Chapter One – We Meet Again
"There is unbalance Aang," Avatar Roku said. The past and present avatars looked at each other in silence for a moment.
"I know," Aang said. "I've felt it ever since I defeated Ozai." Aang had only meant to meditate before going to bed and had found himself in the spirit world where Avatar Roku was waiting for him.
"Do you have the strength necessary to move forward?" Roku asked. Aang thought back to the kiss he shared with Katara. It seemed like so long ago that they were all happily resting from the exertions of war. But all good things end and it was not long after that before Sokka and Suki had disappeared leaving only a note of their intentions to find Sokka's lost sword and boomerang. Firelord Zuko had left along with Mai, Iroh, and strangely enough, Toph, in order to follow a lead on his mother. Katara and Aang had flown to the Southern Water Tribe only to find that the tribe was on its way to becoming a great city. He knew his body was still in his room, across the hall from where Katara's room was located and he wondered if she had been hoping to see him at that very moment. A small shiver ran down his spine.
"Do I need to begin now?" Aang asked, feeling a lump form in his throat. He had gotten used to the idea of relaxing.
"Our actions cause reactions in the most unexpected places Aang," Roku said. "You rediscovered a talent long forgotten and the world has changed because of it. When you robbed Ozai of his bending, you sent a spark through all of time, awakening a spirit that many thought to be eternally silenced."
"I woke a spirit? How long has he been asleep? Is he mad at me?" Aang asked every question as quickly as they came into his thoughts.
"Masaru the Pilferer," Roku said. "I do not know his history, nor do I know where he first showed up in our lives, but I do know that we have been locked in battle with Masaru for a very long time Aang."
"Oh no," Aang moaned as he held his head with his hands. "What have I done?"
"I will ask you again Avatar Aang; do you have the strength necessary to move forward? I believe you may need to visit Koh once more Aang as he would be the only spirit with information on Masaru."
"Koh the Face Stealer?" Aang cried out. This night was just getting worse. He wondered back to the physical world for a moment, allowing himself just the smallest daydream of waking up and seeing Katara waiting for him anxiously. Returning to her seemed like a much more welcoming idea than putting his face at risk. Aang sighed and looked at Roku's face once more. "I will go see Koh, and I will defeat Masaru the Pilferer once and for all," Aang declared.
As Aang stepped up to the cave where Koh lived he reached back into his monk heritage and calmly detached himself from the world. When he was sure his face would not betray a single emotion he stepped into the cave.
"Koh, Stealer of Faces," Aang began. His voice rang loud and true through the cave, the sense of authority he had gained from his training fueling his courage. "I am in need of your knowledge once again."
Silence followed Aang's declaration. He sat on the cave floor, waiting patiently for what seemed like a lifetime. Finally, something chuckled in the distance and the body of a giant centipede came into view. For this occasion Koh had chosen to wear the face of Ummi, a lover of one of Aang's past lives. Aang felt a bubble of rage surface somewhere deep inside him, but he was able to keep the feelings at bay.
"You could have knocked Avatar," Koh said swiftly. He circled around Aang quickly before coming to a sudden halt with his face only inches from Aang's. Ummi's hair came forward as if they were under water and slowly grazed Aang's cheek. It took all of his training as a monk to refrain from crying out in rage. His lover, the beautiful Ummi, forever trapped as this evil creature's plaything. Aang closed his eyes, suppressing the feelings from his past life, and tried not to imagine what would happen if Koh ever chose to visit Katara.
"I need to know the dangers I face against Masaru the Pilferer," Aang said. He kept his voice steady and opened his eyes only to see that Koh had retreated slightly and was wearing the face of a sad old man. Koh clicked his tongue as he swirled in circles around Aang.
"Only a fool seeks battle without provocation Avatar Aang," Koh hissed. He changed his face to that of a feminine mask before twisting upside down to look at Aang directly once more. "The spirit of which you speak does not seek your rage, but his preservation."
"You speak in riddles," Aang said calmly while his stomach twisted with annoyance.
"I speak the truth."
"What are his plans?" Aang asked. He knew Koh meant that Masaru did not want to fight Aang, but that didn't mean Aang could just let him do whatever he wanted.
"Do not trouble yourself with this. Masaru will harm no one so you have nothing to fear," Koh said as his face shifted to that of a screeching owl. Aang rose and moved to leave the cave. At the last moment he turned and looked back at Koh the Face Stealer.
"Upon my honor as avatar," Aang began. "If what you have said to me is false I will hold you responsible for Masaru's crimes. For every person he harms, I will be sure to repay to you tenfold."
Aang left the cave in a rage, knowing that Avatar Kuruk still longed for revenge. He knew he should have been more patient, but Koh was definitely Aang's least favorite spirit. He returned to where he had first arrived and left the spirit world without looking back.
When Aang opened his eyes, the sun was pouring in his window. As much as Aang had hoped to see Katara waiting for him, he was almost relieved when he did not find her there. He stretched out his sore muscles and looked out the window where he could see Master Pakku off in the distance with a group of young waterbenders.
The sight was peaceful, but something felt strange to Aang. Almost as if his journey to the spirit world had taken more energy from him than usual. He crawled into his bed where he fell asleep instantly, completely unaware of the hooded figure that had been sitting in the corner. As Aang began to snore, Masaru stood and walked to the door.
"Koh was honest about one thing," Masaru said softly. "I will not attack you unless you first seek me out. Sleep peacefully avatar, for I fear this will be your last chance for such things."