Zuko's Pov:
"Is Kida pregnant?" I asked
None of them answered me. None of them could look me in the eyes. I moved pass them and hurried my way to the beach house. Once I was inside I headed straight for Kida's room. I knocked on the door. Nothing happened, so I tried the door it was unlocked. I pushed open the door and headed inside. Kida was laying down and looking up at the ceiling I knew she was awake. I walked over and sat on the edge of the bed.
"Kida are you pregnant?" I asked
She didn't answer for a few seconds.
"Yes." she whispered
I flopped back on the bed so I was lying next to her.
"How long?" I asked
"Toph said she felt the change in my body the day Iroh and I went to ask them for help to save you." Kida said
I took me a second to realize that she's been pregnant since Ba Sing Se.
"You've known you were pregnant since Ba Sing Se. You fought in the invasion, you came with Aang and I to the sun warriors. You snuck onto the balloon to the boiling rock." I said
She just looked at me.
"I didn't put myself into anything I couldn't do. I was careful Zuko. I didn't put myself in danger." Kida said
"How long till the baby is here?" I asked
"5 months." Kida said
"So the baby won't be born till after the comet?" I asked
"No the baby should come after it." Kida said
I rolled over and put my hand on her stomach. She put her hand on top of mine. We fell asleep like that.
Next Morning Kida's Pov:
Ever since Zuko found out he hasn't let me out of his sight. He also has had Aang training harder. Right now I am outside watching Aang practice while Zuko watches him. Aang is practicing his firebending punches.
"More ferocious. Imagine striking through your opponent's heart." Zuko said
"That wasn't violent." I said
Aang stops and turns to Zuko.
"I'm trying." Aang said
"Now let me her you roar like a tigerdillo!" Zuko said
Aang gives a light roar as fire bursts come out of his hands and mouth.
"That sounded pathetic. I said roar!" Zuko yelled
Aang roars even louder, as three bursts of fire come out of his hands and mouth. Momo runs and hides behind me in fear. Zuko nods approvingly. Katara walks out of the house holding to watermelon cups.
"Who wants a nice cool glass of watermelon juice?" Katara asked
Aang brightens up upon bearing this.
"Ooh, ooh! Me, me, me." Aang said
He runs over towards Katara s she hands me the other. Zuko reaches out and grabs Aang by the shirt of his robes.
"Hey! Your lesson's not over yet. Get back here." Zuko said
Aang keeps trying to run off, but it is useless because Zuko picks him up so his feet our off the ground.
"Come on, Zuko. Just take a break. What's the big deal?" Suki asked
Zuko lets Aang go.
"Fine." Zuko said
Aang happily runs off and takes a watermelon.
"If you want to lounge around like a bunch of snail sloths all day, then go ahead." Zuko said
"Maybe Zuko's right. Sitting around the house he made us pretty lazy. But I know just thing to change all that." Sokka said
Sokka takes off his robe, revealing a bathing suit.
"Beach party." Sokka said
He then took off at a run towards the beach. The rest of us looked at each other before taking off towards the beach. I see that Sokka had entered the water with a splash. Sokka surfaces with seaweed on his head and he blows water from his mouth. He grins goofily. Katara uses waterbending to create an ice surfboard and surfs on the water. Suki and I watch Sokka grab some seaweed and bring it to an area. He takes two buckets and fills them with water. I look over at Aang who sticks the last piece of wood on a life-sized sand sculpture of Appa, finishing the last horn.
"Check out my Appa sand sculpture." Aang said
Appa roars at the sculpture.
"Not bad, baldy, but I've been working on my sandbending." Toph said
She cracks her fingers then her neck.
"You're gonna love this." Toph said
Toph cracks her knuckles and uses sandbending to create a sand replica of the city of Ba Sing Se. Aang and I look down at the replica's details.
"Whoa! Wow, you've even made a little Earth King and Bosco." Aang said
"You also have a many Zuko and I." I said
Toph then turns to Sokka.
"Try to top that, Sokka." Toph said
Sokka then moves to the side to show a grotesque looking sculpture with seaweed for hair, a starfish for a nose, and rocks and shells for eyes and mouth.
"Ta da." Sokka said
"Is that a blubbering blob monster?" Aang asked
"No, it's Suki." Sokka said
We all kind of just looked at each other. Aang and Toph then both start to laugh hysterically.
"Suki, we'll all understand if you break up with over this." Toph said
"I think it's sweet." Suki said
Sokka runs and slides up to Suki on his knees as he grabs hey by the shoulders and kisses her on the cheek.
"But it doesn't even look like- Aah." Aang yells
Aang was cut off by a blast of fire that destroys the sculpture. Zuko jumps from a ledge and starts to chase after Aang, blasting at him with firebending. Aang jumps over the sand replica of Ba Sing Se and Zuko destroys the replica. Aang hides behind his Appa sand sculpture. I see Aang peek out from behind the sculpture fearfully.
"What are you doing?" Aang asked
"Teaching you a lesson." Zuko said
Zuko destroys Aang's Appa sculpture with a fire blast. Aang jumps back up to the house. Zuko goes after him, continually firing blasts at him. Katara comes back to shore and sees the destruction.
"What happened?" Katara asked
Sokka is trying to rebuild his sculpture.
"Zuko's gone crazy. I made a sand sculpture of Suki and he destroyed it." Sokka said
"And he's attacking Aang." I said
Katara, Toph, I and run towards the house. Suki is dragging Sokka after us. We can see Zuko chasing Aang onto a tree and sends another fire blast at him, forcing him to jump onto the roof of the beach house. Zuko follows him onto the roof.
"Get a grip before I blast you off this roof." Aang said
"Go ahead and do it." Zuko said
"Don't hurt him to bad." I yell up at them
The people on the bottom look at me.
"What?" I asked
Zuko blasts fire at him. Aang slides down the roof and into the house. We loses sight of them for a little bit. We hear a crash and then see Zuko come blasting out of the side of the house. We all approach Zuko.
"What's wrong with you? You could have hurt Aang." Katara said
"What's wrong with me? What's wrong with all of you how can you sit around having a beach parties when Sozin's Comet is only three days away?" Zuko yelled
We all look at each other then back at Zuko.
"Why are you all looking at me like I'm crazy?" Zuko asked
"About Sozin's Comet…I was actually gonna wait to fight the Fire Lord until after it came." Aang said
"After?" Zuko asked shocked
"I'm not ready. I need more time to master firebending." Aang said
"And frankly, your earthbending could still use some work too." Toph said
"So, you all know Aang was going to wait?" Zuko asked
"I think he should face him before then, but I'm only one voice." I said
"Honestly, If Aang tries to fight the Fire Lord now, he's going to lose." Sokka said
Aang frowns, and closes his eyes in defeat.
"No offense." Sokka said
"the whole point of fighting the Fire Lord before the Comet was to stop the Fire Nation from winning the War, but they pretty much won the War when they took Ba Sing Se. Things can't get any worse." Katara said
I closed my eyes and shook my head.
"Never tempt fate." I said
"You're wrong. It's about to get worse than you can even imagine. The day before the eclipse, my father asked me to attend an important war meeting. It was what I dreamed about for so many years. My father had finally accepted me back." Zuko said
Flashback…
"Welcome, Prince Zuko. We waited for you." Ozai said
Zuko walks up to his father. He bows to Ozai and sits down next to him.
"General Shinu, your report." Ozai said
"Thank you, sir. Ba Sing Se is still under our control. However, earthbender rebellion have prevented us from achieving total victory in the earth Kingdom." Shinu said
"What is your recommendation?" Ozai said
"Our army is spread too thin, but once the eclipse is over and invasion defeated, we should transfer more domestic forces into the Earth Kingdom." Shinu said
"Hmm. Prince Zuko, you've been among the Earth Kingdom commoners. Bo you think that adding more troops will stop these rebellions?" Ozai asked
"The people of the earth Kingdom are proud and strong. They can endure anything, as long as they have hope." Zuko said
"Yes, you're right. We need to destroy their hope." Ozai said
"Well, that's not exactly what I-" Zuko was cut off
"I think you should take their precious hope and the rest of their land and burn it all to the ground." Azula said
"Yes…Yes you're right, Azula."
Ozai stands up and walks onto the world map.
"Sozin's Comet is almost upon us, and so that day, it will endow us with the strength and power of a hundred suns. No bender will stand a chance against us." Ozai said
"What are you suggest, sir?" Shinu asked
"When the comet last came, my grandfather, Fire Lord Sozin, used it to wipe out the Air Nomads. Now, I will use its power to end the Earth Kingdom…permanently. From our airships, we will rain fire over their lands, a fire that will destroy everything, and out of the ashes, a new world will be born, a world in which all the lands are Fire Nation and I am the supreme ruler of everything." Ozai said
End of Flashback…
"I wanted to speak out against this horrifying plan, but I'm ashamed to say I didn't. my whole life, I struggled to gain my father's love and acceptance, but once I had it, I realized I'd lost myself getting there. I'd forgotten who I was." Zuko said
I kissed Zuko on the cheek. Katara sinks to her knees.
"I can't believe this." Katara said
"I always knew the Fire Lord was a bad guy, but his plan is just pure evil." Sokka said
"What am I gonna do?" Aang asked
"I know you're scared, and I know you're not ready to save the world, but if you don't defeat the Fire Lord before the comet comes, there won't be a world to save anymore." Zuko said
"Why didn't you tell me about your dad's crazy plan sooner?" Aang asked
He walks away a little bit.
"I didn't think I had to. I assumed you were still going to fight him before the comet. No one told me you decided to wait." Zuko said
"This is bad. This is really, really bad." Aang said
"Aang, you don't have to do this alone." Katara said
"She's right Aang. We started this entire thing together and that's how we are going to finish it." I said
"All right. Team Avatar is back. Air. Water, Ice. Earth. Fire. Fan and Sword." Sokka said
"Fighting the Fire Lord is going to be the hardest thing we've ever done together, but I wouldn.t want to do it any other way." Aang said
We all laugh and move over to Aang for a group hug. Well everyone except Zuko.
"Yeah." Toph said
"All right." Sokka said
"Get over her, Zuko. Being part of the group also means being part of group hugs." Katara said
"That and you knocked my sister up so that also makes you family." Sokka said
With a resigned look on his face, Zuko joins the hug. Appa flies in, knocking all of us over. We stay like that for a few more moment before Zuko and Aang start to practice again. Katara and I watch them from the pavilion that looks out into the courtyard.
"There's one technique you need to know before facing my father - how to redirect lighting. If you let energy in your own body flow, the lighting will follow it." Zuko said
Zuko uses his fingers to show how the energy should flow through the body.
"You turn your opponents' energy against them." Zuko said
"That's like waterbending." Aang said
Aang joins in practicing the lighting redirection form.
"Exactly. My Uncle invented this technique himself by studying waterbenders." Zuko said
"So, have you ever redirected lighting before?" Aang asked
I look over at Zuko.
"Please tell me you haven't." I said
"I have. Once against my father." Zuko said
"What did it feel like?" Aang asked
"Aang please don't encourage him." I said
Aang looks down.
"Exhilarating…but terrifying. You feel so powerful holding that much energy in your body, but you know if you make the wrong move, it's over." Zuko said
"Well, not over over. I mean there's always Katara and a little Spirit Water action, am I right?" Aang asked
"Actually, I used it all up after Azula shot you, and it would have worked as well as it did if Kida hadn't helped." Katara said
"Oh." Aang said disappointed
"You'll have to take the Fire Lord's life before he takes yours." Zuko said
"Yeah, I'll just do that." Aang said
Time Skip…
We had moved to the rocky cliffs near the beach. Sokka, Toph, and Suki had set up a little test range. Sokka just got done placing a carved melon on a draped mannequin.
"Gather round, Team Avatar. In order to take out the Fire Lord - or in this case, the Melon Lord - our timing has to perfect." Sokka said
We move back a yard or two. Sokka kneels down on the ground and uses a stick to draw a line heading towards the Melon Lord symbol.
"First, Suki and I will draw his fire. Then, Katara, Kida and Zuko charge in with some liquidly hot offense, and while the Melon Lord is distracted, Aang swoops in… and bam. He delivers the final blow." Sokka said
As he was talking he was drawing lines in the dirt.
"Uh…what about me?" Toph asked
"For now, you're the Melon Lord's forces." Sokka said
"So I get to chuck flaming rocks at all of you?" Toph asked excited
"Whatever makes the training feel more realistic." Sokka said
"Sweetness." Toph said
"Sokka do you have an idea what you just created." I said
…
Toph is now surrounded by boulders coated in grease with small bowls of fire set out in front of each boulder.
"Mwah-ha-ha-ha." Toph said
Katara, Sokka, and I look at Aang and Momo who look at Suki and Sokka. Sokka signals to the others to start moving. Sokka and Suki run towards the Melon Lord, but become confronted by stone Fire Nation soldiers, who suddenly rise out of the ground. Sokka cuts one stone soldier in half and Suki kicks down another one. They keep running, but a large burning rock boulder falls out of the sky. Suki jumps over the boulder. Sokka finds himself fallen down just a few inches away from the flaming boulder and jumps up.
"Watch it, Toph." Sokka said
"I am not Toph. I am Melon Lord. Mwah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha." Toph said
Toph lights a second boulder on fire and sends it through the air at Katara, Zuko, and I. Katara and Zuko run around on either side of the boulder and I sue my bending to go over it. Once we land and continue running we quickly are surrounded by a circle of stone Fire Nation soldiers, which we quickly destroy.
"Now, Aang." Sokka yells
Aang jumps, preparing to strike the Melon Lord with his glider staff. Aang looks at the Melon Lord and changes expressions from anger to uncertainly. When he lands, Aang stops his attack before smashing the Melon Lord. He steps back.
"What are you waiting for? Take him out." Zuko said
"I can't." Aang said
"What's wrong with you? If this was the real deal, you'd be shot full of lighting right now." Sokka said
"I'm sorry, but I just didn't feel right. I didn't feel like myself." Aang said
"You don't have to explain yourself." I said
Sokka takes out his sword and then cuts the melon in half.
"There, that's how it's done." Sokka said
Aang starks off. I turn and slap Sokka across the face. I turn and follow after Aang.
"Just ignore Sokka. He doesn't understand." I said
"You do?" Aang asked
"You were raised by monks, 100 years ago. I understand that things were different back then." I said
"I just don't know what to do?" Aang asked
"Don't worry, if anyone can think of a another way it's you." I said
"Thank you Kida." Aang said
"Let's head back and just ignore Sokka and Zuko." I said
"Will do." Aang said
We headed back to the beach house. We make it back in time for dinner. As we eat, Aang faces away from the rest of us. Katara comes into the courtyard.
"I have a surprise for everyone." Katara said
She is holding onto a scroll.
"I knew it. You did have a secret thing with Haru!" Toph said
She smiles while the rest of us look at her strangely.
"Uh, no. I was looking for cooking pots in the attic, and I found this!" Katara said
She unravels the scroll showing a painting of a happy dark-haired baby playing at the beach.
"Look at baby Zuko. Isn't he cute?" Katara asked
Everyone except Zuko and I laugh. Katara looks over at us.
"Oh, lighten up. I'm just teasing." Katara said
"That's not Zuko." I said
"It's my father." Zuko said
Katara rolls up the scroll.
"But he looks so sweet and innocent." Suki said
"Well, that sweet little kid grew up to be a monster, and the worst father in the history of fathers." Zuko said
I grabbed Zuko's hand.
"Don't worry." I said
"But he's still a human being." Aang said
"You're going to defend him?" Zuko asked
"No, I agree with you. Fire Lord Ozai is a horrible person, and the world would probably be better off without him, but there's got to be another way." Aang said
"Like what?" Zuko asked
"I don't know. Maybe we can make some big pots of glue, and then I can use gluebending to stick his arms and legs together so he can't bend anymore." Aang said
"Yeah, then you can show him his baby pictures, and all those happy memories will make him good again." Zuko said sarcastically
I hear Suki and Sokka laugh in the background.
"Do you really think that would work?" Aang asked
"No." Zuko yelled
"This goes against everything I learned from the monks. I can't just go around wiping out people I don't like." Aang said
"Sure you can. You're the Avatar. If it's in the name of keeping balance, I'm pretty sure the universe will forgive you." Sokka said
Aang whips back around to face Sokka losing his temper.
"This isn't a joke, Sokka! None of you understand the position I'm in. the only person that does is Kida." Aang yells
"Aang, we understand. It's just…" Katara trails off
"Just what, Katara? What?" Aang asked
"We're trying to help." Katara said
"Then, when you figure out a way for me to beat the Fire Lord without taking his life, I'd love to hear it." Aang said
He then starts to walk away.
"Aang, don't walk away from this." Katara said
Katara starts to walk after him. Zuko stops her by putting a hand on her shoulder.
"Let him go. He needs time to sort it out by himself." Zuko said
They turn and walk towards me. I step back away from them.
"Kida?" Zuko asked
"Stay away from me. All of you. I don't understand how you all are so okay with asking a child to kill someone. You joke about him wanting to find another way but yet you don't help. You just try you push what you think on him. It scares me that my friends and family, the people I love are able to kill without a second thought, and to ask it of a person that they love and care about scares me." I said
I turned around and left the courtyard and headed to my room where I stayed for the rest of the night. I also stayed their till Toph came and got me in the morning. I grabbed my bag and followed Toph. Sokka was on top of Appa.
"Okay, that's everything." Sokka said
"Toph, where's Aang?" I asked
They all look at each other. They then run back into the beach house. I follow after them but I walked. Toph and I followed after Sokka and Zuko. We check one of the porches. I see Aang's staff. Katara and Suki walk onto the porch as well.
"He left his staff." I said
"That's so strange." Katara said
"Aang's not in the house. Let's check the beach." Zuko said
…
"Look, there's his footprints." Sokka said
"The trail ends at the ocean." I said
"So, he went for a midnight swim and never came back?" Suki asked
"Maybe he got tired of being treated like a weapon." I said
I see Zuko look down, and Sokka look away.
"Maybe he was captured." Katara said
"I don't think so. There's no sign of a struggle." Sokka said
"Maybe Kida is right. Maybe he ran away." Toph said
"Uh-uh. He left behind his glider and Appa." Sokka said
"The what do you think happened to him, oh sleuthy one?" Toph asked
"It's pretty obvious. Aang mysteriously disappears before an important battle? He's definitely on a Spirit World journey." Sokka said
"That actually makes sense." Suki said
"But if he was, wouldn't his body still be here?" Zuko asked
"Oh, yeah. Forgot about that." Sokka said
"Then he's got to be somewhere on Ember Island. Let's spilt up and look for him." Katara said
Toph latches onto Zuko's arm. Zuko just looks down at her.
"I'm going with Zuko. What?! Everyone else went on a life-changing field trip with Zuko. Now it's my turn." Toph said
Sokka leaves on Appa. Suki and Katara search the city. Toph and Zuko search more of the island. I just go back inside, because I know Aang is fine, and if he did in fact run away then he had every right to. It was dark when everyone got back to the house. We are all sitting on the stairs of the house.
"Judging by the looks on your faces, I'm guessing you guys didn't find Aang, either." Sokka said
"No. It's like he just…disappeared." Zuko said
"Hey, wait a minute. Has anyone noticed that Momo is missing, too?" Toph asked
Sokka turns around to Appa.
"Oh no! I knew it was only a matter of time. Appa ate Momo." Sokka said
Sokka opens Appa's mouth and sticks his head into Appa's mouth.
"Momo, I'm coming for you, buddy." Sokka said
"Sokka, Appa didn't eat Momo. He's probably with Aang." Katara said
"That's just what Appa wants you to think." Sokka said
He then climbs into Appa's mouth.
"Get out of the bison's mouth, Sokka. We have a real problem here. Aang is nowhere to be found and the comet is only two days away." Zuko said
"What should we do?" Katara asked
Katara, Suki, and Toph turn to stare at Zuko. While I look at Appa waiting fro Sokka to come out. It doesn't take long as Appa opens his mouth and Sokka comes sliding out covered in saliva.
"I don't know. Why are you all looking at me?" Zuko asked
"Well, you are kind of the expert on tracking Aang." Katara said
"That and you need to get used to making big decisions. Seeing as you will be the next Fire Lord." I said
I hear a noises so I turn to see Sokka fall down after trying to stand up. I quickly waterbend the saliva off of Sokka.
"That was the most disgusting thing I've ever bended." I said
…
We are all on Appa flying along the coast, led by Zuko. I still kind of separate myself from the others.
"Zuko, I don't wanna tell you how to do your job, but why are we heading towards the Earth Kingdom? There's no way Aang's there." Sokka said
"Just trust me." Zuko said
…
We are approaching a tavern. Before we enter Zuko pulls me to the side.
"I know your mad at me. But stay close to me okay. This place is full of bad and horrible people, and you are pregnant. So such stay close." Zuko said
"Okay. I'll stay close." I said
"Thank you." Zuko said
We enter the tavern. Inside lively music plays.
"And the reason you've brought us to a seedy Earth Kingdom tavern is what now?" Katara asked
"June." Zuko said
He points to her. We look to see a thug tries to attack her, but she makes him fall down and uses him as a foot rest. Another thug tries to punch her, but she dodges every punch, still holding her drink.
"Oh yeah, that weird bounty hunter with the giant mole." Sokka said
"Mole? He skin is flawless." Suki said
"No, she has the giant mole creature she rides around on." Sokka said
"What she rides on is called a Shirshu." I said
"It's the only animal that can track Aang's scent anywhere in the world. It's the one shot we have of finding him." Zuko said
The second thug continues punching June. She throws her drink into the air, throws the thug at a table, catches her drink and takes a sip. Toph steps forward and has a huge smile on her face.
"I don't know who this June lady is, but I like her." Toph said
"Of course you do Toph." I said
