My Dear Readers,

I've thought long, I've thought hard, and it is with deep regret that I have decided.

For the moment, I have decided to cancel A.V.A.T.A.R.: Hunt for the Courier, and with it cancel Season 3; A.V.A.T.A.R.: The Old War Made New. This wasn't a decision I took lightly, but I just have to face facts that I may never have the time to finish it, and I feel guilty to give people the hope that I might.

As I've said before, the major reason A.V.A.T.A.R. was on hiatus was because it's in major need of a rewrite. As in completely. From the top. I read through past chapters of season 1 and 2, and I cringe at poor storytelling and bad grammar. Artirius, my main OC, was also frustrating me. The guy was becoming godlike in his Gary Sueness, and was in desperate need of a scale down (I'd also rename him as Atrius, which is a Roman name that I based it off, but at the time wanted a name that was my own, ala Gundam). You'll probably see what I was talking about later. I'd like to think I'm better now, and as such the stories deserve to better, but I have other projects to that need my attention (as in my own original ideas), and I just don't have the time to focus on every fan fiction I've written that needs finishing.

Another major reason that A.V.A.T.A.R. is outright cancelled, and not on hiatus like ZAFT's Archangel and Dragonoid, is that I'm simply not as interested in Avatar as I once was. I largely blame Korra for this. While I felt the animation was an improvement and the setting was new and interesting, I felt the first season was too rushed, but at the same time felt it didn't need the seasons that followed it. A single 20 episode Book of Air would have sorted out most of the problems I had with it, and maybe the other seasons could have been other Avatars. At any rate, it's hard to write for a fandom you don't relate to as much anymore, even though I thought A.V.A.T.A.R.'s Gundam-esque elements might have saved it, I'm sorry to say it just wasn't to be.

But I'm not completely heartless. Unlike other fan fictions, I actually knew where I wanted to go with A.V.A.T.A.R. for the most part. As such, I've written up a summery of the episodes I was going to write up for Hunt for the Courier and The Old War Made New, and I've posted them below. I know it's not the full thing, but I hope you'll agree that it's better than having no ending at all. You also might see why I felt it so desperately needed a rewrite, as the grand finale is the only real thing I'm truly proud of. If anyone does want to finish the story based on the summery, then let me know and I'll post a link (somehow) to it here, but please keep in mind that all original material integrated into A.V.A.T.A.R. belongs to me, as I may recycle elements of it into my other stories at a later date.

Anyway, below is a summery of what A.V.A.T.A.R. might have been, beginning with The Chase.

SEASON 2

HUNT FOR THE COURIER

The Chase would have had Alistair and crew being pursued by Azura and the Sovereignty across North America. As tensions run high, Alistair replaces Katara as being antagonistic towards Tali, as he is trying to integrate her into her new life while she refuses to let go of being the soldier she was designed to be. The chapter would run similar to the episode, culminating in the final battle in a ruined town. Zuko and Kiew would also engage Azura, but Kiew would have been killed saving Zuko's life. She would have been buried at the Oakridge graveyard, and Zuko would have made the decision to hide from his sister in Washington DC.

Avatar Day was a chapter written by the talented Sokka's Fan-Lawyer. Unfortunately I've lost the copy sent to me (I've recently transferred laptops, so it might still be on my old one), but from what I remember it was pretty faithful to the original episode.

Bitter Work had no chapter planned.

The Ship would have revolved around the search for an ancient crashed Silvairian ship, supposedly buried somewhere in the Mojave Desert. Alistair would have wanted it for its databases, in the hope of finding something to counteract the COMET System. Wang Shi Tong would have been the ship's computer A.I, corrupted due to millennia by itself. Sokka would have found an Neutron Jammer-like (Gundam SEED reference!) Black Energy device that would short out G.U.N.'s Rangers and other offensive units. Tong would have launched the ship to prevent Silvairian knowledge from being used. Azura attacks soon after, and (caught off guard) only Alistair tries to fight her, Artirius, Maia and Ty Lee. As the Sovereignty comes in guns blazing, Alistair tries to hold them all off to give the Avat time to escape. He is quickly overrun and is seemingly killed when the Avatar explodes.

Those That Walk The Desert and The Path Well Worn would have focused on the remains of the Gaang getting back across North America to Washington DC. Desert would have focused on Katara trying to take up Alistair's mantle, upgrading her Fortitude with spare Avatar parts to give people a symbol of hope. The Path Well Worn would have been her first attempt to put this symbol into practice. Jet would also have been introduced, either as an ex-boyfriend of Katara's from Australia who went to fight G.U.N. with a mercenary group or a terrorist they met in an unseen adventure. Zuko and Iroh would make it to DC with the help of the Order of the White Knight, as per canon.

Altegor's Teeth was pretty much where Artirius started going off the rails a bit. With Azura brining in a massive siege weapon to break down Washington's walls (Altegor being the man who designed it). Katara and Tali intercept, Azura and friends retaliate, and Artirius takes this moment to defect, revealing the Eternal to actually be the AVT-X103 Volatilis, and basically re-enacted the first launch of the 00 Gundam without killing anyone ("This is my…AVATAR!"). Altegor's Teeth is destroyed, Azura and co retreat and Artirius willingly gives himself up.

The Diaries of Adam Kroy would have been a flashback episode, told by an imprisoned Artirius to Katara as to how he came to be the pilot of an Avatar. Long story short, I took a lot of inspiration from Evangelion. Shorter story slightly longer, a secret division of the Black Core, Moonlight Shadow, was developing an Avatar Ranger that was essentially a shackled Avatar State on an island in the South Pacific. After being rescued from an escape capsule from Pacific Base, Adam was recruited to be the pilot. Eva N. Gelion was another pilot in the project (Someone Adam quickly became close to), and the abandoned G.U.N. base Alistair and Katara were shipwrecked on back in Together, Alone would have been one of his missions. Things went wrong, Eva was killed (possibly on purpose) and Adam went on a rampage wiping out Moonlight Shadow in the Avatar State. Lady Fina saved him, turning him into the Immortal Wanderer. Since then, Adam has gone through many alias, making friends and forging alliances. Artirius Meridiano is merely the latest alias he had, he implanted the memories of the attack on the G.U.N. base as part of his cover, and he wears a sash over his eyes to stop them from crystallising over with Avatarium crystals. He was also the illusionary Adam Kroy that Alistair saw during his time shipwrecked, which becomes the prove Katara needs to have him released into her custody.

City of Walls and Secrets Would have been the politics of the U.S.A.C. Long Feng (Probably with a different name) seems to control from the shadows, using his connection as head of NID (Stargate reference! And here they piloted Exo-Suits.) to enforce his law. Jet also gets captured trying to prove that Zuko is Zechariah Sozin.

Tales Of Ba Sing Se had no chapter planned, although The Diaries Of Adam Kroy was the planned replacement.

Appa's Lost Days had no chapter planned.

Below the Basin would have seen Katara and Co. trying to overthrow Long Feng. Finding Jet brainwashed, he leads them to an underground base under the Tidal Basin. In addition to finding damning evidence against him, they also find yet another Avatar, the AVT-X102 Denique (whose design was inspired by Gundam Wing's OZ-00MS Tallgeese), originally piloted by Eva and left with the American branch of Adam's alliance. Zuko, also invading the base, finds Alistair, surprisingly alive and frozen in Avatarium Crystal, (teleported to the Avatar by Fina). Long Feng attacks, Jet dies without ambiguity, Zuko frees Alistair and Alistair used the Denique to defeat him. There was a big reunion and much hugging and crying.

Eyes Forced Open focused on Alistair and the Gaang (And Artirius) convincing the President of the U.S.A.C. of Long Feng's treachery. The President would have been a bit more savvy than the Earth King, knowing things that Long Feng didn't. Long Feng was thrown in jail, just as Azura and friends infiltrate Washington.

The Matter of Choice Part I would have focused on Alistair learning to master the Avatar State with the help of the Immortal Wanderer (Only Katara knows his Artirius) and Lady Fina. It goes about as well as it does in canon. Meanwhile, Azura plots, Long Feng escapes and things quickly start going to hell in a hand cart.

The Matter of Choice Part II was more inspired by Gundam SEED than The Crossroads of Destiny. Azura takes control of the NID from Long Feng, and manages to confuse Zuko enough to have him take her side and attack Alistair, while she goes off to rendezvous with an incoming G.U.N. attack fleet coming in to capture the city. Artirius also apparently defects back to G.U.N., and together he and Zuko disable Katara's Fortitude and the Alistair's Denique. Iroh is also captured, helping Katara, Sokka and Tali escape. The President however, being more savvy than the Earth King and having been forewarned of the oncoming attack by the Immortal Wanderer, initiates the Omega Protocol, which orders the complete abandonment of the U.S.A.C.. Guided by the military (Who have subdued the NID and could have at any time), as across the country major cities launch their populations into space (Hence why the U.S.A.C. crowded so many people into these walled cities in the first place. Artirius meanwhile, who hasn't really defected, gives Alistair the Eternal, telling Azura that the Ranger was captured. Katara and Sokka escape on one of the starships, while Alistair and Tali (Her bandit equipped with a flight rig) keep Zuko (In his Dominance, given to him by Azura) , Maia and Ty Lee at bay before hitch a ride. The President and his cabinet (including Long Feng, who really doesn't want to be there.) sacrifice themselves to destroy Washington DC, and every other major city in nuclear fire once every ship has cleared, leaving Azura with hollow victory and a irradiated North America (It was mostly inspired by the Flight from Orb and Uzumi's destruction of the military facilities).

The epilogue would outline the surrender of the New Soviet Union after the fall of the U.S.A.C., leading to the formation of the Global Unified Nation. An uneasy peace fell across the world, until the Alliance of Free Colonies began their attacks.

Season 3

The Old War Made New

I didn't have Season 3 as well planned out as Season 2. I didn't even have chapter names ready for the most part. Most of what I knew for certain occurred after the series equivalent of the attack on the Fire Capital, and everything before that was leading up to it.

Story wise, five years would have passed. The Global Unified Nation rules the world with an iron fist, but has now come under attack by the Alliance of Free Colonies; the remnants of the U.S.A.C. who escaped to secretly built O'Neill class space colonies built by the U.S.A.C. and the Black Core (and later Adam's alliance). In addition, the Avatarium Union, a new nation organised by the Order of the White Knight as a haven from G.U.N., has arisen in secret on the ruins of the island that used to hold Moonlight Shadow. Jonah Rono Sayren (From the New Soviet Union) would have been high up in the ranks of the Union, and looking to take control of it for himself.

Alistair (In the Eternal), Katara (In an new Ranger I hadn't designed yet), Sokka (Running the show from a space carrier, the Line Ark (Armored Core reference!) and Tali (In an upgraded Bandit) are running the show in hit and run attacks; hitting G.U.N. where it hurts and then being sent up into space by the Union. The Alliance however is divided about its future, with some wanting to reclaim their homeworld while others want to leave it alone, believing Julius Sozin can't use the COMET System against the colonies. The first few episodes would be Alistair and company gathering allies to attack Berlin, as well as developing the Black Energy device to shut the city down during the invasion. Zuko meanwhile feels off about his return to his father's favour, despite his steady relationship with Maia. Artirius is also kicking around (and being kicked around by Azura), and he and Iroh try to help him see the light. Ty Lee is also around, but that's not really important until later. An episode explaining how Robert Sozin came across the COMET System and how the Black Core was formed would also happen at some point. Zuko would also send a killer android, built by Artirius, after the Avatar. The Gaang calls him Lazerface.

The Day of Black Energy, Part 1: The Invasion would have been fairly close to canon in terms of plot. Alistair and his allies are dropped into Berlin from space (But not before he tells Katara he loves her and kisses her), and the Black Energy Device works its magic. Zuko has a heart to heart with Maia, as does Artirius with Ty Lee, who he admits he loves. The Gaang invade the Palace of Sozin, only to find nobody home.

The Day of Black Energy, Part 2: The Black Energy Device was where things started getting out of hand. The Gaang try to find Julius Sozin, but only find Azura, who sets an army of DNIDAMs on them before fleeing. Meanwhile, in another place entirely, Zuko decides to defect, and with Artirius on his side, confronts his father telling him that G.U.N. only spreads fear and hatred, and in order to restore peace they will join the Avatar. Julius doesn't take this too well, and shoots Zuko, mortally wounding him. As Julius explains, this Zuko is actually a clone, one of many. As compensation for helping him take the throne of G.U.N. by killing his father, Annemarie's only request was to be allowed to take Zuko with her. At the time still wanting a male heir, a contract was made with the Sozin's mysterious benefactor. One clone was made, which age slightly faster than normal and whose aging process could be slowed down when he became an adult. Other clones, such as the Zuko now dying in Artirius' arms, are flash clones, designed to live only a few years to create memories for the primary clone. This isn't even the first time Zuko has died, with the first flash clone being killed in the duel with Julius that got him exiled, and the second killed when he fell over the rail in Last of the Black Core's Operation Moscow Dawn: Part I. The mysterious benefactor reveals himself to be Lord Koh, as well as more exposition. He explains that he gave access to the COMET System in order to win the Dark One's war against the House of Silvairian, pitting Lady Fina's allies against his own. With the Immortal Wanderer in his grasp however, he sees the end of the war within reach…until Artirius teleports himself and Zuko out of there. Lord Koh sees this as a sign for the finale of his war with Fina to begin, and Sozin orders the COMET System to be used on Berlin.

The Gaang meanwhile realise they've been played, and make their escape. Their allies scatter as the COMET System obliterates Berlin, and the Line Ark in orbit above it, killing thousands. Meanwhile, in the graveyard of the abandoned Oakridge, Artirius comforts a dying Zuko, before laying the clone to rest next to Kiew (This is one of the major things that was turning me off my own story. Artirius was now essentially replacing Zuko, and while I thought it put an interesting spin on things, I felt that Artie was becoming a borderline Gary Stu at this point, if he wasn't already).

The Sword of The Black Core, Excalibur would have had Fina sending dreams to Alistair, bringing the Gaang to an old Black Core base that sent them back into space. This in turn led them to the Excalibur, a massive Silvairian warship, armed to the teeth and making the perfect hiding spot and nerve centre from which they can take on the COMET System. Both the Alliance and the Union however are unwilling to commit ships and resources to such an attack, with the majority in the Alliance now firmly believing they are safe from the System if they do not attack the Earth. Artirius, who is technically Excalibur's Captain, tries to rejoin the group, but is denied by Katara for his previous betrayal, despite Alistair's attempts to reassure her that it was Artirius that gave him the Eternal. Some things happen, and Tali is almost killed when she sneaks up on Artirius, who then heals her to the point that he not only removes her cybernetics and somehow cure her blindness with his Immortal Wanderer crystal powers. He is only accepted, mostly, when Lazerface, who stowed away on the shuttle that brought them there, attacks, and Artirius has to go full on mini Avatar State to get rid of him (by way of Domon Kasha (G Gundam Reference!), as follows: "This heart of mine is burning white! It's beating pulse tells me to defeat you! Take this! My love, my anger AND ALL OF MY SORROW! BE GONE!"

At the time, I didn't see any problem with a character I created going full burning angel. Now I do, and it's another reason I want to rewrite this series from the top if I had the time.)

The Keepers would have shifted the episode's original focus from Aang and Zuko to Artirius and Tali. Artirius is drawn to the Moon, with Tali following him to try and repay the debt she thinks she owes him for giving her back her sight. As it happens, Lady Fina is guiding him to the last true Black Core base, Tranquility Base, where a group of scientists, led at some point by Professors Roku and Kyoshi. As with Moonlight Shadow, this base was developing another Avatar Ranger, based on the original Avatar (The AVT-X101 Exemplar in case you were wondering); The AVT-X104 Renatus. At the same time, the Avatarium Union comes under attack by G.U.N., and Jonah gets his ass handed to him. Artirius takes the Renatus and Tali takes a mass produced version I hadn't designed yet and together the pair launch with a squad of Black Core soldiers to take out the G.U.N. forces and depose Jonah. More mass produced versions are delivered to the Excalibur for Katara and Sokka and the Union forces on Earth, and the Eternal gets a new Assault pack, the Space pack. (For the main inspiration here, look no further than Gundam SEED Destiny and the first launch of the Akatsuki, heartfelt message from dead person and all. The major reason it was Artirius and not Alistair getting the Renatus was that Alistair still had the Eternal (AKA, the Avatar AVT-X103 Volatilis), which I had designed to be more powerful.)

Prison Colony Three Part I and Part II would have been the prison break episodes, with Artirius and Sokka breaking into an orbital G.U.N. prison colony to rescue Sokka's father and Suki, the latter captured following the destruction of the U.S.A.C.. Things are complicated by the arrival of Azrua and friends. Artirius is captured and its Maia and Ty Lee who interrogate him. They all escape, with Ty Lee helping the man she loves at the last minute and Maia joining in after learning that the Zuko she knew recently is dead, but the Zuko she knew as a child is still alive in exile. The crew of the Sovereignty would also make an appearance, and help Artirius, Sokka and their rescuees escape on their ship. Maia and Ty Lee are both captured however, and Azura starts to get more paranoid than she already was.

The Southern Raiders was a chapter I knew had to be done, but I didn't know how to do it. Probably It would have involved Katara and Artirius hunting down a G.U.N. death squad that killed her mother, but the important thing was that the pair were reconciled, albeit now as friends, seeing as Artirius admitted he fell in love with Ty Lee. Azura would also attack the Excalibur, probably near the ending rather than the beginning, Artirius would send the Sovereignty's crew, along with Sokka and Katara's father, with the Excalibur back to Colony Three to liberate Ty Lee and Maia, and then gather every ally they had left in the Alliance for one final attack against the COMET System. The Gaang, plus Suki and Artirius, headed back to Earth to rally the Union for the same cause.

The Ember Island Players had no chapter planned, although I did hope someone, perhaps Sokka's Fan-Lawyer, might have adapted it as the Gaang watching a movie or something.

And now, the grand finale: The Final Push: Parts I, II, III and IV. Julius Sozin, now away of the Alliance of Free Colonies locations, plans to use the COMET System to blow the colonies away one by one, thus obliterating Lady Fina's power base and making what few allies she had left easy pickings. Alistair and the co meet up with the Avatarium Union forces, and with them the alliance founded by Adam Kroy; the Order of the White Knight, whose members include Iroh, Mayor Bumi and Jason Giddion, While the force is small, it is all that stand between Lord Koh and total victory. Fina probably would have visited Alistair at some point, but it was more to talk about how this was the final battle than finding a peaceful way to end the war. Either Julius surrenders, or Julius dies (Remember, Alistair is a soldier, not a pacifist monk.) At this point, there would have been an affirmation of love between Alistair and Katara. Kissing, hugging, hopefully romantic.

The Union and the Order launch into space, and engage in a final battle with G.U.N.'s own star fleet, let by a now insane Azura with orders to protect the COMET System while Julius gets it into position. The battle is brutal, with G.U.N.'s sheer numbers overwhelming the Union and Order forces. Artirius and Katara take on Azura, while Sokka, Tali and Suki try to cut Alistair a path to the COMET System. At the apex of Part III, Suki is killed protecting Sokka (I was a bit of Tokka fan at the time. Sorry about that.). Meanwhile, Julius proves he isn't helpless, taking on Alistair with an Avatarium crystal powered Ranger of his own (Infernus…probably). As the pair clash, and all seems lost, Excalibur, captained by Ty Lee, and the fleets and Rangers of the Alliance, led by Maia, plus a few defecting G.U.N. ships and Rangers, enter the battle. The tides turn, and the new fleet overpowers G.U.N.. Azura manages to disable Katara, but in the process leaves herself open to be killed by Artirius as he cuts her Havoc in half. Artirius rescues Katara as Iroh, Ty Lee, Maia and the remains of the Gaang bring the combined fleets to victory.

But Lord Koh is having none of it. Taking control of Julius' mind, he enters him into a Void Avatar State (Was a placeholder name, kind of like the Avatar State's opposite). Lady Fina gives Alistair her strength, and he enters the Avatar State. The two super powered Rangers clash in the final battle, as Lord Koh and Lady Fina fight their last fight on another plain of existence. The COMET System is charged to fire a sweeping round that will not only annihilate the colonies, but also both fleets and Earth as well. Artirius, as warned by Lady Fina, warns all remaining ships of what is happening, and together, Alliance, Order, G.U.N. and the Gaang turn their guns on the COMET System.

The battle between Alistair and Julius, Lady Fina and Lord Koh continues, with Rangers tearing each other apart and the last of the Dark Ones and the House of Silvairian battling to the death. The battle would take them to the heart of the COMET System, where Julius and Koh gain the upper hand. The Eternal in ruins, and Lady Fina and Alistair left dying, Julius/Koh gloats at his inevitable victory, turning to leave the ruined Avatar to be incinerated by the COMET System's firing…

Until the Eternal stops the Infernus, and Fina holds Koh down. With the last of his energy, Alistair stabs Julius' Ranger and pins it to the key component, keeping the Eternal in place above him to stop him from escaping. Unable to escape, and unable to stop the COMET System due to the damage caused by the combined fleets, all Julius/Koh can do is scream as Alistair and Fina smile.

The COMET System fires, destabilises, then explodes.

Katara finds herself on another plain, or maybe it's a dream, she can't be sure. She meets Alistair, who apologises for being unable to come back to her. There are tears, kisses, and promises to be strong, before Alistair fades away, and Katara finds herself back in the cockpit of the Renatus with Artirius. Artirius has gone through a similar non-romantic experience with Lady Fina. The crystal in his heart has dispersed, and with Lady Fina gone, he is the Immortal Wanderer no more.

Meanwhile, G.U.N. forces have surrendered to Iroh and the Order of the White Knight directly. The Second Great War is finally over.

The Epilogue would be your standard Where-Are-They-Now chapter (Turn A Gundam's Tsuki no Mayu was the song playing when I thought about it). Taking place a few months later, the Global Unified Nation is in the process of being dismantled. The New Soviet Union is restored and Japan and Australia, such as they are, join the Avatarium Union, and there is a major cleanup in the old U.S.A.C. territories. The Order of the White Knight also integrates into the Union. Iroh has gone to search for Annemarie and the real Zuko, leaving Maia to lead G.U.N. during its dismantlement. Artirius (Now back to Adam Kroy) leads the Avatarium Union with Ty Lee by his side. Sokka leads the relief efforts with Tali as his bodyguard, and Katara is an ambassador for Earth to the Alliance of Free Colonies.

During one last party before the Gaang and their friends go their separate ways, Adam finds Katara on a balcony looking at the Moon, wondering if Alistair is watching over them. Adam reassures her of this, and the two return to the party. The story ends with a new Immortal Wanderer, implied to Alistair Aang, watching them leave from atop a nearby building, saying his unheard goodbyes and turns away to being Walking the Earth (Trope!)

THE END

So, there you have it. The rest of my story in a rather large nutshell.

Again, I am so sorry I had to finish it this way. Perhaps someday I may have the time to do this story justice, but right now I just don't.

I would like to thank you all for reading, reviewing, favouriting and following this series, in particular Sokka's Fan-Lawyer for sticking with it and contributing a couple of chapters and Tellemicus Sundance who helped me with Writer's Block on a couple of occasions. I feel like I've let you guys down the most, because you've got a lot of talent and you gave your time to me, only to have the story end like this. Also I'd like to thank NullChronicler (if he's still active) for trying to write up the Jet chapter. I know you never got round to finishing it, but I really appreciate that you took the time to try at least.

Well, that's all I have to say. Other than I really wasn't expecting it to end this way. For what it's worth, I hope you enjoyed reading this story, and I wish you all the best for the future, writing or otherwise.

With best wishes and regards,

Dearing