Hi! I am here with another chapter
Part 2
"I can't believe I lost him." Katara said in despair, tears brimming her blue eyes.
"You did everything you could to protect him," Sokka assured. "and now we need to do everything we can to get him back. Zuko couldn't have gotten very far with a small child. We'll find them. Aang's going to be fine."
"Okay." Katara agreed, and boarded Appa with Yue and her brother, leaving Momo behind, purring softly, saddened by his owner's disappearance.
"It's alright. You stay here, Momo, in case Aang comes back." She said.
"Yip-yip." And the bison was airborne.
"There's some thin ice up here!" Sasha warned.
"Just keep walking!" Zuko said. "We're in the North Pole. It's not going to break."
He was wrong, for as soon as he set foot on the area, it began to give way. It hadn't cracked under Sasha's weight when she stepped on it because she was lighter, but it couldn't hold all three of them at the same time. On instinct, Zuko sprinted through the snow, avoiding certain death, as the ice broke, Avatar on back.
After averting falling through the ice, Zuko spotted a cave buried deep in the distance. "Shelter."
Zuko dragged Aang's body inside the cave to tie him up.
"Don't forget to tie his feet." Sasha advised.
"I'm not making the same mistake again. By the time I'm done, he won't be able to move." Zuko replied, making the last few knots.
Sasha yawned. How long had she been out? Eight hours? Two, maybe? She was weary from the journey. She curled up against the hard rock wall, and closed her eyes. There was a major snow storm going on outside, keeping them inside the cave, so there would be plenty of time to get some much wanted shut eye.
Zuko moved over to Sasha's form and studied her thoughtfully. Ten years, he thought. And she hasn't changed a bit. Same size, same eyes, same hair texture and color. Her frozen in time figure was a reminder to Zuko; reminder of older, less complicated times: times when Mom was still around to keep her ambitious husband under control. Why did she have to leave so suddenly? Ursa had been an anchor to the Royal family, being a shoulder for Zuko to cry on when Dad picked on him, here to discipline those mischievous twins, setting an overall standard of right and wrong. When she left, Ozai became the one in charge of the family, and it wasn't long before its members fell to disorder.
"I finally have you," Zuko said to Aang who was clearly not listening, being in a completely different dimension. "but I can't get you home because of this blizzard, not that you would understand. You're like my other sister, Azula. Everything always came easy to her. She's a firebending prodigy, and everyone adores her. My father says that she was born lucky. He says I was lucky to be born. I don't need luck though. I don't want it. I've had to struggle and fight, and that's made me strong. It's made me who I am."
Azula had always been perfect. Every new firebending form she was thought would be mastered immediately with utmost perfection. She didn't have to work to gain father's affection. She always had it, and Sasha...Well, she was supposed to have it. Being Azula's twin, she, too, had been promised the same prosperous future, but that illness had strangled the hope and utterly destroyed it, pushing her down to the level of himself and Uncle.
"I'm sorry." he muttered.
"For what?" Sasha asked, eyes still closed.
"You're not asleep?"
"Can't. The rock's too bumpy. I'm just resting." She said, sitting up. "How's our captive?"
"Still knocked out."
"Oh. I guess I could stay up and watch for a little while."
Eventually, Aang came to himself again, his tatoos changing back to the standard light blue shade. He tried to get up, but couldn't due to the inevitable presence of rope. Rope? Then, that could only mean that he had been abducted by none other than...
"Welcome back." Zuko said.
"Good to be back." Aang retorted, blowing an air blast that pushed Zuko against the wall. Desperately, he bounded outside, pathetically wiggling away like a caterpillar. It didn't take long for Zuko and Sasha to follow him.
"That won't be enough to escape." Zuko stated, snatching Aang up by his collar.
Just then, Appa flew in, carrying all of Aang's friends. The creature landed, and Katara dismounted it.
"Here for a rematch?" Zuko asked, falling into fighting stance. Sasha assumed a similar posture.
"Oh, trust me, Zuko, it won't be much of a match." Katara asserted. Zuko wasn't aware of the full moon, having been hiking in the cool, frigid tundra.
"It's two against one, sister. You don't stand a chance." Sasha returned, but she had spoken too soon. It only took Katara two seconds to lift Zuko up in a column of hard ice, and harshly push him down in a pile of snow, knocking her opponent out. Sasha fell silent, not wanting to get hurt.
Sokka left Appa to help Aang. "Wow! This is some quality rope." he remarked, cutting through the sharp bonds.
"We need to get to the oasis!" Aang cried. "The spirits are in trouble!"
With that being said and done, Aang leaped back onto his dear pet, taking the reigns. A sudden thought made him pause. "Wait. We just can't leave them here."
"Sure we can. Let's go." was Sokka's brief response. After all, these people were their enemies, and the Gaang had other duties to tend to. Who would miss Prince Zuko if he passed away? No one.
"If we leave them here. They'll die." Aang declared. With that being said, he hopped off, and grabbed Zuko's body, bearing him towards the Sky bison, Sasha strolling closely behind.
"Need help?" Aang asked, offering to carry Sasha, after he had left Zuko in Appa's saddle.
"I can walk by myself." She answered coldly.
"Okay. No need to get your nickers in a knot. I'm just trying to help."
"Yeah, this makes a lot of sense. Let's bring the guy who's constantly trying to kill us and his annoying, shin-kicking shadow."
The journey went by slowly. Sasha had planted herself in the saddle's corner. It felt rather awkward to be traveling with the same characters that you had been attacking and scaring all season. Zuko still hadn't woken up.
Suddenly, the moon glowed a bloody red, the sky following its hue.
"I feel faint." Yue exclaimed, holding her head, as one in deep pain would.
"I feel it too." Aang agreed gravely, "The moon spirit is in trouble."
"I owe the moon spirit my life." Yue thought aloud.
"Why?" Sasha asked. "What did the moon spirit ever do for you?"
"When I was born," Yue began, " I was very sick and very weak. Most babies cry when they're born, but I was born as though I was asleep, my eyes closed. Our healers did everything they could. They told my mother and father I was going to die. My father pleaded with the spirits to save me. That night, beneath the full moon, he brought me to the oasis and placed me in the pond. My dark hair turned white. I opened my eyes and began to cry, and they knew that I would live. That's why my mother named me Yue for the moon."
"That's nice." Sasha said.
"Hm?"
"That you're parents loved you like that, and watched out for you even when you were critically ill. That's a nice thing to have."
insert line
Kaleb anxiously watched from behind Admiral's Zhao's shoulder.
Zhao had captured the moon spirit's mortal variety, a koi fish, and was holding it in a bag, slowly suffocating the creature to its death. "I am a legend now. The Fire Nation will for generations tell stories about the great Zhao that darkened the moon. They will call me Zhao the Conquerer, Zhao the Moon Slayer, Zhao the Invincible!"
Kaleb glanced worriedly at his nearby comrades who were also having some doubts about this man being a reasonable leader. There was something so wrong with what he was planning to do, and their morality told them so, yet they didn't dare strike out against his plans. Any rebellion would incur a severe penalty. There were soldiers, men loyal to the Firelord before anything else. The Firelord had set Admiral Zhao there as an authority, thus they were obligated to obey orders, even if it would cost them everything.
The Gaang entered the spirit oasis to find only one fish in the pond. La, the ocean spirit was alone while its partner, Tui, the spirit of the moon, was stuck in Zhao's bag. That explained why the moon was colored scarlet.
Sokka raised his boomerang. A ball of water accumulated in Katara's hand. Aang lifted his glider, prepared to defend the spirit. In response, Zhao raised his hand to the bag, certain to deliver a fire blast that would definitely fry the spirit to death. "Don't bother."
Everyone dropped their stances and weapons.
"Zhao, don't!" Aang lifted his hands up as a sign of surrender.
"It's my destiny." Zhao replied, eyes glowing with passion. "To destroy the moon and the Water Tribe."
"Destroying the moon won't just hurt the Water Tribe. It will hurt everyone, including you. Without the moon, everything would fall out of balance. You have no idea how much choas that would cause for the world." Aang tried to reason.
"The world won't see you as a war hero," Sasha added after a pause, after thinking through the quote. She glanced at the moon in its deformed state. She couldn't imagine it not being there every night. "They'd see you as a monster who sent the world into disaster. There are other, less destructive ways to annihilate a civilization. The Fire Nation uses the moon too, and removing it will be a hindrance to all of us."
Kaleb couldn't help but admire this candid act. It was that awkward moment when the four year old kid looked a lot smarter than the full grown man holding a fish.
"The child is right, Zhao." A new voice spoke.
"Uncle!" Sasha cried. He came.
"General Iroh, why am I not surprised to discover your treachery."
"I am no traitor, Zhao, but the Fire Nation needs the moon too!" Iroh's face grew stern. "We all depend on the balance. Whatever you do to that spirit, I'll unleash on you tenfold! LET IT GO NOW!"
With this being said Iroh lifted his fists, ready to tale the offensive. He looked dead serious about 'tenfold'. Sasha had always wondered how this old, cooky, tea loving man who was barely five feet tall had managed to guide an entire army into Ba Sing Se. Now, she knew. There were two Uncle Irohs, Iroh the Retired General who loved tea, and Iroh the General that sieges the Earth Kingdom capital.
Zhao bowed his head, and let Tui go back into the pond to join its friend, but his heart was hardened, and nothing could stop him from accomplishing his goal, his destiny, his dream. He sent a steak of fire across the pond, unable to bear the sight of the fish's well being, ending the moon spirit's life.
The moon disappeared, and the atmosphere went colorless, like a black and white film. Uncle, as promised, began his attack on Zhao, only to be confronted by Zhao's body guards, including Kaleb. The Admiral slipped away while Iroh was battling the amateur soldiers, wondering what consequences his actions had brought. Iroh sighed sadly after he had finished taking out the soldiers. He turned back to the pond. Maybe something could be done to help the moon spirit. Zhao was his second priority.
They all sat around the pond where La was nervously circling its deceased companion. Sasha stuck her hands into the water, and lifted the carcass. There was a deep cut on the creature's body. It had died from internal damage.
"There's no hope now." Yue sobbed. "It's over."
"No," Aang declared, his tattoos starting to glow. The sudden tragedy had caused him to slip into the Avatar State, his voice joined together with the voice of all the past Avatars, giving it an incredible accent. "It's not over."
Judiciously, he stepped into the center of the pond, and put his fists together. La circled around his feet until its eyes also glowed a bright white. Aang promptly sank underwater, submerged head to toe. Sasha stared in awe as electric blue steaks extended across the surrounding water like plant roots, coloring the environment a powerful shade of blue. The water gathered together in one place, and took up the form of a gigantic fish, Aang locked at its center in a sphere, controlling the creature's movements. The Ocean Spirit and the Avatar had joined forces. This new being soon made its way out of the oasis, and into the city. The Fire Nation may have taken away the moon, but they weren't going to take the Northern Water Tribe, not if Avatar Aang could help it.
Sasha looked up at the grey sky and back at the corpse. What had Zhao done?
"It's too late." Katara said. "It's dead."
They all bowed their heads in silent mourning until Uncle noticed Yue's abnormally white hair, making an important discovery. "You have been touched by the moon spirit. Some of its life is in you."
"Yes..." Yue replied. "You're right. It gave me life."
She stood up, and went towards the fish which Sasha was still holding. "Maybe I can give it back."
Sokka put his arm out to stop her. "No! You don't have to do this. Your father told me to protect you."
"It's my duty, Sokka." She countered. "I have to do this."
She bent over, placing her hand on the koi fish's body. The creature's wound shined brightly for a brief second as its injuries healed. Then, Yue closed her eyes before falling into Sokka's arms.
"No!" He cried, coming the sudden reality.
He moved his hand across her face. It was ice cold, lifeless. "She's gone" He announced solemnly, hugging her closer to himself. "She's gone."
Sasha was upset. She had read sad scenes from stories of people dying, but she'd never seen it happen up close in person, right in front off her face. It was a completely different experience. That person who passed was gone forever. No one could replace that person, or come back to the world as the same person. There would never be another Princess Yue just like this Princess Yue.
It seemed like ages before Yue disappeared from Sokka's arms, and her soul was transferred to the fish; Sasha placed the Moon Spirit back in the pond, and the group watched, as it glided around in that cyclic motion. The pond turned white, and an eerie mist arose from it and took the shape of a young girl. It was Yue. She placed a ghostly hand on Sokka's cheek. "Goodbye, Sokka. I will always be with you." she promised, sadly. She gave him a parting kiss. Just as Sokka was going to return it, she vanished. The moon reappeared its proper place, and brightened the sky with the same pearly white glow that Sasha had known all her life. It was as if nothing out of order had occurred.
Sasha patted Sokka on the shoulder. She didn't say anything for fear of hurting anyone's feelings. She honestly didn't know what to say. She turned to Uncle.
"We should leave now." He said. "Sasha, go find your brother. I'll get some transportation."
Sasha scrambled up the sky bison, and scanned its saddle. Her eyes widened. Zuko was gone! But where? She exited the spirit oasis, and went into the metropolis. Sasha was prepared to scan all the buildings in the Water Nation, but she didn't have to. Zuko could be clearly seen on the city bridge, looking into the water mindfully, as if something remarkable had happened there. Sasha stepped onto the bridge. "What are looking at?"
"Oh," Zuko said, suddenly aware of his sister. Did Admiral Zhao just get snatched up by La, the ocean spirit, and pulled underwater, forced to reside in a watery grave for the rest of his human existence, right in front of his very eyes, choosing death over accepting the aid he had so willingly offered? Apparently so. His rival had been eliminated, and was gone forever. "Hi, Sasha. Where's Uncle?"
"He went to get us some transport. Now, stop looking at the seawater and move! We have to get out of here pronto before Uncle leaves without us."
"I'm surprised, Prince Zuko," Uncle declared, adjusting the sails of the craft they were now sailing in. Uncle had found the family a raft to travel in. Oh well, it was better than nothing. "surprised that at this moment, you are not trying to capture the Avatar."
Zuko's reason was different from what most spectators would expect. "I'm tired, Uncle."
"Then, rest." the old man advised. "Zuko, a man needs his rest."
Presently, Zuko laid down on the wooden boards, and slept, pondering his failure to capture the Avatar, and wondering what would be the best for his next move.
Sasha was sitting criss-cross, viewing the debris of metal that had once been Fire Navy ships, the remaining pieces peeking out of the sea.
"And I am astonished, Princess Sasha, astonished that you are so quiet, not a single insult to anyone or anything." Uncle went on.
Sasha didn't answer. Many things were flashing through her mind. She had just witnessed someone deliberately sacrifice her life, abandoning her own promising future to assist the needs of a spirit, saving the world from permanent unbalance. So much love and devotion for others, Sasha thought. So spontaneous. That girl didn't even think twice about giving up life. I'd never be able to pull something off like that. She sighed, looking the demolished ships of war, pieces peeking through the water. The Ocean Spirit combined with Aang had destroyed the entire fleet. None of the passengers survived. Had Kaleb and Caleb been among them? Were they gone forever as well? She hoped not.
"Some of the people on those ships were dear friends of mine." She said at last, thinking of those skull faced helmets.
Gradually, the raft floated out to sea, drifting at the mercy of the every changing current.
Hola! So, to clear up some confusion, Kaleb is not dead. He went with Zhao to the Spirit Oasis, remember? He's just shaken up because Uncle Iroh beat the crud out of him. We'll see him again eventually. No worries. ;)
Book 2 is coming up soon! Peace!