Chapter Thirteen

The morning was hazy, but an energetic feeling was buzzing in the air. Even with the avatar still missing, a sense of camaraderie could be felt all around. As promised, Uncle Iroh and the other members of the White Lotus had eel hounds saddled up and ready to go. Leather pouches were filled with dried meats, water, and some emergency medicines. Although the comet would only be passing over for a short time, the White Lotus ensured that they would be well taken care of.

After a hasty breakfast, eaten only by his uncle's insistence, Zuko wasted no time in climbing onto Appa's saddle and grabbing hold of the reins.

"Hey!" Katara called after him. "You can't possibly be thinking of going alone."

For a moment, Zuko hesitated, squeezing the leather reins in his hand. Her voice outweighed his urgency. With a sigh, he motioned for her to climb up. "Let's go. Moria too."

The soundbender blinked in surprise. "Me?"

Zuko nodded gravely. "If anyone can quell Azula's rage, it's you."

"But I-."

Uncle Iroh's warm hands fell on her shoulders. "My nephew has excellent intuition. If he believes you will be able to help, you most certainly will. Do not doubt yourself."

Moria took in a deep breath, wondering if this was really what it all came down to. Finally, she nodded and climbed onto Appa's saddle. As she settled in beside Katara, she glanced at Sokka, Suki, and Toph standing by the eel hounds. "Will you all be okay?"

"Don't worry!" Sokka patted his chest and grinned. "I've got a plan. We're taking down the Fire Nation fleet!" He threw his arms in the air in a large V for victory. "Team Avatar, go!"

"Go!" Katara echoed with a laugh, and the others quickly joined in.

There was no turning back now. The sky was already transitioning to a bright orange on the horizon. Soon Sozin's Comet would be visible in the sky. Team Avatar went their separate ways to put an end to the Fire Nation's one-hundred-year war, and all they could do was hope that Aang would show up to do his part. No matter what, by the end of the day it would all be over.

The ride to the Fire Nation palace was tense. No one spoke as Appa glided effortlessly through the air, and soon enough the dark palace came into view.

There was no crowd, no fanfare, like Zuko expected on the day of a would-be coronation, but he quickly spotted Azula in the courtyard. Her hair hung in uneven strands over her face, a scowl etched on her young features. She kneeled beside the prime minister, head down. The crown in the prime minister's hands hovered just inches above her head.

Before Appa even had a chance to plant his feet firmly on the ground, Zuko slid off the saddle and made a mad dash towards Azula. A cry of frustration erupted from his throat as he punched a large fireball towards his sister. "Stop!"

Azula's face darkened and she stood, swatting the prime minister away as if he were an annoying fly. "You dare interrupt my coronation, Zuzu?"

Zuko stopped in his tracks as he got a good look at his sister. Her hands were clenched at her sides, her chest heaving with each breath she took. Katara and Moria quickly caught up and stopped behind Zuko, taking in the scene.

"She looks…different," Katara whispered.

Zuko gave a curt nod. "Something is off about her. I'm not sure what, but she's not right. Moria…can you calm her down?"

Uncle Iroh's words echoed in her ears and she nodded confidently. She took a few steps ahead of Zuko, approaching Azula cautiously as if she were some feral animal. Her instruments were still in Appa's saddle. Her voice would have to do. As she hummed, louder and louder, she pushed into Azula's mind, probing her mental barriers.

"What do you think you're doing?" Azula screeched, sending a wave of fire Moria's way.

Moria quickly jumped aside while Zuko deflected the fire. She paled as she stared at the Fire Nation princess. "I can't touch her."

"If you could just get into her mind a little…" Katara started, but the look on Moria's face stopped her.

"Zuko is right. Something is terribly off about her. I can't get in her head."

Zuko narrowed his eyes at the news, but nevertheless he raised his fists in a fighting stance. "I guess I'm going to have to do this the hard way, then."

"I'm sorry," Moria whispered.

Zuko shook his head, casting a quick, reassuring smirk her way. "You two get back." He turned his attention to Azula and loudly called, "Azula, I challenge you to an Agni Kai!"

The laugh that permeated the air was as unhinged as Azula looked, and the Fire Nation princess took a few staggering steps towards her brother. "You dare challenge me, little brother? You dare challenge the Fire Lord?"

"You are not the Fire Lord," Zuko said through gritted teeth. "And you never will be if I have anything to say about it."

"We'll see about that!" Azula cried to the darkening sky. "Fine! I accept your challenge. The winner becomes the Fire Lord. I'll be sure to alert our batty old uncle of your demise!"

The battle began in blows of fiery fury, and Katara and Moria quickly ducked behind a large marble pillar for protection.

"I can't believe we're just supposed to sit here and do nothing," Katara seethed through gritted teeth. From where the girls sat, they had a front row seat to the siblings' red-hot battle, and their abilities seemed to be equally matched.

Moria's eyes followed the flaming blows across the courtyard. Small pebbles skittered over the cobblestones. The tiny sounds they made were deafening. She lowered her gaze and noticed a series of grates covering a sewer system. She could hear the water flowing loudly below, flooding from previous rains. She nudged Katara and nodded towards them. "We may be able to help yet. Be at the ready."

Katara looked down at the grates, feeling for the water flowing rapidly below. A smile broke out over her soft features. "Okay."

Moria turned her attention back to the battle. Things were getting hot, quite literally. The girls were breaking into a sweat from the heat of the fight. Pebbles scattered again and this time Moria plucked the sound from the air. She let out a slow, careful breath and began to focus.

A little white ball began to form at Azula's side, following her sluggishly as she moved. Katara narrowed her eyes at it and glanced at Moria, focused so intently on it. Slowly, she connected the dots and held her breath in anticipation.

The little white ball began to grow brighter, buzzing with energy. Sweat dripped down Moria's face as she poured all of her effort into keeping it alive.

Do not doubt yourself.

Yes, yes! She could feel it. It was going to work this time; she just knew it. Just another moment and…

"What's wrong, Azula? No lightening for me today?"

Katara and Moria froze, both wondering the same thing – What is he thinking?! Neither of them expected him to taunt his clearly unhinged sister so brazenly. Her reaction was no surprise.

"Oh, you want lightning? I'll show you lightning!"

To Moria, it was now or never. She grasped even tighter to that buzzing little ball, forcing every ounce of her strength into it. The events that followed happened so quickly that Moria barely had time to register them.

Azula swung her pointed finger towards Katara, catching the waterbender's eye with a wicked smirk. Zuko's eyes widened and let out an enraged cry, diving into her path. Too late, blue lightening crackled from her fingertips. The white ball exploded with a tremendous boom and blinding light just as the blue lightning shot into the air.

Azula was thrown to the side like a stuffed doll, the force of the explosion sending her flying, eyes wide in shock. She came crashing down over the grates, and Katara quickly sprung into action, encasing the Fire Nation princess in a watery prison.

Knowing Katara could handle Azula in her own element, Moria quickly rubbed the spots from her eyes and turned her attention to Zuko. He lay sprawled out on the cobblestones, chest rising and falling with great effort, staring up at the sky.

With a gasp, Moria pushed herself off the ground and stumbled to him. She fell to her knees beside Zuko and placed her hands over the wound. The lightening had torn a hole in his chest, close to his right shoulder, the skin there hot and angry. He turned his head towards her, panting with a faraway look in his eyes.

"What…what was that?" he said in a raspy voice.

Moria dropped her head, tears stinging her eyes. "The only destructive move my people know. But I mastered it too late."

Zuko coughed and shook his head weakly. He raised his hand and placed it on Moria's shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. "If she hadn't been thrown aside, she would have hit my heart." He coughed, squeezing his eyes shut. "You saved me."

Moria took in his pale face and the large beads of sweat breaking out on his brow. "I'm not so sure of that," she whispered.

Zuko shook his head again. "I told you…you would help…" He broke into a violent coughing fit, his body wracking with the force of it.

Moria's eyes widened and she looked over her shoulder to Katara. It looked as though she was just wrapping things up. With Azula surrounded by ice, Katara was freeing just enough of the Fire Nation princess to bind her hands together and chain her to the grate. When she was secure, Katara turned the ice to water and released her hold on it.

"Katara!" Moria shrieked. "Hurry, he needs you!"

Katara gasped and ran towards them, leaving Azula to scream and struggle to free herself from the chains. She dropped to her knees beside Moria and placed her hands over Zuko's wound. "This is bad."

"Can't you heal him?" Moria pleaded.

"I think so, but I need to focus." Katara glanced behind her and grimaced. "I need you to shut her up so I can concentrate."

"Right…" Moria got to her feet and left Katara to work. Azula was throwing such a fit that Moria was a little apprehensive about approaching her. The Fire Nation princess was screaming towards the sky, turning her head towards the retreating comet. Blue fire flickered from her mouth and she wriggled against her chains. Moria had never seen someone throw such a fit, and she only knew of one way to calm someone down. Perhaps, she thought, in this mental state she could reach Azula. As she approached her, Moria filled the air with a soft, peaceful song.

"There is peace flowing through me, there is peace flowing through me,

There is peace flowing through me all my days.

I begin each day anew, I go hand in hand with you,

There is peace flowing through me all my days.

There is calm like still waters, there is calm like still waters,

There is calm like still waters within me.

My body is at ease and my soul is at peace,

There is calm like still waters within me.

There is love all around me, there is love all around me,

There is love all around me in the air.

And I feel it ever near, that love will always be right here.

There is love all around me in the air."

As she sang, she kneeled beside Azula and placed a tender hand on her back. Her guard was down, and she was able to work a feeling of serenity into her mind. As she rubbed gentle circles on Azula's back, the princess dropped her head and quieted. Fat tears fell to the ground as she sobbed.

Cautiously, Moria moved to wrap her arms around Azula's shoulders. Growing up, she was taught that compassion was everything, and while she could not fully understand what the young firebender was going through, she could at least provide comfort. Softly, she pulled Azula into a warm hug and held her while Katara worked on Zuko.

Azula leaned heavily against Moria, remaining quiet as it began to grow dark. Moria watched with relief as Zuko sat up and draped an arm over Katara's shoulder. Despite the darkening sky, the world suddenly felt a little brighter, and Moria was suddenly overwhelmed with the feeling that everything had just fallen perfectly into place.

Later that night, Team Avatar regrouped at the outskirts of Ba Sing Se and recounted what happened on their sides of the battle. Much to everyone's relief, Aang had come through and defeated Ozai in his own way. When Moria learned that the avatar had met once again with her Guardian, and the lion turtled and graced Aang with a new power, she was overwhelmed with joy. The defunct Fire Lord now sat in a prison cell at the Boiling Rock. Azula, on the other hand, was taken to a hospital for an assessment. Even after everything she had done, Zuko was concerned for his sister's health, and she was currently being treated under the care of a well-known psychiatrist in the Earth Kingdom. Zuko, being the only member of his family physically and mentally capable of taking over the throne, was crowned as Fire Lord in an emergency ceremony led by the prime minister. He had argued that having no Fire Lord, for no matter how brief a time, could cause the Fire Nation to erupt in chaos.

Zuko planned to take his new role very seriously and work side-by-side with Aang to truly bring peace to the word. But for that night, a celebration was order.

Uncle Iroh, along with other members of the White Lotus, served tea to the members of Team Avatar around a warm campfire. It was growing late, but no one was ready to sleep. There was a joyous feeling all around and the friends laughed, joked, and shared the delicious food the White Lotus had prepared for them. Plans for the future could wait until tomorrow. That night was theirs.

"Do you have any party songs from your island?" Sokka asked, his arm tightly around Suki's waist.

"We have many celebration songs," Moria answered, a playful smirk toying at her lips.

"Sing one!" Sokka demanded.

Suki giggled and nudged Sokka in the side. "I've never seen you actually requesting her to sing!"

"Hey, as long as she doesn't do anything weird to me, I'm all for a good song!" Sokka said.

"A song does come to mind," Moria said, tapping her chin in thought. "But I'm going to need everyone to stand up."

She stood and the others followed her lead, casting a few confused glances towards each other.

"Wait, I didn't say I wanted to dance." Sokka looked around tentatively, suddenly dreading his request.

"You're too late, my friend." Moria smiled and held her hands out at either side. "Everyone join hands. Make a circle around the fire."

The small group did as they were told. Moria took Uncle Iroh's hand, who took Zuko's hand, who took Katara's hand, who took Sokka's hand, who took Suki's hand, who took Aang's hand, who took Toph's hand, who completed the circle and took Moria's other hand.

"Now what?" Aang asked, looking around the circle.

"Now move!" Moria threw her head back with a laugh and pushed her friends into moving in a circle. She skipped, encouraging the others to join in with her. Once the circle was moving jubilantly around the fire, she opened her mouth to sing.

"There's a party tonight, party tonight

Gather around so all may see.

There's a party tonight, party tonight

Come join in the fun, celebrate with me.

There is dancing tonight, dancing tonight

Dance around the fire, leap with joy.

There is dancing tonight, dancing tonight

Join in the fun, every girl and boy.

There is singing tonight, singing tonight

Sing to the stars so bright and clear.

There is singing tonight, singing tonight

Join in the fun so all may hear."

After a week, the debris settled and the weight of the roles that Team Avatar had taken on began to take hold. The small group gathered daily at the Jasmine Dragon while Uncle Iroh proudly served his special blend of tea. Aang and Zuko discussed plans for a great city. Katara drew up plans for a hospital. Suki worked on finding ways to expand the Kyoshi warriors. Toph worked to come up with a fair and honest justice system to adapt. Sokka was flowing with ideas for a training academy for nonbenders.

Everyone, it seemed, knew that their next step was with each other.

Everyone except for Moria.

And as much as it pained her, she was beginning to feel that maybe she just didn't fit in with the plans for the future Team Avatar was building. She had an idea of her own, but she knew the others weren't going to like it.

One morning, Moria woke with a feeling, and she knew the day had come. In her small, temporary room just across from the teashop, she gathered what little belongings she had salvaged from her life on the lion turtle and carried it with her to the Jasmine Dragon.

The other members of Team Avatar were already there, hard at work with all kinds of papers scattered around the tables, when she walked in and stood in the doorway. For a moment, she received only the usual perfunctory greetings, but when Aang noticed her bulging, oversized bag, he shot up from his seat.

"Moria, what you are doing?"

All eyes were on her now. She set her bag at her feet, clasped her hands over her abdomen and bowed deeply to her friends. "I want to thank you all for everything you've done for me. You truly saved me, in more ways than you know." Her eye caught Zuko's and he frowned. "The time has come for me to part ways with you."

"You can't be serious!" Aang stepped forward, holding an arm out as if to stop her. "You're one of us, Moria. Team Avatar!"

Katara nodded. "We need you. Your books, your knowledge, we could use it all to create this city Aang and Zuko are dreaming of."

Moria shook her head gently. "I'm sorry, friends. But now that I'm freed of my island, it is time for the rest of the world to learn of the soundbenders."

Uncle Iroh, who had been bustling around in the back, caught the tail end of her remark as he reentered to the dining area. With a frown, he said, "Remember what I told you, Moria."

"I know," Moria nodded respectfully. "I appreciate your concern, but I believe I can finally put the vicious lie to rest. As the world learns of my people, I'll make sure they understand the true philosophies of the soundbenders."

"Just what is it that you intend to do?" Suki asked, glancing at Sokka.

"It's simple really. I'm going to travel. I'm going to share my story and my music with all the world. I'm going to make copies of my people's history. The world will know of the last soundbender."

"You mean you're going alone?" Sokka's eyes widened. "You can't do that!"

"I can, and I'll be fine." Moria offered him a reassuring smile. "If anyone gives me trouble, I'm confident I can sedate them long enough for me to get away."

"You really sure about this, Choir Girl?" Toph asked, crossing her arms.

"I'm sure," Moria said calmly. "I've thought about it for a long time and…I feel this is the right path for me. My people always believed in the power of intuition. I must follow my gut feeling on this."

Sokka frowned and drew Suki close. "I guess we can't stop you, can we?"

Moria smiled sadly and shook her head. "I'm sorry. My mind is made up."

With tears in her eyes, Katara stepped forward and took Moria's hands. "Promise me we will meet again."

Moria squeezed her hands gently. "We will. I know it. You have done so much for me. I truly can't thank you enough."

"We'll miss you," Katara whispered and threw her arms around the soundbender in a tight hug.

In a moment, the entirety of Team Avatar, Uncle Iroh included, had surrounded the young woman in a massive group hug. The warmth and love that surrounded her was bittersweet, and Moria did her best to hug and each and every one back. She would miss them terribly. Truly they were the bright spot in her darkest days. But now it was her turn to complete her mission. The world deserved to know of her existence.

Everyone pulled back, shouting their goodbyes to the soundbender. Tears fell and were quickly wiped away. Moria's eyes were watery as she picked up her bag, slinging it effortlessly over her shoulder. She turned to leave with one final goodbye but paused in the doorway as a song swelled within her heart. What better way to leave her friends than with a sweet melody?

"Now it's time to part, but I'll keep you in my heart,

We were strong together and we'll be strong apart.

Though we say goodbye, we are under the same sky,

Peace be with you till we meet again."