"The Fire Nation," just as simple as that is how I said it.

"That's correct…" Aang had a question to his voice.

"What are we waiting for then? Let's go kick some Honey Buns!"

Aang grinned.

We dispersed to gather our things.

"Come on boy!" Aang was tugging on Appa's reins to get him to move. "Look, I'm sorry, but Sokka and Katara decided not to come to the Fire Nation with us. But Salilah is. If they got hurt, I'd never forgive myself. So get your big butt off the ground and let's go!" He tugged some more.

"Thank you Aang, nice to know you care about me too," I set down a bag of supplies just in case we needed it.

"I care about you too Sal."

"I know."

"Think his big butt it trying to tell you something," Sokka and Katara came from behind the bison.

"Please don't go Aang," Katara said. "The world can't afford to lose you to the Fire Nation. And neither can I." Her blue eyes glistened with tears.

I watched Aang think about it.

"But I have to talk to Avatar Roku to find out what my vision means," Aang protested. "I need to get to the fire temple before the sun sets on the solstice."

"That's today Katara," I added, "We gotta split, pronto."

I hopped on Appa after Aang. The bison moved forward before taking off, but was cut off by Katara and Sokka.

"We're not letting you two go into the Fire Nation," Katara stated sternly.

"At least, not without us," Sokka grinned up at me. "We've got your backs."

I smiled back. "Well? What are you waiting for? Let's get this show on the road!"

Appa licked Sokka.

"Ewwwww!" he exclaimed.

"It's a long journey to the crescent island. You'll have to fly fast to have any chance of making it before sundown," a man brought our supplies we had requested. "Good luck."

"Thank you for your-" Aang started.

"Go!"

Jeesh.

Appa ascended into the sky so we could make it to Crescent Island.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

We had only left an hour ago, and the sun was starting to rise when I found out I lost my ribbon.

"Guys?" I asked, "Where's my ribbon?"

Zuko POV

My soldiers and I waited outside the head of town's house. He finally walked outside.

"Having trouble sleeping?" I sneered, pushing him back inside. "Seen the Avatar lately?"

"Sir!" one of the sentries yelled to me.

"What?!"

"There's something you should see."

"You," a pointing to a random guard, "Interrogate this low-life. I have more important things to handle now."

I walked to where the centurion was standing. In his hands was a beautiful blue ribbon with silver suns and moons on it.

"Sir, I think the Avatar's girlfriend dropped something."

"That isn't the Avatar's girlfriend's ribbon. This ribbon is high class material from the Northern Water Tribe. It has to be the other girl's. The Humanbender."

"I'm glad to hear that you remember your studies Prince Zuko," Uncle Iroh nodded in approval.

"Find her," a woman's voice whispered in my ear.

I turned my head to the side where I heard the lady, but all I saw was a woman in white disappearing into a thicket of bamboo trees. Then they both vanished.

That was strange…

Salilah POV

It was noon now as we were headed toward Crescent Island. A long and boring ride across the sea.

Katara, Sokka, and I took turns looking over the edge of Appa's saddle to make sure that there weren't any Fire Nation ships on prowl.

"Come on boy, we got a long way to go," Aang told the fluffy giant. "Faster!"

Appa pressed forward.

Zuko POV

I had to find her. But I didn't know why. I told myself it was because I knew she was with the Avatar.

"Sailing into Fire Nation waters…of all the foolish things you have done in your sixteen years Prince Zuko, this is the most foolish!" Uncle scolded me.

"I have no choice Uncle." I have to find her for some reason.

"Have you completely forgotten that the Fire Lord banished you? What if you're caught?"

"I'm chasing the Avatar. My father will understand why I'm returning home." I honestly doubted that, but I was sick of seeing the ocean every day for three years. I wanted a change of scenery.

"You give him too much credit. My brother is not the understanding type."

I know. Neither is my sister. I looked back through my telescope to try and find the Avatar's bison.

Salilah POV

"Hey Aang? I think Zuko decided to join the party!" I yelled to the boy.

"And he's gaining fast!" Sokka added.

"Uh… I didn't want fireballs for lunch Aang. You may wanna watch out!" I yelled as a fireball zoomed past us.

"We have to get out of Zuko's range, before he shoots another hot stinker at us!" Katara yelled.

I sneezed from the pungent smell.

"Can't you make Appa go any faster?" Sokka asked.

"Yeah. But there's just one little problem," Aang replied.

"Oh joy. What else could possibly be in our way…?" I groaned.

"A blockade…" Katara replied.

Hundreds of Fire Nation Naval ships were in our way. We would get blown up and Zuko's ship would crash. Killing the six of us, including Zuko and Iroh, and Zuko's crew.

Why was I worried about Zuko?

"If we fly north we can go around the Fire Nation ships and avoid the blockade," Aang thought aloud, "It's the only way."

"There's no time!" I told him.

"This is exactly why I didn't want you guys coming Katara! It's too dangerous!"

"That's exactly why we came!" she protested.

"Let's run this blockade!" Sokka said.

"I agree!" I nodded to Aang.

"Appa! Yip yip!" Aang told him.

"Oh shit, oh shit!" I said as thousands of fireballs came toward us. "Stupid Zhao! Stupid Fire Nation!"

We barely dodged some of them. One of them exploded with another one on impact and got flaming soot on Appa's coat.

We all tried to pet it down to the best of our abilities.

Appa groaned as Aang asked him if he was ok.

"I wish we would've just gone under the blockade," I said as it was almost cleared.

"Why didn't we think of that?" Sokka asked.

"Yeah. You have three waterbenders. We could've made a bubble for us all to breathe under water."

Instead, we flew higher, barely missing the fireballs up there too.

Two exploded again. And Sokka fell off.

"SOKKA!" I screamed.

Aang turned Appa around toward the ocean and caught him right before he hit the water.

We rushed across the water, back farther from the blockade then before because we had turned around.

There was a fireball coming straight at us. Aang started to get up, but I beat him to it, using airbending and waterbending to deflect the stink bomb.

I fell back onto Appa and we cleared the blockade.

"We got into the Fire Nation… Great…" I turned to see Sokka and Katara's faces slightly green.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

We flew for almost another six hours before actually seeing Crescent Island.

"There it is!" Aang said excitedly, "That's the island where Roku's dragon took me!"

"Finally. Took us long enough," I stated.

Aang set down Appa.

I climbed as quickly as I could and started stretching my aching muscles out.

"You must be tired," Katara patted the bison's stomach.

"Nope. I'm energized and ready to kick some firebender butts," Sokka replied.

"I was talking to Appa."

"Well I was talking to…Momo."

"Can we go now?" I asked Aang.

He nodded and we made our way up to the temple.

"I don't see any guards," Sokka observed.

"The Fire Nation must have left the temple when Avatar Roku died," Katara added.

"Not likely," I stated.

"Hurry! It's almost sundown," Aang said, running to the door.

The entryway was empty as we approached it.

I stopped.

"What?" Sokka whispered.

"I think I heard something," I replied.

"We are the Fire Sages, guardians of the temple of the Avatar," an old mad said, other men joining him.

"Great. I am the Avatar," Aang said.

"We know," the man said angrily, blasting fire at us.

Aang deflected the shot with his airbending.

"I'll hold them off!" he yelled at us, "Run!"

"Don't have to tell me twice!" I said, turning and running with Katara and Sokka close behind me.

"Which way?" Sokka asked, pointing to the different corridors.

"This way!" I heard Aang say from behind us as he zoomed past us.

I followed him.

"I sure hope you know where you're going Aang," I said to him.

"No clue," he replied taking another left turn.

He suddenly turned around, "Wrong way!"

"Come back!" the fire sage called after us.

"Make a right Aang!" I yelled to the young airbender as I spotted another hallway.

"It's a dead end!" Aang exclaimed.

The fire sage cornered us.

"I don't want to fight you," he told us.

"Right," I simply stated.

"I am a friend."

"Firebenders aren't our friends," Sokka said to him.

We all took a fighting stance. The sage knelt before Aang.

"I know why you're here. You need to speak to Avatar Roku," the sage said.

He got back up and we all relaxed.

"I can take you to him."

"How?" Aang cautioned.

The sage moved one of the lanterns on the wall and used firebending in the little hole that made the wall turn into a door that curved into a set of stairs.

"This way," the sage led us down the stairway.

"Find him," we heard the other fire sage we had met earlier say.

"Time is running out. Quickly."

We hurried down the staircase.

The door shut behind us.

"Avatar Roku once called this his home. He formed these secret passages out of the magma."

"Did you know Avatar Roku?" Aang asked.

"No. But my grandfather knew him. Many generations of fire sages guarded this temple long before me. We all have a long spiritual connection to this place."

"So is that how you knew we were coming?" I asked.

"A few weeks ago, an amazing thing occurred. The statue of Avatar Roku, its eye began to glow."

"That's freaky."

"That's when we were at the air temple," Katara realized.

"His eyes were glowing there too."

"At that moment," the sage continued, "we knew you had returned to the world."

"If this is the Avatar's temple, why did the sages attack me?" Aang asked.

"Things have changed."

"Fire Lord Sozin came to power…" I said.

"In the past the sages were loyal only to the Avatar. When Roku died, the sages eagerly waited for the next Avatar to return, but he never came."

"They were waiting for me…" Aang trailed.

Sokka walked over to him and put his hand on his shoulder. "Hey don't feel bad, you're only a hundred years late."

"Nice Sokka," I rolled my eyes.

"They lost hope the Avatar would ever return," the sage continued. "When Fire Lord Sozin started the war, my grandfather and the other sages were forced to follow him. I never wanted to serve the Fire Lord. When I learned you were coming, I knew I would have to betray the other sages."

"Thank you for helping me," Aang showed his appreciation.

The sage smiled.

"So how much further?" I asked.

"Not far now," the sage replied.

"By the way, what's your name?" Katara asked.

"I am Shiyu."

We walked a bit farther.

"You will follow these stairs to the sanctuary. Once you're inside, wait for the light to hit Avatar Roku's statue. Only then will you be able to speak with him."

Shiyu moved a trap door and led us into the sanctuary room.

Shiyu gasped. "No!"

"Lemme guess, the doors are locked and they're never locked?" I asked.

"Yes!"

"Can't you use firebending like you did with that other door?" Katara asked.

"No. Only a fully realized Avatar is capable of opening this door alone. Otherwise, the sages must open the doors together with five simultaneous fire blasts."

I watched Sokka think. "Ok genius, let it out."

"I think I can help you out," I could see the light flare up in his head.

He got some bags and lamp oil.

"This is a little trick I picked up from my father," he said. "I seal the lamp oil inside an animal skin casing. Shiyu lights the oil soaked twine and tada! Fake firebending."

"You are a genius Sokka," I high-fived him.

"You've really outdone yourself this time Sokka," Katara approved.

"This might actually work," Shiyu nodded.

I helped Sokka place all of the bags in the holes.

"The sages will hear the explosion, so once they go off, you rush in."

"It's almost sunset," I said to Aang, "You ready?"

"Definitely."

Shiyu lit the cords and rushed to hide with Aang.

The explosion sounded and Aang went to rush in. But the door didn't open. He pulled on the door handle, but it didn't budge.

"It's still locked!"

Shiyu sighed.

"Wait a second!" I brightened. "It looks like it opened right?" I wiped some soot from the door on with my fingertips."

"And?" Aang asked.

"Maybe we could fit Momo into the other side to make it look like you're in there!"

"Why didn't I think of that?" Sokka asked.

"Who's the genius now?" Katara teased her brother.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Come quickly! The Avatar has entered the sanctuary!" we heard Shiyu say as we hid, waiting for the door to be opened so Aang could go in.

"How did he get in?" one asked.

"I don't know. But look at the scorch marks. And down there."

"He's inside! Open the doors immediately! Before he contacts Avatar Roku!"

I heard the creaking of the door unlocking and opening of the door.

Once it did, everyone ran to hold the sages down.

But I felt an arm pull on the back of my arm. I whipped my head around.

"Zuko!" I widened my eyes.

In his other arms was the Avatar.

"They're coming with me!" Zuko told the others.

"I don't think so Princey!" I said, struggling to get away. But I couldn't.

The sages my friends and Shiyu were holding down squirmed out from underneath them and held them down. Momo flew away.

"Close the doors!" Zuko yelled to some of the other sages in the room, "Quickly!"

He led us down the secret staircase.

Aang wrestled out of Zuko's grip and ran toward the door, knocking both Zuko and I down the stairs.

"Sorry Sal!" Aang apologized.

Yeah. Whatever.

Zuko accidentally pulled my hair.

He groaned and sat up, holding his head.

"Hey Zuko," I said.

He turned to me. I reached out and yanked his ponytail as hard as I could.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"Paybacks buddy. Not only did you try to capture me, but you pulled my hair doing it." I spotted something familiarly blue sticking out of his sleeve.

"My ribbon!" I exclaimed.

"Oh yes…" his face became sinister, "I guess it is yours after all, isn't it? Well, I don't think you'll be getting it back anytime soon.

"Wanna bet?" I asked right before a Fire Nation Naval Crew Member snatched the both of us and tied us to a pole. "Hey! What's the meaning of this?"

Zhao came out of the shadows.

"Never mind. I get it now. Not surprising."

"Typical water tribe girl…" Zuko muttered and shook his head.

"Excuse me you typical Fire Nation asshole?"

"Quiet!" Zhao snapped. "Both of you!"

I stuck my tongue out at him.

"I suggest you end that vulgar act you're doing little water tribe peasant, before I burn you from the inside of your mouth out!"

I instantly stopped, terrified. No. Petrified.

But I noticed that Aang had made it inside.

"Oh, and Zuko, great effort, but your little smokescreen didn't work-" Zhao started before I cut him off.

"Really now? A smokescreen? Is that all you got up there Zuko? I actually thought you were smarter than that dude. But ok. Let me down. Less work I have to do to-" Zhao seized my throat.

"Shut. Up. I don't think the Fire Lord would mind if I killed you. He wouldn't have to worry about you coming back. The Fire Lord in a hundred years would."

"Let her go Zhao," Zuko spoke up.

Zhao smirked and released me. "My my. Won't the Fire Lord be surprised at this? His own son standing up for the enemy. And not just any enemy, the Humanbender. Who just happens to be-"

"You're wasting our time Zhao," the older Fire Sage said.

"No matter. Sooner or later the Avatar has to come out of his hiding, and then we can all be through here and leave with what we want."

I doubt that.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Zuko POV

I looked over at the girl. A small piece of hair was coming loose out of her top knot. She had red marks in the shape of Zhao's fingers on her neck where he had grabbed her. It made everything inside of me flame with anger knowing that he had hurt, yet, another person.

Her head was hung down, and her eyes were closed. I wonder what color they are.

Salilah. What a beautiful name for a beautiful Water Tribe girl. If she's a peasant, I think they misplaced her into the wrong home. She should be a princess if she isn't already. She's much more attractive than any Fire Nation girl I've met in my entire life.

Wait. What?

Zuko, get over yourself. You are the Crown Prince to the Fire Nation. She may turn out to be the Water Tribe Princess, but she'll be nothing more than a peasant to the Fire Nation. Your father would never approve.

But she's so different than the other girls. She's sharp-tongued and extremely witty. She isn't afraid to tell a person how things are and the way things should be taken care of. I know she's well educated, more than most Fire Nation scholars, and she's absolutely gorgeous. I can't think these types of feelings for a girl like her that I don't even deserve…

She opened her eyes and looked at me, raising an eyebrow. Brown. Like chocolate. An uncommon shade of eye color. Rarely found. And striking. It's like she's looking deep into my soul, trying to figure my entire life out, piece by piece, until she has it right down to my core. They're piercing.

"What?" she asks in her sweet voice.

I shrug and shake my head.

"Oooooook?" she has a giggle to her comment. A melodic sound that indicates she laughs often.

I tried to get the ribbon from the sleeve of my shirt. When I finally have it, I motion to it with my head. She looks down and her eyes widen with happiness. The other Fire Nationers are too preoccupied to notice what's going on.

She takes it from my fingers and slips it into the waistband of her sash.

"Thank you," she whispered.

I nod, unable to speak.

Salilah POV

"When those doors open," Zhao said, "Unleash all your fire power!"

"Like that'll work…" I muttered.

Zuko chuckled.

"You know Zuko," I say, "you are one tough riddle to crack. It's like there're two different Zukos in there. I can't help wondering every encounter which one I'll meet. Sometimes you're mean, angry, hotheaded Zuko. And other times I catch a glimpse of nicer, playful, regular teenage guy Zuko. There any more of you in there?" I was joking, and I made sure Zhao and the others couldn't hear.

He rolled his eyes (told you. Teenage guy Zuko.) and snickered some more. "You may be surprised.

He looked at me. Gold to Brown. I furrowed my eyebrows, trying to find something in there. I knew there was a soul in there. I just have to find it first.

I looked away and furrowed my eyebrows, thinking of a plan to get out of her. Too bad I can't firebend. I could just melt the chains.

My thinking stopped there, for there was blue mist and a great blue light that shone from the opening sanctuary doors. I turned my head and squinted my eyes to stop the light from blinding me.

"Ready…" Zhao cautioned, "Aim… Fire!" He and his crew shot fire at Aang. But it wasn't Aang! There before me was Avatar Roku, fending off the firebenders.

Roku redirected the fire to the firebenders and they ran off. I braced myself because it was coming towards me, but it only disintegrated the chains, setting both Zuko and I free.

I ran to Katara and Sokka.

"Avatar Roku is going to destroy the temple!" Shiyu told us.

"What do we do?" I asked.

"You have to get out of here!"

"But what about Aang?"

Roku spilt part of the floor in half, using his bending to make the magma rise.

"Shit just got real…"

The lava exploded out of the top of the temple. Sokka held both Katara and I close, shielding our heads from anything that could fall and hurt us.

Roku turned back into Aang as the Solstice was completed. He started to fall and I rushed to catch him; and I did, right before he hit the ground.

"We got your back," Sokka said.

"Thanks," Aang breathed heavily. "Where's Shiyu?"

"I don't know," Katara answered him.

The stairs we had come up were blocked with lava, so we had no escape.

"Aang!" I whined at him.

"Soooory Salilah. I could have just left you all here to face the wrath of the Fire Nation while you were helpless."

"Yeeeaaahhh… Thanks buddy."

We ran to an opening in the wall that overlooked the ocean.

"Please don't say jump," I told Sokka as I watched him open his mouth to say something.

"Is there any other way?" he asked me, in full panic mode.

I spotted our ride and pointed, "Apparently."

We all jumped on Appa's back as he approached us. Appa flew off with a groan.

"We…are…never…doing…that…again…" I said, breathing heavily between each word.

Aang nodded at me.

"And you, Avatar, really need to learn to not make it so hard for me to protect you."

Aang laughed, and the rest of us joined him.

It was nightfall by then; a full moon in the sky. I let a small tear escape as I thought of my home I had left behind when I looked up at it…

OoOoOoOoOoOo

He he he.

I know what you're all thinking...

Actually, no I don't. But I would like to! So please please please review!

So now we know from reading these two chapters that Salilah actually does have a family, which I know you all are guessing whose family is is right about now, and there was some Sokka/Salilah action in the first part. But, apparently Sonya's changed her sweet daughter's mind, because we have some Zuko/Salilah going on too. But will Zuko, who has obviously got it pretty bad for our heroine, get his dream girl?

Find out in the next "episode" of Salilah's Story!

Happy Reading!

-avatarspiriaangkorra