Wishfull-star: Thanks. :)

Maldea: Iroh is everyone's favorite uncle lol. OMG, the little drummer boy song in "tales of ba sing se" killed me. So sad. And it's not the last we see of them...

prsn110: It's unfortunate you don't want to read past chap 1, but this is just my writing style and most people don't seem to be put off by it. But everyone has writing styles they do and do not like to read. Like how I can't read stories where the paragraphs are super long or where a bunch of dialogue from multiple characters is in one paragraph.


"I don't want to go this. It's so boring, and my handwriting is crap," Ace said, face down on the desk in disappointment. He kept dropping ink blots on the paper. He asked Marco to write it for him. "C'mon, it's important stuff, don't you want to be mentioned in it, too? The most important scripter… or something?"

Marco looked unimpressed before Ace gave him his puppy eyes. "Fine!" Ace cheered, and sat next to him, telling him what to write, only it didn't make sense and Marco couldn't write it all down. He was just blabbering facts by now, not how you would write in an actual book. "Ace, that's not what a book would even sound like, let alone a historical text."

Ace pouted. "I'm not a writer, okay? I don't know the fancy going-ons of writers."

"Anybody can finish a sentence before starting a new train of thought." Thatch started laughing at them, and Ace turned pink. "Shut it, Thatch, you aren't doing anything helpful."

"I'm cooking. I'm giving you energy to write this crappy book, aren't I? So I have the most important job." Marco and Ace huffed, but worked hard on the book. It was too thick for either of their liking, the length daunting and it just seemed it would be endless. They did spent the next hour brain storming ideas and how to go about putting them all together in a real book that would be referenced for generations.

By the end of the day, three pages were written, but both brothers saw this as a huge success. After all, Ace had been meandering for three days beforehand, worried about not making a good book. Now that he had support from somebody else, actively, it felt much less daunting and scary.

The book took three weeks to write, which was a huge success for the three brothers. It would be different for the Earth Kingdom do heal the scars the war made. Out of every nation, it was the Northern Water Tribe that had it the easiest. They were untouched by the Fire Nation, and had no invaders. There was one major attack and that fizzled out.

So, they were the least impacted and the most relieved. And all of the citizens were glad for this fact.

-x-

"I did it!" Marco shouted, standing in front of Ace in the spirit world. For the first time ever, Marco had crossed in by himself, without Ace at the pond. Ace was amazed by his brother's feat! Now they just had to wait for Thatch. Which took a long time. They were about to give up before Thatch appeared.

He had crumbs all over his face. "You were eating, weren't you?!" Marco said in annoyance.

"What?! How could you accuse me of such a thing!? I was meditating," Thatch responded until they both pointed out the crumbs on his cheeks. "Okay, I ate a biscuit while I meditated. It's not a big deal."

Ace sighed but then laughed. But they had both made it in, eventually. They walked off and to the ocean of the spirit world, all satisfied and happy they could make it by themselves. Ace walked them along the ocean, looking endless, until both asked to see the spirit portals that Ace crossed through often.

He agreed, and they appeared there. "What is that?!" Thatch asked, looking at the mangled tree in the middle of the valley that both closed portals were at. Ace looked at the evil spirit, glaring at him. Causing so much trouble for so long. Stupid jerk spirit.

"That is the spirit of darkness, Vaatu. The first Avatar imprisoned him in there," Ace said with a sour voice. "He turns spirits dark, angry and not themselves." Thatch wondered if that had happened to him, and Ace scowled. "Yeah. It wasn't for long, though."

"What did it feel like?" Marco asked quietly, cautiously. Ace described a slimy sensation, like he was covered in mud, and his mind was foggy and confused, just so angry. "Do you think it could happen to you again?" They were worried about him, now. Ace shrugged. It had been 10,000 years, so he could be different now. "What'll you do during Harmonic Convergence?"

Ace wasn't sure. "It would probably be best for me to stay in the spirit world during that. Just in case. I would feel like I was abandoning everyone by hiding away, but it would be a precaution," Ace confessed, not liking that he might be able to turn dark, despite being in a human body.

"Well, we won't feel like you're abandoning us," Thatch declared. Ace stayed silent, and Marco quietly pointed out that both of them would most likely be gone by then. The chef's face fell, and he apologized to Ace, thinking he'd been insensitive.

"It's okay… it's the truth," Ace said quietly, sadly. He knew they'd die and leave him on his own. Hopefully he could find new friends then. Not all alone in the human world. They explored some more before heading back to their bodies and having actual food. Well, Ace and Marco, since Thatch already ate. Though he claimed he only had one biscuit, which was a total lie.

But Ace was haunted the rest of the day by the reminder that he'd live long after his family were dead and gone. He wished he could turn them into spirits so they wouldn't leave him forever, but it just wasn't possible. It just wasn't, and he should stop thinking about it, which he did his best to do.

He could sleep, and eventually left, going to the spirit oasis and sat there with his knees up to his chest. He wished Thatch hadn't said anything. He put his toes into the pond, and laid on his back, closing his eyes and letting his spirit leave his body. He worked to travel in the real world as a spirit, like some past Avatars could do.

Finding himself traveling easily to the rest of the world, he didn't really know what to look for, so he looked for Iroh, and found him in a tea shop, looking truly happy. He was glad, he deserved happiness. He found Zuko next, as he was swamped with work and working with Aang on the future peaceful events.

Ace wished he could help, but he just couldn't. And they couldn't see him. He found the other members of "Team Avatar" there, and were glad they were all there to assist the Fire Lord. Having the resolve to do it, he found Azula in a mental facility, looking truly mad. What had happened to her in the two years? Was she a mess like this the whole time? In a straight jacket, she truly was insane.

He found Ozai in a prison cell, and grinned at it. Maybe it wasn't right to be happy about another's suffering, but he loved seeing this man hopeless and bendingless. He was useless and would never get out. And even if he did, he had no power to do anything major. Zuko could easily dispatch him, having firebending while his father did not.

Eventually, he went back to his body, feeling better, and went back home to sleep, both of his brothers thankfully still sound asleep. He got into bed, and fell asleep.

-x-

It was the coldest day Ace had ever had in the north pole. His teeth chattered despite being made of fire, and being inside didn't make it much warmer. Everyone had all of their clothes on, bundled up in many layers. It was uncomfortable to say the least. Marco and Thatch huddled with Ace close before he got an idea to warm the entire tribe.

He sent out a small, warm flame to each person there, that they could hold in their hands to keep warm. They all trusted Ace's fire, and held them close, warming up nicely, with little effort on Ace's part. After all, he kept the protective fire going on all around the spirit forest at all times and didn't ever let them out or have them falter. They were there for eternity unless Ace released them.

The day was much more bearable for everybody after that.

"Ace? Do you think you could give everybody one of those inside their homes? To keep them warm?" Yue asked when she was sitting in the spirit oasis with him later, both meditating, and Ace wanting to help Yue finally see the spirit world. It was fascinating to all humans who knew of it, though only a few had been there. Ace was not helping teach everybody.

"I guess I could. That would make them more warm inside. Yeah, I'll do that," Ace said with a smile, glad to help with his fire again. "Now, be quiet and still, and only focus on your feet in the oasis. I'll help you get there," Ace said in a smooth, peaceful voice. They both closed their eyes, and Ace guided her there until they both appeared in the forested area Ace usually started in, as it was beautiful and no dangerous spirits inhabited that area.

Yue was shocked and amazed, and he lead her to the place he had taken Thatch and Marco so much. To the tea shop run by friends, that usually had more spirits he recognized there. He held onto her hand so there was no risk of being separated. They walked to the tea shop, which took less time with the warped distance of the spirit world.

"Another human?" Tokoko, a spirit in the form of a purple vulture, asked. He was holding his tea in a wing like a hand. Yue looked worried, and Ace just said she was a friend, and had been touched by the moon spirit as a child. "Still a human," he said dismissively. Ace ordered them both tea, and she thought the tea was delicious.

Ace was surprised to see another human walk over! It was Iroh. What a surprise! "Oh, Ace, you're here, too!" he said in surprise. Ace said he had lived here for billions of years, after all. "Haha, that's true. I do love the tea from this shop, but nobody will give me the recipe for my own tea shop!" He sounded happy, and sat at the table across from the human and sun spirit, in human form to make Yue more comfortable.

The seemingly-teen introduced Yue to Iroh and vice versa. "The last time I was to the water tribe, your mother was pregnant with you, hahaha! Long ago, it feels."

"Is that how you met Master Pakku? And the others, as well?" Iroh nodded and sipped the delicious tea. He talked about his tea shop for awhile, so happy to have it back, and Ace explained his new role and responsibility. And that he managed to write a book about he spirit world for reference or study.

"I was never good at writing, personally. The ink always blotted," Iroh said in amusement for his own failure. Ace agreed, that was his problem too. That's why he had Marco do it. "I heard Zuko visited you?"

"He did. We talked for awhile. I think our friendship is mended again, we just don't see one another much. He asked me to come with him, and I said no. My life here and responsibility are important to me and the others. Though with the Fire Nation now no longer a threat, maybe I won't need to be the guardian like I was," Ace mused.

Iroh said his task was very important and admirable. Ace agreed, proud he was trusted enough to be tasked with it. Yue contently listened to their conversation before Ace thought it had been long enough, and they went to the beach, skipping stones. Yue had never been someplace as warm as here, with water so crystal clear.

"Seeing all of this makes me want to travel the world," she admitted, skipping a stone. Ace smiled and said that wasn't possible. But that he'd take her on tours here if she'd like. "Absolutely!"

"Can I ask how you're doing with Neha?" He was Yue's next arranged marriage, and he was leagues better than Hahn. She smiled, and said it was going well. She looked forward to marrying him. And was glad he trusted Ace was just a friend, which was a relief. After awhile, they returned to their bodies, and found nobody had known they left.

She got up, tired, and said she'd like to sleep for a bit. They left the oasis, both satisfied and Yue beaming, then heading their separate ways. She was nice and quiet to be around, when it used to be the other way around completely. So much had changed in a little under nine months. And it felt like so much longer. Which was good, he enjoyed his life a lot!

When he got home, Pei, their closest and oldest neighbor, was teaching Marco how to sew thing, fix up clothes. He was doing well, even if the patches were very obvious. Thatch wasn't there, and Ace just sat and watched, content to be in the quiet but for soft tones of the old woman who made them pie a lot.

After they were done, Pei thanked him deeply for the ever lasting flame that kept her home warm. Ace said she was welcome, glad to help. Marco showed his patched up jacket, and handed it to Ace. "You were practicing on mine?!" he asked angrily.

"You should appreciate that I fixed it!"

"I could have asked someone who actually knew what they were doing to sew it shut. Jerk," Ace snapped. "Now it looks all cheap!"

"If you had people pay you for your service, you could buy new ones." Ace scowled, and Marco apologized for that last bit. He wanted Ace to charge people for using his fire, but Ace didn't do that. Besides, they got pay out of donations of food and other necessities. It was fine with Ace, and it wasn't like they had to pay for their living place right now.

It was sort of free of charge because of all the good Ace had done in his short human life for the water tribe.

-x-

The whole tribe stood in the courtyard, two stories with some bleachers made of ice, for Yue and Neha's wedding. A year after Ace had arrived. He was sitting in the second row as one of Yue's friends. She was genuinely happy with this man, which Ace was glad of. She was never happy when she thought about Hahn, who was sitting in the very back, looking furious. That could have been him if he was a decent person and hadn't failed so spectacularly on the siege against the north.

Yue was dressed in beautiful garb, with her hair done up in a fancy way. The ceremony didn't last long, but the gathering afterwards did. The courtyard had been expanded, thanks to the ability to waterbend making it easy. There was a lot of food, Thatch honored to help out. They'd never had that feast for Ace's chi blocking teaching success, so Thatch never had the honor until now.

While he was cooking up a storm, Ace and Marco were congratulating Yue. Ace took out a little package, a gift nobody knew he'd gotten. She was surprised and opened it to see it was a rock from the spirit world, with green and blue stains on it. "It's one of the rocks we were skipping on your first trip to the spirit world. Iroh and my friends wanted to wish you congrats, so we collected this. It's not much, but it's the biggest thing I managed to bring out the portal." She was amazed and loved it.

Marco put his arm around Ace's shoulders in pride of his compassion and the thought he had put into it. Ace smiled, very glad the gift was worth the effort of pulling it through the portal. Ace eventually had to put it in his mouth in dragon form to bring it out, which was a damn miracle to work. So, here it was. The only known object out of the spirit world but for Ace.

He ate the food happily, talking with his old students that were still keeping up with their chi blocking. He'd made a real impact with that. The celebration was uplifting, everyone getting to mingle a bit. The courtyard was packed almost uncomfortably, but it was worth it to celebrate a happy wedding of their future leaders.

The next day, Ace was approached by Yue and Neha. He was lighting lanterns that had been built and put on every building's corner, so it was easier to see at night if the moon was clouded over. The flames could not be put out, so they would be there permanently. It was satisfying, using his flames for peaceful and helpful reasons.

Ace bowed to them, and Neha asked him if he'd be on the council of advisers. Ace was shocked and a bit uncomfortable. But they read his expression, and Yue said it wouldn't be a full time job like the others. Ace already had an important role. "But you've been such a help to everybody physically and emotionally. We think everyone would approve of you being there."

"I'm only 18," Ace said.

"And I'm 17, but I'll be the ruler in two years with my new wife." She blushed at that, happy. "With you being able to travel through the world as a spirit, you'd be able to give us news as to what is happening out there, since we're isolated up here. And it would be a big help if you could make contact with our sister tribe and learn of their progress through the spirit portals."

It was a lot more responsibility. He wasn't sure, and he was told he had time to think about it. "And it's your decision, and we won't be upset if you decline," Yue said, and Ace nodded. After then lighting the rest of the thousands of lanterns, Ace went home, and shared the news with Marco and Thatch once they were back from their own jobs. Thatch was now a chef for the rulers, in the palace, and Marco was still doing fancy construction.

"What do you want to do?" Thatch asked curiously.

"I want to help, but it's getting to be a lot. I have to tend to the spirit portal almost daily now. My chi blocking classes are still going on, and I just don't feel qualified enough to be put in such a position. I'm only considered the 'guardian' because of what only I can do. I just don't feel like that's the place for me, to be honest," Ace explained, eating his soup.

Marco said it was his choice. If he didn't want to do it, then he didn't have to. "But I get along so well with Yue already. I feel I could be of help to her, but I'd just be spread to thin. At least, for now."

"She'd much rather have you not do this than do it half assed and unhappily. I do think you could be a help for connecting with our sister tribe, at least to see how they're doing. How master Pakku is doing to help rebuild it. The northern tribe lost contact with them many years ago. It's important to get that back."

Ace knew that was a good point. He could do that at the time he checked on it so dark spirits didn't come out. He would accept that role, but not to be on the council. So the next morning, after doing a once over the spirit forest from above, he went to the palace and found Yue, and gave her his decision.

The princess was understanding about not being on the council, but was extremely grateful for him to keep contact between the two tribes. Ace knew that was very important, and would be happy to help with that, the only thing he could do alone. And the chief asked him to start that day. He was still leader, while Neha and Yue were not the rulers just yet.

Ace was given a letter to the Southern Water Tribe, but Ace didn't know what the contents was, and it wasn't his right to know. So, he flew to the spirit forest, and ended up at the portal entrance. Whenever he entered, he had himself sent to a certain place. He walked through the clearing with the two portals, passing Vaatu's prison.

Just being near it made Ace's body hurt. He ran, not wanting to risk having any darkness rub off on him in any way, even though he was in a human body. He liked that he was insignificant, so wasn't spoken to by the evil spirit. He walked out of the southern portal, but when he came out, he saw what was the state of this forest.

It was a mess. He felt completely unsafe being inside, and there were angry spirits gathered, with the forest frozen in ice, with a raging storm all around. He attempted to walk through it, and cleanse the angry spirits, but they didn't want that, consumed with anger at something. It didn't look like the forest had been harmed by humans, but it was frozen and just almost scary.

As a dragon, he couldn't fit through the frozen places. He made his way through the forest, barely and having to squeeze between places. When he did get out, there was another problem, the storm surrounding it. Even as a spirit in a human body, the negative aspects of the space, the aura, rubbed off on him.

Out of absolute necessity, Ace hurried back to the portal and fled. Well, shit. He didn't even get the letter through, and headed home, not liking that he failed, but there was nothing he could do. No human could get through either. He wasn't sure how to fix that place, as he didn't know what was actually wrong with it.

When he returned with the bad news, his face was grave, and Arnook grew worried with his expression and that he was still carrying the letter, undelivered. "I'm sorry, but I couldn't reach our sister tribe. Something is wrong with the spirit forest there. It's frozen over and full of angry spirits. It was unsafe for me to go in as both a human and spirit," he explained sadly, handing him back the letter.

"You couldn't go in as a dragon?"

"I couldn't fit that way. I nearly made it out, but the storm surrounding it is violent and dangerous. I'm really sorry," Ace said sincerely.

"No, it's not your fault. I'm not angry," the chief said. Ace offered to try again in the early morning, as dark spirits flourished in the night, but the ruler told him to not try again. "We have to make sure out spirit forest does not end up like theirs," he said seriously.

Ace promised to not let theirs end up in that state. But he was uneasy when he went to walk home for lunch. Very worried about the other portal, and what was wrong with it. He honestly had no clue why it would end up like that. He hoped it could heal somehow, but he couldn't do it. The Avatar might be able to, but Ace knew healing the world should come first.

Maybe he'd try again and try and heal the forest with the flames that fixed the northern portal. He went looking for Marco and told him about the issue. "No way, seriously? Damn."

"Yeah, it was scary," Ace confessed. "I started to feel the negative energy seep into me, too." Marco frowned and asked if he was alright. "I am now, but I can't make it through the whole place. The southern tribe is on its own," he said in shame.

Marco said, "It was going to be like this before. Just hopefully nobody got their hopes up too high." He was working on expanding the city into the tundra, helping to clear away the surface of it and then create new streets before any buildings were erected. He was so cool! Ace sat and watched for a bit before he left to go keep himself busy with anything. He didn't want to think about the failure, and the feeling of darkness that seeped into him and made him start to become irrationally angry.

He never wanted to feel that again. Poor Southern Water Tribe.

-x-

"What did you do to the other portal?" Ace demanded of Vaatu in his prison. The dark spirit just laughed at him, and said he'd done nothing yet. He was in a prison, he could only do so much from there at this time. "Then what's the problem?!" Ace asked in annoyance. He wanted to help that spirit forest badly, but every time he went in, it made him feel bad, and he was scared he'd become a dark spirit.

"It's no spirit's fault."

"Then it's the humans' fault?"

"Who knows?"

"Thanks, that was helpful," Ace said and ran back to his home portal. The humans had done or not done something to harm the southern portal, but what was it? And how did he fix it? Could he fix it? He honestly had no idea what he could do himself. Whether he was in a human form or not, he was originally a spirit, powerful, but a spirit nonetheless.

If it wasn't Vaatu's doing, though, that was lucky. If he fixed that forest, then maybe it would help against darkness in the future. Those angry spirits would eventually attack the humans living on the same continent as them. Ace, with permission, collected a large amount of water from the spirit oasis to try his own healing plan.

The reason the northern forest might be stable was because he it near the spirit oasis and those powerful and peaceful spirit kois. So, he stuffed the bags down his throat in dragon form and took them through both portals. He took a deep breath and felt the anger seep in before he poured the spirit water onto the icy soil.

He waited for any reaction before the ice started to crack a bit, and the trees beamce healthier as the ice disappeared with the help of Ace's flames. The spirits in the forest seemed to know they were wrong and went willingly into the flames. The spirit water spread around, deep into the frozen earth below.

His flames continued to cleanse the ice, and the enlightened spirits returned to the portal, all seeming dazed, as if they woke from a long sleep. "Go in peace," he said softly as they returned to their true home, feeling much better now. Once the forest was cleared, the ice gone completely, the storm dissipated when Ace flew a huge plume of flame into it. The spirit winds circled still, creating a vortex of fire before it all disappeared.

Ace grinned at his work, and pumped his fists up in the air. He'd done it! He fixed the southern portal! Now both tribes could contact one another through Ace. The sun spirit sent a circle of flame around the forest much like he did at the northern, to keep out any animals or humans who could damage the forest or portal somehow. Now, he didn't need to ask Aang to help out and burden him further.

The teen returned back to the northern tribe, and went to the palace, walking right in, perhaps disrespectfully. But he didn't want to wait. He went to find the chief immediately so he could return the letter to their sister tribe. He found him in the dining hall. "Chief Arnook, I have great news."

"Oh, Ace. What is it?"

"I fixed the southern spirit forest. We should be able to communicate with the other tribe through me." Arnook stood up in shock. Ace had not known how to fix it, yet here he was, saying it was safe. "The difference between the southern and northern forests were that the northern has another source of spiritual energy close: the spirit oasis. So I brought water from there and put it in the other forest.

"Then I fixed the dark spirits and they returned home to the spirit world, much happier," Ace finished explaining. The chief was in shock, and then surprisingly, bowed to Ace in thanks. For fixing something that was so important to further the healing of their relationship with the sister tribe.

Ace didn't know how to respond other than with, "You're welcome. I can take the letter there, now. I'll have to try and explain to them how to keep watch over the forest without harming it. I can't guard both forests. I don't think I can do that," he said honestly. Arnook said it was fine, this was wonderful already.

So, Ace took the envelope with the letter that had been sitting on the chief's dresser in his room, and he brought it with him through the spirit world and out the southern end. It was still tundra, just like his home continent, but the civilization there was in shambles compared to the northern tribe. The Fire Nation had picked apart this one much more than the other.

He found Pakku, who was working on rebuilding the tribe. Ace landed beside him, and he was surprised to see him. "Ace, this is a surprise!" he said, sounding happy. He was also holding the hand of another old woman, maybe Katara's grandmother that he'd had a relationship with long ago. Ace said he'd come through the southern spirit forest, and gave him the letter.

"This can be a way to send messages between the tribes. I'll be the messenger," Ace explained simply. Pakku read the letter and smiled. They would send supplies there to rebuild, though Ace didn't hear what they were. He couldn't bring many objects through the portals, especially if they didn't fit inside of his body somehow.

The bag of water had choked him, but he'd gotten it out immediately. Kanna (Sokka and Katara's grandmother) asked how he'd done that in shock. "I spread spiritual water inside the forest, and then helped to burn away the ice and appease the spirits and guide them back home," Ace explained.

Pakku smiled at this way to contact each other. It all depended on Ace, so he just became more important than ever. "I can't bring anything through the portal with me, only something that fits on or inside my body. Nothing else will come," Ace said. He looked around and asked how far along they were.

"The Fire Nation caused the Southern Water Tribe to scatter all along the continent, so it's some work to reunite everyone and get them all on the same page. It was take a lot of time to fix, but we're determined to do so. The Fire Nation even sent people here to help, as they were the ones to do the damage.

"It was their way of showing peace, and they've done well and kept their word. I took many waterbenders with me so we can rebuild with their help. How are things in the northern tribe?" Ace explained Yue's marriage and how his fire had enhanced living conditions. He offered to give them some flames to keep warm, and the citizens and workers around really wanted some, so he left a big pile of medium sized fire.

The southern tribe were wary of them before Pakku took one into his hands. With that show of comfort in it, they all took one, and it made the group happy, to have a source of heat in the cold. Pakku wrote a letter back, and Ace said goodbye. He headed back home, feeling enlightened.

Inside the spirit world at the portals, the appeased spirits were waiting for him. And they all thanked him, some tearful at the terrible feeling of anger and hate that permeated them for so long. "It's no problem, I'm just so glad I could help you all," Ace replied sincerely. "I've done my best to fix up the forest, but I won't be tending to it as much as the northern, so maybe don't go into the southern too much."

"Never again! That was scary!"

"Do you know what caused it? I had a feeling it was because there was no other source of spiritual energy." The spirit that had been trapped there the longest said it was just that reason. The southern water tribe used to hold spiritual events, but after the Hundred Year War, they were neglected and grew out of control with the citizens scattered and forgetting the importance of keeping it safe and healthy.

Ace smiled sadly. "Humans can only do so much," he said honestly. "I know what it felt like to go dark, and can't imagine the pain you've been in all this time. But we must work hard to keep one another safe and sound in the next few decades before Harmonic Convergence."

They agreed vehemently, and most scattered away, going to the more favorable places in the spirit world. Away from Vaatu and the portals. When he flew past the spirit of evil, it said, "There's only so much a spirit like you can do! I'll destroy you eventually!" Ace ignored him, and went home to deliver the message to the leader.