Super sorry about how long this is taking, anyway, brand new chapter and a brand new book, so enjoy! ShellyMay

The Avatar State

Fitfully I turn in my hammock on board the ship that will take us to our first stop off at the Earth Kingdom. Sokka lies above me snoring as I fall in and out of sleep.

The sky is almost black as the clouds are stained with soot. Snow falls as I run across icy plains searching. I can't breathe as I move frantically my limbs feel like lead. My heart beat drums in my ears and lighting slashes the sky crashing noisily. When the flash leaves my eyes Zuko stands in front of me. His hair flows in the wind as he watches me, his skin deathly pale slowly tinting blue.

I cry his name and yet the wind rips the sound away as he looks at me his eyes gleaming wickedly before his arm arches over his head sending a column of flaming searing towards me and burning my skin as the dream turns black.

I awake to find myself sprawled on the ground. Groaning I rub my head before sitting up.

"Sesi, are you okay?" Sokka asks peering down at me sleepily.

"It's nothing Sokka, go back to sleep." I tell him standing up and stretching. There is no chance I'll sleep again tonight. I notice that Katara's hammock is empty as I pass on the way above deck. I see her lying on the deck near the back of the ship star gazing, slowly I sit near her. Carving a small piece of whale bone I feel a great deal of tension in my shoulders.

"It's been so long since we've done this." Katara's voice floats to me in the darkness. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you too." I tell her as the tension turns into dead weight that's crushing me. I feel misplaced, like I don't belong here. I struggle to process that thought and realize how true it is. I'm not needed here; Zuko needs me, even if he's too stubborn to see it. However there's nothing I can do, I realize as the best way to see Zuko is to stay with Aang.

"So what was it like, being stuck with that monster for so long?" She asked after an awkward silence.

"He's not a monster Katara." I snap before turning my head away. I hear her sit up and move to sit in front of me. "I'm sorry that was rude, and I guess with the way he's treated you guys he is a monster to you. But that's not the Zuko I know."

"What are you talking about Sesi? You sound brain washed." She told me.

"I know I do but you have to understand, when I was with Zuko, he was nice to me. After a while that is anyway. You know how he burned me that day we left home?" I asked her touching my lightly scared wrist. "When I woke up his uncle Iroh was treating it for me. They wouldn't let any water near me so he was just using a salve. He came every day for over two weeks, we got talking. We spoke about home, Zuko, the war. Eventually he trusted me enough to bring me a small amount of water; I discovered I have healing abilities. After that we made an arrangement; I wasn't allowed to bend, and I could move to an actual room on the ship. Slowly, I was given more and more freedom; I could accompany Iroh on board and even started practicing combat with Zuko. The Fire Nation clothes I was wearing when I came to the North Pole were from Zuko, so I wouldn't have to stay in dirty clothes while I was on the ship. I won't tell you everything, I just need you to understand that I have seen the good in Zuko and he is just lost and alone and trying to figure out his path."

"I'm sorry Sesi, I just can't believe he's anything other than evil." She said before going back to bed. I stayed on the deck staring at the stars playing with the carving in my hand.

I woke up to a bright day and a warm breeze. Slowly I sat up not sure where I was. As I rubbed my face I realized that I still held a small carving, looking down I realized it was a miniature of the Blue Spirit mask Zuko wore all those months ago.

"Hey Sesi, are you okay?" Sokka asked coming over to me. "You never came back to bed."

"Just felt too confined in there after sleeping rough while on my way to the Northern Tribe." I told him as I stuffed the carving in a pouch around my waist. After that I made it clear that I wanted to be left alone as we flew to the Earth Kingdom.

I was lost in thought when Sokka shrieked. "There it is!"

We were welcomed by an enthusiastic man in a green hat. "Welcome, Avatar Aang!" He said before gesturing to the rest of the group. "I am General Fong. And welcome to all of you, great heroes! Appa, Momo, brave Sokka, the mighty Katara and, uh, I'm sorry I don't know who you are."

"'Mighty Katara'? I like that." I heard my sister murmur.

"I'm Sesi. I don't matter." I said flicking my braid from my shoulder.

Fireworks go off overhead and my hand snaps to my sword. We watch the Earthbenders perform for the GAang. We are shown to a large chamber for a meeting. I'm impatient and irritated as Fong sits behind the desk.

"Avatar Aang, we were all amazed at the stories of how you single-handedly wiped out an entire Fire Navy fleet at the North Pole." He says as he strokes his beard. "I can't imagine what it feels like to wield such devastating power." He stops stroking so he can stare Aang directly in the eye. "It's an awesome responsibility."

"I try not to think about it too much." Aang replies quietly.

The general smiled making me uncomfortable before stating. "Avatar... you're ready to face the Fire Lord now."

I scoff as the GAang protest loudly. "What?! No I'm not!" Aang shouts.

"Aang still needs to master all four elements." Katara insists.

"Why?" Fong shouts standing behind his desk. "With the kind of power he possesses—power enough to destroy hundreds of battleships in a matter of minutes—he could defeat the Fire Lord now!"

Sokka looked uncomfortable as he raised his hand. "But, sir, the thing is Aang can only do those things when he's in the Avatar state."

"See, it's this special state where—" Aang started to explain before Fong cut him off.

"I'm well aware. Your eyes and tattoos glow and you're able to summon unbelievable power. Without you we'd be slaughtered before we even reach their shores. But with you leading the way as the ultimate weapon, we could cut a swath right through to the heart of the Fire Nation."

"Right..." Aang's voice rang with uncertainty. "But I don't know how to get in or out of the Avatar state, much less what to do once I'm there."

"So it's decided then." Fong said whirling around to face us. "I'll help you figure out how to get into the Avatar state, and then you'll face your destiny."

"No, nothing's decided." Katara snapped, as the rest of us stood in surprise. "We already have a plan. Aang's pursuing his destiny his way."

"Well, while you take your time learning the elements, the war goes on. May I show you something?" Fong asked leading us to a window. It felt off, Fong knew exactly what he was doing. I had a feeling he was going to get what he wanted no matter what. When we were at the window Fong pointed to two buildings. "That's the infirmary, and those soldiers are the lucky ones. They came back. Every day the Fire Nation takes lives. People are dying, Aang! You could end it, now! Think about it."

Katara stormed out and Sokka and I followed. "I can't believe this!" Water shot from various puddles before splashing violently back to the earth.

"I know Katara, but we need to support Aang, even if we don't agree with him." Sokka said. I headed to our room and flopped on my bunk before curling into the wall.

Soon, my siblings came back and we settled into a comfortable silence. After an hour or two Aang returned and I heard Katara get up.

"I told the general I'd help him..." Aang announced quietly. "By going into the Avatar state."

"Aang, no. This is not the right way." She said quickly.

"Why not? Remember when he took out the Fire Navy? He was incredible." Sokka protested.

"There's a right way to do this." Katara retorted immediately. "Practice, study, and discipline."

"Or just glow it up and stop that Fire Lord." Sokka said simply.

"If you two meatheads want to throw away everything we've worked for, fine. Go ahead and glow it up!" Katara yelled before storming out.

"Katara, I'm just being realistic." He protested, sounding younger than ever. "I don't have time to do this the right way." I fell into a sleep filled with nightmares not long after.

The next morning we gathered around a gazebo outside. I was too tired to pay attention as the man in front of us talked about chi-enhancing tea. Aang slurped the tea and started twitching before spending the rest of the day moving ten times faster than everyone else.

We went through method after method as Aang tried to access the Avatar state and each of them failed. I watched Katara get more and more torn between supporting her friend and standing up for what she believed in.

The next day Katara and I stayed in our room practicing waterbending while Aang and Sokka continued trying to unlock the Avatar State. We were just starting to have fun when the room shook and we heard crashes outside.

"I wonder what crazy thing they're trying now." I said smirking at her.

"Maybe we should just make sure Aang's okay." She replied looking at me.

"Yeah, sure thing." I agree and follow her outside.

We're on the stairs by the time we find Sokka. Running we met him at the bottom of the stair case. "What's going on?"

"The general's gone crazy. He's trying to force Aang into the Avatar state!" Sokka said as we watching the continuous attacks.

"We have to help Aang." I grunted. Two soldiers send discs of rock flying at Aang and Sokka and I spring into action. He threw his boomerang while I slashed a water whip through the air, the boomerang span out hitting a soldier in the head and knocking him out while my water whip slashed a disc out of the air. Katara breathed a sigh of relief as he dodged the other disc.

We leap into action Sokka and I going to take down the soldiers while Katara does her best to actually defend Aang. I was about to take one out when I heard Katara cry out. "Maybe you can avoid me, but she can't." Fong calls before bending the earth around her so that it were swallowing her.

"I can't move!" She called as she struggles.

"Don't hurt her!" Aang roars at Fong before bending a stream of air at the insane man. Unfortunately Fong just bent an earth wall to protect himself. He makes Katara sink even more electing a pained cry from my sister. I watch as Sokka charges on an ostrich-horse only to be tossed off the bird. Aang continues to plead for her safety and it occurs to me that he's in love with her. "Stop this! You have to let her go."

A red haze clouds my vision when I heard Fong say. "You could save her if you were in the Avatar state."

"I'm trying... I'm trying!" Aang cries.

"Aang, I'm sinking!" She calls as she reaches shoulder depth.

"I don't see glowing." Fong shouts and sickeningly it sounds like he's enjoying this.

"You don't need to do this!" Aang yells desperately.

"Apparently I do." Fong says before Katara disappears completely. Soon Aang's tattoos and eyes glow and his wrath is unleashed on Fong. Soon Fong tries to reason with him and Katara pops back above the ground. The wind swirls around us creating a dusty vortex and the compound is destroyed and Aang losses control. Soon he just crouches motionless as a sphere of wind whirls around him. He stays there for a long time and I'm forced to hold Katara back until his body goes limp and collapses.

"I'm sorry, Katara." He rasps looking up at her. "I hope you never have to see me like that again."

"Hah! Are you joking?" Fong cuts in quickly. "That was almost perfect! We just have to find a way to control you when you're like that."

"You're out of your mind." Aang tells him as I move to stand in front of my friends on the ground.

"I guess we'll figure that out on the way to the Fire Nation." Fong says optimistically and I glare at him freezing his mouth shut.

Sokka rode up on the ostrich-horse and knocked him out with his boomerang. "Anybody got a problem with that?"

I smirked when the soldiers shook their heads in unison. I help Aang stand up before helping Katara. Sokka joins us as a soldier comes up to us and asks. "Do you want an escort to Omashu?"

"I think we're all set." Katara sneers.