Chapter Fourteen
The past few days have been uneventful for the gang. The moment Azula, Katara, and Sokka were feeling better, Aang and Zuko ushered them quickly onto Appa and flew away at top speed. When asked why the hurry, Aang and Zuko explained how they were captured by Zhao and his soldiers, and the mysterious help they received by the Blue Spirit and an unknown party.
Now they were encamped next to a lake, where Zuko was practicing with his new dao swords, wielding them with more skill than he did with his machetes because of past lessons. Azula watched him with a judgmental eye and said, "I can't believe that Blue whatever gave you, his weapons."
"Neither can I," Zuko admitted. "Wielding these reminds me of when I trained with Piandao."
"Pina-who?" Sokka asked.
"The greatest swordsman in the Fire Nation," Zuko told him. "He taught me how to use dao swords. Those machetes were the closest Hakoda had. As much as I'd want them back, it's great to have dao swords again."
"This Piandao guy," Aang began with a thoughtful look, "could the Blue Spirit have been him?"
"I wouldn't be surprised if he was, but I doubt it," Zuko explained. "Master Piandao prefers a jian sword over anything else." He paused for a thoughtful moment before adding, "But he could've used dao swords as a cover, and then give them to me it's possible…"
"But unlikely," Azula chimed in. "He must be too old to pull off what the Blue Spirit did."
"I wouldn't underestimate Piandao's physicality," Zuko said defensively. "The only doubts I have about him being the Blue Spirit is how he would've known me and Aang were captured and where we were being held."
"Yeah, there's just no way he could've know," Sokka said with a finishing tone. "So, this little mystery remains unsolved for now."
"Yeah, and I honestly doubt we'll solve it anytime soon," Katara said after overhearing the conversation. "We need to gather food."
As if on cue, a large se tu fish bursts from the lake once, twice, thrice, each time looking toward the gang.
"Oh, that fish is taunting us," Sokka said with determination. He grabs hold of his spear and waits for the perfect shot.
"He may be taunting us," Zuko said as he grabbed his fishing reel, "but I'll be the one- hey what happened to my fishing line?!" He held up the lineless pole to see who will confess to the crime.
"Oh," Aang said sheepishly, "I didn't think you'd need it." He pulled something out of his pocket and held it up to reveal the fishing line woven into a necklace with a blue flower centered on it.
Zuko looked at him in indignation. "You tangled it?!" he cried out, causing Azula to laugh at his misfortune.
After getting to know Zuko, Aang was unintimidated by his outburst. "I didn't tangle it, I woven it. I made you a necklace for you Katara. I thought that, well, since you misplaced your other necklace… you can wear this one till you find your old one." Aang held out the necklace for her.
Katara was taken back by Aang's gesture but smiled in appreciation. "Thank you, Aang," she said as she took the necklace and examined it. "I love it Aang, especially the blue flower. I think my mother would love it too." Aang smiled brightly at Katara's reaction.
"Great work, Aang," Azula said. "If this whole Avatar thing doesn't work out for you, you can always go into the jewelry-making business."
"As long as he doesn't use my fishing line," Zuko grumbled as he searched through his gear for more fishing line.
"I don't see a reason why I can't do both," Aang said thoughtfully.
"Gee, that's what we all need," Sokka began in sarcasm, "an Avatar that can wove necklaces, rather than save the world." The fish continued to shoot out of the water, causing an impatient Sokka to launch his spear at it, missing it entirely. With a war cry, Sokka unsheathed his boomerang and charged into the water, swatting at it in desperate hope of hitting the fish.
"So, how do I look?" Katara asked, drawing Aang's attention. He turned and was amazed at how wonderful Katara looked with the necklace he made.
"Oh, uh, you- you look amazing Katara!" he said with a silly smile and bright red cheeks. He fidgeted slightly, earning an exaggerated eye roll from Azula, though she did find it endearing to see Aang try to court her best friend.
Sokka, amazingly holding the live fish in his arms, witness the scene and makes kissy noises before saying, "Someone's in love." He continued to make kissing noises, losing focus, and allowing the fish to slip from his arms, slapping him across the face as a form of revenge before diving back into the water and swimming away.
Azula laughed at Sokka's misfortune, finding herself grateful for Aang's crush on Katara. "Stop teasing the Airhead, Sucker. He did a kind thing for your sister. And it's more suitable for me to tease him for it.
"I don't know about the teasing part but Azula's right," Katara continued, "Aang's just a good friend nice thing for me. A sweet, little guy!" Momo landed on Aang shoulder, prompting Katara to pet him. "Just like Momo!"
Aang though, was dismayed by how Katara referred to him as a 'friend.' "Thanks, Katara," he said as earnestly as he could.
As Sokka emerges empty handed from the lake, a sudden roar draws the gang's attention. Aang was quickest to respond as he leapt onto a large rock.
"Holy Kyoshi!" he cried out. "A man's being attacked by a platypus bear!" The rest of the gang came running around the rock to find a man dodging the platypus bear's attack with the utmost calm confidence.
"Hello there!" the calm man said. "Beautiful day, isn't it?"
"What are you doing?!" Katara screamed. "Run away!"
"No!" Zuko shouted. "The bear's black, so fight back!"
"The bear is brown Dum-Dum!" Azula shouted at him. "He has to lay down!"
"Black or brown at least it's not white!" Sokka shouted. "Or else it's goodnight for that guy!"
"No need to panic children," the man calmly said while dodging the platypus bear's attacks. "Everything is under control."
Without hesitation, Aang leapt into the air and landed in front of the platypus bear. "Over here big guy! Or girl! I'm the one you want!" The platypus bear focused its attention on Aang and prepared a strike. Aang readied himself to dodge it…
But the platypus bear freezes in place as Appa lets out a loud roar, causing the platypus bear to lay an egg in fear. Appa took advantage of the platypus bear's fear and headbutted it into the river, forcing it to swim away in defeat.
Sokka eyed the platypus bear egg with hungry greed and burst toward it, only to be beaten by Azula. "This if my lunch," she said. "Yours is in the river."
"Hey, I'm a young man who needs proper nutrients," Sokka explained to her with an irritated voice. "I need it for my growing muscles!"
"And I'm a young woman who needs those nutrients for the same reason," Azula countered. "In fact, due to my more complex biology, I actually need it more than you."
"Oh c'mon!" Sokka cried out before getting further into the argument with Azula. The others leave them to it and approached the man.
"How could you've stayed so calm with an angry platypus bear after you?" Zuko asked.
"As I said, everything was under control," the calm man explained. "I am Fao Lomah, may I ask why a group of children are roaming the wilds alone?"
"We're on an important trip to the North Pole," Aang told him. "We were about to look for food when we heard the platypus bear."
"Ah then you should follow me to my village," Fao Lomah told him. "You can find supplies there. And you can meet our fortuneteller, Aunt Wu."
"Aunt who?" Azula said after winning the argument by kicking Sokka's shin harshly.
"Aunt Wu," Fao Lomah repeated slowly. "It is wonderful to have a fortuneteller in our village; incredibly useful to have some knowledge of the future. She predicted that I'd be safe on my journey."
"But you weren't safe," Sokka told him. "You were almost killed by a platypus bear."
"Ah, but I wasn't," Fao Lomah replied faithfully. "Therefore, my journey was a safe one." He looked toward the sky and notice how much daylight was left. "I have to return to my village. I hope our paths cross again." He retrieves two long parcels from his pack and hands one each to Aang and Zuko. "Aunt Wu asked me to give these to the first travelers I meet. I hope you children have a lovely day." He walked away to follow a path that surely led to the village.
With an excited voice, Katara declared, "We ought to visit this Aunt Wu and learn of our fortunes and futures. It could fun."
"Or maybe useful," Zuko added with some skepticism, though he would like to know of his future.
"Oh c'mon, fortune telling is complete nonsense!" Sokka protested.
"For once, and regrettably so, I agree with him," Azula said with disappointment, both in her agreement with Sokka and that Katara was believing in nonsense.
"Hey guys!" Aang shouted. "An umbrella!" He held up the umbrella covered in torn parchment, causing Zuko open his parcel to find a second umbrella.
"Very interesting that Fao Lomah gave us these," Aang said. "Why would he-?"
He was interrupted by a sudden clash of thunder and flashing lightning, followed by heavy rain. He and Zuko both open their umbrellas and cover themselves from the rain. Azula darts under Zuko's umbrella while Katara uses her waterbending to shield herself from the rain. Sokka though, remained stubbornly in the rain, refusing to believe that this Aunt Wu predicted the weather and the precise need for them to need umbrellas.
"Doesn't this rain prove that Aunt Wu could be the real deal?" Katara asked Sokka.
"You can't really tell the future!" Sokka exclaimed. "She made a fifty-fifty guess and got it right, it's that simple."
"Sokka, were friends with the guy who has mystical powers," Zuko reasoned, "why is it hard to believe that someone could have the ability to predict the future?"
"Because pretending to have the ability to predict the future is a good way to scam people," Sokka reasoned.
"He has a point," Azula said while clutching her egg. "Airhead could use his Avatarhood to do that very scam."
"I would never!" Aang said aghast.
"Imagine all the money we would make," Azula said with a devious smile, causing Aang to pause in thought and realize she had a point.
"Enough talk of scamming," Katara said in irritation. "Why don't you just admit you could be wrong and get under the umbrella with Aang?"
"Ugh, fine," Sokka said reluctantly before joining Aang. "You know what? I'm going to predict the future myself. It's going to keep raining," he finished in a sing-song voice. The rain continued to fall. "See?" he said smugly.
Just as quickly as it started, the storm stopped and receded, giving way to sunlight. Sokka stared at the sky in irritated disbelief, causing Azula to laugh at him while Zuko sighed in resignation of Sokka being a fool.
"Guess not everyone has the gift, Sokka," Aang told him, earning an aggravated groan from Sokka.
After following the trail Fao Lomah took, the gang find a village at the base of an imposing mountain. There they found a market, but a man in a formal suit approached them. "Aunt Wu is expecting you," he said plainly.
"Really?" Katara said with excitement. "She must've seen we'd come."
"Yeah, after being told by that Fao guy," Sokka said skeptically, earning an annoyed glare from Katara.
"Follow me please," the man said before leading the gang to one of the larger buildings in the village, certainly belonging to Aunt Wu. The man led them to a living area, where five pillows were situated around a table.
"Thank you, Chehaa," a young girl said. She wore a pink robe and her hair was in double braids that curiously stuck out the side of her head. She turned her attention toward the gang, particularly Aang. "Hello there. My name is Meng and I am Aunt Wu's assistant," she said with a smile, revealing a gap between her two front teeth.
"Hello," Katara said with an upbeat voice. "Is Aunt Wu available?"
"She will be in a moment," Meng said, slighted that the pretty girl in blue responded for the group. She gestured the group to take seats among the pillows. Keeping her focus on Aang, she asked, "Can I get you some tea? Or perhaps Aunt Wu's special bean curd puffs?"
"I'll take some curd puffs," Sokka replied with a bright smile.
"Me too please," Zuko added.
"Is there someway you can have this egged cooked?" Azula asked while holding onto the platypus bear egg. "I'd like it scrambled."
Meng smiled uneasily at Azula. "Actually platypus bear eggs are terrible for you. You wouldn't want to, uh, expel any purple substances do you?"
Without a wasted moment, Azula tossed the egg out the nearest open window, much to Sokka's enjoyment. She shot him a glare and grumbled, "I'll have some puffs instead please."
"Very well then," Meng said with a smile before focusing on Aang, determined to get an answer from him. "What about you handsome?"
Aang looked at her with a raised eyebrow, flattered but wondering why she would say that. "I'll just have some tea please."
"As will I, and so will the others," Katara said, though she was far more interested in meeting Aunt Wu than anything else.
"Very well then, but would you mind telling me your name?" Meng said, no longer hiding the fact she was interested in Aang.
He blinked blankly a few times before answering, "I'm Aang." While he was not discomforted by Meng's interest, he certainly was not flattered either. As far as he is concerned, he already has a romantic interest in someone.
Meng smiled in delight. "I'll get your tea at once." She exited the room quickly, eager to impress Aang. Azula and Sokka snicker.
"Guess someone likes you, Airhead," Azula said with a smirk.
"Yeah, guess she's into a guy with big ears!" Sokka teased, making Azula burst out laughing while Aang self-consciously rubbed one of his ears.
"My ears aren't that big," he said defensively.
"Don't be modest, they're huge!" Sokka added, making Azula laugh even harder.
"Will you two knock it off," Katara warned, though Azula and Sokka continued to laugh. "We should be on better behavior."
"Yeah," Zuko agreed. "Wouldn't want to send the wrong impression to Aunt Wu."
Sokka gained control of himself and asked, "You're not buying into this nonsense, are you?"
"Like I said earlier, it's possible," Zuko reaffirmed, making Sokka groan in disgust.
Just as Meng reentered the room with a tray full of tea and bean curd puffs, another young women excitingly said to her, "Meng, Aunt Wu says I'm going to meet my true love will give me a panda lily from the mountain top!"
Meng smiled and said, "That would be so romantic. I hope my true love will present me with a panda lily." She eyed Aang with a flirtatious look.
He gulped slightly and said with a forced smile, "Good luck with that."
The woman giggled and said, "Could that be the big-eared guy Aunt Wu said you'd marry?" Meng's eyes widen in embarrassment while Aang felt even more self-conscious of his ears. Azula and Sokka again laugh, earning a harsh glare from Katara while Zuko rubbed his forehead in embarrassment by his friend's behavior.
Still embarrassed, Meng set the tray in front of her guest with swift gentleness and said, "Enjoy your snack!" before leaving in a hurry.
As the gang enjoyed their snack and tea, an elderly woman dressed in regal clothing entered the room. She studied the gang before smiling softly. "Hello young travelers. I am Aunt Wu. Who wishes to have their fortunes read first?"
"I do," Katara said with enthusiasm. She stood up and followed Aunt Wu out of the room, leaving a curious Aang in their wake.
"What do you think she'll tell Katara?" he asked.
"Oh you know," Sokka began, "things she'd like to hear: the man she'll marry, how many kids she'll have, you know, stuff that scammers love to use."
"She doesn't appear to be a scammer," Zuko said thoughtfully. "She seems genuine."
"You only saw her once Dum-dum," Azula lightly reprimanded.
"Even so, something tells me she's genuine," Zuko said. "Or at least believes she's genuine." Azula rolled her eyes in disappointment.
After hearing Sokka mention the possibility of Katara being told who she will marry, curiosity got the better of Aang and he decided to make a move. "Uh guy, where do you think the bathroom is here?"
Azula eyed Aang carefully, finding the timing to be too convenient. "I'm not sure. Let's go find out together." She stood up much to Aang's chagrin.
"Uh it's okay, I can find it on my own," he said with slight nervousness, which Azula noticed without fail.
"Ah, but I believe I have to go too, and it would be nice to have the Avatar escort me," she said with a grin that told Aang, I know what you're up to.
Aang gulped nervously, realizing that Azula knew of his crush on Katara after his pattern of behavior through the day.
He sighed in defeat and said, "Alright, let's find the bathroom together." Azula smiled and led Aang out of the room into the hallway, where they wondered about for a moment before finding the bathroom. Aang gestured for Azula to go first.
"You're younger than me, you go first," Azula told him.
"Actually… I don't need to go," Aang admitted.
Azula smirked in satisfaction. "You just wanted to 'overhear' Katara's fortune, didn't you?"
Aang thought of denying it but feared Azula's retribution if she caught him lying. And she proved herself capable of finding the truth. "Yeah I did. Can you blame me?"
"No, I suppose I can't," Azula told him. "But if you really care about her, you'd best respect her and her privacy."
Aang sighed, knowing Azula was right. "Yeah but I can't help but wonder…"
"If you'll be the one she'll marry," Azula said more than asked. Aang nodded sheepishly. "I would worry more about your duty as the Avatar. It'll probably be less stressful."
Aang nervously laugh. "Yeah maybe." A moment of silence passed before he asked, "Do you think she and I…?"
"Well she did mention something about Zuzu…," Azula teased, causing Aang to panic.
"What?!" he said too loudly, forcing Azula to shut his mouth with her hand.
"I'm just kidding!" she hissed. "This really does matter that much to you?" Aang nodded in agreement. Azula sighed and released Aang. "You have a lot more to worry about whether or not you and Katara will get together, so I really suggest you focus on that."
Feeling bravado, Aang asked with a cocky smile, "And what if I don't?"
Azula could not help herself from smiling at Aang's attempt of cockiness. She looked about herself before raising two fingers and conjuring her blue flame, causing Aang to lose his bravado.
"You know Airhead," she began as she ceased bending, "cockiness doesn't suit you at all."
Aang laughed nervously. "Yeah, I think it suites Sokka better, don't you?"
"Oh, yes, being a cocky fool suits him quite well," Azula said with a rather fond smile, which Aang noticed.
"If you say like that, does that mean you like Sokk-OW!"
Aang began rubbing his forehead after Azula swatted him.
"Mention anything of the like to him, and we'll have to find your successor in one of the poles," she warned with a cold voice.
"Okay, okay I won't say a word!" Aang pleaded. "Promise!"
Azula watched Aang with a scornful glare before walking away. Aang followed at a distance, finding himself needing to be more respectful of others, especially when courting Katara.
"My, your hands are rather rough," Aunt Wu told Katara as she examined her palms. "I hope you take good care of them."
"I use a seaweed-based lotion to keep them moisturized," Katara replied with mild embarrassment, though she was unashamed of her hands; the hands of a hard-working woman and prospective master waterbender.
"How I wish I had something like that when I was young," Aunt Wu said before becoming lost in thought. "You certainly have a turbulent future ahead of you. One with danger and anguish, but also much joy and love."
"Yeah, I guess I do," Katara said, realizing that traveling with Aang does mean danger; she had already had her fill of danger and more is yet to come. "What else do my palms say?"
Aunt Wu hummed in thought and she ran a finger down Katara's right palm. "I feel that… your love life will be challenging yet reward you with exactly what you've always wanted."
Eager to hear more, Katara asked, "What I've always wanted? What is it?"
"Ah that's a question more for yourself than for me young one," Aunt Wu said coyly, much to Katara's disappointment.
"Well, can you tell me who I'll marry?" Katara asked.
"Ah, he will be a rather powerful bender in his own right," Aunt Wu said, making Katara believe it to be Aang. The thought of being the Avatar's wife…
"Yet he will also be the leader of a nation," Aunt Wu said, drawing Katara out of her daydream.
"Le-leader?" she asked in confusion.
"Yes, a leader of a nation lost in war, one that needs to be reborn," Aunt Wu told her.
Panic gripped Katara's heart. She doesn't mean Zuko… does she? Tradition demands that when Ozai is defeated, Zuko would be made the new Fire Lord, a position he probably does not want.
Unless Azula takes the throne, Katara said to herself, hoping that will be the outcome. She is far more capable than Zuko would ever hope to be, and something told Katara that Zuko would much rather stay in the South Pole than the Fire Nation, firebender or not.
"I sense you are conflicted," Aunt Wu told Katara, drawing her out of her thoughts.
"It's just…," Katara began, "seems rather vague. You can't tell who exactly I'm going to marry?"
"I'm afraid not, young one," Aunt Wu admitted. "The future is constantly shifting. The ancient fortunetellers say that many paths from each moment leads to their own different future, depending on the choices each of us make."
"So," Katara said in thought, "I'm the one who gets to choose who I'll marry?"
Aunt Wu smiled at the insightfulness of Katara. "Exactly."
Then I choose Aang, Katara thought to herself, then found herself doubtful of it. Aang was still a child, almost as if he was trying to avoid being the Avatar. She certainly did not want to be the one to constantly remind him of his duty to the world.
While on the other hand, she did not know what Zuko wanted. Maybe he does want to be Fire Lord, or at least feels deeply obligated to become Fire Lord. There was no way of knowing, unless she asked.
And for she knew, they can grow to love each other.
"Thank- thank you for your time, Aunt Wu," Katara said after a long silent pause, somewhat disturbed by her pervious thought.
Regardless, Aunt Wu smiled at her and said, "You are quite welcome child. Let's go check on your friends now, shall we?"
Katara was so lost in her thoughts that she barely noticed her following Aunt Wu into the living area her friends were. She took a deep breath and focused on what was happening around her.
"Alright, I guess I'll go next," Sokka said as she stood up.
"Your future is full of struggle, strife, and anguish," Aunt Wu flatly told him. "Most of which will be self-inflicted."
Azula burst out laughing while Zuko ran his hand down his face, knowing it would likely be true.
"What?!" Sokka said indignant. "But you didn't read my palms or whatever it is you do!"
"Ah but I did do a reading of you, young man," Aunt Wu told him. "Your future is written on your face."
By now, Azula was laying on the ground laughing so hard tears were forming in her eyes. Aang was also laughing, more so out of pity than humor, but he sincerely hoped his friend's future would not be so harsh as Aunt Wu predicts.
Aunt Wu noticed how embarrassed Zuko appeared by his friend's attitude toward his future and asked, "How about you come back with me to receive your reading?"
"Me?" Zuko asked. "Isn't my future written on my face?"
"No, it appears your past has taken that place dear," Aunt Wu said in empathy. Zuko reached up to his scars, a subconscious habit he formed, but he felt that Aunt Wu was truly sincere about her empathy in him.
"Okay, I listen to what you have to say," he said, finding himself trusting of her. He stood up while Azula looked at him in mild disappointment.
"Really Zuzu?" she asked.
Zuko shrugged. "Who knows, I might learn something." Azula scoffed but he ignored her and followed Aunt Wu to her reading room. He sat down before her while she retrieved a piece of parchment.
"Okay child," she said while holding out the parchment, "I need you to light this."
"What?" Zuko asked in confusion.
"I need you to use your bending to light this parchment on fire," Aunt Wu clarified.
"You- you must be mistaken," Zuko said with a cracking voice. "I'm- I'm no firebender!"
"Young man, I have been around for a very long time and have seen many benders from all the nations," Aunt Wu proudly said. "Including the Air Nation as of today."
Zuko stared blankly at her. She seemed so sincere, so confident, that he felt he could not hide the fact that he is a firebender.
"Okay," he said softly before reaching out and lighting the parchment on fire. Aunt Wu smiled before placing it withing a stone bowl. She watched it intently with Zuko, who did not understand how she could receive any meaning from it.
"Ah," she finally said. "Your past may be one of struggle and heartbreak, but your future… I see you will be a man of peace, echoing your message to others to be the same."
"A man of peace…," Zuko said softly, finding that he was more than okay with that, given his family's legacy. Perhaps he could atone for it and make right all the wrongs in the world.
"But I'm afraid not everyone will heed your message," Aunt Wu warned. "Many, including those close to you, may not be so open to the idea of peace."
"Then I'll do what I must to find peace," Zuko said with determination.
"Be careful peacemaker," Aunt Wu continued, "if you feed your desire for peace so much, you may very well sacrifice what you strive for."
Zuko was confused by Aunt Wu's words. Did she implied that he could follow down the path his father and forefathers took? He would have to think carefully about her words.
"Is there anything else you would to know?" Aunt Wu asked.
"Well… did you see anything about love?" he asked.
"I'm afraid I did not," Aunt Wu said apologetically. When she saw the downcast face of Zuko, she added, "But, I sense you will be with an extraordinary woman of humble background. One many look up to for inspiration in the face of hopelessness, as long as someone gives hope to her."
Zuko's face lit up as he remembered Suki, and how not only did the Avatar's return gave her hope, but how he gave her hope for a better future.
Unlike Katara, Zuko marched into the gang's living area with his head up high. Azula eyed him with curiosity. "What on earth did she tell you that makes you more of a Dum-dum?"
"Why don't you go and find out," he stubbornly said.
"Yes," Aunt Wu said as she studied Azula. Azula stared back, suspicious of the older woman.
Azula relented when Aunt Wu would not and sighed. "Alright, let's get this over with." She stood up and followed Aunt Wu rather reluctantly.
After Azula and Aunt Wu were gone, Katara leaned over and asked Zuko, "Hey, can I talk to you for a second?"
"Uh, sure," Zuko said, unsure what Katara would want to talk to him about. They got up and left the living area, leaving a slightly concerned Aang. He wanted to follow but remembered what Azula told him.
He turned his attention to Sokka and said, "I don't think Aunt Wu's prediction for your future will come true Sokka."
"Damn right!" Sokka exclaimed. "My future will joyful and full of success!" Without a thought he grabbed a bean curd puff too harshly, causing it to burst in his hands, as if the universe was set on proving him wrong.
Azula sat down in front of Aunt Wu, still believing that this was complete nonsense. "So are you going to read my palms? Or stare into my eyes?" she sarcastically said.
Aunt Wu ignored her sarcastic remark and held out a piece of parchment. "Set this ablaze child," she simply said.
"What?" Azula asked innocently. "But I don't have anything to set it on fire."
"Yes you do child," Aunt Wu said with a gentle smile. "You have your bending."
"Bending?" Azula feigned innocence, though she grew suspicious of Aunt Wu. "But I have no bending."
"Yes you do, just as your brother does," Aunt Wu said while motioning toward the burned parchment in the stone bowl. "Now light the parchment."
Azula could not believe that somehow Aunt Wu deciphered that she and Zuko were firebenders. Was it their pale complexion, or their golden eyes?
Or is it simply that Zuko broke his silence once again?
With a scowl, Azula lifted her hand and set the parchment on fire with her blue flame. Aunt Wu was shocked at first but became enamored by the beautiful fire. "Oh my what beautiful flames!" she exclaimed with a smile. "You truly are a powerful bender."
"A prodigy, to be exact," Azula proudly stated, yet remained distrustful of the old woman. Aunt Wu watched as the fire burned the parchment quickly.
And her enamored face turned into a deeply concerned one.
"Oh you have a difficult future ahead of you my dear," Aunt Wu told her sadly. "One where you will be confronted with a choice, one that could destroy the family you hold dear."
"My family?" Azula asked. Was Aunt Wu referring to Azula's birth family? Or the one she became a part of in the South Pole?
Or both?
"Yes, one day you will make a choice to which family you stand beside," Aunt Wu told her. "The one of your birth, or the one that adopted you."
"Can I choose both? Save both?" Azula asked without a thought. She understood that she will have to choose between Ozai and the Royal Family, or Hakoda, Ursa, and many others she viewed as her own.
"That I cannot say," Aunt Wu told her sadly. "But the future is constantly changing. There may be a way, be it a slim chance, you could save both your families."
"Slim is better than none," Azula rebutted.
"But at what cost?" Aunt Wu asked. Azula pondered the question and felt that regardless of her attempts, there was no way she could save the world and her father.
Deep down she knew, Aang had to face Ozai, and the only outcomes would be for one of them to die.
Zuko followed Katara into the hallway, wondering what she had to ask that seemed rather important. "What's going on?" he asked.
"Zuko," Katara said with the most serious face, "do want to be the Fire Lord?"
Zuko blinked blankly before thinking about the question. "Maybe at some point when I was a kid I fantasied about being the Fire Lord. In fact my cousin Lu Ten once joked that I should be Fire Lord instead of him."
"But do you want to be Fire Lord?" Katara asked firmly.
"Well, my uncle was supposed to become Fire Lord, but when Lu Ten died, my father petitioned that he become the Crown Prince, so then it would eventually fall to me and I become Fire Lord," Zuko explained. "But do I want to be Fire Lord?" he asked himself aloud before thinking.
Katara stood there in a strange mixture of hope and dread. While Zuko was not as capable of a bender as Azula, he still had a lot of potential and with the right teacher, could become a powerful bender. And with his father being the Fire Lord, it would make sense to have the son take the father's place when Aang defeats Ozai.
"I actually don't want to be the Fire Lord," Zuko answered earnestly.
"What?" Katara asked.
"I said, I don't want to be the Fire Lord," Zuko repeated. "After what my family has done, I don't think the world will accept me as the Fire Lord."
"But who's going to take Ozai's place?" Katara asked, slightly aghast by Zuko's opinion.
"Maybe Azula could take the throne, she'd love all that power," Zuko said with sarcasm.
Katara rolled her eyes. "Sarcasm doesn't really suit you. And wouldn't that lead to the same problem, Ozai's child taking the throne?"
"It would," Zuko admitted. "My uncle certainly wouldn't take it, but maybe there is someone who can."
"But who?" Katara asked. "That Piandao guy you mentioned?"
"He wouldn't go for it, at least that's what I think," Zuko said. "Maybe when we dis… dethrone my father, Azula and I can take temporary control and appoint a new Fire Lord unrelated to us."
Katara sighed in defeat. "This sounds so complicated."
"It really is, and quiet frankly, we got a long way to go before we have to deal with it," Zuko told her. "I'm sure we can figure it out when we have to."
"I hope so," Katara said with worry, not just for herself, but for the world.
"Don't worry, I'm sure my great-great grandfather would give Aang the answer," Zuko said with an optimistic smile.
"Optimism doesn't suite you either Zuko," Katara told him, making Zuko frown.
"What you want me to be grumpy and pessimistic?" he asked.
"Yes, it'll balance out Aang's happy-go-lucky optimism," Katara said with a teasing smile. "We each have a role to play here."
"Yeah and yours is the nagging mother type," Zuko teased before Katara swatted him, making him laugh.
And Katara could not help herself from laughing as well, finding that he was at least partially correct in his accusation.
They returned to the living area to find Sokka trying to clean the stickiness from his hands while Aang held a water basin. "Oh what did Sokka do now?" Katara asked when confronted with the scene.
"He's upset about Aunt Wu prediction for his future," Aang told her.
"I am not upset!" Sokka squealed, causing Aang to spill the water basin all over him. Katara laughed at her brother's misfortune but was kind enough to bend his clothes dry.
A few moments later, Azula returned with Aunt Wu, the former wearing a determined but distressed look on her face. Zuko thought about asking her what was wrong but from the way Azula sat down away from everyone else prompted him to wait to ask.
"And now it is your turn, young airbender," Aunt Wu said to Aang.
"How did you know I'm an airbender?" Aang asked.
"You know that big blue arrow on your head?" Sokka asked sarcastically. "A pretty big giveaway."
Aang smiled sheepishly and followed Aunt Wu to her work room. Unlike with Katara and the fire siblings, Aunt Wu picked up a bowl full of animal bones and presented it to Aang. "Pick any bone that draws you. When I set it into the fire, the cracks will tell me your future."
Aang grimace as he took the bowl and studied each bone, dreading to know how Aunt Wu came to possess these. "Can you use another method?" he asked.
"Sorry young one," Aunt Wu told him as she prepared a fire. "I sense this will be the most effective way to predict your possible futures."
"Futures?" Aang asked.
"Yes, the ancient fortunetellers say there are many paths to many futures," Aunt Wu said cryptically as she continued on with her task.
Aang blinked in confusion before picking what looked like a femur. When the fire was sufficient, he tossed the bone in.
And before long, a large crack emerged in the femur.
"Oh my," Aunt Wu said in disbelief.
"What?" Aang asked keenly. Before Aunt Wu could answer, more cracks emerged in the femur, before it shattered completely.
Aunt Wu stared in shock. "I have never seen such a thing before."
"What does it mean?" Aang urged.
"I believe it means a great battle awaits you, the first of many perhaps, along with great burden for the future of a nation, the whole world even," Aunt Wu told him. "You are truly special to have this kind of reading!"
"Yeah I know about all that," Aang said nonchalantly, much to Aunt Wu's surprise. "But did you see anything about love?"
"Love?" she asked, dumfounded by the child's careless attitude about his future. "You just want to know about love?"
"Yep!" Aang said with an eager smile.
Despite not seeing prediction for love, Aunt Wu did not have the heart to tell Aang that. "Well, I may make a prediction for your love life. Let me see your hand." Aang eagerly held out both, which Aunt Wu examined. "Ah, I feel that as long as you trust your heart and respect the one you love, she will come around in time," she said, more or less guessing now, as Aang's palms were quite unreadable to her.
"Yes!" Aang exclaimed before taking Aunt Wu's hand. "Thank you!"
"My pleasure," Aunt Wu said with a smile.
"You guys really don't believe what she told you right?" Sokka asked the gang as they walked out of Aunt Wu's home.
"Why are you so certain she is wrong?" Aang asked.
"Because he is still upset about her predictions for him," Katara teased.
"This is no prediction!" Sokka exclaimed. "I make my own future, and it's going to be joyful and successful!" In anger, he kicked a small rock, which ricocheted off the wall of the nearest building, hitting him in the shin. He gasped in pain before saying, "That doesn't prove anything."
Zuko shook his head at his friend's foolishness but changed his attention to Azula when she was missing out on poking fun at Sokka. He walked over to her and asked, "Azula, are you okay?"
Azula looked at her brother and scoffed. "Of course I'm okay. I'm just not interested in making fun of Sucker."
"You're always interested in making fun of him," Zuko said skeptically. "And Aang. And especially me."
"Well for once, I'm not in the mood," she said before walking away. Zuko watched her with a frown, but he was still concerned for Azula. Something Aunt Wu told her rattled Azula.
And if it can rattle Azula, it was not a good thing for anyone.
As the gang muddled about the market, they noticed the entire village gather around a podium. They walked over and found Fao Lomah. "What's going on?" Katara asked him.
"We're waiting for Aunt Wu to make predictions for the new year," he told her. "Especially for the volcano."
"Volcano?" Zuko asked.
"Yes, Mount Makapu, the active volcano above our village," Fao Lomah explained as he pointed to the tallest mountain. "We used to send a group of our fastest climbers to see the volcano's top, but it was much too risky. Thankfully, Aunt Wu's has been predicting the volcano for the past twenty years and has been right all along."
"And what if she's wrong this time?" Azula asked.
"Then we will evacuate the village," Fao Lomah told her.
Before long, Aunt Wu stepped onto the podium, where everyone, except Sokka and to an extent Azula, were eager to hear her predictions. Aunt Wu's cloud reading for the predictions related to bountiful crops, a good year for twins, several births, and announcements for pregnancies.
"And the village will not be destroyed by the volcano this year!" she announce, earning cheers from the village.
Except for Sokka, who remained extremely skeptical of Aunt Wu. "There's no way she can be right," he said. He looked up at the peak of Mount Makapu and noticed steam emerging from it. "I'm going up there and seeing it for myself."
"You can't do that," Katara warned him. "It's too dangerous!"
"I'll go alone if I have to," Sokka said stubbornly as he walked away.
"You two need to go with him," Katara told Aang and Zuko.
Aang gulped nervously while Zuko sighed in resignation. As they walked to catch up with Sokka, they saw a man present a flower to a young woman.
"A panda lily!" the woman exclaimed. "You shouldn't have!" She lounged at the man and embraced him, causing him to hug her back with a laugh.
"Did you see that?" Aang asked Zuko.
"Yeah I did," Zuko said, immediately thinking off giving one to Suki. "There's a florist in the village. I bet he can dry the flower out so it last a long time."
"Maybe even forever," Aang said, having the same thought for Katara. "Excuse me!" he said to the couple. "Where did you get that flower?"
"From the top of Mount Makapu," the man said. "Climbing the volcano and presenting the flower proves your love."
"It most certainly does," his girlfriend agreed.
"Can the florist dry it out to preserve it?" Zuko asked.
"Of course!" the woman said. "In fact, we should go do that."
"Tell him he'll have a couple more customers later today!" Aang said as he ran after Sokka with Zuko.
"Let me guess," Sokka said as they joined him, "Katara told you to stop me."
"Actually, we're joining you," Zuko told him. "There's panda lilies at the top so we're climbing it to get them."
"For what?" Sokka said in irritation.
"To present to the one's we love," Aang said, making Sokka groan but he was grateful he had company for the long climb up the volcano.
It took a few hours for the boys to scale the volcano's side. It was easy for Aang, his airbending allowing him to boost himself to higher levels, but Sokka and Zuko were sweaty.
"I really hope Suki likes that flower of yours," Sokka huffed as he helped Zuko up.
"She will," Zuko sternly replied. "I hope you're wrong about Aunt Wu's prediction."
"Ah don't tell me you buy into her shit," Sokka said with disgust.
"It's more about hoping that the volcano won't explode," Zuko flatly said.
"Oh," Sokka said. "Well in that case I hope I'm wrong." He looked up to see Aang waiting for them to catch up. "I wonder who Aang is giving that flower to."
"No idea," Zuko replied earnestly. "Maybe that Meng girl? Every time I see her she's watching Aang. Almost like a stalker."
"Wouldn't it be more like stalk-him?" Sokka joked.
"I don't think he would find that funny," Zuko replied without humor.
"Oh come on!" Sokka complained.
"Come on guys!" Aang shouted before jumping up to near the peak of the volcano. "We need to get these panda lilies before the florist closes so- oh no…"
"What?" Sokka and Zuko replied as they joined Aang at the top.
What they found was the volcano was full of fresh lava and was boiling over. It was only a matter of hours till it exploded.
"Aunt Wu was wrong," Zuko said in horror.
"I knew those villages shouldn't believe every word she says," Sokka grumbled.
"You can celebrate later," Zuko told him. "We need to get down this volcano now."
"There's not enough time to walk," Aang said before unfolding his glider. "Grab on guys!" Most reluctantly, Sokka grabbed hold of Aang's torso while Zuko clung to the top of the glider. It was a harrowing glide down but once they were on solid ground, they took off running to find Azula and Katara in the market.
"Where have you dunderheads been?" Azula said. "We can use some help with our supplies."
"We've got bigger problems," Zuko told her. "Aunt Wu was wrong about the volcano."
"Says the guy who got his own reading from her," Katara said. "I don't know what proof you have but-."
She was cut off by a sudden explosion. The gang looked up at the volcano to see lava shot out the side parallel to the village. While the village itself was still safe, it was still a bad omen to come.
"We have to get everyone out of here," Aang said, prompting the gang to run to the podium.
"Everyone, listen up!" Sokka shouted. "Aunt Wu was wrong about the volcano! You just saw it explode and more is about to come!"
"But Aunt Wu said the village won't be destroyed by it," a woman said.
"That's right," a man replied. "One explosion doesn't mean-."
He was interrupted by the ground violently shaking, causing many to scream in panic.
"Please listen!" Katara pleaded with the villagers. "You can't rely on Aunt Wu's predictions carelessly! You have to take fate into your hands!"
"But Aunt Wu-," another woman said before being interrupted.
"Agrees with the child," Aunt Wu said to the surprise of the village. "I predicted that the village will not be destroyed by the volcano. I never claimed the volcano will not erupt."
Panic began to set into the village, but Aang stood up on the podium and shouted, "Everyone, stay calm! We can still save the village if we work together and act fast!"
"What can we do?" someone shouted.
"We need to dig a trench and direct the lave flow away from the village," Sokka told the village.
"Toward the river," Azula added. "The current will carry the magma away, so it doesn't build up and overflow the trench."
"Is anyone an earthbender?" Aang asked.
Several villagers of all ages came forward and showed off their earthbending skills in various degrees. Aang nodded in gratitude and said, "Follow me!" before finding a suitable location to start the trench.
Under Azula and Sokka's direction, the villagers dug a deep trench at the base of Mount Makapu. The earthbenders did much of the work, with the nonbenders using shovels and pickaxes to improve any areas the earthbenders missed in their hasty run to the river.
All the while, more explodes and tremors rocked above the village, urging all those working to work faster. Those who could not work, namely those too old, too young, and too sick, were evacuated to safety, where the others would join them as a precaution if the trench failed.
When a satisfactory enough trench was built towards the river, Sokka shouted, "That's as good as it's gonna get!"
"Everyone needs to evacuate now!" Aang added. "We'll come get you when it's safe!" The villagers who assisted building the trench reluctantly left to join the others on a nearby hilltop, where it is expected that the lava will flow beneath them.
The gang remained behind, stating that Aang can use his airbending to cool the lava down while Katara used her waterbending to control the river's current.
Azula though, had other ideas.
"Are you sure that's going to work?" Zuko asked her when she explained her plan.
"Yes," she said confidently. "If you concentrate on the heat emitting from the lava, you will be able to redirect away from it."
"Cooling it down," Zuko finished. "I get the theory, but has it been put into practice?"
"I'm not sure," Azula admitted to Zuko's chagrin. "But I'm confident we can do it. Or at least I can do it."
"I can do it too, don't worry," Zuko replied with confidence.
Azula smiled proudly. "Good."
Moments later, the volcano erupted with violent force, shooting lava in all direction. It was not long before lava began flowing down the side, right toward the village. The trench began filling up and redirecting the lava toward the river. Large amounts of steam began forming as it touched the water, prompting Katara to bend the steam to clear the field of view. When she saw the lava building at the river's edge, Katara used her waterbender to increase the river's current and force the lava downriver.
But it was not enough.
"It's time Zuko!" Azula shouted as Aang began airbending to cool the lava. Zuko breathed deeply and focused on the lava, easily feeling the heat emanating from it. He breath again and reached out to the heat, and mimicking Azula's body motion, felt the heat flow through his body and out his arm opposite the lava.
When he turned back, he saw the lava, once an angry red, now a dull black.
"I did it!" Zuko shouted.
"Great brother!" Azula shouted back. "Just don't cocky and keep going." Zuko nodded promptly and continued on. Despite what appeared to be an overwhelming situation, the gang was handling it incredibly well.
That is until another explosion, an even larger one, erupted from the volcano. This caused the trench to overflow and when a large boulder crashed into the river of lava, the gang realized they stood no chance and began to retreat.
Except Aang.
"What the hell are you doing kid?!" Azula shouted.
"Aang, get out of there!" Katara shouted.
But Aang ignored them and charged at the rising lava wave with a furious determined face.
"Please," he pleaded for his past lives, "help me."
Without hesitation, power began surging though his body as his past lives took over. The rest of the gang watched in awe as the Avatar bended the lava as if it was an extension of themselves, while also bending what seemed to be the entire river to use it to cool the magma.
Within minutes, the lava was cooled down to stone, sparing the village entirely, as Mount Mukupa finally calmed down.
"Man," Sokka said in awe, "it's easy to forget just how powerful a bender that kid is."
"Yeah," Katara agreed as she watched Aang regain control of himself. "It really is sometimes easy to forget that." She suddenly found herself more than content with a possible marriage to Aang, assuming he will mature.
And Katara knew he mature in time.
Soon all the villagers returned, celebrating the gang as heroes. When Aunt Wu emerged from the crowd, Sokka could not help himself by smugly saying, "Guess your prediction about the volcano not erupting was wrong."
"Is that I predicted?" she asked teasingly. "I could have sworn that I predicted that the village will not be destroyed by the volcano this year."
"But it was almost destroyed!" Sokka said.
"Ah, but it wasn't my boy," Aunt Wu said with a smile. "I merely predicted the one future that could've happen out of many futures." Sokka groaned in defeat and was about to say something else when Azula shut him up with a swift palm to the back of his head.
"What do you mean, 'out of many futures'?" she asked, curious about the old woman's choice of words.
"It means that your future hasn't been written yet, no one's has," Aunt Wu said with a hopeful smile toward the gang. "So make it good one, all of you."
The gang look about themselves, dreading the challenge their possible future would bring, but also hopeful that things will turn out all right.
"So my future doesn't have to be full of struggle and anguish?" Sokka asked.
"Only if you want it to young man," Aunt Wu said as she walked away.
Aang was rather upbeat for ensuring Appa's saddle was secure, until Meng approached him. "So, when do you think I'll see you again?" she asked.
Aang stared at her with a puzzled look. "What do you mean?"
"Like if I'll ever see you again," Meng simply stated.
Which Aang got the meaning. "Oh, you're asking because you like me."
"Yeah, but I can tell you like… well not me," Meng said with a downcast look.
"Yeah, I guess not," Aang admitted.
"It's okay, you're not the first guy," Meng told him.
"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll meet a guy who will go crazy over you," Aang told her. "Just give him time to get there."
Meng smiled slightly at Aang. "Thank you, Avatar." Aang nodded in appreciation and Meng walked away to join Aunt Wu.
"Goodbye everyone!" Katara shouted from Appa's saddle while she and the gang waved goodbye to the cheering village. Aang urged Appa to take off, leaving yet another grateful village behind, and taking a sense of hope with each of them.
Even Azula felt a tinge of hope for her own future.
Iroh continued to ponder over the conflicting reports of Avatar sightings. Some stated he was going eastward toward the Fire Nation; this did not resonate with Iroh, for he knows that the Avatar is not yet ready to face the Fire Lord. Other state he was going west towards Ba Sing Se, inciting looking for an earthbending teacher. Iroh did consider this possible, but after the consistency of Avatar's direction, he's only going to the North Pole.
Meaning Zuko is going to the North Pole.
When it comes to the Avatar, Iroh was not overly concerned with him; all he wanted was Zuko.
A knock on his cabin's hatch drew his attention. "Enter," Iroh commanded.
Lieutenant Jee came in as ordered and shut the hatch. In his hand was a parcel. "This came by messenger hawk sir."
Iroh took the parcel and notice the emblem on it. He hummed in thought and knew its meaning. He slowly unwrapped the parcel and found a blue necklace in it.
"Sir, isn't that a Water Tribe betrothal necklace?" Jee asked.
"I see someone has been studying. Very good," Iroh said with pride. "Yes it is, but it's not an ordinary necklace. It belongs to the Water Tribe girl."
"Isn't she rather young to be engaged?" Jee asked with a grimace, wondering who would propose to a child.
"It is possible she wears it as remembrance for a loved one," Iroh asked. "But that is neither here nor there. The point is we have leverage to see my nephew."
"But how sir?" Jee asked.
Iroh hummed in deep thought, uncertain how he would track down then contact the Avatar and his friends.