1. Zuko
After coming back to their house late one night to find Zuko's old sword master in their living room, Team Avatar had made haste to the North Pole.
When they had last made the journey, Aang told the group, it had only been him, Katara and Sokka and it had taken them months because they kept getting sidetracked. They had also had to deal with Zuko, which couldn't have helped.
This time, there was no time for any of those distractions, so by spending very long hours in the air they did it in five days. By the time the first icebergs appeared on the horizon, and the air began to chill, Appa was exhausted.
"Come on," Aang patted him on the head. "Not much further."
Zuko wondered how they would be received in the North. After all, the last time he had been here, he had come as an enemy, and then there was the small matter that because of them a large portion of the fighting men of the Northern Water Tribe resided in Fire Nation Prisoner of War camps.
The Capital City of the Northern Water Tribe was a vastly different place to the last time they had been there. It had largely been rebuilt in the time since the Siege, which Zuko supposed was quite a fast process when they had waterbenders building in ice.
There was no expectant crowd waiting for their arrival, just five men who looked up at their approach. Four of them wore the same blue and white robes, while the fifth was dressed in the dark blue of the northern water tribe. He knew that this must be their Chief, Arnook.
As Appa came in to land, Zuko recognised a couple of the men; the waterbending master, Pakku, he had encountered at the South Pole when he had first arrived to join the Avatar. Another of the men fitted the description of the notorious Fire Nation deserter Jeong Jeong. There was a very old man Zuko didn't recognise there too.
And at the end of the line stood Uncle. Zuko's breath caught in his throat. Iroh stood in those white robes, looking at the descending sky-bison with an unreadable expression on his face. The last time Zuko had seen his uncle, he had lied about freeing Azula from prison and then joined his father during the sack of Ba Sing Se, so he didn't know how well this reunion was going to go.
Appa touched down in front of them, and immediately slumped, too tired to move any more. Aang jumped down to greet the newcomers.
"Hello Chief Arnook sir, we received your summons." He said brightly. Zuko didn't know how he did it, given he was going to be in a battle for not just his life but the fate of the world in less than 48 hours.
"Greetings Avatar. We are grateful for your presence." Arnook replied formally- perhaps a little too formally for Zuko's liking.
"So are all of you part of the White Lotus as well?" Aang addressed the rest of them.
"Well yes," the old man cackled. "Otherwise I wouldn't be wearing this would I?"
"And you didn't tell me?" Aang's voice took on a tone of mock-hurt.
"Then it wouldn't be a secret society any more would it?"
Zuko couldn't take it any more. He scrambled off the saddle and approached the group. "Uncle!" He called. Iroh's eyes widened at his approach.
"Uncle! I'm so sorry for what happ-"
Zuko did not get a chance to finish the sentence before being enveloped in a massive hug.
"I'm so glad to see you!" Iroh gushed. "Ozai told me you had joined him!"
"Well... I did join him in Ba Sing Se. And for that I will be eternally sorry."
"But you evidently left him again, and that's all that matters."
There was an pointed cough from beside them.
The rest of the White Lotus and of Team Avatar were standing there looking at them awkwardly.
"Oh, right. Sorry, carry on," said Iroh, though he didn't let go of Zuko.
"Shall we go inside? And then we can explain the situation," suggested Jeong Jeong the deserter.
2. Sokka
"This must be serious, if the entire Order of the White Lotus is here."
Fifteen minutes later, the gathering had moved to a long table in the palace.
"It is. We've seen what happened before when the Fire Nation sets out to wipe a place out; we have no desire to see the Northern Water Tribe go the way of the Air Nomads or Ba Sing Se."
Sokka saw Aang flinch slightly at the mention of the fate of his people.
"So what is the plan to stop them?" he asked to change the subject.
"Most of the population has been evacuated already," Arnook answered him. "They've been moved further inland to a place where they will wait out the comet."
Sokka realised that Arnook was glaring at him as he added "but all men of fighting age we still have available will remain."
He shifted uncomfortably in his chair. "Yeah, sorry about that."
"The Fire Nation will likely attack using airships," Piandao said. "That way they can bypass our sea-walls and defences entirely."
"Their airships can be defeated though," Sokka said, remembering their escape from Azula's airship.
"When we escaped from Azula, she had with her a man who could fire explosions from his forehead. This man was tricked into firing at one of the engines and the explosion brought down the ship. So we need to target the engines."
"And how do you suggest we do that?"
"We wouldn't happen to have any fireworks lying about, would we?"
"Even if we did, don't think we're taking tactical suggestions from you," Arnook snapped. "Your incompetence has already cost us most of our army, I will not have it cost us our lives."
Sokka had no answer to that, for it was true.
"Right."
"That's not fair," Aang said indignantly. "It was my decision to push forward, not his."
"Whoever it was, you proved yourself unfit for command. I should have known giving a bunch of teenagers, not even that, command of the armies of the north was a bad idea."
Sokka looked around the table and saw that several members of team avatar were on the verge of causing a diplomatic incident, so he stood up before someone did something they would regret.
"We are here to help you, Chief. I'm sorry for the loss of your men, I really am, and I understand why you're angry, but we have a job to do and needless hostility will not make it any easier."
With that, he turned and left.
It was not until he was out of the door that he realised he didn't actually know what to do now.
The comet was coming very soon, but he couldn't do much to prepare for it without the cooperation of Arnook, which didn't seem forthcoming. He could feed his ideas to one of the members of the White Lotus and have them pass them off as their own, which could work.
For the moment though, he decided to train. He pulled out his club and made his way down the steps.
He had been hacking away at a pillar for a couple of minutes before he saw Suki make her way towards him.
"I'm sure he'll come around," she told him. "He has to."
"He's right though." Sokka replied. "It's annoying, but he has a right to feel like that. With what happened to Yue and then what happened to his troops, I would be surprised if he didn't feel like that."
"Was Yue the one who turned into the moon?"
Sokka nodded, and felt the pain of that day anew for a second.
"I see."
Sokka decided to change the subject. He extended his hand.
"I still want their fireworks though, shall we go and look for them?"
3. Katara
Katara lifted her arms, and the sea responded to her call. A tremendous wave of water lifted itself up. She manoeuvred it onto the front of the sea-wall, and then froze it in place, making the wall noticeably thicker in the process.
Knowing that the Fire Nation would be coming at them with enhanced flames, the defenders of the city had opted to thicken their walls in an effort to repel them, or at least make it so it took longer for them to melt.
She turned to see Iroh making his way towards her, with Zuko and Pakku following behind.
"Do you think it will be enough?" He asked her.
"We only need it to hold until the airships are dealt with. Have you managed to convince Arnook to go along with Sokka's plan?"
Iroh shook his head. "Arnook doesn't trust Sokka at all. I don't think he's going to come around, so it's up to us."
"Do you think Aang is ready?" asked Pakku. "Because it's now or never."
Katara considered. "He mastered air a long time ago. He's almost there with water, but he's not a master."
"He's nowhere near ready with fire yet," Zuko added. "Though he did learn from the masters with me, which is something he has over Ozai."
"What about Earth?"
"Given where we are, I doubt Earth is going to play much of a role in their fight."
"He's also been learning hand-to-hand combat from Suki and Sokka," Katara finished. "Turns out he's actually pretty good at it, so that may also come in useful."
"And the Avatar State?"
"From what he told me, he was struggling with ... opening something, I think, and that was preventing him from entering the Avatar State. I'm sorry, it's been a while since it's come up."
"That's alright. It's unfortunate about the Avatar State though."
"Can't one of you fight him?" Katara asked.
"We could, but if either of us fought the Firelord directly it would look like a competition for the throne. It would reflect poorly on us. The Avatar's job is to bring balance to the world, both worlds, and that's what will happen if he defeats Ozai."
"Plus I almost certainly would lose," added Zuko.
"When he defeats Ozai." Katara corrected.
"Of course."
Katara did not wish to think about the alternative.
4. Suki
Preparations were continuing apace when Suki approached Aang with a question.
"Why do you want to talk to a spirit?" Aang asked her, confused.
"I want to speak to Yue," Suki told him. "We might need all the help we can get- including spiritual help, and we, well, you, know Yue so surely she's more likely to be able to do something."
There was also another reason- because she wanted to meet this Northern Princess that Sokka had been going on about, and find out what had actually happened. Coming here had awakened her curiosity about it, but had also caused Sokka to clam up; he was throwing himself into planning for the attack rather than revisiting Yue in any way. The memories were too painful for him, and he did still blame himself for what had happened.
"Alright, do you know how to meditate?" Aang asked her.
"No," she replied, truthfully.
"Come with me, I know a place that might help."
As they walked through the deserted streets, Aang took the opportunity to ask her how she was feeling.
"Apart from the fact we could all die tomorrow, I'm feeling good."
"But we might not all die tomorrow," Aang countered.
"I do hope so."
Eventually, they arrived at a door, with two guards standing either side of it. With a nod, they allowed Aang and Suki passage into the area beyond.
Suki couldn't believe her eyes. There was actual grass here! She hadn't thought any plant life was capable of growing up in the frozen north, and yet here it was.
There was a pond in the centre of the area, and two rivers flowing either side of it.
"This is the most spiritual place in the Northern Water Tribe," Aang told her as they walked towards the pond. Suki could see two fish circling each other endlessly in the centre of the water, as they got closer.
Those are Tui and La," Aang told her. "They are spirits!"
"Really?" Suki looked at them again.
"Yeah, the spirits of the moon and the ocean. Waterbenders draw their power from it." His face darkened. "And the Fire Nation targeted it last time. Sit down here."
Suki did so, in front of the pond where she had a good view of the endless dance the two fish were performing.
"Right, close your eyes, and try to empty your mind. Keep your breathing slow and regular. Focus on what you're meditating for."
Aang's advice soon became a soft drone in her ears, as she fell into a rhythm and tried her best to concentrate on Yue.
After this had carried on for ten minutes, she heard a voice.
"Hello, Suki."
Suki opened her eyes to see a girl floating in mid-air. She had entirely white hair, but otherwise looked about her age. Ribbons trailed off her and waved about in a nonexistent wind.
"Princess Yue, I presume?" Suki greeted her.
"You presume correctly. And you're a friend of the Avatar."
"I am. I've come to ask for two things. Help, and answers."
"Go on."
"Tomorrow is the day of Sozin's Comet, and the Fire Nation intends to destroy this city using its power. I was wondering if there was anything within your power you could do to help."
"That's what you need help with. What about the answers?"
"I want to know how it happened- how you became the moon."
"Is this about Sokka?"
"Yes, but also my own curiosity."
"Very well, I will give you your answers."
"The first time the Fire Nation came to the North Pole was a few months ago. They were pursuing the Avatar and his companions who had just arrived seeking waterbending training. I was a Princess of the North at the time, with an arranged marriage to a man I didn't know."
"Then you met Sokka."
"I did." Yue smiled.
"He was very awkward, but he was nice, and I actually enjoyed his company. Because of this I got father to post him as my bodyguard."
"Ah, that would explain why Arnook doesn't like him."
"When the Fire Nation came, they were led by a man who thought it would be a good idea to kill the moon spirit, the idea being to permanently remove the bending from the entire water tribe at once."
"And he succeeded."
"He did, and I gave my life-force to restore it. Hence, here I am."
"Do you think it was the right thing to do?"
"Absolutely. I know Sokka blamed himself, but the decision was all mine and I don't regret it for a second."
"Thank you for telling me that. I know you had no obligation to."
"Don't worry about it. Unfortunately, though, I fear your other request may be harder to provide."
"You mean you can't help?"
"This is your fight. This is the Avatar's fight. Much as I would love to get involved, I'm not sure what I could do."
"I see." Suki couldn't pretend she wasn't disappointed, but she supposed there was some sort of rule banning spirits from intervening."
"It was worth a try. Thank you, Princess."
Yue bowed her head. "It was nice to meet you, Suki. I'm glad you and Sokka have each other and I hope you win tomorrow."
With that, the Princess faded from view, and Suki opened her eyes again to find herself in the same place she had been before.
5. Aang
Aang paced up and down nervously, clutching his glider-staff.
It was now the morning of Sozin's Comet, meaning it, as well as the accompanying Fire Nation assault, was due any minute now.
Aang almost wished it would come now, so that it would all be over, one way or the other.
He had not slept all night, instead spending it meditating in an effort to unlock his chakras again and give him access to the Avatar State. However, try as he might he could not bring himself to open the last one; the one about letting go of all personal attachment.
The thing was, Aang quite liked his personal attachment, and he wasn't prepared to let it go. The Guru had said he had to, but he couldn't, no matter how hard he tried. Thoughts of Katara, Sokka, Toph, and the rest interfered whenever he tried.
The rest of Team Avatar, and the members of the Order of the White Lotus, stood beside him. They all stood on the city's fortified and reinforced sea-wall, overlooking the ocean that stretched away into the distance. Sokka had a satchel on his back, and had put on his warrior's face paint and wolf helmet. Suki, too, had come dressed for battle, in the full uniform of a leader of the Kyoshi warriors. They were holding hands, but otherwise kept staring up into the sky, looking for the first hints of the Comet or the Fire Nation.
The rest had dressed in national dress, although most of them had added extra furs to keep themselves warm. Aang hadn't, because he didn't need to.
"Aang!" He was interrupted in his pacing by Katara, who was stood next to him. Katara now had several water skins on her belt, as opposed to the one she normally carried.
"Aang," it's going to be fine. I believe in you."
"Thank you, but I wish I could be so confident."
Above them, he saw the sky begin to take on a slight red tinge. The comet was coming.
"Katara!" He blurted, knowing he didn't have long.
"In case this doesn't go well for us, I just want to say that... I care a lot about you."
Katara looked at him for a second.
"I care a lot about you too, Aang."
They hugged, and Katara kissed him on the cheek just as the first Fire Nation airships were spotted on the horizon.
