Well, I am sorry to report that this chapter will be the last in "A Dusting of Frost." I tried to make this chapter much longer than the previous ones, and actually re-wrote this one numerous times, trying to fit Meng in. I think she fits in pretty well. Another character is going to come in as well...

Anyway, without further ado, I present to you the finale.

Disclaimer: I'm just a fan of Avatar: The Last Airbender. I do not own it, I am not associated with it, and I sadly have nothing to do with it at all. I am just a very obsessed fan who took the time to write this piece. I also thank the writers, voice actors, artists, directors, and everybody else who had something to do with the making of Avatar.. without you guys, I wouldn't be writing this today! Whoa, I said that all in one breath...

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Jun

When I traveled back into the Earth Kingdom land, waves of spring grass flitted in the wind as a solo crow flew to a deceased nearby tree. The sound of snow melting was everywhere, and I could hear a rushing creek only a few hundred feet away from me. In the distant valley, I could see my destination. A large town nestled deep in the grove of pines that laid before me. Some called it the "Hunter's Market," others called it the "Illegal Trading Post." No matter what you called it, it was still the same thing.

If there was something you wanted to buy, you could get it there. Explosives, imported spirits, baby wildlife, lead weaponry, and even poisoned fruit.

If there was something you wanted to sell, even if you would be shunned for it, you could sell it there. The weight of the body draped over my shoulder was quite heavy, and I grinned at how much gold I could get for it.

Easily over a thousand gold pieces. It would be a challenge climbing down the cliff into the pines with his body, but it certaintly could be done. I had done it a few times before with heavier weights.

My toes hung over the edge of the cliffs, and I prepared myself. I took his body off of my shoulder, and rested it in my outstretched arms. Many people would have thought me insane, as I was the only person who even attempted to go down the cliffs in this manner, but I leaped off the edge and fell onto a ledge about twenty feet below. I readied myself for the next leap, and continued this way until I reached the bottom.

The pines were an endless maze to get through, especially holding a body in my arms, the thought of preserving it as I continued to the market my only concern. As I looked at his pained, scarred face, I almost regretted what I had done.

When I reached the market, a large shout emerged from the crowd. Me, covered in sweat, my hair down, and carrying a prize worthy of bounty hunters more experienced than I. A few people ran up to me, including a few pirates wanting to buy the body in my arms.

"I'll give you a hundred gold pieces for him!"

"I'll give you some Fire Nation wine!"

"I'll trade you my husband! Even dead, this body is much better than him!"

"No, no thank you. I'm looking for a heftier price, after all, I put up quite a fight to kill him."

"Quite a fight, you say?"

I turned around to come face to face with a man I hadn't seen in years. A man in combat and war. A man that used to be quite active in this trading town. He placed a hand on the body, to make sure it was genuine. After a moment, he closed his eyes and began a quiet, sinister laugh.

"I'll pay two thousand gold pieces for his body and the clothing on it."

"Clothing costs extra."

"How much extra, Jun?"

"I want a hundred gold pieces for his top, two hundred for his bottom half of the armor, Zhao."

"Too high. I'll just buy the body."

He handed me a leather bag of gold pieces, and I handed him the now naked body. He smirked at the cut in his neck, and placed him on the ground before covering him in his outer armour, which was much too big for Zuko.

"Let's go get an ale at the tavern."

"All right."

"You'll have to tell me about the fight."

---

Iroh

After the blizzard stopped, we walked back on the trail, and crossed the icy tundra until we made it to the ship, and ran down to the boiler room to warm up. To our sadness, Prince Zuko had not returned.

I keep assuring myself that he's probably made it back to the Fire Nation, and is trying to reclaim his honor. But he's failed. No, he's still venturing. Unless he flew to the Fire Nation. But that could never happen. Prince Zuko doesn't have wings, nor a glider, nor anything that could make him travel so quickly.

---

Zuko

I stood before the doors of the Fire Nation Palace, my first home, and what would always be my only home. I would reclaim my honor. As I opened the door, I saw the throne. My father had left it for me. I didn't know where he was, but he had left it for me. I sat down, and I looked over the nation. A few children played on the grounds with little paper dragons, and I looked at the hills and the port where I was banished. But they were in shadow, and the land belonged to me. I stood up and looked over the balcony, and felt the wind gently lapping at my face.

I saw the Fire Lord's robe hanging in a glass case, and I sneakily put it on. It was too large for me, but I didn't care. I walked over to the mirror on the other wall, and held a pose, and was shocked at what I saw.

My scar was gone. I had my old face back, the face from when I was younger. I spoke, and the ring of my younger voice brightened my face. But I turned around to see my father take my robes away, and then grab me in his arms, go straight to the balcony, and drop me.

But wings emerged from my back, wings of firey hues. I flew up, over the nation, and looked downward, smiling happily at what I saw. I flew right back into the palace and down to my old room, which had been happily preserved for me. I rested in my bed, and looked up at the ceiling, a firey red to match the rest of the palace.

I was home.

In my spiritual form, I was home.

---

Sokka

"Yuki ya, kon kon
Arare ya, kon kon
Futte wa, futte wa
Zoon zoon tsumoruv Yama mo nohara mo,
Wata boshi kaburi
Kareki nokorazu hana ga saku."

That song played in my head as I impatiently awaited Katara and Aang in Aunt Wu's quarters. Yes, we returned to that village, and I was certaintly not happy about being treated as an outsider. Next to me, Meng, the "assistant" of Aunt Wu, sat. She kept looking at me in the oddest ways. She seemed to be examining the side of my head. She scratched her own head as she continued to look at me with interest. Eventually, she spoke.

"You have some pretty big ears, don't you?"

I buried my head.. and my ears in my hands and knees.

---

Katara

When Aunt Wu told my fortune, Aang and I smiled at each other. I was to heal completely, and quickly as well. When Aang asked about MY love life, Aunt Wu chuckled and read both of our palms at the same time. After a moment of contemplation, she predicted,

"You will have three children, a boy and two girls. The boy will be an airbender, the girls will be waterbenders. The boy will go on to help create a new nation of Airbenders. Is there anything else you need to know?"

We could both feel blushes on our faces, and I shook my head, while Aang asked about the more private details. If I hadn't been weak, I would have run to the door and left.

For while I like him, there is no way I needed to know that information. When she was finished speaking to Aang and me, Aang left, and I was supposed to follow him out. Aunt Wu helped me up, and I was about to leave.

"Don't worry, honey. You aren't going to have three children with Aang."

"No?"

"You will have three children with somebody you are going to meet in your travels.

"What about the Airbender?"

"This boy will still take to the skies."

---

Finished! Let me clear something up - This fanfiction takes place after "The Fortuneteller," but before "The Northern Air Temple."

Ah, I love strange pairings. If you didn't understand who it was that Aunt Wu was referring to, well, it's somebody in "The Northern Air Temple."

Okay, now, the little things that I'm going to quickly explain.

Prince Zuko is now an Angel. Yes, I warned you this was an abstract piece. Jun killed him and Zhao bought him but did not buy his clothes. Zhao was possibly wearing something underneath the armour. Re-reading this chapter, I wondered about that. I think it's best left to the reader to decide that.

I know that I could make a sequel to this, and there's a good chance that I might, if requested.

Thank you to all of the readers and reviewers. I hope that you enjoyed this piece of work, and I am pleased to inform you that it, unlike "Empathy," will not be edited in any way. It will stay as is forever! Yay!

-- Koikitten