"Well, Aang, General Yuji gave us our mission after you departed for yours..." Ahnah recalls...
"What is our mission?" Ryo asks.
"We have intel that suggests Dominion scientists are torturing our people and are conducting genetic experiments." Says General Yuji. "What's more is that they are preparing to deploy a biological weapons."
"Even if the Avatar succeeds," Kang says, the weapon they're preparing may still wipe us out."
"That's right, Kang," Fai adds. "I knew he was handsome, but I didn't know he was smart too." The whole room looks at her. Shocked that she said that outloud, she looks to General Yuji and asks for help with her eyes.
Yuji quickly brings the focus back to the mission. "You four are to return to Gaipan, confirm the intel, bring back a sample, and then destroy the base."
"That sounds easy enough," muses Ahnah.
"It won't be, I assure you," responds Councilman An'jou. "I escaped from there, the Avatar was imprisoned there, and this program you are about to recon is even more secure than that."
"Captain Ryo, does you have any questions?"
"No, Sir," says Ryo, "Our orders are clear and the Lionraptors will not fail.
"Very good," says An'jou.
"I have a question, sir." Mengyao speaks up. "Are we to take any prisoners?"
"Doing so would only impede your mission," replies Yuji.
"Good," Mengyao frowns, satisfied.
Yuji leans forward in his chair, "You are all dismissed."
"Lionraptors, move out." Ryo gives the order.
Exiting the temple, the crowd has dispersed. The group of rebels makes their way to their vehicles in silence. The fighting has taken a toll on all four. Kang thinks back to his time while he was free, and wonders if his mother is okay. It's been years since he joined the resistance.
Annah's mind wonders to her time in prison. It comes in flashes. She does her best to keep it out. Sometimes, suddenly, the overpowering sensation of extreme thirst, heat, and dryness overcomes her. She rubs her wrists where her shackles once were.
Mengyao hasn't had a chance to mourn the death of his sister. He finds himself suddenly overwhelmed will feelings of loss.
And Ryo. He didn't want to be leader. He feels like the last mission at Gaipan was a failure. They didn't save their avatar. They lost Lihua. The avatar they do have went off on his own and left them. Is he just leading his team into a death trap? He realizes he's never felt fear before on this level.
As they approach their cybercycles, they are greeted by small voice.
"Hey you guys, these are some really cool 'cykes."
"Oh look, it's that Wugu kid," Ahnah says.
"Hey!" shouts the little boy. "I'm no Wugu," I'm Wuguwugu."
"Oh," Ahanh kneels down. "You must be twice as much Wugu as anyone else!" They both laugh.
"I've got something for you Lionraptor girl." He says.
"Oh, and what's that?"
"This is my lucky pin."
"Wow, it's very, uh... wow. It's very wow." Ahnah smiles.
"No really," Wuguwugu insists. "I tried to give it to the Avatar, but I chickened out. He needs it."
Ryo looks over, "It looks like a pin to an old hair ornament."
"That's right," the boys smiles and nods. "It's from an old, old, old avatar. Will you give it to him for me?"
"Of course I will," Ahnah says as she takes it into her hand, and then gives the boy a big hug. "Don't you worry," she says with her usual beaming smile and bright eyes, "We'll give it to him, and I'll make sure he comes back to thank you for it when this whole ugly war is done."
Wuguwugu smiles back. "Thank you, Lionraptors!" He waves his hand high over his head and runs off.
Ryo takes Ahnah's hand as she rises up. Suddenly the only thing that he can feel is love for the one person in the world who means the most to him. They look at each other eye to eye. Ahnah leans in and kisses him, putting her hands softly on his cheek. Ryo wrarps both arms around her and lifts her into the air.
"Ack!" Shouts Ahnah. "Hey, don't crush me with that crushing arms of yours." They both laugh. Still looking into each other's eyes. "There hasn't been enough of this has their, babe?"
"No, sweetheart," Ryo says, "there certainly has not."
"Aaaaand that's the only reason why I let you two go on for so long," Mengyao quips.
"We all better get headed to Gaipan," Kang says grimly."
"No, not all," Ryo retorts.
"Not all, why?" Asks Ahanh.
"Because of what's in your hand."
"What, this old trinket?"
"Remember what Aang said at Gaipan?"
"Oh, I remember," Mengyao interrupts, "He said," he belts out in a deep voice,'Who here is in charge?'"
"No," says Ryo. "Well, yes, he said that, but there was something else. He said he couldn't feel something. He said it was 'everything.' I bet he meant his past lives."
"Or maybe the Spirit World," says Ahnah. "I kind of thought that when he said it."
"Spirits have not visited our world for generations," Kang points out.
"Exactly," says Ryo. "The Avatar is supposed to be the bridge between the two worlds, right?"
"That's what I've always heard," adds Mengyao.
"So, maybe with no avatar there have been no spirits, Ryo speculates. "Maybe the spirits can help. Maybe Aang needs to connect to the Spirit World in order to save this one."
"Maybe Aang needs the help of his past lives," adds Ahnah.
"Ahanah," says Ryo, "You must take this artifact to Aang. Find him and put it in his hand."
"Me on a mission alone with the Avatar, won't you be jealous?"
Ryo blushes. "What, me jealous?"
"Because you have nothing to be jealous about," Ahnah leans into Ryo's arms rests her head on his shoulder. Ryo put his face into her hair and breathes her in, holding her tight. They kiss."
"Aaaand we better move out," Mengyao shouts out.
The Lionraptors get in their cybercycles, three towards Gaipan and one headed to Republic City.
Ahnah looks over her shoulder at Ryo. "I love you."
"I love you too, get back soon."
Ahanh continues her story to Aang. "I followed the reports on the net of your battles and the path of destruction that you left. I ditched my cybercycle and hid it in camo mode, then I stole this pod, and I found you. It was pretty easy with the whole thing being in TV."
"That's quite a story," says Aang.
"Oh, wait, and there's one more thing. I am supposed to give you this."
Ahanh takes Aang's hand and places the artifact inside of it, and closes his hand over it. Aang's arrow tattoos being to glow, and beams of light pour from his eyes, and then his mouth as he screams.
"Arghhhhh!"