Chapter 4: The Northern Water Tribe
"I've said it before, and I'll say it again: if Katara bloodbended me, that means that a few of these tribal men are going to do the same, women even."
"Why are you always so giddy? We'll get there, we'll explain what happened. They probably won't recognize you anyway. Your scar's gone."
"...I keep forgetting about that. The skin isn't tender anymore. ...your sister healed me in ways I'd not thought possible, and the Fire Nation is the most industrialized-"
"-I know what the Fire Nation is. And just like Katara, I'd like not to be reminded about Aang, especially knowing that he could've been saved if you hadn't started complaining about that piece of dark skin."
"You too?! ...I need to get a grip on my anger. Anyway, for your information, it was more than a scar. It was a symbol, an icon of what parental abuse can do to you, both physically and psychologically."
"At least your dad was around for the better part of your life. Mine's been away at war, fighting the soldiers you sent."
"Okay, just because I'm a citizen...a prince of the Fire Nation, it doesn't mean that I agree with all of the policies my father's sanctioned."
"You mean the 'policies' that your father has probably drafted himself? And his father's father? And his father's father?"
"Okay, okay, I'll lay off. But I want you to understand that-"
"-there is nothing to understand, Zuko. If that water hadn't been used on you, Aang might not be conscious, but he'd be alive."
"AND IF IT HADN'T BEEN USED ON ME, I PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE HERE RIGHT NOW!"
Sokka quickly drew his boomerang, but it wasn't needed. Zuko instantly knew that he needed to restrain himself.
"...do you really mean that?"
"I...I don't know...look, Sokka, when I get mad...my brain doesn't think straight, and I say things..."
"Maybe what you're expressing was latent. Because you're part of our family now, that means no secrets. Tell me what's going on."
"I...sigh, let me tell you a story. Before I found the bison in Lake Laogai, before I stumbled upon the Av—Aang, in that crystal prison, I was cautiously and casually living in Ba Sing Se, possibly before you even arrived. I'd seen Aang a few times, and resisted the urge to revert back to my old ways."
"...I see."
"Because of that, I started having nightmares. Vivid and sordid nightmares. Dreams that would make you scared to go to sleep. They gave me a fever, ferocious one too. My uncle said I was going through a...a transformation—a 'metamorphosis,' he called it. This was a long and arduous process, one that would end if I'd just go find Azula and tell her who I found, and how he could be captured."
"...so you were tempted."
"Exactly. The reason I say that that spirit water saved me is because...in that moment, when your sister healed me, I realized something: all that I'd come to believe, all that I'd come to know about the other three...well, two nations, and the Avatar himself, was just a lie. Imagine...imagine always being taught that the Fire Lord was descended from Heaven, and that his generals were angels, and then, one day, having something question their morality, and their lack of mortality."
"That sounds...impossible, Zuko. I mean, how can anyone believe that people are gods? There has to be some sort of questioning involved."
"Think...think back to Ba Sing Se, the rows upon rows of Joo Dees you saw. Now think of that demonstrated on an even grander scale, one that spans half the globe, what the Fire Nation currently has. Only, it's not conventional hypnosis: it's someone casually telling you over and over that this is the way things are, and that it's always been like this. Imagine having nowhere to turn to for outside, or in the Fire Nation's case, 'undesirable' information, dissent, and never being given an impetus to pursue any of the facts? It's re-education, only, the Fire Nation gets you at birth, so that they can put whatever they want on your 'blank slate' and state it as fact. It's a totalitarian state, Sokka."
"That...really just opened my eyes. Thank you for that, Zuko. So...is any of that temptation still there?"
"...in primitive forms, yes. I realize that what I'm currently doing is the right thing, but that life of luxury, the seemingly carefree moments I used to share with my family...I have a yearning to return to that, and I feel that if I do so now, I will be welcomed back-"
"—as a criminal. Think about it: you sided with us, the right choice. Because of that, the Fire Nation is going to hunt you, knowing that you are working to turn the tide of the war, one of the most important conflicts in human history. Zuko, I'm not trying to convince you how to live your life, but if you go back now, you'll be lucky if you aren't killed the second you're spotted."
"I...I suppose you're right."
"'Course I am, bud! Anyway, we're going to have to get ready to ditch the ship. I'm looking through the telescope, and it seems to me that we're in flying distance of our Northern sister... Everyone, get up! We're a little ways out from the Northern Water Tribe! Gather all of your belongings and stow them on Appa! Wake up, big guy!"
"RAHHHHH!"
"Momo, you too."
The colleagues quickly hoisted their items onto the back of the sky bison, some anxious to see their relatives who'd seen them just three months prior.
"I'm feeling a little...ambivalent about seeing Master Pakku again," Katara said.
"I don't blame you, the old sexist bastard...," Sokka replied.
"It's not like you couldn't use a little work yourself, tough guy..."
"Hey! I've made improvements in the past couple months! You can't fault me for that..."
"I suppose not. Toph, here, let me help you."
"I can help myself, Bloody Hands. I can metalbend, you know."
"You're just...ugh! Never call me that again!"
"Whatever you say, Boss."
"Alright, guys, get ready to explain Zuko to the locals. Katara, if you'd be so kind as to bodyguard our firebending friend for the time being, that'd be splendid," Sokka commanded.
"Hey! I don't need to be protected! I can defend myself..."
"The last thing we need is an icy temple in flames, melting at the seams, Zuko. Just let her do her job. Yip yip!"
Appa immediately rose from the metal carrier, flying in the direction of the bustling town occupied by tribesmen and women. In just a few minutes, the group was told where to land, and they obliged.
"Master Pakku! It's...good to see you again!"
"As I'd expect...I recognize this man. It's...why do you have a firebender with you?"
"Long story, too tired to explain. Anyway, he's a friend, but we've got some bad news."
"What is it?"
Almost as if on cue, Toph opens the body bag to reveal a deceased and stinking Aang.
"...why have you come here? The Avatar is dead! We can do nothing for you-"
"-would ya keep it down, Gramps? You want the entire tribe to hear you?"
"..fine. Fine...but why did you come here? Did you expect us to be able to do something for the boy?"
"Something! We not only need you to revive him, we need you to save all past Avatars, and all that are to come."
"I thought it wasn't possible...how can the Avatar be killed in their most powerful form?"
"By getting shot in the back with lightning. Long story."
"You sound so upbeat about it...did he do it?" Pakku accused as he gestured at Zuko.
"No, I didn't do it...what kind of a question is that, anyway? If I did do it, I'd be in the Fire Nation, not in some primitive tribal town."
"Sokka, you trying to get us killed?"
"Sorry, sorry—slipped."
"I believe our medical unit can help Aang...please, though, don't let this happen again...there's no telling what could happen if an Avatar is killed in this form a second time. It might be enough to kill Raava herself..."
"Raava?" Sokka asked with a quizzical face.
"Another story for another time. Give me the body. We'll go to the Spirit Oasis."
"I'm going too," Katara said furtively.
"Fair enough, come along, my apprentice."
Katara began to make obscene gestures behind the back of the renowned master, following suit as they traveled to the pond in which they wished to revive Aang. Soon, they arrived at their destination.
"Because of your young hands, I'm going to use someone with a little more experience. One of the medics has been ordered to come to this very sacred area, something not many people, especially women, get the privilege to do in their lifetimes."
"Spare me the sexist splurge. Just revive my friend."
"Very well, child, give me his body," the medic stated.
"The scar is on the back."
"Thank you."
"Never in my life did I think that I'd get to operate on the Avatar...it truly is an honor."
It was a short but poignant process for the medic and Katara. Slowly but surely, Aang stirred just slightly, looking at the three people who surrounded him, and then falling casually back asleep.
"It is done. Thank you for bringing him to me...?"
"It's Katara, from the Southern Water Tribe. You've no idea what you've done, thank you!"
"I think I can guess..."
"If that's it, I'll be on my way."
"Katara, be careful. Especially with that firebender...," Master Pakku said.
"Don't worry, I will."
As if it were a reflex, Katara slightly moved Aang's body with her bloodbending. With that, she was on her way, delivering her body back onto the back of Appa, along with the rest of the group.
"...is he alive?" the entire group asked in unison.
"Only just," Katara replied.
The congregation sighed in thankful relief, knowing that the world indeed had not come to an end—at least, not yet. As they began to fly back to the iron ship from which they'd ascended, they began to reflect on their entire journey thus far. Then, they realized: they have a man that was just brought back from the dead. An amazing feeling was taken from that: hope.
"...what do we do now?" Zuko asked.
"We wait for him to wake up. There isn't going to be an invasion, and we need Aang to learn how to firebend. That's where you come in. That reminds me, your source of fire. It's been waning, and you told me why. That's the first thing we need to do; can't have a firebending Avatar without a firebending teacher," Sokka replied.
"Is there anything we can do for the Earth Kingdom?" Toph asked.
"Not at the moment. I mean, we could try to contact Bumi, but I don't know what good that'd do us. All we can tell him at this point is that there's going to be an eclipse in about a month or so. Other than that, we might as well get all our personal licks in before Aang wakes up, while also avoiding anyone who might want our heads on a silver platter."
"Which is half the planet."
"Correct. Always the sunshine in our storm, aren't you, Zuko?"
"I try, I try."
The night arrived quickly, and all descended to their bedrooms for the night. The ship was dormant, unmoving, and completely secure for the time being. As Zuko nodded off, he began to think about all the choices he'd made in the past few weeks, how they'd all been indirectly controlled by the removal of his scar, the one abnormality that seemed to make him an interesting person. While thinking through this, he decided to pay Aang's room a visit; the atmosphere was cold and damp. The Avatar wouldn't be waking from his posthumous slumber for a few weeks. The entire group would be lucky if he were in fighting shape by the time the comet came around.
Upon sitting next to Aang's near-lifeless body, Zuko began to reminisce, to vent to Aang some of his fears, aspirations, and more.
"Your weakest possible form, and I'm not here to capture you. Would've been nice if you'd been like this when I was."
Zuko quickly thought about what he'd just said, and how treacherous that sounded to him.
"I—I mean, not that I'm trying to do that right now...it's just, wow, I've never seen you this bad."
In the back of his head, Zuko was yearning for, expecting a response out of Aang, one that would be derived from mutual happiness and unstoppable energy. But no such reply followed. His body just laid there, almost untouched, without any extraneous bother.
"What am I doing...I'm talking to a would-be dead man, and yet I haven't felt this safe talking to anyone since the days before I was banished. It's just so...tempting. You know, because of you, I've been traveling this world for three years. You know what I've enjoyed? An entire transformation. Well...'enjoyed,' more like 'endured.' I've gone through hell for you, both on and off your side, and you won't even be able to defeat my father come the day you must. This has just been a sad display..."
Constantly, Zuko had to remind himself that he was talking to a vegetable, a human being currently incapable of offering any sentient or cohesive response to his broaching, questioning, and overall conversation.
"Well...it isn't your fault. It's my sister's, and she's bound to be coming here at this very moment, not for your body, but for me. I guess I know what it feels like to be you now: hunted, sought after, worthy of and susceptible to being captured. And I'm here...because of my scar, or the lack of one, per se. But, I suppose all I can say is that...you need to wake up soon. You need to. This world needs you, now more than ever. You have to wake up, Aang—please. Otherwise, my healing will have been for nothing... Wow, I feel like my entire life has been based on nothing..."