Wishfull-star: Thank you, I appreciate it!
"I'll be taking tomorrow off for training," he told his class. "Please spread the word."
"Are you sick?"
"I will be, yeah. Tomorrow is an eclipse, so I'll be ill and I'm going to go to the spirit world for safety." Someone indignantly said nobody here would hurt him. "I know there are those here that don't like me. I don't expect them to try and murder me, but I'd just feel safer in my other home. After that, I'll be fine."
Ace thought tomorrow would be a great day for an attack on the Fire Nation, blocking out the sun, but it was too late to bring that up, and Ace hadn't known before the previous day, when Thatch mentioned it. They had promised to keep him safe, but understood his feelings on wanting to stay super safe.
After his last class, Ace looked to the other side of the courtyard to the waterbending class. He knew Pakku and Shanks had wanted his help in something, and he had been unable to give it. He felt shitty for it. After all they'd done for him, he couldn't support them like that wanted him to. He'd ask Time something about it tomorrow during the eclipse. He should be fine, if not slow and sluggish, in the spirit world.
Most times, his friends would take care of him there. So he'd go to them this time, like always. When he got home, he saw the bed was made up, all fluffy and warm and cozy. "What's this?" he asked.
"If you stay, we'll take EXTRA good care of you," Thatch said. "I'll read you stories and make you tea and everything." Ace licked his lips. He couldn't refuse them when they wanted to take care of him on a sick day. He could do that. It would only last a couple hours of the day, and then the rest he'd just be sleepy. They could keep him safe while he slept. If not them, than everyone who liked him.
He'd been offered by many to be his body guard for the day. It was touching, to him, so anyone who possibly wanted to harm him would have to watch their backs a lot. He would be fine here. "Okay. I trust you," Ace finally said.
"Yay!" Thatch cheered, and Marco, who'd been quietly making food, smiled, too. Ace made sure they knew it was never that he didn't trust them. He'd been with them for over half a year, he trusted both of them with his life. "We know. But we just want to do everything we can to help you." Ace smiled softly and thanked them for being such good family. "Of course!"
But Ace had to go into the spirit world for a bit. He wasn't going to the pond because he wasn't bringing anyone with him. He sat on his bed and closed his eyes, meditating and easily making his way into the other world. Ace found Time immediately, sitting at a tea shop in the middle of nowhere run by two giant centipedes. They were fast with orders, having so many arms and all.
"Oh, the world jumper. What do you want?" Time asked. He seemed to dislike Ace's going into the human world, saying "world jumper" with an air of disgust. It made Ace feel like it was pointless to ask for a compromise. So Ace asked if he could have an acception made for his contract to stay in this body for a long time. "And what do you ask?"
Ace took a deep breath, and said, "People who have supported my being in the Northern Water Tribe need help with something. I'd like to be of help in an any way I can, but it would be leaving the continent. I want to help them. But leaving would leave the forest vulnerable. I just want to repay them, but I also want to keep the forest safe. I'm not sure what to do."
"If this 'trip away' involves helping humans with violence, then no! But you seem to have forgotten what you are, being in the human world so long. You are the sun! You're lifetime was already set long ago. I cannot end you. And there was no reason for you to come to me this early to ask to rewind your human body back to a young age! You went around the situation all wrong, you fool! Do things in the right order! What do you want to do?!"
"I want to help my friends."
"Which friends, boy?"
"All of them! My spirit friends and my human friends."
"And what have you been doing the past 18 years? Who have you been helping?"
"Humans."
"Then what's one more year, idiot! You have billions of years left in your life! It seems being in a human body has warped your perception of time. I understand that humans have short lifespans, but you can't forget your own and make little of your existence. Even if you personally were to help those humans, it isn't like you don't help them already! The sun is the thing that keeps their world running! Without you, they'd freeze to death in complete darkness."
"So I can help," Ace said firmly.
"What are you asking me for?! But you can't leave the forest to die. If you do, then your human body will not be yours for long."
"Are you going to order anything?" the centipede owner asked Ace. He asked for a jasmine tea. "Oh, the human kind? It is indeed delicious." His tea was made instantly, and he sipped it warm. It really was good. Ace drank it, and thanked the phoenix, Time. He was weird and confusing, but Ace could go help them!
He was embarrassed for pretty much begging somebody. But being a human had humbled him some. He returned to his body, and was out the door in an instant, throwing, "I'll be back soon!" behind him. He hurried to Master Pakku's office, and knocked on the door. It was opened, and he saw Shanks was there, too.
"Ace, how are you?"
"I want to know how I can help. I can help you, but I refuse to use my fire." Pakku asked what had changed. "I made a deal with someone." That was all he said and he was asked no more. "I think I'd be most helpful as a dragon. Chi blocking is helpful and all, but as a dragon, I can be more."
Shanks grinned and Pakku looked relieved. "We have much to tell you, which you can't tell anybody else. At least, not until the Fire Nation falls and the war is ended." Ace nodded, and listened about the White Lotus, a secret organization which wished for peace and shared knowledge. They were planning an attack soon on Ba Sing Se. It was currently occupied by the Fire Nation, and they wanted to take it back for the Earth Kingdom. "It was actually one of our members who saved you. Former General Iroh."
"Will I see him?"
"Yes."
"Good. I can finally thank him for freeing me, and apologize for the last time I saw him. I was less than friendly," Ace explained. "How will I be helpful without using my fire?" He was surprised to hear that he was used as a threat only. They weren't going to try and force him to kill anybody.
Pakku said, "What would you feel if a dragon appeared, and blanketed the sky with fire?"
"I assume that it would be scary to see," Ace said. "And I can do extreme intimidation with my fire while not harming anybody. It won't be used for destruction, but for cowing enemies. I'll be able to cover things in fire without making them burn. But how long would I be away from the forest?"
"How long would it take you to fly to Ba Sing Se?"
"Days at least, weeks at most, depending on weather and stops along the way. Are you assuming to ride on my back?" Pakku said they accepted if he refused, as it might make it seem he was inferior, as a pet of some sort. "No, it will be faster that way, anyways. But I should get there faster by air than by ship. Will this be the last battle?"
The two waterbending masters nodded. Everyone was going all out on this one. The eclipse was not strong enough to get them victory. "Alright. I'll help you in taking back Ba Sing Se. I won't ever be in my human form for that time. I… I will be around for awhile, and I'd like to keep this body. So I don't want people to be able to connect this appearance as the dragon," he explained. The two men were just fine with that, and swore none would say his name.
"Once the fight is over, and Firelord Ozai is defeated, you will be in no grave threat by any one nation. You can live peacefully in the Northern Water Tribe for as long as you desire." Ace smiled, and admitted that helping stop a global war would feel nice. He agreed to everything, but felt bad he had to stay tightlipped to his brothers. Hopefully they wouldn't be too upset.
They'd be leaving in two weeks. Plenty of time, then. He was given a pi sho chip, even though he'd never played it before, and was welcomed into the White Lotus. "It is full of old men, so you'll be the youngest," Shanks said.
"I'll be the oldest. 5 billion years old and all," Ace said with a light smile, and left. He headed home, where Marco was waiting. He rushed over and asked if Ace was okay. He nodded, and apologized for running off, but he had to do something.
"I can't tell you right now. I've been ordered not to by higher ups. Please don't be mad, I really am not allowed to say anything, it's not that I want to-" Marco put his hands on Ace's shoulders.
"If it's out of your control, then I won't push," he said. Ace gave a shaky smile and nodded. He felt bad for branching away from them. He left for the spirit forest and then has a job and now is keeping secrets. "Why are you feeling bad for having a life? You return how to us every night and we always have tea.
"Its not like we need to spend every waking moment together to be family," Marco said lightly, but not mockingly. Ace smiled and hugged him, glad that he didn't drive them apart. It was just, in the beginning Ace was with them all day, every day. He missed those quiet, private days sometimes. When everyone left him to peace. But he was glad he was happy now, though.
He'd rather be happy than anything.
The eclipse the next day was not comfortable at all. He felt sluggish all day, and as the moon got closer to the sun, he got sicker, until the 8 or so minutes came, and Ace was laying on the bed, foaming at the mouth, which had never happened before. Marco and Thatch were up in a second, and took him to the healing room, and put him in the healing water.
Of course they were very worried for him, and thinking this was not a good plan, he should have gone to the spirit world. They both felt guilty about pressing, but once the eclipse was over, Ace returned to a stable condition, if not very tired and sleeping the rest of the day but for soup, and then being tired the next morning.
But the affects wore off eventually. "We're sorry we pushed you to stay. You got really sick," Marco said in a guilty voice. Ace smiled at them, perfectly back to normal at lunch the day after the eclipse, and said he was fine now. They didn't need to worry, and no more eclipses would happen for awhile.
"Next time, you're definitely going to the spirt world," Thatch said firmly, Marco nodding along. Ace smiled, and promised he would do that. "I'm glad other spirits don't hurt you, and that you have friends there."
"I am, too," Ace replied brightly. "But you guys are very special to me." His brothers returned the sentiment.
-x-
Ace was sleeping in the bed with Marco, under separate blankets but the same bed. Ace had had a nightmare where they left him, they died and grew old, leaving him behind. He would live long after they died, and that was upsetting to say the least. Marco had been surprised when Ace asked to sleep with him in the middle of the night.
His brother had seen Ace's face and tears, and had glady made room, both sleeping, Ace feel safe and warm and that they had decades to be together, even if it wasn't much for Ace. When they woke up, Thatch was confused, and they told him the story, and Ace described his dream - nightmare.
Thatch looked at him in sympathy and walked to him. "That will happen eventually, but we have to enjoy the time we have together," he said firmly. Ace started to cry, not wanting to be alone again. He didn't want to leave anyone behind. "But you don't want to die." Ace shook his head. He continued to cry, and Thatch hugged him while Marco rubbed his back, both of them looking heartbroken for their younger brother.
"Maybe after us, you can find some new people to be with. We'd never want you to stay all alone forever. For however long humans are around," Thatch said, with the other nodding in agreement. They didn't want Ace to be alone, ever, even after they were gone. Long after they were gone.
Ace wiped his eyes and thanked them for all they'd done. "And all we will do," Thatch said with a wink. Ace nodded, feeling a bit better. He couldn't do anything about it, and he wouldn't suggest the only way to live on somewhere. To let your body die and stay in the spirit world for the rest of time. They might get lonely sometimes, but Ace would visit them all the time, and they'd be spirits by then anyways.
They went out on a flight and to check on the forest all together. Ace had been relieved to see it had been healthy, so he wondered if the spirit was only corrupt because of the polluted forest and not Vaatu. That would be the best case scenario, not being corrupted by the spirit of darkness. Ace didn't want things to get messy yet. And new trees had already started to grow into the clean soil. They all looked perfectly healthy. If they got sick again, Ace would remove them once again.
"So, this is where you go all the time? To check on it?" Thatch asked.
"Obviously," Marco said, earning a glare. Ace explained that the closer they got to the portal, the more life there was. So, when they were in the clearing, the dry trees from the outer rim were now flourished with plants that shouldn't be able to grow in the north pole. Ace found nothing wrong with the forest, and so they walked around a bit before heading back into the cold and back home.
Ace was so relieved the forest had been doing well since when the trees were sick. He was nervous to leave it, to be honest. He wanted to help stop the war, but he was also feeling jittery about it. The forest had been there thousands of years, and had been fine. He just had to trust it to last a few weeks on its own.
And he couldn't ask for anyone else to take care of it for him. He'd meditate and check on it every day, just to make sure things are all right. If they weren't, he would go back, even though he would hate having to do that.
-x-
Ace stood in dragon form as two saddles were secured onto his back. It was a night time so nobody saw them leaving but for Marco and Thatch to see him off. They were worried over where he was going, but Ace said he'd be okay, and they trusted him, looking forward to knowing what was going to happen.
Aang had never come to learn firebending from Ace, so he only hoped he'd learned from somebody else. Someone qualified. They'd just have to see. He would have a tough time with the comet strengthening firebenders. Ace was unaffected by the comet at all, but he didn't need it to use his fire to frighten others.
Even just having a dragon with them would scare people. Marco and Thatch hugged Ace's neck and wished him good luck with whatever they were doing. "I'll be careful, promise," Ace vowed. There was water and food in the saddle bags, but Ace could just eat raw meat if necessary. After all, he wasn't planning to turn into a human the whole time.
As of now and until the retaking of Ba Sing Se, Ace would only be in his dragon form. It would be easy, as he was always like that in the spirit world. It was only the past 18 years that he was mostly in a human body. He could adjust back easily, no problem. "Love you guys," Ace said, the reigns being wrapped around his thick, scaled neck.
"We love you, too, little brother," Marco said with a fond smile, Thatch nodding along. Pakku and Shanks said they were ready, and Ace took off, flying over the ocean and ice bergs and following the direction the compass said to follow, even though he knew where land was. Shanks and Pukku were very tense, which was completely understandable.
Lucky for them, Ace's body was warm, so the cold air blasting in their faces didn't freeze them too badly. He could hear them talking about where to go next, as they knew the Northern Air Temple had been taken over by inventors. Ace had passed by that one before he arrived at his current home, and had not stayed for that exact reason.
It only took a few hours to make it to land, where they stopped at a cliff on one of the mountains near the damaged Northern Air Temple. Ace could smell the sulfur coming from it. He took a rest and went hunting for something to eat before they were on their ways again. They flew over mountains and pillars of rock, entering the Earth Kingdom deeper before they called it a rest for the night.
Ace was tired, being slightly out of shape for long journeys, and fell asleep easily. He woke up in the morning and found the other two were sleeping, so he meditated into the spirit world, and asked some spirits if things were going alright, if they knew if anything was wrong with the forest. They said there was nothing abnormal.
"Did you feel the forest getting sick?"
"It made some very angry in the area, but that stopped, now." Ace thanked them, in dragon form when he was alone in the spirit world, and left. He came back to his body, and found breakfast was being made. Ace offered to get them some food and he'd cook it, instead of using up the little food they had for a journey with an unknown time frame.
Shanks said that was a better idea, and Ace went and found a fox deer and brought it back, burning away all the fur before he roasted it with flames just hot enough to cook and not char it. He got three sticks next, and they ate the barbequed meat. It wasn't disgusting, but it was new to the waterbenders, as these animals weren't in the north, not in the freezing cold.
They liked it, so that was nice. The three ate enough to last them through lunch, and set off, directing Ace where to go. He'd never been to Ba Sing Se, so he didn't know the route or what smells it emitted. They came across a river and refilled their canteens, Ace drinking a ton of water directly out of the river, since his dragon body needed more sustenance than his human form.
Another two days of traveling passed, with Ace checking on the spirit world every morning. It was healthy, and Aye-Aye had promised to keep watch over the spirit portal for him. They were good friends, after all. He had never been angry with Ace for leaving to the human world for a bit. After all, he was curious about what was going on there, as well, but just was unable to pass through the portal like Ace and the other few powerful spirits could.
On their fifth day of flying and shorter breaks, they made it to the outskirts of the wall of the city that had been taken over by the Fire Nation. Ace flew low so nobody saw him easily. When he landed, there was an uproar about a dragon suddenly landing. Ace promptly laid on his side and went to sleep. He trusted Pakku and Shanks to keep him safe.
When he woke a few hours later, there was a platter of food and a bowl of water set next to him. He appreciated it, and ate all of it. It wasn't enough to satisfy him, but he'd go hunting later. Needing food wasn't the best thing in the human world, though he enjoyed eating good food and wanting it.
He stood up and headed to the main camp, staying in dragon form. There were five leaders, all wearing different clothing, no doubt the uniforms for this secret organization. Ace found Iroh, and walked to him, being careful where he stepped. He wasn't the only large animal there, there were some eel hounds, too.
"Iroh. Last time we met, I was unable to thank you for releasing me," he said with a bow. Some were surprised he could speak. "And I was quite rude, as well." The man smiled and forgave him easily, saying that he had been an enemy to the water tribe in many eyes. But he didn't hurt the water tribe while he was there, he only wanted to help Zuko. "Does he hate me now? I said some pretty cruel things, even after I got my memory back."
"He never hated you. He was sad at what he'd not done, even if he didn't have the power to do anything then. The next time you see him, I think you'll be pleased." Ace asked if he was coming. "Most likely. He taught the Avatar firebending."
"Oh, that's why they never came back. They stood me up. I hope Zuko respected fire and wasn't just throwing it around like he used to," Ace said seriously. His uncle replied that Zuko had changed and matured a lot over the past many months. Ace was glad. If he had been Aang's firebending master, than he'd broken off his family.
Ace quietly asked what had happened to Zuko's face, as that horrific burn hadn't been there when they were friends before the two years. Iroh looked angry, and explained that it was Ozai who gave him that burn. Ace was unsurprised, but sighed in sadness and sympathy. "I heard about you and chi blocking. And that you taught many water tribe warriors how to do it." Ace nodded. "The irony. Learning it by the Fire Nation only to use it against them." Ace explained that, at the time he'd learned he knew the basics, he had no idea where he'd learned it. But it was quite ironic.
The old man was easy to talk to, and he held no grudge against Ace's cruelty to his nephew and disrespect to himself when he deserved a true thank you from Ace. "Ace, what are you, really? Your dragon body has changed, and you are able to enter the spirit world easily. I have seen you there before, when I meditated."
Ace explained about him being the sun spirit. Iroh definitely had not been expecting that, but remembered how gifted Ace had been with his "firebending" even though he had rarely used it, and hid it for as long as he had it, once it had been unlocked from a certain spirit he still didn't know the name of.
"I won't be using any fire against anybody here. I'll just use it as a display of power. I don't like destruction with my fire, or how foolish firebenders just toss it around recklessly."
"I agree. Firebenders should realize the consequences of a mistake that could cause much harm." He really was easy to speak to, and Ace enjoyed conversing with him about the spirit world from Ace's point of view. They were in a secluded area, so they weren't being eavesdropped on. "I am truly glad you found a loving home, Ace. You deserve it."
Ace smiled and agreed. He was very happy there, and felt truly welcomed and appreciated. It was different from anything he'd had before in his human life. "Living at the palace was a stressful place to be. Especially with Azula around." Ace soured at her name, but his face only had his eyes narrowed.
He did want to be in human form, but he didn't want to expose himself, so he stayed in this one, his original body. The planning was being made quickly, and Ace was to appear first and act as intimidating as he could. It would also be a great distraction while the others cleared Ba Sing Se of Fire Nation invaders.
Apparently, Azula was the one to conquer Ba Sing Se and nearly kill Aang. Of course it was her, a sneaky liar who loved to cause others pain. But she was there, she would be back in the Fire Nation. Ace was unable to chi block in this form, it was only as a human he could do that. But that skill wasn't needed, as this fight would be aggressive and decisive. He wouldn't have time to chi block anybody with the strength of the other members of the White Lotus.
He felt kind of special to be a part of it, despite his young appearance in his human form. Nobody knew he wasn't a dragon, and they were wondering where Ace had come from, as all dragons in the human world were supposed to be long gone. They got no answer from anybody who knew of his real identity and species.
Ace was napping on two days before the comet and attack on the Earth Kingdom capital when a familiar sound woke him up. The flying bison, Appa, had landed! Ace stood up to greet them, and Appa was unafraid of the large dragon right in front of him. "Hey, guys. No, don't say my name."
"Dragon! It's good to see you! Are you helping out here? I thought you didn't like fighting with fire!" Sokka said. He had hair now, not just on the top in a ponytail. Katara was there, as were three others, one being Zuko, with his hair grown out a bit and shaggy.
"Well, I'm mostly here to freak people out. Look intimidating and all. Should be interesting. So, you learned from Zuko?" he asked, showing all his teeth in a smile. Zuko looked away with a red face, and Ace laughed. "I guess you're a better 'firebender' than I am." Katara explained there were multiple reasons they didn't come back.
Toph would be unable to go to the Northern Water Tribe because she couldn't "see" on ice." Toph was the earthbending master for Aang, a girl around 12 years old who was also blind. Interesting! Ace asked if he could speak to Zuko alone, and the two walked behind an outcropping of rock.
"You don't need to apologize. I deserved the threats and everything. I'm not proud of what kind of person I was back then. A lot has changed since then." Ace agreed. But he still felt bad. After all, he was Zuko's best friend and yet he tore him to bits, even if he hadn't remembered at the time he did. "I accept your apology and forgive you. And I'm sorry I was unable to save you."
Ace smiled, and said he was happy about how things turned out in the end. He went to the Northern Water Tribe for safety because he was terrified of people after the torture. And he found himself a place to belong and be free, as well as find a family. "I am happy for you," Zuko said sincerely.
"Your uncle is in a tent over there if you want to see him. Don't worry, he doesn't hate you," Ace said kindly. Zuko looked nervous, but nodded and walked to the tent. Ace returned to the other ones in the Avatar group. He asked where Aang was. They all looked troubled, and said they had no idea where he went.
They just had to hope he would be back to fight the Fire Lord. "You should come with us. You could take down anything in the air! By flying!" Sokka said brightly. Ace was honest with his reply.
"I don't think it would be good for me to face Ozai, and if I did, I would be breaking a sort of rule made. I'm not going to hurt people with my fire again. Plus, I don't think it would be good for me with what he'd done," Ace said simply.
Katara looked sad, and said she understood why he felt that way. "I have faith you all can do it."
"Oh, yeah! We met Azula and her friends! Hah, they were so confused when I dodged that girl's chi blocking! They were all confused with where we learned about them, knowing their names and all. We never said about it, but it was funny seeing them so flustered," Sokka said. Another girl there who had stayed quiet said Sokka was sure happy.
"Well, I want to at least be relaxed a little bit before we go fighting the Fire Lord's army, all powered up with the comet." When Zuko came back out with his uncle, he was smiling in relief, and Ace was glad he got to have official forgiveness from his precious uncle. Ace had been told about Zuko's behavior at one point, but could tell he had moved past it completely.
He didn't look sour or furious or in pain. He just looked serious, but content in some way. The plan was repeated, with the Avatar and his group being the one to take on both Azula and the Fire Lord. If Aang didn't show up, it was up to them to do this. After some food and naps, the group were leaving again. Zuko and Katara were taking on Azula, with Sokka, Toph and Suki taking on the Fire Lord and his fleet.
"Get some revenge for me, guys," Ace said lightly.
Zuko said, "Definitely," in a very firm voice. Ace told him he'd visit once things were more stable. "I actually want to visit the places the Fire Nation hurt most, and give them a declaration of peace, and that the war is over. Harmony should be brought to the world, and a promise from the next Fire Lord would be a good way to start off."
Ace smiled at this, proud of his once best friend, and now reunited friend. Ace held no ill will to him, none at all anymore. He and Katara were on Appa, with the other three on an eel hound. Ace wished them all good luck. "See you at the end of this war," Ace said, and both groups left. Ace turned to the wall of Ba Sing Se, the group near it, but not completely in front of it.
"You just gave Zuko a lot of hope. He has something to look forward to after the war is over," Iroh said. "I'm so proud of him."
"He'll make a good Fire Lord," Ace agreed.
-x-
The group of six and Ace stood a bit away from Ba Sing Se's outer wall. Ace was ready to do his part to make it easier for the rest of them. To get in easier. Ace would be the perfect distraction, as well. He wished them good luck and shot off towards the wall. Landing on it, he roared as loud as he could, and blew fire out that blanketed the sky over all of Ba Sing Se. He flew through the fire, roaring and landing in front of enemies.
They firebended at him, but of course it did no damage. He swiped with his tail, throwing some back before he landed on multiple roofs, snarling like a real beast, the one he appeared to be, and having his sounds echo throughout the city. Screams were heard as he flew overhead, and then the real White Lotus members broke in to liberate the city.
Ace continued to fly around, and breathed terrifying fire that was actually harmless. They ran from his blasts and into the areas where the old men were at, successfully falling for a trap to free Ba Sing Se faster. He went for the groups and the areas with the Fire Nation vehicles, crushing some under his girth, though not killing those inside.
He had decided to help out a bit more before the plan was going perfectly, and the five masters all did their duty. Ace just continued to fly overhead threateningly. The Fire Nation soldiers were caught between the fear of Ace and the actions of the White Lotus as they took back the city with their superior bending.
Ace destroyed buildings with his weight, surprising those distracted by the others, a fatal flaw was that fear that gripped them at all the wrong times. Unsurprisingly, the Fire Nation vehicles and army were taken out or surrendered fairly quickly in the face of five strong old men and a dragon.
Shanks and Pakku froze every firebender in ice, since there just weren't enough cuffs for everyone. They they all met at the palace, the capital of the huge city. Ace landed with a thud, and the other six met, too. They had done it! Ba Sing Se was no longer under Fire Nation control. Ace looked up at the comet, still in the sky, and wondered how "Team Avatar" was doing against their respective enemies.
He hoped they'd be fine, or else Ba Sing Se would be taken over again, no doubt. Ace was thirsty, but didn't complain. "Now what?" Ace asked.
"We want you to return to the Northern Water Tribe," Shanks said. Ace asked when he had to go, he wanted to know the outcome of the battles. "Pakku and I will bring back information. We know you're wanting to go back as well." Ace did, he wanted to be with his family and keep watch over the forest and city.
"How will you get back?"
"We could have gone around the continent. There is a way back, we don't need you to return." Ace nodded, a bit bummed about not getting to stay and learn the fate, but he would get answers from the waterbending masters. "Your name, the dragon, will live on in the history books. Are you okay with it not being you? Your name not included?"
"Of course. I don't need world wide recognition or anything like that," Ace replied honestly. He wasn't going to travel the world, and his tribe would know about it. That was the only place he was going to stay. They seemed satisfied with his answer. When he was getting ready to leave, he was stopped, and given a medal with the White Lotus pi sho chip on it.
"You're effort was invaluable. Thank you, Ace," Iroh said with a bow. Ace smiled, and thanked him for the medal, before leaving and heading back home, following the route they'd taken on the way there.
When he got home, he immediately checked on the forest, and was relieved to find everything in order. He then went home, and hung the medal on the wall in his home. He found Marco and Thatch camped out at the courtyard, looking bored. Had they been there for a long time? He landed in front of them and hugged them.
"Now, where the hell were you?!"
"Ba Sing Se. I helped take it back from Fire Nation control," Ace said bluntly. Both were dumbfounded. "Yeah, I was only as a dragon, though. And I was able to make up with Iroh and Zuko. They're both good guys, now," Ace added. "So, hopefully the Avatar and his group defeat the other targets."
"Hopefully. But we're proud of you, that's awesome!" Thatch gushed. Ace turned red and said he felt kind of like he wasn't necessary. "Well, they wanted you for a reason, right?" Ace nodded, saying he mostly worked to scare all of the firebenders and soldiers. "Still awesome. Let's go get something good to eat, you deserve it."
Ace smiled and said he was hungry. Marco looped arms with him and said he was glad he was safe. "Did you worry?"
"Of course. We didn't know where you were going, what you were doing and when you'd come back," Marco said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Ace apologized for stressing them out. The comet was long gone by now, firebending back to its normal level. No news on if the war was over since there was no way to learn from the Fire Nation yet. If they won, then Pakku and Shanks would come and say something, but they'd take longer than Ace had flown. They went to their favorite restaurant, and some people wondered where he'd gone.
"Hopefully you'll all find out soon," was Ace's vague reply. They ate happily, glad to have Ace back and knew where he was and that he was staying safe there. But they were nervous that Ace's efforts had all been for nothing, and the war was still continuing on, and the siege of Ba Sing Se was just a waste of time and energy, having it just recaptured.
It was only three days later that someone unexpected showed up. Ace was in the spirit world for tea with Aye-Aye and wasn't there for the announcement. But after he finished his cup, and conversing about his fun times scaring the humans, and the returned to the human world, the trees all in order, fire keeping any threat away, he found Appa outside the ring, and saw someone was waiting there.
He walked through the flame fence easily, and saw it was Zuko, looking more proper and refined than last time he saw him, before the comet and stressed. "Zuko?" Ace asked. His friend stood up, and showed his fancy clothes.
"What do you think?" Zuko asked. "Haven't worn fancy clothes like this in what feels like forever." Ace grinned, and said he looked like a true Fire Lord. He ran up Appa's tail and onto the saddle excitedly. Zuko looked pretty happy, too. So much less stressed, and his face wasn't all tight. "I beat Azula, and Aang took away my father's bending."
Ace's jaw dropped in shock. "A lion turtle apparently gave him that ability." Ace hadn't heard of any lion turtles here before now. Not since he remembered who he was. Ace then smiled, and congratulated his friend. Ace felt they could be close again, but only for some visits. Ace was guarding this place, whether it fully needed him to or not.
He enjoyed and felt safer with the spirit world in flying distance. "How was it against Azula?" Ace asked curiously. Zuko had never been able to defeat her.
Zuko's face fell into one of pity and regret, surprising Ace. "I think there was something wrong with her. She was off, paranoid, and hallucinating. The only thing I could really do was put her in an institution. She was attacking everyone even after Katara and I defeated her and I took the throne. It was hard to see, even after knowing the kind of person she is."
Ace didn't feel any compassion for the former Fire Lord and his daughter. Not one ounce. It was good Azula was put away, and would be treated better in an institution than a prison, where she belonged. Ace wasn't fearful, and was more enlightened knowing he was a spirit, but he didn't forgive her. He couldn't see himself ever forgiving that woman.
"I'm glad you won. I just freaked people out mostly. Was kind of inconsequential, to be honest."
Zuko said, "So much has changed. I'm the Fire Lord, the war is over, and then you're here, in a completely different world. When we were younger, I pictured myself as Fire Lord, because I was heir to the throne, but I saw you as my possible right hand man." Ace smiled lightly, and said he'd thought that, too. "Then will you come back?"
Ace looked to the spirit forest, the light of the portal peeking through the tree tops. "No. I found a life here that I want to keep. And I'm bound to the forest anyways. The only way I'll keep this body in the long term is if I continue to guard the forest. I'm sorry," Ace said sincerely, not wanting to disappoint Zuko.
He didn't look too surprised, but did look a bit sad. "I was expecting you to decline, but I had to ask. I have this huge responsibility now, to heal the world with Aang. We announced the war's end and promised peace, but you weren't there. Your friends told us where you were, so I came out here to wait." Ace said he'd been having tea with his friend.
"What about your mom? She's with you, too, right? You won't be all alone." Zuko looked pained. "Is she okay?" he asked in worry.
"I'm not sure. She disappeared and never came back. After that, and after you were gone, it was just me. Then I was banished and all. It's been a hard few years, to be honest," Zuko admitted truthfully. "But, though I have much more responsibility now, it's not to keep an old war brewing.
"I know it will take a lot of work to fix the world and heal the scars of the war, probably multiple generations to heal the damage. But I will set the line for the Fire Nation to be peaceful and try to have the world in harmony," he said determinedly. He seemed a lot happier now. A sort of wistful happy, but happy nonetheless.
Ace said he would help him here. "Everyone trusts and likes me here. I'm not the chief and don't pretend to be, but I'd be glad to help in any way I can." Zuko said he wasn't sure. The Northern Water Tribe was largely untouched by the war. The Southern Water Tribe was the most damaged. It was possible Ace could help there, with the spirit portals being near one another and easy to travel to.
He could be a messenger between the southern and northern tribes. "I can be a messenger between both tribes. The spirit portals to the north and south poles are near one another in the spirit world, after all." Zuko smiled, and thought that could be a help. Ace looked over, and saw a dark thing coming out of the forest. Another dark spirit.
This was only the second one he'd seen, and it worried him. "What is that?"
"Wait here, I'll be right back," he said, and slid off of Appa's side, who looked apprehensive. Ace hurried through the fire and to the spirit. "What is wrong?" he asked in worry.
"Where is he?!"
"Who?"
"Song!"
"A spirit friend?" The spirit nodded, and started tearing through the trees. Ace covered it in flames until it was not angry anymore, and he offered to help find his friend for him. "I'll meet you back at the city! I'm sorry, this might take some time!" Zuko nodded, and Appa flew away.
The spirit and he walked through the portal, and it apologized for burdening Ace. "It's okay, I want you to find your friend," Ace said nicely. He didn't like the spirits being in pain, and liked that his soft fire could truly help them feel better. It took twenty minutes to find the spirit's friend, Song. It was a flowery spirit butterfly, and it fit nearly with the flowery spirit that Ace helped out. Song almost disappeared, blended in. Like they were two peas in a pod. They thanked Ace sincerely.
Honestly, they could have found each other on their own. But he nodded, glad they were together, and he headed back to the Northern Water Tribe, worried over the state of the spirit world, and if it was becoming more and more unstable. Two dark spirits in the span of only a few months.
How often were they before Ace came? He landed beside Appa and changed back into human form, and hurried to the group. Aang was there, too. "Ace! I'm sorry I stood you up," he said when he saw him, sounding guilty.
Ace smiled and told him not to worry about it. "I'm glad you chose Zuko. Things only turned out this way because he was with you. Thank you for defeating Ozai. I have to talk to you about something important," Ace said, his demeanor changing in an instant, as well as the Avatar's. They waked inside, where Zuko was speaking with the chief of the tribe and princess Yue.
"What is it?"
"What do you know about the spirit world? Do you know much?"
"I've only been there a few times, so I don't know much about it," Aang said, sounding a bit worried. Ace contemplated whether telling him. It probably wouldn't be his issue, his Avatar lifetime. It would be the next Avatar's. So Ace explained about the strain that both worlds would be in in a few decades.
The tween took it very seriously and maturely, not freaking out, because there was nothing he could do about it right now. "So, the next Avatar will need to fight Vaatu, the spirit of darkness?" he asked slowly. But he seemed relieved in a sense of not having to deal with that task as well. Ace nodded. "Is there anything I can do, now?"
"I'm not sure. I think more dark spirits will come, but I only watch over the northern portal. I can only do so much before some come here. I… don't know how they'd interact with normal humans."
"Aren't you the portal guardian?"
"Well, only voluntarily at first. But I live here and check on it at the same time. So I am the impromptu guardian, I guess," Ace replied honestly. Aang asked if he could trust this portal to him, and the sun spirit nodded. He told the chief and Zuko that he'd like to make Ace the official guardian of the northern spirit portal.
Ace wasn't sure he was happy with this, but he also wanted to protect both places. His human home and family and the spirit forest. He felt burdened, though. He didn't want to be the guardian originally, not a full time job. But it would keep him busy. He wanted to spend more time with his family and maybe go on trips.
But in this way, that chance was over. Well, it was fine. He'd not had any responsibilities for thousands of years and then billions before that, when he was detached from most things. A couple decades of responsibility would be fine. He accepted the post, and was honored to be officially recognized. Not because he felt he needed that, but water tribe people would know who he was, officially. Not just a neighbor knowing. Future generations would know.
He would be in the history books here, which helped him out. His life here would mean something, physically. It was hard to explain how he felt, even to himself. But he took up the post. His former best friend was Fire Lord, and had been through such hard times. Ace had in a different way, but he felt he should follow in his friend's foot steps and step up to a big task as well.
"Ace, you don't have to do this."
"I'll do it. I already was, this will just make it official, I guess," Ace replied. "You're the Fire Lord now, I should step up, too. The world needs to change, and the least I can do is keep both worlds separate at this portal. I'll try and keep spirits off of your list of worries," he explained. Yue was smiling at him fondly, maybe comparing the former to the current Ace. "And there's no more war, I won't have to train soldiers to be chi blockers."
The Avatar and Zuko looked thankful for his offer and acceptance of this pivotal role. Maybe not at the moment, but it would be. Ace was asked to write a book on the spirit world. "A book?" he asked.
"So people will have a reference to it, look up information once the world becomes more relevant to more people," Aang said. The sun spirit agreed to that. It did make sense. "Are you sure you want to do all this? You don't have to, it'd just be helpful."
"I already signed up for it before you came here. And it's something only I can do, since other spirits can't cross over unless they're dark," Ace replied honestly. "I'll write the book, though I don't know what kind of quality it would end out like." Zuko chuckled. He said it looked like they'd be working together, after all. "Long distance."
Aang was relieved to have Ace on their side, and somebody would could help the human world know the spirit world more. They were mirror dimensions and affected one another in unseen ways. Ways that would only become stronger and more pressing. Ace had guided the first Avatar, he would help the next.
There was a special meal for the whole tribe, a pot luck of a sorts, and Ace formally introduced Thatch and Marco to Zuko. It was awkward as hell. Marco was still angry at Zuko for not saving Ace during the two years, and Thatch kept punching him to stop. After all, Ace forgave and was friends with Zuko again. A special relationship was mended, Marco could at least pretend to be happy for him.
"Besides, you're disrespecting the Fire Lord. Shame on you," Thatch said dramatically. Marco took a few deep breaths and nodded.
"I'm sorry for being rude. You just didn't see how-"
"Marco. Enough," Ace said firmly. "I don't want to go over this. The world is doing its best to move on, you can try, too." Thatch laughed at Marco's red face in shame and embarrassment. But they all moved on, thankfully. Zuko and Aang would stay a few days to talk with the leaders of the water tribe.
The Southern Water Tribe was decimated by the Fire Nation, and would need to be rebuilt. Pakku and some others were going to head to the other side of the world to try and heal their sister tribe to what it used to be. Everything was changing so fast, and Ace didn't hate it. Change was hard, but this was good change, for everybody but those who were locked away.
When they said goodbye, Ace felt at peace. Things would change for the better from now on. They had good leaders who could converse with each other for each nation. Ace trusted there would not be another war anytime soon.
