Disclaimer - I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. Shocker, I know. But no worries, I'll find a way to get on with my life...

A/N: Ok. This is supposed to be a dramatization of what happened to Aang a hundred years ago. What he felt like and what he thought at the time. Hope you like it! R&R pleeeeze!

I Wont Forget

I still remember. They think I've forgotten. But I haven't. They thought I'd let my past go, leave it behind me. But I didn't. I can't.

I won't.

I still dream about it sometimes, when I lie on my back at night, listening to the quiet rustling of the trees. That time when I first learned that I was the Avatar. One hundred years ago.

One Hundred Years.

It's strange. They say I was trapped in that iceberg for a century, but I could swear it was only a few days.

I wish it were only a few days.

But now I know that it wasn't. It was one hundred years. There is a war going on now. A war against the Fire Nation. A war fueled by hate and greed.

Greed for power. Greed for wealth.

I want it to end. But it won't. I have to end it.

Me.

The world expects a twelve-year old monk to save their lives; save Humanity.

But can I?

I try my hardest; I work endlessly at trying to master the elements. And yet…

Everyday, I wake up with a sense of dread. I know that another day has gone by, meaning that the time that I fear most is coming nearer: The day Salzan's comet arrives.

I worry. Will I be ready? Will I really be able to throw down the Fire Lord, along with the whole Fire Nation army? They say I will, but I'm not so sure. Katara says she believes in me. Does she? I can't tell if she says so with conviction, or with hope. How can she be so sure? I want to be blessed with that sense of knowing, but I am not.

I wish I were.

This reminds me, once again, of that time one hundred years ago. The same feeling overwhelmed me when I first learned of my destiny:

To save the world.

0o0o0o0o0o0

I remember trying to perfect the air scooter. I was just outside the Southern Wall when some of my friends came along and saw me. They asked what I was doing, and I showed them. I'll never forget the look of joy on their face when they finally did it. Everything was perfect. At least, it was until they showed up.

The elders. Bearing news that, when they revealed it to me, would change my life forever.

"Aang," Gyatso said. "Come with us. We need to speak with you."

I couldn't think of what they could possibly want to talk to me about. Their faces were stern, but I still couldn't guess what the problem was. They always looked angry, anyway.

Curious, I agreed. I walked with them toward the courtyard: two of the elders in front of me, two behind, and one in the very front. I stood in the center: the place of honor.

This confused me. Why was I given the most revered spot in the whole procession? I looked at the monks around me, hoping that one of their expressions would give me a hint. But they all looked straight ahead with their jaws set.

Gyatso was the only one who stole a glance in my direction, his eyes revealing a mixture of love and concern. There was another emotion reflected on his face, but I could not place it at the time. I know now what it was.

Sympathy.

When we reached our destination, the elders dispersed and took up their seats in front of me.

The Council.

The head of the Council looked at me strangely, and then began speaking.

"Aang." It was then that they told me my destiny. I stared at them with amazement. For twelve years, I had grown up thinking that I was just like everyone else. The news of my being the Avatar was revealed so suddenly that I didn't know what to think.

"How do you know that it's me?" I asked them. I didn't believe it at first. I couldn't. It had to be a mistake.

It just had to.

"Do you remember these?" the leader asked, reaching down and picking up a small bundle. He airbended them to me, and I was surprised to find four of my favorite baby toys rolled in the cloth.

"Those were some of my favorite toys when I was little," I answered. I picked one up and held it in my palm.

"You chose them from among thousands of toys, Aang. The toys you picked were the four Avatar relics. These items belong to Avatars passed. Your own past lives."

They couldn't be serious… could they?

"I just chose them because they seemed fun," I answered truthfully. Surely this was all a big misunderstanding.

I pulled a string on one of the toys, sending it flying away. I smiled, thinking of how much enjoyment they had given me when I was a baby.

"You chose them because they were familiar." I thought about this, and realized that he might be right.

"We would have told you when you turned sixteen," Gyatso continued. "But we fear hard times are ahead. Storm clouds are gathering." I stared at him, realizing why they had, in fact, told me so early.

They expect me to end it…

The rest of our conversation seems a blur now. After the initial shock of being told that I am the Avatar…

I remember coming back to the South wall and finding my friends rolling around on the air scooter. I became excited and envious at the same time. I was happy that they finally mastered the trick, but upset because I knew that they would all grow up to lead normal lives while I had to fulfill my duties of being the Avatar. It wasn't fair. And then… it became worse.

They told me they made a new game with the air scooter, and I wanted to join them. Yet, as soon as I conjured my own ball of air, they all stopped. "What, I can't play?" I asked them, extremely hurt.

"It'd be an unfair advantage for whichever team you're on, your being the Avatar and all." I stood their wondering how on earth they found out so quickly, but I decided not to question it.

"Oh," I said simply. "Okay." I turned and walked away, hearing one of them apologize.

"Sorry, Aang," he said.

Yea, I thought. So am I.

0o0o0o0o0o0

Later on, I watched through the window of my room as all of my friends played their new game. I wished with all of my might that I could join them.

If only…

Gyatso came, then, and asked me what was wrong. I felt like telling him that everything was wrong. I'm not supposed to be the Avatar! I don't want to be the Avatar! But I didn't say anything.

He tried to comfort me by challenging me to a game of Pai-Sho, so I agreed. We played a while, and I was glad he was here.

"Interesting move, young one," he said after I made my move. I looked down at the board, confused.

"What do you mean?" I asked. It was then that he airbended my shirt over my eyes, and I found that he had switched two over our pieces. "Hey!" I said, laughing. He joined in my laughter. Then one of the other elders came to the room, looking at me and Gyatso playing Pai-Sho.

"You're playing games with him?" he asked incredulously. "The Avatar should be training!"

"Aang has already trained enough for today," Gyatso replied, calmly.

"Fine," the old monk said. He then directed his attention toward me. "Come with me. I will test you on some high-level techniques." I got up and began following him when Gyatso cut in.

"No. As long as I am his guardian, I will decide when he trains. And, when he gets his butt kicked at Pai-Sho." It was then that I loved Gyatso more than ever.

The elder walked away in a huff as I walked back over to Gyatso and smiled. Little did I know that his actions would pave the way to my disappearance.

The next day, Gyatso was summoned to the courtyard. He told me to stay in my room, but I couldn't resist following and listening.

When I got there, I found a good hiding spot in which I could watch the meeting through some vines.

I was surprised when I saw that the only people there, besides Gyatso, were the leader of the Council and the cranky old monk from the day before. By the time that I refocused my attention on the conversation, they were already well underway.

"… he needs to grow up like a normal boy," Gyatso said.

"Hmph," the other elder replied. "You cannot keep protecting him from his destiny!"

"Gyatso," the Leader began. "I know you mean well. But you are letting your affection for the boy cloud your judgment."

"All I want is what is best for him," Gyatso replied quietly.

The Leader looked at him sadly. "But what we need is what is best for the world." There was a short pause as he thought for a moment. "You and Aang must be separated. The Avatar will be sent away to the Eastern Air temple to complete his training."

These words hit me like a rock. Not only was I the Avatar, but now I was going to be sent away to a strange place without Gyatso. Just when I had begun to feel better, they made me feel even worse. They wanted to take away everyone I knew and everyone I loved!

I won't let them, I thought.

It was then that I decided to run away. I would not allow them to control me. I wrote a short note and left it on my bed for Gyatso. My only regret then was not being able to say goodbye.

I never saw Gyatso again, and this tears me up inside everyday. My only true friend and they made me give him up…

I remember taking Appa and flying away. I had to dodge a few of the elders, since we weren't allowed to take the bison anywhere without permission, but I got away; no trouble.

I wasn't sure where to go. There was a whole world out there, and I could go anywhere. I decided to go visit Kuzon. He would know what to do. So I set off.

Everything was going fine, and it was a beautiful day. I had heard others talking about a storm, but I didn't believe them. Who would? The sky was spotless: there was not a cloud in sight. But thinking back, I really regret not listening to them. Suddenly, I heard a loud crash of thunder, and turned around to find countless grey clouds. And they were catching up quickly.

I urged Appa to hurry. The last thing I wanted was to deal with rain. But it was no use. Within seconds, the clouds overtook us, and Appa and I were thrown into a full-blown storm. It wasn't so bad at first, but then a huge lightning bolt accompanied with a deafening roar of thunder exploded right beside us.

Appa swerved, attempting to get to safety, but the thickening rain brought us into the water. I opened my eyes as we fell under, and right then and there, I felt like giving up. So much had gone wrong already, and all I wanted was for it to end.

But I couldn't.

It wasn't that I didn't want to, because I did. It was just that… something told me that people needed me. Whether I wanted to be or not, I was the Avatar, after all. So I decided that I would return. Sure, I would be sent away, but I knew that by going back I would be doing the right thing.

So I conjured a huge ball of air and placed it around me and Appa. But something went wrong, and we froze. Next thing I knew, I was lying down on a bed of snow, with Katara staring over me.

How could I let time pass by so quickly?

I still remember. They think I've forgotten. But I haven't. I can't.

I won't.

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