Kamen Rider Tams
11-15-2008, 12:09 AM
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. That honor belongs to Nick Studios, Mike, and Bryan. This story is for entertainment purposes only.
The Avatar Returns
Chapter 1
By: Kadeana
The legend of Avatar Aang was a humbling one. A boy of only twelve, thought to be the last of the Air Nomads, ending the evil reign of the Fire Nation in an epic battle; then disappearing as swiftly as he appeared. Avatar Aang escaped death twice, to achieve this goal.
Fate was not willing to let him thwart destiny with something as trivial as death.
There were many different versions of the Legend of Aang, but Kuzon did not see his true self in any of them. How could he really be that legendary person?
Fire Lord Iroh and Prince Zuko believed it so, and sometimes when Kuzon stared through a mirror, the innocent boy he once was stared back at him.
He and Aang had the same tattoos. The same eyes. They loved animals. Animals had been Kuzon's constant companions for years. Kuzon could bend air and now fire since Prince Zuko had taken him under his wing.
Only the Avatar could master all the elements.
Kuzon hated to be the center of attention. He wanted to blend in and disappear amongst the crowd.
Fire Lord Iroh had made it impossible for him to do this. Kuzon was not yet ready to greet the people of the four nations. He wanted to go back to his caves and be forgotten forever.
Already the people were gathering. Prince Zuko invited his closest friends to stay with him during this historic event. His close friends were Aang's old gang. They would expect things from Kuzon that he could not deliver.
They would all expect him to be Aang and he had forgotten how to be Aang years ago; four years to be exact.
Kuzon wished Prince Zuko was Fire Lord. He understood Kuzon's reservations. Reservations that only added to his own feelings of doubt. Prince Zuko believed that Kuzon was vulnerable without remembering how he mastered waterbending or earthbending. It was Zuko's wish that he mastered all the elements before being presented before the nations.
Fire Lord Iroh wanted the state of unrest in the world to end. That unrest would disappear with the return of the Avatar.
Kuzon understood this line of thinking and even agreed. He just wished he wasn't the one who was supposed to stay the fears of the people of the nations. He could not even conquer his own fears.
* * *
Prince Zuko stalked his office like a caged animal. He hated being stationary like this. Every since the day that Avatar Aang had defeated Phoenix Lord Ozai, Zuko had been on the move.
After the war, his first mission had been to look for the lost Aang. That mission ended in failure. Kuzon had confirmed that he hid when the White Lotus Society agents came close to his location. With no memory of being Avatar Aang, he thought that they meant to harm him.
The White Lotus Society—also known as WLS—was a secret society made up of a group of men and women who were descendants of Avatars of the past. The group had been around for centuries fighting for the weak and the innocent. They were one of the major forces that stood between the Fire Nation and total world domination for over a hundred years.
Prince Zuko, descendant of Avatar Roku, had been approached by them, after Katara of the Southern Water Tribe and he had separated from the Avatar's group to find the Fire Nation navel group called the Southern Raiders. The Southern Raiders had been responsible for the death of Katara's mother.
Zuko and Katara had been overpowered by the White Lotus Agents sent to capture Zuko and take him to their leader. The two had thought that all was lost until the leader of the White Lotus Society was revealed to them.
Once Zuko saw her, he knew that Katara and he would be safe.
It was such poetic justice that Katara wanting to confront the people who killed her mother, had led him to be found by his mother. Katara had closed a chapter in her life and thus opening another chapter in his life. Lady Ursa, banished wife of Fire Lord Ozai, was the leader of the White Lotus Society.
Lady Ursa, with Uncle Iroh by her side, wanted Zuko to lead the White Lotus Society against the Fire Nation in the upcoming final stand against Fire Lord Ozai and Princess Azula. It had always been Ursa's wish for Zuko to be the leader of The White Lotus Society and Iroh had been using the time of Zuko's banishment to prepare him for that role. After hearing the history of the Society and all the good they had done, Zuko accepted without hesitation.
The next few years after the war, Zuko spent helping to rebuild the nations that his family destroyed. He and his loyal band of WLS agents went from city to city, not only helping in the rebuilding process but actually designing the buildings they were rebuilding. Well, Zuko did the designing. He never was good with the actual building, but he also helped to carry the building supplies.
The White Lotus Society was very wealthy and as their leader, Zuko made the decision on what they spent their money on. Spending a lot of it on rebuilding the four nations was a no-brainer for him.
If some of the people of the different nations, even of his own nation, had known that Prince Zuko had been a part of these rebuilding efforts, there would have been many assassination attempts on his life. Zuko had disguised himself during these many excursions. He was a lethal assassin disguised as the lowly personal servant of the “leader” of the White Lotus Society. He covered his scar with a mask of cloth that almost covered his entire face. The only parts of his face that was exposed was the lower portion of his nose and his mouth.
Only one person had been able to look past the disguise and see the real man behind it. She knew his smell, the sound of the pattern of his footfalls. This person was blind but knew him. She had told her mother of his identity who then wrote his secret to her friend in the Southern Water Tribe.
That series of innocent events turned out very interesting for Zuko.
He could not help but smile over the memory of blue eyes that called to him like the ocean, lushes lips, and steamy embraces. He stopped pacing, lost in memories of his waterbender, when his small second shadow collided with his legs.
Startled, he snapped out of his memories to look down at his son. Wide golden eyes stared up at him. Those eyes and that face was so much like his fathers; so much like his own. “Losing your touch, Iroh?”
The small boy smiled, very pleased to be acknowledged by his father. Father had changed in the pass few months. The boy had grown accustomed to spending all his time in the nursery with the nanny or secretly training with his Aunt in their secret place. He idolized Father and one day hoped to be just like him. Father was his world.
“Sorry,” he said rather sheepishly. Little Iroh grinned nervously.
“There is nothing to apologize for Little Dragon.” Zuko could tell that Iroh took pleasure in the nickname his father recently bestowed upon him.
Zuko could freely admit that he now loved the child and it took some major spirit bending from his waterbender to achieve this task. She almost water whipped him threw a wall when she found out how little time he spent with Iroh; how he neglected the child; how he secretly despised him.
Zuko could freely admit that he had neglected Iroh and even despised him at one time in his life.
“Good,” Iroh declared. The boy left soon afterwards. Zuko had a meeting with someone who used to be very important to him and Aang and did not want Iroh underfoot.
Zuko wanted Aang to be surrounded by his real friends. He wanted Aang to be taught bending the elements by his original teachers.
Toph Bei Fong would be arriving soon. She had opted to stay at the palace with her family than reside with Zuko. His relationship with Toph was . . . complicated. When Aang died, Toph broke away from the group. She went home back to her parents.
Toph went out of her way to trash her relationship which each and every one of them. It was a complicated job for her to pull off but she did it and he knew nothing less than the truth would keep her here.
* * *
“Why would you summon me?” Toph Bei Fong muttered. Her sightless, pale green eyes stared just over Prince Zuko's shoulder. It looked as if she was focusing her anger on the Fire Nation soldier behind him. She had perfect posture, her back straight with her hands clasped together and resting daintily on her lap. She wore a robe of white satin, trimmed in dark green. She was truly a noble born of the Earth Nation. Traces of the old Toph were gone. Zuko wanted the old Toph back. “I told you that I didn't want anything to do with any of you!”
Prince Zuko looked at his verbal opponent with a narrowed eye. Her pretty face was a mask of defiance. Only the truth would make her stay. She truly hated them all. “It's about the Avatar.”
“I could care less about the new Avatar.”
“There is no new Avatar.”
Confusion clouded her face. “Then why are we all here? This better not be some idiotic scheme for you to get Sweetcakes in your clutches.” The games between the two was the reason they lost Aang in the first place.
If Aang had not been so angry at Katara, he would have taken Toph along with him and she would have been there to save him in the end. The enemies around him would have been crushed by the Earth beneath Toph's feet. She inwardly relished when saying those very thoughts aloud caused a look of great distress and sadness to swim across Zuko's face. Her hatred for Zuko and Katara morphed her pretty face into a mask of hostility.
* * *
To Kuzon that look meant that she was about to attack Prince Zuko. He tensed putting his hand on Zuko's shoulder ready to defend him. Zuko's hand, which was resting on his desk, balled into fist signaling for Kuzon to stand down. He dropped his hand from his friend's shoulder but was still on high alert. This dainty young woman appeared to be as harmless as a baby turtleduck but Kuzon knew with bending involved, looks could be very deceiving. Prince Zuko told him of the destruction that this pretty girl could cause with a few movements of her flawless hands.
“I found our Aang. He's alive.”
As the minutes passed, Kuzon's gray eyes watched her closely for her reaction. Give me a reason to trust you.
Zuko's six words seemed to work as a spell, casting the armor of hatred and hostility for the powerful Earthbender's delicate shoulders. Kuzon watched surprised as a cocky smirk—that belonged on a pirate—graced her bow shaped lips.
“Where is he?”
“Close,” Zuko replied vaguely.
“What happened to him?” Toph asked softly. “He left us feeling betrayed, angry, and hurt . . . but I know that he would have contacted at least one of us over the years if he was able to.”
Kuzon wanted to hug her but was too cautious to make a move. She didn't hate Aang or blame him for a horrible situation that was beyond his control, but that did not mean she was not a threat to Kuzon. She seemed so angry before . . . but it was in Aang's defense.
“Amnesia,” Zuko replied. “He was living in caves only a few miles from where he and my father fell.”
“I thought that you searched for him,” Toph said softly.
“I did but I did not anticipate him hiding from me. He thought that my White Lotus Agents and I meant to do him harm.”
* * *
“Where is he?” Toph asked. The soldier—who had not been interesting enough to turn her attention away from the Prince's and his news—moved, gaining her full attention. Her sightless eyes widened as he walked toward her. The vibration of his heartbeat and the familiar feel of his footfalls on the floor as he made his way to her side were so familiar to her feet. Great Badgermoles!
Toph visibly shook, her eyes closing so tears would not escape. Aang. The person who had awarded her with the gift of freedom had returned.
He bent down to one knee and said close to her ear, “Blind Bandit.” His voice had changed. The times were gone where she could she tease that her voice was more masculine than his. It was deep . . . powerful . . . commanding . . . adult. And to call her Blind Bandit; a title that had not been directed at her for years . . . Aang.
“Toph . . . this is Kuzon,” Zuko said his voice breaking her spell. “This is Aang . . . The Lost Avatar.”
“Thanks for pointing out the obvious Dragon.” She felt how Aang's heartbeat turned to panic when he was addressed by his real title. “Kuzon, huh? You seem awfully fond of that name.” She restrained herself by hitting him on the shoulder with her elbow. This move proved her happiness and affection in his return without embarrassing them both into the dust between her toes.
“I gave him that name,” Zuko replied quickly.
“Big whoop,” Toph replied dryily. “Are you fishing for compliments . . . because this moment isn't worthy of one dear Dragon.”
Toph had taken to calling him Dragon after shrewdly observing that his element was fire and that he pranced around—like one of the creatures would if it they were still prancing around—and he was equipped with a personalty she figured a holier-than-thou dragon would have. When he had tried to stop her by telling her that his uncle's nickname was Dragon of the West she just declared that he was Dragon of the Drama.
Agni, he had missed this little one.
“Dragon,” Kuzon repeated amused.
That voice would take some getting used to. “How is the earthbending coming Kuzon?” Toph asked, startling him by hiking up her pretty robes and raising her small feet to prop them on Zuko's desk. Her head was resting on her cupped hands, which were resting against the back of the comfy chair.
Those little feet seemed out-of-place on Zuko's grand desk. “I do not remember how to earthbend,” Kuzon replied honestly. She sat up quickly, startling him again and then slammed her right fist on the desk. Kuzon looked at the small seemingly delicate hand and felt familiar yet unknown feelings of fear and anticipation running through his veins.
“Sounds like a job for The Blind Bandit.” She smiled almost evilly.
* * *
Author's Notes: As you can see, I deviated from Book Three. In this story, Zuko left the Fire Nation much earlier than he did in that season. The White Lotus Society is something much bigger and symbolic than what we got in the original season. Little Iroh's thoughts about training with his aunt reveals that Azula's fate is different from what happened in Book Three and it is all because of the return of Ursa. That is all for now. This story won't be updated often because I am working on other stories and I have an externship and class to worry about.
This is a Zutara and Tophaang story so beware.
The Avatar Returns
Chapter 1
By: Kadeana
The legend of Avatar Aang was a humbling one. A boy of only twelve, thought to be the last of the Air Nomads, ending the evil reign of the Fire Nation in an epic battle; then disappearing as swiftly as he appeared. Avatar Aang escaped death twice, to achieve this goal.
Fate was not willing to let him thwart destiny with something as trivial as death.
There were many different versions of the Legend of Aang, but Kuzon did not see his true self in any of them. How could he really be that legendary person?
Fire Lord Iroh and Prince Zuko believed it so, and sometimes when Kuzon stared through a mirror, the innocent boy he once was stared back at him.
He and Aang had the same tattoos. The same eyes. They loved animals. Animals had been Kuzon's constant companions for years. Kuzon could bend air and now fire since Prince Zuko had taken him under his wing.
Only the Avatar could master all the elements.
Kuzon hated to be the center of attention. He wanted to blend in and disappear amongst the crowd.
Fire Lord Iroh had made it impossible for him to do this. Kuzon was not yet ready to greet the people of the four nations. He wanted to go back to his caves and be forgotten forever.
Already the people were gathering. Prince Zuko invited his closest friends to stay with him during this historic event. His close friends were Aang's old gang. They would expect things from Kuzon that he could not deliver.
They would all expect him to be Aang and he had forgotten how to be Aang years ago; four years to be exact.
Kuzon wished Prince Zuko was Fire Lord. He understood Kuzon's reservations. Reservations that only added to his own feelings of doubt. Prince Zuko believed that Kuzon was vulnerable without remembering how he mastered waterbending or earthbending. It was Zuko's wish that he mastered all the elements before being presented before the nations.
Fire Lord Iroh wanted the state of unrest in the world to end. That unrest would disappear with the return of the Avatar.
Kuzon understood this line of thinking and even agreed. He just wished he wasn't the one who was supposed to stay the fears of the people of the nations. He could not even conquer his own fears.
* * *
Prince Zuko stalked his office like a caged animal. He hated being stationary like this. Every since the day that Avatar Aang had defeated Phoenix Lord Ozai, Zuko had been on the move.
After the war, his first mission had been to look for the lost Aang. That mission ended in failure. Kuzon had confirmed that he hid when the White Lotus Society agents came close to his location. With no memory of being Avatar Aang, he thought that they meant to harm him.
The White Lotus Society—also known as WLS—was a secret society made up of a group of men and women who were descendants of Avatars of the past. The group had been around for centuries fighting for the weak and the innocent. They were one of the major forces that stood between the Fire Nation and total world domination for over a hundred years.
Prince Zuko, descendant of Avatar Roku, had been approached by them, after Katara of the Southern Water Tribe and he had separated from the Avatar's group to find the Fire Nation navel group called the Southern Raiders. The Southern Raiders had been responsible for the death of Katara's mother.
Zuko and Katara had been overpowered by the White Lotus Agents sent to capture Zuko and take him to their leader. The two had thought that all was lost until the leader of the White Lotus Society was revealed to them.
Once Zuko saw her, he knew that Katara and he would be safe.
It was such poetic justice that Katara wanting to confront the people who killed her mother, had led him to be found by his mother. Katara had closed a chapter in her life and thus opening another chapter in his life. Lady Ursa, banished wife of Fire Lord Ozai, was the leader of the White Lotus Society.
Lady Ursa, with Uncle Iroh by her side, wanted Zuko to lead the White Lotus Society against the Fire Nation in the upcoming final stand against Fire Lord Ozai and Princess Azula. It had always been Ursa's wish for Zuko to be the leader of The White Lotus Society and Iroh had been using the time of Zuko's banishment to prepare him for that role. After hearing the history of the Society and all the good they had done, Zuko accepted without hesitation.
The next few years after the war, Zuko spent helping to rebuild the nations that his family destroyed. He and his loyal band of WLS agents went from city to city, not only helping in the rebuilding process but actually designing the buildings they were rebuilding. Well, Zuko did the designing. He never was good with the actual building, but he also helped to carry the building supplies.
The White Lotus Society was very wealthy and as their leader, Zuko made the decision on what they spent their money on. Spending a lot of it on rebuilding the four nations was a no-brainer for him.
If some of the people of the different nations, even of his own nation, had known that Prince Zuko had been a part of these rebuilding efforts, there would have been many assassination attempts on his life. Zuko had disguised himself during these many excursions. He was a lethal assassin disguised as the lowly personal servant of the “leader” of the White Lotus Society. He covered his scar with a mask of cloth that almost covered his entire face. The only parts of his face that was exposed was the lower portion of his nose and his mouth.
Only one person had been able to look past the disguise and see the real man behind it. She knew his smell, the sound of the pattern of his footfalls. This person was blind but knew him. She had told her mother of his identity who then wrote his secret to her friend in the Southern Water Tribe.
That series of innocent events turned out very interesting for Zuko.
He could not help but smile over the memory of blue eyes that called to him like the ocean, lushes lips, and steamy embraces. He stopped pacing, lost in memories of his waterbender, when his small second shadow collided with his legs.
Startled, he snapped out of his memories to look down at his son. Wide golden eyes stared up at him. Those eyes and that face was so much like his fathers; so much like his own. “Losing your touch, Iroh?”
The small boy smiled, very pleased to be acknowledged by his father. Father had changed in the pass few months. The boy had grown accustomed to spending all his time in the nursery with the nanny or secretly training with his Aunt in their secret place. He idolized Father and one day hoped to be just like him. Father was his world.
“Sorry,” he said rather sheepishly. Little Iroh grinned nervously.
“There is nothing to apologize for Little Dragon.” Zuko could tell that Iroh took pleasure in the nickname his father recently bestowed upon him.
Zuko could freely admit that he now loved the child and it took some major spirit bending from his waterbender to achieve this task. She almost water whipped him threw a wall when she found out how little time he spent with Iroh; how he neglected the child; how he secretly despised him.
Zuko could freely admit that he had neglected Iroh and even despised him at one time in his life.
“Good,” Iroh declared. The boy left soon afterwards. Zuko had a meeting with someone who used to be very important to him and Aang and did not want Iroh underfoot.
Zuko wanted Aang to be surrounded by his real friends. He wanted Aang to be taught bending the elements by his original teachers.
Toph Bei Fong would be arriving soon. She had opted to stay at the palace with her family than reside with Zuko. His relationship with Toph was . . . complicated. When Aang died, Toph broke away from the group. She went home back to her parents.
Toph went out of her way to trash her relationship which each and every one of them. It was a complicated job for her to pull off but she did it and he knew nothing less than the truth would keep her here.
* * *
“Why would you summon me?” Toph Bei Fong muttered. Her sightless, pale green eyes stared just over Prince Zuko's shoulder. It looked as if she was focusing her anger on the Fire Nation soldier behind him. She had perfect posture, her back straight with her hands clasped together and resting daintily on her lap. She wore a robe of white satin, trimmed in dark green. She was truly a noble born of the Earth Nation. Traces of the old Toph were gone. Zuko wanted the old Toph back. “I told you that I didn't want anything to do with any of you!”
Prince Zuko looked at his verbal opponent with a narrowed eye. Her pretty face was a mask of defiance. Only the truth would make her stay. She truly hated them all. “It's about the Avatar.”
“I could care less about the new Avatar.”
“There is no new Avatar.”
Confusion clouded her face. “Then why are we all here? This better not be some idiotic scheme for you to get Sweetcakes in your clutches.” The games between the two was the reason they lost Aang in the first place.
If Aang had not been so angry at Katara, he would have taken Toph along with him and she would have been there to save him in the end. The enemies around him would have been crushed by the Earth beneath Toph's feet. She inwardly relished when saying those very thoughts aloud caused a look of great distress and sadness to swim across Zuko's face. Her hatred for Zuko and Katara morphed her pretty face into a mask of hostility.
* * *
To Kuzon that look meant that she was about to attack Prince Zuko. He tensed putting his hand on Zuko's shoulder ready to defend him. Zuko's hand, which was resting on his desk, balled into fist signaling for Kuzon to stand down. He dropped his hand from his friend's shoulder but was still on high alert. This dainty young woman appeared to be as harmless as a baby turtleduck but Kuzon knew with bending involved, looks could be very deceiving. Prince Zuko told him of the destruction that this pretty girl could cause with a few movements of her flawless hands.
“I found our Aang. He's alive.”
As the minutes passed, Kuzon's gray eyes watched her closely for her reaction. Give me a reason to trust you.
Zuko's six words seemed to work as a spell, casting the armor of hatred and hostility for the powerful Earthbender's delicate shoulders. Kuzon watched surprised as a cocky smirk—that belonged on a pirate—graced her bow shaped lips.
“Where is he?”
“Close,” Zuko replied vaguely.
“What happened to him?” Toph asked softly. “He left us feeling betrayed, angry, and hurt . . . but I know that he would have contacted at least one of us over the years if he was able to.”
Kuzon wanted to hug her but was too cautious to make a move. She didn't hate Aang or blame him for a horrible situation that was beyond his control, but that did not mean she was not a threat to Kuzon. She seemed so angry before . . . but it was in Aang's defense.
“Amnesia,” Zuko replied. “He was living in caves only a few miles from where he and my father fell.”
“I thought that you searched for him,” Toph said softly.
“I did but I did not anticipate him hiding from me. He thought that my White Lotus Agents and I meant to do him harm.”
* * *
“Where is he?” Toph asked. The soldier—who had not been interesting enough to turn her attention away from the Prince's and his news—moved, gaining her full attention. Her sightless eyes widened as he walked toward her. The vibration of his heartbeat and the familiar feel of his footfalls on the floor as he made his way to her side were so familiar to her feet. Great Badgermoles!
Toph visibly shook, her eyes closing so tears would not escape. Aang. The person who had awarded her with the gift of freedom had returned.
He bent down to one knee and said close to her ear, “Blind Bandit.” His voice had changed. The times were gone where she could she tease that her voice was more masculine than his. It was deep . . . powerful . . . commanding . . . adult. And to call her Blind Bandit; a title that had not been directed at her for years . . . Aang.
“Toph . . . this is Kuzon,” Zuko said his voice breaking her spell. “This is Aang . . . The Lost Avatar.”
“Thanks for pointing out the obvious Dragon.” She felt how Aang's heartbeat turned to panic when he was addressed by his real title. “Kuzon, huh? You seem awfully fond of that name.” She restrained herself by hitting him on the shoulder with her elbow. This move proved her happiness and affection in his return without embarrassing them both into the dust between her toes.
“I gave him that name,” Zuko replied quickly.
“Big whoop,” Toph replied dryily. “Are you fishing for compliments . . . because this moment isn't worthy of one dear Dragon.”
Toph had taken to calling him Dragon after shrewdly observing that his element was fire and that he pranced around—like one of the creatures would if it they were still prancing around—and he was equipped with a personalty she figured a holier-than-thou dragon would have. When he had tried to stop her by telling her that his uncle's nickname was Dragon of the West she just declared that he was Dragon of the Drama.
Agni, he had missed this little one.
“Dragon,” Kuzon repeated amused.
That voice would take some getting used to. “How is the earthbending coming Kuzon?” Toph asked, startling him by hiking up her pretty robes and raising her small feet to prop them on Zuko's desk. Her head was resting on her cupped hands, which were resting against the back of the comfy chair.
Those little feet seemed out-of-place on Zuko's grand desk. “I do not remember how to earthbend,” Kuzon replied honestly. She sat up quickly, startling him again and then slammed her right fist on the desk. Kuzon looked at the small seemingly delicate hand and felt familiar yet unknown feelings of fear and anticipation running through his veins.
“Sounds like a job for The Blind Bandit.” She smiled almost evilly.
* * *
Author's Notes: As you can see, I deviated from Book Three. In this story, Zuko left the Fire Nation much earlier than he did in that season. The White Lotus Society is something much bigger and symbolic than what we got in the original season. Little Iroh's thoughts about training with his aunt reveals that Azula's fate is different from what happened in Book Three and it is all because of the return of Ursa. That is all for now. This story won't be updated often because I am working on other stories and I have an externship and class to worry about.
This is a Zutara and Tophaang story so beware.