Burn My Dread Complete

By Iain R. Lewis

Disclaimer: Characters and concepts belong to Nickelodeon, some of the concepts are similarly inspired by Persona 3 and Persona 4, property of ATLUS games.

"He said 'I'm the one who's gotta leave.' I said 'Nobody's really got to leave.'"

-- Signs of Love

Month 3: The Lovers

Like Paradise

"The sun's not even up," Aang yawned.

"Stop whining. Take up your stance. Wait, wait, you call that a stance? I can feel your feet shaking."

"It's cold, okay?"

She pushed him over with a gentle shove and laughed, "You think you can be an earthbender if you can't even push back? Man, go back to bed. I'm not going to teach you if you're going to suck this hard."

Aang stood up and took the stance again. It was an awkward fighting stance, and he was certain Toph didn't use it herself. "Where did you learn this?"

"Azula explained it to me. She read the old Earthbending scrolls to me," she said, "Interesting stuff, not exactly what I'd have done, but good enough for government work, like my Dad always said."

"Why not just teach me like you do?"

"Uh, hello? I'm blind?"

"So?"

"And you're not. You wouldn't be able to even grasp the basics. Why do you think I wear a blindfold in the Spirit World? Just because my spirit isn't blind doesn't mean I can just magically fight with my eyes open. What I see throws off what I feel, and it's like being pulled in every direction."

"Oh," Aang said, quietly.

She wiggled her toes, happily, "Okay, now that we've gotten question time out of the way." She shoved him again, but this time he pushed back. "Whoa, that was a wussy push. But it's better than nothing. You've gotten the first rule of Earthbending already."

Aang paused, trying to think about what she meant. He tried to vocalize his thoughts. "The first rule of Earthbending is -- er -- don't talk about Earthbending?"

"That's a good first rule," she said. "It's wrong, but it's not bad. The first rule of Earthbending is when the world pushes at you, you look at it and say, 'No, you.'"

So Toph was the model personality for an Earthbender. Aang shrugged. Katara's calm, comfortable and easy-going personality resonated with his image of water, and people say he came off as flighty and easy-going, so maybe people's personalities fit their element.

Azula was the exception.

"Okay! We lost Twinkle-Toes."

"Wha, what?"

"Good morning!" she was shouting. "Are you ready for your next lesson!"

"Y, yes!"

"I can't hear you!"

"Yes!"

"That's better!" She pulled up some rock from underneath the dirt, and hovered it in the air in front fo her. "Okay, for this lesson--"

"You're going to teach me how to do that?"

"What? No!" She punched the stone, sending it flying at Aang. "I'm going to teach you defense!"

Aang leapt up itno the air, "I think I've got defense down!" he said, another rock went wide, as the blind girl tried to find him. "Really! I'm good!" The rocks stopped and he gently landed.

"Oh no you don't." She felt the vibration of the Airbender landing. She was prepared. The boulder was as big as she was, and Aang couldn't exactly figure where she found the time to make it that big.

She pushed it.

He tried to leap, but Toph already shifted her feet, sinking him into the earth. "Sink or swim, Twinkletoes, sink or swim."

He sank.

"Okay, maybe I need to practice the basics a bit more," Aang said, rubbing his head. He had a nice bump on his head where the boulder crashed against him.

"You kidding? These are the basics!" she said. "You need to face that rock head on."

"Yeah, I did. It didn't work out so great," Aang moaned.

"Oh, don't be such a big baby." She stopped, hearing another moan, "What is it this time?"

"Huh? That wasn't me."

They walked into the dorm, and Aang saw a bloody handprint on the desk. Narrowing his eyes, he looekd around. "Someone's in the kitchen." They approached the kitchen and opened the door. He backed up, surprised, and saw Zuko standing with a first aid kit, bandaging up his hand. Zuko looked like he'd taken a beating. There was blood on his uniform, and he'd tossed his cut up coat onto a chair.

"Get in a fight?" Aang asked, warily.

"Got trampled by a badger mole," he said. Something about how he said it made it clear he wasn't joking. Still, stranger things had happened to them.

In Sokka's words, 'Giant Moon Amoeba.'

"Want me to help?" Aang asked. Zuko shook his head, and cut the bandage. "Are you okay?"

"Never felt better," he grimaced. "Badger Moles are very, very heavy, that's about it. I was lucky it just grazed me on its way out. Some strange Badger Mole Spirit. That's the second one we've seen."

"Okay," Toph said, "You know what I want to know? Why you went after it alone!"

"Force of habit," Zuko grimaced. "I've always worked alone."

"And look what it got you this time," Toph said. "If I'd been there, BAM! I would have knocked that thing out."

"Glad to see you're enthusiastic," Zuko murmured.

"Maybe you should take it easy, Zuko," Aang said. "I'll get Katara. She can get those cuts looked at."

"I'm fine," Zuko answered. "Going to bed."

"No," Toph said. "We're getting Katara to look at those."

"Yeah, that's some really sloppy bandaging, Zuko. Toph, could you go wake up Katara?" Toph nodded and headed up the stairs. Aang looked at Zuko, who looked at him, eyes narrowed. "We're a team, Zuko. One person doesn't go and do their own thing."

"Fine," Zuko said.

Aang tried to dull his nerves, stepping towards Zuko, "Please, make this easier on me? I'm really not good at this leader job, and if you're going to make it harder for me, I'll probably go a little crazy."

Aang expected a laugh, but instead, he received a sigh, "At least you're honest. My Father gave me the job leading this club. Probably to make fun of me. I didn't want to be a Firebender. I didn't want any of this to happen -- But I still went along with it."

"Why?"

"Because my father told me to," Zuko shrugged. "I don't really have an answer. My Dad and I don't exactly... get along."

"Oh." He understood Zuko a little better now. He didn't pry as to what went on between father and son, he just grew quiet. Zuko spoke again, breaking that quiet.

"You're doing fine. I just made a stupid mistake," he said, grunting, "Won't happen again."

"It'd better not." That was Azula's voice. She crossed her arms, entering the room. "You went after a spirit alone? Way to go, dum-dum, you got what you deserved."

Katara entered behind her, still dressed in her pajamas. She looked Zuko over quickly, "These are some bad gashes. Worse than your bandages," she said. She turned on the faucet and bended the water over to him, starting to heal the wounds on hsi side. "A badger mole did this?"

"Badger Mole spirit," Zuko muttered. "That's the second spirit I've seen outside of the Spirit World this month. This is getting bad."

"Agreed," Azula said. She paced. "Still, it doesn't excuse your lack of judgment."

Zuko grimaced. "I didn't come back to listen to you nag me, Azula. You're not the leader."

"Yes, but I'm your sister," she said, "I get to nag you. It's my job."

"She's got you there," Katara laughed. "There, all better. Now was that so bad, Zuzu?"

"Don't call me that."

"Sorry, Zuzu," Toph added, "But it's a good nickname."

"Stop!"

"Think of it as your punishment," Aang said. "For today, we're all calling you Zuzu."

"This place is run by children," Zuko muttered, a sour expression on his face. He crossed his arms and glared sidelong at Azula. "I blame you for this."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Zuzu," she said, "But you heard the leader, you're Zuzu today." Momo then jumped on Zuko's head.

"This is so degrading."

School that day went by slowly. He'd fallen asleep during class. Morning rituals with Toph were exhausting, and he could still feel the bump on his head from the accident that happened during it. He swore he heard Toph sniggering whenever he rubbed his forehead.

"Hey, Aang," Teo said, "Mind coming with me after school today? You remember what you promised, right?"

Aang looked over at Teo, who looked very conflicted. Aang nodded, "Sure, Teo, I'll help out."

"Great. I'll meet you after school by the front gate. Don't be late," he said. "And, is something wrong with your headband? You keep rubbing it."

"Nothing! Toph! Stop laughing!"

After school couldn't come fast enough. The day's classes just left Aang drained, and he hurried to the front gate. Teo was waiting there, looking nervous. "My Dad's coming to pick me up," he said. "Waiting for this is the worst part. What do I say? How should I act?"

Aang mulled it over, and said, finally, "Be patient."

"Patient? But my dad's selling his designs to the Phoenix Group!"

"Well," Aang said, quietly, "Maybe he has a reason."

"I don't know what excuse he'll come up with," Teo said, "But it makes me feel betrayed. He worked so hard on those designs. I helped him with them! And he just signs the whole rights of the product away."

Aang frowned. "I guess."

"Look, here he is. I'll try and be patient," he said. Teo's father looked like he'd been in one too many explosions, Aang thought. With his eyebrows practically nonexistant, but he had a large, friendly smile. "Hi Dad."

"Hey, you've got a friend with you today?"

"Yeah, this is Aang. He's the one I told you about."

"Ah, m'boy, good to finally meet you. Teo tells me all sorts of things about you. You've made quite an impression on him. Good to see someone who appreciates my glider designs."

"Speaking of that, Dad," Teo said. "Why did you sell them?"

"Sorry, m'lad, didn't quite get that--"

"Why did you just sign them over to the Phoenix Group? They're making millions off of your designs!"

"Teo --"

"Teo, calm down," Aang said.

"You're right, Aang," he said. "Dad, I just want to know why you did it. Tell me, help me understand why."

The man's smile faded, and he looked away, guiltily, "I suppose hiding it from you wasn't the best idea. You're a smart lad, and you've already figured it out. Why I did it, though?" He sighed, heavily. "Even before I sold those designs, our shop wasn't doing well enough. And after your mother died, I had trouble keeping things together."

"Dad," Teo seemed taken aback by his father's quiet, sullen tone.

"And knowing you'd be confined to that chair for the rest of your life was too much. Teo, I didn't really have much choice. Our shop didn't pull in enough, and when that man came offering to buy the designs for mass production, I said no, at first, but--"

"But, what?" Teo said, he couldn't keep up his anger. He looked his father straight in the eye, and saw how shamed he was.

"A paid tuition to the Phoenix Group schools," he said, "And royalties for my designs. The offer was too good -- I thought I'd be able to give you a future with it. Yes, maybe I won't be known as the one who designed them, but, at least I'd be able to leave you more than a little curiosity shop and a wheelchair."

"You did it for me?"

The Mechanist nodded.

"I'm.. I'm sorry, Dad. I didn't mean to--"

"It's all right. I should have told you."

Aang smiled. "Well, er," he nervously laughed, "Sorry for intruding."

"Aang, thanks," Teo said, aside to him, "I think I would have said things I would have regretted later if you weren't here to help keep a cool head on things."

"It's all right," he said. "Nice meeting you, Mr. Teo's Dad, sir."

The Mechanist, sheepishly, offered a hand, "Nice to meet you, too, Aang." Aang accepted the hand, shaking it, then the Mechanist turned to Teo, "Well, let's get going home. Your glider isn't going to build itself, now, is it?"

"Right, Dad. See you later, Aang!"

"Bye!" Aang waved. When the two had left, he picked up his things and walked back to the Dorm. It was getting late by the time he opened the door. Everyone else had arrived. Sokka was busy reading a book about sword making, while Azula was looking at the door.

"Oh, good," she said, when he entered, "We can begin."

"What's up?" Aang asked, taking a seat by Katara. Katara shrugged.

"She won't tell us," she said.

"I talked to Zuzu about his incident last night," Azula said. Zuko grimaced.

"Poor Zuzu," Sokka said. "Getting trampled on by a badger mole." Sokka apparently had bee3n updated on Zuko's punishment by Azula or Katara. He grinned at Zuko, relishing it, "How's Zuzu feeling?"

"I hate you all," Zuko said, crossing his arms. "Look, I think this is important, so can we just be serious? And stop calling me Zuzu."

"Nope," Toph said, "I'm having too much fun listening to you squirm."

"Zuzu's right, though, this is important," Azula said. "He mentioned that he came across a group of Apathy Syndrome patients. These Spiritless individuals were not, as one would expect, just lying around. They were marking walls with strange graffiti. I'm trying to find an example that hasn't been smeared or washed away, so we can do a little research as to what it means."

"Spiritless doing graffiti?" Sokka asked, "I think Zuzu hit his head harder than we thought."

Pointedly ignoring his nickname, Zuko glared at Sokka, "I was fine. They were definitely making those markings. I've seen them before. But this is the first time I've seen someone making them. They were also talking more than usual."

"What about?" Toph asked.

"The usual," Zuko said, "Something about unity and unification, some mumbling about someone coming, nothing out of the ordinary, but they were definitely more alert."

"Toph," Azula said, "You were Spiritless for some time. Do you recall what it felt like?" Toph shook her head. "Nothing at all?"

"It's like waking up from a dream. It's hard to figure out what really happened, and whether it happened in the Spirit World or the real world. I think I remember my whole body being very fuzzy, like I'd been drugged. Kind of like being underwater. All my senses were kind of muted."

"You might have been," Sokka said. "Xin Fu did kidnap you."

"Yeah, yeah, rub it in why don't you," Toph muttered. "But even after you got most of my Spirit back, I don't remember it getting much clearer. It was like the static on the TV got muted, but I still couldn't make out what they were saying.".

"Well," Azula said, "Perhaps we should investigate these Spiritless individuals more closely."

"I guess," Aang said. "But if there are more Spiritless, that means there are more spirits out there. Maybe we should explore the Spirit World and see if we can find any clues there."

"Ah, perfect," Azula said, "My thoughts exactly."

"No they weren't," Zuko muttered.

"Quiet, Zuzu," Azula snapped in a harsh voice. "We'll explore the Spirit World tonight, if there are no objections. Anyone?" The room was quiet, so Azula said, with finality, "Then it's settled. Tonight at Nine, as always."

"So, you say the Spiritless are rising in number?" Yue sighed, and closed her eyes. "It's very odd, I can't actually sense any spirits here, but perhaps --"

"They would be put in the tower, again?" Azula said, interrupting. "I already assumed that. Let's make our way over there quickly and try and avoid incident, okay?"

"Yes," Yue agreed, "That sounds wise. It's odd that you've come here now of all times. I recently ended up by the tower, and I saw the strangest thing."

"You did?" Aang asked.

Yue continued, "Markings on the doors. Like they'd been torn apart by some large claws."

The group immediately looked at Zuko, "What?" Zuko asked, when he noticed he'd been thrust into center stage. "You mean you think it might be the same Spirit I saw?"

"What kind of spirit...?" Yue asked.

"He saw a giant badger-mole," Azula answered. "Which certainly accounts for a couple things. Most notably the tunnels make perfect sense."

"Yeah, Badger Moles are fantastic Earthbenders," Toph said, "They're like the guys who made it. What was that old legend about -- the two people and the badger moles and a tunnel?"

"Yes, the legend of Omashu," Azula answered, dismissively, "And now the tower? This definitely can't be simple coincidence."

"No, it certainly isn't --" Yue paused, and opened her mouth as though to say something else, when she stopped, and grew quiet. "Shall we get going, then?"

The group moved in relative quiet. Toph put her hands behind her head and peeked out from under her blindfold. Sight, by her estimation, was a grossly overestimated sense. Still, it was interesting to finally get a new perspective on people. Aang moved as she imagined he did, lightly, practically hopping from foot to foot with the greatest of ease. Katara looked around their surroundings with a sense of fearful wonder, and Toph wondered if it ever diminished.

Sokka was near the front, his watch ever vigilant. Yue stood near the middle, walking mostly comfortably through the Spirit World. She'd been there a while, Toph figured, she was probably used to her new home.

Toph usually saw Azula as a stalking predator, it was surprising to see the caged restraint she wore when moving. She still walked like a predator, but she kept it hidden well behind an almost icy exterior. Then, she looked at Zuko.

"Hey," Toph said, speaking up, "Zuzu. Why do you got your scar here?"

"Toph," Katara was immediately scandalized, "Don't --"

"Hm," Zuko muttered, not answering. He looked away, and grew quiet. The others gave him a little space, and Toph looked confused.

"I'm just asking, since I can see here, I'd thought your spirit-self wouldn't have the scar. Something wrong with that?"

Zuko grumbled, and said, "This scar is a reminder."

"Just drop it, Toph," Aang pleaded, quietly.

"Fine, fine," she answered, sighing heavily, "Hey, Yue, you coming to the dance?"

Sokka tensed up, "Toph, let's not talk about that dumb old dance and enjoy our nice, calm, relaxing stroll through untamed wilderness that has shown a sense of willingness, one might even say gusto, to kill us or send us spiraling into a place we can't even recognize with no way out."

"Hey, I'm just asking. Teo and I are putting together a group to go and sort of heckle the sempai. You want to come, sempai?"

"Oh, my," Yue said, "I don't know if I can."

"It's on the full moon -- it'll do you good to get out!" Toph answered. She liked how it felt underneath her wriggling toes, Sokka squirming in discomfort.

"Well, I suppose we'll see, then!" Yue answered.

"Can we please focus?" Zuko said. "We don't know if or when we'll be ambushed here." He was on edge. This was the first time since the incident that he'd been in the Spirit World. The lack of mist was disconcerting, but Azula had braced him for it. Among other things, the place seemed much more stable. The ground under their feet remained quiet, flat plains for longer than he'd ever seen.

And the Tower was clearly visible.

He'd never seen it from this distance, but it certainly looked like a hobbled together piece of construction. Still, it didn't make it look any less disturbing. It rose high, and vanished into the clouds.

"You look really serious," Katara said, causing Zuko to start. He could hear the others talking amongst themselves gaily. She laughed, "Sorry, just getting worried. You got so quiet."

"Sorry," he said. "What's going on?"

"Nothing, really," Katara said. "It's still a little bit of a walk from the Tower. Considering how much of our time here is spent in that tower, you'd think we'd find a way to get closer, but Yue's had trouble finding us once already, I wouldn't want to make her run around any more than necessary."

"Yeah," he mumbled.

"Are you thinking about the Tower?"

He shrugged.

"You're a gripping conversationalist, Zuko."

He grinned, "Oh, I only do the silent act around people I like." She paused, and seemed taken aback. "Not funny, huh?"

"Surprising, but it was better than anything Sokka's ever done."

"I heard that!"

"Ignore him," she said. "How are your cuts feeling? Do you want me to go over them again when we get back?"

"No, they're fine," he lied. They still hurt, but Waterbending healing caused a unique sting all its own that he didn't particularly want to revisit so soon. "I'm more worried about what we'll run into in the tower."

"We've seen a lot already," she said, "The memories, a spirit that followed us in and nearly abducted Yue, Xin Fu and Toph without her face under Xin Fu's control -- or maybe it was under Koh's -- all sorts!"

"Sounds like I've got a lot of catching up to do."

She smiled, "Well, welcome to the team, Zuko. Try and be a little more sociable, okay? It helps morale."

"I'll keep that in mind."

The small talk amongst the main group stopped suddenly, and Zuko looked over. "What is it?" he asked. Sokka signaled for silence. Yue was standing still, unnaturally so, and her eyes were a pale white.

Then she pointed, "It's over there."

"A spirit?" Katara said in a hushed whisper. Sokka nodded.

"Not just any spirit, either," he said. "It's the one Zuko, Aang, and me faced. The Kyoshi Warrior." Zuko narrowed his eyes. "Yeah, I don't like this one bit."

"Me neither," Zuko said. "Last time, only Sokka was remotely effective against it."

"Hehe," he said, flexing a muscle, "Anyway, let's chase it down!"

"No," Azula said. "We have people we need to track down. The rise in Spiritless means a rise in the number of human spirits brought to the Spirit World. And if we can rescue them before the full moon, we can avoid pointless deaths."

"And if we destroy the spirit, we stop more people from being taken," Zuko pointed out.

Aang grumbled, "Okay, guys, give me a second, okay?" He looked over the group, and counted. "Toph, how good are your senses here?"

"Out in the wilderness? Forget it. Too busy. It's hard enough seeing around me."

"Okay,' he did a few more calculations. "Yue, Sokka, and Zuko are group one, Toph, Katara, Azula, and me, we're group two. Think you can follow that spirit, Yue?" She nodded, affirmatively.

"Fine," Zuko said.

"I hate to point out the problem," Azula said, "But I think I have to. Without Yue, I don't think we'll be able to tell at a glance if there are human spirits in the tower."

"Oh, right," Aang said, looking red in the face. "I guess that's a big problem. But we can't just let them go blind after that spirit."

"Hey, Princess Perfect," Toph said, "I got an idea."

"Why must you persist with these nicknames," Azula said, rubbing her temple, "Go ahead, Toph."

"Why do we need to know at a glance. We can do some poking around and climb the tower a bit. If we find them, we find them, if we don't, least we got a few more floors explored, right? I can sense any spirits coming at us and give them a surprise or two!"

"Okay," Azula said. "Sounds fine."

"Good," Zuko answered. "We'll begin hunting down the Kyoshi Warrior."

"Report when you've finished," Azula answered, "And meet us on the ground floor of the tower. I'd still like Yue's perspective on this."

"Okay, let's go, team," Sokka said. As the group left,

Azula laughed. "Well, there go the sempai," she said. "Well, the tower isn't getting any more explored just standing here, yes?"

"Oh, uh, right," Aang said. He led his group to the Tower and when he approached the doors he paused. "Didn't Yue say there were massive gashes here? I don't see anything at all."

"It's possible that the tower regenerated," Azula suggested.

"It is alive, at least, Yue thinks so," Katara added.

Aang examined it closely, and then, seeing no signs of any clawmarks, nodded in agreement. "Let's go in." He threw open the doors and walked through into the main foyer. It always looked the same. The massive steel gate in front of the elevator still looked, and sounded, rickety and dangerous.

The elevator made a large crashing sound as it stopped, and the gate opened with its usual creak. The group stepped onto the elevator, and proceeded upwards with startling momentum.

The dense foliage of the jungle they'd found themselves in was an amazing hinderance to hunting a spirit. Sokka took the lead, using the sharp edges of his boomerang to hack branches and vines away. "Man, it's hot," he said. Yue looked like she was having a similar epiphany, "What's with you, Zuko, you seem totally fine."

"It reminds me of home, actually."

"Oh, right, you're from the Fire Nation. Bet it's a real blast, living there. Get it? Because of the volcanoes and -- oh, you're no fun, Zuzu."

"Aren't we done with that yet?"

"I guess so, but it's so cute. Zuzu!"

"What is with everyone calling you 'Zuzu,' Zuko?" Yue asked, hiding a giggle. "I've been wondering, but I've been afraid to ask."

"Aang decided it would be my punishment for going after a spirit on my own. Stupid airbending dweeb," he muttered.

"Oh, Aang's so funny sometimes," she said, in response. "He probably just worries about you getting hurt again."

"I guess," Zuko said. "Still, being bossed around by someone younger than me?"

"You'd rather lead, Zuko?" Sokka asked. "You've got seniority, why not?"

Yue shrugged, "I think Aang's a great leader. He keeps a real good pace, he keeps everyone happy, and it's even kind of fun." She squeaked out the last word as though she'd just admitted a scandal.

"Fun?" Sokka asked, "It's a riot! We're saving the world!"

"Are we?" Zuko muttered, dour. "Let's save the world, then."

"Hey, what's with that?"

"Focus," Zuko said. "We can't afford to lose her."

"Yeah, that's right," Sokka said, distracted from his query, "Yue, where is she?"

"She's -- Wait! I don't know!"

"What?" Sokka asked, "How don't you know?"

"It's like she's everywhere," Yue said, "I can't get a good sense where she's hiding."

Zuko grinned, "Well, this is a really good place for an ambush."

"Oh, thanks for mentioning that, Mr. I'm So Tough I Wear a Phoenix on my School Uniform!" Sokka yelled, he drew his club and looked around, "Kyoshi Warrior, come out to pla-ay!" There was a rustling of leaves, and more from around them. The group moved, back to back. "Yue, stay behind us."

"Right," Yue said. "Be careful, Sokka."

"Hey, worry about Zuko. I'm going to be fine."

"Oh," she said, "Well, then! Be careful, Zuko."

"Thanks," Zuko responded, curtly. "Here she comes."

"From where?" The blur of vision from the corner of his eyes was the only warning of the incoming attack. It was brutal and quick, and just as quickly, the spirit was gone from their sight, and more rustling."

"Hey, Zuko," Sokka said, clutching his stomach, "Think you can use a little Firebending to give her a little less cover."

"Are you crazy?" Zuko yelled, "I'll burn this jungle to the ground if I do that! I don't particularly want to die in here."

"Just trust me, okay? Try that vine over there," Sokka said. Zuko frowned, but with a thrust of his fist, he shot a blast of fire at the nearest vine. The vine caught fire, and the flames trailed up its length onto a tree. Strangely, the fire seemed contained, not a spark caught the tree aflame.

"That's strange."

"Back when we were dealing with Tui, we ran into a storm. Lightning caught bamboo stalks on fire, but they kind of just stayed there. Let's use it to our advantage, okay?" Sokka shrugged, and watched as Zuko took his stance again.

More flames were shot about, and the fires caught on the leaves and vines, and the Kyoshi Warrior descended from the tree tops, looking at Sokka curiously. She struck, and he countered with his club. Fan and club, locked together, the two looked each other in the eyes. Small, hollow points of light stood in for eyes behind the flaking make-up that seemed to comprise the spirit's face instead of covered it.

"This is a strange spirit," Yue said, "I can't get a good sense of its strength."

"That's not good," Zuko said. "Sokka --"

"I heard. I got it, okay?" He pushed back at her. "Okay, girlie, I'm going to show you how a warrior fights -- yaaaah!"

He was thrown aside by the Kyoshi Warrior, who smirked. "I'm impressed, at least," Zuko said, rolling his eyes. "If this is the essence of a Water Tribe Warrior, it's no wonder they held out against the Fire Nation navies so long."

"I'm from the Southern Tribe --"

"Oh, I know."

"Shut up, you Jerkbender," Sokka said, getting up. The Kyoshi Warrior tittered behind her fan, and then threw it at Sokka. Sokka deflected it with his club, and threw his boomerang in return. The warrior reached up and plucked it from out of the air.

"Okay," Sokka said, while the Kyoshi Warrior flicked the boomerang casually aside, "That was kind of cool."

"This is, what, fifth, sixth floor?" Katara asked.

"Seven, actually," Azula said. "Katara, you don't seem yourself."

"Yeah, these hallways never stop creeping me out," Katara muttered. "It feels like we're walking through the school, one minute, the next, there's some kind of red stuff all over the floor."

"No kidding," Azula said. She didn't seem all that impressed by the tower. "It is certainly peculiar. It's also not quite so helpful that we're going in practically blind here."

"Hey!"

"No offense to present blind company," Azula finished.

"If you girls are done being girly, I'm getting a lot of movement," she said, "Probably from spirits. We are making a whole heckuva lot nof noise, guys. So maybe you'd like to keep your spooked out talking to yourselves?"

"Oh, right," Katara said.

"Where are they coming from?" Aang asked.

Toph stopped as they came to an intersection. The hallway continued on into inkly darkness, and Toph put her hand up, slowly. "That way," she said, pointing down the left corridor. "And they're coming fast. Be ready."

"Katara, let's make sure they can't get to us."

"Gotcha!" She bended the water she carried with her. Aang moved in sync with her, pushing the water forward into a great wave and freezing the water at the entrance. "There, that ought to buy us some time."

"Good, let's get moving. I think I can feel the exit somewhere down this way." They burst into a sprint down the hall. Toph kicked the ground, bending the earth into a column and kicking it forward, knocking an unsuspecting Spirit flat into the wall. "Follow me!" She rounded the corner and kicked open a door.

"Hey, it's a stairway," Katara said.

"Thank you, thank you, I'm here all week."

"No time for self-adulation," Azula muttered, "We can't expect an ice barrier to hold angry spirits for long."

"Yeah," Aang took to the stairs, motioning for them to follow, "Let's get going out of here."

"This is pointless," Azula said, "There's no clues to be found here."

"I'm not so sure about that," Toph said. "I think the fact that we're not finding anything is kind of scary. Doesn't this tower kind of respond to human spirits?"

"Yes," Azula said, "We confirmed that with Xin Fu's alterations to the Tower, and his destruction of a complete floor."

"Well," Toph said, "We haven't noticed anything like that, right? So I'd say the chances of spirits beind here are pretty slim."

"We'll confirm that with Yue," Azula said, "But assuming that's the case -- where are they, then?"

"Maybe the spirit ate them?" Katara said.

"What?"

"Well, Koh was all about faces, so he kept them with him," Toph said, "Eating them sounds a little weird, but whatever, Sugar Queen, do whatever you wanna do."

"I'm just saying, that's what La did to Yue."

"Gross."

"It really happened!" Katara protested. Stepping off the stairs, she looked back and noticed that there wasn't a staircase down. "That never stops creeping me out."

The floor was quiet. Toph felt around, putting her hand on the walls, and she shook her head, "Nothing. This floor's dead quiet."

"Okay," Aang said. "Then let's look around for clues."

The floor was like a large lecture hall. The floor dipped down, and stairs led to a large desk in front of a massive projection screen. Toph pulled up her blindfold and snuck a peek at it. "Well, this is school-y."

"Indeed," Azula answered.

"Funny, I don't see a way out of this room," Katara said. "And we're nowhere near the top of the tower."

"Well, let's keep looking around for an exit," Aang said, "There's got to be one around here somewhere. Toph?"

"I've got something, but, I think my feet are playing tricks on me." Toph felt around by the back wall. "There's definitely a room back here, but I can't figure out how to get there."

Aang moved over besides her and felt around the wall for something, a depression or switch that was hidden. He looked over at the lecture podium. It was made of gnarled wood, aged and starting to fall apart, like much of the hall. There was an assortment of switches on the underside of the shelf Reaching under, he pressed one, and looked behind him.

There was the sound of a projector whirring to life, and a light shot out from somewhere in the blackness. Azula and Katara looked over.

"The Spirit World. A Brief History."

The projector seemed to be playing an old orientation video from the days of Iroh's research The video showed an image of their planet, with each nation in their colors. "Our world is one of unlimited beauty and potential if you take the time to look at it. The four nations have lived in harmony since the end of the Great War, and we've come to appreciate what we have more."

"However," the image was suddenly replaced with one of shocking beauty, it looked like an artist's rendition of the afterlife. "There is more than just our world. The Spirit World, long thought to be a thing of myth, is real. Here, there are no boundaries, merely unlimited, new resources that will help our environment, feed the hungry, and provide a foundation for our continued peace and prosperity."

"What is this?"

"I don't know," Azula muttered, fascinated, "It looks like an old propaganda film. I'd say it was from when the project started. It was probably used to recruit young researchers from out of Ba Sing Se university."

"Iroh Houou, the Dragon of the West, is the brave trailblazer in this new frontier."

The image wasn't the old man Katara expected, it was a young, slim, handsome man, wearing a business suit, and looking quite energized. "Tell us, Mr. Houou, about this new discovery."

"Yes," he said, in a hushed voice, "It's quite an honor to be the first living person to discover this Spirit World in over a two-hundred years. My grandfather, Sozin, founded the Phoenix Group as a means to assuring a prosperous future to the Fire Nation, and today, we are on the brink of not only ensuring that his dream comes to fruition, but also to spread that dream to more than just the Fire Nation."

"Explain to us what the Spirit World is," the narrator said.

"To understand the scientific explanation would require several doctorates," Iroh laughed, "But, what my team hypothesizes, in terms even I can understand, is that the Spirit World is a kind of parallel development of our own world. Imagine that those of us who have left us have come to this parallel dimension, this 'Spirit World', and they form the basis for this alternate world."

"You're basically saying that the Spirit World is some kind of afterlife."

"I suppose in a vague way, you could say so. Discovering that it existed was akin to discovering Agni exists, but he was from Ba Sing Se. What we've discovered proves that there is some kind of soul, but that it isn't at all a divine or spiritual thing, but merely a building block for another world, connected, but separate of ours."

"That guy sounds familiar," Toph said.

"That's my Uncle," Azula said, "But he's far too young. Was the research really started that early?"

"The Phoenix Group was founded by Sozin Houou. Sozin, here pictured with lifelong friend and fellow founding member of the original Phoenix Company that would grow into the multinational conglomerate we know today, Roku, was the first to hypothesize the truth of a sort of Spirit World."

An old recording of Sozin played, "Roku went in for liberal arts, and he was something of a philosopher for as long as I remember. He and I used to argue about the existence of something like a Spirit in all living creatures. He was insistent that it existed, so I said to him, 'Matter can't be destroyed, it can only change state. If this Spirit really exists, there must be somewhere it must go somewhere.' And Roku just nodded, and said, 'The Spirit World.'"

"For years, this anecdote was told amongst the research teams dedicated to discovering a new form of energy."

"The Spirit World became something of a joke. If we couldn't figure out where part of the equation went, it went into the Spirit World."

"Jokingly, Jeong Jeong, chief researcher on the Spirit World project, tells us --"

The film cut off, but the bright light still illuminated the screen. From behind it, a shadow grew larger and larger. It looked like a human, at first, but then the shadow's arm suddenly fell to the ground, far greater in size than any human's arm. There was a scream, human at first, but slowly turning animal in nature.

The shadow bulked up, what looked fur shooting up from its hunched over back. It moved, and cut through the screen. "Is that a badger-mole?" Katara asked.

"It certainly seems like one," Azula said. "A Badger-Mole Spirit --"

"Okay, taking it down," Toph said. She stomped the ground and kicked up earth that burst up from the flooring. She thrust her fists against the column of earth, and pieces flew at the badger mole. It roared, and the pieces fell to the ground, harmlessly.

"That didn't seem to work out so well," Aang commented. Toph stood, dumbfounded for a minute. Her sputtering came closer and closer to words until she finally shouted wordlessly. She righted herself and moved.

"Oh, that's it." She stomped towards the Badger Mole. She stomped some earth up, and plunged her hands into it, pulling them out covered in stone. "This is going to be personal, squinty."

To be continued.