XIX
Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR FOOS! Italics-her letter bold italics- thought
Needless to say everyone else was shocked at Zuko's new appearance, but it quickly disappeared as they started into the canyon with Lin trailing behind them. Lin watched as Zuko and Monica got on eachother's nerves pretty fast, so she tapped Aang on the shoulder to ask him about it.
"They're both pretty temperamental." Aang replied as they walked. "They get into fights a lot. Most of the time it's easier to just ignore them." Lin blinked and when Zuko and Monica separated (Zuko moving to the back to not deal with Monica.) Lin pulled on his sleeve.
"Hey." She started. "Why do you fight with Monica so much? Do you like her?"
"No!" He nearly shouted. Then looked to see Toph snickering in front of him.
"I can tell you're lying." She grinned proudly at Zuko's embarrassment.
They got back to Yorda's valley, and the group kept going. Sokka turned his head and saw Lin just starring at the tree; as if it was hypnotizing her.
"Guys wait." They stopped and looked back at what he was looking at. Katara approached Lin and asked her what was wrong.
Lin walked with Master Crest to the Yorda tree; he had been training with her and decided to take a break at the yorda tree.
"Master Crest? Why do you want to become a sage?" Lin asked, looking at Master Crest, who had black hair and pale skin.
"Why do I want to become a sage?" She nodded. "Well. When I was little I lived in a firenation village where the soldiers took advantage of us and were very cruel. One day while they were burning our village because of a tip of resistance; a man wearing a hood came in and smited them with magic I never saw before. When I asked him how he did that, he just smiled at me and said "A sage's secret""
"So, to learn how he did that magic, you need to be a sage right? Is that the only reason?" Lin asked; watching the spirit dance in Master Crest's eyes as he explained to her his reasoning.
"That isn't the only reason Lin. I want to protect people I care about. I want to protect you."
"Lin? Lin?" Katara was shaking her. Soon, her pupils became so small that they looked more like doll eyes. She fell to the ground holding her head and screaming in horrible agony. A purple pool-like thing opened up in her head,and a giant anteater like monster came out. It had so many stomach rolls that it looked like a miniature moutain range.
"That's it!" Monica screeched. Only Zuko semi-knew what she meant. "That monster from my dream! The one I told you about!" Taking her sword, she tried to stab it. But it's rolls nearly ate it, and her arm along with it. It probably would have left more than a disgusting green ooze on her sword if Zuko hadn't pulled her arm out while Toph stabbed it with an earth spike.
"Ewww.." Monica sighed as she watched the green ooze drip from her elbow down. Katara bended some water from a nearby lake and leaned it off. They saw the memo-eater (It was called) bleed it's green oozy blood and die, and saw Lin weeping under the Yorga tree. Monica and the others went over to her and heard her whimpering:
"Master Crest..."
"Lin.." Monica comforted her. "C'mon. We better get going to the light house." She wiped her eyes with her sleeve and nodded.She walked in the middle of the group that time; she tried to hurry and calm down so she wouldn't seem like a child. But she couldn't help it, she had a crush on Crest.
They marched up the hill to the ashy remains of the lighthouse, Just then, Lin started wishing she could go back and save crest. Aang saw a strange light in his bag with the hour glass in it; although Sokka found it funny that he brought that along.
"Must have forgotten to put it away." Aang mumbled as they were surrounded by a blinding light; and as the light cleared, they saw the ashy remains of the lighthouse had rebuilt and become the light house once again.
"We've got to save Master Crest." Lin spoke up. Knowing that the hourglass had taken them back to the one moment in time that she wanted to change. Before the others had realized it as well; Lin was already halfway to the light house.
They reached the top to see Crest looking out towards the sea.
"Master Crest!" Lin cried happily. Running to him and nearly tackling him off the tower.
"Hello there Lin." He smiled; patting the top of her head, and looking up at the others. "Who are they?"
"Monica,Zuko,Aang,Toph,Katara,and Sokka-" But just as she finished the introductions. A blast at the moon crystal was fired; and Crest was pushing Lin off him to save it.
"I've got to save the Moon Crystal!" Crest climbed to the top of the light house where the moon Crystal sat.
The group saw that a hot-air balloon ship had fired the shot, and the captain of the ship was none other than Azula herself.
"Azula." Zuko breathed angrily.
"Hello you annoying Brats."
Azula fired fire at Lin (Her wearing the most flammable clothing) and saw Zuko turn to the others.
"Protect Lin!" He ordered, without a second thought, Zuko was running at the ship, and jumping across the gap of air between the light house and the ship, landing squarely on the deck.
Azula smiled at her brother; whom she noticed had changed from a firenation prince, to an earthkingdom traitor.
"Look at you." She spat. "You look like an earth bender." Zuko didn't care about that, he hated that every time something went good for him; Azula had to come and ruin it. She had told his mother about the 'sacrifice your first born son' thing and then his mother left. Azula was always so mean to him, and now it was time for payback.
"Why do you do this Azula? Why do you constantly try and ruin anything that is going good for me? Do you hate me Azula?" He yelled, igniting his fists into a fire sword and attacked her. Swining his sword every which way to try and burn her; anger was building in him every time he missed. Azula dodged by cartwheeling away from him, and burning him with her razor sharp claws (On fire).
While Zuko fought his sister, the others defended Lin from the flames that Azula shot. They were regrouping just as fast as they could be extinguished. Monica saw over on the ship that Zuko was fighting Azula, fighting to stop the destruction of the light house. She had no time to cheer for him; she and the others were too busy protecting Lin from the flames of death. Aang used his airbending, Katara her water bending, Sokka and Monica used their weapons, and Toph used her earth bending.
Both Zuko and Azula were burned and in pain, but neither one wanted to show it. Zuko; looking up at the giant balloon, devised a plan. He climbed one of the ropes all the way up to the balloon, made himself a fire dagger, and stabbed it through the balloon. Breaking a hole in it and it deflated giving him barely enough time to get off.
The fires disappeared, and the Light house was burning;and Lin was crying over Crests dead body.
"I'm sorry Master..I couldn't save you.." Lin cried, wiping her eyes with her sleeve. "I know how much you wanted to be a sage..Master Crest..I love you master Crest.." The emotionness in it all made Katara cry and Monica blink away some tears. "I promise...I'll carry on your dream of being a sage..for you Master.."