I sat in my room on the Fire Nation ship that we stole. I avoided anyone and everyone, which wasn't all that hard since only three people tried. Katara, Sokka, and Toph. I saw my father when we first took the ship, and he wouldn't even look at me. I was laying on my back looking up at the ceiling thinking about the last time I was a fire nation ship. My hand rested on my stomach. I heard a noise come from the room next to mine which was Aang. I open my door to see an awake Aang leaning against a wall. I see Aang send an air blast down a hall.
"He's awake! Stop! Wait!" someone yells
I join Pipsqueak and The Duke who are dressed in guard outfits. I see Aang stumble on the stairs, and hear Momo.
"Momo?" Aang asked
Momo runs towards Aang, jumps on this shoulder and licks his face. .Toph and Katara, standing near the edge of the ship, hear the events.
"Twinkle Toes! That's got be you! And Kida!" Toph said
"Aang, you're awake." Katara said
Aang and I walk up the stairs. I move so I'm standing next to Toph.
"Are you sure? I feel like I'm dreaming." Aang said
"You're not dreaming. You're finally awake." Katara said
Sokka walks over to us as well, and hugs Aang. Sokka is also disguised as a Fire Nation guard.
"Aang, good to see you back with the living,, buddy!" Sokka said
"Sokka?" Aang asked
Aang starts breathing heavily, appears to be passing out.
"Uh-oh, somebody catch him, he's going to-" Toph didn't get to finish
The Duke walks up to us with a robe to give to Aang when he wakes up. It doesn't take long before he awake once again. He puts his robe on while we all sit around him.
"Why are we on a Fire Nation Ship? Why is everyone dressed this way? And why am I the only one who's completely out of it?" Aang asked
We all kind of look at each other. Most everyone leaves, so that Katara and I are the ones left with Aang.
"You need to take it easy, okay? You got hurt pretty bad." Katara said
"Like the hair." I said
"I have hair? How long was I out?" Aang asked
Katara and I exchange looks.
"A few weeks." Katara said
Hakoda walks towards us.
"Everything okay?" Hakoda asked
Katara looks away annoyed, and I roll my eyes.
"We're fine, Dad." Katara said
"So you can go away." I said
"I'm Hakoda, Katara, and Sokka's father…and Kida's." Hakoda said
"Way to almost forget me." I said
Aang goes to shake Hakoda's hand but stops.
"He know who you are. I just called you "Dad", didn't I?" Katara asked
"I guess you're right." Hakoda said
"Nice to officially meet you, Chief Hakoda." Aang said
"It's an honor to meet you." Hakoda said
"Great, great, so now you guys have finally met. So would you mind giving us a little privacy?" Katara asked
"Of course." Hakoda said
"I understand why Kida is mad at your dad, but why are mad at him?" Aang asked
"What, not at all. Why would you say that?" Katara asked
"Well lets just say you made me look like the sugar queen." I said
Aang then lets out a gasps of pain.
"Maybe we should go downstairs. You need a healing session." Katara said
I go to follow them but Toph stops me.
"We need to talk." She said
"Okay, we can talk in my room." I said
We head down stairs and towards my room. Once we got to the room, I shut the door and sat down on my bed.
"What do you want to talk about?" I asked
"The fact that you have become an Ice Queen. Before you went to find Zuko and Katara, you were happy, nervous, and a bit scared. Now you are just mad, irritated, and scared. What happened?" Toph asked
"Everything." I said
"Care to explain? I won't tell the others." Toph asked
"I was happy. I was fine with living with Iroh and Zuko. He let Appa go, we were down there in the chamber under the lake, we found Appa and Zuko let him go. When we got back to the apartment he got sick, and when he woke up he was different. He was happy, he didn't make fun of Iroh's cooking or weird obsession with tea. We made a promise to each other. He broke his." I said
Toph just looked at me. I know she's blind but it was still weird how she could look at something and know everything.
"I know, and I also know that you are in denial. You need to tell your siblings. It won't before long till they find out, but know I am always here." Toph said
She got up, and left the room. I flopped backwards on to the bed. A few minutes passed, and Katara knocked on the door.
"We are headed back up, you coming with?" Katara asked
I got up and followed Katara and Aang back up onto the deck.
"Tell me everything." Aang said
"After what happened at Ba Sing Se, we had to get you to safety. We flew back to Chameleon bay we found my father and the other Water Tribe men. The Earth King decided he wanted to travel the world in disguise, so he set off alone. Well, not completely alone. Soon, the bay was overrun by Fire Nation ships. Rather than fight them all, we captured a single ship and made it our disguise. Since then we've been traveling west. We crossed through the Serpent's Pass a few days ago. We've seen a few Fire Nation ships, but none have bothered us." Sokka said
"So what now?" Aang asked
"We've been working on a modified version of the invasion plan." Hakoda said
"It's Sokka's invasion plan." Katara said
"Yes, Sokka's plan. We won't be able to mount a massive invasion without the Earth King's armies, but the solar eclipse will still leave the Fire Nation vulnerable." Hakoda said
"So we're planning a smaller invasion. Just a ragtag team of our friends and allies from around the Earth Kingdom. We already ran into Pipsqueak and The Duke." Sokka said
We look at The Duke and Pipsqueak. The Duke is sitting on Pipsqueak's shoulders eating noodle.
"Good to see you again, Aang!" Pipsqueak said
"And the best part is, the eclipse isn't even our biggest advantage! We have a secret…you!" Sokka said
"Me?" Aang asked
"Yep, the whole world thinks you're dead! Isn't that great?" Sokka asked
Aang suddenly has a look of shock on his face.
"The world thinks I'm dead? How is that a good news? That's terrible!" Aang said
"No, it's great! It means the Fire Nation won't be hunting us anymore! And even better, they won't be expecting you on the Day of Black Sun!" Sokka said
"No, no, no, no, no. You have no idea. This is so messed up!" Aang said
We see a ship approaching from the other direction.
"I'll handle this. The Avatar is back." Aang said
Aang opens his glider and grunts in pain.
"Aang, wait! They don't know we're not Fire Nation." Katara said
Aang starts sweating, and puts his glider away. I pull my hood up to hide my hair, but I stay on deck.
"Everyone just stay calm." Hakoda said
He and Bato put their helmets on.
"Bato and I will take care of this." Hakoda said
Pipsqueak and The Duke cover Appa and Momo , while, Aang, Toph, Sokka, and Katara hide in a square hole. I stay in the doorway.
"I hate not being able to do anything." Aang said
"Hopefully, you won't need to." Toph said
The crew from the other ship board ours.
"Commander, why are you off course? All Western Fleet ships are supposed to be moving toward Ba Sing Se to support the occupation." the other ship asked
"Actually, we're from Eastern Fleet. We have orders to deliver some cargo." Hakoda said
"Ahh…Eastern Fleet. Well, nice of Admiral Chan to let us know he was sending one of his ships our way." the other ship captain said
"I'm sure Admiral Chan meant no disrespect, sir." Bato said
"I mean, how hard is it to write a quick note and send a hawk our way?" the other captain said
"Next time, we'll send, two hawks to make sure you get the message." Hakoda said
They bow to each other, and Hakoda and Bato move to leave.
"Sir… Admiral Chan has been on leave for two months at Ember Island." the other guard said
"What? Why doesn't anyone ever tell me anything? Something's not right; they should have known that. I think this is a captured ship." the other captain said
I walk out from the door way.
"Were not a captured ship." I said
They stop and turn, I recognize the guard.
"Hello, Jin how have you been?" I asked
"Kida?" Jin asked
I push my hood down.
"The one and only." I said
"Are you headed to the palace?" Jin asked
"Yes, and as for the ship and its passengers. They were instructed to say what they did." I said
"I'm confused." the other ship captain said
"Jin, no one is supposed to know I'm on this ship. Zuko doesn't want my siblings finding me." I said
Jin nodded his head.
"Come captain I'll explain later." Jin said
With that they turned and got back on their boat. As their boat, headed away you could see the water serpent follow them, and quickly crush the boat. Soon everybody was on deck. Sokka was the first to talk.
"Care to explain." Sokka said
"That was Jin, he was a guard that once worked for Zuko." I said
Sokka raised an eyebrow.
"What do you want me to say?" I asked
"I want you to explain how you were able to just tell them to leave and they go?" Sokka said
"I spent time on that ship, I got to know the men who worked on it." I said
"That doesn't explain everything. Why would he believe that this Zuko is expecting you?" Hakoda asked
"It really is none of your concern. I don't have to answer any of your question." I said
"Yes, you do. I am your father." Hakoda said
"No you are not. You have not been my father since night mom died. You turned your back on me." I said
I turned and looked at Katara and Sokka.
"If you need me I'll be in my room." I said
I turned and headed back down and towards my room. An hour passed and Katara knocked and opened my door.
"Were headed to get dinner." Katara said
I got up and followed Katara and the others to Aang's room.
"Hey, Aang! We're going into town to find some dinner." Toph said
"Well, I am pretty hungry. Maybe dinner's a good idea." Aang said
Sokka holds out a Fire Nation bandana for Aang.
"Here, tie this around your head. It will cover your arrow." Sokka said
"I'm not going out if I can't wear my arrow proudly." Aang said
"Aang, come on. Be practical." Sokka said
Katara places a hand on Sokka's shoulder.
"You guys go ahead without us. We'll catch up to you." Katara said
Toph and Sokka leave. While Katara and I stay. I lean on the wall while Katara sits down next to Aang.
"I think I understand why being a secret bothers you so much. You don't want people to think you failed." Katara said
"You're right, I don't. But the problem, is, I did fail." Aang said
"Aang, that's not true." Katara said
"It is true. I was in Ba Sing Se. I was there! But I lost. And now the Earth Kingdom is fallen for good." Aang said
"Nothing is for good." I said
"Remember, there's still a plan. The invasion." Katara said
"And I hate the invasion plan, too! I don't want you or anyone else risking your lives to fix my mistakes. I've always known that I would have to face the Fire Lord. But now I know I need to do it alone." Aang said
Katara moves to hug Aang.
"Aang…" Katara said
"Katara, please. Just go…please." Aang said
"Is there anything you need?" Katara asked
"I need to redeem myself. I need my honor back." Aang said
Katara leaves. I move in and sit down next to him.
"You know honor isn't everything. It's also something that can't be taken or given. It's something you earn." I said
Aang didn't say anything.
"You said once that everything happens for a reason. Maybe there is a reason for this." I said
I got up and left the room. I headed to my own room, and laid down on the bed. I wrapped my arms around my waist. I drifted off to sleep and when I woke it was to Karata.
"He's gone. Aang's not in his room." Katara said
I get up and follow Katara up on to deck. I see Bato and Hakoda talking.
"I'll leave you three alone." Bato said
"What's wrong, Katara?" Hakoda asked
"He left." Katara said
"What?" Hakoda asked
"Aang. He just took his glider and disappeared. He has this ridiculous notion that he has to save the world alone, that it's all his responsibility." Katara said
"Maybe that's his way of being brave." Hakoda said
"It's not brave, it's selfish and stupid." I said
"We could be helping him and I know the world needs him, but doesn't he know how much we need him, too? How can he just leave us behind?" Katara asked
"You're talking about me too, aren't you?" Hakoda asked
"Not everything is about you." I said
"How could you leave us, Dad? I mean, I know we had gran-Gran, and she loved us, but we were just so lost without you." Katara said
Hakoda moves to comfort her as she turns away.
"I'm so sorry, Katara." Hakoda said
"I understand why you left. I really do, and I know that you had to go, so why do I still feel this way? I'm so sad and angry and hurt." Katara said
"I love you more than anything. You and your brother are my entire world. I thought about you every day when I was gone and every night when I went to sleep, I would lie awake missing you so much it would ache." Hakoda said
"What a loving testament. Now's not the time. We have to find Aang." I said
Katara nodded her head. I headed back to room and grabbed my stuff. I made it back on deck, to see Sokka loading up Appa. I throw my bag up I go to climb up but Hakoda stopped me.
"What do you want?" I asked
"We need to talk." Hakoda said
"Well your about 10 years too late." I said
I shook out of his grip, and climbed up onto Appa. Toph, and Katara quickly joined Sokka and I on to Appa.
"Yip-yip." Sokka said
We took off and started to look for Aang. We find him on the crescent moon island. It's nearly sunrise. Momo runs over and licks Aang's face. Katara runs towards him.
"You're okay." Katara said
We all come together in a group hug, including Appa.
"I have so much to do." Aang said
"I know, but you'll have out help." Katara said
"You didn't think you could get out of training just by coming to the Fire Nation, did you?" Toph asked
"What about the invasion?" Aang asked
"We'll join up with Hakoda and the invasion force the day of the eclipse." I said
Toph picks up Aang's damaged staff.
"Hey! What's…oh, it's your glider." Toph said
"It's okay. If someone saw it, it would give away my identity. It's better for now that no one knows I'm alive." Aang said
Aang flies up and sticks it in the volcano's lava trails, causing it to catch fire as we depart.
"I know you don't want to talk about it, but we need to talk about your time with Zuko." Katara said
"There's not that much to tell." I said
"Kida, your acting different, I've only been awake for a sort time and I know it." Aang said
"Things happened in Ba Sing Se. Promises were made and then broken end of story." I said
"There is something you aren't telling us." Sokka said
"Your right there is. But I'm not ready to talk about it." I said
"Fine. But this isn't the end of it." Sokka said
"I know." I said
Toph just gives me her "I told you so look". Then the stone on my necklace glowed and I got warm feeling. One thought went through my head. Zuko.
Zuko's Pov:
I stand on my balcony, but I look down at the necklace Kida and I share. A tear escapes my good eye.
"I'm sorry, Kida. I promise I'll make it better, I'll make it right." I said
My tear landed on the stone and it glowed, and it felt warm. Kida.
