The Curious Case of Avatar Aang.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Chap 1: A brilliant feat.

-o-

Did someone call my name

Like a distant drum is beating

Or is it just another dream

From long ago.

My brilliant feat – Colin Hay.

-0-

All his friends. How Aang loved them. How his heart broke when they left.

One by one, Aang watches them go. All peacefully, mind. There is nothing violent or awful in these deaths. They are all as old as the hills when they finally bid Aang that last goodbye.

Aang is there for all of his friends when the time comes.

But this story is not really about that.

It is about what happens afterwards.

-0-

When Aang was 12, he preformed a brilliant feat that the world had never seen.

Energy-bending.

All actions have consequences. This was something Aang knew and expected.

He was just surprised that the consequence of touching pure, absolute energy was this.

Aang had been frozen in time once before – but that wasn't quite like this.

Aang doesn't look or feel a day over 36.

He just celebrated his 120th (or his 220th depending on how one classifies his age) birthday.

-0-

When Monk Gyasto first explained what would happen, Aang had at been quite happy. It didn't really seem like a punishment. But that was what it was, nonetheless.

Monk Gyasto said that the spirits were angry that he had "stolen" their power for himself – the ability to give and take away bending was sacred. It was for the use of the spirits only. Yet Aang had been allowed to use it once, with their approval, when he was 12. He used energy bending then with due humility, respect and in the spirit of self sacrifice.

When he is 36, he uses energy bending because he can, not because it is necessary. He uses it because it is the easiest solution to a current problem. It was not the best solution, not by a long shot, but it was convenient.

The arrogance of this action angers the spirits.

Yet Aang is still beloved by them, some spirits shy away from wanting to punish him too severely. But the fact remains that Aang has committed a grave error in their eyes. He has strayed. He needs to be taught a lesson.

Who bent – who couldn't, that was for the spirits to decide. Not for a mortal man.

Therein lay the resolution. If Avatar Aang wished to conduct himself as a spirit – not just converse with them as a bridge between the worlds; If Aang was not content with just the Avatar's powers and instead used powers reserved only for the spirits; then he could live like a spirit as well.

An interminably long life, never changing, never aging.

Maybe after a millennia, he might learn.

-o-

"Oh, well that's not so bad. I thought they'd want to feed me to Koh they were so mad!" Aang is relieved. "Being young forever! That's not even a punishment. Now I'll have time to ride every different species of Giant Koi!" Aang is more than relieved, he is a little excited.

"It is not so simple Aang." Monk Gyasto is sad, and shakes his head. "You will not enjoy this punishment much in time."

-o-

Aang now knows why Monk Gyasto was so sad.

Aang watches his friends grow old.

Their faces get wrinkled.

Their hair goes grey.

They don't have the energy they used to have.

Aang stays perpetually completely healthy and in his mid-thirties.

He can do nothing to stop the effect that the slow procession of the years has on his friends.

-o-

He notices as Zuko starts to cough. Firebenders always end up having trouble with their lungs when they get old. It has something to do with smoke inhalation. Zuko gets cross at him and tells him not to fuss, whenever Aang expresses concern. He says he'll be fine, and it is just a spring chill, but he doesn't stop coughing in summer.

He hears all about Sokka's low cholesterol diet (from Sokka's excess of complaining.) This diet is strictly enforced by Suki. Sokka's (horror upon horrors) red meat consumption has to be reduced. It's not good for his heart.

He sees Suki's eyesight go, until she has to wear glasses as thick as Aang's finger. Still, even with her glasses, she can't read the labels unless she holds a jar just so. Aang reads them out for her. But sometimes she forgets what he just told her.

He feels Katara get weaker. This happens so slowly, that at first Aang doesn't notice. Over the years, her proud stance and posture are almost eroded, until she stands with a little stoop in her back that she can't straighten out. She is like a strong mountain slowly crumbling to the sea.

He helps Toph out with everything that he can, and moves into her house to care for her, after she tells him, with a great deal of irritation, about her tumour. She is actually rather humours about this. "You have to die something" she says with a shrug.

But she's wrong.

You actually don't.

Not if you are Aang.

-o-

Aang realises that is his punishment is much crueller than he originally thought. He will watch everyone he loves grow old and die. It is Zuko first. Then Sokka. Then Suki. Then Katara. Then Toph gets sick and Aang knows he can't take another goodbye.

He moves into her house, stays with her tirelessly. He brings her anything she wants, from anywhere in the world. He shows due humility to the spirits. He begs them for just a bit longer with Toph. They have punished him so terribly - he understands that now. But he has already been left all alone in the world once, he does not know if his heart can do that solitude again. He should be allowed to keep Toph at least.

One spirit shows kindness and pity.

Aang suspects it is Yue. She was always kind.

Under the light of the full moon, and under the care of one of Katara's grand-daughters, (a capable healer called Karra) and surrounded by her own endless brood, Toph makes a miraculous recovery. The tumour vanishes, almost like it never was. Toph's hair turns a bright white. She has been granted more time. Not enough perhaps.

Aang vows he will spend the rest of Toph's life with her. He'll not leave her side for the time she has left.

" That's silly Aang. I'm fine now. You're still the avatar. You have things to do. You can't spend the rest of your life fussing over a barmy old lady like me." Toph admonishes. She doesn't quite understand, until Aang says:

"Don't you get it; I'm never going to age. You can spend the rest of your life with me. But I can't ever spend the rest of my life with you."

There is a pause while Toph absorbs that; before she says "Well if you're staying then make yourself useful by fixing me a drink will ya. I'm parched."

-o-

They live in Republic City. For many years, it seems like Toph is in perfect health. She is ancient but still as sprightly as ever. The Doctors think it is because she is such a powerful bender that she is experiencing such incredible longevity. It happens with the very strong earth benders, and Avatars who have earth as their dominant element. Kyoshi lived over 200 hundred years, and Toph wants to break her record.

Aang and Toph look odd in the street together, but neither of them care. Toph is a tiny old lady, full of sass. Aang is strappingly handsome and in his mid-thirties and full of attendance to her every whim. He would make Toph his whole world if he could.

The world however, has other plans and constantly reminds Aang of its existence. It is still full of strife and problems. Aang still has a job to do as the Avatar. Toph, demands, challenges and forces him to face these problems. Like she always has; like she always does. She kicks him out sometimes – when she must, so that he will go out into the world and save it again, rather than stay around the house fussing over her.

It is on one of these enforced trips that Aang finds Katara again. Or, more accurately, Katara finds him.

Katara finding Aang – that is how things normally go.

-o-

The airbenders are flourishing as a race again. Aang has had many children to different women in his long years. He loves all his children dearly, but he tries to love them in a detached manner, like the monks taught him. But the Airnomads have changed and evolved since his childhood.

Things that remain the same: the village raises the child mentality; the core spiritual beliefs.

Things that changed: The forced separation and gender segregation; the everyday practices.

The Southern and the Western Airtemple are for people who wish to continue with what has become refers to as "the old ways". The Northern and the Eastern have been set aside for families who do not wish to be separated. Almost all the mothers live here with their children. The Northern Temple is especially for mothers with non-airbending babies. The airbending children stay until they reach their Samanera stage – after which they go to the temples of the old ways.

To Aang they are not "old ways", they are just "ways".

But then again, he is a very old man, even though he doesn't look it.

-o-

Today Aang is at the Northern temple visiting his daughter Cloud, the high priestess. Cloud looks like an old woman. Aang looks like her grandson.

Aang, foolishly in hindsight, said that Ty Lee could name their children whatever she wished, with no argument from him. He suspects that their children Cloud, Breeze, Storm, Wind and Gust, all went through a period in their adolescence when they resented him bitterly for this (especially Gust – that is just a rough break).

Aang has tried to never play favourites with his children, but he will always have a big soft spot for Cloud. She was his first-born to his favourite partner. He had never loved anyone quite like he had come to love Ty Lee in those years when he taught her Airbending. The memories of those days are rose-coloured and perfect and full of Ty Lee's chiming laugh. Aang thought that Cloud had managed to mix all of the good things that he and Ty Lee had to offer – but none of the bad.

Cloud was perpetually joyful and good at reading auras like her mother. She had an unwavering sense of what was right, boundless energy and a keen mind (and Aang liked to think she learned those things from him). But she had something else that was all her own. She didn't run away, she wasn't flighty – she was calm and steady at all times. Especially in a crisis.

The Northern Airtemple were currently housing some refugees from a conflict between two neighbouring regions. One former firenation colony called Lightning Ridge vs one old earth kingdom province called Cradle Mountains. Petty border dispute. Aang had come to sort the problem out.

He can't help but think, as Cloud explained the situation to him, does it ever end?

-o-

That evening Cloud and he are enjoying a meal together on the upper balcony, when a small girl approaches. She is bold and very curious about Aang. The ageless Avatar. Cloud tries to send her away gently, but Aang is instantly intrigued by the girl. She has wide grey eyes, pale skin and the lighter brown hair of the Northern Airnomads. She looks nothing like Katara, and yet something about her inexplicably reminds Aang of his oldest friend.

"Katara, Avatar Aang and I are trying to have a conversation that is for grown-ups only" Cloud admonishes.

"Your name is Katara!" Aang can't help but blurt out to the girl.

"Yes, my mother named me after the late firelady Katara, because she did lots and lots to help this temple. People call me Tara, except for High Priestess Cloud when she is cross at me." the girl explains.

"Well it is a lovely name." Aang says and Tara blushes.

"Katara, why don't you go help your brother with his inventions. He might be playing with matches again and need you to supervise." Being told to supervise her brother is obviously a sure-fire way to get rid of the girl.

"Do you want to come see my brother's inventions?" Tara asks Aang.

Aang would be delighted.

-o-

Teo is two years older than Tara and is named after the famous inventor who lived at the temple. He is more standoffish with Aang initially, but when Aang praises one of his small inventions or other, he instantly warms up. Tara fusses and bosses her brother. She takes the 'supervising' instruction very seriously. Teo is sarcastic and teasing towards his sister. There is some playful good natured bickering. Aang can't help but hear voices from the past in the banter of the children. This is Katara, my flying sister...why don't we just ask Sokka's instincts?

Aang is completely entranced by the two children. They are so much like Sokka and Katara that it makes something inside him ache in a bitter sweet way. When they invite him to play hide and seek with them he does. Then they play chase. Then Aang suggests a round of Airball and Teo gets an odd look on his face. "Why don't we play a different game? How about swaying grasses?" Tara says instantly. So they play swaying grasses, then Aang takes the kids for a ride on Appa – to their surprise and delight.

The Airnomad population is recovering rapidly – but the Sky Bison population has not yet caught up. Though there have been many breeding programs, the recovery of the Sky Bison population has been less rapid. Most of the current wild Sky Bison live in nature reserves and are actively encouraged by anxious zoologists to get busy.

Teo holds on to Appa's saddle for dear life. Tara is exhilarated.

Aang feels like it is almost like old times.

Almost.

-o-

"The boy's a non-bender. That's all." Cloud says, when Aang asks her about the odd moment with the airball suggestion. "Boy's mother refused to adopt him out and chose to come here with the girl, so they could stay together."

"Well it's a great temple for families. It's nice that these children get to grow up with their mother." For once. Aang replies.

" It would have been, but their mother died a few years ago during the fighting. I've tried my best to look after them here, so they did not have to be uprooted. Poor wee kids took it hard, especially Tara. She's been acting like a little itty bitty mother to Teo ever since it happened." Cloud says, sadly, yet calmly.

"What happened?" Aang whispers, horrified.

"Simple enough story. This was back in the days when we were assisting with the wounded. You know, retrieving them from the battlefield and tending to them. Their mother was trying to help a wounded Ridgian (The proper term for people from Lightning Ridge, though there are several derogatory terms around). He mistook her for an enemy and stabbed her. By the time we'd found her, there was not much we could do for her except make her comfortable." Cloud's voice is flat. She uses that voice when she feels too much.

Aang feels a cold chill go down his spine and a little pinprick of guilt in his stomach. He has been avoiding dealing directly with this conflict for years. He has written to both leaders, advising peace. He thought that these two small and insignificant regions would sort it out between themselves. But he did not actively intervene – he was old and more importantly he was tired of always having to sort out other people's problems. He'd had problems enough of his own at that point, with Toph being ill.

But now Sokka and Katara...no Teo and Tara, have lost their mother again.

Aang can't help but feel a little bit responsible.

"The spirits also saw fit to take the father, which is something that I don't understand. I wrote to the Southern airtemple after it happened, only to receive word that their father had also passed on, around the same time. Now I don't know what will happen to young Tara when she reaches Samanera age...without her Father to take her around. And poor Teo already misses all his friends so much, they all left earlier this year. Even if I could find an airbender suitable to escort Katara, I'm not sure what Teo will do when his sister goes. It's a very sad situation". Cloud finishes soberly.

It is a new Airnomad tradition – when a child reaches Samanera age (normally between 13-15) they leave the Temple of their mothers and go and have adventures with their fathers. Katara has no father to go exploring with. Teo has lost all his bender friends to exploring and has been left behind.

" I will take Katara and her brother too" Aang hears himself volunteer instantly, instinctively.

"But Dad, you haven't taken anyone for samanera travels in generations!" Cloud says, a bit surprised. "Besides it's against tradition to take a nonbender on samanera explorations."

"For Young Tara and Teo, I will make an exception." Aang says.

-o-

Aang found Zuko and Suki next.

Or Kuzon, and Satsu, as their names seemed to be now.

He found them in the order that he met them – a veritable lifetime ago.

Zuko was first.

-o-

After his conversation with Cloud, Aang had a renewed vigour for ending the conflict. He wrote to the leaders of Lightning Ridge and Cradle Mountain and received invitations from both. He went to Lightning Ridge first. They were officially the instigators.

He does not get to see the Governor of Lightning Ridge. The Governor is apparently too ill to receive guests, even one as illustrious as the Avatar. But he is entertained by the Governor's second-in-command. A man who calls himself Chin. He real name is something else, but he thought Chin, after the General who conquered with swaths of the Earth Kingdom (before Avatar Kyoshi stopped him) was a much grander name.

Chin has aspirations to be like his namesake. He feels that the land that Lightning Ridge has "annexed" from Cradle Mountain is rightfully theirs.

Chin has all the power in Lightning Ridge right now. He manoeuvres it behind the Governors back.

Chin has vanity, ambition and cruelty in his manner.

Chin has two children which he alternately neglects and abuses.

Chin had a wife, who mysteriously vanished some years prior. Everyone thinks he murdered her, but no one can prove it.

Chin reminds him chillingly of Ozai.

His children remind Aang of Zuko and Azula, back when he first met them.

Does history always have to repeat itself in such a calamitous fashion?

-o-

There is a boy called Kuzon and a girl called Elza. They were paraded for Aang and introduced to him. They will be joining their father for dinner. Their inclusion is a tactical move by Chin, as it will prevent matters from being discussed too deeply (One wishes to protect children from such things after all). Children at the table limits how unpleasant things can get. How seriously things can be discussed.

Kuzon bows low when he is introduced and says "It is an honour to meet you, Avatar Aang" with a great deal of sincerity.

His sister teases him for this on the walk to the dining room. They are behind the main guests and used to being overlooked. They do not know that Aang is listening to their conversation.

"It is an honour to meet you?" the girl, Elza, imitates her brother. "Do you know how stupid you sounded?"

"Well it was an honour! He's the Avatar and he's like as old as the hills. He's a great man and he deserves our respect." Kuzon retorts, tartly.

"Don't let Dad hear you say that! You know how he feels about The Great Man." Elza teases, but there is the slightest hint of warning in her tone.

"Anyway...you know... I think the Avatar coming might be a good thing... Maybe he can stop the fighting, then ….then nobody else had to get hurt." Kuzon says hesitantly, like it is blasphemy to not wish anyone hurt.

"Nobody else has to get hurt?!" Elza repeats what Kuzon said in a mocking tone. "Spirits – do you hear what a dum-dum you sound like right now? People from Cradle Mountain will keep getting hurt until they agree that we have won." Elza is very firm on the fact that Cradle Mountain deserves everything it gets.

"Our people get hurt too , Elza. " Kuzon replies.

Elza has no reply. But she needs none. They are at the dining room now. Chin's dining room, indeed Chin's presence is a place where children are seen and not heard. It is a place where children are only allowed to speak if they are spoken to. It is place where if you spare the rod, you spoil the child.

-o-

Dinner gets heated. Though Aang tries to keep his cool, Chin is beyond unreasonable. He does not waver or concede anything. He stands by the invasion, which he refers to as an annexation, as a just and right thing. He tells Aang to let Cradle Mountain know that they simply must concede the land to Lightning Ridge and stop fighting for it – if they want the bitter struggle to end. If they keep fighting, Lighting Ridge will keep retaliating. Lightning Ridge is by far superior and will not bow down to Cradle Mountain.

This is not the outcome that an Avatar would wish.

Aang and Cloud both try to point out why exactly Cradle Mountain will not just roll over and concede without some concessions on Chin's part. Aang had heard that forces from Lightning Ridge accidentally set fire to a school in one of the border towns. Children were hurt. Some were killed. Cradle Mountain will see this as a hostile act of war. They wish to fight over their lost land and their lost children. If Chin does not curb his Jingoism, then it will lead to full on war.

Aang says that he is sure that the school was an accident and starts outlining the steps he feels Chin must take, to avoid a bloody, prolonged conflict, when Chin interrupts him. "That was no accident, Avatar Aang. I ordered it." Chin announces.

There is a moment's shocked silence round the table. Aang hopes to all the spirits he misheard.

"With an enemy like Cradle Mountain, you've got to hit them where they live, Avatar Aang. The children are their hope for the future. Without children they will be demoralised. If they know that their continued actions will result in the death of their children, they will desist in due time." Chin explains it all, in an emotionless voice. Pure tactician.

"How on earth could you do something like that Dad! Deliberately killing their kids? That's atrocious, and pointless and cruel." Kuzon blurts out, disgusted with his father. Then his eyes widen in horror as realises what he just did. He takes in his father's livid face and immediately apologises.

There is palpable tension at the table. Chin folds his napkin, with a forced and deliberate calm that is unnerving.

"I think it is time my children were in bed." He says flatly. Then he clicks his fingers, just once, and Elza and Kuzon get up and fall instep behind them. Just outside of the doors, which Chin closes roughly behind him, there is a scene of some description.

Aang and Cloud can only hear the proceedings and be horrified anew.

"Dad, he didn't mean it. You know how he's just a big dummy. He's not clever like you." Elza speaks first. She is trying to make light of the situation and appeal to her father's ego.

"Go to bed Elza" Chin hisses. "I will speak to Kuzon alone."

There is a pause and then the sound of departing feet.

There is a small silence. But only for a moment.

There is a tremendous smack. Then the muffled noise that a child makes when they are trying their hardest not to cry out in pain. There is another smack, and this time Kuzon does cry out.

Aang leaps to his feet to intervene. Cloud holds him back. They can't intervene. A man like Chin will take any meddling with his children as the gravest insult possible. It will exacerbate this situation, which already tilts on a knife edge.

The Avatar can interfere with many things; nations, states, conflicts, spirits.

The Avatar cannot interfere in how other people raise their children.

-o-

The next night, he dines with the leader of Cradle Mountain. A nervous, yet kind man called Bero, who seems in over his head. A relatively new leader, he came to power upon the death of his father last year. He reminds Aang strongly of Kuei, in the early days. Lord Bero is surrounded by competent military men and a clever and outspoken daughter called Satsu, who help him compensate for his current inadequacies as leader. It is with Satsu that Aang has the most interesting conversation.

Satsu, like Suki, projects a sort of "born to lead" energy. She is calm, sensible and clever. She gives Aang the most honest and insightful rundown of the situation; from what she has heard said by her father's Generals and her own ingenuity.

There must have been a coup in Lightning Tidge. Around five years ago, their Governor took ill, and the vice-governor disappeared. The third in-charge, retired due to "family problems". He has not been seen in public since. Chin was fourth in line, but took the mantle of control.

Then the bombardments started.

Though she would very much like for peace, Satsu feels like war is as inevitable as the tides. You can't fight against a man like Chin, but you can't not fight him all the same. Cradle Mountain will stand against the tyrant, to preserve freedom, liberty and in the memory of their lost children.

Satsu can already see how it will go. There will be a relation for what happened at the school. Chin will retaliate and escalate the attacks, in response. Cradle Mountain will call upon the TerraTeam, in response to that. Lightning Ridge will call upon the Yu Yuan Archers in response to that. Then Cradle Mountain will unleash everything it has at Lightning Ridge... and Lightning Ridge will do the same.

Unless Aang can find a way to make the Tyrant Chin stand down, there will be war.

-o-

After this conversation, Aang feels he may have been a bit to hard of Avatar Kyoshi.

If there was a way for him to make this Chin conveniently fall to his death, he would gladly take it.

-o-

Aang and Cloud stay at the only safe border crossing between the two regions the next evening. They spent the day canvassing the border towns. Aang is fried. All day, his brain is frantically scrambling for a future solution while his mind is haunted by the past. He feels sure he is seeing them again, all his dearly beloved friends, reborn in these children and caught up in this dreadful conflict. Aang wants desperately to help them, to make the world a better and brighter place for them.

But the past keeps repeating itself in the most bizarre ways.

It will again before the night is out.

-o-

Around three in the morning, there is the most calamitous noise. A frantic knocking. An insistent banging and kicking on the old door. Aang is a light sleeper – something in the banging sets his teeth on edge.

It is trouble. Aang feels it in his bones.

While the innkeeper is still rousing from his bed, it is Aang that has already flown downstairs to open the door. The small cloaked figure responsible for the knocking instantly flees. Aang's first instinct is to chase, but then he sees what was left.

Kuzon, severely beaten and bleeding horribly from his face, lies unconscious on the ground at Aang's feet.

-0-

Aang lifts the boy into his arms as gently as if he was a basket of fresh eggs and takes him into the inn. He is aware he is being watched by a silent figure in the bushes. Everyone is awake in the inn now and there is much commotion over the wounded boy. Aang lays Kuzon on the nearest table. Cloud, always good in a crisis, immediately starts giving the boy first aid. It is she who notices the note tied around the boy's wrist.

-o-

Avatar Aang.

This Is Your Fault!

Make Him Better!

Or Else!

Write to Hiro who works in the that Dragon TeaShop in Ba Sing Se. He can take care of Kuzon!

-o-

Aang puts the odd note in his pocket while Cloud examines Kuzon. He is bruised everywhere. There's a broken wrist (defensive injury. He tried to fight back). There are broken ribs. (He's gotten knocked around really badly.) All that damage will heal in time – but the poor lad's face will bear the marks of this night forever.

There are huge gashes. They go from his forehead, through his eyebrow, to his cheek. It looks like someone took a jagged knife to the left side of the child's face. It's the mark of dishonour in Lightning Ridge. Three Jagged Lines. Always on the left side of the face. They do it to "cowards" in their army, Cloud explains. It is so that everyone will know their shame.

Aang feels a horrible cold feeling that is not dissimilar from guilt settle in his stomach.

"Poor lad, these will scar badly and there's nothing I can do about that," Cloud says softly as she wraps the boy's face in a soft bandage made from torn bedsheets. There are no medical facilities or supplies in this tiny town. Cloud is making do – but she is anxious to get the boy back to the temple, where they have trained healers and fully stocked medical supply rooms. She is worried about infection.

"Maybe he'll make them becoming. He might not mind being scarred in the end." Aang offers, trying to be optimistic and hating how his normally cheerful daughter is talking in such a defeatist tone.

"Can't imagine any child enjoying being marked like this. It's a tragic mutilation. He could have been handsome once, with a face like that." Cloud offers sadly, as she looks at the unblemished right side of Kuzon's face.

"He'll still be handsome." Aang argues, but even he doesn't quite believe it.

-o-

While Cloud secures Kuzon on Appa, and tries to make him comfortable for the journey, Aang takes a small moment to address the silent watcher, still in the bushes. Aang comes closer, the figure retreats into a small clearing, and Aang follows. The figure is so tiny. Aang can tell that it's only a child. He has a few guesses as to who it is – even though she determinedly covers her face with her hood.

" I received your note. We are doing everything we can for Kuzon. We will take him to the temple now where he can receive proper treatment. I will contact Hiro, but first I would like to know who exactly he is to the child." Aang says all this in a calm, genial tone.

The figure considers this for a second and judges it reasonable. "It's his Uncle." Elza lowers her voice to sound different and older, but Aang can still tell it is her.

His uncle...of course.

"He has to go to Uncle. He can't come home...ever." Elza continues. Her voice catches on the word ever.

"Thank you Elza, you did the right thing bringing him to me." Aang says, trying for a consoling tone. Elza gasps, removes her hood in a sharp gesture and glares straight at Aang, demanding "How did you know it was me?!" There is an accusation in her voice and a glint in her eye.

"I'm very clever." Aang replies evenly.

"That's not what everybody else says." Elza says, slightly sarcastically, trying to be funny. Aang is reminded sharply of Azula, standing tall and proud in an abandoned town, trying to joke at the expense of her brother. Go on, you can laugh, it's meant to be funny.

Suddenly the girl moves. She moves so quickly, reflexes as fast as an airbender's. She grips Aang's arm with her small hand and asks intently "Will Kuzon be alright?" Her hand grips his arm tighter. Aang is momentarily unnerved, but responds calmly "I hope so. High Priestess Cloud says he should recover from most of his injuries." Most, not all. The girl hears that, even though it remains unspoken. She lets go of Aang and slumps slightly.

She is very much like Azula and yet she is not at all like Azula at the same time. She obviously loves her brother. Perhaps this is the only thing of value Azula's spirit learned in her last life.

"Has he woken up?" she asks softly.

"Not yet."

"Well when he does tell him...tell him...oh! Just think of something good and tell him I said it. " She says that last bit in frustration. She is not used to saying kind things. She turns quickly and starts striding off. Aang sees a tethered ostrich horse by the fence.

Aang thinks two questions.

Spirits, did she ride the whole way with her injured, unconscious brother on an ostrich horse?

Spirits where is she going?

He asks the second.

"Back home, idiot. Have to get back by sun-up , so Dad never suspects I left." Elza explains, like Aang is a moron.

"No, don't go back to him!"Aang says sharply. He doesn't know the full story, but he knows that bad things happened to Azula when she was left alone with Ozai. He does not think that Elza will fare much better with Chin.

"I have to Avatar Aang. I have no choice." Elza is awfully resigned and resolute for someone so young.

"You do Elza, You always have a choice." Aang tries a final time. A note of pleading creeps into his voice. He couldn't save Sokka and Katara from losing their mother. He couldn't save Zuko from being horribly scarred. But maybe, just maybe, he can save Azula from her fate.

"You wouldn't understand." Azula says with a slight shake of her head, and then she gives her ostrich horse a slight kick and gallops off. Aang watches as her figure disappears into the darkness.

-o-

Kuzon wakes up on Appa, confused and disorientated and in a lot of pain, but he grimaces and grits his teeth and tries to pretend he is not hurting. He pretends he hasn't broken three ribs and yesterday wasn't the worst day of his life.

Goodness he is so much like Zuko that Aang almost expects a scolding and a firebending lesson from him.

Kuzon asks three questions. He asks what happened. He asks where they are taking him. He asks for his sister. Aang feels like all his answers are unsatisfactory.

Aang tries to cheer the boy up. "You'll like it with us Kuzon. The temple will be like your home, until you're feeling better and your Uncle can come and collect you. There's lots of exploring and fruit tarts and there's even some kids your age to play with."

The last thing seems to spark Kuzon's interest. They weren't allowed out much by their dad and Kuzon has never really had a chance to play with other children. "What other kids?" he asks, warily but curiously.

"A boy named Teo and a girl named Tara. I think you'll like them"

-0-

Author's notes:

Lovely readers, you have reached the end of the first chapter of The Curious Case of Avatar Aang. Thank you very much for reading and I hope you enjoyed it.

Those of you anxiously awaiting an update on Not Stalking Firelord Zuko: Don't Panic! It is coming – but this little story just crawled into my brain and took up all my creative energy for this last week. So this story is set far in the future of a world in which Zutara happened. So sorry if you love love love LOK – but I see the future of the Avatar world going differently. Some issues that were brought up in Korra, like bender privilege, will be utilised in this story, but aside from that LOK doesn't exist.

In fact I wanted to deal with a few things that really depressed me about Legend of Korra. I hated seeing Aang not really learn from his experiences and just hand a deux-ex-bending back to Korra at the end. I hated seeing that the benders actually were the oppressors and that this very salient point was just brushed aside and the whole issue was unsatisfactorily dealt with. I hated how actions didn't really have consequences and I really hated how young the Gaang all died. Why not set it 100 years in the future – so at least we know they all had a good innings?

So in this story, the spirit bending from ATLA finale has a big consequence for Aang. There is much debate about this ending (was Aang right/was this justified/etc). Rather than go into that, I feel that Aang's biggest problem would be that he would come to see energy bending as a 'easy way out' – a sort of get out of jail/my unpleasant duties for free card – mostly because it is treated as such by the series.

So when Aang plays the get out of jail free card again, when he is thirty six, the spirits pretty much say err no – go directly to jail, do not pass go and do not collect 200 dollars. His punishment of living and being young forever would have been a blast at the start – until the rest of the Gaang started aging.

The rest of the Gaang all lived until they were really incredibly ridiculously old in this universe – but they could not live forever. So now it is just Toph and Aang left (and you know that Toph would become one of those cool and sassy grandmas who gives her grandkids drumkits and is inappropriately honest with everyone.) Aang wants to spend all the time he can with Toph and I can just imagine her rolling her eyes and taking the piss out of him.

But something that was brought up in The Avatar and the Firelord – the possibility of re-incarnation – will be explored here. Aang's not the only one with past lives after all. So Aang will meet Zuko, Katara, Sokka and Suki, in their new lives and the bonds of friendship lasting between lifetimes will be tested. History will repeat itself. Aang will face old problems with new faces.

Pairings will be Zutara (obviously) and Sukka... Well now it will be Tara/Kuzon and Satsu/Teo...and platonic Taang.

Next chapter Kuzon will settle into life at the airtemple, and will be reunited with his Uncle. Toph will think Aang is tripping balls and going senile in his young age when he tells her about his discovery. She will want to test his hypothesis for herself. And shenanigans will ensue.

Til then lovely readers...