Hey, I'm back again! Sorry I haven't updated in so long, I've been busy, I feel bad for leaving my reviewers hanging. So, I'm going to attempt to make this chapter longer than usual, to make up for not updating in so long. Enjoy!

Chapter 6- A Surprise in Hykoshi

"So we're heading to the Earth Kingdom capital of Ba Seng Sai to get you an Earthbending master while not only trying to dodge Zuko, but now his hot-headed sister?" Sokka asked as they were packing up to head out.

"That pretty much sums it up, yea", Aang said as he secured the last bag onto Appa's saddle.

"Great", Sokka said sarcastically, "And what's the bad news?"

"Come on Sokka, we made it all the way to the North Pole and Aang only got twice", Katara pointed out, "How hard can this be?"
"Three times", Sokka said.

"No, it was twice", Katara argued.

"Three times Katara", Sokka said, "Once before we even left the South Pole, once by Admiral Zhao, and once when we got to the North Pole"

"Well I meant how many times he got captured before we got to the South Pole"
"Well in that case it's still three times because-"

"Can you guys debate on how many times I got captured later?" Aang asked, jumping onto Appa, "Lets get going already"

"HA!" Zuko fired out towards sea. The fireball went a good two hundred feet before fizzling out. He was mad, and this was his way of letting out. Not only had he lost his boat, he'd lost his chance to get back at his sister for everything she'd done to him, and to top it all off, he'd lost his chance to capture the Avatar! In his view, he had every right to be mad.

"Calm yourself Prince Zuko", his uncle said, laying a hand on his Zuko's shoulder, "Your chance will come"
"She always has to be better than me!" he raged, pulling his shoulder out of Iroh's grip, "Just once I wish I could show her up! Once!"

"The time will come when you will get what you want", Iroh informed his nephew, "You must be patient, Prince Zuko. Your time will come"

"Hykoshi?" Aang asked, "Why would we stop in Hykoshi?"
"They have a market and a trading post there", Sokka explained, going over the map, "We could use a few more supplies"

"Good point", Katara said, "Sound good to you Aang?"
"Yea", Aang said, "Sounds fine. You're right; we do need a few more supplies. Did you guys know Hykoshi is near the Easter Air Temple?"
"Really?" Katara asked, interested.

"Yea", Aang said, "I used to by it all the time when I went to the temple to visit my friend Chi. I don't remember it having a market it though"

"It's probably changed in a hundred years". Sokka pointed out, "Things change, you know"

"Yea", Aang said thoughtfully. A small smile played over his face as he remembered one of the times he had come out to visit Chi

Flashback

"Why are we coming down here Chi?" Aang asked as the Airbender pulled him along. He had never gone into Hykoshi before; he'd usually just been riding Appa and flew over it.

"You'll see", Chi said for the millionth time. He hated it when Chi kept secrets; it was one of the very few things that annoyed Aang about the girl. The other thing being her over hyperness.

"This way", Chi steered him into the village, and they walked through the town to wherever it was Chi was taking him.

"Here?" they'd stopped outside of a rundown old cottage that obviously wasn't being used anymore.

"Yea", Chi said, "Here. Come inside"

Aang followed the girl inside, suddenly wondering if this was just another practical joke. It was like a hallowed out shell inside. The floor beneath them was sagging. The ceiling above them looked ready to collapse. The walls had small holes in them so that there were small rays of light here and there from the sun. What could Chi possibly want to show him here?

"Over here", she called softly. Aang made his way over to her, and saw she was standing next to an old, worn out, oriental like rug. "Watch this", she pushed rug aside and revealed a trap door. She pulled the door up and jumped down inside. "Come on Aang!" she called up. He sighed deeply and jumped down after her, landing softly as he hit the ground. He looked over at Chi, who was setting up a lantern. "There", she said as the lantern lit, "Ready? Lets go", she took off down a small tunnel with Aang following.

"Whoa…" Aang said faintly as they walked. It was probably one of the coolest things he'd seen in his life. They walked for a good few minutes until they emerged into a larger cavern.

"Isn't it cool?" Chi asked as Aang looked around, "I finally found a place I can keep stuff like my journal without anyone finding it. Neat huh?"
Aang grinned, "Definitely one of your better finds Chi"

End Flashback

"When we get to Hykoshi", Aang said to his friends, "I want to show you guys something"

"It's gone!" he exclaimed as they walked over to where the old cottage used to be, "I can't believe it…"
"It's okay Aang", Katara said, laying a hand on his shoulder. He felt crushed. He was ready to really sulk when he thought of something. He walked forward onto the clearing and noticed burn marks on the ground. The Fire Nation, he thought. He scanned carefully through the grass that was growing there, searching, searching…

"Found it!" he stooped down and grabbed the ring that opened the trap door and yanked at it. It opened!

"Cool!" Sokka said, stepping forward, "Is this what you wanted to show us?"
"Yea", Aang said, grinning, "Come on"

He lowered himself through the trap door, and hit the ground, sending dust flying, "Lets go!" he called to his friends. After much hesitation, they jumped down after him, and the trio ventured into the tunnel.

"We know he is trying to master Earthbending", Azula said to herself, "So he must be going to the Earth Kingdom Capital. After all, that's where most Master Earthbenders live. So it's only a matter of catching him before he finds a master. Okay, no problem. He's just a kid, after all. It's Zuko I have to worry about"

She reflected on the last fight with him. He was stronger than she had expected. She would have to watch her step with him. Luckily, everyone had their weaknesses. Zuko was no exception to this. He had two weaknesses. One of them was his temper. The other was something a tad more precious.

"Princess!" her head snapped up from the map she had been surveying.

"This had been be important!" she snapped at the guard who had interrupted her.

"The Avatar has been spotted", he informed her, "He's going to Hykoshi"
"Hykoshi?" Azula repeated. She smirked, "Perfect. Set a course for Hykoshi"

Aang surveyed the cavern, a look of shock and horror on his face. The place was utterly destroyed. There were burn marks everywhere. Ashes were spread all over. It was a nightmare. "Fire Nation", Sokka said quietly. Aang nodded in agreement, and stepped forward. He kicked at something on the ground. He looked down. It was a book. A curvy, faded scribble on the front read Chi's Journal.

"What is it?" Katara asked.

"My friend Chi", he said quietly, "She showed me this place. She said she'd finally found a place to keep things like her journal hidden. This must be it"

He flipped through the pages, his eyes scanning them. He stopped after he hit a blank page, and went back to read the last entry in the book. It took him awhile to figure out Chi's writing (she'd never had a steady hand) but finally, he got it.

The Fire Nation is coming, it read, I saw them destroy Monk Kasha. I don't know what they're doing, but I think…well, I think they might be looking for the Avatar. We received word from Monk Gyatso at the Southern Air Temple that Aang had disappeared. Obviously, the Fire Nation doesn't know that. I can only hope they won't find me here, and that I can go out to search for Aang when this passes. I hope I can maybe find some trace of other Airbender survivors, and hope that I will live to write in this again I-

But it stopped there. And Aang knew. The Fire Nation had found her in her secret place. They had destroyed her, just as they had the other Airbenders. Katara eased the journal out of his hands, and read the page, with Sokka reading over her shoulder.

"Aang…"
"Well, well, well", said a menacing voice from the entrance of the cavern, "If it isn't my old friend the Avatar"

Aang looked up from the ground. It was the Firebender from the night before. And she wasn't alone this time. Standing around her were at least a dozen other soldiers. Too many to fight. Or too many to fight and win. They were trapped. Utterly trapped.