Hello! This is my first ever fanfiction, but one I have wondered about for a while, especially because as far as I could see, there were no stories like it. This will be a sort of "what if" story about if Aang never disappeared in 0 ASC shortly before the Air Nomad Genocide began. Due to a surprise intervention by Avatar Roku, Aang realizes that he cannot run away from his destiny as the Avatar, bender of all 4 elements, and returns to the Southern Air temple when he is in the storm. I hope you enjoy this story and give feedback, which is all I really need. I am a new writer and need support to make this story better.

-Cheers, Nytherinz

Spring, 0 ASC, somewhere south of the Southern Air Temple.

I watched the clouds get darker and darker as they poured rain, but I ignored them and kept flying on Appa. Why must I be the Avatar, most powerful bender of the whole world? I'm just a kid, 12 years old. How can I live a normal life as an Air Nomad now? All the other kids do not want to play with me anymore now that they know who I am and how much of an unfair advantage I have. I just have to keep going, get away from all this stress pushing down on me, I thought I could handle it with Gyatso there, but the other monks want to send me to the Eastern Air Temple, away from Gyatso; They say he is a bad influence, but he is the only positive influence I see!

Suddenly, the rain worsened tenfold and the winds were strong enough to knock Appa, my flying bison, down into the water. I suddenly lost control of my body and let go of the harness keeping me on Appa, slamming my fists together and freezing us in an ice sphere deep in the water, as the storm raged on.

Avatar Roku's POV

As I watched Aang descend quickly into the treacherous waters of the South Sea, somewhere in between the Southern Air Temple, and the Southern Water tribe, I chastised myself for not interfering sooner. But I could not possibly guide Aang before now; our only communication is within the Avatar State. But.. What is that?! He is in it right now! He had to go in it or else he would have drowned in those killer waters! I must talk to him!

Aang's POV

I suddenly found myself in a forest, but there was something off about it. It seemed like another dimension. And yet it was very familiar… Is this the Spirit World the monks talk about all the time?

They say only the Avatar can enter and exit the Spirit World, since he is the barrier between the two. So… I am in the Avatar State? How could that be? Aang froze. I remembered everything that happened in the storm. I slammed my fists together and suddenly froze the surrounding water, protecting Appa and I. I am in the Avatar State! I must try to talk to the past avatars, they might have some advice for me… but I have no idea how to contact them!

"Do not worry Aang, I know how to contact you."

"Who said that?" Aang looked around the forest, trying to locate the source of the voice and trying to hide his tension of not knowing who was speaking to him. The monks said you had to be careful in the Spirit World, not all spirits are friendly.

"I am Avatar Roku, your past life."

"Roku?" Aang thought for a second, and then remembered who Roku was.

"You were the last avatar before me!"

"Yes Aang, and I see you are in a dire predicament."

"Yeah." Aang sat back down and sighed. "The monks want to send me away from Gyatso to the Eastern Air Temple to complete my training. But I do not want to leave, I want to stay at my home and have fun with the other kids."

"Aang, the Fire Nation is preparing to strike in the summer, when the Comet returns."

"Comet?" Aang looked at Roku with confusion, "What comet?"

"This comet in particular strengthens fire bender's attacks drastically, making them very hard to defeat in a battle. It comes every hundred years."

"How can you be sure of this? I have friends in the Fire Nation, Kuzon and the others. They are good people."

"Aang, Firelord Sozin has had a plan to expand the Fire Nation for decades, and since I have been dead, he has no doubt continued his plans, and striking when the Comet arrives is his best chance."

"You have to stop him then Roku! The monks!" Aang's eyes went wide as he realized the monks would be easy pickings for them. "We have to do something Roku!"

"I will do my best to guide you Aang, but you must return to the Southern Air Temple. They will need you most of all in this upcoming war. Do you understand that Aang? It is the only way to save your people, and our friend Gyatso."

Aang sighed again. "I understand Roku, it is my only choice."

"Then go Aang, unfreeze yourself from that ice and fly back from whence you can."

As Roku was sending me back to our world, I realized something.

"Roku. You said our friend. What do you mean by that?

Roku smiled as he was sending Aang back. "Some things you just have to find out for yourself Aang."

There you have it. This is the first chapter of this story. I hope you guys enjoyed it. Leave feedback please. I need to know how long you want the chapters and in general what you think of the story so far. Also, thanks to catspaw439 for betaing!