Chapter 7: Battle for Ba Sing Se

(Disclaimer!)

Later she was in a bed and heard voices.

"So its true," Shea-Yin said, "We should…."

"No!" Zuko said, "Then I'd sound like a hypocrite as I have secrets of my own."

"What do you mean?" Katara asked waking up.

"The truth about my history with Fire Lord Ozai," Zuko answered.

Sokka went in.

"Katara are you alright?"

"I'm fine Sokka."

She went out of the tent to smiling faces.

"I'm sorry I decieved you all, but I did it to save my brother," Katara explained, "And for my father."

"TBH, some of us kinda knew for a while," Toph admitted, "But still, you helped us out so… we owe you."

Zirri looked at the firefly.

"You really are lucky. And to think I thought you were lying."

"I have something to share too," Zuko said, "Fire Lord Ozai… is my father."

Some people were surprised.

"After years of seeing his abuse to his people and his country, I thought his way of life was wrong, and I wanted nothing more to do with it. I had to escape my past."

He remembered being given the order to kill the avatar to prevent him from interference.

But Zuko refused and instead fought off the soldiers who were sent to kill him.

For this act, Ozai disowned him.

"He also brainwashed me making me think you killed my brother," Azula said, "To think I looked up to him as a father. But Iroh was more of a father to both of us than Ozai ever was."

"I know I deceived you all, but I still hope I have your trust that I plan to bring the Fire Nation out of the dark ages."

"Of course you do," Jet said, "Its not about what you did in the past, its what you've done now that counts."

Zuko turned to Ursa and her family.

"I think I am your son," he said.

Ursa had flashbacks of her past life. Through all of them, she saw Zuko's face.

"Does that mean you're my brother then?" Kiyi asked.

"In a sense, I am," Zuko said.

Kiyi also turned to Azula.

"I know," she said, "I'm a monster for what I almost did."

Kiyi stepped closer and said, "I'm not afraid of you."

Azula bent down and Kiyi felt her face, then gave her a hug.

Azula then hugged back surprisingly.

"Well, we're almost there soldiers," Zuko said, "Let's move out."

Mai followed Zuko closely as Katara gave her a thumbs up.

Shea-Yin followed.

"I still don't trust that woman," she said.

As they left, a hand emerged from the snow.

Ozai was still alive, and burning with vengeance.

"You took everything away from me Zuko," he said, "And now….. I will take everything away from you."

Zuko and company made their way to the Earth Kingdom.

Toph was saddened by the death of her parents, but she knew they would be proud of what she has done.

Katara comforted her.

Zuko walked closely to his adoptive sister and father, with Azula by his side.

"Never forget, I'm still your favorite sister," Azula said.

They were greeted by the Earth King.

"You have saved us from a horrible fate, and this kingdom shall sleep safely tonight," he said.

Zuko handed him the weapon that Ozai once had.

"I present to you the sword of Ozai," Zuko said, "A man I no longer consider my father."

Iroh patted him on the shoulder.

"If I were your father, I would be so proud of you."

A hawk came and grabbed the weapon.

Ozai emerged from the shadows and the people ran.

Ursa grabbed Kiyi and ran with her husband but they were all captured.

"Oh no no no, you're coming with me, princess," Ozai said.

His men captured the Earth king and brought them all in a room.

Toph grabbed something heavy and tried to bust the doors down.

Katara knew what had to be done.

Sokka looked at her and said, "What's the plan?"

"Follow me," she said.

Iden and the others followed.

"We wish to help you," Jet said, "Consider this a favor for helping us out."

The three of them dressed in Drag with Sokka while Katara grabbed some armor.

Using the training exercises they learned, they were able to climb the tower.

Zuko and Azula joined them.

Ozai ordered his men to guard the doors.

"Your walls have fallen and so will you."

He then turned to Ursa and her family.

"Isn't this precious?" He asked, "Not only do I get to see you again, but it turns out…. You had a family of your own."

Ursa hugged Kiyi tight.

"Are you a monster?" Asked Kiyi.

"Do I look like a monster?"

Katara was going through the plan.

They approached the guards.

"Who's there?" Asked one of them.

Katara and the others approached them.

Ozai's bird knew they were in disguise and was about to signal them.

Zirri barbecued the bird.

As they kept the guards attention, Katara, Aang, Zuko, and Mai snuck through the door.

Zuko turned to Mai.

"In case we don't make it alive, there's something I need to tell you Mai," Zuko said.

"What is it?"

"No matter what happens, I need you to know you're the most important person in my life. And I'd never let anything harm you. Mai…"

He took her arms.

"I love you."

Mai blushed.

"Go get him," she said pushing him onward.

Ozai came closer to Ursa.

"What are you gonna do?" She asked.

"I'm going to make you suffer the way I suffered," he said menacingly, "When I lost my kingdom."

He grabbed her daughter from her hands.

"NO!" She said.

Two guards held her back.

"You're going to watch as I kill your little family starting with your daughter," Ozai said, "Then its your turn…."

Azula did a fire bending attack making him drop Kiyi.

She quickly ran back to her mother.

The guards surrounded them all.

"Azula do you realize what you're doing?!" Ozai said, "You are turning against everything your kingdom stands for!"

"You're no fire lord!" Azula said, "You're just a madman who wants to turn the world into your own image just like you almost did to me!"

"You ungrateful INSOLENT child!" Ozai shouted.

They started fighting.

Kiyi knew she couldn't stand back and do nothing.

"You ugly guards better get away from us or I'll be forced to use Firebending," she said.

The guards laughed at her.

"I warned you," she said.

She did some firebending techniques of her own and knocked them out.

"Well what do you know," Norren said.

Aang, Zuko and Toph barged through the doors.

"Help has arrived!" Toph said.

Sokka and the gang took the king and Ursa's family to safety.

"Good luck Big brother and sister!" Kiyi said.

"NO!" Ozai said.

He was stooped in his tracks by Toph.

"You took everything from me," she said with rage.

"I don't even know who you are."

"You will."

She threw dozens of stones at Ozai and he evaded them.

He then went at Aang and attempted to kill him.

"Zuko stopped being my son when he refused to kill the avatar, so ill have to do it myself!"

Despite his training, Aang was no match for Ozai's strength.

Katara was busy evacuating her friends and saw they were in danger.

Ozai kept fighting Aang.

He finally had him pinned down.

"I can't wait to kill one more airbender!"

Someone blew a gust of wind pushing him back.

It was Zuko.

"You're off by one more," Zuko said.

"What….."

He also did water bending and earth bending to evade Ozai's attacks and help his friends.

"He's not the avatar," Zuko said, "I am."

He cut the rope to prevent Ozai from escaping.

"You…. You took away my victory!"

"NO!" Katara said, "I did."

She did her hair back.

"the soldier….."

He went at her, and Aang blocked him.

Katara was running away.

She then saw some rockets.

"Zirri!"

"Way ahead of you," he said flying towards them.

Ozai soon caught up with her.

"You're not going anywhere sweetheart!"

Zirri made it to the fire rockets.

"I need firepower," he said.

"Who are you?" Asked one of the guards.

"Your worst nightmare."

Ozai kept coming closer to her.

"Looks like you're out of ideas," he said.

He attempted to stab her with his sword, but Katara quickly grabbed it.

"Ready Zirri?"

"I am ready baby!" He said.

He started the rocket and it flew at Ozai.

He was knocked off the platform into other rockets.

They all exploded.

Ozai was still alive but gravely wounded.

Zuko approached him and placed his hands on his forehead.

"I'm doing what should've been done a long time ago," he said.

Zuko started to glow.

When he was done Ozai pushed him off.

He attempted a fire bending technique but his bending was taken away.

Later he was arrested and taken to prison.

"Nice job avatar," Aang said.

"Its Katara who deserves the praise," Zuko said.

People were cheering, but Shea-Yin came out unamused.

"That was an attempt on my life!" She shouted.

The others went to guard Katara but she pushed them to the side.

"Stand aside, that creature is not worth protecting."

"She's a hero," Zuko said.

"She's a woman, a user, a fraud!" Shea-Yin, "She will never amount to anything."

Azula grabbed her and said, "Listen you POMPOUS…."

"That. Is. Enough." The Earth King said.

Katara bowed before him.

"I've heard a great deal about you," he said.

Shea-Yin was smirking.

"You stole your father's armor, ran away from home, impersonated a soldier, deceived your commanding officer, set my palace on fire, and above all… you have saved my kingdom."

He bowed before Katara and Shea-Yin did the same.

Zuko and his team bowed before her, and so did Aang.

The whole kingdom bowed before her.

"There is a place for our kingdom's army open for you Katara," he said, "If you will take it."

"With all due respect your majesty, I think I've been away from home longer than I need to be."

"Then take this," he said giving her his medallion, "So your family will know what you have done for me, and take this sword so all the nations can know what you have done for them."

She hugged the king and then hugged her friends.

"Come on Sokka, let's go home."

He smiled and joined her.

Mai pulled Zuko to the side and kissed him.

"I love you too."

The Earth King approached Aang.

"You don't meet a girl like that every day," he said.

Katara and Sokka made it home and were greeted by smiling faces.

"Dad, I brought the sword of Ozai, and the crest of the Earth King.," she said, "I'm sorry for all the trouble I've caused you both."

"Trouble?" Kya asked, "We love you Katara, and we couldn't be more proud."

Kanna looked.

"She brings home a sword, but she should've brought home a man…."

"Pardon me," said someone.

It was Aang.

"Is Katara here?"

They both pointed to her.

"I believe you forget your helmet…. Actually your helmet sir…."

"Please call me Hakoda," he said.

"Aang, would you like to…. Stay for dinner?"

"Would you like to stay forever?" Kanna asked.

Aang took Katara's hand.

Zirri and the ancestors were watching.

"Well, it seems I was wrong about you Zirri, you managed to do a good job. I think its time you were promoted."

Zirri gasped.

"You mean…."

"Yes, the position is yours for the taking," Tarva said.

"You won't regret this!"

A party was held for the celebration of Katara.

"Thanks for everything Zirri."

"No problem."

Katara's penguin led the other animals into the ancestors graveyard.

"ZIRRI!"

The End…