Hello dearies! It's been a lovely two months of avatar break for me. I told you I'd come back in the summer and it's late spring so... boo, I'm a little early. I will update slower than I have in the past due to real life speeding up and other projects currently on my plate, but I hope you enjoy the continuation of this series.
I HIGHLY recommend you read "Katara Alone" and "Toph Alone" to get the full background on this story. All the stories intertwine, even if they can be read coherently on their own. Typically I wait until I have the story finished before I post anything, but I am three chapters in and am feeling confident, so here we go.
"Avatar Aang, I must speak with you."
Aang blinked his eyes open sleepily and sat up. Something didn't feel right.
"Avatar Aang!"
Aang snapped his eyes open, now wide awake, realizing for the first time that he wasn't in his bedroom anymore. He was standing at the top of the inner wall of Ba Sing Se. The wind whipped around his ankles and across his bare chest. A shimmery figure floated in the air just in front of him, their back turned.
"At last, you're awake."
Aang's heart was beating out of his chest. This spirit had been calling to him for so long. Every time he heard the voice he would wake up somewhere in Ba Sing Se. Sleepwalking had become a habit over the past month.
"Who are you?" Aang asked.
"You," was the cryptic reply.
Another past Avatar.
"You've been calling me for weeks. Every night. I've barely slept and I've been trying to get into the spirit world ever since I left the Fire Nation." Aang approached the stranger while he talked. They didn't move. "Why do I keep waking up here? Where am I trying to go?"
It wasn't just the sleepwalking. For the past two months Aang had been plagued with vicious headaches. They filled every waking moment, and even Uncle's medicinal teas were not offering much aid. Even though he was living in a world completely at peace for the first time in his life, Aang did not find much peace for himself. It shouldn't be that way. The war had ended two years ago. Zuko had turned eighteen and now ruled as Fire Lord, and Aang had moved to Ba Sing Se with Uncle. All of his friends had found new roles and new directions for their lives. Sokka was working with the world leaders to set up a council of worldwide peace ambassadors, Katara had moved to the North Pole to study healing so she could return South and build a hospital, Toph lived with Zuko and served as his personal protector, and Suki had completely reformed the Earth Kingdom security along with Ty Lee and the rest of the Kyoshi Warriors.
Aang and his friends had transformed the world for the better, and would continue to do so. But right now, Aang had decided to take some of Uncle's advice for himself.
" A man needs his rest."
He'd spent the past two years helping Toph and Uncle keep the Fire Nation from breaking out into war again. Things were smoother now, and Aang was tired. Helping bring the people of Ba Sing Se together seemed like a good mission for him. The inner walls were starting to be carefully removed, and the barriers between the classes slowly started to dwindle away. Slowly. Very slowly.
All that was well and good, but Aang couldn't help out much if he was stuck in bed with headaches every day.
That's when he discovered that he could not get into the spirit world. Meditating became nearly impossible. He had tried to summon Roku, Kyoshi, anyone, but there was nothing.
Then the sleepwalking had started. The voice calling him had started soon after that.
The stranger finally turned around and lowered their cloak, and Aang clearly saw the arrow across the man's head. "Your spirit is at war within yourself, young avatar. I could not get you to come to me in the spirit world so I had to come to you. I am Avatar Yuronki. I followed Avatar Kazza of the Fire Nation during a time of great change. Your past lives sense a stirring in the spirit world and though we cannot completely see the future, we know what the sages once said and we wish to prepare you."
"What did the sages say?"
"Many air nomads cried out over 100 years ago, and were silenced. They say a second cry will come again."
It sounded foreboding, but Aang latched onto a singular thing. "Another cry? From Air Nomads? Again? Does that mean I'm not alone?"
"We still only sense your spiritual presence, Aang. We have had no Air Nomad visitors to the spirit world in 100 years. You were the first after a very long time."
Aang hung his head. He had initially accepted the fact when he first emerged from the iceberg three years ago, but parts of him had continued to hope. Yuronki lowered down until he was standing before Aang. He put both his hands on either side of Aang's head.
"You are alone in here, Aang. I, as the other avatars do, we feel your struggle. We know your pain. Thousands of connections were severed from you at once and the effect that had on you is only now beginning to show as you grow and mature."
Aang blinked quickly, not ready to let the tears fall. "Is that why I feel these headaches? Is that why it's gotten so much worse? "
Avatar Yuronki shook his head. "I cannot say for sure. An Air Nomad has never been alone like you have been. Your survival in the ice was a miracle, and as such there is still much we do not know, even in the spirit world."
"How can I prepare myself for a second cry?" Aang asked, cutting to the chase. He felt like his hopes were being dashed into pieces. Being the avatar never seemed to get any easier...
"We want you to get some help, and since you cannot contact us here, we want you to find someone in the physical world. Even now, the other avatars are focusing their energy into me so we could get a message to you. Roku was particularly adamant that we keep trying when you did not respond at first. There is one spiritual guide still living that could help you. We want you to find him."
"Who is he?"
"You've met him before. His name is Pathik."
Aang let the shadow of a smile pass over his features. Guru Pathik, of course. "Will he know how to help me?"
Avatar Yuronki nodded. "Yes, he will, and he is an eager and patient soul. He has continued to wait for you. When you go, go alone. Your spirit must be unattached and free. Do not hesitate, young avatar. Find him."
"Where is he?" Aang asked.
But Avatar Yuronki was already starting to fade. "Find him."
Aang frowned as the spirit disappeared, and he was left alone atop the inner wall.
"You and Roku. You always leave out the most important parts," Aang grumbled.
A few minutes later Aang dragged himself back into the house where he lived with Uncle. The Jasmine Dragon was located just around the block. If you stood on the back balcony you could see it, bustling with people from dawn to dusk. Dawn was just starting to peak over the sky as Aang stumbled against the handrailing of the stairs that led up into the loft.
"You're an early riser this morning!"
Aang rubbed his eyes and leaned back until he could see into the kitchen. Uncle was up and putting on the first pot of tea of the day. He instantly noticed Aang's exhausted appearance. The boy was starting to look a bit too much like Zuko from three years ago. Iroh didn't take that as a good sign.
"You were sleepwalking again, weren't you?"
Aang sighed and made his way over to the table. Iroh grabbed two mugs out of the cupboard and settled down across the table from Aang.
"Yes, this time I made it to the top of the inner wall," Aang said.
"Did the voice call to you again?"
Aang nodded. "More than that. I met one of my past lives, one I've never met before. He said I needed to be prepared for something called "the second cry." All my past lives want me to go find Guru Pathik again."
Iroh nodded thoughtfully, already very accustomed to the riddles and mysteries of the spirit world. "Was he able to give you any answers about your headaches?"
Aang shook his head. "No." Aang started tracing the grain of the wood of the table with his finger. Iroh got up to pull the tea off the stove. He poured them both a cup then pushed the mug in Aang's direction.
"Do you know anything about an Avatar Yuronki? Or an Avatar Kazza?" Aang asked abruptly. Iroh frowned and rubbed his chin.
"I can't say I know anything about Yuronki, but Avatar Kazza was a famous firebending avatar who lived about 1,000 years ago."
"What was so notable about him?" Aang asked.
"Her," Iroh corrected. "Avatar Kazza was born without any arms. She was born to the family of the High Sage and due to her disability, she wasn't discovered as the avatar until she turned twenty years old. She was instrumental in disposing Fire Lord Kai who, by all accounts, had turned mad and was burning half the countryside."
Aang could almost hear Sokka's voice in his head. " So that's where the crazy started."
"You know a lot about her," Aang commented. "Do you know about any other Fire Avatars?"
Iroh shook his head. "The next Fire Avatar after her was Avatar Szeto. Then Roku. If you want to learn more we can visit the library at the catacombs in the Fire Nation on our next trip."
"I don't think I'll have time for that," Aang admitted. "Uncle, I need to go find Guru Pathik. I need to find out about this pain in my head. The world is more at peace than it's been in over 100 years, and if there's ever a time for me to continue my avatar training, it's now."
Uncle Iroh was quiet for a minute. "How long will you be gone?"
Aang looked down at the contents of his mug and swirled them around. "I don't know," he replied honestly.
"When are you leaving?"
Aang looked up at the old man who had taken the place of a father for him. He hated to leave, but he couldn't live like this. He couldn't help anyone. He couldn't do his job. And he was desperate for the pain to just… stop. "As soon as possible. Tonight, if I have the strength. Maybe my subconscious knows where it's supposed to be and that's why I keep sleepwalking."
Aang finished his tea and pushed back from the table. He ought to start packing.
" Your spirit must be unattached and free." Aang stopped in his tracks as he remembered what Avatar Yuronki had said.
"Actually, I don't think I need to pack," Aang said quietly. "I'll just take my glider, Momo, and Appa."
"What should I tell your friends?"
Aang paused. "I have to be alone, Uncle."
Things were...tense with some of them to say the very least. It had all started when Zuko, Katara, and Sokka had returned to the Fire Nation. For a whole month the Gaang was back together at the palace. It had been a fantastic time. The transition from Iroh to Zuko had gone smoother than any of them could have hoped, and there had been a huge party to celebrate the return of the young Fire Lord.
The time in the South had done Zuko a world of good and the Fire Nation had stabilized greatly under Iroh's steady hand. Suki had even returned from her missions in the Earth Kingdom and managed to surprise Sokka who was going to resume his training with Master Piandeo.
It was then that Aang saw that everyone had found their new places, and it was time for him to find his. An incident between himself and Katara just confirmed this fact for him.
It had been their last week together. Sokka, Zuko, and Aang got together for some sparring at the palace arena the evening before Katara was headed to the North Pole to study healing. Suki, Toph, and Mai opted to stay back at the palace, while Katara came along to watch (ever glued to Zuko's side at that point).
Everything was going smoothly and several of the royal guards had been given the privilege to join in the sparring. Zuko and Sokka were just about to face off when there was a scream from the other side of the room.
One of the guards was lying on the floor, blood seeping from a wound in his side. His partner knelt by his side, shaking like a leaf.
"My lord, it was an accident!" the guard said in a trembling voice as Zuko ran up.
Zuko didn't say anything, just motioned for the man to step back. His eyes were zoned in on Katara.
"I'll get some water!" Aang exclaimed, but Katara was already at work.
The moon was full and Katara didn't hesitate. She didn't care who was watching. She was far beyond worrying about what anyone else thought. This man's life was in danger and she wasn't going to let him die on her watch.
Aang's eyes grew wide as the blood gushing from the wound suddenly stopped. Katara lifted the blood away from the gash with one hand and pulled water from the air with the other. The air was dry and she didn't have enough to cover the entire area.
"Aang, where's the water?" Katara asked, not taking her eyes off the man.
Aang blinked as his stomach twisted into knots. Katara was bloodbending. Right now the priority was saving the man's life, but Aang was caught completely off guard.
Katara had vowed to never do the practice again back in the war. But from the looks of it, not only was Katara bloodbending right now, but she was obviously confident in the skill. There was no hesitation. Her hands moved around the wound quickly and effectively.
"Right…" Aang stammered. He used airbending to speed over to the fountains outside. He was back in seconds, carrying the sphere of water in his palm.
Katara took the water without a word. Aang watched her work with a gaping mouth. None of the others made a sound as Katara covered the wound in glowing water. The pain contorting the man's face finally disappeared and Zuko quickly shrugged off his tunic and shredded it into strips for a bandage.
Katara took the cloth from Zuko and offered him a small smile in thanks. A few minutes later the man was all wrapped up.
"All right, now one of the servants will help you get to the medical ward. I will check on you before I leave tonight, but the wound is already sealed. You might have a small scar but nothing more serious," Katara reassured the man.
"Please, let me help." The other guard who had been involved in the incident stood just a few feet away. He stared at Zuko looking petrified.
"Of course," Zuko said. "Help him to the ward and I will be right there to check on him in a few minutes. Accidents happen. Just be thankful that Master Katara was here."
The guard looked stunned by the response from his Fire Lord. He katowed quickly then ran to help his comrade up.
As the guard was escorted out of the arena Katara turned back to the others.
"Nothing like a little excitement on my last day," Katara said, trying to lighten the mood some.
"I'll say," Zuko said as he put an arm around her shoulders.
"That was amazing. I've never seen you heal like that before, Katara," Sokka said. Katara blushed.
"I haven't either," Aang said. His voice was dry, hard, and disturbingly even. Katara met his eyes, but Aang didn't see a hint of shame or embarrassment there.
"How...how long have you been practicing that?" Aang asked.
"Over the past year," Katara answered.
"You've been bloodbending for...a year?" Aang stammered.
Katara flushed. Aang was starting to sound legitimately irritated. She just saved a life. It was something to be proud of.
"Technically I never stopped. If I was going to ever turn the technique into a good thing instead of what Hama intended, then I needed to practice. So I did."
"On who?" Aang sputtered.
"On myself," Katara admitted.
"And me," Zuko said, turning to look at Aang.
Aang looked between the two of them incredulously. "You let her bloodbend you?"
Zuko nodded. "She didn't suggest it. I offered," he clarified.
"Am I the only one who sees an issue with this?" Aang asked.
Katara narrowed her eyes. "Aang, I just saved a man's life. Are you seriously about to scold me for that?"
Aang threw up a hand in exasperation. "No, of course not. It's just...well, you know how twisted bloodbending can be. Not how you just used it. What you just did was amazing. But if other people see this and learn it, the power could get into the wrong hands. You can't risk that."
"Aang, I've thought long and hard about this. Bloodbending could be revolutionary for healing. If I keep the knowledge I've learned to myself then I'm stopping lives from being saved in the future," Katara pointed out.
"Yes, but you handle it right. You've always handled it right. Other people might not," Aang said pointedly.
"I haven't always handled it right," Katara snapped back.
Aang looked puzzled. "Yes, you have."
"No, Aang, I haven't. If you think I don't understand what this power can do to someone, you are very wrong. I don't think you have the experience to judge on the matter." Katara didn't want to go farther into detail than that.
But Aang's curiosity was piqued. He couldn't imagine Katara using bloodbending for anything other than healing. From his point of view, the risks far outweighed the benefits. And he was the avatar. He was officially the judge on the matter.
"I'm sorry, but I don't think you should practice it anymore. Not in front of people." He said it as nicely as he could. This shouldn't be an issue.
But Katara was steamed, and by the looks of it, Sokka and Zuko didn't look too happy with him either.
"So that's what you think? You think we are the best judges of whether or not this technique gets used just because we are good people? " Katara asked.
It sounded like a loaded question. Katara's eyes flashed and dared him to agree with the statement. Katara could be terrifying when she wanted to be. But Aang couldn't really decide where the trap was laid.
"Yes?" he ventured slowly. Wrong answer. Katara's voice went up another notch.
"Guess what, Aang? We're not perfect. We're not the final authority. You think I'm as pure as the wind driven snow? I had to learn things the hard way. I bloodbended the man I thought killed my mother without a moment of hesitation." The admission came out of her mouth without any thought behind it. Zuko looked surprised and Sokka's mouth immediately dropped open.
Aang's eyes widened and a pit landed in his stomach. He wasn't expecting that confession, but Katara wasn't done.
"You know the worst thing about it? I didn't immediately regret it. When I got back from that trip, Aang, I had guilt eating me up for weeks. Zuko will tell you all about it. He's the one that finally got me to stop beating myself up," Katara finished.
"You never told me," Aang said quietly.
"No, I didn't. I never expected to either," Katara said. "I knew what you would say."
"Well that just shows us right there! Bloodbending should be illegal," Aang said with finality.
"You are way out of line," Zuko said, speaking up for the first time.
"Am I? I'm trying to make a responsible decision. How did you not ever see anything wrong with this, Zuko? You knew the whole story!" Aang asked.
"It's not your decision to make! If Katara hadn't decided to turn the power into something good then my guard would have probably died right there," Zuko pointed out. "You were young, Aang. There was a lot you didn't understand. We all mess up, her included. She has forgiven herself and moved on years ago. Don't drag this back up." He looked over at Katara who seemed to be at a loss for words. She just stared at Aang.
" I didn't understand? And let me guess, you still don't think I understand," Aang said.
That flipped a switch in Katara. She found words very quickly. "Well, no, now that you mention it," Katara said sarcastically. "You certainly aren't acting like you understand."
"Ok, we all need to calm down and step back," Sokka interjected, stepping in between Aang and Katara.
Aang glared at Katara. Katara glared back. "Bloodbending is too dangerous. I want the practice to stop," Aang declared.
"No," Katara said, flat-out. "I'm saving lives and I won't stop doing that. Ever. I'm going to the North Pole and I'm going to learn more about healing and be able to implement the technique safely. I'm going to take what I know back home and build a hospital. You're not stopping any of that."
"You're going to purposefully teach this to other people?" Aang asked incredulously.
"This isn't calming down," Sokka said.
"Let's go, Zuko," Katara said, turning away from Aang. "This isn't how I wanted to spend our last evening together."
"Right behind you," Zuko said. He turned to follow Katara out, but stopped and looked at Aang over his shoulder. "And Aang? Being the avatar doesn't make you the bending police too. She went through hell for a long time because of all that guilt. Get out of your bubble and ease up." With that he turned on his heel and walked out of the arena.
Out of my bubble? Aang bristled but Zuko was already gone. "Am I the one out of line here?" Aang asked. Sokka sighed. He hated being pitted in the middle.
"Honestly? I see both sides pretty well. But I trust my sister, Aang." Sokka looked over at Aang who was now a little taller than he was. "You should too."
"But I'm the avatar. Keeping order and peace is my job," Aang said. He stared at the door his friends had walked out of. "It's my job," he repeated softly.
"That whole exchange didn't look very peaceful to me," Sokka commented as he grabbed his shirt and sword. "I'll see you at supper, ok?"
Aang watched Sokka leave the building. There was a sinking feeling in his chest that he couldn't shake.
Katara left the following morning. Goodbyes were said at the palace. They both had tried to put the previous day's events behind them for the farewell. Neither one of them had apologized to the other, and Aang sadly watched her boat pull out of the harbor. There was a weight on his chest.
Sokka left to stay with Master Piandao at his villa. Suki went with him to stay for a short time. Uncle was preparing for the move to Ba Sing Se and Toph and Aang were going to go with him. Toph announced she was staying in the capital last minute.
So Aang flew to Ba Sing Se on Appa alone.
The past month had been quiet, but far from peaceful. The pain in his head and the sleepwalking had started almost immediately.
"So what should I tell your friends?" Uncle Iroh repeated. Aang had zoned out for a moment. He snapped his head up. What could he tell his friends?
"I have no idea where I'm going to be, Uncle. And I can't wait. I need to go. I can't take another day of this. Just tell them I'll be back soon." There wasn't anything else that he could tell them. He turned to head back upstairs to his room.
"You need to at least write Toph," Uncle advised. Aang stopped with his hand on the handrail. One of his biggest struggles was saying goodbye upfront. He still wasn't any good at it. And he was pretty sure Toph would come barreling after him if she knew he was leaving.
"She'll understand, Uncle."
"Will she?"
Aang nodded, willing to believe it was true. He just wanted to leave.
This was a journey he needed to take.