A/N: I still do not own the Avatar franchise. Now to reply to some reviews:

1. Guest #1- I'd forgotten about Katara and Sokka having an absentee father, but that was actually under different circumstances. Turns out, Hakoda was a good dad despite being away at war.

2. azula- Oh yes. I do think you will enjoy this.

3. Ivory Muse- Done. Enjoy!

4. airichan623- Yep, marginally evil. Also, it is kind of hard to imagine someone like Azula being a mother, so I never named the kids. I'm just guessing about her presence here because the last we know of her, she ran into the Forgetful Valley at the end of The Search comic. Ursa got a new face, new name, and a new life, so why not Azula?

5. Await The Rise- Me too!

Avatar: No More Favorites, Chapter 2- Aang-er Management

Zuko and Azula arrived at Air Temple Island via airship as dawn broke over the island. Only one person was up at this hour- Katara.

Katara, for one, was glad to see the two siblings standing next to each other and not wanting to kill each other. She was also glad that they had come at all; Katara liked to think herself as somewhat self-reliant, but there were times (such as now) that required some outside help.

Katara was concerned, though. The two siblings had returned in the outfits they had originally encountered Team Avatar in. Zuko looked as imposing as ever, his topknot sticking out the back of his helmet. He took it off to greet Katara, and the master Waterbender could see that he had shaved his face and head.

Azula looked almost exactly like she had when she had taken up the hunt, down to her nails filed into claws.

Zuko spoke first. "We came as soon as we got your letter, Katara."

"Thank you, Zuko," Katara said, "but was the theatrics really necessary?"

"What can I say?" Zuko shrugged. "I have a little flair for theatrics. Besides, I'm pretty sure Azula and I can take him. We did it once, in the Crystal Caves."

"Don't remind me," Katara said, scowling. "Aang is due back around lunch. He and Tenzin went on another father-son trip."

"Well, in that case," Azula spoke up, "Let's get acquainted, shall we?"

Appa just doesn't fly like he used to, Aang mused.

Other than that little fact, Aang was rather pleased with Tenzin's training this time. The boy would be earning his Mastery tattoos soon.

For now, though, the boy was asleep on Appa's saddle, thoroughly bushed from the extensive training he had undergone.

As he approached Air Temple Isand, he could see a small Fire Nation airship docked there.

Huh, Aang thought. Who could it be? Odds were it was Zuko, but it could just as easily be someone else.

Appa landed with a thud, and a much louder thud than usual. Poor guy. Rest, Appa.

"Tenzin?" Aang said, gently shaking his young son's shoulder.

"Five…. More minutes… daddy…" Tenzin groaned.

"We're home, little guy."

"Okay." And with that, Tenzin woke up, dried the saliva that was hanging from his mouth, and stretched.

The two Airbenders walked through the house. No one seemed to be home, so Aang and Tenzin walked to the courtyard.

"Hello? Anyone home?" Aang called.

And that was when Aang spotted Zuko. He was in full battle dress sans helmet, which was tucked under one arm. His scowl managed to convey his anger and his disappointment all at once.

"What's wrong, Zuko?" Aang asked. "Has there been a rebellion in the Fire Nation?"

"No," Zuko said. "There is a problem, but the problem isn't in the Fire Nation.

"The problem, Avatar, is with YOU."

And that was the moment all hell broke loose.

Zuko struck first, shooting a barrage of fireballs from his fists. Aang and Tenzin jumped clear, on opposite sides.

Tenzin moved to rejoin the fight, but Katara's firm hand on his shoulder convinced him otherwise.

Aang answered with a gust of wind, but Zuko rolled to the ground, spinning his entire body on his arms, shooting fire from his feet.

Aang and Zuko fought each other in a deadly dance. Aang would shoot gusts of air towards the Prince to extinguish the fire that came his way, following up with gusts of wind.

Zuko, however, always seemed to be no more than one step ahead. Years of chasing (and fighting against and alongside him), coupled with a tactical mind few could match molded from twenty years of rule had made Zuko a formidable fighter.

Even so, he was completely taken off guard when Aang chucked his staff at Zuko, hitting him square in the chest.

The Avatar approached, and offered him a hand up, a grin on his face. "That was a nice surpr-"

That was as far as Aang got, because the second Zuko had grabbed Aang's hand, he had yanked backward, sending the Avatar flying.

"AZULA! NOW!" Zuko called.

And indeed, Azula responded. Jets of blue flame shot out towards Aang, who somehow managed to extinguish the flames as he fell back to earth.

Aang now had to fight both Zuko and Azula at the same time. He was starting to flash back to the Crystal Caves, and the center of his back tingled from the memory.

Everything seemed to blur together, his movements becoming almost involuntary. Then, Azula and Zuko stopped shooting fire at him.

Then Zuko physically rammed Aang. The young Fire Lord now hit Aang with punches, kicks, and jabs instead of fireballs and jets.

And so Zuko exposed Aang's most glaring weakness. He just couldn't take a hit. It took five hits before Zuko loomed over Aang, that same look of anger and disappointment from earlier returning to his face.

But Zuko's most devastating injury came not from his fist, but from his tongue.

"You are a good man, Avatar. Which is why, when I first found out about how you neglect to spend time with Bumi and Kya, I let it slide. Heh. I thought, 'Maybe, as time goes on, he'll realize he's messing up, and fix it.'

"But when your wife writes me a letter, asking me for help, I couldn't stand it anymore.

"You know what kind of man my father was. You know how he treated me, how he treated Azula.

"SO WHY ARE YOU DOING THE SAME TO YOUR OWN KIDS?!"

Even Azula flinched at that last part. She had known for a long time just what Ozai's treatment of Zuko was doing to him, but she had never cared until her sanity had been restored in the Forgetful Valley.

Aang was shocked speechless, and it took a little bit for his voice to find him. "Sifu Zuko-"

"FIRE LORD Zuko to you."

With that, Zuko grabbed Aang by the front of his shirt and hoisted him into the air with one arm, so that Aang could look Zuko in the eye, and only look Zuko in the eye.

"Look at me." With his voice dropping to normal volume, Zuko pointed to his left eye. "This is what my father did to me. Guess what Aang? You're leaving scars on Bumi and Kya just like this. You spend all your time with Tenzin, molding him into the Master Airbender you and I both know he will become. Father did the same with Azula, Iroh with me.

"You fought my father, but you're becoming something worse. My father was evil, and that made his actions a bit more tolerable. But you're a good person, Aang. You're not supposed to have favorites amongst your own children!

"It's too late for my scar to heal, but maybe not theirs. Spend some time with them, Aang. Bumi's talking about joining the United Forces, can you believe that? And Kya wants to travel the world.

"Did you know that?" With that, Zuko set Aang back on the ground, far gentler than the brutal beating he had just given out.

Aang was forced to admit that no, he didn't know any of that.

"Zuko, I'm sorry-"

"Don't apologize to me, Aang. Apologize to your family. If I hear about this again, make no mistake, I will end you."

Zuko then strode over to where Katara and Tenzin had watched the fight. Zuko lowered himself to the boy's eye level. "Tenzin, when you have a family and kids of your own, please don't favor one over the others. Love them all equally."

With that, Zuko and Azula left.

Aang picked himself up off the ground, and saw Katara and Tenzin standing there. Tenzin had tears in his eyes, and Katara herself was unreadable. Aang sighed, before heading to where Bumi slept.

"Hey," Aang said, shaking his almost adult son awake.

"Huh? Oh, hi Dad," Bumi said, rubbing one eye.

"Good morning. What would you like to do today?"

Bumi was stunned. His father had never really done anything with him. Or Kya, for that matter. "Well," Bumi began, "there is this play that Kya and I wanted to see. Tonight's the last night it's in town."

"Done." Aang said, grinning.

"Are you serious?"

"I am. I just had a rather… enthusiastic reminder that I haven't been spending time with your Kya, son, and I'm sorry. Let me make it up to you."

"Of course, Dad."

Katara leaned against the door frame, tears welling up in her eyes as her family slowly knit itself back together. At the other end, and around a corner, Zuko was doing the same.

THAT is how you do it, Aang.