Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar. If I did, I would not have missed the perfect opportunity for a Zutarian ending. Thank you ever so much Michael Dante DiMartino (sarcasm). -sulks in a corner-

Ignition

Chapter One: Sparks

The crowd was still, silent. It was unusual for the entire population to assemble in such a way. They remained still, statue-esque, in part due to reverence, but mostly out of fear. They rested on bended knee and bowed down as one. Behind a large tapestry displaying their proud Fire Nation emblem stood the daughter of the Phoenix King, the soon-to-be Fire Lord Azula, followed by the few attendants she had seen fit to remain by her side. Azula peeked through the seam of the tapestry, anxious to be done with the ceremony and to claim her birthright. The flames in the sconces lining the alabaster pillars flickered ominously, casting the entire coronation stage in an equally ominous light.

How fitting…Azula thought with a twisted grin as she adjusted her coronation cloak over her armor and attempted to brush her severed hair aside to no avail. The young woman frowned before her visage returned to its previously devious regard; it was no matter. No one would remember her for how she looked upon the day of her coronation. No, they would remember the fear she instilled and the scars she left upon the rest of the world once the Fire Nation was victorious. Such thoughts caused the Fire Princess to chuckle quietly to herself as she let the tapestry fall back into place. It was time.

Azula stepped forth into the glowing reddish light of Sozin's Comet and looked over the crowd proudly. She was to inherit it finally, all of it, what belonged to her by birth. It had finally come to her. Not her weak brother Zuko, no. Her. Azula. The born ruler. The first order of business would be to erase his name from the history books. No record of such weakness would mar the proud history of the Fire Nation, especially not as it triumphed over the rest of the world. Azula's grin widened at such thoughts of victory. Azula's remaining attendants filed out behind her. They quickly retreated into the shadows of the elegantly decorated coronation stage. Seven fire sages entered from behind the tapestry and made a semi-circle around Azula facing the taciturn crowd. The highest-ranking sage stepped forward and spread his arms towards the horde. The sleeves of his garnet robe were trimmed with the Fire Nation emblem in elegant gold, a symbol of his high rank. He held aloft a circlet of gold bearing the emblem of the Fire Nation. In its surface reflected the eerie glow of the flames and the prostrate flock beneath the stage; in essence, the Fire Nation itself. For what else was there beyond fire and obedience to the Fire Lord?

Azula was practically shaking in anticipation as she heard the fire sage behind her clear his throat before he began to speak. Finally… Azula thought. The fire sage's voice rang across the courtyard, emphatic and unobstructed by the speech of anyone else.

"By decree of Phoenix King Ozai, I now crown you Fire Lord…" The sage's speech faltered. The remaining fire sages glanced at one another and then at the High Sage in confusion before their eyes locked on the object of his distraction. The citizens of the Fire Nation dared not move.

Azula wheeled around to face the High Sage. "What are you waiting for?" she demanded, her voice brimming with irritation and impatience, her disheveled appearance causing her to look slightly deranged. Hurry up old man, or I will banish you as well…she thought to herself angrily. "Do it!" she commanded through gritted teeth, her voice threatening and full of warning. A deep, low, and bestial sound reached the ears of the nearly-crowned princess. She recognized the sound as the lowing of an air bison, but brushed away the thought. There was no way. "Impossible!" she spat as she spun around towards the source of the unfeasible noise. Her hazel eyes widened briefly before narrowing in hatred; it was indeed Appa, the air bison belonging to the Avatar child, Aang. The massive beast landed with a gargantuan thud at the foot of the stairs to the coronation stage. Azula's eyes constricted even further as she recognized the young man at the reins. It was not, in fact, the Avatar; it was her banished and disowned disgrace of a brother, Zuko. In the beast's saddle sat the Water Tribe brat, Katara. Zuko stood atop the air bison, his tattered tunic and his shaggy black hair blowing slightly in the wind. He looked positively regal against the reddened sky, angering Azula further. No one so weak, so dishonored deserved to look like her brother did at that very moment.

"Sorry, but you're not going to become Fire Lord today." Zuko said as he leapt from the back of the air bison. He landed deftly in front of Azula and added, "I am."Zuko's eyes narrowed, sensing the reaction his challenge would provoke.

His sister merely threw back her overly confident head and laughed, its sound mocking, as if she were laughing at a small child who had said something absurd that she had found cute. "You're hilarious." she replied, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

Katara darted to Zuko's side. "You're going down." she added, her ice blue eyes narrowed in what was unmistakable as hatred. I promise…Katara thought If it's the last thing I do. Zuko watched Katara in his peripheral vision. He was glad to have her beside him, but felt guilty that she was involved. I will protect her he decided if it is the last thing I do. He returned his attention to the young woman he once called sister, his gaze attentive and his decision absolute. The High Sage leaned forward to place the circlet on Azula's brow; she held up a hand to stop him, smirking at the thought of her brother's challenge.

"Wait." Azula commanded. The High Sage stepped back in surprise, but wisely held his tongue; even he had something to fear from Azula. The Fire Princess straightened proudly and stepped forward, her stride measured and confident. "If you wish to be Fire Lord, fine." she spat. "Let's settle this, just you and me brother. The showdown that was always meant to be…" as she spoke, the sanity left her eyes little by little, and her voice became more aggressive and erratic. "Agni Kai!" she finished, a look of deranged triumph crossing her face, as if she had already won.

Zuko glared back at his sister, already foolishly assuming she had won merely by mentioning an Agni Kai. He laughed to himself. As if challenging him was a fatal blow; how foolish his sister had become. She seemed off, out of it, something Zuko intended to exploit in the coming battle. She is assuming my memories of the last family agni kai will deter me… he thought As if my scar could hold me back…as if I were afraid… The former Fire Prince merely glared back at his sister. "You're on." he replied through bared teeth.

Katara looked at him in surprise, her eyes wide. Is he insane? she thought. It's quite obvious -she- is, but I wasn't aware he was quite so mental… Katara finally recovered from her brief shock and managed to voice her disapproval. "What are you doing?" she whispered in disbelief. "She's playing you Zuko…" she stated decidedly, unsure why it bothered her quite so much. "Can't you see? She knows she can't take us both so she's trying to separate us."

Zuko interrupted her before she could finish her rant. "I know." he stated simply, closing his eyes for a moment, considering Katara's words and the situation. "But I can take her this time." he added defiantly, opening his golden eyes to glare at his sister.

From her place atop the stage, Azula smirked. This will be so easy…she thought.

Katara was indignant. "Even you admitted to your uncle that you would need help facing Azula…" she muttered incredulously.

Zuko shook his head. "No, there's something off about her. I can't explain it but she's slipping." he replied, staring hard at his sister and trying to pin what was wrong with her, why she had snapped. "And this way, no one else has to get hurt." he added, almost to himself. He could not help but glance at Katara, whose eyes widened slightly before he turned away again.

Katara brushed aside her momentary confusion. He probably didn't mean anything by it…she decided. Her face became set again as she glared at him; she felt useless, but more than anything, she was worried for Zuko.

Katara paused as she watched the siblings stare each other down; Zuko remained perfectly calm and sane, his gaze steady and decided. Azula on the other hand was fidgety, anxious, and had a demented look about her. The water bender glanced back at Zuko. Something about his manner had changed. When he first came to join her companions, he had seemed beaten, defeated, like a dog with its tail between its legs. Even then, she hated him. She had wanted them to turn him out, even to attack him. Katara did not want him within a ten mile radius of Aang, let alone in the same shelter posing as a part of their team, waiting for the chance to betray them all to the Fire Lord Ozai. She could find no use for the exiled Prince; he could not be trusted. This point of view had only been affirmed when Zuko burned Toph's feet. Katara had been furious; everyone had. Yet Zuko remained with the group. He tolerated their derision, most of which originated from Katara herself, and eventually found his place as Aang's teacher. Katara had remained suspicious, but now all doubt was gone from her mind; the determined look upon his face was convincing enough. The prince was willing to risk everything he had in this world, his title, his family, and possibly even his life, in order to do what was right; to defeat the Fire Nation and to help Aang bring peace to the world once more. At that moment, Katara felt a new respect for her newest companion. He looked exactly as he should at that very moment: regal, calm, collected, and most of all resolute. She was sure that this was where he was supposed to be, exactly how this was supposed to end. He would not go back on his word. Katara watched him, her eyes softening slightly. As much as she had hated him before, as much as she had wished he would disappear from the face of the earth, now she wanted nothing more than for him to survive.

The arena looked much as it had the last time Zuko had set foot within it's marble walls. The large expanse seemed empty, yet full of opportunity. This was his chance, his one shot. Everything seemed to rest on the outcome of the Agni Kai. Zuko walked calmly to his end of the arena and knelt facing away from Azula. The memories of the place returned, crashing over him like a wave and flooding his thoughts. "Steady..." he told himself quietly. He retreated into himself and focused on his breathing, his heartbeat, and most of all, his power. The prince remembered the wisdom of his uncle.

Fire is the element of power. The people of the Fire Nation have desire and will, and the energy and drive to achieve what they want.

Zuko breathed deeply as he remembered the words of wisdom with which his uncle had left him. There was no doubt in his mind; this was what he wanted, what was right. His confidence in his decision never faltered; his uncle's confidence in him sustained him. Zuko opened his eyes to glance towards the heavens, towards Sozin's Comet. It all came to this...everything he had been through, everything he had done came to this very moment. Every path, every turn he had taken during the last few years had led him to this point in time. To Zuko, it seemed right. Now that he thought about it, he didn't want it to end any other way. This was the closure he sought for so long, the chance to regain his honor, the chance to redeem his past. And he was ready.

Azula turned and knelt facing away from her brother. She could barely remain still, let alone close her eyes and focus; she was giddy. Finally, the chance to annihilate her brother had arrived. This was her chance to prove to her father, to everyone really, that she was the true heir to the throne, the natural-born Fire Lord. The silence within the walls of the arena bothered her. It should have been filled to the brim with the citizens of the Fire Nation. They should have been there to witness their Lord's scorching victory. No matter... she thought to herself They will know of it soon enough. The Princess was confident in her abilities. Everyone knew she was the better fighter, everyone had always told her it was so. She was born with a natural gift, a natural aggression, and a strong drive to remain victorious. These strengths, coupled with her love of combat, had honed her abilities as a fighter and a conqueror, of that she was sure. With that in mind, the self-assured and somewhat irrational princess rose. "This will be over quickly..." she whispered to herself.

Zuko stood resolutely. He paused for a moment before turning to face Azula and glanced at Katara. He was surprised to find her ice blue eyes watching him intently. What surprised him even more was the look of concern they held. Zuko had never really expected her to care whether he lived or died; her behavior during the past few days had hardly been cordial. The pair stared at one another for what seemed like hours, but was really only a fraction of a second. Zuko inclined his head slightly, never once taking his eyes away from Katara's. The one simple motion was, at once, a gesture of benediction, praise, respect, and farewell.

Katara nodded in response; she understood. Her eyes said everything her words could not. Her gaze was full of acceptance, fear, and most of all apology. The young water bender realized in that fragment of a second that she had been completely wrong about the young fire prince. She had misjudged him in every way, and for that she was sorry. She remained still and resisted the urge to embrace him, gushing apologies. For some reason, she held herself back. During the given situation, it didn't seem right. Before Zuko turned away, she caught his attention once more. She mouthed the words "Good luck."

The Fire Prince placed his left fist in the palm of his right hand and inclined his head. "Thank you." he mouthed without a sound before turning to face Azula.

Katara was taken aback by his show of respect. Her heart leapt in concern as she watched the siblings face, the power fluxuating between them almost tangible in the air. Her vision blurred as tears formed behind her lashes. It cant end this way, he can't die...he won't die...this has to be...she thought to herself, repeating the phrases like a mantra. Her fear grew as she watched the siblings take their stances; it was about to begin. Please, please... she thought Let him live... It was in that moment that Katara came to an earth-shattering realization: she could not accept his death. She would not accept his death. She could not bear the thought of losing the Fire Prince and could not even begin to fathom the reasons why.

Author's Note: More will be up in a little while. I have to take breaks every now and again because otherwise my brain gets all messed up and the story doesn't come out the way I want it to. I've had so many people tell me to keep going and in all honesty I couldn't resist. Let me know what you think, any suggestions, constructive criticism, compliments, encouragement, applause...okay maybe that's pushing it. But I really am proud of this one. For the first time in a long time. So...yay me?

And thank you so much, all of you, for the reviews and favorite-ing and such. Y'all are amazing :)