Later that night where Katara is seen dressed in a black cloak, tying her hair in a ponytail. Aang was still upset that she was still going to take Appa and deal with it. He continues to insist that she forgive the man who killed her mother. After flying for a while, Zuko mentioned that they should find a command center. It keeps tabs on where all fire navy ships, including the Southern Raiders at all times. After ambushing the closest command center, the Southern Raiders were near Whale Tail Island. They continued on through the night. Zuko arises from his sleep and looks at Katara steering Appa. She has dark circles under her eyes from lack of sleep. She tells Zuko that her mother and the strange man were gone from the home after she went and got her dad. A while later Zuko points out that they found the Southern Raiders.
Appa submerges underwater, Katara water bending an air bubble around his head so they can breathe. Then they made their way onto the ship and into where the leader would be. She blood bends the leader, but realize that he wasn't the right guy. The leader tells them that they might be looking for Yon Rha. He retired about four years before. Both left the leader and flew off to where Yon Rha would be. They found him walking home from the market. He drops basket of vegetables and fire bends at a nearby bush. Sensing no one, he picks up the fallen vegetables and continues on his way. He unknowingly steps on a thin wire, causing him to fall into the mud. He tries to get up only to see a fire blast coming his way which he quickly avoids. Zuko appears before him.
"Whoever you are, take my money. Take whatever you want. I'll cooperate."
"Do you know who I am?"
He had no idea who she was even after she pulled off her mask. After a few moments, he changed his answer. He did know her, but as the little water tribe girl. She told Yon Rha that her mother was protecting the real last Southern Water Tribe water bender. Katara bended the rain around them. He looked shocked. After a few moments, she sends a forceful stream of water at Yon Rha, transforming the stream into a flurry of ice daggers midway through her attack. Yon Rha crouches in fear, preparing to be hit. When he does not feel harmed, he looks up to see the ice daggers floating in midair. Katara's expression softens and she allows for the daggers to liquefy and drop to the ground.
"I did a bad thing! I know I did and you deserve revenge, so why don't you take my mother? That would be fair!"
"I always wondered what kind of person could do such a thing, but now that I see you, I think I understand. There's just nothing inside you, nothing at all. You're pathetic and sad and empty."
"Please, spare me!"
"But as much as I hate you... I just can't do it."
Yon Rha appears to be grateful for being spared; however, Zuko shoots him an angry look. Yon Rha continues crying and shivering in the rain. They left after that and returned to where everyone was camping. Katara was sitting on the edge of the dock, her eyes closed, paddling the water with her feet. She opens her eyes sadly as Aang and Zuko approach her.
"Katara? Are you okay?"
"I'm doing fine."
"Zuko told me what you did. Or what you didn't do, I guess. I'm proud of you."
"I wanted to do it. I wanted to take out all my anger at him, but I couldn't. I don't know if it's because I'm too weak to do it or because I'm strong enough not to."
"You did the right thing. Forgiveness is the first step you have to take to begin healing."
"But I didn't forgive him. I'll never forgive him. But I am ready to forgive you." She leaves
"You were right about what Katara needed. Violence wasn't the answer."
"It never is."
"Then I have a question for you. What are you gonna do when you face my father?"
-Some time later-
"Doesn't it seem kind of weird that we're hiding from the Fire Lord in his own house?" Sokka said
The gang was sitting around the Zuko's house on Ember Island. They arrived a few hours before and just kind of sat around or bringing their stuff in. It did seem kind of sketchy that they were staying at the fire lords own home or for that matter his kind of summer home. Moments later Zuko walked in.
"I told you, my father hasn't come here since our family was actually happy. And that was a long time ago. It's the last place anyone would think to look for us."
"You guys are not gonna believe this! There's a play about us." Sokka screamed sitting up
"We were just in town and we found this poster!" Suki said
"Lol what?"
"Listen to this... "The Boy in the Iceberg is a new production from acclaimed playwright Pu-on Tim, who scoured the globe gathering information on the Avatar, from the icy South Pole to the heart of Ba Sing Se. His sources include singing nomads, pirates, prisoners of war, and a surprisingly knowledgeable merchant of cabbage.""
""Brought to you by the critically acclaimed Ember Island Players.""
"Ugh! My mother used to take us to see them. They butchered Love amongst the Dragons every year!"
"Come on, a day at the theater? This is the kind of wacky time-wasting nonsense I've been missing!"
"I swear to god Sokka are you trying to get me killed?" Tara said finally sitting up "I'm still banished here. From what I understand everyone knows who's banished and whatnot"
"So? We should go anyway."
Tara looked at Sokka with this blank stare and put her hands on her face. They left not long after. Once they arrived they sat in what Toph considered the nose bleed section seeing as she cant "see" the stage from there. When the play started it was total and utter bull shit. The actors playing the various members of the gang couldn't get the right personality of the gang or for that matter the wrong gender. A girl played Aang, which nearly caused a shit attack for some of the gang. As for Toph, the person who played her was a guy. Toph seemed to like him, though he was really buff and what not. Events seemed to sort of be in order though the accuracy wasn't fully there. Tara enjoyed watching her friends faces change expressions, up until where Toph came in and realizes that she's going to come in soon.
"Oh god. I wonder what they'll do about me." Tara said, groaning.
Several minutes later, a break happened. Tara looked like she was going to barf. Her character was complete crap. Everyone seemed to agree with what Tara said. It was made to seem that she couldn't do anything for herself and always needed help. During the break some kid said to Zuko that his scar was wrong. Tara made a face at the kid and the kid ran off.
"Don't listen to him Zuko." She sat next to him. "I think your scar is beautiful."
She put her hand on his face where the scar is. He then grabbed her hand and looked at her. Tara was serious about what she said and smiled at him when he looked at her. Some people would think that the scar is ugly, but not to Tara. Though that's just Tara to think that way. To her, everyone is different and that's what makes them unique and she likes those types of people.
"Oh my god. Tara's hitting on Zuko." Toph said
"No I'm not."
"You're lying."
Zuko and Tara got up and left. It wasn't true in any way. Nether liked each other, well at least in that way. While at the same time, Sokka was talking to the actor playing him in the play. He was telling the actor to say certain thing during the play, though the actor didn't find them funny at first but agreed to it. When the play resumed it was still utter crap. Sokka cracked up every time the actor used his line. In the end, apparently the fire lord won the battle between himself and the avatar. After that, the entire crowd enjoyed the play, well except for the gang. After heading outside, everyone agreed that the play was utter crap.
"I swear I wanted to puke during that." Tara said
"No really? Zuko said.
"But the effects were decent" Sokka replied
"No they weren't."
Several days pass and everyone is still on Ember Island, they were sitting outside at Ozai's beach house. Aang practices fire bending punches. Zuko watches him with his arms crossed. Tara was sitting nearby just watching and giving advice when needed. Her and Aang's fire bending have gotten better sense they were at the air temple. Zuko's also taken up teaching Tara a little bit though his main focus was on Aang but will include Tara when needed or have her teach.
"More ferocious! Imagine striking through your opponent's heart!" Zuko said
"I'm trying."
"Aang there is no trying. There is do or do not. You have your pick. I've learned that the hard way."
"Thank you, Tara. Now let me hear you roar like a tigerdillo!"
Aang gives a light roar as fire bursts come out of his hands and mouth; he then looks at Zuko and Tara with his embarrassed grin. Tara looks at him in a 'are you shitting me?' then looks at Zuko and he nods. It was a silent communication between them that he wanted her to say something and that he agreed with that look she had, seeing as he was thinking the same thing.
"That was pathetic." Zuko said
"Aang when he says roar." She got up and walks to the area "He means roar."
She then a loud roar as fire bursts out of her hands and mouth. Momo runs off and hides behind Suki in fear. Moments later she turns around and looks at them with a half grin and shrugs her shoulders. It could have been done better. The move was still sort of new to her, and she hasn't practiced it much.
"That's how it's done."
"Not too bad Tara. That one's getter better. But yeah like she said, you need to roar."
"I didn't mean to join in like that. I felt like it had to be done"
Zuko forgives her for that. It wasn't like he was mad or anything like that. He understood why she did that. Aang roars even louder, as three bursts of fire come out of his hands and mouth. Momo runs and hides behind Zuko's leg in fear. Zuko nods approvingly then looks at Tara. She mentioned she agreed with him. Katara came out moments later asking if anyone wanted watermelon juice. Aang runs off to get one, but Zuko grabs him by the collar and tells him his training isn't done yet. He walks off mentioning that everyone is being like snail sloths after Suki asks what the big deal is. Tara follows, she more agrees with Zuko than anyone though she doesn't fully trust him.
"Whats going on with those two?" Suki asks
"I dunno" Sokka replied "But we are being lazy. But I have an idea, beach party."
They run off to the beach and start having fun. Toph shows off her work with sand bending. She creates a mini Ba Sing Se, even with a little Bosco and earth king. Aang created a life size depiction of Appa. It was pretty accurate to the real Appa besides the color. As for Sokka, his sand sculpture was supposed to be of Suki but looked like a blubber monster. She thought it was sweet and all that. Zuko and Tara appear and start chasing after Aang, blasting at him with fire bending. Aang jumps over the sand replica of Ba Sing Se and Zuko destroys the replica. Aang hides behind his Appa sand sculpture.
"What are you doing?" Aang asks
"Teaching you a lesson."
Zuko destroys Aang's Appa sculpture with a fire blast. While at the same time, Sokka's sculpture gets destroyed by Tara. Aang jumps back up to the house. Zuko and Tara go after him, continually firing blasts at him. Katara comes back to shore and sees the destruction.
"What happened?"
"Zuko and Tara have gone crazy! I made a sand sculpture of Suki and they destroyed it! Oh, and they're attacking Aang."
Katara, Toph, and Suki run after them, the latter dragging Sokka. Zuko and Tara chase Aang onto a tree and Zuko sends another fire blast at Aang, forcing him to jump onto the roof of the beach house. Zuko climbs onto the roof. Tara fire bends onto the roof alongside Zuko.
"Get a grip before I blast you off this roof!"
"Go ahead."
"I'm not scared of you doing that."
Tara blasts fire at him. Aang slides down the roof and into the house. He hides behind a dresser. Zuko breaks the roof with fire bending and drops into the room along with Tara. Both takes a fighting stance and look around for Aang. Aang kicks the dresser at them, but Zuko destroys it. Aang runs into the hall. Zuko augments fire into the hallway. Aang clears his part of the hallway from the fire using air bending. Aang air bends Zuko and Tara out of the house. Everyone approaches Zuko. As for Tara, she was still stuck in the tree she was blasted into.
"What's wrong with you? You could have hurt Aang!"
"What's wrong with me? What's wrong with all of you? How can you sit around having beach parties when Sozin's Comet is only three days away?" Several eyes went to Zuko" Why are you all looking at me like I'm crazy?"
"I don't think you're crazy!" Tara yells but gets cut off by a yelp of pain
"And why are you still there?" Sokka asks looking at her but turns around moments later "Guys she's hurt"
Everyone goes and looks at Tara. There was blood everywhere. Down one arm there was a blood trailing down and a ripped sleeve seeing as she was wearing a long sleeve shirt. She gets pulled out and Katara starts healing her arm. There ended up being a bunch of holes in her arm from the branches. Aang finally speaks up.
"About Sozin's Comet, I was actually gonna wait to fight the Fire Lord until after it came."
"After?" Several people said
"I'm not ready. I need more time to master fire bending."
"And frankly, your earth bending could still use some work too." Toph said
"So, you all knew Aang was going to wait?" Zuko said
"Honestly, if Aang tries to fight the Fire Lord now, he's going to lose. No offense." Sokka said
"The whole point of fighting the Fire Lord before the Comet was to stop the Fire Nation from winning the War, but they pretty much won the War when they took Ba Sing Se. Things can't get any worse." Katara said. "Sorry Tara this is the best I can do."
"It's okay Katara. It's a lot better now. Thank you"
"You're wrong. It's about to get worse than you can even imagine. The day before the eclipse, my father asked me to attend an important war meeting. It was what I dreamed about for so many years. My father had finally accepted me back."
Zuko tells them that his father plans to use the comet to wipe out the earth kingdom like how air nomads were wiped out. Everyone was in shock to hear that. Some looked like they were going to puke. To wipe out two nations the same way is stupid and it wasn't going to happen no matter what. Not to mention that Ozai was to become supreme ruler of everything.
"I wanted to speak out against this horrifying plan, but I'm ashamed to say I didn't. My whole life, I struggled to gain my father's love and acceptance, but once I had it, I realized I'd lost myself getting there. I'd forgotten who I was."
"God damn" Tara said putting her hands on her head "I knew your dad was really screwed up but this. Even worse than I thought."
"What am I gonna do?" Aang said
"I know you're scared, and I know you're not ready to save the world, but if you don't defeat the Fire Lord before the comet comes, there won't be a world to save anymore."
"Why didn't you tell me about your dad's crazy plan sooner?"
"I didn't think I had to. I assumed you were still going to fight him before the comet. No one told me you decided to wait."
"And that's why you don't assume jack shit."
"This is bad. This is really, really bad."
"Aang, you don't have to do this alone."
"Yeah. We're all here for you, no matter what happens to you."
"Fighting the Fire Lord is going to be the hardest thing we've ever done together, but I wouldn't want to do it any other way." Several people start a group hug
"Get over here, Zuko. Being part of the group also means being part of group hugs."
After a few moments he walks over and joins the hug. Appa flies in, knocking over the entire group. People start laughing because of it. A while later Aang, Zuko and Tara are working on another lesson. Katara was off to the side with Momo, just watching.
"There's one technique you need to know before facing my father - how to redirect lightning. If you let the energy in your own body flow, the lightning will follow it. You turn your opponents' energy against them."
"It's like water bending."
Tara just laughs while Zuko just looks at her. She says she remembers that move because of his uncle. He looked somewhat upset but she apologized, understanding it was a sensitive topic. She didn't mean to offend, it just wasn't her intention to do that. Aang asks if Zuko's ever had to redirect lighting. He only had to once, against his father. Tara never has had to, but hopes to never have to.
"What did it feel like?"
"Exhilarating... but terrifying. You feel so powerful holding that much energy in your body, but you know if you make the wrong move, it's over."
"Bending lightning isnt exactly easy either. The bender guides rather than controls the lightning's direction and can only do it for a matter of seconds. Otherwise it can cause some serious damage to the bender."
"Well, not over over. I mean there's always Katara and a little Spirit Water action, am I right?" Tara made a face at that statement
"Actually, I used it all up after Azula shot you."
"oh"
"You'll have to take the Fire Lord's life before he takes yours."
"Yeah."