It Begins Ch 31

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After the whole incident with the dark-spirit and a bad theater, it was a good day to take some time off relaxing at the beach, enjoying some sun and water.

"I feel so out of place here," said Azula, coming down to the beach, a towel around her.

"Sun, sunshine and warmth, I thought you firebenders liked that?" asked Toph, making a miniature city out of the sand.

"Nice Ba Sing Se image," said Zhan, eyeing the detail.

"I try," replied Toph.

"C'mon Azula! The water is fine," said Zhan, jumping into the water and making a big splash. "Come on!"

"Fine," replied Azula, removing her towel and revealing a matching pair of red linen undergarments.

"Looking good," said Zhan, adding a whistling to it.

"Meh. You've seen me in this last time," replied Azula.

"Can't I admire a girl's look?" he asked teasingly.

"You may," replied Azula.

"Then get inside!" said Zhan, grabbing Azula by her waist and throwing her into the water. "There you go! Ahahaha!"

"You'll pay for that," replied Azula, removing the wet hair from her eyes. Plucking a turtle-crab from the ocean and throwing it at him. Which landed on his face and pinched his nose with its claws, "Ayeee!" yelled Zhan, running around with the crab stuck to its nose. "Get off! Get off! Get off!"

"Now that's funny!" said Azula, laughing like crazy.

"Ow!" yelled Zhan, throwing the turtle-crab away and over Ty Lee's head.

"Woah!" yelped Ty Lee as the crab flew over her head. "Looks like you two are having fun."

Zhan took a look at Ty Lee, then at Azula, and grinned. Grabbing Ty Lee and throwing her at Azula. "Catch!"

"What th-OWH!" said Azula, before Ty Lee crashed into her.

"Eat, that ladies!" replied Zhan.

"Okay, then. Ty Lee, attack!" yelled Azula as she and Ty Lee charged Zhan and tackled him down.

"Well, they're having fun," said Katara, as Zhan was currently wrestling with Azula on his back and Ty Lee after him.

"You aren't interested?" asked Zuko from Mai, who was lying under an umbrella.

"Messing with those three?" asked Mai, eyeing the situation, Ty Lee was back in the water, and Azula still on Zhan's back, covering his eyes. "No, thank you."

"At least she is calm," said Suki, sun-bathing. "I'd be freaked out for days after a spirit came after me."

"Speaking of which, should we be worried about another spirit?" asked Aang.

"Unlikely," said Mai, getting a few looks. "Normally, those 'spiritual warriors' are costly and hard to summon, let alone do your bidding."

"And you know this why?" asked Sokka.

"My mom had read to me when I was younger," said Mai. "A child's story: bad guy summons one, too costly and bad guy lose."

"What's the cost of summoning one?" asked Aang, to which Mai just shrugged.

"Since they are spirits, I'd say they fear the Avatar since your more powerful than them," added Mai.

"True. So I should stick close," replied Aang.

"You sure it's a good idea, in retrospect, to have this beach-rest, while Sozin' comet is only days away?" asked Zuko.

"Well...actually..." said Aang sheepishly. "We thought of facing the Firelord after Sozin' Comet."

"WHAT?!" yelled Azula, as she and Zhan fell onto the ground, from the sudden news. "Are you serious?!"

"We are," said Katara. "Aang isn't ready yet, to face the Firelord. His firebending still needs some work."

"Your, earthbending could use a little work too," added Toph.

"You all knew this?" asked Zhan, to which Aang's group nodded.

"I didn't," said Zuko.

"Me neither!" added Ty Lee.

"Or me," added Mai as well.

"Oh, dear..." sighed Azula deeply. "This isn't good."

"Is something wrong?" asked Katara.

"Yeah...something is..." said Azula, "...gather around, this isn't a pleasant story..."

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After a half an hour of listening to Azula's story regarding Ozai, Sozin' Comet and his destructive and horrifying plan to execute the burning of the entire Earth Kingdom via airships, powered by Sozin' Comet; made all the more bitter by Azula, who came up with the idea.

"...and later that night, I received a message from my uncle. Saying I need to learn about my secret heritage," spoke Azula. "Turns, out I am a descendant from Firelord Sozin and Avatar Roku..."

"Wow..." said Toph, breaking the silence after the long speech. "You, Zuko, and Aang could be related somewhat."

"Oh, this is bad! Really, bad!" said Aang. "Why didn't you tell me about this sooner?"

"I thought we'd handle Ozai before this," said Azula. "I'm sorry..."

"It's, okay Azula," said Katara comfortingly. "It isn't your fault."

"Not to worsen anybody's mood, but I got something bad as well to add," spoke up Zhan. "Regarding Sozin' Comet."

"Oh, no. What could be worse?" asked Suki.

"When Azula, Ty Lee, Mai, and I returned from our first Ember Island trip. I got, summoned by the Fire Lord, for private questioning."

"About what?" asked Azula.

"The flying machines," said Zhan. "He had asked me only three questions: could they handle the cold, could they reach the Northern and Southern water tribes and...could they handle the firepower of Sozin' Comet after long thinking...and calculations, regretfully yes."

"My word..." said Azula, shocked stiff at the realization of her father, burning the whole world into a pile of ash. "This is a nightmare..."

"Then we stand together against it!" replied Katara. "Aang, you don't have to do this alone."

"Yeah, if we all fight the Fire Lord together, we got a shot at taking him down," added Toph cheerfully.

"All right! Team Avatar is back!" cheered Sokka. "Air. Water. Earth. Fire. Blue Fire. Metal. Knife and Fight. Fan and Sword!"

"Fighting the Fire Lord is going to be the hardest thing we've ever done together, but I wouldn't want to do it any other way," spoke Aang, to which everyone laughed heartily and joined for a group hug.

"Yeah."

"All right."

Get over here, your four," said Katara meaning Azula, Mai Lee, Ty Lee, and Zhan. "Being part of the group also means being part of group hugs."

"Seriously?" asked, Azula surprised. She wasn't expecting this sort of acceptance but warmly joined with Ty Lee.

"You too!" said Zhan, pulling Mai along with her.

"Fine..." replied Mai, not much used to hugs or group hugs, or getting squashed by a flying bison.

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"There's one technique you need to know before facing my father how to redirect lightning," spoke Zuko, after the group discussion at the beach, from now on it was full-speed forward. "If you let the energy in your body flow, the lightning will follow it. You turn your opponent's' energy against them."

"That's like waterbending," said Aang, seeing Zuko show the technique to redirecting lightning and copying it.

"Exactly. My uncle invented this technique himself by studying waterbenders," replied Zuko.

"So, have you ever redirected lightning before?" asked Aang.

"No. Never," replied Zuko.

"I can give you an explanation," said Azula. "It's a powerful force, unseeable, yet very powerful..."

Azula then got into a position to show the lightning technique.

"You clear your mind, calm your emotions and feel energy separate..." she said, splitting the energies and combining both into energy blasting a lightning bolt into the ocean. "...and release.

"Wow..." said Aang.

"We also got two things to show you," added Zhan, joining Azula. "Concentrating fire..."

"Observe..." said Azula as she stars bending her signature blue fire, then shrinking it down yet, it glowed brighter. Next, she released it toward the lake, the small sparkling making a huge-explosion. "You gather as much energy as you can into your fire, while willfully keeping it small. It's a high-level firebender technique, but easy to teach."

"Okay, and the second one?" asked Zuko.

"This is...a little more intimate," said Azula, as she and Zhan got into position. As they moved and breathed in rhythm, Zuko could see the closeness and trust between the two as their hands and bodies moved as one, their heartbeats could even beat in a single rhythm.

Then they spread their fingers and bending a white fireball twirling between their hands, separating it into two smaller fireballs, and presenting Aang with one.

"I shouldn't..." said Aang but tried to take, it and unfortunately, it vanished. "I can't..."

"Maybe I can help Aang," replied Katara, having seen the events unfold. "Give me your hands."

"Umm...alright..." said Aang, as he and Katara held hands. "Okay..."

"Here..." said Azula, as she presented the small white fireball, between their hands...and it kept burning.

"Wow..." said Katara, admiring the little spark of fire, before it poofed out. "That was amazing."

"Guess, you two are, blessed with white fire Avatar," said Zhan.

"What is it?" asked Katara.

"No one knows," said Azula. "But if I had to guess, it's the pure union of two. Zhan and I had to be very physical. Yet you two could keep it without that I'd say your union is very spiritual."

"Thanks..." said Aang, a little red along with Katara. "For the training, I mean..."

"Sure," replied Azula. "But my brother deserves the credit, he by far thought you everything."

"Not everything," said Zuko.

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"Gather round, Team Avatar," spoke Sokka, as he gathered everyone for a mock-fight against a melon-mannequin. "To take out the Fire Lord, or in this case, the Melon Lord, our timing has to be perfect."

He then started to draw a plan into the ground using a stick.

"First, Suki and I will draw his fire. Then, Katara and Zuko charge in with some liquidy hot offense, Ty Lee and Mai rush in with precision strikes, Azula and Zhan cover our assault and while the Melon Lord is distracted Aang swoops in...and bam! He delivers the final blow."

"Uh...what about me?" asked Toph.

"For now, you're the Melon Lord's forces," replied Sokka.

"So, I get to chuck flaming rocks at all of you?"

"Whatever makes the training feel more realistic."

"Sweetness," said Toph excitingly.

Later that day, everyone gathered around, and everything was set in place to kill the Melon Lord.

"Mwah-ha-ha-ha!"

"Did I sound like that?" asked Azula, hearings Toph's evil laugh.

"Not really," replied Zhan as the attack commenced.

Sokka and Suki ran forward first, toward the Melon Lord getting pelted by flaming boulders and stone soldiers on the route. Until a larger-boulder almost impacted the two, until it broke apart mid-air thanks to a lightning bolt via Azula.

"Watch it, Toph!" said Sokka, as the dust cleared.

"I am not Toph. I am Melon Lord! Mwah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!" laughed Toph, sending more boulders at Azula, Zuko, Mai, and the rest.

Katara and Zuko following up next, becoming surrounded by a circle of stone Fire Nation soldiers, which they quickly eliminate.

Mai and Ty Lee dealing, with flying boulders which they dodge, and jump over dealing with, any single stone soldiers in their way. While Azula dealt with any larger-boulders from afar, Zhan dealing with any boulders headed their way.

"Now, Aang!" yelled Sokka, satisfied at the level of distraction they've caused. Aang following shortly from up-high, ready to strike the Melon Lord, yet hesitating at the last second and stopping.

"What are you waiting for a picnic? Take him out! Yelled Zuko.

"Come on!" added Azula.

"I can't."

"What's wrong with you? If this was the real deal, then you be shot with lightning right now," said Sokka, walking up displeased.

"I'm sorry, but it just didn't feel right. I didn't feel like myself," said Aang resigned. Sokka dealt with it instead, by cutting the melon off with his sword.

"This...could be a problem," said Zhan, eyeing the incident.

"I hope not," replied Azula.

====================================================Omake: A gift and A gift===================================================="Wow!"

"It's so pretty!"

"It truly is,"

"Thank you for putting in overtime today, and helping me at work," she gave him a deep bow.

"Thank you, but really..."

"Aah!" she perks up it, looks like she had cat ears and cattail.

"Look at this Zuko,"

"It's a kitty, lantern!"

'Why are there two cats now!?'

"It's cute! haagh!"

"Yes, so cute..." Zuko was blushing, 'and I mean you, Mai.'

In the background, both Zuko and Mai heard two guys conversing, "It is that time again.

His friend answer to his friend, "our party will be a real sausage fest."

"Think they're out for six hours, what could they be doing?"

"Man, all I know yet there were loud, and if they are doing that, then they will be at it for a long time."

Both Zuko and Mai were blushing when they heard this and sweating profusely, "S-should we get going...? Zuko asks Mai.

"Y-yes, let's..."

"Oh! But before we do," she started to search her bag.

Mai handed something on a wrap on a plastic bag, "here!"

"A bear hoodie?" Zuko was confused.

"it's the one from when we both said we'd look cute on the way back from that meeting," she smiles proudly.

"Truth is, I got you the same thing had the same thought well this one is more of a Koala." Zuko handed it to her.

"I guess great mind thinks alike." Zuko gave a soft smile while scratching the back of his head.

"Fu, fu, fu well, that makes me happy all the same."

Then Zuko looks at a couple kissing behind Mai, he was utterly shocked, while Mai was wholly oblivious to what was happening behind her.

"W-we exchanged presents! Let's get going! Zuko was rigidly moving to try to distract her.

"When we saw these hoodies, you suggested trying them on together, didn't you?

"Should we really... do it?" Mai said while squeezing the plastic wrap on her chest giving Zuko, the most cutes look.

"Um...That's, uh," he dint know what to do in this situation.

'the six-hour the talk about courtship from 9 pm in December on the 25 the best...

Behind the tree, we can find both Azula and Zhan Azula was covering her face was completely-red after, that kiss she felt like jelly.

Zhan whispers on Azula's ears, "princess, would you want to continue this or should we continue to follow your little brother." as he gave her a wolfish smile.====================================================