I done fucked up. I posted chapter 13 as chapter 12. So here's the real chapter 12.


Ace's first memory in his existence was when there was a terrible, empty darkness, and then a burst of light came, and a small lizard was in some unknown world. He hadn't been born a lizard, he just existed as one. The world was barren before a cloud of dust appeared, along with a bright ball of white light.

Since he didn't know anything, he didn't even know how to move, until the dust encased him, and he turned into a red and white dragon. Something like him had never existed before, and he was told in a whisper in his mind that he was now the sun.

The new dragon, confused by everything happening, saw as other creatures appeared from the dust and light, and they grew into other beings, all strange and unknown. Ace was right next to the bright light, and her voice told him he was now called a spirit.

The next four billion years, Ace traversed the spirit world, not understanding how he was connected to a huge ball of fire, but accepting it because it was just what it was, and this spirit world always made little sense to him. Everything was just there because it was. He found no reason for it to be there other than just being there.

But it wasn't a bad place. It just made no sense to Ace, and he roamed alone. Until he found others like him, a couple other dragons like him, only they were much smaller and not red and white, with some dashes of orange. They stuck with him, and never parted. His first friends, the other planets that were created by their mother.

Once he had friends, family, the world around him grew brighter. With him no longer mopey and lonely, everything was seen in wonder, colors he'd never seen before now. It wasn't so empty and he didn't ponder why they were there anymore, just happy that they all existed. They passed the billions of years together, which flew by like seconds.

When you live so long, time doesn't seem so slow in the grand scheme of things. Ace adored life and roaming the expansive, never ending spirit world with his friends. They were always with him, sometimes resting on his back or walking in circles around him. They were the spirits of the planets, and the planets circled the sun, who was Ace.

Eventually, they managed to branch off and make more friends, not just their little group of the solar system. While the sprit world was massive, you also could find one another easily, as if distance was void in moments of longing.

Ace enjoyed his life, and then, when humans arrived, everything was more interesting. Ace's fire ability was shared with massive creatures called lion turtles. Peaceful giants that mostly rested in one place, tranquil and still, until humans came, after many thousands of years of being regular animals.

Once the human world opened up, almost the moment real life began there with the first humans, spirits were able to cross over, mostly out of pure curiosity of the intelligent beings that now were in the world. But relations didn't go well. The spirits were annoyed with them quickly. How they hurt other animals, even if it was so they could survive with food.

The need for food was foreign for spirits, as they never needed it, only enjoyed it. They didn't understand it, so the humans settled on the peaceful lion turtles as their homes. Which was when the problems started. Humans stayed on their own for most of the time before this, until they wanted to branch out further than their local surroundings.

When the lion turtles blessed them with abilities, it didn't go over well for the spirits, as they did damage to the world with these powers. Ace had spoken to the fire lion turtle, and asked for it to not give out the power of fire. After all, fire belonged to the sun, and he didn't want to share it with humans who misused its ability of destruction.

Fire was trickly, and you needed to respect it and its danger. But the lion turtle refused, he was going to help the humans while the spirits tormented them. It was not angry, it was just stating a fact. So, Ace was sour with the humans abusing fire, and harassed them until they returned to a point of where those were afraid to take fire off of the lion turtle for the sun dragon spirit's wrath.

Even when they did not use the lion turtle's blessings, they still wielded fire recklessly. Ace was not okay with them using fire at all, even to cook food. Humans branded him as a cruel creature, when all Ace wanted was for them to be careful, which they never were! He wished to take their fire away, but was unable to. So he hunted them down for it.

He despised the humans, until one of his friends brought one to their circle of friends, to the spiring, for saving a cat deer and not eating it. Ace hated him for saving the power of fire, stealing it so he could run off on his own. But when Wan showed his caution and respect of the limits of how fire can be used, well, Ace didn't think so badly of him.

But when he separated Raava, who had given him life, from Vaatu, Ace was pissed. Until Wan started his journey to end him, and bring peace back to the spirits, well, Ace's opinion shifted again. Since he had interacted with the noble human many times, with Ace usually being sour, Wan came to him and asked for Ace to teach him how to utilize fire strongly and carefully. Pushing the boundaries but not crossing them into destruction.

Ace helped train Wan to become the Avatar. But, once Vaatu was imprisoned, Wan decided to exodus the spirits back into the spirit world, and separate the humans from them to help keep the world peaceful, Ace was against it. But, he did as the others did, and went back to the spirit world.

He didn't approach the human world for thousands of years after Wan died, as he disliked all humans, but when he did, he saw how far the humans had come after leaving the lion turtles. They created things with the elements given to them. Some spirits had already migrated to the human world long ago, like the moon and ocean spirits. So old, but not as old as Ace and his fellow planets.

The sun decided he'd like to try it out, and crossed into the human world, being the sun, he was strong enough to make it out when most spirits weren't. He left his friends, promising to return after he had his fun, and found a still-born baby, and took its body over to live inside of it. After all, spirits could enter things, and some could enter humans. He didn't destroy the baby by making the choice to seal his memories of being the sun, and living as a human until that human died.

He'd return to the spirit world once his life as a human was over. And here he was, with his accepted name of "Ace" and not "Sun". He was the original firebender that brought warmth to the universe. The original "firebender" who taught the first Avatar.

Ace opened his eyes wide, panting, and stood up and out of the water. The fish went back to their dance. "Ace? Are you okay?" Marco asked slowly. He nodded, and asked how long he was out. "Five minutes." Ace had just watched lifetime of memories and information. He was a spirit in a human form.

I want my spirit powers back.

Very well. You may have them. It is good to see you back, my Sun.

Ace lit on fire suddenly, and everyone jumped at it. "You're a firebender?!" Sokka accused. Ace laughed and said "definitely not" in a happy and relived voice. Yue and Marco saw the change in demeanor, and were shocked. He said he'd be back, and changed into his original dragon form, not the black one he'd been for two years.

How dare that spirit try and take him back to his world, only to infect him and turn him into a small sliver of his original self. He flew over the city, and lit everything on fire, controlling the temperature and targets, only wiping out firebenders and their machinery. No ice melted despite being covered in fire.

Once the huge fire wall passed beyond the city, he moved it to destroy all of the firebenders ships. No fire was hotter than the sun, and they were obliterated when he upped the temperature. But he was thoughtful and careful, refusing his fire to touch the surface of the ocean, only destroying the ships. He knew better than anyone the danger fire is when not careful.

The fire then left, and peace was brought to the city, cheers and cries of relief for the attack being over. Ace returned to the spirit oasis. "All done!" he said brightly. The three guests and two water tribe citizens were speechless. Marco asked if he was okay, and Ace nodded, hugging him.

Yue had suspected he was touched by a spirit, but not that he was one. "So, you aren't a firebender?"

"Not how you all see it. Fire is dangerous, and throwing it around is something only fools would do. Abusing fire is stupid, and I know that all firebenders aren't careful enough. They shouldn't have fire in the first place." Marco started laughing at indignant Ace, who he'd never seen before. So, he didn't hate that Ace was more positive yet.

He asked how on earth he was the same Ace? "I'm not." He grinned and laughed, too.

"Someone care explaining?!" Sokka demanded angrily. "He went into the pond and then came out a crazy dragon firebender! And now he's saying he's not a firebender? Then what are you?!" he shouted.

Ace said, "It's a very long story. Billions of years long, actually." Aang asked if he was a billion years old in shock. Katara said that was impossible, annoyed. The two siblings wanted information and were angry they weren't getting it.

Ace had remembered his life before the torture, he couldn't help it, but did not feel any different about it. He still didn't want to include it in his life, but was proud that, even as a child who didn't know what he'd been had never messed with his fire, even when he had it at all times. He wzas proud he'd hidden it so it was safe.

"Well, I'm not really a human, after all. I'm a spirit that's just hanging out in my human body, I guess you could say," Ace explained. They were all silent in shock. "Sorry Marco, I didn't even know. I didn't lie to you."

"I didn't think you did. But, will you be using fire from now on?" he asked. Using fire in the water tribe wouldn't go well.

"Of course not! Only idiots play with fire," Ace replied. "Besides Wan. Anyways, so they're the moon and ocean, right? I'm the sun, that's why I said I'm billions of years old. Technically, everyone pretty much stole my fire and just throw it around like a cool trick." Marco was shocked and amazed. He asked what happened in the forest. "I was told all the information, but didn't remember it. And you know how I was at that time. I wasn't ready for the truth, so I asked that I don't remember any of it until I die.

"I sort of cheated, I guess. But I've been having dreams about it, too. Those weird ones."

Marco nodded, and asked who Wan was. Ace had mentioned him before, from some of his dreams, and then just now. "The first Avatar. I taught him 'firebending'. He was different from other firebenders, he was careful and respected it. That's the only reason I taught him," Ace explained.

Aang shouted, "You knew the first Avatar!?"

"Yeah. He was a good man. Only a bunch of accidents made him the Avatar. He wasn't created or born special. I think now's not the time for this, we should go see what we can do to help repair the city. Then I'm going to visit the spirit forest," he said with a light smile. Marco asked if he was going to leave. "Not for good. I love it here, with you and Thatch and all of the people here."

Katara asked, "Will you teach Aang firebending?"

Ace didn't answer, before he said, "He seems too reckless. Come back after he's learned the other elements. Then maybe I'll help." Aang said that was better than nothing! Who would be a better teacher than the source of fire?! Marco let out a deep sigh of relief, of Ace staying. They found the chief and the leaders gathered.

The sun spirit was still in his water tribe clothing, and it would stay that way. They were cozy and soft. He would be seen differently from now on, but this place was still his home, and he was still a citizen and would listen to his chief's orders. "Ace, was that fire you? As a dragon?" Arnook questioned.

"Technically," Ace said slowly. "It's a situation I'll need to explain in great detail." Princess Yue said Ace was safe and was not a Fire Nation citizen, or firebender. After all, he'd just taken out all of the Fire Nation ships and nothing of the water tribe's, or its people. Chief looked suspicious when Ace was in a great mood.

He asked if the chi blocking helped, hoping all the work wasn't for nothing. Well, it worked for Ace, disarming both Zuko and Zhao from using their firebending to do harm. But he was glad to hear it had. Some of the strongest firebenders had been attacked and lost their firebending out of surprise with their enemy jumping them.

Some hurried to Ace and thanked him for the help. "I'm glad it helped," Ace said. "I guess there's not much to learn from me anymore, huh?" he asked a little sadly.

Thatch came over. He had a bloody gash on his face, but it had been treated. Ace and Marco fretted about it, but he said he was fine other than that. Ace sighed in relief. Marco said, "Ace has a lot to tell us. All of us." The sun nodded, knowing everybody had to know to feel safe about the fire, when he'd just admitted it was his.

After the 100 year war started, fire was the enemy of the water tribe. Besides when using it to make food, but that was it. And luckily for them ice couldn't catch on fire, only some of the things like wood inside the ice buildings could be damaged. "Everyone, tend to your wounds! The healers will help!" Marco helped, too, and healed Thatch's face gash since it had been roughly treated by a non healer.

Marco was one of the only men who had learned healing, as it was mostly reserved for the women. Besides Katara, it seemed. Ace noticed Aang following him around, and of course wanted to know about the first Avatar. "I'll tell you once things are more normal," he said patiently, understanding why he'd be interesting.

Though, it was hard to relate this kid to Wan in any way. Sure, Aang was the Avatar and was nice, but he didn't have that command for respect that Wan did. But it wasn't anything he did that made everyone respect him, it was how noble he was. You couldn't disrespect such a good man. But hopefully Aang could win this war.

It was not his war to win, as a spirit. The Fire Nation had harmed him deeply. Very deeply, but it felt trivial. Two years compared to billions. He'd spent more time trapped in an underwater cave than in prison. That cave had been a disaster, but Ace was a spirit and couldn't exactly drown. He was stuck under there for a long time.

He felt that Sokka and Katara would insist of Ace teaching Aang firebending immediately, but that wasn't the best way to do it. He knew that at least. While the boy was the first Avatar he'd met since Wan, he was not Wan, and Ace didn't trust him to be responsible since he was so young. And Wan had been young when he got fire, and reckless, but he'd also lived on his own, constantly hunted by humans, animals and some hostile spirits, so he had a need to develop his fire out of self defense and to survive.

Then he was dedicated to learn every element so he could work with Raava to defeat Vaatu. The circumstances were wildly different. Once most of the injured were healed, they all went out to the courtyard. The Fire Nation, if any were able to survive, couldn't heal like the waterbenders could.

Though Ace regained his memories of Zuko and his life in the Fire Nation, he now had hard proof that life here was more enjoyable than just being a play thing for the Fire Nation royalty. A tool. Here, he was free. And as an added bonus, he was near the entrance to the spirit world! He would stay here for that reason, along with Marco and Thatch the most.

Someday, people would no doubt target the spirit world somehow, and the north and south poles needed to be kept safe. He could do nothing about both of them. He had no way to be in two places at once. Sure, he could camp out inside the sprit world where the two portals were, watching over both, but he wouldn't do that.

"We won this battle! We've lost men, but we survived more than we perished," the chief said, standing on the wall to be seen by everybody. "Much of that victory is due to Ace's attack." There were murmurs of shock that it actually was Ace. He'd shown no ability to firebend before, and here he was wiping out an entire fleet easily.

Ace asked for Marco to come up with him while he explained. Worried about the reception he'd get. Would he be shunned for not being human? Well, he was very human right now, just not originally. His body was not burning away by what was inside him, keeping him nice and cozy inside this form, which was a relief.

His brother came up with him, and Ace explained who/what he was. "Though I do have the power of fire, and complete control, I will not be using it here. I'll stick to flips and chi blocking. But, I vow to stay and protect the city if it needs it. I might take trip to the spirit forest sometimes, but I'm not ever leaving for good when I go. I hope I'm still accepted, because I really love it here, and everyone here."

There was a loud response from everyone, all with the same message basically. He was still welcome for as long as he wanted to stay. Ace thanked them with a bow and a sincere, smaller smile. Not a big grin, but one that spoke many emotions. Happiness, relief, fear, worry, and thankfulness.

"The Avatar will be returning again so I can teach him how to control fire and how to respect it like it should be. But I can do that on the tundra to not inconvenience anybody," he vowed.

"That is fine and welcome. Having him learn two elements from our people would be a great honor," Arnook said in a genuine voice. Ace smiled in hearing "our people" and including Ace. He'd worried people would see him different. And while it may be too soon to tell, he still felt it was home.

After a bit of talking to them, asking if his fire had harmed them in any way (it hadn't), he sid he was going to go visit the spirit forest. But that was only part of his destination. He flew as a dragon, but followed the scent through the blizzard and to his former home. He landed heavy at the entrance, and found both Zuko and Iroh there.

"Hey…" he greeted awkwardly. "I'm sorry I was so cold, Zuko. i don't want to kill you, but I'm also very against the Fire Nation's actions. But it was nothing personal to you. I don't hate you." He was wounded, and Iroh was dirty. They were the only ones to be alive from the fleet that had approached.

Iroh asked if he was their Ace. "No. I've never been your Ace. I'm just Ace in this body." The old man said he knew something was off with him the whole time he'd known him. "Yeah, I'm the sun spirit just living as a human right now." Zuko's mouth gaped. It was hard seeing that scar, a terrible burn that disfigured the skin around his eye.

Ace was no longer afraid of Azula or Ozai, for he knew he could overpower them in an instant now that he knew what and who he was. Even if there was some way for him to be restrained, he'd turn his body into fire and escape, and fire didn't breath, so the gas wouldn't harm him. "I've wiped out all the other Fire Nation soldiers and the fleet. Zhao is dead, as well. It's a warning to never approach the Northern Water Tribe again. If anyone does, I'll burn them to nothing. I'm going to be a guardian over this place."

Iroh nodded in understanding. "And if Azula or Ozai approaches this place, I'll kill them, too, without question." He stood up and said, quietly, "Remember, you're just a tool to them. You don't have to be." And he left. He flew far from them and to the spirit forest at the center of the north pole. He landed outside of it before running in and jumping into the portal. It had been sealed 10,000 years ago, and was weakening. Only 70 years or so until the next harmonic convergence.

"I remember everything!" he shouted and ran to Aye-Aye, who he wanted to find, so he was there.

"Finally. So, how'd your adventure as a human go?" the lemur spirit asked happily. Ace said he was still living there, but that he had mixed reactions. On one hand, the humans he lived with now were wonderful people, on the other, his former life was spent being bullied, silenced and then tortured. "WHAT?!" Those around grew furious, and demanded to know who'd done it.

He replied, "The Fire Nation leader. It really messed me up for a few years, of course. It was pretty bad. But I feel much better now. Mostly thanks to the new humans. For now, I'm going to be the guardian of the north pole and the spirit forest there. I can still get in and out alright, even if it does feel straining."

"I wonder what the human world is like now?" Aye Aye wondered.

"I don't think you'd like it. They're in a 100 year global war after all. Humans can be horrible." His spirit friend laughed at him openly. "I still hate them using my fire to harm others for no good reason. If I could, I'd take it right back from them. But mother had a point about it upsetting the balance."

"You've matured."

"I've experienced a lot there. I'm only 18 in that world, but it's been a lot. And you can call me Ace instead of Sun. I kind of like my new name more, it grew on me," Ace said. He was in dragon form right now, as it was what everyone was used to. Aye Aye said it sucked when he was all moody and didn't recognize him the last time he visited. Ace nodded, and apologized for that.

Goulee, a green blobbish spirit who he'd met long ago as well, said he was happy that Ace was happy. "But don't go dying." Ace said he didn't think he could die. Time had his death in a fixed point. "Okay, don't get hurt, then," he amended. The sun spirit promised to do his best.

He stayed for a good while, and it felt like much longer than 18 years ago that he'd been here. 18 years was a blip. A blink of an eye. Everything felt so much smaller, more trivial when it was stacked up against the rest of his existence. He greeted Mother, and thanked the dust cloud for her help the last time he went.

"It's good to see you back to yourself, sun. Though you aren't as angry." Ace said it was because he was on a high right now. He would be grumpy later. "Just as long as you are no longer broken. It hurt me to see my first creation so hurt." Ace nodded, apologizing for that. "Just continue to be bright, sun. No matter where you shine." He nodded, but couldn't exactly show physical affection to her.

He wandered around a bit more before he went back, and flew home. He landed in the spirit oasis, and bowed to the two spirits for awakening his memories and true self when he was in the pond. They couldn't speak, but he got a feeling they were happy to do so. They continued in their never ending dance.

Ace would protect the spirits of his people to the death. Which was just a saying for him. He went back home and laid on his bed with a sigh, and dozed off. When he woke, there was a blanket over him, and he was tucked in. The two worlds were so different emotionally for Ace. Even though he was so strong in this world now, he felt so emotionally vulnerable.

Words would hurt him like no human weapon could.

He rolled onto his side, and looked at his hand, lighting it a bright yellow, but not on fire. Was it wrong to come out? He could have just convinced them it wasn't him, but some act of a god. Now everybody knew. Would things be different? He hoped not. He wanted to keep living a quiet life, just doing what he wanted to help others.

What would he do once everyone who wanted to could chi block? What would he do then? He still wanted to help people, and would have to find another way somehow. He would guard this place, his haven, from anyone who stands against it. Marco came in looking at Ace sadly. Ace worried something was wrong, and sat up.

"Everyone still loves you. You're still Ace," Marco told him firmly. Ace's gaze drifted downwards.

"What if I'm too different? I think I'll be happier, or more confident now. But that's not how I usually am or anything. What if I'm too happy to everyone?" Marco said everyone had liked seeing him grow more confident in himself. Why would they be upset that it grew more? "Because I was - am - the shy one, the relatable one. People feel calm around me because I'm calm. It's hard to explain."

"No, I understand perfectly. Thatch does, too." Ace asked if they still loved him, even if he was different. Had always been that way, but just didn't know it. "We will always still love you."

Ace admitted he got his former memories back. He had been Zuko's best friend, but was used by Ozai, and then when he refused, he was tattled on by Azula, and tortured by both of them. Zuko hadn't abandoned him, he was unable to find him. "That still makes you an enemy of the Fire Nation, Ace. They hurt you, whether you were on good terms with their prince or not. Besides, it's not like you can return after destroying their whole fleet."

The teen gave a quiet chuckle. That was definitely a problem if he ever attempted to return. "I bet if I groveled and offered myself to be a tool, maybe I'd be useful. I'd rather perish than do that, though."

Marco asked, "When will you die?"

"Not for a couple billion years. The Time spirit made my death a fixed point. But I'm still going to age with everyone. I will just not die. I… I'll outlive every person on this continent, you and Thatch, too. Everybody." Marco hugged him, and said they should enjoy all the time they had together, then.

"And you have so many stories to tell us all. You're still Ace."

"Yeah. I like my name being Ace. And I think my face and body turned out alright in the end," he said with a giggle.

"Definitely. You're adorable, even if you vaporized a whole armada." Ace smiled widely. "Sokka wants to learn the basics of chi blocking, if you want to work with that." The sun spirit stood up and went to the courtyard where Aang and Katara were working. Sokka called his name like they were old friend when they last time they spoke he was demanding answers from him.

He asked if Ace could teach him chi blocking. Or how to avoid it. "I learned from somebody in the Fire Nation, so I think learning how to not have it done to you is important. You can't learn in one session, it would take weeks." Sokka pouted, but hadn't expected he'd be taught in a compact way, it seems.

"Sokka, we could always stay here for a bit," Aang offered.

"No, we need to keep moving, find you an earthbending teacher. Ace, are you sure you can't teach him now?" Ace asked if he'd tried firebending before. Aang nodded.

"And how did it go?" Ace asked, expecting one answer that he got. It didn't go well, he'd ended up burning Katara. "I'm not teaching somebody so reckless how to control fire. Her burns may have healed, but people die from burns alone. They die from smoke inhalation as other things burn. You're dealing with the consequences of death when you work with fire," Ace said bluntly. Katara seemed irritated with the way he was phrasing it. "Well, when you do come back, you know you'll be taught by someone who takes this stuff seriously. Unless you find a better firebender later, then come back and I'll teach you.

"But find a firebender who has control in both their bending but also emotions. You can't learn from someone why flies off the handle at small things. I didn't mean to scare you, but I hate people who throw around fire recklessly. Once they know how to deal with it. Accidents are still dangerous, but did you learn your lesson when you burned Katara?"

"Definitely," Aang said. Ace smiled.

"Then you're already one step in the right direction. Come, Sokka, I'll show you where pressure points are and how you guard them. Well, you guys could stand to learn this, too," he added, looking at the other two. "Marco, can I use you for demonstration?" The man was fine with it, and put his arms out in a t-position so Ace could point to the spots to guard.

"Those are a ton of spots!" Sokka complained.

"Good for me, bad for you. If you learn chi blocking, you'll be glad to know all the spots." Sokka complained about not being able to stay longer. "These are the most important ones to block as they're the easiest to reach." He did a demonstration and had Marco move to block them easily. Slowly, of course, so they could watch.

He then jabbed each one and Marco collapsed, though Ace caught him, not that Marco seemed to think he would let him fall. "Depending on how hard the jab was, you shouldn't be out for too long. You two, watch out for the pressure point here," Ace said firmly, pointing to the one on his shoulder. "You'll lose your bending even if you don't go down."

"Zuko's been coming after you, right? That's why he showed up here?" Marco asked.

"He never leaves us alone!" Sokka complained. "It's so annoying!" Ace knew that if Zuko was going after them, it wouldn't be long until reinforcements were called. He didn't know anything about life at the Fire Nation palace was like the past two years, or how his torture and imprisonment affected their familail relationship, or how Zuko got that scar, but he should still warn them.

Ace sat down on a block of ice, and said, "If Zuko is after you, you need to be wary of others, too. If you run into three women, all teenagers, you need to avoid them. Even if you have to run away, you're better off not being near them. Azula, Ty Lee, and Mei. Ty Lee is the one who can do chi blocking, she's the one that taught me in the beginning."

"Ahahaha! And then you all used it against them!" Sokka laughed. Ace ignored him, but it was ironic, yes.

"Azula is Zuko's younger sister, the princess. She's a talented fire bender, and can bend lightning. She's smart and ruthless. Mei works with weapons. Shurikens, knives, sharp small things she can throw at you. All of them are dangerous in their own ways. I don't know anything about the last two years, but they're probably stronger now."

Aang asked where he was for the last two years, sounding worried. "I was imprisoned and tortured at the prison near the Fire Nation palace. It's fine, I'm over it. Just beware those three." Katara asked what they looked like. "Ty Lee looks harmless and nice. Mei always looks bored and angry, gloomy, and Azula has a wicked and condescending smirk. You'll know them when you see them," Ace explained.

The three of them seemed startled about the torture part, but didn't say anything about it. They moved on, and Ace chi blocked Sokka five times before he was able to move the right way. Katara and Aang were just watching it. When the water tribe teen looked up and saw the princess watching, his face turned red and he puffed up.

Yue could see through it easily, but found it entertaining. After a lot of time with the chi blocking, Katara asked, hesitantly, if Ace would firebend at them and they'd defend, for practice against other enemies. "No. I won't use my fire to attack people."

"C'mon, this is just practice! Against the bad guys! The ones we have to run into constantly!" Ace said he didn't know how to firebend like normal benders, so they'd be going against someone unrealistic and useless against. "But you taught that Wan guy how to firebend!"

"I taught him how to control it, but he became the bender. I was a dragon, I couldn't move my limbs in the way humans do. I won't be fighting you with fire, that's final," Ace said firmly. Sokka asked why he acted so old. He was only 18.

"Remember, Sokka. Ace is billions of years old," Aang said lightly. Then he turned to Ace and bowed, thanking him for his help. It was very useful, all of the information they were given. Ace told them they were to never say his name in front of anybody. He wasn't about to have the Fire Nation know his whereabouts. "We promise." Marco commented that Sokka was the one to say Ace's name with Zhou there.

He crossed his arms and said it had been an accident. "An accident I had to drown someone for," Marco said slightly sourly. Sokka frowned, but apologized. Ace killed so many people, so he couldn't complain, and he was touched and grateful that Marco went so far to keep Ace secret and safe. He was the best big brother.