Eventually Aang opened his eyes, wiping forcefully at the last stray tears. Standing up, he took a deep and cleansing breath and looked up at Roku.
"I know now why you showed me the things you did, Roku, but it still doesn't help me."
"What do you mean, Aang?"
"I mean that how do I go back, Roku? How do I go back and be the Avatar? I don't think I know how."
"Do you suppose that any Avatar before you ever really did? Do you suppose that I did? Being the Avatar takes time and experience to understand, Aang, and even the best teaching doesn't fully prepare the Avatar for what he or she must face. But that is why you have us, Aang, the other Avatars. We are a part of you but we have also been the Avatar in our own right and can help you."
"But I-"
"You also have the instinct and heart that is the birthright of every Avatar. Trust that Aang. Trust in yourself. And trust in your friends as well. Their role in your life is not chance, either. You will need their strength, Aang, and the power they give you."
"Power?"
"Aang if I am to help you, you must be honest with me and talk to me without embarrassment. Tell me what you feel when you think of your friends."
Aang was silent for a long moment, unsure how to respond at first. The words poured from him, though, when his friends' faces appeared in his mind.
"I love my friends. They're the only family I have."
Roku nodded.
"That's power, Aang. Love is power. Perhaps you do not understand that yet but you will, as you grow older."
Aang nodded, but did not speak. He seemed to stare past Roku absentmindedly, not really seeing anything.
"But that is not what you wanted to hear, is it young Avatar?"
"What do you mean?" Aang said, now looking at Roku.
"You came here through your unconscious mind, Aang, but there is a part of you that wanted…needed to come here. Needed some kind of absolution or consolation for what you saw."
Aang looked down. It was not necessary to say so, but Aang knew that what Roku said was true.
"There is no shame in that, Aang. You're human and what's more, you're still a child. There are some things a child should not see, some things a child cannot handle. It does not make you weak or a less capable airbender, or Avatar for that matter. But there is something you must understand. You cannot save every life, Aang. You cannot right every wrong. No Avatar can. Mourn loss of life, Aang, as every decent human being does. Fight against injustice, as every Avatar does. But do not expect to be omniscient or more than human. A very special human, to be sure, but a human nonetheless."
Aang did not speak, for he could not find the words. It was strange how Roku's words were not exactly comforting, yet Aang could not help but feel a weight lifted from him. Roku was smiling slightly and Aang could not help but smile, too.
Suddenly Aang felt like he was falling once more and his eyes flew open. He gasped for breath as he looked around him. He was back in the earth kingdom village and Sokka and Katara were in front of him with identical looks of concern on both their faces.
"Aang?" Katara said quietly, "are you okay?"
He looked into her eyes, blue, warm and familiar and was comforted by the sight of his best friend. He saw a brave and beautiful young woman and knew he would do anything to protect her.
He looked at Sokka and saw a loyal and courageous soldier and friend. Sarcastic and goofy he might be but Aang knew in that moment there was no one else he would rather have at his side in his fight, or in his life.
He looked at them both silently for a long time and then, without a word, wrapped his arms around both of them. It was an unexpected motion that caught them both off-guard but they both returned the embrace.
They both knew something had changed within the young Avatar but neither felt it right to ask what had happened. Not yet. As Aang pulled away from them he felt a swell of love for his friends. No, he thought, his family.
Looking around him he saw that the chaos that had permeated the village had calmed and a peaceful dawn was breaking. He glanced once more at his friends and drew a deep breath.
"Let's go, you guys. We have a long way to go before we get to the North Pole."
Author's note: Well, that's it. Just a quick character study, I know and maybe not that great, but there it is...
Later,all!
