-(Zuko POV)-

"Come on Zuko, we have to start!"

"But your sister isn't here yet Sokka!" I starting shaking him by his shoulders.

"I know that but we have to. Our window is going to end soon. And you remember what happened last time we skipped." I let go of him. Boy did I remember; the light headedness, the nausea, the shakes, the spinning of the world...it was horrible.

"I understand Sokka, but -"

"NO ZUKO! No buts, look around you. Look at what waiting is doing to us!" I looked and what I saw was not good. Suki was doubled over in the corner holding her stomach, Aang was lying on the bed groaning about his head, and Toph... The strongest of us all, Toph the girl of steel, was sitting halfway on a chair out of pain. Even Sokka was now stumbling around talking to imaginary objects.

"Fine, let's start. I don't know how we are going to do it without Katara...but we ha-" There was a knock on the wooden door of Toph's hut.

I looked through the peephole (which required me to kneel), but I couldn't see anyone because of how dark it was. "Who is it?"

The person whispered back, "The platypus bear awakes to the night, and won't go back to sleep without a fight." It was the secret code.

"KATARA! You came!" I opened the door wide, "We thought you weren't coming."

"I wasn't but, and I guess its happening to you guys too, I'm getting sick. Can we start soon?" She too was turning a little green.

"We can start right away. Hey everyone she's here, get up and Sokka...get the book."

-(Katara POV)-

I watched as everyone slowly got up and started to move around to make sure everything was set up properly. Within minutes we were arranged in a circle with a large center.

"Is everyone ready?" Sokka asked through a wavering voice.

We all chorused back, "Ready!"

"Then we shall begin."

The process what simple, but vital. Each of us wore a cloak; mine a dark blue, Toph's a deep green, Aang's white, Zuko's red, and Sokka and Suki's cloaks were brown. The hoods were drawn over our faces, but we were still able to see.

Sokka and Suki spoke in harmony, "We have come to summon you oh Mighty Avatar!" They paused shortly to raise their spears into the air, "We are the warriors. Trained with weapons to keep the peace," the pair looked out to us, "And who might you be?"

We responded unanimously, "We are the benders, as you can see!"

Toph stepped forward, "I am the mover of the earth, bender of the metal."

Following her was Zuko, "I am the creator of the light"

"I am the conductor of the air!" Aang was a little to excited (it was amazing how he still managed to annoy me).

I was the last to speak, "And I am the controller of the waves."

The book that my brother was holding began to glow. That was our cue to speak together, "We are the subjects to your mightiness. Wanting you to share your knowledge, your wisdom, your being. Please take our offering!" We each used our bending to create the avatar's symbol on the floor, it was then struck with the warriors spears to form a small pedestal.

We continued, "Come oh mighty avatar, give us the strength to carry out your task. We beg you oh mighty avatar, to give us the cup filed with your power to heal us and to keep us going. Do so, and we shall do as you command!" There was a great flash coming from the center of the circle, and upon the pedestal and goblet appeared. Inside was a strange liquid that seemed to glowing ever so slightly. The liquid was like water, no color, no taste, and no smell. However it was not the oh so common liquid found all over the place for I could not bend it. This liquid...it was the avatar's strength and would work well for us as long as we upheld our end of the deal. As instructed by the book the oldest, Zuko, took a drink from the goblet and passed it to the next person in birth order so they could take a drink. By the time it reached Toph, most of us had begun to feel better and were able to move normally without any pain.

-(later on in the night, still Katara POV)-

"Here's some soda!" Zuko walked back from the kitchen holding a few cans.

Aang grabbed one and sat on a ball of air, "Man it feels great to be back to normal!"

"Agreed dude agreed," Sokka just barely finished the word before he was poked by the point of a spear.

"Rule number one to being a warrior Sokka. Never look away from you oppenent!"

"Yeah yeah yeah...Yo Toph!"

"What?" She sat there pushing rocks into the air adding decorations to her house.

"You are really quiet, somethin' wrong?" He was still trying to fight off Suki, but she was just too quick.

Toph was silent at first, but simply snorted, "Nothing, but ugh can you be quieter my rocks are coming out weird!"

I sat down next to her, her cheeks were moist. I quickly bended the water away, "Toph, why are you crying?" My voice was so silent that only she could hear.

"No reason. Just this hexagon thing...its depressing."

I blinked a couple of times from surprise, "So you noticed it too?"

"Yeah, sometimes I wish we could just start over. With, like, only the memories of before it existed."

"You and me both Toph, you and me both..."