuko, I'm saying this as your friend: don't do this. I'm not just talking about going after Azula either. I don't want to hurt you, but I will stop you from doing this."

Everyone beside Aang held firm. Kori in particular glared at the young Fire Lord with an intensity that surprised even the Avatar. "Same here. Azula's my friend, and I'm not going to turn my back on her now."

Ty Lee glared at her fellow noble girl. "You wouldn't say that if you knew her."

"I do. I also know that you don't try to throw somebody you've known all your childhood in an asylum either without having a hang-up," Kori shot back. Ty Lee opened her mouth to say something, but it died on her lips. For the fight was leaving her too.

The two sides were divided on both sides of the chamber. Team Avatar and friends on one side, Zuko and Iroh on the other. Everyone anticipated someone throwing the first blow any minute. Law or not, things could get ugly quickly.

All at once though, Zuko groaned and stalked towards the back wall. Iroh, with a look of concern, went after him.

With the situation having been defused, everyone else split off in groups. Aang in particular met up with Sokka, Suki, and the twins. "Alright, before anyone else tries to kill anyone else, do we have any ideas about how to handle these kaiju?"

Smack.

Sokka threw up his hands. "I honestly don't know. Best I can guess is maybe figure out which ones are more like Anguirus and Mothra, and which ones aren't. Aside from that…your guess is as good as mine."

"We can help you out with that. With the ones we know at least," Imana admitted.

Smack

"Well, we know who keeps waking them up," Suki mused. "Zuko's prison ships. The Rough Rhinos. These Fiery Raptors. Rogue army or not, they're all Fire Nation. And I don't think it's a coincidence they're all emerging near the colonies. Didn't Zuko say they were effectively under siege?"

"He did say that." Aang gulped. This just got a lot more complicated even more than it already was.

Smack

"C'mon! Work dammit!"

"Zuko, what are you-? ZUKO!"

Iroh and Sokka had to restrain Zuko from punching his fists more into the stony wall. Already his knuckles were getting red, and it's likely a few more punches would've drawn blood.

Not that Zuko seemed to care all that much, struggling as hard as he could against both Sokka's and his Uncle's arms. He got so violent that Suki had to step in and grab his torso. But even with all three, it was all they could do to hold him back.

"Get away from me!" he screamed. "I'm going to regain my firebending again and nobody's going to stop me!"

"Zuko! Please listen! We're not here to hurt you!" Iroh desperately pleaded.

"Well maybe you should've thought of that before leaving me alone in the palace! Retire to the Jasmine Dragon?! Who else was I going to turn to with you gone?!"

Aang's blood went cold. That didn't seem like the monarch was talking about his advisors.

"Zuko…who were you talking with?" he asked cautiously.

"MY FATHER! ALRIGHT?!" Zuko bellowed, tears streaming down his face as he went slack. He could barely get a word in between his sobs. "He was right all along. I am a failure. I try to give Yu Dao and everyone hates me. I try to save Yu Dao and get my whole army killed. I try to make peace with the Earth King and all my advisors hate my guts. I can't even get my baby sister or my firebending back. I keep trying to do the right thing, but nothing's working! WHAT GOOD AM I?!"

His rant dissolved into uncontrollable crying, sometimes broken by a scream as he tried in vain to breath fire from his mouth. It didn't work. And everyone just watched their friend break down.

Katara held back a sob of her own. The image was just too familiar.

As for Aang…there was so many things he wanted to say. So many to ask. Why didn't he tell anybody that his firebending was gone again? Why was he talking with Ozai, a man he knew was abusive? Even just a word in to say things were going to be alright.

Nothing. He just hugged Zuko as the teen tired himself out, letting his holders release him. Even still, his tears ran down the monk's shoulder, unable to control himself.

While all of this was happening, Imana whispered to Maina. "I think I might know someone who can help."

Maina nodded, understanding what her sister was saying, before she whispered back, "I'm not sure. She might not be who he remembered her to be."

---

When Azula opened her eyes, she was…well she didn't know where she was.

It was dark, she knew that much. But it wasn't the stifling choking dark of the asylum or the prison ship. She likened it more to a soothing caress than chains trying to drag her down. Neither was it even pitch black either. There was a soft azure glow all around her. Looking around, she saw numerous blue flowers swaying in the abyss, each one giving a warm glow.

Yet in each one, she felt something familiar. Stroking one of the petals of the flowers, she found a warm sensation not unlike when she conjures a ball of flame. Curiously, Azula held out her hand and did just that; willing to life a small but glimmering blue light. Not only did the flowers seem to glow in response, the embers that fell at her feet when she snuffed it out turned into yet more dazzling lotuses. Yes, they did look like lotuses, didn't they?

Blue fire is a gift. It's a shame you could not see it before now, a soft voice murmured.

The Princess sneered for a brief moment, her sanguinity lost. "Like you'd know, Mother. Only thing you ever saw was-"

She was going to say "something monstrous" when she turned around to face the spectre of Ursa. Only she wasn't there. Oh, the holder of the voice looked like mother. And they certainly sounded like her.

Everything else though was off. Azula never recalled Mother having a thick collar of fur on her robes. Or glowing blue eyes. Or two colorful wings at rest behind her.

The being chuckled. Forgive me if I startled you. It's been forever since I have conversed with a mortal such as yourself.

Azula took a few steps back, noticing how this thing seemed to be a fusion of what was familiar and what wasn't. "Mothra?" she managed to croak out.

I appear in whatever way the beholder deems to be most comfortable. Sometimes it's a loved one. Other times, it's more of an abstract object, Mothra explained. It certainly didn't make anything easier for the Princess however, as she tried to wrap her head around the kaiju's sudden humanoid appearance. A fact that brought another warm chuckle from the moth person. This is my place of worship. My power runs through strongly here. I've had millennia to figure out how to make the most of my capabilities.

"I…guess that makes sense?" Azula wondered. But then she realized she had meditated before a giant worm on an island full of people that should not have existed. Clearly reality itself decided to go mad at the same time she did. Huffing, the Princess crossed her arms. "Alright. You got me here. Let's get it over with."

Mothra tilted her head. What was it you had in mind? she asked in a most aggravatedly honest way. Azula knew better though. Innocence was just a mask. Ty Lee taught her that. The Avatar taught the Fire Nation that. Let your guard down, and they'll make sure they won't get up again.

They wanted to play dumb? Fine. "Don't take me for an idiot. I don't know what spell you had over me before, but I'm not falling for it a second time."

I don't understand-

"Don't. Just don't. You're a goddess of peace and love and all that garbage. I'm somebody that killed the Avatar, almost put the Earth Kingdom to the torch, and almost killed everybody's favorite Fire Lord. Don't pretend like you care."

All at once, the serenity of the scene had been burnt away. Literally. The flowers combusted in a cascade of azure flame, leaving behind a burnt out field of ashes. And there Mothra stood, resplendent despite the ashes. That…is true. I can't ignore what you've done.

"Then say it. Say I'm a monster. Say that everything is my fault. I've heard it all before." Azula turned away, feeling the words of her so called "therapist" in her mind. "And while we're at it, just say I turned myself into one. Yeah. Say nobody else called me a monster and it's all in my head. My broken, confused head. Why else do you believe I kept throwing myself into danger instead of meeting you? Cause I know the truth."

Mothra said nothing, letting Azula to continue her rant. "Go ahead. Say it. Offer redemption. I'm not going to take it. Redemption's for the weak, and there's nothing worth saving. How can I be so certain you didn't bring me here just to trap me? You're just like one of those dark spirits I've always read about. In fact, why don't you cut the crap and kill me right now-"

Enough.

One word snuffed out the dying embers of the field and brought her to her knees. Looking up, Azula saw Mothra appear once again before her. Hands clasped together within those voluminous sleeves, wings spread out glowing and in full magnificence.

There she saw it. Her death. The Princess bowed her head, waiting for the stroke to fall.

Instead, a tender hand clasped her cheek as Mothra knelt down to her level, staring at her with those beautiful eyes. I didn't bring you here just so you can tear yourself apart, she sternly said. Yet beneath the strength of her words, there was a tinge of honesty. A softness that spoke to Azula more volume than any scolding her mother could come up with. It was enough to break her out of her mania.

That hand stroked her face, and she let it. You have done wrong. Yes. You have hurt people. You have hurt the world. Yet so have many others. Your own Nation legacy's was drenched in blood long before you came. And many have done their crimes without your input. Is it fair to say you are guilty of everything your people have done? That you alone must pay for their sins?

"...I…"

Many others would've done the same as you. Maybe even worse. This war…too many hearts have been hardened. They would've done the same as you without a tinge of regret. And you have shown regret. Otherwise, why would tears flow from your eyes?

Azula did feel a stream of hot tears rolling down her cheeks right now. She let Mothra wipe them away. "But…why me? Why take pity on me?"

Mothra smiled. Because you are not the first to feel this.

With that, those great wings enclosed Azula and her vision went white. Then, out of the serenity and peace came a darkness on wings. Jagged wings of crimson painted with bolts of lightning. A black carapace lined its body, while a crown of golden horns lined a malevolent face with blood red eyes.

My brother, Battra, felt the same as you, Mothra explained. A creature of darkness and chaos, Battra was overcome by what he saw in mankind. A great fury infected his heart and drove him to madness. For he also vowed to wipe out the scourge of humanity to save the Earth from their destructive ways.

Scenes played out. Ancient people running and screaming amidst ancient burning cities. All above them was the cackling roars of the Black Mothra, raining down fire and brimstone, with purple lightning tearing even the mightiest buildings asunder.

I had to act. If he succeeded, the world would've lost so many of its children. This was something I could not allow. Out of the chaos, Mothra appeared, blowing back the smoke with wings of light. Despite her softer more benign appearance, she was no less regal and magnificent as her dark counterpart.

So it was that we went to war, the Goddess's voice lamented. The two moths did battle. Slashing. Clawing. Biting. Exchanging bolts of lightning from their wings and attenae. Both wrecked tremendous damage on both themselves and the battlefield. Shrieks of hatred and pleading were exchanged.

Azula couldn't look away. It was too familiar. And she felt too much of herself in the dark moth.

They continued their battle, until at last both titans plummeted to the sky, exhausted beneath the shadow of a burning tower. Both moths, too wounded to fight any longer, just stared at each other.

Yet I didn't fight to kill him.

Mothra crawled forward, nuzzling her dark counterpart. Much to Azula's astonishment, an energy emanated from the light moth's antenna, healing Battra's wounds.

It was the darkness of the world and evil men that corrupted him. I fought to free him from his bondage.

Battra took to the air just as the burning tower crumbled, threatening to crush Mothra utterly.

The rubble never came. Instead, Battra swooped down and clutched the tower in his claws, before throwing it aside. Tenderly, the dark moth checked on his sister, his rage having passed.

In the coming days, Battra saw reason. He saw good people helping others in the midst of all the darkness. A woman caring for her children in the rubble. Enemy soldiers working together to survive. Strangers becoming fast friends. All bound together despite the pain both tyrant and monster had placed on them.

Azula saw them as well. All the images of people…regular people just doing good for one another. No threats, no coercion, nothing to gain. Just decency amongst humans no matter their race or status.

And she was not the only one. Color and life came back to the land overseeing by Mothra and Battra. She still felt fear and hatred coming from the people that the dark moth had hurt. But the kaiju did nothing.

He shouldered their hatred, for it was his burden to bear. For that was his purpose. Sometimes one must bear the brunt of evil for others to escape their sting. Yet I never let him forget what lie deep within his heart.

The image faded as Battra flew off somewhere into the Earth Kingdom to rest while Mothra flew back to Infant Island. And all the images came rushing to an end.

Azula knelt within a renewed field of blue flowers, their glow brighter than ever. And above, the dark void had been lit up with a canvas of stars. Mothra continued to embrace her. Those robed arms and great wings made Azula feel small in that tight hug. Yet the girl just nuzzled her face in that thick fur collar. The tears came forward once more.

It's okay. Let it out. Sometimes good can come from ill, Mothra consoled. Nothing about you has told me you are unworthy of redemption. You just need to be brave and reach out. And I'll be right alongside you if you need me. Use your power for good, and I'll be your ally.

"I'll…I'll try," Azula choked out. She didn't understand how she was worthy of such kindness and she didn't even know what she was talking about. The Princess just didn't realize how much she needed this so much.

A small, childish smile appeared on her lips. One that hadn't appeared for too long.

---

Azula gasped when she opened her eyes.

She was back at the altar overlooking the lake. Above her, the blue eyes of Mothra looked at her. The two stared for a moment before Azula bowed in reverence. A gesture the worm returned, before sinking its brown lumpy body back into the depths of the lake.

The Princess watched the kaiju disappear, wondering how much of it was real. Had she imagined Mothra talking to her? The story with Battra certainly felt real. Yet there was no way of knowing.

All she knew was that she felt safe. And at peace. Something that was so alien to the Princess. Even the voices were quiet. She didn't even feel the presence of Father or the three.

Breathing in and out, Azula looked down to see a stone pendant with that cross symbol etched onto it. And beside it was a simple dagger, also engraved with the image of a worm on one side, and a moth on the other. She took both of them in her hands reverently, knowing that she wouldn't be alone without them.

One of those fluffy moths landed on her bang. This time, she didn't blow it off.

---

Northeast of Yu Dao

Sergeant Zo and his adjutant rode in silence. Already they sent their fastest rider back to the rest of their squad they had found what they were looking for. They'd be ready to head out as soon as they got back.

What their messenger had also been told was to leave anything regarding their meeting with the Iron Maws out. The less people knew about the deal, the better. Besides, it was a guarantee in case there were any sympathizers of the crown within Zo's ranks.

Didn't make their rider back any less tense. It was a dark night. Even the moon being out couldn't steady their nerves. It was as if the Moon Spirit herself had seen what they had done and was judging them accordingly.

Still, Zo rode on. His eyes and ears were on high alert, He had a feeling they were being watched by something else. A tail that darted between the trees. The soldier in him debated if he should turn around and-

The earth shook underneath their feet. Their mounts hissed in surprise and fear as the whole woods came alive with a chorus of panicking animals. Not too far away, the earth heaved as something broke through the ground.

Zo and his companion watched in horror as a back covered in ebony chitin rose up from the earth, with red spikes running down its back. The head of a great worm shook mounds of earth off of the golden crown of horns on its head. One horn in particular jutted up into the sky, a spear that the very sight of drove the hardened men into a panic.

An awful cry came from the insect's mouth, spurning them yet on further. They both hoped beyond hope that their forces were already mustered.

---

Battra watched with interest as the two insects rode off. If he had allowed his rage to rule his heart, he would've smote these men off the face of the earth. For they wore the red and black of the Fire Nation, and the fact they were still here made his blood boil.

Reason and old memories won out though. Besides, the humans needed to know he was coming. They were lucky it was him that emerged instead of the Storm King to the south. Not that the Black Mothra had any doubt that old serpent had not been idle with all that had transpired.

Still, he would give the Fire Nation a few days to prepare. If they show discipline in the coming days, they had nothing to fear. If not…they'd be lucky they hadn't caught him in his darkest mood.

Satisfied, Battra's eyes turned away. Not before taking notice of two small figures running through the woods. The dark worm let them go as well. They seemed young and did not seem to have anything to do with what was going on. In fact, they'd be helpful in their own way.

People needed to know he was coming. And if they had any chance of stopping him, they'd need to prepare. A fact he held dear when he descended back into the earth.

Better he than some other monster. He already knew that darker forces were on the move. All needed to be ready.

Notes:

A/N: This was a chapter long time coming.

Part of my motivation for writing this fic was dealing with…well the best word I can describe it as is "trauma" I got from the Last Agni Kai and how Azula was handled in the comics. When you grow up autistic, you grow up surrounded with ableist portrayals of mental illness like that. I thought maybe by crossing this over with something that was near and dear to me from my childhood would be a good way of dealing with it and expressing things. While telling a good story of course.

Which came to a head in this chapter. I tried not to let the characters become basically just sock puppets for my own views. Sure, some of the stuff I wrote down is what I believe in. Obviously. But I didn't want Azula to come out and say "You traumatized me with the Last Agni Kai" or something. Have it fit the bill of the character.

So, anyways, Mothra. Mothra has basically always been among the more "humanized" of the kaiju. Mainly that she's the one who has been almost universally good or benevolent in every appearance (unless you kidnap her fairies or mind control her). So I think it would be a bit fair to give her some more character and human interactions than say Rodan. Plus I do believe that kaiju always have this sort of "character" to them. Like we compare them to forces of nature (which they are), but they're also living creatures as well with all the baggage that comes with them. Hell, we saw that as early as the first 1954 Godzilla movie (anybody who hasn't watched it, watch it now) where he goes out of his way to do as much damage as possible rather than just being some rampaging animal.

As for her portrayal, I went with a few depictions. Her larva form highlighted I based on the Heisei version. Though her larva design hasn't really changed all that much between the Heisei and Millenium versions. Her acting as a mediator between Teams Avatar and Azula is also a call back to Ghidorah the Three-Headed Monster where she stopped a fight between Godzilla and Rodan (high recommendation). Her association with water also comes from GMK where she's portrayed as a water deity of a lake. As for her human form, I sort of made that one up. Again, it's a bit easier to imagine Mothra doing it than Godzilla since she's said to be psychic.

The fauna in the crater I drew on from a few sources. The parrot-beaked lizards are primitive ornithopods like Dryosaurus, while the various birds are again based on Archeopteryx. The ones drinking blood are actually based on a real species of finch in the Galapagos. As for the turtle, he's a composite of two characters. The first is a reference to a bizarre skeletal turtle we see in Mothra vs Godzilla on Infant Island when they first arrive. The second is Kameobas, a more obscure kaiju that debuted in Space Amoeba and reappeared in Godzilla Tokyo S.O.S where he got nommed off-screen by the Big G himself.

Then there's Battra. Not as famous as Mothra, having only appeared in Godzilla and Mothra: Battle for Earth. He's basically Mothra's dark counterpart, and the story is actually a combination of the backstory given in the film and the events of the film itself. Mainly where Mothra does heal Battra, the latter does pull a heel-face turn, and the duo team up to deal with Godzilla. I kind of wanted a more older and mellowed-out Battra for this fic. Mainly he doesn't automatically hate all of mankind when he wakes up. Doesn't make him any less dangerous though.

As for Team Avatar, not much to say. I apologize for giving Zuko his own Azula-style meltdown, but considering all the crap he's gone through as of late, are you surprised he snapped? Besides, you can't exactly say Azula's certifiably insane since Zuko's gone through basically the same thing right now.

Anyways, thank you all for reading. I apologize if the updates aren't as frequent in the future due to school coming up. Make sure to leave a favorite and follow to show your support. Leave your thoughts down in a comment. And I'll see you all next time. Have a great day and take care for now!

Chapter 19: When All You Have is a Dream

Summary:

Azula emerges from the Temple and makes an unthinkable decision. Meanwhile, Zuko has a less fortuitous reunion with someone he thought he knew. All the while, the King of the Monsters is on the move...

Notes:

Avatar: The Last Airbender and all associated characters are owned by Paramount Global. Godzilla and all associated characters are owned by Toho Studios. Please support the official release.

Odo Island

 

“I’m telling you! We need to get the fortress rebuilt to prepare for invasion!”

 

“And I’m telling you that it’s a waste of resources that could go better to rebuilding the village!”

 

“Oh for the love of-what’s going on here?” Yamane barked out, practically hearing the arguing between the two all the way from the shrine on the highlands. And at such an ungodly hour, the sun barely began to rise.

 

Things had changed quite considerably since Godzilla’s attack. For starters, they were still picking up the pieces from the old village. All around them were piles of rubble of ruined wood and glass. Yet amongst the wreckage were new huts and new houses. The transformation was incredible. The villagers had come together to rebuild their homes as best they could. Any standing structure was reinforced with pieces of wood that survived the rampage and that had been generously donated from the other surrounding islands. They weren’t much to look at, but they were comfortable at least. And the less fortunate were allowed to stay in the larger homes.

 

When the elder Yamane and the shrine maiden Nami strode through the village, they found people peddling food once again and children playing in the streets. From the ruins of devastation, new life had been breathed into Odo. They didn’t even need to rely on the stockpiles of rations from the caves anymore.

 

What was also new was the makeshift wooden barrier dividing the docks from the rest of the island. While they hadn’t been able to repair the fort, the soldiers had constructed this makeshift defense in case of either Earth Kingdom or rebel attacks. Truth be told, Yamane wasn’t sure about the former, but he had heard rumors that at least one rogue army was on the move.

 

The barrier itself wasn’t the strongest-looking structure, but it at least would’ve bought them time in case of attack. Enough time to evacuate the village to the more defensible tunnels.

 

At least when there had been just the villagers and whatever soldiers stayed behind. Now though there were new squadrons of Fire Nation troops patrolling the streets. Not as much as Commander Maoso was still around, but the reinforcements that could be spared from Fire Lord Zuko’s forces were still substantial.

 

And they brought problems along with more men. Yamane had been informed that one of the villagers was getting into an argument with a young officer he didn’t catch the name of. Thus, here they were. He had found them arguing outside the barrier amongst the docks with a crowd gathering around them.

 

The young officer gestured exasperatedly at the villager. “We’re trying to fix up the fort to shore up our defenses, and he thinks we’re ‘wasting’ resources. This is ridiculous! We got assigned to protect you people and you don’t even want us around?!”

 

“I never said we didn’t want you around. We just said it was unnecessary for them to build for a threat that’s not going to come!”

 

“Whu-and you call the Earth Kingdom and rebels not a threat? And what about Godzilla?! What if he comes back?”

 

Nami sighed before stepping between the two. “If Gojira comes back, we won’t do anything stupid and we won’t try to pick a fight with each other. We’ll just head back to the tunnels as we’ve done before,” she said, glaring at both villager AND soldier. The elder felt a twinge of pride for the young girl. She had stepped up considerably ever since the Avatar and Princess left.

 

“Besides, I doubt a rebuilt fort is necessary anyways,” the shrine maiden declared, turning directly towards the soldier. “This is Gojira’s territory. We need to have faith that he will intercept any trespassers if they have violent intent.”

 

The young officer just threw up his arms. “That monster destroyed this village! Are you honestly going to trust it won’t turn and come back for another round? No, we need to take action now . Tunnels aren’t going to be enough. Especially when the Earth Kingdom figures out about them. What? They hate us enough to pull something like that. You really want to be the one kicking themselves for ignoring what Earthbenders can do to a tunnel system?”

 

“With all due respect, but the war is over ,” Yamane pointed out, standing up for both the maiden and his fellow villager. “If the Earth Kingdom invades, that is in flagrant violence for the peace treaty. And even then, how could we possibly keep the peace when you’re prepping us for war?”

 

He looked the young man in the eye, and the officer just stared back. “Well like it or not, we need to be on guard. With all that’s going on, we need to be ready for any possibility. That means addressing the biggest threat to us at the moment, which is armed assault.”

 

“LOOK!”

 

Everyone turned around and stared at what this one fisherman was yelling and pointing at.

 

What they saw were mountain peaks slicing through the water just off shore. Yamane, Nami, and all citizens that bore witness paled. Nobody said a word, not wanting to draw attention to themselves.

 

Despite their fear, the spines mercifully did not turn in their direction. Instead, they headed east towards the east, the tail thrashing as it cruised past.

 

“...so who’s the biggest threat in these waters?” Nami asked.

 

The young officer just gulped. “Fair point. We’ll…postpone rebuilding the fort.” Then he turned and started barking orders to send a message to Yu Dao. Yet even the sight of the last dragon sparing them wasn’t enough to reassure maiden or elder.

 

For Gojira was on the move again. And that meant that somewhere, chaos and destruction was going to ravage the land once more.

 

---

 

Infant Island

 

Azula shielded her eyes from the morning sun peaking over the jungles below her. Normally she would’ve welcomed Agni’s warming rays, but she did just spend a whole night within a dark cavern at the heart of a great temple. She felt the Sun Spirit would be forgiving of a momentary lapse of reverence.

 

Admittedly, it was a good night. After her meditation with the temple’s Goddess, she curled up underneath a soft spot beneath a tree. The quiet peacefulness of the sanctuary lulled her to sleep, and she awoke refreshed. A rarity these days.

 

Such bliss couldn’t last, however. The Princess expected her brother to jump her outside the temple, yet…no attack came. Azula looked around in confusion, only seeing Kori and Maina rising and stretching. Aside from a few areas of pressed-down grass down the steps of the temple entrance, there wasn’t any sign that Zuko or the Avatar were there. Odd.

 

What was there was a Mongoose Dragon bounding over to her and licking her face. “Easy girl, I’m okay!” Azula reassured, pushing Flame Runner’s snout out of her face. The reptile just stared at her back, sniffing her over. There must’ve been so many scents on her armor that her mount must have been sick to death in case she ever ran into trouble. Not that she needed a pair of eyes watching her back, but it was appreciated.

 

A growl rumbled from Flame Runner’s throat, focusing on her wrist where she ripped off her vambrace. Exposing the faint scars on her skin. Azula grimaced. That happened last night too. Her other hand rubbed down the lizard’s scaly snout while she stared. She never was going to get used to the sight of her pearly skin blemished by barbarity.

 

“Here. I picked this up soon after you left with Mothra,” Kori spoke up, offering the discarded vambrace to the Princess. Azula muttered a “thank you” before taking the piece and slapping it on her arm. A sigh of relief left her lips, now seeing the secure red armor instead of scar tissue.

 

Kori kicked the dirt a little. “I…I heard the stories, but I didn’t think the asylum was that bad. Thought they were exaggerated to keep us good.”

 

“No, trust me. It’s worse than they said it was. Remind me to burn that place down to the ground if I ever go home.”

 

“That’s if I don’t burn it down first,” the rebel teased, though there was a tinge of sincerity in her voice. Azula did appreciate the sincerity though. Nice change of pace from all the masks her old “friends” wore. Stabbing her in the back was one thing, but advocating for Zuko to lock her back into that hellhole? If she knew they were capable of that, she would’ve dropped them before they had the chance. Guess that’s one received for giving people the benefit of the doubt.

 

Maina sighed. “Look, we’re not burning any asylums down. Not unless you want to get in even more trouble and add arson to our record.”

 

Kori just shrugged. “I mean, it’s not like we can do much worse. What’s Zuko going to do? Get even more mad at us?”

 

“You know what? Nevermind. Azula, how was your time with Mothra?” Eager to change the subject, the Princess shared everything she knew from the experience. From the sanctuary she found herself in, to the meditation she had with the Goddess, to the visions she beheld. No stone was left unturned.

 

When she was finished, she showcased the medallion and knife that the kaiju had left behind. Maina beamed at the sight of both. “She’s favored you! After all this time hearing the stories, I didn’t think I’d live to see one personally blessed by Mothra herself!”

 

“Yeah. Blessed,” Azula looked at the gifts. True she did feel quite a bit of comfort holding both of these relics in her hands. Yet that still didn’t answer the question of “why?”. If Mothra backed her, what was she expected to do? Bring balance and harmony like the Avatar? No way. She was many things, but spreading harmony wasn’t one of them. Make peace with her brother like Mothra made with Battra? Fat chance. She knew Zuko. He was undoubtedly still here, and they had to find some way of getting rid of him.

 

Speaking of her brother. “Maina, what happened with everyone while I was gone?” Azula asked.

 

The two other girls looked a bit uncomfortably before they answered. Mainly how they followed her inside the temple before they got into yet another fight with Zuko (seemed like he was causing headaches for everyone these days). Then apparently, he just…lost it. Began to almost hurt himself and began ranting, crying, and screaming.

 

Azula remained silent. On one hand, for the first time in a long time, she felt something resembling pity for her brother. What he experienced hit a bit too close to home. Which was why she also felt disgusted. Not entirely towards him though. She just wondered why he got hugs and reassurances that he was a good person while she got chains, ice, and a straitjacket. This had to be a joke. He does nothing and gets everything. She does everything and gets nothing.

 

Her silence was deafening, causing Kori and Maina to look at her with worried expressions. “You okay Azula?” Maina asked.

 

The Princess considered saying nothing, but then she felt the medallion rest against her wrist. Thus, she took a deep breath. “I don’t know how to feel, to be honest. How am I supposed to feel? I didn’t get any of what he got when I broke down. And yet…”

 

Maina stepped forward and wrapped her arm around Azula’s shoulders. “Look, you don’t need to answer right away. For something like this, it’s going to take some time to wrap your mind around.”

 

“I…thanks.”

 

“Just doing my duty is all. You learn a few things when you’re one of Mothra’s priestesses,” the native girl said nonchalantly. It certainly brought a smile on Azula’s lips. A genuine one. Not forced. Not smarmy. Just a warm one.

 

She was brought out of her appreciation when Flame Runner nudged her side with a worried expression. Again, Azula stroked her snout, wondering why the Mongoose Dragon was being affectionate. Maybe it had something to do with her previous rider? Could’ve been. The faint scars on her hide did say she had seen some action in her day.

 

Furthermore, why was she starting to understand animals all of a sudden?

 

“Alright. Where’s my brother now?” Azula asked, figuring it would be best to work with something she understood.

 

Again, Kori and Maina exchanged glances. “He’s…gone to see your mother,” Kori said.

 

Azula nearly seized up. So he knew. Of course, he’d see her. He never left her side when they were younger. She could see it now. Poor Zuzu would run into his mother’s arms, tell her how the world had been so mean to him. Probably say she’s the worst thing in existence. The works.

 

If she tried to keep her thoughts to herself, she failed when Maina saw right through her. “Listen, Azula, there’s something you should know about your mother.”

 

This caught her attention. Azula sighed, wondering what exactly the priestess had to say. Judging from her tone of voice, it didn’t sound too pleasant. And it wasn’t. By the end of Maina’s explanation, Azula began to honestly get worried.

 

Just what was Zuzu walking into?

 

---

 

 

When Zuko first heard his mother was on Infant Island, all thoughts went to finding her. Azula? She wasn’t exactly going anywhere, so unless she managed to sprout wings and fly away, they could always come for her later.

 

Besides, he lacked the stomach to deal with her right now. It was just one more failure to add to the list. How many times had he screwed up by now? Almost didn’t seem to matter these days. One failure led to another, and now he couldn’t even capture his sister when he literally had all the help in the world. Seemed luck decided to shine on her once again.

 

Well, he didn’t need luck. He just needed a break. And his mother being on the island all this time? That was the break he needed. So he urged everyone to head back to the village where they started this goose chase. If Azula wanted to trek through the jungle into their arms, that was fine by him. They’d deal with her eventually.

 

So he rushed through the jungle, despite the priestess’s many protests. “Zuko, wait! Your mother! She’s not-”

 

“She’s my mother. That’s all I need,” Zuko snapped back. He had run ahead of his friends, leaving all of them behind. They’d understand. Not this delusional, holier-than-thou priestess. She didn’t understand Mother. He did.

 

Zuko could see it now. She’d open the door. He’d fall into her arms. There would be tears, but he’d be able to get everything out that he’d been holding back for a long time. Only she’d understand. Not Aang, for he put too much stock into the young Fire Lord. Not Katara, for she didn’t have the same chance he did right now. And least of all, not-

 

“Zuko wait! I think you should listen to Imana!”

 

He stopped in his tracks, listening to the plodding steps of his uncle. A few labored breaths before Iroh chuckled, “Yeesh. You’d figure with all my time in prison, I’d be in better shape-”

 

“Why did you leave?”

 

His question came out as a whisper, but his boiling rage hissed out through the air. It was enough to certainly catch Iroh off guard. “Nephew, what do you mean-”

 

“I needed you,” Zuko snarled, letting his pain get the better of him as he whipped around, looking the old man right in the eye. “I never knew the first thing about leading a nation. I wasn’t even sure of myself. I needed you more than ever. And what did you do? Retire to live out your life in a tea shop.”

 

Iroh looked like he had been slapped in the face, but Zuko didn’t care. How many times had his uncle hurt him? How many bridges did he burn because he was told to? Maybe it was time the old man got a taste of his own medicine.

 

Uncle sighed, putting a hand on his shoulder. “Nephew, I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you. But you have to listen to me. Your mother…I think Imana is right. She’s not the same woman you think she is.”

 

“...what?”

 

Another pained expression, but Iroh never wavered. “I know what she did that night when your grandfather died. Look, I know it was necessary what she did and I’ll always be grateful. But we’re talking about somebody who killed their own-”

 

“OH BULLSHIT!” Zuko roared, slapping Iroh’s hand away. “My dear old grandfather wanted me dead! Has that not occurred to you?! And now you’re telling me I shouldn’t trust her for protecting me? What’s next?! I throw her in that asylum next?!?”

 

At his outburst, the dam that was Iroh’s patience finally cracked. “Zuko, everything I did, I did for you. I thought three years at sea would’ve told you that much. If it weren’t for me, you would’ve been dead how many times over. Azula would’ve killed you, and she would’ve been sitting on the throne. I know I screwed up with the asylum, but I would’ve come the moment you told me you needed help. What were you even thinking when you talked with your father?!”

 

He would’ve said more if Zuko hadn’t pushed him to the ground. Right now the teenager didn’t care. Seemed every family member had some sort of facade going on. Of course Iroh wouldn’t be any different. Why would he? What sort of honor does a man have when he lops people’s heads off just to make a point.

 

“DON’T GIVE ME THAT!” he roared, feeling tears coming down his face. “You kept telling me Azula was the one I needed to fear. But what about my father?! You know, the one who burnt off my face! You knew that his approval was garbage, but did you ever tell me that? NO! It was always ‘Azula was crazy and she needed to go down’. ‘I know a technique not even Azula knows’. When it came to Dad though, I got squat! So let me ask you something: you knew how badly I wanted my father’s acceptance. Why didn’t you even think of telling me how much of a monster HE was before I tried groveling before him?!?”

 

…Iroh remained silent. His face was white ash, burnt away by his nephew’s tirade. A pang of guilt stabbed Zuko’s heart. Maybe just as bad when he first betrayed his uncle, the only person on his side when the whole world turned its back. He wanted so badly to just kneel down and beg for forgiveness.

 

Yet he pushed his guilt down. It was drowned out by all the times he looked for the old man at his side, only to find his father glaring through the bars of his cell. No matter how hard he wanted to deny it, it kept staring him in the face. No. He needed to say this.

 

“Uncle…you failed me. I do appreciate you being there for me, but this? The one time I needed you more than any moment in my life? This is too much.” With that, he walked away, not looking back. Deep down, he wanted so badly for that apology, that admittance of fault.

 

He got nothing. Which rang harder than any chastisement could.

 

So onward he pressed. To get away from Iroh. Get away from Azula. Get away from EVERYONE . There were so many voices demanding to be listened to. Right now, there was one he needed to hear so badly.

 

One more push through the foliage, and he was there. A small hut, far from the others in the nearby village. From the outside, he could tell it was as well-kept as the others. Yet at the same time, he felt a pang in his heart. Last he remembered her, she was graceful, regal, and clad in resplendent clothes. She deserved a palace, not some shack in the middle of nowhere.

 

No. He had to keep an open mind. Yet deep down, he could feel a warning in his heart. Imana told him that Ursa used to be a fairly pleasant and respected member of the community. It apparently all changed three years ago when she had withdrawn from the village. Apparently now the most anybody saw of her was when she arrived to exchange some goods.

 

Zuko felt his hand reach towards his scar, having a good idea of why she had become withdrawn. He remembered how everyone in the Fire Nation had become aware of how his father scorched his face. No doubt she would’ve heard it as well.

 

Still, he took a deep breath and pushed forward. She’d understand. She had to.

 

He walked up to the door and gave a soft knock. Inside he heard somebody shuffle and come to the door. Then the footsteps stopped, and he heard a hitched breath.

 

The moment dragged on, Zuko clearing his throat. “Uh…hey Mom. It’s me. Zuko!”

 

Nothing. He blinked, looking himself over, a bit self-conscious of his appearance. Luckily he was dressed in his simple royal tunic and not the extravagant robes of the Fire Lord. Didn’t feel right wearing it all the way out here. “Woah! I…I don’t know what to say,” he continued, hoping to coax her out. “Everyone wanted to know where you went to and now…I knew you were alive! You had to be!

 

“There’s a lot to tell you! The war’s over! The Avatar returned! I’m Fire Lord! There’s…there’s a lot to go over! Everybody’s going to be so excited when I get you back! I mean, I need to finish some things up in Yu Dao, but then we can go home and everything will be just as they were before!”

 

Again, nothing. Inwardly, Zuko started to panic. This-this wasn’t right? Where’s the open door? The open arms? He’d imagined this moment for years, hoping, praying for it. Why wasn’t she coming out?

 

“Mom? …Mom, could you please come out?” Zuko whispered, his mind in denial of reality. He hoped out of the silence, his mother’s voice would finally emerge.

 

All he got was silence.

 

Zuko sighed, sliding down with his back against the door. “Mom…I need you. I…I don’t know who else to turn to. I’m trying to stay true to who I am and be good but…nothing’s working. Everyone’s saying I’m better, but… I can’t believe that. I’m trying so hard to change, but I still feel like I’m the bad guy. Iroh? Turns out he’s no better than every other maniac who waged this stupid war to begin with. I’m not much better. I got a whole army killed. Even when I know what I’m doing is right, I feel like garbage. I thought taking down Azula would’ve made things better, yet she hates me now more than ever! I don’t know-”

 

The door opened.

 

He felt somebody stand over him, taking a few deep breaths. Slowly, Zuko stood up and turned around.

 

It was like seeing a ghost. Well, not exactly. She wasn’t clad in the heavy, elegant robes she always wore back at the palace. Instead, she wore the slimmed-down garb of the natives. Also, her face had one or two more faint wrinkles. Yet her hair was still done up in the same dignified topknot. And even all the time away couldn’t erase that beautiful face she had.

 

He felt his knees almost buckle from the shock. “Mom…” he whispered, wrapping his arms around her in a tight hug. Hesitantly, the former Fire Lady Ursa embraced her son as well. Seemed as though she was just as shocked at the sight of him as he was of her.

 

There they stood for what seemed like an eternity, just embracing and experiencing one another’s company. It couldn’t last forever before Ursa took a few steps back with a horrified look on her face.

 

“What’s the matter? Aren’t you happy to see me?” Zuko asked, wondering if Azula had somehow materialized behind him.

 

“I…no. I am happy to see you,” his mother responded, cracking out a weak smile. “It’s just, when I heard about what had happened, I didn’t think he’d be so…”

 

“Yeah. Neither did I.” He felt the sting of his scar, feeling the event play out in his mind. Even to this day, he still couldn’t believe it. What kind of man would burn his own son? All just for speaking out of turn? Admittedly looking back he supposed he wasn’t quite ready to join such a high-profile war meeting, but even then he could look past that given how naive he was back then.

 

Not even putting his father behind bars made it any less painful. Arguably it made it worse. Least back then, he could pretend that the good times they had would come back. Now they seemed even more distant than ever.

 

Though maybe not so anymore. “Look, it doesn’t matter. I’m Fire Lord, and I can clear your name and bring you back! Wow, everyone’s going to be so happy! A lot of us thought you were dead!”

 

“You want me to come back with you?”

 

“Yes, of course! I already got an airship. Just need to clear some things up in the colonies, but after that, we can go home! Isn’t that what you want?” Zuko felt his cheer soar. With Mom back, he’d finally have somebody else he could rely on. Somebody to talk to. There was so much he wanted to discuss. Uncle in particular considering everything he’d just learned-

 

“I’m sorry, dear. I…can’t come home.”

 

“...what?” Zuko’s smile didn’t waver, though his heart did. “Why not?”

 

Ursa took a deep breath. “Cause I’m the one who gave you that scar.”

 

“What are you talking about? Father’s the one who gave me this scar-”

 

“Let me finish,” his mother said, lifting up a hand. “I heard about your Agni Kai with your father. How you didn’t fight back.”

 

What son would fight his own father? Zuko lamented inwardly, but he didn’t understand where she was going with this.

 

“Zuko…I’m the reason you weren’t able to stand up for yourself. I’ve thought about it over and over again, and I keep running into the same conclusion. You always ran to me because I never taught you the most important lesson: holding your ground when you needed to. If I taught you that earlier, you never would’ve gotten that scar,” Ursa lamented.

 

All the words she said seemed so foreign coming from her. “Mom, you told me never to give up! And I didn’t! I’m the Fire Lord now because of what you taught me!”

 

“Yes, and I also wanted you to be a good brother to your sister. And I wanted you to be a good leader for your nation. Yet from what I’m hearing, you fought her in an Agni Kai and threw her in an asylum. If I had seen what was going on between you two, this might not have needed to happen. If I’d seen how weakhearted you were back then, I would’ve known others would’ve persuaded you from the war. Instead, you…”

 

Ursa swallowed, unable to continue. Stunned, but not daunted, Zuko placed a hand on her shoulder. “Go on. I can take it,” he said. If he could take so much in the past few days, he could take this.

 

“...you did the same thing your father did to your Uncle. And you betrayed your own people by ending the war.”

 

…

 

The world heaved, and Zuko honestly thought he was about to throw up. That pain, that guilt at the back of his head regarding everything towards Azula. It forced its way to the forefront. No more lies. No more excuses. Just the hard truth.

 

“...what about never forgetting who you are? What about mothers always defending their sons?”

 

Tears ran down Ursa’s face. “Somethings change, Zuko. And sometimes, mothers defend their sons too much, they never learn to fend for themselves. It’s why I can’t go back. I’ve done enough damage enough already. I’m…I’m sorry, Zuko. For failing you.”

 

“...alright. Okay.” Zuko turned around, unable to look at her anymore. His head and shoulders were slumped. That last light, the one hope, that one pillar from his childhood he could rely on had been smothered and shattered.

 

And he couldn’t feel anything about it.

 

---

 

 

It was a tense trip back to the village. Minutes stretched on for an hour or two, just as the sun was rising. Azula offered to let Maina and Kori ride on Flame Runner’s back, not wanting to tire her friends out by leading them through the dark underbrush. The Mongoose Dragon certainly didn’t mind the extra weight. Turns out teenage girls didn’t weigh that much to begin with.

 

There was discussion, of course. A lot of discussion. Primarily, what were they going to do. Kori wanted to head to Yu Dao of course. Having been away from home for a while made her worry about what was going on with the movement she was a part of. Maina agreed with her, figuring that was a good place as any.

 

Azula wasn’t so sure. The only way to get to Yu Dao was to make a deal with Zuko, and she wasn’t keen on that idea just yet. Not when he’s sure to be in a highly emotional state. Besides, she wasn’t sure what good Kori’s little movement was going to do in the face of these kaiju all waking up. Least the city was on the coast so if any news of Godzilla came about, they’d be ready.

 

Godzilla. King of the Monsters. That’s what that priestess on Odo called him before. And it’s what the mural depicted. All the pieces began to fit together, and yet there were some still missing. If she had more time, she would’ve gone down into the very depths of that temple just to look for any and all references to the beast. There had to have been more there. Why else would he be portrayed in such a dignified and almost revered manner right next to Mothra?

 

She had so many questions both about him, and herself for that matter. Something about the great lizard occupied her mind, and not just out of concern for her country’s safety. They shared the same fire. He was the last remnant of the original firebenders. The sheer power he had was enough to rival the Avatar himself. She could tell it was quickly becoming an obsession. One does not run into a monster twice and expect to not be affected.

 

He’s an abomination that doesn’t deserve to live . There was one other reason. The voice that was three in her head. They had been quiet for sometime ever since they first arrived to the island. Even now, their curse was but a hiss. As if something here was subduing it in some way. Yet their absence had not gone unnoticed. Nor have the other voices. Azula hadn’t seen either Mother and Father for a while, which was odd. It made that inhuman snarl all the more questioning. Why was it still around?

So many questions, so little time. For now, she had to settle with what few answers she had. By the time they reached Maina’s village, the sun’s rays were beginning to peak up over the treeline.

 

Showing clear the Avatar and his entourage on the outskirts, milling about with that bison and Zuko’s airship.

 

Azula took a deep breath as they dismounted Flame Runner, who gave a worried nudge into her side. The Princess stroked her snout to calm her down, before striding forward with Kori and Maina at her flanks. People could hate her all they want. She was a member of the Royal Family, and she was going to act like it.

 

Her first thoughts fell to one who most certainly didn’t act as though they were royalty. Zuko was there, leaning against a tree looking…rather forlorn. More than usual as a matter of fact. He wasn’t even conversing with Iroh, who was giving her brother some distance. A shiver ran down Azula’s back.

 

So her brother found their mother. And shock of all shocks, she probably didn’t turn out to be the dream that Zuzu had wanted. Azula would’ve scoffed, if she didn’t realize how empty Zuko’s eyes looked.

 

“Is…he okay?” Maina asked the Avatar with concern.

 

Aang scratched the back of his head. “Last we heard that he and Iroh had a falling out. Then he met his mother and…that’s how he came back.”

 

The priestess grimaced, as if anticipating what was going to happen. Her twin, Imana, came over and placed a hand on her shoulder, though she herself looked shaken. Even Azula felt a pang of pity everything she looked at her brother. She knew what Mother meant to him. Didn’t matter how many times she tried to argue against him, he always maintained that Ursa was the one sole light in his life.

 

That meant he was setting himself up for failure. One of Father’s lessons was always to expect everyone to have a dark side. An unpleasantness which shattered the image you built of them in your mind. It was always unhealthy to create such idols based on hearsay. No, her image of the Phoenix King was one he built himself. One wrought by cruelty and ruthlessness, but there was an honesty in it. Her brother never learned that when he built his memory of his mother, that meant setting her up to standards she could never reach. Azula of all people knew what Ursa was truly like.

 

She wanted to prove him wrong, but not like this.

 

“So. What happens now?” Azula asked.

 

After a moment with everyone looking at each other, Zuko sighed. “You can come with us to Yu Dao. Unbound. And we’ll receive your prisoners. I simply ask that you receive a bodyguard. Aside from that, you can do what you will.”

 

Azula swallowed uncomfortably. There was no anger in his words. Just a defeated tone that might as well have said “You’ve won.” By Agni, what their mother do to him?

 

She got a nudge from Kori, the rebel silently giving her thoughts to the matter. Truth be told, even Azula could see the opportunity as well. A hotbed of political activity just waiting to be exploited to get her brother out of power? It was too much to pass up. Yet she’d be walking into enemy territory. Looking around, she saw Iroh, Mai, and Ty Lee sizing her up. Their gazes made it clear every movement was going to be closely monitored.

 

The Princess just stared back. They had every reason to be afraid. Yet for once, she grabbed onto something that wasn’t a blatant powergrab. “So, I heard you had a little run in with Rodan.”

 

“Whu-how did you know that?” Sokka exclaimed.

 

“You told me. Just now,” she teased, much to the tribesman’s annoyance. It wasn’t hard. Rodan was heading in that direction, so they would’ve had to have seen him.

 

A groan erupted from Toph. “That dumb bird almost ran right into us. You want to know what it’s like almost being thrown into a hurricane? That’s what it was like.”

 

“Don’t have to tell me twice. I was right in the middle of that mess,” Azula purred. “What I want to know is, where was he heading. I mean if somebody has to keep track of these things running around, may as well be the one who knows a thing or two.”

 

“Northwest of Yu Dao,” Suki responded, her arms folding across her chest. “Why?”

 

Azula was going to say something snippy just to get them off their game, but Maina muttered a name that stopped her in her tracks. “Battra.”

 

Everyone looked at her, with a realization dawning on their faces. “Let me guess. Another monster we have to worry about?” Mai deadpanned.

 

Maina and Imana nodded, before launching into a discussion about Mothra’s dark twin. Said to be the very embodiment of the Earth itself. It’s dark avenger. Terms Azula was familiar with by this point. No, what got her attention was the implication. “Why would Rodan want to wake him up?” she asked.

 

Imana shook her head. “I’m not sure. But if Rodan felt the need to awaken another kaiju, that must mean that something really bad is coming our way.”

 

They have no idea , the voice whispered. The prodigy felt her eyes furrow with a realization. Rodan went berserk when he “heard” those voices. Not to mention, he had what could only have been a discussion with Godzilla that she felt concerned her. As if he sensed something.

 

Another piece. Before she could latch onto it, a jolt of pain flashed through her mind, with a blurry image of a comet hurling through the sky. She winced from the shock, deciding maybe it was better to table that for another time.

 

What it did do was crystalize her decision. “Well, it’s settled. We’re coming with you. If Battra’s awake, Yu Dao could be at risk. Like it or not, none of us would benefit if it gets razed to the ground. And I don’t need your lie detector to tell you all I’m telling the truth.”

 

“Hey, I wouldn’t say anything even IF you were lying,” Toph bluntly said. And everyone knew that was the truth. Yu Dao being reduced to rubble would be disastrous. A lot of Fire Nation lives would be lost, a lot of Earth Kingdom lives would be lost, and both would lose an important strategic and economic nerve center. With the most developed port in the colonies, it was in the best position to handle the outgoing Fire Nation nobles. Lose Yu Dao, and they’d be stuck here.

 

Oh yeah, and a lot of lives overall would be lost. Didn’t matter what stuffy general with unquestionable honor by the Fire Nation’s standards said. They never stepped on a battlefield where people were trampled and bodies mutilated. Maybe she denied it long ago, but if she was going to be called a hypocrite for drawing the line now and not before, then so be it.

 

Suki sighed before walking right up to the Princess. “And what do you think you can do? We saw what happened with Godzilla. What makes you think you can stop Battra?” There wasn’t any venom in the Warrior’s voice. It seemed to be an honest question.

 

So an honest question demanded an honest answer. “I was able to stop a slaughter from happening at Aso. Plus, Mothra herself told me about him. And I don’t think a powerful kaiju like her would tell me that if she felt I couldn’t do something about it.”

 

This caused the armored girl to raise an eyebrow. “Wait. She talked to you?”

 

“Long story. Basically, if she’s willing to put that much faith in me, I think I have a shot. If you won’t trust me on anything else, trust me on this at least.” Azula looked her in the eye as she said this. Suki, to her credit, just drummed her fingers on her sleeves and internally debated on whether or not she could be trusted. Smart , she thought. The Princess couldn’t trust herself either.

 

This is why she added, “Then once this is done, we can go back to hating each other like old times. How does that sound?”

 

With that, Suki huffed. “Alright. You’ve got a deal.” Behind her, the other members of the Avatar’s entourage either nodded in agreement or just gave a noncommittal shrug. Azula knew better than to assume they’d immediately accept her help, but it was a start.

 

Around her neck, underneath her armor, she felt Mothra’s medallion press lightly against her chest. It was a small comfort, but a comfort nonetheless.

 

-

 

Things were quickly arranged for their journey to Yu Dao, though to the Avatar’s distress, Azula had to ride on Appa. Nobody wanted either the Princess or her brother anywhere near each other, and since only Zuko or Iroh was trusted to operate the war balloon, that left little other option. For what it was worth, Azula told Aang she didn’t fancy a ride on a hairy flying monster herself.

 

That did leave them with the question of what to do with Flame Runner. Obviously they couldn’t just leave the Mongoose Dragon on Infant Island all by herself. Not even Azula was that cruel. Thankfully, they did have a solution.

 

Said solution was currently hugging his two daughters tightly in his arms. “You two be safe out there for me. Alright?”

 

“You don’t have to tell us twice, Father,” Miana reassured.

 

“I mean it. Promise me that you won’t do anything stupid out there.”

 

“Not unless trouble comes looking for us,” Maina promised.

 

Amimoto grinned as he ruffled his daughters’ hair. “Alright. Just know that whatever happens, Mothra will be there to guide you home.”

 

The twins gave their promises not to do anything rash once more and to always walk in the grace of the Goddess. Azula and Kori stood back, letting the family have their moment. Then, once they had broken their embrace, Amimoto and Daiyo looked to the Princess. “You promise you’ll take care of both of my girls. Understood?”

 

“Understood,” Azula promised while bowing to Daiyo. Yet this was one promise she wasn’t sure she could keep. She’d do her best, obviously. The prodigy would never expect anything less from herself. But what they were walking into, nothing was guaranteed. Only thing she could do was pray that Mothra truly did care about her followers and would protect them all. Might even start praying herself just to tip the odds in their favor.

 

Speaking of which, “You think Mothra is going to get involved?” Azula asked.

 

“Battra is her brother. If he’s awakened, you can bet she’s going to get involved,” Daiyo stated as if that were the most obvious thing in the world. Which to Azula, it was. Still, better to have confirmation than clinging on to false hope. Now breaking to Zuko that they had to deal with a fifth kaiju on their hands, that was going to be rough. She had better get started on figuring out how to explain that the giant bug monster they had just met was actually on their side.

 

That was for the near future though. For now, she turned to other matters. “Chieftain Amimoto. You promise to bring Flame Runner when you arrive at Yu Dao?”

 

“Indeed. We’ll treat her as one of our one,” he declared. Not too far away, Swiftclaw and Flame Runner were busy snipping at each other.

 

Well, at least she’s occupying herself , Azula thought. “I just know what you’re walking into. My brother’s not going to be too happy with what you and the other islanders propose.”

 

The Chief crossed his arms. “And we know that this is our only chance of survival. The Fire Nation won’t leave us in peace just because someone new is in charge.”

 

Azula wasn’t sure of what exactly he was talking about, though she had a pretty good idea. She did take comfort that Zuzu would have to deal with it if her intuition was on the money. And it most often was. 

 

Someone else remained silent though. Kori didn’t say a word. No doubt the same thoughts were going through her mind as well. Nobody wanted to say it since the idea was so foreign. The colonies leaving was one thing. As much as anyone in the Fire Nation could deny it, they weren’t in their traditional territory.

 

Islands that have been part of the Fire Nation for time immemorial leaving though? That was never going to go over smoothly. Azula just hoped Amimoto and Infant Island knew what they were doing.

 

---

 

Over the seas bordering the Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation

 

Everyone knew it would be a silent trip back. Or at least, a very tense trip. It's not like they could go any faster on the war balloon to get it over with. Fire Nation tech could do many things, but it certainly couldn’t keep up with a Sky Bison flying at full speed.

 

So on top of the tension, it would be a very slow trip. Practically everyone was waiting for somebody to break the silence. It was practically inevitable. Zuko was looking across the sky at Appa, no doubt watching Azula who was riding on the bison’s back. Iroh was on the other side of the balloon, keeping an eye on the coal and fire. Sokka and Imana were busy checking their headings to make sure they were on the right track to Yu Dao.

 

Leaving Mai and Ty Lee to mill about one end of the balloon by themselves. They too were looking out at the bison at their former friend. For Mai, it was all she could do to not turn her head away in shame. What had come over her? She wasn’t happy with Azula, but to seriously suggest throwing her in the asylum? Agni above, that was one boundary she swore she’d never cross.

 

And yet she did. She wondered if Ty Lee realized it too. The acrobat was staring with a hard glare, which got her a little concerned. Mai knew that her friend was also reeling from what happened both on the Boiling Rock and on Infant Island. She was just worried that burst of anger was simmering over again.

 

Sighing, realizing she probably wasn’t going to get anywhere with her, Mai strode over to Zuko’s side. If anybody was going to break the silence, she figured it might as well be her. “So. Things didn’t go over so well with your mom?”

 

Zuko laughed, though thankfully it wasn’t the half-maddened laugh that haunted her ears. It was more a dry, humorless laugh, but it was a step in the right direction. “Really? How could you tell?”

 

“I know you,” Mai responded as if it was the easiest thing to pick out in the world. To her credit, Zuko made it abundantly easy.

 

The Fire Lord shook his head. “No…no it wasn’t.” He fell silent as he gazed upon the winds rushing past them. It made Mai wonder if she should get a blanket for him or something. She at least had the sense to wear her usual layered clothing instead of that stripped-down tunic Zuko always wore when he wasn’t on business.

 

In a whisper barely heard over the winds, Mai made out his voice. “Do you…think I’ve changed? And don’t sugarcoat it.”

 

Mai sighed. She knew he wanted the answer plain and true, but she wasn’t sure if this was the time. Then again, he did ask and something told her he wasn’t going to get better if she just held it from him. “To be perfectly honest, yes and no. I mean, I remember when you were all in for the war and you did throw me for a loop when you decided to end it. Plus you being buddies with the Avatar of all people was something new.

 

“And the other hand…you’ve still got a lot of anger if that’s what you’re asking.”

 

Zuko slumped his head on the railing of the balloon. This was what she was afraid of. One thing she learned growing up was there was a difference between breaking it to somebody the hard truth, or telling a white lie in order to buy yourself some time. The latter she never got the hang of, but the former she was fully aware of. Harsh reminders from her parents about being quiet rang in her head after all.

 

“I thought I was getting better,” he lamented. “I thought by confronting Dad, I’d…I’d be one of the good guys. That I’d be able to let go of my anger, you know?”

 

“So who are you angry at?” Ty Lee asked, coming over to his side. “Your Dad?”

 

“No.”

 

“Azula?”

 

“No.”

 

“Zuko, don’t lie,” Mai chastised, not wanting him to retreat back into himself. This was something he truly needed to be told. “I saw you back at the temple. You’re still mad at her. And the longer you hold onto it-”

 

“But she’s-”

 

“Difficult? Yeah, I know. But sometimes, you need to be honest with yourself and take some responsibility. Otherwise, you’re going to be at each other’s throats for the rest of your lives. Is that what you want?”

 

Mai hated the cold way she spoke, but, again, it was something that needed to be said. She’d seen too many rivalries amongst nobles to know where this was going, and she didn’t want the same thing to happen here.

 

“No, I don’t. It’s just, we seem locked into this thing between us. I’m trying really hard, but it doesn’t seem like she’s giving me any other choice. Or maybe…maybe I’m mad at the both of us. Mad that we can’t break through. Break this death spiral we’re in. Only thing I know is taking her down, and…that scares me. Like the only thing standing between me and getting better is her.” Zuko covered his face with his hands. “I’m scared Mai. I’m scared it’s only going to end when one of us is dead, and I don’t want that! And it really scared me when both of you were getting just as angry at her as I was. Why can’t it just be my burden?”

Mai couldn’t respond. Her shoulders just sagged down as she looked into the distance. What had come over her? It wasn’t like her to get that mad. True there have been times where she’d been mad, but not to such a degree as what happened in the temple. A chill ran down her spine about how easily she lost it. All that training and discipline was torn to pieces.

 

She wasn’t the only one. Ty Lee looked down in shame. “I don’t know Zuko. It just felt easy. And empowering if that makes any sense. I remember how Azula treated us like…it seemed like she saw us more as soldiers or things to be thrown away. When I chi-blocked her, it was, how should I put it? ‘Liberating.’ Now I don’t even know anymore.”

 

A pair of footsteps came up behind them and rested against the railing. “If it helps, I remember my dad talking about something like this,” Sokka explained. “He used to tell stories about how warriors who’d lost a lot or suffered from great hardships just went berserk. They became far stronger and tougher in battle, but they hurt everyone they touched. Enemy. Friends. Even themselves.”

 

He bowed his head, as if somehow he knew the feeling all too well. “Wolf’s Rage they called it. Not really something to be proud of.”

 

“We have something similar too. ‘Sozin’s Fury’,” Iroh spoke up, resting against the engine. “Those who became overcome with their firebending flew into a frenzy. They lost focus and what they gained in strength, they lost in sanity. Poor souls who succumbed to such a fate were often forced on the frontline or thrown into the most brutal front possible. We felt there was no coming back from that.”

 

“Huh. When our warriors lost it, they were often given some leave time and support to work through their issues,” Sokka mused.

 

Iroh shook his head sadly, a haunted look creeping up on his face. “There’s a lot of shameful deeds that we committed. That’s just how things were during the war.”

 

Mai looked at the old man, but said nothing. Did he suspect that Azula suffered from this “Sozin’s Fury” herself? From what she heard, her ex-friend’s breakdown did sound similar to it. Yet how come she was condemned to an asylum? The noble girl knew Azula enough to know she’d rather risk taking her honor back through death via combat.

 

A scary thought just crept into her mind. The Princess still wouldn’t be set on doing that. Would she?

 

Iroh continued. “It’s the same with anger, really. What gives us power has the ability to spread and consume us all. Doesn’t matter how many dry blades of grass get swept up in the inferno. All they do is just carry the flames until there is nothing but ashes.”

 

“Sounds like you know a bit from experience,” Imana commented.

 

The Dragon of the West sighed, the years coming over his face. “Far too much,” he murmured.

 

“No. I get it. And it’s pretty good advice too,” the priestess said, turning towards a despondent Zuko. “I know you have every reason to be upset with Azula, but sometimes it’s a matter of facing your anger. Back on my island, we understand that everything has a purpose and reason for being, even for something as irrational as hatred. What you need to understand is why .”

 

“You get taught a lot of those sayings when you were younger?” Mai mused. The other girl wasn’t so much older than her, yet she seemed to have an answer for everything. Almost seemed like she was one of the older Avatars reincarnated or something.

 

Is that how it works? I need to ask , she thought.

 

“It’s easy. I learned to trust my feelings and gain wisdom from them. Everything else just came to me over time.”

 

Mai was stunned, forcing her to look across the sky. Listen to her feelings? Why would she do that? She almost attacked her former friend. If anything, it was just another reminder of her parents’ teachings. Let them steer the ship, and you’re bound for disaster. Thank Agni above she didn’t turn out to be a firebender. Otherwise, incidents like this would be a bit too common.

 

What she wondered most about was Zuko. Looking at her boyfriend, she saw the same crestfallen expression. It pained her to see him this way, though at the same time aggravating. Was he taking any of this in? If nothing else, it would’ve been a good distraction from the self-pity he was in. Her mind wandered, asking what happened to that young man who wanted to better himself. Did his mother say something to completely break his spirit?

 

And what about her? Was the same hatred he held for his sister consuming her as well? The thought scared her terribly, enough that she had to gaze across the sky at the sky bison. There, she could see the Princess gazing back at her. It was too far to know what she was thinking, but Mai had to wonder how much wider this gap between them was going to get.

 

---

 

 

Azula stared back across the open sky, seeing Mai gazing back. It took all her willpower not to look away. To see that bridge she’d razed. How could she have been so blind? Of course they’d turn on her sooner rather than later. For what it’s worth, the brief time they had together will always have a special place in her heart.

 

Yet there was always that shadow in the background. That of the war. How could she have missed that before? Take away the war, the fighting, and suddenly it was all the easier to just let your guard down. Relax. Pretend you weren’t a Princess. Feel safe amongst friends.

 

Beside her were two examples of that. Kori was checking her bow as usual whilst Maina was deep in thought. They were friends. True friends that she managed to find all on her own. Their presence was enough for Azula to turn around towards them, unable to look her past in the eye. Even when sitting amongst enemies, she felt comfortable with them at her side. As if all the worries in the world melted away. Granted it wasn’t entirely true with the rumblings of chaos far away, but these small moments made her feel much lighter than when she was at the gates of Ba Sing Se.

Gingerly, she took out Mothra’s medallion and gently stroked it. Felt like all the pain just flew away in the breeze.

 

Her calm, of course, was most rudely interrupted by a certain waterbender. “What’s that?” Katara asked.

 

The Princess just placed it back within the confines of her chestplate. “It’s nothing. Just a token that Mothra left for me?”

 

“Mothra? …huh. Didn’t know you were the spiritual type.”

 

“I’m not,” Azula bit back, maybe a bit more defensively than she had intended. For what it’s worth, the waterbender just rolled her eyes.

 

They just sat there in…rather awkward silence for a few seconds, not sure of what to say. The silence had been broken and somebody had to say something. Fortunately, Kori spoke up. “So…how come you guys stood up for us back at the temple?”

 

Katara looked a bit uncomfortable (which Azula inwardly relished) as she considered her words. “Look. I don’t necessarily like Azula and all, but even that’s too cruel for me.”

 

“Oh. Didn’t stop you from tying me down like an animal,” Azula spat out.

 

“Hey! Zuko and I had to stop you!” Katara snapped back.

 

“Yeah, and I bet you liked freezing me up and watching me suffocate. I thought you were many things waterbender, but I didn’t think you liked watching your enemies suffer.”

 

“One, you were trying to kill me! Two, if you honestly believe that I took any pleasure in how you were when I beat you then…” she fell silent, telling Azula that a nerve had been touched.

 

“Look, if we’re going to be at each other’s throats for everything we did to each other, then I guess I’m not going to forgive you for keeping us awake at some ungodly hour when we first met! Like, is sleep that foreign of a concept to you people?!” Toph suddenly shouted. The truth of her outburst wasn’t lost on her though. Katara definitely looked relieved to see the blind girl have her back.

 

Azula shrugged. “What? Couldn’t handle being on the frontline? I’m surprised. I thought out of all you people, you’d appreciate actually roughing it out in the wilderness for a little bit.”

 

“Well, I did. For about two seconds before somebody started shooting lightning at us.”

 

“To be honest, you guys should’ve found a nice elevated position or something to defend from,” Suki mused. “If it was just Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee, you could’ve made a stand somewhere and have a good chance of getting away.”

 

Now both Azula and Toph smacked their foreheads in exasperation. “We haven’t had any rest to think of an actual idea!” “You do realize the point of a prolonged chase was to make sure the enemy DOESN’T have time to think, right?” they both shouted, before looking at each other in surprise.

 

“...did you two actually agree on something?” Maina asked with a smirk on her face.

 

“No, we didn’t!” Both Azula and Toph shouted at the same time, before promptly shutting up to prevent any more awkwardness.

 

“Look, the point is, I don’t regret what I did during the Comet. What I’m trying to say is that I never wanted you to be treated like that. Nobody deserves that…” For once, Azula was actually glad that the waterbender broke the lapse into silliness. She didn’t think she could stand finding common ground with a tiny Earth Kingdom girl after all.

 

At least now Katara gave her something to silently pick apart. Something about the way she cast her eyes down in shame revealed a lot more than the waterbender likely would’ve wanted to reveal. It told Azula that yes, the savage did want her to suffer. Not now, but most certainly at some time or another. And if it happened before, who’s to say it wouldn’t happen again?

 

What brought about the change though? Why would she care about what happens to her enemy? Or rather, why would she feel ashamed of wanting ill-will towards the Princess? It wracked her brain more than it did. So to satisfy her curiosity, Azula decided to push just a bit more. Without making it obvious of course.

 

She sighed in exasperation, crossing her arms in a matter to make herself feel closed off. Then a turn of her head so she wouldn’t look the other girl in the eye. “Don’t waste your sympathy. I lost my mind that day. I deserved what I got.” It was easy to say such words since they were true. The trick was using such feelings in a way to get the most out of them. A confession of self-hatred could be used to divine a person’s measure of empathy. That in turn could reveal a soft heart.

 

You just needed to accept that nobody should waste your breath on you. Do that, and the rest falls through.

 

Unfortunately, one thing she forgot was that a certain boy was also listening in on their discussion. “Hey, I don’t think you deserve that sort of treatment.” Aang jumped off Appa’s head (after handing a very confused Momo the reins) before alighting right in front of the Princess. Azula couldn’t help herself but jump in her seat a little, having been on the receiving end of a number of elemental salvos each time she faced that childish face.

 

This time though, she just got a concerned look. “You really can’t go around beating yourself up at your worst. It happens to everyone.”

 

Azula scoffed. “I don’t suppose you were given charge of an entire country and let it all to ruin just because you couldn’t keep it together. Or maybe…” she fell silent, the words dying on her lips. There was something she was about to say that she wasn’t quite sure of herself. Other than it seemed to give her an immense amount of guilt that made even her failure at her coronation seem tame in comparison.

 

“I mean, no. But the monks did say I was Avatar before I was ready. That…didn’t end well either.” Aang’s words caused her to raise an eyebrow. He didn’t embrace his status? All the stories said that the Avatar was a coward by nature. That in the face of the overwhelming might of the Fire Nation, he couldn’t help but run when faced with a power greater than his own. A coward amongst cowards her father and grandfather called him.

 

Yet she knew cowards. There were too many of them back in her days in Ozai’s court. All too eager to deal out punishment but couldn’t take them back. If nothing else, she could respect the Avatar in that he’d fight back when cornered instead of begging for mercy. Or put on a facade of bravery. Their fight in the catacombs of Ba Sing Se certainly put him above the rest of his people.

 

If they even were warriors to begin with , her mother’s voice said. Azula frowned. There was so much alike between her and the Avatar, and yet so much different. She wanted to believe he was hiding something more behind those big round eyes like Ty Lee did. Maybe he did, but it certainly wasn’t malice. And there was a certain lightness about him that one didn’t get when raised in a nest of vipers.

 

Maybe Maina was right. After all, Sozin lied before-...no. No no no. She couldn’t think like that. If Sozin lied about the airbenders and Godzilla, what else did he lie about? Surely not the Avatar before Aang. That had to have been true. Otherwise, the whole war, all those deaths during and after would’ve been all for-

 

She needed to get away from that threat. Already she could feel too many eyes on her. So she did what she was best at. Try a different angle. “Well, unless you flew into a murderous rage, then we’ve got nothing to talk about.”

 

“...actually, I did. Multiple times as a matter of fact.”

 

Azula blinked as the words sunk in. Did…he just…?

 

She watched as Aang scratched the back of his head. Katara looked a little concerned, but he held out a hand before she could speak. “Before I mastered the Avatar State against your father, I went berserk whenever I entered it. I thought of all the deaths the Fire Nation caused over the years. All the lives they’d taken. All the friends I’ve lost. And when somebody pushed me too far over the edge, that’s when I ‘go crazy’ as you put it. I even thought about wiping all of your people out more than once like at the North Pole. That’s how angry I was.”

 

He hugged his legs as he continued. “Thing is, I was scared of myself for a long time because of it. That if I entered the Avatar State, I wasn’t sure if I’d hurt those I’d care about or do the wrong thing. What I learned was that I couldn’t let it control me. Couldn’t get rid of it, but I wasn’t going to let it decide who I was. So if others decide you’re some kind of monster for going off the handle, that means they’re going after me as well.

 

“I guess that makes two of us to be honest,” he concluded. Everyone sat there, stunned by his speech. Toph, Suki, Maina, and Kori sat there surprised while Katara seemed…a little more thoughtful. Maybe Azula’s intuition about the waterbender was right after all.

 

“So if they’re going to put you in an asylum for what they did, I’m going to admit myself too. Put myself in a cell riiiiight next to yours,” he then said with a sly grin.

 

“You wouldn’t last five minutes,” Azula dryly noted.

 

“Hey, I lasted 100 years in an iceberg. What’s some crack doctor going to do to me?” the Avatar nonchalantly said. Unfortunately for the Princess, she had to concede a point there. She couldn’t even last a minute being frozen.

 

Then she just remembered a crucial fact. “Avatar. I almost killed you. Why are you being friendly?”

 

Again, he gave another one of his aggravatedly casual shrugs. It was like his little heartfelt confession was just forgotten. “Hey, Suki over there almost killed me first we met.”

 

“That is true,” Suki corroborated. It only served to confuse Azula even more. Did the whole world suddenly go crazy and decide trying to kill one another was the first step in a healthy friendship?

 

“Look. For what’s it worth, I’m sorry that we got off on a bad start. So how about we start over?

 

“Hi! I’m Aang! What’s your name?”

 

Azula just stared at the complete shift in tone along with the outstretched hand. “...let’s take baby steps. Okay?”

 

“Right. Sorry,” Aang apologized, letting Azula to turn around and look out to sea, pondering when on earth everybody lost their minds. She sighed, deciding to count the days until they went back to trying to kill each other. Those days were simple.

 

Of course, that’s when Appa bellowed, arching his back. Azula groaned. “Avatar, you don’t get that monster under control, I swear I’m going to jump off this thing right now-”

 

She was interrupted when Momo also began screeching in her ear, the lemur’s eyes riveted down below to a series of craggy rocks rising out of the sea.

 

Azula blinked. Given the past few weeks, she’d been around these waters to know those jagged rocks shouldn’t be there. And she didn’t think they were near land for them to have just broken off.

 

Then she saw them moving, and the great tail paddling behind them.

 

“Godzilla.”

 

Everyone from both Appa and the balloon stared with eyes the size of dinner plates at the great beast churning the water below them. Heading straight to the Earth Kingdom.

 

“What’s got him riled up?” Katara worriedly asked.

 

Maina shook her head, simply saying, “I don’t know. But when he’s about, that means trouble’s on the horizon. A lot of trouble.”

 

---

 

Yu Dao

 

He waited patiently in the safehouse within his private quarters. Watched as he heard the two children give their testimonies of what they had seen. When they had finished, he knelt down to their level. “Are you sure you saw a kaiju heading this way?”

 

“Of course!” the small girl protested. “I don’t think we’d come all this just to spew crazy! You’re lucky we got here before the Fire Nation’s scouts or the Iron Maws did!” Her tall companion said nothing, only nodding to confirm what she had said.

 

Now the cloaked man stood up. It was natural he’d get a private audience. Ever since he’d curried favor with the resistance movement here in the violent streets of Yu Dao, people were coming more and more to him with advice. Served him just fine. That meant more and more of his agents could go about their work unimpeded. To keep tabs on the going ons and help stoke the fires of unrest. Find others that could have their eyes opened. Such a position to require all these things meant staying one step ahead of the competition.

 

That meant he already knew the scouts the Fire Lord had deployed were no doubt tracking the Lord of the Earth’s movements. And the Iron Maws would be coming here as well. This whole city was a bomb waiting to explode.

 

He could use that. “Very well. See to it that they get some rest and food,” he said to his servant, who took them away to the common room. Sighing to himself, he allowed the cloak to fall from his shoulders.

 

Exposing his pale skin, blue eyes, and jagged spines running down his back. He lamented that his greater whole’s awakening was making it harder for him to hide his nature. It was a good thing he had his servants then. They’d do his work where he could not touch.

 

Still, this was something he could exploit. Chaos. Anarchy. That’s what he needed. Looking at the map before him, he considered the colonies. His job was Yu Dao. Cranefish, the other nerve center, would be dealt with. Destabilize both of them, and the people will be looking for a leader.

 

No. A god.

 

He smiled with sharp teeth. Now that , he could provide.

 

---

 

Somewhere west of Yu Dao

 

In a long-forgotten temple within a dark jungle, the Seer knelt before the High Priest.

 

They had no names. Their lord had absolved them of the burden of an identity long ago. So long as they obeyed the Storm King’s every command. Even now, high above the ruins of their ruined city, the winds were gathering. A sign of the serpent’s power.

 

The mists swirled around them, brimming with their God’s power. “The signs are clear. He is coming.”

 

A sigh rumbled through both the High Priest and the temple. Before him in the sacred chamber, dark coils brushed past each other. With the Storm King’s presence flowing through him, he delivered the words of his master.

 

“Then Lord Axor will be ready for him.”

 

Upon his words, he could hear the chants of the gathering army outside the temple. After so long, their empire will be rebuilt and take the surrounding lands for themselves.

 

As for those who’d dare defy the Storm King…a pair of flashing reptilian eyes emerged from the dark coils.

 

They would serve him. One way or another.

Notes:

A/N: I’d like to formally apologize for the hiatus. It’s just the past two months haven’t exactly been the easiest for me. To sum up: came down with strep throat, still dealing with a lingering cough, had to deal with a college course that was a LOT more work than I anticipated it to be, a nasty storm that knocked out the power for a few days, and had a loss in the family. All we’re missing is my home burning down, falling over, and sinking into a swamp.

I don’t even live near a swamp.

Anyways, I’m back, and hopefully this chapter makes up for a bit of it. Also realized that The Tea Brewer and the Bounty Hunter came out today so…things just work out that way sometimes?

To begin, we’ve taking a look back at Odo Island and see how they’ve been doing in the wake of Godzilla’s attack. I took a bit of inspiration from Minus One that examines how life was sort of like in the wake of World War II for the Japanese. Basically how the civilians were able to find some sort of life amidst the devastation. It’s also to sort of tie together a narrative thread with Chief Amimoto and how various islands on the fringes of the Fire Nation AREN’T happy with how this cold war is going. And it is a cold war at this point. It’s one of those painful transitions I’ve mentioned before, but it’s also obvious it’s taking a toll on a ot of people.

It also sort of ties in again with The Promise about the colonies seeking independence from both the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom. For all their faults, it was a good idea and I do want to explore that a bit. Just probably not in the same way though.

Speaking of comic comparisons, we get Zuko finally reuniting with his mother. It’s…not as heartwarming as he was imagining it to be. Their reunion felt a bit too clean and painless in the comic. Here, I wanted to go back to Ursa’s old bio as being a noblewoman who was supportive of the war effort instead of what a lot of people sanitize her into being. Makes things more complicated for Zuko’s redemption as he starts to bottom out.

For Mai and Ty Lee, I also want to make it clear they’re NOT being influenced by the Voices as well. Anger is corrosive and when unrestrained or treated, it can spread from individual to individual. Mai at least seems to have the good sense of knowing what’s going on.

I also wanted to try and give everybody to stand out at least in their own way this chapter. Whether it’s a bit of dialogue or maybe a conversation that helps them along. It’s quite a lot to juggle, but I wanted to keep the focus primarily on Azula and Zuko here. As we go through the arc, we’ll swing things back to the way they were leading up to it between Team Azula and Team Avatar.

For the kaiju, Godzilla’s back. I don’t think anybody was expecting him to be gone forever. Thing is, what’s he up to? In the films, he’s always been sort of unpredictable. Like he could either be destructive or not. I want to explore that in the coming chapters.

Finally, we get the reveal of the Storm King. I know a lot of people were expecting King Ghidorah, but I couldn’t just use him this early in the story. If I were to use him, I’d have a LOT more build up to him befitting his status as Godzilla’s archenemy. Probably would make him more sinister and conniving.

Besides, I wanted to give an overlooked part of Godzilla’s history a chance to shine. Axor originated from the Hanna Barbara cartoon. Of which, I DID reference in the first chapter of my fic with the title “Up From the Depths”. When I say that I want to draw on as much of Godzilla’s history as possible, I meant it.

Anyways, thank you all for your patience. I swear the next chapter will be coming out a lot faster. Thank you all once again for the support you’ve shown the fic, and be sure to share your thoughts, favorite/follow if you want to see more. Have a great day, and I’ll see you all next time.

Chapter 20: The Princess's Gambit

Summary:

Our heroes return to a city torn apart, with lines divided in the streets and people making ready for war. In the midst of the chaos, Azula makes a gambit that could risk everything. Success means finding favor with her uneasy allies. Failure means risking her sanity to the voices in her head...

Notes:

Avatar: The Last Airbender and all associated characters are owned by Paramount Global. Godzilla and all associated characters are owned by Toho Studios. Please support the official release.

Yu Dao

When they had arrived at Yu Dao, the once bustling city had been transformed.

From the air it seemed the same, though in the distance Aang could see the emerald tents of the Earth King's army. He gulped a bit, also seeing the crimson tents of Zuko's forces not too far away. Having two centuries-long enemies this close to each other just when peace had broken out was practically an invitation for conflict.

To put it bluntly, things could not get much worse short of letting Ozai loose into the mix.

Things did not look up when they landed. For starters, they got a fully armed escort. According to the captain, things had gotten pretty worse ever since they left. A few more riots had broken out, each one ending with injuries both amongst the protestors and the guards. Plus, a curfew had taken place, restricting people from coming out at certain hours of the day. "Keeping the peace" they called it.

Aang saw things differently. Right now, there were more armored soldiers than people out and about. They went through a bazaar once bustling with merchants, now barren with a few stalls. What few people they did see rushed past, unwilling to look them in the eye.

Yet the biggest shock were the soldiers not dressed in crimson. There were a few men dressed in light armor with the jade colors and proud symbol of the Earth King.

"Earth Kingdom scouts…what in the name of Agni are they doing here?" Zuko demanded.

"Your advisors let them through when the Earth King's forces arrived. Those thugs said they wanted to make sure we weren't bullying the locals." one of their escort replied. "We've had some close calls, but things haven't broken out into fullout conflict yet. Everything's under control at the moment."

Every now and then though, there were signs that things were NOT under control. Just then, they passed a scene where scorch marks and ruined earth riddled the road. Some patches of ash resembled a fireball being thrown there, and broken pieces of rocks spoke of boulders being tossed around.

"Looks like a warzone," Sokka commented, seeing the sorry state of affairs.

The captain let out a weary sigh. "It's what this city's become. We keep trying to restore the peace, but nothing's working."

"Maybe it's because you're treating innocent people like criminals for one," Aang heard Kori bitterly note.

"We just had an assassination attempt on our Fire Lord by those so-called 'innocents'. Not to mention, they're the ones that keep riling up those maniacs King Kuei sent over. So forgive us if we're a bit on edge at the moment," the captain snapped back.

With that, silence fell over the group. Not even Kori made another jab, the realization dawning on her face. Aang understood though. Everyone here aside from him grew up in a world ruled by war. No doubt peace was just some dream people spoke of when seeing too much conflict. A light at the end of a long and dark tunnel one could easily get lost in.

Such a nagging thought made him drag his feet a little, which for an airbender was almost unheard of. Neither did it go unnoticed. Katara held out a hand and gave a concerned "Are you okay?" to her partner. Her concern drew the attention of the other members of Team Avatar to his state.

"Can we talk when we have a chance?" Aang asked, motioning towards their escort. Katara nodded, but never left his side. The Avatar felt nothing but gratitude for her, yet it still couldn't shake the feeling in his heart.

For everywhere he looked around him, he saw nothing but failure. Soldiers instead of joyful citizens who had a bright future. Empty stores where friends should've conversed. Some of those stores which proudly displayed Fire Nation heraldry had rocks and boulders smashed through their doors and windows. Even the drone of nothing that surrounded them. It made him queasy. How did it come to this? Of course he knew why, it was him. He was the Avatar. The Avatar's duty was to protect and ensure peace for all.

Yet he had hoped that peace would come too soon. If he had just seen the signs earlier, he could've stopped this. Maybe backed Zuko up against those snakes in court. Maybe fought harder for the colonies to be free of their conquerors. Something. ANYTHING.

Instead, he just assumed with Ozai gone and Zuko in charge, things would be fine. How could he have been so stupid? Was he just that desperate that everything would fall into place?

He was drawn out of his little swirling thoughts when he felt a pair of eyes sizing him up. Looking behind, he saw the golden-brown eyes of Azula staring right at him. Involuntarily he shuddered. Those were the eyes he saw before he almost died and took the Avatar cycle with him. Yet there didn't seem to be any predatory intent in that gaze. Only…pity? Could the Princess of the Fire Nation know pity?

Aang supposed she could. Still, he could hardly ignore her circumstances. Shortly after the war ended, Zuko spoke about how he was actually also the great-grandson of Roku. That also meant Azula carried the same blood in her veins. Maybe even had the same potential to be good just as her ancestor was. Was that why Mothra defended her? Her heritage?

No. No that couldn't be it. Aang pushed that dark cloud out of his mind. Bloodlines had nothing to do with it. Zuko may choose to believe that, but Aang knew better. The monks always said that heritage meant nothing. That what you did and how you acted mattered who you were. Iroh certainly proved that wrong. He was of pure Fire Lord descent, yet he was trying to do good.

Of course, trying and actually doing are two separate things. Aang just hoped he said the right things to prevent either the new Fire Lord or the Dragon of the West from doing anything more they would come to regret.

If not, then that would just be one more failure.

---

Eventually, they left the rather depressing empty streets and arrived at the camp of the Fire Lord. Yet this didn't mean the gloom was restricted. All around them, Fire Nation soldiers were making ready for battle and doing drills. Still, there was a sense of foreboding around them. Azula could feel it in the embers from the training grounds. When one is in tune with her element like her, they can sense a lot from the benders that spawned them.

What the embers told her was that training and drills weren't as lively and passionate as they should be. The maneuvers were being done out of obligation, not out of any true belief in their cause. Just something to pass the time and to keep their minds off the approaching emerald tents on the horizon.

She didn't say anything. Not out of courtesy, heaven's no. Rather, she didn't need to. Everyone was looking at the sorry state of the camp. All were silent, the apprehension written right on their faces. The only one who stood out was Zuko, who just looked as miserable as he always did. Maybe even more so.

Up ahead, the tent with the war table awaited. Past the flaps and in the lit interior, Zuko's inner circle awaited. Or rather, Ozai's cronies that weaseled their way into his circle awaited. Azula took stock, having become familiar with each one of them. Much to her misfortune.

First, there was General Shinu. A rather average-looking fellow, he somehow managed to get control of the forces deployed in the campaign against the Earth King following Uncle's blunder at Ba Sing Se. Rumor had it that he dedicated every military accomplishment to her father to get his favor. Basically a yes-man who approved every last maneuver, with each tailored to meet her father's approval.

Admiral Chan was his naval counterpart. Following Zhao's spectacular failure in the North, he was in the navy's overall charge. A bit spindly, his job was to build up their navy once more and got awarded leadership of the newly formed air fleet for his loyalty. Never did much in the way of actual command, and had a pretty idiotic son.

General Shugo was unimpressive, but his presence was surprising. She would've expected his head to be put on the chopping block given the staggering amount of prisons and POW camps he was in charge of.

Finally, there was War Minister Qin. Azula sneered at the sight of him. Following Zhao's death, she was supposed to have been his wife. Him. A spineless, idiotic coward who turned tail and fled in the face of the Avatar during the Day of the Black Sun. Didn't even put up a fight for his fiancee. Only reason she put up with this sycophant was because Father deemed their marriage to further tie the clans to the crown.

The clans. No doubt that's the big reason all of them were still here. Figured Zuzu would bend over backwards to placate them. Always the people pleaser he was.

Still, she kept her lips sealed. The sight of her alone without chains was enough to rattle Zuko's circle. "Fire Lord, you've returned! We…did not expect you to bring the Princess with you unbound," Shugo commented.

"She's to be unbound while in Yu Dao, but placed under guard. We have reason to believe she might know a few things about our monster problem." Azula felt Iroh's eyes watch her as Zuko said "guards". No doubt the so-called Grand Lotus already had some candidates in mind to oversee her movements. Very well. If they didn't get in her way, who was she to raise a fuss over an escort?

Interestingly, she also noticed Aang watching the older man. It was discrete, but there. Now what do we have here? she wondered. She would've assumed Iroh would've been the Avatar's mind until he was old enough to actually appreciate the responsibility of his position. If the latter was monitoring the former discretely…

Course her thoughts were rudely interrupted when Zuko slammed his fist on the table. "What I want to know is who's the idiot authorized Earth Kingdom scouts into our city? Are we trying to restart the war?" Azula had to resist hiding her face behind her hands. Calling one of your allies an "idiot"? Sure it was true, but she knew better than to say it out loud.

Qin stepped up to the table, undaunted by the Fire Lord's outburst. "I did, my lord. The Earth King wanted to know the state of his city and his people. Seeing as you've been pushing for further cooperation with the Earth Kingdom due to our predicament, I gave the go ahead. Rest assured, no skirmishes have erupted since his scouts arrived."

What he really said was "I let them in so there would be more violence in the streets and thus provoke the Earth King into attacking Yu Dao." Azula saw it in his eyes. An opportunity arose and he took it. Granted she'd probably do the same if she were in his position. It's just she didn't forget that there were currently four monsters on the loose. Possibly more. And people called her crazy?

Course, somebody else decided to have an outburst. "You're one to talk! We've got two more rogue army groups on the move and Ozai's chosen heir is walking around unbound. Forgive us for trying to keep the Earth King's dogs off our door," General Shugo spat back. Azula raised an eyebrow at that. Both at the complete lack of respect for their Fire Lord, and the news. Two more army groups? That's enough to raise a few possibilities.

Her brother on the other hand was less than pleased. "Wait. What do you mean two rogue armies?"

"We've just received word from our scouts to the northwest. Captain Nojon and his Iron Maws are approaching Yu Dao. What's more, we've just received word that the Children of the Sun have made contact with the refugees to the west," Shino reported.

Zuko grimaced, but Azula was taking the information all in. Now Captain Nojon. There was a man who wasn't too popular amongst her father's circle. No one could deny that he was a brilliant tank commander and had won multiple victories that broke through entrenched Earth Kingdom lines. Unfortunately, he also had a habit of going a bit overboard here and there in terms of barrages. He'd been known to wipe villages off the map, thus depriving them of food and wealth to keep an offensive going. The only reason he was kept around was that he could win battles handily.

The Children of the Sun though, there was a name she hadn't heard of before. Examining the war table before her, she noticed two blocks that had to have represented the refugees and the aforementioned rogue army. An expanse of dense jungle separated them from the borders of the colonies to the east.

Seeing that jungle jogged a few memories in the back of her mind. One was familiar. About how that particular area was designated a Territory of Unique Risk. Those were black marks on the military's record. Her father told her of areas where whole units would just flat out disappear due to unknown reasons, far from any Earth Kingdom lines.

Another memory was less familiar but certainly vivid. She saw ancient temples and workers slaving away to build huge monuments. An ancient empire long before the Earth Kingdom was even a dream. And a ferocious battle which brought it all down. For some reason, it brought a contemptuous sneer on her face.

The area certainly drew the attention of another. "Let me guess. They took them hostage and want to barter for immunity," Sokka concluded. To her displeasure, Azula did feel the savage made a reasonable assessment. If one found themselves in enemy territory and far from help, chances were they'd be desperate enough to resort to underhanded actions.

War Minister Qin though shook his head. "Surprisingly, no. They've sent us a message offering to escort the refugees through the jungle and want the Avatar to help them scout out a safe route."

"...well that's a first," Boomerang Boy mused.

The Avatar was more receptive. "Tell them we'd appreciate the assistance."

Suki then piped in. "Here's my question: do we know anything about that particular area? Any threats at all?"

"I've been working with the White Lotus on that," Iroh reported, stroking his beard to recall. "From what we know, people go missing in that area all the time. According to legend, it's supposed to be the former home of a lost civilization. Supposedly, they worshipped some kind of deity they referred to as the 'Storm King'. Does that ring a bell to our friends from Infant Island?"

Maina and Imana looked at one another. "Not that we know of," Imana answered. "We do know that our ancestors DID encounter this civilization at some point. But it was a very long time ago, and our history is incomplete. All we know is that it's a bad memory for our people."

"Sycophant. Always parroting your better, weren't you?" Azula snarled.

"...uh…what was that?" Ty Lee asked her former friend.

"What? I…I don't know," the Princess replied. She tried to check her memory, but her mind started to ache, causing her to become a bit woozy. One of her hands crept up to where the medallion hid beneath her breastplate which soothed her dizziness. It didn't stop Kori and Maina from looking at her in concern though.

Thankfully, it seemed everyone else had moved on to other matters. "That's not our only problem. Our scouts to the northwest report some kind of gigantic black worm tunneling right towards us," Shino reported.

"That's got to be Battra. Of course he'd be reborn in the Earth Kingdom! Earth is his native element," Maina exclaimed. She filled everyone in on the details, but the name was already familiar to Azula. Battra. The same monster that Mothra showed her in that vision. Silently, she wondered if the Goddess hadn't shared that memory for her own sake alone.

It did make her wonder why the Lord of the Earth was on its way to Yu Dao. She looked at the map. A lion-turtle that could only have symbolized Anguirus was in Cranefish to the south. To the north, an icon of a sea serpent was used to stand in for Battra.

"And then we have Godzilla to the east," Zuko said, pushing the dragon statue towards the coast. Everyone chilled. The charred earth and the roars of a maddened titan played out in their minds. Those very memories caused a chill to temper all the risen emotions.

The Fire Lord proceeded to glare at his subordinates. "I thought I told you to hold your fire in case you ran into him."

"We did!" Admiral Chan protested. "I made your orders pretty clear to the fleet. And even then, I don't think anybody would want to even try attacking him after that massacre."

"And it wasn't one of mine," Azula mused. "I gave the same order as your Fire Lord did."

"Well somebody had to tick him off. Doubt he's coming here just to say hi," Mai deadpanned.

It was enough for Azula to pause and examine the map herself. Gently, she traced a finger from Godzilla to the other two kaiju. Not all the pieces were there, but there was enough to make something of a conclusion.

"I think he's going to hit somewhere along this stretch of coast," the Princess declared, pointing to the coastline between Yu Dao and Cranefish.

Admiral Chan looked at her incredulously. "How can you be so sure?" he asked.

"We're not talking about some mindless beast here," Azula explained. "I've seen what happened at Aso. He seems to be some kind of 'king' to these things. Like an apex predator. Chances are, he's either going after one of these other kaiju or heading in the direction of the refugees. Which one, I'm not sure, but we have to expect a landing anywhere on this coast. It means we need to shore up our defenses at Yu Dao and Cranefish."

"Dad…" a tiny voice whispered behind her. The Princess had to check twice to see that yes, it was the blind earthbender who was uncharacteristically worried. Granted she hadn't known the latter for long, but it didn't sound like the brash carefree ruffian she had known from the war.

Still, she had other matters to attend to. Which at the moment, was a tent full of ambitious men. It didn't pass her that they were making jabs at Zuko not bringing her in as a prisoner. Such disrespect to their Fire Lord would never have been tolerated under her father's rule. Even her brother, soft as he was, wouldn't take their little snips lying down.

Certainly didn't help that dear Zuzu wasn't exactly her biggest fan. For one, it was open season. Admiral Chan folded his arms and caught her gaze. "How should we trust you of all people? You're the leader of a marauding band of pirates. For all we know, we could reinforce one position, leaving the others open to a marine assault. I expected a lot from you Azula, but I didn't think you'd be a traitor to the throne."

She bit her tongue but didn't back down from the barb. The lack of respect was appalling. Leaving out her title - who was this fool? Some blueblood who only just got to this position decided he was a big shot now? Azula could tolerate such arrogance if they at least had the skills to back it up.

Here though? She was an easy target. Didn't help that Zuko just stared as his subordinate verbally ripped her a new one. Fine. He wanted to leave her out for the wolves? They were going to regret it.

First, make them feel like they're in control. "Then by all means. What's your idea?" Azula offered.

Admiral Chan puffed out his chest, practically brimming with pride. He took a plotting rod and moved some model ships towards Godzilla. "We lure it with some of our scout ships. It follows whatever attacks it. Once we have its attention, we'll bring it over to an uninhabited area away from the colonies where we can set up an ambush-"

FWOOSH!

His bluster was gone when Azula shot out a small flame, incinerating the model ships.

"That's what's going to happen when you do that," Azula bluntly stated, blowing the smoke from her fingers. She stood up, looking each and every one of the men across from her in the eye. "When are you going to learn? You can't win in a military engagement with Godzilla. It'll just be a repeat of Yu Dao, only we'll be going at him with even less men than what we had before. You'd bleed our army completely dry before you even get past his hide.

"Not to mention, you'd be leaving Yu Dao completely exposed to Battra. So even if by some miracle Godzilla chokes on a bone or something, we'd be exposed wide open to another kaiju and the Iron Maws. Congrats! Traded a whole city for some glory. Hope you'll be able to sleep after that."

"Now you listen here-"

"I hate to admit it, but Azula's right!" Sokka interrupted, cutting an infuriated General Shino off. "We should only engage Godzilla when necessary. If he's going after another kaiju like she said, then maybe we can avoid having to fight him!" The Princess decided not to think too hardly about another former enemy backing her up. Save her some sanity for another time.

And examine the map closely. Specifically the model for Battra. She wondered what woke him up. Was it Rodan? For what reason? What's more, why was Battra heading here? Mothra's vision showed that he apparently mellowed out after their battle. Did the Iron Maws attack him? Or was there some other motive?

"Toph. Is Cranefish protected?"

The tiny earthbender flinched a little when Azula addressed her, being taken out of deep thought. "Uh. I mean, we have some tunnels in place in case of a monster attack. Plus we DO have a giant turtle thing and a huge stone soldier backing us up."

"So if Godzilla attacks there, he'd have both of them to deal with," Sokka realized. Azula saw the lights flicker to life in his eyes, her plan falling into place.

"Here's my recommendation: we keep our forces here. We know Battra's coming here so we'll be ready. Cranefish is covered. Avatar, you can dart into the east and have everyone batten down in case Godzilla is heading there. Maybe scout the jungles in the meantime to find a safe route." Aang pondered a bit before giving a visible nod to the Princess. His eyes were riveted between Godzilla's model and the eastern jungles. Seemed he was putting the pieces together as well.

Satisfied, she turned to the Generals. "Now here's the tricky bit. We send an invitation to the Earth King and get him to marshal our forces together-"

"And just when I thought you couldn't get any more insane," War Minister Qin proclaimed. "Scouts are one thing, but that's inviting the whole army right to our doorstep! What's to stop him from burying us with our backs turned?"

"We don't have a choice! With the losses we've taken, we can't even begin to form a defense against Battra if he attacks! Plus, we need earthbenders to dig tunnels if we're to protect the civilians," Sokka pointed out.

"Yes, but are we going to trust-"

"That's enough," Zuko declared, staring down and sizing each of his generals up. "Azula and Sokka are right. I'm not risking another assault on Godzilla unless we can avoid it. And we need the Earth King's forces to shore up our defenses. Yu Dao wasn't exactly built to withstand a kaiju attack, and we are short on men. General Shino, I want you to send an envoy to the Earth King so we can begin discussing some kind of battle plan. Additionally, no one is to try and make pull something without my permission. And if anybody gets any ideas of launching some pre-emptive attack on EITHER Battra or Godzilla, remember what Azula said about the last time we tried that. Understood?"

"Yes, Fire Lord," they all said in unison. Azula felt herself relax a bit. Seemed like her brother had some spine in him after all. A lot of things were still in question. Mainly about what defense strategy they should have for Battra and keeping everyone on a tight leash so they won't fly off the handle.

Speaking of, Iroh turned around and looked Azula dead in the eye. "As for you, I already have two guards picked out to watch your every movement. They've already been cleared and prepared, so don't even think about trying to weasel your way out of trouble."

"What? Like you did?" Azula snarked back.

"The point is," Zuko interrupted, getting between both Uncle Fatso and her, "if you want to go anywhere in this city, you'll have to get approval from me and go under escort. Got it?"

She flipped her bang nonchalantly. "Understood. I wish to go to the temple and meditate."

Zuko blinked. "That…was fast. For what purpose?"

In the back of her mind, she heard the whispers calling to her. They'd been back there ever since she heard about what lies in the east. What she had was risky. Yet the reward outweighed the risk.

So, she crossed her arms and played her card. "I think I know a way to find out what's waiting for your new friends. For that, I need some space. Got it?"

Maina gazed at her a bit worriedly, but she remained unmoved. For already, Aang turned towards her with a gleam in his eye. Good. He took the bait. As much as it pained her, she needed to make this temporary partnership work on her end just as much as they did on theirs. Maybe even a bit more. If she could provide knowledge that could protect them, then it wasn't an opportunity they couldn't afford to miss. Ergo, she'd make herself more useful as an ally up until this deal was through.

If that risked her sanity in the process, well she didn't have much at the moment anyway.

Zuzu knew it. He and Aang exchanged glances before he sighed. "Alright. You can go to the temple. Just see Iroh about your escort first. Go from there and back. Got it?"

"Got it."

"Alright." Then to her surprise, Zuko regarded the noble girl at her side. "Kori, was it? Could we speak for a moment?"

Kori seemed as flummoxed as she was, but then nodded her head and followed the Fire Lord out of the tent. Before she left, Azula grabbed her arm. "Be careful. Alright?"

"I will," the rebel reassured, before leaving her behind. Inwardly, Azula felt worried. Zuko had already turned one friend against her. Was he going to try the same thing twice?

---

They walked a good distance away from the war tent. Yet not once did Kori let her guard down. Zuko, Mai, and Ty Lee. Three names she had a lot of good reason to be wary of. One was the Fire Lord, obviously. It wasn't too long ago when he nearly got Yu Dao destroyed out of his own stupidity. The other two? Enigmas. They'd been awfully quiet when they landed. Give Iroh and Zuko credit, they at least voiced their issues. Then again, she understood wanting to keep a public face on. She was just worried about what thoughts were going on in their heads.

When they came to an abandoned training ground, Zuko turned around. "Alright. We're here."

"If you think you can get me to stab a knife in Azula's back-"

"Listen! I'm not here to talk about Azula. At all. I meant it when I said she's going around unbound. It's just…well, you know how she is! I can't trust her with such a political hot mess. Somebody's got to keep tabs on her," Zuko explained.

"Besides, we've got Mai here if Azula needs some knives thrown at - OW!" Ty Lee rubbed her arm after Mai gave her a swift and rather hard elbow.

Zuko simply sighed from their little spat. "The point is, if you can keep Azula in check, that's great. I only have the guards there so it can keep those generals off my back. And hers. They wanted her thrown back into that asylum."

"You could've just told her that, but whatever," Kori muttered. It amazed her. He says that he wants to do good, but then has some secret or leaves some lasting remark that invalidates it. No wonder he and Azula were so dysfunctional. Seemed like the only way they could even interact was through backstabbing, betrayals, and fighting. If this was what they were like when they were allies, she didn't want to see how they were when the pleasantries failed and fire was being thrown.

Agni help her no fire was thrown today yet. She certainly didn't see it in the Fire Lord's eyes right now. They were…well, dull. His shoulders were a bit slumped. It was as if he aged a few years in the span of a few days.

"Can we forget Azula for a few minutes? It's not why I called you out here." Zuko swallowed as he collected himself. "I know you're part of that movement the assassination attempt came from. Your father talked quite a bit about what you've been up to."

"I assure you, our movement was to protest and prevent innocents from being harassed by Fire Nation guards! None of us had any intention of murdering anybody!" Kori still couldn't believe it. Who'd be stupid enough to make an attempt on the Fire Lord's life? She wasn't a fan of his either, but nothing he did indicated he was personally overseeing what was going on in Yu Dao. A bit ignorant and heavy handed, but not responsible. It's one thing if he stepped in personally and started threatening people.

Yet an attempt at his life without any solid reason for? Aggravating Earth Kingdom scouts into open fights? That was inviting for the army to come in and stomp on their movement. Who knew how many civilians would be caught in such an escalation?

"I know. It's why I want you to look into it."

Kori, out of surprise or bafflement, let Zuko continue. "I get it. The Fire Nation hasn't done Yu Dao much good. I'd even wager you and your people have done more for the benefit of this city in a few months than my country has for over a hundred years." His eyes went downward for a moment, as he swallowed a lump in his throat.

Yet it only lasted for a moment before he took another breath. "Figure out what's going on and who sent that kill order. I'll do things on my end with the assassin. Maybe together we can bring whoever did this to justice."

The rebel wasn't sure what to say. It sounded too good to be true. Indeed, after running his proposal through her head, she saw the problem. "I appreciate the offer, Fire Lord. But as long as that captain and his thugs roam the streets, there's only going to be more violence. Whoever's doing this wouldn't be able to get away with it if the guards didn't build this pyre of theirs."

"They will be brought to justice," Zuko responded. "I'm going to try and override this curfew and get a tighter leash on the officers. If you can work on your end and help me bring this mastermind down, that'll give them less incentive to crack down on your people."

When he ended, he once again remained silent and waited for her response. Mai and Ty Lee stood on the sidelines watching the whole thing, giving Kori more eyes on her back. Truth be told, she still couldn't trust him. Who could? Everyone said he had the hallmarks of his father right down to how he ascended to the throne. And who could say they bring peace when they wear a crown drenched in blood?

Yet he didn't wear the crown now. No grandeur. Nothing. He was baring his true intentions out to her. If nothing else, she could trust that. "Alright. All I can say is there might be some Fiery Raptors within their ranks."

Ty Lee snorted. "Of course, Azula would pull something like that."

"It's not what you think," Kori interrupted, making sure they all had her attention. "I wanted some people to back us up in the protests in case things got violent. She offered to have some of her men to back us up and I said yes. I'll take responsibility if any of them caused problems."

"Can't say I blame you there. You go up against soldiers, you're going to need some muscle."

"Who's side are you on?!" Ty Lee yelled at Mai, her frustration with her reaching a boiling point.

The emotionless girl just gave a noncommittal shrug. "I'm just saying it as it is. From what I've heard, the Mayor hasn't exactly done a good job of keeping the peace on his end. Can't blame Azula for taking advantage of something that was already there. We certainly did." Ty Lee promptly shut up from Mai's assessment, looking a bit downcast herself.

Kori also had a harsh truth slapped in her face. Her father. Mayor Morishita, the one most responsible for Yu Dao's woes. He's the one who ultimately had control of the garrison and determined who was in charge. If it weren't for him, that captain and his goons probably wouldn't be able to run rampant and bully the citizens into submission. She couldn't even remember the last time she saw him. Her home for the past few months had been the hideout.

Still, it was a hard truth to swallow. Needless to say, his actions were part of the reason her mother left a long time ago. True, she made her peace with it when she saw what her father's cronies were willing to do. Yet it still hurt too much to ignore.

Something that Zuko noticed. "You know your father's going to have to go on trial for what he's done. Right?"

Forcing down her queasiness, Kori crossed her arms and tried not to look like she was hugging herself. "I understand."

"Good." Then, the Fire Lord did something rather unexpected. He walked up and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. It was…surprisingly warm. Kori wasn't sure what to make of it before she saw the scar on his face. Seemed as though she wasn't the only one who had issues with her parents.

A similar story was told with Mai and Ty Lee, who gazed at her with soft eyes. Kori wondered: what was it about the Fire Nation that equaled parental issues? She had her father. The girls had their parents. Agni help Azula and Zuko for getting stuck with Ozai as a father.

Azula.

"Before I agree to this, there's something you need to promise me," Kori declared.

Zuko looked a bit surprised but then gave an uneasy nod. Having got his attention, the rebel dropped the ultimatum. "Give Azula a chance. Stop treating her like she's the worst thing in the world. And stop treating her like a bomb about to go off."

"...you know I can't do that," he admitted with pain in his voice.

Yet Kori stood her ground. "Nobody's asking you to forget. I'm simply stating that if you want this thing to work out, you need to uphold your end. That means no threats. No harassments. No lies. And no dangling her over a cliff. Got it?"

He shuddered when she threw out that last demand, but that didn't soften her glare. Especially when she saw Mai and Ty Lee paralyzed in shock. Oh yeah. Azula told her about his little stunt that almost got him killed. She didn't care if it was a low blow or not. If it meant he wouldn't pull the same garbage twice, then so much is the better.

As for Zuko, he didn't say anything for white seemed like an eternity. Then he gave a defeated nod and said, "Alright. As long as she isn't a problem."

Satisfied, Kori turned to rejoin her friends. Since that's what friends do after all. Though not before she said one last thing. "I do mean it. You try anything without any incentive…just remember what happened with Godzilla. It won't end well."

And so she left, leaving the trio behind. Truth be told, she didn't enjoy having to lay out the cold truth. Yet Zuko struck her as somebody who needed to be slapped in the face and have a rock hammering into his skull in order to get the point across. Agni knows how many of those blockheads she had to put up with growing up.

Mentally she kicked herself for having to go from one blockhead to ANOTHER blockhead. If there was one thing Azula and her brother had in common, it was digging in and covering their ears when they didn't want whatever ideas they had in their head to be challenged. Sort of made things a bit depressing that it took a kaiju of all things to get them to cooperate.

Let's just hope they haven't killed each other by the end of this, Kori prayed.

---

Azula was not exactly impressed by Iroh's so-called "escort". A young man from the Earth Kingdom far removed from either Ba Sing Se or Omashu when either of those fell, and a woman who was stationed at the royal prison during Uncle Fatso's imprisonment. Ming, she believed the name was. Still, they were an odd couple. She'd figure he'd choose people who had every incentive not to believe in any of her words, truth or not. Or at the very least people who had some kind of grudge against her.

These two though? They just stood by and nodded their heads when Iroh gave their instructions. Maybe old age and tea were starting to affect his choices. Granted, she wasn't sure if tea could have the same effects as alcohol, but she wouldn't put it past the Dragon of the West's gut to discover some adverse condition the hard way.

So, with one last stern glare and a reminder to be a good girl or else she'd get the asylum (he didn't say it of course, but the threat was still there), she, Maina, and the Avatar's gang (minus the Kyoshi Warrior) went about their way to the temple. Typical.

However, they did get a pleasant surprise when Kori ran up to their little entourage. Said something about Zuzu taking her aside and wanting them to look into the rebel's movement. The Princess just flipped her bang. "Very well. I guess we can entertain our host for a little bit."

"You mean figure out what's going on from your end so you can protect your brother, right? Cause that's what normal people do after all," Katara piped up.

Azula scoffed. "Well, normal people don't have a sibling who'd rather cook your guts for dinner as a brother."

And not two minutes in, she could feel the heat of the group rising up. "Hey! You're the one who threw lightning at him!" Sokka snapped back.

"And he's the one who dangled me over a cliff, blamed everything wrong in his life on me, and threatened to burn my face off. Funny how the world works," Azula quipped. That was enough to shut everyone up, much to her satisfaction and lack of surprise. Of course, her brother wouldn't tell them his dirty little secret. Oops.

"Toph. Is she-?"

"I couldn't tell even if I wanted to," Toph interrupted, though the bite that was usually in her voice was curiously gone. Azula raised an eyebrow. Seemed like the loudmouth got quiet ever since they left the war tent. She wondered what happened in there. Did the mention of Cranefish Town really get under her skin?

Maina on the other hand was doing her best to play peacemaker. "Look! We all have our problems with each other and all-"

"Understatement of the century."

"-shut up," she told Sokka. "But can we please try to play nice for just a few days? That's all I'm asking for. The last thing I want to do is have to deal with all of you AND a couple of kaiju."

"Hey. Less work for us," the Earth Kingdom guard stated rather drily.

The Avatar just sighed as he walked up alongside Azula. "She's right. And we do appreciate your willingness to help us out with…whatever's out there. How do you plan on finding that out by the way?"

Azula sighed. "Call it an intuition. I examined some of the ruins and if you hadn't noticed, they had a lot of kaiju depicted. If I can work my mind a little bit, I might be able to find out more about what you're dealing with from my memory. Perks of growing up in royalty and all.

"Consider it upholding my end of our armistice," she chirped with a smirk. Everyone looked at her with nothing but skepticism in their eyes. Particularly Maina, who seemed so desperately trying to look past her bald-faced lie. Bless her heart.

Still, she was confident she could figure out their mystery foe. The problem was the truth of the matter. Those voices in her head had gotten awfully chatty and loud in that tent, and what she said about the "usurper" wasn't her own words. Simply put, they knew something. And she was going to find out why. As for not telling…well if she just came out and said "This could leave me a mental wreck with no hope of recovery," they probably throw her in a cell so she couldn't do anything stupid.

Not like she had much choice in the matter. It was either holding up her end or risk getting bound up. If she had to risk her sanity to keep those chains and straps off her body, then so be it.

Of course, the most immature had to press his luck. "Either way, we do appreciate the gesture Azula," the Avatar piped in. "And if it helps, I might've done some work on my end as well."

He proceeded to lean in and whisper how her guards were handpicked from some friends of his who DIDN'T see eye to eye with her Uncle. Azula had to admit that he was pretty sneaky for that. "Do more like that, and I might just start to respect you," she conceded.

Aang gave a semi-embarrassed smile and scratched the back of his bald head. "I mean, we kind of sort of had to fight dirty during the war a few times. Can't say I was the worst though. Ask Katara or Toph about the 'Blind Bandit' if you want a laugh." Indeed, the Princess did put it on her list of things to do. Katara did look a bit miffed her dear boyfriend just sold her out. Would Azula be petty over being frozen and chained up just to see her enemy squirm? Yes. Yes she would.

"With all honesty though," Aang continued, making sure she was paying attention (which she was, she always was), "I don't exactly want to be your enemy anymore. War's over, you know? Not much reason for us to fight anymore."

Now that, Azula couldn't help but scoff at. "You put my weak brother on the throne and look what happened. Trust me, we've still got some bad blood between us."

"Well…I mean, he's changed before. I think he'd be a great Fire Lord one day."

"Changed?" Azula spat out, causing everyone to stop. Even the Avatar seemed like he just hit a sensitive nerve. "He's going to gut us just to share the bed of those that want us dead," the Princess pointed out. "And if he changed, how come he still blames me for everything and STILL wants to pursue that grudge of his?"

"Wait, that's not fair! He feels awful about what happened!" Aang argued back.

"Right. And I guess that makes everything okay? Why doesn't he just say that to my face?"

Azula sighed, looking away. "Avatar, I understand what you're getting at. But some people…some people can't change without getting torn apart. Zuko understands that. Sure he says he wants to, but if it's a choice between being good and staying alive, he's going to choose the latter. Anybody with sense would."

Just look at me, she silently said.

"...if it helps, I had trust issues with Zuko myself."

She blinked as the words sunk in. "What did you say?" Azula asked.

The Avatar seemed a bit pensive, causing that flying rat he called a pet to land on his shoulder. He stroked its head before gathering her breath. "Zuko's betrayal hurt. A lot. Probably a lot more than you shooting me in the back. Nobody was willing to give him a chance when he came to us. So believe me, you're not the only one he's hurt."

A quick glance around confirmed this. Katara, Sokka, Toph. They all seemed downcast, no doubt remembering that day Zuko showed up. Azula understood. Her brother would probably say something along the lines of "I'm sorry I stabbed you all in the back. Please forgive me, I won't do it again until I can get ahead".

"So believe me when I say that Zuko is trying to change. You don't have to forgive him for what he did. But you don't be afraid of him hurting you again all the time. Who knows? Maybe you'd be better off for it." With that, Aang concluded his little speech. Now all eyes were drawn to Azula, seeing what she would say.

Truth be told, she wanted to believe it. By Agni, she wanted to believe it. It would mean one less dagger held against her back. More time to focus on other things. What other things those were, she wasn't sure of at the moment.

Yet the truth sunk in. She looked downcast as they continued to the temple. "I can't trust somebody who'd kill a dragon just to get one over me," she muttered.

Aang's eyes widened as the realization sunk in. There were a lot of things the prodigy was willing to forgive, but dragon slaying wasn't one of them. She never forgave Iroh and she'd never forgive her brother for doing the same thing.

And yet…

She looked at the blue flame that had come to life in her hand, crackling with power.

Maybe she didn't need to be afraid of betrayal if she could fight back.

---

Fire Nation War Camp

Finding Ty Lee wasn't too difficult. Suki just had to think of what somebody Azula had hurt would do if the latter came back. As it turned out, it was blowing off steam in the training ground. All around the acrobat were the broken pieces and limbs of practice dummies. They went unnoticed as she just propped another dummy to practice on.

Her movements were fluid and precise. Each one struck at what would've been a nerve center if wood were replaced by flesh and blood. In the span of a few seconds, the dummy was crippled. Not that it satisfied Ty Lee as she kicked it aside so hard the head came off. Snarling, she turned around to see if there were anything left she hadn't kicked into oblivion.

What she found was Suki staring at her. Her aggression suddenly evaporated as she gave a respectful bow. "Oh hey. Just practicing some of my techniques. Need to get used to wearing robes and armor, you know?"

"Right." Suki wasn't fooled. The bubbliness that usually masked Ty Lee's thoughts were gone, leaving a tired girl in their place. Even some of her makeup was starting to come off. Something the latter didn't seem to care about as she wiped some of it off on her sleeve.

"I thought you'd be with the Avatar," the acrobat observed. And ordinarily, that would be the case. Yet her weary state only confirmed to Suki that staying behind to check on her was the better course of action.

The leader of the Kyoshi Warriors put her hands on her hips, wondering how to approach this delicately. "I mean I would. I was just a bit worried about you is all. Can't exactly be a good leader if I don't look after my own girls, you know?"

"Yeah, I know," Ty Lee conceded, leaning against one of the posts she had half broken off. "Sorry. One thing they never taught us at the academy was how to share your issues with your superior."

With that, she pushed herself off and went into a stance, throwing air punches and kicks within mere inches of the broken post. Given how close some of those strikes were getting to the broken wood, Suki decided not to let up her little "chat".

"Understandable," she continued. "I'm just making sure you weren't training too hard or hurting yourself. Don't exactly want a repeat of what Zuko did back at the temple, now do we?"

"No…we…don't…" Ty Lee forced out, focusing more on her punches than anything else. Some of which were getting a bit too close to the wood for Suki's liking.

So much for the diplomatic approach, Suki thought. "Listen, I know you and Azula don't see eye to eye on everything-"

"She's going to try something. I know it. Bringing in the Earth Kingdom army? If she isn't trying to incite a war right here and now, then I don't know her. No. I need to stay focused. She's putting all of us in danger, and I won't let her hurt anybody else.

"It's like you told me. We all need to make amends, right? Well, this is my way." With that, Ty Lee turned once more to her practice as if the matter was settled.

Except Suki could see the sweat beginning to run down her face, and how splinters were beginning to fly off as the punches hit wood.

"Ty, Azula hasn't put anybody in danger yet. We're keeping an eye on her, and if she tries anything, we'll put a stop to it," Suki said, her worry increasing as the fists were getting dangerously close to the broken portion.

"You don't know her," the acrobat argued. "She hurt me once. I won't let her hurt anybody else. I won't let her get away-"

Suki grabbed her hand before it drove deep into the splintered wood. "This is what I mean about looking after my girls," she sternly lectured, her harsh tone finally causing Ty Lee's eyes to focus on her. "One needs to keep tabs on their friends because sometimes, they don't always know when they're about to self-implode."

Releasing the hand, she gestured to the splintered stump that Ty Lee was about to drive her fist into. The meaning of her words finally sunk into the acrobat, as she took a few steps back. Sure, she had the benefit of having armored gauntlets that would've protected them from the worst. But she imagined if she hadn't.

"I…I'm sorry. I…" she hugged herself for comfort. "I don't know what's going on with me. I've been a lot angrier than I've usually been, but I can't stop how I feel."

Feeling a pang of sympathy, Suki put a reassuring hand on Ty Lee's shoulder. "It's okay. You've got every right to be mad at Azula. And it's okay to be on edge around her. You need to be wary in case she tries anything. I just don't like seeing you getting hurt because of this thing between you two."

"But what am I supposed to do?" the other teen desperately asked. "I can't just forgive her! And when I get mad, the first thing that pops into my mind is punching it or chi-blocking it or something. I tried playing it off as something that didn't bother me, but that didn't work. I don't know what to do!"

That sympathy only got stronger seeing her beat herself up over this. "Listen, relax. You're not in trouble or anything," Suki reassured, making sure her fellow Warrior was looking right at her. "What you need to understand is that this isn't healthy for you or anyone else. Look, we have the Iron Maws coming our way from one direction and kaiju possibly coming from two more. We can't have you going berserk on Azula without good reason, alright?"

"But…I don't have anyone else to talk to," Ty Lee mumbled.

"What about Mai?" Suki asked.

"I mean, maybe, but I don't want to load this on her. Plus, she's not exactly the best person to confide stuff in. I don't think I could take her bluntness like Zuko."

"Iroh?"

Ty Lee scoffed. "Seriously? He'd probably say 'go play with dolls or find a man' or something. No thanks."

"Zuko - nevermind, scratch that one." Suki winced just from even suggesting the guy who hated Azula most of all was a good idea for confiding one's problems with her in. With that, she pursed her lips. Normally, she'd be the one to stay a bit and give some support over an extended period of time. Yet she knew she had to leave with the rest of Team Avatar for those refugees in the east. That would mean leaving Ty Lee alone.

"Look. I'm only going to be gone for a day or two. Alright? Can you hold it together until I get back? Not asking you to forgive Azula or anything. Just find a way to blow off steam without hurting yourself. Maybe, I don't know, practice your gymnastics or something. Or even give Zuko and Azula some space unless the former summons you for something. Could you do that?"

"I…I think I can," Ty Lee muttered, a small glimmer in her eye as something was reignited.

"Good. Do you want me to train along with you until I get called?"

"...I'd like that." Satisfied, Suki and Ty Lee trained along side one another, each watching the other's movements carefully. The more seasoned Warrior would show how to move within the bulky robes of her order. The acrobat would show some basic chi-blocking techniques. It was a bit uneasy at first, but eventually the both of them began to move in synch with one another.

It brought a smile to Suki's lips. Hopefully, their newest recruit would indeed hold out. Her advice was the least she could do. Heaven help what would happen if Azula did try something stupid.

---

Fire Temple of Yu Dao

Out of all the stupid things she's done in her life, this had to be right on top of the list. Depressingly, most of the list was dominated by events that happened in the last few weeks.

Still, she had a job to do. After a quick reassurance to both Aang and Maina that she had things under control, she came to the center of the room. Somewhere off to her side, she knew that a painting of Godzilla hung, as if watching over her. Holding out her hand, she conjured a blue flame. Quite possibly her only lifeline in case things went wrong.

Reluctantly, she removed the medallion and knife of Mothra, laying them to the side. Instantly, she heard the voice of her mother practically begging her, Don't do this! We don't know what "they're" capable of. This could go wrong so badly!

Azula ignored her. Her mother only knew how to drive a knife into somebody's back when they weren't looking. Not face her problems head-on. Yet Father joined Mother, albeit in a more accusatory tone. You stupid girl! Sticking your neck out for the AVATAR? No wonder you lost at the Agni Kai. You're going soft.

She ignored him too. That voice wasn't Father, and it never will be. If he were here, he'd be encouraging her. Feeding them what they desired and biding her time in the meanwhile. For enemies surrounded her, and she needed to wait for the moment to break out of this siege.

With that in mind, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

In.

Out.

In.

Out.

The prodigy felt the fire of the Temple sway with her, the blue flame in her soul bristle and strengthen. Every day, they were growing stronger. She couldn't even feel the ache of where she was bound anymore.

Yet there was another source, a bright spark that crackled along the edge of the comforting azure light. Gently, reluctantly, she allowed her flame to dim. Not die. Just dim. Letting the darkness come in.

Then, a crack of brilliant thunder, and all went white.

---

When she opened her eyes, she saw she was standing upon the outskirts of Yu Dao.

Or rather its ruins.

Where once stood proud buildings were now smoldering wrecks. All around the countryside, there was not a single blade of grass alive. There were…bones everywhere. Human. Animal. It made no difference.

And high above, a storm was brewing.

It has been a while, Princess. To what do we owe this pleasure? a voice said, backed by a thundering sky and flashes of golden lightning.

"You know what's out there to the East. Don't you?" Azula threw out.

Ah. So you show concern to your enemies now, don't you? another voice boomed somewhere to a patch of storm clouds off to the left, punctuated by more lightning.

"No. Think of it as watching my back," the Princess retorted, her voice cold as steel.

Laughter to the right heralded the third. Smart. Very smart. That's the first sensible thing you've said in a long time. For that, we'll illuminate you.

Images flashed before her eyes of a bloody battlefield, and ruins she did not recognize being set ablaze. In the midst of it all, a towering, serpentine figure stood roaring with triumph.

Axor is not like most kaiju, the first voice explained. He didn't just see humanity as a pestilence or another species. He saw them as a tool for his own conquest. Desire and envy ruled his heart. For he wanted to be worshipped and feared as nothing less but a god. From the ruins of his first conquests, he built an empire to rule over.

From the ruins, ancient stone temples arose, built by an army of slaves. Their eyes flashed with color, matching that of the coiling serpent sitting upon the grandest pyramid. All around them, a great hurricane arose, blowing apart any who dared to try and resist.

He enthralled those he conquered under his spell. An army that knew no boundaries or races. No free will existed in his domain, and he called it peace, the second voice continued.

Yet it was not to last. As the third voice spoke, the temples crumbled, and the serpent retreated into the ruins of his most grand temple. The eyes never wavered though. They watched, and waited as time and nations changed. Far away, Ba Sing Se rose, and all memories of the old king were forgotten.

For though he fancied himself a dragon, he was naught but a toothless worm groveling before his better. All he built around himself was a pale imitation of those he served. For that, his armies fell and he was defeated. But he survived in the ruins of his capital. And there he waits for his time.

One final image flashed before her, that of temples and pyramids being rebuilt, and the serpent gazing out to the west. As if expecting something. Beneath him, the drums of war beat as Axor let out a piercing challenge.

At last, Azula's eyes come to back to Yu Dao. Though in the distance, she could still hear the drums beating. "He's planning on rebuilding his empire," she realized.

And he will fail once more, the first voice spoke. For that is not your biggest danger. It lies within the walls of Yu Dao.

Again, she saw a flurry of images. A man deep within what she assumed to be the resistance movement of Yu Dao with piercing blue eyes and pale skin. A macabre mixture of human and kaiju flesh. And, perhaps the most disturbing of all, a more distant image. That of white tendrils snaking towards a dying giant.

A giant with mountains on its back and dying blue embers in its maw.

The Abomination is coming. And they seek to devour all within their path, the voices said in unison. Perhaps you might defeat it if all were to stand together. Yet we both know the chances of that.

"...why are you telling me this?" Azula muttered.

A piercing shriek brought her to her knees. The Abomination seeks to steal what is mine, the voices declared. This I CANNOT allow.

Azula grimaced, feeling the fury of the voices course through her being. But do not think this is for your own benefit, the first voice continued, that snarl vibrating in her head. You'd do well to watch after your own skin. Already, you've been betrayed by the ones you hold dear.

"I know about enough about betrayal, foul thing!" Azula snarled back, but a bolt of lightning struck through her heart. And with it, brought an image. That of ruins deep within the Fire Nation. Of…people dancing with dragons…

And…her brother and the Avatar being chosen by two of them…

Did you honestly believe that weakling could learn the secrets of the Dancing Dragon all on his own? the voices roared. The very beings you cherish betrayed you. Chose your pathetic failure of a brother over you. That blue fire you wield? It's an abomination. A corruption of true firebending. A sad reminder that no matter how hard you try, you'll NEVER understand your passion. And why fate chose your brother over you.

For who would ever follow or love a monster?

With that, Azula screamed, trying desperately to hold on to her dying flame. Yet between the laughter and thundering sky, it was a losing battle.

---

"AZULA! SNAP OUT OF IT!"

She opened her eyes with a start and lunged forward, clutching the dagger and medallion in her hands. Her heart pounded, and her palms sweated. All at once, the voices were silenced.

Rising up, she saw Imana, Maina, and Aang being worried sick over her.

"I…I thought…I'm sorry," Azula mumbled weakly. She would've said more, if Maina hadn't rushed over and hugged her tightly.

"Just don't do anything that stupid again. Okay?" the priestess begged.

"...okay." Azula clutched her friend tightly, with tears in her eyes. In time, she'd tell them all what she had learned. Of Axor. Of the threat within their midst.

Yet not of the voices. Something kept her from doing that.

All the while, the relics in her hands glowed dimly.

---

Infant Island

In a hidden cove, Mothra looked out to the sun. She felt her connection being thrown away. That alone was cause for concern.

What she felt on the other side hastened her into action.

The great worm dove into the depths of the sea, undulating her body as she swam through the crystal blue waters. For not was her brother making his move, but her chosen was in danger.

She needed to be there. For Azula was under her charge. And she won't allow her faith in the Princess simply fade away into the abyss.

Notes:

A/N: …sorry for the hiatus. I swear I didn't plan this. I was on vacation (didn't go so well). I broke my foot (ALSO didn't go so well). And I had homework. Seems like the universe has it out for me or something.

Anyways, we return to Yu Dao for this chapter. Things have NOT improved at all. Turns out Zuko's advisors kind of sort of stabbed him in the back. Granted I doubt anybody didn't see this coming, but this is all part of the point. The Fire Nation isn't going to change over night and that includes who's in charge. This was something that was touched on in the comics and I wanted to dive more deeply into this. Just know that these guys are making things worse, and the "Abomination" that the Voices said is taking advantage of the whole mess.

I also hope to sort of expand on Kori and her relationship with her father in the coming chapters. I mean, this is her home city after all. Fitting she'd take somewhat of a center stage here. Almost like how the twins got a lot of development back on Infant Island.

It's also here where a lot of drama is coming to a head. Ty Lee's an example. Her characterization here I got a bit from Azula in the Spirit Temple. Mainly being set up as Azula's rival and striving to take the latter down. I wasn't really a huge fan with how she was written in the comics, so I wanted to deconstruct that here as well as Zuko's. I'm not trying to make her unsympathetic or anything. Just trying to reframe it in a way that exposes some of her flaws. She's not the sweet bubbly girl everyone thinks she is.

More development for Azula and Aang as well. Aang's mentioning of him having issues with Zuko actually comes from that nightmare early in Book 3. Mainly, Azula never showed up, but we did see Zuko standing menacingly over Aang who was beneath ice. That's a big indication of how deeply the betrayal hurt. I figured I would make the parallel between Aang's previous issues and Azula's insecurities around Zuko. Makes our two leads more of foils towards one another.

Finally, we get the vision. It was a stupid move on Azula's part, but she's not exactly well known for self-preservation (which WILL come to a head in this arc). Again, most of Axor's characterization came from the Hanna Barbara cartoon where he did enslave a populace to maintain a temple of his. And before anyone asks, I planned this BEFORE Godzilla x Kong came out. Any and all comparisons to Skar King are completely coincidental.

Yes, the Voices did quote Shao Kahn. Thank you.

Not much I can say about the Abomination without spoilers, but they are going to be the final villain for this part of the trilogy. All I can say is I kind of got inspiration from a few sci-fi horror stories. More on them in the next chapter.

Thank you all for reading and for your patience. I apologize again for the wait. Hopefully things won't go catastrophically wrong as we progress through hurricane season. Make sure to leave a review and feel free to follow and favorite to show your support. Thank you again for all the support, and I'll see you all next time. Soon. Hopefully soon. Somebody start praying it'll be soon.

Chapter 21: Abomination

Summary:

Azula and her friends head for the Freedom for Yu Dao Coalition's hideout, coming face to face with the mysterious ringleader. Yet all is not as it seems when the mastermind of the Coalition's turn to violence turns to be more than human...

Notes:

Avatar: The Last Airbender and all associated characters are owned by Paramount Global. Godzilla and all associated characters are owned by Toho Studios. Please support the official release.

In honor of Keizo Murase.

Hari Bulkan Prison

 

Zuko took a deep breath in, hoping to calm the panic in his heart.

 

He came alone. If Aang, Iroh, or Mai knew about this, they’d try to stop him. Not that he wouldn’t blame him since no matter how much he tried to spin it for himself, he couldn’t deny how stupid it was. Funny. Here he was all resplendent in the robes of the Fire Lord with the crown in his topknot, and he was just as terrified during the Agni Kai that gave him that scar.

 

But he was different now. He knew the truth, of the lies he’d been fed. And if he could gain just one kernel of wisdom from that nest of vipers, he’d risk the venomous bite. Didn’t Uncle used to say that sometimes good leaders needed to take risks?

 

The torches in the hallway of the iron door grew and dimmed thanks to his influence. Before him, a pair of guards stood expectedly. And deep down he knew that turning back now was not an option.

 

“Let me in.”

 

Silently, the guards creaked the door open, allowing Zuko to stride into the cell. His eyes were kept forward, his posture tall and proud. No emotion outside of the stern exterior his ancestors had perfected.

 

Yet his predecessor behind the bars just glared defiantly. “So. The Fire Lord has once again felt compelled to grace me with his presence. To what do I owe the honor?”

 

“You know this isn’t a social visit Father.” Zuko coldly clarified, not buying any of Ozai’s false praises.

 

Sure enough, the former Phoenix King cast aside his sarcasm. “If this is about your mother, my answer hasn’t exactly changed.” The declaration was not new, but the implications still reverberated in Zuko’s heart. His father knew where she was, or at least knew where she was last seen. Yet when it came to push to shove, the answer was kept behind a sneering smile.

 

Ozai was dangling his mother right in front of him. The new Fire Lord wasn't sure whether it was out of spite or something else. All he knew was that the trick was as old as the scar on his face. Knowing that Zuko kept his composure and let out the first part he rehearsed. “It’s not that either. I’ve come to inform you that there is an upcoming tribunal to prosecute war criminals. You’re on the list.”

 

A mock sigh was forced out of the prisoner’s throat. “Well, we both knew that was coming. How long do I have before those dirt-shoveling barbarians bury me alive?”

 

“A while. Considering that the Avatar removed your bending, it was decided you’d be the last to be judged. Figured there wasn’t much sense in rushing to something that’s already a fitting punishment. Chances are, you’re just going to end back up here when all is said and done.”

 

Zuko then glowered. “You’d better thank him for sparing your life.”

 

“Right. Figures that coward wouldn’t have the stomach to have my blood spilled by anyone,” Ozai flippantly snarked. “And who, pray tell, is higher up on the list? Surely my brother isn’t right on top. If you wanted to get along with practically everybody, you could always throw him to the wolves.”

 

Breathe in. Breathe out. With his composure maintained, Zuko let out the second part. “That’s what I want to find out. The Earth King’s list had a lot of high-ranking members in Fire Nation society. Your inner circle least of all. And if I had it my way, I’d give them over without a heartbeat.”

 

“But because you’re unpopular for ending what your forefathers strove to do, you can’t do it because that would make enemies. And whose fault is that I wonder? Maybe if you took your lessons seriously instead of loafing about like your Uncle, you would’ve made a few friends in court. Funny how the world works. You get something you’ve told yourself over and over again that you alone deserve, only to find out it wasn’t what you thought it was,” Ozai mocked.

 

It took all of Zuko’s nerve not to turn away in shame. He’d learned a lot about what it meant to wear the crown. For so long, he was told he could wave his hand to end the war and his country would obey. Turns out that when your civilization was built on conquest and oppression, even the most staunch defender of the crown is going to do a double take when their worldview was shattered. Fire Lords were supposed to lead their people to this glorious undertaking after all, weren’t they?

 

Still, the young monarch wouldn’t rise to the bait. If Father wanted some twisted form of satisfaction from an outburst or admission to failings, he’d have to look elsewhere. “I have my list to present. Officers, sergeants, and lower-ranking soldiers. They’ve been accused of those same war crimes. I’ll be handing them over first, but the Earth King isn’t going to be satisfied with them.”

 

“No wonder. So many good men who followed orders being served on a platter. I do hope you made sure you separated the bad eggs from those who were forced.” Another deep blow. As a matter of fact, Zuko hadn’t. Sure the obvious ones he’d give a pass for. For those that he wasn’t so sure about? There wasn’t much time to do so. Sooner or later, the Earth King was going to accuse him of delaying the tribunal by going through an exhaustive screening process for people to be judged. And if he did that, it wouldn’t be much of a step to realize that Zuko wasn’t going to hand over the colonies either without a fight.

 

Which came to this painful realization. “I’m considering handing Azula over to them for Ba Sing Se. That should make them more agreeable.”

 

“Oh?” Ozai tilted his head in fascination, causing a shiver to run down Zuko’s back. He’d seen this before when that man was in full Fire Lord regalia. The only reason he didn’t back down immediately was the knowledge the crown and robes were on him. There was something else too. A smoldering intensity thought long extinguished when he was thrown into this dingy cell. 

 

“Well, I didn’t think you had it in you,” his father continued, the effort to keep his voice level becoming noticeable. “And here I was wondering whether or not you were content to let her rot in that asylum.”

 

“Whu-how did you know that?!”

 

“You told me. Just now.”

 

Zuko groaned. Of course, he fell for that. He wondered if his time with Azula taught him anything. “Okay, but that’s not the point. She’s going on trial to pay for what she’s done.”

 

“Right. And I’m supposed to care about what that failure did? I gave her a simple job. One that she’d practically been begging for ever since your little screw-up, and she failed even harder than you ever did. Why should I be concerned that she’s paying for it?”

 

“You’re not even concerned?” the young monarch was stunned by his father’s callousness replacing the fury. Out of all the people in this world, he’d figure that Ozai would be the one person who supported her. How else would she get away with all of her crap? It’s how it was growing up after all. Mother always tried to course-correct her while Father kept turning a blind eye. If Ozai just stepped in once…

 

Instead, the old tyrant rolled his eyes, his rage either being forgotten or repressed. “Like I said. She’s a failure. I’m surprised you showed more promise than she did. Challenging her at her weakest to even the odds? If I knew you had that in you, I would’ve taken you under my wing without a second thought.”

 

Vertigo almost set in. Desperately, Zuko tried to keep his breathing under control. Remember what you came in for and get out. That’s what Uncle would say. Composing himself, the Fire Lord stared his father right in the eye. “Like I said, I’m putting her on trial. End of story.”

 

“And you want me to tell you if there’s any way to drown your guilty conscience.”

 

“I have nothing to be guilty over. She would turn the Fire Nation into a nightmare if she was crowned.”

 

“Don’t lie to me boy,” Ozai snarled, suddenly rising to his full height and his rage now on full display. On reflex alone, Zuko took a step back, feeling the tides turning. “I know what happened,” his father continued. “You just stood there and watched as your sister bawled her eyes out. Yet…you couldn’t feel a twinge of sympathy, did you? You told yourself she got what she deserved. You finally got on top. Deep down though, you knew you’d never beat her in her prime. It’s still eating at you. She denied you your moment of triumph through madness. So you locked her away in that asylum to rot. And now you’re serving her up to make her suffer even more. After all, beating her doesn’t matter if you keep on destroying her bit by bit. That’s cruelty if I ever saw it.”

 

“...that asylum was meant to help her,” Zuko snarled back.

 

His father scoffed once more. “You wouldn’t say that if you’ve ever been there. And do you honestly believe that deep down, you want her to get better? I mean, you’re willing to give ME the benefit of the doubt. Why else would you come here and talk to me time and again? Yet you wouldn’t extend the courtesy to her. That’s downright cruel even by my standards.”

 

“You don’t know me.”

 

“Oh really? A boy decides to become a man by taking advantage of their sibling’s weakness. Does that ring a bell? Or do you want to ask me how I felt when I put Iroh in his place? Say what you will about me, but at least I waited till he was a traitor to his nation before putting him behind bars. You on the other hand never learned to control your own impulses before throwing off the mask.”

 

Ozai took a step forward, his golden eyes gleaming. “You should know this, boy. Cause deep down, you know we’re both the same. And if you want to be a good Fire Lord, you should know your vices are your greatest strength.”

 

A gasp left Zuko’s mouth, feeling himself shrink. All at once, the power had shifted. He felt small and weak, caught wearing his father’s clothes. Between the two, there was only one true Fire Lord in the room. How badly he wanted to deny it. Deny that his father was right. And yet…

 

“You want to secure your throne?” Ozai gripped the bars of his cell as if he could melt through the metal at a moment’s notice. “Make her suffer. Keep her alive but keep making her pay for what she’s done. Vent all your rage on her. And this nation will fear you all the more. You want to be Fire Lord, yes? Learn to hate. Learn to dominate. You can’t lead this country on promises of peace and love. Realize who you are deep down, and embrace it.”

 

“...we’re done here.” Zuko swiftly turned, not wanting to give his father the satisfaction of victory. This was a bad idea from the start. He should’ve known. Maybe if he asked somebody to back him up, the old tyrant wouldn’t have gotten the better of them. All he wanted to do now though was leave before more damage was done.

 

“By the way. If you can entertain me, how and where are you transporting the prisoners?” Ozai flippantly asked.

 

“We’re carrying them over by prison ships along the furthest islands within our borders. Closest and swiftest way to the Earth Kingdom.” Inwardly he cursed himself for divulging even that. Didn’t seem like much, but the way he was coerced into doing it made his blood boil. Zuko strode out of the room before more was said though, listening as the iron doors shut.

 

---

 

Yu Dao,

Fire Lord’s Tent

 

“He knew…he knew it was out there…”

 

Mai peeked out of the tent to ensure no passersby were listening in. It was the only thing that brought him comfort right now. As if things couldn’t get any worse, now Kori had to spill the beans about what he did. Didn’t she know there was a good reason he was keeping that a secret?!

 

Huffing to himself, Zuko observed the empty teacup in his hand. He recalled Uncle tried to get into sake the one time. Needless to say, it was a bit of a disaster. Yet even risking an episode like that was preferable to tackling this sober.

 

“I know your father’s a lot of things, risking that monster killing everybody just to make a point?” A grimace distorted Mai’s usually controlled face. “Zuko, I want you to tell me why exactly you thought talking to him instead of your uncle was a good idea.”

 

“I…” The Fire Lord’s shoulders slumped forward, placing down the teacup and bringing his hands in front of his face. “I was going to talk to Iroh first, but then I saw the list the Earth King sent me. He was right on top. And I’ve heard a lot of stories amongst the clan heads. I didn’t want to believe them but…I don’t think I could even come to him after all that. Afraid he was going to tell the whole truth.”

 

“And the last thing you needed was to lose faith in the only person who believed in you.”

 

“Yeah. That about sums it up.” He had to admit that for somebody who put on a cold exterior, she had a pretty good bead on people.

 

Yet she didn’t look him in the eye. Instead, Mai scoffed. “Zuko, you know I don’t agree with you ending the war and giving up the colonies back, right? Why are you telling me stuff like this?”

 

Zuko grimaced a bit. That was a shock to her after his declaration. He knew she was willing to stomach it for now, but deep down he also knew there was just as much fire in her heart for war as much as Azula’s.

 

Still, he had to take a chance. “I…don’t know who else to talk to right now. Aang would probably say I’m doing everything alright like he always does. I need some honesty. And right now, I need to know what to do.”

 

Nodding to herself, Mai strode over to his desk, not letting her thoughts clear until she opened her mouth. “I think you should listen to her. Kori I mean.”

 

Zuko’s jaw opened. “Mai, I thought out of all the people in this world, you’d never forgive Azula for the Boiling Rock.”

 

“I’m not . But this isn’t about me. It’s about you. Every time you’ve ever listened to Ozai, you hurt yourself. You thought your honor was gone when he burned you and you ran all across the world nearly getting yourself killed just to get back in his good graces. You believed him when he said you were accepted, yet you weren’t happy. Now you listened to him about what to do with Azula and you almost killed her. Again . And did I forget to mention you almost died in the process?

 

“He was right about one thing. You’re letting this grudge eat you from the inside out.”

 

Zuko glowered at his girlfriend’s assessment. “What? Now you’re on HIS side too?!”

 

His fiery words did nothing to melt Mai’s cold and dignified face. “No. This is an intervention. I wouldn’t be saying these things if I hated you. So here’s a question you honestly need to ask yourself.

 

“Do you want to kill Azula?”

 

“...no.”

 

“Okay. Do you want to imprison or commit Azula?”

 

“No! Of course not! What’s your point?” Zuko was getting frustrated with all the circles he was being led. She better be leading with something or he’d blow a gasket. Can’t somebody say something plain for once?!

 

“Well, there you have it. Do you want to bury the hatchet? This is how you do it. Just say you’re sorry. I get that she hurt you too, but it’ll be better if you at least make an effort on your end,” Mai simply stated.

 

Zuko stood up and threw his hands in exasperation. “You say like it’s easy! Uncle said ‘She was crazy and she needed to go down!’ If he thought I couldn’t reach her-”

 

“You’re having issues with him right now, right? Do you believe he’s right about everything?” Mai pushed.

 

“I…I have to believe him! He’s the only one who believed in me!”

 

“Yet it never occurred to him that you wanted to fix things with her? Did he consider what you wanted deep down?”

 

…

 

A shiver froze Zuko in place, letting Mai come close and wrap a gentle hand around his. “Look. I get wanting to make your Uncle happy and all. But you need to think about what you want. And this might be your best shot. She DID save you a few times now. And I don’t know about you, but I do know she doesn’t want this to last forever either. Why not give her a chance?”

 

The Fire Lord sighed, feeling his anger being cooled down. Mai was right, but it was still a bitter truth to swallow. “I want to, but what if I’ve burned all my bridges? What if I just make things worse again?”

 

“You never know if you try,” Mai reiterated with a shrug.

 

“Okay. What if she still believes in the war?”

 

“So do I, and here I am having your back. What’s that say about me?”

 

He swallowed that lump stuck in his throat. Don’t get him wrong, deep down his beloved was right. It’s just…well, he didn’t trust himself. Who would? Ozai was right about one thing. As much as Azula wanted to tear him down, he couldn’t deny there was something dark inside him as well. Agni help him he had fought tooth and nail to fight it. To be good. Yet he wondered if that darkness had already escaped without him knowing.

 

His answer was at the tip of his tongue when General Mak came into the tent. “Fire Lord. We have the assassin all ready for your interrogation.”

 

“Think about it, alright?” Mai said, before leaning in and quickly pecking him on the cheek. Zuko stammered, before composing himself, letting Mak lead him and his girlfriend out of the tent. Leave it to a literal would-be murderer to help focus his mind.

 

An assassin. Now that was something he could handle.

 

---

 

Yu Dao,

Outside of the Fire Temple

 

“Okay. Azula, I’m asking this as a very concerned friend. I just want to know what the hell you were thinking.”

 

The Princess didn’t answer, feeling the last few moments play over and over in her mind. It had gone so wrong so fast. She knew there was a risk in addressing those voices, yet to be left screaming and afraid. That was something her mind was still reeling from.

 

Least of all now that her friends and the Avatar’s gang were crowding around her, her weakness now in full display.

 

“I…I don’t know…” Azula mumbled. “I thought I could handle it. I’ve heard voices before but these…”

 

“Woah woah woah. You’re telling me you’ve been hearing voices ?” Sokka pressed. His voice caused the once proud prodigy to hug herself, hearing the fear seep into his words.

 

Thankfully, she didn’t have to answer him. “Azula’s been seeing voicing and…seeing visions,” Maina explained.

 

Wanting to regain some manner of dignity, Azula choked out, “It started before that Agni Kai.” 

 

Katara stood back, looking aghast at the revelation. “I knew you were unwell, but that’s…that’s something else.”

 

“Well, now you know I’m crazy. You going to hogtie me again?”

 

“Wait a second. Voices are one thing. What happened in there seemed like something else,” the Avatar said, kneeling close to her and staring at her with those oh-so-infuriating eyes of pity. “Azula, tell me everything. I don’t think this is just some hallucination.”

 

“How can you tell? I’m the Mad Princess, remember?” Azula spat out. The last thing she wanted was for more people to see her as some kind of charity case.

 

Instead, Aang shook his head. “No, I don’t think you’re mad. Cause I felt it too. Back at the tent and just now. Voices don’t give off really powerful auras if you catch my drift.”

 

A mirthless laugh erupted from Azula’s mouth. “Now you’re sounding like Ty Lee.”

 

“Hang on, Azula. I think I get what he’s on about.” Sokka knelt beside Aang, causing even more attention to be drawn to her ruined state. “What are you thinking? Spirit?”

 

Aang shrugged. “Could be. They have been known to get attached to people.”

 

“Okay, could we please give her some space?” Kori asked, getting between the Avatar and Sokka. “She’s in bad shape enough without a bunch of people crowding around her.”

 

The Princess smiled at her companion’s concern but then was shocked at the next voice. “You heard her, people. Give Fireball some space,” Toph ordered, practically corralling the gang away from her.

 

…just go with it , Azula told herself. At least none of them were crowding her at the moment. Gave her a little bit of space to think.

 

Thinking right now made her head hurt, bringing her back into reality. Seeing all of those concerned faces, she realized that they weren’t going to leave her alone without some kind of explanation. So, she picked herself up, stood tall, and composed herself. “These voices, they seem to know a lot about these kaiju. I don’t know why but- ugh!”

 

She grimaced in pain as a sudden jolt of agony wracked her brain. Squinting, she tried to focus, but the harder she did, the more painful it became. Almost immediately, Maina stepped in and told her to “take it easy”.

 

“I’m trying to remember, but there’s this… block preventing me,” the Princess tried to spell out, feeling both frustrated and unnerved that her own mind was being used against her.

 

“Aang, can a spirit do something like this?” Katara queried.

 

“Not that I know of. Azula, have you been hearing these ‘voices’ since Infant Island?”

 

“No! I…mean no,” the Princess corrected herself. “They’ve been happening for a while, but they’ve never been this bad. If you’re thinking Mothra is doing this, then I can assure you this is not something she’d do. Those relics she gave me seemed to keep those voices quiet for a while.” She held out the dagger and medallion as proof, all while feeling a wave of relief wash over her.

 

“Then you probably shouldn’t throw them away till we know what we’re dealing with,” Maina gently ordered. Azula nodded, clutching both of them to her chest. Didn’t make her feel any less pathetic that she’d be holding on to such fetishes so tightly.

 

“Wait a minute. If you’ve been hearing them before, how come that big bug didn’t sense them before?”

 

“Probably the same reason Azula can’t talk about them, Toph. Whatever this is, it knows how to cover its tracks. If you can’t talk about them, then we’ve got nothing to narrow them down,” Sokka concluded. Just the mere thought of not knowing brought zero comfort to Azula though. She was the Princess of the Fire Nation. If anyone had to stay on top of her thoughts, it had to be her.

 

So, she told them what came easily. Told them about Axor, the old empire, and more importantly, the enemy in the walls. This so-called “Abomination”. Everyone shivered at the sound of that. It could’ve meant anything.

 

“One last thing. They hate Godzilla,” Azula finished.

 

Toph scoffed. “Who hasn’t that overgrown lizard pissed off?”

 

“No, I mean they seriously hate Godzilla. They’re obsessed with him. I’ve felt it every time I’ve seen him. This deep loathing at the back of my mind.”

 

“...so how bad? Can’t be worse than you and Zuko,” Katara pointed out.

 

The flippantness of her response struck a nerve in Azula. “Oh no. It’s far worse. If you’ve heard them talking, it makes our little spat look like child’s play.”

 

I just wished I believed my own words , she thought to herself. Truth be told, their rivalry still gnawed at her mind. How did he get to be so lucky to have the Avatar on his side? Yet even that paled in comparison to what the Voices felt for Godzilla. The depths of that hatred were so staggering that she couldn’t comprehend them at first. Turns out that hearing the same venomous words over and over again allowed you to at least understand a bit. She just wasn’t sure she wanted to know how deep that well was.

 

“So now we have this ‘Abomination’ running around? Great. Guess the universe hates us right now,” Sokka snarked.

 

“We’ll take care of whatever this thing is while you guys handle Axor and the refugees. Does that sound like a plan to you?”

 

Aang sighed at the Princess’s proposal. “Doesn’t sound like we have much of a choice. Alright. Just don’t try not to get yourself in trouble again. We’ve got enough on our plate as it is.”

 

Toph suddenly raised her hand in the air. “Could you guys drop me off at Cranefish while we’re at it? Want to make sure my dad’s okay if Godzilla swings by there.”

 

“Toph, are you sure-”

 

“I’ll be fine Sugar Queen. Not like I’ll be walking into anything new,” the blind girl interrupted. Azula snickered a little at the nickname. Sugar Queen. She put it on the list of things to get under the waterbender’s skin.

 

“Then it’s settled. We’ll go pack our bags and fly out on Appa.” Aang did something rather unexpected. He walked forward and held out a hand to Azula. “Just stay safe out there. Okay?”

 

The Princess froze. Was the Avatar just…offering a handshake? He knew she could strike him down at this moment, right? How naive did you have to be?

 

Then again, it’s not like she had anything to lose. She took the hand and shook it rather stiffly. “Don’t die out there. Wouldn’t want my Avatar slayer status taken away from me, now would we?” she morbidly teased.

 

Aang just shrugged, and walked off with his friends, though not before Katara shot Azula a look . Azula just played with her bangs a little, feigning innocence. Made sure her eyes were big, wide, and looking away to twist the knife. Just because they were allies didn’t mean she couldn’t have a little fun.

 

Once they were gone, it was unfortunately time to get back to business. She turned around and addressed her entourage, guards included. “Right. I don’t suppose any of you know where the resistance hideout is, hmm?”

 

“I can take you to somebody who knows. Follow me,” Kori responded, leading them further into the ruined streets. Azula smirked a bit, glad to get away from that temple just for a little while. Focusing on anything outside of those voices made her feel a bit gleeful.

 

---

 

  Yu Dao,

Fire Nation Camp

 

Aang and the rest of Team Avatar had marched back straight to camp to take inventory. Their self-designated inventory clerk figured they were going to be gone for a day or two, so stocking up shouldn’t be an issue. At least that’s what Sokka said. In reality, purchasing food from whatever stalls and shops that weren’t closed down turned out to be a bit of a chore. That and making sure nobody was following them so they wouldn’t get robbed in one of the side streets. “Desperate times make desperate people,” the brains of their group summed up.

 

It didn’t make leaving any easier for Aang though. While Sokka and Toph were arguing about whether or not the blind girl wasn’t poaching a piece of meat or two, the airbender took the opportunity to slip away to a quieter spot. He watched Yu Dao in the distance, almost envisioning a pile of rubble when they returned from their sojourn. His mind spun in circles, trying to justify his leaving. The refugees needed the Avatar. He couldn’t be in two places at once. Zuko would have things under control.

 

Yet didn’t the whole world need the Avatar? Shouldn’t he leave somebody a bit more practiced behind to make sure things didn’t go to the pits? Could he trust Zuko to watch over everything? Each reasoning was followed by more questions, which in turn spawned more reasons. Sometimes Aang told himself the same arguments, though every repetition of the same thing sounded more and more like an excuse.

 

He sighed, feeling the weight of the world on his shoulders.

 

“Thought I’d find you here,” a familiar voice said, catching his ear. Katara walked up beside him, also looking across the city. “You said you wanted to talk earlier, right?”

 

Aang nodded, wondering how best to put this. “You…ever wonder if we did the right thing?”

 

Katara raised an eyebrow. “Aang, we saved the world. How is that not the right thing?”

“I know, but what about what came after? About reconstruction and the peace talks and the…you feel like we messed up somewhere down the line and now we’re paying for it?” Aang reiterated, choosing his words carefully so the waterbender could get what he was saying.

 

Which, to her credit, she did. “Oh. Right. I mean, it’s not like we wanted things to end up like this. And we have been working pretty closely with everyone. Shouldn’t we give ourselves a little bit of credit for what we did right?”

 

“And what was that?” Aang asked both Katara and himself. “Not watch Zuko’s back? Making sure he made all the right moves?”

 

“Aang, we can’t baby him all the time. Do I agree with what he’s done? No, but we do have to put a little faith in him. Rebuilding the world is not a one-person job. I mean, why do you think I was so reluctant to leave my village? I was worried that if I left, my home would just fall apart.

 

“Sometimes, we need to have a little faith in others and not put so much on ourselves. Do what we can with what we have. What we can do, those add up over time. That’s how I choose to see it anyways.” With that, Katara came over and wrapped an arm around his shoulders, drawing him close in for a hug. Aang allowed himself to smile a bit, just relishing in this one simple moment. They seemed to come few and far these days.

 

“Mind if I join you for a moment, my friends?” an old voice asked.

 

Swallowing a lump he had in his throat, Aang beckoned the approaching Iroh over. His gait was slow and measured, and the wrinkles on his face seemed more pronounced than usual. Whatever their issues were at the moment, Aang had to admit the old man didn’t look so good.

 

“Look, I’m sorry for overriding your suggestions for Azula’s guards. I asked some of your friends and…” the Avatar trailed off, unsure of how to explain why exactly he just went over the Grand Lotus’s head.

 

Iroh simply patted him on the shoulder. “Do not worry, my young friend. I understand that our little Pai Sho club hasn’t been the most open of allies. If I were in your shoes, I’d probably do the same. Especially given our history before coming together after all.” The old man proceeded to lean against a tent pole, gazing at the dreary city.

 

The guilt that lay in Aang’s stomach didn’t go away though. It wasn’t like him to go behind doors like he did. He prayed to the spirits he didn’t have to do it again any time soon. What’s more, he knew his apology did little to assuage Iroh. After all, everyone knew the real reason for Iroh’s current mood. Nobody knew what exactly transpired between him and his nephew, but it had to be pretty ugly considering the ashen face he had when he staggered out of the jungle.

 

So, Aang switched the topic, hoping to veer it into something the old man surely would have some progress on. “You guys learn anything about the kaiju? Any ways of stopping them?”

 

A heavy sigh and Iroh’s sinking shoulders told him what the answer was without a single word. “We’ve been reading as many tomes as we can get on in short notice, so there’s a chance an answer lays somewhere undisturbed,” Iroh began. “At the moment though…nothing. There has been no record of a kaiju being felled by human hands. Only when two do battle is there a chance one may die.”

 

“And I don’t think we want to rely on that too often considering Cranefish,” Katara pointed out, the memory fresh in their minds.

 

“Not to mention, the Fire Nation won’t accept relying on such beasts for an answer. Godzilla wounded our pride. So we’ll keep throwing men at him, hoping every battle will find a chink in his armor. We’ll tell ourselves that these sacrifices won’t be in vain, yet every attack will fail. More soldiers die. Cities will burn from that monster’s wrath. By the time we find that answer, it won’t even matter as Caldera will be razed to the ground. No one will even be alive to see it happen. Yu Dao? That’s only the beginning, I can assure you.”

 

Dread froze Aang’s blood, pinning him to the ground. This wasn’t the man who celebrated the end of the war with a party at his tea house. It was as if the fire that was Iroh’s soul had been smothered.

 

Katara on the other hand furrowed her brow. “What? So we just give up? Iroh, there’s got to be something we can do! Aang was able to stop Godzilla.”

 

“Godzilla was one. Now there are many. Rodan. Battra. This Storm King of yours. If one is pacified, another will come forth. You saw how many kaiju were on that mural. Do you believe they can be calmed when we have enraged them all?” Iroh asked.

 

“We had a lot less to work with when Ozai was busy burning the entire world!” Katara pointed out. She probably would’ve said more if Aang hadn’t rubbed her arm. Truth be told, he got what she was saying. Yet something told him that laying out their past accomplishments wouldn’t do much good.

 

So he tried another angle. “Is everything alright, Iroh? You’re not sounding like yourself,” Aang commented, appealing to the old man’s surprising melancholy.

 

A bitter laugh that only an old weary man could give came from Iroh. “You’re right Aang. Yet I can’t see any way out of this. Agni bless Zuko for trying his best but…I don’t think he was ready to take the throne on his own. There’s just too much on his shoulders. Where was I? Just running and hiding like I’ve always done.”

 

That warm fire that lined his voice had gone cold, further freezing Aang’s blood. “Listen, I know things are bad,” he gently consoled. “But believe me when I say I know what it’s like to lose faith. Spirits, I never thought I’d be able to learn firebending if Ran and Shaw hadn’t taught me and Zuko.”

 

“Ran and Shaw…” Iroh’s eyes seemed to light up for the briefest of moments. One last flicker before the fire died once more. “You know those two judge the worth of a firebender to determine if they are worthy to learn the secrets of firebending. Yes?”

 

“Uh, yeah. We were there.” Aang wasn’t sure where Zuko’s uncle was going with this.

 

“Well, in the old days, dragons weren’t just teachers. They were judges as well. It was said that to upset a dragon was bringing the very wrath of Agni upon you. Divine retribution you might say. When I lost Lu Ten, I wasn’t sure of what to do. My fire had died out. So I went in search of the last dragon. At first, I thought I was going to face them for my last chance at glory. To finally conquer a legend.

 

“Yet when I was allowed to meet Ran and Shaw, I…realized the truth. I wanted to be judged for my crimes. For I couldn’t bear to live with them,” he retold, a tear running down his wrinkled cheek. Aang gasped. Sure he knew that the two would kill those they deemed unworthy. Yet throwing yourself into danger like that just to die? How deep of a pit did you have to fall into to even think of that?

 

“Listen, Iroh. I don’t know what went on between you and Zuko, but we all know that if you weren’t here, he wouldn’t have changed. He needed you,” he reminded the old man. Surely his nephew’s accomplishments would’ve rekindled his spirit.

 

Iroh just shook his head. “No, he’s right to be furious with me. If I truly reached him, he wouldn’t have betrayed us all in Ba Sing Se. In fact, I don’t believe he hates me as much as he should. I didn’t just kill enemy soldiers and civilians during the 500 days. When I learned Lu Ten died, I…fled. Leaving my own men behind to fend for themselves. I thought that if I gave him some space when he became Fire Lord, he wouldn’t have so many daggers aimed at his back.

 

“I couldn’t even take responsibility for his betrayal. I just turned my back to him when I was imprisoned. No. I deserve this. Ran and Shaw never deemed me worthy. They just kept me alive so I could live and make the same mistakes over and over again.”

 

Aang and Katara were taken aback by his self-loathing. This was the Iroh behind the brewing teapot, smiling face and wise sayings? Or had he changed more than they could’ve imagined?

 

The broken old man sighed. “These kaiju. They bring out the best and worst in us. Maybe that’s why they’re here. To judge us. To see if we’re worthy of existence.”

 

…the airbender couldn’t bear to see more. He stepped forward and wrapped an arm around Iroh’s shoulders. “I think Zuko needs you more than he knows,” Aang explained. “Just give him some time. He’ll come around on his own. Did so before after all. The monks always said that only patience will bear fruit when it is ready.”

 

Iroh chuckled again, with an ember of warmth in his voice. “I hope you’re right. By Agni, I hope you’re right.”

 

---

 

Yu Dao,

Merchant’s District

 

The more Azula saw, the more she couldn’t believe it. There were upturned rocks and earth practically on every street as they reached the merchant’s district. And again, her mind kept going back to that asinine decision to let a bunch of Earth Kingdom thugs into what was just recently a Fire Nation colony. Quite frankly, she wasn’t sure if those vipers in Zuko’s court were that moronic on paper, or they were more devious than they let on.

 

Maybe both. Still, it made her want to vomit. Once crowds and vibrant colors were tending these stalls, now they were all closed up. The crowds had long dried up. Only a few souls were milling about shopping for essentials. Everyone else though was wise enough to stay off the streets.

 

“This place used to be something special. Now…”. Kori trailed off, her eyes taking all the lifeless shops in. “If only I had been here,” she muttered.

 

Maina reached over and hugged the despondent rebel. “Hey, it’s okay. It wasn’t your fault.”

 

“Our movement was never supposed to be violent. You two. Is it true they’ve been aggravating things?” Kori asked the two guards trailing them.

 

“The Freedom for Yu Dao Coalition? I’m sorry, but we have had a few rioters escalate things between the guards and the scouts,” Ming explained. “Not too many, but enough. Whatever they were before, they’re not the same now.”

 

Azula was silent, taking it all in and running it through her mind. Now Kori certainly didn’t seem like the person to join a violent group. She was a Morishita after all. Yu Dao ran through her blood. No, she was too attached to this city to burn it down. So there was no reason to feign surprise about their turn to violence.

 

All the more reason that she felt more than a little concern for her friend right now. After all, she wasn’t the only one who had their faith in their brethren shaken in the past few weeks. So, she did her part and placed a hand on Kori’s shoulder. Needed to get it out now before they were in the thick of it. “You going to be okay?” she asked. Maybe a bit too stiffly, but it was the thought that counts.

 

“I…yeah. Contact’s just around the corner.” Sure enough, they turned the corner and found a small shop down at the other end.

 

With said contact is currently being accosted by two men in Earth Kingdom uniform. Who was currently shoving him around. Much to Azula’s displeasure.

 

Well, nobody said this was going to be easy.

 

Naturally, Kori was the first one to rush forward, shove her way in between the soldiers and the shop owner, and yell “What the hell are you guys doing?!” To give her credit, her demand for attention caught both of the thugs off guard. Obviously, they weren’t expecting somebody to put their foot down.

 

Course that little spell didn’t last for too long before one of them straightened himself and glared the rebel in the eye. “Listen here. We’ve got good reason to believe that this little firespitter’s been giving away our patrol routes to the enemy. All we’re doing is straightening him out.”

 

“You threw a BOULDER through my door!” the shopkeeper protested, pointing to the shattered entrance of his shop. Azula grimaced, seeing the good-sized rock (though she wouldn’t exactly call it a boulder) lying there amidst the rubble. Instinctively she started putting herself between the civilian and the thugs.

 

“Says the guy who barricaded himself in. We did ask you to come out,” the other soldier nonchalantly said, as if that somehow justified an act of violence.

 

“Oh yeah! And I’m sure you thugs wouldn’t just tear my shop up like all the others!”

 

“Do yourself a favor and shut. UP,” Azula snarled. This got him to shrink and look at her in fear. Good. At least he’s scared enough to now not to do anything stupid.

 

On the other hand, she did take a quick look around at the stores around them. He wasn’t exactly wrong in saying that a good portion of them had been damaged. And it didn’t escape her that the damaged shops all had Fire Nation insignia while Earth Kingdom stalls were left alone…

 

“What’s going on here?” a gruff voice commanded, heralding the arrival of two Fire Nation guards. Azula let herself relax a little bit, figuring they at least had some more people on their side to back them up. Though she forced herself to stay on edge a little. The last thing she wanted was to be taken unawares.

 

“We’re rooting out some moles is all, ash-maker-”

 

“They were accusing this shopkeep of revealing their patrol routes throughout the city,” Maina hurriedly interjected, hoping to keep tempers at a bare minimum. “He didn’t want to come out, so they damaged his shop.”

 

“Oh, we’re the bad guys? Did anyone tell you we had to send some boys back to our camp because those firespitters keep hurting them whenever they cut us off?!” one of the thugs spat at the priestess. Azula didn’t buy it for a second. Sure she wasn’t an idiot and knew some Fire Nation soldiers wouldn’t bat an eye at throwing fire at any passing Earth Kingdom troop. But that’s because the latter was usually asking for it. And if this was their way of getting information, no wonder the guards stepped in.

 

Indeed, one of the newcomers just shrugged. “Maybe if you stopped harassing Fire Nation civilians, we wouldn’t have to resort to this. Or is pushing around civilians too much for you dirt shovelers to ask?”

 

“Okay, that’s taking it a bit too far-” Ming warned.

 

“You think his family came here just to make friends?!” one of the thugs snapped. “They came here to replace US. Just because your little overlords are leaving doesn’t mean you’re not as guilty as they are.”

 

“My grandparents just wanted to get away from that war furnace home turned into. And besides, I didn’t even want to be these guys’ ears!” the shopkeeper protested. What he said though caught Azula’s ear. “Get away” from the Fire Nation? Why would they want to leave? The colonies were a frontier of opportunity, not some refuge for the disenfranchised.

 

Yet the fear he showed her was legitimate. Which was fair, but why was he nervously looking over at the guards? They were here to protect his best interests as any soldier should do.

 

“You WILL show respect for your superior,” one of the guards said, right on cue. “We’re protecting you from these thugs, and you’d better be thankful for it. Besides, colonist or not you’re still Fire Nation. How about you show some pride in your civic duty?”

 

“Civic duty?” Kori turned towards the shopkeeper with concern written on her face. “Mako. They didn’t…”

 

This Mako just nodded, silently digging out a half-burnt picture of his family from his pocket. “Promised a lot worse if I didn’t cooperate.”

 

Azula felt like she was about to lurch. Threatening this to a soldier was one thing. But doing this to a Fire Nation civilian? Why-why was she even surprised? This was the same stuff they did on Odo. At least then she was able to swallow they were dealing with smugglers. Here though? What exactly did this nobody do to deserve such treatment?

 

“Hang on. Aren’t you Kori Morishita?”

 

“...yes. I am,” Kori declared, glad to be the center of attention. The way those guards were looking at her made Azula a bit wary though.

 

Her fears were realized when one guard nodded. “Alright. We’re placing you and this shopkeep under arrest for association with terrorist activities.”

 

“WHAT?! I had nothing to do with the assassination attempt! And Mako’s harmless!” Kori protested, slowly backing away as the guards approached.

 

“Mayor’s orders. Anybody who we believe to be associated with those murder-happy psychos, we take in for questioning. I think your father specified you in particular,” the other guard demanded. One of them brought fire to his fists while another unsheathed his sword.

 

If things couldn’t get any worse, the two scouts started approaching as well. “If anybody’s going with anyone, it’s us. We’ve got a few questions of our own about who’s been squealing on us.”

 

Kori, Maina, Azula, and their escorts got into a semi-circle facing the assailants. “Maina, you get Mako out of here. He’s our best chance at finding the resistance. Got it?”

 

“Way ahead of you,” the priestess said, quickly grabbing the shopkeep’s arm. At that moment, the firebending guard threw a ball of flame right at Azula’s face. Still, a bit shocked by everything moving so fast, she willed herself to bat away the fireball in the nick of time. The other guard rushed her with his blade in hand, only for Kori to lunge forward and swipe out a dagger she had hidden in her belt.

 

They crossed blades, but Kori’s knife was positioned at the base of the sword. The leverage let her push the guard back. Lee stomped the earth and thrust an arm out, sending a shower of debris from the ruined shop entrance toward the Fire Nation guards. The enemy firebender kicked and punched away the debris with fists and feet covered in flames, but the counterattack did give them some space.

 

Maina readied her staff and bent a gust of wind to get the now bewildered Mako away from the fight. The sudden airbending technique got everyone to stop for a moment. Not every day an airbender that wasn’t the Avatar showed up in their midst.

 

Azula was more focused on Kori’s knife. “Is that a hunting dagger?” she asked.

 

Kori shrugged. “Pretty useful when you’re cleaning kills out in the field.”

 

Right. She was a huntress growing up. Regardless, the two girls switched sides as Azula and Ming in synchrony let out a burst of blue and orange flame respectively. One of the scouts thrust up a wall of dirt, shielding both him and his companion from the flames. The other scout proceeded to kick parts of the wall at the two firebenders, forcing them both to blast the pieces apart. Nothing but small pebbles and rocks got through, bouncing against their armor.

 

Didn’t make Azula less annoyed though. Great. Two earthbenders. And Zuko said he was the unlucky one?

 

Still, she wasn’t one to back down from a challenge. Working in tandem, Azula and Ming kicked and batted away each hurl of dirt and rock. Yet they couldn’t counterattack either. The two scouts just kept building their shield and started advancing, closing the distance.

 

When they reached perhaps 15 feet away from them, their hailstorm stopped. Azula realized the incoming threat before they had a chance to even stamp the ground. “JUMP!” she yelled, prompting both her and Ming to leap into the air. Just in time too as the earthbenders sent the earth shield charging towards them, slamming into the shop behind.

 

It also left them exposed as the two firebenders lashed out with their feet and sent trails of fire toward the two scouts. The soldiers quickly brought up an individual earth shield for them both, letting the flames wash over them.

 

“Not bad for a guard,” Azula complimented.

 

Ming shrugged, her elite armor rattling a bit as she did. “You don’t get to be a royal guard by being mediocre.”

 

Azula had to admit she liked her, but she couldn’t dwell on that for long. The two scouts lashed out and kicked their shields again towards the firebenders. This time, Azula and Ming ducked out of the way, letting the smaller shields streak past. Azula took the opening and shot a quick burst of flame towards one of the scouts. He was just able to roll out of the way, though the suddenness of the strike caused him to stumble a bit.

 

Her partner wasn’t having as much luck. Ming’s opponent had rushed her, trying to pummel her with fists of rock. She managed to dodge the first few punches, though any attempt at a counterattack with a flame dagger was thwarted by how large the gauntlets were.

 

The Princess quickly looked behind her. Kori was already engaged in a duel with the other swordsman, with Lee providing a shield to fend off their firebender. Seeing they were okay for the moment, Azula lunged forward and did a cartwheel, sending a wheel of flame toward the distracted scout.

 

He reacted just in time to block it with one of his gauntlets, but the force of the strike knocked him down. Still, he rolled with the momentum and brought up his other gauntlet, sending it flying toward Azula.

 

She smirked, prepared to dodge out of the way. That’s when she felt the earth capture her boots. Her eyes widened, realizing she had just forgotten the other scout.

 

Unable to move, Azula felt the heavy block slam into her shoulder, shattering against her armor. The prodigy was thrown back against the wall across from the shop. Azula gasped in pain. The pauldron of the armor protected her shoulder from the worst of the damage. Yet she felt a sharp sensation whenever she tried to move it.

 

Her arm was dislocated. A fact not lost on the now triumphant-looking scout. He raced forward, no doubt hoping to break a few more bones while she was down.

 

The next few moments happened in slow motion. She wasn’t quite sure what happened, but a vision came to her, lying dead on these streets. The indignity. To survive so much only to die to this ruffian. She wouldn’t allow it.

 

Deep down, she felt the blue fire that was her soul roar to life. All at once, her dislocated arm was pulled back into its socket with the pain dulled. Azula blinked, unable to realize or comprehend what had happened.

 

Her thoughts came back to her just in time though to grab the scout by the throat with her formerly injured arm. Glaring at him with an indescribable fury, Azula lashed out with her leg and kicked the scout into the wall behind her. She lashed out with such strength that the wall shook from the impact, with the outer layer crumbling. The blue fire that bathed her leg died, and the scout slumped over unconscious.

 

The other Earth Kingdom scout was beaten back, overcome by Ming’s assault when he saw what Azula just pulled. She just glared at him. “Take your friend and get out of here.” Silently, he picked up his comrade and scurried away, not looking back.

 

Ming took a moment to stare at the Princess. “How…how did you do that?”

 

With the adrenaline of battle leaving her system, Azula looked at the crumbled wall behind her. Already her mind was hunting for an answer, but all she could say was, “I…don’t know.”

 

She looked at her arm which just a moment ago was injured. The pain was dying, and she could feel the bruise beneath receding far faster than it otherwise would have done. Curiously, she gazed at her hand.

 

Her veins were currently glowing with a faint blue light. Azula blinked, surprised at her recovery. True her healing from the asylum was happening ahead of schedule, but this was beyond her comprehension.

 

Suddenly, her mind flashbacked to the healing of Godzilla’s wound back at Aso Island. The Princess had a feeling her fire could do something similar on a smaller scale, but not to THIS extent.

 

Gazing around, she saw more eyes looking at her. The two guards were taken down by Kori and Lee, yet all four’s attention was drawn to her.

 

Well, since they had her attention, Azula stomped over and loomed over the two thugs from her nation. “You two turn yourselves in and explain why you were coercing a civilian into doing your duty, attacking a member of the Royal Family, and almost instigating the war.”

 

The two idiots stared gobsmacked at her before the more braindead of the two puffed out his chest. “We don’t have to listen to a mad woman,” he snarled.

 

Azula just glared at him, causing him to shrink a bit. Subconsciously or not, she felt fire in her veins again. “Either you tell him, or I will. Understood?”

 

Again, the guards stood shell-shocked. Annoyed, Azula stomped her foot, causing blue flames to roar from underneath her sole. That was finally enough to get the two idiots to scurry away.

 

At last, the fighting was over. Azula let out a sigh of relief. Seemed like everywhere she went there was trouble. Still, those two’s conduct left her troubled. Sure she wasn’t an idiot. She didn’t try to delude herself into thinking every soldier in the Fire Nation Army was as honorable as they said. Yet to see them lash out with so little restraint…

 

“We ready to go?”

 

She was brought out of her musings by Kori’s voice. The noble girl was standing with Mako, who had come from around the corner with Maina. Remembering what they were to do, Azula gestured for the peasant to lead the way. And so he did, but not without looking in bewilderment at the Princess who defended him.

 

Azula deigned not to give him any attention. All her thoughts were about her miraculous burst of strength back there. She almost didn’t feel…human.

 

---

 

Freedom for Yu Dao Coalition Hideout

 

Turns out the hideout wasn’t too far from where they met the shopkeeper. They took a few turns away from the shopping district and into the slums of the city. Well, Azula considered it to be the slums. If it wasn’t the opulence of the elites or the humdrum of the store owners, it would have to be the bare basic needs for human survival. True enough, the buildings here were considerably run down with cracks in their walls. Whether they were from fights or just age, the Princess couldn’t tell. She just felt dirty being here.

 

“Could be worse. Could be wading through slurry,” Kori teased.

 

“...you know what? I don’t want to know where you heard that.” Azula shivered involuntarily at the memory. More so that some colonist knows about that.

 

Besides, she had enough trouble right now outside of really bad filth-related memories. All around them, peasants of the district were giving them the evil eye. And by them, it was really her. Azula felt the weight of her armor as she suddenly realized she wasn’t exactly inconspicuous. By Agni, she wanted a cloak right now.

 

Eventually, they came to a dark corner where a rather tall and burly man was keeping watch. Like all the others, his eyes fell right on her when the group came up. Already he was reaching for a rather large hammer at his side when Kori stepped forward. “It’s okay. She bailed Mako out from some thugs.”

 

The brute grunted before stepping aside, letting them pass and go down a stairwell into a dark basement. In times past, this must’ve been some kind of storage area. Now though, a whole host of people were held up. At long last, they found the Coalition.

 

Azula’s eyes widened. Here was a sight she never expected to see in her life. Earth Kingdom peasants and Fire Nation citizens intermingling with each other. Well, not exactly. They were still somewhat clumped together in groups according to their ancestry. Yet they were also going from one group to another, checking up on each other. Offering words of encouragement.

 

And more importantly, tending the wounded. A good portion of the people were wearing bandages or casts of some kind. Some looked like broken bones, but quite a number of them sported what had to be burn marks. The amount was extensive.

 

They all stared at her as they walked past. Shock. Hate. Fear. No doubt wondering what it meant for her to be here and all. She took it all in. Like it or not, she was going to help these lowlives. Hate her all they want, wasn’t going to change the fact they weren’t in a position to do anything about it.

 

Yet she couldn’t sneer at them either. Rather, she looked at them with…something she couldn’t put her finger on. For some reason that veteran back on Odo Island kept popping up in her mind. And the scale of the injured held her tongue. Especially given how many of them had more burn marks than broken bones. So different and yet so similar. This story before her. Was it like this in every colony? Everywhere the Fire Nation went?

 

Looking back, it seemed as though all the Fire Nation did was hurt people. Which was absurd. The Fire Nation was supposed to HELP people. To uplift them. Yet Odo Island was oppressed. Aso Island was nearly destroyed. Infant Island was filled with victims of genocide. And even here, where they were supposed to be doing the most good, she saw nothing but hurt. Before she could at least turn a blind eye. Now…now she was surrounded by it.

 

She felt something, but again, she didn’t know what it was.

 

Thankfully something a bit more familiar rose, marched forward, and gave a salute. “Princess Azula! I’m Private Rei of the Fiery Raptors.”

 

“At ease soldier,” Azula responded, earning her a few looks from Ming and Lee. Hey, if they didn’t want to keep up with the current situation, that was on them. Right now she had more pressing matters to attend to. “What’s the situation?”

 

The young soldier led them through the group, filling them in on the details. “Well, we did what we asked. We provided some muscle for the Coalition in case of violent reprisal. And it did get violent, a few times. The first few times we succeeded in holding our ground, but then…”

 

“What happened to Saki? Our old leader? The last thing he wanted was for somebody to go around trying to kill the Fire Lord,” Kori asked.

 

Rei bit her lip, clearly trying to put it delicately. “He was arrested and jailed on charges of terrorism. Well, your father said it was on charges of terrorism so take it with a grain of salt. We think he’s being held in the town jail, but we haven’t heard anything so far.”

 

Well, it could be worse , Azula had to bite back, knowing that such crassness probably wouldn’t be of any help. Truth be told, this Saki was lucky. If her father was still in power, he’d probably label him a traitor and either lock him away in the Boiling Rock or burn him alive. She had seen him do both after all.

 

Something that Kori seemed to realize, seeing that the girl controlling her breathing from the news. “Okay. Alright. So how do we get from that to, you know, assassination attempts.”

 

“I can answer that, Kori,” a teen from the crowd said, jumping up and exchanging handshakes and all. An old friend no doubt. “Right after Saki got arrested, some spook calling himself the Master took control. Started rounding up a circle of followers and began pushing for more violence. Nobody stepped up 'cause…well, he and his gang are giving off some scary vibes.”

 

A glance around told Azula they probably had good reason to keep their heads down. She saw several people standing straight up, just staring at them. Her in particular. There was no hatred in their gaze, just…curiosity. For some reason, that was even more unnerving. Hate she could deal with, but not curiosity.

 

“The Master. Looks like we’ve got a name for our guy,” Maina whispered. The Princess nodded, already compiling a list of questions. Daggers that she could mold into simple comments by using just the right words. After all, this little ‘gang’ of theirs didn’t seem too dissimilar to the Dai Li.

 

“Okay. Who let Ozai’s Viper in here?”

 

Oh great . Azula turned around to see a rather short child striding right at her. They had short hair and a headband on their forehead with tattoos painted on their cheeks. They weren’t alone either. A tall boy wearing a straw hat and wielding a bow backed them up. The bow was at rest, but Azula took note of it in case things got ugly.

 

Now she wasn’t here to make friends. Yet a Princess couldn’t just let a challenge like this go unheard. “‘Ozai’s Viper?’ Kind of has a nice ring to it.”

 

“You oughta know. Don’t think you can get away with that crap you pulled back at Ba Sing Se either.” More eyes were turning towards them, a circle forming as all could sense quite a confrontation was on the horizon.

 

Kori wouldn’t have any of it as she stepped in between the two. “I’m Kori Morishita. I…don’t think we’ve seen you around. Who are you?”

 

“I’m Smellerbee. The guy behind me is Longshot. And yeah, we know who you are. What we want to know is what she’s doing here?” the upstart demanded.

 

Ming stepped forward before anybody could stop her. “The Princess Azula is here due to concerns about the kaiju problem. We’ve heard rumors the Master may be aware of something.”

 

The girl (Azula thought she was a girl) rolled her eyes. “Yeah. Everybody here knows about that giant worm coming right at us. We told ‘em! Saw it with our own eyes and everything! We also know that there’s a whole army of steam tanks heading our way too! And now we got the freakin’ Princess here as well. What’s next? Your brother going to drop another drill on our heads too?”

 

“We’re here to help,” Maina stood up, holding her hands up to play peacemaker. “Look, I get you can’t trust Azula, but-”

 

“You’re right. We DON’T trust her,” Smellerbee cut off, getting in Azula’s face. “You honestly think you can just come in here and think you’re a good guy? Look around! Everyone that got scorched here is thanks to your soldiers! And I don’t give a crap if you say it was your brother or not. The last time you Fire Nation thugs said you wanted to help, you burned down our homes. And the last time we trusted one of you ‘nobles’, he left our friend to be brainwashed and killed.”

 

“Bee.” The tall boy leaned forward and rested his hand on the firespitter’s shoulder. Azula simply stood passively, allowing her accuser to calm herself down.

 

“You can fool everyone, but you can’t fool us,” Smellerbee concluded, before stalking off into a corner to go sulk. Longshot followed soon after, leaving Azula and her entourage alone. Most of the eyes turned away, seeing that the fight was over.

 

A gentle hand rubbed Azula’s back. “You okay?” Maina asked.

 

Azula let out a breath she had been holding back. “I…”

 

“Princess Azula I presume?”

 

They turned towards a plain man giving a pleasant smile. “The Master wishes to meet with you,” he said, waving them along to follow. Azula followed, glad to be getting back on task.

 

After snaking their way through the crowd, they came towards a door guarded by two servants. “He simply asks that your guards wait outside. His wish is for this to be a private matter.”

 

Scowling but not wanting to make a scene, Ming and Lee complied, standing aside as the servant opened the door. As soon as Azula, Kori, and Maina filed in, the door was shut.

 

A chill lay upon the room. It was small, with the furniture moved aside.

 

Their “host” stood apart, gazing at the trio with piercing blue eyes. “At long last. I must say, I’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time.”

 

“Really? We’ve only just heard of your existence just this morning,” Azula quipped. She took stock of this ‘Master’. He was tall, wearing a heavy cloak that obscured his features. All she could see was those blue eyes. Yet they weren’t the blue eyes of Water Tribe heritage. No, they were tinged with a bit of purple. And they lacked pupils. That got her nerves up.

 

Kori wasn’t intimidated though. “Look, we’re here because you ordered a hit on Fire Lord Zuko. What were you thinking?! That’s-”

 

The Master simply held out a hand. A very pale-skinned, clawed hand. The fire left Kori’s lips, realizing they weren’t exactly dealing with some upstart. “Zuko will be dealt with in due time. He’s busy right now, interrogating one of my own.”

 

Azula narrowed her eyes. “Okay. Who and what are you?”

 

A haunting laugh erupted from the man’s lips. “Perhaps I should show you. I must admit, it’s been getting harder to hide myself. Maybe then we can talk more frankly.”

 

With that, he let his cloak hit the ground.

 

Along with a powerful tail he had coiled around his torso.

 

Azula’s eyes widened back up as the thing (she wasn’t sure if they were a man) rose to its full height, flexing its shoulders. Its skin was deathly pale, to the point she could see its veins. Sharp teeth lined its mouth. The arms and hands were far longer than the bounds of normality.

 

It was the back that got her though. From his back erupted spines.

 

Spines like flames frozen in bone.

 

Only one name could describe this creature.

 

The Abomination smiled with mirth with a snarl in his voice. “Now then…let’s talk.”

 

---

 

Yu Dao Prison

 

Zuko stared at the prisoner in the shadows. All done up in his Fire Lord regalia with the crown on his head, he made quite the intimidating figure. Hopefully, it would get across to the assassin the sort of position he was in.

 

Behind him, Mai stood silently as the guard filled him in on all the details. “He’s a bit of an odd one, Fire Lord. Insisted that he’d only speak to you. We withheld on some of our more aggressive measures, but-”

 

“That’ll be all, Private,” Zuko interrupted, never taking his eyes off the inmate. He knew just what some of those “alternative methods” were. Not even an assassin deserved even a fraction of what lay in store. Still, he couldn’t ignore the man in front of him who tried to drive a fire dagger into his heart.

 

There had always been threats of assassinations, and he had to admit he had a few close calls in the past. Iroh even suggested getting the Kyoshi Warriors to help. Zuko rejected the idea, thinking that it wouldn’t exactly set a good example to have girls from a village he burned down to be his servants. No, he was going to do this himself.

 

“I know you can hear me,” he started, mustering up all the authority in his voice.

 

The shadowy figure stirred, lazily looking back at him with blue eyes. Zuko had to double-check. Yes, they were blue. Odd, wasn’t the assassin Fire Nation in descent…?

 

“Ah, so the runt has returned,” the stranger drawled.

 

Zuko clenched his fist. “That’s Fire Lord to you. And you WILL show respect to your ruler.”

 

His demand for respect went unheeded though as the assassin lazily waved him off. “You’re no king of mine. You’re not even a prince. Just a traitor who convinced everyone that his birthright still meant something. Funny. You cling to that crown of yours like it means something these days. Then again, it wasn’t too long ago that you found out monsters exist.”

 

“This is your last warning. Show me respect, or I won’t guarantee you’ll see the sun again.”

 

No smart remark came from the shadows this time. Feeling confident, Zuko laid down the law. “You committed treason and attacked a world leader. The only reason you’re still here is that I need a name. I know there’s a violent faction within the Coalition, and you’ve been using the movement as cover. Cooperate, and you might just walk free. Don’t, and you’re off to the Boiling Rock.”

 

Again, no comment. Now it seemed as though the assassin was deliberately trying his patience. “Well? Answer me,” Zuko snarled, keeping his annoyance in check but channeling enough of it into a threat.

 

Shrugging, the figure turned around and stepped into the light.

 

Zuko, Mai, and the guard stepped back, seeing the would-be killer in the flesh. He looked human. Or rather, he was part human. His hair was black as you’d expect from Fire Nation. Yet his skin was turning charcoal gray with patches of scaly skin. His fingernails were sharper than normal. And on his back, the Fire Lord could just see bits of spines beginning to burst out.

 

“By Agni…” Zuko muttered, seeing the… thing standing there, waiting for the first question. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he decided not to keep them waiting.

 

---

 

“What ARE you?”

 

The Abomination chuckled, his tail swaying lazily behind him. “I am what you perceive me to be. My followers here call me a leader. If I were to step out into the light of day, I’d probably get labeled a monster. Perhaps I’m both. But that’s not what matters whatever I call myself, is it? No, you’ve already made up your mind.”

 

Azula sighed, realizing this wasn’t going to be easy. “Okay, let me rephrase the question. How did you get like THIS?” she asked, gesturing to his whole figure.

 

“That, I can answer,” the hybrid shrugged. “I look like him, don’t I? Yes, I can see the familiarity in your eyes. Well child, long ago there were more like Godzilla. They’re not around anymore. But during my travels, I came upon a dying one of his species. I looked upon its great form and decided, it would be such a shame if its power went to waste. I consumed it, and THIS is the result.”

 

“Maina, can somebody possibly do that?” Azula questioned.

 

The priestess shook herself out of her stupor and frantically came up with an answer. “No! And the last of Godzilla’s kind died out before even the Nations arose! If this guy’s telling the truth, he’s got to be unfathomably old! Plus, you know, how does somebody like him manage to consume an entire kaiju?!”

 

Suddenly, that misshapen form swung around and looked her in the eye. “Ah. So Mothra has awakened as well. So many of my acquaintances have finally risen to do their duty. Surprised it took them the world nearly ending to do something about it.

 

“But to answer your question: yes. I am that old. If spirits can live for thousands of years, why not I?” he pointed out, beginning to circle them, eyeing them with his fangs barred. “Then again. I guess it shouldn’t be too surprising. This isn’t even my greater self after all. The body you see here is naught but a mere puppet.”

 

Azula’s ears zeroed in on that. What did they mean by “greater self”?

 

---

 

“You’ve no doubt seen Godzilla in the flesh. Surely the runt isn’t too dimwitted to figure out the answer,” the prisoner taunted.

 

Zuko felt his blood run cold. “No. No way. You’re not saying-”

 

The assassin suddenly rammed the bars of the cell, causing the guard to jump back. “Don’t you get it?” it snarled, baring its razor-sharp teeth. “It’s not going to stop. What the Fire Nation has done to the world is too severe. When one backs down, another will follow. Again. And again. Until your nation is in ashes. Be thankful I’ll only take the colonies as my territory. The others won’t be so merciful, I fear.”

 

“Then we’ll find a way to stop them and you,” Zuko argued back, stepping forward and unwilling to be intimidated by this monster. “We have people looking, and we’re going to find some way of killing your kind. As Fire Lord, I swear I won’t rest until my nation is safe from the likes of you.”

 

“And when will that be? When you’ve sacrificed every last drop of blood to defend it? You pathetic warlords are all the same. Obsessed with winning and victory when you should be more focused on ‘survival’. Or did that idiot in the North not hammer in the message hard enough?”

 

“I am NOT my father!” the Fire Lord roared. Behind him, Mai moved forward to try and calm him down, but it wouldn’t work. He was sick and tired of everyone telling him that his fate was written in stone. No, his destiny was to SAVE the Fire Nation. Not serve it up for some oversized beasts to devour piece by piece.

 

Yet his fury did not melt the cold disdain the hybrid gave him. “Then why send your men to their deaths?”

 

…

 

“Why fight for the colonies? Why defend those blood-crazed sycophants in court? Why continue a crown drenched in the blood of millions? Do you believe that simply being in control is enough to redeem the sins of your forefathers? Tell me this, BOY. You say you want to help, so why aren’t you accepting the responsibility of healing this broken world?”

 

…Zuko stood frozen, unable to respond. A contemptuous sneer crept on the thing’s face. “That’s what I thought.”

 

---

 

Azula glared at the Abomination. “Your greater self, hmm? I wonder how ‘great’ it is when Godzilla rips you to pieces.”

 

Her threat went cold as an inhuman laugh came from the thing’s maw. “Oh, I’ve been waiting how long to face him. The body of one gave me power unimaginable to my kind. But two? I’d be a god amongst gods. The pinnacle of evolution. And I will spread my magnificence across this world like I have with my followers. All will bow to me as the apex predator. One way or another.”

 

Maina on the other hand stood undaunted, holding her staff. “This isn’t some natural order you’re abiding by. Who died and made you ruler of the entire planet?”

 

“And who does THAT remind you of, I wonder?” the Abomination continued, leaning down and glaring Azula in the eye. They ignored the priestess like she wasn’t even there. “Dominating and subjugating. Killing and conquering. All to stand on the top of the food chain. How does that make me better than YOU?”

 

“What I and my father did was for the betterment and progress of the world,” Azula bit back, fighting back that maddening feeling in the pit of her gut.

 

The Abomination though, they just sneered in contempt. “Open your eyes, GIRL. Look around you. You’ve seen all the people the Fire Nation has hurt. Do you honestly believe your war was justified? That all those souls sent to the afterlife were sacrificed for something better? Was burning the Earth Kingdom just the last resort? Or the end of a long line of atrocities your family has committed? And if so, how are we so different?”

 

…

 

For the first time in how long, Azula had nothing to say. She couldn’t even glare as the weight of what was said began to crush her. No. What they did was right. They HAD to have been. Yes, she and Father were monsters, but better for some to be tyrants than all to be weak.

 

Right?

 

“Although, I do have to give you this. Your country inspired me.”

 

Kori threw up her hands in exasperation. “So after all that, you’re admitting the Fire Nation did something right by you?”

 

A tooth-filled smile leered back at Kori, shutting her up. “Correct. Your ideology of the strong consuming the weak inspired me. What failed you was how weak your nation was.”

 

---

 

“I, on the other hand, will become strong. I will take the ruins of Yu Dao and build it to be something better. Fire Nation. Earth Kingdom. The best of both worlds to become an empire. One that will rise high with the sun instead of merely reaching for it.”

 

---

 

“And unlike your failed attempt at glory, my civilization will safeguard this world. You humans had your chance, but now it's time for the true rulers to return. This empire, built on the foundations of the old and new, will be MINE. Yours lasted for only a century. Mine will last for a millennium.”

 

---

 

“So your choice is this. Either surrender, bow to me right now, or be consumed with all the others. That will be your legacy either way. Nothing, but a worthless FAILURE.”

 

Something in Zuko snapped as he thrust his fist forward and brought forward a burst of flame. Not a trace of the dragon’s element was found in it. This was an old fire born of rage and hate.

 

“ZUKO! NO!” Mai wretched his hand back, forcing him to cut it off lest he hurt his beloved. Zuko tried to take some calming breaths to steady himself. Yet he held up his hands in horror and gazed at the burned bars of the cell.

 

Behind those bars, the assassin lay motionless on the floor. The flames weren’t intense enough to burn through the steel, but enough to scorch them.

 

“...we’re done here,” Zuko muttered, turning around to leave in shame.

 

“Fascinating. So this is the new Fire Lord’s mercy.”

 

Zuko and Mai stood paralyzed as they heard the thing pull themselves up. Turning around, they watched as the burned flesh healed and repaired itself. In a matter of moments, there were no signs of burns.

 

The impossible being coyly raised his arms. “Care to try again?”

 

With that, Zuko, Mai, and the private backed out of the room, made sure the door was locked, and ordered that the guard be increased. For what waited in there was not anything of this earth.

 

---

 

Azula couldn’t help herself as she raised a fist full of flame, holding right to the Abomination’s face. “Give me one good reason I don’t kill you right now,” she demanded.

 

That damnable smile wasn’t wiped off. “Easy. Kill me, and risk war. For your Coalition? They see me as a hero.”

 

“I know these people. They wouldn’t follow a monster like you,” Kori snarled, staring down the thing that had no right to exist.

 

“Say the right thing, and they will. For I’m offering something they’ve always wanted. What have your movements accomplished? Nothing except injury, fear, and grief. What I offer is hope. Independence. No Earth Kingdom or Fire Nation. They’re tired of being ruled by tyrants. And they’ll give themselves to me without hesitation since I can provide it. Kill me, and you’ll rob them of hope.”

 

“...I…” Kori backed down, defeated.

 

This scene brought an ember of defiance in Azula. “You made one mistake. You revealed yourself to me. Unless you’re willing to kill me, we now know what you want.”

 

“No, you don’t. After all, what you need to ask yourself is why I wanted you to be here in the first place. I could’ve said no, sent you away. Yet I invited you here. Now it’s your turn to ask, ‘why?’” the thing taunted.

 

With that, the Abomination had enough as he rose and told his followers to take them away. All Azula, her friends, and her guards could do was walk through the crowd of people under the escort of the new master’s cult. They were seen to the edge of the poor district, and given a stern warning to not trespass lest more people started dying.

 

The only comfort Azula had was they achieved their objective. Yet somehow she still felt as though her efforts brought them all ash.

 

---

 

Fire Nation Camp

 

Sokka was taking inventory one last time when Zuko and Mai were carried back into camp on that palanquin of theirs under an armed escort. At the same time, Azula and her entourage marched amongst the city of tents. Both of them looked worse for wear when they met Team Avatar, who were readying up Appa for their dangerous mission.

 

The heavy mood was noticed first by Aang, who hopped off of Appa’s head and jogged over to the Fire Lord and his fiancee. “Everything okay with you guys?” he asked.

 

“Things…could be better,” Zuko admitted.

 

Mai on the other hand just sighed. “Let’s just say we got freaked out by our prisoner more than he got freaked out by us.”

 

“Ice Queen got freaked out? That’s a reason for concern,” Toph quipped, much to Mai’s confusion on how she got the nickname of Ice Queen.

 

Everyone proceeded to wait for Azula’s now infuriatingly familiar wise-ass comment about Zuko’s weakness. The Princess said nothing, just a curt comment about “Guess that makes two of us.” That was even more cause for concern.

 

Naturally, the Fire Lord didn’t want to dwell on that alien feeling more than was necessary. “So, I guess you’re heading out then?” he asked the Avatar.

 

“Don’t worry. We’ll be back before you know it. Wouldn’t be the first time we charged head first into danger and came out okay,” Aang reassured. With that, the airbender and Zuko embraced one last time. He made a mental note to take an extended stay with the Fire Lord for a little bit once this business was done. Couldn’t have been easy with him dropping in and out of such a turbulent state of affairs after all.

 

Speaking of turbulence, Aang turned to Azula. Gray eyes met golden brown. After a tense moment, the Avatar extended his hand. “I promise to take care of your people,” he declared. “I give you my word.”

 

The Princess looked at the outreached hand for a moment, unfamiliar with such a gesture coming from him. Aang threw in a warm smile in there for good measure. The last thing anyone needed was animosity between them.

 

Sighing, Azula shook the outreached hand. “Just don’t make me regret this, Avatar.”

 

Figuring that was about all the warmth he was going to get, Aang hopped on Appa’s back, said a “Yip yip!” and the flying bison took to the air. Maina and Imana waved their goodbyes to each other as they ascended. After one last look towards Zuko and Azula, praying that things would be okay when they got back, Aang looked towards the horizon and the dark wilds beyond.

 

Wondering what exactly was waiting for them out there.

 

---

 

Azula sighed, hoping to get her breathing under control. Showing weakness in front of Zuko was something she couldn’t stomach. Again.

 

Good thing then that he wanted her to meet him along the shoreline of the beach just outside of camp. To the north, she saw the city of Yu Dao. To the south, she could just barely make out the massive footprints of Godzilla as he charged his way onto shore. If she wanted to look southeast, she might’ve just been able to make out the charred wasteland of that battlefield.

 

None of which would calm her nerves. So, she looked out to the west, watching the sunset in the west, sinking towards the waves of the sea. Ah, the sun. The one thing she could always rely on to calm her nerves. Even if she felt their caressing rays fade with every second, it warmed her heart more than any ironclad tank or blazing inferno could. Such a shame she rarely seemed to get any time to enjoy it these days. Or any days as of the past year.

 

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Zuko commented, causing her to roll her eyes. Of course, he had to ruin a moment of peace before it sunk in too much. He on the other hand just ignored her exasperation. “I remember Mom used to wake us up so we could watch the sun rise and set.”

 

“You mean she woke you up, right?” Azula snarked. 

 

To her surprise though, Zuko chuckled. “No, she woke you up too. I remembered that much.”

 

She turned to lobby another barb but stopped when she saw what he was wearing. Or rather what he wasn’t wearing. No Fire Lord robes. No crown. Just a red and golden tunic with his hair down. Didn’t even have an escort with him. Sure, he’d requested Maina, Kori, and the two guards to give them some space, but she figured he’d drag her “friends” with him or something. Just to taunt how they cozied up to him.

 

It was almost enough to get her to lower her guard. Almost. “Alright. What do you want to know?”

 

Zuko sighed, obviously not entirely happy she wouldn’t let him pretend everything was hunky dory between them both. “Tell me everything.”

 

And so she did. Told him about the Coalition. Told him about those two ruffians that accosted her-

 

“Wait. Smellerbee and Longshot are alive?!”

 

“...uh, yeah. Did you know them?”

 

A pause as Zuko looked out to the west, watching the setting sun. “Back in Ba Sing Se. They were friends of Jet.” He went silent, his arms going limp as no doubt some memory played in his mind. “So I guess he died then.”

 

“That’s what she told me. Granted it was more snarling, but yeah. He’s dead. Wouldn’t go around beating the bush with them if I were you.” Her attempts at levity failed though when she saw how crestfallen Zuko was. How his fists clenched and his eyes were clamped shut. Guess those two peasants had to be on the money to be right about this.

 

So she decided to move on to the Abomination. Mainly what it was and their “plans” for Yu Dao. That caused Zuko to lighten up again in alarm. “That’s the same thing that happened with the assassin. Okay, maybe not the exact same thing, but definitely to the same degree,” he noted.

 

“What did your guy say?” Azula asked. And so Zuko told her his interrogation. Again, it stunned her with how open he was. Yet she pushed it aside for now to look at the facts. Mainly how, contrary to what Zuzu said, what both of their sources said was practically the same. Even more uncannily was how they almost seemed to line up at the same time. Didn’t take much brainstorming to realize how eerily they matched up.

 

She wasn’t the only one to put two and two together. Or rather Zuko started seeing the wheels turn in her head, which got him thinking. Almost like old times. All he had to ask was “Any idea of what this means?”.

 

Azula shrugged. “Not a clue. What I do know is this: there’s not a whole lot we can do against this thing at the moment. He’s got his claws deep in the Coalition. Take him down, and he’ll be a martyr. That’s assuming we can even hurt him.”

 

“What about this ‘greater self’ he talked about?”

 

“I…don’t know. And I’ve got a bad feeling we’re going to find out sooner than later.” For some reason, she saw an image in her mind once again. That of those white tendrils creeping towards what she now knew to be one of Godzilla’s species. The implications didn’t sit well with her.

 

Briefly, she wondered if she should bring up the voices too. She quickly quashed that idea. The last time it was evident there were voices in her head, Zuko put her in the madhouse. The last thing she wanted was to give him another chance to do it again.

 

Not to mention that vision of him dancing with dragons. Gazing at him up and down, she wondered what was it that made him so special to get such an honor.

 

She sighed, pushing the image out of her mind. “Well, that’s it then. We’ve hit a dead end. We know our enemy, but we can’t do anything against him.”

 

“King Kuei’s not gonna be happy about talks of secession. That’s for sure,” Zuko quipped. “Then again, that makes two of us that might lose territory.”

 

Azula blinked, waiting for the explanation. True to form, Zuko sighed. “Odo Island and a few of our border islands are partitioning for independence too. Guess that makes me the first Fire Lord in who knows how long to possibly lose land.”

 

You wanted that crown so bad? Then you get all the baggage , Azula mentally scorned. Who was he to complain so much? He brayed on and on about how the crown was his destiny, even though he forsook his honor to do so. Unbelievable. Out of all the people in this world, she never would’ve expected him to turn traitor, bring a second to an Agni Kai, and claim he’d changed to hide the fact that he spat on his oh-so-beloved honor.

 

No. She wouldn’t stand here and mother him. “I guess we’re done here then.”

 

Azula turned to leave before Zuko grabbed her shoulder. “No, we’re not. Azula. There’s…something I want to say to you.”

 

Here it comes. The Princess turned around, getting ready for another round of threats.

 

“I’m…I’m sorry.”

 

…

 

“...what?” Azula asked in disbelief.

 

“I’m sorry. For almost killing you back during the battle. And for the asylum. And…for the Agni Kai,” Zuko laid out. Despite his words, Azula couldn’t detect a lie. It wasn’t as if she had gotten rusty. Zuzu couldn’t lie to save his skin.

 

No, he was being sincere.

 

He continued. “Believe me, I didn’t mean for things to get this personal. It’s just, I didn’t want you to turn the Fire Nation into a nightmare. I…I didn’t know what to do with you after and…I thought you were trying to kill me back there. I understand if you’re still upset, but just know that I don’t hold it against you if you’re still mad.”

 

…

 

Azula couldn’t believe it. Was, was this real? Was he honestly apologizing?

 

Then the words came into focus, and her gaze hardened. “I appreciate what you’re saying, but I can’t accept your apology.”

 

“...uh, this is usually the part where you say ‘I’m sorry’ back.”

 

“Forget it. I’m not going to hug you and say everything’s okay. Zuko, you took EVERYTHING from me. I fought for this nation same as everyone, and you treated me like trash. Don’t even try to pin it all on me. You give me the cold shoulder and only now when you have everything you want to make peace?”

 

“Azula, I’m trying to be a good brother! Why are you being so stubborn about this-?”

 

“Cause maybe if you realized you never were a good brother, I’d be more willing to forgive you.”

 

Both siblings stared at each other. Azula could see the comebacks in his mind, so she decided to not let him get the chance. “When was the last time you ever thought about somebody that wasn’t yourself? When was the last time you cared about how others felt? When was the last time you took responsibility for what you did instead of absolving yourself of all blame?”

 

“Oh, what? Like you’re suddenly a fountain of morality?!”

 

“At least I’m honest. You? You keep trying to be the hero when it’s so obvious you’re struggling to do even that . Why should you put in the effort when everything works out for you despite not even trying to be better? And you say I’M born lucky?”

 

Zuko flinched, but Azula didn’t feel a lot of pity. Let him be on the receiving end for once. “Zuko…you’ve never been a good brother. And if you’re so insistent on putting everything on me, then why should I be forgiving to someone who’s done nothing ?”

 

Silence lay on both of them. For Azula, she felt something else lay heavily on her soul. The fire and rage were dying, to the point she couldn’t even bear to look at Zuko anymore.

 

Again, she turned to leave before Zuko said, “I…understand. I haven’t been a good brother. But, I’m not giving up on you.”

 

She froze. “Azula, you’re in the same spot I was in. I can see it in your eyes. You can try to deny it, but it’s still there. Believe me, I denied it too. And I get it. I get why you’re this upset, and that’s fine. Just know I’m not going to stop trying. Cause deep down, I know you can be better than this.”

 

“...Zuzu, I’m a monster.”

 

“They say Godzilla’s a monster. And yet he backed down when he could’ve killed both of us. What’s that say about monsters?”

 

…Azula tried to blink out the tears in her eyes, feeling grateful he couldn’t see them.

 

One final question still sparked in her mind. “You were there in the Earth Kingdom during the war. Did…did we do anything worthwhile? Did everything we go through, all the people we lost…not worth it?”

 

“...no. But I don’t think we’re so far gone that we can’t better ourselves.”

 

Azula wished she could’ve been as optimistic as he was. Still, her fingers went to the medallion around her neck. To get this from ZUKO of all people? Why would people even try to reach somebody like her? A monster?

 

Her thoughts were interrupted when a shrill cry came upon the wind blowing in from the east. It wasn’t overpowering, but it was loud enough for both her and Zuko to notice it. Neither were they the only ones. Everyone back at the camp emerged to hear the eerie sound calling out.

 

“What’s that?” her brother asked.

 

At the back of her mind, Azula knew the answer. Only one thing was powerful enough to carry their cry on the wind. “Axor.”

 

Behind her, she saw the dark ocean where the cry was carried out. The intent became clear.

 

A challenge was made.

 

---

 

In the skies east of Yu Dao

 

A shrill cry shook the air, causing Appa and Momo to freak out. Aang pulled on his reigns to get the sky bison under control and (more importantly) calm. “Easy guys! We’re okay!”

 

“What the heck was that?!” Sokka asked. It was a rhetorical question though since nobody had heard such a noise before in their life. All they could do was gaze to the east and the stretches of jungle where it came from.

 

A shiver ran down Aang’s spine. The jungle and mountains that way were thick. Who knew what could be lurking out there, though he had a sneaking suspicion as to what made that noise.

 

“Uh, guys? That’s not the Earth King’s forces doing that down below, right?” Suki nervously asked, drawing everyone’s attention to down below. Mainly at a massive mound of earth moving and churning up the ground a good distance away from the emerald tents of the Earth Kingdom’s camp.

 

Imana only had one thing to say. “Battra.”

 

Aang grimaced, forcing his attention back to Cranefish Village somewhere to the south. The kaiju didn’t seem to be making its way directly to Yu Dao which was some good news. Yet they also knew they had to make it to the east. They had to stick to the plan, otherwise, more people would be put at risk.

 

He hated having to do this, but he knew there were people out there who needed him. His only wish was there was still a city when they got back.

 

---

 

???

 

By a warm campfire, the soldier sighed. It was by luck he managed to find this particular band of warriors making their way to Yu Dao. Children of the Sun they called themselves. Must’ve been one of those Fire Nation warbands he’d heard so much about.

 

Not that it mattered much to him. All these vagabonds were the same to him. No, it was the shrill cry in the air that drew his attention.

 

Everyone in camp froze. People he would’ve called comrades (at least who this original body would’ve referred to them as such) stood up in alarm, weapons drawn and fire burning. He heard a child cry, and a number of those stuffy nobles huddle in their tents for a sense of protection.

 

One of the voices asked, “What was that?”

 

A dark chuckle came from the soldier’s mouth, deciding their terror wasn’t worth his time. Instead, he continued to sharpen his knife. He examined it for a moment, seeing the face of Colonel Mongke in the dagger’s reflection.

 

Along with a pair of unearthly blue eyes.

 

“Seems the Storm King is ready to make his gambit,” he said to himself. “Time to make mine.”

 

---

 

Somewhere off the coast of Cranefish Village

 

“I told you, we were just scouting our territory for invasion!”

 

“And I told you , this area’s off-limits! Or am I just supposed to guess that you pirates are just here for sightseeing?!”

 

The Fiery Raptor captain sighed. They were patrolling the waters at the edge of their territory for any threats when a Fire Nation scout ship pulled their own similarly sized ship over. Nobody was exactly interested in a fight (Agni knows they didn’t want to disobey Azula’s order of disengagement), but neither crew was willing to back down either.

 

“Well, I’m sorry that we didn’t magically know that Cranefish wasn’t too far from here,” one of his subordinates snarked.

 

“Enough! Now we have orders to apprehend any rogue Fire Nation warband, but we’ve got bigger issues at hand. The Fire Lord ordered us to be on the lookout for Godzilla. So unless you want to be fish food, I suggest you leave this area lest we both run into trouble,” the captain of the other boat explained.

 

“Wait. Godzilla? He’s coming this way?” one of the Fiery Raptors asked, with fear seizing his voice.

 

They would’ve discussed more, but a faint cry on the wind came from the east. The noise caught their attention. “Uh…what was that?” somebody asked.

 

“Guys.”

 

“I don’t know. Never heard that noise before.”

 

“Guys?”

 

“It’s got to be pretty loud to make it out here.”

 

“GUYS WE’VE GOT COMPANY!!!”

 

Their attention was drawn to a grunt pointing out to the ocean out west. And the massive wave of water coming right towards them.

 

“...nobody…move,” the captain of the Fiery Raptors warned. They all held still, watching and bracing as the mass of water came right at them. Slowly the wave went under them, and they watched the huge being swim right underneath.

 

Just like that, the presence had swum out from underneath and towards the coast, leaving them spellbound. Somebody let out a sigh of relief. Seems their orders to not engage the beast had saved their skins-

 

Suddenly, a massive gray tail erupted from the water and swayed in the air. It gave the sailors down below maybe half a second to scream before coming down, sending them all to a watery grave.

 

 

Notes:

A/N: …reality hates me sometimes, doesn’t it?

Sorry for the delay. Again. School you know.

For starters, we have a scene with Ozai. I wanted to make sure I got him right since he WAS the ultimate big bad of the original series. Basically get the menace and dread down despite being locked behind bars. It is one thing I did like about the comics since it’s obvious he still has a hold on Zuko despite everything. I wanted to play into that with the scene.

That and develop why Zuko didn’t ask Iroh right away given how high he was on the Earth King’s list. Admittedly I hadn’t planned on him abandoning his men. That was something that literally was revealed in the new Iroh comic while I was writing this chapter (don’t recommend it by the way). Writing his scene was difficult since I’ve had some issues recently with him, but I do hope it’s at least balanced enough. Just because I don’t like a character doesn’t mean I’m going to drag them through the mud out of spite. Maybe take a few whacks at his pedestal, but not go too far you know?

Now for the fight scene. I wanted to show that both Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom wouldn’t necessarily be good since…well, the Earth Kingdom reserve in the show wasn’t exactly all that pleasant. It’s kind of a mirror to Yu Dao and the colonies becoming independent in the comics, but I wanted to give more impetus to this. Mainly that the Earth Kingdom might not necessarily like settlers who weren’t responsible for the more heinous crimes the army caused.

As for Azula’s new ability, it IS a reference to Godzilla’s ridiculous durability and regenerative abilities in the films. It won’t be to the same extent, but considering how she’s starting to realize the full potential of her blue fire, it’s going to be harder to put her down.

Yes her taking down that one scout was a reference to Legendary!Goji crushing the Male MUTO with his tail in the 2014 film.

For the Coalition, Smellerbee and Longshot were those two characters we glimpsed in the scenes leading up to Battra’s reveal. They also were in The Promise so I wanted to get them involved somehow. Plus throw some of Azula’s pro-war beliefs in her face. Which is what was the point since she’s starting to see that the Fire Nation wasn’t necessarily the good guys in this conflict. Not even the lesser evil.

Now the Abomination. I based his design on those Godzilla humanoids at the end of Shin Godzilla. It was a cool design and I wanted to use that a bit with his scenes. I also based some of his concepts on The Thing (being able to infect other people and spread his “magnificence” to others) and Genestealers (basically these horrible Xenomorph cult leaders from Warhammer 40,000 that overthrow governments). For those wondering, he actually is a monster from the Godzilla series. At least a little something original I wanted to do with them. I did give a few clues.

Finally, the scene with Azula and Zuko. I wanted to keep this as balanced as possible without falling into the tired good sibling/bad sibling dynamic. Mainly both have legitimate grievances, but neither are necessarily entirely in the right either. Hope I nailed that sweet spot.

Up next, Azula and Zuko get a rude awakening while Team Avatar meet up with the Children of the Sun. Thank you all so much for your patience and make sure to leave a review to leave your thoughts. Follow and favorite to show your support. Thank you all for reading, hope you have a great day, and I hope to see you all next time!

Which I pray doesn’t take up to a year.

Chapter 22: Eyes in the Dark

Summary:

With the arrival of the Iron Maws, disturbing news from the sea rattles Azula's constitution. Old habits begin to settle in as she feels everyone's eyes being trained on her. Meanwhile, Team Avatar meets with the Children of the Sun and an old foe who is now a reluctant ally. As they penetrate the dark jungle on a scouting mission though, they get they feeling that they are being hunted...

Notes:

Avatar: The Last Airbender and all associated characters are owned by Paramount Global. Godzilla and all associated characters are owned by Toho Studios. Please support the official release.

Yu Dao,

Fire Nation War Camp

"Azula! Something's happening! Wake up!"

"Ugh. Just five more minutes," the Princess grumbled, turning onto her side in her sleep.

THWACK!

"OW! By the Frozen Pits, what was that for?!" Azula protested, referencing a rather unpleasant biome of the Spirit World, which no self-respecting firebender wanted to end up. It was a cold, dark place far from Agni's grace. By all descriptions, it wasn't too different from being in the dark of night outside their tent.

A fact Maina so rudely ignored when she leaned against that cursed staff of hers. "Waking you up before one of our guards sticks their head in here to get our asses moving."

Right on cue, Ming poked her head into the tent. "The Iron Maws have been spotting marching our way. So the Fire Lord wants everyone up and moving. That means you girls too."

"Whatever happened to 'rising with the sun'?" Kori grumbled.

"You're not exactly in the Academy any more kid. Better get with the schedule." Ming stepped back outside before Kori could protest again. Azula on the other hand had already grabbed her brush and was attending to her hair. Unlike her colonist friend, an elite firebender like herself always rose about an hour before the sun rose. She could handle getting up at night. Just give her some warning and no staff knocking her head, and she'd be fine.

Course Maina was the first ready, having dressed in her priestess garb already and practically pacing around the tent for the other two to get ready. How she managed to get up first was anybody's guess. Azula figured it must've been an airbender habit.

"Hang on. Azula…are you still wearing your armor?"

Another habit must've been sticking their noses where they weren't exactly wanted. "We're on the front lines if you haven't noticed. Did they not teach you to sleep with one eye open back on that feral island of yours?" Azula snapped back. She could've been more polite about it, but that's what Maina gets for waking her up so early.

"You've been wearing that armor ever since Aso. Please tell me you at least cleaned it," Maina snarked.

Azula just rolled her eyes, making sure she carefully applied her topknot lest she have to break out her scissors again. "Of course I did. Washed it myself before we went to bed. What do you think I am? One of those traveling vegetable merchants I've heard so much about?"

"More like a girl that constantly sleeps in her armor," Kori observed, adjusting her clothes and getting her weapons together.

Realizing she wasn't getting anywhere, the Princess sighed. "If you must know, it does pay to always be prepared when you're in the Royal Family. Or if you're on the run. Or both."

"We're…not exactly at court you know."

"Then I'm sorry to say, but my family is a bit different. Be thankful that you grew up on an island, Maina," Azula concluded. Nodding to herself that her topknot was in place, she stood up to march outside.

"No offense, Princess, but didn't you talk things out with Zuko yesterday?"

"...not all of them," she told Kori before stepping out in the cold night air. For once, she wanted to be wrong about what she said.

---

A sea of torches illuminated the night. Behind them, the ghostly smoke of burning furnaces billowed from the tank engines. In the absence of the sun, it seemed less like an inspiring strength and more like a groggy dragon glaring at the fools who awakened it. Such a scene was rare in the army of the Fire Nation.

For the Iron Maws, however? A night attack was what wiped villages off the map. This little anecdote was not lost on Azula, who struggled to remain calm. One glance around showed that the army of the Fire Lord had a slight numerical advantage. Yet in terms of tanks and artillery pieces available, they paled in comparison with the Maws. Behind Zuko's forces, the port and buildings of Yu Dao were dimly lit, just barely aware of the potential slaughter that threatened them all.

There was something else as well. The skies were dark. Very dark. It caused the hair on the back of her neck to stand up. She couldn't put her finger on it, but she felt they were being watched. By whom or by what, she wasn't sure. But her instincts were still on high alert. When they were on edge, she had to be on edge.

Still, she remained calm. Taking a deep breath, she noted Kori and Maina at her side. Ming and Lee stood behind them keeping watch, but the Princess knew they couldn't watch in case things went bad. With luck, Azula and her friends could slip through the chaos and maybe get several forces back to Yu Dao. She'd rather have some walls between her and those cannons.

Zuko, on the other hand, had a different idea. There he stood with Mai and Iroh at his side, fully clothed in the regalia of the Fire Lord. He had his formal robes on rather than the extravagant battle robes. No doubt the tailors haven't been able to replace their loss following that idiotic sortie with Godzilla. The fact he was still standing there proudly, almost daring the enemy captain to attack though spoke of either a bluff or another blunder in the making. A few hushed whispers amongst the ranks prayed for the former.

Those words were hushed when a large man marched forward from the ranks of the Iron Maws. He was unmistakably Captain Nojon. While lacking the chiseled physique of many Fire Nation warlords, he certainly made up for it in presence and bravado. Not once did he shrink from Zuko's challenging glare as he stopped right in front of the Fire Lord. Mai and Iroh closed ranks, flanking the captain on both sides.

"Fire Lord Zuko. For a man of peace, you certainly have a way of greeting your guests," Nojon observed. His booming voice carried over the army, each word practically a tank firing.

"It's hard to find allies these days. Feels like you're being surrounded," Zuko parried. Behind him, Azula could see the war council watching his back. She wondered if he was referring to them as much as the war criminal standing in front of him. Still, she had to compliment his good form.

"Then it's a good thing we're not here to wage war on the rightful Fire Lord." With that, Nojon put his fist in his palm and stiffly bowed. His subordinates and army followed after, much to the surprise of everyone.

Nojon continued. "This monster threatens my men as much as it does Yu Dao. I alone cannot stand against such a beast. Therefore, I commit my forces to the command of both you and Princess Azula. May the roar of our tanks deafen the very air together."

Now this is interesting, Azula noted, her eyebrow raised. Nojon was one of Ozai's diehard supporters on the field. Out of all the people in this world, she wouldn't expect him to willingly bow before her brother. And him adding her name into the mix was also quite a pleasant surprise. She did recall her message to the other rogue armies after all…

Zuko on the other hand wasn't so sure. He stood there, sizing Nojon and his forces up, clearly weighing the odds in his mind. Which was rather smart for him, and a bit worrying. Rejecting such an alliance would deprive her of potential forces. And if that were the case, she'd have to play nice for a little while longer. Already the hair was standing on the back of her neck, as if a certain chi-blocker was standing behind her.

Fortunes smiled on Azula though when War Minister Qin stepped forward. "If I might, Fire Lord. We lack the armor and artillery to properly pose a threat to Battra. What Nojon and the Iron Maws are offering would help strengthen our defense further. Particularly concerning recent events."

Zuko looked at him questioningly, causing Qin to whisper in his ear. Whatever news was shared caused his eyes to widen as the War Minister backed off. "Alright. You have a deal," the Fire Lord then declared to Nojon. "I only ask that you take orders exclusively from me. You move when I tell you to. You attack when I tell you to. And I want a list of people under your command who have committed atrocities during the war. We have a tribunal coming up after all."

"Understood," Nojon replied, bowing once more before retreating to his forces. Satisfied, Zuko and his entourage stalked up to Azula and her companions.

"Did you order an attack on Godzilla?" Zuko asked her straight away. Azula paled, seeing not only her brother sizing her up, but Iroh, Mai, and the two guards. Additionally, Ty Lee had emerged from the crowd to back her brother up.

"No I didn't," Azula said carefully. "Why would I put my forces at risk when I put my neck out for them on Aso?"

"...alright. Just wanted to make sure." The tension almost eased up as the Fire Lord began to walk past, before stopping right next to Azula and whispering into her ear. "We just got a report that there was an attack on a patrol boat just outside of Cranefish by Godzilla."

With that, Zuko stalked past, leaving Azula shell-shocked. Ty Lee gave her a worried look as she followed the Fire Lord, before walking away as well.

Her mind was still on the news. Godzilla was on the warpath again? That was impossible. She gave explicit orders for the Fiery Raptors to stand down. Why would they disobey her?

The Princess just realized how thin the ice she stood on was.

A woosh from high above distracted Azula's attention to the skies above. Yet it was so dark that she couldn't make out anything.

"Everything okay?" Maina asked.

Azula couldn't answer. That feeling at the back of her mind still made her wary. For some reason, her mind went back to the mines of Aso. One never knew what lay in the dark when there were monsters about. Indeed if the Abomination or whatever it called itself wanted to keep tabs on what was happening outside Yu Dao, it'd probably want to know where this army came from.

And the words it said. This body here is naught by a mere puppet. Were there other bodies it had? Of course it did, that assassin Zuko interrogated was one of them. Then again, unless it could grow wings and hide in the night sky, there was no way it could've observed them without being noticed by somebody.

…

"No. I…just be on guard," Azula warned. But against what, she wasn't sure. For once, she prayed she was going mad again. The alternative was so much worse.

---

Cranefish Village

"Alright people! We got a kaiju on the way, and that means I'm stuck with you all for a little while! What do ya got for me?" Appa hadn't even fully gotten off the ground before Toph started barking orders. Which suited her just fine. Better be here on solid earth than up in the air.

The first voice that greeted her was the huffing and heavy treads of the Mayor. "We already have the citizens evacuated down into the mines, and we've got enough food to last us for a few days."

Loban then proceeded to guide her to the tunnels and mines running underneath Cranefish. On the way, he proceeded to rattle off on some logistics and yatta yatta yatta. All she heard was just numbers and procedures and would this guy just shut up? Suddenly she was missing Aang. If anybody could handle having their ear talked off, it was him.

It was a relief when the mayor brought her to the mines proper. Now this was her home turf. Toph stamped her foot and grazed her hands against the earthen walls to get a feel for their defensive structure. She was impressed. The tunnels had been expanded and reinforced extensively. Which was good news for her. One thing she didn't miss was almost being buried by a cave-in.

"Guess the earthbenders won't need to hold up the mines as much as before, right?" Toph asked.

"You bet. Now we just need a portion to hold up weak points. And to sense when Godzilla arrives, of course."

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure we'd be able to sense a giant multi-ton monster stomping his way to shore." Behind her sarcasm though, Toph was worried. Two giants duking it out was one thing. Could these mines withstand three? And she couldn't get the last few times she met Godzilla out of her head. Here she was, the best earthbender in the world, and she hadn't been able to slow it down. And she didn't need to be told how Aang's fight with it went. She still remembered how the Avatar, savior of the world, buried himself under a shield of earth to save himself from that beast's wrath.

She felt her heart thumped deep down just thinking about it. And she wasn't the only one who was spooked. Loban's heartrate that spiked as well. "So…with Old Iron and Anguirus up there, you think you'll be needed on the surface?" he asked nervously.

Toph sighed a bit, leaning against the wall of the cave. "Doubt it. Guess you'll have me around for a little while."

A relieved sigh reached her ears. "And you can tell my parents if they want to talk to me about it, they can find me right. Here." She folded her arms and glared right where Loban was standing. She heard him gulp, then sensed the dirt shift as he plodded away.

Toph took a few deep breaths, feeling the firm earth beneath her feet. For amateurs, she had to hand it to Cranefish's earthbenders. The tunnels here were sturdy. Crude, but sturdy.

That's what she needed to be now. Sturdy. Especially as she sensed two more sets of footsteps coming her way. They were lighter, more refined, and distressingly familiar.

"Toph. We're…we're glad you're down here with us," her mother's elegant voice said. Yet her refined tone couldn't hide her nervousness. Not from somebody who got used to growing up in a world of sound and touch.

"Let's get this out of the way. You didn't want me here. You wanted me far away from you and sitting back home waiting for you guys." There was no bitterness in her voice. Just a simple observation of the facts.

A pause hung in the air. "I mean, that would be our wish. But we both know that's not going to happen. Is it?" her father commented. Again, no bitterness.

"You both know I never intended to hurt either of you, right?" Toph said. "I wanted out of the house. Took the first chance I got. Kicked ass. Saved the world. And then I saved both of you guys from Old Iron. Gotta give me that." Her mother jumped a little bit from her crassness, a little flinch that she relished.

"That…is true," her father admitted. The blind girl's eyebrow was raised. Was that admittance in his voice?

Still, she wasn't satisfied with just a hint. "So what is it? Tell me what I'm doing wrong. And don't give me the 'I wish you were different' junk. If that's what it is, then we're through."

Silence, causing Toph to get a little nervous. No. It couldn't be that. Could it? She couldn't believe that her parents could be that shallow. If they were then…what was she supposed to do with THAT?

Finally, her mother spoke. "It wasn't just that. Toph…when we heard about what a strong earthbender you became, we thought you were going to be taken away. Not long before you were born, there was a draft in our village. Every earthbender was called to the army, and the official said we should be proud our children were going to give their lives to the defense of Ba Sing Se."

Inside her head, the truth was starting to crystallize. "The 500 Days…" she said.

"When the battle was over, only a handful returned home. They were said to be heroes, yet they were never the same. The rest of their families only got a letter instead of their sons," Father's voice grimly recalled.

"Toph…" She heard her mother's knees crunch the earth as they knelt to her level. "We knew the Earth Kingdom was getting desperate. There's no telling what the army was going to do when they found you. The thing that kept us up at night was that letter winding up at our doorstep."

"But it didn't happen, so what's the deal?"

The blind girl expected them to say a lot of things. What she didn't expect was both her parents crouching down and embracing her in a tight hug. "We just don't want to lose you again," her father muttered. "I…never told you how proud I was for saving us from Old Iron. I was…too ashamed. Both of us were. It was only when you left again that we realized the truth."

"We don't want to lose you again, dear. It's just, we don't know what to do. What can we do to convince you to stay?" Mother choked out, tears falling on Toph's shoulder.

Toph stood stiff. How badly she wanted this to happen, yet now that it did…

She hugged her parents back. "I can't guarantee I'll stay, but…this is a good start." There was a lot of emotions in her heart. Anger. Shock. Fear. And there were so many things she wanted to say as well.

For now, she just sunk into their embrace. Even if it wasn't perfect, it was what she needed right this moment. The earthbender could let the mushiness slide if the hope for forgiveness was there.

---

Yu Dao,

Fire Nation War Camp

Zuko resisted the urge to burn down his tent. He settled to just slam his fist on the table. "Dammit! Just when I was giving her the benefit of the doubt-"

"Zuko, listen. I don't think Azula had anything to do with this."

"Really Mai? Her troops fired on Godzilla and you're defending her now?" Zuko asked. This had to be some sick joke. Just when he thought they were making progress…

Okay, there were still some hurdles to work out, he silently admitted. Even he could admit that their chat last night was somehow both a step in the right direction and a burning wreck. Already he was asking himself where he went wrong. Was it asking for an apology? Well okay, that was a bit forward, but he still felt he was owed one. Maybe it was something about his apology. That didn't make any sense either. Why did he have to apologize entirely for everything he did? It was like apologizing for speaking out at that war meeting.

Mai on the other hand remained as cool as ever. "Think this through. Why would she do something this stupid? She probably knows most of all how dangerous that thing is."

"You're thinking then that some of her men did this?" Iroh asked, standing on the other side of the tent across from Mai. Following that bombshell Qin dropped, they needed a little privacy to figure things out. His sister and her cronies had been taken back to their tent to wait for the morning. As for his council, he didn't know where they were but there was no way he was having this discussion with them.

"I never said that. I'm only saying that I don't think Azula would do this. So unless Godzilla went berserk for no reason or there's another one out there we don't know about, we're going to have to assume somebody set him off."

Iroh stroked his beard in contemplation. "This could be an opportunity for us. But…you're not going to like what I'm about to suggest."

Both the Fire Lord and his lover exchanged glances. They didn't like where this was going, but they needed an idea. Zuko gestured for his uncle to go ahead.

"If Azula's forces attacked Godzilla, then she bears responsibility. This is what we've been waiting for. We can arrest her on charges of defying your orders, Fire Lord."

"Wait a second! For all we know it could've been one of ours! We'd be arresting her on bogus charges!" Zuko yelled. His opinion of Iroh was sinking by the moment. He was willing to put Azula on trial for stuff they both did during the war. Yet at least those were things they did and he could take some responsibility by placing one of them on the stand. This on the other hand? This was going too far.

Iroh held out his hands and spoke calmly. "Zuko, listen to me. Regardless of your feelings towards her, Azula is a rival to the throne and has an army behind her. We need to get her out of that position at any cost. Even if she does want to change for the better, those forces might not exactly give her the back down now. They want a conqueror, not a girl."

Now at another time, Zuko would've been willing to listen. But his thoughts were confused and tangled up inside. "Uncle, I was able to have a somewhat okay conversation with her yesterday. How can I just stab her in the back when I got that far?!"

"Then don't, and see what happens. Or do you want her shooting you with lightning again?"

"Iroh, back off," Mai warned, getting between the two. "It might be easy for you to throw your niece to the wolves, but you're asking this of her brother. Have the guts at least to do it yourself this time."

Her words managed to strike harder than one of her knives ever could. To Zuko's shock, Iroh shrunk a bit and looked taken aback. He looked away, unsure of how to respond. For a wise old man, it wasn't like him to be put on the back foot.

"Uncle…I understand what you're saying, but I still want to try and build that bridge up. I'm going to give her a chance. Maybe Mai's right. Maybe it wasn't her fault. But if she tries anything, I'll-"

"No. I'll deal with her," Iroh declared, the warmth in his voice had gone. "If your firebending isn't working right, I'll fight in your stead."

Mai and Zuko exchanged glances. The Dragon of the West. Currently the best firebender in the world. As good as Azula was, there was no way she stood a chance. "Alright. Just don't kill her. I'm begging you," Zuko asked. He couldn't help it. As bad as things were between them now, he couldn't just let her die.

His words hung in the air, causing Iroh to sigh. "I'll try not to. I just hope you know what you're doing."

"Me too," Zuko admitted. Silently, he took the crown of the Fire Lord out of his hair and gazed at it for a moment. All this talk of backstabbing and putting Azula away. Was it worth any of this just to hang on to this crown?

The golden gleam reflected his image, showing the bags under his eyes and the scar marring his face. He had been wanting to be Fire Lord for so long, and yet it seemed like he was sacrificing more and more just to keep it. Was it the gravity of the situation sinking in on him?

Or was it something else? He remembered what that prisoner told him yesterday. About this crown being bathed in the blood of the world. How badly he wanted to wash it clean. But was the way through more blood? There had to be some way out of this. Some way where he could bury the hatchet and be the Fire Lord he knew he needed to be.

The crown though gave nothing. Just showing how tired and ragged he had become.

---

Somebody attacked Godzilla.

Somebody attacked Godzilla.

Azula felt like bashing her head in from the sheer stupidity on display. The only reason she hadn't was that she needed to throttle whoever gave such an idiotic order. Was SHE the only one who had any sense these days? Her. The mad girl who had a breakdown somehow had more wits about her than men in charge of an army.

"I mean, we don't know if somebody attacked him. Didn't he attack Aso before anyone set him off?" Kori reasoned as if somehow there was something logical in this whole debacle. Thank Agni they were back in their tent instead of out in the open. The last thing they needed was for somebody to pass them and wonder just what the hell they were doing.

So for now, the duty of reason fell on her. Again. "For the last time, he attacked the ship that was carrying me for invading his territory. I don't know about you, but I'd want a piece of somebody who tried muscling their way into my home. No. One of my men did it. Trust me."

"And how can you be so sure it was one of ours?" Maina pointed out. "I mean, you did give explicit orders not to engage him."

"Well clearly, I didn't get the message across!" Azula paced around the tent, her mind racing faster than one of Ty Lee's punches. Something she was afraid was going to come any second now. It was all falling apart. This was exactly the sort of thing Zuzu needed to put her away. And where WAS he? Was he holding Uncle Fatso back from laying a smackdown to make her sweat?

Azula, you're not thinking straight! Why would Zuko-?

Something snapped as she heard Mother's voice try to console her. She marched over to the front of the tent and poked her head outside to the two guards standing watch. "You two. Why didn't you arrest me?"

Ming and Lee looked at each other at both being taken off guard, and out of confusion. "Uh, no offense Princess, but this whole thing doesn't sound like something worth arresting you over," Lee carefully explained.

"Plus, you don't seem like you're guilty," Ming pointed out.

"Oh! And what made you an expert in guilt?!"

The elite firebender shrugged. "You pick up on a lot of things guarding prisoners."

"GAH!" Azula growled before stalking to the corner of the room so nobody could see her face. Desperately she tried to get it under control, to slow her breathing and calm the fire in her soul. Yet she couldn't help but think about Ty Lee storming in, paralyzing her, and dragging her before her brother in chains. It happened before. It could happen again. What else should she expect from Zuko of all people?

"Azula…I don't think this is something you should be stressing out over this much about."

"SOMEBODY has to take responsibility, Kori. I promised if any of my men wavered, I'd face judgment," the Princess reiterated.

Kori though stood her ground, facing the prodigy's wrath. "Or if it was one of ours, we can hand him over. You did everything you could to prevent this, and it's not like you're dodging responsibility. This is what leaders do."

"Of COURSE there was something I could do!" Azula roared, letting out all of her frustration and just not caring anymore. "I could've stayed to make sure my men were loyal! Things like this don't happen when you're careful! I got sloppy, and now we're all paying for it! One mistake, one lapse of control, and you lose EVERYTHING!"

She felt the fire within burning white hot through her veins. When the fury left her heart though, Azula's legs buckled. All that rage had found their outlet, and she couldn't be any more ashamed. Again, she lost control in front of the last people she wanted to hurt. It didn't matter if they knew what they were getting into, that wasn't any excuse to lash out. Yet lash out she did. And any minute now, they were going to walk through the flap of that tent and leave her here all alone. It's what she deserved after all.

Maina kneeling and hugging her most assuredly wasn't what she expected. "This is what happened leading up to Sozin's Comet. Wasn't it?"

…numbly, she nodded.

"Look Azula. I get that you're not happy about what happened. Who would? But you're being way too hard on yourself," Maina consoled. "Sometimes you need to accept that there are things in this world far out of our control."

"How can you be so sure? Control is the only thing that kept me breathing for so long. Anything less…well, you all know what happened with Zuzu."

The priestess bit her lip, mulling over Azula's words. "I mean, yeah. Look, whatever things were like back at your home, they're not the same here. Kori and I? We care. And I think that's a step above whatever you had before."

Azula scoffed. "Right. It's not like we have a Fire Lord hovering over our shoulders watching our every step. You ever wonder what's going to happen when my brother decides we're not useful anymore?"

Kori, who had been silent since Azula's outburst, just rolled her eyes. "Oh come on. I don't think he's as bad as Ozai."

"He's got a grudge against me and dangled me over a cliff. Say what you will about Father, at least he only got angry when you failed him. Zuko doesn't even have the patience for THAT."

"So how come we're here and not in some cell right now?" the rebel pointedly asked.

Azula…didn't have anything to answer that. Instead, she slumped down defeated as the realization was setting in. Paranoia. Yes, there was plenty of that during her breakdown. And now it seemed to be happening all over again. Her world almost went sideways. No, this isn't happening. This isn't happening! She screamed internally. As if somehow pleading to herself would make her calm.

But her body knew better. Shaking palms. Hitching breath. Quivering eyes. Already she felt chains tying her down like an animal, ice stealing her breath, Zuko just stood there watching while she bawled her eyes out-.

Her panic seized when she felt two pairs of arms wrapped around her.

"You know we're not going to turn our backs on you. Right?" Maina asked.

"Like I said. We'll tie us to your backside if we need to." Azula snickered a little bit from Kori's barb. Granted it was a bit stiff and a little forced, but her friend deserved that much. They both did. Awkwardly, Azula embraced them both back, wondering if this was just one more hallucination.

"Lady Kori?"

With that, the vision was shattered. Kori withdrew from the embrace as she stood up at attention to the soldier who entered the tent. "Yes sir?"

"You've been requested to join your father at his manor in the city," the soldier reported. Azula felt her heart plummet. She knew this was a possibility ever since their little skirmish yesterday. Yet now?! NOW?!

Kori could already see what was going on, already kneeling by her. "Listen. It's only going to be for a few days. And I think he just wants me away from the battle. I'll be fine.

"Besides…" she leaned in close to whisper in Azula's ear. "I can let him know who the real enemy is. That and I can keep him distracted from doing anything stupid."

"Clever," Azula whispered back. "Just…be safe. Alright?"

"No problem. I'll get back to you soon when I get a chance. Good luck with that kaiju of yours." Kori then gave one last embrace. The Princess returned it, savoring it. Funny. She hadn't known her for too long and she most assuredly didn't see eye to eye with the rebel on a lot of things. Yet she couldn't deny there was something to the young Morishita that drew her in. Maybe somebody she could call a friend.

Azula just wished Kori was there waiting when she got back with that thing on the loose.

So, reluctantly, the two pulled back. And Azula watched someone who had her back when she felt at her lowest, walk away with the guard. The hole in her stomach was opened just a bit wider.

"You alright, Azula?"

"...no. I'm not," the Princess told Maina, telling the truth as if it could make it any more palpable.

---

Children of the Sun Camp

Somewhere east of Yu Dao and Cranefish

Appa sat down nervously on the earth, with everyone on his back making ready for a brawl. They saw the campfires in the distance and now there was the fluttering banner of the Fire Nation everywhere in the first rays of the sun. Sure they looked Fire Nation, but these soldiers were operating outside of Zuko's influence. That meant that things could turn very ugly if somebody acted stupid.

Naturally, that meant Aang was the first to hop off the sky bison's back and hold his hands up. All around him were soldiers clad in red armor. Most of them were standard infantry with an assortment of weapons being aimed right at them, though he could see a few firebenders in the back poised for action.

One of those firebenders broke off from the crowd and strode to the frontline of their formation. "Avatar Aang?" she asked, her mask causing her voice to reverberate.

Cautiously, Aang nodded. "That is correct. And I don't believe I've had the pleasure of meeting you."

Dutifully, the firebender lifted her mask, revealing a rather weathered-looking face underneath. "Name's Lieutenant Kiriko. Well, technically 'captain', but I'm the senior officer around here."

"A woman in charge? That's…kind of rare for the Fire Nation," Suki commented.

Kiriko shrugged. "Well, it helps that all of my superiors either were killed, got themselves captured, ran off to banditry, or were handed over to local authorities to keep them off our backs. Sort of helped out on the last one. Didn't want some idiot getting us all killed over what their definition of 'honor' is," she explained, counting off the reasons why she was the one in charge.

"Hey, that means less work for us," Aang quipped, hoping to break the ice a bit. Then he walked forward and reached out his hand for a shake. Kiriko stared at his gesture for an uncomfortable amount of time before reaching out and stiffly shaking it.

"Uh…thanks. We honestly thought you guys were going to try and arrest us or something."

"Only if you try anything. You wanted clemency, you got it. Abuse it, and we're going to have problems," Katara declared, walking up to the lieutenant and crossing her arms.

"Believe me, we've got no intention of crossing you guys. Had our fill of doing dirty business to last a lifetime." Waving them all over to follow her, she led them through the lines of soldiers. The tension was still there, but the weapons were lowered just a bit.

Marching out from the men, Kiriko brought them through the tents of the camp. Many of them were standard-issue army tents with all the essentials a soldier could need. But there were others too. Ones that were more well-furnished than one would expect from what was essentially an insurgent force. The reasons came waltzing out of the tents, all decked in fine robes with their families in toe. Some of them gave Team Avatar the evil eye. Others kept on a mask of neutrality. Others still looked at them with fear.

"The refugees," Imana realized.

"I wouldn't call them that," Kiriko corrected. "These folk aren't used to being ordered around."

Seeing all of these nobles coming out to gawk at them made Sokka realize something. "Wait a second. I thought the Earth Kingdom was supposed to escort them to the colonies. Not you guys. Uh, no offense."

"None taken. As for your question, being led out by their enemy would be considered a huge stain on your honor in some circles. Helps they have deep pockets."

"Wait. You're doing this for the money?" Suki asked.

"Money for food and supplies. Plus these are our countrymen we're talking about. We're not just going to stand around and leave them out in the cold," the lieutenant explained. Aang…couldn't see the fault in that logic. Well, not from his philosophy. The thing was he had to get into the head of a Fire Nation citizen if he were to make peace with them. Sneaking into that school was the first thing, and Zuko's rantings when he was chasing them told the Avatar all he needed to know about honor.

That also meant Katara had an opening. "So why didn't you submit to Zuko and pull out?"

Kiriko sighed. "Long story. Let's just say coming back into the fold is the last thing on my men's mind. Not after Yu Dao." Her comment stung a bit harder than was intended. Yet Aang knew exactly what she was talking about. Who'd come back to their country when their leader made such a cataclysmic mistake? Sure he liked Zuko, but even he could see that the whole thing was a mess.

"Look, he wasn't the only person there," Sokka said, jogging over to the lieutenant's side. "I helped put together the battle plan. If anybody's as much to blame for that mess, it's me. So if you want to take it out on anybody, take it out on me."

"That's…unexpected. And appreciated. But it's less us being mad at Zuko and more thinking about our well-being. Besides, you drew it up. He executed it. Would you be willing to follow somebody who'd pull a stunt like that?" Kiriko asked.

"...fair point."

"Well, now you know." She led them further into the camp, eventually coming to what looked like the insurgents' council tent. Momo spread his wings and leaped off of Aang's shoulder, probably to try snarfing down some fruit from the surrounding jungle.

The jungle. Those dark green leaves loomed rather forebodingly with strange bird calls echoing from within. Now Aang was no stranger to jungles. Yet there was something wrong with this particular patch of jungle. As if a dark haze had fallen over it and smothered it. The sun's rays didn't even touch the skies it was that suffocating.

There was something else too. Deep within, there was a shape. A shadowy figure that blended in so well that the Avatar could only see a vague outline of the thing. All he knew was that it was big. Maybe about as big as Appa.

And it seemed to be looking back right at him…

"Fair warning to all of you, we've got only a single guy who's seen where we're going to be scouting out. Didn't want to commit any of my guys without knowing what we're dealing with."

Aang raised an eyebrow at the lieutenant's words. He suddenly realized his attention was diverted and snapped back to where he saw the thing. Yet the outline was gone. The feeling of being watched was gone. He wasn't sure to be concerned or relieved, but there wasn't much he could do for that at the moment. "Okay. What's the warning for?"

Kiriko sighed. "Mainly because our intel guy ran into your group before. Take that for what you will."

She raised the flap of the tent. Showing a rather familiar bald man with a ponytail waiting there for them.

"Avatar Aang? Truth be told, I wasn't expecting our paths to cross again," Colonel Mongke greeted.

Seeing the leader of the Rough Rhinos and somebody who quite literally burned down villages caused Team Avatar to freeze.

Naturally, Kiriko quickly got between them and the war criminal. "Okay, now I know what this looks like-"

"Are you kidding? That guy almost burned down Chin Village! We're willing to work with a lot of crooks, but him of all people?!" Katara snapped back, her hand reflexively reaching down to her sealskin pouch. Aang put his hand on her shoulder, but he was just as disturbed as she was.

Mongke stared at them rather quizzically. "And yet you're willing to call yourself allies of the Dragon of the West. My superior if I recall correctly. Fascinating how you're willing to support one monster and not another."

"Iroh's not a…" The waterbender forcefully wrenched her hand away from the sealskin, willing up every muscle to not lash out with a water whip.

"Point still stands," Kiriko continued. "This guy's seen the inside of that jungle, and that's fine enough. Besides, if he can't exactly try anything in those woods if this monster territory we're talking about."

Her words didn't convince everybody though. Sokka pointed out, "Okay, but I thought all the Rough Rhinos aside from one guy were killed by Old Iron!"

"I slipped away in the chaos," Mongke explained. "My mount wasn't so lucky. That place was a wilderness ruled by many a vicious beast. It was a miracle any of us made it out alive. Luck alone was what saved me."

An elbow to Aang's arm brought his attention to Imana. She nodded a bit discretely over at Mongke. Curiously, the Avatar looked over at the war criminal. Not that he wanted to. Iroh was one thing, he had regret at the very least. Here was a man who desecrated a spirit's grave just to escape justice-

Wait a minute. The way the light played on his eyes. That dark brown turned blue for a second. That…wasn't natural.

"Now I understand that my Rhinos and I haven't been the model example of what a Fire Nation warrior should be. Yet the things I've seen in that place. The people I bore witness to. The world needs to know what's out there. They need to know the threat at their doorstep."

Aang looked up back at him, wondering what he was getting at. "What do you mean people? There are people out there?"

"If you want to call them that."

The Avatar weighed his options. It's true. He couldn't stomach the idea of cooperating with somebody like this. Yet was he even the same person who crossed paths with them not too long ago? Aang remembered what Zuko told him about their problem in Yu Dao.

About the "man" with unearthly blue eyes.

Still, he only needed to hear the people outside to get his answer. Those people, no matter what they thought of him, needed his help. And if he could scout what was waiting for them out there, he could stomach putting up with this man.

"Alright, it's a deal," Aang declared. At the back of his mind though, he felt a part of him scream that he was making a far bigger mistake than he could comprehend.

---

The Ash Fields

"We are waiting for you at the Ash Fields," the letter from the Earth King said. Azula didn't need to be told where this was. All one had to do was look out at the wastes between the camps of the opposing armies.

So that's what this place is going to be called, the Princess mused. All around them was destruction on a scale unimaginable. This was one of the areas that Father first put to the torch during Sozin's Comet. It was also where not too long ago, Zuko decided to take on Godzilla head-on. Indeed, there were wreckages of Fire Nation tanks and artillery littered all over the place. Thank Agni they managed to remove the corpses in the wake of the carnage. At least, the bodies they found.

Tactically it made sense. Here away from their camps, neither Zuko nor King Kuei had an inherent advantage in terms of manpower. Psychologically though, Azula knew well that this place was a reminder of what was coming for Yu Dao if they didn't unite to do something about it. Ironic. The one person who brought the Earth Kingdom to its knees advocated for their cooperation. Then again, she doubted Battra would care much over who came at him.

As for the Earth King, well she was about to find out very quickly. Right up ahead was the area designated to where they'd have their summit. Smack dab in the middle of the Ash Fields. She could see the emerald flags of the King's honor guard emerge from the blackened fields. Before them, sitting behind a stone table bent from the ground was King Kuei himself and his Council of Five. Basically, people who had very good reason to hate Azula's guts.

Quite frankly the only reason she was being dragged along was this whole thing WAS her idea. Not that she could back out even if she wanted to. Zuko had marched her and Maina here along with his honor guard, his own council, and Iroh. Mai and Ty Lee were nowhere to be seen, having opted out of appearing before the people they captured and imprisoned. Well technically the Dai Li did that, Azula just pointed them in the right direction.

Speaking of which, she didn't see any of those wide-brimmed hat-wearing stooges amongst the Earth King's honor guard. Good. It didn't please her to see that buffoon Kuei in power, but she'd be damned if those corrupt snakes were still kept around. She made a mental note to send a discreet letter to the rival monarch of basically everything those Dai Li did so they most assuredly stayed gone. Long Feng kept a lot of notes on his potential scapegoats after all.

Whatever the reason, she felt glad she only had to deal with one group that hated her rather than TWO groups who hated her. Only so much hate you could deal with at once, you know?

Regardless of her feelings on the situation, she sat down with the others on the stone chairs (also bent out of the earth). Before them was a map of the area surrounding Yu Dao. There were the pieces meant to represent their armies. And there were the figurines. A golden dragon in the sea for Godzilla, a stone soldier and lion turtle in Cranefish for Anguirus and whatever that spirit was, and another stone carving of what looked like some kind of centipede-esque spirit placed to the northwest of their position. No doubt that was Battra.

Well, at least we only have to deal with Battra, Azula noted, trying to find something positive out of Godzilla moving on Cranefish.

Kuei cleared his throat, bringing her attention back to the present. "Alright, before we begin this 'war plan' of ours, I want to know why you've been attacking my scouts."

And with that, Azula groaned in frustration. Really? REALLY? They've got a kaiju on their doorstep and they're talking about those scouts first? Not like she didn't understand why it was brought up since it was pretty serious. But she'd rather deal with a battle that has a very high chance of happening instead of a battle that could happen.

"What I want to know is why you're sending scouts into Yu Dao to begin with." Of course, Zuko had to fall for it. Azula proceeded to pay only half attention to the argument that was going on. Kuei expressed shock that his scouts were escalating the situation. General How insisted his men were preventing violence. Iroh pointed out how both sides were equally at fault and by AGNI this was going on for too long.

The Princess's focus was more on the centipede figure than any of their bickering. Her mind wandered, asking why Battra was on the warpath. Was he attacked? That couldn't be right. Looking at the map, she could see the general route the dark worm had taken. If he was enraged, why hadn't he struck now? Instead, it seemed like he was hanging back from their forces for whatever reason. Like he was waiting for them.

Like…he was waiting for them…

"ENOUGH!" Maina snapped, catching everyone at the table off guard. "I get that the situation in Yu Dao isn't the best, but we've got a kaiju to deal with. Battra's the reason Yu Dao's on lockdown. If the Earth King wants his subjects safe, I suggest we focus our efforts first on the kaiju so we can let their citizens actually step outside and feel a bit safer."

Azula elbowed the priestess. "Nice work, Maina," she whispered.

"Ah. You must be the Priestess Maina," the rather sad-looking General Sung observed, not exactly impressed by the admittedly young native girl. It was okay. Azula wasn't exactly impressed by him either.

"Okay, who invited the savage here? Bad enough we have to rely on dirt shovelers to fight our battles for us." Evidently, Admiral Chan had even less tact than their enemy.

Very well. Azula decided it was time to be the leader she was supposed to have been and rose. "I did. And unless you want to have what's left of your army wiped out, you'd better listen to her. She knows more about this thing than anybody else, so pipe down and don't miss anything.

"Besides. King Kuei's the only person who's got enough manpower to help us stand a chance. I don't know about you, but I'd be a BIT more concerned about somebody who's mulling over whether or not to help you out than what that worm's already decided."

That was enough to shut him up. The Admiral sank and no one was willing to pick up where he left off. "I…thank you, Princess Azula," Kuei cautiously stated. The rest of the generals on the other hand had undisguised looks of hatred. Which was fine by her. They were paying attention.

With the generals placated, Maina took the initiative. "Well, with that out of the way, Battra's not someone to take lightly. He's not as aggressive as Godzilla, but he WILL retaliate when attacked. As for weaknesses in case he does attack, the legends say his hide is heavily armored but his underside is fairly soft."

"What about offensive abilities? We already know he can dig through the earth. He got anything else that can give us a bad day?" General How asked.

"He can shoot lightning from his horn."

"...I'm sorry. What," War Minister Qin stated. Not a question, just laying out the insanity of what Maina just said.

The Priestess held her ground though. "Battra's capable of harnessing the very energy of the planet itself. We're not talking about 'cold-blooded fire' here. What he channels is a lot more mystical. Think of it as being almost like a spirit and you get the picture."

Azula remained silent, a plan forming in her head.

"That settles it then," Qin declared, his eyes turning to the war table. "I propose then that-"

"Actually, I was wondering if Princess Azula would be the one to lay out the plan," King Kuei proposed.

General Shinu scoffed. "Oh really. You'd take the word of a mad woman over some of the most accomplished minds in the Fire Nation?"

"If the brightest minds thought the Drill was a good idea, then I'll take my chances," the Earth King deadpanned.

"Now with all due respect my lord, we are more than capable-"

"And I'd rather take the advice of somebody who has a fairly substantial victory on the field, General How. Trust me, it doesn't make me any happier, but she's the one who suggested this whole thing. Let's give her a chance to speak."

Azula saw through the pleasantries right away. She could see the message in his eyes. Here's your chance to screw up. Whatever happens, is on your head, was what King Kuei said. We're facing impossible odds. How about we pass the buck off on somebody whom we hate?

Well, she was more than prepared to disappoint him. "Alright then," she declared, rising in front of everyone. "The plan I had in mind is based on two core principles. The first, and I want to emphasize this to everyone, we are to allow Battra to strike first."

Iroh's brow furrowed. "Princess Azula, we give it the initiative and we lose our biggest tactical advantage."

"You took the initiative against Godzilla and look what happened," Azula harshly reminded, causing the old man to shut up. "You heard Maina. Battra's armor is too tough. Our biggest priority should be avoiding a direct battle if we can afford it. Engagement should be a last, not first resort. Besides, if that thing wanted to tear us apart, it would've done so already. He's out on our doorstep, so what's keeping him?"

She was referencing how Battra was sighted not too far away from the Earth King's camp of course. With how fast he moved underground, it would've been trivial to practically bury one of his enemies. Instead, he held back, allowing their forces to converge. For Agni's sake, coming out here was a risk in itself if he wanted to catch them with their pants down.

"He's the one who gave us the initiative," Azula summed up. "So that means he's waiting for us to make the first move. We keep him waiting, we could get him to back down with zero loss of life. I've seen it happen on Aso with Godzilla. Don't attack and he'll leave us alone. Attack, and be prepared to sacrifice men and resources. Those are the rules."

The term "men and resources" was aimed at Zuko's war council. Azula knew that "lives" wouldn't work. It certainly didn't for her not too long ago. Yet the efficiency of running a war machine is being threatened. That got their attention. Sure enough, no one raised a voice to argue. She on the other hand was most certainly prepared for some arguments with this next bit.

"Our next priority is to keep a gap in our forces that leads directly out to sea."

"...okay, why would we do that?" Admiral Chan questioned, and not entirely without reason. "Everyone knows you need to keep a solid formation to maintain army integrity."

And here comes the tricky bit. "Not if you know there's another kaiju on the way. Godzilla might not be coming for us, but something else is. Mothra. She's another worm like Battra, though she's on the opposite side in terms of temperament."

A wave of murmurs erupted from both sides of the war table. Maina stepped forward to fill them in on the details, about the sibling-esque nature between the two and the legend of how Battra went berserk and how Mothra put a stop to him. Meanwhile, Azula took a step back, resisting the urge to fidget with one of her bangs. This would be a tough swallow for anyone. Certainly was for her. Though the brief reprieve Maina had granted her wouldn't be left to waste. Mentally, she was rehearsing for her self-admittedly insane appeal.

Once Maina had finished her recounting, there was a pause amongst the council. Finally, Qin leaned forward and said what they were all thinking. "You are expecting us to put our faith in a giant monster?"

Azula stood up. "I know this sounds crazy-"

"You're right. You're downright INSANE!" Qin exclaimed. "You're expecting us to believe that a giant worm of all things is intelligent and can talk down another giant worm?! And even if that were true, what's stopping either one of these things from turning on us?! You saw what Godzilla did to us! We can't rely on a monster like that to save us!"

Everyone was giving her the same look those orderlies gave her back in the nuthouse. Even Zuko and Iroh were taken aback by what was suggested. Yet Azula stood her ground. Around her neck and beneath her chest plate, she felt Mothra's medallion pressing against her heart. Somehow, she knew Mothra was on her way one way or another. And she knew just what to say.

"Okay, fine. Strike first and see what happens. It isn't going to change the fact that Mothra's on her way, and you'll have TWO kaiju to deal with. And for what?! Just to get a chance of maybe killing one of them? Well here's the truth you're overlooking: this isn't going to stop. These kaiju are just the start. So either we come together and hopefully avoid one battle and thus save our strength for when we need it or waste it all away and lose the whole war.

"And if you think these kaiju are just mindless brutes, let me remind you that the Fire Nation used to honor dragons as the teachers of firebending. And doesn't the Earth Kingdom have their Badgermoles as their teachers? If we can trust animals to be smart enough to teach us what we hold dear, why is it such a stretch to believe that these kaiju can be intelligent?"

Nobody said a word. Rather, nobody wanted to. The question and her arguments were perfectly calculated, dredged up from what little she knew of the Earth Kingdom and what she knew was relevant for those meatheads in Father's circle. To question what was true would just be an obvious attempt to tear her down.

Zuko only had this to say. "I'm standing behind my sister on this one. She…tried to warn me once about fighting Godzilla. While none of us can exactly trust her entirely, I can trust her to be honest about this."

After a deafening silence, King Kuei sighed. "Very well. We'll hear what you have to say."

With that, Azula launched into her battle plan. She was careful not to favor one army over the other lest she be accused of keeping the Fire Nation's forces out of harm's way. Didn't want to be lumped into the rest of the warmongers on her side.

For once, Zuko and Iroh looked…almost impressed. It felt odd having her brother be on her side for once. Maybe not proud since she had to feed in what he believed was the Fire Nation's worst vices, but impressed she could get both sides to listen to her. Azula supposed it would have to be the best she could pull together. After all, what could one expect? They wanted peace yet came from war. One needed to see what was true in the present if they desired something in the future. That's what Father always taught her about scheming and getting his nobles under control.

Maina looked impressed, nodding with approval. That was the most encouraging of all. Azula knew she wasn't exactly the best diplomat of peace. If she thought the Princess of the Fire Nation did a good job, that was saying something.

And yet…she felt conflicted. It was a performance, not what she truly wanted deep down. She wanted the Fire Nation in control of the world and to be Fire Lord. Lying was one thing, but this felt like lying to herself. Did she want this? To be in this position?

Her father's voice said no, already chastising her for being so weak. Her mother's voice was more receptive, offering to embrace her if the specter could. And the medallion felt ever warmer.

Which heightened the chaos in her heart even more.

---

Mayor's House,

Yu Dao

The Morishita Estate. Wide. Opulent. Packed brim with enough living quarters, storerooms, and tea rooms to keep a small army happy. Even having outgrown the blissful years of youth, Kori couldn't help but marvel at all the detailing and workmanship that went into constructing her childhood home.

Take the dining room she was seated in, for example. Lush carpets. Fine furniture neatly arranged in one corner of the room. A grand table with plush chairs just to seat three (though one chair was conspicuously absent). The teen remembered how on special occasions, her father would break out an even bigger table to satisfy visiting dignitaries. She also remembered hating those occasions the most since that meant she had to be extra formal and refined than normal.

Being able to relax was the only decent thing she had going for her right now. Granted, the smell of her favorite breakfast almost seduced her to dig in and forget the worries that were raging on outside these walls. "Well go on. Wouldn't want to go hungry on a day like this," her father encouraged, already digging into his meal.

Then she thought about how this food was possible. "I'm guessing the food stores are still stocked?" Kori asked.

A deep, rumbling sigh came from the heavyset man who was her father, his sideburns bristling a little. "It's about all we have left," he explained. "The rest of our stores have gone down into the tunnels below. We had some engineers sent over from the Capital to build our bunker. Won't be entirely like home, but we'll be able to sit out this nasty business in comfort."

Kori knew he meant well. And maybe if she was younger, she'd be a bit more appreciative. Yet she was a teen now. Being a teen meant one started to learn more and more about the world at large. A breakfast that would've seemed sumptuous before made her wary.

"We'll distribute food for everyone else while we're in lockdown. Right?" she asked.

The mayor shrugged, taking a bite out of his eggs. "Of course. If things get a bit loud, we can give some morsels to the masses. We're not exactly jailers to our people now, are we?"

…Kori paused, putting down her utensils. Immediately, her father realized his mistake. "Young lady, you should know he left me with little choice in the matter-"

"Saki would never advocate for violence."

"And yet he lay down the groundwork for those radicals to take power," the mayor rumbled, getting out of his chair and pacing alongside the table. "You don't organize a protest and expect things to always remain peaceful. His arrest may as well have lifted their mask. What I don't get is why you'd vouch for him of all people."

"Because it's not him that's doing the killing. This new leader-"

"Took what was already there and pushed them to the logical extreme. Besides, it doesn't matter a whole lot in the long run. Once the Avatar comes back, this replacement will be behind bars and Yu Dao will know peace. As much as those dirt shovelers can be expected to know of peace of course," her father said with a scowl.

Her patience on the other hand was at an abysmal low. Kori shot right up and gave him a challenging glare. "Father, if Aang takes down this master, the violence is going to start all over again. He's going to be a martyr, the Fire Lord will be forced to keep his troops here, and the Earth King will be pissed that we haven't left already!"

"Then maybe the Earth King will have second thoughts about inheriting this powderkeg of a city if peace means so much to him. At least if there's one thing our country's good at, it's taking violence by the horns." His stony face didn't give her fiery tirade one inch. Of course he wouldn't. One didn't become mayor of Yu Dao by being a pushover.

Try as she might, Kori was forced to look away and gaze out a nearby window to calm herself down. The sun was rising in the east, casting all of Yu Dao in its glow. Funny. Up here the city didn't seem so bad. All the chaos in the streets was hidden by the towering buildings.

A deep sigh came behind her. "Kori, I just want you here safe with me. I was willing to turn a blind eye to your rebellion before, but not when people are being hurt. A father needs to look after his children after all."

"And a daughter must uphold her family's honor." She grimaced a little from that most important lesson growing up. The one thing both of her parents instilled in her ever since she was young enough to understand the words. Not the meaning behind them though. That came after.

"Precisely," her father declared, coming close and rubbing her shoulders affectionately. "And after Mother…I can't lose you too."

Kori went silent. Their mother. The stable rock in their lives. That sudden illness that took her life left an empty hole that hadn't been filled. She wondered what her mother would've thought about her association with the rebels.

Her mind was clear though. "I'm sorry, Father. Things…aren't the same anymore. You grow up, your eyes start to open. Suddenly you're not sure what to believe in and everything changes. Especially family." And by Agni, she didn't want those words to be true. She remembered the days when her father was her hero. Always safeguarding them from any noble that tried to exploit them or their people.

Then she grew up. And she realized who was truly exploiting Yu Dao in the end.

"I…see. If you want, I can arrange a meeting with Saki after breakfast. It's the least I can do," her father offered. Kori felt her throat hitch. She knew when the mayor held some veiled threat or coercion, but there was none there. Nothing at all.

"I'd like that," she concluded.

"Very well. Well, first we'll have breakfast and then we'll pack our bags. Then we can stop by the jail on our way to the tunnels." Right on cue, a low rumble was heard through the house. They knew the earthbenders down below were making the final touches on their defenses.

Soon, she'll be asked to join them. Kori suddenly felt a bit uneasy going down into the depths. That would mean leaving Azula and Maina, and she wasn't sure if she wanted to part ways with the two yet. The timetable was a lot shorter than she anticipated. Especially if Father was that confident that the Avatar could put down the new master. Suddenly she wondered if telling him their enemy was a monster could dissuade him.

She sighed, figuring she might as well get some breakfast in her to figure out her next move. Kori almost turned to leave when she saw a shape high up in the skies above. Or she thought she did. Maybe it was simply a bird or something.

Kori decided to focus her attention on breakfast. Yes, it was a bird.

She ignored how it seemed to be much larger than a bird.

Or how birds don't usually have large, dark, batlike wings.

---

Outside of Yu Dao,

Beyond the Ashlands

For a while, Azula didn't say a word as the army marched. They packed up their camp just a few hours before the sun rose, leaving behind a small detachment to hold Yu Dao. It should've been cause for celebration. After being stuck in a city that hated them, the men of the Fire Lord's army were finally heading into battle. Iroh should've been playing his stupid tsungi horn to raise their spirits.

Yet not one instrument was played. No songs. No fare. Just grim silence, the gears of treading tanks, and the dull rhythmic pounding of thousands of combat boots. They knew they weren't setting forth to conquer the enemy. This foe couldn't be conquered. Godzilla taught them that.

All around, she saw soldiers passing notes around. Final messages made their rounds about how it was an honor serving with them all. She even got one or two herself. Odd. Before nobody would dare approach her. It seems following her humiliation at Sozin's Comet, her status lowered. Didn't matter if she wore royal armor, she was nowhere near the royal procession. She was going under an armed escort of guards (Ming and Lee being replaced by a squadron of royal firebenders). And her hairpiece was gone.

She wasn't a Princess here. She was just another face they were going to see when they all died. Strangely enough, that gave her a little comfort. 'Little' being the key word, she realized how far she'd fallen that she was just another soldier to what should've been her subjects. Seemed like the universe was taking its sweet time rubbing her failures in her face again and again.

Not that she didn't have anything to play herself. Before they left, she sent a message to one of her Fiery Raptor agents who snuck away from the Coalition. Again, there was to be no engagement with either loyalists or kaiju. As for whether the message will get through, THAT remains to be seen.

It did little to quiet the pain in her heart. Kori was gone. She knew everyone was watching her, waiting for any sign of weakness. Minute by minute, it was getting harder to ignore the signs. That annoying strand of hair that kept getting out of place had been left unattended. She even felt her hair knot being looser than normal. Despite all her attempts, there was only so much she could do to maintain the image.

Worst of all, people were beginning to take notice. "You okay, Azula?" Maina asked, walking alongside her as she marched.

"I…no." She couldn't lie. Not to her that knew so much. Nor could she deny a question that was burning on the tip of her tongue. "Maina…do your people have a concept of destiny?"

"Destiny? You mean believing that our lives have some predetermined path that we have to fulfill?" the priestess asked.

"Something like that."

Maina paused for a moment. "I mean, in a way, yes. We do believe in fate. And we do think it's something tangible. I mean, some things are determined when we're born. Who we're born to determines what experiences we'll have growing up. And eventually, everybody dies. Why do you ask?"

The prodigy considered what she was going to say. She recalled what her father said about the order of things in the world. "Well, how do you know who's going to be destined for greatness and who's…not? Uncle always said he was destined to conquer Ba Sing Se and Zuko keeps going on and on about how he was destined for the throne."

"Ah. You're asking how you know what lies in store for you."

"I mean, sort of." Azula wasn't sure of how to even phrase her question. Iroh and Zuko were always so sure of their destinies and how they fulfilled theirs. Hers on the other hand? She never gave much thought to it outside of serving Father.

"That's the thing. Where I come from, we simply don't know. We can guess, but none of us are willing to say 'this is what we were put on this world to do' with complete confidence. Nature can snatch us away at any moment after all. Why should we presume we know things that aren't meant to be fully understood?"

"Sounds like we've got different views of fate it seems. Everyone in my family seems so sure of their place," Azula concluded.

A pause as Maina gently traced her staff in the dirt as they walked. "What about you? You know what your destiny is going to be?"

Now the firebender gulped. "I do. At least, I thought I did. Now I'm not so sure. Like, how did you know you were going to be a priestess?"

Maina shrugged. "Well, my sister and I were always keeping the peace at home growing up. Mom and Dad would get into arguments from time to time. Nothing serious mind you, just standard family stuff. We just learned how to defuse them on our part. Soon it started extending to the entire village. That's when Dad knew we'd be the next priestesses."

"So your father decided?"

"Well, not exactly. We figured we were meant to honor Mothra on our own. He just offered the way and gave us the words to say. And it just felt…good. Not hiding. Settling disputes. I felt like I was part of the community. Heck, when we learned the war was over, I argued we should start reconnecting with people again. I couldn't stay on that island cooped up forever. Arguing with the same people over and over again was driving me nuts.

"That's why I think destiny brought us together. If I hadn't gotten tired of hiding from the Fire Nation, I wouldn't have met you. And, well, here we are," Maina concluded, seeming so sure of herself.

Azula raised a quizzical eyebrow at her assessment. "You said you people don't presume to know your destinies, and yet you seem so sure. Doesn't that seem hypocritical?"

"Not really. I never said what destiny has in store for us after the fact. Only that I know we're meant to be together for some time. I learned it from past experiences, not just making a wild guess or presuming I'm going to be better than anyone else. Know your past to see the future and all."

Know your past to see the future. Azula played with the words a bit in her mind. "I guess that makes sense. Know who you are and know where you're going," she phrased in her own words. "Yet…what if you don't know yourself? What if you're not sure."

Maina's fingers drummed her staff a bit, leaving the Princess in suspense. "Would it help if I said I think what your future can hold?"

Now that caused Azula to scoff. "Really. You know what my future's going to be like?"

"In a way, yeah." The earnestness in Maina's voice gave pause to Azula's snark. Silently, she braced herself as she gestured to continue.

"Azula…you're not going to like this…but I don't think your future lies in the throne."

"...what? After everything, you don't I'm-"

"Let me finish. Azula, why do you want the throne so badly?"

"Why do I want-? Maina, my father gave me one last order. To look after and safeguard our country. I failed that, and the universe has been kicking me ever since for failing that duty. I let Zuko take power. I let that savage get the best of me. My destiny was taken from me just so my brother could live out his at the expense of everyone else. That's why I want the throne." Azula huffed in annoyance. After all this time together, did that backward native not pay attention to what was going on around her?

Her rage was simmering when Maina delicately said, "It sounds like more of what your father wanted than what you wanted."

"Well then, you don't know me at all," Azula spat out. Why did she even bother? What would this hick know about fate? About what she and Father shared? He put his faith in her, the one person in the world to do so. And she burnt it all away in return.

"...what if your fate lies with another?" Maina hesitantly asked, feeling the rage simmer underneath.

"Oh really? Who? Zuzu? Uncle Fatso? Do I have to prostrate myself before them and let them take my bending?" Azula asked sarcastically.

"I was talking about Godzilla."

…

All the rage left Azula when she heard his name. The only thing she had to say was "What?"

"Think about it," Maina argued. "Whenever you follow your father's words, you get weaker. You got angrier, and you suffered. Godzilla on the other hand saved you. Ever since you've been following him, your firebending's been getting better and better. You met Kori, Mothra, and I. Every time you turn away from the throne, you've become better. Why can't you see that?"

"...Godzilla also killed countless people. He almost tried to kill me too," Azula reminded both Maina and herself. The faces on the prison ship. Odo Island. Those bodies amongst the ashes. She couldn't forget those.

"And he spared you, Aang, and Aso Island when he was calmed down. I'm not saying he's not a threat, but I don't think he's evil incarnate either. I think it's just a matter of learning to live with him instead of trying to destroy him."

"Well, we still need to be ready for when he goes on the rampage."

"That's why we build shelters. Trust in each other to pull ourselves out of the wreckage. Learn about him so we can minimize the risk. Technically almost everything on Infant Island can kill us, so why haven't we gone out of our way to wipe them all out?" Maina asked.

"I can't just abandon everyone just so I can go chasing after some monster!" The frustration in Azula's heart rose again. Why was this so difficult for Maina to understand? If she gave up her pursuit of the throne now, that meant giving up on the Fire Nation. Giving up on what made her her! Did that mean nothing?

Maina, for once, didn't pursue the matter. She only stated, "Then maybe you should take some time away and figure out what you want. And it's not like you're stagnating or anything. I did mean it when I said you were getting stronger."

Azula sighed, trying in vain to control her breathing. As much as she hated to admit it, the native girl did have a point. She did feel herself getting more powerful ever since she started focusing her firebending in on herself. Deep down, she felt the blue flame roar to life, filling her veins. Before it was just her heart, not her whole body.

Maybe studying Godzilla and learning about him would make her a far stronger bender. Strong enough to widen the gap between her and her enemies.

But is that what you want? Mother's voice asked.

For once, Azula wasn't sure.

---

Jungles within the Territory of Unique Risk

They trekked through the forest until mid-morning when Team Avatar and their entourage decided to take a quick rest. Stomping around in thick foliage turned out to be a bit more taxing than flying around on Appa, so they needed a moment.

Not that they weren't idle. Sokka and one of the soldiers Kiriko brought with her went up ahead to scout the route Mongke had marked out for them. Now they were just waiting for them to get back. Best thing to do now was hunker down in a thick patch of trees.

For a while, nobody said a word. Aang knew why, listening to the deafening silence around them. This jungle wasn't anything like Anguirus's turf or Infant Island. Those were filled with life, the very air alive with the calls of distant animals. There was nothing here though. Just the occasional chirp of a cricket. It wasn't as though there wasn't animal life here, they did find the track of a mysterious beast now and then.

More like, the creatures of this place were unwilling to venture forth unless it was absolutely necessary. That's what freaked Aang out. He knew nature wasn't exactly kind, but even he was pretty sure no healthy ecosystem should have its entire population paralyzed by fear.

He wasn't the only one who noticed it. Momo was murmuring on his shoulder, trying to hide behind his large ears. Gently, Aang stroked the lemur's back saying it was okay. Maybe he'd be able to convince himself that things were okay. If he hadn't seen that huge shadow earlier…

Looking around, he saw they were all worn down. Katara kept herself busy by playing around with the water in her pouch, but everyone else was silent. Well, he decided it wouldn't do much good just sitting around.

"So…" Aang whispered, leaning over to Imana, "You excited to see those ruins? This technically is airbender history we're talking about."

"I…wouldn't say visiting a bad place for us would be 'exciting', so to speak. Especially since…you know. Kaiju and all," Imana whispered back.

"Oh. Right. Sorry about that." Aang suddenly felt sheepish. Sure, he was a bit excited. A place dating back before the Four Nations? Who'd want to miss out on that? Especially if it were somehow connected with the ancestors of the Air Nomads. It would be like rediscovering a piece of lost history.

So much so that he forgot it may not be exactly a good place for others to think about. Especially if the Infant Islanders remembered a bit more of what happened. Then again, he supposed the Air Nomad elders would've also known. They just never told him about it.

"Hang on a second. You're an Air Nomad?" Kiriko asked Imana. One quick introductory lesson on the history of the Infant Islanders later and the firebender was mostly brought up to speed. "Can't say I blame you for being wary around this place. We've had ghost stories about here for years."

"Really? What kind of stories?" Suki asked.

"Nothing much. Just whole groups going disappearing off into the night. It started as one or two every year or so, but it started to ramp up towards the end of the war," Kiriko explained while adjusting her armor. "Soon we started to give the place a wide berth, but the disappearance just extended to nearby villages."

Katara silently bent her water back into her pouch, causing Aang to rub her shoulder reassuringly. "Mongke, when you were out here, did you see anybody?" she asked.

The Colonel of the Rough Rhinos sighed. "Deep within, yes. I did see people. Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom working together oddly enough. Funny. The one place in the world where people put aside the war and it's in the Storm King's shadow. That's what happens when you live in the presence of gods, I suppose."

"They…were there of their free will. Right?" the waterbender pressed a bit nervously.

Mongke looked her right in the eye. "If you want to call doing their duties without a single word 'free will', then sure."

A shiver ran down Katara and Aang's back. They both knew what that meant. So did the two soldiers, who stared with graven expressions on their faces. Needless to say, everyone was on edge. Especially since they haven't seen a single patrol track or sign of human habitation upon entering the jungle. One figured they come across something by now.

Mongke didn't seem to pay them much mind though as he leaned back. "Though I must admit Avatar. If you want to get the Nations all working together, maybe you'd follow the Storm King's example."

His words caused Aang's attention to snap up and his eyebrows to furrow. "That's not peace. It sounds more like slavery," he pointed out.

The former colonel shrugged. "You know what I'm talking about. Earth Kingdom. Fire Nation. They don't want peace. Sure, some might want it, but that's not what the majority wants."

"I can't just put my foot down and start going into the Avatar State every time I run into some extremist!" Aang protested, his voice ringing out across the forest.

"And yet, that's what you're going to have to do. People won't listen to reason. They need it to be drilled into their mind. You. Kyoshi girl. Let's say one of your followers disagrees with you. What do you do?" Mongke asked Suki.

Taken aback by the sudden turn in the conversation, Suki stammered a bit before rallying. "I talk to them. I want to be somebody they'll look up to, not somebody they'd keep stuff from me."

Nodding, Mongke then turned to Kiriko. "And you. What would you do with a dissertation amongst your men?"

"I'd discipline them. Only so they know where they went wrong and how they can be better. I'm not exactly going to throw them to the wolves," Kiriko pointedly stated.

Encouraged, Aang stood up. "Well, there you have it. Not all of us think force is the only way."

Mongke on the other hand just sneered. "They gained loyalty through being there for their followers. For offering something they wanted and needed. But the world doesn't want peace. And it most certainly doesn't need an advocate for harmony when they forgot what that even meant long ago. No. They want blood.

"Can you give that to them, Avatar?" the colonel asked, sizing Aang up. "If you can give them war, they'll follow you. If you can't, they'll push the issue and you'll be forced to put them down. Either way, conflict is inevitable. Ultimately the choice of where to fight is up to you. Are you willing to do that? To give them the fight when the time comes?"

Aang stared back, almost seeing the blue tint in the rogue colonel's eyes. "I won't be the one who throws the first punch if that's what you're asking," he warned. Whoever this person thought they were, he wasn't going to be intimidated. He faced Ozai. He faced Godzilla. Some bitter war hounds weren't anything compared to the horrors he had to deal with.

They both stood at a standstill. Nobody was quite prepared to get in between the Avatar and a feared Fire Nation commander. It was only the sound of footsteps trampling through the brush that broke the tension. "Hey guys, I just scouted ahead and-okay, and I turn my back for five minutes and you're already at each other's throats?" Sokka groaned.

"It's nothing. We're just having a discussion," Aang managed to get out, finding enough self-control to look away.

Upon seeing her scout having returned with Sokka, Kiriko rose. "How's the path look up ahead?"

Sokka and the scout exchanged glances before the latter sighed. "There's a lot of open ground to cover. If we go out there, we'll be exposed."

"I suggest maybe taking a detour through the jungle so we still have the element of surprise," Sokka suggested. "The last thing we want is an engagement with an enemy force we don't know anything about."

Kiriko scratched her chin in contemplation. Before she could give her answer, Mongke snorted. "It's why we're taking this route to begin with!" he argued. "We take a detour, they're going to be all over us. It seems dangerous, but that's the point! They won't expect us coming from their flank over open ground."

"But if we do that, we'll be at risk of being spotted!" Sokka argued back, wondering why everyone disagreed with every last suggestion he made. He advocates for sticking to the schedule, his friends goof around. He suggests NOT attacking a giant monster unprovoked, they go in fires blazing. Was the Fire Nation allergic to common sense?

Unbeknownst to anyone, Momo's ears swiveled around as the lemur began staring off into the dark woods…

"We haven't seen any patrols though! You think I'd bring you all this way if I knew the path was being watched?!"

Aang noticed Momo's behavior amidst all the fighting, and he began to look in the same direction as the lemur. The dark woods stared back.

In the distance, he swore he heard trees cracking…

"That could mean anything! I'm more nervous since at least we'd know if there were men in the area by now. It feels like we're waking into an ambush!"

"Everyone quiet!" Katara shouted, causing them all to shut up. She noticed Aang kneeling on the ground and feeling the earth. His eyes widened when his palm touched the dirt. Not that it was needed. The sound of crashing trees was coming closer as heavy thuds began rapidly approaching them.

He didn't need much more motivation. "RRRRUUUUUNNNN!" Aang yelled, causing everyone to bolt in the opposite direction of the…whatever it was. Momo did the sensible thing by screaming his head off and taking to the air, flying alongside the airbender and away from the threat.

Said threat was currently gaining ground on them. While they had to bob and weave through the vegetation, it just crashed through them. The snarling and hissing kept them moving. To look back was to give their hunter a chance to catch up. Nobody was that foolish.

Katara on the other hand wasn't deterred. Bending a tendril of water out of her pouch, she wheeled around and sharpened them into lances of freezing ice with a jerk of her wrist. They went flying when she whirled around, all aimed at their pursuer. She wasn't daring enough to risk a glance, trusting her reaction was enough to land her projectiles home. The distressingly familiar sound of ice piercing flesh rang in her ears, confirming some of the lances hit home.

Still, they all ran. Up ahead, the trees began to break up. "We can make our stand in the open out there!" Sokka shouted, the route he scouted still fresh in his mind.

"You heard him men! Once we break through the trees, give this bastard the roaster!" Kiriko ordered her men. Nearby, Aang began to control his breathing. If they needed fire, he was more than ready to turn up the heat.

The moment they broke through the trees, they sprinted a few meters before wheeling around. Kiriko and her men got into position in a semi-circle and took firebending stances. Aang joined along with them, noting how the lieutenant snapped down her skull mask and hid her face. Funny how enemies could become allies so quickly.

Suki, Sokka, and Katara also snapped around. The Kyoshi Warrior whipped out her shield and sword, facing the crashing trees of the forest. "I'll try to see if I can find a weak spot to exploit! No sense in wasting water, right Katara?"

Her allies though stared at her in shock. "That thing's crashing through trees like it's nothing and you want to swing a sword at it?!" Sokka practically shrieked.

"I've got a shield and armor. Trust me, I can handle a big animal up close and personal! Especially when they've got its attention!" She tried not to think about how her definition of a big animal she could handle was relegated mostly to Komodo Rhinos and how this thing seemed a bit bigger than those.

The skies above didn't help things. It should've been midday at least, yet the clouds were so dark and thick that it seemed the very sun was blotted out. As if it was the herald of a great storm.

Still, everyone got into position, watching nervously as the…whatever it was kept charging closer and closer. Just as the final trees crashed into the clearing, the firebenders thrust out their fists and unleashed a torrent of flame (evidently the "Roaster" as Kiriko called it). Together, they formed a wall of fire, big enough to consume their pursuer.

For a moment, they stood in silence, watching the fires crackle and burn. Nothing moved amidst the flames. Had they done it? Was that thing roasting alive?

They got their answer when a large, greenish-gray head snaked its way through the flames. The head itself was…bizarre. Covered in sinewy flesh. Red eyes hungrily regarded them all. Multiple pairs of red-eyes as a matter of fact. A sharp hiss erupted from a maw that was far toothier than it had any right to be.

The thing stalked forward upon a pair of powerful legs with taloned feet. Its head passed right through the flame upon a serpent-like neck, with powerful arms flexing deadly looking claws.

On instinct, Aang and the firebenders let forth another torrent of flame. But the creature snapped forth a pair of powerful bat-like wings and covered itself. The flames washed over its strange scales. When the flames died, patches of burnt flesh and skin covered the wings.

Then the flesh started to pulse and grow. The burns shrunk, and new flesh had repaired the wounds. Snarling, the creature beat its wings and pushed the ashes of the fiery salvo right in their face. They were forced to cover their mouths and eyes to prevent choking on the minute particles.

"What the-? Is that a dragon?!" Kiriko coughed out.

Aang did his best to bend some of the ashes and cinders out of their faces, but their assault had generated a lot of it. "No. This is something else!" Aang answered back once he got some air. Truth be told, he didn't know WHAT it was. Yet he couldn't deny there was something vaguely draconic about it.

He could worry about what constitutes a dragon later though when the beast whirled around. A long tail whipped out behind it, lashing through the choking embers. With almost no air to bend, Aang was forced to stamp the ground and bring up a shield of rocks. Toph probably would've barked why on earth did he just not create a hole to duck into, but he was a little bit too busy for a more advanced technique. The shield itself wasn't particularly tough, but that wasn't the point. Aang just had to time his next stunt right.

Just as the tail was about to crash through his fairly shoddy defenses, the airbender lept onto the shield. The earth shattered when the tail struck, but Aang used the momentum to launch himself clear of the smoke. A spin in mid-air and a gust of wind straightened him out and let him land on his feet. Kiriko and her firebenders didn't have the wind on their side, so they just dove to the ground as the tail snapped over their heads.

The wings of the "dragon" beat once more as it propelled itself up into the air, launching itself at those who remained standing. Aang and Suki dove to the side as the monster streaked past. Katara and Sokka on the other hand weren't so lucky. Their pursuer moved so fast despite its great size that they didn't have time to react. All they could do was gape as its feet lashed out and seized them with massive claws.

"KATARA! SOKKA!" Aang cried out as the monster began to climb into the dark sky with its quarry. His instincts kicked in as he snapped out his glider. Already his mind was thinking of too many ways two of his oldest friends could die. He wasn't losing anybody else.

The two Water Tribe siblings on the other hand were struggling in the beast's grasp. Katara was trying to wiggle her arm out and maybe reach her water pouch, but a sharp cry from Sokka put a stop to her struggle. "He drops us, we're both dead!" he shouted. A look down below on how high they were getting, and Katara realized that he had a very good point.

Somebody else on the other hand didn't get the message. Not that it would've mattered as Momo quickly caught up to the predator and tried gnawing at the toes clutching Sokka. "Momo, I love ya buddy, but could you maybe help when we're NOT holding on for dear life?!" he screamed, panic fueling his words.

It was at that moment that the creature almost seemed to hear what the teen was shouting about and released its catch. Now by this point, Sokka and Katara were seasoned combat veterans. They had fought, survived, and helped end a war that lasted a century. Yet they learned that certain fears resonated deep in the human psyche. One was a fear of being dropped at such a height that you could see your death incoming. Involuntarily they screamed, seeing the earth begin to get closer as they plummeted through the air.

Yet their fate wasn't to die that day. Aang swooped in under them, allowing the siblings to grab onto the wings of his glider and save themselves from their doom. "By the Spirits, thank you Aang!" Katara shouted over the winds.

Her boyfriend on the other hand was straining from the sudden weight he had taken up from his two passengers. "Bad idea…" he muttered, feeling that the best he could pull off was a controlled crash landing.

His concentration was further interrupted when Momo pulled up alongside him screaming. Looking behind, the color drained from his face as the predator was diving after them with that toothy maw wide open.

A salvo of fireballs slammed into the monster's face just in time, letting Aang maneuver safely away from its path. Distracted from its prey, it leveled out and descended back into the earth so it could avoid a crash of its own.

Somebody was waiting for it though. As it landed with a heavy thud, Suki dashed forward as Kiriko and her firebenders fired another salvo. Once more the "dragon" covered its face with those wings, but the Kyoshi Warrior was ready. She ducked underneath where she assumed its heart would be and slashed out with her sword. A spurt of blood and a scream of pain indicated she hit home.

Her satisfaction would have to wait though as the beast pulled back and smacked her away with a swipe of its claws. Suki got her shield out before they could render her flesh, but she was knocked to the ground regardless. Before she could get up though, the thing's massive foot slammed down and pinned her to the earth.

Those unearthly red eyes stared at her, almost examining her curiously. Suki tried to swing her sword to free herself, but her weapon was effectively pinned by one of its talons.

So she glared back, unwilling to give the creature the satisfaction. That's when she saw the wound she delivered close up, flesh being repaired. Suki paled. Such a strike should've been enough to gut a Komodo Rhino. How had its flesh recovered so quickly?

"GET AWAY FROM MY GIRLFRIEND YOU BASTARD!"

A boomerang hit one of the "dragon"'s eyes. Snarling, it turned and saw Sokka charging at it, catching his rebounding projectile in the process. Yet it didn't let go of its prey. Instead, its claws tore through the dirt beneath Suki and lifted her. Both the Kyoshi Warrior and Sokka stopped in their tracks. It was going to crush her in a single stroke before she even had a chance to escape…

Suddenly, a lash of flame-seared the leg, forcing the monster to release Suki. Kiriko dove forward and caught the falling warrior. "You can thank me later!" she barked out as both of them scrambled to their feet and away from the thrashing predator.

"How are we supposed to kill this thing?! We've been hitting it with everything we've got!" one of the scouts dejectedly exclaimed. Nobody bothered to correct him. They just backed up as their hunter regained its footing. Indeed, nothing seemed to stick. Burnt flesh was repaired. Spilled blood was sown back in. How was one supposed to defeat such a beast if they couldn't hurt it?

That's when Aang saw the dorsal spines on its back. Inwardly, he paled.

"I found the cave! This way before the Servum rips you to pieces!" Mongke's voice rang out. Aang's thoughts were dashed for the moment, forgetting that the Colonel was there. Indeed, everyone lost him in the chaos. But those thoughts would have to wait for now. A more primal instinct had taken over as they dashed to where Mongke was.

They ran into the trees on the other side of the clearing, following Mongke and making sure he never left their sight. All the while the enraged beast sprinted after them, crashing again through the vegetation. After what seemed like forever, they found a ridge ahead of them. And at its base was a cave opening.

Nobody thought twice when they dove inside. Didn't think as they ran into the dark. Didn't look back as they heard the "dragon" dive its head in and snap in vain to try and catch them.

They ran for as long as their legs could carry them, and until they couldn't hear the beast anymore. Everyone stopped and panted, a distant light illuminating their surroundings. Evidently, their pursuer had given up.

"That's…why we take the shortcut…" Mongke panted. Nobody argued with him. They just gasped for air. Aang looked around and saw that everyone was accounted for. Even Momo, who was currently lying on his back and struggling to get air, and Imana, who had ducked for the trees as soon as they were under attack.

"I'm sorry I didn't help. I just…a Servum…I never thought I'd see one," she panted.

"Remind me to…teach you some airbending techniques when we get a chance," Aang requested, getting the air back into his lungs.

"Duly noted."

Sokka looked up. "Hang on. What'd you call it?" he asked Imana.

"A Servum. We don't have many stories about them. Only that they're supposed to be distant cousins of dragons. Can't breathe fire, but you can't exactly kill them either.

"What I want to know is how you know about them?" she asked Mongke.

The Rough Rhino paused for a moment. "They're a legend from what I know," he got out, his voice still gathering breath. "Said to be the spirits of dragons possessing trees. That's why you can't kill them. Didn't think they were real though."

"Well, that's just great. Now we have to deal with that thing," Kiriko snarked, bringing up a flame with her palm and taking a look around. Her fire illuminated the dark rocks surrounding them. "This is the cave we're looking for?" she asked.

Mongke nodded. On the one hand, there was some relief. If what he said was true, this cave would lead them directly into the ruins of the Storm King. On the other hand, it would lead them directly into the ruins of the Storm King. They couldn't let their guard down now. There was no telling what horrors lay before them.

A gruff sigh came from the lieutenant. "Come on then. The more distance we put between us and that thing back there, the better." With that, she led them further into the cave.

Aang held back for a moment though as he whispered to Imana. "Did you see those spines on its back?"

"I did," she whispered back. The moment they got a good look at its spines, they couldn't get the image out of their head.

Those dorsal spines were like flames frozen in skin and bone.

Just like Godzilla.

---

Somewhere on the Earth Kingdom Coast

Their orders were simple. Patrol the roads, check up on the locals living along the coast, and keep an eye on the sea. It was simple and boring most of the time. Turns out the threat of a kaiju attack made people stay shut in their homes and not want to come out. Sure it made the job fairly easy, but it certainly wasn't interesting either. Peasants around here didn't even have any news given the recent deadlock of traffic.

So for a bored squadron of Fire Nation soldiers, it almost seemed like a gift from Agni themselves that they came across a family (a man, woman, and a boy and a girl) with a Horse Ostrich drawn carriage. After a quick look over to make sure no contraband goods were on hand, the sergeant stepped forward to consult who seemed to be the patriarch of the family. Earth Kingdom by the looks of him.

"Alright. Looks like you're clean. Now would you mind telling me why you're out and about when we're in the middle of a warzone?" he questioned.

The patriarch, a middle-aged lanky man with a short beard, proceeded to puff out his chest like it would make him seem bigger. "Well if you must know, we've got family in Yu Dao. Course I wouldn't expect some firespitters to understand." His wife proceeded to slap him upside the head to shut him up.

"Yu Dao?!" one of the privates cried out in alarm. "That place is under siege! Why in the Three Nations would you want to drag your kids in the middle of THAT mess?"

The wife stepped forward and cut off her husband, not wanting him to make an even bigger fool of himself. "We have family in Yu Dao. Now we've heard that things have been bad there for a while and we wanted to be there to support them in any way we could. Besides, it's not as if things are any safer in Cranefish."

"It's not just kaiju that's causing problems in Yu Dao you know," the private warned.

Yet the mother stood firm as if challenging them all. "Everywhere has problems. We'd rather face them together."

Sighing, though a little impressed, the sergeant held out his hand to silence his subordinates. "Alright. Obviously, we can't stop you, so we're going to escort you. Just stay close and-"

"Uh…Sarge? We've got company!" One of the privates shouted, pointing out to the water of the sea.

More specifically, the massive swell coming their way and the spines beginning to rise from the water.

Frantically, the sergeant scanned the surrounding area before seeing a pile of boulders higher up the slope. "EVERYONE TAKE COVER IN THOSE ROCKS!" he ordered his pitch high with fear. In an instant, any division between Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom vanished as they ran for the hills. The patriarch quickly got out a knife and cut the Horse Ostrich free, letting it run free before joining the others.

Everyone was screaming at him to join them on the cover, telling him not to look back. He didn't need to. The sound of seawater being displaced as something rose from the water caused him to scramble faster.

Finally, he made it amongst the rocks. "Everyone shut up and hunker down. Not a sound," the sergeant advised. Nobody was willing to argue with him. They all hid behind the rocks and listened with dread as the sound of booming footsteps came closer. And closer.

Suddenly, the sun was blotted out as the towering form of the monster slowly lumbered past them. They could hear its breathing and the water dripping down its charcoal back.

The boy curiously looked out to gaze at the beast. "Is…that Godzilla?" he whispered.

At once, the kaiju stopped. Before somebody could pull the boy behind the rocks, Godzilla looked around, observing the landscape. Then those fiery eyes landed on the people, paralyzing them with his gaze.

Seconds seemed to stretch out as the monster silently observed them.

Then, he turned and marched away, his tail thrashing in the air.

"Yeah, that's Godzilla," the boy's mother confirmed. Cautiously, they began to come out one by one to behold the monster. What they saw was different among them. The adults felt fear and terror.

The children felt something else entirely. "Woooaaah," the girl muttered, seeing the living mountain stalk away. Despite their difference, one couldn't deny its terrifying majesty.

Godzilla couldn't care less about the humans as he lumbered to the east. A challenge was made. And he aimed to answer it.

Notes:

A/N: Happy late holidays everyone! I hope you had a good time with your folks. I sure did. Which probably would explain the delay this time.

The Fremen were right. Life truly is just a giant temperamental sandworm that does everything but cooperate.

Anyways, Azula's not doing so good this chapter. One of the big misconceptions about her mental breakdown was that she was always mentally ill. This wasn't the case at all, it was things moving out of her control that painted a bigger target on her back. I hoped to get that point clear in this chapter.

Now for the Iron Maws. I honestly doubt that every Fire Nation army group is going to throw their arms down and start being obedient to somebody who might as well be the poster boy for what you SHOULDN'T be. They, along with the Fiery Raptors and the Children of the Sun, are basically the remnants of what the average Fire Nation soldier would think of the regime change. In keeping with the spirit of the original series, I didn't want them to be monsters either. The Iron Maws or Fiery Raptors might be more aggressive and "villainous", but the Children of the Sun certainly aren't. They've got different reasons to be fighting. Heck, there's disagreement in their ranks since not every rogue soldier is some warmongerer. I wanted to find a healthy balance here.

Same with Iroh and Zuko. I didn't necessarily want them to be in the right here with their suspicions against Azula, but I didn't want them to not have any reason to be antagonistic either. They had some bad experiences with her, and it's not going to go away overnight. Even if one of them is trying to make an effort to bury the hatchet. It's one thing post-canon got right at least. It's a case of, how are we going to coexist with somebody we fundamentally disagree with?

That was something I tried to do with Toph and her parents. I doubt she wants to cut ties with them entirely, but she still has a good reason to be alienated from them. I didn't want them to be monsters either. Just flawed people who made mistakes.

Now as for the concept of destiny, I wanted to deconstruct that a bit. At least the Fire Nation's idea of it. Iroh thought his destiny was to conquer Ba Sing Se but it was to save it, Zuko being destined for the crown, yadda yadda yadda. Even if the characters are sympathetic when they say it though, it's very easy to see their ideology being a product of their Fire Nation upbringing. Especially when Zhao and Ozai bring up several declarations and they're meant to be the bad guys. Maina's idea of destiny though is a bit different. It's essentially a culture clash between hers and Azula's since her idea emphasizes personal growth, discovering oneself, and essentially choosing what you want to be.

You can blame BIONICLE for how I wrote destiny here.

Finally, we get to the Servum. The Servum were a race of draconic-like creatures in the Godzilla anime trilogy that were essentially his "servants". They're meant to have their master's toughness and regenerative capabilities. Now I don't want to spoil too much about them, but they're going to be used in a different capacity here. I actually did take some inspiration from the Tyranids from Warhammer 40k in SOME aspect. Mainly being this unthinking eating and killing machine that's less an animal and more a walking virus.

Fun fact: for anybody who's watched Monster Island Buddies (not exactly made for kids mind you), they're annoyed pests who get in your face and go EBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEEEEEEEEY-

Anyways, thank you all for reading. I am praying the next chapter comes out a bit faster since there are a LOT of scenes I'm excited to tackle. Thank you all for your patience and support. Feel free to comment to share your thoughts. Make sure to favorite and follow if you want to see more, and I'll see you all next time. Thank you for reading, have a great day, and stay safe out there.

Chapter 23: Realm of the Storm King

Summary:

On the edge of battle, Azula is faced with a request from her brother. The fallout of which could jeopardize everything. Meanwhile, Team Avatar navigates through the dark tunnels to find dark ruins overcome by nature. Where the dreaded Storm King lies in wait...

Notes:

Avatar: The Last Airbender and all associated characters are owned by Paramount Global. Godzilla and all associated characters are owned by Toho Studios. Please support the official release.

  Somewhere in the Territory of Unique Risk

 

Kiriko’s flame was the only illumination they got as they ventured further into the cave. More and more, what little light the sun offered from the entrance faded before vanishing altogether. Now all they could see around them was cold rock and stone.

 

For a long time, nobody said a word for fear of breaking the fragile silence they had. They’d already escaped one predator, they did not wish to alert another. Indeed, the very first thing that they feared to find was the signs of one. Deep gouges on the cave wall. Nesting material. Maybe even a discarded bone here or there. Perhaps they were being paranoid, but one couldn’t be paranoid enough if you weren’t sure of your place on the food chain.

 

Yet further they delved into the tunnel, regardless of what lay in store. Whatever lay ahead couldn’t be worse than what lay behind. And as they progressed, their nerves slowly relaxed. Aang was the first to calm down a little, his shoulders relaxing and Momo comfortably resting on his shoulder. So far there wasn’t any sign of danger. They probably would’ve seen some sign of it by now.

 

Course, they weren’t lulled into a false sense of security. That’s why Suki kept a low voice as she pulled up beside Kiriko. “You saved me back there. Why?” she asked. It was an honest question for a Fire Nation soldier. The Kyoshi Warrior had heard countless horror stories of what they had committed during the war. And while she could attest that some of them were wildly untrue, there had to be a fire if there was smoke.

 

The deep voice of Kiriko whispered back. “Way I see it, we’re in this together. And I don’t know about you, but getting crushed to death is a pretty nasty way to die. For anyone.”

 

“Well, can’t argue there,” Suki commented. Yet, there was something she couldn’t put her finger on. “I don’t get it. Out of all the soldiers I met, it seems like you’re more honorable than most.”

 

“If you call not doing anything stupidly malicious ‘honorable’, then yeah, I can go with that.”

 

“Then how come you don’t surrender to Fire Lord Zuko? He’ll treat you and your men with the dignity you deserve.”

 

Kiriko sighed deeply, her flame pulsating as she did. “Listen, kid. We don’t exactly have clean hands either. The problem is either we do some pretty heinous stuff, or we’d get our faces burned off by our superiors. If we’re going to follow anyone, I’d rather it be somebody who won’t get us killed just to get their chance at glory.”

 

Her harshness put a stop to Suki’s words. A part of her wanted to argue back that the older woman’s assessment of Zuko was unfair. That he’d changed. But there was another part that remembered the burning ruins of her village, and how it was only on Aang’s word that she trusted him. Admittedly the word of the Avatar meant a lot in her heart, but she had to admit it was still a shaky foundation.

 

Instead, somebody else vouched for the young monarch. Katara caught up to them and said, “That’s not fair! Zuko’s trying his best! He-”

 

“-is never going to live Yu Dao down,” Kiriko cut off. “Look, you guys might like him just fine, but that doesn’t mean he’s shaped up for the rest of us. Trust me, I’d like to see him be better. Until that happens though, we’re not bending our knees to somebody who treats his people like prisoners or pawns.”

 

With that, the firebender trudged on further into the dark. And for a little while longer, nobody wanted to say anything. Partly because they didn’t want to make too much noise for fear of possibly alerting whatever was waiting for them, and partly because there was something true in her words. Everyone there (sans Mongke and Imana) was hurt in some way by Zuko. Yet that didn’t mean he didn’t better himself to them, or at least tried to. And it wasn’t as if they didn’t know some of his issues were still affecting him…

 

“You know you’ve got to give him a chance sometime, right?” Aang said after a little bit. “Can’t go on running forever.”

 

“...no. We can’t.” Kiriko didn’t say anymore, her shaky and quiet voice telling them all the rest of the story.

 

Again, silence descended on the group. Only their footsteps and the rustling of Kiriko and Suki’s armor filled the void. It was probably best for all that they kept their thoughts to themselves lest they betray themselves. Suki’s thoughts were turning over again and again in her mind. Fire Nation soldiers who had honor but didn’t bend their knees. Truth be told, there was something almost admirable about them. She wondered if there were more of them in the Fire Nation army. No doubt there were the truly wretched, but surely not all of them were monsters.

 

Yet how do you fight for them when they served an evil tyrant? Suki wondered. She couldn’t ignore who they served. And it was as Kiriko said, they weren’t innocent either. So what does one do for that?

 

“Hey. Check out the walls.”

 

Her attention was drawn outward when Sokka pointed to the walls of the cave.

 

Except, it didn’t exactly look like a cave right now.

 

Where there was once natural rock was now carved stone. All along the wall, strange sigils and symbols ran down the length of the tunnel. “Imana, any of these look like writing?” Sokka asked.

 

The priestess of Infant Island stepped closer to the wall, running her fingers along them. “I don’t think so. Looks more like decoration than anything else.”

 

“...I knew that,” Sokka said, trying to save face. His pathetic attempt though brought a smirk on Suki’s lips. How could somebody be that smart yet so dense?

 

On the other hand, Mongke just snorted with derision. “I wouldn’t be so flippant. We’re in their territory now.” And once again, silence descended upon the group. They didn’t say a word as they ventured further into the hallway, with stony bricks replacing the natural rocks of the cave. Suki kept her mouth shut, inwardly making sure that all her weapons were on hand in case of conflict.

 

Still, the hairs stood up on the back of her neck. Especially when she looked up and saw the zigzagging pattern on the wall as they walked. There were crisscrossed etchings in the pattern that reminded her of the scales of a slithering snake.

 

…she decided it was best not to think about it too deeply. Dread was already running through her veins. She didn’t want to be seized up by it as well.

 

---

 

Earth Spirit’s Pass

 

The Earth Kingdom called it Earth Spirit’s Pass. According to legend, the Earth King in the time of Sozin led a retreat with his forces through hidden tunnels dug out in the mountain range separating the beachhead of the Fire Nation advance and the interior of the continent. When Sozin’s forces advanced into the dark caves to overrun their forces, the king prayed to the spirits to deliver them.

 

A spirit answered. The whole mountainside collapsed on the Fire Nation army. Their losses were so great, that they had to call the offensive off to recover. And it took even longer to find a way around the mountains since no general worth his salt wanted to squander his honor on another disaster. Sure they didn’t exactly respect the spirits as the Earth Kingdom did back then, but they did respect the dangers of an unstable mountain range.

 

It was an event of celebration for the Earth Kingdom and a dark day for the Fire Nation. Azula scowled at the pass, remembering how the long delay gave the Earth King time to dig in and prepare a grueling decades-long defense that would plague Azulon’s reign. If she had to give Uncle Fatso anything, she could respect he was the only one who managed to break through their lines. Course then he got drunk off his own success and tried to siege Ba Sing Se for 600 days, ushering in another black mark.

 

One natural disaster had such a shadow over the war. And now it was the site of conflict again. Looking out at the mountainsides flanking the pass, Azula saw the Earth King’s forces already weakening and readying the mountains for another collapse. This time, their target was a massive dark worm just waiting for them on the other side. If Battra wanted a fight, he’d have to come through here.

 

That’s if he wants a fight , mother’s voice rather unhelpfully quipped. Yet Azula couldn’t argue against the specter. He had all the time to advance on them, yet he kept holding back and let them take the initiative. Was he trying to draw them away from the city? Or was there some other play going on? There had to be a reason Rodan woke him up after all. Yet what was it?

 

Azula wasn’t sure. Still, she found it rather ironic. There was no doubt in her mind that the Earth Spirit in question was indeed Battra. Now his trap would be turned on him.

 

Of course, it wouldn’t be enough. One obviously couldn’t turn the earth against the Lord of the Earth after all. That’s where step two came in. In the shadow of the pass, Zuko’s demolition crews were at work filling great craters (dug by Earthbenders) with whatever ordinance they were able to lug with them. Barrels of explosives. Bombs. Spare artillery ammo. Anything that would blow up when you ignited it.

 

It was a favorite defensive tactic of the Fire Nation. Just on a much bigger scale with Earthbending. On the ridge alongside them, artillery crews stood at the ready. When it came time, they’d aim their catapults and siege weapons at the pits. So when Battra would try to tunnel through the ground, they’d be ready to light them up.

 

Simple. Effective. Hard to screw up. Though as the Earthbenders covered up the ordinance, she couldn’t help but wonder if it would be enough. Forcing the battle above ground would let the tanks and artillery do their work. Yet looking around, the Princess saw that they didn’t quite have the numbers of the Yu Dao disaster. Their numbers were bolstered by a few Earth Kingdom catapult emplacements further along the mountainsides, but they didn’t come anywhere near the quality one would expect from Fire Nation ordinance.

 

“Maina. You sure Mothra’s going to show up?” Azula asked her friend, standing by her side on the ridge. Her tone was quiet and controlled, not wanting nervousness to turn a simple ask into wishful begging.

 

The priestess of Infant Island nodded in affirmation. “She’ll show up. We just need to give her room.”

 

Indeed, they already did. There was a sizeable gap in their lines upon and going down the ridge. Big enough for a gigantic worm to crawl through.

 

Also, it was big enough to cause some problems. “I hate to break it to you, but the War Council isn’t exactly happy with a huge hole in their lines. And letting you run things,” Mai deadpanned. Azula’s back shivered. It felt so alien to hear that familiar emotionless tone only one of her best…

 

No. She didn’t want to think about it. Didn’t even want to look back. What was done was done. “I’m not asking to make friends. I just want to see tomorrow’s sunrise,” Azula carefully said, expecting a knife in her back at any moment.

 

Instead, she heard Mai’s robes rustle from one of her characteristic shrugs. “Whatever you say.”

 

Well, at least I know where she is , the Princess silently mused to herself. She hasn’t seen Ty Lee for ages. Ordinarily, that would be fine since she didn’t want to see that fake bubbly smile just as much the acrobat probably wanted to avoid her. Yet she couldn’t ignore how close her former friend was to her during the confrontation with the Iron Maws. Wouldn’t put it past Uncle to keep her in the shadows to paralyze his least favorite family member at just the right moment.

 

Speaking of, Iroh plodded up next to her, stroking his beard. “I pray for all of us that this works. If not, yet more blood will be senselessly spilled. Surely you know how many lives you are gambling with, do you?”

 

Azula bit her tongue. It took every muscle to resist throwing those words into his face. How dare he. Must’ve been so easy for him to stand on a pedestal and lobby all of his vices on her. The only reason she didn’t spit something back was she had a thing called “manners” around speaking to one’s elders. Somebody in this messed up family had to try and have an ounce of respect for their own.

 

Instead, she flatly stated that, “I know better than most people. It’s not me you should be worried about.” With that, she turned back to the horizon and the gap. Even from this distance, she could see flocks of birds flying around from the jungle. No doubt disturbed by the giant right underneath their feet.

 

“That’s actually what I wanted to talk to you about,” said the other reason she held restraint. Zuko walked to the front of her, all clothed in his royal robes. The Princess didn’t look away from him. If there was anybody she could stomach to see, it would have to be the Fire Lord. It was as tradition demanded after all.

 

Even still, it surprised her about how he was looking more like her father. His hair was starting to grow out a bit. Given time, they could grow into long dark locks. Still, he had the smooth skin of youth and the scar that robbed his innocence. Not that she cared about the scar. Everyone had to learn sometimes that carelessness carried consequences.

 

He sighed, grimacing a bit as if regretting his next words. “Azula, I’ve heard from General Mak that troop morale is low. Very low. We’re even worried about desertion when Battra shows up if we don’t do something to rally their spirit.”

 

“You’re asking them to die for their country. Of course, they’re going to be moody,” she said flippantly.

 

“I know, but I don’t want to just order them to their deaths. I want them to believe in what they’re fighting for. But I don’t think I’d be able to reach them if I don’t know what they want, and I doubt they’ll open up to me. You on the other hand…”

 

Azula raised an eyebrow. “You want me to talk to your troops?”

 

“You’ll go under escort-”

 

“Obviously.”

 

“-to a tent where we’ve picked out some soldiers from our ranks. Including the Iron Maws. Figure out what they’re worried about and we’ll go from there. I’ve got to stay here and oversee the preparations.”

 

“...you do realize you’re trusting me with this, right?” Azula asked.

 

Her brother shrugged. “We’ve got to start somewhere. Besides, this isn’t an order. This is me asking my sister for help. You don’t have to if you don’t want to. We could always get somebody else.”

 

Something warmed up a bit inside of her. Was, was this real? Was he asking this of her? Not an order, just a request?

 

She stammered a bit before coughing. “As you command, Fire Lord,” she said, falling into the old rhythm.

 

“No, just…Zuko’s fine. Really.”

 

“Okay. As you command Fire Lord Zuzu,” she corrected with a smug smirk.

 

“...you know what? I walked right into that one.”

 

“That you did,” Mai commented.

 

“Okay, time out for a second,” the priestess of Infant Island said, getting in the middle of everyone. “Getting everyone on board with fighting Battra, I get. But what about the Council? You honestly think they’re going to stand by and let this happen without trying anything?”

 

“ Maina, the council is the least of our problems. Fire Lord Zuko is keeping a close eye on them. If they try anything-”

 

Iroh was cut off when the native turned her attention to him. “With all due respect Grand Lotus, but when you’ve got a bunch of old guys with several battalions worth of ordinance that you don’t see eye to eye with, that’s a recipe for disaster,” she flatly stated.

 

One of Mai’s signature sighs only helped cement the point she made. “She’s right,” the gloomy girl said. “Trust me, Zuko. I’ve been to faaaaaaaar too many meetings with these guys when I was either with my dad or Azula. The only reason they haven’t done anything before was because…well, your dad’s your dad. Simple as that.”

 

The Princess drummed her fingernails on her vambrace, trying to focus on her breathing. Of course they’d do something! Did her idiot of a brother think a few vague threats were going to reign them in? No. This was what they’d been waiting decades for. A soft, weak-willed Fire Lord was on the throne. He may as well left it vacant for anyone with enough brains to waltz in, plop themselves in, and practically break the dynasty their forefathers strove to secure for generations. Oh yes. And they’d be stupid enough to see the crown on their heads first, an incoming crisis second.

 

And you want this IDIOT on the throne? This is your chance. Play your cards right, and you’ll be the one with that crown on your head. As it was always meant to be.

 

Azula grimaced. It was those voices again. They were soft, but their words were sending shivers down their spine.

 

She could’ve ignored them easier if they didn’t have a point…

 

Zuko on the other hand was not exactly focused on her (thank Agni). “Okay, so what do you want me to do? I’ve got too much on my plate coordinating with Kuei, and I don’t exactly have any spies on them.”

 

“Then I’ll go.” Maina stood confident before them all, staff at the ready. “One thing you know when surviving on an island where everything wants to kill you is to stay hidden.”

 

It wasn’t long before Mai sighed before standing next to her. “I’ll go too, I guess. Probably a lot more interesting than whatever goes on around here.”

 

“...alright. Okay. You two scope things out with the council. And you ,” Zuko said, turning to Azula. “Stay with your guards. I’m taking a big risk with you walking around amongst the troops. So don’t blow it.”

 

Dutifully, Azula bowed. “As you command, Fire Lord.” Again, she grimaced. Taking orders? From HIM? He could pretty it up all he wanted, but there wasn’t any choice for her to say anything but yes. This was her purpose after all. Serve the Fire Lord. She just wished it wasn’t him.

 

And she certainly didn’t want to think about how natural it all felt to her.

 

No. It’s not an order. It’s a request. Take the chance , her mother’s voice gently reminded her.

 

Right. Request. She had to keep that in mind. This wasn’t Father. It was Zuzu just asking for a favor. Azula dealt with that before. Get this right, and she might have a bit more leeway in the coming days.

 

So she didn’t say a word about it as she bid farewell to them all. Especially Maina. Mai? Well, that was a struggle to look her in the eye. The sooner she got away from her, Zuko, and Iroh, the better.

 

Then she let Ming and Lee lead her away into the men below. Her thoughts were all kept to herself. Both the hopeful and the despairing. One was a distant hope of someday returning to her home country as a hero. Her failures had finally been forgotten and her honor restored. The other, a more likely one, was her in chains, locked away in a dark asylum to rot for the rest of her days.

 

Yet she kept them to herself lest her hope vanish and the despair consume her. Yes, she was the only one who knew.

 

Her and the voices in her head.

 

---

 

 

“...you know she’s thinking about betraying you. Right?” Iroh whispered to him.

 

Zuko grimaced. “Yeah. I just hope we didn’t give her reason to.”

 

“I pray you’re right.”

 

The Fire Lord wished he was right too. Still, it was a simple mission. Just talk to some soldiers. How could she spin that around to stab him in the back? More importantly, how was he going to convince Iroh she could be trusted?

 

Suddenly, he got an idea. A risky one, but one that could work if he played it right. “I think I have a way of proving her to you.”

 

---

 

Unknown Ruins

 

After what seemed like wandering in the dark tunnel for hours, Team Avatar stumbled into a much larger room. “Well, the air’s a bit better in here,” Imana observed, trying to keep everyone’s spirits up and find something worth mentioning outside from how dark it was.

 

Her little quip didn’t exactly go appreciated though with Mongke. “Could we keep ceaseless chatter down to a bare minimum? I’d rather not have those savages on us from somebody pointing out the obvious.” Imana bristled a bit but kept her mouth clamped shut.

 

Aang shot a nasty glare in the Colonel’s direction. Needless to say, he was starting to get a little fed up. It was one thing to have a nasty attitude with him. He’s the Avatar. Getting yelled at by people was practically his job. But taking it out on somebody who was trying to lighten the mood? Now he was getting annoyed. And he hadn’t forgotten that little tirade thrown at Sokka. If he was going to be angry at somebody, at least be angry at somebody who could take it. Or rather, actually ADD something to the conversation instead of tearing everyone else down.

 

Still, tempers flared down as Kiriko added more strength to her flame and walked around the room. The shadows lengthened along the walls, making it difficult to fully see everything. Here, the symbols changed into something a bit more legible. Aang walked alongside some of them, brushing them with his finger. They seemed…oddly familiar. Not in a “past Avatar life recognizing this” sort of way. Some of the symbols seemed to be reminiscent of the Air Nomad language. A bit distant, but it was there.

 

“Imana. Can you read any of these?” Aang asked the priestess.

 

Imana strained her eyes in the dark, trying to make out the writing. “Not…sure. They do resemble the language in Mothra’s Temple a bit. I could use a bit more light though.”

 

Nodding, Aang held out his hand and bent to life a brilliant ball of fire.

 

Revealing a serpentine monster carved in the stone.

 

A gasp went through the group as they took a few steps back to take the depiction in. Getting a good look at the carving, Aang’s mind immediately went to a dragon coiling around some kind of stone structure. A pyramid to be exact, yet it didn’t look anything like the ruins of the Fire Warriors at all. As for the beast itself, it had the serpent body of a dragon. Yet there were no whiskers. No wings. Instead, a hood almost like a cobra expanded from its neck while its mouth was wide open, showing off its fangs.

 

Now, Aang knew cobras. They had a special place in Air Nomad architecture, so he knew they only made such a display when they were threatened. This thing though wasn’t threatened. Instead, a crowd bowed in reverence before it, unwilling to look it in its piercing eyes. This was a display of dominance.

 

What was most curious was the tempest surrounding it. Those high winds seemed to come from the kaiju’s gaping maw.

 

“I’m…guessing we know who this is?” Sokka asked, taking a big gulp.

 

To confirm, Imana leaned forward to read the inscription underneath the carving. “This is a little rough but, ‘All hail Axor, the Storm King. Builder of Empires. Master of the Tempest. Scion from Heaven Above.’”

 

At once, Aang’s eyes were pulled above, where there seemed to be a glowing orb in the heavens above Axor. He winced just looking at it, a pang of fear running through him. His mind flashed back to Infant Island where he saw a similar image above the mural of kaiju. And again, this didn’t feel like one of his past lives reacting. Neither did he recognize it as something the Air Nomads carved.

 

It was something deeper. And a lot darker.

 

He wasn’t the only one. Everyone was a bit stunned at the mural. In time though, Imana shook her head free and translated the last of the inscriptions below. “‘Let it be known that the Storm King is the architect of all civilization. And that his work will be completed.’”

 

“That…doesn’t sound good,” Sokka said, voicing the obvious. Granted none of this sounded too good, but if it were a choice between oppressing darkness and voicing what was on everyone’s mind, they’d rather choose the former.

 

Thankfully it was the last of the writing, so Aang and Kiriko stepped away from the mural. Shadows consumed it once more, just now barely illuminating the carving. Unfortunately, their efforts only served to make it more menacing. Now they saw the obscure outline as if at any moment, Axor’s image would come lunging out of the dark.

 

Nervously, the two scouts rose out their hands and lit their fires, illuminating most of the room. All around them were more images, though none as ghastly as the first. Some things did repeat between them all. The same style of architecture for what had to have been the kaiju’s “civilization”. People were depicted in each, laboring away to create monolithic bricks that formed the stones of what had to have once been a grand city.

 

They weren’t alone. Great beasts lugged up these heavy materials along spiraling ramps up the pyramids. Their bodies were huge and held up by trunk-like legs. By contrast, their necks and tails were long and serpent-like. Alongside them, people brandished savage-looking whips at them and some of the other workers.

 

No. Not workers , Aang corrected himself.

 

Slaves.

 

All the while, there was a steady breeze going through the room. It wasn’t a caressing, secure breeze that Aang was used to though. This was a much colder, almost biting air. He shivered despite both himself and the fire he held in the palm of his hand. Whatever this place was, it was wrong .

 

It didn’t help that a question nagged at the back of his mind. The people being whipped. Were they his and Imana’s ancestors? Were they distant kin? Was this a place the elders would’ve considered part of their history?

 

Glancing aside at the priestess, he saw her making a silent prayer to the suffering slaves, somehow trying to assuage their pain. The Avatar decided not to ask then. He already knew the truth.

 

Above them all was Axor, the great serpent (if you could even call it that) overseeing all. Deep down, Aang now knew this wasn’t a kaiju one could reason with. That just added more weight to his heart. What could they do against such evil? He only ever managed to barely 

draw with Godzilla.

 

“Over here!” Katara said, standing before another mural. The group moved closer to further illuminate the mural. This time, another kaiju dominated the scene. A great reptile with flames spewing from its mouth incinerated the ruins around it, while its thrashing tail crushed the pyramids.

 

The spines gave his identity away. “Godzilla,” Aang muttered.

 

What he saw next took his breath away. The once-oppressed slaves were fleeing on the wind. Some of them were flying, others were riding on the backs of what had to have been Sky Bisons. Amidst all the pain and suffering, this was almost an inspiring scene. The only sign of Axor was the tyrant cowering in what had to be his greatest temple.

 

Imana stepped forward, translating the inscription below. “‘The dreaded Chaos Bringer, God of Destruction. He who smote the sun and tore civilization apart. May the Storm King’s masterpiece bring this beast to heel.’”

 

“...please tell me that means Godzilla’s going to go after him instead of us,” Sokka practically pleaded.

 

All he got in response was a sigh and a less than reassuring, “I don’t think it’s going to matter who’s on who’s side when kaiju like these do battle,” from Imana. Her words sent a shiver down Aang’s spine. Anguirus, no matter how destructive he was, at least fought Old Iron to protect Yu Dao.

 

Godzilla? What would happen when two kaiju who didn’t care about collateral did battle?

 

Once again, the cold breeze made him keenly aware of how deeply in danger they were all in. “Alright. I think we should head back. No matter how bad that thing is, it’ll probably be better than facing a kaiju without help-”

 

It was then that Aang noticed something which caused the words to die in his throat. He looked around hurriedly, his eyes widening when he looked over the group.

 

Or rather, who wasn’t in the group.

 

“Guys. Where’s Mongke?”

 

All at once, everyone started snapping around, trying to find the war criminal. Aang, Kiriko, and her scouts intensified their flames to illuminate the room as best they could. The shadows fled into two corridors: the one they came from and another where the winds seemed to be coming from. Mongke was nowhere to be found.

 

“Son of a - must’ve slipped out while we were all admiring their handiwork,” Kiriko snarled before flipping down her skull mask. “Alright people! We’ve got a rogue element on the loose. I say we pack things up and head back to camp. No telling who that guy’s going to blabber our position to.”

 

“Wait a minute lieutenant!” Sokka hurriedly said, getting in front of the armored firebender. “He couldn’t have gotten far. If we find him, we can get him, tie him up, and drag him home before he squeals.”

 

Kiriko just looked down at the comparatively scrawny boy, crossing her arms. “And where exactly would he have gone? He could’ve gone down either path for all we know.”

 

Scratching his chin, Sokka scanned the ground beneath them. Aang saw the gleam in his eye. Somedays the airbender forgot he was a tracker back in the South Pole. 

 

And there was something on the floor. Or rather, all over the floor. Dust, and a lot of it. They must’ve been the first people to have been in this chamber in years. The only places that weren’t covered in dust were where they were standing and-

 

“THERE!” Sokka exclaimed triumphantly, pointing to a trail through the dust to the path they hadn’t gone down. “We have somebody follow those tracks while the rest of us stay here. That way we can secure our escape route!”

 

“And if we don’t find him?” Kiriko questioned, still not liking the odds one bit.

 

Aang got his staff ready. “I can scout a little ahead. If I don’t find him before running into trouble, I’ll come right back. Plus I’ve got a second pair of eyes.” Momo, his second pair of eyes, puffed out his chest and spread his wings.

 

“Count me in,” Katara declared, standing right beside him. The Avatar felt a bit bashful (and indeed a bit safer) with his waterbending master of a girlfriend watching his back.

 

“...alright. Okay. But the moment you run into trouble-”

 

“Hey, we made a career about running from you guys. Just keep the fires going till we get back,” Aang teased, carefully leading the way through the dark tunnel. With Katara behind him, they should be able to get their rogue war criminal in no time. Even still, it did worry him about how easily Mongke was able to slip away from them without anyone noticing. Nobody’s that stealthy.

 

Nobody human at least.

 

Still, Aang would rather deal with one questionable human with a monster that considered itself a tyrant. He just hoped they’d be able to catch one monster before he alerted the other.

 

---

 

Yu Dao Jail

 

Kori glowered at the armed men that lined the hallway. Normally she wouldn’t be that disturbed by the presence of guards. Every prison had them after all. Rather, her problem was the people behind the cells they were guarding. Some of them were hardened criminals, but a lot more were just regular people like her. In fact, she recognized quite a few of them. They were protestors from the Coalition. The same as her.

 

“We’re just trying to defend ourselves,” the noble girl commented, the weight of all those stares bringing her heart down.

 

A heavy hand patted her on the back. “They made their choices, now we make ours. Besides, less of the rabble on the streets means less violence. Right?”

 

“Depends on your definition of rabble.” Kori didn’t have much else to say to her father on the matter. She couldn’t count the number of times that they had arguments over whether these people constituted the definition of “criminal”. Right now, she just didn’t have the fight in her. Nothing she said was going to change his mind. Her only hope for her allies was that they were safer here than out in the streets.

 

Luckily, some of the cells were empty or being emptied. She saw several prisoners being led past under guard. Must be evacuating to the tunnels below , Kori thought. There was a rather noticeable lack of people on the way here through the city. Not that it was bustling at the moment, but now it was a ghost town. And now and then, she felt a subtle shake in the ground. Just reminding her of the Earthbenders hard at work below. Hope her father would appreciate their efforts.

 

As for now, the mayor of Yu Dao led her through the corridors before they came to a guarded door. The two armored guards saluted before opening the heavy door, leading them into a cell behind. Despite all the fortifications and extra protection though, the man behind the bars was surprisingly plain. His robes were perhaps a bit better kept than the rest of the prisoners, but they were still simple and earthly in hue. The man himself was fairly thin but with a dignified mustache and beard that were graying.

 

Kori recognized him on sight and bowed in respect. “Saki! Are you alright?”

 

“I’m fine, child,” her leader said with a reassuring wave of his hand. “Honestly it’s the guards here that are a bit on edge.” Saki leaned forward and looked the mayor straight in the eye, which caused the latter to bristle. “Is it true you’ve been keeping something inhuman within these walls?”

 

Inhuman? Kori’s brow furrowed. Azula did mention something about a rather disturbing prisoner that Zuko spoke with. Her father on the other hand remained unmovable. “The business of the city shouldn’t be the concern of a criminal like yourself.”

 

Saki shrugged. “Criminal I may be, but my hands are much cleaner than yours. How many people did you imprison here on faulty charges? Does every protestor count as a terrorist in your eyes?”

 

“You certainly turned them that way,” the mayor snarled. “My daughter here told me that a new leader has taken control and has been dragging this city deeper and deeper into anarchy. You’re the one who gave them thoughts of rebellion.”

 

His barb caused Saki to stand right up. Kori stood back as her two teachers sized the other up. “I intended to guide them. Violence would only be a last resort. If you wish to point the finger at anyone for creating a nest for true chaos, how about you look in the mirror? Or look up and see the flag that you hoisted above the smoldering ruins of the people who lived here for centuries. Only then can you preach about who taught the world violence on such an unimaginable scale.”

 

“Ah. And I suppose that’s grounds for insurrection against all? Don’t act surprised. I know you’ve been fighting for independence from Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom. Otherwise, you’d have to be a massive hypocrite to go from one tyrant to another.”

 

Such words of what was unthinkable hung in the air. Saki did not say anything, causing Kori to shudder. She knew that independence was what so many talked about, but it was only a whisper. A hush. Nobody knew how people would react when they realized they no longer had a king. Even the mere mention was done in low whispers as if it would incite violence amongst friends.

 

What surprised her was that her father didn’t mention this to Zuko. Did he simply not want things to sound even worse than they already are? It would sound a lot like him.

 

Saki certainly wasn’t impressed. In a hushed voice, he asked. “Why is it that my people and I are the object of your hate when there’s a madman on the loose? Or when there are much bigger things in this world than either myself to worry about?”

 

“We do what we can with what’s important to us,” Mayor Morishita answered.

 

“Hmm. So what’s important to you is the illusion of control. Quite interesting.”

 

Finally, the mayor just threw up his hands. “Forget it. The only reason I even came here was to bring my daughter since she cares about you far more than you deserve.” With that, he stepped back and frustratedly gestured for Kori to get a move on with what she had to say.

 

And she did. She walked up to Saki and told him everything. About the recruits from the Fiery Raptors. About Azula. He raised an eyebrow at that last bit. “A tyrant’s daughter is our ally while the son aids the Avatar. We live in strange times indeed,” he muttered.

 

Most importantly, she told him about the Abomination. His eyes darkened as he nodded to himself. “Well, best you keep safe out there. Stay out of trouble and get to safety as quickly as you can.”

 

“I can’t just-”

 

“You don’t have to make a martyr of yourself. Stay safe, and stay alive. That way, you’ll be there when another life needs saving.” Saki proceeded to reach through the bars and embraced her in a hug. “Remember. Stay alive and help those who need you. This world needs more young people like yourself.”

 

“I will. Thank you.” Thus, with a reluctant step back, Kori waved goodbye as her father led her out of the cell. Those were the words he had repeated over and over again in those meetings with the Coalition. They made her feel strong. Like she could take on the world and do good.

 

Yet there wasn’t much she could do for the people still behind these bars. Nor could she do much to convince her father about the Abomination.

 

All she could do was heed her mentor’s advice and watch her back. Amongst the growing shadows of the jail though, that was easier said than done.

 

---

 

Earth Spirit’s Pass

 

The guards led Azula to a good-sized tent in the backlines. When on the battlefield, it was doctrine that only high-ranking officers like generals or the Fire Lord had access to a tent. Everyone else had to make do with simple mats or just find someplace comfortable to hunker down.

 

This tent was mostly a storage for supplies by the looks of it. Crates of food, water, and basic building supplies were stacked up all along the interior. Thankfully there was still room to maneuver so men could actually move around to gather supplies. Plus the open space meant it was a lot less stuffy.

 

It also meant one could shuffle a small group of soldiers in here. Six in total from the looks of things. And like any good soldier, they gave a respectful bow when she entered the tent. Not that she had much authority given the escort Azula had outside, but it was appreciated nevertheless.

 

She looked around. Four men and two women with a fair range of ages between them all. From what she heard, three were from Zuko’s forces and three were from the Iron Maws. All in all, a pretty diverse group by Fire Nation army standards.

 

Satisfied, Azula clasped her hands behind her back. “So, you are all aware of why I’m here. Yes?” A wave of dutiful nods indicated that yes, somebody had told them why they were there. Good. This will be easier than she thought.

 

“Your Fire Lord has heard a lot of worrying news from your ranks.” She had to fight down the gag reflex applying the title to Zuko of all people. “Apparently, you all have been exchanging letters and various farewell notes. Now I don’t know about you, but that sounds like a very good way to kill morale.”

 

The youngest cracked. A teenage boy by the looks of things knelt forward with his head to the ground. “Forgive us, Princess Azula! It’s just-”

 

“Relax. If I wanted to reprimand you or ship you off for punishment, I would’ve just handed you off to General Shugo for discipline. As it stands though, none of us have anything to gain from that happening.” In a rare but calculated gesture, she knelt to his level and placed her hand on his shoulder. “I just want to know what you are thinking. If it matters to you, it’s got to be important.”

 

She gently scratched his shoulder to better coax it out. Sometimes one had to apply a gentle touch to get something.

 

And it worked. One of the older men cleared his throat. “We’re just convinced we’re…all marching to our deaths. Like, dying in battle’s one thing. But throwing lives into the grinder like this? I thought the Fire Lord said things were going to be different now.”

 

“Ah yes. Hope was given but then quickly dashed away. A shame how he seems to be an expert in doing that,” Azula mused. Now this was the truth, and she could sympathize with them. The Princess felt she could afford to be sentimental on this occasion.

 

“And what’s the point?! Everyone’s afraid Zuko’s going to start throwing people into jail for doing their jobs! By Agni, half of us Iron Maws are afraid he’s going to purge our ranks because we had the stomach to do what we had to do for our nation!” one of the women vented. Azula let the breach of conduct go unpunished. It felt odd, but it wasn’t like the soldier wasn’t speaking the truth.

 

Azula sighed, rising to her feet. “Well, we might have to disagree there. The fact is that some of us have done some pretty heinous things by the standards of the other Nations. Not saying any of you are going to the slammer, but Zuzu needs to pay his pound of flesh. Best it be people that deserve it.”

 

“We don’t have any doubt about that Your Highness,” another man said. “There’s guys that deserve to go to jail. But what about those generals? What about Nojon? I get respecting authority and all, but I don’t see any of them on the chopping block! If the Avatar’s willing to put Ozai on the stand, why aren’t any of them joining him?”

 

The hairs on the back of her neck bristled at the mention of her father. Still, she kept her cool. This was their chance to speak, and she was going to give it to them. Besides, she couldn’t exactly defend the Phoenix King now of all time. “As painful as it is, without them the whole army would fall apart. You’d have to purge the entire leadership and there’s no guarantee whoever’s replacing them is going to be any better.”

 

Inwardly she was starting to get a little frustrated. She understood their concerns, but this wasn’t stuff she could bring to Zuko. He’d just say the war council was “a necessary evil” and “sacrifices needed to be made” and blah blah blah . All that honorable crap he always preached about but never backed up. No, she needed something substantial. Something Zuko could use to practice what he preached.

 

“...my brother died in the Ash Fields.”

 

Her eyebrow raised as the youngest soldier spoke up. “Oh?” she mused, kneeling again to his level.

 

“He was a tank crew member. …his name was on the list of the confirmed deceased. The only reason I’m here is because…well, we lost so many…”

 

A hush descended on the group, the memories smoldering inside them all. Guess that was another thing Azula shared in common with these grunts. This time though she didn’t curse fate for bringing her this low. Seemed like Godzilla had brought her entire nation to its knees. The Avatar may have humiliated them all, but that monster crushed their spirit. Well, that’s how she saw it anyway.

 

“...we did. And you feel as though you’re being thrown to your deaths once more. Is that correct?” Azula asked in a gentle manner, which wasn’t entirely an act.

 

The teenage grunt looked up before gloomily nodding. “All our sacrifices. All the family members we lost just so the Fire Lord can be the hero. Why? How come we’re the ones who have to pay every time someone ‘important’ screws up?! It’s not like any of us asked to be here! A lot of us just want to go home! ”

 

He went silent after he vented, shakily gathering his breath. “The whole world hates us already and we’ve got to live with our shame remembering the ones we lost. Can’t they at least have the decency to let us go home so we can mourn or vent or SOMETHING?”

 

Finally, he couldn’t hold it back anymore and he started sobbing. One of the older soldiers took him by the shoulders and led him back, but they all were looking as forlorn as he was. Azula…wasn’t sure what to say. What could be said? It was like he took the words out of her mouth. Well, maybe not to the same degree as he said it. Ultimately it was their responsibility to serve their Fire Lord dutifully. If he failed, that meant they failed.

 

I failed , Azula lamented. She remembered the threat Father gave her when Zuko ratted her out on the Day of the Black Sun. “Bring me his head, or I will take your future,” he had growled. If only she hadn’t brought him back. If only she had finished the job in Ba Sing Se…

 

But no. She got sentimental. And now, they all paid the price.

 

Still, she couldn’t afford to be weak. Not now. Not when she had what she was looking for. Swallowing her guilt, Azula rose. “You’re right. The disaster at Yu Dao should never have happened. I’m not even going to spin it as some kind of victory. All I can say is I did everything I could to prevent it from happening, but my brother wouldn’t listen. It was a battle where lives were wasted. And there ARE battles where lives are thrown away needlessly.

 

“...this isn’t one of those times.”

 

Everyone looked up as she made her declaration. “Battra is coming for us unprovoked. And if we play our cards right, we can avoid any more bloodshed. But we must stand firm. We falter here, and there’s no telling what other horrors will chase us when we run for the hills. If battle is to come, this is a battle worth fighting. Behind us stands not only Yu Dao, but every man, woman, and child in the Fire Nation. Believe me, it won’t just be Battra that comes for us. We fail here, we fail them .”

 

Azula began to pace back and forth in front of them, making sure they were watching and listening. “DON’T fight for Fire Lord Zuko. I know he never meant for that massacre to happen, and I know you won’t forgive him. So don’t fight for him. Fight for your families. Fight for your homeland. Fight for your honor. Perhaps too many lives were needlessly spent in the war. But I tell you, this is a battle worth fighting.”

 

She stopped before kneeling before the distraught teen. “When you get back home and look on this day, you’ll be proud to have fought here. You’ll be proud to say you took one look in the face of annihilation and stood for something far bigger than yourself. Cause this? This will be a battle worthy of a legend.”

 

With that, her speech was done. It was done at the spur of the moment with little prep time, but the Princess felt she nailed it. You had to do some things on the wing after all. And it wasn’t like she was starved for material. She only had to look into her own thoughts, twist them to make it sound like she was talking about them, and an inspirational speech was born. Pretty easy to do once one has the basics down. Father used to do them all the time back when he was in power.

 

Course he’d probably vomit if he saw her kneeling to a peasant’s level like she was doing right now. Might chide her for letting her guard down and giving this so-called wretch an opening to stab her in the back. Yet no weapon came. Just a sniffle from a broken teen as he wiped his tears. “I…I understand, Princess,” he muttered.

 

“Good. That’s all I need to know. You’ll do great out there,” Azula encouraged. Then she stood up and said, “You ALL will. No matter what happens, people are going to remember tonight as the day you all defied the darkness this thing spews. I’ll make sure you’re all remembered.”

 

Around the tent, the soldiers grimly nodded and gathered themselves, looking more like warriors than dead men and women talking. Satisfied that her words struck a chord, she gave a polite bow before heading out of the tent. Wordlessly, Ming and Lee began to lead her back to the Fire Lord.

 

Inwardly she prided herself. Finally she had done some good for her people. After how many weeks of running and being an outcast, she truly had come back.

 

Yet…she couldn’t deny how much of what she had said back there was true. How easy it was. Didn’t even have to wrap it up in a lie or anything. It made her a little unnerved. Was she getting sentimental? If she was getting sentimental, then she was going soft at the worst time possible. If all else failed, those words weren’t going to mean anything when they were crushed to death by a rampaging kaiju.

 

No. No, she couldn’t falter. Not now. What she said back there was necessary. One had to show a little bit of compassion if she got what she needed. Now she wouldn’t have to do that garbage again. Right?

 

Yet why did you see so much of yourself in them? her mother’s voice asked.

 

Azula couldn’t answer. The sooner this mess was over, the better.

 

---

 

Unknown Ruins

 

Suki nervously thumbed the pommel of her sword while staring into the dark. This was the passage where Aang and Katara disappeared. She had no way of telling the time, but it certainly felt like a good while. The only thing that was coming through was that cursed cold wind.

 

Her nerves were on high alert that she nearly jumped when she felt a heavy hand pat her on the shoulder. “Hey, kid. How about you let me take over for a while?” Kiriko asked. Once she got over the shock, Suki took a deep breath and silently agreed. The two warriors switched positions, allowing Suki to join Sokka at the center of the room. It was a bit more lit now since he got a few torches out, letting the firebenders light them up. Yet it still wasn’t light enough to completely chase away the shadows.

 

“How are you holding up?” Sokka inquired when Suki knelt next to him in a dignified pose.

 

The leader of the Kyoshi Warriors let out a sigh. “About as well as you can expect. What about you?”

 

He shrugged. “Keeping my mind busy.” Sokka then proceeded to lean forward with the wheels turning in his brain again. “Okay. So we can’t hurt that Servum thing. Right?”

 

“I mean…yeah. I’d rather NOT get myself nearly killed again if that’s what you’re asking. You want to go at that thing again?” Suki grilled. This was ridiculous and infuriatingly typical. Give Sokka an obstacle and he’ll spend all night trying to figure a way around it.

 

“Relax. It’s just like the Drill. Every big thing’s got to have a weak spot, right?”

 

“Pfft. That thing was an overdesigned mess,” Kiriko grumbled. “They made it sooo indestructible on the outside that they didn’t think maybe once you get inside it crumples like a rhino having some kind of stomach infection? It was a good thing you destroyed that hunk of metal. At least now that idiot of a war minister couldn’t waste any more of our funds on stupid projects.”

 

“Okay, this is getting scary. I want any of you to say ONE good thing about the Fire Nation. Just one!” Sokka demanded. Suki snickered. She was just about to wonder when one of them was going to question all the Fire Nation mudslinging by the Fire Nation .

 

Sure enough, the lieutenant and her scouts on the other side of the room just kind of looked at each other for a second. “Uh…I’ve got family there?” one of them said, stating the obvious.

 

“...ugh. I guess that’s good enough for now.” Sokka then slumped his shoulders and began thinking to himself. His brow furrowed in deep concentration, but his lips snarled as he couldn’t come up with an answer to their Servum dilemma.

 

This was enough for Suki to reach out and rub his shoulder. “Everything okay there tough guy?”

 

Sokka sighed. “No. I…well…you ever wonder if you’re doing anything useful in the long run?”

 

She raised an eyebrow over his assessment. “I mean, yeah. But we made it this far without anybody dying. That’s got to count for something.”

 

“No! That’s not…” he got up and began to anxiously pace, trying to collect his thoughts. “Like, in the grand scheme of things are we going to matter?”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Well…Aang’s the Avatar. Zuko’s the Fire Lord. Everybody’s this badass bender. What about us?”

 

“What about us? Last I checked, you were the one who came up with that plan to crash the Fire Lord’s fleet during the Comet,” Suki pointed out.

 

“Fire Lord’s one thing! We’re talking about giant monsters here. And so far I haven’t been much good,” Sokka paced back and forth, taking deep breaths as he attempted to collect his feelings. “It was my plan that resulted in a slaughter by Godzilla. And I wasn’t even able to save you from that Servum. I mean, I was raised to fight soldiers! Not monsters!”

 

He slumped down to the ground, hugging his legs. “What am I supposed to do with those? If an ARMY couldn’t even put a scratch in one of them then…what chance do we have?”

 

Suki was silent. It was true. All of it. And that’s all she could say. “You’re right, Sokka. I’ve…been having the same questions that are going around your head right now. I still haven’t figured out what part I have to play in this, and I doubt any of us knows. All I know is that we have to make do with what we have. Me? I’m a warrior, so I help people and be their shield. It’s not much in the big picture, but that means there are people out there who are alive because of me. And every time I go into battle, I can save just a few more people by being brave.

 

“As for you? You’re selling yourself short. I get that you’re beating yourself up over the disaster of Yu Dao, but you did what you thought was right. And you DID help set up the defenses in Cranefish. You saved everyone there, and that whole village owes you thanks for what you did. I think you just need to know how to pick yourself back up. And that , I know you’re good at.

 

“Otherwise, you never would’ve become such a good Kyoshi Warrior in the first place,” she teased. That finally got a chuckle out of Sokka as they reminisced on the old memory. Yes, they had come such a long way since Kyoshi Island. Once, Suki just saw him as a sexist pig. Now, they’re dating.

 

Or, trying to, anyways.

 

Sokka sighed. “Thanks, Suki. Look, I’m sorry if I didn’t come looking for you when Azula-”

 

“Don’t. You had no idea I was alive. Besides, we’ll have plenty of time to talk over those things in the coming days,” Suki interrupted with a sly smirk, causing Sokka to be a bit bashful. She made a mental note to try and find some time to catch up. They’d been away from each other for so long, that it was high time for a change in their fortunes.

 

“...hang on. What did Kiriko say? About the Drill?”

 

“Huh? You mean about how it was easy for it to be destroyed on the inside?” Suki answered.

 

Sokka beamed, which brought a spark of warmth to Suki’s heart. “THAT’S IT!” he declared triumphantly. “I KNOW HOW TO-”

 

He stopped when he realized that Suki and he were the only ones in the room.

 

“...Kiriko?” he nervously asked.

 

A stiff wind blew through the room, blowing out their light. At once, Sokka and Suki got into a defensive position with weapons drawn and eyes gazing into the dark. Deep within, they heard the faint rustle and shuffling of feet. Yet they couldn’t tell how close.

 

“How’d they sneak up on us?” Kyoshi whispered.

 

“I don’t know. They must’ve-”

 

Sokka’s voice suddenly went silent. Suki was about to ask what he saw when she felt a dart hit her neck.

 

Before she had time to figure out what was going on, she collapsed to the ground. Unable to move, she watched helplessly as her vision faded. And men in dark clothes stepped from the dark, surrounding them…

 

---

 

Earth Spirit’s Pass

 

For a good while, Maina and Mai walked in silence as they weaved through the tents and dugouts of the ridge. The air was alive with the sounds of men digging, fortifying, and readying their machines of war. High in the sky, the sun was beginning to make its descent to the distant east.

 

Yet no sound was more deafening nor sight more demanding than what the Priestess felt towards the other girl. There were so many things that needed to be said that she didn’t know where to start. The only clear thing was this tense air between them couldn’t last forever. Especially not with a certain Princess weighing on their minds.

 

It wasn’t the thought of Azula that caused one to talk. Rather it was the command tent of the war council. 

 

The empty command tent of the war council.

 

“Well, they just made things a bit more interesting for us,” Mai observed.

 

Maina looked inside the tent. The plans they all knew were laid out, but there was not a single person in sight. Not even a guard. “What kind of general just packs up their things and leaves right before a battle?” she asked no one in particular.

 

“The kind that doesn’t want the Fire Lord to know what they’re doing. Duh.”

 

“I…okay, point taken.” The native girl proceeded to look around the rim of the tent, realizing there might be a trail of some kind to follow. Then it dawned on her how stupid that was in a camp full of soldiers rushing to do their duty. The whole ground was littered with tracks that they could’ve gone anywhere.

 

An annoyed sigh came from the gloomy teen. “Look genius, how about we try looking for the guys that don’t want anybody eavesdropping on them in an area where not a whole lot of people could eavesdrop on them.” Mai pointed in the distance to a grove of trees, surrounded by large boulders.

 

“Ah. Good call,” Maina complimented, letting her companion lead the way. However, they didn’t take the most direct way. The approach was an open field. Anybody who wanted to come up that route would easily be spotted by guards hidden in the foliage up ahead. No, they’d have to try a different approach.

 

Which is where the noble girl came in. Mai weaved her way through the chaos, making sure to keep as much cover between the grove and them as they could. She was looking for a place where the camp would deposit them in an area as close to their destination as possible.

 

“Wow. You really seem to know what you’re doing,” the Priestess complimented yet again.

 

Mai shrugged. “You grow up with how many daggers aimed at your back, you sort of learn to stay hidden. That means hiding in plain sight and all.”

 

Seeing as they still had some way to go, Maina decided maybe it was time to chat a bit before they got to business. “Geez. You had to worry about your parents getting on your case that much?”

 

“...not just my parents,” Mai muttered. She paused, the air almost chilling as she did so. After a moment of stillness, she said, “Look, I’m not going to tell you what you should do. Just be careful around Azula. She has a habit of treating her ‘friends’ more like soldiers.”

 

Maina bristled at the accusation. “With all due respect, but I grew up on an island where everything wanted to kill you just by looking at them funny. I know caution.”

 

“You don’t know Azula.” Mai stopped, turning around right in the Priestess’s path. Her cold gaze demanded attention, and her words were hard in truth. “She pretends to be your friend before asking you to give everything just so she stays good in her father’s graces. And if you try to say, ‘I can reach her,’ let me tell you that she was willing to let Ty Lee and I rot before she could admit that she was wrong. Trust me, this is years of knowing her talking here. The best thing you can do is cut her off while you still can.”

 

Those measured words were carefully chosen. Maina had heard such a tone when she was younger, about how the village elders told her the dangers of the jungle around them. About how one wrong step could lead to your death. Growing up, it was a warning not to venture out before you were ready.

 

Now? She was ready. “I appreciate the concern, but I know what I’m doing. If she gets too much, I’ll consider it. But she hasn’t thrown me into a pit of vipers yet.”

 

“She will. Give her time.”

 

“...do you believe that? Or is that Zuko talking?”

 

…Mai froze, staying silent. That was a sign the Priestess wasn’t going to miss. “Here’s my advice: you can be angry at her all you want. That’s fine. Just make sure it’s your anger, not someone else’s. Otherwise, you’re just another puppet.”

 

“If you think Zuko’s using me-”

 

“I’m not. You just need to figure out how you’re feeling before it’s too late.”

 

“Too late for what? She burned down that bridge, so why even cross it?” Mai said, a slight snarl creeping into her mirth.

 

“How about if she dies tonight? You're going to spit on her corpse just so you can feel a little better?”

 

…the noble girl was stunned silent. She stood still like a rigid statue as if the accusation had paralyzed her with snake venom.

 

Deep down, Maina hated what she had to say. Hated that she had to pull this. Yet she didn’t have any choice. This anger, this rage. The priestess had to cut through it with a simple, cold question that would stop anyone in their tracks. One couldn’t fight fury with fire.

 

Indeed, it seemed to be working. Mai stood there, her lips moving but no words coming out, as if she was struggling to muster any response.

 

Maina wouldn’t give her the chance. “There’s a real chance everything’s going to the pits tonight. And people will die. Now I don’t know if you know this, but Azula has a nasty habit of finding herself in the thick of things where kaiju is concerned. So for all we know, she’s not walking away from this one.”

 

She sighed, collecting her breath and rallying her calm. “I get you don’t like her. But if she dies, you won’t ever have the chance to tell her what you feel. What you really feel and how she hurt you. Both you AND Ty Lee. If she gets out of hand, I’ll stop her. You deserve that much.”

 

…the gloomy girl said nothing. All she did was turn around and mutter “I’ll think about it,” as she led them to the edge of the camp. Not a word was spoken, the mission taking precedence over what personal issues any of them would’ve had. 

 

Finding the closest point was easy. As soon as nobody was looking, the two girls made a mad dash across the open ground. They weren’t out in the open for long though before they ducked amongst the shrubs of the brush. Silently, they crept through the cover, hugging every rock and skulking in every shadow possible. The sun aided them in that regard, lengthening the shadows as it sunk in the east.

 

It was from the shadows that they saw the guards patrolling amongst the perimeter of the grove. All wearing the elite and ornate armor of the council’s guard. Their eyes were all trained to the camp out from beyond the trees, meaning the two girls could sneak their way through the brush and to the largest circle of rocks in the center.

 

It was within the shadow of one of these large boulders when they halted, hearing the words, “...yes, but can your men be trusted, Captain Nojon?”

 

They hunkered down, their ears on high alert as they listened to the conversation beyond. That was the voice of General Shinu.

 

A much huskier voice sighed. “They can. Trust me, they all hate the brat as much as I do. And if they get cold feet, I could always just use the old Nojon charm on them.”

 

Maina mouthed, The Iron Maws are in on this ? 

 

The gloomy girl rolled her eyes, highlighting the fact that they should’ve seen this coming.

 

Nojon continued. “My question is, which one of them do you want me to fire on? Battra’s a given, but what about this Mothra that freak talked about?”

 

“Doesn’t matter. Just get them to fight. They’ll trash the whole battlefield along with the Earth Kingdom and the Loyalists. If what happened with Aso is any indication, they’ll do more than enough damage to cripple them both.” There was the measured voice of War Minister Qin. Which seemed odd. Neither teen pegged him being this assertive out in the presence of the Fire Lord.

 

“Aso, right. That idiot Ryuui screwed us there, didn’t he Admiral? So much for getting the Princess on our side,” Nojon growled.

 

“She’s not out of the picture yet. You saw the troops. They like her more than they like that idiot in charge. All we have to do is invoke her name, and they’ll come scurrying on over. So what if she denies it? We can just chalk it up to her insanity once the marriage comes through.” The “admiral” speaking had to have been Admiral Chan. Seemed like the whole of Zuko’s war council was here.

 

Qin sighed. “It’s necessary, but our arrangement hasn’t changed just because Ozai’s out of power. She wants the throne so bad? I’m her only route to it. Just need to give her the offer once this whole mess settles.”

 

“We want to be relying on that nutcase for this long? She couldn’t even keep the crown out of her BROTHER’s hands for Agni’s sake. So much for Ozai’s pet.”

 

“Once we’re married, I’ll just toss her in the asylum. It’s not like anybody’s going to back her on this. Why do you think none of the noble houses showed up to her coronation after all? No. We’ll get rid of her as soon as possible. Now an Ozai who can’t bend. There’s somebody we can do something with. Restore him to power, let him know we hold the strings, and the throne is back in the hands of the clans without the Royal Family messing it all up.”

 

Oh, this is just getting better by the minute , Maina mentally growled. She knew those guys couldn’t be trusted. She just didn’t think how deep their treachery was.

 

Across from her, Mai’s neutral expression took on a dark turn. After a moment, the two girls locked eyes, nodded, and snuck away just as the men were discussing the logistics of how their betrayal was going to work out. To say this was bad was an understatement. This was a full-blown disaster in the making. If they didn’t put a stop to this, a lot of people were going to die.

 

Maina just hoped Zuko was willing to listen to reason.

 

---

 

 

Azula felt satisfied that for once, Zuko was actually listening to her. Guess he just needed a crisis to realize she WASN’T the worst thing to happen in his life. Who knew?

 

“In short, they feel as though you’re throwing them under the bus for their failings and transgressions in the war. If they don’t die here, they’re going to be butchered in the upcoming tribunal. Either way, they’re seeing this battle as a punishment,” Azula summarized. Yes, it was easy for her to read between the lines. Able to see the truth where others fall for the lie. That’s what Father always used to say to her.

 

He also would’ve said that Zuko was a complete idiot for allowing things to get to this point. And maybe chastise her for allowing the failure to wear the crown of the Fire Lord, pace around the tent with their loyal Uncle and her so-called “friend” Ty Lee beside him. She certainly wasn’t happy about it either, but she could stomach it for now.

 

Besides, it was fairly easy to do once she delivered exactly what they had sent her to find. A wave of satisfaction at seeing Iroh contemplating in thought and not immediately plotting to throw her into a pit. Even the face of Ty Lee was bearable given that she hadn’t given any reason for the acrobat to chi-block her.

 

Ty Lee. Now there was a puzzle. She hadn’t been hanging around ever since they set out on this little field trip. Guess she wanted to keep as much distance from the so-called “Mad Princess” as much as possible. Or she wanted to cut the last few ties the two girls had with each other.

 

Either one or both was possible. And it’s not like Azula was going to force her to say something. If nothing else, she could respect the warrior for holding back and waiting for the go-ahead instead of just looking for any opportunity to humiliate her further. At least have a good reason to dress her down.

 

No, Ty Lee was focused on something else. “Zuko, I don’t mean to act like I know how to be Fire Lord or anything, but I think they’re seeing you in the same way they did…know.”

 

“Yeah, I know,” Zuzu grimaced. Oh, how pitiful. The monarch was feeling the weight of the crown he wanted for so long. Good. If Father’s shadow was crushing him, it was almost worth it to sit on the throne. Azula had to admit that watching him squirm was fun .

 

Oh, how the tables turned , she thought to herself. Inwardly she was gleeful. Outwardly, she kept a neutral expression. If they wanted a reason to imprison her, they were going to have to work a little bit harder.

 

Zuko straightened himself out. “Well, I guess I could have my speech raise their spirits. Maybe make them NOT feel like garbage. I mean, that’s what you did for me while we were in exile. Right Uncle?”

 

Uncle Fatso shrugged. “I mean, this is a whole army we’re talking about, but I think it could work. They need a Fire Lord that’s looking out for them. And they need a real reason to fight. Perhaps this is what they need to realize they were in the wrong.”

 

Silently, Azula restrained the urge to scoff. There he went on about how “only when we’re at our lowest, we can change” garbage. Easy for him to say when he only had to lose a single child and not everything else. Would Lu Ten, the heir apparent to the throne, even accept what he was saying?

 

So many things she wanted to say that she was almost grateful when Mai and Maina burst through the flaps of the war tent. “We’re back, and we’ve got a lot of news!” the Priestess announced.

 

Everyone listened as the two girls relayed everything they had heard. Azula grimaced. Of COURSE, Ryuui was somehow involved with the council. It didn’t take even the most simple-minded sycophant a lot of mental power to take advantage of all the warbands running around. She just wondered why she hadn’t seen it before.

 

Oh right. The kaiju business. Ordinarily, she would’ve been impressed at their gall. Taking advantage of kaiju and their behaviors to further their own gains. If only she hadn’t been so thoroughly enraged that toying with such destructive forces was only going to end in disaster.

 

“Well, that settles it. They’re traitors. Every last one of them. Are you really going to let them get away with this?”

 

“Azula, hang on a minute,” Zuko said, holding his hand out. “We arrest them now, we’ll only have the testimony of who are, essentially, spies . Realistically, we’d be locking them away without any charges.”

 

“You’re Fire Lord . It doesn’t matter if we have proof or not. Everyone else will fall in line once they get the message,” Azula explained. See. THIS was the reason those general were a problem. Father wouldn’t have let them walk all over him like this. And he especially wouldn’t have let the marriage with Qin go through he knew this was how she would be treated.

 

She hoped, anyway. The thought of being arranged with such a dishonorable weasel rat still made her stomach lurch…

 

“We do that, we’ll be no better than your Father,” Iroh warned with that hard voice he hated using. “This is supposed to be a new era for us. So we’ll do this the right way. We’ll draw them out into making a mistake with little to no loss of life. Simple as that.”

 

Maina sighed. “Iroh’s right, Azula. I hate agreeing with him, but we can handle these guys without dirtying ourselves. That’s not who we are.”

 

“Not who you are,” Azula muttered, not wanting to be lumped in with the likes of these soft-bellies.

 

“She’s got a point though,” Maina reworded, turning towards the Fire Lord. “We’ve got to do something to prevent this from happening. If those idiots fire on either of Mothra or Battra, I can’t guarantee we’re going to make it out of this alive.”

 

Zuko paced the room, thinking to himself. “What if we switch the officers around with some loyal to us? If Nojon gives the order to fire, they could belay that order. He’d have to circumvent the chain of command, and they would be able to stop him.” Iroh beamed at him, obviously approving of this scheme of theirs.

 

A scheme that had no chance in the Frozen Pits of succeeding. “Did you even hear what I just said?!” Azula exclaimed. “Even your own troops aren’t fond of you. If it’s a question between a Fire Lord they don’t like and a captain who has the guts to stand up to you, they’re going to choose the latter. And that’s assuming you can even ensure Nojon wouldn’t just threaten them! No. Pull Nojon out and have somebody else in charge. You can even put ME in charge if you want!”

 

“Oh yeah. Put the Princess who made herself a warlord in charge. That’s a brilliant idea,” Mai snarked, pointing out the big gaping hole in Azula’s logic.

 

“Azula. I’m only going to ask you this once.” Zuko then strode up to her, his Fire Lord regalia resplendent and terrible all at the same time. “What are you getting out of this? All of your suggestions are either putting my war council in chains or giving you power. You can’t tell me this is purely just so we can get through the next few hours alive.”

 

A chill ran down Azula’s spine. With his lengthening hair, all he needed was a goatee to complete the spitting image of Father. What’s more, she was trapped. Her heart began to race. Already she began to feel Mai and Ty Lee flank her if she made one wrong move. “I…what’s there to say? We give those nobles an inch, they’ll run roughshod all over us. Trust me, I know exactly what I’m talking about. So what if I get a little something out of this?”

 

“You’d be removing people who abandoned you in the past for one,” Zuko pointed out. “And you’d make it so you’re the only voice I’d be listening to. So again. What are you getting out of this?”

 

This tone was hard, but there was…something in his eyes. As if pleading for her to be honest and to tell the truth. She blinked. Was this a trick? Was Zuko testing her? For what? Everyone knew she wanted the throne no matter what. So why give her a test?”

 

“I…”

 

She was about to say more before she felt a pressure up against her chest. Her breathing quickened, and she felt her composed stance begin to falter.

 

“Azula? What’s wrong?” Maina asked. She wasn’t the only one concerned. Zuko was carefully reaching out a hand as if to reassure her that she was among friends-

 

No.

 

Her hand jerked out of her own free will, slapping Zuko’s away. The Princess’s legs backed up, feeling her body begin to move against her will. She wanted to cry out. Wanted to say that something was wrong. But no words would come out. The pressure against her chest tightened every time she tried to say a word, forcing her to remain silent.

 

One more sensation coiled around her legs, forcing Azula to her knees. All around her, she could feel them, squeezing. She tried to reach for the Medallion hanging under her armor, but the invisible force around her arms kept her paralyzed.

 

Slowly, her mind was conjuring up the force. At first, steel chains wrapped themselves around her body. Yet it wasn’t long before the chains gained scales and transformed into three hideous-looking serpents binding her in golden coils. Tears were brought to her eyes with the scars of bondage aching.

 

She felt one of the serpents slither up to her ear and whisper in a mocking tone.

 

Let’s loosen your tongue a bit. Give them what they want.

 

Then, she felt a jolt of agony as the viper sunk its fangs into her neck, jolting her nerves filled with electricity.

 

The laughter was forced up from her. A deranged, pained cackle of an invisible presence taking over. Everyone took a few steps back from her delirium, seeing her descend further into her madness.

 

Amidst her inhuman laughing, she got a feral grin and spoke in a voice not entirely her own. “Really?! After all this time, I’M still the bad guy?! Even when you have traitors in your midst, you want to put me down just because you can. Well, guess what? This IS a ploy for the throne! Don’t act surprised dear brother. You knew this was coming. You can’t expect to keep screwing up and not expect me to pick up the pieces. So yes. All I have to do is keep prying and exploiting every screw-up you make!

 

“Treat me like an animal all you want. Bind me and claim you’re being merciful. But when all is said and done, YOU’LL HAVE NO ONE BUT TO BLAME FOR YOURSELF WHEN THE WORLD DROWNS IN-!!!”

 

She would’ve said more, but her muscles seized up when she felt a series of punches strike her nerve points. Azula slumped over, her chi being blocked.

 

“Sorry ‘Zula. But I couldn’t take any more of your bull,” Ty Lee coldly warned, standing over her.

 

Azula was too shocked to respond. Even more so when Maina stepped in and pushed Ty Lee away. “Get away from her! ALL of you! Can’t you see she’s unwell?!”

 

“By Agni, did you even listen to her raving? This is what blue fire does! It distorts and corrupts!” Iroh argued back, pointing to Azula’s broken state as proof.

 

Groggily, Azula looked up in horror at Zuko standing over her. Giving her the same blank expression he gave her during Sozin’s Comet.

 

“Zuko…that…that wasn’t me. I swear…” She told the truth. Even if she wanted the throne, she wouldn’t come out and say all those hateful things.

 

Zuko just looked back and took a deep breath.

 

“Azula always lies…” he whispered.

 

“Zuko, I’m not lying-”

 

“Maina, take her away to her quarters until she’s recovered. Then bring her to me. She’s not to be out of her tent. Understood?” Zuko’s composed yet stern voice brokered no argument.

 

The Priestess picked up Azula and slung her over her shoulders, glaring at Zuko all the while. “I hope you’re happy with this,” she snarled, both at the Fire Lord and Ty Lee. Then she stalked out of the tent, carrying the broken Princess all the while. 

 

“You’ll be okay. I know it wasn’t you,” Maina reassured.

 

Azula said nothing. All she thought about was the asylum. And those serpents that nobody but her could see.

 

---

 

 

Zuko breathed in and out.

 

“Well that could’ve gone better,” Mai bluntly stated.

 

“Yeah, it could’ve.” His resolve strengthened, and he turned to Iroh. “As soon as she’s recovered, we’ll take her into custody.”

 

His uncle blinked. “Nephew. I merely suggested we keep her out of the battle. Are you sure this is what you want?”

 

The Fire Lord grimaced. “No. But it’s what needs to happen.” That reassurance to himself made all the difference. He’d given her the chance she needed to prove herself. She failed. And now, he dared to face what he needed to do.

 

Taking a deep breath, he thrust out his fist and brought forth a brilliant burst of flame. He wasn’t happy about this, but the dragons did teach him one thing: focus your anger and passion on what will preserve life. And what he’s doing now will do this.

 

“I…hope you know what you’re doing,” Ty Lee muttered, looking shell-shocked at what she just did. The guilt was written on her face from her outburst, but that was her. Him? This was a time that he had to be merciless. Guilt for him would have to come later.

 

“Don’t worry. I will,” Zuko declared, feeling his firebending return to him. The Fire Lord had a feeling this wasn’t going to end before she was put into custody.

 

She was going to snap and lash out again. Become feral and mindless. When she did, he was going to put her in her place. Again.

 

For good this time.

 

---

 

Unknown Ruins

 

Aang and Katara didn’t say a word all the time they spent in the dark. Their ears were alert for even the slightest hint of movement. Thankfully, theirs was a silent trek through the black hallway. The only sound that graced their ears was that howling of wind.

 

Thankfully, they finally came out to an opening. A grey light greeted them as they stepped out into the open. Yet even here, the atmosphere was not any less gloomy. They stepped out into a stony street, overrun by vines and foliage. All around them were grand buildings, crumbling due to the passage of time and the march of the dark jungle. Yet these weren’t the old magnificent buildings of old Tienhaishi. These buildings were harsh. Jagged. The openings were fashioned into gaping maws lined with teeth, and the image of fearsome cobras were everywhere running down the sides of the walls.

 

What they stepped out into was a wide boulevard. The effort to build and maintain such a place must’ve been extraordinary. In its heyday, it may have rivaled even the likes of Ba Sing Se. Now though, jungle and ruin had claimed their prize.

 

High above, the skies were dark apart from the occasional flash of lightning. The clouds swirled in a gigantic vortex that smothered the heavens, before centering in above a vast pyramid out in the distance.

 

“...Momo. Just be careful, alright?” Aang whispered. The flying lemur nodded before he spread his wings and took to the air. As he climbed higher, he became a distant speck far above.

 

Not, Aang and Katara were alone, and they walked down the lonely street. Even with the wide roads, the great buildings and walls closed in all around them. What little they could see above them were massive trees that seemed to block any hope of escape.

 

“They were building all this thousands of years ago?” Katara observed in awestruck horror. Aang couldn’t say anything. Either about the inherent grotesqueness in those gaping maws and piercing dark eyes, or the amount of people that were enslaved to build such a monstrosity…

 

For a good while they had walked when they heard something. A low, distant rumble. Up ahead, they saw Momo circling around a particular spot in the sky above. Cautiously, the duo moved forward, hugging the walls as if the shadows could protect them. In time, they came out into a wide opening, with giant pillars that resembled stone teeth. There were five of these monoltihs, all arranged in a circle wide enough for an army to pass through. Curiously, the inner side of these teeth were lined with massive chains.

 

Yet those alone didn’t catch their attention. What did was a massive animal leaning against one of them. Aang’s eyes widened. It was one of the biggest animals he had ever seen. Maybe even a bit bigger than Appa if he could believe. Course against one of the kaiju it was still miniscule, but it was still impressive in its own right.

 

What’s more, it was familiar. Standing on four trunk like legs with a long, bulky tail held horizontally behind it. Its comparatively small head was held by a mighty neck as long as the body itself. This has got to be one of those beasts we saw back on the mural , Aang thought.

 

Momo was hovering along aside it, yet it didn’t seem to pay the lemur much mind. Instead, it groaned as it pushed itself from the monolith and took a few ponderous steps. A low grunt of pain though forced it to its knees, collapsing with a heavy thud.

 

There it lay for a moment, its breathing laboured. Seeing that it wasn’t an immediate threat, Aang and Katara emerged from the shadows and cautiously approached the giant. It regarded them for a moment, raising its head to eye them warily.

 

They wisely decided it was best to give the animal some space. Yet as they approached, Aang could see a series of scars and gashes along its side. “It’s hurt,” he observed.

 

Slowly, Katara turned to look at him. “Aang. We can’t stay to help. Mongke could be anywhere!” She knew how much animals meant to him, but they couldn’t afford to waste any time.

 

“I know,” the Avatar said, yet he looked around. Momo had taken up to the sky again circling their perimeter. “Would…it be too much to ask if you could ease and clean his wounds a bit?”

 

Katara sighed, hearing the innocent tone in his voice. “Alright. Okay. Just a little bit.”

 

Cautiously, they approached the giant. Katara had conjoured a glob of water, realizing that she didn’t have enough water to do the entire job. She’d have to limit herself to the deepest cuts. If they could even get close that is since their would be patient lifted its neck and let out a deep rumble from its chest.

 

“Easy boy. We’re not here to hurt you,” Aang consoled, reaching out with his hand. If he knew anything about animals, it was how to calm them down and not appear as a threat. So he spoke softly and reassuringly.

 

Slowly, the beast lowered its neck but still looked at them waringly. Especially as Katara walked up to its side and began covering some of the wounds with her waterbending. It grunted from the pain before letting out a sigh as the water began to glow from their healing properties. The muscles relaxed as it laid its head and neck on the ground.

 

“Huh. Seems like he’s a lot more used to humans than I thought,” Aang observed.

 

“Wounds don’t look bad either,” Katara added, seeing some of the cuts lining its body. “I mean they look bad, but considering how big he is, they’re probably a lot more superficial than anything. Could be more exhaustion than anything else. This’ll help take the edge off his pain a little bit.”

 

Nodding to herself with having done all she could, she rinsed out the blood in her water. The beast seemed to relax, its pain having been subdued. “Good. Now lets get out of here.”

 

Aang and Katara were about to leave and follow after Momo when the beast suddenly got up on its feet. Its head swiveled around nervously, sniffing the air. On instinct, Aang and Katara broke into their bending stances, looking at the animal’s agitated state.

 

“We’re not alone. Are we?” Aang asked a bit nervously. Inwardly he began to chew himself out. Of course this was a bad idea. There were too many places to look and too many places to hide. And now they just exposed themselves to whoever’s out here.

 

Katara broke out a wiry smile to calm him down. “Hey, it’s not like we’ve been through worse before-”

 

She was silenced when a dart had hit her neck, followed by several more hitting her arms and legs. The once graceful waterbender drooped her eyes and slumped to the ground.

 

With horror, Aang lept forward and catched Katara in his arms. “Katara? What happened?! WHAT’S GOING ON?!?” 

 

“She’ll be fine. The poison will wear out shortly.”

 

Aang whipped around with his staff at the ready. All around him, from every crevice and every opening, men and women approached with weapons drawn. To his surprise, they were dressed as both Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom soldiers.

 

What caught him was the eyes. They all had the same, blank, milky white glaze.

 

“Stay back!” Aang warned, not wanting to leave Katara’s side. He got her into this mess, he was going to get her out of it. Already he was looking around for Momo, trying to spot the lemur and maybe get off some kind of signal.

 

The crowd around them stopped, before parting to allow a procession of men through. At their head was a trio of figures. One distressingly familiar.

 

“Mongke.” The Avatar couldn’t bother to disguise the spite in his voice. He knew that war criminal walking alongside these strange people was bad news, but he couldn’t imagine he’d turn around and betray them like this.

 

All he got was a shrug from the Colonel. “The High Priest and I had an arrangement. I deliver the Avatar to their king, and they would refrain from invading the colonies. Surely you can understand the needs of the many.”

 

Aang just glared back into those blue eyes. Mongke (if he could even be called that) wasn’t even bothering to hide his true nature anymore. As if this was one more insult to add.

 

The so-called ‘High Priest’, dressed in rather primitive shamanistic robes, then stepped forward. “I would not worry about the waterbender, Avatar,” he consoled, or whatever his version of a console was. “The venom will wear off once we arrive to His temple. He is most insistent that you arrive in a timely fashion.”

 

“...and what if I say no?” Aang warned. Deep down, he felt his past lives begin to call out for violence. If he could lead these people away from Katara, he would be able to go into the Avatar State without having to hurt her. It pained him that he had to consider this route, but it wasn’t like he had much choice against this many enemies.

 

His hopes were dashed as the third man, also dressed up in shamanistic robes but much less ornate, waved forward a group of guards. Holding up Aang’s drugged up companions with knives to their necks “Then He will have less sacrifices this night.”

 

…reluctantly, Aang lowered his staff. He stood by and watched helplessly as Katara was dragged away into the procession. Then he allowed himself to be jostled by soldiers into the crowd, thoroughly disgusted with himself.

 

Mongke summed up his feelings as he was pushed past. “It seems your compassion was your downfall.”

 

Feeling something spark inside, Aang glared up at Mongke. Or rather, the thing that was using Mongke’s face. Right then and there, his resolve was inflamed and set in stone. The Avatar was going to get his friends out of there.

 

He just hoped no sacrifices had to be made in this dark place.

 

---

 

Yu Dao

 

Kori peeked out from the curtain of the palanquin, watching as they marched past the deserted streets. Stores and homes were shuttered and abandoned with all the essentials having been stripped. It was a somber sight. To see the city she had lived in all her life be reduced to a mere ghost of itself over the course of a month.

 

The hand of her father gently pulled her back into the safety of the palanquin. “Don’t look, dear. These streets will be alive again soon” the mayor reassured. Yet his words rang hollow.

 

It’ll all start again once we emerge from hiding , Kori thought to herself. That’s if they emerged at all. She couldn’t help but feel that from every abandoned building and every dark alleyway that they were being watched. Her bow rested on her lap just to be on the safe side.

 

Now it was only a matter of waiting when the silence broke.

 

She didn’t have to wait long.

 

Suddenly, the palanquin roughly came to a halt. Up ahead, they could hear the captain of the guard give orders and his men rush into position.

 

The Mayor of Yu Dao looked outside the curtain. “What’s going on out there?!” he demanded.

 

“It’s those Coalition rats!” the captain barked back. “They cut off the street in front of us!”

 

“WE JUST WANT TO TALK WITH THE MAYOR!” a familiar voice cried out.

 

Kori blinked. “That sounds like…Father. Let me go out and talk with them! They’re not that much older than me!”

 

Her father balked. “Kori I forbid you to-”.

 

She didn’t hear him as she grabbed her bow and quiver before leaping out of the palanquin. There was a sharp “KORI!” but she didn’t listen. Not this time. No, she strode past the bewildered guards and stood in front of the protestors. There wasn’t a whole lot of them, mostly just kids and a few guards. Not enough to truly stop the procession, but enough for there to be problems if things got violent.

 

At the head of the group was a familiar short girl with a bowlcut. “Kori?” Smellerbee asked, looking rather surprised.

 

“What are you guys doing?” the heir to House Morishita asked. “You know you can’t exactly stop us from passing, right?”

 

Smellerbee gave a nonchalant shrug. “No, but we can at least get you to talk to our leader. He just wants to have a chat is all.”

 

The mentioning of their ‘leader’ caused Kori’s eyebrows to furrow. “If he wants to talk, he can talk to me. I’ll speak for my father.” Her bow gripped as her eyes darted to the peripherals of her vision. There were a lot of alleyways and corners an attack could come from.

 

“Relax. We just want to talk. Nobody has to die here,” Smellerbee said, obviously trying to placate and ease the building tension. Yet it didn’t work as the guards began to approach with weapons drawn and bending stances taken.

 

Deep down, Kori began to panic as she saw some of the older members of the blockade begin to get into their own combat stance. “Smellerbee, I’m being serious here. That ‘Master’ isn’t who you think they are. There’s something going on, and I don’t think it’s going to end well for any of us.”

 

Yet her words did nothing to deter the rebel standing across from her with arms crossed. “Listen. I appreciate the concern, but we can handle ourselves. Now your dad better get out here or - WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!”

 

It was Smellerbee’s sudden panic and the beat of massive wings that gave Kori her only warning. Suddenly, a gust of wind barrelled her over to the ground. From behind she heard guards shouting and fire being flown at… something . She wasn’t sure what.

 

Still, it was between her and her father. Whatever issues they may have, it wasn’t enough to break the bonds that deeply. Hastily, she grabbed her bow and readied an arrow before turning around to face their attacker.

 

It was beyond anything she could’ve imagined. The fire being thrown washed against greenish gray skin. Their intense heat did nothing to burn through its tough exterior. A snake like head upon a sinewy neck rearing and shrieked before its toothy maw devoured a guard while a similarly long tail thrashed a group of advancing guards from behind. Its multiple sets of red eyes regarded them all ruefully as its taloned foot dug into the palanquin.

 

Dragging out her screaming father. Kori buried her panic and aimed carefully. Holding her breath, she let her arrow fly through the air. It struck home, drilling into one of the glowing red eyes of the monster.

 

A howl left its toothy maw, but it refused to let go of its prize. The captain stomped forward and let forth a brilliant torrent of flame, but the thing just blocked it with one of those massive bat-like wings.

 

Kori was about to get into another position for a better shot, but then a group of figures lept from the buildings. They landed in front of the guards and began to beat them down with almost inhuman strength. Not even fire seemed to do much outside of singe their clothes. To her horror, she saw that they were all in various states of mutation, with claws, spines, and tails protruding from their bodies.

 

The most mutated of them all landed in front of the captain. He gave out a defiant yell and attempt to stab at the monstrosity with a fire dagger, but it just grabbed his fist and clamped down with a bone-chilling crunch. The yell turned into a cry of agony as the firebender was tossed to the ground.

 

Then the thing looked up at Kori. She only stared back in horror.

 

It was the Abomination. Now though? It wasn’t even trying to pass off as human. It just grinned at her with a smile that was far too wide and toothy to be natural.

 

“And thus, the new era begins,” they mocked.

 

Her father had only one thing to say to Kori. “Forget about me! RUUUUUN!!!!!”

 

Breaking out of her stupor and realizing she was far outmatched, Kori finally obeyed her father and ran. Didn’t look back as the carnage continued or as she heard the beast fly up into the air with her panicking father in its clutches. She, and the protestors that were still human, ran as far as their legs could carry them.

 

There wasn’t any distinction between loyalties now. They were ALL prey.

 

---

 

Earth Spirit’s Pass

 

Azula grimaced as Maina placed her on her mat in their tent. Inwardly she was kicking herself. Of all the times she had to lose it, she had to lose it in front of her brother and everyone? She would have immolated herself if she could actually move her arms or bend.

 

But no. She had to endure Maina’s gaze as she knelt beside her. “It was the Voices again, wasn’t it?”

 

The Princess numbly nodded. “I didn’t do myself any favors, did I?”

 

“Nope. No you didn’t,” Maina flatly said. “I mean, I think we could do more to stop this thing from blowing up, but what you suggested was taking things too far. We don’t have to stoop to their level.”

 

A defeated sigh left Azula’s lips as she sunk into her matt. “Well that’s it then. We’re screwed.”

 

“Azula, you don’t know that. We…”, the Priestess trailed off, clearly wondering how to spin this in a way where they DON’T end up in chains.

 

Gloom crept into Azula’s heart, as if the gravity of the situation couldn’t get any worse. “...I’m a bad person. Aren’t I?” she stated as a matter of fact.

 

Maina grimaced. “I mean…you could have thought of something a bit better than just a flat out arrest.”

 

“No. I couldn’t have because there was nothing better I could think of.” The words came out as lifeless and dull. Azula felt the fire in her soul die out as her fate was being set in stone. Might as well get it out before they brought the chains. “There was no other ending for me. I was just running on borrowed time. Try to convince me all you will, but that’s not going to change the fact that I’m…I’m a monster. Probably better if I rot somewhere before I ruin everything for his perfect world.”

 

Yet the fire that was extinguished in her voice reignited something in Maina. “Listen. You don’t have to take his crap. Just because he thinks you’re a lost cause doesn’t mean you ARE one. Why do you let him browbeat you like this? He’s not going to see you as his sister until you start standing up for yourself.”

 

“...what’s there to stand up to when he’s right?” Azula turned her head so she wouldn’t have to look at Maina anymore. Agni she was pathetic. Was that her problem? Expecting her brother to come around if she stayed quiet? Hoping that whatever scraps of sympathy was thrown her way was enough to sustain herself?

 

A sigh came from Maina. “I’ll stand guard outside,” she said, before stepping outside of the tent. Leaving Azula alone.

 

The Princess snapped her eyes shut. This, this had to be a joke. How can he stand there and think he can just decide if she’s worthy of dignity? Of being treated as human when he was just as guilty of what she stood accused of? How could ANY of them try and do this when they were in the same boat as she was?

 

Such thoughts infuriated her. They drew up feelings of pure rage.

 

That’s when the images flashed through her mind. Paintings of dragons being slain she saw as a child. The mosasaur skull trophies back at Yu Dao. That mural of Sozin conquering Godzilla.

 

Was that all she was to them? A monster for them to imprison so they can be heroes? Was every scrap of sympathy really meant as a way for them to pat themselves on the back? Oh it wasn’t their fault Azula was gone too far. They gave her soooo many chances to prove she could be a good, obedient little pet. 

 

That… she wouldn’t stand for that.

 

Deep down, a blue fire blazed through her soul and pulsed through her veins. It blazed and roared, filling her heart with strength.

 

Suddenly…feeling was restored to her arms.

 

Groggily, she propped herself up. Her eyes widened from what she had done. Did…did she just overcome the chi-blockages?

 

Her fists clenched, relishing their restoration.

 

And now, the inferno in her heart was craving retribution.

 

---

 

Unknown Ruins

 

Aang did not say a word as he was marched through the ruined streets. Gradually, the rest of his companions were jostled awake one by one. Not that they could do much with weapons drawn to their backs. They kept quiet as well in case any of their sentinels got a little bit too pushy with their blades.

 

In truth, there was something more unnerving about their captors. The soldiers just kept marching along the boulveyard in unison. Perfect unison in a way that was almost unnatural. And those ghoulish eyes. For some reason, Aang kept getting flashbacks to how that old waterbender effectively puppeteered him and Sokka. His spine shivered from the bad memory.

 

Yet their present situation wasn’t any better. Looking to either side brought only more grotesque buildings and more soldiers. Among them were more of those long necked beasts pulling along massive blocks of stone. And there was a change in the scenery too. Lush foliage was slowly being replaced by repaired buildings and torn stumps.

 

Then there was the pyramid. It only loomed larger and larger as they approached its shadow, with the eye of the storm high above. The details became more defined as they approached. Snarling serpents and monstrous visages ran down the abominable structure.

 

What was most ominous was the huge opening at the pyramid’s base. It was fashioned in the shape of a massive maw, with fangs barred and a gaping darkness within. Before it, an altar was built as rows of worshippers bowed in reverence. Aang gulped as they approached, feeling a dark presence watching them as the procession stopped.

 

Team Avatar, Imana, Kiriko and her scouts were practically dragged at the base of the altar and forced on their knees one by one. Aang gulped, seeing the High Priest, Mongke, and the individual named “the Seer” ascend the steps to the altar. It was explained to him that those two were the only ones worthy of names.

 

The High Priest bowed reverently before the gaping darkness leading to the center of the pyramids, the winds blowing his robes in dramatic fashion. “LORD AXOR!” he called. “After so long, our preparations are finally complete. What’s more, we have brought you new acolytes worthy of your name! Amongst their number is the Avatar, who I assure you will make a fine servant!”

 

“WE DIDN’T COME ALL THIS WAY JUST TO BE SOME OVERGROWN SNAKE’S LAPDOGS!” Sokka shouted before he got smacked in the head by his guard.

 

“With these new initiates at your side,” the High Priest continued, “we are certain to wipe clean the upstarts at our door. Now we await the arrival of the Chaos Bringer, who shall be the sacrifice to sanctify the rebirth of our empire. AND THE STORM SHALL CONSUME THE REST WHO DARE DEFY US!”

 

A loud chant erupted from the assembled soldiers and worshippers. Satisfied, the High Priest turned towards Colonel Mongke. “You have delivered the Avatar and his companions, Devourer. As promised, Yu Dao shall be spared. And you will have the God of Destruction’s corpse for your feast.”

 

Aang exchanged a glance with his companions. The Devourer? What was that?

 

Only Imana’s eyes seemed to widen as she silently mouthed something.

 

As for the Devourer, they just crossed their arms and glared at the High Priest. “And how can I assume that the Storm King will honor his bargain?”

 

Without a word, the Seer rushed behind him and drew a long dagger from his robes. Before Mongke could move, he plunged it deep in the Colonel’s back.

 

Colonel Mongke, his face not even moving a muscle, didn’t even seem to react to the weapon. He just glared as his body began to transform. Bones were rearranged. His nails turned to claws. And he barred his now razor sharp fangs at the High Priest.

 

The zealot just leaned forward just out of range of the man’s fangs and growled, “There is no bargaining with a God.”

 

Just then, a sharp hiss filled the air. Aang’s eyes widened as he heard something massive moving within the depths of the pyramid.

 

Then, from the dark, a pair of great golden eyes peered out.

 

It slithered out at first. A dark-blue body long and scaly. A pair of clawed arms reached out from the dark to pull itself out from the pyramid. Freed, it raised its head up and spread out a spiked hood around its neck. As more of it emerged, it began to rise up on two massive legs with a long powerful tail thrashing behind it.

 

Axor hissing the air, lowering his long neck towards the altar.

 

All at once, the High Priest and the Seer grabbed the wounded Mongke and shoved him towards the great serpent. The Colonel let out a strangled cry, as if some semblance of the man that was forcibly dragged back into reality.

 

His cry lasted for a moment before Axor struck forward, greedily devouring the man in a few monstrous bites. Thus ended Colonel Mongke, leader of the Rough Rhinos. Or what was left of him.

 

With that business ended, Axor turned towards Aang and his companions. Staring into those golden eyes, the airbender felt a sharp pain in his skull. Various images played out in sequence, telling of this once grand empire at its peak in an age long ago. Perhaps even older than the Avatar Spirit itself. For he couldn’t recongize any of the images from his past lives.

 

Then, his guard pushed him forward. Scrambling to his feet, Aang grabbed his staff and got into an airbending stance. “Axor!” he called. “I am Avatar Aang! You release these people from whatever spell you have them under or suffer the consequences!” He spoke with the authority of countless lifetimes, millennia of experience, and the might of the Avatar Spirit at his back.

 

Axor regarded him before hissing in derision. “You are in no position to bargain Avatar,” the High Priest spoke. Though Aang was dead certain that the voice that came out of the zealot was not his own. “Only by tapping into the Avatar State will you be able to stand a chance against me. And would you be willing to hurt your friends if you take such a dangerous route?”

 

Aang was about to ask what the kaiju was talking about before he heard water spiral from a sealskin. He turned towards Katara who had a whip of water at the ready.

 

Aimed directly at him.

 

With blank white eyes frozen in horror.

 

“...Katara?” Aang asked, before he turned towards more movement. His companions circled around him, standing in combat positions. Sokka with his boomerang at the ready. Imana with a crude airbending stance. Kiriko and her firebenders prepared. All with the same blank eyes as the rest of Axor’s minions.

 

Aang gulped, before hearing a dark chuckle from Axor’s speaker. “Now you know the true might of the Storm King,” he hissed. “All are made equal in my eye. All are slaves . And with the end of the war comes the dawn of a new age. MY age. For all will bow in reverence to their new God. Those who oppose me will be sacrifices for my new world, until all that remains is reverence for the one true King .”

 

…

 

Boom.

 

Boom.

 

BOOM.

 

The Storm King’s rantings were interrupted by heavy footsteps. Axor hissed the air, and barred his fangs at the distance.

 

Aang turned, and had to cover his ears from the deafening roar.

 

SKEEEEEEEEEERRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNK !!!!!!!!!!

 

A mountain of pure muscle had come, cased in charcoal scales with great spines running down its back. A mighty tail trashed behind it, crumbling ruins as it walked towards them. The newcomer gave another challenging roar towards the city’s ruler.

 

Axor returned the roar, a shrill hiss enhanced by a swirling vortex coming from its maw.

 

Aang paled. Before him stood Axor.

 

Behind stood Godzilla.

 

Both kaiju readied for battle. With Aang and his friends in the middle.

Notes:

A/N: Taking bets for the upcoming fight. Plaaaace your bets in the comments below.

Ugh. Sorry this is late. Again. Honestly, the past few months have been…kind of crazy, but I managed to get this out. Hopefully the next chapter is going to be a lot better. I DID write some scenes of a future chapter already, so I did get some progress out.

Plus this chapter was hard to write itself. Grinding Azula down and having Zuko’s issues flare up with her again wasn’t pleasant to write. Again, I’m trying to keep my view of Zuko as neutral as possible. It’s just Azula and the throne was some of the weak points in his morality in the series proper. I just don’t want to reward him for inadvertently dragging this farther out than it needs to be.

Same thing with Mai and Ty Lee. Again, they’ve got all the reason to hate Azula for how she treated them. But…well, I don’t think anybody in the Fire Nation has a healthy outlet for rage. For Mothra’s sake, the Fire kids tore apart a whole house to vent their frustrations. That’s not exactly a sign of a healthy mindset.

Yeah I know it was Chan and he’s the dumbest, but still.

In other news, we’ve arrived in the court of the Storm King. I got a lot of the city’s inspiration from Peter Jackson’s King Kong, particularly the video game adaptation. Basically Skull Island was filled with these massive ruins that were overgrown by jungles with ghoulish statues. I’d highly recommend taking a look at some of the artwork if you’re interested. It’s really foreboding stuff.

As for the beast Aang and Katara, it was a sauropod. One of the giant longnecked dinosaurs like Brontosaurus or Mamenchisaurus. Going again with the lost world vibe, they act as a sort of beast of burden. A good comparison would be the film 10,000 BC where the villains use enslaved mammoths to build their city. The pyramid at the center is actually a reference to the Hanna Barbara Godzilla cartoon where Axor enslaved people to build this massive pyramid which gave him power.

Speaking of, we finally get the Storm King himself. I made his design to be a bit more serpentine than the vaguely saurian build he had in the cartoon. Got the inspiration from Vertigo, a huge snake goddess from Primal Rage who basically had the same role Axor has here (except being a goddess of sorcery and madness instead of being an enslaver). The armored hood was inspired by Buraki, a huge snake kaiju from the film Dragon Wars (not the best film but the monster scenes were good).

He had similar wind-based and hypnotizing abilities in the cartoon. It’s based on beliefs that snakes could hypnotize their prey into submission. Which isn’t true. Cuttlefish do that. Not snakes.

And at long last, Godzilla has arrived for battle. That should be a decent appetizer for the next chapter which I hope to get out in good time. Thank you once again for your patience and support. They really do mean a lot. And thank you for reading. Make sure to leave your thoughts and remember to favorite/follow if you want to see more. Thank you all for reading, have a great day, and see you all next time.

Chapter 24: Rage of the Storm

Summary:

Godzilla arrives to do battle with Axor. With Aang and his friends caught in the middle, will they survive the oncoming onslaught?

Notes:

Avatar: The Last Airbender and all associated characters are owned by Paramount Global. Godzilla and all associated characters are owned by Toho Studios. Please support the official release.

City of the Storm King

 

Aang whipped his head back and forth, paralyzed with terror at the two titans towering over the ruins. Before him was Axor, the serpentine ruler of this vast complex. His worshippers were already in action, sprinting towards every street and boulevard that branched out from the pyramid. Only the High Priest, the Seer, Aang’s companions, and a group of soldiers stayed behind. There didn’t seem to be any escape for him outside of going through his friends.

 

Behind him was Godzilla, God of Destruction. The saurian’s tail thrashed impatiently, pulverizing a row of buildings into a plume of dust. His growls could be heard even from this distance away, with that wrathful gaze centered solely on the Storm King. Not once did it ever fall on the people between him and his rival.

 

We won’t stand a chance in-between these two! Aang silently told himself, as if he could whip his brain into action. Just running wasn’t an option. He’d leave Katara, Sokka, and the rest behind to their deaths. And the Avatar State wasn’t an option either. There were too many people, and he wasn’t sure if he could stop BOTH of the kaiju from tearing this whole place apart.

 

That was when he heard a familiar chittering. Hovering above a side street, Momo was chattering frantically as if pointing out an escape route. All it did was frustrate Aang yet further. It’s not like he could just run across their heads and pray to the Spirits that they’d follow-

 

…well, it wasn’t the dumbest idea that he ever had.

 

Fate wouldn’t give the Avatar a chance to think further on it, though. At that moment, Godzilla bellowed once again before charging. Every huge footstep brought another cloud of dust and crushed ruins. Everything was being pulverized in his way. Including any humans caught under his feet.

 

Thought gave way to gut instinct. Whipping up a gust of wind to get him off the ground, Aang lightly landed on Sokka’s head. Instead of giving an infuriated shout, the possessed warrior just swung a boomerang at the airbender. Aang quickly stepped to the next thrall in the group, and the next and the next. He kept saying “Sorry, sorry, sorry” the whole way across their heads, but they gave no indication they were even conscious of what was going on.

 

Finally, he landed on the ground and sprinted to the side street with the air propelling him faster. He didn’t get far before he felt a pair of fireballs being thrown his way, forcing him to turn and bend a slash of air through the fiery projectiles in one fluid motion. Well, he got them to follow him. Now he just had to get them away from the coming disaster.

 

Some people, though, didn’t follow. The High Priest and the Seer stayed behind, kneeling in reverence at the feet of the Storm King. They didn’t even notice as Axor tensed his muscles and began to charge. All they did was chant fervently.

 

“HAIL THE STORM KING, ARCHITECT OF CIVILIZATION! SCION OF HEAVEN! HAIL THE STORM KING-”

 

Their voices were unceremoniously silenced when Axor crushed them under his heel.

 

Taking no notice of the deaths of his most zealous followers, Axor continued his mad rush towards Godzilla, his whiplike tail lashing behind him.

 

Godzilla, in turn, did not slow down, just giving a furious roar as he closed in.

 

Then, with the stormy skies furiously thundering above, Godzilla and Axor collided.

 

The kaiju locked talons as they slammed their bodies together in a contest of strength. It quickly became apparent who was the stronger of the two. Using the momentum of Axor’s charge, Godzilla whipped around and flung the serpent away from him. His mighty tail carved a wide arc in the ruins as he spun around.

 

Momo cried with fear, diving as the tip of the tail swung high above Aang’s head. The lemur dove to his partner’s side, finding being chased by the possessed to be much more preferable to being made mincemeat.

 

Aang didn’t look at the chaos above. He was more focused on trying to stay just one step ahead of his pursuers. If there was one thing that came naturally to him, it was running. And it was juuuuust easy enough for him to slow down so they could catch up, only to give another burst of air again to propel himself. Knowing when to turn to defend himself from incoming bending attacks was one more critical skill.

 

He was turning to fend off another of Katara’s water whips when Axor landed in front of him. The distraction was enough for the whip to slam into Aang’s chest, sending him to the ground.

 

Axor, on the other hand, was a bit more nimble. Digging his claws into the ground, he coiled up his tail and sprang forward to cover the wide distance between himself and Godzilla. Once more, the two kaiju clashed with each other. But by using the energy from his spring, the Storm King managed to quickly latch his feet onto Godzilla’s knees. He then coiled his serpentine body around his larger and bulkier opponent, gripping the dorsal spines with his clawed hands.

 

The two kaiju struggled, but Axor’s coils merely tightened. Almost in a mocking fashion, the cobra wrapped around Godzilla’s neck, holding his head just out of the reach of those powerful fangs.

 

It was more than the God of Destruction could stomach. His spines flashed blue as azure flames began to spill forth from his maw. Before the inferno could be unleashed, he felt the coil around his neck tighten even further. Godzilla gagged, feeling his air being cut off and his fiery breath snuffed out.

 

Thus, Axor puffed out his armored hood and fired a blast of concentrated air into Godzilla’s now-open maw. The saurian choked, struggling to breathe. This gave the Storm King the opportunity he was looking for. In a flash, he lashed out and pierced Godzilla’s throat with his razor-sharp fangs. Venom was forced out from his fangs into the bloodstream of the larger kaiju.

 

With the payload delivered, Axor lunged into the air and brought himself down. His coils dragged Godzilla along, forcing the stunned giant to the earth with a thundering crash. Buildings were crushed and pulverized by the impact. Such tremors forced Aang’s chasers to their knees.

 

The young monk just looked in horror as Katara, the greatest waterbender he had ever known, the first face he’d seen in this new world, and had fallen in love with, groggily clambered to her feet. “KATARA! I KNOW YOU’RE IN THERE! YOU’VE GOT TO FIGHT IT!” he cried, not believing the nightmare he was trapped in.

 

Katara just trudged forward, taking a waterbending stance and conjuring sharp-looking icicles from her pouch. “I…can’t…” she mumbled.

 

Aang gulped, getting his staff ready to defend himself.

 

A gust of wind slammed Katara in her back, sending the waterbender falling on her face. Out of nowhere, Imana came in and dragged Aang back up onto his feet.

 

“What? But how are you-?”

 

The priestess held her medallion in front of Aang’s face. “Mothra’s Queen of the Monsters. It’s going to take a bit more than some fancy eyes to get past her protection.”

 

…Aang decided to go with it. Taking Imana’s hand, both airbenders ran into the ruins. They followed Momo high above, who was keeping an eye on the way forward so they wouldn’t be cut off. Right now, all instincts were on getting away from Katara, Sokka, and the firebenders as fast as possible.

 

---

 

Behind the chase, several servants stayed behind, the clouds beginning to clear their heads.

 

“Was…that airbending?” somebody asked.

 

---

 

Axor hissed as he bit into Godzilla’s neck again, pumping more venom into the monster’s throat. Not wanting to take any chances with his opponent’s fangs, the cobra pulled back. Yet before he could make another strike, a sharp pain went down his coils.

 

The dorsal spines of Godzilla stabbed up into the tyrant’s flesh when he arced his back. His spines also forced the coils apart, finally giving him space to breathe. Snarling with fury, Godzilla threw his weight forward, practically tossing Axor to the earth.

 

A now freed Godzilla rose and breathed in deep. His dorsal spines glowed blue as he brought fire to his maw…

 

Only for it to be choked out. Godzilla gagged, spitting up bile blackened from Axor’s venom. It was interfering with his respiratory system, preventing him from breathing fire.

 

Axor quickly clambered to his feet, seeing the Chaos Bringer struggle for his breath. His tongue hissed the air, tasting the air and mocking his rival at the same time. Shrieking, he lunged towards Godzilla with talons outstretched.

 

Yet his victory was short-lived as Godzilla grabbed him and tossed him to the earth. 

 

Fire or not, the ancient saurian refused to allow the venom to cut him down. Roaring with fury, Godzilla reached down and bit the writhing neck of Axor. He then stomped down with his massive foot on the serpent’s spine, eliciting a screech of agony.

 

Before his fangs could cut into the jugular, Axor wriggled free from his maw and quickly bit into his right arm. Godzilla growled from the sharp pain but punched the Storm King in the chest and off his limb.

 

He backed up a bit before more damage could be done. Godzilla and Axor sized each other up, eyeing the other for weakness.

 

It was then that Godzilla realized that his right arm was dangling. He tried to move his muscles, but it was paralyzed. That was the second effect of cobra venom. The substance seizes up nerves, rendering them useless. Perfect for paralyzing both predators and prey alike.

 

And right now, Godzilla was looking like prey to Axor. Hissing with anticipation, the serpent bobbed to his left. Godzilla snapped those fearsome jaws, but they only it down on the open air. With the right flank exposed, Axor pierced that thick skin with his fangs before backing away.

 

Godzilla tried to follow when he felt a weakness in his right leg. Grunting in frustration, he was now two limbs down and effectively hobbled. Leaving him wide open for Axor to run up and pounce on him, sending him crashing to the earth. A cloud of dust from crumbling buildings was unleashed upon the surrounding area.

 

---

 

The dust descended upon Aang and Imana in a thick blanket. They had to cover their mouths lest they succumb to a coughing fit. Momo’s panicked chattering could be heard above, but the dust was too thick. With the way obscured, the only thing they could do was duck into a nearby building and out of the dust.

 

“Alright. Got any ideas?” Aang asked, coughing a bit to get the dust out of his mouth. Up to now, his only thoughts were running away to lure the possessed from the battle.

 

Imana shrugged helplessly. “My guess is as good as yours.”

 

Aang tried to think. Possession wasn’t exactly something he was overly familiar with. Outside of bloodbending, but whatever Axor did seemed a bit more sophisticated than that. He racked his brain trying to think.

 

Let’s see. He used his eyes to hypnotize them , he thought. It didn’t work with me for some reason. It could be because I’m the Avatar. Mothra and the Avatar… it takes something psychologically powerful to prevent it.

 

“Okay. Imana, how does…well, how does Mothra protect you? How did you feel?”

The Priestess thought for a moment. “Well, I felt…I don’t know, an overwhelming despair when I looked into Axor’s eyes. Like, my whole life was meaningless. But…Mothra gave me purpose. She strengthened my soul, so to speak. Made me remember why I came so far from home. Does that help?”

 

He thought for a moment, seeing the dust outside begin to settle. As soon as it did, their pursuers would be on the hunt again.

 

“Well, it did give me an idea,” he wondered, his mind beginning to reach back to his past lives. His idea might work on one of them. But it was worth a shot.

 

---

 

Godzilla thrashed upon the earth, trying to dislodge the serpent around his body. But the coils just got tighter and tighter. Kicking out, he managed to get his left foot between Axor’s coils and himself. Then he mustered all of his strength and kicked out. He succeeded, forcing the tyrant off.

 

His respite did not last long, though. Axor quickly rolled up on all fours and practically slithered at him with fangs bared. Desperate, Godzilla lashed out with his tail, bringing the powerful appendage down on the predator.

 

All the tail crushed was stone as Axor nimbly dodged backward. A growl that almost sounded like laughter erupted from his throat. Course being heavily poisoned would make his next meal a bit groggy. Satisfied, the Storm King lunged with his fangs dripping with venom. He was hungering for flesh…

 

The flesh of that massive tail smashed into his face, sending him stumbling backwards.

 

A smirk crept up on Godzilla’s face as his tail swung back around. Using the momentum of his tail swing, he managed to right himself back up on his good leg. Gingerly, he balanced himself by placing his paralyzed leg on his tail. He was still wobbly, but at least he was standing.

 

Axor pulled himself up as well, shaking off the debris from his body. The serpent stood firm on his two feet in contrast with his hobbled, would-be usurper. Without waiting for a minute, he charged forward. Those who strike the king must strike to kill. And he was still standing.

 

Seeing the cobra rush at him, Godzilla breathed in. His dorsal spines lit up once more with an azure glow, the fire within beginning to well up.

 

It did nothing to discourage Axor. Venom was dripping from his fangs as he rushed to completely paralyze his foe.

 

He got a face full of blue fire for his trouble, forcing him away.

 

Godzilla snarled. One of the benefits of having a powerful regenerative cycle was a tolerance for poisons. He still felt it, but his blood could nullify the effects, given time. And now, he had a heart full of fire, ready to burn. Right now, he had only one thing on his mind for what it could do.

 

His maw snapped shut, letting the fire run through his veins. There was one area he wanted it to go to, shrugging his shoulder to force the fire-infused blood into his arm…

 

Not that Axor cared. Now, he was seeing red. He practically lunged from his lunged position with fangs and claws barred. The speed was far faster than Godzilla could’ve reacted to, with the cobra latching on to him, with its claws digging into that stony flesh. Already, he began to coil around that huge body with fangs barred and aimed right at the neck.

 

Before the strike could come, Godzilla grabbed Axor’s upper maw with his left working arm. The cobra thrashed, but his grip was simply too tight. With the fangs at bay, the saurian glanced at his other arm. Feeling was returning as he felt his blood overcome the venom. Even now, his fingers began to twitch.

 

Roaring with a fury that could not be rivaled, Godzilla lashed out with his healed arm and grabbed one of Axor’s fangs. Then he wrenched the tooth out with a bloody yank, tossing it to the ground.

 

Howls of agony filled the air and fell on deaf ears. There was no pity in Godzilla’s heart, not for this wretch. Already, he reached for the second fang. He had become sick of the foul venom.

 

Suddenly, Axor wiggled free with a violent jerk and clamped his jaws on Godzilla’s hand. His one remaining fang just barely grazed the thick skin, but his rows of rather sharp teeth cut deep regardless. The saurian tried to pull back, but the recurving teeth meant they only dug in deeper. Warm blood filled Axor’s mouth.

 

Yet, he was not satisfied. All it would take for this hand to go limp was one simple jerk of his jaws, sinking his remaining fang deep into the kaiju’s flesh…

 

---

 

Suki crept forward, her shield and sword at the ready. A cold chill ran up her spine despite the layers of silk and armor she wore. As soon as Aang saw her fearsome visage, he was going to kill her. There was no other way around it. The Storm King’s hold on her was so strong.

 

Deep down, she hated herself for allowing this to happen. She was a Kyoshi Warrior! Discipline and honor were written in her garb and soul. And here she was, cowed by a serpent so thoroughly that she was doing something long thought left behind. Long ago, she threatened to feed the Avatar to the Unagi of her home. Now, she was trying to run her sword through his gut.

 

And why? Was it for the same reason as before? Her threat was born out of distrust and despair, believing the outside world to be an enemy. Now it was even worse. Suki found out how small and insignificant she truly was. Her island was just like her: a tiny pocket isolated from how the world truly saw how indifferent things like “honor” are.

 

There wouldn’t be any songs sung about her. She was going to die forgotten in these ruins. If not by Axor, then by the Avatar. And even if she somehow survived this day, she would simply linger on until she got crushed by the next giant throwing their weight around.

 

She calmed her breath, feeling the despair drive her actions like a parasite. It was as if her very body was taken from her by pure emotion alone. All she could truly do was sit back and watch as a figure stepped out from the shadowy building ahead.

 

“Suki…”

 

…her heart stopped. From the darkness strode a tall woman wearing the exact green and gold robes she wore. A proud crest was tied to her head, and a face painted with the same colors looked forlorn at her.

 

“...Kyoshi… ” Suki whispered. Her muscles seized, overcome by the sight of her hero.

 

“Suki, you’re better than this,” the mirage of Kyoshi said, kneeling to her level. “You’re a warrior. And warriors don’t go back on their vows. No matter how dark things are.”

 

Her sword and shield dropped with a resounding clang. “I…” , Suki struggled to find the words. She had felt her presence from time to time, but never in her dreams would she imagine that the patron Avatar of her island appeared to her in the flesh.

 

A weary smile played on Kyoshi’s lips. “It’s okay. Really. Times like these can be a struggle for anyone. I couldn’t tell you the number of times I wanted to give up on myself.”

 

“...but…where was I?”

 

“Hmm?” Kyoshi asked.

 

“...where was I during the war? People needed me, and I hid. I let them down when the Earth Kingdom fell. And now more people are going to die. Fire Lord. Kaiju. What’s the point? There’s always another disaster around the corner.” Suki fell to her knees in despair, letting the dust get on her emerald robes. Who was she to be here? To be before the Avatar? She was just a silly girl playing dress up, pretending to be a hero. A child wearing a costume.

 

“...I failed the Earth Kingdom too.”

 

“...what?”

 

Kyoshi sighed. “Chin the Conqueror. I failed when I let him take over. I failed them again when the Dai Li became corrupt. I tried so hard to do the right things, but not every decision was the right one. They haunt Aang, and they’re going to haunt others in the future.

 

“We all have failings, Suki. It’s how we live with them that determines who we are. I tried to mitigate the damage I caused. I’ve been giving whatever advice I can to Aang. Failings challenge us to rise and better ourselves. It’s no different than anyone else.

 

“Suki…I’m not disappointed in what you’ve failed to do. I’m proud of what you’ve accomplished.”

 

“...not a whole lot. I’m not an Avatar,” Suki mumbled, letting her youth finally leak through.

 

Suddenly, she felt a pair of arms pull her into a tight embrace. “It doesn’t matter,” Kyoshi consoled. “People are alive because of you. How many doesn’t matter. What matters is that there are people in this world who would not be here if it weren’t for you. You’re their hero. And a hero on a small scale is a hero still. That’s what makes you a Kyoshi Warrior.”

 

…the haze lifted from her eyes, and she embraced her hero back. She let out a few tears, feeling her soul free itself from Axor’s chains.

 

“Thanks for being a good friend, Suki.”

 

Her eyes opened up, and she saw that Kyoshi was gone. Now she was being hugged by Aang. “Did…is that-?”

 

“She did want to talk to you,” Aang answered. “Who was I to let her?”

 

“...thanks, Aang. That meant a lot,” Suki said with utmost gratitude. Standing up and dusting herself up, she got her sword and shield. There was still one fight she had to finish. Before them, a horde of the possessed began to close in around them.

 

“I should be thanking you, Suki!”

 

“Why’s that?”

 

Aang flashed her one of those infectiously adorable smiles. “'Cause now I know how to free all of them.”

 

---

 

Axor’s thoughts of skewering his fang through Godzilla’s hand vanished when he felt the hand shove down his throat. The thing about curved teeth was that while tugging against them would only cause them to cut deeper, shoving the hand deeper past them would free their flesh. Allowing the victim to pull their hand free.

 

That’s if they wanted to free their hand. Axor found out the hard way when he felt the clawed hand grab his forked tongue. His eyes widened, and frantically, he struggled to free himself.

 

Unfortunately, the grip of Godzilla was too tight. No, he had gotten sick of that wagging tongue. Besides, it was a soft, fleshy bit. Any living being knew that attacking those would cause some serious damage.

 

Now, the problem was footing. Godzilla only had one foot and his tail to stand on. Luckily, nature and experience had given him the perfect remedy. For a portion of the built up blue flame was still in his heart, ready to be used.

 

To that end, he raised his now paralyzed foot. He wobbled precariously with the thrashing Axor in his hands. Any moment, he would crash to the earth. Yet he also felt the blood rush into his foot. The fire infused with his blood rushed into the leg, filling it with power and burning away the venom.

 

The Storm King snarled, aiming his one fang right at Godzilla’s arm. Hovering right where the radial artery would be…

 

A thundering footfall was heard as Godzilla stomped the ground with his formerly paralyzed foot. His blood was free from venom. And there was an arrogant snake that needed to be dealt with.

 

Grabbing hold of Axor’s head and that squirming tongue, Godzilla strained his back muscles. His dorsal spines not only channeled his power, but they also provided a very useful anchor for especially powerful muscles. And he made great use of them as he swung the thrashing Axor off his feet.

 

With one violent yank, Godzilla ripped out the forked tongue, sending Axor flying. He snarled, throwing the torn tongue to the earth. His right hand was covered in blood, more of it Axor’s than his.

 

Speaking of, Axor was screaming in agony, spitting blood from his maw. The screams only enraged Godzilla further. Now free of the poison, those sharp dorsal spines flashed with an azure glow.

 

Of course, Axor let out a blast of air from his maw. This time, Godzilla simply bobbed his head out of the way before firing away with a burst of flame. Blue fire bathed the tyrant, causing him to slither away.

 

Godzilla followed. For he had plenty more fire to burn.

 

---

 

The Kyoshi Warrior eyed the group approaching. Those warriors from the Storm King’s forces were gone. Just leaving Sokka, Katara, and the Fire Nation scouts behind. Already, the waterbender was advancing on Aang, leaving four for Suki.

 

…she wouldn’t need to go into these heavily armed.

 

Suki sheathed her sword and tossed her shield aside. Then, with trained grace, she got out her combat fans. She snapped one open and covered her face, peering over the edge right at Sokka.

 

Without hesitation, the Water Tribe boy lunged forward with his boomerang raised over his head. Suki held her ground and danced aside the blow, punching her brainwashed boyfriend in the kidneys. He brought his arm back in an attempt to smash the flat end of his club against her skull. Yet the warrior gracefully batted it aside with one swift stroke with her fan.

 

She reached around with her other arm, pressing Sokka right against her armored body. Then she snapped her other fan open behind him. Suki breathed on his face, making sure she was as close as possible and his attention was fully on her. “Just like old times, huh?”

 

“HOW CAN YOU POSSIBLY JOKE WHEN THE WORLD’S COMING TO AN END?!” Sokka screamed in her voice. Along with the spittle, she felt the despair in his voice. The same emotion that overcame her. And that gave her understanding.

 

“We’ve been saying that for a hundred years, but it hasn’t come yet,” Suki snapped back. Feeling a wave of heat thrown at her, she pushed her boyfriend away and ducked to the side. Kiriko and her two scouts were throwing fireballs at her. If he were younger, she would’ve ducked to the ground.

 

Fire was an old enemy, though. Once you’ve fought the Fire Nation long enough, you get used to the fear. Suki gracefully danced through the fireballs, knowing when each would be thrown and where they would land without even trying. When she was close enough, she snapped her fans together to kick up a cloud of dust into their eyes.

 

“And we’re better than this!” she declared to the possessed firebenders. And then proceeded to deck Sokka (who tried a sneak attack) with the back of her armored hand. “There was a time I thought you were nothing but a bunch of savages. People who would think of nothing when it comes to murdering innocents.”

 

“We are…” Kiriko choked out as she struggled with her voice. Her mask blocked some of the dust, but not all of it.

 

A sigh left Suki’s painted lips before she said words she never thought she would say. “No, you’re not. Yes, nobody’s blameless in war. But that doesn’t mean we’re all condemned, either. Look at you! The first chance you got, you handed in your leaders to those they hurt. Does that sound like gutless cowards to you?”

 

Shrieks came behind her as Momo proceeded to attack Sokka, distracting him for this vital moment. The other firebenders got to their feet, getting back into their stances but not attacking. Suki figured that was a step in the right direction.

 

“They MADE you do it,” Suki continued. “If you didn’t obey your orders, you would’ve been mutilated just like Zuko or worse. There wasn’t room for compassion in your ranks.”

 

“We…we always have a choice,” Kiriko retorted, but did not attack. “We…we could’ve-”

 

“They took choice from you,” Suki finished, causing the lieutenant to fall silent. “Aang told me about the schools. They told you only one truth, leaving no room for doubt in your mind. Even when you discovered the lie, you wondered if you could make things right. If it was even worth trying. With so much blood on your hands, how could you ever do the right thing?

 

“Trust me, I know. Maybe not the same thing, but I’ve been wondering if anything I did mattered. If it was worth trying. Well, it is worth it. And you know it. You’ve put up with tyranny for so long. Are you going to give in to another one?”

 

“...there’s always another one…”

 

“Then you find a way to get used to it. That’s what being a warrior is. Living with the pain.”

 

Behind her, she heard the rapid pattering of feet. Swiftly, she snapped one of her fans closed and clubbed Sokka in the stomach. Then, taking one of his arms, she flipped him over her shoulder and threw him into the dust.

 

Suki then straddled and pinned him with her arm, making sure her armored body and robes were weighing down on him. “All it takes is one person to change everything in your life. You know that. Don’t you?” she whispered in his ear, her tassels brushing his cheeks.

 

“...Suki…” he muttered, something in his voice that wasn’t inhuman or completely glazed over. She had to drag it out.

 

Rolling her eyes, Suki leaned forward and planted a deep kiss on his lips. His eyes widened, and the glassy eyes disappeared into azure orbs. He kissed her back, the two embracing.

 

“By the Spirits, I missed you,” he muttered.

 

It was enough for her to push him down while rolling her eyes. Boys , she silently snarked. Looking up, she saw Kiriko and her scouts shaking their heads clear of the serpent’s brainwashing.

 

Nodding to herself, she turned to the final possessed member of her party. Who was currently thrashing Aang with whips of water.

 

This…was going to be difficult.

 

---

 

Axor shot a burst of air. Then another. And another and another. None of them did a whole lot of good. Godzilla trudged through them all, either batting them away with a hand or just not caring. In return, he breathed great swathes of blue fire across the ruins. Foliage was set ablaze from his wrath, further spreading the fires. Suddenly, the ghoulish spires and monoliths were being consumed by a raging inferno. 

 

On animal instinct, the serpent slithered away from azure flames. Whatever grandeur he had built up for himself was replaced by a need to survive. His eyes darted across the ruins of his kingdom. First, they landed on the ring of monoliths in the distance before darting away. The signal from his servants hasn’t been given yet.

 

Then they landed on a pair of stone towers behind him. Suddenly, a plan was forming in his mind. For those ruins weren’t just put there as a sign of his dominance. No, they were also built to deal with a certain threat…

 

Said threat burst through the blue flames. Godzilla snarled, shaking off the burning embers from his body. The light from his dorsal spines had been spent, but he didn’t need fire alone to roast this worm.

 

When he took a step forward to begin charging, Axor shot another blast of air. Not at him directly this time, but at the embers at his feet. It kicked up a cloud of dust and fiery embers right in the kaiju’s face. Godzilla snarled, trying to clear his eyes of the burning coals.

 

This was the vital time that was needed for Axor’s next phase. First, he pulled backwards, further away from the disoriented kaiju. Then, he looked up to the stormy sky, feeling the raging energy of his storm. After contemptuously spitting blood, Axor opened his maw and commanded the very winds to serve their master. A funnel formed from the skies above and carried swirling air and rain into the awaiting maw of the Storm King. His hood expanded with the violent energy, almost as if it were about to burst.

 

By the time Godzilla had cleared his vision, Axor’s hood was at its maximum width.

 

With one furious roar, the fury of the heavens above was unleashed.

 

A virtual vortex of high winds slammed into the King of the Monsters. Godzilla’s almost stony hide was buffeted by the winds, the wounds that hadn’t been closed just yet being torn open. Yet the real power came within the tempest itself. Positive and negative charges were forcibly being ripped apart, creating lightning bolts that thundered through the air. They struck the highest thing closest to them. In this case, it was the buffeted form of Godzilla.

 

Howls of rage were drowned out by the high winds. It was as if the very storm above was weaponized into one push. For here, even the air itself was at the beck and call of the Storm King. His dominion over everything was absolute.

 

When the high winds finally died down, Godzilla was left standing shakily. Blood ran down his scorched hide. Even a beast such as him wasn’t immune to such concentrated power.

 

Yet he wasn’t dead. For him, that was Axor’s biggest mistake.

 

Godzilla snapped his eyes open and gave a furious roar before charging. He was in a blind rage, pulverizing everything that came into his path. Before him was Axor, backing away to those buildings behind. Very well. He’d crush the snake under these ruins if he had to.

 

In his blind rage, he never saw what was going on.

 

The lash-like tail of Axor whipped out and latched onto Godzilla’s leg. Before he could even think, the serpent clambered onto him and wrapped those coils around his body. Those powerful muscles flexed as he was directed right at the tower.

 

Right at the last second, Axor relinquished his grip and jumped off Godzilla’s back. Quickly picking himself up, he watched with satisfaction as the God of Destruction ran into the base of the tower. Even a mighty structure such as that could not stand before the bulk of a kaiju. From on high, the building collapsed. Crushing Godzilla in a pile of debris.

 

Axor practically slithered along the ground, seeing his handiwork. A pained groan came from the downed Godzilla. Now, at long last, the tables had turned. For this was Axor’s city. Everything here was built to his design. That meant structures meant solely to deal with his enemies.

 

For the Chaos Bringer’s destructive nature will be his downfall.

 

---

 

Katara couldn’t stop her bending from going after Aang. Her muscles moved of their own accord, lashing out with tendrils and forcing her beloved back further and further. Every attack brought them closer to a bridge going over an ancient canal. Brimming with water.

 

“Katara! This isn’t you!” Aang yelled, dodging and weaving, not even trying to defend himself. Yet she could just scarcely hear him over her assault and the pounding in her head.

 

It was a sensation that was both horrifying…and familiar. The full moon wasn’t out, but she could force her attacks to go wide. Giving him as many openings as her will could afford. Yet it was becoming a losing battle.

 

“It…is…” she muttered, her mind overwhelmed by bad memories. She tried to think. It was Axor. It had to be him! And she was looking for any way to fight back.

 

Yet…she couldn’t. She could only do so much to resist. Not when she remembered Hama controlling her friends, and she had only one choice to stop her. And if she did it before, she could do it again-

 

“KEEP TALKING!” she screamed against Axor’s will, trying to restrain her attacks so she could hear the boy she found all that time ago. The boy who helped her find hope when there was none.

 

Luckily, her plea didn’t go unanswered. “Katara. I would’ve been lost so many times without you! If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t even be alive!”

 

“...because of her…” Katara snarled, remembering that damned smirk. And how satisfying it was to freeze her and watch her panic as she suffocated, knowing her fate was in a peasant’s fingers.

 

Maybe she shouldn’t have undone that ice-bubble. Make Azula suffer as her breath was snatched away from her…

 

“But…I still…how can you love someone filled with HATE?!” At once, she thrust her arms forward and urged her water forward, slamming into Aang. He skittered to the edge of the channel, looking pitiful and soaked. With the canal river just behind him, it would’ve taken only a simple technique to snuff the life out of him.

 

Aang pulled himself up, standing on shaky legs and looking at her with those gray eyes that were always so sympathetic. “That’s not all you are. Cause I know you’re not going to kill me, no matter how hard you try. I know you’re hurting inside and torn. But we all are. Trust me, these last few weeks have been hard on us.”

 

He held out his arms as if asking her to strike him down. “It’s not your fault the world you were brought into is messed up. You just did what you had to do. Well, I’m giving you a choice now.”

 

“...”

 

Except there was no choice.

 

Katara raised her arms and brought forth a wave of water from the canal. A powerful surge that went right past Aang. Instead, the swirling waters coalesced to her waist, encasing her arms and legs. Then, with the flick of a wrist, she managed to wrest back control of the water turned to ice. Trapping her.

 

“Aang…I wanted to make them suffer. Azula. Yon Rha. The whole Fire Nation. And I still do. You can say they’re changing all they want, but the pain’s still there. It’s never going to go away.” Her breath gave out with her speech. It was all she could afford to say, feeling the despair Axor drowned her in, Come back again. Any moment, she’d be forced to free herself and finish the job. Then, she’d know true agony.

 

She did everything she could. Now it was up to him to break the spell.

 

Aang sighed, walking right up to her. Not afraid of the possessed monster she had become. “It’s okay. Nobody’s saying you have to forgive them. And that pain…that’s never going to go away. But at least it’s something you can live with if you learn how to. At least, I hope.”

 

“You…hope?”

 

“Eh. I’m kind of figuring this out as I go along,” Aang admitted with a sheepish, oh so innocent smile.

 

With that, the water melted. And Katara lunged forward to wrap her arms around his neck. Her eyes were a deep blue, freed from the pale. “Thanks, Aang. For everything.”

 

“Hey, I could tell you were holding back. You kind of deserve some credit yourself,” Aang said as he embraced her back.

 

Katara smiled at that, feeling grateful her body was hers again.

 

The moment was shattered when they heard a building collapse in the distance, a reminder that they were still in a war zone.

 

---

 

Eyes filled with swirling hatred glared down at the fallen Godzilla. Slowly, Axor circled the battered pretender, scraping his claws against the earth. There was no sympathy in his heart. The blood that flowed in his mouth only fueled his wrath. To be wounded by such a mindless brute. He would ensure the intruder would suffer.

 

And his instrument of torture would bring this primordial hold over to their rightful state: on their knees.

 

Still, he needed to give his servants time. To that end, he looked at the other tower. They were built top-heavy and designed to be knocked over. Just stable enough to resist the ravages of time until this day. The heavy tower would crush and pulverize anything caught underneath it.

 

Already, its sister had done its job. Godzilla groaned, struggling to claw his way out of the rubble. But Axor wouldn’t give him the chance.

 

Instead, the Storm King lashed out with his whip-like tail, striking at a flaw in the foundation placed there for his benefit. What followed was a chain reaction. The rest of the tower’s foundation crumbled, and the top leaned precariously. Axor finished the job, slamming its side with his body to send it plummeting in the direction he wanted.

 

That direction was on top of the Chaos Bringer. In an avalanche of dust and debris, a cloud blanketed the area. Axor backed up, watching as the dust settled to reveal his handiwork.

 

His trap sprang beautifully. Godzilla was almost completely buried in all the rubble. Only that massive tail was freed, weakly twitching. Axor allowed himself a smile.

 

Then, a deep horn was blown across the city. The tyrant knew that horn. He gazed across the ruins to the ring of monoliths. If he could not end this fight right here, he had his masterstroke ready to be sprung…

 

For now, though, he crept forward to his fallen prey. His one fang was barred. While he couldn’t very well poison Godzilla as much as he could have liked, his fang was still sharp. Sink it in the right area, and with his back teeth doing extra damage, he could tear his way into the kaiju’s jugular.

 

All he needed was a good angle. Axor stepped on the rubble, ready to start digging where he thought the neck was.

 

A flash of blue beneath the debris was his only warning that this wasn’t a good idea.

 

Godzilla let forth a stream of concentrated blue fire, more controlled than his wider spread flames. More concentration meant more power. And all that power was directed right at Axor’s chest.

 

The serpent was sent crashing to the ground with smoldering flesh. Leaving Godzilla free to rise from the rubble that was blasted away by the burst of fire.

 

An enraged roar left Godzilla’s maw as he stomped forward and kicked Axor right in the face. His rage not extinguished for a moment, he leaned down and crunched down on the serpent’s neck. Then he left Axor up and clawed bloody gashes into that charred flesh.

 

He would likely’ve ended the tyrant right then and there if a sizable shape hadn’t flown past him. Minuscule by kaiju standards, but still big enough to take notice, Godzilla broke his concentration just for a moment…

 

All that was needed for Axor to sink his razor-sharp fang into Godzilla’s neck. The dragon howled, kicking the serpent away before more damage could be done. He felt blood trickle down from the bite, but it felt shallow. Not a debilitating injury. Already, he could feel his body begin to repair the damage.

 

No, his concern right now was Axor hurriedly backing away into the city and towards that ring. Godzilla snarled. If the worm wanted to run, they were only delaying the inevitable.

 

Godzilla roared as he charged, intent on ripping this challenger limb from limb.

 

---

 

Team Avatar stood by and watched as the towers crumbled, obscuring both kaiju in a cloud of dust. It was a humbling feeling, seeing two mountains clash against one another. Aang, in particular, felt small. For all his power as the Avatar, he couldn’t help but feel insignificant against the raging monsters. How many Avatars had these beings seen come and go? Were they even older than the Cycle itself? He wasn’t sure if he wanted to know the answer.

 

The rest of his friends were similarly silent. Being freed only meant they had become aware of the devastation surrounding them. Still, nobody said a word as the titans clashed. Who could? For they were so small amidst the fury and violence. A tiny flicker amidst the monumental expanses of time.

 

Only one person had the will to say even a word. “...I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I want Godzilla to kick that thing’s ass.”

 

Sokka’s bluntness brought Aang out of his stupor. A small chuckle came from his mouth. Seemed a bit out of place in this place of ruin. It was probably just a small relief from the stress they had found themselves in.

 

Sadly, it was only a brief reprieve. Dread soon infected their hearts when they witnessed Godzilla pushing Axor back in their direction. “Uh…we should probably run,” Kiriko suggested in an eerily calm voice.

 

It was replaced by nothing but sheer panic as a familiar shape descended from the skies. With outstretched bat wings, red eyes, and a piercing warcry.

 

“Couldn’t agree with you more!” Aang said hurriedly as he led them down an alleyway. One hand was clutching his staff, while the other was fumbling in his robes, trying to find the Bison whistle. 

 

“You sure Appa’s going to be able to get through the storm?!” Suki asked as he pulled out the whistle in the shape of a Sky Bison. Her argument was shattered when the Servum landed on the roofs above them. It tried to snake its head into the alleyway, but its wings were too large. Didn’t mean the sheer weight of the monster caused parts of the roofs to collapse.

 

“DON’T THINK WE’VE GOT MUCH OF A CHOICE!” With that, Aang blew his whistle. The sound was imperceptible, but it could travel a long distance. He knew Appa had issues with storms, but right now, it was the only idea he could think of.

 

Besides, it wouldn’t matter much if they couldn’t get out in the open fast enough. The alleyway kept going on, turning around sharp corners just when it seemed to finally open out. This seemed less like the back streets of a bustling city and more of a maddening maze for its inhabitants. A veritable prison with leering, monstrous faces with stone eyes and gaping maws carved into the walls acting as guards.

 

This wasn’t even getting into the real monsters who were getting ever closer. Above, the Servum trailed them every step of the way, snapping at them whenever it could squeeze its head into the alleyway. And further behind, the stomping and roaring of the furious kaiju edged ever closer. If they didn’t find their way out of this cursed backstreet soon, they’d be trampled underfoot.

 

Aang was almost about to snap open his glider and risk flying out when he saw the alley open up into a larger street. It was a sight that almost made him smile with relief. About time! He thought. They were this close to sweet, sweet open air.

 

That was when the universe hit him with a dose of reality when the Servum landed in front of them at the exit. It gave a predator’s hiss as it began to claw and push against the stony walls, preventing it from just snapping them all up right then and there. Age and nature had taken their toll on the stone structures, weakening them to the point where they began to crumble under the relentless assault. Aang had to stop himself and get into a bending stance. Soon, there wouldn’t be anything stopping that angry, near invincible predator from barrelling right through…

 

Suddenly, Sokka pointed at the monster’s open maw. “Lieutenant! See if you can lob a fireball down that thing’s throat!”

 

The armored firebender gave him a questioning look before stomping forward and letting forth an impressive fireball from her fist. It struck home, impacting the back of the creature’s throat. A shrill hiss of pain erupted from the smoldering mouth of the Servum as it wheeled back. The scent of smoldering flesh permeated the air. Momo was practically gagging at the scent of charred meat.

 

“I KNEW IT! HE’S NOT AS TOUGH FROM THE INSIDE!” Sokka triumphantly declared, practically ignoring the stench of burnt flesh. How he managed to see the bright side of things in the middle of a battle was beyond Aang’s reasoning. At least they had a way of hurting the monster.

 

He gulped a bit once the thought of killing the beast entered his mind as a possibility. That was before he put it down with grim determination. One, he doubted they would have any choice. The Servum would just keep pursuing them and kill anything in its way. Two, there didn’t seem to be any way of even subduing it without killing it. It could shrug off ridiculous amounts of punishment.

 

And three, it didn’t even seem like a proper creature. The way it slammed itself again at the alleyway with almost no regard to its safety wasn’t natural. Sure, it angled its head above them so it couldn’t be fed more fire. Yet it didn’t seem to notice bout the raging kaiju not too far behind them. No, there was something wrong with this thing. The way it looked at Aang with those blood-red eyes. There didn’t seem to be any consciousness in there. Just an engine whose sole purpose was to kill him.

 

A realization hit Aang. Servum. That sounded a lot like a servant . Was this beast just a thrall to some higher consciousness?

 

He’d have to dwell on it later. For now, they needed a way out of this alley, and those walls looked like they were about to go any minute…

 

Just then, a section of wall collapsed…no, it was bent out of the way as an earthbender waved them inside the building. “Unless you guys want to be that thing’s dinner, you better get in!” he roared. Aang gazed at him. It was one of the soldiers who was pursuing him not too long ago. Yet, he didn’t have that glazed look in his eyes.

 

Now, the thought of going inside a dark, foreboding building didn’t exactly sound like a good idea to him. Of course, then the walls to the alleyway collapsed as the Servum came rushing in. That sealed the deal for him as he led his companions inside the dark building. The Servum hissed at it and tried to crush them in its jaws, but another earthbender sealed the wall when the last person fell inside.

 

All at once, the earthbenders in the room rushed to the wall, stamping their feet and reinforcing the stone between them and the monster outside. It was all they could do against the repeated ramming and thrashing of the Servum, who would not let up the assault. Their foreheads quickly became drenched in sweat from the effort. On instinct, Aang joined them, feeling the earth beneath his feet. Stomping the ground, he thrust his palms outward and extended his will into the crumbling earth before him. The strain suddenly slackened, but just a little bit.

 

Behind them, a group of firebenders surrounded Team Avatar and their companions. “Okay! You guys were just trying to kill us not too long ago, now you’re helping us out?!” Kiriko exclaimed.

 

“Hey, that kid managed to snap us out of that bastard’s spell! It’s the least we could do! Plus, I think we can have time to figure out what the hell is going on when we get to safety!” One of the former slaves shot back.

 

Sokka stroked his chin before quickly coming up with a plan. “Alright. We need to get to a more open area so we can maneuver around that thing. But we can’t keep going in circles unless we want to get crushed.”

 

“We can- urgh- take you to the main street!” one of the earthbenders grunted out. “We’ll just bend our way straight through the buildings! It’s how we got to you guys!” Another thump from outside warned Aang and the others that they didn’t have much time to think about it.

 

In the end, Aang made the decision. “Alright! We’ll cover you guys! Just get us to the main street!”

 

Nodding, the lead earthbender gave his commands to his comrades. “We’re on, boys! Let go on the count of three! One…two… THREE!” At once, the earthbenders stepped back and turned on a pivot, opening the wall leading to the outside. Hurriedly, everyone dove out just as the Servum barreled through the now weakened wall.

 

They fled across the street before the earthbenders bent a way into the next building. And the next. Every time they hit a wall, they’d just plow on through. Not exactly the most elegant way of travel, but it was better than getting devoured from the Servum behind. Aang finally let himself smile a bit. In the blink of an eye, they’d found new allies. Just when they needed them.

 

Though a new threat reared its head. The streets were becoming choked with walls of blue flame. Aang and the firebenders cleared whatever obstacles they could, bending their way through the azure inferno. The battle between the kaiju was getting closer. And it was heating up…

 

---

 

Godzilla’s onslaught was relentless. Everywhere that was even remotely close to Axor, he set ablaze with his fiery breath. The air became choked in a cloud of smoke, with blue fire consuming everything that it touched. Centuries worth of architecture built on the backs of oppression were being wiped out in a single day. Wiped clean from the face of the earth.

 

Axor emerged from the inferno, his scales burned from the inferno. He stumbled a bit, having endured quite the thrashing. His body was aching, screaming for respite. But the battle was far from over. 

 

Looking ahead, he saw that the monuments were so close. Just a bit further…

 

An enraged roar drew the serpent’s attention. There, standing amid the inferno like a shadow of death, was the God of Destruction himself. The azure glow on his spines faded, his fire having been spent. But his fury had not dissipated in the slightest. He, too, was battered and bloodied. Throughout his rampage, Axor had slashed and bitten at his limbs. Now, he was covered in cuts. Shallow enough that his healing could take care of itself, but he was becoming tired from the punishment.

 

Both stared at each other, breathing heavily from the protracted battle. High above, the skies thundered and opened up. It started as a slight drizzle but soon turned into a downpour. The rainwater soothed Axor’s battered body, for the heavens had granted their master a small reprieve.

 

It also reignited something deep within the Storm King. All around, he saw the devastation Godzilla had wrought. The carnage and destruction. This was the same ruin that had once consumed his empire in ages long gone. The fires raged out of control, scouring everything he had slaved to build.

 

This was supposed to be the heart of his new empire. Now, it was nothing but ruins.

 

Something snapped. Axor shrieked a battle cry and charged forward. With thunder echoing in the sky, he rushed right at Godzilla, practically clambering on the larger kaiju’s legs and rearing his hooded visage high above.

 

Before he could wrap his coils and snuff the life out of the Chaos Bringer, Godzilla grabbed his hands in a vice-like hold. Struggle as he might, he couldn’t wrap his coils around with his arms effectively paralyzed.

 

Godzilla snorted, having learned from the first time. With a mighty heave, he slammed Axor down to the earth, crushing every building in the impact. He would’ve ended it there, crushed that writhing snake’s head under his foot. But the lashing coil of Axor’s tail lashed around his neck and squeezed tightly. His air was cut off, causing him to gasp and try to claw the appendage off.

 

The Storm King was faster. One strong yank from the tail by Axor just sent the kaiju plummeting to the ground. Now freed, the serpent took the opportunity to scramble to his feet and glare at the now downed Godzilla.

 

Gazing at the raging heavens above, Axor took in a deep breath, hoping to fill his lungs with his storm and shred the very flesh off of his enemy…

 

All he got was a mouthful of ash. Axor gagged and choked, having inhaled the smoke from Godzilla’s inferno. For the King of the Monsters hadn’t just been firing away in a blind fury.

 

Rising to his feet, Godzilla roared as he crunched down on the disoriented Axor’s neck. Blue flames fizzled in his maw, causing the flesh to burn. His fury, though, was still not sated. He slammed the would-be usurper to the ground before tossing his victim away. Axor landed in a crumpled heap, the grandeur having long been lost.

 

Godzilla snarled with nothing but contempt, stomping forward. Each footstep seemed to herald the Storm King’s grisly end.

 

Yet, Axor slunk backwards towards the monuments behind him. Soon, the trap would be sprung. And a new king would be crowned this day…

 

---

 

After having barreled through who knows how many dark buildings, Aang and his allies burst out into a wide and familiar boulevard. It was the main street that he had come down before. Looking around to assess any threats, he saw the ring of monuments down the road. Nobody could forget those black monoliths jabbing out into the heavens above.

 

Neither were they abandoned. At their feet, crews of workmen were supervising those long-necked behemoths. Each monolith had its crew and team of animals, the latter being yoked to a massive chain being pulled. The chain ran down the length of the monolith they were assigned to, through the herd, and was fed into a grate down below. Altogether, each massive tooth had its work gang going around the ring.

 

Even from this distance, Aang could see the whips lash out, urging the beasts to pull harder. “What…what are they doing ?” he snarled. It was taking all of his willpower not to fly into the Avatar State at the horrific sight. No animal deserved to be treated in such a cruel manner.

 

“It’s…it’s the Trap,” one of the freed men said. “Axor wanted it built so he could…” Silently, he pointed to the brawling kaiju in the distance. They saw that the two were edging ever closer in their direction. Given time, they’d be right on top of them.

 

On instinct, Aang looked to the heavens above. He had to cover his eyes from the torrential downpour of rain and the thundering lightning high above. His heart plummeted. Appa wouldn’t be able to get through this mess. And even if he did, Aang was asking him to power through the very thing that forced them into the sea! Mentally, he was kicking himself for not thinking of that sooner.

 

An icy chill ran down his spine, his muscles seizing up and a vacant look dawning on his face from the horrifying realization. Sokka took one look at his face and turned towards the freed men. “Please tell me you know a way out of this place?”

 

“I mean…no. We don’t.”

 

“NO?!? By the Spirits, what do you mean no?!” Sokka practically screamed, bringing Aang out of his stupor. He turned, seeing the utterly mortified former slaves, horror etched on their faces.

 

“I mean, we could leave when he allowed us to! When we’re not, he wipes our memories! Do you honestly think he’d just let us waltz out of here?!?” an earthbender protested. The dread in his voice spread throughout the group. Aang and his allies were looking around hurriedly for cover while the freed men panicked and began to curl in on themselves. 

 

For there was no haven to be found. All they found was yet more horrifying, grotesque buildings blocking any view of the outside world with snarling maws and fangs. There was no escape from here…

 

And it was about to get worse.

 

A warcry came from high in the skies above. The Servum dived at them, forcing the humans to scatter lest they get crushed. With a thundering crash, it landed on the ground and looked straight at Aang.

 

Those red eyes were filled with malice, piercing straight into Aang’s soul. Instinct took over as he readied his staff for battle. He remembered what Sokka had said about firing down its throat. That was his best bet for survival.

 

It was easier said than done. The Servum charged right at him, forcing him to dive to the side. Feeling the torrent of rain pouring down, he loosened up his limbs and danced amidst the rain. The rainwater obeyed, forming itself into a lashing tendril. Nothing like what Katara could manage, but it was a start.

 

With a jerk, the tendril lashed out at the predator. The Servum didn’t move. It just lashed out with its tail and broke it apart. Yet the assault didn’t last. Now the rainwater was being called from behind Aang. Old habits kicked in as the Avatar leaped on a gust of wind right as a great wave washed beneath him.

 

When one had a master waterbender for a girlfriend, the things to be afraid of sank to almost nothing.

 

The Servum wasn’t impressed, though. It just beat its wings and climbed into the air, dodging Katara’s raging wave. It snarled as it came crashing down with its talons outstretched. Aang tried to dodge, but it was too fast. He found himself pinned under its foot. With nowhere to run, he reached out to the earth, creating an armor of stone for himself. Just in time, too, as the Servum pressed down with that foot.

 

Aang grunted from the pressure. If it weren’t for his armor, the full weight of the wooden dragon would’ve crushed him to death. Even now, he felt as though he only had a few seconds before the armor failed him…

 

A deep bellow suddenly reverberated through the air, and the ground began to rumble.

 

It was enough for the Servum to glance up from Aang’s sorry state at the newcomer. Upon four mighty legs, one of the long-necked giants was charging right at them. The Avatar recognized the scars running down its side. They were the one he and Katara had healed not too long ago. Seemed like they were returning the favor.

 

This brief window was all Aang had to make a move. Knowing that if he stayed longer, he’d be killed, he decided to make the most of it. So within his earthen cocoon, he thrust out his arms and sent the stones out in an explosion away from himself. The projectiles bounced harmlessly off the Servum’s hide, but they did generate enough force to lift that foot off his body. Suddenly, the beast was off kilter and blindsided by its prey’s surge of power.

 

Giving Aang enough time to scramble away on a gust of wind. Very far away. The last thing he wanted was to be caught between two giant animals going at each other. Again. Indeed, everyone else was giving both the longneck and the Servum some space for battle.

 

The Servum looked towards its fleeing prey, but decided it needed to deal with the most pressing matter first. It looked up and down at the longneck, seeing the bulky body thundering towards him. Certainly, the size was most impressive. And an individual with a hide as scarred as this one’s must’ve been quite the specimen to have lived this long.

 

There was only one way to find out, of course. The Servum charged forward with its wings and arms outstretched, eager to tear into that battered hide. At the last minute before the two collided, the dragon ducked to the side and lashed out with that long tail at the trunk-like legs. A grunt came from the longneck, but that was all that came from him.

 

Still, the winged beast was now looking at its unguarded flank. Ducking low to the ground, the Servum lashed out with its fangs and went for the left hind leg. Its sharp fangs bit through the tough skin and straight into the muscle, drawing blood. For an animal this large, though, more damage was required to even dream of hobbling them.

 

So the Servum was about to pull back and deliver another bite before that heavy tail came swinging around like a whip. It collided with a stony wing that was brought up just in time, but the blow alone with enough to stagger even the fearsome predator. The longneck knew it too. Suddenly, he lurched to the side, slamming the full weight of his body into the stunned Servum’s face, sending it crashing.

 

Now was the time to finish this fight before it even started. Taking a deep breath, the longneck rose high to the sky, his body weight balanced on his sturdy tail and two legs. It was an awe-inspiring sight to see so much power being raised so high. And those feet were aimed right at the stricken dragon, preparing to crush its skull.

 

But before the final blow was struck, the strain on the injured leg this maneuver required took its toll. The longneck wobbled, forcing him to try and right himself lest he come crashing to the ground himself. That was an opening the Servum was waiting for. It kicked out with its talons, slicing the flesh of the longneck’s belly. Not deep enough to cause serious damage, but painful enough to force the beast to slam to the stony earth.

 

Freed from being crushed to death, the Servum quickly rolled back up onto its two feet. Not wanting to waste a moment, it quickly lashed out with its tail and whipped the longneck’s injured leg. A pained grunt erupted from the saurian’s maw as he tried desperately to keep his balance, distributing some of his weight to his right hind leg. Unfortunately, that was exactly what the Servum was hoping for. The dragon beat its wings and leaped into the air, practically climbing over the longneck’s back.

 

Right as it landed on the other side, the Servum lashed out again with its whip-like tail at the right hind leg. Using the momentum of its swing, it lashed out and sank its teeth into the leg. The longneck bellowed in pain, with its hind legs finally giving out. All he could do was press his forelimbs into the earth so he wouldn’t topple over and thus crash on his stomach. His impact caused the very earth to shake and stones to crumble.

 

With the longneck down, the Servum lept onto his back, beginning to claw and bite into that thick hide. Despite the assault, the longneck continued to fight back. Whenever the wooden beast came too close to his vulnerable head, he lashed out, clobbering the dragon off with a swing of his mighty neck. Yet he couldn’t get up. Not with his legs still in pain, and not wanting to expose his vulnerable belly.

 

So the Servum continued to claw and bite. It was more than Aang could stand. This creature that he just met was risking its life for him. They were a friend, and he wouldn’t let his friends die for his sake.

 

Thus, the Avatar charged forward with the wind in his step. He spun in the air and sent forth blades of wind, slamming into the rocky hide of the Servum. Against such skin, the wind did little but get its attention. A shrill hiss came from that toothy maw, but the predator refused to leave its perch. Instead, it positioned its clawed feet on the back of the longneck’s head, with the obvious intent of crushing it.

 

Aang furthered his sprinting, but he knew he wouldn’t be able to get there in time before those talons pierced the longneck’s skull.

 

Luckily, he wasn’t in this fight alone. The air suddenly began to chill as lances of ice formed out of the cascading carpet of rain. In one fluid movement, Katara sent the lances forward, embedding them in the rocky hide of the Servum. One jerk, and the lances began to freeze the body. Not even the most determined killer could withstand such an assault, forcing the Servum to slip off the drenched hide of the longneck. Still, it clung on, its clawed hands digging into the beleaguered saurian’s flank as if using him as cover.

 

Aang wouldn’t allow it. Slowing his movements but still maintaining a bit of momentum, his arms conjured a wave from the drenched water around them. The crest of the wave slammed right into the face of the Servum, pushing it back from the longneck. The rest of the water fell gently on the reptile’s hide, soothing its wounds.

 

The Servum snarled as it took a few steps back. All over its body, the ice was spreading. It took all of its strength to stay on both its feet. That’s when Sokka, who had rallied with Suki and the Children of the Sun, noticed something. Not only was the ice gradually slowing down the monster, but the wounds weren’t closing as rapidly as they were before.

 

“If there’s a time to finish this, I’d say now would be a good time!” Sokka ordered. Without needing any further prompting, Kiriko and her firebenders stomped forward and sent fireballs against the rocky hide of the Servum. It took the barrage of fire flying through the rain for they to realize the problem. They rapidly shrank in size before colliding into the Servum, a mere fraction of their original size.

 

That was when Suki stepped forward. Her makeup running and her robes and armor drenched with rainwater, she gripped the sword in her hands. “Somebody needs to keep that thing’s mouth open so we can force-feed it a fire bomb.”

 

Sokka realized what she was saying, but couldn’t even stop her from rushing forward. All other thoughts were pushed aside. Right before her, the Servum was slowing down and struggling. Soon it would collapse, and she’d be to give them the opening they needed to finish this. Those jagged teeth didn’t scare her. It could’ve been swords for all she cared. If it had to taste anyone’s blood, it wouldn’t be Sokka’s. It wouldn’t be Aang’s or Katara’s. And it wouldn’t be the people who were still looking for that second chance.

 

This was her decision, and she’d rather die with that thing’s sword in its mouth rather than live to regret it.

 

Unfortunately, there was still some fight left in the dragon. Beating its wings, it took to the air, pushing the Kyoshi Warrior down to the wet earth. Sokka and Kiriko ran forward so she wouldn’t be helpless, but the gusts of wind from the Servum were making it hard to progress.

 

It glared at them all with a maw full of teeth. Who were they to deny their prey a gruesome end?

 

A fireball to its eyes forced it to reconsider its hunger. Aang flew right in front of its face on his glider, practically daring it to chase after. Seeing its target offer itself up as a sacrifice, the Servum followed in pursuit into the stormy heavens above. As Aang ascended, he began to control his breathing while making some slow, deliberate movements with his arms. He wasn’t as good with ice as Katara was, but he could make the air a bit colder. And he had the natural power of the Avatar to make the effect sizeable.

 

That chill began to slow down the Servum below. With more cold air, the frozen patches began to spread further. Soon, it wouldn’t be able to pursue it any longer. Yet Aang wasn’t immune to this either. He felt himself slow down a bit from the cold rain battering his face. But he kept on going. All he had to do was outlast the Servum, and he could counterattack when the dragon fell.

 

Just a bit further…

 

The Servum, though, would not be denied its prey. With one last burst of energy, it snapped its wings and overtook the sagging airbender. Aang gasped when he felt those great talons wrap around his body, squeezing tightly before the Servum’s strength gave out. They both plummeted from the sky, but now he was caught.

 

Aang panicked, trying to control his breathing. But with every breath he took, the Servum squeezed tighter. Even if he could move his arms, he wouldn’t even be able to breathe fire, let alone lob a bomb into its face.

 

Time slowed down. Aang froze, seeing the teeth of the Servum’s maw come closer. A flash of lightning thundered above, causing his very life to flash before his eyes. So many thoughts ran through his head. Of the world, which he seemed destined to fail. Of his friends.

 

Of Katara.

 

That was when he heard a familiar bellow from the heavens above.

 

The Servum looked up, only for a massive beast to slam into it. Aang snapped his glider back open, descending alongside the falling melee. His killer bit and clawed into the other, hoping to dislodge him and rip the Avatar to shreds.

 

What it didn’t count on was the resilience and determination of an angry Sky Bison. 

 

Appa bit back, crunching down on the Servum’s wing. He pummeled it with his heavy feet and massive tail. Whatever he got, he paid back. No matter how freaked out he was by the storm or the strength it took to get here and short notice, he wouldn’t abandon Aang. And he was going to make this thing regret ever trying to make a meal out of his lifelong companion.

 

So the two fell, clawing, biting, pummelling. Eventually, though, the Servum clambered on top as the ground descended ever closer. At the last second, Appa kicked the dragon away from him and managed to make a controlled crash landing. He grunted a bit from the impact, but he managed to weather most of it with his sheer bulk.

 

Nevertheless, he rose and glared at the Servum in the eye. The predator alighted on the ground, for the ice had been broken off. With its wounds healing, it glared at him with nothing but hatred. It gave off a war cry before charging. Only for the longneck, having gotten back up on their feet, ramming into the Servum with its sheer bulk.

 

The Sky Bison looked up with eyes almost bugging out of his head. It wasn’t every day he came face to face with something that could gaze down on him. Still, they seemed to be an ally. That was good enough for him.

 

With the predator busy, Aang landed beside his faithful companion. “Listen, we need to pin that thing down so we can finish it off. Think you can manage that?”

 

Appa grunted. It wasn’t in his nature to be violent, but nobody had time to think twice. Even now, the Servum was squaring up against the longneck, dodging out of the way of a tail swipe and raking its claws against that massive body. What sort of animal would be willing to pick a fight against something that big, surrounded by benders? And in a storm, no less? He wasn’t sure, but that didn’t seem like anything a normal animal would do.

 

So he charged, letting out a bellow. The Servum quickly turned around, bringing that whiplike tail along with it and smacking him in the face. Appa grunted in pain before stumbling to the ground. The fall was light, but it did knock him down. Giving the dragon time to jump on his back.

 

Before teeth or claws could penetrate his neck though, a massive tail slammed into the Servum and knocked it off. The longneck bellowed, as it trudged forward, putting himself between the downed bison and the ferocious carnivore. Their tormentor sluggishly pulled itself up, the fight and punishment leaving it exshauted.

 

Sensing a chance to finish this fight, the longneck stomped forward, hoping to knock the Servum off its feet with that heavy neck of his. Yet the Servum simply darted back, avoiding the first swing and coming in at the windup. It latched on to the neck, throwing its weight against it and sinking its fangs deep into the flesh.

 

A heavy thud was felt as the longneck toppled over from the impact. Keeping one foot on that neck, the Servum reared its neck and aimed those fangs at the now exposed jugular of the saurian. Soon, it would taste blood again…

 

The rumbling of the ground wrenched its concentration from the meal. Ahead, Appa was charging right at him. All the Servum did was place one of those clawed hands on the jugular of its prey. Seemed like it would have to settle for bleeding the titan out.

 

In doing so, it didn’t see that Aang had clambered onto Appa’s back. Wielding his staff to channel his energy, the airbender let forth a gust of wind that forced the Servum off its prey and right into the Sky Bison’s path. To ensure that it wouldn’t just fly away again, Katara came from the side and swished her arms around, channeling the water up the monster’s body, freezing it all the way.

 

Something almost resembling panic seemed to fill the crimson eyes of the Servum as it tried to wriggle itself free. Appa snorted as he charged straight into the Servum, pushing it backwards and pinning it against the side of a building. Cries of fury rang through the air as the trapped monster lashed out with its fangs, tail, and claw, trying to rip the bison to pieces. The blows buffeted Appa, but he held firm for the moment.

 

Sensing her opportunity, Suki rushed forward with sword in hand. Almost in synch, Kiriko ran beside her. The two armored warriors quickly clambered onto Appa’s back and towards his head. Just as the Servum opened its maw for a bite, Suki thrust her sword arm forward and stabbed the roof of the monster’s mouth.

 

“NOW!!!!” she cried, bringing Aang out of his stupor at her almost suicidal move. Seeing the sight of the Servum’s maw being forced open, he sprang forward along with Kiriko. It pained him to do this, but nothing about this creature seemed natural. Even now, it seemed more focused on killing rather than freeing itself. As if it were a machine made of flesh instead of iron.

 

So, with a heavy heart, Aang gathered his breath and lobbed a firebomb down the monster’s throat. Kiriko followed suit with her firebomb. When both projectiles disappeared into its throat, Suki drew her sword back and backed away. All three then scrambled down Appa’s back, who was pulling away. For what was going to happen next, nobody wanted to be near.

 

With the Sky Bison pulling back, the Servum was freed from the trap. Snarling in nothing but abject hate, it lunged forward, hoping to rip the Avatar to pieces. Nothing else mattered. For its will belonged to that of its greater whole. And the greater whole wanted the Avatar out of the picture.

 

That’s when the firebombs detonated.

 

Aang, Suki, and Kiriko dove to the ground, feeling the force of the dual explosion from behind. They felt rain and pieces of charred flesh rain on their back as they felt something topple over with a groan.

 

“Did…we get him?” Aang asked, almost worried that his answer would be gnashing teeth.

 

Instead, Katara pulled him to his feet and embraced him in a tight hug. “Yeah. You did it,” she said with tears running down her face. Aang hugged her back, hoping that the nightmare had abated.

 

Beside them, Sokka pulled Suki up while Kiriko was helped up by her men. “Sokka…I think I’m ready to take a vacation or something,” she said wearily. Honestly, it was the only thing to say after almost being eaten. He just hugged her tightly, almost afraid she’d disappear if he let go.

 

“...uh…guys?” Kiriko got into a stance, drawing everyone’s attention to the carnage behind them.

 

Somehow, the Servum was still alive. But only barely. It growled weakly as it pulled itself along towards them. Yet even what little strength it had left failed it, leaving it a ruined, paralyzed wreck. Its body tried to repair itself, but the damage was simply too extensive. Even the glare of its red eyes faded as its life slipped away.

 

The ground rumbled as the longneck marched forward, looming over the ruined Servum. He looked for a moment before rearing up on his hind legs.

 

Then he came down, ending the Servum’s suffering.

 

Everyone looked away, but they couldn’t block out the very audible CRUNCH .

 

“Okay…now it's dead,” Sokka diagnosed, not even having to see the ruined corpse.

 

The longneck lumbered over to Aang. As he passed Appa, the two beasts gave a respectful nod for their efforts. Then, the beast looked down at Aang, giving a short grunt as if saying thanks.

 

“You’re welcome…uh…”

 

“Brontosaur. That’s what we call it,” one of Axor’s former servants answered. With all the chaos, they hadn’t been able to get into the battle. Not that they were in any condition to do so, since they had strained themselves pretty hard to get this far. What they were able to do was hold back to defend their weakness.

 

Which included Imana, who bounded forward and gave a grateful bow to the Brontosaur. “Sorry, I couldn’t be much help,” she apologized to the rest.

 

Aang smiled. “Hey, if it weren’t for you. I don’t think I would’ve been able to free everyone else. Then we wouldn’t have stood a chance.”

 

He would’ve said more if the Brontosaur and Appa bellowed in fear, looking towards the ring of monoliths.

 

Everyone turned before they froze. There, they saw Godzilla and Axor still fighting.

 

And heading right their way.

 

---

 

Godzilla lunged forward to crush Axor’s neck in his jaws. The serpent just darted back and lashed out, sinking those teeth into his leg. Then he’d push again, only to receive a bite on the arm. Attack. Counterattack. His rival was simply too quick for him to get his claws around. The opening and reopening of his wounds only made his movements more sluggish, allowing Axor to pick him apart at their leisure.

 

Attack. Axor’s fang sunk into his arm.

 

Staying on the defense wasn’t an option. He could sense the end being so near. All he needed was just one good grip on the slippery serpent, and it would all be over. That kept him going despite all the pain of his wounds. They’d heal in good time. Axor wouldn’t last even a fraction of that time if he had his way.

 

Attack. Axor’s fang slashed his leg.

 

Unfortunately, reality was catching up. The pain was slowing down the battered titan even further, becoming nigh impossible to ignore. Godzilla’s chest heaved as he tried to gather his breath. Gradually, his charge came to a halt.

 

This was the opening that the serpent was looking for. Axor rushed in and sank his fang into Godzilla’s other leg before backing up. At long last, the punishment was becoming too much for the saurian to bear. A pained groan came from that powerful maw as Godzilla collapsed to the ground.

 

Axor glanced behind him. At long last! The monuments were in sight. He just had to-.

 

The lapse in concentration meant he didn’t see Godzilla charge at him on all fours. Axor shrieked in surprise upon being set upon by his rival. He crashed to the earth in a heap, the ring so agonizingly close.

 

Godzilla was not done yet, though. He still had enough strength to crawl on his four limbs. So, like a crocodile, he trampled over Axor’s fallen form and clawed once at the serpent’s chest. Cries of agony erupted from the serpent, only galvanizing him to go right for the jugular.

 

In a flash, Axor struck out with his fang and sliced across Godzilla’s maw. The King of the Monsters reared back from the sudden attack, allowing the serpent’s writhing body to free itself. Victory had been eluded once more.

 

As if to add insult to injury, Axor’s whip-like tail lashed out and struck Godzilla in the face. The blow was so swift and vicious that it broke the tough hide and caused blood to run down his snout.

 

His enemy disoriented, Axor turned to finally make that last mad dash and-

 

Godzilla crunched down on Axor’s tail, sinking in deep with his teeth. That insult wouldn’t go unpunished. The tail writhed, trying to free itself, but Godzilla bit down harder. Using his prize as leverage, the dragon pulled himself up from the ground.

 

Behind, his dorsal spines began to glow an ominous blue, threatening an azure inferno…

 

Suddenly, the tail was torn free from Axor’s rear. It wriggled in the air as the muscles spasmed, forcing Godzilla to drop the appendage.

 

Snarling with frustration, the God of Destruction locked eyes with Axor.

 

Who was standing on the other side of the monuments. Despite their size, they were just about half the size of either of the kaiju. The tooth-like structures didn’t appear much compared to them.

 

On the other side, Axor looked coolly at his rival. His tail was no loss. It would regrow in time. Now, he just needed to lure his prey in further.

 

---

 

They watched as Axor rose his head up, looking up to the sky and taking a deep breath. The winds of the storm above seemed to be funneled into his mouth, and his hood was at its full length.

 

Then, all was silent as Axor gazed at Godzilla once more. Not wavering once from those hateful eyes.

 

It was then that Katara gulped a bit, sounding a lot louder than normal in the deafening silence. “Katara, you know something?” Aang asked, feeling a bit apprehensive about the situation himself. A battle that had been raging throughout the entire city shouldn’t be dead silent.

 

“He’s…trying to do the same thing I did to Azula back during the Comet,” Katara whispered, almost afraid that the serpent would hear her. Given how agonizingly close he was and how he seemed rather invested in human affairs, that wasn’t exactly out of the realm of possibility.

 

Just as she said that, though, Godzilla roared with an unrestrained fury. Whether heedless of the danger or simply not caring, the great kaiju stomped into the ring of the monuments.

 

Aang was the first to find his voice. “EVERYBODY GET TO COVER!” All at once, everyone ducked to whatever cover they could find.

 

Then, the storm erupted.

 

---

 

Right as he stepped into the ring, Godzilla halted from movement all around him. His eyes fell on the monoliths. By some kind of hidden mechanism, they were extending their length. Rising higher and higher, aimed right at the angry heavens above. For he had unwittingly stepped on some kind of panel, springing the ominous structure to life.

 

Instincts kicked in as his dorsal spines hummed to life. Godzilla took a deep breath, watching as the spires halted. They had risen to almost the height of his shoulder. All around him, he saw the stony fangs surrounding him. Snarling, he wasn’t about to let this deter him. His enemy was right there. Wounded. Exhausted.

 

So he opened his maw, blue fire beginning to spill forth.

 

That’s when Axor struck first.

 

The Storm King roared, summoning forth the tempest he had stored in his mouth. Once again, the winds surrounded Godzilla. Yet this time, they didn’t just blow past him. The spires creaked but held firm, almost channelling the high winds into a vortex. Such high winds tore at his flesh, opening his wounds further. On instinct, he let forth his fire breath, but the winds just blew the fire back in his face.

 

Godzilla cried in pain, but his roar was almost taken from him. Suddenly, he couldn’t breathe. For the vortex was depriving him of the air within. Now he couldn’t even rely on his fire.

 

But the situation was about to get worse. High above, the winds began to descend upon the ring in a massive tornado, consuming the kaiju. Lightning was forced into the funnel, striking the King of the Monsters from every angle.

 

Suddenly, massive chains were released from the monoliths, swirling around and being taken up by the winds. They wrapped around his arms, his legs, the spines on his back, and around his maw in a tight vice.

 

All the while, Axor stood back and watched his masterpiece. This was his masterstroke. All those centuries of construction led to this moment. For this was the might of the Storm King. To tame the untameable and bring order to a chaotic world.

 

As the winds dissipated and the tornado faded, a surreal image was revealed from the winds. Godzilla, King of the Monsters, the Chaos Bringer, had collapsed on his knees. His chest heaved in and out, taking in as much air as he could. Bloody wounds around his body and limbs brought him down. Numbly, he tugged on his restraints, but the last of the fight was taken out of him.

 

Axor, the Storm King, rose to the heavens and called forth another tempest into his mouth. Then, striding forth, he stood tall over the kaiju kneeling before him. In his eyes, Godzilla had been humbled. Put in his place.

 

And so, Axor roared to the heavens, announcing his victory. Soon, the whole world will hear of this day and tremble. For his empire was reborn, and it was only a matter of time before all the world was tamed.

 

There was only one last business to take care of. Axor lowered his maw to the restrained Godzilla’s throat, aiming that sharp fang right at the jugular. He watched the former god take in one last breath of air. For it would be his last.

 

Then…Godzilla smashed his cranium right in Axor’s face, sending the serpent tumbling backwards.

 

His dorsal spines roared to life, burning with blue fire and searing straight through the chains. Strength was restored to him, as his wounds glowed blue as they rapidly healed. Those breaths weren’t just out of desperation. He was making everyone count, trapping more and more air with each. From then, he needed one last breath before his power was restored.

 

He pulled at his chains, snapping them from the strain. All around, the servants of Axor fled before the sight. Not even their master’s power over them could stop a primal fear from taking hold.

 

Axor himself would not allow this to happen. Once more, he bellowed with a furious war cry, sending forth another vortex that consumed Godzilla. This time, he went into the tempest himself. As the tornado formed around them, Axor wrapped his coils around his rival. He squeezed and squeezed. All sense was lost, for he began tearing into any wound he could find. No, he wouldn’t allow this fight to slip from him.

 

This time though, Godzilla didn’t fire his fire breath. Instead, his entire body began to glow with an eerie blue light. His hide began to burn to the touch.

 

It was enough to bring Axor out of his bloodlust. Suddenly, he realized what was about to happen. He tried to flee and save himself, but Godzilla reached out and grabbed the serpent. Those powerful arms held him tight.

 

All Axor could do was scream in terror. But the storm drowned out his voice and stole his breath.

 

Then…the whole world went blue.

 

---

 

The air reverberated with an overpowering BOOM! A cloud of dust rushed through the streets, blanketing everything in its path. Any ruins that were furthest away from the explosion were left standing, albeit with their foundations shaken to their core.

 

Within one of the ruins, Aang felt himself sweat as he saw the walls of their shelter buckle. Instinctively, he stomped forward and thrust his palms into the wall. Reminding himself of the people hiding with him and using the solid earth as an anchor, he willed the walls to remain standing. Beads of sweat broke out on his forehead, both from the strain and the fear of the carnage outside.

 

Whoever could earthbend amongst their group joined him keeping the structure stable, easing the pressure up. Even so, the force behind the explosion was incredible. This nervous shaking was just a small taste of the energy let loose upon the city. If they were any closer…

 

No. He couldn’t think about that now. So, Aang held his ground. A steady rock in the raging storm.

 

After what seemed like an eternity, the shaking…stopped. The walls settled down, though groaning in protest of their battered foundations. Aang and the earthbending slaves let out a sigh of relief. Looking behind him, the Avatar saw his friends and allies caked in dust that had fallen from the ceiling. He raised his arm to see that he, too, was covered. A close call had been missed.

 

Nobody said a word. Not one soul, as if a single utterance would bring the building collapsing on their heads. Instead, Aang stared at Katara. She stared back with pure fear in her eyes. Turning towards the entranceway of their hiding spot, dust could be seen blowing in.

 

The world was silent. Eventually, curiosity overcame caution. Gripping his staff tightly as if it were a lifeline, Aang ventured out from the shelter. Slowly but surely, everyone followed after him. Perhaps nobody wanted to be cooped up in a battered shelter. Or they were just as curious as he was. After so much roaring and shouting, silence almost seemed alien.

 

Stepping out into the dark world, Aang saw a warzone. Great stones and vegetation had been tossed a great distance, littering the main street. There were bodies as well. Poor souls, both human and otherwise, who weren’t able to find shelter. Yet there were survivors as well. Appa and the scarred Brontosaur emerged from an alleyway across from them. Momo chittered frantically, flying to his huge companion to make sure he was okay. He wasn’t alone as Aang hugged the Sky Bison’s front leg. He got a massive tongue licking the dust off his body in return.

 

There were other survivors as well. Slaves, warriors, and beasts of burden came out of hiding from almost everywhere. Yet none of them gave Team Avatar so much as a glance. Instead, they cautiously looked towards the site of the explosion.

 

A massive cloud had descended upon the heart of the city. What little could be seen was a sight of pure devastation. The few discernible stone teeth in the circle had been pulverized by…whatever that was. And from what could be seen, the ruins all around had not escaped unscathed. Buildings had crumbled into great heaps. That wasn’t even including the destruction visible in the distance, with the distant fires dying from the rain.

 

What once was a great and terrible monument to a mad god had been reduced to rubble in a matter of hours.

 

Amidst all the destruction, something stirred in the great cloud. A great shadow, almost resembling that of a long, serpentine neck…

 

Aang felt a chill running down his spine. His muscles moved on their own as he went into an airbending stance. It wasn’t much, just an effort to mask his fear. Beside him, Katara, Sokka, and Suki got into their combat stances while everyone else took a step back.

 

That shape rose higher, pulling itself from the rubble…

 

A lump welled up in Aang’s throat. If they had any chance of survival, he needed to go into the Avatar State. It wasn’t his lack of control that he was afraid of. It’s that his friends and too many innocents would be caught in the crossfire. Not to mention, he wasn’t sure if this was even a fight he could win. At least the battle must’ve left Axor badly wounded.

 

Indeed, the shape of Axor rose higher through the cloud. The shadow of the Storm King was cast on them all…

 

…before his corpse was unceremoniously dumped on the ground.

 

A great thud was felt as the lifeless body crumpled on the stone. All across its body were severe burns and gouges. Blackened flesh replaced royal blue. And the head…Aang almost vomited. It was scorched right down to the bone.

 

Then, another shape rose as the cloud dissipated.

 

Godzilla roared to the heavens above, his dorsal spines blazing blue and being struck by the storm’s lightning. Almost as if in response, the storms and clouds dissipated. Dark skies were replaced by the deep orange and purple of a sunset long denied this land. The enslaved blinked their eyes at the rays of the setting sun, unused to its grace.

 

Stomping forward, Godzilla crushed the skull of the lifeless Storm King, ending its reign forever. His roar carried out on the winds, as if heralding the death of the tyrant. Birds and small flying reptiles from the jungle and vegetation took to the air. Their ancestors had lived in darkness. Now the God of Destruction had granted them freedom.

 

The humans had a different reaction. Aang took a few steps back, seeing the wounds healing all across the monster’s body. His veins glowed blue all across that mountainous body.

 

Only one person had something to say. “...please tell me he wasn’t taking it easy on you earlier,” Sokka asked.

 

Aang couldn’t answer. All he knew was that towering before them could be the most dangerous creature on this planet. A God of Destruction. War. Chaos. Rage. Something that could tear civilization apart if he wanted to. As if he hadn’t already.

 

For a new age had dawned. And Aang wasn’t sure if man was the master of the world anymore.

 

Suddenly, Godzilla snorted and looked off to the west. His eyes narrowed, as if seeing something off in the great distance. Then his eyes widened before letting out another roar. This one was deeper and full of rage. All who bore witness froze in fear.

 

Aang and his friends exchanged glances. A single thought flew through their minds.

 

It was solidified when Godzilla stomped his way west, trudging and smashing through whatever building got in his way. He moved with a new purpose.

 

Instinct took over as Aang turned towards Kiriko and her scouts. “Lieutenant. You think you’ll be able to find your way out of here?”

 

Kiriko blinked for a second before answering. “I think so. If not, we could just get these guys to help us out,” she said, pointing to the freed slaves.

 

“And you guys know the way out?” Sokka asked.

 

“I mean…I think we do,” one of the former slaves said, scratching his head. “I think it’s starting to come back to us.”

 

Aang nodded, figuring that would have to do. “Well, we need to get out of here. Tell the refugees to hold back till Fire Lord Zuko gives the all clear. And we’ll send word of your courage, Lieutenant Kiriko. You and the Children of the Sun did more to honor the Fire Nation than entire armies did throughout the war.”

 

Stunned, the Lieutenant gave a stiff bow. “It was our honor, Avatar.”

 

And so, Aang, Katara, Suki, Sokka, and Imana hopped on Appa’s back. Not one of them wanted to waste any moment. Personally, Aang wished he could stay a bit to explore some of the ruins. This was his people’s past after all. But he figured they’d still be here whenever he had the time.

 

He certainly had enough time to bow in gratitude to the Brontosaur who saved them. The saurian bowed again in gratitude before joining a group of his kind. All around the ruins of the city, a joyous cry was heard. People celebrating. Animals are crying in triumph. For the old tyrant was dead, and their shackles were broken. It would take some time for news of the outside world and the war to reach them, and given that some of these people were enemies in a past life, there had to have been some tension. But not today. Today was a time for celebration.

 

Aang wished he could’ve joined them and maybe mediated between both the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom citizens here. But he didn’t have time. There were more pressing matters. He would’ve had to come back for Toph once this matter was settled cause given the circumstances.

 

As he guided Appa into the skies, he could’ve stopped and seen how the jungles seemed more lively again. Yet it was not the time. Now, Team Avatar watched Godzilla trudge into the west, knowing who was there.

 

Godzilla was making a beeline for Zuko. If only they could beat him there.

 

---

 

Meanwhile,

 

Earth Spirit’s Pass

 

Azula struggled to her feet. Even with her chi passages freed, it was an effort to walk. The only thought that kept her up was the idea of being confined to that mat any longer than was needed. And the thought of Maina having to be her nurse, of all things. No, she could take care of herself.

 

First thing on the list: her armor. Azula readjusted the straps and made sure everything was all set. Ever since she was on the run, she had to learn how to put on her armor rather than rely on a servant. It was a lot easier than it looked, despite the bulky pauldrons and all. Just do some reaching around and she’d be all set. Helped that it was the only thing she truly wore ever since Aso Island.

 

Next was something a little bit unorthodox. Kneeling, she grabbed the cape Maina had given her on Odo Island. It was becoming a bit torn at the edges, but was otherwise in good condition. She shrugged, placing the cape around her armored shoulders. Probably looked impressive if she could see it herself. If Zuko could wear that stupid cape of his everywhere, why couldn’t she do the same? Of course, she did it a lot better than he ever could. Just because he tried to look like Father didn’t mean he was anything like the Phoenix King.

 

Now then, the last thing was the hair. The topknot was still in place, thank Agni. But a few strands of hair came a bit loose. Disgraced or not, she still had an image to upkeep. She redid her topknot before getting a bit frustrated when those strands kept getting loose. Had she gotten that rusty?

 

Very well. Nothing a look in the mirror couldn’t-

 

She froze, letting the word float through her head.

 

The mirror.

 

Shakily, she tried to collect her breathing. Well, she couldn’t ignore it any longer. It was either come out looking like a mess or…have one of those conversations again. At least she could stomach the latter in private.

 

Nervously, she knelt to a satchel that she carried with her. A gift from Captain Ryuui. Since they were always on the move to populated areas, she didn’t see the need to carry anything heavier for food or supplies. Especially with what is contained within. A fair amount of gold pieces for money. A small pot of a herbal mixture she made herself for her lipstick. The dagger that Mothra had given her back on Infant Island.

 

Her old crown.

 

She shifted that aside, not wanting to look at the shining gold. That was a piece she was unworthy of.

 

No, delicately, she removed a small mirror that she hadn’t touched from the moment she saw it. Another gift from Ryuui, probably thought it would make her feel better in his company. Considering he was now dead with his remains having been shipped off to his relatives (she wasn’t that cruel to leave him unburied), it didn’t do a whole lot of good.

 

Delicately, she took it out of the satchel and placed it on a crate in their tent. Then, she stood back, and very hesitantly, looked at herself.

 

The armor and cape looked fine. Gave her a sense of presence. Again, she dared to say she pulled the look off better than Zuko ever could. The topknot was a little disheveled, but nothing a touch-up couldn’t do. Kneeling, she redid her hair, just to make sure she had it just the way she wanted it.

 

There. Her hair was straight and neatly tucked in. And her bangs were no worse for wear.

 

Then she noticed how one was shorter than the other. It came back to her about how she cut them out of frustration.

 

Then there was the rest of her face.

 

She didn’t look…awful. Her lipstick was recently applied, so that wasn’t an issue. Her skin had gained its old milky white after so long.

 

Yet her cheeks were still gaunt, the fat having been lost in the madhouse. And her eyes. She saw bags under them. Probably not noticeable from a distance, thank Agni, but they were there up close. That wasn’t even getting into how she couldn’t even see the gleam in her golden eyes anymore. That spark was just…gone.

 

Azula sighed, figuring that was as well as she could’ve expected.

 

You don’t look so bad, dear, her mother cooed, her phantom appearing in the mirror.

 

The Princess let out a tired chuckle. Of course, she had to appear. “I’m not supposed to look average. You know that as well as I do.”

 

Ursa’s arms wrapped around her, draping her with those heavy sleeves and long golden ribbons. She couldn’t feel that comforting weight, so she made do with her armor and cape. It was better than nothing. My love, you’ll be yourself in no time. You just have to be patient.

 

“And who’s that? The Mad Princess? That rabid animal?” Azula asked both her mother and herself. All the signs were becoming clear. The mirror. Her brother. Her friends are turning on her. She was going to lose it again, and she’d either be dead or back in the asylum. They’d probably throw the key away for good measure this time.

 

Her mother, on the other hand, just knelt to her level. That’s not who you are. You were just backed into a corner with no escape. Nobody could be expected to act anything less. Not even the Avatar.

 

A weary sigh left Azula’s lips. “The Avatar doesn’t betray his friends. Doesn’t treat them like soldiers. I’m…I’m not him. And I’ll never be that girl anyone wants. Not your traditional daughter. Not Zuko’s obedient sister. Not Father’s pride. Not a friend. If that’s not a monster, then what is?”

 

Ursa leaned forward, nuzzling her soft cheek. If only that were real. Azula, you’re better than anyone expects of you. You just haven’t realized it yet. When the time comes, I know you’ll make the right choice.

 

“The right choice? How can I make the right choice when nobody believes in me?”

 

Maina and Kori do. And so does someone else.

 

Something glimmered from Azula’s satchel. Hesitantly, she reached down and picked it up.

 

Mothra’s medallion. A warmth came from it, causing the Princess to caress its shiny surface.

 

“...I wish you were real, Mom,” Azula tearfully admitted.

 

Oh, I AM dear. And I’ll be right here when you need me , Ursa consoled.

 

Wordlessly, Azula imagined her mother helping her gather the mirror and placing it in the satchel. Helping her place the medallion around her neck, resting on her breastplate. And lead her to the front of the tent, giving her strength.

 

Yet she wasn’t there.

 

It was all Azula’s doing. Still, it made it easier to think that she was there.

 

With a deep breath, she stepped outside into the light of the sunset.

 

---

 

Shore of the Earth Kingdom

 

The blue waters of the sea gently rolled up the sandy shores before receding. Push. And pull. Those waters had lapped the beaches for millions of years in an unending cycle before there was an Earth Kingdom or even humans themselves had evolved. It was an unspoiled cycle that would continue far into the future, regardless of who would stride these shores.

 

Yet even amidst the vast ocean of time, it was undeniable that something significant happened here. On the shore lay a helmet of an old make. Its red hue had been dulled by exposure to both the air and the sea. This was a foreign object in these lands, and the locals would’ve recognized it immediately.

 

Here it was simply a lost helmet. A crab had made its home here, scuttling from the safety it provided for an evening of foraging. To the east, the sky was darkening, heralding a long night. Plenty of shade and darkness to eat in peace. For it, the helmet was just a convenient shelter.

 

In the grand scheme of things, though, it was significant. As were the other signs. A few seabirds glided up and down the shore. They weren’t native here, having been driven from their homes in search of greener pastures. The local nesting birds were on edge about the newcomers, ready to defend their territory if they decided the crowds were becoming too much.

 

The nearby roads were also worn more than was normal. Traffic of countless people and armies had left huge trails of footsteps. Far more than a single shower of rainwater could possibly wash away. The kicked up earth prevented plant growth, but did allow a few species of invertebrates to dig their burrows here in the absence of vegetation.

 

They were all small signs to be sure. But they were signs nonetheless. All it took was somebody who could read the signs to tell the nature of the surrounding area. And all it took was somebody who could read the signs of the many areas to realize what was happening in the world.

 

One of them had just arrived.

 

The waves pulled back as a great mass of water was displaced. Sensing danger, the crab scuttled back to its hole. From above and in the bushes, seabirds called in alarm at the great newcomer slowly swimming to shore. It was a natural response to danger. Especially to one that hadn’t been seen here in generations.

 

But they had nothing to fear. As the waves receded, a massive worm with an earthy brown body gently crawled up the shore. She took the route that avoided the most life, her comparatively stumpy legs bringing her slowly across the landscape.

 

Kind and ancient blue eyes stared at the surrounding areas. She saw the signs everywhere that the natural order had been disturbed. That was why she was here. It was true that her arrival could complicate things for the locals, but that was nothing compared to the coming storm.

 

And she had her matters. In her heart, she knew a servant of hers was suffering. Unsure of herself in the great wide world.

 

Mothra cried out, as if calling out to her child. She would set things right. Woe befall those who would stand in her way.

Notes:

A/N: …I really need to stop making promises I can’t keep.

School, my birthday, and a VERY hectic workweek leading up to Easter. And throw in that awful Ashes of the Academy comic, and I simply didn’t have the energy to work on it. Thankfully school IS out and the next few weeks should be-you know what. I’m just going to stop myself there before I jinx myself.

What I can offer is a good ole-fashioned kaiju brawl. This one’s obviously a lot more violent and drawn out since the previous two battles. Mainly because the two kaiju in question are actually trying to kill each other. Yeah, if the first bouts were like the appetizer in a giant monster film for the much more dramatic battles later on, this one’s probably somewhere right before the final battle. Like if it was Fight Night and all these preliminary matches are leading up to the main event.

Now as for the fighters, I based Axor’s somewhat pragmatic and cowardly fighting style on the Hanna Barbara cartoon. The guy wouldn’t fight Godzilla unless he had some kind of advantage like being juiced up on that power source he had his temple built around. I mean, he’d fight, obviously, but he won’t push things unless he knew he had an advantage. To this end, I had the whole city be a sort of arena for him to exploit. Think Aang or Katara if they were a bit more despicable. And tyrannical.

As for his abilities, he didn’t exactly have venom in the cartoon. I gave that to him since he’s a cobra. Plus any advantage would help when living in a world full of giant monsters. The wind based abilities also came from the cartoon, including the storm manipulation which surrounding his Storm Island. Dropping the tail thing was new, but I figured since some snakes could do it in real life, there shouldn’t be any reason for him not to be able to do it. Again, any advantage matters.

Speaking of, here’s a biology lesson kids! Reptiles like Godzilla are notoriously tough. As in, they can shrug off stupid amounts of punishment that would kill a mammals. Crocodilians like alligators have amazing immune responses and can heal wounds far faster than most. We even have evidence of dinosaurs in the fossil record being able to withstand horrific injuries like lost tails. Essentially, all the nuclear radiation did for Godzilla was just exaggerate what was already there, and now he’s nigh indestructible.

Yes that wasn’t the intent for Godzilla but I’M GIVING A BIOLOGY LESSON DANGNABIT! I’M PUTTING THOSE YEARS OF NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC AND DISCOVERY CHANNEL PROGRAMMING TO GOOD USE!

As for his finishing move, that is what we in the monster business call the “nuclear pulse”. It’s an ability he gained in the Heisei series where he can release an explosive AOE attack that pulverizes anything it comes in contact with. It was also used once in the Millennium series but would also become his super attack in the Pipeworks Trilogy. Well, the 2000s version in the latter games anyways. The 90s version got the Spiral Heat Ray from Save the Earth.

Basically, it sets everything on fire and makes things go boom. It’s P’li’s favorite move.

Now for the Team Avatar plot. Yeah there was no way I was going to have them under mind control for too long. They already had some experience with body snatching so it’s not going to fly. I also wanted to give Suki some spotlight here with Kyoshi and her snapping Sokka and the firebenders out of it. Figured it would be a nod to her solo comic. For Katara, I wanted to make sure she did her part in freeing herself instead of having Aang doing all the work. Hope that came through.

Moving on to the fight with the Servum. Let’s face it: as much as Appa hates storms, I don’t think he’d ignore Aang being in peril. And I wanted to give the old scarred Brontosaur some limelight as well cause I really really really like dinosaurs. Finally, we get to what I consider Suki’s defining moment for this arc in being that instrumental to the Servum’s destruction. Often it takes one person being brave to turn the tides after all. Think of it as her Koichi (from Minus One) moment.

To round things off, we have Azula’s mirror scene. My take on the original is that the Ursa we see is actually Azula’s subconscious talking to her. It’s what I was going for here. What I wanted to get at was that Azula IS in some ways getting better…but she’s not seeing it. There’s subtle clues, but they’re there.

And for some time reference, the mirror scene is happening at the end of the last chapter. So think of the next chapter as happening at the same time as this one.

Well, that’s it for this chapter. Join us next time when Azula has to face everyone else, and for some good old fashioned sibling rivalry. Not just with the Fire Hazard siblings. Thank you all for your patience. Be sure to favorite, follow, and comment. Have a great day, thanks for reading, and I’ll see you all next time!

Chapter 25: Yin and Yang

Summary:

Battra arrives to the scene, putting the uneasy alliance between the Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom to the test. Will Azula and Mothra be able to keep both sides from killing each other? Or will a betrayal send everything into chaos

Notes:

Avatar: The Last Airbender and all associated characters are owned by Paramount Global. Godzilla and all associated characters are owned by Toho Studios. Please support the official release.

Warning: The following chapters features two giant insects. Reader discretion is advised.

Azula stumbled out of the tent, her legs still a bit weak. In her mind, it was almost a dream. She certainly startled Ming and Lee when she walked through the tent flap. That was for certain. What wasn’t was her mind. Almost any second now, she was expecting them to turn into a pair of dragons to roast her alive or something. It couldn’t be any worse than seeing her own mother again.

 

Or walking when she really shouldn’t be walking.

 

She wasn’t the only one surprised. Maina, who was also standing guard, turned around. “Azula? You’re…that should of-”

 

“I know. I know. Just not in the mood right now,” the Princess muttered as she stumbled her way past the Priestess heading…well, she wasn’t sure. Back to Zuko? No, that didn’t sound right. He would’ve expected her to be out for hours. Just not in the tent. Agni help her if she stayed in that tent for a minute longer.

 

“Well…glad to see you up and about!” Maina perkily said. Normally, Azula would snap at her or something, but that was when she realized she needed a voice to hear other than the one in her head. The one that kept repeating I shouldn’t be walking over and over again.

 

Obviously, she couldn’t say that, so she said the only thing that she could think of at the moment. Something to ensure everybody that she WASN’T crazy and to confirm to herself that she’s awake. “Ask me again in about four hours, and we’ll see how I’m doing. Okay?”

 

…okay, maybe not her smoothest choice of words, but she got up from a chi-blocking a few hours too early. Anybody passing judgment on her would have to think of the very, very wrong circumstance she was finding herself in right now.

 

Luckily, nobody aside from Maina and her guards took notice. It was a small comfort, but one had to take every bone that was thrown at them. That and she wasn’t currently arrested for something that wasn’t even her own doing. There was another.

 

Speaking of. “Alright. So could someone care to explain why I’m currently not under arrest right now?” Azula asked her guards. She figured this would’ve been exactly the thing her brother was looking for. Now that he had the perfect excuse, there wasn’t a whole lot stopping him from putting her in chains and-

 

No. Just take it one step at a time , she told herself. She was already playing with fire. The last thing she wanted was to think about what would happen if she didn’t focus on not getting burned.

 

Ming thought for a moment before answering. “I’m…not sure. Best guess is that little mishap wasn’t public, and arresting you without a decent reason wouldn’t exactly look good for anyone.”

 

“Okay, okay. Fine. We all know I’ve got diplomatic immunity for the moment. What I want to know is why YOU guys didn’t arrest me?” she asked both of the guards. “Didn’t Iroh tell you to take me down if you felt I was a threat?”

 

“Oh, trust me, I know,” Lee confirmed, getting a pretty tense stance. “But considering what happened last time you lost it, I’d figure we’d wait till you make the first move. Neutral jing and all.”

 

Right. That earthbending excuse for cowardice. Somehow, she wondered if Iroh even chose these two if he thought she’d lose it again. Figures that Uncle Fatso thought he was always two steps ahead. Was this what everything was about? Just waiting for her to go crazy again? She wouldn’t even have been surprised if Zuko and he were deliberately trying to get her to lose it.

 

Her hands made fists at the thought. So that’s what making peace with everyone was? Just a waiting game? Well, they were going to be sorry. Maybe she could take at least one of them down before-

 

A horn ruined her concentration, pushing aside all thoughts about her family problems. As if awakened by the signal, the camp came to life. Soldiers began to rush to their positions. Vehicles rumbled and fumes came from their engines. The signal was as familiar to them as the Fire Nation anthem.

 

Battle was coming. And that meant Battra was on the way.

 

“Let’s get a move on! Zuko’s got that speech he wants to make,” Ming ordered, having them follow the crowd. Azula scowled at the thought. Yet she couldn’t lash out either. If her thought was correct, any aggression right now would end very badly for her. She’d have to wait for her chance.

 

Of course, somebody had to butt into her thoughts. “Azula, think about this,” Maina said. “Why are you so sure this thing between you and Zuko is going to kill each other?”

 

Azula scoffed before doing what she always did. Rationalize the irrational. “Why else? I’m the biggest threat to his reign-”

 

“You know damn well that’s not what I’m asking!” Maina snapped, causing Azula’s heart to skip a beat. Even the guards halted at the Priestess’s sudden outburst. “You keep saying that it’s how things work, but why ? Do you honestly believe that’s how life works? Everything aside from winning and power is just garbage?”

 

Something flared inside of Azula. How… dare she. 

 

She whipped around, glaring daggers at the Priestess. “You honestly think I wanted this? For Zuko and me to be at each other’s throats forever? Well, let me ask you this: if a man throws his sister in an asylum and throws away the key without a second thought, do you think that’s somebody who values anything like honor or family?”

 

“But he-”

 

“-keeps making excuses,” Azula cut off. “That’s all he ever does is make excuses. ‘Oh, she’s too crazy. Oh, she wants to stab me in the back. Oh, she’s a threat.’ Sounds a lot more like he woke up to who I was a long time ago, but can’t even admit to himself what he is. A selfish, power-hungry, backstabbing traitor . THAT’S who Zuko is, and the only way he can live with himself is if he makes me sound like an even worse monster to justify his failings. Now tell me, does that sound anything like a Fire Lord who’s going to bring peace and love to the whole world to you?”

 

…her fiery tirade smothered any more words from Maina. The native just stood there, uselessly flapping her mouth as if somehow that could do anything.

 

To that, Azula just marched right up to her and looked her in the eye. “Tell me, if he’s willing to throw away whatever shred of love he says he has for me right off the bat, you think talking to him is going to do anything?”

 

…

 

“...no. It’s not. There’s only one language he understands. Better to beat him at his own game than fall for any of his lies.” With that, Azula marched past Maina, not even wanting to hear another one of those preaches about peace and understanding or whatever. Right now, the army was marching. The fires were signaled. And there was no room for sentiment or empathy on this day.

 

Weaklings didn’t belong on the battlefield. Her? She was born on one.

 

So she onward she marched onward. Not caring about Maina or the guards. They wanted to take her down, fine. That would just be proving her point. No, the marching soldiers were what life was. This coming battle was what life was. One battle to the next. Everything in between was just time to make ready for the next conflict.

 

That conflict came sooner than Azula expected. In her path were Mai and Ty Lee. They crossed her path before they froze. For a moment, all three girls just stood staring at each other.

 

For Azula, though, her mind was already made up. “Stand aside. I’ve got your stupid new best friend’s speech to attend.”

 

She didn’t get far before a staff blocked her way. “How about we talk first?” Maina interrupted.

 

“Okay. What makes you think we want to talk to somebody who tried to kill us?” Ty Lee snapped, her muscles already primed for battle.

 

“Because like it or not, we’re facing a kaiju,” Maina stated. “A kaiju that almost wiped out mankind and wouldn’t care about what’s going on between you three. So like it or not, we’re the ones who have to.

 

“If one or more of you dies, those who survive are going to regret it. And that guilt’s going to eat them alive. So here’s how this is going to work. All three of you are going to tell the other what’s eating at them right now. No calling each other crazy or traitorous. Say EXACTLY what’s on your mind. Do I make myself clear?”

 

All three Fire Nation girls were silent. Thoughts churned in their minds, the urge to turn away being high. But Maina wouldn’t allow it. She stood and glared at them all, completely ignoring the army marching past.

 

Ty Lee huffed. “Alright. I’ll start first. Azula, you almost killed Mai at the Boiling Rock.”

 

“She was aiding a traitor. You expect me to stand by and ignore that?” Azula snarled.

 

“You were about to throw lightning at her. I couldn’t stand by and let you kill your friend. If the word ‘friend’ even means anything to you,” the acrobat snapped back.

 

Azula scoffed. “That word DOES mean something to me. It’s why I left you in a cell instead of marching you straight to Father for treason-”

 

“You tried to kill me,” Mai interrupted. “Don’t give me any of that crap. I knew exactly what was going on in those eyes. Your first thought was killing me as if I were just a worthless piece of garbage. Of course, you’d think that. That’s all we are to you. Nothing but soldiers. Pawns to be thrown away at your convenience whenever you’re through with us.”

 

“Oh, and I’M the liar?!” Azula snapped, having to resist the urge to get up in Mai’s face. “Who’s the one who fought alongside you every time you did battle? Who’s the one who wanted everyone to get along outside of the war?! Was I even a friend to either of you in your eyes?!?”

 

Ty Lee shrugged. “Honestly? I don’t even know anymore. Feels like we never were. And you know what? I wouldn’t even be surprised! All our lives, you treated us like crap, and now we’re supposed to feel sorry for YOU?! You set the net at the circus on fire for Agni’s sake!! Tell me, why should we even feel any amount of sympathy for what you brought on yourself?!?”

 

The Princess was taken aback at Ty Lee’s outburst, before seeing red and almost marching off. “What’s the point? They’re just using this as an excuse to say I’m worse than Father!” she snapped at Maina.

 

“Well, maybe if you weren’t such a psycho-”

 

A gust of wind shut Mai up. “Azula, they have the right to be angry at you. Let’s face it, I know from personal experience that you’re a terrible friend,” the priestess said before turning towards the other two girls. “And you should show a bit more restraint! We get it! Azula’s not exactly a good person! How about you stick to that instead of saying you want her head on a pike? Or think about what you’re angry at before pointing fingers.”

 

With that, Maina stood aside, allowing the argument to continue. Ty Lee…took a deep breath. “Azula…you changed. It’s like nothing that happened in our childhood mattered to you. You took our friendship and used it against us. Can you blame us for wanting to cut ties with you?”

 

…Azula took her deep breath. This. None of this was new. There were so many regrets she had for how their relationship ended up, but now it was open in the air. Well, now it was her turn.

 

“Okay. Well, it was never going to end well,” Azula argued back. “Ty Lee, you were living in a dream. Do you honestly think your family was going to let you run away to the circus? I understand your anger at me for what I did. I truly do. But I was doing you a favor. You wouldn’t have lasted long if you got sent to the front line.”

 

“Oh, and I guess that justifies setting the net on fire?”

 

“...no. No, it doesn’t.”

 

Upon her confession, she saw Ty Lee deflate. Just a little. As if the pent-up anger was beginning to peter out. Azula could’ve left it there. Truth be told, they had every reason to leave her. But, no. They wanted to dress her down? She could do the same.

 

“What I can’t ignore was how both of you enjoyed how much fun you were having in the war,” Azula stated. “Now, that I get. Honestly, I had a bit of fun too, actually doing something for our nation. But when you accuse me of not caring? Mai. You let Tom Tom stay prisoner to the Avatar. I didn’t force you to do it. I only suggested you do it. Blame me all you want, but if I wasn’t there, would you have taken him back?”

 

Mai…didn’t say a word. The only sign her argument was acknowledged was a glance at the ground. 

 

“Huh-uh. Didn’t think so,” Azula continued. “Both of you had every opportunity to leave and betray me so many times. If I knew how I was treating you then, I would’ve even let you go. So tell me. If I was so horrible that you felt your lives were in danger, why didn’t you leave sooner?”

 

Again, Mai and Ty Lee were silent. None of them dared to look her in the eye.

 

Azula grimaced. “So what’s all this ‘I ruined your life’ bull then? I didn’t make you feel like a set Ty Lee. You chose that yourself. And Mai. I didn’t make you feel like a piece of furniture like your parents did. So why blame it all on me if not because I’m a convenient face to hate?”

 

…

 

The silence gave her all the answers she needed. Neither side spoke, for everything had been confirmed for the Princess. Sighing, Maina just said, “Well, it’s a step in the right direction. Let’s catch up with the others.” Then, the priestess and the guards marched to join the army.

 

Azula marched too, but not before stopping by her former friends. “I do forgive you for betraying me. But if you think about trying anything again…just make sure you have every reason in the world. Cause I can’t guarantee what would happen.”

 

Then, the Princess left her friends behind her and stared straight ahead.

 

She tried hard not to think about how honest she was with her last comment.

 

---

 

 

Fire Lord’s Tent

 

Fire Lord Zuko and his war council went over the plans again and again on the map. Just making the last few adjustments and making sure everyone knew the battle plan. Particularly, the point about how they were to wait until Battra struck first. A point he had to make multiple times to the other members of the council. General Mak was on board, obviously, but everyone else was itching for any excuse to strike first. “Whoever strikes first gets the first spoils of battle,” they said.

 

It took all of the young monarch’s discipline to resist burying his head into his hands. By Agni, this was only marginally better than General Bujing, since they weren’t thinking about sacrificing whole divisions. They simply didn’t have the men to spare for it.

 

Still, he had plenty of reason to be worried. He knew there was some conspiracy against him. That was the one thing he believed from Azula’s ravings. And he could see it in their demeanor. The shifty glances. The nervousness in their palms. Iroh’s teachings proved valuable in seeing their guilt.

 

What worried Zuko most out of them all were the Iron Maws. Captain Nojon just sat there, nodding his head to everything that the Fire Lord said. It was one thing to disagree with somebody about battlefield tactics. It’s another when you have a war criminal who’s just going along with everything. Especially given what Azula had said.

 

Luckily, Zuko had installed a few officers within the ranks of the Iron Maws. It should be enough to at least stall any attempts at sabotage, or signal him when things were about to get bad. For that, he was going to need Mai, Ty Lee, and Iroh as backup.

 

That accounted for all the threats in front of him. It was who was absent that had him concerned. She’d still be paralyzed by now, but Zuko wouldn’t put it past Azula to have one more trick up her sleeve. He needed to be ready.

 

When the others had marched out of the tent, Zuko and Iroh stood silent across from one another. Inwardly, the young monarch thought back to all the moments that led to this point. Inwardly, he knew he was looking for a way out. One last way before he had to make a decision that would haunt him. Did they need to do this? To cross that line?

 

After a brief recollection, he decided there was no other choice. “Uncle, you know what you have to do if things go south. Right?”

 

Iroh somberly nodded. “I’ll make it quick. Trust me. This is the right course for all of us. Her included.”

 

“...no. I want you to end her.”

 

The grim tone in his voice caught both of them off guard. Yet he had gotten used to it. He certainly didn’t enjoy doing the things he did. Even back when he was a bad guy fighting for the wrong side. But this was a decision he had to make.

 

“Nephew…wait a minute? Imprisonment’s one thing. But killing her?” Iroh started.

 

“Uncle, I know what I’m doing. You heard Aang. He didn’t want to take her bending, and we both know throwing her in that asylum isn’t going to do any good. No. This thing between us? It has to end tonight.”

 

“Zuko, I argue that you DON’T know what you’re doing-”

 

“You sent me to kill her during the Comet, didn’t you? Why else did you teach me how to redirect her lightning?”

 

“That was to be a last resort-”

 

Iroh’s protests were cut off when Zuko slammed his fist on the war table. A grimace contorted his face, etched by the weight of what had to happen. Wasn’t this what Uncle wanted? Azula was everything wrong with his country. He had to redeem the Fire Nation. And forget whatever the Avatar said, sparing her was not an option anymore. They were doing this his way.

 

What’s more, he had the perfect argument for it. “Uncle…you ever wonder why Godzilla attacked her prison ship first? He could’ve hit anywhere along the Earth Kingdom or the Fire Nation coast, but he struck those ships first. And every time he’s shown up, she’s right there. That can’t be a coincidence.”

 

The air in the tent heated up from his revelation. “Fire Lord, think about what you’re saying. How can we be so certain? Godzilla’s attacked regardless of her before.”

 

“But we do know what happens when we threaten her and keep her alive!” Zuko exclaimed, not getting how Iroh was failing to see his logic. “We try to apprehend her, Godzilla’s going to be breathing down our necks. Kill her now, and she won’t draw him towards us anymore.”

 

“Or bring that thing’s fury upon us all!”

 

“WELL, IT’S A RISK WE’LL HAVE TO TAKE! WHO DO YOU THINK GODZILLA’S GOING TO GO AFTER ONCE HE’S DONE HERE?! AT LEAST WE CAN PULL BACK AND READY OURSELVES!!”

 

“ENOUGH!!!”

 

The heat became as oppressive and furious as Iroh’s rage. Zuko just stared back at him, holding his ground.

 

“Nephew, you know this isn’t about Godzilla. This is about her. Your rage against her is clouding your judgment. We are apprehending her, and I won’t allow you to execute one of our family,” Iroh calmly said. If they were out at sea, this might’ve been enough to calm Zuko down. Or at least make him reconsider his words a bit.

 

Instead, Zuko strode past, stopping right as he passed Iroh. “Everything I’m doing, I’m doing for you. Cause you believe in me. You told me she’s crazy and she needs to go down. Well, that’s what I’m doing. Besides, didn’t you say it was hard for good men to lead?”

 

A calloused hand stopped him from going any further. “I said that because I didn’t want blood to be on your hands. Think this through. Is this something you truly want to do?”

 

“...yes,” Zuko lied. He left the tent and stepped out into the rays of the setting sun before Iroh could stop him. Already, he could feel the guilt weigh on his heart. Yet guilt was an old friend. In time, he’d make it up to the world and leave that old prince behind.

 

Now though? He needed to hone his anger. It’s what allowed him to triumph over Azula before. And he’ll do it again. A cold stone against her madness.

 

---

 

 

Looking down from up on the hill, the army of the Fire Nation was in position before her. Everyone was in position just as she recommended. If she were any younger, Azula would’ve been ecstatic at the sight. It was just like one of those old war games Father let her play.

 

Of course, the difference was that she was the Fire Lord in those games. And these were real people instead of pieces.

 

That thought bothered her. Oh sure, she tried to justify it all she wanted. They were soldiers, and this was their duty. Yet she still kept thinking back to the Ash Fields and that guard on the boat…ugh, what was wrong with her?! This was a battle that might have needed to be fought, but how could she possibly regret putting any of these soldiers in danger?

 

Was it because she decided talking to some of them was a good idea? Yes, that had to have been it! Now every time she looked down there, she imagined that tear-stained face of the teen admitting to his fears-

 

No. There’ll be time for that later , she chastised herself. Right now, there was a kaiju to deal with.

 

Behind her, she heard the marching of feet. By instinct, she pulled back, standing alongside Maina. She was making a prayer for the soldiers below, not acknowledging the honor guard of the current Fire Lord in front of them.

 

There was Zuko, clad in the robes of Father. He didn’t even look her way. Which was fine by her. Every second he looked at her made her stomach churn. Did he seriously not look in the mirror? Sure, his bangs were a bit longer, but the hair beginning to reach down his back really did make him look like-

 

She tried not to think about it. Father was a cruel man. Cruel but fair. One knew how to act around him if they didn’t want to get hurt. Yet seeing her brother even looking like him made her uneasy. And the way Iroh plodded after him like nothing was wrong. All Azula could hope was to trust his words. Maybe then would make her look past the outward appearances.

 

The very uncanny appearances.

 

And she hadn’t exactly been able to trust his words in the past.

 

Standing at the apex of the hill, Zuko gazed across the army. Then, he began his speech. “Sons and daughters of the Fire Nation, hear me! Listen well, for I am proud to be standing before you all! Soldiers who answered the call to protect our people and put their lives at risk against an enemy unlike any we’ve faced before! I am truly humbled to be in your presence.”

His voice carried out on the wind, echoing across the battlefield. Down below, the soldiers stopped what they were doing and watched. It was hard to tell what they were thinking from this high up, but they were at least listening.

 

“So much so that…I feel unworthy to be standing here before you all.”

 

To Azula’s shock, her brother bowed. “It was my actions that cost the lives of thousands and put the prosperity and future of our nation in jeopardy. I promised you an era of peace and love for all. Instead, I gave you another war. A war that has forced us to take up arms alongside those whom, for a century, we called our enemies.

 

“I understand that you all have mixed feelings about fighting alongside the Earth Kingdom. And that you have lost your faith in your Fire Lord. No doubt you are filled with questions about why we are here and whether this is a battle worth fighting.”

 

Then he stood up straight and pierced them all with fire in his eyes. “But there is more than personal honor at stake. We are the only thing standing between our people and total destruction! We must hold the line here! No matter what happens, know that on this day, anyone who stands and fights WILL be a hero! No more battles of conquest! No more chasing after thoughts of poisoned glory! We’re fighting for our kin and country! Whatever we were does not matter here! For on this day, WE FIGHT FOR OUR SURVIVAL!”

 

His voice roared through the air, a blaze caught upon the wind. And it was not long before his roar was joined by others down below on the battlefield. Warriors firing bursts of flame in acknowledgement. For he was their Fire Lord. And they were ready to lay down their lives if need be.

 

That was one half. The other didn’t say much. No cheers. No celebrations. Just nothing.

 

And for Azula?

 

She was almost impressed.

 

Admittedly, he had copied what she reported a bit too much to the letter, but it was still a worthy effort. And she couldn’t argue with the results. The army was motivated after all. Given time, he might make for a pretty good speaker.

 

Course words alone didn’t win battles. Sure enough, the forces marched into position. Tanks and artillery pieces stood on the ridge, ready to open fire. Infantry stood behind, ready to provide ammo and other supplies. Upon the mountain pass, Earth Kingdom forces stood ready, their emerald banners flying and waiting for the signal.

 

And on the other side of the pass, a cloud of dirt was visible, coming ever closer…

 

Azula couldn’t keep her eyes off it, even as she and Maina climbed the hill to join Zuko and his entourage. For once, Iroh, Mai, and Ty Lee didn’t even register. Not the war council that stood behind them. Not Ming or Lee, who escorted them up there.

 

No, it was the entity across the battlefield.

 

“...’Zula? What’s it like fighting a giant monster?” Ty Lee asked rather honestly.

 

The Princess sighed. “It’s like fighting one of those gods from those stories we used to read when we were kids. Except you’re not the hero. All you can do is just pray it ends quickly.”

 

High above, birds fled from the “god” coming their way. They had more sense than any of them did. Mentally, Azula had to cringe about how routine this was becoming. Monster shows up, she shows up too. This was not how she envisioned the way her life would go. Honestly, she thought it would be serving Zuko as Fire Lord, not this .

 

Speaking of Zuko, she couldn’t ignore her brother for much longer.

 

The air was thick with tension, and not just from the battlefield. Azula took a moment to glance at her brother. He wouldn’t even deign to look at her, his eyes glued to the pass. Yet she knew where his mind truly was. “‘Azula always lies,’ huh? Still singing that old, tired song?” she quipped. It boggled her mind that after all these years, he was clinging to that story to make himself feel better. Yeah, she lied to him when they were younger. But did he seriously not grow up? Especially when he had a history of lying under his belt.

 

Zuko grimaced. “Azula, you were ranting and raving in there. I thought I could trust you, but…I just can’t. Not after that.”

 

“...so that’s how it is then,” the Princess sighed. “How long till I’m chained up and led around on a leash?”

 

“You think I enjoyed seeing you writhe on the ground like that?” the Fire Lord snapped, sensing the challenge.

 

Azula shrugged. “No. But you haven’t exactly shown you cared-”

 

“Enough. One more word, and I’m throwing you into custody. Understood?”

 

She glared at him, but her trained instincts kept her lips shut. Never can let me have the last word, can you? Azula mentally snarled. She couldn’t believe this. As bad as her…incident was, she wasn’t willfully delusional like he was. Did he believe controlling the narrative would somehow make him right in the end? Oh, he was the good sibling who did everything he could. It’s just that she was a bad seed, that’s all. 

 

This-this was a joke. She’s the liar. At least she didn’t ignore the obvious and make up her own reality. Next thing you know, he’s going to start ranting that she had it easy compared to her. That would be the thing that set her off.

 

Look at him now, pretending to be Father. Well, she knew the truth. It’s just that he refuses to face it.

 

That was neither here nor there, though. There were more pressing matters to attend to, and she could stand his barbs a bit longer if it meant seeing this battle through.

 

Almost as if hearing her thoughts, the earth heaved on the far side of the pass. The cloud of dirt had stopped as something began to push its way through. A great golden horn was the first to pierce its way from the ground. Up it rose before being joined by a massive black head. The rest of its segmented body crawled loose from the earth. Each segment was ringed by spikes of golden and red, with strange ruby spheres glowing from the black body. Along the sides ran gold claws that acted as legs.

 

The kaiju rose on two particularly large claws, as if judging the army that stood before him. Its underbelly was red to match the armored carapace that ran down his back. On his tail flexed two golden claws. At the other end was an armored head. This too was colored gold, though years of living underground had made it appear dirty and dull.

 

All stood still. For Battra, Lord of the Earth, the Black Mothra, had arrived.

 

Back and forth, his vicious-looking red eyes gazed at them all, his mandibles twitching in anticipation. Azula felt a chill down her spine. In many ways, this kaiju did seem like a dark counterpart of Mothra. One adapted to living underground, and certainly not one you would want to approach.

 

A few words left Zuko’s mouth, completely devoid of mirth. “Azula…when should I give the signal?” He asked nervously, as if his words alone would spring the mighty beast into action.

 

Despite how silly it might appear, Azula leaned towards him to whisper, “Not until he makes the first move.”

 

With that, a silence descended upon the field. Battra looked upon them from the other side of the pass, out of range of the Earth King’s forces on the hill. They must’ve been stunned as they were. Still, the moment dragged on for a long time. Questions began to run through Azula’s mind. What was he waiting for? Could this bloodshed be avoided? He didn’t seem interested in a fight. So why had he come?

 

The answer came from a warmth upon her chest. Reaching into her armor, Azula pulled out the medallion. It was glowing with a soft light. Her eyes widened. This sign could only mean one thing…

 

“LOOK!” Maina exclaimed, pointing behind them. Sure enough, a second worm appeared. This one was more familiar with a much softer body and a warm, gentle brown coloring. Mothra crawled her way through the gap in the ranks. As if spurned on, Battra also marched through the pass.

 

The two worms met at the entrance of the gap. Mothra looked up at the much larger and imposing worm, gentle blue eyes meeting red.

 

Then, Mothra let out a gentle chirp.

 

Battra chirped in response. His chirp was a bit deeper, but it sounded no less cordial.

 

Much to the surprise of all, Mothra and Battra began to coil around one another. Their tusks touched in an almost affectionate way, while their legs seemed to caress one another. They let out a series of chirps and squeals, almost as if…

 

“They’re…talking to each other,” Ty Lee said in awe.

 

Iroh took a few steps forward, his eyes widening with wonder. “Incredible. I’ve read some of the stories, but I didn’t think they were capable of such intelligence.”

 

Mai, on the other hand, gagged a bit. “Ugh. Are those two cuddling? We came all this way to see two worms cuddle?!”

 

“Hey, could be worse,” Maina playfully jabbed a little.

 

As for Azula, she was silent. They…they really were siblings. It made no sense. She saw the memories of that vicious battle. Yet here they were being affectionate towards one another. No words could describe how dumbfounded she was.

 

“Seems like you were right, Azula,” Iroh said with a genuine chuckle, probably amused by the comment he made. “Maybe we can avoid this whole messy battle after all.”

 

“I…yeah,” Azula mumbled. Was this real? Were these actually monsters? How could such beings capable of destruction and death be that cordial towards each other? Avoiding unnecessary battles to limit the risk of death against such dangerous beings was one thing. This was a familial bond, one…she wasn’t all that familiar with.

 

The Princess sat down on the ground, watching the spectacle. “What are they saying?” she asked no one in particular. Those chirps weren’t just the noises of animals. It was an intelligent language.

 

Zuko let out a heavy sigh. “Probably stuff we haven’t told each other in a long time, ‘Zula.”

 

Azula looked up at her brother. Suddenly, all the scowling and condescension were gone. Just…a very weary, very tired face. She wondered if that was beneath all the posturing. Was…was he just as tired of their rivalry as much as she was?

 

“You ever wonder what it would be like if we didn’t have this…thing between us?” she asked.

 

Ignoring decorum, Zuko knelt beside her. He looked at her as if he had been waiting for that question for so many years. Maybe he asked it himself, but never thought he’d hear it from her. Not that she blamed him.

 

So, he opened his mouth to speak…

 

---

 

 

On a ridge looking down on the battlefield, the Iron Maws watched with shock and awe. Two gigantic worms, exchanging chirps and nuzzling each other. Nobody was sure what to do. They had their orders, but everyone was paralyzed by the sight.

 

Then a booming voice roared, “What are you yellowbellies waiting for?! FIRE!”

 

The soldiers blinked, looking at each other. Did they just hear their captain right? Sure, they had a whole line of tanks and artillery at the ready, but against two kaiju? Their pieces were made for armies, not monsters. And even then, neither one of them was being aggressive. What would happen if they decided to provoke them…

 

…well, they’d know what would happen if they held their fire.

 

One of the officers was about to give the signal to fire before somebody else yanked his arm down. “Hold on! The Fire Lord said to fire only when we’re under threat. You think that’s a threat?” the second officer pointed out, gesturing to the less-than-threatening postures and behavior from both the larvae.

 

Everyone held their breath, feeling the sweat run down their necks. They knew this guy, and they knew that the Fire Lord sent them. Where he was from, that probably would’ve carried a lot of weight. Once upon a time, they believed that, too.

 

That was before they joined the Iron Maws.

 

Captain Nojon slowly stomped toward him. “Listen, brownnoser,” he started. “I don’t know who you think you are, but when I give an order, I expect it to be obeyed. Otherwise…well, we’re going to have a lot of problems.” His shadow loomed over the newcomer, with arms crossed over his great chest.

 

Undeterred, the royalist puffed out his chest. “Where I’m from, good soldiers obey their Fire Lord. No exceptions.” A deep chill ran down the Maws’ spines, causing them to give the officer and their captain a lot of space.

 

“Well, where I’m from, listenin’ to Fire Lords has a nasty habit of getting people killed. You think that runt’s any better than his father? Least when Ozai was around, he didn’t pretend to care when he sent men to their deaths,” he rumbled.

 

The royalist deflated a bit, but he still held his ground. “This-this is TREASON! All sons and daughters of the Fire Nation are to obey their sovereign ruler without question! So has been ordained from the time of Fire Lord Zor-”

 

A blazing inferno in Nojon’s fist stopped him dead. Those fiery embers were held quite close to his face. “Here’s what’s going to happen. You’re going to let us do our job, or you’re going to face a world of hurt before we do our job. Got it?”

 

…the officer stepped back. Loyalty to his Fire Lord was one thing. Threat of violence was another, and one a lot more personal. 

 

“Good boy,” Nojon commented before turning to his soldiers. “Now then… let’s roast these worms.”

 

---

 

 

…whatever he was about to say was snatched away by the crescendo of an artillery barrage.

 

The deafening thunder forced them to stand frozen where they were. For a fiery wall of blazing projectiles was flung from the ridge of the Iron Maws. Everything seemed to come to a crawl in slow motion.

 

She wasn’t sure how, but Azula could feel her pupils dilate from the declaration of violence. Dread seized up her muscles far better than anything that Ty Lee would’ve been capable of.

 

Then her breath was snatched away as their targets came into focus.

 

Mothra and Battra barely had time to register the incoming hail before they were engulfed in the inferno. A cry of surprise came from the smaller brown worm, having taken the brunt of the first barrage.

 

A scream roused Azula from her stupor, feeling a surge of distress from her medallion. The scream came from Maina upon seeing her Goddess in distress. Her first instinct was to cast a smoldering glare at her brother.

 

“What did you do?” she snarled.

 

Zuko was brought out of his own paralysis by her accusation. “I…I don’t know. I thought we would’ve had more time…” he muttered. As if that would somehow make things right. Azula curled her fists. Of course, he’d screw this up! How could she have been so stupid?! Every time that idiot takes control of something, it turns to disaster.

 

And they were having quite a disaster unfolding before them. Battra reared up in shock, backing up into the pass, trying to get his bearings.

 

That’s when the next link in the chain snapped.

 

From high above, the soldiers of the Earth Kingdom stomped into the ground. They must’ve taken the attack as some kind of signal for their offensive. On both sides of the mountains the pass cut through, the Earth King’s best earthbenders came together and combined their strength. A low rumble was heard from their maneuvers, before the very ground upon the cliffsides gave way.

 

Battra could hardly look up before he was buried by a great landslide. In no time at all, the black larva was buried under tons of rock and earth, sending forth a wave of dust across the battlefield. Combined with the furious barrage from the Fire Nation, all was obscured in a cloud of smoke, cinders, and dust.

 

Azula’s heart leaped up in her throat. All her hopes for a peaceful resolution had been dashed. Now, the only thing they could do was wait and see what the result was.

 

Seconds dragged on, the cloud not giving a hint of what lay within. 

 

A hand wrapped tightly around Azula’s hand. It was Maina’s, holding on for dear life. Sweat beaded down her forehead.

 

At last, the cloud began to clear. The Earth Spirit’s Pass, where once the armies of the Fire Nation had been thwarted, lay shut by the landslide. Before it, Mothra shook her head, trying to clear the ash from her face.

 

They didn’t even give her time to rest or think. The Iron Maws opened fire once again. And they were not alone this time. All across the battlefront, tanks, catapults, and artillery opened fire on the beleaguered worm. Years of training kicked in. When one unit fired, that meant the whole attack was on.

 

A fiery curtain that would make the most seasoned general weep with joy filled the air. All aimed at the brown larva.

 

Mothra curled up, prepared to take the barrage.

 

That was when Battra came charging out from the rubble behind her. Mounds of earth and rock cascaded from his body as he pulled himself out. Quickly, he wrapped his body around Mothra’s, shielding her from the inferno. Now the projectiles crashed against an immense carapace. All that ordinance wasted.

 

Batteries and tanks all along the line fell silent, seeing the futility of their attack. An eerie silence fell on the once raging battlefield. All awaited what was to happen next.

 

Slowly, Battra turned around to look at the ones who would dare to harm his sister. And his eyes glowed red with anger. 

 

Veins at the base of his horn began to glow, climbing up to the apex of his great horn…

 

Before anyone could even scream, Battra gave a war cry and fired a cascade of orange lightning upon the Fire Nation army. Tanks and artillery pieces were ripped asunder, the dirt emplacements reduced to piles of rubble. Nothing, nor nobody, was spared.

 

The Black Mothra was not done yet. He turned his wrath to the hills above and unleashed his wrath upon those who dared to bury him. Earth Kingdom soldiers screamed and dove for cover, relying on the mountain to shield them. Those who were lucky got covered in dirt.

 

Those who were unlucky…Azula tried not to think about those who weren’t lucky.

 

Upon the ridge, the generals were giving signals, trying to salvage something out of this mess. Zuko himself was trying to give impassioned speeches to instill order. Nobody could hear him over the chaos from below. Men were rushing, trying to put out fires or get their wounded to safety. The few forward tanks and artillery that survived were scrambling to get to higher ground.

 

Battra wouldn’t allow it. His claws digging into the earth, he charged the fleeing army.

 

Suddenly, everything fell into place for Azula. Battra showing up. The armies organizing. It was all a test. It had to be! Why else would the Lord of the Earth appear but not attack anything? He must’ve been testing the borders to determine if the Fire Nation was still a threat.

 

They failed. And now, he was passing judgment.

 

Yet he didn’t get far before his charge was stopped. Shrieking with surprise, he looked around at his tail. Mothra had leaped onto him, using her legs to try and restrain his charge.

 

Chittering with annoyance, the dark worm wrenched his powerful body free and slammed his sister in the face with the blunt side of his tail. Satisfied that she was stunned for a moment, he turned to finish-

 

Mothra suddenly slammed her skull into Battra’s side, knocking him aside as she charged past. The Goddess rapidly crawled her way onto the battlefield before turning to face her brother. Behind her were the survivors scrambling to safety.

 

A pause in the carnage descended upon the battlefield. Both larvae stared at each other, with Battra being eerily silent. He seemed to recoil a little, as if struggling to figure out what had just transpired. Azula knew the feeling all too well. The recognition caused her to involuntarily watch her back in case a certain chi-blocker decided to take advantage of the lull. Thankfully, Ty Lee was just as stunned by what was going on.

 

Their stupor was broken when Mothra began to chitter furiously at Battra, swaying her tusk-like mandibles as though she was warding him off. Her noises caused Battra to come back to reality as he began to screech back, his eyes flashing red. The two siblings “argued” back and forth, sizing each other up all the way.

 

Azula leaned over to Maina to ask what was obvious. “This isn’t going to end well, is it?” Maina glumly shook her head, confirming that the peace had been shattered.

 

As if on cue, Battra knocked Mothra aside with a bat of his head and shoved his way past. Yet his rage was not directed at her. Rather, it was at the Iron Maws upon their ridge. Already, his horn was pointed in their direction. Whether to skewer the earth the rogue soldiers stood on or fire a bolt of lightning at them was unclear. Neither one was exactly any more pleasant than the other if it resulted in a whole company of men and women dead.

 

Again, Mothra interfered. Her body wheeled around and slammed her tailspike into the side of Battra’s armored head. He cried with surprise before wheeling around. Something inside of him had snapped. An uncontrollable fury took hold of his conscious as he slammed his full weight into his sister’s body.

 

The smaller worm was thrown back, landing on the earth with a thud that reverberated across the field. Before she could even think about fighting back, Battra slammed his body on top of her. Crushing her again. And again. She tried to wrestle free, but Mothra was too small to fight her brother directly.

 

And she needed to do something fast. Already, Battra’s attention was wandering back to the humans. Those red eyes glowed with a merciless fury.

 

Azula gulped, feeling those red eyes pierce right through her soul…

 

Suddenly, a hiss took everyone off guard. Battra reared up as a stream of silk was fired into his eyes. He tried to shake it off, but they quickly glued onto his face. The Dark Mothra was effectively blinded.

 

Mothra, on the other hand, pulled herself up, petering out her silky projectile. Genderly, she shook dirt off her body, still feeling the impact of those slams. Then she crawled between her berserk brother and the humans. Gently, she called out to him, hoping for reason one last time.

 

Purple lightning searing through the silk was the response. Lightning poured from Battra’s eyes, frying the covering. It wasn’t as controlled as the energy from his horn, but it got the job done. He shook off the rest of the strands before crying in fury at his counterpart. Mothra simply stiffened up in response, letting out a warning hiss.

 

The siblings glared at each other. One stood amidst the wreckage and ruin of the forward forces. The other held firm with the rest of the Fire Nation forces behind her. Unspoken words were exchanged between the two as one thing became increasingly clear.

 

This would not be solved with words.

 

Only violence would reign here.

 

And Battra knew violence. With a furious shriek at his sister’s misplaced faith, he fired lightning from his horn onto her body. Crying with pain, Mothra curled up to protect herself from the barrage. Yet there was only so much her comparatively smaller body could take. The pain was beginning to mount, as well as the damage.

 

Not that Battra cared. Judgment was being carried out upon the defiant. And anyone who stood in the way of the Lord of the Earth’s sentence would share in the punishment.

 

---

 

 

Azula stood there, overlooking the carnage and being shellshocked. It had all happened so fast. First, it seemed that things were playing out fine. Then…she knew the Iron Maws weren’t exactly the most subtle of forces, but she figured nobody could be stupid enough to open fire on TWO giant monsters.

 

Honestly, she would’ve pulled her hair out in pure rage at the idiots she keeps finding herself in if she weren’t overwhelmed by horror. Before her was Mothra, one of the few beings on this world that thought there was something decent inside her getting pummelled for caring about them. Battra? He didn’t even seem to care that she was his sister. Just an obstacle.

 

Just an obstacle. That’s how Ozai described Zuko when he questioned why Azula lied to him. And after the Day of the Black Sun, that was what she believed in as well. Why wouldn’t she? Her brother left her to face Father’s wrath all by herself and only came back for the damned crown. Why should she be charitable?

 

In fact, what was Zuko even thinking? She warned him this would happen, but did he listen?! Oh sure. Azula could see him gathering Mai, Ty Lee, and Iroh along with his honor guard to stop the Iron Maws’ barrage. But what was that going to accomplish? You couldn’t just stop a battle by taking out a single regiment!

 

That dread was being drowned out by rage. How DARE he? Playing himself as the responsible, good ruler when he kept making mistake after mistake! Even now, Zuko was yelling at her to come join him! Even shouting “Azula, as your Fire Lord I command-” as if that could change anything. It made her sick. This disaster was on his head, not hers. And no amount of screaming was going to drown out the noises of the raging titans.

 

Deep down inside, the azure fire was burning to life. And the Voices began to whisper in her ears. Take him down. Nobody will stop you this time…

 

Her fists were clenched, glaring at her brother. Oh, how there were so many things she could yell at him. All the hypocrisies he had thrown her way. He wouldn’t listen. He couldn’t. Not with the storm of lightning that Battra was unleashing upon his sister.

 

…suddenly, her mind was made up.

 

Without another thought, she rushed towards the warring kaiju, firing jets of blue fire to speed herself up.

 

Behind her was a crescendo of screams of terror, begging her to come back. Azula didn’t listen. This battle would be decided between monsters. And deep down, all that rage, all that fury. It was begging to be released.

 

Right in front of her was something all that rage could take on. Battra. Lord of the Earth. His soul was filled with anger, too. She could practically taste it in the lightning he fired. There wasn’t any moral posturing with him. A beast to punish mankind for their transgressions. With him, she knew what he wanted. Maybe she understood him a bit too deeply. That rage and hate? She felt it before.

 

No. She lived it. That’s why she needed to face him. Alone, if she had to.

 

Fate, on the other hand, had other ideas. Something she quickly found out when she felt a strong breeze next to her. At her side was Maina, matching her speed with airbending instead of fire. “Maina?! What are you-”

 

“You’re not going to fight kaiju without somebody watching your back this time!” Maina shouted, making it clear with her iron voice that there wouldn’t be any discussion over this.

 

A bit of relief washed over Azula, causing her to roll her eyes. Very well. Now, the solution was to find a way for an airbending priestess to aid in a battle amongst giants. 

 

Speaking of, the lightning storm that Battra had unleashed was beginning to die down. He must’ve only been able to keep such an assault up for so long before needing to rest a bit. This was the opening that Mothra had been waiting for. From the smoke, she practically lunged forward and tackled the dark worm’s body.

 

The assault was so sudden that Battra didn’t have time to even think as he was knocked aside. His huge body crashing to the ground caused the earth to crack under his weight and sent a plume of dust high into the sky. Yet he barely felt the impact. The golden and black armored carapace that encased his body prevented him from taking any serious damage. At worst, he was enraged by the defiance of his sister.

 

A defiance that he intended to punish. Coiling his muscles, the dark worm launched himself from the earth at his smaller counterpart. Mothra nimbly rolled to the side, letting her brother crash next to her. Being small did have its benefits if one knew how to use them. And the Goddess certainly did as she wheeled her body around and smashed her tail into Battra’s face once more.

 

Battra backpedalled, his focus being stunned by the mighty blow. His head swam with sound and disorientation. He could only glimpse Mothra charge against him with a war cry erupting from her mandibles.

 

A glimpse was all he needed. His mind operating on instinct, he willed a barrage of lightning forth. Not from his horn, though, he didn’t have the time to properly charge. This one came from his eyes. A wild storm of purple lightning burst forth, scorching everything in front of him. This included Mothra, who was forced back from the torrent. It wasn’t focused, and it most assuredly was not as powerful. But it certainly got the job done.

 

Now having a brief window of opportunity, Battra dug his massive claws into the earth and began to dig. His great horn tossed earth into the air as he began to disappear underground. Given the incredible speed he managed to dig, it almost seemed as if he were earthbending. If such a thing were possible.

 

Not too far away, both Azula and Maina stopped as the last of Battra disappeared underground. A silence descended upon the battlefield. Mothra, in particular, was very still, her head gently pressing against the earth.

 

“Don’t. Move. He can sense our vibrations,” Maina warned, the airbender getting out her staff. Azula got into her firebending stance, her eyes already scanning the earth around them. There was nothing but ruined earth, wreckages, and…

 

Bodies. She saw bodies.

 

It made her stomach lurch a bit. To describe the effects of primal lightning would make anyone queasy. The Princess had to fight hard to keep her constitution. And remind herself that they’d be joining them if they made the wrong move.

 

The silence stretched on. Eventually, the girls felt Mothra’s gaze wash over them. The worm tilted her head, as if she were about to ask what they were doing there. Neither of them didn’t have an answer, other than an intense need to be there.

 

Suddenly, the earth began to rumble. Mothra quickly lunged to the side just as Battra erupted from the ground. He wasn’t able to catch her whole body, but he did manage to hit the side of her with his horn. She let out a startled yelp as she was tossed aside.

 

With his stricken sister at his feet, Battra immediately seized upon the opportunity. His larger body coiled around her, the legs clamping down in a vice-like grip. With his superior size and strength, there was very little way that Mothra could resist. Then he began to squeeze and squeeze. His victim let out a strangled cry as the air was forced out of her.

 

“MOTHRA!” Maina cried, looking at Azula as if she had some kind of answer. What on earth could she even do? They were tiny compared to the kaiju. The only way they even stood a chance was if they had more ordinance at their side-

 

An idea lit up in her head. She looked at the columns of tanks and artillery, aiming their barrels at the struggling monsters, unable to pick a target. Then she looked at one of the covered pits where they stashed ordinance.

 

“Maina, be ready to run.” That was all the warning Azula gave the confused and worried priestess as she began to go through the motions of generating lightning. The certainty of her plan guided her movements, bringing a level of peace in her mind. There was a chance they might not survive it, but people were going to die today no matter what. It was the only way they could ensure fewer would perish.

 

Feeling the positive and negative energies rip apart, Azula pointed forward and fired a brilliant bolt of lightning. It tore through the air, a thunderous boom at her fingertips.

 

Her target was obvious, yet Battra was still blindsided by the lightning bolt striking his eye.

 

The Black Mothra let out a painful shriek as he was blinded in one eye. It certainly wasn’t enough to do lasting damage, but it hurt . He was wracked with pain enough that he slackened his grip around Mothra, allowing her to squirm free of his coils.

 

Shaking his head and giving a furious hiss, Battra gazed down at the two humans who dared strike him.

Now, the good news was that they had gotten Battra’s attention.

 

The bad news was that they had gotten Battra’s attention. 

 

Given a deep screech, the Black Mothra released his grip on its sister and charged right at the two girls. His maw was opened wide, ready to crush them in an instant. Naturally, Azula and Maina ran. They used their two elements to carry them along as fast as they could. But even then, the worm was outpacing them.

 

Azula could almost feel the hot breath on her neck…

 

Just…a little…closer…

 

NOW!

 

Right before they were crushed in those massive mandibles, Maina dove to the side and grabbed Azula. She used her staff to let out a gale of wind, propelling them far away from the enraged worm. They rolled a bit on the ground once they were safely away. A bit less orderly than the Princess would’ve desired, but at least it got the job done.

 

Rolling up onto her feet, Azula took a glance to make sure Battra was right where she hoped he was.

 

Indeed, he was. Sitting right on top of the munitions dump. Nodding to herself, she fired out a brilliant burst of blue flames into the air. Bright enough so that all on the hill could see it.

 

And know just exactly where Battra was.

 

To their credit, the armor and artillery didn’t even hesitate before they trained their guns on the ground beneath the Lord of the Earth. Azula and Maina dove to the ground and covered their ears.

 

All at once, the ground exploded. Battra gave a startled cry as a cascade of explosions engulfed his body. They all detonated right underneath his soft belly. Overcome by the barrage, the dark larva thrashed upon the earth. His bellows of rage turned into shrieks of shock.

 

They didn’t go unnoticed. Seeing that her enraged brother was distracted, Mothra reared up and let forth a stream of silk from her mandibles. They snaked through the air before cascading on Battra’s back. In an instant, he wheeled around and fired a bolt of lightning from his horn, burning away the silk.

 

Azula paused, watching how the lightning traveled up his horn. It seemed to coalesce at the base of the horn, building up in power before it was pushed towards the tip. Resulting in a brilliant cascade of lightning.

 

For that to work, Battra would need to contain the volatile energies of lightning until they reached an apex. It wasn’t just merely giving the lightning a place to go, like what she and Father did. He was allowing it to build up pressure and thus charge. Such thoughts directed Azula to her bending. 

 

And if Battra could do that with lightning…then why not her?

 

She was brought back to reality as Battra once again dug underground. His body disappeared, leaving behind a cloud of dust.

 

Again, the battlefield went silent. Azula, Maina, and Mothra went deathly still, waiting for Battra to show himself. It frustrated the Princess to no end. As long as he could dive underground, he had a distinctive advantage over them. It made a prolonged assault difficult.

 

That’s when she got an idea. She looked around and saw another place where they had stockpiled munitions and explosives. It wasn’t too far away. If they could just make it…

 

Silently, Azula wove to Mothra, catching the worm’s attention. Seeing the blue eyes of the Goddess rest on her, she then pointed to the mound of earth. Mothra looked at the mound and the crater where the explosions had engulfed the dark worm. Nodding, she began to charge in that direction.

 

Not too far away, the ground began to heave as Battra tunneled straight towards his sister. His body was larger, but the earth was his ally. Yet Mothra was closer to the munitions dump. Just before she crawled over the mound, she made a sharp turn to avoid it.

 

Battra had too much momentum as he tunneled through the pit. Upon the ridge, the artillery didn’t need another signal as they fired once again. A cascade of fire and bombs was flung at the dump, detonating it. An underground explosion rocked the earth, and Battra clawed his way back to the surface. Surprised by the inferno within the ground, he thrashed on the ground from the explosive force.

 

Mothra did not wait another second. Seeing her brother flail with his belly exposed, she dove forward and smashed her head into his gut. Over and over again, her armored cranium drove into Battra’s body, eliciting a shriek of pain each time. She even began biting at the softer sections, causing him to cry out even more in pain.

 

Once the judicator of the world, Battra was being beaten senselessly. On instinct, he lashed out with his two large claws on either side of his sister’s body, hoping to free himself. Mothra just went for his throat, driving her head right in there and biting down. The Dark Guardian found himself unable to dislodge his smaller counterpart. Every attack was countered by the smaller and faster worm.

 

Her beatdown couldn’t last forever, though. Mothra had to finish this up. Rearing back, she fired a strand of silk at Battra’s face and throat. He let out a yelp of surprise, feeling the silk cover his face and begin to constrict his movements. She poured more strands in, making sure some of them hit the ground underneath to further restrain him.

 

Azula was silent for a moment, a myriad of emotions running through her mind at the scene. On the one hand, Battra had gone completely berserk. Neutralize him, and they could prevent further loss of life.

 

On the other hand, she was reminded of that day of the Comet…

 

The inner turmoil was shattered as another barrage was fired through the sky. Right on Mothra’s back. She let out a surprised shriek before Battra promptly tossed her off his body. He broke through the silken restraints and bashed his armored head into hers, driving her into the earth.

 

“What are they thinking?! She’s trying to help!” Maina cried, seeing her Goddess in distress. Even Azula was on the cusp of going berserk. Of all the stupid - the Iron Maws. Of COURSE they couldn’t be trusted. If even Father wasn’t fond of them, why should Zuko give them any leniency?

 

She only hoped her brother could straighten them out. If not, this battle was going to get a lot more complicated.

 

---

 

 

Breathe in. Breathe out. That was the lesson that Iroh had taught Zuko long ago. And now he was putting it to good use. Deep down, he was furious. Who did these Iron Maws think they were? Rogue army or not, they were Fire Nation. And as such, they had a duty to obey their Fire Lord. Even then, they put all of their lives in jeopardy with this ridiculous stunt of theirs.

 

So when he, Mai, Ty Lee, Iroh, and his honor guard strode into the lines of the Iron Maws, his temper was at a fever pitch. Yet not once did he show it. The anger he was feeling couldn’t be unleashed. Not yet. What they needed now was just a mere taste of the fury ready to explode.

 

“Iron Maws, stand down!” he ordered. The war criminals took one look at him and his entourage and immediately ceased what they were doing to size the newcomers up. Weapons were drawn, and stances were taken as the two sides squared off.

 

A series of heavy steps heralded the arrival of Captain Nojon. “If you want to keep tabs on your people, you could do better than send a few brownnosers who don’t know where to keep their fingers,” he grumbled. “Now here’s how it’s going to work, you brat. I’ve got orders to keep on firing at these things until you give us the crown. Every moment you hang onto that thing, more people are going to die. Give us the crown, we’ll turn our guns on the big black one and help. Your choice, kid.”

 

“You… you’re willing to put all of us in jeopardy just so you can take the throne?!” Ty Lee cried. She spoke for everyone, even some of the Iron Maws. They just stood there, slack-jawed at the brazenness of it all. And the cold-bloodedness.

 

But Nojon didn’t care. He just shrugged. “Not me. I don’t exactly have the patience for politics. The people I’m working for? They’re going to bail me out once things get settled here. And you better make your decision fast, cause I doubt those monsters are going to sit around and wait either.”

 

A smirk full of mirth crept on Zuko’s lips as he stared down the brute. “Let me get this straight. You expect me to give up my destiny - my rightful place in the nation - just because a bunch of thugs too cowardly to show their faces asked me to? Ridiculous.”

 

His threat didn’t hit as Nojon let out an uproarious laugh. “Apple doesn’t fall far from the tree,” he mocked. “Your old man said the same things to me when I got the job done.”

 

The barb hit deep in Zuko’s core, causing his anger to become almost uncontrollable. “I’m giving you one last warning. Surrender and tell us your leaders. The crown is mine, as is the title. And as a soldier of the Fire Nation, you have to obey.”

 

Nojon let out a derisive snort. “And pray tell, why exactly should I be taking orders from any Fire Lord? The way I see it, you haven’t exactly done a good job showing why anybody should follow a bunch of snot-nosed brats who don’t know what they’re talking about.”

 

The hair on the back of Zuko’s neck bristled, his eyes filled with an inner fire. Despite the fury burning within, he kept quiet. Very quiet. “Are you honestly suggesting that my father would’ve done any better? Do you want that maniac back in power?” he calmly asked, letting his words speak for themselves.

 

“You think this is honestly about your father?” Nojon asked. “I don’t know who you’re fooling, but I’m fairly certain everyone in the Fire Nation thinks he’s a bloodcrazed maniac since, you know, he tried incinerating his own people. If not, why didn’t anybody raise a finger when you took the throne despite taking it dirty?”

 

Zuko said nothing. Yes, he recalled how all the noble houses were sooooo relieved that Ozai and his mad daughter were out of power. A part of him wanted to believe they were serious, but everything since then made him realize that they were simply biding their time.

 

“What did you think was going to happen? Everyone just shows their bellies for a gutless coward like yourself?” Nojon continued. “Face it. This, right here? This has been coming ever since you put your enemies in power. So you don’t even have the right to act surprised when everything blew up in your face.

 

“But if there’s one thing you’re good at doing, it’s dragging everyone down with you. At least your father didn’t play the hero card when he slaughtered his own troops.”

 

…Zuko was quiet. Something that the notoriously hotheaded youth was not known for. Everyone began to get nervous at the lack of fire being thrown. Iroh in particular looked with concern.

 

Then Zuko glared at Nojon with the inferno in his eyes. “Just know that this? This is just a taste of what people like you deserve,” he finally said before thrusting forward and letting out a brilliant torrent of orange flame.

 

Faced with the sudden inferno, Nojon swore as he blocked the attack with his own burst of flame. It didn’t do much as Zuko coolly fired away at the rogue captain, keeping his calm and energy. Nojon tried to bend a fire blast whenever he could, but Zuko just batted it away before pressing on the offensive harder.

 

All around them, a skirmish arose between the two sides. Fireballs were flung in a confused melee. Yet it didn’t take long before one side overpowered the other. Several key Iron Maws who looked to be officers were either pinned to the ground by Mai’s knives or paralyzed by Ty Lee’s chi-blocks. The latter bobbed and weaved between the ranks, with nobody able to land a strike on the acrobat.

 

Iroh hung back. There was no need to get involved when the battle was already decided. If nothing else, he beamed with pride at his nephew’s performance. How Zuko channelled his rage with precise and reserved strikes. Nojon was the opposite. He was getting more and more furious as he simply couldn’t touch the young monarch.

 

The pendulum swung hard in one direction. Eventually, a good number of the Iron Maws just knelt and surrendered to the loyalists. Seeing their leader struggle made them realize just how pointless it was to resist. 

 

It was exactly what Zuko was hoping for. He didn’t like presenting himself this way, but people like these only knew fear and force. The only way to get them in line was to give them something to be afraid of.

 

And if it was one thing he was going at, it was taking maniacs down. All he had to do was-

 

Nojon roared as he let out a brilliant burst of flame in his direction.

 

THERE!

 

The Fire Lord simply stepped aside and bent the hostile flame away. Then, using the momentum of his maneuver, he ducked down to the ground and spun on his hands while releasing a low blade of fire. Nojon didn’t have time to react as the low attack slammed into his feet and sent him spiraling to the ground.

 

Quickly picking himself up, Zuko stepped forward and readied a fist right in front of the downed Nojon.

 

No words were said as Nojon raised his hands in surrender, allowing guards to come forward and bind his arms.

 

Finally, Zuko let out that breath he had been holding in throughout the fight. He looked around, seeing the fearful faces and bows of respect. It was enough to make him sick. But at least he could say it was necessary.

 

Though looking at the battle of the kaiju in the distance, he wondered if any of it was necessary. Could this have been prevented? Maybe if he moved sooner, heeded Azula’s words…no. No no no . He was through with listening to whatever bile she had to spew. What happened here was necessary. One swift jolt to set everyone straight.

 

Zuko just hoped Azula understood that. He was under no delusions that she desired the crown. The only thing he could pray was that these monsters, these forces of nature…they could wake her up to her place.

 

Yet he wouldn’t waste his breath if she still wanted to drag this rivalry with him out.

 

---

 

 

All at once, the bombardment from the Iron Maws stopped. The last smoke from their bombardment wafted away on the wind. Down below, Azula and Maina felt some relief wash over them. At least now they didn’t have to worry about getting shot in the back.

 

If there’s one thing you’re good at, it’s getting people in line , Azula admitted to herself. Now, if Zuko LEANED into that instead of preaching from a pedestal, then they’d be getting somewhere. They weren’t going to listen to speeches about love and understanding after all. Force and intimidation. That’s what they needed.

 

It’s not like she didn’t understand why Zuko wanted to be different from Father. She didn’t want him to be like that either. It just aggravated her that he wanted one thing but chose to act another way. How many years and he still didn’t know what he wanted. And he made it everyone else’s problem in the meantime.

 

Well, she did have to give him credit for one thing. Their current problem wasn’t entirely his fault. And he did stop the bombardment. With one source of aggression out of the picture, Mothra was able to rear up and buck Battra off her back. The Dark Guardian stumbled back a bit as the other kaiju let out a war cry.

 

She might have been battered and bruised, but Mothra still had some fight left in her still. And she let her brother know it as she bashed her body against his. Against the armored carapace, the damage was minimal. Yet it did keep Battra unbalanced as she went on the offensive. Now, if she could get at his softer underside. That would weaken him further.

 

It wasn’t long thought before Battra responded in kind. He clobbered her back, smashing her smaller body with his bulk. Despite being a bit more agile, Mothra had taken a beating herself. She wasn’t able to maneuver herself out of the way of those punishing body blows.

 

So she didn’t try to. Instead, she slammed her body against him. It became a contest of strength as the two worms exchanged punishing blows. Azula was left astonished that Mothra was still fighting.

 

What’s more, she started to notice something about Battra’s attacks. They were slower and more sluggish than before. Seemed that heavy armor had a major disadvantage. In his zeal to rain down havoc on them all, he had forgotten to conserve his energy. A mistake Azula knew all too well.

 

Not that it mattered much given the current situation. Battra gradually began to beat Mothra down with his pure strength. Lack of stamina didn’t matter much if you were naturally stronger. The battlefield seemed to reverberate as echoes of the larger worm’s blows echoed over the battlefield.

 

Eventually, both worms smashed their craniums together. Both of their heads were armored, but ultimately, one was still weaker. Mothra crashed to the ground from the impact, her mind spinning from the clobbering.

 

Maina cried out in horror. “Azula, there’s got to be something we can do!”

 

“I know! Let me think!” Truth be told, though, the only way she saw that they could help was getting into the thick of things. The thing was, she knew what it was like to be caught between two warring kaiju. She didn’t want to rely on luck alone if it came to that.

 

That’s when she got an idea. Maina was an airbender, and that meant…

 

She didn’t have much time to think before Battra unleashed a storm of lightning from his horn, striking Mothra over and over. The smaller kaiju screamed as her body thrashed upon the earth, overcome by the onslaught. To say it was a horrible sight was an understatement. Azula felt shivers run down her back.

 

Especially when her mind flashed back to a sky colored red with blood as she let forth a similar strike on her brother. It was like looking into a mirror. A bystander to the events of her own history. And it froze her, seeing it all happen again. What could she do? She wasn’t able to stop herself from trying to kill her brother. How could she possibly try to stop such slaughter?

 

Mercifully, the storm ended. Mothra collapsed on the ground, her body twitching, and a pained groan coming from her mandibles. Her body was scorched and battered from the battle, leaving her spent.

 

Seeing his stricken sister before him, Battra almost seemed to nod to himself before turning to the ridge. There awaited the Fire Nation army. Without needing to wait, they all fired at the Black Mothra. Not that it did any good against the thick gold and black plating.

 

Battra cocked his head and glared in contempt at the condemned. One last act of defiance. As if even now, violence was the only thing these humans thought. And violence they would get in their end.

 

So, he charged forward with his horn aimed at the army, threatening to skewer the very earth they stood on.

 

“HEY! DOWN HERE YOU OVERSIZED MAGGOT!”

 

The Dark Guardian stopped for a moment and looked down at the puny humans a good distance away from him. Azula and Maina were shouting at him, waving their arms to get his attention.

 

“I GUESS MOTHRA WASTED HER TIME WITH YOU IF YOU’RE JUST GOING TO TURN AROUND AND SLAUGHTER PEOPLE JUST FOR PISSING YOU OFF!” Maina shouted. Battra remained motionless, not giving any indication of what was going on through his mind. Yet his attention was taken away from the Fire Nation army. That was a step in the right direction.

 

Time for the next step. Azula stepped forward and outstretched her arms. “YOU WANT YOUR POUND OF FLESH?! WELL HERE I AM! I AM PRINCESS AZULA, DAUGHTER OF PHOENIX KING OZAI AND FIRE LADY URSA! CONQUEROR OF BA SING SE, SAVIOR OF THE FIRE NATION, AND AVATAR SLAYER! SO WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?! COME AND TAKE IT!!!”

 

That did it. Battra’s eyes flashed red as he let out a warcry and raised his horn into the sky, channeling electricity up its length.

 

“NOW!” Azula screamed. At her command, Maina leaped forward and smashed her staff down on the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust and ash. With the earth ruined from the battle, it was quickly able to blanket the area with the loosened dirt. A smokescreen.

 

Battra cut off his charge, not wanting to waste energy and not wanting to fall prey to another lightning bolt in the eye. Instead, he watched the cloud of smoke, trying to pick out his prey.

 

Azula and Maina didn’t have time to stare up at the colossus searching for them. Feeling his massive shadow on their skin was enough. They only had a few minutes before the dust settled, and they would be caught out in the open with a raging mad kaiju out for blood.

 

Luckily for them, their destination was visible through the smoke. Mothra’s silhouette twitched from the pain she was in, guiding both of the girls to her ruined body. Azula felt panic in her heart. To think such a great beast like her could be hurt so badly. Seeing the bruises and scorch marks up close caused a pang of empathy in her heart for the monster.

 

It was an alien feeling to be certain. Sure, she had felt empathy before. Yet Father always told her that it was a weakness. Even now, she could hear the voices in her head, screaming at her to abandon the wounded worm. Leave her! She’s no use to us alive! She’ll turn on you when she truly discovers what you are!

 

Yet Azula blocked them out. Mothra was something she wasn’t. Something good and decent. A being that believed in her. She couldn’t just let the kaiju die like this. They shouldn’t have to pay for her mistakes.

 

So she ran up to the head of the worm, gazing into those enrapturing blue eyes. “Mothra, you've got to get up! We’re the only things standing between a lot of people and destruction! We have to stop him!”

 

Mothra just weakly chirped back, nudging Azula away from her, as if trying to say that the Princess should run.

 

Instead, Azula stroked one of Mothra’s tusks, unwilling to leave. “Maina and I are willing to help! You just have to trust us! I know it’s asking a lot, but we need to work together if we’re going to get anybody out of this alive!”

 

Around them, the dust settled. Their smokescreen had vanished, but Battra had lost interest. Instead, he had turned once more to the army, preparing their last stand.

 

That’s when Mothra made her decision.

 

Almost nodding to herself, she lowered her head towards the two girls. Without needing another prompt, Maina grabbed a surprised Azula by the waist. “Hold on tight!” she commanded as she bent a gust of air that propelled them from the ground. They landed on Mothra’s cranium, clinging to the ridge at the back of the head.

 

“...you do know I can fly, right?” Azula asked, not at all amused about being handled like that. Why did everyone think they could just toss her around?

 

Maina smiled a bit sheepishly. “Hey, you can’t have all the glory to yourself,” she responded, eliciting a scoff from the Princess.

 

Their banter was cut short as Mothra picked herself up from the dirt. They clung on for dear life as the Goddess turned around at Battra and practically flung herself at the larger worm’s tail. Her legs clung on tight to the red and black armor, preventing her brother from going any further.

 

Enraged, Battra wheeled around. Even now, his sister was trying to stop him from doing his duty. Any sort of sibling kinship left his heart as lightning began to channel up to the base of his horn. She should’ve known this was going to happen the very moment she chose violent warmongers over her duty…

 

He never got the chance to fire as an orb of lightning slammed into the base of his horn.

 

See, Azula was good at many things. One of which was learning things on the fly. For instance, she realized that she’d be able to replicate Battra’s method of lightningbending in a…not a similar manner, but enough to get the job done.

 

So the moment she saw the charge begin to build up at the base of Battra’s horn, she got to work. At first, she went through the motions of standard lightning bending. Splitting negative and positive energies apart. Focusing on peace of mind. For her, it was easy. She put together the pieces of the puzzle and was trying out a brand-new form. Focusing on what was her soul made it flawless.

 

Her arms went through the motions, but at the last second, she gathered her fingers together and allowed the energy to grow. And grow. And grow. Instead of being released in a single blast, it was gathering and building in an orb. All condensed and throbbing with power. Negative and positive energies pulsated into the orb and from it back into Azula.

 

And just when it was about to burst, when enough energy was stored, Azula thrust out her arm and pointed the pulsating orb right at Battra.

 

All of this took place within a few seconds.

 

In a few seconds, the orb of lightning leaped from her fingertips, flew through the air, and slammed into the base of the horn. There, the energies of Azula’s lightning met Battra’s, and the two sources of power slammed into each other. They fed off each other’s energy until…

 

BOOM!

 

Battra reared back, the base of his horn smoking and sparking from the explosion. A shriek of surprise erupted from his mandibles, the last of his built-up lightning sputtering in the air.

 

Azula had created an opening. And now, Mothra saw fit to exploit it.

 

Once more, she charged into Battra, slamming her body against his. Azula readied herself, crouching as the two kaiju collided. Her eyes were narrowed, ready to take advantage of any opening.

 

She’d get it when Mothra bashed her head against Battra’s, this time clobbering the dazed Lord of the Earth. Not only that, but it triggered something.

 

Deep down, Azula felt it. The rage. The hate. The madness that had taken her mind during the darkest moment of her life. It raged and roared, no longer begging to be released. All those bodies. All this carnage. All the doubt and anger thrown her way. She couldn’t take it anymore. It was breaking its chains, eager to unleash destruction upon the world.

 

This time, though, there was no loss of control. Azula simply gazed upon the woozy form of Battra. Not as a madwoman seeking her own death. Her gaze was of a predator realizing that the indomitable prey was vulnerable. For the tables had turned, and the kill was nearing its end.

 

Well, no need to hold back any longer , Azula thought, the last coherent words in her mind before she launched herself off Mothra’s head right into Battra’s face.

 

Maina let out a surprised cry, but nothing the Priestess could say would stop Azula from her trajectory. She grabbed onto one of the golden ridges that surrounded Battra’s red eye, bringing her face to face with the kaiju.

 

The two stared at each other, each holding nothing but unrestrained rage for the other. Azula was the first to move. She brought all of her anger, all of her hatred to bear. This worm thought they could judge all of them? Thought it was in his right to decide the fate of those who were deemed inferior? He was going to learn the hard way what happens when you seek to crush the Fire Nation.

 

A raging inferno of blue fire engulfed her fist. And she slammed it into Battra’s eye. A cry filled with pain erupted from the larva, but she did not care. How many cries had he snuffed out today? He didn’t deserve to feel pain when he had inflicted so much.

 

So she slammed her fist into Battra’s eye again. And again. And again and again. Each one brought a brilliant burst of flame into that glaring red eye. Each one unleashed a torrent of hurt, spurning Azula even further in her onslaught.

 

All thoughts in her mind gave way to only one: hurt. Again. And again. She’d make him pay for what he did. Make them ALL pay.

 

Battra tried to shake her off, but it was pointless. Azula simply tightened her grip and allowed the worm to struggle. And all the while she roared and screamed, unleashing torrents of fire over and over. She even breathed torrents of azure flame into Battra’s eye.

 

At some point, her topknot came undone, allowing her long hair to cascade wildly down her shoulders and billow into the wind. She didn’t care. Let them all see her for the monster she was. If it was enough to make Battra feel pain, then it was worth it. 

 

His struggles didn’t go unnoticed. Mothra had held back, seeing what the firebender was doing to her brother. With Azula at his eye, he wouldn’t be able to deal with anything else.

 

That was the opening the Goddess so desperately needed. Gathering the rest of her remaining strength, Mothra practically flung herself at Battra, tackling the larger worm to the earth. Then she coiled around his body and clamped down with her legs. She began to squeeze, and squeeze. 

 

On her back, Maina was holding on for dear life. The Priestess could feel her muscles scream in protest. But she couldn’t let go. Not yet. Letting go now would spell being trampled underneath the warring kaiju. At least up here she could avoid… some of the danger.

 

As for Battra, he still had enough strength to rise up from the dirt. It was significantly a bit more difficult, though, considering he had a kaiju on his back. Enraged by attacks from all sides, he began to trash in every direction he could think of. Eventually, he aimed his body towards the ground, hoping to crush his passenger beneath his bulk.

 

Instead, Mothra simply shifted her weight and body. Being more maneuverable, she was able to clamber out of harm’s way. Battra wasn’t so lucky. With his sister’s weight pressing against him, he took the full brunt of the slam.

 

So he reared up and tried to crush her once more. Again, Mothra shifted her weight and made him take the pummeling. Every time Battra reared up, the smaller worm wrangled her brother to endure the punishment. She even bit on his large horn for better stabilization.

 

Battra attempted to counterattack, tried to bite down, and throw her off. But Azula kept pouring her fires of wrath and rage into his eyes, preventing him from even doing that. With each successive pounding, his struggles began to weaken further and further. It didn’t help that Mothra was beginning to steer him more into the mounds of ammunition, allowing the Fire Nation army to detonate them and cause even more damage.

 

His body wracked with pain and bruises, Battra breathed heavily as his struggles began to slow down. Their struggle had taken them to the base of the mountain ridge where the Earth Kingdom army was watching the spectacle. 

 

Using every ounce of her power, Mothra slammed Battra into the side of the mountain. The earth above crumbled, threatening a rockslide. All it needed was a minuscule amount of pressure for the whole side to come on top of their heads.

 

Azula saw the signs as well. And she was more than eager to get off. Most of her rage had been spent, especially with Battra being right where they wanted him to be. So, without even thinking about it, she rocketed herself off the dark worm’s head and steered herself through the air with firebending.

 

Maina caught her, letting her safely land on Mothra’s head. Once she was sure they were safe, Mothra then hurriedly pulled back from her dazed counterpart. Battra, exhausted and battered, could do little except glare as they retreated out of reach.

 

Pulling herself back up, Azula saw the scene. It would only take a few moments for Battra to recover and go back on the attack. But looking up at the army above him, she realized they didn’t need to give him the time.

 

The Princess shot another flame into the air, and the earthbenders didn’t have to wait another second. At once, the squads stomped the earth and thrust out their palms. And the earth obeyed.

 

In the blink of an eye, the land before them crumbled right before their feet in a great cascade of earth and stone. Battra only looked up before he became buried in the landslide. He struggled at first, but the overwhelming force effectively pinned him to the earth. Up above, the soldiers retreated to a safe position as more of the mountain collapsed on top of the Dark Mothra, kicking up a cloud of dust.

 

Then, just as suddenly as it began, it was over. Half the mountainside had completely collapsed, leaving behind a massive pile of debris in its wake. Nothing of the kaiju could be seen. Not even a glow from those red eyes.

 

After so much carnage and destruction, the field was silent. The dust from the rockslide fell upon the battlefield. No movement. No struggle.

 

Suddenly, the mound of earth exploded as Battra came charging out, his war cry echoing across the battlefield. His horn was aimed straight at Mothra, with all thoughts gone outside of skewering her.

 

Mothra, on the other hand, remained calm and allowed her berserking counterpart to charge closer. Right at the last second, before the horn was going to pierce her soft flesh, the brown worm dodged to the side and lashed out with her tail. Her appendage clobbered Battra right in the face with a resounding thud.

 

A groan came from Battra’s maw as he collapsed and slide on the ground. Not waiting for another moment, Mothra opened her mandibles and let forth a shower of silk. At first, Battra resisted, struggling against the cascading silk. But he was exhausted and weakened. All he could do was wriggle in protest as layer after layer of the swaddling material consumed his form.

 

In a short time, Battra, the Lord of the Earth, was encased in a thick cocoon of silk. Beaten.

 

The danger having passed, Mothra crept forward and began to chirp to her brother. A weak groan came from the cocoon in response, a faint glow coming from where his eyes must be.

 

Curiosity got the better of Azula as the two worms conversed. “What are they talking about?” she asked at the risk of sounding like a lunatic.

 

Maina shrugged. “I think she’s trying to calm Battra down,” she suggested. A sigh left the Priestess’s lips, the air leaving her body as she sunk to her knees. “Those…idiots…why didn’t they listen?! This whole thing could’ve been avoided if they just let things play out!”

 

“That’s the Fire Nation for you,” Azula said glumly. “We never let things play out unless things are in our favor. And we make sure things always are, even if they’re not.” She slumped down alongside Maina, feeling exhausted as well.

 

“You sound so sure of yourself,” Maina commented.

 

A weak nod was the only thing Azula could offer back in response. “That’s just the way we see the world. Enemies and allies.”

 

“...what about you? You believe in that?”

 

Deep down, Azula felt tempted to snap back, “Of course I do!”. Yet she couldn’t. Not with all the carnage around them. Not with what these two kaiju showed before all of…this. There was no fire in her for that. It had all been spent already. The only thing left was embers and a weak, “I thought I did. Now, I’m not so sure.”

 

The Princess of the Fire Nation hugged her knees, wrestling with her thoughts. Sure, there was a possibility this was going to happen. But it didn’t mean that it should’ve. The only ones who wanted this were those already out for blood. There was no glory to be found here. Just two siblings fighting.

 

She knew how that felt. It was all coming back to her. The ice. The chains. The screaming. This wasn’t the past; it was right in front of her. Battra was restrained in silk, struggling and crying out in rage. It was her. Her mirror. And she hated it. Hated that she had to be reminded of her lowest.

 

Azula grimaced, unable to look at the sight. Every day. Every cursed day, she had to live with the memories. How she could wish for them to just go away. How she wished the world could forget. But she couldn’t. It was her punishment for her loss of control and inability to just let go of her attachments. She should’ve let Zuko die in Ba Sing Se. Cut off Mai and Ty Lee long ago. Yet she didn’t, and now she’d have to pay for it.

 

This was what she got for thinking she was anything but a monster. Everyone she met, she hurt. Simple as that.

 

And yet…she felt a warmth on her chest. Reaching down into her chestplate, she fished out the medallion of Mothra.

 

…after a moment, she looked upon Battra once more. Saw the silken cocoon writhe weakly, with moans of pain and exshaution coming from his mandibles. His horn sparked uselessly, and the red glare in his eyes seemed dimmed. For a powerful being such as him, it was pitiful.

 

Surprisingly, Azula felt a tinge of sympathy. She looked into her hand, remembering the blazing inferno that engulfed it. Then she looked upon the struggling recipient. Her hate gave way to pity, and that tinge began to overwhelm her body. How could she hate such a creature? Resent the things he did, sure. But she knew firsthand how hate was all encompassing. Turned you into something you weren’t. Such a far cry from the peaceful being that had arrived here.

 

Indeed, she doubted Battra even came here to fight. Humans made the first move, and he reacted accordingly. His response was too harsh to be sure, but now he was stopped. And he was beaten as punishment.

 

She couldn’t look anymore at the sad sight. So she turned away…before a memory surfaced.

 

Somebody turned away from her at her weakest. Left her in chains and allowed her to rot in an asylum.

 

…not again.

 

Without a word, she slid down Mothra’s body, much to Maina’s surprise. As if possessed, she walked the distance between the two kaiju, arriving at the foot of the encased Battra. With one hand, she gripped the soft but surprisingly strong silk and began to climb. It didn’t take her too long to reach where the head would be. She just had to find the faint glow of the kaiju’s eye.

 

Battra’s struggles ceased when she came into view. She looked into his eye, and he stared back. Then, sighing to herself, Azula began to speak.

 

“...if you want to take your rage out on anyone, take it out on me.”

 

Battra’s eye glared red for a second, as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Neither could Azula, but her declaration came out so natural. Her body slumped against the golden carapace, exhausted and out of fight. Words were her only strength now. And the only words she had were what she truly believed.

 

Out in the distance, the sun’s last rays were shining down on her. As if Agni herself were giving Azula her blessing. The best thing to do now is not waste it.

 

“I…hurt a lot of people,” Azula admitted. “My friends. My family. My servants. People I’ve never met. Directly or not, there’s a lot of blood on my hands. I became what I am because I genuinely believed the world would be better off for it. That if one person could be cruel if it meant everyone else could be safe, then that would be a sacrifice I’d pay.

 

“It’s what my father told me. Those in power were monsters, so the weak couldn’t destroy themselves. They’d live in fear, but would be safe. Now…now I don’t know anymore.”

 

Her eyes gazed around the ruined battlefield, seeing the carnage. The Ash Fields and charred corpses as far as the eye could see fill her mind. Then she started to imagine an entire horizon of such fields. Was that the legacy of the Fire Nation? All this violence? Could she have stopped it if she were Fire Lord? Bring peace through fear? So many questions and no answers.

 

Gently, she lowered herself onto one of the carapace’s ridges. Battra had ceased struggling, as if he were listening intently to her words. So she continued. “What I do know is that everything and everyone I touch gets hurt. That’s the price I paid for being…this,” she said, gesturing to herself. “Maybe if I died during the Comet, none of this would’ve happened. There’d be one less monster for the Earth Kingdom to hate and one less tyrant for the Fire Nation to fear. After all, with Father gone, I’m…I’m the last holdout.”

 

A sigh left her lips, her mind confused and churning. “Look, I don’t know what I’m talking about. Maybe I am insane. Maybe I’m not. What I do know is that people want me to pay for what I did. And perhaps this is the only way everyone can be satisfied. At least now, if you kill me, I can stop everyone trying to tear each other’s throats out over what to do with me. It’s the only way this whole mess doesn’t end with carnage.”

 

Her skin went cold, no longer feeling the caress of the sun. Up and down her body, an intense cold froze her heart. The very grimness of her statement almost seemed to bring everything to a crawl. Yet it was the truth as far as she could tell. Out there, she knew some people saw her as the true Fire Lord. She couldn’t escape it, and she knew it was her duty to uphold her father’s final will. But if that were the case, then she’d have to add more blood on her hands than she could stand to bear.

 

Including Zuko’s. He was there somewhere, no doubt watching this whole debacle play out. If she lived, their true final battle would be set in stone. She thought it would be during the Comet, but fate seemed to have other plans. There was no avoiding it. Their conflict was set in stone.

 

And even if she did win, she’d have to face the Avatar and…all this thinking made her head hurt.

 

So, with one final gloomy sigh, she clambered down the silk encasing Battra’s head. Azula walked a good distance away before spreading her arms out wide, as if asking to be judged.

 

With a great heave, Battra’s horn cut through the silk. His legs pierced the silk. In time, the Dark Mothra had freed himself, shaking silk off his carapace. Still, the process left him exhausted. For a moment, he looked at his light counterpart before staring down at the Princess.

 

Azula looked at Battra. Battra looked at her. The two monsters gazed, wondering what the other was going to do. All Azula knew was to hold her ground. She’d rather look her executioner in the eye rather than cringe away. Somebody had to bear the weight of responsibility for this mess. And that somebody was her. The least she could do was face death with some degree of dignity.

 

The moment dragged on. At any time, her life would be paid for. She just wished Zuko would find some peace in knowing his tormentor was gone for good.

 

…Battra looked…and let out a weary sigh before raising his head.

 

And turning away.

 

He gave a gruff chirp to Mothra, as if passing off responsibility onto her. The brown worm pulled up to the accused, allowing Maina to slide down her head.

 

There was no need for a verdict. Mothra simply chirped with approval and nodded her head.

 

Azula…felt strange. She truly thought this was it. This was how she would spend her life. Yet both kaiju had given their judgment. Not guilty. Her legs felt weak, barely keeping her up. It was if Agni had given her an extension on life.

 

The only thing she could do was bow in respect to the two kaiju. They, in turn, returned the bow.

 

A great weight seemed to be lifted off Azula’s shoulders. And her heart was warmed. For after what seemed like an eternity, she let a grateful smile creep onto her lips.

 

Their moment was broken when a wind from the east blew through the air. Carrying with it a familiar roar. It was faint, but the power was familiar. Azula knew it well.

 

Godzilla. He had triumphed.

 

Mothra and Battra heard it as well. The dark worm gave a meaningful look at Azula one last time before crawling east.

 

Dutifully, Mothra followed her brother. But not before turning and giving Azula a playful nudge with her mandibles. Within her mind, a voice was heard. One that sounded like Mother, but only real.

 

I’m proud of you, my child.

 

Then Mothra turned and followed Battra, drawn to the east.

 

“...how can they still be so close to each other?” Azula asked no one in particular. “They tried to kill each other and yet…”

 

“Mothra’s not one to hold a grudge,” Maina explained. “They keep each other in check. Besides, there’s still good in Battra. He wouldn’t even be Lord of the Earth if he were pure evil. As for him…he’s still learning. It’s other people that need to catch up.”

 

Yes. That made sense. Azula’s mood darkened a bit, causing her to look back towards the ridge where the army was stationed. They’d all seen her madness firsthand. Her usefulness was coming to an end.

 

Now it was time to see if she still had something with her brother.

 

---

 

Azula and Maina held each other as they dragged themselves up the hill to the rest of the army. For a good while, the only word the native girl had for her companion was “You did the right thing, Azula.”

 

The Princess wasn’t so sure, but she was in no state to argue. She just brushed the hair out of her eyes in an attempt to look a bit more dignified. As they came over the crest of the hill, she straightened herself out and walked by herself. Needed to salvage what little dignity she had left.

 

It was no secret that she was a mess. Azula had lost control. Again. And she dreaded having to look into another mirror right now. Looking back, she saw that the cape she wore was signed and frayed at the edges. And her armor was covered in dirt and soot. Far from the proud warrior that she was just a few hours ago. Was - was it a few hours? She wasn’t even sure, given the violence. It could’ve been five minutes but still feel like an eternity.

 

And the bodies. Azula…had to walk past a lot of bodies. Some were partially buried. Others were…Agni help her.

 

Essentially, she was a shell of her former self when she crested the edge and looked at the army. A good number of them had survived, but she saw the look in their faces. They were as shellshocked as she. As if a miracle had been performed that saved them all.

 

She paid them no mind. Instead, she strode past before stopping at the sight of Zuko, Iroh, and her “friends”.

 

All eyes were on them, seeing the difference between the two siblings. Zuko’s robes were a bit singed, but he was otherwise okay. He was poised and composed, about the closest he’d ever come to being a Fire Lord if he ever could.

 

Azula was a different story. Her hair was disheveled, and her breathing was laboured. Her armor was covered in dirt and ashes, her skin blemished by bruises and blood. The difference made her sick. It wasn’t too long ago that their positions were reversed. Now he stood there, thinking himself better.

 

Well…she got the job done. She got Battra to stand down. And he couldn’t take that from her.

 

“I did what you asked of me. You want to arrest me for serving my country, be my guest,” she dared, bowing her head in submission. Everyone held their breath and stood watching, seeing what would happen. And for a moment, nothing happened.

 

That nothing stretched for a long time. Caught off guard, Azula looked up with genuine surprise. The two siblings locked eyes. And for a moment, Zuko’s eyes seemed to be tinged with tears. That stern mask fell in favor of a tired old expression. It seemed he wanted to say something, but the words couldn’t come out of his mouth.

 

There, right there. After so many days and weeks of doubt, trepidation, and fear, Azula let herself be hopeful. There was something gentle about his face. Could this be real? Were her efforts not in vain? She’d almost given her life for her people so many times in the past few months. Surely, this had to be at least an acknowledgement. SOMETHING!

 

…Zuko nodded.

 

But not to her.

 

That’s when Azula noticed Ty Lee was missing.

 

In the blink of an eye, she felt a series of blows to her back. Then, she lost all feeling and fell on her face. Her limbs? Paralyzed.

 

Ty Lee nodded at her fallen form. “Sorry, Azula. But this is as good a reason as any-”

 

She was interrupted when Maina’s staff was smashed in her face. Before she could react, a gust of wind blew her tumbling away at Zuko’s feet.

 

Maina quickly got between Azula and the rest, her staff at the ready. She glared at them all before she practically hissed. “We just saved everyone… HOW MUCH MORE DO YOU BACKSTABBERS WANT?!?”

 

Everyone was stunned, least of all Azula, who hadn’t expected such rage from the Priestess. Maina paced back and forth. “You burst into the sacred chambers of Mothra looking for a fight despite being told violence was not allowed. You chi-blocked her despite her not being herself. You refused to listen to her when she told you not to go after Godzilla. What’s it going to take for you to realize that WE’RE NOT THE ENEMY?!?!”

 

“Azula has done a lot more than that, Maina,” Iroh sternly said. “She needs to pay-”

 

“She’s paid every minute since she’s been on the run!” Maina roared, silencing Iroh. “What more do you want? Her to cut off her head and throw herself in an unmarked grave?! Well, how does that make you any better than your brother?! Tell me! In fact, WHY DON’T WE JUST PUT ALL OF YOU ON TRIAL FOR WHAT YOU’VE DONE IF YOU’RE GOING TO HOLD EVERY LAST THING SHE DID OVER HER HEAD FOR THE REST OF HER LIFE?!?!”

 

“I don’t know. Maybe because she’s not the one with an army at her backside. We can’t exactly let a warlord run around, now, can we?” Mai snapped back.

 

Azula nudged her head up so she could at least back Maina up. “Oh, like we had any choice in the matter! What’s that old saying? Back a viperbat in a corner, expect them to strike out-”

 

“STOP!” Zuko roared. “Just…stop. Azula, I’ve given you so many chances to prove me wrong. I wanted to believe that somehow, deep down, we could be a family again. Just like it’s supposed to be. You accepting your place at my side, and me looking out for you. But I guess it wasn’t enough for you. Nooooo. You had to steal my birthright. You had to be Father’s favorite. You had to hold my honor above my head like it was a plaything!”

 

“I never-”

 

“As if that weren’t enough, you couldn’t swallow your loss and accept that the throne was my destiny! I’ve been so lenient these past few months. I’ve thrown every bone I could think of, and you keep throwing them away!”

 

“Zuko, that’s not fair!” Maina shouted back. “If anything, we’ve been pretty lenient over this temper tantrum you’ve been throwing for weeks now!”

 

“Temper tantrum?! You call being pissed at the woman who ruined my life a temper tantrum?!? No, it ends here. So either accept your place, or I’m going to put you down.”

 

His fury reverberated in the air. Nobody moved. They were simply too afraid to. For now, the visage of a benevolent Fire Lord was gone. Azula had to admit that, for all Zuko tried to ignore it, he certainly inherited Ozai’s rage.

 

Still, she said nothing. How could she? Yet again, she embarrassed herself and lost control. If she hadn’t let her fire rage out of control, this could’ve been avoided. No. This was her punishment. And she just lost any fight left in her.

 

A sigh left Zuko’s lips. “Look, I…I just can’t do this anymore. I tried so hard, but you’ve left me no choice.” With a motion of his hand, two of his royal guard marched forward with chains.

 

“I’m sorry it had to end this way, sister.”

 

---

 

 

City of the Storm King

 

Suddenly, Godzilla snorted and looked off to the west. His eyes narrowed, as if seeing something off in the great distance. Then his eyes widened before letting out another roar. This one was deeper and full of rage. All who bore witness froze in fear.

 

Aang and his friends exchanged glances. A single thought flew through their minds.

 

It was solidified when Godzilla stomped his way west, trudging and smashing through whatever building got in his way. He moved with a new purpose.

---

 

 

At that moment, a roar filled the air. It was carried on the wind, yet even then, all could feel the fury and rage. Nobody moved or said a word.

 

Yet the roar did something else.

 

It caused something deep down inside Azula to snap.

 

The blue fire that she held within her heart blazed into a raging inferno. All thoughts were turned towards her “brother” and her “friends”. Suddenly, all thoughts of whether or not this was deserved were brushed away. These people…they were going to ruin her life. They weren’t going to stop unless either she or they were dead.

 

Her back was to the wall. And her thoughts were consumed by two thoughts. One was rage. Rage against this whole situation she was forced into. This whole time, she just wanted to prove herself. That she could be trusted. And after playing along and bending backwards over and over again, this is what she got?

 

Those…bastards.

 

The other thought was something more primal. Something that made morality easy to throw out. Azula realized they weren’t going to stop unless she was dead or ruined. She didn’t have much, but she wasn’t going to lie down and expose her neck.

 

Rage lit the kindle. Survival caused the inferno to roar.

 

Azure flames raged through her chakra points, blazing past all those blockages. Her entire body felt like it was on fire with the power flowing through her veins.

 

Groggily, she moved her arms and pushed against the ground.

 

And on two wobbly feet, she stood up, glaring at her friends…no, enemies right in the eye.

 

With three words, and her irises and veins glowing with a blue light, Azula hissed out a declaration of war.

 

“No. You’re not.”

Notes:

A/N: I’ll admit. I had a hard time writing this one. Somewhat because of the content since…we’re coming up on a chapter I’ve been dreading to write. I think it’s why I kept putting writing off.

Before we get to that, the battle between Battra and Mothra. Those two HAD fought in Godzilla/Mothra: Battle For Earth, but only in their imago forms. The most they came to blows in their larva forms was a brief altercation early in the movie where Mothra hatched. I wanted to give them a proper brawl.

Especially since Larva!Mothra doesn’t have too many opportunities to go head-to-head with an opponent. Often, she had to rely on attacking from cover in order to even the odds against far bigger opponents. Might as well give her one when she has the chance.

I also wanted to play up the tragedy here since neither one of these two was going into this looking for a fight. Particularly since they patched up their issues long ago.

As for the combat, I borrowed a little bit from the Pipeworks Trilogy since both Mothra and Battra were playable in their larva forms. I tried to steer a bit away from the moon physics, but the overall formula was the same.

Now for the…difficult part.

Growing up, I had issues with the Last Agni Kai along with Azula and Zuko’s rivalry. Personally, I felt it went unresolved in the series, and I wanted to address it. As for my issues…let’s just say they cut a bit deeper than I imagined they would. Which is why there was a delay.

And it’s not going to get easier in the next chapter as Azula and Zuko’s beef is pushed to the limit. It’s not going to be pretty. And by that, I mean I might have taken inspiration from Yami’s beatdown of Weevil from Yu-Gi-Oh!. Those of you who know what I’m talking about probably know what’s in store for Zuko.

Anyways, thank you all for your patience. I promise I will get to work on the next chapter. Thus concludes the Ruins of the Empire Arc as we enter into the next and final stretch of the first chapter of this trilogy. Again, thank you all for your support. Make sure to share your thoughts. Leave a favorite and follow if you want to see more. And as always, I’ll see you all next time.

Chapter 26: Azula's Rage

Summary:

Azula snaps.

Notes:

Avatar: The Last Airbender and all associated characters are owned by Paramount Global. Godzilla and all associated characters are owned by Toho Studios. Please support the official release.

Warning: the following contains sensitive material that may be distressing for some readers. Reader discretion is advised.

Earth Spirit's Pass

 

“I’m sorry it had to end this way, sister.”

 

…she meant it when she said it.

 

By Agni, she meant it. Granted, she wasn’t in her right mind at the time, but she would appear before a tribunal and put her honor on the line to say that she meant those words. Even when he didn’t deserve them, she apologized. And what did he do when all was said and done? She still had the scars.

 

Now, he had the gall to throw those words at her? Like she couldn’t see a bold-faced lie from HIM of all people. Not to mention, he held his chin up just like when he had her writhing on the ground in front of the whole world to see. As if that was the only amount of sympathy he could muster. He gave her breadcrumbs and expected that to fill her empty heart.

 

Well, there was only one thing she had to say to that.

 

“No. You’re not.”

 

She clenched her fists so tight that she could vaguely feel the trickle of blood on her fingers. Not that she cared. All that mattered was the shellshocked look on her so-called “friends’” faces.

 

“H-how is she still standing?” Zuko stammered, looking oh so very small in those robes that should’ve been hers.

 

Ty Lee took a few steps back from terror. Somehow, Azula could practically see the color drain from her face despite the white paint. “That’s impossible!” she screamed, not even trying to put on a brave face. “That should’ve put her out for hours!”

 

“Oh gee. Seems like the circus freak is a scared little brat once you get past her chi-blocking. A shame, really,” Azula mockingly taunted. At this point, she didn’t even care about being polite. If that bitch was willing to kick her while she’s down, then why did she have to play nice?

 

The first person who made a move against her was the OTHER backstabber. Mai whipped out and held a set of knives in her hand. “Make another step. See what happens,” she warned.

 

“Try making a move. Or rather, how about you try saying something smart again. See what happens,” Azula spat back. She wasn’t going to let any of them have the last word. Not this time.

 

“ENOUGH.” Zuko in front of the treasonous snakes, the crown oh so brilliantly gleaming in the sunset. “Azula, if you’re not going to see reason, then there’s only one thing I can do.” He shrugged off his outermost Fire Lord robes, letting them tumble to the ground before getting into a firebending stance unburdened by their weight. “Agni Kai . Right here. Right now.”

 

Everyone held their breath. Agni Kai? Here? Wordlessly, the crowd that had gathered backed away, expecting flames to start flying.

 

“Well?” Zuko ordered.

 

Azula just glowered. “Agni Kai…as if THAT has any meaning to you,” she spat out, letting her words carry out amidst the smoke. “You honestly think I’d ever accept a challenge from a two-faced vulture like yourself?”

 

“Says the coward who fired lightning at Katara,” Zuko growled.

 

A sharp laugh came from Azula. “Oh, you want to play THAT card? Okay then: a lot of talk from a sycophant who only fights when he has an overwhelming advantage.”

 

She made sure everyone was watching, especially Zuko. “What? Am I wrong in saying you’re a gutless worm who wouldn’t fight me at my best, so he had to wait till I was unwell to challenge me and have a second in case he couldn’t do the job? Or rather, how about you all tell them the time you only betrayed us during the Black Sun and when you had a sword drawn on Father, who couldn’t defend himself?”

 

Zuko paled, his stance faltering. Even Iroh seemed a little taken aback. “Zuko? Is that true?” He asked. The only answer the Fire Lord could give was a crestfallen expression.

 

Azula, though, wouldn’t let up. “Oh yes, he told me about that. AND how you threw me to the wolves even though you knew the Avatar still could’ve been alive the whole time! You didn’t think I noticed you kept that little piece of information from me that could’ve been so important to know? At least if you’re going to blackmail me, do it to my face like I did. Or before that, when you kept sabotaging every attempt we had to capture the Avatar just so you could feel good about yourself?! Father practically called you a traitor when he heard about that!

 

“So no. I’m NOT going to accept your challenge. Because why would I ever trust a backstabbing, lying, manipulative bastard such as yourself?! You want to call me a coward?! How about you look in the mirror first!”

 

Still, she got into a firebending stance herself, glaring daggers at her so-called “brother”. “No. This isn’t an Agni Kai. This? I’m going to fix a mistake I made a long time ago.”

 

Before anyone could throw flames through, Maina practically threw herself in front of Azula. “Wait a minute! Azula, you’re not serious-” was all she got out before the Princess shoved her aside. She wasn’t going to stand around and listen to any more speeches. No more false promises. This. Ends. Here .

 

Oh, and how easy it was. There were so many things she hated Zuko for that she didn’t know where to start. Every one that she found just stoked the fires deep in her soul hotter and hotter. Fatigue from the battle vanished as she sized her enemies up. Who was going to make the first strike?

 

We’ll take them down, one by one , the Voices in her head purred. They were so close that she could practically feel their electric breath on the back of her neck. Finally, there was something she could agree on with them. So much so that she ignored the desperate voice of Mother telling her to stop. Nor could the warmth of Mothra’s medallion on her chest sway her.

 

They weren’t here. They didn’t see what this family had turned into. Why should she show mercy when they had shown none? Better to burn away what little affection she had left for them. 

 

Now the big question was who she was going to start with.

 

“No. You won’t be hurting anyone else today, Azula.” Ah, there it is. Iroh plodded forward and stood across the battlefield from her, eyes of gold boring into her soul. Azula just stared back, knowing that whatever lay within her was only a drop in the bucket compared to what he did. He couldn’t judge her without judging himself.

 

Still, had to show some courtesy when others forgot. “Stand aside, Uncle. This is between Zuko and me,” she snarled, barely holding her contempt in check. Every time she had some kind of edge, he had to come along and spoil it. Corrupting Zuko. Teaching him that lightning redirection trick. Couldn’t leave it up to his nephew to fight his own battles.

 

Naturally, Iroh held his ground. “You’re threatening the life of my nephew and your brother. Like it or not, this does concern me. And look at yourself! Your pride’s gotten so out of control, you’re challenging the rightful heir to the throne. It was his birthright. You stole it, and-”

 

“It was Lu Ten’s birthright,” Azula bit back, shutting down another one of Iroh’s moral posturings. “Why should I honor something that wasn’t even Zuko’s to begin with? Why should I honor Zuko period ? He’s done nothing but look down on me and betray me, yet I’M the one with the problem? Or, wait. Is it because I dared to be a better firebender than he ever was? You know, taking my studies seriously while he just lounged around with the turtleducks.”

 

“If you had only known your place-”

 

“And ANOTHER thing,” Azula cut off, having become sick of how she was the ‘bad egg’ in this relationship. “I’ve got an ego problem? Zuko’s the one running around like he’s owed the whole world even after he’s gotten everything he’s ever wanted! What’s my crime then? Taking pride in what I’ve done and not being some sad, pathetic girl who has to live her entire life in the shadow of my mediocre brother?!”

 

“Clearly, your Agni Kai has failed to make you humble, ” Iroh snarled.

 

Azula scoffed. “And I guess suffering was supposed to be my teacher, right? You should swap stories with Father when you get the chance.”

 

…Iroh glared, getting into a firebending position. “Niece, I didn’t want to do this. But know that when your death comes today, it will be at your own hands.”

 

The threat didn’t go unnoticed when Mai and Ty Lee snapped their heads towards Iroh. “Hang on. I thought we were just capturing her!” Ty Lee protested.

 

Zuko just held up his hand, silencing their cries. His grim continence sent ripples not just with his companions, but the entire army. Both the Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom forces stared at each other in shock. Did they just hear what they thought they did? The Fire Lord just ordered the execution of his own sister? The same girl who just saved them this day? 

 

It didn’t matter too much to Azula. Now she knew who Iroh and Zuko really were. The masks were off. Now, it was time to deliver the punishment. She slipped into a firebending stance, almost daring Iroh to make the first move.

 

“Clearly, you need another demonstration of why they called me ‘Dragon of the West, ’” Iroh mused, getting into his own stance.

 

Azula wasn’t impressed. “We both know that you never deserved that title. And you’re not the only one who’s learned from a dragon.” She felt her blue fire course through her veins, feeling stronger than ever. It was exhilarating. And she found it all on her own. Godzilla just showed her the way.

 

Of course, she was referring to Godzilla, but she relished the look of shock on Iroh’s face when she said a dragon was her tutor. Oh yes, she knew his little secret.

 

And she knew how to win this.

 

Iroh planted his feet on the ground and took a deep breath…

 

Azula just held her ground as well and felt the fire inside her heart well up. Her lungs expanded as if to give the raging inferno more room to burn. Mentally, she imagined her spine and all her chakra points lighting up with an intense blue flame. Spikes jutted out of her back, roaring with power. Sooner or later, that fury would have nowhere to go but out.

 

But that fury had but one target in mind. She glared at Iroh, standing oh so proud. As if he did anything to deserve the title of “master firebender”. What? He works out to gather his strength once and a while, and suddenly everyone fears him as some raging dragon? No. That’s just another sign of his laziness. The only reason he overpowered her in the past was that he was older and thus cultivated more power over the years.

 

A fact he demonstrated when he roared forth a massive torrent of flame, scorching the earth and burning right towards her. The fire spread out, almost as if wings materialized from the inferno.

 

Azula was ready, though.

 

In response, she roared back a torrent of her own. An azure inferno that slammed into the fiery orange. For a moment, the flames clashed. Perhaps the fires of the older firebender would’ve won out if Azula hadn’t stopped roaring. Oh, if only Iroh hadn’t given her so much fuel to burn. About how often he put his beloved nephew over her. About the pathetic excuses of sympathy he flung her way when it was convenient.

 

No, she wouldn’t stop. And neither did her flames as they gathered in intensity.

 

In time, one fire overcame the other. The blue devoured the orange and sped towards Iroh. His eyes shellshocked, he hurriedly brought up a shield of fire to defend himself. It was a paltry defense as the inferno slammed into him regardless, sending him flying across the battlefield. Soldiers had to duck out of the way lest they get knocked over. Which meant there was no cushion when Iroh slammed into the side of a ruined catapult. The only caveat was that his clothes were the only thing smoldering.

 

Everyone looked stunned at the event that transpired. Did…somebody manage to overpower the Dragon of the West?

 

The Princess’s newest feat did not satisfy her, though. Her uncle was dangerous. Even without bending, he managed to break his way out of a heavily guarded prison. No. She wasn’t going to give him the chance to recover and pull another miraculous recovery. Instead, she rocketed into the air and slammed her foot into Iroh’s chest. He heaved as the air was practically forced out of him.

 

“Wait…niece…I didn’t want-”, his pleas for mercy were cut off as she drove a boot into his neck, forcing every last bit of air out of his body.

 

“Oh, so NOW you want peace?” Azula snarled, bringing fire daggers to her hands. “Let me guess: you regretted sending me to that asylum. It was an unfortunate conclusion. How about  actually doing something so I can believe those words?”

 

She brought the fire daggers down and drove them into Iroh’s shoulder blades. He grunted, trying to ignore the pain, yet a strangled cry left his lips. Azula wasn’t impressed. Her uncle was lucky that she was being nice. If she wanted, she could have slit his throat right then and there. Not hit where it would be difficult for him to even raise his arms to defend himself.

 

Of course, there was such a thing as being TOO nice. So she had to make sure she didn’t regret this act of mercy. Azula cartwheeled back and gazed at the catapult above her uncle. Then, in one swift motion, she used the momentum of her cartwheel and kicked a blade of fire at one of the gears that worked the launcher. Her blue fire cut through the steel, allowing the gear to fall and land on top of Iroh.

 

This time, her uncle didn’t even bother trying to maintain his dignity as he screamed. It certainly didn’t garner any sympathy from Azula, however. “Doesn’t feel so good when you’re on the other side of the humiliation. Does it, Uncle?” she spat out, knowing full well it was he who pushed Zuko to quote “put her in her place”.

 

Iroh wheezed in pain before opening his eyes filled with tears. “Azula…please, don’t do this! This isn’t like you!”

 

A sneer flashed on her lips before Azula gave an ultimatum. “It is now.” Oh yes, she recalled the last time she showed mercy to Iroh. It was one of the worst mistakes she ever made. She aimed to correct it as soon as she was done with his favorite.

 

So she turned to receive Zuko’s oh-so familiar glare. “You’re…you’re going to pay for everything you did to this family,” he growled, bringing fire to his fists.

 

So predictable , Azula thought, shooting daggers back at her treasonous brother. “I hope you washed your neck, Zuzu. I’d hate for the blade to get stuck.”

 

To be fair to Zuko, he didn’t hesitate. “Mai, Ty Lee! Take her down!” he ordered. At his command, the two girls rushed Azula. Figures. So this is what their friendship boils down to in the end. She remembered how she used to stick up for them at school. Now it looks like all she was to them was just a way to indulge themselves.

 

Before she could get into a firebending stance, though, a gale of wind blew across the battlefield and knocked both of the backstabbers over. Maina quickly got in-between the Princess and the girls, leaving Azula stunned. “Maina?! But I thought you-”

 

“I’ll hold them off!” Maina barked, getting her staff ready for combat. Well, no arguing with that. With two threats occupied, Azula turned towards her brother. Now this…this was a long time coming.

 

Both siblings thrust out their palms, and the inferno began.

 

---

 

 

Mothra wheeled around, feeling a distant burst of fire.

 

She looked behind her in the direction of the pass. Ahead of her, Battra stopped and turned around. He chirped quizzically, asking what was wrong. No response came from the smaller larva.

 

Instead, Mothra gazed between her brother and the pass. They needed to rally with Godzilla. For there were many things that needed to be discussed. And yet, she sensed that her charge was in distress.

 

Battra could see the conflict in her eyes, before giving a curt nod and turning to the east. This was not his conflict, yet neither would he stop her. He simply was not interested in a second brawl.

 

The Goddess didn’t even wait as she wheeled around and charged where she came from. Godzilla and the others could wait later. Right now, the girl she had taken responsibility for was in trouble.

 

Her normally baby-blue eyes turned to purple and to red at the thought. She only hoped she got there before anyone was hurt. Or if Azula’s foes backed down before things got serious. The last thing any human wanted to do was threaten one of Mothra’s servants and not expect a reprisal.

 

---

 

 

Maina quickly parried a series of strikes from Ty Lee with her staff before sending a quick burst of air towards Mai’s flurry of knives. Then she turned to the Kyoshi Warrior, very narrowly managing to avoid getting chi-blocked with her agility.

 

“Why are you sticking your neck out for her?!” Ty Lee yelled, pressing in on the assault. Maina was just barely able to keep those fists from her vital points using her staff and some airbending. Yet she knew this was only delaying the inevitable. Sure, she knew some airbending for self-defense. But these two were warriors trained to fight to the death if need be. She could see it in their eyes.

 

So she did the next best thing that came naturally to her: stall. “I don’t know! Why are you letting Zuko try to kill her?! I think that’s a much bigger question right now!”

 

“We don’t WANT anybody to die!” Ty Lee argued back. She lashed out with her fists, but Maina was able to block them with that staff of hers. The two pushed against each other in a contest of strength, neither one willing to back down. “But we’ve got a better chance of taking Azula down together before either one of them kills the other!”

 

“I don’t believe you. This, this is a joke.” Maina grunted as she pushed her muscles to the limit. “Zuko just gave the execution order for his own sister. And apparently, this isn’t the first time he’s done this to her.”

 

Ty Lee snarled in exasperation. “Oh! And like Azula hasn’t tried to kill him in the past either. You heard her! She threatened him! How can you claim we’re the bad guys when you keep making excuses for her?! We gave her so many chances, and THIS is how we get treated?!?”

 

“Maybe come back when you actually GIVE her a chance! Or maybe you should let me know when you’re having a breakdown so we can shove you in an asylum too!”

 

“SHUT UP!” Ty Lee kicked Maina right in the stomach, but the priestess dug her heels into the dirt as she slid back. “You…you have no idea what it was like growing up with her. And now, when I finally get a say in how I feel, I’m the bad guy?! Well, how about you start facing the truth? Maybe she does deserve to be in that-”

 

“Oh, give me a break!” Maina lunged forward with a cloud at her feet, slamming her staff into Ty Lee’s stomach. She then smashed the head of her weapon into the acrobat’s face, sending her sprawling to the ground.

 

The Priestess couldn’t hide the disgust on her face. “How many times are you going to trot out that old excuse?! Cause it’s starting to get a bit old at this point!”

 

A sound of a blade being unsheathed caught Maina’s attention, causing her to turn around and bring up her staff. Just in the nick of time, she was able to prevent Mai from stabbing her in the back with a rather nasty knife.

 

“She has a point. How many times are you going to blame us for stuff she did?” Mai cooly asked.

 

“What she did- we just saved your ungrateful asses! If anything, you’re the ones who kept giving us garbage despite being the only reason any of us are alive!” Maina snarled as she and the knife expert exchanged parries and strikes. As they fought, the Priestess was starting to understand a very ugly truth.

 

This was what Azula meant when she said she couldn’t trust them. This was what she didn’t want to come back to. After so long of being fed up with her stubbornness, Maina was starting to understand why she never gave them a chance. Which infuriated her even more. These people. They weren’t just browbeating her. They were DENYING her a chance to change. It was enough to make her furious.

 

She and Mai locked weapons, glaring at each other. “I can’t believe I tried to stick up for you two. Seems like it was a waste of time,” Maina lamented.

 

“Do you honestly believe that either one of us wanted to do this?” Mai snarled, pushing the airbender back and swiping out with her knife. Her assault was relentless and measured, each one causing Maina to back up further and further.

 

“I want to forgive her. Deep down, I do,” Mai continued, her voice crisp amidst the duel. “I think Ty Lee does too. But that’s not the choice we’ve been given. Reality is, Azula and Zuko are always going to be at each other’s throats. As bad as it is to say it, I’d rather stick with somebody I love now over somebody that was close to me before. Cut the line before it becomes too tangled. And if you want to join her in the garbage heap, then that’s fine by me.”

 

With one final thrust, Mai stabbed her knife through the air. Maina was just barely able to bend a gust of wind, propelling her back and out of harm’s way. The two girls stood across from each other, sizing the other up.

 

Maina was panting while Mai’s breath was effortless. The Priestess didn’t have much fight in her after the battle with Battra, so she only had one chance to say something. An observation that’s been boiling in the back of her mind.

 

“Mai…what if Zuko saw you as a threat?”

 

The gloomy girl grimaced. “He loves me.”

 

“I know he does, but he says he also loves Azula. You and she were together for a while. What’s the difference between her and you? If he sees her as somebody to be put down, what if he gets paranoid enough to see you as a problem?”

 

“He’d never do that. I saved him,” Mai growled, her cool beginning to crack.

 

Maina, on the other hand, stood up tall. “Oh, really? Cause she saved him from Godzilla. So again, what’s separating you from Azula?”

 

“...”

 

“I know he loves you. But considering how irrational he can be sometimes, do you honestly believe he wouldn’t turn on you if he can’t get his act together?”

 

Mai was silent. Very silent. And her eyes were wide as dinner plates.

 

The message got through.

 

Then her nerves seized up as a series of fists struck her back. Maina fell face-first onto the dirt, her body paralyzed. All she could do was watch as Mai and Ty Lee rushed towards the duel between Azula and Zuko.

 

There was nothing she could do. And that scared her more than any kaiju. For she knew what was bubbling inside Azula. And there was no telling how far she’d be willing to go.

 

---

 

 

Their two fires collided with one another, yet neither managed to overpower the other. Azula grimaced, realizing this was going to be harder than she thought.

 

“Did you honestly think you could come at me again after what happened last time?” Zuko calmly pointed out as he parted the flames before throwing several fireballs in her direction. She batted them aside one by one, his intent being clear. He wanted to bait her into losing control again. Go on the offense, then he’d wear her down when she lost her steam. It’s what she would’ve done.

 

Yet that didn’t stop her as she took the last fireball and bent its energy to her own. She spun around to give it more momentum and fueled more energy into the attack. The orange flame deepened into an intense blue when she launched it back. Zuko simply held out his palm and let the fireball crash against it.

 

“All that time in the asylum, and you still haven’t learned a thing, have you?” he commented, before clenching his fists, causing the fires around them to rise in intensity. Then he started to march in her direction, thrusting out his fists whenever he moved past a patch of fire. When he did, the fire rocketed towards Azula, forcing her to either parry or block.

 

She snarled, the rage she felt being a contrast to the stone-cold expression of her brother. It was all happening again. Only this time it seemed like things were being accelerated. Azula hadn’t had time to recuperate following her battle with Battra. Clever bastard. He must’ve planned this the whole way through.

 

If that was the case, she deemed she was going to make him fight for her head. She held her ground, tossing back every blast of fire he sent her way and adding her own blue flames into the assault. The rage she felt was fueling each one, taking more steam away from her tired body. Each maneuver required just a bit more effort, which meant her blasts were getting stronger.

 

None of it did anything to slow Zuko down. He just moved forward with each step, batting aside the blasts and continuing his own offensive. His movements were precise, calculated, not at all like the rage-filled hothead she knew him to be. Even her fire was giving him more ammunition to use.

 

Azula grimaced, realized she needed to rethink this whole thing. She hated to be on the defensive, but that was her best shot right now. Maybe get some space to breathe and figure something out.

 

So she let out another blast of fire before diving-

 

-Zuko sent her fire blast right in her path, cutting off her escape route. She turned behind her, only to be cut off again.

 

Then she got a blast of fire right to her chest. Azula, the once proud Princess of the Fire Nation, was sent tumbling to the ground. Her armor protected her from the flames, but she was still winded from her tumble.

 

She looked up, eyes widened as Zuko strolled through the fire. His fists were full of flame as he strolled through. He…he was going to do it.

 

Zuko was going to kill her. No hunches now, he was going to do it. And her mind was too frayed and exhausted to do anything about it. Honestly, it wasn’t the fact alone that he was going to kill her in cold blood that scared her.

 

It was his face. Solid as a rock. No emotion. That’s what freaked her out the most. How could anybody just put on a mask like that? Did she mean nothing to him?

 

The only thing she could do was get up on her shaky legs and force her limbs into a stance.

 

A sigh left Zuko’s lips. “Iroh was right. You really are far too gone.”

 

…something snapped inside her.

 

How…dare he? They cornered her, and somehow she’s the one at fault?

 

She could feel her heart hammering in her chest, pumping blood through her veins. Her eyes glowered as Zuko thrust out a palm to incinerate her.

 

Automatically, her hand reached up and batted his away. Then she grabbed his shoulders and kneed him right in the gut. She reached up and yanked his long hair to look her straight in the eye. A look of surprise flashed across his face before she blasted him away with a quick blast of flame of her own. Not enough to actually burn him, but to send him a good distance away.

 

The Princess didn’t let up. From the depths of her rage, something emerged. Something almost…predatory. Bursts of flame erupted from her feet as she quickly closed the distance between them. Before Zuko could fight back, she wrapped her fingers around his throat and pushed him back.

 

To his credit, Zuko did thrust his arms up and wrenched himself free from her grasp. He quickly backed up as he reached behind his back for those dual swords of his that he had thought to bring. Azula wasn’t having any of it. She let out a quick flame that hit him in the side, causing him to stumble a bit.

 

That fog of rage which clouded her mind was beginning to clear. Now she could see the openings more clearly. The opportunities. Any finesse in her movements vanished when she lunged forward and turned Zuko around. With one quick flame dagger, she cut the sheathes holding his weapons before kicking him away.

 

Azula backed up, taking in deep breaths. It wasn’t like her to fight hand-to-hand like this. What it was good at doing was allowing her blue fire to fill her veins again. Already, she could feel her fatigue burning away. And she was ready to go on the offensive.

 

With her senses now heightened, she could sense the normally invisible soft pattering of feet behind her. Azula twisted her body, just narrowly avoiding Ty Lee’s fist from paralyzing her. Then she reached down and grabbed the acrobat’s wrist with an iron grip.

 

Before Ty Lee could free herself, Azula smacked her right in the face with a bone-chilling impact. The force was enough to twist the entrapped girl around, allowing Azula to grip her ex-friend’s shoulder.

 

Something took over her mind. Ty Lee…Zuko was trying to kill her, and yet she STILL was being attacked?

 

“You want to know how it feels to lose your arms?” she growled. Then Azula began to pull. Hard. A very audible crack was heard, and Ty Lee began to scream.

 

When Azula let go, Ty Lee’s arm hung uselessly at her side. Now something overtook the Kyoshi Warrior as she threw another punch at one of the firebender’s chakra points. Again, though, Azula dodged right at the last second, leaving the other shoulder exposed.

 

In one swift motion, Azula grabbed the second arm and pulled. Another snap, and Ty Lee started to scream again. Tears ran down her face from the pain, messing up her makeup. Yet her former friend felt no pity as she smashed her foot right into her chest. Despite the armor, Ty Lee was sent spiraling to the ground. She tried to get up, but without the use of her arms, she could only roll around in the dirt.

 

Azula felt no pity as Ty Lee coughed up blood. She did warn them about going at her without a good reason.

 

Ty Lee sobbed from the agony. “Azula…I…” She was cut off as Azula smashed a boot in her face.

 

“You’re the one who wanted to be my enemy. Don’t act like this wasn’t coming,” Azula snarled. She felt nothing but hate in her veins. An electric current that ran along with the raging torrent of flame. Her skin crawled as she felt vipers guide her movements. And she let them. The Voices were right. Why try to build a bridge when they just keep burning it down?

 

A rustle of robes grabbed her attention, causing Azula to lash out with an arm behind her. She blocked Mai’s dagger, aimed right at her. The Princess just looked the traitorous snake in the face before punching her in the chest.

 

Mai backpedalled before going in again for another assault. Yet Azula was ready, timing the oncoming blade just right. At the last second, she caught the knife right as it was about to pierce her armor.

 

She glared up at Mai, who suddenly went pale. Azula dug her sharp nails right into the other girl’s hands, forcing them to drop the knife. Nimbly, the Princess was able to catch it with her foot before tossing it up where she could catch it.

 

And in one swift motion, she drove the knife right into Mai’s shoulder.

 

Now it was Mai’s turn to scream, feeling the metal pierce her flesh. Again, though, Azula felt no sympathy. It was suppressed by a sheer hatred for all of those around her. “This is why you should’ve feared me more,” she snarled, letting the Voices do the talking for once.

 

“Azula…please…I…look at what you did to Ty Lee! Even at your worst, you wouldn’t do this!” Mai managed to force out.

 

“...you’re right. Just too bad you kept pushing me to dig deeper,” Azula spat back. “What did it feel like, letting me rot in that asylum? You knew, yet you did NOTHING. Funny. Accuse me of cruelty, yet do something worse than I ever would have done.”

 

“I swore, I had no idea! And just look at yourself! I get that you’re angry, but this isn’t you! You can’t let this define who you are!”

 

“Oh, really? Like you never let me live down the worst day of my life? Throw everything away just so you can let your boyfriend slit my throat?! Tell me, GIVE ME ONE GOOD REASON WHY I SHOULDN’T INCINERATE YOU RIGHT NOW?!” Azula ranted, hoisting Mai up with one hand on her throat and another hand threatening a ball of fire.

 

Tears began to well up in Mai’s eyes as she said her last words. “I’m…I’m sorry…I let my anger get the better of me. Please…don’t let it get the better of you…”

 

Azula curled up her fist. Not the best last words, but she was willing to make do. And so she…

 

…

 

…tossed Mai into Ty Lee, causing them to crumple into a pile.

 

Her fists clenched and unclenched, wondering what had happened. They were right. THERE. She had ample opportunity to just end them. Why couldn’t she just do the job?!

 

A blast of heat coming from behind forced Azula to dodge to the side. Oh well. She’d have time to finish them off later. Now she had to deal with the biggest pain in her side.

 

Zuko took a stance, waiting for her to make the first move. Look at him. So poised and collected. Yet deep down, she knew that he hated her in this moment just as much as she hated him. His girlfriend was lying behind her with a knife stuck in her shoulder. There’s only so much anybody could do to bury that hatred.

 

Yet he gave nothing. Just a stony glare with fire behind his eyes. It made Azula sick. He used to throw fits and tantrums all the time when they were younger, but now he has the nerve to act like he was better than her? This was some sick joke. SHE was the one who used to be so cool and collected. Now her mind was filled with nothing but rage, and she got called mad.

 

The double standard was more than she could take. He wanted her to go berserk? He was going to get it.

 

So she let forth blast after blast, following up with more blasts. She jumped in the air after her first assault and lashed out with a few arcs of blue flame. Her anger only rose with each one. Just let her scorch him, damnit!

 

Zuko just held his ground and batted away the first few wild blasts, ducked under the arcs, and let out a few counterattacks of his own. It was that dancing style he pulled on her during the Agni Kai, and she had walked right into it. Sure, she was able to avoid getting singed by batting away a number of attacks, but she was being forced back from the counter assault. 

 

Not that her mind registered it, since she kept trying to sneak in huge attacks whenever she could. All she cared about right now was to make him suffer. Every time she looked at him, she was reminded of that face that peered through the bars of her cell, then walked out the door. Never to even glance in her direction again. It kept her attacking when by all rights she should’ve stopped.

 

Through it all, Zuko kept gaining ground. Her attacks were sloppy and easily parried. And he just gave her a stony look. “You’re still making the same mistakes, and you still want to be Fire Lord? Why should I have even given you a chance to begin with? You’ll never change. Best I put you down now before you hurt anybody else.”

 

He launched a fire blast at her feet through their exchange. Azula was just barely able to throw herself out of the way, but the impact sent her spiraling back to the ground. Her chest heaved with exertion, craving every last bit of air she could manage.

 

A shadow loomed over her with a fist full of fire in its hand. “I changed because I was willing to learn. You’re not. That’s what makes me better than you. Only those who truly reach for redemption get it, ” Zuko said, allowing his hand to hover over her body.

 

Azula froze, remembering a scene very similar to this only a few years ago. Except it was Father threatening to do this. This…had happened before. Zuko even has the same stony face he did before everything changed.

 

Suddenly…everything slowed to a crawl. Azula’s eyes widened as a realization set in. Over the past few weeks, she bore witness to many things. Most of them were of a primal variety. Great monsters fighting to the death, spilling their blood.

 

What was so different about this?

 

Right before Zuko was going to land the final blow, Azula thrust out her palm and let out a brilliant burst of blue flame. Her brother cried out as he was sent flying a good distance away from her.

 

The Fire Lord groaned as he got up, a rather sizeable burn now visible on his shoulder. Azula rose first, glaring daggers at him.

 

“Zuko…I hate this ,” she said rather calmly. “'Cause no matter what I feel about you, we’re siblings. And Mom wanted us to get along. Didn’t agree with her on anything, but I wanted to honor that wish at least.”

 

“Shame then you had to go and disappoint her,” Zuko said, taking up another stance.

 

Azula didn’t care. “So this? Throwing my fire against yours in a fight to the death? The rage I feel burning inside my veins? Knowing that deep down, I’m never going to find out if we ever had a chance? I hate it . But the only thing I hate more than that right now… is you.”

 

Seeing that he wasn’t going to be the first one to throw a punch, she decided to send him a little gift. She quickly shot out three small balls of fire, each one a bit wild and easy to deflect. And sure enough, Zuko was easily able to deflect all of them.

 

It also meant he couldn’t catch the focused fire blast in time to deflect it. All he could do was quickly bring his fists down to bat it away. He looked at her in shock, but she didn’t care.

 

“See, my problem was treating you like a brother. But brothers don’t lock away their siblings to rot. Or leave them to face the mercy of their father when they betrayed you all.” She let out a few more quick shots of flame. Again, they were all deflected except for the last blast. This one had a bit more fuel poured into it, causing Zuko to step back.

 

“You see, the apothecaries were worried that after dear old father lost his temper with me, I was going to have a broken rib puncture my lungs. But you wouldn’t care about that, would you?”

 

Zuko froze, his throat seizing before he started chanting, “Azula always lies. Azula always-”

 

He didn’t get far before Azula rushed him, propelling herself with fire before swinging, spinning in mid-air, and kicking out. She let out a blue lash of fire so close that he couldn’t dodge it. All he could do was bend the fire upwards, but the heat and force pushed him back.

 

“Oh? Playing that old song again? Tell me, do you honestly believe that I’d lie about it? Or are you just making stuff up in your head? And you call me a liar. I’m almost impressed by all the lengths you’re willing to go so you get to be the conquering hero.” Azula then thrust out her palm and launched a fireball. It wasn’t particularly powerful. Just enough to make it look big and impressive, but not much force behind it. Her brother fell for the bait, though, as he dove to the side. Rolling back on his feet, Zuko let out a powerful firebomb right at her flank.

 

Of course, she was one step ahead of him. Azula simply spun around and fired a concentrated burst of fire into the projectile. It wasn’t a lot, but it did cause the firebomb to detonate right in Zuko’s face. He was sent straight to the ground, rolling in the dirt. Not exactly a manner befitting a monarch.

 

He still had one last trick to play through. Using the momentum of the firebomb, Zuko rolled up into a wild dance of flame. Azula stopped and readied herself. In the blink of an eye, Zuko lashed out low with a blade of flame. She knew this maneuver well, having fallen victim to it in their last battle.

 

Not this time. Remembering an old technique, Azula lashed out with a high kick. Imagining her leg as a mighty tail, she slammed it to the earth and let forth a vertical fire blade to rip apart Zuko’s attempted blindside. It happened so fast that Zuko had no time to counterattack, taking the attack head-on.

 

The Fire Lord attempted to roll with the impact and go for a counterattack, but Azula sprinted the remaining distance between them and kneed him in the throat.

 

“So…I thank you, Zuko,” Azula hissed in his ear before punching him right in the chest, forcing any remaining air out of his body. “I was so worried that if I was going to snap again, I wouldn’t come back. That’s what everyone kept telling me. Oh, the brilliant prodigy is gone, reduced to a rabid animal.” With her other hand, she let out a blast of fire, sending him tumbling to the ground.

 

Zuko cried out in pain, spitting out blood as his skin burned from the flames. His cries went on deaf ears, as Azula raised her palm, ready to deliver the final blow.

 

“But now I know better. Because deep down, you just wanted any reason to have my head. To make me suffer. To drag this out for as long as possible. It’s what you did in the Agni Kai: try to goad me into shooting lightning just so you could humiliate me one more time. You never wanted this to end because it’s oh so satisfying to take me down over and over again. Isn’t it? So now…I’ve got no reason to fear killing you. It’s like you always said. We’re always going to be at each other’s throats. So let’s not pretend this is some tragedy when it’s inevitable.”

 

“FINISH HIM OFF!!!”

 

…she stopped, looking at the crowd. None of them had moved. They all watched seeing their Fire Lord be beaten before them. That shout. That cheer . It came from the crowd.

 

Were…they enjoying this?

 

…for the first time in her life, Azula felt nothing but hatred for her nation. Did they honestly think that she WANTED to do this? Kill her own brother in cold blood? She wasn’t even happy with herself about how easily she could rationalize this. Was this some kind of sick joke?!

 

Deep within, the last wooden barrier holding her rage in check was broken. They wanted a show? She was going to give them a show.

 

Azula yanked Zuko up to his feet and clawed his face, drawing blood.

 

“See?! I’m finally buying what you’re selling!!!”

 

She kneed him in the gut, before yanking on his hair and smashing her foot into his face. Then she delivered an uppercut and followed that up with a kick to the face. She landed blow after blow into Zuko, each one getting a cry of pain and a spatter of blood with each. 

 

“How does it feel, Zuko?!”

 

A flame slammed into his chest, forcing him to the ground and allowing her to straddle his fallen form.

 

With one fist, she smashed her fist into Zuko’s face. The earth would’ve shattered beneath him if she were capable of it. Leave a scar that says “Here lies the Bainshed Prince.”

 

“How does it feel to have your flaws exploited?!”

 

Azula smashed her fist into Zuko’s face again.

 

“How does it feel to be deconstructed?!?”

 

And again.

 

“TO WATCH EVERYTHING YOU HOLD DEAR DIE?!?!?!”

 

And again.

 

And again.

 

And again.

 

And again.

 

Each time her knuckles bashed Zuko’s skull, everyone watching winced just a bit more. Whatever spectacle this fight brought was being replaced by a dawning sense of dread. Yet nobody wanted to get in the middle of this lest they too get maimed.

 

Azula though? She didn’t care.

 

She punched Zuko in the face again.

 

Why would she? This was what they wanted after all. Either to see their Fire Lord be laid low or the Mad Princess be conquered once and for all. Well, this is what they were going to get. And she hoped they’d remember it till they went to the grave.

 

She punched Zuko in the face again.

 

And again.

 

And again.

 

A spurt of blood stained her hand from a nasty cut on her so-called “brother’s” cheek. Fine by her. He wanted her to be this violent monster. So why deny him what he deserved?

 

She punched him again. And again. And again. There was a voice, screaming at her to stop. Must’ve been Maina having pulled herself back together. Or Mother, deciding now was a good time to step in.

 

Azula didn’t care. What else could they throw at her to bring her any lower? Might as well stop denying who she was.

 

Her chest heaved as she paused, her fists red from bruises. Struggling to control her breathing, Azula looked down at her former brother. Indeed, his face had a nasty gash with blood dripping down his cheek. And his eyes were swollen nearly shut. That handsome face girls swooned over was marred by bruises and blood.

 

What little of those eyes that weren’t obscured looked up at her. “Azula…” he managed to wheeze out. “I…I’m so sorry-”. He was cut off when she wrapped her fingers around his throat and squeezed. Her nails dug into his throat enough that they almost drew blood.

 

“No. You don’t get to apologize. You don’t get to say anything ,” she hissed, feeling hot tears run down her face. She could see his face begin to pale, the air being squeezed out of his lungs. 

 

“You wouldn’t let me talk for all my life. I was the monster. I was the FREAK. It was all about you, wasn’t it? You knew everything. Well, guess what? I’m done with your crap.”

 

Punch.

 

“I’m DONE with you pretending that you’re better than me. Cause honestly? You never did anything I didn’t do.”

 

Punch.

 

“And I could forgive aaaaalll your issues, if you just took some damn responsibility. Actually, be a Fire Lord. Live up to those promises. SOMETHING. But no. You’re just like me, except you try to pretty it up with sob stories and your so-called ‘destiny’ and ‘birthright’. Yet the whole world eats it up while I get nothing. Who’s the lucky one now?”

 

After one more punch, Princess raised one arm and brought a fiery inferno to her hands. She made sure Zuko got a good look at it.

 

“I’m done with trying to be your sister. Cause if it means catering to your every whim like you keep wanting, I want nothing to do with it.”

 

And so, she lifted him up with one arm by the throat, holding him high for everyone to see. Then she brought his horrified face up close to her. The face shifted from Father to Zuko, yet she didn’t care who she was burning.

 

“You wanted a monster? Well, you got one. You created me. All so you can be the big hero, so you can live with your own sins. Well, you’re not mounting my head on a wall so you can feel good about yourself. This…this is the world finally catching up to you.”

 

She held up her fist of fire, holding it right in front of his face. All it would take is one twitch. One burst of rage…and it was over.

 

…

 

…

 

…

 

…she held it for a long time.

 

What are you waiting for?! FINISH HIM! the Voices roared in her ear, whipping themselves up into a maddened frenzy.

 

And yet…she couldn’t.

 

Azula snarled, relinquishing her grasp on Zuko’s throat. He wheezed and coughed, trying to regain his breath. What was wrong with me? she thought. Why can’t I just FINISH it?!

 

A draconian hiss forced her attention. Pathetic. This is just like before, during the Comet. You can’t land the killing blow, and you suffered for it.

 

And now…

 

Movement to her side drew her attention.

 

It was Mai and Ty Lee, pulling themselves together from that crumpled heap.

 

It’s all happening again.

 

Azula felt two grabs clutch at her leg. It was Zuko, trying to pull himself up. All he got was Azula’s hands grabbing his back and being tossed into the two traitors. They all landed in a crumpled heap together. Fitting. Snakes that fight together should die together.

 

First things first, needed to make sure they were actually finished. She threw a series of fireballs surrounding them, allowing the smoke to climb into the air. Her enemies began hacking and coughing. Good. That meant no fresh air to firebend. Then she made a quick look behind her. Iroh was watching the whole thing in horror, trapped and wounded beneath the gear.

 

Nodding to herself, Azula turned-

 

“STOP!!!”

 

To her surprise, Maina wobbled onto her feet and stood in front of the enraged Princess. “Get out of the way, peasant ,” Azula hissed, giving her only warning.

 

Maina just held her ground. “Azula, this isn’t you. This is the Voices talking. You don’t want to kill your friends, and you DON’T want to be a monster. You beat them! You’ve won! You don’t need to kill them, and you shouldn’t! Don’t let those Voices decide who you are!”

 

“...you’re right. I already decided.”

 

Azula pushed Maina away as she stood in front of her suffering enemies amidst the smoke. Months upon months of suffering washed over her, all at their hands. Well, she wasn’t going to be hurting anymore. Not now. Never again.

 

So she allowed the Voices to sink their fangs into her and use her voice. “Get a good look, everyone!” they roared, making sure the armies of the Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom were watching. “Your era of peace is dead before it even began! This is the blaze that will engulf your entire world!!!”

 

Her arms rose, each fist consumed by a raging inferno of blue fire. Zuko, Mai, and Ty Lee could only look in horror as the girl once known as Princess Azula raised the blade…

 

…and hesitated.

 

Azula’s eyes lost their intensity, and the fires began to recede just a bit. Both around her fists and the battered teens. She saw them. Battered. Bloodied. Burnt.

 

No. No hesitations this time. This time-

 

Why should she? They were beaten and humiliated. She had already done enough-

 

NO! FOR ONCE IN YOUR LIFE, DROWN YOUR CONSCIENCE AND DO WHAT IS NECESSARY! END THEM!!!!

 

… every time she tried to will herself to do it, a voice in the back of her head held her back. It was her mother’s.

 

She tried to will herself to finish the job, but she couldn’t. Not like this. Not…

 

A warmth pressed against her heart. Without even looking, she knew what it was. Mothra’s Amulet.

 

As if her thoughts were given life, a soft coo filled the air. Everyone looked towards the pass, where the great worm awaited. Those kind blue eyes met Azula’s golden, as if they were asking what had happened.

 

Azula blinked from the gaze, her senses finally coming back one by one. First, she saw her fists full of blue fire. Burning and ready to be launched.

 

Then she saw the crumpled heap that were her friends, each one looking at her with absolute terror in their eyes.

 

Suddenly, the fire in her hand fizzled. More began to come into focus. The crowd that had watched the carnage unfold. For what seemed like an unfathomable amount of time, nobody moved. It was as if the world held its breath, coming to terms with what had just happened.

 

Before it dragged on any longer, a soldier knelt. Then another.

 

Then another.

 

A lump developed as Azula saw countless soldiers kneel before her. It wasn’t in admiration, though. They all held their breath, with no cheers or hails for her “victory”. Just grovelling in submission. Everyone else just stood frozen. Not even the War Council dared to say a word.

 

That was when something glimmered in the corner of Azula’s eye.

 

The crown.

 

…she could do it. Zuko had just attacked her unprovoked, sinking whatever scrap of goodwill he had saved with his nation. It left them paralyzed. For the first time, they had a Fire Lord who was undeniably weak in their eyes. Willing to resort to underhanded tactics in broad daylight in front of them all. He threw away his honor and his people just to win a power struggle. Right now, she was the only one with a claim to the throne.

 

There would be complications, of course. The Avatar and his cronies wouldn’t stand for this. They’d come after her. Maybe even strip her of her bending. But what would that matter? She could restart the war. Make it so that they had a future advantage for whoever the next Fire Lord would be, or ruin the peace her brother had sacrificed everything for, even if he came back into power.

 

Yes. She could do it. And her revenge would be complete.

 

What are you waiting for?, the Voices hissed in her ear. You’ve won. Now claim your prize and fulfill your destiny. Not even the Avatar will be able to stop you when you’ve earned your place. I can promise you, you’ll have the power to defy him. ALL of them. They’ll worship you as a Goddess with me at your side…

 

A…power to rival the Avatar? How badly she wanted to ignore those hateful voices, but to be beloved. Accepted. Her enemies laid low and be adored by all. Wasn’t that what she wanted?

 

All she needed to do was reach.

 

Then she looked up at all the carnage around her. All the wrecked vehicles. The people ignoring it all, waiting for her to take her rightful place. Her…friends and family half-dead at her hands…

 

…

 

A soft coo came from Mothra, as if the larva was concerned for her well-being.

 

…

 

…

 

…Azula took a step back from what she had done.

 

Then another.

 

The steps turned into a sprint as Azula barreled her way through the crowd. Nobody tried to stop her as she ran. Nobody except Iroh. He finally hauled the gear off himself and barreled after her.

 

Azula turned to face him, but a screech pierced their ears. Iroh stopped dead in his tracks as Mothra glared at him. Her eyes were crimson, filled with a fury that belied her soft appearance.

 

It was enough to make Azula wonder why in the name of Agni would the Goddess stand up for somebody like her. She broke out of the spell, reaching into her armor and pulling out the amulet and dagger. They were tossed aside, for she was unworthy of their comfort.

 

Instead, she ran through the pass and right past the worm. Mothra turned to call out for her, but Azula didn’t listen. As the sun set, she finally learned what she was. They all had learned.

 

She was a monster, through and through. And there was only one thing left to do.

 

---

 

 

Nobody tried to stop her. None of the soldiers. Not even Ming or Lee, who just stood there slack-jawed at the whole mess. And nobody wanted to cross Mothra. For a long time, the Goddess just sat there, glaring at them all.

 

Then, without another look in their direction, the worm crawled back through the pass. Somebody let out a sigh, as though a great burden had passed.

 

For Zuko, though, everything was hurting. It took every last bit of strength to haul himself up, let alone drag Mai and Ty Lee to their feet. His eyes widened at the knife stuck in Mai’s shoulder. He managed to stop the bleeding, and thank Agni, it didn’t seem as if Azula hit anything vital. But she needed to get to an apothecary.

 

As for Ty Lee, she was shellshocked. Her eyes stared out into the distance, her dislocated arms hanging uselessly at her sides. “I…she almost…what have we done?” she mumbled, over and over again. Zuko couldn’t answer her, for he had no reassurances that they did the right thing.

 

That face. Those furious eyes. He’d never seen Azula so angry. In fact, he hadn’t seen anyone that angry aside from-

 

Reflexively, he stopped himself. Yes, he remembered that face of hatred. It all came crashing down on him. Once again, he’d bitten off more than he could chew.

 

Looking around, he saw the faces of the people he was supposed to lead into a new future. Once again, he had failed them. Utterly and completely. Even when he had done something right, he managed to find some way to screw it up.

 

From the crowd, he could discern King Kuei and his generals making their way through. It was as if the entire world had stopped to see him screw up. Even Iroh, who had limped back to him, was no comfort. Zuko didn’t dare look at him. He couldn’t when he failed again.

 

Azula had surpassed him again. This time, he wasn’t even sure if he could catch up. Nor was he even sure if he wanted to. The thought of fighting her again made him dizzy. He felt lucky enough to be alive, much less keep the crown away from her-

 

The crown.

 

His eyes lowered to a glimmer of gold in the dirt. It shone in the fading sun, waiting to be picked up.

 

Zuko practically had to drag himself towards the crown. His birthright. Everything he had worked and sacrificed so much for-

 

Somebody got to it before he did, picking the crown of the Fire Lord up and considering it.

 

A chill ran down Zuko's spine as he reached out. “...Qin…”

 

THWACK!

 

One heavy blow to his back and Zuko was sent crashing to the earth. Two pairs of arms yanked him up so he could see his war council gather around the War Minister. He could hear a trio of yelps alongside him, indicating that Iroh and the two girls were also restrained.

 

The sight of Qin riled something up in Zuko’s heart. “WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS-”

 

“It’s like I said, kid,” a now freed Nojon said as he stomped his way through the crowd, his honor guard surrounding the war council. “This has been a long time coming.”

 

By Agni, it’s a coup! , his mind screamed. Yet his body and his guards refused to obey his demands. How could he have been so STUPID?! His vision shook and blurred, trying to find any friendly face in the crowd.

 

Only a few soldiers looked sympathetic. And even they just stood by and watched the proceedings.

 

“What’s going on here?!” King Kuei cried out, pushing his way through the crowd and marching right up to Qin.

 

“Sons and daughters of the Fire Nation!” Qin roared out, ignoring the Earth King’s presence. His voice was filled with might and authority, capturing all present. “The line of Sozin, the line of Zoryu has failed . Princess Azula has fallen into the throes of madness. And Fire Lord Zuko has failed to protect our interests both abroad and at home. Our forces have been decimated with these recent battles, and we stand on the precipice of civil war.”

 

“NO THANKS TO YOU YOU TRAITORS-” Ty Lee’s rant was muzzled as somebody stuffed a piece of cloth down her throat.

 

Zuko’s rage flared up, but he was punched again in his back when he attempted to stand up. “You bastards! What do you think you’re doing?!”

 

Qin looked at him rather coolly. “Returning power to the clans, before the Fire Lords took control and enslaved our people.”

 

“But do not worry,” he then said to the army, who stood by, not knowing what to do. “You will have a Fire Lord. One who has the interests of the Nation in mind. It would be foolhardy to break the line of succession without proper preparation. No, the crown will be returned to one who can be trusted with the authority of Agni.”

 

Suddenly, panic filled Zuko’s thoughts. No. NO! They couldn’t be talking about Iroh! And the one other person who was still in the Royal Family would be-

 

“YOU CAN’T PUT OZAI BACK IN POWER! HE’LL JUST MAKE YOU GROVEL AT HIS FEET!!!” Zuko screamed. He was having vertigo. All that effort. All that struggle, just for Ozai to be Fire Lord again? This couldn’t be happening! It was a nightmare!

 

His thoughts were cut off when somebody yanked on his hair.

 

And he felt a knife press against his topknot.

 

No. Please, Agni, don’t let this be real.

 

Qin scoffed at his outburst. “If this traitor cannot conduct himself with honor even after all this time… he doesn’t deserve it.”

 

The blade cut through his top knot. And then the hairs running down his back.

 

Zuko was silent. His honor, the thing he had fought so hard for…he’d lost it again.

 

This time, though, he felt he truly had thrown it away.

 

He didn’t face this nightmare alone. King Kuei stood agape at the spectacle, the ramifications beginning to settle in. When his senses came too, he glared at Qin and the traitors. “When the Avatar hears of this, you’ll be begging for mercy.”

 

Qin just shrugged. “When the Avatar hears of this, Godzilla will already be on his way. And we all know what happens when he’s on the warpath.”

 

They had thought this through , Zuko realized. He had just given them everything they needed to pull this thing off, and now they had a way to deal with Aang! That roar. Godzilla WAS coming. And there wouldn’t be much stopping him this time. Agni, how could he have been so stupid?!

 

“Assuming any of you are still alive when he’s through with you…”

 

War Minister Qin looked the Earth King right in the eye.

 

“You’d better prepare yourselves. We’ll return with the sound of war drums.”

 

…silence froze everyone outside of the coup members in place. For war was declared. The Hundred Years' War had just been restarted.

 

And it was all Zuko’s fault.

 

“Any who wish to face their death with the traitors are free to stay. Those who are loyal to the banner of their Nation, follow me. We return to Yu Dao.” The traitorous war council stalked away, with Nojon giving the now-shattered Zuko a nasty glare before departing. All around, soldiers looked at each other, unsure of what to do. Then, one by one, a good amount of the army had departed.

 

By nightfall, the field was silent. Only about half of Zuko’s forces remained by his side, including General Mak, who was arguing with Iroh about their next move. Something about finding allies at the coast. Zuko wasn’t sure, and he didn’t care.

 

He’d lost everything again. No, worse than that. He’d failed the whole world. So complete was his despair that he hardly noticed Mai and Ty Lee being looked over by an apothecary.

 

…slowly, he got up and limped in the only direction he could think of.

 

Towards the pass. Right now, there was only one thing on his mind.

 

Zuko had to find Azula. Maybe he could set one thing right.

 

---

 

 

Yu Dao

 

They kept running until they stopped hearing the screams. Kori, Longshot, and Smellerbee ducked down an alley, hurrying the other members of their party along. Took quite a bit of effort to shake them out of their stupor and into cover. Once everyone was safely off the streets, Longshot held back with bow and arrow in hand, standing at the ready in case anyone came their way.

 

AnyTHING , Kori corrected herself. By now, she had gotten somewhat accustomed to the idea of monsters being real. Yet she still had so many questions and emotions swirling around in her head. The best she could do was keep some kind of composure so nobody else freaked out.

 

Unfortunately, somebody mistook her composure for having an idea of what was going on. “What WAS that thing?!” Smellerbee hissed, practically shaking Kori’s shoulders. Everyone else was simply too scared to even raise their voice, lest the…thing come swooping down on their heads.

 

“I don’t know. Just keep your voices DOWN!” Kori whispered. It wasn’t as if she hadn’t expected trouble when she arrived in Yu Dao. Maybe even expected the Abomination to reveal itself given the amount of chaos that engulfed the city. But a beast the size of a cart literally coming down on them? Who in their right mind could comprehend that?!

 

A beast that stole her father…

 

She slumped against the wall, remembering his screams as he was carried away. There were many things she could say about the mayor of Yu Dao. Stuck in the old ways. Elitist. Maybe even a bit bone-headed. And she knew if there was any hope for a better life, she’d have to confront him about what he was doing.

 

Yet Kori never wanted this . There were many versions of how this scenario would’ve played out in her head, but death was not one of them.

 

And now he was gone, before she could…maybe not make peace with him, but acknowledge that they weren’t able to see eye-to-eye. The man who raised her was gone.

 

What’s worse, she couldn’t even talk about it. Everyone sat down and huddled, remaining quiet. All were shellshocked from what they had seen. She couldn’t blame them. They must’ve been lied to by the new master. Maybe just a more intense protest than usual. Not be a part of a kidnapping.

 

…well, they would have time to worry about it later. Quietly, Kori walked to the other end of the alleyway where it made a turn. Peering around the corner, she saw it was clear. Good. There was a safehouse not too far away from what she could remember. She could lead them there and hunker down while they figured out a plan. Till then, staying on the move was their best option.

 

Before she was about to say something, Longshot was motioning to her and Smellerbee to come over. Silently, they crept their way back to the archer’s side. He pointed to the corner of where they came from, urging them to take a peek.

 

That’s when they heard the voices.

 

“Well done, my servant. The head of the viper has been severed.”

 

That voice sent chills down Kori’s spine. It was the Abomination.

 

Slowly, she and Smellerbee peered around the corner. There it was. Standing amidst a group of rather odd-looking characters was the mastermind itself. It was perhaps even more grotesque in the open. The pale flesh almost seemed to glimmer a bit in the light of the rising moon. Just the fact that it was out in the open made Kori’s blood run cold. Whatever it was planning, it was coming close to fruition.

 

Before it knelt an acolyte. They seemed to be a woman with her head bowed and her arms raised. “Thank you, my lord. I have done what you asked. Now shall the penitent pay the price?”

 

A throaty chuckle erupted from the distorted maw of the creature. “Not yet, my eager one. We must solidify our hold and subdue the rest of the rulers. But it will be soon. By tomorrow evening, he and the rest of this city’s elite will be judged.”

 

He’s alive! , Kori thought. She didn’t know where he was, nor where they were having this “judgement”, but it did give her a sliver of hope.

 

“Until then…” the creature stepped in front of the kneeling woman with a strange look in their eyes. “You are to be rewarded. For you are ready to join the whole.”

 

The woman almost seemed to sigh with relief as she stared into the Abomination’s eyes.

 

Then the thing’s jaws began to unhinge, and neither Kori nor Smellerbee could stand to see more. They ducked behind the corner, hearing the sick squelching noises and the sounds of bones distorting. All their willpower was required to prevent them from wimpering.

 

When the noises stopped, they dared to peek out again. The woman had…changed. Her flesh was exhibiting scales in a few areas. And when she spoke, it was with a mouth full of teeth. “I…I see the truth!” she cried. “All of it!”

 

“Indeed, you have. No mortal can comprehend the full truth, ” the Abomination explained with an almost proud grin on its toothy maw. “Not all are able, but you are one of the deserving. And soon, our kind will spread across the Nations. All will know that their time is over.”

 

Kori had to suppress a gasp. That’s how the monster has gotten its claws everywhere. Somehow, it was possessing others by sharing its essence. Well, that was the best way she could describe it. Truth be told, there were no words to describe what she was seeing.

 

What she did see were the other acolytes. They were all exhibiting some form of mutation. And they all had that same blue glow in their eyes that their leader had.

 

She had seen enough. Taking both Longshot and Smellerbee by the arm, she led them down the alley and towards the others. They needed to get to that safehouse, or they’d be next.

 

Yu Dao was on the teetering edge of chaos. Now, it was plummeting in freefall.

 

---

 

 

Zuko limped along in the dark, unsure of where exactly he was going. The sun had gone down, so it was becoming difficult to keep tracking Azula. He figured he’d come across her eventually.

 

Or rather, he hoped. As for what he’d say, he hadn’t quite figured that out yet. Maybe say something first to stop her from finishing him off, and figure something out once she calms down. Yet he couldn’t even come up with a single word. His mind was too focused on his fatigue and the pain all over his body. Should’ve seen an apothecary before, but he couldn’t let her get away.

 

He had to do this. He had to-

 

A light wind brushed past him, and standing in his way was Maina with her staff at the ready.

 

“Maina…get out of the way…” Zuko ordered, unable to keep the growl out of his voice.

 

The Priestess stood firm, though her limbs were still a bit shaky. Her body must still be fighting off Ty Lee’s chi-blocking. If he could take advantage of that if they came to blows…

 

“I mean it! You can barely stand!”

 

Maina scoffed. “Oh, you’re one to talk! Look at you! Honestly, I’m surprised you haven’t collapsed sooner!”

 

Snarling with frustration, Zuko got into position. Deep down, he knew that his frustration was getting the better of him, but now that didn’t matter. “Maina, I have to do this,” he said both to her and himself. “This isn’t your fight, and I’m the one who screwed up. I need to talk to her.”

 

“What makes you think she’ll ever want to hear you again?!” Maina snapped, cutting him off. “I know she’s a pain to get along with, but what you did today was inexcusable.”

 

“She tried to kill us!”

 

“When you tried to kill her! You’ve tried to kill each other over and over again, so you can’t exactly hold that over her!”

 

“Well, did you hear her raving?! She’s lost her mind! How am I supposed to see that?!”

 

“It’s not her fault! Aang noticed it back at Yu Dao, and he swears up and down that some… thing is screwing with her head! Did he not tell you?!”

 

Zuko…paused. Aang might’ve mentioned something about her condition being more than something mental. Yet he passed it off before. Can’t explain crazy, he reasoned back then.

 

Then he shook his head, his will hardening. “Okay, fine! But I can’t just let her run around free either! And if you aren’t going to help me, then-”

 

She rushed forward, smacking her staff into his body. More importantly, all of the areas where he was hurting. Badly. Zuko doubled over in pain, curling up on the ground.

 

“You see?” Maina pointed out, her eyes looking down at his rather pitiful state. “You can’t even defend yourself if Azula gets the wrong idea.”

 

The pain told Zuko that she was right. How could he not have thought any of this through? It’s just like Uncle told him in Lake Laogei. He couldn’t talk without his rage poisoning his words. Couldn’t defend himself if things went back. Might as well offer himself up to Azula as some kind of sacrifice.

 

“Look…I know you want to help. But this…? You just can’t right now. Alright?” Maina told him, kneeling by his head. He wanted to argue, but he didn’t have it in him. All he could do was ball up and let the guilt consume him.

 

Now he couldn’t even help Azula now that he wanted to. Might as well let the earth cover him right now. Spare him the torment.

 

Heavy footsteps heralded the arrival of another. Looking back, Zuko saw Iroh exchange a glance with Maina. They both nodded as the Priestess ventured through the foliage.

 

Meanwhile, Iroh propped his nephew up, brushing the dirt off his body. “Now, Nephew, the Fire Lord can’t exactly be seen covered in dirt, now can he?”

 

…Fire Lord…how long had he craved that title? That crown. That birthright. Long enough for him to remember that’s the one thing he wanted in his darkest days on the ship. Way before, he had tried turning a new leaf and bettering himself. He didn’t think much of it when he was crowned, figured it was indeed his destiny to set his country on a new path.

 

But after today, when all is said and done…

 

“...Uncle…it can’t be me…”

 

Iroh blinked as if he had just struck stupid. “You need to find somebody else,” Zuko stated, no, pleaded . Almost begging to take this burden off his shoulders.

 

Instead, he got a hardened gaze. “Nephew, it has to be you. There’s nobody else who can do it. It’s your destiny-”

 

“IF YOU’RE SO WISE, WHY DON’T YOU TAKE IT?! AT LEAST YOU’VE GOT BLOOD ALREADY ON YOUR HANDS! DID YOU JUST PASS IT ON TO ME SO YOU COULD JUST LIVE OUT THE REST OF YOUR LIFE?!? WHY?!?!”

 

“Because there needs to be a Fire Lord for a younger generation! I only know how to conquer and burn!” Iroh shouted back, yet the words did not bring the deposed monarch to his senses. All Zuko heard were excuses. I’m too old. I’m too weary. I just want to brew tea. As if what he wanted didn’t matter at all.

 

Well, he knew who he was. And he let his uncle and himself know it. “THAT’S ALL I KNOW HOW TO DO! YOU WANT PROOF?! THEN WHY DID AZULA KEEP COMPARING ME TO FATHER?!? AND DON’T TELL ME SHE’S LYING WHEN ALL I’VE DONE IS HURT HER!!!”

 

His knees gave out, leaving Zuko kneeling on the forest floor. “Father wanted me to kill her! Just like you told me to! He wanted me to be as ruthless and coldhearted as he was! That’s…that’s what I became during our Agni Kai! Tell me, how am I so different from him?! What’s the difference between me and her?!?”

 

A strangled sob erupted from his throat, the last ounce of sense leaving him as he curled on the floor. Zuko hugged himself, the only amount of comfort he could possibly give. Not that Uncle could provide anything. Oh sure, he’d get the usual “you did the right thing” and “it had to be done” excuses. Yet why did that sound so familiar to Ozai whenever he tried to justify his wrongdoings?

 

Everything replayed in his mind. He…he knew it. THIS was what Ozai wanted him to be, ever since he had come back. He was being groomed to be this monster . What’s worse is that there was no coming back. Nothing he could do to make up for what he did. Get the crown back? If he couldn’t be a noble Fire Lord before, why should he be one now?

 

The only thing he mumbled over and over was, “It can’t be me. I’m just like him. It can’t be me.”

 

Iroh knelt at his pitiful side, resting a hand on his shoulder. “Zuko, you’re nothing like your father.”

 

“Then why did I treat Azula the same way? That’s how he treated us. Used us until we were no good, then we got tossed away. Except I didn’t see it with her since I was so concerned for my own hide. ”

 

“Zuko-”

 

“I can’t help anyone. Not her. Not myself…Uncle…I’m sorry. I failed. I did everything you told me to and… I failed .” With that, he let out another cry before curling up. At this point, he didn’t care how pathetic he looked. He did this to her and never tried to help. Why should he be given any clemency without it being seen as the favorite? That’s what he was. He was the favorite of everyone else.

 

Just like her. Now he knew how she felt. And the one thing he wanted to do was drown in his own tears for what he failed to do.

 

“...Zuko, there’s a lesson I failed to teach you a long time ago. Two, actually.”

 

The teen looked up into his uncle’s eyes. “...did you feel guilty fighting against Azula?” Iroh asked.

 

“I…of course not! You told me she’s the enemy, and-”

 

“Yes, yes, I know. I remember. But you can’t exactly lie to me, nephew. If you didn’t feel guilt, why have you been doubling down on this hatred the whole time? Everything she did, you took it as a slight against you. That goes beyond being wary. So why did you need to see that?”

 

“Because…I…I needed to cut the bond. Make things easier…”

 

Iroh nodded. “And there is the first lesson. The biggest lie you’ve ever been taught, passed down from generation to generation. Fire Lord Sozin told us that guilt was weakness. Sympathy for our enemies would only be paid in blood. So the enemy had to be vile to the core that there could never be any hope of peace. To embrace that rage that fuels the flame of progress. Something…I believed in not too long ago.”

 

His eyes softened, looking at something distant. “I never taught you when to make peace with her. For that, I’m sorry.”

 

Zuko couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Was Uncle seriously walking back on what he said? That was unimaginable. Here was the one person who always believed in him, someone he learned to cherish every word…admitting he was wrong about those very same words.

 

Uncle continued. “And that leads me into the second lesson. Zuko, you said that you wanted to get along with Azula. Yes?”

 

This time, Zuko nodded his head. There was a time he did want to get along with her. Yet that felt so long ago before the Agni Kai with Ozai. No. Maybe before that.

 

Satisfied, Iroh told him, “Then you should mend the bridge.”

 

“What? But-”

 

“Try to, anyways. Only when you learn to trust your own instinct. Zuko, that is the most important lesson of all. There comes a time when you need to think for yourself. I can only guide you. Everything else is up to you, like it always has been. Now, I cannot help Azula. There’s…too much of my past in her that I see. But you can. And I will aid you every step of the way. Do not let my words do the talking, nor let Ozai. Say only what is in your heart. She may not appreciate it, but at least you can tell her that you genuinely want to help.

 

“So once again, I’m sorry. I’m sorry for not teaching you these lessons and pushing you to the throne before you were ready. I’m sorry for abandoning you. I’m…that’s all I can say. Can…you possibly forgive a foolish old man for his sins?”

 

…Zuko felt weak. Iroh’s eyes, they…they looked haunted. As if he was asking more to be forgiven for what he did now. No, this was for everything he had done before. All that guilt, that pain was being laid bare to him. It was his choice to forgive him or not.

 

And…there was only one choice really.

 

The emotions welled up as Zuko collapsed in Iroh’s arms. He cried, feeling hot tears run down his face. Iroh patted his back, telling him that everything was alright. Perhaps that was a lie. Yet Zuko appreciated the effort nonetheless.

 

Right now, all he wanted was just to let it all out.

 

---

 

 

She kept running until her legs gave out.

 

Azula collapsed on the earth, feeling her heart pound and her chest practically begging for air. Her energy was spent. If they wanted to catch her, now would be a good time to do so.

 

Yet there was no one around to find her. Only the Voices in her head. 

 

You weak, pathetic worm. I gave you a chance to get your revenge, but you had to let your conscious get in the way. No wonder you were bested. All that boasting of being a monster, yet you failed when you needed to be cruel. Now they were sounding like Ozai with that deep inhuman snarl.

 

“You try killing your own brother and let’s so how-GAH!!!” She was cut off as a sharp pain ran through her head, almost causing her to cry out in pain.

 

Pathetic. Too cruel to be human and too conflicted to be a monster , the Voices mused. Well, it seems you’re wrong about one thing. You’re not a monster. You’re a FAILURE. Every time your ambitions come within your grasp, you allow them to slip through your fingers. Then you cry, wondering what’s wrong with you. Well, I’ll tell you. All you do is fail everyone around you. Everyone. Including your nation, numerous times.

 

Azula let them go on, too defeated to even try and argue back. You let Zuko back into the nation and gave him the credit so he could claim the throne back. You allowed him to live when all it did was give the Avatar the chance to corrupt him. Your lie shattered your father’s faith in you. Your desperation for redemption drove your friends away. Everything you’ve done. Everything you’ve suffered is on you.

 

“...shut up…”

 

Deny it all you want, but it was you who cost the Fire Nation the war and destroyed yourself. How high can you climb, I wonder, to make up for what you did? Neither Zuko nor the water peasant defeated you that day. It. Was. YOU. All your life, you’ve been you’re own worst enemy. And now, you’ve got no one to blame but yourself.

 

“I said shut up…”

 

And that blue fire of yours? The thing that made you special? What do you think finally awoke Godzilla from his slumber? He didn’t just attack the prison ship to defend his territory. You drew him up from the depths. The moment you discovered the azure flame, he had awakened. And all the destruction that followed is on your head!

 

“Shut up!”

 

In the end, you’re nothing but a sad, pathetic brat who wallows in her own self-pity while burning the world around her. What? Did you even believe you COULD redeem yourself? No. There’s no redemption for you. Seems Maina, Kori, and Mothra wasted their time. You’re not even worthy of that blue fire. It truly has destroyed you, as it destroys everything-

 

“SHUT UP!!!!!!!” Azula screamed, her voice echoing from her place on the cliff.

 

Her eyes blinked, realizing where she was. She was high up on a precipice, overlooking an open space before her. A great fog had settled in, making it difficult to see what lay beyond.

 

That’s when she felt the earth shake. Once. Twice. All in a steady motion.

 

Those were footsteps.

 

Looking up, Azula saw a great shape moving through the mist. A pair of piercing golden eyes was the first to break through the fog. Then a lashing tail. Then a row of massive dorsal plates.

 

Azula’s heart nearly leaped in her throat. Godzilla had come.

 

The great kaiju stopped in front of the cliff, his shadow enveloping her. A low growl emanated from his throat. He looked down at her. She looked up at him. And for a moment, the whole world seemed to come to a crawl.

 

Then…she went berserk.

 

Azula rushed forward, sending a blast of fire right into Godzilla’s massive chest. Followed by a lash of flame. Then a spinning kick. Barrage after barrage into the stony hide. Every last bit of strength. All of it. Not to burn cause she knew that wouldn’t do anything.

 

No, it was all just to end it. He had almost killed her before. She could get him to do it again. Fire bomb after fire bomb. Crazed blast after blast. Anything to get him to move.

 

Her breath nearly gave out and she was finished, the very last embers in her heart being snuffed out.

 

That was it. It was all she had. Her breath struggled to return, being replaced by immense fatigue and pain. Even just keeping on her feet was a struggle lest she plummet to the dirt unconscious.

 

Taking a shaky breath, Azula looked up.

 

She saw Godzilla gazing down. He hadn’t even flinched. Instead, he tilted his head with a deep rumble in his chest.

 

Something snapped. She saw his gaze. The…pity in his eyes. And it was more than she could handle. Azula screamed with all she had left. “WELL WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!? YOU KILLED EVERYONE ELSE BUT ME!!! AND DON’T ACT LIKE YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT’S IN MY HEAD! SO DO IT! FINISH THE JOB!!!! KILL ME!!!!!!”

 

Her voice gave out as the last of her strength failed. Azula, the once proud Princess of the Fire Nation, heir to Phoenix King Ozai, fell unceremoniously against the stony wall of Godzilla’s chest. She sobbed uncontrollably, punching the dark scales as if it could induce the fury that she now knew wasn’t coming. All those years, all of the memories, all of it came out in a wailing cry.

 

Azula cried and screamed, flinging herself again and again at the mountain. All it accomplished was extinguishing whatever scraps of strength she had left. Before long, she just slumped against that hardened hide, crying, unable to control herself. It was as if she were trying to choke on her tears. Anything to make it stop.

 

Yet outward it poured, until the only thing she knew what to do was let it all out. All the torment. All the pain. Let that perfect visage shatter. This was who she was beneath the mask. Just a scared, pathetic, weak, unlovable little girl. Cast out by all, wanted by none.

 

Eventually, like all things, her sobs did come to an end. Her throat was raw, and her face was wet with hot tears.

 

High above, she could see that Godzilla had not moved. Why wasn’t he attacking? , she wondered. He attacked her before. Why now? Why was he keeping her alive? Was she so wretched that she simply wasn’t worth killing? Or was this punishment? That she would have to live out the rest of her days with her failure. It’s what the Avatar did with Father.

 

Great. After all this time watching her back, now it seemed death was the only comfort. If Zuko and Uncle could see her now…

 

A sudden rush of air from high above drew both of their attentions. It was followed shortly by a heavy impact and shaking of the earth. Looking behind them, they saw that the fog had cleared from the gale. Revealing a deep furrow in the ground.

 

With a wounded Rodan at one end.

 

The pterosaur groggily tried to push himself onto his arms before collapsing back onto the earth. His shoulder was marred by a smoking wound, the flesh charred at the edges.

 

Azula froze. What could have-?

 

Before she could even think, the earth shook. Across the valley, a mountain shattered as a great beast burst through. It was a bizarre, almost turtle-like kaiju, with a crocodilian maw and a spike shell.

 

Anguirus …, Azula marveled, watching as the monster staggered on all fours before collapsing right next to Rodan. He too was badly wounded, with his maw bloodied and his lower jaw dislocated.

 

Two great beasts, both clearly mangled. Godzilla stepped back away from her cliff and marched towards the two. For the briefest of moments, Azula thought he was going to finish whatever job had been started. Instead, though, he leaned down towards his fellow monsters, softly calling to them in a manner that didn’t fit his fearsome visage.

 

Anguirus was too hurt to answer, but Rodan responded with a series of shrieks and calls. The Princess tried to put the pieces together herself. If she recalled, wasn’t Cranefish Anguirus’s territory? And if he was this badly wounded, then that would’ve meant…

 

Godzilla came to the same conclusion just as she did. He rose up and gave a furious snarl before turning. His claws flexed as he began to stomp off. Those reptilian eyes blazed with an intense fury. Azula couldn’t help but be suddenly afraid of whoever was in his path. She’d seen him angry, but never this much. Those two must’ve been close to him.

 

Yet the saurian didn’t get far before a stream of silk rained down on his head. Godzilla cried out with surprise as Mothra emerged from the trees, firing silk so his attention would be drawn to her. At her side was Battra, crying out to Godzilla in order to get him to stop.

 

Azula could do little except sit at the cliffside. Five kaiju. Five gigantic beasts have awakened. If there was ever a time it began to sink in how much the world was changing, this single image was it. No force on Earth could stand up to such an ensemble. 

 

It made her wary about just what on earth had crippled two of them. Another kaiju? She saw Rodan in action and knew he was a force to be reckoned with. And if Anguirus were just as tough, something being able to take them both on and WIN…

 

There would be time to unpack that later. The only thing she could do now was watch and observe the kaiju. Right now, Godzilla was snarling at Mothra and Battra. The two larvae were chirping back, standing in his way. They must’ve been trying to calm him down, spare whatever did this a few extra seconds of their miserable life.

 

Yet Godzilla became more incensed. He snarled and roared, his tail lashing behind him. No pleas for peace would sway him. If that’s the case then…Azula looked behind her. She could reach the trees if a battle broke out.

 

Sure enough, Godzilla roared and stomped his way towards Mothra. The brown worm was forced to squirm out of the way as the King of the Monsters stormed past. He didn’t even look as he charged off into the distance towards what had enraged him-

 

He suddenly cried out in pain as Mothra bit down on his tail. She hung on as the great tail lashed through the air, throwing her about. It wasn’t exactly the most dignified the fearsome dragon had been.

 

After a few seconds, Mothra was tossed away unceremoniously. Battra watched her fly and crash into the ground before shaking his head. Azula got the impression this wasn’t the first time this had happened.

 

Godzilla whipped around, now more annoyed and miffed than uncontrollably angry. Which was a start. Mothra just wriggled back on her feet before swerving her head towards the two wounded kaiju, giving a sharp cry.

 

…a deep exhale came from Godzilla’s chest as he calmed, the realization sinking in. Azula seemed to get it, too. He left, and the only ones standing between his wounded comrades and whatever had done this were two comparatively small larvae.

 

So, the King of the Monsters trudged back over to Rodan’s and Anguirus’s side. Mothra crawled along with him to get a better look at the wounded monsters. Nodding to herself, she began to spray the two with a gentle cascade of silk.

 

Azula watched, being reminded of how apothecaries would treat their patients with wraps and bandages. Must’ve been the same principle with kaiju.

 

Funny. For forces of nature, they’re a lot more like us than they seem , a soft voice said.

 

Azula sighed, seeing the spectre of her mother sit alongside her. “Then you don’t know a whole lot about monsters, then,” she quipped rather halfheartedly. It didn’t really have much of a bite as it would’ve normally had, but that was because Ursa (or rather that image) was the only company she had at the moment. Maina certainly wasn’t around to chat with.

 

Her mother simply shrugged her shoulders. I know that you can’t exactly survive for as long as they do by making enemies with the whole world. That’s for certain.

 

The Princess didn’t even bother arguing, seeing Mothra patching up the wounded. Godzilla and Battra were keeping watch, a silent vigil over the valley. Why was it that they seemed to have more concern for their companions than humans did for theirs? Perhaps it was earned from centuries of trust that no citizen of the Fire Nation could live long enough to build. Or maybe it was one of those cases where species cooperate for self-benefit.

 

Honestly, she wasn’t sure. And she was just too tired to think about it. So her thoughts wandered backwards to her episode of madness.

 

“I’m guessing you’re the reason why I couldn’t finish any of them off?” It wasn’t an accusation or anything. Just a simple observation a researcher might make of an animal’s behavior.

 

Ursa scooched a bit closer, placing an arm around her shoulders. My child. We both know you couldn’t go through with it. If it did, it would eat you alive. If she were real, Azula would’ve felt a soft, heavy sensation of those great sleeves embracing her. When…did she ever feel that?

 

Something began to line up in Azula’s mind. “And…you’re the reason for my madness during the comet?” Of course, it would make sense. Her mind was consumed by guilt, so it drove her mad to tear her down. All because some piece of her still cared about Zuko. One piece that even Father’s teachings hadn’t been able to burn away.

 

Azula…you never were mad to begin with.

 

“Getting locked up in an asylum sort of means I was mad.”

 

No. I…you were cornered. Scared. Confused. Angry. And you were lashing out, clinging to what little you had left. That’s not madness, that’s all of those things breaking out all at once. Really, the only thing Zuko and Katara did was make sure you didn’t hurt anyone before you petered out.

 

Azula chuckled. “So it was all me then. I’m the one who brought myself down. Not Zuko. Not the peasant. Me.” So that was the truth. Deep down, she had suspected it, but now it came out. She was broken. It took all her nerve not to toss herself off the cliff right then and there. For she had known it for so long that it only took now for somebody to say it.

 

Now she wished she could be back in that asylum. “Maybe…I shouldn’t have broken myself out. Maybe I should’ve just let the Earth Kingdom have me or…drown…”

 

Azula, both you and I know that’s not true , Ursa gently scolded. What your brother did with you isn’t on your shoulders. He made a mistake. That doesn’t mean you have to blame yourself.

 

“Then who should I blame? I couldn’t kill Zuko. I couldn’t take the throne. Father…gave me a job, and I failed. The responsibility lies on me and me alone.”

 

That’s your father talking. The same one who abandoned you for doing what you thought was right. Why are you chasing the approval of someone who only sees you as a tool to be used?

 

Azula would’ve replied, “Well at least he cared,” but…she couldn’t. As hard as it was to admit it, she had known Ozai’s approval teetered on a knife’s edge. Do a good job and he’ll reward you. Fail, and you’re a tool to be replaced. But it was the closest thing to love that she had ever known. She’d take that if nothing else.

 

No. She lost it because she wanted to bring Zuko home. Blackmailing him about the Avatar’s survival was to cover her tracks, but she brought him home because she wanted that dream, where he and Mother actually cared…

 

Who was she kidding? No one wanted her. She wasn’t Zuko, and she never would be. The world falls over for him. Yet there was no love to spare for her.

 

…

 

…except…

 

Azula looked up at the kaiju. Godzilla. Mothra. Battra. Maybe even Rodan. They all gave her the benefit of the doubt. What did they see that she didn’t? What was she to them?

 

What even were they? Monsters don’t look after their own, stop themselves on their rampages, and show mercy. How could these things, these destroyers, what made them so different? And why was she even drawn to them?

 

…Azula reached into her satchel and dug out her golden crown. In one, she beheld the hairpiece that belonged to the Princess of the Fire Nation. In the other, she held aloft a hovering ember of blue fire. And ahead, she saw the jagged dorsal spines of Godzilla, frozen in the shape of flames.

 

They were royalty. Owners of the blue flame. Capable of great destruction. Monsters to some. Saviors to others. They were almost one in the same.

 

Perhaps deep down, there was a piece of Godzilla inside of her. And if that were the case…

 

“...Mom. What do you believe my destiny is?”

 

Ursa thought for a minute. I…cannot say. I thought I knew, but that time has passed.

 

“Well, neither do I.” Azula then rose from the dirt. Then carefully redid her topknot just like she always knew. And placed her hairpiece at the crown of her head.

 

“But I do know it’s not sitting here feeling sorry for myself.” With that, Princess Azula strode into the woods. She wiped away her tears, knowing there would be a time and place for face them.

 

Right now, there were monsters amongst mankind. And she would be there, one way or another.

 

---

 

 

Yu Dao

 

War Minister Qin couldn’t keep the smile off his face as he and their forces marched towards the city of Yu Dao. Everything had gone better than they had ever dreamed of. Zuko’s claim to the throne had disintegrated, and Azula succumbed to her madness. The entire royal bloodline had fallen! Something that the clans had been waiting years for!

 

Sure, there was the business of Ozai that needed to be taken care of, but that was all in due time. For now, they were the ones in control. They’d march into Yu Dao restored to their rightful places as rulers and conquerors. No more having to play nice with those dirt eating barbarians. Now…they’d be kings.

 

First thing’s first, they sent the majority of their army back to the main camp to rally their forces. Their new orders were to abandon Yu Dao. Course he and the rest of the war council would be safely on the boats first. Obviously. Needed to have some manner of order in the coming days.

 

Now they just needed to relay their orders to the rest of the New Ozai Society. For their time was-

 

“Ahh. War Minister Qin. To what honor do I owe the pleasure of having you at my city’s borders?”

 

Qin stiffened at the one who stood at the gates. Didn’t even look as he barked out his response. “Your city? This is the rightful territory of the Fire…”

 

His voice trailed off once he got a good look at the interloper.

 

The tall interloper with dorsal spines running down his back and a tail thrashing behind him. And he wasn’t alone either. A number of followers flanked him with weapons and elements drawn. All were deformed in some way.

 

War Minister Qin, Captain Nojon, the rest of their collaborators, and their escort were outnumbered. Fear paralyzed them as the freaks closed in all around them.

 

The grotesque leader smiled with an unnaturally toothy grin. “This city is now under MY dominion. And judgment…”

 

A pair of winged beasts landed along their flanks, charging forward with roar cries erupting from their maws.

 

“Has come at last.”

Notes:

A/N: This chapter…oh boy. I’m 99% certain that my chronic lateness with my chapters has been all the lead-up to this one. I’ve been dreading this one for a long, long time. Went over my head whether or not this had to happen. After long deliberation, though, I figured this had to be something that needed to happen.

And it was honestly one of the hardest things I could have ever written.

Now I’m already expecting this chapter to get a lot of backlash, which is another reason why I was hesitant in writing it. So here’s the rationale I was working with. And my reasons.

For starters, it’s been no secret that I’ve been very critical of how the comics treated Azula. A lot. Both in my author’s notes and on my blog. I’ve been trying to move past it, but it still weighs on me a bit. Plus I know there’s a…rather unhealthy portion of the fandom that likes killing, brutalizing, or just submitting Azula to the worst fates imaginable. I’ve seen enough fanart and fan fiction to write a horror story about it.

I’m not against her facing the consequences of her actions within reason. If she gets excessively dunked on, that’s crossing the line.

Her beatdown of Zuko and the overall treatment of him were basically holding up the mirror for those kinds of fans. Cause everything they accuse her of can easily be applied to him. And it’s not exactly pleasant when your favorite is the one on the brunt of the bashing.

Same thing with the treatment of Mai and Ty Lee. ESPECIALLY in the aftermath of the new Kiyi comic.

At the same time, I didn’t want this to be a Zuko-bashing fest either. I tried extremely hard not to just turn him into a villain, cause it wouldn’t solve anything. You could even say Azula’s horrified reaction at what she did was the opposite of Azula fics, which turn Zuko into the scum of the earth. Catharsis only gets you so far after all. It doesn’t address the problem.

I didn’t want this chapter to be pleasant cause it would be missing the point entirely. This shouldn’t have happened, and nobody came off better for it. There’s a reason I looked to stuff like Yami Yugi beating down Weevil, Superman going berserk on the Elite, Tai Lung’s pummeling of Shifu, and Gohan snapping for material.

Now I understand that a LOT of my readers want Zuko dead or something. I get it. I had trouble writing his scenes. And I do think that he needs to face the consequences of his actions. But killing him or writing him off as a lost cause? I can’t do that. I’ve thought about it, but I still would’ve had my issues, AND having killed him off on top of that.

Not to mention it would make everything worse. He’s been deposed, and now a bunch of war-crazed maniacs are in charge. Hopefull,y he can learn from this.

As for Azula, her writing here is basically what happens with a good portion of the fandom and in the comics. She gets beaten down, dragged through the mud, and told that she’s a horrible person. Well, newsflash: constantly doing that isn’t going to make her better. In fact, it’ll just make her worse since it’ll reinforce in her mind that she’s a monster. And in the real world, guess what the result of constantly tearing somebody down eventually does to them?

This…was the other reason this was hard to right. I’ve had thoughts about this in the past. Thankfully, I’ve moved past them, but it’s still hard to write. I hope I did the subject of this chapter justice and treated it with some respect.

Moving on to Godzilla, the scene where Azula is begging him to kill her is actually lifted from Godzilla vs King Ghidorah where Mr. Shindo lets Godzilla kill him. This time, though, the big guy complied. It’s…honestly one of the saddest moments in the franchise. You should check it out when you get the chance.

And for something a bit more lighthearted, the tailbiting thing with Mothra. Every single generation of Godzilla movies has that moment where she bites Godzilla’s tail. It got referenced in the comics, and a very popular crossover fic with My Little Pony that I happen to be a fan of also had that scene. And yes, it’s hilarious every time it happens.

I needed to make it happen. It wouldn’t be a Godzilla story without it. That would be like Star Wars without “I've gotta bad feeling about this,” or Yakuza without Millennium Tower blowing up. It just wouldn’t. Be. RIGHT!

Anyway, thank you all for your patience so much. I apologize for having taken so long. Please feel free to leave a comment. Follow and favorite if you want to see more. And I’ll see you all next time ,where things will be a LOT less intense. Hopefully. Till then, take care and have a great day!

Whew! That was a tough one. emotions SUCK i go to BED

Notes:

A/N: Hello all! A while back I wrote a one-shot crossover between Avatar: The Last Airbender and Godzilla, testing the waters for a proper length fic.

Well, the time has come. I understand some of you might not be familiar with the original Godzilla movies outside of the Legendary films, so I’ll do my best to explain things.

Keeping in the proud tradition of the Avatar franchise, our story begins on a boat as every season does. Thing is, boats don’t typically have a long life expectancy in most kaiju (Japanese word used for giant monsters) films. The first Godzilla film from 1954 opened with a tuna trawler getting destroyed by the monster. I will also admit that the image of Godzilla’s claws coming in through the metal was inspired by the 1998 film where that film’s version of the beast also had it attack a tuna trawler.

I’d figure that I’d introduce this version of Godzilla in a similar way this time around. I’ll go into details in later chapters, but needless to say things are gonna get worse before they get better.

Anyways, thank you all for reading. Make sure to leave a review or ask any questions and I’ll be happy to answer. Feel free to favorite or follow if you want to see more, and I’ll see you all in the next chapter.