Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar or anything associated with it except my fanfictions.

Guess what. I lied. NOTHING'S KEEPING ME FROM WRITING! Although it wasn't an intentional lie. I'm under extreme pressure and stress, but writing lets me get it all out, so I'm not taking as much of a hiatus as I initially thought.

Slightly better on descriptions.

The waterfall still fell. The fish still circled each other. The world still kept moving.

And yet in their own little bubble, they sat in numb shock at what Zuko had told them.

"What do you mean, you can't firebend? Before you were sick, you literally snorted smoke from your nose, and smoke also came out of your ears! Why do you think we all called you Hotman?"

Zuko cringed away from Sokka's rage and disbelief. "Trust me, I'm in as much shock as you are right now, but like you said, after I recovered from my sickness... it was like I couldn't firebend! I first started noticing this whenever I got angry. The air around me didn't start to steam anymore. At first, I thought this was because I didn't have as much reason to be angry, and that my anger episodes weren't as fiery as before. But then we went to the Northern Air Temple. When we drove off those Fire Nation soldiers, my firebending was weak. I could've blamed it on other things: high altitude, nerves. But every bending art requires practice and training. So afterwards, while you guys were sleeping, I wandered off a little - but I was still within sight of you guys, obviously! - and I tried to practice my strength."

"Let me guess. You waved your arms like a wild guy and nothing happened," Sokka said dryly.

Yue stared at the firebender. "How do we know you're being truthful? For all we know, you're just pretending to be unable to firebend when in reality you're trying to set Aang back -"

Sokka glared down at the Princess, and she shrank away from her angered lover. "How dare you," he growled. Then he blinked and frantically apologized. "I'm sorry, Yue. I really am. But the fact is, we've been traveling with Zuko for months. If he was going to pull something dirty, he would've done it within the first week that we met. No offense buddy, but you aren't exactly the calm and patient type."

"Like the rest of my nation," Zuko smirked.

"Sure. But Yue, none of your people have known the Prince for long. But Aang and I both have known him for a very long time. We know everything about him - except maybe his family members - and nothing he has merits any suspicion over him. In fact... if the only hope for the world rested on Zuko right now, I would willingly lay myself down, because I trust him."

Yue nodded. "I'm also sorry... I acted too rashly. I of all people should especially know that there is more to someone than just their outside. Our political complexities call for it. And also... I trust anyone you are willing to trust, Sokka."

They smiled besottedly at each other, but Zuko's gears were turning. "Wait... back up a moment... you said my nation is naturally fiery tempered. Maybe... that's where firebending comes from. No wonder I haven't been able to bend fire lately! After my fever disappeared... I didn't feel like the world was turned against me, and I stopped lashing out in self-defense." He thought sorrowfully of his Uncle, hoping that he was at least reunited with his son. At least I changed in time...

Sokka rubbed his hand. "No wonder I never trusted jerkbenders. So prone to anger. Except... well... maybe your Uncle."

Zuko blinked. "I take offense to your first sentence, but after that... yeah, you're right. I've never seen Uncle Iroh angry, at least not after Lu Ten died. So..."

Yue finished his sentence. "... How was he able to firebend?"


Aang blinked, taking in the strange surroundings of the Spirit world.

He looked down at his hands. Strange. In the Physical World, they were connected at the knuckles, hands forming fists as they were pushed together. But now... his hands were palm up, resting on his knees - his fingers curling slightly inward, and his feet - or rather, his shoes - were in contact with the wooden altar he was meditating on in the Spirit World.

He looked up, and saw an archway much like the one of the Spirit Oasis, and of the door leading to it. It was as sparce as the door, but instead of serving as a covering, it instead served as an overhead to the Avatar's still form.

But the Avatar was awake, and he was aware of everything around him. It was almost too much to take in; tall plants of foreign plants surrounding a strange, shallow, greenish pond. Trees were scattered along the perimeter of the water, with roots strangely jutting out above the ground and water. The veins on the trees popped out from the bark, and strange foliage hung down from distorted branches. Rocks dotted the alien landscape, and although seeming strange and twisted, the Spirit world was full of life.

A white bird flew past Aang, and he snapped out of his reverie and waded through the water to see if there was anything he could find. He was on a mission, after all. Every second he wasted was another second that the Fire Nation would bombard the North Pole. Or at least, that's what he thought. Time seemed to move fluidly in this strange place.

Finding himself back on land, he scoured the now seemingly deserted area for any sign of life that could be of aid to him. He finally stumbled across a shrine more primal in nature with a tree growing on it, and he saw that a figure was situated below the shrine, sitting and emitting a loud ohm that reverberated throughout the strange swamp. Without a second thought, Aang splashed through the water and approached what he saw was some sort of strange babboon-monkey.

He quickly approached the monkey. "Hello? I'm sorry to disturb you. I just really need to find the Moon and the Ocean Spirits."

The spirit ohmed louder, and did not open its eyes. Aang got even closer, and said, "I need some help. What am I supposed to do?"

The monkey became quiet, and said, "Go. Away," exaggerating the movement of his mouth.

Aang did not go away. The monkey popped one of his eyes open, peered down at the insolent young boy before him, and gaped in disbelief. "You're still here?"

"Yes! I need - "

The monkey's eyes widened, and he slammed them shut, emitting his loudest "Ohm" yet. Finally, a strange orb of glowing light floated whimsically past the two beings. The monkey opened his eyes. "Perhaps that thing will help you. Chase it," he said with animated excitement. Without a second thought, Aang gave chase to the fluttering orb, wishing he had his airbending to help him.

The monkey opened his eye, and, satisfied that the boy was gone for good, sighed contentedly. He shook his head good-naturedly, wondering how that trick always worked, especially on young, silly boys like the one he had just duped. He said, "Finally," and went back to his calm meditations, his ohms certainly more muted and less frantic than before.


Through land. Through water. Through clear. Through thicket. Aang chased the spirit orb everywhere, not even paying attention to his exhausted limbs. He had to do something for his friends and his allies. The whole world was counting on him. He wasn't about to get beaten by some tiny spirit.

The spirit floated up a tree, and Aang energetically climbed it. Finally, on the very last branch, he leapt high and far into the air, and caught the defeated spirit in his outstreched hands. He let out a triumphant shout and landed on the branch.

Suddenly, the branch disappeared into nothingness, and Aang found himself screaming and falling. He hit the shallow waters very hard, and while he was groaning the spirit floated from his grasp and fluttered away.

"Come back!" Aang shouted desperately as fatigue finally caught up to him and he weakly swatted his hands in a vain attempt to reach out for the spirit. He shakily stood up, then collapsed onto his hands, too tired to blink when the water splashed into his blurry eyes, feeling utterly defeated. He couldn't believe it. He had failed. He wouldn't be able to reach the Spirits. He wouldn't be able to save his friends. All that was left for him was this dull swamp that played tricks on him and was now reflecting a strange figure with a white beard and Fire Nation Garb... and... a... a royal headpiece...

"We meet again, Aang," Avatar Roku said somberly.

Aang gazed upon his predecessor, absolutely flummoxed, then quickly got back to his feet. "Roku?" he rasped numbly. Before even realizing it, he launched into his desperate plight. "Roku, the Water Tribe's under attack. I need to find the Ocean and the Moon Spirits."

Roku vanished under the gentle ripples of the water, and Aang sighed, sure that everything he'd seen was an illusion. But then Roku suddenly materialized in front of him, taking tangible form from the mist that enveloped the swamp. "The Ocean and the Moon are ancient spirits. They crossed over the Spirit World to the mortal world very near the beginning. There is only one spirit I know of who is old enough to remember."

"Who?" Aang asked, hope flickering within him for the first time since he had seen the black soot.

"The spirit's name is Koh, but he is very dangerous. They call him the Face Stealer." And the hope was quickly put out by the suffocating ashes of fear. "When you speak with him, you must be very careful to show no emotion at all. Not the slightest expression, or he will steal your face."

Aang raised an eyebrow. Or at least, went through the motions. It took too much effort to carry out. "That's bad... but how is that dangerous?"

Roku sighed. "You must know, Aang, that the face is the gateway to your soul. So when Koh takes your face... he takes away the very essence of your being. Good luck. May the Spirits be with you." Aang nodded, and the apparition of Roku dissipated into the mist. Now that Aang was alone, the whole world came crashing down on him. Aang sat down, ignoring his thoroughly soaked clothes. "Why am I doing this?" he keened into the emptiness surrounding him. He was utterly drained, utterly defeated, unable to perform the task at hand. Never mind the fact that he was scared; he was physically drained, completely spent from his frantic antics and the long period of time that had elapsed since his strenuous misadventures and journeys. He lay down in the cool waters, wanting to never get back up again.

Then he saw his friends. Sokka who never stopped telling bad jokes and quips about meat. Zuko, who had found his path. All the people he saved and couldn't save.

Katara... her blue eyes... her infectious laugh... her beautiful smile... her comforting hugs... the exquisite feeling of her lips...

And that was what brought Aang back. Slowly, with a strength he never knew existed in him, he painstakingly brought himself to his hands... then his knees... then his feet. He staggered, still utterly exhausted, and then, steeling himself with the image of the love of his life, he braved himself through the treacherous terrain, running at a breakneck pace to what seemed to be his doom and downfall.

But he never faltered, remembering the watertribe girl, his sole reason of being, his anchor in the shifting world he lived in, the flame that kept his candle of determination and life alight.


"Come on, Commander Prince Hotman Zuko Sir! You can do better than that!"

Sokka was trying to goad Zuko into anger to fuel his inner fire, but it wasn't working. The most Zuko had managed to get out was some thick smoke that caused the three of them to begin to cough. Finally, they gave up, and Zuko plopped on the ground, defeated. He sighed. "I don't know what's come over me," he said sadly. "I... I guess I can't bend anymore." He sighed, remembering his life back at home. "I was always like this. When I was young, my father almost killed me because I didn't have the spark in my eye that indicated I was a firebender. My younger sister was a prodigy, always twenty steps and forms ahead of me, even though she was two years younger than me. One time, we were shown off to my grandfather, Firelord Azulon. My sister answered every question correctly, before I did, no matter what the question was and how I reacted. When it came to showing our forms, Azula did this form that I couldn't even dream of doing. I tried to imitate her, but failed miserably. I was cast aside. My father summarized us very distinctly... my sister was born lucky, while I was lucky to be born." Zuko looked up, noticing the sun had risen, and that it was nearing its zenith. He sighed. "But besides the Avatar, I didn't need luck. I didn't want it. I've always had to struggle and fight and that made me strong. It made me who I am. But now... it's like the fight has left me. I have no power, no passion, nothing. I guess... I guess luck never even cast a glance on me in the first place," he finished sadly. "And that's not even the beginnings of all the trouble I've faced. And then people wonder why the Fire Nation royal family is a bunch of mad people." The laugh forced from his mouth tasted bitter on his tongue and caused his heart and soul to ache.

They all pondered over Zuko's desperate and long-winded confession. Finally Sokka asked, "Who was your sister?"

"Azula. Named after my grandfather, Firelord Azulon. She's ruthless, cold, merciless, power-hungry - and she had everything she wanted, except my mother's love. But then my mother disappeared, so that didn't even matter anymore."

Yue stood there, deep in thought. "You know... I don't have a story as deep or sorrowful as yours, but I do have an intriguing, spiritual past. When I was born, I was very sick and very weak. My hair was a deep black, but I never opened my eyes. Most babies cry when they're born, but I was born as if I was asleep, my eyes closed. Our healers did everything they could, but whatever sickness I had, they couldn't heal it or treat it. They told my mother and father I was going to die." she looked up at the moon. "My father pleaded with the spirits to save me. That night, beneath the full moon, he brought me to the oasis and placed me in the pond. My dark hair turned white. I opened my eyes and began to cry, and they knew I would live. That's why my mother named me Yue. For the moon."

They sat down, their weary limbs demanding rest. "Wow," said Zuko. "That's... a powerful story. So you owe your life to the moon."

"Yeah..." Sokka said. His eyes lit up. "Wait. The moon is where waterbenders got their power from... so is there a source from where firebenders get their power? The sun, perhaps?"

Zuko snorted. "Good luck with that. The sun augments our powers, true, but the true source of firebending came from dragons."

Sokka laughed. "Ha ha! Dragons aren't real! Nice try buddy!" he glanced at Zuko and saw he wasn't smiling. "Wait..."

Zuko shook his head. "They're extinct. Sozin started a tradition of hunting down dragons. Anyone who killed one was honored with the title 'Dragon' and their firebending skills would be renowned throughout the Fire Nation. My Uncle was supposedly the one who killed the last dragon."

"Really?"

Zuko nodded. "They call him 'The Dragon of the West.' Granted, this was all before his legendary siege of Ba Sing Se, and before his only son died. He's changed a lot since then. You should've seen his reaction upon seeing Aang in the iceberg. 'Oh my Spirits,'" he mockingly mimicked his father. He waited for the punch line. "'... is that a flying bison?'"

Sokka and Yue rolled on the ground, their laughter proving that life still went on during a war. Zuko smiled at them.

"... and then he started dancing, and it took him ten minutes to realize that there was a glowing figure below it."

"And then you broke the ice, met Aang, went to the watertribe, and after a series of mishaps we're all here waiting over Aang hoping that we can be saved somehow," Sokka quipped. "Yup. Our lives have changed since meeting the Avatar. Zuko can't firebend, a bunch of people died, my sister's heartbroken, and now there's going to be a genocide of the North." He shrugged. "But I wouldn't have it any other way, because -" Sokka lightly touched the tip of Yue's nose, causing her to shrink back and giggle. "I met you, Princess."

Suddenly, their distracted, wisdom-filled vigil over Aang was disrupted by a messenger from the palace. He sent a message to Yue. She read it, and blinked, unsure of how to react.

"What happened?" Sokka asked. He peered over her shoulder. "... oh."

"What is it?" Zuko asked curiously.

"Yue's fiance... he died."

"Really? How?" Zuko said.

"It doesn't say..." Sokka trailed off. He turned to Yue. "Well... this is weird."

"Yes..." Yue breathed.

Sokka tackled her and they immediately went into a full makeout session in front of Zuko. His eyes. He needed to scrub them very thoroughly. With hot pepper juice. He cleared his throat, and they glanced up at Zuko, realized where they were, and quickly rolled off each other. "Lovebirds, I understand. I really do. But even though there's nothing holding you guys back from each other anymore, we still have an Avatar to watch over."

The red-faced lovers nodded hastily, and continued guarding the glowing inert form of the Avatar. But while they maintained their diligent positions, one thought ran inside all their heads.

What had happened to Hahn?


Zhao calmly observed the fiery balls of death tearing holes into the homes of the Northern Watersavages.

He was on the top deck of his massive ship, surveying the destruction he had caused to the savage city. The walls had long been demolished, the looming fate of victory staring Zhao in the face. And yet... his victory wouldn't be secured by nightfall, which his subordinates did not fail to notice. After all, this was the night of the full moon, when waterbenders' power was at its peak.

"Sir, with all due respect, I would like to point out that nightfall draws near. If we don't defeat the Water Tribe before the full moon rises, they will be undefeatable."

Zhao only smirked. Unbeknownst to even his allies, he had a plan written in his destiny to take down the North and waterbending once and for all. "I assure you I have everything under control. I intend to remove the moon as a factor."

The captain sputtered. "Remove the moon? How?" but even through his evident shock, his face was full of awe and reverence at his supreme commander. As it should be. But Zhao was destined for more. He would be more than just an influential figure in history. He would be a legend.

Suddenly, the door to the deck burst open. A dark-skinned, savage boy with a primitive bone spear and a severely outdated uniform - shoulder spikes, really? - shouted, "Admiral Choi, prepare to meet your fate!" He took off his helmet with a flourish, leveled his spear at the admiral, and charged, shouting an animalistic cry.

Zhao simply stepped to the side, and the boy's momentum carried him over the ship's side, and with a surprised shout, the boy splashed into the water.

"That was..." the captain began.

"Interesting. Amusing. And hilarious." Zhao grinned. "But onto what I was planning to say... As I was saying, years ago I stumbled upon a great and powerful secret: the identity of the Moon Spirit's mortal form."

"The source of waterbending power," whispered the captain.

"Silence. But yes, you are correct. I was a young lieutenant serving under General Shu in the Earth Kingdom. I discovered a hidden library. Underground, in fact. I tore through scroll after scroll. One of them contained a detailed illustration, and the words "moon" and "ocean". I knew then that these spirits could be found and killed. And that it was my destiny to do so." Zhao looked up into the dimming sky, the moon still not showing its cowardly face above the horizon yet. He could practically taste victory and fame and legacy on his tongue. "The Ocean and Moon gave up their immortality to become a part of our world." His grin was that of a shark about to taste its next meal. "And now they will face the consequences."


Aang hopped over some strange rock formations - stepping stones to the gnarled old tree where he assumed Koh lived. The branches - or what should've been branches - at the top of the tree were withered away by a creeping wave of black that was slowly corrupting the tree. At least for someone who stole faces, this place seemed ominous enough to be home to Koh.

Grotesque rock formations twisted and turned as if they were being tortured. This alone was enough to give Aang shivers. Rocks didn't have feelings, for Spirit's sake! Whoops, bad choice of words. However, he kept up this good-natured, crazy banter in order to keep himself unafraid and sane. Good thing he still had his necklace with him; he suspected that only this physical anchor to Katara was what kept him fully sane. Hop hop hop he went, and then he stopped when he saw a gigantic wolf spirit seemingly walking on thin air. Focus, Aang, he chided himself. You got a spirit to face, and Katara's people to save. He snarled in bravado, bolstering his anxious mood, and hopped onto the outstretched root of the huge sickly tree.

He climbed his way up to the base of the tree. The tree looked a lot shorter when he first stepped onto the precarious rocks. He half-expected those wedge-shaped rocks to collapse on him when he put his weight on them, but he forgot he was in the Spirit World. What was illusion and what was real? At least, real for the Spirit World.

When he finally found a landing to rest on, Aang saw that there was a dark crevice in the bark of the tree. The tree curled inwards towards this hole, as if it was being sucked into an inescapable hole. Even the path towards the hole was slanted downward, as if gravity itself was also generating a constant pull into the blackness of the unknown. If Aang was the tree, he wouldn't be too upset. He figured he wouldn't want to exist for long if he was as diseased as the tree. Upon closer inspection, the recess seemed to wind downwards for quite a ways, much like a cave.

Or a secret lair of an evil spirit.

He slowly tottered and tiptoed towards the dark, foreboding entrance, feeling the nonexistent hairs on his head stand up. His eyes widened and dilated in fear, taking in his surroundings, prepared to act or react to anything out of the ordinary. Not for the first time, he wished he had airbending to help him out. A steady creeping noise that had droned since Aang had arrived at the tree became louder and louder, and Aang's steps became more unsteady and shaking, until at long last a flash of brown caught his eye and he turned to see - a monkey.

Aang grinned with giddy relief. "You're just a curly tailed blue nose," he sighed, chuckling at his own silly paranoia.

The monkey turned around - showing a face without any expression, or any features at all.

Aang's eyes bulged, and he almost ended back at the roots of the tree. "AAAAAHHHHHH!" he screamed, tripping backwards and tumbling head over heels. But before his dramatic antics plunged him into oblivion, the shawl of his shirt was caught by a piece of torn bark, saving him from certain doom.

After Aang recovered from the taxing ordeal and managed to haul himself back up the tree, he muttered to himself, "Show no fear. Show no emotion at all." He blinked when he realized Roku's voice was talking with him. All of a sudden, he didn't feel so helpless. Because no matter what, he was never truly alone.

He had his past to guide him, and a future to sustain him.

He straightened his face, and walked into the cave.


The stairs were very very long, he'd give Koh that. He wondered how they came to be in the first place.

He spoke out. "Hello, Mr. Koh? Avatar here. I need your help. The world needs your help. Please don't steal my face." Aang was shocked by the courage laced in his words. Thoughts of Katara tended to have that effect on him. He touched the necklace she had given him, wondering how such a simple gift had turned out to be his anchor to the floor, his one solace in the midst of insanity and violence and death.

A movement in he corner of his eye dispelled his thoughts. He turned, expecting to see Koh, but nothing was there except for some rocks and the cave walls. He kept going on, turning his neck at any sound he could make out. He was starting to wonder if Koh even existed in the first place. Who knew, maybe Roku didn't even meet this Koh spirit, maybe he was just passing on what he had heard from an older entity...

Just when he was about to turn around and head back to the surface of the Spirit World, he came face to face with... well, what he assumed to be Koh. If Aang wasn't so terrified of changing his expression and losing his soul, he would have been cringing in disgust at the twisted image Koh offered him. The Spirit appeared to be some insect with hundreds of sharp, prickly legs - of course, insects weren't as large as Appa. A face as white and bleak as the winter wonderland outside the North Pole's cities was filled in with luscious red lips unbefitting a sickening creature like Koh, and huge dark blotches shaped like ovals marred both his eyes. On his forehead were two dark dots, one above each eye. But the worst part about him, was that it seemed as though this face he presented was merely an iris through which the spirit saw the world; the area surrounding his face was shaped eerily like an eye. Aang shuddered inwardly, gripping the necklace as though it was his lifeline.

It was.

"Welcome, Avatar," Koh said eerily, circling around the boy much like a shark would its next meal. Stand strong, Aang. You are the Avatar. You can do this.

Bringing his hands together, he bowed to the spirit in a show of respect, secretly wishing he could scream like a girl (or rather, how he thought a girl should scream but in reality was how a man screamed... Katara. Focus.) "Thank you."

Koh purred at Aang. "My old friend. It's been a long time."

"Really? You know me from a past life?" Aang asked, careful to make sure the emotions from his voice did not escape to his face.

"How could I forget you?" Koh suddenly blinked his face-eye - what was that third layer of skin called. Nick's membrane? Potato membrane?... Nicitating membrane. Phew. At least he learned some things under the tutelage of the monks. When the eye opened, Aang could see the face of a man with many lines, with facial hair that hailed from the Fire Nation. Koh suddenly brought himself to Aang, their noses almost touching, a growl on Koh's face. Surprisingly, Aang was not caught off guard by this unexpected yet interesting turn of events, and he watched impassively as Koh ranted, knowing it was all a ruse to provoke Aang into making a facial expression. "One of your previous incarnations tried to slay me! Nearly eight or nine hundred years ago. I think. Time does not exactly run smoothly here, as you can see."

Inwardly, Aang was reeling over the bipolar nature of this spirit. No wonder Roku said he was dangerous, Aang thought. One false step and voila, blank canvas where your face is supposed to be. "Well... I didn't know that, and I sure don't remember it. Why did he, or rather, I, try to kill you?"

Koh blinked and changed face to the face of a beautiful woman, her eyes half-lidded, her voice betraying the fear and sadness the woman must have felt before she was ripped away from her world and time. "You took someone I loved in a past life," Aang hissed.

"And why does it matter to you?" Koh asked monotonously. "Perhaps... you have a similar situation." He suddenly moved one of his claws to stab at Aang, but the Avatar did not move a muscle. At the very last possible moment, Koh brought the claw downwards and pointed at the necklace Aang was clutching. "How sweet. A betrothal necklace, from a place that isn't quite so ingrained in tradition. What's more, a monk renouncing his old way of life for love, with a person of a different ethnicity no less! Ah... I can imagine the delicious feeling of taking your pains and sorrows away... and then magnifying them a hundred-fold," he added sinisterly.

Aang kept still and silent. So long as he did not show emotion, Koh's promises and hopes would come to nothing. Koh sighed. "Of course, that's all behind us. Why should I hold a grudge against you for something in a past life? For what seems to me like a millenium no less. After all, you're a different person now. You've come to me ... with a new face." He grinned wickedly at the young boy before him. "It's been a long time since I added a young child to my collection... let alone one so powerful. Of course, I've never arrested the face of an Avatar... yet. It would throw the world into chaos. Then I won't be able to collect more faces. But trust me, dear friend the Avatar... when I find my chance... I will find you, and take your face!" He changed to the face of a monkey - likely the same one Aang had seen earlier - and he screeched, cackling a mad, evil laugh that echoed throughout the long hallway and set Aang's nerves on end. If he gripped the necklace any tighter, he'd cut his hands and bleed onto the necklace. He did not want to defile something so sacred and treasured from his love... much like he didn't want to ruin her life...

He let go of the necklace, and put his hand to his side. "About that... Koh..."

"Let's get to business... how may I help you?" Koh's face turned into that of an owl, probably to take on the role of wisdom-giving.

Which was what Aang needed. Now. He didn't have time for Koh's silly pomp.

"I need to find the moon and the ocean."

Koh turned away from Aang, pretending to study the walls of the tree he lived in. "Their spirit names are Tui and La, push and pull. And that has been the nature of their relationship for all time"

"Please. Help me find them. An entire culture could be destroyed if I don't get their help." Koh froze, blinked, and assumed the face of an old man. He chuckled an amused chuckle, much like a grandfather would laugh at the silly things his grandchildren would do.

"Oh, you think you need their help." Koh advanced towards Aang's face, claws held out menacingly. "Actually, it's quite the other way round." He suddenly changed face to a blue, demonic face, with large, circular red eyes and fangs jutting upward. "Someone's going to kill them!" Koh screamed, eyes bulging, jaw unhinged in a frightening expression.

Aang took a deep breath, and closed his eyes. Just a little longer...

"What do you mean? They're in danger? How can I find them and protect them?" he asked frantically, panic rising in his voice. Just another responsibility plopped on his shoulders... as if he didn't have anything else to do.

Now he had to save two spirits, a civilization, and the world. The former two he had to accomplish in less than a day; from what he remembered, the city had been nearly demolished, Fire Nation soldiers slowly advancing their way through the mushy sludge that remained of the once proud city.

The power of waterbenders was at their height... this was their only chance to end the siege in their favor.

But now even this slim hope was close to being smashed and shredded to pieces on the treacherous rocky shore that promised false harbor.

"You've already met them, actually." Koh said, turning around, weaving around Aang and perusing the room. "Tui and La, your moon and ocean, have always circled each other in an eternal dance. They balance each other, push and pull, life and death, good and evil, yin and yang."

Aang's eyes widened as he remembered the trancelike state that brought him into the Spirit World. "The koi fish!" he cried out in shock and realization.

Sensing a change in the Avatar's demeanor, the spirit quickly turned around to see -

The most expressionless face Koh had ever seen in his long life. He sighed. "You'd best be going now, Avatar."

Aang bowed once again to Koh in respect, and he wasted no time in scurrying away from the horror he had just witnessed.


As he stumbled out of the tree, he fell to the ground. His limits had already been broken when he had chased the spirit. Now... he'd talked to Roku, found Koh, barely escaped with his life (he had opened his mouth in surprise upon realizing Tui and La were the koi fish) and he had sprinted up the stairs... all without airbending.

Dimly, he saw the apparition of Roku materialize before him. "Roku... The spirits... are in trouble. I need... to get back... to the physical world." Aang couldn't even find the strength to lift his head up.

Roku only smiled at his successor at the ground. He was so, so proud of the young boy who had willingly embraced the struggles of the world and attempted to make them better, no matter the cost. "Avatar Aang... words cannot express how proud I am of you. Your selflessness and responsibility in the face of so much sorrow in destruction makes me believe that you have the potential to become the best, as well as most powerful, Avatar of all time. But..." Roku gestured behind him. "Enough wasting time on my part. A friend is here, to guide you back."

Aang blankly registered what Roku said. He was none of those things... he was selfish... and young... and shrank away from responsibility.

But he was in love. And the thought of Katara was the thing that kept him going, that let him shoulder all the responsibility of the world. If only to make it a better place for her. With his final jolt of energy, he pushed himself off the ground, and recognized the spirit before him. "Hey, Hei Bai," he said tiredly. He hobbled to Hei Bai, painstakingly climbed onto his back, and rested while Hei Bai took off, closing his leadened eyes and drifting off into a blissful sleep about the water and the moon and the ocean and the waves and a certain girl out in the full moon carrying out her primal impulses...


They were winning.

The Fire Nation was advancing, meter by bloody meter. The waterbenders were trying in vain to stem the advance, but ever so slowly, they were being driven back to the final line of walls that housed the civilians of the North Pole. All the easier to wipe them out later. Just like shooting fish in a barrel. Zhao grinned atop his steed, a rhino he had just had himself acquainted with. It was rather easy to reign in the dumb beast, although he was sore from riding for so long.

Then he looked up at the sky and saw the full moon. The waterbenders noticed this as well, and the tide of battle quickly turned.

The hard-earned ground the Fire Nation had gained was quickly lost in a matter of moments as the full moon empowered the waterbenders' bending. Tanks were overthrown, Fire Nation soldiers tossed into the air, entire platoons wiped out. Their best bender - a wizened man by the name of Pakku - even a savage shouldn't be so low as to name a person such a primitive name! - creating a cyclone and single-handedly holding down a quarter of his army. He sat unflinching as a tank slammed to the ground a mere arm's length away, snow spraying onto his men's face. He brushed the snow off his shoulder, and said, "We'll be following this map to a very special location. And when we get there," he smirked. "We're going fishing."


When Aang woke up, they were back at the shrine. He hugged Hei Bai, bowed to the monkey, although he was certain it was the babboon's fault that he had to endure all of this suffering, and he sat back on the altar, waiting to reconnect with his physical form.

Suddenly, he vanished from the Spirit World. The monkey opened both of his eyes, and said, "Good riddance. Although he could've been a lot worse, admittedly. I can see why you like him, old pal." Hei Bai snorted. "Finally... some peace and quiet," the monkey sighed, closing his eyes with a satisfied smile, and soon, the only sound in the clearing were the ohms of the monkey's meditations.

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