Flying through the clear morning sky, Appa glided over the treetops, bringing the sparkling ocean into view.
"Hey Aang," Sokka called from Appa's saddle, causing Aang to turn in attention from where he sat on Appa's head, "we need to pick up some things for the long flight to the South Pole. Is there a town nearby?"
"Right there," Zuko pointed from where he sat.
Below and ahead of them, a village lay sprawled out on the shore. A boardwalk lined the ocean side and several docks extended out into the water, all empty except for a few stray fishing boats in for repairs.
"Sokka," it'd take a week or more to get to the South Pole from here," Katara pointed out, "you can't expect Appa to fly us all the way there?"
"Of course he doesn't," Zuko said with a grin, "we can ride Appa halfway there and Momo can fly us the rest."
Momo let out an indignant chirp at hearing his name and jumped to the air sailing over to where Aang sat. Sokka and Katara stared at Zuko with uncertainty, his jokes always catching them a bit off guard, while Toph broke into a snickering fit.
"The sarcasm kills me, Zuzu," Toph managed through her attempts to suppress her laughter.
Unmoved by the joke, Sokka pointed out, "For your information, Toph, Zuko, I had a much better explanation." Clearing his throat, he resumed where Katara had left off, "Of course I don't expect Appa to fly us all the way there. He can swim too."
Utterly exasperated, Katara raised a hand in protest, but Aang's reassuring voice stopped her, "Don't worry Katara, Appa's a great swimmer."
Appa let out a loud roar, as if to answer Aang in approval.
"Okay, if you say so Aang, er, Appa," Katara replied to both her air nomad friend and his flying bison.
As the village neared, Aang held a hand to his forehead to screen the sun, scanning below and saying, "Hmm, not much room for a ten ton bison."
"How about there," Toph pointed nonchalantly over the side of the saddle.
Everyone looked expectantly to where Toph pointed, only to see nothing but more buildings below. This discovery promptly brought everyone back to the reality that Toph was blind.
"Don't you ever get tired of doing that?" Sokka questioned Toph in annoyance.
"Don't you ever get tried of falling for it?" Toph said amusedly as she leaned back in Appa's saddle with a grin.
"Hope you don't mind the water," Aang said as he patted Appa, "but there's not much room for a big guy like you around here."
The bison sat in the water along one of the docks, his saddle level with the pier and taking up the space that a small boat would. Appa grunted his reply to Aang and Momo leaped from the bison's head onto Toph's shoulder.
As the group made their way down the docks, they made plans for who would go where to get what.
"Sokka and I will get the food we need—," Katara began.
"Lots of meat," Sokka whispered from behind her, twiddling his fingers in anticipation.
"…and fruits and vegetables among other things," Katara finished, looking back at her brother with distaste.
"I'll get the water," Aang said holding up the water pouches that dangled from his staff.
As Aang, Katara, and Sokka headed off in different directions, Zuko questioned them from where he stood by Toph, "What about us, what should we get?"
"Oh, uh," Katara called back without stopping, "How about some warmer clothes, its pretty cold back home."
Zuko looked down to his side at Toph as she muttered with disgust, "We're going shopping?"
"Hey Katara, get all the supplies we need?" Aang asked in a strained tone as he approached her on the docks, heavily laden with water skins draped over his staff.
"Yep," Katara replied gesturing to the boxes at her side, "Sokka's hauling the last crate over now."
As if on cue, Sokka came down the dock, arms full with the heavy crate.
Setting it down with a thud, Sokka complained, "Seriously Katara, I don't see why you couldn't help me with all this."
"You were the one that wanted to buy so much," Katara rolled her eyes causing Aang to laugh. Hearing him laugh, Katara began to chuckle as well.
"Let's just get this stuff loaded," Sokka said as he took a sack from one of the crates and took at step onto Appa.
Katara and Aang began sorting through the boxes, handing stuff to Sokka to pack away on Appa's saddle.
"Wohh!" Aang suddenly cried as he leaped back in shock to see the Blue Spirit looming over him, then relaxed a little, "Jeez, Zuko, you scared me, I didn't know you still had that old mask."
The Blue Spirit stood tall with his arms at his sides, appearing for all the world like a statue. Suddenly the black sleeves ripped open as two arms spread like a pair of wings, each wielding their favored baton like weapons.
"Uhm, Aang," Sokka stuttered as he dropped the bag of food he was holding, "I don't think that's Zuko."
The Blue Spirit stood with tattered sleeves draping its four arms, declaring, "I've returned for my face," before striking forward.
Acting quickly, Aang thrust his staff down below himself and vaulted over the Blue Spirit, or Le Jien as it had become obviously clear. Whipping up an air scooter in mid air, Aang landed neatly on the other side of the spirit and zoomed down the dock.
Sokka had his club out and leaped at the Blue Spirit from Appa as soon as Aang was out of the way, but the Blue Spirit caught him in the air with a chopping motion with his two right batons sending Sokka into the water. Ignoring Katara, the Le Jien raced after Aang.
Appa, realized Aang was in danger, begin to raise himself from the water before Katara solaced him saying, "Stay here Appa, we'll take care of this!"
Running down the dock after the spirit, Katara spread her arms wide, building up a wave of ocean water in her wake
On the landward side of the dock, Aang pointed innocently behind the Blue spirit is he approached.
The spirit glanced backwards only to see that Katara had stopped, allowing her wave to rush past her. The wave collapsed on Le Jien, washing him the rest of the way down the dock and onto the boardwalk.
Toph leaned against a wall in the clothing shop with Momo perched on her shoulder, both of them looking completely bored. Zuko stood nearby, pawing through a pile of heavy looking clothing.
"Of all the people to drag me shopping, I would never have guessed it would be you, Princey," Toph sighed with annoyance.
Zuko rolled his eyes for the umpteenth time that morning, defending himself, "I don't want to shop either, but we're headed to the South Pole and we need something warmer to wear."
"Says you," Toph uncrossed her arms and picked up a stray garment, "can't you just grab something and be done with it?"
"I have to look my best," Zuko said, his few weeks of returned royalty having already restored his sense of rich dignity, "and besides, that's a man's coat you just grabbed."
Toph's scowl remained as she tossed the garment aside and grabbed another one.
"That one too," Zuko repeated.
"And that one."
"And that one."
"And—"
"Alright already!" Toph roared, causing Momo to fly away in a panic as she tossed the last piece of clothing onto the pile she had built, "Just grab me something my size that will keep me warm and lets get out of here!"
The Blue Spirit was back on his feet immediately as Aang approached. Launching himself forward, Aang brought his staff down sending a gust of wind at the Spirit Avatar. Le Jien's arms crossed in front of him in defense as the air hit him, sending him sliding backwards across the wooden planking.
Katara was immediately at Aang's side whirling a strand of water as a swordsman might with a saber. Taking his cue from Katara, Aang dropped his staff and, instead of using water, began bending fire in an ornate blur.
Le Jien's arms unfolded and he paused a moment to scan his adversaries. His eyeless gaze quickly focused past Aang's whirling fire to the small bag strapped to his back. It was there, what he wanted—what he needed. He could feel it.
The Spirit Avatar lunged forward, arms raised to attack. Aang and Katara lashed out with their strands of fire and water. Rips appeared all over Le Jien's black robes, some smoldering and some soaked, as he swiped at each stream of water and fire with his batons.
Using their bending against them, the Blue Spirit directed his attack on Katara, striking at her wisps of water and redirecting them into Aang's fire strands, extinguishing them.
"Aang, do something!" Katara cried as the distance between her and the Spirit Avatar closed.
Finding firebending futile, Aang, having no earth at hand, reverted back to his air bending mastery to send a pulse of air into Le Jien.
It was too late however, and Le Jien had already jabbed Katara in several places on the arm and side of the neck with the tips of his batons before the blast knocked him out of the way.
Katara stood frozen, managing to mutter, "You've got to be kidding me," before collapsing onto the wooden planks, Chi blocked an unable to move.
"Katara!" Aang roared, reaching out into the air as if he could catch her.
Infuriated, he whirled his hands to create an air scooter. Fire streamed from his hands as he zoomed forward to the Spirit Avatar's fallen body, preparing to unleash a storm of fire on the Spirit Avatar.
Before Aang knew what happened, Le Jien twisted sideways and chopped through Aang's air scooter, sending the Avatar sprawling onto the boardwalk. The bag containing Le Jien's face flopped from Aang's unmoving body, landing a short distance further.
Lowering his arms, Le Jien seemed to flow over to wear the bag lay. Stooping to reach down, the Spirit Avatar suddenly whirled around as a shadow cast over him, blocking the club with a crisscross of his batons.
"You really shouldn't steal Aang's purse," Sokka said through clenched teeth as he struggled against the Blue Spirit.
Leaping back as Le Jein struck forward with all four arms, Sokka whipped his boomerang from its holster let it fly. Le Jien's masked head ducked to the side, allowing the boomerang to go sailing past.
"Missed," he hissed from behind the Blue Spirit mask.
Sokka grinned at the blue face in front of him with anticipation as his boomerang began it return flight. Unfortunately Aang had chosen that time to get to his feet and return to fight, preparing to strike Le Jien from behind.
"Aang, look out!" Sokka yelled as he charged forward.
Turning, Aang didn't even have time to react as Sokka's boomerang embedded itself in his glider staff.
Wide eyed, Aang turned to thank Sokka for the warning but was met with the snaggletoothed grin of the Blue Spirit mask. As the Blue Spirit struck forward with three arms, Aang dodged sideways. Taking advantage of Le Jien's lack of concentration, Sokka swiped the bag containing the spirit's face from Le Jien's fourth arm and tossed it to Aang.
"I still don't see why we had to get so much," Toph mumbled from behind the mountain of clothes she was carrying.
"Sure you do," Zuko insisted from behind his own armload of clothing, "You don't want to wear the same dirty clothes everyday do you?"
"Nothing wrong with a little dirt," Toph replied before the sounds of battle reached her ears.
Rounding the corner of a building, Zuko suddenly beheld Katara lying flat on the board walk with Aang and Sokka further down battling…the Blue Spirit? Zuko blinked once before dropping the load in his arms and rushing to aid his friends.
"What's going on?" Toph called from behind her mountain of clothes, only to be answered by a chirp from Momo who sat on top of her armload.
"Toph, over here!" Katara yelled from where she lay.
Dropping her load, to the annoyance of Momo, Toph made her way carefully over to Katara.
"Toph, thank goodness!" Katara cried with relief, "It's the Spirit Avatar, he paralyzed me with those weapons he has, I can't move!"
"What do you want me to do about it Sugar Queen?" Toph questioned, "I can't exactly see out here; I'm not a woodbender."
"We have to get back to Appa. I'll be your eyes, but you'll have to be my legs. Just drag me in the direction I tell you!"
"Ugh, alright," Toph sighed reluctantly, leaning over and finding Katara's arms.
Meanwhile, Le Jien had resumed the fight, using two arms to fight Sokka and the other two to fend off Aang and Zuko. A combination of fire, air, and edged metal struck at him from all directions, but the Spirit Avatar only seemed to become more energetic with each strike, rather than slowing down with fatigue.
"Keep going Toph, you're doing great, we're on the dock now," Katara cried encouragement as Toph dragged her slowly.
"Yeah, easy for you to say," she grunted as she blindly plodded step by step backwards.
Momo scampered ahead of Toph, clearing away lengths of rope and other objects from the blind girl's trail.
Zuko had two daggers of flames extending from his fists, using them to jab at the spirit while Aang shot blast after blast of air into him. But Le Jein's batons and extra pair of arms proved capable of repelling everything they threw at him.
"We can't keep this up," Sokka declared as Le Jien sent him reeling backwards, one arm completely paralyzed, "We need to get out of here, now!"
Zuko and Aang nodded in unison as they dashed down the dock, occasionally turning to shoot a blast of fire or air back at their enemy to slow him down.
"Almost there Toph, we're almost there," Katara said. Noticing Aang, Sokka, and Zuko racing up the dock with Le Jien in pursuit, she yelled, "Toph, a little faster!"
"I'm going as fast as I caa-ahhhhhhn!" Toph yelped as she was grabbed abruptly around the waste by Zuko and swung into Appa's saddle.
"Yip yip, yip yip!" Zuko roared as he dove for Appa's reins.
Aang and Sokka hoisted Katara aboard as Appa took to the air. Looking back, they saw Le Jien come to a skidding halt at the end of the dock. The mask of the Blue Spirit stared back at them with its transfixed grin as he stood there, motionless as a statue.
"Well that was fun," Toph muttered sarcastically as she took a long drink of water.
"What happened?" Zuko questioned Aang.
"We were loading Appa when Le Jien arrived. Only," Aang said looking Zuko in the eyes as an old memory came back for both of them, "he was wearing the mask of the Blue Spirit. I don't know why."
Aang and Zuko were suddenly interrupted by Sokka's belated moan, "We forgot the food!"
"We'll manage," Katara replied from where she lay, recuperating from the Spirit Avatar's paralyzing blows, "we managed to get some of the supplies aboard."
"Let me get this straight," Toph asked, "We've got no food, no water, no warm clothing," she glared in what she thought was Zuko's direction, "and we're stuck flying on Appa for over a week?"
"We'll manage," Katara answered, "We've got enough to last the trip, and we can always pick up some warm clothing once we get there."
Water was the only thing in sight from all sides. The only thing that differentiated from the blue ocean below and the blue sky above was the orange glowing sun that hung in the sky. A day had passed since they left the Fire Nation.
Aang lay on Appa's head, leaning back on the bison's fur. Everyone else including Momo lay in Appa's saddle quietly, some comfortable, others not so much. To say the least, it was hot out. They were traveling from one temperature extreme to the other but had yet to reach the temperate zone.
Getting up and stretching, Zuko crawled over the edge of Appa's saddle and took a seat next to Aang.
"I've been thinking," Zuko began, "Even without bending, the Spirit Avatar seems to only get stronger as we fight him. There's something magical about him, something—"
"Spiritual?" Aang gave a dry laugh then continued, "I don't think we can beat him with normal bending."
"There's one thing we haven't tried," Zuko said looking at Aang meaningfully, "Lightning."
Aang shuddered. Lightning had been the only aspect of fire bending that he had not mastered. While it was true that not all fire benders could bend lightning, it was true that all Avatars could. But since his near death at the hands of Azula in Ba Sing Se, Aang had built up a fear of lightning. He knew the motions, knew the technique, but he refused to practice it. He had never used lightning once, not even in his battle against Ozai.
"I don't know…" Aang replied hesitantly.
Zuko nodded. Next time they faced Le Jien, he would be there to help Aang with the lightning. It seemed a sure way to defeat the spirit.
The peacefulness of their conversation was broken as they felt of the updraft from Appa's sudden decent.
"Woah," Aang cried, "tired already Appa?"
Appa let out a slow groan as he landed heavily in the water, sending a huge splash in all directions.
"Appa!" everyone in the saddle complained as they disentangled themselves from each other after the bison's heavy landing.
"It's okay buddy, you deserve a break," Aang sad as he leaned over Appa's forehead to look the bison in the eye.
"Yeah, he does, but a warning before landing would be nice," Katara complained as she stood up from the mess that had become Appa's saddle. Aang shot her an apologetic glance before he was suddenly knocked off balance as Appa rocked about in the water. Aang was about to chide his bison when he was put on guard by Appa's loud roar of pain.
The water began to boil with life as huge red tentacles broke the water's surface and began waving around wildly in the air. The water continued to ripple and bubble as giant spiked balloon like domes rose from the water all around, waving their slimy tentacles every which way.
Zuko rose to his feet, good eye wide with horror as he gasped, "No way."
Authors Note: Well, it took me awhile, but here's the next chapter. I've actually been debating whether I should continue this story or not. This has nothing to do with reviews, but rather…actually I'm not really sure, could be several things. But fear not, I wouldn't leave you readers hanging. I'll finish this one way or another, either continuing to write these poorly conceived 'episodes' or organizing my notes into a readable narrative. We'll see how it goes.