Disclaimer reminder: I do NOT own Avatar: The Last Airbender and Fairy Tail or its characters.

Enjoy the show.


Book One: Water

Chapter 7: The Spirit World

In the creepy castle like guild after Tor, Zack, Luna, and Zane return to the room Zane shows Luke his purple book revealing the portal and Luke looks into it and sees that Lucy is traveling with Aang, Katara, and Sokka and the other Fairy Tail wizards are with her again.

"So Lucy is in a world that has four nations?" Luke asked.

"Yes. She was probably sent there when she fell off the cliff." Zane said.

"Shall we go in there and capture her?" Luna asked.

"Change of plans. Let's see how Lucy can survive in this world." Luke said.

"Aw, man! I wanna get her!" Zack whined but Luke punches him and sends him flying across the room.

"We'll see how she can handle herself in that four nations world and that's that!" Luke yelled.

"Seeing as how weak she is in her group, she won't last a second." Tor said.

"Guess we'll see about that." Zane said.

Meanwhile Appa is flying slowly through the open sky with lots of clouds over a river valley and while he's flying Aang is on his head leaning back and enjoying himself while he has a reed in his mouth while Lucy, Wendy, and Katara are looking over Appa's side while stretching out on their stomachs while Natsu and Gray lay on the saddle probably sleeping while Erza looks at a map while Sokka is cutting wood.

"Those clouds look so soft, don't they?" Katara asked.

"Yeah. Like you can just jump down and land in a big, soft cottony heap." Lucy said.

"You two should give it a try." Sokka said.

"You're hilarious." Katara said sarcastically.

"Maybe I should throw you into the clouds and we'll see if you can land there." Erza said.

"No thank you." Sokka said quickly.

"Think the clouds have any shapes?" Wendy asked.

"Maybe. I think I can see..." Lucy was cut off as she falls off of Appa. "AAAAAAHHHHH!" Lucy screamed as she falls into the clouds and everyone looks over the side of Appa as Lucy plunges into a cloud.

"LUCY!" Gray shouted.

"She can't fly!" Sokka said.

"I got this!" Aang said as he opens his glider and dives after Lucy.

Ten seconds later Aang and Lucy get back on Appa and they are both soaking wet.

"Are you alright, Lucy?" Erza asked.

"Yes I am." Lucy answered.

"How did you two get wet?" Happy asked.

"Turns out the clouds are made of water." Lucy answered as Aang Airbends to dry himself and Lucy.

"At least you're okay." Katara said.

"Yeah. Thanks, Aang." Lucy said.

"No problem." Aang said and Natsu looks at Lucy angrily.

"What?" Lucy asked.

"Oh, nothing. I'm curious about somethin'." Natsu said.

"What?" Lucy asked.

"Didn't you promise me something when we left Kyoshi Island?" Natsu asked and Lucy knew what he meant.

"Now wait just a minute! I didn't jump off this time. I accidentally fell off while I was looking at the clouds!" Lucy said.

"Accident or no accident, you still promised me you wouldn't fall off of ANYTHING like that again!" Natsu yelled. "Guess you don't care about how other people feel, huh?" Natsu asked.

"That's not true! I didn't break my promise and fall off on purpose! I just slipped and fell off!" Lucy said.

"Yeah. Okay. Gotcha." Natsu said with sarcasm in his voice. "Tell me, did that happen too when you fell off that edge of that cliff?!" Natsu asked.

"Natsu, that's enough!" Gray said but Natsu ignored him.

"No. I did that because I was desperate and I had to get away from Zack! It was either let him take me again or fall straight into the water!" Lucy said.

"You could've let yourself get captured by those creeps so we could find and rescue you! But no, you decided to just fall off and let everyone in Fairy Tail worry over nothing. Talk about selfish and stupid." Natsu said and Lucy is now shaking with fury.

"Uh oh." Aang and Wendy said at the same time.

"Good going, Flamebrain. Now you just lit the fuse and blew it up." Gray said.

"Stupid? Stupid?! STUPID?! AT LEAST I'M NOT THE RECKLESS ONE ON THE TEAM! ALL YOU DO IS JUST BURN AND WRECK EVERYTHING UP WHEN WE'RE ON A JOB!" Lucy shouted.

"Well, at least I DO something! What do you do when we're on a job?! Oh, that's right! Nothin'! You just stand by while Ice Princess, Erza, and I do all the work while you summon your spirit friends to do your dirty work too!" Natsu yelled.

"I don't do that to them! I summon them when it's necessary! That, and I never make them do dirty work! They help! THERE'S A COMPLETE DIFFERENCE!" Lucy shouted.

"Whatever." Natsu replied.

"You are unbelievable!" Lucy yelled.

"Here we go again. You cryin' like a little baby." Natsu said.

"Natsu..." Happy warned.

"Little baby, huh?! I'd rather be a baby than be a brainless little kid all the time!" Lucy said.

"Who're ya callin' a little kid?!" Natsu demanded.

"You, little kid!" Lucy said.

"You wanna fight?!" Natsu asked unleashing fire on his fists shocking everyone.

"Let's go! I can handle you by myself!" Lucy said getting into her fighting stance and Aang gets between the two.

"Guys! Calm down! You guys are friends!" Aang said trying to stop the fight.

"Stay out of this, Airhead!" Natsu said.

"Don't talk to him like that!" Lucy yelled.

"I'll talk to whoever I wanna talk to like!" Natsu yelled back.

"Both of you please calm down!" Wendy said getting between the two this time. "I'm sure we're all just tired from flying all day that we're getting on each other's nerves." Wendy said.

"She's right. Let's just calm down and try to relax." Katara said.

"Fine by me." Lucy said.

"As long as I don't have to deal with her anymore." Natsu said.

"You're so immature." Lucy said.

"And you're stupid." Natsu said.

"Ugh! You're so infuriating that sometimes..." Lucy stops talking.

"Sometimes what?" Natsu asked.

"Sometimes...I wish I never met you." Lucy said as she turns away shocking everyone and Natsu is also in shock but he turns away as well.

"Yeah, well...sometimes, I wish the same thing and I also wished I never brought you into Fairy Tail in the first place." Natsu said and everyone is in shock still and unknowing to them Lucy starts to shed a tear from her face.

"Wow." Sokka said.

"So, they're never gonna speak to each other again?" Aang asked.

"That even I don't know." Erza answered.

"Those two never argued like that before. I mean, Natsu and I always argue and fight, but him and Lucy? I'm stunned by this." Gray said.

"Aye. I hope they can find some way to make up." Happy said.

Appa is still flying through the sky but he keeps on flying Katara and Erza look ahead at something.

"What's that?" Katara asked and Sokka, Gray, and Wendy look at what she's looking at and it's a valley around the river that's black instead of green.

"It's like a scar." Sokka said.

Appa lands on the valley and the gang are in a damaged area with burnt tree stumps around the barren landscape and they look around the destroyed area.

"It's so quiet." Sokka said.

"There's no life anywhere." Gray said.

"Aang? Are you okay?" Lucy asked.

Sokka and Erza then see what looks like footprints on the burnt ground and the two examine them.

"Fire Nation." Erza said.

"Those evil savages make me sick! They have no respect for..." Sokka was cut off by Katara's 'shh'. "What? I don't have the right to be angry?" Sokka asked but Katara points at Aang who is very upset.

Aang sinks his knees to the ground and he lets out a huge sigh and he places his hands on the burnt ground.

"Why would anyone do this? How could I let this happen?" Aang asked.

"Aang, you didn't let this happen. It has nothing to do with you." Lucy said.

"Yes it does. It's the Avatar's job to protect nature, but I don't know how to do my job." Aang said.

"That's why we're going to the North Pole. We're going to find you a teacher." Katara said.

"Yeah. A Waterbending teacher, but there's no one who can teach me how to be the Avatar. Monk Gyatso said that Avatar Roku would help me." Aang said.

"The Avatar before you? He died over a hundred years ago. How're you supposed to talk to him?" Sokka asked.

"I don't know..." Aang said and Momo gets on his shoulder and Aang pets his back.

Meanwhile Zuko is in some tall reeds but he goes through them

"Uncle! Flannery! Where are you two?! It's time to leave! Uncle Iroh! Cousin Flannery!" Zuko called as he emerges out of the tall reeds and enters a clearing area.

Zuko sees Iroh's Fire Nation uniform and Flannery's clothes hanging from low branches of trees and Zuko sees Iroh and Flannery in different hot baths in different rock tubs and steam is coming out of them.

"We're over here, Cousin." Flannery said relaxing in her hot bath.

"Uncle, Flannery. We need to move on. We're closing in on the Avatar's and the Celestial Mage's trail and I don't want to lose them!" Zuko said.

"You look tired, Prince Zuko. Why don't you join me and Flannery in these hot springs and soak away your troubles?" Iroh offered.

"My troubles cannot be soaked away! It's time to go!" Zuko said irritated.

"You should take Father's advice and relax a little, Zuky. The temperature's right." Flannery said.

"Indeed. We heated them ourselves." Iroh said as he breathes steam out of his nostrils and Flannery does the same but Zuko swats the steam away.

"Enough! We need to go now! Both of you out of the water." Zuko said.

"Very well." Iroh said.

"If you say so." Flannery said as they both rise but Zuko quickly covers his eyes.

"On second thought, you two can take another few minutes, but be back at the ship in half an hour or we're leaving without you." Zuko said leaving.

"Ahhh!" Iroh and Flannery said at the same time as they lean back in their baths.

Meanwhile back at the wasteland valley Aang is still kneeling with a downcast look but then Katara, Lucy, and Wendy walk behind him.

"Hey, Aang, are you ready to be cheered up?" Katara asked.

"No." Aang answered sadly but then an acorn flies out of nowhere and hits Aang in the head. "Ow!" Aang said as he looks at Katara who is holding an acorn and Lucy and Wendy are holding acorns as well. "Hey! How is that cheering me up?" Aang asked rubbing his head and Sokka chuckles.

"That cheered me up." Sokka said but Lucy and Wendy throw their acorns at Sokka whacking him in his head. "Ow!" Sokka whined.

"You deserved that." Gray said.

"Yeah. I guess I did." Sokka said also rubbing his head.

"You're lucky I didn't punch your head again." Erza said.

"These acorns are everywhere, Aang. Which means the forest will grow back." Katara said.

"Every one of these acorns will be an oak tree someday." Lucy said.

"That's right and all the birds and animals that lived here will come back." Wendy said as she gives Aang an acorn and he smiles.

"Thanks." Aang said making Katara, Lucy, and Wendy smile.

"Who's there?" Erza asked seeing someone coming and they see an old man in green clothes and carrying a walking stick coming to the gang.

"Who're you?" Natsu asked.

"When I saw the flying bison, I thought it was impossible, but those markings...are you the Avatar, child?" The old man asked Aang who looks at Katara who nods and he turns back to the old man.

"I am and this is the Celestial Mage." Aang introduced Lucy who waves.

"Nice to meet you." Lucy said.

"My village desperately needs your help." The old man said.

The sun is setting and the old man leads the gang to an Earth Kingdom village and they see that some of the buildings have been burned and destroyed and the gang assume that the Fire Nation has something to do with this and the old man takes the gang to a building where some villagers are gathered and the people see Aang and Lucy entering the building and the village chief walks over to them.

"These two young people are the Avatar and the Celestial Mage." The old man said.

"The rumors of your return are true, Avatar and you have actually arrived as we had hoped, Celestial Mage." The village chief. "It is the greatest honor of a lifetime to be in both of your presences." The village chief.

"Nice to meet you too." Aang said as he bows.

"So what seems to be the problem?" Lucy asked.

"I'm not sure." The village chief answered with a pained expression.

"Our village is in a crisis. You two are our only hope. For the last few days at sunset, a spirit monster comes and attacks our village. His name is Hei-Bai, the black and white spirit." The old man said.

"Why is it attacking you?" Sokka asked.

"We do not know, but each of the last three nights, he has abducted one of our own. We are especially fearful because the Winter Solstice draws near." The village chief explained.

"What happens then?" Gray asked.

"As the solstice approaches, the natural world and the spirit world grow closer and closer until the line between them is blurred completely." The old man said.

"Hei-Bai is already causing destruction and devastation. Once the solstice is here, there's no telling what would happen." The village chief said.

"So what do you guys want us to do?" Aang asked.

"Who better to resolve the crisis between our world and the spirit world than the Avatar himself? You are the great bridge between man and spirits." The old man said.

"Yeah...that's me." Aang said a little nervous.

"Aang, can Katara and I talk to you?" Lucy asked as she and Katara go over to a window and Aang goes with them and Sokka, Gray, Erza, and Wendy join them.

"Aang, you seem a little unsure about all this." Katara said.

"Yeah. That's because I don't know anything at all about the spirit world. It's not like there's someone to teach me this stuff!" Aang said.

"You still gonna help these people?" Lucy asked.

"I gotta try right? Maybe whatever I have to do will just...come to me." Aang said.

"I know you'll think of something, Aang." Lucy said.

"Thanks, Lucy." Aang said and everyone smiles.

"I think you can do it, Aang." Katara said.

"Yeah...we're all gonna get eaten by a spirit monster." Sokka said.

"Should I feed you to a bear instead?" Erza asked.

"No thanks." Sokka said backing away.

"You can do it, Aang. You just gotta believe you can." Lucy said.

"Yeah." Aang said.

"You really think Aang can stop this spirit monster?" Natsu asked Lucy who doesn't say anything but just looks away from him. "C'mon. You're still mad? I'm sorry for what I said earlier." Natsu apologized but Lucy just walks away from Natsu without saying anything.

"I wouldn't talk to her right now if I were you. What you said to her actually hurt her." Gray said.

"She's never gonna talk to me again, is she?" Natsu asked.

"That depends." Erza said.

Meanwhile at the hot springs area Iroh and Flannery are sleeping in their baths but then a noise occurs startling Iroh who is startling Flannery and they're both awake.

"W-what was that?" Flannery asked shocked as Iroh looks back and forth around the forest and he sees a tiny animal on the tip of Iroh's hot bath.

"Oh, it's just a meadow vole. I should have known. You startled us, little one." Iroh said as the meadow vole leaves and Iroh leans back again.

"I thought it was an assassin." Flannery said.

"Not to worry, my daughter. We must have dozed off and missed Zuko's deadline, but it was a very sweet nap." Iroh said.

"You can say that again." Flannery said.

Suddenly a shaking occurs from deeper in the forest and dust clouds rise from the forest and a tremor starts moving and heads for Iroh's bath and the same thing happens to Flannery's bath and then shock waves approach the baths and reach them and both Iroh and Flannery are held by three triangle stones in their baths and three Earthbenders arrive next to the tubs behind each three stone triangles that are still holding Iroh and Flannery and an Earth Kingdom soldier examines Iroh's uniform and Flannery's clothing.

"The old man is a Fire Nation soldier." One of the Earth soldiers said.

"He's no ordinary soldier. He's the Fire Lord's brother. The Dragon of the West. The once great General Iroh, but now he's our prisoner." The Earth soldier captain said.

"What about the girl?" The Earth soldier asked.

"No doubt she's one of his daughters. She's our prisoner as well." The Earth soldier captain said.

Meanwhile back at the Earth Kingdom village Aang exits the meeting house and he starts walking through the village.

"Hello? Spirit? Can you hear me? This is the Avatar speaking. I'm...here to help stuff." Aang said as he reaches the village gate.

Everyone is still at the meeting house and they watch him and Lucy has a worried expression on her face.

"This isn't right. We can't just sit here and cower while Aang waits for this spirit monster to show up." Gray said.

"If anyone can save us, he can." The old man said.

"He still shouldn't have to face this alone." Lucy said.

Aang sees the sun already set and the sky turns dark.

"The sun has set! Where are you, Hei-Bai?!" Aang asked but no answer. "Well, I hereby ask you to leave this village in peace!" Aang said but still no response. "Okay then. I guess that's settled." Aang said as he starts to walk away.

Unknowing to him a large black and white creature with six legs and razor sharp teeth follows behind Aang through the village until Aang realizes something and stops and he turns to see the large creature and he smiles.

"You must be the Hei-Bai spirit. My name is..." Aang was cut off by a blue energy beam coming out of the creature's mouth knocking Aang's staff out of his hands and the creature rears itself up and unleashes another blue energy beam and then charges at the village leaving Aang but Aang goes after it.

"My name is Aang! I'm the Avatar and I would like to help you!" Aang said as he's still going after it.

Hei-Bai starts destroying two house and a watchtower with its brute strength and its blue energy and Aang keeps following it and tries to get its attention and in the meeting house everyone is watching and Lucy wanted to go out an help Aang but Erza stops her.

"The Avatar's methods are...unusual." The village chief said as they duck from a flying debris.

"It's like it doesn't have any interest into what Aang is saying." Sokka said.

"Somebody has to help him." Lucy said.

"Forgive me, Celestial Mage, but only the Avatar can stand a chance against Hei-Bai." The old man said.

"Aang will figure out what to do, Lucy." Katara said.

"He'll be okay." Natsu said placing his hand on her shoulder but she swats it away while trying to ignore him.

Hei-Bai continues to destroy everything while making a pile of debris and Aang runs to a building and climbs to the top of it getting between them.

"Please, will you stop destroying things and listen?" Aang asked but Hei-Bai is destroying a building with its fists. "I'm trying to do my job as a spirit bridge. Excuse me, can you turn around please? I command you to turn around!" Aang said and Hei-Bai does turn around but it swats at the building Aang is still on sending Aang flying and hits a nearby roof and he slides off and falls to the ground and Lucy saw the whole thing she gets ticked off.

"That's it! I'm helping him!" Lucy said as she starts to leave but Natsu grabs her arm.

"No! It's too dangerous!" Natsu said.

"Let me go, you jerk!" Lucy yelled as she punches Natsu in the face knocking him out and she leaves the building.

"Lucy!" Gray called as he goes after her and although the old man tried to stop him he too leaves the house.

Lucy runs through the village and finds Aang trying to get up.

"Aang, are you okay?" Lucy asked.

"Yeah." Aang answered.

"We'll try to reason with it together." Lucy said but then Hei-Bai approaches Lucy and Aang but Gray gets behind Hei-Bai and prepares his Ice Magic.

"Hey, Hei-Bai! Over here!" Gray called but Hei-Bai ignores him. "Ice Make: Cannon!" Gray yelled as he makes his ice canon and starts shooting ice at the creature but nothing was hurting it and Gray runs to Lucy and Aang.

"Gray! Get back inside!" Lucy said.

"We can fight 'im together, guys." Gray said.

"I don't wanna fight him. We're gonna..." Aang cuts himself off as Hei-Bai appears behind Gray and grabs him and starts to run.

"Gray!" Lucy said as she tries to attack Hei-Bai with her whip but nothing happened and Hei-Bai appears behind Lucy and grabs her as well and Hei-Bai starts to run.

"Lucy! Hang on, guys!" Aang said as he opens his staff into his glider and flies after them while Hei-Bai runs back into the forest taking Lucy and Gray with it while Aang chases after them.

Katara and Natsu run through the village to try and help Aang but they stop at the village gate unable to keep up and Katara has a worried expression on her face while Natsu looks down in sadness and a tear starts shed from his face.

Meanwhile back at the hot springs area Zuko, Aiko, and Fire soldiers starts searching only to find the two hot baths empty.

"Uncle! Flannery! Where are you two?" Zuko asked.

"Sir, maybe they thought you left them." A Fire soldier suggested.

"Something's not right here." Aiko said as she sees the two hot baths and she also sees three triangle stones in the tubs.

"A pile of rocks?" Zuko asked also looking at them.

"It looks like there's been a landslide, Sir." The other Fire soldier said.

"Land doesn't slide uphill. The rocks didn't move naturally. This could only mean one thing..." Aiko said.

"What is it, Aiko?" Zuko asked.

"Father and Flannery have been captured by Earthbenders!" Aiko said.

Meanwhile Aang is gliding through the forest at amazing speed still chasing after Hei-Bai who is still holding Lucy and Gray in its grip and Aang sees Hei-Bai he's pulled with it and begins to pass but then a branch slows him down.

"Aang!" Lucy called.

"Over here!" Gray called.

Aang tries to keep up again and he sees Hei-Bai reaching the wasteland from before and Aang gets close behind and he tries to get closer to Lucy and Gray.

"Help!" Lucy said.

"Hold on, guys!" Aang said as he reaches his hand to Lucy who is able to grab it and she takes her hand out to Gray who is able to grab her hand and Aang was about to pull the two free but then Lucy, Gray, and Hei-Bai vanish shocking Aang and falls from the sky and he lands in front of a stone statue of a bear and he is unconscious but then he starts to get up and he looks around. "Lucy! Gray!" Aang called but he doesn't them anywhere and he's downcast. "I've failed." Aang said sadly.

Meanwhile the five Earth soldiers are riding on four war ostrich-horses through the forest and they're taking a chained and covered Iroh and Flannery with them.

"Where are you taking us?" Flannery asked.

"We're taking you and your father to face justice." The Earth soldier captain answered.

"Right, but where specifically?" Iroh asked.

"A place you're quite familiar with actually, General Iroh. You once laid siege to it for six hundred days, but it would not yield to you." The Earth soldier captain said.

"Ah, yes! The great city of Ba Sing Se." Iroh said.

"It was greater than you apparently." The Earth soldier captain said.

"Shut your mouth! You know nothing about my father!" Flannery yelled.

"I acknowledged my defeat at Ba Sing Se. After six hundred days away from home, my men were tired and I was tired." Iroh said and then yawns. "And I'm still tired." Iroh said as he falls to the ground.

The Earth soldiers stop to see Iroh on the road asleep and they pick up and put him back on the ostrich-horse he was riding on and they continue to move and while they were moving Flannery sees Iroh's sandal left behind and she smirks and Iroh makes a sly smile.

Meanwhile Natsu is sitting near the village gate looking into the forest with a depressed look on his face and Happy is at his side and so is Katara who places her hand on his shoulder and Erza and Wendy come behind them.

"I'm sure they'll be back." Wendy said.

"I know, but this is all my fault. I shouldn't have yelled at Lucy. I know her falling off earlier was an accident, but I was scared of losing her ever since..." Natsu stops talking for minute. "I shouldn't have called her selfish and stupid. I'M the stupid one. Now she hates me and I'll probably never see her again." Natsu said and Katara gets a cover and places it on Natsu's back.

"What about Gray? Aren't you worried about him too?" Happy asked.

"A little, but he can take care of himself." Natsu said.

"Gray got captured by Hei-Bai as well. You should be worried about him too." Erza said.

"Okay. I am worried about him." Natsu said. "Mostly Lucy." Natsu mumbled under his breath.

"You should get some rest." Katara said and Natsu looks at Lucy's whip.

"Everything's gonna be alright." Natsu said trying to be hopeful.

"I'm sure Lucy and Gray are in good hands. I would be shocked if Aang returned without them." Erza said.

Aang appears along the forest trail leading into the gate and he sees Katara, Natsu, Erza, and Wendy and he notices Natsu's downcast look and Aang walks over to them.

"Guys, I...I lost them." Aang said sadly but he doesn't see them reacting and so Aang comes closer but then he sees the sun rising.

"The sun is rising." Happy said.

"Let's just hope they'll return soon." Katara said.

"What? No! I'm right here!" Aang said and then grunts and then he places his hand on Katara but she doesn't feel him surprising him and he looks up at the sun and he looks at himself glowing blue and he realizes something.

"I'm in the spirit world!" Aang said.

Meanwhile Iroh's sandal is still on the road from last night and Zuko and Aiko find the sandal and Zuko picks it up and sniffs it but then cover his mouth in disgust.

"That's Uncle Iroh." Zuko said giving Aiko the sandal.

"And I'll bet those Earthbenders are taking Father and Flannery that way." Aiko said pointing straight ahead as she gets on her komodo-rhino.

"Let's go." Zuko said.

Meanwhile Katara, Natsu, Erza, and Wendy are still standing near the village gate and Sokka joins them later on and Aang is still with them and they still can't see him.

"Don't worry, guys. I'll figure this out. I promise. It's like they said, I'm the bridge between the worlds. All I have to do is...figure out what I have to do and once I do that, no problem." Aang said and he sees Appa coming to the gang and he grunts. "Appa! Hey, buddy! I'm right here, but I guess you can't see me either." Aang said and Appa keeps grunting until they see him.

"It's okay, Appa. I'm sure they're on their way back." Katara said.

"They probably even have moon peaches for you, for a treat." Wendy said.

"Or maybe a treat of all of us." Sokka said.

"We'll see." Erza said and she, Wendy, Katara, and Sokka walk back to the village and Appa follows them.

"Natsu, are you coming?" Happy asked.

"Yeah." Natsu said as he looks at the forest one more time. "Luce, come back soon, okay?" Natsu said as he and Happy walk back to the village and Aang looks back at the forest.

"What am I supposed to do?" Aang asked. "Avatar Roku! How am I supposed to talk to you?" Aang asked but no answer and he looks despaired but then he notices something and looks down the path. "Lucy? Gray?" Aang asked excited and a light shines down the path and he sees what looks like a blue spirit dragon flying at him. "That's not Lucy or Gray!" Aang said as he opens his staff into his glider and starts to fly away but he lands back down to the ground and he tries to Airbend the glider off the ground but nothing is happening. "What? I can't Airbend in the spirit world?!" Aang asked and he sees the blue spirit dragon flying at Aang and he screams.

The blue spirit dragon continues to fly at Aang while wreathed in blue fire and Aang screams at the dragon coming at him but then the blue spirit dragon stops in front of him and Aang looks at it.

"You don't know where Lucy and Gray are, do you?" Aang asked and the blue spirit dragon bends its head down and uses on of its whiskers to touch Aang's forehead making Aang's eyes glow with blue fire and a flashback occurs with an old man riding on the dragon which was red and the blue spirit dragon breaks its touch ending the flashback. "You must be Avatar Roku's animal guide like Appa is to me. Please, I need to save my friends and I don't know how. Is there way to talk to Roku?" Aang asked and the blue spirit dragon bends its body allowing Aang to get on and he turns to see Natsu sitting outside the house still with a downcast look. "I'll be back, guys. Please take to Roku." Aang said and the blue spirit dragon flies off.

Meanwhile the five Earth soldiers and their four ostrich-horses are going along a winding mountain path and while they keep moving Iroh and Flannery look up at the sky and they both see the blue spirit dragon and Aang flying through the sky over them and both Iroh and Flannery are startled by this.

"What's wrong?" The Earth soldier captain asked turning to the two.

"Nothing." Flannery answered.

"Actually, there is a problem. My old joints are feeling sore and achy and these shackles are too loose." Iroh said.

"Too loose?" The Earth soldier captain asked.

"That's right. The cuffs are loose and they jangle around and bump Father's wrists. It would help him if you would tighten them so they wouldn't shake too much." Flannery said.

"Very well. Corporal, tighten the prisoners handcuffs." The Earth soldier captain ordered.

They make the ostrich-horses stop and the corporal gets off and touches Iroh's cuffs but Iroh breathes on them making them red hot and when Iroh grabs the corporal's hands and places them on the hot iron the corporal starts screaming in pain allowing Iroh to get off and Flannery follows him and Iroh launches himself in the air unleashes a blast of fire from his feet at the other soldiers and Flannery does the same and the two roll off the path and down the hill.

Meanwhile Aang is still riding on the blue spirit dragon and it takes Aang to a volcanic island and it has a Fire Nation temple and they fly towards the ceiling.

"Hey! What're you doing?" Aang asked but they pass through the ceiling harmlessly and they enter a secret chamber at the top of the temple and it's empty except it has a statue of Roku and Aang walks over to it. "I don't understand. It's just a statue of Roku." Aang said and the dragon touches Aang's forehead again and his eyes are glowing again and this time it shows a vision of a huge flaming comet flying through the sky and the dragon breaks contact again. "Is that what Roku wants to talk to me about? A comet? When can I talk to him?" Aang asked.

The dragon lowers its head down allowing the sun to shine through a tiny window high up the ceiling and a shaft of light hits the wall near Roku's shoulder and the dragon touches Aang's forehead again and shows a vision of the time to pass the Fire Temple begins and shows the temple sitting on the volcano as clouds fly at incredible speed and sun rounds its daily course in seconds and three days pass to show the floor of the statue's chamber and two written characters are being shown along with the days passing rapidly and the shaft of sunlight hits the back wall and gets closer to the face of the statue of Roku as each day passes and the dragon breaks contact.

"It's a calendar! The light will reach Roku on the solstice. So that's when I get to talk to Roku?" Aang asked and the dragon grunts in response. "But I can't wait for that long. I need to save Lucy and Gray." Aang said and he and dragon fly out of the temple at amazing speed.

Meanwhile Iroh and Flannery keep rolling down the hill while still chained and the Earthbender solders watch this and they Earthbend a torrent of dirt and rock after them and they slide down the hillside chasing after the two and when they reach the two they're almost buried.

"They're both too dangerous, Captain. We can't just carry them to the capital. We need to do something now." The Earth soldier said.

"I agree. They must be dealt with immediately and severely." The Earth soldier captain said and Iroh and Flannery look with disdain.

Meanwhile Katara, Sokka, Erza, Wendy, Happy, and Carla are on Appa who is flying over the forest and they start looking.

"It's no use. I can't find them anywhere." Erza said.

"Me neither." Wendy said.

"Same here." Katara said.

"Ditto." Sokka said.

"Aye." Happy said.

"Our best chance is to go back to the village and wait for them." Carla said.

"Or maybe that monster spirit ate those three already." Sokka said but Katara and Erza give him an evil eye look making Sokka shake in fear.

"They can't be eaten! C'mon. Let's wait for them to come back." Happy said and Katara makes Appa fly back to the village.

Meanwhile Zuko and Aiko keeping moving through road with their komodo-rhinos trying to follow the Earthbenders that captured Iroh and Flannery and they see a clear trail of the ostrich-horses on the ground and as they keep moving Zuko looks up and he sees Appa flying over them.

"The Avatar and the Celestial Mage!" Zuko said but Aiko places her hand on his shoulder.

"We'll go after them later, Zuko. Right now, we must help Father and Flannery.' Aiko said.

"You're right, Aiko. Let's keep moving." Zuko said and they keep going through the road.

Meanwhile Aang and the dragon fly through the edge of the forest and they arrive at the wasteland and Aang sees his body sitting cross-legged atop the bear statue and as Aang braces himself he rejoins with his body and the dragon disappears into the bear statue and Aang wakes up and he's back at the physical world and so he jumps off the bear statue and he stares at it and looks closer at its face and so Aang opens his staff into his glider and he flies back to the village and there he sees Natsu sitting on the porch of the meeting house still downcast and Happy is sitting next to him and Katara, Sokka, Erza, Wendy, and Carla look at them worried but then they see Aang flying towards them and he lands in front of them and Katara runs to him and hugs him.

"You're back!" Katara said.

"Where's Gray?" Erza asked.

"Where's Lucy?" Natsu asked.

"I'm not sure." Aang answered downcast and he looks back at the forest and he sees the sun setting again.

Meanwhile Iroh and Flannery are in an earthen pit with the Earth soldiers and both of them have their arms stretched over a large rock in the center of the pit and their hands are spread.

"These dangerous hands must be crushed. The Fire Nation General is first." The Earth soldier captain said as he summons a huge boulder and moves it over Iroh's hands and by the time he drops it someone arrives at kicks at the boulder away and it's Zuko and Aiko arrives with him and Zuko destroys the chains on Iroh's hands while Aiko destroys the chains on Flannery's hands.

"Nice form, you two." Iroh said.

"You taught us well, Father." Aiko said.

"Yeah." Zuko said.

"Surrender yourselves. It's five against four. You're outnumbered." The Earth soldier captain said as he and the other Earth soldiers surround the four Firebenders.

"That's true, but you're clearly outmatched!" Iroh replied.

The five Earth soldiers bend stones at the four but Iroh and Flannery swing their chains and break them into pieces allowing Zuko and Aiko to blast their fires at two Earth soldiers close to them but other two Earth soldiers are behind them and they shoot rocks at the two and Zuko and Aiko prepare to destroy them but Flannery wraps them around her chains and she swings them back at the Earth soldiers knocking them out but the Earth captain shoots several rocks at the four but they dodge and Aiko bends her white fire at the Earth soldier captain but he blocks the fire with his helmet and then raises two sheets of rocks and throws them but Iroh wraps his chains around the Earth soldier captain's legs and Iroh pulls them to the ground and the rocks land on him and all the Earth soldiers are on the ground and the four Firebenders smile at each other and Zuko places his hands on Iroh's and Flannery's shoulders.

"Now will you two please out on some clothes?" Zuko asked.

"Please." Aiko said.

"Okay. We will. Relax." Flannery said.

Meanwhile the sun sets again and Aang is standing at the village gate again and the villagers, Katara, Sokka, Natsu, Happy, Erza, Wendy, Carla, and Momo look through the meeting house window and Aang waits until he decides to walk back to the village and he walks over back to the meeting house but then he hears a roar and he sees Hei-Bai destroying a building with a wind chime and unleashes its blue energy beam at Aang who makes an energy shield.

"Aang, what are you doing? Run!" Katara said.

Hei-Bai goes to another building but Aang runs under it legs and he jumps into front of it onto its forehead and Aang places his hand on the forehead and his hand glows blue and Aang sees a panda bear over the monster and Aang jumps back to a porch of a building.

"You're the spirit of this forest. Now I understand. You're angry because your home was burned down. When I saw the forest was burned down, I was upset, but my friends gave me hope that the forest will grow back." Aang said as Hei-Bai stood still and Aang takes the acorn Wendy gave him earlier and he places the acorn on the porch and Hei-Bai picks it up and smiles turning into the panda bear and it walks away from the village and as it leaves the village gate it grows a thicket of bamboo and then a few villagers, Lucy, and Gray walk out of the bamboo.

The villagers run at their loved ones and hug them.

"What happened?" Gray asked.

"I don't know." Lucy said and Wendy, Erza, Happy, and Carla run at the two and hug them.

"I'm so glad you two are still alive." Wendy said.

"You guys know what happened?" Gray asked.

"You two were trapped in the spirit world for twenty-four hours." Katara answered.

"How do you two feel?" Erza asked.

"I feel a little weird, but I'll be okay." Lucy said.

"I feel like I need to use the bathroom." Gray said and Natsu runs up to Lucy and hugs her and spinning her around wildly.

"LUCE! YOU'RE STILL ALIVE!" Natsu cried happily still hugging her that's he's almost crushing her and then lets go. "Listen, Luce, I'm REALLY, REALLY, REALLY sorry for the stuff I said to you. I shouldn't have been angry with you for falling off accidentally. I'm also sorry for calling you selfish and stupid and..." Natsu was cut off by Lucy.

"It's okay, Natsu. I'm sorry for saying that I wished I never met you. I didn't really mean it. I was just angry because you were blowing a fuse because I fell accidentally this time." Lucy said. "Let's just put that argument behind us, okay?" Lucy asked.

"You bet!" Natsu said and the two hug again and Aang, Katara, Sokka, Happy, Gray, Erza, Wendy, and Carla smile at this.

"I'm glad they finally made up." Happy said.

"I just hope that never happens again." Sokka said.

The gang are standing in front of the village chief who is accompanied by two villagers.

"Thank you, Avatar. If only there was some way to repay you for what you've done." The village chief said.

"You can give us some supplies and some money." Sokka said but Erza and Gray punch him in the head.

"You fool!" Erza yelled.

"Idiot!" Gray yelled.

"What? We need stuff." Sokka said rubbing his head.

"It would an honor to help you prepare for your journey." The village chief said as he bows and leaves.

"I'm proud of you, Aang. You figured out what to do on your own." Katara said.

"Actually, I did have a little help. There's something else." Aang said downcast.

"What is it?" Lucy asked.

"I need to talk to Roku and I think I've figured out how to contact his spirit." Aang said.

"That's great, Aang." Katara said.

"Creepy, but great." Sokka said.

"You think everything's creepy, Stupid." Gray said.

"So what are we supposed to do?" Erza asked.

"There's a temple on a crescent shaped island and if I go there on the solstice, I'll be able to speak with Roku." Aang said.

"But the solstice is tomorrow." Katara said.

"Yeah and here's another problem...the island is in the Fire Nation." Aang said and everyone is shocked to hear that.


This chapter is over now. I hope you enjoyed it. I will work the next chapter so I hope you look forward to that. I'm gonna go away now and take a break. Until then, take care and I'll see you all in Chapter Eight!