Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender. I'm not that creative to make such a wonderful triology.
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Chapter 2: Aang's Dark Side
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Aang's POV
It's already morning. I stretched my arms and reluctantly got out of bed. I changed into my Earth Kingdom clothes and went towards the mirror. A few weeks ago, I woke up in the morning and found out hair started spurting out of my head again. It was very unusual that my hair grew so long that overnight. And when I tried to shave it, in a few minutes, my hair will grow back in exactly the same length, only it becomes thicker than it was a few minutes before I shaved it. The same process happen every time so I decided to put on this silly hat so no one would notice. The problem is, everyone's getting sick of it.
Flashback
"Aang as friendly advice, would you please take that hat off. What's wrong with your head anyway?" Sokka remarked.
"I agree with Sokka. Maybe you should take it off. It isn't exactly winter for you to wear that," Katara agreed.
"Um, I think it's best for me to keep it on my head," I replied.
"Come on twinkletoes! Just take it off! I may be blind, but that thing's been totally bugging me," Toph exclaimed.
I shook my head. "I can't."
"Why not?" Katara quried.
"I just can't," I said.
Flashback Ended
I don't know what's wrong with me! What's going on?!? Every now and then, I feel empty, like my heart's been ripped into a million pieces. I'm not always in the mood to talk to anyone, not even my friends.
I always feel sad, being hated by everybody, even though the fact is everyone "adores" me because I saved the world.
(Sigh) I guess I'll have to find out myself sooner or later.
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Dinner
Aang was just sitting silently, repeatedly poking his food with his chopsticks.
"Uh, Aang?" Katara asked in a worried voice. "What's wrong? You haven't even touched your meal."
Aang put down his chopsticks and began touching his food with his fingers, having no expression in his face.
"That's not what I meant," Katara explained. "You seemed to be pretty bummed today."
"Probably because your cooking stinks so much," Sokka sneered.
"Admit it twinkletoes. Even you can't stand Katara's cooking," Toph smirked.
"It's fine," Aang said in a modulate tone, still playing with his food.
"But you did not eat anything," she reasoned.
Aang said nothing.
Katara shook her head. "I don't have the slightest idea 'bout what is gong on. What happened to the cheery Aang we used to know?"
Sokka rubbed his chin. "My speculation: It has something to do with his weird hat."
Toph shrugged. "Maybe."
Aang didn't respond.
Katar reached out to him and took his hat off. For some reason, Aang didn't stop her like he usually does. Katara took it off, revealing Aang's black hair. His bangs almost covered his expressionless eyes. He's still not reacting.
------Moment of Silence----
"You've been secretly growing your hair?!? Why didn't you tell us?" Katara cried.
"The word 'secretly' explains it all, Sugar Queen," Toph remarked.
"It does look good on him," Sokka studied.
Aang looked at them for a second and then peered away.
"We're waiting for an explanation Aang," Toph stood up. "What else are you hiding from us?"
Finally, Aang responded. "I don't know."
"That's not the kind of answer I was expecting from him," Katara thought. "But I'm going to get the real answers right now!"
"What's going on Aang? You skip meals, you do nothing, you say nothing… and now you've been growing hair and we don't even have the slightest idea! Just tell us what's wrong. We've known each other for almost 3 years. You can tell us everything," Katara assures.
"I told you, I don't know what's happening to me," Aang buried his head in his arms. "A few weeks ago, I woke up and found out a head full of hair. And every time I shave it, in a few minutes it goes back to the way it was. Everything seems so gloomy, so unhappy. It's like I don't even know who I am anymore."
Sokka stopped gobbling his turkey. "Okay, I seriously think you need a therapy session. But, when Katara told you to tell us everything, she didn't mean everything. I mean, come on! When you shave your head, it'll take months for you until it'll grow in that length. You actually expect us to believe that?"
"Actually, Aang's not lying," Toph spoke up.
Katara and Sokka gazed at her.
"About anything," Toph continued. "He's not lying about feeling downy or the crazy thing on his head. He's telling the truth."
Katara slowly motioned to Aang and wrapped her arms around him.
Aang's response was pulling away from her hug, and went directly towards the living room.
She stared at him. "Aang where are you going?"
Aang continued to walk towards the door, and then faints.
"AANG!" Katara screamed and ran towards him. Sokka and Toph followed. Katara tried to touch him, but pulled back her hand in an instant. "He's burning up! Is he having a fever?"
"He's breathing and heartbeat are both normal… Wait! There's something wrong." Toph pulls both Sokka and Katara away from Aang.
A big flash of blue light came out of Aang's shaking body. Everyone shielded their eyes against the immense light. The light disappeared. And their attention went back to him.
"No. It can't be," Katara said.
There were two Aangs lying in front of them!
Sokka kept on rubbing his eyes. "There can't be two Aangs at once. The light must've been playing tricks on us."
"So, I'm not the only one hallucinating," Toph began. "I can really feel the two of them lying on the ground. They both have the exact position, exact height, exact weight, exact everything!"
"Are you suggesting Aang split into two?" Sokka huffed.
"How should I know?" Toph grimaced.
One Aang (the one on the left) stood up.
"Aang?" Katara queried.
He inspected his hands; he touched his pale cheeks, and looked at his body. He laughed devilishly.
"I've finally done it. I'm finally out!"
The second Aang stood up slowly. "Uh…" he touched his forehead. "What hit me?" He peered to his left, and saw an exact replica of him, smiling mischievously at him. "Who are you?" He turned to his stupefied friends. "What's he doing here?" He turned back to his replica. "And why do you look exactly like---"
"You? Of course I am, stupid. I'm a part of you. Or at least, I was," The boy finished for him. He earthbended Sokka and Katara an earth cage, while he waterbended Toph's cage in a similar form.
"Aaahh!" they yelled.
"So, you call these our friends, right? How pathetic. I can't believe I'm actually you," he sneered.
"Whoever you are, just leave them alone!" Aang said. "They have nothing to do with anything."
"I'm not actually interested in them," the other Aang replied.
"Who or what are you?"
The other Aang shook his head. "I think I already answered that question. But it seems like I haven't made my point as clearly as I can, I'll repeat it again. I am you. You are me. Got it? I'm actually the hatred and unhappiness you've been keeping all these years in your itty bitty heart," he made a heart shape on his chest and grinned at Aang. "You got that don't you? In other words, I'm just a small, insignificant part of you that's been trying to break out for years. And as you can see, I finally succeeded."
Aang was too dumbfounded to speak.
"Aww… why so sad? You should be grateful. You've been trying to keep me hidden for thousands of years. At least the burden's a little bit light now, don't you think?" He circled at Katara, Toph and Sokka, who were still in their cages.
"Get away from them!" Aang shouted.
"No need to be harsh, Aang. Remember, you can't be talking to yourself like that," he's evil grin grew wider. "How about if I offer a proposition to you? Being the Avatar is so hard, am I right?" He circled at Aang. "Of course I am. Don't you think it's very unfair that you've been keeping the world safe for centuries and you still haven't claimed your rightful place in this world?"
"What are you implying?" Aang asked cautiously.
"Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. You can't be this slow, can you? I'm trying to say is that you should be the one who's running everything in this world. And when I said you, I also meant including me." He looked at him with his cold grey eyes. "What do you say?"
"No Aang! Don't do it!" Katara opposed.
"I wasn't talking to you, Little Miss Stupid!" The Evil Aang retorted.
Toph laughed. Sokka, Katara and Aang glared at him.
"What? I'm just surprised that those words actually came out of his mouth," Toph explained.
"So? Are you doing this or not?" The other Aang asked him.
Aang thought for a minute.
"No Aang! Don't do this!" Katara screamed in her head.
"Aang! Don't listen to him, I mean you, I mean… whatever. Just don't listen to the guy who's voice is just like you… only creepier," Sokka thought.
"Say no, Aang! Please say No!" Toph pleaded.
"I won't. I won't do this. And neither are you," Aang protested.
"Well, I'm really sorry it has to end up this way, but," he punched Aang at the face and kicked him at the stomach.
"Aang! No!" Katara cried.
"Look at that, lover boy. She's actually cheering for you." He ginned and held Aang's chin, so that he could see him face to face. "Don't worry. I do have Plan B in this situation. Oh and by the way. You can never shave of the hair on your head. You can only cut it in a few inches, but you can't shave it all. Remember, it's our mark…" He laughed and smashed the door open with his airbending, leaving his other self on the floor, unconscious.
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Well, I do hope you guys liked it, somehow. Please review! I'd like to see your comments or any violent reactions.
