SECRET OF THE CURSED MASK

Author's Note: Okay, this is my second of possibly three Avatar fanfics. Truth be told, this crossover is more based on the storyline of the RPG game for PlayStation 2, called "Inuyasha: The Secret of the Cursed Mask," not the TV show. I'm trying not to follow the game's storyline to the letter, and I'm also throwing in a few extras that aren't part of the game. I'm using most of the original dialect, with a few altercations to some of them. I'm also using mixed scenarios from being both the boy and the girl characters in the game. Also, I forgot to add this when I first posted this story: when it comes to the Avatar, this story takes place after episode 13, "The Blue Spirit." And, when it comes to Inuyasha, this story takes place sometime after episode 54, "The Backlash Wave: Tetsusaiga's Ultimate Technique," but before episode 60, "The 50-Year-Old Curse of the Dark Priestess." That's just a guess based on the contents of the game itself. Trust me, I've played it a few times! Hope you enjoy!

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Chapter One: A Reluctant Truce

"Do you think we lost him, Aang?" Katara whispered.

"I don't know, Katara. I don't hear anything," Aang whispered. Aang, Katara, and Sokka were all hiding behind trees deep in the forest, all three of them panting heavily.

"Well, we can't just stand here forever! We have to keep moving!" Sokka whispered loudly.

"Hey, I remember seeing an old temple out here when we were flying overhead on Appa," Aang recalled. "It's not far from where we are now, I'm sure of it. We can hide in there for a while, until we're certain that Prince Zuko has given up the search."

"That's a good idea, Aang," Katara agreed as Sokka cautiously peeked out from behind his hiding place.

"I don't see him…maybe we lost him, for the moment," Sokka whispered.

"Then we better take this opportunity to get to that temple and quick!" Katara suggested as the three children ran off in the direction of the temple, unaware that their pursuer had been watching them the entire time…

"Well, here it is," Aang announced as they reached the old temple. The outside wasn't much to look at, though. The wood used to build the temple was old and weatherworn, the stone steps were crumbling apart, and any jewels or ornaments that had decorated the outside of the temple at one time were long gone, possibly stolen or taken away by whomever occupied the temple.

"From the looks of it, I don't think that anyone has set foot in here for years!" Sokka remarked.

"Which makes it a perfect hiding place, Sokka! Prince Zuko won't think of looking for us in here!" Aang pointed out as the three children carefully climbed the stone steps to the temple door.

Sokka opened the door to the temple, leading into a large empty room with wooden support beams scattered around the place. There was no furniture at all in the bare room, and the floor was caked with layers of dirt and dust, indicating that no one had set foot inside for many years.

"We'll stay in here until nightfall, and then we'll find Appa and leave," Katara suggested as she slowly closed the door behind her and Aang, being careful not to make much noise.

As Sokka walked further into the empty temple, he didn't notice a symbol painted on the floor in red: the outline of a five-point star inside of a circle. Once he placed his foot on the symbol, the floor suddenly gave way.

"AHH!" Sokka screamed as he fell to the floor, his right leg sinking through the small hole.

"Sokka, are you okay?" Aang asked curiously as he and Katara approached Sokka.

"You guys, watch your step! The floor's pretty rotten!" Sokka warned Katara and Aang as he attempted to pull his leg free. Suddenly, the floor holding Sokka up abruptly gave way underneath him.

"Sokka!" Katara screamed as she saw her brother fall into the even larger hole. She and Aang quickly ran to the edge of the hole and managed to grab Sokka's hands.

"Come on, Katara! Pull!" Aang shouted through his clenched teeth as he and Katara both pulled as hard as they could in an attempt to bring Sokka back up to the temple floor.

All of a sudden, the door to the temple was flung wide open. Aang and Katara looked over their shoulders and gasped when they recognized the silhouette of Prince Zuko standing in the doorway.

"I have you now, Avatar," Zuko openly admitted as he stepped into the temple.

Startled by Zuko's presence, the young airbender and waterbender nearly forgot about the task at hand, and holding the additional weight of Sokka was dragging them closer to the edge of the gaping hole.

"AHH!" Katara, Sokka, and Aang screamed simultaneously as all three of them fell down the large hole. By the time Zuko had reached the hole, the Avatar and his two companions were nowhere in sight.

"You won't escape me so easily, Avatar!" Zuko shouted as he willingly jumped into the hole. He was startled a bit by the numerous balls of pale blue light gathering together below him, but Zuko thought nothing of it as he passed through the strange light…

"Oww…my head hurts…" Sokka grumbled softly as he slowly came to. He was surprised to see a canopy of trees above him instead of the roof of the old temple.

"How did I end up out here?" Sokka wondered aloud as he stood up and brushed the dirt off of his clothes. "I guess Katara and Aang got me out of that hole and brought me outside. But, where are they?" Sokka became a bit worried when he didn't recognize his surroundings.

"This is strange. I don't recognize this place at all. And where are Aang and Katara? They wouldn't abandon me on purpose, unless…Prince Zuko caught them! I have to find them!" As Sokka started down the path, he occasionally called out Aang and Katara's names, but he got no response.

"Katara! Aang! Please answer me!" Sokka shouted yet again. When he made a turn in the path, Sokka gasped when he found Katara and Aang, both lying on either side of the path unconscious.

"Katara, Aang! Wake up!" Sokka pleaded as he first went to his sister's side, then to Aang's. When he approached Katara again, he was relieved when she slowly opened her eyes.

"Sokka…are you okay?" Katara whispered as she sat up.

"Yeah, I'm fine, Katara," Sokka replied. "Do you know how we ended up outside?"

"No, I don't know, Sokka," Katara replied. "The last thing I remember…Aang and I were trying to pull you back up to the temple floor, and then Prince Zuko…"

"Prince Zuko? He found us?" Sokka exclaimed out of shock. "Then, he must have been the one who brought us outside."

"We must have been out cold for quite a while, Sokka," Katara muttered out loud as she stood up. "Back at the temple, it was just starting to grow dark, but it looks like it's about noontime now. And why would Prince Zuko even bother to save the two of us? He just wants to capture Aang because he's the Avatar."

"Did someone say my name?" Aang asked curiously as he got up and approached Sokka and Katara.

"Oh, I'm glad that you're all right, Aang," Katara openly admitted as she hugged Aang.

"Where are we, Katara?" Aang asked curiously.

"I have no idea, Aang," Katara reluctantly admitted as she looked around at their unfamiliar surroundings. "Nothing here looks familiar."

"Then, Prince Zuko must have pulled us out of the building, like I said," Sokka pointed out.

"But, why would he risk leaving the three of us alone?" Katara asked. "Also, Prince Zuko would have a much easier time bringing Aang outside, instead of all three of us, and Aang's the only one he's interested in capturing, Sokka."

"Okay, you have a good point, Katara," Sokka reluctantly agreed.

"So, what do we do now?" Aang asked curiously.

"Well, it would probably be best if we start walking," Sokka suggested. "Maybe, we'll eventually recognize our surroundings once we start moving."

"That's a good idea, Sokka," Katara agreed. "We should get going now, before Prince Zuko comes back."

Aang silently nodded in agreement as they started walking down the trail…

"How much further is it?" Aang complained as he, Katara, and Sokka continued down the path. "We've been walking for a long time, and I don't recognize anything at all!"

"I know, Aang. I don't recognize anything, either," Katara reluctantly admitted.

"Hey, look on the bright side, guys. At least, we gave Prince Zuko the slip!" Sokka pointed out.

As the three friends turned the next corner, they let out startled gasps when they came face-to-face with Prince Zuko. He appeared to be a bit startled to see them, too, but he quickly shook it off.

"Finally, I have you right where I want you, Avatar," Zuko muttered with content as he produced two large fire balls in each of his hands. While Aang and Sokka were a bit intimidated, Katara had decided in her mind that enough was enough.

"Okay, just drop it!" Katara snapped, much to Zuko's surprise, and Sokka and Aang's amazement. "If we don't know where we are, then you must not know where you are, either! Even if you do capture Aang, where would you take him?"

Zuko was just completely silent and stunned, for he didn't know what to say. Although he wouldn't openly admit it, Zuko knew that Katara was telling the truth, for he didn't recognize his surroundings either.

"I'm guessing by the look on your face that I'm right: you don't know where you are, either. I can't believe I'm even suggesting this, but until we figure out where we are, the best thing would be to stay together, and that means no fighting amongst the four of us. Can you at least agree to that?" Katara asked the prince of the Fire Nation.

Sokka and Aang both held their breath in anticipation, uncertain of how Zuko would react to someone ordering him around, let alone a girl. After a few agonizing moments had passed, Zuko finally closed his hands, snuffing out the two fire balls.

"Fine, then. Until we become more aware of our surroundings, we shall hold a temporary truce," Zuko stated.

"Well, I'll agree with that, as long as you keep up your end of the bargain," Katara pointed out. "Until we can find out where we are, you will not hurt our friend, Aang, or me or my brother. Is that understood?"

"It's agreed, then. I will not lay a hand on the Avatar, or you and your brother…but once everything is settled, this truce is over," Zuko stated coldly as he crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"Fine, then. We should keep moving then. Hopefully, we can find some people along this trail to tell us where we are," Katara suggested as she walked right past Zuko and continued down the path.

"Hey, wait for me, Katara!" Aang shouted as he ran after Katara.

"Are you coming or what?" Sokka asked Zuko as he walked past him.

Zuko let out a deep sigh as he started to follow Sokka. "I suppose I have no choice in the matter," he muttered angrily to himself…