With his glider strapped to his back and Zukos turtleduck in his arms did Aang run across the strange planes of the spirit world as he called out. "Zuko! ZUKOOOOO!"
There was no sign of the fire prince though. Just a very strange world with all the spirits in it.
It was pretty obvious that Desiree had taken Zuko and Aang had only been pulled into the spirit world on accident.
Aang stopped as he took a deep breath.
Okay… Desiree had taken Zuko. So all Aang needed to do was to find Desiree and then he would find Zuko! Aang turned to the closest spirit he saw and ran. "Hey! Hello!" he called after the white spirit which looked a bit like a pandacoon. "Excuse me! Do you know where the spirit Desiree lives?" he asked. The spirit hissed and then it vanished.
"Hey wait!" Aang shouted as he ran after it. But it was far to late. The spirit was gone and Aang sighed deeply as he dumped down on the ground.
Then he glanced down at the turtleduck in his arms and it was first, in that very second, it occurred to him how weird it was that Zuko was a running around with a turtleduck… Why?
Aang frowned and then he noticed, a burned wing with red burned flesh showing under it. Aang gasped. "What happened? Did Zuko do that?" he asked.
The turtleduck looked up at Aang.
"Why?" Aang asked. Then he remembered, his attempt with firebending. He had hurt Katara without even meaning to. "But he was protecting you. He must have been looking for help." he concluded. "See I knew it! He isn't so bad. Yes he hurt you but he didn't mean to! And he wanted to make it better right?"
Then Aang giggled. Now that he thought about it, the big scary fireprince being so protective of a turtleduck was kind of funny.
It was even funnier when Aang replaced the picture of the current Zuko with the picture of the past Zuko with his mostly bald head except the Phoenix tail, big scary armour and an angry scowl on his face while protecting his little turtleduck.
Aang sighed deeply as he kicked himself back up.. Not having any bending in the spirit world kind of sucked. He couldn't even fly.
And Aang kept walking. "Hello!" he shouted. "Is there anyone out there?" he asked. "I need help! I need to find the spirit Desiree! The Avatar would be eternally grateful if he could get a bit of help here!"
"Aang…" a soft voice whispered. The light flickering in strange silver.
Aang blinked then he gasped. "I know that voice!"
And finally a young woman appeared in front of Aang wearing a long white dress while her white hair freely flowed around her shoulders.
"Yue!" Aang gasped. "Wow! It's so good to see you! I didn't think I would ever see you again!"
Yue smiled gently. "It's nice to see you as well." she said. "At least so close. I do watch you from the sky when the moon is high." she admitted.
"Really?" Aang asked. "That's amazing. I'll be sure to tell the others that."
Yue smiled gently. "I believe you're looking for help."
Aang nodded. "Zuko!" he said. "A spirit caught him and dragged him in here."
"Zuko." Yue repeated. "Prince of the fire nation."
"Yes exactly! He…. Oh." Aang suddenly remembered. Yues short meeting with the fire Prince. And what had caused the death of the previous moon spirit. Aang swallowed. "Look I know. He did bad things." he said. "But he's not all bad! We can't just leave him here."
"Zuko was not the one to kill the former moon spirit." Yue informed. "On the contrary. His uncle. General Iroh defended her. He is a friend of spirits."
Aang blinked. "Iroh is?" he asked.
"Yes." Yue said. "He even found his way to this world and travelled it. His only child, his son Lu Ten had died in battle. Iroh came here… Hurt and broken. Begging for the soul of his son. Even offering his own soul in trade."
"But… Iroh is with us." Aang commented.
"Yes. For the dead cannot be brought back. Indeed some people who have very strong spirits and connections to this world. They may turn into spirits themselves. Like myself." Yue said putting a hand on her chest. "But it is rare and Lu Ten was not one of them. He was never here to begin with."
"So Iroh came here for nothing?" Aang asked sadly.
"I wouldn't say that." Yue said. "He didn't get his son back. But he found something else."
"What?" Aang asked.
"Clarity." Yue replied. "At first when Iroh was denied his son he yelled. He threatened with burning down our world. But in the spirit world there is no bending. He tried to bargain. He insisted there had to be a way. But then finally… When he finally had to accept that his son would never return. He sat on a hill and he cried… For a very long time. He cried not just for his son. But all the sons and daughters who has been lost in this war. He cried for the young fire nation soldiers who had been so proud to serve. For the earth kingdom prisoners who had no choice but be taken. For the water tribe who had been reduced to almost nothing. And for the air nomads who had all been killed long before he was even born."
"Wow." Aang breathed. "I… I had no idea. I mean."
"I wouldn't expect you to." Yue assured. "The point is that General Iroh became a changed man. It didn't just happen in a day though. His sons death was merely the beginning and he had to make a journey. And as he left the spirit world. He bowed for the spirits and thanked them for showing him the truth. Facing the reality of his actions was the hardest thing he had ever done, but he was greateful to us. We guided him to an exit where he could meet new friends. The order of the White Lotus embraced a man so in tune with spirits. Only then was he ready for them." Yue closed her eyes. "He must see a lot of himself in Zuko."
"Yeah. That makes a lot of sense." Aang nodded. "He really believes in Zuko."
Yue nodded. "Zuko must be retrieved." she said. "He finds himself in a very dangerous situation."
"Desiree." Aang breathed.
"Yes… Desiree is a spirit who feasts on the discord in the hearts of man. He hears the disharmony like it is music and lures the person to a lonely spot where he snatch them up."
Aang shook lightly.
"Desiree had his eyes on Zuko for a while. But Zuko was never alone. Always in company with someone or watched from afar by Iroh." Yue said.
"So… Desiree wants Zuko because Zuko has disharmony in his heart." Aang breathed. "What would happen if you know. Zuko didn't have disharmony?"
"Then Desiree would have no interest in him and move on." Yue simply stated.
Aang nodded thoughtfully. "Can you take me to his house?" he asked.
"Yes." Yue nodded. "How-ever you must be careful. Desiree is a dangerous spirit who is very possessive of his collection of disharmony."
"I understand." Aang nodded. "But we have to save Zuko!"
"Indeed." Yue smiled then looked at Aangs arms as she chuckled. "I like your turtleduck!" she said.
Aang grinned. "Yeah he's really cute! We should give him a name!"
Yue chuckled. "I'm sure you will come up with something. Come now. We mustn't waste more time." she gestured and Aang nodded as he ran after the former Princess of the water tribe.