Aang struggled to remain in flight against his injuries. Back on the ship, Katara ran toward Bato and Hakoda. She was in tears.
"I'll leave you two alone." Bato said and left.
"What's wrong, Katara?" Hakoda asked.
"He left." Katara said.
"What?" Hakoda asked.
"Aang. He just took his glider and disappeared. He has this ridiculous notion that he has to save the world alone, that it's all his responsibility." Katara said sadly.
"Maybe that's his way of being brave." Hakoda attempted.
"It's not brave, it's selfish and stupid! We could be helping him and I know the world needs him, but doesn't he know how much we need him, too? How can he just leave us behind?" Katara shot back.
"You're talking about me too, aren't you?" Hakoda said softly.
"How could you leave us, Dad?" Katara attempted to wipe away the tears. "I mean, I know we had Gran-Gran, and she loved us, but we were just so lost without you."
Hakoda moved to comfort her as she turned away.
"I'm so sorry, Katara." Hakoda said softly.
Katara embraced Hakoda. "I understand why you left. I really do, and I know that you had to go, so why do I still feel this way? I'm so sad and angry and hurt!
"I love you more than anything. You and your brother are my entire world. I thought about you every day when I was gone and every night when I went to sleep, I would lie awake missing you so much it would ache." Hakoda said softly.
Xxx
Kuri was sitting in her room gazing into the fire in her hand.
"Zuko..." She whispered. "I miss you so much."
She gazed into the fire, and his image appeared in the flame.
Xxx
"I am proud of you, Prince Zuko. I am proud because you and your sister conquered Ba Sing Se. I am proud because when your loyalty was tested by your treacherous uncle, you did the right thing and captured the traitor. And I am proudest of all of your most legendary accomplishment: you slayed the Avatar." Ozai was saying to Zuko.
Zuko was shocked, but his eye was drawn to a basin of water where he saw Kuri's face. It gave him courage. "What did you hear?"
"Azula told me everything. She said she was amazed and impressed at your power and ferocity at the moment of truth." Ozai smiled at him.
Xxx
Aang continued his flight, struggling. He came upon a Fire Nation blockade.
"A blockade." He breathed.
He took a deep breath and swam under it. Upon emerging, he found a tree bark and rode it like a surfboard through the water. A storm turned the seas very choppy. He fell off and into the water and his staff flew away.
xxx
Kuri turned her gaze back from Aang to Zuko. Azula was asleep, when Zuko entered her room.
"Why'd you do it?" Zuko asked. His eye was drawn to the water basin, and he smiled at Kuri's image, then directed his attention back to Azula.
"You're going to have to be a little more specific." Azula smiled.
"Why did you tell Father that I was the one who killed the Avatar?" Zuko demanded.
"Can't this wait until the morning?" Azula asked wearily.
"It. Can't." Zuko said harshly.
Azula Sighed and opened her eyes. "Fine. You seemed so worried about how Father would treat you because you hadn't captured the Avatar. I figured if I gave you the credit, you'd have nothing to worry about."
"But why?" Zuko asked.
Azula Got out of bed. "Call it a generous gesture. I wanted to thank you for your help and I was happy to share the glory."
"You're lying." Zuko said.
Azula walked past Zuko. "If you say so..."
"You have another motive for doing this, I just haven't figured out what it is." Zuko accused.
"Please Zuko, what ulterior motive could I have? What could I possibly gain by letting you get all the glory for defeating the Avatar?" Azula Approached close to Zuko and she placed a hand on his shoulder. "Unless, somehow, the Avatar was actually alive. All that glory would suddenly turn to shame and foolishness. But you said it yourself, that was impossible." Zuko began to leave. "Sleep well, Zuzu."
Xxx
Zuko went to his room and looked into the basin.
"Kuri...don't look at me like that." Zuko said softly.
"I don't know what you mean. You know the Avatar is alive." Kuri snapped back. "No thanks to you."
"If you hate me then why are you still watching after me?" Zuko smirked at her.
"I-I...because I...dammit you know I love you Zuko!" Kuri cried. "No matter what you do or how horrible you become I will always love you Zuko. So please. Make the right choice."
Kuri faded from the water basin. Zuko sat on his bed, head in his hands. What was the right choice?
Xxx
Kuri, for her part, turned her gaze on Aang. She was worried about him, and wanted to help him if she could.
Kuri knew his spirit was in turmoil, and she would do anything to bring his courage back.
The world needed the Avatar.
Xxx
Back in the sea, Aang struggled to stay above water or reach his glider. After letting out a scream, a wave overcame him and he fell into the water. He re-emerged after a brief time.
"I'm not gonna make it. I failed." Within the lightning strikes, the spirit of Roku appeared before Aang. "Roku?"
"You haven't failed, Aang." Roku said.
"But everyone thinks I'm dead again. They think I've abandoned them, and I'm losing this war. I'm letting the whole world down." Aang said sadly.
"If anyone is to blame for the state of the world, it is me. I should have seen this war coming and prevented it. You inherited my problems and my mistakes. But I believe you are destined to redeem me and save the world." Roku said.
"I don't know." Aang said uncertainly.
Moonlight shone on Aang as Kuri's spirit appeared in her Water Tribe clothes, coming closer to him.
"You already saved the world. And you'll save the world again, but you can't give up." Kuri said encouragingly.
The storm ends. The spirit of Roku disappears, while Kuri's spirit descended toward Aang.
"You're right. I won't give up." Aang said. "Thank you Kuri."
Kuri smiled and her spirit vanished.
He created a wave and surfed it with the tree bark. Aang was washed up at the base of a volcano, on the same crescent island where Roku's temple once was. Later, Momo found him and licked his face, waking him up. Katara, Kuri, Sokka, and Reiko found him, reaching him via Appa. Katara ran to hug him, her worried look changing to happiness.
"You're okay!" Katara said.
They all, including Momo and Appa, came together for a group hug.
"I have so much to do." Aang said.
"I know, but you'll have our help." Katara said.
"That's for sure." Kuri said, winking at him, encouraging him to keep it a secret that she had visited him in the storm.
"You didn't think you could get out of training just by coming to the Fire Nation, did you?" Reiko said, smiling.
"What about the invasion?" Aang asked.
"We'll join up with my dad and the invasion force the day of the eclipse." Sokka said happily.
Reiko Noticed Aang's damaged staff had washed ashore. "Hey! What's ... oh, it's your glider."
"It's okay. If someone saw it, it would give away my identity. It's better for now that no one knows I'm alive." Aang said.
Aang Flew up and stuck it in the volcano's lava trails, causing it to catch fire as they departed.