He all y'all. Hope you had a great Valentines Day! Mine was actually pretty good! I got a couple of roses delivered to me in class from a secret admirer (I'm betting it's Anelise pulling my chain) and my family gave me meat. Yes, meat. My mom gave me pork chops and my dad gave me some of his homemade jerky…which I coulda just grabbed out of the fridge on my own. But it was cool. Then we had a father daughter moment and shot our mailbox (BAD MAILBOX).

Yesterday was quite an interesting day. In my college class our main project has been developing a DVD. Part of that DVD includes interviews…of us…so we spent two hours setting up a backdrop and the lighting for our individual interviews, then we had to do a greenscreen shot for our personal projects. It was really weird and we had to rig one of the lights with tape to keep it on the tripod. The light had a 500 watt bulb and after an hour it began burning through the tape. The room we were in (without permission I might add) smelled like an old easy bake oven by the time we were done. And then last night I had a game night with a bunch of friends. It was fun even though Levi and Steve were cheating pieces of…nevermind. As for today, I've declared it a snowday. It's not really that bad in the valley, but I still don't trust my tank on the slick roads. It just doesn't do well in snow. It is bad, however, up in Salt Lake! Just this morning there were around 300 minor accidents…and that was before seven o'clock!

As always, thanks to everyone who reviewed! I still haven't done my replies, I'm a horrible person, but just so you know I DO appreciate you! And remember to keep reviewing! Also, if you've read or are reading Eeidi, check out my profile, I have a few links to pics I've drawn. And even if you haven't read it check them out because there's a hot one of Zuko! Thanks!

Aang lay on his soft pallet next to the fireplace of the cottage that night. He couldn't get his mind to settle down and Lu seemed to be echoing the feeling. Aang listened to himself pacing in the next room and sighed. If he closed his eyes he could see everything through Lu's. It was a really awkward feeling. What was even more awkward was that he knew something very bad was lurking just ahead but he couldn't see it. He couldn't remember it. Aang rolled off his makeshift bed and crawled over to another where Iroh had been moved. Iroh was awake for the first time and Aang was happy to see it. The old man had helped them protect the moon spirit. Aang didn't care whose uncle he was; he felt he could trust him.

"How are you feeling?" Aang whispered. Iroh smiled back at him kindly.

"I am very well, thank you for your concern. And how are you?" Iroh asked.

"I don't really know." Aang said with a sigh and sat with his legs folded beneath him. He glanced over at Katara and Sokka, both were sound asleep. "What happened to Zuko?" Aang asked. Iroh was silent for a moment.

"I don't really know. Avatar Roku asked me for my assistance and so I'm doing as he wished. I only hope that my nephew can understand this." Iroh said. Now it was Aang's turn to be silent. "He is really not so bad. He has a kind heart, he is just afraid to show it. He has been trained and pushed until he knows nothing but to try and reach his goal."

"Why does he hate me so much?" Aang asked softly.

"He does not hate you." Iroh said, shaking his head. "I don't think he has ever truly hated anyone. He even had some respect for admiral Zhao, however small it may have been. He just…you are the only way for him to go back home." Aang sighed and looked down at the dirt floor. There was a pebble next to his toe. He concentrated on it with all his strength and lifted it with his mind. It hovered in mid-air for a moment before Aang couldn't hold it anymore.

"Don't worry. You'll get it." Iroh whispered.

"I don't think I can. Not in time for…" Aang suddenly remembered who and what Iroh was.

"It will come to you, in time." Iroh rolled over and went to sleep. Aang watched his still form for a moment.

"Thank you." He whispered in the silence before returning to his bed. Iroh smiled to himself before drifting into a deep sleep.

There was a light tapping on the door before dawn the next morning. Aang sat up and listened carefully. The tapping came again. Lu was suddenly crouched at his side with a hand on his shoulder. He was watching the shadows beneath the door which were suspiciously faint. Lu crept forward and undid the bolt. A flame appeared in the palm of his hand as he threw the door open. An owl looked up at him and gave a soft hoot before fluttering in through the door. Lu relaxed and shut the door after it.

"Aisha?" Aang said softly, suddenly remembering the creature. It hop skipped over to Aang and climbed up his arm to his shoulder.

"He likes you." Lu said with a fond smile at the bird. Lu tiptoed around the still sleeping forms of Katara, Sokka and Iroh and sat down next to Aang.

"Um, yeah. I have a way with animals." Aang said and rubbed it gently just below the jaw. It's head tilted back in pleasure and it leaned on his finger. Aang had never seen a bigger owl. Or he had, just not in his lifetime.

"All Avatars have an animal guide. It's usually something that can carry them through battle. But not mine. And I would want nothing else." Lu said and affectionately ran a thick had through Aisha's soft feathers. The door to his bedroom opened and Maki slipped out of the room as quietly as she could. She smiled at Lu before disappearing into the kitchen to prepare breakfast.

"So have you made much progress with earthbending?" Lu asked.

"Not as much as I would like." Aang said.

"Yes well, it will come to you. Don't worry, it took me nearly three months before I could get it right." Lu said. He held out an arm and Aisha jumped onto it. He didn't seem to notice that his words had not helped Aang in the slightest.

"THE MINKSNAKE! THE MINKSNAKE!" Sokka sat up screaming, his eyes blurred with sleep. Katara and Iroh both sat bolt upright in alarm and Maki came running out of the kitchen wielding a knife and piece of celery. Aisha let out on offended hoot and fluttered up to settle on the fireplace mantle while Sokka fell backwards onto his pillow where he began snoring peacefully once more. Aang collapsed in a fit of helpless giggles at the look on everyones faces and Lu joined him after a few seconds. Katara, on the other hand, wasn't amused at all. She grabbed her water skin and emptied it over Sokka's face.

"I don't know if I want you going back out there alone." Lu said firmly over the breakfast table.

"Lu, I will not be alone, I will have Aang with me." Maki said matter-of-factly and slapped some eggs onto the plate in front of him.

"That's not enough…no offense Aang…But after what happened yesterday you can't expect me to just let you go. I'm coming with you and that's the end of it." Lu said. The two of them glared at each other over the table with their audience looking at their plates trying to pretend they couldn't hear the argument.

"He is right." Iroh said softly after the pause became too intense.

"No he's not! Don't encourage him!" Maki said and pointed her wooden spoon threateningly at Iroh. "Aang needs complete concentration to learn earthbending and he can't have that concentration with you around. Or anyone else for that matter. We will be going alone!"

"Maki, this is stupid! Aang doesn't need to learn it so badly that it risks both of your lives. He can learn just as easily here." Lu practically yelled. Aang watched Maki closely. He could tell that she hated keeping things from Lu and it was taking all her strength not to scream Aang's true identity. Instead her face softened and she placed her tray of eggs onto the table.

"Lu, just trust me." She sat down and they all ate in silence. Finally, Lu nodded.

"Aang, are you sure you'll be alright?" Katara asked after breakfast. They were standing outside and Aang was trying to tie the string on a small food satchel.

"It's not me you need to worry about. Iroh said that girl isn't going to hurt me. But now that we know she's around, me and Maki are perfectly capable of taking care of ourselves. Besides, Aisha is coming with us!" As though summoned hence, the great bird soared out of the cottage and landed on the roof. Clutched in its beak was a something that was hanging limply.

"Aang. It's a bird." Katara said bluntly.

"HEY! GET BACK HERE!" Sokka screamed, running out of the cottage. His hair was hanging loosely around his ears. Obviously the limp thing in Aisha's mouth was Sokka's hair thong. Sokka glared at Aisha, then turned and pointed an angry finger at Aang. "Why is it that whenever you have a pet they do their best to torment me?" He demanded. Aang smiled and held up his arm. He let out a low, fluttering whistle and Aisha flapped down to him obediently. Aang pulled the thong out of Aisha's beak and turned to give it to Sokka when he spotted Lu standing in the doorway. His face was furrowed in a slight frown.

"Did Maki teach you how to call him?" He asked. Aang froze for a second then nodded. Lu nodded as well, but continued frowning. Iroh stepped out beside him and gave Aang a doleful stare.

"Be careful, young av-Aang." Iroh said, barely catching himself. Aang nodded and pulled his small pack of supplies over his shoulder. Maki stepped out of the cottage and occupied Lu's attention with saying goodbye. Iroh took a step closer to Aang and muttered, "it's better, sometimes, to meet opposition with a blank face." Aang's eyebrows furrowed and he looked into Iroh's face. His eyes twinkled knowingly. Aang nodded. After a final hug from Katara and a swift kiss between Lu and Maki, they set out on their way with Aisha fluttering overhead.

"So…where exactly are we going?" Aang asked.

"There is a stone circle just this way. It's a very spiritual place. If you can't become one with the earth there then…I don't know what else I can do to teach you in time." Maki said. The walked on in silence.

"Aang, do you see things? About Lu's life? He tells me often that he sees the lives of other avatars. I wonder if it is the same with you?" Maki asked.

"Yes. Especially since I got here. Things are constantly coming to me." He answered. Maki stopped.

"When I hypnotized you yesterday, you said that Aika was your best friend. Why would you say that?" The name did strike something in Aang's memory. Several images of a face came to mind. A dark face with startling blue eyes and resonating laugh. Aang closed his eyes and tried to remember. He repeated the name in his head and the memories came. Memories of being on a ship, of being absolutely carefree with Aika always laughing at his side. They were memories he held fondly, yet kept secret at the same time because he didn't want Maki to see him as he used to be. I used to always kinda look up to pirates. Aang remembered saying in his own time. He almost snorted out loud at the irony of it all.

"Well?" Maki asked. Aang looked up at her. He still didn't want her to know that he had once been a bloodthirsty plunderer in his youth as Lu.

"I don't know. Maybe I thought you said Aisha. The names are really similar." They began walking once more in thick silence.

Zula followed them closely, dodging silently as a shadow from tree to tree. The avatar and the woman finally stopped at a small clearing. In the center was a circle of jagged rocks. Nothing grew inside the circle, it was nothing but solid stone that gleamed white in the midday sunlight. The two left their supplies in a patch of shade and settled down in the circle, legs folded and heads bowed in meditation. When they didn't move for some time, Zula dodged out of the trees and snaked her way to a small stream. The tall form of a man stood in the water, his eyes were closed and his body swayed rhythmically with the rushing water.

"What did you find?" he asked without opening his eyes.

"The woman is alone with the boy. They're just east of here." She said stiffly. He stayed in the water for a moment more before turning and walking back onto the soft, mossy bank.

"Very good." He said and pulled on his boots.

"Now, what happens next?" Zula asked.

"Aren't you the inquisitive one? You seem so…untrusting." He said.

"I feel I have reason to be. You're a waterbender and you haven't even told me your name."

"I thought you would surely know who I am." He said and began walking towards her, leaning in close to get a good look at her face when the words passed his lips. "I am Aika." Zula didn't so much as flinch at the sound of his name.

"Alright, you are Aika.So what happens next?"

"All in due time." He said, patting her head. There was a small cave in the hillside next to the stream. Aika walked towards it and peered into the depths where something large rustled. "Just make sure you show no fear. Show no emotion at all."

Short, yes, I know, but that's all you get for now! Mwuahhaha!

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