A/N: Another scene from the show turned into an angsty one-shot :)
To my regret, I wasn't able to participate in Kataang Week. But I hope to publish a very late entry . . . sometime.
As for "Rage: Aang's Other Side", I'm really sorry, but the next chapter will still most likely come out in December :( That said, I would like to thank everyone who supports the story and is still waiting for the next chapter. I really appreciate it :D
I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender.
Aang forced himself to his feet and looked around, taking in the situation. On his left, Zuko and Azula were poised and ready to fight with a whole army of Dai Li agents behind them. The other side was no better; Katara was using the Octopus Stance, bending furiously, though he knew that she was extremely exhausted.
He was no different. He felt like the only thing keeping him standing at the moment was his adrenaline and the instinct to protect Katara. His whole body was sore, every breath was an effort and he was pretty certain he now knew the meaning of "bruised and battered."
It was hopeless. To say that they were outnumbered was putting it mildly. The best they could hope for was to go down fighting.
Unless . . .
No, he thought instinctively. He knew there was another way, but he refused to consider it. It wasn't the solution he disapproved of, per se, but more of the method.
"The only way is to let her go," Guru Pathnik's voice echoed in his mind.
Let go . . . let go of why he was fighting for a better world, of what made him smile every day. Let go of friendship, support, comfort, kindness, and beauty. Let go of love.
Let go of Katara.
The very thought pained him. He loved her. More than she would have ever guessed. He had wanted nothing more than to make her happy, than to keep her safe.
And to do that, he had to give her up.
His heart was telling him not to, but reality was like a slap in the face, convincing him otherwise. If he let her go, he would be able to defeat Azula, Zuko, and the Dai Li. He would be able to save Katara. With mastery of the Avatar State, he had a better chance of defeating Ozai and saving the world.
The only price to pay was love. And only his heart would be broken. Not Katara's. It wasn't like she had any feelings for him, anyway, aside from that of a close friend. She wouldn't feel the pain Aang would feel.
And he could live with that. What was important was her. He would take any pain, if only so she wouldn't have to take any.
Maybe the ends really did justify the means.
"I'm sorry, Katara," he said, although she couldn't hear him.
He turned around and enclosed himself in a crystal prison. He then sat down, took a deep breath and meditated.
He was back in space, with the gigantic version of himself in front of him. This is going to save Katara, he told himself. With this in mind, he walked into the spinning ball of purple energy.
He closed his eyes. He imagined Katara moving farther and farther away from him. And with every step away, he could feel more power surging through him. He could also feel his heart being cut up in several places.
When he could barely make out her image, he opened his eyes. He was in the Avatar State; he knew it. He could feel it, the incredible power of every Avatar before him surging through him. Only this time, he was completely aware of everything going on. He could think straight. He didn't feel like a prisoner of his emotions. He didn't feel like he was watching his own body anymore. He had full control.
He could feel himself rising up slowly. He was so close. Katara's image was fading away into nothingness. All was well.
Or so he thought.
Suddenly, a sharp, intense pain shot throughout his entire body. It was something he had never experienced before; it felt like every nerve in his body was getting fried. The power he had felt only moments ago was completely gone.
The gigantic version of himself started fading, and eventually collapsed. The swirling ball of energy surrounding him disintegrated, and the next thing he knew, he was falling.
The continents got bigger at a dangerous speed. He closed his eyes, awaiting the impact of the earth.
To his surprise, he fell into the icy ocean instead. Water, he thought, shivering. In a weird way, he found some consolation in the fact that he would at least die wrapped in the arms of her element.
He then realized he was sinking. He tried bending and swimming, but only succeeded in flailing his arms around weakly.
It would only be moments before he drowned. And frankly, he didn't really care. He was numb andcold. The darkness he was slowly falling into offered to end it. It offered peace and rest, which at the moment, was all he wanted.
Just as he was about to fully give in, a blue light glowed. He opened his eyes, and to his surprise, saw Yue. She was smiling at him.
He wasn't sure how or why, but he suddenly found himself being drawn upward. As soon as his head broke through the surface, he gasped in a lungful of air. He was coughing and spluttering so much, and the sudden air in his lungs hurt. He wanted to sink back into the blackness again, but he suddenly felt warm.
There was something about the warmth. It was more . . . whole, more complete. It wasn't just heat . . . it was emotion as well. It spread throughout his entire being, and slowly brought back feeling to his body, no matter how little.
Unfortunately, this meant the pain had also returned. He felt a burning sensation, especially on his back and at the bottom of his right foot. A soft groan escaped his lips.
He heard a gasp, and realized he was not alone. He did his best to open his eyes, even if his eyelids felt like bricks.
Katara's face filled up his entire vision. Her hair, which was undone, whipped around her. Her cerulean eyes were teary and had on the happiest and most relieved expression he had ever seen on them. And unsurprisingly, she was still absolutely beautiful.
Instantly, he was reminded of everything he lived for. He remembered his friends, the world, the war. But most of all, he remembered her. How much he loved her, how much he needed her.
It took all of his energy to muster a weak smile. He completely forgot about the Avatar state, almost drowning, and the horrible pain. He was extremely happy and content to see her alive; everything he had gone through was worth it.
Katara pulled him close, and it felt incredibly good. He closed his eyes again, her relieved face the last image in his mind.
And that was all he needed.
As usual, reviews, constructive criticism, etc. are more than welcome :D